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'Central City residents often feel like they stand alone. Not this time': Editorial
New Orleans police on Tuesday (Sept. 27) booked David L. Lewis, 35, on suspicion of first-degree rape, after saying his DNA sample was linked to a gang rape reported by a woman in 2006.(Courtesy of Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office)
A rendering of the new Good Shepherd Nativity Mission School campus to open in Gentilly in 2018. The new building, located just off the intersection of A.P. Tureaud Avenue and Agriculutre Street, will have room for up to 300 students, more than doubling Good Shepherd's student seats. (Image courtesy Good Shepherd Nativity Mission School)
In this Tuesday, June 7, 2016 photo, students run to go outside at the start of a recess between classes at Little Fort Elementary school in Waukegan, Ill. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)
This map shows the locations where erosion rates were monitored in the aftermath of the BP oil spill in 2010. The red dots indicate where oil covered 90 percent or more of the stems of wetland grasses.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The House Jan. 6 committee plans to unveil "surprising" details at its next public hearing about the 2021 attack at the U.S. Capitol. The session Thursday afternoon is likely to be the last public hearing before midterm elections next month. The panel is expected to include new evidence from the U.S. Secret Service about its actions with Donald Trump that day. Ahead of a report later this year, the panel is summing up its findings. The committee says Trump, after he lost the 2020 presidential election, launched an unprecedented attempt to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden's victory. They say the result was the deadly mob siege of the Capitol.
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Addressing mental health

For years now, industry has recognized the importance of workers physical health and safety and has addressed it as a priority. But mental health has taken a back seat  until now.

In May, Workplace Safety North (WSN) announced it would start offering a Mental Health First Aid course to organizations in the mining, forestry, and pulp and paper industries.

Developed by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, the course teaches participants the signs to watch for amongst their coworkers who may be experiencing a mental health crisis and how to provide immediate support.

Upon the announcement, Candys Bellanger-Michaud, WSNs president and CEO, called mental health first aid an idea whose time has come.

Just as physical first aid is administered to an injured person, mental health first aid is provided until appropriate support is found or until the crisis is resolved, she said in a release.

Coworkers who see each other each work day are often in the best position to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health issues in their fellow coworkers, provided theyve been properly trained.

WSN has hired Lisa Lounsbury, founder and owner of the Sudbury-based company New Day Wellness, to teach the course, which is voluntary and not regulated by any governing body.

Lounsbury has taught about a half-dozen mental health first aid courses since she was certified in June, in Sudbury and North Bay, but believes interest will spread amongst companies throughout the North.

At this point, its basically those (companies) that are interested, those that care, those that want to change the culture and reduce the stigma that are taking the course or inviting their staff to take the course, Lounsbury said.

Taught over 12 hours, across a span of two days, the course educates participants on some of the conditions affiliated with mental illness, such as anxiety and mood disorders, depression, psychotic episodes, schizophrenia, and substance abuse, and how to recognize the signs of these conditions in people around them.

Participants are also educated on what to do to keep a person safe, and how to refer to them to local resources, such as a crisis centre, to assist them in getting help. Their role is not to diagnose, Lounsbury emphasized, but to provide immediate assistance until they can access help from a professional.

A key aspect is learning to become a better listener, a skill Lounsbury believes everyone can improve upon.

If youre not in tune, or not asking the right questions, or not listening properly, you could miss someone, she said. And wouldnt that be horrible if someone is considering suicide and theyre reaching out to you, but you havent listened and then the worst things happened.

Mental health first aid can be a hard sell, because there is still a strong social stigma surrounding mental illness. Many people feel uncomfortable talking about it, some feel ashamed for having experienced a mental health problem, and others simply dont understand it because they havent experienced it personally, Lounsbury said.

But mental illness is not uncommon. According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, one in five people will suffer from a mental health problem in a year. One in three people will suffer from a mental health problem in their lifetime. And those are just the stats that are reported by the medical community.

Lounsbury believes the numbers are actually much higher, because there are people who never report or seek out help after experiencing a mental health issue. And those working in industry arent immune.

In mining, for example, underground workers lose serotonin and vitamin D, which can allow depression to set in easily. Shift work can wreak havoc on a miners body, and the work is often dangerous; colleagues could experience a mental health issue following an injury or, in the worst case, the death of a coworker.

Lounsbury believes courses like mental health first aid are helping to break down the stigma by encouraging participants to talk about mental health and share their experiences. On more than one occasion, shes had to use her mental health first aid training while teaching the course to support a participant who had an anxiety attack or broke down in tears during the class conversation.

It could get very intense, Lounsbury said. There are sometimes tears, theres sometimes anger, anxiety, despair  all the things that were talking about actually bring those emotions to the participants in a class, and we never know when to expect it.

Shes happy to report that even the most skeptical participants have changed their tune after completing the course, expressing new empathy for what those with mental illness go through and why its important to have the training in the workplace.

Unlike physical first aid or CPR, theres no recertification required to maintain their mental health first aid skills, but Lounsbury is optimistic that one day, the training will become mandatory at workplaces across Ontario and the country.

Everyones got a story, and were not alone, she said. If you think youre the only person suffering, youre not alone.
In its Revised Statute, the Nebraska Legislature created a fund known as the Nebraska Retirement Fund for Judges, which, like other retirement funds, accrues money over time to support judges during their retirement. Unlike other retirement funds, though, much of the financing for the Nebraska Retirement Fund for Judges comes from court fees.

This system of financing through fees is described in Chapter 24, Section 703, Subsection 3 of the Nebraska Revised Statute. It states, ... a Nebraska Retirement Fund for Judges fee of six dollars shall be taxed as costs in each (a) civil cause of action, criminal cause of action, traffic misdemeanor or infraction, and city or village ordinance violation filed in the district courts, the county courts and the separate juvenile courts, (b) filing in the district court of an order, award, or judgment of the Nebraska Workers Compensation court ..., (c) appeal or other proceeding filed in the Court of Appeals and (d) original action, appeal, or other proceedings filed in the Supreme Court. In addition, in county court filings, judges may charge a fee equal to 10 percent of each of multiple other fees to contribute to their retirement fund. Finally, there is a system of late fees that exist that can provide further for the account.

The first question one should ask is whether this is a problem.

First, the impact of underfunding is great for the courts. The judicial branch is responsible for interpreting laws, maintaining the Constitution and protecting civil liberties, and ensuring a fair and safe society, among other vital tasks. Thus, providing it with the necessary resources to fulfill its functions is paramount.

In Nebraska, the judiciary is largely state funded, with its budget determined by the Legislature. During periods of reduced funding, judges and other court personnel face cutbacks, frozen salaries and fewer opportunities to generate income. These outcomes could drive more highly qualified applicants away from judicial positions. In addition, some court services may be reduced or eliminated, negatively affecting the efficacy of the courts.

The most obvious source of funding to the courts, including to the retirement fund of judges, should be the state. If the average salary of a judge, and thus their prospect for a comfortable retirement, were less than reasonable given their occupation, one would think the courts would increase the amount of money they request in their budget. Of course, budget requests are approved by the Legislature in the face of competing interests, and many would reject the idea of raising taxes to provide for retirement benefits. An easy, discrete and convenient alternative is to charge everyone who uses the courts.

The idea of using court fees to pay for the Nebraska Retirement Fund for Judges is extremely problematic, though. First, and most important, it increases the barrier to equal access to the courts. Although one may claim that $6 is a meager fee, compounded with the other fines and fees litigants face, monetary charges assigned to simply accessing the court might obstruct lower-income individuals from exercising their rights, and increase debt.

In addition, if certain groups of Nebraskans are systematically more likely to face these fees, for example by being arrested or stopped for traffic violations more often than others after controlling for how much they violate the law or speed, then the Nebraska Retirement Fund for Judges is being funded in an unequal and discriminatory way. Only if everyone had an equal chance of going before the courts and means of paying for it would the idea of charging for court use be ethically acceptable.

Second, it gives judges a financial incentive to increase the frequency of court cases, and could possibly threaten their impartiality. For example, it is feasible that judges could incentivize the police to make more traffic stops or arrests in order to increase this fund, which would exacerbate the overcrowded court and correctional systems. Whether judges act on this incentive or not, it is vital to separate criminal justice system operations from the prospect of financial gains. In addition, the use of court fees has the potential to redirect the courts focus away from its traditional roles and functions toward self-funding and tax collection, possibly undermining the courts effectiveness in performing its former duties. Due partly to the reasons outlined above, in 2004 the American Bar Association found funding courts through fees inconsistent with their adopted set of recommendations on court funding.

Judgeship is a difficult occupation, which requires many years of legal training, and is thus deserving of a relatively high salary. In addition, underfunding is extremely detrimental to the courts and must be avoided whenever possible. However, charging citizens for their use of the courts in order to fund the retirement of judges is an inappropriate solution. This is in part because it raises the potential that financial incentives will override the fundamental and impartial roles of the judiciary, increases the risk of reduced access to the courts by low-income individuals and overly relies on vulnerable populations due to discriminatory criminal justice practices. For these reasons, it is imperative that the Nebraska Legislature find an alternative means to provide retirement support for judges.

Tom Scott, a Nebraska native, is a doctoral student in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Maryland.
We Nebraskans will soon decide whether to allow our state to execute its citizens. Those who believe the state should have this power say certain criminals deserve this worst punishment, and insist that the death penalty puts the fear of God into potential murderers.

But according to 88 percent of criminal-justice experts, the death penalty does not act as a deterrent to murder. What is more, non-death-penalty states have consistently lower murder rates than states with executions. Yes, it will be difficult to improve sentencing guidelines. Execution is surely an easier solution, but in this hour we are challenged to do not what is easy, but what is right.

It is unfortunate that cost is a factor in so profound a decision, but experts agree there will never be a way to make death penalty cases less expensive than life-in-prison cases. According to Loyola Marymount law professor Paula Mitchell, who did a recent long-term study in California, the legal costs for death penalty cases skyrocket to an extra $134 million per year, well above the costs of simple incarcerations. And Amnesty International, in a recent study, determined that even if post-trial litigation were abolished, death penalty cases would still be more expensive.

But the most compelling reason for restraining the powers of the state lies in the unwavering evidence for what is right and what is wrong. In study after study it has been determined that we have mistakenly executed innocent people and disproportionate numbers of poor and uneducated people, especially racial and religious minorities.

So shall we give the state the power to burn the final bridge over which the accused might travel toward remorse or redemption? Or shall we agree that the state has no business on that holy ground?

Suzanne Kehm

Omaha
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Vincent Flaska, Hoist Liftruck's president, spearheaded the company's recent relocation to East Chicago from Bedford Park.

Hoist Liftruck is a nearly century-old company that makes stackers, container handlers and pneumatic forklifts that can lift as much as 57 tons. It landed a private-label deal to make pneumatic tire forklifts for Toyota Material Handling U.S.A. Inc. and needed room to grow. It ended up relocating its manufacturing operations to a larger factory in East Chicago, where it hopes to employ 500 by 2022.

Flaska, an Indiana University graduate, determined the forklift-maker could save a significant amount  up to $2 million a year  by crossing from Illinois to the land of low taxes and cheap workman's compensation insurance.

"Working with Indiana was easy, whether with the IEDC, RDA or Lake County," he said.

"There was some hesitation in the city of East Chicago, but we were promising the moon and the stars and they wanted to make sure we delivered. When we had our open house and they saw the job, it came full circle. We're really happy to be here in the community. It has a great labor pool."

Flaska and his brothers, Maxx and Luke, are the next generation of leadership for the family-owned business, which is poised to grow internationally through the Toyota deal.

"There's really no limit to how big we grow here," he said.

From foundation to empire

He's motivated to carry on the legacy of his father, Marty Flaska, president and CEO of Hoist Liftruck. His father started the business as Forklift Exchange in 1980 and then in 1994 acquired Brooklyn, New York-based Silent Hoist and Crane, which became Hoist Liftruck.

"Hoist fell into his lap, and he moved it to Chicago," he said. "I've been around the business my whole life. I want to build the foundation into an empire."

Beyond just growing his familys forklift business, Flaska also is looking to help redevelop East Chicago, which he believes is poised to benefit from a stampede of Illinois companies across the state line.

"Its not just real estate taxes, theres a much friendlier business environment here," he said.

He runs Flaska Properties, which does industrial developments nationwide, including recent projects in Florida and Denver. Flaska sees potential in rehabbing older factories in East Chicago for more modern manufacturers.

"Through our experience with Vincent in the acquisition of a 550,000-square-foot industrial complex, he was very proactive and knowledgeable in all aspects of the project," said Peoples Bank Vice President Gregory Bracco. "He was forward thinking and displayed knowledge and leadership well beyond his years of experience which facilitated a smooth closing."

Flaska is so confident that more companies will come in search of a lower cost of doing business that he's looking to open a construction equipment rental site somewhere in Northwest Indiana, likely in East Chicago.

About 10 people would work in the dealership, which would also provide service and tech to its general contractor and subcontractor customers, he said. Flaska's currently scouting out potential locations for the dealership, which should occupy about 10,000 square feet of space.

'Great place to do business'

"In Northwest Indiana, its not vertical development. It's horizontal development where you'd need a backhoe whether you're building a home or digging electrical," he said.

Projects like the Gary/Chicago International Airport expansion show momentum in Northwest Indiana, Flaska said. Hes reached out to other manufacturing companies in Illinois to let them know about his experience in the Hoosier state.

Its a half-hour drive, he said.

People think East Chicago is corrupt and dangerous, and its neither of those things. It had a reputation of being just as corrupt as Chicago, but they did a good job of cleaning all that up 10 to 15 years ago. Its been a great place to do business.

A busy man of many endeavors, Flaksa also founded and runs Xpress Steel LLC, a steel service center that specializes in plasma cutting.

"We have a plasma cutter laser and additional service like a bending machine," Flaska said. "I bought my own plasma table. Why it works is that were able to utilize our scrap at Hoist as free steel. When we get a big plate of steel at Hoist, we know were going to have waste. We knew we could find synergies between the two."
Air compressor parts wholesaler LEFCO CPS Inc. has relocated from LaPorte to Michigan City.

The distributor of portable and industrial air compressor parts has invested $450,000 into its relocation to the Woodruff Business Park, which is also home to Impreglon, Stauffer Glove, and Advanced Communications, Inc.

LEFCO bought a 6,000-square-foot building with room for future growth at 135 Wood Creek Drive.

"I am so glad to be here in the business park," President Bob Schultz said. It is a very nice area that has everything we need.

The company plans to add two jobs over the next two years.

The Economic Development Corporation Michigan City was happy to work with LEFCO to help them find the best location in Michigan City, EDCMC Executive Director Clarence Hulse said. "We are pleased that they are investing in our community and in the business park."
Raw steel production in the Great Lakes region dropped to 636,000 tons last week, down from 639,000 tons a week earlier, a decline of 0.46 percent.

Capacity utilization nationwide was only 68.6 percent last week, the third straight week its been mired under 70 percent. Overall U.S. steel output fell by 27,000 tons last week to 1.6 million tons, according to an American Iron and Steel Institute estimate.

Nationally, steel output so far this year continues to trail the anemic 2015 pace by about 996,000 tons, a decline of 1.4 percent. In 2015, during the worst import crisis in more than a decade, steel production in the United States declined by 10.5 percent from the year before, according to the World Steel Association.

Much of the raw steel production in the Great Lakes region takes place in Lake and Porter counties in Indiana.

Production in the Southern District, which spans mini-mills across the South, dropped to 541,000 tons last week, down from 556,000 tons the previous week, a 2.69 percent drop.
Some of the Region's top chefs will work their magic during a special event this weekend in Crown Point.

The Tri-Kappa Kitchen Tour and Tasting, now in its fourth year, will be held from noon to 4:30 p.m. Sunday throughout eight homes in Crown Point.

Guests will travel through the eight kitchens and meet with chefs from the area's popular restaurants where they can taste various specialties representing cuisines from Italian and Thai to American.

"Many of the kitchens have been updated," said Sue Reitan, chairwoman of the tour. She said the kitchens represent everything from traditional through contemporary looks and architecture.

"This event often sells out," Reitan said, adding that only 350 tickets will be sold for the tour.

"We've had a fantastic response from the community and the restaurant chefs who have been involved," Reitan said about past tours.

Restaurants scheduled to be represented in the kitchens this year will be Asparagus, Lucrezia, Carmine's on Chicago's Rush Street, Prime Steakhouse, The Lighthouse, Adobo Grill in Old Town, Chicago, Fahrenheit Two Twelve and The Farmhouse at Fair Oaks Farm.

Tri Kappa, which has been serving the Crown Point area since 1922, regularly holds community events for charitable, educational and cultural causes.

In addition to the chefs in the homes, a team of chefs from the American Culinary Federation group will prepare and serve desserts in the Maki Ballroom of the Old Lake County Court House.

Reitan said the committee usually starts planning the event about a year ahead. The tour is held every two years.

Proceeds from the Kitchen Tour will benefit Indiana Women in Need, Girls on the Run of Northwest Indiana programs in Crown Point, Sunshine PAWS, the food pantries of Crown Point and The Crown Point Community Theatre's Special Needs Audience Program. A portion of the proceeds also will benefit the culinary scholarship fund of the Northwest Indiana Chapter of the American Culinary Federation.

Reitan said one of the new features this year is the addition of a trolley which travels to all the tour homes. (Seating is limited to 30 people).
HAMMOND  The former Lake Station mayor who wagered and lost the public trust is going to prison.

U.S. District Court Judges Rudy Lozano and James Moody on Wednesday sentenced 47-year-old Keith Soderquist to 48 months, and ordered him to pay $4,184 in restitution to the city of Lake Station and $22,571 to the IRS.

Soderquists 58-year-old wife, Deborah Soderquist, was sentenced to 24 months in prison and was ordered to share in restitution payments. She ran Lake Stations food pantry and was treasurer of her husbands election campaigns.

The Lake Station couple misused tens of thousands of dollars from the mayors re-election campaign fund and the citys food pantry account to gamble at nearby casinos. The former mayor received a 42-month sentence for that fraud.

He received an additional six-month sentence for attempting to cover up his stepdaughter Miranda Brakleys embezzlement of Lake Station City Court money.

Federal prosecutors had asked that he be sentenced to prison immediately, but Moody agreed to allow him to self-report at a specified date. The former mayor is scheduled to have neck surgery Oct. 13.

However, Moody did give the former mayor a tongue lashing.

You stole from the food pantry? Thats obscene. Ive sentenced many politicians in my 40 years here, but what you have done. ... Your city is full of people who are unemployed, underpaid and on welfare. What the hell were you thinking of? Are you goofy? Answer me! the judge demanded.

The former mayor answered no. Moody continued, So what you did is all right? Shame on you.

Soderquist, who had served nearly eight years in office, came under state and federal scrutiny four years ago following a public feud between him and former Lake Station City Judge Christopher A. Anderson, who was elected to replace Soderquist in the mayors office.

Anderson fired Miranda Brakley, the mayors stepdaughter, for stealing money held by the court from those arrested and posting bond in Lake Station.

Soderquist defended his stepdaughter and supported efforts to abolish City Court. Anderson called for an investigation of the Soderquists.

Federal authorities discovered Keith and Deborah Soderquist lost more than $100,000 between 2009 and 2012 at casino slot machines. They made dozens of withdrawals during the three-year period totaling $35,304.25 from his campaign fund and $5,040 from the citys food pantry account.

A federal grand jury charged Keith and Deborah Soderquist in 2014 with 11 counts of conspiracy, wire fraud and filing false tax returns for criminal misuse of the public funds and covering it up.

A jury last year also found the former mayor and his wife guilty after an eight-day trial of all counts.

Afterward, the government became aware the former mayor had installed in the Lake Station City Hall a system to secretly record telephone conversations and listened to about 30 of the recorded calls made or received by potential government witnesses.

The Soderquists have dropped plans to appeal their convictions, and the former mayor admits to his role in the telephone recording scheme under an agreement with the U.S. attorneys office to forestall the government from filing additional charges against him or his wife.

Lawyers for both Soderquists argued Wednesday for leniency on grounds their health will deteriorate in prison. Deborah Soderquist suffers from diabetes, muscular dystrophy, degenerative bone disorders and a cancerous lesion on her left kidney.

Brakley, 35, of Lake Station, received six months home detention followed by two years probation July 7 for her guilty plea to the theft.
EAST CHICAGO  A man was seriously wounded Monday in a shooting on Guthrie Street, police said.

East Chicago police were dispatched about 2:15 p.m. to the 3800 block of Guthrie for a report of shots fired, Lt. Marguerite Wilder said.

Officers arrived and learned a man had been taken to St. Catherine Hospital with a gunshot wound to his right side, she said.

Police later stopped a vehicle in the 4000 block of Main Street that matched a description of a vehicle used in the shooting. The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody, Wilder said.

The driver and another person were questioned, but later released after the victim signed a waiver of prosecution, police said.
GARY  Police are investigating after a 30-year-old was shot early Sunday.

Police were dispatched about 3 a.m. Sunday to the 2200 block of Harrison Street for a report of a 30-year-old Gary man with a gunshot wound in his torso, according to Gary police Lt. Dawn Westerfield.

He told police he was driving in the area when he believed someone was following him.

He came to a stop at a stoplight at Harrison and 25th streets when a gold truck opened fire on him, he told police.

He was taken to the hospital with injuries.

Anyone with information can contact Detective Sgt. William Fazekas at (219) 881-1210. To remain anonymous, call (866) CRIME-GP.
PORTAGE  A Portage woman told police she was collecting a debt when the man she was collecting the money from became enraged and began to beat her.

The man, Felix Santiago, 18, of Portage, then allegedly grabbed the money back and fled.

The victim said Santiago owed her boyfriend $500. She had agreed to meet him about 4 p.m. Tuesday to collect the debt. She met Santiago in the 2500 block of Parkview, got into his car and began to count the money.

The woman said Santiago punched her in the right eye/cheek area with a closed fist and elbowed her ribs before grabbing the money back, getting out of the car and running.

Santiago was later spotted in a car at a home at the intersection of Central Avenue and Airport Road. According to the report, Santiago became combative with police, shouting profanities and at one point, lunging at an officer who had to take Santiago to the ground to gain control.

Santiago was charged with misdemeanor counts of battery, resisting law enforcement, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief and transported to Porter County Jail.
HOBART  A Merrillville orthopedic surgeon faces a misdemeanor battery charge alleging he became angry Aug. 30 in a surgical room at St. Mary Medical Center. He allegedly caused an assistants finger to bleed by placing a medical instrument on it and hitting her wrist with a second instrument.

Dr. Joseph B. Koscielniak Jr., 63, was charged Sept. 16 in Hobart City Court with Class A misdemeanor battery, records show.

Koscielniak did not immediately return a call to his office seeking comment. Online court records available Wednesday did not list an attorney for Koscielniak, and police did not have an attorneys name on file.

St. Mary Medical Center administrators did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Koscielniak was in surgery between 12:30 and 1 p.m. Aug. 30 and became angry about a medical instrument he was using.

The surgeon became verbally abusive toward the surgical team, threw several instruments and allegedly told one assistant, I am going to punch you, push you or knock you to the ground, the affidavit said.

Another female assistant told police she told Koscielniak, You are not going to talk to us like that.

Koscielniak allegedly grabbed an instrument described as a clamp and placed it on the womans right index finger, asking, How does that feel? according to the affidavit.

The woman, in shock, removed the instrument, and Koscielniak asked her to check her glove to make sure she was not bleeding in the surgical room, the affidavit said.

The woman saw there was blood coming from her finger. Koscielniak then grabbed an instrument called a mallet and slammed it back toward the surgical cart, hitting her right wrist with the instrument, the affidavit said.

The woman left the surgical room and reported the incident to her supervisor, who sent her for medical treatment, court records said. Hospital security staff notified Hobart police, who gathered contact information for all possible witnesses, the affidavit said.
PLEASANT TOWNSHIP  Police are investigating a report of a woman taking photos of children at a school bus stop Tuesday morning.

The mother of the two students told police the incident occurred at 7:30 a.m. in the 100 East block of County Road 650 South.

Shortly after the children walked to the end of their driveway, a white SUV stopped in the road and the lone occupant appeared to be taking photos of the children, the mother told county police.

When confronted, the motorist reportedly told the mother that what she was doing was none of your business and that I am taking care of my own business, police said.

The mother took photos of the driver and her vehicle, and provided the images to police. The vehicle is registered in LaPorte, but police were unsuccessful in locating the vehicle or its owner.
INDIANAPOLIS  The three candidates for Indiana governor often resorted to noncontroversial platitudes during a debate Tuesday that focused on state education issues.

In fact, most of the policy prescriptions offered by Democratic former House Speaker John Gregg and Republican Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb differed only slightly in how theyd be implemented, while their overall goals were all but identical.

They concurred that Indianas teachers deserve more respect and higher pay; the ISTEP standardized test must be replaced; education should lead directly to college, a career or post-secondary training; students need to get involved in government; and college tuition ought to be more affordable.

Libertarian Party nominee Rex Bell took a different approach by repeatedly condemning excessive state and federal government involvement in education, and demanding school policy decisions be turned over to local elected officials and parents.

Unlike Mondays contentious presidential debate, the only one-upmanship on display at the gubernatorial debate came when Gregg encouraged the Indianapolis students in the audience at Lawrence North High School to visit his campaign website for more information about his proposals.

Holcomb promptly responded by telling the students to also visit his campaign website. Gregg then joked that after seeing what Holcombs webpage had to say, the students would want to return to Greggs campaign site.

Bell later plugged his website, too.

Gregg distinguished himself by promoting his plan for making pre-kindergarten available to all 4-year-olds statewide.

He said Hoosiers for too long have allowed themselves to fall behind whats available in other states.

We can do better in Indiana, Gregg said. Weve got to focus on the economy, weve got to be open-minded, weve got to be inclusive.

Holcomb was the only candidate to defend Indianas system of rating schools using A-F letter grades, which he said still can be improved to be more useful to parents and teachers who often dont know what goes into the accountability rating.

Were on the right track, we just need to keep going, Holcomb said.

High school students asked many of the questions answered by the candidates, including queries about arts education (all support it within a workforce training curriculum), how to find a job (look everywhere) and whether undocumented immigrants should get in-state college tuition (maybe, they said).

Afterward, Holcomb promoted Gov. Mike Pences proposal to make the state superintendent of public instruction an appointed post, instead of elected.

He also vowed that his 2017 state budget proposal would see education money follow a child to whatever school  public, charter or voucher  he or she attends.

Gregg stood by his decision not to hold Holcomb personally responsible for the past 12 years of Republican education policies and promised to work across party lines, if elected, with what is likely to be a hostile General Assembly.

Were not going to be about politicizing education; its going to be about the pupil not about politics, its going to be about ideas not about ideology, Gregg said. Id rather fix the problem than affix the blame.

What was supposed to be an hour-long debate lasted 45 minutes after the moderator, Laura Merrifield Albright, assistant professor of political science at the University of Indianapolis, spent the first quarter hour recapping the history of political debates.
INDIANAPOLIS  The South Shore Lines West Lake expansion cleared a key hurdle Wednesday when the Federal Transit Administration applied the project development classification to the proposed commuter rail extension between Hammond and Dyer.

The designation moves the project out of the planning phase and ensures that local funds spent on South Shore expansion, such as the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authoritys recent hiring of an engineering firm to do environmental studies, will be eligible for federal matching funds.

We are now closer than ever before to the largest commuter rail investment in Indiana history  an investment that will create thousands of jobs in Northwest Indiana and provide world-class access to Chicago, the ninth-largest economy on the planet, RDA CEO Bill Hanna said.

U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Merrillville, worked with the U.S. Department of Transportation, RDA and Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District to advance the project.

It is another successful step forward to not just expand South Shore service, but to build a regional economy that provides innumerable benefits for current Northwest Indiana residents and future generations, Visclosky said.

NICTD President Michael Noland declared this is great news, and said it will keep West Lake on track.
INDIANAPOLIS  Supporters of expanding state-funded prekindergarten for low-income children, beyond Lake and four other pilot counties, face an uphill battle to convince lawmakers to spend more than the current appropriation of $10 million a year.

A business coalition promoting an unspecified, limited funding increase for high-quality prekindergarten programs ran into a buzzsaw of skepticism on Wednesday from key legislators about the need for greater preschool access and whether limited state funds might be better spent elsewhere.

State Rep. Tim Brown, R-Crawfordsville, chairman of the budget-writing House Ways and Means Committee, said he appreciated the effort, intensity and passion of pre-K expansion supporters, led by the United Way of Central Indiana.

But hes not convinced state pre-K funding is sustainable and suggested Indiana could get a bigger bang for its bucks, in the two-year, $30 billion state budget set to be crafted starting in January, by focusing on improving the high school graduation rate of at-risk teenagers.

State Sen. Doug Eckerty, R-Yorktown, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said hes seen no evidence that the two-year-old On My Way Pre-K pilot is making a difference.

He said Indiana should probably wait until those children are tested in third grade and compared with their non-preschool peers before sinking more money into expanded pre-K availability.

Members of the business coalition pointed out that numerous studies show pre-K leads to better educational and life outcomes, polls show Hoosiers overwhelmingly support expanded pre-K for low-income children and Indiana is one of just eight states without statewide pre-K.

These are children who deserve an opportunity at success in life and the only way theyre going to get that leg up so that theyre ready is if we give them a helping hand, said Connie Bond Stuart, PNC Bank regional president and United Way board chairwoman.

Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb, the Republican nominee for governor, has endorsed limited pre-K expansion, but is relying on the Legislature to figure out how to pay for it.

The Democratic gubernatorial nominee, John Gregg, believes Indiana needs statewide pre-K options for all children, regardless of income, and has identified unspent money at the Department of Education to fund it.
VALPARAISO  A request for $25,000 in overtime pay came to a bittersweet end this week for the two party-appointed heads at the Porter County Voter Registration Office.

The Porter County Council agreed unanimously Tuesday night to approve $15,000 of the request to pay office staff.

But the council rejected the $10,000 that was to go to Republican Voter Director Sundae Schoon and Democratic Director Kathy Kozuszek.

The council decided after researching the issue for the last month that both positions are exempt as salaried employees, and thus should not continue receiving overtime pay.

Neither Schoon nor Kozuszek could be reached at their office Wednesday.

Council President Dan Whitten said exempt employees are not entitled to overtime pay or comp time under federal law unless county government has a policy in place stating otherwise.

Councilman Jim Biggs, R-1st, said no other exempt employee within county government is receiving overtime pay.

Whitten said a list is being prepared of all employees considered exempt within county government.

The councils decision fell in line with the opinion issued last month by Pamela Courtney, who was hired last year as the countys human resources director.

Courtney said there is a big misunderstanding about these classifications in other departments of county government as well.

Schoon said last month that the overtime pay, and a corresponding request for $20,000 more for part-time help, was needed because its a particularly busy election year and a state mandate to update voter registration records increased the workload.

She said she and Kozuszek have worked 35-hour work weeks like other county employees and have received overtime pay for years.

Councilman Bob Poparad, D-at-large, questioned how the pairs overtime share has been figured considering they are not paid an hourly wage.

He asked that a determination be made whether the chief deputies in other departments are eligible for overtime pay.
INDIANAPOLIS  Former ITT Tech students can get up to two-thirds off their tuition at Western Governors University, thanks to a new transfer scholarship program.

WGU Indiana, the state's online nonprofit university, has raised $150,000 to provide scholarships to former ITT Tech students whose learning was interrupted Sept. 6 when the school abruptly closed, including its Merrillville campus.

"While WGU won't be a fit for every ITT student, it may be an alternative that many should consider as they sort out their options," said WGU Indiana Chancellor Allison Barber, a Gary native.

The competitive ITT Transfer Scholarship, worth $2,000 a semester and renewable for up to four semesters, can be applied to any of WGU Indiana's 50 bachelor's or master's degree programs, which typically cost $3,000 per semester.

The university also is waiving its $65 application fee and $145 first-term resource fee for displaced ITT students.

More information is available online at: indiana.wgu.edu/itt.
CROWN POINT  Christopher Bodnar, 21, received a maximum sentence of seven years in the Indiana Department of Correction from Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez on Tuesday after the Portage resident pleaded guilty to child molesting, a Level 3 felony.

He pleaded guilty Aug. 16 in an agreement worked out between Bodnars defense attorney, Sonya Scott-Dix, and Nadia Chivers, deputy prosecuting attorney.

Bodnar was charged in August 2015, accused of having a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old Hammond girl after the girls mother became aware of the relationship. Bodnar's DNA was found on the girl's clothes that her mother had turned over to police, according to court records.

When this child molestation occurred, Bodnar was serving nine months probation after being charged in Jasper County with molesting a 12-year-old girl in 2013 and pleading guilty to sexual misconduct with a minor in August 2015.

During the sentencing hearing in Vasquezs court, Scott-Dix attempted to introduce Facebook posts made by the 13-year-old Lake County victim, but the judge refused to accept them. Vasquez did accept medical records from Scott-Dix indicating Bodnar suffered from severe ADHD.

In asking for a five-year prison sentence for her client, Scott-Dix also told the judge that Bodnar experienced a lot of childhood trauma (and) was bounced around foster homes while growing up. In addition, he has a child with a girlfriend, the attorney said.

Chivers read a victim impact statement that the teenager dictated to her mother. Neither the victim nor her mother appeared in court Tuesday, although Chivers said shes had many conversations with the girl and her mother.

The impact statement said the girl now has trust issues with males, is fearful he will do this to others and hopes he rots in hell for what he did.

During her argument for the maximum sentence cap of seven years, Chivers blasted Bodnar as a sexual predator and a manipulative predator.

He was on parole for a felony in Jasper County  not only a felony, but the same felony  child molesting, Chivers said. The defendant learned absolutely nothing  He is the adult. The victims were children.

Vasquez cited Bodnars character, his criminal record, the childs age in this case and his age in sentencing him to the seven-year maximum, all to be served with the Indiana Department of Correction.

Before starting this prison sentence, Bodnar must report to Jasper County to serve jail time in the 2013 child molestation case.

I hope you get some help, Vasquez told Bodnar.
CROWN POINT  Charged with robbing and severely beating a man in New Chicago on Aug. 31, Dylan Michael Popelas, 20, appeared for the second time in less than a week before Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez.

This time, Daryl Jones, Popelas defense attorney, made a motion to reduce his clients $150,000 bond. Jones said neither Popelas nor his family could post the required 10 percent, or $15,000, to bail him out of Lake County Jail.

If released on bond, the attorney told Vasquez that Popelas would move in with his mother who has limited resources.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Nadia Chivers objected to any bond reduction in this case. She cited Popelas previous criminal history including being sentenced to probation in a reckless driving case and failing to appear in an open case pending in Lake Station.

He is a risk to the community and a flight risk, Chivers said. Of the three other co-defendants, he was one of the most active participants in this case.

After considering the attorneys arguments, Vasquez ordered Popelas bond be cut in half to $75,000. To be released from jail, a $7,500 cash bond must be paid.

In addition, Popelas signed a no-contact order. Vasquez told the defendant he must not try directly or indirectly to contact the male victim.

The two male co-defendants in the Aug. 31 incident are Jacob Cortina, 20, and David A. Manier, 23, who lived together with Popelas in Lake Station. They are both being held on $150,000 each in Lake County Jail.

Popelas girlfriend, Mariah Dawn Sluder, 23, of Hobart, was released from jail after posting a $3,500 bond.

All four defendants are charged with level 2 felony robbery resulting in serious bodily injury as well as three level 3 felonies of aggravated battery, criminal confinement and battery resulting in serious bodily injury.
HAMMOND  U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky will be among the community leaders honored Tuesday at the South Shore Leadership Centers fifth annual Leaders as Heroes Event.

The center will honor several Region residents who have been nominated by their peers for the impact they have had on their respective communities. The 2016 South Shore Leadership Awards are given annually to recognize residents of the Region who have made positive strides in the community havent previously been recognized for their efforts.

The award winners will be announced at the event.

Visclosky will be honored with the Crest Award, which is given annually to someone in the Region whose reputation as a leader is second to none.

The contributions of Crest Award winners to the understanding and practice of effective leadership skills are significant and have resulted in extraordinary regional impact, a news release said. They also serve as inspiring role models to those looking to affect positive change in their communities, and they have embraced innovation and creativity and inspired multiple generations to do the same.

Visclosky was chosen to receive the award for the standard he has set for other leaders while representing Indianas 1st District.

The Gary native and Andrean High School alumnus earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University Northwest, his Juris Doctorate from the University of Notre Dame Law School and a Master of Laws in International and Comparative Law from Georgetown University Law Center.

He has served as congressman since 1985, representing Lake, Porter, and portions of LaPorte counties. In that time, he has served in leadership roles with the House Appropriations Committee, the subcommittee on defense, the subcommittee on energy and water development and related agencies, and the subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government.

As vice chairman of the Congressional Steel Caucus, Visclosky has led efforts to support steelworkers and steel companies in Northwest Indiana. He also has advocated for economic development initiatives, including regional bus services, Gary/Chicago International Airport projects, the Marquette Plan and expansion of the South Shore Rail Line.

Previous Crest Award winners include Michael Griffin in 2014 and Dan Lowery in 2015.

The center also will introduce its new president and CEO, Harry J. Vande Velde III, at the event.

The Leaders As Heroes event is set for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority Welcome Center in Hammond. Tickets are $40 per person, or $350 for 10, and can be purchased online by visiting bit.ly/LaH2016 or calling (219) 465-6818, ext. 104.
Ballet Folklorico Tapatio Company of Northwest Indiana is celebrating its fifth anniversary show with a special performance on Saturday beginning at 7 p.m. at Portage High School East. Joining them will be Mariachi Tequila of Chicago and Fiesta Mexicana Dance Company of Arizona.

Advance tickets are general admission and are $10 for adults, $5 for students in grades kindergarten-12 and 4 and under free. Tickets may also be purchased at the door for $15 for adult tickets and no change in student price. Because last years event hosted over 400 guests, Marissela Villanueva Lynch, director of the Ballet Folklorico Tapatio, suggests buying tickets in advance.

Although tickets will be sold at the door, advanced tickets are on sale now and may be purchased online at www.balletfolkloriconwi.com, or at the following locations: El Cantarito restaurants in Portage and Chesterton, Mexico Lindo restaurant in Portage, and San Pedros restaurant in Hobart. Clawdias Beauty Salon in Valparaiso is also selling tickets. Advance tickets will stop being sold on Thursday.

In addition to Saturdays performance, Lynchs group, along with Fiesta Mexicana Dance Company of Arizona, will be performing a special show for 1,800 Portage Township School students on Friday at Portage High School.

I am very proud of the fact that even though we are a small group, we are hosting one of the biggest Hispanic Heritage events in Porter County, said Lynch. People are accustomed to traveling to Lake County or the Chicagoland area for events such as this, but having lived in Portage for 38 years, it is important for me to continue to host Fiesta Folklorico in Porter County.

Ballet Folklorico Tapatio consists of both boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 18 of different ethnic backgrounds and from both Lake and Porter Counties, however the group will be making an official name change and has already started the transition. In partnership with the Arizona dance company of the same name, our new name is Fiesta Mexicana Dance Company of NWI, Lynch said.

For information about the show, call Lynch at (219) 246-3641.
VALPARAISO  Local police officers were honored Monday night for their lifesaving and criminal investigations.

Chief Michael Brickner presented Officer Chris Allison with two honorable mention awards, one for locating and arresting individuals who were reportedly in the act of stealing nearly $10,000 in auto parts from local dealerships. On another occasion, Allison, through different informants, located and arrested a suspect who was accused of stealing a vehicle.

Brickner also presented Officers Michael Trueblood and Ryan Sobierajski the departments Lifesaving Award.

Both officers responded to a call of a person having difficulty breathing. Shortly after the officers arrived, the person stopped breathing.

On two separate occasions, the officers initiated CPR on the individual, and he was transported to the hospital a short time later.

Both officers were credited with helping save the persons life.

Officer Ron Chapman was recognized for his recent effort to save a baby that was unresponsive upon his arrival. CPR was initiated by Chapman, but the child later died.
CHICAGO  Voters in highly populated areas of Illinois will have fewer Election Day registration options after a federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked the wider same-day registration instituted in 2015 that Republicans claim is unconstitutional.

Judge Samuel Der-Yeghiayan's move blocks same-day registration at polling places in mostly urban areas like Chicago for the Nov. 8 election. The court must still take up the wider question about poll-level registration.

State lawmakers broadened same-day registration last year after the 2014 pilot program led to long lines, particularly in Chicago.

Republicans, including a north-central Illinois congressional candidate and a party committee, filed a lawsuit in August, arguing that the registration is an unfair and unequal system because voters in less populated and GOP-leaning areas don't have equal access.

"While it is a desirable goal to make the voting process more readily available to United States citizens in Illinois and to encourage them to vote, that goal must apply equally to all United States citizens in Illinois," Der-Yeghiayan wrote in the decision.

State Board of Elections general counsel Ken Menzel said the ruling will cause confusion, particularly since voters were able to register on the day of the primary this year. He said an appeal is likely.

Jacob Huebert, an attorney for the Republicans, said the judge's ruling "restores a level playing field" for the election.

___

Follow Sophia Tareen at http://twitter.com/sophiatareen.
There are many reasons Im voting John Gregg for governor this year, but let me list just a few for you to ponder.

First, as speaker of the Indiana House, Gregg worked with Republicans to balance Indianas budget and adequately fund our local public schools. He understands we have to work together to get things done.

Second, Gregg is the only one running for governor who has released a comprehensive plan to help put Indiana back on the right track. John has released position papers on job creation, education funding, veterans, infrastructure, public safety and equality among all Hoosiers.

Third, Gregg has pledged to not govern with a social agenda. Instead, he has pledged to focus on economics and job creation.

Gregg knows how to put Indiana back on top again.

Collin Czilli, Portage
Brian Howey said voters are conflicted in his Sept. 25 column in The Times Forum section.

Should we vote for the same old politics that have given us eight years of President Barack Obama and politicians changing our Constitution? Liberal judges changing Christmas and bathrooms? Generations of politicians who spend their entire lives in politics, then hand it over to their sons or daughters?

Should we vote for more politicians taking our money and creating more handouts that keep them elected? Vote for the entrenched politicians, the Dems and the so-called Republicans who are selling out the party and the will of the voters in an attempt to keep the status quo?

We are not conflicted. A vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote for more of the same  a vote for more power for the royal families in our political system.

Kevin Toth, Cedar Lake
Todd Young has consistently fought for what is best for his constituents while in Congress and has lived here long enough to understand the concerns and needs of the people of Indiana.

Evan Bayh is a career politician who abandoned his home state, and we cant forget that.

Bayh left the U.S. Senate and our state to work in a major lobbying firm in D.C. in 2011. It is now 2016, and he has been out of touch with Hoosiers.

Young is a Marine veteran who thoughtfully fights for Hoosiers. I had lunch in Michigan City with him just a few weeks ago while he talked with a local veteran who fought back tears as he told Young about his troubles with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Young began working right away to solve the veterans problems with the VA and ensure he received proper care.

Young works for Hoosiers. Bayh works for D.C.

Nick Barbknecht, LaPorte
U.S. marshals say a person of interest is under arrest in connection with a Bronx house explosion that killed an FDNY battalion chief.

The person of interest was arrested in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, according to U.S. marshals.

The person's name has not yet been released.

Battalion 19 Chief Michael Fahy, a 17-year veteran of the department, was killed at the scene of the explosion early Tuesday morning.

Officials say crews were first called to the scene around 6:22 a.m. at 305 West 234th Street to investigate a report of a gas leak.

The explosion happened about an hour later inside the two-story home.

It's still unclear what caused it.

Fire officials say Fahy was struck by debris while coordinating the response outside.



He was transported to New York Presbyterian The Allen Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

City and state flags flew at half-staff to honor Fahy.

FDNY members gathered outside New York Presbyterian Hospital to pay tribute to their fallen comrade.

Fahy leaves behind a wife and three children.

Twenty others, including six police officers and nine firefighters, suffered minor injuries in the explosion, mostly by debris.
Fellow firefighters are remembering the FDNY Battalion Chief killed in a house explosion in the Bronx Tuesday morning as investigators question a man who had rented the home. Law enforcement sources are telling NY1 they now believe it was a gas explosion, possibly linked to the growing of marijuana. Bronx reporter Erin Clarke has more.

Though they were solemn as memorial bunting was draped across the Battalion 19 firehouse in honor of 44-year-old Chief Michael Fahy, firefighters who knew him best smiled through their sadness remembering a man they called a brother.

Lieutenant John Paul Augier and Captain Brendan Deehan came up in the department with Fahy.

"Mike Fahy was the nicest guy of all the nice guys that anyone has ever met," said Captain Brendan Deehan.

Wednesday they shared a bit more about the 17-year veteran firefighter who followed his father into the FDNY, was a loving husband, father of three, soccer and baseball coach, law student and a musician.

"He was promoted to battalion chief with 13 years on the fire department," said Battalion Commander Brian Fink. "That's pretty amazing. I don't know if anybody else has done that in 13 years."

But Chief Fahy's bright star was extinguished Tuesday when flying debris from a house explosion in Kingsbridge struck and killed him.

"It's pretty devastating when you go out the door and expect to come back and one of your brothers doesn't come back that affects everyone," Fink said.

Police got a tip a few weeks ago that the house on W. 234th Street was being used to grow marijuana.

Investigators tell NY1 they are going on the theory this was a natural gas explosion, and they are looking at whether someone tampered with the gas line, perhaps to enhance the plants' growth. Sources also say windows in the house had been sealed shut.

A man who rented an apartment in the home, 34-year old Julio Salcedo, was quickly called a "person of interest" in the investigation. He was arrested in New Jersey after the explosion on an outstanding warrant in an unrelated case.

Investigators returned to the scene Wednesday sifting the debris for clues.

While here and in Yonkers, where Chief Fahy lived, friends and family remembered the fallen firefighter they knew and loved.

"The loss is tremendous for us," said Battalion Chief Mike Woods. "We're going to our best to make sure his memory lives on."
Governor Andrew Cuomo is headed to Israel for the funeral service for former Israeli President and Prime Minister Shimon Peres.

He will be leaving Thursday.

Cuomo met with Peres during the Governor's trip to Israel in 2014.

Peres died Wednesday in Tel Aviv two weeks after suffering a major stroke.

He held nearly every senior government office in Israel over a nearly seven decade career, and helped develop the country's military.

He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 for his role in brokering the Oslo peace accords with the Palestinian Authority.

In 2007 at the age of 83, he was sworn in as Israel's president and served until 2014.

In 2012, he was awarded America's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

In a statement, President Barack Obama said in part, "Shimon Peres was a soldier for Israel, for the Jewish people, for justice, for peace, and for the belief that we can be true to our best selves - to the very end of our time on Earth, and in the legacy that we leave to others."

Cuomo said Peres "was not only a great leader for his country, but one of the most profound statesmen our world has ever known."

And Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted, "New Yorkers mourn Shimon Peres, a tireless advocate for Israel and a visionary crusader for peace."

The Israeli foreign ministry says President Obama will attend Peres' funeral on Friday along with Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Shimon Peres was 93.
A proposed Penn Station makeover that incorporates the landmark Farley Post Office Building into the transit complex has been on the drawing board for a couple of decades. NY1's Jose Martinez has more on the latest in a long line of plans.

With its low ceilings and cramped corridors, Penn Station is anything but beloved by train travelers.

"It is decrepit, and it's an affront to riders who use it," said Governor Andrew Cuomo. "Well, why are you so negative on Penn Station? Because it's terrible!"

On Tuesday, Cuomo unveiled the latest proposal to make Penn Station a glorious terminal again.

The $1.6 billion renovation would move Amtrak and the Long Island Rail Road across Eighth Avenue into the Farley Post Office Building, to be renamed Moynihan Train Hall.

"New York will not have seen anything like it in decades," Cuomo said.

As part of the plan, the cramped concourses inside the existing Penn Station will be renovated and expanded to ease the space crunch for commuters.

"Right now, it's about 25 feet wide, so everybody's channeled in that cattle-call area," Cuomo said.

Cuomo says all the needed approvals and funding have been obtained, and that after decades of delays, the dream of a new Penn Station will finally be realized.

"I don't announce plans with caveats. This is what is going to happen," Cuomo said.

The Penn Station renovation is connected to another massive transportation project, the building of a new rail tunnel in the Hudson River.

Opened in 1910, the existing rail tunnel into Penn Station flooded during Hurricane Sandy. Officials have said it needs to be replaced.

Funding for the so-called Gateway Project isn't clear yet, though the key players agree a new tunnel must be built, and soon.

"We have the wind at our back in the sense that we have a federal government, we have two states, we have Amtrak, New Jersey Transit and the Port Authority all absolutely committed to this project," said John Porcari, interim director of the Gateway Development Corp.

The feds have said they will pay for half the project, but it's not yet clear how New York and New Jersey will pay for the remainder.

"Everyone is supporting it, but no one has actually written a check yet," said Denise Richardson, executive director of the General Contractors Association.

Thus far, the only visible signs of progress are in the Hudson Yards, where a concrete casing designed to eventually connect to the tunnel is being built.

"There is dirt flying and there is work underway," Porcari said.

Something that might eventually be said for Penn Station.
Younger doubles the love options for Liza in Season 3. In Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. appears in an episode inspired by Making a Murderer. And catch Thomas Gibson while you can in Criminal Minds.

Whats on TV

YOUNGER 10 p.m. on TV Land. When last we saw Liza (Sutton Foster), she had found her way to the mens section of a Paramus Mall department store after Kelsey (Hilary Duff) blamed her for the death of her fiance, Thad. Then Charles (Peter Hermann) showed up and asked Liza to return to Empirical  while planting a kiss on her. It turned out that Josh (Nico Tortorella) wanted her too. As Season 3 begins, Liza tries to decide which man it will be while sending her daughter off to college.

LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT 9 p.m. on NBC. After 16 years in prison, a convicted rapist (Henry Thomas) is exonerated through new DNA evidence. But a shocking crime a day later leads Fin (Ice T) to investigate him once again. Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. guest stars in this episode inspired by Making a Murderer.
1. Congress overrode a veto by President Obama for the first time, allowing families of those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to sue Saudi Arabia for any role in the plot.

The vote was a rare bipartisan rebuke for Mr. Obama, who had argued that other nations could enact similar laws, subjecting the U.S. to a flood of lawsuits.
Maurice R. Greenberg, the former chief executive of insurance giant American International Group, took the witness stand on Tuesday for the first time in his state civil accounting fraud trial in State Supreme Court in Manhattan.

Mr. Greenberg and former A.I.G. chief financial officer Howard I. Smith face charges first brought in 2005 by Eliot Spitzer when he was the New York attorney general that they buffed up the insurers financial results with fraudulent transactions in 2000 and 2001. The trial was delayed by numerous pretrial appeals, many by the defense.

Both men have denied the charges. For Mr. Greenberg, 91, fighting the case for years all the way to trial has been an attempt to protect his legacy. He built A.I.G. into a global insurance giant but was forced out in 2005.

His first day of testimony lacked fireworks. In a largely decorous but occasionally testy confrontation over four hours, the state trial attorney David E. Nachman presented Mr. Greenberg with dozens of reports, memos, calender items and depositions in three-ring binders about escalating losses in the auto warranty insurance program begun by Mr. Greenbergs son Evan, then an A.I.G. executive.
Wells Fargo announced on Tuesday that it would claw back compensation valued at $41 million from its embattled chairman and chief executive, John G. Stumpf, as the financial consequences of the scandal over illegally created sham accounts at the bank reached the executive suite.

The action represented one of the first times since the 2008 financial crisis that a chief executive has been forced to give up compensation. Many large companies have adopted clawback provisions at the urging of regulators and shareholder advocates, but boards have been hesitant to invoke them.

And it came one week after a blistering Senate hearing in which lawmakers criticized the company and its board for not holding its leaders financially accountable for the scandal.

Carrie Tolstedt, who led the Wells Fargo community banking division now engulfed in scandal, will surrender stock grants valued at about $19 million, the board said as it announced an investigation into the companys practices.
Some patient groups have directly challenged the industry. The American Diabetes Association, for example, this year called on drug companies to be more open about their prices and to allow the federal government to negotiate over Medicare drug pricing. The association said it received $26.7 million from the pharmaceutical industry in 2015, accounting for 14.5 percent of its budget.

But those actions have been the exceptions. And when patient groups have discussed pricing, their ire is largely focused on insurance companies, expressing arguments similar to those used by the pharmaceutical industry.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, for instance, one of the largest charities in the United States, has frequently criticized insurers for exposing patients to high out-of-pocket costs for patients, commissioning two studies that looked at the impact of these high costs. But it has not been as outspoken about the decision by drug companies to set those prices. Some blood cancer drugs that the societys members need cost tens of thousands of dollars.

The group, which has an annual budget of about $300 million, spends millions of dollars a year funding research at universities and pharmaceutical companies that it hopes will lead to new treatments for blood cancers. According to its annual report, of the groups 16 largest donors, eight were pharmaceutical companies. All eight donated more than $1 million to the society in 2015.

The group has been soliciting corporate sponsorships as well. On its website promoting sponsorships, aimed at drug and other companies, the society pointed to its powerful footprint of millions of constituents, and described itself as an outstanding cause to build good will, positive public relations and marketing benefits that align with your brand and reputation.

Last week, the society removed its corporate sponsorship page from its website, after The New York Times asked a spokeswoman about the language on the web page. She said the page was removed because the information was out of date.
ATHENS  Greek lawmakers approved a new set of austerity measures Tuesday evening, including further trims in pensions and the transfer of major state assets to a new privatization fund to be overseen by the countrys creditors.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of workers protested outside Parliament, railing against further pension cuts and describing the planned privatizations as the biggest sell-off of national wealth in the countrys history.

The legislation was approved by a 152-141 vote, an outcome that was expected as Greeces ruling coalition retains a slim majority in the 300-seat Parliament. But the debate preceding the vote was particularly vehement, and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had to intervene to secure the support of two coalition lawmakers.

The transfer of the assets, including major organizations such as the countrys power corporation and the water boards of Athens and Thessaloniki, Greeces second-largest city, is one of a raft of measures demanded by Greeces creditors in exchange for bailout funding worth 2.8 billion euros.
For the more than 70 years since the World Bank was founded as an institution to give loans and grants to developing countries, an American has been at the helm.

Despite recent upheaval at the bank, and criticism of how it has been managed, only one nomination was submitted for the job of president: that of the American currently serving in that role.

Jim Yong Kim, 56, a public-health official and former president of Dartmouth College, was unanimously appointed by the World Banks executive directors to a second five-year term as president, according to a statement released by the bank on Tuesday.

Mr. Kims reappointment had been widely expected after the Obama administration submitted its pick in August. That nomination  along with support from other countries like Brazil, China and France  appeared to have turned away any other would-be nominees.
What to expect from Paris Fashion Week, Day 2. Here, a look at past collections.

Credit... Clockwise from top left, Francois Guillot/Agence France Presse, via Getty Images; Landon Nordeman for The New York Times; Timothy A. Clary/Agence France Presse, via Getty Images; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Fenty Puma
Michael Lockley, a model, brings an athleisure look to the first day of Paris Fashion Week, while Anne-Laure Mais, also known as Adenorah on her blog, dressed in the palette of the French flag. See more looks.
The technique that led to the healthy birth was to move the DNA from an egg of the mother, who had mutated mitochondria, and place it in the egg of a healthy egg donor  after first removing the healthy donors nuclear DNA from her egg cell. Then that egg, with its healthy mitochondria and the mothers DNA, could be fertilized.

More than a decade ago  before controversy forced the work to stop  researchers tried a simpler technique that did not involve swapping nuclei between eggs. Instead, they injected some healthy mitochondria into an egg in an attempt to help with repeated failures at in vitro fertilization. It was not a method that could be used to prevent the birth of children with mitochondrial diseases.

The story of the Jordanian couples procedure began in 2011 when they came to see Dr. James Grifo, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at New York University who pioneered the method in studies with mice. He referred them to his former student Dr. John Zhang, medical director of the New Hope Fertility Center in New York. Dr. Zhang had tried the method in 2003 in China, but the 30-year-old womans twins were born prematurely and died, though their mitochondria were normal.

When Dr. Zhang told the Jordanian couple about the technique, they hesitated. They already had a child who was terribly ill with Leigh syndrome, a mitochondrial disease, but there was a chance they could have a normal baby on their own  a quarter of the womans mitochondria were mutated, but mitochondria are distributed at random in eggs. If an egg with mostly good mitochondria happened to be fertilized, the baby would be fine. They decided to take their chances.

The couple returned to Jordan and had a baby. But the baby had the same mitochondrial disease, Leigh syndrome. It is a terrible disease, Dr. Zhang said. Babies progressively lose their ability to move and breathe. The baby had a tracheotomy and a feeding tube, he said, and the parents had to suction the babys lungs every hour.
Jose Morales and his 17-year-old girlfriend, Kimberly Williams, who is five months pregnant, had built a shelter out of a blanket tethered to a fence, underneath the No. 4 train. Mr. Morales said he grew up in a troubled home in the Bronx and eventually attended high school at a residential treatment center for drug and alcohol addiction. When he got out, he went into foster care with a family in Brooklyn, because his mother had been sent to prison on drug charges. He rebelled. I didnt want to listen, I didnt want to do no chores, I didnt want to obey no curfew, he said. If I was able to go back right now, Id apologize and fix it. He was sent to another foster home in the Bronx. That was when he met Ms. Williams over Facebook. When she was kicked out of her home on Long Island after a fight with her grandmother, Mr. Morales allowed her to stay with him  a violation of house rules. They were both evicted. They squatted on a rooftop in Brooklyn before taking up residence in their current location. They went to the city intake center in the Bronx for homeless families, but learned they were ineligible because they were not married or in a domestic partnership. On Wednesday night, they huddled together on the sidewalk and watched a praying mantis crawl on the fence above their bed. I go around, I ask for a job here and there, but nobodys hiring, Mr. Morales said. This isnt good for her, it isnt good for me.

_______

Questions for Writing and Discussion

1. What kinds of stereotypes exist about homeless people? Why do you think this is? How are they portrayed in media such as movies and television shows? How, if at all, do real peoples stories differ from fictional portrayals?

2. Why do you think some critics have described Jeannette Wallss portrayal of homelessness as complicated? Do you agree? Why or why not? How would you describe Rex and Rose Mary Wallss experience of homelessness as it is described in this chapter? How does it compare to the people profiled in the Life on the Street feature?

3. Which Life on the Street profile elicited the strongest reaction for you? Why? Do the photos tell any stories that the profiles do not?

4. What are some of the issues and circumstances in the lives of the people featured in both texts that contributed to losing their permanent dwellings? What impression of homeless shelters do the texts offer? What other unifying themes or issues do you notice in the texts?

5. Both texts are written in the third person  Ms. Walls writes about her parents, not herself, in this section of the memoir, and Mr. Schweber chronicles his interviews with people on the street. Do you think these writings would have a different impact on the reader if they had been written in the first person? Why or why not?

6. Some readers of The Glass Castle have discussed the connections between homelessness, alcoholism and mental illness. When asked if her mother was mentally ill Ms. Walls responded that she doesnt know. What are your thoughts and impressions on this topic, based on what you have read?

_________

Going Further

1. Exploring New Forms of Itinerant Life: Millennial Homeless Culture
In Portland, in keeping with church doctrine, Bishop Gerety had lobbied against legislative efforts to legalize abortion, and once wrote to President Jimmy Carter admonishing him for supporting abortion rights.

But some of his initiatives, inspired by the Second Vatican Council reforms, made him a lightning rod for criticism by conservatives within the church.

In 1980, one orthodox journal in New Jersey went so far as to wonder, in a headline, Archbishop Gerety: Has He Left the Roman Catholic Faith?

His approval, or imprimatur, of a popular Roman Catholic textbook, Christ Among Us, earned him a rebuke in 1984 from Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI, who was then the prefect of the Vaticans powerful Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Conservative groups complained that the book deviated from official dogma on matters like original sin, creation, the virginity of Mary and sexual morality.

Archbishop Geretys lifetime spanned the terms of 18 presidents and 10 popes, and he held the title of bishop for more than half a century. But he found his vocation late, by some measures, several years after his graduation from high school.

Msgr. Franklyn Casale, the former vicar of the Newark diocese and now the president of St. Thomas University in Miami, said a priest had once told the teenage Peter Gerety, You need the guts to make the decision to become a priest.

He had the guts, Monsignor Casale said, because his family had a tremendous amount of faith.

Peter Leo Gerety was born on July 19, 1912, in Shelton, Conn., where his father, a factory manager also named Peter, and his mother, the former Charlotte Daly, had moved from New Jersey. He was the oldest and last surviving of nine sons, who went on to careers in medicine, law, engineering and government. (One was a federal official in charge of refugees.) He leaves no other immediate survivors.
Open: rescue scene Nat sound Inside the boat, Kyriakos is driving KYRIAKOS:Michalis, go outside and look towards Turkey. Refugees wearing life vest are sitting on the back of the boar, with two crew members KYRIAKOS: -We just rescued a boat, the other two [boats], managed to turn the motors on and left. Kyriakos looking back as hes driving the boat KYRIAKOS: Is that boat travelling ok? TASOS: Yes, theyre safe. Kyriakos driving, closeup Shot of refugees on the back of the boat Nat sound Shot of refugees on the front of the boat through the front window VO KYRIAKOS: In 2001, twenty refugees from Afghanistan came to our island. I remember it was the biggest news of the year. Now its 2015 and things have changed completely As vessel 105, approaches to shore full of refugees on the back, crew member Giannis, leans down and pets a mans head Nat sound Music fades in Shot of the picturesque little town out of the side window Nat sound Vessel 105 has arrived, people start getting out. Shot behind Kyriakos back as he picks picks a baby up from the floor of the vessel. A man smiles and kisses him. Kyriakos smiles and gives the baby to his mother. Music fades out KYRIAKOS: Baby! Shot of refugees walking away from the boat Nat sound Music fades in Shot of the little port KYRIAKOS VO: Life used to be under control It was very calm. Music Different shot of the port Kyriakos, Giannis sitting with a group of people at a cafe by the door. Door is wide open, Kyriakos has a rosary in his hands, playing. Wide shot. Music Medium shot of the same scene GIANNIS: -It was chaos here again yesterday. Music Close up of Kyriakos hands playing with the rosary KYRIAKOS VO: We are overwhelmed. Every hour there is just ten of us on duty and we might need to rescue around two hundred people crossing from Turkey. Music Kyriakos close up as hes looking away. KYRIAKOS VO: who could need rescue. Music Transition shot, close up of fishing nets. Nat sound Music fades out Kyriakos and Giannis are standing up by the cafe. KYRIAKOS: Where is the boat? GIANNIS: Im not sure if its a boat. I got information about a man in the water. KYRIAKOS: Ok, were going now. Stella, the cafe owner comes in the frame, while the two men leave the frame. STELLA:Kyriakos, just go. KYRIAKOS: Ok, Ill pay later. STELLA: Dont worry about it. Inside the coast guard boat. Shot through the front window. The boat is driving fast and the window wipers are wiping off the splashes. Shot of Kyriakos driving, Heraclis passes through the frame RADIO SOUND: -There are some people in that boat they are not wearing life vests. Shot of Giannis looking through the binoculars at the back of the coast guard boat. GIORGOS: -The wind must be around [46 mph.]u Giannis puts the binoculars down, Tasos enters the frame KYRIAKOS: -We shouldnt be here, the boat cant handle it. Shot through the side window, splashes on the window RADIO SOUND: -There are some five, four, six people now into the sea. Shot of Kyriakos driving the boat, rough sea, bumpy RADIO SOUND: -Theyre hanging on, on the rubber boat Shot of Giannis entering the boat, rough sea, bumpy, splashes RADIO SOUND: - Because their rubber boat is taking water into it. Behind Kyriakos and Tasos back as theyre searching in the rough sea. Shot of Giannis looking through the binoculars from the side window RADIO SOUND: -There is another boat on your right. Kyriakos pointing in the sea KYRIAKOS: Ok, were going to the other [boat.] Front window, splashes, bumpy as the coast guard boat goes through big waves. Camera shakes a lot. The entire boat shakes, making it feel like a really small boat. The weather is bad. HERACLIS: -Here, it is. KYRIAKOS: Where? Where? KYRIAKOS: Watch out! KYRIAKOS: Get the ropes ready and get me gloves. The coastguard boat slows down, outside in the back Tasos and Heraclis, are getting ropes and life saver ready. TASOS: Its ok! KYRIAKOS: Throw the rope! What are you waiting for? Shot of the window wiper, out of the window. A rubber boat packed with refugees HERACLIS: No movement! No movement! Down! down! Kyriakos on the side of the rescue boat, pulling the rubber boat closer with a rope Nat sound A young boy is running from the back of the boat towards the front. The camera is shooting out to the back of the boat. Kyriakos is helping the child to sit down KYRIAKOS: Sit down, sit down! More people are coming up and are sitting very close to the camera. Camera is shooting out to the back of the rescue boat so in the foreground there are people very close to the camera. The crew are bringing more people up. WOMAN: Yes, go in front! More people are climbing up on the rescue boat, everyone looks terrified, there is panic in their faces. WOMAN: Yes, they are here. As one more young woman comes on the boat, Giannis follows her in a panic. GIANNIS: Get the life saver! The young woman sits by the people already on the boat and close to the camera YOUNG WOMAN: The boy fell [in the sea] Giannis passes by with a life saver WOMAN: whose son More people are coming up on the boat MAN: God Help us! A woman is dragging a small baby, everyone is in a panic rushing to get on the boat. MAN: Sit down! More people are coming up, trying to sit. Tight shot of all the people cramped buy the camera KYRIAKOS: Untie the ropes, we need to go. Shot of the clouds CHILD: Did dad get on the boat? Close up of a woman, crying with a baby in her arms WOMAN: Theyre gone! Close up of a man giving a baby to a woman MAN: Take this boy! Close up of a different man, passing another baby to someone else Screaming, shouting, crying Close up of a woman climbing inside the boat Screaming, shouting, crying Close up of a family that just got on the boat, they all look terrified Screaming, shouting, crying Close up of Kyriakos helping everyone frantically Screaming, shouting, crying Extreme close up of a small boy, shivering from the cold. Hes wet and his eyes are closing slowly. MAN: a mother and two sons. Oh God! Wide shot looking towards the back of the rescue boat, which is now packed with all the refugees Screaming, shouting, crying Closeup of a baby Cry of a baby Close up of the front window of the boat, refugee men are sitting at the front. The empty captains seat. Kyriakos, jumps on the wheel and turns controls on. He looks straight ahead and see,ms overwhelmed Sound of the engine Splash on the from window, the refugee men point toward the left KYRIAKOS: Have the rope ready! Wide shot through the window, A woman is in the water. Two small yellow life vests are floating next to her Nat sound The woman in the water lifts her hand up KYRIAKOS: Oh my God! She has two children with her. Shot of woman and two children in the water from the side of the boat Nat sound Shot from behind a man, looking at the woman, holding his head The man screams The man leaves the frame which now is filled with the wild, blue sea. Cry of the man Wide shot toward the back of the boat. Heraclis is handing a small blatantly unconscious child to Kyriakos. Everyone on the coat is looking and crying Sound of women crying Close up of Kyriakos, giving CPR on the back of the boat. The mother is being helped on the boat, crying Cry of the mother Wide shot, Giannis is bringing the second child up on the boat. Sound of women crying Close up of Kyriakos and Giannis standing up talking at the back of the boat next to the waving greek flag Kyriakos:come and help. Hold the nose and blow through the mouth Close up of Kyriakos who comes toward the camera Music fades in imitating the sound of an ambulance Kyriakos passes through the camera and enters the boat cabin Heraclis: Its Heraclis from the boat. We have two unconscious children on board. Send an ambulance to the dock Shot inside the cabin, behind Kyriakos and Heraclis. Heraclis is on the phone and Kyriakos is getting ready Kyriakos: In ten minutes Music Close up of Kyriakos looking back Music Closeup of Kyriakos face, looking stressed out Music Kyriakos exhales, cut to shot out of the cabin door, refugees covered up, boat driving really fast Music Cut back to Kyriakos and again back out of the door to the refugees and close up to Kyriakos Music On the dock, Kyriakos is kneeling next to the one child, people are gathered around Music stops KYRIAKOS: Bring a blanket! Get the ambulance to come here now! KYRIAKOS: Shes speaking WOMAN: Shes breathing A first day doctor covering the small girl with a blanket People talking Close up of Giannis, crying MAN: Is she alive? WOMAN: Yes. Close up of the small girl Kyriakos next to the unconscious small boy KYRIAKOS: Heraclis, call to find out where the ambulance is! Wide shot of Kyriakos and an first aid worker giving CPR to the small boy Nat sound Shot of people looking, Kyriakos,passes in front of them holding the boy and take him to the ambulance Nat sound Calm shot of the picturesque small port town Nat sound Exterior shot of restaurant MARIA:-Kyriakos, dont they have the option to not cross when its so windy? Interior shot, Kyriakos, Ignatia and friends are sitting around lunch table IGNATIA: -No, the Turkish smugglers blackmail them to cross quickly. Close up of Kyriakos Ignatia IGNATIA: Yesterday, the big coastguard boat brought refugees to the main port IGNATIA: Eight children were there, all soaking wet. IGNATIA:: My sister, who was also there, went to the shop across the street asking for blankets. Shot of Tzanos and Vivi TZANOS:Sure, but when three or four thousand people come like this every day... Shot of Tzanos and Vivi IGNATIA: Yes, there is no infrastructure on our island. Close up of Ignatia IGNATIA: The childrens hospital is full of refugee children who have lost their parents And there is nobody to look after them Close up of Kyriakos VASSILIS: It is ups to us to help everyone, then. Wide shot of the lunch table TZANOS: What are those responsible doing about the situation then? Closeup of Kyriakos Voices are becoming muddled, music is fading in Picturesque shot of Mytilene port Music and nat sound Close up of Melissa (Kyriakos young daughter), in the background a refugee woman holding a baby KYRIAKOS VO: In a way, I panic too. Im scared. I cant reassure them. Its impossible. When I look into their eyes, I see their memories of war. Music Kyriakos holding Melissa from ger hand walking on promenade KYRIAKOS VO:They come from war... ...They escape the bombs that fall on their homes, and we see these families losing each other in the Greek sea. In the sea of a peaceful country. Because of the way they have to cross. Rack focus golden hour sea landscape to an olive branch Music fades out. Fisherman cleaning his nets at the small port Nat sound Another man on his parked sailing boat looking away KYRIAKOS: Its Kyriakos Shot of Kyriakos walking and talking on the phone KYRIAKOS: Were going out immediately, get the boat ready, quickly. Shot of boat front window CARD: 3.45pm Nat sound Shot inside the boat cabin, Christos looking through binoculars, bumpy Music fades in Close up of Kyriakos HERACLIS: Im calling from boat 150. Has the helicopter seen the incident were heading to? Music Shot of white water side of the boat Music Nat sound Bumpy shot inside the boat cabin Music nat sound Shot of Tasos binoculars HERACLIS: Are there people in the sea? Music Shot behind Tasos and Heraclis searching/ looking out the front window RADIO SOUND: Yes, this is the informations we have, but were searching. Music Shot inside the cabin crew is looking out the front window/ searching. Bumpy Music Nat sound Kyriakos looking out of the side window, boat has come to a halt KYRIAKOS: Come on! Throw the rope! Turn the engine off Music fades out Kyriakos exits the frame, cut to outside, go pro footage from Kyriakos head. Christos is throwing a life vest in the water. There is people everywhere in the water. Some are standing on a piece of wood, remanence of the boat they were crossing that sank. Someone is catching the lifevest. The rope pills people closer Nat sound More people in the water, Kyriakos is trying to pull people out of the water, a man slips his hands, A young boy is pulled on the boat. Nat sound Cut to the little port, a couple is having dinner by the water. Suddenly they turn and look behind, they seem concerned, the coast guard rescue boat enters the frame in the background, people run in the frame Nat sound Boat Syren Kyriakos pulls out the boat to the port, people run in the frame Nat sound Scene of chaos, people are helping the refugees who have come from the shipwreck. Everyone is giving CPR, chaos scene on the sore. Nat sound. A man is holding a small girl upside down, women are tapping the girls back MAN:Hit her back in case shes got more water in her lungs. Yes, water comes out, shes good. Put her in a blanket. Hold her head. Nat sound Close up of a woman with a small child in her arms WOMAN: We need oxygen Scenes of chaos on the little port, CPR until it becomes dark. Nat sound The coast guard boat pulls in the little port, its dark VOICE FROM MEGAPHONE: Kyriakos watch out when you reverse Night shot of Kyriakos closeup on the boar Nat sound Kyriakos and the crew, put a covered dead body on a stretcher Nat sound Close up of Kuriakos VOICE FROM THE CROWD The world need to know whats happening here! We cant be going through this alone! Medium of Kyriakos in the scene KYRIAKOS: Where is the car? Shot of Kyriakos, crowd in the backgrounds Christos: The entire village has come to watch Back inside the boat cabin, Shot of Christos whos standing outside the window and CHRISTOS: Im speechless. [the smugglers] are criminals Shot of Kyriakos talking back to him KYRIAKOS: There are no words to describe how I feel. Exterior shot of rescue boat, window. Kyriakos and Heraclis are inside KYRIAKOS: Rescued unconscious, but regained their senses after CPR. Shot inside the cabin as Kyriakos is writing the log. KYRIAKOS: Returned to the dock and brought people back at 4.50pm for the first time. Music fades in KYRIAKOS: 5.00pm: We left again [to collect more people from the shipwreck.] 5.30pm: Back at the shipwreck, we rescued four more people and collected a dead body. Music fades in Ok, thats the end of the diary. Exterior of the boat Shot of Kyriakos, sitting KYRIAKOS: Its a nightmare, this agony... Everywhere we went, there were people in the water. The only thing Im hoping is that there is no one missing. Music FADE TO BLACK Card over black Between 2015 and 2016, 600,000 refugees crossed the 4.1 miles of water between Turkey and the Greek island of Lesbos Music Card over black In the Spring 2016, Countries north of Greece closed their borders. Migrants and refugees continue to cross the Mediterranean. FADE TO BLACK Music fades out FADE TO LIFE PRESERVER Greek song fades in Credits Beach medium Credits Greek song Beach wide Credits Greek song Shot of people Credits Shot of People This film is dedicated to 7 year old Mohamadi Amir Mahdi and all the children that have drowned in the Aegean Sea. Greek song Fade to black The end
We dont deny that there are very real tensions on the fringes, and we cant simply ignore those tensions. But when it comes down to the basics, most Americans really arent that far apart.

Our kids are better educated than ever before. Our technology enables entrepreneurship and transparency. Our military is second to none, as it should be. But our two-party political system is an entirely different story. Hyper-partisanship may be entertaining, but its a terrible way to try to run a country. Were the alternative  and were the only ticket that offers Americans a chance to find common ground.

People might call us fiscal conservatives. Like most Americans, I believe that government does too much and costs too much. As governor of New Mexico, I vetoed more than 750 bills and reduced government involvement in business, better known as crony capitalism.

Some would call us social liberals. Ive been vocal in criticizing the disparity in the treatment of black Americans by the police. I want reform in our criminal justice and sentencing systems. Three strikes laws and mandatory minimums have put the United States among the world leaders in incarceration. Treating drug use and abuse as crimes, rather than health issues, has put far too many Americans behind bars.

What would government be like in a Johnson administration? First, we would begin the conversation about the size of government by submitting a real balanced budget. Every government program would have to justify its expenditures, every year. Cuts of up to 20 percent or more would be on the table for all programs, including military spending. Changes to Social Security and Medicare must also be considered.
When Pope Francis ascended to the chair of St. Peter in March 2013, the world looked on in wonder. Here at last was a pope in line with the times, a man who preferred spontaneous gestures to ritual forms. Francis paid his own hotel bill and eschewed the red shoes. Rather than move into the grand papal apartments, he settled in the cozy guesthouse for visitors to the Vatican. He also set a new nondogmatic tone with statements like Who am I to judge?

Observers predicted that the new popes warmth, humility and charisma would prompt a Francis effect  bringing disaffected Catholics back to a church that would no longer seem so forbidding and cold. Three years into his papacy, the predictions continue. Last winter, Austen Ivereigh, the author of an excellent biography of Pope Francis, wrote that the popes softer stance on communion for the divorced and remarried could trigger a return to parishes on a large scale. In its early days, Francis Jesuit order labored to bring Protestants back into the fold of the church. Could Francis do the same for Catholics tired of headlines about child abuse and culture wars?

In a certain sense, things have changed. Perceptions of the papacy, or at least of the pope, have improved. Francis is far more popular than his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI. Sixty-three percent of American Catholics approve of him, while only 43 percent approved of Benedict at the height of his popularity, according to a 2015 New York Times and CBS News poll. Francis has also placed a great emphasis on reaching out to disaffected Catholics.

But are Catholics actually coming back? In the United States, at least, it hasnt happened. New survey findings from Georgetowns Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate suggest that there has been no Francis effect  at least, no positive one. In 2008, 23 percent of American Catholics attended Mass each week. Eight years later, weekly Mass attendance has held steady or marginally declined, at 22 percent.
That trip, he was on a mission to persuade American skeptics to bring life to the Dead Sea by building a canal from the Red Sea. He wanted to make the desert bloom and, in his region-conscious way, Israels neighbor Jordan, too. After a day full of conversations, speeches and events about this plan, I was exhausted  but he wasnt done. For Mr. Peres, the night was young, and back out we went.

The affection he found abroad and his unflagging personal convictions gave him strength to face the powerful criticisms and hatred that were leveled at him at home. When fellow Israelis called him a traitor and screamed Oslo criminal, it hurt him. We could all see it in his eyes; he wanted to be loved  but he was not willing to give up on his beliefs.

I saw it every time I watched him ignore the cynics, risk being called naive, and continue doggedly to speak for and pursue peace. This was the lesson that every leader needs to learn: Follow your inner compass no matter what.

Shimon Peres did receive the love of the nation as president. His death is, in a very real way, the death of a man who had become a symbol of peace for Israel. While his passing marks the end of an era  he was the last of the generation of founding fathers and their political leadership  it must not be the end of hope. The dream of peace will not die with the man of peace. There are still those of us in Israel who demand the right to live in peace and security, seeing, as he did, those terms as complementary, not contradictory.
The Senate and the House are expected to vote this week on whether to override President Obamas veto of a bill that would allow families of the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks to sue Saudi Arabia for any role it had in the terrorist operations. The lawmakers should let the veto stand.

The legislation, called the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, would expand an exception to sovereign immunity, the legal principle that protects foreign countries and their diplomats from lawsuits in the American legal system. While the aim  to give the families their day in court  is compassionate, the bill complicates the United States relationship with Saudi Arabia and could expose the American government, citizens and corporations to lawsuits abroad. Moreover, legal experts like Stephen Vladeck of the University of Texas School of Law and Jack Goldsmith of Harvard Law School doubt that the legislation would actually achieve its goal.

Co-sponsored by Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, and Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, the measure is intended to overcome a series of court rulings that have blocked all lawsuits filed by the 9/11 families against the Saudi government. The Senate passed the bill unanimously in May, and the House gave its approval this month.
Tuberculosis. Malaria. Syphilis. Gonorrhea. The microbes that cause these diseases are increasingly resistant, and sometimes even impervious, to antibiotics that worked in the past. Last week, amid other pressing business, 193 nations at the United Nations General Assembly signed a declaration summoning each of them to a war against a powerful and resourceful enemy: superbugs that have learned to evade sciences last remaining defenses.

These bacteria, viruses and other microbes are responsible for 700,000 deaths a year, according to a 2014 British study. In the United States alone, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 23,000 people die annually from drug-resistant infections that could once be easily cured. Given current trends, these numbers are likely to rise.

Two forces are at work. Excessive and improper use of existing drugs by doctors, patients and farmers has hastened the natural process through which microbes develop immunity. And scientists and pharmaceutical companies are not developing new medicines fast enough to replace ineffective treatments.

A successful counterattack will involve multiple strategies. Through regulation and educational campaigns, doctors need to be instructed in the dangers of prescribing antibiotics for viral flus and other common infections for which they are largely useless. The C.D.C. estimates that at least 30 percent of antibiotic prescriptions in the United States are unnecessary.
The backdrops for Dries Van Notens womens wear shows are, oftentimes, art unto themselves; for example, his models for spring/summer 2015 swanned atop a custom-made, patchy green carpet by the Argentine talent Alexandra Kehayoglou. To present his latest collection today in Paris, the designer partnered with the Japanese flower artist Azuma Makoto, sending a series of floral-print garments down a runway flanked by Azumas sculptures.

The artist and the designer first met ahead of Van Notens 2014 exhibition Inspirations at Les Arts Decoratifs, for which Azuma made an installation from flora; for todays runway show, Van Noten asked Azuma specifically to reprise his Iced Flowers show, held last year in Tokyo. This was a long process, Van Noten says, from the moment Azuma-san flew from Tokyo to an Amsterdam flower market for us and then started to work at a traditional ice house in the Belgian countryside.

Azuma transformed nearly 100 types of rare flowers into 23 different arrangements  keeping the delicate Japanese sense of spacing in mind, he says  then placed them in subzero water and froze them for a week. The sculptures traveled from Belgium to the French capital in refrigerated cars and arrived this morning at the venue. The flowers are even more beautiful in the blocks of ice, as they interact with air bubbles and light, Azuma says. While the original Iced Flowers staging was more experimental, he adds, this time, collaborating with Dries and his world, my work became much more certain and strong.
Children are as much the victims of what were seeing in this epidemic, she said. Its a poignant reminder that our interventions have to be broader than just treatment for the individual but have to include loved ones, especially children.

In the Lawrence case, just as social media was heaping scorn on the mother who overdosed, Mandy McGowen, the video galvanized a network of mothers of drug addicts to help. Some of the mothers had rescued their own grandchildren from their parents drug use and were experienced at responding to crises and navigating the system. They were heartbroken for the toddler in the video and alarmed that no one had tried to help the mother. So they sprang into action.

At the same time, the video may have been the push that the mother needed to persuade her to seek help.

The story began the morning of Sept. 18, when Ms. McGowen, 36, of Salem, N.H., was driving around with a friend and sniffing fentanyl, she later told WBZ-TV in Boston. Fentanyl is a synthetic painkiller that is up to 50 times more powerful than heroin.

After picking up her daughter, Ms. McGowen went to buy diapers at the Family Dollar store in Lawrence, just over the Massachusetts border. Lawrence, an old mill town, is at the nexus of New Englands heavy drug trade.

As she was shopping in the toy aisle, Ms. McGowen collapsed and slumped to the floor on her back. Her daughter started wailing, prompting another shopper to alert a store clerk.

Employees called 911, and one began recording the scene with a cellphone.

At one point in the video, an unidentified man stepped up, called out Mandy, Mandy and slapped her a few times. Receiving no response, he then reached into her bag, removed a cellphone and eventually left. Otherwise, no one touched the mother or tried to comfort the daughter, who continued to cry.
Besides his lobbying and coalition-building, Mr. Browder influenced environmental and energy policy as a special assistant at the Interior Department during the administration of President Jimmy Carter. He was also the conservation director of Friends of the Earth and the treasurer of the League of Conservation Voters.

If Mr. Browders embrace of nature made him an effective evangelist, his implacability could also alienate some allies and cast some potentially worthy compromises  like the sugar industrys belated agreement to clean up the Everglades  as sellouts to corporate greed.

Joe hasnt always gotten the credit he deserved for the remarkable work he did, said Michael Grunwald, the author of The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise (2006), but the Earth is in better shape because he was on it.

Joe Bartles Browder was born on April 10, 1938, in Amarillo, Tex., the son of Edward Browder, an aviator, and the former Betty Bartles, who ran a small business. He was descended on his mothers side from a Delaware Indian chief.

He was raised in Havana, Mexico and California before moving to Miami, where his family was housed with Army Air Forces officers during World War II. It was there he developed his fascination with the South Florida swamps. He won a scholarship to study ornithology at Cornell University but dropped out because of insufficient funds.

Mr. Browder became a television reporter and producer for the NBC affiliate in Miami in the 1960s. But even then, he was a leader of the National Audubon Society in Florida. He left broadcasting in 1968 to devote himself to environmentalism and was the founding coordinator of the Everglades Coalition.

When he and Nathaniel Reed, a former assistant Interior secretary, teamed to oppose the proposed jetport, near the border between Miami-Dade and Collier Counties, Miami-Dades mayor branded them white militants.
Why is there a rise? No one can possibly know that, said Robert Smith, director of the Fair Punishment Project at Harvard Law School. But crime statistics are most accurate when they are block by block, because even a neighborhood is too large.

Still, attempts at explanations are numerous: battles over drug dealing turf; the dissolution of once powerful street gangs, resulting in violent crews that disband as quickly as they form; petty disputes that turn deadly because of the ready availability of guns; and a deepening economic and social isolation of the nations poorest.

Crime experts say that studying a single year of crime data  instead of a decade or 20-year periods  reveals little about crime, especially if a particular year runs counter to the current long-term trend of falling crime.

Crime rates are well known to be volatile, and year-to-year variation does not really tell you much, Dr. Berk said. The reasons are that crime rates are driven by many factors at the neighborhood and even interpersonal level that we do not measure and about which we have little understanding.

Inimai M. Chettiar, director of the Justice Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan public policy group, said that the nation might have entered a period in which some types of crime, particularly homicides, would regularly seesaw from year-to-year in certain cities, but neither rise nor drop significantly.

There have been predictions that as crime decreases, we will see more up and down movements, but that crime itself will stay relatively steady, she said.
WASHINGTON  The nations second-most powerful court grappled Tuesday with the intractable and potentially catastrophic problem of climate change, weighing whether constitutional questions surrounding President Obamas climate change regulations should trump the moral obligations of upholding a plan to curb global warming.

The presidents Clean Power Plan generated intense interest as the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia heard oral arguments over West Virginia vs. E.P.A., the lawsuit filed by 28 states and hundreds of companies and industry groups against the Obama administrations climate rules. People camped overnight in the rain outside the federal courthouse to grab seats before arguments began.

And those arguments took on a lofty tone as the judges considered the administrations actions in the wake of Mr. Obamas failure with Congress. The administration has fallen back on the 46-year-old Clean Air Act to justify emissions controls Congress would not pass.

The policy is laudable, said Judge Brett Kavanaugh, a George W. Bush appointee. The earth is warming. Humans are contributing. I understand the international impact and the problem of the commons. The popes involved. And I understand the frustration with Congress.
WASHINGTON  President Obama on Tuesday nominated the first United States ambassador to Cuba in more than a half-century, defying opponents of his policy of rapprochement with the government of President Raul Castro in an effort to further cement a new relationship between the countries before he leaves office.

Mr. Obama selected Jeffrey DeLaurentis, a career Foreign Service officer who has served since 2014 as chief of mission for the United States in Havana, to fill the post. He will have to be confirmed by the Senate, where Mr. Obamas efforts to repair relations with Havana have been met with Republican resistance.

In a sharply worded statement issued shortly after Mr. Obama announced Mr. DeLaurentiss selection, Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, said the nomination should not advance.

Just like releasing all terrorists from Guantanamo and sending U.S. taxpayer dollars to the Iranian regime, rewarding the Castro government with a U.S. ambassador is another last-ditch legacy project for the president that needs to be stopped, said Mr. Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants. This nomination should go nowhere until the Castro regime makes significant and irreversible progress in the areas of human rights and political freedom for the Cuban people, and until longstanding concerns about the Cuban regimes theft of property and crimes against American citizens are addressed.
WASHINGTON  Donald J. Trump often says he never wants to signal to the nations adversaries what he would do as commander in chief  an embrace of the concept of strategic ambiguity that is as old as warfare.

But on the critical question of whether the United States should ever be the first to use nuclear weapons, he appeared somewhere between contradictory and confused during his debate with Hillary Clinton on Monday.

On a related issue that Mr. Trump raised himself  the modernization by the Russians of their nuclear arsenal at a time when the United States is still debating plans and looking for the money  he had the gist of it right. The implication of his observation was that the United States had to match what the Russians were doing, creating the specter of a new arms race; Mrs. Clinton hinted at that, too, but in the arena of cyberweapons.

Questions about Mr. Trumps philosophy on the use of nuclear weapons have shadowed him throughout the campaign, in part because Mrs. Clinton has repeatedly raised them to sow doubts that he has the temperament for a job in which he would have sole authority over the worlds most powerful arsenal.
We have to do a much better job at keeping our jobs. And we have to do a much better job at giving companies incentives to build new companies or to expand, because theyre not doing it. And all you have to do is look at Michigan and look at Ohio and look at all of these places where so many of their jobs and their companies are just leaving, theyre gone. And, Hillary, Id just ask you this. Youve been doing this for 30 years. Why are you just thinking about these solutions right now? For 30 years, youve been doing it, and now youre just starting to think of solutions. CLINTON: Well, actually... TRUMP: I will bring  excuse me. I will bring back jobs. You cant bring back jobs. CLINTON: Well, actually, I have thought about this quite a bit. TRUMP: Yeah, for 30 years. CLINTON: And I have  well, not quite that long. I think my husband did a pretty good job in the 1990s. I think a lot about what worked and how we can make it work again... TRUMP: Well, he approved NAFTA... (CROSSTALK) CLINTON: ... million new jobs, a balanced budget... TRUMP: He approved NAFTA, which is the single worst trade deal ever approved in this country. CLINTON: Incomes went up for everybody. Manufacturing jobs went up also in the 1990s, if were actually going to look at the facts. When I was in the Senate, I had a number of trade deals that came before me, and I held them all to the same test. Will they create jobs in America? Will they raise incomes in America? And are they good for our national security? Some of them I voted for. The biggest one, a multinational one known as CAFTA, I voted against. And because I hold the same standards as I look at all of these trade deals. But lets not assume that trade is the only challenge we have in the economy. I think it is a part of it, and Ive said what Im going to do. Im going to have a special prosecutor. Were going to enforce the trade deals we have, and were going to hold people accountable. When I was secretary of state, we actually increased American exports globally 30 percent. We increased them to China 50 percent. So I know how to really work to get new jobs and to get exports that helped to create more new jobs. HOLT: Very quickly... TRUMP: But you havent done it in 30 years or 26 years or any number you want to... CLINTON: Well, Ive been a senator, Donald... TRUMP: You havent done it. You havent done it. CLINTON: And I have been a secretary of state... TRUMP: Excuse me. CLINTON: And I have done a lot... TRUMP: Your husband signed NAFTA, which was one of the worst things that ever happened to the manufacturing industry. CLINTON: Well, thats your opinion. That is your opinion. TRUMP: You go to New England, you go to Ohio, Pennsylvania, you go anywhere you want, Secretary Clinton, and you will see devastation where manufacture is down 30, 40, sometimes 50 percent. NAFTA is the worst trade deal maybe ever signed anywhere, but certainly ever signed in this country. And now you want to approve Trans-Pacific Partnership. You were totally in favor of it. Then you heard what I was saying, how bad it is, and you said, I cant win that debate. But you know that if you did win, you would approve that, and that will be almost as bad as NAFTA. Nothing will ever top NAFTA. CLINTON: Well, that is just not accurate. I was against it once it was finally negotiated and the terms were laid out. I wrote about that in... TRUMP: You called it the gold standard. (CROSSTALK) TRUMP: You called it the gold standard of trade deals. You said its the finest deal youve ever seen. CLINTON: No. TRUMP: And then you heard what I said about it, and all of a sudden you were against it. CLINTON: Well, Donald, I know you live in your own reality, but that is not the facts. The facts are  I did say I hoped it would be a good deal, but when it was negotiated... TRUMP: Not. CLINTON: ... which I was not responsible for, I concluded it wasnt. I wrote about that in my book... TRUMP: So is it President Obamas fault? CLINTON: ... before you even announced. TRUMP: Is it President Obamas fault? CLINTON: Look, there are differences... TRUMP: Secretary, is it President Obamas fault? CLINTON: There are... TRUMP: Because hes pushing it. CLINTON: There are different views about whats good for our country, our economy, and our leadership in the world. And I think its important to look at what we need to do to get the economy going again. Thats why I said new jobs with rising incomes, investments, not in more tax cuts that would add $5 trillion to the debt. TRUMP: But you have no plan. CLINTON: But in  oh, but I do. TRUMP: Secretary, you have no plan. CLINTON: In fact, I have written a book about it. Its called Stronger Together. You can pick it up tomorrow at a bookstore... TRUMP: Thats about all youve... (CROSSTALK) HOLT: Folks, were going to... CLINTON: ... or at an airport near you. HOLT: Were going to move to... CLINTON: But its because I see this  we need to have strong growth, fair growth, sustained growth. We also have to look at how we help families balance the responsibilities at home and the responsibilities at business. So we have a very robust set of plans. And people have looked at both of our plans, have concluded that mine would create 10 million jobs and yours would lose us 3.5 million jobs, and explode the debt which would have a recession.
The United States Agency for International Development earmarked $26.6 million in aid specifically for the asset-tracking effort, on top of $87 million in financing for other anti-corruption efforts over seven years, the inspector general said.

The report found widespread noncompliance under the previous government of President Hamid Karzai. Of the 56 top officials who were required to declare their assets as they took office, seven never did so at all and an additional 11 never had their declarations verified, as required by the law. On their way out, compliance was even worse: only 8 of the 47 Karzai officials who left office made a declaration, and none of those were checked by the anti-corruption office.

Among the non-compliers, the report said, was Mr. Karzai himself, who appointed the head of the anti-corruption office. Despite his reputation for probity, Mr. Karzai had cash in two German bank accounts and never revealed the account numbers to enable auditors to verify his holdings, the report said. That appeared to be the first public evidence of irregularities in Mr. Karzais financial arrangements.

An aide to Mr. Karzai called the report inaccurate and said the American inspector general had no right to police the integrity of Afghan institutions. The aide refused to be identified by name. He said the High Office of Oversight was in a better position than the American inspector general to discuss asset declarations by officials like Mr. Karzai.

The American report was based on data supplied by the oversight office, according to Jennifer George-Nichol, a spokeswoman for the inspector general.
BERLIN  Max Mannheimer, who survived Theresienstadt, Auschwitz and Dachau and devoted his last decades to admonishing later generations of Germans that while they carried no guilt for the Nazis crimes, they bore a responsibility to ensure that they never happen again, died on Sept. 23 in Munich. He was 96.

His death was confirmed by the Dachau Concentration Camp Association, for which Mr. Mannheimer had served as president since 1988. He was also the vice president of the Comite International de Dachau, an organization of former Dachau prisoners.

Mr. Mannheimer was one of the countrys best recognized and most vociferous Zeitzeugen, or witnesses to Germanys World War II history. Brandishing a yellow star labeled Jude  like the one the Nazis issued him on Sept. 1, 1941  he visited hundreds of institutions and appeared on television, telling his story of loss and survival to students, soldiers, neo-Nazis and the wider public.

My main goal is to convince them that a dictatorship is a very dangerous thing, to encourage them to support democracy, Mr. Mannheimer said of his lectures in a 2011 oral history recorded by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
The difficulty of photographing a world leader is to see past his carefully curated persona in order to reveal a more intimate portrait.

Mr. Peres, then the president of Israel, evoked both the weight and levity of accumulated wisdom. Whether in the sanctuary of his official residence or among the throng of admirers vying for his ear at an endless stream of public appearances, he possessed the grandeur of a man who had spent his life making history.

His schedule was relentless. I began photographing him one day just after dawn. In the quiet of the morning, he adjusted his tie, pushed on his cuff links as he fielded phone calls, and sat down to work methodically on a speech.

Despite his long list of accomplishments over seven decades in politics, he was humble and industrious, sharp and focused.
JERUSALEM  The death of Shimon Peres prompted an outpouring of emotional tributes from around the world even as Israel woke up Wednesday morning to discover that a figure integral to the history of the state was gone.

President Obama, who awarded Mr. Peres the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012, issued an unusually long and personal statement, recalling their conversations in detail and calling him the essence of Israel itself.

Mr. Obama remembered first meeting Mr. Peres, who served twice as prime minister, while he was a United States senator and said his death should renew a commitment to peace.

A light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever, Mr. Obama said. Shimon Peres was a soldier for Israel, for the Jewish people, for justice, for peace and for the belief that we can be true to our best selves  to the very end of our time on Earth and in the legacy that we leave to others.
SAN FRANCISCO  Despite pressure to resign as head of the board at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the controversial arts patron Diane (Dede) Wilsey managed to hold onto most of her power at a board meeting here Tuesday.

Ms. Wilsey, the museums chief executive and board president, relinquished the C.E.O. title to the new director of the Fine Arts Museums, Max Hollein. But the board stopped short of removing Ms. Wilsey as its head or instituting term limits that would have checked her powers.

The pressure to remove Ms. Wilsey grew last year when an attorney generals investigation began into the propriety of a payment of $457,000 she made from museum coffers. But her response has been fierce: You cant beat me, she told a New York Times reporter recently. You will see me prevail.

Mr. Hollein, however, praised the return of executive functions to his position, saying, Now you have a clearer division between the operational side and the board side of the museums. This change also brings the museum in line with others nationally, where the museum director sets the agenda of the institution and boards play more of a fund-raising role.

The board also voted to change her position from president to board chair and confirmed the appointment of Carl Pascarella and Jack Calhoun as vice-chairs.

Absolutely nothing has changed. Its just semantics  they thought chair sounded more important, Ms. Wilsey said with a grin shortly after she adjourned the meeting, which took place in a conference room at the de Young, one of the Fine Arts Museums.

An official memo summarizing the changes said the shift in title from president to chair was intended to help distinguish these volunteer board positions from salaried positions.
For the word porn alone, nature writing can be its own giddy reward. Consider the names of shorebirds, which Michael McCarthy deploys to voluptuous effect in The Moth Snowstorm: Nature and Joy. Dunlins. Great knots. Curlews. Nordmanns greenshanks. Bar-tailed godwits.

Not one of them a creature in Rubeus Hagrids hut, amazingly enough.

Mr. McCarthy is an environmental journalist in Britain. As a writer and observer, he shares certain similarities with his countryman Robert Macfarlane, whose Landmarks came out in the United States this summer. Mr. McCarthy, too, writes about the natural world as if hes of it, not apart from it, in language both sumptuous and attuned. (His discussion of waders searching for lugworms leaves little room for doubt: He is the bard of mud.) He too has a mystical sense of place.

The Moth Snowstorm, however, is much more than a paean to the Earths beauty. It is also an elegy for it, and a particularly distressed one at that.

The past few years have seen a number of fine books about environmental depredation, including the possibility of a sixth extinction, or great dying off, for the sixth time, of a majority of the worlds species. (Elizabeth Kolbert won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for her book by this very name.) But The Moth Snowstorm is far more personal. As one of the 7 billion-plus stakeholders in the planets fate, Mr. McCarthy is clearly desperate, anguished, overcome. Absent having a specific chief executive to write to, hes writing to us, hoping well look beyond the dun-colored conventions of conservationist arguments  statistics, abstractions  when we consider our despoiled planet.
Citing Wells Fargos venal abuse of its customers, the California treasurer took the unusual step on Wednesday of suspending many of its ties with the San Francisco bank as it continues to reel from the scandal over the creation of as many as two million unauthorized bank and credit card accounts.

The state treasurer, John Chiang, said he was suspending Wells Fargos most highly profitable business relationships with the state for at least a year, including the lucrative business of underwriting certain California municipal bonds.

On Tuesday alone, he said, he had pulled Wells Fargo off two large municipal bond deals.

How can I continue to entrust the publics money to an organization which has shown such little regard for the legions of Californians who placed their financial well-being in its care? Mr. Chiang wrote in a letter on Wednesday to the banks chairman and chief executive, John G. Stumpf, and the banks board members.

Mr. Chiang said he was also suspending making any additional investments in Wells Fargo securities and would suspend the banks work as a broker-dealer hired to buy investments on the treasurers behalf.
A month after a bitter fight over Viacoms leadership was settled, the company may find itself pressed to reunite with its corporate sibling, CBS.

National Amusements  which is owned by the billionaire Sumner M. Redstone and is the controlling shareholder in Viacom and CBS  plans to send letters to both companies, instructing them to consider a merger, people briefed on the matter said on Wednesday.

The request would prompt CBS and Viacom to establish independent board committees to explore the idea, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. As of Wednesday evening, neither company had received such a letter.

The instructions could be the first step toward joining the two media companies, which split in 2006 during a period of questions over leadership and the growth of both businesses.
LONDON  Deutsche Bank said on Wednesday that it had agreed to sell its Abbey Life insurance business, part of efforts to simplify the banks structure and improve returns, amid concerns that it may be forced to raise additional capital to resolve a dispute with American authorities.

Worries over a potentially large penalty from the United States Department of Justice, over the selling of residential mortgage-backed securities, sent the lenders stock to a multidecade low this week. The bank, Germanys largest, has faced a series of challenges in recent months, from poor financial results to a failing grade in a banking stress test.

John Cryan, the banks chief executive, is seeking to engineer a turnaround, while trying to streamline its investment bank in a difficult market environment and address historical issues that continue to drag down performance.

The latest in those efforts was the sale of Abbey Life to a subsidiary of Phoenix Group Holdings, which specializes in buying closed life insurance pools and pension funds, for 935 million pounds, or about $1.2 billion.
Former Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli Jr., who defended the Obama administrations positions in major legal issues including the Affordable Care Act and marriage equality before the Supreme Court, is joining the law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson. He will open a Washington office for the firm, which is based in Los Angeles.

Mr. Verrilli argued 37 cases before the nations highest court in the five years that he was the Obama administrations top appellate lawyer, the solicitor general. Before taking that job, he was an associate deputy attorney general at the Justice Department and deputy White House counsel, providing legal advice on issues such as national security, economic regulation, domestic policy and the scope of executive and administrative authority. Mr. Verrilli, 59, left the solicitor generals office in June.

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to start this new chapter with Munger, Tolles & Olson, Mr. Verrilli said. He said he hoped to build on his previous experience in private practice, much of it at the Jenner & Block law firm, in media, content and intellectual property law, as well defense contracting.

Joining Mr. Verrilli to open the office are Michael B. DeSanctis, a veteran litigator and a leading expert in election law and redistricting, and Chad Golder, a former deputy associate attorney general who managed top litigation at the Justice Department.
The leader of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, warned in a speech on Wednesday that an increase in protectionist trade measures could derail a fragile economic recovery in the United States and the rest of the world.

Ms. Lagarde spoke at Northwestern University, in what was billed as a kickoff for the funds annual fall meetings to be held in Washington next week.

Restricting trade is a clear case of economic malpractice, Ms. Lagarde said, making the case that workers and families would be worse off if global trade were restricted.

Ms. Lagardes comments come in the midst of a polarizing election in the United States, where the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates have both criticized trade deals as hurting, not helping, American workers.
OZ Africa Management, a unit of the hedge fund giant Och-Ziff Capital Management, is expected to enter a guilty plea to bribery charges on Thursday, according to two people briefed on the matter.

Och-Ziff, a $39 billion hedge fund founded by Daniel Och, is also expected to enter into a deferred-prosecution agreement and pay a fine of around $400 million as it nears the end of a multiyear investigation, according to the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Mr. Och will also be named in a Securities and Exchange Commission administrative complaint and will enter an agreement over the firms inaccurate record-keeping, these people said. Mr. Och is not expected to have any prohibition with regard to serving as a director or officer of a public company and will make no admission of liability, according to one of these people.

The firm is being investigated by the S.E.C., as well the Justice Department, over whether it paid bribes to officials in countries including Zimbabwe, Libya and Congo. It has set aside more than $400 million to pay penalties related to the investigations, the company disclosed this year.
David Schiff, a former portfolio manager at Perella Weinberg Partners, and Andrew Dym, previously a partner at the same firm, have started their own investment shop, Innovatus Capital Partners.

Innovatuss formation is expected to be announced in a news release on Wednesday.

The firm is set up like a private equity shop, with long-term lockup requirements for its investors. However, its founders are not expecting to do traditional private-equity-style leveraged buyouts. Instead, Innovatus will focus on providing credit to assets and businesses that have been underserved by traditional banks.

Rather than owning ships, were evaluating whether we want to move into ship lending, where banks have been retreating, said Mr. Schiff, the firms chief executive, in a phone interview. Mr. Dym is the president.

The firm will seek assets that have a steady cash flow and can withstand volatile environments, and it plans to improve the businesses as well. The strategy is similar the one Mr. Schiff and Mr. Dym used at Perella Weinberg, where they were members of that firms asset-based value strategy fund.
LONDON  Shareholders of SABMiller and Anheuser-Busch InBev on Wednesday approved a deal valued at more than $100 billion to create a giant in the beer industry that would control some of the worlds best-known brands, including Budweiser, Corona, Hoegaarden, Leffe and Stella Artois.

The takeover of SABMiller by its larger rival, Anheuser-Busch InBev, was approved by shareholders despite objections from some SABMiller investors. The combined company would account for 27 percent of beer sales worldwide and would have annual revenue of about $55 billion.

The deal would also give Anheuser-Busch InBev, already the worlds largest brewer, a substantial operation in Africa, where it has little presence, and greater dominance in Latin America.

We are committed to driving long-term growth and creating value for all our stakeholders, Carlos Brito, the Anheuser-Busch InBev chief executive, said in a news release.
The subscription cancellations were coming every 10 minutes. Angry readers have been calling in droves. One caller issued a death threat.

Were feeling the weight of our history, Phil Boas, the editorial page editor of The Arizona Republic, said in a telephone interview on Wednesday. Until it endorsed Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, the newspaper, founded in 1890, had never endorsed a Democrat over a Republican for president.

In endorsing Mrs. Clinton, The Republics editorial was, by any interpretation, scathing toward her opponent, Donald J. Trump. Trump responds to criticism with the petulance of verbal spit wads, the editorial says at one point. Thats beneath our national dignity.

Trumps long history of objectifying women and his demeaning comments about women during the campaign are not just good-old-boy gaffes, the editorial added. They are evidence of deep character flaws. They are part of a pattern.
On another, however, The Collection works as a thinly fictionalized version of the Dior success story, and a reminder of what it was like when men were running the show. The seriess creators say they drew inspiration for the House of Sabine, as the fictional fashion house is named, from a number of Paris designers, including Balenciaga, Fath and Lelong. But the parallels between the Sabine brothers new look collection in 1947 and Christian Diors collection that same year  an event that transformed couture and ushered in the New Look that still resonates today  are unmistakable.

Gone was the hard, boxy and masculine look (including liberating trousers) that came with wartime fabric rationing. Hideous and repellent is how Dior described that look. Instead he made sculpted dresses of as much as 25 yards of the finest luxury fabrics: ultrafeminine, but a burden to wear. Corsets shrank waists by up to two inches; crinolines and padding made full, calf-length skirts even more voluminous. Busts were lifted and breasts made into pointed cones. High heels and wide-brimmed or tilted tri-cornered hats completed the look.

Comfort was not the point: not then, and not now, on the small screen. The costume designers Chattoune & Fab acknowledge the retrograde feel of the 30 dresses they created by hand for the female stars of The Collection. (They also pieced together 1,200 outfits for the rest of the cast.)

Women had been liberated during the war with jackets and trousers, and suddenly, Ooh! Fashion comes, and its, Lets go back to corsets and be uncomfortable,  said Chattoune, whose name is Francoise Bourrec. When people came to the studio and picked up the dresses, they were stunned to feel how unbelievably heavy they were. They were really very painful for the models to wear.
Sometimes the present stumbles over the past and falls flat. Which was it at Saint Laurent?

A purposeful pratfall and a hop to the side.

Mr. Vaccarello dove into the YSL of the 1980s for his introductory effort, eschewing the usual tropes of safari suiting, gypsies and Mondrian in favor of the big-shouldered, shirred, asymmetrical, metallic Saint Laurent of the later years (plus some Smokings, given a streetwise slant with the sleeves lopped off; transformed into a jumpsuit; or rendered in a slick, square-shouldered tuxedo over skintight denim).

Like many designers of his generation  he is in his mid-30s  Mr. Vaccarello is fascinated by the decade that defined his youth, and he revisited it in a stream of thigh-high, one-shouldered, single-leg-of-mutton-sleeved, breast-baring dresses in leather, lace, Lurex and leopard spots. Also one Amazon-at-the-disco moment with leather skirt and rhinestone pastie.

This had the advantage of avoiding some of the worst Saint Laurent cliches, and to a certain extent almost seemed to pick up where the last show by his predecessor, Hedi Slimane, left off, albeit in a less stylized, precious way  though Mr. Vaccarello declared ignorance of Mr. Slimanes work for the brand.
Openings and Events

Make your Metro-North commute more enjoyable with a pit stop on Thursday, from 5 to 7 p.m., at the recently opened Vineyard Vines store. Youll find drinks and custom Grand Central coozies, and the founders, Shep and Ian Murray, will be signing the labels signature whimsical whale-print bow ties ($55 to $65). At Grand Central Terminal, 89 East 42nd Street.

That same evening, the makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury and a team of magicians will be at Bloomingdales 59th Street at 6 p.m. to celebrate the introduction of her collection at the uptown retailer. They will be performing sleight of hand using products like Charlottes Magic Cream Treat & Transform Moisturizer ($100) and magicking up chocolate lips and lipstick samples.

Image A tote from Saturdays NYC.

On Saturday, the MoMA Design Store will reopen following its summer refresh with a brighter look and new fall products, including a Georg Jensen x Zaha Hadid twisted cuff in sterling silver ($3,000) and a store exclusive Alexis Bittar Lucite crescent bib necklace ($215). Customers who spend $100 or more on opening day will receive a glass of sparkling wine at the Modern restaurant. At 44 West 53rd Street.
The reference was Mr. Wolf, the problem-solver in that movie, Mr. Wildstein testified here in federal court on Wednesday.

I understood it perfectly, he said, as Mr. Baronis message was enlarged on a screen above the court. Mr. Baroni was going to Trenton to fix the problem.

In fact, he made the problem worse.

Prosecutors now say that Mr. Baroni, who was Mr. Christies top staff appointee at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the bridge, lied before the legislative committee, part of an effort to cover up the punitive nature of the closings.

Mr. Wildstein, who has described himself as the bad cop for Mr. Baroni and Mr. Christie at the Port Authority, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to close the lanes and is now the prosecutions star witness against Mr. Baroni and Bridget Anne Kelly, a former deputy chief of staff to Mr. Christie, at their trial on charges including conspiracy and fraud.

Mr. Wildstein had testified on Tuesday that he and Mr. Baroni told Mr. Christie about the lane closings while they were going on.
In New York City, 38 pregnancy-related deaths were caused by hemorrhaging from 2006 to 2010, the most recent data available. More than 630,000 live births took place during those years, according to the citys Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Dr. Mary E. DAlton, chairwoman of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center, said maternal deaths from hemorrhaging were still quite rare, though, she added, I dont think we can say its a problem of the past.

Dr. DAlton also works with the Safe Motherhood Initiative to help decrease preventable deaths related to childbirth. Still, she said, There are rare exceptions when, despite the best management, death may not be preventable.

Ms. Lam and Mr. Kwok, both natives of Hong Kong, had come to New York for Ms. Lams graduate studies at Columbia Universitys business journalism program. She had graduated in May 2015 and was working as a reporter at Brightwire Inc., a financial news agency. But what she wanted most was a younger brother for Abel, Mr. Kwok said.

The couple had planned to move back to Hong Kong, but when Ms. Lam became pregnant, they decided to wait until October to avoid taking Ms. Lam on a long international flight. Moreover, they wanted the baby to be born an American citizen, with a United States passport. They trusted that the countrys medical care was the best.

The baby was due at the end of August. Doctors told Ms. Lam her pregnancy was healthy and normal, but that the baby might come a bit early, Mr. Kwok said.
New legislation came into force in July that allows for the summary expulsion of migrants intercepted within five miles of the border. As a result, from the end of August to Sept. 12, more than 600 migrants  including potential asylum seekers  were detained and escorted to the border. This may have deprived these people of their rights under international law to seek asylum.

As if those violations were not enough, the police are recruiting an additional 3,000 members for what are officially called border hunter action units, which focus on patrolling the borders. Once these recruits have completed a two-month training course in basic law enforcement duties, and a further four months guard duties, they are to receive a pistol, with live ammunition, and other police equipment. The government seems not to care about the risks of allowing an inexperienced armed force to deal with vulnerable people like refugees and victims of human trafficking.

These worrying developments have come amid a campaign to demonize refugees that has been orchestrated by the government since 2015, when it promoted a national consultation on immigration and terrorism that portrayed migrants as a danger to Hungarian society. This propaganda effort has reached a new pitch of intensity in the run-up to an Oct. 2 referendum on any future European Commission proposal to relocate refugees more evenly among European Union countries. A government-sponsored poster campaign on billboards around the country is promoting deceptive messages, such as that sexual harassment of women has risen sharply across Europe since the beginning of the migrant crisis, or that the Paris terrorist attacks were committed by immigrants.

Such smear campaigns against refugees are sadly not new to Europe: The U.K. Independence Party in Britain, the National Front in France and Italys Northern League have all exploited similar xenophobic messages. But in Hungary, it is the government itself thats pushing such falsehoods.
To the Editor:

Re In a Tight Race, Every Party Matters (editorial, Sept. 27):

I dont pretend to understand why people are supporting Donald Trump. Yes, I know that they are working harder than ever at low-paying jobs, that jobs have gone to Mexico and China and that politicians are a miserable lot. What I dont understand is why they believe that Mr. Trump really cares about their overdue car payment. I dont know why being a serial liar is irrelevant and why ignorance of constitutional basics is not disqualifying.

However, what makes my blood pressure skyrocket from just a little elevated to stroke level are those holier-than-thou lefties who plan to vote for a third-party candidate or not at all. As Maggie Smiths character on Downton Abbey asked: Does it ever get cold on the moral high ground?

In your editorial, you quote Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate, as saying: I will have trouble sleeping at night if Donald Trump is elected. I will also have trouble sleeping at night if Hillary Clinton is elected. Really? Its all the same to her?

And how about all those die-hard Bernie Sanders supporters who are now ignoring him when he says that it is not the time to vote for a third-party candidate?
When Mohammad Azam started his shift on May 21, it was just another sunny morning in Taftan, a small desert town in Pakistans Balochistan Province. Like taxi drivers around the world, he planned to spend this day waiting for customers, and navigating through traffic when he could find a fare. He had no idea it would be his last day alive.

By that evening, Mr. Azams body had been found burned to death, barely identifiable. He had the bad luck of picking up the target of an American drone strike: Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, who was then leader of the Afghan Taliban. And so Mr. Azam was killed like so many other people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen. And unlike Mullah Mansour, Mr. Azams name hardly registered in the first wave of international coverage of the strike.

It was not even clear at first that Mullah Mansour had been killed. While the Americans and the Afghan government in Kabul were sure they had gotten their man, many others demanded proof. At times, media outlets and government officials have claimed that a militant leader has been eliminated by a carefully executed drone strike, only to have him appear alive again.

In the case of Mullah Mansour, his identity was finally confirmed when Pakistani authorities matched the victims DNA with one of the Taliban leaders relatives. And then the case was closed. Days later, an even more ruthless and radical leader stepped in to fill Mullah Mansours shoes. The other victim of the strike, Mr. Azam, a taxi driver, was little more than an afterthought.
In 1925, the Spanish government hired a doctor named Ildefonso Canicio to head up a malaria research center in the Ebro Delta, where the disease was endemic. Dr. Canicio worked with patients from the surrounding rice fields for several decades, until he contracted malaria himself. He died of unrelated causes in 1961, the year malaria was eradicated from Spain.

Among the belongings he left behind were blood samples such as the ones above used to diagnose three patients in the 1940s. Now those samples, each just one or two drops of blood smeared onto a microscope slide, may have solved a long-running mystery: how some strains of the malaria parasite arrived in Europe and in the Americas.

Malaria has not been endemic in Europe for more than half a century, but the continent once was a hot zone. The European strains are now extinct, however, so it has been difficult for scientists to figure out exactly how the disease evolved and spread across the globe.

In a study published on Monday in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers report that they retrieved DNA from malaria parasites in Dr. Canicios old blood samples: Plasmodium vivax, found today in Asia, the Middle East, South and Central America, and parts of Africa; and its more virulent cousin, Plasmodium falciparum, which accounts for 90 percent of malaria deaths.
Tony Zosherafatain shows off his hairy chest and armpits, naked in a New York apartment except for a pair of tighty whities. Jamilla Braxton stands on a street corner wearing a ribbed tank top and flashing her long nails painted white.

Both are among the 70-plus transgender people Mark Seliger photographed in On Christopher Street: Transgender Stories, the new 160-page black-and-white coffee table book being published by Rizzoli on Oct. 11 with a foreword by the author and transgender activist Janet Mock.

Based purely on his biographical particulars, Mr. Seliger is not the obvious candidate to create a book about the current transgender moment.

For one thing, he is a heterosexual guy who until fairly recently was not an expert on the latest iterations of the L.G.B.T. movement. For another, his primary milieu is celebrity portraiture, having spent the last three decades photographing Bruce Springsteen, Julia Roberts and Sean Penn for magazines like Vanity Fair, GQ and Rolling Stone.
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia  Stepping away from its signature product, BlackBerry will no longer make its own smartphones, the device it once defined.

Before being overtaken by iPhones from Apple, BlackBerrys phones were so popular that they were nicknamed CrackBerry, and President Obama battled security officials to retain his BlackBerry when he took office. But the distressed Canadian companys decision, announced on Wednesday, means the BlackBerry name will now be found only on handsets made by a group owned by phone companies in Indonesia, which has licensed the brand.

BlackBerrys market share long ago collapsed to single digits in North America and Europe, despite the introduction of a new operating system and the companys decision to make phones based on the Android operating system from Google.

The abandoning of the phone business that made BlackBerry a household name is a major step in a strategy begun by John S. Chen, the executive chairman and chief executive, to turn the money-losing company into a software and wireless device security business. When Mr. Chen joined BlackBerry almost three years ago, he made it clear that the fast-declining phone business was living on borrowed time.
For Yahoo, loving customers used to be so much easier.

As Nicole Perlroth and Vindu Goel write, the companys most recent problems with security  data on 500 million accounts stolen  is but the latest and most extreme case of system intrusion. Yahoo had security problems for years, and has not done enough about it.

At first pass, that might be surprising. Marissa Mayer, the Yahoo chief executive who recently sold the company to Verizon Communications for $4.8 billion, joined Yahoo in 2012. That was two years after an attack on her previous employer, Google, compelled a deep strengthening of Googles security procedures.

Yahoo was also subject to the 2010 attack, but did little after that hacking to improve itself. Nor did it change when Ms. Mayer came on the scene.
The Assistant, in Googles most far-out vision, would always be around, wherever you are, on whatever device you use, to handle just about any informational task.

Consider this common situation: Today, to book a trip, you usually have to load up several travel sites, consult your calendar and coordinate with your family and your colleagues. If the Assistant works as well as Google hopes, all you might have to do is say, O.K., Google, I need to go to Hong Kong next week. Take care of it.

Based on your interactions with it over the years, Google would know your habits, your preferences and your budget. It would know your friends, family and your colleagues. With access to so much data, and with the computational power to interpret all of it, the Assistant most likely could handle the entire task; if it couldnt, it would simply ask you to fill in the gaps, the way a human assistant might.

Computers have made a lot of everyday tasks far easier to accomplish, yet they still require a sometimes annoying level of human involvement to get the most out of them. The Assistants long-term aim is to eliminate all this busywork.

If it succeeds, it would be the ultimate expression of what Larry Page, Googles co-founder, once described as the perfect search engine: a machine that understands exactly what you mean and gives you back exactly what you want.

At this point, a few readers may be recoiling at the potential invasion of autonomy and privacy that such a machine would necessitate.

The Assistant would involve giving ourselves over to machines more fully. We would trust them not just with our information but increasingly with our decisions. Many people are already freaked out by what Google, Facebook and other tech companies know about us. Would we be willing to hand over even more power to computers?
Q. When I get an emergency alert on my phone for a certain area, how does the system know Im in that location? Do these messages count against my monthly limit?

A. The Wireless Emergency Alerts system, which allows government authorities  like local law enforcement or the Federal Emergency Management Agency  to push out public safety warnings to mobile devices, can be restricted to certain geographic locations. Once officials have decided the range of the emergency zone, the alert is broadcast from the cell towers in that designated area.

Image Emergency alerts from government and public-safety officials do not count toward your text message allowance. Credit... The New York Times

According to the Federal Communications Commission, participating wireless carriers are generally required to send the alerts to a geographic area no larger than the county or counties affected by the emergency situation. The agency also notes that carriers may be able to pinpoint smaller areas to receive alerts.
SAN FRANCISCO  Six years ago, Yahoos computer systems and customer email accounts were penetrated by Chinese military hackers. Google and a number of other technology companies were also hit.

The Google co-founder Sergey Brin regarded the attack on his companys systems as a personal affront and responded by making security a top corporate priority. Google hired hundreds of security engineers with six-figure signing bonuses, invested hundreds of millions of dollars in security infrastructure and adopted a new internal motto, Never again, to signal that it would never again allow anyone  be they spies or criminals  to hack into Google customers accounts.

Yahoo, on the other hand, was slower to invest in the kinds of defenses necessary to thwart sophisticated hackers that are now considered standard in Silicon Valley, according to half a dozen current and former company employees who participated in security discussions but agreed to describe them only on the condition of anonymity.

When Marissa Mayer took over as chief executive of the flailing company in mid-2012, security was one of many problems she inherited. With so many competing priorities, she emphasized creating a cleaner look for services like Yahoo Mail and developing new products over making security improvements, the Yahoo employees said.
Garth Drabinsky, the storied Canadian producer once imprisoned for fraud, is planning his Broadway comeback.

A consortium of producers led by a former Canadian Broadcasting Corporation executive announced Wednesday that Mr. Drabinskys production of Sousatzka, a musical adapted from the 1962 novel Madame Sousatzka, would be staged in Toronto early next year, and is aiming for a transfer to Broadway next fall.

A return to Broadway would be a remarkable moment for Mr. Drabinsky, who was convicted of fraud and forgery in Canada in 2009. As a theater producer he won three Tony Awards, for Kiss of the Spider Woman, Show Boat and Fosse, but he has not had a production on Broadway in 15 years, and is unable to travel to the United States because he is considered a fugitive there.

Written by Bernice Rubens, Madame Sousatzka tells the story of the relationship between a piano teacher and a child prodigy; it was adapted into a 1988 film starring Shirley MacLaine.
The play, first staged in 1972, is not exactly a comedy, but its frequent bursts of bitter humor almost convince you it is, particularly in Mr. Falcos excellent production, powered by a supremely funny Gail Phaneuf in the role of Leona, the unofficial matriarch of the squabbling, makeshift family whose spiritual home is the bar. Barreling around the stage, her eyes ablaze with indignation or melting in sympathy, Ms. Phaneuf turned the character into a whirlwind of comic energy tinged with pathos: a bit Blanche DuBois, a dash of the blowzy Maxine from The Night of the Iguana, but with the braying mouth of Phyllis Diller.

Leona arrives in a rage, her younger lover, the hustler Bill (an aptly sexy-seedy Joe Macdougall) having darted out of the trailer theyd been sharing for a couple of months. She arrives to find him in the company of the teary Violet (the movingly desperate Sarah MacDonnell), a woman who assuages the emptiness of her existence through booze and sex. But then all the characters in this dark play  similar in spirit and setting to ONeills own The Iceman Cometh  are in flight from the ugly truths of their lives.

Virtually all the characters  who include Doc (Bill Salem), a physician who has had his license revoked; Monk (Fred Biddle), the bars sympathetic owner; Violets on-again, off-again lover Steve (a nicely bruised Ian Leahy); and a pair of gay men who receive a cool reception from Monk (Stuard M. Derrick as the jaded Quentin and Austin Jennings Boykin as his much younger pickup)  directly address the audience at one point or another. They pick at their wounds, plead for understanding, or just tell their sorry tales. And in the intimacy of the bar, their slurred stories of regret are squirm-inducing, like a drink suddenly dumped into your lap along with all those unwanted confidences.

The other Williams plays on the menu were less rewarding, if certainly in some cases bracingly, even entrancingly bizarre. Kirche Kuche Kinder (An Outrage for the Stage) staged in the back of a T-shirt shop (!), was that rare and puzzling thing: a superb production of an irredeemably awful play.
I have said many times before, standing in this exact spot, that a continuing resolution is a last resort, Representative Harold Rogers, Republican of Kentucky and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said on the House floor, referring to the short-term spending bill. But at this point, it is what we must do to fulfill our congressional responsibility to keep the lights on in our government.

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.

After the Senate passed the measure Wednesday afternoon, House leaders quickly worked to schedule their vote for the evening. The bill passed despite opposition from some conservatives who objected to additional spending, as well as from a number of Democrats who remained skeptical that Republicans would fully appropriate the money for Flint when lawmakers returned after the election.

The deal that unclogged the pipeline came from an unlikely place: the House of Representatives. The agreement hinges on an amendment to a water projects bill, the Water Resources Development Act, which would authorize $170 million in spending to communities such as Flint where the president has declared a state of emergency because of contaminants like lead. A version of that bill, which approved more than $200 million for Flint and other poor communities struggling with lead contamination, passed the Senate this month.

The House passed that bill earlier Wednesday evening, setting up a meeting between congressional leaders to resolve the differences between the Senate and House versions of the water projects legislation, discrepancies that include the amount of funding for Flint and whether the funding is set aside or simply authorized.

But that conference meeting is not expected to happen until lawmakers return after the election, which left some Democrats uneasy. The 45-member Congressional Black Caucus recently vowed to oppose any stopgap spending bill that did not include funding for Flint.

The groups chairman, Representative G. K. Butterfield, Democrat of North Carolina, said they were disappointed that Democratic leaders had agreed to a deal that relied primarily on the word of their Republican counterparts.

The question is, are we willing to accept the promise of the Republican leadership that it will come out in conference? he said in an interview Wednesday.
With just six weeks to go until Election Day, younger voters are shunning the two major political parties on a scale not seen since Ross Perots third-party bid for the presidency in 1992, a striking swing in public opinion that is slicing into Hillary Clintons thin margin for error.

Though young people are notoriously fickle about showing up at the polls, they are a growing and potentially pivotal bloc of voters. Millennials now outnumber baby boomers as the countrys largest generation. And while they may be more predisposed than other groups to vote Democratic, they are not moving toward the party and its nominee as quickly and predictably as they have in past elections.

The Clinton campaign held several events on Wednesday aimed at millennials, underscoring the urgency with which she and her team are working to lock down the group: about 75 million Americans. Mrs. Clinton traveled to New Hampshire with her former primary rival, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, for a rally with college students.

The first lady, Michelle Obama, spent the day visiting campuses in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. She had blunt words for anyone thinking about voting for a third party. If you vote for someone other than Hillary, or if you dont vote at all, she said, then you are helping to elect Hillarys opponent.
WASHINGTON  President Obama and the first lady, Michelle Obama, issued scathing denunciations of Donald J. Trump on Wednesday, conveying the same message that a vote for a third-party candidate rather than Hillary Clinton would help elect a president who is unfit for office.

In a radio interview Wednesday morning, Mr. Obama lashed out at the Republican presidential nominee for denigrating women and mocked Mr. Trumps debate appearance, saying it exposed him as a person who appears to only care about himself.

Mr. Obama described Mr. Trump as someone who was unqualified to sit in the Oval Office and doesnt do his homework, doesnt know basic facts that youd need to know.

You had somebody who basically insulted women and then doubled down, Mr. Obama told Steve Harvey, a syndicated radio host. In terms of how he talks about them and talks about their weight and talks about how they look instead of the content of their character and their capabilities, which is not something that I want, not somebody I want in the Oval Office.
As part of its final bit of business before the election, Congress is set to vote to override President Obamas veto of a bill allowing families of those killed in the Sept. 11 attacks to sue Saudi Arabia for any role in the terrorist plot.

The override, the first Mr. Obama has faced in his presidency, is expected to begin in the Senate on Wednesday, followed by the House on Thursday.

Some lawmakers have been scrambling to try to obviate the veto rejection. But their efforts, which come after both chambers overwhelmingly passed the bill, are almost certain to be futile, and members of both parties have vowed to override the bill.

Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the Democratic leader who plans to support the override effort, tried on Tuesday to play down any split between Democrats and Mr. Obama. Its not against the president, she said. Its against an idea, an interpretation of the bill.
WASHINGTON  Congress on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly to override a veto by President Obama for the first time, passing into law a bill that would allow the families of those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to sue Saudi Arabia for any role in the plot.

Democrats in large numbers joined with Republicans to deliver a remarkable rebuke to the president. The 97-to-1 vote in the Senate and the 348-to-77 vote in the House displayed the enduring power of the Sept. 11 families in Washington and the diminishing influence here of the Saudi government.

The new law, enacted over the fierce objections of the White House, immediately alters the legal landscape. American courts could seize Saudi assets to pay for any judgment obtained by the Sept. 11 families, while Saudi officials have warned they might need to sell off hundreds of billions of dollars in holdings in the United States to avoid such an outcome.

The override comes at an already freighted moment in Americas relations with the kingdom. The Saudi government has vigorously denied that it had any part in the Sept. 11 attacks, and the commission investigating the plot found no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded Al Qaeda, the terror group that carried out the attacks. But the commission left open the possibility that some Saudi officials may have played roles.
Hillary Clinton will try to press forward with party unity on Wednesday, and Donald J. Trump will make a pitch in the Midwest, two days after their contentious first debate, in which the Democratic nominee was widely seen as outperforming her Republican opponent.

Mrs. Clinton will appear with Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the rival she beat in the race for the Democratic nomination. The pair will be in New Hampshire, where polls have tightened between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Trump.

Mr. Trump will appear in Iowa and in Wisconsin. The first is a state that polls indicate he is likely to win, and the second is one he hopes to make competitive.

For Mrs. Clinton, appearing with Mr. Sanders is an effort not just to highlight party unity, but also to energize the senators base of millennial voters who do not seem to have warmed to her. She appeared buoyant and recharged after the debate on Tuesday, while Mr. Trump dug in on some of his harshest attacks of both her and of people unrelated to the 2016 contest, such as a Miss Universe pageant winner who, he said on Fox News, had gained a massive amount of weight.
New Hampshire voters seeking to express themselves in the voting booth with a so-called ballot selfie will be able to snap freely after a federal appeals court ruled that a ban against the practice infringed on free speech.

The decision, issued Wednesday, ended a legal process that began when ballot selfies were first banned in the state in 2014, in order to avoid vote buying and voter intimidation, and to preserve a historically private voting process.

Last year, a federal court overturned a ban on the photos, and the case went to an appeals court.

Bill Gardner, New Hampshires secretary of state, essentially argued that people who took photos of their ballots could be intimidated or otherwise compelled into showing proof of their vote.

Then, in April, Snapchat got involved.

The company filed an amicus brief that argued that ballot selfies were the latest way that voters, especially young voters, engage with the political process.
Demonstrators gathered outside the Police Department in El Cajon, Calif., on Wednesday morning calling for a federal investigation into the fatal police shooting of a black man a day earlier, the latest in a string of such killings that have provoked protests nationwide.

The man, whom the police identified as Alfred Olango, 38, was walking in traffic and said to be acting erratically. A responding officer fatally shot Mr. Olango after he pulled an object from his pocket, the police said. On Wednesday night, the police identified the object as a vape smoking device with a silvery cylinder the police said was pointed toward the officer.

Agnes Hasan, a close friend of Mr. Olangos family and one of many who spoke outside the police station Wednesday, said that Mr. Olango was from Uganda and that his family and hers had been together in a refugee camp.

We came to this country to bring our kids, to give them better education and a better future, she said. This guy went to school, he finished school. Hes an educated man. We suffered too much with the war in Africa. We come here also to suffer again?
A woman in a Walmart in Texas last week who took photos of a man pushing a shopping cart with his daughters hair wrapped around its handle helped touch off a debate about when, or if, a bystander should intervene when a parent harshly disciplines a child in public.

The woman, Erika Burch, was with her husband, Robert, in the store in Cleveland, Tex., about 45 miles north of Houston on Sept. 19 when they spotted the girl walking extremely close to the cart. Her head was leaning at an odd angle as the man dragged her alongside the cart by her hair, Ms. Burch said in an interview.

Mr. Burch, 44, said the girl, who the police said was 5, was crying: Please stop! I wont do it again. He added that she was just begging the man to let her go.

Ms. Burch, 25, intervened.

She said she spoke to the man three times to try to get him to stop, each time raising her voice. Ms. Burch said the man told her, I grew up just fine, and began cursing at her. She called 911, and a police officer who was in the store about a shoplifting case was there within minutes.
Update: Jesse Dewitt Osborne was sentenced on Nov. 14, 2019, to life without parole.

A 14-year-old boy in South Carolina killed his father at home, then went to a nearby elementary school and shot two boys and a teacher with a handgun on Wednesday, according to local authorities.

The teenager, whose name was not released, was taken into custody around 2 p.m. at Townville Elementary School in Anderson County, about 100 miles northeast of Atlanta.

One of the students was shot in the leg, one was shot in the foot and the teacher was shot in the shoulder, Capt. Garland Major of the Anderson County sheriffs office said.
JALALABAD, Afghanistan  At least 13 people were killed by an airstrike in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar on Wednesday, with officials describing the victims as members of the Islamic State, while some residents claimed the dead were civilians.

A United States military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Charles H. Cleveland, said that a counterterrorism airstrike had taken place in the area on Wednesday but that he could not discuss details. He added that the military takes all allegations of civilian casualties very seriously and that a review of the strike was underway.

Afghan officials said the victims of the strike, in the Achin district, were members of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. The district has long been a hotbed of Islamic State activity, one of the few in Afghanistan.

The provincial police in Nangarhar issued a statement saying that 18 Islamic State members were killed in the strike, in the Shadal Bazaar area of the Achin district, including an Islamic State judge and a local commander.
As Election Day approaches in the United States, the Chinese are paying closer attention to the selection of the next president.

Government censorship, the language barrier and an unfamiliarity with American political conventions have left many Chinese confused about the process. Many seem to have derived their sense of how the system works from House of Cards, the Netflix series about an unscrupulous politician who stops at nothing, not even murder, to scheme his way to power. The show was enormously popular in China.

Last year, You Tianlong, a Chinese doctoral student in justice studies at Arizona State University, co-founded a podcast called Xuanmei, or U.S. Election, aimed at younger, urban Chinese. Mr. You and his partners  Hua Jianping, who writes on American politics, and Zhuang Qiaoyi, who holds a masters degree in international relations from Syracuse University  and their guests discuss topics that have ranged from voter registration to how campaign managers tap into data to advance candidates prospects.

An estimated 70,000 people listen the podcasts every month. In August, Mr. You published Get Elected: A Very Short Introduction to the U.S. Presidential Election (Taihai Publishing House, Beijing) with Mr. Hua and Lin Yao, who has a Ph.D. in political science from Columbia University.
There are fewer than 15,000 Yugurs in China, making the ethnic group one of the smallest of the 56 officially recognized by the government. For centuries they were nomads, moving among pastures at the foot of the snowcapped Qilian Mountains in Gansu Province. Some spoke a language related to Mongolian, while others spoke a Turkic one. They practiced shamanism and Tibetan Buddhism.

Chinese scholars trace the Yugurs origins to the Huihu people, who migrated south from present-day Mongolia and split into several branches. One went west and became the Uighurs, the main ethnic group in large areas of the Xinjiang region. Most of that branch converted to Islam. Western scholars also use the term Uighur to refer to the Huihu.

In recent years, the central government has implemented a program, returning pastures to grasslands, which it says aims to protect the regions environment. Under the plan, nomads herding animals on grasslands newly classified as nongrazing pastures are offered subsidies to resettle elsewhere. Those who occupied grasslands now classified as pastures where grazing is temporarily banned or rotation pastures are compensated if they follow state regulations. The policy has been opposed by some nomads.

In an interview, Wang Haifei, a professor at Lanzhou Universitys College of History and Culture, discussed the transformation underway in Sunan Yugur Autonomous County in Gansu, the heartland of the Yugur people. We interviewed him after returning from a trip to Sunan, where we spoke with Yugurs there about their traditions.
They all believe in Buddhism, Nanqian said of the residents of Hongwansi, which sits at the foot of the snowcapped Qilian range of Gansu Province, considered the Yugur heartland. Theyll come with their families for this ceremony.

The influence of religion is still great among the Yugurs, he said.

It is not just religion that distinguishes the Yugurs from the Uighurs. Some Yugurs speak an Altaic language that partly resembles old Mongolian. Also similar to Mongolians, many Yugur families come from a nomadic background. They still watch after livestock. Herds of sheep roam grasslands outside the town.

These days, Nanqian and some residents of Hongwansi are struggling to preserve these central aspects of Yugur culture, even as the traditions fade among younger residents. The Yugurs are not well known in China. Serendipity led me to them: I came across their homeland while traveling in the Qilian Mountains to report on the effects of climate change in western China.
One of the eeriest pieces of evidence emerged last year and was highlighted again on Wednesday. The pilots had no chance of saving the plane, and were perhaps the first to die, because the missile exploded yards from the cockpit. But one carried to earth in his body a pivotal clue: a butterfly-shaped piece of shrapnel, a trace from a type of warhead installed in Buk missiles in Russias arsenal, but not Ukraines. Both countries possess Buk missiles, but the model types are distinct.

It would have been a hard piece of evidence to fake. Plastered onto the shrapnel shard, investigators said, were microscopic traces of glass of the type used by Boeing on its airliner cockpits, indicating clearly that it had passed through the planes windshield before lodging in the pilots body.

In Moscow on Wednesday, in anticipation of the report, President Vladimir V. Putins spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, issued a statement to reporters decrying speculation about the plane, but it did not refer specifically to the report.

This whole story, unfortunately, is couched in a huge amount of speculation, unqualified and unprofessional information, Mr. Peskov said. There are irrefutable facts. In this case, it is important to draw conclusions with due account of the latest published information, that is, the primary data from radars that detected every airborne object that could take off or be in the airspace above militia-controlled territory.

Those radar images, released by the Russian military on Monday, showed nothing near the airliner, Mr. Peskov said. If any missile had existed, it could have been fired only from another territory, he said. I do not say which exact territory it could be. It is specialists business.

The Dutch-led inquiry seemed to refute that claim, as well as a series of sometimes contradictory explanations and chains of events floated by the Kremlin and the Russian news media. Those claims included that the C.I.A. filled a drone with bodies and crashed it to discredit Russia, or that Ukrainians were trying to shoot down Mr. Putins plane but hit the civilian airliner instead.

The radar images released this week contradicted a similar image that Russian officials showed two years ago, which depicted two dots: one for the airliner and a second for a Ukrainian fighter jet that Russia suggested could have shot it down. At the news conference, the investigators said Russia had not responded to their request for primary original radar data.
Ms. Sotoudeh characterized her colleague as a law-abiding citizen who defended victims of acid attacks and voted while in prison during the 2015 parliamentary elections. Every day Narges is behind bars is one too many, Ms. Sotoudeh said.

Image Narges Mohammadi in Tehran in 2008. Credit... Vahid Salemi/Associated Press

Ms. Mohammadis lawyer, Massoud Behzadi, said: I expect that she will only have to serve 10 out of 16 years. If Narges agrees we will appeal to the Supreme Court.

The prison term comes as Irans government is trying to reach out to the West to restore political and business relations. In January, the countrys nuclear deal was put into effect and some of the economic sanctions against Iran were lifted.

Ms. Mohammadis original sentence was handed down by Abolghassem Salavati, a hard-line jurist who heads a revolutionary court that usually handles cases involving activists and Iranians with dual nationalities, a status Iran does not recognize.

He found her guilty of gathering and conspiring with the aim of committing crimes against national security, sentencing her to five years in prison. He added one year for propaganda against the state and 10 years for forming and managing an illegal group. Ms. Mohammadi ran Legham, an organization calling for the abolishment of the death penalty.
HONG KONG  Officials in Thailand on Wednesday prevented an international rights group from publicly presenting a report that accuses the ruling military junta of torture and abuse, the group said.

Minutes before the briefing was scheduled to start at a hotel in Bangkok, the Thai capital, plainclothes police officers warned that two employees of the group, Amnesty International, would breach Thai labor law if they spoke publicly, according to one of the employees, Yuval Ginbar. Amnesty canceled the briefing.

Mr. Ginbar said it was not clear how he and his colleague, who have British and Indonesian passports, respectively, would have been in violation of the law. Both had business visas and assumed they were in compliance with the governments labor regulations, Mr. Ginbar said.

I think its a facade for trying to shut us up, Mr. Ginbar said of the police officers warning. He added that a United Nations official had also been scheduled to speak.
LIVERPOOL, England  Jackie Walker, a prominent left-wing activist, was in full flow. Were part of the biggest political moment in the last 50 years! she cried. The seeds we are sowing, who knows what fruit they will bring?

The packed audience in a former Congregational chapel turned arts center here cheered with the fervor of a religious gathering, reflecting a kind of reverence for the man they had shown up to support: Jeremy Corbyn, the hard-left leader of Britains Labour Party. At the party conference in Liverpool just minutes away, he had defeated what his supporters called a coup attempt by more centrist Labour members of Parliament.

Many Labour legislators fear that Mr. Corbyn, 67, is dragging the party so far from the political and ideological mainstream that he will lead it to another devastating political defeat at the hands of the Conservative Party in the next general election, which is not due until 2020 but is possible earlier.

Despite Labours significant growth in grass-roots members, some fear successive defeats. Janan Ganesh, a Financial Times columnist, wrote that there is a reasonable chance, and it becomes stronger by the day, that Gordon Brown will turn out to have been the last Labour prime minister. (Mr. Brown left office in 2010.)
UNITED NATIONS  The contest to be the next leader of the United Nations turned more complicated on Wednesday when a Bulgarian diplomat long rumored to aspire to the position formally entered the race.

The candidacy of the Bulgarian diplomat, Kristalina Georgieva, who is a vice president of the European Commission and a former World Bank official, could alter the diplomatic calculus between the West and Russia over who replaces Ban Ki-moon as secretary general in January. It was announced in Sofia, the Bulgarian capital, by the government of Prime Minister Boiko Borisov.

Ms. Georgievas candidacy puts her in direct competition with a fellow Bulgarian, Irina Bokova, the director-general of Unesco. Ms. Bokova has fared poorly in five informal straw polls of the Security Council, which selects the secretary general.

Ms. Bokova said in an email message on Wednesday that she would remain in the race. But Mr. Borisov, speaking to reporters in Sofia, said that Ms. Bokova no longer had the Bulgarian governments backing.
The White Helmets worked into the evening, recovering the bodies of those crushed by the weight of the building. Around 6 p.m., nearly two hours after the strike, the men pulled out the body of a young boy. Two men in a cherry picker pried him from the building and took his body to family members, who were waiting below.

More casualties are expected to be found in the building, which was home to four families. Mr. Shekho said the residents of opposition-held eastern Aleppo were running out of places to bury their dead. All of the tombs are filled, he added.
JERUSALEM  The world awoke on Wednesday to an actuality it had never known before: a modern state of Israel without Shimon Peres. But in many respects Mr. Peress Israel began to disappear long ago.

During more than seven decades in public service, Mr. Peres, who died at 93 two weeks after suffering a stroke, accompanied Israel through startling transformations and constantly reinvented himself.

Rolling with the punches of reality, he went from state-builder to divisive political schemer to, in the early 1990s, an architect of the Oslo peace accords that were meant to lead to a Palestinian state alongside Israel. He never ceased to work behind the scenes for his tantalizing vision  some would say mirage  of a New Middle East.

Transcending internal divisions in his last official post, as Israels president, Mr. Peres was ultimately embraced by most of the country as its elder statesman, even as chaos engulfed much of the region and the promise of peace with the Palestinians faded into popular skepticism and fatigue.
WASHINGTON  President Obama has authorized sending an additional 600 American troops to Iraq to assist Iraqi forces in the looming battle to take back the city of Mosul from the Islamic State, United States officials said on Wednesday.

The announcement means that there will soon be 5,000 American troops in Iraq, seven years after the Obama administration withdrew all American troops from the country. Donald J. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has criticized both Mr. Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, for that decision.

Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter, traveling in New Mexico, said the additional troops would help with logistics as well as providing intelligence for Iraqi security forces in the fight for Mosul. Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said last week that Iraqi forces would be ready to retake the city by early October.

These are military forces that will be deployed to intensify the strategy thats in place, to support Iraqi forces as they prepare for an offensive, Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, said Wednesday.
The United States has tried to counteract this by persuading rebels to reject jihadists, in part by promising support for the opposition and by targeting jihadist militants. But the American approach has drawn the Syrian factions closer together, because rebels like those in Aleppo need urgent support on the ground and only extremist groups are available to provide it.

Removing Alternative Leaders

The endurance of non-jihadist rebel groups poses an even greater threat to the Syrian government than the jihadists because they challenge the Syrian governments legitimacy.

That legitimacy has been weakened by years of killing civilians, and by the governments strategy of fostering sectarianism, which leaves it with little support among the countrys majority Sunni population. As long as non-jihadist Sunni Arab rebels are on the battlefield, they can credibly claim to better represent Syrians. This leaves the Syrian leadership, which is dominated by the Alawite religious minority, vulnerable to any peace deal or military intervention that would install a rebel government in its place.

By forcing the rebels to unite with the jihadists, Syrias government aims to deprive the world of any acceptable alternatives for leading the country.

Russia has a similar weakness. Syria, its last remaining ally in the Middle East, will remain that way only as long as it is led by the Alawite religious minority. Any democratic Syrian government would prominently feature Sunni Arabs, who are unlikely to look kindly on Russia after its role in the civil war.

Moscow has probably concluded it cannot force a military victory for the Syrian government. Its yearlong intervention has focused heavily on Aleppo, but pro-government ground forces are too weak to retake the divided city. Radicalizing the opposition, then, can ensure that there is no viable alternative to Syrias current government.

Forcing a Seat at the Table

This also accomplishes a diplomatic goal for Russia: making itself crucial for any cease-fire or peace deal. Earlier in the war, it had less sway on the international stage  and perhaps with Damascus  because it played a smaller role than other countries that had intervened. Russia was unwilling to commit ground troops, making it secondary to Iran, which had sent many.
But the ministry mistakenly reported that Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee for president and a former secretary of state, would attend. With just weeks until the election, Mrs. Clintons campaign said she would not attend.

Mr. Obama, who has been at odds with the current Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, over the logjammed peace process, made clear that he saw the moment as an opportunity to prod Israel to fulfill Mr. Peress legacy.

I can think of no greater tribute to his life than to renew our commitment to the peace that we know is possible, Mr. Obama said in a statement.

Some Israeli analysts said they expected Mr. Obama to use the occasion to make a new pitch for a peace settlement that would grant statehood to the Palestinians, but they doubted that Mr. Peress death would change the dynamic.
WASHINGTON  The United States threatened on Wednesday to halt talks with Russia on the war in Syria and scrap plans for joint military targeting of jihadists unless the Russian and Syrian militaries stopped bombing Aleppo.

The threat, conveyed via telephone by Secretary of State John Kerry to his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov, was the sharpest warning the Americans have made to the Russians over Syria since their Sept. 9 collaboration on a cease-fire collapsed last week.

But the Obama administration did not say what steps it would take if diplomatic efforts failed entirely or how it hoped to deter Russian and Syrian forces from their offensive against rebels in Aleppo, the divided northern Syria city that has become a focal point of the war.

Mr. Kerrys warning came as the Syrians and their Russian allies bombarded insurgent-held areas of eastern Aleppo for the sixth consecutive day in what they have described as a determined effort to eradicate terrorists.
An unsolved death. Assault with a deadly weapon. Lots of alcohol-fueled misbehavior. Its quite a rap sheet for a continent where almost nobody lives.

Antarctica is a vast place, nearly twice the size of Australia, but it has no permanent population, other than a few thousand scientists and support staff members from dozens of countries who are sent temporarily to conduct research.

Still, anywhere there are humans, there are bound to be violent acts and petty offenses, and that raises the question: How are criminal cases handled where sovereignty is a muddle and there are no permanent courts, prisons or police forces?

Under the terms of the 53-nation Antarctic Treaty, workers accused of serious crimes at a research base are subject to the jurisdiction of their home country.
The federation, however, says that socioeconomic factors considered by insurers to set rates, such as occupation and education, are proxies for income. In its analysis, the group assigned one of the hypothetical drivers certain attributes typical of an upper-income American, including having a masters degree and a job as a bank executive; it gave the other a high school diploma and work as a bank teller. (The tested drivers shared certain basic characteristics: Each was female, 30 years old, licensed for 14 years and drove a 2006 Toyota Camry 10,000 miles a year.)

The study found that quotes varied among the insurers  Allstate, Farmers, Geico, Progressive and State Farm. State Farm was the most likely to charge the good driver less, regardless of socioeconomic status, the analysis found.

Progressive and Geico, the report said, were more likely to charge upper-income bad drivers less than good drivers with moderate incomes. In Queens, for example, Progressive quoted $6,404 for the moderate-income clean driver and $3,020 for an upper-income driver with a drunken-driving conviction. Progressive declined to comment.

Geico referred a request for comment to the Insurance Information Institute, which publishes a list of criteria used to set auto rates.

James Lynch, chief actuary with the Insurance Information Institute, an industry group, said the researchers methodology did not necessarily reflect what actually happened in the marketplace. For instance, he said, it was difficult for someone with a drunken-driving conviction to obtain coverage at all, never mind at a rate lower than that of a safe driver.

Doug Heller, an insurance expert with the federation and an author of the study, said he agreed that it was harder for a driver with an alcohol conviction to find coverage but added that it was generally easier than it once was to get insurance with a bad driving record.

Los Angeles was the only market in which the safer but less affluent driver consistently paid less for coverage than the wealthy driver with the bad record, the study found. Mr. Heller said that was because California had strong consumer protections governing auto insurance rates. The state, for instance, explicitly bars the use of a drivers previous insurance coverage history in setting rates, he said.
Solomon covers a lot of ground quickly, dispensing with the fraught saga of the American relationship with Irans monarchy, as well as the dramatic 1979 revolution itself, in less than a page apiece. Despite occasionally dropping into Tehran, The Iran Wars doesnt expend much energy contemplating what drives Iranian decision-making on the nuclear issue or its approach to the world. And while the book offers interesting insights into the bilateral confrontation, describing Washingtons deployment of financial sanctions and cybersabotage as a new era in the annals of U.S. national security and diplomacy, Solomon does not then explore the implications of these developments for future policy.

That is unfortunate, because as the book underscores, the American-led campaign of coercive economic diplomacy may be the most consequential development of the Iran wars. Since 1979, Washington has always relied on sanctions to address the Iranian challenge, but international reluctance to cooperate diluted their impact. All that changed over the past 15 years; using counterterrorism authorities created after the 9/11 attacks, the Treasury Department devised a juggernaut of financial measures that gradually severed Tehrans access to the international banking system.

What Solomon does well is chronicle exactly how this worked  how Washingtons efforts to squeeze Tehrans bottom line, including lawsuits, advocacy with international financial institutions and a global game of whack-a-mole, eventually wore Iran down. The books emphasis on the fierce jousting between Congress and the Obama White House over the pace and scope of sanctions deftly foreshadows the intensification of partisan politics during the final nuclear negotiations. But Solomons focus on the domestic politics of sanctions largely overlooks the factors that facilitated their efficacy: the painstaking diplomacy required to generate multilateral consensus for economic penalties against Iran and the advent of unconventional energy supplies and slowing global growth that dampened the need for Irans oil exports. Sanctions are now widely seen as a silver bullet when it comes to penalizing a country for its behavior, but replicating these conditions and calibrating the penalties themselves may prove more difficult than initially understood.

The Iran Wars is plainly skeptical of Washingtons engagement with Iran and the ultimate nuclear bargain. In Solomons telling, Obamas efforts to reach out to Tehran were obsessive; the administration caved in the bargaining; the perceived costs of the deal are substantial; and implausibly alarmist outcomes  such as a prospective Saudi nuclear weapons program  are presented as practically inevitable. The deals detractors receive a generous airing, while the accords uniquely intrusive verification and compliance measures, which generated strong support among nonproliferation experts, are largely overlooked.
I am an African-American woman from a very religious Southern Baptist family. I now live in Europe with my husband, who is an atheist, and my two children. I am spiritual but not religious in any way that my family would recognize. We are teaching our children about all religions, as well as how to be good, compassionate, humble humans.

We are going to visit my extended family in the Bible Belt, and Im really nervous about what will happen. I havent told my family about my beliefs, and they have very little contact with me or my children, so it hasnt come up. There are sure tobe many mentions of God and Christ and assumptions about our beliefs, and telling them the truth would most likely result in a lot of anger and drama and possible excommunication from the family. I want my children to have a positive experience with my family and with African-American culture for that weekend. Should I tell my children to just go along with my familys assumption that we are practicing Christians and explain to them why? Or should I out myself to my extended family in order to teach my children a lesson about being true to themselves? Name Withheld

You speak of outing yourself to your family, and theres a good analogy here with the predicament of lesbian and gay people in religious families that condemn homosexuality. Not telling your family is keeping something from them that theyd want to know  but not something they have a right to know. Still, working out how to share the information with them, if you can, would be a very good thing.

In fact, its probably necessary, in the long run, if your children are to maintain meaningful relationships with the rest of the family. You ask what you should tell your children, which suggests that theyre old enough to understand the matter. So Id discuss with them the pros and cons of making your heterodoxy known.
Sleepy Hollow has become a big deal at Halloween. Street signs promoting holiday events in the village  which was immortalized in Washington Irvings short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow  and in neighboring towns start popping up right after Labor Day.

We just bought our tickets to The Great Jack OLantern Blaze,  said Jenny McMahon, 31, as she and her husband, Dennis, 33, visited the villages 1883 lighthouse last month. They plan to go to a performance of Irvings Legend,  too.

The couple bought a $650,000 four-bedroom split-level in the Philipse Manor section last year, moving from Downtown Brooklyn because of rising rent and their wish for more space and an actual yard, Mrs. McMahon said.

They like the down-to-earth quality of the village, she said, and their easy commutes into Manhattan  she works in marketing downtown and he is a lawyer in Midtown. Theyre also pleased that many of their neighbors are young city transplants like them.
Educators take better funding message to MP's office

28 September 2016

What: Protest outside National MP Todd McClays Rotorua electorate office

Where: 1301 Amohau Street, Rotorua

When: 12.15pm, Wednesday 28 September

Principals, primary and early childhood teachers and support staff will stage a protest outside Nationals MP Todd McClays Rotorua electorate office today, calling on the Government to increase education funding and opposing the Governments proposal to reintroduce bulk funding of schools.

The protest will close off the NZEI Te Riu Roa annual conference in Rotorua and is a preview of a bus tour and actions planned in the next school term to draw parents and the publics attention to education underfunding and Nationals radical education reform agenda.

Schools and early childhood centres need better funding not bulk funding, said NZEI Te Riu Roa President Louise Green.

Todays action is indicative of the sort of activity our childrens educators have committed to in order to win better funding and stop the Governments radical education reform agenda.

Educators are fired up for better funding for schools and early childhood centres. Todays action sends a message to the Government of the kinds of activity we are prepared to take to win a better outcome for kids learning.

We will be launching a better funding bus tour in the major centres at the beginning of term four that will be talking to parents outside school gates and educators will be meeting with their local MPs about the Government funding proposals.

New Zealand children deserve the best education in the world and we can afford to provide it. Thats why the funding review needs to increase the total amount of funding, rather than just shifting the same amount of money around the system creating winners and losers.

The Governments bulk funding proposal is bad for childrens learning and should be taken off the table. It will lead to larger class sizes and fewer teachers by removing the current teacher student ratio protections.

We are getting a great response from parents and the public to our better funding campaign. In term four we will be stepping things up to stop Nationals radical reforms so we can protect our kids from Nationals ideological experiments.
BUENA PARK  A counter-petition is circulating asking Knotts Berry Farm and its parent company, Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., to bring back a controversial virtual-reality attraction taken down after mental health advocates said it was insensitive to people with mental illness.

More than 2,300 people, as of Wednesday night, had signed a Change.org petition to reinstate FearVR at Knotts Scary Farm in Buena Park and at Californias Great America in Santa Clara and Canadas Wonderland near Toronto.

The organizer, Jennifer Ailey, 30, of Inglewood, said she plans to submit the petition to Cedar Fair President Matt Ouimet and Knotts Vice President and General Manager Jon Storbeck.

Fear VR is meant to be an attraction that takes the terror and horror of traditional mazes one step further, Ailey writes in the petition. It is completely unfair and unrealistic that a multi-billion dollar company like Knotts Berry Farm and their parent company, Cedar Fair, should be forced to shut down an attraction based on the words of people who had not even experienced the attraction.

Closing the attraction is not going to help advocate the increase of knowledge on the subject either, she writes. People are still going to be afraid of what they do not understand in regards to mental illness.

Cedar Fair announced Tuesday it was shutting down the specially made Halloween attraction after mental health advocates nationwide expressed concerns about the virtual-reality attraction, which portrayed a possessed girl in a medical facility.

The new attraction, originally titled FearVR: 5150, opened last week for the theme parks seasonal ticketed night event, Knotts Scary Farm. The attraction required visitors to pay an additional $10 to $15.

Mental health advocates immediately expressed displeasure with the attraction, which they said stigmatizes and denigrates people with mental illnesses.

Knotts initially removed the 5150 title  the number refers to a section of the California Welfare and Institutions Code, which authorizes a peace officer or clinician to involuntarily confine a person suspected of having a mental disorder that makes them a danger to themselves or others.

Ailey, a psychology student working on a doctorate degree, said shes concerned that mental health advocates are singling out Knotts.

I mentioned in my petition that Knotts has been doing Halloween Haunt for years and theyve been known to push the limits of horror and humor, Ailey said in an interview. A lot of people worked on this ride and now their jobs are in jeopardy.

Her goal is 2,500 signatures.

Ron Thomas, father of Kelly Thomas who battled with mental illness for 15 years before he died after a confrontation with Fullerton police, said having Knotts shut down the attraction is a big win for the mental health community.

It doesnt matter how many people sign the petition, its closed and it will stay closed in all three locations, he said. They recognized it and pulled it.

Contact the writer: 714-796-2443 or jpimentel@ocregister.com or follow on Twitter @OCDisney
According to authorities, more than 400 persons were in and around the bridge in Morbi when it collapsed Sunday evening.
LAGUNA BEACH  Jon Coutchie, a Laguna Beach police motor officer and former Army Ranger who was killed in the line of duty, was recognized during a ceremony last week marking the third anniversary of his death.

The ceremony at Coutchies memorial included a presentation by the Laguna Beach Police Departments Honor Guard and comments by Laguna Beach Mayor Steve Dicterow. About 75 people attended the event, including his mother Luciana Coutchie.

Coutchies death in a traffic accident on Sept. 21, 2013, didnt end his mission of service.

Luciana Coutchie, with the help of her sons close friends, Laguna Beach police Lt. Jeff Calvert, Rich Brakke and Morgan Christen, continues her outreach through the Community Service Programs Youth Shelter.

On Oct. 30, Orange County law enforcement, firefighters and community members will celebrate Coutchies favorite holiday with a Halloween Bash at Tivoli Too  using some of his own haunted-house decorations  to raise raise funds for the youth shelters. This is the second annual event. Last years proceeds of $15,000 helped expand the groups services countywide.

The event parallels Coutchies love for helping children and his passion for the haunted holiday. For years, Coutchie, who lived in Dana Point, and completed four deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, spent months planning haunted houses for his three godchildren Paige, Tatum and Grant Brakke and their Cota De Caza neighborhood. After he died, Coutchies mother found a blueprint that he was working on for that years haunted house.

After Jons death, I found a journal from that deployment, in which he wrote about the terrorists  about his Ranger buddy, Tim Shea, who was killed in action, and yet among all that, my son the warrior was also the protector and wrote that he wished he could gather all the children from the war-torn streets of Iraq and send them home to the U.S. where they would have a chance at life, as they had none there, Luciana Coutchie said.

Consequently to both honor Jons protector legacy and celebrate his life, I feel very strongly that the CSP Youth Shelters are the perfect partnership in raising funds to help shelter at-risk children. The cruel reality that kids as young as 11 years attempt suicide is just such a tragedy. I feel Jon smiling down and urging me to do as much as possible to make a difference for these kids.

The CSP Youth Shelter, founded in Laguna Beach in 1979, provides temporary shelter for homeless, runaway and at-risk youth between the ages of 11 and 17. The shelter, with locations in Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach and Tustin, serves 100 youth and their families a year at each location.

The shelters also provide counseling and support services.

Since starting the organization has served more than 3,850 youth and more than 10,000 family members. In that time its success rate to reunite children with families is 98 percent.

Carol Carlson, director of CSPs children resident program in Laguna Beach, said the organization is honored to keep the memory of Jon Coutchie alive.

His role as protector of children continues with us, she said.

Honoring Coutchie and his sense of service has been part of the healing process for Calvert, the Laguna Beach police lieutenant who grew up with Coutchie. It was Calvert who suggested Coutchie consider getting into law enforcement after he finished his tour as an Army Ranger, completing four deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Jon has always been a patriot, Calvert said, recalling how he laughed when Coutchie, then 31, said he wanted to join the Army. He was always someone who enjoyed freedom and after 9/11, he wanted to fight to protect that freedom. When he planned to get out, he said, I dont know what Ill do. I told him, I have the perfect job for you.

Coutchie, at 36, attended Golden West College Police Academy and finished at the top of his class, Calvert said.

Everything Coutchie did was first-rate, Calvert said, probably because of the discipline instilled by Coutchies father, Bob, who was a colonel in the Army and later taught military history at Cal State Long Beach.

His dad taught discipline and respect, Calvert said. Not only for himself but for others.

Jon Coutchie joined the Police Department in 2009 and had been there for four years when he died. The tight-knit department of 85 still mourns the loss of a man whom many called larger than life.

Coutchie, who had become a motor officer in March 2013, died after a collision at Cleo Street and Coast Highway while responding to a report of a motorist driving recklessly. He was 41.

Coutchie was the second police officer to die in the line of duty in Laguna Beach. Police officer Gordon French died in 1953 after being shot by a prisoner trying to escape from the police station. French was also recognized at last weeks ceremony.

Calvert was at home when he got the call that Coutchie had been in a really bad accident. He raced to the scene and saw his friend covered in a yellow tarp.

It was unreal, Calvert recalled. He was such a patriot. I ordered Tony White, the on-duty watch commander, to get an American flag. Then I covered him with it.

From that minute on, Laguna Beach Police Department Honor Guard, which had recently formed, stood watch over Coutchies body until the funeral at Mariners Church in Irvine.

When Coutchies body was taken to Yuma, Ariz., for burial, Calvert said the amount of respect paid by law enforcement and military veterans throughout both states was overwhelming.

Officers stood on overpasses in the middle of nowhere, Calvert said. At one spot there were eight California Highway Patrol officers all with their Smokey hats on. In Yuma, there were two firefighter engines with a huge American flag. For the family to see that show of respect means a lot.

Calvert smiles at the Halloween event planned in Coutchies honor. I think he would be elated that his memory is able to generate money for children less fortunate, Calvert said. But he was very humble. All this attention, he wouldnt like it.

Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 or eritchie@ocregister.com or on Twitter:@lagunaini
SANTA ANA  A California Department of Motor Vehicles employee in Placentia was convicted Tuesday of stealing more than $2,200 through fraudulent vehicle registration transactions, prosecutors said.

Sunila Dang, 48, of Diamond Bar pleaded guilty to five felony counts each of misappropriation of public funds and altering public documents, according to the Orange County District Attorneys Office.

She was sentenced to six months of home confinement and ordered to pay restitution.

Prosecutors say that on five occasions between Jan. 31 and Feb. 28, 2014, Dang pocketed more than $2,200 that customers paid for their car registrations.

Dang used existing fee credit on cars being junked to cover registration fees she took for active cars, according to the District Attorneys Office.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7767 sschwebke@ocregister.com Twitter @thechalkoutline
The real estate industry is getting into drones in a big way, and not just for luxury homes, industry professionals attending the California Association of Realtors conference said Tuesday.

Drones already are part of our world, said Pasadena agent Steve Clark. If youre not hiring a drone operator that is top-notch, then youre losing and more importantly; your client is losing.

There are aerial videos and still photos you cant get any other way, said Clark, a Seal Beach native. Unlike conventional photography, drones can help home hunters see the homes surroundings.

Theres a way to tell the story, and I think the drones have captured that, he said.

Although agents have been creating marketing videos with drones for at least three years, commercial use technically was illegal  until now. The Federal Aviation Administration issued new rules Aug. 29, opening up drones for wider use in real estate.

Under the new provisions, operators dont need a pilots license. Instead, the FAA offers a new designation called a remote pilot in command certificate, said state Realtor technology officer Josh Sharfman.

Under the new regulations, the drone must weigh 55 pounds or less, cant fly higher than 400 feet, cant fly within five miles of an airport or registered landing strip and cant go faster than 100 mph. The operator also must maintain visual contact with his or her unmanned craft at all times.

Clark foresees a time in the near future when drones images will become routine for moderately priced homes as well as unique properties.

I believe everyone should be using them all the time, he said.

Mission Viejo agent Steve Faskowitz said drone use gives agents an edge in listing presentations.

You blow them away when you offer to provide drone images. Thats how you get the listing.

Use of drones also has become a tool for home inspectors, roof inspectors and others who climb ladders for home inspections.

Soon, autonomous drones using sonar will become available to videotape everything inside a home, Sharfman said.

In 20 minutes, it can survey 1,000 square feet, he said. The video can be used to create an inventory for insurance purposes as well as for promoting a homes sale.

Several agents had questions about how this brave new world will affect privacy. And how can agents protect themselves from lawsuits in case the drone crashes, they asked.

One agent displayed a drone image in which he had blurred out the surrounding properties, saying he didnt feel right showing peoples homes on the internet without their knowledge.

Sharfman said agents should get insurance or use operators who have liability insurance to protect against claims for property damage, injuries or an invasion of privacy. And they should consider notifying neighbors as a courtesy.
FULLERTON  A suspect in Saturdays triple homicide discussed his potential involvement in a murder on social media, the Register has learned.

In an eerie Facebook message four days before the slaying, suspect Frank Felix told 22-year-old Cody Dunn of Santa Monica of his involvement in a planned killing.

I might be assisting someone in murder, Felix, who goes by the name Entey Felix on Facebook, wrote in the Sept. 19 message.

Felix, who is 25 and lives in Sun Valley and Joshua Charles Acosta, 21, of Fort Irwin were both charged Tuesday with three felony counts of murder with sentencing enhancements for the personal discharge of a firearm.

If convicted, they face life in prison without parole, according to the Orange County District Attorneys Office.

They are charged with killing Christopher Yost, 34, his wife, Jennifer Yost, 39, and their friend Arthur Boucher, 28, early Saturday at the Yosts home in the 400 block of South Gilbert Street in Fullerton.

Acosta shot the three victims, prosecutors said.

Katlynn Goodwill Yost, Jennifer Yosts oldest daughter, was missing but later located. Police have arrested a 17-year-old female in the murder but declined to say whether the suspect is Katlynn Goodwill Yost.

Katlynn Yost, Acosta and Felix were apparently involved in the Southern California furry community, a group of fans who congregate online and meet at conventions to dress in colorful animal costumes.

Dunn said Tuesday he met Felix through the furry community, adding that when he pressed him for more details about his involvement in a planned murder his friend backtracked.

Its just killing an animal, Felix wrote in the Facebook message to Dunn.

Dunn said Tuesday he didnt believe Felix was capable of murder.

I didnt take it for real, he said. You dont know if someone is serious anymore or joking.

However, Dunn freaked out when he learned Felix had been arrested in the triple homicide.

This was not what I was expecting from Frank, said Dunn, adding he notified Fullerton detectives about the Facebook message Tuesday. I cant get over it yet, but I gave him warning, not thinking he would do such a thing.

Dunn believes that Felixs life may have recently hit rock bottom.

He was struggling looking for a job and was very lonely, he said.

Dunn also met Katlynn Yost through their mutual interest in the furry community.

I knew Katy (sic) from my roommates hanging out at (furry) meets with her and drawing art, he said.

Acosta is relatively new to the furry fandom and seemed proud of serving as a soldier in the Army, Dunn said.

He talks about it way too much, he said. Like its his life.

Acosta has been assigned to Fort Irwin since last October, said Wayne V. Hall, an Army spokesman at the Pentagon. Acosta entered the service in March 2015 and previously was assigned to Fort Lee, Va., and Fort Jackson, S.C.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7767 sschwebke@ocregister.com Twitter @thechalkoutline
A plan to bury utility lines to reduce the risk of catastrophic fire in Laguna Beach didnt get the support it needed from Sacramento, but city officials say they will continue their efforts to protect the city.

City Manager John Pietig announced Monday that Gov. Jerry Brown had vetoed legislation during the weekend that would have required the state to identify areas most at risk for wildfires and would have required the California Public Utilities Commission and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to develop enhanced plans to prevent fires from utility and power lines.

Senate Bill 1463 was authored by state Sen. John Moorlach on behalf of Laguna Beach. Brown vetoed the legislation that had passed the Legislature on unanimous votes in the Assembly and Senate.

In vetoing the bill, Brown said that the issues that the legislation addressed should be raised in the fire safety regulatory process ongoing at the CPUC.

Unfortunately, I believe the vetoing of this much-needed bill continues to put our public safety at risk. SB1463 would have ensured that the concerns of local communities were incorporated into crucial decisions regarding fire safety, Moorlach said in a statement. This critical change has now slipped away, and local communities will have to fight to be heard through the process.

Laguna Beach City Council member Bob Whalen, who traveled to Sacramento several times to testify before committees regarding this legislation, was disappointed. It is a very common-sense piece of fire safety legislation and deserved the governors signature, he said.

City officials called for citywide undergrounding of utilities following a 15-acre wildfire in July 2015 that started when trees fell into utility wires, causing a power surge that sparked flames. Whalen said the city dodged a bullet with that fire thanks to favorable winds and firefighters efforts. He said he immediately contacted Southern California Edison and urged the utility company to partner with the city to reduce the imminent threat of fire.

Whalen said the bill would have provided direction to the CPUC in its current regulatory process concerning fire safety and overhead utility lines.

Laguna Beach is the only city in the state to make a formal appearance in the CPUC fire safety proceedings. Laguna Beach Fire Chief Jeff LaTendresse has testified at commission proceedings urging Laguna Beach be reclassified to a high fire hazard area.

Earlier this year, in adopting Fire Map 1, the CPUC had placed Laguna Beach in a low fire hazard area, meaning that the city would not receive priority for mitigation measures.

This whole process of pursuing SB1463 and appearing in the CPUC proceeding has been very beneficial to Laguna Beach, he said.  I now believe that we will succeed in having the city categorized as a high fire hazard area on Fire Map 2, which is the next step in the CPUC process. SB1463 would have been a big help to us in achieving our overall goal of better fire safety regulations, but we will continue to do our best to make our case to the CPUC.

Whalen and other city officials met with SCE several times. But Pietig said the city chose the legislative route once it became obvious that city officials were not getting meaningful assistance from SCE to bury the power lines.

We can no longer risk the public safety of Laguna Beach by allowing above-ground utilities, Whalen said then. A major fire disaster caused by power lines is only a matter of time.

In the past 10 years, there have been at least four fires in Laguna Beach ignited by downed power lines, including one that blocked Laguna Canyon Road for an entire Labor Day weekend. Recently, the canyon road was closed for at least eight hours after a car spun out and hit a utility pole, knocking down wires. Laguna Canyon Road has been shut down 13 times in the past five years.

You decrease the hazard, you decrease the risk, LaTendresse said. Undergrounding removes sources of ignition, and that lessens the risk of fire. It will also reduce closures of Laguna Canyon Road and improve response times by allowing emergency vehicles access.

City officials say they will continue to pursue options to reduce the risk. Pietig confirmed that plans are in the works to bury utilities in key locations along Laguna Canyon Road, Bluebird Canyon and Thalia Street.

Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 or eritchie@ocregister.com or on Twitter:@lagunaini
WASHINGTON  Averting an election-year crisis, Congress late Wednesday sent President Barack Obama a bill to keep the government operating through Dec. 9 and provide $1.1 billion in long-delayed funding to battle the Zika virus.

The House cleared the measure by a 342-85 vote just hours after a bipartisan Senate tally. The votes came after top congressional leaders broke through a stalemate over aid to help Flint, Mich., address its water crisis. Democratic advocates for Flint are now satisfied with renewed guarantees that Flint will get funding this year to help rid its water system of lead.

The hybrid spending measure was Capitol Hills last major to-do item before the election and its completion allows lawmakers to jet home to campaign to save their jobs. Congress wont return to Washington until the week after Election Day for what promises to be a difficult lame-duck session.

The bill caps months of wrangling over money to fight the mosquito-borne Zika virus. It also includes $500 million for rebuilding assistance to flood-ravaged Louisiana and other states.

The White House said Obama will sign the measure and praised the progress on Flint.

The temporary spending bill sped through the House shortly after the chamber passed a water projects bill containing the breakthrough compromise on Flint. The move to add the Flint package to the water projects bill, negotiated by top leaders in both parties and passed Wednesday by a 284-141 vote, was the key to lifting the Democratic blockade on the separate spending bill.

The deal averts a potential federal shutdown and comes just three days before deadline. It defuses a lengthy, frustrating battle over Zika spending. Democrats claimed a partial victory on Flint while the GOP-dominated Louisiana delegation won a down payment on Obamas $2.6 billion request for their state.

The politicking and power plays enormously complicated what should have been a routine measure to avoid an election eve government shutdown.

Many House Republicans have opposed helping Flint, arguing that the citys problems are a local issue and that many cities have problems with aging water systems.
JCPenney will hire 800 seasonal associates in Orange County ahead of the holiday shopping rush.

Positions include customer service and support staff. All associates will receive a store discount up to 25 percent off.

The hiring will begin in October. Applicants can apply online at jcpcareers.com.

The retailer is among several companies hiring into the fall.

Toys R Us is hiring 3,000 seasonal workers in the region. The chain will hire 5,500 employees in California. More information can be found at Toysrusinc.com/holidayjobs.

Toys R Us will hose hiring days at their stores and distribution centers Oct. 10 and Nov. 11. The company expects 15-20 percent of its seasonal hire to become permanent employees.

Chipotle is holding its second career day Wednesday, Sept. 28.

The company is looking to hire 5,000 new employees. Managers of each U.S. restaurant will hold open interviews for up to 100 applicants from 8 to 11 a.m. and 3 to 5 p.m. More information and interview registration can be found at NationalCareerDay.com.

OptumRx is looking to hire 120 pharmacy customer service representatives in Costa Mesa.

OptumRx is UnitedHealth Groups free-standing pharmacy care services business.

The new jobs include bilingual customer service roles. Applicants can apply online at bit.ly/CMjobsCS.

OptumRxs Costa Mesa offices are located at 3515 Harbor Blvd. It offers pharmacy care services to more than 64 million people.

The available jobs will be filled by early December. The company declined to provide a salary range. Benefits will be available for employees.
Students in Irvine have stepped closer to becoming the first high school group in the West Coast to put an operational satellite into orbit.

About 30 students from Beckman, Woodbridge, Northwood, Irvine, University and Portola high schools rejoiced Saturday as they watched their satellite pass a gamma-ray test at the UC Irvine nuclear reactor facility.

They observed results of the satellite going through an irradiator, where it was exposed to intense gamma radiation for a half hour. Called a CubeSat, the satellite is about the size of a milk carton cut in half and weighs less than 3 pounds.

The Irvine CubeSat Program kicked off in March as the brainchild of two Irvine dads who want to further the interest of local youth in careers focused on the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Student-led satellite projects are more typical of colleges and universities, which have launched numerous CubeSats over the past decade.

Irvine Public Schools Foundation  a nonprofit group that raises money for the Irvine Unified School District  provided $150,000 to get the launch off the ground.

Its such a unique opportunity for our students to get hands-on experience in a STEM program, said Neda Eaton, CEO and president of IPSF.

Each school formed a team through a competitive application process to assemble one component of the project. The six teams will come together in the spring to launch the satellite from Yasny in Russia.

Plans call for students to run flight experiments and photograph the moon.

Irvine CubeSats next test is scheduled Nov. 11 when the satellite will go through vibe and thermal tests at National Technical Systems at Los Angeles International Airport.

For more information, go to ipsf.net/irvinecubesat.

Staff Writer Theresa Walker contributed to this report.

Contact the writer: tshimura@scng.com
SACRAMENTO  A man charged with hitting Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson in the face with a coconut cream pie plans to plead not guilty.

Defense attorney Claire White told The Sacramento Bee that 32-year-old Sean Thompson will contest a felony charge of assaulting a public official and a misdemeanor charge of battery on school property.

He did not enter a plea at his arraignment Tuesday on charges of pushing the pie in Johnsons face last week.

Johnson then punched Thompson, who says he received nine stitches and a black eye.

White previously told the Bee that Thompson planned to sue the mayor, who says he was defending himself. She now says a lawsuit is being considered, but it isnt being filed immediately.
Knotts Berry Farm and its parent company, Cedar Fair, announced Tuesday that they are shutting down the Halloween attraction Fear VR after the feature caused concern among mental health advocates, including Saddleback pastor Rick Warren and his wife, Kay, who sent an email to the park Tuesday.

UPDATE: A petition to reopen the attraction has been created

Mental health advocates nationwide emailed Knotts and Cedar Fair administrators expressing their concern over the last week, that the portrayal of a possessed girl in a hospital as part of a virtual-reality horror show stigmatizes and denigrates individuals with mental illnesses.

In a statement, the amusement park, which is renowned for its popular Halloween event, Knotts Scary Farm, said its evening attractions during Halloween are designed to be edgy, and are aimed at an adult-only audience.

Over the past week, we have heard from a number of people expressing concern that one of our temporary, Halloween attractions  Fear VR  is hurtful to those who suffer from mental illnesses, the statement said. Contrary to some traditional and social media accounts, the attractions story and presentation were never intended to portray mental illness.

Since it would be impossible for them to address those concerns with Halloween just around the corner, theme park officials said, they have decided to shut down the attraction in Buena Park and at two other Cedar Fair parks  Californias Great America in Santa Clara and Canadas Wonderland near Toronto.

The immersive attraction, which opened Thursday, was built around a girl named Katie who shows up at a medical facility. It was originally titled and marketed as FearVR: 5150. That number refers to a section of the California Welfare and Institutions Code, which authorizes a peace officer or clinician to involuntarily confine a person suspected of having a mental disorder that makes them a danger to themselves or others.

Knotts and Cedar Fair dropped 5150 on opening day last week after it created an uproar in the mental health community nationwide.

Kay Warren and her husband have become vocal mental health advocates after their youngest son, Matthew, committed suicide at age 27 on April 5, 2013. They have spoken out about his long struggle with chronic depression.

Kay Warren said the rides original name struck a nerve because her late son was held on a 5150 several times when he posed a danger to himself.

When she heard about the ride Monday, she took to Facebook and Twitter urging Knotts to shut down the attraction, Warren said. On Tuesday, she added, they sent a respectful email to (Knotts) and received a respectful response.

Im so grateful (Knotts and Cedar Fair) listened to the voices of the mental health community, she said.

Warren said she understands that many park-goers or community members may wonder what the fuss is all about or even think its absurd to shut down the attraction over the issue of mental health stigma.

But, I get that someone wouldnt know what thats like unless they have a family member or themselves going through this pain, Warren said. We wouldnt use a person suffering from cancer or heart attack and leverage it to create a thrill ride. It glorifies stigma and exacerbates peoples pain.

Other mental health advocates who tried to get the parks attention with letters and emails said they are pleased with the outcome.

I feel good about what happened here, said John Leyerle, president of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Orange County. Thankfully, this attraction will no longer further mental health stigma.

He added that his organization would like to continue a dialogue with Knotts.

By closing this ride down, theyve moved things away from a negative place, Leyerle said. We see this as an opportunity to talk about this if they are open to that.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7909 or dbharath@scng.com
LAGUNA BEACH  An effort is underway to raise money to bury Philip Nealon, who died on Sept. 17 at a Doheny State Beach parking lot in front of beachgoers.

Nealon, 66, identified by the Orange County Coroners office last week, died of acute bronchial pheumonia, a coroner said. Efforts by officials to find his family have been unsuccessful.

Police determined that Nealon lived out of his RV and was visiting the state park on a day-use pass. In his investigation, Deputy Paul Hoag, the coroner who performed the autopsy, determined that Nealon had graduated from Laguna Beach High School and recently worked at a Laguna Beach grocery store.

Hoag said he also learned that Nealon had served in the military. Hoag said if no relatives are found, Nealon likely will be buried at Riverside National Cemetery because of his military service.

Harry Musante, who graduated from Laguna Beach High and has been living in his RV and visiting Doheny State Beach for years, arrived in the parking lot shortly after Nealon collapsed.

Musante said he had known Nealon for 40 years.

Philip was a well-known local, Musante said. He was all over town, at Main Beach and in the downtown. He was a mild guy, who recently just started coming out of his shell again.

Our RVs had the same engines and he liked talking about mechanics. I can still see his smile. He had a nice smile, Musante said.

John Campbell attended Laguna Beach High with Nealon as part of the Class of 1968.

Campbell, a local insurance broker, described Nealon as hardworking, honest and homeless.

He was in the California Army National Guard for 20 years roughly from 1986 to 2008, Campbell said. He received his retirement papers and his marching orders to Iraq on the same day at the age of 56. He survived his tour in Iraq and came back to do some Border Patrol work while still in the military.

Campbell is now requesting a full military burial from Veterans Affairs. He said he expects that to cost about $2,000 and is raising funds. Any surplus money collected will be donated to Laguna Beach High School, Campbell said.

Witnesses at Doheny State Beach Sept. 17 said Nealon stumbled from his RV bleeding from the mouth. He staggered before falling onto his back in the parking lot.

State park lifeguards and an off-duty Orange County sheriffs deputy performed CPR before other deputies arrived, but Nealon had lost too much blood, said Hoag.

When deputies arrived on the scene at about 3:15 p.m., witnesses said they believed Nealon had committed suicide because of the amount of blood.

But police scoured the beach and trash cans nearby and no weapon was found, sheriffs Lt. Nate Wilson said.

Hoag said in his 18 years as coroner, he has never seen a person die from acute bronchial pneumonia. He said Nealon likely had severe upper respiratory symptoms.

Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 OR eritchie@ocregister.com or twitter:@lagunaini
The worlds top stand-up paddleboard competitors are headed to Doheny State Beach this weekend for the Pacific Paddle Games.

The three-day event kicks of on Friday and runs through Oct 2.

Theres everything from technical and distance races in pro and open division, as well as pro junior and youth categories. Set up on the beach will be a festival area with booths with the latest gear and clinics to sharpen SUP skills.

The open division is for athletes to compete on a non-professional level but want to get a taste of what its like to paddle against others. Pro division competitors can not enter the open division.

Awards will not only be given to individual winners of each race, but also to the overall best standup racers, combining results from the technical and distance races. San Clementes Candice Appleby is defending her title as last years overall winner.

Appleby, long regarded as one of the best in the sport, has had another standout year, winning several events like the Stand-up World Series and the International Surfing Association SUP games.

She said shes not only been training physically, but spiritually.

I think in racing an athlete can have the physical, but without the spiritual and mental sides its harder to find success, she said in an interview with PPG.

Last year before the PPG, she was in Japan and threw her back out and wasnt able to train. While she couldnt physically get stronger, she strengthened connections with God.

The spiritual fire fueled me, she said in the interview. That confidence made it easy not to be nervous, which I think is a big part of racing. I was really able to just be focused and enjoy it and know that I have a bigger purpose than just winning.

The Pacific Paddle Games helped fill a void in paddle racing after the popular Battle of the Paddle, owned by San Clemente-based Rainbow Sandals, one of the biggest paddle events in the world, fizzled due to lack of sponsorships.

The Pacific Paddle Games has one of the sports highest prize purses offered in the sport at $60,000.

Contact the writer: lconnelly@ocregister.com
For the first 20 minutes, each breath I took felt like I was fanning white hot coals inside my mouth. My throat began to swell and my eyes felt like they were popping out of their sockets. Water ran profusely from my eyes and nose as beads of sweat broke out on my forehead. My heart was pounding. I tried to think cool thoughts. Finally the pain subsided and it was over, and I felt like a stud.

But it wasnt over. And I was no stud.

Within an hour, my stomach began to burn. After two hours, the burn cut like a knife. Chills ran down my spine and the pain in my stomach became unbearable. I panicked as I made my way to the bathroom, hoping I wouldnt black out. Vomiting felt like an exorcism because my body was desperate to rid itself of the demon inside.

But it was too late. It had already entered my digestive tract. Calling for paramedics? I was at work and that would be embarrassing. Plus, my insurance probably wouldnt cover my random act of stupidity. Doubled over in pain, I asked myself, What did I just do?

I ate a Carolina Reaper.

My painful episode lasted nearly six hours after eating an entire pepper, and not just any pepper. The Carolina Reaper was specifically bred for heat.

The Reaper, a hybrid created by Ed Currie of South Carolina, is a cross between the Ghost pepper and red habanero. In 2013, Guinness dubbed it the hottest pepper in the world, surpassing the previous record holder, the Trinidad Scorpion.

Now its beginning to appear in local markets. So heres what you need to know if you love chilies and want to try this one, which has sent some tasters to the hospital with the same symptoms I experienced.

A peppers heat is measured in Scoville units. A jalapeno measures 8,000 Scoville units, the Carolina Reaper measures 2.2 million and the Scorpion measures 2 million. The next pepper down on the scale is the Ghost pepper at 1 million. (Pepper spray can be up to 5 million units or more.)

That explains my physical distress and the reaction of Robert Schueller, general manager of Melissas World Variety Produce in Vernon, when he learned I had consumed one whole.

No you didnt! Ive never heard of that before. The pain usually lasts only an hour, he said in disbelief and wondered why I would ever eat one.

I explained to him that after biting off the tip of the pepper to taste it, I was surprised that it wasnt as hot as I had expected. Then I popped the whole thing in my mouth.

Thats the mistake everyone makes, he said. The tip has very little heat and thats what most people eat first. Its the second bite that gets you because youre biting into the vein and thats the hottest part of the chili pepper. Not the seeds, like everyone thinks.

So Schueller gave me a little lesson in chili anatomy. Chili peppers contain capsaicin oil, the extract used in mace, which is the only thing hotter than a Reaper pepper. The vein of the chili carries this oil to the seeds, which are the second-hottest part.

People have said to me, Ive been able to eat hot jalapenos, but ate the Ghost pepper and had to go to the hospital, said Schueller. Thats a jump of 1 million Scovilles. (At that point I was feeling judged.)

Reapers are grown in the Netherlands and imported into the United States. Melissas began distributing them in 2014. They can also be purchased at Stater Bros. and some Northgate markets. A box of nine peppers will cost around $10.

But buyer beware.

There are chili heads out there that love the burn, said Schueller. Then you have those novices that think theyre smart and take the bet. My advice is not to take the $50 or $100 bet and eat these peppers. If youre not raised in a family where eating peppers is normal, you might as well spray yourself with mace.

Although there are a few employees at Melissas who can eat several Reapers at a time with no problem, workers are required to wear rubber gloves when handling these peppers. For distribution, the peppers are placed in plastic containers with warning labels clearly marked.

Even our chili jars and dry chilies are labeled with Scoville heat scales and warnings. We do everything legally and label our products to satisfy our customers, but there are still people out there that dont pay attention.

Schueller cautions that if you dont wear plastic gloves while handling these peppers, its critical that you wash your hands with soap and hot water for at least 30 seconds, scrubbing up to the elbows, to make sure youve removed the oils.

If you touch your eyes, be prepared to cry.

And cooks should observe extreme caution.

A little goes a long ways, said Schueller. You can use one chili to spice up a 5 gallon pot of chili to impart flavor and heat. This is not a chili relleno.

And should you decide take on the Reaper and lose, as I did, there is only one proper way to extinguish the fire.

Dont drink water or alcohol, it will only spread the burn . Thats what most people do. The only thing that works is casein protein, which is found in milk.

Now he tells me.

Contact the writer: jgoertzen@scng.com
JERUSALEM  Shimon Peres, a former Israeli president and prime minister, whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated around the world as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace, died early Wednesday, a person close to him confirmed. Peres was 93.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss Peres health with the media. The family said it would issue a formal announcement shortly.

Peres condition worsened following a major stroke two weeks ago that led to bleeding in his brain. He was sedated and on a respirator during most of his hospitalization.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement mourning the passing of Peres. He said he will convene his Cabinet for a special session later in the day.

As word of Peres death spread, reaction started pouring in from around the globe.

President Barack Obama eulogized him as a man who represented the essence of Israel itself.

There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves. My friend Shimon was one of those people, he said. A light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever.

Former Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush also issued statements of mourning.

Peres, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is the elder statesman of Israeli politics, one of the countrys most admired leaders and the last surviving link to its founding fathers.

In an unprecedented seven-decade political career, Peres filled nearly every position in Israeli public life and was credited with leading the country through some of its most defining moments, from creating its nuclear arsenal in the 1950s, to disentangling its troops from Lebanon and rescuing its economy from triple-digit inflation in the 1980s, to guiding a skeptical nation into peace talks with the Palestinians in the 1990s.

A protege of Israels founding father David Ben-Gurion, he led the Defense Ministry in his 20s and spearheaded the development of Israels nuclear program. He was first elected to parliament in 1959 and later held every major Cabinet post  including defense, finance and foreign affairs  and served three brief stints as prime minister. His key role in the first Israeli-Palestinian peace accord earned him a Nobel Peace Prize and revered status as Israels then most recognizable figure abroad.

And yet, for much of his political career he could not parlay his international prestige into success in Israeli politics, where he was branded by many as both a utopian dreamer and political schemer. His well-tailored, necktied appearance and swept-back gray hair seemed to separate him from his more informal countrymen. He suffered a string of electoral defeats: competing in five general elections seeking the prime ministers spot, he lost four and tied one.

He finally secured the public adoration that had long eluded him when he has chosen by parliament to a seven-year term as Israels ceremonial president in 2007, taking the role of elder statesman.

Peres was celebrated by doves and vilified by hawks for advocating far-reaching Israeli compromises for peace even before he negotiated the first interim accord with the Palestinians in 1993 that set into motion a partition plan that gave them limited self-rule. That was followed by a peace accord with neighboring Jordan. But after a fateful six-month period in 1995-96 that included Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabins assassination, a spate of Palestinian suicide bombings and Peres own election loss to the more conservative Benjamin Netanyahu, the prospects for peace began to evaporate.

Relegated to the political wilderness, he created his non-governmental Peres Center for Peace that raised funds for cooperation and development projects involving Israel, the Palestinians and Arab nations. He returned to it at age 91 when he completed his term as president.

Shimon Perski was born on Aug. 2, 1923, in Vishneva, then part of Poland. He moved to pre-state Palestine in 1934 with his immediate family. Her grandfather and other relatives stayed behind and perished in the Holocaust. Rising quickly through Labor Party ranks, he became a top aide to Ben-Gurion, Israels first prime minister and a man Peres once called the greatest Jew of our time.

At 29, he was the youngest person to serve as director of Israels Defense Ministry, and is credited with arming Israels military almost from scratch. Yet throughout his political career, he suffered from the fact that he never wore an army uniform or fought in a war.

Of his 10 books, several amplified his vision of a new Middle East where there was peaceful economic and cultural cooperation among all the nations of the region.

Despite continued waves of violence that pushed the Israeli political map to the right, the concept of a Palestinian state next to Israel became mainstream Israeli policy many years after Peres advocated it.

Shunted aside during the 1999 election campaign, won by party colleague Ehud Barak, Peres rejected advice to retire, assuming the newly created and loosely defined Cabinet post of Minister for Regional Cooperation.

In 2000, Peres absorbed another resounding political slap, losing an election in the parliament for the largely ceremonial post of president to Likud Party backbencher Moshe Katsav, who was later convicted and imprisoned for rape.

Even so, Peres refused to quit. In 2001, at age 77, he took the post of foreign minister in the government of national unity set up by Ariel Sharon, serving for 20 months before Labor withdrew from the coalition.

Then he followed Sharon into a new party, Kadima, serving as vice-premier under Sharon and his successor, Ehud Olmert, before assuming the presidency.
WASHINGTON  Secretary of State John Kerry threatened on Wednesday to end all cooperation between the United States and Russia to stop Syrias civil war, unless Russian and Syrian government attacks on Aleppo end. More than 250 people are believed to have been killed in the besieged city in the last week.

Kerrys warning came in a telephone call Wednesday to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the State Department said, describing the latest U.S. ultimatum in Syrias 5 1 / 2-year conflict. Many have gone unfulfilled, including President Barack Obamas declaration that the U.S. would take military action if Syrian President Bashar Assad crossed the red line of using chemical weapons.

It was unclear what effect Kerrys words would have.

The burden remains on Russia to stop this assault and allow humanitarian access to Aleppo and other areas in need, Kerry told Lavrov, according to State Department spokesman John Kirby.

Kerry said the U.S. is preparing to suspend U.S.-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria, including talks on a possible counter-extremist partnership, unless Russia takes immediate steps to end the assault on Aleppo and restore a cease-fire.

Government shelling and airstrikes landed near a bread distribution center and two hospitals in Aleppo on Wednesday. Activists and medics reported several people killed. They said at least one of the medical facilities was no longer operable, leaving the countrys biggest city with only six functioning hospitals.

The Syrian government and its ally Russia have been accused of intentionally targeting medical facilities in rebel-held areas. The U.S.-based Physicians for Human Rights has recorded 382 such attacks throughout Syria since the conflict started in 2011. The group says government forces carried out 293 of the attacks; Russian warplanes conducted 16.

Despite Moscows military engagement in the war alongside Assads government, Washington has been working with its former Cold War foe in hopes of securing a cease-fire and a peace process. The latest effort collapsed last week after several days of reduced violence, but the U.S. and Russia have been discussing ways to revive it.

The Obama administration had hoped the promise of the new U.S.-Russian alliance against the Islamic State group and al-Qaida affiliates would be enough to get Moscow to ground Assads forces.

Current coordination to ensure U.S. and Russian planes stay out of each others way will continue no matter what, the Pentagon said. The U.S. and its coalition partners are flying missions in Syria against IS; the U.S. also has a small contingent of special forces on the ground.

Kerrys threat aside, the U.S. has few other options beyond engaging Moscow to end the fighting between Assads forces and rebels.

Obama has made clear he wont authorize military action against Syria and the presence of Russian air assets alongside Syrian forces makes such a scenario all the more unlikely. The U.S. is similarly uncomfortable ramping up military support for anti-Assad rebels given the close ties even the so-called moderate groups maintain with al-Qaida-linked militants.

Peace efforts without Russia are unlikely to win over Assad. And green-lighting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey or other countries to provide more weapons to the rebels could only make the war deadlier. Already, as many as 500,000 people have been killed.

In the telephone call with Lavrov, Kerry expressed grave concern over the deteriorating situation in Syria, particularly for continued Russian and Syrian regime attacks on hospitals, the water supply network and other civilian infrastructure in Aleppo, Kirbys statement said.

The secretary made clear the United States and its partners hold Russia responsible for this situation, including the use of incendiary and bunker buster bombs in an urban environment, a drastic escalation that puts civilians at great risk.

Russias Foreign Ministry presented a different version of the call, making no reference to the U.S. ultimatum.

It focused on Lavrovs demand that the U.S. compel opposition forces to separate themselves from extremist groups. He told Kerry that many U.S.-backed groups have merged with the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front and said Nusra was getting U.S. weaponry that way.

Nevertheless, Lavrov and Kerry discussed ways to normalize the situation in Aleppo and return to the basic principles of the Sept. 9 cease-fire, the ministry said

Associated Press writer Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.
Rich Haydon looks out to the stone-strewn beach and sees a perfect wave.

Its Lower Trestles, so he sees other things too  some of the worlds best surfers, crowds, a great view.

But lets get back to the wave  a peeling, hollow, gloriously ridable wave; a wave that can be found often at Trestles.

Orange County is known as a hotbed for surfing, and there are plenty of decent spots for it. Some, sometimes, can be world-class. But the local surf spot thats consistently the best  the break where the top level of professional surfing chooses to have an annual contest  is Trestles, just over the San Diego County line.

Now, as state officials and the Department of Defense haggle over the future of the beach extending from north of Trestles through the end of San Onofre, theres a question:

Could the public lose access to the great waves at Trestles?

I never want to imagine it, said Haydon, superintendent for the south division of the California Department of Parks and Recreation. But it could happen. Theres always a possibility.

September marks a five-year countdown to the date when the lease between the Department of Defense and the state of California, which lets the public use Trestles, is slated to expire. The deal has been in place since the Nixon-era year 1971.

What will happen to this land, known as San Onofre State Beach, is unknown.

But a lot of people are getting ready to find out.

LONG HISTORY

Steve Long, a historian with the San Onofre Parks Foundation, calls it the edge of civilization.

During a recent lecture at the historic cottage that overlooks the ocean at San Clemente State Beach, just north of where San Onofre State Beach begins, Long pointed to a map of Southern California and, specifically, to the line that marks Orange Countys southern border.

On one side of the line, heading north through Santa Barbara, there are about 14 million people. On the other side, and extending south for about 16 miles, much of the land is the way its been for thousands of years.

Within that area, Long told his history buffs, is a series of surf breaks considered the Yosemite of surfing, seven distinct peaks over about a 5-mile stretch of coastline that produce waves year-round.

This is coastal wilderness in the heart of Southern California, Long said.

The area also contains the San Mateo Creek watershed, site of one of the last relatively unaltered rivers in Southern California, and San Onofre Creek. Both have spit out cobblestones for thousands of years, creating the rocky landscape that lines the shore throughout this region.

Parks are places we give to ourselves as a community to celebrate our heritage  to have a sense of place where we come to connect with natural, historical and recreational significance, Long said. It can be said that they are sacred places.

He shows slides of the road paved in 1913 called El Camino Real and the lines where railroads were installed in 1888, both of which still exist.

In 1925, a fish camp drew anglers and, soon, the area already known as San Onofre became a popular camping destination.

People were starting to explore the nation, Long said. A village started growing around San Onofre.

It was the Prohibition era, when rum runners would tell people to stay indoors at night. In the morning, if they obeyed, theyd find a thank-you case of booze on their porch.

There are rumors that Al Capone tried to buy a stretch of canyon area because it was a good place to hide his product.

In the 30s, early surfers were stoked to find San Onofres Waikiki-like waves. Boards were big and heavy and clunky in those days, and the gentle, sloping breaks were perfect for the surfers of the era.

The area became so popular among surfers that the fish camp changed its name, becoming the mainlands first surfing camp.

San Clemente incorporated in 1928 and, when World War II hit, private land owners sold San Onofre to the U.S. Marine Corps for $4.2 million.

The purchase saved the land from being sold to developers, who wanted to build a beachfront hotel that would rival San Diegos Hotel del Coronado.

Had they been able to do that, it would have spelled the beginning of development all the way to Oceanside, Long said.

Instead, the Marines kept and maintained the land as a military base, Camp Pendleton.

CREATING A STATE PARK

Technically, starting in World War II, San Onofre beach was closed to the public. The military used the area for training and, during the war, relatively few people surfed.

But after the war, surfers returned to surf, fish and camp. Though that violated the law, Pendleton leaders took a lax view of the practice.

Soon, however, San Onofre became too popular as a party destination, prompting leadership at Pendleton to consider shutting the beach.

It evolves to the point where theres a need for a little regulation, Long said, recounting the areas history.

Thats how the San Onofre Surf Club started, in 1952.

The beach club became the unofficial caretaker of the area, allowing only club members access to the beach. In exchange, the club maintained the property. The club still exists and, though it no longer controls who uses the beach, it helps maintain the park by sponsoring beach cleanups.

Its a sense of community that, according to Long, became legendary.

That deal  the community  applied to San Onofre, but not the stretch of beach slightly north, known as Trestles.

Though a lot of young surfers using shorter boards sneaked in to surf at Trestles over the next two decades, that beach technically was off-limits to the public. In 1971, largely at the instigation of President Richard Nixon and his wife, Pat, who lived in San Clemente, the state and the Department of Defense signed a 50-year, $1-a-year lease to make the area a public park.

It is one of the most popular parks in all of California, with 2.5 to 3 million visits per year, Long said.

We have a partnership, a wonderful partnership, with Camp Pendleton, he added. We look forward to continuing the relationship.

When the military needs to use the land for training, it alerts state parks officials, who then close that stretch of beach.

Some areas are always shut to the public, and other recreation areas are set aside for military families and friends.

Technically, the whole deal ends Aug. 31, 2021.

BIG QUESTIONS

Long says the states quest to keep the beaches open to the public isnt about waving a flag or protesting against military use of the area.

This is not Save Trestles, Long said. This is not Save San Onofre.

But the talks between the state and military are starting, and its anyones guess where the discussions will lead.

The only thing we got from them is that it probably wont be resolved until the end, Long. We wont have an answer this year. The Parks are stating our position  that (the beach) continues to be accessible to the public as it is today, hopefully.

Carl B. Redding Jr., public affairs director for Camp Pendleton, said lease agreements are usually determined about two years before a deadline.

A letter from state parks officials was submitted and received by the Marine Corps Installations West staff this month, and the military is preparing a response. Redding said the Department of the Navy will have final approval of any lease deal.

Among the list of possible changes: Modifying the public beach zone by changing the borders and/or the size of the park.

Dave Ethington, a San Onofre Parks Foundation board member, said there are other possibilities.

Its their property; they can do what they want with it, Ethington said, referring to the Department of Defense.

They can take it back and administer it for themselves. They can renew the lease, he added. I think those are the options.

Ethington believes its unlikely the land would be sold for development.

The fear is they would chop it up and change the park, he said. Thats our concern, that they would take sections of the park.  Maybe they would want a little more space.

Not that any of those things are sitting there in a plan.

They have five years to sort out the details.

In some circles, it seems like a lot of time, Haydon said. In some circles, it seems like not a lot of time.

Long is hopeful for the future of this area, which he calls the worlds treasure.

Parks are where we come to be renewed, to renew our spirit and to be inspired, he said.

And they are to be shared for all future generations.

Contact the writer: lconnelly@ocregister.com
TOWNVILLE, S.C.  A teenager killed his father at their home Wednesday before going to a nearby elementary school and opening fire with a handgun, wounding two students and a teacher, authorities said.

The teen was apprehended within minutes of the school shooting in this rural town about 110 miles northeast of Atlanta. One of the students was shot in the leg and the other in the foot, Capt. Garland Major with the Anderson County Sheriffs Office said. Both students were male. The female teacher was hit in the shoulder.

Before the shooting at Townville Elementary about 1:45 p.m., the teen gunned down his 47-year-old father, Jeffrey Osborne, at their home about 2 miles from the school, authorities said.

We are heartbroken about this senseless act of violence, said Joanne Avery, superintendent of Anderson County School District 4. She canceled classes for the rest of the week.

The teen, crying and upset, called his grandmothers cellphone at 1:44 p.m., Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore said. The grandparents couldnt understand what was going on, so they went to his home just 100 yards away. When they got there, they found Osborne had been shot and their grandson was not there.

Sheriff John Skipper said the shooter pulled into the school parking lot and immediately started firing as he got out of the vehicle and moved toward the school.

The shooter never entered the school building, though, and was apprehended by firefighter Jamie Brock, a 30-year veteran of the Townville Volunteer Fire Department, according to Anderson County sheriffs Lt. Sheila Cole.

Authorities did not reveal the teens age at a news conference Wednesday afternoon, and Cole says she doesnt have his age. The Anderson Independent-Mail quotes Anderson County Sheriff Chief Deputy Keith Smith as saying the teen is 14 and could be charged as a minor.

Authorities did not release a motive for the shooting and said they werent sure if the students and teacher were targeted. The sheriff said the teen had been homeschooled.

There are no racial undertones there. Theres no terrorism involved, Major said. Were confident we have the sole shooter and no one else is involved.

Skipper said the teens mother was at work at the time of the shooting.

One of the students and the teacher were released from the hospital Wednesday evening, AnMed Health spokeswoman Juana Slade said. Greenville Health System spokeswoman Sandy Dees said the other student, Jacob Hall, remained in critical condition Wednesday evening.

The students were bused to a nearby church and reunited with their parents. They hugged and kissed.

The school has about 300 students in its pre-kindergarten to sixth-grade classrooms. It is in a very rural part of the state and surrounded by working farms.

This is the country, Brandi Pierce, the mother of a sixth-grader, told The Associated Press as she began to cry. You dont have this in the country. It just dont exist out here.

Jamie Meredith, a students mother, said some of the children went into a bathroom during the shooting.

I dont know how they knew to go in the bathroom, but I know her teacher was shaken up. I know all the kids were scared. There was a bunch of kids crying. She didnt talk for about 5 minutes when I got her, she told WYFF.

Television images showed officers swarming the school after the report of an active shooter. Some were on top of the roof while others were walking around the building. Students were driven away on buses accompanied by police officers.

Gov. Nikki Haley released a statement shortly after the shooting.

As we work together with law enforcement to make sure they have the support they need to investigate what happened in Townville, Michael and I ask that everyone across South Carolina join us in praying for the entire Townville Elementary School family and those touched by todays tragedy.

The rural town is located along Interstate 85 near the Georgia-South Carolina state line.
ORANGE  In a week of formal introductions, a gathering at Chapman University Tuesday gave Orange residents a chance to meet the schools new president, Daniele Struppa, in a more personal fashion  by chatting over a bowl of ice cream.

Dozens of residents attended the ice cream social, hosted by the Old Towne Preservation Association, in the schools George Bush Conference Center.

The community social was part of a week of events leading up to Struppas inauguration on Friday as Chapmans 13th president. Struppa succeeds the well-known Jim Doti as the head of the university. Tonight an address by mathematical physicist Roger Penrose is planned and an evening of collaborative arts will be held Thursday.

Tuesday was Orange residents best chance to meet the schools new president, as he shared laughs with parents and caught doe-eyed looks from a few of their children.

I think its a wonderful approach, we all need more communication and we all need to be more involved, Colleen Hennessy, an Orange resident, said of Struppas welcoming attitude toward the community.

Doug Price, another Orange resident, said getting everyone together for ice cream is also a great reminder to the students that theyre part of a larger community.

I think it helps, especially when the students come back to school with all the people who live in the community. This helps to neutralize a lot of problems, Price said.

Jack Raubolt, Chapmans vice president of community relations, said the social is representative of Chapmans efforts to tighten its bonds with the surrounding community. Raubolts position was created near the end of the last school year, along with the Neighborhood Advisory Committee, to reach out to neighbors. There are talks for holding other gatherings with students, faculty and residents, including a day inviting residents to bring their dogs on campus, he said.

Struppa made his way around the room giving hugs and handshakes as everyone enjoyed their ice cream. He said he hopes to hold such socials at least once a semester going forward.

Even if you have a disagreement, its easier to sit together and find a resolution when youre not looking at people in an abstract way, Struppa said. Thats how you build empathy  by sitting together, having an ice cream and admiring the beautiful area. That really builds a sort of friendship.

Contact the writer: jwinslow@ocregister.com
A marketing agreement with Los Angeles 2024 guarantees the U.S. Olympic Committee at least $294.75 million from domestic marketing and sponsorship revenues should Los Angeles be awarded a third Olympic Games.

Under terms of the Joint Marketing Programme Agreement (JMPA) between LA 2024 and the USOC, the local organizing committee will receive 80 percent of all net revenue up to $2.16 billion and 85 percent on revenue above $2.16 billion, with the USOC receiving the remaining revenue, according to USOC documents.

The agreement states that the USOC will receive at least 75 percent of the amount of marketing revenue it would have received if the 2024 Games were not held in the U.S. That projected amount is $393 million.

LA 2024 bid documents project that a third Los Angeles Olympics would receive $1.5 billion in television and international sponsorship revenue from the IOC and $1.437 billion in domestic sponsorship revenue. LA 2024 has projected a $161.1 million surplus on Games that are expected to come with a $4.66 billion price tag.

The IOC will select the 2024 bid city on Sept. 13, 2017 in Lima, Peru.

The Los Angeles City Council is expected to sign off Wednesday on Stage II documents dealing with governance, legal issues and venue funding. LA 2024 must file the documents with the International Olympic Committee by Oct. 7.

The council will also review venue use agreements for several proposed Olympic sites including a proposed exclusive use agreement for the Los Angeles Convention Center during the 2024 Games between LA 2024 and the Los Angeles Convention and Tourism Development Commission.

Commission executive director Robert R. Bud Ovrom, in a Sept. 22 letter to commission board members, outlined the proposed convention center agreement in which the commission would recoup as much as $12.4 million in lost revenue during the exclusive use period from June 1-Sept. 30, 2024.

Exclusive use for a four-month period as proposed in the (agreement) would inhibit LACCs use of the facility and its ability to generate operating revenues that it would otherwise rely on to offset day-to-day fixed costs, Ovrom wrote the board. The average cost for the corresponding time period of June to September, based on a recent three-year history, amounts to approximately $12.4 million.

LA 2024 and USOC also agreed to create a joint non-profit venture to manage domestic sponsorships, supplierships and licensed merchandising for the Olympic Games, USOC, U.S. Olympic Trials, Olympic Torch Relay and LA 2024.

The venture will have at least a six-person board, with four members designated by LA 2024 and two by the USOC. Both LA 2024 and USOC chief executives will be on the board. The agreement also requires that the hiring of the ventures top executive, the formal terms of sponsorship and licensee agreements and e-commerce and direct marketing must receive the written approval of the USOC.

Contact the writer: sreid@scng.com
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U.S. consumer confidence in September rose to the highest level in nine years, a hopeful sign that economic growth will accelerate. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose to 104.1, up from 101.8 in August and the strongest reading since the index hit 105.6 in August 2007. It appears that steady job gains, low volatility in equity markets and subdued gasoline price pressures are helping consumers outlooks, analysts at Contingent Macro Research said in a client note.

Limited housing inventory drives up home prices

U.S. home prices rose again in July, pulled up by strong gains in Seattle, Denver and Portland, Oregon. The Standard & Poors CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city home price index, released Tuesday, rose 5 percent in July from a year earlier after increasing 5.1 percent in June. The latest report is further evidence that prices are being pushed higher by the limited inventory of homes on the market.

Gas mileage estimates will drop a bit for some vehicles

Highway gas mileage estimates for about one-third of all new vehicles sold in the U.S. will fall by one mile per gallon because the government has changed the way it calculates the numbers on the window sticker. The change, which begins with the 2017 model year, comes largely because people are loading up cars with more options such as heated seats that use electricity and create drag on engines. Theyre also running air conditioning more than in the past, and theyre driving faster, both of which cut into mileage.

Switching prescription plans produces savings

Nebraskans saved about $11.7 million and Iowans about $16 million by switching Part D prescription medication plans during last years Medicare open enrollment, the states Senior Health Insurance Information Services said Tuesday. For free, objective assistance during this years Oct. 15-Dec. 7 open enrollment, call 800-234-7119 in Nebraska or 800-351-4664 in Iowa.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP)  An elaborate system of temporary flood walls largely protected Cedar Rapids homes and businesses on Tuesday as the river that runs through the city reached its second-highest peak ever.

City officials said the 9.8-mile system of Hesco barriers and earthen berms that contractors erected over the weekend was successfully holding back the rain-swollen Cedar River.

The city, Iowas second largest, received good news as the river crested Tuesday morning at 22.1 feet, lower than predicted. That was 9 feet below the 2008 flood that destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in the worst natural disaster in Iowa history.

The barriers used to hold back the floodwaters consist of steel mesh panels, lined with a thick polypropylene material that can be quickly filled with sand or dirt, usually using a front-loader. They have also have been used extensively by the military.

City crews had worked through the night to patch any weaknesses in the protection system and pump out water that seeped through the barriers or came up through the saturated ground.

City employees and contractors worked in really heroic ways to make sure the temporary system we put in place was fully functional, said city manager Jeff Pomeranz.

Their work continued Tuesday as the city turned its focus underground to its pressure-packed sewer system, which officials worried could send water shooting onto streets and create dangerous conditions for any bystanders.

The enemy now is what we dont see, Pomeranz said.

Crews pumped water back into the river Tuesday in downtown and surrounding neighborhoods, which were largely abandoned as residents heeded the citys call to evacuate.

Nick Jelinek, 37, said the flood protection was working great as he pumped water out of the basement of a business building he owns in the usually bustling New Bo district. This is as good as it could go, he said.

While the protection system was largely working, city officials said that many homes and businesses near the river will likely have water in their basements. They warned about the prospect of residential sewer backups and structural damage.

It will be a few more days before residents are allowed to return to their homes and businesses and key roads reopen. Public schools will remain closed today.

Firefighters rescued a woman Monday who had been swept away by the river north of downtown. She was able to cling to a tree until rescuers reached her.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Omahas Dodge Street is the target of the latest movement to undo the naming of an American place for a controversial historical figure.

Dont worry. You wouldnt have to learn a new name for the citys primary thoroughfare. Dodge Street would still go by Dodge Street.

But a proposal endorsed by the Douglas County Board on Tuesday would change the person believed to be memorialized by the street name  from pro-slavery Iowa Sen. Augustus Caesar Dodge to Union Pacific Railroad engineer and Union Army Gen. Grenville Dodge and his brother, N.P. Dodge.

The staff of the Historic General Dodge House is pushing for the change, in honor of the 100th anniversary of Grenville Dodges death.

Douglas County Board member Chris Rodgers embraced the idea. The board voted 7-0 Tuesday to ask Gov. Pete Ricketts to rename Dodge Street in honor of Omaha brothers General G.M. Dodge and N.P. Dodge.

State government approval would be needed because Dodge Street also is a state highway, Rodgers said.

He was receptive to the idea for two reasons, he said.

Rodgers always assumed, like many people who gave it a thought, that the street was named for Grenville Dodge and N.P. Dodge, whose descendants became a prominent Omaha family that includes real estate businesspeople Sandy and N.P. Dodge.

Rodgers said hes friends with the Dodges. Changing the name behind the name, he said, would align the facts with the general public perception and honor a family that has made significant contributions to Omaha throughout its history, including to civil rights.

And the story behind it, with the Iowa senator, made it a little more intriguing to me, Rodgers said.

The historical record on the naming of Dodge Street is fuzzy. The Douglas County Historical Societys website says it is named for Augustus C. Dodge, who in 1853 introduced a bill in the U.S. Senate for the organization of the Nebraska Territory.

Sen. Stephen Douglas of Illinois took over the legislation, eventually advancing a bill for organizing Nebraska-Kansas territorial government. The bill passed with a provision that repealed the Missouri Compromise, thus potentially opening the West to slavery.

Historian Michael Todd Landis said Augustus Dodge was a doughface, a northerner who was pro-slavery.

Landis, an assistant professor of history at Tarleton State University in Texas, said Augustus Dodge was born and raised on a Missouri plantation with slaves before serving as a senator from Iowa in the mid-1850s. Landis devoted a portion of his book Northern Men with Southern Loyalties to Dodges career and his role in the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

Throughout his career, he defended slavery, attacked abolitionism, supported the heinous Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 (which forced Northern civilians to participate in man-hunting), endorsed the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 (which permitted the spread of slavery into formerly free territory), and was an ardent expansionist, hoping to conquer the Caribbean and Latin America and spread slavery there, Landis said by email Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Grenville Dodge fought for the Union Army, and his brother, N.P. Dodge, helped the war effort from home, said Danette Hein-Snider, memberships and special projects coordinator for the Historic Dodge House.

She and Dodge House Executive Director Kori Nelson pitched the renaming to the Douglas County Board.

Rodgers noted Tuesday that Nate Phillips Dodge, a descendant of the generals brother, had helped Omaha Urban League Director Whitney Young Jr. work against racial discrimination in the 1950s. Young went on to lead the National Urban League.

The street change wouldnt cost anything, Rodgers said.

County Board members were enthusiastic in their support.

This is so fitting and appropriate, Clare Duda said. It is righting a little bit of a wrong that has existed for a long time.

Sandy and Nate Dodge were on hand Tuesday for the boards vote.

They said they were grateful. Sandy Dodge said he remembered the friendship and efforts of his father, Nate Phillips Dodge, and Young.

That was groundbreaking work at the time, Sandy Dodge told the County Board. We still have a helluva lot more to go.

As of Tuesday, proponents of the measure didnt have a formal historical document for the original naming of Dodge Street. They had asked Omaha City Clerk Buster Brown to search city records for one.

Douglas County Historical Society researcher Max Sparber isnt sure that one exists.

The best sources that he could locate Tuesday were two books written in 1917.

One said Dodge Street was named for Grenville Dodge.

The other, which Sparber considered less authoritative, said Dodge Street bears the name of a prominent Iowa family and a senator from Iowa.

Thats inconclusive, he said.

Hein-Snider and Nelson are determined to make the record clear.

They said they hope to earn the governors approval by October.
Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert plans to return to her office Thursday, one week after she fell and fractured a vertebra while walking her dogs.

The Mayors Office said the mayor will go to City Hall to sign City Council documents and meet with reporters.

Stothert was hospitalized Sept. 22 after she fell while walking her familys dogs, Ozzy, Lily and Henry.

She did some work from the hospital and returned home Saturday.

A mayoral campaign kickoff event is being rescheduled, as are two town hall meetings.

Stothert, 62, suffered a burst fracture of the L1 vertebra, which is the highest vertebra below the ribs. She was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center.

The Mayors Office has said the mayor will need to limit her physical activity for weeks and has been walking with the help of a back brace.
Local military veterans love the Huskers as much as anyone. But not all of them love the idea of Nebraska players taking a knee during The Star-Spangled Banner.

Everybody Ive talked to kind of resents whats happening here, said Peter Jennings, 77, of Omaha, a Navy veteran. I think 98 percent of military veterans would feel the same.

Jennings meets with a group of veterans every Monday for coffee. He said the Husker flag protests were a topic of conversation this week.

Iraq War veteran Chris Berggren, 31, of Lincoln is a former Marine who fought in the brutal 2004 battle of Fallujah. He has mixed feelings about the protests.

I agree, we do have a race problem. With the political election, a lot of closet racists are coming out, he said. On the other hand, I dont know if thats the right medium. I could never sit down during the national anthem.

But Berggren is truly incensed over the ferocious reaction, including death threats, that the players have received.

Im shaking right now, he said. As a Nebraskan, as an American, Im really embarrassed that people said these things to these kids.

Terry Minarik, 68, of Omaha earned two Purple Hearts as an Army infantryman in Vietnam.

People have certain rights to do things, he said. But from my perspective  the national anthem, I stop and salute.

Gov. Pete Ricketts called the players actions disgraceful and disrespectful during his monthly radio call-in show.

Dena Yllescas-Johnston, a Gold Star wife from Aurora, praised Ricketts, saying he is defending those who fought for freedom.

Yllescas-Johnstons husband, Army Capt. Rob Yllescas, died in 2008 after suffering wounds in Afghanistan. She is now married to a police officer.

She said the players decisions to kneel during the national anthem just absolutely deflated me. She sounded off in a post on Facebook. Someone sent her note to Ricketts.

When I look at the American flag, I see it draped over my husbands casket, Yllescas-Johnston said in an interview. I just wish these people had a better way to protest their feelings.

Kneeling during the anthem, she said, insinuates that my (deceased) husband who died for our country was racist and that her current husband is engaged in police brutality.

Neither is true, she said.
LINCOLN (AP)  The Lincoln Police Department is trying to determine before a new year rolls around whether its police officers will be required to wear body cameras.

Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister told Lincoln television station KOLN that hes a firm advocate of the technology. But he said its expensive to implement and maintain.

He said it would cost his department about $500,000 to outfit ever officer with a body camera. He said maintenance costs would add another $250,000 a year.

The city is seeking public comment in crafting a policy that would dictate how the cameras are worn, when they are activated and whether officers are free to use and purchase their own cameras.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
WASHINGTON  The House on Tuesday approved legislation that would exempt from the federal health insurance mandate those who lose coverage because their insurance co-op goes bust.

Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., introduced the legislation, which was approved 258-165.

This is a small effort here to help innocent Americans who lost coverage through no fault of their own, Smith said on the floor just before the vote. We should not penalize them.

The Affordable Care Act established 23 co-ops in an effort to foster local competition, but most of those have folded. The first to go, CoOportunity, was based in Iowa but also covered thousands of Nebraskans.

Tuesdays floor debate mirrored earlier discussion in committee, with Republicans pointing to co-op failures as evidence the health care law is ultimately unworkable.

Democrats said the co-ops never stood a chance because of GOP-backed measures that cut federal funding that was supposed to support the co-ops.

They said Republicans are trying to chip away at the mandate that is essential to making other parts of the law work. They also accused Republicans of expressing false concern for those without coverage, given their opposition to expanding Medicaid.

There are 40,000, 45,000 people in Nebraska who are not covered by Medicaid because of the failure of the government there, said Rep. Sander Levin, D-Mich.

Smith described his bill as narrowly tailored and suggested its unlikely to bring down the entire health care law.

The administration  and, it would seem, my colleagues across the aisle  continue to advocate for the individual mandate at all costs, no matter how negatively this might impact a law-abiding individual seeking to do the right thing, he said.

No Republicans opposed Smiths bill, and 16 Democrats supported it, including Omahas Rep. Brad Ashford.

Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., supported it. So did GOP Reps. David Young and Steve King of Iowa.

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., has introduced companion legislation in the Senate and said he welcomed the House action. Sasse said he would keep fighting on his end.
COUNCIL BLUFFS  Donald Trump is back on offense.

The combative New Yorker, who found himself playing defense in much of his first presidential debate, came out swinging Wednesday in this Iowa city, accusing Hillary Clinton of being both corrupt and incompetent and questioning how she escaped criminal charges in her email controversy.

The Republican also rejected the idea that he lost Mondays debate, saying he won in a landslide. However, he cited several online Internet polls that others  including Fox News  consider questionable.

Finally, Trump said he had some of the smartest supporters in this election.

People dont know how smart you are. These are the smart people. These are the smart people. And  I never like to say it, but I say it  Im a smart person, Trump said. We have the smartest people. We have the smartest people. And they know it.

Trump appeared at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in tow. About 1,200 people gathered for the mid-afternoon rally that was announced a day earlier, after an Ottumwa, Iowa, event was scrapped.

It was Trumps second visit to Iowa this month. Iowa is considered a key battleground state, and numerous polls have consistently given Trump a single-digit lead in the state. However, Clinton is also contesting Iowas six electoral votes, and she was set to hold her own rally today in Des Moines.

Visits by Trump and Clinton to the Hawkeye State come as early voting gets underway in Iowa. It was a fact noted by Trump, who urged his supporters to vote. He argued that if he didnt win, their movement to take back this country would essentially be meaningless.

This movement will be a wonderful thing to read about some day, but otherwise (without a win) this wont mean a damn thing, Trump said.

Trump has embarked on a series of rallies since Mondays debate, which both polls and political pundits said Clinton won. The idea that he may have lost clearly rankled Trump, who brought it up a couple of times during his 45-minute speech.

He argued that several online polls showed him winning by a landslide. However, several media organizations have questioned those unscientific polls, which allow people to vote multiple times.

Even Fox News, which is considered friendly territory for Trump, cautioned its staff members on Wednesday against relying on those online polls to bolster Trumps argument.

Im winning by massive margins in some cases. One was 80 percent to 20 percent. And then you have to sit back and you have to hear how those polls dont mean anything, said Trump, who appeared to be upset at the Fox News directive.

A traditional poll conducted by CNN showed that 62 percent thought Clinton won. And in a Reuters poll, 55 percent said Clinton won, compared with 25 percent for Trump.

As for the election itself, poll aggregator Real Clear Politics gives Clinton a 3 percent lead nationally. Poll analyst FiveThirtyEight puts Clinton's lead in the national popular vote at 2.4 percent.

Trump said he is doing well.

"I think we're leading," Trump said. "We're either tied or leading."

A good chunk of Trumps speech in the Bluffs was aimed at Clinton. He criticized her on several fronts, arguing that she was the globalist candidate who would support international trade arguments that would end up costing jobs in America.

He also noted that she failed a bar exam in Washington, D.C., as a young attorney, citing that as proof of her incompetence.

And he repeatedly questioned how she never had to face criminal charges for using a personal email server in her basement while she was secretary of state and then deleting 33,000 emails.

Im so disappointed with the people in Washington for allowing her to get away with this, Trump said. Im so disappointed when they say there is nothing they can do.

A federal investigation was launched in connection with Clintons emails. However, FBI Director James Comey later announced that no charges would be filed, saying no reasonable prosecutor would bring a criminal case based upon the facts.

Clinton wasnt the only politician who was the target of Trumps ire. He also criticized Bernie Sanders, the Vermont senator who lost the Democratic presidential nomination to Clinton.

Sanders has endorsed Clinton, and he campaigned with her Wednesday. Trump suggested that many of Sanders supporters would instead support him in the Nov. 8 election. He also said Sanders decision to back Clinton would damage his legacy.

Bernie Sanders could have gone down as a great, great man. (But) when he made that deal, it was over, Trump said. If he had not made that deal, he would have been legendary.

The crowd at the event was enthusiastic. Rallygoers frequently broke into chants of lock her up, or yelled that they loved Trump.

Several said they liked that Trump speaks his mind. And for some, this was not their first Trump rally.

Wednesdays event was the third rally for Tracie DeNeui and Shawn Rorie of Council Bluffs, who are getting married next week. They said they had been hoping that Trump would run for president since the 2012 election.

Rorie, who owns BAT Logistics, a transportation company in Council Bluffs, said Trumps tax plan would allow him to hire five people or give much larger bonuses.

DeNeui questioned polls that say Trump isnt doing well with women. The women I know are for Trump ... no ones called us, she said.

Gary Hylen of Omaha likes Trump. Hes concerned about the costs of health care, particularly after Blue Cross Blue Shield pulled out of the Nebraska insurance marketplace.

He said Trumps ideas are Reaganesque in a lot of ways.

World-Herald staff writers Jeff Robb and Roseann Moring contributed to this report.

* * *

Grassley has bit of debate advice for Trump: Stick to the issues

WASHINGTON  Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, delivered a mixed review  and a simple piece of advice  when asked Wednesday about Donald Trumps debate performance.

He did very, very well when he talked about issues, Grassley said during his weekly conference call with reporters. When he didnt talk about issues, he didnt do so well. So stick to the issues.

Grassley noted the many areas Trump hit during Mondays debate with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: trade, lost manufacturing jobs, the importance of law and order and others.

The Iowa senators critique echoed what many observers have said about the businessmans showing.

Trump was at his best in the opening stages of the debate while emphasizing his core economic message and hitting Clinton on specific trade agreements.

But he seemed to go increasingly off the rails as the debate wore on, with ill-advised lines about how not paying federal income tax in the past meant that he was smart, or that profiting from the housing crisis was just business.  Joseph Morton
LINCOLN  A new cellphone tower has gone up in the notorious border town of Whiteclay, Nebraska, which a state senator said will be a big step in improving public safety and educational opportunities.

About two weeks ago, Viaero Wireless erected a mobile cell tower in the unincorporated, northwest Nebraska village, best known for its liquor stores that sell the equivalent of nearly 4 million cans of beer a year to residents of the adjacent Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, where alcohol is banned.

The new cell tower will deliver high-speed wireless services to Whiteclay and reach 15 miles across the South Dakota border into the reservation.

State Sen. Patty Pansing-Brooks of Lincoln said she had contacted the company after visiting Whiteclay in May and noticing that the village, which has about a dozen residents and a handful of businesses, did not have wireless broadband service.

Pansing-Brooks said the new service will enhance public safety by allowing cellphone calls to emergency services and permitting high-speed access to online college courses.

The senator was among a contingent of state senators who visited Whiteclay and the surrounding area on Wednesday as part of an interim study on whether to declare a public health emergency exists in the town.

We are here today to bring this health crisis into the open, to shine a spotlight on Whiteclay and transform it into something better, Pansing-Brooks told an audience in Whiteclay on Wednesday.

She said that she, along with Omaha Sens. Brett Lindstrom and Tanya Cook and Lincoln Sen. Roy Baker, have identified a list of strategies to address problems in Whiteclay. They include increasing law enforcement, condemning dilapidated structures and opening a detox center. The recommendations are similar to those issued by a task force of Whiteclay-area residents formed by Gov. Pete Ricketts earlier this year.

A public hearing on the Whiteclay interim study is scheduled Oct. 11 at the State Capitol.

Advocates for years have called for the liquor stores to be shut down in hopes of stemming alcohol-related problems on the reservation, including high rates of alcoholism, fetal alcohol syndrome, and alcohol-related assaults and crimes.

The lawmakers, while in Whiteclay, also visited a 60-bed nursing home, owned by the Oglala Sioux Tribe, which recently opened on tribal land in the village.

An open house at the facility is scheduled today. A spokesman said that the nursing home has six residents so far and about 22 employees, with a goal of being fully occupied and staffed by the end of the year.

Gary Ruse, an economic developer who has worked with the tribe, said there are plans to add an additional 20 beds to the nursing home in the near future.
Donald Trump supporters lined up hours before the Republican presidential nominee's afternoon rally at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs on Wednesday.

The World-Herald has several reporters filing updates from the rally.

[ More coverage: Trump will Try to shore up slim lead in battleground Iowa with Wednesday's visit to Council Bluffs ]

* * * * *

4:50 p.m.: Protesters find new audience as rally-goers leave event

As rally-goers emptied out of the Mid-America Center on Wednesday afternoon, the handful of protesters standing at the corner of Arena Way and Bass Pro Drive found a new audience.

They cranked the music up on a trunk-mounted sound system and held their signs high as the exiting motorists drove by.

"Pay your taxes, Donald!" shouted protester Eric Paine.

More than one driver stopped to shout or flip the bird. At one point, a young girl, riding in the back seat of an SUV held two thumbs down out the window.  Blake Ursch

* * * * *

4 p.m.: Protesters continue to demonstrate as Trump takes the stage

A small group of protesters continued to demonstrate outside the Mid-America Center as Donald Trump took the stage inside.

Drivers sped by and offered their views on the election, eliciting either shouts of agreement or disapproval from those holding signs.

At one point an officer came by to tell the protesters to stop yelling the F word.

In their defense, one countered, the woman driving by said it first.  Blake Ursch

* * * * *

3 p.m.: Counterprotester joins Trump protesters outside rally

One counterprotester holding a sign reading "TRUMP WON THE DEBATE" briefly joined the handful of protesters outside the rally Wednesday.

The counterprotester declined to give her name, but said she thought it was important to support Trump after seeing the protesters' signs.

"We don't want this election to go how it's gone for the last eight years," she said. "I'm not this type of person but this year's important."

It was a sentiment echoed many times throughout the afternoon on both sides of the aisle. This year, many said, is different.

Eric Paine of Omaha, holding a sign that read "You paid more taxes then Trump, congratulations," engaged the counterprotester. They argued for several minutes about Trump's statements during the debate.

"It's important to show opposition to Donald Trump because he's totally and completely unsuited to be president of the United States of America," Paine said later when asked why he talked to the counter protester.

Though neither Paine nor the woman ceded ground during their exchange, Paine said there were no cross words exchanged before the woman left.

"Free speech for everyone," he said. "We can disagree without being disagreeable."  Blake Ursch

* * * * *

2 p.m.: Soon-to-be wed couple are seeing Trump for 3rd time

This is the third Trump rally for Tracie DeNeui and Shawn Rorie of Council Bluffs, who are getting married in eight days.

They said they've been hoping Trump would run for president since the 2012 election.

Since they last saw Trump, he's announced Mike Pence as a running mate. Rorie likes Pence because he's "just a down-to-earth conservative."

"He knows all the loopholes in Washington," Rorie said. "Trump's going there and blowing up those loopholes. Pence will clean up."

Rorie owns BAT logistics in Council Bluffs and said Trump's tax plan would allow him to hire five people or give much larger bonuses.

Rorie also likes that Trump said at one of the previous rallies that he wants to vet refugees and build a wall on the southern border.

DeNeui questioned polls that say Trump isn't doing well with women.

"The women I know are for Trump ... no one's called us," she said.  Roseann Moring

* * * * *

* * * * *

1:32 p.m.: Protester escorted out of rally

A man exited the Trump rally yelling angrily about 1 p.m. Wednesday.

The man said police and Trump campaign staff escorted him out after first asking if he had protested at the Mike Pence rally earlier this year.

He said he did attend the Pence rally, and was at Wednesday's event to see Trump for himself.

"I am not in agreement with the people on the staff of the Trump campaign," he said in the parking lot outside the rally.

The man said he was planning to join the protesters who were set up outside the rally.  Blake Ursch

* * * * *

1:32 p.m.: 'His ideas are Reaganesque'

Gary Hylen of Omaha said he has been following Clinton since the early 90s and "it's becoming more and more obvious that she's got nothing to stand on."

He said as a retiree he's concerned about the costs of health care, particularly after Blue Cross Blue Shield pulled out of the Nebraska marketplace.

Hylen said he likes Trump because "his ideas are Reaganesque in a lot of ways."  Roseann Moring

* * * * *

1:25 p.m.: 'He's not bought and paid for like Hillary'

Elizabeth and Darrell Mahlberg of Charter Oak, Iowa, say they like Trump because of his policies, particularly his defense policies.

"He's the person that can turn around the United States and make us what we were meant to be," Elizabeth said.

Added Darrell: "he's not bought and paid for like Hillary."

"We need someone who's by the people, for the people," said Elizabeth, who was wearing a shirt that said "I'm an Adorable Deplorable."  Roseann Moring

* * * * *

1:10 p.m.: Protesters gather

COUNCIL BLUFFS  A handful of protesters have gathered near the south entrance to the Mid-America Center, where rallygoers were filing in early Wednesday afternoon.

Rene Harper, with Showing Up for Racial Justice, one of the organizations staging the protest, said the group is determined to get its message across.

"We will not stand for bigotry and hate," she said. "And we will make our voices heard."

Harper said she was concerned the protest wasn't getting enough visibility where police had told them they could demonstrate, about half a block from the entrance to the venue.

Lt. Keith Jones with the Council Bluffs Police Department, said the area was chosen to keep the protesters and those attending the rally safe.

"There is a legitimate safety factor at play," he said.

The location, near the entrance to the Country Inn and Suites by Arena Way and Marc Boulevard, makes the protest visible to those driving through the lot, Jones said.  Blake Ursch

* * * * *

* * * * *

1 p.m.: "Take our country back"

Jaimi Fay of Omaha and Jackie Wahl of Carter Lake said they're excited to see Trump.

Fay said more people should participate in events like the Trump rally "to take our country back."

She said she likes that Trump "speaks his mind and tells the truth."

She said when Trump is accused of being angry, that's when she thinks he's being the most honest.

Wahl likes his immigration and economic policies.  Roseann Moring

* * * * *

12:10 p.m.: First in line

When the doors opened at noon at the Mid-America Center, Kimberly Fay was first in line.

Fay arrived here at 8:30 a.m., she said, in the hopes of getting an autograph from Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

"I think he's one of the most important people in our history," said Fay, 60, of Omaha. "He's honest. It gets him in trouble. I think he really cares about America. I think he wants to see all people do well."  Blake Ursch

* * * * *

11:25 a.m.: Trump backers began lining up hours before visit

Supporters are lining up at the Mid-America Center, hours before Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks here later this afternoon.

By about 11 a.m., several dozen people had formed a line near the south entrance of the venue.

Mason Haliburton, 7 1/2, was second in line as he stood with his family. Decked out in a "Make America Great Again" hat and several pins, he proudly boasted that he met Trump at a recent rally in Des Moines. His father, David, showed a photo of the encounter.

"He was pretty nice," Mason said, referring to Trump.

Behind the Haliburtons, attendees wore hats, shirts and buttons emblazoned with Trump's name. At least one man wore a shirt reading "Hillary for Prison 2016."

Jeanine Poulosky and her husband Paul traveled from Firth, Nebraska, to attend the rally. Jeanine said she's a Democrat voting for Trump and cited her desire to protect both the First and Second Amendments.

"I can't vote for a liar like Hillary," she said.

Trump is scheduled to appear about 3 p.m. today at the Mid-America Center. It will be his second trip this month to Iowa, a key battleground state where polls show him consistently holding a single-digit lead over Democrat Hillary Clinton.  Blake Ursch
There is a story from the history of professional wrestling in which a manager named Freddie Blassie comes to the edge of the ring and, while the referee is distracted, offers his cane to break over the head of the opposing wrestler.

After the match an interviewer asked Blassie, Wheres that cane of yours? He replied, What cane? I didnt have no cane!

During the last political year, life has imitated professional wrestling. Those expecting such antics from Donald Trump during the first presidential debate were not disappointed.

When confronted with his claim that global warming was a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese, Trump replied, I did not (say it). He did.

When Trumps claim that he could not release his tax returns because of an IRS audit was exposed as false, he still insisted on it. When charged with saying that he could personally negotiate down the national debt, he said this was wrong. The charge was right.

When Trumps transparently deceptive claim to be an early opponent of the Iraq War was debunked, he doubled down in a babbling defense citing Sean Hannity as the ultimate arbiter.

It is not surprising that Trump inhabits his own factual universe, in which truth is determined by usefulness and lies become credible through repetition. What made the first presidential debate extraordinary  really unprecedented  was not the charges that Trump denied, but the ones he confirmed.

When Hillary Clinton claimed he didnt pay any federal income taxes, Trump said: That makes me smart.

When Clinton accused Trump of defrauding a contractor out of money he was owed, Trump responded: Maybe he didnt do a good job and I was unsatisfied with his work.

When Clinton criticized Trump for casual misogyny and for calling women pigs, Trump brought up Rosie ODonnell and said, She deserves it.

When Clinton recalled a Justice Department lawsuit against Trump for housing discrimination, he dismissed it as just one of those things.

When Clinton attacked Trump for coddling the Russians, Trump attempted to excuse them of hacking, shifting the blame toward obese computer geeks. When Clinton accused Trump of betraying American allies, Trump answered: We defend Japan, we defend Germany, we defend South Korea, we defend Saudi Arabia, we defend countries. They do not pay us. But they should be paying us. . . . We cannot protect countries all over the world, where theyre not paying us what we need.

Rather than affirming the importance of NATO or reassuring our Pacific partners  the easy and expected answer  Trump reduced Americas global role to a protection racket, run by a seedy executive who admits to cheating contractors when he is unsatisfied with (their) work.

During the debate, the points scored against Trump were damaging. But the points he ceded would disqualify any normal politician, in any normal presidential year.

Trump has made some political gains over the last few weeks through greater discipline  speeches from teleprompters, carefully selected media interviews, no press conferences, a Twitter account in the hands of others.

But the candidate has internalized none of this. He might as well have sung I Gotta Be Me as his opening statement in the debate. It was Trump unplugged, and often unhinged.

Past debate criticism has looked for hints and signs to determine losers  a candidate, say, looked impatiently at his watch or sighed in an off-putting way. Rhetorically, Trump drove a high-speed train filled with fireworks into a nuclear power plant.

He was self-absorbed, prickly, defensive, interrupting, baited by every charge yet unprepared to refute them. During his share of a 90-minute debate, he was horribly out of his depth, incapable of stringing together a coherent three-sentence case.

The postmodern quality of Trumps appeal culminated in an unbalanced rant claiming, I also have a much better temperament than she has. An assertion greeted by audience laughter.

And Trump concluded his performance by praising himself for his own grace and restraint, during an evening that showed him to be nasty, witless and deceptive. It should now be clear to Republicans: Vanity is his strategy.

Trumps defenders will charge his critics with elitism. The great public, it is argued, gets Trump in a way that the commenting class does not. But this claim is now fully exposed.

The expectation of rationality is not elitism. Coherence is not elitism. Knowledge is not elitism. Honoring character is not elitism.

And those who claim this are debasing themselves, their party and their country.
Beware eve-teasers, our women have learnt to live #DarrKarNahiDattKar

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Have things really changed in India since that earth-shattering Nirbhaya incident on the cold night of 2012? Perhaps, not much. We see and hear hollow sympathies for victims who find themselves at the receiving end of this male-dominated society. Even with the claims that things are changing for the better the truth still remains that "ultimately, women have the biggest responsibility to protect themselves against all odds."

And it seems women too have realized this. Hence, there has been a significant change in attitude.

Last November, two girl students travelling to their school in a bus in Haryana rose against three male sexual predators. After repeatedly asking the men not to harass them, the duo physically retaliated against the culprits. The scene of the two girls kicking and beating up the men with belts in a moving bus was captured in mobile phones and it went viral across the nation.

The incident even started trending with the hashtag #RohtakBravehearts. The Haryana government announced a cash reward for the two brave girls at the following Republic Day celebration.

It was undoubtedly a big example to set in a country where changes - social and economic - have not necessarily guaranteed safety for its womenfolk.

According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), nearly 100 women are raped in India every day. Doesn't that number worry us? After so much protest and changes in the law to deal with the crime of rape, is it what we have achieved?

Age, place don't matter

Moreover, those who feel that crime against women a geographically specific problem and is common more in North India, here is some reason to think differently. Also, age is no factor when it comes to such heinous crimes.

According to Hyderabad Police, 22 per cent of those indulge in eve-teasing at public places are minors. This shows that even after the 'juvenile offender episode' of the Nirbhaya case and the changes brought in law to try young offenders, there is not much improvement on the ground. Is our legal system really a helpless one?

Of the rest, 41 per cent is aged between 18-20 and 36 per cent between 21 and 40. Hence, the problem is a universal one and has to do with the male psyche.

The NCRB has revealed further shockers. It said in the year 2015, the number of molestation and eve-teasing incidents were 5,192 and 1,444, respectively. It also reported that between 60-65 percent of the victims are aged between 15 and 30. And guess what? Almost 39 per cent of the rape crime is committed by those who are known to the victims - either friends or family members.

The social mindset doesn't change, even if the PM wants it to

While these figures continue to disturb us, the disappointment lies in the fact that our society refuses to accept eve-teasing as a serious social issue.

Even if the prime minister of the country appeals for the right upbringing of our boys, the society still holds the victims responsible for 'instigating' the perpetrators. Instead of questioning the motive behind such crime, the society finds an 'easier solution' in targeting an already injured victim further for 'inviting' rape.

Is this how our society hopes to see a bright and secure future for its girls? And if this is the mindset, how much mere changes in law on the paper mean?

The modern-day women, however, won't wait

But as we said earlier, the modern-day women have learnt the hard lesson of guarding their own honour.

Just like the two schoolgirls in Rohtak, three students of the elite St Xavier's College in Kolkata also did not wait for the society and State to come to their rescue after three men started targeting them with lewd remarks and eggs at a peak time in the evening.

The three students - Priyadarshini Hakim, Semonti Nath and Debanjana Saha - held the three by their collars and dragged them to a traffic sergeant at the busy Rashbehari crossing in South Kolkata.

The same story was repeated by 25-year-old Remi Susha Sen, a senior executive with JW Marriot, in Bengaluru. She followed the offender who had touched her inappropriately in the busy Lavelle Road, stopped the auto-rickshaw in which he was travelling and raised an alarm. She gathered public support in her favour and also approached the police to take necessary action.

In another case, a teenage girl in Puranpur in Philibit, UP, did not just protest but dragged a motorbike-borne eve-teaser into a police station, thrashed him there and even made him apologise for the act. The entire episode was video-recorded and is now an inspiration for many.

The women of today's India will not compromise on their quality of life out of fear for the menace like eve-teasing. They will not hesitate to raise a voice whenever they face injustice. It might take time to change the society's apathetic thinking and the State's careless attitude towards the problem but our women can't afford to wait till that happens. In the meantime, they will face the situation #DarrKarNahiDattKar

Take the step today to stop the danger tomorrow - DarrKarNahiDattKar, every night at 10 pm from September 26 onwards on Life OK.
Cauvery- Defiant Karnataka convenes all party meet today

News

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah has called for another all party meeting over the Cauvery Waters issue. The Supreme Court had ordered Karnataka to release 18,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu while adjourning hearing on the matter to Friday.

Government sources tell OneIndia that it would not be possible for Karnataka to release any water to Tamil Nadu as there is a resolution by the legislative assembly. The legislature represents the will of the people and unless that resolution is changed no other decision can be taken.

Meanwhile Siddaramaiah continued to strike a defiant note stating that if the Supreme Court says release water, it does not immediately become a law or order. Siddaramaiah who will meet with leaders of all parties is also expected to be in Delhi tomorrow to attend the meeting convened by the centre on this issue.

As Tamil Nadu chief minister, J Jayalalithaa is in hospital, the state would be represented by E K Palaniswami, the PWD minister of the state. The meeting will be held in Delhi tomorrow and will be chaired by union minister Uma Bharti.

Meanwhile the police have imposed Section 144 of the CrPC or prohibitory orders in a bid to avert any trouble. Normal life will however not be affected the police have assured while stating all precautionary measures have been taken.

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Story first published: Wednesday, September 28, 2016, 8:57 [IST]
Tamil Nadu bandh over Cauvery issue today: All you need to know

Cauvery issue: Bharti convenes meet of Karnataka, TN ministers

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Sept 28: In line with the Supreme Court's fresh order, Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti has convened a meeting of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu ministers tomorrow to find a political solution to the "impasse" over Cauvery water dispute.

The apex court had yesterday asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to facilitate a meeting of the executive heads of the two warring riparian states with the Centre over the next two days to find a solution to the dispute.

It has also asked Karnataka to discharge 6,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu till Friday despite its Assembly resolution. According to an official source, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to attend the trilateral meet, while his Tamil Nadu counterpart J Jayalalithaa, currently recuperating at a Chennai hospital, will depute state PWD Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy to represent the state in the discussion.

"Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti to chair a meeting tomorrow on Cauvery with CM of Karnataka and PWD Minister of Tamil Nadu," tweeted Union Water Resources Ministry spokesperson Samir Sinha.

Cauvery row- Section 144 in Bengaluru as SC hears Karnataka plea

Ministers in charge of water resources departments and chief secretaries of the two states will also be present in the meeting. The Union minister will attempt to resolve the issue "amicably" keeping in view the series of protests and violence which erupted in the two states last month after the Supreme Court's orders on the issue, an official source said.

The Karnataka government has been expressing its inability to release the quantum of water as directed by the apex court, saying its four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin do not have adequate storage and is struggling to even meet its own drinking water requirement.

Meanwhile, Congress MPs from Karnataka have demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in this matter and also urged him to ensure the Cauvery Water Management Board is not constituted as directed by the apex court.

They had also staged protest in Parliament complex yesterday over the issue. Earlier in the day, opposition parties in Karnataka had asked the Siddaramaiah government not to release the 6,000 cusecs of water tomorrow for Tamil Nadu as per the apex court's latest order.

PTI
Cauvery row: Defy Supreme Court, go by legislature's resolution, Karnataka parties tell CM

News

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

After being told that no water to Tamil Nadu should be released today, the Karnataka cabinet would meet at 2 PM today to take a final decision. The Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah today convened an all party meeting to decide on the next course of action after the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the state to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

At the all party meeting the Chief Minister was told that no water should be released to Tamil Nadu today. The court had ordered the release of 6,000 cusecs of water to TN between Tuesday and Thursday. However at the all party meeting, it was suggested that they should wait for the outcome of the meeting convened by the centre.

The centre has convened a meeting on Thursday in which the Chief Minister of Karnataka would be present. Since Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa is in hospital, the PWD minister of the state has been delegated to attend the meeting. Further at the all party meeting, the leaders said that the resolution of the legislative assembly and council is more important and hence that should be followed. Karnataka had last week resolved to release Cauvery water only for drinking water purposes.

The CM after hearing out all the leaders said that he would convene a cabinet meeting at 2 PM today. He said that a final decision on this issue would be taken at the cabinet meeting.

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Story first published: Wednesday, September 28, 2016, 13:16 [IST]
Cauvery row: Legislature can't overrule SC directive, Karnataka has to bend

News

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Will the decision by the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on the Cauvery Waters issue sustain before the Supreme Court? Karnataka had resolved to release Cauvery water only for drinking water purposes.

This technically meant that it would not abide by the directive of the Supreme Court which told Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu for irrigation purpose.

There was a similar scenario before the Supreme Court which dealt with the Kerala government which had promulgated a law defying the Supreme Court's order in the Mullaperiyar dam case. It was held in this case, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court had observed that the legislature cannot by a bare declaration directly overrule, reverse or override a judicial decision.

The judgment of the court delivered in May 2014 had quashed the law prmoulagated by the state. In this case the Supreme Court had originally allowed the water level in the dam to be increased from 136 to 142 feet. However the Kerala legislature promulgated a law defying the order of the Supreme Court.

There have also been questions raised on whether the Supreme Court can interfere in matter pertaining to inter-state water disputes. In order to prevent a situation, where a state will pass a resolution against another, the Constitution states that the Supreme Court can prevent such a situation to avoid any Constitutional crisis.

Further one would also need to take a look at Article 144 in this context when a state refuses to abide by the order of the Supreme Court. Article 144 in The Constitution Of India 1949 states: Civil and judicial authorities to act in aid of the Supreme Court. All authorities, civil and judicial, in the territory of India shall act in aid of the Supreme Court. This would mean that the Supreme Court can call in the army if its orders are not being implemented.
Full potential of SAARC can only be realised in atmosphere free of terror, says PM Modi

Isolating Pak- Round one completed as SAARC summit has to be called off

News

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The SAARC summit in Pakistan cannot be held and the host nation will have no option but to postpone it. As per the new rules the SAARC summit can be held only if all nations are represented. India, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh are not participating and Nepal is also likely to follow suit.

The 19th SAARC summit was scheduled to be held in November at Islamabad. However all nations which have refused to participated have cited escalation of terrorism in the region as the reason. Pakistan will have no option but to call off the summit as the regional grouping operates through consensus.

The Indian External Affairs ministry had in a statement said increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of member states by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad.

Isolating Pakistan has become a top priority for India following the Uri attack. Pakistan on one hand speaks of regional cooperation and on the other facilitates its terrorists to strike in India.

Pulling out of SAARC was another part of this plan to isolate Pakistan. India was confident that several other nations too would pull out of the summit.

This makes India's point stronger against Pakistan on the world stage as well. India has moved quickly to take a few decisions to isolate Pakistan.

India first examined the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan. On Thursday India would hold a meeting to discuss the Most Favoured Nation status awarded to Pakistan.

It would decide on going to the World Trade Organisation and tell it that Pakistan has not reciprocated the MFN status to India.

Indian officials say that the heat is on Paksitan. In fact it is an embarrassing situation for Pakistan as it stands completely isolated in the region today.

Out of the 8 nations 4 have already pulled out. Nepal too is likely to pull out, officials also add. The only countries that have not pulled out are Maldives, Sri Lanka and of course the host nation, Pakistan.

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Story first published: Wednesday, September 28, 2016, 14:49 [IST]
7th Pay Commission: No hike confirmed, but productivity linked bonus on its way

Jayalalithaa announces bonus worth Rs 476 cr for state PSU employees

India

oi-PTI

Chennai, Sep 28: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today announced bonus to the tune of Rs 476.71 crore to the employees of various state public sector undertaking companies, in view of forthcoming festive season.

About 3.67 lakh eligible employees would receive bonus of a minimum Rs 8,400 up to Rs 16,800 per month for the period 2015-16, a press release from Chief Minister's Office said.

Jayalalithaa said a bonus of 20 per cent, including 8.33 per cent of bonus and 11.67 per cent ex-gratia would be given to the employees of those PSUs which have reported profits.

For those employees of PSUs which have reported losses, she said, "They will get a bonus of 10 per cent including, 8.33 per cent bonus plus 1.67 per cent ex-gratia."

(In Pics) Jayalalithaa has her people's prayers

Employees of the State Electricity Board, Transport Corporations, Civil Supplies Corporation will receive a hike of 20 per cent including 8.33 per cent bonus and 11.67 per cent ex-gratia, she added.

Tamil Nadu Housing Board, Chennai Metrowater Supply and Sewerage Board 'C' and 'D' section employees will receive 10 per cent hike including 8.33 per cent bonus and 1.67 per cent ex-gratia, she said.

Jayalalithaa responding well to treatment, to be discharged soon: Hospital

Besides announcing the bonus to eligible staff of PSUs, Jayalalithaa said a bonus of Rs 4,000 will be given to contract employees of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, Rs 3,000 to temporary workers of Civil Supplies Corporation and those employees of Co-operative Societies which do not come under the bonus scheme.

"The eligible permanent employees of the PSUs will receive a minimum hike of Rs 8,400 to a maximum of Rs 16,800 per month. The 3.67 lakh employees of various public sector companies will receive a total of Rs 476.71 crore as bonus," she said.

PTI
JP Nadda assures support to Himachal in tackling scrub typhus

India

oi-PTI

Shimla, Sep 27 Union Health Minister JP Nadda today assured all support to the Himachal Pradesh government in tackling the endemic scrub typhus disease in the region.

In view of the rising number of cases and reported deaths due to of scrub typhus in Himachal, Nadda had sought a detailed report from the state government.

Having received the report, Nadda has now offered to send an expert committee to the state.

"The Ministry is very closely monitoring the situation and if requested, shall provide all logistical and technical support to the state government to strengthen their capacity to effectively manage the situation," Nadda said.

While stressing the need to start rigorous awareness campaigns regarding the preventive steps to be taken by the people at the community level, he also directed the officials of the Health Ministry to be alert and gear up activities to be taken for awareness generation, prevention and control of scrub typhus.

According to official sources, scrub typhus has so far claimed 23 lives in the state while 724 patients have tested positive for the disease.

PTI
Karnataka defers release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu

India

oi-Vicky

New Delhi, Sept 28: The Karnataka cabinet today deferred the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. After the conclusion of the cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said at a press conference that a further decision would be taken after his meeting in Delhi.

The Chief Minister along with ministers from Tamil Nadu will hold a meeting in New Delhi with union minister, Uma Bharti. Siddaramaiah said that the future course of action regarding the release of water would be taken after that meeting which will be held at 11.30 AM on Thursday.

The Supreme Court had on Tuesday directed Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for three days. However at an all party meeting it was said that in the wake of an assembly resolution, the releasing of water must be deferred.

Cauvery row: Defy Supreme Court, go by legislature's resolution, Karnataka parties tell CM

Siddaramaiah said that at the all party meeting all were of the opinion that it would be better to postpone the release of water. Further those at the meet also said that it would not be right to release since there is a resolution of the Karnataka assembly. The assembly had resolved to use the Cauvery water only for drinking purposes in the state.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Wednesday, September 28, 2016, 18:46 [IST]
Lack of development in J&K for decades was one of the reasons behind rise of terrorism: Rajnath Singh

J&K: 95% of youth from state want to serve nation, says topper of the BSF exam

India

oi-PTI

Srinagar, Sept 28: Exhorting youth from Jammu and Kashmir to join defence forces, topper of the BSF Assistant Commandant's exam, Nabeel Ahmed Wani, on Tuesday said that 95 per cent of the youngsters from his state want to serve the nation and it is only handful of them who are on the wrong path.

"I would like to appeal to the youth of J&K to join the defence forces so that the gap between security forces and them will be bridged. I think defence is not a mere job, but a way of life, it is a commitment towards the nation and I know every youth from J&K thinks like me and wants to serve the nation," said Wani after being felicitated by a Pune based NGO.

"The entire J&K is not like the way it has been portrayed on social media or TV. You cannot compare five per cent (youth) who are on the wrong path with rest of the 95 per cent (youth)," he added. "Those 95 per cent (youth) are like me, who want to serve the nation," Wani said.

"If we work positively and collectively, the day is not far away when you type Jammu & Kashmir in the internet, the result will come as the most peaceful state in the world," he claimed. He admitted that the situation in the valley is grim, but asserted that positive mindset of youth there will pave the way for peace.

Stones turn to bullets- a new worry in Jammu and Kashmir

"Negativity will never beat negativity. It is positive attitude and dialogue which will bring a change," said Wani, who hails from Udhampur. He said that he did not join BSF to earn money but to get the satisfaction of serving the motherland.

To a query on the difference between him and Burhan Wani, Hizbul Commander who was killed by security forces in July, he said that there is no need for comparison.

"I believe in people and youth of the state. They should decide, which Wani they want to become. I know, J&K youth is capable of topping every exam, so we should not give publicity to negative things and take negative names."

Answering a question on stone pelting incidents, he said, "I know the conditions are very bad in the Valley but violence cannot beat violence. See people are dying every day, schools and colleges are shut, but we can change this, not with violence or stone pelting, but with dialogue."

He said the youth of the state need to decide that they will not pick up stone but will pick up pen and conquer the world. He also appealed to the countrymen not to criticise those who are on the wrong path.

"If you think that some J&K youth have gone astray, please do not criticise them. Instead, you can convince them with love and dialogue and bring them on the right path," he said. 26-year-old Wani is currently serving as a junior engineer in Udhampur.

PTI

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Story first published: Wednesday, September 28, 2016, 13:29 [IST]
Maneka Gandhi lauds Khattar govt for improvement in child sex ratio in Haryana

India

oi-PTI

Bhiwani (Har), Sep 27 Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi today praised the Manohar Lal Khattar led-BJP government in Haryana for improvement in the state's child sex ratio.

Addressing a convocation function of a women's college here, Gandhi lauded the state government for improving the child sex ratio from 830/1000 to 910 this year after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' campaign from Panipat in January last year.

Khattar had recently said that Haryana had lowest child sex ratio in the country as per census 2011, but that it had now crossed the benchmark SRB of 900 for the first time in December 2015.

During her address, Gandhi touched upon the initiatives taken by the Narendra Modi government to assist women in cases of crime against them.

"17 centres have been opened so far to assist women in cases of crime against them. Nearly 200 women have been coming with their issues at each centre daily," she said adding that the Centre was serious about issues related to women's safety.

Speaking on a new safety feature 'in-built system of panic button on mobiles for women's safety', the Union minister said the feature will be available on cell phones from January next year.

"There would be panic button safety features on cell phones, which women can use in case of any threat of molestation or any such incident.It will alert the nearest police station beside alerting other cell phone users near the victim about the potential threat to her," she said.

PTI
MFN: India likely to move WTO before stripping Pakistan of status

News

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

India is likely to move the World Trade Organisation first before it withdraws the Most Favoured Nation status accorded to Pakistan. India is likely to move the World Trade Organisation and say that Pakistan has not reciprocated India's grant of MFN.

Following this India is likely to tell the WTO that it would be withdrawing the MFN status accorded to Pakistan in the year 1996.

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi will be convened on Thursday on this issue. This is part of India's strategy to build up pressure on Pakistan following the Uri attack.

While this is not the first time that India has decided to approach the WTO, officials say that this time around the issue is serious. India is doing everything it can to isolate Pakistan. The meeting regarding the Indus Water Treaty was also a step in that direction, officials also say.

India says that the MFN status granted by it to Islamabad in 1996 has not been reciprocated.

Pakistan has always been apprehensive of according MFN status to India calling it an enemy nation. Pakistan has also said that its industry has opposed any such move as their business interests could be hurt by Indian goods. Pakistan however came up with the Non-Discriminatory Market Access agreement due to lack of trust with India.

What is MFN about?

MFN is accorded to a trade partner which will ensure non-discriminatory trade. WTO rules state that a member country cannot discriminate between its trade partners. If the government today decides to revise the MFN status, then it would shut down trade with Pakistan.

The MFN status is considered to be beneficial for developing nations as it gives accesss to a wider market for trade goods. It leads to more competitive trade. There would be access to a wider market, reduced cost of export items due to reduced tarrifs and trade barriers.

On the downside, the country will have to hand out the same all trade partners who are members of the WTO. This could result in a price war and the country will not be able to protect the domestic industry from cheaper imports.
News Flash: No exchange of sweets at Wagah Border on Diwali

News Flash: Narendra Modi celebrates Diwali with jawans of the ITBP

News Flash: Compensation announced for family of security guard killed by SIMI men

News Flash: MK Stalin's car met with an accident in Tamil Nadu

News Flash: Govt of India has to respect its soldiers, says Rahul Gandhi

News Flash: Cauvery row: Karnataka Cabinet decides not to release water for now

India

oi-Staff

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Sept 28: Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan have pulled out of SAARC Summit to be hosted in Pakistan in November. The countries have sighted their concern over recent escalation of terrorism in the region as their reason for pulling out.

Get all the latest news updates of the day:

1: 30 am: Three injured in South Carolina school shooting, suspect in custody: AFP

1:00 pm: House collapsed in Ajmeri Gate area of Delhi, one dead

12:40 am: West Bengal: Boat capsized in Mahananda River in Malda today with 15 people, all were later rescued.

12:15 am: Afghan,Bangladesh,Bhutan&India conveyed inability to participate in SAARC bcoz of current environment, we've taken it seriously: Nepal MoFA

11:45 pm: Nepal Govt urges that a conducive environment be created soon to ensure participation of all member states in 19th SAARC summit: Nepal MoFA

11:30 pm: Jharkhand: Police arrested two naxals in Palamu today, recovered arms and ammunition from them.

10:45 pm: Wrong to say that all 116 deaths (in Bhopal) happened due to malnutrition. CMHO didn't say this: MP Health Minister Rustam Singh

10:15 pm: US Senate votes to override Obama's 9/11 bill veto: AFP

9:55 pm: Indus waters treaty benefits both India and Pakistan, but Jammu and Kashmir faces losses. Want compensation: J&K CM

9:45 pm: U.N. chief: war crimes in Aleppo.

9:15 pm: EAM Sushma Swaraj arrives in Delhi after her UNGA speech in New York.

8:50 pm: Three women Naxals were killed in an encounter with security forces in Sukma.

8:30 pm: Kerry threatens to cut off all contacts with Russia over Syria, unless Russian and Syrian bombardment of Aleppo ends.

7:50 pm: DRI foils attempt to smuggle out 477 highly endangered species of turtles in Tamil Nadu.

7:25 pm: ED attaches assets worth Rs3 cr of Mahat Chandra Talukdar,ex-Dy Conservator of Forests Dhemaji in case involving corruption in Forest Dept.

7:20 pm: Ukraine says MH17 probe proves Russia's 'direct involvement'.

7:12 pm: CBI achieved first breakthrough in Embraer deal. USD 5.5 million were paid by M/S Embraer to a middleman based at abroad: CBI Sources.

6:47 pm: SAARC Summit will be postponed since 4 nations have decided to not attend SAARC Summit in Islamabad, there's no other way: Vikas Swarup, MEA

SAARC rule position is very clear, any one head of state or Govt decides not to participate in SAARC Summit, it has to be postponed: Swarup  ANI (@ANI_news) September 28, 2016

6:40 pm: PM chairs 15th meeting of #PRAGATI Platform; reviews handling of grievances related to income tax.

6:30 pm: Tomorrow I will be in New Delhi for a meeting with Uma Bharti. I will brief her about the ground realities says Siddaramaiah. Today at the Cabinet we have decided to postpone the release of water. Next step after tomorrow's meeting, he further said.

6:28 pm: Cauvery row: I held an all party meeting today. All were of the opinion including the BJP and the the JD(S) that there is a resolution in the assembly to release water only for drinking purposes. Since there is a resolution in place and a meeting scheduled for tomorrow, it would be better to postpone the release of the water, it was stated at the all party meet.

Tomorrow I will be in New Delhi for a meeting with Uma Bharti. I will brief her about the ground realities says Siddaramaiah.

6:23 pm: Cauvery row: Tomorrow at 11.30 AM the meeting of the two CMs with the centre will take place in New Delhi.

6:20 pm: Cabinet meet on Cauery ends.

6:10 pm: BJP president Amit Shah to chair meet to review Kashmir strategy: Sources.

5.54 pm: It contains allegations against certain CBI officials in connection with the on-going bribery investigation against B.K.Bansal & others: CBI.

5.34 pm: GST will help improve Competitive Index as well as ease of doing business: Shaktikanta Das (Secratary, Economic Affairs).

5.15 pm: India has jumped 32 positions in the last two years in Competitive Index: FM Arun Jaitley.

5.00 pm: PM Modi went to Lahore, why? For us because he understood the importance of improved relations between India-Pakistan: J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti.

4.45 pm: Have received purported hand written notes of B.K.Bansal, then DG(Ministry of Corporate Affairs) and his son from Delhi Police today, says CBI.

4.31 pm: Didn't find anything or anyone suspicious here but we need to search some more areas to clear the doubts, says Pathankot SSP Rakesh Kaushal.

4.14 pm: Supreme Court has asked Sahara Chief Subrata Roy's lawyer to give a roadmap on how will they pay approx Rs 12,000 crore to SEBI.

4.13 pm: Supreme Court extends interim parole of Subrata Roy till October 24th and asked him to deposit Rs 200 crore within that time.

4.01 pm: SC orders that till disposal of both marines' plea in arbitration court, both Salvatore Girone and marine Latorre will stay in Italy.

3.56 pm: BJP President Amit Shah addressing a rally in Mathura (Uttar Pradesh).

3.47 pm: SC directs Centre to submit reports every three months on the progress of jurisdiction case at international tribunal.

3.46 pm: Italian Marines matter: SC orders that till disposal of both marines' plea in arbitration court,Sergeant Salvatore Girone will stay in Italy

3.12 pm: 5 Naxals arrested by police during search operations in Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh.

3.11 pm: Have asked the Health Dept to probe into the matter. Necessary arrangements should have been made: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Katihar incident.

3.10 pm: Security tightened outside Chandrakeshwar Prasad (petitioner in Mohd Shahabuddin's case) residence.

3.00 pm: Anganwadi workers protest rally towards HP Secretariat, demand hike in wages, regularisation and equal scale as given by Haryana Govt in Shimla.

2.59 pm: Cabinet approves Rs. 111.59 crore financial assistance for Retired employees of Bharat Pumps and Compressors Limited, Allahabad.

2.50 pm: Cabinet gives ex-post facto approval to Varistha Pension Bima Yojana, 2003 and Varistha Pension Bima Yojana, 2014.

2.45 pm: Cabinet approves closure of Hindustan Cables Limited, Kolkata.

2.30 pm: Cabinet approves implementation of Rs. 2,256 crore Project 'SAKSHAM', a New Indirect Tax Network of CBEC : Prakash Javadekar on GST.

2.15 pm: Cabinet to pay 78 days' Productivity Linked Bonus for 2015-16 to eligible Group 'C' and 'D' Railway Employees: Prakash Javadekar.

2.10 pm: Cabinet approves ratification of Paris Agreement (COP 21), to take place on Oct 2: Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister.

2.05 pm: Afghan official says 13 civilians killed in airstrike on residential building; US military says it is investigating (Source: AP).

1.47 pm: Aam Aadmi Party workers hold protest against Congress MP Shadi Lal Batra (booked on rape charges) outside his residence.

1.34 pm: Congress VP Rahul Gandhi's roadshow in Bareilly (UP).

1.23 pm: NHRC notice to the Government of Madhya Pradesh over reported deaths of 116 children due to malnutrition in Sheopur district.

1.21 pm: Lawyer Prashant Bhushan tells SC "if Mohd Shahabuddin would be out on bail, then the witness' life would be in danger".

1.16 pm: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Bajrang Dal write letter to Bangalore police to not allow Pak singer Shafqat Amanat Ali to perform on Sept 30.

1.05 pm: Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal write letter to Bangalore police to not allow Pak singer Shafqat Amanat Ali to perform on Sept 30.

1.03 pm: Pak cant just approach the World Bank and try to leap over the structures established under the treaty, says Salman Haider (Former Foreign Secretary).

12.57 pm: Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley old the moment they get reports frm State govts,central team will go and make assessment and give the support required to both states, says Naidu.

12.49 pm: On one side drought-prone areas received rain and most of reservoirs & tanks got filled up but at same time standing crops were lost: V Naidu.

12.48 pm: Surveyed flood-hit Andhra Pradesh &Telangana portions y'day; water is receding,but damage is extensive for farmers, says Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu.

12.37 pm: Cabinet meeting at 2 PM on Cauvery issue today.

12.31 pm: Local criminals attempt to loot a car in Kanjhawala area of Delhi. One robber shot, others fled away with the looted car. Search op on.

12.30 pm: The JD(S) advises Chief Minster not to release water to Tamil Nadu today. Leaders say let us wait for the outcome of the meeting of the two states with the centre.CM says that he will take a decision in the Cabinet meet.Leaders say that the resolution of the house is more important.

12.29 pm: Lodha panel report said BCCI defied SC orders. SC said "You (BCCI) are behaving like Lords. Fall in line else we will make you fall in line."

12.20 pm: We'd still like to continue with SAARC process and hope there'll be change & Pak comes to the path of co-op instead of contradict'n: S Muazzem.

12.19 pm: When attacks happen in Syria & Paris then Pak artistes who get work and respect in India tweet sympathy but nothing on Uri attacks?: MNS.

12.16 pm: Wal-Mart In Talks To Invest Up To 1 Billion dollar In Flipkart.

12.06 pm: We dont have anything against individual actors, but you cant separate art and the nation. Country first: Amey Khopkar, MNS.

12.04 pm: President Pranab Mukherjee visits Kedarnath Temple, Harish Rawat also present at Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand.

12.00 pm: President Mukherjee arrives at Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand.

11.48 am: After Uri, we believe situation is not conducive to holding the Summit, says Syed Muazzem (Bangladesh High Commissioner To India) on SAARC Summit.

11.47 am: Its a setback, but Pak is a part of the region and has to contribute to regional harmony, says Syed Muazzem (Bangladesh High Commissioner To India).

11.45 am: SC gives BCCI time till October 6 to respond to the Lodha panel's report accusing board of stalling reforms at every step.

11.40 am: MP Govt waives off 20% entertainment tax on India-New Zealand match ticket; match is in Indore on 8th Oct.

11.30 am: Told the doctors that we don't have money to take the body to Bhagalpur; they didn't provide us with an ambulance: Grandfather.

11.20 am: Initially they said postmortem will be done here, but after keeping body for more than 24 hrs, doc asked us to take it to Bhagalpur, says Relative.

11.19 am: Katihar (Bihar): 3 people carry dead relative in plastic bag after they allegedly didn't get ambulance to take his body to Bhagalpur for postmortem

11.13 am: The panel pleaded to the CJI for an early hearing to which Chief Justice Of India said "we will hear the matter"

11.11 am: Panel in its report said that the BCCI is not implementing its recommendations, & recommended measures for improving functioning of BCCI.

11.06 am: Fodder scam: SC adjourns the matter till November 10.

11.00 am: Income tax raids in offices of Adven Tyres & Punjab Jewellers in Bhopal & Indore.

10.58 am: Lodha panel submits it's report on BCCI in SC

10.57 am: One jawan dead, three injured in an explosion caused by Naxalites in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh.

10.37 am: Lucknow (UP): CM Akhilesh Yadav flags off Kokrajhar (Assam) to Jammu and Kashmir 'Sadbhavana Cycle Yatra'

10.28 am: Kanpur (UP): Truck rams into the boundary wall of the headquarter of 32nd battalion ITBP; Driver and cleaner held and being questioned.

10.15 am: Due to increased level of violence, fighting as result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, Pres. of Afghanistan with his responsibilities as Commander in Chief will be engaged, & will not be able to attend SAARC Summit - Afghanistan to SAARC Chair Nepal: Sources

10.14 am: Supreme Court extended the parole of Subrata Roy for a week. Court to hear bail cancellation matter later today.

10.10 am: Udaipur: ABVP stages protest at Techno India NJR Institute of Technology after some Kashmiri students allegedly raised anti-national slogans

10.02 am: Bangalore: All party meeting to discuss further step after SC order on #CauveryIssue begins

9.53 am: More than 250 people who were trying to forcefully enforce a shutdown have been detained in three subdivisions: DM Darjeeling

9.51 am: Situation peaceful in Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) area (WB), administration on alert.

9.45 am: The attackers hit me, my wife and my kids. They took away all the utensils, clothes and jewellery: Victim's father

9.43 am: There were 12-13 ppl. When we started running, they caught hold of our daughter & took her away. We found her after 30 mins: Victim's father

9.42 am: Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh): Unidentified armed dacoits gang-raped a 12-year-old girl after looting her family.

9.41 am: Pakistan approaches World Bank and urges them to stop Indian projects on the Neelum and Chenab Rivers: Pak Media (Dawn News)

9.40 am: Awami League protested outside Pak High Commission in London yesterday against Pakistan's interference in Bangladesh's internal affairs.

9.07 am: Bhutan joins other SAARC countries in conveying inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances: Sources

9.06 am: Bhutan shares concerns of some of SAARC countries on deterioration of regional peace & security due to terrorism: Sources

9.04 am: Bhutan expresses concern over recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which seriously compromises environment for (contd): Sources

9.03 am: We're artists so we'll talk about love & peace, but govt must make decisions about law & who's allowed to work and who isn't: Saif Ali Khan

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha protests against WB CM, called for a shutdown in Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) area (Darjeeling, WB) pic.twitter.com/Yeewuh8r60  ANI (@ANI_news) September 28, 2016

9.03 am: Film industry is open to world's talents, especially across borders, but govt has to decide these things: Saif Ali Khan on Pak artists issue

8.55 am: Shopian, J&K: Youth named Wasim Ahmad Khanday snatches an AK-47 Rifle along with 30 Rounds from a PSO of ex MLC Abdul Rehman Tukroo (CPI)

8.45 am: Head-on collision between two cars leaves 5 dead and 2 injured in Assam's Morigaon district.

8.30 am: In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad: Sources

8.30 am: Bangladesh remains steadfast in its commitment to regional co-op but believes these can only go frwd in more congenial atmosphere: Sources

8.30 am: Growing interference in internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created environment not conducive to successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016 - Bangladesh: Sources

8.03 am: 112 supporters were arrested by police in various places of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) area (WB)

7.46 am: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah took an aerial survey in flood affected areas in Gulbarga (27.09.16)

7.45 am: Israel's former president Shimon Peres has died aged 93: Israel Media

7.30 am: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha observes 12 hours shutdown in Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) area, protesting against WB CM.

7.10 am: Cabinet meeting to take place today at 11 AM.

7.10 am: Hearing on cancellation of bail plea of Mohammad Shahabuddin in SC today

OneIndia News
'Derogatory remarks' on women: Yati Narsinghanand to be released from jail today

No ban on animal slaughter in Haridwar on Bakr Eid: HC

Video of group dancing and twerking to 'Kala Chasma' at Haridwar temple goes viral, netizens demand action

Pranab Mukherjee pays obeisance at Kedarnath shrine

India

oi-PTI

Dehradun, Sept 28 President Pranab Mukherjee today paid obeisance at the Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand on the second day of his three-day visit to the hill state.

Accompanied by Governor K K Paul and Chief Minister Harish Rawat, the President spent about an hour at the temple offering prayers and taking a round of it, Sri Badrinath-Sri Kedarnath Mandir Samiti CEO V D Singh said.

The President also took stock of the reconstruction work carried out at Kedarnath which bore the brunt of the June 2013 calamity.

It was the President's first visit to the centuries-old shrine after assuming office.

Two of his proposed visits to the temple in the past were cancelled due to bad weather conditions.

Mandir Samiti chairman Ganesh Godiyal welcomed the President by offering him eleven Brahmakamals (a variety of lotus) and a replica of the idol of Kedarnath, the mandir Samiti official said.

Godiyal led the President into the sanctum sanctorum of the temple where he offered prayers.

The Governor, the Chief Minister and Mandir Samiti officials showed the President around to give him an idea of the reconstruction work carried out at the temple and nearby areas.

Mukherjee returned to Dehradun at around 10.30 AM and headed straight to Ashiana, the President's retreat in the city where he will stay for the duration of his visit, which is scheduled to conclude tomorrow after he witnesses a Ganga Aarti on the banks of the Ganga at Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar.

PTI
Tamil Nadu: Check the list of special trains operating from Chennai this Diwali

Tamil Nadu to distribute 5.36 lakh laptops in 2016-17

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Chennai, Sep 28: The Tamil Nadu government will supply around 5.36 lakh laptops during the 2016-17 academic year under its scheme to provide free laptops to students, state Information Technology (IT) Minister M. Manikandan said on Wednesday.

The AIADMK government, during its previous five-year term, had supplied around 32.35 lakh free laptops to the students, he said.

He was speaking at the 'Connect 2016', an annual conference and exhibition on information and communication technology (ICT), organised here by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

On the e-governance initiatives of the state government, Manikandan said 10,486 e-seva centres are functioning in the state to enable people to use online facility for getting birth/death certificates and others.

The minister said that during a global investors meet last year, Rs 10,950 crore investments in the IT sector was attracted.

According to Kris Gopalakrishnan, one of the founders of Infosys, the Indian IT sector is growing at 10 per cent per annum and has the potential to create a large number of jobs.

He said the sector is expected to add around one lakh jobs.

Vijay K. Thadani, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of NIIT Ltd., said digitisation is the next wave of specialisation and the education system should focus on this area.

He said many IT companies are now reskilling their workforce in digital technology.

IANS


Uri attack- Arrested guides reveal infiltration is a business for them

News

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The two guides arrested by the National Investigation Agency have told their interrogators that apart from the Uri attackers, they have helped many more infiltrate into India from Pakistan.

On Tuesday, foreign secretary of India, S Jaishankar handed over proof to Pakistan about the country's involvement in the Uri attack in which 18 soldiers were martyred. The National Investigation Agency arrested two persons for helping the four terrorists cross over into India.

The two guides Faisal Hussain Awan, 20, and Ahsaan Khursheed, 19 were apprehended by the villagers and later handed over to the security forces. During investigation they said that they had helped in many more infiltrations. They also identified one of the four terrorists as Hafeez Ahmed and said that he was a resident of Dharbang in Muzzafarabad.

Both the guides too are residents of Muzzafarabad. They say that some members of the Jaish-e-Mohammad had told them to help the four terrorists infiltrate into India. After the attack, they however stayed on Uri. Officials suspect that they have stayed on to help more terrorists infiltrate.

On Tuesday, India's Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar delivered a strong message and proof to Pakistan regarding its role in the Uri attacks. Jaishankar who called in Pakistan High Commisioner in India, Abdul Basit told him that continued cross border terrorism and attacks from Pakistan is unacceptable.

Jaishankar informed Basit that tr ongoing investigation into the Uri attacks had revealed that the two guides who helped the terrorists had been apprehended by the local villagers.

Further Basit was also told that preliminary investigations had revealed that one of the attackers went by the name Hafiz Ahmed who is the son of Firoze a resident of Dharbhang in Muzzafarabad. Basit was also informed that the handlers had been identified as Mohammad Kabir Awan and Basharat.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, September 28, 2016, 9:18 [IST]
Watch: PM Modi holds massive roadshow in Shimla to mark 8 years of his govt

Next rap on Pakistan's knuckles: MFN status

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

New Delhi, Sept 28: Modi Government has decided to review the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status given to Pakistan in the wake of recent uri attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Sources say that India is weighing all its options how to move forward in this direction. India may drag Pakistan to WTO over the issue.

The option of dragging pakistan to WTO could be discussed in the meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday to review MFN status to Pakistan.

The Prime Minister has already chaired a review meeting of 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty during which it was decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water sharing pact.

Know all about MFN status to Pakistan.

What experts are saying?

Withdrawal of Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status by India is likely to hurt Pakistani industries as it might stop flow of raw materials at competitive prices, experts say.

Rakesh Mohan Joshi who is international trade expert with Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) said, "Pakistans's industry will squeeze if India decides to withdraw the status. Diplomatically it will be a good step to isolate Pakistan".

"Their industry will face issues if India stops these exports. Their cost of manufacturing will go up," FIEO Director General Ajay Sahai said.

However, another expert said withdrawal of the MFN status would be a knee-jerk reaction and trade issues should not be involved in these circumstances.

MFN status and WTO rules

The MFN status was accorded to Pakistan in 1996 under WTO's General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).

Both India and Pakistan are signatories to this which means they have to treat each other and rest of WTO member countries as favoured trading partners.

According to WTO rules, India can roll back the MFN status from Pakistan.

As per the global trade norms, member countries of the WTO are required to give non-discriminatory market access as part of the MFN status to each other.

According to Article XXI of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), a WTO member country can take trade actions for the protection of its essential security interests.

India's exports to Pak (In number)

In 2015-16, India's exports to Pakistan stood at USD 2.17 billion, while imports were USD 441 million.

India's exports to the neighbouring country worked out to 0.83 per cent of the total Indian outward shipments while imports were 0.13 per cent of the total inward shipments.

Pakistan has yet not given MFN status to India

India granted the MFN status to Pakistan in 1996 but Pakistan is yet to reciprocate to that.

The neighbouring country has missed its own deadline of December 2012 for giving India this tag.

Pakistan is postponing grant of Non-Discriminatory Market Access (NDMA) or MFN status due to lack of consensus at home.

What India exports to Pakistan

Exporters body Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) said that India mainly exports inputs to Pakistani industry such as basic chemicals and cotton, which is vital for their industry.

India's main exports include sugar, cotton, man-made filaments, chemicals, carpets, furniture fresh fruits and vegetables while its imports comprise mineral fuels, precious stones, wooden handicrafts among others.

WTO's option

India, sources said, may look at the option to file a case at the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism against Pakistan as the neighbour has not yet extended this status to India.

Modi government is likely to tell the WTO that it would be withdrawing the MFN status accorded to Pakistan in the year 1996.

It is being said that this is part of India's strategy to build up pressure on Pakistan following the Uri attack.

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Story first published: Wednesday, September 28, 2016, 17:57 [IST]
From being a victim of terrorism to exploring global solutions: India praised at UN's Counter Terrorism meet

India asks S Korea to help in getting NSG membership

International

oi-PTI

Seoul, Sep 28: South Korea, the current chair of NSG, should reach out to the member countries, to help India get early membership of the grouping, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said today as she met her counterpart here.

Mahajan, who is leading Parliamentary delegation to South Korea, also discussed issues related to terrorism and other matters during her meeting with Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea Chung Sye-Kyun here.

She thanked South Korea for its support to Indias candidature for the membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

As Korea is the current chair of NSG, Mahajan sought greater support from the country in reaching out to the Participating Governments (PGs) in the NSG to lead to an early membership for India, said a statement issued by the Lok Sabha secretariat.

She noted that the two countries have been working together in regional and multilateral fora on this issue and other key issues including disarmament, climate change and sustainable development.

Mahajan said that India and South Korea share common concerns in fight against international terrorism. Mentioning that during Prime Minister Modi's successful visit in May 2015 Indo-South Korean ties had upgraded to 'Special Strategic Partnership', Mahajan observed that Special Strategic Partnership had deepened.

NSG membership priority for India: MEA

She further said that India looks forward to forging new partnerships with Korea in areas of common interest. She invited investors and entrepreneurs from Korea to join Indian counterparts in the "Make in India initiative and said that Korea could be valuable partner in India's programmes for skill development, Digital India, Smart Cities, etc.

She felt that India's highly skilled young manpower, huge market and strength in IT software combined with Korean technology, industrial experience and capital was a winning combination.

PTI
India's steel industry now 2nd biggest, target is to double crude steel output in 10 years: PM Modi

Fact Check: Rishi Sunak never said India needs a PM like Manmohan Singh

From being a victim of terrorism to exploring global solutions: India praised at UN's Counter Terrorism meet

India to invest $2 bn in Sri Lanka in 4 years: Nirmala Sitharaman

International

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Colombo, Sep 28 India will invest up to $2 billion in Sri Lanka over the next four years in a variety of sectors including real estate, energy and infrastructure, visiting Indian Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Tuesday.

"In the next two to four years, the total investment interests will rise to $2 billion," Sitharaman told reporters here at the end of her three-day visit to the island nation.

India is Sri Lanka's largest trading partner and both countries are considering a broader bilateral trade agreement.

After meeting here with Sri Lankan Minister of international Trade Malik Samarawickrema and other officials, Sitharaman said that Sri Lanka's decision to scrap a joint venture coal power plant project will not deter India's future investment plans in the country.

"India understands Sri Lanka's need to move from coal power to more renewable power generation sources," she told reporters.

The proposed Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) and issues concerning the existing free trade agreement (FTA) between India and Sri Lanka were discussed in these talks.

"We have been meeting the business chambers to assess their concerns," she said referring to her discussions.

Samarawickrema said the ETCA is expected to open up a market of 1.25 billion people in India.

Both ministers said the negotiations on ETCA were reaching the final stage and both sides want to see it happening "as soon as possible".

"It was noted that the second round of negotiations for the ETCA is scheduled to take place in New Delhi on September 29-30, 2016," the Indian finance ministry said in a release from New Delhi.

IANS
Indian eye-care provider screens 600,000 cases over 6 years in Africa

International

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Accra, Sep 28 Headquartered in Bengaluru, Dr Agarwal's Eye Hospital has over the past six years screened about 600,000 cases across 15 countries in Africa and conducted over 50,000 operations, its Managing Director, Sundaresan Rajagopalan, has said.

"The cost of eye-care at our facility is just a fraction of the cost incurred by most Africans travelling abroad to receive care," Rajagopalan, who was here to open the hospital's 16th branch, told IANS.

The first Dr Agarwal's eye clinic in Africa was opened in Mauritius in 2010 and, since then, it has opened hospitals in East and Southern Africa, with Ghana being the first in the West African region.

Pointing to the demand and supply position, he said Mozambique, with a population of 15 million, has only eight doctors, while Ghana, with a population of 25 million, has only 80 eye specialists. "Agarwal Eye Hospital is just coming to provide a needed service that is lacking in these countries."

In addition, Rajagopalan said, their presence in Africa is also to bring highly-skilled Indian specialists to associate with the local doctors and train them. "We are also sponsoring two doctors, one each from Zambia and Mozambique, for training in India."

A part of the company's corporate social responsibility, he said, Agarwal Eye Hospital is offering to operate 100 cataract cases in Ghana and a similar number in other selected African countries.

At the ceremony to inaugurate the facility here, Chairman Amar Agarwal said: "Our aim is to provide world-class eye-care services to Ghana and her neighbouring countries."

He said advanced diagnostics and eye-care treatment with optical facility ensures comprehensive treatment and saves time, money and the stress of travelling to other countries for retinal treatment, hi-tech cataract surgeries, glaucoma management and paediatric eye care.

Ghanian Health Minister Alex Segbefia said: "We are looking forward to many Indian hospitals to come with their manpower investment and their experience in running hospitals to establish their set-ups and treat our people."

IANS
Saarc summit scrapped: It's terrorist state Pakistan vs the rest of South Asia!

International

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Highlights

India: We remain steadfast in our commitment to Saarc, but believe summits can be held only in an atmosphere free of terror.

Bangladesh: Growing interference in our internal affairs by one country has created an environment not conducive to holding summit

Afghanistan cites "increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan" for cancelling its participation.

Bhutan cites "the recent escalation of terrorism in the region" as the reason for its non-participation.

It's terrorist state Pakistan vs the rest of South Asia! India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan -- four of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)'s eight members -- have scrapped the Islamabad summit of the 30-year-old South Asian grouping, with anger over Pakistan's continued use of terrorism as a tool of foreign policy boiling over after the terrorist attack in Uri in Jammu & Kashmir last week in which 18 Indian soldiers died.

[Islamabad Saarc Summit likely to be called off]

Sources in Nepal, the current Saarc chair, confirmed having received messages from the four countries conveying their inability to attend the summit due in Islamabad on November 9-10.A final decision on officially cancelling the summit will be made by Saturday when its current general secretary Arjun Bahadur Thapa returns from his US visit.

Saarc operates by consensus and therefore requires all members to attend the summit meeting for its decisions to be adopted. While for India, the decision of the other neighbours -- news is now coming in that Nepal, too, has decided not to attend the meeting; Sri Lanka has already said a Saarc summit without India is meaningless -- is vindication of its strategy to isolate Pakistan over terrorism, the other South Asian countries, victims of Pakistan-sponsored extremist ideology and terrorism, are virtually reading out the riot act to Islamabad, or rather to Rawalpindi, where Pakistan's army is headquartered.

[Isolating Pak- Round one completed as SAARC summit has to be called off]

India on Tuesday announced that it was pulling out of the Islamabad summit in the wake of the September 18 cross-border terror attack on an Indian Army base in Uri town of Jammu and Kashmir, which New Delhi has blamed on terrorists based in Pakistan.

India said increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Saarc member-states "by one country" have created an environment that was not conducive to holding the regional summit.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said India had conveyed to Nepal its decision not to attend the summit.

"India remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in an atmosphere free of terror. In the prevailing circumstances, the Government of India is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad," he said.

Pakistan has termed the boycott decision as "unfortunate"

In its message to Nepal on Tuesday, Afghanistan said that because of "increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the summit".

[India's Saarc pullout: US wants Pakistan to act against terrorists]

In a similar message to Nepal, Bangladesh said: "The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November 2016. Bangladesh, as the initiator of the Saarc process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad."

Bhutan, in its message, cited "the recent escalation of terrorism in the region" as the reason for its non-participation.

OneIndia News (with IANS inputs)
India wants to expand ties with Israel, says PM Modi

Peres one of few people who changed history: Barack Obama

In Pics: What made headlines across the world

Shimon Peres, former prime minister of Israel, dead at 93

International

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Jerusalem, Sep 28: Shimon Peres, former Israeli president and the nation's eldest statesman, passed away on Wednesday morning. He was 93.

Peres, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and one of Israel's founding fathers, died at a hospital outside Tel Aviv. He was hospitalised two weeks ago after suffering a major stroke, CBC News reported.

The elder statesman was put in a medically induced coma after significant bleeding in the brain. Doctors had said his condition was improving before he suffered a severe setback on Tuesday, ultimately ending in his death on Wednesday, the official government Israel News Agency reported.

One of the country's most admired leaders, Peres became a member of Israel's parliament in 1959.

Peres held virtually every senior political office in Israel over his seven-decade career, including three terms as prime minister as well as stints as foreign minister and finance minister.

He shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize for his work in reaching an interim peace agreement with the Palestinians, claiming it alongside late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israel's former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin.

Rabin was assassinated in 1995 by an Israeli ultra-nationalist who opposed the interim accords -- which never hardened into a lasting treaty -- and it was Peres who took over as prime minister after Rabin's death.

As president, a largely ceremonial office he won in 2007, he cultivated an image as the country's elder statesman and became a popular fixture at international conferences like the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Peres remained active since completing his seven-year term as president in 2014 and was one of the country's most popular public figures.

He often hosted public events at his peace centre, bringing together Arabs and Jews in efforts to promote peace and coexistence.

Lost a key world leader in Peres: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday condoled the death of former Israeli President Shimon Peres and said the world has lost a key leader and friend of India.

"In former President Shimon Peres, we lost a key world leader and a friend of India. Pained by his demise. Our condolences to people of Israel," Modi tweeted.

IANS
US Defense Secretary praises India for responsible nuclear behaviour, calls out Pakistan

International

oi-PTI

Washington, Sept. 28: India has generally shown responsible behavior with nuclear technology while Pakistan's history of nuclear weapons is entangled in tensions, a top US official has said. "The landscape of nuclear weapons have changed in the last 25 years," US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said yesterday in his remarks on "Sustaining Nuclear Deterrence" at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota.

Carter said while the US has not done much to boost its nuclear arsenal, other countries have added to it both in terms of the number of weapons and delivery options. He also praised India for showing responsible behaviour with its nuclear technology. "China also conducts itself professionally in the nuclear arena, despite growing its arsenal in both quality and quantity," Carter said.

Expressing concern over nuclear technology in North Korea, he said, "It is essential that the US maintains its nuclear deterrence." "America's nuclear deterrence is the bedrock of our security and the highest priority mission of the Department of Defence," he said.

Observing that Russia has long been a nuclear power, Carter said the country's recent saber-rattling and building of new nuclear weapons systems raises serious questions about its leader's commitment to strategic stability and their regard for long-established abhorrence of using nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations underscore that a diverse and dynamic spectrum of nuclear threats still exists, Carter said. "Deterrence must be credible, and extended to our allies in the region," he said, adding that Russia and North Korea are just two countries, though very different ones, that stand out in evolving nuclear landscape. "In Iran, their nuclear aspirations have been constrained and transparency over their activities increased by last year's nuclear accord, which, as long as it continues to be implemented, will verifiably prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon," he said.

It was Pakistan that seemed to worry the US defence secretary the most. "Pakistan's nuclear weapons are entangled in a history of tension, and while they are not a threat to the United States directly, we work with Pakistan to ensure stability," he said.

"We didn't build anything new for the last 25 years, but others did, including Russia, North Korea, China, India, Pakistan and for a period of time, Iran while our allies around the world, in Asia, the Middle East, and NATO, did not," he said, adding that "some nations are unfortunately creating new types of nuclear weapons", as much a reference to Pakistan, which the US has noted with concern is building tactical nuclear weapons, thus lowering the nuclear threshold in a confrontation with India, as to Vladimir Putin's Russia.

"This is about maintaining deterrence in a world very different from the Cold War as older systems become less effective, we are making sure we continue to preserve strategic stability," he said.

The US intends to invest $108 billion to sustain and recapitalise its nuclear force and associated strategic command, control communications and intelligence systems ranging from increased funding for manpower, equipment, vehicles, and maintenance to technological efforts that will help sustain its bomber fleet, Carter said. "These investments reflect how we are continuing to implement recommendations from the 2014 Nuclear Enterprise Reviews, which recognise that our country had under-invested in an aging force. "As a result, we have invested about USD 10 billion over the last two years to make improvements," he said.

PTI
At UNSC, US calls on world to tell Russia to stop its nuclear threats

US looks to accelerate deployment of SKorea missile defense

International

oi-PTI

Washington, Sep 28: The US intends to deploy a missile defense system in South Korea "as soon as possible" to counter the threat from North Korea despite opposition from China, the top US diplomat for East Asia has said.

Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel said yesterday he believes South Korea is firmly committed to the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD system.

He told a congressional hearing the system is purely defensive and is not aimed at China but at North Korea. The plans have complicated South Korea's efforts to foster warmer ties with China, which traditionally has had closer ties with North Korea, and have added to tensions between Washington and Beijing as well.

Beijing says the system's radar could reach into Chinese territory. Seoul and Washington began formal talks on THAAD earlier this year.

Russel did not specify when the deployment would happen, but said "given the accelerated pace of North Korea's missile tests, we intend to deploy on an accelerated basis, I would say, as soon as possible."

North Korea has conducted two nuclear test explosions this year, and the latest one, on September 9, was its largest to date, deepening worries that it is honing a capability to miniaturise a nuclear warhead. It has also conducted 22 ballistic missile test launches this year, the US says.

Yesterday's hearing of a House panel overseeing foreign policy toward Asia examined the state of cooperation South Korea and Japan close US allies that face a mutual threat from neighbouring North Korea but sharp historical differences.

Lawmakers welcomed signs of improved relations between them. But Republican Representative Mo Brooks of Alabama said that the US is heavily burdened by debt, and pressed Russel on whether a reduction in the billions that it spends on defending Japan and South Korea might compel them to be more self-sufficient and spend more on their own defense.

Russel conceded "it might have that effect," but argued it would have a very destructive impact on regional stability and would open the door to China asserting itself more.

The US has a total of nearly 80,000 troops based in Japan and South Korea, the backbone of its military presence in Asia. The Obama administration has sought to strengthen these and other alliances, in part to counter the rise of China in a region of growing economic importance.

AP
US threatens to end negotiations with Russia on Syria

International

oi-PTI

Washington, Sep 28: US Secretary of State John Kerry called his Russian counterpart today and warned him that Washington will end talks on the Syrian conflict unless Moscow halts the assault on Aleppo.

A State Department spokesman said Kerry told Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that plans to set up a joint US-Russia military cell to target jihadist groups in Syria would also be put on hold.

"He informed the foreign minister that the US is making preparations to suspend US-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria...unless Russia takes immediate steps to end the assault on Aleppo and restore the cessation of hostilities," spokesman John Kirby said.

Kerry and Lavrov have been leading international efforts to bring Syria's five-year-old civil war to an end, and on September 9 agreed to demand a ceasefire.

Moscow was to order its ally Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad to rein in his military and end the bombardment of civilian communities, and Washington was to persuade rebel forces to separate themselves from the jihadist Fateh al-Sham, the former Al-Qaeda affiliate once known as Al-Nusra Front.

US, Russia achieve 'clarity' on new Syrian truce

But fighting continued and the truce collapsed. The US-led coalition bombed a Syrian military base, saying later that it had been targeted in error by warplanes hunting the Islamic State group.

Three days later a UN aid convoy was hit in an air strike that Washington and its allies blamed on Russian and regime forces. Kerry and Lavrov, long-time sparring partners, traded blame for the failure in fierce exchanges at the UN Security Council last week, but each then said that the dialogue could continue.

In recent days, however, Assad's forces have launched a major offensive to seize the rebel-held eastern half of the city of Aleppo, where a quarter-of-a-million civilians are trapped. "Secretary Kerry expressed grave concern over the deteriorating situation in Syria, particularly for continued Russian and Syrian regime attacks on hospitals, the water supply network, and other civilian infrastructure in Aleppo," Kirby said.

"The secretary made clear the US and its partners hold Russia responsible for this situation, including the use of incendiary and bunker buster bombs in an urban environment, a drastic escalation that puts civilians at great risk," he said.

"The secretary stressed that the burden remains on Russia to stop this assault and allow humanitarian access to Aleppo and other areas in need."

AFP
White House praise: PM Modi 'Captain Courageous' on Climate Change

International

oi-PTI

Washington, Sept. 28: The White House has lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement that India will ratify the Paris agreement on climate change on October 2, calling it "another example of his courageous leadership".

"We welcome the actions from the Indian government. It is just another example of the courageous leadership that Prime Minister Modi has shown on this issue. And that's to his credit," the White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said on Tuesday. "He (Modi) recognises how important it is for India to be a leader in the international community on this issue. And he's making good on that priority, and he deserves a lot of credit for that...And I know that the President, when he met with Prime Minister Modi earlier this month in Laos, had an opportunity to thank him for his leadership on this issue."

India's ratification of the Paris agreement on climate change, which President Obama sees as his lasting legacy, is expected to bring the agreement closer to be being enforced. It can take effect only once 55 countries, representing 55 per cent of the world's greenhouse-gas emissions, ratify it. So far, 60 countries have done so, including the largest emitters, the US and China, fulfilling the first condition. India's ratification would bring it close to 52 per cent of the world's population, the World Resources Institute said.

"We have not put a firm deadline for ratification of the climate agreement, other than to say we expect the agreement to enter into force by the end of this calendar year. I don't know if it will be done by the first week in November," Earnest said when asked about the upcoming UN meet on climate change in Morocco in the first week of November. "However, as important as the Paris climate agreement is, and how significant it is that this agreement is going into effect within a year's time, it's only a starting point.

PTI
A Hindu-dominated village in West Bengal is not allowed to organise Durga Puja for three years. The reason behind this denial is that the Muslim families in the village have raised objections to Durga Puja.
A 12 year old girl was gangraped in Uttar Pardesh capital Lucknow by five men who took turns to assault her and pinning down her parents. The girl has been send to hospital where a medical test would be conducted to determine rape.
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by  Graham Pierrepoint



Many sitcoms  both in the US and the UK  have a habit of fading into distant memory after a few years away from our screens, and few have the staying power to become cult viewing. Unless you create a show on par with Friends, Cheers or Fawlty Towers  one which actively reinvents and revolutionizes the format  you may find that your project could become dated in next to no time at all. This has never really been a problem for Red Dwarf  a show which, despite having aired originally in 1988 and having gone through a number of production-related ups and downs  has retained a core fanbase alongside casual viewers who can still find its comedy standards easy to digest after all this time.

Red Dwarf is centered around the exploits of the last human left alive in the universe, his annoying bunkmate resurrected as a hologram, a life form evolved from a pet cat and an intelligent (if socially awkward) mechanoid, and has been running for over ten seasons  and the show, set in deep space aboard the mining craft Red Dwarf, has recently returned to UK screens following strong ratings and critical reception upon its revival two years prior. Prior to that, a three-part special was floated almost ten years after the original run ended  and for many people, its almost as if the boys from the Dwarf have never been away.

The show is unique in that it retains a sharp focus on science fiction and mainly plot-driven episodes, while its band of misfits aim to create laughs form the increasingly surreal circumstances they find themselves in. Despite so many years away, fans and critics alike were delighted with the opening two episodes  Twentica and Samsara  with some viewers claiming that the new stories demonstrated a return to form, which many believe to have peaked in the mid-1990s. Its great news for British broadcaster Dave, who picked up the series years after its initial run on the BBC.

Red Dwarf is now being produced by the Steve Coogan-associated company Baby Cow Productions, and also appears to be benefiting from a higher budget  but where now for the motley crew? While some may still be sure that the Dwarfs best days are behind it, there certainly seems to be enough interest to warrant the show to continue for the foreseeable future  and with a twelfth season due to hit our screens next year, the skys the limit!
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Bailey McCann, Opalesque New York:

Maitland, the Luxembourg based fund administration firm, has opened its second US office in New York. The move follows the opening of their Miami office earlier this year. The $280 billion fund services firm says its on an expansion trend and wants to become a dominate global player in the industry.

"Our business has evolved steadily over the past 40 years," Maitland CEO Steven Georgala tells Opalesque. "With our move into North America, we see an opportunity to extend into hedge funds, private equity and into the '40 Act space."

Maitland has grown into 16 offices located in 12 countries this year, which coincides with the observance of the companys 40-year anniversary. The company now has six offices in regions across the Americas, including the Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, Nova Scotia, and Richmond, Virginia. Maitland has served US-based clients through these offices, but Georgala says there was a growing demand in New York to have a specific base there. The firm has also been able to use its Miami office to expand business relationships with Latin American fund managers.

Scott Price, Maitlands North American Head of Business Development and Client Management will oversee the New York office along with his team of specialists including Chris Murphy as North America Business Development Manager, formerly of Stonegate Fund Administration and SS&C Technologies. North America Client Relationship Manager Jeff Rh......................

To view our full article Click here
Komfie Manalo, Opalesque Asia:

Credit hedge fund manager CQS Investment Management Ltd. is said lose its London-based portfolio manager Simon Finch, making him the latest executive of the firm to leave the company this year, reported Bloomberg.

Simon Finn, who led a unit buying distressed debt in Europe, is one of at least 12 people who have departed the $12bn hedge fund firm run my Michael Hintze.

Finn, who joined CQS in 2004, ran the Credit Multi Asset Fund. The long-only fund that was up 5.2% YTD through August (and up 3.6% in 2015).

Bloomberg reported in April that Christopher Callan, a foreign-exchange trader who moved to CQS from Moore Capital Management last year, loan trader Kashem Rahman, Leila Kotlar-Bouget, global head of client services, and money managers Simon Finn and Amir Kooros had left the firm.

CQS was founded in 1999 and trades asset-backed securities, credit, convertibles, loans and equities from offices in London, New York and Sydney.

Sir Michael Hintze told investors in August the macroeconomic backdrop for credit markets is "more concerning" than he'......................

To view our full article Click here
Reprinted from Consortium News

By most traditional standards of marshaled facts and detailed proposals, Hillary Clinton "won" the first presidential debate over a sometimes rattled and erratic Donald Trump, but perhaps her best decision was what she chose not to say: she steered clear of her most hawkish rhetoric that has unnerved the anti-war Democratic base.

Except for some relatively restrained comments about Russia's alleged role in hacking the Democratic National Committee's emails, Clinton didn't do what she has in some other venues, which is to engage in extreme Russia-bashing and to call for escalated U.S. military involvement in Syria.

In her last debate with Sen. Bernie Sanders, Clinton also continued to use hyperbole to justify her key role in the U.S.-backed "regime change" in Libya in 2011. Last April, she called the ousted, tortured and murdered Muammar Gaddafi "genocidal" to justify his fate -- when that was clearly untrue (as a recent British parliamentary report concluded).

Earlier this year before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Clinton promised to take the U.S.-Israeli relationship to "the next level." That and her courtship of American neoconservatives have driven a number of anti-war Democrats away from her candidacy. Her bellicose rhetoric has sounded to some of these usually reliable Democratic voters like fingernails on a chalkboard. On Monday night, Clinton chose not to annoy them again, at least as much.

She even cleverly went on the offensive against Trump for allegedly supporting the Iraq War, which she also supported as a U.S. senator in 2002 and backed until 2006 when she reversed herself in hopes of winning the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination.

Trump has claimed repeatedly that he opposed the Iraq War although some pre-war comments suggested otherwise. By raising the issue first, Clinton forced Trump onto the defensive and into a convoluted explanation of his position. Clinton's more substantive support for the disastrous war went largely unaddressed.

Clinton also got to skate away from her promotion of the Libyan "regime change" that has left that oil-rich country in north Africa in political chaos five years later and has given radical jihadists another foothold in the region.

Though largely ignored by the mainstream U.S. media, the British report and its blunt conclusions about Iraq-War-like deceptions on Libya could have become a damaging club to use against Clinton's diplomatic credentials and her trustworthiness. If pressed, would she continue to repeat the anti-Gaddafi exaggerations that were debunked by a bipartisan British parliamentary foreign policy committee?

Iran-Bashing

On Iran, Clinton even posed as the relative peace candidate by claiming a role in President Obama's diplomacy to ensure that Iran didn't develop a nuclear weapon, although her actual position was more hawkish than Obama's and more in line with Israel's desire to provoke another "regime change" in Tehran. Obama's diplomacy succeeded only after she left the job as secretary of state.



Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaking to the AIPAC conference in Washington D.C. on March 21, 2016.

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But Trump instead held to the tough-guy Republican position, denouncing the Iranian nuclear deal as a mistake, making himself look like the relative warmonger. For voters who are fed up with endless warfare and who are tired of Israel manipulating U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, Trump's belligerence on Iran didn't help with them.

Yet, whether Hillary Clinton's reticence on war talk represents a conscious decision or was simply driven by the dynamics of Monday's debate is unclear. She has seemed determined to ingratiate herself with Official Washington's neocons, apparently thinking that they are an influential opinion bloc or perhaps she is just one of them .

Whatever the outcome of the Nov. 8 election, there is little reason for celebration among Americans who want to pull back from the precipice of ever-wider and more dangerous wars.

Trump represents a wild card who favors negotiations with Russia and China but calls for an intensified war on "terrorism," including the reinstitution of torture and promises to "knock the hell" out of the Islamic State.

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Nuclear power protest in Derby, UK

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Supporters of nuclear power like to argue that nukes are the key to combatting climate change. Here's why they are dead wrong.

Every nuclear generating station spews about two-thirds of the energy it burns inside its reactor core into the environment. Only one-third is converted into electricity. Another tenth of that is lost in transmission. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists :

Every day, large reactors like the two at Diablo Canyon, California, individually dump about 1.25 billion gallons of water into the ocean at temperatures up to 20 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the natural environment .

Diablo's "once-through cooling system" takes water out of the ocean and dumps it back superheated, irradiated and laden with toxic chemicals . Many U.S. reactors use cooling towers which emit huge quantities of steam and water vapor that also directly warm the atmosphere.

These emissions are often chemically treated to prevent algae and other growth that could clog the towers. Those chemicals can then be carried downwind, along with radiation from the reactors. In addition, hundreds of thousands of birds die annually by flying into the reactor domes and towers .

The Union of Concerned Scientists states :

The temperature increase in the bodies of water can have serious adverse effects on aquatic life. Warm water holds less oxygen than cold water, thus discharge from once-through cooling systems can create a "temperature squeeze" that elevates the metabolic rate for fish. Additionally, suction pipes that are used to intake water can draw plankton, eggs and larvae into the plant's machinery, while larger organisms can be trapped against the protective screens of the pipes. Blocked intake screens have led to temporary shut downs and NRC fines at a number of plants.

And that's not all.

All nuclear reactors emit Carbon 14 , a radioactive isotope, invalidating the industry's claim that reactors are "carbon free." And the fuel that reactors burn is carbon-intensive. The mining, milling, and enrichment processes needed to produce the pellets that fill the fuel rods inside the reactor cores all involve major energy expenditures, nearly all of it based on coal, oil, or gas.

And of course there's the problem of nuclear waste. After more than a half-century of well-funded attempts, we've seen no solution for the management of atomic power's intensely radioactive waste. There's the "low-level" waste involving enormous quantities of troublesome irradiated liquids and solid trash that must be dealt with outside the standard civilian waste stream. And that handling involves fossil fuels burned in the process of transportation, management, and disposal as well

As for the high-level waste , this remains one of humankind's most persistent and dangerous problems. Atomic apologists have claimed that the intensely radioactive spent fuel rods can somehow be usable for additional power generation . But after a half-century of efforts, with billions of dollars spent, all attempts to do that have utterly failed. There are zero successful reactors capable of producing more reactor fuel than they use, or able to derive more energy from the tens of thousands of tons of spent fuel rods they create.

Some reactors, like Fukushima, use "mixed-oxide" fuels that have proven to be extremely dirty and expensive. It's possible some of this "MOX" fuel containing plutonium, actually fissioned at Fukushima Unit Three , raising terrifying questions about the dangers of its use. The mushroom cloud that appears on video as Fukushima Unit Three exploded stands as an epic warning against further use of these impossible-to-manage fuels.

The MOX facility under construction near Aiken, South Carolina , is now projected to require another ten years to build with another ten possible after that to phase into production. U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz said on September 13, 2016, at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace that the mismanaged project was "impossible" to carry out and that it could cost $30 billion to $50 billion. Even the current pro-nuclear Congress won't fully fund the project and the Department of Energy DOE continues to recommend abandoning it.

There are no credible estimates of the global warming damage done by the intensely hot explosions at the four Fukushima reactors, or at Chernobyl , or at any other past and future reactor meltdowns or blowups.

Atomic apologists argue that the disposal of high-level reactor wastes should be a relatively simple problem, lacking only the political will to proceed. The industry touts New Mexico's Waste Isolation Pilot Project , or WIPP, which has long been the poster child for military attempts to deal with high-level trash from the nuclear weapons program. Accepting its first shipment of waste in 1999, WIPP was touted as the ultimate high-tech, spare-no-expense model that proved radioactive waste disposal "can be done."

But a series of disastrous events in February, 2014, led WIPP to stop accepting wastes--the sole function for which it was designed. Most significant was the explosion of a single barrel of highly radioactive waste materials (it was mistakenly packed with organic rather than clay-based kitty litter). About a dozen WIPP workers were exposed to potentially harmful radiation. The entire facility remains closed. In a phone interview, facility management told me it may again accept some wastes before the end of this year. But at least part of the cavernous underground labyrinth may never be reopened. The Los Angeles Times estimated the cost of this single accident at $2 billion.

Overall, the idea that atomic power is "clean" or "carbon free" or "emission free" is a very expensive misconception , especially when compared to renewable energy, efficiency, and conservation. Among conservation, efficiency, solar and wind power technologies, there are no global warming analogs to the heat, carbon, and radioactive waste impacts of nuclear power. No green technology kills anywhere near the number of marine organisms that die through reactor cooling systems .

Rooftop solar panels do not lose ten percent of the power they generate to transmission, as happens with virtually all centralized power generators. S. David Freeman, former head of numerous large utilities and author of All Electric America: A Climate Solution and the Hopeful Future, says: "Renewables are cheaper and safer. That argument is winning. Let's stick to it."
Netanyahu's re-election in 2015 defied all up to the last minute statisticians' predictions. Recent publications and court filing allege massive election fraud through IT systems of the Central Election Commission. Over the past weekend -- data on the Commission's web site was inexplicably adulterated" Head of the government new Cyber Security Research Center refuses to comment... The entire affair again raises concerns regarding the nature of the regime.







Saturday, September 24, 2016 - screen prints from the Knesset Central Election Commission web site were published by activists, who routinely monitor the site. [i] Here: example from one polling station - the results of the 2013 general election for the 1

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OccupyTLV, September 26 - over the weekend, activists reported newly adulterated data on the Central Election Commission web-site. Recently, activists have been routinely monitoring and analyzing the data on the site, following claims of massive computer fraud in the 2015 general election. [ii]

Netanyahu's 2015 re-election as prime minister defied all up to the last minute statisticians' predictions. Recent publications claim fraud in the 2015 general election, allegedly perpetrated through IT systems of the Central Election Commission. [iii] The same claims were made in a petition, challenging the 2015 general election, which was summarily denied by the Israeli Supreme Court for lack of standing. [iv]

The vulnerability of the contemporary election polling to computer fraud is nothing new. In view of concerns regarding validity and security of US electronic voting machines, CalTech, Carnegie-Melon, and MIT computer science faculty engaged in research and published reports on the matter of their own volition. [v]



Prof Eli Biham, notable Israeli cryptographer and cryptanalyst, Head of the new, government funded Cyber Security Research Center refuses to publicly comment on patent failures in validity and security of IT systems of the Central Election Commission.

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In Israel, following the latest data adulteration, request has again been addressed to Professor Eli Biham, head the new, government sponsored Cyber Security Research Center in the Technion -- Israeli Institute of Technology (see the full text below) . The request has been copied to Professor Peretz Lavie, the Technion President, and Professor Wayne Kaplan, the Technion Executive VP for Research. Regardless of repeat requests, Professor Biham has so far adamantly refused to make any public comment on these matters... [vi]

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October Sky, Good Harbor Beach MA

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If the only advantage in preserving a status quo is to delay doing anything, the primary achievement will be to ensure the difficulties have been compounded. Shocking but true: Little if anything gets done when nothing is being done! That means more of us will be impacted by the consequences of political delay and/or neglect.



Cause-and-effect merits more consideration than it gets. All the more so in light of the steady stream of nonsense issuing from Donald Trump and his apologists.



On matters of significance outside of our own four walls, where facts actually matter a great deal--certainly much more so than seems the case when Trump is uttering his pseudo-authoritative pronouncements--what is the ultimate benefit to an individual or for the community at large if factual accuracy is not the objective in both the analysis and in the solutions?



An unwillingness to even consider that those on the opposite side of the cultural and political table might have sound, justifiable, and legitimate perspectives about the need for change, adaptation, or simply to increase awareness and understanding in a variety of situations does not prevent the inevitable, resulting harm from landing atop conservatives as well. Distractions, irrelevancies, dismissive conclusions, denials, and even wilder accusations employed as techniques of both persuasion and resistance are not without their own set of consequences.



How does the unwillingness to consider new information or perspectives--or to even inquire about how Trump actually proposes to make good on his bluster--merit greater and unquestioned loyalty than one's own well-being--now and in the future? We're presumably dealing with a lot of rational and intelligent adults, so how do the fears so much front and center in his every public utterance outweigh the risks of both asking how solutions will be implemented and/or pondering for even a moment the great body of reality and facts which clearly indicate he lies at just about every opportunity?



Is a political and cultural agenda guided largely by fears of and aversion to change in a world where changes are taking place every day a guarantee for anything other than more conflict and resistance? Is it possible that consideration of how to have a voice in how change takes place and what changes are best for us as a nation might actually be a better option than simply opposing policy because the other side proposed it, or blindly accepting nonsense?



No doubt the cards in America are stacked against progressive values. In a society that is culturally right of center, broadly anti-intellectual, and politically unsophisticated, the Far Right seeks and easily achieves power through the simple means of divisive appeals to popular fears and resentments. Meanwhile, those on the left are written off because their progressive approach to the issues is considered either soft-headed or 'socialistic,' and therefore un-American.



[B]eing on the side of empirical evidence and rationality has become a huge part of the liberal/Democratic brand.

For conservatives, not so much.



We don't have to dig too deeply into most of the Republican Party's obstruction and opposition to most proposals from President Obama to understand that opposition was driven not by principled objections--offering alternatives would be the obvious way to address that ... what a concept!--but by fears that a government doing well and offering beneficial assistance to millions invalidates the entirety of their mindless no-government philosophy. Trump has merely taken it all to a level devoid of even a hint of decency or integrity.



A "no government" philosophy won't ruffle too many of the 1%-ers, but as for the hundreds of millions of others who would soon discover what life is like when the sole objective of society is to continue to cater to the powerful, that's different, too. Won't that be fun!



Permanent overall improvement of the human condition" is the ideal, and our every effort to that end should already be the primary objective of our governments, our industries, our communities, and ourselves as individuals. We won't be getting there anytime soon, but does the realization that we'll never get to "perfect" mean we shouldn't take steps to continue heading in that direction by means indicating even a basic appreciation for truth and facts?



The "success" of those political, media, and cultural leaders in opposing or obstructing has a much shorter shelf-life than they may be anticipating, with a bigger price tag we'll all be forced to confront somewhere down the road. The can can only be kicked so far, and reality can be postponed only for so long.



Efforts to derail or at least divert the reality of an ever-changing world by adopting simpler assessments and policies serve only to cast supporters that much farther behind, requiring an even greater effort to control the reins of social and political progress. It won't work, for one thing. Creating or expanding conflict as a tactic reaps the only rewards protracted conflict can provide: more conflict.



All of us who are concerned for peace and triumph of reason and justice must be keenly aware of how small an influence of reason and honest good will exert upon events in the political field True, sadly. We could improve on that ... a choice.



So now what?



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Richard Turcotte Social Media Pages:

Looking Left and Right: Inspiring Different Ideas, Envisioning Better Tomorrows I remain a firm believer in late U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone's observation that "We all do better when we all do better." That objective might be worth pursuing (more...)



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Original here

By Adam Johnson



Debate moderator Lester Holt, asking a question that did not involve immigration, healthcare or student debt.

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Presidential debates do as much to illustrate corporate media priorities as they do to showcase the candidates. They provide a snapshot into what the media, in this case represented by NBC's Lester Holt, prioritizes as issues worthy of discussion.

A week before the debate, Comcast-owned NBC announced the topics, and one could already tell we weren't going to be in for a substantive evening: "Achieving prosperity," "America's direction" and "securing America." This generic approach led to a generic debate that focused mostly on horse-race disputes and vague, open-ended questions about taxes and jobs.

Holt didn't ask any questions about the following topics: poverty, abortion, climate change, immigration, healthcare, student debt, privacy, LGBTQ rights or drug policy. (NBC reported before the debate that abortion and immigration were two of the policy issues that voters were most interested in, as indicated by Google searches, along with the economy and police shootings.)

What was discussed: jobs, Trump's tax returns, who did or didn't support the Iraq War, raising taxes on the rich, race (framed mostly in a way that pandered to Trump's theme of a country in disarray), Russian cyberattacks, ISIS, Obama's birth certificate, Clinton's physical appearance and whether the candidates would accept the election results.

Obviously, a moderator can't cover every topic in a 90-minute debate, but one can hardly imagine a scenario where the candidates weren't asked to discuss taxes on the wealthy, ISIS and the specter of Russian cyberattacks -- topics, not coincidentally, the average person is rarely if ever affected by, but receive nonstop discussion on cable news and opinion sections. Holt even framed raising taxes on the wealthy -- whose share of national income has multiplied six-fold over the last 40 years -- as something Clinton had to "defend."

Total mentions from the moderator and the two candidates combined for ISIS were 24; Russia/Putin had 16 and Iran 19. Total mentions of abortion, poverty, health insurance, LGBTQ rights and voter suppression were zero. Climate change was only mentioned--once--because Clinton brought it up.

As FAIR (5/6/16) noted previously, in nine Democratic Party debates, there were no questions asked about poverty. As Think Progress (4/14/16) pointed out, there were also zero questions about abortion.

Issues specifically affecting the poor, LGBTQ people and women (aside from a question about Trump denying that Clinton had "a presidential look") continue to be overlooked. To the extent race was discussed, it was framed with the false parity of "race relations." Holt didn't ask Clinton, for example, how she would fight racism -- a word Holt never mentioned -- but instead asked her how she would "heal the divide." (In Holt's defense, he did press Trump on his racist "birther" campaign.)

The next debate will be on October 9, hosted by ABC's Martha Raddatz, a reporter noted for her closeness to military sources (FAIR Blog, 11/14/11).
UN humanitarian convoy truck destroyed in Aleppo, Syria

Could it be military "incidents" in Syria since late August are the precursors for a wider war between the US and Russia?

One would never know it from the presidential "debate" charade last night at Hofstra University on Long Island between the "Hillerator", Hillary Clinton and the "Donald" Trump.

Yet several "incidents" have occurred in Syria since late August-never mentioned much less discussed in last night's "debate"-that may very well be ominous signs the Syrian conflict could explode into a direct conflict between Russia and the US.

Yes there's been diplomacy-even signed agreements for a cease fire plan in Syria-between Secretary of state John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov but these agreements were broken by Islamic jihadist mercenaries almost before the ink was dry.

Let's remember Turkey's President Recip Erdogan sent his troops along with tanks and US airpower invading Syria on August 24-under the pretext to fight the "terrorists" and capturing the northern Syrian border town of Jarabulus. The real intent was to establish a "safe zone" in northern Syria to train and equip jihadist mercenaries to bring eventual regime change in Syria and the removal of Syrian President Bashar Assad. He called it an invasion of sovereign country and under the Geneva Convention that's the supreme act of aggression.

Meanwhile the Syrian Arab Army coordinating with Russian air power is engaged in intense fighting against Islamic jihadist mercenaries in eastern Aleppo mounting an offensive intent on driving them completely from the city.

As this offensive was happening US fighter jets killed 60 elite Syrian Army troops and wounding over a 100 at an army base near Deir Azzor. When Assad accused the US the attack was deliberate the US called it an "accident".

Two days later a UN humanitarian convoy was besieged outside of Aleppo. The attack was condemned by Secretary Kerry as being an air assault by Russian and Syrian planes. Yet both Russia and Syria rejected the claims and subsequent pictures of the burned out convoy trucks substantiated their account that jihadist mercenaries operating in the area initiated the attack.

Now there's been a report by the Iranian FARS News [1] agency-unsubstantiated by any other source except Sputnik Arabic-that Russian missiles fired from a ship in the Mediterranean off the coast of Syria destroyed a Field "operation room" killing some 30 US, Israeli, British, Turkish, Saudi, Qatari intelligence personnel. This in apparent retaliation for these personnel ordering the US air strike killing the 60 elite Syrian army troops at the Deir Azzor army base.

If in fact the Russian missile strike occurred-both the Russian's and the US are mum-could this mean Russia in Syria will not stand idly by while its Syrian allies are slaughtered by US strikes without it retaliating with a pin point proportional strike of its own?

What any US response to the alleged Russian missile strike will be...is unknown for the moment.

But what the Russian missile strike did do-again if it did occur-was announce to the US an attack against its Syrian allies will not go unpunished.

Whether these US air attacks and retaliatory strikes by Russia will escalate to a direct confrontation is not assured at this point.

Thus far the "safe zone" carved out by the Turks in northern Syria has not been declared a "no fly zone". There's been no reports-as far as I can tell-Russian or Syrian air forces have penetrated this "safe zone".

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Obama Saudi connection

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Obama just vetoed the bill that allows 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia and Saudis. He knew the veto would be over-rided. Why would he do that? Why would he take an action that he knew would be reversed, showing weakness? What did he have to gain? What does this tell us about his relationship with the Saudis? Harry Reid was the only member of the Senate to vote against the bill. He, like Obama, is retiring. What did he have to gain? These are the two leaders of the Democratic party, outside of Hillary. What are Hillary's and Trump's position on this?

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Rob Kall Social Media Pages:

Rob Kall is an award winning journalist, inventor, software architect, connector and visionary. His work and his writing have been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, ABC, the HuffingtonPost, Success, Discover and other media. Check out his platform at RobKall.com He is the author of The Bottom-up Revolution; Mastering the Emerging World of Connectivity He's given talks and workshops to Fortune 500 execs and national medical and psychological organizations, and pioneered first-of-their-kind conferences in Positive Psychology, Brain Science and Story. He hosts some of the world's smartest, most interesting and powerful people on his Bottom Up Radio Show, and founded and publishes one of the top Google- ranked progressive news and opinion sites, OpEdNews.com more detailed bio: Rob Kall has spent his adult life as an awakener and empowerer-- first in the field of biofeedback, inventing products, developing software and a music recording label, MuPsych, within the company he founded in 1978-- Futurehealth, and founding, organizing and running 3 conferences: Winter Brain, on Neurofeedback and consciousness, Optimal Functioning and Positive Psychology (a pioneer in the field of Positive Psychology, first presenting workshops on it in 1985) and Storycon Summit Meeting on the Art Science and Application of Story-- each the first of their kind. Then, when he found the process of raising people's consciousness and empowering them to take more control of their lives one person at a time was too slow, he founded Opednews.com-- which has been the top search result on Google for the terms liberal news and progressive opinion for several years. Rob began his Bottom-up Radio show, broadcast on WNJC 1360 AM to Metro Philly, also available on iTunes, covering the transition of our culture, business and world from predominantly Top-down (hierarchical, centralized, authoritarian, patriarchal, big) to bottom-up (egalitarian, local, interdependent, grassroots, archetypal feminine and small.) Recent long-term projects include a book, Bottom-up-- The Connection Revolution, debillionairizing the planet (more...)



The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.





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Reprinted from Smirking Chimp



Syria: US hits out at Russian .barbarism.

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"Syria is the summation of all the errors of a dysfunctional empire collapsing upon itself. History forgotten. Science ignored. Facts denied. Propaganda cannot hide that West is supporting and killing Islamists at the same time in a World War that risks escalating into a nuclear holocaust." -- Vietnam Vet, comments-line, Sic Semper Tyrannis

The attack on Deir Ezzor was a flagrant act of betrayal. For the first time in the five year-long war, US warplanes targeted an SAA military outpost killing 62 Syrian regulars. The surprise attacks -- which lasted for the better part of an hour and were followed by a coordinated ground assault by members of ISIS -- were intended to torpedo the fragile ceasefire agreement and send a message to Moscow that the US was prepared to achieve its strategic objectives in Syria whether it had to launch direct attacks on defenders of the regime or not.

The attacks -- for which the Pentagon eventually accepted responsibility -- were followed by a callous and thoroughly-unprofessional tirade by the administration's chief diplomat at the United Nations, Samantha Power. Power dispelled any doubt that either she or anyone else in the Obama administration cared at all about the people who lost their lives in the bombing raid. She also made it clear that she didn't care if the US had violated the terms of the ceasefire just two days before critical parts of the agreement were scheduled to be implemented.

Naturally, Moscow was taken aback by Washington's reaction, its blatant disregard for the soldiers they killed, and its obvious determination to sabotage the ceasefire. Having reflected on Obama's de facto rejection of the agreement, Putin pursued the only viable option left open to him; more war. As a result, he has intensified his efforts on the battlefield particularly around Aleppo where the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and crack-units from Hezbollah have launched a three-prong attack that will dispose of the US-backed jihadists that have destroyed much of Syria over the last half-decade and displaced over 7 million civilians.

Bottom line: Having foreclosed the political option for reducing the violence, the Obama administration will now face the consequences for its rejection.

Here's an excellent summary of developments on the ground around Aleppo from decorated veteran and retired senior officer of U.S. Military Intelligence and U.S. Army Special Forces (The Green Berets) Colonel W. Patrick Lang. The article was posted on September 24:

"As of today, forces have been massed at Aleppo for the purpose of eliminating the East Aleppo rebel pocket. This pocket has now been without re-supply for an extended period. This is true for both the jihadi rebels and the civilian population, many of whom are rebel supporters. "IMO (In my opinion) the main effort by R+6 is taking place at the SE side of the East Aleppo pocket. That is now underway with massive CAS from Russian aerospace forces. At the same time Palestinian militia allies with CAS have attacked the fortified Handarat refugee camp at the NE corner of the pocket. IMO this is a secondary attack intended to prevent the rebels moving forces south to oppose the main R+6 effort. "This is an excellent plan. "At the same time there is an unconfirmed report from SOHR in London (pro-rebel) that a Russian force with 3,000 men has been positioned at al-Safir about 12 km. SE of the main attacks on the Aleppo pocket. If this report is correct this force is well positioned to reinforce the main attack or be used in a defensive move against a rebel effort elsewhere. It would be in the Russian operational tradition to pass a reinforcing 'wave' or echelon of forces through the initial assault forces when they become exhausted by combat... "The foreign policy establishment (Borg) in the West wants to believe that war is obsolete as a factor in the story of humanity... They believe that they have inherited the earth and that their cleverness will always prevail over mere force. "We will now have a demonstration that this is not true." pl ("Flash! Washpost discovers that Syria War may be "winnable," Sic Semper Tyrannis)

Obama's de facto rejection of the ceasefire has created the conditions for a decisive military defeat in Aleppo. The fate of the CIA-trained "moderate" terrorists hunkered down in East Aleppo is not that different from that of General George Armstrong Custer at the Little Bighorn who was surrounded by a superior military force and summarily slaughtered to the man. This is the option Pentagon warlord, Ash Carter chose when he decided to sabotage the joint military implementation agreement and go rogue. Carter opposed the ceasefire deal and in doing so signed the death warrant for hundreds of US-backed extremists who chances for survival are growing slimmer by the day.

According to recent reports, pro-government forces are advancing on a number of fronts. At the same time, the Syrian and Russian air forces have intensified their bombing campaign reducing large swathes of the city to rubble and killing several hundred Sunni militants. While the jihadists have performed better than many had expected, their fate is no longer in doubt. The cauldron is encircled, their front lines are collapsing, their supply lines have been severed, and the end is in sight.

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It is startling to hear the trash talk coming out of the US State department, the White House, campaign trail and people auditioning for positions.

Human beings make mistakes... and too frequently deadly mistakes. We have the buggy software and endless costly upgrades of our technological systems as proof of how mistake-prone we are - we embed our mistakes in automated systems. At this stage of our evolution, being prone to mistakes is a hallmark of our DNA -

For example, in 2007 US Air Force pilots flew six AGM-129 ACM cruise missiles, each loaded with nuclear warheads, from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_United_States_Air_Force_nuclear_weapons_incident).

In a report by GAO (http://www.gao.gov/assets/680/679392.pdf) issued August 16, 2016, the opening letter addressed to Fred Upton Chairman, Frank Pallone, Jr., Ranking Member Committee on Energy and Commerce House of Representatives, and Tim Murphy, Chairman, Diana DeGette, Ranking Member Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Committee on Energy and Commerce House of Representatives, starts off with a bombshell:

"In May 2015, the Department of Defense (DOD) discovered that one of its laboratories inadvertently sent live Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium that causes anthrax, to almost 200 laboratories worldwide over the course of 12 years." The graphic below shows the countries that received these live pathogens.



GAO analysis of information from the Department of Defense and the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention

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Amnesty International's mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated." Unsurprisingly, the organization's latest report collects "first-hand testimony of survivors, court documents, medical records and various other forms of evidence relating to 74 cases of torture" in Thailand and urges that country's legislature and military government to follow through on their claimed commitments to bring an end to the practice.

After Amnesty staff flew into Bangkok for the report's official release, the regime threatened them with arrest for "visa violations" if the ceremony took place. Apparently the junta, which has ruled the country since a 2014 coup, is unfamiliar with the "Streisand Effect." Their threats ensured that Amnesty's report received more global attention on the morning of its release than it would likely otherwise have received altogether.

Among those who should take notice are American taxpayers, who fork over billions of dollars in direct and indirect military aid to the junta forces -- weapons, cash, the positive cash flow associated with large US-sponsored military exercises like Cobra Gold, and the putative shade of a US "security umbrella."

American law is clear on the subject of such aid. Per 22 US Code 2378d ("Limitation on assistance to security forces," better known as the Leahy Law), "No assistance shall be furnished under this chapter or the Arms Export Control Act ... to any unit of the security forces of a foreign country if the Secretary of State has credible information that such unit has committed a gross violation of human rights."

Surely 74 cases of torture constitute such a gross violation -- as does threatening human-rights activists with arrest for talking about those cases of torture. Yet US military aid has continued to flow to the junta, albeit at a reduced rate for a short time.

As a libertarian, I oppose all US foreign aid for military purposes or any others. The only way the US government can give away that money is to first steal it from Americans (or borrow at interest on the promise to steal it later). Individuals who want to support the Thai junta should write those checks themselves instead of mugging the rest of us.

But failing that, it seems to me that the US government can AT LEAST stop throwing cash at torturers. It's not just a good idea. It's the law.
My guest today is John Kiriakou, former CIA analyst and case officer, and member of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity.



John Kiriakou

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Joan Brunwasser: Welcome to OpEdNews, John. You are the recipient of the Sam Adams Award for Integrity in Intelligence. Congratulations! Many of us do not know about this award. Fill us in please.

John Kiriakou: Thanks for having me. I've been a big fan of OpEdNews for a long time.

JB: i'm so glad to hear that!

JK: The Sam Adams Award for Integrity in Intelligence is given to current or former intelligence officers or federal law enforcement officers who have exhibited "courage" and demonstrated "integrity" in their actions or their analysis. It was founded by former senior CIA officer Ray McGovern and was named not after the revolutionary hero, but after a CIA analyst who was the first to say, despite being detrimental to his career, that the U.S. was actually losing the war in Vietnam and that CIA analysis was not honest.

JB: I assumed the award was named after the other Sam Adams but this has more relevance. I'm curious about how Sam Adams, the CIA analyst, fared after he profferred his critique about the Vietnam War.

JK: As you might imagine, the CIA's Sam Adams was marginalized and pushed out of his job. "Why can't you be a team player?" became a refrain from those around him. He believed--rightly--that there was a conspiracy among military and intelligence leaders in South Vietnam to underestimate the numbers of Vietcong. Nobody would listen to him, his career appeared to be at an end, and he resigned from the CIA while still in his early 40s. He died of cancer about 10 years later.

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"A Trump presidency would end the charade of humanitarian care and progress as this nation's power elite continue their cries for population control that end up with the black and brown nations of the world being choked to death in the fog of bombs."

America deserves Donald Trump as a president. He is the most accurate representation of every vile and base motivation that gave birth to this White Settler Colonial Project called America. Those are the most honest motivations of course. He is literally what America would look like if embodied in a human being, with all its bluster, insecurity laden macho, and totally exaggerated list of accomplishments. Trump deserves to be president because he so effectively illustrates all the ugly hypocrisies, contradictions, venal greed, and crass lust that is at the core of this Nation's identity.

His honest reflection of what America truly is explains why I don't fear his rise. Trump is simply a political manifestation of all America has ever been: arrogant, belligerent, dishonest, and motivated by sheer avarice. It is fitting that after a charade of a president like Barack Obama, who was merely manufactured by the power elite to create a brown-faced smokescreen after the greatest economic crash since 1929 in order to protect the most horrid capitalist offenders -- the Big Banks -- that the real America show its face in a President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, the vapid identity politics of "The First Black" First Woman".First Gay"First Transgender"" -- which lulls Americans to sleep under some banal post Civil Rights pseudo claim to progress only because "one of us is now driving the Death Star" -- can be put to rest. Such politics have been effectively used to motivate all the "oppressed" lumpen of this nation to cheerlead as their Black, female, gay, and transgender comprador brothers and sisters of American empire drop bombs on Syrian children and protect police for snuffing out the lives of unarmed Black motorists. At least a President Trump would disabuse us of the ridiculous notion that America has made progress because Barack Obama has droned more nations than George W. Bush, all in the name of Martin Luther King's Dream.

"He so effectively illustrates all the ugly hypocrisies, contradictions, venal greed, and crass lust that is at the core of this Nation's identity."

A President Donald Trump would allow us to return to a more honest America where we didn't have to act like we agreed with a president's various blood-drenched imperialist acts because they were Black or a woman. Trump lets the blue eyed impotency of American empire return to the nature of those this nation was designed to benefit: The pale masculine forms whose contempt for brown, black, and even their own women, creates the confusion among their victims as they cling to contrived notions of gender equality which only cause them to lie next to their masculine masters as they further plot the exploitation of humanity together under the guise of gender-based progress.

Hillary Clinton would be a much more cruel mercenary since her estrogen-driven lust to weld the phallically insecure tools that have promoted this demonic White male fantasy of an empire are so cravenly manifested as blood can almost be seen dripping from her lips as she cheers for more war and corporate greed while the sheep scream "I'm with her."

America Deserves a Donald Trump presidency because it ends the charade of humanitarian care and progress as this nation's power elite continue their cries for population control that end up with the black and brown nations of the world being choked to death in the fog of bombs while being crushed by the remaining rubble.

There is no reason to fear Donald Trump as president. He would do justice to all that is humane on this planet by putting blame for the human carnage on the types whose souls will be eternally cursed for the damage they cause while they fill their pockets with profit from the carcasses of the rest of humanity.

Give America Donald Trump, so it can see its true father and be forever clear on it purpose and function in the universe. Such clarity is needed for those truly interested in fighting for justice.
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Asia Smart Home Healthcare Market Expected to Witness the Fastest Growth During 2016  2022

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The global smart home healthcare market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 38% during 2016 - 2022. Among the various applications, the fall prevention and detection segment is expected to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period. The global smart home healthcare market is growing at a significant rate, due to growing demand for advanced smart home healthcare technologies, and growing geriatric population. In addition, the increasing demand of mobile health (mHealth) technologies, and increasing demand of personalized healthcare technologies are also driving the growth of the global smart home healthcare market.Explore Report with Detailed TOC on Global Smart Home Healthcare Market at:The information and data in the publication Global Smart Home Healthcare Market Size, Share, Development, Growth and Demand Forecast to 2022 represent the research and analysis of data from various primary and secondary sources. The bottom-top approach has been used to calculate the global market size by technology, service, and application. The market numbers for countries are obtained through top-down approach. P&S Market Research analysts and consultants interacted with the authorities from leading companies of the concerned domain, to substantiate every value of data presented in the 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.Smart home is a home monitoring and control system, which helps in the monitoring of home when the resident away, and also simplifies the switching appliances on and off automatically. The smart homes have the ability to monitor and control home from the convenience of smartphone or tablets.Request for Sample Pages:In the healthcare sector, the smart home technology is combined with innovative and advanced monitoring technologies that are designed to detect health status changes. Moreover, the combination of smart home technology with healthcare technology is likely to be an effective approach to prevent nursing home placement for frail older adults.The factors, such as privacy and security issues, and high capital expenditure are inhibiting the growth of the global market. The growing popularity of IoT devices in the home healthcare sector is the major trend witnessed in the smart home healthcare market.Browse Related Research:Geographically, North America dominated the global market of smart home healthcare market in 2015; whereas the Asian market is expected to witness the fastest growth at a during the forecast period.Some of the key companies operating in the global smart home healthcare market include AT&T Inc., ABB Ltd, Siemens AG, Schneider Electric SE, General Electric Company, Honeywell Life Care Solutions, Smart Solutions, Essence Group, and Koninklijke Philips N.V.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
Oncology Biosimilars Market : Tracking Current Trends, Opportunities & Challenges

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The global oncology biosimilars market will witness substantial growth over the forecast period and is expected to grow at very impressive CAGR during the forecast period. The increasing need for cost-effective treatment methodologies will aid in the stable growth of this market during the forecast period. The high cost of branded biologic oncological drugs will force patients to shift toward biosimilars as they are highly cost-effective. Since biosimilars cost 10%-30% lesser than their parent counterparts, there is the presence of unmet medical needs for such products. This allows domestic manufacturers to market generic versions of the biologic compounds at a lower price, which in turn results in market growth.Request free Sample pages of premium Research Report:Cancer represents a massive burden on healthcare systems worldwide due to the high cost of treatment therapeutics. The patent expiry of several cancer therapeutics has allowed the entry of biosimilars, which are being incorporated into oncology treatment practices. Biosimilars are synthesized with the use of biologic components such as monoclonal antibodies, proteins, hormones, nucleic acids, colony stimulating factors, interleukins, and enzymes. The market offers huge growth opportunities for vendors because of the growing incidence of cancer. The clinical pipeline for cancer biosimilars is vast, featuring candidates in different stages of development. Around 30% of all the biosimilars that are awaiting the US FDAs approval are monoclonal antibodies, including biosimilars of Avastin, MabThera, and Herceptin.Factors like the arrival of new biosimilars to drive market growth during the forecast period. Unlike generic drugs, which have APIs that are identical to original drugs, biosimilars are similar to their originator biologic compounds. Biosimilars developed by different manufacturers differ from the original product as well as from each other. Since they are less expensive than biologics, patients will be able to afford and access biosimilars more easily than biologics. Rise in number of patent expiries, increase in prevalence of cancer, growing aging population, promising drug pipeline, need for cost-effective treatment, favorable government regulations are some of the key drivers promoting the growth of oncology biosimilars market.The oncology biosimilars market can be segmented by end-user, by application, and by geography. In terms of application, the oncology biosimilars market is classified into cancer treatment drugs, and supportive care drugs. In the terms of end-user, the oncology biosimilars market is classified into hospitals and retail pharmacies. Retail pharmacies occupy the largest share of 52% in the oncology biosimilars market. Retail pharmacies provide a large customer base for biosimilar drugs. Individuals with cancer require biosimilar drugs for maintenance therapy, which helps to successfully treat and prevent relapse of the disease. These drugs can also be obtained from retail pharmacies for use in hospital settings.View exclusive Global strategic Business report :Geographically, oncology biosimilars market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa. Middle East & Africa was the highest revenue contributing region in the global oncology biosimilars market. Similarly, Asia Pacific expected to witness higher growth in oncology biosimilars market due to increasing cancer prevalence in the countries like India and China. The market will typically witness a higher growth rate in countries such as the Germany, UK, Spain, Italy and France. The biosimilars market in the UK is developed and well-established, and is comparatively easy to enter, making the generic drugs market in the country stronger than in any other EU countries. The growth of this market in the region is attributed to well-defined regulatory guidelines and expiries of biologics that are anticipated to go off-patent during the forecast period.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global synthetic biology market is predicted to reach US$13.4 bn by 2019 at a CAGR of 32.60% from 2019

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Synthetic biology defined as the synthesis of artificial or natural components in order to form new artificial living system by re-molding existing biological elements. It aims to attain new preferred functions of artificially modified organisms intended for high yield production of biological systems. Synthetic biology plays an important role in the field of life sciences by developing cheap synthesis procedures. Increasing scientific research coupled with introduction of advanced technologies in synthetic biology will drive the growth of this market.Request free Sample pages of premium Research Report:Synthetic biology refers to an interdisciplinary branch of engineering and biology. It aims at the fabrication and redesign of biological systems and components that do not already exist in the natural world. Synthetic biology combines the increasing knowledge of genomics with the chemical synthesis of DNA for enabling researchers to quickly manufacture catalogued DNA sequences.The increasing demand for enhanced vaccines and drugs and the development of molecular biology are amongst the chief factors fuelling the synthetic biology market. In addition, the participation and encouragement of universities and government bodies in synthetic biology research and the rising demand for genetically modified crops owing to the increasing global population are also amongst the chief factors fuelling the market for synthetic biology. On the other hand, the increasing regulations and the soaring costs of synthetic biology techniques may impede the growth of the market in the coming years.On the basis of product, the report segments the market for synthetic biology into core products and enabling products. Amongst these, core products are further segmented into synthetic genes, synthetic DNA, synthetic cells, chassis organisms, and XNA (xeno nucleic acid). On the other hand, enabling products are further segmented into oligonucleotide synthesis and DNA synthesis. Amongst these, the segment of synthetic DNA led the market in 2012 due to the increasing commercial availability of synthetic DNA. On the basis of technology, the market is segmented into DNA sequencing, genome engineering, biological components and integrated systems, and bioinformatics. Amongst these, genome engineering technology can be utilized for modifying genetic foods, gene therapy, and gene cloning.On the basis of application, the synthetic biology market is segmented into chemicals, healthcare, agriculture, and others including R&D, biosecurity, and energy and environment. Amongst these, synthetic biology has the largest application in the healthcare sector owing to the increasing use of synthetic biology for producing cheap vaccines and drugs. On the other hand, the segment of agriculture is poised to expand at the highest CAGR from 2013 to 2019.In terms of geography, the report segments the market into Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and Rest of the World (RoW). Amongst these, in 2012, Europe led the market for synthetic biology and is predicted to expand consistently due to the rising initiatives of private organizations and governments for the development of synthetic biology in this region. On the other hand, North America held the second largest share in the market in the same year due to the rising proliferation of novel technologies in this region. The region of Asia Pacific is also poised to experience rapid growth in the market owing to increasing support from international organizations for the development of synthetic biology.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Hot Melt Adhesives Market: Estimates and Forecasts(2015 -2021)

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Hot melt adhesive popularly known as hot glue is a thermoplastic adhesive which is commonly marketed in solid cylindrical form of varied diameters. Hot melt adhesives are designed in such a way that it can melt in electric hot glue gun. Hot melt adhesives have unique advantage of fast processing over other adhesives. Unlike water-based and solvent based adhesives hot melt adhesives do not need drying after application. Hot melt adhesives begin bonding immediately after it is applied on the object because it cools down to its solidification point immediately. Such fast solidification feature of hot melt adhesives is ideal for industrial application that requires high speed manufacturing line, bonding versatility, large gap filling, fast green strength and minimal shrinkage.Request Sample:On the bases of nature global hot melt adhesives market can be bifurcated into ethylene acrylic acid adhesives, polyolefin adhesives, polyurethane adhesives, amorphous polyolefin, ethylene vinyl acetate adhesives, styrenic block copolymer adhesives, polyamide adhesives and others. Hot melt adhesive are majorly applied by the packaging industry. Other major application of hot melt adhesives includes building and construction, paper converting, woodworking, tiles and floor adhesive product, bookbinding, clear case bonding, soap & bubble gum wrapper coating, footwear & leather goods, stock & tapes manufacturing, bottle labeling, automotive headlights and glue sticks.North America has the largest market for hot melt adhesives, followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific. China is the largest consumer of hot melt adhesive products owing to greater demand from manufacturing industry. North America is expected to maintain its dominance in the forecasted period. Europe is expected to show average growth. However, Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness highest growth in the coming future. Increasing number of manufacturing units in the developing region such as India is expected to boost the Asian market.Increasing demand from high speed manufacturing companies is driving the global hot melt adhesive market. Additionally, changing trend of the packaging industry (largest end-user of hot malt adhesive) is expected to increase the global demand for hot melt adhesive products. Also, government policy by EPA (environment protection agency) in the U.S. and European country for using eco friendly product is further expected to increase the demand for hot melt adhesive products to some extent.Request TOC:Some of the major companies operating in the global hot melt adhesive market are Avery Dennison Corporation, Dow Corning Corporation, Sika AG, Henkel AG, H. B. Fuller, Beardow & Adams (Adhesive) Ltd, Bostik Inc., Hexcel Corporation, Worthen Industries, Inc., Ashland Inc., American Chemical Inc. and 3M CorporationAbout Us:Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact Us:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global Polysorbate Market Estimates and Forecasts By 2015  2021

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Polysorbate represents a class of emulsifiers used in food preparation, pharmaceuticals, and personal care and beauty products. Polysorbates are oily liquids made up of fatty acids and sorbitan. They are produced by reaction of sorbitol and polyol with ethylene oxide. Polysorbate function includes dispersion of oil in water as opposed to water in oil. Brand names for polysorbates include Tween, Canarcel, Scattics, and Alkest.In beauty and personal care ingredients, polysorbate serves as a surfactant creating emulsions, facilitating the ingredients to combine better, making the product more effective. Polysorbate 20 is a commonly used in anti-aging products, facial cleansers, and hair styling gels. In cosmetic creams, polysorbate 40 serves as an emulsifier to stabilize essential oils in water. Polysorbate 80 is used commonly in cold creams, baby lotions, bath oils, and suntan lotions. Polysorbate 85 is commonly used in tanning lotions.Download Sample @In foods, polysorbate is commonly used in ice creams, making them easier to handle and preventing them from melting rapidly. Polysorbate is also used in products like flavored mouth drops, as a wetting agent, to help the flavor spread. They are also used in powdered drink products, such as hot cocoa mix as emulsifiers. Polysorbate is a commonly used ingredient in the influenza vaccine. It also assists in emulsifying medicines like amiodarone.The global polysorbate market is segmented into source, type, end-use, and region. Sources for polysorbate include plants (palm, olive, bay tree, etc.), animals (cow, sheep and pork fat), and synthetic source. Polysorbate types include Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 40, Polysorbate 60, and Polysorbate 80 etc. The number followed by Polysorbate signifies the fatty acid type associated with the polyoxyethylene sorbitan part of the molecule. To be specific, 20 signifies monolaurate, 40 signifies monopalmitate, 60 signifies monostearate, and 80 signifies monooleate. Global polysorbate market is segmented on the basis of its end-use which includes use in food industry, medical and pharmaceutical use, and use in cosmetics. The global polysorbate market is further segmented on the basis of manufacturing technology used. Region wise, the global polysorbate market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific (APEJ), and MEA.Continuously rising demand from the end use industry plays a vital role in the growth of the global polysorbate market. Growing demands for the bio based products also fuel the growth of the global polysorbate market. Increasing awareness about the use of quality skin care products is also a growth driver for the industry. Growing demand in food and beverage industry due to rapid industrialization is expected to fuel the growth of the polysorbate market.Availability of natural alternatives restrains the growth of the polysorbate market. Turkey-red oil and coconut oil, owing to their emulsifying properties, can serve as an alternative to polysorbate. Coconut oil is an all-natural and safe alternative to polysorbate. It keeps water and oil from separating and also gives a pleasant scent. Borax or sodium borate is a natural alkaline mineral which when mixed with beeswax, serves as a natural alternative to polysorbate. Polysorbate can cause minor side effects on sensitive skin such as skin irritation.Request TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report:Some of the major players identified in the global polysorbate market are Evonik Industries, Avantor Performance Materials, NOF America corporation, Solenis, Croda International, Camden-grey Essential Oils, Mohini Organics Pvt. Ltd., M S Mehta & Co, Shine-Sarod Nigeria Limited, Chimi Gostaran Saba ( C. G. S. ), Reachin Chemical Co., Ltd. Guangzhou Runhua Food Additive Co., Ltd, Wmc marketing, Gulf Care Factory, and Mukasa Distributors Ltd. etc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Microbiology Culture Market : Can Detect number of infectious diseases

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Microbiology deals with the study of microorganisms and one of the most prominent and effective ways of identifying and characterizing microorganisms is through the method of microbiology culture or microbial culture. By carefully calculating and combining different growth nutrients, a suitable growth medium is created in the laboratory, which aids in the reproduction and multiplication of microbial organisms. Microbiology culture is primarily used as diagnostic method to determine the cause of different infectious diseases.Request free Sample pages of premium Research Report:According to a report by Transparency Market Research, the global microbial culture market is projected to expand at a 5.90% CAGR from 2015 to 2023, rising from a value of US$4.5 bn in 2014 to US$7.5 bn in 2023.Demand for Improved Antibiotics a Leading Driving ForceThe global microbiology culture market is driven by a number of factors, the primary one being increasing demand for improved antibiotics, which has been brought on by the alarming rise in prevalence of infectious diseases and food-borne diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 23.6 million visits were made to physician offices in 2010 for infectious and parasitic diseases. According to Johns Hopkins, the most common infectious diseases include common cold, Lyme disease, mumps, influenza, HIV/AIDS, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), whooping cough, tuberculosis, and salmonella infections. Tuberculosis has presently infected one-third of the global population, with almost 10,000 new cases reported in the US alone in 2012. foodborne trematodiases, as per the World Health Organization, affected at least 56 million people across the globe in 2005, killing more than 7000. Food-borne trematodiases results from the consumption of raw or poorly cooked food or vegetables harboring the parasite larvae.Other factors that fuel the microbiology culture market include growing food microbiology, growing food safety concerns, growing lifescience research funding, rise in public awareness and press coverage, evolving pathogens, increase in number of food recalls, and surge in food sourcing resulting from escalating demand for food.Relief for Sufferers of Inflammatory Bowel DiseasesInflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis are largely caused by abnormal immune responses and other issues related to intestinal epithelial cells, gut microbiome, the guts rhythmic peristalsis motions, and immune components. Until now, scientists found it difficult to develop new IBD treatment therapies because replicating the microenvironment of the human gut in the lab was extremely complex.However, last month, a team of researchers at Harvard Universitys Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering developed a model of human gut inflammation and bacterial overgrowth in what is being called a human-gut-on-a-chip. This advance enables scientists, for the first time, to study how normal gut pathogenic bacteria and microbes impact immune responses. This will also allow them to analyze the intestinal physiology in a controlled environment.View exclusive Global strategic Business report :Advancements such as these are another reason why the global microbiology culture market presents massive scope for further growth. Reaping the benefits of these technological and scientific advancements are companies such as Scharlab S.L., Sigma-Aldrich Co. LLC, Hi-Media Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., EMD (Merck) Millipore, bioMerieux S.A., Eiken Chemical Co, Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Neogen Corporation, and Becton, Dickinson and Company.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Acetic Anhydride Market: Latest innovations and key events (2015-2021)

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Acetic anhydride is manufactured by carbonylation of acetate. It is also manufactured by the reaction of ketene with acetic acid. Acetic anhydride acid is colorless and has a pungent odor. Acetic anhydride is majorly consumed in cellulose acetates. Cellulose acetate flakes include cellulose acetate propionate (CAP), cellulose di-acetate and cellulose tri-acetate. Cellulose acetate flakes are used in cigarette filters, plastics and filament yarns.Request Sample:The market for acetic anhydride was mainly driven by cigarette tow market. Cellulose acetate is mainly consumed in cigarette. Acetic anhydride is also used in fragrances and flavor as well as dyes market. In addition, acetic anhydride can be used in pharmaceuticals, textiles, coatings and pesticides market. Acetic anhydride is also used to manufacture tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED) which can be used as a bleach activator in laundry detergents market. However, declining usage of acetic anhydride in cellulose acetate for domestic consumption can have major impact on the market.In terms of demand, North America was the leading region in acetic anhydride market. The U.S. had the largest demand for acetic anhydride owing to huge demand from cellulose acetate market. However, the market for acetic anhydride is declining in North America region. Market for acetic anhydride was significantly large in Europe and the trend is expected to continue on account of the growing demand for TAED and cellulose acetate in the region. Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest growing market for acetic anhydride over the next few years. The demand for acetic anhydride is huge from countries such as Japan, China and India. China and Japan were the leading consumers of acetic anhydride in Asia Pacific region. India is likely to provide better opportunity for acetic anhydride market owing to increasing demand from textile market. The Rest of the World market is anticipated to have stable demand for acetic anhydride market in near future.Request TOC:Some of the key manufacturers in the tissue culture reagents market are Celanese Corporation, BP Chemicals, BASF SE, DuPont, Eastman Chemical Company, SABIC, PetroChina Ltd., and Sasol Limited among others.About Us:Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact Us:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global In-vitro Colorectal Cancer Screening Tests Market to Reach US$980.6 mn by 2023, Increasing Prevalence of Colorectal Cancer Fuels Demand

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Colorectal cancer, the third most common type of cancer worldwide, affected 1.4 mn people in 2012, says the World Cancer Research Fund International. In the next nine years (by 2035), the world will have nearly 2.4 mn colorectal cancer patients. Korea was the country with the highest rate of colorectal cancer, followed by Slovakia, Hungary, Denmark, and the Netherlands in the top five. These figures underline the rapid spread of the disease and the need to diagnose it at an early stage so patients can go back to leading a normal life as soon as possible. That has directly impacted the In-vitro colorectal cancer screening tests market, with demand for such tests having surged over the past few years.Request free Sample pages of premium Research Report:A recent market study by Transparency Market Research predicts that the global market for in-vitro colorectal cancer screening tests will hold a US$980.6-mn opportunity by 2023, up remarkably from the markets worth of US$494.1 mn as of 2014. At an estimated compounded annual growth rate of 7.5% between 2015 and 2023, it is clear that companies in the market will continue to launch new products in response to the rising demand for colorectal cancer screening tests. In vitro screening tests are becoming increasingly popular for many different diseases and conditions. Colorectal cancer is no exception.European Countries Report High Rates of Colorectal Cancer, but North America In Vitro Colorectal Cancer Screening Tests Market Valued the HighestThe market for in vitro colorectal cancer screening tests in North America was in the leading position in 2014 in terms of revenue. The prevalence of colon cancer in North America is on the rise, thus creating conditions conducive for the growth of this market. Moreover, government policies have been extremely supportive as far as the development and introduction of new, safe in vitro cancer screening tests go. This has given the market in North America a further push. The overall spends on healthcare are high in North America as compared to other regions worldwide  yet another factor contributing to putting North America in the top position in the in vitro colorectal cancer screening tests market.However, the next few years could well see a change in the status quo because several countries in Europe are reporting a rise in the incidence of colorectal cancer, leading to a proportionate rise in demand for screening tests. The massive graying population here and notable improvements in healthcare infrastructure can be credited for this imminent change.Demand for Fecal Occult Blood Tests Stays StrongAn uncontrolled growth in the cells of the colon or rectum can lead to colon cancer, also known as colorectal cancer. Advances in screening and testing technologies have made it easier for medical practitioners to determine the presence of colorectal cancer among patients and advise the best course of action to treat it.View exclusive Global strategic Business report :Currently, the key types of in vitro colorectal cancer screening tests that are available on the market can be classed into: stool biomarker tests, fecal occult blood tests, and blood biomarker tests. Of these, fecal occult blood tests are the most commonly used screening tests for colorectal cancer. Their demand is primarily steered by the rising number of diabetics worldwide, the high demand for screening tests that are non-invasive in nature, and the ease of collecting the sample for the test.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Calsoft Announces its Partnership with Docker

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Calsoft, a leading IT Services Company; specialized in Storage, Networking, Virtualization and Cloud Domain, is proud to announce its partnership with Docker Partner Program.Docker is an open-source technology which automates the building & deployment Linux application. It is a revolutionary virtual machine which let applications use the same Linux Kernel on the existing system and only ship away the applications which are not running on the host commuter. Docker provides the full functionality and isolation of virtual machines (VMs) while running into a tiny fraction of the OS. This action provides a major performance boost and significantly cut down the size of the application.Being in SNV industry, Calsoft has very extensive knowledge about the containerized ecosystem specially Docker and this partnership will open the ways of innovation. As we moving toward the new era of technologies and digitization, we must figure out the ways of co-innovate and transform the IT sector and we hope the same from this partnership and looking forward to establish new benchmarks and excel in the world of technologies says Anupam Bhide, CEO of Calsoft Pvt. Ltd.About CalsoftCalsoft is a leading software product engineering Services Company specializing in Storage, Networking, Virtualization and Cloud business verticals. Calsoft provides End-to-End Product Development, Quality Assurance Sustenance, Solution Engineering and Professional Services expertise to assist customers in achieving their product development and business goals.100 Century Center Court,Suite 420,San Jose, California  95112-4512United States
Emission Control Catalysts Market size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 - 2020

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With the advent of emission regulation policies, such as the Euro standards in Europe, National Ambient Air Quality Standards in the USA and Bharat Stage emission standards in India, there has been a revolution in the production of emission control equipments, specifically catalyst based.Catalysts are used in gasoline or diesel based internal combustion engines.At the onset of the environmental emission regulations, catalysts were only made compulsory for automobiles but with the progress in technology and extent of emissions from production facilities across the world, catalysts were considered necessary for industrial and power plants as well. Emissions occurring from automobiles, heavy duty equipments and industrial plants, besides containing carbon dioxide, also possess certain other compounds, such as carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides and unburnt or partially burnt fuels, which are extremely hazardous for the environment. The regulations have been put in place to curb the emission of such compounds in order to protect the ecology. Catalysts curb the emission of such compounds, convert them to non-hazardous materials and then release them into the atmosphere.View exclusive Global strategic Business report:One of the most important drivers for the market is the stringent environmental policies that have been adopted by various governments and environmental protection agencies. These directives guide the market to improve emission control technologies and make them standardized and compliant across the planet. Another driver is the continuous development of new and upgraded catalysts across the market that prompts automobile and industrial catalyst manufacturers to innovate, thus causing replacement of the older catalysts. On the other hand, catalysts face constraints in the form of being expensive to procure or replace. Additionally, since catalytic converters emit carbon dioxide after conversion of hazardous elements, they are faintly responsible for the increased amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. But regardless of the pros and cons of catalysts, market opportunities lie in emerging markets, especially India and China that will affect the market in the near future.Catalytic converters can be classified based on the application that they are being installed for and type of engine. Based on application, catalysts are industrial or automotive. Under the automotive segment, catalysts can be installed in passenger vehicles, trailers, buses, tractors and earth moving equipment and even aircrafts. For industrial use, the type of catalyst to be installed is decided based on the environmental norms imposed on the particular industry i.e. a petroleum refinery would need the highest grade of catalysts as compared to a food processing unit. Based on the type of engine, catalysts are different for internal combustion engines as compared to spark ignition ones.For Technological breakthroughs, Value chain and stakeholder analysis Get Brochure:Regionally, emission control catalyst market has seen the most growth from North America, due to the highest number of automobiles and industries existing in the region, specifically in the U.S. Due to stringent Euro standards; Europe has also seen increased demand for catalysts, mainly from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom. The Asia Pacific expanse is currently seeing a rise in emission control catalyst demand due to the industrialization of emerging economies, essentially from India, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Pakistan and Japan. Across the rest of the world, heavy demand can be witnessed from U.A.E., Oman, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Libya and Brazil.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global 3D Laser Scanners Market 2016 - Creaform (Ametek), FARO, Leica Geosystems, DAVID Vision Systems GmbH, NIKON, SOKKIA, Trimble, QuellTech UG, AP Group

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Notes:Production, means the output of 3D Laser ScannersRevenue, means the sales value of 3D Laser ScannersRequest for sample report atThis report studies 3D Laser Scanners in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringCreaform (Ametek)FAROLeica GeosystemsDAVID Vision Systems GmbHNIKONZoller + Frohlich GmbHSOKKIATrimbleQuellTech UGAP GroupOptimetRenishawGOMMicroplan GroupOptechRIEGL LMSServo-RobotPENTAX (RICOH)3D ShapeGrabberLMI TechnologiesOphir OptronicsLIMESS Messtechnik und Software GmbHVitro LaserShenzhen HOLON TechnologyHuaceHi-cloudMarket Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate of 3D Laser Scanners in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanKoreaTaiwanSplit by product type, with production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoType IType IIType IIISplit by application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of 3D Laser Scanners in each application, can be divided intoApplication 1Application 2Application 3Access full report atTable of ContentsGlobal 3D Laser Scanners Market Research Report 20161 3D Laser Scanners Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of 3D Laser Scanners1.2 3D Laser Scanners Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Production Market Share of 3D Laser Scanners by Type in 20151.2.2 Type I1.2.3 Type II1.2.4 Type III1.3 3D Laser Scanners Segment by Application1.3.1 3D Laser Scanners Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Application 11.3.3 Application 21.3.4 Application 31.4 3D Laser Scanners Market by Region1.4.1 North America Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.3 China Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.5 Korea Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.6 Taiwan Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of 3D Laser Scanners (2011-2021)2 Global 3D Laser Scanners Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global 3D Laser Scanners Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Global 3D Laser Scanners Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.3 Global 3D Laser Scanners Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.4 Manufacturers 3D Laser Scanners Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 3D Laser Scanners Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 3D Laser Scanners Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 3D Laser Scanners Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, ExpansionFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
The top 3 underwriting outsourcing trends to watch out for in 2017...

http://www.sumasoft.com/bpo-services-usa/mortgage-bpo-services-usa

Texas (USA), Canada (Toronto) & London (Business Network) :Underwriting outsourcing is a huge upcoming trend for the mortgage industry in USA. Most mortgage lenders and brokers think outsourcing their underwriting services is one of the low-lying fruits that ensures a great potential for revenue making. Underwriting outsourcing not only reduces the cost of a huge in-house underwriting team but also ensures your end-customers receive round-the-clock support.Suma Soft has been the best Underwriting outsourcing partner for mortgage companies in the USA for 16+ years. We have an 150+ underwriting team that is headed by Mortgage processing experts with minimum 100 man years of experience.Here are the top 3 underwriting outsourcing trends to watch out for in 2017...(1)Maintaining SecrecySuma Softs underwriting process includes keeping the mortgage related information confidential, assuring security and recommending any risk involved. It involves reviewing the loan documents after the loan is closed or funded and before being sold to the investor. This helps save any security and data theft chance by 90%(2)24x7x365 SupportSuma Soft has a team trained in end-to-end mortgage processing, underwriting, closing, and risk management with mortgage and loan processing industry-specific knowledge and practical experience of more than 16 years. The team undertakes processing tasks and streamlines your mortgage business. Suma Soft also provides 24*7*365 BPM services to Mortgage companies in USA .(3)Use of WorkForce Management ToolsMost Mortgage BPO Providers have started using enhanced workforce management tools to ensure turn-around-time required on completion of each mortgage loan processing is minimal and reduces the cost by 4x.Over the last 16 years, we have developed an integrated mortgage underwriting process that ensures collection, organization and evaluation of required documents are done before the loan is submitted for underwriting.Suma Softs Mortgage underwriting services for USA based clients, has proven to be the best outsourcing service provider as we take care of the entire mortgage loan process with industry specific experience of 16+ years, for more information check this link.Suma Soft has been an industry leader for over 16 years. We provide advanced BPO Solutions in USA-based environment, Software Development Solutions across USA and India, Technical Support Services, IT Security Audit Solutions USA and IT Security Consulting and Implementation Services.Suma Soft Private Limited,7880 San Felipe Street,Ste 120,Houston TX 77063-1647
Global Boat Helm Seat Pedestals Market 2016 Industry Trends, Sales, Supply, Demand, Analysis & Forecast to 2021

Boat Helm Seat Pedestals

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Global Boat Helm Seat Pedestals IndustryThe Global Boat Helm Seat Pedestals Industry report gives a comprehensive account of the Global Boat Helm Seat Pedestals market. Details such as the size, key players, segmentation, SWOT analysis, most influential trends, and business environment of the market are mentioned in this report. Furthermore, this report features tables and figures that render a clear perspective of the Boat Helm Seat Pedestals market. The report features an up-to-date data on key companies product details, revenue figures, and sales. Furthermore, the details also gives the Global Boat Helm Seat Pedestals market revenue and its forecasts. The business model strategies of the key firms in the Boat Helm Seat Pedestals market are also included. Key strengths, weaknesses, and threats shaping the leading players in the market have also been included in this research report.The report gives a detailed overview of the key segments in the market. The fastest and slowest growing market segments are covered in this report. The key emerging opportunities of the fastest growing Global Boat Helm Seat Pedestals market segments are also covered in this report. Each segments and sub-segments market size, share, and forecast are available in this report. Additionally, the region-wise segmentation and the trends driving the leading geographical region and the emerging region has been presented in this report.Get Complete Report with TOC :The study on the Global Boat Helm Seat Pedestals market also features a history of the tactical mergers, acquisitions, collaborations, and partnerships activity in the market. Valuable recommendations by senior analysts about investing strategically in research and development can help new entrants or established players penetrate the emerging sectors in the Boat Helm Seat Pedestals market. Investors will gain a clear insight on the dominant players in this industry and their future forecasts. Furthermore, readers will get a clear perspective on the high demand and the unmet needs of consumers that will enhance the growth of this market.Table of ContentChapter One Boat Helm Seat Pedestals Industry Overview1.1 Boat Helm Seat Pedestals Definition1.1.1 Boat Helm Seat Pedestals Definition1.1.2 Product Specifications1.2 Boat Helm Seat Pedestals Classification1.3 Boat Helm Seat Pedestals Application Field1.4 Boat Helm Seat Pedestals Industry Chain Structure1.5 Boat Helm Seat Pedestals Industry Regional Overview1.6 Boat Helm Seat Pedestals Industry Policy Analysis1.7 Boat Helm Seat Pedestals Industry Related Companies Contact InformationGet Free Sample Copy of Report @Chapter Two Boat Helm Seat Pedestals Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis2.1 High Purity colloidal silica Supplier and Price Analysis2.2 Equipment Suppliers2.3 Labor Cost Analysis2.4 Other Cost Analysis2.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure2.5 Boat Helm Seat Pedestals Manufacturing TechnologyAbout Us:QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651
Body Armor Market : Key Growth Factors, Industry Trends 2015 - 2021

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Body armor is a type of cloth used for protection with its main purpose is to absorb or deflect slashing bludgeon and penetrate attacks. Previously, only soldiers were only given license to use it but nowadays, it is also used by police, security guards and individuals in order to feel secure and protect themselves from attacks. There are two types of body armor namely soft body armor and hard body armor. Body armor is categorized on the basis of its capability to stop bullets. There are two well known standards of body armor. The international standard is set by a National Institute of Justice (NIJ) whereas UK standard is set by Home Office Scientific Development Branch(HOSDB).Download Sample of this report @One of the major drivers in the body armor market is the increased development in the body armor programs. Countries across the globe are implementing soldiers modernization program and has particularly focused on the survivability component. Due to this, a large number of countries have now indulged in acquiring body armor and other personal protection equipments for their armed forces. Some of the countries such as US, France and UK are making some development in this field so as to replace their current armor system by next generation body armor.One of the major trends of the body armor market is the improvement in materials. Traders have begun to use special fabrics in order to increase soldiers performance as well as to protect the police officers and the soldiers who encounter blade attacks.One of the major challenges of the armor market is the shortage of body armor and personal protection equipment. The demand for body armor and personal protection are rising in the developing countries but there inadequate supply which has resulted in injuries and death of many soldiers in the past. Moreover, reducing the weight of the body armor without compromising with the quality is also a kind of challenges faced by the body armor these days. The overall weight of the equipment stops them from being so lively in the war field, mobile and effective war fighter.Therefore soldiers feel themselves very unsafe as it is very difficult to carry heavy life saving equipment with them for so long and is left behind. Apart from U.S., no other country is seriously involved in the manufacturing of body armor which is another cause of concern for this market.North America is the main market for body armor as the major survivability-based soldier modernization program is being conducted in this region which includes the development of body armor and personal protection system. In addition, there is also development of Buffalo A2 Bar Armor Kits program which will also uplift this market. North America is followed by Europe where the UKs Future Infantry Soldier Technology (FIST) program is the main market for body armor.North America is followed by Asia Pacific market which is mainly dominated by Australias Land 125 phase 3B program and Indiass development of survivability equipment for the F-INSAS program.Some of the key vendors in the armor market includes ArmorSource LLC, Ballistic Body Armour (pty) Ltd., Ceradyne Inc., Combat clothing Australia and Point Blank Enterprises.Download Sample of this report @Some of the other prominent vendors include BAE Systems, Honeywell International Inc., M CUBED, Plasan and Survitec Group Limited.Key geographies evaluated in this report are:North AmericaoU.SoCanadaEuropeoFrance, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UKoEastern EuropeoCISAPACoChinaoIndiaoJapanoAustraliaoOthersLatin AmericaoArgentinaoBraziloOthersKey features of this reportDrivers, restraints, and challenges shaping the Body Armor market dynamicsLatest innovations and key events in the industryAnalysis of business strategies of the top playersBody Armor market estimates and forecasts(2015 -2021)About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each PMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With a wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports strive to serve clients and satisfy their overall research requirement.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each PMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With a wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports strive to serve clients and satisfy their overall research requirement.
Smart Elevator Market Trends with business strategies and analysis to 2025 set to grow according to forecasts

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The Smart Elevator Market to 2025 - Global Analysis and Forecasts by Applications and Products report provides a detailed overview of the major factors impacting the global market with the market share analysis and revenues of various sub segments.Browse market data tables and in-depth TOC of the Smart Elevator Market to 2025 @With the advent of more and more advanced technologies, the demand for safety has also increased. Organizations are now focused to equip themselves against r threats and need to provide protection to their properties. Demand for enhanced security, energy saving solutions and improving the lifestyles of the individuals have augmented the growth of the global smart-elevator market. Smart elevators allow vertical transportation of passengers and goods. Since this system utilizes automation, it upsurges traffic management effectiveness in commercial, residential and other buildings and also helps in decreasing the waiting time. Average life span for a well maintained elevator is twenty years. After that, upgrading the elevator is required to save energy costs and for increasing comfort and handling capacity. As compared to conventional elevators, smart elevators are more energy efficient and faster.Modern technologies such as destination dispatch and personal occupant requirement terminal (PORT) helps to increase the energy efficiency which in turn led to smoother ride and decreasing the travelling time. The development of destination dispatch and PORT has made elevators smarter and more efficient. Also, the progress in construction sector has increased the growth for the global smart elevator market. The key growth driver for the market of smart elevator is the increasing number of tall buildings and skyscraper across the globe. Emerging economies and the rapid growth in infrastructure relating to utilization of such elevators in new projects is projected to influence the demand in the near future. Furthermore, advancements in technology with addition of numerous digital controls related to safety are expected to provide ample opportunities to vendors.Request sample copy @The global smart elevator market is segmented on the basis of applications into residential, commercial, infrastructure, institutional and industrial. The global smart elevator is further bifurcated by products into elevator access controls & security, automation & controls, maintenance and elevator modernization. Also, the global market for smart elevator is segmented by regions into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and Middle East & Africa.North America dominates the global smart elevator market. However, Asia Pacific is predicted to witness high growth in the future due to technological advancements, rising urbanization, infrastructural developments and high purchasing power of individuals. Rapid economic growth and industrialization, chiefly in Asia Pacific and South America, along with rising inclination of vendors towards automation is anticipated to increase the demand for this technology. The rising number of tall buildings has increased the demand for speedy, comfortable, well-organized, and safe vertical transportation system. Besides, statutory requirements and global green infrastructure standards are influential in compelling deployment of smart elevators in new constructions along with current ones.Inquire about discount on this report @Some of the chief players operating within the global smart elevator market include Bosch Security Systems, Fujitec, Hitachi Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Schneider Electric, Hyundai Elevator Co. Ltd., Otis Elevator Company, ThyssenKrupp Elevator and Honeywell International among others.Some of the key points covered in the report: Smart Elevator Market Landscape Smart Elevator Market  Key Industry Dynamics Smart Elevator Market  Five Forces Analysis Smart Elevator Market  Competitive Landscape Smart Elevator Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2025  Applications Smart Elevator Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2025  Products Smart Elevator Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2025  Geographical Analysis Smart Elevator Market, Key Company ProfilesAbout The Insight Partners:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comThe Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
WORKEROBO: A Pioneer Supplier of Personal Robots in India

http://www.workerobo.com

MAHE, PONDICHERRY: Its 6 am in the morning, Mrs. Raghavan awakes from sleep and finds her home cleaned by personal robot, Pooja. She also own a robot dog who reminds of her daily schedule, medicines and to pick up her groceries. Cleaning Robot meticulously scrubs the floor, dives under the sofas and tables and does not leave any dust or stains on carpet. Life is more life enjoyable now and she does not have to worry about the boring daily chores which consumed most of her family time. My one-time investment on robotic dog and robotic maid has given me many years of benefits, serving our family 24*7 says Mrs. Raghavan.Personal robots are a new concept in emerging countries but they have been mowing lawns, ironing clothes, vacuuming homes, cleaning swimming pools and helping surgeries from past many years in developed countries. In countries like India, where hiring a maid a.k.a. Bai is easy but very difficult to extract quality work from them. Most of working couples pay thousands of dollars to maids for just making their home clean. Now with the availability of multiple Service Robots, more and more couples are investing in permanent robotic maid. They can do multiple tasks which are uninteresting, hard or boring with limited intervention. More advanced versions are actively protecting homes from burglars, assisting complex surgeries, serving in restaurants, assisting elderly and managing large shopping centres and libraries.The future holds a special place for the robots. People are looking to for amazing personal robots for their home, school, workplace, restaurants etc. WORKEROBO (WR) is a pioneer company in India dedicatedly bringing world-class robotics products from all over the world. Head Quartered in Mahe, WORKEROBO offers system integration and product support for next generation personal robotic products all over India. WR brings an attractive product portfolio ranging from Personal and Domestic Service Robots, Assistive Robots, Surveillance Robots to Agricultural and Medical Robots. The Robot as a Service (RaaS) and robot leasing are one of the emerging focus areas which WR will rolling out shortly. WR focuses on supplying intelligence driven and effective automation solutions to make common mans life hassle free.We are expecting to sell personal robots between 5 to 7 Lac units in India in coming 3 years. The use of personal robots segments is predictable to grow and thrive. The market is very responsive and we are in discussion with many manufactures for robots specially designed for senior citizens facilitating assistive living. We want to realise our dream of a robot in every Indian home  says Bhaskaran Pallipurath, one of the directors of WORKEROBO. Global predictions are also impressive with a leading report estimating personal robot sales in the U.S. to exceed $5 billion by 2017. The Japan robot association predicts personal robot industry will be worth more than $50 billion a year globally by 2025.The excitement for personal robots market only lies in terms of innovations. WORKEROBO is working hard with multiple manufactures to bring new advanced personal robots that have more computing power, improved knowledge based systems, speech recognition, wireless capabilities and improved power to users. All these innovations will greatly enhance the use of the personal robot. WR also provides expert consultancy for several custom applications, system integration and technical support as well.For more information about product solutions, manufacturer/vendor partnerships, alliances, support etc, Please contact WORKEROBO at (91) 944-774-ROBO or e-mail at support(at)workerobo(dot)comWORKEROBO Electronics Pvt. LtdWorkerobo is a supplier of Robotics and Intelligent machines.WORKEROBO Electronics Pvt LtdChoodikotta, Mahe 673310, Pondicherry, India
Evacuation Drill at Creta Maris Beach Resorts facilities

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On Monday 26th & Tuesday 27th of September, 2016, for fifth consecutive year, Creta Maris Beach Resort conducted its annual evacuation drill of its facilities, together with a lecture by Professor Lekkas.This years exercise scenario included an earthquake, with a subsequence explosion from gas leak and fire breakout in multiple areas of the resort, as well as a collapse of part of the internal walls with the existence of injured people. It is worth noting that both employees and guests participated in the exercise, thus giving it the corresponding plausibility and seriousness. The exercise lasted a total of 37 minutes, while it was carried out under the supervision of Mr. Efthimios Lekkas, professor of the Geology & Geoenvironment Department, of the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens.In the context of the evacuation exercise a lecture by Professor Lekkas was preceded on Monday, September 26th, 2016, with the title "NaTech vs Hotels - Business planning for dealing with earthquakes and fires in a hotels environment".The aim of the exercise was to ensure the excellent organization of the resorts fire safety team and thus to ensure the safety of guests and staff in case of emergency.The event was honored by the presence of Mr. Stavros Arnaoutakis, the Regional Governor of Crete, Mr. Giannis Mastorakis, the Mayor of Hersonissos, Mr. Giorgos Pelekanakis, the president of the Pancretan & Association of Hotel Managers and Mr. Maragakis Michalis, the Head of Occupational Safety and Health Inspection of Heraklion.Moreover, the evacuation exercise attended the Police Department of Hersonissos, the Port Authority of Hersonissos, the National Centre for Emergency Care (EKAV), the medical center Cretan Medicare, the Fire Echelon of Hersonissos, the Regional Administration of Crete including the Fire department of Heraklion & the Special Unit of Disaster Response (EMAK), the Hellenic Red Cross, and the transport organization KTEL Heraklion-Lasithi. Further, the Greek Tourism Organization () and the Civil Protection of Decentralized Administration of Crete participated as observers.About Creta Maris Beach ResortCreta Maris Beach Resort belongs to Metaxas Group of Companies (Maris Hotels) and has been operating since 1975. It has a capacity of 680 rooms, suites and bungalows, 6 restaurants, 7 bars, 7 swimming pools, gym, Hammam spa, Asterias Childrens Club, and a great space for outdoor and indoor activities.Please find pictures of the activities on high resolution on the below link:Please find pictures of Creta Maris Beach Resort on high resolution on our site:Creta Maris Beach Resort belongs to Metaxas Group of Companies (Maris Hotels) and has been operating since 1975. It has a capacity of 680 rooms, suites and bungalows, 6 restaurants, 7 bars, 7 swimming pools, gym, Hammam spa, Asterias Childrens Club, and a great space for outdoor and indoor activities.Creta Maris Beach ResortNearxou Street, Limin Hersonissos, 70014, Crete GreeceMrs Faye Papaioannou
Digital Vidya is Speaking at Travel Marketing Summit 2016 by TiE Delhi

http://www.digitalvidya.com

New Delhi, Delhi, September 28, 2016: TiE Delhi is the largest entrepreneurial non-profit organization in the world comprising of a group of successful entrepreneurs, which came into being in 1992.The infusion of digital marketing has infused with almost every single industry and has changed the way it used to work. The travel industry is one of the domains that has been quick enough to take up the digitization and revamp its strategies accordingly.With an aim to enlighten entrepreneurs and travel industry about the role of digital marketing today, TiE Delhi has organized a Travel Marketing Summit 2016. "Travel Marketing Summit 2016 - Winning Mantras for Success" hosted by TiE Delhi-NCR Travel Special Interest Group will throw light upon online marketing tips and ideas to attract customers.The attendees will be able to understand and decode the marketing strategies in order to successfully leverage digital marketing. The one-day-long event will witness panel discussions, expert talks on Content Marketing, State of Indian Digital Consumer, User Generated Content, Marketing on a Shoestring Budget: How Do Startups and Small Companies Get the Word Out? etc.Digital Vidyas CEO & Co-founder Pradeep Chopra is going to be one of the moderators for a panel discussion on how small companies could possibly leverage digital marketing in the most efficient way. The panelists in this panel discussion will be Navneet Kaushal, CEO, PageTraffic and Ashish Chopra, head content marketing, ixigo.com. Interestingly, Digital Vidya was associated with TiE Delhi for several training sessions and events.This is a very interesting event by TiE focusing on Travel Marketing. I am looking forward to extracting interesting and valuable inputs from the panel about acquiring customers on low budget, said Pradeep.The 45 minutes long panel discussion will help to know the promotional and marketing techniques that small companies and startups could do without investing a lot of dollars and expecting no or minimum return.Other speakers at this full day event are Nikhil Ganju, Country Manager, TripAdvisor India, Anshuman Bapna, Chief Product Officer, makemytrip.com, Daksh Sharma, Chief Editor & Founding partner, TravelHQ, and more.The Travel Marketing Summit will take place at Ballroom, WelcomHotel Sheraton, Saket, New Delhi on Friday, 30th September 2016. The event will enlighten the attendees on travel market and business & help to stay ahead of the competitors in travel business.Register now for the biggest Travel Marketing Summit of 2016 and know the secrets to success and meet Digital Vidya.For Media queries, please contact:Jasleen KaurPR & Communication Lead, Digital VidyaEmail: jasleenk(at)digitalvidya(dot)comPh: +91-11-9717792016Digital Vidya is Asias leading Digital Marketing training company. It has contributed to the success of over 15000 participants (including CXOs) from over 7,0000 organizations across Asia such as Nokia, Google, eBay, Times of India, Reliance, Star TV, Cisco, GE, MakeMyTrip, Naukri, Citibank, Toyota, Intel, EY, Genpact, Microsoft, ITC, CNBC, NIIT, SAP through more than 1,000 Digital Marketing training programs since 2009.Offered in association with Vskills, a Govt. of India initiative, Certified Digital Marketing Master (CDMM) is Digital Vidyas flagship program, which is attended by Entrepreneurs, Sales & Marketing Professionals and Students.Digital Vidya also conducts customized training programs for Corporations & Academic Institutions. Digital Vidya is also official training partner for Google Partners and Microsoft Partners in India. Find more about Digital Vidya and its training programs atDigital Vidya1001, 10th Floor,Tower-1, Pearls Omaxe Building,Netaji Subhash Place,PitampuraNew Delhi  110034
Web Design Dubai

Fascinating web interfaces will definitely surprise people when they visit your website. An amazing Website design plus development is a combination of both art and science. A successful website design will definitely offers an appealing look and feel to attract your visitors but at the same time it also be capable of delivering what it needs to. Webarro is located in Dubai with capabilities to provide services like web development, Seo, Digital marketing and Ecommerce to clients across UAE. The professional team at Webarro have designed and built many websites for a diverse range of organizations across many industry groupings.Webarro will provide you web design Dubai with an attractive professional web design that will help you to open new markets for your business. Webarro and its high caliber designers will art the perfect look for your website, our skilled programmers will implement the latest technologies in developing your website and our experienced marketing team and consultants will drive qualified, targeted sales leads from the major search engines to your website.Webarro strives to provide you professional websites that will definitely promote your clients products and services and focus on their target audience. We always listens to our clients demands and develop a custom made website that will boost your overall corporate image. Now Statistics says that there are over 300 million people on the Internet today.At Webarro, we are developing your ideas into reality. No matter whom you want to communicate with and what the reason and why? We can help you use the web to do just that more effectively.At Webarro our web design team is expert in digital communication and they understand how the internet works and how it can best work for you. Our designers work according to your needs, creating sites that meet the highest optical standards and function to the highest technical specifications. Finally the result is: impressive websites that capture, impress and inform, whilst endorsing your brand name and it value and speaking in your tone of voice.Webarro strives to provide you professional websites that will definitely promote your clients products and services and focus on their target audience.Office 203, Al Nakheel Building,Karama,Dubai, United Arab Emirates  30485Phone: +971 4 3366506
Bio based PET market size over $13bn by 2023

http://bit.ly/2dfBV4E

Bio based Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Market size was 496.0 kilo tons in 2015, as per the latest research report by Global Market Insights, Inc. Growing concerns towards GHG emissions coupled with bioplastics emergence as an alternative in packaging and automotive industry may stimulate global bio based PET market size.Request for a sample of this research report @Global biobased PET market size may generate USD 13.1 billion by 2023. Increasing importance of sustainable packaging, especially in China and India, may positively influence bio based polyethylene market size growth. Key Industry participants, The Coca-Cola Company and Toray, have formed strategic partnerships with bio based product manufacturers such as Gevo and Virent, for the development 100% bio PET.Coca-Cola, H.J. Heinz, Nike, Procter & Gamble and Ford Motor have collaborated Plant PET Technology Collaborative (PTC) for 100% bio polyethylene terephthalate production acceleration intended for apparels, technical seat trims, plastic bottles, floor carpets and footwear.APAC bio PET marker size, led by China & India, was dominant and accounted for over 32.5% of the overall demand in 2015. Growing CSD (carbonated soft drinks) & alcohol beverage demand in China and India have resulted in increased scope for packaging.Australian government formed (APC) The Australian Packaging Covenant for sustainable packaging promotion which may favor on bio-based PET market growth. The Japanese government has set a target of 20% bioplastics production in the plastics market by 2020, which may favor bio based polyethylene terephthalate market growth over the next several years.Bio polyethylene terephthalate weighs lower in comparison to their fossil fuel counterparts, which helps its use in exterior and interior automotive parts. AT&T, Nissan and Toyota Motors have announced plans to use bioplastics in their products, which may positively influence bio PET market growth in technical applications.Key raw material, sugarcane, is used for MEG manufacturing. Sugarcane is majorly used for sugar and bio ethanol production and may fall short as feedstock for MEG production. This may hamper product supply and affect bio based PET market price trend.Petrochemical derived polyethylene terephthalate are showcasing stiff competition to bio based counter parts with decrease in crude oil prices, However, bio based polyethylene terephthalate prices are expected to compete with petrochemical derived counterparts with correction in crude oil prices and capacity expansion on bio based polyethylene terephthalate.Key insights from the report include:Global bio PET market size may attain 44.2% CAGR up to 2023 and reach 6.74 million tons by 2023. Europe, with food & beverage industry growth in Germany, France & UK, is set to gain significant growth rates and register over USD 2.8 billion by 2023.Europe bottling applications are forecast to grow at over 37% CAGR in revenue terms and register over USD 2.3 billion by 2023.North America technical application occupied a small chunk of the share may register over USD 235 million by 2023 with expected gains at above 36% CAGR.Latin America, with Brazil contributing to regional demand, may witness significant growth rates at over 46.5% CAGR up to 2023. Latin America bottling applications may register over USD 1.5 billion by 2023.Global biobased PET market share is competitive with limited industry participants dominating production. Key industry participants include Teijin Limited, Toray Industries, Coca Cola, Toyota Tsusho, Plastipak holdings and M&G chemicals. Gevo, Anellotech, and Virent are some key raw material suppliers and have invested for bio PTA production for 100% bio polyethylene terephthalate manufacturing.About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.29L Atlantic Avenue,Suite L 105, Ocean View,Delaware 19970United States
Latest Report Examines Factors Driving Global Diabetes Care Devices Revenue and Growth Rate 2021

http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=740099&type=E

http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-diabetes-care-devices-industry-2016-market-research-report.htm

http://www.qyresearchreports.com/category/pharmaceutical-market-reports-38.htm

http://www.qyresearchreports.com

Global Diabetes Care Devices Industry 2016 Market Overview, Size, Share, Trends, Analysis, Technology, Applications, Growth, Market Status, Demands, Insights, Development, Research and Forecast 2016-2020.This study is compiled for providing a detailed analysis on the global Diabetes Care Devices market. Market evaluation has been presented in terms of trend analysis, product manufacturers, and geographical demand. Yearly estimates on the market for Diabetes Care Devices have also been presented in this study. The prime segments and sub-segments of the market are also analyzed and the predicted development of each of these segments has been presented in the report. Furthermore, the key business strategies adopted by the prime vendors dominant in the global Diabetes Care Devices market for better penetration into the market also form a key part of this study.In the following section, an analysis on the global Diabetes Care Devices market on the basis of value, revenue, and size is encapsulated under this study. Factors impacting the development of the market, such as the market drivers, opportunities, restraints, and trends also form a vital part of this report. Then, the report presents information on the technological developments taking place in the global Diabetes Care Devices market and insights into how these developments are poised to impact the growth of the market.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report further utilizes various analytical tools such as SWOT analysis and Porters five forces analysis for providing an accurate understanding of this market. The dominant regions have been encapsulated under the geographical segmentation section of the report on the global Diabetes Care Devices market.The vendor landscape section of this study familiarizes the readers with the top vendors operating in the global Diabetes Care Devices market. An evaluation on these players on the basis of attributes such as company profile, product introduction, and contact information has been included under this section of the report.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of ContentsChapter One Diabetes Care Devices Industry Overview1.1 Diabetes Care Devices Definition1.1.1 Diabetes Care Devices Product Pictures & Product Specifications1.2 Diabetes Care Devices Classification & ApplicationChapter Two Diabetes Care Devices Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis2.1 Diabetes Care Devices Raw Material & Equipments Supplier and Price Analysis2.2 Diabetes Care Devices Labor & Other Cost Analysis2.3 Diabetes Care Devices Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis2.4 Diabetes Care Devices Manufacturing Process AnalysisChapter Three Diabetes Care Devices Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis3.1 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Diabetes Care Devices Capacity and Commercial Production Date3.2 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Diabetes Care Devices Manufacturing Plants Distribution3.3 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Diabetes Care Devices R&D Status and Technology Sources3.4 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Diabetes Care Devices Raw Materials Sources AnalysisChapter Four Diabetes Care Devices Production by Regions, Technology and Applications4.1 2010-2016 Diabetes Care Devices Production by Regions(such as US, EU, China and Japan etc)4.2 2010-2016 Diabetes Care Devices Production by Product Type & Application4.3 2010-2016 Diabetes Care Devices Price by key Manufacturers4.4 2010-2016 US & China Diabetes Care Devices Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis4.5 2010-2016 Europe and Japan Diabetes Care Devices Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis4.6 2010-2016 US and China Diabetes Care Devices Supply Import Export Consumption4.7 2010-2016 Europe and Japan Diabetes Care Devices Supply Import Export ConsumptionChapter Five Diabetes Care Devices Sales and Sales Revenue by Regions5.1 2010-2016 Diabetes Care Devices Sales by Regions (such as US, EU, China & Japan etc)5.2 2010-2016 Diabetes Care Devices Sales Revenue by Regions (such as US EU China Japan etc)5.3 2010-2016 Diabetes Care Devices Sales Price by Regions (such as US EU China Japan etc)5.4 2010-2016 Diabetes Care Devices Demand by ApplicationsRead More @About UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Companies Destroy the API Economy They Create

https://cloudrail.com

www.cloudrail.com

Application programming interfaces (APIs) are the foundation of a connected world. These interfaces are used to connect cloud services and applications from different vendors to create a common ecosystem.The problem is that companies regularly change their APIs. Dropbox just forced 300,000 app developers to migrate to a new API version. Every app using the Dropbox API, in which a developer is not willing to invest a week of costly development time, will break. Unfortunately this use case is the rule rather than the exception.On the one hand companies provide an open API to support a connected world and on the other hand destroy it by regularly changing them.CloudRail (), whose API integration solutions for apps are used by millions of users every day, has built a solution to this problem. Called API Change Management, the product automatically identifies API changes and maintains them for app developers to keeps critical integrations working. It helps developers to keep track of API changes and let them upgrade their integrations in less than 10 minutes instead of days, resulting in significant development costs savings but also keeps their customers happy with stable apps. Now developers have more control over their apps that ever before.Im frustrated that companies are constantly changing their APIs. While I understand it is to improve the overall integration between my app and their service, it is done in a way that costs me time and money says Lam-Thao Ha from cm3p development. Multiply a week fix across the nine APIs I integrate, it has an impact on my profit margin. Finally a company built tools focus on me the developer and my needs.The CloudRail solution is freely available for open source and non commercial apps. The Commercial offering starts at 19 per month.Founded in 2013, CloudRails vision is to revolutionize the way APIs are being integrated. With its universal API approach, the start-up is significantly simplifying integrations which leads to a more connected world. Headquartered in Mannheim, Germany and with an office in San Francisco, CA, CloudRail powers reliable integrations which are used by millions of people every day.CloudRaillicobo GmbHJulius-Hatry-Str. 168163 MannheimGermanyPhone: +49 621 48345965Email: felix@cloudrail.com
Quick and Seamless Netgear Tech Support Service by Icognix

Netgear tech support number 1-888-479-2017

While Netgear routers or any product from this brand is worldwide known for its great performance, sometimes it also faces technical issues. In such case assistance from Netgear tech support team is essential.Icognix is the one of the leading tech support provider in the market. With a huge customer base, the company has earned loyal visitors through its unparalleled and affordable services. It is now proudly known as the best third party Netgear tech support company in the arena.We know how difficult it is to get customer who stay loyal to you, therefore we ensure every time they choose us we offer them reliable and cost-effective service, said a source from the company.The professionals at the company not only offers technical support for Netgear but also for various other brands available today. They have a specialized team that caters to even the trickiest questions or issues of the product users. Our Netgear tech support team attend customer queries within limited time and offer customized solution, added the source.Icognix experts offer round the clock service, even in the oddest hour. In the last statement the company released, it claimed that they offer service at the nominal price even during the odd hours.Few of issues attended by the professionals include problem in router installation, issue with wireless connection, unable to connect a wireless PC to router etc. A user can get all these and many more related queries answered here.The company can be contact on their Netgear tech support toll free number at 1-888-479-2017. One can also reach them over web chat or email support.Icognix provides technical support for computers, Laptops, Software, Routers, Antivirus and for Printers. Call us anytime anywhere. We provide Netgear router setup or installation or configuration. If your want to setup Netgear extender, you can call us on the given number. We are 24 x 7 available, our technicians are Microsoft certified professionals.129 College Drive,New Jersey, Edison
GITEX 2016 : iMOBDEV to demonstrate the innovative IT solutions for 4th Consecutive Time

https://www.imobdevtech.com/gitex-dubai-2016-exhibition

https://www.imobdevtech.com

GITEX the mega IT trade show held every year @ Dubai is all set to give a shake to the technology market this time. iMOBDEV has reserved the exhibitor's stand at GITEX 2016. Company will exhibit for the new sectors at GITEX, Dubai from 16-20 October 2016, SR-E4, Sheikh Rashid Hall.GITEX Dubai 2016 is the 36th Technology Week scheduled during the 16th to 20th October 2016. The mega trade show takes the technologies to the new heights as the tech innovators explore their ideas. It is the 3rd best technology event of the planet that each tech geek is exited about. GITEX launches the Global Startup Movement with over 400 entrepreneurs, 250 investors and mentors belonging from the 52 countries. It is the event which opens the business gateway for techies, IT Innovators, IT Industrialists and the visitors as well. Each one attending the GITEX goes back by knowing something new in the technology. And this is the reason why anybody who has attended the event last time would not like to miss this time as well.iMOBDEV Technology- A top web and mobile app development company is consecutively exhibiting the IT services at GITEX from the past 3 years. Superiors mark the event every year as being the leading company, it is compulsive for them to stay updated and deliver the best of the best to the clients. It provides a wide platform to meet and interact with the professionals carrying the same area of interest. Folks are always eager to boost their knowledge for the new trending points and sectors of the technical industry. This gives an ultimate reason to exhibitors to demonstrate the services relevant to the new technology sectors.Meet team iMOBDEV at GITEX, Dubai from 16-20 October 2016, SR-E4, Sheikh Rashid Hall.Team iMOBDEV is clear about its funda to demonstrate the services @ GITEX Dubai 2016. They are well focused on showcasing their relevant services for the new sectors which GITEX has announced. The focused technologies will be:AR / VR / Artificial IntelligenceSmart Living and WearablesDigital MarketingDronesRoboticsiCities3D PrintingStart-upsAmong the top trending technologies, iMOBDEV techies will focus on the relevant technologies which hit the recent technology era.Business Intelligence SolutionsCloud ComputingCRM SolutionsDigital MarketingE-Commerce SolutionsEnterprise SolutionsMobile SolutionsMobilitySoftwareWearable TechnologyThe above technologies can be utilized by the innovators for Smart living. If the folks are having the right plan with the long vision, then they can make the dream of iCities come true by utilizing the IT advancements in one or other way.Wearables have a big scope in the nearer future. Applications for Wearables may take your business to the heights if you are advance in your execution.This is the reason, iMOBDEV will be assisting the professionals for the new sectors. Professionals can meet the executives and have a long discussion for their queries. Team iMOBDEV will clear all doubts relevant to the technology for the areas of their concern. Being in the industry and implementing the technology from past 7 years, company has emerged with the advance solutions. Hence, if you have the vision to modernize your business using web and mobility solutions, then you must visit Mobile and Web App Development Company iMOBDEV's stand personally and start a conversation. You may conclude with the ultimate solutions that you have ever imagined.What you need to do is, fix your meeting with the team at your convenient time.For more details, visit -The other way to approach iMOBDEV @ 36th GITEX Technology Week 2016 is, you can simply summarize your business in front of the representatives present over there and ask for the relevant technology solutions. The representatives are confident for their solutions as they have worked for almost all types of industry sectors and can work on the innovations as well if required. Even the industry leaders can explain you the scope for your business if you go with the flow of technology. Meet our team at GITEX, Dubai from 16-20 October 2016, SR-E4, Sheikh Rashid Hall. You can reserve the free entry tickets from the iMOBDEV.Media Contact:Mr. Tauseef Anwar (Business Development Manager)Website:Email us: sales@imobdevtech.comCall us: +91 815 506 3838 / +1 (908) 301-6001Catch on Skype: sales.imobdev404 Shails MallCG Road,Ahmedabad, India
SEQUENCE HEALTH TO PRESENT MEDICAL PRACTICE MARKETING TIPS FOR BARIATRICS AT LYNNE THOMPSON EVENT

https://sequencehealth.com/

St. Petersburg Beach, Fla  Sequence Health is proud to announce participation in the 2016 Bariatric Coordinator Conference held September 29  30 in St. Petersburg Beach, Florida. The event takes place on the beach and will emphasize the value of relationships within the bariatric industry, giving insights into the tools and tactics necessary to develop best medical practice marketing for individual bariatric programs. Attendees will earn CEU and CPE credits while gaining a better understanding of the newly implemented requirements for accreditation.Nate McCormack will represent Sequence Health in a dinner presentation. Sequence Health is co-sponsoring with Bariatric Advantage to deliver Four Key Medical Practice Strategies to Grow Your Bariatric Program. Participants will learn the value of growing relationships among hospital leadership, marketing, and the surgical team; ways to remove barriers to entry for patients seeking bariatric services; the benefits of using Online Seminars and webinars to increase patient intake; and other easy ways to increase conversion rates.In speaking with so many of the bariatric programs across the country, I constantly hear how busy they are in managing the day-to-day operations. Surgeons find it extremely difficult to keep up with the hundreds, if not thousands, of patients that are on their weight loss journey to bariatric surgery. Im very excited and looking forward to meeting with everyone and providing some key takeaways that can make their lives easier and their hospital and clinic leadership thrilled with the measurable results to come, says McCormack.Headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, Sequence Health is a performance-optimizing healthcare technology and service company whose focus is on helping bridge the communication, education and participation gaps within the patient-provider relationship. Sequence Health offers an intuitive patient engagement and care management SaaS platform supported by a full staff of clinical and non-clinical professionals, in our NurseLine, Medical Call Center and Healthcare Marketing departments, skilled at keeping patients engaged throughout their steps of care.To learn more about our recommended medical practice marketing strategies or Sequence Healths services, visitor call 888.986.3638.Sequence Health13010 Morris RoadCorporate Centre Two,Third FloorAlpharetta, GA 30004P: (888) 986-3638
Global Automotive Fuel Level Sensor Market 2016 Growth, Trends and Competitive Landscape Outlook to 2022

Automotive Fuel Level Sensor

http://bit.ly/2deHQrh

http://www.mrsresearchgroup.com/market-analysis/global-automotive-fuel-level-sensor-market-2016-production.html

MRS Research Group new research on Global Automotive Fuel Level Sensor Market 2016-2022 Market Research Report' is analytical reports based on a current situation and trends of the global market. It is in-depth study of the comprehensive content which compiles statistics for the key elements of subject. The repot ensure the quality of the content and guideline which needed. It includes basic information of the company profile, products, generated revenue and future treads and various other vital data.Check Free Sample Report @Our experts team takes out key information from the various sources which include primary and secondary sources and help to provides related information of the client interest. Report will easily mold information as per client requirement which covers forecast and analysis of Automotive Fuel Level Sensor market on global and regional level.We generate reports on market variations across verticals like energy, chemicals, technology, food, electronics and others. It consists of a highly detailed analysis of the subject.We use numerous tools and techniques to collect information on various parameters. The report includes key competitors in global Automotive Fuel Level Sensor market. Our experts team provides forward-looking insight on market growth. It will clear you with the suitable schematics diagrams, statistical analysis and related deep insight. It will also cover value chain analysis, market attractiveness, supply-demand & import export and 2011-2016 revenue for each company.It includes proper segmentation at the micro and macro level, dominant, largest and leading segment in the market. Moreover, includes future projects in the market with most reliable information indispensable for marketplaceRead Complete Report @MRS Research group provides a range of marketing and business research solutions designed for our clients specific needs based on our expert resources. The business scopes of Prof Research cover more than 30 industries including energy, new materials, transportation, daily consumer goods, chemicals, etc. We provide our clients with one-stop solution for all the research requirements.Joel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United StatesToll Free : +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@mrsresearchgroup.com
Peanut Butter Market Dynamics, Segments and Supply Demand 2015-2025

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-904

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-904

www.futuremarketinsights.com

Peanut butter is a high protein, low calorie product that possess high nutritional value. It is healthy alternative to dairy butter and used as bread spread. Major market presence of peanut butter is in western countries in comparison to Asian countries such as India as product is relatively new to the Asian region. Peanut butter is used in various applications in the form of spread and is used as the substitute for milk butter. However, in comparison to other spreads peanut butter is a low calorie product with high protein content. Consumption of peanut butter includes various benefits associated with it such as it helps to reduce the weight and also possess optimum nutrition value. Peanut butter are also available in powder form and used in various applications such as breakfast food, savory sauces and smoothies.Peanut Butter Market SegmentationPeanut butter market is segmented on the basis of product type, distribution channel and region. On the basis of product type peanut butter market is divided into regular, low sodium, low sugar and plain. Among all the segments of the peanut butter, regular peanut butter is the dominating segment, followed by other segments. However, low sodium peanut butter is expected to show fastest growth in the forthcoming years. Peanut butter market is segmented on the basis of distribution channel into supermarkets, hypermarkets, retailers and others. Among all the segments of peanut butter market supermarket segment is expected to contribute maximum revenue to the overall revenue of the peanut butter market, followed by hypermarkets and retailers. Peanut butter market are segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East and Africa and Japan.Request Free Report Sample@Peanut Butter Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global peanut butter market is expected to witness robust growth over the forecasted period due to the rising needs of the consumers for low calorie nutritious products. Globally, among all regions, North America is expected to contribute highest market share, followed by Europe over the forecasted period. In North America, U.S. is expected to contribute maximum market share due the high disposable income of the consumers. However, in emerging economies such as Asia Pacific peanut butter market is anticipated to witness highest growth owing to the rising disposable income of consumers in these regions.Peanut Butter Market: DriversVarious drivers for peanut butter market includes rising demand for nutritious products coupled with increasing disposable income of consumers especially in developing countries. Other drivers that fuel the growth of peanut butter market are increasing demand for low calorie healthy food and emergence of hectic life schedule. Changing lifestyle coupled with shift towards the intake of convenient food are also factors that are expected to drive the peanut butter market in the coming four to five years. Major restraint that is expected to hamper the growth of the overall peanut butter market is the availability of peanut at relatively competitive prices coupled with fluctuating production of peanuts especially in India.Visit For TOC@Peanut Butter Market: Key PlayersMajor players operating in peanut butter market are Procter & Gamble, Unilever, The J.M. Smucker Company, Hormel Foods Corporation, Boulder Brands Inc., Kraft Canada Inc., Algood Food Company Inc. Various companies operating in peanut butter market are mainly adopting strategy to launch new varieties of peanut butter in order to grab the changing needs and preferences of the consumers.About Us:Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.Contact Us:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Base Oil Market Worth US$ 41 Billion by 2021

Base Oil Market

http://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/base-oil-market

http://www.marketresearchengine.com/requestsample/base-oil-market

http://www.marketresearchengine.com/

Florida, September 28: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Base Oil Market by Product (Group I, Group II, III, IV, V) and by Application (Industrial Oils, Process Oils, Automotive Oils, Metalworking Fluids, Hydraulic Oils etc.)  Global Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecast 2016  2021.The base oil market is expected to exceed more than USD 41 billion by 2021; Growing at a CAGR of about 1.0% between 2015 and 2021.Browse Full Report:Base oil is used for creating many products such as metal processing fluids, motor oils and greases. The very essential part of base oil is viscosity, because different products need different property and composition in the oil. Base oil is created from chemical synthesis process or from crude oil by applying heat, when heating process is going hydrocarbons are separated which are heavy or light in weight. Petrol and other fuels are made from light hydrocarbon and base oil is produced from heavy one. It is suitable for making gear oil, premium engine oil and hydraulic oilThe major driving factors of base oilmarket are as follows:Development in automotive business will raised requirement for finished lubricants.Fast industrialization in rising economies drives the requirement for lubricants with different end user segmentation.Stringent secretion principals resulting in modifying in lubricant formulation system.The restraining factors of base oilmarket are as follows:Reducing crude oil values affects the base oil revenues.Gradual move to weight and sour crude oil through refiners will harmfully forces base oil production.Download Free Sample Report:The base oil market is segmented on the lines of its product, application and geography. Under product segmentation the base oil market covers Group I, Group II, Group III, Group IV and Group V. The base oil market is segmented on the lines of its application like industrial oil, hydraulic oil, grease, automotive oil and metalworking fluids. The base oil market is geographic segmentation covers various regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. Each geography market is further segmented to provide market revenue for select countries such as the U.S., Canada, U.K. Germany, China, Japan, India, Brazil, and GCC countries.This report provides:1) An overview of the global market for base oil and related technologies.2) Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2013, estimates for 2014 and 2015, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2020.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for base oil market.4) Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications.5) Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.REPORT SCOPE:The scope of the report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for various types of base oil with the reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include Exxon Mobile Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell plc, SK Lubricants Co. Ltd., and Chevron Corporation. Other market players profiled in this research report include British Petroleum plc, Sinopec Group, GS Caltex Corporation, MOGoil GmbH, PetroChina Company Limited, Phillips 66 Company, and S-Oil Corporation. Company profile includes assign such as company summary, financial summary, business strategy and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.The Top Companies Report is intended to provide our buyers with a snapshot of the industrys most influential players.The Base Oil Market has been segmented as below:By Product Segment AnalysisGroup IGroup IIGroup IIIGroup IVGroup VBy Application AnalysisAutomotive OilIndustrial OilMetalworking FluidsHydraulic OilGreasesOthersBy Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificRest of the WorldAbout MarketResearchEngine.comMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging, niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862, +91-860-565-7204Website:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
Transformer Oil Market Revenue, Opportunity, Segment and Key Trends 2015-2025

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In order to meet the residential, commercial and industrial energy requirements and ensure a smooth operation of power supply transformer plays an important role. During transformer operation, transformers dissipate heat which can damage the system if not controlled. In order to achieve seamless operation of transformer by preventing from heat damage the oil are used. Transformer oil is used in oil-filled and submersible transformers to maintain temperature of transformer. Application of transformer oil can also be seen in high-voltagecircuit breakers and switches. Since the oil is in constant contact with components it is therefore susceptible to chemical interaction. It is therefore essential to check for the quality of transformer oil at regular intervals since with continuous reaction the chemical composition of the oil may change and this may render it unfit for use.The market for transformer oil is subjected to the demands of the various end-use industries such as chemicals and automotive, and the type of transformer used. The oil used in transformers is hydrocarbon mineral oil. There are two major types of transformer oil used in the industry; naphthenic and paraffinic based. Though bio based transformer oil have gained attention due to stringent environmental issues but their usage is restricted due to limited advantage. The market of transformer oil will be driven by the expanding energy demand and growing installation of power grids in urban scenario. Due to growing population, the power grid companies needs to expand and upgrade their existing capacities causing penetration of transformers to increase which in turn fuel the market for transformer oil. The transition towards renewable sources of energy, strict environmental laws and shift towards organic oils may restraint the market of mineral based transformer oil.Request Free Report Sample@Asia is one of the largest consumer of transformer oils followed by North America, South America and Europe. For the forecasted years Asia-pacific transformer oil market will continue to lead in terms of consumption. The demand for transformer oil in Asia Pacific is rapidly growing for emerging markets of India and China. This demand is transformer oil is attributed to the increasing focus on rural and urban development in infrastructure. This involves a shift in focus from high capacity transformer to small and mid-segment transformers for domestic and agricultural uses. The transformer oil markets of China, India and also Brazil will dominate owing to the government initiative for the electricity accessibility to the countrys population. The demand for in the mineral based is anticipated to stabilize due to the shift towards green (bio based) alternatives. The demand for transformer oil in regions of Americas and Europe is related to high capacity industrial transformers. The demand for transformer oil in these regions is anticipated to be slower than those in Asia Pacific owing to the significant development of renewable sources of energy and reduced dependability on conventional sources of energy.Visit For TOC@Transformer Oil Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players identified in the transformer oil market are Hydrodec Group PLC, Nynas AB, Calumet Specialty Products Partners, Valvoline,APAR Industries, Sinopec Corporation, Engen Petroleum Limited.About Us:Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.Contact Us:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Wood Pellets Market worth US$ 20 Billion by 2023

Wood Pellets Market

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New York, September 28: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Wood Pellets Market, by Application (Power Plants and Heating) - Global Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2023The wood pellets market is expected to exceed more than US$ 20.0 Billion by 2023 growing at a CAGR of more than 14% in the given forecast period 2016 to 2023.Download Free Sample Report:Wood pellets are a form of biomass fuel produced from wood waste products, sawdust, industrial byproducts and forestry wastes. The virgin trees are specially grown for producing pellets. The shape of wood pellets is cylindrical in shape and having diameter between 6-12m.m and length is 1-3c.m. After manufacturing of wood pellets it should be used as fuel for commercial building, homes or in power plants. Wood pellets are dry, easy to store and hydraulic rate of wood pellets is stable as compare to other biomass fuel. It has high energy density so it can be transported long distance at once. Wood pellets is burnt it generates very small amount of carbon dioxide that is CO2 so this fuel broadly standardized as more eco friendly fuels.The major driving factors of wood pellets market are as follows:Government rules and contractFinancial inducement by centralized agenciesLong term supplyLow price of wood pelletsThe restraints factors of wood pellets market are as follows:Flue Gas Release during Storage of Wood PelletsBrowse Full Report here:The wood pellets market is segmented on the lines of its application and regional. Under application segmentation wood pellets market covers power plants and heating. The wood pellet market is geographic segmentation covers various regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. Each geography market is further segmented to provide market revenue for select countries such as the U.S., Canada, U.K. Germany, China, Japan, India, Brazil, and GCC countries.This report provides:1) An overview of the global market for wood pellets and related technologies.2) Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2013, estimates for 2014 and 2015, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2023.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for wood pellets4) Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications.5) Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.REPORT SCOPE:The scope of the report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for various types of coatings with the reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include Andritz AG, Drax Group plc, Enito Singpellet Pte Ltd, Enviva LP, F.E. Wood & Sons, German Pellets GmbH, Georgia Biomass, LLC, Allance Pellet Machinery, The Westervelt Company, Pinnacle Renewable Energy Group, Rentech, Inc., Energex, and Wood Pellet Energy (UK) LTD.. Company profile includes assign such as company summary, financial summary,business strategy and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.The Top Companies Report is intended to provide our buyers with a snapshot of the industrys most influential players.The Wood Pellets Market has been segmented as below:By Application AnalysisPower PlantsHeatingBy Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificRest of the WorldAbout MarketResearchEngine.comMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging, niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862, +91-860-565-7204Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
Tuberculosis Testing Market Worth US$ 2600 Million by 2020

Tuberculosis Testing Market

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New York, September 28: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Tuberculosis Testing Market by Test type (Smear Microscopy, Culture Based Tests, Nucleic Acid Testing, Mantoux Test, Radiography (Chest X-Ray), Drug Susceptibility Testing (DST) and Other TB Tests) - Global Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecast 2015  2021The Tuberculosis Testing market is expected to exceed more than US$ 2600 million by 2020; growing at a CAGR of more than 4.2% in the given forecast period.Download Free Sample Report:Tuberculosis tests are existing to diagnosis tuberculosis. These tests are used to discover tuberculosis bacteria which are subjected to tuberculosis drug resistant or TB drug treatment. Tuberculosis test are used to determine if someone has infected with tuberculosis bacteria. The expansion of tuberculosis disease is occurring in two stages. In first stage a person contains TB bacteria that are latent TB. In second stage the TB bacteria will reproduced adequately which cause the patient to have become unwell. Analysis of active tuberculosis will be confirmed when there is a distinct confirmation of TB bacteria in the humans body. Chest X- ray is used when person contains TB bacteria when caused swelling in lungs. Increasing demand for technologically advanced, improved and new TB testing equipment and procedure is the main cause in rise of the TB testing demand.The major driving factors of tuberculosis testing market are as follows: Increasing tuberculosis awareness and control events from non government and government. Increased approval of many tuberculosis testing techniques because of high incidence and occurrence rates of the disease. Rising demand for many tuberculosis tests.The restraining factors of tuberculosis testing market are as follows: Costs of many tuberculosis tests are very high.Browse Full Report:The tuberculosis testing market is segmented on the lines of its test type and regional. Based on test type segmentation the tuberculosis testing market covers drug susceptibility testing (DST), radiography (Chest X-Ray), mantoux Test (Tuberculin Skin Test), nucleic acid testing, culture based tests, smear microscopy and other tests such as ADA, IGRA, serological tests etc. The tuberculosis testing market is geographic segmentation covers various regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. Each geography market is further segmented to provide market revenue for select countries such as the U.S., Canada, U.K. Germany, China, Japan, India, Brazil, and GCC countries.This report provides:1) An overview of the global market for tuberculosis testing and related technologies.2) Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2013, estimates for 2014 and 2015, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2020.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for tuberculosis testing4) Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications.5) Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.REPORT SCOPE:The scope of the report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for tuberculosis testing with the reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include Abbott Laboratories, Akonni Biosystems, Inc., Alere, Inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company, bioMerieux SA, Cepheid, Epistem plc, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Hain Lifescience GmbH, Hologic, QIAGEN, Sanofi and Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.. Company profile includes assign such as company summary, financial summary, business strategy and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.The Top Companies Report is intended to provide our buyers with a snapshot of the industrys most influential players.The Tuberculosis Testing Market has been segmented as below:By Test Type Analysis Drug Susceptibility Testing (DST) Radiography (Chest X-Ray) Mantoux Test (Tuberculin Skin Test) Nucleic Acid Testing Culture Based Tests Smear Microscopy Other Tests (ADA, IGRA, Serological Tests etc)By Regional Analysis North America Europe Asia-Pacific Rest of the WorldAbout MarketResearchEngine.comMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging, niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862, +91-860-565-7204Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
Loway Switzerland Announces the Release of QueueMetrics 16.09

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The Loway team is pleased to announce the release of QueueMetrics 16.09.Loway primary vision for this release is to build a new version of their renewed call-center suite around the idea of making the software flexible, intuitive and even more reliable."We are extremely proud to release this brand new version of QueueMetrics at AstriCon 2016, the go-to place for all thing Asterisk," said Lorenzo Emilitri, founder of Loway. "Our intention is to show you how you can run a modern and full featured call-center based on open technology."QueueMetrics 16.09 is a significant release in several aspects. Most importantly it implements a new set of statistics to addresstracking calls resolutions problems, programmable and customizable agent data blocks, improved agent's page and WebRTC soft phone. Loway developers also added an official Docker image and a new lighter, optimized loader called "Uniloader", that works very well with the official QueueMetrics Docker image.Release 16.09 fully supports Asterisk 13.11, as well as any older version, and works fine with FreePBX and Elastix GUIs.QueueMetrics 16.09 features include:* Tracking Call Resolutions and Programmable agent data blocks* An improved version of the Icon Agent page* The official Docker image* The new generation data loader "Uniloader"* Over 80 bugs fixand much more.CheckSince 2004, Loway develops professional reliable and customizable call center solutions for the Asterisk PBX technology.Their distinguished QueueMetrics set up modern standards in performance measurement, reporting and statistics for call centers.WombatDialer is a flexible, easy to use outbound predictive dialing platform and a perfect complement to QueueMetrics.Via Laveggio 36855 StabioSwitzerland
The foundation stone ceremony held on the Bushehr Phase II construction site (Iran)

On September 10 the foundation stone ceremony was held on the construction site of Bushehr nuclear power plant Phase II. The plant is being built in the framework of the Russian-Iranian cooperation. The contract provides for construction of two power units of Bushehr NPP (Units 2 and 3).The Russian delegation was headed by CEO of ROSATOM Sergey Kirienko. The ceremony was attended by President of the Group of Companies ASE Valery Limarenko. On the Iranian side the ceremony was attended by First Vice-President of Iran Eshaq Jahangiri and Vice-President of the country and President of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi.First power unit of Bushehr NPP was connected to the national grid of Iran on September 3, 2011. This power plant was built with the Russian assistance and became the first NPP in the Middle East region.Nuclear Power Production and Development Company of Iran (NPPD) and JSC Atomstroyexport (JSC ASE) signed contracts for construction of Units 2 and 3 of Bushehr Phase II on EPC turn-key terms in November 2014. Total power capacity of two VVER-1000 reactors should be 2,100 MW. JSC ASE is the principle contractor of Bushehr Phase II. The plant will be built to the new design of Generation III+. The design was certified by EUR (European Utility Requirements). Bushehr Phase II will employ unique technologies and cutting-edge solutions, as well as new safety concept. The Russian and Iranian parties have started working on this project on September 10.Sergey Kirienko commented on the event: Construction of Bushehr Phase I proved that Russia always fulfills its obligations before foreign partners irrespectively of the political climate in the world. Phase II of this project is the practical contribution of ROSATOM to the broadening of the Russian-Iranian cooperation and, at the same time, a serious move to strengthen Russias positions in the global market of civil nuclear technologies in a promising micro-region such as Middle East.According to Valery Limarenko, Unit 1 of Bushehr NPP is a unique facility with no rivals in the world. He said: We have managed to integrate Russian equipment into buildings made earlier to the German project. This success was achieved owing to professionalism and devotion of Russian and Iranian specialists who worked and continue working to implement the project of Irans first nuclear power plant. Today we start building Bushehr Phase II. I am sure we are awaited by the joint success in working on this project.ROSATOM is the Russian Federation national nuclear corporation bringing together circa 400 nuclear companies and R&D institutions that operate in the civilian and defense sectors. With 70 years' expertise in the nuclear field, we are a global leader in technologies and competencies offering cutting-edge industry solutions. We work on a global scale to provide comprehensive nuclear services that range from uranium enrichment to nuclear waste treatment.One Raffles Place, Tower 2 #19-61
Living a healthy lifestyle could help reducing risk with Heart diseases

Healthy Heart is this years theme for the World Heart Day, observed on 29th September by the World Heart Federation. Heart Day is part of an international campaign to spread awareness about heart disease and stroke prevention. This is the perfect day to quit smoking, get exercising and start eating healthy  all in the name of keeping your heart in good working condition, and improving the health and wellbeing of people.To leverage this global campaign Association of Hospital (AOH) calls on the general population to take rapid action to improve knowledge about the heart related diseases. Just a few simple steps such as eating more healthily, cutting down on alcohol and stopping smoking can improve your heart health and your overall well-being and reduce premature deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) by 80 percent.Dr. PM Bhujang, President, Association of Hospital while suggesting measures said, Your heart is a very important muscle in your body. It is constantly working, yet it never gets tired. Sometimes people may get heart disease. The aim is to improve health by encouraging people to indulge in healthy eating habits and lead a healthy lifestyle. This helps your heart to beat normally, keeping it healthy & strong and also keeps your body strong.Heart Day was initiated to spread one message that heart problems can now be prevented. So this World Heart Day, lets make sure we all take action to keep our hearts healthy and make a lasting difference to our health he further added.According to the World Heart Federation, heart disease and strokes are the worlds leading cause of death, killing 17.5 million people every year and by 2030 this is expected to rise to 23 million. One third of these deaths from cardiovascular diseases is premature and occurs among those aged less than 70 years.About Association of Hospital:The Association of Hospitals has been formed under the Memorandum dated August 6, 1985 and is registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The Association is also registered under Maharashtra Public Trust Act, 1950 as Public Charitable Trust with the office of Charity Commissioner, Maharashtra State.Presently there are 52 members of the Association and all of them are Public Charitable Trust Hospitals registered under Maharashtra Public Trust Act, 1950 with the concerned offices of Charity Commissioner, Maharashtra State depending upon the Jurisdiction. The members being not-for-profit charitable hospitals render yeomen service to the public and bear a major share of healthcare service to the people.The Association of Hospitals has been formed under the Memorandum dated August 6, 1985 and is registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The Association is also registered under Maharashtra Public Trust Act, 1950 as Public Charitable Trust with the office of Charity Commissioner, Maharashtra State.Presently there are 52 members of the Association and all of them are Public Charitable Trust Hospitals registered under Maharashtra Public Trust Act, 1950 with the concerned offices of Charity Commissioner, Maharashtra State depending upon the Jurisdiction. The members being not-for-profit charitable hospitals render yeomen service to the public and bear a major share of healthcare service to the people.rajitha.nair@bluelotuspr.com
Eppendorf to Showcase State-of-the-art Solutions to Common Lab Challenges at Lab Innovations 2016

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28th September 2016, Stevenage, UK: Eppendorf UK will showcase a range of solutions designed to address some of the most common challenges shared by scientists, and technical laboratory personnel at the upcoming Lab Innovations 2016 show, running from the 2nd - 3rd November, at the Birmingham NEC. With the latest state-of-the-art solutions from Eppendorf, researchers and scientists working within the life science industry can simplify, streamline, and potentially eliminate cumbersome lab work, whilst at the same time succeeding in generating reproducible and reliable results.At this years show, Eppendorf will exhibit and demonstrate a range of instruments and consumables from the liquid handling portfolio, including: pipettes & tips, manual & electronic dispensers and automated pipetting systems.Liquid handling workstations, such as the epMotion automated pipetting system, will also be a key feature of the Eppendorf exhibit, as these intuitive instruments give researchers and scientists access to fast, precise pipetting across a broad spectrum of applications, whilst also making reproducible results far more achievable. With over 50 years experience in precise manual and automatic pipetting/dispensing and transferring of the smallest quantities of liquids, the Eppendorf liquid handling solutions feature award-winning designs, cutting-edge production and precise selection of materials, all resulting in products that are primed for optimal performance.Steve Dey, Marketing Director at Eppendorf UK, commented: Eppendorf is delighted to be attending Lab Innovations again this year, and we are excited to share some of our latest products and solutions with industry colleagues, researchers, and academics. He added: As always, the products we will be showcasing have been developed with the knowledge of the challenges our customers face, at the forefront of our minds. We have listened to their needs, and are proud to offer them state-of-the-art instruments, consumables, and services for Cell Handling, Liquid Handling and Sample Handling solutions.There will be a series of workshops and demonstrations at Lab Innovations, focussed around Liquid Handling and in particular how pipette tips influence results, leading to many scientists disappointment about non-reproducible results. During pipetting, pipettes are always used with a "fitting" tip, meaning a system of two components that should give reliable precision and accuracy during the whole workflow. However, the fact that a tip fits onto a pipette does not ensure that the system is working within error limits. The exact and coordinated interaction between pipette and pipette tips is of critical importance as both components, whether on their own or together as a system, must meet high quality standards in order to be able to deliver reliable, precise, and reproducible results.Lab Innovations is the UKs only event dedicated solely to laboratory professionals, bringing together well-known suppliers and partners, associations, professional bodies, and key media, all under one roof. With over 100 exhibitors attending this year, the show provides excellent networking opportunities, allowing those within the industry to connect with their peers; not only this, but numerous interactive sessions and workshops, mean those attending are encouraged to take part and get the most out of their visit. Exhibiting at stand F4 this year, Eppendorf will have product specialists on hand to provide advice, run demonstrations and discuss how to get the best out of their products and services in the lab.For more information on Eppendorf at Lab Innovations, visit. Register via the Eppendorf banner to claim your free personalised Eppendorf pipette pen.Eppendorf is a leading life science company that develops and sells instruments, consumables, and services for liquid handling, sample handling, and cell handling in laboratories worldwide. Its product range includes pipettes and automated pipetting systems, dispensers, centrifuges, mixers, spectrometers, and DNA amplification equipment as well as ultra-low temperature freezers, fermentors, bioreactors, CO2 incubators, shakers, and cell manipulation systems. Consumables such as pipette tips, test tubes, microliter plates, and disposable bioreactors complement the range of highest-quality premium products.Eppendorf products are most broadly used in academic and commercial research laboratories, e.g., in companies from the pharmaceutical and biotechnological as well as the chemical and food industries. They are also aimed at clinical and environmental analysis laboratories, forensics, and at industrial laboratories performing process analysis, production, and quality assurance.Eppendorf was founded in Hamburg, Germany in 1945 and has more than 3,000 employees worldwide. The company has subsidiaries in 25 countries and is represented in all other markets by distributors.For press information, please contact:Phoenix MarCom Ltd.Tel: +44 (0)1477 539 550Fax: +44 (0)1477 539 540eppendorf@phoenixmarcom.co.ukPlease send sales enquiries to:Eppendorf UK Ltd.Eppendorf House, Gateway 1000 Whittle Way, Arlington Business Park, Stevenage, SG1 2FP.Tel: +44 (0)1438 735 888Fax: +44 (0)1438 735 889sales@eppendorf.co.ukPhoenix MarCom, 1 Whiteside, Station Road, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, CW4 8AA, UK
Latest Trends for Penetrating testing services in India 2017

www.sumasoft.com/qa-and-testing-services/vulnerability-assessment-and-penetration-testing-services/

Texas (USA), Canada (Toronto) & India (Business Network):Pentesting Services help detect vulnerabilities after product is complete. It assists in analyzing where the vulnerability resides. Developer needs to review and understand the code then identify fix location and verify remediation quality.Why you need a Penetration testing services provider?Penetration testing has high false negative potential. That is why Penetration testing services are a very time consuming activity and may take days of work and sometimes even a full week. Penetration testing services can only be performed at the end of a cycle and will delay release if results are found and they include new costs every time a test is performed.Suma Soft provides reliable penetration testing services for 16+ years. Our penetration testing services help businesses identify potential risks to their web applications, websites and softwares ;thereby conduct penetration testing to monitor and protect the computer system from malicious activities or attack of hackers.After determining the vulnerabilities that exists in the systems, servers & networks; the penetration testing team identifies appropriate targets for penetration attempt. The time and effort that need to be put in for the computers that have vulnerabilities required to be estimated accordingly.Latest Trends for Penetrating testing services in 2017We predict the following 4 trends for Penetration testing services to bring about changes in 2017.These are various options to evaluate application security or even the best remedial steps.Quarterly / Semi-Annual / Annual Penetration Tests  Black box testingOn-going Assessments (After every change in the application)Application Source Code Security AssessmentWeb Application Firewall deploymentSuma Soft can help you provide all the 4 remedies for a cost-effective price. Being an ISO 27001 Certified company with CERT-In empanelment since 2012, we understand the importance of running a robust and safe business enterprise.To get a free demo of our Penetration testing servicesclick here>>>http://Suma Soft provides reliable penetration testing services for 16+ years. Our penetration testing services help businesses identify potential risks to their web applications, websites and softwares; thereby conduct penetration testing to monitor and protect the computer system from malicious activities or attack of hackers.Suma Soft Private Limited, SumaCenter, 2nd Floor, Opposite Himali Society. Erandawane,Pune, Maharashtra  411004Telephone:+91 20 4013 0400Email:info@sumasoft.com
Forecast the Global Super-junction MOSFET Market to Grow at a CAGR of 13.42% by Revenue During the Period 2016-2020

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About Super-Junction MOSFETsSuper-junction MOSFETs are a key innovation in high-voltage MOSFET technology. They offer better features such as reduced gate capacitance, reduced on-resistant of the circuit [RDS(on)], and lower output charge with reduced die size.Super-junction MOSFETs have a significantly low gate and output capacitance. Super-junction MOSFETs are currently available in a variety of packages, with body diode characteristics and voltage ratings to meet different application requirements. Thus, they are increasingly being used in high-voltage switching convertors, allowing efficient switching at any given frequency.To Get Sample Copy :Technavios analysts forecast the global super-junction MOSFET market to grow at a CAGR of 13.42% during the period 2016-2020.CoveredThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global super-junction MOSFET market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of super-junction MOSFETs only.Segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEAGlobal Super-Junction MOSFET Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsFairchild SemiconductorInfineon TechnologiesSTMicroelectronicsToshibaVishay IntertechnologyOther prominent vendorsAlpha & Omega SemiconductorFuji ElectricNXP SemiconductorsON SemiconductorRohmDriverGrowing demand for super-junction MOSFETs in TVsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMake an Enquiry :ChallengeDesign complexity of super-junction MOSFETsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportTrendShift toward renewable energyFor a full, detailed list, view our reportResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @
Outlook the Professional Development Market in Europe to Grow at a CAGR of 4.13% by Revenue During the Period 2016-2020

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About Professional DevelopmentProfessional development in the education sector refers to specialized training, workshops, courses, or advanced professional learning intended to help educators such as teachers, administrators, and others to improve their professional competence and effectiveness.The professional development market has evolved over the years to include a wide portfolio of services and products, which are designed to improve the quality of educators.To Get Sample Copy :Technavios analysts forecast the professional development market in Europe to grow at a CAGR of 4.13% during the period 2016-2020.CoveredThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the professional development market in Europe for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of products and services that cater to educators in the professional development market in Europe.Professional Development Market in Europe 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsDiscovery EducationEdmodoMcGraw-Hill EducationPearsonOther prominent vendorsCambridge English TeacherCAST Professional LearningCreative EducationCreativity WorkshopDigital Learning TreeETI MaltaETS GlobalGoethe-InstitutHoughton Mifflin HarcourtKaizen Teaching School AllianceLearners EdgeLynda.comRegentDriverGrowing need for digital skillsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMake an Enquiry :ChallengeRising time and cost constraintsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportTrendExtensive investments in professional development by educational institutionsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @
World Tourism Day in Anemos Luxury Grand Resort

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Anemos Luxury Grand Resort celebrated the World Tourism Day by focusing on the local tradition and culture of Crete.The hotel, Anemos Luxury Grand Resort organized a special event with a lot of different activities. A presentation regarding Crete and the local products and a bazaar. This bazaar was different than the others. Local practitioners and artists gathered together in order to demonstrate their products and art.The guests of the hotel were able to participate in this event by learning how the different Cretan musical instruments are manufactured, how local hagiographies are made, how the local olive oil is produces and of course how the famous local drink raki is produced. What is more, the guests had the opportunity to see how the traditional textiles, rosaries, soaps, cheese and myzithra are produced!Furthermore, the guests of the hotel had the opportunity to taste raki and the traditional greek ntakos, cheece and Cretan loukoumia made by a worldwide acknowledged recipe.The guests of Anemos Luxury Grand Resort danced local Cretan dances with the personnel of Anemos Luxury Grand Resort and enjoyed the splendid fireworks.This successful event amazed all the people that attended and they expressed their best comments.Anemos Luxury Grand ResortAnemos Luxury Grand Resort is a brand new 5-star luxury hotel in Georgioupolis of Chania in the north-western part of Crete. It is only 36 km away from the city of Chania and 19 km away from the city of Rethymnon. It offers a magnificent view of Lefka Ori and overlooks the Cretan Sea.Contact Details:Giorgos Shinarakis, General ManagerTel.: +30,28250-62550, F: +30,28250 62555,Web:E-mail: info@anemosresort.grAnemos Luxury Grand Resort is a brand new 5-star hotel that opened in Georgioupolis of Chania, Crete in Greece. The hotel has a magnificent view of Lefka Ori and overlooking the Cretan Sea and offers luxury rooms and suites.Anemos Luxury Grand ResortMr Giorgos Shinarakis,Kavros Apokoronou - Georgioupolis 73 007 Chania, Crete Greece
Cynthia Martindale, Author Of Book About Caregiving, 'Graceful Last Chapters', Takes Bronze Medal In International Book Awards

Author Cynthia Martindale

http://www.bookforcaregivers.com

Author Cynthia Martindale has announced that her highly praised book for caregivers, 'Graceful Last Chapters: Helping Seniors Who Need More Care', has taken a Bronze Award in the 2016 Readers' Favorite International Book Award contest.Cynthia Martindale is an expert in regards to end of life planning and issues that impact seniors. She spent much of her career as a sales and marketing director for senior living communities. She is a seasoned veteran of all things senior-related. In 'Graceful Last Chapters', she shares her twenty years of experience with senior care in a voice filled with compassion, understanding, and an insider's point of view.As the primary caregiver for her parents in their declining years, as a sales and marketing director for senior living communities, and as a lawyer, Ms. Martindale brings readers a valuable resource about caring for aging loved ones. The book is filled with support and guidance for caregivers, clearly defined options for care, and the ways and means for readers to craft their own successful journey through caregiving challenges and heartbreak. Ms. Martindale offers readers fundamental knowledge, hope, a sense of identity and, ultimately, a path toward peace of mind."Im deeply honored that Graceful Last Chapters was selected as the Bronze medal winner for nonfiction/relationships in the 2016 Readers Favorite International Book Award Contest, Martindale stated. The award encourages me as an impassioned author, and its visibility makes it possible to help more readers struggling to find options and best practices while caring for aging loved ones. Thank you, Readers Favorite, for a book award contest recognized and respected worldwide by authors, publishers, and readers alike.Martindale combines her education, business expertise, and personal experiences to bring readers a valuable resource about caring for aging loved ones. The book's twenty-seven chapters are grouped into seven sections: (One) Considering Long-Term Care Options; (Two) Caregiving Challenges; (Three) Creating a Plan; (Four) Aging in Place With Additional Care; (Five) Senior Living Communities; (Six) Touring Senior Communities; and (Seven) After the Bloom Fades. The chapters build gradually to mimic the progression of the journey caregivers take with their senior loved one, whether that individual is their mother, father, aunt, uncle, sibling, spouse, friend, or neighbor.'Graceful Last Chapters' has achieved a perfect 5 star rating on Amazon. One reviewer stated, "It is rare to encounter such an obviously experienced counselor in the field of Senior Care as Cynthia who demonstrates on every page of this impressive and ultimately authoritarian guide such tenderness, calm and candor." Another said, "This book captures not only the practical information on choices for seniors but it deals with the tougher emotional side of caring for loved ones as they age."Readers' Favorite receives submissions from independent authors, small publishers, and publishing giants like Random House, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, with contestants that range from the first-time, self-published author to New York Times bestsellers like J.A. Jance, James Rollins, and #1 best-selling author Daniel Silva, as well as celebrity authors like Jim Carrey, Henry Winkler, and Eriq La Salle.Eduardo Aduna, a Readers' Favorite reviewer stated, "For a book that is all about helping seniors get the care they need, Martindale never fails to highlight the emotional and physical toll the job takes on the caregiver themselves, and manages to come up with several ways to make this difficult task more bearable. It is this comprehensive and insightful knowledge that makes this book 'the book' on elderly care, and a must-have in every home, hospice, and senior facility. The elderly and their caregivers will find 'Graceful Last Chapters: Helping Seniors Who Need More Care' a fascinating read that will greatly enrich their knowledge about this extremely important matter."Cynthia Martindale is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at cindy@martindalecopywriting.com. 'Graceful Last Chapters: Helping Seniors Who Need More Care' is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. More information is available at her website.Cynthia Neher Martindale holds degrees from Hillsdale College (B.A. in English), Northern Illinois University (M.A. in English), and Valparaiso University School of Law (J.D.). Graceful Last Chapters: Helping Seniors Who Need More Care is the result of her years as both a sales and marketing director for senior living communities and as the primary caregiver for her parents. She lives in Flossmoor, Illinois, with her husband and son.PO Box 1613Shallotte, NC 28459
Smart Factory Market : Global Trends, Analysis and Forecast 2021

Smart Factory Market

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Smart factories are affordable and offer fully integrated automation solutions for manufacturing facilities to streamline the flow of materials during the manufacturing process. Smart factories are characterized by increasing the use of technology and field devices to offer complete automation in manufacturing process. By incorporating cyber physical system into the forefront of manufacturing flow, smart factories are able to connect every process and component across the value chain. This interconnection of information and production has revolutionized the automation industry and thereby, facilitated manufacturing units to perform at an optimum level. Moreover, manufacturing companies are able to achieve shortest time to market and zero waste production through smart factories. Automation in smart factories makes the use of various control devices such as sensors, motors, drives, switches and relays and networks technologies such as wired, wireless and radio frequency identification (RFID). Integrated systems such as Manufacturing Execution System (MES), Information Technology (IT) system, Programmable Logic Control (PLC), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) are designed to meet the specific requirements of a manufacturing unit. These industrial control systems manage the process and streamline the flow of materials across the manufacturing line. Smart factories also make use of industrial robots such as articulated robots, SCARA (Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm or Selective Compliance Articulated Robot Arm) robots, Cartesian robots, cylindrical and other robots for various manufacturing processes such as painting, welding, conveyance, heavy lifting etc.Request Sample Report :One of the major factors driving the growth of smart factory market is the increasing need for improving efficiency and energy saving in the manufacturing process. Automation has enabled manufacturing units to utilize every second of production time through efficient streamlining of the manufacturing process. Technological advancements such as machine to machine communication enable smart factories to eliminate wastage of time caused due to the delay in the process change. Moreover, with rise of Internet of Things (IoT) and services, integration of manufacturing and engineering processes has experienced a tremendous leap forward. However, the growth of smart factory market faces a few restraints due to lack of standardization and interoperability issues. These factors raise concerns in designing integrated solutions using components provided by several automation solution providers. The shortage of trained workers and increasing skill gap further restrains the growth of smart factory market. Other crucial factors such as cyber security threats and associated costs limit the growth of this smart factory market in industries such nuclear, weapons and armaments.With its immense applications in industries such as automotive and transportation, packaging, mining of minerals and metals, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and process industries such as oil and gas, the smart factory market is expected to experience immense growth in coming years. Thereby, companies have invested heavily to explore untapped opportunities in the applications of industrial robots and control devices.Request TOC :Some of the major players in smart factory market include Intel Corporation, General Dynamics Corporation, CMC Associates, Freescale Semiconductor Inc., Honeywell International Inc., Johnson Controls Inc., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Rockwell Automation Inc., Siemens AG, Schneider Electric SA, General Electric Co., Apriso Corporation, Emerson Electric Co., Invensys Plc., Teledyne Technologies Inc., ABB Ltd., Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, and National Instruments Corporation.Key geographies evaluated in this report are:North AmericaU.SCanadaEuropeFrance, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UKEastern EuropeCISAPACChinaIndiaJapanAustraliaOthersLatin AmericaArgentinaBrazilOthersKey features of this reportDrivers, restraints, and challenges shaping the Smart Factory market dynamicsLatest innovations and key events in the industryAnalysis of business strategies of the top playersSmart Factory market estimates and forecasts(2015 -2021)About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.ContactPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United StatesUSA - Canada Toll Free: +1 800-961-0353
Medical Transcription Services Market : Potential Segments, Geographical regions and Trends to 2013 - 2019

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In the past, medical documentation involved lots of paper work and was time consuming. Such documents were sometimes handwritten or typed on paper and gradually started occupying space in healthcare institutes, hospitals and clinics. Apart from being space consuming, retrieving any particular patient record from piles of record files posed as a bigger issue. Documentation and maintenance of patient records was not only a burden on hospitals but also on physicians and other healthcare staff which thereby created demand for a medical documentation process which involved less manpower, space and processing time.Medical transcription process involves transcribing the patient information dictated by physician into text format. Physicians record patient information using audio recorders and send such recordings to medical transcriptionist for further process. This process has not only reduced writing work and efforts of physicians across the globe but has also helped in reducing space required for the saving of such documents. Apart from efficiently recording patient records medical transcription services also turn out to be instrumental in reducing the risk of legal disputes and insurance reimbursement issues.Read Complete Report @Many medical transcription service providers are offering both transcription services and transcription software. Audio recorders are being rapidly replaced with speech recognition software that allows automatic conversion of audio into text format. Medical transcription service providers offer services mainly to transcribe History and Physical reports (H&P), Discharge Summary (DS), Operative Notes (OP), Consultation reports (CONSULT) and other reports. Medical transcription services can be offshored or outsourced. Many developed countries prefer offshoring medical transcription jobs to the companies situated in developing countries such as India, China and Philippines. Medical transcription demands high end accuracy and hence requires skilled manpower. Developing in-house manpower capable of transcribing medical information with accuracy along with developing and maintaining infrastructure necessary for providing medical transcription services is a costly affair. Hence many healthcare professionals outsource their transcription jobs to save both time and monetary resources. Healthcare institutes prefer offshoring medical transcription activities over outsourcing as it is more beneficial for labor as well as healthcare institutes to avail the transcription services in exchange of dollars (currency rate benefits).Medical transcription has extended definitions of healthcare services by enabling physicians and specialty physicians to treat patients across the globe, refer documents in history for special cases and guide for physicians in case of transfer of patient from one physician to another for better treatment. Developing countries in Europe are investing more on building medical transcription service organizations (MTSOs). Countries in Asia-Pacific are focusing more on medical transcription service industry rather than on availing medical transcription services. Governments in India, Philippines and China are providing subsidies, incentives, cost benefits in internet services and tax benefits for developing infrastructure required for set up of medical transcription company, developing skilled manpower and improving technology.Enquiry For This Report @Geographically, North America dominates the global medical transcription services market due to increased medical documentation in the U.S. Contribution of the U.S. in availing medical transcription services is going to increase further as effects of passing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Furthermore, most of the healthcare professionals availing medical transcription services are domiciled in the U.S. thus giving more scope to in-shore outsourcing. Many major MTSOs are coming up with cost effective products in the market that is driving cost reduction in this market. Growing awareness of medical documentation and its implementation by many healthcare professionals, hospitals, clinics and healthcare institutes is driving growth of medical transcription market.Request a Sample Copy of the Report @Moreover, factors such as increased awareness about the benefits of electronic patient recordkeeping, government initiatives, increased geriatric population worldwide; reimbursement processing and availability of various software leading to competitive cost reductions are driving growth of medical transcription services market. Use of novel recording system, which combines different type of automatic audio recorders and speech recognition technology, is a rapidly progressing trend. Medical transcription services is a promising and a fast growing segment in the field of next generation patient documentation and healthcare database and is changing the perception and look of healthcare industry.About MRRSEMRRSE stands for Market Research Reports Search Engine, the largest online catalog of latest market research reports based on industries, companies, and countries. MRRSE sources thousands of industry reports, market statistics, and company profiles from trusted entities and makes them available at a click. Besides well-known private publishers, the reports featured on MRRSE typically come from national statistics agencies, investment agencies, leading media houses, trade unions, governments, and embassies.Contact US:Corporate OfficeState Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-730-0559
global Unified Communication And Collaboration market to grow at a CAGR of 12.3% during the period 2016-2020.

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he global market is gradually experiencing the transition from legacy telephony services and messaging platforms to new UC&C services and platforms. We expect more number of global deployments of UC&C in coming years, driven by growing popularity of applications, such as rich collaboration, mobility, video conferencing, and telepresence. Business process integration and social media communications have become the primary focus of enterprises. Companies seek low-cost solutions, such as BYOD and web real-time communications (WebRTC) to deploy UC&C solutions.To leverage advances in communication technology and improve collaboration, enterprises integrate real-time communication tools, such as text messaging, video conferencing, voice messaging, and other mobility features. The widespread implementation of UC has made business communications faster, thereby improving business productivity.Technavios analysts forecast the global UC & C market to grow at a CAGR of 12.3% during the period 2016-2020.View Full Report at:Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global UC & C market for 2016-2020. To calculate the overall market size, we consider the revenue generated through UC&C services, including enterprise telephony, contact center, and enterprise collaboration.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEATechnavio's report, Global Unified Communication and Collaboration (UC&C) Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsAvayaCiscoIBMMicrosoftDownload Sample Copy of This Report at:MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports.MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients.We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated researchreports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and typesof companies spanning across various industries.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.bizFollow us on LinkedIn:
SPOOKY, SCARY SPOOKY, SCARY  Neighborhoods in Orchard Park are more than ready for Halloween. In the top photo, at a house at the corner of Orchard Hill Drive and Briar Hill...

Bremer finds seven residential lots storing items on town property Thanks to a new property-line shot by the Engineering Department, Building Inspector Steve Bremer was able to identify seven residential lots near Highmark Stadium that were placing all sorts of...

Highway Department receiving number of calls on dying ash trees Highway Superintendent Andrew Slotman warned in the spring that the ash tree population in Orchard Park would soon dwindle to zero due to the presence of the emerald ash borer....
A former Gladstone police sergeant admitted to arranging his wife's murder but regretted putting his trust in "drug addicts" to carry it out, a Multnomah County jail inmate testified Tuesday.

Travis Layman said he became friends with Lynn Edward Benton while they were in protective custody at the Multnomah County Detention Center for at least three months in 2015. They talked about their cases while working side by side delivering food to other inmates and performing janitorial duties, as well as during their recreation time, he said.

Over time, the inmate said, Benton explained that he wanted Debbie Higbee Benton dead, how his friend Susan Campbell failed to fatally shoot his wife in the wife's beauty salon in May 2011, and how Campbell's son Jason Jaynes finished the killing as Benton watched.

"He said he was glad he had Jason there because he wouldn't have had the cojones to do it." said Layman, 42. "He didn't have the nerve. Otherwise he said he would have done it himself in the first place."

Layman was the only person who testified in front of the jury Tuesday during Benton's trial in Clackamas County Circuit Court. Opening statements began Sept. 14. Benton, 54, is accused of offering $2,000 to Campbell and Jaynes to kill Higbee Benton and has been charged with aggravated murder, solicitation to commit aggravated murder, criminal conspiracy to commit aggravated murder and attempted murder. He also is accused of at least one prior attempt to kill his wife.

A conviction for aggravated murder could put Benton on death row. A trial for Jason Jaynes is scheduled for March 2017. No date has been set for Campbell's trial.

Benton, who spent the majority of his near 25-year police career as a woman, married Higbee Benton in 2010. That same year, he began transitioning to male, which prosecutors said caused a rift between the couple. Benton had moved out of their Gladstone home a month before his wife's death.

Layman has several gun, drug, forgery and burglary convictions dating back to 1993. He testified that he spent nearly 13 years in prison in Washington after being found guilty of robbery and gun possession in 2001. He is being held in a Multnomah County jail on accusations stemming from an armed robbery in Portland in September 2013, four months after he was released from prison.

Layman is the prosecution's key witness and provided information about Benton during at least three interviews with investigators in exchange for lighter sentences in Multnomah County and Clackamas County. For the former, his agreement calls for him to serve at least 5 years and 10 months in prison for first-degree burglary, second-degree kidnapping, second-degree robbery, attempted aggravated theft and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He already has pleaded guilty to those charges, as well as to unlawful delivery of methamphetamine stemming from the Clackamas County case.

He is scheduled to be sentenced in both cases after Benton's trial.

Clackamas County Senior Deputy District Attorney John Wentworth said Tuesday that a representative from his agency will appear during Layman's sentencing in Multnomah County to tell the judge he aided with the murder case as part of Layman's cooperation agreement. Wentworth said the deal doesn't call for Clackamas County making a sentence recommendation, won't stop Multnomah County prosecutors from recommending a higher sentence and won't prevent the judge from possibly imposing a sentence longer than the nearly six-year minimum. The sentence in the Clackamas County case would be lesser and be served at the same time.

Layman testified that he and Benton at some point had neighboring cells at the Multnomah County jail. They were let out six to eight hours a day and spent most of that time together, he said. When in their cells, they communicated through an air vent near their toilets.

Layman said he initially didn't know why Benton was in custody and that he and other inmates suspected Benton was facing accusations of child sex abuse. Layman said his impression changed after getting to know Benton. Although he didn't know what Benton was accused of at first, Layman said he believed the former cop's initial claim that he was framed.

"There's a lot of people in jail who say they're not guilty, for a while," Layman said. "I didn't look at [Benton] and thought he was a killer... I thought maybe this is the only guy I've ever met in jail who's innocent."

During cross examining, he admitted that it was through a jail deputy that he learned that Benton was accused of aggravated murder. Benton at first told Layman he was a Greyhound bus driver, but later admitted that he was a former police officer.

While testifying, Layman said that Benton first confessed to him when Layman was lamenting to the former cop that he wished his latest crime, the Clackamas County case, occurred in Multnomah County because they tended to be "more lenient" in prosecution. Benton said he wished he had also, Layman said.

Benton claimed he should have stopped after an attempt to get his wife to overdose on prescription fentanyl patches because "it got messy," Layman said. He said Benton never specified what that meant, but mentioned that Campbell and Jaynes were involved in that attempt.

According to Layman, Benton said he got Campbell a job working with Higbee Benton at her beauty salon, enlisted the friend to kill his wife because Campbell had talked about murder before and thought "she was good to do this one."

But Benton said Campbell and her husband were "drug addicts and unreliable," and that Campbell was the "sole reason" he was in trouble, Layman testified. Benton said the plan was for Campbell to shoot Higbee Benton when they were alone in the salon and that Campbell was supposed to steal money from the cash register to make it look like a robbery. It was supposed to happen toward the weekend when there would likely be the most money in the cash register, he said.

But Campbell panicked and called Benton at work after shooting Higbee Benton with the only bullet in the gun and she didn't die, Layman said. Benton claimed he hung up on Campbell, that he and Jaynes went to the salon to kill his wife. Benton said he then went back to patrol duty, Jaynes went back to work at a nearby gas station and they left his wife in the salon.

Benton said no one saw him or Jaynes enter or leave the salon, Layman said.

Layman said Benton claimed he "fell to the ground and won an Oscar," when he found his wife dead in her salon. Benton later claimed his defense for the jury would have been that Campbell sold her husband's drugs while he was incarcerated, that he was released around the time of the murder and that Campbell robbed the salon to replace the drugs she sold to prevent being abused by her husband, Layman said.

Benton claimed he had been a police officer for about 25 years and "knew he had retirement money coming," and didn't want to jeopardize it by getting a divorce, Layman said.

Benton also told Layman that he was concerned about a $900,000 wrongful death lawsuit filed in May 2014 by Higbee Benton's mother against him and that his spouse's family would be going after money he still had in the bank. He talked about taking that money and using it on improvements to his new girlfriend's home, Layman said. The lawsuit proceedings are on hold until Benton's trial has concluded.

Layman testified that sometime after Benton told him he wished he didn't commit his crime in Clackamas County, Layman mentioned the admission to his attorney, who contacted Clackamas County prosecutors in early June 2015 and he began talking to them about the case soon after.

He said had taken notes by the time he was interviewed the second and third time on the advice of his attorney to make sure he could accurately report what Benton was telling him.

During cross examination, defense attorney Patrick Sweeney questioned Layman's motivation for cooperating with investigators. He noted that Layman has a history of reaching out to prosecutors to offer information about other inmates in exchange for a lesser sentence. In some cases, that cooperation has included testifying against other inmates. Sweeney said. He suggested Layman was motivated to be released as soon as possible to help raise his toddler son.

Sweeney said it was clear from records that investigators and prosecutors gave Layman clues on what information to ask Benton after their first interview, when Layman couldn't answer some of their questions, such as what Benton's employment used to be.

Layman testified that he did cooperate for consideration of lesser sentences, but also in at least one case, to prevent another inmate from being harmed.

-- Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com

503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey
Syria3.JPG

In this photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense group known as the White Helmets, Syrians inspect damaged buildings after airstrikes by government helicopters on the rebel-held Aleppo neighborhood of Mashhad, Syria, on Tuesday. With diplomacy in tatters and a month left to go before U.S. elections, the Syrian government and its Russian allies are using the time to try and recapture the northern city of Aleppo, mobilizing pro-government militias in the Old City and pressing ahead with the most destructive aerial campaign of the past five years.

(AP Photo)

By The Washington Post Editorial Board

"What Russia is sponsoring and doing" in the Syrian city of Aleppo "is barbarism,"U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power said on Sunday. She's right: For days, Russian and Syrian planes have rained bombs - including white phosphorus, cluster munitions and "bunker-busters" designed to penetrate basements - on the rebel-held side of the city. Hundreds of civilians have been killed; as many as half are children. U.N. special envoy Staffan de Mistura described "new heights of horror." Power said that "instead of helping get lifesaving aid to civilians, Russia and (Syria) are bombing the humanitarian convoys, hospitals and first responders who are trying desperately to keep people alive."

It goes without saying that this war-crimes-rich offensive, which Syria's U.N. ambassador said is aimed at recapturing east Aleppo, has shredded the Obama administration's attempt to win Russian and Syrian compliance with a cessation of hostilities. So naturally reporters asked senior officials as the attack was getting underway how the United States would respond. "I don't think ... this is the time to say where we will go from here," one answered. Said another: "We're waiting to see what the Russians come back with."

In other words: Hem, haw.

By Monday, the administration's response seemed clear: It will hotly condemn the assault on Aleppo, but do absolutely nothing to stop it. On the contrary, Secretary of State John F. Kerry insisted he will continue to go back to the regime of Vladimir Putin with diplomatic offers, hoping it will choose to stop bombing. "The United States makes absolutely no apology for going the extra mile to try and ease the suffering of the Syrian people," he grandly declared after a meeting Thursday on Syria. By "extra mile," he doesn't mean actual U.S. steps to protect civilians - just more futile and debasing appeals to Moscow.

The Putin and Bashar al-Assad regimes are well aware that the only U.S. action President Barack Obama has authorized is diplomatic, and that they are therefore under no pressure to alter their behavior. They already obtained, via Kerry, U.S. agreement to the principle that the Assad regime should remain in power while the United States and Russia join in fighting those rebels deemed to be terrorists. The regime then took advantage of a mistaken bombing of Syrian soldiers in eastern Syria to launch the assault on Aleppo, and Russia joined in. If it succeeds, Damascus will have essentially won the civil war and will have no real need for the negotiations Kerry says the cease-fire should lead to. If the offensive stalls, Putin can send Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov back to renew the deal with Kerry. Either way, Russia wins.

The losers are the civilians trapped in eastern Aleppo - 250,000 to 275,000 human beings - who are cut off from supplies of food and medicine and being bombed mercilessly. They are being offered the same choice the regime has successfully imposed on other towns across the country: surrender or starve. Those who try to approach the evacuation corridors Russia says have been established are shot at. They are, indeed, victims of barbarism - but the rhetoric of U.S. diplomats, and continued petitioning to Putin, won't help them much.

(c) 2016, The Washington Post
By George Will

WASHINGTON -- Looking on the bright side, perhaps this election can teach conservatives to look on the dark side. They need a talent for pessimism, recognizing the signs that whatever remains of American exceptionalism does not immunize this nation from decay, to which all regimes are susceptible.

The world's oldest political party is an exhausted volcano, the intellectual staleness of its recycled candidate unchallenged because a generation of younger Democratic leaders barely exists. The Republican Party's candidate evidently disdains his credulous supporters who continue to swallow his mendacities. About 90 percent of presidential votes will be cast for Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, refuting the theory that this is a center-right country. At the risk of taking Trump's words more seriously than he does, on some matters he is to Clinton's left regarding big government powered by an unbridled presidency.

His trade policy is liberalism's "industrial policy" repackaged for faux conservatives comfortable with presidents dictating what Americans can import and purchase at what prices, and where U.S. corporations can operate. Trump "wouldn't approve" Ford manufacturing cars in Mexico. He would create a federal police force to deport 450,000 illegal immigrants a month, including 6.4 percent of America's workforce in two years. Yet the 25 million jobs he promises to create would require more than doubling the current rate of legal immigration to fill them, according to economist Mark Zandi. Of the Supreme Court's 2005 Kelo decision diluting property rights by vastly expanding government's powers of eminent domain, Trump says, "I happen to agree with it 100 percent." Even Bernie Sanders rejects Kelo.

When Trump says "people are not making it on Social Security," he implies that people should be able to "make it" on Social Security for a third or more of their lives, and that he, like Clinton, is for enriching this entitlement's benefits. He will "save" the system by eliminating -- wait for it -- "waste, fraud and abuse." Trump is as parsimonious with specifics regarding health care ("Plans you don't even know about will be devised because we're going to come up with plans -- health care plans -- that will be so good") as regarding foreign policy ("I would get China, and I would say, 'Get in [North Korea], and straighten it out'").

"Charismatic authority," wrote Max Weber in 1915, seven years before Mussolini's march on Rome, causes the governed to submit "because of their belief in the extraordinary quality of the specific person. ... [C]harismatic rule thus rests upon the belief in magical powers, revelations and hero worship." A demagogue's success requires a receptive demos, and Trump's ascendancy reflects progressivism's success in changing America's social norms and national character by de-stigmatizing dependency.

Under his presidency, he says, government will have all the answers: "I am your voice. ... I alone can fix it." The pronoun has unlimited antecedents: "I will give you everything. I will give you what you've been looking for for 50 years. I'm the only one."

Urban without a trace of urbanity, Trump has surrounded himself with star-struck acolytes (Mike Pence marvels at Trump's anatomical -- "broad-shouldered" -- foreign policy) and hysterics (Rudy Giuliani: "There is no next election! This is it!"). When Ferdinand VII regained Spain's throne in 1813 he vowed to end "the disastrous mania of thinking." Trump is America's Ferdinand.

The American project was to construct a constitutional regime whose institutional architecture would guarantee the limited government implied by the Founders' philosophy: Government is instituted to "secure" (the Declaration of Independence) pre-existing natural rights. Today, however, neither the executive nor legislative branches takes this seriously, the judiciary has forsworn enforcing it, and neither political party represents it because no substantial constituency supports it.

The ease with which Trump has erased Republican conservatism matches the speed with which Republican leaders have normalized him. For the formerly conservative party, the Founders' principles, although platitudes in the party's catechism, have become, as Daniel Patrick Moynihan said, "a kind of civic religion, avowed but not constraining."

The beginning of conservative wisdom is recognition that there is an end to everything: Nothing lasts. If Trump wins, the GOP ends as a vehicle for conservatism. And a political idea without a political party is an orphan in an indifferent world.

Pessimism need not breed fatalism or passivity. It can define an agenda of regeneration, but only by being clear-eyed about the extent of degeneration, which a charlatan's successful selling of his fabulousness exemplifies. Conservatism's recovery from his piratical capture of the conservative party will require facing unflattering facts about a country that currently is indifferent to its founding.

George Will's email address is georgewillwashpost.com.

(c) 2016, Washington Post Writers Group
TUSKS.JPG

Security officials view seized elephant tusks at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, in Kenya, in this file photo from 2009.

(AP Photo)

Oregonians face key choices on seven ballot measures this year. Five of the measures are considered here, while Measure 97 and Measure 98 -- each with significant potential longterm financial impacts -- will be discussed in separate editorials. That doesn't make this group of five any less important, however. From veterans' benefits to higher education finances, the consequences of each count to all Oregonians.

MEASURE 94: YES. A provision in Oregon's Constitution requires state judges to retire at 75, an age that may have once looked old. Measure 94 would eliminate the provision and allow society to reap the benefits of the experience and wisdom that gather over many years and informs the decisions of long-haul jurists. The measure was spurred in part by a St. Helens attorney who, after a decades-long career in civil and criminal law, was blocked from running for the bench because of her age. But the broader hardship of the current law is borne by all Oregonians, deprived of the services of some very fine jurists. Vote yes on Measure 94 to allow judges to serve as long as they are able and have the will do so -- and also to bleach from the Constitution's age limit provision male-only references, a gender insult. The state's Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability, meanwhile, already has a process for removing judges who might show deficiencies at any age.

MEASURE 95: YES. In 2013, the Oregon Legislature wisely passed a bill to allow public universities to manage their money, including the ability to invest in equities. But a provision in the state's Constitution might prohibit such investments and gum things up. The rationale for the measure is simple: Oregon's universities need the headroom to responsibly and creatively manage their assets to generate maximum income to support programs and financial aid. Having suffered years of underfunding by the state, Oregon's universities should be free to take full ownership of their fortunes. That means investing wisely. Oregonians should vote yes on Measure 95.

Oregonian editorials

reflect the collective opinion of The Oregonian editorial board, which operates independently of the newsroom.

are Laura Gunderson, Helen Jung, Mark Katches, John Maher and Len Reed.

To respond to this editorial:

Post your comment below, submit a

,

or write a

.

If you have questions about

the opinion section,

contact Laura Gunderson,

editorial and commentary editor,

at lgunderson@oregonian.com

or 503-221-8378.

MEASURE 96: NO. Nobody questions the need for more assistance to military veterans. The gaps in service to Oregon's roughly 350,000 veterans represent a broken promise to those serving their country. The Legislature understandably was unanimous in referring this proposal to the ballot. But the commitment, by constitutional amendment, of 1.5 percent of the Oregon Lottery's net proceeds -- or more than $9 million annually -- to help bolster veterans' services could compete with public education funding, already receiving unrestricted Lottery funds. The action also could throw challenges to the Legislature as it tries to balance future budgets. The Lottery tempts, but it should not be viewed as a broad-spectrum revenue tool whenever fiscal challenges arise. Oregon's veterans need better services. But Measure 96 is not the way to fund them, and voters should reject it.

MEASURE 99: NO. There's a reason many Oregon schools and families fundraise for months to send their fifth- or sixth-graders to Outdoor School. The program not only offers hands-on environmental and natural resource education for middle schoolers, but it helps break down social or cultural barriers among students who are forced to live together for a week in rustic conditions. But Measure 99, which would dedicate $22 million each year in Lottery dollars to pay for a week of Outdoor School for all the state's fifth- or sixth-graders, takes the wrong approach. Not only would the measure lay claim to dollars currently going to the State School Fund and economic development efforts, but it would send many of these dollars to wealthier districts that are already capably funding Outdoor School on their own. The measure also substitutes voters' judgment for local school districts that may prefer to use additional school funding for year-round art, physical education or other programs. Oregonians should leave Lottery dollars alone and cede educational curriculum decisions to the school boards overseeing the 197 districts by voting no.

MEASURE 100: YES. Oregon law allows for the intrastate sale of parts of non-native animal species, including things taken from tigers, jaguars, sea turtles, elephants and rhinoceroses. Only shark fins are illegal. This measure would halt traffic in the horns and tusks and teeth and shells and pelts of so many at-risk species worldwide, with Oregon joining other states with similar laws. Rational exceptions are listed in the measure to allow certain law enforcement activities, the possession of antiques over 100 years old, and noncommercial transfers through gifts, among others. But the heart of the measure is sane, simple and overdue: Let's help stop the carnage. Vote yes.

-The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board

Read the full list of editorial endorsements.
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The defense in the Oregon standoff trial will begin presenting its case to jurors on Wed., Sept. 28, 2016. The seven defendants on trial are Ammon Bundy (clockwise from left), Ryan Bundy, Shawna Cox, Jeff Wayne Banta, Neil Wampler, David Lee Fry and Kenneth Medenbach. (Multnomah County Sheriff's Office)

Defense lawyers in the federal conspiracy case stemming from the takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge plan to start their case Wednesday by recalling several of the law enforcement officers who testified for the government.

Among the witnesses they intend to question further: investigating FBI agents, FBI pilots who did aerial surveillance and likely Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward sometime this week.

Attorney Matthew Schindler, on behalf of defendant Kenneth Medenbach, described the initial approach as having to "clean up'' the testimony from the government's witnesses.

They'll be seeking to delve into testimony that they weren't allowed to during their cross-examination of these witnesses. For example, they weren't permitted to question the FBI pilots about how often they conducted aerial surveillance at the refuge during the 41-day occupation.

Defense lawyers also intend to challenge Ward's account of a town hall meeting in Burns. The sheriff earlier said the majority of the people attending wanted him to tell the occupiers to go home.

As their case proceeds, they're expected to call residents of Harney County who supported the defendants and who may testify that they were more perturbed by the heavy FBI and police presence in Burns than with the Jan. 2 refuge takeover.

Ammon Bundy and six co-defendants have pleaded not guilty to conspiring to prevent federal employees from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and U.S. Bureau of Land Management from doing their jobs during the occupation of the federal bird sanctuary in eastern Oregon.

With so many defendants, each defense lawyer or defendant is expected to call a witness, which will allow the other defense lawyers or defendants to cross-examine the same witness.

Through their questions, defense lawyers are trying to show that the federal prosecution has been indiscriminate, with FBI agents going after their clients but ignoring other people who were armed and videotaped at the refuge.

Defendant Jeff Banta's attorney has signaled that he intends to call the Rev. Franklin Graham on Thursday to testify about his client's state of mind during the last two weeks of the occupation and before Banta's surrender on Feb. 11. Graham was in contact with Banta and three other holdouts and flew to Oregon to help them.

Occupation leader Ammon Bundy is expected to take the witness stand at some point to explain his intent in occupying the refuge.

If any of the co-defendants who are representing themselves also decide to take the witness stand, their standby lawyers are expected to ask them questions.

Late Tuesday, Schindler, on behalf of Medenbach, argued a motion to acquit his client of the conspiracy charge moments after the government rested its case.

Schindler argued that Medenbach wasn't aware of "any broader purpose'' that related to preventing refuge employees from doing their jobs. Medenbach's words or conduct didn't rise to a "serious expression of intent to harm or assault,'' he said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Knight countered that the government doesn't have to prove someone exercised actual force or made actual threats but that the defendants agreed to prevent federal employees from carrying out their official work.

"None of the expressive conduct in this case can be taken in a vacuum,'' Knight argued.

U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown denied the motion.

"Defendants are not on trial for their beliefs, but that they took their beliefs to illegal stages by engaging in this conspiracy,'' the judge said.

Other defendants are expected to argue separate motions for acquittal, which will be heard Thursday afternoon.

Defendant Ryan Bundy, who is representing himself, will argue that the government has presented no evidence that any defendant "expressed an intent'' to prevent a federal employee from working at the refuge, or that there was any discussion "among defendants'' showing an intention to prevent the refuge employees from doing their work, according to his written motion for acquittal.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
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The Pig & Palm is a Modern Spanish Tapas restaurant in Cebu by renowned British chef, Jason Atherton, and his Cebuana wife, Irha.

Chef Jason earned his first Michelin Star in 2011 and has worked with some of the greats, like Nico Ladenis and Ferran Adria at elBulli, and oversaw the opening of 5 Maze Restaurants with Gordon Ramsay.

He has since branched out and started his own chain of successful restaurants under The Social Company Group with different restaurants in London, New York, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Dubai, Sydney, and now in Cebu.

The Pig & Palm is the 16th and his first in the Philippines in partnership with Cebu-based property developers Chris and Carla McKowen. He chose Cebu to honor the hometown of his wife Irha.

Heres what to expect when you dine at The Pig & Palm in Cebu

The Pig & Palm

MSY Tower, Pescadores Rd. Cebu Business Park, Cebu City

Telephone: +63 32 255-8249

Restaurant Hours:

 Tuesday  Friday 7:30am-12am

 Saturday  Sunday 8am-12am

Bar Hours:

 Tuesday  Thursday 12pm-12am

 Friday  Saturday 12pm  2am

Twitter: @ThePigandPalm

Instagram: thepigandpalm

Facebook: The Pig and Palm

Website: http://thepigandpalm.ph/

The interiors are minimalist, with gray brick and hardwood.

The design is a modern take on Spanish Colonial Architecture by architect Lyndon Neri with a warm European vibe.

The Pig & Palm features a casual bar-style seating common in modern European Tapas Bars and Restaurants, similar to Mecha Uma and Hey Handsome in Manila.



You can see your food being prepared fresh. The attention to detail, the cleanliness, and the meticulousness from the staff is impressive.

If you prefer a more traditional type of seating, however, there are tables in the main dining area, which can fit 16 people. (Tip: Reserve the coveted corner table.)

The Pig & Palm Menu: Snacks, Small Bites, Big Plates, Desserts | Breakfast, Fresh Juices, Coffee, Tea | Late Night Snacks

The Cocktail Bar, adjacent to the main restaurant, is open all day serving signature cocktails and premium liquor. Check out their Beverage Menu.

On the weekends, the place is known to fill up and has become a popular hangout in the evenings.

There are 3 booth areas near the Bar that can comfortably fit 4-5 people per booth, which are also used as small private dining tables.

Dill Or No Dill (P250). Gin, Lemon Juice, Elderflower Cordial, Cucumber, Dill, Smoked Salt.

Their signature cocktail and most popular, the Dill Or No Dill is a sweet and slightly sour gin cocktail that is surprisingly refreshing. A must-try!

Rum DMC (P190). White Rum, Tio Pepe, Fresh Lemon, Guyabano Juice.

The bright tropical flavors really remind you of Cebu. This citrusy drink is perfect for hot days and warm evenings.

Coff Medicine (P250). Don Papa Rum, Kahlua, Espresso.

A twist on the traditional Coffee Liquor, this drink is a perfect pick-me-up during lunch breaks or for a boost later in the evening. The presentation is pretty cool as well.

For groups, there is a larger function/dining area beside the bar.

Mostly used as an auxiliary dining area, it can also host business meetings, presentations, parties, and get-togethers.

Our favorite is the private dining area next to the kitchen. For large groups, make sure to reserve a table.

Head Chef Karl Emsen is at the helm of The Pig & Palm and was handpicked by Chef Jason Atherton. Chef Emsen has also made a name for himself working as a Sous Chef in some of the top restaurants around the world with his last assignment at Aberdeen Street Social in Hong Kong.

Working close with Chef Jason, the two have concocted a menu that is both modern and traditional and celebrates the flavors of Cebu.

Kinilaw Of Shrimp (P275). Fresh Shrimp with Calamansi, Pickled Papaya, Chili, and Coconut.

The shrimp was fresh and had a nice bite to it. The pickled papaya and chili balanced the richness of the coconut. A perfect light appetizer.

(Note: Kinilaw is Visayan Ceviche that is basically raw seafood, which is cooked by the acid of the Calamansi in a chemical process known as denaturation.)

Local Red Mullet (P700). Red Mullet and Clams in a Bacon and Beer Broth.

The Mullet was fork tender and slid off the bone easily. The clams had a slight sweetness to them that was accentuated by the beer and bacon broth. The broth was surprisingly light and wasnt briny.

(Trivia: Red Mullet is called Dalagang Bukid in Filipino.)

Coal Grilled Austrailian Black Angus Rib-Eye (P1,900) with Oxtail Mashed Potatoes and Chimichurri dressing.

Absolutely delicious! The rib eye was cooked perfectly and the Chimichurri was fresh and didnt mask the flavor of the grilled beef. The simplicity of the dish is what makes this work so well.

Basil Sorbet (P195). Yoghurt Mousse, with Lemon Puree, and Malte Meringue.

The sorbet was refreshing and light and the flavors were subtle enough that you could taste almost every ingredient. This was an amazing end to a great meal.

Overall, we love The Pig & Palms vibe and their desire to promote local ingredients. We also secretly wish they opened this in Manila instead. 

There is a misconception that its a fine dining Michelin star restaurant. Surprisingly, the place is informal, approachable, and provides good value for money for the quality of food they serve. With an emphasis on sharing, its a perfect venue for family and friends to enjoy high quality food with a chic European vibe in the heart Cebu.

Make sure to start with the Kinilaw of Shrimp paired with the Dill or No Dill cocktail. Order the Local Red Mullet and/or the Black Angus Rib-Eye and end with the Basil Sorbet. Budget about P1,000/head.

Theyve only been open for a few months so their menu is still in the process of fine tuning. I wish they could have more Big Plates to share in the future, plus more pork dishes (please?).

Congratulations to Chef Jason Atherton and Chef Karl Emsen and all the staff at The Pig & Palm!

The Pig & Palm

MSY Tower, Pescadores Rd. Cebu Business Park, Cebu City

Telephone: +63 32 255-8249

Restaurant Hours:

 Tuesday  Friday 7:30am-12am

 Saturday  Sunday 8am-12am

Bar Hours:

 Tuesday  Thursday 12pm-12am

 Friday  Saturday 12pm  2am

Twitter: @ThePigandPalm

Instagram: thepigandpalm

Facebook: The Pig and Palm

Website: http://thepigandpalm.ph/

Live an Awesome Life,

TEAM OUR AWESOME PLANET

Disclosure: Our meal was courtesy of The Social Group for our video shoot for Next Stop: Cebu. We wrote this article with our biases, opinions, and insights.

P.S. The name Pig & Palm came about because Chef Jason had always envisioned pigs in the Philippines relaxing on the beach, hanging out under palm trees.
With a former CMU faculty member already agreeing to enter a plea in a federal child pornography case, state police investigators have confirmed they assisted the U.S. Secret Service in a separate investigation involving alleged inappropriate contact.

In a media release sent this afternoon, Michigan State Police from the Mount Pleasant Post report Secret Service agents located a possible victim during their investigation into Mark Thomas Ranzenberger, 61, Mount Pleasant. The Secret Service directed the victim to the state police, and troopers have completed their investigation with help from the victim.

The allegations in the case concern inappropriate contact that occurred several years ago between Ranzenberger and the victim.

The findings of the investigation have been turned over by the state police to the U.S. Secret Service.

Ranzenberger was indicted in May in the U.S. District Court in Bay City. He faces one count of possession of child pornography involving minors under the age of 12 in Isabella County in that case.

A trial had been set for Sept. 27, but an order was filed to adjourn that date. The parties need additional time to pursue plea negotiations, which are in progress but have not been completed, those papers state.

Last week, Ranzenberger filed a document consenting to have his plea heard by a federal district court magistrate.

An affidavit in that case states a U.S. Secret Service agent was notified in March by CMU Police of a child porn investigation involving Ranzenberger. The investigation began on March 4 when a student reported to the universitys Faculty Personnel Services that while in class, Ranzenberger accessed files from his Dropbox account which showed thumbnails of pornographic images.

Found on the computer were photos that appeared to contain images of nude children in sexually suggestive poses, the affidavit states. Also found during forensic examinations of other digital media seized from Ranzenbergers Moore Hall office were numerous images of young children engaged in sexual acts, a number of Power Point presentations believed created by Ranzenberger containing photos of young girls naked and engaged in sexual acts.

In total, about 1,032 images of child pornography were found.

After the police investigation began, Ranzenberger  a temporary faculty member  was placed on leave by the university. He later resigned.

Ranzenberger also served on the Mount Pleasant Planning Commission, and resigned on March 21.

Ranzenberger was the weekend editor at the Daily News until 1997, and was a writer and editor at the Mount Pleasant Morning Sun until 2013. Ranzenberger had worked at the university since 1999.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette on Tuesday kicked off the Flint-area Michigan Harvest Gathering Annual Giving Campaign at the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan.

He was joined by Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton, the Michigan Secretary of States office, the Food Bank Council of Michigan, the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, and the Michigan Health and Hospital Association. The Giving Goal for the 26th year of the campaign is to provide 2.1 million meals for Michigan families in need.

Leyton announced that Genesee County employees would be participating in the campaign. In addition, Michigan Health and Hospital Association was on hand to present a $30,000 donation to the Michigan Harvest Gathering.

I am asking residents across the state of Michigan to make a donation to help their neighbors, whether it be buying a few extra things at the grocery store or donating money instead of buying a coffee in the morning. If everyone contributes a little, we can make a big impact, Schuette, of Midland, said. I want to thank the Food Bank Council of Michigan and Food Bank of Eastern Michigan for their partnership on this campaign but more importantly for the work they do every day to make sure Michigan families dont go hungry.

Michigan residents interested in donating will find food collection sites at every Michigan Secretary of State branch, as well as at state office buildings throughout the state.

Michigan Harvest Gathering was founded in 1991 by Schuette and his wife, Cynthia. Partnered with the Food Bank Council of Michigan, Michigan Harvest Gatherings campaign has provided over 54 million meals to people in need. Since the establishment of the Michigan Harvest Gathering, nearly 10 million pounds of food, and $10 million have been raised to stock the shelves and pantries of food banks across the State of Michigan.

Visit www.fbcmich.org to donate or find out more about the Michigan Harvest Gathering. Families in need of assistance can call their regional food bank or dial 211 to learn who is serving food in their area.
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Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump battled on the debate stage at Hofstra University in New York state on Monday.

Throughout the debate, the candidates covered a multitude of topics, and interrupted each other at times. Topics included trade deals, foreign affairs, history of policy changes, race in America and job growth.

Twitter: Tweets weigh in on 400-pound DNC hack 'suspect'

Taxes also became a heated topic. Tempers flared as the two discussed Trump not releasing his tax returns.

"I will release my tax returns against my lawyers' wishes when she releases her 33,000 emails that have been deleted," Trump said.

Clinton responded by suggesting there might be another reason why Trump isn't releasing his taxes.

"Maybe he's not as rich as he says he is," Clinton said, or maybe Trump is "not as charitable as he claims to be." Then, she suggested that perhaps "he's paid nothing in federal taxes."

"That makes me smart," Trump said.

READ MORE: Trump's definition of a 'small loan' gets roasted by Twitter

All the while, Twitter users and other social media accounts were vastly chronicling the words of each candidate. Many of their responses created hilarious memes.

Click through the gallery above to see the top social media reactions during the first debate.

More coverage of the debate
To the editor:

Consider that 23 percent  nearly one in four  Michigan residents are food insecure. I believe you will agree with me that this is unacceptable. During Hunger Action Month, I urge you to take a closer look at those around you and reconsider the faces of hunger.

The Food Bank Council of Michigan and our statewide network of member food banks are finished being bullied by hunger. We are determined to not only to see hunger retreat, but rather ensure every person in our state becomes food secure. Hunger is not smarter or stronger than us, and we can put an end to it.

We need to first and foremost reimagine who is hungry. Who are the faces of hunger? It is your neighbor, your friend, your co-worker and your family. Those who have a little more month than money. Hungry kids are more likely to struggle in school, twice as likely to repeat a grade and three times as likely to be suspended.

Eighteen percent of food bank clients are senior citizens. They often face difficulties paying for food because they are on a fixed income, paying for prescriptions, house payments and utilities.

Out of all states, Michigan is most equipped to end hunger as the second most diverse agricultural state in the United States. Our variety and quantity of nutritious food are more than ample to meet the needs of our residents.

To move food from the source to those in need, we must create better access for children and seniors. In our state, we have communities that are scarce of food, traditionally termed food deserts. We can now flood these areas with food resources, education and help solve the access problem.

Food Bank Council of Michigan members serve all 83 counties and, today, we are delivering more pounds of food than ever in our history. Although Michigans economy is improving and our unemployment rate is decreasing, many of those who have achieved steady income still arent bringing in enough to make ends meet.

Hunger Action Month coincides with the kickoff of the annual Michigan Harvest Gathering. Since 1991, this annual initiative has raised nearly 10 million pounds of food and $10 million to stock Michigan food banks. Yet, we still have many who go hungry every day, including our most vulnerable residents.

Lets create a food secure state. During Hunger Action Month, take a moment to volunteer or donate to your local food bank. Help your family, friends and co-workers who are hungry.

Food security is not beyond us; it is not bigger or better than us.

DR. PHILLIP KNIGHT

Executive Director

Food Bank Council of Michigan
BLOOMINGTON  Opinions from friends of Pam Zimmerman who speculated that her ex-husband, Kirk Zimmerman, was the type of man who could kill her should be barred from his trial on murder charges, according to several motions filed Tuesday by his defense lawyer.

Pam Zimmerman, 53, was killed Nov. 3, 2014, in her office in a business complex on East Washington Street in Bloomington. Eight months later, her former husband, 57, was charged with first-degree murder in her shooting death.

In pretrial motions filed Tuesday, defense lawyer John P. Rogers of St. Louis argued that many statements gathered by police from people who knew Pam Zimmerman are based on hearsay and could contain opinions formed after the friends had a chance to talk before their interviews. The statements could be damaging to Kirk Zimmerman's case.

The similar statements from witnesses that the suspect either killed his former wife or hired someone else to do it suggest they had "formed these elaborate theories based fundamentally on rumor, gossip and speculation," said the motion.

Bloomington and Illinois State Police detectives focused on four themes early in their investigation, Rogers argued. Police sought witnesses who offered opinions on Kirk Zimmerman's personality; his capacity to kill his ex-wife; who may have been responsible for the victim's death; and Pam Zimmerman's impressions of her ex-husband, according to Rogers.

The day after the self-employed financial consultant was found dead by officers sent to her office to check on her well-being, police interviewed Scott Baldwin, the man who had become engaged to the victim days earlier. Rogers cited his speculation as an example of what he said police were looking for.

Baldwin admitted he had seen Kirk Zimmerman several times but never met him. When asked who he thought was responsible for the shooting, Baldwin told officers "he thought this incident was going to end up being a murder-suicide, with Pam's ex-husband Kirk because Kirk did not want Pam to be successful with her career and did not want her to be happy," Rogers said, quoting from police reports.

In another example cited by the defense, Kathleen Kolls, a friend of Pam Zimmerman, said that the former husband was a "heavy narcissist," that "everything was always about him," and that he "never wanted to have kids in the first place."

Another friend, Carolyn Ronnekamp, recalled that when asked how Kirk Zimmerman would react to news of the engagement, Pam Zimmerman reportedly said that "he was going to go ballistic," according to police reports.

Kathleen Kraft, the Bloomington lawyer who represented Pam Zimmerman in her 2012 divorce, told detectives her client "talked more about being fearful and afraid in January 2013 in regards to how Kirk may respond if child support was ordered" for the couple's three children.

Zimmerman's demeanor during his interview with police hours after his ex-wife's body was found should not be used against him at his trial, his lawyer argued in a motion.

Bloomington police met Zimmerman at his office at State Farm where he was told of his ex-wife's death.

He then was interviewed for several hours by detectives who questioned him about his schedule in the days leading up to his former wife's death. He also was asked about the divorce.

Zimmerman asked numerous times to see his children and was told by officers that they were being interviewed at the Children's Advocacy Center and he would see them. The suspect was eventually told that a family friend had picked up the children.

The defense expressed concern that police reports imply Zimmerman's guilt through their descriptions of his repeated requests to see his children and his claims of exhaustion during the interview.

Hearings on the defense motions will be scheduled over the next several months.
'Change for Change' event Thursday

BLOOMINGTON  United Way of McLean County will partner with McDonald's to collect change at five Bloomington-Normal McDonald's locations from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday to support the 2016 United Way fundraising campaign.

Locations will be 1610 E. Empire St., 2507 E. Oakland Ave., and 3102 E. Empire St., all Bloomington, as well as 1535 E. College Ave. and 804 S. Main St., both in Normal.

United Way will have volunteers inside and outside the locations. Last year's change drive collected $1,800 for United Way.

Poultry show planned Saturday

BLOOMINGTON  The Central Illinois Poultry Club will hold its fall show Saturday at the Interstate Center, 2301 W. Market St.

More than 100 exhibitors will be on hand to showcase over 1,200 domesticated birds. The show will begin at 9 a.m.

The competition is free and open to the public.
BLOOMINGTON  Two university professors expect viewers to see a few changes when Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump face each other for another debate ahead of the Nov. 8 presidential election.

I'm guessing they will be more prone to take the gloves off in the next debate, said Illinois Wesleyan University professor Greg Shaw, chair of the political science department. They were sizing each other up" in their first meeting Monday at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.

Carl Palmer, assistant professor of politics and government at Illinois State University, expects Trump to do more preparation for the next debate.

His campaign manager will sit him down and run him through the wringer, said Palmer.

He noted that Clinton didn't take advantage of opportunities to push back on Trump as much as she could have.

You could say it was a draw, Palmer said. Clinton didn't land any amazing knockout blows and Trump didn't embarrass himself.

Shaw said, The debate in a very real sense is a Rorschach test.  People see what they want to see.

Next time, he expects both candidates to have their zingers prepped.

The next presidential debate, using a town meeting format, will be Oct. 9 at Washington University in St. Louis.

Although some viewers watching Monday night's debate might not have made up their minds about their choice for president, Palmer said, in the grand scheme of things, last night's debate won't make a big difference."

Shaw agreed, noting that polls show only about 10 percent of likely voters indicate they are undecided. In a more typical presidential election, about 20 percent of those who vote are people that made up their minds in the last 30 days, he said.

The debate provided another occasion for people who use the Twitter social media platform to comment while the debate was in progress.

ISU hosted a live tweetup and debate watch party that was sponsored by the American Democracy Project and The Democracy Commitment, two organizations fostering civic participation among college students.

Nathan Carpenter, assistant director of convergent media in ISU's School of Communication, said 2,000 posts were generated during the tweetup.

Most people had a cynical view of the debate, Carpenter said in reference to the tweets. There's a good degree of frustration, yet this is a generation of college students who are expressing excitement about being involved in the electoral process.

Carpenter is working with about 20 graduate and undergraduate students on a research project using ISU's Social Media Analytics Command Center to study what Twitter users in 16 swing counties in 10 states are saying. The intent is to see whether there is a correlation between traditional polls and tweets on Twitter.

One reason Twitter is getting attention this election cycle is because this is where everyday people are going to express their opinions, said Carpenter.

Even the candidates' Twitter accounts are being watched.

Everything they post or say gets close scrutiny, he said.
SPRINGFIELD  Illinois voters who arent quite sure what to make of the current election season arent alone.

They have good company in former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar, whos no stranger to political campaigns, having been first elected to the Illinois House in 1976 before going on to win four statewide races for secretary of state and governor.

But whether its the race for the White House or races for the Statehouse, there are factors at play this year that havent been seen in anyones lifetime, Edgar said Tuesday during a luncheon discussion in Springfield hosted by the nonpartisan Better Government Association. The event, which also featured Christopher Kennedy, a former chairman of the University of Illinois board of trustees whos been mentioned as a potential 2018 Democratic candidate for governor, was titled Elections 2016: Candidates, Chaos and Consequences.

I wish we could have this after the election; I would sound much more intelligent about how the election was going to go, Edgar said, drawing a laugh from the crowd in a downtown hotel banquet room.

On the presidential level, Republican candidate Donald Trump, who Edgar said wont receive his vote, has thrown out the rules of political decorum in his campaign against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, the former governor said.

In Illinois, Edgar added, current Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner has changed the political landscape by pumping more than $20 million into the state GOP. And that total is likely to grow, with contribution limits now lifted in the comptrollers race thanks to a $260,000 loan from the husband of Rauner appointee Leslie Munger to her campaign.

Munger faces Democratic Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza.

Gov. Rauner has provided more money than Ive ever dreamed would be in Illinois politics, Edgar said. Now the Democrats, (Illinois House Speaker Michael) Madigans always been pretty good with raising money. Nothing compared to what Rauners injecting into this election. And what impact thats going to have, I dont think we know yet.

Edgar said the money his party is spending to defeat downstate Democrats might not be money well-spent, noting that Republicans have tried for years, unsuccessfully, to use Madigans unpopularity against them.

With voters more likely to cast straight party ballots than in the past, Edgar and Kennedy agreed having Trump at the top of the ticket could hurt Republicans chances of winning the support of suburban Chicago women, whose votes would be crucial to the GOP picking up legislative seats in that area.

If voters do split their tickets, however, Rauners money may provide a boost to Republican candidates for state House and Senate seats in the suburbs, where Rauner is more popular than he is downstate, Edgar said.

Its going to be kind of Rauners money versus Rauners record, he said.

Without a full state budget in place nearly two years into Rauners term, neither Edgar nor Kennedy had much positive to say about his record.

As he has for the past year, Edgar criticized Rauner for not making balancing the state budget his top priority and instead tying budget discussions to changes in workers compensation laws, term limits for elected officials, redistricting reform and other items on his turnaround agenda.

The most important thing facing the state of Illinois is to get a balanced budget, Edgar said. Everything else pales compared to that.

The governors office did not respond to a request for comment. In response to similar comments in the past, Rauner has said hes focused on the future and reforming the state, not critiques from former officeholders.
Marion Cotillard's hubby, Guillaume Canet, blasted the media for fanning out the flame of rumors that involves his wife Marion Cottilard with the divorce of A-Listers Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. The controversial divorce of the almost-perfect couple has sparked people to jump into conclusions and has dragged different names of personalities.

Those who got dragged with the divorce of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt include Jolie's co-star in the "Tourist" movie Johnny Depp, "Maleficent" actress' former lesbian lover Jenny Shimizu, Brad Pitt's ex Jennifer Anniston and the one who received the most number of bullets, French actress Marion Cotillard. The French's husband Guillaume Canet decided to break his silence, according to Celeb Dirty Laundry.

"I do not usually comment on rumors about us ... I do not usually talk about my private life, which until now I have always carefully protected," Guillaume Canet said in a post on his Instagram account.

"But the fury of the tabloids, the venal stupidity of some people calling themselves journalists, the hatred of some users feeling stronger behind a keyboard, push me to speak of the pride, the love, respect and admiration I have for Marion, for staying so strong and intelligent in the face all these stupid and unfounded accusations," he added.

Marion Cotillard and Guillaume Canet have a 5-year-old son. Some critics even said that the French beauty is pregnant with Brad Pitt's baby. The "Benjamin Button" actor and the "Dark Knight Rises" actress were rumored to have gotten comfortable with each other on the set of "Allied," according to a previous post from Parent Herald.

Some reports even said that Angelina Jolie got a detective to spy on the set of the movie. Well, people are looking for answers as to why the Hollywood's A-lister couple decided to give up on their love life and might have just connected the dots.
It seems like divorce and splitting up are now in season! After "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" co-actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt announced their divorce last week, another couple has lost the spark. Eleven years of being together does not guarantee that you'll be together. Take a look at Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts who recently called it quits.

Fans and colleagues were shocked over the announcement, knowing that Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts had been together for a very long time already. "It is with great love, respect, and friendship in our hearts that we look forward to raising our children together and exploring this new phase of our relationship," the couple told E! News.

With that being said, it must be a consensus that the two decided for the welfare of everybody. The couple also said that the only way to move forward is for them to split. Though the "Salt" actor and the Naomi Watts never wed, they were blessed with two children, Sasha and Samuel.

There are no other explanations as to why the couple decided to go separate ways. They should have thought of this as the children are too young to understand. Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts were seen happy recently at the Venice Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival.

But during the Emmy's Naomi Watts was nowhere near Liev Schreiber. The actor took his son, Sasha, to the red carpet. Just like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, the family asked for privacy during this tough time.

According to the US Weekly, the split was unprecedented and unexpected. Lieve Schreiber even talked about their relationship in the recent Toronto International Film Festival and said: "It's all about patience, and we got lucky enough to work together."
Netflix original "BoJack Horseman" Season 4 continues from a strongly received S3, which owes much from efforts by creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg and his team to find different ways to tell their series stories. Certainly fans of the Netflix series enthusiastically heap praises on "BoJack Horseman" precisely for the storytelling on the journey of "Horsin' Around" star Bojack (Will Arnett).

Observer cites Raphael Bob-Waksberg in highlighting that with each season of "BoJack Horseman" the Netflix series expands the boundaries of its creativity. Fans of the Netflix series are, by now, familiar with how "BoJack Horseman" unafraidly shifts perspectives, modes and styles of storytelling.

what do you do once you've burnt every bridge and lost every friendship. where do you go? asking for a friend.  BoJack Horseman (@BoJackHorseman) September 23, 2016

"Fish Out Of Water" from "BoJack Horseman" Season 3, for example, is one of the strongest favorites among fans of the Netflix series. For the most part, "Fish Out Of Water" effectively and wordlessly told the story of the disintegrated relationships between BoJack Horseman and his friends and loved ones.

the key to happiness is not bothering famous celebrities in public. please remind everyone.  BoJack Horseman (@BoJackHorseman) September 21, 2016

Interestingly, despite the fantastic approach of using an anthropomorphic character as lead in "BoJack Horseman," realism and empathy are among the most lauded aspects of the Netflix series. Observer cites actress Mara Wilson, for example, on the former child actress' praise for the accuracy by which "BoJack Horseman" portrayed the life of celebrities in Hollywood.

Parent Herald cites an interview on The Frame at SCPR with Raphael Bob-Waksberg on how "BoJack Horseman" Season 3 grappled with how people tend to chase after fleeting happiness. Conversely, "BoJack Horseman" Season 3 explored how despite the fact that certain things in life are fleeting, one should rightly retain an attitude of hope.

To be sure, Raphael Bob-Waksberg and his team create something more than meets the eye with "BoJack Horseman." While the easiest assessment of "BoJack Horseman" is a cynical satire of a show, the Netflix series is, in fact, a cleverly presented trove of wisdom on excellence.

"BoJack Horseman" Season 4 is anticipated to be released by Netflix in the summer of 2017. What issues do you hope to see tackled in "BoJack Horseman" Season 4?
Zika terror is rising again as the flakka incidents heat up. The Florida Health Department announced 10 new cases of Zika transmission on Monday, coming up with a total number of cases reaching 105. Most cases are reportedly coming from the Miami Beach area.

CDC leveled up the alert for the Wynwood-designated area after three mosquito incubation periods passed, although there were no new locally transmitted cases of Zika. The organization affirmed the aerial spraying as very helpful with lowering mosquito counts in the neighborhood. Nonetheless, the virus is still on attack even at a lower intensity, so people in Florida are still advised to keep themselves alert and prepared.

Americans are currently thinking twice to travel to Florida because of the new Zika cases reported, according to Fox News. The local government is then a bit alarmed about the impending drop in tourism.

Pregnant women and partners of pregnant women who are feared to have potential exposure to Zika are advised to consider postponing leisure travels to all parts of Miami-Dade County, especially the Wynwood area. In case of an important travel to these areas, it is important that pregnant women and partners follow the rules in preventing mosquito bites.

Women and men living in or who traveled to the area should immediately talk to their doctor or other healthcare provider for a Zika virus test. CDC advised that partners of pregnant women should correctly use condoms to avoid passing Zika during sex, or if possible, should not have sex while the partner is pregnant. For those who do not have signs or symptoms of Zika but have travelled to affected areas, they are also advised to wait at least eight weeks before trying to get pregnant.

People are wondering what is happening to Florida nowadays. While the flakka shocking incidents are still resonating hardly in many areas, here is Zika's continuous scare in neighborhoods. The government is facing great problems and people should be of help in any way they can especially by keeping the rules.
More than any other country in the world, it is the United States that has done a lot of researches about making education better. Despite this, it is Finland that keeps ranking as the top nation when it comes to providing the best education for children. In fact, Finland adopts American psychologist John Dewey's education philosophy at the primary school level.

According to The Washington Post, teachers in Finland are also supposedly required to study Dewey's works, experiments and theories as part of earning their master's degree. Wilderdom cites that John Dewey's education philosophy involves giving children real-life tasks to aid in their learning about geography, science and other vital subjects.

These tasks promote progressive education and in classrooms upholding Dewey's principles, it's the students who talk more and not the teachers. Observers note that this is quite evident in Finland's schools.

So, why doesn't the American school system do the same? Pasi Sahlberg, an educator from Finland, cites that politics might have something to do with it. Often, the important decisions about education are left to the school board of each state, which might have different ideas in how things go.

"Overall, education in the United States is much more political than it is in Finland, where it's much more of a professional issue," Sahlberg said, as Business Insider reports. Sahlberg also cites that Finland relies on just one agency for decisions in school policies  its Ministry of Education and Culture.

In contrast, America has different school systems scattered across the states with its own set of school boards. But the expert also notes that it's still possible for one or two American systems to adopt Finland's ways since these agencies work independently saying, "[They] have enough autonomy to do these things if they want to."

Sahlberg said that it might even be easier for states to initiate education reforms. Finland currently has a general student population of 5.4 million individuals, while an American state's student population is a lot smaller. However, it all goes back to the drive and will to change things.

Do you think state leaders should be focusing more on following Finland's model in its education reforms? What are your thoughts about this matter? Share your ideas in the comments below.
"Making a Murderer" subject Steven Avery shocked the public when it was announced that he has proposed to his girlfriend Lynn Hartman. The couple has only met once, but his lawyer says that Steven Avery is "very much in love." However, Sharon Osbourne doesn't believe in the relationship and called Hartman a "murder groupie."

On her chat series "The Talk," Sharon Osbourne couldn't sit through as details about the engagement of the "Making a Murderer" subject to his girlfriend was being discussed. She can't feel happy for the romance. "They are murder groupies," said the TV host, Mirror reports.

Though the "Making a Murderer" suspect has been in prison since 2005 -- thus, has no means to go out and date women -- he and Lynn Hartman fell in love through letters and phone calls. People reports that they have been "dating" for the last eight months.

Lynn Hartman visited Steven Avery for the first time last week and that's when he proposed and she accepted. "She treats me decent, she loves me - she's kind of spoiling me right now," the "Making a Murderer" subject said, per Daily Mail.

Now that they are engaged, the public might be wondering when and how the "Making a Murderer" couple will exactly get married. Elle UK reports that Lynn Hartman wants to have the wedding when her man is released from prison. Steven Avery is appealing his conviction with the help of his new lawyer.

"Making a Murderer's" Steven Avery was incarcerated in 2005 for the murder of Teresa Halbach. However, he has recently hired Kathleen Zellner to review his case as a potential wrongful conviction. Reports say that Steven Avery's chances for release is growing, especially after the conviction of his co-accused, Brendan Dassey, has been overturned.

These events and the rest of what has been happening to Steven Avery since will be tackled in "Making a Murderer" Season 2. Netflix has not yet announced the official date of release. Stay tuned!
There's a noticeable growing trend among mothers in New York. During school drop offs, they are usually seen assisting their children get to school in their most fashionable clothes, perfect hair and make-up. These hot and sexy moms do draw some attention because of how they look and carry themselves. Some say it's like watching models parading on the runway.

"I've seen the trend more and more of moms dressing up for drop off," Lyss Stern, a mom blogger, told the New York Post. Most of these hot and sexy moms are the stay-at-home mothers (SAHM) that perhaps want to feel good about themselves.

One SAHM admits that she looks forward to school drop offs precisely because dressing up and showing off is the highlight of her day. Another mother said that while it is exciting, there's also some pressure to look good. "New York moms care a lot about fitting in with each other," Caitlin, a 45-year-old SAHM, told the news outlet.

So, does this trend among New York moms promote superficiality? Not quite so. According to Slate, for years, the image of a SAHM has been that of a frumpy parent who doesn't make an effort to care about her looks. It's why mom jeans and bad haircuts exist because SAHMs were often equated with low-maintenance moms.

Fortunately, there has been a shift in this perception with the emergence of these hot and sexy moms. For them, looking good actually helps with self-esteem building. It is empowering and it pushes the feminism agenda of allowing women to feel good about who they are.

These New York moms, however, still observe an unspoken rule about dressing up and parading at school drop offs because the tendency to go overboard might bring the wrong notion -- or worse, embarrass their children. "I feel sexier now than before I had kids. I can rock it," Jane, an SAHM who used to be a model, told New York Post. "You can wear short things, but it can still have elegance."

What do you think, mommies? Will you get by this trend of dressing up for school drop offs? Share your thoughts in the comments!
JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers break-up rumors continue to loom. However, the reality TV couple has disproven any rumors that they've called off their engagement.

In a new interview, "The Bachelorette" 2015 JoJo admitted that they have not started planning their wedding. During an interview at the iHeartRadio Music Festival the brunette bombshell admitted that she and Jordan are having a hard time planning their wedding most especially since their hometowns are far apart.

JoJo did, however, share how Jordan's family has been trying to help them plan. According to The Hollywood Gossip, Jordan's mother has been really helpful to the couple and has already sent a lot of many books to "The Bachelorette" JoJo.

Apart their impending wedding, fans are also curious whether a JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers wedding TV special could be underway. JoJo admitted that she and Jordan have considered making a special, but she further explained that they're both taking time enjoying their time together.

"Going through normal life together, going through hard times, good times, just normalcy is really amazing," JoJo shared. "We're enjoying it and having a blast."

Cheating and JoJo Fletchers Jordan Rodgers break-up rumors that previously surfaced online claimed that "The Bachelorette" and her fiance have been fighting non-stop. As Celeb Dirty Laundry noted, JoJo even thinks that Jordan is a complete disappointment.

Do you want JoJo and Jordan to have a TV special for their upcoming wedding? Sound off below!

Stay tuned for more JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers break-up and wedding rumors here!
Morgan Wolfers was one of those children with autism whose struggles in school made people regard him negatively. The 10-year-old boy from Colorado, however, found solace in photography and has excelled in the subject since then.

Morgan was diagnosed with autism at 3 years old, NBC's 9News reported. Autism is a developmental disorder that affects a person's ability to function socially, at school or work, or in other aspects of life, according to the National Institute of Health.

Autistic individuals have trouble communicating and interacting with other people. They also have repetitive behaviors and limited interests and activities.

Heather Wolfers, Morgan's mother, said that concentrating on things can be a challenge for her son. Miranda Anderson, a teacher at Morgan's school Free Horizon Montessori in Golden, Jefferson County, said that the child needs "extra clarification of directions" in class, 9News further reported.

Morgan's parents have clarity and direction in mind when they took the boy on a hike in the mountains of Jefferson County. Morgan's passion for nature photography started out as a hobby. He was only using his mom's phone, but now, it is more than a hobby he excells in -- he has begun a business to sell his work. (Check out his photographs on Facebook.)

Morgan's father, Adam, said that his son's autism has a silver lining in the sense that he "has always noticed stuff other people don't notice," making him good at photography. Adam also thinks that Morgan's passion for photography helped him focus in all facets of life.

The child can now interact with others and people, in turn, have learned to look past his disability -- thanks to his work. Morgan wants to inspire other children to "try new things and explore [their] limits and what [they] want to do."

Morgan is selling his photographs at a store called Red Roof Relics, an antique store in Conifer. Ten percent of the boy's proceeds go to the Blue Ribbon Arts Initiative, a foundation that helps artistic kids with autism hone their craft. The foundation was created by 12-year-old Max Miller, who's also on the autism spectrum.

Morgan's work has captured so much attention, even National Geographic's. The latter chose a photograph of Morgan that will be displayed in the home of Vice President Joe Biden. National Geographic's selection was a picture of a moth laying eggs, a piece that Morgan described as his signature work.

Gage Howard, a 17-year-old from Frisco, Texas, is another autistic individual that excels in photography, according to Autism Speaks. He believes photography is an avenue where he can express himself in and is something that takes his mind off of the challenges he's facing.
Android progenitor Google released the latest version of the operating system last month, the Android 7.0 Nougat, and brands have been hustling to get the update to their devices after it first released to Google Nexus devices; brands like Sony, which is going to be releasing the Android 7.0 Nougat to its Xperia devices next month.

NDTV's Gadgets 360 reported the news that the new Android 7.0 Nougat operating system will be coming to Sony's Xperia devices, based on information provided the Slovakian website MojAndroid. Sony apparently revealed the plan to incorporate the Android 7.0 Nougat to its Xperia family of smartphones at its recent press conference in Slovakia.

Sony will first institute the Android 7.0 Nougat firmware update to two current primary major devices in the Xperia family; the Xperia XZ and the Xperia X Performance. The Android 7.0 Nougat will hit the Xperia devices sometime in October, with a release of the firmware update coming later to Sony's other Xperia smartphones in monthly increments.

November will see the Android 7.0 Nougat hitting the Xperia X and the Xperia X Compact models, with the following month of December allowing the update to hit the more of the current Xperia family: the Xperia Z6, the Xperia Z3+, and the Xperia Z4 Tablet. The Xperia XA and the Xperia Ultra will be able to update to the new Android 7.0 Nougat operating system in 2017, probably January if the monthly pattern continues.

Though it seems not all Xperia users can look forward to the Android 7.0 Nougat update as Sony seems to be neglecting some of the members its device user base, and the reason does not seem to be based on a specific device' datedness. The Xperia E5 smartphone, which launched at the same time as the Xperia E5 this year, is excluded just like the older Xperia Z4 despite the fact that the Z4 is simply a variant of the Z3+.
Oh no! Are Brad Pitt and Michael Jordan really dead? Well, the answer is no but they recently become the latest victims of celebrity death hoaxes following the reports on Sylvester Stallone and Jaden Smith, who was killed in various ways just this month.

Let's start off with the Brad Pitt Death Hoax. According to Daily Mail, a hoax website released a rumor claiming that Pitt has committed suicide following his shocking divorce with Angelina Jolie. What's somewhat shocking about the report is the claim that the 52-year-old "By the Sea" star has shot himself in the head while he was reportedly at a shooting range on Sunday, with sources saying the suicide was due to his current marital stresses.

Based on one of the photos posted by the publication, however, suggested a contradicting statement about Brad Pitt's death hoax. In fact, written below what seemed to be like the headline of the breaking report was the claim that Angelina Jolie's estranged husband hanged himself.

The Brad Pitt Death Hoax has been considered a scam article and Facebook has been warning its users about this malware that could reportedly expose some sensitive and personal information to the hackers, TMZ noted. The story could also destroy cellphones and computers. With that said, Facebook has been advising users who have fallen victim to the report to immediately change their passwords and run a malware software scanner.

Brad Pitt, however, is not the only celebrity victim in the latest round of death hoaxes. As a matter of fact, another celebrity death hoax claimed that Michael Jordan was also found dead in his home. But as per Inquisitr, the Michael Jordan Death Hoax was just an old scam report.

In addition, Jaden Smith has also been a victim of a celebrity death hoax over the summer and he has been killed off in several different ways and reasons. Daily Mirror even pointed out that the series of death claims on Facebook were all phishing scams, where users are led to fake links.

To end the speculations, Brad Pitt, Michael Jordan and Jaden Smith are all well and alive. As for the Sylvester Stallone Death Hoax, Parent Herald has reported that the overdose claims were fake.
Sex education was insufficient and failed to meet the needs of young people within autism spectrum, according to a recent study by Anglia Ruskin University psychologists. The study suggests that schools must consider providing sexual awareness and sex education lessons that are customized to the very exact requirements of youths with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

The study, led by Psychologist Steven Stagg from Anglia Ruskin University, examined the feelings towards sexual awareness and sex education of 20 typical young adults and 20 individuals with autism disorder. Data were produced from semi-structured interviews and questionnaires.

In the Cambridge News, Dr. Stagg pointed out that sexual consciousness in the autistic group scored 40 percent lower than the typical comparison group and 78 percent lower for sexual aggressiveness. He added that this lowered awareness may lead some individuals into situations where they may be vulnerable to exploitation, especially as some participants in the study spoke about situations where they had been exploited.

Overall, the findings showed that there was no difference of feelings toward sex education between the two groups. However, the groups significantly differed on sexual awareness measurements. Dr. Stagg said that they found out that the young people with ASD reported negative experiences of sex education.

The study reported that the prominent features of the interviews were issues of confused sexuality, social anxiety and problem of vulnerability. "The participants felt that sex education in school was inadequate and failed to address their specific needs," Dr. Stagg remarked.

The lack of sexual education for rationally disabled individuals is rooted in a prevalent social problem: no one wants to admit that disabled people are sexual in the first place, Broadly reveals. The report continues that young adults with autism who have not received sufficient sexual health information might have struggles integrating themselves in the workplace or social settings.

Participants of the study wanted sex education to be provided in a slower pace and to cover topics like language of sex, the study found out. For instance, one girl said that she did not understand the term "dirty talk" and didn't know when it was used as jokes or whether people were not joking.
"Wentworth Season 5" will be make or break for the Foxtel series, necessitating keeping the replacement of Bea Smith (Danielle Cormack) a closely guarded secret. The "Wentworth Season 4" finale, "Seeing Red" had been an especially harrowing experience for the Foxtel series fans with the death of Bea Smith.

In the "Wentworth Season 4" finale, Bea Smith was brutally murdered by prison officer turned inmate Joan Ferguson (Pamela Rabe). Shocked fans struggled to retain hope that Bea Smith may survive onto "Wentworth Season 5."

However, Parent Herald cites TV Week in quoting Katrina Milosevic, who plays Boomer in the "Wentworth" series, that 15 stab wounds would realistically be fatal for Bea Smith. With Bea Smith undeniably absent from "Wentworth Season 5," fans of the Foxtel series naturally wonder who will replace as top dog come the new episodes.

Franky Doyle (Nicole Da Silva), and even Allie Novak (Kate Jenkinson), had seemed the more natural choices to replace Bea Smith as the new prison top dog in "Wentworth Season 5." However, Parent Herald cites reports that Foxtel sources indicate that "Wentworth Season 5" will not be raising someone from the existing inmates to replace Bea Smith.

Parent Herald further cites the possibility that Franky Doyle may eventually follow in the steps of Bea Smith given that Nicole Da Silva is now juggling "Wentworth" with her new series "Doctor, Doctor." Still, Foxtel would have made the choice of a Bea Smith replacement in "Wentworth Season 5" much harder to guess.

Fans of the Foxtel series are aware that "Wentworth" is an adaptation of 1979 original "Prisoner" as The Screen Australia highlights. As an adaptation, the "Wentworth" series stands at a disadvantage of being spoiled by "Prisoner" and German remake "Hitten."

"As Wentworth has a big global online community sitting around it we have been very careful to avoid any chance of spoilers in the windowing of any remakes," Jo Porter told The Screen Australia earlier on. Foxtel indicated that the unorthodox move to kill off Bea Smith was a decision to keep the "Wentworth" series a strong offering on air.

Understandably then, keeping the momentum by guarding against all spoilers how Bea Smith will be replaced is one of the priorities for "Wentworth Season 5." Luckily fans won't have too long to wait for new revelations as Foxtel is anticipated to air "Wentworth Season 5" in May 2017.
Apple's iPhone 8 smartphone's hardware is said to be developed in Israel's office, which is expected to release fall of next year. Reportedly, the new iPhone 8 using radical redesign.

The all new Apple iPhone 8 will have a glass body edge-to-edge OLED display that includes an integrated Touch ID fingerprint sensor and front-facing camera. The new iPhone may be sold alongside upgraded (but standard) 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhones, reported MacRumors.

According to a local Apple employee, some hardware for the new iPhone 8 is being made in Herzliya, Israel. The employee also said that Israel's office is involved in Apple's new products. the employee's details have not been revealed by Business Insider, who reported the news.

The Apple employee told Business Insider outside Apple's Herzliya office at Maskit Street 12, said "staff in Israel are working on what's coming next in Apple's product line, giving a specific mention to iPhone 8." The source highlighted regarding the specifications of the new iPhone 8.

The iPhone 8 will have a better camera than iPhone 6s and iPhone 7. There is no news on specifications. The source added, Apple makes new products in Israel but does not assemble products there.

Release date - Apple released iPhone 6 and 6s on September 9, 2015 and iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus was released on September 9 this year. Keeping the dates in mind Apple might release iPhone 8 next September. Both launch events were a Wednesday, both were two days after Labor Day in the US and both were the last day of consumer electronics show IFA.

In that case, Labor Day next year is on September 4 and IFA will run from 1 to 6 September in 2017. So, Apple probably releases iPhone 8 in the first week of September 2017.
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http://religionnews.com/2016/09/20/man-who-led-police-to-bombing-suspect-is-an-immigrant-too/

Some may recall the case of Balbir Singh Sodhi, the Sikh-American gas station owner who was murdered by an anti-immigration patriot in Mesa, Arizona, on 15 September 2001 as retaliation for the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Sikhs, of course, arent Muslims at all. And theyre Indians, not Arabs. These distinctions, though, were lost on the man who shot him.

Posted from Mentor, Ohio
The lower house of the Swiss parliament has voted in favor of a bill that would ban covering ones face in public. This is, of course, a burka ban, and it is being pushed by Switzerlands far-right nationalist party. According to The Independent:

The proposed law would see paragraphs written into Switzerlands federal constitution against the concealing of ones face in public places, other than religious sites, with exceptions for health and safety, the climate and unspecified local customs.

While browsing social media, I came upon an argument over the proposal. One friend argued that the bill was a good thing, meant to stop Muslim men from forcing their wives/daughters to weir the veil. Another friend responded that it amounted to more of the samemen telling women what they can and cannot wear. The first friend objected, noting that there are certainly women in the Swiss parliament, so the bill isnt men telling women what they can or cannot wear.

Curious, I looked up the vote on the bill and checked each MPs gender.

The vote was a close one, with 88 voting for and 87 against. Of these, 18 women voted for and 40 women voted against. In other words, if only women had been voting, the bill would have been soundly defeated, over two to one. Further, the makeup of the Swiss parliament is skewed male. If it werentif women comprised half the body and voted along the same lines as the women currently in parliamentthe bill would have been defeated. The bill only passed because it had strong male support.

So yes, Im afraid that we very much can say that this bill is an example of men telling women what they can and cannot wear. Indeed, women voted against the bill more than two to one despite the bills primary promoters claim that it was designed to maintain public order and respect for the dignity of women. It appears that Swiss women disagree, and dont want to be told what they can and cannot wear in public.

As Ive noted before, bills like this has the unfortunate effect of further limiting the movement of conservative Muslim women, many of whom are immigrants. These women are vulnerable enough without being shut out of public life more fully.
From an ex-Republican reader in VA:

For the past 10 years, Ive devoted a huge amount of my personal time to supporting the Republican Party, specifically in Virginia locally. The NOVA GOP has been very much in the center of my social sphere and personal identity, which makes this particularly hard. But the time has come for me to say it:

I am resigning from membership in the Republican Party. It has become apparent to me that the GOP does not represent my views on most issues of public policy, and in the cases where it does, these issues tend to be put on the back burner so hot button rhetoric can sit at the front.

The nomination of Donald Trump brought this disconnect into sharp relief, but even if he loses the election and slinks off the political stage, he and his supporters never to influence the GOP platform again, I still would not find a policy home in the GOP. Neither would banishment of the alt-right and their collaborators bring me back, though I would encourage my friends staying in the GOP to do that. Where once I found substantial agreement, over the past several years my views and that of the GOP both have been drifting in opposite directions, until now there is too much distance to bridge.

To be clear, I am not joining the Democrat Party either, as my agreement with their platform is just as thin. I am declaring my independence, my freedom to support or oppose any candidate as my conscience dictates, and my freedom to support third party organizations if I so choose. That is another objection I have to the Republican Party of Virginia specificallythe rules that seek to constrain conscientious voting and speech by their members, excommunicating anyone who will not bow to a nominee or the party plan.

Now that I am free to speak my mind and vote my conscience, I would like to explain my reasons for those who respect my opinion or might be surprised at this.

I am pro-life, from conception to natural death, full stop. This does not mean solely or even primarily anti-abortion. Though obviously a prerequisite, there is so much more to life than being born. I believe the primary task of government is to protect human life, especially those persons that are most vulnerable to exploitation, destitution, and destruction, and create an environment for human flourishing of all.

After nearly 40 years of observing the world, I have come to believe that wealth, comfort, and success are mostly unearned gifts. Effort and industry play a role, but mostly for those who already have been gifted with some combination of high intelligence, good health, strong families, supportive friends, good education, start-up assets, safety net, and just plain ol luck. Those of us who have been so gifted have a moral responsibility to assist those who have not.

While taxes and other policies that discourage effort and industry are never a good idea, I also can draw a curve on a napkin and explain to you how people whose income is above a certain level dont change their productive behavior due to minor increases in taxes. (I knowmy day job is all about helping ultra-wealthy families manage their assets and taxes.) The main category of people who ACTUALLY choose to work or not work (or work less) based on taxes is women with young children or elderly parents, who weigh the intangible benefits of being home more against the net economic benefits of working for wages (often shrunk to vanishing by childcare costs and other expenses of working). Consider that maybe if some of these women (and sometimes men) choose to work for a paycheck less because they prefer to focus on family caretaking, maybe thats not such a bad thing, and its definitely not justification for cutting taxes yet again for the ultra-wealthy.

I believe free markets that connect willing buyers with willing sellers, with government merely policing against fraud and exploitation, are the best way of organizing economic activity. But the free market is made for man, not man for the free market. Some people because of age, ability, health, or caretaking needs do not have sufficient purchasing or bargaining power in the free market to maintain a dignified existence on their own. I believe we have a moral obligation as a society to subsidize access to a dignified life for those who are less fortunate. Ideally this takes the form of vouchers or basic income that will allow ALL to participate in a free market for essential goods and services.

Every child should have access to a quality education regardless of the wealth of their parents. School choice should not be a bandaid for failing urban schools; it is a fundamental principle that should be available to every family, in every location. Good teachers should be paid like the important professionals that they are. Bad schools should go out of business because not enough people want to send their children there. Power-hungry bureaucrats shouldnt get to dictate what happens in the classroom, and neither should parents who are pushing teachers in myriad and opposing directions. Let a thousand flowers of educational models bloom, and let parents sort out which work best for their own children and values. But society at large needs to cover most of the cost. Parents already spend and sacrifice so much to raise the children who will be tomorrows workers and inventors and taxpayers and parents, with little to no future financial return. Education is an investment that we need to prioritize for the future flourishing of all.

Basic healthcare is another essential element of dignified human life that should be available to all regardless of wealth. This is a really tricky one because the sword of rapid medical technological advances has a double edge. One side conquers ever more diseases and heals ever more injuries, but the other side is the risk that giving everyone every possible treatment that may extend or improve their lives could easily swallow our entire economic output and collapse upon itself. We have a moral obligation to not leave people suffering and dying from easily preventable or treatable conditions, but we also have an obligation to engage in difficult line-drawing to preserve resources for the rest of life. The right has not engaged in this serious task in good faith. On the one hand it whines about socialized medicine, as if only the well-to-do should have access to healthcare, and on the other hand it screams about death panels, as if it is unconscionable to put limiting principles on the same socialized healthcare. Meanwhile lack of access to health insurance acts as a silent and discriminating death panel, while our jalopy of a private sector healthcare system results in high costs and inefficiencies for everyone who can access it. We MUST quit the partisan posturing and engage this issue with earnestness.

As a pro-life person, I cannot celebrate Americas gun culture and all its fruits. Glorification of deadly weapons supports the culture of death. I do support a persons right to use deadly force in self-defense where there is reasonable cause to believe it is necessary to protect life and limb. But it is not cool to own a deadly weapon or to practice the skill of killing people. It is necessary for some such as law enforcement and military to do this, but it is a heavy responsibility for them to exercise utmost respect for human life in the course of their duties. Killing a person should never be a bragging matter, and it is essential that those we entrust to regularly carry deadly weapons have impeccable mental health and a culture of respect for life. I am distressed when I see people who claim to be pro-life champion widespread gun ownership, because the reality is that guns are much more likely to perpetuate domestic violence (directly or by threat) or facilitate suicide than actually save lives. While there are obvious exceptions, for most people the most effective way to protect your home and the people and things in it is to get a security monitoring system, not a deadly weapon that is useless if no one is there to use it or worse if the wrong person gets their hands on it.

Speaking of self-defense, we also have a right of self-defense as a nation. That includes investing in intelligence gathering and analysis, in our military and police, in border security, and in diplomacy. But the emphasis is on defense, not trying to exercise hegemony around the world, and not seeking to score arrests and convictions at home. I am no expert in military matters or foreign affairs, but it is clear that our attempts to take the war on terrorism to other shores are not working. At home, we have entirely too many people in prison, and too many gotcha laws and fines. Criminal laws and law enforcement should exist to protect the public, not to raise revenue or generate profits for private partners. Law enforcement and military are necessary but not beyond reproach.

As for people who have broken the law, they are still human beings who are owed dignified treatment as such. I believe in restorative justice, not retributive justice. There are some people beyond restoration who may need to be locked up for life for public safety, but as much as possible we should afford avenues of restoration. Drug possessors should get addiction treatment, not jail time and loss of civic rights. I am NOT going to complain about restoration of voting rights to felons who have served their time; in fact I would insist on it. The death penalty should be ended, now, period. On the other hand, rape and domestic violence cannot be treated as excusable or relatively minor crimesthose who sexually assault or exploit others, and those who do or threaten bodily harm to the people they have a duty to protect and care for, are among the most dangerous of persons who need serious rehabilitation or to be locked up for life, and victim blaming and shaming is absolutely unconscionable in these cases.

Illegal immigrants are people with dignity too, and in considering what to do when their undocumented status is discovered, due consideration should be given to how long they have been here, their family roots in the U.S. and elsewhere, the impact of any penalty to their children and other close family members, and whether they have otherwise been law-abiding. When considering who we should admit legally, we of course should carefully investigate any ties to terrorism or history of violence of any kind. It is reasonable to consider the skills of the applicant, and whether they can do work that is in short supply, as well as how a certain level of immigration in certain job skill categories might impact the livelihoods of people who are already citizens. We have a long and admirable tradition of accepting refugees from places where violence is rampant and basic human rights are denied. What is NOT acceptable is rejecting immigration applicants, whether refugee status or not, solely based on their nationality or religion. The greatest heritage of the United States is being a world leader in freedom of religion and commitment to cultural pluralism. Excluding people on the basis of religion or ethnicity is profoundly unAmerican and inhumane.

Which brings us to our First Freedom: the right of conscience, enshrined in the First Amendment cluster of freedoms of speech, press, assembly, petition, and exercise of religion. I believe this is the most sacrosanct of all civil rights, and I oppose all encroachments on it. I support transparency about the sponsors of mass communications, but not campaign finance laws or lobbying restrictions that constrain the content of speech or who may speak in certain ways. I oppose not only government restrictions on expression, but also private societal use of boycotts, hiring and firing discrimination, and other forms of economic and non-economic bullying against anyone for expressing their views. The power of the collective should not punish or prohibit expression unless it is encouraging or enabling violence, or fraudulent or deceptive. On the other hand, freedom of association means that organizations can form and define parameters for membership or employment, as long as they give fair public notice of those parameters, not arbitrarily kicking or keeping people out according to secret standards. It is also unwise and unjust for secular professions to exclude qualified members by imposing professional requirements that conflict with the exercise of known religions or moral convictions of any appreciable group of people.

That in turn brings us to the topics of abortion and contraception. Moral conviction against supplying these should not be a disqualifier from working in the healthcare field, nor from starting an unrelated business and becoming an employer of others. Much like illicit drugs, these are commodities that tend to destroy lives, which is why Im concerned about deceptive suppliers and the reasons why people turn to them; I am not interested in punishing users, who often are already victimized in some way. The truth is that our society does not value childbearing and child-rearing, even though our way of life will literally collapse without it. All of the expenses are considered the personal responsibility and choice of the parents, if not the mother alone, while society reaps the benefits and says the parents have no special claim to the taxes and other fruits of their children when grown. There is little societal respect or compensation for the profound productivity of raising children, whether provided by a stay-at-home parent, childcare provider, or teacher. As long as this remains the case, there will continue to be enormous financial and societal pressures on most women to limit or eliminate their children. Not only does this impose moral dilemmas on individual familiesit is also a slow societal suicide.

These views and others I hold do not find any consistent home in one of the major parties in the U.S.A. today. But I believe most of them are not terribly uncommon among American citizens. Many of us find ourselves politically homeless for similar reasons. Moreover, they are consistent with the long and deep tradition of Catholic social justice thought.

My views largely do align with an obscure third party named the American Solidarity Party. Unfortunately I think the ASP acts more a discussion club than a political party at present. I have not decided whether it is worth my scarce time to get involved in trying to move ASP toward a more pragmatic approach to politics, or whether I will vote for its Presidential candidate, Mike Maturen, as a write-in this year. In any case, if your views of good government substantially align with mine, I encourage you to check them out and thoughtfully and prayerfully consider these same questions for yourself.

At the end of the day, my approach to politics is both principled and pragmatist. I do not support making the perfect the enemy of the good. But I dont see either the Republicans or Democrats as pursuing the good on the whole today. I see certain elected officials affiliating with these parties as pursuing the good in a decent number of areas, and for these I am willing to vote and advocate. But I can no longer stay in a position where I am required or expected to say my party, right or wrong.

Sincerely,

Lillian Vogl

Former: Loudoun County Republican Committee Membership Chair, Fairfax County Republican Committee Secretary, Providence District Chair, candidate for Republican Party of Virginia State Central Committee, FCRC Womens Coalition Chair, and precinct captain
Ive been seeing a therapist lately for depression. And one of the things she keeps bringing up is perfectionism. I kind of get what shes saying. But I want to be the best person I can be. I am overwhelmed on a pretty regular basis as to how to go about this. I have 5 kids under the age of 10, I have a time-intensive calling in young womens, my husband is also busy with work and a calling as the Elders Quorum President which takes him away on service projects often, its difficult to keep my home organized and I can often feel myself shutting down. Its depressing that Im depressed when I love the Gospel and just want to be happy doing the things Ive always wanted to do  raising my kids, managing my home, and serving the Lord. When I cant even seem to do basics like daily prayer with my family on a regular basis, I am hard on myself as a way to motivate myself to do better. How do I stop being perfectionistic when I want to constantly thrive to do my very best? And when the better I do, the more blessings me and my family are promised?

I cant tell you how many times I have heard similar thoughts and feelings, especially from LDS women. Mormon women tend to have high standards of themselves. They take the responsibility of their many roles, especially as caretakers of home and loved ones, very seriously. They have great desire to be righteous and excel at their many roles. Unfortunately, this often leads to unrealistic expectations, unnecessary comparisons and negative self-dialogue. One of my favorite talks addressing these issues over the pulpit was by Elder Uchtdorf  Forget Me Not. Sometimes these types of addresses are extremely useful. Other times, the messages unintentionally add to the checklist we think we need to be on top of and the negative self-dialogue attacks it as well (i.e. yeah, why cant I just focus on the basics Uchtdorf points out  be patient with myself, focus on the basics, prioritize my family and God. and there takes off the ruminating of the brain affected by anxiety or depression). Learning how to combat cognitive distortions or thinking errors is an important piece of most depression treatment. From a spiritual perspective, I like to have my clients explore the following ideas: is my current way of holding to religious practice/belief/ritual serving to edify and bless my life (what I believe our Heavenly Parents would want from gospel living)? or is my current way of holding this space making it about keeping God or others happy/content/approving which, although well-intentioned, actually gets in the way of my being able to experience the balm of Gilead? is my current focus on certain behavioral aspects of my life getting in the way of spirituality in my life? how are these two intertwined? how do I make space for both while not allowing behavioral focus to trump spiritual focus?

I recently held a retreat in Utah, where one of my LDS colleagues attended and shared a wonderful piece she had written, addressing perfectionism as its own personage. I have asked her to share those thoughts as part of this post today. I would also recommend The Burnout Cure by Julie De Azevedo Hanks, another LDS therapist who addresses mental health issues within the context of Mormon women and reading the following article about Why we need to talk about high-functioning depression (many Mormon women I see are quite productive and active in their communities in spite of dealing with serious clinical symptoms).

Todays guest post is written by Kalli Kronmiller, CMHC. Opinions shared on guest posts may not completely reflect the positions of the blogs author.

Kalli is an Expressive Arts Therapist and Mental Health Counselor, and Yoga Instructor. She holds a Masters of Arts degree in Expressive Therapies and Mental Health Counseling, a Master of Family and Human Development degree, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. She is a certified Yoga Instructor and Therapeutic Partner Yoga Practitioner. Previously Kalli was an elementary classroom educator. She recently moved from Boston to the Greater Salt Lake City area where she practices as a therapist.

As a part of my own quest to reclaim some of my own dormant creativity and more deeply connect with a Higher Being, Im reading The Artists Way, A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, and participating in its daily exercises designed to help unlock the creativity that is not being tapped into and used. One exercise was to identify some of the greatest enemies to our creativity, and write a Letter to the Editor about that enemy. I chose my enemy of PERFECTIONISM that gets in the way of my desire and ability to create and allow myself to explore the gifts I have. So, without further adieu  A Letter to the Editor:

To Whom it May Concern:

PERFECTIONISM is the lamest, most false and misleading poser that EVER existed in existence.

PERFECTIONISM guises as this worthy endeavor, something which will help you/me to be our best selves. But in reality,

PERFECTIONISM isnt concerned at all with you being YOUR bestit just wants you to be THE bestat all costs. And when you dont measure up (which inevitably WILL happen) and outperform all the rest and reach the ideal,

PERFECTIONISM feeds you LIES, telling you that because youre not THE best, youre actually not even GOOD ENOUGH. It tells you lies of ALL-OR-NOTHING thinking in which if youre not THE best, better than everyone else at the idealist level, then your efforts are futileso you might as well give up. If

PERFECTIONISM were really concerned with YOUR best, it wouldnt compare you to othersyoud never be better or less than someone else. If

PERFECTIONISM actually cared about YOU, it would celebrate YOUR style, YOUR ability, and YOUR way of doing it based on YOUR capability. It wouldnt even bring others abilities into the picture because it would be so busy celebrating what YOU CAN DO. It wouldnt shame you for the level you havent yet reached. It wouldnt allow you to feel less than because of where you arent yet (or ever). Thats why

PERFECTIONISM is a lieit cant celebrate your achievements unless it sees you at the top because its got blinders on and only sees ideals. If

PERFECTIONISM has won you over with its alluring promises of feeling good and being the best, be leery. With

PERFECTIONISM, the flip side of being the best is being a loser, and at your first sign of being human,

PERFECTIONISM will turn on you and kick you to the gutter. Steer clear of that wolf in sheeps clothing. Instead of

PERFECTIONISM, why not try on

RADICAL SELF ACCEPTANCE AND COMPASSION. Youre guaranteed a much healthier, happier existence.

Kalli created this sketch during the retreat as she contemplated the movement of her soul/spirit/personal experiences. You can see the tension between soft, malleable parts (self-acceptance and grace  blue/green) and sharp, pointy parts  black, gray, dark  that prick, hurt and even draw blood (perfectionism, negative self-talk, and negativity from others  red). The orange balloons represent her ability to place protective elements over the sharp points  the reality that she does hold the capacity to self-protect and heal from within. And we see the ending space of blue/green representing calm and peace.
Patna: Taking strong exceptions to retired justice Markandey Katju's latest post on social media in which he disparages Bihar by calling the state worse than Pakistan, Janata Dal  U leader and spokesperson Neeraj Kumar on Tuesday lodged an FIR against the controversial legal eagle saying Katju had insulted the entire population of Bihar and he must be taken to task for his extremely insensitive statement.

Not buying Katju's clarification that he was only joking, the entire Nitish administration, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders Lalu Prasad Yadav and his two sons, demanded legal action against the man who has a long and confirmed history of demagoguery as a mean to draw attention towards himself.

As reported, Katju on Monday posted on his Facebook page what was seen world over as one of the most offensive posts even for a blowhard like the former Supreme Court Justice.

"I have just received authoritative information from the Govt. of Pakistan. They have point blank refused the offer of taking Kashmir along with Bihar, and they have profusely apologized for ever asking for Kashmir at all and have promised never to ask for it again.

Evidently the idea of getting Bihar too has horrified them out of their wits

Hari Om".

"He is a literate, educated person but he talks like a complete idiot. He owes an apology to all Biharis," Neeraj Kumar said.

Katju, who has never apologized for his previous offensive Facebook or Twitter comments, instead doubled down on his 'joke' saying 'there was certainly something wrong with the people of Bihar, including the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, who have no sense of humor'.

Further exposing himself as a man devoid of any self-realization, Katju said 'a baton was waiting for those who were demanding his arrest'.

The chant for his arrest echoed across the party line. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Vinod Narayan Jha said Katju's comment was beyond offensive and he should be charged with sedition for his anti-Bihar rant and arrested immediately.

JD-U leader Shyam Rajak also expressed his anger over Katju's remarks saying for someone who is supposed to be an intellectual, the former Supreme Court justice was 'an amazingly stupid person who had no clue about the history and culture of Bihar.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also unloaded on the former Chairperson of the Press Council of India saying Katju was acting like he was the 'mai-baap' (mother-father) of Bihar.

"Some people have this disease of being in news for all the wrong reasons. These people have discovered the way to gain cheap popularity by insulting Bihar or making fun of Biharis. They need to know their limits," Kumar said without ever mentioning the name of Katju.
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Baha'i Student Expelled and Banned from University for His Faith

09/28/16

Source: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran

Iranian authorities have ignored requests to reinstate a student expelled from a university because of his faith. Nineteen-year-old Faraz Karin-Kani Sisan was expelled from Ghiyaseddin Jamshid Kashani Institute for Higher Education (GJKI) in Abyek, Alborz Province, 62 miles northwest of Tehran, after completing his second term in development studies.



Faraz Karin-Kani Sisan



In the national university entrance exam form they ask if you would like to answer religious questions about Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism or Judaism. I, like many other Bahais, chose Islam and answered all the questions. I passed the exam but after I enrolled as a student I was asked to state my religion. On the enrollment form I marked the box for religious minority and when an official asked me to be specific, I said I am Bahai. Then he asked me to write it down as my choice, said Sisan in an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.

An official at the University Intelligence Unit told me it was okay that I was a Bahai. He said many Bahais had studied there [at GJKI], but asked me to avoid discussing religion and to observe the moral codes. He also said I should tell him about any other Bahai students I meet... In the one year I was there I dont think there were any other Bahai students.

In June 2016, a few days before the end of his second term, Sisan was summoned to the intelligence units office and told he had been expelled.

When I went to the administration office, I was told they dont have a problem with Bahais but the Science Ministry had sent a directive to all universities compelling them to expel all Bahai students. I had no choice but to settle my account and leave, he told the Campaign.

Asked if he made any effort to get reinstated, Sisan said: I spoke to the GJKIs acting chancellor and he told me to go the Student Evaluations Organization (SEO); he said he would try to work something out so I could continue my studies. When I went to the SEO I was told I could go back to the university if I wrote down Im a Muslim. I didnt do it. Im a Bahai. I couldnt lie.

Every human being has the right to education, added Sisan. Every citizen has the right to get educated no matter what his or her religion may be. An educated person may not benefit the country, but it certainly wont hurt. Im truly upset. I worked hard to get into the university. I studied two terms and spent a lot of money. I was a good student and observed the moral codes and I didnt discuss my religion, as they had asked me.







Iranian officials deny prosecuting Bahais for their religious beliefs, but the Bahai community is one of the most severely persecuted religious minorities in Iran. The faith is not recognized in the Islamic Republics Constitution and its members face harsh discrimination in all walks of life as well as prosecution for the public display of their faith.

Bahais are routinely denied higher education. In a recent case, Rouhie Safajoo was repeatedly banned from attending university and was arrested on March 8, 2016 for allegedly acting against national security on cyberspace after protesting the situation on Facebook.

We will never accept that Bahais have the right to education. They dont even have rights as citizens, said Ayatollah Mohammad Mousavi Bojnourdi, a former member of the Supreme Judicial Council, in a December 2014 interview with the hardline Fars News Agency.

Irans supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, has declared Bahais unclean and forbidden Muslims from having any contact with them.

In May 2016, Faezeh Hashemi, the outspoken daughter of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, was threatened with jail time for meeting with her former cellmate, Bahai leader Fariba Kamalabadi, while Kamalabadi was on temporary leave from prison.
'I'm Lake Urmia' campaign seeks international support to save Iran's salt water lake

09/28/16

Source: Tehran Times

The Im Lake Urmia hashtag is a newly initiated campaign spearheaded by the public aims to collect one million signatures to push the United Nation to take serious measures to restore the lake.



Lake Urmia (map)



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Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran was once the largest lake in the Middle East and the sixth-largest saltwater lake on Earth with a surface area of approximately 5,200 square kilometers. The lake has shrunk to 10 percent of its former size mostly due to damming of the rivers that flow into it and pumping of groundwater from the area.

Launched in late August in the platform of social media, the campaign was first supported by actor Reza Kianian and later was taken up by other actors, politicians, and athletes.

Demanding the public to be socially accountable for their actions, which may directly or indirectly affect this valuable ecosystem, the campaign is designed to collect one million signatures to urge the United Nation to consider ways to help revive the precious lake.

So far some 57,000 online signatures are collected.

Collecting one million signature should not be so difficult in a country with a population that now stands at about 80 million. We all should hold responsible for the harms we inflict upon the nature and it is undeniable how tightly our lives are interwoven with the environment.

People can either refer to Instagram or telegram or text 1 to the number 30007040 to announce their support for the campaign.





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Lake Urmia restoration, a priority

The administration of President Hassan Rouhani has made Lake Urmia a priority as he had made promises about restoring the lake during his election campaign, and his administration has allocated budgets to improve infrastructure and water conservation in the area.

On Sunday, the government approved to allot some 3 trillion rials (nearly $86 million) for restoration of the lake.

The money is aimed to go to projects and schemes for reviving the lake for the current Iranian year ending in March 2017.

The cabinet has also agreed to enact a ban on any agricultural development or other activities which result in depleting the groundwater resources and damming in the lake basin.

Energy and agriculture ministries are also tasked with taking punitive measures in case of any violation of the newly adopted law and not issuing any licenses permitting the aforementioned activities.







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Shrinking of the lake has diminished a fragile ecosystem

In an article publish in The Guardian on September 23 co-authored by doctoral researcher Shirin Hakim and water management expert Kaveh Madani at the Centre for Environmental Policy of Imperial College, London, the two described Lake Urmia surface as an area facing a high risk of salt storms.

The article pointed out that the shrinking of the lake has diminished a fragile ecosystem, with the gradual disappearance of native wildlife including the brine shrimp Artemia and migratory birds like flamingos and pelicans. Such degradation threatens dire economic consequences.

One of the main factors contributing to the state of Lake Urmia is the interference in the natural flow of water into the lake by over 50 dams. The damage has been compounded by unregulated withdrawal of water, water-intensive irrigation and the unsustainable use of fertilizers.
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SAP has bought IoT software developer Plat.One, marking the start of a plan to invest US$2 billion in the internet of things over the next five years.

Some of those billions will be spent on the creation of IoT development labs around the world, SAP said Wednesday. It already has plans for such labs in Berlin, Johannesburg, Munich, Palo Alto, Shanghai and Sao Leopoldo in Brazil.

The company is also rolling out a series of jump-start and accelerator IoT software packages for particular industries, to help them monitor and control equipment.

Another compoent of SAPs IoT plan is to acquire new businesses, the latest of which is Plat.One. This company makes a platform that helps smart devices talk to one another and with a central database, translating between the different protocols they use to communicate. Plat.One says it manages 200,000 devices for 25 enterprise customers, including three telecommunications companies: BT, T-Systems and Telecom Italia.

Back in June SAP bought Fedem Technology, a Norwegian company specializing in the modeling of structures under load. By mapping sensor data from real structures onto these models, SAP intends to create digital avatars of buildings and industrial machines that can be inspected for wear or damage virtually, without the need for a site visit.

SAP is not alone in having designs on the industrial IoT market. Hewlett Packard Enterprise teamed up with GE to sell that companys Predix IoT platform back in June, with GE naming HPE its preferred storage and infrastructure provider in return. The following month it was Microsofts turn, as it struck a deal to put GEs Predix on the Azure cloud platform.

SAPs plan for Plat.One is to link it with its HANA Cloud Platform, built around the companys HANA in-memory database. One of the strengths Plat.One claims for its software is that it works well on the network edge, particularly in environments where connectivity to cloud platforms is intermittent. That could be useful for tracking machinery in industrial or mining environments with patchy network coverage.

Plat.One is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, but it was founded near Genoa in Italy, where its research team is still based.

Before joining Plat.One last October, CEO John Bates literally wrote the book about applying business analytics tools to the internet of things. His Thingalytics was published in March 2015, when he was a CTO at German enterprise software vendor Software AG. He ended up there in 2013 when Software AG acquired the complex-event processing company he founded, Apama, from then owner Progress Software.
A federal court in California has denied Oracle another trial in its long-standing copyright infringement dispute with Google over the use of Java code in the Android operating system.

A jury had cleared Google of copyright infringement in May this year, upholding the companys stand that its use of 37 Java APIs (application programming interfaces) in its Android mobile operating system was fair use, thus denying Oracle up to US$9 billion in damages that it was seeking.

A number of developers and scientists backed Google saying that APIs, which are the specifications that let programs communicate with each other, were not copyrightable and any bid to change that would stifle innovation. The administration of President Barack Obama had in its opinion sided with Oracle and said that the APIs are copyrightable like other computer code.

Oracle asked the court for a new trial on, among other grounds, the claim that Google concealed information during discovery on its plans to integrate Android apps with the Chrome OS running on desktops and laptops, thus extending the scope of the infringement beyond smartphones and tablets.

District Judge William Alsup of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in an order on Tuesday denied Oracles request for a new trial, which would have been the third in the dispute.

In 2015, Google began a new project, which it called internally as ARC++. Its aim, according to court records was to [p]rovide Chrome OS users with Play Android apps on Chrome OS without developer action.

ARC++ would run an isolated instance of Android (with all of Androids public APIs, including those reimplemented from Java) in order to allow users to run all Android apps on Chrome OS devices. Google planned to include its Play Store  Googles app wherein users could purchase and download other Android apps  as part of ARC++ to facilitate access to those apps, wrote Judge Alsup in his order.

The Judge did not go along with Oracles claim that Google had stonewalled and had completely concealed the ARC++ project. Google had produced at least nine documents discussing the goals and technical details of ARC++ in 2015, at least five months before trial, wrote the judge, who added that Oracles failure to review the ARC++ documents is its own fault.

Judge Alsup pointed out that the evidence on ARC++ would not have impacted the trial in May because any evidence relating to implementations of Android on devices other than smartphones and tablets fell outside its scope.

It may well be true that the use of the copyrighted APIs in ARC++ (or any other later use) will not qualify as a fair use, but that will not and does not mean that Googles argument on transformative use as to the original uses on trial (smartphones and tablets) was improper. That Oracle failed to detect the ARC++ documents in its possession had no consequence within the defined scope of our trial, Judge Alsup wrote.

Oracle had argued in its motion for a new trial that it was a mistake to limit the devices to smartphones and tablets.

Googles launch of the full Android system on the Chrome OS is even now in its preliminary stages and available only to developers and on a limited set of devices, the Judge observed.

The Judges order also dismissed Oracles demand for a new trial because of the exclusion of what the judge described as minor evidence and testimony from Stefano Mazzocchi, a member of the board of directors of the Apache Software Foundation in 2008. It also rejected Oracles contention that the court had improperly excluded its document containing replies to the European Commission, which had asked for an explanation of the dispute between Google and Sun Microsystems, the company that developed Java and was later acquired by Oracle.

Google and Oracle could not be immediately reached for comment on the order.
More than nine out of 10 people worldwide live in areas with excessive air pollution, contributing to problems like strokes, heart disease and lung cancer, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.

The U.N. health agency said in a new report that 92 percent of people live in areas where air quality exceeds WHO limits, with southeast Asia, eastern Mediterranean and western Pacific regions hardest hit.

The country-by-country figures come from new satellite data over rural areas to complement traditional ground measurements of pollution, mostly in cities, in about 3,000 places worldwide. A similar WHO report released in May that said 98 percent of residents in large cities of low- and middle-income countries are facing excessively high air pollution.

WHO says one in nine deaths worldwide is linked to indoor and outdoor pollution.

Tuesdays report focuses on outdoor air pollution, which is estimated to kill about 3 million people per year based on 2012 figures, the most recent available.

Southern California has the deadliest air pollution in the United States, according to another study published last month by the American Thoracic Society and New York University.

In the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale area, about 1,341 people are estimated to die each year because of bad air, making the L.A. areas air the deadliest in the nation according to the NYU analysis of U.S. data from 2011, 2012 and 2013.

The Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area was second-worst, with about 808 people estimated to die annually because of air pollution.

Still, air quality has been improving in the Southern California region with the roll out of cleaner cars, trucks and other machinery.

Air quality is connected with wealth, according to the WHO.

There are two things happening. One is: rich countries are getting much better in improving the quality of the air; and two: poorer countries are getting worse. That is the overall trend, said Dr. Carlos Dora, WHO coordinator for environmental and social determinants of health.

The aim is to educate both policymakers and individuals about the risks, at a time of spiraling health care costs. Dora noted, for example, that doctors could advise their patients about higher risks of heart disease in some countries, or how solar lamps could substitute for kerosene lamps that are used in many parts of the developing world.

He said WHO has no evidence that face masks like those worn in many parts of Asia and beyond have a positive impact in reducing exposure to fine particles.

He noted that North America is faring well compared with Europe, mostly due to Europes greater dependence on diesel fuel and partially due to farm policies that generate agricultural ammonia and methane.

While China ranked sixth among countries with the highest number of deaths due to ambient air pollution, Dora said the country is doing an amazing amount of stuff to fight it, such as with clean cars. But coal-fired power plants, household burning of coal and wood to produce energy, and transportation remain big generators of pollution in China, he said.

Turkmenistan has the highest rate of deaths per capita in the WHOs classification due to ambient air pollution, followed by Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Egypt and China.

Staff Writer David Danelski contributed to this report.
After three consecutive years of canceling concerts due to budget woes, the Riverside County Philharmonic has modified its performance schedule for the upcoming season.

The orchestras Music for Starry Nights program, originally scheduled to end the 2015-2016 season, will be performed on Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside. It features works by by Gioachino Rossini, Johannes Brahms, and Bohuslav Martinu with Philharmonic Principal Violist Aaron Oltman soloing.

According to Philharmonic Executive Director Barbara Lohman, Music for Starry Nights is one of three masterworks concerts the orchestra will present this season.

The three-concert season is shorter than we have ever offered, Lohman said in a recent interview. Our board decided to be very conservative, and present what we could afford. We are offering different experiences that are apart from our season.

Czech composer Martinu wrote the viola concerto in 1951, considering it a Rhapsody-concerto, according to the program notes by Principal Conductor Tomasz Golka, who described the piece as full of melody-oriented consonant, colorful harmonies. Oltman performs regularly with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra.

The Rossini piece, the overture to La scala di seta, will be the opening concert work, a lively preview of the opera which Rossini composed in 1812. Golka encouraged listeners to pay attention to a device known as Rossini Crescendo, a short motive that repeats over and over for quite some time, getting louder each time.

The finale is Serenade No. 1 by Brahms, a six-movement work rife with influences of Ludwig van Beethoven and Joseph Haydn that Golka gave colorful descriptors for, such as as bagpipe-like drone, mysterious scherzo and happy, German drinking music, gorgeous slow movement, and brisk rondo.

While the larger concert programming has been trimmed down for the 2016-2017 season, the Philharmonic has other performances in the works. Among them is a chamber concert at The Box, an intimate black box theater connected to the Fox.

In September, the Philharmonic offered one organized by concertmaster Sam Fischer and has plans for another in the spring.

Its a totally different experience than what a listener gets in the 1,600 seat Fox, Lohman said.

Another concert in the works will be a pops-style concert, programmed and conducted by Jeffrey Reed, music director for the Orchestra Kentucky. Reed is presenting a series of retro shows, orchestrating iconic pop music in its 50th anniversary year.

This year, Reeds shows celebrate Beach Boys music, Lohman said. Next year, they will feature the Beatles music. Thats the concert that we hope to bring to Riverside. Its tentatively scheduled, but will depend on our securing the sponsorships we need because this will be a fundraising concert. The program re-creates the album order of Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. Its not a tribute show, and will use our orchestra with a small rock band at the front.

Lohman described this program as, Just a blast of an evening. It will expose our wonderful orchestra to a new audience.

The regular season will include the annual holiday concert on Dec. 3 with classic and contemporary seasonal favorites, and the third and final event will be another masterwork concert on Feb. 11 with guest artist Adam Golka, Tomasz Golkas brother, performing Johannes Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1.

It is a shortened season, but it still features our outstanding orchestra performing amazing music, Lohman said.

Contact the writer: features@pressenterprise.com
Faced with limited funds and rising expenses, Riverside County supervisors are holding the line on new spending in the county budget, even though it could lead to fewer sheriffs deputies in unincorporated communities.

The county Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 Tuesday, Sept. 27 to approve the $5.4 billion budget for the fiscal year that started July 1. Preliminary approval took place earlier this year.

The budget, which started out with a projected $60.9 million shortfall, comes as the county struggles to come up with new revenue to match a series of new expenses, from raises guaranteed to employees in exchange for pension concessions to a settlement that ended a lawsuit over health care in the countys five jails. Its expected to cost the county at least $40 million a year to comply with the settlement.

At one point, county staff members warned that spending was reaching unsustainable levels that would drain savings. The plan is to keep discretionary spending essentially flat for five years and build up reserves, which dipped below levels set by county policy, beyond a $150 million floor.

The county also is paying consulting firm KPMG $18 million to implement a series of efficiencies it recommended in a comprehensive review of the countys public safety agencies. KPMG also is studying non-public safety departments for possible savings.

Cutting public safety costs is a priority for staff who say theres nothing left to cut from non-public safety portions of the budget. Spending on the Sheriffs Department, Fire Department, District Attorneys Office and related agencies already consumes 74 percent of the budget, according to the county executive office.

Despite that, Sheriff Stan Sniff and District Attorney Mike Hestrin, both elected officials, continue to push for more funding. This summer, Hestrin warned he would need $12.25 million to cover board-approved raises or hed have to lay off staff.

Supervisors John Benoit and John Tavaglione said that Hestrin could find savings without layoffs. Benoit and Tavaglione were further dismayed when Hestrin announced he had suspended all paid off-duty and nighttime reviews of search warrant requests and stopped paying overtime for attorneys to visit the scenes of homicides and officer-involved shootings.

County finance chief Paul McDonnell said Tuesday that the DAs shortfall in the current budget had been cut from $7 million to $4 million. Tavaglione left open the door for Hestrin to receive another $2 million as he encouraged the DA to work with the county executive office and KPMG to save money.

Addressing supervisors, Hestrin said hes committed to working with McDonnell and KPMG to erase the $4 million hole. Afterward, he said he hopes to avoid layoffs, although its too early to say whether thats possible.

PATROL CUTS?

Before Tuesdays meeting, the Sheriffs Department announced it ended last fiscal year with a $14 million surplus thanks to good management and employee attrition.

Still, sheriffs officials said they have to account for additional costs required by the jail lawsuit settlement. Unless the department gets another $20 million  money supervisors say isnt there  there will have to be cuts to patrols in unincorporated areas, said Will Taylor, the sheriffs director of finance.

Cities that have contracts with the sheriff for police protection arent affected because they pay for a certain level of service.

Supervisors Kevin Jeffries and Chuck Washington argued for giving at least some of the sheriffs surplus back to his department to avoid cuts in unincorporated staffing. Washington said he had more constituents in unincorporated areas than his colleagues and that the unincorporated parts of his district are difficult to patrol.

In the past, Supervisor Marion Ashley has called for restoring unincorporated staffing to 1.2 deputies per 1,000 residents. The ratio currently stands at 1.03 per 1,000.

But Tuesday, Ashley said the board had to maintain budget discipline. I cant vote today to break our budget before we even have a budget, he said.

Tavaglione expressed optimism that KPMGs work will yield efficiencies that could free up money for unincorporated staffing.

The final budget vote was 3-2 with Washington and Jeffries opposed.

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Contact the writer: 951-368-9547 or jhorseman@scng.com
Violent crimes increased in California and across the nation in the past year but continue to remain well below historic peaks, according to FBI data released Monday.

Homicides increased nearly 11 percent nationwide. In California, the increase was 9.5 percent, according to data provided by law enforcement agencies to the FBIs Uniform Crime Reporting Program, which compiles data on homicides, robberies, rape, aggravated assaults, car thefts and other crimes.

Homicides declined slightly in the Inland Empire in 2015, but overall, violent crime increased significantly, driven by an increase in the numbers of robberies and aggravated assaults.

UC Irvine Professor Charis Kubrin, of the department of criminology, law and society, cautioned that the numbers nationwide and statewide may look alarming but theres no evidence of a national homicide wave.

Instead, crime trends have held steady, she said.

It is important to remember that at the end of the day, even with this increase, we are still lower than 30 years ago, Kubrin said. In California, if you look at major cities with populations over 400,000, the state has fared pretty well.

Los Angeles, for example, saw an uptick in homicides in 2015 from the year before, but the rate has remained at 7 per 100,000 residents. By comparison, Kubrin noted, the homicide rate in Chicago, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and other cities is much higher.

A study released last week by the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law analyzed crime data from the 30 largest cities in 2015 and found that crime overall remained the same as in 2014, but homicide had increased by 14 percent. Three cities  Baltimore, Chicago and Washington, D.C.  were responsible for half of that increase.

Nationwide, agencies reported a nearly 4 percent increase in the number of violent crimes and a 2.6 percent decrease in the estimated number of property crimes for 2015, compared to the previous year.

Californias violent and property crime rates increased by about 8 percent each in 2015 compared with 2014.

It is not uncommon for crime rates to bounce around a bit, and given that we remain at historically low levels of crime, I wouldnt be too concerned, George Tita, a UC Irvine professor of criminology, law and society, said in an email.

In California, the rate of violent crimes reported per 100,000 people increased to 426.3, from 396.1.

196 SLAIN IN INLAND EMPIRE

The FBI statistics for 2015 show there were 87 homicides in Riverside County  down from 93 in 2014  and 109 in San Bernardino County  down from 110.

In Riverside County, the cities of Riverside and Hemet had the highest number of homicides in 2015, with 10 each. There were 12 in the unincorporated county areas.

In San Bernardino County, the city of San Bernardino had the highest number by far: 44, including the 14 killed in the Dec. 2 terrorist shooting. No other city had more than six. There were 18 homicides in the unincorporated county areas.

In San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahons annual report, he said his department added a fifth homicide team in August 2015 to investigate deaths and follow up on leads.

Taking population into account, the highest homicide rates in the Inland counties were in Banning (eight total, translating to 26 per 100,000 residents), Desert Hot Springs (seven, translating to 25 per 100,000 residents), San Bernardino (its 44 translates to 20 per 100,000 residents) and Needles (one homicide, translating to 20 per 100,000 people).

Overall, crime in Riverside County climbed 8.1 percent in 2015 over 2014, according to statistics provided to the FBI. But violent crime was up 20.7 percent. Non-violent crime rose 6.9 percent.

In San Bernardino County, 9.9 percent more crimes were reported in 2015 than in 2014. Again, the violent crime increase was significantly higher: 17.2 percent. Non-violent crime rose 9 percent.

In Riverside and San Bernardino counties, the most common crime, larceny, in the non-violent category, increased more than 10 percent in 2015 over 2014.

Staff writers Joshua Sudock and Jeff Collins contributed to this report.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7829 or rkopetman@scng.com
Riverside will lift the lid on downtown development, allowing buildings taller than the current cap of 140 feet in some areas.

Changes to the zoning code, which the City Council approved Tuesday, Sept. 27, remove height limits in the downtown core and instead base maximum building heights on several factors including the size of the lot, square footage of the building and amenities such as a landscaped courtyard or rooftop dining area.

Dubbed the lift the lid initiative, the move is expected to attract new offices and housing downtown while keeping the city skyline from being one dull, uniform height.

Business people are excited about the idea, and its a logical step as downtown becomes more developed and property is at a premium, Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce President Cindy Roth told the council.

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This just allows us to be more competitive  (and) bring those developers in that want to talk about new and exciting things, she said.

Officials dont expect the new rules to lead to high-rises that are significantly taller than the 17-story Mount Rubidoux Manor, and they noted that taller structures would still need the City Councils approval.

The changes include buffer zones so that much taller buildings wouldnt be put right next to single-family homes or dwarf historic structures such as the Mission Inn.

City Manager John Russo said the rules will help encourage new development and meet a council goal of 5,000 new homes downtown in a way that doesnt destroy what makes us special  We dont want to be Anywhere, USA.

Contact the writer: 951-368-9461, arobinson@scng.com, @arobinson_pe
The Riverside Police Department is offering cash rewards of $10,000 in three unsolved homicides from 2015 and $75,000 in a double homicide for information that helps them catch the killers.

Rewards have been offered before in three of the four cases, to no avail. Police also have taken to social media to seek help from the public. Investigators still believe people who witnessed the killings or have information about the shooters have not come forward.

The rewards were approved by the Riverside City Council on Tuesday, and expire in 60 days.

Though its been more than a year since most of the killings took place, investigators remain hopeful that informants will emerge, said Officer Ryan Railsback, a spokesman for the Police Department.

Theyre always hopeful, even if its been a long length of time, that there is somebody out there that has information and will hopefully come forward sooner than later, Railsback said. Theyll eventually come forward. Maybe this reward will help with it.

Anyone with information on any of the homicides may contact the Riverside Police Departments Robbery-Homicide Unit at 951-353-7208 or rpdtips@riversideca.gov. Tipsters wishing to remain anonymous can call 1-800-782-7463.

A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the killer or killers of 32-year-old Riverside resident Allen Dameron. Dameron, who was a hazardous materials engineer for a manufacturing company, was walking to work at 1:30 a.m. when he was shot several times in the 4300 block of Eucalyptus Avenue, in the citys Eastside neighborhood.

Juan Carlos Ramirez, 25, also was killed in the Eastside neighborhood. He was shot several times about 12:30 a.m. July 17 near the intersection of 12th Street and Kansas Avenue. A $10,000 reward is being offered to witnesses who come forward with information related to the killing.

The day after Ramirez was killed, 34-year-old Derrick Butler was shot to death about 1:50 a.m. following a brawl in the 3500 block of Main Street in downtown Riverside. For the first time, a $10,000 reward is being offered to people with information about Butlers killing.

Juan Antonio Bartolo, 45, and Domingo Esteban, 26, were shot to death Oct. 23 at the intersection of Seventh Street and Kansas Avenue as they were walking home. A third man was wounded by a a bullet that passed through his cheek.

Neither Bartolo nor Esteban were affiliated with a gang, police say. Police believe the Guatemalan immigrants were targeted just because they were Hispanic by African-American gang members.

A $75,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of Bartolo and Estebans killer or killers.

Offering the rewards is a step towards resolving the cases, Railsback said, and hopefully allowing the victims families to move on with their lives.

We want to bring the people responsible for these crimes to justice, and to hold them accountable for their actions, Railsback said. At the same time, we want to help the families of the victims with some closure.

Contact the writer: 951-368-9284, atadayon@scng.com, @PE_alitadayon
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly listed prices for the concert.

The Temecula Valley Symphony will celebrate California virtuosos in its season-opening concert, including Southern California-based composer Peter Boyer will be featured and Hollywood movie music by Erich Korngold.

And Temeculas own piano virtuoso, 14-year-old Tyler Kim, the first-place winner of the symphonys annual Young Artist Competition in 2015, will also be featured at the concert on the Temecula Valley High School campus on Saturday, Oct. 1.

I have never really had to push Tyler to practice, said Dr. Dennis Kim, Tylers father. He didnt start playing until he was 6 years old, which is a little late for potential piano performers. We asked him if he was interested in learning an instrument and he chose piano. Since then, he has been very self-driven. When he was home-schooled, he would practice five hours a day.

Kim started taking lessons with a local piano teacher, then studied with a teacher in San Diego before being recruited by the Colburn Music Academy in Los Angeles, according to Dr. Kim.

The Colburn program is very intense, Dr. Kim said. He goes for whole days on Tuesday and Saturday and takes lessons in technique, musicality, music theory, chamber music, acting. Its a college-prep program for music performance.

During the summer of 2016, Kim traveled to Music Fest in Perugia, Italy, where he performed one movement of the Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2 as well as several solo performances. He already has appeared in recitals at Carnegie Hall and Poway Performing Arts Center. According to Dr. Kim, the young pianist will be giving several piano performances over the next few months, and is preparing for several national and international competitions.

He is currently practicing five or six pieces to put into his repertoire, Dr. Kim said.

For the Temecula Valley Symphony concert, Kim will perform the entire Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2.

Boyer, a resident California composer, composed his Symphony No. 1 in honor of composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein. According to Alana Joos, artistic director and president of the Temecula Valley Symphony, the piece is a lyrical and rhythmically charged work that will be a highlight of the concert.

We always program a variety of music, Joos said in a recent interview. The material we select is very eclectic. We usually have some traditional works  like the Chopin Piano Concerto  some symphonic pops piece, and something new, like the Boyer piece. Our audiences are telling us they love the variety.

For the symphonic pops work of this concert, the symphony will perform a 1940s film score by Korngold to the movie The Sea Hawk.

The program includes Verdis Overture to I vespri Siciliani, an Italian opera about the 1292 Sicilian rebellion against the French.

Contact the writer: features@pressenterprise.com
The developer proposing a large residential project for the foothills west of Old Town Temecula has changed the plans to address concerns of environmentalists, but there still are questions about how it will affect traffic patterns in the city.

Ambient Communities of San Diegos project, dubbed Altair, includes a series of villages  1,750 new housing units total  an elementary school site, parks, five miles of trails and a civic site on land at the southern end near the Temecula Parkway interchange.

To help address the traffic issue, Ambient has suggested spending $150,000 to fund a shuttle service and bike share program on a trial basis, which would allow people to get back and forth from shops and restaurants in Old Town.

But Temecula Councilman Jeff Comerchero, who helped negotiate the shuttle service that connects the Harveston community with the Promenade mall, said Tuesday at a council workshop that a trial basis may not be sufficient.

I think we should have a plan for what happens when it has to sunset, he said, adding that hes concerned about prospect of taking the service away from people after theyve come to depend on it.

According to a consultants analysis, the brunt of the projects impact will be felt at the corner of Rancho California and Ynez roads, a civic crossroads that has long been a gathering spot for protests and rallies.

There is no way to fix or mitigate that issue because of constraints at that intersection, which cant be widened.

But the consultants projections included development in other parts of the city that may not be built, which was noted by Mayor Mike Naggar, who asked staff to bring back the full list of projects that could affect the intersection when the council discusses the project again in the future.

Councilman Matt Rahn also weighed in, asking the developers representative, Rob Honer, about plans for the Western Bypass, a new road that will connect Temecula Parkway with Vincent Moraga Road.

Rahn asked Honer if it was possible to accelerate development of the bypass so that it is built before, or earlier, in the process. Right now, the road is scheduled to be built in chunks as the project is built from north to south.

Honer said the current phasing plan, which calls for the road to be completed when the project is about half finished, allows for the right amount of infrastructure thats needed.

Temeculas traffic engineer, Jerry Gonzalez, confirmed that the current phasing plan would be sufficient to accommodate the extra traffic generated by the new housing units and school.

That school  a two-story structure that can handle more than 700 students  is expected to draw from the project and surrounding areas, according to Honer, who said Ambient consulted with the school district before sketching out the site.

The city held Tuesdays workshop, and an earlier workshop that was dominated by discussions about migratory animals, to get feedback from the public and the council about the project, which will be addressed by staff and the developer before the project moves forward.

Contact the writer: 951-368-9698 or aclaverie@pressenterprise.com
An earlier version of this story gave an incorrect figure for the number of years Mike Gardner has lived in Riverside.

Another local elected leader is entering the race to succeed Riverside County Supervisor John Tavaglione in 2018.

Riverside Councilman Mike Gardner confirmed Wednesday, Sept. 28 that he intends to run for Tavagliones seat on the Board of Supervisors. Tavaglione, the boards longest-serving supervisor, does not plan to seek re-election when his term expires.

Gardner, 68, said he is interested in the seat in part because he is intrigued by the whole health and human welfare side of things and he can do more in that area as supervisor. He is particularly interested in helping the homeless, adding that as downtown Riversides councilman, I see the negative side of homelessness on the rest of the community.

Economic development is another top priority for Gardner. He believes that March Air Reserve Base could serve as a hub for foreign investment. For example, he mentioned March could be a viable option for Ensenada, Mexico, one of Riversides sister cities, in its search for an alternative to Los Angeles International Airport to ship fresh fish to Asia.

Gardner spent 23 years working for Southern California Edison. That, along with his experience with small business and the nonprofit sector, give(s) me a good background to be an effective supervisor, he said.

A 45-year Riverside resident, Gardner was first elected in 2007 to represent Ward 1, which includes downtown, the Wood Streets and neighborhoods near UC Riverside. He is seeking the Second District seat on the Board of Supervisors, which represents about a third of Riverside along with all of Corona, Norco, Eastvale and Jurupa Valley.

With Tavaglione leaving, it could be a crowded field in the Second District. Corona Councilwoman Karen Spiegel also is running for the seat and more candidates could enter the race between now and 2018.
A nearly nine-year-old double murder case in which a teenage couple was shot execution style in an abandoned Air Force bunker came to a close Tuesday with the last two defendants sentenced to prison.

Following victim impact statements read by family members and friends of 16-year-old victim Bodhisattva Bodhi Sherzer Potter, Victorville Superior Court Judge John Tomberlin sentenced David Brian Smith, 28, of Covina to two terms of 25 years to life in prison, with eligibility for parole in 16 years.

Per an agreement with prosecutors, Smith pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder Sept. 16. The agreement qualifies Smith for parole and quashes eight other felony counts he was charged with, including kidnapping, attempted robbery and use of a firearm.

Tomberlin sentenced Cameron Thomson, 25, of Covina to 15 years to life in prison, with nearly 10 years credit for time already served. In 2011, Thomson, per a plea bargain, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, attempted robbery and use of a firearm, one count for each victim. Per his plea agreement, Thomson agreed to testify against the other defendants at trial.

Smith and Thomson, along with Collin Lee McGlaughlin, 26, of West Covina, were charged in the Jan. 5, 2008, shotgun and rifle killings of Christopher Cody Thompson, 18, of Apple Valley and Sherzer Potter of Helendale. Thompson and Sherzer Potter had spent the night at the remote bunker following a birthday party held there for a friend the night before.

During her impact statement, Lorraine Sherzer held up a picture of her daughter, as did others sitting in the courtroom. She had waited a long time for the moment and had been counting the days.

Three thousand, one hundred and eighty days Ive waited for this moment. Thats a long time, said Sherzer. She said strangers would have had to have killed her daughter because anyone who knew Bodhi, was to love Bodhi.

She said there will be no wedding, no grandchildren and no more shared laughter with her beloved daughter.

She was the light of our life, Sherzer said, equating her daughters death to essentially a thrill kill by opportunistic perpetrators.

This was a joke to them, to go out and commit the perfect crime, Sherzer said of her daughters killers.

Sherzer has always believed Smith, not McGlaughlin, was the main instigator in the killings because McGlaughlin was easily influenced and tried to impress Smith.

He wasnt an innocent bystander. This murder could not have occurred without him, Sherzer said following the sentencing.

In a June 4, 2010, interview with sheriffs homicide Detective Robert Alexander, Smith said he was just using and abusing McGlaughlin for marijuana and had been hanging out with Los Angeles gang members committing armed robberies.

Smith met McGlaughlin through Thomson, a mutual friend.

Family and friends for Thompson did not attend the sentencing. Thompsons mother, Pamela Thompson, said in an email following Smiths sentencing she had not planned to attend, saying, The crime has held me hostage for almost nine years. David does not deserve any more of my attention. I have no desire to see him or be in the same room with him ever again.

Bodhis great-aunt, Carol Sherzer Umbehocker, said during Tuesdays court proceedings she has been deprived of seeing my niece grow up and make the world a better place.

Ive been deprived of her and all the generations of family members she would have produced with my same genes, Umbehocker said.

Family friend Susan Gant said, David has taken from my life a beautiful young lady who will forever be 16 in my eyes.

She said she will miss Bodhis laughter, poetry, funny jokes and the mismatched socks she often wore.

Bodhis beautiful life was a full one, said Gant. She said Bodhi was a trained dancer, accomplished horse rider, and aspiring writer and filmmaker who also played piano and had just celebrated her bas mitzvah with her family and friends before her death.

In an interview after the sentencing, Smiths attorneys, Jim Terrell and Sharon Brunner, commented on Smiths role in the double murder and its aftermath.

My client was very young at the time this happened. Hell spend the rest of his life waking up with a regret of what hes done, every single day of the rest of his life. He has nothing but sorrow for what occurred and is very remorseful, Terrell said.

Brunner added, Even though he wasnt the shooter, he thinks about what he could have done differently that could have made a difference in this case, daily. He was very cooperative with law enforcement, and this case couldnt have been made without him, and I think that that was an important element for him taking responsibility for everything.

The trio of suspects arrived at the bunker, south of Highway 58 between Barstow and Kramer Junction, about 11 p.m. Jan. 4, 2008, for a campout, where they discovered a party in progress and asked if they could join in the festivities.

When everyone left, Smith and McGlaughlin forced Thompson and Sherzer Potter out of Thompsons Jeep at gunpoint and marched them into the bunker, where McLaughlin ordered them onto their knees before shooting both in the back and head with a shotgun and rifle. Thomson served as a lookout for Smith and McGlaughlin.

In December 2013, McGlaughlin, per a plea agreement with prosecutors, pleaded guilty to six felony counts of murder, kidnapping and robbery. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He was initially facing the death penalty.

Since his sentencing, McGlaughlin has been transferred to three state prisons. He is now serving his sentence at High Desert State Prison in Susanville.

Sherzer, who now lives in Florida, said the sentencing for Smith and Thomson was anticlimatic, but at least she and her family can now move on with their lives.

Now the trial is out of our way, major family events can now occur, because everyone had been stopped. Everyone was on edge, waiting, said Sherzer, a former school psychologist of 25 years for the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools.

Sherzer said her son, Zen, who put his wedding on hold due to the trial, can now get married, and she plans to continue working at a wildlife rescue in Florida while she pursues a captains license for boating so she can rescue marine wildlife. She said she also will continue counseling teenage girls who need help.

But Bodhi always will be in her thoughts.

We can exhale. We can go and live life now, celebrating the 16 years we had with this beautiful child, Sherzer said.

Contact the writer: jnelson@scng.com or @SBCountyNow on Twitter
UPDATE (Saturday, Oct. 1): Boy, 6, dies days after South Carolina school shooting

A teenager opened fire at a South Carolina elementary school Wednesday, wounding two students and a teacher before the suspect was taken into custody, authorities said.

Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore told the Anderson Independent Mail that authorities were responding to a death believed to be related to the school shooting about 1 1/2 miles away.

Shore said the students do not appear to have life-threatening injuries.

Anderson County emergency services director Taylor Jones told reporters that all other students at the Townville Elementary School were safe following the shooting. The students were bused to a nearby church and reunited with their parents. They hugged and kissed.

Jamie Meredith, a students mother, said some of the children went into a bathroom during the shooting.

I dont know how they knew to go in the bathroom, but I know her teacher was shaken up. I know all the kids were scared. There was a bunch of kids crying. She didnt talk for about 5 minutes when I got her, she told WYFF.

Television images showed officers swarming the school. Some were on top of the roof while others were walking around the building. Students were driven away on buses accompanied by police officers.

All of the roads to the school have been blocked off. The school is in a very rural part of the state and surrounded by working farms.

Townville Elementary had about 300 students in its pre-kindergarten to sixth-grade classrooms last year, according to its annual state report card last spring.

The rural town is located about 110 miles northeast of Atlanta along Interstate 85 near the Georgia-South Carolina state line.
For more than 40 years, longtime Upland resident and University of Redlands graduate Frederick Tinsley delighted audiences as a double bass player with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Tinsley, 76, who passed away Sept. 19, is not only being remembered for his passion on the stage but for helping others.

During his tenure with the LA Philharmonic, Tinsley had served as an instructor for the orchestras training program for minority students. He was also an instructor at a number of academic institutions throughout the region.

On Thursday night, the LA Philharmonic will dedicate a concert in Tinsleys memory at Walt Disney Concert Hall, with a piece selected to honor his life and work, the Philharmonic said in a statement.

He was always grateful he was able to perform and that he had the support of his mother. In conversation with him, he made it clear there were a lot of talented musicians that didnt have that support, and he wanted to provide that for others that might not have the same chance, daughter Tania Tinsley Little said.

Since his passing, Little said she has heard from others about the impact her father made on their lives.

We knew how good he was and how hard he worked, but I had no idea all the things he has done for others, Little said Monday afternoon. He was a humble person.

Born March 3, 1940, in Hartford, Connecticut, Tinsley was the youngest child of the late Mattie and Philip Tinsley, Sr.

While growing up, Tinsley attended local schools and began studying cello in sixth grade. Tinsley studied at Hartt College of Music (now known as famed performing arts conservatory, The Hartt School) and later took up the double bass and studied with the contrabassist Bertram Turetzky.

He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in music from University of Connecticut, where he was principal bassist of the symphony.

Tinsleys professional music career began with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, where he was a member from 1969 to 1974. He also served as assistant principal bassist of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra from 1971 to 1974, as well as a substitute musician for the New York Philharmonic.

In 1974, he joined the LA Philharmonic, then under the direction of then Music Director Zubin Mehta.

The Tinsleys lived in Claremont for 12 years after relocating from Connecticut to California in 1974. They have lived in Upland since 1986.

We grew up with his music, Little said. I remember many nights, I went to sleep hearing his bass playing.

His passion translated to interest for Little and her brother, Frederick Tinsley Jr. The duo even worked some summers at the Hollywood Bowl, which is where the orchestra holds some performances. She said her father briefly served as her instructor.

He was always very honest with us, but didnt push us to do what he was doing, she said.

When they were young, the Tinsley children would go on family outings to watch their father perform, usually attending the childrens concert.

Little recalled her fathers strict regime.

He could practice like crazy, she said, adding his sessions would last at least four or five hours a day. She added her father would always eat healthy and exercised daily.

When we were kids, he would get us up on Saturdays just to run a few miles around the track, she said as she laughed.

Performing wasnt his only passion. As a member of the Society of Pi Kappa Lamda, Tinsley also found time serve as a string bass instructor and chamber music coach at a number of institutions, including Pomona College; California Institute of the Arts; University of California, Irvine; California State University, Fullerton; the University of Connecticut; and the University of Redlands, from which he received a Master of Music degree in performance in 1993.

A jazz aficionado, Little said her father would have weekly jam sessions in Fullerton with Johnny Hammond Smith. He also performed with other notable musicians, including Academy Award nominee Dexter Gordon; trumpeter Freddie Hubbard; guitarist Kenny Burrell; tenor saxophonists Jimmy Heath and Houston Person; and award-winning flutist James Newton.

He kept saying he was going retire, but he left here doing what he loved to do, Little said. He was the most determined, humbled person I will ever know.

He is survived by his wife Juanita Tinsley; his three children, Frederick Tinsley, Jr., Tania Tinsley Little and Karen Tinsley Williams; two grandchildren, Grant Alexander Tinsley Little and Daphne Loren Tinsley Little; two stepchildren, Danielle Acoff and Dion Acoff; a sister, Marjorie Tinsley Gordon; two sons-in-law, Philip Little and Slater Williams; more than 50 nieces and nephews and relatives.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Daphne Callaway Tinsley.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Tinsleys memory to The Sphinx Organization, a national arts organization that supports young musicians of color, by mail  400 Renaissance Center, Suite 2550, Detroit, MI 48243  or online at http://www.sphinxmusic.org.

Contact the writer: lmarquez@scng.com; @JournaLiset on Twitter
Laid-off workers at an Ashley Furniture plant in Colton have become eligible for federal aid.

The U.S. Department of Labor has determined they qualify for a program that helps people who have lost their jobs as a result of foreign trade.

The program, called Trade Adjustment Assistance, offers a range of services including employment training as well as unemployment benefits. Services are administered by state agencies using federal funds, according to the Department of Labor website.

On Aug. 26, about 840 workers received 60 days notice of layoff at Ashley Furniture facilities that produced sofas and love seats at 1601 Ashley Way and 1501 E. Cooley Drive.

The Wisconsin-based company said it was shifting production to its home state, Mississippi and North Carolina.

But Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-San Bernardino, asserted in a letter to Labor Secretary Thomas Perez that a significant portion of Coltons manufacturing is being outsourced to Vietnam.

According to TAA documents, a petition was filed with the department on Sept. 8 by a state workforce official on behalf of Ashley employees and workers from several employment agencies at the site.

The petition launched an investigation that led to the determination that jobs are being shipped overseas. The petition was certified on Sept. 24.

The document does not provide details on outsourcing.

In a news release, Aguilar called the certification an important first step in helping the workers and their families.

California gets millions in TAA funding. According to the department, there were 90 petitions filed in California in 2015. Forty were certified, covering an estimated 3,430 workers, with $13,761,639 million allocated in training funds.

Prior years saw higher numbers of certifications in the state. In 2014, for example, there were 119 petitions and 89 certifications.

Contact the writer: fbuck@scng.com or 951-368-9551.
Customers of Diamond Micro-finance Limited (DKM), a collapsed micro finance company have been assured of receiving the first batch refund of their deposits in the first week of October.



Madam Jemima Oware, the Liquidator over-seeing the liquidation of the companys assets to recoup money for the payments said this at the first official meeting with customers at the Coronation Park in Sunyani.



Madam Oware is meeting customers in the three affected regions of Brong-Ahafo, Upper East and Upper West Regions to brief them about the liquidation process regarding when and how the payments would be done.



The next meeting is scheduled for Wa to meet affected clients in the Upper West before those in the Upper East at Bolgatanga.



She said the list of the affected customers would be out on Friday September 30 for them to check their names at the selected banks to collect their monies.



Madam Oware said the Ghana Commercial Bank, agricultural development bank and Fidelity Bank had been approved for payment by a specially-assigned officials at all districts in the three regions.



She said 93,000 customers had been affected with GH 540 million expected to be refunded to them.



Madam Oware said her office had taken custody of some properties of the company and is working hard to take charge of the rest that had been seized by some customers through courts order.



At the end of the about four hours meeting, the faces of most of the customers were an expression of disappointment as they felt dissatisfied with the liquidation process.



Madam Elizabeth Gyamfuah, a victim said: There is no hope from the information giving out by the liquidator as she is only dealing with clients who did not send their cases to court.



Mr Moses Adomah, another victim of the scandal appealed to government to assist them to get back their monies to finance their childrens education.



The DKMs operations were suspended by the Bank of Ghana last year after the company was cited for failing to comply with laid down rules and regulations governing the operations of the nations financial industry.

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.

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The Board of Directors of the Ghana Oil Company limited, GOIL, has appointed Mr. Alex Josiah Adzew as the Chief Operating Officer of the Company.



His appointment which was announced at the 427th meeting of the Board takes effect from 1st of October, 2016. Until his appointment, Mr Alex Adzew was the Fuel Marketing Manager of the Company.



As the new and first Chief Operating Officer of GOIL, Mr. Adzew will be directly responsible for the general operations of the company and will report to the Group Chief Executive.



Mr. Alex Adzew brings to his new position, the advantage of hands- on field knowledge and distinct managerial competence needed to drive GOIL to the next phase of its business.



CAREER AND EXPERIENCE



Mr Alex Josiah Adzew, a Mechanical Engineer by profession, has a wealth of work practice and experience in the petroleum industry having joined Ghana Oil Company in 1992 initially as Sales Engineer from the Tractor and Equipment (Division of Unilever) where he was the Inventory Control Manager.



Since joining GOIL, Mr. Adzew has served in various capacities as Sales Engineer in the Takoradi Zonal Office and Senior Sales Engineer / Special Assistant to the Area Manager for the Western Region. He was later transferred to the Head Office as Lubricants Marketing Manager with additional responsibilities for L.P.Gas, Bunkering and Aviation business.



Through hard-work he became the Head of Department of Technical and Special Products with a special mandate to spear-head the entry of GOIL into the Aviation Industry as well as the Bunkering Business.



In January 2013, he was appointed the Fuels Marketing Manager of the Company, a position he has held to date and has been an integral part of GOILs successful rebranding campaign and retail network expansion programme.



Over the period, Alex Josiah Adzew has had a wealth of practical field experience under his belt, having attended various courses, seminars and undertaken business trips to support the company in the areas of Lubricants, Bunkering, Aviation, Marketing, Finance, Project Management and Retail Network development.



In March 2016, he participated in International Oil Trading Course in Princeton-Oxford in the U.K to get the company prepared to take its leadership role in the petroleum downstream sector following the deregulation of petroleum prices.



His interest in career excellence motivated him to participate in some local and international courses including Leadership skills for managers, Positioning Companies for Export Competitiveness, Health Safety and Environmental Training for Marketing Staff, Effective Credit Control as well as in Banking.



EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND



Mr Adzew holds a First Class BSc (Hons) Mechanical Engineering from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (1990); Executive Master of Business Administration (Money and Banking) from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).



VISION



Mr. Alex Adzews appointment is happening at a time Ghanas foremost and indigenous Oil Marketing Company is pivoted on the path of expansion and growth following a string of achievements and recognition of excellence in the industry.



GOIL was recently named to the number 2 position on the GIPC listing of companies in Ghana, and was recognized as the best listed company on the Ghana Stock Exchange, the largest company in the country and is now the leading Oil Marketing Company in Ghana with the biggest share of the market.



GOIL is excited to welcome Mr Adzew to his new position to team up with the Group Chief Executive to lead a crop of self-driven and competent managers assisted by a visionary board to drive the vision of the company.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The first batch of graduands of the Youth Enterprise Support (YES) Initiative has stated they have not received any financial support to start or enhance their businesses as some functionaries of the National Demopcratic Congress (NDC) are claiming.



We were promised to be given an amount of GH50,000 each to help start our businesses. But since we completed the training about eight months ago, nothing has been given to us.



Yet government functionaries go on radio and other platforms to spew lies to Ghanaians that beneficiaries of the YES Initiative have been given their package, they alleged.



The 107 graduands claimed they were taken through three-month training in poultry, piggery and fish farming and greenhouse farming methods, aquaculture and ICT, among others, in August, last year at the University of Ghanas Research Centre at Kade in the Eastern region.



Showiness



They disclosed that before the training, they were taken to the Flagstaff House to meet President John Mahama who assured them that immediately after the three-month training they would be assisted to pursue their dreams.



At the graduation ceremony in February, this year, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the YES Initiative, Helga Boadi, indicated that GH2.5 million was to be disbursed to the 107 beneficiaries.



According to her, GH50,000 was the cap for each beneficiary depending on the project proposal and that the beneficiaries were also expected to repay those monies with no fixed interest.



However, speaking to BUSINESS GUIDE, Manfred Darko-Konadu, leader of the Green House Farming Trainees, mentioned that they always become furious whenever they hear activists of the ruling NDC peddling falsehood that the beneficiaries had been given their package.



White Elephant



The YES project is just there by name. It is not working; in fact the youth are not getting anything from the initiative. May be it can be one of the avenues to create, loot and share which has been the hallmark of the NDC government, he asserted.



He stated that As I speak to you, none of the about 107 first batch of the beneficiaries has receive any money or the so-called technical assistance which was promised.



Mr Darko-Konadu pointed out that the YES Initiative was one of the many unfulfilled promises of the current government.



He indicated that the initiative was working effectively when it was the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) under the previous Kufuor administration.



Backdrop



The YES Initiative was established in August 2014 as a special youth initiative under the Office of the President with a seed fund of GHC10 million to support the youth to create their own businesses.



Young Ghanaians between the ages of 18 and 35 with a minimum of a Junior High School (JHS) qualification and viable business proposals qualify to apply to YES for financial and technical support.



Applicants are required to present and defend their business proposals before an expert panel drawn from relevant professional bodies and business sectors.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Presidential candidate for the Independent People's Party (IPP), Kofi Akpaloo has expressed strong optimism of winning the 2016 presidential election with a wide margin.



According to him, he is the next president of Ghana and he will win this election. He was speaking in an exclusive interview with Kwabena Agyapong host of Eboboba on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm.



Mr. Akpaloo said, just like the biblical character John the Baptist, the current President John Dramani Mahama and our former Presidents, John Rawlings, John Kufour and the late John Evans Atta Mills have paved the way for him to take over the management of the country.



He said, the IPP as part of its policies will pay Child Benefits of GHC 15 cedis pay month while the unemployed youth would also receive Unemployment Benefit of GHC 100 cedis pay month.



''We need to generate more income by creating opportunities for our youth to work. We need the enabling environment to make businesses thrive.''



The IPP he noted, have the best policies to help small scale businesses thrive, expand and create more jobs for the youth.



"I want to put money directly into peoples pockets," he told Rainbow Radio's Kwabena Agyapong "So a child below 15 years will be paid direct benefit [of] GH15 every month. If you are above 18 years, we will pay you unemployment benefit [of] GHC 100 cedis per month".



Kofi Akpaloo indicated further that a GH10,000 support fund will be set up for those who want to start their own businesses, especially university graduates.



''We will set up a ten billion dollar job fund; and so when you graduate from the university, we'll give you the capital to set up your own business. And we know that, by the time we exit from power in 2024, we would have created 1 million new entrepreneurs who would also create 5 million jobs.

Source: rainbowradioonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the Kwesimintim constituency in the Western Region, only known as Lucas was on Tuesday morning arrested during the ongoing constituency primary for allegedly bribing delegates.



The accused who is aligned to Joseph Mensah one of the candidates had positioned himself at an obscure place behind the polling centre, was caught in the act dolling out envelopes containing money to some of the delegates.



Kasapa FMs Western Regional Correspondent, Ohene Gyan whos covering the primary reported that one of the delegates spotted the conduct of Lucas and raised alarm leading to him being accosted by delegates mainly aligned to the incumbent Member of Parliament who is also a contesting in the election.



He had pitched camp behind the polling centre where he was said to be dolling out the monies, a woman saw what he was doing and started shouting, the police arrested him with about 15 envelopes containing cash. Ohene Gyan noted.



He added that it took the intervention of the police officers assigned to the poll to bring the rowdy situation under control.



The NPP Kwesimintsim constituency primary is the last to be conducted by the party, has been suspended since 2015, due to some disagreement that rocked the contest between incumbent Joe Badoe Ansah and opponent Joseph Mensah.



An Accra High Court last Friday September 23, directed the NPP to take steps to conduct the Primary after the court cleared Mr Joseph Mensah, a as qualified to contest that election.



Last year (2015) an injunction was placed on the Kwesimintim constituency election which is the NPPs only yet to held poll, following Mr Mensahs disqualification from the contest.



Mr. Joseph Mensah, aka Joe Mensah and the sitting Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency, Joe Baidoe Ansah, filed their nominations to contest the primary, which was expected to have taken place on Saturday June 13, 2015.



But, before the election could even come on, the NPP announced the disqualification of Joe Mensah, which prompted him to go to court to seek a redress.



The party had claimed that it did not know Mr Mensah and that he had forged a membership card to enable him contest the election, a claim that the latter outrightly rejected insisting he has been an NPP member since 2003.



Kasapa FMs Court Correspondent, Daakyehene Ofosu Agyeman reported that the Presiding Judge, Rosseta Bernasko Essah in her ruling said upon looking at the facts presented before her, she found no basis to disqualify Mr Mensah.



She thus asked the party to go ahead to hold the election to enable the NPP get a candidate to contest in the upcoming December 7 Parliamentary election.

Source: kasapafmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Do you remember the moment you fell in love with dance music?

Theres a pretty high chance your moment had something to do with Ministry of Sound.

For so many of us, the soundtrack of the early noughties was provided by MoS, and now theyre here to relive that with you.

Thats right, theyre doing a goddamn huge, Australia-wide reunion tour to celebrate the iconic years of 2001  2004.

The country-wide tour is hosted by John Course and Mark Dynamix, and will kick off in Melbourne in November. Itll conclude in Brisbane at the end of Jan. HUGE.

Check their announcement vid:

Keen? SAME.

Heres all the details you need, fam.

MELBOURNE

The Prince Hotel, Fri 18th Nov

Facebook Event | Tickets

SYDNEY

Metro Theatre, Fri 16th Dec

Facebook Event | Tickets

ADELAIDE

HQ, Fri 23rd Dec

Facebook Event | Tickets

DARWIN

Discovery, Fri 13th Jan

Facebook Event | Tickets

PERTH

Matisse Beach Club, Sun 15th Jan

Facebook Event | Tickets

BRISSY

The Met, Sat 21st Jan

Facebook Event | Tickets

And, to get you hyped, Ministry of Sound Australia have teed up a Spotify playlist for you and your gi-bloody-normous, EDM-frothin hearts.

Source: Ministry of Sound Australia.
Clouds. Theyre magical little puffs of condensed watery vapour that form cool shapes and / or unleash shedloads of rain on us at the most inopportune times.

You see a bunch of average ones every day, but what youre *not* seeing is one of the worlds rarest and most unique cloud formations  despite the fact its right here on our bloody doorstep once a year.

Called Morning Glory (who says meteorologists dont have a sense of humour), its a meteorological phenomenon thats about to go down right here in Australia but that most of us dont even know exists.

A rolling mass of clouds, you can only witness the big MG just after dawn, for two spring months a year, in the remote north Queensland settlement of Burketown; people gather at the local pub most mornings in the hope the conditions are going to be perfect enough for a choice sighting (and some A+ Insta snaps).

According to the weather gods over at our Bureau of Meteorology, the Morning Glory formations are usually about 1-2km high and can stretch for 1,000km, from one side of the Gulf of Carpentaria to the other, which is why we get such a ripper view here in Oz.

Just look at these things:

look at me im bootiful

Glider pilots keen on surfing the cloud formations flock to Burketown every year, hooked on the feeling of insignificance that can only come from witnessing what the Lonely Planet describes as the most spectacular thing you can see in the sky aside from a total eclipse up close and personal.

If you ever risked life and limb getting snapped at either Wedding Cake Rock or the Figure 8 pools, you should be splooging at the thought of a selfie with these guys in the background.

Got some TOIL accrued? Book a ticket ASAP and get thurr.

Source: news.com.au.

Photo: Wikipedia.
Christ. The same scumbag who assaulted Gigi Hadid during Milan Fashion Week  which inspired an angry op-ed in Lenny on why she had the right to defend herself from that kind of shit  has struck again. This time, he swooped in on Kim Kardashian while she was in Paris, attempting to kiss her butt.

The attacker, a Ukrainian man named Vitalii Sediuk, managed to hustle his way past Kim Ks security team and successfully planted a kiss on her butt, before being tackled to the ground by security. It isnt the first time Sediuk has pulled this kind of bullshit on Kim  two years ago, he attacked her as she got out of her car at Paris Fashion Week, almost managing to push her to the ground.

Kim later thanked her security for their swift action via Twitter  specifically her famously large guard Pascal Duvier.

My security @PascalDuvier is a G  Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) September 28, 2016

Sediuk has done this kind of shit to other celebrities in the past  he considers himself a prankster  including Leo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Will Smith. Youve gotta wonder what kind of broader satirical point is being made by kissing Kim Ks arse in public like a sex pest. My take: no point at all. Youre a creep, mate.

Source: Hollywood Life.

Photo: Getty Images.
Darmayne Robertson

Darmayne Robertson, owner of Sweet Confections Cakes in Lower Paxton Twp., will compete in season six of "Halloween Wars" on the Food Network. The show premieres at 9 p.m. Oct. 2.

(Sue Gleiter, PennLive)

Owner of Sweet Confections Cakes, Darmayne Robertson, is taking her cake decorating skills to national television.

This Sunday, Oct. 2, Robertson, who has owned her bakery in Lower Paxton Twp., for a decade, will compete in the Food Network's "Halloween Wars."

The show, now in its sixth season, is one of the network's mostly highly-rated shows.

Six teams, each comprised of a cake decorator, sugar artist and pumpkin carver, will compete over five weeks to see which team can impress a panel of expert judges with "larger-than-life Halloween desserts." One team is eliminated each week.

"It is the best experience I've had in my life to date. It's so much fun. The excitement. Your adrenaline gets to pumping. When they say 30 minutes, they mean 30 minutes," Robertson said.

The Food Network approached Robertson last year. The show was taped over a two-week period in November 2015 in California

"They found me which I was completely shocked. I was floored," Roberston said.

"They said 'Halloween Wars' and 'I thought 'Halloween Wars? I have never even watched it.' I had no idea," she said. "They said it was for $50,000, and I said, 'Ok there's a lot we could do with $50,000 if we win.' So, I went for it."

In 2005, Robertson and her husband, Robby Robertson, opened her shop along Queen Avenue in Colonial Park after she sold cakes to clients from her home for more than 10 years. The self-taught baker and cake decorator - she took Wilton classes - quickly gained a reputation for her decorated and three-dimensional cakes.

On the show, Robertson is a member of team Scary Squad and is paired with sugar artist Joshua Simpson of Nashville, Tennessee and pumpkin carver, Gus Smithhisler of Ohio.

Judges include renowned cake decorator Shinmin Li and writer/director of the iconic Halloween horror film "Child's Play," Don Mancini as well as rotating judges including Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.

Robertson is not permitted to reveal too many details about the show. She also has no idea who wins the competition. The final reveal will be taped live at the end of October, she said.

"It's all about the excitement for everyone but it was a lot of fun just coming up with the ideas of what you are going to do for the show," Robertson said.

As for what she will do if she wins, Robertson said the money will be used to expand her business. Team members must split the $50,000 prize.

"If we were to win, our goal is to be in a bigger building. Space is very, very limited here. But we don't want to move too far from where we are located," she said.

The premiere of "Halloween Wars" will air at 9 p.m. EST, Sunday, Oct. 2.
Collage made with photos by Rob Shenk (flickr.com/photos/rcsj), Chris Waits (flickr.com/photos/chriswaits) and Aaron Vowels (flickr.com/photos/97964364@N00)

Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com

Philadelphia breweries every beer snob should visit

Benjamin Franklin loved beer. He even brewed his own. And numerous Philadelphians have taken up his mantle, creating brewpubs throughout the city. There's a little something for everyone too, so whether you're a hop-head or a Belgian-ale aficionado, there's a Philly-made beverage in your future. Here are some breweries you definitely have to hit up.

Don't Edit

Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com

Dock Street Brewing Company

Dock Street Brewing Company started in 1985 and while it has changed locations since it's still a Philly staple. The brewery's Rye IPA is currently ranked in the top 15 rye beers by Beer Advocate. One reviewer described it as "so balanced and fresh tasting that my tastebuds were pleased with each sip." Another wrote: "To call this beer a revelation would be an understatement"

The brewers at Dock Street aren't afraid to get crafty either. Their Walker American Pale Stout made headlines for being made with goat brains. It was, naturally, inspired by "The Walking Dead."

701 S. 50th St., Philadelphia. 215-726-2337; Dockstreetbeer.com.

Don't Edit

Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com

Yards Brewing Company

It all started with an ale at a Grateful Dead concert at FDR Park. Tom Kehoe and Jon Bovit were college friends who opted to brew together after apprenticing at the British Brewing Company in Maryland. Enough people enjoyed the ale that the two decided to make Yards Brewing Company in 1994. Since then Yards has moved around Philly, from Manayunk to Roxborough to Kensington to its current location in Northern Liberties.

Its signature ales include Brawler Pugilist Style Ale and the Philadelphia Pale Ale. History nerds will also want to give their Ales of the Revolution series a try (it includes General Washingtons Tavern Porter, Thomas Jeffersons Tavern Ale and Poor Richards Tavern Spruce).

Brewery tours are also free on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.

901 N. Delaware Ave., Philadelphia. 215-634-2600. Yardsbrewing.com

Don't Edit

Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com

2nd Story Brewing Company

2nd Story Brewing Company may only be a few years old, but it's already become a favorite in Old City, Philadelphia. Signature brews include the Declaration IPA ("made with four varieties of hops and boiled in freedom, then finished with liberty and more hops" reads the 2nd Story description) and Fritzie's Lager (a Vienna Lager with malty and sweet notes). There's also a wide variety of rotating taps, including Debbie's Bitter, Dark Monkey Saison and Pickers' Pride (a wet-hop ale).

117 Chestnut St., Philadelphia. 267-314-5770; 2ndstorybrewing.com

Don't Edit

Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com

Philadelphia Brewing Company

The home of Philadelphia Brewing Company is steeped in brewing history, having been a brewery back in the 1800s. Located in Kensington, at least one PBC brew can be found in most of the citys bars. Signature beers include Walt Wit (a Belgian-Style White Ale with citrus and spice notes), Kenzinger (an American Pale Lager) and the Pennsylvania Pale Ale. PBC also has a line of ciders, which are released under the name Commonwealth Ciders. Varieties include Traditional Dry, Razzberet Tart and Gregarious Ginger.

The brewery is only open from noon-3 p.m. on Saturdays for tours and tastings.

2440 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia. 215-427-2739. Philadelphiabrewing.com

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Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com

Manayunk Brewing Company

With more than 600 different varieties of beers under its belt, its easy to forget that Manayunk Brewing Company has only been around since October 1996. The brewpub is definitely worth a visit, with stone oven pizza and sushi on the menu. Signature brews include Crunch (a chocolate peanut butter porter) and Monk From the Yunk (a Belgian-style tripel). If you want to tour the brewery, be sure to head there on a Saturday between noon and 2 p.m. for a free guided tour and tasting.

4120 Main St., Philadelphia. 215-482-8220. Manayunkbrewery.com.

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Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com

Saint Benjamin Brewing Company

The saint being referred to in the name is Benjamin Franklin. The brewery made headlines earlier this year when it released Baxters Best, which is a Dark English-style Session Ale brewed with unmodified Philly tap water. It was made to celebrate the fifth year of Philadelphia Waters green City, Clean Waters program. Other notable beers include Foul Weather Jack (a roasty English mild beer with hints of chocolate), Junto (a coffee kolsh brewed with local brand Reanimator Coffee) and Wit or Wit Out (a Belgian white ale).

You can nab a free brewery tour between noon and 3 p.m. every Saturday.

1710 N. 5th St., Philadelphia. 215-232-4305. stbenjaminbrewing.com

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Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com

Crime and Punishment Brewing Company

Russian literature nerds, this is the brewery for you. Located in Brewerytown, Crime and Punishment Brewing Company was initially conceived as a celebration of Russian literature, which is evident by the name. That love extends to the brewpubs menu, which is filled with Russian-inspired dishes from Borschzpacho (a chilled beet soup) to Pork and Beef Pelmeni (Russian dumplings). Beers include the Space Race (an India Pale Ale), Weekend Wishes (an Oat Pale Ale) and the punny Infinite Zest (a Strawberry Lime Gose named after the novel Infinite Jest).

2711 W. Girard Ave., Philadelphia. 215-235-2739; crimeandpunishmentbrewingco.com.

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Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com

Earth - Bread + Brewery

Located in Mt. Airy, Earth is an eco-conscious brewpub with pizza on the menu and microbrewed kombucha on the drink menu. Theres also beer, of course. Selections in September 2016 include Drumpf (an American Pale Ale), Gonna Lay Down My Burden (a French-style Pale Ale with pink peppercorn) and None of the Above (an Amber Saison).

7136 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia. 215-242-6666; earthbreadbrewery.com.

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Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com

Brewery Techne

Brewery Techne is the brewery of Bar Hygge in Fairmount. It's the brainchild of the group behind Earth -- Bread + Brewery. There's only a few beers on tap at any moment, and they range from Weiner (a Vienna-style Lager) to Haiki (a sour cherry American Wild Ale) to Brother's Keeper (a spiced beer). Oh, and Bar Hygge was named Best New Brewpub of 2016 by Philly Magazine. No big deal.

1720 Fairmount Ave., Philadelphia. 215-765-2274; facebook.com/barhygge

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Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com

Do Good Brewing Company

Do Good's in the midst of switching to a new location in Philadelphia (complete with a taproom, full bar and food, according to their Facebook). So we'll reserve this space until they get their new digs and give it an ol' update then. But you can still get their brews, including the Birra Forte Limoncello IPA and The Do Good Balsamic Saison, at a variety of bars in the city.

More info: facebook.com/DoGoodBrewing/

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Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com

Don't mind traveling a little farther out?

You can't go wrong with a stop at Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown, about an hour out of Philadelphia. The same is true for Sly Fox Brewing Company in Phoenixville.

But if you really want to road trip it, here are the best breweries in Pittsburgh and the notable craft breweries of central Pa.

This story has been updated to correct information regarding ownership of Dock Street Brewing Company.
Cantillon Brewery

Barrels at the Cantillon Brewery in Brussels

(Photo by Allagash Brewing (https://www.flickr.com/photos/allagashbrewing/))

One of the rarest beers in the world will be on tap in Pennsylvania.

On Oct. 1, at 3 p.m. EDT, one beer will be tapped at 60 bars across the world... and then it will vanish.

Cantillon is a small brewery in Brussels and every year it releases a special lambic, the Zwanze. Each year the brew is different, with the 2016 edition featuring Bourbon vanilla beans, Serbian raspberries and blueberries.

Monk's Cafe in Philadelphia is one of the lucky places to receive a keg of the Zwanze. It is the only bar in Pennsylvania participating in the day, and one of only 28 bars in the USA with a keg of the lambic.

Zwanze won't be the only Cantillon brew on tap, there will also be kegs of the Cantillon Kriek, Cantillon Mamouche, Cantillon Gueuze and Cantillon Iris, as well as a slew of other rare beers.

Glasses of the Zwanze are expected to run out fast, so be sure to get to Monk's early if you want to guarantee a sip. Also, be sure to bring cash - Monk's won't be taking card for this event.

While the keg of Zwanze won't be tapped until 3 p.m., the fun at Monk's begins at noon.

There will be raffles for bottles of rare beer, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Fair Food Farmstand's Double Dollars program, which doubles the benefits of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients at the Fair Food Stand in Reading Terminal Market. SNAP is also known as foodstamps.

The money from the draft purchases will also go towards the charity. Last year, Monk's said it raised $10,000.

DETAILS: noon Oct. 1 at Monk's Cafe, 264 S. 16th St., Philadelphia. Monkscafe.com.
J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Mobsters, killers, politicians and a pirate: 74 infamous people with Pa. connections

There have been many infamous people throughout the years who have called Pennsylvania home at one time or another. Some of them have been involved in mob dealings, political corruption, piracy and even Nazi concentration camps abroad. Here are 74 notorious people with connections to any one of Pennsylvania's 67 counties.

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(PHOTOCREO Michal Bednarek / Flickr)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

How did we pick the names on this list?

To name every infamous person with a connection to Pennsylvania would be impossible, so we had to narrow our scope. The people you will read about on this list either have a unique story or a strong connection to a local city, borough or township. They include both perpetrators and victims of certain infamous acts.



There are also several notorious people listed for some counties, such as Philadelphia County.

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A memorial stands in front of the home of Emily Silverstein on Carlisle Street in Gettysburg on Thursday. A Gettysburg College senior was arrested Thursday in the slaying of Silverstein, also a student at the school, who died after being stabbed and choked. (James Robinson / PennLive)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Kevin Schaeffer: Adams County

Kevin Schaeffer pleaded guilty in 2010 to stabbing, strangling and killing his ex-girlfriend Emily Silverstein during a fight inside his apartment, according to the GettysburgTimes.com. Schaeffer was then a 21-year-old senior and Silverstein a 19-year-old sophomore at Gettysburg College. The murder happened weeks after they had broken up.

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Nick Perry, former Pittsburgh television station announcer, after his arrival at a district justice office in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on Jan. 6, 1981. Perry is one of two persons who appeared before the district magistrate for their preliminary hearing on charges stemming from their role in Pennsylvania's Lottery scandal. (AP Photo/Paul Vathis)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Nick Perry: Allegheny County

Pittsburgh broadcaster Nick Perry is known for conspiring with lottery security official Edward Plevel to rig the Pennsylvania lottery drawing April 24, 1980. Latex paint was added to all balls except the ones numbered four and six, which meant that they'd be the ones to be sucked up first. Perry was sentenced to seven years in prison, but he only served two.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Nick Perry: Allegheny County

The scandal inspired the 2000 comedy "Lucky Numbers," starring John Travolta and Lisa Kudrow.

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(Nuttawut Uttamaharad / Shutterstock)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Robert Wayne Marshall: Allegheny County

Police accused Robert Wayne Marshall of strangling Michael Hickmott and then sawing his body into 10 pieces in 1992, according to the Associated Press. The parts were found in trash bins near Marshall's apartment in the Shadyside neighborhood. Police also investigated him in connection with the death of Anthony Michalowski, whose severed head and large intestine were found in 1988 in North Versailles; and two other unsolved killings.

Marshall overdosed on sleeping pills he used to control his manic depression and slashed his wrists in 1992 in an abandoned warehouse in Pittsburgh.

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(Photo courtesy of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Michael Travaglia and John Lesko: Armstrong County

Michael Travaglia and John Lesko went on an eight-day killing spree that took the lives of four people, including that of rookie Apollo police officer Leonard Miller January 3, 1980, in Armstrong County, according to TribLive. Both men sped by Miller several times and lured him into a chase that ended with his shooting death. It was his third day as a full-time officer.



As of May 18, 2016, Travaglia is seeking a new trial, claiming ineffective legal representation led to his wrongful conviction; and Lesko is appealing his death sentence in federal courts, according to TribLive.

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(Stanimir G.Stoev / Flickr)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

John Duzicky and James Gleason: Beaver County

John Duzicky and James Gleason were charged seven years ago in connection to a drug ring that smuggled thousands of pounds of marijuana between 2007 to 2009 from Arizona to Allegheny and Beaver counties, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Duzicky was extradited from Arizona to Pennsylvania so that the attorney generals office would be able to prosecute his case in Beaver County.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Joseph Clark: Bedford County

Joseph Clark was convicted July 1, 2008, of first-degree murder, kidnapping and arson in connection with the murder of Holly Notestine, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He kidnapped the Bedford County resident from her mobile home April 30, 2000, while she was giving baths to her two children. Clark then stabbed her 17 times and then set his car on fire to destroy the evidence.

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(Room 76 / Flickr)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Susanna Cox: Berks County

Susanna Cox is known for being the last publicly executed woman in Pennsylvania, according to WITF. The 24-year-old domestic servant was convicted of killing her newborn child at an old Berks County farmhouse. A physician's examination concluded that tow and flax had been forced down the child's throat, leading to his death.

She was executed June 10, 1809, on Gallows Hill in whats now known as City Park.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Jeffery Joseph Daugherty: Blair County

Jeffery Joseph Daugherty received three life sentences for killing three people in 1976, including Hollidaysburg convenience store clerk Elizabeth Shanks, according to The New York Times. He was sentenced to death March 1, 1976, for killing hitchhiker Lavonne Patricia Sailer. Daugherty was executed Nov. 8, 1988, at Florida State Prison.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

William Curley: Bradford County

William Curley fatally shot Regina Clark and her nine-year-old son April 18, 1995, in Rome as part of his training to become a hit man according to Philly.com. He admitted to the killings during an interview with two Pennsylvania state troopers in North Carolina, according to an affidavit filed in Bradford County District Court.

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Former State Rep. Tom Druce walks pass cameras to enter Dauphin County Court House, Thursday, April 6, 2004 in Harrisburg.(PHOTO BY GARY DWIGHT MILLER)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Tom Druce: Bucks County

Former state Rep. Tom Druce of Bucks County pleaded guilty in 2000 of leaving the scene of an accident in Harrisburg, in which he killed a man while driving a state-paid car. He then tried to cover it up.

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(zkruger / Shutterstock)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Tonya Schmidt: Butler County

Tonya Schmidt, of Butler, was arrested earlier this year after police said she placed her six-year-old stepdaughter's hands on a hot stove and burned them, according to CBS Pittsburgh. The first-grader told police that Schmidt would hold the girl's hands over the flames one at a time; hit her with a "big spoon from the kitchen;" and make her carry full-gallon jugs of water as punishment, according to WPXI.com. She also told police that Schmidt started hurting her when she was three years old.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Stella Williamson: Cambria County

The decomposed bodies of five infants were found in Stella Williamson's attic in Gallitzin after she died in 1980, according to The Washington Post. They had been there for about 40 to 50 years, according to the papers that they were wrapped in.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Robert Klein: Cameron County

Robert Klein shot his wife Suzanne Klein and son Eric Klein, who was 27 years old, multiple times before turning the gun on himself June 24 in Johnstown, according to WJAC. Suzanne Klein had filed a restraining order against him before the shooting.

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(tanshy / Flickr)

Alexander Campbell: Carbon County

Alexander Campbell is known for a handprint he made in Cell No. 17 in the Carbon County Jail in Jim Thorpe, which is said to have continuously reemerged despite efforts to destroy it, according to The Morning Call.



Campbell is said to have been a part of the Molly Maguires, a labor organization that sought violent retribution against the coal and railroad industries, according to ExplorePAhistory.com. He maintained his innocence and made his mark upon the cell wall, declaring that "it will never be wiped out" as proof of his words. He was executed June 21, 1877.

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Pictured is former Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar.

Ray Gricar: Centre County

Centre County district attorney Ray Gricar makes our list because of his mysterious disappearance. He disappeared in 2005 and declared legally dead July 2011, according to PennLive. His red Mini Cooper was found abandoned in Lewisburg, and his laptop was found in the Susquehanna River. Gricar played a role in the decision to not prosecute Jerry Sandusky in 1998 after a child sex abuse complaint was made against him.

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(posztos / Flickr)

Theodor Szehinskyi: Chester County

Theodor Szehinskyi, who was accused of serving as a guard at Nazi concentration camps in Germany, Poland and Ukraine, used to live in a West Chester apartment complex, according to Philly.com.

Despite going through and later losing his deportation appeal about 13 years ago, Szehinskyi continued to stay in the U.S. because no other country (wanted) him.

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(Alfonso de Tomas / Flickr)

Sebastian 'Boss' Buck: Clarion County

Knox Borough is known as the "Horsethief Capital of the World," and it all started with Sebastian "Boss" Buck. He stole and disguised horses so they could be sold back to their real owners, according to the borough's website. He also forged money.

The borough commemorates its criminal past through its annual Horsethief Days celebration with dances, parades and sidewalk sales.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Diane Spencer: Clearfield County

Diane Spencer was convicted after she admitted to suffocating her infant son in Michigan in 1990 and her two daughters in Beccaria Twp. in the 1980s, according to The Argus-Press. Their deaths were initially attributed to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Leo Held: Clinton County

Leo Held killed six people and wounded six others in a 1967 shooting spree in Lock Haven and Loganton, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He fatally shot five people and wounded four people at the Hammermill Paper Co. plant, where he had worked for 19 years; wounded two others at the Lock Haven airport; and killed his neighbor in Loganton.

Police believed the shooting could have been related to Held being denied a seat in a carpool or fear he might lose his job at the plant.

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In this Jan. 22, 1987 file photo, Pennsylvania State Treasurer R. Budd Dwyer raises his left hand to stop people approaching him as he holds a pistol in his right hand as he prepares to commit suicide. A new film, "Honest Man: The Life of R. Budd Dwyer," re-examines some of the facts that led to Dwyer's death, raising questions about his guilt. The 75-minute unrated film, directed by Buffalo, N.Y., native James Dirschberger, is showing through Nov. 18 at Harrisburg's Midtown Cinema. (AP Photo/Gary Dwight Miller, File)

Budd Dwyer: Crawford County

Former state Treasurer Budd Dwyer shot himself at a television news conference Jan. 22 1987 after he was convicted on bribery charges.

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(Axel Alvarez / Flickr)

Rachel Wall: Cumberland County

Rachel Wall left her farm in Carlisle and later became a pirate with her husband, according to Patch and her last words before she was executed Oct. 8, 1789, in Boston. She would send out fake distress calls to enemies, who would then be besieged and robbed. Wall also attempted to break her husband out of jail by baking tools into a loaf of bread, but he was eventually discovered.

She is the first and last woman to be tried and hung as a pirate for attempting to cut out someones tongue.

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In this photo taken in November 1934, the "Babes in the Woods" are carried out to waiting hearses at 148 S. Hanover St. The funeral was handled by what would later become Ewing Brothers Funeral Home. (File photo)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Elmo J. Noakes: Cumberland County

Elmo J. Noakes arrived in Pennsylvania in Nov. 11, 1934, with his three children and niece Winifred Pierce. He didnt have a job or any money. Noakes is believed to have killed his daughters Norma Sedgewick, 12; Dewilla Noakes, 10; and Cordelia Noakes, 8, the next day rather than let them starve.

Noakes and Pierce then continued to travel west He later killed his niece and himself Nov. 24, 1934, and their bodies were found in the Spring Meadow station on the Hollidaysburg Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad in Blair County. It was about the same time that the bodies of Noakes three daughters were spotted in the woods of Penn Twp.

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Joseph Miller is brought to District Justice Bob Yanich's court in Swatara Township for a hearing on Sept. 2, 1992. (Allied Pix archive at the Historical Society of Dauphin County. PennLive readers can receive a 10 percent discount on this photo from the society, www.dauphincountyhistory.org)

Joseph D. Miller Jr.: Dauphin County

Joseph D. Miller was convicted of murdering three women and confessed to killing another. The murders happened in the late 1980s and the early 1990s. He was recently charged in the death of another woman, whose partial remains were found in 1997 in Swatara Twp.

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Serial killer Adam Leroy Lane is led to his arraignment at District Justice Wenner's office in Linglestown. Lane was being arraigned for the murder of Darlene Ewalt, who he stabbed to death in West Hanover Township in 2007. (Sean Simmers / PennLive)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Adam Leroy Lane: Dauphin County

North Carolina trucker Adam Leroy Lane pleaded guilty to the murder of West Hanover Twp. resident Darlene Ewalt and the attempted murder a York County resident. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for Ewalts death and a consecutive 10- to 20-year term for the other attack. At that time, he was already serving a 50 year sentence for killing a woman in New Jersey and another 24- to 40-year sentence for an attack on a teenager in Massacusetts.

Authorities said Lane committed random attacks along his truck route, which took him through Harrisburg. Ewalt's murder was detailed in one of the episodes of Dauphin County Coroner Graham Hetrick's forensic series "The Coroner: I Speak for the Dead" on Investigation Discovery.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Melvin Collins: Delaware County

Melvin Collins fatally shot eight people before killing himself in 1949 at a boarding house in Chester, according to the Smithsonian.com. He is one of the first mass murderers in American history, which the website described as those who enact a suicidal and violent act to enact revenge.

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Paul Michael "Mickey" Buck (Pennsylvania State Police)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Paul Buck: Elk County

Foreman Paul Michael "Mickey" Buck was shot several times as he left work and headed toward his car 11:25 p.m. August 20, 1987, at Motion Control Industries in Ridgeway, according to The Bradford Era.

Police have yet to find his killer and have never stated the motive for the shooting. Robbery, however, has been ruled out because his wallet was not missing.

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Joseph Pistone: Erie County

Undercover FBI agent Joseph Pistone went under the alias Donnie Brasco to infiltrate the Bonanno crime family in New York, according to Biography. He was ordered to commit four contract killings, but Pistone would either try to postpone the hit or the FBI would stage a fake killing. Pistone was born in 1939 in Erie.



His story was the subject of the 1997 crime drama "Donnie Brasco," starring Al Pacino and Johnny Depp.

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(PennLive, file)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Mark Duane Edwards: Fayette County

Mark Duane Edwards is serving four consecutive life sentences for killing couple Larry and Joana Bobish and their pregnant 17-year-old daughter Krystal Bobish during a burglary and arson April 14, 2002 in North Union, according to TribLive. Larry Bobish Jr., the couple's then 12-year-old son, survived being shot and escaped the fire.

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(weRpix / Shutterstock)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Scott Black: Forest County

Scott Black was charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, burglary and possessing an instrument of crime in connection with the stabbing death of Leechburg resident Donald Shay and his girlfriend Marcelle Edwards, according to TribLive. Alaina Haffey, Edwards' daughter, testified that her mother had previously been engaged to Black but later broke it off.

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(igorstevanovic / Shutterstock)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Unknown killers: Franklin County

Three people were killed after being tied up and shot June 25, 2016, in Montgomery Twp., and the shooter or shooters have yet to be found, according to WGAL. There was also a fire at the property. State police believe that the shooting was targeted, according to WITF.

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(Wallenrock / Shutterstock)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Anthony Hollenshead: Fulton County

Anthony Hollenshead was charged with two counts of criminal homicide after he admitted to using a 20-gauge shotgun to fatally shoot his stepdaughter Jaedi Rae Weed and wife Laura Lynn Hollenshead May 5 in Belfast Twp., according to The Record Herald.

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Rep. Bill DeWeese enters the Dauphin County Courthouse with his lawyer William Costopoulos for his sentencing hearing before Judge Todd Hoover. (Joe Hermitt, The Patriot-News)

Bill DeWeese: Greene County

Bill DeWeese, a Democratic legislator from Greene County, was convicted of theft, conspiracy and conflict of interest in connection with using state-paid employees on his election campaigns. The state attorney general's office claimed the crimes happened between 2001 and 2006 while DeWeese was a House minority leader.

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(Pavel L Photo and Video / Shutterstock)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Robert McConaghy: Huntingdon County

Robert McConaghy was sentenced to be hanged in connection to the shooting death of Cromwell Twp. farmer John Brown's wife, son and four children, according to American State Trials, Volume X. McConaghy was married to one of Brown's daughters but admitted to not liking the farmer or his family. He had planned to take any money he could find in the house after he committed the murders.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Lewis Beatty: Indiana County

Lewis Beatty was sentenced to three life sentences for killing his estranged wife Christine Beatty and his six- and 11-year-old daughters Sara and Amanda Beatty, according to WTAE. He killed his daughters in South Mahoning Twp. and his wife in East Mahoning Twp. before setting both their homes on fire.

Lewis Beatty had tried to seek professional help before the killings, knowing his separation from Christine Beatty would make him unstable. He told medical professionals that he had homicidal thoughts.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Michael Shugars: Jefferson County

Brookville resident Michael Shugars robbed, killed and used a chainsaw to cut up Chet Haddow after a drug-related dispute September 13, 2013, according to TribLive. Parts of Haddow's body were found in a creek in Hamilton about 60 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

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Jan. 31, 2002 Four freshly dug graves are covered with flowers to mark the bodies of Mark, Marcella, Amanda and Elena Pannebaker in a little cemetery in East Salem, Juniata County. Steven Pannebaker, 16, is accused of shooting his family last week and is being held without bail in Juniata County Jail. AMIRAN WHITE

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Steven Pannebaker: Juniata County

Sixteen-year-old Steven Panabaker fatally shot his parents and two sisters in Maze before driving to West Virginia, where he was taken into custody after a traffic stop, according to the Herald-Journal. Their bodies were found January 25, 2002.

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Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane arrives at the Montgomery County Courthouse, in Norristown, Pennsylvania, on August 15th, 2016, where closing arguments are expected today during the perjury and obstruction trial. (Inquirer Staff Photographer / Jessica Griffin)

Kathleen Kane: Lackawanna County

Attorney General Kathleen Kane, of Lackawanna County, was convicted in connection with what prosecutors said was a leak of secret grand jury materials and lying about it to exact revenge against former prosecutors from an office she blamed for embarrassing news coverage.

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(Kriengsuk Prasroetsung / Flickr)

Charles Roberts IV: Lancaster County

Charles Carl Roberts IV killed five Amish schoolgirls, aged six to 13, and himself in a one-room schoolhouse in southeastern Lancaster County Oct. 2, 2006.

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The farmhouse where Kenzie Marie Houk was killed on Friday, is shown in Wampum, Pa., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009. Eleven-year-old Jordan Brown is charged in the shooting death of the 26-year-old pregnant mother of two. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Jordan Brown: Lawrence County

Eleven-year-old Jordan Brown was convicted of fatally shooting his father's pregnant fiancee Kenzie Houk in 2009 in Wampum, according to CBS News.

Jordan maintained his innocence, but police and prosecutors said the boy used his 20-gauge, youth-model shotgun to kill Houk before he got on the bus for school. Investigators said during trial that Brown was jealous of Houks unborn son.

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Blued-Eyed Six: Lebanon County

A group of six men, who later became known as the Blue-Eyed Six, arranged to kill their elderly neighbor Joseph Raber in 1878 after taking out life insurance policies on him that amounted to $8,000. They all had blue eyes.

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(Photo provided / Pennsylvania Department of Corrections)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Harvey Miguel Robinson: Lehigh County

Harvey Miguel Robinson was convicted in 1994 in connection with the rape and murders of Joan Burghardt, 29, and Jessica Jean Fortney, 47, both of Allentown; and Charlotte Schmoyer, 15. He was initially sentenced to death for all three murders, but two were later changed to life in prison.

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George Banks, center, is led through the Luzerne County, Pa. courthouse, on the way to his sentencing. (AP Photo/Times Leader, Clark Van Orden, 1985)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

George Banks: Luzerne County

George Banks shot and killed 13 people Sept. 25, 1982, in Wilkes-Barre and Jenkins Twp., which included his girlfriends and five of his children. He used an M-16 rifle and an AR-15 automatic rifle to shoot his victims. At the time, he was on "extended leave of absence" from his job as a guard at the State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill, after he locked himself in a guard tower with a shotgun in 1982 and threatened to kill himself.

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(Darren415 / Flickr)

Russell Bufalino: Luzerne County

Russell Bufalino is a crime boss who is known for racketeering in northeast Pennsylvania, according to Philly.com. The former Kingston resident was once indicted on a federal charge of conspiracy to murder a witness in the Federal Witness Protection Program, according to The New York Times.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

David Paul Hammer: Lycoming County

David Paul Hammer murdered his cellmate Andrew Hunt Marti by slowly strangling him in his lower bunk April 16, 1996, in Allenwood penitentiary, according to the Los Angeles Times. Hammer claimed to multiple personalities tormented him, and it was the evil "Jocko" that took him over the night he killed Marti.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Cheryl Magnotta: McKean County

Cheryl Magnotta pleaded guilty to six counts of animal cruelty after the carcasses of 21 Great Danes were found in her foreclosed Bradford property, according to WPVI-TV. There were young and old dogs found in varying stages of decomposition, and it was believed that they had died of starvation, according to The Bradford Era.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Stephen Rendick: Mercer County

Stephen Rendick killed Denise Snyder and wounded Lisa Berchtold and Cynthia Phillips in a half-hour shooting spree June 3, 1987, in Hermitage, according to the Associated Press. He was arrested without a struggle that same day at a bar in Orangeville, Ohio, according to the Los Angeles Times. Dr. Robert Wettstein of the Western Psychiatric Institute of Pittsburgh described him as a chronic schizophrenic who hallucinated and heard voices that told him what to do.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Travis White and Jason Kuhns: Mifflin County

Travis White faces homicide and other related charges in connection with the fatal shooting of his estranged wife Carol D. White and mother-in-law Floris C. Lewis July 13, 2015, in Granville Twp. according to The Sentinel and ABC 27. Both of them died as a result of gunshot wounds to the head from a .22 caliber rifle. Jason Kuhns was also charged in connection to the shooting because police said he had driven White to the house and knew he was going to kill the women.

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Eric Frein is escorted by police out the Pike County Courthouse after his arraignment in Milford, Pa., Friday Oct. 31, 2014. Frein, was captured seven weeks after police say he killed a Pennsylvania State trooper in an ambush outside a barracks in northeastern Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

Eric Frein: Monroe County

Eric Frein is accused of shooting two Pennsylvania State Police troopers and killing one of them in a September 2014 ambush at the Blooming Grove barracks. He was later captured after being hunted for more than 40 days through the wilderness northeast of the state. He was jailed for a while at the Monroe County Correctional Facility, according to the Standard Speaker.

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Sundance Kid: Montgomery County

Harry Alonzo Longabaugh, who would later be known as the Sundance Kid, was born in Mont Clare. He headed west when he was 15 and earned his nickname after stealing a horse in Sundance, Wyoming. Longabaugh would later rob banks and trains with his gang, The Wild Bunch.



His exploits inspired the 1969 crime drama "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

William J. Clark and Mary Twiggs: Montour County

William J. Clark and Mary Twiggs were the first two people to be executed in Montour County after they were both found guilty of poisoning their spouses in the 1850s, according to Danville, Montour County: A Collection of Historical and Biographical Sketches. They both were reportedly intimate with one another and maintained their innocence until their deaths.

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FILE--Martin D. Appel, left, with an unidentified police officer, is shown in a 1986 file photo. Commonwealth Court on Thursday, April 21, 1994, ordered Pennsylvania Gov. Robert P. Casey to sign death warrants for Appel and another convicted murderer. Appel received three death sentences for killing three employees in an armed robbery of The First National Bank of bath in East Allen Twp. in 1986. (AP Photo/Bethlehem Globe-Times, Bruce Winter, files)

Martin Appel and Stanley Hertzog: Northampton County

Martin Appel and Stanley Hertzog shot; killed three people and wounded two others June 6, 1986, at the First National Bank of Bath in East Allen Twp. They then took and fled with about $2,200 in cash.

They were later captured and given life sentences. Their case is the subject of The D-Day Bank Massacre, a book written by Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli.

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(David Smart / Shutterstock)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Charles Cullen: Northampton County

Charles Cullen, a former nurse who worked in hospitals throughout Lehigh Valley and northwest New Jersey admitted to killing 40 people in both states by secretly administering drug cocktails to them, according to LehighValleyLive and the New York Post. Investigators believe he may have killed as many as 400 people. Cullen is currently serving 17 life sentences.

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Miranda Barbour, 19, and her husband Elytte, 22 (not pictured), enter the Northumberland County courthouse for sentencing, September 18, 2014. Each pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Troy LaFerrara, 42, of Port Trevorton on November 11. Miranda Barbour arranged through Craigslist to meet LaFerrara in a parking lot along Routes 11-15 north of Selinsgrove. (Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Miranda and Elytte Barbour: Northumberland County

Miranda Barbour and her husband Elytte Barbour pleaded guilty in 2014 to killing Troy LaFerrara, a man she had met through Craigslist.

Miranda had arranged to meet Troy in a parking lot along Routes 11-15 north of Selinsgrove, and they both drove to Sunbury. Troy, however, was unaware that Elytte was hiding under a blanket on the backseat floor. When they stopped, Elytte restrained Troy while Miranda stabbed him repeatedly.

They were both sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

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Donald Meyer Jr. is brought into the Perry County Courthouse in New Bloomfield for his arraignment, Thursday, May 5, 2016. Meyer is charged in the death of his daughter Ciara Meyer, 12.

Dan Gleiter, PennLive.com

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Donald Meyer Jr.: Perry County

Perry County resident Donald Meyer Jr. is charged with homicide in connection with the death of his 12-year-old daughter Ciara Meyer in February, according to previous reporting by PennLive.

Constable Clark Steele had gone to evict Meyer and his family from their apartment that day. Meyer, however, pointed a loaded .223 semi-automatic rifle at Steele; and Steele fired his .40 caliber handgun at him. The bullet passed through Meyers arm and hit Ciara in the heart and lung. Steele is not being charged because he acted in self defense, according to DA Andrew Bender.

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FILE-- In this July 2, 1988, file photo, Gary Heidnik, right, is escorted from a holding cell in Philadelphia after a jury convicted him of first-degree murder, kidnapping and rape in the slaying of two women and the imprisonment of four others in his basement torture chamber. Since Heidnik's execution in 1999 by lethal injection, there have been no executions in the commonwealth, and Heidnik's fate is the exception on Pennsylvania's death row, fifth-largest in the nation. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, File)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Gary Heidnik: Philadelphia County

Gary Heidnik, dubbed the "House of Horrors" killer, held two women in chains, raped and used electric shock on them in 1986 and 1987 in his north Philadelphia home before killing them. On July 6, 1999, he became the last person to be executed in Pennsylvania.

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FILE-- Reputed mob boss Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo is pictured in a 1988 photo from files. Seven years into his jail term for racketeering and conspiracy, Scarfo will return to Philadelphia to face a January retrial for the 1985 slaying of Frank "Frankie Flowers" D'Alfonso. Convicted in 1989, Scarfo, 67, is currently serving consecutive 14 and 55-year sentences for the killing. A Superior Court overturned the conviction in 1992, citing misconduct by prosecutors and trial error. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa,Files)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Nicodemo Scarfo: Philadelphia County

Nicodemo D. "Little Nicky" Scarfo is known for being the head of the Philadelphia-South Jersey mafia. He was convicted on multiple counts of murder, attempted murder, racketeering and drug trafficking and went to federal prison in 1989.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Greg Alan Riehl: Potter County

Greg Alan Riehl used a rifle to shoot Anthony Palmieri in the head April 20, 2014, in his Ulysses Twp. home, according to LehighValleyLive. He killed Palmieri while he was in bed with Michelle Lynn Nelson, Riehl's girlfriend.

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John Gotti, reputed boss of the Gambino crime family, gestures as he talks with attorney John Pollok, right, during his trial in New York on assault and conspiracy charges, Feb. 1, 1990. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

John Gotti: Pike County

John Gotti is known as the head of the Gambino crime family, and he once had a country house in Milford, according to The New York Times.



He was nicknamed "Teflon Don" for being able to stay free for so long, but Gotti was eventually convicted on multiple criminal counts and sentenced to life in prison, according to Biography. He died June 10, 2002, in Springfield, Missouri.

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FILE--This undated file photo shows convicted police killer Mumia Abu-Jamal. Goddard College, a liberal arts college in Plainfield, Vt., with 600 students, said on its website Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014, that Mumia Abu-Jamal's recorded remarks will be played Sunday at a commencement, along with a video about him. (AP Photo/Jennifer E. Beach, File)

Mumia Abu-Jamal: Schuylkill County

Mumia Abu-Jamal was convicted in connection to the 1981 shooting death of Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Faulkner, according to Philly.com. He was previously held in a restricted housing unit at the Mahanoy facility in Frackville, where he had largely been in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Joshua Snook: Snyder County

Sunbury resident Joshua Snook was sentenced to 20 to 60 years in state prison for fatally stabbing his grandmother Bonnie J. Snook and seriously injuring his grandfather Dale Snook during a confrontation Feb. 17, 2013, in Middleburg according to The Daily Item and WNEP. Joshua Snook had gone to the house to get a handgun, which he planned to use on a man he had fought with earlier.

Investigators believed he used the knife to break into his grandparents gun cabinet underneath their bed and stabbed both of them. Jennifer Snook, his wife, pleaded no contest to conspiring with Joshua Snook to commit the murder.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Erin Everett: Somerset County

Erin Everett was convicted of first-degree murder after she fatally shot and used a claw hammer to smash the face of her lover Tory Minnick March 2011 in Somerset, according to WTAE.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Jeremiah Cordell: Sullivan County

Forksville resident Jeremiah Cordell was arrested in connection with the sexual assault and death of an 18-month-old girl in Bradford County, according to previous reporting by PennLive.

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(ieang / Shutterstock)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Donald Glover Sr. and Donald Glover Jr.: Susquehanna County

Donald Glover Sr. was sentenced to 10 to 30 years in prison for shooting his estranged wife Sharon Glover near Thompson, according to PAHomepage. Donald Glover Jr., his son, also pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence by putting a gun in his mother's hand and helping his father come up with a cover story.

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(Ilya Andriyanov / Shutterstock)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Debra Lockett: Tioga County

Debra Lockett was sentenced to 17 to 34 years in prison in connection with fatally shooting 82-year-old Oliver Litzelman and stabbing and assaulting his 81-year-old wife Edwina Litzelman, during a robbery in Liberty Twp., according to WNEP and The Leader.

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(OpenRangeStock / Shutterstock)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Justin Richard: Union County

State police said that former Mifflinburg man Justin Richard fatally shot Randy Sampsell June 12, 2012, during a home invasion in Buffalo Twp., according to The Daily Item. They added that Richard and an accomplice broke into the home seeking marijuana and money but only found prescription pills. If convicted at trial, Richard could face the death penalty.

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A large photograph depicting President Abraham Lincoln's assassin John Wilkes Booth is displayed at a new exhibit entitled "Silent Witnesses: Artifacts of the Lincoln Assassination" Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at the Ford's Center for Education and Leadership across the street from the historic Ford's Theatre, in Washington. The exhibit is open to the public March 23rd to May 25th and coincides with the 150th anniversary of the Lincoln assassination on April 14th. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

John Wilkes Booth: Venango County

John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Abraham Lincoln April 14, 1865, in Washington D.C. He used to live in a boarding house in Franklin, according to the City of Franklin, PA's website. Wilkes Booth also invested in land and oil wells on a 60-acre tract of land in Cranberry Twp.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Ralph 'Bucky' Phillips: Warren County

Ralph "Bucky" Phillips" was caught September 8, 2006, in Pine Grove Twp. after escaping several months earlier from Erie County Correctional Facility in Alden, according to GoErie.com. He escaped by using a can opener to cut a hole in the kitchen ceiling. While he was on the run, Phillips shot and killed Trooper Joseph Longobardo and wounded two others law enforcement officials.

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Convicted child molester Jerry Sandusky arrives to the Centre County Courthouse for a hearing on his claims of ineffective counsel during his 2012 trial. (Sean Simmers, PennLive.com August 12, 2016)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Jerry Sandusky: Washington County

Following a two-year grand jury investigation, former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was charged in 2011 with sexually assaulting 10 boys over the course of 15 years. He was born in Washington.

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J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Tristen Kurilla: Wayne County

10-year-old Tristen Kurilla admitted to killing 90-year-old Helen Novak after she yelled at him in Damascus Twp. in 2014, according to CNN. He told police that he beat her with a cane and punched her in the stomach and throat, according to Reuters.

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(nokwalai / Shutterstock)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Charles Homeyer: Wyoming County

Charles Homeyer was convicted of slaying his wife Anna Homeyer and burying her head in the cellar of their home in Factoryville March 1950, according to the Gettysburg Times. Charles Homeyer claimed that he found Anna Homeyer dead with an empty bottle of sleeping tablets beside her. Fearing that he would be blamed for her death, Charles Homeyer said he disposed of her remains.

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(PrimaStockPhoto / Shutterstock)

J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com

Mendum Paul Corvin: Westmoreland County

Mendum Paul Corvin killed the baby he fathered with his 14-year-old daughter Sharon Moore in the early 1970s and buried the body in the backyard of a Scottsdale house, according to Philly.com. Moore told authorities that her father also killed another one of their babies in Florida in 1968.

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(Africa Studio / Flickr)

Nelson Rehmeyer: York County

Three men killed doctor Nelson Rehmeyer in the late 1920s because they believed he had put a hex on them. They broke into his home to destroy his "spell book," therefore ending the hex, but they never found it. Instead, they killed and mutilated Rehmeyer and set fires around his body, hoping to destroy any evidence of their crime. The fire, however, never spread and the body was later discovered. The men later confessed to the crime.

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FILE - In this Feb 23, 1945 file photo, U.S. Marines of the 28th Regiment, 5th Division, raise the American flag atop Mt. Suribachi, Iwo Jima, Japan. After acknowledging they misidentified some of the men shown in an iconic image raising the U.S. flag at Iwo Jima during World War II, the Marines said Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016, they were also mistaken in listing the names of those who raised an earlier flag amid intense fighting on the island. (AP Photo/Joe Rosenthal, File)

What about some of the famous people who have connections to Pennsylvania?

It's not all doom and gloom in Pennsylvania as there are a number of famous people, from award-winning scientists to Hollywood celebrities, who have once called the state home themselves. Readers have also reached out to us about who they think should represent each of the counties, from soldier Michael Strank to businessman Andrew Carnegie.

If theres someone on this list that you think we shouldve mentioned, let us know in the comments section below.
School Shooting

In this frame from video provided by WYFF, law enforcement officers respond to reports of a shooting at Townville Elementary School in Townville, S.C., Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. (WYFF via AP)

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Update: Authorities: School shooter killed father before rampage

TOWNVILLE, S.C. (AP) -- A teenager opened fire at a South Carolina elementary school Wednesday, wounding two students and a teacher before the suspect was taken into custody, a law enforcement officer said.

Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore told the Anderson Independent Mail that authorities were responding to a death "believed to be related" to the school shooting about 11/2 miles away.

Shore also said the students do not appear to have life-threatening injuries.

The unidentified officer who spoke to reporters on live television said all other students at the Townville Elementary School were safe following the shooting and that parents are being told to pick up their children at a nearby church.

Television images showed officers swarming the school. Some were on top of the roof while others were walking around the building. Students were driven away on buses accompanied by police officers.

All of the roads to the school have been blocked off.

The school is in a rural area near Lake Hartwell, which is located near Interstate 85 and the Georgia state line.
Andrea Bradley

These booking photo s provided by the Hamilton County, Ohio, Sheriff shows Glen Bates, left, and Andrea Bradley. Bates and Bradley and were indicted on aggravated murder charges Wednesday, April 8, 2015, in the death of their two-year old daughter, Glenara Bates, who authorities say died of starvation and blunt force injury on March 29, 2015. (AP Photo/Hamilton County Sheriff)

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When 2-year-old Glenara Bates died, she was 13 pounds - a weight more typical for a 3-month-old.

The day she was killed, prosecutors say her father swung her and slammed her against a door. She cried and then silence.

The abuse Glenara faced likely wasn't a shock to county officials in Ohio - she was briefly placed in foster care after she was born in January 2013.

Still, officials placed Glenara back in her parents' Cincinnati home, where, court records say, she endured abuse at the hands of her parents for the rest of her short life.

A federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Glenara's maternal grandmother, Desana Bradley, says that social services officials knew the toddler was being abused - and still left her with her parents.

Glenara was "removed from the cruel and inhumane custody of her parents . . . and then thrown back into that squalor and depravity," according to the lawsuit, which was filed against the Hamilton County Job and Family Services, its caseworkers and county officials. The complaint also states that Glenara had five other siblings, most of whom had been in foster care at some point.

As the lawsuit remains pending, a jury found Glenara's father, Glen Bates, guilty of murder, aggravated murder and endangering children Monday, a year and a half after Glenara's death. Bates, 34, and the child's mother, Andrea Bradley, 30, were indicted last year.

"The evidence is clear that Glenara Bates should never have died on March 29, 2015," Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Rick Gibson said during his closing arguments. "She was literally beaten from head to toes, scars over scars, bruises, abrasions, burns."

During a jury trial that began last week in Hamilton County, Ohio, Glenara's 10-year-old sister testified that she saw Bates swing the toddler.

"I saw her head get banged on the wall. . . . I guess they got mad," the 10-year-old said. "He hit her, he held her and hit her head against the wall."

The 10-year-old also testified about how her mother, Bradley, treated the toddler.

"My mom didn't like her, so she got . . . beat," she said.

Some of the details of the abuse are too horrifying to recount.

According to the lawsuit, which was filed last December, Bradley took Glenara to the hospital in December 2014. Doctors and medical staff noted that she was malnourished, severely underweight and unable to walk. At that time, Glenara weighed a little over 17 pounds, the complaint says.

Glenara was taken back to her parents' home after the hospital visit, and the abuse was not reported to police as required by state law. In Ohio, failure to report suspicion of abuse or neglect is considered a misdemeanor. It's unclear whether anyone has been charged for not reporting the abuse.

By the time Glenara died three months later, she had lost four more pounds, weighing less than half of what an average 2-year-old girl should weigh, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Bates is facing the death penalty, while Bradley has yet to stand trial.
scary-peeper-creeper-home-depot

A screenshot taken from Home Depot's website shows the "Scary Peeper Creeper" for sale. The product has been pulled in Canada after complaints.

(Home Depot)

With its leering eyes, furrowed brow and hands cupped around a pockmarked face, there is no mistaking what the "Scary Peeper Creeper" is meant to imitate: the head of a "peeping Tom" looking in through a window.

"Perfect for scaring friends and family during Halloween or any other time of the year," promises a description for the product on Home Depot's website. "Realistic face looks just like a real man is peering through the window at you."

For at least one Toronto-area woman, though, it was too realistic.

Breanne Hunt Wells told CBC Radio that she was unnerved after spotting the Halloween decoration at a Home Depot in Markham, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto.

"I fail to see the humor in it," Hunt-Wells told the radio station's "Metro Morning" show Monday. "It makes light of a very serious crime. Voyeurism is a crime in Canada."

The mother of two told the radio program that the decoration seemed to downplay voyeurism, which can often lead to more serious offenses such as sexual assault or rape, CBC News reported.

"I would say to people that say 'it's just a joke' there are a lot of things in our society that have been just a joke over time," Hunt-Wells told CBC. "Racial jokes, cultural jokes. It takes some talking and thinking to realize that maybe we need to be more sensitive. The people that commit this crime are not harmless people."

Home Depot told CBC News on Monday it would pull the Scary Peeper Creeper from its stores after hearing of Hunt-Wells's complaint. Another Home Depot spokesman clarified later that the product would be removed from their stores in Canada.

"We agree that this is not in line with our core values, and when we heard, took immediate action and are currently in the process of removing this product from our assortment," Home Depot spokeswoman Emily DiCarlo told CBC. "We've reached out to advise the customer of our actions and apologize. We're sorry for any offense that was caused."

Home Depot also decided to pull the product from its Canadian stores because it had received other complaints stating that the Scary Peeper reminded them of infamous Canadian serial killer Paul Bernardo, Home Depot spokesman Stephen Holmes told The Washington Post later Monday.

"It was especially sensitive in Canada [because of] to that connection," Holmes said.

The product would remain in U.S. Home Depot stores, he added. As of Monday afternoon, the product was also for sale on HomeDepot.com.

Scary Peeper, owned by a husband-and-wife team based in North Carolina, said Monday that it had also reached out to Hunt Wells to apologize. Morgan and Emily Dowtin said they have been selling some version of the prop since 2013 and that this was their first complaint.

An online search shows the Scary Peeper is also sold by several other big-box and specialty online retailers. On Amazon.com, the Halloween decoration has 90 reviews and a five-star rating, with several commenters posting anecdotes about scaring people with the prop.
Bomb-Squad-responds-to-weather-instrument-philly.jpg

Douglas Ferrin was arrested after the Philadelphia Bom Squad responded to a blast at his home in May 2014.

(screen shot/NBC-10)

A state appeals court on Tuesday refused to defuse the 1 1/2 to 3-year prison sentence for a bomb maker who blew off several of his own fingers.

Investigators said they only had to follow the blood trail to find evidence that Douglas Ferrin, 56, was building improvised explosive devices at his Philadelphia home.

Ferrin called attention to himself with a detonation at 4 a.m. on May 7, 2014, according to the Superior Court opinion by Senior Judge James J. Fitzgerald III. Ferrin was bleeding profusely from his right hand when officers found him outside his West Queen Lane house.

He claimed he had been playing with a firecracker.

Officers on the city's bomb squad said they determined the cause of Ferrin's injury was a lot more powerful. Police said they followed a blood trail to the scene of the blast in his back yard, then searched his home, finding bomb-making materials and three completed IEDs.

Ferrin was sent to prison in April 2015 after a jury convicted him of possessing weapons of mass destruction and possessing instruments of crime.

On appeal to the state court, Ferrin claimed prosecutors didn't prove he possessed an explosive device for an illegal purpose. He claimed as well that prosecutors shouldn't have been allowed to tell the jury about his prior conviction for blowing up a toilet at a bar in Phoenixville in 2011.

There was plenty of evidence to support Ferrin's convictions from the Philly blast, Fitzgerald concluded. He found that the information about the Phoenixville explosion was admissible at Ferrin's trial as "prior bad act evidence" that showed his criminal intent.
Attorney General Bruce Beemer said Wednesday he plans to release a version of the report Kathleen Kane commissioned about the exchange of offensive and pornographic emails across state servers.

"I am not going to leave that for the next elected attorney general," Beemer told the PennLive Editorial Board. "It is sitting there -- it has to be dealt with. There's too many questions about it and it's my obligation."

That report, which cost taxpayers about $1 million so far, is one item on a laundry list of decisions facing Beemer following Kane's criminal conviction and resignation from the office.

The longtime prosecutor, who's led the office since his August confirmation, said he's worked to restore stability and trust in the state's top law enforcement agency. He vowed to leave it in the best possible condition for his own successor, the winner of November's election.

"My hope is that, when I tell people that we're trying to change, they understand because they know me that it's not just words," said Beemer, who joined the Attorney General's Office in 2011.

This summer, after his relationship with Kane deteriorated and he cooperated with an investigation against her, Wolf appointed him as the state's inspector general. He will return to that office, which investigates state agencies and welfare fraud, in January.

Beemer said he hopes the fact that he's not seeking another office will reassure his employees and the public at large that he has the best interests of the Attorney General's Office at heart. He's told his employees, "everyone just take a deep breath and do your job and everything's going to be okay."

During his first weeks on the job, Beemer made a number of key staffing decisions. He promoted several longtime prosecutors as his deputies and fired several of Kane's closest confidants, including a member of her security detail who was sentenced to jail in connection with spying on office emails.

Much of that work has been completed, the attorney general said, but there are still some structural changes -- such as a greater emphasis on education and outreach -- to come. He will leave more sweeping decisions, such as new hiring or consolidating regional offices, to his successor.

Beemer emphasized the professionalism and hard work of the office's roughly 800 employees.

"The stress of the job -- what a lot of our people do -- is very high," he said. "It's at times dangerous. It's at times very high pressure and very intense . . . (the employees) shouldn't have to add on top of that the feelings they had when they came to work about the condition of the office or whether or not there was an issue with their job. Hopefully, there'll be some stability I can provide."

Beemer said he's also worked to restore relationships with other law enforcement agencies that deteriorated amid the chaos of recent years. Some agencies hesitated to cooperate with the office, he said, or refer cases there due to concern about the office's stability. He could not provide specific examples because many involve active criminal investigations.

To the credit of those agencies, he said, every recent conversation he's had has been a positive one.

On the question of Kane's email report, Beemer said he plans to issue a public version of the document in the "near future." He could not say, however, what form that release would take or how much material may be redacted.

The email exchange resulted in the resignations or retirements of a number of top state officials, including two state Supreme Court justices, as well as disciplinary action against dozens of lower-level state employees.

Public interest in Kane's report has run high, although Kane's successors -- her first deputy, Bruce Castor, and now Beemer -- grappled with questions about notifying the named employees and what to do with information about criminal investigations and private health matters protected via the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. PennLive is currently in the midst of a Right-to-Know Law appeal for access to the public record.

Kane's contract with the D.C.-based law firm BuckleySandler is still in effect, Beemer said, but office staff is currently conducting all of the work on the report. They are currently poring through "tens of thousands of documents" that the office felt compelled to review before any release. Whatever form the final document takes, he said, certain materials will have to be withheld.

"Everyone will have a fair opportunity to ask . . . questions and we'll do our best to explain why we did everything we did," he said.

Beemer has also had to grapple with a number of lawsuits alleging wrongful termination during Kane's tenure as attorney general. Several were already settled during Castor's time as the de facto head of the office, but others remain.

The new attorney general said his guiding principle for resolving those cases is one of justice, not cost-savings. Any office can expect to have a few disgruntled employees, he said, but the sheer volume of complaints was staggering.

"If there were things I've identified in the last couple years that I believe were not handled appropriately or correctly and they affected people's lives," he said, "I'm going to try to correct them."

Beemer generally couldn't comment on specifics about active criminal investigations, such as those surrounding the PSU3 and former Harrisburg Mayor Steve Reed, but he did respond to more general questions about office priorities.

When asked about the widely reported investigation of child sex abuse allegations in the Harrisburg Catholic diocese, he said: "I don't think there's any more important issue that we will deal with than children that were preyed upon by individuals in positions of great power and the revelation and investigation of that kind of information -- if that's not an extraordinarily high priority for an Attorney General's Office, then I don't know what is."

Beemer said he's sought out the advice of past acting attorneys general for how to handle his new, highly public profile. He's taken their advice -- to be as transparent as possible -- to heart.

"One of them told me, 'no matter what, always tell the truth'," the attorney general said. "I will do my very best to follow that."

Wallace McKelvey may be reached at wmckelvey@pennlive.com. Follow him on Twitter @wjmckelvey. Find PennLive on Facebook.
CHESTER COUNTY - On the steps of the old courthouse in West Chester, surrounded by historic buildings almost as old as the United States itself, a Republican campaigning to become Pennsylvania's next attorney general addressed a crowd of supporters.

"It comes down to experience and dedication to the Office of Attorney General," state Sen. John Rafferty said last week, telling his supporters that he is the candidate who will "stand tall with law enforcement."

Region: Philly suburbs

Rafferty was endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police at that rally, where he was flanked by Chester County's legal community and its Republican party leaders.

But only two blocks away, in one of those historic buildings, there's a loud, cramped office where a massive round table takes up most of the front room. Packed all around that table and throughout the office are ready-to-post campaign signs.

This is Chester County's Democratic Party headquarters, and around the same time of Rafferty's press conference, two college students from West Chester University stopped by to learn more about the candidates.

Ashley Pogash, 18, isn't sure who she is voting for, but future teacher Alison Chapman, 20, is casting her first presidential vote for Hillary Clinton.

"I'll be voting for Hillary Clinton because I believe she is very knowledgeable about issues surrounding running the country and because she is a strong supporter of public education," Chapman said.

Yes, election season is in full swing, and not just in Chester County, but all around the United States.

And there's little doubt that in 2016 the road to the White House runs through Pennsylvania.

More specifically, it might barrel right down the middle of Chester County.

"We're a top swing county in the entire country," said Chester County Democratic Party Chairman Brian McGinnis. "It's one of the most desirable places to live, and it's been trending more and more Democratic."

In a lot of ways, Chester County is a reflection of what is seen in many national polls. Clinton seems to be in the lead, but Republican candidate Donald Trump is catching up.

And fast.

"Clinton is probably in the lead right now, but Trump has shown the trend is going his way," Chester County Republican Party Chairman Val DiGiorgio said. "He's probably down a few points here, but he clearly has momentum."

This is Chester County.

A swing county in a swing state

Chester County is very much a suburb of Philadelphia.

But it also has a pleasant, boutique town. A city that has seen better times. An affluent population. A working class. And acres upon acres of rolling farms where the occasional Amish buggy rolls through.

West Chester is the county seat, situated near the eastern border. Boasting 60 restaurants and many small businesses, it's become a hip place to dine, live and shop.

"It's a happening town," said Chet Reber, who owns The Painted Plate, a shop where people can drop in, relax, and exercise their artistic side as they paint their own pottery. "There's a lot of cool restaurants and shops. There's always something going on."

You'll find an Indian restaurant next door to a whiskey bar. If you like olive oil, there's even a store specializing in that.

Just outside of West Chester, you'll find the typical suburban sprawl. Concrete acres of car dealers, box stores and chain restaurants.

Further to the west and to the south you'll find the city of Coatesville. It has seen better days, and any affluence seen around West Chester has been replaced by those struggling to make ends meet, according to one resident.

"The biggest issue is the economy," Frank Watson said. "We need jobs, jobs, jobs."

The mill in town used to be a huge employer, but it has cut back, he said. Over the years, others have shut down, leaving in their wake a glut of unemployment.

But like the resurgence that made West Chester what it is today, Watson said there are folks in Coatesville trying to rebuild their city.

And further to the west, not even 15 minutes outside of Coatesville, the corn grows high and the crops span as far as the eye can see.

Overall, says Republican chair DiGiorgio, Chester County is better off than much of the country. But this election is still an important one locally because there is a fear for what the future may bring.

And the Republican candidate is the one who can make that future a bright one, he said.

"Donald Trump's got a great message about putting America back on track, lowering taxes and keeping America safe," DiGiorgio said. "That message is starting to resonate here in Chester County with our voters."

Democratic chair McGinnis said concerns weigh on the left, too, but the solution for many county voters lies with Clinton.

"We have our liberals, our conservatives and in the middle we have our moderates, and the moderates are looking for steady leadership," McGinnis said. "They don't like the bombast. They're looking for people with ideas."

So, Clinton or Trump? Who will come out on top in November? Who is going to take Chester County?

Even the psychic down the street from the olive oil shop probably couldn't tell you.

But the answer may be found in the numbers.

Voting trends in Chester County

Chester County is a mostly Republican county, but not by a large margin.

Out of 342,000 registered voters, Republicans outweigh the Democrats by a slim 20,000 voters.

That seems like it should be enough to carry most precincts, but the decision on who our president will be could wind up in the hands of Chester County's 30,000-plus voters who have no party affiliation and the 5,100 who are registered as independents.

And with the new capability for voters to register online, Chester County Director of Voter Services Kara Rahn said 20,000 new voters have already signed up - and that number is climbing.

Historically in Chester County, voters tend to come out for the big, national elections. Rahn said 2008 saw a 78.5 percent voter turnout, and 2012 saw 74.89 percent.

This year, they're bracing for 80 percent.

"We're trying to get a couple extra hundred volunteers to work the polls for us in Chester County," Rahn said. "We're working with local businesses to see if we can get some folks to have some time off to support us."

DiGiorgio pointed out that since 1964, Chester County only voted twice for a Democratic presidential candidate - once that year for Lyndon B. Johnson and once in 2008 for President Barack Obama.

And with Trump staying on point and focusing on policy in recent weeks, the Republican candidate has been trending in the right direction for many of the Chester County's voters, DiGiorgio said.

But McGinnis said the Democrats are on the rise this year, and volunteers are out in full force, knocking on doors, encouraging new voters to register, and spreading the word about Clinton.

It could come down to influencing the undecided, he said.

But it could also come down to the number of straight-party voters.

Rahn said in 2008, 49.64 percent of Republicans voted straight ticket and 48.15 percent of Democrats did the same. Even more Republicans did so in 2012 with 53.19 percent, but slightly-fewer Democrats followed suit with 45.86 percent.

This could be the deciding factor not only for the president, but those appearing lower on the ticket, too.

The Republicans

During his press conference on steps of the old courthouse in West Chester Wednesday, the candidate for attorney general addressed how straight-party voting might influence the election and his own campaign.

"If it's a close race, anything can happen," Rafferty said. "I believe that it will be a close race, and I believe that I will prevail to be attorney general."

Afterward, he said he will keep politics out of his office, but said he is a Republican and he intends to vote that way.

Patrick McKenna, an area attorney who attended Rafferty's event, said he's not sure yet who he's going to cast his ballot for in the presidential race, adding he has never been undecided this close to Election Day.

"I'm not a Hillary Clinton supporter, and Donald Trump, in my view, is not a politician," he said. "So I'm still trying to figure out what to do, honestly."

For those who are undecided, DiGiorgio said he can break it down:

"If you want eight more years of a foreign policy that has been an unmitigated disaster of an administration that doesn't seem to know how to keep us safe at home and spends money with reckless abandon, then you should vote for Hillary Clinton," he said. "If you want a Supreme Court that interprets the law instead of makes new laws and an administration that cuts spending and taxes and has a strenuous foreign policy that puts Americans first, then Donald Trump is your man."

But some of Trump supporters in the county seem to be on board reluctantly.

"He's the lesser of two evils," said Katelyn Derr, who was grabbing lunch at one of West Chester's outdoor restaurants.

Life has changed for the better over the last eight years for the 24-year-old. She got married. She bought a house. The top issues for her are those that affect her family - the economy, taxation and security, she said.

It's her distrust of Clinton that pushes her toward Trump, but there's a lot she would change to make him the ideal candidate.

"Where do you start?" she said.

The Democrats

The GOP might be the majority party, but McGinnis is seeing more and more volunteers who want to knock on doors, pound the pavement, and help run the four Clinton campaign offices in Chester County.

"We are really running a coordinated campaign, which I would have to say is more coordinated and better organized than President Obama's 2012 campaign, which is saying a lot," he said.

The county is leaning toward Clinton, McGinnis said, and there's another factor that might just tip the election in her favor.

"From what I'm seeing, there's a portion of the Republican party that isn't satisfied with Donald Trump or his policies," McGinnis said. "I think those voters are going to either stay home or they're going to vote for the Democrat in protest."

For those who are on the fence, McGinnis has a few simple factors that he thinks make Clinton the best candidate.

"Steady leadership, focus on middle class values and growing the economy with opportunities for all," McGinnis said. "Those are some of the reasons that come to mind."

Many in Chester County seem to agree.

West Chester University student Chapman said she would change nothing about Clinton.

"I think that we should be focusing on what she could bring to the table - among other things, an incredible amount of knowledge surrounding the presidency and the politics involved in running a country," Chapman said.

While having a late breakfast at the Penn's Table Restaurant, West Chester resident Robert Mapes said the election can go either way in Chester County, but there's no doubt he's casting his vote for Clinton.

"I think she's much more qualified than Donald Trump to lead the country," he said. "I think she has a much better temperament than Donald Trump to handle the issues, and I think Donald Trump's impetuous, hot-headed personality is not suited for the White House."

And in Coatesville, Watson said Clinton is his candidate - the one best suited to help the Coatesville area of Chester County live up to its potential.

"She's going to be for all of the people," he said. "I think she'll do a great job."
clowns

It's not illegal to dress as a clown and walk around, but some across Pennsylvania and beyond are reporting incidents of harassment -- and even a fatal stabbing -- involving people in clown costumes.

(AP photo, file)

A month before Halloween, bizarre clown sightings are picking up in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, and so are police incidents involving them. That includes a fatal stabbing in Reading.

Among reports:

A 10th-grader at Reading High School died Sunday night after someone wearing a clown mask showed up in a Reading neighborhood and a fight broke out. The incident happened about 8:30 Sunday night, police said, and there was a large crowd in the street when they arrived. The 16-year-old victim was found on a porch.

York College student have reported seeing people dressed as clowns, both on campus and off, according to York Daily Record: "York College sent out a safety alert to the campus, notifying the school that the campus safety department had responded to eight different clown reports since Sept. 24. One turned out to be a rumor; all have been unsubstantiated."

In Pottsville, Police Chief Richard Wojciechowsky characterized a sighting as a prank, NPR said: "Two knuckleheads with clown-like clothes on" hopped out of a pickup truck and yelled at a group of young children and teenagers.

East Pennsboro Police Lt. Mark Green said they received two complaints from motorists on Sept. 23 about someone in a clown mask riding around on a bicycle. Police talked to the 18-year-old, who said he was just trying to be cute, and suggested it's not a good move right now.

A West Cornwall Township, Lebanon County, resident told Cornwall police that a man dressed as a clown was walking in the middle of Riders Way around 10:45 p.m. Saturday. Police say he was last seen taking off his mask and disappearing between two houses.

In Martinsburg, Blair County, police have charged an 18-year-old man with harassing, threatening and prowling around his neighbors' home while wearing a clown mask and holding an Airsoft toy pistol, Sunday night. Police say the masked suspect acknowledged rapping on the neighbors' door and windows.

A woman in Cambria County recently said she saw someone dressed as a clown looking through her window, according to a report in the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat.

A week ago, state police said clown sightings were reported in "various locations" of Huntingdon County. Police said that no threats have been made by the clown, but said anyone seeing a wandering clown should call police and not interact with the person.

Hampden Township Police Chief Steve Junkin notes that dressing as a clown isn't illegal unless the clown does something criminal, such as peeping in windows or harassing children.

Nationwide, the reports and rumors are widespread:

Jonathan Martin arrested after Middlesboro police says he was hiding in ditch line, trying to scare people. pic.twitter.com/l0IaHSTEmQ  Phil Pendleton (@philtvnews) September 23, 2016

Another creepy clown sighting, this one in Yuma. "You don't know their intentions," PD says. https://t.co/6m3NRAmUNA pic.twitter.com/Ck7LnHLfyO  CBS 5 News (@CBS5AZ) September 12, 2016
Stephanie Luckey

Former Muhlenberg High School English teacher Stephanie France Luckey, 37, was arrested Tuesday and charged with having an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old student.

(Berks County district attorney's office)

A former Muhlenberg High School English teacher was arrested Tuesday and charged with having an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old male student.

Stephanie France Luckey, 37, sent the student five to 10 partially nude and nude pictures of herself through a private Twitter account from April through June, the Berks County's district attorney's office said.

During two interviews with police, the student said Luckey created the account so she could privately communicate with him, according to the DA's office.

During this time, the conversations turned sexual. In addition to the nude photos, Luckey sent the student a video of herself performing a sexual act, the DA's office said. The student said he also kissed Luckey in her classroom after school, according to the DA's office.

Luckey admitted to the allegations on July 5, the DA said.

She submitted her resignation to Mughlenberg School District Aug. 4.

A warrant for Luckey's arrest was obtained Monday and she surrendered to detectives at about 1 p.m. Tuesday.
Governor Tom Wolf will address a joint session of the Pennsylvania House and Senate at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday to discuss the opioid and heroin addiction crisis facing the state.

Pennsylvania has one of the highest overdose rates in the U.S. According to the Governor's office, 3,500 people living in Pa. died from a drug overdose, compared with 2,500 deaths in 2014.

Gov. Wolf's speech will be streamed live on the web and via social media. You can watch the event here via the video viewer below.

Here is a text of the speech:

Thank you for allowing me to address a joint session of the legislature.

Working together, we have had great success in moving Pennsylvania forward, but we still have a lot more work to do.

I am grateful to President Scarnati and Speaker Turzai, Leaders Corman, Costa, Reed and Dermody for your willingness to make the fight against opioid addiction a priority and for your work in the past to address this crisis.

The Center for Rural Pennsylvania, chaired by Senator Gene Yaw, has worked on solutions to the opioid epidemic since 2014. The work the center has undertaken has positioned many pieces of legislation for passage that we can now finalize. Senator Wozniak and Representatives Kavulich and Everett have also been strong voices in this effort.

I am also thankful to the Chairs of the HOPE Caucus - Representatives Ed Gainey and Aaron Kaufer as well as Senators Gene Yaw and Jay Costa - for their laser focus on fighting the opioid epidemic in communities throughout Pennsylvania.

I would also like to acknowledge Representative Gene DiGirolamo for his passion and his work to fight addiction.

Many members here today have provided thoughtful legislation and innovative ideas to fight opioid addiction.

We are all aware of the opioid epidemic facing Pennsylvania - a public health crisis, the likes of which we have not before seen.

Every day we lose ten Pennsylvanians to the disease of addiction.

This disease does not have compassion, or show regard for status, gender, race, or borders.

It affects each and every Pennsylvanian, and threatens entire communities throughout our commonwealth.

The disease of addiction has taken thousands of our friends and family members. In the past year alone we lost over 3,500 Pennsylvanians - a thousand more lives taken than the year before.

We are not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control, prescription opioid overdose deaths in the United States have quadrupled since 1999.

Families have identified loved ones. People have buried their childhood friends.

It is a crisis that has been building for years, right here in Pennsylvania and all across the country.

Addiction too often is an invisible problem.

People with substance use disorders and their families fear the stigma of addiction, which keeps them isolated and unwilling to ask for help.

The consequences fall to law enforcement, jails and prisons, and understaffed treatment centers.

But in Pennsylvania the problem is visible -- in the lives lost. The families broken. The communities shaken.

It is visible because parents have come to us - every single one of us - asking for help.

It is visible because the members of this building listened and made the fight against opioid addiction a priority right here in Harrisburg.

And because you have brought the voices of your constituents here, it is now possible for us to fight with every tool we have.

And that is what we are going to do.

We are going to take a stand against the vicious disease of opioid addiction. v

This past year has moved from conflict to civility.

We have achieved some very good things working together.

And while achieving these things, we have made fighting the opioid epidemic a top priority.

I have traveled the commonwealth with Republicans and Democrats. We have listened to our fellow Pennsylvanians. We've held parents' hands as they cried and we've hugged those in recovery who've risen above this disease - and we've heard their stories.

Parents and those suffering from the disease of addiction have broken down telling us about the difficulty of finding treatment options.

We heard them, so together in this year's budget we increased funding for treatment centers by more than $20 million. That will create 45 centers for treatment, allowing nearly 11,000 Pennsylvanians to receive care.

These centers integrate behavioral health, primary care and, when appropriate, evidence-based medication assisted treatment.

And by expanding Medicaid to provide nearly 700,000 Pennsylvanians with health care, we also provided treatment to 63,000 Pennsylvanians battling the disease of addiction who previously did not have access to care.

We are doing more to treat this like the public health crisis it is.

Doctors and other medical professionals have voiced frustration at the inability to find centralized prescribing information.

We heard them, so together we redesigned the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program - a database created by the legislature through a bill authored by Senator Pat Vance.

The online database allows prescribers and pharmacists to monitor who is obtaining opioids, and where and how often they were prescribed.

This critical tool will support medical professionals in identifying patients struggling with the disease of addiction and get them the help they need.

Police and first responders asked us for more tools to save people.

We heard them too, so together we have made an opioid overdose reversal antidote - naloxone - available to Pennsylvanians, including local police departments.

Last year, Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine signed an order enabling all Pennsylvanians to access naloxone without a prescription at their local pharmacy.

And since November 2014, more than 1,500 opioid overdoses have been reversed by local and state police officers.

As York District Attorney Tom Kearney said of law enforcement officials - this disease was not their public health issue, but many of them made it their fight and for that, we owe them a great debt of gratitude.

Ordinary Pennsylvanians wanted to know how they could help.

We heard them, so together we are helping communities properly dispose of unused and unwanted prescriptions through a drug take-back program.

There are nearly 520 take-back boxes located at police stations across Pennsylvania, and we have collected and destroyed over 145 thousand pounds of prescription drugs including opioids.

Together, we have taken important steps to stop this crisis in Pennsylvania.

But we have more to do.

Over the past six months, I've sat with many of you in roundtables with families, law enforcement and medical professionals to discuss the opioid epidemic in Pennsylvania.

But in addition to the stories we have heard, every one of us likely has a personal story they can recount by heart. And so many of these stories are the same - no matter how different the storytellers are.

Just a few weeks ago, I was chatting with a friend who asked me if he could give me a letter. I asked if he just wanted to talk, but he had trouble composing his words.

When he gave me the letter, I was surprised to learn that his own child had recently passed away from the disease of addiction.

He was heartbroken, but thanked all of us for the work we've done to help people suffering from the disease of addiction while imploring us to do more.

This is one example of the far-reaching effects of the opioid crisis.

This crisis reaches into every population, every age group, and every kind of family.

It is our job to make sure no families have to write these letters or bear this pain ever again.

We must address this epidemic, but how can we make the biggest difference in the short time we have left this year?

We should not place limitations on what we can achieve in this session, we all have priorities, and we all want action.

But I want to talk about several bills that have already been introduced and discussed - and in some cases even passed by a chamber. We need to get them to my desk so I can sign them and we can make progress in this fight.

If we work together, we can continue to fight back against this epidemic. We must act now - many Pennsylvania families are counting on us.

First, physicians should check the commonwealth's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program each time they prescribe opioids and other controlled substances.

Our current law is not strong enough. It only requires doctors to check the system the first time they prescribe to a patient, or if they believe a patient is suffering from the disease of addiction.

Pharmacists should enter data into the database within 24 hours of issuing a prescription, rather than the current standard of 72 hours.

Strengthening program requirements is imperative in helping doctors and pharmacists identify whether patients are doctor shopping or other doctors are overprescribing patients.

State officials also need the tools to identify inappropriate prescribing and dispensing practices among health care providers to better crack down on abuse.

Second, let's prepare doctors and physicians for prescribing opioids and pain management by improving medical school and continuing education curricula on opioids.

This will give doctors the knowledge and best practices needed to tailor their clinical skills to identify signs of addiction and provide patients with information to avoid abuse or engage in meaningful treatment if they become addicted.

Third, let's limit the amount of opioids a patient can receive at emergency rooms to a seven day supply with no refills.

And we should put the same restriction in place for minors no matter where they get a prescription. We have heard too many horror stories about high school athletes whose futures are robbed by addiction that begins with prescription painkillers.

Of course, those suffering from crippling pain need relief, and we must be careful to protect the ability of sufferers of long-term pain or victims of trauma to receive appropriate medication.

Fourth, let's require insurance companies to cover abuse deterrent opioids - similar to what they already have in Massachusetts. This will make it more difficult to abuse prescription drugs.

While many people become addicted by simply swallowing pills, others crush pills to snort or smoke.

Drug manufacturers are rapidly developing new technologies to prevent this kind of abuse.

Some of these drugs are uncrushable, even with a hammer, while others are formulated with naloxone so the more an individual takes, the less effective it is in creating a high and limiting the potential for overdose.

Others turn into a gel when they are crushed, making them impossible to put into a syringe to inject.

These deterrent measures, if crafted properly, can be important tools against intentional or unintentional abuse or overdoses.

Lastly, several new bills deserve our consideration.

Two bills require schools to teach students about opioid misuse in existing drug and alcohol abuse curricula.

Another bill would allow patients to establish a voluntary directive if they do not want to be prescribed opioids.

The point is that the time for action is now.

As many have noted and I said earlier, 3,500 Pennsylvanians lost their lives to addiction in 2015 alone.

That means that each year we are losing the population of Parkesburg, Freeland, or Mifflinburg to the disease of addiction.

And each year the numbers grow.

The opioid epidemic did not start overnight and we will not fix it overnight, or even in this session.

But by acting on these bills - and by putting other ideas on the table - we can continue to stem the tide of opioid abuse. We can make progress for the families we have met - the parents who have cried on our shoulders.

Here in this building, we can make a difference. Right now. With bills that are close to passage.

In my inaugural address, I acknowledged that some people feel indifference toward their government.

In the past two years, we haven't always helped improve that perception.

But in the past several months we've solved some big problems. Many of these issues have vexed Pennsylvania's elected leaders for generations.

It's a start, and we have more to do.

But with the most Republican legislature in modern history and a Democratic Governor, we've balanced the budget, we've increased education funding, we've passed a fair funding formula, we've brought medical marijuana to suffering kids, and we've reformed the liquor system.

The magnitude of the opioid crisis threatens to cast a shadow over all of these important accomplishments and everything else we work to achieve in this building.

But it is also a calling to use our time and our energy to fix a problem touching too many Pennsylvanians.

The crisis calls on us to cast aside partisanship once again.

It calls on us to reject cynicism once again.

It calls on us to take action once again.

Families in Philadelphia, Brockway, Indiana, Allegheny County, State College, Mount Wolf, and all across Pennsylvania are calling on us to act.

It is life or death.

We have shown that we can work together to make Pennsylvania the great place we know it can be. It is now time to do so again and give the people of Pennsylvania a reason to believe in their leaders.

It is up to us to tackle the opioid crisis and give Pennsylvania the prosperous, healthy, and safe future we know it deserves.

I look forward to a productive session and real progress toward stopping the opioid epidemic.

Let us, here in Pennsylvania, lead the nation in fighting this crisis.

Let's get this done.

Thank you.
The Halifax railroad crossing where a kayaker was killed on Labor Day is marked only by faded crossbuck signs.

But should there have been additional signs, warnings or safety measures?

Engineers who testified about the proposed railroad crossing in 1978 thought so, according to transcripts of Public Utility Commission hearings obtained by PennLive through a Right-to-Know request.

Trisha Hoffman, 29, died instantly Sept. 5 when her eastbound car was struck by a southbound train after leaving a public boat ramp off Susquehanna Trail Road near Route 147. She and her husband Cory had a 3-month-old baby.

The Fish and Boat Commission closed the boat ramp access Monday, "to evaluate the intersection and railroad crossing" in light of the fatality.

The wreck highlighted "serious deficiencies" at the crossing, according to railroad experts, and the lack of legislative authority in Pennsylvania over private crossings, even when they're commonly used by the public.

More than 30 years ago, a civil engineer with the railroad company recommended automatic flashing lights at the crossing to account for a wooded area that blocked drivers' view of oncoming trains.

But the Fish Commission, which was petitioning for the improved crossing so it could build the boat ramp, rejected the $60,000 flashers as unnecessary and too expensive, according to the transcripts.

Instead, a Fish Commission civil engineer promised their agency would clear the trees and brush "1,000 feet north and south of the crossing," and install a stop sign before the railroad tracks.

"As a car would approach the tracks, we would provide a stop sign on the right and a crossbuck railroad crossing sign, the two together," said Wilbert Hobbs, the engineering chief with the Fish Commission in 1978. "The standard stop sign and the crossbuck sign."

It's unclear if the stop sign was ever erected. There is not one currently at the site before the tracks. There are, however, stop signs at other, smaller private crossings in the area.

As far as the trees and brush, the commission apparently cleared them in the late 1970s or early 80s, but they grew back and currently hug both the access road and tracks, severely limiting drivers' sight lines to the tracks.

It was a problem foreseen by Paul Jefferis Jr., a civil engineer with ConRail, and part of the reason he said he recommended flashing lights for the crossing more than 30 years ago.

"The limits (of the trees to be cut back) are not shown or who would be responsible to maintain the clearing of this area," Jefferis testified.

When the Fish Commission pushed back at the flashing lights, saying the private crossing had operated for years along a dirt road without so much as a single crossbuck, Jefferis said private crossings are used at the discretion of private property owners.

"A public crossing," Jefferis said. "I think you should provide the public with all facilities possible to insure their safety."

Trisha Hoffman, 29, died when her car collided with a freight train in Halifax.

The Fish Commission also questioned Jefferis on the expense of flashers, versus standard crossbuck signs.

"Definitely, it is more expensive," he said of flashers, adding. "It is much more effective."

At a later hearing on the crossing, in 1980, a different Conrail engineer testified that he was satisfied with crossbuck signs that said, "Stop, Look and Listen," if the trees and brush were cleared.

But he added a caveat: "I think we ought to take a cautious attitude here, however," said Stafford Walker, of Conrail, "as we have done in similar cases where the traffic patterns are not really foreseen exactly, that we look at how it operates and be prepared to come back to consider perhaps other types of protection if the crossbucks are not adequate."

PennDOT also weighed in on signage, requesting that a sign be added for eastbound drivers to "not stop on the tracks." There is no such sign, nor a "Stop, Look and Listen" sign at the crossing.

Had the process continued as planned, the PUC would have eventually issued a final order enforcing signage and warnings consistent with national safety guidelines. The PUC also would have assigned ongoing maintenance duties and costs to the various entities.

Instead, the process went off the rails.

Halifax Township refused to take over the paved access road in 1984, even though the municipality had previously agreed, because of liability concerns about the split entrance off Route 147 that was approved by PennDOT.

Does this look like a railroad crossing? This is the approach from the Halifax boat access ramp.

"There is no way the Board of Supervisors would accept the road at Campbell's railroad crossing with the proposed road design," according to the minutes of an April 1984 township meeting. "There is not sufficient room between the railroad tracks and the state highway for a 35-foot unit. Either the unit would sit partially on the railroad tracks or the highway, thus creating a dangerous and hazardous situation."

Without the township dedication, the access road remained a private road. And by default, that made the crossing a private crossing, outside the jurisdiction of the PUC.

In the end, the Fish Commission designed the crossing as it saw fit, without any known supervision, oversight or requirement to comply with national safety guidelines.

Some private crossings are governed by agreements between the property owner and railroads, but it's unclear if such an agreement exists for this crossing.

There wasn't one in the late 1970s, according to Jefferis.

"Apparently it was strictly a farm crossing presumably when it originated, and there may or may not be an agreement with the railroad company," he testified. "I cannot find any records of it."

The Fish Commission has declined to answer questions about signage or warnings at the crossing. The agency also asked for a 30-day extension before providing records to PennLive related to the crossing.

Norfolk Southern, which currently owns the railroad, also has declined to answer many specific questions about the crossing, except to say the company no longer owns the land where the woods are located.

Still, the railroad has a 50-foot right-of-way on either side of the track. Between four and 12 trains pass the crossing each day.

In 1978, the sight distance for drivers leaving the boat ramp was listed in transcripts as 300 feet looking left for a driver 30 feet from the rail. At that time, train speeds were estimated at 40 mph.

PennLive measured the sight distance last week and determined drivers could see 227 feet when looking left at a point 30 feet from the rail. Train speeds now are allowed up to 50 mph, according to Norfolk Southern.

"The sight distance at the crossing for vehicles leaving the boat ramp is seriously deficient," said Ronald Eck, professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering at West Virginia University. "Sight distance should be on the order of 730 feet. ... I agree with what the railroad said back in the preliminary discussions about the crossing. It is true that flashing lights would be expensive but they also provide positive information to motorists."

A train traveling at 50 mph can cover 73 feet per second. That would give eastbound drivers who are 30 feet from the track little more than three seconds between the time they see a southbound train and when the train reaches the crossing.

It takes humans about 1.5 seconds to perceive and react to something, leaving even less time for action.

Drivers, meanwhile, are trying to look left and right, while having to be aware of the incredibly short storage space on the other side of the tracks before Route 147. Drivers are not required to stop at railroad crossbucks.

"Even if she did everything perfectly," said Nathan Karlin, an attorney with a Kansas law firm that primarily focuses on railroad crossing safety, "this accident might have still happened because of the sight distance."

The single crossbuck displayed for eastbound drivers leaving the boat ramp wasn't reflectorized or mounted properly at 90-degrees, according to Karlin, which further illustrates the neglect at the crossing.

"There's nothing to indicate there's high speed trains running on these tracks," he said. "It can lull you into a feeling of safety. It doesn't look like an active track. "

At least three vehicles have been hit at the crossing in the past 22 years. The expected probability of a collision at a passive crossing (those without gates or flashing lights) is one every 59 years, Karlin said.

"Those are the dangerous trap crossings," he said. "If drivers time it perfectly wrong, they can get hit. It might not happen for 20 years, but if you let that crossing be how it is, something is going to get hit."

The railroad had numerous opportunities to identify the deficiencies at the crossing over the years, Karlin said.

"This lady had one opportunity," he said "That's really how it should be couched.

"Sure, maybe she could've stopped. Maybe she did stop. But 2-person train crews were passing by this crossing at least four times a day. And that's not counting crossing inspectors and public safety managers. How many people went over there and never identified any problems? That's the tragedy."

The death at the crossing has prompted the PUC, Fish Commission and Norfolk Southern to review their records and roles, said Nils Hagen-Frederiksen, press secretary for the PUC.

"Everybody that's involved is reviewing what has been done," he said, "and looking at if there are potential lessons to be learned about other crossings in Pennsylvania."
Screen Shot 2016-09-27 at 7.44.34 PM.png

Source: Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council

(PHC4)

The frequency of pregnant women being hospitalized for problems related to drug abuse rose by 120 percent from 2000 to 2015, according to a new report from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council.



In 2015, drug abuse played a role in about 32 of every 1,000 pregnancy-related hospitalizations, up from less than 15 per 1,000 in 2000, according to the cost containment council, also known as PHC4.



Similarly, drug abuse played in a role in about 20 of every 1,000 hospitalizations involving newborns, up from less than six per 1,000 in 2000.



Moreover, 82 percent of the babies born to drug abusing moms had neonatal abstinence syndrome, which involves drug withdrawal. Opioid drugs, which include heroin and prescription painkillers such as OxyContin and Vicodin, were involved in about 52 percent of the drug-related hospitalizations.

Source: Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council





The report comes amid the national epidemic involving addiction to opioids, which include prescription painkillers and heroin. Pennsylvania has one of the country's highest overdose rates, and Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday is scheduled to address the state legislature concerning the crisis.



Babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome are more likely to be born prematurely, have low birth weight and have difficulty breathing and feeding. They typically need special medical care.





A group of Pennsylvania advocates for children is calling for a state task force to address issues related to babies impacted by drug abuse, including making sure they get the needed medical care and follow up, and removing them from homes if drug-addicted parents are unable to properly care for them. And U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, at a forum on the opioid crisis, said many grandparents are having to care for the children of addicted parents, and may need government help.

Source: Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council

Babies affected by substance abuse had to stay in the hospital nearly five times longer than other babies, resulting in about $20 million in extra costs to the state's Medicaid program, which covers people with low incomes, the PHC4 said in its report.
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Chad Collins

(Submitted)

A Lebanon County judge sent a Middletown man to state prison Wednesday for a fatal October 2015 hit and run crash in Palmyra.

, 30, was sentenced by Judge Charles T. Jones Jr. to 3 years and 2 months to 12 years behind bars under a plea agreement, Assistant District Attorney Nichole Eisenhart said. Collins had pleaded guilty to charges of causing an accident involving death or personal injury and tampering with evidence.

Lisa Thomas.

Those charges stem from a crash that killed Lisa Thomas, 52, as she crossed the street near her home in the 400 block of East Cherry Street at 10:40 p.m. on Oct. 21. Police said they found Collins' abandoned car in a church parking lot in North Londonderry Township. Its windshield had been removed and the car appeared to have been wiped down with a chemical to remove evidence, investigators said.

A search of the car nevertheless turned up evidence linking Collins to the fatal crash, police said.

Collins was at the center of a snafu when

last month after being sentenced in a unrelated case in Lancaster County. He was supposed to be returned to Lebanon County's prison after the Lancaster proceeding.

He was taken into custody and returned to prison once the error was discovered.
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An appeals court found that an 18-month jail term is appropriate punishment for a Honduran man who illegally entered the U.S. six times.

An man who entered the U.S. illegally and was deported six times will have to live with the 18-month federal prison sentence he received for his latest immigration law violation.

A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit assured that this week when it rejected Edin Noel Velasquez-Flories' appeal of the jail term slapped on him by U.S. Eastern District Judge Paul S. Diamond.

Diamond imposed the prison sentence to "deter Velasquez-Flores from yet another illegal re-entry." And, despite Velasquez-Flores' claims to the contrary, Diamond didn't exceed his authority in doing so, appeals court Chief Judge Theodore A. McKee wrote in the opinion denying the appeal.

Velasquez-Flores, a 30-year-old Honduran citizen, has been sneaking into the U.S. since he was 15, according to McKee. He kept coming back despite repeated warnings and "has lived, worked and raised a family in the United States," McKee wrote. Velasquez-Flores was deported in 2005, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013.

Velasquez-Flores has pursued his unauthorized American life under at least three aliases, court records show. His latest arrest for illegal re-entry occurred in April 2014 after Philadelphia police charged him with drug possession, drunken driving and making terroristic threats. He later pleaded guilty to a federal charge of unlawful re-entry after deportation.

The sole issue his court had to decide was whether Diamond's sentence was "substantively unreasonable," McKee noted. The penalty was, in fact, more than twice as long as the normal guideline range sentence for the crime.

Diamond had discretion to exceed the guideline and he didn't abuse that authority in Velasquez-Flores' case, McKee found. Previously, Velasquez-Flores had never spent more than five days behind bars for sneaking into the country, the appeals judge noted.

McKee's court discounted Velasquez-Flores' claim that his latest arrest "has served as a wake up call for him to obtain legal status in the United States, making further deterrence unnecessary."

"We... note that Velasquez-Florez was warned about the consequences of illegal re-entry each time he was deported, yet he returned," McKee wrote. "We do not believe (Diamond) imposed a greater sentence than was necessary to deter Velasquez-Flores from illegally re-entering the United States for the seventh time."
ERIE -- The saying once went, "When General Electric gets a cough, Erie gets pneumonia."

Now, after years of manufacturing losses and layoffs at companies like GE here, the adage rings somewhat hollow.

Region: Northwest

Instead, the city by the lake finds itself on a continuing quest for post-industrial identity, one that has so far revealed a newfound emphasis in the fields of health care and higher learning but also a troubling rise in the local unemployment rate, which grew by 2,000 people or roughly one-and-a-half percentage points this year. That rate also continues to eclipse state and national averages.

"People are scared and they're not happy," said Karen Moski, a Democratic State Committee Member and Executive Director at Hospice of Metropolitan Erie.

"We need family-sustaining jobs. ... I'm a health care administrator and what I see are people struggling. It's very sad, actually."

It is against this backdrop that some Republicans see an opening in the traditionally Democratic enclave of Erie and surrounding Erie County come November.

This as Donald Trump's campaign has spent the last year conquering political opponents, in large part by harnessing a nation's roiling blue collar angst. Erie County, or so the thinking goes, is a natural setting for such disaffection, and possibly for such a candidate.

There are hurdles, however. Democrats currently outnumber Republicans here 95,000 to 65,000, although the ratio is changing in the GOP's favor, ever so slightly. And there is also the entrenched influence of labor unions, which continue to be almost exclusively Democratic mechanisms.

But this is also an election year defined by identity politics and the bridging of longshots, leaving some convinced of Erie County's crossover potential. It is a belief rooted in the suburbs, where fence-sitting Democrats could yield new ground for Republicans this fall.

Before a Trump rally here in August, Dr. Michael Federici, a political science professor at Mercyhurst, told yourerie.com that he believes the county could decide the election in Pennsylvania this year, which could in turn decide the race nationally.

"It's not exactly urban. It's not exactly rural," Federici said. "So it's a good barometer for what happens in the state as a whole."

"If you can win Erie County," he concluded, "you probably can carry the state."

Republicans are counting on it.

'Not this year'

For as long as anyone can remember, Erie County has been the reliable Democratic oasis in the sea of Republican red painting Pennsylvania's northwest.

Historically, its role has hinged upon the high numbers of registered Democrats and Democrat-heavy unions in the city of Erie, the county's most populous municipality.

But labor's influence may be waning now, or possibly splintering this election, while the city's population shrinks and the suburbs around it grow. Erie's union numbers were described as stagnant as recently as 2014, while nationally, labor's numbers continue to fall.

In addition, since 2008 the number of Democrats in the county has fallen by 7,000 while the number of Republicans has grown by around 3,000. It's far from a tectonic shift, but could be emblematic of the county's ongoing political evolution.

Enter the 2016 presidential race.

Locally, Republican campaign organizers say the Democratic-leaning suburb of Millcreek Township, for example, is "very competitive" this year in both state and presidential elections.

Millcreek is the second largest municipality in the county and, behind the city of Erie, the traditional reason for the county's blue political lean.

If 2012 is any indicator, though, there is plenty of ground to make up. That year, president Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney were separated by nearly 19,000 votes county-wide, with Obama taking home 57.8 percent of the vote and Romney just 40.9 percent.

But if enough of the township's ambivalent Democrats and Independents were persuaded to vote Republican this year, along with some of those from the city, it could tip the balance.

At the Erie County Republican Party's headquarters on a recent Tuesday, representatives said the evidence, both anecdotal and otherwise, suggests it can be done.

Chris Gorndt, a volunteer, was seated behind the office's front desk, amid a crush of yard signs and beneath a Donald Trump mask watching from its perch atop a book shelf packed with campaign T-shirts.

Trump campaign merchandise is displayed at Erie County (Pa.) Republican Party headquarters. Photo by Colin Deppen.

Gorndt was watching too, as one visitor after another came in to declare their support.

Robert Valimont was one of them. He entered the office as one of 3,300 registered Independents in Erie County and left a registered or soon-to-be registered Republican once the paperwork clears. According to the Department of State, 2,300 Democrats have gone Republican in Erie County this year, along with 860 non-Democrats; while just 818 Republicans and 1,313 non-Republicans have gone the other way.

Valimont explained that as an Independent he typically voted Republican anyway, but felt compelled to get more involved this year. Before leaving he asked Gorndt for a Trump-Pence yard sign, which she promptly retrieved from a stack at her feet. Valimont handed her a $2 donation in return, tucked the sign beneath his arm and headed out the door.

As it shut behind him, Gorndt chimed in, saying Valimont, a waste management employee, epitomizes the plentiful blue collar support for Trump in the area, and the same signaling a possible changing of the guard countywide.

"I don't think any Democrat can just assume they're going to get elected here anymore," she added, surveying the room and reordering the stack of yard signs at her feet.

"It's always been a given," she added, "but not this year."

Terra firma

Even in Democratic circles here, there is no denying Trump's appeal. You can't drive down a county road without encountering reminders lined up on the berm and outside homes like so many planted flags. The same holds true in surrounding counties like Crawford and Warren, both terra firma for Republicans historically.

Asked if she believed that Trump's "America First" message was resonating locally, Moski said, simply, "I'm afraid it is."

She cites the migration of manufacturing brands like Zurn Industries -- a maker of toilets, faucets and waste water treatment systems -- which moved its headquarters out of Erie last year, as well as the closure of International Paper's Hammermill plant in 2002.

"Now it's a wasteland," Moski said of the former plant site.

But while in agreement that Trump's campaign might be striking a chord with some voters for this very reason, talk of a Republican coup is met with far more skepticism. Like the Republicans, Democrats here believe the research favors their chances in the fall, or at least dispels the likelihood of any Democratic exodus. And unlike the Republicans, there is a sense that history is on their side.

"It seems to be leaning heavily Democrat now in terms of the candidates running," Erie County Democratic Party chairman Bill Cole said.

"People say they're going to support Katie McGinty and Hillary Clinton and the rest of the Democratic ticket. ... It's gone that way the last few elections."

But having certainly sensed the pull of Trump's populist message, Democratic candidates on the fall ballot have tailored their message, vowing as well to make the restoration of Erie's manufacturing base a priority if elected.

Coupled with that message is a return to the grassroots, get-out-the-vote campaigning and door-knocking in inner-city neighborhoods that helped secure Obama's victory here just four years ago, Cole said.

Perhaps working against that goal is the fact that while Trump has visited Erie this year, Hillary Clinton has not.

Bill Clinton, Chelsea Clinton and running mate Tim Kaine have all stumped here on her behalf, but Hillary herself has yet to make an appearance and by all accounts won't, as she focuses on portions of the state traditionally considered less secure, or those with larger populations.

Cole is confident, though, that the Clintons' longstanding favorability in Erie will carry over.

"When Bill was running [for president] the first time, he came here and didn't get here till one o'clock in the morning and he had 6,000 people waiting for him," Cole remembered. He added that it was upon seeing the Erie crowd assembled on the far side of midnight that Clinton first said to himself: "I think I'm going to win the presidency."

The fisherman bloc

Seated above a choppy Lake Erie in a steady wind on Tuesday, Dennis Mansfield was explaining his plan to vote for Hillary Clinton when the fishing rod in his hand suddenly sprang to life.

He went silent and after moments of frenzied reeling pulled a six-inch perch from the water and up onto Dobbins Landing.

"We usually like to get them a little bigger than that," he laughed, before returning to his thoughts on the presidential race.

Dennis Mansfield of Erie fishes on Lake Erie on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016. Photo by Colin Deppen.

"I'm supporting Hillary because she's got the experience," he said.

"Trump is a multimillionaire and he's trying to do what he thinks is right. But I don't agree with the wall between the U.S. and Mexico. ... It's like putting a wall between the U.S. and Canada. No way."

He continued to say he trusts Clinton more with national security decisions because she's "been out there. She knows what's going on and there's no fooling her."

He concluded, "If she didn't have any of that experience, I wouldn't vote for her."

Mansfield is a registered Democrat but voted against Obama in 2008, believing at the time that he was too inexperienced to handle what is arguably the toughest job in the world.

"But I'll give it to him. He did a good job," Mansfield finished, before tossing his hook back beneath the waves.

A few feet away, seated on an overturned bucket, a Vietnam veteran from Conneaut Lake named Al Thom was eavesdropping.

Thom said he's undecided but leaning toward Trump, citing the candidate's vow to restore military spending and American jobs.

He explained that while previously a registered Democrat, he went Republican when Trump decided to run.

"He's got a lot of good ideas about getting jobs back in this country and fining companies for sending jobs overseas," Thom said of Trump, explaining that he's waiting for the presidential debates before making a final decision.

"But that Hillary is a pretty smart cookie," he added.

Farther down the landing, Charles Wiggins of Erie said as a lifelong Democrat he supports Hillary, believing she's simply more qualified.

Cole and other Democrats are counting on just that kind of support and party loyalty, believing the city is far from ready to shed its label of Democratic stronghold.

"We've lost some major plants around town," Cole said. "General Electric has cut back and they're cutting back even now. We have a lot of small plastics firms, but they're not hiring 5,000 to 6,000 people [like the others did]."

He continued: "But [Trump's promise to restore manufacturing jobs] we've been through that with enough different candidates before, and [the voters] know what it's going to take and him saying he's going to bring jobs back isn't it."

Cole said Trump's use of overseas manufacturing for some of his namesake products also hurts his chances in a place like this.

"We got strong labor here, so they know that and they're aware of that. That isn't gonna sell here."

But across town, Gorndt said it is the Democratic Party's failure to restore jobs in Erie despite its near total monopoly on city offices -- Cole said the city hasn't had a Republican mayor since the 1960s nor a Republican member of council since 1985 -- that may have some ready to abandon the brand.

It's not clear, though, to what extent that shift might extend down ballot. Senator Pat Toomey's refusal to endorse Trump, for example, appears to stand between him and any possible embrace from Trump's more diehard devotees.

"In the inner city, Democrats have been taking it for years and years and years and there's no jobs and no things helping the people who live there," Gorndt said.

Meanwhile, Moski said it's still early, with voters like Al Thom waiting for the presidential debates to reach a decision.

But regardless of where they fall or where Erie's electorate winds up, one thing remains the same and certainly will beyond November's balloting.

"The cornerstone issue is employment," Moski said. "We need jobs."
Pennsylvania Sen. Richard Alloway, R-Franklin County, held a rally and news conference at the Capitol in honor of a rescued puppy and to promote stricter animal cruelty laws.

Libre, a Boston terrier, was found on a Lancaster County Farm suffering from multiple ailments, including sepsis and mange.

Libre was treated, adopted and renamed by Janine Guido, owner of Speranza Animal Rescue in Mechanicsburg. His case has garnered worldwide attention and raised questions about animal cruelty laws in the state. Alloway is sponsoring legislation he calls "Libre's Law."

The dog's former owner, Benjamin Stoltzfus, pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and was sentenced to more than $750 in fines and court costs. The maximum penalty in such cases is a $750 fine, up to 90 days in jail and prohibition on animal ownership.
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Sen. Richard Alloway is holding a rally and news conference for "Libre's Law" at noon Wednesday at the Capitol.

(Facebook)

Following the heartwarming local reclamation story of Libre the Puppy, a state senator is holding a rally Wednesday in hopes of creating momentum for tougher legal penalties against people who commit acts of animal cruelty.

From noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sen. Richard Alloway said he is holding a rally and news conference on the steps of the Capitol Building, pushing for stiffer penalties in cases like Libre's, as well as others incidents where there isn't a happy ending.

"Across the state and the nation, too many loving animals fall victim to abuse and neglect," Alloway said. "In many cases, the perpetrators of these crimes face few consequences. Even if they do, Pennsylvania is one of only three states without a felony cruelty statute."

The Boston Terrier was found on a Lancaster County Farm suffering from multiple ailments, including sepsis and mange. Libre was treated, adopted and renamed by Janine Guido, owner of Speranza Animal Rescue in Mechanicsburg -- his name derived from the Spanish word "free" or "liberty." His case has garnered worldwide attention and raised questions about animal cruelty laws in the state.

Libre's owner, Benjamin Stoltzfus, pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and was sentenced to more than $750 in fines and court costs. The maximum penalty in such cases is a $750 fine, up to 90 days in jail and prohibition on animal ownership.

Initially, Stoltzfus was not charged, which spurred a separate controversy and led to Lancaster SPCA director Susan Martin relinquishing powers to charge offenders in animal cruelty cases.

The Lancaster County district attorney's office is working with Rep. Keith Greiner on separate legislation that would stiffen fines and criminal penalties in crimes associated with animal cruelty, said Brett Hambright, a spokesman for the DA. He added that the office continues to work to revamping laws in such cases.

Alloway, a Republican senator from Franklin County, said he's a pet owner who values the companionship and joy animals provide and is saddened by cases of animal abuse, such as cases like Libre. Alloway noted that hundreds of people are planning to attend the rally, adding that he hopes the rally creates momentum for Libre's Law.

"It's time that Pennsylvania's animal cruelty statue is updated to more appropriately address the severity of the crime," Alloway said.
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This a declassified document released by the British Security Service made available Wednesday Sept. 28, 2016. UK opened secret files about AoJewish terroristsAo in 1940s. The newly declassified British security services files document repeated attacks by AoJewish terroristsAo trying to drive British forces out of Palestine in the drive toward establishing a Jewish state. The files show how British agents tried to contain the threat of militant activities and keep the groups from launching attacks in Europe and Britain.(The National Archive via AP)
Prince William and Princess Kate began a (kid free!) 24-hour visit in the Yukon on Tuesday night with a meeting with Canadian Rangers.

After touching down at the Whitehorse airport, the royal couple was greeted by a guard composed of the Canadian Rangers and Junior Rangers. William and his brother, Prince Harry, were made honorary Canadian Rangers in 2009.

Hundreds gathered at the airport to catch a glimpse of the royal couple and special Olympian Macey Hangartner presented them flowers along with Reem Arafat, a representative of an organization that helps refugees.

With this warm welcome came near freezing temperatures and light rain. Kate bundled up in a green Hobbs coat to keep warm for the official greeting while Will added a black sweater to the look he sported during the couples university and food festival visits earlier in the day.

https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/780946384052715521

The royal parents were then escorted to the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Center where they were greeted by First Nation Chiefs and treated to a performance of Land of Gold, a Yukon cultural celebration. The 45-minute performance featured dancing, singing and storytelling.



After the performance, Will and Kate were escorted to the stage where the Yukon premier presented them with a book by 9-year-old Evan James Lafreniere-Clark.

Will and Kate ended their night by meeting with performers around a ceremonial fire pit.



They remain in Whitehorse where they are spending their only kid-free night of their 8-day tour, while Prince George and Princess Charlotte remain in Victoria, British Columbias Government House along with royal nanny Maria Turrion Borrallo.

The royal couple will resume their cultural exploration of the area with a Wednesday morning visit to the MacBride Museum of Yukon History followed by a visit to the small town of Carcross.
Princess Kate is seeing red!

For the third time in three days, the stylish royal cut a striking figure in red  a nod to her host country (red is the Canadian flags color).

The royal mom braved the chilly temperatures (36 degrees!) in Whitehorse, Yukon, in a brilliant red Carolina Herrera coat for her arrival at the MacBride Museum of Yukon History on Wednesday.

Kate accessorized the wool and cashmere blend coat dress, which retails for $1,915, with a burgundy suede clutch by Mulberry. And instead of her luxe red suede heels, Kate opted for a bold pair of deep purple chunky heels by Tods that retail for around $500.

Red has proved a winning color for Kate during the royal familys tour. She dazzled in a gorgeous off-the-shoulder deep red satin gown by British designer Preen (paired with Queen Elizabeths diamond maple leaf brooch!) at a glamorous reception at the Government House in Victoria on Monday. Earlier that day, she wore a stunning red and white Alexander McQueen dress during a day trip to Vancouver.

Princess Kate Stuns in Red Satin Dress (and Diamond Maple Leaf Brooch!) at Elegant Reception in Canada

While visiting Whitehorse, Kate and Prince William sent a morse code telegraph that was converted into their first-ever personal tweet at a telegraph station.

 Want to keep up with the latest royals coverage? Click here to subscribe to the Royals Newsletter.

This wasnt the first time the Whitehorse telegraph office was graced by royalty  Queen Elizabeth visited with Prince Philip in 1959.

The royal parents also joined local children for a storytelling session before viewing the towns Healing Totem Pole and meeting members of the group Bring Youth Toward Equality, an organization that promotes empowerment and mental health among young people in the Yukon and north Canada.

They also stopped to greet some of the locals who lined up early in the morning for a chance to see the royal couple. William even stopped to compliment 5-month-old Leo on his choice of a fuzzy bear onesie.

That is definitely the best way to be dressed today! William told the youngster.

Theyll wrap up their time in Whitehorse with a visit to the Youth Art Festival and then depart for the small town of Carcross where they will attend a mountain biking festival.
Prince William and Princess Kate are taking Canada by land, sea, air  and now mountain bike!

The royal couple showed off their sporty sides during an afternoon visit to meet mountain bikers in the Yukon on day five of their whirlwind Canadian tour on Wednesday.

Princess Kate switched out of the stunning red coat and maroon pumps she wore earlier in the day for a more casual look, which included an alpaca ribbed sleeve wrap coat in gull grey by Canadian brand Sentaler (retail $920).

Kate Middleton is an international style icon and I am very honoured that she chose to wear Sentaler on her Canadian tour, designer Bojana Sentaler said in a statement. She wore [the coat] with such grace and elegance and I couldnt be happier.

Kate completed the look with black jeans and and her suede R. Soles cowboy boots. When it comes to bringing some cowboy flair to Canada, this isnt Kates first rodeo! During the couples 2011 visit to the country, Kate and William donned matching white cowboy hats while attending an actual rodeo in Calgary. Kates R. Soles cowboy boots made an appearance then, too.

After a morning visit to Whitehorse, Will and Kate traveled to the picturesque town of Carcross, Yukon (population 300) where the Carcross/Tagish First Nation greeted them with an official welcome ceremony featuring traditional music, dancing and speeches.

The royal parents then took a stroll across Carcross Commons to visit the workshop of renowned Tlingit carver Keith Wolfe Smarch.

 Want to keep up with the latest royals coverage? Click here to subscribe to the Royals Newsletter.

Smarch showed William and Kate how he practices his craft, and even put the couple to work painting a 35-foot totem pole.

The local craftsman also took the opportunity to send his regards to Williams father, Prince Charles, who received a carved mask from Smarch during his visit to the Yukon in 2001.

Smarch told CBC News that his masks placement in the Buckingham Palace art collection is the highlight of my career.

William and Kate then traveled to Montana Mountain (known for being home to one of the best mountain biking trails in the world), where they joined a community mountain biking festival and met with local families.

While there, they learn learned about the Single Track to Success Project, an initiative aimed at engaging the Yukons First nation youth in trail building and mountain biking to promote health and wellness and restore a connection to the ancestral lands.

The royal couple ended their tour of Carcross by climbing aboard the White Pass steam train  and shared an adorable moment when Will helped Kate climb off the historic locomotive.



Will and Kate then took off for Victoria to reunite with Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Tomorrow, the young royals will host a childrens party for military families at Victorias Government House.
Harbor girls claim first D4 regional since 2016; host of runners qualify in D3, D4

EAST JORDAN  The Harbor Springs girls cross country team is no stranger to the state finals and hoisting trophies over the last couple decades.
No deal as Iran rejects Saudi oil output offer at OPEC's Algiers forum

Reuters/Ramzi Boudina



Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh talks to reporters during the 15th International Energy Forum Ministerial (IEF15) in Algiers, Algeria September 27, 2016.

ALGIERS

Petroleumworld.com 09 28 2016

Iran rejected on Tuesday an offer from Saudi Arabia to limit its oil output in exchange for Riyadh cutting supply, dashing market hopes the two major OPEC producers would find a compromise this week to help ease a global glut of crude.

"The gap (in views) between OPEC countries is narrowing. I don't expect that an agreement will come out of the consultations tomorrow," Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told reporters.

Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said earlier: "It is not the time for decision-making." Referring to the next formal OPEC meeting in Vienna on Nov. 30, he added: "We will try to reach agreement for November."

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries will hold informal talks at 1400 GMT on Wednesday. Its members are also meeting non-OPEC producers on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum, which groups producers and consumers.

Oil prices LCOc1 have more than halved from 2014 levels due to oversupply, prompting OPEC producers and rival Russia to seek a market rebalancing that would boost revenues from oil exports and help their crippled budgets.

The predominant idea since early 2016 among producers has been to agree to freeze output levels, although market watchers have said such a move would fail to reduce unwanted barrels.

A deal has also been complicated by acute political rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which are fighting several proxy-wars in the Middle East, including in Syria and Yemen.

Sources told Reuters last week that Saudi Arabia had offered to reduce its output if Iran agreed to freeze production, a shift in Riyadh's position as the kingdom had previously refused to discuss output cuts.

WHAT IRAN WANTS

On Tuesday, several OPEC delegates said the positions of Saudi Arabia and Iran remained too far apart. Oil prices were down more than 3 percent by 1802 GMT. [O/R]

"There is a move forward, but they (OPEC) haven't got to the finish," Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said after meeting Falih and Zanganeh. Novak and Falih said a deal was still possible later this year.

Three OPEC sources said Iran, whose production has stagnated at 3.6 million barrels per day, insisted on having the right to ramp up to around 4.1-4.2 million bpd, while OPEC Gulf members wanted its output to be frozen below 4 million.

Several OPEC sources said Iran effectively rejected the offer despite last-minute attempts by Russia, Algeria and Qatar to rescue a deal.

The Saudi and Iranian economies depend heavily on oil, but Iran is seeing the pressure easing as it emerges from years of sanctions. Riyadh, on the other hand, faces a second year of record budget deficits and is being forced to cut the salaries of government employees.

BLAME GAME

Iranian oil sources said Tehran wanted OPEC to allow it to produce 12.7 percent of the group's output, equal to what it was extracting before 2012, when the European Union imposed additional sanctions on the country for its nuclear activities.

Sanctions were eased in January 2016.

Between 2012 and 2016, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf OPEC members have raised output to compete for market share with higher-cost producers such as the United States.

As a result, Iran believes its fair production share in OPEC should be higher than its current output, which it says should rise once Tehran agrees new investments with international oil companies. Saudi output has risen to 10.7 million bpd from 10.2 million in recent months due to local needs for summer cooling.

Gary Ross, a veteran OPEC watcher and founder of U.S.-based think tank PIRA, said Saudi output had risen too steeply in recent months and even if it were cut to pre-summer levels, Iran would see an offer to freeze its own output as unfair.

"It is a carefully calculated offer because Saudi Arabia knows it will not be acceptable to Iran ... Saudi Arabia wants to put the blame of OPEC inaction in Algiers on Iran," he said.

Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodities analyst at SEB Markets, said: "We cannot see how Iran could possibly accept the Saudi offer. It would be like asking a long-time prisoner who was finally released from prison to go back again."

He said the lack of a deal in Algeria would result in further downside pressure on oil as Saudi Arabia would maintain elevated output levels while Iran boosted supply too.

Falih said he saw no need for significant output cuts as the market was rebalancing itself. He added that Saudi Arabia was investing in additional spare capacity and could withstand the current trend in oil prices.








Seven rounds have brought us to this point where we arrive on the Italian coast in Finale Ligure. Cecile Ravanel has wrapped the womens title while Richie Rude is looking good for the mens, but its not over until the clock stops ticking on Sunday afternoon; can he secure his second title?
SpaceXs plan calls for everything to be new: a new engine (the Raptor), a new rocket (the ITC), a new spacecraft, new material composites and processes, in-orbit refueling, precision landing and same-day turnaround of a massive first-stage of its rocket, etc.

NASAs Space Launch System rocket uses a different approach. It uses upgraded Space Shuttle Main Engines, the RS-25s; upgraded Shuttle-era solid rocket boosters, the upper stage will use existing engines (the RL-10s), the infrastructure is upgraded Shuttle infrastructure, and so on. These decisions werent made out of the blue, they were, in fact, mandated by Congress in the 2010 NASA Authorization Act. NASA was given the pieces and told to solve the problem of human spaceflight.

This is the conservative approach taken by aerospace companies when funding is limited: avoid making new stuff. Just look at nearly every recent Mars exploration architecture concept (such as the orbit-first concept we highlighted from a study team at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory or Lockheed-Martins Mars Base Camp). These Mars exploration architectures use existing NASA field centers and contractor workforces, piece together the parts of existing NASA programs, use as much flight-proven hardware as possible. Again, when funding is tight, particularly year-to-year funding, the best practice is avoid the risk of creating new hardware.

Thats because creating new, reliable space hardware is historically the source of cost and schedule overruns. NASA has been dogged by this problem over the decades, overselling and under delivering on its initial goals. But its not unique to NASA. Every institution (and every human) struggles with this all of the timeits called optimism bias. We assume the best possible outcome and downplay the negative ones. But it is impossible to anticipate all of the unknown unknowns that arise from the multitudinous interactions of complex systems. NASA has been burned by this many times, driving the conservative approach to hardware program and risk to prevent undue attention from a prickly Congress.

SpaceX doesnt work for Congress. Its a privately-held company, so they dont have to answer to shareholders. SpaceX has the luxury to choose its own workforce, choose its own production sites, and use its own funding to develop any hardware it wants. The company has a clear vision that informs every aspect of their work.

Its fun to design on the blank slate. Everything works perfectly, everything happens on time and on budget. But designing on a blank slate is risky since the real world has a nasty way of throwing problems your way. There will be engineering, political, and economic complexities that will disrupt this plan.

So perhaps the most importantand most revealingmoment came in the middle of Elon Musks presentation to the International Aeronautical Congress, when he said that the reason he is personally accumulating assets is to fund his Mars colonization plan. This is his lifes work. So when we talk about schedules, feasibility, and cost, balance that out with the fact that this is Musks life work. Elon Musk wanted to colonize Mars to save humanity, so he grabbed a blank piece of paper, worked backward, and founded SpaceX.
The plan

Musk envisions up to 100 Mars-bound colonists boarding an oblong spacecraft perched atop a massive rocket at Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A. The rocket's width would be 12 meters; the entire stack would top 122 meters. By comparison, the Saturn V was 111 meters tall and 10 meters wide at the bottom; NASA's Space Launch System will debut at 98 meters tall and 8.4 meters wide.

The rocket would be powered by a staggering 42 engines, generating 28.7 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. That's almost exactly four times more powerful than the Saturn V, which had just five engines. The only other vehicle to attempt an engine configuration on this scale was the Soviet N-1 moon rocket, which had 30 engines and was destroyed four times in four launch attempts.

The booster rocket blasts the Mars colonists into a parking orbit before returning directly to its launch pad for an upright landing. Next, a pad crane lifts a nearby propellant tankershaped similarly to the colonists' spaceshiponto the reused booster. The rocket launches again, sending the tanker into orbit to rendezvous with the passenger ship. After a fuel transfer, it's on to Mars for the colonists, while the booster and tanker return to Florida to repeat the process.

Musk's diagrams showed an intention to reuse the booster 1,000 times and the fuel tanker 100 times. That sort of reusability is utterly without precedent; the most re-flown spacecraft of all time is space shuttle Discovery, which completed 39 missions in 27 years. Discovery and its sibling shuttles could carry a crew of seven into low-Earth orbit for a couple weeks; the Mars colonial spaceship would spend between 90 and 150 days en route to Mars.

The cost

Musk estimated it would take $10 billion to develop his transport system. That's optimistic, but in the realm of possibilities. In 1972, NASA estimated space shuttle development would cost $5.15 billionroughly $30 billion in today's dollars (not counting cost overruns).

SpaceX's estimated cost to build a single booster, tanker and transport ship is $560 million dollars. After the Challenger disaster, NASA paid $1.7 billion for space shuttle Endeavour. By the time the shuttles retired in 2011, it was estimated the program had cost of $209 billion.

Whatever the price tag, it remains to be seen exactly how SpaceX would pay for all this. During the presentation, Musk jokingly used a South Park reference (underpants gnomes) before saying the company would continue focusing on its core business of launching satellites and sending NASA crew and cargo missions to the International Space Station.

At the moment, it can do neither. Earlier this month, a Falcon 9 rocket exploded during a routine propellant filling operation, marking the company's second payload loss in 15 months. SpaceX has yet to find the cause of the accident, though they recently said the problem appeared to have originated in the rocket's upper stage helium pressurization system (notably, Musk said the company's new rocket booster would be autogeneously pressurized and not require such a design).
With Hillary Clinton's comments about crime, policing, and race, the candidate helps push a falseand dangerousnarrative, Heather Mac Donald says in an op-ed piece in the City Journal about the first presidential debate between Clinton and Trump Monday:

Hillary Clinton repeated her incessant lie last night that the criminal justice system is infected with "systemic racism." Race "determines" how people are "treated in the criminal justice system," she said. Blacks are "more likely [than whites] to be arrested, charged, convicted and incarcerated" for "doing the same thing." Such a dangerous falsehood, should Clinton act on it as president, would result not just in misguided policies but in the continued delegitimation of the criminal justice system. That delegitimation, with its attendant hostility and aggression toward police officers, has already produced the largest one-year surge in homicides in urban areas in nearly a half-century.

Criminologists have tried for decades to prove that the overrepresentation of blacks in prison is due to criminal-justice racism. They have always come up short. They have been forced to the same conclusion as Michael Tonry in his book, Malign Neglect: "Racial differences in patterns of offending, not racial bias by police and other officials, are the principal reason that such greater proportions of blacks than whites are arrested, prosecuted, convicted and imprisoned," Tonry wrote.

Clinton reiterated her call for "implicit-bias" training for officers. The premise of such training is that police officers are shooting black males out of such bias. Yet, four studies have come out this year alone that demolish this charge. They show that if there is bias among police officers in their shooting decisions, it works in favor of blacks and against whites. "Implicit-bias" training, based on a lie, is a grotesque waste of resources at a time when officers are desperate for more hands-on tactical training that will help them make those crucial shoot/dont shoot decisions in the field, or avoid being put into such an excruciating situation in the first place.

The current mendacious narrative about policing and race has to change or we can expect to see further violent-crime increases and further racial violence. It is clear, however, that Hillary Clinton will continue to enflame racial tensions through a set of lies about the criminal-justice system.

Read the entire piece at the City Journal.
Protests have erupted in El Cajon, CA, after police fatally shot an unidentified man there Tuesday afternoon, reports ABC News.

The El Cajon Police Department said they received a 911 call from the man's sister, saying her brother was "not acting like himself," police said in a press release Tuesday. He was walking in traffic, endangering himself and motorists. Two officers located the man, who was described as being in his 30s, behind a local restaurant in the city, some 16 miles northeast of San Diego.

The man refused multiple instructions to remove his hand from his pocket, which caused one officer to draw his firearm, police said. The man continued to ignore further commands and paced back and forth while officers tried talking to him, according to police.

At one point, the man "rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together and extended them rapidly toward the officer taking up what appeared to be a shooting stance," police said. That's when one officer deployed his Taser while another simultaneously shot his firearm several times, striking the man, according to police. The officer who shot the man has not yet been identified.

The man was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to police.

Since Tuesday, dozens of protesters have gathered at the scene of the shooting, chanting, "Black lives matter!" and "Hands up, don't shoot!"
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After bombing in front of 80+ million people in the first presidential debate against Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump arrived in Florida on Tuesday to do some damage control. This time, though, he came with an old friend and something he sorely missed last night  a teleprompter.

Right out of the gate, Trump told a huge whopper  surprise, surprise  about how people reacted to his god-awful performance on Monday.

Video:

Donald Trump comments on last nights debate: That was an exciting evening for me, folks https://t.co/UYpqI3w42L https://t.co/eSZNH0hKf8  CNN (@CNN) September 27, 2016

Last night was very exciting, the Republican nominee said to open his rally in the Sunshine State. Almost every single poll had us winning the debate against crooked Hillary Clinton.

Trump, as factually challenged as ever, likely didnt see the scientific polling that was released shortly after the debate, which showed that voters across the board  in most cases, by double digits  thought Clinton soared in the what was likely the biggest moment of the entire campaign.

Even in Republican pollster Frank Luntzs focus group, Clinton was widely seen as the victor by 16 out of 21 undecided voters in attendance.

At his Florida rally, the former Celebrity Apprentice host also proved that he can only smack talk the Democratic nominee when hes not in the room with her.

She couldnt even pass her bar exam, Trump said of Clinton to a crowd of supporters, while comfortably behind his Trump-Pence podium. He also repeatedly referred to her as crooked, something he didnt have the guts to do while Clinton was standing just feet away from him.

Instead of owning up to his huge flop, Trump decided to point fingers at one of his favorite punching bags  the media.

The single weapon that shes got is the media, he said of Clinton. Without the mainstream media, she wouldnt even be here, folks, that I can tell you. She wouldnt even have a chance.

While his supporters have spent the post-debate hours pointing fingers at everybody other than their candidate, Trumps poor performance has everything to do with who the man is.

Its nobodys fault but Trumps that he doesnt care to learn anything about policy that would equip him to keep up with Hillary Clinton, who clearly understands the issues. Its nobodys fault but his that he grew increasingly tired and incoherent as the debate wore on. Its nobodys fault but his that he cannot help but respond childishly to every little criticism.

Trump may have quickly hit the campaign trail with his teleprompter to stop the bleeding from last nights debate, but perhaps it would likely be a better use of his time to spend the next 11 days preparing for the second presidential debate on Oct. 9.
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The Trumps continue to gaslight America.

Donald Trump Jr has now redefined the word courage for us. Courage is now when his father decides not to be a total scumbag for a moment. Yes, the bar is very low.

Claiming his father took the high road, Donald Trump Jr told host Simon Conway of 1040 WHO Iowa radio that it took courage for his father to close his mouth for once and also not be a sexist pig.

It took much courage for Donald Trump to avoid trying to shame Hillary Clinton by throwing her husbands affairs in her face during a presidential debate on national TV. This is what passes for courage in Trump land.

Listen here:

Transcription via Buzzfeed:

I mean, he very well couldve looked down  and he said it when he came off the debate stage, I wasnt gonna respond to that question because I saw Chelsea in the front row and I just wasnt gonna go there out of respect for her. And that was a big moment for me and probably will actually become, my life and this campaign, and probably will be something Ill always remember.

I mean, he really took the high ground where he had the opportunity to go very, very low. And Im proud of him for doing that. I mean, Im really proud of him for doing that. And I think people recognize that. I mean, there are a lot of people who came up to me, including many in the media, who said listen, he couldve just crushed her on that last question. And he wouldve probably hurt a family if he did.

I dont know, I think that took a lot of courage in so many regards and I think he really answered that well and took the high ground and kept the high road.

Well isnt that just so impressive! The man who suggests Hillary Clinton might be assassinated wants credit for choosing not to bring up her marital challenges.

We can see how tempting this is for Donald Trump. But what the Trumps dont see is that among normal people, we dont judge a woman based on the behavior of her husband.

Donald Trumps value system is that its okay for him to be married three times and to have had multiple affairs, but its not okay for his female opponent to have been married to someone who had an affair. Its okay for Donald Trump to have said he wanted to date his own daughter, but he assumes that Hillary Clinton will be humiliated and harmed by his misogynistic trolling of trying to bring her down by the actions of her husband.

Its 2016 and most of us are operating with the novel notion that Clinton is responsible for her own behavior and record. But theres no convincing sexist Archies that they arent winning by showing everyone just how sexist and ridiculously knuckle-dragging they are.

Its worth noting that Trump sees his own infidelities as proof of his alpha male status, yet when former President Bill Clinton did it, its bad. One gets the sense that Trump is very jealous of Bill Clinton. But that is his problem and has nothing to do with his opponent, who has her own career, and has had her entire adult life.

Trump reserved the right to toss this in Clintons face at a later date, so perhaps courage is faltering.

That this passes for being high-minded is so absurd as to be deeply troubling, but we must keep in mind that among the Rush Limbaughs of the alt-right, this is indeed an achievement.

Hillary Clinton did not throw Donald Trumps many wives nor their actions in his face. But then, Clinton had better things to throw in his face, like his actual hateful rhetoric and actions toward women, minorities, and more.

The Trump family is seriously lacking any kind of moral center. It should alarm the public that Donald Trump sees Bill Clintons personal life is some kind of Get Out of Jail free card for him. If Trump had any policies worth discussing, this wouldnt tempt him so.

But Trump will go down this road because he cant bear it and isnt capable of not tossing the dirties mud he can get his hands on. The thing is, when he does, I am willing to bet Hillary Clinton will humiliate him with her grace and dignity. I almost cant wait for him to fall into yet another trap of his own making.
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Steve Doocy and company over at Fox & Friends are proving they can still say appallingly stupid things, even without Elizabeth Hasselbeck to fuel the fires.

This morning, they tried to mount a defense of Donald Trumps claims about the supposed effectiveness of stop-and-frisk and New York Citys crime rate. In a few short minutes, the Fox gang showed there was no conservative trope they were not willing to push.

Lets look at some of the claims made by Doocy & Company:

STEVE DOOCY: I think the whole thing about crime and lawlessness that started the conversation was about stop-and-frisk. And [Donald Trump] was making the case that in New York when Rudy Giuliani was doing it, crime went down, which is absolutely true.

Politifact pointed out back in 2007 that no, this is not absolutely true. Yes, crime rates fell, but there are important caveats:

Violent crime in New York began falling three years before Giuliani took office in 1994, U.S. Justice Department records show. Property crime began falling four years before. The decline accelerated during his administration, but the turnaround he claims credit for started before him.

New York was no anomaly, but was part of a trend that saw crime fall sharply nationwide in the 1990s, particularly in big cities. The city with the best record for reducing violent crime during this period? San Francisco.

Independent studies generally have failed to link the tactics of the Giuliani administration with the large decrease in crime rates.

In addition, J. Peter Donald, Assistant Commissioner for Communication & Public Information for the NYPD tweeted a fact-check of Trumps debate claims about the success of stop-and-frisk:

Stop question & frisk has decreased nearly 97% in NYC since '11. Crime, murder, & shootings have decreased significantly during same period  J. Peter Donald (@JPeterDonald) September 27, 2016

He further pointed out that Additionally, #NYC is on pace to have one of the safest years on record for crime. Murders, shootings are  significantly.

None of this stopped Doocy & Company from pushing their absurd claims, in line with the Fox News bubble but not with our shared reality:

DAVID WEBB: The numbers are there, we went from about 2,200 murders down to about 500. The other part of that is stop, question, and frisk actually benefits the poorer communities. The communities that benefitted because the policing occurs in those communities, they benefit. A grandmother can now walk 



DOOCY: But they say its racial profiling.



WEBB: No, its not. Criminal profiling, weve talked about this before, is different from racial profiling. Criminal profiling, perfectly lawful, upheld in 1968, Terry v. Cook, stop and frisk is the constitutional, the law of the land. Lester Holt was completely wrong in how he classified what happened with Judge Scheindlin, who declared the practice unconstitutional, but not the law. And by the way, that was then fought, and the case wasnt taken up again.

Actually, it IS racial profiling. Politifact also reported that a 1999 study by the New York Attorney Generals Office found that Stop and Frisk was unevenly applied  minorities were stopped disproportionately.

After this, things just turned childish, which, is at least entirely in consistent with the tone of the Trump campaign:

BRIAN KILMEADE: And shes a cop-resenting judge, and everyone knows it.



[]



The other thing that came out is that [Hillary Clinton is] also is saying that we (added space)have an implicit bias as Americans, and that were going to retrain law enforcement. Really?



WEBB: OK, lets take this farce called implicit bias and white privilege. Thats exactly what it is. Its kind of saying, I go to sleep, and suddenly I wake up and I have an implicit bias I didnt know I had this before.



KILMEADE: No, you came out of the womb that way, thats what shes saying.



WEBB: And you can acquire it at any time. This thing is like allergies, apparently it can happen at any time. Difference is allergies, you know you have an issue. Implicit bias is simply a political issue, its a wedge that they use. Its this safe-space crowd, its this whole we need to pad the walls for everyone.



DOOCY: Is this just to get out the vote?



WEBB: Yes. The answer is yes.

According to Fox & Friends, talking about a very real bias against minorities is just to get out the vote. Naturally, we cannot argue that it is to begin a dialogue that will lead to improving the condition of minorities in our country, because that would be admitting racism exists in the first place, and Fox News has long since revealed that it is Barack Obama who is responsible for racism.

Unable to face a truth they cannot admit to, because it would pop their reality bubble, the gang at Fox & Friends are forced to revert to childishness, lies, and mockery of facts instead. Anything to avoid discussing actual problems. After all, why do that when they can push Trumps invented problems instead?
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First Lady Michelle Obama built on the positive momentum Hillary Clinton gained from the first presidential debate by taking apart Donald Trump in Philadelphia, PA.

The First Lady hit Trump for his birtherism:

.@FLOTUS: Trump's birther claims can't be "swept under the rug by an insincere sentence" at a press conference. https://t.co/aoWwbbT43x  ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) September 28, 2016

Mrs. Obama said, There are those who question and continue to question for the last eight years whether my husband was born in this country and let me say, hurtful deceitful questions deliberately designed to undermine his presidency. Questions that can not be blamed on others or swept under the rug by an insincere sentence uttered at a press conference.

Obama also hit Trump for not being adult enough to occupy the White House:

She said, We also need somebody who is steady and measured, because when making life and death, war and peace decisions, the president cant just pop off, or lash out irrationally. No. We need an adult in the White House. I guarantee you.

The First Lady also urged young people to get out and vote:

First Lady Obama said, Elections arent just about who votes, but who doesnt vote, and that is especially true of young people like you.

For Donald Trump to win, the electorate has to be older, whiter, and more Republican than it was in 2008 and 2012. If the Obama coalition turns out in similar numbers as they did in 2012, Hillary Clinton will win. Donald Trump isnt riding a wave of popularity. His only chance of winning comes if Democrats dont vote.

Mrs. Obamas destruction of Trump in Philadelphia was designed to get young, and African-American voters fired up and out to the polls. Democrats are putting their plan in place to motivate the base in the final weeks of the election.

Donald Trumps downward spiral was only made worse by the First Ladys compelling campaigning for Hillary Clinton.
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A group opposed to a proposed high-speed rail line between Rochester and the Twin Cities is sponsoring an upcoming candidate forum.

Citizens Concerned About Rail has partnered with Hiawatha Valley Toastmasters, Goodhue County Farm Bureau and Farmers Union to host the public forum. Candidates running for the 2nd Congressional District and Senate District 21 have been invited. The forum comes as North American High Speed Rail Group is studying whether to move ahead with a privately funded, elevated high-speed rail line that would run along the U.S. 52 corridor.

The forum will be at 7 p.m. on Oct. 6 at Cannon Falls High School Auditorium. Candidates will have information displays set up in the atrium beginning at 6 p.m. According to a news release, "debate questions will focus on issues confronting rural Minnesota communities in general and agriculture in particular." The event is free and open to the public.
More than 500 local IBMemployees will be out of the office today as they participate in a Day of Caring event throughout the area.

More than 60 teams of volunteers are scheduled to help various nonprofits during either the morning or afternoon round of projects. The "60for60" Day of Caring was set up as a part of IBM's 60th anniversary in Rochester celebration, according to IBM's Jennie Lemire.

The teams are expected to help Channel One Food Bank, Salvation Army, 125 Live, Family Service Rochester, United Way of Olmsted County, Bear Creek Services, PossAbilities, the Rochester Area Family Y, Assisi Heights and Seasons Hospice.

The projects vary from outdoor maintenance to delivering refurbished computers to low-income families. Other projects include radio-frequency identification tagging, packing food and dental kits, cleaning or painting.

This Day of Caring also is the kickoff to IBM Rochester's 2016 Employee Charitable Contribution Campaign for October.

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Rochester's newest chiropractor is hosting an open house at his office in the Uptown Square building, formerly known as Moga Square, at 2001 Second St. SW.

Dr. Brandon Mickelson, who opened Specific Chiropractic early this summer, is opening up his office to the public from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday.

The event will feature tours and refreshments as well as a chance to schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Mickelson.
ST. PAUL  Gov. Mark Dayton signed an emergency executive order Tuesday proclaiming a state of emergency in southern Minnesota due to the flooding from rainfall that began last week.

The rain, which began on Sept. 21, caused damage to public infrastructure and private property in 23 counties across southern Minnesota including Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Steele, Wabasha and Winona counties.

Dayton also directed the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management along with all other state agencies to provide assistance to affected communities.

On Friday, the Goodhue County Board of Commissioners held an emergency meeting to declare a state of emergency due to the rain and flooding in Goodhue County.
ST. CHARLES  Envirolastech, the company that plans to build a manufacturing facility in the St. Charles business park along Interstate 90, has applied for a grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development's Job Creation Fund program.

On Tuesday, the city council unanimously supported the company's grant request.

"They're doing their due diligence to secure funding," said St. Charles Mayor John Schaber. The grant request is a positive sign that the company is working toward completing its development.

In other business, the city council solidified its plans for a 40 kilowatt solar array. The problem, said Schaber, is the planned array would have trouble fitting on the roof of the Golden Living Center senior housing center. The council and solar installer considered placing the array at an alternate site, but that would set a precedent of allowing net metering  the most profitable way of earning credit from a solar array  from a site away from where the power is being used on a smaller installation.

"My concern is setting a precedent," Shaber said, adding that it would open the doors to allow stand-alone solar arrays all over town. "We'll proceed with the project as long as its on the existing site."

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Finally, the council gave final approval to change the city's zoning ordinance for property from light industrial to downtown commercial to allow J&S Automotive to open a new shop downtown.
WEST CONCORD  "There might be resentment, darkness, sadness and some wishing it were different," said Bishop John M. Quinn. "But give it to God  to give thanks and to focus on the blessings."

Tuesday night marked the final Mass at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, in West Concord. The service, led by Quinn, who heads the Diocese of Winona, attracted some 70 parishioners, from roughly 30 to 40 families.

"There were really mixed feelings," said Karen Zastrow, 45, of West Concord. "For me, it doesn't matter what building we have, it's about the community. It's really bittersweet."

The parishioners partook in communion, sang hymns and prayed in silence for the last time before St. Vincent de Paul ceases to hold regular services and becomes an oratory.

On Oct. 1, the church, among 21 parishes in the diocese set to close due to changing demographics and a lack of resources in the region, will merge with a cluster of other nearby parishes. Regular services will now be held at St. John Baptiste de la Salle Parish, in nearby Dodge Center. The West Concord church will be available for weddings, funerals and other special occasions. The church in Claremont, St. Francis de Sales, also closed.

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"It's heart-rending, and very sad," said Dianne Vangness, secretary of Triton Parishes . "Now, we're seeing our family scatter. We're not going to see them everyday. It's been a long process, but now we're getting closure."

The history of the church began with one telephone call from a local parishioner to resident Claremont pastor Rev. George H. Smith in January 1945. This began the process of forming a mission parish in West Concord, according to the Triton Parishes website.

For many who have attended the church, Tuesday's service offered closure. A roller coaster of emotions took hold of many parishioners over the last couple of months. However, now it's time to move forward and find another church.

"It's a strange feeling to lose what you had," said Beverly Chicos, 69, of West Concord. "We're losing our family. Now we may go in different directions."

The Rev. Thien Nguyen, who led the parish, will move on to Slayton. There, a cluster of churches were in desperate need for a priest. The Rev. Tom Niehaus, 38, of Owatonna, will be leading St. John Baptise de la Salle, where he'll help many parishioners transition into a new congregation.

Services will be held at 5 p.m. on Saturdays in Dodge Center, 8 a.m. on Sundays in Hayfield, and 10 a.m. on Sundays in Blooming Prairie.

"I see my role as encouraging the people in these parishes," Niehaus said. "Praying with the people, working with the people and receiving blessings in the name of Jesus Christ."

With that, the last parishioner left the building. The lights went out and the doors were locked.

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HEMPSTEAD, N.Y.  Hillary Clinton accused Donald Trump of self-dealing and racism and he attacked her long political record as empty and ineffectual as the two rivals bared their deep personal dislike Monday in a slashing and sharply pointed first presidential debate.

The two differed  among many issues  over taxes, the state of the economy and how to mend the country's fraught race relations.

Mostly they clashed over the virtues of a career spent in public service, as Clinton has done, versus the role of a political neophyte, like Trump, who has devoted himself to building a personal real estate fortune and fame as a reality TV star.

Clinton accused Trump of favoring massive tax cuts for the well-to-do, such as himself, in a return to the kind of trickle-down economics that led to the Great Recession.

"I call it Trumped-up trickle-down," she said, suggesting it would add trillions of dollars to the national debt and pitch the economy back into recession.

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Trump asserted she was wrong and said his plan would have a galvanizing effect, creating millions of good-paying jobs and contrasting that with Clinton's "all-talk" approach to economic policy.

"Typical politician," he scoffed.

Testy from 'go'

The 90-minute session on the campus of Long Island's Hofstra University was testy from the start. Within moments, the candidates began talking over each other as they argued about their histories, their plans and comments each has made over the course of the rancorous campaign.

Trump, in his eagerness to one-up Clinton, made some unforced errors that Democrats were certain to jump on, including a near-concession that he paid no taxes.

Trump, who spent much of the night on the defensive, deflected persistent questions about whether he would release his tax returns by claiming he is under audit, something he has repeatedly said prevented him from disclosure. Lester Holt, the moderator, pointed out that there was no prohibition on releasing them during an audit.

"I think you've just seen another example of bait-and-switch here," Clinton said. "I have no reason to believe he's ever going to release his tax returns because there's something he's hiding."

She then accused Trump of having something to hide, suggesting a number of possibilities: he is not as wealthy as he says; he is not as charitable as he says; he has financial conflicts of interest he does not want to disclose; or he is not paying any income taxes.

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"That makes me smart," Trump said, interrupting Clinton.

But he said he would violate his attorneys' advice to keep his returns private  and release them instead  if Clinton would put out the 33,000 emails she deleted from the private server she used when she was secretary of state.

Clinton tersely stated, "I made a mistake using a private email."

"That's for sure," Trump interjected.

"And if I had to do it over again, I would, obviously, do it differently," she said.

"That was more than a mistake," Trump said, "that was done purposely."

He called her conduct disgraceful.

'More crazy things'

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Trump also repeated his assertions that foreign trade has gutted America's working class, singling out the North American Free Trade Agreement signed by Clinton's husband, President Bill Clinton, and painting his Democratic opponent as a hapless bureaucrat who watched as China and Mexico stole the country's jobs.

Clinton suggested Trump would say anything, true or not, to personally get ahead.

"I have a feeling by the end of this debate I am going to be blamed for everything that ever happened," she said through a broad smile.

"Why not?" Trump responded.

"Join the debate by saying more crazy things," Clinton fired back.

Clinton, who has spent the better part of four decades in public life, was unquestionably the better-versed in matters of policy and substance, and it showed as she repeatedly offered multi-layered plans that contrasted with Trump's vagueness.

But he repeatedly sought to turn her many years in public office against her, ticking off repeated problems and suggesting she had done nothing during her long political career to help solve them.

"It's politicians like Secretary Clinton that have caused this problem," he said at one point, discussing the nation's crumbling infrastructure.

Clinton went after Trump's business record, challenging his main credential, accusing him of filing for bankruptcy multiple times and repeatedly stiffing contractors as he built on the handsome financial stake his father handed him starting out.

She accused him of being "one of the people who rooted for the housing crisis" because it would help his bottom line.

"That's called business," he shot back.

Business success

Trump repeatedly recounted his business success, including what he said was hundreds of millions of dollars in income last year as he ran for president.

"Not to be braggadocios," he said. "It's about time that this country had somebody running it that has an idea about money."

Trump did not shy away from some of the more colorful and controversial things he has said during the campaign and throughout his history in business.

Asked about race relations, he repeated his depiction of inner-city life as living hell for Latinos and African-Americans. "You walk down the street, you get shot," Trump said.

Clinton said her rival greatly exaggerated the level of violence and downplayed the success and dignity of minority communities. She faulted Trump for advocating "stop-and-frisk" policies that were seen as racial profiling by critics and ruled unconstitutional.

"We've got to address the systemic racism in our criminal justice system," Clinton said. "We cannot just say 'law and order.' We have to come up with a plan."

Clinton also jabbed at Trump by saying he believed that climate change was a "hoax" perpetrated by the Chinese government. "I do not say that," Trump responded sharply, though he has.

Much of the pre-debate focus fell on Holt and whether he would fact-check the candidates in real time or leave the two to point out each other's falsehoods or hyperbole.

He largely receded to the background, though at one point he corrected Trump during a discussion of the so-called "birther" issue  the falsehood he perpetuated that President Barack Obama was not born in the United States.

Trump said he solved the problem in 2011 by forcing Obama to release his long-form birth certificate. But Holt pointed out that Trump continued to question Obama as recently as January of this year.

Clinton noted that early in his real estate career Trump was sued for allegedly refusing to rent New York City apartments to black tenants and suggested that was a part of a pattern. "He has a long record of engaging in racist behavior and the birther lie was a very hurtful one," Clinton said.

Iraq invasion

Holt interceded again when Trump falsely denied his early support for the Iraq War, which Clinton also backed at the time.

"Donald supported the invasion of Iraq," Clinton said. "That has been proven."

"Wrong. Wrong. Wrong," Trump interrupted. "I did not support the war in Iraq. That is mainstream media nonsense put out by her."

Holt pushed back, pointing out that Trump was, indeed, on the record with his initial support.

The first debate of the fall general election campaign was preceded by a Super Bowl-level of hype, and the audience for the 90-minute session was expected to approach that of the nation's biggest annual television gathering, with perhaps as many as 100 million viewers tuning in.

Less certain was how many minds would change based on what the Democratic and Republican rivals said and did during their time on stage.

History shows that debates tend to reinforce pre-existing perceptions rather than move a mass of voters or cause a significant number to change their minds and switch support.

Two more to come

Still, in a competitive contest between two candidates who evince passionately held views  both positive and negative  the prospect of a direct, face-to-face confrontation produced one of the most widely anticipated political events in memory. The event fell just over six weeks before Election Day on Nov. 8.

Adding to the drama was the asymmetric nature of the confrontation.

Clinton was by far the more experienced debater, having participated in more than three dozen going back to her first run for U.S. Senate in New York in 2000, and it often showed.

For Trump, the session was his first one-on-one encounter with a political opponent and he often vented his frustration by interrupting Clinton with glib remarks or appealing to Holt to allow him to continue speaking beyond his allotted time.

Clinton entered the debate in the stronger political position, holding a consistent lead in most national surveys and, more significant, an advantage in the route to 270 Electoral College votes.

The two major independent candidates, Libertarian Gary Johnson and the Green Party's Jill Stein, were excluded from the debate stage, having failed to meet the level of support in polls that was set by the debate organizers as a threshold to participate.

Clinton and Trump are scheduled to debate twice more, on Oct. 9 in St. Louis and Oct. 19 in Las Vegas.

Their running mates, Democratic Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine and Republican Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, are set to debate a single time, Oct. 4 in Farmville, Va.
More talks planned in effort to end nurses strike

MINNEAPOLIS  More negotiations are planned in an effort to resolve a nurses' strike at five Twin Cities-area hospitals that began more than three weeks ago.

A federal mediator called both sides back to the bargaining table Tuesday for the first time since the walkout began Labor Day in a dispute over health insurance, workplace safety and staffing levels.

A statement issued by Allina Health says both sides agreed to adjourn late Tuesday night and to reconvene Wednesday morning to continue their discussions. The statement provided no details on whether the health system and the Minnesota Nurses Association had made any progress toward resolving the dispute.

The affected hospitals are Abbott Northwestern and the Phillips Eye Institute in Minneapolis, United in St. Paul, Unity in Fridley and Mercy in Coon Rapids.  Associated Press

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Somali community seeks answers in mall stabbings

ST. CLOUD  Somali community members in St. Cloud are growing restless with the lack of fresh information on the investigation into why a man stabbed 10 people in a shopping mall before being shot and killed by an off-duty police officer.

Abdul Kulane, who was a 2014 City Council candidate, writes in the St. Cloud Times that releasing security video from the night of Sept. 17 when 20-year-old Dahir Adan was killed would help the community see for itself what happened. He said questions likely will linger until the video is public.

The FBI has taken the lead in the investigation into Adan and whether there was any terrorist connection.

Stearns County Attorney Janelle Kendall says the investigation is progressing toward a time when the video, and more, will be released.  Associated Press

Judge tosses restraining order against blogger

MINNEAPOLIS  A judge has thrown out a restraining order against a Minnesota blogger who has written about two Lakeville sisters who went missing.

The Washington County judge on Tuesday said the woman who accused Michael Brodkorb of harassment brought the petition in the wrong county.

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Brodkorb has been covering the case of Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, who was sentenced last week for hiding her two daughters for more than two years.

Grazzini-Rucki filed a restraining order petition against Brodkorb, claiming he had followed her and intimidated her. In her petition, Grazzini-Rucki listed her home address as the Stillwater business address of her attorney, Michelle MacDonald.

Judge John McBride granted the order. But McBride threw out the order, saying Brodkorb did not live in Washington County.  Associated Press

Flood damage estimates rise in Waseca

WASECA  Estimates of flood damage are rising in Waseca.

Waseca County's emergency management director, Nancy Lageson, said that the county's assessment has doubled since last week's heavy rain, with at least 75 percent of the homes in the area damaged by flooding.

A line nearly 200 yards long of trucks and cars filled with wet carpets, furniture and waterlogged TVs and appliances was lined up Monday at the city's debris dump site.

John McGuire was hauling a trailer with carpet and furniture and was making his fifth trip to the dump, with more to come. He said his family had 10 inches of water in their basement.  Associated Press

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Dayton issues emergency order to address flooding

ST. PAUL  Gov. Mark Dayton is declaring an executive order to help combat flooding damage from heavy rains across Minnesota.

That rain struck Sept. 21, damaging infrastructure and properties in more than 20 counties in central and southern Minnesota. Dayton's emergency executive order signed Tuesday directs several state agencies to assist in the cleanup and repairs.

Those heavy rains hammered Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and other parts of the Midwest. Up to 10 inches of rain were recorded in the region.  Associated Press

Legionnaire's outbreak grows to 20 cases

HOPKINS  An outbreak of Legionnaires' disease is growing in Hopkins.

The Minnesota Department of Health said Tuesday it has confirmed three additional cases of the disease in the Minneapolis suburb, bringing the total to 20.

Health officials say all of the cases, including the new ones, involve people who live, work or were in a small part of Hopkins during the 10 days before they became ill.

The 20 cases include one death. Sixteen of the 20 people were or are hospitalized.

Legionnaires' disease is a bacterial infection that people get from inhaling contaminated mist or vapor. It is not spread person-to-person. The state Health Department continues to investigate potential sources of the outbreak.  Associated Press
Sept. 21 was the International Day of Peace. In 1981, the United Nations designated the third Tuesday of September as an International Day of Peace, then in 2001 changed the day to Sept. 21 every year.

Several groups sponsored two events in Rochester to celebrate this day. While the Post Bulletin listed these events in Faith Focus in the Sept. 17, weekend edition and the community calendar, I could find no other coverage. Given the urgent need for peace, they warrant more coverage.

Current wars are causing untold numbers of deaths, millions of refugees and diverting trillions of dollars from addressing the climate crisis and urgent human needs.

On Sept. 17, the first of the events, Mel Duncan, one of the co-founders of the Nonviolent Peaceforce, spoke at the Unitarian Universalist Church. He provided examples of the work done by Nonviolent Peaceforce, which is an unarmed, paid civilian protection force that fosters dialogue during conflict, provides a protective presence for threatened civilians and seeks to strengthen civil society.

Protecting unarmed civilians nonviolently has proven effective worldwide. In Sri Lanka, a group of children were abducted to become child soldiers and these peacekeepers went with the mothers of the children and negotiated their release. Eventually they were able to stop the use of children for soldiers. In the South Sudan, women gathering firewood were often raped but when accompanied Nonviolent Peaceforce members, the rapes stopped.

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Nonviolent Peaceforce teams are international, evenly divided by gender and include members from the host country. They are in South Sudan, the Philippines, the Middle East, Myanmar and Ukraine, and they worked in Sri Lanka for eight years.

According to a 2015 U.N. report, "Unarmed civilian protection is a method for direct protection of civilians and violence reduction that has grown in practice and recognition. In the last few years, it has especially proven its effectiveness to protect women and girls."

The American Friends Service Committee nominated Nonviolent Peaceforce for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize. AFSC wrote: "Awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Nonviolent Peaceforce would highlight and strengthen their work and the work of other similar organizations, at a time when worldwide tensions seem to be at a boiling point, and their work is vital and relevant."

Duncan was one of 80 people from 25 nations invited to Rome by the Vatican last April to help the Catholic Church consider it's Just War Doctrine. The group urged an emphasis on nonviolence. Duncan ended his presentation here with the thought that our choice is between nonviolence or no survival.

On Sept. 21, an event in Lourdes Chapel at Assisi Heights had a theme of "The Sustainable Development Goals: Building Blocks of Peace." Of the 17 U.N. sustainable development goals, four were emphasized: compassion, restorative and racial justice, care of the Earth and nonviolence, with several area residents providing personal insights on those core topics.

The events led me to recall the words of Nobel Peace Laureate Mariread Maguire from Northern Ireland, who said after the Rome conference: "I believe we are at an important and hopeful turning point in human history, a turning from violence to nonviolence, from war to peace."

Let us so hope and work for that turning.

Rich Van Dellen of Rochester is a retired physician and member of Southeast Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers.
Congressional candidate Jim Moylan will not let truth or distortions stop him from saying anything to get elected. It is up to political analy Read morePolitical ploys at the last part of election?
A measure creating a bill of rights for renewable energy customers received support from both private energy providers and public utility entities during a recent public hearing this week.

Bill No. 355-33, the measure introduced by Sen. Frank Aguon, highlights the growth of the renewable energy industry on island, which made the technology readily available.

The rising cost of utilities and the introduction of solar energy leasing, power purchase agreements and direct purchase arrangements has made the acquisition of solar energy and other renewable energy technologies not only very accessible but readily available to all residential and commercial consumers of energy, according to the bill.

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With this growth in mind, Aguon said his measure outlines a number of provisions that would afford protection for the consumers of renewable energy, giving them the opportunity to acknowledge and to know exactly what they are purchasing prior to the installation of the system.

According to the bill, there are currently no protections in place for these residential and commercial entities from unsavory business practices in the industry, which may end up costing these consumers more money than they could have otherwise saved if their installation practice and equipment was regulated.

Jeffrey Voacolo, chief operations officer of Micronesia Renewable Energy Inc., said he supports the bill 100 percent. He said the unprecedented growth the renewable energy industry achieved in the last three years was made possible through private equity.

However, while the industry has grown during the last three years, he has seen consumers get hurt by predatory contractors coming in with products that are substandard and not passed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

We have seen contractors come in, built systems for consumers without giving them production guarantees, which we think is very, very wrong. That has to be in this bill, he said, adding, We think the bill covers a lot. Not only what you think should be done to protect the consumers of Guam but also a lot of industry standards. Most states adhere to these standards. They are a must to get a solar system passed.

GPA, CCU comments

John Benavente, Guam Power Authority general manager, said it is reasonable and prudent for the renewable energy industry to be regulated to provide for the protection of renewable energy customers.

GPA believes that it is important for the consumers to be educated before they enter into long-term agreements for renewable energy. Currently, there are no organizations that consumers could contact in the event that their rights have been violated, he said.

Meanwhile, Consolidated Commission on Utilities chairman Joseph Duenas said he also fully supports the bill. While the proposal to have a round-table for the bill was floated during the public hearing, Duenas said he supports the idea and suggested bringing in entities such as the University of Guam, the Department of Revenue and Taxation, and the insurance commissioner to broaden the group and solicit input for the development of a set of rules and regulations.

Fundamental rights

The fundamental rights outlined in the bill include the right of all of factual information that the consumer will need to make a well-informed decision when purchasing, leasing or signing up for a solar energy lease, power purchase agreements (PPA) and direct purchase arrangements provided by the seller or installer.

It also emphasized that consumers have the right to be educated on the installation process  ensuring installation is in compliance with DPW codes and GEPA regulations  and that all materials used meet or exceed industry standards for that particular technology

Consumers also have the right to guaranteed maintenance, troubleshooting and insurance program free of charge for the life of the contract offered by the seller or installer. Moreover, consumers have the right to all consumer protection laws and practices and the right to be immediately provided with documents necessary to claim any and all tax credits or other incentives applicable for the system.
MTN Group on Wednesday said the accusation by the Senate that its Nigerian subsidiary, MTN Nigeria, illegally repatriated about $13.92 billion from the country was completely unfounded and without any merit.

MTNs attention has been drawn to various media reports containing allegations of improper repatriation of money out of Nigeria by the company.

The reports refer to allegations made on the floor of the Senate MTN had illegally repatriated $13.92 billion out of Nigeria over a period of 10 years in collusion with a number of commercial banks.

The allegations made against MTN are completely unfounded and without any merit, MTN Nigeria CEO, Ferdi Moolman, said in a terse rebuttal from the telecom groups Johannesburg, South Africa base.

Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West, on Thursday raised the matter on the floor of the senate accusing the South African firm of the illegal transfer from Nigeria, depriving the country of its mandatory tax.

Following Mr. Melayes presentation, the lawmakers were particularly irked by the allegation that the firm used four Nigerian commercial banks and a serving minister to commit the alleged offence.

Between 2006 and 2016, MTN, in collaboration with four commercial banks and with the help of a serving Minister, moved over $12billion out of this country, Mr. Melaye said.

Despite the rebuttal, PREMIUM TIMES investigation almost a year ago had uncovered how the telecom giant reputed to be Africas largest, manipulated Nigerian tax regulations to ferret billions of dollars abroad, without paying due tax to Nigerian authorities.

PREMIUM TIMES investigations revealed how MTN deployed various tax avoidance and transfer pricing schemes to outwit Nigerian tax agencies to launder billions to notorious tax havens abroad.

Findings showed how MTN Nigeria, paid billions to two overseas subsidiaries  MTN Dubai and MTN International in Mauritius  both located in tax havens.

MTN Mauritius is a shell company with no staff and physical presence in the capital Port Louis, apart a post office letter box.

For instance, in 2013 the company budgeted about N11.398 billion from its Nigerian operation, later transferred to MTN Dubai.

A similar transfer of N11.789 billion was effected by MTN Ghana to the same MTN Dubai, making a total of N23.187 billion shipped to the Dubai offshore account.

The transfers did not receive official approval from the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), the Nigerian agency mandated to oversee such transfers.

NOTAP officials in charge of such approvals equally ignored several freedom of information requests from PREMIUM TIMES seeking clarifications over transfer, suggesting a high level official compromise.

Based on the apparent understanding with its top officials, NOTAP quashed with impunity an estimated N90.2 billion due to Nigerian government as management fees from agreement with MTN since its commencement of business in 2002.

Until 2010, MTN Nigeria had an agreement with MTN Dubai to pay 1.75 per cent of all its revenues to the company as management fees and royalties for the use of the MTN trademark.
States with active mining of solid minerals in their domains are to receive 13 per cent derivation revenue, just as their counterparts in oil and gas producing areas, the federal government has said.

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Kayode Fayemi, who said this in Abeokuta, Ogun State, said serious-minded operators in the mining sector would soon be granted access by the government to the intervention finance for mining from the National Resource Fund.

The minister, who was addressing the opening of the National Council on Finance and Economic Development (NACOFED) on Tuesday, did not say when the payment would begin.

The National Resource Fund is about 1.6 per cent revenue allocation from the Federation Account set aside by the federal government for agriculture, solid minerals and water resources development.

The minister said President Muhammadu Buhari had already given approval for the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development to grant active players in the sector access to the fund.

The Minister, who spoke on the topic, Non-oil sector as a sustainable alternative in enhancing revenue generation, said funding has remained a major challenge to the development of the sector.

Mr. Fayemi was however optimistic access to the mining intervention fund, coupled with funding to be provided by Nigerian banks, would boost sector growth.

This is a significant shift. It signposts federal governments commitment to facilitating a win-win situation for all stakeholders in the mining sector, the minister said.

He said payment of 13 per cent derivation to states would deepen the ministrys partnership with the state governments.

Besides, he said arrangements were afoot to establish a Council of Mining and Mineral Resources Development, a quarterly forum for the minister, commissioners responsible for mining and natural resources at the states as well as other relevant government officials.

The forum would be an avenue to discuss pertinent issues on the mining sector, which are of concern to the federal and state governments. It will also allow us to track progress on agreed areas of collaboration, Mr. Fayemi said.

The minister also unfolded the ministrys plan to set up zonal offices of the Mining Cadastral Office, to bring its operations closer to the states.

Equally, he said the federal government would work with states to find commercial means to co-invest alongside private companies to bring mining assets to market faster and more profitably.

The minister assured state government the right regulatory frameworks to encourage investors comply with global best practices in resource extraction, by integrating all relevant environmental protocols to conduct mining activities and related business.

This is why ecological justice is one of the major planks of our approach to the repositioning of the solid minerals sector, the minister said.
The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice said it held 89 sessions, received 46 new cases and delivered 34 judgements and 13 rulings in its 2015/2016 Legal Year.

The Vice President of the court, Justice Micah Wright, made this known at a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday ahead of the inauguration of the 2016/2017 Legal Year.

Mr. Wright added that the court had held 694 sessions and delivered 136 judgements and 100 rulings since its inception in 1993.

Between January 2001 when the judges were sworn in and January 2005, only two cases were filed.

However, by the end of 2005, the number of cases had increased by six, a trend that remained in the ascendancy with an exponential increase in the number of cases filed before the court mostly for human rights violations.

In statistical terms, the court has since inception held 694 sessions, received 271 cases, delivered 136 judgements and 100 rulings as well as delivered four advisory opinions and 17 decisions for the revision of decisions as at Sept. 26, 2015.

Specifically, since the last legal year, the court has held 89 decisions, received 46 new cases, delivered 34 judgements and 13 rulings and dealt with two applications for the revision of its decisions.

The courts vice president said that the number of cases handled by the court was an indication that the citizens recognised and appreciated the role the court was playing in promoting human rights, transparent democracy, and good governance.

He further said that the court relied on and applied the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights in discharging its human rights mandate.

He added that the court also included other instruments to which member states were signatory because of the absence of a regional human rights instrument.

Responding to questions from journalists, the Chief Registrar of the court, Tony Anene-Maidoh, said that the non-implementation of the decisions of the court by member states remained a challenge.

Ms. Anene-Maidoh, however, said that 21 decisions of the court had so far been complied with while the court was awaiting response from member states on the implementation of 34 other decisions.

There are some judgements that do not require enforcement because maybe the court just pronounces the law  i.e. says something to that effect  but they do not require that member states give us returns regarding such cases.

We can tell you definitely that 21 (decisions) have been complied with or enforced and on 34 other judgements, we are still waiting to hear from the member states information regarding the status of implementation of those 4 decisions.

Part of the problem is that most of the member states have not appointed the competent national authority responsible for the enforcement and it is only that body that should give us information regarding the compliance or enforcement.

The chief registrar said that the Republic of Guinea, Nigeria, Mali, and Burkina Faso were the only member states that had appointed the relevant authorities to implement the decisions of the court.

He, however, added that efforts were being made to sensitise member states to the need to appoint designated authorities to ensure implementation of the courts judgements.

He added that the appointment of such authorities would enhance cooperation between member states and the court.

The 2016/2017 Legal Year will be launched on Friday.

The theme for the year is: `The Contributions of the ECOWAS Court of Justice in the Fight against Terrorist Financing and Money Laundering within the West African sub-region: the perspective of GIABA.

GIABA is the French acronym for the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa.

(NAN)
Ehud Olmert, the first former prime minister in Israels history to go behind bars, has had eight months tacked onto his 19-month sentence for corruption, a court statement said on Wednesday.

The Supreme Court in Jerusalem rejected the 70-year-olds appeal in one of several corruption counts, leading to the extra time.

Mr. Olmert, who served as premier from 2006 to 2009, entered Maasiyahu Prison south-east of Tel Aviv in February for bribe-taking and obstruction of justice.

He is being held in a special ward, dubbed by Israeli media as the prisons VIP wing, due to his knowledge of state secrets.

His crimes date to when he served as mayor of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2003, and as trade and industry minister immediately afterwards.

The court said during this period, he developed a give-and-take relationship with the developer of a luxury housing project.

The court said that it was proved beyond reasonable doubt that his assistant had accepted money from the developer on behalf of Mr. Olmert in 2004.

Report says many other high-ranking officials have also been implicated in the affair and are serving time in the same ward as him.

(dpa/NAN)
Turkish Justice Minister, Bekir Bozdag, said on Wednesday in Istanbul, as the government carried out another crackdown, that 32,000 people have been arrested since the failed coup in July.

He explained that among those arrested, some are remanded in custody while others have been freed on bail.

Government has also fired by decree more than 50,000 civil servants and suspended tens of thousands more.

The minister said government has released some 38,000 prisoners, jailed before the coup, to free up space for the wave of new arrests, all of whom are accused of having some links to Gulen.

Mr. Bozdag said further that government also planned to build dozens of new prisons, amid reports of overcrowding.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that July 15 coup detat attempt in Turkey saw tanks rolled onto the streets of Ankara and Istanbul.

Uniformed soldiers blocked the famous Bosphorus Bridge connecting the European and Asian sides of Istanbul.

The attempt was carried out by a faction within the Turkish Armed Forces that organised themselves as the Peace at Home Council.

Media outlets were forced off air, and social media experienced outages.

Shortly before midnight local time, a faction of the military issued a statement, saying the political administration has lost all legitimacy and has been forced to withdraw.

Meanwhile, Turkish government blamed the coup on Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based Turkish cleric, who denied the charges.

Ankara is demanding his extradition from the United States.

Mr. Gulen said that he would obey any extradition ruling from the United States and insisted that he had nothing to do with the uprising.

(dpa/NAN)
The Taliban leaders followed the U.S. presidential debate closely and expressed displeasure at Republican candidate Donald Trump, whom they considered non-serious.

Taliban Spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said by telephone, on Wednesday, that the leaders watched Mondays televised debate from a secret location in Afghanistan.

According to him, neither Trump nor Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton talked about their intentions for Afghanistan.

He added that they were not impressed.

Mr. Mujahid said further that the leaders also have harsh words for Trump, a political newcomer, who has attacked what he calls the failed policies of the Washington political classes.

He said that the Taliban leaders considered Trump a non-serious candidate who said anything that comes to his tongue, the spokesman said.

Mr. Mujahid said that the leaders advised that the next U.S. president should learn from the mistakes of their predecessors.

He said the Taliban leaders, questioned that Why are the U.S. hated worldwide, its because of their aggressive policies.

They invade other peoples countries and kill innocent human beings for their vested interests, they said.

The election winner will have to decide future policy for what has been Americas longest war, started after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 triggered a U.S.-led campaign that toppled the Taliban government in Kabul.

President Barack Obama this year shelved plans to halve the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan and instead has kept 8,400 troops there until the end of his presidency, leaving further decisions to his successor.

Mr. Mujahid said that they added that Both Obama, in whose administration Clinton served as Secretary of State, and former President George W. Bush had wasted 15 years and billions of dollars without being able to defeat the Taliban.

There is a choice for the upcoming president, whether he or she would like to suffer human and financial losses to continue their invasion of Afghanistan or they want to let the people of Afghanistan decide their affairs.

If the new president doesnt change policy, the Taliban will continue their armed struggle until they are expelled from Afghanistan, they said.

(Reuters/NAN)
The House of Representatives on Wednesday suspended Abdulmumin Jibrin, a lawmaker from Kano at the centre of the unfolding budget padding scandal, for 180 legislative days.

The House seats three days in a week and this consequently means that Mr. Jibrins suspension would last more than a year.

In a motion recommended by House Ethics Committee chairman, Nicholas Ossai, and adopted by the whole House, Mr. Jibrin will also not be able to hold any position of responsibility for the span of the current National Assembly.

Mr. Jibrin began stirring what experts now described as one Africas biggest parliamentary scandals in recent memory on July 21, a day after he was eased out as chairman of the powerful committee.

Although the House was taking a two-month recess at the time, Mr. Jibrin remained resolute in his quest to end the massive corruption in the House.

My resolve to champion this cause was borne out of patriotism and desire to complement the present administrations anti-corruption war from the legislative front, Mr. Jibrin said in an email to PREMIUM TIMES on August 21.

Mr. Jibrin said the campaign had earned him blackmail, propaganda and campaign of calumny from Mr. Dogara, lawmakers loyal to him and their proxies.

The assault had been largely targeted at the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, and three other principal officers, whose resignation and prosecution he had continued to demand.

Mr. Dogara had announced the removal of Mr. Jibrin in a speech he read in plenary on July 20, alleging budget fraud and serial betrayal of trust.

To back his allegations against Mr. Dogara, Mr. Jibrin released damning documents to the media.

On July 30, the State Security Service sealed the secretariat of the Appropriation Committee in the National Assembly after Mr. Jibrin raised the alarm that Mr. Dogara had allegedly concluded plans to cart away computers and destroy evidence.

Mr. Jibrin also visited law enforcement agencies, including the EFCC, the SSS and the police, where he said he personally submitted petitions detailing evidence of fraudulent manipulation of budget by Mr. Dogara, his deputy Yusuf Lasun, House Whip, Alhassan Doguwa, Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, and nine others.

After several days of silence, Mr. Dogara succumbed to public demands for him to defend himself and came out with blistering statements denying all the charges against him.

Mr. Dogara took specific issue with the budget padding catchphrase, saying it was a strange term to use when describing the actions of the legislature.

He also said lawmakers could not be probed by law enforcement agencies over any infractions in the National Assembly, but later walked back this statement.

At some point, the APC moved to contain the crisis, but its gag order lasted only a weekend.

Consequently, lawmakers began openly criticising Mr. Jibrin for allegedly defacing the National Assembly, dealing a major blow to his crusade.

Mr. Jibrins isolation became even more pronounced after 10 principal officers of the House released a statement backing Mr. Dogara and denouncing Mr. Jibrin. Amongst them was Femi Gbajabiamila, the Majority Leader who many thought would be reluctant to openly back Mr. Dogara.

The development sparked speculation that Mr. Jibrin would be suspended upon resumption of the House from recess.

The House resumed on September 20 and a lawmaker loyal to Mr. Dogara moved a motion the next day to have Mr. Jibrin probed for allegedly breaching the privileges of the members.

Emmanuel Orker-Jev, a lawmaker from Benue, proposed tough sanctions against Mr. Jibrin for the damage his allegations have allegedly wrought on the House.

The image of the House has never been worse than this before. Hon. Jibrin was reckless and the allegations were false. He knew that the allegations were false and scandalous and he had no regards at all to whether the allegations were true or false, Mr. Orker-Jev said.

The House subsequently assigned the matter to its Ethics and Privileges Committee for further investigation and to report back within a week with its findings and recommendations.

Mr. Ossai, chairman of the committee, convened the first hearing on the matter September 23, during which Mr. Orker-Jev submitted his allegations against Mr. Jibrin.

Mr. Jibrin received an invitation to appear before the committee on Monday. But decided to boycott the hearing, even though his demand that the sitting be thrown open to the public was met by Mr. Ossai. Mr. Jibrin also asked his lawyer, Femi Falana, to seek discontinuation of committees actvities in court.

Mr. Ossai said Mr. Jibrins failure to appear before his properly and constitutionally constituted committee was, in effect, a defence.

Mr. Jibrin had on Tuesday alleged subjudice saying the committee should not have sat since the matter was in court.

Mr. Jibrins suspension would see him banned from the premises of the National Assembly in the course of the disciplinary action. He would also not receive salaries or allowances.

Some sympathisers of Mr. Jibrin saw his suspension as partisan, draconian and counterproductive.

This show of partisanship and support for Mr. Dogara is condemnable and too severe, said a political analyst, Gbola Oba.

Mr. Oba said Mr. Jibrin had suffered the same fate as Dino Melaye who was suspended in 2010 for breach of members privilege. Mr. Melaye is now a senator representing Kogi West.

We knew they would gang up against him as they did against Mr. Melaye, Mr. Oba said. This clearly shows that the House has failed to move beyond its counterproductive ways of suspending anyone who challenges the status quo.

If the House were a serious body, serious attention would be given to Mr. Jibrins claim so as to foster a thriving democratic experiment within the country.
Specific reasons given for compulsory retirement of some senior officers of the Nigerian Army have been uncovered in the PREMIUM TIMES ongoing investigations of the controversial exercise.

The reasons ranged from alleged money laundering and arms procurement scam to illegal sale of military vehicle and professional misconduct in election matters, documents seen by this newspaper showed.

The Army Council compulsorily retired 38 senior officers in June. Days after the exercise, the Army spokesperson, Sani Usman, a colonel, confirmed the development, generally saying the officers were laid off on the grounds of arms procurement fraud and professional misconduct in the 2015 elections.

But investigation by this newspaper revealed most of the affected officers were sent away without query or indictment by any panel but for reasons that smacked of high-level arbitrariness, pettiness, witch-hunting and partisanship by Army authorities.

In the Armys statement that confirmed the retirement exercise, there was no specific reason given for retiring each of the officers.

Even in the June 9 dismissal letter  seen by PREMIUM TIMES  given to the affected officers, there was no specific reason, other than reference to Paragraph 09.02c(4) of the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers 2012, which is disciplinary grounds i.e. serious offence.

But official documents filed by the Army in court and seen by this newspaper showed the actual reasons the Army gave for sending at least 22 of the officers away.

Nwokoro Ijioma (N/8304), Major General, was accused of illegal sale of 17 military vehicles. The duo of Ohifeme Ejemai (N/8340), Major General, and A.S. Saad (N/8392), Brigadier General, were compulsorily retired for fraud and money laundering.

LM Bello (N/8799), another Brigadier General, was retired for arms procurement (fraud)/ distortion and partisanship.

Three other Brigadier Generals, A. Onibasa (N/9072), D. Abdulsalam (N/9165) and Idam Agachi (N/8780) were respectively retired because they engaged in acts of corruption.

However, money laundering was added for Mr. Agachi.

For Peter Ekpeyong (N/8730), O.U. Nwankwo (N/9678), Feyisetan Kayode (N/9344), M.A. Suleiman (N10030) and Tobiah Minimah (N/10185), all Colonels, disciplinary grounds were cited as reasons for their compulsory retirement.

Apart from disciplinary grounds, Mr. Minimah, a brother of a former Army Chief, Kenneth Minimah, was also alleged to have been involved in partisan election  same allegation faced by D.R. Hassan (N/9909), C.K. Ukoha (N/10319) and Timothy Oladuntoye (N/10338), also Colonels.

Then, five Lieutenant Colonels  Chinonye Amadi (N10359), O.A. Ochankpa (N/10419), K.O. Adimoha (N/10421) A. Mohammed (N/10659) and Abubakar Mohammed (N/10662)  were also accused of involvement in election matters.

The two remaining Lt. Colonels, D.B. Dazang (N/10414) and T.E. Arigbe (N/10416) had their careers brought to an abrupt end for disciplinary issues.

However, contrary to the Armys claims, -PREMIUM TIMES findings show that at least 15 of the 22 officers seeking redress were not indicted by any panel before they were dismissed.

Among the 15, only Brigadier General A. Saad actually appeared before a panel. Even he was, however, cleared by the arms procurement probe panel. None of the other 14 were queried or invited to appear before any panel, a contravention of Army rule.

These charges are new to us, one of the dismissed officers told PREMIUM TIMES.

 Nobody ever mentioned it or accused any of us, at least not me, before we were dismissed, he added.

The fifteen who were never indicted are Messrs. Ijioma and Ejemai (Major Generals); Messrs. Saad, Bello, Abdulsalam, and Agachi (Brigadier Generals); Messrs Nwankwo, Minimah, Ukoha, Oladuntoye, and Suleiman (Colonels); and Messrs Ochankpa, Adimoha, A. Mohammed, and Abubakar Mohammed (Lieutenant Colonels).

Two others who were neither queried nor indicted by any panel, as our investigations revealed, were not among the 22 who sought redress. Mormoni Bashir (N/8396), a former principal staff officer to ex-National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki, and I. Lawson (N/8812), a Defense Attache in China did not appeal their dismissals.

The 22 who are seeking redress have already written to the President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to a July letter by the Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Olonisakin, to President Muhammadu Buhari, the 22 officers complained that Army authorities breached laws in ending their careers abruptly.

Except Mr. Efemai who prefers voluntary retirement, the officers are praying Mr. Buhari to consider their appeals and reinstate them into the army, Mr. Olonisakins letter seen by this newspaper showed.
The Nigerian government plans to sell only some percentage of its shareholding in selected asset, and will not sell entire national property, a top presidency source has told PREMIUM TIMES.

The government also intends to retains the right to buy back the shares in future, the source said.

The source asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue.

The comments came as more Nigerians kick against the governments plan to sell asset as a way of lifting the economy out of recession.

Aliko Dangote, and Senate President, Bukola Saraki, were amongst the first to call for the sale of national asset in the face of economic crisis. Mr. Dangote called for the sale of NLNG plant.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) described those calling for the sale as economic vampires government must beware of.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) said the proposal was a self-destructive move.

Prominent Nigerians, including former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Chukwuma Soludo, have also voiced criticisms against the proposal.

Mr. Soludo said the proposal was largely self-serving and convenient, and would only be a win-win for both government and its private sector collaborators, with Nigerians and the economy as the losers.

But our source said the government never considered any plan to entirely sell off asset.

He the draft sales agreement include a repurchase clause.

On the Nigeria LNG, the official said no decision had been taken yet, but that the government was considering selling off only 5 per cent of its equity holding in the company. Such a transaction will leave Nigeria with 44 per cent holding.

Nigeria currently holds 49 per cent majority equity holding in the plant, in partnership with Shell BV (25.6 per cent), Total LNG Nigeria Ltd (15 per cent) and Eni (10.4 per cent).

The federal government does not own the entire gas company, and will certainly not sell-off its entire shares. Government is open to selling 5 per cent, or thereabout of its 49 per cent shareholding. The decision is yet to be taken at all, the official said.

Although no list has been drawn-up for the proposed asset to be sold, there is a clear decision not to sell any of the countrys critical asset. Certainly, there is no plan to sell-off outright any asset whatsoever.

Some of the intended sales could be in form of time-bound leases, advance renewal payments on leasing licenses and concession, which would attract buoyant signature fees, the official said.
Nineteen candidates are vying for the ticket to the Government House. But the main contest is seen to be between Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress, the ruling party in the state, and Andrew Ize-Iyamu of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Theres only one female governorship candidate, Tracy Agol, the 44-year-old Peoples Party of Nigeria aspirant.

Seven political parties have women as their deputy governorship candidates.

Edo State has a total of 1,925,105 registered voters; 192 Registration Areas (RAs); 2,627 Polling Units (Pus); and 4,011 Voting Points (VPs).

A total of 25,000 police officers were deployed across the state to ensure peace and security during the polls, while 44 observer groups were accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission as election monitors.

PREMIUM TIMES Josiah Oluwole and Ben Ezeamalu are in the state to bring you live, minute-by-minute updates of the election as it unfolds in the 18 local government areas of the state.

LIVE UPDATES

Voting material have arrived at Polling Unit 005 in Benin.

An INEC adhoc staff explains the voting process to prospective voters at a primary school in Benin.

The process has changed. Now after accreditation, you vote immediately.

Voting starts by 8 am and stops at 2pm. Those who are in the queue when its 2pm will be allowed to cast their votes.

At PU 001 in Asoro Primary School, Benin, a party agent attempted to tell people to vote for her party.

Chaos ensued.

Eghosa Arase, a voter, said everything was fine until the agent began canvassing for her party.

The election is going peacefully, but some certain things is happening, some other members of some party, they are trying to cause crisis though weve tried to bring everything down.

When you want to canvass, you have to canvass at home before you come here.

PREMIUM TIMES found out that one of the major parties was giving out N2,000 to have people vote for its candidate.

80-year-old Alice Akpaha arrived at the polling unit with her temporary voters card and was told she couldnt vote.

Theyll give you the one you can use in 2019, a party agent told her.

Voting has commenced at PU 021, Emokpae Primary School, Benin.

Godwin Obaseki, the APC candidate, arrives at his polling unit to cast his vote and shouts of next governor, next governor rents the air.

Mr. Obaseki joins the queue to vote.

Mr. Obaseki, speaking in Pidgin English, said he is impressed with the voter turnout at his polling unit.

Na my papa area where dem born me. So a lot of my family dey around here and everybody dey happy say governorship candidate come from their own area, he said.

Mr. Obaseki is queued behind his wife. There are still 26 people before them.

The queue for my unit is still very long, it will take some time but I no mind at all. Everything dey very calm, peaceful, no trouble at all.

Peter Nwadichi, an election monitor and the Coordinator, Network on Good Governance, told PREMIUM TIMES that The process has been peaceful in the sense that materials came on time. As we speak people are being accredited, voting is taking place simultaneously.

For now, INEC has gotten it right. The card readers have not malfunctioned, they are working perfectly for now. We have not seen anybody that complained that the card reader is giving them problem, so let us just assume that the card reader process is going on smoothly.

PDP candidate, Andrew Ize-Iyamu, yet to vote at his Iguododo village.

He took out time to move around his community greeting elders and community leaders.

Voting commenced in the area AT about 8.30 a.m. and everywhere is calm and peaceful.

While doing this, cameras were not allowed to take pictures.

Mr. Obaseki voted at exactly 10.30 a.m., one hour after joining the queue.

Afterwards, he told journalist he had confidence in INEC conducting a free and fair poll.

Wed had an isolated incident from somewhere in Edo Central but I think that is being handled.

My expectation is that at the end of the day, the exercise will be peaceful because what is important is that we dont lose lives, we dont spill blood because of election. My hope is that we a very peaceful election and at the end of the day we strengthen our electoral process.

APC Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, arriving and casting his vote at PU001, Staff Training School, Benin.

Mr. Oyegun after voting:

I am very pleasantly surprised because this is the best turnout, Ive always voted here, this is the best turnout Ive ever experienced. It presumes that something good is about to happen, that people are keen to express their democratic options.

Its peaceful so far, Ive been watching on TV.

At the PU where he voted, PREMIUM TIMES observed APC members compiling a list and giving out money (a beneficiary said it was N10,000 each) to voters. A fight almost broke out in the process.

When Mr. Oyegun was confronted with the development, he replied:

When I look at a place like this I dont know how you can give someone money. How do you know somebody has voted, given how secret it truly is, nobody will know how youve thumb printed.

Please is there somebody sharing money let me go to him and take my own.

On the security arrangement for the election, the APC chairman described it as lovely.

Well, Im national chairman of the party and it was something that was of grave concern for us all the time. All the security agencies have given us iron clad assurance that there will be no incident, at least, no major incident.

Matthew Urhoghide, senator representing Edo Central, after voting at PU 004, George Idaa Model Primary School in Benin, said the issue of vote-buying by the APC should be nipped in the bud.

There is criticisms for some of the things going on, particularly the horse trading and the haggling, the touting that is going on, he told PREMIUM TIMES.

Its very obvious in this Unit 4 and, of course, I think this is obscene. The APC is doing it with a whole lot of impudence.

But for a quick security intervention, the safety of election observers would have been jeopardized, as thugs tried to disrupt voting activities at Unit 26 and 27 at Iduenbo Ward, Orhiowon Local Government Area.

The scene of the skirmish was not far from Iguododo, the village of the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

Officials of Cleen Foundation were at the unit to observe the election when they observed some of the thugs create a scene.

As they tried to take pictures, the thugs assailed them, but they fled in their vehicle leaving one of them behind.

One of the officials, Chigo Okoro, told PREMIUM TIMES that the thugs pursued them until they got to Iguododo. He said they were rescued by officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The security officials immediately escorted the observers back to the scene of the crisis to secure the life of the Cleen official left behind.

When PREMIUM TIMES got to the unit, calm had returned.

The Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Edo governorship election, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, voted in his Iguododo community at about 10 a.m., on Wednesday, praising the conduct of the election so far.

Mr. Ize-Iyamu, who did not queue for his turn when he arrived at his unit 26, Ward 5, voting point, was immediately given the chance to exercise his franchise as soon as he arrived.

He said the exercise was going smoothly and that the card readers within his community were working perfectly well.

He, however, expressed doubts that the same was witnessed in order centres, as telephone networks were so bad he could not reach out to his agents to determine the state of things.

He expressed hope that the peaceful conduct would continue throughout the election.

Despite security presence at the polling units, transactions on buying and selling of votes continued unhindered in some units monitored on Wednesday.

PREMIUM TIMES observed at Igueke community, in Orhiowon Local Government Area, a crowd of young men distributing cash to influence voting in the early hours of Wednesday.

Some of the voters at unit 26 and 27 in Iduenbo Ward, would first visit the distributor of the cash encircled by members of the group before going to queue for voting.

In Auchi, Etsakor West local government, the practice is rampant, as cash was distributed openly to voters.

Premium Times gathered that the voters first received N1000 before queuing. They got a balance of N1000 after voting for the candidate who paid the money.

An observer who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday said the practice was rampant at units 7, 9 and 10 Ward 1.

As I speak to you now, they are doing it and as I talk to you, they are hearing me talking to you about, he said.

But the Social Democratic Party has lamented the use of funds to buy votes in the election.

Publicity Secretary of the party, Oshiobugie Bonvist, said he had observed the buying of votes himself at different polling units.

The election is very peaceful and orderly except the buying of votes, Mr. Bonvist said.

They are sharing N2000 each and I observe that it is the ruling APC that is doing it right now.

He noted that the election is going well and hoped that it would remain so until the end of the election.

A press statement by the PDP

We have become aware that senior members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in collusion with certain staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have started writing fake & fictitious results as part of their plan to manipulate the Edo State Gubernatorial Election which is taken place today.

2. We are aware that these APC members are working in collusion with Amina Zakari, an INEC national official; Imoudu Sule, Edo State INEC PRO, the Delta State REC, and the National Deputy Director of Operations.

3. We are also aware that these officials have distributed millions of Naira to the Local Government Electoral Officers to get them to write false & fictitious results in favour of APC even before votes are cast.

4. It is necessary to warn the Nigerian public that our Party will resist any attempts by the Ruling Party to subvert the will of the people by any engagement in the substitution of electoral materials.

5. We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to counsel INEC and the Ruling Party to refrain from acting in a manner that may lead to the breakdown of law and other.

6. May God bless Edo State. May God bless Nigeria.

Violence in Irua

Violence broke out as voting progressed on Wednesday at Ikekato Ward 4, Unit 1, at Irua, Esan Central, as supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress clashed during voting.

The attackers were reportedly of the PDP, and the area is dominated by the partys supporters.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the violence also spread to units 1, 5, 6, 8 and 9 of the same Ward.

It was also learnt that security officials intervened to calm the situation, but the threats were still there as the thugs often return as soon as the policemen were gone.

The Chairman of the APC in the state, Anslem Ojezua, is from the Ward where the violence has been recorded.

He told PREMIUM TIMES on the phone that although the police had intervened, the threats were still very imminent.

He said the thugs who he described as PDPs, had been unleashing violence on voters when they realized that the party they support was losing at the unit.

They came and began to attack individuals, breaking their heads and disrupting the process, Mr. Ojezua said.

The police are not doing enough, they need to do more. Just telling people that they should not fight is not enough, they need to arrest some of them.

As I speak to you, there is movement, when the security agencies said there should be no movement.

These people are going about freely and causing problems. The process is being threatened if the security agencies dont do something about right now.

Our reporter on the ground identified APC agents as distributing money in Auchi while PDP agents distibuted in Orhiowon.

Ize-Iyamu protests presence of El-Rufai, Ambode in Benin

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has protested the presence of the governors of Lagos and Kaduna States, Akinwumi Ambode and Nasir El-rufai, in Edo State.

He said their presence in the state was worrisome in the face of the restriction placed on movement of persons within the state.

We are also aware that the governors of Lagos and Kaduna States, Ambode and El-rufai, are also in Benin, he said.

This is worrisome. If the security agencies can declare restriction of movement even for those in the state, we are wondering why two governors not from Edo State will relocate to our state.

We think that their reasons cannot be genuine. We have gone through the period of campaigning and we expect Edo people will be left alone to vote.

He also said that the PDP had written to the Inspector General of Police on the several arrest and harassment of supporters, and had received assurances that the police in the state would be called to order.

You know they have been using the security agencies to harass our people even till last night trying to arrest them, detain them in any flimsy excuses, Mr. Ize-Iyamu said.

But we have spoken to their superiors who have assured us that those who are doing so are doing it on their own and they would call them to order. For now we are satisfied with that assurance.

But the APC has replied Mr. Ize-Iyamu, saying his complaints have no effect as the governors did not influence the process of election in any way.

We have finished campaigns and I dont know what their presence will do to the election, Anslem Ojezua, Chairman of APC in Edo State, said.

Who does it better than the PDP? They do it better. The governors have nothing to do with the election.

Do they have any evidence that these two gentlemen have influenced the process in anyway?

Voting has ended in several polling centres across Benin.

It was peaceful at all the centres visited.

An INEC official at Ward 11, Ministry of Lands office, said theyd start sorting and counting of votes at 2 p.m.

At Uselu, the convoy of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, patrolling across the major roads, stopped to arrest travellers on their way to Lagos.

Dont seize the vehicle. Let them park and wait till its 6 oclock.

Although there is a restriction order on movement of persons and vehicles, these appear not to be working several hours before the close of elections.

Because the election has been largely peaceful, security has been relaxed and some of the road blocks mounted by the military in strategic points have been dismantled.

PREMIUM TIMES observed that residents are eager to return to their businesses as they are seen walking freely asking for a free ride to the city as commercial vehicles are yet to venture out.

Soldiers abandoned military blockade in middle of elections.

Most of the security checkpoints mounted by soldiers have been left open even though the election was still ongoing.

Soldiers had either completely left the places or are hiding under shades where they are not seen while vehicles pass freely.

PREMIUM TIMES, however, observed few places where the military were still on duty.

Results from various polling units have started coming in.

APC in close run in Ordo

Ward 11, Unit 17

APC 103

PDP 81

Ward 11, Unit 19

APC 98

PDP 95

Ward 11, unit 20,

APC 110

PDP 73

Ward 11,unit 21

APC 103

PDP 81

APC politicians openly canvassing money for votes

Several politicians and members of the All Progressives Congress openly canvassed for votes during the election, checks by PREMIUM TIMES showed.

At a polling unit in Asoro Primary School, Benin, an APC politician would squeeze N2,000 into the palm of a prospective voter before he casts his vote.

At PU 001, Staff Training School, Benin, a fight almost broke out while the APC members were compiling a list and giving out money (a beneficiary said it was N10,000 each) to voters.

Yusuf Shamsudeen, an observer who had been to Esan North, Esan West, Etsako West, Etsako North, among others said he witnessed some of the vote-for-money incidents.

One particular polling unit I visited in Esan West, we overhead one APC politician saying vote for APC and collect N2,000,' said Mr. Shamsudeen, Senior Programme Officer, at Centre for Democracy and Development.

Similar cases happened in some other polling units in which youll see somebody who will be called Chairman and immediately people vote theyll be moving around with the chairman and they will just go to a particular corner.

You can see politicians playing a major role in terms of influencing the voting pattern in most of these local governments that I visited today.

PDPs Ize-Iyamu lied, Ambode is Overseas  Lagos Government

The Lagos State Government on Wednesday dismissed allegations made by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Osagie Ize-Iyamu alleging that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and his Kaduna State counterpart, Nasir El-Rufai were in Edo State for the election.

In a statement signed by the States Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, the government described the allegations by the PDP candidate as reckless and disgraceful.

Mr. Ayorinde while clarifying the position of the government said Governor Ambode was presently overseas for an official assignment and in any case had no business being in Edo State on Election Day.

The Lagos State Governor served as the chairman Campaign Council constituted by the All Progressives Congress and his duty ended 24 hours before the election because no campaign was supposed to hold 24 hours to the election and having completed his assignment which included appearing with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Grand Rally in Edo State earlier in the month, Governor Ambode has no reason to return to Edo State on election day and for this sort of lie to have been peddled by a candidate who is supposed to be a pastor, is reckless and disgraceful.

Mr. Ayorinde said Governor Ambode had clearly enumerated his position on the election during the Grand Finale of the campaign when he said that like Lagos where continuity has moved perfectly well, Edo State also deserves continuity in governance.

That message has been passed and has been accepted by majority of Edo indigenes and therefore there would not be any need for the Governor to return to Edo on Election Day. The general public and security operatives are hereby advised to ignore the desperate lies of Pastor Ize-Iyamu, Mr. Ayorinde said.

Some results from Ikpoba Okha Ward 7

Out of 15 units, PDP managed only one victory in some of the results declared under Ward 7, in Ikpoba-Okha, one of the areas with very high number of voters. Below are the results.

Unit 16

APC  145

PDP  69

Unit 17

APC  132

PDP  46

Unit 18

APC  140

PDP  53

Unit 20

APC  100

PDP  52

Unit 21

APC  134

PDP  48

Unit 22

APC  79

PDP  28

Unit 24

APC  98

PDP  71

Unit 28

APC  120

PDP  121

Unit 32

APC  98

PDP  71

Unit 33

APC  148

PDP  108

Unit 34

APC  129

PDP  81

Unit 35

APC  101

PDP  85

Unit 36

APC  117

PDP  107

Unit 37

APC  92

PDP  57

Unit 39

APC  125

PDP -88

The spokespersons of Governors Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos and Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna have refuted the claim by the PDP candidate.

Both governors were nowhere near Edo today, their spokespersons said.

Oyegun loses unit to Ize-Iyamus wife

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress has lost his unit 2, ward 2 of Oredo Local Government Area.

Idia, the wife of Osagie Ize-Iyamu, also voted in the same unit.

The APC polled 69 votes at the unit while PDP got 78 votes.

Auchi, Momoh primary school unit Eleanor West local government area

Ward 2

APC- 461

PDP  271

Ward 2 unit 7, Fugar in Etsakor Central local government area

APC 126

PDP 146

Unit 4

APC 214

PDP 308

#EdoDecides: Ize-Iyamu lied, El-Rufai not in Edo  Spokesperson

Nasir El-Rufai did not visit Edo State today, Wednesday, 28 September 2016. Contrary to the fiction peddled by one of the candidates who made the accusation on live television, the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has kindly rubbished the lie and made clear that Nasir El-Rufai is nowhere near the state.

This clarification is made only to affirm a material fact. But it is important to stress that the laws of this country do not prevent any citizen from being in any part of the country. While movement may be restricted on election days, that is not the same thing as construing the presence of any citizen in a state holding elections as illegal, unusual or irregular.

A specious attempt, similar to that made by a candidate in Edo today, was made by chieftains of a political party during the last governorship election in Anambra State. During the Anambra elections, security agents tried to cast a Nigerian as alien simply for being in another state during an election. They restricted Mr. El-Rufai to his hotel room.

Mr. El-Rufai challenged this violation of his right in court. And a court ruled in his favour. Those who are seeking power should be careful not to be violating constitutional rights in that quest. And they should not say what they do not know to be true.

No weapons recovered from ballot box snatchers  Police

Joshak Habila, Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Operations, at Force Headquarters said no weapons had been recovered from perpetrators of election violence at the Edo governorship election.

Mr. Habila, who spoke with journalists on the tarmac of the Benin airport after he disembarked from a helicopter on air surveillance, said the election had been 99 percent peaceful.

My observation is that with adequate preparation and education of the electorates on proper preparation with the needed equipments to the security agencies, we can conduct any election.

But like I said, even though this country is yet to accept politics as a way of electing leaders among us into leadership position, we should learn to respect the law when we are not elected. And when elected we should learn to celebrate less.

From what Ive seen today, Ive seen that with the robust security on ground and some intervention forces, we still have just one or two incidents of people still wanting to replay some of the things they used to do but they didnt have their way.

If there were arrests, they were arrested in order to restrain anybody from carrying out any real threat to the success of this election. They may not be classical arrests of very good evidence of some other things but anyone that is suspected and that has been brought in, well look at what happened and get evidences.

If there is (evidence), fine, but I can tell you that outside those who want to cash in on the opportunity of a polling booth that is located in disadvantaged area where its not accessible and where also armed intervention squad cannot come in readily, they attempted that. But in each of the attempts, those who wanted to do that were also picked.

Very impressive election

Amadin Osayande, Comptroller of Prisons, Edo State Command, described the election as very impressive.

I really appreciate the number of voters that came put en masse to cast their votes, said Mr. Osayande.

And also, I really appreciate the cooperation between all the sister agencies. I think if we can cooperate with ourselves and carry on with this synergy I think well always have peaceful election.

I think in future election, there should be more logistics provided for the security agencies so that at any particular point in time, if there is any problem in an area we can easily mobilize especially in the rural areas.

Blatant bribery of voters

Richard Akinola, a lawyer, called on INEC to focus on potential flashpoints ahead of the Ondo governorship election.

He noted that bribing of voters was so blatant.

In the area I monitored in Benin here it has been substantially peaceful, which I think is a good one for INEC, Mr. Akinola told PREMIUM TIMES.

Before you do any election, I expect the security people to have done some investigation in some flashpoints where there is possibility of stealing of ballot boxes or some people using thugs. Those are some isolated cases that happened today but I think thats the area I expect INEC to work on as we move towards Ondo election.

Once you know the areas in which therell be a flashpoint of some skirmishes, you have to deploy more security people there. But by and large I think it has been a success to a large extent.

Journalists are gathered at the INEC office in Benin waiting for final collation and announcement of results.

INEC officials have not provided any information on whether the results will still be announced tonight or be postponed till tomorrow morning.

There is also no indication on whether the results of any local governments have arrived the secretariat.

We are here and will update as events unfold.

Waiting game as INEC bar journalists from collation center

Voting had long ceased in all the local governments of Edo State but none of the results has arrived at the INEC.

The situation at the moment is that of quietness except for the sounds of generators as journalists patiently wait for any information from the officials of INEC.

Meanwhile print and online journalists are barred from entering the collation room.

Only camera men and their respective reporters were allowed in to cover the event live.

As a respite, a canopy has been erected outside the building where the result announcement would be relayed via a projector.

No one is complaining yet, because some journalists are taking a quick nap right on their seats while the waiting continues.

Its 1.30 am at the INEC headquarters at Ikpoba Hill, Benin City, and theres still no sign that collation would start any moment.

Journalists and police officers sleep on plastic chairs as they wait on INEC.

Meanwhile the PDP has issued a statement alleging that the APC are planning over night rigging to overturn our victory.

The results so far confirm to us that our Candidate has garnered approximately 55% of the total votes cast by voters. We have every reason to be confident that we will maintain this trend and coast home to victory, read the statement issued by Dayo Adeyeye, National Publicity Secretary, PDP.

However, we are aware that members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by Governor Adams Oshiomole in collusion with officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) led by Amina Zakari, are relentless in their efforts to manipulate the results of this Election.

We are aware that Governor Oshiomole is currently moving from Collation Centre to Collation Centre with the objective of manipulating the results as much as possible.

We will like to reiterate our earlier notes of warning. The Edo people, and our Party, will resist any attempt to subvert the collective will of the people as expressed by their votes today.

Journalists are gathered at the INEC office in Benin waiting for final collation and announcement of results.

INEC officials have not provided any information on whether the results will still be announced tonight or be postponed till tomorrow morning.

There is also no indication on whether the results of any local governments have arrived the secretariat.
Nigerias Senators did not report for business on Wednesday  one of the three days the National Assembly has for plenary in a week  for no reason other than the resumed trial of their presiding officers.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, are facing trial for allegedly forging Senate Rules that brought them to power in a suit filed by the Federal Government in June before a High Court in Abuja.

The alleged conspirators of Messrs. Saraki and Ekweremadu were former Clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasu, and his deputy, Benedict Efeturi.

The trial resumed today, Wednesday, and in manner similar to early days of Mr. Sarakis trial at Code of Conduct Tribunal for charges bordering on false assets declaration, the Senate did not open for plenary.

Not all the Senators followed Messrs. Saraki and Ekweremadu to court today, but about 40 of them did.

Since the National Assembly was inaugurated in June 9 last year, the Senate has sat for 112 days, giving an 11-day difference between the upper legislative arm and the House of Representatives which has sat for 123 days, including Wednesdays session.

In the first year, June 9, 2015  June 9 , 2016, the Senate and the House of Representatives sat for 96 and 104 times respectively, falling far short of 181 days required by the constitution.

Since the lawmakers failed to sit for the mandatory 181 days, lawyer and activist, Femi Falana, said they should not be entitled to full payment.

Since the two presiding officers, Messrs Saraki and Ekweremadu, are being tried at a time, one of the Senators said, the Senate will continue to be shut on the days they are going for trial.

The Senator, seeking not to be named, said the Senate could have passed a resolution to make a floor member preside in the absence of Messrs Saraki and Ekweremadu.

But they (the presiding officers) wouldnt want that so as to show that their trial has implications for national legislative business, said the Senator; adding, everybody is using power where he has strength.

Senate spokesperson, Aliyu Sabi, could not be reached on phone for comment on this story.
Nigerias Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has said that the government is yet to decide on whether to sell some national asset as part of efforts to reflate the economy.

Mr. Mohammed stated this on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa Abuja, shortly after a meeting of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, which held inside the council chamber.

While responding to inquiries from journalists regarding the ongoing interest generated by the asset sale plan, Mr. Mohammed said government is still working on the most comprehensive manner to reflate the economy.

He said the government will make its position known very soon.

He said reports that a decision was taken to sell asset by the Federal Government is mere speculation.

What the government will do is to reflate the economy, everything you have heard so far is just suggestion, until the government makes its position known. All these reports of asset sale, asset leasing and whatever is being bandied about, are nothing but speculations.

The government is yet to come out with its position on how to bail out the economy and it will take that position, he said.

When informed that a meeting of the National Economic Council, NEC, that held last week has recommended asset sale, the Information Minister said NEC will recommend but it is the Federal Executive Council that will decide and what we decide will be the position of government.

FEC approves new Water Policy

Earlier, the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, had told State House correspondents that the cabinet meeting approved three memoranda from his ministry.

He named the memoranda approved as those on National Water Policy, National Irrigation Policy, and a draft of a new National Water Resources Bill.

Mr. Adamu said the National Water Policy seeks to provide strategies that would improve the management and delivery of water resources in the country with particular reference to water supply.

He also said the new enabling law is the National Water Resources Bill,  which consolidates all existing laws; the Water Resources Act; the River Basin Development Act; the National Water Resources Institute Act, the National Hydrological Services Act and other Acts put together to form the National Water law that conforms to international standards and best practices.

He said by the new law, a proper regulatory agency will be set up that will regulate the water sector.

With that the door is now open for the private sector to now come in a big way to invest in water supply schemes in this country, he said.

Mr. Adamu said the irrigation and drainage policy that his ministry is putting in place seeks to recognize and bring in water users association and not only improve irrigation infrastructure, but irrigation management in the country.

Nigeria has the potential of 3.41 million hectares of land for irrigation out of which only 330,000 has been developed formally and only about 70,000 is being utilized.

There is a huge gap and introducing this policy will help us to work along with the state governments so that we can have an all-encompassing policy that will help drive our agricultural agenda, he said.
Following his suspension by the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, on Wednesday night said he would seek redress in court.

The House on Wednesday afternoon slammed 180 legislative days a full session suspension on Mr. Jibrin after being found guilty of violating ethics and privileges of lawmakers.

Mr. Jibrin through his widely publicised allegations of budget fraud against the Speaker of the House and over a dozen other lawmakers had stirred controversies and subjected the House to public scrutiny since July.

But the lawmaker remained defiant, saying he had done nothing wrong and, as such, will not apologise.

Let me say, I will never ever apologise to anybody in the House of Representatives, Mr. Jibrin said in a statement. I did not commit any offence.

Mr. Jibrins allegations against Speaker Yakubu Dogara and others stemmed from his ouster as the chair of the much-coveted Committee on Appropriation.

Mr. Dogara announced Mr. Jibrins removal shortly before the House proceeded on an eight-week-long recess July 20, citing budget fraud and serial betrayal of trust.

On September 21, barely a day after resuming, Mr. Dogaras loyalists moved a motion at the plenary seeking disciplinary actions against Mr. Jibrin.

Emmanuel Orker-Jev, a lawmaker from Benue, proposed tough sanctions against Mr. Jibrin for the damage his allegations had wrought on the House.

The image of the House has never been worse than this before. Hon. Jibrin was reckless and the allegations were false. He knew that the allegations were false and scandalous and he had no regards at all to whether the allegations were true or false, Mr. Orker-Jev said.

The House subsequently assigned the matter to its Ethics and Privileges Committee for further investigation and to report back within a week with its findings and recommendations.

Nicholas Ossai, chairman of the committee, convened the first hearing on the matter September 23, during which Mr. Orker-Jev submitted his evidence against Mr. Jibrin.

Mr. Jibrin received an invitation to appear before the committee on Monday. But he decided toboycott the hearing, even though his demand that the sitting be thrown open to the public was met by Mr. Ossai.

Mr. Jibrin also asked his lawyer, Femi Falana, to seek discontinuation of the committees activities saying continuing would amount to subjudice as the matter was in court.

Mr. Ossai said Mr. Jibrins failure to appear before his properly and constitutionally constituted committee was, in effect, a defence.

The report of the committee was laid before the House plenary at noon on Wednesday.

By 2:30 p.m., the House voted to adopt the recommendations of the committee as read out by Mr. Ossai on the floor.

The recommendations included a 180-day suspension, a formal letter of apology and a removal of rights to hold position of responsibility through the span of the current 8th National Assembly.

Although analysts said it was draconian and counterproductive, Mr. Jibrins, nonetheless, saw a bright spot in his suspension.

At this point, I must say they freed me up to concentrate on the matter in court, Mr. Jibrin said. I know the suspension is not going to stand, secondly, Im going into a massive alliance with civil society groups, NGOs and well meaning Nigerian to continue to press ahead.

Analysts also said Mr. Jibrins suspension did not resolve the questions of what the House would do about the allegations of budget fraud confronting it.

House spokesman, Abdulrazak Namdas, did not respond to PREMIUM TIMES request for comment about this Wednesday night.

A top lawmaker in the House said the lawmakers will not consider Mr. Jibrins allegations since he didnt present anything before them.

I understand people want his allegations investigated, the source told PREMIUM TIMES Wednesday night. But dont forget he didnt present them before us.

He had an opportunity to do this last week when someone raised a motion for his suspension, but instead walked out in a show of arrogance.

Mr. Jibrin is the first lawmaker to be suspended since 2010 when Dino Melaye and 10 others were found guilty of breaching House ethics and privileges.

West Idahosa, Austin Nwachukwu, Gbenga Onigbogi, Doris Uboh, Gbenga Oduaye, Independence Ogunewe, Solomon Achinawhi, Kayode Amusa, Anas Abass, and Bitmus Kaze received indefinite suspension alongside Mr. Melaye on June 22, 2010 under the speakership of Dimeji Bankole.

Mr. Melaye is now a senator representing Kogi West.

In the 4th National Assembly, 1999 -2003, two senators, Arthur Nzeribe and Joseph Waku, were suspended for ethical misconduct.

Mr. Jibrins suspension would see him barred from the premises of the National Assembly in the course of the disciplinary action. His office will be sealed and will not receive salaries or allowances.
The Nigerian Army says it will launch Operation Rescue Final aimed at rescuing abducted persons.

The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, said this on Wednesday when the House of Representatives Committee on Army, led by its Chairman, Rimande Shawulu, paid him oversight visit.

Mr. Buratai, a Lt. Gen., had hinted of the operation in Makurdi on September 22 at the close of the combined 2nd and 3rd quarter Chief of Army Staff Conference.

The chief of Army staff, who, did not give further details on the operation, said: Once we start (the operation), we will not relent until everybody abducted is rescued.

Mr. Buratai thanked the committee for increased budget allocation to the army in 2016 and solicited for more support to enable it carry out its statutory functions.

On the issue of human rights, he promised that the army would continue respect and not infringe on the rights of the people, while carrying out its duty.

Mr. Buratai, however, noted that whatever had happened in the course of personnel performing their duty was not deliberate.

He said to ensure respect for human rights, discipline and professionalism, the army launched its human right policy on Tuesday.

Earlier, Mr. Shawulu commended the army for the fight against insurgency and other security challenges nationwide in spite of the challenges of poor funding, inadequate equipment and state of their barracks.

The chairman, however, noted that because they were deployed in almost all the states, performing functions, which ordinarily were not theirs, there had been friction with civilians.

We are requesting for quicker responses to the issues and matters referred from the committee to you.

This is important to assure members of the public that there is a channel that can lead to legal, constitutional and peaceful resolution of their complaints.

This will ensure that people do not seek extra legal resolutions, Mr. Shawulu said.

He assured that the committee would continue to support the army to enable it discharge its duties effectively.

(NAN)
The Lagos State Government on Wednesday dismissed allegations made by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Osagie Ize-Iyamu alleging that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and his Kaduna State counterpart, Nasir El-Rufai were in Edo State for the election.

In a statement signed by the States Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, the government described the allegations by the PDP candidate as reckless and disgraceful.

Mr. Ayorinde while clarifying the position of the government said Governor Ambode was presently overseas for an official assignment and in any case had no business being in Edo State on Election Day.

The Lagos State Governor served as the chairman Campaign Council constituted by the All Progressives Congress and his duty ended 24 hours before the election because no campaign was supposed to hold 24 hours to the election and having completed his assignment which included appearing with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Grand Rally in Edo State earlier in the month, Governor Ambode has no reason to return to Edo State on election day and for this sort of lie to have been peddled by a candidate who is supposed to be a pastor, is reckless and disgraceful.

Mr. Ayorinde said Governor Ambode had clearly enumerated his position on the election during the Grand Finale of the campaign when he said that like Lagos where continuity has moved perfectly well, Edo State also deserves continuity in governance.

That message has been passed and has been accepted by majority of Edo indigenes and therefore there would not be any need for the Governor to return to Edo on Election Day. The general public and security operatives are hereby advised to ignore the desperate lies of Pastor Ize-Iyamu, Mr. Ayorinde said.
Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, on Tuesday ended his weeklong stay in Bama, a town recently liberated from Boko Haram insurgents.

He relocated last week to the town to supervise the rebuilding of its destroyed communities.

The governor left the town Tuesday morning for another former Boko Haram enclave, Gwoza, some 40 kilometres away.

The rocky Gwoza is where the insurgents declared an Islamic caliphate, after overrunning the security there and attacking residents.

Unlike Bama, Gwoza has a large number of returnees who are living only on the valley mainland.

Mr. Shettima, who arrived Gwoza at about noon, was received by the Emir, Muhammad Idrissa Timta, some returnee IDPs and officials of the local government who gathered at the destroyed palace of the Emir of Gwoza.

The governor and his entourage drove through the burnt and bushy streets of Gwoza to inspect the extent of damage caused by Boko Haram insurgents.

He directed the Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Babagana Zulum, to ensure that his ministry worked with engineers and builders from Gwoza to rehabilitate the town.

Addressing the community at the Emirs palace, Governor Shettima assured them of speedy reconstruction of homes and public buildings destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgents.

I want to sympathise with you over the unfortunate calamities perpetrated by Boko Haram in recent past, he said. We are here to tell you that as government, we will do everything possible to rebuild all your destroyed houses brick by brick.

We have also come with assorted food items including 1500 bags of 25kg rice, 1500 bags of beans, 1000 cartoons of spaghetti, sugar, salt, among other relief items.

I urge some of the IDPs from Gwoza who are still residing in resettlement camps in Maiduguri and other places to please come back and join you, because, there is no any good place than home.

I want to thank the federal government and the Chief of Army staff as well as the entire officers and men under the Operation Lafiya Dole in the north east for their gallantry effort in degrading remnants of Boko Haram.

My appeal to you all is to please give maximum support and cooperation to the military and the civilian JTF who are here with you to give you adequate security, Mr. Shettima said.

Earlier, on the way to Gwoza, the governor had a brief stop-over over at a village called Pulka, few kilometers away, where about 2000 IDPs that fled the rocky mountains still controlled by Boko Haram, are now camping.

The district head of Pulka, Lawan Usman Pulka, told the governor that his people lacked potable water in the rocky terrain even as Boko Haram insurgents had blocked the area where they could access water.

The monarch pleaded for boreholes to be drilled in the camp to ease the difficulties.

Mr. Shettima promised that the state government would immediately deploy staff of the ministry of water resources to drill boreholes for them.

It is not certain how many days the governor would stay in the area, even though he had earlier said he would be moving between Gwoza and communities in the neighboring Askira-Uba local government area where the insurgents had once had under their conquest.
Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno has promised to rebuild churches and other structures destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents in Lassa as he visited liberated communities in the southern senatorial zone of the state

We will rebuild churches, private and public buildings destroyed by the insurgents, Mr. Shettima said when he accessed the level of damage in Lassa in Askira-Uba Local Government Area on Wednesday.

He expressed shock at the magnitude of destruction, saying that the government would commence the rehabilitation in a short while.

We are going to rebuild churches and others structures destroyed in Lassa and other communities around.

We are saddened by the large scale destruction in Lassa which is a predominantly Christian community, Mr. Shettima said.

He added: We are doing this because we have a duty as a government to ensure fairness, equity and justice in all our endeavors, he said.

We believe that the Christian community has rights to be served like its Muslims counterpart, since we have rebuilt Mosques destroyed in other places, we must rebuild churches too.

Mr. Shettima said the churches would be rebuilt before Christmas ahead of this years Yuletide.

I want to assure that the churches will be rebuilt before December, so that the people can celebrate the Christmas in a more conducive atmosphere.

We will also make sure that all private houses destroyed are rebuilt without delay, he said, adding that his action had no political under tone.

We are not doing this for political reasons because we are not facing any election now. Our actions are based on the desire to serve people and to ensure equity among them.

He visited the Emir of Uba, Ali Mamza, and the Emir of Askira, Abdullahi Askirama, where he pledged to rebuild the Askira-Uba Local Government Area secretariat and other structures damaged by the insurgents.

Mr. Shettima was also in Gwoza, headquarters of Gwoza Local Government Area where he promised to rebuild the palace of the Emir of Gwoza, Muhammad Timta.

The Emir of Gwoza wants to return home but for his palace which is badly damaged. We will rebuild the palace in the next one month so he can come back,  he said when he addressed elders of Gwoza in front of the damaged palace.

Mr. Shettima also visited Pulka, where he addressed hundreds of residents who had returned home, and promised to tackle the problem of water shortages facing the people.

I want to pledge here that we are going to take immediate action to tackle the problem of water shortage facing the people. We shall put in place the necessarily mechanism to address the problem immediately I return back to Maiduguri.

He lauded the military for liberating the area from Boko Haram insurgents, and promised enhanced welfare for the people.

We have to commend the gallantry of the military in ensuring that peace return to our communities.

We must continue to support them to ensure that the peace is maintained, people should give them 100 percent cooperation and report strange happenings to them, he said.

Mr. Shettima distributed food items worth millions of Naira to the people before proceeding to the next community.(NAN)
The continuing spate of arrests and detentions of journalists and bloggers amid the security forces violent disruption of peaceful protests underscores how the Nigerian government appears determined to crush dissent and suffocate freedom of expression, said Amnesty International Wednesday.

The organisation is calling for the authorities to ensure the rights of Nigerians to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, as guaranteed by international human rights law and the Nigerian Constitution.

The escalation in the intimidation of journalists and bloggers over recent months seems to be little more than a barefaced attempt by the Nigerian government to muzzle dissenting voices in the country, said Makmid Kamara, Interim Country Director at Amnesty International Nigeria.

Alongside the security forces violent assault on peaceful protesters, this crackdown constitutes a growing threat to human rights enshrined in international law and the Nigerian constitution.

Violent repression of protests

On September 22, police blocked a peaceful protest by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) in the capital Abuja. The demonstration called for the release of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Zakzaky, who has been in detention without trial since December 2015. Police fired tear gas canisters to disperse the peaceful protest, resulting in some minor injuries.

About two weeks earlier, on September 6, police stopped members of the Bring Back Our Girls Movement gathering to march to Aso Rock Presidential Villa to demand that the government do more to secure the release of Chibok schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram over two years ago. The police had been duly notified of the protest march. Since the abduction of the Chibok girls in April 2014, the movement has been gathering peacefully at Unity Fountain, where recently there has been a continuing police presence apparently aimed at preventing any form of civil assembly.

Scores of supporters of Biafran independence are in detention  many of them since late January  for attempting to hold or participating in peaceful assemblies. On several occasions security forces have used excessive force against pro-Biafran activists who have attended protest marches across south-eastern Nigeria, or who have attempted to do so. Amnesty International has documented cases of arrest, enforced disappearance, and often killing of supporters and members of various pro-Biafran groups in the region.

Intimidation and arrests of journalists and bloggers

There has also been an increase in recent months in arrests of journalists and their subsequent detention without trial.

In the first week of September the publisher Emenike Iroegbu was arrested in the presence of his family over alleged defamation. In August, Abubakar Usman, a prominent blogger, was dragged from his home by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The anti-graft agency claimed that he was detained for activities that contravened the Cyber Crimes Act even though EFCC could not point out the provisions of the Act the blogger contravened.

Across Nigeria people, especially journalists and bloggers, are being arrested merely for expressing critical opinions on both conventional and social media platforms. One recent example is the detention of Jamil Mabai, accused of posting comments on Facebook and Twitter critical of the Katsina state government.

Also, on 5 September, Ahmed Salkida, a Nigerian journalist based in the United Arab Emirates, was declared wanted by the military and later arrested by the state security services on arrival in Nigeria. He was among three people arrested and briefly detained for alleged links to Boko Haram and for facilitating the release of a Boko Haram video on the abducted Chibok girls.

Taken together, these are worrying signs of growing violations of the rights of people in Nigeria to peacefully assemble freely and express their views without the fear of being detained or harassed, said Makmid Kamara.

Amnesty International Nigeria is therefore calling on the Nigerian government to comply with its obligations under international human rights law and the fundamental rights provisions in the Nigerian Constitution which guarantee freedom of peaceful assembly and expression. Everyone must be able to express his or her opinion, including through peaceful protest.

Amnesty International Nigeria is also calling on the Nigerian government to take urgent steps to bring an end to detention without trial and intimidation and harassment of journalists and bloggers, and the security forces excessive use of force to disperse peaceful protests.
Justice A. S. Umar of the FCT High Court sitting in Maitama on Wednesday granted bail to a former Chief of Naval Staff, Usman Jibrin, and two others for an offence bordering on criminal conspiracy brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Others are retired rear admirals, Bala Mshelia and Sheu Ahmadu.

They were arraigned alongside Harbour Bay International Limited by the anti-graft agency on Tuesday, September 27, 2016.

The former naval chiefs, whilst in office, allegedly bought a house worth N600million from the account of Naval Engineering Services without the said purchase contract being captured in the budget.

The EFCC said that the documentation for transfer of ownership of the property was done such that a private company owned by the family of the first defendant (Vice Admiral Jubrin) became the buyer.

Justice Umar, after taking their pleas, adjourned to Wednesday for hearing on the bail application.

Moving the bail application at the resumed sitting, Mr. Jibrins counsel, Y. C. Maikyau, prayed the court to admit his client to bail pending trial.

Mr. Maikyau argued that, the offence for which the 1st defendant is charged is bailable by virtue of Section 42 (1) and (2) of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000.

He further stated that the defendant is a retired Rear Admiral of the Nigeria Navy and former Chief of Naval Staff who voluntarily honoured the invitation of the EFCC and remained cooperative throughout the investigation leading to his charge.

According to him, Mr Jibrin complied with the conditions upon which he was granted bail by the EFCC and did not in any way interfere with the investigation.

On his part, Olatunji Salawu, who stood in for A. M. Kayode, representing Mr. Mshelia, urged the court to admit his client to bail on a very liberal term.

He pleaded that, the accused person if granted bail, would be available to stand his trial.

Similarly, Ahmadus counsel, A. G. Duku, aligned himself with the arguments of the other two counsels to seek bail for his client, adding that the second defendant will not be able to adequately prepare his defence while in custody as the circumstances surrounding his charge occurred in the course of his obeying instructions of his superior.

Counsel to EFCC, Faruk Abdullahi, opposed the bail of the first and third accused (Jibrin and Ahmadu), while raising no objection to the second accused prayer.

He said Mr. Jibrin had the financial muscle and status to interfere with the prosecution witness if admitted to bail.

Mr. Faruk also urged the court to consider the gravity and rampancy of the offence. He invited the court to refuse the application and instead order an accelerated hearing of the matter.

After listening to the arguments for and against the application, Justice Umar, who consolidated the three applications, ruled that the defendants were entitled to be granted bail as it was their constitutional right.

He granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N100 million each and two sureties each in like sum.

One of sureties must not be below salary grade level 16. The sureties must have landed properties within the jurisdiction of the court which must be verified by the registrar of the court and the EFCC.

The judge also ordered that the accused persons be remanded in the EFCC custody pending the fulfilment of their bail conditions.

The case has been adjourned to November 14 and 15 for commencement of trial.
The Nigerian government has slammed United Kingdom-based magazine, The Economist, over its report on the governments anti-indiscipline campaign: Change Begins With Me.

President Muhammadu Buhari launched the campaign on September 8, calling on citizens to imbibe new values and change attitudinally before demanding the change which he had promised.

But in a report titled: Nigerias war against indiscipline, Behave or be whipped  on September 24, The Economist blistered the new campaign.

Locally, the campaign had met with criticisms that  the idea was not original; Mr. Buhari plagiarized parts of his speech during the launch; and that the President was trying to shift burden of change promise.

Days after the magazines critical report, Nigerian government through the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, reacted on Wednesday. Mr. Mohammed described The Economists as racist and one characterized by embellishment.

Contrary to the newspapers self-professed belief in plain language, the article in question, from the headline to the body, is a master-piece of embellishment or dressed-up language, said Mr. Mohammed.

It is loaded with innuendos and decidedly pejorative at best, and downright racist at worst.

The Economist wrote that President Buhari wants to tame Nigerians with the Change Begins With Me Campaign. For those who are the owners of the English language, the use of that word is unpardonable, The verb tame suggests that Nigerians are some kind of wild animals that must be domesticated, and the usage reveals the mindset of the authors of the article: a deliberate put-down of a whole people under the guise of criticising a government policy, he added.

Stating further, he said it was untrue that the government would enlist volunteers to enforce the campaign. Rather than force, he said, Mr. Buhari made it clear moral suasion, the very antithesis of force, will be employed to achieve attitudinal change among Nigerians.

In its rush to discredit the Change Begins With Me Campaign, The Economist, a widely respected newspaper, fell below its own standards by choosing to be economical with the truth. Enforcement is not part of the strategies to be employed under the Campaign, and nowhere has it been said that the moral police will be unleashed, as reported by the newspaper, he said.

Mr. Mohammed expressed worry that the paper did not deem it necessary to speak with any official of the government, thus breaching one of the codes of journalism, which is fairnessIt chose instead to quote a critic of Mr. President in a perfunctory manner.

Reacting to one of the major criticisms the campaign has faced which was echoed in The Economists report, the Minister said the campaign was not designed to shift responsibility of change to Nigerians as many have erroneously said.

He said, It is an all-inclusive campaign that was designed to start with the leadership. That much was explained by the President when he said the government would drive the campaign and that it must be strongly supported by all concerned individually.

Change Begins With Me was designed to start from the President, then trickle down to the Vice President, Ministers, other top government officials and to all citizens. What is the campaign asking Nigerians to do? Be the change they want to see in the society.

He continued, In other words, if we all want an orderly society, for example, the motorists among us must obey traffic rules, our aggrieved youth must stop destroying public property, patent medicine sellers must stop selling fake drugs, commercial vehicle drivers must stop taking alcoholic beverages before driving etc. There is nothing extraordinary or over-burdening in all these.
An FCT High Court on Wednesday admitted in evidence, the statements made by Steve Oronsaye, a former Head of Service of the Federation, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Mr. Oronsaye was alleged to have deposited money meant for the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force which he chaired into a fixed bond in Access bank known only to him.

At the resumed sitting, Mr. Oransayes Counsel, Abiodun Layonu, opposed the sixth prosecution witness, Hamma-Adama Bello, tendering the statement.

Mr. Layonu had urged the court not to admit the document because the witness was not the one that signed and therefore not the originator citing Sections 83(1) sub 1 and 4 of the Evidence Act.

He told the court that since Mr. Bello did not counter-sign the statement he could not be cross-examined on the statement.

According to him, Mr. Bello is not the appropriate person to tender the document in evidence.

The prosecuting counsel, Offem Uket, urged the court to allow the witness to tender it and cited Sections 52 of the Evidence Act.

He said that the witness was a member of the team that investigated the petition and was present when the defendant made the statements

Mr. Uket further informed the court that the standards practice was that only one person administers cautionary word and counter-sign at a time which PW 1, Ngunnan Kakwagh, did being the leader of the team.

He said that even though Mr. Bello was present at the time the statement was made, only one signature was necessary on the statement made by the defendant.

Justice Olasunmbo Goodluck, in her ruling, held that the witness who was part of the investigation team, could tender the document.

The court, therefore, admitted the document in evidence.

Ms. Goodluck also held that Mr. Bello having worked under Kakwagh for nine years could identify her signature and also being a member of the team who investigated the petition.

The court also held that caution would be applied by the court in attaching weight to the statement.

Mr. Bello was a member of the team who investigated the matter, told the court that no other member was aware of this second account.

The witness, led in evidence by Mr. Uket, said the rule was that ministries or agencies could not invest fund without the approval from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF).

He said that the committee presented a request of N164 million and it was paid into the committees official account with the Zenith Bank by the presidency.

He said that Mr. Oronsaye also presented the same request to Central Bank of Nigeria and was also paid.

Mr. Bello said also that when Mr. Oronsaye wanted to open the account, the account officer raised question of number of signatory and letter of approval from AGF office.

He said that the rule was that at least there must be two signatories to such account but Mr. Oronsaye told them that they should go ahead.

The witness told the court that there were 26 investments into the account, four in-flows of N50 million, N90 million, N45million and 100 million.

Mr. Bello told the court that the first N50 million was withdrawn remaining less than N500, 000.

The witness said that out of this amount, N45 million was from the office of National Security Adviser (NSA) and it came in nine million naira each time.

He said the rule was that any idle money in the ministries or agencies should be invested in treasury bills and that only AGF could give approval for opening of government accounts.

Mr. Bello went further to say that Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force was not a permanent committee and should not have idle funds.

Justice Goodluck adjourned the case till September 29 for continuation.

(NAN)
The Borno State Commissioner for Environment, Waziri Imam, is dead.

Officials and family sources said he died on Wednesday at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital after a brief illness.

The deceased was the younger brother of Kashim Imam, a two-time gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who is now a member of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC.

The Borno State government has not issued an official statement to that effect.

But sources within the state protocol unit said Governor Shettima, who last week relocated his office to Bama, might cut short his engagement to attend the burial today.

On Wednesday morning, Friends and family members were seen trooping to the home of the deceased politician behind the Maiduguri Government House.

Late Mr. Imam is the sixth member of the Borno State Executive Council to die while serving as either commissioner, head of service or deputy governor from 2003 to date.



Details to come up shortly
Officials of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) made startling discoveries on Wednesday when it embarked on the evacuation of street traders at Nyanya market.

Correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who accompanied the enforcement team, report that a school operating illegally and a shop housing commercial sex workers and smokers were uncovered.

The team met the school in session with about 80 pupils between ages two and seven years, learning in shop measuring 4 by 4 feet without ventilation.

Alice Hogan, owner of the school christened Wisdom Nursery School, located in the heart of Nyanya Market, told journalists that the school had been in operation for the past 10 years.

Mrs. Hogan, who claimed to hold a National Certificate in Education, admitted that she had no licence to operate the school.

She said she was inspired to set up the school to meet the needs of traders who brought their children to the market, adding that it was her own little way of contributing to the education of the children.

She further said that the high unemployment rate in the country frustrated her resolve to own a school.

I was looking for a place to start a school after I had looked for a paid job and could not get one.

I resolved to use this shop because it belongs to my husband and what we do is just to pay revenue to the government.

When I started the school, I made a batcher at the back of the shop and put the children inside for teaching.

Though I have no licence to operate, I run the school so as to help the market people groom their children for primary school, she said.

NAN reports that the pupils are in a stressed-laden and noisy environment not conducive for learning.

A teacher, who, with Mrs. Hogan, manages the school, took to her heels on sighting security personnel.

NAN also reports that officials of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who accompanied the enforcement team, promptly arrested three girls and two men engaged in sexual activities in the shop turned into a brothel.

(NAN)
A scheme to guarantee universal access to basic healthcare is to be introduced in Kaduna State. The state government is already providing free health services for pregnant women, children under five years and the elderly.

The proposed scheme is designed to widen the net of coverage, and ensure that all residents of the state, including the poor and vulnerable, have access to healthcare without incurring out-of-pocket expenditure.

The Kaduna State Executive Council on September 26 approved the establishment of a Contributory Health Scheme that will provide access to quality healthcare packages to all residents of the state.

This scheme removes the financial barriers to healthcare that often exclude the poor and vulnerable who cannot afford the out-of-pocket expenditure hospital treatment currently requires. The objective is to make healthcare accessible and affordable for all.

Paul Dogo, Commissioner of Health and Human Services, says that a bill setting out the legal framework for this programme will be sent to the State House of Assembly, as directed by the State Executive Council. A pool of funds contributed by residents will ensure that universal coverage can be provided for anyone who requires healthcare.

The provisions in the draft bill for the establishment of the Kaduna State contributory health scheme is such that out-of-pocket expenditure is completely removed, so there will be no financial impediment to healthcare. Basic healthcare package will be provided to all citizens of Kaduna state following very little contributions from residents.

These contributions from residents will be supplemented by other funds, Dr. Dogo said.

Of course there are other sources of funds that will be utilised for the insurance. There are state funds that will be given by the state government for the vulnerable groups in the state; there are also funds from the basic health contributory funds provision which is meant for the pregnant woman and children under five. This fund is coming from the Federal Government through the National Health Insurance Scheme. What is going to happen is that a draft law will be sent to the House of Assembly for passage into law so that Kaduna state will have Contributory Health Scheme.

Generally the premium will be determined by the agency that will be supervising the contributory health scheme; but one thing I can say is that it is going to be very affordable because the scheme is about providing affordable quality health package for the people of the state, so it is involving all residents.

The scheme will start operating once the State Assembly passes the Bill into law.

The government is determined to remove hindrances to accessing healthcare by all residents. Mr. Dogo explained that the National Health Insurance Health Scheme (NHIS) still has only limited coverage, and the NHIS is nudging state governments to find ways to ensure that more of their residents have health coverage.

The NHIS has been operating for quite a while. But the coverage is quite disappointing, which is somewhere in the region of 6 per cent of the population, largely because many states did not key into the scheme. So the Federal Government had to think out of the box and is encouraging all states to come up with their health scheme.

Kaduna State will receive technical support from NHIS to achieve universal coverage in the state as far as the provision of basic healthcare is concerned.
But for a quick security intervention, the safety of some election observers would have been jeopardized, as thugs tried to disrupt voting activities at Unit 26 and 27 at Iduenbo Ward, Orhiowon Local Government Area.

The scene of the skirmish was not far from Iguododo, the village of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

Officials of Cleen Foundation were at the unit to observe the election when they observed some of the thugs create a scene.

As they tried to take pictures, the thugs assailed them, but they fled in their vehicle unwittingly leaving one of them behind.

One of the officials, Chigo Okoro, told PREMIUM TIMES that the thugs pursued them until they got to Iguododo. He said they were rescued by officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The security officials immediately escorted the observers back to the scene of the crisis to secure the life of the Cleen official left behind.

When PREMIUM TIMES got to the unit, calm had returned.
Supporters of the All Progressives Congress were seen distributing money at the polling unit where the partys National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, voted in Benin City, the state capital.

PREMIUM TIMES observed at the polling unit that members of the APC were compiling a list of voters and giving out about N10,000 to each voter, to vote for the partys candidate, Godwin Obaseki.

At some point the sharing of money almost turned violent.

When confronted on the development after casting his vote, Mr. Odigie-Oyegun expressed shock wondering how it was possible to share money at a polling unit where voting was taking place.

When I look at a place like this I dont know how you can give someone money, he said.

How do you know somebody has voted, given how secret it truly is? Nobody will know how youve thumb-printed.

He asked jokingly, Please, is there somebody sharing money let me go to him and take my own?

Mr. Odigie-Oyegun, a former governor of the state, however, expressed joy over the huge turnout of voters for the election, saying it was the best he ever experienced in the history of elections in the state.

I am very pleasantly surprised because this is the best turnout; Ive always voted here, this is the best turnout Ive ever experienced, he said.

It presumes that something good is about to happen, that people are keen to express their democratic options.

Its peaceful so far, Ive been watching on TV.

On the security arrangement for the election, the APC chairman described it as lovely.

Well, Im national chairman of the party and it was something that was of grave concern for us all the time. All the security agencies have given us iron clad assurance that there will be no incident, at least, no major incident.

Also speaking, the senator representing Edo South Senatorial District, Matthew Urhoghide, decried the allegation of vote-buying by the APC and demanded that it be nipped in the bud.

There is criticisms for some of the things going on, particularly the horse trading and the haggling, the touting that is going on, he told PREMIUM TIMES after voting at PU 004, George Idah Model Primary School in Benin.

Its very obvious in this Unit 4 and, of course, I think this is obscene. The APC is doing it with a whole lot of impudence.
Persons suspected to be the kidnappers of the Rector of Fr. Tansi Major Seminary in Onitsha, Anambra State, Emmanuel Dim, have demanded a N2.5 million ransom for his release.

The Director of Communications at the Nnewi Catholic Diocese, Hygi Aghaulor, told journalists in Nnewi on Wednesday that Mr. Dim, a Reverend Father, was kidnapped by suspected armed herdsmen on September 26.

Mr. Aghaulor, a Reverend Father, said the priest was kidnapped around 7 p.m. on the Nkpologwu-Nimbo road.

He appealed to the Federal Government and security agencies to help effect his release.

He said that the Catholic Bishops Conference had directed that no ransom be paid.

He said that two other priests, Jude Chukwuneke and Jude Ezeokana, who were in the same vehicle with Mr. Dim, managed to escape with various degrees of gunshot wounds.

Mr.Aghaulor said that the three catholic priests were returning from Nsukka to Onitsha and Nnewi after a condolence visit to Uchenna Ezeh of Nsukka Diocese who lost his mother.

He said that Mr. Ezeokana, a lecturer in both Fr. Tansi Seminary and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, received treatment briefly in Nsukka and now managing his wounds in Awka.

The priest said that Mr. Chukwuneke, the Chaplain of St. Camilus de Lellis Chaplaincy at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi, was shot on the head.

He said that Mr. Chukwuneke was receiving treatment at the institutions teaching hospital in Nnewi.

We call on people of goodwill to continue to pray for the immediate release of the Vincentian priest.

We are tempted to wonder if Nigeria is on the verge of collapse. All over the country, women are being raped and intimidated, innocent Nigerians are being slaughtered, Mr. Aghaulor said.

(NAN)
The police in Abia on Wednesday confirmed the death of one unidentified man and a woman in a brothel in Umuahia.

The Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Nta Ogbonnaya, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria in Umuahia.

He said that the two persons were found dead in the early hours of Wednesday in the brothel located at No. 44 Uyo Street, Umuahia.

The information we got is that many people died in the brothel but on getting to the place, we found only two lifeless bodies and six other persons who were unconscious.

He said that the remains of the deceased had been deposited in the mortuary while the unconscious ones, including the manager of the brothel, were taken to the Federal Medical Centre.

He added that the deceased and the six unconscious persons were found in different rooms in the brothel, popularly known as 50-50.

Mr. Ogbonnaya, however, said that the cause of the death was still unknown, saying that an autopsy would be carried out on the deceased to ascertain the cause of their death.

He advised residents of the area to remain calm, adding that the homicide unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department had commenced investigation into the matter.

Meanwhile, commercial sex workers resident in the brothel and other residents of the street had fled the area for fear of being arrested by the police.

A witness said that the residents of the brothel woke up running helter-skelter and screaming that they were attacked by a ghost.

The ensuing confusion caused stampede among other residents who also joined in scampering for safety, the eye-witness who pleaded anonymity said.

(NAN)
Presidential Palace (photo by Krzysztof Sitkowski / KPRP)

Polish President Andrzej Duda has decided to represent Poland at the funeral of former Israeli President Shimon Peres, who died in hospital on Wednesday at the age of 93, presidential minister Krzysztof Szczerski has announced.

Born in inter-war Poland, Shimon Peres was a joint winner of the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize and a renowned campaigner for Middle East peace. He died two weeks after suffering a massive stroke.

Peres took part in almost every key political event in Israel since the foundation of the country in 1948.

Peres' former associate Yona Bartal announced that the state funeral of the former president will take place in Jerusalem on Friday. (PAP)
Shimon Peres, President and Prime Minister of the State of Israel (photo by Chatham House / Wikipedia)

Dear Mr President,

It is with great sadness that I received the news about the death of Shimon Peres, President and Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Acting on behalf of the Polish people and on my own behalf, I wish to convey to you our profound condolences and expressions of regret in the face of the loss of this illustrious statesman, one of the most respected and renowned politicians in Israel and world-wide. May be of interest to you President Andrzej Duda to attend Shimon Peres' funeral

Born in the Second Republic of Poland, having emigrated in the 1930s, Mr Peres was one of the founding fathers of the State of Israel who undertook an effort to create the Israeli statehood on the territories of the British Mandate of Palestine.

In losing him the State of Israel has lost an outstanding politician who on many occasions took on responsibility for sustaining the fight for his countrys survival and peace.

The international community is bereaved of a politician of international stature who appreciated the scale of threats in the region and who was able to bring hope to the Middle East Peace Process, in recognition of which he was honoured with the Nobel Peace Prize.

We also remember his meritorious services in the process of building positive climate in mutual relations between Poland and Israel, and his efforts to promote understanding and cooperation. This endeavour was underpinned by our shared destinies and most glorious many-centuries traditions of Polish and Jewish coexistence, and also by our shared drama suffered under the Nazi occupation. He emphasized the need to foster friendship between our countries and Nations, bearing also in mind future generations. May this message live on never losing its validity.

I trust that the political roadmap charted out by Shimon Peres will be continued by his successors, to the benefit of the Jewish state, its inhabitants and its neighbours.

In those trying days of mourning, our thoughts go out to the Israeli People.

Andrzej Duda

President of the Republic of Poland
( Read 6125 Times)

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Here I am focusing on female right to say no to forced sex. I have read somewhere that a real man cant rape women because he understands the true meaning of love. Without love sex is impossible. If you do it without love then it comes in the category of forced sex or rape. A young girl who wears skirt or shorts doesnt mean that she is available for every male. Why she has always been targeted for her life style? Why everyone has a right to comment on her virginity and purity? Why cant she have dinner with a male friend? Why cant she go alone to watch a movie?Please show me a single family who dont give lecture to their daughters. Every work is prohibited for girls which a boy can do openly because girls have been brought up with a tag of good or bad on their characters. Anything can destroy their dignity and respect in minutes. Pinky was raped because she was wearing shorts. Lakshmi was killed by her husband because she said no to him. Lata was attacked by a neighbour because she refused his love proposal. Jeena lost her life because her brother has doubt on her character.I want to raise a question here, WHY?Do females have responsibility to develop a healthy society? Men should never be taught to be in his limits. I have seen educated people arguing on this topic. I was talking to a male on this topic few days back and he told me to change my mind. He clearly told me that I am not a social reformer who can go door to door to teach others. This is a male dominated society and I cant question on this. I should remain calm and learn to live with this.Unfortunately I refused.I am not a rebellious who is fighting for anything which is inappropriate. I am asking for a good society in which I can move freely without listening to any foolish comments on my character. I need freedom to fly high. I have good mental abilities. Please judge me by the power of mind and not by my looks.I cant use my skills if I am being judged everyday. How can I give my best if I am target for every single move.I can say No whenever I want.Married women dont know their rights. Husbands take them for granted. She is forced to have sex sometimes. No one bothers whether she wants it or not.Can a woman do this with a man?NO has immense power. If a girl is laughing in public or dresses according to her comfort, why does she get criticism? Drinking is another big problem. If a man does, he is called macho and if a woman does , she is called by different names which I dont want to write here.Come on ,change your thought process.World has changed. You have allowed females to go out and do jobs. Reason may be money or financial status. But why do you want her to not to talk with males? How is this possible if you work in a company and given permission to talk to females only. How would you avoid males at your workplace?Some families get indulged into this and give funny reasons. In a recent case Namita was questioned by a colleagues wife. Her colleagues wife puts allegations on Namita that she is destroying her family life by talking to her husband. No body protected Namita. Everyone preached her to stay away from her coulleague. Namita could not say No to this injustice. She was close to her coulleague but in a positive way.Females must understand the power of no.Say no when you are falsely accused.Say no when someone comments on your character.Say no when you dont like stupid comments on your personality and looks.Say no to those who comment on your character.Say no to every negative comment you have been forced to listen.Say no to forced love.Say no whenever you are questioned wrongly?Know your rights, stand up and defend yourself.If you cant who else will?Being a lady is not a problem, problem is to be weak and lament on this situation.I have no intention to hurt any male. I have a request to make, Please change your mindsets and let us live with dignity.
Steel Piers long-awaited observation wheel is on track to start spinning along the Atlantic City skyline before next July 4, officials of the amusement pier and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority said Monday.

CRDA leaders announced that the state agency has restructured its loan with Steel Pier and said that would allow the wheel to be up and running by July 1, 2017.

But Anthony Catanoso, the president of the pier, said hes optimistic that the 200-foot-high wheel will be a new draw for Atlantic City even before that point next summer.

July 1, I think, would be a worst-case scenario, Catanoso said in an interview Monday. Were hoping to make it earlier.  Id like to see this thing going by Memorial Day.

The restructured loan also pays off a financing company that had threatened to repossess some of the rides on Steel Pier, the owner added. CRDA officials confirmed that at a recent meeting.

Catanoso said the agreement takes money that was already committed in the last two (CRDA) loans and prioritizes (the wheel) to get the project moving faster.  It uses money that was already there in the loan bucket.

But the deal also involves a bigger commitment from the wheel partnership financially, he added.

The observation wheel will be at Steel Pier, but a separate partnership is the legal owner of the new attraction. That wheel partnership includes the piers principal owners, however, Catanoso said.

Robert Mulcahy, the acting CRDA chairman, announced the restructuring deal in a statement from the agency.

This loan modification allows the CRDA to complete the (wheel) project and bring another great, non-gaming attraction to the Atlantic City Tourism District, while also positioning the Steel Pier for future success, he said.

At CRDAs September board meeting, Mulcahy said the agencys loans to Steel Pier now total about $14 million.

The 42-car, climate-controlled wheel was made in Melara, Italy, and is now in New Jersey and in Steel Piers hands. But it is in company-owned storage areas on the mainland, according to Catanoso, and not at the historic pier on the Boardwalk.

Im hopeful that with some more design work, the project can get moving even faster, he added Monday.

But the wheel has been delayed repeatedly since Catanoso first announced plans for it in the spring of 2013. The piers original projection had the attraction being finished before the summer of 2014.

Staff writer Nicholas Huba contributed to this report.
Richard Perniciaro is director of the Center for Regional & Business Re-search at Atlantic Cape Community College and a longtime commentator on South Jersey economic events and trends.

Perniciaro met Wednesday with editors and reporters at The Press to discuss the state of the economy in South Jersey.

Here are some of his observations:

In 1978, the year the first casino opened in Atlantic City, income in Atlantic County was at 98 percent of the per-capita personal income for New Jersey as a whole.

In the early years after the casinos opened, Atlantic Countys average grew higher than the state average.

That started changing in the early 1990s, when the countys per-capita income fell to 84 percent of the states, he said.

And as of 2014, when four casinos closed in Atlantic City, Atlantic County residents were at just 75 percent of the states income. Neighboring Cumberland Countys per-person income was just 62 percent of the states.

We grew in the wrong direction economically despite having all the casino employment. So what the casino employment did was bring in lower-income to mid-income jobs, he said.

He likens the regional job market to the shape of a witchs hat: Very broad at the bottom, a lot of low-paying jobs, retail, casino. And the hat gets very thin very fast, going to the top for higher incomes and more advanced skills. ... While the state was becoming more sophisticated economically, the region was not keeping up.

Were in the worst part (of New Jersey) in terms of employment and income growth ... and the state is not doing as well nationally. So we get a double whammy, if you want to look at it that way.

Plus, based on historical economic cycles, Perniciaro expects another national recession eventually sometime after Novembers presidential election.

In South Jersey, its not as much employment, its an income problem. We just cant find a way to generate income, and weve fallen way, way behind the state in that.

Weve brought all these folks in and weve built all these houses, so we cant exactly become Silicon Valley, because youll leave a lot of people behind.

There is no industry I can tell you ... or anyone can tell you that can come in and fill the gap. ... Are we ever going to get to casinos that hire 4,000 people? No, were not. Even the (planned Stockton Aviation Research and Technology Park, near Atlantic City International Airport) talks about 2,000 employees. Youre never going to fill the gap of the 20,000 who left.

We have some long-term structural issues, mostly about the built environment we made. Look at Atlantic City. Its structured around 13 properties ... and thats absolutely not what it needs. It needs to be flipped around.

But Perniciaro does see some economic bright spots in South Jersey, although not all in a cluster.

One is winemaking, because of its potential to bring other peoples money to Cape May County and more areas where wineries have blossomed in recent years.

The whole winery thing in Cape May County is becoming a complete shoulder industry, but now its becoming a winter industry. People are doing weddings at their places. Theyre filling in that segment of the market that the rest of Cape May couldnt, which is the winter.

When I talk to the guys from the wineries in Cape May, they all say the same thing: We want more wineries to come in. Its not competition  the region needs to be known as a wine region. You cant do that on your own. ... You need that critical mass.
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST  The Army National Guard is looking for a few good accountants, IT experts and even veterinarians.

Recruiters are inviting New Jersey high school and college counselors to help find them through a series of hands-on visits to Fort Dix. As an added enticement, theyll even provide transportation  in a Black Hawk helicopter.

The chopper got a lot of attention Tuesday as it landed in a field at Atlantic Cape Community College to pick up 10 staff members from the aviation, admissions, counseling and culinary programs.

The 20-minute flight to the base set the tone for a day that began with a slideshow, ended with a virtual battle and included a tour through a simulated desert village that could have come from a movie set.

The Educators Mission Day was developed by Lt. Daniel Vorsky to get beyond what he calls misperceptions of the Guard as just a military unit similar to the Army.

Yes, there is still basic training, but specialized training can include attending a state public college with all tuition paid, one of just a few states that offers that benefit, Vorsky said. The part-time guard offers residents the chance to have a career and serve their state and country.

For Atlantic Cape personnel, the trip was a chance to see how its evolving aviation degree programs might dovetail with programs in the Army National Guard.

We really need smart, talented IT students said National Guard Operations Officer Justin Oliver We need people who know how to code.

Thats good news to Bojan Zilovic, interim division chair of STEM programs at Atlantic Cape and assistant professor of computer information systems. The guard is one more option he can offer students wondering what they might do after graduation.

The growing use of drones in the military could link to Atlantic Capes training program.

Legal immigrants looking to earn U.S. citizenship can do it more quickly in the Guard through an expedited process that will take months rather than years.

Vorsky said the Guard is different in that it focuses on New Jersey. The more than 8,500 members are primarily from the state and work together on training and services. If they are activated, they say with their unit.

If you want to leave New Jersey, this is not for you, he said. But if you want to stay here, no one else can touch what we have.

While some members work full time, most train two weekends a month plus two weeks each year, allowing them to attend college or work full-time in another career.

Angela Olivadoti, 25, of Long Branch has been a teacher in the local school district for five years, and a member the N.J. Army National Guard for almost two years. She joined soon after having her son and works in supply and procurement.

I always wanted to join the military, she said. I have a little boy, so I can still be home, and I also want to get my masters degree.

She said while women are still not common, she has seen more coming in under new regulations.

Aaron Love, 21, of Pemberton joined right out of high school because he didnt know what he wanted to do with his life. Hes full time and also takes classes at Rowan College at Burlington County in preparation for a possible career in physical therapy.

It was a last resort, he admits of his decision to join the National Guard. But I like it a lot, he said.

You hear the word simulated a lot on base. There is M4 weapons training using lasers rather than bullets. There are sim-rounds of rubber-like bullets that can sting, but not kill. They are used during maneuvers through the simulated maneuvers course called Desert Lane Training.

You remember if you get hit by one, Sgt. Joe Valanzuela said of the sim-rounds.

And there is VICE, the Virtual Interactive Combat Environment, which mixes shooting and maneuvering into a video game using a simulated weapon instead of a video-game controller.

The tour also included a very real $1.2 million mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle and of course, the Blackhawk helicopter, which transported the Atlantic Cape employees back to the college, taking a scenic route over the ocean that offered a chopper-eye view of the Jersey Shore.

Vorsky said they do a lot of recruiting from high school JROTC groups, but that training is not required. His background is in business, and he didnt join until he was 23.

Most deployments are humanitarian missions to help in state or national disasters such as Hurricane Sandy. This years trip will be to help build a hospital in Belize.

Not everyone goes to a combat zone, Vorsky said. Most who do are infantry and active-duty full time. We are trying to break the stigma that everyone is an infantryman who goes overseas. We have everything, and we are here to serve New Jersey.

Atlantic Cape chef educator Daniel Matt said he would like to connect with the guards culinary program to give students another option.

Counselor Lynette Ingram, a career counselor whose son is in the Guard, said the trip gave her a better understanding she can share with students.

I can really see the value of Fort Dix as a training center, Zilovic said.
ATLANTIC CITY  The hazardous materials unit of the Atlantic City Fire Department on Wednesday dealt with the second suspicious package addressed to a casino in the last two days.

Just before 11 a.m., fire officials went to the Post Office carrier annex parking lot off Route 30 near South Carolina Avenue after a report of a suspicious package, similar in appearance to the one located at Caesars on Tuesday.

Emergency crews set up in the parking lot to investigate the package, which sat in a carrier vehicle.

Fire Chief Scott Evans said the sender was the same as that of the hoax Tuesday and the new package was also addressed to Caesars.

It appears to be very similar to yesterday as far as what the package looks like, Evans said.

Firefighters found the package with brown powder wrapped in plastic with tape around it, which was similar to the substance found at Caesars.

After investigating, they determined the substance was not dangerous and could be a hoax. The substance and both incidents have been turned over to State Police for further investigation. Wednesday night State Police said they would not have additional information on the investigation until Thursday morning.

Evans said it was unclear what the substance actually was, but all tests came back negative and were the same results as yesterday.

Evans said the post office carrier driving the vehicle noticed the package and reported it. It remained unopened, no one was exposed to its contents and no one was injured.

Officials had the post office parking lot roped off and kept employees inside the building while the teams investigated the car in the parking lot.

Were very concerned, but we train for this stuff. We take every call seriously, he said. People do use the mail to try to hurt other people. We need to be safe, we need to be cautious.

During the investigation Wednesday, a few Carver Hall apartments residents stood outside to watch.

If it was something serious, thered be more people here, said Floreiky Almonte, 20, a resident in the apartments across the street from the post office.
ATLANTIC CITY  South Jersey Gas will begin a cleanup next month of the former Atlantic City Manufactured Gas Plant site on the bay near North Florida Avenue.

The company will hold a public forum Sept. 27 to explain its plans to the public, it announced recently.

The site is near Turnpike Road and Sunset Avenue, close to the Atlantic City Expressway entrance to the city. The plant operated there from about 1900 to 1918, according to the utility, which acquired the site from its operator, the Atlantic City Gas and Water Co.

In the days before natural gas could be mined and piped to homes and businesses, companies made a similar gas from heating coal and oil, said Kenneth Sheppard, South Jersey Gas project manager for environmental affairs.

(Coal and oil) was put in an oven and cut off from oxygen, Sheppard said. That would drive off the gas, which was then a saleable product.

He spoke last March at an informational meeting in Hammonton, where a similar cleanup is underway at Lincoln Street and Route 54 behind the Wawa. It involves encasing contaminated soils in an underground cement mix.

A.C.'s history paved with businesses that left town When Hammonton and Folsom officials went to an Atlantic County freeholder meeting to ask for

The company expects phase one in Atlantic City to start in October and take about five months to complete. A second phase is in the planning stages and will not start until 2017, after which the land will be ready for redevelopment.

South Jersey Gas has completed remediation work at manufactured gas sites over the past five years in Vineland, Bridgeton, Glassboro and Swedesboro, said Barbara Del Duke, general manager of stakeholder relations.

The gas manufacturing process produced by-products and residues that may include tars, sludges and light oils, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The wastes contain a number of known and suspected cancer-causing agents and other potentially hazardous chemicals.

The EPA said such sites often are contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), petroleum hydrocarbons, benzene, cyanide, metals and phenols.

Prior to World War II, there were more than 5,000 such plants in the United States, according to South Jersey Gas. But when the interstate pipeline introduced natural gas to the area in the 1950s, those plants closed.

South Jersey Gas and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection have found impacts to soil, groundwater and sediments beneath the Beach Thorofare at the Atlantic City site, according to the company.

The first phase will involve removing three buildings at the site, subsurface utility work along North Georgia Avenue, Turnpike Road and Island Avenue, and removal and replacement of soil from Turnpike Road, the company said.

During the work, the company will make sure there is no runoff from the site, and water will be treated before being discharged into the wastewater system. The company will also control for odors.

Contaminants a history lesson at Hammonton gas plant site HAMMONTON  Hammonton residents will get a history lesson as South Jersey Gas remediates a c

Following the second phase of remediation, the site will be available for redevelopment, the company said.

Contact: 609-272-7219

Twitter @MichelleBPost
Capt. Stephen Jones admits his early years as a state trooper assigned to the Port Norris barracks in Cumberland County were an eye-opener for someone who just joined law enforcement.

There were calls involving domestic violence, accidents and the occasional animal, one of which he still remembers 21 years later.

Jones said he arrived at a home and was given a box with a bird that was half alive and a homeowner who wanted him to put him out of his misery, or shoot it.

I didnt have the heart to do it, Jones said.

Jones, a police spokesman who retires Friday at mandatory retirement age of 55, had a career that spanned South Jersey, first working public relations for Atlantic City Electric, then in roles with State Police throughout South Jersey and as a proponent of the anti-drunken driving HERO Campaign that started locally.

Jones rise through the ranks included stints as patrol officer in Cape May and Cumberland counties and on the Atlantic City Expressway, detective, and part of an airport security detail. His last years on the job were with the agencys public information office, a division to which he was assigned in 2002 and eventually commanded. It was a post for which his background in public relations with Atlantic Electric provided him the basic experience of dealing with the public and the media.

Even though I thought I knew public relations, doing that for law enforcement is a whole different ballgame, Jones said. Making sure that everything is accurate. You cant just guess. You cant be wrong.

Most reporters, when they realize youre taking that duty to get the information seriously, they are very appreciative, he said. Weve gotten better at that.

Even though there were a few mistakes along the way.

Weve had a few resurrections on fatal accidents, Jones said.

People who have worked with Jones speak highly of him.

He was always lighthearted, said Matt Custer, who managed Atlantic Electrics Public Relations Department. He was always eager. Always just a great guy to have around.

Jones was an all-around public relations assistant with Atlantic Electric, Custer said. Jones became very adept at working with the public and different agencies, and with in-company projects, he said.

He was well prepared and a quick learner, Custer said. He was always a professional.

Bill Elliott heads the HERO Campaign, which pushes widespread use of designated drivers to reduce drunken driving crashes and deaths.

Jones helped get HERO Campaign decals on State Police patrol vehicles, Elliott said. Jones efforts also helped State Police integrate the HERO Campaign into their anti-drunken driving educational efforts, he said.

In a very real sense, hes helped save lives, Elliott said.

Jones, a longtime Gloucester County resident, who is married with two children and two grandchildren, entered the police academy at age 34, the cutoff age for entering the training activity.

I was certainly challenging, Jones said. I was a desk jockey.

He joined the State Police in the summer of 1995. His first posting was, as routine with the agency, on patrol duty. His first station was the Port Norris barracks. The Woodbine barracks in Cape May County was his next stop.

It was a great time to learn what policing is all about, Jones said. You got to help a lot of people who were scared, and show some compassion in the way you dealt with a criminal act. Those are the things that are so rewarding.

Jones became a detective in 1999, and some of his work involved document fraud cases involving drivers licenses. He said that was especially helpful when, after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2011, he helped investigate where and when the hijackers moved around parts of North Jersey near New York City.

The public information job followed in 2002, and has undergone some changes since then.

In 2002, we werent into that 24-hour-a-day news cycle, Jones said. As things developed and the Internet took over as the main source of peoples news, the most difficult thing became speed (in getting and releasing information.)

Jones said there were no regrets about the career choice.

I really appreciate what the State Police did and all the different things that we do, he said. I remain proud of the agency.
Verizon is proposing to upgrade its copper-based landline phone system and internet service in rural South Jersey, where residents say poor service poses potential safety risks, problems for businesses and even trouble with students homework.

But lawmakers say the companys proposal falls short, and they want a more reliable fiber-optic network that is prevalent in North Jersey but nearly nonexistent in the region.

Our ultimate goal must be for full (fiber-optic) coverage in all of South Jersey, and I am urging the (state Board of Public Utilities) to order Verizon to make that investment, said state Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic.

Greg Facemyer, a committeeman in Hopewell Township, Cumberland County, and an early advocate for improved Verizon service, called Verizons plan like trying to put lipstick on a pig.

BPU staff is reviewing Verizons proposal and awaiting responses to the plan from agencies that include the state Division of Rate Counsel, BPU spokesman John Reinert said.

During a BPU hearing Aug. 4 regarding Verizons alleged poor service, division Director Stefanie Brand called South Jersey the land that time forgot.

The division is an independent state agency that lobbies on behalf of utility customers throughout New Jersey.

Verizon sent a letter to the BPU that outlines service-upgrade plans and contends its initiatives will greatly improve the experience of Verizons customers in southern New Jersey. That includes customers in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Salem counties, the letter states.

To bolster its claim, Verizon said 15 new projects related to upgrading its copper line network will be finished by the end of this month. Those projects are part of an estimated $100 million Verizon said it spent to upgrade the copper landline network during the past two years.

Verizons proposal as outlined in the letter to the BPU includes the installation of fiber-optic service to 900 households in Lower Alloways Creek Township in Salem County.

Otherwise, Verizon is proposing enhanced Digital Subscriber Line service, or DSL, in Estell Manor, Weymouth Township and Corbin City in Atlantic County and Maurice River Township in Cumberland County.

DSL offers faster internet speeds over copper landlines.

The utility also proposes making DSL service available for the first time to 2,000 customers in six municipalities, including Downe and Commercial townships in Cumberland County.

Verizon further proposes improving its landline copper wire infrastructure. The work would replace copper cables in seven municipalities, including Estell Manor, Weymouth and Commercial townships, Upper Deerfield Township in Cumberland County and Hammonton in Atlantic County.

That work will ensure that outside plant facilities are protected from weather and other conditions that cause service outages or other service-affecting problems, the utility contends.

But Van Drew said he wont be satisfied until Verizon commits to full fiber-optic service throughout South Jersey.

I want to be clear that this is important progress, but it is not enough to ensure appropriate service for our residents, Van Drew said. Families in South Jersey deserve access to the 21st century technology that is afforded to people across the state and affects everything from education to business and the safety of our communities.

Van Drew said Verizons proposal also excludes improved service in more rural sections of western Cumberland County.

The BPUs August hearing was called after 16 local governments in Atlantic, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties, and Cumberland County government, petitioned the BPU in connection with Verizons service. An additional local government has since joined the coalition.

During that hearing, held in Estell Manor, Cumberland County Counsel Ted Baker told the BPU of more than 500 complaints from residents who lost landline phone service on rainy days, constantly contend with static during telephone conversation and have poor internet service. Local and county governments face potentially serious public safety issues because of communications difficulties, small businesses are suffering and students cant access the internet for homework assignments, he said.

Verizon told the BPU in its letter that it reviewed all 273 complaints it received during and after the hearing.

All complaints have been resolved, the utility states.

Verizon said those complaints resulted in 74 new maintenance packages to address and resolve the issues raised by our customers through their written and verbal complaints concerning their telephone and DSL service.

Verizon will continue to take steps to improve plant conditions and decrease trouble reports in southern New Jersey by utilizing all our resources to target problem areas, the utility promises the BPU. We know that providing the best customer experience is what we need to do in order to retain customers in a highly competitive environment.
Widespread minor tidal flooding greeted South Jersey residents for the Thursday morning commute, and flooding will return during each of the next three high tides along the shore.

Increasingly brisk onshore winds coupled with an approaching new moon is preventing water from draining from the back bays in between high tides.

Minor to perhaps moderate tidal flooding is currently forecast with each high tide Thursday and Friday. High tides will occur during the morning and evening hours both days, generally in the seven to eight oclock hour along the shore and an hour or two later in the back bays and Delaware Bay.

The highest tides will be Thursday evening and Friday morning, with water levels projected to be about a half-foot higher than Thursday morning. Coastal flood advisories continue along the shore for minor flooding, but coastal flood warnings go into effect this evening at the prospect for low-end moderate flooding.

In addition to the coastal flooding, strong onshore winds from the east and northeast may gust as high as 40 mph along the coast through Friday. Those brisk winds will cause rough surf and perhaps minor beach erosion.

Tides are running higher than normal due to Fridays new moon. It is the second new moon of the month, which is known as a black moon. When two full moons occur in the same calendar month, its known as the more popular blue moon.

Both the new and full moons bring higher astronomical tides to the South Jersey shore each month.

Tidal flooding should diminish over the weekend, as winds are expected to steadily decrease by Saturday and Sunday.

Residents along the shore are advised to use caution when driving and parking their cars on the barrier islands through Friday.

Egg Harbor Township Police said flooding closed Black Horse Pike in West Atlantic City earlier this morning, but was reopened by 10:33 a.m.

Police added that with an evening high tide, the roadway is expected to be closed into the night and tomorrow morning and suggest using an alternate route.

The Black Horse Pike in West Atlantic City is flooding. Find an alternate route for the next few hours. The... https://t.co/DLX9R4bANM  EHTPolice (@EHTPolice) September 29, 2016

We are experiencing minor tidal flooding and will through Saturday. Those who live on streets and in low lying... https://t.co/0gDbuVVKL7  West Wildwood Police (@w_wildwoodpd) September 29, 2016
If you havent heard about our 50 Bites+ deal yet, where have you been? Between our pre-sales, Facebook and Twitter posts and last weeks Atlantic City Weekly special edition, which included all of the 62 bites and why we love them so much, you have to be living under a rock to not know about this awesome deal.

But, for all you cave-dwellers out there, lets recap. Last year we launched an incredible promotion that featured 50 of the best restaurants in Atlantic City. Participants bought a 50 Bites pass for $50, which entitled them to a free bite at one of those restaurants during the allotted 50 day period. (See what we did there?) It was a roaring success, so much so that this year we felt the need to break the 50 theme.

So, we sacrificed the cuteness of 50 Bites at 50 Days for 50 Bucks, and upped the number of restaurants and expanded to include restaurants throughout Atlantic County. Now, we have 62 bites total  46 in Atlantic City and 16 in Atlantic County. A quick calculation will tell you that, for the same price as last year, $50, youre getting 12 more bites. Thats like getting 12 free bites this year!

And these arent just any ol bites  these are the best bites in Atlantic County. Its the ultimate foodie list made easy. You have from Oct. 13 to Dec. 1 to hit all 62 restaurants.

You can head to AtlanticCityWeekly.com/50Bites to see a gallery of all the bites, check out an F.A.Q. or buy your pass  $50 for one, $90 for two, with a portion of all proceeds going to the South Jersey Chefs Association and the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Southern Branch. Your pass will also entitle you to specials like reduced prices on drinks, food items and upgrades to full portions.

After ordering your lanyard, you can pick up your pass about a week before the event starts (well keep you posted online as to when theyre available) at The Press of Atlantic City office in Pleasantville or at The Iron Room in Atlantic City. If youd rather us ship it to you, no problem. For an additional $6 shipping fee well send it right to your house. Starting Oct. 13, you can also buy them at various Atlantic County locations.

We repeat: AtlanticCityWeekly.com/50Bites is your key to more info about 50 Bites+. Once the 50-day feast begins, keep us posted on social media by using the hashtag #50BitesAC. We cant wait to see what Instagram filter you use to make that lobster and cheese ravioli look just right.
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.




LONDON, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Forecasts by End User (General Aviation, Military, Commercial Aircraft) by Type (Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul MRO, Original Equipment Manufacturer OEM) & By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, RoW) & Analysis of Materials (Epoxy Resin, Polyurethane Resin) & New Technologies (Chrome Free, Nanostructure Metals)

Visiongain's comprehensive new 181 page report reveals that the aerospace coatings market will achieve revenues of $584.5m in 2016.

Are you involved in the aerospace coatings market or intend to be? If so, then you must read this report

It's vital that you keep your knowledge up to date. You need this report.

Market scope: Aerospace coatings are supplied to the commercial, military, and general aviation markets. They include exterior and interior coatings for Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO). These coatings, when applied to aircraft, offer higher fuel efficiency, less noise and weight and increased safety.

Coatings are applied to improve wear protection, corrosion resistance, enhance surface hardness, achieve weight reduction and reduce oxidation. The advantage of coatings is that they improve reliability and wear and tear from harsh operating conditions and thus require a reduced amount of time for maintenance and repair.

This report examines in detail the commercial prospects for aerospace coatings, by application, by end-user by region and analyses the leadings companies.

The Aerospace Coatings Market Report 2016-2026 report responds to your need for definitive market data:

 Where are the aerospace coatings market opportunities?

- 139 tables, charts, and graphs reveal market data allowing you to target your strategy more effectively

To see a report overview please email Sara Peerun on sara.peerun@visiongainglobal.com

 When will the aerospace coatings market grow?

- Global, regional, national and aerospace coatings submarket forecasts and analysis from 2016-2026 illustrate the market progression

- Volume forecast (tons) from 2016-2026

- Market value forecasts ($m) from 2016-2026

 Why will the aerospace coatings market evolve?

- Read comments from five industry experts -

- PPG (Mr. Mark Cancillia Global Platform Director)

- Akzonobel N.V (Mr. John Griffin, Business Director)

- Hentzen Coatings (Mr. Chris Athansopoulos, Director of Global Sales)

- The Sherwin Williams Company (Julie Voisin, Aerospace Product Manager)

- Mankiewicz (Mr. Andreas Ossenkopf, Director- Head of Aviation)

 Which aerospace coatings end user submarket will flourish from 2016-2026?

- Individual application forecasts and analysis demonstrate the prospects

- General Aviation applications

- Military applications

- Commercial applications

 Which aerospace coatings submarket type will thrive from 2016-2026?

- Specific projections and analysis explore the potential for

- Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO)

- Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)

 Where are the regional aerospace coatings market opportunities from 2016-2026?

- Targeted regional forecasts and analysis explore the future opportunities

- Each regional and country is forecast in volume (tons) and market value ($m)

- Each regional and country is also segmented and individually forecast by the 3 types for General Aviation, Military and Commercial applications.

- North America

- US

- Canada

- Mexico

- Europe

- Germany

- UK

- France

- Other

- Asia Pacific

- China

- India

- Japan

- Other

- RoW

- Russia

- Brazil

- Other

 What are the factors influencing aerospace coatings market dynamics?

- See a Porters Five Force analysis

- View a value chain analysis

- Read SWOT analyses for each leading company

 Who are the leading 10 aerospace coatings companies?

- Examine SWOT analyses for each company, competitive positioning, capabilities, product portfolios, R&D activity, services, focus, strategies, M&A activity, and future outlook

- BASF

- Akzonobel N.V

- Henkel AG & Company

- Hentzen Coatings Inc.

- Hohman Platings & Mfg LLC

- Ionbond AG

- Mankiewicz GEBR. & Co.

- PPG Industries Inc.

- The Sherwin Williams Company

- Zircotec Ltd.

 Who should read this report?

- Anyone within the aerospace coatings value chain, including

- Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM)

- Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) companies

- Coating manufacturers

- Component suppliers

- Commercial airlines

- Defence contractors

- CEO's

- COO's

- CIO's

- Business development managers

- Marketing managers

- Suppliers

- Technologists

- Investors

- Banks

- Government agencies

- Contractors

Get our report today Aerospace Coatings Market Report 2016-2026 Forecasts by End User (General Aviation, Military, Commercial Aircraft) by Type (Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul MRO, Original Equipment Manufacturer OEM) & By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, RoW) & Analysis of Materials (Epoxy Resin, Polyurethane Resin) & New Technologies (Chrome Free, Nanostructure Metals). Avoid missing out - order our report now.

To see a report overview please email Sara Peerun on sara.peerun@visiongainglobal.com

To request a report overview of this report please emails Sara Peerun at sara.peerun@visiongainglobal.com or call Tel: +44 (0) 20 7336 6100

Or click on https://www.visiongain.com/Report/1730/Aerospace-Coatings-Market-Report-2016-2026

List of Companies

Aerojet Rocketdyne

Aerospace Coatings International

AeroTek Manufacturing Ltd.

Airbus

AKZONOBEL N.V

AkzoNobel Powder Coatings SAE

AkzoNobel Powder Trading SAE

Albemarle

Alcoa Inc.

ALTEK INC.

BASF SE

Bayer

Beechcraft Corporation

Boeing Company

Bombardier

Calico Coatings

CFI Coatings

Corning Incorporated

Deft Inc

DSM

DuPont

Elite Aerospace Coatings

Ellsworth Adhesives (U.S)

Embraer

Endura Coatings

Ethiopian Airlines

GE Aviation

Hardide Coatings

Heany Industries

HENKEL AG & COMPANY

HENTZEN COATINGS INC

HOHMAN PLATING & MFG LLC

Incotec Corporation

Indestructible Paint Limited

International Aerospace Coatings

IONBOND AG

Jet Airways

KLM

LORD Corporation

Lufthansa Technik

Lyondelbasel

MANKIEWICZ GEBR. & CO

Mapaero France

Merck KGaA

MetoKote Corporation

Momentive

Pexa

PPG INDUSTRIES INC

Pratt & Whitney

Praxair Technology, Inc.

Precision Castparts Corp. Al

PSG Limited

Star Hentzen Coatings Pvt. Ltd.

Star Paint & Oil Industries

The Dow Chemical Company

THE SHERWIN WILLIAMS COMPANY

Thermech Corporation

Vacuum Process Technology LLC

Valspar Corporation

Versatile Spray Painting Ltd.

Wencor Group

ZIRCOTEC LTD

To see a report overview please email Sara Peerun on sara.peerun@visiongainglobal.com

SOURCE Visiongain Ltd
THE HAGUE, the Netherlands, September 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

A royal visit from Great Britain: from 29 September 2016 to 8 January 2017 the Mauritshuis in The Hague will exhibit a selection of the most important Dutch genre paintings from the British Royal Collection. The renowned Royal Collection, held in trust by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, includes highlights by famous painters such as Gerard ter Borch, Gerrit Dou, Pieter de Hooch, Gabriel Metsu and Jan Steen. The highlight of the exhibition is 'The Music Lesson' by Johannes Vermeer.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160927/412241 )

The Royal Collection has some of the most important holdings in the world. It owns many paintings of the Dutch Golden Age, and gives pride of place to its genre paintings, scenes that appear to be taken from everyday life. The exhibition At Home in Holland: Vermeer and his Contemporaries from the British Royal Collection introduces the public to the 'genre painting', its many forms and the provocative symbolism it often conceals. These works are stunning in their variety, from simple farmhands gathered in an inn to elegant figures in rich interiors. Some of the everyday scenes carry a deeper, often moralistic meaning, which may be explicit or at times concealed. But in all of them, the artists portrayed the characters and their environments as skilfully as possible, which makes them even more attractive.

About the exhibition

The exhibition covers a broad selection of the best Dutch genre paintings from the Royal Collection. It includes 22 paintings from the British Royal Collection and one from the collection of the Mauritshuis, The Young Mother by Gerrit Dou. This painting was part of the British Royal Collection until about 1700, and came into Dutch ownership through King and Stadholder William III. The highlights of the exhibition are Johannes Vermeer's 'The Music Lesson' and Jan Steen's A Woman at her Toilet . Also featured are significant works by other grand masters of Dutch genre painting, such as Gerard ter Borch, Gerrit Dou, Pieter de Hooch, Willem van Mieris and Gabriel Metsu.

The Royal Collection and the Mauritshuis

The British Royal Collection is one of the largest and most important collections in the world and one of the last great European royal collections to remain intact. The Royal Collection and the Mauritshuis have much in common: both are royal collections and both contain a magnificent collection of Dutch masters of the Golden Age. King George IV of England was a key figure in the history of the Royal Collection. In the early decades of the nineteenth century he acquired many of the paintings which are now seen as jewels in the crown of the English royal collection. The foundations for the Mauritshuis collection were laid by the stadholders William IV and William V. Their descendant, King William I, bequeathed the collection to the Dutch state in 1816 and the museum still bears the name Mauritshuis Royal Picture Gallery.

The exhibition At Home in Holland: Vermeer and his Contemporaries from the British Royal Collection is a collaboration between Royal Collection Trust and the Mauritshuis. The exhibition was held at The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, London, under the title Masters of the Everyday: Dutch Artists in the Age of Vermeer from 13 November 2015 to 14 February 2016. It has been on display at The Queen's Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh until 17 July 2016. From Thursday 29 September 2016, the paintings will be on view in the Mauritshuis in The Hague.

Notes to editors:

Images can be downloaded through this link, please mention the attached credit line:

https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/press/

EN: Royal Collection Trust /  Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2016

Follow the Mauritshuis on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr

SOURCE Mauritshuis
- Part of Healthcare Expansion and Global Service Offerings -

SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CSA Group, a global provider of testing and certification services and a leading standards development organization, today announced the opening of its new medical laboratory in Songpa-gu, Seoul, specializing in testing and certification services for electro-medical and laboratory equipment such as home healthcare medical equipment, X-ray equipment, HF surgical equipment, infusion pump, ECG monitoring device, laser equipment, endoscopic equipment, multifunction patient monitoring device, microscopes and sterilizers.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160927/412479LOGO

"As the Korean medical device industry has grown significantly, CSA Group is pleased to open in Seoul its largest electro-medical laboratory in Asia. The state-of-the-art facility will help provide comprehensive testing and certification services for domestic medical device companies and enable effective access to North American and global markets. Our experts can provide significant localized testing and certification services to a broad range of medical products, and are equipped with knowledge in multiple environmental, safety and performance standards," said Danny Yoon, CSA Group Area Director, Asia.

The laboratory also provides services for commercial and household appliances, as well as audio/video equipment and HVAC/R products. CSA Group Korea offers sustainability and energy efficiency verification programs to North American standards. Recently, as part of an alliance, CSA Group launched a series of sustainability standards for household products as well as a CSA Group sustainability mark to help consumers identify environmentally preferable products.

In addition to testing and certification, special inspection and field evaluation services are offered. These programs provide evaluation according to applicable safety requirements in Canada and in the US. The review is performed on site, and upon successful evaluation, units found in compliance are affixed with the Special Inspection label for Canada or a Field Evaluation label for the US. The service is intended for one-of-a-kind and limited-production products and unlisted electrical equipment. The process is completed at the point of manufacturing, interim points of distribution, at the final installation site, or a combination of the above, as requested by the customer.

About CSA Group Testing, Inspection and Certification

CSA Group is a global organization dedicated to safety, social good and sustainability. CSA Group provides testing, inspection and certification services for products in many market sectors, including home and commercial, industrial, healthcare, and automotive. CSA Group also provides functional safety and management systems certification. CSA Group is one of the largest providers of safety and environmental certification for Canada and the US  and the CSA mark appears on billions of products worldwide. For more information about CSA Group, please visit www.csagroup.org.

CSA Group Contact: Media Contact: CSA Group Media Contact: Eugene Son Berry Kwon Pino Chen CSA Group Korea Ltd. Hill+Knowlton Strategies CSA Group +82 2 6371 6000 +82 2 2287 0926 +021-54261199-822 eugene.son@csagroup.org berry.kwon@hkstrategies.com pino.chen@csagroup.org

Related Links

http://www.csagroup.org



SOURCE CSA Group
NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- DDB earned 20 Cristal Awards at this year's African Cristal Festival, including one Grand Prix, six Gold, eight Silver and five Bronze Awards at the African Cristal Festival award ceremony, which took place on September 23rd, 2016 at the Pullman La Palmeraie, Marrakesh, Morocco. The DDB Network in the region also took home an additional 38 Shortlists.

Glen Lomas, Executive Officer Africa said: "Our network is as diverse as it is expansive across Africa, but we have a 'highest common denominator' - award-winning creativity. This Network of the Year award was only achieved because every single DDB office in every single market values creativity and humanity and each has contributed in some way to our regional success."

TNA DDB Egypt won one Grand Prix, one in Film for Fresh Get Fresh, as well as two Gold, one for Fresh Get Fresh and for National Bank of Egypt Barrels and Nails, both in the film category. TNA DDB Egypt also received two Silver and two Bronze awards.

DDB South Africa earned four Gold awards. One for Honda Friends and Followers in Press, one for South Africa National Blood Services Sit Down to Save Lives in Promo & Direct and two in Media for Clorox Instaglad. DDB South Africa also took home five Silver and two Bronze awards. DDB South Africa ranked third in the overall Agency of the Year ranking.

For their first participation in the African Cristal Festival, Tribal DDB Casablanca took home one Silver for Mondelez Crunchy Tonik in Digital & Mobile while RAPP Morocco earned one Bronze for CIH Bank Pre-Roll, also in the Digital & Mobile category.

Press Contact:

Melanie Vignon, Regional Operations Director

Email: melanie.vignon@ddb.fr

Phone: +33 1 53 32 61 33

About DDB

DDB Worldwide (www.ddb.com) is one of the world's largest and most influential advertising and marketing networks. DDB has been named Agency of the Year numerous times by the Cannes International Festival of Creativity and the industry's leading advertising publications and awards shows. The Gunn Report has listed DDB as one of the Top 3 Global Networks for 12 of the last 15 years. The agency's clients include Volkswagen, McDonald's, Unilever, Mars, Johnson & Johnson, and Exxon Mobil, among others.

Founded in 1949, DDB is part of the Omnicom Group (NYSE) and consists of more than 200 offices in over 90 countries with its flagship office in New York, NY.

ABOUT OMNICOM

Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

Related Links

HTTP://www.ddb.com



SOURCE DDB Worldwide
COLOGNE, Germany, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

DerbySoft, the trusted hotel business technology provider, today announces "One", an easy-to-use online distribution management platform as part of European expansion efforts. The "One" platform is the first to offer Single Sign On (SSO) access to a variety of connected modules including: a Content Management System, website builder and internet booking engine, a fully integrated channel manager, and a metasearch manager solution. It has been created to simplify operations and reduce the distribution costs for independent and small to mid-size hotel groups. Ahead of the general launch later this year, DerbySoft is offering early access to "One" for a limited number of businesses as part of the company's Learning Launch.

For these smaller businesses, online distribution is especially challenging due to comparatively few financial and technical resources. As an innovative, simple and affordable tool, "One by DerbySoft" is built to tackle this and help users manage their online distribution in a quick and easy manner, across multiple reservation websites and channels. Time-saving is a crucial element of "One" and it is the only solution that offers a Content Management System that automatically populates all of the hotel's static information within the connected modules of "One".

"Not only will One help to drive more bookings, thanks to the soon to be released meta search tool, but we will also give back time for the user to focus on their guests rather than sitting in front of a computer struggling to navigate the distribution world. After all, the One user may only be a team of one and so this is a tool for them - easy-to-use, yet incredibly powerful", Andre Baljeu says, Vice President at DerbySoft.

To give hotel managers, online marketing managers and owners a better understanding of what "One" can do, interested parties can join the company's Learning Launch, open now to a limited number of hotels for a short period. By registering at http://www.dsone.com users can test each of the available modules and discover the simplicity of the platform and how it integrates with overall hotel management.

With offices in Dallas and Shanghai, DerbySoft is also announcing an expansion to Europe with a permanent European residence opening in Germany next year. Over the past 15 years DerbySoft has been offering individual solutions to global hotel groups such as Marriott, Hilton, and InterContinental Hotel Group and this continues to be the case across Europe. At the latest count, DerbySoft enables over five million room nights every month across 80,000 hotels worldwide.

With the establishment of a European office in Germany, DerbySoft is aiming to build on their success and focus on key markets such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, UK, and Spain. According to an extensive study by Phocuswright and h2c, the projected gross online bookings for the independent lodging market in Europe are expected to reach 1.5 billion by 2017 as both supplier direct and online travel agency (OTA) bookings swell. The same report found that Independents control an estimated 67% of room supply, and of these, 72% consider direct web to be their most effective distribution channel.

Andre Baljeu says, "We have acquired a strong market position with large international hotel chains who are convinced of our solutions. Now we want to expand that position to important European locations, addressing independent hotels and small hotel groups in particular to support them with their online distribution demands".

"One by DerbySoft" will be widely released to all by the end of 2016. More information can be found here - http://www.dsone.com.

About DerbySoft

The software provider was founded by Ted Zhang and Feng Ou in Silicon Valley (California) in 2002. DerbySoft focuses on individual software solutions for larger hotel groups and corporations and is mainly active in optimizing online sales by providing highly developed technologies. According to this DerbySoft offers next to a fully integrated channel manager several online marketing services, a content system, and a meta search manager. All systems are individually adapted to the demands of the hotels. In 2016 DerbySoft extended its range of technology services by all-in-one solution DerbySoft One for independently run hotels. With DerbySoft One hoteliers are equipped with all relevant tools for successful online sales. DerbySoft keeps locations in Dallas and Shanghai.

http://www.derbysoft.com

http://www.dsone.com

SOURCE www.dsone.com
EASTAMPTON, New Jersey, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Epicore BioNetworks Inc. is pleased to announce that a new director has joined the board, effective September 6, 2016. The Board welcomes Mr. Donald R. Siemens of Langley, B.C., Canada. Mr. Siemens holds a bachelor's degree from the University of British Colombia and has over 40 years' experience as a chartered accountant. He has held partnership positions with major accounting firms, senior executive positions in industry and experience as a self-employed financial services executive. The Board expects that his knowledge and experience will be of great benefit to Epicore's plan to develop commercial alliances.

The Board of Directors has approved issuance to Mr. Siemens of 50,000 options to buy Epicore common shares. The grants follow Company board compensation policy. The options being issued have an exercise price of C$0.70 per share and expire in five years. The 50,000 options granted is equivalent to 0.2% of Epicore's issued common stock. The Epicore Stock Option Plan was approved by shareholders at the Company's Annual General and Special Meetings of Shareholders.

Epicore BioNetworks Inc. is a leading producer of environmental biotechnology and animal nutrition products. It manufactures in the USA and markets worldwide to a variety of industries to reduce environmental pollution and increase operational productivity.

Epicore BioNetworks Inc. is a public corporation with a registered office in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and with shares listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (symbol EBN). [The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.]

Mr. William P. Long (Chief Executive Officer), Tel: +1-609-267-9118

SOURCE Epicore BioNetworks Inc.
TELFORD, England, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Incessant Technologies - a leader in Digital Integration and Agile Delivery of Enterprise iBPM Solutions, expanded their global delivery footprint in the UK, by opening a Digital Innovation Center in Telford.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160428/361262LOGO )

The new Digital Innovation Center provides a regional facility that allows Incessant to deliver digital consulting and implementation services in the region. The 5500 sq. ft. Digital Innovation Center in Telford, provides a modern collaborative working environment for both Incessant and its customers.

Speaking about this new facility, Mr. Vijay Madduri, CEO, Incessant Technologies said, "We are delighted to be expanding our Global Delivery Capability with the addition of our new Digital Innovation Center in the UK. This facility allow us to better serve clients in both the UK and in Europe."

About Incessant Technologies

Incessant Technologies, an NIIT Technologies company, is a leader in digital integration and the agile delivery of enterprise iBPM solutions. With proven expertise in designing and building cutting-edge solutions involving iBPM, CRM, Case Management, API Management, Middleware and DevOps, Incessant has developed innovative go-to-market solutions leveraging partnerships with leading platform providers like Pegasystems, Appian, Akana, CA and Adobe. With a focus on financial services, insurance, travel & transportation, media, manufacturing and public sector, Incessant empowers organizations to exceed business outcomes.

For more information, please visit http://www.incessanttechnologies.com or email us on contact@incessanttechnologies.com .

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

For media queries please contact:

Pallavi Bahuguna Gupta

For NIIT Technologies Ltd.

pallavi.2.gupta@niit-tech.com

+91-120-7119039

Suryakant Behera

For Incessant Technologies

suryakantb@incessanttechnologies.com

+91-40-44486666

For investor/analyst queries please contact:

Abhinandan Singh

Head - Investor Relations & Special Projects

NIIT Technologies Ltd.

+91-22-40103212

abhinandan.singh@niit-tech.com



SOURCE Incessant Technologies
The government's 2015 masterplan on national industrial estate development singled out food, pharma, energy, cosmetics, medical devices, shoes, textiles, leather, transportation and electronics as the sectors to focus on and develop further.

Therefore, accelerating fixed investment spending, process manufacturing activity and primary energy consumption growth will support gains in the worldwide pump market.

Companies like Kishor, KBS, Blagdon, Sulzer, Ebara, Grundfos, Flowserve and Wilo to name a few, with decades of experience and expertise, can successfully leverage the momentum, provide solutions and execute projects in all these key sectors.

The growing popularity of application-specific pumps and a favorable waterworks construction outlook is also spurring demand for pumps classified in the other pumps segment, particularly specialty and turbine pumps. Sales of positive displacement pumps are bolstered by advances in process manufacturing activity, while the centrifugal pump segment benefits from rising demand for more versatile, low-maintenance pump models.

About Pumps & Valves Indonesia

Pumps & Valves Indonesia, Indonesia's largest most comprehensive international exhibition of Pumps, Valves and Fittings is the only specialized event of its kind in the country. This leading trade show features the very latest technology in industrial pumps, valves, seals and other major processing components along with a wide variety of fluid metering technology and related equipment.



Find out more on how to "EXHIBIT"

PUMPS & VALVES INDONESIA 2017 is organized by UBM.

Contact Person: Ivan Ferrari

Phone Number: +62 21 2930 5959 ext 138

Email: Ivan.Ferrari@ubm.com

Contact Person: Jessica Simon

Phone Number: +62 21 2930 5959

Email: jessica.simon@ubm.com

SOURCE Pumps & Valves Indonesia - UBM
BALTIMORE, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

R ising insolvencies in the US (+3%) and Canada (+4) this year

GDP contraction in Brazil (-3.4%) leads to rising bankruptcies

92% of businesses surveyed experienced late payment from their B2B customers

2 in 5 businesses surveyed delayed payments to suppliers due to customers' late payment

The 2016 insolvency outlook for NAFTA and Brazil has deteriorated with increases of 3% and 4% forecast for the US and Canada respectively. This increase is driven by low commodity prices. Low oil prices, slowdown in economic growth in the US and slow productivity growth in Mexico, and the recession in Brazil, are the primary reasons for the forecasts of rising bankruptcies in these countries. This challenging insolvency environment affects the way businesses protect themselves against payment risk by B2B customers.

According to the latest edition of the Atradius Payment Practices Barometer survey for the Americas (NAFTA and Brazil) , 92% of the businesses surveyed, experienced late payment from B2B customers over the past year. This translated into an average of nearly half of the total value of B2B invoices' being paid late. Due to late payment by customers, 2 in 5 businesses had to delay payments to their own suppliers causing a knock-on effect throughout the entire supply chain. Essentially, a businesses' cash flow slows, restricting their ability to invest and grow.

The September 2016 edition of the Atradius Payment Practices Barometer survey sheds light on the payment behavior of domestic and foreign B2B customers in the countries surveyed. It looks at local trends in the use of credit management tools, at the perceived challenges to profitability, at DSO, and at payment practices by industry and business size.

Due to the financial distress caused by late payment by B2B customers:

around 30% of businesses had to take specific measures to correct cash flow

around 20% of businesses defaulted on payments to suppliers, and had to pursue additional financing or lost revenues

To protect profitability of their business, 40% of the businesses surveyed will request secured forms of payment from their B2B customers and check both the creditworthiness and payment history of their customers more often over the next 12 months.

Andreas Tesch, Chief Market Officer of Atradius N.V. comments, "The outlook for insolvencies in the majority of the advanced markets, including the US and Canada, has deteriorated. Regardless of the underlying reasons for this, the challenges posed by a difficult insolvency environment require that businesses resort to sound trade receivables management strategies enabling them to grow safely."

David Huey, Regional Director of NAFTA adds, "The upward pressure on insolvencies that the US and Canada are currently experiencing makes their business environment more challenging, emphasizing the importance of due diligence and protection against payment defaults."

The complete report highlighting the findings of the September 2016 edition of the Atradius Payment Practices Barometer for the Americas (NAFTA and Brazil) can be found on the atradius.us website.

About Atradius

Atradius provides trade credit insurance, surety and collections services worldwide through a strategic presence in 50 countries. Atradius has access to credit information on 200 million companies worldwide. Its credit insurance, bonding and collections products help protect companies throughout the world from payment risks associated with selling products and services on trade credit. Atradius forms part of Grupo Catalana Occidente (GCO.MC), one of the leading insurers in Spain and worldwide in credit insurance.

http://www.atradius.us

SOURCE Atradius N.V.
PUNE, India, September 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The report "Laminated Busbar Market by Insulation (Epoxy Powder Coating, Kapton, Mylar, Nomex, Tedlar, and Teonex), End User (Power Electronics, Alternative Energy, Transportation, Telecom, Datacenters, A&D, Industrial), and Region - Global forecast to 2021", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is expected to grow from an estimated USD 723.6 Million in 2016 to USD 955.6 Million by 2021, registering a CAGR of 5.72% from 2016 to 2021.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )



Browse 65 market data Tables and 42 Figures spread through 136 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Laminated Busbar Market"

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/laminated-busbar-market-211931233.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.

The global market is witnessing significant growth due to development of smart cities, increase in the contribution of renewable energy sources to the global power generation mix, and increasing awareness about energy efficiency and saving.

Epoxy Powder Coating segment is expected to hold the largest share of the laminated busbar market, by insulation material, during the forecast period

The epoxy powder coating segment led the overall Laminated Busbar Market in 2015, owing to the increasing demand for busbars across the globe. Epoxy powder coating also costs relatively less in comparison with other types of insulation, which makes them increasingly favoured by the end-use industries, and as a result, the market for this insulation type is the largest. However, the tedlar insulation material sub segment is expected to register a higher growth rate during the forecast period.

Make an Inquiry: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=211931233

Alternative energy to be the fastest growing segment in the global laminated busbar market

The alternative energy sector is expected to be the fastest growing sector in the global Laminated Busbar Market during the forecast period. Power generation through alternative energy requires the creation of DC feeds through a low inductance laminated busbar into an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) and capacitor circuit, delivering safe and efficient power which means there would be high demand for laminated busbars in this sector.

Europe: The leading market for laminated busbar

In this report, the Laminated Busbar Market has been analysed with respect to five regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and the Middle East & Africa. Europe is expected to dominate the global laminated busbar market, given the increasing utilization of steel in various industries such as mechanical, shipbuilding, automotive, appliances, packaging, construction, and transportation.

To enable an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report includes profiles of some of the leading players in the laminated busbar market. These players include Amphenol Corporation (U.S.), Idealec SAS (France), Methode Electronics, Inc. (U.S.), Mersen S.A. (France), Rogers Corporation (U.S.), and Sun.King Power Electronics Group Limited (China). Leading players are trying to penetrate the markets in developing economies and are adopting various strategies to increase their market share.

Related Reports:

Busbar Trunking Market by Power (Lighting, Low, Medium, & High), by Conductor (Copper & Aluminium), by Insulation, by End-User (Industrial, Commercial, Residential, Wind & Solar, Public Infrastructure and Transportation) - Global Trends & Forecast to 2020

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/busbar-trunking-market-267448154.html

Busbar Market by Power Rating (Low, Medium, and High), End User (Utilities, Industrial, Residential, and Others), & by Region (North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa) - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2020

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/busbar-market-181939364.html

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets is the largest market research firm worldwide in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors.

M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers.

We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository.

Contact:

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MarketsandMarkets INC.

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Suite 2175, Seattle,

WA 98101, United States

Tel: 1-888-600-6441

Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com



Visit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/energy-and-power

Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets

SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
LONDON, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Two of the UK's leading drugs education charities have announced they are to merge.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140722/697697-a )



Angelus is the only UK charity dedicated to raising awareness of the risks from new psychoactive substances (also known as 'legal highs'). Mentor UK is the UK's leading charity working to prevent the misuse of alcohol and drugs among children and young people. They will merge on 1 October 2016 and operate under the Mentor UK name.

Together, they have a shared ambition to see a considerably increased provision of preventative education delivered to young people so that every young person in the UK can assess the risks that drugs present. They have already worked together in lobbying the Government to help educate young people in the wake of the New Psychoactive Substances Act.

Angelus was founded by Maryon Stewart, whose daughter Hester died in 2009 after taking a legal high. Mentor UK was founded in 1998 and is part of the group of charities affiliated with the Mentor International Foundation. The organisations recognise that the range of pressures facing young people is continually growing. The numbers of substances available to young people has continued to add to the rapidly evolving situation. The merger is an opportunity to demonstrate their dual leadership in the sector, enhancing their capacity to support educational delivery and to involve Government in finding solutions.

Both organisations recognise close parallels in their work objectives to develop greater external profile and stronger influence so as to achieve common objectives of preventing harm to young people by building their resilience to the myriad of pressures on them.

Mentor's Chief Executive, Michael O' Toole said, "This merger is a great match of expertise - it is going to give fresh impetus to the prevention agenda. Mentor and Angelus working together will certainly enhance our capability to deliver on the full range of issues affecting young people. Angelus has shown it is the lead voice in educating young people and the public about the new phenomenon of new psychoactives. Together we will be a stronger force to ensure we build even more young people's resilience to the wide range of pressures they face."

Chief Executive of Angelus, Jan King said, "We are absolutely delighted to be announcing this merger today. We are determined to continue to work to protect young people from the harms of new psychoactives - it is clear to us that joining forces with Mentor UK is the best way of achieving that. There is no organisation in the sector which is more respected than Mentor and they have a very strong track record of delivering high quality prevention programmes. We look forward to reaching more young people and enabling them and their parents to be better equipped to cope with the risks that drugs present."

Notes to editors:

1. Angelus is the only drugs charity dedicated to combating 'legal highs' and club drugs. Angelus raises awareness around these substances through films and information in schools and universities and through the Whynotfindout website http://www.wnfo.org.uk. There is also a website for families http://www.angelusfoundation.org.uk.

2. Mentor is the UK's leading voice in drug and alcohol prevention. They run evidence-based programmes in a variety of settings for different groups of young people, as well as the adults in their lives. They run programmes both independently and in partnership with organisations across England and Scotland. Mentor developed ADEPIS, the leading source of alcohol and drug education resources for schools, and now maintains the CAYT repository of impact studies of evidence-based programmes.

SOURCE Angelus Foundation and Mentor
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160927/412662LOGO



Access to contraceptive methods is a significant challenge in many African countries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), only 28 percent of women of reproductive age in Africa use modern contraceptive methods. The WHO also states that increasing access to voluntary contraception has significant health, economic and social benefits for families and communities. Increased access to voluntary contraception improves women's opportunities for education, employment and full participation in society. 1

"The need for affordable and effective contraceptive options for women remains high, particularly in Africa," said Sally Stephens, senior vice president of Corporate Development for Medicines360. "Our partnership with PSI demonstrates our commitment to expanding access to quality medicines to women in developing countries by providing hormonal IUDs, a form of long acting reversible contraception, where they have not been accessible due to high cost and lack of distribution."

As part of the agreement, Medicines360 will bring to market the first affordable hormonal IUD in Madagascar. There, PSI will work with trained health care providers to introduce this progestin-containing IUD, making an additional contraceptive choice available to women.

"The ability to plan if and when to have children is important to the health and social empowerment of individual women, as well as to the economic well-being of families and societies," said Jennifer Pope, director of Family Planning & Reproductive Health for PSI. "Our partnership with Medicines360 will help us empower more women to make the best choices to meet their family planning needs."

The initial country introductions under this partnership are supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Expanding Effective Contraceptive Options (EECO) Project and the Support for International Family Planning Organizations Project (SIFPO2). SIFPO2, led by PSI, is designed to strengthen family planning programs and other health services worldwide, with a focus on strengthening private sector channels and networks. The EECO project, led by international nonprofit WomanCare Global and implemented in partnership with PSI and others, is designed to support the research, development and introduction of technologies and approaches that better meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of women and girls worldwide. The introduction of this hormonal IUD will support PSI and WomanCare Global to deliver on a joint family planning commitment to increase the usage of voluntary long-acting, reversible contraceptives by 2020.

About Medicines360

Medicines360, located in San Francisco, California, is a nonprofit global women's health pharmaceutical company with a mission to expand access to quality medicines for all women regardless of their socioeconomic status, insurance coverage or geographic location. Medicines360 is committed to working with healthcare providers, advocacy groups and patients to deliver innovative and meaningful treatments that help women around the world have greater access to the medicines they need. For more information, visit www.medicines360.org.

About Population Services International

Population Services International (PSI) is a leading global health organization working in reproductive health, HIV, child survival, non-communicable diseases and sanitation. Partnering with the public sector and harnessing the power of markets, PSI helps people in the developing world lead healthier lives and plan the families they desire. PSI finds innovative and cost-effective solutions to some of the most challenging health issues in the developing world. PSI's focus areas include family planning, HIV/AIDS treatment and awareness, gender-based violence, maternal health, and water and sanitation. PSI maintains franchises that provide affordable health care products and services, as well as empowering communities and families through health education. PSI runs programs in 60 countries across the world and operates franchise networks in 30 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. PSI also focuses on children's wellbeing and health. PSI estimates that in 2015 alone, they added more than 44 million years of healthy life. For more information, visit www.psi.org.

1 World Health Organization: Family Planning/Contraception Fact Sheet

MEDIA CONTACT:

Shannon Moore

(415) 486-3275

Related Links

http://www.medicines360.org



SOURCE Medicines360
ESPOO, Finland, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Picosun Oy, the leading provider of high quality industrial ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) technology, has patented a novel ALD nanolaminate to protect electronics such as smartphones, tablets, computers, and lighting devices from overheating.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140528/689557 )



As both consumer and industrial electronics become faster, smaller, and more efficient day by day, overheating of the components such as batteries, microprocessors, and LEDs has become one of the key problems in the industry. Overheating leads to performance losses, failures in operation, and shortening of the device lifespan - and even to direct dangers, as heated batteries pose a risk of explosion.

Picosun's patented(*) 'phonon superhighway' nanolaminate coating conducts heat efficiently away from the device interior, decreasing its temperature even 20 degrees. The heat is distributed through the casing of the device, along its surface. The coating can be applied at low temperatures on large batches of items with fast and cost-efficient processing in Picosun's fully automated production ALD reactors.

"Our aim at Picosun is to utilize the ALD method not only to advance technological development, but also to improve the usability, safety, and lifetime of technical devices. Our new, patented nanolaminate coating addresses directly these challenges by solving one of the key problems in today's electronics - overheating of the components. Many world-leading electronics manufacturers have already expressed interest towards our invention. We are excited to present this novel ALD solution to our customers to help them improve the performance, reliability, and safety of their products," states Juhana Kostamo, Managing Director of Picosun.

(*)Application no. WO2016146881; "Heat-conductive ALD Coating in an Electrical Device"

Picosun provides the most advanced ALD thin film coating technology to enable the industrial leap into the future, with turn-key production solutions and unmatched expertise in the field. Today, PICOSUN ALD equipment are in daily manufacturing use in numerous major industries around the world. Picosun is based in Finland, with subsidiaries in North America, Singapore, Taiwan, China, and Japan, and a world-wide sales and support network. For more information visit http://www.picosun.com.

SOURCE Picosun Oy
PLAT.ONE's IoT platform enables the rapid development and scalable management of enterprise IoT environments, including connected products, smart cities, connected transport and smart manufacturing.

Dr. John Bates, CEO of PLAT.ONE, said, "It's a great testimony to the PLAT.ONE team and technology that SAP selected PLAT.ONE to become a key part of its IoT offering. We believe this acquisition further strengthens and solidifies SAP's position as the global leader in the connected business space and we're excited to be part of that opportunity."

SAP's IoT approach enables IoT development and runtime services through the Hana Cloud Platform (HCP)  to make it easy for enterprises and system integrators to build IoT-enabled applications. SAP utilizes HCP to build its own IoT solutions to accelerate deployment of particular IoT use cases for customers. HCP also empowers SAP's partner ecosystem, enabling partners to populate the SAP Hana Application Center marketplace with IoT-enabled solutions.

Bjoern Goerke, EVP of Product and Innovation Technology, SAP said, "We conducted a review of IoT platforms in the market and found PLAT.ONE to be a strong leader, particularly in device interoperability, edge processing capabilities and development capabilities. It is great to add these leading capabilities to SAP HCP."

Filippo Murroni, Founder and CTO of PLAT.ONE, added, "We are delighted to be part of SAP. We've done amazing things as a start-up and now we look forward to contributing strategically to a much larger business!"

About PLAT.ONE

PLAT.ONE is the leading enterprise-grade IoT solutions platform. By simplifying the process of creating, deploying and managing complex IoT solutions, PLAT.ONE radically shortens time-to-value for IoT applications and significantly reduces the cost of their management. Specifically, PLAT.ONE enables:

Complex device connectivity and management across a wide number of industry standard machine and messaging protocols.

A micro-services-based adaptive architecture that can adapt to run logic on the device, at the edge or in the cloud, depending on the solution requirements.

A semantic data model that futureproofs applications by abstracting sets of underlying sensors and devices as "IoT business objects", such as trucks or street lamps.

Pre-built Solution Accelerators for a number of different IoT use cases, including smart cities, connected products and smart transportation.

About SAP

As market leader in enterprise application software, SAP helps companies of all sizes and industries run better. From back office to boardroom, warehouse to storefront, desktop to mobile device  SAP empowers people and organizations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. SAP applications and services enable approximately 320,000 business and public sector customers to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably. For more information, visit www.sap.com

Related Links

http://www.plat.one



SOURCE PLAT.ONE
WESSLING, Germany, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Dornier MedTech, a global medical device company, introduced their latest innovation in laser lithotripsy. Known as the Dornier GentleFlex, this is a specially-designed ball tip fiber. The Dornier GentleFlex smooths the passage of the laser fiber through a deflected scope. The Dornier GentleFlex was revealed at the Annual Congress of the German Society for Urology, held from September 28 to October 1 2016, in Leipzig, Germany.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160928/412725 )



Stones in challenging positions within the urinary tract can be effectively accessed by flexible scopes. If a stone needs to be destroyed, the surgeon locates the stone via a scope and then inserts a laser fiber through the working channel of the scope, so that the laser light can be directly emitted to the stone. Standard flat tip fibers can scrape and puncture the inner lining of a deflected scope resulting in costly scope repair. Therefore the scope must be straightened before passing the fiber. This increases the procedure time and makes it more challenging for the surgeon. Therefore, Dornier's engineers designed and developed a special ball tip fiber that can glide through a fully deflected scope in one easy, non-damaging step.

"The Dornier GentleFlex is the second laser innovation that Dornier has brought to market in the last 6 months, following after the Dornier Heatflex that was launched in earlier this year. Dornier Medtech is focused on creating innovative technologies that provide urologists safe, flexible, versatile and durable options to improve ease of use and handling of medical equipment," said Abel Ang, CEO of Dornier MedTech.

Additionally, the GentleFlex holmium laser fiber, one of the Dornier Flex Fiber family, is specially designed to optimize the results of the Dornier holmium lasers Medilas H Solvo and UroPulse to reach the highest level of patient care. They provide the best optical and mechanical connection between the fiber and laser systems' proprietary parameters.

"Dornier is excited to now offer a complete line of fibers for Dornier lasers which optimizes the function and safety of both the laser and the fiber." said Mary Butler, CTO and vice president product management at Dornier MedTech. "Made for Dornier by Dornier is the best choice for compatibility and performance."

To learn more, please visit Dornier MedTech and the Accuron Medical Technology Group.

Dornier GentleFlex press contact:

Bernadette von Wittern

+49-8153-888-613

bvonwittern@dornier.com



SOURCE Dornier MedTech
DOHA, Qatar, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Improving Coverage and Discoverability of Published Research by Qatar University Authors

Qatar University Library and Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, today announced their collaboration to maximize visibility, impact and dissemination of articles published by QU faculty and researchers.

Through Elsevier's ScienceDirect APIs, QUL's institutional repository (QSpace) now receives an automated feed of metadata, abstracts and embargo end date information for all articles published in Elsevier journals by Qatar University authors.

In addition, QSpace is the first institutional repository to use DSpace plug-ins which have been developed by Atmire. These plug-ins facilitate easy integration of ScienceDirect APIs within a repository.

"The project addresses several of our library needs, including more easily showcasing research published by our faculty and researchers, facilitating a simplified workflow for users and measuring readership statistics through consistency in use of article metadata," said Dr Imad Bachir, Library Director, Qatar University. "ScienceDirect APIs also facilitate our compliance with funding body policies by providing automatic updates of article embargo data in our repository."

"It's terrific that libraries and publishers are able to work together to expand discoverability of published research, and in ways that reduce duplication of cost and effort for both," said Dr Alicia Wise, Director of Access & Policy at Elsevier. "Qatar's international leadership is so welcome, and their use of the DSpace plug-ins demonstrates that any institutional repository running a recent version of DSpace can easily integrate with our ScienceDirect API services. We're very pleased to be a part of these strategic collaborations."

This is how QSpace IR works after implementation of ScienceDirect APIs:

Through an automated ingest, full-text articles by Qatar University researchers published in Elsevier journals and available on ScienceDirect are embedded within QSpace. Users of QSpace are linked to the best available version: the full-text article embedded in the institutional repository and/or a locally hosted manuscript, when available in the institutional repository.

University researchers published in Elsevier journals and available on ScienceDirect are embedded within QSpace. Users of QSpace are linked to the best available version: the full-text article embedded in the institutional repository and/or a locally hosted manuscript, when available in the institutional repository. Published versions of the ScienceDirect articles are embedded within QSpace, which means that usage is added to aggregated usage statistics of the articles, which is helpful for authors, Qatar University and Elsevier. It would not be possible to aggregate this usage different versions of the article existed across multiple platforms The embedded ScienceDirect articles are available in full text to all users of QSpace that have access to ScienceDirect, not only those affiliated with Qatar University. Users affiliated with institutions subscribing to ScienceDirect get access to the full text based on IP recognition. In instances where users are not affiliated with a subscribing institution, they see a first page preview of the article and full-text articles can be accessed via document delivery services (DDS).

University and Elsevier. It would not be possible to aggregate this usage different versions of the article existed across multiple platforms The embedded ScienceDirect articles are available in full text to all users of QSpace that have access to ScienceDirect, not only those affiliated with University. Users affiliated with institutions subscribing to ScienceDirect get access to the full text based on IP recognition. In instances where users are not affiliated with a subscribing institution, they see a first page preview of the article and full-text articles can be accessed via document delivery services (DDS). Alongside article metadata, embargo end dates, indicating when an article can be made available to the public, are provided to facilitate funding body compliance.

Through this service, open access articles are available to all users of QSpace.

View an example article at QSpace.

Qatar University is preparing to roll out the integration for all ScienceDirect articles written by QU authors.

In the next phase, Qatar University and Elsevier will add an online reading version of accepted manuscripts within QSpace. This means that all QSpace users will be able to read full-text versions of articles. Users not affiliated with institutions subscribing to ScienceDirect will be able to view post-embargo accepted manuscripts.

Read more: ScienceDirect APIs services for institutional repositories.

About the University of Qatar

Qatar University is the national institution of higher education in Qatar. It provides high quality undergraduate and graduate programs that prepare competent graduates, destined to shape the future of Qatar. The university community has diverse and committed faculty who teach and conduct research, which addresses relevant local and regional challenges, advances knowledge, and contributes actively to the needs and aspirations of society. www.qu.edu.qa

About QSpace IR

The QU institutional repository is an online digital collection of scholarly output and academic activities. It aims to increase visibility of the original research and scholarly works of the QU community on a local and global level, capture the academic activities of QU, facilitate institutional academic achievement, and provide a permanent portal of access to resources for the QU community. It includes faculty publications, research materials, learning materials, images, audio and video outputs, book chapters, reports and associated data, theses and dissertations, and conference proceedings. qspace.qu.edu.qa

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make groundbreaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions - among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Research Intelligence and ClinicalKey - and publishes over 2,500 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and more than 35,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a world-leading provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries. www.elsevier.com

Media contact

Shaikha Al-Kaabi

Director of Communications and Public Affairs Dept., Qatar University

+974 4403 5790

sheikha@qu.edu.qa



Elisa Nelissen

Press Officer, Elsevier

+31 20 485 2492

e.nelissen@elsevier.com



SOURCE Elsevier
DUBLIN, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Sharp to Present Alongside Serialisation Partners at CPhI Conference in Barcelona, October 2016

Sharp Packaging Services, a division of UDG Healthcare and global leader in contract packaging and clinical services, today announced they will be addressing delegates at CPhI WorldWide, alongside technology partners and leaders in serialisation - TraceLink, Systech, Covectra and Domino. The alliance will offer Sharp's clients a proven and rapid implementation path to serialisation readiness in view of the upcoming directives by the U.S. Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) in November 2017 and the EU Falsified Medicines Directive (EU FMD) in February 2019.

Rick Seibert, SVP of Innovation & Technology, commented on the partnerships: "We are very pleased to be collaborating with TraceLink, Systech, Covectra and Domino, each of whom are leaders in their field. Sharp has implemented a robust and tested technical architecture in line with all current and evolving regulatory requirements to support our customers for serialisation globally. These collaborations will provide a skillset and deeper knowledge base to our clients in preparation for the upcoming serialisation directives. By leveraging our network of technology partners, we are ensuring our customer's path to serialisation is as seamless and efficient as possible."

Sharp is partnering with TraceLink to help its 100+ pharmaceutical manufacturing customers prepare for the next phase of rapidly approaching regulation requirements. As the serialisation solution provider to Sharp, TraceLink's productised functionality will assist Sharp in meeting the variable set of customer requirements for serialisation transactions. Additionally, TraceLink's Life Sciences Cloud multi-tenant network architecture will help eliminate point-to-point integration complexities, provide seamless compliance for global regulations and reduce business risk for Sharp's extensive pharmaceutical customer base.

The partnership with Systech will implement the company's best-of-breed UniSeries Serialisation suite to deliver seamless multi regional, multi aggregation serialisation provisioning to its customers, reducing the risk of failure to meet the regulatory demands and allowing full flexibility of service.

Covectra partners with Sharp to supply a complete serialisation solution for the life science market, through its AuthentiTrack solution, which offers a modular yet comprehensive approach to serialise down to the unit of use. Together Covectra and Sharp have implemented complete product roll outs with serialisation to dose levels.

Domino has extensive experience in developing and manufacturing legislative compliant coding solutions for the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors and Sharp have worked successfully with Domino printing technology over the last eight years to serialise over 2 billion pharmaceutical packages.

Sharp Packaging Services and its panel of serialisation technology partners will be presenting at CPhI Worldwide, the annual pharmaceutical congress held in Barcelona from 4 - 6 October 2016. Addressing delegates on the theme of "Serialisation: Optimizing Your Supply Chain Means Optimizing Your Partners " . The presentation will explore the critical path to supply chain readiness, risk-assessment, benchmarking and serialisation risk mitigation options. The briefing will take place in the Pharma Insight Briefing room on Tuesday, 4 October 2016 at 11:30am CEST.

The Sharp stand at CPhI Barcelona can be found at 3L56 in the ICSE Hall.

ABOUT SHARP PACKAGING SERVICES

Sharp Packaging Services, a division of UDG Healthcare plc, is a global leader in contract packaging and clinical services. Operating from state-of-the-art facilities across the US and Europe, Sharp has built an international reputation for delivering cost-effective blister packaging, bottling, pouches and stick packs, compliance packaging, formulation and manufacturing services, label design and printing. Sharp is also a world leader in 'Track and Trace' serialisation services, which will require all prescription drugs to have a unique serial code for authentication and traceability.

For more information on Sharp and our solutions, visit www.sharpservices.com or follow us on LinkedIn, and Twitter. For more information on UDG Healthcare plc, visit www.udghealthcare.com.

For more information please go to: www. sharpservices.com/getready

About TraceLink

TraceLink is the World's Largest Track and Trace Network for connecting the Life Sciences supply chain and eliminating counterfeit prescription drugs from the global marketplace. Leading businesses, including 16 of the top-20 global pharmaceutical companies, trust the TraceLink Life Sciences Cloud to deliver complete global connectivity, visibility and traceability of pharmaceuticals from ingredient to patient. A single point and click connection to the Life Sciences Cloud creates a supply chain control tower that delivers the information, insight and collaboration needed to improve performance and reduce risk across global supply, manufacturing and distribution operations.

For more information on TraceLink and our solutions, visit www.tracelink.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

About Systech

Systech is the global technology leader in product safety, and consumer and brand protection. Systech pioneered serialization and is defining the future of authentication.

Trusted by 19 of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies, Systech unifies and optimizes enterprise serialization, track and trace, and authentication technologies to ensure regulatory compliance, mitigate risk, and drive efficiency and profitability.

For 30 years, Systech's innovation has led best practices for key brands across the pharmaceutical, life science, food and beverage, and consumer packaged goods industries.

Visit: www.systechone.com

About Covectra

Headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, COVECTRA offers multi-layered brand integrity and

protection solutions, including its serialization-based AuthentiTrack technology, which includes serial

number generation, event repository and event repository management; packaging line serialization and front-end software applications such as ControlTrack to utilize serial numbers for a variety of business benefits, including counterfeit detection, adherence, and returns verification. Covectra continues to innovate in their space, developing a series of brand protection products for absolute counterfeit detection. Visit: www.covectra.com

About Domino

Founded in 1978, Domino has established a global reputation for the continual development and manufacture of its total coding and printing technologies that meet the needs of manufacturers and sets new industry standards in quality and reliability.

Through a global network of 25 subsidiary offices and in excess of 200 distributors, the Domino Group operates in over 120 countries employing over 2,600 people worldwide with manufacturing facilities situated in UK, China, Germany, India, Sweden and USA.

Visit: www.domino-printing.com

For further information:

Sharp Packaging Services

Alison Dillon

Tel: + 353 1 468 9004

Email: alison.dillon@sharpserviceseu.com

Twitter: @Sharp_Packaging

Hume Brophy

Supriya Mathur, Hollie Vile, Alex Protsenko

Tel: + 44 203 440 5654

Email: udg@humebrophy.com

SOURCE Sharp Packaging Services
In addition, China National Tourism Administration deputy director Wei Hongtao, Sichuan provincial Party committee secretary Wang Dongming and Sichuan provincial Party committee publicity department minister Gan Lin were also in attendance. National Political Consultative Conference vice chairman Liu Xiaofeng announced the opening of the fair.

Exhibitors, sellers and 165 buyers came from 47 countries and regions on five continents to participate in the event. In a move to build a trading platform where negotiations concerning tourism products and services can take place, as well as platforms where guests and tour operators can meet with the aim of engaging in discussions leading to collaborations, or where tourism industry exhibitions and promotions can be displayed, the fair rolled out eight main events including the Asia Pacific Tour Operators Conference, the Emei Summit Forum, Promotion Week for Theme Cities of Host Countries, as well as two supporting events: the 2016 International Mount Emei Mountain-climbing Festival and the Mount Emei Buddhist Temple Music Festival.

The 66,000 m exhibition and trade fair, which was sub-divided into four major areas -- Trade & Negotiation, Exhibition & Promotion, Tourism Products and Outdoors Experiences -- included exhibition pavilions focusing on several themes, among them, the "One Road and One Belt" initiative to promote commerce and travel along the ancient Silk Road trade routes, mountain trekking and "Travel +" (promoting the leveraging of online platforms to stimulate the travel business), among other topics.

At the Asia Pacific Tour Operators Conference and the Emei Summit Forum, more than 200 renowned industry experts and academics from both China and abroad discussed the best path for the development of tourism across the whole of Sichuan province. With PATA as a powerful and influential partner, the creation of a new support organization was announced at the fair: the China-ASEAN Center, a collective bringing together the officials of tourism administrations of 10 ASEAN members and top management executives from 10 leading tour operators, with one of the goals, the promotion of tourism to the province of Sichuan.

During this year's fair, 24 tourism projects with an aggregate value of RMB44.74 billion (USD6.7 billion) were signed, and 80 deals between buyers and sellers from both inside and outside of China were successfully closed during the One-on-One Trade session. In addition, several one-on-one tourism trade cooperation framework agreements were signed.

SOURCE Sichuan Provincial Tourism Development Committee
SINGAPORE, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

There's a deep dive taking place where participants don't get wet. In fact, they don't even get in the sea. Rather, they submerge themselves in a kind of business knowledge that, much like underwater diving, promises new discovery while requiring some decompression of old ideas and ongoing challenges. IMD business school announces a unique Mega Dive experience to culminate its 2016 Orchestrating Winning Performance (OWP) program in Singapore.

Happening at Capella, a luxurious resort on Singapore's Sentosa Island, IMD will hold its inspiring and impactful OWP executive program from November 28 to December 2, 2016. The program's finale will be a Mega Dive: a giant team approach to developing solutions to challenges or opportunities by combining brainstorming and prototyping. Capitalizing on the concentrated learnings of the prior days, it will help the more than 100 executives participating to apply and retain their new knowledge.

Leading up to the Mega Dive, OWP Singapore offers an intensive and diverse schedule with topics including digital business, leadership, innovation, strategy and family business. The program includes two keynote speakers - Desmond Kuek Bak Chye, President and Group CEO of Singapore's public transport operator SMRT, and Kartika Wirjoatmodjo (Tiko), President Director and CEO of PT Bank Mandiri, Indonesia. In addition, Professor Arturo Bris, Director of the IMD World Competitiveness Center will release the third annual World Talent Report, presenting a ranking of countries on their ability to develop, attract and retain talent.

This is the fourth year IMD runs OWP in Singapore and the second consecutive year at Capella. Holding the program at Capella is done to intensify the focus on learning. "Executives need a place where they can disconnect from the issues of everyday in order to fully focus on leading tomorrow," said IMD professor Mike Wade, co-director of the OWP program. "Capella makes for an inspiring retreat location, much like the IMD campus in Lausanne."

IMD delivers programs and services from key locations around the world. Since 2013, Singapore has become an important hub for IMD's executive education offering.

Learn more about the executive program Orchestrating Winning Performance in Singapore.

ABOUT IMD

IMD is a top-ranked business school with learning facilities in Switzerland and Singapore. We are the experts in developing global leaders through high-impact executive education and offer a Global Leader Index where executives can benchmark themselves. We are 100% focused on real-world executive development; we offer Swiss excellence with a global perspective; and we have a flexible, customized, and effective approach. (http://www.imd.org)

Contact:

Matthew Mortellaro

+41-21-618-03-52

Matthew.Mortellaro@imd.org



SOURCE IMD International
CHENGDU, China, September 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The annual World Routes air service development forum was officially transferred to the city of Barcelona at a ceremony today (27 September) in Chengdu, China.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150730/250177LOGO )



(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160927/412288 )



World Routes brings together leading airlines, airports and their stakeholders to discuss future global air services. This year's event culminated with the incumbent host, Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, passing the World Routes mantle to the Government of Catalonia and Barcelona City Council.

Barcelona's tourism industry has developed rapidly since hosting the Olympic Games in 1992. Antoni Gaudi's architecture, the medieval Gothic Quarter, museums, restaurants, tapas bars and the local beaches attracted 7.8 million visitors last year, an increase of 6.1 million since 1990.

As the capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia, Barcelona is the centre of one of Spain's wealthiest areas. Last year Catalan exports grew by 6.1% to a record-breaking 63.8 billion (25.5% of total Spanish exports) and foreign investment increased by 58% to 4.8 billion.

The city's success has led to high demand for air services. During the last ten years Barcelona's international departure capacity has risen from 9.6 million seats to 19 million seats, buoyed by the growth of low-cost carriers such as easyJet, Norwegian, Ryanair and local carrier Vueling. The airport is now the 10th busiest in Europe, handling a record-breaking 39.7 million passengers in 2015 (5.7% more than 2014).

During the same ten-year period the Spanish international market almost doubled in size with capacity increasing by an average annual rate of 6.9%. Based on published flight schedules this year, international capacity is forecast to grow to over 90 million one-way seats, a 15.9% rise on 2015 and the fastest rate of growth since 2007. Spain is now linked directly to 336 different airports, up from 217 in 2006.

World Routes 2017 is expected to draw more than 3,000 aviation professionals from 300 airlines, 700 airports and 130 tourism authorities who will see for themselves what Barcelona has to offer.

Adrian Newton, group director at UBM EMEA (the organiser of World Routes events) said: "Hosting World Routes will help the Government of Catalonia and Barcelona City Council to win new air services which will stimulate the local economy and tourism. World Routes will also support Barcelona's quest to become the main aviation hub for southern Europe.

"Barcelona's international popularity makes it a highly attractive market for the aviation industry and our delegates will find a great deal of value in the event."

For more information about the event go to: routesonline.com

World Routes 2017, 23-26 September 2017, Fira de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.

Notes to Editors

About Routes

Routes events are unique forums dedicated to the development of new air services. Five 'regional' route development forums are held between February and July in the Americas, Asia , Europe , Africa / Middle East and Silk Road/Russian Commonwealth, and the flagship World Routes event takes place in September. http://www.routesonline.com

The events revolve around pre-scheduled meetings and an exhibition and conference which are delivered in partnership with host stakeholders. Hosts tend to be a collaboration between airports, tourism authorities and investment partners (the bidding process takes place two to three years before the event takes place).

Routes was founded in 1995 and is part of the UBM EMEA division of UBM plc.



For further information please contact:

Karen Reeves

Communications & Content Marketing Manager

Routes, UBM EMEA

M: +44 (0)796-6405-105

E: Karen.Reeves@ubm.com



SOURCE UBM Routes
NYINGCHI, China, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- XCMG recently installed a heavy electric shovel on the remote Mila Mountain in Tibet using its large tonnage mobile cranes at altitudes of over 5,400 meters. Achieved in collaboration with a local copper mining company, this is the first time such a large tonnage, high altitude hoisting has been completed.

Speaking after the successful completion of the operation, Shan Zenghai, deputy general manager of Xuzhou Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd., said, "It's a big challenge for large tonnage mobile crane to travel so far and accomplish tasks at altitude, as it requires the products to have a reliable power system, strong starting and heat balance performance and high level of reliability for operating up or down the hills."

XCMG's QAY300A all-terrain crane that was deployed to Tibet can flexibly adjust between three- and four- axel loads in order to adapt to various construction sites, while the all-new G generation XCT100 truck crane -- used for the first time in Tibet -- is supported by the revolutionary rear axel hydraulic controlled self-steer and low-speed, high-torque power transmission system technologies to offer swift and powerful functions as well as best operation experience.

"We were confident that the high quality XCMG products could achieve great results," commented Tang Zhengwei, an XCMG technician who worked in Tibet. "The cranes were the first in the industry to adopt integrated brake management technology alongside matching super lift self-removable and balanced weight self-removable functions, wireless remote control and more to ensure smart, efficient and user-friendly operations."

The highly adaptable QAY300A and XCT100's grand debuts on the "roof of the world" won high praise from the client for their reliable, stable performance and excellent human-computer interaction technologies.

"Every piece of large tonnage equipment from XCMG goes through thousands of tests and inspections to guarantee the quality," said Tan Fuming, head of quality of Xuzhou Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd. "Our team of professional technicians also provides comprehensive training for clients, which shows our advantages in innovation, quality and customer service in the global market."

About XCMG

XCMG is a multinational heavy machinery manufacturing company with a history of 73 years. It currently ranks ninth in the world's construction machinery industry. The company exports to more than 176 countries and regions around the world.

For more information, please visit: www.xcmg.com, or follow XCMG Group on Facebook, Twitter,

YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Related Links

http://www.xcmg.com



SOURCE XCMG
A Day in Riyadh, a series of workshops that features an interactive display depicting Riyadh's past, present and future that is underway at the United Nations, began Tuesday with a workshop presenting the broad outline of the vision for the city the and plans to enact it, which encompasses a regulatory, structural and a planning framework.

"The Future Saudi Cities Program is truly transformative and is considered a qualitative leap in the urban planning process in the Kingdom that is expected to achieve positive outcomes for the cities of Saudi Arabia," Yamina Djacta the director for UN-Habitat said. The Future Saudi Cities Program was developed in cooperation between the UN and KSA to achieve sustainable urbanization.

Lyndsay Neilson, a longtime advisor to the Arriyadh Development Authority, told the workshop that Riyadh is becoming a center for new forms of investment and the private sector engagement. "We now have new investment opportunities because of our ambitious public transportation projects. Our focus first and foremost is on the citizens and ensuring livability in accordance with Vision 2030. We are at an exciting time in our long term planning as we begin the next phase of strategic growth in Riyadh." Neilson is also Secretary of the Department of Environment and Sustainability, State of Victoria in Australia.

Dr. Ahmad Alsaif, Saudi Arabia's former Deputy Minister of Education, was the governor of Riyadh for fifty years and took in the lead in establishing the Arriyadh Development Authority. Riyadh is a city that prioritizes sustainability, urban growth, the environment, he said, and a city that manages growth for its people. Under the leadership of King Salman, ADA has been able to plan for the future of the city and provide the necessary services and facilities for its residents.

"In the 1950s, Riyadh was a sleepy hamlet of around 100 thousand inhabitants. Today it is a city of over 6.5 million people. Progress in improving the national economy, municipal organizations, and technology are factors that influenced Riyadh's urbanization," said Dr. Faisal Al Mubarak, Provost for Education Affairs and Academic President, Al Faisal University, and a Board Member of King Adbullah Economic City. He said, "The main tasks of ADA are to oversee urban and strategic planning of the city and to achieve the attainment of sustainability in planning and building a beautiful and functional city of the future."

On Wednesday, A Day in Riyadh continues by focusing on environmental protection and improvement, energy sustainability; and what life in Riyadh aims to be.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160927/412690

SOURCE Arriyadh Development Authority
KENNEDYS' "CAMELOT" ERA ITEMS IN PRESIDENTIAL, HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL AUCTION ON NOVEMBER 5

Upcoming at Potomack is the November 5th Presidential, Historical and Political Auction to mark the 2016 presidential election featuring antiques belonging to President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy during their "Camelot" years in Washington. Items from Glen Ora, the Kennedys' Middleburg retreat, include an antique bed in which President Kennedy slept. The November sale also features antiques and documents from the Kennedys' Georgetown residence.

Potomack's January 28th Designer Couture and Jewelry Auction will coordinate with "The Art of Style" theme of the January 2017 Washington Winter Antiques Show celebrating the iconic Coco Chanel.

The Potomack Company and Ms. Branch will host a number of events in the Greenwich area, including an appraisal day in mid-November. For assistance with consigning furniture, paintings and decorative art, Ms. Branch may be reached at [email protected] or The Potomack Company in Alexandria, Virginia at 703-684-4550.

CONTACT: [email protected] 703-684-4550

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160928/413001

SOURCE The Potomack Company

Related Links

http://www.potomackcompany.com


ABBOTT PARK, Ill., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the company's FreeStyle Libre Pro system, a revolutionary continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system for healthcare professionals to use with their patients with diabetes.

FreeStyle Libre Pro system is designed to empower healthcare professionals to provide better diabetes management for diabetes patients. The system provides healthcare professionals with a visual snapshot of glucose data, known as the Ambulatory Glucose Profile (AGP), giving a more simplified and clear overview of not only glucose levels, but also patterns and trends within those levels. This valuable information helps healthcare professionals make better, customized treatment decisions for their patients  and for a significantly lower cost than other professional CGM products availablei.

On nearly a daily basis, Eugene E. Wright, Jr., M.D. of Duke Southern Regional Area Health Education Center in Fayetteville, N.C., finds it challenging to effectively treat his patients with diabetes when it comes to decisions around insulin, nutrition and medication. "My patients are often out of range, due to inconsistent self-monitoring and insufficient data from traditional glucose meters that are unable to provide a full view of their glucose levels."

"FreeStyle Libre Pro transforms how doctors assess their patients' diabetes," said Jared Watkin, senior vice president, Diabetes Care, Abbott. "This novel technology provides a solution to the ongoing challenge of the need for complete and dependable glucose data. This data is imperative for not only the doctor, but also for the patient to help them achieve optimal health."

The FreeStyle Libre Pro SystemHow it Works

Abbott's FreeStyle Libre Pro system is applied to patients by healthcare professionals in a clinic setting. A healthcare professional applies a small, round sensor on the back of the patient's upper arm. The water-resistantii and disposable sensor is held in place with a self-adhesive pad and remains on the back of the arm for up to 14 days, requiring no patient interaction with the device or the need for the patient to draw blood via a fingerstick to calibrate the sensor.

The sensor continuously measures glucose in interstitial fluid through a small (5mm long, 0.4mm wide) filament that is inserted just under the skin. It records glucose levels every 15 minutes, capturing up to 1340 glucose results for up to 14 days, giving the treating doctor comprehensive data for a complete glycemic profile of their patient. After 14 days, the patient returns to the doctor's office, where the doctor uses a FreeStyle Libre Pro reader to scan the sensor and download the 14-days' worth of glucose results that are stored in the sensor  in as little as five seconds.

Abbott's FreeStyle Libre Pro system has a number of key advantages compared to other professional CGM systems, including:

Convenient for both the doctor and the patient. With the FreeStyle Libre Pro system there is no requirement for fingerstick calibration so patients do not need to be trained by their healthcare professional on calibration. After the sensor is applied to the patient, there is no requirement for the patient to interact with the system.

With the FreeStyle Libre Pro system there is no requirement for fingerstick calibration so patients do not need to be trained by their healthcare professional on calibration. After the sensor is applied to the patient, there is no requirement for the patient to interact with the system. Provides reliable glucose data. Healthcare professionals receive up to 14 days of continuous glucose data based on uninterrupted, normal daily routines of their patients.

Healthcare professionals receive up to 14 days of continuous glucose data based on uninterrupted, normal daily routines of their patients. Reduce equipment costs, maintenance and time. FreeStyle Libre Pro system costs significantly less than other professional CGM products on the marketi. The doctor's office only needs to purchase one FreeStyle Libre Pro reader for multiple patients without having to spend on extra recorders, receivers and transmitters, or devote time to routine disinfecting or recharging patient use components. In addition to the glucose sensor, other professional CGM systems require reusable hardware components, such as receivers, transmitters, and recorders that must go home with each patient to perform the professional CGM assessment.

Ambulatory Glucose Profilea Complete Glycemic Profile

The FreeStyle Libre Pro system provides patients and their physicians with an Ambulatory Glucose Profile (AGP), a report developed by the International Diabetes Center that is presented in a single, user-friendly, visual chart providing healthcare professionals a complete glycemic view of their patients' glucose trends for up to 14 days.

The AGP report helps identify when a patient is out of glucose range, and provides hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic trends and patterns. These insights help facilitate more meaningful discussions between a doctor and the patient.

Dr. Wright added, "This technology is groundbreaking because continuous glucose monitoring systems for professional use have been long considered a niche, cumbersome, and expensive technology for mostly Type 1 patients. The FreeStyle Libre Pro system changes this paradigm not only because of the unique technology but because it doesn't require fingerstick calibration, is easier to use, more affordable, and is more accessible to people with diabetes."

The FreeStyle Libre Pro system is part of Abbott's FreeStyle family of products including the sensing technology for consumers, the FreeStyle Libre system.

Abbott recently submitted the consumer version of the FreeStyle Libre system for review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The consumer version of the FreeStyle Libre system is designed to be a continuous glucose monitoring system that does not require fingerstick calibration, and measures glucose levels through a small sensor on the back of the upper arm for up to 14 days. Patients can self-monitor their glucose levels by scanning a reader over the sensor as often as desired to get a reading.

About Diabetes and Diabetes Monitoring

According to the International Diabetes Federation, the U.S. has one of the highest prevalence rates for diabetes, with 29.1 million people (or 9 percent of the U.S. population) who have diabetes. A recent survey of 1,527 people with Type 2 diabetes found that 40 percent do not test glucose levels as frequently as recommended by their doctors. Reasons for testing less often than recommended include expense of testing strips (31 percent), dislike of pricking fingers to draw blood for testing (29 percent), and forgetting to test because they feel fine (26 percent).iii

Traditionally, continuous glucose monitoring devices have primarily been used by people with Type 1 diabetes whom are required to take insulin. However, both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes patients can experience conditions such as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) which can be life-threatening, especially when not detected. Because the FreeStyle Libre Pro system provides rich, insightful data, patterns that might otherwise be missedsuch as nighttime hypoglycemiaglucose levels excursions can be detected and therefore managed.

Abbott's FreeStyle Libre Pro system will be available to U.S. healthcare professionals in the coming weeks. For more information, including important safety information, please go to www.FreeStyleLibrePro.us.

About Abbott:

At Abbott, we're committed to helping you live your best possible life through the power of health. For more than 125 years, we've brought new products and technologies to the world -- in nutrition, diagnostics, medical devices and branded generic pharmaceuticals -- that create more possibilities for more people at all stages of life.

Today, 74,000 of us are working to help people live not just longer, but better, in the more than 150 countries we serve.

Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews and @AbbottGlobal.

i Dexcom and Medtronic Professional CGM Order Forms, 2015

ii Sensor is water-resistant in up to 1 metre of water. Do not immerse longer than 30 minutes.

iii These are findings from an Ipsos poll conducted August 19-September 1, 2016. For the survey, a sample of roughly 2,679 adults age 18+ from the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii was interviewed online in English. The sample includes 1,152 adults with Type I diabetes and 1,527 adults with Type 2 diabetes. The poll also has a credibility interval plus or minus 3.3 percentage points for those with Type 1 diabetes and plus or minus 2.9 percentage points for those with Type 2 diabetes. Data on file.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150928/271488LOGO

SOURCE Abbott

Related Links

http://www.abbott.com


SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today during the the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show, the largest cruise conference and trade show in the Caribbean, it was announced that Adam Goldstein, President and COO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., will become Chairman of the FCCA, effective January 1, 2017.

Micky Arison, Chairman of Carnival Corporation & plc and current FCCA Chairman, broke the news during the event's CEO Roundtable, which featured both the current and future Chairman as they shared insight into the industry's and their lines' inner workings while addressing questions tailored to the region and increasing the audience's cruise tourism business.

"I am honored to have served as FCCA Chairman for a total of more than a decade," said Arison. "During this span, I have watched the growth of not only the Association, but also the partners we serve, and I know that Adam Goldstein will continue this mutual growth."

"The cruise industry today is now a global industry player, and under Micky's leadership, the FCCA has strengthened its relationships with the industry and our Caribbean and Latin American partners," said Goldstein. "I am extremely proud to take over the chairmanship of the FCCA, and my main goal is to continue on this path by making sure the region is prepared to face the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in this highly competitive and globalized environment."

Arison's latest tenure as FCCA Chairman, beginning in January 2015, was shorter than his prior decade-long term, but in that brief span he helped the FCCA Platinum Membership continue to flourish by adding new members and benefits, along with assisting the partnership between the FCCA and Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) to globalize and rebrand the FCCA's quarterly magazine, Travel & Cruise, the official magazine of the cruise industry.

Goldstein seeks to continue the successful proactive and interactive approach and to further develop relationships with destinations through his hands-on dealings and unwavering dedication. By participating at FCCA meetings and events, he will keep a constant dialogue between the cruise lines and destination stakeholders to achieve mutual benefits. His wealth of knowledge about the industry and destinations will lead the way to successful operations for both.

Along with sitting on the FCCA Executive Committee for more than a decade and regularly attending FCCA events, Goldstein's role as CLIA Chairman also gives him valuable experience to further chart a successful route for the FCCA and its partners.

"As Adam transitions out of his role as Global Chairman of CLIA this year, we are glad to see him move into this leadership role with FCCA," said Cindy D'Aoust, President and CEO of CLIA. "Adam has made significant positive contributions to the cruise industry as CLIA's Global Chair and throughout his career, and we thank him for his dedication and commitment."

About the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association

Created in 1972, the FCCA is a not-for-profit trade organization that provides a forum for discussion on tourism development, ports, safety, security, and other cruise industry issues and builds bilateral relationships with destinations' private and public sectors. By fostering an understanding of the cruise industry and its operating practices, the FCCA works with governments, ports and private sector representatives to maximize cruise passenger, crew and cruise line spending, as well as enhance the destination experience and increase the amount of cruise passengers returning as stay-over visitors. For more information, visit F-CCA.com, the FCCA on Facebook, and @FCCAupdates on Twitter.

Media Contact:

Vena Vongachariya

[email protected]

SOURCE Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association

Related Links

http://F-CCA.com


ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Aeras, a nonprofit research and development organization dedicated to the development of new TB vaccines, has launched the AerasSHARE Biorepository, a new website to allow researchers from other organizations to access specimens and datasets that were collected by Aeras and its research partners in an effort to facilitate state-of-the-art TB vaccine related science and promote world-wide collaboration among TB vaccine researchers.

The AerasSHARE Biorepository includes specimens of blood drawn from volunteers in a number of clinical trials, as allowed by the participant agreements. The samples, which are stored at Aeras' headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, and at sites in Africa near where the trials were conducted, will be sent to researchers whose requests have been approved by the Biorepository Oversight Committee (BOC).

"As a nonprofit, mission-driven organization, Aeras is dedicated to promoting collaboration with researchers around the world to speed the development of new, improved TB vaccines," said Aeras CEO Jacqueline E. Shea, PhD. "TB causes more deaths globally than any other single pathogen and the world urgently needs a new vaccine."

TB is a global epidemic which kills more people than any other single infectious agent, with 1.5 million deaths and 9.6 million new cases in 2014. Experts agree that new vaccines are critical to ending the epidemic in the next 15  20 years as targeted by the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals and the World Health Organization.

Researchers who wish to access specimens or datasets can submit a request on the AerasSHARE Biorepository website at bioshare.aeras.org. The site is governed by a charter that provides general principles for the management and good governance of the repository to ensure that the interests of donors and all other stakeholders are safeguarded. Each participating study will have a BOC or a previously established governing body to ensure compliance with biorepository management best practices and provide peer-review of submitted proposals for specimens and datasets. Researchers can track the process on the website.

Specimens and datasets are provided at no cost to researchers, but requestors are responsible for the actual shipping and handling costs and any costs related to special processing required. The program does not provide research funding.

Aeras is grateful to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for sharing its BioLINCC Program, after which the AerasSHARE Biorepository was modelled.

About AerasSHARE Biorepository

The AerasSHARE Biorepository is a website created by Aeras to facilitate TB vaccine-related research and promote worldwide collaboration among TB vaccine researchers by providing access to specimens and datasets collected by Aeras and its partners, as allowed by patient consent.

About Aeras

Aeras is a nonprofit, research and development organization advancing the development of new tuberculosis vaccines for the world, in partnership with other biotech, pharmaceutical, and academic organizations. Aeras has 90 employees from over 20 countries around the world, and has offices in the U.S., Africa, and Asia. Aeras is primarily funded by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK Department for International Development (DFID), and other parties committed to ending the TB epidemic. We also receive support from the U.S. government, and through partnerships and collaborations with universities and pharmaceutical companies around the world.

For more information, please contact:

Ellen Wilcox at [email protected]

SOURCE Aeras

Related Links

http://bioshare.aeras.org


LONDON, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Forecasts by End User (General Aviation, Military, Commercial Aircraft) by Type (Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul MRO, Original Equipment Manufacturer OEM) & By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, RoW) & Analysis of Materials (Epoxy Resin, Polyurethane Resin) & New Technologies (Chrome Free, Nanostructure Metals)

Visiongain's comprehensive new 181 page report reveals that the aerospace coatings market will achieve revenues of $584.5m in 2016.

Are you involved in the aerospace coatings market or intend to be? If so, then you must read this report

It's vital that you keep your knowledge up to date. You need this report.

Market scope: Aerospace coatings are supplied to the commercial, military, and general aviation markets. They include exterior and interior coatings for Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO). These coatings, when applied to aircraft, offer higher fuel efficiency, less noise and weight and increased safety.

Coatings are applied to improve wear protection, corrosion resistance, enhance surface hardness, achieve weight reduction and reduce oxidation. The advantage of coatings is that they improve reliability and wear and tear from harsh operating conditions and thus require a reduced amount of time for maintenance and repair.

This report examines in detail the commercial prospects for aerospace coatings, by application, by end-user by region and analyses the leadings companies.

The Aerospace Coatings Market Report 2016-2026 report responds to your need for definitive market data:

 Where are the aerospace coatings market opportunities?

- 139 tables, charts, and graphs reveal market data allowing you to target your strategy more effectively

To see a report overview please email Sara Peerun on [email protected]

 When will the aerospace coatings market grow?

- Global, regional, national and aerospace coatings submarket forecasts and analysis from 2016-2026 illustrate the market progression

- Volume forecast (tons) from 2016-2026

- Market value forecasts ($m) from 2016-2026

 Why will the aerospace coatings market evolve?

- Read comments from five industry experts -

- PPG (Mr. Mark Cancillia Global Platform Director)

- Akzonobel N.V (Mr. John Griffin, Business Director)

- Hentzen Coatings (Mr. Chris Athansopoulos, Director of Global Sales)

- The Sherwin Williams Company (Julie Voisin, Aerospace Product Manager)

- Mankiewicz (Mr. Andreas Ossenkopf, Director- Head of Aviation)

 Which aerospace coatings end user submarket will flourish from 2016-2026?

- Individual application forecasts and analysis demonstrate the prospects

- General Aviation applications

- Military applications

- Commercial applications

 Which aerospace coatings submarket type will thrive from 2016-2026?

- Specific projections and analysis explore the potential for

- Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO)

- Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)

 Where are the regional aerospace coatings market opportunities from 2016-2026?

- Targeted regional forecasts and analysis explore the future opportunities

- Each regional and country is forecast in volume (tons) and market value ($m)

- Each regional and country is also segmented and individually forecast by the 3 types for General Aviation, Military and Commercial applications.

- North America

- US

- Canada

- Mexico

- Europe

- Germany

- UK

- France

- Other

- Asia Pacific

- China

- India

- Japan

- Other

- RoW

- Russia

- Brazil

- Other

 What are the factors influencing aerospace coatings market dynamics?

- See a Porters Five Force analysis

- View a value chain analysis

- Read SWOT analyses for each leading company

 Who are the leading 10 aerospace coatings companies?

- Examine SWOT analyses for each company, competitive positioning, capabilities, product portfolios, R&D activity, services, focus, strategies, M&A activity, and future outlook

- BASF

- Akzonobel N.V

- Henkel AG & Company

- Hentzen Coatings Inc.

- Hohman Platings & Mfg LLC

- Ionbond AG

- Mankiewicz GEBR. & Co.

- PPG Industries Inc.

- The Sherwin Williams Company

- Zircotec Ltd.

 Who should read this report?

- Anyone within the aerospace coatings value chain, including

- Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM)

- Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) companies

- Coating manufacturers

- Component suppliers

- Commercial airlines

- Defence contractors

- CEO's

- COO's

- CIO's

- Business development managers

- Marketing managers

- Suppliers

- Technologists

- Investors

- Banks

- Government agencies

- Contractors

Get our report today Aerospace Coatings Market Report 2016-2026 Forecasts by End User (General Aviation, Military, Commercial Aircraft) by Type (Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul MRO, Original Equipment Manufacturer OEM) & By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, RoW) & Analysis of Materials (Epoxy Resin, Polyurethane Resin) & New Technologies (Chrome Free, Nanostructure Metals). Avoid missing out - order our report now.

To see a report overview please email Sara Peerun on [email protected]

To request a report overview of this report please emails Sara Peerun at [email protected] or call Tel: +44 (0) 20 7336 6100

Or click on https://www.visiongain.com/Report/1730/Aerospace-Coatings-Market-Report-2016-2026

List of Companies

Aerojet Rocketdyne

Aerospace Coatings International

AeroTek Manufacturing Ltd.

Airbus

AKZONOBEL N.V

AkzoNobel Powder Coatings SAE

AkzoNobel Powder Trading SAE

Albemarle

Alcoa Inc.

ALTEK INC.

BASF SE

Bayer

Beechcraft Corporation

Boeing Company

Bombardier

Calico Coatings

CFI Coatings

Corning Incorporated

Deft Inc

DSM

DuPont

Elite Aerospace Coatings

Ellsworth Adhesives (U.S)

Embraer

Endura Coatings

Ethiopian Airlines

GE Aviation

Hardide Coatings

Heany Industries

HENKEL AG & COMPANY

HENTZEN COATINGS INC

HOHMAN PLATING & MFG LLC

Incotec Corporation

Indestructible Paint Limited

International Aerospace Coatings

IONBOND AG

Jet Airways

KLM

LORD Corporation

Lufthansa Technik

Lyondelbasel

MANKIEWICZ GEBR. & CO

Mapaero France

Merck KGaA

MetoKote Corporation

Momentive

Pexa

PPG INDUSTRIES INC

Pratt & Whitney

Praxair Technology, Inc.

Precision Castparts Corp. Al

PSG Limited

Star Hentzen Coatings Pvt. Ltd.

Star Paint & Oil Industries

The Dow Chemical Company

THE SHERWIN WILLIAMS COMPANY

Thermech Corporation

Vacuum Process Technology LLC

Valspar Corporation

Versatile Spray Painting Ltd.

Wencor Group

ZIRCOTEC LTD

To see a report overview please email Sara Peerun on [email protected]

SOURCE Visiongain Ltd
NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC joins with the people of Israel and lovers of peace around the world in mourning the passing of Shimon Peres, the last surviving leader of Israel's founding generation, at the age of 93.

"Shimon Peres will forever be remembered as one of the great visionary leaders of the Jewish people," said AJC CEO David Harris, who met with Peres many times both in Israel and the U.S.

"Peres had extraordinary energy, boundless optimism, and future-oriented vision, not only about the possibilities of peace and coexistence in the region, but also about the exciting pathways of new technologies for the benefit of humankindfrom nano-science to mapping the brain," Harris added.

Harris also noted Mr. Peres's close relationship with AJC, saying, "His door was always open to us."

AJC leaders met with Peres often over the years both in Israel and the U.S. "He would often graciously thank AJC for its support during the 1960s, when he and his mentor, David Ben-Gurion, were in the political wilderness," said Harris.

Peres addressed AJC meetings on a number of occasions, notably AJC's 2001 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., where he shared the platform with President George W. Bush, Mexican President Vincente Fox, and German Foreign Minister Joschka Fisher.

"Among all Jewish organizations, I have found that yours is the most profound," Peres said of AJC. "Your organization was the first one to focus on the globality of our life. I don't know any other organization that pays so much attention to what's happening outside the United States, with respect to and beyond Jewish life, from India to Germany to France and in many other places."

The life of Shimon Peres was virtually synonymous with the history of the State of Israel. Born Szymon Perski in Poland in 1923, Peres was brought to Palestine in 1934. He was a member of the Haganah during Israel's War of Independence, supervised the new nation's arms purchases in the U.S., and, as Director-General of the Defense Ministry, negotiated an arrangement with France to supply vital arms to the Jewish state.

Peres spent decades at the center of Israeli political life. First elected to the Knesset in 1959, he was named Minister of Immigrant Absorption ten years later, and then Minister of Transportation and Communications, Information Minister, Minister of Defense, and Foreign Minister. He twice served as Prime Minister (1984-86, 1995-96). While he was Foreign Minister in 1994, Peresalong with Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabinshared the Nobel Peace Prize with Yasir Arafat for the Oslo Accords aimed at securing an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

Peres reached the peak of his popularity during his term as President of Israel from 2007 to 2014. Liberated from the constraints of partisan politics, he emerged as a revered symbol of national unity and a visionary spokesman for peace between Israel and its neighbors. In 2012, President Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee

Related Links

http://www.ajc.org


SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Alanco Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB:ALAN) today announced that Alanco Behavioral Health, Inc. ("ABH"), a wholly owned subsidiary, has executed a binding Letter of Intent to acquire Bella Monte Recovery LLC, ("BMR") a leading 12-step holistic drug treatment facility located in Desert Hot Springs, California (www.bellamonterecovery.com). Since its founding in 2014, Bella Monte Recovery, a 38 bed facility, has provided a supportive phased approach to recovery and is known for its effective customized treatment programs and for its beautiful, safe and tranquil surroundings. BMR has grown rapidly with revenue for the 2017 calendar year projected to exceed $5 million.

Dave Johnson, recently appointed President of ABH, said "The acquisition of BMR represents the first phase of a planned acquisition program for ABH to create a leader in the behavioral health treatment services market. We are negotiating with several additional acquisition candidates and look forward to continued expansion per our acquisition plan."

"For the past three years, I have been independently working on this behavioral health ("BH") consolidation and am excited to have the opportunity to work with Alanco to enhance shareholder value. With continued growth in the behavioral health market due to expanded availability of drugs, including marijuana, and the continued need for prescription drug and alcohol treatment, we believe the behavioral health market will remain robust into the future. By 2018 the residential treatment segment revenues are expected to grow to $29.6 billion (IBIS World 2012) and remain among the most profitable within the healthcare sector with net profit margins of 15%-25%.

"We believe the time is right for the ABH acquisition strategy. We will apply an innovative approach to each acquisition, using debt and equity capital to enhance its long term returns. Owners of private companies in the behavioral health market will be able to exchange their private holdings at competitive market prices, for consideration that may include equity in a publicly traded vehicle."

John Carlson, Alanco CEO said, "We have launched ABH to provide a liquidity alternative to small cap private companies in the expanding BH market and translating that to the public markets by an aggressive acquisition strategy providing strong revenue growth and cash flow."

About Mr. David Johnson, President, Alanco Behavioral Health, Inc.

Mr. Johnson's extensive experience in the behavioral healthcare ("BH") market has been as Owner, CEO and COO of leading BH organizations. His positions included CEO of a large Arizona treatment center that achieved over 100% growth before being sold to a private equity fund and COO of a Southwestern multistate behavioral health company that realized over 400% growth under his leadership. In addition, Mr. Johnson was founder of Peak Consulting Partners, an industry leading consulting firm advising BH organizations and private equity groups focused on strategic growth and acquisitions. Mr. Johnson has been responsible for over $50 million of BH M&A transactions on both buy side and sell side with both public and private companies. For the past ten years, he has also been a national public speaker addressing the behavioral health market.

Mr. Johnson will be responsible for all ABH operations with initial responsibilities focusing on finalizing the first phase of the acquisition plan and working with Alanco management to raise required capital. According to David Johnson, "With an estimated 30 million people in the US suffering from Addiction and Mental Illness and the market projected to continue to grow at approximately 3% per annum for the next five years, we believe there is a great need for care providers. Alanco's objective will be to create a market leader in Behavioral Health Treatment Services helping people and their families.

EXCEPT FOR HISTORICAL INFORMATION, THE STATEMENTS CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE ARE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS MADE PURSUANT TO THE SAFE HARBOR PROVISIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995. ALL SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO, AND ARE QUALIFIED BY, RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED BY THOSE STATEMENTS. THESE RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE FAILURE OF THE COMPANY TO ATTRACT PRIVATE COMPANIES THAT MEET ITS INVESTMENT CRITERIA, AND THE FAILURE TO FIND ACCEPTABLE FINANCING WITH WHICH TO COMPLETE THE ACQUISITION OF THESE ACQUISITION TARGETS ON TERMS THAT ARE ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY. WE UNDERTAKE NO OBLIGATION TO PUBLICLY UPDATE ANY FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT, WHETHER AS A RESULT OF NEW INFORMATION, FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS OR OTHERWISE, EXCEPT AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY LAW.

SOURCE Alanco Technologies, Inc.
FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Albertsons Companies, LLC, and Chevron Products Company, a division of Chevron U.S.A. Inc., are bringing their popular Gas Rewards program to customers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Customers who earn Reward Points by shopping at their local Albertsons and Tom Thumb stores in the Metroplex will now be able to use their Reward Points for up to 20 cents off per gallon when filling up at participating Chevron and Texaco branded locations. This expansion of the Gas Rewards program helps to maximize value and savings for Albertsons and Tom Thumb shoppers as well as Chevron and Texaco customers through the combination of quality, convenience and rewards.

"We're excited to extend our partnership with Chevron to North Texas to give shoppers the essentials that they have come to expect: savings and convenience," said Dennis Bassler, President of Albertsons Companies' Southern Division. "This program extends the shopping experience because it benefits our customers after they leave our stores and gives them a great reason to keep coming back."

Beyond savings, customers also benefit from the ease with which they can earn and redeem their Gas Rewards in Texas and throughout the country. With more than 900 of Albertsons Companies' 2,300 stores offering the program to shoppers, and well over 2,800 Chevron and Texaco branded stations currently participating in the program, grocery shopping and saving at the pump are now even more convenient.

"Chevron is continually looking for innovative ways to provide value to its customers and reward them for brand preference," says George Wall, Vice President, Americas Products Chevron Products Company. "We're thrilled to offer even more customers the opportunity to reap the benefits and product offerings of Albertsons, Tom Thumb and Chevron."

Albertsons customers can register for the program by downloading the just for U app on their Android or iOS device or online at Albertsons.com/rewards. Tom Thumb customers can simply use their Tom Thumb Rewards Card or phone number when shopping to earn Reward Points. Those who are new to Tom Thumb can download the Tom Thumb app on their Android or iOS device or register online at TomThumb.com.

Under the Gas Rewards program, for every 100 Reward Points earned by shopping at participating Dallas area Albertsons and Tom Thumb stores, customers receive a 10 cent-per-gallon Gas Reward. Customers earn Reward Points every time they use their registered phone number while shopping at any of the local Albertsons and Tom Thumb stores.

Reward Points can be earned by shopping at Albertsons and Tom Thumb stores in the following ways:

Customers receive one point per $1 spent on eligible grocery purchases.

spent on eligible grocery purchases. Customers receive two points per $1 spent on qualifying gift cards.

spent on qualifying gift cards. Customers receive one point for every out-of-pocket cost dollar spent on pharmacy, including co-pays.

Customers redeem their Gas Rewards by simply entering their registered phone number at the pump or inside the station before fueling.

The partnership with Chevron gives customers more locations to redeem Rewards Points. They can always redeem Rewards Points, up to $1 a gallon, at Albertsons and Tom Thumb on-site fuel centers.

The Gas Rewards program is also available in Safeway, Vons, Pavilions and Carrs stores located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. See the Reward Points Program Terms and Conditions at Albertsons.com and TomThumb.com or in stores for complete details.

About Albertsons and Tom Thumb

Albertsons Companies is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, with both a strong local presence and national scale. The company operates stores across 35 states and the District of Columbia under 19 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs. Albertsons Companies is dedicated to helping people across the country live better lives. In 2015 alone, with the help of generous customers, Albertsons Companies and the Albertsons Companies Foundation gave more than $270 million in food and financial support to the more than 2,300 communities they serve, improving the lives of millions of people in the areas of hunger relief, education, cancer research and treatment, programs for people with disabilities, and veterans outreach. Albertsons Companies is committed to making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood.

About Chevron

Chevron Corporation is one of the world's leading integrated energy companies. The company is involved in virtually every facet of the energy industry. Chevron explores for, produces and transports crude oil and natural gas; refines, markets and distributes transportation fuels and lubricants; manufactures and sells petrochemicals and additives; generates power and produces geothermal energy; and develops and deploys technologies that enhance business value in every aspect of the company's operations. Chevron is based in San Ramon, Calif. More information about Chevron is available at www.chevron.com .

Contacts

For Albertsons and Tom Thumb  Connie Yates  (214) 287-5781, [email protected]

For Chevron  Diana Reyes  (925) 842-0031 or [email protected]

SOURCE Albertsons Companies

Related Links

http://www.albertsons.com/


Mr. Randall Cook brings more than a decade of experience in litigation and compliance to Ankura's Regulatory & Contractual Compliance and Risk, Resilience & Geopolitical groups. Mr. Cook has led international trade and sanctions compliance investigations, audits, and targeted enhancement programs in global aerospace defense, technology, manufacturing and services enterprises. In his former role as Assistant U.S. Attorney, he led more than 100 cases involving trade controls, sanctions violations, government contracts fraud, computer crimes, money laundering, and bank and tax fraud. Mr. Cook was most recently with Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation.

Mr. Waqas Shahid joins Ankura as Senior Managing Director in the firm's Regulatory & Contractual Compliance and Risk, Resilience & Geopolitical groups. He has over a decade of interdisciplinary experience in trade compliance, litigation, process automation, and consulting. He has conducted U.S. trade compliance investigations; designed and implemented international trade and sanctions compliance policies, procedures, and systems; designed and executed enterprise-wide compliance reviews; and conducted data-driven compliance risk analysis. Mr. Shahid was most recently with Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation.

"As Ankura's global corporate compliance offerings continue to grow, we're expanding our team with highly accomplished professionals who embody the values of our firm," said Philip Daddona, Co-President of Ankura. "Randy and Waqas enhance our global perspective on important compliance issues in industries including aerospace, defense, technology and manufacturing. The synergies between our corporate compliance offerings and our data governance, anti-money laundering and investigations specialties provide us with the opportunity to develop innovative solutions for our clients through the combination of our skills and experience."

About Ankura Consulting Group

Ankura Consulting Group is a business advisory and expert services firm. Its deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges clients face enables its team to provide impactful, senior-level counsel. As an independent firm built on five key principles  Integrity, Quality, Diversity, Collaboration and Longevity  Ankura's relationships extend beyond one engagement or issue. The firm empowers its industry experts to provide a high-touch, unique approach for its clients in critical times. Ankura's offering includes a wide range of services offered within its Data Analytics & Technology Services, Investigations & Accounting Advisory, Litigation & Disputes, Regulatory & Contractual Compliance, Risk, Resilience & Geopolitical, Turnaround & Restructuring groups. For more information: ankuraconsulting.com.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160927/412686

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160424/359269LOGO

SOURCE Ankura Consulting Group

Related Links

http://ankuraconsulting.com


ANNAPOLIS, Md., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- TRACE International, the globally renowned anti-bribery business association, invites applications for its prestigious TRACE Scholar Program. The program fully funds students from developing countries to pursue an LLM focused on advancing commercial transparency and raising anti-bribery compliance standards. Fellowship recipients spend an academic year at one of four universities, followed by a paid summer internship at TRACE headquarters in Annapolis, Maryland.

This year, TRACE is pleased to welcome the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia as its newest participating institution. The Allard School of Law is internationally recognized for promoting human rights and anti-corruption efforts around the world and administers the Allard Prize for International Integrity. The Allard Prize, first awarded in 2013, recognizes exceptional courage and leadership in combatting corruption and protecting human rights and is one of the world's largest prizes dedicated to these issues. Professor Catherine Dauvergne, Dean of the law school notes that "The Allard School of Law is thrilled that TRACE is supporting research students working in these areas. This is a wonderful fit for our law school, and for the Allard Prize initiative more broadly."

Returning law schools taking part in this cycle of the TRACE Scholar Program are: Georgetown University; University of Washington School of Law; and King's College, Cambridge University. "We are delighted to continue partnering with TRACE in the fourth year of the TRACE Scholar Program," said Professor Anita Ramasastry of the University of Washington School of Law. "The program has awarded scholarships to outstanding lawyers from around the world who have used the knowledge gained in their graduate studies and their TRACE internship to advance anti-corruption efforts in their home countries."

The TRACE Scholar program includes full tuition, lodging and travel. Each student will spend one academic year at their chosen institution studying governance and economic development, business ethics and the rule of law. TRACE Scholars undertake to use this scholarship to improve transparency and reduce corruption in their country or region.

Previous TRACE scholarships have been awarded to LLM students from India, Ecuador, Brazil, Kenya, Uganda and Ukraine. "Taking part in the TRACE Scholarship and internship program increased my practical understanding of anti-corruption law and policy, and equipped me with skills and ideas essential to further promote commercial transparency," said Orest Stasyuk, Ukrainian attorney and 2015-2016 TRACE Scholar at the University of Washington School of Law. "The knowledge and skills I gained will reinforce my practice and directly benefit my community."

Applicants should apply directly to their first choice university. Application details and instructions can be found at http://www.traceinternational.org/about-trace/initiatives/. General queries can be e-mailed to TRACE at [email protected]

About TRACE

TRACE International and TRACE Incorporated are two distinct entities with a common mission to advance commercial transparency worldwide by supporting the compliance efforts of multinational companies and their third party intermediaries. TRACE International is a non-profit business association that pools resources to provide members with anti-bribery compliance support while TRACE Incorporated offers both members and non-members customizable risk-based due diligence, anti-bribery training and advisory services. Working alongside one another, TRACE International and TRACE Incorporated offer an end-to-end, cost-effective and innovative solution for anti-bribery and third party compliance. For more information, visit www.TRACEinternational.org.

SOURCE TRACE International

Related Links

http://www.traceinternational.org


NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Namely, the modern all-in-one HR, payroll and benefits platform for mid-sized companies, today announced enhancements to its open API and an expanded partner ecosystem as it commits to building a core HR platform that integrates with the growing number of software applications HR professionals use.

Today's news is supported by a new #HRWins research report from industry analyst George LaRocque, sponsored by Namely, which also launched today. The report reveals that mid-market HR professionals plan to invest in new HRIS and payroll platforms to solve integration challenges and to enable their managers and employees.

As integration becomes a top priority, Namely has increased the number of fields available through its API and released Namely Connect, a portal which allows clients to set up connections to other systems and manage how their data flows through the API. These enhancements have enabled Namely to add over 25 new partners in the last year, including Bridge for learning management, Workable for application tracking, AnyPerk for employee perks, OneLogin for single sign-on, and many more.

The new #HRWins research finds that mid-sized companies use nine different HR software applications on average. Perhaps it's no surprise that 24% of respondents cited "lack of integration" as their #1 technology-related pain point, beating out "gaps in automation," "lack of functionality," and "too many systems" as the top reply. Buyers are looking to new core HRIS and payroll systems to solve this problem. When asked where they plan to invest, the top two platforms were payroll (49%) and HRIS (36%). And when asked for their top two buying criteria, the ability to support managers was the top reply, followed by the ability to improve employee productivity.

As it expands its partner ecosystem, Namely is committed to building a core system of record for employee data that integrates with the many different tools HR professionals use. By doing so, the company solves the integration pain point for its clients, making HR technology more usable for employees, managers, and HR teams. Further, Namely positions itself, its clients, and its partners within the API economy, which has been shown to contribute significantly to profitable growth.

"The decision to invest in an open API benefits Namely and our clients," said Matt Straz, founder and CEO of Namely. "We're going to focus on HR, payroll, and benefits. For anything outside our core focus, we'll foster and support an ecosystem of complimentary solutions and services. Clients get flexibility, and we get to dedicate all our resources to creating the best HR, payroll, and benefits platform for mid-sized organizations."

Optimizely, one of Namely's clients, has used Namely's open API to centralize a wide range of business processes not typically handled by a core HR system.

"After we saw what the platform could do, we tore down our existing business processes and rebuilt them in Namely," says Ryan Higginson-Scott, People Operations & Systems Manager at Optimizely. "We now use Namely to manage everything from sales compensation to stock options to provisioning GitHub access for new engineers during onboarding. These integrations not only save us time, they provide a much better experience for our employees, too."

"The new survey results paint HR buyers in a whole new light," said George LaRocque, industry analyst and author of the report. "For a long time, vendors have sought to add more features, create new products, check more boxes. But buyers have just told us that they want something else. They want a core platform for employee data and payroll, and they want it to integrate with other best-of-breed applications that do one thing really, really well."

Today's news comes ahead of the HR Technology Conference and Exposition, October 4-7, 2016, where Namely will showcase its all-in-one HR, payroll, and benefits platform at Booth #2425.

In the latest #HRWins research, LaRocque, LLC surveyed 974 companies with fewer than 5,000 employees. 90% of respondents indicated they make or influence HR technology purchasing decisions in their company. Namely sponsored the report as part of the company's expanded presence at this year's HR Technology Conference & Exposition in Chicago from October 4th - 7th.

About Namely

Namely is the first HR platform that employees actually love to use. Namely is powerful, easy-to-use technology that allows mid-sized companies to handle all of their HR, payroll, benefits and talent management in one place. Coupled with dedicated support and benefits consulting, every Namely client gets the software and service they need to deliver great HR and a strong, engaged company culture.

Namely is used by over 500 clients with over 100,000 employees globally. Headquartered in New York City, the company is funded by Sequoia Capital, Matrix Partners, True Ventures, Lerer Hippeau Ventures, Greenspring Associates, Vayner/RSE, Bullpen Capital, and others. For more information, visit www.namely.com and schedule a free personal demo, or visit www.namely.com/partners to see its growing list of partners.

About #HRWins

#HRWINS are the body of reports and analysis that explore and celebrate innovation in Human Resources with a particular focus on technology. Published by LAROCQUE, LLC, an analyst and advisory firm helping employers and HR technologists better understand the intersection of technology and the workforce.

Topics found at hrwins.com include Human Capital Management (HCM) and core HR, company culture, employee engagement, talent management, and talent acquisition.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160111/321096LOGO

SOURCE Namely

Related Links

http://www.namely.com


MADRID, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- On October 5, ATRESERIES Internacional, the premiere channel of Atresmedia Internacional, will begin to air exclusively the second season of Mar de Plastico ('Sea of Plastic'), produced for Atresmedia by Boomerang TV.

FILE

EstrenoMARDEPLASTICO_AtreseriesInt.pdf

TRAILER

Trailer-Mar de Plastico

While the murder of Ainhoa and arrest of Fernando shook up the residents of Campoamargo --as well as viewers of ATRESERIES Internacional - a new serial killer is on the loose, and anyone could become the next victim. This is the disturbing start of the second season of this rousing thriller, whose new episodes will be packed with suspense and mystery in an unbeatable setting unique in the world, with riveting stories that promise to build up tension and action.

"The audience was asking to see other worlds in this series. And we're going to give them what they asked for," said Sonia Martinez, director of fiction for Atresmedia, during the presentation of the series in Spain, adding that the new episodes will fit into the parameters of the psychological thriller: "The characters play with ambivalence in the same space (as the first season), though it's different."

The series features first rate talent, with Rodolfo Sancho heading up a cast of distinguished national actors who took part in the earlier season, such as: Pedro Casablanc, Belen Lopez, Luis Fernandez, Fernando Cayo, Patrick Criado, Nya de la Rubia, Andrea del Rio, Lisi Linder, Fede Aguado, Jesus Carroza, Will Shephard, Elias Pelayo, Angela Vega, Marina Esteve and Maximo Pastor.

What's more, the unique landscape of southern Spain will once again play a leading role in the second season of Mar de Plastico, where the natural scenery takes on special importance and is outstanding for its scenic grandeur.

Chapter 1:

After Fernando Rueda is imprisoned as Ainhoa's killer, calm seemed to have been restored to Campoamargo until another crime, involving Marta Ezquerro, shakes the population of this small coastal village

PREMIERE SCHEDULE : Wednesday, OCTOBER 5

10:00 pm Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.

9:00 pm Venezuela.

8:00 pm Mexico, Colombia, Peru.

7:00 pm Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua.

9:00 pm East Coast, U.S.

6:00 pm West Coast, U.S.

About de Atresmedia Internacional

Atresmedia Internacional is the head of the Atresmedia group, comprised of its three international channels: Antena 3, Atreseries and HOLA! TV. Positioned as one of the world leaders in the production and distribution of content in Spanish, Atresmedia is also the private European operator with more signals and a greater number of subscribers beyond its borders, highlighting its presence in all Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, as well as the U.S., Canada, Europe and Africa. Atresmedia Internacional strives for quality and variety by offering supplementary content.

www.atresmediainternacional.com

Related Links

http://www.atresmediainternacional.com



SOURCE Atresmedia Internacional
OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of University Research Parks (AURP) kicked-off its annual International Conference today in Oklahoma City (OKC) with hosts University of Oklahoma (OU) Research Campus and the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber. This event is being held primarily at the Skirvin Hilton today through September 30, 2016drawing industry experts and research park leaders from across the U.S. and internationally.

This year's theme is "Harnessing the Winds of Change: Pioneering the Future of Ingenuity at University Research Parks." With research parks evolving and changing rapidly, parks are forced to examine and improve upon current processes and strategies. This year's conference will address this movement, as well as the current university research park landscape, and provide insight and best practices on how research parks can thrive through the power of ingenuity.

The AURP Conference Planning Committee, made up of many of the world's top research park directors, has selected an array of dynamic speakers from the U.S. and around the globeincluding France, Brazil, Australia and The Netherlandsto discuss a number of engaging topics. Highlighted speakers include:

Hugh Forrest  Director of the annual South by Southwest Interactive Festival (SXSW)

 Director of the annual South by Southwest Interactive Festival (SXSW) Jeffrey Greene  Award-winning innovator, patented inventor, entrepreneur and Founder and CEO of MedEncentive, LLC

 Award-winning innovator, patented inventor, entrepreneur and Founder and CEO of MedEncentive, LLC Michael Eckert  A deeply engaged angel investor, Founder and Chairman of NO/LA Angel Network and former CEO of The Weather Channel

 A deeply engaged angel investor, Founder and Chairman of NO/LA Angel Network and former CEO of The Weather Channel Dr. Spence Taylor  Academic vascular surgeon and Founding Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Diversity at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Greenville

 Academic vascular surgeon and Founding Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Diversity at the School of Medicine in Greenville Dr. Jason Sanders  Provost, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC)

 Provost, (OUHSC) Scott Andes  Senior Policy Analyst and Associate Fellow with the Bass Initiative on Innovation and Placemaking with The Brookings Institution

Additionally, some of the key events during this year's conference include:

Communities of Innovation 101  Designed for those who are new to university research parks and innovation districts, this intensive pre-conference session will address park and innovation district organization and management with a special emphasis on development, funding, marketing and economic impact.

 Designed for those who are new to university research parks and innovation districts, this intensive pre-conference session will address park and innovation district organization and management with a special emphasis on development, funding, marketing and economic impact. Oklahoma City (OKC): An Innovative Ecosystem  Attendees will learn how local research parks and innovation centers can work with communities and industry leaders to harness innovation and entrepreneurship. OKC representatives will share the success of OKC's innovation district.

 Attendees will learn how local research parks and innovation centers can work with communities and industry leaders to harness innovation and entrepreneurship. OKC representatives will share the success of OKC's innovation district. Tours: National Weather Center & OU's Innovation Hub  Attendees will tour the University Research Campus at the University of Oklahoma (OU), Norman, will experience weather predictions and forecasts firsthand at the National Weather Center, and will tour OU's new Innovation Hub, which includes a 5,000 sq. ft. digital fabrication lab/makerspace that opened in Spring 2016.

"Oklahoma City has served as a prime example of the impact that research and innovation parks can have in local communities, beyond the research they provide," said AURP President and Executive Director of the LSU Innovation Park and Louisiana Business & Technology Center Charles D'Agostino, MBA. "As parks forge strong partnerships with the cities and areas surrounding their facilities and campuses, they foster greater opportunities for innovative developments down the road."

The event will include ample opportunities to visit several of Oklahoma City's research parks and innovation center to understand how it has transformed itself to become a premiere location for research in the world. For more information on AURP's 2016 International Conference, visit: http://international.aurp.net/.

About the Association of University Research Parks (AURP)

The Association of University Research Parks is a professional association of university related research and science parks. AURP's mission is to foster innovation, commercialization and economic growth through university, industry and government partnerships. For more information, visit AURP's web site at www.aurp.net.

SOURCE Association of University Research Parks

Related Links

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WELLESLEY, Mass., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Babson College Entrepreneurship Professor Heidi Neck has received the Schulze Entrepreneurship Educator of the Year Award (SEEYA). She is recognized as a trailblazer in American entrepreneurship education and stands out among her peers for a demonstrated ability to drive entrepreneurship education forward.

The SEEYA, presented by the Entrepreneur & Innovation Exchange, annually honors college or university educators who have made a significant impact on entrepreneurship education through the development of effective and innovative programs, pedagogy, curriculum, exercises, simulations and activities. This award honors those who push the frontier of entrepreneurship in higher education and broadly disseminate best practices in the field.

"For those of us who are lucky enough to work closely with Heidi this recognition comes as no surprise," says Babson College Professor and Entrepreneurship Division Chair Andrew Corbett. "She is relentless about finding new and innovative ways to teach entrepreneurship; she seeks out new ideas for her classroom continuously. Additionally, over the past decade plus, she has developed into one of the world's leading researchers on entrepreneurship pedagogy. It is this combination of excellence in practice and research inquisitiveness around entrepreneurship that make her a perfect honoree. And the rest of us - her colleagues and most importantly her students - are the beneficiaries of her dedication."

About Babson College Entrepreneurship Professor Heidi Neck

Heidi Neck, Ph.D., is a Babson College Professor and the Jeffry A. Timmons Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies. She has taught entrepreneurship at the undergraduate, MBA and executive levels. Neck is the President of the United States Association of Small Business & Entrepreneurship (USASBE), an academic organization dedicated to the advancement of entrepreneurship education. She is Faculty Director of The Babson Collaborative, a global institutional membership organization for colleges and universities seeking to increase their capability and capacity in entrepreneurship education. Additionally, Neck is Faculty Director of Babson's Symposia for Entrepreneurship Educators (SEE) - a program designed to further develop faculty from around the world in the of art and craft of teaching entrepreneurship and building entrepreneurship programs. Through her leadership she has directly trained over 2,000 educators around the world. An award-winning teacher, Neck has been recognized for teaching excellence at Babson for undergraduate, graduate, and executive education. She has also been recognized by international organizations, the Academy of Management and USASBE, for excellence in pedagogy and course design.

Her research interests include entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurship inside organizations, and creative thinking. Neck is the lead author of Teaching Entrepreneurship: A Practice-Based Approach (Elgar Publishing) - a book written to help educators teach entrepreneurship in more experiential and engaging ways. Additionally, she has published 40+ book chapters, research monographs, and refereed articles in such journals as Journal of Small Business Management, Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, and International Journal of Entrepreneurship Education. She is on the editorial board of the Academy of Management Learning & Education journal and is a Forbes blogger on entrepreneurship content.

Neck speaks and teaches internationally on cultivating the entrepreneurial mindset and espousing the positive force of entrepreneurship as a societal change agent. She consults and trains organizations of all sizes on building entrepreneurial capacity. She is the co-founder of VentureBlocks, an entrepreneurship education technology company and co-owner of FlowDog, a canine aquatic fitness and rehabilitation center located just outside of Boston. Heidi earned her Ph.D. in Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She holds a B.S. in Marketing from Louisiana State University and an MBA from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

About EIX

Entrepreneur & Innovation Exchange (EIX) is a social media learning platform with a goal to dramatically improve the success rate of new business ventures. EIX is dedicated to entrepreneurship students, professors and entrepreneurs. Funded by the Schulze Family Foundation, it is a free resource designed to advance and share the best research and practice of entrepreneurship, and make it relevant and accessible to both aspiring and practicing entrepreneurs.

About Babson College

Babson College is the educator, convener, and thought leader of Entrepreneurship of All Kinds(r) . The top-ranked college for entrepreneurship education, Babson is a dynamic living and learning laboratory where students, faculty, and staff work together to address the real-world problems of business and society. We prepare the entrepreneurial leaders our world needs most: those with strong functional knowledge and the skills and vision to navigate change, accommodate ambiguity, surmount complexity, and motivate teams in a common purpose to make a difference in the world, and have an impact on organizations of all sizes and types. As we have for nearly a half-century, Babson continues to advance Entrepreneurial Thought & Action (r) as the most positive force on the planet for generating sustainable economic and social value. Visit www.babson.edu.

CONTACT: Michael Chmura, 781-239-4549, [email protected]

This news release was issued on behalf of Newswise(TM). For more information, visit http://www.newswise.com.

SOURCE Babson College

Related Links

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GENEVA, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

An event was held on September 26, 2016, during the ongoing session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, to highlight the human rights atrocities in Balochistan, especially the kill and dump policy of the Pakistan army. Among the prominent people who participated in this event, were prominent Baloch nationalists Brahumdagh Bugti and Mehran Marri, and Executive Director of the Balochistan House, Tarek Fatah.

In his speech on this occasion, Mehran Marri, Baloch Representative to the UNHRC and the European Union, stated that the people of Balochistan were facing human rights violations, as well as annihilation of their language, culture, history and heritage. He exhorted the Baloch people not to be silent to Pakistan's attempts to wipe them out, but to stand up for their rights.

In his remarks, Brahumdagh Bugti, President of the Baloch Republican Party, while referring to the continuing struggle of the Baloch nationalists since the illegal annexation of Balochistan by Pakistan in 1948, stated that the Baloch will continue to fight peacefully but if pushed to the corner, reserve the right to defend themselves. This, he said, was to ensure that the Baloch culture, customs, language etc. were not crushed under the tanks of the Pakistani oppressors. He also cautioned that Pakistan was attempting to sow seeds of distrust among the countries neighbouring Balochistan, by floating the idea that the Baloch nationalists were seeking a 'Greater Balochistan', comprising areas in Iran and Afghanistan. He clarified that this was not correct and the Baloch people only sought assistance from their neighbours in their struggle against Pakistani domination.

In his address, Tarek Fatah described Pakistan as the hub of international jihadi terrorism, and stated that in recent history, there were few examples of a country where the defacto ruling military and the deep state were geared to supporting, nurturing, breeding and exporting Islamic terror in the region and the rest of the world. In this context, he said that the case for the independence of Balochistan was not just because of the rights of the Baloch, and to halt the atrocities being committed by the Pakistan occupation military, but also in context of the

international war against the forces of Islamofascism. He added that the independence of Balochistan would mean the end of this threat to human civilization, as with a free Balochistan would come the end of Pakistan, and would lead to the establishment of a Muslim nation dedicated to liberal parliamentary secular democracy, a friend of its neighbours and the international community.

In a subsequent interview at the UNHRC, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Fulvio Martusciello, stated that in view of the ongoing genocide in Balochistan, he and his fellow MEPs would like to push for a resolution in the EP seeking to blacklist the Punjabi-dominated Pak Army.

SOURCE Baluchistan House
VALENCIA, Calif., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Bioness, Inc. is pleased to announce that Eric Grigsby MD, MBA has joined its leadership team as Chief Medical Officer (CMO). Bioness is the leading provider of cutting edge technologies helping people control pain, regain mobility and improve independence. Dr. Grigsby's experience with pain management will be of particular significance towards advancing Bioness' recently launched StimRouter Neuromodulation System, a minimally invasive device specifically designed to treat chronic peripheral pain. This new role will complement his position as Chief Medical Officer at the Alfred Mann Foundation.

"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Grigsby to Bioness as we continue to ramp our efforts around the StimRouter," said Todd Cushman, Chief Executive Officer of Bioness. "Dr. Grigsby brings a wealth of clinical experience in pain management and has helped develop surgical implants specific to neuromodulation. Only recently introduced, the StimRouter has delivered remarkable patient outcomes. As we expand into new peripheral nerve applications, Dr. Grigsby's experience will help lead Bioness clinical and development initiatives."

With more than 25 years of experience, Dr. Grigsby has been helping patients regain their quality of life through accurate diagnosis and successful treatment programs. He founded the Napa Pain Institute in 1992, one of the oldest and most recognized pain practices in the region where he continues to practice as a board certified Pain Physician. Dr. Grigsby is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Neurovations, a leading clinical trial management and pain education consulting company. Prior to Neurovations, Dr. Grigsby earned his MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business in 2012 to better understand the evolving business dynamics of the healthcare environment.

Dr. Grigsby graduated from Boston University Medical School in 1984 and went on to train in General Surgery, Anesthesiology and Pain Management at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He later joined the Medical Staff of Mayo Medical School and was welcomed as Founding Medical Director of the first pain management center at University of California, Davis Medical Center.

"I am excited to join the Bioness team to help advance our innovations in neuromodulation to aid clinicians and patients better manage chronic pain," said Dr. Grigsby. "While working with the Alfred Mann Foundation, I saw first hand the passion and drive needed to bring novel products that meet unmet medical needs to market. The StimRouter embodies Alfred Mann's vision of improving the lives of people in need through disruptive technology and I am excited to help Bioness achieve that mission with this new device."

About Bioness, Inc.

Bioness is the leading provider of innovative technologies helping people control pain, regain mobility and improve independence. Bioness solutions include external and implantable functional electrical stimulation (FES) systems, robotic systems and software-based therapy programs providing functional and therapeutic benefits for individuals affected by pain, central nervous system disorders and orthopedic injuries. Individual results vary. Consult with a qualified physician to determine if this product is right for you. Contraindications, adverse reactions and precautions are available online at www.bioness.com.

StimRouter and Bioness are trademarks of Bioness, Inc. | www.bioness.com | Rx Only

Additional information about StimRouter can be found at www.stimrouter.com.

Bioness Contact:

Next Step Communications

[email protected]

781.326.1741

SOURCE Bioness, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.bioness.com


MIx Catalog is a Library of Re-Usable Plugins to Address IIoT Use Cases

BURNABY, BC, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Bit Stew Systems, developer of the premier data intelligence platform for solving the data integration challenge in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), today announced the general availability of the MIx Catalog, a cloud-based library of reusable plugins that accelerate Industrial IoT application development for our customers and partners.

Bit Stew's partners and customers use the MIx Catalog to find, share and use plugins, which include data services, adapters, analytic libraries, and data models. Plugins remove the complexity of building industrial applications that address specific use cases. Users can access the MIx Catalog to build additional functionality on top of Bit Stew's MIx Core platform for specific Industrial IoT projects.

Accelerate Time To Value for IIoT Projects

It usually takes months to develop Industrial IoT project functionality. The MIx Catalog offers reusable plugins that address common Industrial IoT problems, following a cohesive design philosophy. The MIx Catalog allows developers to easily download and test plugins on the MIx Core platform, helping them rapidly scale up Industrial IoT projects with a building block approach. By leveraging plugins for common and complicated components of an application, users can spend more time improving the business outcome and user experience.

"The MIx Catalog allows you to easily download and test common functionality to accelerate your Industrial IoT data project so you can spend more time creating innovative solutions to solve big industrial problems," says Chris Bowman, Senior Product Manager, MIx Technology at Bit Stew Systems. "The Catalog is the extensibility point to our MIx Core platform, which means industry-specific content will also coalesce like protocols and analytics, greatly reducing time to market for application developers."

OSI Consulting: Resuable Services Help Reduce Development Time

"We were able to significantly reduce development time for our customer by leveraging existing plugins and templates available on Bit Stew's MIx Catalog," said Kai Hui, Chief Architect of IIoT Solutions at OSI Consulting. "We successfully built a theft analysis workbench for a large energy customer, a process that would have taken much longer without the reusable plugins available in the MIx Catalog. The Catalog also provided the ability to leverage solutions built specifically for energy use cases by simply configuring them for our customer."

Discover Value Quickly from Your Data

Gain a competitive advantage by discovering value from data more quickly with an iterative approach to application development. Dynamic Adapter plugins enable users to quickly ingest and manage complex industrial data without custom-built connectors. The MIx Catalog also provides data science and analytic library plugins to help execute advanced analytics for business and operations. The MIx Catalog offers an easy way to quickly realize functionality that would have previously taken weeks, if not months.

Chris adds, "Don't reinvent the wheel. It might just be the case that someone else has already solved your problem with an easily configured plugin that's available in the MIx Catalog. Leverage the industrial knowledge of experts who have already developed solutions for their industry vertical."

Access the Bit Stew's MIx Catalog

The MIx Developer Network (MDN) includes all the tools and resources necessary to build, test and implement your first plugin, and be well on the path to building your Industrial IoT solution. The MIx Catalog is available through any cloud-based instance of the platform and MDN using MIx Core version 10 and Grid Director version 4. The Catalog has been fully integrated with MIx Core and the MDN. This allows seamless download, installation, configuration, and management of plugins, as well as upload and publishing capabilities to the Catalog from MIx Core and the MDN. If you are not a member of the MDN, Bit Stew customers and partners should apply to join and learn more about the tools & training available.

Bit Stew Live Demo Series: How to Scale Industrial IoT

To learn more about this topic, join the webinar series to learn how to tackle the common challenges at every stage of Industrial IoT maturity. Register for the session on Reusable Building Blocks on Thursday, Oct. 13  10:30 (PST).

About Bit Stew Systems

Bit Stew provides the premier platform for handling complex data integration, data analysis, and predictive automation for connected devices on the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Purpose-built for the IIoT, Bit Stew's MIx Core platform solves the data integration challenge at scale for complex industrial data environments. Bit Stew has earned global recognition by being named to Gartner's Cool Vendors List and as Frost & Sullivan's Entrepreneurial Company of the Year  North American Service Solutions. In 2015, Bit Stew was ranked as one of the Top 100 Analytics Companies and Top 100 IoT Startups by Forbes. Incorporated in 2009, Bit Stew is a venture-backed private company that is headquartered in Canada with offices in the USA, Australia and Europe. Visit www.bitstew.com to learn more.

SOURCE Bit Stew Systems Inc.

Related Links

www.bitstew.com


BRYN MAWR, Pennsylvania, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

BizEquity, the leading provider of online business valuation and performance big data, is experiencing a period of unprecedented growth with the company reporting a 455% year-on-year increase in new financial advisor partnerships in the US. Responding to the scale of demand, BizEquity has accelerated its expansion plans strengthening both its leadership and sales teams to support its projected growth. To accommodate the burgeoning workforce the company has relocated from Wayne PA to the business hub of One Towne Place, Bryn Mawr.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160914/407722LOGO )



BizEquity's award-winning online business valuation system is one of the leading Big Data powered products in Fintech. Since its inception in 2011 the company's business valuation technology has revolutionized the entire business valuation industry by providing fast and affordable access to real-time business valuations for the first time, delivering critical and previously inaccessible information to small and midsize business owners and the financial professionals who advise them.

The company, which already has a presence in 40 US states, expanded its global reach further into the Asia-Pacific region earlier this year by launching in India - the world's fastest growing tech hub - which swiftly followed the 2015 launch of its Singapore office where the company now has over 30 financial advisor partnerships.

Focusing on enhancing its technology offering to its customers, this month BizEquity announced its new partnership with Equifax, an information solutions and global insights provider. This further improves the business valuation tool to help financial professionals prospect more effectively and small business owners better understand their business' worth. Furthermore BizEquity is poised to sign a major deal with a global accountancy firm, which will make its cloud-based business valuation service available to thousands more financial advisors worldwide.

To support its accelerated expansion plans of partnering with over 400,000 small businesses and for 30,000 financial advisors to be using their platform by 2019, BizEquity has recently strengthened its senior executive team with the appointment of Michael Zebrowski as chief operating officer. Michael, who was previously chief operating officer of eMoney Advisor, brings his broad financial, accountancy, software and start up experience to the team at BizEquity, to help the company deliver it's increasingly demanding business targets.

On the new senior appointment, Michael M. Carter, Founder & CEO commented:

"Michael was instrumental in building out and running the business of eMoney, one of the earliest innovators in FinTech. In leading eMoney for 11 years, he helped to scale the business from 20 to 400 employees and from 300 to over 30,000 financial advisors. Michael is exactly the type of leader we need now at BizEquity as we continue to scale massively to serve our increasing global client base."

Michael Zebrowski, the new COO of BizEquity commented: "We are really excited to join the business community at One Towne Place in Bryn Mawr. Our new office space allows us to grow alongside cultivating a culture that breeds innovation and passion for harnessing the power of Big Data for the good of the millions of small business owners around the world."

About BizEquity

BizEquity is the world's leading provider of business valuation knowledge and big data. BizEquity has valued over 33 million private businesses and distributes it's patented cloud-based service through thousands of financial advisors to help better inform small businesses of their lending; insurance; and wealth management needs. BizEquity is headquartered in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania but has offices around the world in key markets such as London; Singapore; and Delhi.

Some noteworthy accomplishments for the company include BizEquity's CEO Michael M. Carter being named one of the top 100 leaders in Global Fintech; BizEquity being named one of the top 360 private companies by Entrepreneur Media; and BizEquity winning the FinTech growth and innovation award from Bank Director.

For more information, please visit: http://www.bizequity.com.



For further information or to request a review copy please contact:

Richard Morgan Evans/Charlotte Cheal/Harriet Adams

Morgan Rossiter, T: +44-0203-195-3240

SOURCE BizEquity
PISCATAWAY, N.J., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BlackStratus, a leading provider of cloud-based security and compliance technology tailored for both SMBs and large enterprises, announced today that it has been positioned in Gartner, Inc.'s 2016 Magic Quadrant for SIEM for a 3rd year. The Gartner Magic Quadrant for Security Information and Event Management (1), is an annual report where the analyst firm evaluates venders using several criteria.

"One of the early pioneers in the SIEM market BlackStratus is once again recognized in Gartner's Magic Quadrant," said Dale Cline, CEO of BlackStratus. "We believe our inclusion in the report again underscores the contribution BlackStratus is making to the advancement of SIEM technology. We also feel it highlights our growing customer base that is using our enterprise class security and compliance platforms, including our new CYBERShark SaaS offering to handle the increased sophistication of existential threats to their network."

BlackStratus was also included in a separate report from Gartner, titled "Critical Capabilities for Security Incident and Event Management Report," (August 2016) where the analyst firm scores vendors in three areas: basic security monitoring, advanced threat detection, and forensics and incident response.

"Earlier this year we took the SIEM market in a new direction with the launch of CYBERShark, the first white-label, cost-efficient, cloud-based SIEM platform specifically tailored for small to midsize businesses," said Rich Murphy, Vice President of Engineering of BlackStratus. "As a white-label offering, CYBERShark allows MSPs to seamlessly integrate and brand the platform into their portfolio of technologies."

(1) Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Security Information and Event Management, Kelly M. Kavanagh | Oliver Rochford | Toby Bussa, 10 August 2016

About BlackStratus

BlackStratus is a pioneer of trusted security and compliance solutions deployed and operated on premise, in the cloud or "as a Service'' by providers of all sizes, government agencies and individual enterprises. Through patented multitenant security information and event management (SIEM) technology, BlackStratus delivers unparalleled security visibility, prevents downtime and achieves and maintains compliant operations at a lower cost to operate. BlackStratus is headquartered in Piscataway, New Jersey, and protects millions of devices and thousands of businesses worldwide.

For more information about BlackStratus, please visit www.blackstratus.com. Follow the firm via Twitter at @BlackStratusInc.

Disclaimer: Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

BlackStratus PR Contact:

David Splivalo

[email protected]

1.703.798.2395

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SOURCE BlackStratus

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ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Bloomberg Law and Epiq today announced that they are hosting Essential Power Sources: Legal Counsel and Energy Deals, a complimentary afternoon event providing insights and practical guidance for managing corporate transactions in the energy industry. The event takes place Tuesday, October 4 from 1:30 to 6:00 p.m. at the Houston Club in downtown Houston. For additional information and registration, visit http://www.bna.com/essential-power-sources.

The event will focus on industry regulatory and market challenges, trends in energy company corporate transactions, recent case law developments, and the impact of proposed environmental regulations on the industry.

"This event offers attendees the opportunity to learn from attorneys who have been involved in numerous energy industry transactions," said Scott Mozarsky, President, Cross-Platform Businesses at Bloomberg BNA. "The range of subjects that will be covered will arm practitioners with knowledge of industry trends and the wide range of corporate transactions available to them that would best suit companies at different stages of the business life cycle."

"A down market, changing environmental regulations, geopolitical instability and ever-evolving supply and demand are just a few of the factors affecting the energy industry today," said Andrew Shimek, global managing director, Epiq. "Savvy legal practitioners looking to stay ahead of the changing market will learn battle-tested strategies from experts in the field and walk away with practical tactics to take back to their teams and organizations."

Confirmed speakers include:

Stephanie Conklin Beauvais , Partner, Andrews Kurth LLP

, Partner, Andrews Kurth LLP Ryan Blaine Bennett , Partner, Kirkland & Ellis

, Partner, Kirkland & Ellis Jeff Civins , Senior Counsel, Haynes and Boone LLP

, Senior Counsel, Haynes and Boone LLP Douglas V. Getten , Partner, Corporate Department, Paul Hastings LLP

, Partner, Corporate Department, Paul Hastings LLP Christina Ibrahim , Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Weatherford

, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Greg Matlock , Partner, Ernst & Young

, Partner, Ernst & Young Kevin McDonald , Deputy General Counsel  Corporate Legal Services & Government Relations, Marathon Oil Corporation

, Deputy General Counsel  Corporate Legal Services & Government Relations, Marathon Oil Corporation Stephen Olson , Partner, Jones Day

, Partner, Hon. Richard S. Schmidt , Former Chief Judge, United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas ; Senior Advisor, The Claro Group

Attendees are eligible for up to 3.5 CLE credits.

About Bloomberg BNA

Bloomberg BNA provides legal, tax and compliance professionals with critical information, practical guidance and workflow solutions. We leverage leading technology and a global network of experts to deliver a unique combination of news and authoritative analysis, comprehensive research solutions, innovative practice tools, and proprietary business data and analytics. Bloomberg BNA is wholly-owned by Bloomberg L.P., the global business, financial information and news leader. For more information, visit www.bna.com.

About Epiq

Epiq is a leading global provider of integrated technology and services for the legal profession, including eDiscovery, managed services, bankruptcy, class action and mass tort administration, federal regulatory actions and data breach responses. Our innovative solutions are designed to streamline the administration of litigation, investigations, financial transactions, regulatory compliance and other legal matters. Epiq's subject-matter experts bring clarity to complexity, create efficiency through expertise and deliver confidence to our clients around the world. For more information, visit us at www.epiqsystems.com.

SOURCE Bloomberg BNA

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RIDGEFIELD, Conn., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Boehringer Ingelheim and ViraTherapeutics today announced a long-term collaboration to jointly develop a next generation oncolytic virus therapy platform and to investigate ViraTherapeutics' lead candidate VSV-GP (Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) glycoprotein (GP)) alone and in combination with other therapies. ViraTherapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of oncolytic virus therapies, has developed its novel technology with joint support from its lead investors EMBL Ventures and Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF) and will now be responsible for preclinical and clinical testing of VSV-GP in Phase I trials. Under the terms of the collaboration, Boehringer Ingelheim receives the right to acquire ViraTherapeutics after conclusion of Phase I clinical development.

"We are very excited about this new collaboration with ViraTherapeutics, a company for which the Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund is a core investor," said Dr. Michel Pairet, member of Boehringer Ingelheim's Board of Managing Directors responsible for Innovation. "Oncolytic viruses are among the most promising new therapy approaches in cancer research and the technology developed by ViraTherapeutics may offer significant advantages compared to others currently under development. The new collaboration is an example of Boehringer Ingelheim's increasing focus on partnering and further complements the company's growing immune-oncology pipeline that includes among others, a therapeutic cancer vaccine and next generation checkpoint inhibitors."

Oncolytic virus therapy is a cancer treatment approach that uses a virus that infects and breaks down cancer cells. Tumor antigens that are normally hidden from the immune system inside the cells are released, triggering an immune response to fight the tumor. VSV-GP has a shorter replication time than other oncolytic virus platforms currently under development. This oncolytic virus does not integrate in the DNA and has been modified to avoid neural inflammation associated with wild type viruses. In VSV-GP the glycoprotein of the Vesicular Stomatitis Virus has been replaced by the glycoprotein of the Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV) to conceal the virus from the immune system. In preclinical models it did not induce virus neutralizing antibodies, potentially enabling repeated administration.

"This is an important milestone for the development of ViraTherapeutics. The team has worked hard on our technology platform and lead candidate. In addition to its oncolytic activity, VSV-GP has demonstrated the ability to prime and boost an anti-cancer immune response and does not appear to prompt effective antiviral immune responses. These properties are expected to allow ground-breaking applications of this novel treatment approach. In the collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim we can now fully explore the platform and therapeutic potential of our VSV-GP oncolytic virus," said Prof. Dr. Dorothee von Laer, scientific founder and CEO of ViraTherapeutics. "We will also continue to investigate VSV-GP's potential to be armed with therapeutic genes as well as antigens for its use as a prophylactic or therapeutic vaccine vector."

Boehringer Ingelheim is combining a focus on cutting-edge science with a long-term view enabling the company to create a stable environment for the development of the next generation of medical breakthroughs. This new project adds another building block in this long-term strategy to improve the lives of patients with high unmet medical needs.

About Boehringer Ingelheim in Oncology

Boehringer Ingelheim's oncology research is driven by a passion to advance clinical practice and a determination to improve the lives of patients who are battling cancer. Through our own scientific innovation and partnerships, we are focused on discovering and providing novel best-in-class, breakthrough cancer medications that fit the needs of patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals. We have a clear strategy to become a leader in the field of lung cancer. Boehringer Ingelheim has successfully launched two products globally for NSCLC that have been widely adopted and established as valuable additions to current clinical practice. Continuous insights and learnings from research and development are key parts of innovation and our way forward to advance clinical practice in lung cancer and other cancer types.

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., based in Ridgefield, CT, is the largest U.S. subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation.

Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the world's 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, the company operates globally with 145 affiliates and more than 47,000 employees. Since its founding in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel treatments for human and veterinary medicine.

Boehringer Ingelheim is committed to improving lives and providing valuable services and support to patients and their families. Our employees create and engage in programs that strengthen our communities. To learn more about how we make more health for more people, visit our Corporate Social Responsibility Report.

In 2015, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of about $15.8 billion (14.8 billion euros). R&D expenditure corresponds to 20.3 percent of its net sales.

For more information, please visit www.us.boehringer-ingelheim.com, or follow us on Twitter @BoehringerUS.

About ViraTherapeutics GmbH

Austrian based ViraTherapeutics GmbH (ViraT) is a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing promising innovative virus-based immunotherapeutics for the treatment of cancer. ViraT was founded in 2013 as a spin-out of the Medical University of Innsbruck by Prof. Dr. Dorothee von Laer, head of the Virology Division at the university. ViraT develops oncolytic cancer vaccines based on a chimeric virus derived from the Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV), so called VSV-GP. Initially, ViraT received Pre-Seed financing funds from CAST (Center for Academic Spin-offs Tyrol), Tyrol, and from the Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH (aws  the Austrian Government Promotional Bank). ViraT is funded by Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF), EMBL Ventures and the Empl foundation, as well as by the aws through its Venture-Capital-Initiative and Seedfinancing program and by the FFG (Austrian Research Promotion Agency) through several programs.

The company currently has 14 employees. ViraT won the international life science business plan competition Best of Biotech 2012 and was awarded the second prize in the Science4Life venture cup 2013. ViraT has a collaboration with the Medical University of Innsbruck, which includes a team of scientists from the laboratory of Prof. von Laer.

For more information, please visit www.viratherapeutics.com .

About EMBL Ventures

EMBL Ventures is an independent venture capital investor that manages three Funds with a total of 120 million capital on behalf of major European institutional and private investors. With an active portfolio of currently 15 companies, EMBL Ventures focuses on investments in the life science area to leverage its close relationship with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and its technology transfer organization, EMBL Enterprise Management Technology Transfer GmbH. Professionals at EMBL Ventures pursue a hands-on investment approach to company building and financing of disruptive technologies in an entrepreneurial start-up environment, aiming ultimately for a transaction with a strategic partner that is seeking to acquire external product innovation.

For more information, please visit www.embl-ventures.com.

About Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund

The Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF) was formed in March 2010 to invest in biotechnology and start-up companies to help drive innovation in medical science. The investment focus includes - but is not limited to immunomodulation, esp. immuno-oncology, tissue regeneration, new therapeutic modalities, e.g. gene therapy, cell-based therapeutics, ADC, and microbiome. This reflects BIVF's interest in platform technologies and the extension of the current therapeutic area focus of Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) and demonstrates BIVF's commitment to investigate new treatment modalities and technologies, beyond BI's existing landscape, for the potential future benefit of patients. BIVF takes an active role with its portfolio companies  delivering significant added value through its own extensive drug discovery, scientific and managerial expertise. The BIVF has 100 million under management and supervises currently a portfolio of 17 active companies.

www.boehringer-ingelheim-venture.com

Further Media Channels

www.facebook.com/BoehringerUS

www.twitter.com/boehringerus

www.youtube.com/user/BoehringerUS

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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadvoice, an award-winning provider of hosted voice, unified communications (UC) and SIP trunking services for homes and businesses, has appointed Ryan Ficken to the role of Channel Manager.

Ryan Ficken, Channel Manager for Broadvoice

Ficken brings more than 18 years of experience to his new position, after a career of successful sales leadership in multiple industries, including higher education, awards, telecom and tourism. At Broadvoice, he is tasked with supporting the company's fast-growing channel partner program, which has seen a triple-digit expansion in the last year. Working side-by-side with sales partners on technology selection, solution design, customer service and more, Ficken will act as a dedicated resource for the Broadvoice channel community.

"Our company is gaining significant traction in the UC, cloud PBX and SIP trunking space, and our channel partner ecosystem is the lifeblood of that effort," said Sam Ghahremanpour, President at Broadvoice. "Our success is built on our partners' success. We are deeply committed to giving them the dedicated, personalized support they need to grow their business. I could not be happier to welcome Ryan to our channel team, to help do just that."

Ficken has a proven track record as a strong team builder and a strategic thinker. Prior to Broadvoice, the Kansas-based executive held sales management positions at Ottawa University, xPlore Lawrence and ValuNet, where he led the company to a 68 percent market share for business and residential voice services, Internet and television. He holds a master's degree and a B.A. from Ottawa University.

"Broadvoice stands out in the industry as having the latest technology, a white-glove standard of support and a laser focus on providing the ideal business and marketing tools to enable long-term success for our sales partners," said Ficken. "I'm excited to roll up my sleeves and get to work helping this world-class group of partners take our innovative and tested set of communications solutions and do what they do best: compete and win in a fast-moving industry."

Broadvoice was recently named to the annual Inc. 500|5000, a ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. It offers a flexible, smart portfolio of IP-based voice and data offerings, backed by its enterprise-class, geo-redundant IP Telephony platform. This includes a full UC suite and cloud PBX services, including unlimited voice calling plans for businesses, throughout the continental United States and Canada.

For more information on the Broadvoice Partner Program, please call 866-634-1394, or visit www.broadvoice.com/partners

About Broadvoice

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Broadvoice is a premier provider of cloud phone service, contact center solutions, collaboration and conferencing. Utilizing the latest cloud communications technology, Broadvoice helps businesses achieve higher call quality and faster internet speeds while reducing overall costs and improving efficiency. The company continuously delivers a full suite of secure, reliable, real-time communication solutions that help businesses connect with customers anywhere, any time and with any device. Broadvoice has been ranked in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 and Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America. Visit Broadvoice.com to learn more.

Media Contact:

Broadvoice

Cheryl McRae

818-671-2953

Email

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SOURCE Broadvoice

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Reinterpreted to reflect life's special "firsts", Bulova's new ad campaign takes a contemporary approach to memorable first moments using an authentic cast of real relationships to celebrate diversity and humanity. The black & white imagery captured by photographer, Sean Thomas, connect to everyday life's unforgettable moments in a way that's emotional, impactful and thought provoking; ultimately challenging us to pause, reflect and cherish our own "firsts" in life. Bulova's A History of Firsts campaign has universal appeal, showcasing stories that most people can relate to.

"This campaign connects in wonderful emotional stories the history, the beauty and the innovative thinking of Bulova. We are excited to see how it will resonate with the consumers of the brand across all generations and ethnicities," said Robert Christiano, EVP, Global Marketing.

"Bulova is an iconic American watch brand that's been around for an impressively long time therefore we agreed that the photographs should reflect this by being timeless and genuine. To achieve that we felt it was absolutely necessary to cast real families, friends and lovers so I could then capture and create situations where intimate and perfect moments between loved ones could be had," stated photographer, Sean Thomas.

As a pioneer in the watch industry, Bulova can claim ownership of many "firsts." Among these milestones are the world's first wristwatch collection, first clock radio and first fully electronic watch. In addition, the brand broadcasted the first television and radio commercials as well as accompanied NASA on 46 missions with the brand's innovative Accutron tuning fork technology. Recently Bulova launched CURV, the world's first-ever curved chronograph movement.

Celebrating a history that spans over 140 years, Bulova has consistently been an industry leader, a game-changing innovator and true American classic since 1875. Proving that there's a first time for everything, news of the brand's Fall 2016 advertising campaign comes at the same time as the brand's recent partnership with the GRAMMYs, Latin GRAMMYs and The Grammy Museum.

Bulova's A History of Firsts ad campaign will break nationwide across print and digital outlets in October alongside an overall refresh to the brand's digital identity. For the first time ever, Bulova.com will become e-commerce compatible and its Instagram platform will be refreshed to reflect the brand's iconic history.

About Bulova

Founded in 1875, Bulova remains one of the world's most recognized brands, with a distinguished portfolio that includes Bulova, Caravelle New York, Wittnauer watches, as well as licensed Harley-Davidson Timepieces by Bulova watches, Frank Lloyd Wright Collection watches and clocks, and Bulova Clocks. Bulova is headquartered in New York City, with eight International offices and distribution in 65 markets. Still at the forefront of the timekeeping industry, Bulova is committed to advancing the art of watchmaking with extraordinary design, exclusive high-performance technology and enduring quality that upholds a tradition of excellence and meets the needs of global consumers today. For more information, visit www.bulova.com.

Press Contact

The Promotion Factory, Kaitlin Derkach

[email protected] or (212) 217-9065

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350-megawatt combined-cycle power facility will help to meet a growing demand for power in Saskatchewan

CALGARY, Alberta, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SaskPower has awarded a contract to Burns & McDonnell for comprehensive engineer/procure/construct (EPC) services for the new Chinook Power Station, a 350 megawatt (MW) natural gas-fired power facility to be located in Southwestern Saskatchewan. SaskPower is a provincial Crown Corporation and Saskatchewan's leading energy supplier. The company issued a formal notice to proceed in July and engineering design is underway.

The plant will be built on a greenfield site in a rural area near Swift Current, Saskatchewan. The plant site is located in Southwestern Saskatchewan, about 100 miles north of the Canada/U.S. border. Pending environmental approval, construction is expected to begin as early as late 2016, with the plant being commissioned and in service in late 2019.

"Chinook Power Station is going to play a major part in helping SaskPower continue to meet a growing demand for power in Saskatchewan," said SaskPower President and CEO, Mike Marsh. "We're pleased to be teaming with Burns & McDonnell as our EPC contractor on this critical project."

Burns & McDonnell teamed with the SaskPower engineering group in submitting the winning bid as part of a competitive bid process that attracted five competing proposals from independent power providers (IPPs). As EPC contractor, Burns & McDonnell will work closely with SaskPower engineers and construction management staff on all phases of the project.

The combined-cycle facility will feature a Siemens F-Class gas turbine, a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) and a Siemens steam turbine to boost power output and maximize energy efficiency while reducing the overall emissions footprint. The highly efficient combined cycle operation will utilize exhaust heat that would otherwise be lost in a simple cycle configuration. The hot exhaust from the initial cycle is captured to boil water into steam in the HRSG and spin an additional second generator to produce more power. Combined cycle technology is widely acknowledged for its fuel efficiency and low emissions footprint. The combined cycle unit will also significantly reduce water usage thanks to a plant design that will incorporate advanced air cooling to minimize water usage.

Up to 500 craft and tradesmen will be employed on the project during peak construction. SaskPower estimates that about 25 workers will be needed when the Chinook Power Station goes into operation ranging from operators and engineers.

Natural gas for the plant will be supplied under a long-term contract with TransGas via a large-capacity pipeline that runs in close proximity to the plant site. TransGas is a subsidiary of SaskEnergy and serves producers and end users in Saskatchewan and other western Canada provinces.

"We're very gratified by the confidence SaskPower has shown in us," says Chris Lehan, Vice President of Energy in Canada for Burns & McDonnell. "We have a track record of taking on the most complex power projects in the industry under difficult and challenging conditions and take great pride in coming through for our clients."

Burns & McDonnell provided engineering, procurement and construction management services to SaskPower for its recently completed 204-MW expansion of the Queen Elizabeth Power Station located near Saskatoon. The project required a conversion of simple-cycle to combined-cycle technology for improved efficiency.

About Burns & McDonnell

Burns & McDonnell is a company made up of more than 5,300 engineers, architects, construction professionals, scientists, consultants and entrepreneurs with offices in Calgary and Toronto, across the United States and throughout the world. Burns & McDonnell is ranked as the No. 1 Power engineering design firm by Engineering News-Record magazine and is ranked No. 14 overall among the Top 500 engineering design firms. We strive to create amazing success for our clients and amazing careers for our employee-owners. Burns & McDonnell is 100 percent employee-owned and is proud to be No. 16 on Fortune's 2016 list of 100 Best Companies to Work For.

For more information, click here.

Contact: Roger Dick, Burns & McDonnell

816-822-3339

[email protected]

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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Norman Lear Center at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism is now accepting entries for the 2017 Walter Cronkite Award For Excellence in Television Political Journalism. The award encourages and showcases substantive and innovative coverage that informs viewers about their electoral choices. It recognizes television journalism that helps viewers understand who the candidates are; what the issues and ballot propositions are; how electoral choices will affect their lives; how to assess campaign information, including advertising; and how to register, vote and make their own voices heard.

To apply for the 2017 Walter Cronkite award, learn more about the awards and read the full guidelines, visit www.CronkiteAward.org.

The award ceremony and symposium will be held April 28, 2017 at the National Press Club in Washington D.C., and will recognize work produced during the 2015-2016 presidential election season.

The Lear Center will again partner with the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania which is presenting the Brooks Jackson Prize for Fact Checking Political Messages, recognizing broadcast journalists' best practices in reducing the level of deception and confusion in U.S. political ads. The prize is named for the founding director of http://www.FactCheck.org.

DEADLINE:

Entries must be postmarked by January 13, 2017. An early bird deadline with reduced entry fee is December 9, 2016.

AWARD CATEGORIES:

Local Broadcast Station

Local Cable Station

Local Public Station

Individual Achievement, Local: Any individual from a local public, commercial, broadcast or cable station is eligible.

National Network Program: Public, commercial, broadcast and cable networks are eligible to submit separate entries for one or more daily or weekly regularly scheduled program.

Individual Achievement, National: Any individual from a national public, commercial, broadcast or cable station is eligible.

Group: Entries will demonstrate achievement on stations across an ownership group. Broadcast, cable and public station groups are eligible.

The Brooks Jackson Prize for Fact Checking Political Advertising (see below)

ENTRY GUIDELINES:

Coverage submitted must have aired on broadcast television or online in the United States sometime during 2015-2016.

sometime during 2015-2016. Entry forms, narratives and video log-lists must be submitted electronically via our online entry form system.

Web content: any submission has the option to include a narrative about the applicant's use of multimedia, social media and/or interactive technology on a TV news website, which may include screenshots, links and compilations of online content.

Non-English language entries are encouraged and must be accompanied by an English transcript, or it may contain English subtitles or be dubbed in English.

THE BROOKS JACKSON PRIZE:

The Brooks Jackson Prize for Fact Checking Political Messages recognizes TV journalists' best practices in reducing the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. Winners will be selected by a special jury convened by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. Winning submissions will include a narrative about the applicant's use of multimedia, social media and/or interactive technology on their TV news website, which may include screenshots, links and compilations of online content. Two prizes will be awarded, one for local news and one for network news. Entries may be submitted by individuals, teams, news programs, stations or networks. An individual, team, news program or station may submit only one entry in this category, but a network may submit entries from more than one program. Multiple individuals or teams from the same station may apply separately.

SOURCE The Norman Lear Center at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Canvas, the open online learning management system (LMS) from Instructure that makes teaching and learning easier, today announced the immediate availability of a new annotation feature in its mobile application. Canvas is the only LMS to provide this capability, which streamlines the process of distributing and completing digital assignments.

This new annotation feature allows work to be completed inside Canvas, reducing a 20+ step process to three steps. As schools become increasingly digital, teachers and students are often faced with many disparate online tools that can force convoluted, confusing processes for downloading and uploading. Providing students with the ability to annotate documents directly inside Canvas eliminates the need for a separate app, which in turn removes the cost for another digital annotation tool. Through this new annotation feature, teachers gain back hours of instructional time and students are able to focus on producing quality work, rather than manipulating apps.

"At Canvas, we make it our first priority to find ways to simplify teaching and elevate learning, and our insistence on simple, intuitive workflows highlights this belief," said Mitch Benson, vice president of Canvas product. "Mobile student annotation, fully integrated into Canvas, simplifies the process of completing assignments for our domestic and global K12 and higher education customer base. It also supports schools in their transition to digital classrooms, creates better experiences, and saves time, money and effort for administrators, teachers and students."

This new functionality allows students to open, annotate, and submit an assignment directly within Canvas. Districts and schools typically require a third-party app for students to annotate documents, an additional expense that can negatively affect technology budgets. Providing one platform where all of these capabilities reside eliminates the need for district administrators to buy additional software and reduces the need for paper, both cost saving actions.

The mobile annotation feature empowers educators to spend less time demonstrating procedures for moving and transitioning digital assignments and more time teaching lessons and describing the expectations of assignments. Digitizing assignments inside Canvas also prevents teachers from carting around or losing student work and allows them to grade assignments using the Canvas SpeedGrader, saving many labor hours grading and organizing hard-copy assignments.

To learn more, please visit https://www.canvaslms.com/.

ABOUT INSTRUCTURE

Instructure, Inc. is a leading software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology company that makes software that makes people smarter. With a vision to help maximize the potential of people through technology, Instructure created Canvas and Bridge to enable educational institutions and organizations everywhere to easily develop, deliver, and manage engaging face-to-face and online learning experiences. To date, Instructure has connected millions of instructors and learners at more than 2,000 educational institutions and corporations throughout the world. Learn more about Canvas for higher ed and K-12, and Bridge for the corporate market, at www.Instructure.com.

CONTACTS:

Shannon Michael

Director of Public Relations

Instructure

(801) 205-6714

[email protected]

Jessica Hutchison

Method Communications

(801) 461-9779

[email protected]

Copyright  2016, Instructure, Inc. All rights reserved. Instructure, Canvas, and the Bridge logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Instructure, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Other brands and names may be claimed as the property of others.

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SOURCE Canvas

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DUBLIN, Ohio, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cardinal Health (NYSE: CAH) plans to release first-quarter financial results for its fiscal year 2017 on Oct. 31 prior to the opening of trading on the New York Stock Exchange. The company will webcast a discussion of these results beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern.

To access the webcast and corresponding slide presentation, go to the Investor Relations page at ir.cardinalhealth.com. No access code is required.

Presentation slides and a webcast replay will be available on the Cardinal Health website at ir.cardinalhealth.com until Oct. 30, 2017.

Upcoming Webcasted Investor Events

2016 Annual Meeting of Shareholders on Nov. 3 at 8 a.m. Eastern

at Eastern Credit Suisse 25th Annual Healthcare Conference on Nov. 8 at 8:30 a.m. Mountain

About Cardinal Health

Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH), is a global integrated healthcare services and products company, providing customized solutions for hospital systems, pharmacies, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories and physician offices worldwide. The company provides clinically-proven medical products and pharmaceuticals and cost-effective solutions that enhance supply chain efficiency. Cardinal Health connects patients, providers, payers, pharmacists and manufacturers for integrated care coordination and better patient management. Backed by nearly 100 years of experience, with more than 37,000 employees in nearly 60 countries, Cardinal Health ranks among the top 25 on the Fortune 500. For more information, visit cardinalhealth.com, follow @CardinalHealth on Twitter and connect on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/cardinal-health.

SOURCE Cardinal Health

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BATHINDA, India, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cargill has inaugurated a new Rs.88 crore feed plant in Bathinda, Punjab in the presence of the Honorable Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal and the Honorable Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, Shri Sukhbir Singh Badal. In India, where the population is largely vegetarian, dairy is a primary source of protein. Milk-based paneer, ghee, yogurt and sauces are all staples of daily life, making the country both the largest consumer and the largest producer of dairy in the world. This new plant is a testament of Cargill's commitment to support the growth and development of the booming dairy industry and its farming community in India.

The plant will provide consistently high-quality, nutritious and safe feed to dairy farmers in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. It will produce 10,000 metric tons of feed per month and feed 75,000 cows per day.

Honorable Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, Shri Sukhbir Singh Badal said, "We believe this new dairy feed plant will provide quality feed and introduce latest know-how which will help our dairy farmers earn better yields and contribute to the progress of Punjab. We expect Cargill to share their global experience with the region's farmers which will help put Punjab on a global map with other leading model dairy regions across the world."

In 2008, Cargill's animal nutrition business began working with dairy farmers in the country to optimize farm management techniques and boost milk productivity. Every week, the company sent a team of veterinarians and sales personnel to share its expertise, conduct farmer group meetings and raise awareness of ways to increase productivity. Working with dairy operations of all sizes  from five cows to 100  Cargill teams educated nearly 30,000 farmers on nutrition and farm management best practices in 2014 alone.

Achyuth Iyengar, Managing Director for Cargill's complete feed and nutrition business in India stated: "We have been catering to the Punjab dairy farmer for more than 10 years now. The continued trust of the dairy farmers in our feed products has encouraged us to build and invest in this new facility. Through this plant, we will be able to expand our supply of high-quality, safe and nutritious feed and services in the state of Punjab."

Cargill prides itself as a company that places the safety of its employees and contractors above all else. During the 14 months of construction, a team comprising of nearly 400 employees and contractors clocked in more than 700,000 safe working hours with zero injuries.

"I'm proud of this remarkable team and their ability to plan, train and execute on our company's safety procedures. Through their relentless focus, nearly 400 people were able to return home safely to their families every day during this project," said Jamie Dolynchuk, global business development director for Cargill's premix and nutrition business.

In a country that depends on dairy, Cargill's expertise and dedication to India's milk industry is clear. The company continues its innovative efforts to provide the best solutions for farmers, their herds and their customers.

About Cargill

Cargill provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world. Together with farmers, customers, governments and communities, it helps people thrive by applying its insights and 150 years of experience. Cargill has 150,000 employees in 70 countries who are committed to feeding the world in a responsible way, reducing environmental impact and improving the communities where they live and work. For more information, visit Cargill.com.

Cargill Animal Nutrition

Cargill's animal nutrition business has more than 20,000 employees at more than 275 facilities in 40 countries. Fueled by our innovation and research, we offer a range of products and services to feed manufacturers, animal producers, and feed retailers around the world, helping put food on the plates of nearly one billion people around the world every day. Cargill's animal nutrition business offers a range of compound feed, premixes, feed additives, supply chain and risk management solutions, software tools and animal nutrition expertise that is unmatched in the industry. For more information about Cargill Animal Nutrition, visit: http://www.cargill.com/feed.

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SOURCE Cargill

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ATLANTA, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Law firm Carlton Fields has unveiled LaunchtoThrive.com, a microsite that provides legal documents, resources, and free counsel to entrepreneurs. The aim is to help startups master multiple business challenges with tailored services and support. The site has launched in both English and Spanish in order to include Hispanic entrepreneurs throughout the country.

"LaunchtoThrive.com expands on Carlton Fields' longstanding commitment to entrepreneurs throughout the country," said Gail Podolsky, a Carlton Fields shareholder in Atlanta and chair of the firm's technology industry group. "The microsite was created to provide entrepreneurs with critical resources from a trusted source. Our goal is to support the startup community, build lasting relationships, and help these companies thrive."

"The Spanish language add-on is essential as it allows us to reach out to a population of entrepreneurs that has been underserviced and under-marketed," added Podolsky.

Hispanics are at the forefront of creating businesses across sectors. According to the 2015 briefing presented by Geoscape and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic businesses are growing at more than 15 times the rate of all U.S. firms and "during the latest 8-year period from 2007 to 2015, Hispanic-owned business' revenue jumped by an astonishing 88 percent to nearly $661 billion." And Information measurement firm Nielsen found that "Latinos are 'the most influential segment since the baby boomers,' representing a $1.5 trillion consumer market."

Free legal resources become especially crucial in light of recent data showing that less than half of all startups reach the five-year anniversary of their founding. Furthermore, legal issues are frequently cited as an impediment to success; the cost of top-notch lawyers often discourages startups from even seeking counsel  a problem Carlton Fields intends to solve.

LaunchtoThrive.com features easy-to-access links and downloads of documents such as bylaws, articles of organization and incorporation, trademark assignment and license forms, nondisclosure and employment agreements, and much more. A "Recent Resources" queue includes expert articles and interviews on keys to time management, wage and hour laws, considerations for going public, and data security preparedness, among other topics.

"We're partnering with diverse entrepreneurs at every level of the business launch, from business formation to raising capital, from growth planning to exit strategies," said Gregory M. Gilman, a member of the firm's technology industry group who resides in Los Angeles. "LaunchtoThrive.com provides them with an easily navigable online database of information for each stage of their growth."

Visit LaunchtoThrive.com to learn more.

Connect with us on Twitter @LaunchtoThrive.

About Carlton Fields: Carlton Fields has nearly 400 attorneys and government and financial services consultants serving clients from offices in California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, New York, and Washington, D.C. The firm is known for its national litigation practice, including class action defense, trial practice, white-collar representation, and high-stakes appeals; its regulatory practice; and its handling of sophisticated business transactions and corporate counseling for domestic and international clients. For additional information, visit www.carltonfields.com. (Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, P.A. practices law in California through Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, LLP.)

SOURCE Carlton Fields

Related Links

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EUGENE, Ore., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- College Choice, a leading authority in college and university rankings and resources, has published its 2016 rankings for the Best Online Colleges in California. http://www.collegechoice.net/rankings/best-online-colleges-in-california/

Getting an online degree has never been easier, but in California, the selection of an online college is part of the fun. From selecting a school with a substantial research reputation to attending a Christian online school, students will find at least one school on this ranking that will fit their needs.

"Alongside diverse programs offerings, California schools have diverse classrooms serving multi-cultural student populations. This goes for non-traditional students who take online classes. Perhaps you're over the age of 25 or are returning to school after a significant absence or are trying to complete a degree while you support a familyall of these might make attending one of the best online colleges in California a better decision than dropping your responsibilities and enrolling in a traditional-format higher ed program," Christian Amondson, Managing Editor of College Choice, said at the ranking's release.

The College Choice Best Online Colleges in California 2016 ranking was created by researching individual schools and their websites as well as using information from The National Center for Educational Statistics and U.S. News and World Report.

The College Choice 2016 ranking for Best Online Colleges in California is topped by the Vanguard University of Southern California. It was followed by Mount Saint Mary's University and Hope International University.

The complete rankings are as follows:

Anitoch UniversityLos Angeles, Los Angeles, CA

Azusa Pacific Online University, Glendora, CA

Biola University, La Mirada, CA

Brandman University, Irvine, CA

California Baptist University, Riverside, CA

California State UniversityChannel Islands, Camarillo, CA

California State UniversityChico, Chico, CA

California State UniversityDominguez Hills, Carson, CA

California State UniversityEast Bay, Hayward, CA

California State UniversityFullerton, Fullerton, CA

California State UniversityMonterey Bay, Seaside, CA

California State UniversityNorthridge, Northridge, CA

California State UniversitySacramento, Sacramento, CA

California State UniversitySan Marcos, San Marcos, CA

Concordia UniversityIrvine, Irvine, CA

Fresno Pacific University, Fresno, CA

Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA

Hope International University, Fullerton, CA

Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA

John F Kennedy University, Pleasant Hill, CA

Mount Saint Mary's University, Los Angeles, CA

National University, La Jolla, CA

Pacific Union College, Angwin, CA

Patten University, Oakland, CA

Vanguard University of Southern California, Costa Mesa, CA

College Choice is the leading authority in college and university rankings, searches and resources dedicated to helping students and their families find the right college. The site publishes rankings and reviews that make finding the best colleges for different interests easier and more fun, as well as resources to help students get into, pay for, and thrive at the college of their choice.

Contact:

Christian Amondson

Managing Editor, College Choice

Web: http://collegechoice.net

Email

Phone: (541) 255-3801

SOURCE College Choice

Related Links

http://www.collegechoice.net


WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The resurgence of cocaine from Colombia, the U.S. and world's number one supplier, is the dangerous price of the FARC "Peace Deal," and the referendum approving the deal is expected to pass in Colombia Sunday, say Robert Weiner, former White House Drug Policy spokesman, and Thekla Truebenbach, policy analyst for Robert Weiner Associates and Solutions for Change.

In an op-ed just published in The Washington Times, Weiner and Truebenbach assert a dramatic cultivation spike is already underway in Colombia as the U.S. and Colombian governments have been yielding to the FARC for "peace." They say that the peace deal reverses the progress and results of "Plan Colombia" negotiated by former White House Drug Czar and Four-Star General Barry McCaffrey with the Colombian government during the Clinton administration.

In the op-ed, "Purchasing Peace With Cocaine," online last night and in hard copy today (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/sep/27/in-columbia-purchasing-peace-with-cocaine/), Weiner and Truebenbach assert, "Ninety-five percent of the cocaine sold on the streets of the United States today comes from Colombia. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, the State Department, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime all agree that the cultivation of coca, the plant used for making cocaine, is surging again in Colombia."

They continue: "Coca cultivation in Colombia more than doubled between 2012 and 2015, and most of this increased production ultimately ends up here thanks to the violent Columbian drug cartels that control the trade."

They contend, "The so-called experts cannot seem to figure out this resurgence, which reverses the decline in production following the implementation in 2000 of a joint U.S.-Colombian effort. It was dubbed "Plan Colombia" and developed by U.S. Gen. Barry McCaffrey, who was then serving as U.S. drug czar, but the reason for the re-emergence is really not a mystery."

The writers provide what they see as the answer: "On Oct. 2, the Colombian people will vote on ratification of the so-called FARC peace deal. The Colombian government's buildup of cooperation with the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), the organization overseeing and paying the drug cultivators and producers, plays an important role in the resurgence."

They add, "Frankly, so does the Obama administration's support for the deal. The FARC has been branded by the State Department as a "foreign terrorist organization," since 1997 and the money to finance FARC activities continues to come through its partnerships with the cartels. Gen. McCaffrey summed up the situation earlier this month when he said to the article's writers, "The Colombian peace treaty sapped all the energy out of focus on the FARC as a major drug cartel coordinating body."

The authors quote Obama. "I think this is an agreement of historic proportions," President Obama told Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos at a bilateral meeting at the U.N. in New York on Sept. 21. When Mr. Santos visited the White House on Feb. 4, Mr. Obama said, "A country that was on the brink of collapse is now on the brink of peace." On Aug. 24 Mr. Obama issued a statement of "congratulations" on the deal, but made no reference at all to whether the deal will impact the FARC continuing role in the international drug trade. These statements beg the question of whether both nations actually believe the FARC will give up money from the United States generated by drug production or will use the laxity of the deal to expand its riches."

Weiner and Truebenbach explain, "Plan Colombia began after Gen. McCaffrey visited Colombia in 1999. He identified the country's precarious situation with the FARC fighting a bloody civil war and the drug trafficking out of control. It was obvious that this country, the leading supplier of U.S. cocaine and heroin largely run by FARC terrorists, was on the verge of breaking down and needed support. Former Presidents Bill Clinton and Andres Pastrana agreed on Gen. McCaffrey's plan for aid. Mr. Clinton told a Cabinet meeting, 'Barry wants a billion for Colombia' Mr. Clinton and Congress approved the funding. Since then, nearly $10 billion has been invested."

They continue, "The plan was working. FARC leaders were killed, and many soldiers left the guerrilla group. There has been a 50 percent drop in homicides and a 90 percent decrease in kidnappings since 2002. With new stability, Colombia built one of the most flourishing economies in South America while eliminating tons of potential cocaine through aerial and manual eradication of 150,000 acres of coca. Meanwhile, crime and the crack epidemic waned in the U.S. to record lows."

"Plan Colombia is no doubt one of the reasons the FARC finally came to the table, but the advances made against the drug trade should not be forgotten in the name of peace. The peace deal aims at ending the fights between the government and the guerrilla movement. Ivan Marquez, a chief FARC negotiator, said: 'To the government of the United States that for so long supported the state's war against the guerrillas we ask that it keep supporting, in a transparent way, Colombian efforts to re-establish peace. May this be the last day of the war.'"

The authors conclude, "A peace deal was long overdue, but both the Colombian and U.S. governments shouldn't in the process give the FARC free rein to continue profiting on the production and smuggling of cocaine into the United States."

"The White House, the Drug Enforcement Administration, State Department and Department of Defense all have means to coordinate with and assist Colombia in fighting drugs. It's time to recognize the FARC peace deal for what it is  necessary but dangerous  and take steps to avoid the growth of a narco-state in Colombia that could well fuel a drugs-and-crime epidemic in the United States."

 Robert Weiner is former spokesman for the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, the House Government Operations Committee, and the U.S. House Narcotics Committee. Thekla Truebenbach is policy analyst at Robert Weiner Associates and Solutions for Change.

Contact: Bob Weiner and Ben Lasky 301-283-0821/202-306-1200 [email protected]

SOURCE Robert Weiner Associates
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- There will be around 250 million bunches of Garanega grapes harvested in this year's four-week harvest currently underway in the region of Soave, located in Italy's historic Veneto region. Only a small number of those grapes will go into the Crus--the single vineyard wines that are vinified separately. Next week, the Soave Consortium's educational initiative, the Colors of Soave master class series, returns to the U.S. to provide a fresh perspective and a deeper dive into this year's harvest, its 57 crus and their potential for longevity.

"2016 appears to be a classic vintage and I have no doubt the crus from this vintage will demonstrate distinctive style and personality," says Soave Consortium Enologist Giovanni Ponchia. "We look forward to sharing insights from this vintage and several vintages past, as well as our research into the history and relationship between our land and the vines."

Led by Ponchia and Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein and now in its third year, the invitation-only series for licensed wine trade and media will kick off in Boston on October 4th and Chicago on October 6th. This year's micro-focused "2.0" session will look exclusively at the nuances of the distinguished Cru bottlings by exploring three key soil typesbasaltic, volcanic red and calcareous limestoneand the natural sub zone variances that arguably make Soave Italy's leading white wine of place. This exciting master class followed by lunch featuring 17 wines will give local wine trade a complete overview of one of Europe's most ancient cru systems, which dates back to 1931.

Licensed trade and qualified media interested in learning more about the event should contact Full Circle Wine Solutions, at [email protected].

About the Soave Consortium

The mission of the Soave Consortium is to promote Soave wines, among the first wines in Italy to receive the DOC designation, to the world and protect the quality of Soave wines through the development and administration of strict production guidelines. The Soave Consortium is responsible for the promotion of 100% of the Soave in the world. For more information, visit http://www.ilsoave.com.

About Full Circle Wine Solutions

Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Full Circle Wine Solutions is a global wine and spirits education firm that grows brand loyalty and client profits through tailored wine programs and effective hospitality training. Using a vast and established network of sommelier educators, the company hosts high quality and consistent wine tasting experiences across multiple locations around the world.

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SOURCE Soave Consortium
CHICAGO, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ContextMedia:Health, the leading provider of digital solutions at the point of care, is proud to announce that it will serve as the point-of-care partner with the American Lung Association, the nation's premier resource for lung health.

ContextMedia:Health will partner with the American Lung Association to deliver trusted lung health information to patients within ContextMedia:Health's network of 25,000 practices by way of its suite of digital waiting room and exam room platforms. ContextMedia:Health will work with the American Lung Association to produce original video content about lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer, as well as smoking cessation and healthy air information. This collaboration will allow for the delivery of actionable content related to lung disease in the critical moments before and during the physician consultation.

"As a mission-driven organization, ContextMedia:Health is excited to collaborate with the American Lung Association to help achieve its mission of saving lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease," said Anil Harjani, VP of Strategic Partnerships at ContextMedia:Health. "By sharing trusted lung health information from the American Lung Association across our 20+ specialty networks nationwide, we will work together to improve the health of millions of patients."

This announcement coincides with the relaunch of the Freedom From Smoking online program, the American Lung Association's evidence-based program to help individuals quit smoking with proven effective quit smoking steps. Since its launch nearly 30 years ago, Freedom From Smoking has helped over one million people end their addiction to nicotine and lead healthier lives.

"When you can't breathe - nothing else matters," said Steve Peregoy, Vice President of Mission Services & Impact of the American Lung Association. "With 31.7 million Americans living with a lung disease and more than half of Americans living with unhealthful levels of air pollution, it's more important than ever that people have access to lung health information they can trust. Through extending our reach through the ContextMedia:Health network, the Lung Association is poised to make a greater impact on the lung health of millions."

About ContextMedia:Health

ContextMedia:Health is the leading provider of digital solutions at the point of care in the United States. The company's technologies impact 378 million patient visits a year at 25,000 physician practices across the nation through digital anatomy boards, patient education tablets and mobile connectivity in outpatient waiting rooms and patient examination rooms. These health technologies deliver measurable results to patient engagement, empowering action and inspiring behavior change for people living with a chronic condition.

ContextMedia:Health was founded in 2006 and has been more than doubling each year, aiming to reach ubiquity in 70% of all healthcare practices domestically by 2020 with eyes on global expansion of its technology operations. In addition to hospitals and integrated health systems, ContextMedia:Health also partners with life science companies, medical device companies, health content publishers and medical associations to catalyze conversations between the healthcare provider and patient about lifestyle changes and therapy solutions to improve the quality of life. To find out more about ContextMedia:Health, visit www.contextmediainc.com.

Media Contact: Philip de Guzman, Community Relations, ContextMedia, (312) 636-7320, [email protected]

About the American Lung Association

The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease, through research, education and advocacy. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to improve the air we breathe; to reduce the burden of lung disease on individuals and their families; and to eliminate tobacco use and tobacco-related diseases. For more information about the American Lung Association, a holder of the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Guide Seal, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org.

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SOURCE ContextMedia:Health

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NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyliion of Pittsburgh, PA, developer of a hybrid electric technology for semi-trailers, has been awarded a grand prize of $20,000 in the 2016 "Create the Future" Design Contest. Hyliion's system hybridizes the trailer portion of the tractor-trailer combination and uses regenerative braking to capture power  saving over 30% on fuel and decreasing emissions by 10%.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160927/412506

Hyliion's technology was among over 1,100 new product ideas submitted in the 14th annual design contest, which was established in 2002 to recognize and reward engineering innovations that benefit humanity, the environment, and the economy. This year's design contest was co-sponsored by COMSOL (www.comsol.com) and Mouser Electronics (www.mouser.com). Analog Devices and Intel were supporting sponsors.

"The Hyliion team is honored to be the Grand Prize winner of the prestigious Create the Future Contest," said Thomas Healy, CEO and Founder of Hyliion. "It is a tremendous validation of the impact the Hyliion Intelligent Electric Drive Axle System will have on the trucking industryand the environment."

"Design innovation is bringing a brighter future to businesses, people, and the planet," said Bernt Nilsson, Senior VP of Marketing with COMSOL, Inc. "This year's Create the Future Design Contest shines the light on over a thousand innovators from around the globe and their brilliant designs. COMSOL is grateful to be a sponsor of the contest and we are delighted by the work of all participants contributing to a better tomorrow."

"As a global distributor of new components and technologies, we are very excited to see the amazing ingenuity behind this year's group of Create the Future entries," said Kevin Hess, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Mouser Electronics. "We'd like to congratulate the winners and commend the entrants for their creative designs. Engineers and innovators really deserve the credit for the incredible developments we are seeing today in electronic design."

In addition to the grand prize of $20,000, first-place winners were named in seven categories and received Hewlett-Packard workstation computers:

Aerospace & Defense  sponsored by Dymax (www.dymax.com)

Flash Bainite - High Performance Armor

Patented technology creates maximum strength steel that is lighter, safer, less costly, and greener.

Gary Cola, Flash Bainite, Washington, MI, USA

http://contest.techbriefs.com/2016/entries/aerospace-and-defense/7094

Consumer Products  sponsored by Imagineering, Inc. (www.pcbnet.com)

Mifold

The most advanced, compact and portable booster seat, engineered with safety, strength and spontaneity in mind.

Jon Sumroy, Carfoldio, Ltd., Ra'anana, Israel

http://contest.techbriefs.com/2016/entries/consumer-products/6414

Electronics  sponsored by Imagineering, Inc. (www.pcbnet.com)

1,000x Better Data Compression and Real-Time Decoding of High-Resolution Maps

Revolutionary technology encodes and compresses massive amounts of data for applications ranging from aircraft collision avoidance to intelligent cruise control in cars.

Mark Skoog (Team Leader), NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center; Edwards, CA USA http://contest.techbriefs.com/2016/entries/electronics/7112

Machinery/Automation/Robotics  sponsored by Maplesoft (www.maplesoft.com)

Shape Memory Alloy Based Safety Latch

Intelligent latch changes shape to prevent electrical boxes from being opened if there is danger of shock.

Nicholas Pinto (Team Leader), General Motors, Warren, MI USA

http://contest.techbriefs.com/2016/entries/machinery-automation-robotics/7216

Medical  sponsored by Qosina (http://www.qosina.com)

Continuous Wearable Blood Pressure Monitor

Innovative, low-cost diagnostic platform that continuously measures blood pressure and uploads a report into the patient medical record.

Sean Connell (Team Leader), Bold Diagnostics, Evanston, IL USA

http://contest.techbriefs.com/2016/entries/medical/6724

Automotive/Transportation

Castrol Reinvents the Oil Change with NEXCEL

Groundbreaking technology makes oil changes quick (90 seconds), smart and simple.

Marc Payne (Team Leader), Castrol, Oxford, UK

http://contest.techbriefs.com/2016/entries/automotive-transportation/7060

Sustainable Technologies

Desolenator - Water from Sunshine

Pioneering 'at-source' water purification technology purifies water from any source using only solar energy.

William Janssen, Desolenator, London, UK

http://contest.techbriefs.com/2016/entries/sustainable-technologies/6758

Finalists were selected by senior editors at Tech Briefs Media Group and judged by an independent panel of design engineers. For more information, visit www.createthefuturecontest.com.

About COMSOL

COMSOL is a global provider of simulation software for product design and research to technical enterprises, research labs, and universities. Its COMSOL Multiphysics product is an integrated software environment for creating physics-based models and simulation apps. A particular strength is its ability to account for coupled or multiphysics phenomena. Add-on products expand the simulation platform for electrical, mechanical, fluid flow, and chemical applications. Interfacing tools enable the integration of COMSOL Multiphysics simulations with all major technical computing and CAD tools on the CAE market. Simulation experts rely on the COMSOL Server product to deploy apps to their design teams, manufacturing departments, test laboratories, and customers throughout the world. Founded in 1986, COMSOL employs more than 460 people in 22 offices worldwide and extends its reach with a network of distributors. For more information, visit www.comsol.com.

About Mouser Electronics

Mouser Electronics, a subsidiary of TTI, Inc., is part of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway family of companies. Mouser is an award-winning, authorized semiconductor and electronic component distributor, focused on the rapid introduction of new products and technologies to electronic design engineers and buyers. Mouser.com features more than 4 million products online from more than 600 manufacturers. Mouser publishes multiple catalogs per year providing designers with up-to-date data on the components now available for the next generation of electronic devices. Mouser ships globally to over 500,000 customers in 170 countries from its 750,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility south of Dallas, Texas. For more information, visit www.mouser.com.

For Information Contact:

Debbie Rothwell

Director of Marketing

Tech Briefs Media Group

212-490-3999, ext. 5520

Email

www.createthefuturecontest.com

SOURCE Tech Briefs Media Group
DALLAS, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Securus Technologies, a leading provider of civil and criminal justice technology solutions for public safety, investigation, corrections and monitoring, announced that eleven of its field specialists have received internationally recognized certification.

Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI) is a professional association supporting the information and communication technology (ICT) industry. ICT covers the spectrum of voice, data, electronic safety & security, project management and audio & video technologies. BICSI members and credential holders design, install, manage and maintain ICT projects. These projects involve pathways, spaces, optical fiber- and copper-based distribution systems, and wireless-based systems and infrastructure. BICSI serves more than 23,000 ICT professionals through training, conferences, publications and credentials across nearly 100 countries.

"This made BICSI an ideal fit to meet our training needs and the ever-growing requirements and standards in technology," said Danny de Hoyos, Senior Vice President, Operations for Securus Technologies. "This helps us ensure the highest level of performance and reliability for our corrections customers. Our certified specialists average 15 years tenure with Securus and install for customers across the nation. We believe heavily in certifications and the value they bring to the largest and the most highly trained field services organization in the industry. This certification brings another layer of expertise to our customers."

ABOUT SECURUS TECHNOLOGIES

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and serving more than 3,450 public safety, law enforcement and corrections agencies and over 1,200,000 inmates across North America, Securus Technologies is committed to serve and connect by providing emergency response, incident management, public information, investigation, biometric analysis, communication, information management, inmate self-service, and monitoring products and services in order to make our world a safer place to live. Securus Technologies focuses on connecting what matters. To learn more about our full suite of civil and criminal justice technology solutions, please visit SecurusTechnologies.com.

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SOURCE Securus Technologies, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.securustechnologies.com


MOSCOW, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Eleventa Ltd. (Moscow, Russia), a portfolio company of Maxwell Biotech Venture Fund (MBVF), and its development partner, Oxagen Limited (Abingdon, UK), today announced the completion of patient enrollment in the a Phase 3 clinical study of Timapiprant (formerly OC000459), for treatment of atopic eosinophilic asthma in adults. Two hundred twelve patients have been enrolled in the randomized, double-blind study in 21 centers in Russia.

Maxwell Biotech Venture Fund Logo (PRNewsFoto/OJSC Russian Venture Company)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140213/668442-b )



The main objective of the study is to assess the effect of Timapiprant on respiratory function, safety, tolerability and quality of life. The patients receive Timapiprant/placebo 50mg once daily over a treatment period of 12 weeks.

"Timapiprant is intended to reduce airway inflammation and improve control in patients with chronic eosinophilic airways disease, and so reduce dependence on inhaled corticosteroids. A positive trial outcome in Phase 3 trial will further highlight the potential of Timapiprant where new therapies are needed urgently," said Tim Edwards, Executive Chairman, Oxagen Limited.

"Eleventa's Timapiprant is effective single systemic therapy for asthma and co-morbid allergies. Its persistent anti-allergic effects and desensitisation may halt the disease progression and provide the improved asthma control in millions of patients," said Dmitry Popov, Managing Partner of MBVF.

About Timapiprant (OC000459)

Timapiprant, once-a-day oral tablet, is a highly potent and selective antagonist to the CRTH2 receptor. The drug blocks the host response to allergen and reduces eosinophilic airway inflammation which plays a key role in the manifestation of chronic respiratory disease leading to exacerbations. Due to this specific mechanism, the drug is devoid of local and systemic side effects related to glucocorticoid therapy.

About Eleventa

Eleventa is a biotechnology company founded in 2012 to develop and commercialize innovative products for the treatment of asthma and other allergic and inflammatory respiratory diseases. Resident of Skolkovo Innovation Center.

About Maxwell Biotech Venture Fund

MBVF is the first Russian venture fund fully dedicated to investments in the Life Sciences technologies. The fund has been created with participation of RVC. MBVF portfolio companies have nine innovative clinical drug candidates in development.

Press contacts

Maxwell Biotech Group

Natalia Bakrenko

+7(495)726-52-53

[email protected]



SOURCE Maxwell Biotech Venture Fund
PETACH TIKVA, Israel, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Emerald Medical Applications Corp. (OTCQB: MRLA) ("Emerald" or the "Company"), the Israeli-based company engaged in the development and sale of DermaCompare, its proprietary artificial intelligence technology for the early diagnosis of melanoma and other skin cancers, today announced that it has signed a term sheet with the Hispanic Professionals Association Inc. New York ("AHPSI") to sponsor the marketing of the Dermacompare technology to its physician and nurse members.

AHPSI is a society dedicated to the education of Hispanic doctors, nurses and other allied medical professionals, which it does through 12 annual Community Health Fairs and over 30 mini-conferences throughout the Mid Atlantic region.

Emerald's patent-pending Dermacompare platform integrates artificial intelligence and state-of-the-art image comparison technology with a free mobile App to enable users with a smart phone to photo their skin, and have those pictures automatically compared to a database of millions of known moles in the cloud, as well as their own previously taken images. The underlying technology then identifies suspicious moles for Melanoma and sends a detailed analysis to the patient's doctor to schedule an appointment. The App based technology is FDA registered and HIPAA compliant.

Adi Zamir, Emerald's CEO, commented on the announcement, "We are very excited to sponsor AHPSI in its effort to educate its members about our technology. AHPSI is one of the most recognized voices within the Hispanic medical professional community in the US, representing thousands of physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals in New York and the surrounding areas."

Ms. Zamir went on to say, "We anticipate this partnership will result in thousands of patients downloading our App to avail themselves of the Dermacompare platform, and look forward to working with the AHPSI community on our collective mission to increase awareness about the importance of early detection in the diagnosis and treatment of Melanoma and other skin cancers."

Dr. Aritmedes Restituyo, President of AHPSI said: "Total Body Photography has been shown to lower the number of Melanoma deaths nearly 50% over five years. DermaCompare's free App puts that capability right in the hands of patients, and this partnership will help us educate our members on the detection and monitoring of skin cancer through our annual health fairs and conferences, and ultimately help save lives."

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This Presentation does not constitute an offer to purchase securities of the Company or an invitation to accept such offers, and is solely intended to furnish general information, incomplete by its nature, in the course of providing institutional investors and analysts with explanations regarding the Company. This Presentation was prepared as an abstract and for convenience only, and cannot substitute for examination of such reports made available to the public by the Company, which include the entire information regarding the Company, prior to any decision regarding investment in securities of the Company. This Presentation includes forward looking information, as defined in the Israeli Securities Law, 5728-1968. Such information includes, inter alia, forecasts, objectives, evaluations and assessments, including such information presented by way of illustrations and/or graphs and/or tables, and referring to future events and/or issues the realization of which is uncertain and out of the Company's control. Forward looking information does not constitute verified fact and is by its nature subject to substantial nonrealization risks. Such information is uncertain, may not be accurately assessed in advance, and its realization or non-realization is effected, inter alia, by risk factors characterizing the Company's activity as well as developments in the general surroundings and external factors influencing the Company's activity, which cannot be assessed in advance and are out of the Company's control. In view of the above, viewers of this Presentation are hereby warned that the Company's actual future achievements and results may differ substantially from those exhibited in the forward looking information presented herein. Moreover, forecasts and forward looking assessments are based on such data and information available to the Company when preparing the Presentation, and the Company does not undertake to update and/or change any such forecast and/or assessment so as to reflect events and/or circumstances occurring after the preparation of this Presentation.

About Emerald Medical Applications Corp

Emerald Medical Applications is an Israeli-based medical technology company that utilizes proprietary military image processing technology and state of the art data analytics to improve the analysis of medical images. Emerald's flagship solution, DermaCompare, is an FDA Class #1 approved, HIPAA-compliant, skin cancer (melanoma) screening platform that enables physicians to identify and monitor changes in their patients' skin health, specifically the early detection of cancerous moles and skin anomalies.

The DermaCompare patient application is available in iOS or Android based platforms and works using virtually any digital camera, including cell phones, iPads, tablets and other similar devices, to take Total Body Photography ("TBP") images and, in real-time, transmit these images for dermatological evaluation and identification of suspicious moles, lesions and other skin conditions. These images are then compared using Emerald's cloud database, as well as the patient's previous Total Body Photography images, which will dramatically enhance a physician's ability to detect Melanoma earlier, more accurately and more efficient than other means of diagnosis

For more information, visit :http://www.dermacompare.com/

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements, about Emerald's expectations, beliefs or intentions regarding, among other things, its product development efforts, business, financial condition, results of operations, strategies or prospects. In addition, from time to time, Emerald or its representatives have made or may make forward-looking statements, orally or in writing. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "believe," "expect," "intend," "plan," "may," "should" or "anticipate" or their negatives or other variations of these words or other comparable words or by the fact that these statements do not relate strictly to historical or current matters. These forward-looking statements may be included in, but are not limited to, various filings made by Emerald with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, press releases or oral statements made by or with the approval of one of Emerald's authorized executive officers. Forward-looking statements relate to anticipated or expected events, activities, trends or results as of the date they are made. Because forward-looking statements relate to matters that have not yet occurred, these statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause Emerald's actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Many factors could cause Emerald's actual activities or results to differ materially from the activities and results anticipated in such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the factors summarized in Emerald's filings with the SEC. In addition, Emerald operates in an industry sector where securities values are highly volatile and may be influenced by economic and other factors beyond its control. Emerald does not undertake any obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Reference is made to the disclosure under "risk factors" included in our Registration Statement on Form S-1 which was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on January 20, 2016.

Contact:

Adi Zamir, CEO

+1-917-7242059

+972-50-6816300

[email protected]



SOURCE Emerald Medical Applications Corp.
NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Eustis Mortgage, one of Louisiana's oldest mortgage lending companies, is introducing a new way to do business in the industry, redefining its corporate structure and expanding under the new parent name Eustis Family of Companies.

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As Eustis Family of Companies, the new corporate structure will consist of Eustis Mortgage Corporation, the parent company, providing necessary business operations and support to its brands throughout the U.S. Specifically, it will provide the corporate operational structure, such as operations, compliance, technology, and human resources. Eustis will remain headquartered in New Orleans, LA, and has expanded and opened new offices in MS, TN, TX, and AL.

"When we developed our expansion plans, we recognized that our employees and potential clients share an entrepreneurial spirit and desire to succeed," said CEO, Alan Novotny. "We recognized that if we provide the tools to be successful and let our people run and manage their individual business, they will take that opportunity and run with it."

"We're extremely excited about this expansion and new corporate structure and have been looking for the right opportunities for some time," says Senior Vice President, Kate deKay, "With the company's recent expansion and launch of new brands, we have found people who share our mission and our passion. As a company, we will support the shared vision of our employees to provide affordable home loans to our clients."

The following individuals have recently joined Eustis Family of Companies, and will serve and support the Eustis Family:

Debra Dye will serve as the Senior Vice President of Operations in the New Orleans office, and will be responsible for improving operational efficiencies, developing roles and responsibilities for all operations staff, and establishing guidelines for personnel evaluations, staff advancement and recruitment procedures. Ms. Dye will be formulating training and incentive plans, maintaining efficient team structure and performance through analytics, maximizing new engagement and working with the leadership team to develop plans to meet future needs.

Lisa Ledet will serve as the Compliance Officer in the New Orleans office, and will administer the company's Compliance Program. She is responsible for leading a team to conduct Quality Assurance and Quality Control audits, establishing and reviewing policy and procedures, and monitoring work flows to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations.

Michael Cusimano will serve as the Chief Information Officer in the New Orleans office, and will manage the company's strategic infrastructure and services. He is responsible for Eustis's technology strategic planning and managing the technology budget and flow of critical information throughout the organization.

In addition to the above corporate structure, the following people will lead their respective offices:

Stephen Barton will serve as Vice President of Production and Bryan Marr as Vice President of Operations at Verity Mortgage; Shane Campbell and Brad Parlin, Regional Vice Presidents in the Flower Mound office for Finance Home America, and are developing the wholesale and retail business; Donnie Eden as branch manager of Prosperity Mortgage Advisors; and Stacy Hooper as branch manager of Legacy Mortgage.

About Eustis Family of Companies:

Eustis Family of Companies is headquartered in New Orleans, LA, and has been in business since 1956. It is licensed to process home loans in LA, MS, TX, TN, KY, IN and AL. Eustis Family of Companies is the parent to a variety of home finance related businesses, including Eustis Mortgage Corporation, Finance Home America, Verity Mortgage, Legacy Mortgage, and Prosperity Mortgage Advisors. Our philosophy is to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of the individual brands that make up Eustis Family of Companies. The approach keeps the individual brands intact, yet provides the support system of a larger company equipped with the resources necessary to support the client community. Eustis Family of Companies has existed for so many years because of devotion to the long-term perspective, rather than the latest fad. The goal as Eustis Family of Companies is to support our loan officers throughout the region and allow them to function, grow and expand. http://eustiscompanies.com/

Contact : Mann Deynoodt Telephone: 504.522.4377 Email



SOURCE Eustis Family of Companies

Related Links

http://eustiscompanies.com


MIDLAND, Texas, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A panel of top industry experts gathered in Midland, TX on Tuesday, September 27 to spotlight new, stricter government standards regarding respirable crystalline silica and the dangers to frac site workers. Representatives from the safety & environmental, compliance, insurance and legal sectors all participated in the panel. The presentation was sponsored by AIRIS Wellsite Services.

Workers are vulnerable to respirable crystalline silica at virtually every frac site where engineering controls are not in place. Breathing silica dust can lead to devastating long-term health effects, including silicosis, chronic bronchitis and lung cancer.

"It was important for us to assemble a panel of experts working in this field so companies can be made aware the risk exists, and secondly, there are solutions available that can help protect both employees and business interests," said Brendan Ryan, CEO of AIRIS Wellsite Services.

At the event, titled "Answers & Insight: An Expert Panel on Respirable Crystalline Silica," experts from the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) presented findings from field tests. Samples collected from multiple work sites revealed the scope and significance of the issue. 79% of samples violated OSHA's new, stricter respirable silica exposure limits.

Effective engineering controls can put exploration and production companies and pressure pumpers in compliance with the OSHA standard, and mitigate the health risks to employees and the legal liability for operators.

"Educating and informing yourself is a critical element of making the right decision," said Ryan. "We hope those attending this panel  and others industry-wide  will be more inquisitive, explore solutions and become as informed as they possibly can."

Interested companies can learn more and contact AIRIS Wellsite Services at www.AIRISwellsite.com. AIRIS plans to host future informative panel discussions in Denver and Oklahoma City, and will be exhibiting at the Permian Basin International Oil Show in Odessa, TX on October 18-20, 2016.

About AIRIS

Founded in 2012, AIRIS Wellsite Services is a third-party provider of total silica dust control solutions to Operators and Pressure Pumpers. AIRIS provides these services through the operation of a fleet of high-efficiency particulate HEPA vacuum units. AIRIS is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and operates primarily in the Rocky Mountains, Mid-Continent, Northeast and Texas regions.

Contact:

Katie Sallee

(918) 728-7026

[email protected]

SOURCE AIRIS Wellsite Services

Related Links

http://www.airiswellsite.com


WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This afternoon at a Capitol Hill news conference, Family Research Council (FRC) President Tony Perkins endorsed the newly introduced Free Speech Fairness Act (HR 6195) sponsored by House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and U.S. Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.).

The Free Speech Fairness Act would address the shortcomings of the Johnson Amendment which in 1954 was inserted into the tax code by Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson, (D-Texas) without floor or Committee debate. The Johnson amendment prohibits churches and non-profits from engaging in any activity that might be interpreted as participating in, or intervening in a campaign on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate for public office, including a simple oral or written statement. The legislation reflects the newly adopted Republican Party platform language which criticizes the Johnson Amendment for restricting the "First Amendment freedoms of all nonprofit organizations by prohibiting political speech."

On Sunday October 2nd, pastors across the country will participate in "Pulpit Freedom Sunday," a day in which pastors declare to their congregations that what they say behind the pulpit should be accountable to God alone, not the IRS. Pulpit Freedom Sunday events over the past years have involved thousands of pastors speaking on political matters, and the goal was to elicit a court challenge. The IRS has not directly responded to these sermons, which means restoring these free speech rights requires a legislative rather than a legal strategy.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins made the following comments endorsing the measure:

"Since the birth of our nation, pastors and churches have been at the forefront of shaping public debate and our choice of public servants. What would America look like today had the Rev. Lyman Beecher, a leading abolitionist, or the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. been muzzled by the IRS?

"Dr. King once wrote, 'The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool.' The church should not have to gain its authority or approval to speak from the government because doing so reduces it to a servant of the state.

"From the IRS's abuse of power in recent years to the subpoenas of sermons in Houston, it's clearly time to rein in government intimidation of free speech. Pastors should be held to accountable to God alone for what they say behind the pulpit, not the IRS.

"Family Research Council endorses the Free Speech Fairness Act and urges Congress to move forward with eliminating these IRS rules that infringe on the free speech rights of churches and non-profit organizations," concluded Perkins.

Go to http://watchmenpastors.org/pulpit/ for more information on "Pulpit Freedom Sunday."

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SOURCE Family Research Council

Related Links

http://www.frc.org


LONDON, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Wolf & Badger, the British award winning multi-brand retailer known for its support of independent brands, is opening its first stand-alone US store in SoHo, New York. This new flagship is a 2,500 square foot space located at 95 Grand Street; the space was previously occupied by the Burch sisters' Trademark boutique.

From London to New York, Wolf & Badger extends its support of independent fashion brands to the US with the opening of its SoHo store. (PRNewsFoto/Wolf & Badger)

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160928/412748 )

This new store in the heart of SoHo will present a curated edit of independent designer brands from around the United States in addition to introducing many European brands to the US market for the first time; the selection will include both men's and women's apparel, jewelry and accessories. Following an extensive interior refit by architect Augustus Brown, it will open for trade in February 2017 for the beginning of the spring fashion season.

Henry Graham, Creative Director and Co-Founder comments "this is a tremendous opportunity to finally bring our concept of super curated, high quality independent designer brands to the wider US market. There's nothing like what we do in US and since New York is a key destination for fashion, we are delighted to have the opportunity to welcome its discerning residents to our store to discover something new and different".

The New York store is set to further strengthen the online-offline approach that the business continues to pioneer and which earned it the accolade of 'Best Multi-Channel Retailer' in the recent Drapers Digital Awards. George Graham, CEO and Co-Founder, explains that "despite over 90% of our business now being transacted online, we understand the desire of our customer base to be able to experience and engage with us and the brands we represent in a real-world environment. Online can never replicate the tangible or social elements that our stores offer in abundance."

With one fifth of its sales already coming from customers in the US via its web platform - http://www.wolfandbadger.com - this expansion represents a natural step forward for Wolf & Badger in its ambitions to become a truly global retail platform for independent brands. Nonetheless, the move represents a departure from its existing focus on Europe, which was strengthened significantly by the 2015 merger with online marketplace Boticca.com that brought a significant following for the brand in the French and German markets.

George explains "With Brexit looming and the UK entering a period of uncertainty, we are extremely pleased to be entering the US market and facilitating independent brands to seamlessly reach a wider customer base around the world, ensuring continued opportunity for independent labels even if the European market starts to close up."

Wolf & Badger is in the process of selecting from its existing roster of over 600 brands to feature in the new 95 Grand Street location and is also reaching out to new and exciting brands from the US market to join its platform. In support of this move towards encouraging cross-border trade and helping independent brands reach new consumers on a global scale.

Wolf & Badger were represented for this lease acquisition by Joe Hudson at CBRE.

Notes to editors:

Wolf & Badger was founded in February 2010 by brothers Henry and George Graham. The business works with a curated selection of 600 independent brands across, men's and women's apparel, jewelry, accessories, homeware, kids clothing and beauty products. It has two existing London stores, one in Notting Hill and the other in Mayfair.

Wolf & Badger now operates primarily through its successful and rapidly growing e-commerce platform - http://www.wolfandbadger.com - which has also been recipient of many awards including 'Best Retailer' in the Good Web Guide (sponsored by Rakuten). The Wolf & Badger web business grew by over 300% in 2015 and continues to grow its online sales faster than a sprinting gazelle.

The Graham brothers have been voted top 100 most influential people in fashion by Drapers. George Graham - CEO - was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the CBI Growing Business Awards for his role in setting up the business.

For more information, please contact:

Samantha Emson via [email protected]

+44(0)20-7229-4848

SOURCE Wolf & Badger
"This effort marks a milestone in showing that an unmanned aircraft, surface vessel and undersea vehicle can communicate and complete a mission cooperatively and completely autonomously," said Kevin Schlosser, chief architect, unmanned systems technology, Lockheed Martin.

During the Annual Navy Technology Exercise (ANTX) activities in August, the Submaran relayed instructions to Marlin from a ground control station via underwater acoustic communications. Following these instructions, the Marlin launched the Vector Hawk using a specially-designed canister from the surface of the Narragansett Bay. Following launch, Vector Hawk successfully assumed a mission flight track. All three autonomous vehiclesMarlin, Submaran and Vector Hawkcommunicated operational status to the ground control station to maintain situational awareness and provide a means to command and control all assets.

"Lockheed Martin has heard loud and clear the U.S. Navy's call to get faster, be more agile, and to be continually creative," said Frank Drennan, director, mission and unmanned systems business development. "We have clearly illustrated that we have the necessary agility and quickness combined with innovative technology to increase the range, reach, and effectiveness of undersea forces."

Lockheed Martin's Vector Hawk is designed for canister or hand-launch in all-weather, maritime environments to provide customers with an organic, tailored intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability at the moment they need it.

"This signifies the versatility of Lockheed Martin's unmanned systems to communicate seamlessly across domains to conduct a diverse set of missions in all environments. The capability is quickly reconfigured in the field," said Schlosser. "In a short time, we enabled these systems to work together by rapidly changing sensor packages."

In addition to its configuration versatility, Vector Hawk is capable of fully autonomous flight and landing, which enables operators' to shift their focus from flying the aircraft to managing the mission.

The four-pound Vector Hawk can fly for 70-plus minutes, at line-of-sight ranges up to 15 kilometers. Operators can recover and re-launch the Vector Hawk in a matter of minutes (including changing the system's battery). Vector Hawk is built on an open architecture to enable rapid technology insertion and payload integration.

Marlin MK2 is a battery powered, fully autonomous underwater vehicle that is 10 feet long with a 250 pound payload capacity, 18-24 hour endurance, depth rating of 1000 feet and weighs approximately 2,000 pounds. Its open architecture design and modularity allow new mission packages to be quickly integrated into Marlin to meet emerging customer needs.

Also during the three-day event, Marlin surveyed a sunken barge with its 3D imaging sonar. Teams on the ground used that data to create a 3-D printed model of the barge. Marlin can quickly generate accurate, hi-resolution, 3-D, geo-referenced models, giving users a clear view of subsea structures.

Lockheed Martin has five decades of experience in unmanned and robotic systems for air, land and sea. From the depths of the ocean to the rarified air of the stratosphere, Lockheed Martin's unmanned systems help our military, civil and commercial customers accomplish their most difficult challenges.

For additional information, visit our website: www.lockheedmartin.com/unmanned

About Lockheed Martin

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 98,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

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SOURCE Lockheed Martin

Related Links

http://www.lockheedmartin.com


FROSTBURG, Md., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- "Fall is our busiest season, with students spiking demand for Internet upon arrival for the new school year," said Brian Jenkins, Networking and Telecommunications Director at Frostburg State University (FSU). "They are well-equipped and heavy consumers of bandwidth, arriving with tablets, phones, PCs and gaming devices. Despite annual upgrades to Internet capacity, we typically field multiple complaints a day as the network struggles to accommodate peak loads of data traffic."

For his part, Jenkins was looking to mitigate peak congestion periods while maintaining a high quality of service (QoS) and experience (QoE) for students. Since adding Wi-Fi to the residence hall network (RESNET) in 2015, he has seen the number of devices and volume of data expand exponentially.

FSU operates a 10Gbps campus backbone, with 1Gbps carved out for the RESNET. With an enrollment of over 5,000 students, FSU provides RESNET access to about 2,400 students living across 12 residence halls. During peak periods, mostly in the evening, the RESNET will handle thousands of devices all competing for finite bandwidth.

Prior to this fall, the RESNET configuration included rate caps per user of 5Mbps, and de-prioritized video applications. While these controls attempted to reign in excessive data traffic, the results were packet loss, retransmissions and congestion across the entire population of users. All the students on the busy RESNET experienced degraded Internet performance, and complaints were on the rise.

Perhaps because FSU has a relatively small Networking Department, Jenkins sought out an effective solution with minimal configuration and maintenance. He came upon an innovative traffic shaping technology that was being deployed in similar RESNET environments with very positive results. The company is called CirrusWorks, and their flagship product is The Governor.

"We found CirrusWorks when researching other colleges and their RESNET configurations; specifically, The Governor was deployed to address data congestion during peak usage periods," said Jenkins. "We needed a solution that did not require heavy set up or maintenance, and could adapt to changing user demands on the fly."

CirrusWorks has developed a unique bandwidth optimization platform that dynamically assesses and allocates bandwidth among multiple competing users on a network in real time, without static rule sets, complicated prioritization schemes or intrusive Deep Packet Inspection (DPI).

"We have worked with traditional packet shapers, but the maintenance for rules and policies was becoming a headache, and the devices were less and less effective on encrypted traffic," said Jenkins. "The Governor, which installed in minutes, is making real-time decisions to dynamically prioritize data streams in the most mathematically efficient means possible, without human intervention. We loosened the restrictions on video, removed the rate caps, and complaints virtually stopped. It was the best fall start to date for FSU's Networking Department."

Frostburg State University (often referred to as FSU), a member institution University System of Maryland, is a public, comprehensive, largely residential regional university offering a wide array of quality programs at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels. The only public four-year institution west of the Baltimore-Washington corridor, the University serves as the premier educational and cultural center for western Maryland. At the same time, it draws its student population from all counties in Maryland, as well as from numerous other states and countries, thereby creating a campus experience that prepares students to live and work in a culturally diverse world. For more information, please visit www.frostburg.edu.

CirrusWorks is the leader in bandwidth optimization technologies. Their flagship product, The Governor, provides a simple, efficient and cost-effective tool for maximizing the capacity of Internet circuits, getting more out of network infrastructure and improving web-based performance for users on busy networks. For more information, please visit www.cirrusworks.net.

Related Links

The Governor and How It Works

Bandwidth Management for Higher Ed

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE CirrusWorks

Related Links

http://www.cirrusworks.net


DALLAS, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Generational Capital Markets, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, ("GCM") an advisor to privately held businesses for mergers & acquisitions, is pleased to announce the acquisition of its client, Rountree-Moore Motors, headquartered in Lake City, Florida, by Morgan Automotive Group, headquartered in Tampa, Florida. The acquisition closed on June 30, 2016. Terms were not disclosed.

Morgan Automotive Group is one of the fastest growing dealership groups in the U.S. Rountree-Moore has been selling cars in Lake City, FL, since 1915. At the time of acquisition, the company offered seven different brands (Ford, Lincoln, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Toyota, Kia and Nissan). The acquisition brings the Morgan Auto Group to 19 retail dealerships with 18 Florida locations in Tampa, Ocala, Gainesville, Sarasota and Lake City.

As a result of the Rountree-Moore acquisition, Morgan Automotive Group will be able to offer five new brands and reach customers in an adjacent geographic market. Andy Moore, owner of Rountree-Moore, said the time was right for a transaction. "This is a tremendous opportunity to sell when the market's the best it's ever been for us," said Moore. "While I will remain an owner of the company, I want to slow down and enjoy my life more." Rountree-Moore employees may also benefit from the sale to a larger company. "We hope it is going to enhance the employees' lives," Moore stated.

Larry Morgan, Chairman of the Morgan Auto Group, was also excited about the acquisition stating, "We are very selective when we expand via acquisition and focus on high-quality operations," stated Morgan."Rountree-Moore Motors is an excellent company that we hope to make even better as part of the Morgan Auto Group."

Managing Director Tom Staszak and Vice President Chris Gain were the GCM M&A advisors for Rountree-Moore on the transaction. "Rountree-Moore has been a vital part of its community for over 90 years. It was critically important to find an acquirer who would continue and build upon that success," stated Tom Staszak. "We are pleased that we were able to negotiate an outstanding outcome for both Buyer and Seller that builds upon that legacy of Rountree-Moore."

Robert Bass, Partner at Bass Sox Mercer, provided legal representation to the seller. J. Gregory Humphries, Partner at Shutts & Bowen, LLP, provided legal representation to the buyer.

About Generational Capital, LLC

Generational Capital, LLC is a Dallas, Texas-based merger & acquisition advisory firm. Generational Capital wholly owns Generational Capital Markets, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. More information can be found at www.gencm.com. Generational Capital and Generational Capital Markets are part of the Generational Group and are affiliated with Generational Equity, LLC. Generational Equity's website is www.genequityco.com and its online newsroom can be found at www.gecpress.com. GCM received the M&A Advisor's 2015 Financial Services Deal of the Year for transactions valued over $100 million.

For more information:

Carl Doerksen

972-232-1125

[email protected]

SOURCE Generational Capital Markets, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.gencm.com


ATLANTA, Sept. 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Leaders from around the state will show their support for early childhood education by visiting early learning classrooms as part of this year's Georgia Pre-K Week Oct. 3-7, 2016. The event is organized each year by Voices for Georgia's Children, a policy and advocacy non-profit organization, and supported by more than 15 child-focused partners.

Launched six years ago, support for Pre-K Week from government, business and community leaders continues to grow. Georgia Power and Synovus return as corporate sponsors for the third year in a row. In addition, the Georgia School Board Association returns for a second year recognizing the important role school districts play in supporting early learning.

Additional key supporters include various state commissioners, elected officials, as well as Gov. Nathan Deal and First Lady Sandra Deal. "Such broad support from so many of our state's most influential citizens shows us that Georgians really understand the long term value of quality early learning for each and every child," said Emily Pelton, Executive Director of Voices for Georgia's Children. "On top of that, one could say that the steady increase in the number of early learning centers participating in Quality Rated, the voluntary, quality rating system for child care, ultimately will help give Georgia's youngest learners the foundation they need to grow into productive and healthy adults."

During the week, hundreds of state, business and community leaders will visit Pre-K centers to witness early learning in action and to read a favorite children's book to the young learners. In addition to countless local mayors, city council members, public safety employees, and professionals from all walks of life, nearly three out of every four state legislators have participated, as well as almost half of Georgia's Congressional delegation.

"It is incredibly gratifying every year to experience the support of Georgia's state and local leaders as they visit and interact with children in our early childhood care and education programs," said Amy M. Jacobs, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL), the Georgia agency that administers Georgia's Pre-K Program and licenses and monitors the state's child care learning centers. Jacobs continues, "Their interest and involvement clearly illustrates that Georgia's policy makers, parents, and public understand more than ever that quality early education impacts the future of our students, their families, and our state."

Georgia Pre-K Week is developed with the full support of the Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL). Joining Voices for Georgia's Children as partners on Georgia Pre-K Week are Black Child Development Institute-Atlanta, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy, GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students, Georgia Child Care Association, Georgia Family Connection Partnership, Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, Georgia Public Library Service, Georgia Vision Project, multiple Junior Leagues throughout Georgia, Metro Atlanta YMCA, Quality Care for Children and United Way of Greater Atlanta.

About Voices for Georgia's Children

Established in 2003, Voices for Georgia's Children (www.georgiavoices.org) is a nonprofit child policy and advocacy organization that envisions a Georgia where all children will thrive because they are safe, healthy, educated, connected to family and community, and prepared to be productive and responsible citizens. Our mission is to promote equity, quality, and accessibility in systems created to serve children's needs. We are dedicated to advancing policies and implementation actions that ensure the best possible outcomes for children.

About Georgia Power:

Georgia Power's commitment to education spans its more than 100-year history and is emphasized company wide. One of many ongoing efforts includes the company's Learning Power program, which features Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) lessons highlighting energy basics such as simple circuits and energy efficiency, as well as activities to help students understand how energy is made and distributed from generation facilities to their homes. The Learning Power program has reached more than 390,000 students, Pre-K through 12th grade, since its launch in 2011. For more information about how the company is working to advance education and help build Georgia's highly skilled workforce of tomorrow, visit www.georgiapower.com/community.

About Synovus Bank:

Synovus Bank is a Georgia-chartered, FDIC-insured bank. Synovus Bank, together with its affiliates, provides commercial and retail banking, investment, and mortgage services to customers through 28 locally-branded divisions, 253 branches, and 335 ATMs in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee. Synovus Bank was recognized as one of America's Most Reputable Banks by American Banker and the Reputation Institute in 2016 and 2015. Synovus Bank is on the web at synovus.com, on Twitter @synovus, and on LinkedIn at http://linkedin.com/company/synovus. Equal Housing Lender.

Contact:

Reilly Mesco

404-343-2353

[email protected]

Reg Griffin

404-309-8131

[email protected]

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE Voices for Georgia's Children

Related Links

http://www.georgiavoices.org


WAYNE, N.J., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Getinge Group today announced that Diligent Consulting, a program of its ArjoHuntleigh brand, has named AnMed Health a Center of Excellence in recognition of its demonstrated commitment to safe patient handling and minimizing patient and care provider injuries. AnMed Health, South Carolina's largest independent, not-for-profit healthcare system, is one of only five medical centers in the United States to have received this Center of Excellence designation. After implementing a program designed by Diligent Consulting, AnMed Health facilities decreased patient handling-related injuries by 82 percent, workers' compensation costs by 98 percent, patient falls by 39 percent and hospital-acquired pressure ulcers by 49 percent, achieving nearly $2.6 million in total annual savings over two years.

"As part of our dedication to providing healthcare facilities with integrated solutions that help improve the care of patients affected by reduced mobility and prevent adverse events, our Diligent Consulting team works with health systems to implement programs that will result in safe patient handling," said Brian Straeb, President, Patient and Post Acute Care US, Getinge Group. "We are pleased to recognize AnMed Health as a Center of Excellence for all it has done to protect patients and employees from injury. It has reduced work-related injuries and costs throughout the system and created a culture of care that is focused on safe patient healing."

In 2000, ArjoHuntleigh founded Diligent Consulting to help healthcare facilities address the challenges they face with daily tasks of lifting and transferring patients. Diligent developed several facility-wide programs to help hospitals promote early mobility and patient hygiene and help prevent pressure ulcers and venous thromboembolism. Over the last 15 years, Diligent Consulting has worked with more than 800 healthcare facilities to develop and sustain these programs, which are powered by a consultancy team that mentors, trains and collaborates with the facility's management and staff to implement proven clinical practices. Diligent's programs have achieved improved outcomes for both patients and caregivers and have resulted in an average 84 percent reduction in staff injuries. For more information, please visit www.arjohuntleigh.us/diligent.

About Getinge Group

Getinge Group is a leading global provider of innovative solutions for operating rooms, intensive-care units, hospital wards, sterilization departments, elderly care and for life science companies and institutions. Getinge Group operates under the three brands of ArjoHuntleigh, Getinge and Maquet. With a genuine passion for life we build quality and safety into every system. Our unique value proposition mirrors the continuum of care, enhancing efficiency throughout the clinical pathway. Based on our first-hand experience and close partnerships, we are able to exceed expectations from customersimproving the every-day life for people, today and tomorrow.

About AnMed Health

AnMed Health is a 695-bed, not-for-profit health system serving the Upstate and northeast Georgia. The system is anchored by AnMed Health Medical Center, a 461-bed acute care hospital which has earned the prestigious Magnet designation. The five-hospital system includes AnMed Health Women's and Children's Hospital, AnMed Health Rehabilitation Hospital, Cannon Memorial Hospital in Pickens, S.C., and Elbert Memorial Hospital in Elberton, Ga. With more than 400 physicians and 3,700 employees, AnMed Health is Anderson County's largest employer. Learn more about AnMed Health, an affiliate of Carolinas HealthCare System, at www.AnMedHealth.org.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160115/322743LOGO

SOURCE Getinge Group
NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Behenyl alcohol (CAS: 661-19-8), often referred to as docosanol, is a saturated fatty alcohol used to thicken and stabilise formulations. Behenyl alcohol is categorised on the basis of purity level. Behenyl alcohol with the purity level of 70% is most commonly used. However, behenyl alcohol with purity over 80% is very rarely used. Behenyl alcohol accounted for a mere 1.4% share of the overall fatty alcohols market, and 14% share of the overall C16+ fatty alcohols market in 2014.



This Persistence Market Research (PMR) report examines the 'Behenyl Alcohol Market for the period 2015 - 2021'. The primary objective of the report is to offer updates and information related to market opportunities in the global behenyl alcohol market.



The report analyses the global behenyl alcohol market in terms of market value (US$ Mn) and market volume (metric tons), by end-use segment, region and application; and provides information regarding market dynamics, value chain, competitive landscape, drivers, current trends, market estimations, restraints from supply, demand perspective. and forecast.



Increasing usage of behenyl alcohol in organic cosmetics and pharmaceuticals industry is expected to boost its demand during the forecast period. Europe is the leading producer of rapeseed globally. In terms of volume, the region accounts for more than 35% of global rapeseed production. Major companies based in Europe procure raw materials at comparatively lower price than their competitors from North America and Asia Pacific. Also, the region is home to more than 400+ big and small scale cosmetic manufacturers. Increasing consumption of cosmetics product, especially anti-aging products, is expected to boost demand for behenyl alcohol in Europe. Though market seems optimistic for behenyl alcohol, oversupply of fatty alcohol is seen as a major challenge for the behenyl alcohol market currently.



Additionally, availability of low cost labour and raw materials, and consumer preferences for organic cosmetics are expected to boost overall demand for behenyl alcohol in Asia Pacific. Though behenyl alcohol is gaining traction among the cosmetic manufacturers, its relatively high price compared to other long chain fatty alcohols is proving to be a major hindrance to its overall market growth and consumption. The product is normally used in blended form with other long chain fatty alcohols such as cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. In Latin America, the increase in behenyl alcohol volume production is attributed to growing market size of organic cosmetics in Brazil. Brazil is one of the largest importers of behenyl alcohol from suppliers in Europe and Asia Pacific. Emollients, emulsifiers and thickeners are the key applications wherein behenyl alcohol is used.



Globally, Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the market throughout the forecast period and is projected to witness a 1.4X increase in its volume production by the end of 2021. While Japan and India are two major exporters of behenyl alcohol chemicals globally, South Korea is one of the key importers of behenyl alcohol in Asia Pacific. In Asia Pacific, India is the largest producer of rapeseed and behenyl alcohol. A Large number of companies based in the country export rapeseed to North America, Europe and other parts of Asia.



Among the end-use segments, behenyl alcohol finds the largest application in the cosmetics industry, followed by pharmaceuticals and others. The pharmaceuticals end-use segment is expected to gain traction in the near future due to increasing demand for behenyl alcohol in ointments. Emollients, emulsifiers and thickeners are the key applications wherein behenyl alcohol is used.



Key market participants covered in the report include BASF SE, Kao Corporation, VVF Chemicals Limited, Godrej Industries Ltd., Sasol Ltd. and Nikko Chemicals Co, Ltd.



The behenyl alcohol market is segmented as follows:



Behenyl Alcohol Market, By Application

Emollients

Emulsifiers

Thickeners

Others

Behenyl Alcohol Market, By End-users

Cosmetics

Pharmaceuticals

Nutritional Supplements

Behenyl Alcohol Market, By Region

North America

Latin America

Europe

Asia Pacific

The Middle East & Africa

Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p03403275-summary/view-report.html



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



http://www.reportlinker.com

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Contact Clare: [email protected]

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Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

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LONDON, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Home infusion therapy involves the intravenous at-home administration of medicines into the patient's body with the help of a needle and catheter. It is prescribed by physicians and administered by trained healthcare professionals. Home infusion therapy is employed for the treatment of certain diseases when oral medications prove to be ineffective or the patient fails to respond to it after a point. It reduces the time spent by patients in hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics. Home infusion therapy facilitates the administration of antibiotics, nutrients, and other fluids into the patient's veins on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, depending on the seriousness of the disease. It is an effective and safe alternative to hospitalization for the treatment of diseases. This is due the friendly home environment in which drugs are administered, that subsequently help in faster recovery from diseases. Home infusion therapy is used in the treatment of diseases that remain unresponsive to oral medication such as cancer, pain related to cancer, and gastrointestinal diseases. It is also used to treat diabetes, dehydration, and cystic fibrosis. Home infusion therapy improves medication adherence and reduces unplanned hospitalization. Some major infusion devices used for the administration of medicines include infusion pump, intravenous set, and needleless connectors.



Home infusion therapy is more cost-efficient than hospitalization. This is a major reason behind the increasing demand for home infusion therapy devices. Moreover, rising aging population, increasing the prevalence of chronic diseases, advancements in technology in infusion devices, and innovative applications of infusion devices in healthcare are boosting the growth of the home infusion therapy devices market. However, increasing the risk to patient safety due to errors while using infusion devices and issues related to reimbursement policies for home infusion therapy hamper the growth of the home infusion therapy devices market. Increasing patient inclination towards specialty infusion therapy has opened up new opportunities for the home infusion therapy devices market. Rising number of mergers and acquisitions, increasing uses of ambulatory infusion pump and rising number of product innovations are some major trends observed in the global home infusion therapy devices market.



In terms of geography, North America dominates the home infusion therapy devices market owing to increasing number of patients with chronic diseases such as cancer, AIDS, and diabetes. In addition, growing aging population is also supporting the growth of the home infusion therapy devices market in the region. In Europe, the home infusion therapy devices market is growing due to increasing aging population and rising popularity of non-hospital procedures for the treatment of diseases in the region. In addition, increasing number of chronic diseases which requires home infusion therapy, such as cancer, diabetes, and AIDS, is also boosting the growth of the Europe home infusion therapy devices market. Asia represents the fastest-growing home infusion therapy devices market due to increasing geriatric population and costs effectiveness of home infusion therapy.



This report provides in-depth analysis and estimation of the home infusion therapy devices market for the period 20142020, considering 2014 as the base year for the calculation. Moreover, data pertaining to current market dynamics, including market drivers, restraints, opportunities, trends, and recent developments, has been provided in the report. The home infusion therapy devices market is categorized on the basis of the type of device, infusion pump, application, disease, and geography. Based on the type of device, the market comprises infusion pumps, intravenous sets, and needleless connectors. Based on infusion pumps, the report covers volumetric infusion pump, syringe infusion pump, insulin infusion pump, enteral infusion pump, ambulatory infusion pump, patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) infusion pump, and implantable infusion pump. Based on the application, the market comprises anti-infectives/antibiotics, enteral nutrition, specialty pharmaceuticals, total parenteral nutrition (TPN), pain management, chemotherapy, and hydration infusion pump. Based on the type of diseases, the report covers diabetes and cancer. On the basis of geography, the home infusion therapy devices market report identifies and analyzes the market size and predictions for North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (RoW).



Some of the major players in the home infusion therapy devices market are Hospira, Inc., B. Braun Melsungen AG, Caesarea Medical Electronics, Fresenius Kabi AG, Smiths Medical, CareFusion Corporation, ICU Medical, Inc, JMS Co. Ltd., Baxter, and Terumo Corporation. These key market players have been profiled on the basis of attributes such as company overview, recent developments, growth strategies, sustainability, and financial overview.

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Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE ReportBuyer

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LONDON, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Background:



According to a new market report published by Lucintel, the future of the aerospace CMC industry looks positive with opportunities in commercial aircraft, defense, and spacecraft applications. The global aerospace CMC industry is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 8.9% from 2016 to 2021. The major growth drivers of this market are increasing penetration of CMC in the future generation aircraft and spacecraft and its superior thermo-mechanical properties. CMCs have been developed to achieve a damage tolerant quasi-ductile fracture behavior and to maintain all other advantages of monolithic ceramics at high temperatures; and offer better performance than traditional inorganic fiber-polymer composites. In this market, Oxide/Oxide, SiC/SiC and Carbon/Carbon are the three types of CMC.



Lucintel predicts that the demand for the SiC/SiC CMC is likely to experience the highest growth in the forecast period supported by its excellent mechanical properties, such as oxidation resistance, corrosion resistance, and low density even at high temperatures. Within the aerospace CMC market, commercial aircraft is expected to remain the largest market with the highest growth during forecast period due to increasing usage of CMC materials in commercial aircraft like A320Neo, B737Max, and C919 and aircraft brake disks. By component, landing gear is expected to remain the largest market for CMC due to the usage of CMC in aircraft brakes.



CMC consumption in aircraft engine is expected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period due to increasing usage of CMC in aero engines. North America is expected to remain the largest as well as the highest growing region during the forecast period due to presence of major aircraft manufacturers, increasing penetration of CMC in aircraft, and usage of CMC in the hotter sections of engines. Recently, GE has started using CMC in shrouds of LeapX engine and Rolls-Royce has plans to use CMC in shrouds, combustor liner, airfoils in the upcoming engines. For market expansion, the report suggests innovation and new product development, where the unique properties of CMC can be capitalized.



The report further suggests the development of partnerships with customers to create win-win situations and the development of performance-driven solutions for end users. Emerging trends, which have a direct impact on the dynamics of the industry, include application of CMC materials in heating areas, usage of CMCs in aerospace industry to reduce NOx and CO2 emission, and usage of CMC to reduce operating cost. 3M, GE Aviation, SGL Carbon SE, COI Ceramics Inc, and CoorsTek Inc. are among the major supplier of CMC in the aerospace industry. Some companies are opting for M&A as a strategic initiative for driving growth. Lucintel, a leading global strategic consulting and market research firm, has analyzed ceramic matrix composites (CMC) in the global aerospace industry by CMC type, application type, and region, and has come up with a comprehensive research report, "Growth Opportunities for Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC) in the Global Aerospace Industry 2016-2021: Trend, Forecast, and Market Analysis" The Lucintel report serves as a springboard for growth strategy, as it provides a comprehensive data and analysis on trends, key drivers, and directions.



The study includes a forecast for the ceramic matrix composites (CMC) in the global aerospace industry through 2021, segmented by CMC type, application type, and region as follows: By CMC type (Value $ Million from 2010 to 2021)

 Oxide/Oxide

 SiC/SiC  Carbon/Carbon & Others By application type (Value $ Million from 2010 to 2021)

 Commercial Aircraft

 Defense

 Space By region (Value $ Million from 2010 to 2021)

 North America

 Europe

 Rest of World (Including APAC)



This report answers following 11 key questions:



Q. 1. What are some of the most promising, high-growth opportunities for ceramics matrix composites in the global aerospace industry by material type, components, applications and regions? Q. 2. Which product /segments will grow at a faster pace and why?

Q. 3. Which region will grow at a faster pace and why?

Q. 4 What are the key factors affecting market dynamics? What are the drivers and challenges of the market?

Q. 5. What are the business risks and threats of this market?

Q. 6 What are the emerging trends in this market and reasons behind them?

Q. 7 What are some changing demands of customers in the market?

Q. 8 What are the new developments in the market? Which companies are leading these developments?

Q. 9 Who are the major players in this market? What strategic initiatives are being implemented by key players for business growth?

Q. 10 How is the competitive rivalry and threat of substitution in this market?

Q. 11. What are M&A activities in the last 5 years in this market? What reasons to these activities and how have they impacted the industry?



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About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

http://www.reportbuyer.com



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

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NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Jordan M. Kovler has joined The Harkins Group, a proxy solicitation consultancy focused on M&A transactions, shareholder activism and proxy contests. Effective today, the firm has changed its name to Harkins Kovler, LLC.

Prior to joining Harkins Kovler, Mr. Kovler was a Senior Vice President at D.F. King & Co., Inc., a leading proxy solicitation, corporate governance and investor relations consulting firm. His experience encompasses numerous contentious M&A transactions and proxy contests occurring in the U.S. and Europe over the past ten years, along with corporate governance consulting for some of the world's largest publicly traded companies. In his final two years of employment at D.F. King, Mr. Kovler advised on over twenty announced transactions valued at over $350 billion. He also advised some of the largest publicly traded companies in connection with corporate governance, investor relations and shareholder communications programs.

Harkins Kovler founder, Peter Harkins, who himself has advised on many of the largest and most contentious M&A transactions and proxy contests occurring in the U.S. and Europe over the past thirty years, praised Mr. Kovler's expertise, energy and integrity. "Jordan is one of the proxy solicitation industry's best known professionals. At Harkins Kovler he will have the freedom to apply his creativity and experience to challenging new client assignments."

Mr. Kovler began his career in proxy solicitation at D.F. King during the thirteen-year tenure of Mr. Harkins as CEO of that firm. Harkins Kovler managing director John Bibas, who managed D.F. King's European business over the seven-year period ended 2014, also has worked extensively with Mr. Kovler on numerous cross-border assignments. Initially Mr. Kovler will be based in New York, but his experience and counsel will be available to Harkins Kovler clients in Europe.

About Harkins Kovler

Founded by industry veterans, Harkins Kovler is an independent proxy solicitation firm specializing in shareholder activism, M&A transactions and proxy contests for board representation and control. With offices in New York and London, the firm provides strategic consulting and related proxy solicitation services, including share ownership profiles and trading analyses, vote projections, proxy/consent solicitations, information agent services in tender/exchange offers, tender/exchange offer response services, corporate governance consulting and litigation support in court proceedings regarding corporate governance and control matters, including shareholder rights plans. In its first year of existence, the firm has represented, among others, Deutsche Borse AG in a merger of equals with the London Stock Exchange Group plc and Carl Icahn in connection with his investment in American International Group, Inc. (AIG).

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160928/412888LOGO

SOURCE Harkins Kovler, LLC

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SHANGHAI, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hasselblad, one of the world's most iconic professional camera manufacturers, has appointed Reuter Communications to manage its digital communications and PR in China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Reuter Communications, an independent communications agency specializing in the premium and luxury sector, will be developing a comprehensive strategy to position and raise awareness of Hasselblad as the leader in the professional and 'prosumer' camera market. Its scope of work will include managing Hasselblad's digital and social media communications, influencer outreach program, media and public relations, and brand alliances and events. The agency's offices in Shanghai and Hong Kong will be working on the account.

Immediately, Reuter Communications will start work to promote Hasselblad's 75-year anniversary and its '4116 collection'  a range of exciting products and brand collaborations to mark the anniversary, which includes the 'Hasselblad True Zoom' - a collaboration with Motorola.

Perry Oosting, Hasselblad CEO, commented, "Reuter Communications is exactly the right kind of agency for our business today. They have an intricate knowledge of the region's premium consumer, coupled with the strategic mind and expertise across digital and traditional communications. We're looking forward to working together to make Hasselblad the camera of choice for professional and prosumers in China."

"Hasselblad is one of the world's most iconic brands and its cameras have captured some of the most iconic images of our time. We're a delighted to be working alongside Hasselblad to promote and build its business in China and celebrate its 75th year at the pinnacle of photography," said Nick Cakebread, Managing Partner, Reuter Communications.

http://ww1.sinaimg.cn/mw690/69941105gw1f886ahdra0j21kw1kw44t.jpg

About Reuter Communications

Reuter Communications is a dynamic, integrated and independent communications agency representing some of the world's most celebrated premium and luxury brands. The agency is headquartered in Shanghai and works throughout Greater China to connect clients with the most discerning consumers. Our team helps clients navigate, communicate and engage with their consumers and stakeholders in an ever complex world, creating innovative consumer experiences, inspiring editorial and social content and impactful digital campaigns to drive brand awareness, affinity and engagement.

Clients include Ralph Lauren, Aman, Swarovski, Sotheby's, Harrods, and Delvaux. Reuter Communications was named Winner of PRWeek Asia "Best Places to Work" 2016, has been shortlisted as "Best Boutique PR Agency" by PRWeek 2016, and was a finalist in the "Best Independent Agency in Greater China" by Campaign in 2015. www.reutercomms.com

About Hasselblad

Founded in 1941, Hasselblad is the leading manufacturer of medium format cameras and lenses. Handmade in Sweden, Hasselblad cameras are renowned for their iconic ergonomic design, uncompromising image quality, Swedish craftsmanship and high performance. For over half a century Hasselblad cameras have captured some of the world's most iconic images  including the first landing on the moon  and helped shape the way we look at the world through genuine photographic artistry. Trusted by NASA and used by the greatest photographers in the world, Hasselblad continues to create products with uncompromising image quality that inspire.

The Hasselblad H Camera System with its professional lens family and unique advancements is widely acknowledged as the most comprehensive digital camera system of its kind available today. Hasselblad was the first to launch the fully integrated medium format camera system incorporating the latest in CMOS sensor technology. In 2016 Hasselblad launched the H6D, a technological feat with an all new electronic platform, delivering superior craftsmanship and image quality. Later the same year, Hasselblad introduced the world's first compact mirrorless digital medium format camera  the X1D.

Headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, where the cameras are handmade, Hasselblad is a global brand with offices in New York, London, Tokyo, Paris, Copenhagen and Hamburg with distributors throughout the world.

SOURCE Reuter Communications

Related Links

http://www.reutercomms.com


HOUSTON, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Lovers of all things Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic will gather for the 10th consecutive year in Houston to celebrate the musical, cultural and culinary heritage of the three islands. The Internationally recognized PRC Festival is again the biggest event celebrating Salsa, Merengue, Bomba and Plena and Hispanic Caribbean culture west of the Mississippi.

The PRC Festival Experience - Esto es el Festival PRC

The PRC Festival will be headlined by international Salsa Star Jerry Rivera and by Cubaton hit-maker Osmani Garcia. They will be joined by hundreds of local and national artists, including dancers from the local Puerto Rican, Cuban and Dominican communities. The best of tropical music will be on display all day for attendees to enjoy.

Festival host Michael Stuart will perform a special rendition of Preciosa while Festival attendees walk among kiosks of authentic food, arts, souvenirs and fine crafts. This year, surprise events and attractions will make for the most dynamic PRC Festival yet.

PRC Festival Presenting Sponsors include; Bud Light, Fiesta Marts and Telemundo Houston. Goya Foods, Cidrines, and Gillman Honda are also sponsors.

For more information visit: prcfestival.com and for tickets: PRC Festival Tickets

About PRC Festival: PRC (Puerto Rican & Cuban) Festival is a one-day cultural event that includes music, dancing, food, Spanish Caribbean tradition and education. The annual PRC Festival attracts more than 25,000 fans in Downtown Houston during the fall. With top salsa, merengue, plena and bachata acts, PRC Festival entertains Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Dominicans, and Houstonians who love Caribbean music, regardless of their countries of origin. For more information, please visit prcfestival.com, #PRCFest and PRC Fest Facebook Page.

Festival logistics and media: Javier Ferrer, 713-446-1027 [email protected]

Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryfOPgQs-64

SOURCE PRC Festival

Related Links

http://www.prcfestival.com


LONDON, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Alan Millar from Capital One recently told me, that so many companies suffer from not being able to differentiate "information" from "intelligence".

Cyber Threat Intelligence and Incident Response, Cyber IQ's 5th conference of 2016, is the premier forum for security professionals to address how a greater understanding of the cyber threat landscape can lead to exponential improvements in strategic planning and tactical decision making during cyber incidents.

Cyber threat intelligence provides network defenders an advantage, using information superiority to prepare and respond, reducing adversarial success rates. Consequently, intelligence feeds provide a vitally important method for organisations to update their response and detection programs, whilst simultaneously creating tailor made strategies for incident management to limit damage, increase the confidence of external stakeholders, and reduce recovery time and costs.



Why should you attend Cyber Threat Intelligence and Incident Response?

Understand the need for enhanced threat detection and prioritised incident investigation

Learn how to keep ahead of the attackers by leveraging threat intelligence

Assess how to enable an intelligence-led approach to your cyber security operations Solution Providers

Meet and network with enterprise information security decision makers from across industry

Keep your brand front of mind when these decision makers are shortlisting providers

Maximise your sales time by accessing a high number of information security professionals in one place

View the full agenda here: http://www.cyberthreatevent.com/agenda-mc?utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=25239.002-external-pressrelease&utm_term=agenda&utm_content=text&mac=prnewswire_25239.002&disc=prnewswire_25239.002

Who is attending?

FBI, Societe Generale, Vodafone, The Economist, BP, EA, City of London Police, United States European Command, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Mapfre, Isabel Group, Capital One, Alliander, Banco Sabadell, CERT-EU, UBS and Australian National University... Plus many more.

Come along!

If you know you want to attend book today and you will receive a 100 discount! Book here: https://register.iqpc.com/srspricing.aspx?eventid=1003526&utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=25239.002-external-pressrelease&utm_term=book&utm_content=text&mac=prnewswire_25239.002&disc=prnewswire_25239.002

Contact: Richard Jones, Summit Director, +44(0)20-7036-1300, [email protected]

SOURCE IQPC
HOUSTON, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyperdynamics Corporation (OTCQX: HDYN) announced today that Ray Leonard, President and Chief Executive Officer, will host an investor conference call at 10:00 a.m. Central Time (11:00 a.m. Eastern Time) on Thursday, October 6, to provide a business update and to discuss the Company's plans. Investors may participate either by phone or audio webcast and may submit questions online to be answered during the call.

By Phone: Dial toll free 877-404-9648 in the U.S. and Canada or 412-902-0030 internationally. Please dial in at least 10 minutes early and ask for the Hyperdynamics conference call.





A replay will be available through October 13 by dialing toll free 877-660-6853 in the U.S. and Canada or 201-612-7415 internationally using the access code 13645851#.



By Webcast: Visit the Events and Presentations page of Hyperdynamics' Investor Relations website at http://investors.hyperdynamics.com/events.cfm. Please log in at least 10 minutes early to register and download any necessary software.





A replay will be available shortly after the call.



Questions: Investors may submit questions in advance for Mr. Leonard to address during the call by clicking on the "submit a question" link under the October 6 call/webcast link.





During the call, investors will also have an option in the webcast link to submit additional questions.

About Hyperdynamics

Hyperdynamics is an emerging independent oil and gas exploration company that is exploring for oil and gas offshore the Republic of Guinea in West Africa. To find out more, visit our website at www.hyperdynamics.com.

Contacts:

Ray Leonard

President and Chief Executive Officer

713-353-9445

Anne Pearson / Jack Lascar

Dennard-Lascar Associates

713-529-6600

SOURCE Hyperdynamics

Related Links

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HERSHEY, Pa., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Hope On Wheels (HHOW) and Hershey-area Hyundai dealers will present Penn State Children's Hospital with a $250,000 Scholar Grant to be used to improve care and increase treatment options for kids with cancer. Penn State Children's Hospital was one of 24 recipients across the country selected by a rigorous scientific review panel to receive this highly competitive Hyundai Scholar Grant.

The $250,000 Scholar Grant will be presented at Penn State Children's Hospital, 500 University Dr, Hershey, PA 17033 on Thursday, September 29 at 10:00am at a Handprint Ceremony during which the handprints of local Hershey-area brave young cancer patients will be captured on a white 2016 Hyundai Tucson  the Hyundai Hope On Wheels hero vehicle  to commemorate their fight against the disease.

The ceremony will also feature*:

Gil Pak , Director of Operations, Penn State Children's Hospital

Dr. Sinisa Dovat , Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Pharmacology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State Children's Hospital

Tami Rodriguez , mother of Layn Burger , pediatric cancer patient

John Hyland , Regional Manager, Hyundai Motor America

Dan Berger , General Manager, Faulkner Hyundai

*ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW AND PHOTO/B-ROLL OPPORTUNITIES*

"Our mission at Hyundai Hope On Wheels is clear: End Childhood Cancer," said Dave Zuchowski, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. "These individual awards to hospitals and organizations across the country are pivotal to ending childhood cancer. Although there remains a lot more work to be done, the innovation that comes from this research will ultimately help us find a cure. To all the kids, families and cancer researchers fighting this terrible disease  you are not alone and we remain committed to this important cause."

About the Hyundai Hope On Wheels Scholar Grants and Handprint Ceremonies

The Scholar Senior Research Grants will fund childhood research projects designed to improve the treatment and quality of life for children with cancer. The ultimate goal of the Scholar Senior Research Grant program is to find cures for childhood cancers once and for all. This year alone, HHOW will award more than $13 million in new pediatric cancer grants. Since 1998, the program has funded $115 million in research to Children's Oncology Group (COG) member institutions nationwide. The program also creates awareness about the importance of the disease, which is the leading cause of death by disease in children in the United States (source).

Attendees at the various ceremonies will include HHOW's two national youth ambassadors and pediatric cancer survivors, Hannah Adams and Ryan Darby, who will deliver a message of hope to children's cancer hospitals. Hannah, now 13 years old, was only five years old when she was diagnosed with a Stage 3 Wilms tumor that enveloped her kidney. Since her recovery, she has pursued her love of dancing and singing to help uplift and encourage other children and families through their fight. Thirteen-year-old Ryan was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia six years ago, and since his recovery, he has shared his story and words of encouragement with children and families across the country. Watch Hannah and Ryan's story at www.HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org

2016 National Call To Action: Give Hope A Hand

In addition to funding a multitude of research projects this September, HHOW is encouraging the public to contribute to the fight against childhood cancer in a personal way. The journey begins with one simple request: Give Hope A Hand. We invite visitors to the newly refreshed website at hyundaihopeonwheels.org, to tell how they will use their hands in the fight against pediatric cancer. Once there visitors can Learn + Care + Do + Give = Hope. There are a number of additional engaging, interactive ways the public can get involved and use their hands for good.

HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS

Hyundai Hope On Wheels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing life-saving research and innovative treatments for the disease. HHOW is one of the largest nonprofit funders of pediatric cancer research in the country, and primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 830 U.S. dealers. Since its inception, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has awarded more than $115 million towards childhood cancer research in pursuit of a cure.

To learn more about Hyundai Hope On Wheels, please visit www.HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org or follow us on social media at www.facebook.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels, www.twitter.com/hopeonwheels, and www.youtube.com/hopeonwheels.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 830 dealerships nationwide.

Please visit our media website at www.hyundainews.com and our blog at www.hyundailikesunday.com

Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140319/LA86658LOGO

SOURCE Hyundai Hope On Wheels
SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Idelan Inc. has released a patent pending technology, called TypeOne, that makes typing on the keyboard of smart phones, tablets and smartwatches 4 times faster. When used on a smartwatch, TypeOne makes typing short messages as fast as typing on a smart phone's keyboard.

Idelan's sophisticated AI algorithm predicts what a user wants to type if the user enters the first letter of each word. For example, to reply to a message, a user can type "tyvm" and the algorithm detects that she wants to write "thank you very much". This makes typing in English up to 4 times faster.

"Last year, 6 of the top 10 mobile apps were messaging and social networking apps. Currently, there is no good way to use these apps on a smartwatch since typing on a watch is difficult and slow. Neither is it easy to search for music from your wrist," said Dr. Farzan Fallah, the founder and the president of Idelan Inc. " TypeOne technology solves this problem by allowing users to type only a quarter of the letters and using AI to find the rest."

The existing prediction technology in smart device keyboards requires a user to enter multiple letters of each word and to constantly look at the suggested words. This back and forth increases the cognitive load on users and slows down typing. In TypeOne, a user typically needs to look at the suggestions only once. Additionally, since the user enters letters of multiple words, the prediction accuracy is much higher than the current technology. TypeOne's learning algorithm improves the prediction even further as a person continues using it.

TypeOne currently supports the English language. Support for other Latin languages, Cyrillic languages, Chinese, Korean and Japanese will be added in the near future.

TypeOne is available in Drextee Messenger for Android Wear smartwatches through Google Play. The app can be used for reading and replying to SMS, Email and messages received through other messaging apps.

The technology will be available for other smartwatch OSes as well as smart phones in the near future.

Drextee and TypeOne are trademarks of Idelan Inc. Android Wear and Google Play are trademarks of Google Inc.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Farzan Fallah

Idelan Inc.

Email

Phone: 408-894-9044

SOURCE Idelan Inc.

Related Links

http://www.idelan.com


HYDERABAD, India, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Mordor Intelligence announces the publication of their research report on the prepreg market. The report titled, "Global Prepreg Market - Segmented by Resin Type, By Fiber Type, End-User Industry, and Geography - Trends and Forecasts," discusses the current landscape and outlook of the said market.

The prepreg market was estimated at USD 4.34 billion in 2015 and is projected to reach USD XX billion by 2021, at a CAGR of over 10% during the forecast period. North America was the largest market for prepreg in 2015, followed by Asia Pacific and Europe.

Factors driving this market are demand from aerospace and defense sector, emphasis on green energy sources (wind energy sector) and growth of the global automotive industry. However, this market faces certain drawbacks, such as premium pricing of prepregs, limited shelf life and autoclave and maintenance constraints. These factors may act as a roadblock to the growth of the market.

Browse Related Reports Here

Our report on prepreg market is segmented as follows:

By Resin Type Thermosetting Thermoplastic

By Fiber Type Carbon Glass Aramid

By End-User Industry Aerospace & Defense Automotive Electrical & Electronics Wind Turbines Leisure Others

By Region Asia-Pacific Europe North America South America Middle-East and Africa



The aerospace & defense industry dominated the global prepreg market accounting for over 32% of the global market. North America dominates the global prepreg market, owing to the huge demand from the aerospace sector in the region. It is expected to dominate the market for the next five years and is expected to be the fastest growing market during the forecast period. US accounts for the highest market share by country. Asia-pacific holds the second highest share in the market and is expected to grow considerably during the forecast period.

Some of the key market players profiled in the report include: Hexcel Corporation, Gurit, Toray Industries, Inc., Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd., Cytec Solvay Group, Teijin Limited, The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., and others.

About Mordor Intelligence:

Mordor Intelligence is a global market research and consulting firm. Our focus is to provide research insights to facilitate business success. Our research expertise covers niche segments under Agriculture, Healthcare, ICT, Chemicals, Manufacturing, Logistics, Electronics and Automotive, among others. We believe in data, and we provide solutions through it. Optimum solutions and goal-oriented strategies define our endeavors and make us the preferred choice for clients.

For information regarding permissions and sales, please contact: [email protected]

Media Contact:

Madan Gopal

AVP - Marketing & Strategy

Email: [email protected]

Direct Line: +1 617-765-2493





SOURCE Mordor Intelligence
HATTINGEN, Germany, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Appointment of Hans Delleman reinforces market-leading status

Integration Matters today announced the appointment of Hans Delleman as their new Global Sales Director. He will steer the integration service company's sales strategy and bring their nJAMS solution to new customers and countries.

Hans Delleman, who will be based at Integration Matters' German headquarters, has amassed over 20 years of enterprise software experience through his work at start-ups and midsize organizations. He has held senior roles at Progress Software and TIBCO, and possesses a deep knowledge of market trends and insights into development opportunities.

Hans stated that a major draw for him was the innovation culture of Integration Matters, together with the strength of their nJAMS (Not Just Another Monitoring Solution) portfolio. This product range addresses the challenges faced by digital enterprises when endeavoring to drive operational excellence.

"Economic digitalization is changing the way we process our business, customer demands and behavior," said Hans Delleman. "To take advantage of this, you need end-to-end visibility of your business processes and business data in real time across multiple integration platforms, multiple applications and sometimes even across multiple companies. Integration Matters is today the only supplier able to deliver that, out-of-the-box. I am excited to be joining this innovative environment, where the customer is truly still the king."

Abdelghani Faiz, co-founder and managing director of Integration Matters, explained, "Hans' extensive experience and know-how is a perfect fit to us and supports our fast growth. Our Blue Chip customers recognize the need for end-to-end process visibility to respond to business issues and opportunities in real time. His appointment reinforces our commitment to expansion and highlights how the company has become a leader in its sector - by continuously adding functionality and new integration platforms such as Mulesoft, SAP, Oracle to our nJAMS flagship product."

Abdelghani Faiz added that the nJAMS solution solves some of the inefficiency problems associated with traditional process development and root cause analysis. It does this by capturing real-time details of all the critical processes that are necessary to drive business excellence. As a result, customers can respond to business issues and opportunities much faster.

About Integration Matters:

Integration Matters is a software and consulting company that provides process insights for the digital enterprise. Company objective is to enable complete, real-time visibility into end-to-end business processes and business data across leading integration platforms and enterprise applications. This allows customers to respond to business issues and opportunities faster.

Over 300 companies from across the globe in the energy, telecom, banking, insurance, retail and transport and logistics industries benefit already from Integration Matters' software. Corporate headquarters is based in Hattingen (Germany) with offices in London and New York.

Further information is available at http://www.IntegrationMatters.com

Contact: Birgit Jordan, [email protected] , +49-(0)-171-2217975

All company and product names and marks in this document are the property of their respective owners and mentioned for identification purposes only.

SOURCE Integration Matters
SINGAPORE and PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- InterOil Corporation (NYSE: IOC, POMSox: IOC) today provided the following update regarding InterOil's pending transaction with Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM) ("the transaction"):

As previously disclosed, the closing of the transaction with ExxonMobil requires a final order from the Supreme Court of Yukon. The hearing was held on September 27 and the court is considering the matter, including an objection filed by Phil Mulacek.

Completion of the transaction prior to the end of September would require issuance of a final order no later than the close of business on Thursday, September 29. ExxonMobil and InterOil intend to close the transaction promptly after the final order is obtained.

About InterOil

InterOil Corporation is an independent oil and gas business with a sole focus on Papua New Guinea. InterOil's assets include one of Asia's largest undeveloped gas fields, Elk-Antelope, in the Gulf Province, and exploration licenses covering about 16,000sqkm. Its main offices are in Singapore and Port Moresby. InterOil is listed on the New York and Port Moresby stock exchanges.

Investor Contacts

Singapore United States

David Wu Senior Vice President Investor Relations Cynthia Black Investor Relations North America

T: +65 6507 0222 E: [email protected] T: +1 212 653 9778 E: [email protected]



Media Contacts

Singapore United States Ann Lee Communications Specialist James Golden / Aaron Palash Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher T: +65 6507 0222 E: [email protected] T: +1 212 355 4449 E: [email protected]

Forward Looking Statements

This communication includes "forward-looking statements". All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this communication are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements regarding the pending transaction with ExxonMobil, the timing to consummate the proposed transaction with ExxonMobil, the ability to satisfy the conditions to consummation of the proposed transaction, and the timing or outcome of the resource certification process for the Elk-Antelope field as applicable to the CRP. These statements are based on the current belief of InterOil, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to InterOil. No assurances can be given however, that these events will occur. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of InterOil, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied or expressed by the forward-looking statements. These include in particular assumptions, risks and uncertainties relating to the risk that a condition to closing of the proposed acquisition may not be satisfied, the timing or outcome of the resource certification process for the Elk-Antelope field as applicable to the CRP and other risk factors discussed in InterOil's management information circular dated August 16, 2016, its annual report for the year ended December 31, 2015 on Form 40-F and its Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2015, and under the heading "Factors Affecting Future Results" available through the "Investors" section on ExxonMobil's website and in Item 1A of ExxonMobil's 2015 Form 10-K. InterOil disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable laws. References to gas resources in this release may include amounts that ExxonMobil or InterOil believe will ultimately be produced but that are not yet classified as "proved reserves" under U.S. SEC definitions.

Legal Notice

None of the securities anticipated to be issued pursuant to the ExxonMobil transaction have been or will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and any securities issued pursuant to the ExxonMobil transaction are anticipated to be issued in reliance upon available exemptions from such registration requirements pursuant to Section 3(a)(10) of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable exemptions under state securities laws. This document does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

There can be no assurance that the transaction with ExxonMobil will occur. The ExxonMobil transaction is subject to certain approvals and the fulfillment of certain conditions, and there can be no assurance that any such approvals will be obtained and/or any such conditions will be met.

SOURCE InterOil Corporation

Related Links

http://www.interoil.com


RICHLAND, Wash., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- IsoRay, Inc. (NYSE MKT: ISR), a medical technology company and innovator in seed brachytherapy and medical radioisotope applications for the treatment of prostate, brain, lung, head and neck and gynecological cancers, today announced the launch of its newly redesigned corporate website at www.isoray.com.

The redesigned website introduces IsoRay's new branding and logo and offers quick and easy access to essential information that provides a comprehensive understanding of the Company's innovative Cesium-131 products. It is both patient and clinician focused and has an updated visual design and content structure which will make it easier for patients and medical teams to find what they're looking for. FAQ's are front and center for quick access to popular questions. The website also has a comprehensive investor section with updated company news and events, financial and stock information, SEC filings and corporate governance information. The Company's new branding was also incorporated in physician materials at this week's American Society for Radiation Oncology (Astro) Annual Meeting in Boston.

The site was built with a flexible content management system to facilitate ongoing updates. Over time, more and more content will be added including patient stories, clinician experiences and peer-reviewed publications.

"The launch of IsoRay's new website, with our new branding and logo, represents the patient and clinician focus of the Company under the new management team," said Thomas LaVoy, Chairman and CEO of IsoRay. "The robust information it delivers for all of our constituencies is intended to increase awareness of brachytherapy and its efficacy with multiple cancers as well as provide a better understanding of the benefits of IsoRay's innovative Cesium-131 patient solutions and offer important resources to enable expanded use of our product applications."

About IsoRay, Inc.

IsoRay, Inc., through its subsidiary, IsoRay Medical, Inc. is the sole producer of Cesium-131 brachytherapy seeds, which are expanding brachytherapy options throughout the body. Learn more about this innovative Richland, Washington company and explore the many benefits and uses of Cesium-131 by visiting www.isoray.com. Join us on Facebook/IsoRay. Follow us on Twitter @IsoRay.

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements in this news release about IsoRay's future expectations, including: the advantages of our products and their delivery systems, whether interest in and use of our products will increase or continue, whether the newly redesigned website will increase patient or clinician engagement and interest, what content will be included in future updates of the website, whether the FAQs or other information provided address the concerns of the patient or clinician, and all other statements in this release, other than historical facts, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 ("PSLRA"). This statement is included for the express purpose of availing IsoRay, Inc. of the protections of the safe harbor provisions of the PSLRA. It is important to note that actual results and ultimate corporate actions could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements based on such factors as physician acceptance, training and use of our products, our ability to successfully manufacture, market and sell our products, our ability to manufacture our products in sufficient quantities to meet demand within required delivery time periods while meeting our quality control standards, our ability to enforce our intellectual property rights, whether additional studies are released and support the conclusions of past studies, whether ongoing patient results with our products are favorable and in line with the conclusions of clinical studies and initial patient results, patient results achieved when our products are used for the treatment of cancers and malignant diseases, successful completion of future research and development activities, whether we, our distributors and our customers will successfully obtain and maintain all required regulatory approvals and licenses to market, sell and use our products in its various forms, continued compliance with ISO standards as audited by BSI, the success of our sales and marketing efforts, changes in reimbursement rates, changes in laws and regulations applicable to our products, and other risks detailed from time to time in IsoRay's reports filed with the SEC. Unless required to do so by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160301/339505LOGO

SOURCE IsoRay, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.isoray.com


BERLIN, Germany, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Jedox, a leading vendor of self-service Enterprise Planning and Business Intelligence software, had the honor of distributing Jedox Partner Awards and recognizing 20 top performing business partners last night. The ceremony was held at the Jedox Global Partner Summit in Berlin and honored leading Jedox Partners for excellence in providing trusted, innovative, and user-centric BI and Enterprise Planning solutions built on Jedox technology.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160928/412815

"Jedox and its global business partners together create powerful solutions for companies seeking to simplify their planning, reporting, and analysis," said Bernd Eisenblatter, CSO, Jedox. "Award-winning partners are setting the standard for innovation and make a significant and valued contribution towards the joint international growth of Jedox and its partner ecosystem. On behalf of the whole Jedox team, I am pleased to congratulate the winners on their well-deserved awards."

The Jedox Partner Awards honor outstanding achievement and excellence in the Jedox Partner community. Award winners are recognized for their commitment to Jedox market development, their focus on customer satisfaction, and for achieving year-over-year sales growth.

Winners of the 2016 Jedox Partner Awards were announced on September 27 2016, during a gala celebration at the Partner Summit, Jedox's 5th annual global partner conference. This year's Partner Summit was held in Berlin for three days of learning, networking, and celebrating. The event brought together more than 150 partners, product experts, and industry thought leaders.

The Jedox Partner Awards covered four main categories with winners representing various regions around the globe:

Special Awards:

Microsoft Azure  Cloud Partner of the Year  Sweden : Cadeia

: Cadeia Qlik Solution Partner of the Year: Business & Decision (Presentation of the award by Toni Adams , SVP Partners and Alliances Sales, Qlik)

, SVP Partners and Alliances Sales, Qlik) Cloud Partner of the Year  Finland : Solita Oy

Jedox Solution Partner 2016:

Solution Partner of the Year  India : Valforma

: Valforma Solution Partner of the Year  Canada : Decimal

: Decimal Solution Partner of the Year  Germany : Litreca

: Litreca Solution Partner of the Year  Germany : Lupus alpha Business Solutions

: Lupus alpha Business Solutions Solution Partner of the Year  Germany : iXLOG

: iXLOG Solution Partner of the Year  Iberia: Quental

Jedox Regional Partner 2016:

Partner of the Year  Israel : Actiview

: Actiview Partner of the Year  United Kingdom : CFM Systems

: CFM Systems Partner of the Year  UAE: Dastech

Partner of the Year  Denmark : Qbit

: Qbit Partner of the Year  Czech Republic : Noctuint

: Noctuint Partner of the Year  France : PerfectSight

: PerfectSight Partner of the Year  Japan : KSK Analytics Japan

: KSK Analytics Japan Partner of the Year  Austria : REVAL

Jedox "Rising Star" Partner 2016:

"Rising Star" Partner of the Year  ANZ: OYB

"Rising Star" Partner of the Year  Denmark : Affecto

: Affecto "Rising Star" Partner of the Year  France : Keyrus

About Jedox

Jedox simplifies planning, analysis, and reporting with one unified and cloud-based software suite. Jedox empowers decision makers and business users across all departments and helps them work smarter, streamline business collaboration, and make insight-based decisions with confidence. Over 1,900 organizations in 127 countries use Jedox for real-time planning on the web, in the cloud, and on any device. Jedox is a leading Business Intelligence and Corporate Performance Management solution provider with offices on four continents and with over 180 certified business partners. Independent analysts Gartner, Howard Dresner and BARC recognize Jedox for its leading enterprise planning solutions. Simplify planning with Jedox and start your free trial today: www.jedox.com

Contact

Diana Kuch

Head of PR

[email protected]

+(49) 761 15147 0

Related Links

Jedox Partner Summit 2016

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com.

SOURCE Jedox
BOSTON, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Jet Networks, Inc., today introduced Jet.me, the first chat platform designed especially for kids. Chat, photo-sharing and messaging apps are growing at an exponential rate and are fast becoming the new on-ramps to the digital world. Until Jet, finding a service that welcomes users under 13 -- the first mobile-first generation -- and connects them to the things they love has been a challenge. Jet was created to give kids a fun and private place to connect with their friends and explore the world.

Jet.me differs from other chat apps in three important ways. First, it combines messaging and sharing in a single app, allowing users to connect with friends through text, photos, videos, stickers, moods and more. Second, Jet is more private, allowing only approved friends to see posts and never exposing real names publicly. Finally, Jet is COPPA compliant, which means that for the first time on a mainstream platform, kids under 13 can join and connect to brands, causes and celebrities interested in engaging the most curious, creative and open-minded consumers on the planet.

"Jet is a new door to the digital world based on what kids want - in a place they feel they belong," said Jenny Mirken, CEO and founder of Jet.me. "Kids want in! In fact, they are the first, mobile-first generation. They have devices, they have access, now we have to serve them better with content that matches who they are and what they love."

Why Kids Will Love Jet.me

They will love that Jet lets them be themselves and share content and messages with their real friends.

They will love Jet's clean and colorful design.

They will love that Jet is more private and they control who sees their content, which makes them more confident about sharing.

They will love that Jet is free to download and free to use.

They will love that Jet lets them choose which brands, causes and celebrities they want to connect to, and works hard to deliver exclusive, awesome content made just for them.

They will love that Jet is about more than likes and friends, it brings together ideas and people that help kids discover new things, follow their passions and create bigger lives.

They will love that Jet really listens to them and builds features to inspire, motivate, entertain and challenge them.

Why Families Will Love Jet.me

Profiles Are Protected. On Jet, only approved friends can see posts or send messages. These simple rules help users feel more confident about what they share.

On Jet, only approved friends can see posts or send messages. These simple rules help users feel more confident about what they share. No Auto-Populated Search . To add a friend on Jet, you must know their exact Jet username, which means you likely know that person in real life. Additionally, all friend requests include the sender's real name.

. To add a friend on Jet, you must know their exact Jet username, which means you likely know that person in real life. Additionally, all friend requests include the sender's real name. Personal Data Stays Private. Personal data -- including profile photos -- are never displayed publicly on Jet.

Personal data -- including profile photos -- are never displayed publicly on Jet. Jet is Kid Friendly and Parent Aware. Jet complies with COPPA, federal legislation designed to help protect kids. Jet Parent, a companion app to Jet.me, lets parents connect to their child and approve friends through a first-of-its-kind approach. Parents get peace of mind and kids get the experience they crave.

Why Brands, Causes and Celebrities Will Love Jet.me

Jet is the most effective place to connect directly to a U13 audience. For the many brands, celebrities and organizations who want to reach kids (an estimated $1.2 trillion market), Jet is the only one that delivers a verified, opt-in audience and actionable analytics.

"Jenny and her team launched Jet to fill a huge, underserved market and make messaging and sharing fun for a generation that is mobile-first. Until now, there was no single platform where kids under 13 can connect, share, inspire and discover what they love with each other," said Paula Kaplan, a former 20-year veteran at Nickelodeon and Jet advisory board member.

About Jet.me

Jet.me is a chat platform where kids under 13 connect with the friends, brands, causes and celebrities that mean the most to them. Through authentic, creative and age-appropriate interactions, Jet users are building bigger lives that lead this mobile-first generation to create a more exciting future. Jet is the only COPPA compliant platform dedicated to providing U13s with a place where they can securely be themselves, have fun and discover the world. Jet is based in Boston and is seeking Series A funding.

Jet.me and Jet Parent are available for download in the App Store.

CONTACT:

Jenny Mirken

CEO and Founder

Jet.me

Phone: 508.878.4103

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Jet Networks, Inc.

Related Links

http://jet.me


Kurt Arnold says, "For weeks, Williams' lawyers were trying to avoid responsibility for the deadly explosion by shifting blame to their local holding company, Williams Olefins. It's a corporate shell game, and I am glad that the jury saw right through it."

The jury also found that Williams Companies had known there was a "substantial certainty" of a deadly explosion at the Geismar company for years. At issue was a propane reboiler that had been isolated by closing the pressure release valve. On the morning of June 13, pressure built up and ruptured the reboiler and resulted in a massive explosion. Trial testimony revealed that Williams Companies employees had documented the danger dozens of times since 2006, yet never addressed the problem. During trial, Arnold referred to the plant as a "ticking time-bomb." Even plant manager Larry Bayer testified that the reboiler was "an accident waiting to happen."

"Substantial certainty is worse than negligence," Kurt Arnold says. "Negligence is when you should have known better. We showed that Williams employees did know better and deliberately chose not to fix the problem."

This was just the first case to go to trial in a series of suits filed against Williams Companies in relation to the 2013 blast. Based on this first verdict, Williams may be facing a substantial liability as more than 100 other plaintiffs await their day in court. This liability strikes Williams Companies at a tumultuous time -- after a failed merger and turmoil on the board.

Arnold says that he hopes the verdict sends a message to Williams Companies management that they have to rethink how they manage safety. Williams Companies operates thousands of miles of natural gas pipeline and countless facilities in several states. Kurt says, "Williams Companies takes profits and resources from communities all over the country and then tries to limit its liability when it kills and injures people. It's not right."

The Geismar plant explosion was one in a string of explosions and fires at Williams Companies facilities over the last few years, including a 2013 explosion in Branchburg, New Jersey; a 2014 explosion near Plymouth, Washington; and a 2015 explosion in Gibson, Louisiana that killed three.

The next case is set for trial on November 2, 2016.



To learn more about Arnold & Itkin LLP, visit them online today at www.arnolditkin.com.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160927/412630

SOURCE Arnold & Itkin LLP

Related Links

http://www.arnolditkin.com/


GLENWOOD, Ill., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Landauer, Inc. (NYSE: LDR), a recognized leader in personal and environmental radiation measurement and monitoring and outsourced medical physics services, today announced that Teri G. Fontenot has been appointed to the Board of Directors, effective September 28, 2016, expanding the Company's Board to nine directors.

Ms. Fontenot has nearly 35 years of experience in leading healthcare organizations. She is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of Woman's Hospital, a Level III regional referral hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana dedicated to women's and infants' healthcare, a position she has held since 1996.

In addition, the Board of Directors announced that, effective at the Company's 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, Robert Cronin, Lead Independent Director, will retire from the Board, as required by the retirement policy set forth in the Company's Governance and Nominating Standards. Current Landauer director, William G. Dempsey, will succeed Mr. Cronin as Lead Independent Director of the Board, effective October 1, 2016. William G. Dempsey joined Landauer's Board of Directors in 2008.

Michael T. Leatherman, Executive Chairman of the Board said, "It is a great pleasure to welcome Teri to the Board. Teri is a proven leader in the healthcare industry and, in addition, brings a wealth of financial experience to Landauer. Her expertise will be invaluable to better understand customer needs as Landauer continues to broaden its products and services targeted at the healthcare industry."

Mr. Leatherman continued, "On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Bob for his service and valuable contributions during his tenure. Landauer has made significant progress over the past few years, and it is clear the Company is well positioned to continue executing its growth strategy and capitalize on the substantial market opportunities ahead."

Teri Fontenot Biography

Teri Fontenot has a breadth of healthcare leadership and finance experience. She is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of Woman's Hospital, a Level III regional referral hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana dedicated to women's and infants' healthcare, a position she has held since 1996. Ms. Fontenot joined Woman's Hospital in January 1992 and has held a variety of roles during her tenure, including Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. She previously served as Chair of the American Hospital Association and as a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Board, as well as a member of the NIH industry committee. She is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Mississippi and a Master of Business Administration from Northeast Louisiana University.

About Landauer

Landauer is a leading global provider of technical and analytical services to determine occupational and environmental radiation exposure, as well as the leading domestic provider of outsourced medical physics services. For more than 50 years, the Company has provided complete radiation dosimetry services to hospitals, medical and dental offices, universities, national laboratories, nuclear facilities and other industries in which radiation poses a potential threat to employees. Landauer's services include the manufacture of various types of radiation detection monitors, the distribution and collection of the monitors to and from customers, and the analysis and reporting of exposure findings. The Company provides its dosimetry services to approximately 1.8 million individuals globally. In addition, through its Medical Physics segment, the Company provides therapeutic and imaging physics services to the medical physics community. For information about Landauer, please visit their website at http://www.landauer.com.

For the latest news releases and other corporate documents on Landauer, Inc., visit www.landauer.com

For Further Information Contact:

Michael DeGraff

Sard Verbinnen & Co

Phone: 312.895.4734

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Landauer, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.landauer.com


CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Lexumo, developer of the world's first automated service for continuously monitoring Internet of Things (IoT) and embedded code for critical open source vulnerabilities, has been selected as one of five companies for the MIT STEX25 Industry-Ready Startup accelerator program.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160927/412617

Lexumo uses graph analytics and machine learning developed for DARPA to precisely identify public vulnerabilities such as Heartbleed in IoT and embedded code. The company has raised $4.9 million in funding from top cybersecurity investors and was recently recognized as an IoT Company to Watch and a Machine Learning Startup to Watch.

STEX25 is an accelerator managed by MIT Startup Exchange and its parent, the MIT Industrial Liaison Program (ILP), and is focused on fostering collaboration between MIT-connected startups and ILP member companies. These companies include over 200 of the world's leading brands including companies such as Airbus, Apple, BMW, Boeing, Bose, British Telecom, Chevron, EMC, Hitachi, Honda, Jaguar Land Rover, L-3 Communications, LG Technology, Lockheed, NEC, OSRAM, Philips Electronics, Qualcomm, Raytheon, Samsung, Siemens, Toshiba, and Yamaha.

"To gain competitive advantage, all organizations are now transforming into digital businesses and leveraging cloud, mobile and IoT technologies," said Brad Gaynor, Ph.D., CTO and co-founder of Lexumo. "At the same time, they're taking advantage of reusable open source in order to innovate faster and gain efficiencies. We look forward to collaborating with MIT ILP companies to help them adopt the best open source available while continuously ensuring the security and privacy of their customers."

"We're very pleased to name Lexumo as part of STEX25's inaugural cohort," said Trond Undheim, who directs MIT's Startup Exchange. "STEX25 companies have a strong science & technology foundation in important fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), automation, energy, healthcare, ICT, Internet of Things (IoT), life science, manufacturing, materials, nanotech, sensors, etc."

"Helping MIT-connected startups get traction with large corporate players is a crucial step in technology commercialization," said Karl Koster, Executive Director of the ILP. "Our members are very interested in meeting with the STEX company founders, and these kinds of connections are vital to growing MIT's innovation ecosystem."

Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Lexumo was founded by a team of computer and data scientists from Draper Laboratory, an MIT spin-off, who spent the past four years inventing the company's core technology for DARPA and other DoD customers. A key breakthrough was developing the first large-scale system for semantically searching and indexing the world's open source software. The company's code security platform is used by leading Global 2000 brands including global service providers and both consumer and industrial IoT manufacturers.

About Lexumo

Lexumo secures the world's open source software. Our cloud-based service enables developers to securely adopt the best open source available  so they can ship great products faster. Lexumo uses "Big Code" analytics to precisely identify critical vulnerabilities without the inaccuracies associated with legacy open source software (OSS) governance solutions, even when code has previously been modified or patched.

Built on a massively-scalable, AWS-based cloud stack, Lexumo's service integrates with existing developer workflows (Jenkins, Jira, etc.); provides actionable information in the form of detailed patching instructions; and continuously monitors your code for vulnerabilities without requiring any developer interaction.

For more information, visit https://www.lexumo.com.

About STEX25 and MIT's Industrial Liaison Program (ILP)

STEX25 is startup accelerator focused on fostering collaboration between MIT-connected startups and member companies of MIT's Industrial Liaison Program (ILP). STEX25 is managed by MIT Startup Exchange, and its parent, the ILP. The ILP is a key player in making industrial connections for MIT, with over 220 of the world's leading companies using their ILP memberships to advance research agendas at MIT.

For more information, visit: http://ilp.mit.edu or http://startupexchange.mit.edu/

Media Contact:

Phil Neray

Email

617-539-6823

SOURCE Lexumo, Inc.
NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) has been awarded $4 million in federal funding to fuel economic activity in low-income areas and expand access to fresh food in entrenched food deserts.

LISC will use the capital to seed $40 million in community investments that build up local businesses, create jobs, make streets safer and reinforce other investments in housing, schools and health, said Elise Balboni, LISC senior vice president for lending.

"A thriving, sustainable community is one where people have meaningful employment opportunities and access to goods and services within their own neighborhood," Balboni said. "This new capital will fuel entrepreneurs and employment, stimulate neighborhood economies and increase local income. It will help neighborhoods become safer, stronger and healthier."

The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund)part of the U.S. Department of Treasuryannounced the LISC grants today as part of $185 million in awards to 196 organizations. LISC's funding includes $1 million to create a new $15 million economic development investment fund and $3 million to leverage $25 million in financing for food-related enterprises that advance health goals in low-income areas.

"It's clear that residents who live in communities with limited access to fresh food also tend to have higher rates of chronic disease," said Amy Gillman, LISC senior program director for health initiatives. "We take that on as part of our comprehensive community development efforts--changing their food outlook to help them live better, while growing economic activity in their communities."

The new funding will support development of grocery stores, farmers markets, community kitchens and food production facilities in struggling areas. LISC has used prior CDFI Fund awards to finance supermarkets in Detroit, Kalamazoo, Chicago, Cincinnati, New York and Brockton, Mass., along with a farmers market in Flint, Mich., and a food coop in Minneapolis.

For more on the CDFI Fund grants, visit: www.cdfifund.gov.

About LISC

LISC combines corporate, government and philanthropic resources to help nonprofit community development corporations revitalize distressed neighborhoods. Since 1980, LISC has invested $16 billion to build or rehab 348,000 affordable homes and apartments and develop 56 million square feet of retail, community and educational space. For more, visit www.lisc.org.

Media Contact:

Elise Balboni, LISC Senior Vice President of Lending

212.455.9370 or [email protected]

SOURCE Local Initiatives Support Corporation

Related Links

http://www.lisc.org/


Access to contraceptive methods is a significant challenge in many African countries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), only 28 percent of women of reproductive age in Africa use modern contraceptive methods. The WHO also states that increasing access to voluntary contraception has significant health, economic and social benefits for families and communities. Increased access to voluntary contraception improves women's opportunities for education, employment and full participation in society. 1

"The need for affordable and effective contraceptive options for women remains high, particularly in Africa," said Sally Stephens, senior vice president of Corporate Development for Medicines360. "Our partnership with PSI demonstrates our commitment to expanding access to quality medicines to women in developing countries by providing hormonal IUDs, a form of long acting reversible contraception, where they have not been accessible due to high cost and lack of distribution."

As part of the agreement, Medicines360 will bring to market the first affordable hormonal IUD in Madagascar. There, PSI will work with trained health care providers to introduce this progestin-containing IUD, making an additional contraceptive choice available to women.

"The ability to plan if and when to have children is important to the health and social empowerment of individual women, as well as to the economic well-being of families and societies," said Jennifer Pope, director of Family Planning & Reproductive Health for PSI. "Our partnership with Medicines360 will help us empower more women to make the best choices to meet their family planning needs."

The initial country introductions under this partnership are supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Expanding Effective Contraceptive Options (EECO) Project and the Support for International Family Planning Organizations Project (SIFPO2). SIFPO2, led by PSI, is designed to strengthen family planning programs and other health services worldwide, with a focus on strengthening private sector channels and networks. The EECO project, led by international nonprofit WomanCare Global and implemented in partnership with PSI and others, is designed to support the research, development and introduction of technologies and approaches that better meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of women and girls worldwide. The introduction of this hormonal IUD will support PSI and WomanCare Global to deliver on a joint family planning commitment to increase the usage of voluntary long-acting, reversible contraceptives by 2020.

About Medicines360

Medicines360, located in San Francisco, California, is a nonprofit global women's health pharmaceutical company with a mission to expand access to quality medicines for all women regardless of their socioeconomic status, insurance coverage or geographic location. Medicines360 is committed to working with healthcare providers, advocacy groups and patients to deliver innovative and meaningful treatments that help women around the world have greater access to the medicines they need. For more information, visit www.medicines360.org.

About Population Services International

Population Services International (PSI) is a leading global health organization working in reproductive health, HIV, child survival, non-communicable diseases and sanitation. Partnering with the public sector and harnessing the power of markets, PSI helps people in the developing world lead healthier lives and plan the families they desire. PSI finds innovative and cost-effective solutions to some of the most challenging health issues in the developing world. PSI's focus areas include family planning, HIV/AIDS treatment and awareness, gender-based violence, maternal health, and water and sanitation. PSI maintains franchises that provide affordable health care products and services, as well as empowering communities and families through health education. PSI runs programs in 60 countries across the world and operates franchise networks in 30 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. PSI also focuses on children's wellbeing and health. PSI estimates that in 2015 alone, they added more than 44 million years of healthy life. For more information, visit www.psi.org.

1 World Health Organization: Family Planning/Contraception Fact Sheet

MEDIA CONTACT:

Shannon Moore

(415) 486-3275

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SOURCE Medicines360

Related Links

http://www.medicines360.org


BUFFALO, N.Y., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mental Illness Awareness Week (October 2-8) focuses attention on efforts to educate the public and rally support for people living with mental health challenges.

It's also an excellent opportunity to bring attention to publisher JoAnne Doan and her ground-breaking publications dedicated to people living with bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety. Doan was recognized this year with a Folio: Top Women in Media award in the Entrepreneurs category for meeting the challenges of growing a pioneering publication for this readership.

When Doan launched bp Magazine in 2004, there was no consumer publication dedicated to serving the 5.7 million Americans with bipolar disorder.

"I wanted to create the equivalent of a newsstand women's magazine so that someone reading bp on a plane or on their lunch hour wouldn't feel stigmatized," Doan says.

It is still the only publication of its kind providing accessible information and inspiration on living well with bipolar.

With esperanza (Spanish for "hope"), Doan extended her mission to individuals living with depression and anxiety disorders. That magazine is celebrating its 8th year this fall.

Doan has responded to changes in the mental health and media environments by launching websites' redesign last year which host forums, videos and award-winning blogs with social media being primary traffic drivers.

Folio, a trade organization for magazine publishing professionals, recognized Doan at an awards luncheon at the Yale Club in New York City in June. A small independent publisher, she was honored alongside professionals from industry heavy-hitters such as Conde Nast and Hearst Magazine.

Both bp Magazine and esperanza exemplify the message of Mental Illness Awareness Week. As Doan says, our magazines and websites "create a sense of community, helping people know they are not alone, that bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety are common brain illnesses that can be successfully treated."

Published four times a year, the magazines offer celebrity profiles (Richard Dreyfuss, Kristen Bell, Demi Lovato, Lady Gaga, Howie Mandel, Carrie Fisher and many more), first-person success stories, columns by people with lived experience, and healthy lifestyle articles.

The magazines go to doctor's offices, with a rate base of 50,000. One and two-year print and digital subscriptions are available through www.bphope.com (for bp Magazine) and www.hopetocope.com (for esperanza).

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Office:

374 Delaware Ave.

#240

Buffalo, NY 14202

SOURCE bp Magazine

Related Links

http://www.bphope.com


DULUTH, Ga., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- There's a common misconception that rabid wildlife exists solely in rural parts of the country, far from the hustle and bustle of urban and suburban life. Unfortunately, the existence of rabid animals is likely closer to home than many people realize.

To help raise awareness about rabies and how close potential threats may be for pet owners nationwide, Merial today announced the launch of "Goodnight Rabies," an enhanced section of its existing vaccination website. The section is a national rabies information resource for U.S. pet owners in preparation for World Rabies Day on Sept. 28.

Featuring a highly-localized and interactive heat map that depicts reports of rabid wildlife and domestic animals by county, the "Goodnight Rabies" resource enables pet owners to better understand the risk of rabies infection and the prevalence of rabid animals in urban, suburban and rural communities. In 2014, more than 6,000 rabid animals in the United States and Puerto Rico were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), representing a nearly 3 percent increase from the year prior.1

The most common wildlife transmitters of the virus are raccoons, bats, foxes and skunks; cats, dogs and cattle are the primary domestic animal transmitters.1 Across the globe, rabies claims 60,000 human lives each year.2

"Many assume the most common transmitters of the rabies virus in the United States are only found in rural areas. The truth is, rabies cases are regularly reported in cities and suburbs, too," said Mike Hutton, executive director of U.S. Pets Marketing for Merial. "'Goodnight Rabies' shines a light on the reality and the proximity of potential rabies threats to pets and their owners  no matter where they live. We're encouraging pet owners to say 'goodnight' to rabies by vaccinating their pets against this fatal disease."

Rabies is a vaccine-preventable disease that occurs in more than 150 countries and territories around the world3. All mammals are susceptible to contracting the rabies virus when exposed to an infected animal through a bite or scratch.3 The rapid deterioration of a rabid animal's body includes noticeable changes in temperament, and as the virus progresses, the nervous system is greatly affected, causing death within only a matter of days.4

Vaccination is a critical component of rabies prevention. In fact, most states have adopted mandates requiring vaccination. Dogs and cats that have never been vaccinated that are exposed to a rabid animal may need to be euthanatized or placed in strict isolation for up to six months in accordance with local regulations.5

Merial is the global leader in rabies prevention with a range of vaccines for pets, farm animals and wildlife, including the IMRAB Rabies vaccines and the PUREVAX Feline Rabies vaccines. Merial's long history in rabies prevention began with the company's origins tied to Institute Merieux, which developed the world's first inactivated cell-cultured rabies vaccines. Merial rabies prevention offerings include a full range of rabies vaccines covering six animal species with both oral and injectable technologies, along with technical and service support provided to rabies prevention programs across the globe.

In recognition of World Rabies Day  Sept. 28, 2016  Merial is encouraging pet owners to ensure their dogs and cats are currently vaccinated against rabies infection. Now through Oct. 28, 2016, Merial is offering one of three prizes to recognize and reward pet owners who have vaccinated their pets within the past year and upload proof of rabies vaccination to GoodnightRabies.com.

To find a veterinarian who uses MERIAL vaccines and other MERIAL products, pet owners can use the Vet Finder feature of GoodnightRabies.com.

About World Rabies Day

Launched in 2007 by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, World Rabies Day is a global health observance to raise awareness about rabies to help increase prevention efforts. The observance has grown every year, with hundreds of thousands of people organizing and participating in local, regional and national events. Learn more at http://rabiesalliance.org/world-rabies-day.

About Merial

Merial is a world-leading, innovation-driven animal health company, providing a comprehensive range of products that focus on disease prevention and overall health and wellness in animals. Merial has three main business areas: pets, farm animals and veterinary public health, and its health solutions target more than 200 diseases and conditions across a variety of species. Merial employs 6,900 people and operates in more than 150 countries worldwide with over 2.5 billion of sales in 2015. Merial is a Sanofi company. For more information, please see www.merial.com; @Merial.

Sources:

Monroe BP, Yager P, Blanton J, et al. Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2014. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2016 Spring; 248(7): 777-788. doi: 10.2460/javma.248.7.777 Human rabies. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/rabies/human/en/. Accessed June 7, 2016 . Rabies. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs099/en/. Updated March 2016 . Accessed June 7, 2016 . Greene CE, Schultz RD. Rabies and Other Lyssavirus Infections. In: Greene CE, ed. Infectious Diseases of the Dog and Cat. 4th ed. St. Louis, MO : Elsevier Saunders; 2012:179-197. Rabies and your pet. AVMA. https://www.avma.org/public/Health/Pages/rabies.aspx. Accessed August 8, 2016 .

IMRAB and PUREVAX are registered trademarks of Merial. 2016 Merial, Inc., Duluth, GA. All rights reserved.

2016GoodnightRabies_Media (09/2016)

SOURCE Merial

Related Links

http://www.merial.com


Feedback from operators showed that irrigation pedestal installations were often very time consuming and costly. Milbank's irrigation pedestal products solve both of those problems. First, pedestals can be installed quickly and simply  in a fraction of the time typically needed for strut farm and other installation setups. Milbank's pedestal takes less than an hour to install and can often be completed by a single technician. Because the pedestal is pre-wired, the installer simply lays the concrete slab, drops in the pedestal using the lifting eyes pre-installed, hooks the wires onto the lug landings and runs the wires out from the motor starter. What's more, the motor starter and disconnect are in the same enclosure, so all the controls are housed in a safe, lockable enclosure, saving space and protecting against vandalism and energy theft. Second, because of the pre-wiring from Milbank and the easy install, operators stand to save considerably on the install costs.

"Milbank's irrigation pedestal was built specifically based on operator's input. From the pre-wiring, to the size and shape of the enclosure, to the standard slab that comes as part of the package  it's built to be easy and provide a great return-on-investment," said Jay McMullen, senior product line manager for Milbank. "The standard pedestal also includes an extra two knockouts for mounting additional push buttons as well as 20-30 amp or 3-pole 480V class CC fuses so operators can wire in anything additional they'd like in that secure enclosure including technology that allows the operator to control the system via smart phones remotely. There's plenty of extra room in the box."

Additional Information:

See how easy the Milbank irrigation pedestal is to install in this time-lapse video, read more here Irrigation Pedestal Brochure or visit http://milbankworks.com/commercial-and-industrial/enclosed-controls/commercial-pedestals.aspx

About Milbank

Milbank is an international energy management company, developing and manufacturing over 19,000 finished good items that travel through 4,500 distributors to bring electricity into homes, businesses, and cities in 36 countries. Most products are made in the U.S. Milbank is headquartered in Kansas City, Mo. For more information, please visit milbankworks.com.

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SOURCE Milbank

Related Links

http://www.milbankworks.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Money.Net, the innovative new market information platform, today announced that it is launching an integration with MATLAB mathematical analysis software. This integration enables data scientists to analyze complex market data and news quickly with Money.Net data through the MATLAB environment.

In order to see this product, one must simply be a regular monthly subscription customer of Money.Net and obtain a standard Money.Net login. One must then purchase a copy of MATLAB and Datafeed Toolbox from MathWorks.

MATLAB, developed by MathWorks, is a programming environment for algorithm development, data analysis, visualization, and numeric computation. The software is used to mathematically analyze large amounts of data, including market data. Money.Net is a market data firm providing real time and historical market prices, reference fundamentals like economic data, financial statements, supply and demand numbers, as well as breaking news.

Morgan Downey, CEO of Money.Net said "MATLAB is one of the easiest and most productive software environments for market data analysis by financial engineers, data scientists, financial analysts, quants, strategists, risk managers, students, and academic researchers. Our customers at banks, hedge funds, asset managers, students and academics around the world all use MATLAB. We are delighted with the integration and believe that MATLAB customers will enjoy the experience."

"With this integration, Money.Net offers support when performing research activities, calibrate models, and develop algorithms using high quality data. Finance professionals, economists, and actuaries can now use MATLAB to access data across global asset classes through Money.Net," said Stuart Kozola, computational finance product manager, MathWorks.

About Money.Net

Money.Net is a suite of applications people used to interact with financial information in their jobs or for research every day to increase productivity and make money. Banks, hedge funds, asset managers, business school students and academics in 57 countries use Money.Net. Money.Net is the New York based, modern, affordable, new replacement for clunky old legacy systems. The Money.Net desktop application, Excel add in, MATLAB integration and mobile apps provide multi asset class (equities, commodities, FX, fixed income) global coverage. Money.Net provides real time and historical market price data, reference data (financials, economic data, supply and demand fundamentals), breaking real time news, voice squawk, severe weather and earthquake visualization on maps, and much more all for 1/15th the cost of a legacy terminal. For more information, visit www.money.net

About MATLAB

MATLAB is a registered trademark of The MathWorks, Inc. See mathworks.com/trademarks for a list of additional trademarks. Other product or brand names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. For more information, visit www.mathworks.com.

SOURCE Money.Net

Related Links

http://www.money.net


NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With a long track record of helping rural hospitals increase patient census and avoid transfers, telemedicine is also proving successful in addressing nocturnal staffing gaps at hospitals of all sizes, rural and metropolitan alike. Eagle Telemedicine will share success stories and best practices at the American Telemedicine Association's Fall Forum Sept. 28-30, 2016, in New Orleans.

Eagle Telemedicine representatives will be at Booth #107 throughout the conference, and invite attendees to visit and register for a raffle for a free iPad mini.

"The Fall Forum will cover how telemedicine is evolving to meet the needs of hospitals today, and our telenocturnist services are a prime example," said Dr. Talbot "Mac" McCormick, President and CEO of Eagle, a physician-led hospitalist management firm providing turnkey programs, Clinical Performance Management (CPM) solutions, and telemedicine services. "When we began our telemedicine program eight years ago, our first clients were rural hospitals hit hard by the physician shortage, and frequently overloading their daytime physicians with nighttime rounding responsibilities."

According to Dr. McCormick, larger hospitals are now looking to telemedicine to solve their night staffing issues. "In larger hospitals, nighttime admissions are more frequent, and ED physicians are often expected to do double-duty by handling cross-coverage calls on the floor. A high-stress working environment is made even more stressful. Our solutions help hospitals address the problem."

Results are impressive

Hospitals working with Eagle have also achieved these results:

Up to 40% savings on nighttime coverage

50% increase in nighttime admissions

An average response time of 1 minute and 9 seconds from the time nurses call telehospitalists to the time the physician is interacting remotely with patients

Though telemedicine can include many types of electronic communication, Eagle's approach uses a cart or robot on wheels with a two-way videoconferencing monitor that brings a patient face-to-face with a physician "beamed in" from a remote location. The physician and patient have direct interaction, and the technology enables the physician to monitor the patient remotely with a stethoscope, otoscope, and blood pressure gauge. It can also transmit still images such as photos and X-rays for interpretation by the physician.

Maximizing quality of care

"Hospitals are able to attract and keep patients that they might otherwise lose because of specialty coverage gaps," Dr. McCormick said. In addition, using critical care coverage through telemedicine can assist hospitals in achieving Leapfrog standards, and maximizing the quality and efficiency of ICU care. And engaging telemedicine to cover nights and weekends can help with the recruitment and retention of specialists.

"Nocturnists often have to be in two places at once in busy hospitals: handling admissions and rounding in the ED, while also providing floor call consultations. Stress and burnout frequently result from this overload. Eagle Telecross-Coverage resolves the problem," Dr. McCormick said. "We look forward to discussing our solutions with ATA conference attendees."

About Eagle Telemedicine

Founded in 2008, Eagle Telemedicine was one of the first companies to emerge in the telemedicine physician service arena and continues to serve as a pioneer in the industry today, leading practical solutions, management tools and innovation through the use of telemedicine. Eagle currently offers telemedicine programs and solutions in: Hospitalist Medicine, Stroke and Acute Neurology, Psychiatric Care, and Critical Care. The company was launched through Eagle Hospital Physicians, which develops and supports hospitalist physician practices serving hospitals in more than a dozen states. For more information, visit www.eagletelemedicine.com.

Media Contact

Jan Sisko

Carabiner Communications

678.591.2022

[email protected]

SOURCE Eagle Telemedicine

Related Links

http://www.eagletelemedicine.com


MT. PLEASANT, S.C., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, JASTA, became a law that will now allow foreign sponsors of terrorist attacks in the U.S. to be held accountable in U.S. civil courts, abolishing foreign governments' immunity for their role in supporting terror attacks on U.S. soil. Motley Rice LLC commends Congress for its actions to override the veto.

Today, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, respectively, voted to override a presidential veto of JASTA, following the President's veto of the bill on Friday, Sept. 23, 2016. A vote of more than two-thirds from the House and Senate was achieved in order to override the President's veto of the bill. The overwhelming support for JASTA is shown by the fact that this veto override marks the first time that Congress has overridden a veto by President Obama.

The House unanimously passed the bill on Friday, Sept. 9 and the Senate unanimously passed the bill on May 17, 2016.

After Sept. 11, 2001, Motley Rice attorneys initiated and led the groundbreaking, complex litigation against the financiers and material supporters of the terrorist organization al Qaeda. In keeping with late Motley Rice co-founder Ron Motley's "no stone left unturned" discovery philosophy, Motley Rice lawyers dedicated significant time and resources into al Qaeda's financing and material support in a global investigation for clients demanding accountability. When the first suit was filed by attorneys with Motley Rice in August 2002, Ron Motley described the suit, saying "it is about protecting all Americans from the future atrocities these barbarians are planning." Asked about the enormity of the task of proving the case, Motley assured "we'll leave no stone unturned, I can assure you of that."

In August 2002, Motley Rice filed the first civil action for 500 survivors and family members of victims of the 9/11 attacks. Since this actionThomas Burnett Sr. et al v Al Baraka Banking and Investment, et alwas filed, the number of plaintiffs has grown to include nearly 6,000 survivors and family members, which became organized under the title 9/11 Families and Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism to support the JASTA legislation. The action has been consolidated in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York as In re Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001, 03 MDL 1570. The litigation strives to hold responsible the individuals, banks, corporations and purported charities historically implicated in sponsoring al Qaeda's terrorist activities. This lawsuit is based on the principles of safety and freedom from terrorism and is designed to deter and strip resources from those individuals and entities that fund terrorism, and ultimately depriving them of the means to sponsor or otherwise promote future acts of terror.

For 40 years, since 1976, the U.S. has laws designed to enable victims of terrorism to bring suit against foreign states and entities that sponsor terrorism in the United States. However, in 2009, the Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals dismissed claims by victims of the 9/11 terror attacks against Saudi Arabia and so-called charities based in that country. The Second Circuit held that no one could be accountable for financing or supporting a terrorist attack in the United States as long as the money or support was given outside of the United States.

The Senate first introduced JASTA in 2009 with the full support of the 9/11 Families and Survivors and their support has remained since that time. Signed into law today, JASTA finally corrects and restores the ability to bring suit against foreign governments for alleged terror attacks on U.S. soil.

"JASTA becoming a law is long overdue. I am pleased that the 9/11 Families and Survivors finally received the recognition from our elected officials that they so deserve. All congressional members should be commended for coming together, something we don't see often enough, to see this legislation become law. For years, the 9/11 Families and Survivors displayed the courage to 'Do Something'  the final words of Tom Burnett who heroically took over Flight 93 with the other brave passengers, saving our nation's capital from further harm. They selflessly saved countless lives. I also thank the co-sponsors for their leadership in helping see this bill pass and for everyone who has supported this bill and the Families from the beginning," said Jodi Westbrook Flowers, Motley Rice LLC member and attorney for 9/11 Families and Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism.

"The 19 hijackers who murdered thousands of Americans on 9/11 did not act alone. They could not have succeeded in the attack without significant material support, including the financial means, to carry out Sept. 11, 2001. They spoke limited English, some needed help with pilot school in order to learn how to fly a plane, others were provided banking services, training, housing and transportation," she said.

Flowers continued, "Our investigation into those who provided the material support to al Qaeda and Bin Laden will speak for itself in a court of law. It is time for the legal maneuvering by the Saudis to end, it is time for the 9/11 Families and Survivors' day in Court."

Motley Rice attorney Robert Haefele described JASTA as sound public policy that safeguards the rights of those harmed by terrorism. "Beyond finding accountability for the 9/11 Families, JASTA is a mechanism to help protect Americans by being a deterrent to future terrorist attacks. Knowing that justice will prevail in an American court, would-be terrorists and those who support them financially and logistically should take heed," Haefele said. He, as well as the 9/11 families and survivors are thankful for Congress' show of strong, bipartisan support, he said.

To learn more about JASTA, visit www.passjasta.org.

Watch the Aug. 15, 2002 press conference with the 9/11 Families and Survivors.

Read the Aug. 15, 2002 press release issued following the first civil lawsuit filing by attorneys with Motley Rice LLC.

About Motley Rice LLC

Motley Rice is one of the nation's largest plaintiffs' litigation firms. With a tradition of representing those whose rights have been violated, Motley Rice attorneys gained recognition for their pioneering asbestos lawsuits, their work with the State Attorneys General in the landmark litigation against Big Tobacco, and their representation of 9/11 families and survivors in the ongoing lawsuit against terrorist financiers. The firm continues to handle complex litigation in numerous areas, including securities fraud; antitrust; consumer protection; mesothelioma; environmental contamination; prescription and over-the-counter drugs; other medical devices; human rights; aviation disasters; and wrongful death. Motley Rice is headquartered in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., and has additional offices in Connecticut; Louisiana; Washington, D.C.; New York; Missouri; Rhode Island; and West Virginia. For more information, contact Motley Rice attorney Jodi Westbrook Flowers (SC) at 1.800.768.4026 or visit www.motleyrice.com. Connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

SOURCE Motley Rice LLC

Related Links

http://www.motleyrice.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Tri-State Ford has partnered with Mouse, a national youth development organization, to expand technology education programs throughout the Tri-State region, including 10 schools in New Jersey, Staten Island and Long Island. Ford's support helps Mouse reach hundreds of new students, teaching essential technology skills and expanding students' knowledge of innovative practices like circuitry, game design and green technology.

As a national youth development nonprofit, Mouse empowers youth to use technology as a force for good to solve real problems and make meaningful change in their communities. Mouse is committed to increasing diversity in STEM and creates opportunities for youth from underserved neighborhoods to realize their potentialand the potential of technologyto create lasting change in their schools and communities and fuel the nation's future. To date, Mouse has positively impacted nearly 40,000 students nationwide.

Today's interactive celebration event showcased some of the Mouse projects and lessons that will help teach local students how to use technology as a tool to become creators, designers and makers in their communities. This partnership also highlights Tri-State Ford's commitment to investing in the next generation of technology leaders, supporting STEM programs and curriculum at local and national levels. Ford funding for the project was made possible through a unique partnership with CBS EcoMedia.

"On behalf of the educators and young learners we serve, Mouse thanks Tri-State Ford for its generosity and vision," said Daniel Rabuzzi, Executive Director, Mouse. "The opportunities Tri-State Ford makes possible today are going to take root in these communities and flourish for decades to come."

"The Tri-State Ford dealers are so proud of the area's students who participated in this program and proud to be a sponsor," said John Billard, Tri-State Ford FDAF Chairman. "At Ford we believe that investing in students and STEAM is investing in the next generation of our engineers, technicians, scientists, designers, automakers and innovators - to ensure a brighter future for our communities."

About Mouse

Mouse is a national youth development nonprot that believes in technology as a force for good. Mouse empowers all youth to create with technology to solve real problems and make meaningful change in our world. We are committed to creating more diversity in STEM and opening opportunity for students from underserved communities across the country. Founded in 1997, Mouse programs have had a positive and lasting impact on nearly 40,000 students nationwide. Learn more at mouse.org.

About Tri-State Ford

The Tri-State Ford Dealers are based in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. With 94 dealerships in the area, offering and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs and electrified vehicles. We plan to be leaders in connectivity, smart mobility, and the customer experience. At the same time, we believe in supporting our community through charitable efforts focusing on education, first responders and community revitalization projects. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford Motor Company, its products worldwide or Ford Motor Credit Company, visit www.corporate.ford.com.

About CBS EcoMedia Inc.

At EcoMedia, we're propelled by the desire to create positive social change; that's been our mission since we founded the company in 2002. In 2010, after successfully partnering with CBS on a wide range of environmental projects, EcoMedia became the newest addition to the CBS Corporation portfolio, exponentially scaling our reach across television, radio, interactive, publishing and outdoor media.

Through our patent-pending EcoAd, WellnessAd and EducationAd programs, an innovative twist on traditional advertising, advertisers are able to support much-needed local projects which in turn creates jobs, saves taxpayer money and improves the quality of life in communities nationwide. In the process, we're fundamentally altering the advertising landscape, elevating the ordinary, traditional commercial  and media, in general  into a catalyst for tangible, quantifiable social change. Please visit ecomediacbs.com, like us at facebook.com/EcoMediaCBS or follow us at Twitter.com/EcoMediaCBS.

By participating in EcoMedia's EcoAd, WellnessAd and EducationAd advertising programs, EcoMedia's advertisers agree to provide funding for projects we believe will have a beneficial effect upon the environment, health and/or education within local communities. EcoMedia's advertising programs are not certification programs nor are the EcoAd, WellnessAd or EducationAd logos seals of approval. EcoMedia does not in any way certify, endorse or make any representations about EcoMedia program advertisers, their products or services.

Press Contacts:

Susan Schwartz

Communications Director, Mouse

[email protected]

646-574-1014

SOURCE Mouse

Related Links

http://www.mouse.org


LISLE, Ill., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Navistar today unveiled its innovative SuperTruck demonstration vehicle, CatalIST, which has achieved a freight efficiency improvement of 104 percent compared to the control vehicle, exceeding the improvement goal set by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the SuperTruck program.

In addition, the Navistar vehicle has achieved fuel efficiency of 13 miles per gallon, and demonstrated 50.3 percent Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE) and a path towards 55 percent BTE.

The last three letters of the vehicle's name, the CatalIST, stand for "International SuperTruck," referencing the company's International commercial truck brand. The "CatalIST" concept underscores the company's conviction that the innovations achieved through the program will serve as the catalyst for significant improvements in future commercial vehicles.

"The CatalIST's significant improvements in freight efficiency, achieved with the support of DOE's SuperTruck program, demonstrate tremendous potential for reduction in the trucking industry's consumption of energy," said Mark Stasell, vice president, Product Development. "In addition, a number of the technology innovations we have achieved through the program are already being implemented in production vehicles today."

Stasell pointed to Navistar's predictive cruise control technology as one example of a significant technical innovation the company achieved through the program. Predictive cruise control looks ahead of the vehicle and recognizes the terrain and continuously calculates the most efficient speed and gear for optimal fuel economy in real time. Unlike conventional predictive cruise technology, the company's predictive cruise control uses preinstalled GPS maps and the latest commercial route data to make adjustments to cruising speed without the need to pre-drive the route.

Other improvements included:

Advanced integration of Navistar  N13 Engine utilizing proprietary intelligent controls and high efficiency combustion.

N13 Engine utilizing proprietary intelligent controls and high efficiency combustion. Reduction in aerodynamic drag through replacement of cab- and hood-mounted mirrors with a series of cameras and interior-mounted monitors, which also yield equal or better indirect vision for the driver.

A new LED headlamp system that reduces lamp size for a more aerodynamic shape and cuts electrical power requirements by greater than 80 percent, while improving luminous output and light color for improved night-time direct driver vision and reduced driver fatigue.

An all-new shape with a sloped windshield and wedged cab for improved aerodynamics. Innovative use of lighter-weight carbon-fiber panels in the upper body, roof headers, back panel, and dash panel.

A hybrid front suspension and lightweight rear suspension that leverages lightweight alloys with composite materials, reducing weight and enabling an electronic ride height management system, which provides dynamic ride height and pitch control for improved aerodynamics.

Aerodynamic improvements that reduce the trailer's drag coefficient by more than 30 percent.

The DOE's SuperTruck program, a five-year-long research and development initiative, focused on improving freight efficiency, a measure of the payload carried while burning less fuel, versus 2009 base model trucks. Its objective was to develop and demonstrate a 50 percent improvement in overall freight efficiency on a heavy-duty Class 8 tractor-trailer vehicle as measured in ton-miles per gallon of diesel fuel.

About Navistar

Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV) is a holding company whose subsidiaries and affiliates produce International brand commercial and military trucks, proprietary diesel engines, and IC Bus brand school and commercial buses. An affiliate also provides truck and diesel engine service parts. Another affiliate offers financing services. Additional information is available at www.Navistar.com.

* All marks are trademarks of their respective owners.

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SOURCE Navistar International Corporation

Related Links

http://www.navistar.com


FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) installed Connie Leipard, CIT, as its 62nd National President during NAWIC's Annual Meeting and Education Conference in San Antonio, Texas on Friday, Aug. 19, 2016. Leipard, owner of Quality Drywall Construction, has been a member of NAWIC's Central Missouri Chapter since 1995.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160927/412308

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160927/412310

Connie M. Leipard, CIT is the 2016-2017 President of the National Association of Women in Construction. Photo courtesy of NAWIC/www.nawic.org The 2016-2017 NAWIC Board of Directors. Photo by Jacky Price and courtesy of NAWIC/www.nawic.org

"NAWIC is poised to make a positive impact in the construction industry by focusing our resources on member career development through leadership opportunities, education and networking," said Leipard. "The 2016-2017 NAWIC national board is committed to making a difference by implementing effective training programs for our members. In addition, we will increase engagement with construction employers to determine future training programs. Our efforts will lead to greater success in recruiting and retaining women in the industry."

Leipard's goals for the upcoming year include providing training resources for chapter leaders and individual members to promote personal, professional and association growth; continuing succession planning for the upcoming retirement of NAWIC's executive vice president; and implementing a national marketing program.

Leipard's theme for her year in office is "Support  Encourage  Grow." This encompasses what NAWIC is all aboutenhancing the success of women in the construction industry. She wants to, "remind members of the opportunities we have through NAWIC to make a difference in the industry and for the women employed in it. As we support, encourage and grow, the influence of women in the industry will increase."

NAWIC also installed officers President-Elect Catherine D. Schoenenberger, Granite State Chapter, N.H.; Vice President Dove Sifers-Putman, CBT, Charlotte, N.C. Chapter; Treasurer Anne Pfleger, CIT, Lima Ohio Area Chapter; Secretary Diane I. Mike, CBT, Fort Worth, Texas Chapter; and Immediate Past President Riki F. Lovejoy, CBT, CIT, Greater Orlando, Fla. Chapter.

In addition to the officers, the NAWIC board is comprised of a director from each of the association's eight regions. Each director serves a two-year term and is elected by her peers to bring the wishes and needs of the chapters to the attention of the association. New directors installed include:

Midwest Region Director Vickie Nickel , CIT, Greater Kansas City, Mo. Chapter;

, CIT, Chapter; North Central Region Director Jenny Mangas , Cincinnati, Ohio Chapter;

, Chapter; Northeast Region Director Doreen Bartoldus, P.E., CCM, Lower Hudson, N.Y. Chapter; and

Chapter; and Pacific Southwest Region Director Elizabeth M. Teramoto , CIT, Las Vegas, Nev. Chapter.

NAWIC region directors serving the second year of their term include:

Pacific Northwest Region Director Ruth Fritts , Boise, Idaho Chapter;

, Chapter; South Atlantic Region Director Lorie Lythgoe , Richmond, Va. Chapter;

, Chapter; South Central Region Director Dena Rowland , Fort Worth, Texas Chapter; and

, Chapter; and Southeast Region Director Angelia McElroy , CIT, Tampa, Fla. Chapter.

About NAWIC

NAWIC is an international association serving approximately 124 chapters across the United States. It was founded in 1953 to enhance the success of women in the construction industry as "Women in Construction of Fort Worth, Texas." In 1955, the charter was expanded to allow chapters to form across the country and the National Association of Women in Construction was born. NAWIC's Core Purpose is "To enhance the success of women in the construction industry." The association has expanded to include international affiliates in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom. For more information, please contact Communications Director Autumn Daughetee at (817) 877-5551. Visit NAWIC online at www.nawic.org.

Media Contacts:

Autumn Daughetee

817-877-5551

Email

SOURCE National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)

Related Links

http://www.nawic.org


CHATSWORTH, Calif., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- NEO Tech announces that it was awarded a 2016 Global Technology Award in the category of Contract Services > $100 million. The award was presented to the company during a Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016 ceremony that took place at the Donald Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL during SMTA International. NEO Tech is a leading provider of manufacturing technology and supply chain solutions for brand name OEMs in the industrial, medical and mil/aero markets.

NEO Tech performs product design, engineering and manufacturing service activity for a growing number of OEM customers. The company operates as a seamless extension of its customers' engineering organizations, adding scale, flexibility and speed to their new product innovation and commercialization processes. It is NEO Tech's engineering services strategy to become the customer's engineering partner at any stage of the design cycle to assist in transforming ideas into production ready product offerings. They offer supply chain and manufacturing service solutions tailored to the needs of each customer at their 14 global manufacturing locations.

The company's microelectronics group offers ceramic substrates and microelectronic assembly services for high-reliability applications and products to a wide variety of OEMs in the medical, industrial defense and aerospace markets. The microelectronic industry faces the challenge of controlling costs and risk while ensuring reliability and the company has thrived by offering customers an unmatched understanding of high-reliability materials, microelectronics production, LEAN processes, and defect-elimination approaches.

"We appreciate the SMTA recognition of our technology leadership," stated David Brakenwagen, NEO Tech Chief Sales and Marketing Officer. "It is the innovative solutions that the entire NEO Tech organization delivers to our OEM customers every day that positions our customers for success."

Premiering in 2005, the Global Technology Awards program is an annual celebration of product excellence in electronics surface mount assembly. Premier products based on the finest examples of creative advancement in technology are chosen by a distinguished panel of industry experts.

For more information about NEO Tech and/or the products and services, visit the company's website at www.NEOTech.com.

About NEO Tech

NEO Tech combines the strengths of three leading contract manufacturers: NATEL, EPIC, and OnCore. With over 40 years of heritage in electronics manufacturing, NEO Tech focuses on low-medium-volume/high-mix, high-complexity products primarily in the medical, defense/aerospace and industrial markets.

NEO Tech is favorably positioned among mid-tier EMS manufacturers to "make amazing things happen." NEO Tech offers full product lifecycle engineering services, manufacturing and testing of microelectronics, cable & harness interconnect products, PCBA, full box build services and aftermarket repair and fulfillment services. The companies that form NEO Tech have been known for solving tough engineering problems that result in high-reliability, high-quality electronic solutions for customers.

Headquartered in Chatsworth, CA, NEO Tech has manufacturing and engineering locations in California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, Ohio, Tennessee, Mexico, and China. NEO Tech holds and maintains industry specific certifications that include ISO9001, AS9100, ISO13485, ISO/TS16949, ISO14001 and MIL-PRF-38534. To learn more, visit www.NEOTech.com.

For more information:

Steve Heinzen, VP Marketing

NEO Tech

510-933-6065

[email protected]

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SOURCE NEO Tech

Related Links

http://www.NEOTech.com


TROY, Mich., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Altair has added Trace Harris and Oren Michels to its Board of Directors.

"With both these individuals we have deliberately brought aboard talent from outside of traditional product development technology viewpoints", noted James R. Scapa, Altair's Founder, Chairman and CEO. "The world enabled by cloud-based high performance computing, data analytics, and connectivity through the Internet of Things will be a better place. Altair believes strongly that we can play a strong role in helping product and experience creators across the globe design a future that is more sustainable and allows more people to achieve their full potential. Trace and Oren have the clarity and vision to help us do that."

Ms. Harris' professional experience includes 13 years with Vivendi, ultimately as its senior executive in the US for strategy, finance, corporate development, and business innovation. She was previously Senior Vice President of Strategic Development for Universal Studios Television Group, where she was responsible for developing and implementing international television strategies as well as for launching its first international television network. Prior to Universal Studios, Trace was Director of Finance and Channel Operations for Warner Brothers International Channels. She started her career at JP Morgan in New York. Ms. Harris was granted her Bachelor's degree from Stanford University in Economics and her MBA from Yale School of Management.

Trace Harris stated that, "Altair enables companies across a wide range of industries to innovate faster and optimize both product design and decision making. I'm thrilled to serve on the board of this innovative, dynamic and growing organization which delivers so much value for its customers."

Mr. Michels is an entrepreneur, investor, board member, and advisor to technology startups in the US and Europe. He co-founded Mashery in 2006 and served as CEO until Intel acquired the company in 2013. When it was acquired, Mashery-powered APIs were used by over 350,000 active developers in over 100,000 active applications, and counted among its customers many of the largest e-commerce, media, and data companies in the world. Oren's angel investments include Uber, Pebble Post, and eero. He also invests as an LP in early and mid-stage venture capital funds. He served as a director of Aepona, an Irish software company, from 2011 through its acquisition by Intel in 2013. He was also an early advisor to the founder of Gnip, which was acquired by Twitter. Mr. Michels actively advises enterprise SaaS, PaaS, and cloud companies, and has assisted several such companies in developing and implementing strategies for growth and in closing M&A transactions. He holds a BS in electrical engineering from MIT and an MBA from UCLA.

"I'm honored to be a part of the next phase of Altair's remarkable story," said Oren Michels. "It's rare to find a company that has made such an investment of time and passion in tackling such complex technological problems - and achieved such a long track record of consistent growth and commercial success. I can't wait to see how Jim and his amazing team continue to build this remarkable company."

About Altair

Founded in 1985, Altair is focused on the development and application of simulation technology to synthesize and optimize designs, processes and decisions for improved business performance. Privately held with more than 2,600 employees, Altair is headquartered in Troy, Michigan, USA with more than 45 offices throughout 20 countries, and serves more than 5,000 corporate clients across broad industry segments. To learn more, please visit www.altair.com.

Media contact:

Altair Corporate/ Americas

Biba A. Bedi

+1-757-224-0548 x 406

[email protected]

SOURCE Altair

Related Links

http://www.altair.com


"The decision to uplist Barbary macaques to Appendix I was unanimously decided by all Parties. This is the second time today that we have seen the international community join together in the interests of a species in desperate need of help. Enacting strong, global regulations will make a real difference for these animals," said Reijnen.

"Unfortunately the primates are used as pets in Europe, which is a nightmare for both the animal and the owner. The inclusion in Appendix I will more effectively protect them from poaching and illegal trade and also support ongoing conservation efforts in range countries."

The Barbary macaque is a unique species. It is the only family member of the genus Macaca occurring in Africa and the only non-human primate which occurs north of the Sahara. It is also the only non-human primate living in Europe, where a small semi-wild population inhabits the Rock of Gibraltar in Europe's most southwestern tip. An estimated 6,500 to 9,100 Barbary macaques are left in highly fragmented areas in Morocco and Algeria, with about 200 living on the Rock of Gibraltar.

While habitat fragmentation and loss are the main threats to the survival of the Barbary macaque, the illegal trade in live juvenile macaques for the international pet trade is also a significant danger to wild populations. The species has been categorised as Endangered in the IUCN Red List since 2008 based on an estimated population decline exceeding 50 per cent over the last three generations (24 years). This decline is expected to continue.

"Today's decision will help Algeria and Morocco in their efforts to protect this unique species by strengthening domestic legislation and allowing for higher penalties in cases of poaching and illegal trade," says Reijnen. "We are extremely happy that CITES parties recognized the threat Barbary macaques are facing and decided to act in favor of a species that is disappearing widely unnoticed."

About IFAW

Founded in 1969, IFAW rescues and protects animals around the world. With projects in more than 40 countries, IFAW rescues individual animals, works to prevent cruelty to animals, and advocates for the protection of wildlife and habitats. For more information, visit www.ifaw.org. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Photos are available at www.ifawimages.com

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160928/413025

SOURCE International Fund for Animal Welfare

Related Links

http://www.ifaw.org


NORFOLK, Va., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) announced today that James A. Hixon, executive vice president law and corporate relations and chief legal officer, will retire effective Dec. 1, 2016.

"Jim has served Norfolk Southern in a wide variety of executive capacities for more than two decades," said James A. Squires, chairman, president, and CEO. "His contributions to the success of our company and to the overall vitality of the American railroad industry are significant and long-lasting."

Hixon joined NS in 1985 as a tax attorney and first was elected an officer of the company in 1993 when he was named vice president taxation. He subsequently was promoted to a series of more senior executive positions with wide ranging responsibilities, including senior vice president administration, and executive vice president finance and public affairs, before being named to his current position in 2005. Having served as chief legal officer for NS for more than a decade, Hixon is recognized as an industry leader in legal and government relations matters and is currently chair of the Policy and Advocacy Committee of the Association of American Railroads. He played a key role in creation of the National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust and establishment of the Trust's investment policies, and has served multiple terms as trustee.

Hixon's legal and corporate communications responsibilities will be assumed by William A. Galanko, whom the board of directors of Norfolk Southern Corp. named senior vice president law and corporate communications, effective Dec. 1, 2016.

Galanko joined NS in 1990 as a tax attorney and was named vice president taxation in 1999, vice president financial planning in 2005, and vice president law in 2006. Galanko holds an undergraduate degree from West Virginia University and law degrees from the College of William and Mary and Georgetown University.

Also effective Dec. 1, 2016, the board of directors named John M. Scheib vice president law, to replace Galanko. Since joining NS in 2005, Scheib has held positions of increasing responsibility in the NS law department and currently is general counsel commerce. Previously, Scheib served as chief of staff and counsel to the chairman of the U.S. Surface Transportation Board and as counsel to the railroad subcommittee in the U.S. House of Representatives. Scheib holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and a law degree from Villanova University. In 2015, he completed the General Management Program at Harvard Business School.

About Norfolk Southern

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 20,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal, automotive, and industrial products.

SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation

Related Links

http://http://www.norfolksouthern.com


VANCOUVER, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Orex Minerals Inc.  (TSX-V: REX OTCQX: ORMNF) ("Orex"), is pleased to announce that the Phase-III diamond drilling program continues to intercept silver mineralization on the Sandra Escobar Project in Durango, Mexico. These include holes SA-16-049 to SA-16-053 in the southeastern region of the project. The Sandra Escobar Project is being advanced by Orex under an option agreement with Canasil Resources Inc.  (TSX.V: CLZ) ("Canasil").

Highlights for this batch of holes in the Main Zone include SA-16-050, which yielded 57.00 metres core length (46.00 m true thickness) grading 118 g/t silver, starting from surface, and SA-16-049, which yielded 41.00 metres core length (35.00 m true thickness) grading 106 g/t silver, also starting from surface.

All five of these drill holes are located on the northern side of the Main Zone. These results extend the mineralized envelope for the Main Zone a further 50 to 100 metres to the north. Also, a low-grade permeable horizon, similar to the Main Zone in texture, has been identified stratigraphically below the Main Zone on several sections and may constitute a bifurcation of the Main Zone, or a new silver target. Intercepts from this lower horizon are marked as "Lower Interval" in the table below.

Orex's President, Gary Cope says, "The third phase of drilling results continues to show strong continuity of the mineralized unit and will be added to the drill hole database for next month's upcoming Resource Estimate."

Sandra Escobar Project  2015-2016 Diamond Drilling Program  Holes 49 to 53 Hole From (m) To (m) Core Length (m) True Thick. (m) Ag (g/t)











MAIN ZONE











SA-16-049 1.00 42.00 41.00 35.00 106 Includes 8.00 34.00 26.00 22.20 118 Includes 8.00 20.00 12.00 10.24 142 Includes 17.00 18.00 1.00 0.85 283 (Lower Interval) 82.00 107.00 25.00 21.00 63 Includes 91.00 105.00 14.00 11.76 81 Includes 100.00 102.00 2.00 1.68 109











SA-16-050 2.00 59.00 57.00 46.00 118 Includes 13.00 56.00 43.00 34.70 137 Includes 23.00 34.00 11.00 8.88 178 Includes 24.00 28.00 4.00 3.23 233 (Lower Interval) 109.00 132.50 23.50 18.00 48 Includes 120.00 126.00 6.00 4.60 61











SA-16-051 0.70 36.00 35.30 31.00 88 Includes 0.70 9.00 8.30 7.29 128 Includes 6.00 9.00 3.00 2.63 189 Includes 8.00 9.00 1.00 0.88 317 (Lower Interval) 75.00 81.00 6.00 5.50 26 Includes 75.00 77.00 2.00 1.83 35











SA-16-052 4.00 40.00 36.00 29.00 40 Includes 19.00 28.00 9.00 7.25 65 Includes 23.00 28.00 5.00 4.03 74 Includes 26.00 27.00 1.00 0.81 107 (Lower Interval) 104.00 106.00 2.00 1.75 28 Includes 104.00 105.00 1.00 0.88 37











SA-16-053 1.00 51.00 50.00 32.00 40 Includes 1.00 28.00 27.00 17.28 51 Includes 1.00 9.00 8.00 5.12 107 Includes 6.00 7.00 1.00 0.64 200 (Lower Interval) 97.00 103.00 6.00 5.00 16 Includes 100.00 101.50 1.50 1.25 24













Kluane Drilling Ltd. provides the drilling services utilizing an environmentally low-impact KD-1000 man-portable diamond drill rig.

Silver mineralization is hosted in a rhyolite volcanic dome. An altered and highly permeable crystal lithic tuff unit contains disseminations of silver bearing minerals and broadly spaced stockwork veinlets. The current working model has a porphyritic rhyolite unit as an impermeable cap, which may have focused mineralizing fluids into the host permeable volcaniclastic unit.

True thicknesses are estimated based on structural and stratigraphic interpretations. A map showing the locations of the drill holes is available on the Orex website.

Orex maintains a QA/QC sampling protocol for the diamond drilling program, including the insertion of commercial analytical standards and blank samples. Analytical testing is performed by Bureau Veritas. Silver values are determined by fire assay with a gravimetric finish. Multi-element analyses are also determined using a 4-acid digestion and ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry).

Sandra Escobar Silver-Gold Project, Durango, Mexico

Sandra Escobar is situated north of the town of Tepehuanes, Durango, in the heart of the "Mexican Silver Trend", midway between the mining districts of Tovar and Guanacevi and is 75 km west of Silver Standard's La Pitarrilla. This prolific trend hosts some of the world's largest silver camps and deposits, including Fresnillo, Guanajuato, La Pitarrilla, La Preciosa, Real de Angeles and Zacatecas.

The project consists of 6,976 hectares of mineral concessions and covers multiple mineralized epithermal quartz veins and breccia structures. These veins form a high level silver-gold-base metals system, hosted in andesitic and rhyolitic rocks, centered on a large rhyolite dome complex in the north and silver systems in smaller rhyolite dome complexes to the southeast. Intense alteration zones and fluid flooding in permeable formations indicates the presence of bulk tonnage targets. Excellent infrastructure exists in the Sandra Escobar area, including paved road access, electrical power, water and manpower from nearby communities.

Dale Brittliffe, P.Geo., and Ben Whiting, P.Geo., are Qualified Persons, as defined in NI 43-101, and take responsibility for the technical disclosure contained within this news release.

ABOUT OREX MINERALS INC.

Orex is a Canadian-based junior exploration company comprised of highly qualified mining professionals. Orex has several current projects: the Coneto Gold-Silver Project in Durango, Mexico, a joint venture with Fresnillo PLC, the Jumping Josephine Gold-Silver Project in British Columbia, Canada, plus this newest Sandra Escobar Silver Project in Durango, Mexico, with Canasil Resources Inc.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Gary Cope

President

This News Release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements and Orex undertakes no obligation to update such statements, except as required by law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Orex Minerals Inc.

Related Links

www.orexminerals.com


WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The issues facing today's organic sector are diverse and range from questions arising in organic fields and processing plants to conference halls and research laboratories. The Organic Center is thrilled to collaborate in three wide-ranging grants totaling over $2 million that will address key needs of today's organic industry. The grants were announced today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and will be funded by the agency's Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI).

"The organic sector has made great strides on its own," said Dr. Jessica Shade, Director of Science Programs at The Organic Center. "But adequate government funding is vital to enabling research and other activities that help uphold the integrity of organic and advance the sector."

Sharing organic knowledge to increase adoption of organic

In May 2016, The Organic Center brought together a group of thought leaders including farmers, scientists, industry members and key policymakers in the first-ever Organic Confluences Summit. The ground-breaking conference looked at environmental areas where organic research could complement federal agricultural conservation and sustainability programs.

The Organic Center is delighted to be the recipient this year of a $50,000 grant to host a second Organic Confluences Summit in 2017. The goal of next year's conference will be to find ways to improve the dissemination and adoption of scientific research aimed at overcoming common challenges to organic production.

More American farmers are transitioning to organic every year, but despite the increased interest in organic agriculture, less than 1 percent of this country's farmland is organic. A critical challenge to boosting the further adoption of organic production in the U.S. is ensuring the adequate and broad dissemination of organic information to farmers and policymakers, including important organic research findings and other developments in organic agriculture.

While scientist are increasingly conducting research and developing new methods to address the diversity of obstacles faced by organic farmers, research results are often slow to reach growers. The need for better research dissemination and utilization also extends to policymakers. Agricultural issues are debated by lawmakers and translated into policy by executive agencies. Scientific data are needed at every step to develop meaningful regulations, yet communication among scientists and policymakers is lacking.

Again spearheaded and coordinated by The Organic Center, the summit will be hosted in collaboration with USDA's Economic Research Service. Participants will include organic and transitioning farmers, researchers, extension agents, and key industry and policy influencers.

An organic alternative to celery powder in meat curing

An almost $40,000 grant (exact amount $38,564) was awarded to the University of Wisconsin, with The Organic Center and the Organic Trade Association (OTA) as collaborators, to help identify an organic alternative to conventional celery powder in curing organic meat and products.

Celery powder has been in use for over a decade as a "curing" agent in certain processed meat products as an alternative to sodium and potassium nitrate and nitrite. Since 2007, conventionally grown celery powder has been allowed for use in certified organic meat products. During this time, the organic processed meat industry has grown to an estimated $150 million. As the demand for organic processed meats increases, the organic industry wants to replace the use of conventional celery powder with an organic alternative.

The awarding of this grant reflects the involvement and hard work for over a year of OTA's National List Innovation Working Group, which was formed in 2015 to invest in research to identify and develop alternatives to inputs on the National Organic Program's list of approved ingredients for certified organic products.

The first project of the National List Innovation Working Group was to look at the development of organically grown celery or other vegetables used in the curing of organic meat products. Celery powder is a key preservative in the curing of meats, but organic celery powder is not as effective in curing as non-organic celery powder. While organic stakeholders would like to remove non-organic celery powder from its toolbox, an appropriate alternative needs to be developed first.

The OREI-funded research will help identify potential varieties of organic crops that would meet the chemical specification needed for curing, while being easily incorporated into current crop rotation systems. It will also identify potential management protocols to achieve target nitrate levels in the curing crop to produce the required shelf life and prevent bacteria in the cured meat, and to produce the desired flavor, color and texture in food.

Food safety and use of manure in organic farming

Addressing one of the most pressing issues for the organic community, a $2 million grant was awarded to examine the relationship between manure use in improving soil health and food safety, concentrating on organic fresh produce production. How to use manure effectively in organic farming in ways that foster healthy soil and minimize risks to food safety is of critical concern for the organic sector, as many certified organic producers rely on animal-based manure and compost to improve soil fertility and quality instead of chemical fertilizers.

The grant (exact amount $1,999,848.) was awarded to a multidisciplinary team from the University of California, Davis; University of Minnesota, University of Maine, the USDA Agricultural Research Service's Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, USDA's Economic Research Service Resource and Rural Economics Division, The Organic Center, and the Produce Safety Alliance to examine the relationship between manure use in improving soil health and food safety, concentrating on organic fresh produce production.

Last year, a $50,000 grant, which was conceived and written in collaboration with The Organic Center and the Organic Trade Association and others, was awarded to UC Davis to explore current practices used by the organic industry related to manure, compost use and rotational grazing. As part of that initiative, UC Davis, The Organic Center, Organic Trade Association and other collaborators conducted farmer-focused public meetings, as well as online survey and interviews, to allow farmers to voice concerns and beliefs regarding the use of manure and compost and any potential associated food safety risks.

The new grant will be used to develop a risk analysis of on-farm practices associated with the persistence of pathogens on organic farms using manure and compost; determine the relationship between soil health and pathogen survival in organic produce fields treated with animal manure, and develop a program to provide technical and systems-based produce food safety training.

For more information on The Organic Center and the science behind organic food and farming, visit www.organic-center.org.

The Organic Center's mission is to convene credible, evidence-based science on the health and environmental benefits of organic food and farming and to communicate the findings to the public. The Center is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) research and education organization operating under the administrative auspices of the Organic Trade Association.

SOURCE The Organic Center

Related Links

http://www.ota.com


BAODING, China, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Orient Paper, Inc. (NYSE MKT: ONP) ("Orient Paper" or the "Company"), a leading manufacturer and distributor of diversified paper products in North China, today announced that it will hold its 2016 annual meeting of stockholders on October 12, 2016 at Orient Paper Inc, Hebei Province, China.

Date: October 12, 2016 Time: 10 a.m. local time Location: Wei County Production Base, Orient Paper Inc.

Industrial Park, Wei County, Hebei Province, China 054700

As fully discussed in the definitive proxy statement described below, the annual meeting will be devoted to the following proposals:

Election of three Class II directors to serve on the Board of Directors of the Company, with such Class II directors to serve until the 2018 annual meeting of stockholders and until their respective successors have been duly elected and qualified or until his earlier resignation, removal or death; Ratification of the appointment of BDO China Shu Lun Pan CPAs LLP as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2016 ; and Such other matters as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment or adjournments thereof.

Stockholders of record at the close of business on August 19, 2016 are entitled to receive notice and vote at the annual meeting.

Additional Information

This press release may be deemed to be solicitation material in respect of the annual meeting. In connection with the annual meeting, the Company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on September 12, 2016, a definitive proxy statement, which is publicly available, and has mailed such definitive proxy statement to stockholders on or about September 12, 2016. INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY THE PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER MATERIALS FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE ANNUAL MEETING, AS THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, THE PROPOSALS, THE PERSONS SOLICITING PROXIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSALS ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY, AND THE INTERESTS OF THOSE PERSONS IN THE PROPOSALS AND RELATED MATTERS. Stockholders may access the Company's definitive proxy statement, without charge, at the SEC's website www.sec.gov. Upon written request to Ms. Dahong Zhou, Secretary, Orient Paper, Inc., Science Park, Juli Road, Xushui District, Baoding City, Hebei Province, People's Republic of China 072550, we will provide without charge to each person requesting, a copy of our 2015 Annual Report, including the financial statements filed therewith. We will furnish a requesting stockholder with any exhibit not contained therein upon specific request. In addition, the Proxy Statement, as well as our 2015 Annual Report, is available on our Internet website at www.orientpaperinc.com.

About Orient Paper, Inc.

Orient Paper, Inc. ("Orient Paper") is a leading paper manufacturer in North China. Using recycled paper as its primary raw material (with the exception of its digital photo paper and tissue paper products), Orient Paper produces and distributes three categories of paper products: corrugating medium paper, offset printing paper, and other paper products, including digital photo paper and tissue paper products.

With production based in Baoding and Xingtaiin North China's Hebei Province, Orient Paper is located strategically close to the Beijing and Tianjin region, home to a growing base of industrial and manufacturing activities and one of the largest markets for paper products consumption in the country.

Orient Paper's production facilities are controlled and operated by its wholly owned subsidiary Shengde Holdings Inc, which in turn controls and operates Baoding Shengde Paper Co., Ltd., and Hebei Baoding Orient Paper Milling Co., Ltd.

Founded in 1996, Orient Paper has been listed on the NYSE MKT under the ticker symbol "ONP" since December 2009. For more information about the Company, please visit http://www.orientpaperinc.com.

Safe Harbor Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated, including risks outlined in the Company's public filings with the SEC, including the Company's latest annual report on Form 10-K. All information provided in this press release speaks as of the date hereof. Except as otherwise required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Orient Paper, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.orientpaperinc.com


"This decision gives real hope that extinction of pangolins may be prevented," says Mark Hofberg, Assistant Campaigns Officer at IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare). "The rate at which they are being killed is completely unsustainable and cruel. If nothing would be done, we could see these amazing creatures disappear within a generation."

"Two separate decision were taken today one for Asian, and one for African. Between the two decisions the African decision was completely unanimous; and only one country  Indonesia  voted against the Asian proposal. This is a perfect example of when the international community can come together for a species that truly needs help, and enacts strong, global regulations that can make a real difference," said Hofberg.

Pangolins are small to medium size, scale-covered mammals found throughout parts of Asia and Africa. There are a total of eight species, four in Asia and four in Africa. Pangolins are particularly sensitive to over-exploitation because their reproduction rate is very low. Furthermore, their primary predator defense  rolling into an impenetrable ball  makes it an easy catch for poachers.

Their scales are being used in traditional Asian medicine and their meat is a highly valued delicacy. Over a million pangolins have been taken from the wild and illegally traded in the past decade. As populations are disappearing in China and Viet Nam, poachers turn to other parts of Southeast Asia and India and increasingly source animals from the African species.

The four Asian pangolin species have been assigned zero-export quotas in 2000, but it is nearly impossible for enforcers to distinguish which species loose scales belong to. To effectively combat the illegal trade it is therefore necessary to prohibit trade with all eight pangolin species.

"We are happy that the world has finally decided to pay attention to the plight of this little known and amazingly unique animal," says Hofberg. "They are one of the most imperiled species on the planet and it is about time that we wake up and do something to save them."

All pangolin species have been on Appendix II of Cites since 1994. In addition, pangolins are protected by national laws in most range countries but lack of enforcement and light penalties have undermined these laws in many nations. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species lists populations in China and Viet Nam as "Critically Endangered", the other two Asian species as "Endangered" and the four African species as "Vulnerable".

Parties have a chance at the Plenary on the last day to call for a revote, but given that all the votes were won almost unanimously, there is very little possibility of that happening.

Related infographic available here: http://www.ifaw.org/sites/default/files/IFAW_Pangolin_Infographic-2016.pdf

About IFAW

Founded in 1969, IFAW rescues and protects animals around the world. With projects in more than 40 countries, IFAW rescues individual animals, works to prevent cruelty to animals, and advocates for the protection of wildlife and habitats. For more information, visit www.ifaw.org. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Photos are available at www.ifawimages.com

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160928/412889

SOURCE International Fund for Animal Welfare

Related Links

http://www.ifaw.org


HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) and the Pennsylvania Winery Association (PWA) will kick off October as Pennsylvania Wine Month by hosting meet-the-winemaker events at Fine Wine & Good Spirits Premium Collection stores in Philadelphia; Hummelstown, Dauphin County; and Wexford, Allegheny County, on Monday, Oct. 3.

Each event will be held from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM and will feature winemaker-led tastings and an opportunity for attendees to interact with and ask questions of the winemaker.

Meet Paradocx Vineyard and Winery Winemaster Gabriel Rubilar at the Chestnut Street Fine Wine & Good Spirits Premium Collection store, 1112 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19107

Gabriel was born and raised in Argentina and discovered a love of chemistry and agronomy in his teens. After earning degrees in winemaking and oenology, Gabriel worked at a wine co-op in Argentina before participating in an exchange program that brought him to California. Eventually he found his way to the expansive Paradocx vineyard, where he met his wife, began a family, and continues to master growing techniques and fermentation chemistry. Paradocx, which recently added local craft beers to its tasting menus, embraces the artisan wine movement, focusing on quality hand-crafted wines in small quantities.

Gabriel says, "The beauty of creating quality local wines is what brings wine lovers to beautiful Pennsylvania. In other words, if we continue to focus on only the premium crops for our vintages, we will bottle only the best."

Meet Nissley Winery head winemaker Jennifer Wampler at the Hummelstown Fine Wine & Good Spirits Premium Collection store, 1158 Mae St., Hummelstown, PA 17036

A Philadelphia native, Jennifer is one of just a handful of female winemakers in Pennsylvania. Her path to this highly regarded position with Lancaster County-based Nissley Winery has been paved with hard work and a passion for wine. Jennifer enrolled in the viticulture and oenology program at Harrisburg Area Community College while maintaining a full-time job, juggling personal and family life, and working part-time at Nissley. Having made the switch to full-time winemaker, Jennifer is proud of an award-winning Vignoles and excited for the opportunity to develop red blends in coming years as Nissley plants more grapes.

Jennifer says, "My goal is to get people to enjoy. I'm a perfectionist, and I want my name to be linked to making great wine, and that's my goal."

The Hummelstown meet-the-winemaker event will be held in conjunction with the grand re-opening of the Premium Collection store following renovations.

Meet Mazza Vineyards head winemaker Carolina Damiano Cores at the Wexford Fine Wine & Good Spirits Premium Collection store, 125 Towne Center Dr., Wexford, PA 15090

Carolina is Mazza Vineyard's first female winemaker, and her path from her home country of Uruguay to Lake Erie wine country has included stops in California, New Zealand, and Chile. She was drawn to Mazza, where she is in her sixth year harvesting, by the potential of Pennsylvania wine country, its hybrid grapes, and unique varietals. Having completed 14 harvests in four countries, she is driven by an interest of wine chemistry dating back to her teens. The colder climate where Mazza is located presents unique opportunities and, despite frigid winters and lots of snow, vinifera flourishes there.

Carolina says, "My favorite part is being in the cellar with my people. It's fantastic. It's so awesome, being here in a very unique Pennsylvania wine region and being part of a team and having support."

In addition to the meet-the-winemaker events on Oct. 3, all Fine Wine & Good Spirits Premium Collection stores across Pennsylvania will feature Pennsylvania wines at in-store wine tastings on Friday, Oct. 7, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

In 2015, Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores stocked 217 different Pennsylvania wines, generating nearly $6.5 million in sales from these stores alone. These figures do not account for Pennsylvania wine sold at local wineries, at festivals, or at restaurants that buy directly from the wineries.

For more ways to get involved with PA Wine Month, find Pennsylvania Wines on Facebook, follow @PAWines on Twitter and Instagram, and visit pawinemonth.com. #PAWineMonth

The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates more than 600 wine and spirits stores statewide, and licenses 20,000 beverage alcohol producers, retailers, and handlers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups, and licensees. Taxes and store profits  totaling $15.1 billion since the agency's inception  are returned to Pennsylvania's General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania's schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies, and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit www.lcb.state.pa.us.

The Pennsylvania Winery Association is a trade association representing more than 100 member wineries and an advocate on behalf of the state's growing multibillion-dollar wine industry. With some of the most fertile grape-growing land on the East Coast, Pennsylvania ranks fifth nationally in the amount of grapes grown, seventh in wine production, and seventh in the number of licensed wineries. To learn more about Pennsylvania wine or to plan a trip, visit PennsylvaniaWine.com

MEDIA CONTACTS:

PLCB: Elizabeth Brassell, 717.783.8864

PA Wines: Jessie Tettemer, [email protected], 215.605.8140

SOURCE Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board

Related Links

http://www.lcb.state.pa.us


NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- PEX, the leading platform provider of next generation corporate card and expense management solutions for business, today announced a strategic partnership with eCapital, custom-tailored funding programs for small to medium-sized businesses. The joint partnership is designed to bring a more efficient marketing approach to the combined PEX and eCapital customer base, which consists of small to medium-sized businesses.

"PEX is focused on creating solutions to help businesses to enable employee spending while still maintaining unprecedented levels of control. Our partnership with eCapital enables us to expand those services to a customer base that aligns perfectly with our offering," said Toffer Grant, CEO of PEX. "We are thrilled to partner with such a likeminded organization who is committed to providing small and medium-sized businesses with the funds they require to see through their daily business needs."

As part of the agreement, eCapital will begin marketing PEX's solutions to its existing customer base in an effort to provide clients with the latest expense management tools, allowing for greater control and oversight of resources wherever customers are, day or night. Conversely, PEX will be referring its customers who are in need of additional cash flow to eCapital. Through aligned client verticals between both organizations who experience common business issues, the partnership will bring financing and money management to the businesses who need it the most. Specific target markets that will benefit from this partnership include companies in the transportation space, as well as construction, contracting, and growth stage companies.

"The partnership with PEX enables eCapital to offer additional benefits to all of our clients," said Tracy Groves, VP of Marketing. There's a great synergy between our companies because we share a vision to help small businesses grow through more efficient cash flow. We're excited to provide PEX clients with fast and flexible financing programs and at the same time, give our clients a better way to manage and track employee expenses using modern technology."

About PEX

PEX, a New York-based FinTech company founded in 2006, is the leader in next generation expense management solutions disrupting outdated and inefficient ways companies enable employee spending. The PEX Platform allows businesses to more simply and safely enable employees to spend while maintaining control in ways they never could have before. We combine the ability to establish budgeting controls, via the PEX Admin software interface (desktop and mobile), with the ability for employees to spend via the feature rich PEX Visa Prepaid Card. PEX APIs are being used by Enterprise clients to enable high transaction volumes for thousands of employees. Our efforts are driving a shift in the way companies manage employee spending and we are rapidly replacing traditional Corporate Cards and reimbursement-based expense approaches. Today, PEX services thousands of businesses nationwide across a variety of industries. For more information, visit www.pexcard.com.

The PEX Visa Prepaid Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. The Bancorp Bank: Member FDIC.

About eCapital

eCapital is a leading nationwide provider of cash flow though accounts receivable factoring and working capital advances, combining decades of industry-specific expertise into one streamlined, technology-based operation. With 23+ years in business, eCapital has provided over $4 billion in funding to more than 9,000 small businesses across America. For more information about eCapital and its factoring or working capital financing programs, contact [email protected], call 800.705.1500 or visit eCapital.com.

Media Contact:

Ned Elton, PEX

212-851-6147, [email protected]

SOURCE PEX

Related Links

https://www.pexcard.com


Trix, who was discovered in Montana, USA, in 2013, was purchased by the Naturalis museum and transported to the Netherlands on August 23, 2016. For 66 million years this carnivorous dinosaur lay buried in the rocks. As the organic matter had virtually all disappeared, only the skeleton was left, and over the millennia a mineralization process took place. As a result, Trix's fossilized bones can be considered 'remineralized' representations of her original bones.

The smaller bones in the tail of a T. Rex fossil are often missing, lost to scavenging or washed away by currents prior to burial and fossilization. Intact smaller tail elements of a T. Rex are therefore rare, and Philips was not aware of much prior work on the internal structure of these elements. However, Trix has a beautifully preserved tail. Paleontologist and dinosaur expert Anne Schulp of Naturalis was keen to examine Trix's vertebrae in greater detail. On August 31, her four tail vertebrae (C20  C23) were scanned on a Philips IQon Spectral CT scanner in Best, in the Netherlands.

"We have already looked at some of the bones using a regular medical CT scanner, but we had a little problem," said Anne Schulp, Paleontologist and dinosaur expert at Naturalis. "There is a deposit of pyrite  an iron rich mineral that blurs the complete picture because it absorbs the X-rays. So basically we required a different technology."

Philips IQon is the world's first detector-based spectral CT scanner. In addition to its unique dual-layer detector, it makes use of advanced spectral reconstruction algorithms. By combining these two technologies, the IQon is able to obtain detailed images of objects that are otherwise difficult to scan, such as Trix's tail vertebrae.

"The IQon filters out all the 'noise,' as it were, thereby providing a really good insight into the bone structure and how it is built up," explained Anne Schulp. "It's basically making the step from black and white movies to color. In this way, we are able to add depth to Trix's medical records: we make the invisible visible. It's just really hard to describe the sensation of finding something, seeing something that no one else has ever seen."

These scans are just the first images. Further investigations will provide even more insights to build up Trix's medical record. Over the next few months, on-going research with medical experts will aim to reveal more details about Trix's life.

"What the IQon is doing is acquiring two different X-ray energy levels in a single acquisition. It's fantastic to see how a detailed three-dimensional image is built up," said Julien Milles, Clinical Scientist CT Health Systems, Philips Benelux. "With Trix, we were able to identify and color-highlight bone structure, even with 'remineralized' versions of the original bones. So in one picture it is just one white blob. And then all of a sudden, at the click of a mouse, there is the next one where all the details in the bone pop up. And that with a 66 million year old lady!"

This isn't the first time Philips' imaging technology has been leveraged for unearthing secrets of the past. In 2015, Philips' CT scanners were used to study bones of the bodies of people who died in Pompeii, giving archeologists a view into the daily lives, health and habits of the citizens of Pompeii.

For more information on the Philips IQon Spectral CT, visit www.philips.com/iqon.

For further information, please contact:

Marianne Nouwens

Philips Benelux

Tel.: +31 6 1158 1004

E-mail: [email protected]

Kathy O'Reilly

Philips Group Communications

Tel.: +1 978-229-8919

E-mail: [email protected]

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips' health technology portfolio generated 2015 sales of EUR 16.8 billion and employs approximately 69,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160928/412788

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160928/412789

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160928/412828

SOURCE Royal Philips

Related Links

http://www.philips.com


SAN DIEGO, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Pirch, the innovative home retailer that showcases the world's most admired kitchen, bath and outdoor appliances, today announced that Andrea Dorigo has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Dorigo was recruited by the Board of Directors to succeed co-founder Jeffery R. Sears, who will serve as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Since the Company's founding in 2009, Pirch has grown rapidly, expanding from one to nine showrooms, including recent openings in New York City and an upcoming opening in Austin, TX. Pirch has been named to Forbes' list of "America's 100 Most Promising Companies" two years in a row, and been the recipient of several awards from the Association for Retail Environments. L Catterton and other existing investors have invested significant additional growth capital to support the Company's rapid organic growth and continued national retail expansion.

Prior to joining Pirch, Mr. Dorigo gained extensive experience in the premium retail market during his time at Luxottica, a leader in luxury eyewear, where he served in senior leadership positions in both Europe and North America, including President of Wholesale North America and Global President of Oakley. Prior to Oakley, Mr. Dorigo served as President of North America and Global CMO at Brooks Brothers.

"I am thrilled to take on this new role at Pirch as we continue to elevate the home retail market through our unique focus on the satisfaction of our guests," said Mr. Dorigo. "Jeffery has helped to build the only company in the luxury home appliance space that provides an immersive experience for its guests, with showrooms that allow them to test drive the pieces that will eventually make their house feel like a home. As we continue to expand this innovative concept across major US markets, I look forward to finding novel ways for our guests to express their lifestyles through our products, enabling us to drive growth, profitability and success."

"We are excited to be making an additional growth investment in Pirch, and to have someone with Andrea's experience and capability leading the Company into its next phase of growth and industry leadership," said Scott Dahnke, Global Co-Chief Executive Officer of L Catterton. "Pirch has a unique and innovative retail model that is a game-changer in the industry, and we look forward to the Company's continued expansion as it brings its multi-brand, immersive guest experience to a growing number of consumers."

About Andrea Dorigo

Mr. Dorigo has extensive design, lifestyle and luxury expertise from his time at Luxottica Group, a worldwide leader in design, manufacturing and distribution of luxury and premium eyewear. At Luxottica he held roles of increasing responsibility in Europe and North America, where he also served as President of Brooks Brothers, one of the oldest apparel brands in the world. Most recently, he was President of Oakley, the iconic California brand known for its cutting edge sport performance equipment. Prior to joining Luxottica in 2005, Mr. Dorigo worked with Safilo and Giorgio Armani in Italy and was a consultant for McKinsey & Company. He holds a master degree in economics and social sciences from Bocconi University.

About Pirch

Driven by an unbridled passion to reinvent the entire retail shopping experience, Pirch carefully curates and presents only leading brands for indoor and outdoor kitchens and bath. And, for the first time in the industry, Pirch brings these brands to life in experiential showrooms allowing guests to try before they buy so they can make informed decisions. The result is a "one-stop-shop" where guests can focus on how they live, rather than what they want to buy. For more information visit www.Pirch.com.

Follow Pirch on social media: Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, Houzz.

About L Catterton

L Catterton, formed in 2016 through the partnership of Catterton, LVMH and Groupe Arnault, is the largest consumer-focused private equity firm in the world, operating multiple funds out of seventeen offices across five continents. Since its founding in 1989, Catterton has leveraged its category insight, strategic and operating skills, and network of industry contacts to establish one of the strongest private equity investment track records in the middle market. L Catterton builds on this heritage and the strong track record of LVMH and Groupe Arnault's existing European and Asian private equity and real estate operations, conducted under the L Capital and L Real Estate franchises. L Catterton invests in all major consumer segments, including: Food and Beverage, Retail and Restaurants, Beauty and Wellness, Fashion and Accessories, Consumer Products and Services, Consumer Health, and Media and Marketing Services, as well as real estate projects anchored by luxury retail. L Catterton's investments include: Restoration Hardware, Baccarat, John Hardy, Sweaty Betty, Frederic Fekkai, Ba&sh, Sandro & Maje, Vicini / Zanotti and Charles & Keith, to name a few. More information about L Catterton can be found at lcatterton.com.

Contacts:

Pirch Contact:

Megan Robertson

[email protected]

L Catterton Contacts:

Eric Brielmann / Andi Rose / Andrew Squire

Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher

212-355-4449

SOURCE Pirch

Related Links

http://www.Pirch.com


Headquartered in Pontiac, Michigan, Irvin is a leading manufacturer of interior trim and seating material. A wholly owned subsidiary of Takata, the company has annual sales of $500 million with facilities in Del Rio, Texas; Acuna, Mexico, and Sabinas, Mexico.

"Our vision is to become a fully integrated global supplier," said Johnson, the Piston Group's chairman and CEO. "The purchase of Irvin Automotive strengthens our engineering and manufacturing expertise and will allow us to provide a concept-to-completion platform across the automotive industry and other diversified industries as well.

"With our eyes on the future, we believe that Irvin will play a significant role in the double-digit growth we expect to achieve over the next several years. It's a company that shares our dedication to quality, teamwork and customer service."

As a group, Johnson's companies now rank among the top five privately owned automotive suppliers in southeastern Michigan, according to Crain's Detroit Business. Piston Group customers include FCA US, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Toyota and ZF.

Irvin Automotive adds Black Diamond, Delta Airlines, Golden Technologies, Nissan and Southwest Airlines to the group's customer list.

"Mr. Johnson symbolizes the hard-work, spirit and thought leadership that is advancing the standard for minority business enterprises," said Michelle Sourie Robinson, president and CEO of the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council. "We are proud to see how Mr. Johnson's vision has manifested itself over the past 20 years. And we are humbled by his respect and commitment to our organization and the corporate and minority business constituents we serve."

Johnson said Irvin Automotive will operate as a separate company within the Piston Group, adding that Irvin's President Joseph Finn along with his management team will continue to lead the company. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Finn noted that his management team was excited about the growth opportunities that will open up for Irvin Automotive under the Piston Group umbrella.

"Vinnie Johnson has quietly built a strong, well-managed company that has become a trusted partner to many global customers," Finn said. "Our employees are looking forward to being part of the organization that he's created."

Founded in 1995, the Piston Group today has become a major automotive supplier that has generated hundreds of jobs in Michigan and elsewhere around the United States. The acquisition of Irvin Automotive is part of the company's ongoing plan for further expansion as a global supply-chain leader.

About Piston Group Companies

Piston Automotive and Detroit Thermal Systems design, engineer, assemble and manufacture a wide variety of automotive parts and systems. With annual sales of more than $1 billion, Piston Automotive has 700 employees at locations in Detroit; Redford, Michigan; Louisville, Kentucky; North Kansas City, Missouri, and Toledo, Ohio. Based in Romulus, Michigan, Detroit Thermal Systems has 600 employees with annual sales of $270 million. AIREA, Inc. is an office design studio and furniture dealer with stores in Detroit and Southfield, Michigan. AIREA has 30 employees with annual sales of $20 million. Last year the three companies had combined sales of nearly $1.3 billion. All three are MBE certified. Visit www.pistongroup.com, www.detroitthermalsystems.com or www.aireainc.com for more information.

About Irvin Automotive Products

Irvin Automotive Products, Inc. is a leading producer of automotive trim products, including seat covers, headrests, cargo shades, center and door armrests, sun visors and bolsters. The company also supplies products to a variety of aerospace, medical, military and mass-transit customers, as well as consumer goods for the furniture and apparel industries. Irvin utilizes the latest in 3D modeling and rapid prototyping and its technologies include sonic welding, heat transfer, embroidery and programmable sewing, as well as robotic applications. With annual sales of approximately $500 million, the company employs 7,000 people with headquarters in Pontiac, Michigan, and facilities in Del Rio, Texas; Acuna, Mexico, and Sabinas, Mexico.

Note to Editors: High resolution photos of Messrs. Johnson and Finn are available on request.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160927/412344LOGO

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160927/412343LOGO

SOURCE Piston Group

Related Links

http://www.pistongroup.com


MONTREAL, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society (OTS) has announced its 2016 Award Series as part of its 2016 Annual Meeting held September 25-28, 2016 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. This year the OTS is recognizing four outstanding scientists for their contributions to the field of oligonucleotide therapeutics.

OTS is honored to recognize Dr. Stanley T. Crooke, founder, chairman and CEO of Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., as the recipient of the 2016 OTS Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Crooke has made a lifetime of outstanding contributions to the field of oligonucleotide therapeutics through education, research, and therapeutic application. Dr. Crooke founded Ionis Pharmaceuticals to create a new platform for drug discovery and development called antisense technology. Dr. Crooke and Ionis developed the first antisense drugs to achieve marketing authorization. Today, with over three dozen RNA-targeted drugs in development, he has built one of the largest and most advanced pipelines of drugs in the biotechnology industry. Dr. Crooke will give a plenary lecture at the 2016 OTS Annual Meeting on Wednesday, September 28, 2016 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. EDT.

Dr. Mayumi Takahashi of the Beckman Research Institute at City of Hope is the recipient of this year's Gewirtz Memorial Scholarship Award. The Gewirtz Memorial Scholarship Award is given annually by the OTS as a tribute to Dr. Alan Gewirtz and his lifetime of contributions to the field of oligonucleotide therapeutics. Dr. Takahashi is acknowledged for her contributions to the field of oligonucleotide therapeutics through her impactful research toward improving the treatment of patients with human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV. Dr. Takahashi will be presented with her award and will give a brief talk on her research at the 2016 OTS Annual Meeting on Wednesday, September 28, 2016 at 8:30 a.m. EDT.

Dr. Aurelie Goyenvalle of the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines is the recipient of this year's Young Investigator Award. Dr. Goyenvalle is acknowledged for her dedicated research toward developing new gene therapy strategies based on splicing modulation for neuromuscular disorders, such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Dr. Goyenvalle will be presented with her award and will give a brief talk on her research at the 2016 OTS Annual Meeting on Wednesday, September 28, 2016 at 8:50 a.m. EDT.

The recipient of this year's Paper of the Year Award is Dr. Victor Serebrov of the RNA Therapeutics Institute at UMass Medical Center. Dr. Serebrov is acknowledged for his manuscript titled, "Single-Molecule Imaging Reveals that Argonaute Reshapes the Binding Properties of Its Nucleic Acid Guides," which was published in Cell. Dr. Serebrov will be presented with his award and will give a brief talk on his publication at the 2016 OTS Annual Meeting on Wednesday, September 28, 2016 at 9:10 a.m. EDT.

"The OTS is proud of its longstanding commitment to the field of oligonucleotide therapeutics and congratulates each of its award winners, and is appreciative for their continued contributions to this important field," said Dr. Brett Monia, president of the OTS and senior vice president of drug discovery and corporate development at Ionis Pharmaceuticals. "The OTS recognizes both distinguished individuals who have made remarkable contributions to the field over the lifetime of their career, as well as talented, young scientists."

The Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society is an open, nonprofit forum to foster academia and industry-based research and development of oligonucleotide therapeutics. For more information on OTS, visit its website, http://www.oligotherapeutics.org.

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SOURCE Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society

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ATLANTA, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- PT Solutions, a physical therapy practice offering a comprehensive suite of therapeutic services, announces the opening of locations in Alpharetta, Canton, Kennesaw, Brookhaven and West Atlanta and expansions to its Acworth East, Hiram and Douglasville clinics.

These locations represent an increase of 17,149 square feet of retail space and give PT Solutions 27 locations in Georgia. The clinics join a growing network of more than 100 points of service in seven other states including Alabama, Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, Kentucky, Louisiana and Tennessee. All new clinics, along with the Hiram and Douglasville expansions, are official PT Solutions Concussion Centers.

"Physical therapy and our evidence-based research will create better outcomes for our patients," said PT Solutions CEO Dale M. Yake, PT, DPT, OCS, ATC. "With more clinics in our home state of Georgia, we will be able to deliver on that mission on an even greater scale."

PT Solutions' new locations are as follows:

PT Solutions of Alpharetta is located at 735 North Main Street, Suite 1300. Taryn Cappadona, PT, DPT, will serve as clinic director. To request an appointment, call 770-580-8575.

PT Solutions of Kennesaw is located at 1615 Ridenour Boulevard, NW, Suite 204. DaRonne Jenkins, PT, DPT, MS, CSCS will lead that location. To request an appointment, call 770-580-8070.

PT Solutions of Canton is located at 1810 Cumming Highway, Suite 1360. Laura Miller, PT, MSPT, will serve as clinic director. Miller oversees PT Solutions' partnership with the Georgia Ballet. To request an appointment, call 678-885-9965.

PT Solutions of West Atlanta will open at 999 Brady Avenue, Suite 11. Mollie Archer, PT, DPT, OCS, will serve as clinic director when the clinic opens late this year.

PT Solutions will also open a clinic in Brookhaven before the end of 2016, led by Kyle Payne, PT, DPT. This clinic represents PT Solutions' third location to open inside I-285.

Cappadona, Jenkins, Payne and Archer are graduates of the PT Solutions Orthopaedic Residency Program. To learn more about services offered or to request an appointment, visit PTSolutions.com.

PT Solutions operates a unique model, including outpatient physical therapy clinics and hospital management services contracts. PT Solutions' therapists specialize in advanced, research-driven clinical treatment that is customized to each individual and condition.

Known for its therapist-centric model and quality of care, PT Solutions has grown by 144 percent over the past three years, moving up this year to No. 2,489 in Inc. magazine's 5000, as one of the country's fastest-growing private companies.

PT Solutions is a therapist-owned physical therapy practice with treatment locations across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina and Tennessee  including in metropolitan areas like Atlanta, Chicago, New Orleans and Tampa-St. Petersburg. The PT Solutions team uses research-driven physical therapy treatments to provide patients relief and restoration of their normal lives. To learn more, visit PTSolutions.com, connect with PT Solutions Physical Therapy on Facebook and follow @PT_Solutions on Twitter and Instagram.

Interviews available upon request.

Contact: John Manasso | Lenz, Inc.

404.373.2021

[email protected]

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SOURCE PT Solutions

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DETROIT, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Rainbow PUSH Automotive Project, an initiative of the Citizenship Education Fund, is reframing conversations on diversity and inclusion during the 17th Annual Rainbow PUSH Global Automotive Summit. The conference, to be held on September 30, 2016, at the MGM Grand Detroit, is the only forum which addresses the automotive industry in relation to people of color. The theme for this year's conference is Refocusing Diversity on Ethnic Minority Growth, highlighting the inconsistency between the inclusion we envision and the results we can measure. For seventeen years, the Global Automotive Summit has been the event where automotive industry leadership, government and elected officials, community organization leaders, dealers, suppliers, entrepreneurs, media outlets and others gather around advancing inclusion in the automotive industry.

Key conference speakers include:

Alan Batey , executive vice president and president, North America , General Motors Company

Robert Young , group vice president Supplier Engineering Development and Cost Planning, Toyota Motor North America Inc .

. John Martin , senior vice president, Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management and Purchasing, Ni ssan North America , Inc

Uwe Ellinghaus , chief marketing officer, Global Cadillac, General Motors Company

Tom Peyton , assistant vice president of Marketing Operations, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

Dr. David Thomas , professor of management, dean of the McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University

In an industry squarely focused on cutting edge technology (autonomous cars, advanced engines, infotainment and safety advances) many corporate social structures are still stuck in a bygone era, impeding the automotive industry's path to increased competitiveness and profitability. "Together with the industry's brightest minds, we are focused on our goal to resolve the systemic barriers to inclusion that are stifling the spark of a more dynamic auto sector," said Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. "We encourage automakers to match their technological innovation with a corporate social innovation that will drive the industry into a stronger future ."

Other featured speakers include: John Quattrone, senior vice president, Global Human Resources, General Motors Company; Paul Koh, executive director, Human Resources and Administrative Services, Hyundai Motor America and Damon Lester, president of the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Republic of South Africa Ambassador Mninwa Johannes "MJ" Mahlangu will also deliver remarks.

During the Business and Education Awards Luncheon, Glenda Gill, vice president of Supplier Success LLC, will be honored for her more than 18 years of service as the executive director of the Rainbow PUSH Automotive Project. Additionally, Vivian Pickard, retired president of the General Motors Foundation and director of Corporate Relations will be recognized for her many years of service. A Networking and Awards Reception will close the day presenting the Living Legends Award to Felicia Fields, group vice president HR and corporate services at Ford Motor Company and Eddie Hall, Jr., owner of Royal Oak Ford. The Freedom Symphony Award will honor the Late Ronald E. Hall Sr., and the Emerging Leaders Award will recognize Marie Hocker, local government affairs manager, Ford Motor Company; Jeffrey Webster, director of diversity and inclusion, Nissan North America; and Reginald Humphrey, senior manager, supplier diversity, General Motors Company. Emmy Award winning violinist, Damien Escobar, will showcase his unique blend of classical and R&B melodies during the afterglow.

Why is this forum important to the automotive industry? According to research, more than one-third of new vehicles are purchased by ethnic buyers each year. Second, African American new vehicle volume growth in 2015 was nearly double the overall industry growth (9.4% versus 5%). Virtually all of the future prime labor force growth (people between the ages of 18-64) will come from ethnic populations. Last, as of the 2015 school year, half of all children enrolled in public school come from ethnic backgrounds. These marketplace changes require a reboot on approaches to employment, sales, advertising and marketing, minority supplier and minority dealer development. During the Rainbow PUSH/CEF Global Automotive Summit attendees will be a part of discussions on best practices and practical approaches to the shifting business, talent and buyer landscape. Rev. Jesse Jackson added, "Automotive companies must become a willing conduit to African American opportunity. While there's an increasing respect for African American customers and companies, respect without economic parity is as the Bible says, 'a noisy gong or clanging cymbal.'"

The Rainbow PUSH Global Automotive Summit is presented through the support of our national and event sponsors. National sponsors include: Ford Motor Company, General Motors Company and Toyota Motor North America, Inc. For a list of additional sponsors, speakers and to register for the summit, visit www.automotiveproject.org. Join the conversation by using the hashtag #RPCGAS2016.

About Rainbow PUSH Coalition

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition is a progressive organization protecting, defending and expanding civil rights to improve economic and educational opportunity. The organization is headquartered at 930 E. 50th Street in Chicago, IL. For more information about the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, please visit www.rainbowpush.org . Follow Rainbow PUSH Coalition on Twitter: @RPCoalition; follow the Global Automotive Summit on Twitter: @RPCGAS2016 and use the hash tag #RPCGAS2016 to join the conversation.

SOURCE Rainbow PUSH Coalition

Related Links

http://www.rainbowpush.org


DULLES, Va., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) was honored with two coveted Brandon Hall Bronze awards for virtual reality training systems developed for the U.S. Army. Often called the 'Academy Awards' of the training industry, the Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards Program is the most prestigious awards program in the learning and training industry.

"This special recognition reinforces Raytheon's position as a premier provider of training and training support services," said Pete Vangjel, vice president of Raytheon's Global Training Solutions business. "We've trained millions of people around world to help prepare them for the world's most important missions."

Raytheon won a Bronze award in Best Use of Games or Simulations for its Joint Multinational Readiness Center Mobile Instrumentation System. The company partnered with the U.S. Army Europe to develop the system, which blends virtual, live (including live-fire), and constructive training into a simulated training environment that literally spans the globe. The system consists of a mobile suite of sensors, cameras, training instrumentation, communications and computer networks all working together to create a blended training environment that can extend over hundreds of miles.

Raytheon won a second Bronze Award in the same category for the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Capability Instrumentation System. The system provides U.S. Army Pacific a "strategic readiness bridge" to ensure enhanced home-station unit readiness between Combat Training Center rotations and when CTC rotations are not available and extend training and readiness opportunities to our Joint and Multinational Partners.

These two virtual reality training systems are changing the way large-scale, collective training is being done. Organizations are networked together virtually, and appear 'shoulder to shoulder' in the training scenario. Effects can be virtually created, to include fires, cyber and aerial effects. Costs on transport, fuel and supplies necessary to move large organizations hundreds of miles are reduced significantly, as organizations can participate at their home stations and connect virtually with thousands of other trainers around the world.

About Raytheon



Raytheon Company, with 2015 sales of $23 billion and 61,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 94 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5ITM products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. Follow us on Twitter @Raytheon.

www.raytheon.com

Media Contacts

Raytheon

Scott Fazekas

+1.571.250.1877

[email protected]

SOURCE Raytheon Company

Related Links

http://www.raytheon.com


BOSTON, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- PatientPing, a health technology company that connects providers to seamlessly coordinate patient care, announced today that within a few short months, over 400 provider sites across New England have been notified through PatientPing that their patients have been seen at Vermont hospitals, thus allowing for the collaboration of providers across state lines. In the six months since go-live, and using an information stream provided by Vermont Information Technology Leaders, Inc., PatientPing has logged over 62,000 notifications on approximately 12,000 Vermonters, helping providers improve the quality and safety of patient care. This milestone represents a huge step forward in achieving higher quality care through better patient care coordination in the state.

"The rapid adoption of PatientPing's groundbreaking technology in Vermont demonstrates health care providers' commitment to improving collaboration around patient care, with the goal of improving quality and outcomes," said John K. Evans, president and CEO of Vermont Information Technology Leaders, Inc. (VITL), a nonprofit organization that supports data sharing for health care in Vermont.

"With the support of VITL, we see dramatic improvements in care coordination for these patients, which means healthier populations overall," said Jay Desai, co-founder & CEO, PatientPing. "VITL and the State of Vermont have been incredible partners and we're excited to continue supporting their efforts to transform their health care delivery system."

PatientPing enhances medical information transparency between health care providers. Upon joining PatientPing, providers receive "Pings," or real-time notifications, whenever their patients receive care at a wide range of facilities. Nicole Keaty, RN, Telehealth Manager at Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice, explains, "PatientPing gives us the ability to quickly follow up with a patient when they are readmitted to a hospital. I believe this greatly enhances continuity of care, and patients are really appreciative when we reach out."

In one patient case at Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice, an 80-year-old male suffering from heart failure had been admitted and discharged from the hospital repeatedly over the course of one month. Keaty and her team received the notifications, and were able to follow up with the patient to check in on him. They were also able to help coordinate with his other health services to determine what resources he needed in order to stay healthy at home, such as regular phone check-ins and educational materials.

Keaty adds, "Managing chronically ill patients takes a village, and it's important that their care teams are all on the same page. PatientPing helps us do just that."

PatientPing's nationwide community includes more than 15,000 providers and has a presence in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Vermont and New Hampshire. PatientPing is backed by Google Ventures, F-Prime Capital, and First Round Capital. PatientPing is rapidly accelerating its nationwide expansion so that any two or more providers that share patients anywhere in the country can simply coordinate with one another.

About VITL

Vermont Information Technology Leaders, Inc. (VITL) is a nonprofit organization that advances health care reform in Vermont. VITL assists Vermont health care providers with adopting and using health information technology, to improve the quality of care delivery, to enhance patient safety and to reduce the cost of care. VITL is legislatively designated to operate the statewide health information exchange (HIE) for Vermont, and is governed by a collaborative group of stakeholders including health plans, hospitals, physicians, other health care providers, state government, employers, and consumers. For more information, please visit www.vitl.net.

About PatientPing

PatientPing is a Boston-based health technology company that is building a national community of engaged providers who are sharing information, coordinating care, and working together to get patients healthier faster. By joining the PatientPing community, providers get notified in real-time when their patients receive care elsewhere and are able to share care instructions with other providers. PatientPing's national care coordination community includes physicians, nurses, case managers, and care coordinators across hospitals, emergency departments, accountable care organizations (ACOs), physician practices, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, inpatient rehabilitation centers, payers and other providers. By connecting care teams through real-time information sharing, PatientPing enables providers to deliver higher quality and more cost-effective care, improving patient outcomes and experience. For more information, please visit www.patientping.com.

Dominic Amenta | DPA Communications

781-789-5074 | [email protected]

SOURCE PatientPing

Related Links

http://www.patientping.com


LONDON, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Synopsis

Timetric's 'Reinsurance in Brazil Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides detailed analysis of the market trends, drivers and challenges in the Brazilian reinsurance segment.

It provides values for key performance indicators such as written premium, reinsurance ceded and reinsurance accepted during the review period (20112015) and forecast period (20152020).



The report also analyses information pertaining to the competitive landscape in the country, gives a comprehensive overview of the Brazilian economy and demographics, and provides detailed analysis of natural hazards and their impact on the Brazilian insurance industry.



The report brings together Timetric's research, modeling and analysis expertise to enable reinsurers to identify segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and access profiles of reinsurers operating in the country.

Summary

Timetric's 'Reinsurance in Brazil Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Brazilian reinsurance segment, including:



- An outlook of the Brazilian reinsurance segment



- A comprehensive overview of the Brazilian economy and demographics



- Detailed analysis of natural and man-made hazards and their impact on the Brazilian insurance industry



- The competitive landscape in the Brazilian reinsurance segment



Scope

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the reinsurance segment in Brazil:



- It provides historical values for the Brazilian reinsurance segment for the report's 20112015 review period, and projected figures for the 20152020 forecast period.



- It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the Brazilian reinsurance segment, and market forecasts to 2020.



- It provides a detailed analysis of the reinsurance ceded from various direct insurance segments in Brazil, and the reinsurance segment's growth prospects.



- It analyzes various natural and man-made hazards and their impact on the Brazilian insurance industry



Reasons To Buy

- Make strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data related to the Brazilian reinsurance segment, and each category within it.



- Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities in the Brazilian reinsurance segment.



- Identify growth opportunities and market dynamics in key product categories.



- Gain insights into key regulations governing the Brazilian insurance industry, and their impact on companies and the industry's future.



Key Highlights

- The Brazilian reinsurance segment grew at a review-period CAGR of 17.3%.



- The government's initiative to open up the industry resulted in the success of foreign reinsurance.



- The Brazilian reinsurance segment is concentrated, with the 10 leading reinsurers accounting for 94.0% of the segment's gross written premium in 2015.



- Brazilian legislature proposed a bill making it mandatory for insurers to accept natural disaster risks.



- The rising participation of foreign brokers is projected to provide enhanced reinsurance services for Brazilian insurers, supplementing the industry's growth over the forecast period.

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/1591730/



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

http://www.reportbuyer.com

For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

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Plastics Make it Possible  recently produced a short video about the journey of Hudson, who was left for dead on railroad tracks in upstate New York, an act of cruelty that left him without a rear paw. Thanks to a new plastic prosthetic paw, Hudson is able to live a full life with the freedom to run, jump, and play. The video has garnered over 4 million views and has inspired Plastics Make it Possible  to join with HSUS to raise funds to help rescue more animals.

Today, Hudson is an energetic 4-year-old who loves going for runs with his owner and serving as a therapy dog for people in needa stark contrast to the puppy that was not expected to survive. Thanks to innovations in prosthetics made possible by plastics and the work of veterinary orthotics expert Derrick Campana of Animal Ortho Care, Hudson serves children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, bringing love and joy wherever he goes.

"We were really moved by Derrick's innovative use of plastics to give Hudson his life backone where he can move freely and serve as a therapy dog, providing joy to others," said Steve Russell, vice president of plastics for the American Chemistry Council, which sponsors the Plastics Make it Possible campaign. "Hudson's story inspired us to join with The Humane Society of the United States to help more animals like him, and we hope other people are motivated to donate, as well."

To improve the quality of life for Hudson and other animals, Campana relies on high-performance materials, including medical-grade polypropylene and polyethylene plastics. These plastics enable him to craft and mold prostheses that contour to the shape of an animal's body, while being sturdy enough to provide reliable support for many years. The plastics also help make prostheses more affordable, which is important to many pet owners without insurance to cover veterinarian care.

From the time Campana met Hudson, he had a feeling there was something special about the dog. "Hudson had the desire," Campana said. "He had the will. He wanted to walk again. He wanted to run. When we put on that prosthesis, he did just that."

Hudson now is becoming widely known as a symbol for overcoming adversitywith the help of his owner's love, Campana's passion, and a plastic prosthesis that allows him to walk, run, and once again live a full and happy dog's life.

Visit the Plastics Make it Possible website to learn more about how plastics help make advanced prosthetics possible.

Plastics Make it Possible highlights the many ways plastics inspire innovations that improve our lives, solve big problems and help us design a safer, more promising future. This program is sponsored by America's Plastics MakersTM through the plastics industries of the American Chemistry Council.

www.americanchemistry.com/newsroom

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people's lives better, healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care, common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues, and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is an $801 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation's economy. It is the nation's largest exporter, accounting for fourteen percent of all U.S. exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nation's critical infrastructure.

Contact: Jennifer Killinger (202) 249-6619

Email: [email protected]

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Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaZaVGCTGCw

SOURCE Plastics Make it Possible

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ATLANTA, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Roark Capital Group, an Atlanta-based private equity firm focused on consumer brands and multi-unit businesses, announced today that its affiliate has acquired Great Expressions Dental Centers. Rich Beckman will continue to lead the business as CEO, and the company will remain headquartered in Southfield, Mich. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

"This transaction marks an exciting new chapter for the company," Beckman said. "With our new partner, Roark, we look forward to accelerating our strategy of growth through affiliation with other high-quality dental practices. We also look forward to leveraging Roark's consumer and branding expertise to enhance our own Great Expressions brand. We appreciate the support and partnership OMERS Private Equity offered throughout the life of their investment."

Great Expressions provides comprehensive affordable dental services through its network of 269 affiliated practices staffed by more than 900 dentists and hygienists who care for over 600,000 patients per year. Founded in 1982 and operating as a single brand, Great Expressions is one of the largest dental support organizations (DSO) in the United States.

Neal Aronson, Roark's Managing Partner, said, "Great Expressions is the branded DSO of choice for dentists desiring an affiliation and for consumers desiring consistent, quality care. It's the perfect company to launch Roark's entrance into retail healthcare."

Tim Armstrong, Managing Director at Roark, noted, "We're partnering with an outstanding, experienced, and long-tenured management team to accelerate the growth of the business from their already proven and successful strategy."

Paul, Weiss and DLA Piper acted as legal counsel to Roark. Jefferies LLC served as financial advisor to Great Expressions.

About Great Expressions Dental Centers

For nearly 40 years, Great Expressions has been a leader in preventative dental care, orthodontics and specialty care with offices in Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas and Virginia. Great Expressions is consistently recognized for contributions to improving oral health through quality and safety initiatives, affordable dental care services, patient convenience, research and more. Great Expressions Dental Centers branded practices are independently-owned and operated in specific states by licensed dentists and their professional entities who employ the licensed professionals providing dental treatment and services. ADG, LLC provides administrative and business support services and licenses the Great Expressions Dental Centers brand name to independently-owned and operated dental practices. ADG does not own or operate dental practices, or employ the licensed professionals providing dental treatment and services. For more information, please visit www.greatexpressions.com.

About Roark Capital Group

Roark focuses on franchised and multi-unit business models in the retail, restaurant, consumer and business services sectors. Affiliates of Roark have invested in 56 franchise/multi-unit brands which collectively generate $21 billion in annual system revenues from 23,000 locations in 50 states and 75 countries. Roark's current brands include Anytime Fitness, Arby's, Atkins Nutritionals, Batteries Plus Bulbs, CKE Restaurants (the owner of Carl Jr.'s and Hardee's), Corner Bakery, Driven Brands (the owner of Maaco, Meineke, CARSTAR, 1-800-Radiator and Take 5 Oil Change), Drybar, FOCUS Brands (the owner of Auntie Anne's Pretzels, Carvel Ice Cream, Cinnabon, McAlister's Deli, Moe's Southwest Grill, and Schlotzsky's), Il Fornaio, Massage Envy, Miller's Ale House, Naf Naf Grill, Orangetheory Fitness, Pet Retail Brands (the owner of Pet Supermarket and Pet Valu), Primrose Schools, Waxing the City and Wingstop. For more information, please visit www.roarkcapital.com.

Media Contact Information:





Roark Capital Group Great Expressions Dental Centers Debra Vilchis Megan McCarl Fishman Public Relations Lambert, Edwards & Associates 847-945-1300 616-233-0500 [email protected] [email protected]

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SOURCE Roark Capital Group

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NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rocketrip, the leading incentive platform providing behavioral change solutions for corporate travel, was recently named as one of the Best Places to Work in New York City. Crain's New York Business launched the recognition program nine years ago, and today, it is a joint effort of Crain's New York Business and Best Companies Group.

This survey and awards program identifies, recognizes and honors the best employers in New York City, benefiting the city's economy, workforce and businesses. A list of the 100 organizations named as Best Places to Work in New York City, appeared on Crain's New York Business' on September 28th.

Crain's New York Business will report, publish and promote the numerical rankings on Friday, December 2nd and in Crain's New York Business' print edition on Monday, December 5th. The data was supplied by contracted independent research firm Best Companies Group, which is responsible for the entire registration and survey process, analysis of the data and final rankings. Crain's New York Business only reports on the results of the data provided by Best Companies Group.

Organizations making the list will be honored at a celebratory luncheon on December 2nd where the final rankings will be unveiled.

"I'm thrilled to see Rocketrip recognized as one of New York's best places to work," said Rocketrip's Founder and CEO, Dan Ruch. "Assembling the right team has been our top priority, as well as the biggest factor behind our growth. I truly believe that New York is the best city in the world for businesses, in no small part because of the talent pool available here. At Rocketrip, we'd like to be known as the place people go to do challenging work and build an outstanding career."

Companies from across all five boroughs participated in the two-part survey process to determine the Best Places to Work in New York City. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated organization's workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems, and demographics. The second part involved an employee survey to measure the employee experience. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking.

For more information on the Best Places to Work in New York City program, visit www.BestPlacesToWorkNYC.com.

For more than 25 years, Crain's New York Business has been the award-winning news source for New York's business leaders, telling the story of the New York economy, while serving as a voice and advocate for the city's business community. Reporting through the prism of business, Crain's helps its readers stay on top of the inner workings of New York's economic and political ecosystem, by uncovering new business opportunities and creating connections with the broader New York business community at our events, online, in print and through our newsletters.

Best Companies Group (BCG) is dedicated to establishing "Best Places to Work," "Best Companies" and "Best Employers" programs to identify and recognize workplaces that nurture a superior level of employee satisfaction and engagement. BCG researches the dynamics and characteristics of employers in numerous geographic regions and industries, both nationally and internationally, and then produces annual "Best" lists of the organizations that are leading the way in defining the employee experience of the 21st century.

About Rocketrip

Rocketrip is the leading incentive platform providing behavioral change solutions for corporate travel. By providing business travelers with budgets and letting them keep half of what they save, Rocketrip motivates smart spending. The platform's algorithms integrate a company's travel policy with real-time trip pricing and availability to create a personalized "Budget to Beat" for each trip. Employees book using their favorite travel websites or a travel management company, and Rocketrip provides employers with insights and analytics on company spending, savings and employee travel behavior.

Rocketrip is based in New York City and has received funding from Canaan Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, Genacast Ventures, Crunchfund, Y Combinator, and angel investors.

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SOURCE Rocketrip
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), the Customer Success Platform and world's #1 CRM company, today announced that it will hold its annual Investor Day on Tuesday, Oct. 4 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. during Dreamforce 2016, an event that will bring together Customer Trailblazers from more than 51 countries for four days of innovation, empowerment, giving back and fun. Dreamforce will take place Oct. 4-7, 2016, at the Moscone Center and 14 surrounding hotels in downtown San Francisco.

Salesforce's Investor Day will be webcast live beginning at 10:00 a.m. (PDT) / 1:00 p.m. (EDT) on Tuesday, Oct. 4.

The webcast will be available on Salesforce's website at www.salesforce.com/investor.

About Salesforce

Salesforce, the Customer Success Platform and world's #1 CRM company, empowers companies to connect with their customers in a whole new way. Salesforce has headquarters in San Francisco, with offices in Europe and Asia, and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "CRM." For more information about Salesforce, visit: www.salesforce.com.

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SOURCE Salesforce

Related Links

http://www.salesforce.com


SEATTLE, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hundreds of cart drivers, wheelchair agents, cabin cleaners, baggage handlers, unaccompanied minor escorts and lavatory and water service fillers voted today to strike over unfair labor practices at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The workers are part of the nationwide campaign of underpaid airport workers fighting for $15 and union rights. Airport workers need higher standards to keep the nation's airports safe and secure for both passengers and workers.

"We want Sea-Tac to continue to be a world-class airport," says Nolan Lewis, who works on the Interline that brings passengers' luggage through the airport. "But how can that happen if our employer won't even follow the law? We are ready to strike to put an end to the unfair labor practices and wage theft."

Over the last five years, Sea-Tac airport workers have come together with other underpaid workers in the fight for $15 and union rights. In 2013, voters in the city of SeaTac joined with airport workers to raise the minimum wage to $15 in and around the airport. SeaTac voters set the standard by approving the first $15 minimum wage in the country.

Yet Air Serv continues to stand in the way of raising standards in the airport. Air Serv faces a class action lawsuit for retro pay it owes its employees because of its delay in paying the voter-approved minimum wage.

"The time is now for the workers of Sea-Tac to come together and have a voice on the job," says Lewis, whose co-workers voted overwhelmingly to strike.

The Sea-Tac strike takes place amidst record profits for the aviation industry while many airport workers continue to struggle just to get by. Last year alone the airlines received more than $23 billion in profits.

In Seattle, airport workers have gone on strike before. Their actions have resulted in other major contractors coming into compliance with SeaTac's minimum wage law, raising standards, and recognizing airport workers' freedom to form their union without interference. Despite this progress, Delta contractor Air Serv continues to stand in the way of raising standards. Air Serv workers have reported surveillance and intimidation.

The Sea-Tac workers organizing with SEIU Local 6 are part of a growing movement of airport workers across the country calling out the low-bid contracting system that continues to perpetrate similar issues around the country.

Around the country, contracted airport workers are coming together in Airport Workers United, a movement of employees and their allies, raising their voices for $15 an hour and union rights to make our airports safe and secure for passengers, employees and our communities. By sticking together, speaking out for change and going on strike, these employees have won wage increases in Los Angeles, New York City, Newark, N.J., Minneapolis, Boston, Philadelphia and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. More than 70,000 workers nationwide have received wage increases or other improvements, including healthcare, paid sick leave and worker retention policies as a result of the campaign.

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SOURCE Service Employees International Union

Related Links

http://www.seiu.org


BOTHELL, Wash., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Spine Institute Northwest founder Dr. Solomon Kamson MD, PhD, recently was named one of the Seattle area's "Top Docs" and is featured in Seattle Metropolitan magazine. The publication's 11th annual Best of the City edition honors 911 doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners, representing more than 100 specialties.

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"I'm humbled and delighted to be included in this list of dedicated healthcare professionals," says Dr. Kamson. "It's an honor to be selected by my esteemed colleagues, but the true privilege is that I get to work with countless patients and their families to reduce pain, promote healing and improve the quality of their lives."

At the Spine Institute Northwest, Dr. Kamson leads a team of physicians who endeavor to provide innovative, minimally invasive care at the forefront of pain management. Dr. Kamson and his team continuously engage in research to stay up-to-date on best practices and new developments. In addition, the Spine Institute Northwest maintains outcomes data on minimally invasive procedures like lumbar fusion in order to monitor their patients' health and be able to share this important information with the greater medical community.

Dr. Kamson is a sought-after speaker worldwide, having presented his research at the World Congress of the World Federation of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, and the 1st China Congress on Cervical Spine Endoscopic Technique, et al. The Spine Institute Northwest maintains a strategic partnership with the University of Washington School of Medicine, and has achieved the Excellence in Pain Practice Award for Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Pain Practice, the highest honor awarded by the World Institute of Pain.

Seattle Met partnered with the Professional Research Services survey company to poll healthcare practitioners licensed by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) in King, Snohomish, Kitsap, and Pierce counties, asking, "If you or a loved one needed care, whom would you choose?" Voters nominated their peers based on years of experience, competency, rapport with patients, patient satisfaction and compliance with care recommendations, and ability to work effectively with colleagues across specialties to deliver the best patient care. The top vote recipients were vetted with the DOH to ensure good standing before inclusion on the list.

About Spine Institute Northwest

Spine Institute Northwest has been providing quality healthcare services since 2000. The medical team at Spine Institute Northwest strives to deliver excellent medical service and care with an emphasis on minimally invasive procedures such as laser spine surgery. The Institute's philosophy places a strong emphasis on early intervention, starting with an accurate diagnosis and initiation of proper treatment. At Spine Institute Northwest, the focus is on preventing the kind of chronic disability often associated with untreated or poorly managed, intractable pain. Learn about Dr. Solomon Kamson and the Spine Institute Northwest at www.spineinstitutenorthwest.com.

Contact:

Jason Kinnard

425-939-5183

Email

SOURCE Spine Institute Northwest

Related Links

http://www.spineinstitutenorthwest.com


SEATTLE, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With today's launch of Added Equity Real Estate, home sellers can keep more of their equity, and buyers get better representation. Unlike any other brokerage, Added Equity is not a member of the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. As a result, it is not required to offer a 3% commission to a buyer's agent. Both sellers and buyers benefit from this new, simple model.

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Founder Craig Blackmon is a real estate broker, attorney, and innovator. His prior firm, Quill Realty, was the first non-MLS brokerage in Washington (Added Equity is Quill's successor). Co-founder Keith Rea is a longtime principal of Seattle design and marketing firm RMB Vivid. Rea brings the expertise needed to effectively message consumers about this unprecedented value proposition.

Added Equity charges a total commission of 2%, one-third the typical amount. "I've done it, I know the model works," says Blackmon. At Quill, he sold a half dozen homes on Zillow for market value, and his sellers never paid the full 3% to the buyer's agent.

Critics claim that sellers are shortchanged by not listing on the MLS because they don't get maximum exposure. Blackmon disagrees. "It's basic economics: You don't have to reach every buyer to get fair market value, just a sufficiently large enough pool of buyers."

Zillow provides the platform to reach those buyers. With its partner sites, Zillow is the massive online leader in real estate search that allows real estate brokers to advertise homes for sale. At 70 million monthly visitors, Zillow traffic is sufficient to garner fair market value.

The savings are dramatic. With the average Seattle house worth $600,000, a seller captures an extra $18,000 in equity by skipping a buyer's agent.

It makes sense to forego the buyer's agent, today. Originally all agents, including a "buyer's agent," worked for the seller. This changed when Washington enacted Buyer's Agency, RCW 18.86. Since then, a buyer's agent represents the buyer, even when paid by the seller.

Which creates a conflict of interest. A buyer's agent has a personal incentive to convince the client to buy a house offering a higher commission, regardless of the client's best interests. To address this conflict, the law requires agents to show a home if compensation is offered in any amount.

Added Equity listings offer a buyer's agent commission of $500. This triggers an agent's legal duty to show the home to an interested client. But that doesn't mean that a buyer's agent should be paid only $500!

Rather, the balance of the fee should be paid by the buyer. On Added Equity listings, buyer's agents will talk with their clients about their commission. If they ask the seller to pay it, the seller can treat it as a request to pay closing costs, and negotiate accordingly.

When buyers negotiate and pay their agent's fee, they benefit. The conflict of interest at the heart of real estate is largely resolved, and downward price pressure is finally exerted on the commissions paid to buyer agents.

All consumers benefit from this simple, new disruptive model. For the first time, owners can get the services of a professional real estate agent when selling a home, without also paying a buyer's agent. Buyers meanwhile get better representation. The future of real estate has arrived, in Seattle.

Contact:

Craig Blackmon, Founder and Managing Broker

@LawyerBroker

Added Equity Real Estate

Email

(206) 351-4210

SOURCE Added Equity Real Estate

Related Links

http://addedequity.com


DALLAS, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Securus Technologies, a leading provider of civil and criminal justice technology solutions for public safety, investigation, corrections and monitoring, announced that it presented at the prestigious Deutsche Bank Leveraged Finance Conference on September 27, 2016.

"We have presented at the Deutsche Bank Conference for the last seven (7) years, and we greatly appreciate Deutsche Bank giving us the opportunity to tell the Securus story to hundreds of past, present, and future debt investors in our business," said Richard A. ("Rick") Smith, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Securus Technologies.

Themes that Securus presented included the following:

Investing in technologies that not only help corrections and law enforcement officials, but help inmates and friends/family; An open invitation to visit the Securus Technology Center to see firsthand how we make facilities safer/more efficient and to review our industry leading product set; The responsibility associated with being the largest provider of high-tech/software-based products to law enforcement/corrections. Responsibility includes keeping all customers safe(r); A nine (9) year history of solid and improving financial performance; Discussion on specific products in the +950 product set portfolio; Transitioning Securus Technologies from an inmate telecom only company in 2008 to a high-tech/software-based government services provider today; 19 Strategic acquisitions and investments made over the last 52 months developing the largest high-tech product set in the industry; Development/investing in products that reduce recidivism including:







 Inmate Tablets  Delivery of E-Books





 Video Visitation  Delivery of E-Learning/Educational Materials





 Job Searches  Funding Facilitation Projects





 Religious Books/Bibles  Parolee Monitoring Services





 E-Mail Services  Delivery of Inmate Handbooks

"We DO NOT think of financial improvement first  we think of serving customers well, completing more calls, the best customer service possible, the broadest product set for corrections and law enforcement in the world, and keeping everyone . . . everyone, safe. By doing these things, financial performance takes care of itself," Smith said in his remarks at the conference.

"We have built something that we can discuss with our families and be proud of  something good for all of our customers that will last for a long time," concluded Smith.

ABOUT SECURUS TECHNOLOGIES

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and serving more than 3,450 public safety, law enforcement and corrections agencies and over 1,200,000 inmates across North America, Securus Technologies is committed to serve and connect by providing emergency response, incident management, public information, investigation, biometric analysis, communication, information management, inmate self-service, and monitoring products and services in order to make our world a safer place to live. Securus Technologies focuses on connecting what matters. To learn more about our full suite of civil and criminal justice technology solutions, please visit SecurusTechnologies.com.

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SOURCE Securus Technologies, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.securustech.net


NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Shyft today announced the launch of its operations in California, offering its signature 30-minute guided on-site meditation program to promote mindfulness and reduce stress in the workplace. Developed by an experienced team of HR professionals, physicians and meditation experts, the Shyft meditations help improve corporate wellness and maintain productive and engaged employees.

Stress: Silently Costing Your Business

Stress has been called "the Black Plague of the 21st century." Studies indicate that 66% of employees suffer productivity loss due to stress in the workplace. Problems attributed to stress include poor employee health, missed deadlines, absenteeism, strained relations at work, and ultimately, employee attrition. The cumulative impact of stress costs US businesses over $300 billion every year. Shyft helps companies manage and minimize employee stress with a range of specially designed corporate meditation programs that can be easily integrated into existing employee wellness programs.

Our New Normal

Unlike other meditation programs, Shyft classes were specifically created by former corporate executives, physicians, and mindfulness experts to meet the needs of today's employees. "This is our new normal. In the Knowledge Era, products and services are more intellectual, making human capital more important than ever. An organization's people, and their knowledge, skills, and imagination, are its primary asset. The changing nature of our work, requires us to also shift our perspective of work, and how we can improve the mental, physical, and social health of our employees," says Niosha Shakoori, attorney and HR Expert, and co-founder of Shyft.

"I equate our program to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs  after the basic needs of safety and security are met, we can move to the top level of the triangle  self-actualization or consciousness. Conscious people are self-aware, concerned with personal growth, and interested in fulfilling their potential. We believe this happens best in real time and in person," says Dr. Monisha Vasa, psychiatrist and co-founder of Shyft.

Small Shifts - Big Change

Shyft classes occur on a weekly basis, and provide a consistent opportunity to minimize stress, as well as enhance clarity and awareness. "Our program is based on the premise that small shifts lead to big change," according to co-founder and meditation teacher, Ayesha Soni. She adds, "We don't believe in overnight change. The most important shifts happen with regular doses of learning and effort. Week by week, meditation can create a cultural shift so that both employee and employer can better contribute to the well-being  physical, emotional, financial  of one another."

As employers look for ways to ease the anxieties of overworked employees, workplace mindfulness meditation is spreading from Silicon Valley to old-school corporate America. Fortune 500 companies such as Nike, Google, and Apple offer in-house meditation classes. Shyft provides a solution for companies also looking to incorporate a mindfulness based meditation program as part of their overall employee wellness program.

Learn more about Shyft at http://shyftwellbeing.com/.

About Shyft

Shyft offers a corporate mindfulness based meditation program to help companies manage and reduce employee stress. Their curriculum is designed by a team of physicians, HR experts, therapists, and experienced meditation teachers. For more information, visit http://shyftwellbeing.com/.

Media Contact: Niosha Shakoori; Email; (949) 436-6906

SOURCE Shyft

Related Links

http://shyftwellbeing.com


SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SiteLock, the global leader in website security solutions, announced today its partnership with GMO Cloud, a full-service provider of hosting and cloud computing solutions.

Together, SiteLock and GMO Cloud will offer website security solutions to identify, fix, and prevent website vulnerabilities for GMO Cloud customers. The partnership will also provide access to SiteLock's expert service teams for consultation regarding broader security solutions.

"We are very glad to announce our partnership with SiteLock," said Aoyama Mitsuru, President and CEO of GMO Cloud. "Web security is not just an issue for big enterprises anymore. A substantial amount of SMBs are also demanding stronger web security nowadays. With SiteLock, we will be able to offer strong, cost effective web security that meets the demands of our SMB customers."

Additionally, SiteLock will continue to provide flexible solutions to ensure websites are running safely through malware detection, testing, automatic malware removal, web apps, firewalls and more.

"We are proud to partner with GMO Cloud," said Tom Serani, Executive Vice President of Business Development for SiteLock. "We believe these integrations are a perfect fit for customers that need to keep their websites running safely and smoothly. SiteLock has provided significant insights and services to combat security challenges impacting websites worldwide. Through this partnership, we can continue our journey to protect and prevent future attacks."

SiteLock can detect malware the minute it hits. After identifying malicious content, it automatically neutralizes and removes the threats. SiteLock then provides businesses with complete reports on scans, threats detected and items removed.

About SiteLock

SiteLock, the Global Leader in business website security solutions, is the only web security solution to offer complete, cloud-based website protection. Its 360-degree monitoring finds and fixes threats, prevents future attacks, accelerates website performance and meets PCI compliance standards for businesses of all sizes. Founded in 2008, the company protects over 6,000,000 customers worldwide. For more information, please visit sitelock.com.

About GMO Cloud

GMO Cloud K.K. (TSE: 3788) is a full-service IT infrastructure provider focused on cloud solutions. Established as a hosting company in 1996, the company has managed servers for more than 130,000 businesses and now has 6,000 sales partners throughout Japan. In February of 2011, the company launched GMO Cloud to enhance its focus on cloud-based solutions. Since 2007, the company has also grown its GlobalSign SSL security brand through offices in Belgium, the U.K., the U.S., China and Singapore. For more information, please visit http://ir.gmocloud.com/english/ .

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SOURCE SiteLock

Related Links

http://www.sitelock.com


DUBLIN, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SKY Aviation Leasing International Limited ("SKY Leasing"), a full-service aircraft leasing company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, today announced the closing of a $750 million warehouse debt financing facility (the "Facility").

Approximately half of the Facility is expected to be drawn to finance aircraft currently owned or under firm commitment to be acquired by SKY Leasing. These aircraft have a weighted average age of less than two years and a weighted average remaining lease term greater than nine years. The Facility's remaining commitment is available to finance additional aircraft acquisitions. The Facility was oversubscribed and its syndicate included seven banks with extensive experience in aviation finance.

"The successful completion of this Facility will support our aircraft acquisition program through the end of 2017. It will also increase our ability to fund airline sale and leaseback transactions and large portfolio acquisitions efficiently," said Rich Wiley, CEO of SKY Leasing affiliate SKY Aviation Leasing US LLC. "We are delighted to work with such a strong syndicate of leading aviation lenders, which is an important validation of our platform and business model."

Deutsche Bank AG acted as sole structuring agent, joint syndication agent and joint lead arranger. Bank of America Merrill Lynch acted as joint syndication agent and joint lead arranger. Credit Agricole acted as joint lead arranger.

About SKY Leasing

SKY Leasing and its affiliates are a premier aircraft leasing group with headquarters in Dublin, Ireland and a regional office in San Francisco, California. A full-service leasing platform, SKY Leasing leverages its deep experience, global networks, industry insights and managerial talent to acquire and lease young mid-life aircraft. The group's team of industry professionals, led by Rich Wiley, has developed extensive relationships in the international airline community by leasing aircraft to over 200 airline customers globally and executing more than 600 aircraft transactions valued at over $20 billion.

SKY Leasing is owned by ATL Partners, PSP Investments and members of management who have partnered to support SKY Leasing in its corporate mission of being a leading capital provider to commercial airlines and to the secondary market globally.

For more information, visit www.skyleasing.com.

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE SKY Leasing

Related Links

http://www.skyleasing.com


Secretary of State Hillary Clinton responded first: "There's no doubt now that Russia has used cyber attacks against all kinds of organizations in our country," she said, "and I am deeply concerned about this." Donald Trump countered that nobody knows whether it's Russia, China, or "somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds."

But in his new book, The Plot to Hack America, available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble this week , New York Times bestselling author and MSNBC contributor Malcolm Nance not only identifies the hackers as Russian but digs deep into the biggest political scandal since Watergate.

In April of 2016, computer technicians at the Democratic National Committee discovered that someone had accessed the organization's computer servers. In the days and weeks that followed, they learned that the cyberthieves had helped themselves to everything: sensitive documents, emails, donor information, even voicemails. Nance investigations led him to none other than Russia's spy service. Their method: A new hybrid cyber warfare called Kompromat.

In The Plot to Hack America: How Putin's Cyberspies and WikiLeaks Tried to Steal the 2016 Election, we learn how technicians discovered that Russia's spy agency was responsible for the hack, how the Russians have devastated individuals, political groups, and entire nations with their cybercrimes, and how they may have cultivated Donald Trump as an unwitting "asset" to facilitate their ultimate foreign policy goals: Disband NATO, dominate Eastern Europe, and replace America as the world's superpower.

But why would Vladimir Putin want to tip the scales of an American election? Nance follows the fascinating real-life spy story through a labyrinth of cyber espionage, the history of Russia's spy services, and Vladimir Putin's rise through the KGB from junior officer to spy-in-chief. And he details Donald Trump's many disturbing personal associations with Putin and Russia's oligarch, as well as Trump's loose affiliation of advisors nicknamed "the Kremlin Crew."

The Plot to Hack America reads like a spy thriller, but it's all too real.

About the Author:

Malcolm Nance is a globally recognized counterterrorism expert and Intelligence Community member who was deployed to intelligence operations in the Balkans, the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa. He is the author of five books, including the New York Times bestseller Defeating ISIS, and is a counterterrorism analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. He lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Plot to Hack America: How Putin's Cyberspies and WikiLeaks Tried to Steal the 2016 Election

By Malcolm Nance

On Sale: October 2016

$18.99 paperback; $33.99 (Canadian)

ISBN: 9781510723320

e-book ISBN: 9781510723337



For press requests, please contact Charlie Lyons

[email protected] | (212) 643-6816 x 286

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SOURCE Skyhorse Publishing

Related Links

http://skyhorsepublishing.com


DENVER, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --An independent economic impact study estimates that more than 10,000 general dentists will drop their American Dental Association memberships should a controversial proposal be adopted at the ADA's upcoming annual meeting scheduled for next month in Denver.

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If approved, ADA Resolution 37 will drive many general dentists out of practice altogether. If approved, ADA Resolution 37 will price many patients out of the market for standard dental care. Hardest hit will be those who are poor or live in rural areas.

TEAM 1500, a group representing health care providers and others concerned with patients' rights, released the estimate with a warning that, if approved, the ADA proposal known as Resolution 37 would dramatically increase the cost of basic dental care, while driving many general dentists out of practice altogether.

"Although those at the ADA who are pushing for passage of Resolution 37 have had more than a year to study the economic consequences of the proposed revisions, they have turned a blind eye to the impact that Resolution 37 would have on patients and the affordability of dental care," said Dean Rotbart, an award-winning financial journalist who leads TEAM 1500 and who chairs the economic study group.

In 2015, TEAM 1500 released the results of a three-month study that drew on data and calculations obtained from a cross-section of practicing oral health care professionals, dental school academics, regulatory experts, and financial forecasters.

The 2015 economic impact study, known as T1EIS, specifically examined the likely economic impact of what was then known as ADA Resolution 77. That resolution was deferred by the ADA at its 2015 annual meeting, and is once again up for a vote  now known as Resolution 37  by ADA delegates who attend the October 2016 Denver convention.

"The resolution number may have changed from 77 to 37, but the underlying numbers confirm the exact same dire consequences for dental patients  higher fees, fewer qualified dentists, and a difficult time accessing safe, affordable oral sedation treatments," Rotbart stated.

T1EIS found that fearful and anxious dental patients who require treatments that utilize oral sedation  a patient population that in the U.S. alone numbers in the tens of millions  will have to pay as much as twice current fees if the new guidelines now being considered by the ADA are approved. [Read more about T1EIS at: http://tinyurl.com/team1500EIS]

The cost of standard recommended teeth cleaning, for example, will soar to more than $500 on average per oral sedation dental patient nationwide  and will go even higher in some rural and small town locations.

On July 4, 2016, in protest of the unnecessary financial burden that ADA Resolution 37 would place on dental patients, TEAM 1500 called on general dentists to drop their ADA memberships. TEAM 1500's "Declaration of Independence" (http://tinyurl.com/TEAM1500DOI) notes that, among other grievances, ADA Resolution 37 completely disregards the ADA's long-standing commitment to base the group's recommended safety guidelines and educational requirements on evidence-based research and science.

"Resolution 37 fails to place the compelling needs of the dental public for access to safe, effective, and affordable dental care ahead of the self-interest of the ADA leadership and a small, but influential, minority of ADA members," TEAM 1500 said. "Sedation dentistry should not become the exclusive privilege of the upper-class."

Since 2006, TEAM 1500 has worked in concert with more than 1,500 dentists and other healthcare providers to ensure that patients of all economic and ethnic backgrounds have equal access to quality medical and dental care.

Current and former ADA members are encouraged by TEAM 1500 to phone their ADA district delegates directly to voice strong opposition to ADA Resolution 37.

"Let the ADA know that you and your patients won't support any organization that puts profits before patients," Rotbart advises.

For additional timely information, visit www.Facebook.com/SaveSedationDentistry.

Media Contact:

Dean Rotbart

Email

303-800-6081

SOURCE TEAM 1500
GREENSBORO, N.C., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE: SKT) announced today that its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2016 will be released Tuesday evening, October 25, 2016 after the market close. The company will host its conference call for analysts, investors and other interested parties on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

To access the conference call on Wednesday, October 26, 2016, listeners should dial 1-877-277-5113, conference ID # 7901241.

Alternatively, a live audio webcast of this call will be available to the public on Tanger's Investor Relations website investors.tangeroutlet.com, hosted by SNL IR Solutions. SNL subscribers may also access the webcast via the SNL database at www.snl.com.

A telephone replay of the call will be available from October 26, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time through 11:59 p.m on November 4, 2016 by dialing 1-855-859-2056, conference ID # 7901241. An online archive of the webcast will also be available through November 4, 2016.

About Tanger Factory Outlet Centers

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE:SKT), is a publicly-traded REIT headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina that presently operates and owns, or has an ownership interest in, a portfolio of 43 upscale outlet shopping centers and one additional center currently under construction. Tanger's operating properties are located in 21 states coast to coast and in Canada, totaling approximately 14.7 million square feet, leased to over 3,100 stores which are operated by more than 490 different brand name companies. The company has more than 35 years of experience in the outlet industry. Tanger Outlet Centers continue to attract more than 185 million shoppers annually. For more information on Tanger Outlet Centers, call 1-800-4TANGER or visit the company's web site at www.tangeroutlets.com.

CONTACT: Jim Williams

SVP and CFO

(336) 834-6800

[email protected]





Cyndi Holt

Vice President of Investor Relations

(336) 834-6892

[email protected]

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SOURCE Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.tangeroutlet.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A panel of federal judges will soon consider a proposal to centralize all federally-filed Taxotere lawsuits (http://www.rxinjuryhelp.com/taxotere/lawsuit/) alleging permanent hair loss in a single federal court for the purposes of coordinated pretrial proceedings. According to court documents, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) will hear oral arguments on the matter during its next Hearing Session, which is scheduled to be convened on Thursday, September 28th, in Washington, D.C. (In Re: Taxotere (Docetaxal) Products Liability Litigation - MDL No. 2740)

"Our Firm has heard from numerous women who allegedly experienced permanent alopecia following breast cancer chemotherapy with Taxotere. This indicates that the litigation involving the drug could be large, and may well warrant the type of centralization being considered by the Panel," says Sandy A. Liebhard, a partner at Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationwide law firm representing victims of defective medical devices and drugs. The Firm is now offering free case reviews to breast cancer patients and others whose hair failed to grow back following chemotherapy with Taxotere.

Taxotere and Permanent Hair Loss

Sanofi-Aventis obtained U.S. regulatory approval for Taxotere in 1996 to treat breast cancer. The chemotherapy agent's approved uses have since been expanded to cover a number of cancers, including head and neck cancer, gastric cancer, prostate cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. While the drug has been on the market for two decades, it wasn't until December 2015 that any information regarding reports of permanent hair loss was included on its U.S. label.

Court records indicate that more than 50 Taxotere lawsuits have been filed in federal courts on behalf of patients who allegedly experienced permanent alopecia following treatment with the medication. While hair loss is a common side effect of chemotherapy, plaintiffs claim that Taxotere is more likely to result in permanent alopecia compared to alternative, equally effective agents. While Sanofi-Aventis did provide information regarding the potential for permanent hair loss to individual patients and regulatory agencies overseas, Taxotere plaintiffs claim that the U.S. label only included a generic, vague, and insufficient warning that "hair generally grows back"

In July, two Taxotere plaintiffs filed a motion with the JPML seeking centralization of all federally-filed hair loss lawsuits in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana. While Sanofi-Aventis agrees that centralization of the federal Taxotere docket is appropriate, it has proposed that the cases be transferred to the U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey.

Cancer patients who allegedly experienced permanent alopecia following Taxotere chemotherapy may be entitled to compensation for their emotional distress and other damages. To learn more about Taxotere lawsuits, please visit Bernstein Liebhard LLP's website, or call 800-511-5092 to arrange for a free, no obligation case review.

About Bernstein Liebhard LLP

Bernstein Liebhard LLP is a New York-based law firm exclusively representing injured persons in complex individual and class action lawsuits nationwide since 1993. As a national law firm, Bernstein Liebhard LLP possesses all of the legal and financial resources required to successfully challenge billion dollar pharmaceutical and medical device companies. As a result, our attorneys and legal staff have been able to recover more than $3.5 billion on behalf of our clients. Bernstein Liebhard LLP is honored to once again be named to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List," recognizing the top plaintiffs firms in the country. This year's nomination marks the thirteenth year the firm has been named to this prestigious annual list.

Bernstein Liebhard LLP

10 East 40th Street

New York, New York 10016

800-511-5092

ATTORNEY ADVERTISING.  2016 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, 800-511-5092. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

Contact Information:

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Bernstein Liebhard LLP

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DANBURY, Conn., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Tech Air, a Connecticut-based distributor of industrial, medical, and specialty gases and related welding supplies, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Florida-based Liquid Technology Corporation ("Liquid Tech") and has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the local distribution assets of New Jersey-based JW Goodliffe & Son, Inc. ("Goodliffe"). Goodliffe will continue to own and operate its Internet welding supply distribution site, Cyberweld.com. Closing of the Goodliffe transaction is expected to take place in the 4Q of 2016. Tech Air is owned by CI Capital Partners and Tech Air management.

Including the acquisitions of Liquid Tech and Goodliffe, Tech Air will have completed 19 add-on acquisitions under CI Capital's ownership. As a result, the company will have significantly increased its presence in the Northeastern United States while establishing hubs in the Southeast, Southwest and Western United States. Tech Air now services its customers through 36 branch and fill locations. With the acquisition of Liquid Tech, Tech Air now has the ability to supply specialty gas customers throughout the US.

Myles Dempsey, Jr., Chief Executive Officer of Tech Air, said, "The acquisition of Liquid Technology will greatly enhance Tech Air's Specialty Gases production capabilities and it's locations in Orlando and Houston perfectly complement our existing Specialty Gas production in California. Liquid Technology Corporation has been a trusted supplier to its customers since its founding over 20 years ago. The acquisition of JW Goodliffe will expand Tech Air's leadership position in the New York Metro Region into the attractive Northern New Jersey market. JWG's location in Linden, NJ is a great addition to our existing locations in White Plains, NY and on Long Island. Both companies will benefit from Tech Air's growth capital, access to a broad base of suppliers and administrative and operational support."

"Tech Air has made tremendous progress in executing its acquisition strategy," said Joost Thesseling, Managing Director at CI Capital. "Myles and the rest of the management team have transformed the company into a multi-regional player and established a reputation as a preferred buyer. We look forward to continuing to support the company and its acquisition strategy."

About Tech Air

Founded in 1935, Tech Air is a leading packager and distributor of industrial, medical and specialty gases, welding equipment and supplies. The company is headquartered in Danbury, CT and operates through 33 branch and fill locations in the Northeast, Southeast, Southwest and West. Tech Air serves more than 10,000 customers in a wide range of industries. To learn more about Tech Air, please visit www.techair.com.

About CI Capital Partners

CI Capital Partners LLC, a leading North American private equity investment firm with approximately $2.1 billion in assets under management, has been investing in middle-market companies since 1993. CI Capital forms partnerships with experienced management teams and entrepreneurs to build substantial businesses through add-on acquisitions, organic growth and operational improvements. Since the firm's inception, CI Capital and its portfolio companies have made over 200 acquisitions representing approximately $8 billion in enterprise value. To learn more about CI Capital Partners, please visit www.cicapllc.com.

Contact:

Daniel Yunger

KEKST

212.521.4800

SOURCE Tech Air

Related Links

http://www.techair.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) Ministry of Commerce, Royal Thai Government has formally introduced its Thailand Trust Mark ("TTM") emblem in the U.S. market. The emblem, or mark, is a symbol of excellence and trusted quality that was established to add distinctive value to Thai products and services that are made in Thailand.

"No matter how one defines quality, it is always reassuring to have a benchmark that can gauge the essence of excellence," said Napadol Thongmee, Consul and Executive Director, for Thai Trade Center - New York. "To facilitate this process, TTM was created to help consumers find a reliable means to measure merit. The mark also brings attention to Thailand's unique variety of products and offerings, and the emblem serves as a symbol of quality assurance designed to both provide consumers with confidence and showcase the quality standards of Thai manufacturers and producers."

Leading to the official unveil of the TTM, DITP engaged Curate Directive to launch its first U.S. based social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well as collaborate with influencers within the culinary, beauty, and health and wellness spaces to help communicate the message of Thailand's quality. The campaign is designed to promote the TTM as a means to both build brand awareness among consumers, as well as to enhance the confidence of international partners considering doing business with Thai manufacturers that have received the TTM.

The campaign encourages consumers to look for the Thailand Trust Mark symbol. The TTM symbol will highlight various items across the Thai food, jewelry, fashion, home-textiles and home decor categories, which are recognized for their quality and unique design.

This announcement underscores the strong growth in Thai exports  according to the Wall Street Journal, in 2014 Thai exports rose 3.97% year-over-year to $20.16 billion, beating market expectation, while shipments to the U.S. were at a record high, and grew by 6.40% from the prior year.

As of August 2016, more than 600 companies have become TTM bearers out of nearly 1,000 applicants. Applicants that do not meet TTM requirements are given support from the DITP to improve themselves for re-application.

Companies with TTM certification have benefits such as being able to promote their products and services in relevant trade shows free of charge. Additionally, they can also take part in trade delegation visits with the DITP over a one-year duration after receiving the mark.

The TTM is endorsed by the Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, Royal Thai Government

For more information about TTM certification visit the following resources:

Commerce, Royal Thai Government (DITP)

The Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) was established under the Ministry of Commerce, Royal Thai Government, to assist Thai manufacturers and exporters in building their competitiveness and fulfilling their potential. DITP aims to provide fast, reliable and efficient services to address the challenges and opportunities within the new world economy. Overseas Thai Trade Centers (TTC), under the supervision of the DITP, are located in major cities around the world to implement policies and activities, with special focus on fostering trade relations between Thai exporters and potential importers.

About THAILAND TRUST MARK

The THAILAND TRUST MARK ("TTM") is a symbol that endorses selected high-quality products from Thailand. The Thailand Trust Mark seeks to open up greater marketing opportunities for Thai manufacturers and build trust among consumers. Companies with products that bear the TTM symbol must meet the highest international product standards, CSR as well as labored Green Industry Standards while consumers that choose TTM 'Made in Thailand' products are assured of great value and quality. Businesses approved to use the TTM symbol will also benefit from the worldwide network of importers and exporters affiliated with the TTM.

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SOURCE Thai Trade New York

Related Links

http://www.thailandtrustmark.com


ASPEN, Colo., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Aspen Institute announced today the launch of the Aspen Words Literary Prize, an annual award recognizing an influential work of fiction that focuses on vital contemporary issues.

Open to authors of any nationality, the $35,000 award is one of the largest literary prizes in the United States, and one of the few focused exclusively on fiction with a social impact. The inaugural award will be conferred for books published in English in the United States in 2017. Eligible works include novels or short story collections that address questions of violence, inequality, gender, the environment, immigration, religion, race, or other social issues.

More information about the prize, eligibility, and selection process is available at www.aspenwords.org/programs/literary-prize/

"We hope that this prize will elevate the role that fiction can play in illuminating social issues and building compassion around society's greatest human challenges," said Aspen Words Executive Director Adrienne Brodeur.



"The Aspen Words Literary Prize is an innovative application of the Institute's mission to bring people together around the vital issues of our time," said Walter Isaacson, President and CEO of the Aspen Institute. Elliot Gerson, Executive Vice President of Policy and Public Programs added: "Literature is one of the most powerful ways to expand our perspectives and find common ground."

The finalists and winner will be selected by a five-member jury including Stephen Carter, an Aspen Institute trustee, New York Times-bestselling novelist, and law professor at Yale; Jessica Fullerton, a librarian and longtime participant in Aspen Words programs; Phil Klay, Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War and author of the 2014 National Book Award-winning short story collection Redeployment; Alondra Nelson, Dean of Social Science at Columbia University and author of The Social Life of DNA: Race, Reparations, and Reconciliation after the Genome; and Akhil Sharma, author of the PEN/Hemingway Award-winning novel An Obedient Father and the 2015 Folio Prize-winning novel Family Life.



The submission process will open to publishers early next year. Finalists and the winner will be recognized at an awards ceremony in early spring 2018 in New York City. The winner will be the featured speaker and guest of honor in Aspen, Colorado for the June 2018 Aspen Words Summer Benefit.

For all press inquiries, please contact:

Caroline Tory

Senior Program Associate - Communications

[email protected]

Phone: 970-925-3122 ext 3#

More information:

www.aspenwords.org/programs/literary-prize/

Facebook.com/aspenwords

Twitter.com/aspenwords

#AspenLitPrize



2017 ASPEN WORDS LITERARY PRIZE JURY



Stephen L. Carter is the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of law at Yale University, and a long-time Aspen Institute moderator. At Yale, he teaches courses ranging from Intellectual Property to The Law and Ethics of Warfare. A graduate of Stanford University and Yale Law School, he served as law clerk to the late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. He has published seven non-fiction books, including God's Name in Vain: The Wrongs and Rights of Religion in Politics, and Civility: Manners, Morals, and the Etiquette of Democracy. His first novel, The Emperor of Ocean Park, spent 11 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. His fifth novel, The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln, was published in 2013. Professor Carter is a member of numerous learned societies and has received eight honorary degrees.



Jessica Fullerton earned her BA from Western Reserve University and St. Peter's College, and a Masters in Library Service from Columbia University. She is a professional reference librarian and Marin City Children's board member and tutor. A resident of Aspen, Colorado, she has been a longtime participant in Aspen Words year-round programs. She serves on the Board of Trustees for the Aspen Music Festival and for the Aspen Animal Shelter, and is a lifetime member of the NAACP and Compassion & Choices. A co-chair of the Fullerton Family Foundation, her major interests include education, early childhood and reading preparedness, wildlife preservation and environmental issues, and Planned Parenthood.

Phil Klay is a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War and the author of the short story collection Redeployment, which won the 2014 National Book Award for Fiction. He was shortlisted for the Frank O'Connor Prize and named a National Book Foundation '5 Under 35 honoree. In 2015 he received the National Book Critics' Circle John Leonard Award for best debut work in any genre, the American Library Association's W. Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction, the Chautauqua Prize, and the Warwick Prize for Writing. A graduate of the Hunter College MFA program, his writing has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, and the Brookings Institution's Brookings Essay series.

Alondra Nelson is professor of sociology and Dean of Social Science at Columbia University. An interdisciplinary scholar, her lectures, and publications explore the intersections of science, medicine, and inequality. Her widely praised book, The Social Life of DNA: Race, Reparations, and Reconciliation after the Genome, was published in 2016. Her first book, Body and Soul: The Black Panther Party and the Fight against Medical Discrimination, received the 2013 Mirra Komarovsky Award and was a finalist for the 2012 C. Wright Mills Award. Her edited works include Genetics and the Unsettled Past: The Collision of DNA, Race, and History, and Technicolor: Race, Technology, and Everyday Life. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of California at San Diego, she earned her M.Phil. and Ph.D. from New York University.



Akhil Sharma immigrated to the United States when he was eight, and studied at Princeton University, where he earned his B.A. in public policy at the Woodrow Wilson School. He was awarded a Stegner Fellowship to the writing program at Stanford, where he won several O. Henry Prizes. His first novel, An Obedient Father, won the 2001 PEN/Hemingway Award and the 2001 Whiting Writers' Award, and was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. His second novel, Family Life, is mostly autobiographical and won the 2015 Folio Prize and the 2016 International Dublin Literary Award. He has also published stories in The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, The Best American Short Stories anthology, and The O. Henry Prize story anthology. Sharma is an assistant professor in the creative writing MFA program at Rutgers University-Newark.



Aspen Words (formerly the Aspen Writers' Foundation) was founded in Aspen in 1976 as a cutting edge poetry conference and literary magazine. Today Aspen Words (AW) is one of the nation's leading literary centers and a stage for the world's most prominent authors. AW programs employ literature as a tool for provoking thought, broadening perspectives, fostering connections, inspiring creativity, and giving voice. Since 2009, AW has partnered with the Aspen Institute, underscoring the highest humanistic ideals of Aspen founder Walter Paepcke: to better understand human challenges by cultivating one's inner life through the exchange of words, stories, and ideas. AW's stated mission is "encouraging writers, inspiring readers, and connecting people through the power of stories."

The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute is based in Washington, DC; Aspen, CO; and on the Wye River on Maryland's Eastern Shore. It also has offices in New York City and an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.



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SOURCE The Aspen Institute

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KANSAS CITY, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The emergence of "18-hour" cities as magnets for investment and development will be discussed at the J.C. Nichols forum, an event being hosted on Thursday, September 29, by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) at Kansas City's Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. The forum honors the legacy of Kansas City developer J.C. Nichols, a founding ULI member considered to be one of America's most creative entrepreneurs in land use during the first half of the 20th century.

The forum, open to the public, will focus on the emergence of smaller cities that have evolved into vibrant places to live, work and play by offering a mix of housing, retail, dining, office space, and public space. In addition, these 18-hour cities (which are lively most of the day and night) are embracing alternatives to driving with bike lanes, pedestrian walkways, and transit systems, and are attracting growing numbers of Millennials as well as Baby Boomers.

According to ULI Global Chief Executive Officer Patrick L. Phillips, Kansas City exemplifies the rise of the 18-hour city. "What's happening here is happening in many smaller cities across the country. These cities are fun and dynamic, and they are competing with larger global markets for talented workers and new businesses."

The forum will celebrate the lasting influence of Nichols, his body of work, and the ULI J.C. Nichols Prize for Visionaries in Urban Development  an annual award that recognizes a person or a person representing an institution who has demonstrated a longtime commitment to the creation of communities that reflect the highest standards of design and development.

Innovations taking place in smaller cities such as Kansas City, Austin, Pittsburgh, Detroit, and New Orleans will be discussed. The event provides an opportunity to hear from leading voices in the areas of city building, community engagement, urban planning, civic leadership, design, and urban policy. Speakers include several Nichols laureates: Richard D. Baron, co-founder and chairman, McCormack Baron Salazar; Bart Harvey, former chairman and chief executive officer, Enterprise Community Partners; Peter Calthorpe, principal, Calthorpe Associates; Gerald Hines, founder and chairman, Hines; Peter Walker, founder and senior partner, PWP Landscape Architecture; and Joseph Riley, former mayor of Charleston, South Carolina.

The event will begin with a morning panel on challenges and opportunities facing smaller cities. It will feature Riley, former Kansas City, Kansas Mayor Joe Reardon; and Knoxville, Tennessee Mayor Madeline Rogero. An afternoon panel will focus on the role of technology in catalyzing economic development. It will feature Calthorpe and Rachel Hack Merlo, community impact manager, Google Fiber; Tyrone Poole, founder, NoAppFee.com; and Rick Usher, assistant city manager for entrepreneurship and small business, City of Kansas City.

Renowned architecture critic Paul Goldberger, contributing editor to Vanity Fair, will moderate the program, leading panelists through an exploration of successful city building for the 21st century.

The forum, which is open to the public, starts at 9 a.m. in the Atkins Auditorium and will conclude at 3:30 p.m.

About the Urban Land Institute

The Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the institute has nearly 40,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines. For more information, please visit uli.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

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SOURCE Urban Land Institute

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HAMILTON, Bermuda, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Government of Bermuda (the "Government") announced today the commencement of offers to purchase for cash (the "Tender Offers") up to U.S.$150,000,000 aggregate principal amount (as such amount may be increased at the sole discretion of the Government, the "Maximum Tender Amount") of its 5.603% Notes due 2020 (the "Notes due 2020") and its 4.138% Notes due 2023 (the "Notes due 2023" and, together with the Notes due 2020, the "Existing Notes"), such Maximum Tender Amount initially intended to be allocated between the series of Existing Notes in the Government's discretion (each, a "Tender Offer Cap"). The terms and conditions of the Tender Offers are set forth in the Offer to Purchase, dated September 28, 2016 (the "Offer to Purchase").

The tender period (the "Tender Period") will commence on September 28, 2016 and expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on October 18, 2016 unless extended or earlier terminated by the Government in its sole discretion (the "Expiration Time"). The settlement of the Tender Offers is scheduled to occur on October 19, 2016 (the "Settlement Date").

The Tender Offers are not conditioned upon any minimum participation by the holders of either series of the Existing Notes but are conditioned on (a) the satisfaction or waiver by the Government of the conditions described in the Offer to Purchase, (b) the closing of an offering of new notes (the "New Notes") by the Government (the "New Notes Offering"), which is intended to settle prior to or concurrently with the Tender Offers, and (c) the dealer manager agreement relating to the Tender Offers not being terminated prior to or at the time of the settlement of the Tender Offers. The Tender Offers are not conditioned on each other. The Government may allocate the Maximum Tender Amount to either series of Existing Notes or not at all or purchase less or more Existing Notes, in its sole discretion. The Government currently intends to allocate the Maximum Tender Amount between the series of Existing Notes, but the Government may vary the allocations in any way it deems appropriate, including allocating the full Maximum Tender Amount to just one series of Existing Notes. The principal amount of Existing Notes accepted for purchase in the Tender Offers may be limited because of the Maximum Tender Amount and the Tender Offer Caps. The Government will not accept for purchase more than the Maximum Tender Amount of Existing Notes validly tendered, or more than the applicable Tender Offer Cap for each series, even if Existing Notes in excess of such amounts are validly tendered. In addition, tenders validly submitted on or prior to the Early Participation Deadline will be preferred and accepted before any tenders validly submitted after the Early Participation Deadline, meaning that tenders submitted after the Early Participation Deadline may not be accepted at all.

Allocations in the New Notes Offering will be determined by the Government and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. ("HSBC"), as initial purchaser in the New Notes Offering, in their sole discretion based on a number of different factors, which may include an assessment of an investor's long term interest in owning debt securities of the Government, the size and timing of such investor's indication of interest in purchasing New Notes, and the tenders in the Tender Offers. However, neither the Government nor HSBC are obligated to consider participation in the Tender Offers in making an allocation determination with respect to the New Notes with regard to any particular investor.

The table below summarizes certain payment terms of the Tender Offers:

Description of Existing Notes

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof

Purchase Price*

Early Tender Premium*

Total Consideration* 5.603% Senior Notes due 2020

U.S.$500,000,000

U.S.$1,110.00

U.S.$30.00

U.S.$1,140.00 4.138% Senior Notes due 2023

U.S.$475,000,000

U.S.$1,050.00

U.S.$30.00

U.S.$1,080.00

____________

* Per U.S.$1,000 Principal Amount of Existing Notes accepted for purchase.

For each U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Existing Notes validly tendered on or prior to 5:00 PM New York City time on October 7, 2016 (the "Early Participation Deadline") and accepted pursuant to the Tender Offers, the Government will pay the applicable Total Consideration indicated in the table above (each, a "Total Consideration"), plus Accrued Interest (as defined below) thereon. The Total Consideration includes an early tender premium per U.S.$1,000 principal amount of each series of Existing Notes validly tendered on or prior to the Early Participation Deadline and accepted for purchase, equal to the amount indicated in the table above (each, an "Early Tender Premium").

For each U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Existing Notes validly tendered after the Early Participation Deadline but on or prior to the Expiration Time, and accepted pursuant to the Tender Offers, the Government will pay the applicable Purchase Price indicated in the table above (each, a "Purchase Price"), plus Accrued Interest thereon.

Holders of Existing Notes participating in the Tender Offers whose Existing Notes are accepted for purchase will also receive any accrued and unpaid interest on their Existing Notes from, and including, the last interest payment date for such Existing Notes to, but not including, the Settlement Date ("Accrued Interest"). Tenders that are accepted will be settled solely by the Government on the Settlement Date, subject to the terms and conditions of the Tender Offers.

During the Tender Period, a holder of Existing Notes may place orders to tender such Existing Notes through the DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg clearing systems. Holders who tender their Existing Notes will not have withdrawal rights with respect to the Tender Offers, unless required by applicable law.

Tenders of Existing Notes may be subject to proration, in accordance with the terms of the Tender Offers described in the Offer to Purchase.

The Government reserves the right, in its sole discretion, not to accept any tender for any reason or to extend, re- open, amend or terminate the Tender Offers, or to close a Tender Offer to further Tenders if valid tenders at or in excess of the applicable Tender Offer Cap have been received prior to the Early Participation Deadline, in its sole discretion.

Any extension, termination or amendment of the Tender Offers will be followed, as promptly as practicable, by public announcement thereof. The Government shall communicate such public announcement by issuing a press release in accordance with applicable law and by an announcement on the website of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange ( www.bourse.lu ) and the website of the Bermuda Stock Exchange (www.bsx.com), which websites are not incorporated herein by reference and on the Offer Website run by the Tender and Information Agent (http://www.gbsc-usa.com/Bermuda).

The Dealer Manager for the Tender Offers is:

HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.

452 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York 10018

United States of America

Attn: Global Liability

Management Group

Collect: 1 212 525 5552

Toll-Free: 1 888 HSBC 4LM

Questions regarding the Tender Offers may be directed to the Dealer Manager at the above contact.

The Offer to Purchase, as well as other relevant notices and documents, will also be available on the Tender Offer Website, http://www.gbsc-usa.com/Bermuda operated by the Tender and Information Agent.

The Tender and Information Agent for the Tender Offers is Global Bondholder Services Corporation, Inc.

65 Broadway, Suite 404

New York, New York 10006

United States

Banks and Brokers call: (212) 430-3774

Toll-Free: (866) 470-4200

Email: [email protected]

By facsimile: (for Eligible Institutions only) (212) 430-3775

Confirmation: (212) 430-3774

Holders of the Existing Notes are urged to read the Offer to Purchase carefully. Any questions or requests for assistance in relation to the Offer to Purchase may be directed to the Dealer Manager at its telephone number set forth above or to the holder's broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee for assistance concerning the Tender Offers. Requests for additional copies of the Offer to Purchase may be directed to the Tender and Information Agent at the address and telephone number set forth above.

This release shall not be construed as an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to purchase any of the Existing Notes or any other securities.

The Tender Offers are not being made in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities, blue sky or other laws of such jurisdiction. None of the Government, the Bank of New York Mellon as trustee for the Existing Notes, the Dealer Manager or the Information and Tender Agent makes any recommendation as to whether or not holders should tender their Existing Notes pursuant to the Tender Offers.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Government, to be materially different from any future results or performance expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses the Government has made in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors believed to be appropriate in the circumstances. The Government cautions you that a number of important factors could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. The information contained in this press release identifies important factors that could cause such differences. The Government undertakes no obligation to update any of its forward-looking statements.

SOURCE The Government of Bermuda
WORCESTER, Mass., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE: THG) expects to release its third quarter financial results after the market closes on Thursday, November 3. The company will webcast a discussion of its results on Friday, November 4, at 10:00 a.m. ET, through its website at www.hanover.com.

Those who would like to listen should go to the website 15 minutes prior to the start of the call to register, download and install any necessary audio software.

About The Hanover

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., based in Worcester, Mass., is the holding company for several property and casualty insurance companies, which together constitute one of the largest insurance businesses in the United States. For more than 160 years, The Hanover has provided a wide range of property and casualty products and services to businesses, individuals, and families. The Hanover distributes its products through a select group of independent agents and brokers. Together with its agents, the company offers specialized coverages for small and mid-sized businesses, as well as insurance protection for homes, automobiles, and other personal items. Through its international member company, Chaucer, The Hanover also underwrites business at Lloyd's of London in several major insurance and reinsurance classes, including marine, property and energy. For more information, please visit hanover.com.

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SOURCE The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.hanover.com


Gettys brings nearly two decades of experience in the financial and safety and survivability industries. Most recently, he was Regional Director at Dimensional Fund Advisors, a $415 billion global investment firm, where he was responsible for relationship management, business development and for leading sales-related initiatives. He was previously a Vice President at PIMCO and a Senior Vice President at Amundi Smith Breeden, where he led client service initiatives and sales teams. Prior to his career in finance, Gettys served in the United States Navy, as both a Surface Warfare and SEAL Officer. Gettys holds an MBA from Stanford Business School and a B.S. in mathematics from the United States Naval Academy.

"Tarey brings a unique, multi-faceted mix of deep financial expertise and real-world experience from using some of our most advanced safety and survivability products," said Scott O'Brien, President of Safariland. "While serving in the Navy, Tarey gained an extensive understanding of some of Safariland's best-in-class offerings, which will be instrumental as we continue driving growth as the premier protective equipment and solutions provider. Tarey embodies our mission of saving lives, and I am confident that he will bring the passion, service and commitment inherent in VIEVU's culture as he takes on this leadership role."

Gettys said, "I am excited to join The Safariland Group and, specifically, VIEVU, a brand that serves both the law enforcement industry and broader communities at large. The body worn camera, evidence management and technology solutions we offer have tremendous growth potential and answer a real need in today's policing efforts. I look forward to leading the VIEVU team and leveraging my experience as we focus on bringing truth and transparency through our technology and innovation efforts."

About VIEVU

Designed by Cops for Cops, VIEVU is a leading provider of body worn and video technologies, providing secure, high-quality video cameras for law enforcement, security, emergency medical services and retailers. VIEVU Solution, the company's next generation fully-hosted cloud evidence management system, is built on Microsoft Azure Government Cloud, the first enterprise cloud to directly support the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division. VIEVU is also the only provider of body worn cameras with Automated Video Redaction technology, a highly advanced redaction tool built to automatically blur faces and objects recorded on body worn cameras, without user involvement, in order to protect the privacy and identity of victims, innocent bystanders, minors and undercover police officers. Built on police experience, VIEVU technology is used by thousands of law enforcement agencies in 17 countries. VIEVU received the highest score in an evaluation of body worn video by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. For information please visit www.vievu.com.

About The Safariland Group

The Safariland Group is a leading global provider of a broad range of safety and survivability products designed for the public safety, military, professional and outdoor markets. The Safariland Group offers a number of recognized brand names in these markets including Safariland, Med-Eng, ABA, Second Chance, VIEVU, Mustang Survival, Bianchi, Break Free, Protech Tactical, Defense Technology, Hatch, Monadnock, Identicator and NIK. The Safariland Group's mission, "Together, We Save Lives", is inherent in the lifesaving and protective products it delivers. The Safariland Group is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. The Safariland Group is a trade name of Safariland, LLC.

For more information about The Safariland Group and these products, please visit www.safariland.com.

Contacts

Warren B. Kanders

(203) 552-9600

[email protected]

Scott O'Brien

(909) 673-1204

[email protected]

Media Inquiries

Jonathan Keehner / Julie Oakes / Aura Reinhard

Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher

(212) 355-4449

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SOURCE The Safariland Group

Related Links

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REDDING, Calif., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Situated at the northern end of the Sacramento River Valley, Redding and Shasta Cascade offer outdoor adventure and attractions all year long, along with fascinating, historically significant places for visitors to explore. Travel back in time down Highway 299, stopping along the way to discover ruins from the California Gold Rush and the oldest continuously-used Chinese temple in California.

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Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160927/412621

Travel back in town to Redding and Shasta Cascade, CA. Photo credit: Jeri Rangel. The Joss House is part of the rich history to be found in Redding and Shasta Cascade, CA.

"Redding, the hub city of Shasta Cascade, is centrally located in the heart of the great outdoors, but what many visitors find surprising is our rich history," explains Kallie Markle, Communications Coordinator at Visit Redding. "Visitors can experience a time warp by traveling down Highway 299 and making three stops along the way at Shasta State Historic Park, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, and the Joss House."

Surrounded on three sides by millions of acres of public land including Lassen Volcanic National Park, McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, spectacular Mt. Shasta, and the pristine Trinity Alps, Redding is the perfect base camp for exploring the unspoiled outdoors and witnessing the history of the great state of California.

Shasta State Historic Park, aka the Ruins of Old Shasta

Six miles west of Redding, a row of old, half-ruined brick buildings remind visitors that Shasta, the "Queen City" of California's northern mining district, once stood on this site. These ruins and some of the nearby roads, cottages, and cemeteries are all silent but eloquent vestiges of the intense activity that was centered here during the California Gold Rush.

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

What was once a bustling mining destination called Whiskeytown is now a popular lake and recreation area. Whiskeytown is registered as a California Historical Landmark and known as one of the oldest towns from the California Gold Rush.

Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park

The nearby town of Weaverville, established in 1850, was set in the rugged, heavily forested terrain of what are now called the Trinity Mountains in Shasta Cascade. Weaverville's first settlers came from the Mississippi Valley, followed by German and Dutch immigrants. When the news of gold discoveries reached China, thousands of men emigrated from China to Gam Saan (Gold Mountain), as they called California.

To discover more California history as well as all the adventures and attractions Redding has to offer and additional information about the many things to do in Redding and Shasta Cascade, visit www.visitredding.com and book your hotel, B&B or RV site today.

Media Contacts:

Susan Hartzler

Mental Marketing

818-585-8641

Email

www.mentalmarketing.com

SOURCE Visit Redding

Related Links

http://www.visitredding.com


MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- TravelClick, a global provider of data-driven solutions that enable hotels to maximize their revenue, and IDeaS Revenue Solutions, the leading provider of revenue management software solutions and advisory services, today announced that TravelClick's Demand360 customers are now able to integrate their subscription data into IDeaS systems to allow forward-looking data that power revenue management strategies. This marks the most advanced hotel analytics and demand intelligence integration currently available in the market.

Initially announced as a joint research and development project in 2015, the initiative represents the latest innovation for long-time partners, TravelClick and IDeaS. The integration combines the competitive market intelligence of TravelClick's Demand360 with the world's most advanced automated revenue management solutions to provide hoteliers with a deeper understanding of a property's market position and business potential. The research and development project demonstrated that the insertion of demand intelligence data notably improved the demand forecast and uplift for hotels.

"Market intelligence is the logical next step in the evolution of advanced revenue management. Incorporating future demand and market penetration data is essential to building a superior revenue strategy," said Lisa Rauchenberger, director of revenue management systems and tools, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts. "It is a very exciting and innovative time for revenue management professionals, knowing these advanced analytics will be provided to hotels via an automated revenue management solution. The more informed the demand model is, the better the optimization of pricing and inventory for hotels."

Demand360 is the only competitive market intelligence product available to the hospitality industry that provides forward-looking reservation metrics and competitive share by segment and channel. Integrated with IDeaS' industry-leading automated revenue management capabilities, customers who subscribe to both IDeaS' advanced revenue management systems and Demand360 will be empowered by an even more robust demand forecast. By leveraging future booking data, hoteliers will be equipped to better anticipate  and take strategic action via their IDeaS solution  to changes in their competitive environments and markets.

"Demand360's future occupancy and revenue metrics drive RevPAR strategies for brands, groups and independents around the globe," said Greg Sheppard, senior vice president, business intelligence products at TravelClick. "With a community of more than 22,000 properties that contribute future and historical data, Demand360 gives customers a comprehensive view of the competitiveness in their market. Now, by integrating the power of Demand360 data directly into IDeaS solutions, our mutual customers will be able to further leverage this data with enhanced forecasting algorithms to optimize their competitive position like never before."

"As the leader in revenue management in a constantly evolving industry, we are continually seeking innovative ways to provide customers with tools that enhance their revenue strategy, and demand intelligence like TravelClick Demand360 does just that," said Sanjay Nagalia, chief operating officer for IDeaS. "We are proud that our longstanding partnership with TravelClick has led to the development of this integration, which not only identifies the revenue opportunities, but automatically implements and capitalizes on them - regardless of property size or market position."

Both TravelClick and IDeaS place great value on the confidentiality and security of their customers' data. The new integrated solution will ensure strict data use requirements are met at all times. Subscribers will continue to only have access to data for the subscriber hotel and an aggregate view of their competitive set.

Joint TravelClick Demand360 and IDeaS clients will be able to leverage this first-of-its-kind integration in Q4 2016.

About TravelClick

TravelClick (TravelClick.com) provides innovative cloud-based solutions for hotels around the globe to grow revenue, reduce costs and improve performance. TravelClick offers hotels world-class reservation solutions, business intelligence products, and comprehensive media and marketing solutions to help hotels grow their business. With local experts around the globe, we help more than 38,000 hotel clients in over 160 countries drive profitable room reservations through better revenue management decisions, proven reservation technology and innovative marketing. Since 1999, TravelClick has helped hotels leverage the web to effectively navigate the complex global distribution landscape. TravelClick has offices in New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Barcelona, Bucharest, Dubai, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Myrtle Beach, Orlando, Ottawa, Paris, Shanghai and Singapore.

Follow us on twitter.com/TravelClick and facebook.com/TravelClick.

About IDeaS

With more than one million rooms priced daily on its advanced systems, IDeaS Revenue Solutions leads the industry with the latest revenue management software solutions and advisory services. Powered by SAS and more than 25 years of experience, IDeaS proudly supports more than 7,000 clients in 94 countries and is relentless about providing hoteliers more insightful ways to manage the data behind hotel pricing.

IDeaS empowers its clients to build and maintain revenue management culturesfrom single entities to world-renowned estatesby focusing on a simple promise: Driving Better Revenue.

IDeaS has the knowledge, expertise and maturity to build upon proven revenue management principles with next-generation analytics for more user-friendly, insightful and profitable revenue opportunitiesnot just for rooms, but across the entire hotel enterprise.

For more information, visit www.ideas.com.

SOURCE IDeaS

Related Links

http://www.ideas.com


MIAMI, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- North America is currently the largest telemedicine market globally, accounting for approximately 40 percent of the global market size. However, the growth of telemedicine is increasing around the world and in developing countries because of increasing population, increasing chronic diseases, rural boundaries, and the rapid growth of telecommunications. TreatMD was developed to be country agnostic featuring over 30 languages and custom international features such as custom procedure coding and flexible payment solutions. Out of the box, TreatMD allows any provider, practice, hospital, facility, or healthcare organization to start providing telemedicine services in any country. Currently in 22 countries and growing, TreatMD continues to expand its telemedicine platform globally.

But TreatMD has another goal in mind as they expand their telemedicine platform internationally. The company has a long term goal of building the TreatMD infrastructure to collaborate medicine and treatment on a global scale. Patients, as well as providers in one country can search and communicate with providers or facilities in another country to seek consultation, second opinion, or even learn about emerging treatments.

"Healthcare and treatment in general has the opportunity to redefine itself with telemedicine or what we reference as On-Demand Healthcare. Why can't a patient in Florida suffering from an illness or disease like Cancer search and communicate with a doctor in Germany, or any country for new treatments or even second opinions. We are missing the collaboration of medicine and treatment on a global scale. This is one of our long term goals and we even feel that this type of collaboration can lead to cures and treatments if shared around the world," said Bryan Lenett, co-founder of TreatMD.

TreatMD claims it is the only telemedicine company expanding internationally and offering a flexible fee for service models. International providers have the option of signing up for free, setting their price points & consultation types, and start conducting telemedicine with patients in their region or around the world. The company believes this business model now makes it feasible to give international providers the tools to utilize telemedicine in their regions and abroad.

International providers and healthcare organizations also have the option of creating their own White Label system to provide telemedicine to their existing patients and on their website as seen in this example: https://doctors.sample-business.com

About TreatMD

TreatMD is an International on-demand healthcare platform servicing patients, providers, practices, facilities, employers/associations, and enterprise customers such as health plans and health systems. TreatMD is the first open, map-based real-time platform offering Telehealth (audio/video) as well as management of office visits, in-home visits, and mHealth remote monitoring services.

Visit us at http://www.TreatMD.com

To arrange an interview with a TreatMD spokesperson, contact our Communications Coordinator at 866-288-4990, ext. 1003, or email [email protected].

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SOURCE TreatMD

Related Links

http://www.treatmd.com


BROOKLYN, N.Y., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New York City's hub for smart cities, smart grid, and clean energy at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering announced last night that two highly regarded cleantech startup companies won cash prizes and admission into its ACRE incubator.

The winners of the Urban Future Competition were announced by the Urban Future Lab at NYU Tandon during Greentech Media's Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) conference. Winners Fentrend and TagUp each will be awarded $25,000; admission into the city's premier cleantech incubator, ACRE at the Urban Future Lab; and exclusive mentor meetings with industry partners and sponsors. The winners also had the opportunity to pitch their businesses to potential funders at last night's REV Future 2016 conference.

"We are delighted with the outcome of our Urban Future Lab Competition," said Pat Sapinsley, managing director of cleantech initiatives at the UFL. "Fentrend and TagUp each address pressing problems with intelligent, web-enabled solutions. It is exactly this intersection of the Internet of Things and clean energy that will thrive at the ACRE incubator. The competition was fierce and several of the runners up are currently being evaluated for entry into the incubator. Many of these companies have excellent strategies to mitigate climate change. There is no better place for them than here at the ACRE incubator."

Fentrend, currently based in Brooklyn, is building the first intelligent marketplace for the massive window and door industry, which totals $26.5 billion in the United States alone. Using data and proprietary digital tools, the company is replacing the current laborious, haphazard sourcing process with efficiency and transparency while opening a new, low-cost sales channel for suppliers.

"The Fentrend team could not be more excited to receive this honor and recognition," said Andy Huh, co-founder and CEO of Fentrend. "We founded Fentrend because we saw that a lack of transparency and efficiency in the window and door market was leading even the best-intentioned architects and builders to use inefficient and expensive products because they simply could not find better alternatives. With building energy usage accounting for roughly 40 percent of total global energy consumption and inefficient windows being a leading source of energy waste, we set out to use data and technology to make it easier to find and price more energy-efficient windows. With great success in our beta market, we are thrilled to join Urban Future Lab and benefit from the guidance and advice of industry thought leaders to help us grow and scale."

TagUp, founded in Boston, offers manufacturers, value-added resellers, and end users the means to quickly and effectively integrate their equipment to the Internet, enabling them to monitor asset performance remotely. It reports that its patent-pending analytics platform can reduce unplanned downtime on equipment like power transformers by as much as 70 percent.

Both companies will be moving to ACRE in Downtown Brooklyn next month.

The Urban Future Competition was a Shark Tank-like pitching event that sought business solutions for global urban energy and sustainability challenges. Fentrend competed against two other finalists, CTY and Industrial/Organic, in the Smart Cities Category. TagUp competed in the Smart Grid Category against finalists OhmConnect, SEaB Energy, and Highview Power, during the Urban Future Lab's first Jury Day competition.

About the NYU Urban Future Lab and ACRE

The Urban Future Lab (UFL) at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering is New York City's premier innovation hub for smart cities, the smart grid, and clean energy. The UFL is home to programs focused on policy, education, and market solutions for the green economy. ACRE, the UFL's flagship program, is a business incubator that supports the growth of high-impact early-stage venture companies addressing climate change. ACRE incubator companies receive 24/7 access to desk space and conference rooms at an office in Downtown Brooklyn, in addition to professional business advisory and support services (legal, accounting, design) and introductions to ACRE's network of market partners, investors, mentors, and startup resources. The UFL and all its programs are supported by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), National Grid, Cushman & Wakefield, and Lowenstein Sandler. More at ufl.nyc.

About the NYU Tandon School of Engineering

The NYU Tandon School of Engineering dates to 1854, when the New York University School of Civil Engineering and Architecture as well as the Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute (widely known as Brooklyn Poly) were founded. Their successor institutions merged in January 2014 to create a comprehensive school of education and research in engineering and applied sciences, rooted in a tradition of invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship and dedicated to furthering technology in service to society. In addition to its main location in Brooklyn, NYU Tandon collaborates with other schools within the country's largest private research university and is closely connected to engineering programs in NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU Shanghai. It operates business incubators in downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn and an award-winning online graduate program. For more information, visit http://engineering.nyu.edu.

Note: Images available at http://dam.poly.edu/?c=1820&k=454d553e78

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SOURCE NYU Tandon School of Engineering

Related Links

http://www.poly.edu


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With more than 25 million Americans now using couponing apps each month, Valpak plans to further capitalize on the rise of digital coupon usage and is targeting eastern Texas as part of the company's franchise growth strategy. Valpak, a leader in local print and digital coupons, announced today it is looking to further grow its brand in Houston and Austin.

Valpak began to strengthen its reach in Texas in 2005, when Texas-native Joe Ernest acquired the San Antonio territory. Ernest has driven exponential growth over the years, and the signature Blue Envelope now mails to 230,000 households monthly in the greater San Antonio area.

"Signing on with the Valpak franchise has been such a rewarding business venture, with an ever-expanding digital network that's been highly useful over the past few years," said Ernest. "Aside from having a national, corporate resource backing me along the way, the flexibility and overall quality of life has been second to none. Seeing the positive effect my Valpak business has had on local businesses in recent years has been extremely gratifying."

In addition to Ernest's success in San Antonio, Valpak is also thriving in the Greater Dallas/Fort Worth markets. The Blue Envelope is mailed to nearly 1.3 million homes monthly. Hunter Dunn began selling Valpak in the Dallas market in 1996 and bought his first Valpak franchise in 2008. In 2014, he purchased additional territory to bring his total circulation to 900,000 homes a month. "The new products that have been introduced in the past few years have been exciting," said Dunn. "It's a business that helps so many people in so many ways. We help businesses grow and retain customers, while also helping consumers save money. I can't imagine doing anything else."

Valpak is now aiming to bring the same growth and success experienced in the San Antonio, Dallas and Fort Worth territories to the Houston and Austin markets.

"Texas has always been a hot spot for economic development, and we are excited to gear up to expand in Houston and Austin in the coming months," said Shak Turner, Valpak's director of franchise sales. "The sales success over the past decade in San Antonio and Dallas is truly impressive and speaks as a testament to the demand for innovative direct marketing solutions that small business owners in Texas crave. We look forward to bringing new franchisees to our next target markets, offering businesses and residents alike meaningful savings through our Blue Envelope and digital offerings."

Valpak is currently mailing to 640,000 homes monthly in Houston with the potential to reach over 1.2 million households each month, Turner estimates. In addition, Valpak is looking to hire new sales representatives and sales managers in Houston. Interested candidates should contact Dan Olstad at [email protected].

Additionally, Valpak is currently mailing to 290,000 homes per month in Austin with the potential to double the number of households in the future, said Turner.

A leader in cooperative direct mail, Valpak mails coupons to about 39 million demographically targeted households per month in 45 states and four Canadian provinces. Today, in addition to its flagship Blue Envelope, Valpak offers its advertisers an impressive portfolio of digital advertising products including valpak.com, Smartphone apps, Google partnerships, website development, mobile web optimization and reputation management. Most recently, Valpak introduced its Total Wellness Envelope, which is a targeted, category-exclusive cooperative direct mail envelope and digital solution to drive new customer/patient acquisition in the medical, health and wellness categories.

Ideal candidates for Valpak franchise ownership should possess a desire to join a trusted, industry-leading brand, work within a proven franchise system, develop relationships with local businesses and have a comfort level with selling print and digital technologies. Franchisees should also possess a minimum liquidity of $75,000, and a minimum net worth of $150,000.

For more information on Valpak franchise opportunities, please contact Shak Turner at [email protected] or 727-399-3091 or visit www.valpakfranchising.com.

About Valpak

Based in St. Petersburg, Florida, Valpak is one of the leading direct marketing companies in the U.S. and Canada. We provide print and digital advertising through a network of 160 local franchises. From mailbox to mobile phone, Valpak brings exciting local business offers and opportunities to millions of consumers. Each month, our well-known Blue Envelope of savings is mailed to about 39 million demographically targeted households in 45 states and in four Canadian provinces. Our digital suite of products, including valpak.com, reaches more than 110 million users. Founded in 1968, Valpak is owned by Cox Target Media, a subsidiary of Cox Media Group in Atlanta.

CONTACT: Samantha Rego

Valpak

727-399-3139

[email protected]





Kim Ryan

Fish Consulting

470-294-0088

[email protected]

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SOURCE Valpak

Related Links

http://www.valpak.com


RICHMOND, Va. and WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Village Capital and the Commonwealth of Virginia today announced the winners for the first-ever Virginia Velocity Tour Business Plan Competition. Winners include FluxTeq, Hamilton Perkins Collection, Adartis Animal Health, Hill Top Security Inc. and Agrospheres.

The Virginia Velocity Tour, a partnership between Village Capital and the Commonwealth of Virginia, was created to provide visibility and seed funding for promising startups throughout Virginia. Held September 19-23, the program highlighted industry sectors of regional strength, from health and biotech to energy, agriculture and security. During the tour, 29 finalists participated in public pitch competitions to panels of local judges for the chance to win $25,000 in equity-free grant funding. Five prizes were awarded, for a statewide total of $125,000.

"The Virginia Velocity Tour is one of the most successful initiatives we've been involved in. The quality of the entrepreneurs we have worked with make me very optimistic about Virginia's economy," said Ross Baird, CEO of Village Capital. "It has been an honor to collaborate with Governor McAuliffe, his team and partners across the Commonwealth. We look forward to continuing to work with this community of founders across Virginia that are building the next generation of the economy."

The Virginia Velocity Tour committee selected winners from a group of entrepreneurs from five regions across the state:

Roanoke /Blacksburg Region : FluxTeq , a creator of flux sensors and thermal instrumentation manufacturing, for applications ranging from energy efficient HVAC systems to medical diagnostics and management of thermal systems. Other finalists from this region include Netarus , The Energy Control Group , Aesop Technologies , Tumalow and Imade3d .

: , a creator of flux sensors and thermal instrumentation manufacturing, for applications ranging from energy efficient HVAC systems to medical diagnostics and management of thermal systems. Other finalists from this region include , , , and . Richmond /Williamsburg Region : Hamilton Perkins Collection , which designs, manufacturers and sells a low-cost designer bag line, constructed from recycled plastic bottles, with liners made of repurposed vinyl billboards. Other regional finalists include Glass Smith , Card Isle , PlayYourCourt.com , Relish and Delect .

: , which designs, manufacturers and sells a low-cost designer bag line, constructed from recycled plastic bottles, with liners made of repurposed vinyl billboards. Other regional finalists include , , , and . Hampton Roads Region : Adartis Animal Health , a creator of bio-pharmaceutical veterinary products that combat disease and promote healing, including its flagship Kalvatin enzyme technology derived from deep-sea cod to combat infections, reduce plaque/tartar and promote animals' natural healing processes. Other finalists from the Hampton Roads region include GOGO Bands , Sanyal Biotechnology , Track Patch 1 Corporation , Cardinal Mechatronics and Attention Point .

: , a creator of bio-pharmaceutical veterinary products that combat disease and promote healing, including its flagship Kalvatin enzyme technology derived from deep-sea cod to combat infections, reduce plaque/tartar and promote animals' natural healing processes. Other finalists from the region include , , , and . Northern Virginia (NOVA) Region : Hill Top Security Inc. , which develops and markets a fully automated enterprise incident management & response system that help public and private organizations in processing and managing security incidents. Other finalists from Northern Virginia include Tensor Wrench, Inc. , Eunomic , UnMEZ Inc. and J&F Alliance Group Inc.

: , which develops and markets a fully automated enterprise incident management & response system that help public and private organizations in processing and managing security incidents. Other finalists from include , , and Charlottesville Region: Agrospheres, which develops biotech solutions for environmental remediation and precision agriculture, making harvesting safer and more profitable for farmers. Other finalists from the Charlottesville area include Seasonal Roots, Hungry Marketplace. Bonomuse Biochem LLC, Edible Edu and Tellus Agronomics LLC.

For additional information about the Virginia Velocity Tour, visit https://governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/newsarticle?articleId=16033. For additional information about the winners in the Tour's Business Plan Competition, visit virginiavelocitytour.org .

About Village Capital

Village Capital, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, sources, trains and invests in seed-stage entrepreneurs with business solutions to major global problems in agriculture, energy, education, financial inclusion, and health, and then puts the power of investment in the hands of the entrepreneurs, who allocate investments to the two ventures ranked highest by their peers at the end of every program. Over the past seven years, the organization has supported over 500 companies in 15 countries; this year, Village Capital is working with 27 communities around the world to implement sector-focused, peer-reviewed investments in local entrepreneurs through its VilCap Communities initiative.

To learn more, visit http://www.vilcap.com.

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SOURCE Village Capital

Related Links

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TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) today announced that it will release its financial results for the third quarter 2016 on Tuesday, November 1, 2016, at approximately 6:30 a.m. EDT. The company will also host a conference call at 8:30 a.m. EDT that morning to discuss its financial results.

The conference call will be webcast live from the company's website and will be available at the following link: http://services.choruscall.com/links/wcg161101.html. The webcast should be accessed at least 15 minutes prior to the conference call start time. A replay of the webcast will be available for one year following the conclusion of the live broadcast.

The conference call can also be accessed by pre-registering using the following link: http://dpregister.com/10093513. Callers who pre-register will be given dial-in instructions and a unique PIN to gain immediate access to the call. Participants may pre-register now, or at any time prior to the call, and will receive simple instructions via email.

For those parties who do not have internet access or are unable to pre-register, the conference call may be accessed by calling:

Domestic participant dial in (toll free): 1-844-492-3724 International participant dial in: 1-412-542-4185

A telephonic replay will be available until midnight EST on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. This replay may be accessed by dialing either of the numbers below and entering the replay access code 10093513:

Domestic replay (toll free): 1-877-344-7529 International replay: 1-412-317-0088

About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.

Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) focuses exclusively on providing government-sponsored managed care services, primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, to families, children, seniors and individuals with complex medical needs. The company served approximately 3.8 million members nationwide as of June 30, 2016. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at www.wellcare.com .

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SOURCE WellCare Health Plans, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.wellcare.com


DANBURY, Conn., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Alderman & Company today announced that William Alderman, President of the firm, will be a panelist at the Association for Corporate Growth M&A East Conference, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mr. Alderman will be speaking about current mergers and acquisitions activity in the Aerospace & Defense industry. In the past, Mr. Alderman has spoken at numerous similar events across the United States and in Europe, on various topics relating to mergers and acquisitions in the Aerospace & Defense industry.

Mr. Alderman commented "It is an honor to be asked to speak at the ACG M&A East event today, with such a distinguished group of senior executives from the industry, to discuss valuation trends and deal activity."

About Alderman & Company

Founded in 2001, Alderman & Company provides strategic and financial advice to companies, and their shareholders, lenders, and other stakeholders, in the middle-market of the aerospace and defense industry. Alderman operates through three affiliated companies: Alderman & Company Advisors, LLC (registered investment advisor), Alderman & Company Capital, LLC (broker-dealer), and Alderman & Company Consulting, LLC (management consulting). All securities transactions are made through Alderman & Company Capital, LLC, a member of FINRA and SIPC and registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. More about Alderman & Company can be found on www.aldermanco.com

About ACG's M&A East Conference

ACG Philadelphia is proud to unveil M&A East 2016 on September 27 - 28. M&A East is about dealmaking. We create the right environment to maximize your time and make valuable connections with the most senior middle market dealmakers. Meet top strategic and financial dealmaker, investment bankers as well as leading middle market advisors for two days of the best, most efficient dealsourcing anywhere. More about the AGC M&A East event can be found at http://www.acg.org/philadelphia/default.aspx

SOURCE Alderman & Company

Related Links

http://www.aldermanco.com


Through its best-in-class global network of more than 10,000 multidisciplinary experts focused on the creation and deployment of innovation, Xinova launches with a mission and unique methodology geared towards enabling R&D in a climate where innovation has become increasingly difficult.

Comprised of scientists, inventors, researchers as well as business development experts, policy makers, investors and marketers, Xinova's network helps companies to think beyond their organizational confines and solve their biggest R&D challenges.

Led by Thomas Kang, former CEO of Seoul Securities, Xinova launches with customers including Japan-based electronics giant Funai Electric, architecture firm and sustainable building innovators CollinsWoerman, and service provider to the Australian red meat industry, Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA).

Joining Xinova's board of directors as Chairman is Jorma Ollila, former Chairman of Royal Dutch Shell and former Chairman & CEO of Nokia. He joins Kang in leading Xinova's growth across its locations in the US, Japan, Korea, China, India, Singapore, Australia, Germany, and Israel.

"As a global company with a rich history of technological breakthroughs, we bring scale, economy and efficiency to the process of innovation," said Thomas Kang, CEO. "Our customers gain access to a diverse network of the best minds in their industry and beyond, while our community of innovators is able to maximize the value, longevity, and reach of their ideas."

As Xinova, the company will continue to grow its client roster of multinational corporations, while bolstering its own investment in innovation. Since inception, the organization has cultivated innovation in sectors including IT, agriculture, food and beverage, manufacturing, and biotech.

Xinova and its partners have developed breakthrough innovations that include using audio waves to contain corrosive gases, improving the efficiency of mining precious metals, and pioneering an environmentally-friendly system for building new office structures.

Xinova has also incubated businesses from inception to commercialization, including Seattle-based Coffee Flour, which produces a gluten-free nutritional flour from the byproduct of coffee production, Sublime, a company developing a unique modular washing unit for the clothes closet, and QSense, a company that invented and built an air-quality monitor and data-sharing platform that provides real-time, location-specific information.

"I believe innovation is the next geo-political resource that must be made accessible, more affordable and more competitive," added Jorma Ollila, Chairman. "The world needs an infrastructure for Innovation and that is what I see in Xinova  a network that provides all the elements required to truly innovate flexibly and nimbly, whether for large or small companies, and even governments."

About Xinova

Xinova partners with customers and inventors to think beyond the confines of their organization and solve big problems. Operating in nine counties worldwide, Xinova is comprised of more than 80 experts, including PhDs, product and commercialization experts, business analysts, and intellectual property experts. At its foundation, Xinova manages its Innovation Network, a community of over 10,000 multidisciplinary experts from more than 30 countries, residing at more than 100 companies, institutions, and universities around the world. With a client base representing global Fortune 500 companies, small- and medium-sized enterprises, as well as start-ups, Xinova's portfolio of innovations and incubated spinouts cover a wide range of technology sectors, including food and beverage science, agriculture, manufacturing, electronics, and biotech.

For more information about Xinova please see www.Xinova.com

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BASEL CITY, Switzerland, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Yerra Solutions AG, a global provider of innovative solutions for in-house legal, eDiscovery and intellectual property, today announced a strategic partnership with global technology company Nuix. Yerra has deployed the Nuix Engine in support of its managed services teams to enhance handling of large, complex datasets and speed processing time. Yerra is also providing consulting and configuration services to help new and existing Nuix clients optimize their use of the technology.

The Yerra Managed Services for eDiscovery offering enables corporations to effectively bring eDiscovery in-house, giving them more control and visibility over this critically important process. The Nuix Platform, combined with Yerra's ability to bridge the gap between global legal and IT teams, empowers corporations to derive the benefits of bringing eDiscovery in-house while avoiding the traditional pitfalls of doing so.

"Nuix brings the cutting-edge technology. Yerra brings the process expertise and the ability to communicate effectively with both corporate legal and IT," notes Mark Burgess, eDiscovery practice lead at Yerra. "Utilizing Yerra resources embedded within organizations, in conjunction with Nuix, eliminates challenges caused by messages from the corporate client having to go through several layers of vendors before reaching the team actually running the technology. It is a perfect combination of people, process and technology."

"Yerra's knowledge of the local regulatory and eDiscovery landscapes around the globe, especially in Europe and Asia, make it an excellent partner for Nuix," says Angela Bunting, vice-president, eDiscovery at Nuix. "Our eDiscovery platform is ideally suited to the needs of the large, complex legal and IP departments that Yerra serves. We look forward to a productive and successful future collaboration."

"Nuix is at the leading edge of innovation in eDiscovery technology and is focused on serving the needs of organizations with complex discovery needs that span borders and multiple data types," notes Jerome Raguin, global chief operating officer at Yerra. "It is an ideal technology selection for us given how many different data sources and types our global clients must handle and how many cross-border issues they must navigate for a typical eDiscovery project."

These services are offered to corporate clients in Europe, Southeast Asia, the UK and the US. Yerra is one of just two Nuix service partners in Switzerland and the only one in Singapore. Visit the Yerra listing on the Nuix partner directory to learn more.

About Yerra Solutions

Yerra serves the operational and technology needs of in-house legal, eDiscovery and intellectual property organizations. The company's offerings include consulting, managed services and technology solutions that drive operational efficiency and improved outcomes. Yerra is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland with offices in the UK, US, Singapore and Poland. Learn more at www.yerrasolutions.com.

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New Delhi, Sep 23 : Actor-producer Sonu Sood has praised his co-actor Prabhudheva and says he has great comic timing.

"He (Prabhudheva) is a great guy. I have worked with him in two films...and I believe that he has got a great comic timing. He is a great director," Sonu told IANS over phone.

Directed by Vijay, "Tutak Tutak Tutiya" is Sonu's maiden home production with Prabhudeva and Tamannaah Bhatia in lead roles.

Sonu says as a producer he has tried taking care of everything.

"As a good producer I can give him all the things he demands...The best of scripts, dialogue, songs and music," added the 43-year-old.

The film, which is slated to release on October 7, features choreographer-filmmaker Farah Khan in a special appearance.
Aizawl, Sep 24 : The Gauhati High Court has withdrawn all the judges from the District and Sessions Court of Mizoram's Lunglei district following mob violence in the court premises recently, an official said here on Saturday.

After a mob attack on the district court buildings with stones on Thursday, Registrar General of the Gauhati High Court H.K. Sharma issued an order on Friday, withdrawing the three judges of the Lunglei District and Sessions Court," a senior official of the district administration told IANS.

The judges withdrawn are Lunglei District and Sessions Judge R. Thanga, Additional District and Sessions Judge Helen Dawngliani and Civil Judge-cum-Judicial Magistrate First Class R. Malsawmdawngzuala.

The official said that the Registrar General also asked Lawngtlai district Senior Civil Judge-cum-Chief Judicial Magistrate Laldinpuia Tlau not to hold any circuit court in Lunglei district (in western Mizoram) until further orders from the high court.

A mob attacked the Lunglei district court buildings on Thursday and ransacked the official residence of a civil judge after a 26-year-old youth was produced before the court by police for allegedly killing another youth in Zohnuai locality in Lunglei district on August 27.

Before attacking the court, the crowd had demanded to see the accused youth, but police had turned down their demand.

Police arrested 17 people in connection with the violence and remanded them to judicial custody.

Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and the Mizoram Bar Association of Lunglei district branch strongly condemned the attack on the court buildings and ransacking of the official residence of a judicial magistrate by the mob.

Condemning the attack, the Lunglei district unit of Mizoram Bar Association said in a statement that its members had stopped working in the court indefinitely in protest against the attack on the court buildings.

Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, besides Assam, fall under the jurisdiction of the Gauhati High Court, while Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur and Sikkim have separate High Courts.
Aizawl, Sep 25 : A ministerial panel would probe Thursday's mob attack at a district court in Mizoram, state Home Minister R. Lalzirliana has said.

Lalzirliana told reporters in state capital Aizawl on late Saturday that the "ministerial committee would be formed" soon and it would "look into all aspects of the attack on the court buildings, ransacking court offices and the official residence of a civil judge".

A mob attacked the Lunglei district court buildings on Thursday and ransacked the official residence of a civil judge after a 26-year-old murder accused was brought before the court for allegedly killing a man in Zohnuai locality in Lunglei district on August 27.

The crowd demanded to see the accused, but police turned down their demand, leading to the scuffle and later violence.

Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajit Singh separately condemned the incident. Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, besides Assam, fall under the jurisdiction of the Gauhati High Court, while Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur and Sikkim have separate state High Courts.

An official of the Mizoram law department said that Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajit Singh called it a "dark chapter" in the history and has urged the Chief Minister "to take stringent action against the culprits".

The official said the Chief Justice in a letter to the Chief Minister said a severe action must be taken to prevent similar future incidents.

The state police have arrested 27 suspects in connection with the mob violence and they have been remanded in judicial custody.
London/ New Delhi, Sep 26 : With the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) due to meet on the sidelines of a global energy summit in Algeria that got underway on Monday, crude prices rebounded, even as a report said that OPEC needs to cut production to sustain a rise in crude prices above $50 a barrel.

UK Brent crude gained 37 cents at $46.26 a barrel in early trade on Monday, over its previous close, after falling by $1.76, or 3.7 per cent on the London ICE Futures Exchange on Friday.

US West Texas Intermediate rose 32 cents to $44.80 a barrel after falling $1.84, or 4 per cent, in the previous session on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

A Dubai-based regional research firm said on the eve of the OPEC meeting that the oil producers cartel needs to cut production to sustain a rise in crude prices above $50 a barrel.

According to the Gulf Intelligence GIQ Industry Survey, "It does not matter if the world's biggest oil producers agree to freeze output when they meet in Algiers later this week, because they must slash supply to support a protracted price rally."

During September 26-28, Algeria is hosting meetings of the International Energy Forum and the 13-nation OPEC.

Crude prices rebounded after Algerian Energy Minister Noureddine Bouterfa said that all options were possible for an oil output cut or freeze at this week's informal meeting of OPEC.

"We will not come out of the meeting empty-handed," Bouterfa told reporters in Algiers on Sunday.

"I am very optimistic that OPEC members would reach a consensual agreement to restore stability to the up-and-down oil market," he said.

American financial services firm Morgan Stanley in a report on Monday said: "Our base case is that OPEC will meet on September 28 without a formal statement. A nonbinding commitment to stabilise oil markets is possible, but it would likely lack teeth."

"Rather, we expect OPEC to note how this meeting lays the foundation for a more constructive and formal discussion at the official November OPEC meeting," it added.

Oil prices have fallen by more than two-thirds, from over $100 a barrel to under $30 between June 2014 and January 2016. Prices have recovered somewhat this year, rising to nearly $50 in May, before dropping to just over $40 a barrel in recent weeks.

Amid a global supply glut, leading producer Saudi Arabia recently indicated that there is no output freeze in the offing.

OPEC member Iran, attending the ongoing NAM summit, has been ramping up production to its pre-sanctions levels despite the recent supply glut.

Following its June meeting in Vienna when it decided against an output cut, OPEC, which accounts for 40 per cent of global crude output, said in a statement that its members were committed to a "stable and balanced oil market and that the market is moving through the balancing process".

The price of the OPEC basket of 13 crudes closed trade on Friday at $42.89 a barrel.

The Indian basket, composed of 73 per cent sour grade Dubai and Oman crudes, with sweet grade UK Brent making up the rest, closed trade on Friday at $44.70 per barrel.

It was reported that Iran's crude oil exports touched a five-year high in August at 2.11 million barrels per day -- up 15 per cent from its July exports.

Amid the recent fluctuation in global oil prices, state-run Indian Oil Corp (IOC) moved in contradictory ways on its latest fortnightly revision in transport fuels, increasing the price of petrol by 58 paise a litre and decreasing diesel by 31 paise per litre effective from September 16 -- both at Delhi, with corresponding changes in other states.
Chandigarh, Sep 26 : Pointing out that the people in east and west Punjab (in India and Pakistan respectively) would be the worst sufferers, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Monday called upon the Pakistani leadership to refrain from pushing the two countries to war.

"Punjab on both sides of border would have to bear the brunt in case of an outbreak of war between both the countries. Pakistan must understand that both East and West Punjab would be the worst affected by the war and we should try to diffuse the situation at the earliest.

The national leadership of Pakistan is also aware of this fact and they must try to normalise the situation," Badal told media on the side of an event in Lambi assembly constituency in Muktsar district, over 250 km from here.

Badal asked the national government of Pakistan "to refrain from pushing both the countries to war through their nefarious acts".

Tension between nuclear neighbours India and Pakistan have escalated in recent months following Pakistan's open backing for terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir and the recent attack on an Army base in Uri town by terrorists suspected to be from Pakistan which left 18 Indian soldiers dead.

Reacting to the move of the Indian government to review the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, Badal said that the central government "was fully competent and wise enough to take an appropriate call on the issue of Indus Water Agreement".

"Every decision taken by the GoI would be in the interest of the country and would aim at protecting the unity and integrity of the country. The matured and visionary leadership of the country is absolutely capable of taking decisions to safeguard the interests of the country," he said.

Punjab, which shares a 553-km long international border with Pakistan, has borne the brunt of attacks during Indo-Pakistan wars in 1965 and 1971.
Patna, Sep 27 : Former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju has invited criticism from Bihar politicians, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, for his 'humiliating' comment on Bihar on the social media.

The Chief Minister, along with his deputy and even the opposition, slammed Katju on Tuesday reacting strongly against his 'humiliating' comments against the state and its people.

Katju had on Monday posted a sarcastic comment on Bihar offering Pakistan "a package to solve the Kashmir crisis".

He had tweeted: "It's a package deal. You have to take the whole package or none at all. Either you take both Kashmir and Bihar or nothing. We will not give you Kashmir alone", and also posted on Facebook.

"Is Katju 'mai-baap' (mother and father) of Bihar or is Katju 'maalik' (owner) of Bihar," Nitish Kumar told media persons here.

Nitish Kumar said Bihar has a glorious past and a history full of remarkable contributions. "We are proud of Bihar and our roots here".

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav wondered who gave Katju the right to humiliate Bihar and its 10.5 crore people.

"The state of Bihar may be lacking in resources but it did not give Katju a free hand to humiliate Bihar... The state may be devoid of resources but it does not mean anyone can lambast it," Tejaswi countered in his tweet.

Ruling Janata Dal-United leaders have termed Katju's comment as an instance of sedition and demanded legal action against him.

The opposition BJP has also demanded Katju's "immediate arrest" on charges of "sedition".
Chandigarh, Sep 27 : Security agencies carried out an extensive search operation in Pathankot district of north Punjab on Tuesday following reports that some local residents had spotted 2-3 "suspicious men" in Army fatigues.

The Punjab Police and other security agencies carried out the search operation in and around Pathankot town, around 240 km from here.

However, no arrests were made till Tuesday evening.

Search operations have been carried out by security forces in Pathankot and Gudaspur districts virtually every month since January this year.

Terrorists, suspected to be from Pakistan, had attacked the frontier Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Pathankot on January 2 this year, leaving seven people dead.

The Pathankot attack was preceded by a terror attack by Pakistani terrorists on Dinanagar town in neighbouring Gurdaspur district on July 27 last year.
Jerusalem, Sep 28 : Shimon Peres, former Israeli president and the nation's eldest statesman, passed away on Wednesday morning. He was 93.

Peres died at a hospital outside Tel Aviv, two weeks after he suffered a stroke, Xinhua news agency quoted a spokesperson for the hospital as saying.
New Delhi, Sep 28 : Following the diplomatic blitzkrieg launched by New Delhi, Pakistan is virtually getting isolated in the region with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan joining India in boycotting the annual Saarc Summit scheduled to be hosted by Islamabad in November.

"Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the summit," sources quoted Kabul as saying in a message to Saarc chair Nepal on Tuesday.

In a similar message to Nepal, Bangladesh on Tuesday said: "The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th Saarc (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the Saarc process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere," the message said.

"In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad."

In its message to Nepal, Bhutan, while reaffirming its strong commitment to the Saarc process and strengthening of regional cooperation, noted that "the concern of the Royal Government of Bhutan on the recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016", it is learned.

"Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of Saarc on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the Saarc Summit, under the current circumstances," the message from Thimpu on Tuesday said.

Sri Lanka, it is learned, has said that the event would not be possible without India's participation.

India on Tuesday announced that it was pulling out of the Islamabad summit after the September 18 cross-border terror attack on an Indian Army base in Uri town of Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of 18 soldiers.

The attack came amid large-scale violence in Kashmir Valley that left around 90 people dead in the wake of the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani on July 8.

In a statement on Tuesday, India said increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Saarc member-states "by one country" have created an environment that was not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th Saarc summit.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that India has conveyed to current Saarc chair Nepal its decision not to attend the summit, for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to go.

"India remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in an atmosphere free of terror.

"In the prevailing circumstances, the Government of India is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad," he said in the statement.

Pakistan has termed the boycott decision as "unfortunate".

The US has also said that it was pressurising Pakistan to act against terror safe havens within its borders.

"Well, I mean, clearly we've talked about that before is, while we've seen Pakistan make progress on some of the terrorist groups operating within its own borders and carrying out attacks within Pakistan's borders, that we continue to put pressure on Pakistan to respond to those groups who are, quote/unquote, 'seeking safe haven on Pakistan's borders', that - who are intent on carrying out attacks elsewhere in the region," US State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said in the daily press briefing in Washington on Tuesday.

The US is one of the nine observer members of Saarc, the others being Australia, China, the European Union, Iran, Japan, Mauritius, Myanmar and South Korea.

New Delhi has blamed the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror outfit for the Uri as well as January 2 Pathankot air base attack.

On Tuesday, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar summoned Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit and made a demarche that proved Islamabad's links to the attack.

Prime Minister Modi has said that India would revisit the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty that calls for sharing of the waters of the six rivers of the Indus basin with Pakistan while indicating that the most favoured nation (MFN) trade status granted to the neighbour in 1996 might be revoked.
New Delhi, Sep 28 : As we enter a technology era where Next-Gen devices are launched every single day, some are bound to fail as they don't connect with consumers -- while a few will be remembered as being ahead of their time. So what exactly went wrong with two recent much-hyped devices: Google Glass and Samsung Galaxy Note 7?

Let us first begin with the Rs 59,900 device Samsung Galaxy Note 7. The cynosure of all eyes, the flagship premium device was launched with much fanfare in August this year -- a strategic move to cover ground before Apple showcased the iPhone 7 on September 7.

But the Note 7's batteries started exploding: Samsung counted several such incidents across the globe (over 90 Galaxy Note 7 smartphones owners in the US reported overheating). Amid conspiracy theories, a global recall of 2.5 million devices was announced quickly and faster replacements were guaranteed. The damage: Over $1 billion till date, as estimated by industry analysts.

"I think it will be unfair to call it a failure as of now. Since technology is changing at a rapid pace as we see thousands of innovative products launching almost every month in the market, we need to give the Note 7 some more time to recover from bad times before we declare its demise," Tarun Pathak, Senior Analyst, Mobile Devices and Ecosystems at New Delhi-based Counterpoint Research, told IANS.

In a damage-control mode, Samsung has unveiled a new website to let Galaxy Note 7 owners know if their device is safe or not. The south Korean giant is also launching a dedicated media campaign to allay fears and win back trust.

"As far as the Note 7 is concerned, the device packs a bunch of innovative features and is undoubtedly one of the best smartphones ever launched before it was let down by a production fault," Pathak added.

The world of technology, however, is not easy to comprehend as a device touted as the "next big thing" can finally land up in the junkyard.

Remember Hoverboard? The portable two-wheeled, battery-powered board or scooter got off to a promising start last year but owing to faulty lithium-ion batteries and cases of explosion, some of the products were taken off the shelves.

"Similarly, there are a number of other examples for products under various categories which didn't find acceptance in the market instead of being the 'next big thing' and the reasons vary from case to case," Pathak told IANS.

The eye-wearable augmented reality (AR) device Google Glass was introduced with much fanfare in 2014. At $1,500, it promised a new, bold era for information. People, however, realised the device was not yet ready to be part of their lives. There were safety and health concerns. The built-in camera raised privacy and piracy issues too.

"Google Glass is one such product which was surely ahead of its time. The device succumbed to its high price and other concerns," noted Krishna Mukherjee, Analyst (Telecoms) at market research firm CyberMedia Research (CMR).

Google later withdrew the eye-wearable device from the market in 2015.

"I feel Google could not gauge the utility from the consumers' point of view and convinced them to go and buy a $1,500 device. For me, it was a device which should have been planned with consumers in mind," noted Vishal Tripathi, Research Director at global market consultancy firm Gartner.

But all is not lost for Google Glass. Two years down the line, the eye-wearable device is helping doctors, emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics save lives.

Scientists at Tomsk Polytechnic University in Russia have developed a diagnosis system based on Glass that may help in the early detection of various neuro-degenerative disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson's disease.

Using Google Glass, a team of researchers at Drexel University in the US is developing a "smart" portable system that will use functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure a person's brain activity on the go. The augmented-reality headset is being used by paramedics and EMTs assessing patients and them consult with surgeons and doctors at the hospital in real time at the University of Massachusetts' Medical School (UMMS).

"We can say that for every hiatus in a device's lifecycle, failure might not be the perfect description as it is also an opportunity for the brand to come back again with a more advanced version on the back of technological advancements," Pathak told IANS.

According to Mukherjee, in the case of Note 7, such incidents provide enough room for introspection for the tech world and the government to ensure the safety of citizens. "Technology service providers should meet certain benchmarks before launching a product and the government also needs to play a role here," she told IANS.

For Tripathi, Note 7 is not yet a tech failure but a lesson in disguise for Samsung as the company now needs to prove to the world that it is serious about protecting its consumers.

Remember this: Samsung will launch another flagship device -- Galaxy S8 -- next year so, before that, a safe Note 7 device should ideally be back in people's lives.

(Nishant Arora can be contacted at nishant,a@ians.in )
Accra, Sep 28 : Headquartered in Bengaluru, Dr Agarwal's Eye Hospital has over the past six years screened about 600,000 cases across 15 countries in Africa and conducted over 50,000 operations, its Managing Director, Sundaresan Rajagopalan, has said.

"The cost of eye-care at our facility is just a fraction of the cost incurred by most Africans travelling abroad to receive care," Rajagopalan, who was here to open the hospital's 16th branch, told IANS.

The first Dr Agarwal's eye clinic in Africa was opened in Mauritius in 2010 and, since then, it has opened hospitals in East and Southern Africa, with Ghana being the first in the West African region.

Pointing to the demand and supply position, he said Mozambique, with a population of 15 million, has only eight doctors, while Ghana, with a population of 25 million, has only 80 eye specialists. "Agarwal Eye Hospital is just coming to provide a needed service that is lacking in these countries."

In addition, Rajagopalan said, their presence in Africa is also to bring highly-skilled Indian specialists to associate with the local doctors and train them. "We are also sponsoring two doctors, one each from Zambia and Mozambique, for training in India."

A part of the company's corporate social responsibility, he said, Agarwal Eye Hospital is offering to operate 100 cataract cases in Ghana and a similar number in other selected African countries.

At the ceremony to inaugurate the facility here, Chairman Amar Agarwal said: "Our aim is to provide world-class eye-care services to Ghana and her neighbouring countries."

He said advanced diagnostics and eye-care treatment with optical facility ensures comprehensive treatment and saves time, money and the stress of travelling to other countries for retinal treatment, hi-tech cataract surgeries, glaucoma management and paediatric eye care.

Ghanian Health Minister Alex Segbefia said: "We are looking forward to many Indian hospitals to come with their manpower investment and their experience in running hospitals to establish their set-ups and treat our people."

(Francis Kokutse can be contacted at fkokutse@ians.in)
New Delhi : Kushagra Dixit and Ashish Mishra New Delhi, Sep 28 (IANS) Rattled by growing resistance across its restive Balochistan province, the Pakistan Army has intensified its crackdown in recent weeks, especially targeting women and children, and leaving several dead and many missing, say Baloch activists.

According to well-informed local sources, the death toll and abduction cases are over 43 and 185, respectively, as of September 27. About 30 of the dead are women and children, activists in Balochistan told IANS in phone conversations, e-mail exchanges and via video conferencing.

The latest case of abductions, the activists said, was on Tuesday evening, when 30 members of a wedding celebration -- including the groom -- were picked up the Pakistan Army in the Tajabin area of the province's Kech district.

The fresh crackdown comes after what the activists described as a "bloody August", which saw at least 67 dead and over 150 reported missing. August is traditionally a month for crackdowns as the Baloch seek to celebrate their own I-Day on August 11, and protest Pakistan's on August 14.

The September crackdown, these activists say, appears to be systematically targeting women and children -- many of them related to those suspected to be involved in the armed struggle for Baloch freedom. It is being seen as a bid to demoralise the resistance.

"Thirteen women and 17 children are among the dead. One Sah Bibi, 72 years old from Bolan district, has become the first woman in months to be killed in custody. Her body was dumped at the roadside in Kohlu district," Omar Jan Baloch, a local activist-journalist working underground told IANS.

The activists said 21 Baloch women belonging to the Marri tribe were abducted on September 9 from villages in Kohlu and Bolan districts. Of those, 20 were released with signs of torture. Three women had gone on record and given testimonies, they added.

One of them, Bibi Gul, who was allegedly abducted from Sanjwal village of Bolan district, said in her testimony, a copy of which is with IANS: "At dawn they took me and other women to Mach jail (Bolan). They beat one women to death, tortured some, pulled the teeth of three women and made us watch this. This continued for several days and then released us, asking us to tell everyone what they did to us."

Bibi Gul was released along with 19 other women on September 21. She added that the army set ablaze the houses and crops in the area.

"Army had been targeting women and children, but not as a strategy or at this scale before. Now they are specially targeting women by either harassing, shooting or abducting them," Omar said.

According to Zamuran Baloch, another underground journalist-activist, this is pushing more youth into the armed struggle. All these activists have adopted "pen names" as over 33 journalists have been killed in Balochistan so far.

"They are doing this to develop pressure and scare the young Baloch, but more youth are now gearing themselves to fight back," Zamuran told IANS.

Activists alleged that women and children were targeted in Jalari, Sangan, Garbuk and Kahan in Kohlu and Sibi districts and operations using gunship helicopters were conducted in Bolan, Kohlu and Dera Bugti.

"Army had abducted all the male members of our tribe and is now targeting us. We have nothing to eat, our children are sick, but army has stopped food and medical supplies in the area," said a women from Sumalani tribe from a remote region of Bolan in a video message.

According to the activists, on September 9, bodies of three Baloch children, of whom two had gone missing from Quetta on June 25, and a third, the seven-year-old Shahdab Baloch, the brother of poet Sarwar Faraz, who was abducted from the Tasp area of Punjgor, were recovered by locals.

"The same day, 12 women -- Zenna Bugti, Meher Bibi, Patoli Bugti, Mukhi Fareed, Zemmi Marshalla, Khan Bibi, Sammi Bugti, Sadoori, Bakhti Bugti, Noori Bugti, Guddi and Nasreen -- were abducted by Pakistani forces during operations in different areas of Dera Bugti like Sui, Shari Darbar, Asreli and Dilbar Mat," Omar said.

The activists alleged that five women and five children were killed in operations held between September 11 and 13 at the town of Rajanpur and Gyandari in Punjab near Dera Bugti.

"Pakistani forces camped at Gyandari and continued the operation in Rajanpur using helicopters. After the three-day operation, they abducted many women. Those killed include Shabana Bugti, Laalen Bugti, Razia Bugti, Haani Bugti and Shaani Bugti," Hafsa Baloch, another activist, said.

Activist Banu Hooran Baloch, who spoke of human rights violations in a video message that went viral, said she is now barred from entering Quetta Press Club.

"I am also facing atrocities of the Pakistan Army now. I was attacked before Eid. Army personnel had rented a house next to mine and they consistently follow me and threaten my family regularly," Hooran told IANS.

(Ashish Mishra can be reached at ashish.m@ians.in and Kushagra at kushagra.d@ians.in)
Patna, Sep 28 : Security of Chandrakeshwar Prasad and his wife Kalavati Devi in Bihar's Siwan was beefed up on Wednesday as the Supreme Court began hearing a plea by them and the state seeking cancellation of RJD leader Mohammad Shahabuddin's bail.

The plaintiffs had sought the cancellation of Shahabuddin's bail on the ground that he would misuse his liberty to derail the trial and his release had created a sense of fear, police said.

"Security forces were deployed around Chandrakeshwar Prasad's house in Siwan town after intelligence reports warned of possible law and order trouble if Shahabuddin's bail was cancelled by the apex court," a police officer said.

Earlier, Prasad, alias Chanda Babu, in his petition had alleged that he feared for his life after the release of Shahabuddin, who was convicted for the murder of his two sons.

Both Prasad and his wife said that they had faith in the justice of the apex court. "After God, we have our hopes pinned on the apex court for justice," they said on Wednesday.

According to the district administration officials, additional security forces were deployed at all busy squares and sensitive places in Siwan.

"There is apprehension of trouble in case Shahabuddin's bail was cancelled by the court," a police officer said.

The Patna High Court had released Shahabuddin on September 10, as the trial in the case of the murder of Prasad's third son had not started.

Shahabuddin is the main accused in the murder.

Justice Jitendra Mohan Sharma of the Patna High Court had granted bail to Shahabuddin and he was released from Bhagalpur jail after spending 11 years in prison.
New Delhi, Sep 28 : The Union Cabinet on Wednesday decided to ratify the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting here presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Today the Cabinet decided to ratify the Paris Agreement," Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar later told reporters.

Modi had announced during the BJP National Council meeting on Sunday that India would ratify the 21st Conference of Parties (CoP) protocol on combating climate change on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary on October 2.

Javadekar said 61 countries had ratified the protocol, but implementation of the agreement also required that at least 55 per cent of world emissions were captured among the countries ratifying it.

He said there was a shortfall of 3.5 per cent to cross the "55 per cent pollution barrier" and it would be crossed with India's decision to ratify the agreement.

"India became a decisive partner in the ratification process," he said.

Javadekar said the Paris agreement would get implemented post-2020 and India would seek action from the developed world in the pre-2020 period.

"India's decision to ratify the agreement will take the number of cumulative level of emission of countries that have ratified the agreement so far to 51.89 per cent," said an official statement.

"With the willingness expressed by several other countries to ratify the agreement before the end of this year, it is expected that the Agreement will enter into force soon and give a thrust to the global actions to address climate change," it added.

The statement further said: "While agreeing to ratify the Paris Agreement, the Cabinet has also decided that India should declare that it will treat its national laws, its development agenda, availability of means of implementation, its assessment of global commitment to combating climate change, and predictable and affordable access to cleaner source of energy as the context, in which the Agreement is being ratified."

The Paris Agreement was adopted by 185 nations on December 12 last year and India signed it in New York on April 22 this year. A total of 191 countries have signed the Paris Agreement so far.

As per the provisions of the Paris Agreement, the treaty will come into force as and when 55 countries contributing to 55 per cent of the total global emissions ratify the Agreement.

So far, 61 countries have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval, accounting for 47.79 per cent of the total global greenhouse gas emissions.
Hyderabad, Sep 28 : AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday said that if the Narendra Modi government is really concerned about the empowerment of Muslims, it should take concrete steps like providing reservation and demand-driven scholarships to the community.

"Let the Modi government ban 'gau rakshaks' (cow protection vigilantes) to prove that it is genuinely concerned about the minorities," the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader said.

The Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad told the media here that constructive steps will help achieve the community's empowerment and not mere holding of panchayats.

He was reacting to the government's move to hold 'progress panchayats' among the Muslims. The first panchayat is proposed to be held in Haryana.

He said the Centre is launching such panchayats from a state where two Muslim females, including a minor, were raped and two Muslim youths murdered on beef consumption accusation.

"The Muslims in Haryana are being harassed in the name of checking their biryani. Let them raid five-star hotels in Gurgaon and check the biryani there," he said.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should also prove his sincerity by stopping statements emanating from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders that hurt the sentiments of the minorities.

Owaisi said empowerment of the Muslims was the constitutional duty of the Modi government and it was not doing a favour to the community.

The AIMIM leader also demanded five per cent quota to the Muslims in Maharashtra as per the Mumbai High Court order.

"You are giving job quota to the Jats in Haryana, to the economically backward classes in Rajasthan and to the Patels in Gujarat. Who is stopping you from extending reservation to the Muslims in Maharashtra," he asked.

Owaisi said the government should hold panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir, as there was an urgent need to reach out to the Kashmiris and talk to them since around 90 persons have been killed and peace remains shattered for nearly three months.

"You talk of empowerment but why are you against the minority character of the Aligarh Muslim University and the Jamia Millia," the MP asked.

He called for implementing the recommendation of a parliamentary standing committee to make demand-driven all minority scholarships, including pre- and post-matric and merit and means scholarships.

On India's decision not to attend the Saarc summit in Islamabad in November, Owaisi said the government had taken the right step since Pakistan did nothing to stop terror organisations like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.

It also did not act on the evidence given by India on 26/11 and the Pathankot attacks, the AIMIM leader noted.

Owaisi, however, said there is a need for a consistent foreign policy.

"You can't have a foreign policy where you go and attend somebody's marriage," Owaisi said in a jibe at Modi's surprise visit to Pakistan in December last year to attend the wedding of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's granddaughter.

On the Uri attack, Owaisi said while everybody knows that terrorists came from the neighbouring country, there was a need to introspect on how this happened.

Pointing out that there have been attacks on army installations in the past, he said there was a need to strengthen the internal system to prevent such incidents.
Dhaka, Sep 28 : Bangladesh on Wednesday said the decision to pull out of the Islamabad Saarc summit was purely its "own decision" and has no relation with the decision of any other country.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs M. Shahriar Alam said: "It (Bangladesh's decision) has no relation to other countries' decisions. It's our own decision."

Without taking any name, Shahriar Alam said a "particular country's" repeated attempts to interfere in Bangladesh's internal affairs has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful holding of the Saarc summit, Daily Star reported.

"We've conveyed it to current Saarc chairman (Nepal and Saarc Secretariat) yesterday (Tuesday) that Bangladesh is not attending the Summit," he told reporters at the Foreign Ministry here.

Bangladesh, as the initiator of the Saarc process, believes in regional cooperation and connectivity, which was also conveyed to the Saarc chair and Saarc Secretariat.

"When time and scope will be available, Bangladesh will attend such events," he added.

Relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan have deteriorated sharply in recent years after Pakistan's repeated interference in Bangladesh's internal affairs following the trial and execution of war criminals in Bangladesh.

The Minister said Bangladesh will never compromise, and has never compromised in the past either, in terms of issues related to the trial of war criminals and execution of the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Dhaka had strongly protested Islamabad's meddling in its internal affairs and last year Bangladesh expelled a Pakistani diplomat for allegedly funding Islamist extremists.

On Tuesday, Bangladesh conveyed its decision to pull out of the summit.

"The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by 'one country' has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th Saarc (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) Summit in Islamabad," sources quoted Bangladesh as saying in a message to current Saarc chair Nepal.

"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the Saarc process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere," the message said.

"In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad."

On Tuesday, India, Bhutan and Afghanistan also conveyed their decision not to attend the November 9-10 summit in Islamabad.

The summit stands automatically postponed or cancelled if one member country skips the event.

However, Saarc Chair Nepal was yet to issue any statement with regard to either having received intimations about some members' decision not to attend the proposed Summit in Islamabad or a postponement of the summit meeting.

Talking to UNB, a senior official on Tuesday night said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has decided to skip the summit following Pakistan's "repeated and shameless" interference in Bangladesh's internal affairs over the trial of war criminals.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not travel to Islamabad to participate in the Saarc summit in November as the atmosphere is "not conducive to a successful summit".

India has conveyed to current Saarc Chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Member States by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.

"In the prevailing circumstances, the government of India is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," it said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to have a bilateral meeting with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Goa on October 16, where they are likely to discuss the future steps on regional cooperation.

Bangladesh Finance Minister A.M.A. Muhith and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan had skipped the two Saarc ministerial-level meetings in Islamabad last month citing domestic compulsion.

On September 19, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh "firmly stands" beside India at this difficult hour and expressed deep shock at the terrorist attack on an army base at Uri, in Jammu and Kashmir.
New Delhi, Sep 28 : India has invited the leaders of the seven-member Bimstec regional grouping, which includes immediate neighbours Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal, to the eighth BRICS Summit in Goa in October.

India is to chair the BRICS Summit. Besides India, BRICS comprises Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec), since its establishment in 1997 has been successful in a number of areas, but it needs to realise its full potential, Preeti Saran, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, said at an event.

"There is a great synergy between the BRICS and Bimstec countries and the BRICS Summit will help explore that," she added, according to an RIS statement on Wednesday.

Bimstec comprises seven countries -- Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.

Saran was speaking at a meeting on Bimstec-BRICS Engagement: The Way Forward, organised by the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) and Bimstec Secretariat.

Talking about the challenges confronting the region, Saran said that terrorism is one of the biggest challenges and the whole world is grappling with it.

She also talked about the enormous opportunities and advantages each Bimstec country has in number of areas like trade, blue economy, tourism especially cruise tourism and Buddhist tourism, and energy security, among many others.

Sachin Chaturvedi, Director General, RIS, said the aim is to explore key issues that are important when BRICS and Bimstec come together, including bilateral and people-to-people connectivity and how global value chains can be strengthened.

Sumith Nakandala, Secretary General of Bimstec, said the consultation held on Tuesday is important in terms of reactivating Bimstec Network of Policy Think Tanks. He expressed concern regarding lack of leadership in Bimstec.

Alok A. Dimri, Joint Secretary (MER), Ministry of External Affairs, said there is need to converge the synergies of the two blocs.

G. Seetharaman Reddy, Additional Director General, Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said that Bimstec does not get the attention it deserves. However, it has its own flavour; thus it should not be compared with any other regional organisations.
Lucknow, Sep 28 : Taking a dig at the recent power struggle between Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party unit chief Shivpal Yadav, BJP President Amit Shah attacked the state's ruling party on Wednesday for doing nothing tangible for the people.

The 'chacha-bhatija' (Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Yadav), were incapable of taking UP to the heights it deserves to be at, he said at an event to commemorate the birth centenary of Jan Sangh ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyaya in Mathura.

He also said that while the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was rolling out a scheme for poor and the deprived every fortnight, the state government was hobbled by a power struggle.

Amit Shah also assured the gathering that if the BJP was voted to power in the forthcoming state assembly elections in 2017, the government would be of the poor people and will work in their interest.
Kolkata, Sep 28 : Ready to court death, a terminally ill elderly cancer patient here has undertaken the controversial Jain ritual of voluntary fast-unto-death, say her family members, describing the act as a "courageous" one.

Kolkata resident Sohini Devi Duggar's condition started deteriorating last year and following a tracheostomy she lost her ability to talk, said her daughter-in-law.

"It was her wish to undergo 'santhara'. When doctors can't do anything after a certain point, the soul takes over. The soul becomes strong. She said she was ready to invite death and wanted to leave her body at her own will. It was a very courageous decision," her daughter-in-law told a local television channel here.

On August 10 last year, the Rajasthan High Court had banned Santhara or Sallekhana, comparing it to an act of suicide. However, the Supreme Court subsequently restored the Jain practice of the ritualistic fast unto death by staying the order.

One of the grounds was that Santhara was "simply a Jain way of mastering the art of dying as much as the act of living" and was not an illegal or criminal act.

Sohini Devi Duggar has been on a fast sans water (called 'nirjala') since September 20.

"You can't take it at any stage of life. She chose to challenge death because for her it was the right moment. It begins by renouncing food, material possessions and finally giving up family associations. The philosophy dictates that you came alone in this world and you will leave the same way. Science and religion are complicated," a family member replied when asked about the ritual.
New Delhi, Sep 28 : The Union Home Ministry has sought a report from the Congress-ruled Mizoram government over violence on Lunglei court premises, which led to the Gauhati High Court withdrawing all judges from there.

The situation has acquired a political hue, with the opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) demanding imposition of President's Rule in the state.

Former Mizoram Chief Minister and MNF leader Zoramthanga has threatened that he would write to the President and the Prime Minister on the issue.

"There is 'complete breakdown' of law and order in the state, which shares its borders with countries like Bangladesh and Myamnar," he said.

A source in the central government said here on Wednesday: "The Union Home Ministry is seized of the matter. We are waiting for a detailed report."

The situation took a serious turn after a mob from Zohnuai locality near Sherkon area of Lunglei attacked the district court building with stones and bricks and also ransacked the official residence of a judge last Thursday.

The violence erupted after a 26-year-old murder accused was brought to the court for allegedly killing a man in Zohnuai on August 27.

A section in the mob alleged that the accused was already given judicial custody following a hearing in the jail itself.

Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajit Singh had severely criticised the violence outside the court.

Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Justice Ajit Singh called the episode a "dark chapter" and urged the Chief Minister "to take stringent action against the culprits".

An irked Chief Justice also withdrew all the three judges from Lunglei, including the District and Sessions Judge R Thanga, and attached them to Aizawl on Thursday itself.

"The Lunglei district court is not working currently," a local journalist Pu Lalriana confirmed IANS over phone.

The state government has ordered a magisterial inquiry under Aizawl District Deputy Commissioner K. Gopinathan. It has also "recommended suspension of Lunglei District Deputy Commissioner" to the Union Home Ministry.

So far, police have arrested 27 suspects in connection with the violence.

Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, besides Assam, fall under the jurisdiction of Gauhati High Court, while Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur and Sikkim have separate state high courts.
Thiruvananthapuram, September 28 : Activists of the Kerala Students Union (KSU), the students wing of the congress party, has filed a defamation case against chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The students outfit filed the defamation suit taking exception to Pinarayis statement the other day in the assembly that those who waved black flags at him were people hired by news channels and not youth congress or KSU activists.

Pinarayis statement dented the credibility of the KSU, the activists defamation petition filed in the sessions court in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday said.

The chief minister had on the floor of the house expressed suspicion that those who waved black flags at him were newspersons in the guise of youth congress workers.

He had reiterated the charge later when reporters quizzed him on the statement in Kochi.

However, the police registered cases against five youth congress workers on the charge of waving black flags at the chief minister, giving the lie to Pinarayis claim.

When reporters again sought Pinarayis response on Wednesday at the press conference convened to clear the air on the medical colleges fee issue, he did a bit of a climb down saying that he had merely expressed his suspicion.

However, reporters attempts to get the chief minister to repeal his controversial statement came a cropper with Pinarayi categorically ruling out the need for him to acknowledge he was wrong.
Islamabad, Sep 28 : Pakistan on Wednesday said the Saarc Summit due to be held in Islamabad in November could be postponed if India refuses to attend.

Advisor to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said in a statement that, as per Saarc rules, the Summit will not be held if any member country refuses to attend.

He said the Saarc Summit was postponed four times in the past "due to Indian refusal" of its presence, Pakistan Radio reported.

Aziz said that although it is possible to postpone the summit, the Saarc Secretariat has not officially informed the Pakistan government so far.

On Tuesday, India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan wrote to Nepal, the current Chair of Saarc, announcing their pull out.

India said it was pulling out of the November 9-10 summit citing increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Saarc member-states "by one country" that had created an environment that was not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th Saarc summit.

Afghanistan in its note said: "Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the summit."

Bangladesh said: "The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th Saarc (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

Bhutan noted "the concern of the Royal Government of Bhutan on the recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November 2016".

Sri Lanka, it is learnt, has said that the event would not be possible without India's participation.
New Delhi, Sep 28 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday vacated the stay granted by the Bombay High Court by which deemed private universities were permitted to admit the students in undergraduate medical courses on the basis of their own counselling based on NEET merit list.

A bench of Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice L. Nageswara Rao, however, said that admissions in the MBBS/dental courses that have already been made in the deemed universities would not be disturbed.

However, they said that the second or third round of counselling would be a joint exercise to be carried out by the "committee of the State Government which shall include one representative each from these universities".

The high court had stayed the notification that mandated the private deemed universities to admit students on the basis of centralised counselling by the state government.

The apex court, having ordered the joint counselling, extended that deadline for the completion of admission from existing September 30 to October 7.

Asking the deemed universities to nominate their respective representatives forthwith, the court in its judgment said: "It would be a centralised counselling for all the deemed universities and not university-wise counselling."

In the second or third counselling, the court said, "students will be taken by making a combined list of those who got themselves registered with the state government as well as the respondent universities".

This, the court said, would ensure admission of those who are more meritorious but left out but are interested in taking admission in the respondent universities.

Asking Maharashtra government and the deemed universities to ensure that all the seats are filled up, the court said: "We make it clear once again that the aforesaid directions are given in the peculiar situation that has arisen."
New Delhi, Sep 28 : The State Election Commission on Wednesday told the Delhi High Court that it on September 5 notified its decision to print the candidates' photograph along with the existing particulars such as serial number, names and party symbol on EVMs for the upcoming MCD polls.

A division bench of Chief Justice G.Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal was informed by the SEC that every ballot p aper for use in the election to the three Municipal Corporations of Delhi will contain photograph of the contesting candidates.

It said that when more than one contesting candidates have similar names, due to alphabetical arrangement of names on the ballot paper, names and symbols of such candidates are printed one after the other, it creates confusion in the mind of the voter.

The SEC response came during the hearing of a petition seeking, amongst others, removal of party symbols of candidates from EVMs in municipal corporation polls in the capital and inclusion of photographs of contesting candidates on the EVM.
New Delhi, Sep 28 : The Bihar government on Wednesday admitted its failure before the Supreme Court in not opposing the bail petition of RJD strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin in a murder case at the Patna High Court.

Senior counsel Dinesh Dwivedi, appearing for the state government, also assailed the high court for "non-application of mind in granting bail" to the former MLA from Siwan in Bihar, overlooking the provisions of CrPC in the Rajiv Roshan killing case.

"I am not justifying whatever happened in the past. The state has failed in its duty," Dwivedi told the bench of Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Justice Amitava Roy as he faulted the high court for granting bail to the "hardened criminal" in total disregard of Section 437 of the CrPC.

Section 437 lays down that no person, who is guilty of an offence punishable with death or life imprisonment, or has been previously convicted for an offence punishable with death, life imprisonment or imprisonment for seven years or more, or has been previously convicted on two or more occasions for a non-bailable and cognizable offence, shall be granted bail.

The state government admitted its failure in the course of the hearing of a petition challenging the order granting bail to Shahabuddin in the Rajiv Roshan murder case. Rajiv was the sole witness in the murder of his two brothers allegedly by the henchmen of Shahabuddin.

Before the Bihar government moved the Supreme Court, Chandrakeshwar Prasad, whose three sons were done to death allegedly by Shahabuddin's henchmen, had approached the apex court challenging the order granting him bail.

As Dwivedi referred to the provisions of law for challenging the high court verdict, the apex court asked "Did public prosecutor appear before the high court" and observed that apparently it was not taken seriously by the lawyer.

"I am not justifying or making an effort to defend the state. The state has failed in its duty. I am not justifying whatever has happened in the past. I accept the anomaly. I accept the shortcoming. I am not trying to defend it," Dwivedi said.

"We can only say that we understand, without commenting on it," the bench observed, asking as to why the factum of criminal revision petition against the order of cognizance was not brought to the notice of the high court.

Dwivedi tried to flag the peculiar situation of the case, but the bench asked: "At whose instance this peculiarity has arisen" and then pointed to "continued negligence" by the state government.

The high court had earlier ordered that the trial should commence within nine months. On September 7, when it granted bail to Shahabuddin, it noted that despite its order to commence trial within nine months, it had not happened.

Interestingly, what was not told to the high court, both by Shahabuddin and the prosecution, that soon after cognizance was taken, Shahabuddin had moved a revision petition contesting it, and for that reason trial could not proceed.

Appearing for Shahabuddin, senior counsel Shekhar Naphade told the court that his client was a victim of "campaign by the media and prejudice" and "it is a trend in Bihar that if there is a crime, Mohammed Shahabuddin has to be named".

"Once a man acquires the tag of notoriety, he becomes a punching bag, for everything he is to blame," Naphade told the bench defending Shahabuddin.

The hearing will continue on Thursday.
New Delhi, Sep 28 : India's efforts to isolate Pakistan on the issue of exporting terror have shown results in the South Asian region with three other countries pulling out of the scheduled Saarc meet in Islamabad, say experts, noting that India can accelerate its engagement with other regional forums such as Bimstec.

India stepped up its efforts to mount international pressure on Pakistan after a terror attack in Uri earlier this month in which 18 soldiers were killed. India has blamed the attack on militants from Pakistan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that the perpetrators of the Uri attack will not go unpunished. In a speech on Sunday last before the BJP National Council meeting in Kerala, he said India's efforts to isolate Pakistan globally had been successful.

Two days later, India pulled out of the Saarc summit to be held in Pakistan in November. Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan also followed suit.

C. Uday Bhaskar, security analyst and Director, Society for Policy Studies, said India has been successful in isolating Pakistan in the regional context.

"In the regional context, India has been quite successful. The fact that Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan have joined India in conveying their inability to attend the summit in Islamabad is indicative," Bhaskar told IANS.

He, however, said it would be "misleading to infer from this partial support within Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation)" that Pakistan has been globally isolated.

"The major powers, that is United States, China and Russia, remain either committed to, or are willing to remain engaged with Rawalpindi," he said.

Uday Bhaskar said that if India can totally isolate Pakistan from the Saarc, it would be a "major achievement", but it cannot be a permanent solution.

"If India can steer Saarc in this direction (excluding Pakistan), it would be a major achievement. But the door must be left open for a reformed Pakistan to be re-admitted," he said.

Former Foreign Secretary Shashank said it is difficult to say at this stage if Pakistan can be excluded from Saarc.

"India is trying its best to put pressure on Pakistan diplomatically, but it is difficult to say at this stage whether Pakistan can be excluded from Saarc," he said.

He pointed out that India has other regional cooperation forums such as Bimstec (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) which involves Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.

Ex-diplomat G. Parthasarthy, a former Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, told IANS that "perhaps, for India, Bimstec and Quadrilateral Security Dialogue can take precedence over Saarc and the present Indian efforts could be a precursor to that".

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD) involves India, the US, Japan and Australia. Initiated in 2007, it is seen as a move to counter the increasing Chinese economic and military influence.

India has invited leaders from Bimstec members to participate in the retreat that will follow the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit in Goa next month.

India has been moving on several fronts against Pakistan as part of its response in the wake of the Uri terror attack.

A meeting has been convened on Thursday to review the Most Favoured Nation status to Pakistan, while the government has also decided to revisit the 56-year-old Indus Waters Treaty with the neighbouring country. India has also replied strongly to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's attempts to raise the Kashmir issue at the United Nations General Assembly.
New Delhi, Sep 28 : Suspended Corporate Affairs Ministry officer B.K. Bansal had couriered his seven-page suicide note to some media organisations before hanging himself on Tuesday.

This was confirmed by the media organisations concerned on Wednesday.

It is believed that he took the step fearing that Delhi Police and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) could hush up the matter after his and his son Yogesh's deaths.

Bansal's suicide note, accessed by IANS, in which he accused CBI's Deputy Inspector General Sanjeev Gautam, Superintendent of Police Amrita Kaur, Deputy Superintendent of Police Rekha Sangwan, Investigating Officer Harnam Singh and an unnamed Head Constable for murdering his wife Satyabala, 57, and daughter Neha, 27.

Both the women were found hanging in their first floor apartment in Neelkanth Apartments in east Delhi on July 19.

"An unknown constable tortured my wife and daughter so badly from July 18 night to July 19 night; he also abused them although they were not CBI culprits, but they were made to commit suicide after repeated torture. It was simply two murders, which cannot be termed 'suicide'," Bansal said in his note. Bansal referred to the constable as 'mota (fat) Havaldar".

The senior officer also alleged that the facts will come out only after a lie detector test on Gautam, Kaur, Sangwan and the constable.

Bansal appreciated Investigating Officer Parmod Tyagi for supporting him and asking him to forget the past wrongthings and assuring him that no wrong would now be done against him.

"These CBI officers made my family life hell. Although I heard that the CBI is tough but I never heard about such proceedings. My daughter and wife had not committed suicide, it is murder by the CBI."

The officer also levelled allegation of abetment to suicide against Gautam, Kaur, Sangwan, Singh and the constable and for torturing him and his son.

"I am disappointed since the day when my wife and daughter were forced to commit suicide by CBI officers; have finished all my desires to live anymore; leaving this world. 'Alvida, Bharat Mata ki Jai'," Bansal said in the end of his suicide note.

"He boasted that if he did not make my wife and daughter resemble the dead, he will not be CBI DIG Sanjeev Gautam. Your coming generation will remember Sanjeev Gautam," Bansal added.

Bansal said Gautam claimed he was BJP President Amit Shah's "man" and "no one can harm him".

Bansal and his son were found hanging in their apartment in Patparganj area around 8.30 a.m. on Tuesday.

Bansal's wife Satyabala, 57, and daughter Neha, 27, committed suicide by hanging on July 19 after Bansal was questioned by the CBI in a corruption case.
New Delhi, Sep 28 : The Centre has launched a programme to improve efficiency in energy use in bulk water supply, public lighting, transportation and domestic consumption in cities and towns across the country, it was announced on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Urban Development has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a public sector company, in this regard, said an official release here.

The MoU says that energy costs account for 40 to 60 per cent of the cost of water supply in urban areas and energy efficiency interventions can reduce this cost by 25 to 40 per cent, depending on the type and age of machines used for bulk water supply.

Quoting Central Electricity Authority (CEA), it said that urban local bodies can save about Rs 6,000 crore per year through such interventions in water supply and public lighting alone, besides avoiding the need for 1,150 megawatt of power.

Savings in water supply is said to be Rs 3,200 crore and 600 MW of power while it would be Rs 2,800 crore and 550 MW in case of public lighting per year.

The MoU was signed in the presence of the Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, Minister of Power, New and Renewable Energy Sources and Coal Piyush Goyal and Rajiv Gauba, Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development.

Speaking on the occasion, Naidu said that energy audit and improving energy use efficiency is one of the mandated reforms under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation and this initiative will help the cities significantly.

"This will substantially reduce costs of operation of water supply schemes and public lighting and will benefit citizens," the release quoted Naidu as saying.

"EESL has done a great job over the last one year in promoting energy use efficiency programmes across the country and has done much better than private sector. EESL will ensure supply of latest technology for municipal programmes," Goyal said.
New Delhi/Islamabad, Sep 28 : Following the diplomatic blitzkrieg launched by New Delhi, Pakistan was on Wednesday virtually getting isolated in the region with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan joining India in boycotting the Saarc Summit scheduled to be hosted by Islamabad in November.

Pakistan said the summit is likely to be postponed.

"Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the summit," sources quoted Kabul as saying in a message to Saarc chair Nepal on Tuesday.

In a similar message to Nepal, Bangladesh on Tuesday said: "The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th Saarc (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the Saarc process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere," the message said.

"In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad."

In its message to Nepal, Bhutan, while reaffirming its strong commitment to the Saarc process and strengthening of regional cooperation, noted that "the concern of the Royal Government of Bhutan on the recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016", it is learnt.

"Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of Saarc on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the Saarc Summit, under the current circumstances," the message from Thimpu on Tuesday said.

Sri Lanka, it is learnt, has said that the event would not be possible without India's participation.

India on Tuesday announced that it was pulling out of the Islamabad summit after the September 18 cross-border terror attack on an Indian Army base in Uri town of Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of 18 soldiers.

The attack came amid large-scale violence in Kashmir Valley that left around 90 people dead in the wake of the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani on July 8.

In a statement on Tuesday, India said increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Saarc member-states "by one country" have created an environment that was not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th Saarc summit.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said India has conveyed to current Saarc chair Nepal its decision not to attend the summit, for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to go.

The US has also said that it was pressurising Pakistan to act against terror safe havens within its borders.

"Well, I mean, clearly we've talked about that before is, while we've seen Pakistan make progress on some of the terrorist groups operating within its own borders and carrying out attacks within Pakistan's borders, that we continue to put pressure on Pakistan to respond to those groups who are, quote/unquote, 'seeking safe haven on Pakistan's borders', that -- who are intent on carrying out attacks elsewhere in the region," US State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said in the daily press briefing in Washington on Tuesday.

The US is one of the nine observer members of Saarc, the others being Australia, China, the European Union, Iran, Japan, Mauritius, Myanmar and South Korea.

New Delhi has blamed the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror outfit for the Uri as well as January 2 Pathankot air base attack.

According to a report from Islamabd, Sartaj Aziz, Advisor to Pakistan Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, said in a statement that, as per Saarc rules, the summit will not be held if any member country refuses to attend.

He said the Saarc Summit was postponed four times in the past "due to Indian refusal" of its presence, Pakistan Radio reported.

Aziz said that although it is possible to postpone the summit, the Saarc Secretariat has not officially informed the Pakistan government so far.
Guwahati, Sep 28 : Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi will arrive in this Assam city on Thursday to appear before a local court here in a defamation case, a party leader said.

An RSS volunteer had filed a defamation suit against Gandhi last year and the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup after examining different witnesses asked Gandhi to appear before the court on September 29.

A spokesman of Congress' state unit said that Gandhi will arrive in Guwahati around 9 a.m. and will appear before the court at around 10.30 am. Later he is also expected to address a meeting of party workers before returning to New Delhi the same evening.

The case is regarding Gandhi's visit to the Barpeta Satra, a 16th century Vaishnavite monastery on December 12 last year. He was supposed to enter the Satra before taking part in a road show, organised nearby, but did not do so and instead hit the road show directly.

Later in New Delhi, he told media persons that some RSS workers prevented him from entering the Satra. He also alleged that the RSS have incited the local women to prevent him from entering the Satra.

An RSS volunteer filed the defamation suit against Gandhi not only denying the role of RSS into the incident but also alleging that Gandhi's statement to media in New Delhi had tarnished the image of Satra.
New Delhi, Sep 28 : A 27-year-old car thief was shot dead after a chase and gunfight early on Wednesday, police said.

Police said the incident took place at around 4 a.m. in Kanjhawla area on the outskirts of Delhi when few criminals were escaping after stealing a Honda Mobilio car from Uttam Nagar in west Delhi.

According to police, the Kanjhawala police station received a tip off about the robbery, and a team rushed to spot and intercepted the car but the robbers started firing at the police party.

"Police in order to defend themselves had to resort to retaliatory firing on them. During the encounter, one of the thieves was shot while others managed to escape from the spot," said a senior police officer.

Police said that staff of the nearby Savitri hospital subsequently informed them that a person with bullet injuries was found outside. A team reached the spot and identified him as Abhishek. However he succumbed to his injuries.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act, officer said.
Kathmandu, Sep 29 : Nepal, the current Chair of Saarc, on Wednesday confirmed that four nations -- India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan -- have conveyed they are pulling out of the 19th summit in Islamabad, and urged for a "conducive environment to be created soon" to ensure that all member states can participate.

In a statement, the Nepal Foreign Ministry said the four nations pulled out citing that "current regional environment is not conducive to the successful holding of the Summit".

Nepal said it has taken the development seriously.

"As the current chair of SAARC, the government of Nepal strongly urges that a conducive environment be created soon to ensure the participation of all member states in the 19th SAARC summit in line with the spirit of the SAARC Charter," it said.

With four of the eight nations backing out, the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit, slated for November 9-10 in Islamabad, automatically stands postponed.

Pakistan has said it has not received any official note on the summit from Nepal.

A final decision rests on the current Saarc Secretary General Arjun Bahadur Thapa, who is currently in New York and will return in two days.

The Saarc process is based on consensus, and even if one member does not attend the summit it automatically stands postponed or cancelled.

India on Tuesday announced that it was pulling out due to increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Saarc member states "by one country" which have created an environment that was not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th Saarc summit.

Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan also conveyed their inability to attend on Tuesday, citing increased terrorism in the region.
Washington, Sep 29 : An overwhelming majority in Congress on Wednesday overturned US President Barack Obamas veto of legislation that would allow families of those killed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to sue Saudi Arabia for any role in the plot, the first successful override vote of his presidency.

Only one senator, Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, siding with the president as 97 others voted Wednesday to override. In the House, the veto override was approved a few hours later, 348 to 77, the New York Times reported.

The measure would amend a 1976 law that granted other countries broad immunity from American lawsuits, allowing nations to be sued in federal court if they are found to have played any role in terrorist attacks that killed Americans on United States soil.

The bipartisan vote was a rebuke of the President who had argued the Justice for State Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) could open the US government to lawsuits for the actions of military service members and diplomats, CNNMoney reported.

Obama also warned it could damage America's relationship with Saudi Arabia, a troubled but key Middle East ally, and other allies who might be accused of terrorism.

But the powerful emotional appeal of providing 9/11 families a legal avenue to pursue justice proved too strong and carried the day.

"The victims of 9/11 have fought for 15 long years to make sure that those responsible for the senseless murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children, and injuries to thousands others, are held accountable. JASTA becoming law is a tremendous victory toward that effort," CNNMoney quoted Terry Strada, National Chair of the 9/11 Families & Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism as saying.

"We rejoice in this triumph and look forward to our day in court and a time when we may finally get more answers regarding who was truly behind the attacks."

The President spoke by phone to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Reid this week to urge them to sustain his veto. In a follow up letter on Tuesday, Obama said he was "firmly committed" to assisting the 9/11 families but that JASTA was the wrong approach.

"Enacting JASTA into law, however, would neither protect Americans from terrorists attacks nor improve the effectiveness of our response to such attacks. Doing so would instead threaten to erode sovereign principles that protect the United States, including our US Armed Forces and other officials, overseas," Obama wrote.

"That is why I vetoed the bill and why I believe you should vote to sustain the veto."

But sponsors of the measure said it was more important to give the 9/11 families their day in court than to worry about the fallout with Saudi Arabia, which they argued wouldn't have anything to worry about if it was not connected to the terror plot.

"How can anyone look at the families in the eye and tell them that they shouldn't have the opportunity to seek justice against a foreign government responsible for the death of their loved one," asked Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the chief Republican sponsor of the bill.

"At the end of the day, this vote is about doing what's right for the American people," CNNMoney quoted him as saying.

"The bill is near and dear to my heart as a New Yorker because it would allow the victims of the 9/11 to pursue some small measure of justice finally giving them the legal avenue to pursue foreign sponsors of a terrorist act that took the lives of their loved ones," said Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the chief Democratic sponsor.
We are delighted to partner with Rainbowfish Ocean Technology who has the resources, experience and capabilities that will allow us to bring the DeepFlight experience to more people around the world, stated DeepFlight CEO, Adam Wright.

DeepFlight announced today at the Monaco Yacht Show that it has partnered with Shanghai-based Rainbowfish Ocean Technology to open the oceans for underwater tourism. DeepFlight Adventures will offer submarine experiences at resort and other locations around the world starting in 2017.

We are delighted to partner with Rainbowfish Ocean Technology who has the resources, experience and capabilities that will allow us to bring the DeepFlight experience to more people around the world, stated DeepFlight CEO, Adam Wright. While we will continue to sell our submarines to the superyacht and private ownership markets, our partnership with Rainbowfish enables us to offer unique submarine adventures, including resort-based dives, as well as offshore expeditions.

Having recently completed a successful joint expedition with DeepFlight in Papua New Guinea, Rainbowfish Chairman, Dr. Xin Wu, added, DeepFlight makes an excellent partner for us as we seek to make underwater tourism a significant part of our business. With the launch of our 4800 ton mothership, MV Zhang Jian, our plans for the Rainbowfish 11000 full ocean depth manned submersible, and now the addition of DeepFlight submarines, this partnership makes us well-positioned to become a leading player in underwater tourism.

DeepFlight also introduced its newest submarine, DeepFlight Super Falcon 3S, at the Monaco Yacht Show. The DeepFlight Super Falcon 3S was designed to enable people to experience underwater flight and view amazing sealife from resorts, yachts, and other seaside locations. The Super Falcon 3S adds a third cockpit to its flagship vehicle so that a pilot can take two passengers on underwater flights to 400ft (120m). The submarine will have Lloyds Register classification and be US Coast Guard certified.

In the Super Falcon 3S, passengers sit comfortably in individual cockpits. The polished acrylic viewing domes afford almost 360 degree visibility. The pressure hull is a proprietary, composite material that has been tested and proven to withstand the pressure of the ocean. Independent oxygen systems utilize conventional O2 makeup and CO2 scrubbers, providing 72 hours of life support. Like all DeepFlight submarines, the all-electric, zero pollution Super Falcon 3S is positively buoyant, meaning the craft automatically floats back to the surface.

DeepFlight is a privately held company that was founded to develop innovative technologies to expand human access into the oceans. The company has made significant technological breakthroughs, including creating a new class of personal submarines that apply the principles of flight underwater. DeepFlight provides a series of advanced personal submarines for the adventure tourism and superyacht industries. Learn more at http://www.deepflight.com, and engage with us at facebook.com/deepflight and twitter.com/deepflightocean.

Rainbowfish Ocean Technology, based in Shanghai, China, is leading the research and development of deep sea technology. The company is working with private investors and the government to launch an entrepreneurial model which will serve scientists, offshore companies and oil companies, as well as tourists and adventurers. In cooperation with the Hadal Science and Technology Research Center of Shanghai Ocean University (HAST), Rainbowfish has launched a mobile laboratory on its mothership MV Zhang Jian, and is working on the development of Rainbowfish 11000, a full ocean depth manned submarine. Rainbowfish plans to reach the depth of 11,000 meters in the Mariana Trench by 2020, the first time in human history in which a scientist, an entrepreneur, and a tourist will travel down to the hadal zone. Find out more about Rainbowfish at http://www.rainbowfish11000.com.
While seeking to align his head with his heartand getting fired for doing soPastor Colby Martin discovered how the church has misused the Bible to falsely condemn the LGBTQ community.

At a time when several major Christian denominations are divided over LGBTQ inclusion, UnClobber: Rethinking Our Misuse of the Bible on Homosexuality argues against the six clobber passages often used to oppress LGBTQ individuals. While seeking to align his head with his heartand getting fired for doing soPastor Colby Martin discovered how the church has misused the Bible to falsely condemn the LGBTQ community. For many non-affirming Christians, the Bible appears so clear on its stance towards homosexuality that the only reasonable conclusion for them is that affirming Christians, like myself, must have missed verses, Martin says. Ive written this book, in part, to show that I, and others like me, have surely not missed any verses.

UnClobber reexamines each of those frequently quoted passages of Scripture, alternating with author Colby Martins own story of being fired from an evangelical megachurch when they discovered his stance on sexuality. So walk with me, would you? Martin asks. As I go from a poster boy of Conservative Evangelicalism, to a conflicted theologian, to an open and affirming Christian, to a fired pastor, to a lost and searching spiritual sojourner, and finally to a co-conspirator for a faith community where the unimaginable comes to life.

Including a Foreword from Glennon Doyle Melton, UnClobber breathes fresh life into outdated and inaccurate interpretations of what the Bible does and does not say.

Colby Martin is Copastor of Sojourn Grace Collective, a progressive Christian church in San Diego. Colby blogs at http://www.colbymartinonline.com and posts his sermons at http://www.sojourngrace.com.
Lumeris is an evolving company in a fast-paced industry and Gregs past population health experience makes him a great fit for our organization, said J. Patrick Foley.

Lumeris, a pioneer in population health management solutions headquartered in St. Louis, is pleased to announce the appointment of Greg Alexander as national vice president of market operations.

Alexander, a 20-year healthcare veteran with proven experience in population health services, will provide executive leadership, strategic vision and business management for Lumeris to drive overall solution outcomes. He will drive the performance and results of diverse functions throughout management and will lead teams of operators, clinicians, technologists and program managers. Alexander reports to J. Patrick Foley, senior vice president of delivery and operations.

Lumeris is an evolving company in a fast-paced industry and Gregs past population health experience makes him a great fit for our organization, said Foley. He will be instrumental in creating a scalable, high-quality partnership model, responsible for delivering sustainable population health outcomes in collaboration with health systems, payers and providers.

Before joining Lumeris, Alexander worked with IU Healths provider-sponsored health plans as a market president for Evolent Health. He has more than 20 years of leadership experience, 15 of which were spent operating Medicare and Medicaid health plans. Alexander also served as president for Community Care Alliance of Illinois, a provider-owned and sponsored start-up health plan in the greater Chicago area serving seniors, dual eligibles and persons with disabilities. He also served as vice president and general manager of Universal Americans (UAM) Indiana and Oklahoma health plan operations, where he led the launch of UAMs Medicare Advantage HMO product line in Indiana and the expansion of the PPO product into 89 new counties in six markets across three states.

Population health is the best place to be in healthcare today and I couldnt be more excited to join the leading company in that space, said Alexander. Ive been so impressed with Lumeris proven model, the high-caliber talent in the growing organization and the responsiveness to the market needs.

Alexander, a Carmel, Ind., resident, is a graduate of Virginia Tech University with a bachelor of arts degree in history. Following graduation, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and served as a communications and electronics officer in the United States Marine Corps 6th Marine Regiment and oversaw the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit.
This program shows what can happen when private industry and the nonprofit sector work together toward mutual goals, says NSBE National Chair Matthew Nelson.

The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) has partnered with Google.org to launch the Code Success @ NSBE program, an initiative committed to increasing the number of black professionals in the field of computer science. The year-round engagement provides NSBE collegiate members interested in computer science, technology, software engineering and web design with opportunities to further their interest in computer science (CS), by enhancing their knowledge and skills. Elements of the Code Success @ NSBE program include: Coding Bootcamps led by expert instructors in the field, with emphasis on JavaScript, JAVA, Python and Ruby coding languages; CS Workshops at NSBEs 2017 Annual Convention; and award competitions encouraging students to utilize the skills they have learned to develop innovative technology.

This program shows what can happen when private industry and the nonprofit sector work together toward mutual goals, says NSBE National Chair Matthew Nelson. If you look at the statistics for bachelors degree recipients in computer science over the past six years in this country, youll see that the number of graduates has increased steadily, but the percentage of African Americans among those graduates has decreased. Code Success @ NSBE will help us move the needle back toward parity for African Americans in this field.

As a member of the Board of Corporate Affiliates, NSBEs top-level supporters, Google has demonstrated its full commitment to increasing diversity in the high-tech sector, says NSBE Executive Director Karl W. Reid, Ed.D. The Code Success @ NSBE program is another example of Googles willingness to lend its talents and creativity as well as its financial resources to strategic efforts to ensure that every population is tapped to fill the burgeoning demand for tech talent.

Justin Steele, Bay Area Giving lead and Racial Justice Grants portfolio manager for Google.org, gives credit to NSBE for his career achievements.

As a collegiate member of the National Society of Black Engineers, I experienced, firsthand, incredible support and access to opportunity NSBE provides to black engineering students, says Steele. We are proud to be deepening our partnership with NSBE to provide even more support for talented black engineering students pursuing majors in the field of computer science. Google is also proud to be a part of NSBEs Board of Corporate Affiliates and participate in conferences and events.

In addition to developing their technical skills, participants in Code Success @ NSBE will receive one-on-one mentoring from members of the Institute for African-American Mentoring in Computing Sciences (iAAMCS). Career services support from subject matter experts and professionals from a wide range of tech industries will be available through a bimonthly webinar series exploring topics such as academic preparation, technical resume development, interview preparation and internship opportunities, among others. Also, 18 Code Success Scholarships will be awarded: recipients will receive monthly review sessions and training focused on front-end, back-end and full-stack web development languages, in addition to the other benefits of the Code Success @ NSBE program.

Thanks to Google for this opportunity to expand the skill sets and career prospects of NSBE collegiate members nationwide, says Christian G. Miller, NSBEs national programs chair. NSBEs programs team looks forward to implementing Code Success @ NSBE and promoting this great addition to the array of benefits available for our membership.

ABOUT NSBE

With more than 31,000 members and more than 300 chapters in the U.S. and abroad, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is one of the largest student-governed organizations based in the United States. NSBE, founded in 1975, supports and promotes the aspirations of collegiate and pre-collegiate students and technical professionals in engineering and technology. NSBEs mission is to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community. For more information, visit http://www.nsbe.org.

ABOUT GOOGLE.ORG

Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, supports nonprofits that innovate to address humanitarian issues. Google.org was created to pursue, experiment with, and build upon ideas to improve the world, and continues to take an iterative approach to philanthropy today. Google.org develops and invests in pursuits that can have measurable impact on local, regional and global issues, and rallies Googles people in support of these efforts with a singular goal of creating a better world, faster.

ABOUT GOOGLE INC.

Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded Google in September 1998. Since then, the company has grown to more than 50,000 employees worldwide, with a wide range of popular products and platforms like Search, Maps, Ads, Gmail, Android, Chrome, and YouTube. In October 2015, Alphabet became the parent holding company of Google. You can read more about Alphabets mission here.

Sign up to follow NSBE on social media.

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Read about NSBEs Be 1 of 10,000 Campaign at Graduate10K.NSBE.org.
Our sales pipeline is overflowing, and the cyber risk management market is about to explode Shay Zandani, Cytegic CEO and Co-Founder said.

Cytegic, Inc., announced today the allowance of U.S. Patent No. 9,426,169 B2 and Patent Application No. 14/574,990 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. A Notice of Allowance is the formal USPTO notification that an applicant is legally entitled to a patent. The allowance of this particularly comprehensive patent, along with two more pending patents demonstrate the depth and scope of innovation that underlies Cytegics approach to Cybersecurity and Risk Management.

Titled System and Method for Cyber Attacks Analysis and Decision Support, Patent No. 9,426,169 B2 covers the overall architecture and set of processes that powers Cytegics Cybersecurity Management Solution. Cytegics solution has been deployed by organizations such as the Government of Douglas County, Colorado to streamline daily security operations, boost organizational preparedness for cyber attacks and implement a more proactive, strategic approach to cyber defense.

We provide Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) with a method for monitoring and managing cybersecurity risks that is designed for todays reality, said Shay Zandani, Cytegics CEO and Co-founder and the patents authors with Dr. Elon Kaplan, the president of the company. Practically speaking, the depth and scope of this first patent covers that method, while our three other pending patents cover specific sub-components of our solution.

Titled Security Risk Mapping of Potential Targets Patent Application No. 14/574,990 covers a taxonomy designed to aide in the identification and defense of cyber attacks. AVOIDIT (Attack Vector, Operational Impact, Defense, Information Impact and Target) utilizes five major classifiers to characterize the nature of an attack. Classification by defense is designed to provide information to the network administrator regarding attack mitigation and remediation. Unlike most taxonomies, AVOIDIT efficiently classifies blended attacks helping Cytegic propose efficient cause, action, defense, analysis and target process used to facilitate attack classification.

These patents cover the underlying processes that enables Cytegics solution to continuously monitor an organizations set of security controls, correlate the state of those controls against external threat intelligence, assess the organizations security posture and, with great precision and a high degree of automation, adjust it as needed. It also covers the manner in which Cytegic calculates and presents cyber risk metrics.

The Cytegic Cybersecurity Management Solution enables CISOs to monitor, measure and manage organizational cybersecurity resources effectively. Cytegic centralizes and consolidates all aspects of cybersecurity risk management: operations, decision-making, monitoring, and reporting. It consists of three integrated modules:

Cyber Maturity Assessment (CyMA), which automates the collection, processing and analysis of security control data and assesses the organizations cybersecurity maturity level.

Dynamic Trend Analysis (DyTA) is an intelligence analytics platform that identifies cyber-threats related to geopolitical regions and business sectors, based on data from open sources and technical feeds.

Cyber Decision Support System (CDSS), a centralized console that both DyTA and CyMA feed into. It displays an organizations real-time security status, measures threat readiness, and simulates what if scenarios to determine optimal resource allocation.

Our sales pipeline is overflowing, and the cyber risk management market is about to explode, Zandani continued. This patent validates our approach and our customers validate that it works.

About Cytegic

Cytegic has developed the industrys first comprehensive cyber risk management and decision support platform, purpose built to enable Information Security leaders to assess, manage and communicate the business impact of cyber risk to any business stakeholder. Cytegic provides a single pane of glass for CISOs to identify, prioritize and respond to cyber risks with unprecedented clarity and agility. Founded in 2012, Cytegic is privately funded. Its customers include Bank Leumi, PwC and some of the largest banking institutions. Cytegics chairman is Ambassador Carmi Gillon, former head of the Israeli Shabak.

For more information, visit http://www.cytegic.com.
This award is another proud validation of our proven 6-step Digital Transformation Customer Journey that enables business leaders to become empowered change agents for just about any desired business outcome they can dream up.

INFINIT Consulting, a digital transformation engine for business, today announced that Jerod Powell has been named to The Channel Companys Top Midmarket IT Executives list. This annual list honors influential vendor and solution provider executives who have demonstrated an exceptionally strong commitment to the midmarket.

As a digital transformation engine for the midsize enterprise, INFINIT Consulting enables our customers to harness INFINITs Digital Foundation cloud services with the power of their data to achieve their accelerated growth potential, said Jerod Powell, Founder and CTO of INFINIT Consulting. This award is another proud validation of our proven 6-step Digital Transformation Customer Journey that enables business leaders to become empowered change agents for just about any desired business outcome they can dream up.

The Channel Company and Midsize Enterprise Summit are proud to recognize these individuals and the companies they represent for their remarkable efforts to meet the unique IT needs of this fast-growing industry, said Robert C. DeMarzo, Senior Vice President of Event Content and Strategy, The Channel Company. The winners will be honored at this years Midsize Enterprise Summit West event this month in Austin, Texas, the nations largest gathering of midmarket senior IT executives and the ideal venue in which to honor these deserving leaders. We congratulate each of the honorees and look forward to their continued success.

The Top Midmarket IT Executives List will be announced at the 2016 Midsize Enterprise Summit West, to be held at the JW Marriot Hotel in Austin, Texas, Sept. 18-20. The executives will also be featured on CRN.com, a leading source for IT industry news.

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Jerod Powell, INFINIT Consulting Named Top Midmarket IT Executives by @TheChannelCo and @TheMidmarketCIO #MES16

About INFINIT Consulting

INFINIT Consulting is a digital transformation company built to cloud-enable your business. Our Disruptive IT, solutions-as-a-service, focuses on data automation, communications and collaboration, security, compliance, support, and strategic technology guidance. Founded a decade ago in the heart of the Silicon Valley from a unique ideology shared by six IT engineers and business experts, we set out to empower business to embrace the potential of IT. This ideology has resulted in hundreds of companies finding technology solutions to business problems and paved the way for INFINIT to be recognized as an IT and Cloud services industry leader.

For more information, please visit us at http://www.infinitconsulting.com, call us at 408.361.8888 or email info(at)infinitconsulting(dot)com.

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. http://www.thechannelco.com

About Midsize Enterprise Summit

The Midsize Enterprise Summit (MES) is held twice annually. It brings together 200+ midmarket CIOs and Senior IT Leaders to share ideas and best practices. MES provides a forum for IT executives from mid-sized organizations to research and meet technology vendors to plan out their IT spend and initiatives for the coming year. http://www.thechannelco.com/mes

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The Channel Company Contact:

Suzanne Lam

508.416.1182

slam(at)thechannelco(dot)com

Contact:

Olivia Frost

INFINIT Consulting

408.361.8888

info(at)infinitconsulting(dot)com
iTeos Therapeutics SA, a biotechnology company working with Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) to develop therapeutics targeting the tumor immune environment, today announced dosing of the first patient in a Phase 1 dose-escalation study of PF-06840003 (EOS200271) being conducted by Pfizer in patients with brain cancer (malignant gliomas). The objectives of the study are to determine the safety, maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended Phase 2 dose while monitoring early biomarkers of activity. This achievement will trigger a milestone payment for iTeos by Pfizer.

"The start of this Phase 1 trial shows good progress in our relationship with Pfizer," said Michel Detheux, chief executive officer of iTeos. "PF-06840003 (EOS200271) was identified and optimized by iTeos in 15 months. It was licensed to Pfizer with an encouraging preclinical data package, including evaluation of pharmacodynamics and efficacy in combination with different treatments in preclinical models, as well as the profiling of IDO1 expression in more than 1200 clinical human samples."

This milestone in our collaboration with iTeos marks an important step for Pfizer as we continue to build a robust immuno-oncology pipeline that will help us bring potential new therapies to patients in need, said Robert Abraham, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Head of Pfizers Oncology Research & Development Group, Pfizer. We believe that PF-06840003 may have the potential to enhance anti-tumor immune responses in certain settings, and we look forward to the results of this Phase 1 trial.

iTeos and Pfizer entered into a license and collaboration agreement in December 2014.

About the Phase 1 Trial

This Phase 1, open-label, multicenter study (NCT02764151) is designed to determine the recommended Phase 2 dose of oral PF-06840003 administered as a single agent once-daily in patients with malignant gliomas. The secondary objectives of the study are to assess PF-06840003's safety and tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary anti-cancer activity, with an exploratory objective to explore biomarkers of activity.

About PF-06840003 ( EOS200271)

PF-06840003 is a synthetic, small molecule inhibitor of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO1), an immunosuppressive enzyme that is induced in a wide range of cancers. Inhibiting IDO1 helps restore immune surveillance of tumors, which could potentially lead to their elimination.

PF-06840003 has demonstrated anti-tumor activity in multiple preclinical tumor models when administered in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors. PF-06840003 was exclusively licensed from iTeos to Pfizer in December 2014.

About iTeos Therapeutics SA

Based in Gosselies, Belgium, iTeos, a spin-off of Ludwig Cancer Research (LICR) and de Duve Institute (UCL), has built a discovery platform to identify therapeutics targeting the immune tumor micro-environment and is now positioned to help deliver the next generation of cancer immunotherapies. iTeos combines expertise in tumor immunology with drug discovery of small molecules and biologics. The company entered into a strategic collaboration with Pfizer in December 2014. iTeos is developing partnerships with top-tier academic and industrial partners to develop new programs. iTeos is supported by the Walloon Region of Belgium and the FEDER (European Fund for Economic and Regional Development).
Fareportal Logo Our new relationship with Synchrony Financial offers our customers outstanding financing options and an enhanced loyalty program. Additionally, a co-brand card will allow our customers to use their card anywhere in the world to earn rewards.

Fareportal, a high-tech, high-touch travel company that powers a next generation travel concierge, is set to launch a co-branded credit card program with Synchrony Financial (NYSE: SYF) in October 2016. The program includes new Visa and Visa Signature credit cards for both CheapOair and OneTravel, as well as a private label credit card for each brand.

Designed to enhance the existing CheapOair and OneTravel Rewards programs and help customers accelerate earnings, the cards will offer a range of introductory offers to qualifying cardholders(1) including:



Access to special financing for six months on qualifying purchases of $399 or more (after discounts).

A $50 statement credit after making purchases of $500 or more in the first 90 days (excludes special financing purchases).

Accelerated earning of CheapOair and OneTravel Rewards Program Points.

Cardholders get CheapOair and OneTravel Rewards Program Points plus 6 additional Points per $1 spent using their CheapOair or OneTravel Credit Card on CheapOair.com and OneTravel.com. The chart included outlines what a cardholder could earn in rewards points.

In addition to earning points faster on all CheapOair and OneTravel purchases, Visa credit cardholders will earn 4 points for every $1 spent on dining purchases and 2 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases wherever Visa credit cards are accepted.

CheapOair and OneTravel operate with a business model that bridges the gap between an online travel agency and a traditional travel agency by providing convenient online booking capabilities, as well as a 24/7 personalized trip booking experience.

Travelers are looking for great experiences and also for cheap flights, said Michael Culhane, CFO of Fareportal. Our new relationship with Synchrony Financial offers our customers outstanding financing options and an enhanced loyalty program. Additionally, a co-brand card will allow our customers to use their card anywhere in the world to earn rewards.

Fareportal is among the first travel companies to offer its customers special financing options through a co-branded credit card program. A recent survey conducted by Synchrony Financial found that 72% of travelers said they would be very or extremely likely to apply for and open a travel credit card, and utilize special financing, if their travel purchase was more than $399.(2)

Travelers around the world can find and book their perfect trip on CheapOair or OneTravels websites, mobile and tablet apps, and by calling one of thousands of trained travel agents in multiple countries and in multiple languages. Fareportal provides access to more than 450 airlines, 200,000 hotels and hundreds of car agencies worldwide.

Synchrony Financial shares Fareportals passion for using innovation and technology to provide a seamless customer service experience, said Tom Quindlen, executive vice president and CEO, Retail Card, Synchrony Financial. Special financing can be a key differentiator for travelers looking for flexible payment options while also maximizing the versatility and value of expenditures with a Fareportal credit card.

1 Subject to credit approval

2 Crowdtap survey, August 2016

About Fareportal

Fareportal is a high-tech, high-touch Travel Company that powers the next generation travel concierge. Utilizing its innovative technology and company owned and operated contact centers; Fareportal has forged strong industry partnerships providing access to over 450 airlines, 200,000 hotels, and hundreds of car rental companies that serve millions of customers every year. To learn more, visit http://www.fareportal.com/.

About Synchrony Financial

Synchrony Financial (NYSE: SYF) is one of the nations premier consumer financial services companies. Our roots in consumer finance trace back to 1932, and today we are the largest provider of private label credit cards in the United States based on purchase volume and receivables.* We provide a range of credit products through programs we have established with a diverse group of national and regional retailers, local merchants, manufacturers, buying groups, industry associations and healthcare service providers to help generate growth for our partners and offer financial flexibility to our customers. Through our partners over 350,000 locations across the United States and Canada, and their websites and mobile applications, we offer our customers a variety of credit products to finance the purchase of goods and services. Synchrony Financial offers private label and co-branded Dual Card credit cards, promotional financing and installment lending, loyalty programs and FDIC-insured savings products through Synchrony Bank. More information can be found at http://www.synchronyfinancial.com, facebook.com/SynchronyFinancial, http://www.linkedin.com/company/synchrony-financial and twitter.com/SYFNews.

*Source: The Nilson Report (May 2016, Issue # 1087) - based on 2015 data.
OneLogin, the identity management provider bringing speed and integrity to the modern enterprise, today announced that it signed a contract with T-Systems, Deutsche Telekoms enterprise customers unit to resell OneLogin and provide managed IDaaS service into Germany and the European Union (EU).

"We chose OneLogin because they are a recognized leader in cloud identity and access management with innovative technology solutions and an understanding of European customer requirements, said Markus Feldhaus, vice president Cloud Orchestration Management Brokerage, T-Systems. By partnering with OneLogin, we will be able to quickly, safely and securely deploy cloud applications to our customers while fully addressing German and EU data privacy and compliance requirements.

The OneLogin solution will be hosted on the Open Telekom Cloud, Deutsche Telekoms public cloud infrastructure and operated by local T-Systems personnel, to fully address German data privacy and compliance requirements. The Open Telekom Cloud is the first public cloud offering in the world operated by a German provider from a secure German data center in accordance with Germanys strict data protection standards.

Using OneLogin, Deutsche Telekom and T-Systems cloud customers will be able to log in centrally via a single online portal, irrespective of the number of cloud services/providers or the devices used, and then have direct access to all booked cloud services and existing applications.

The OneLogin solution manages the identities centrally across all applications, both in the cloud and in hybrid environments. Authentication processes such as single sign-on (SSO) or multi-factor authentication (MFA) run in the background. T-Systems and OneLogin provide the Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) solution jointly from Open Telecom Cloud in Germany. OneLogin provides over 5,000 ready-made application connectors including connectors for cloud services offered by Deutsche Telekom and T-Systems such as Microsoft Office 365, Salesforce.com, ServiceNow and SuccessFactors.

OneLogin is excited to partner with Deutsche Telekoms T-Systems, a global leader in information and communications technology known for providing world-class data protection, security and compliance services, said Steven Chung, chief revenue officer, OneLogin. Todays agreement expands our reach into the European market enhancing our ability to serve enterprise, midmarket, and small business customers.

Deutsche Telekom launched the Open Telekom Cloud in March 2016. To make the public cloud easy to use for clients, T-Systems based its architecture on OpenStack, an open source cloud platform. Its open but standard and widely adopted APIs make integration of existing applications and development of innovations much easier. Whats more, thousands of software developers worldwide work continuously on the development of OpenStack, adding new features to support use cases including the Internet of Things. The Open Telekom Cloud is operated from Deutsche Telekoms House of Clouds, Europes most modern data center in Biere, Germany. There, Deutsche Telekom has built a comprehensive ecosystem of cloud partners and solutions including Cisco, Salesforce, Microsoft, SAP, Huawei and others.

Resources

Webinar: IDaaS: Modernize Your IAM in the Cloud

Video: Cloud-Based IAM for the Modern Enterprise

Whitepaper: The Case for Cloud-Based IAM

About Deutsche Telekom

Deutsche Telekom is one of the worlds leading integrated telecommunications companies with more than 156 million mobile customers, 29 million fixed-network lines and around 18 million broadband lines (as of December 31, 2015). The Group provides fixed-network/broadband, mobile communications, Internet, and Internet-based TV products and services for consumers, and ICT solutions for business customers and corporate customers. Deutsche Telekom is present in more than 50 countries and has around 225,200 employees worldwide. The Group generated revenues of EUR 69.2 billion in the 2015 financial year  around 64 percent of it outside Germany.

About T-Systems

As one of the leading global ICT service providers, T-Systems supplies integrated solutions for business customers. These are based on global offerings in fixed-network and mobile communications, highly secure data centers, a unique cloud infrastructure built around standardized platforms and global partnerships, and top security in line with the strictest German data protection regulations, as demanded by our customers. With a footprint in more than 20 countries, 46,000 employees, and external revenue of 7.1 billion euros (2015), T-Systems is the ideal partner for digital transformation. Alongside traditional ICT services, T-Systems portfolio also offers cloud access, custom infrastructure, and platforms and software from the cloud, alongside innovation projects in future business areas such as big data, the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, and Industry 4.0.

About OneLogin, Inc.

OneLogin brings speed and integrity to the modern enterprise with an award-winning single sign-on (SSO) and cloud identity and access (IAM) management platform. Our portfolio of solutions secures connections across all users, all devices, and every application, helping enterprises drive new levels of business integrity, operational velocity, and team efficiency across all their cloud and on-premise applications. The choice for innovators of all sizes such as Conde Nast, Pinterest and Steelcase, OneLogin manages and secures millions of identities around the globe. We are headquartered in San Francisco, California. For more information, visit http://www.onelogin.com.
The Trade Commission of Spain will be hosting the 23rd annual Spains Great Match event on Wednesday, October 5th in New Yorks iconic IAC HQ Building. A second event will be held in San Francisco on November 15th. This collaborative extravaganza with the Tourism Office of Spain in New York, Foods from Spain and Interiors from Spain celebrates the distinctive wines, food and culture of Spain. Over 300 wines representing the varietals and wine regions of Spain will be featured in a walk-around tasting format. Importers and distributors of Spanish wines will present their best products, including new wines and the latest vintages, to wine industry professionals in the afternoon and to consumers during a ticketed evening event.

In the afternoon, select members of the wine trade and press will be invited to a panel discussion, The Sommelier's Guide to Spain: Spanish Wine on Your List, moderated by wine educator, Steve Olson. Three sommeliers will share how to best select Spanish wines for a restaurant list. Additional tasting seminars will be held with focus on the wines of Bierzo and Vinos de Jerez, as well as a tasting seminar hosted by Wine Enthusiast editors. In the evening, the Great Match will open to the public for a ticketed lifestyle event and will feature, along with the wine stations, food from ten of New York Citys top Spanish restaurants and tapas bars, Taberna Jerez, a sherry cocktail lounge, and contemporary Spanish designed furnishings.

We are very excited to offer our guests seminars on the rich wine landscape of Spain, says Genaro Gonzalez Palacios, Senior Trade Commissioner of The Trade Commission of Spain in New York. Only at Spains Great Match does one have the opportunity to learn and taste in tutored seminars led by leading Spanish wine experts, meet with suppliers and sample over 300 Spanish wines.

Spains Great Match: Schedule

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Trade (exclusively for the wine trade & media)

11:30  12:30 pm The Sommelier's Guide to Spain: Spanish Wine on Your List (Tent), sommelier panel moderated by wine educator Steven Olson

12:00  4:00 pm Walk-Around Tasting

1:00  1:45 pm "Why Spain is Hot (9th Floor) presented by Wine Enthusiast Editors: Michael Schachner, Lana Bortolot, Susan Kostrzewa

2:00  3:00 pm Today's Sherry Revolution: Only 3,000 Years of Evolution (Tent), by Cesar Saldana, General Director, Jerez Control Board

3:00  3:45 pm Unveiling the Mystery of Bierzo (9th Floor), by wine educator Steven Olson

Public Ticketed Event

5:30  6:30 pm Premium Tickets and pre-event tasting

6:30  9:00 pm Open tasting for General Admission ticket holders

Additional seminar information, as well as details on the second Spains Great Match 2016, which will be held in San Francisco, California on November 15, will follow shortly. Must be 21 or older to attend.

Follow Spains Great Match on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: username @WinesFromSpain and hashtag #SpainsGreatMatch To register for the Spain's Great Match trade event, please visit https://spainsgreatmatchnyc.eventbrite.com. To purchase tickets for the consumer event, please visit https://spainsgreatmatchnycpublic.eventbrite.com.

About Wines from Spain: The Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (Instituto Espanol de Comercio Exterior, ICEX) is the authorized governmental platform for the promotion of Spanish exports and Spanish companies' international growth. Vinos de Espana - or Wines from Spain - is ICEX's brand for a wide range of promotional activities designed to inform trade and consumers abroad about quality Spanish wines. Wines from Spain has been promoting Spanish wines in walk-around tastings to press, trade and consumers in New York and the United States for nearly 30 years. Each year, Wines from Spain hosts Spains Great Match- an opportunity to sample and learn about a variety of the worlds most sought-after Spanish wines paired with tapas from the top rated area Spanish restaurants.
MzKim Productions Owner, #OperationSaveMilwaukee Founder, #53206 Director Kimberley T. Zulkowski The domino effect of these tragedies is unimaginable. From four-year-old children to grandparents, these shootings and killings are becoming an epidemic, leaving no one exempt.

MzKim Productions Owner and Operation Save Milwaukee Founder, Kimberley T. Zulkowski, has combined her passionate quest for 53206 neighborhood reform with filmmaking as a way to garner mass exposure for its inner-city epidemic. She has made #OperationSaveMilwaukee her life mission, as 153 homicides were at an all time high back in 2015 and this fiscal year stands as the deadliest in more than two decades. 53206 inhabitants struggle with safety walking outside their front doors, let alone sitting comfortably in their homes due to daily shootouts. The blanketed poverty surrounding the area makes resources limited and putting food on the table, a roof over their heads and turning on electricity an everyday challenging card. Burying loved ones and friends has become familiar.

A former 53206 resident in her youth, Zulkowski has personally buried six family members and friends over the past few months, including her foster daughter and close cousins. Otherwise known as the Guardian Angel, she has spent over 150 thousand dollars in community burials, as bodies are stockpiling and so are the demands. Helping families of homicide victims who cannot afford proper burials, Zulkowski has stepped in to customize clothing, caskets, beauty, grooming, and the sentimental details of each of their passing. Milwaukee buried a five-year-old girl named Laylah Peterson who was sitting on her grandfathers lap, showing him her report card, and killed because the wrong house was shot up. 12 bullets fired and a stray bullet ended up through this babys head," said Zulkowski. Every Saturday on 6th and Ring, #OperationSaveMilwaukee takes to the streets of 53206. They pull kids outside to play, pass out snacks, deliver blessing bags, BBQ, pick up trash, toss hoops, mow lawns, plant flowers and promote unity while rallying to discuss how to improve the everyday dangerous and dark conditions in this neighborhood. Zulkowskis prayer is to remind this community of the life still living in it and the power the people hold to create change.

As a filmmaker in her directorial debut, Zulkowski knows she can make a difference on the big screen, in addition to carrying out Operation Save Milwaukees project of the heart. Now filming on location, this 53206 Milwaukee movie highlights the trials and tribulations of those living in this zip code. Produced by Steven Curtis and Alan Zulkowski and co-produced by Joshua Nickel, "53206 Milwaukee's" original music was written by Kimberley T. and Alan Zulkowski, Tory Lowe, Terrell Lewis, and Erick Perkins. After weeks of vigorous, local talent auditions, final casting was announced to include Imani Brown ("Robbie"), Dinah Williams ("Keasha"), Carnelious Gill ("JR"), Erick Perkins ("Oscar"), Terrell Lewis ("Jerome"), and Paulos Hughes ("Hattie"). Illustrating a day in the life of inner-city youth plagued by gang activity, drugs, violence, murder, physical and sexual abuse, incest, neglect, and poverty, "53206 Milwaukee" showcases real-life issues in the community. Portraying the strength, courage and willpower needed to overcome surroundings without becoming submerged in what has failed, viewers will not only see these slums as perils of darkness but also see the light donning upon the unsung heroes who make a difference to stop the cycle.

Zulkowski believes every effort counts to attract immediate attention. "The domino effect of these tragedies is unimaginable. No mother should have to bury their child. No family should have to suffer the loss of a loved one due to violence. We worry every day. We are afraid every day. From four-year-old children to grandparents, these shootings and killings are becoming an epidemic, leaving no one exempt," she said. From double dutch jump roping out in front of boarded up homes and opening her arms to gang members to now making a movie that bleeds truth, 53206's situation is beyond critical and desperate for municipal law enforcement, city officials, community activists, and proud Milwaukee Brewers to add fuel to this fight. Right now #OperationSaveMilwaukee and this movie in the making are the only chance this zip code has for repair.
Automated Business Designs, Inc. Our new integration with Clarus Solutions gives our customers effortless access to tax credits that have the potential to reduce their income tax payments to zero.

Automated Business Designs announced that their Ultra-Staff staffing software now integrates with Clarus Solutions Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) solution, promoting staffing firms to take advantage of windfall tax credits through a simple, straightforward process.

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit was established by the IRS to incentivize and reward businesses that hire from targeted groups of workers that usually struggle to find work. Maximum tax credits range from $1,200 to $9,600 per individual qualifying employee, which results in extensive tax reductions for staffing firms that place contingent workers from WOTC relevant categories.

ABDs integration with Clarus Solutions streamlines the entire WOTC application process. Candidates complete an electronic questionnaire built into Ultra-Staffs application process that determines whether they fit into a WOTC work category. From there, Clarus Solutions sends back notifications about WOTC eligible candidates, which can be accessed in an exclusive WOTC eligibility report available through Ultra-Staff.

Obstacles that exist to filing a new hires WOTC status within 28 days of the start date practically disappear.

ABD is always looking for new ways to build upon our innovative front office and back office staffing software features, said Terri Roeslmeier, President and Chief Executive Officer. Our new integration with Clarus Solutions gives our customers effortless access to tax credits that have the potential to reduce their income tax payments to zero. It is especially exciting to deliver solutions that helps our clients and benefits their employees.

Were excited about how our integration with ABD will serve our staffing firm clients by increasing their awareness around WOTC and individuals from relevant work categories by giving them employment opportunities, said Terracina Maxwell, Chief Operating Officer at Clarus Solutions.

To learn more about the innovative staffing software available through Automated Business Designs, visit http://www.abd.net/. To learn more about how to maximize the return on your workforce through Clarus, visit https://www.clarussolutions.org/.

About Automated Business Designs

Automated Business Designs, Inc. has been in business for over 30 years, producing the staffing and recruiting software solution Ultra-Staff which has been tailored to meet the needs of staffing companies. ABD offers a customizable staffing experience that benefits both clients and candidates through an integrated front office, back office, web suite, and mobile application. With unique perspectives, in-depth staffing knowledge, active membership in the American Staffing Association (ASA), National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS) and board member status in the Illinois Search and Staffing Association (ISSA), ABD delivers hiring results from beginning to end.
Kenny Burrell with guitar Kenny plays such an important role at UCLA, in helping to establish a new paradigm for music education and the future of Jazz, - Herb Alpert

The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music with Friends of Jazz at UCLA announce a benefit concert to honor Kenny Burrell, distinguished professor and director of Jazz Studies at UCLA. The concert program features new original works by Kenny Burrell, and a new work by composer Lalo Schifrin, performed by the Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra Unlimited and the UCLA Philharmonia under the direction of conductor Neal Stulberg.

The Kenny Burrell 85: Artist, Legend, Legacy benefit concert is Saturday, December 3 at 7 p.m. in Royce Hall, UCLA. It will include Burrells heart-felt tribute to Billie Holiday. The evening closes with Love Suite for full orchestra, choir, and strings with Kenny Burrell on guitar.

In Kenny Burrells honor UCLA will establish a Chair named for him  The Kenny Burrell Chair in Jazz Studies. The Herb Alpert Foundation has given the lead gift of $500,000 towards establishing this Chair, which will provide resources for student scholarships, faculty programs, and performances in the area of Jazz Studies.

Kenny plays such an important role at UCLA, in helping to establish a new paradigm for music education and the future of Jazz, said Herb Alpert, the legendary trumpet player and philanthropist.

Kenny Burrell made his studio recording debut in 1951 on a combo session with Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane, Milt Jackson, and Percy Heath. Burrell, the NEA Jazz Master, has released over 100 records and performed and recorded with many of the great jazz musicians including Oscar Peterson, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Sonny Rollins, Ray Charles, Art Blakey, and Louis Armstrong. In 1978, Burrell joined the music faculty of UCLA, and in 1996 he was named the founding director of the UCLA Jazz Studies program, and 15 years ago, he created the Kenny Burrell Archive of African American Music at the UCLA Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies.

Tickets for the concert go on sale Friday, October 7 at 10 a.m. Available via ticketmaster.com and at UCLA by phone (310) 825-2101, or in person at the UCLA Central Ticket Office on campus. Tickets: $135/Orchestra; $85/Balcony.

The concert proceeds will support the Kenny Burrell Chair in Jazz Studies at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.

SPONSORHIP INFORMATION

Concert sponsorship packages for the Kenny Burrell Chair in Jazz Studies are available from $2,500 to $100,000. For information please call Eshon Allen at (310) 825-9008
SpaceX ITS Refueling in Orbit - Image SpaceX By settling Mars and other locations in space we can overcome the resource limits of Earth leading to a hopeful, prosperous future for all of humanity. - Mark Hopkins

At todays meeting of the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Guadalajara, Mexico, Elon Musk, CEO of Space X, announced his bold plan to build a city on Mars. For over 40 years the National Space Society has led advocacy for space settlement. According to Mark Hopkins, economist and Chair of the Executive Committee of the National Space Society, The vast majority of the resources of our solar system lie in space rather than on the Earth. By settling Mars and other locations in space we can overcome the resource limits of Earth leading to a hopeful, prosperous future for all of humanity.

During the talk Musk detailed the Interplanetary Transport System (ITS) for the first time. The first stage of the ITS towers 77.5 meters with a diameter of 12 meters and uses 42 Raptor engines to provide a total of 28-million lbs of thrust. The second stage is 49.5 meters long, 17 m in diameter, uses 9 Raptor engines, and comes in both a crew/cargo model and a tanker model. Musks plans are based on four key approaches: full reusability of all components, refueling in orbit around Earth, refueling on Mars with locally produced propellant, and using a rocket fuel (methane/oxygen) that can be easily manufactured on Mars. Musk envisions that the eventual cost of a ticket to Mars will be in the $100K-$200K U.S. dollars range, allowing ordinary people to eventually travel to Mars.

What has been a bold vision of the future for humanity is now becoming reality. Humanity has begun the first concrete steps towards space settlement. The next decade will be one of the most pivotal in human history. Today we are beginning the journey to becoming a multiplanetary species.

In recognition of these momentous developments taking place, the National Space Society is convening the first Space Settlement Summit in January to bring together leading people, companies and organizations that are making space settlement a reality. Participation in this event will be by invitation only and limited to entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, venture capitalists, and thought leaders deeply involved in making space settlement a reality. The objective of the event will be to show the synergistic in-space ecosystem that is emerging; to facilitate a convergence of interests and opportunities among the key players; and to identify critical issues along the path to space settlement. We are at the dawn of a new era for humanity and the National Space Society is continuing its role as the leading voice for space settlement.

Musks reveal of his Mars colonization plan follows the announcement September 12th of the Blue Origin New Glenn heavy-lift vehicle by Jeff Bezos. The New Glenn is 7 meters in diameter and comes in both a two stage and a three stage version. The reusable first stage is powered by seven BE-4 engines fueled by liquid natural gas and liquid oxygen, providing 3.85 million pounds of thrust. The second stage uses a single BE-4 engine, and the optional third stage a single liquid hydrogen-oxygen BE-3 engine, the same engine used in the flight proven reusable New Shepard sub-orbital vehicle.

The New Glenn is a major step forward for commercial space, said Dale Skran, NSS Executive Vice President. With the SpaceX ITS and Falcon Heavy, the United Launch Alliance Vulcan, and the Blue Origin New Glenn operational, the U.S. will have four domestic options for commercial medium to heavy lift. This will allow NASA to make use of commercial heavy lift services with greater confidence than if only a single operator existed.

The U.S National Space Policy of 2010 states To promote a robust domestic commercial space industry, departments and agencies shall: Purchase and use commercial space capabilities and services to the maximum practical extent when such capabilities and services are available in the marketplace and meet United States Government requirements.

NASA ought to welcome the usage of the ITS, Vulcan, the New Glenn and the Falcon Heavy in future NASA planning, said Skran. NASA can only benefit from the existence of multiple commercial medium to heavy lift providers with re-usable first stages that offer the possibility of significant cost reductions.

MILESTONE 2 on the NSS Space Settlement Roadmap is titled Higher Commercial Launch Rates and Lower Cost to Orbit (http://www.nss.org/settlement/roadmap/RoadmapPart2.html ). Future NASA usage of commercially available partially or fully re-usable medium to heavy lift vehicles will be critical to achieving this milestone.

Competition like that seen between Blue Origin and SpaceX is key to rapid progress in space, said Bruce Pittman, NSS Senior Vice President. Elon just presented a plan for settling the solar system in this century that is realistic and affordable. In my paper, A Pathway to a Thriving Commercial Space Economy at IAC, I also laid out a path forward to a growing economy in space that produces new opportunities for all.

Musks plans address MILESTONES 15 (Logistics System), 16 (Base), and 17 (A True Martian Settlement) in the evolving NSS Space Settlement Roadmap (see http://www.nss.org/settlement/roadmap). NSS supports the exploration, development, and settlement of space, including free space, the Moon, asteroids, and other locations in addition to Mars.

NSS has been pushing hard via legislative outreach in cooperation with the Alliance for Space Development to make space development and settlement part of the objectives that guide NASA. In March 2016 Rep. Dana Rohrabacher introduced H.R.4752 the Space Exploration, Development, and Settlement Act (see https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/4752/text ) to make development and settlement of space part of the fundamental law governing NASA.

More recently, on September 21, 2016, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee marked up S.3346, the NASA Transition Act of 2016. This bi-partisan Bill, co-sponsored by Senators Cruz, Nelson, Rubio, Peters, Wicker, and Udall, contains the following ground-breaking statement:

Section 202(a) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 18312(a)) is amended to read as follows:

(a) LONG-TERM GOALSThe long-term goals of the human space flight and exploration efforts of NASA shall be

(1) to expand permanent human presence beyond low-Earth orbit and to do so, where practical, in a manner involving international, academic, and industry partners; and

(2) the peaceful settlement of a location in space or on another celestial body and a thriving space economy in the 21st century.

The entire S.3346 NASA Transition Act of 2016 can be found at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/3346/text . NSS applauds the Senate for taking this forward-looking position in favor of space development and settlement, but much remains to be done to make space development and settlement a reality. Citizens can join NSS in the fight for a better future at http://www.nss.org.

###

About the National Space Society: NSS is an independent non-profit educational membership organization dedicated to the creation of a spacefaring civilization. NSS is widely acknowledged as the preeminent citizen's voice on space, with thousands of members and supporters, and over 50 chapters in the United States and around the world. The Society publishes Ad Astra magazine, an award-winning periodical chronicling the most important developments in space. To learn more, visit the NSS Website (http://www.nss.org).
The new SCADA System gives the City of New Bern greater flexibility, enhanced reporting, and faster response time in dealing with outages, said Mark Trail, at the City of New Bern

Survalent Technology, a leading provider of ADMS systems, announced that the City of New Bern power utility has implemented the Survalent ONE SCADA system, and demand response application. The dual-redundant system enables improved real-time monitoring and control of its distribution system which serves customers in Craven County, North Carolina.

Survalents Demand Response application was rapidly deployed to upgrade the Citys load management control, as it sought to transition from its existing system vendor. The aim was to assist the City of New Bern in successfully avoiding the risk of costly peak demand charges.

City of New Berns dual-redundant SCADA configuration adds resilience to the utilitys operations and energy distribution, contributing to increased power reliability and customer satisfaction. The system empowers utility teams with real-time information on network performance, to boost operations efficiency, and reduce response times when confronting abnormal conditions. Survalent ONETM SCADA enhances the Citys ability to provide its residential and commercial customers with dependable power and improved service, at affordable rates, said Steve Strauss, Regional Vice-president at Survalent Technology.

The system includes the Control panel, IED wizard, and Websurv applications, to simplify setup and improve access to real-time network information. The system deployment was expedited through Survalents turnkey database and graphics services.

The new SCADA System gives the City of New Bern greater flexibility, enhanced reporting, and faster response time in dealing with outages, said Mark Trail, at the City of New Bern. Survalents tech support is some of the best I have seen. We look forward to a long business relationship with Survalent.

Were pleased to add City of New Bern to our community of utilities in the area, said Steve Strauss, at Survalent Technology.

About Survalent Technology

Survalent Technology is the most trusted global provider of Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS) - Survalent ONETM ADMS, including SCADA, Outage Management System (OMS), and Distribution Management System (DMS) for Electric, Transit, Renewable and Water/Wastewater utilities. For over five decades, we have helped more than 500 utilities in 30 countries use operational data to increase reliability, efficiency and customer service. Survalent partners with utilities across the globe to create mission critical solutions that will achieve the promise of the Smart Grid. For more information, go to http://www.survalent.com and follow us on Twitter@Survalent.
We joined forces with Softdocs based on their deep understanding of the education market and their innovative and scalable, browser-based solution that could accommodate our roll-out schedule - Jim Fleming, CIO for Pacific University

Joining a wave of higher education institutions pursuing a paperless environment, Pacific University has chosen Softdocs for its enterprise content management, e-forms and process automation platform Etrieve. A private university based in Forest Grove, Oregon, Pacific University selected the Etrieve platform to modernize its business processes, which will yield efficiencies in staff productivity, tighten communications and decrease space limitations due to the massive storage of paper records.

We required a multi-faceted solution that could address our specific needs including minimizing paper records, improving student and employee service via electronic forms and increasing overall business process efficiencies, said Jim Fleming, CIO, Pacific University. We joined forces with Softdocs based on their deep understanding of the education market and their innovative and scalable, browser-based solution that could accommodate our roll-out schedule.

Admissions, student records and financial aid departments will be the first adopters of Softdocs as the university rolls-out the Etrieve platform across campus in a multi-year deployment. Through the use of Softdocs Etrieve Forms and Flow, Pacific University can automate laborious manual paper-based processes and students and employees will be able to access, track and complete web-based e-forms from any device.

Pacific University will also take advantage of Etrieve Content, a fully browser-based content management solution that allows for the storage and organization of documents in a single location, which will seamlessly integrate into Pacifics ERP Ellucian Colleague. Student and employee data will be consistent across all applications and access to required information will be instantaneous making everyday business processes more efficient.

The Etrieve platform offers ERP-integrated applications that store and organize content, as well as redefine common business processes, reducing the need for paper and improving productivity across the entire organization. For more information, please visit softdocs.com.

About Softdocs:

Softdocs develops enterprise content management, e-forms and process automation solutions exclusively for the higher education and K-12 markets. The companys Etrieve platform redefines business processes, reducing the need for paper and improving student service and employee productivity by providing educational institutions complete control over how content is captured, processed and distributed. A privately held company founded in 1998, Softdocs is headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina. For more information, visit http://www.softdocs.com.
Presdo Match will allow us to support a burgeoning community of Malaysian entrepreneurs who, using the apps integration with LinkedIn, sophisticated matching features, and easy-to-use meeting-making capabilities.

The Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC) announced that it has chosen Presdo Match as the official event mobile app for its portfolio of events. The Presdo Match app was selected through a rigorous request-for-proposal process that pitted it against several of the worlds leading event-mobile applications. Presdos built-in integrations with LinkedIn, the worlds largest professional network, and event technology powerhouse Eventbrite were differentiating factors in the award.

We are very pleased to have selected Presdo Match from an outstanding field of candidates. Presdo Match will allow us to support a burgeoning community of Malaysian entrepreneurs who, using the apps integration with LinkedIn, sophisticated matching features, and easy-to-use meeting-making capabilities, will be able to foster the critical relationships they need to take their companies to market, said Ashran Ghazi, MaGICs CEO.

As part of the agreement with MaGIC, Presdo will support up to 75,000 attendees across multiple events with a number of core features:



Built-in networkingAttendees can view rich LinkedIn profiles of other attendees and exhibitors, send secure messages, and schedule face-to-face meetings. The app recommends connections based on shared interests and shows to each attendee which contacts from their LinkedIn accounts are attending an event.

Business card exchangeUsers can exchange digital business cards quickly and securely using the app. They can enter notes on the cards and export contacts into CRM systems for easy follow-up after the event.

Event agenda and mapsEvent organizers can manage and display their conference agendas in an easy-to-read grid that includes speaker profiles, session descriptions, times and locations, and space for media and shared comments. Participants can zoom, pan, and interact with detailed maps of the exhibition floor or venue.

Sponsor and exhibitor directoryStartups and event sponsors can display their own LinkedIn profiles and include company contacts, videos, and PDFs. All of the information is searchable and bookmarkable.

Seamless data and ticketing integration  Organizers can seamlessly synchronize attendee data with Eventbrite, MaGICs event technology platform for ticketing and event management.

Carol Chalmers, Chief Revenue Officer at Presdo said, We are extremely pleased to have secured this opportunity with an organization that supports entrepreneurs and individuals to whom we can intimately relate given our companys own history and location in Silicon Valley. We developed Presdo Match with precisely these types of scenarios in mind.

About MaGIC

MaGICs mission is to nurture the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Malaysia and to guide high-growth startups toward becoming more competitive on a regional and global scale. The program was first announced in October 2013 by Prime Minister YAB Dato Sri Mohd Najib Bin Tun Abdul Razak during the 4th Global Entrepreneurship Summit held in Kuala Lumpur. The Centre opened the following year in Cyberjaya, Malaysias technology hub and home to over 1,300 startups, small- and medium-sized enterprises, and tech giants.

About Presdo

Presdo is an event app platform that supercharges relationship building before and during face-to-face meetings and events. It delivers dramatic increases in return on investment for event organizers and deep justification for attending events to business professionals. Presdo leverages the worlds largest professional network, LinkedIn, to instantly flesh out attendee profiles and provide the setting for the most productive and efficient networking possible. Presdo was founded by a team from LinkedIn, the worlds largest professional network.
Walk for Love, Philadelphia The Walk for LOVE provides families, friends and community members with an opportunity to have fun and raise funds for our great hospital, said Ed Myers

Shriners Hospitals for ChildrenPhiladelphia proudly announces the Walk for LOVE that will take place on Saturday, October 1 at LuLu Shriners, 5140 Butler Pike, Plymouth Meeting, PA.

The event will begin at 9 a.m. with registration, the walk at 10 a.m., followed by a fall festival. Festivities will conclude at noon. The community fundraiser will unite families, friends, patients, Shriners and local businesses that support the hospitals mission to provide life-changing care to kids, regardless of the families ability to pay.

Held rain or shine, the Walk for LOVE promises to deliver a fun, festival-like atmosphere that the entire family can enjoy. In addition to the 1-mile Walk, Roll or Stroll the family fun festival will feature music, games, pumpkin painting, delicious food and Fezzys Rescue Squad  a stuffed animal checkup clinic. All of the post-race family fun festival activities are included with registration.

Tickets.com and its T.Cares program have generously signed on as a gold sponsor of the event. Tickets.com strives to make a difference not only in the ticketing industry, but also within the community. The T.Cares program seeks to support local community efforts by partnering with various nonprofit organizations, like The Philadelphia Shriners Hospital to provide remarkable experiences for individuals and their families. The T.Cares program has provided a number of experiences for Shriners Hospitals kids in various cities. T.Cares most recently provided 5-year-old Caiden and his family with a VIP meet and greet at the Philadelphia Phillies game. Caiden and his family are known as Caidens Celtic Warriors and will attend at the Walk.

The Walk for LOVE provides families, friends and community members with an opportunity to have fun and raise funds for our great hospital. It will be a fun-filled day with lots of activities for people of all ages to enjoy. We are thrilled to have an event and a cause that the entire community can rally behind, said Ed Myers, administrator, Shriners Hospitals for Children  Philadelphia.

Participants can register online at http://www.WalkforLove.org. The cost to register is $25 and includes a Walk for LOVE t-shirt. Supporters who are unable to attend can sign up to be Virtual Walkers. Funds raised will help the hospital continue to transform the lives of children through innovative pediatric specialty care, world-class research and outstanding medical education.

For more event information and Walk registration, visit http://www.WalkforLove.org.

About Tickets.com / T.Cares

Tickets.com is dedicated to using its voice as a global organization to create positive impact around the world.

About Shriners Hospitals for Children

Shriners Hospitals for Children is changing lives every day through innovative pediatric specialty care, world-class research, and outstanding medical education. The Philadelphia hospital provides care for congenital and acquired orthopaedic conditions as well as acute and rehabilitative care for children with spinal cord injuries.

Shriners Hospitals for Children is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization and relies on the generosity of donors. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.

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Crio Bru today announced the company is bringing back Pumpkin Spice for the holiday season. Available online and on shelves now at Wegmans, Harmons, and Sprouts Markets, Pumpkin Spice proved popular last year in its test run at Harmons grocery stores in Utah. With a hint of nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and vanilla, this brewed cocoa warms the cold fall and winter days. Pumpkin Spice is also available online at CrioBru.com, joining Crio Bru flavors roasted through the companys patent-pending process using cacao (cocoa) beans from Ecuador, Ghana, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. The company will give out free samples at this weeks Coffee Fest in booth #237 Anaheim, CA Convention Center: Hall E.

Theres a taste of harvest, Halloween, and Thanksgiving in a cup of Pumpkin Spice, states Dr. Eric Durtschi, CEO and founder for Crio Bru. With a cup of Crio, you can almost close your eyes and see grandma pulling those steaming pumpkin pies from the oven. We bring a touch of home with this unique, aromatic brewed cocoa drink.

Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. is a healthy grocery store offering fresh, natural and organic foods at great prices. Sprouts offer a complete shopping experience that includes fresh produce, bulk foods, vitamins and supplements, packaged groceries, meat and seafood, baked goods, dairy products, and more.

A neighborhood grocer since 1932, Harmons 17 Utah stores pride themselves in being remarkable, so that people will be disappointed shopping anywhere else. Fresh food isnt all they do. Cooking classes, food demonstrations, community education, and kids activities offer unique opportunities for cooking skills and making food fun. Crio Bru joins a Harmons lineup of the fine artisan products.

Wegmans is a storied 100-year saga starting in the day when Walter and John Wegman peddled fresh produce from a pushcart in Rochester, New York. Now with 92 stories in a six state area, the Wegmans name is one of the most visible in the U.S. according to a Harris poll. More than 32,000 company employees benefit from the companys scholarship program and the company has plowed more than $1 million back into the industry to develop more sustainable food packaging.

With headquarters in Utah, production soon goes online in Crios new Santa Barbara, CA facility. Crio Brus notoriety is growing rapidly with more distribution deals soon to be announced. Highlighted in Forbes and on Shark Tank, the company is a recent winner in the national Grow America startup competition. Crio Bru was included in Consumer Reports 15 Healthy Snack Ideas after its recent introduction at the Fancy Foods Show in New York City. See more about the company on YouTube.

About Crio Bru

Crio Bru is a brewed drink made from 100% cacao beans (cocoa beans), roasted to perfection. It is distributed both online and through a rapidly growing network of more than 1500 locations in almost every state. Named after the most prized of cacao beans, the Criollo, Crio Bru astounds your taste buds with its complex chocolatey flavors and subtle aromas of the worlds finest cacao beans. It is 100% natural and 100% pure.

Crio Bru is an ultimate superfood. It is low in calories and contains no sugar, no fat, no dairy, no sodium, no cholesterol and practically no caffeine, yet is extremely high in antioxidants, theobromine and a host of other vitamins and minerals.

Media Contact:

John Pilmer, PilmerPR

801-369-7535

info(at)pilmerpr(dot)com
these four talented associates...reflect the growth we are experiencing in our trade compliance, patent prosecution, and corporate practice areas.

Amani Floyd, Yudong Kim, Matthew Montgomery, and Grace Witsil have joined Holland & Harts Boise office to further develop the firms trade compliance, patent prosecution, and corporate practices.

Were excited to have these four talented associates join our Boise office. They reflect the growth we are experiencing in our trade compliance, patent prosecution, and corporate practice areas. They are accomplished attorneys who will provide the high level of service we offer our clients, and we look forward to their success here at Holland & Hart, said Brian Hansen, administrative partner of the firms Boise office.

Amani Floyd advises clients in export control and trade sanctions defense and compliance and helps clients navigate the shifting landscape of global anti-corruption compliance and enforcement. She focuses on coordinating internal investigations and voluntary disclosures related to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). She also represents clients in complex civil and criminal litigation, including trade secret misappropriation, wrongful termination, breach of contract, and money-laundering cases. Prior to joining Holland & Hart, Floyd was with Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hamptons LLP in Los Angeles. She received her B.A. from Vanderbilt University, her M.A. from the University of Mississippi, and her J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. Floyd is admitted to practice in California. She is not yet admitted to practice in Idaho.

Yudong Kim is a patent attorney and engineer who focuses on IP protection for clients with complex technology and processes. He has particular experience in the semiconductor technology industry, having worked for over two decades at Intel Corporation as a process R&D engineer and manager. Kim received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Korea University, his M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Duke University. He received his J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law. Kim is not yet admitted to practice in Idaho.

Matthew Montgomery counsels electronics and computer-related clients on IP matters pertaining to drafting and prosecuting patent applications. He assists clients through the patent application process and applies his interest in technology advancements to guide clients through patent approvals. Montgomery is a registered patent attorney with a background in mechanical engineering. Prior to joining Holland & Hart, he practiced with Buchanan Nipper LLC. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Idaho and his J.D. from the University of Idaho College of Law.

Grace Witsil assists companies on a broad range of commercial transactions from entity formation, financing, and governance, through complex mergers and acquisitions, as well as in general business matters. In addition, she handles matters involving stock and membership interest transfers, indemnification, nondisclosure, and commercial and residential leases. Before joining Holland & Hart, Witsil was an associate in the Charlotte office of Winstead PC. She received her B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. Witsil is admitted to practice in North Carolina and Texas. She is not yet admitted to practice in Idaho.

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About Holland & Hart

Established in 1947, Holland & Hart is a full service, national law firm that today has more than 500 lawyers in 15 offices across the Mountain West and in Washington, D.C. delivering integrated legal solutions to regional, national, and international clients of all sizes. Holland & Harts attorneys have consistently been recognized by leading national and international peer and industry review organizations for innovation and dedication to the practice of law. The firm was recently ranked No. 16 nationally among 300-plus law firms on BTI Consulting Groups BTI Client Service 30 2016 and for the sixth consecutive year was named to BTI Consulting Group's BTI Most Recommended Law Firms 2016 by corporate counsel. For more information, visit http://www.hollandhart.com.

Our Boise office and its predecessor firm have served individuals, businesses, and communities throughout Idaho for more than 80 years. With over 40 lawyers, we access our local experience and the resources of a regional office network to provide responsive, efficient counsel to businesses of all sizes on a full range of legal services, from intellectual property to energy law and corporate to litigation.
HOPE worldwide, Southern California Volunteers. This has helped us maximize our outreach efforts in letting people know about the urgent need for more adoptive families, said Sari Grant, Recruitment Administrator, L.A. County D.C.F.S

In a call to answer a plea that is outlined in the bible, (James 1:27) to look after the needs of widows and orphans, The Los Angeles International Churches of Christ "LAICC" have taken giant steps in teaming up with the Southern California Chapter of HOPE worldwide, a non profit organization as well as a variety of Foster Care support agencies, to increase awareness of children in need of permanent homes through the Increasing the Odds initiative.

With the generous assistance of the LAICC, The Southern California Chapter of HOPE worldwide has approximately 6,000 volunteers who lend a hand to thousands of low-income families and individuals throughout Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino & parts of Ventura County. Volunteers also provide financial support to a variety of HOPE worldwide outreach programs around the world.

Since 2013, KTTV (Los Angeles FOX Affiliate) Wednesdays Child has aired during Sunday Worship Services in many of the LAICC ministries, prompting congregations to pray for the children to be adopted. Some of the members, such as David and Robbie Miles, decided to become foster parents while volunteering with the HOPE Driving Program. Listening to them share about their hopes of having a family this time during the ride to the fair and seeing the smiles on their faces as they played and interacted with potential families and other children seemed to melt our hearts, said Robbie Miles. The Miless were introduced to a pregnant woman who was searching for a home for her soon-to-be born son; that was the beginning of their journey with David.

We are the proud parents of an amazing, perfect and beautiful in every way little boyDavid is 3 now and he is our little Miracle from heavenhe is evidence of Gods unconditional love come to life. God hears our prayers and answers in ways you could never imagine. The Miles are not along. Other LAICC members have also recently become proud parents though adoption.

DCFS also recognized the impact that the LAICC have on this vulnerable population. The Increasing the Odds initiative has increased the number of people that view the Wednesdays Child segments. This has helped us maximize our outreach efforts in letting people know about the urgent need for more adoptive families, said Sari Grant, Recruitment Administrator, L.A. County D.C.F.S., Adoption and Permanency Resources.

To find more information about The Los Angeles International Churches of Christ visit (LAICC)

To learn more about additional efforts and ways your church or community can help by getting involved visit Hope worldwide Southern California Chapter's 2016 Brochure

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Julia Faye West, Mike Tyson and Denise Richards

A Week in London is set to premiere at the Hollywood Cinerama Dome on Monday October 3, 2016, for an invitation-only red carpet release screening.

Directed by Steven Bernheim, former Harvard Lampoon editor, A Week in London stars Denise Richards, Julia Faye West, John Witherspoon, and Charles Fleischer, with Mike Tyson.

This hilarious, from-the-headlines comedy follows the life of a Paris Hilton-type heiress named London who goes through tumultuous experiences trying to regain fame after three Kardashian-type sisters push her out of the spotlight. Londons over-the-top lifestyle of product endorsements, fashion shows, private travel and celebrity friends asks the question, Do these over-night celebrities know how to market their brand, or does their status simply come from an American public that does not know any better?

A Week in London premieres October 3, 2016 at the Hollywood Arclight Cinerama Dome 6360 W Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028. The red carpet event will commence at 7:30 p.m., followed by the film at 8:45 p.m.
Patricia A. Husic, President and CEO of Centric Bank We need women who are confident and comfortable mastering negotiation skills, asking for a raise, asking to be considered for a position, and strategically connecting the dots to a board seat and increasing your circle of influence. Past News Releases RSS Centric Bank Recognized as a Top...

Centric Bank Market Leader Michele...

Centric Financial Corporation...

Patricia A. Husic, President and CEO of Centric Bank, will speak at the 2016 Women in Banking Leadership Symposium, co-hosted by the South Carolina and North Carolina Bankers Associations. The third annual conference will be held Wednesday, September 28, through Thursday, September 29, at the Omni Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Husic is one of 14 in an impressive lineup of accomplished businesswomen who will present during the two-day event. She will tell the story of My Path to CEO: The Importance of Making the Ask.

We need women who are confident and comfortable mastering negotiation skills, asking for a raise, asking to be considered for a position, and strategically connecting the dots to a board seat and increasing your circle of influence. When you make the ask and bet on yourself, be confident enough to expect that people in power will help you advance, says Husic, recognized this week as one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in U.S. Banking by American Banker.

As the founder of the PA Bankers Association Women in Banking Conference, I am thrilled to connect with women in banking in the Carolinas. Networking with aspiring women in finance, setting actionable goals for our career advancement, and understanding how to make the ask are critical to increasing the number of women in bank C-suites, in executive management, and at board tables. I know from personal experience that sharing our paths to executive leadership opens opportunities for other women to follow our lead. We will see the numbers change when we are intentional in 'making the ask,'" Husic says.

The Women in Banking Leadership Symposium will broaden attendees awareness and knowledge on key industry issues, inspire and empower from stories of success and experience, and offer business networking opportunities with key peers from across various states.

Through attendance at the 3rd Annual Women in Banking Leadership Symposium, female banking leaders will glean a great deal of useful information not just about banking and business, but about overcoming obstacles beyond the corporate world, says SCBA Senior Vice President E. Anne Gillespie. In addition, there are many networking opportunities to meet new people and reconnect with old friends. We are delighted to have Patti Husic with us to share her banking journey and career path.

ABOUT PATRICIA A. HUSIC

Husic was one of the founders of Centric Financial Corporation and Centric Bank and led the turnaround and growth of the financial institution to over $455 million in assets at the end of Q2 2016 with record profits and growth in 2015.

Husic is past chair of the Pennsylvania Bankers Association, and only the third female chair in the Associations 122-year history. She is also the founder of the Women in Banking initiative for PBA and served as its chair for three years. An ambassador for small business and women in business, Husic has been twice honored with a ranking on American Bankers 25 Most Powerful Women in U.S. Banking in 2015 and 2016 and previously was honored by American Banker as a Women to Watch for three years.

She currently serves on the board of Holy Spirit Hospital, on the Communications Council for the American Bankers Association, and as Chair of the American Heart Association Central Pennsylvanias Go Red Campaign, helping to launch its new #CentricRedCouch series. A champion for increasing the voice of women in banking and women at board tables, Husic is a valued mentor and sponsor for the next generation of leaders.

ABOUT CENTRIC BANK

A three-time Best Places to Work and Top 50 Fastest-Growing Companies for four years, Centric Bank is headquartered in south central Pennsylvania with assets of $455 million and remains the leader in organic loan growth in central Pennsylvania. A locally owned, locally loaned community bank, Centric Bank provides highly competitive and pro-growth core financial services to businesses, agribusinesses, professionals, individuals, and families. Centric Banks specializes in niche markets, and its Flagship, Doctor Centric Bank, leads the market in our concierge approach to financing the medical community. Centric Bank is an award winning institution, and has been awarded a Five-Star Bauer Financial Rating. Centric is also the #1 Lender in the Pennsylvania Eastern District for approved SBA 7(a) loans, which comprises 40 out of the 67 counties in the Commonwealth, as of August 31, 2016, and a Top 10 Lender for SBA Loans in the Philadelphia Region. Centric Bank has a 100% close rate on these SBA 7(a) loans.

Founded in February 2007, Pennsylvania-based Centric Bank has financial centers located in Harrisburg, Hershey, Mechanicsburg, and Camp Hill, and loan production offices in Suburban Philadelphia and Lancaster. To learn more about Centric Bank, call 717.657.7727 or visit their website at http://www.CentricBank.com. Connect with them on Twitter at @CentricBank and Facebook at Centric Bank.

Centric Financial Corporation is traded over the counter (OTC-Pink) - CFCX.

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The Anzo Smart Data Lake for Enterprise enables business users and domain experts within the company to interactively explore, discover and act on any or all of their data in any combination that makes sense to them.

Cambridge Semantics, the leading provider of graph-based Smart Data discovery and exploratory analytic solutions, today announced the release of an enhanced product version of its Anzo Smart Data Lake solution with the ability to combine, manage and analyze all of an enterprises data in one place.

The Anzo Smart Data Lake for Enterprise enables companies to take advantage of enterprise knowledge graphs of unlimited size, similar to Facebook or LinkedIn, but targeted specifically to an organization's information assets. Featuring an Enterprise Smart Data Catalog containing all of an organizations data -- structured, unstructured, internal or external -- the enterprise knowledge graph is presented as trillions of interlinked facts made available in any combination, on-demand to approved users.

The Anzo Smart Data Lake for Enterprise enables business users and domain experts within the company to interactively explore, discover and act on any or all of their data in any combination that makes sense to them, said Chuck Pieper, CEO & Chairman, Cambridge Semantics. The enhanced solution enables companies to obtain custom data from already connected, context-rich, diverse datasets via an intuitive, logical process.

This solution is a major step forward in leveraging smart data lakes for the enterprise, Pieper said. Several Fortune 50 financial institutions and life science firms have already implemented Anzo Smart Data Lake and are finding unprecedented benefits in their data. For example, considering that the combined data sets representing a single clinical trial can create perhaps 100 million facts, scientists at a life science company can conceivably take advantage of a trillion triples of data (representing 10,000 studies) at once to perform ad hoc interactive analysis on any combination of all of these studies, creating enormous time-to-value for drug development.

Built upon the highly touted and award-winning suite of Anzo products, including the Anzo Smart Data Platform, Anzo Graph Query Engine, Anzo Unstructured and Anzo Smart Data Manager, additional features of the Anzo Smart Data Lake for Enterprise include:



Elimination of time-consuming data integration and provisioning issues of custom extraction queries and data views previously faced by IT departments;

Cloud-delivered, interactive self-service analytics and data-on-demand extracts driven by business-user level understanding of the rich, context-laden data without the need to learn a query language;

A governance and provenance model that provides a full chain of custody for all data managed, preventing an organization from creating an overwhelming and unusable data swamp;

A hybrid cloud computing model that supports on-site private clouds as well as IaaS providers such as Amazon Web Services and Google Compute Engine;

A seamless integrated multi-repository system that allows companies to add and remove fully encrypted data-set repositories as needed to co-located data with the cheapest available cloud compute;

Built on W3C Open Data Standards platform, preventing vendor lock-in;

Is usually delivered incrementally as an overlay technology, above existing enterprise IT systems.

At Strata + Hadoop World today, Marty Loughlin, VP of Financial Services for Cambridge Semantics, will lead a session on Smart Data Lakes at 11:45 a.m. ET in the Solutions Showcase Theater at the Javits Center in New York. The company also encourages show attendees to visit the Cambridge Semantics Booth #564 to learn more about its latest solutions.

About Cambridge Semantics

Cambridge Semantics (CSI), the Smart Data Company, is an enterprise smart data discovery and exploratory analytics company. It enables customers and partners to rapidly build and deploy Smart Data Lake solutions based on its award-winning Anzo Smart Data Platform (Anzo SDP).

IT departments and business users gain better understanding and accelerated data value through the semantic linking, analysis and management of diverse data whether internal or external, structured or unstructured. The Anzo Smart Data Lake solutions are delivered with increased speed, at big data scale and at a fraction of the implementation costs of using traditional approaches.

The company is based in Boston, Massachusetts.

For more information visit http://www.cambridgesemantics.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter: @CamSemantics.

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"Our foreign exchange customers look forward to trading with the EBS Live Ultra feed for increased certainty of FX execution," said Mark Skalabrin, CEO of Redline.

Redline Trading Solutions, the premier provider of high-performance market data and order execution systems for electronic trading, today announced availability of a new InRush feed handler for the new high-performance EBS Live Ultra market data feed.

EBS BrokerTec announced in February 2016 its plan to introduce streaming real-time market data later in the year for its leading EBS Market foreign exchange trading platform, and today all spot pairs are available for trading. By delivering real-time data via the UDP multicast transport, this new feed provides significantly improved price discovery and transparency.

Our foreign exchange customers look forward to trading with the EBS Live Ultra feed for increased certainty of FX execution, said Mark Skalabrin, CEO of Redline. We are pleased to now be able to offer our new EBS Live Ultra feed handler to customers coincident with the full rollout of this high-performance feed.

In August, Redline qualified its new feed handler using EBS market data received from the EBS proximity co-location test lab. This feed handler is now available to users of Redlines InRush liquidity aggregation system and will be employed by Redline in the delivery of FX market data via the RedlineFeed fully managed service. As EBS Live Ultra begins publishing pricing by region, trading applications may independently subscribe to InRush books built for each region so that local and remote market data can remain distinct.

For more information on Redlines foreign exchange trading solution, visit Redline at the Forex Network Chicago conference on September 28th-29th or contact Redline at +1 781 995 3403 and sales(at)redlinetrading(dot)com.

Redline Trading Solutions, Inc.

Redline Trading Solutions empowers trading with high-performance market data and order execution solutions that solve todays toughest latency and reliability challenges while reducing costs. With offices in Boston, New York, London, Hong Kong and Belfast, Redlines customers include leading investment banks, brokers, exchanges, hedge funds, and proprietary trading firms. http://www.redlinetrading.com

# # #

Redline, InRush and RedlineFeed are trademarks of Redline Trading Solutions, Inc.

EBS Live Ultra is a trademark of EBS BrokerTec.
Board of Yum Brands gives greenlight to spinoff plan of its China operations Updated: 2016-09-28 07:26 By Wang Zhuoqiong(China Daily)

A customer walks out of a KFC restaurant in Shanghai, China, October 9, 2015.[Photo/Agencies]

Yum Brands Incthe sprawling fast-food empire that owns KFC and Pizza Hutsaid its board had approved the spinoff of Yum China. Muktesh Pant would resign as CEO of Yum's China division on the completion of the spinoff and will then act as CEO of Yum China.

In other moves, the company said Jonathan Linen would depart from the group's board and audit committee and will become a member of Yum China board. Linen's resignation from the parent company's board and appointment to Yum China's board will be effective on Oct 12.

Yum Brands, which operates more than 7,200 restaurants in China, also announced an increase in the company's dividend. The latest payout represents an 11 percent increase on the company's previous quarterly dividend of $0.46 per share.

Yum said the spinoff of Yum China was is on track and expected to be completed by Oct 31.

Earlier this month, Yum Brands agreed to sell a combined stake, which was valued at $460 million in its Chinese operations, to Primavera Capital Group and Ant Financial Services Group, a deal that sets the stage for a spinoff of the business into a separate company next month.

Primavera, a Chinese private equity firm, will invest $410 million in the spinoff. Ant Financial, an affiliate of e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, will put $50 million into the business.

Primavera founder Fred Hu, the former Goldman Sachs Group Inc chairman in charge of its business in China, will become chairman of the new company, which will be called Yum China.

Ant Financial operates the widely used Alipay mobile-payments platform. The firm will assist with an electronic payment system that will work across the restaurant brands.

Jason Yu, general manager of Kantar Worldpanel China, said the investment would not bring material change to the day-to-day running of the fast-food chains.

"Western fast-food chains still have more users than any other Chinese restaurants and they are also rapidly adapting to the 'new normal' by reforming their menus and transforming their customer experiences," said Yu.

"There are always different meal occasions that McDonald's and KFC can introduce despite the increased level of competition," he said.

"With their strong brand awareness and wide coverage, they stand to gain the most from China's urbanizationespecially with more migration to county towns and the extension of city boundariesprovided they can keep changing to adapt to the evolving consumers tastes."

The fast-food restaurant operator continues to dominate China's fast-food space, boasting twice as many KFC restaurants as McDonald's and five times as many Pizza Hut outlets as Papa John's and Domino's combined. Yum is also considering testing its Taco Bell brand in China.
Actress Ann Mahoney If you like someones work and you have the opportunity to take a class from them its a unique opportunity, says Mahoney.

Actress Ann Mahoney(The Walking Dead, Bad Moms) will be giving acting and audition advice to students at the University of Connecticut on September 29th from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm. The actress who recently appeared in Bad Moms says, "I'm always happy to support the next generation of actors. If I can tell them about the ups and downs of the business and give them a clearer picture of what to expect in the real world, then maybe it will be easier for them to make a better decision if this is the right path for them."

During the symposium, students will be encouraged to ask questions about all aspects of acting. Mahoney says, "I want them to learn everything they can. No question is off limits except, of course, specific information that I can't reveal about The Walking Dead." Mahoney has been helping students for several years. She not only teaches acting classes at Loyola University on a regular basis, but she has branched out teaching classes in cities where she is shooting. Last year she taught classes at the Maryland International Film Festival and will return to teach another round of classes this coming year.

If you like someones work and you have the opportunity to take a class from them its a unique opportunity, says Mahoney.

Ann Mahoney grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. She received her BA in Theatre Arts from Greensboro College North Carolina and then obtained her M.F.A. in Acting from the University of Connecticut-Storrs in 2001. Ann has been cast in the award-winning show, RECTIFY, as well as the top-rated show THE WALKING DEAD. Mahoney has a new film coming out in 2016 called SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME. The actress is also known for her roles in films such as 99 HOMES, BIG MAMAS HOUSE 2, BAREFOOT, and FRANKENSTEIN. For more information about Ann Mahoney, please email Tracie(at)ovationpr(dot)net.
Endpoint security software firm, Avecto has announced phenomenal growth in North America with revenue up 67% in the region year on year.

The company, with global headquarters in Manchester, England significantly expanded its operations in North America with the relocation of its office from Cambridge to larger premises at Assembly Row, Somerville. The move allowed Avecto to create more jobs, with headcount across North America up 75% in the past 12 months.

The latest results have been supported by huge demand for Avectos Defendpoint security software, the first and only software of its kind to combine the core capabilities of privilege management, application control and content isolation to stop cyber attacks. Avectos software protects over 8 million end users, including many of Americas biggest brands.

In December 2015, Avecto secured a $49 million minority investment from JMI Equity, a growth equity firm based in Baltimore.

Paul Kenyon, co-founder and co-CEO of Avecto said:

From day one we knew how important it was to establish a footprint in North America.

We feel like were really just at the start of our journey here and over the next few years we have even more ambitious growth plans. A significant part of this will be continued investment in our people and in growing our talented US workforce as we take the benefits of Defendpoint s to even more organizations.

Avecto is actively recruiting in America with a number of open positions available to view at avecto.com/careers.

ENDS

About Avecto:

Avecto is a global security software company. Its innovative endpoint security solution, Defendpoint, is a multi-layered prevention engine that stops cyber attacks. It takes a proactive approach to preventing malware, uniquely combining three core capabilities of privilege management, application whitelisting and content isolation. Defendpoint protects over 6 million endpoints at many of the worlds biggest brands, ensuring that strong security never comes at the expense of usability.

About Defendpoint:

Defendpoint by Avecto is a multi-layered prevention engine that stops cyber attacks at the endpoint. Its unique and proactive approach makes prevention possible, integrating three core capabilities of privilege management, application control and content isolation. This innovative solution allows organizations to balance security and usability, ensuring user experience is never compromised.

It allows you to create a solid security foundation by focusing on the application layer of the endpoint security stack. Automatically isolate applications working with untrusted content to protect data and critical resources. Pragmatic application control rules ensure only known and trusted applications are allowed to run on the endpoint, and block the unknown with comprehensive exception-handling. Remove admin rights and assign privileges to tasks to mitigate attacks that hit the operating system.

Defendpoint takes a proactive approach to defending the endpoint when antimalware fails.
The Sanfillipo Family

Laurie and Joe Sanfillipo IIIs dog Meadow has always suffered from allergies and skin issues. Sometimes, the constant scratching was enough to keep everyone up at night. They had tried everything  including all kinds of food  so when they saw how much better Meadow felt while eating Pet Wants, they knew theyd found something special.

Now Laurie and Joe, along with Joes parents Marty and Joe Sanfillipo Jr, are thrilled to announce that theyre bringing Pet Wants to the west side with their new business, Pet Wants Cincy West.

Pet Wants carefully developed proprietary pet food is slow-cooked with fresh, all-natural ingredients. The all natural dog and cat food is made in small batches once per month so every kibble is guaranteed to be fresh and packed with nutrition. Pet Wants Cincy West offers free mobile delivery to pet families in Delhi, Green Township, Western Hills, Bridgetown, Saylor Park, Miami Township, Harrison, Cleves, Colerain and Cheviot as well as the surrounding areas.

When we heard about the Pet Wants food  including the free delivery  we thought wed give it a shot. Our Labrador, Meadow, has terrible allergies and, 18 months ago, she got an epidural to have surgery on her ACL, but the fur where they shaved her never grew back. We saw a huge difference in Meadow after just a week of switching her food and, after two months, she had no food allergies and a full backside of fur. Shes still on medicine for some outdoor allergies, but the results weve seen with Pet Wants have been amazing, Laurie said.

When Lauries in-laws saw similar results with their Irish Wheaton Terrier, Abby, the entire family decided it was time to educate the community about Pet Wants and bring the mobile delivery to the west side by opening a Pet Wants franchise.

Even if your pet doesnt suffer from any allergies or health issues, wed love the opportunity to talk to you about the ingredients in some name brand pet foods and the shelf life of the nutrition many people are feeding their pets. We understand that Pet Wants wont be the answer for everyone, but, honestly, even just the pure convenience of not having to go to the pet store to pick up those giant, heavy bags of food and knowing you are feeding your pet fresher, better food is enough to give Pet Wants a shot, Laurie said. Let us bring you a sample. Were true Pet Wants believers and we know you will be too. Switching the Pet Wants was the best thing we ever did for Meadow.

In addition to being made fresh monthly, Pet Wants only sources the best salmon, chicken, lamb, brown rice and other ingredients available. Theres no sugar added, no fillers and no animal by-products and Pet Wants never uses corn, wheat, soy or dyes.

The Sanfillipos are long-time business owners. For more than 40 years, USA Collision Centers has serviced the West Side of Cincinnati and been a strong supporter of the surrounding communities. Adding Pet Wants is an additional way for the Sanfillipo family to reach out to the community. Outside of the business, Laurie and Joe III love hanging out with Meadow and are active supporters of two non-profits that hold a special place in their hearts, SPCA Cincinnati and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Joe III is a board member for the SPCA Cincinnati and also serves as a board member as well as an Executive Committee member for the Tri-State Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Marty and Joe Jr enjoy spending time with their grandchildren, Drew, Lydia and Kyle, as well as their dogs, Abby and Daisy.

Pet Wants originally launched in Over-the-Rhine in 2010. Owned by Michele Hobbs, the business was built to provide proprietary crafted, fresh, slow-cooked, all-natural pet food delivered to customers through a retail store and a convenient home-delivery service. Hobbs, now the company founder, turned the business into a franchise in 2015 with the help of Franchise Funding Group, an investment and franchise-development company designed to help entrepreneurs scale their companies nationally as franchise systems.

To order Pet Wants food for your favorite companion or to learn about the company, call (513)498-2883, email LSanfillipo(at)PetWants(dot)com or visit http://www.petwantscincywest.com.

About Pet Wants: Pet Wants was started by Michele Hobbs out of love for her pets and frustration. Veterinarians were unable to help relieve her dogs painful skin allergies. After doing much research, Michele discovered the national dog food brand she trusted was not fresh, not all natural, and lacked sufficient nutrition...and when pet food sits in warehouses and store shelves for months and months it loses even more nutritional value. She was committed to developing a better solution for all dogs and cats. Their food is exclusively crafted fresh, healthy, slow-cooked and all natural with no sugar added, no fillers and no animal by-products. They source only the best salmon, chicken, lamb, brown rice, and other ingredients. Fresh ingredients make for better food and better health for pets. And since they never use corn, wheat, soy or dyes, the common pet health problems associated with these ingredients are no longer worries. Their fresh food is conveniently delivered to the customer within weeks of production, not months. Roughly half of Pet Wants products are sold through their store and half through their convenient, home-delivery program. You can learn more at http://www.PetWants.com.
Major, Lindsey & Africa, the worlds leading legal search firm, today announced the promotion of three new partners to the firm: Robert J. Brigham, a member of the Partner Practice Group in the San Francisco and Palo Alto offices; Joshua Emery Dull, a member of the Partner Practice Group based in Miami; and Sonya Olds Som, a member of the In-House Practice Group based in Chicago.

Each year it is my privilege to participate in the process of selecting individuals who display the values of partnership, consistently deliver top performances and have a lasting impact on the performance of others, said Simon Robinson, president of Major, Lindsey & Africa. This year was no different. Bob, Josh and Sonya are truly bar setters in the industry and well-deserving of this esteemed title within Major, Lindsey & Africa.

Bob Brigham joined Major, Lindsey & Africa in 2011 after practicing corporate and securities law at Cooley LLP in Silicon Valley for more than 22 years, including 15 years as an equity partner. This experience gives him a deep understanding of the practices that are important to clients in this market and provides a valuable perspective when advising law firm clients on lateral partner searches or advising potential candidates on lateral opportunities. He particularly enjoys counseling law firm partners on career issues, including helping partners to understand the rapidly evolving Northern California law firm market, and providing confidential and objective representation if and when they decide to explore moving firms. Bob holds a J.D., with distinction, from Stanford Law School. http://www.mlaglobal.com/consultants/robert-brigham

Josh Dull is based in Major, Lindsey & Africas Miami office, where he assists clients and candidates throughout Florida and the Southeast. He has represented and placed numerous high-value partners and groups with some of the world's leading law firms, and has facilitated several office openings and law firm mergers during his career. Josh also helps lead Major, Lindsey & Africas successful Latin America practice where he has partnered with clients to achieve their growth strategies throughout the region, including Mexico, Brazil and Colombia. Prior to joining Major, Lindsey & Africa in 2008, he worked as a legal recruiter for a regional company for more than three years where he successfully placed attorneys and executives for numerous Florida law firms, corporations and not-for-profits. Josh holds a J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. http://www.mlaglobal.com/consultants/joshua-dull

Sonya Som is primarily responsible for strategizing and leading networking business development and marketing initiatives for Major, Lindsey & Africas In-House Practice Group throughout the Midwest. Sonya focuses on sourcing in-house counsel search opportunities for attorneys at all levels in corporate legal departments in a wide range of industries, by developing and maintaining relationships with general counsel, human resources leaders and other C-Suite executives. Sonya also provides career advice to attorneys and is a recognized thought leader regarding diversity in the legal profession nationwide. Prior to joining Major, Lindsey & Africa in 2010, Sonya focused her legal practice on the representation of individual and business clients on a wide variety of labor and employment, and immigration-related matters as a law firm associate and partner. In 2007, she was named one of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletins 40 Under 40 and was included on Lawyer of Colors 2014 Midwest Region Hot List. She has authored, co-authored and been interviewed for many articles on topics including diversity in the legal profession, networking, social media, personal branding, market trends and career strategies for lawyers; regularly speaks on panels on these topics nationwide; and maintains a prolific social media presence on Twitter (@sonyaoldssom) and LinkedIn. http://www.mlaglobal.com/consultants/sonya-som

About Major, Lindsey & Africa

Founded in 1982, Major, Lindsey & Africa is the world's largest and most experienced legal search firm. Combining local market knowledge and a global recruiting network, Major, Lindsey & Africa has earned recognition for its track record of successful general counsel, corporate counsel, partner, associate and law firm management placements. The firm also provides law firms and companies with highly specialized legal professionals on project, interim and temporary-to-permanent hire basis. With 25 offices worldwide, Major, Lindsey & Africa recruiters are dedicated to understanding and meeting client and candidate needs while maintaining the highest degree of professionalism and confidentiality. The firm considers every search a diversity search and has been committed to diversity in the law since its inception. Major, Lindsey & Africa is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in talent solutions.

To learn more about Major, Lindsey & Africa, visit http://www.mlaglobal.com
Over the next several months, NETA will mark its 45th anniversary with a series of events and activities that celebrate the progress and accomplishments of the organization and the industry it serves. The celebration will culminate with the PowerBash Reception at PowerTest 2017 hosted at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, California, on February 28, 2017. PowerTest is the premier electrical maintenance and safety conference, providing technical training for electrical power systems industry professionals.

NETA and the industry have come a long way in 45 years, thanks to a collective commitment toward continual improvement across all sectors of the electrical power industry, says Ron Widup, CEO of Shermco Industries and NETAs Board President. NETA will celebrate its shared successes with a salute to the industrys advancements and achievements, and with a challenge to all power-related businesses to continue to raise the bar on quality, safety, and reliability.

To help mark the coming occasion, the fall, winter, and spring issues of NETA World Journal will reflect on the electrical power systems industrys evolution over the past 45 years.

The celebration is already underway through a historical trivia challenge. Anyone in the industry can test their knowledge against questions provided by industry suppliers and NETA Accredited Companies. The first set of questions can be found here. Participants are encouraged to submit their quiz answers to neta@netaworld.org to be eligible for a prize drawing at PowerTest 2017, where the 45th Anniversary celebration will culminate.

Founded in 1972 by nine electrical testing companies, NETA was created to establish standards for electrical testing of electrical power equipment and systems. Today, NETA is the only accrediting body of electrical testing organizations, providing assurances that its member NETA Accredited Companies meet specific requirements necessary to perform electrical testing to the industrys highest standards.

PowerTest 2017 Early Bird Registration Open Now

PowerTest attendees are encouraged to take advantage of Early Bird registration discounts, available now until December 31, 2016. PowerTest 2017 registration or a social pass is required to attend all conference events and networking activities. Additional fees may apply. Discounts are available for NETA Accredited Companies and NETA Alliance Program subscribers.

Register for PowerTest 2017 at powertest.org or call 888.300.6382 (NETA).

About NETA

NETA is an ANSI Accredited standards developing organization that creates and maintains standards on electrical testing for electrical power equipment and systems. NETA is an association of leading electrical testing companies comprised of visionaries committed to advancing the industry standards for power system installation and maintenance to ensure the highest level of reliability and safety. Visit netaworld.org.
David J. Dykeman and Christiana C. Jacxsens, shareholders with global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, will speak at DeviceTalks Boston, Sept. 28, 2016, at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf. Greenberg Traurig is a founding sponsor of the DeviceTalks series, and attorneys from the firms global Life Sciences & Medical Technology Group have been featured speakers at every DeviceTalks conference since 2011.

From 4:30  6:15 p.m., Dykeman, patent attorney, co-chair of Greenberg Traurigs global Life Sciences & Medical Technology Group and co-chair of the firms Intellectual Property (IP) Group in Boston, will moderate the Executive Track panel discussion, Hot Topics: M&A, IP, Financing and Products Liability Trends Impacting MedTech Companies. He will be joined by Jacxsens, Atlanta shareholder in Greenberg Traurigs Pharmaceutical, Medical Device & Health Care Litigation Group; Dr. Omar Amirana, Senior Vice President, Allied Minds; Jeff Mann, Senior Managing Counsel, Med-Surg at Boston Scientific; Martha Shaddan, CEO, Rotation Medical; and Patrick West, Partner, Mirus Capital.

Specific topics include:



M&A trends from the perspective of both acquirer and seller

IP protection is key to a successful exit

Financing best practices from early stage to exit

Products liability litigation - what every medtech company needs to know

Hosted by online journal MassDevice.com, DeviceTalks is a conversation among leaders. Its an evening for an exchange of ideas, insight, and contacts among the pioneers of the medical technology industry. Formerly known as the Big 100, this event is held annually in Boston, Orange County, Raleigh and the Twin Cities.

About Greenberg Traurigs Life Sciences & Medical Technology Group

Greenberg Traurigs Life Sciences & Medical Technology Group advises clients ranging from startups to large multinational public companies to leading research institutions. The groups attorneys work closely with clients, providing innovative legal counsel to help them achieve their objectives  from discovery through commercialization and product marketing.

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Greenberg Traurig, LLP is an international, multi-practice law firm with approximately 2,000 attorneys serving clients from 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm is No. 1 on the 2015 Law360 Most Charitable Firms list, third largest in the U.S. on the 2015 Law360 400, Top 20 on the 2015 Am Law Global 100, and among the 2015 BTI Brand Elite. More information at: http://www.gtlaw.com.
Weve designed these lessons to give teachers maximum flexibility in terms of their students, classroom, and teaching style.

The ongoing presidential campaign is a golden opportunity for social studies teachers to bring real-world events to lessons about the election process. To support those efforts, Boxlight has updated the popular Mimio lesson series Get Out the Vote!, hosted on the MimioConnect website, with new subject matter about the nominees, voting, polling, political parties, state representatives, and more.

The series provides seven sets of lessons for three grade levels: K-2, 3-6, and 7-12. The lessons provide plenty of tips for increasing collaboration among students, whether or not a classroom is equipped with educational technology.

Weve designed these lessons to give teachers maximum flexibility in terms of their students, classroom, and teaching style, said Travis Rink, training manager, Boxlight. Teachers can add content of their own, perform assessments to gauge learning, and incorporate any technology they have, if desired.

The lessons in this series are as follows:



Election Vocabulary lessons expose students to terms related to the election and their definitions. Those terms will reappear in many of the other lessons in the series.

Meet the Candidates materials inform students about each of the nominees for president. In the lessons for grades 7-12, students will also learn about the vice presidential running mates.

Polling activities show students how polling can affect the run for the presidency. Boxlight classrooms can use the MimioVote assessment system or the MimioMobile app with other devices to participate in a number of polls related to their lives or election topics.

How Does the President Get Elected? These lessons explain the Electoral College. Students can be divided into different states to participate in a mock election, calculating electoral votes to decide on the winner. In the 7-12 grade lessons, students will also learn about swing states and their effect on the results of the election.

Deciding Congress materials focus on the Senate and the House of Representatives. In the lessons for grades 7-12, students will also take a look at representatives and senators in their state, and the issues particular to their state.

Who Can Vote? These lessons give students a closer look at who is eligible to vote and the history behind eligibility, and informs them about their responsibility to become a voter in the United States.

Political Parties and Issues lessons present the characteristics of each political party and examine the national and global issues that are part of this election year.

For classrooms equipped with Boxlight technology, each lesson offers opportunities to use the MimioVote student response system, the MimioMobile app with mobile devices and other supported media, or traditional classroom tools. Teachers can also use the MimioStudio classroom softwares Collaborate feature to have students work individually or in small groups. The Boxlight interactive projectors or the Boxlight touch displays allow multiple students to work at the front of the room simultaneously.

About Boxlight Corp.

The merging of Mimio and Boxlight Corp. has resulted in an expansive selection of premier digital classroom technology solutions designed for every K-12 classroom. The company is integrating Boxlights manufacturing of patented, award-winning interactive classroom technology and Mimios advanced line of classroom hardware and software solutions to create the most complete line of progressive, integrated classroom technologies available on the market today.

For more information about the extensive product offerings of the companies, please visit http://www.boxlight.com. You can also follow us on Twitter @boxlightinc or Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/boxlightusa.

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The Chron Organization, Inc. (Ticker: CHRO) "Finally we can now move on to the business of revenue."

The Chron Organization, Inc. (OTC: CHRO), announced today that it has completed the audit of its financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2015 (the Statements), the first step in becoming a fully reporting company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The Statements are available for review at http://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/CHRO/filings. Readers of the Statements should be aware that the Statements exclusively reflect the results of operations prior to the change in business direction of the Company and prior to the new management taking control of the Company.

The completion of the audit is the first in a series of steps the Company is planning in the process of qualifying for up-listing to OTCQB and ultimately a national exchange.

Alex Rodriguez, Chrons CEO commented, Since taking over management of the Company in December of 2015, it has been our desire to up-list from the OTC Pink sheet market and become a fully reporting Company with the SEC. Our business model, our capacity for success and our proven management team warrants this level of reporting. The completion of the audit marks the first, most strategic and difficult step in that process since we had to review all prior years activity and accounting to conform with GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles). Completing the audit shows the investment community and our shareholders that we are serious about our business model and the work it takes to operate in the public markets. Rodriguez concluded by saying, finally we can now realistically move on to the business of revenue.

Byron Young, Chrons Chairman added, To date we have completed the development of our systems and processes and back-office procedures for Zen Home Services, weve built a customized ERP system, weve caused Zen to become licensed in 23 states and we are now working on launching a game changing sales and marketing plan for Zen. However, now that we have the past two years of audited financials behind us, we can actually now move forward with all of these assets and attributes in a powerful and significant manner.

The Companys President and Chairman have spent the greater part of 2016 reorganizing the Company so that it can be an effective business incubator; the Company believes that today marks a culmination of the fruit of this massive effort. To learn more about this journey, please visit the CHRON Updates Section on the corporate website at http://chronorganization.com.

--

About The Chron Organization, Inc.

The Chron Organization, Inc. (OTCPK: CHRO), is an entrepreneurial-minded company founded and envisioned by Mr. Byron Young and Mr. Alex Rodriguez. The Companys purpose is to develop a portfolio of highly successful and unique wholly owned businesses by providing incubation, advisory and capital services to the same. CHRONs interests include the smart home services, Internet of Things (IOT) platforms, deregulated energy & energy efficiency offerings. To learn more about CHRON, visit the companys corporate website at http://www.chronorganization.com.

About Zen Technologies, Inc.

Zen Technologies, Inc. (Zen), a wholly owned subsidiary of The Chron Organization, Inc. (OTC: CHRO), is a 21st century home services company whose mission is to make the Smart Home a reality for the millions of homeowners and apartment homes across the United States. Zen provides homeowners with the latest in security, monitoring and automation controls enabling homeowners to have a Smart Home at an affordable price. Zen combines that with its green energy services, reducing both their carbon footprint and their monthly energy expense. The Companys plan is to capture 5% of the homeowners market while dramatically reducing the nations peak electricity demand. To learn more, visit http://www.zenhomeservices.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "expect," "should," "intend," "estimate," "projects," variations of such words and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that a statement is not a forward-looking statement. These forward-looking statements are based upon the company's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements are risks that are detailed in the company's filings at http://www.OTCMarkets.com

Investors & Media Contact:

Email: investors(at)chronorganization(dot)com

Phone: (469) 626-5275

Fax: (469) 626-5101
Seismic Vessel conducting a survey IAGC supports science- and risk-based regulations consistent with existing practices that are proven to be effective and operationally feasible.

Nikki Martin, International Association of Geophysical Contractors President, today issued the following statement regarding the Department of the Interiors Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announcement of its Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Gulf of Mexico Geological and Geophysical Surveys:

"The release of the Gulf of Mexico Draft Programmatic EIS for geological and geophysical (G&G) surveys is an important step in the process of ensuring the continued assessment, exploration and development of the nations resources in the Gulf of Mexico. This subsurface imaging is key to making informed decisions on future leasing and to reducing or eliminating any potential economic, safety and environmental risks.

"We are evaluating the Draft Programmatic EIS to ensure BOEMs framework for permitting seismic exploration and its suggested mitigation measures are proportionate to the level of risk of potential impacts to marine life, based on sound science, and within existing legal framework. The geophysical industry has over the past 50 years consistently demonstrated its ability to operate seismic exploration activities in an environmentally responsible manner. Experience shows that seismic activities, tourism, fishing and fisheries can and do coexist successfully around the world and, in particular, in the Gulf of Mexico.

"The industry has worked in a constructive manner with regulators worldwide as they have developed policy on geophysical operations. IAGC supports science- and risk-based regulations consistent with existing practices that are proven to be effective and operationally feasible.

"Finally, the IAGC appreciates the agencies moving forward with implementing a regulatory structure so that G&G activities can continue uninterrupted into the future."

###

About the IAGC

The IAGC represents more than 125 member companies worldwide from all segments of the geophysical industry and is the only trade organization solely dedicated to representing the industry. It is the leader in geophysical technical and operations expertise and for more than 45 years, the IAGC has worked to optimize the business and regulatory climate and enhances public understanding to support a strong, viable geophysical industry essential to discovering and delivering the worlds energy resources.
Ecopark boosts global standardization efforts Updated: 2016-09-28 07:55 By Xie Chuanjiao(China Daily)

Interior of a passive house in Qingdao, Shandong province, Aug 11, 2016. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Qingdao-based Sino-German Ecopark, the only strategic cooperation park in China between the Chinese and German governments, has been pushing forward the standardization of energy-saving buildings domestically and internationally.

The effort was widely recognized by worldwide architectural experts and industry insiders after a new passive house experience center became operational at the park late last week.

A passive house is a method of construction that employs rigorous standards for energy efficiency, while seeking to reduce a building's ecological footprint.

"As the only demonstration park of international standards cooperation approved by the Standardization Administration of China, the park has set up 40 quantifiable eco-indicators, some of which are put forward for the first time in China," said Yu Zhengjie, deputy general manager of Sino-German United Group, which is in charge of the passive house project in the park.

The functionality of the new building has been tested by Passive House Institute in German. The results showed that all of the indicators met PHI standards, the strictest and the most authoritative of their kind in the world.

The green building will save operating costs of as much as 500,000 yuan ($75,075) and reduce carbon emissions by 664 metric tons annually.

According to research, if 20 percent of new buildings met the passive house standard in China, carbon emissions would be reduced by 12 million tons. If only 5 percent of existing buildings were renovated on the basis of the passive house standard, carbon emissions would be cut by 60 million tons.

In Qingdao, Shandong province, there are many market players like Sino-German Park that value high standards.

Li Qun, Party chief of Qingdao, said there is a close connection between Qingdao and standardization, which originates from the city's industrial heritage and is also based on the openness of the city.

The coastal city recently formulated the Indicator System of the Global City Strategy of Qingdao with reference to 10 global cities including Hong Kong, Singapore and San Francisco.

"The system contains five primary indicators and 35 secondary indicators, such as international competitiveness, international influence, international capacity for growth and international appeal, all of which aim to drive the city's opening up and development with international standards," Li said in his keynote speech at the 39th General Assembly of the International Organization for Standardization held in Beijing on Sept 14.

Qingdao-based Haier Group, one of the world's biggest home appliance suppliers, has made more than 90 proposals for international standards.

In 2015, Qingdao became the first city to announce the "Standardization Plus" city development strategy, and signed the MOU on Developing an Innovative City in Standard Internationalization with the Standardization Administration of China.

Now, Qingdao is leading or has been involved in the formulation and revision of 74 international standards, more than 650 national standards, and over 700 industry-specific standards.

Li said Qingdao will take an active part in international standardization affairs and set up more platforms including Qingdao International Standard Information Center, Training Center for Standardization Professionals, and Research Center for Internationalization of Standards.

"We have reached an agreement with the Standardization Administration of China to organize the International Standardization Forum every May or June from next year," Li added.
John Momoh brings the perspective of someone quite literally on the frontlines of conflict, who has been innovative in the use of media to increase accountability and foster positive change over the course of his career.

PeaceTech Lab has taken another step towards securing its position as an international leader in the use of technology, media, and data to accelerate local peacebuilding efforts with the addition of ChannelsTV CEO John Momoh of Lagos, Nigeria as its newest board member.

John Momoh has long served as a distinguished voice of Nigeria, with a career spanning 37 years of broadcast media and journalism and numerous accolades reflecting both his journalistic expertise and integrity, stated Chairman of the Board and former IBM Executive, Nicholas M. Donofrio. We are thrilled John has agreed to join the PeaceTech Lab Board and add his voice to the growing PeaceTech movement.

Board Member and former Undersecretary of State Tara Sonenshine agreed, The inextricable link between media and conflict is that information is the oxygen with which a civil society breathes. We must have media experts working to ensure that civil society exists and remains free of conflict. Its wonderful to welcome John to our Board.

John Momoh is founder and CEO of the Channels Media Group, which operates Channels TV, Nigerias leading independent news and information network. Prior to founding Channels TV in 1995, Mr. Momoh worked variously as a news anchor, senior reporter and senior producer for the Nigerian Television Authority. He is a graduate of the University of Lagos with a Masters degree in International Law and Diplomacy and a B.Sc (with honours) in Mass Communication. In August 2016, Mr. Momoh was named Chairman of the Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria, the countrys premier media association comprising a broad coalition of some 250 public and private radio and TV stations. He is the first private-sector media executive to hold the position.

PeaceTech Lab CEO and President, Sheldon Himelfarb, highlighted the significance of the Labs first international board member: John Momoh brings the perspective of someone quite literally on the frontlines of conflict, who has been innovative in the use of media to increase accountability and foster positive change over the course of his career.

Mr. Momoh expressed his appreciation, saying, PeaceTech Lab fills a timely, critical need in efforts to combat violence and extremism around the world by leveraging people, tools, and an understanding of how technology, media, and data can reinforce peacebuilding efforts from the ground up. ChannelsTV is committed to expanding the use of data and technology to better support our journalists in the field, and I am proud to be working together to make that vision a reality.

In March, PeaceTech Lab and ChannelsTV signed an agreement to develop the first independent Hausa-language news service aimed at strengthening the information environment in Nigerias northern Hausa and Fulani regions, where intensified terrorist activity carried out by Boko Haram extremists threatens Nigerias political and economic stability. Ranked as the deadliest terrorist organization in the world by the 2015 Global Terrorism Index, Boko Haram has contributed to a 300% increase in Nigerian deaths related to terrorism since 2014. Nigeria is Africas most populous country and largest economy according to the 2015 IMF World Economic Outlook report.

About Channels Television: Called a network built on trust by Financial Times, Channels is one of the leading private-sector media outlets on the African continent and has been groundbreaking in the Nigerian media space with many notable firsts including: winning the Best TV Station of the Year a record 10 times, first to stream its news and programs live on the internet, first to interface with followers via Twitter and first to create mobile apps on various platforms.

About PeaceTech Lab: PeaceTech Lab works for individuals and communities affected by conflict, using technology, media, and data to accelerate local peacebuilding efforts. An independent non-profit organization, the Labs mission is to amplify the power of peacetech to save lives through earlier warnings and smarter responses to violence. The Labs programs emphasize a data-driven, cross-sector approach, engaging everyone from student engineers and citizen journalists to Fortune 500 companies in scaling the impact of peacetech.

Contact:

Twila Tschan, 971.264.0647

twila [at] peacetechlab.org
Custom Fasteners for Aerospace Industry AS9100 certification is a requirement to remain in and to grow within the aerospace and defense markets. Our customers asked us to do this and we listened, said Chris Thomas, Vice President and General Manager, Accurate Screw Machine.

Accurate Screw Machine (ASM), a division of MW Industries, Inc., is pleased to announce its achievement of AS9100 Rev. C certification for its Fairfield, New Jersey manufacturing plant. AS9100 registration is an aviation, space, and defense quality standard, based on the ISO9001 quality management system, and supported by the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG).

Certification to the demanding standards required by AS9100 proves our commitment to the aerospace market, explained Chris Thomas, Vice President and General Manager, Accurate Screw Machine. Thomas states that customers can expect to receive superior product conformity and reliability, highly accurate documentation, and streamlined processes compared to non-certified suppliers. Ultimately, waste is reduced and overall costs are lowered by utilizing suppliers who are AS9100 certified. AS9100 certification is a requirement to remain in and to grow within the aerospace and defense markets. Our customers asked us to do this and we listened, said Thomas.

Accurate Screw Machine has been manufacturing custom electronic hardware, fasteners, and precision machined components to the aerospace and general industrial markets for over 50 years. The company excels at rapid prototyping and design of hard-to-make products made from specialty materials. ASMs success is built on custom product designs with short production runs within narrow delivery windows. This rapid response, combined with the quality assurance of the newly acquired AS9100 certification, ensures the companys continued position as a trusted supplier within the aerospace and defense industries.

ASM is one of four MW Industries companies that have earned AS9100 certification. With this successful achievement, Accurate Screw Machine joins Atlantic Spring, Capital Spring, and Helical Products as certified manufacturing facilities within the MW family of brands, states John Bagnuolo, Chief Executive Officer of MW Industries. This augments MW Industries place as a leading manufacturer of fasteners, springs, stampings and other precision-manufactured components serving the aviation, space and defense markets.

Accurate Screw Machine completed the AS9100 registration audit through American Systems Registrar (ASR) on September 20, 2016. The certificate was issued by ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB). Visit the companys website for a copy of the AS9100 certificate.

About Accurate Screw Machine

Accurate Screw Machine (ASM), a brand of MW Industries, Inc., is a manufacturer of custom and stock electronic hardware, fasteners, and precision machined components with a history of quality products and service excellence. ASM specializes in fast turnaround of custom fasteners, and quick delivery of stock product. In addition, ASM is a major supplier of prototype and production quantities to numerous industries including aerospace, military, medical, electronics, telecommunications, and metal fabricating. All our products are made in the USA. Accurate Screw Machine is ISO 9001:2008, AS9100 Rev C Certified, DFARS, REACH, RoHS, and ITAR compliant/registered. http://www.accuratescrew.com.

About MW Industries, Inc.

MW Industries, Inc., headquartered in Rosemont, IL, is a leading provider of highly engineered springs, specialty fasteners, machined parts and other precision components to more than 23,000 customers in over 35 countries. Its 40,000+ products are sold through a combination of direct sales, catalogs and distributors to original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket customers in a number of industries, including aerospace, medical, electronics, energy, agriculture/construction, transit, heavy trucks, automotive replacement, industrial, consumer products, and military. http://www.mw-ind.com.

Media Contact:

MW Industries, Inc.

9501 Technology Blvd.

Suite 401

Rosemont, IL 60018 USA

Contact: Darlene Kober

Senior Vice President, Marketing & Sales

P: 847-349-5767
Its exciting to achieve a high ranking upon Axon.ivys first entry into the Gartner Magic Quadrant, said Rolf G. Stephan, COO. With partner, CM First, customers now have an automated way to speed their transition.

CM First Group announced today the addition of a new service, CM evolveIT Business Rules, which offers business rules extraction from mainframe applications developed in COBOL and other languages using the CM evolveIT Analysis Workbench. The extracted business rules can then be used in BPM tools and rules engines. http://cmevolveit.cmfirstgroup.com/ . This service adds to the CM First BPM practice, which extends iBPM to IBM i, CA Plex and CA 2E applications using the Axon.ivy iBPM Suite. CM First is a primary reseller and partner for Axon.ivy.

With perfect timing, Gartner has just released the 2016 Magic Quadrant for Intelligent Business Process Management Suites (iBPMS) adding Axon.ivy BPM Suite to the Quadrant for the first time. Gartner assesses the global marketplace for each vendor classification, evaluating the products for their completeness of vision and ability to execute. Read more here: http://www.axonivy.com/worldwide/gartner-report/

Its exciting to achieve a high ranking upon Axon.ivys first entry into the Gartner Magic Quadrant, said Rolf G. Stephan, COO. And with CM First as a partner, customers that have legacy mainframe and midrange applications now have an automated way to speed up their transition to a business process and business rules based approach.

These two announcements validate the success of CM First and Axon.ivy employees, partners and customers. The Gartner announcement places Axon.ivy among the best 15 of all products in the iBPM arena. Customers rely on Gartners evaluation to help them select the best solutions to support the business.

The Axon.ivy BPM Suite helps organizations to quickly transform poorly documented business processes into intelligent, automated solutions  seamlessly integrating people, resources and systems. Axon.ivys model-centric BPM approach rapidly shortens payback across six coordinated actions: Business analysts model, publish and analyze while technical experts design, execute and monitor the same complex workflows. Reference customers include numerous transportation, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, financial and utilities industries. http://www.cmfirstgroup.com/products/axonivy/

Register now to learn more about the AXON.ivy solution. Axon IVY is sponsoring a webinar on Thursday, September 15, 2016, 9AM PDT featuring Forrester Research entitled, Accelerate the Shift to Digital Business With Customer-Obsessed Employee Apps. The speakers will be Clay Richardson, Principal Analyst, Forrester Research and Rolf Stephan, Chief Operating Officer, AXON IVY, explaining how companies need to build more flexible, digital apps to successfully compete in the digital business age. Axon.ivy is a key factor in that process. The concept of low code platforms to speed the effort will be highlighted as well as several customer case studies. Register now at: http://go.axonivy.com/digital-business-webinar-cmfirst/

CM Firsts CM evolveIT further accelerates that process, by using advanced compiler-accurate code slicing techniques to extract the business rules that serve as input to the process.

The attention that this Gartner Magic Quadrant announcement will bring to the Axon.ivy BPM Suite excites CM First, said Roger Hammer, CM evolveIT product owner. We have known for some time that Axon Ivy.is an excellent BPM choice for organizations that are modernizing their legacy code using CM evolveIT.

About AXON IVY

AXON IVY is a software company headquartered in Switzerland and part of the Axon Active group, a global provider of process solutions since 1988. The Axon.ivy BPM suite helps midsize and large organizations develop customized, agile web and mobile applications to automate and monitor a variety of business processes across a wide range of departments including customer service, sales, marketing, HR, finance, operations, R&D and manufacturing processes. This comprehensive, process-centric application platform is used by more than 350 customers and 250,000 users around the globe.

About CM First

CM First is a global software and services company established in 1999 with a focus on modernizing applications, managing technical debt and the agile development of enterprise apps. Delivery areas include; migrations of software code, databases and IBM hardware, custom app, architecture and API development, mobility solutions and knowledge transfer. CM First works with hundreds of IBM and CA Technologies business-critical systems worldwide, with numerous reference customers covering industries as diverse as logistics, travel, insurance, food processing and oil and gas construction. For more information, visit http://www.cmfirstgroup.com

CM First Contacts

EMEA Headquarters

+41 41 508 01 05

info(at)cmfirstgroup(dot)com

Americas Headquarters

+1-512-600-1484

+1-888-866-6179

infotech(at)cmfirstgroup(dot)com

France

+33 608 504 285

infofrance(at)cmfirstgroup(dot)com
Minuteman Press franchise in Londonderry, NH celebrates 1 year in business. From left to right: Steve Hahn, Graphic Designer/Customer Service Rep.; and Robert Bean, Owner Bob Bean has worked hard to serve the Londonderry community and has followed the Minuteman Press franchise system. We appreciate his efforts and are proud to support his business in the years to come. Past News Releases RSS Minuteman Press International Gets...

Minuteman Press Owner Mark Calis...

Minuteman Press Franchise in...

The Minuteman Press franchise in Londonderry, New Hampshire is celebrating one year in business. Located at 44 Nashua Road, Bob Bean's Minuteman Press offers design, printing, and marketing products and services to today's business professionals.

Over the past year, Minuteman Press has filled a void that was in the Derry and Londonderry areas, serving these communities by providing outstanding quality and customer services while meeting the printing and marketing needs of their clients. Minuteman Press has worked with businesses, non-profits and individuals to be that resource to find the right solution at the right price. Being a family owned and operated business that cares about the clients they serve, Minuteman Press is proud of the fact that so many customers have turned to Minuteman Press for their printing needs, and that they have then returned while referring others to the business as well.

"Id like to thank all of our customers and friends that have helped us during our first year of business, said Bob Bean, owner, Minuteman Press of Londonderry. "I would also like to thank the Greater Derry Londonderry Chamber of Commerce and the Tri-County BNI Chapter for all of the help they have given over the past year with getting to know the community and the other local businesses." Bob concludes, My belief is that we have to give great customer service to our customers, and we will continue to do that in the years to come.

Minuteman Press has been in the printing industry since the early 1970s and has over 930 design, print, and marketing centers worldwide. With the support provided by the Minuteman Press franchise team, they are able to provide a wide variety of design, printing, and marketing solutions to their customers.

"Congratulations to Bob Bean and his team for achieving one year in business," said Ron Rubin, Minuteman Press International Regional Vice President, New England. Ron adds, "Bob has worked hard to serve the Londonderry community and has followed the Minuteman Press franchise system. We appreciate his efforts and are proud to support his business in the years to come."

Bob Bean's Minuteman Press design, marketing and printing franchise is located at 44 Nashua Road, Londonderry, NH 03053. For more information, call Bob and his team at 603-818-4390 or visit their website: http://www.londonderry-nh.minutemanpress.com

About Minuteman Press

Serving the business community for over 40 years, Minuteman Press customer service driven business model provides digital print, design and promotional products and services to businesses from concept review through to completion. Today we are much more than just print; anything you can put a name, image or logo on, we can produce. Our slogan  We Design, Print & Promote YOU!  indicates the wide variety of products and services we offer that go beyond printing. For more information about our products and services or to find your local Minuteman Press, visit http://www.minutemanpress.com.

About Minuteman Press International

Minuteman Press International is a number one rated business service franchise that offers world class training and unparalleled ongoing local support. Started in 1973 by Roy Titus and his son Bob, Minuteman Press began franchising in 1975 and has grown to over 930 locations worldwide including the U.S., Australia, Canada, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. Minuteman Press is rated #1 in category by Entrepreneur for 12 years in a row and 24 times overall, including 2016. We are the modern version of the printing industry, providing high quality products and services for businesses that go way beyond just ink on paper. Today our stores produce promotional products, custom apparel, large format printing (banners and posters), signs, and much more. Prior experience is not necessary to own and operate a successful Minuteman Press franchise. Learn more about Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and access Minuteman Press franchise reviews at http://www.minutemanpressfranchise.com.
Tucson Attorney James Nesci Presenting at the NACDL and NCDDs 20th Annual Seminar Tucson DUI Lawyers James Nesci and Joseph P. St. Louis presented at the NACDL and NCDDs 20th Annual DWI Means Defend With Ingenuity Seminar.

Nesci & St. Louis, PLLC, a premier criminal defense law firm located in Tucson, Arizona, is pleased to announce that Firm Partners James Nesci & Joseph P. St. Louis recently presented at the NACDL and NCDDs 20th Annual DWI Means Defend With Ingenuity Seminar. The event entitled, High Gear Defenses for Getting to Victory Lane was held from September 21-24 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The national seminar drew in over 350 attorneys from across the country to discuss the latest scientific and legal strategies to optimize trial success regarding DUI and drug defense. Nesci lectured on legal ethics within two sections entitled, Hollywood Squares Ethics and The Cure for Bad Breath 2.0: Lecture and Demo. St. Louis presented a closing arguments section entitled SEC vs. PAC 12 Summations: Compare and Contrast along with Attorney John T. Kirk.

Tucson DUI Lawyer James Nesci is a partner at Nesci & St. Louis, PLLC. He is the current Dean of the National College for DUI Defense (NCDD), where he has also served as a sustaining member and regent. He has lectured across the country on numerous criminal defense topics including: cross-examinations, field sobriety testing, blood alcohol calculations, source code litigation, and trial tactics.

Nesci authored four editions of Nescis Arizona DUI Defense: The Law & Practice, and he was named one of the Best Lawyers in America by Woodward/White. He is also rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest attainable peer rating. Additionally, Nesci is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Arizona State Bar Association, and the Pima County Bar Association.

Tucson DUI Attorney Joseph P. St. Louis is a partner at Nesci & St. Louis, PLLC. St. Louis is the only lawyer in the state of Arizona certified as a specialist in both criminal defense and DUI defense. He is a regent, sustaining member, and serves on the faculty of the NCDD. St. Louis also frequently presents at legal education seminars throughout the country. He has been named to the Best Lawyers in Arizona and New Mexico by Super Lawyers, and he maintains an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating on Martindale-Hubbell. Woodward/White listed St. Louis as a Best Lawyer in America for the practice area of DUI defense.

St. Louis is a past-president of the Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice, and he is a member of the Arizona State Bar Association, the Pima County Bar Association. Additionally, he is a lifetime member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

About Nesci & St. Louis, PLLC:

The criminal defense law firm of Nesci & St. Louis, PLLC is located in Tucson, Arizona. The veteran DUI attorneys have over 50 years of combined legal experience. Nesci & St. Louis, PLLC successfully handles cases pertaining to DUIs, drug charges, felonies, aggravated assault, domestic violence, and armed robbery. The firm represents clients located throughout Southern Arizona including the counties of Pima, Maricopa, Santa Cruz, Cochise, Pinal, Yuma, and Graham.

For more information call 520-777-0235 or visit http://www.azdefense.com to schedule an initial case review to discuss your legal matter.
Hector offers a wealth of experience leveraging the strength of his team to build strong, cohesive commercial divisions and offices that provide excellent service, says Emily Lomax Flores, Executive Vice President / MGA Director at Worldwide Facilities.

Melendez brings with him a team of expert underwriters, and offers more than 20 years of experience in the field spanning claims handling, customer service, marketing, and underwriting. Before joining Worldwide Facilities, Melendez spent over 16 years working in branch and commercial division leadership positions as a broker and underwriter throughout the Tampa and Pensacola areas.

Hector offers a wealth of experience leveraging the strength of his team to build strong, cohesive commercial divisions and offices that provide excellent service, says Emily Lomax Flores, Executive Vice President / MGA Director at Worldwide Facilities. We believe our clients will benefit from his in-depth knowledge of the Florida market and his experience maintaining longstanding carrier relationships.

This is an exciting time to become part of the team at Worldwide Facilities, Melendez adds. Im looking forward to contributing to the companys growth.

Contact: Hector Melendez

Vice President & Production Underwriter

Direct Dial: (904) 469-9655

Email: HMelendez(at)wwfi(dot)com

Worldwide Facilities, LLC

8875 Hidden River Pkwy., Suite 300

Tampa, FL 33637

ABOUT WORLDWIDE FACILITIES

Worldwide Facilities, LLC is a national wholesale insurance broker and managing general agent that has been in business since 1970. Our seasoned brokers and underwriters are industry leaders in providing expertise in a wide range of specialty lines, and offer extensive contacts with carriers domestically and overseas.
Colorado oil and gas regulators receive dozens of reports about workplace accidents every year. But the regulators, lacking legislative authority, dont punish companies with repeated worker safety problems or share the reports with federal safety officials. And the majority of deaths in the industry go undocumented by the regulators, The Denver Post has found.

That gap is just one example of a missed opportunity by state leaders to better understand occupational safety on oil and gas sites and to protect workers.

In Colorado, there is no commission devoted solely to worker safety, no agency that warns lawmakers about trends in worker deaths and no researchers who cull data on all workplace injuries.

The state, for instance, is one of only nine not participating in a federal survey that tracks when workers are hurt but not killed. The federal government provides a grant to pay for the states collection of data on worker deaths. But the Colorado legislature must pay half the cost of participating in the nationwide Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.

And that hasnt happened.

Its cost-prohibitive for Colorado to participate in that process, said Michael Van Dyke, a Colorado Health Department official who oversees the states collection of reports on workplace deaths.

Other states have been more proactive when it comes to monitoring worker safety, especially on oil and gas sites.

Wyoming has a researcher who does nothing but track workplace deaths and who produces an annual report identifying trends and recommending changes.

West Virginia formed a commission to study worker safety in the oil and gas industry. The commissions work led the state legislature to pass a bill this year that will create a database of accidents at oil and gas worksites.

In Colorado, there already is a requirement that oil and gas companies report certain accidents to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, the state agency that regulates the industry. But state law says the COGCC should administer rules only to protect the environment and the general public. The statute specifically forbids the COGCC from imposing worker safety rules on companies already regulated by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.
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Its no exaggeration to say that Adam Gidwitzs new novel, The Inquisitors Tale, was hundreds of years in the making (although it only took him six years to write). Gidwitz, who gave the willies to many young readers with his A Tale Dark and Grimm series, reaches back to the Middle Ages for the legends and lore on which to base his latest story, a quest starring three exceptional, persecuted children, an incredible dog, and a dragon who kills with flatulence. He spoke with PW about his inspiration, his process, and the debt he owes his wife.

Your authors note begins, My interest in the Middle Ages is entirely my wifes fault. Want to explain?

Yes. We met in college in a class on Chaucer. Initially, we were both English majors but she was concentrating on medieval literature and eventually she switched to history [Gidwitzs wife, Lauren Mancia, now teaches medieval history at Brooklyn College], which she had always been interested in. In fact, the first trip we ever went on together was to York, England, because she was writing a paper about some missing stained glass. I was not all that interested in the Middle Ages because, like most people probably, I thought of the [period] as remote and homogenous and boring. But I was proven wrong almost immediately on this trip, which turned out to be less a vacation than a scavenger hunt across England for this stained glass that went missing from a cathedral during World War II. And we found it! It had been put into small churches [for safekeeping] during the war. So, immediately there was this Indiana Jones aspect to medieval history that hooked me, and since we wound up traveling to Europe every year, eventually I began to wonder if I could get a book out of it. I started trying to organize the stories I had collected about six years ago.

You also mention in your authors note that reading a plaque at the Museum of Jewish Art and History in Paris was a turning point in your decision to create a novel from your travelogue.

Yes. This plaque described the burning of the Talmuds in Paris in 1242 by King Louis IX. These were handwritten manuscripts, books that must have taken years and years to make, written on animal hides that had been tanned and bound together by hand. Louis had ordered the collection of all the Talmuds in existence in France at the time and had them burned. More than 20,000 volumes were destroyed. I was knocked out for days emotionally thinking about what an inconceivable loss that was. From that, the idea that there would be someone who would do something to prevent the burning, or at least try to save some of the books, grew into the idea for the novel. I already had a lot of material.

Another experience that switched me from just enjoying our travels to turning them into something was seeing the Bayeux Tapestry, which is like this 270 foot long graphic novel about the Norman Invasion sewn by a group of nuns in 1070 that depicts all these incredible scenes, including the [scene depicted in The Inquisitors Tale] where the knights sink into the quicksand outside Mont Saint-Michel. After I saw that, every place we went became a potential setting for another scene. That was the easy part.

What was the hard part?

I wrote for a long time without really knowing what the grand quest of the book was. I gave the first draft to Laura Amy Schlitz [the Newbery Medalist for Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village was Gidwitzs school librarian] because she has expertise in medieval literature and because shes a great storyteller. She was very complimentary and very encouraging but both she and my editor [Julie Strauss-Gabel] had a lot of comments for me.

Did you ever consider, given the subject matter, that what you were writing wasnt a novel for young readers?

No, not really. There were certainly moments when I got scared. When I wondered, will anybody read this? But what I have learned is that young people are the best audience to write for by far. If I wanted to write for adults, I would have to make a decision about whether I wanted to write something funny or philosophical or write an adventure, but with kids you can write all of those things at once.

You mention in your acknowledgments that this book produced the most tempestuous and intense editing process yet with your editor. Can you expound on that a little?

It was intense. It was serious. Im going to tell you the truth. She read the first draft and said, Wheres the rest?, and I said, Maybe Ill write a sequel, and she said: No. You need to tell the entire story in this book. At that time, the story was being told in this sort of floating, omniscient third-person narrator and she felt it wasnt working. It was the same story but it was a slow, flaccid version of the story. So [Julie] and I had a series of conversations where she basically told me, You learned a lot of these stories as stories. Someone told them to you. You told me the story of the Holy Greyhound. You told me the story about the farting dragons. Why cant you just tell me those stories again?

Basically, I felt like she was asking me to write A Tale Dark and Grimm again and I think what I was trying to do was make sure I didnt write another story like the ones I had already written. But her argument was, Just because youre a good storyteller doesnt mean youre a bad writer. She put her finger right on what I was trying to do  something different than Grimm. But by doing that, I was not only getting away from my strength, I was getting away from my passion. So I rewrote the book by setting it in a tavern, and it became tales told, like Chaucer, by different voices. When youre telling a story in a tavern, you dont have time to go on long dispositions. Youll lose your audience. So that structure worked for me.

Gosh, is it okay to say I think she was right?

Make sure you put in there that she was right. Shes pretty much always right.

When in your research you came across the legend of the farting dragon, did you drop to your knees and thank the writing gods?

Yes, I did. When I heard that story, I knew it had to be part of the book. I mean, what could be more me than a farting dragon that kills people by sitting on them? And the holy dog, too. That is a legend, too, and that had to be in the book.

But did you think that the farting dragon and the miraculous dog also could be used to leaven some of the much heavier elements of the plot? Because this is ambitious territory you took on  religious intolerance in the Middle Ages for fifth graders.

Absolutely. What I have found is that when you are writing for kids, you can be as ambitious as you want because kids love engaging with difficult topics, but you have got to figure out a way to get them to read every page. Once theyre reading, once theyre into it, then I can do something interesting and challenging and those readers will be glad I did.

When you got to the editing stage, did you get called out for anachronisms? Was it hard to stop your modern sensibilities from seeping into 13th-century France?

Yes. But my wife was really great at enlisting scholars she knows to check my work. They picked up on both larger things and smaller things.

For instance?

Well, one thing was that I had two monks with beards. Monks were not supposed to have beards. So one monk with a beard I might be able to get away with, but not two.

The adults who have read the novel love it  you have four starred reviews so far. Have you had any actual kid readers yet?

I have, and I am so relieved and excited by the response Ive gotten from the few kids who have already gotten their hands on it [Gidwitz posted a letter about the book from a young fan to his Twitter account]. I have been going to schools in advance of the book coming out. I describe what scapegoating is, giving examples from history. Among the fifth, sixth, and seventh graders Ive been talking with, Id say nine out of 10 times, somebody on their own has raised the issue of how it relates to contemporary politics and how certain politicians have tried to blame Mexicans and Muslims for larger problems. They draw their own conclusions.

The Inquisitors Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz. Dutton, $17.99 Sept. 27 ISBN 978-0-525-42616-5
Full of questions about her lifelong Catholic faith, journalist-turned-public-interest-lobbyist Celia Viggo Wexler decided to interview other women who have remained in the Church despite their disagreements with its official teachings. Her new book, Catholic Women Confront Their Church: Stories of Hurt and Hope (Rowman & Littlefield, Sept.), features nine activists, theologians, and other professional women who are engaging with the institutional church in multiple ways.

Conflicted about the Churchs refusal to respond to the concerns of Catholic women, and uncomfortable with the conservative Catholicism practiced in her parish, I had come to a fork in the road in my own life, Wexler told PW. I did not know whether I could continue to be a practicing Catholic and a feminist.

In the resulting book, Wexler reveals a complex web of connections among faith, tragedy, life choices, and career trajectories as women reflect on their identities as Catholics, their experiences with the Church, and whyand in what waystheyve decided to stay Catholic despite the challenges.

Among the range of diverse voices, including those of younger Catholics, Wexler discovered key themes, in particular what she called the primacy of conscience in making moral decisions that might differ from official Church teachings. While this can apply to a broad range of personal choices, there is for many women a sense that the church does not respect the role of conscience when women are making decisions about reproductive issues, even birth control, Wexler said. For Frances Kissling, whom Wexler refers to in the book as abortions moralist, her disagreements with the Churchs teachings on sexual ethics led to a 25-year career of very public activism as president of Catholics for a Free Choice (now Catholics for Choice), which fights for abortion rights.

Ordination of women to the Catholic priesthood was another topic Wexlers interviewees discussed. Several actually felt a call to the priesthood, and it mattered a great deal to them that that call was denied to them by the Church, said Wexler. The women revealed a range of nuanced views on the impact of women priests: Nun on the Bus Sister Simone Campbell, who as executive director of NETWORK lobbies for social and economic justice, told Wexler that we have to open our eyes to the broader story. Were thinking of ordination too narrowly. Taking another view, Latina theologian Teresa Delgado does not believe that ordaining women to the priesthood alone would greatly alter the churchs unbending orthodoxy, Wexler writes in the book.

While women are contributing their perspectives to Catholic theology, some of Wexlers interviewees felt strongly that womens voices should also be heard from the pulpits in Catholic churches. They bemoaned the fact the liturgy is the poorer because women do not preach, Wexler said. Psychotherapist and author Sharon MacIsaac McKenna, a former nun, told Wexler she was distressed by the quality of the sermons she heard in Church, knowing women colleagues capable of, in McKennas words, doing it with more care and more pastoral sense.

Whether these women are engaging in direct activism, adding their voices to Catholic theological discourse, or are just willing to speak their minds about the Church they love, all are realistic about the future. We understand that the institutional church is not going to change easily, Wexler said. Her hope comes from the belief that faith is bigger than the institutional church which is made up of fallible human beings. Its really up to us to find our faith, to hold on to it, and to nurture it and to make the Church better in any way that we can.

Ultimately, writing the book helped Wexler navigate the fork in the road between her feminist beliefs and her faith, and she remains a Catholic. I wrote this book not to start a revolution but to start a conversation, she said. Wexler hopes to reach Catholic women in the pews, women who have basically kept their frustrations and their sense of perhaps anger and disillusionment to themselves, as well as women in other religious traditions facing similar issues.

Sarah Stanton, the acquisitions editor at Rowman & Littlefield who worked on Catholic Women Confront Their Church, cited demographic trends that show people are leaving churches in droves, including Catholics. "Its so easy to leave when you feel marginalized or disenfranchised," she told PW. "To see these women, diverse women, of all ages and races, staying and working for change in a variety of ways was very powerful.

Publicity for Catholic Women Confront Their Church will include advertisements and outreach via Catholic magazines, libraries, colleges and seminaries, parishes, and other institutions, including public libraries; listing on Readara.com; and op-eds by Wexler, including her ongoing blog for The Huffington Post.
Erickson Roves to Fortress Press

Acquisitions editor for Fortress Press Tony Jones nabbed world rights to Holy Rover by veteran travel writer Lori Erickson. The memoir, which is based on Ericksons blog Holy Rover on Patheos, and blends spirituality with details of the authors travels to Iona, Machu Picchu, Bear Butte, and many places in between. Erickson was represented by agent Greg Daniel of the Daniel Literary Group. Holy Rover will be published through Fortress Theology for the People line in spring 2017.

Fortress Closes A Double with Rev. Boyd

Rev. Dr. Gregory A. Boyd, the founding pastor of Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul and the author of Letters from a Skeptic and God at War, sold the world rights to two titles to Fortress Tony Jones. The first book, The Crucifixion of the Warrior God, will be released in April 2017. Boyd has been working on it for over a decade, according to a press release. This is my lifes work, said Boyd. The culmination of my thoughts on the nature of God, Jesus, and the Bible. The second book, tentatively titled Cross Vision: How the Crucifixion of Jesus Makes Sense of Old Testament Violence, is slated to publish in August 2017.

Biles Brings Courage to Zondervan

Four-time Olympic gold medalist and three-time World all-around gymnastics champion Simone Biles is sold her autobiography, Courage to Soar, to Zondervan. Written with Michelle Burford and featuring a foreword by Mary Lou Retton, the title will go on sale on November 15, 2016. Biless agents, Farley Chase of Chase Literary Agency and Janey Miller of Octagon, brokered the deal with Zondervans developmental editor Jacque Alberta and Annette Bourland, senior v-p and group publisher at Zondervan.

Zondervan Inks Richards-Ross to Triple

A second Olympic gold medalist, Sanya Richards-Ross, is sharing her life story in three books slated to publish at Zondervan over the next two years. The first untitled work, set for release in July 2017, is a memoir chronicling Richards-Rosss childhood in Jamaica and her rise to track stardom. Following in August 2017, Richards-Ross will share stories from her running career and key messages of faith in Run With Me, intended for ages 8-12. Lastly, Zondervan plans to release a young adult nonfiction book in 2018 based on Richards-Rosss personal story that will provide tips on setting and reaching goals as well as how to stand out in a crowd. Richards-Ross is represented by the Creative Artists Agencys David Larabell, who brokered the world rights to each book with Zondervans executive editor Carolyn McCready and acquisitions editor Jillian Manning.

Revell Revels in Glory

Kelsey Bowen, associate acquisitions editor for Revell, signed up Southern Living senior travel editor Valerie Fraser Luesse for two novels. In her debut novel, Glory, Alabama (Spring 2018), Luesse explores issues of race, class, and religion with a story set in the 1960s in rural Alabama. The second work of Southern fiction, not yet titled, is tentatively scheduled for release in Spring 2019. Leslie Stoker of Stoker Literary represented Luesse.

Hyatt Signs A Triple with Baker

Baker Books editor Chad Allen closed a three-book deal with Michael Hyatt, former chairman and CEO of Thomas Nelson. Releasing in spring 2018, spring 2019, and spring 2020, the three yet-to-be-titled books will focus on personal development and productivitytopics Hyatt has explored on his blog, podcast, and in his online courses. Bryan Norman at Alive Literary represented Hyatt and negotiated the deal with Baker Books.

NPR Correspondent Heads to RWW Imprint

At Red Wheel/Weisers Hampton Roads imprint, associate publisher Greg Brandenburgh closed a world rights deal with Judith Valente, a PBS and NPR correspondent, for Silence and Simplicity: Meditations on Happiness, Meaning, and the Rule of St. Benedict. Slated to publish in spring 2018, the book explores passages from the Rule, a book of precepts written for Benedictine monks, and features 52 reflectionsone for each week in the year. Amanda OConnor at the Trident Media Group represented Valente.

W, Passion Publishing Partner Again

Passion Publishing, the publishing arm of the Passion Conferences for young adults, signed its second author in its partnership with the W Publishing Group. In August 2017, the two publishers will release Single, Dating, Engaged, Married by Ben Stuart, the founder of Breakaway, a weekly bible study on the campus of Texas A&M University. The book explores the purpose of four relationship stagessingle, dating, engaged, marriedthat the majority of 20-somethings will experience. Kevin Marks at Passion Publishing brokered the world rights deal with Ws senior v-p and publisher Matt Baugher.

Chole Re-Ups with W

Alicia Britt Chole, the author of 2016s 40 Days of Decrease, signed with the W Publishing Group once again on The Sacred Slow: A Holy Departure from Fast Faith. The book, which will be published in September 2017, looks at the cultural shift from fast food to health food in both the physical and a spiritual sense, with Chole urging readers to take an unhurried, honest approach to having a relationship with God. Ws Matt Baugher brokered the world rights deal directly with the author.
Although the Frankfurt Book Fair doesnt get underway until next month--the annual trade show kicking off in Germany on October 19--a handful of big deals have already closed. Among the titles gaining early buzz in the run-up to the fair are two novels acquired in six figure deals late last week.

At the center of one of these deals is Gin Phillips Beautiful Things. The book was sold, PW has heard, for upwards of $850,000, to Laura Tisdel at Viking. However Kim Witherspoon at Inkwell Management, who represented Phillips, declined to comment on the advance.

The thriller, by the author of The Well and the Mine (which was published by Hawthorne Books in 2008 and won a Barnes & Noble Discover Award for Fiction), is set over the course of three hours and follows a mother who finds herself trapped in a zoo with her young son and an on-the-loose gunman.

Witherspoon, in her pitch letter, said the novel examines the experience of being a mother "by catalyzing it with suspense. She added that the thriller is what you might have "if Michael Crichton had written a book about motherhood.

The other novel to fetch a significant advance last week is The Chalk Man, by British author Caz Tudor. The psychological thriller was bought in a two-book, U.S. rights, deal, for six figures, by Nathan Roberson at Crown. Though the Penguin Random House division also declined to comment on the advance, Roberson confirmed that the book has been acquired in a flurry of foreign deals; to date, it has sold in 25 territories (including the U.S.), mostly in preempts. Among other countries, deals for it have closed in the U.K., Germany, France, and Spain.

PW secured agent Madeleine Millburns pitch letter, which said the book will appeal to fans of Stephen King and Harlan Coben.

Millburn, who has an eponymous shingle in the U.K., confirmed in her pitch letter that Tudor is a debut author; she is a freelance copywriter based in Nottingham, and was one of the winners of a Bonnier-sponsored contest called Twenty7, that offers professional feedback to writers who submit unpublished manuscripts.

Tudor was one of five finalists in this year's contest with her thriller, The Residents. That manuscript, Roberson said, will serve as the basis for the second book in the Crown deal. The title of the novel though, Roberson noted, is currently a "working" one.

The Chalk Man follows a young boy named Eddie who begins drawing chalk figures as a way to communicate with his friends. The drawings lead to a grim discovery when the group of friends stumble on a dead body. The book alternates between 1986 and the present day, when an adult Eddie is unnerved by an the arrival of an ominous package containing a piece of chalk and a drawing of a stick figure.
Educating students and consumers on the difference between food quality and safety is an important part of improving food security, says Haley Oliver, associate professor in Purdue University's Food Science Department (Purdue Agriculture/Tom Campbell)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  Call it a gut feeling, but Purdue University researcher Haley Oliver is pretty sure that nearly everyone has suffered from diarrhea at some point.

"Some people will admit it and some won't, but either way, you've probably had it," said Oliver, an associate professor in Purdue's food science department.

In searching for a cause, people often blame something they recently ate or drank, such as sour milk or wilted lettuce. However, Oliver said such blame is usually misplaced. There is an important difference between food quality and food safety, she said - "quality" refers to how consumers perceive the taste, smell, color and freshness of a product, while "safety" means the absence of harmful pathogens, toxins and substances like sand or glass.

"There is a difference between the microbes that cause spoilage, or low quality, and the microbes that cause disease," Oliver said. "If you leave something out on the counter, it will start growing mold in a day or two, but if there wasn't a pathogen like salmonella already present, it's not going to magically appear. The organisms that take over that product are spoilage organisms."

That means a food whose quality seems questionable may actually be safe - and food that seems fine may contain lethal pathogens, Oliver said.

"Humans probably learned over time not to eat spoiled foods because the conditions that support the growth of spoilage organisms also support the growth of pathogens," she said. "But pathogens like E. coli, listeria and salmonella come from soil and from animals, and they do not change the properties of the food."

This relationship between quality and safety is tied to a third issue - food security. Oliver says that much of the world's yearly food loss is due to people throwing out food that seems to be lower quality but is still safe.

"In some parts of the world, food is mostly lost at the production level to factors like insects or mold," she said, "but here in the U.S., we compound that with loss at the consumer level. Many consumers have the luxury of choice here, and those choices are often made based on perceived quality. We're losing absurd amounts of food this way."

Oliver will be discussing this three-way relationship and its impact in the U.S. and Afghanistan, where she and her colleagues are helping to build the country's first university-based food technology program, at Purdue University's Dawn or Doom 2016 conference. Her lecture, "You Think You Know What Food Caused Your Diarrhea: Detangling Food Safety and Food Quality," will be at 1 p.m. Oct. 4 in Stewart Center, Room 206.

In places such as Afghanistan, quality is the main criterion for purchasing, especially fruits and vegetables. Food safety education and understanding of germ theory are limited there, so it makes sense that fresh-looking, clean produce would seem safer than produce that had been stored at an improper temperature or that was contaminated with dirt or other impurities, Oliver said.

However, the quality-safety discrepancy comes into play here, too.

"Here in the U.S., we depend on our functional regulatory systems to monitor and enforce food safety, but a consumer from another country might not have the safeguards that we have here," Oliver said. "People in Afghanistan depend on sight, smell and so on to make their decision. But without a basic knowledge of microbes and foodborne illness, something that looks fresh could have been grown with unsafe irrigation water, or misted at the market with water that has fecal matter in it."

Oliver and her team are combating this divide with education in safe handling practices and preservation. Because traditional preservation methods are mostly limited to drying, which could expose food to contaminated dirt or sand, one simple way to make food safer is to teach people how to can it - a revolutionary concept for many people, Oliver said. Other education efforts focus on safe irrigation, testing well water and proper hand-washing techniques.

"When we first started, we were training people in basic food safety language - 'wash your hands, don't eat poop,'" Oliver said. "It doesn't seem that hard, but it can be hard in practice when you can't see what's in your water. We're just trying to build the conversation around the extreme basics."

Registration for Dawn or Doom 2016 is free and can be accessed online at http://bit.ly/DoDRegister. For more information, visit http://www.purdue.edu/dawnordoom/.

Writer: Jessica Merzdorf, 765-494-7719, jmerzdor@purdue.edu

Source: Haley Oliver, 765-496-3913, hfoliver@purdue.edu

Agricultural Communications: (765) 494-8415;

Darrin Pack, dpack@purdue.edu

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A Carbon Cliff man is accused of sexually assaulting a girl younger than 13 years old.

Ryan Lee Rogers, 35, appeared in Rock Island County Court on Monday to answer charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony and entering a school zone as a convicted child sex offender, a Class 4 felony.

Court documents state Mr. Rogers entered the grounds of a Phoenix school Sunday in Carbon Cliff. Under Illinois law, a convicted child sex offender may not enter any school grounds when children under age 18 are present.

During his hearing, Mr. Rogers protested he was not a previously convicted child sex offender, as the charges stated.

"I'm an adult sex offender, not a child sex offender," he said.

Mr. Roger's father also told the judge his son is mentally handicapped.

On Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Rogers was being held in Rock Island County jail on a $30,000 bond. His preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 11.
DAVENPORT -- A two vehicle crash at 4000 Jersey Ridge Road at 12:57 p.m. Tuesday resulted in both drivers being injured, with one sustaining serious injures that were not life-threatening.

According to the Davenport Police Department, both vehicles were occupied only by the drivers. Two vehicles -- a gray 2006 Pontiac G6 and a black 2005 Mazda 6 -- were southbound on Jersey Ridge Road when the driver of the Mazda rear-ended the Pontiac, according to police.

Upon impact, the Mazda went over the curb, striking two trees and rolling over onto the passenger side. The driver of the Mazda was partially ejected from the vehicle.

The Pontiac driver also sustained minor injuries.

Police have not released the names of the people involved. The accident remains under investigation by the Davenport Police Department Traffic Safety Unit.
Charles Alvin Spicer, 34, was released from Scott County Jail where he had been held since July 21, court documents say. In a motion to dismiss, Assistant County Attorney Patrick McElya wrote that "evidentiary concerns prevent the state from continuing with the case."

Mr. Spicer was accused of raping a woman on July 21, 2015, in a parking lot in the 3900 block of Elmore Avenue in Davenport, according to court documents. Traces of Mr. Spicer's DNA were found on the woman, but he claimed the sexual relations were consensual. He told police the woman had contacted him via cellphone to meet one another, court documents say.
MARION (AP)  A southern Illinois doctor who works at a clinic where many patients try to access the state's medical marijuana program has been subpoenaed in a state and federal investigation.

State officials said the investigation is in response to alleged improper controlled substance prescriptions from Dr. Bodo Schneider.

Illinois Department of Professional and Financial Regulation spokesman Terry Horstman said the terms of the subpoena require Schneider to provide medical records to the state regulatory agency by Oct. 7.

Horstman said an administrative law judge was informed of the subpoena during the most recent status hearing in the case involving Schneider on Sept. 16. The administrative law judge was also told that Schneider rejected an offer by the department's State Medical Licensing Board at an informal meeting Aug. 19.

Another status hearing in the case is scheduled for Oct. 24.

Schneider is the medical director of clinics in Marion in southern Illinois and Orland Park in suburban Chicago. He is one of only a few doctors in southern Illinois participating in the state's medical marijuana program by certifying the conditions of qualified patients.

Illinois regulators say Schneider charged patients for marijuana recommendations at his offices without a legitimate doctor-patient relationship. The state says the acts he's accused of are grounds for suspending or revoking his Illinois medical license.

Schneider has said he has followed all of the state's rules for the medical marijuana program.

Doctors don't prescribe medical marijuana, but they sign off on whether an individual has one of the conditions the Illinois law allows for eligibility to receive an identification card to be used at a dispensary.

People wanting access to the program have flooded Schneider's office as the region's major health systems have told their physicians not to participate, citing legal vulnerability since marijuana, including medical cannabis, is still illegal at the federal level.
A two-year-old state law allowing voter registration at polling places on Election Day has been temporarily halted by a federal judge in Chicago.

On Tuesday, Judge Samuel Der-Yeghiayan, of the U.S. District Court for Northern Illinois, agreed with a motion for a preliminary injunction against the law filed last month by Patrick Harlan, of Galesburg, and the Crawford County Republican Central Committee.

Mr. Harlan is challenging U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Moline, in the 17th Congressional District election on Nov. 8. He and the southern Illinois Republican group were supported in the motion by The Liberty Justice Center, a Chicago-based public-interest litigation group.

The motion argued the law is unconstitutional because it violates constitutional provisions guaranteeing equal access to voting. The law provides that counties with populations of more than 100,000 make Election Day registration available at all polling places. Counties with smaller populations are not required to offer similar registration access, as long as it is available at the main county clerks office and a polling place in each municipality where 20 percent or more of the countys residents reside."

The 17th District includes all or parts of 14 counties. Four of them -- Rock Island, Peoria, Tazewell and Winnebago -- have enough residents to qualify for Election Day voter registration. Ten counties -- Henry, Mercer, Whiteside, Knox, Carroll, Fulton, Henderson, Jo Daviess, Stephenson and Warren -- have too few people.

The law appears to recognize the difference in resources between larger and smaller counties in being able to provide the necessary electronic voting equipment required, according to language in Judge Der-Yeghiayan's ruling.

The law has been steeped in partisan considerations from the start. In late 2014, it passed the General Assembly with heavy support from Democrats and heavy opposition from Republicans. The partisan logic is the state's large, urban counties lean heavily Democratic, while the smaller, rural counties lean more heavily Republican.

The complaint said the distinction violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Mr. Harlan wasn't available for comment Tuesday. Earlier this summer, however, when the complaint was filed, he said, "The most important thing to me is to make sure the 14th Amendment is protected.

"I am requesting that voting be made fair throughout the state."

On Tuesday afternoon, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, a Democrat, said she would file an appeal to the judge's ruling. The appeal is to be heard within 21 days, raising the possibility that Election Day registration may still be available for the Nov. 8 election.

Jared Smith, communications director for Rep. Bustos, said the law is intended to encourage voting. He added that. Rep. Bustos supports Election Day voter registration in all Illinois counties.

"Congresswoman Bustos has always thought that we need to make it easier to vote, and not harder," he said.

Similar sentiments were expressed by Rock Island County Democratic Party Chairman Doug House, who said he hadn't yet read accounts of Tuesday's ruling.

"Anything we can do to make it easier to vote that maintains the integrity of the system, we should do," said Mr. House. "I'm disappointed."

His Republican Party counterpart, Bill Bloom, said he didn't have strong feelings about Election Day registration. But he criticized the law as one that stifled Republicans.

"The way it was implemented was definitely intended to increase Democratic votes by making it available to counties with larger Democratic populations," Mr. Bloom said.

"By leaving out rural counties, it was leaving out a lot of Republican voters," he said. "That was the intent of the way it was rolled out."

When contacted early Tuesday afternoon, Rock Island County Clerk Karen Kinney hadn't learned of the ruling and said she was "shocked." Her office, she said, had committed resources to providing Election Day registration, including publicity materials.

Judge Der-Yeghiayan, in his ruling, stated Mr. Harlan and his co-plaintiffs had provided "ample" evidence that Election Day registration -- which was available for this year's primary elections on March 15 -- resulted in a "significant increase in voter turnout."

However, "that in turn shows that in a low-population county without electronic polling books, there will be a significant decrease in voter turnout," the judge ruled.

"While it is a desirable goal to make the voting process more readily available to United States citizens in Illinois and to encourage them to vote, that goal must apply equally to all," the judge wrote in his ruling.
MOLINE -- A panel of Muslim Americans described their experiences in the Quad-Cities as "amazing," "fortunate," "exceptional" and "exceptional-er."

"Living as a Muslim in America" is part of a series of programs being held by the World Affairs Council of the Quad Cities. The panel was hosted at Western Illinois University Quad City Campus, 330 River Drive.

Dr. Lisa Killinger, president of the Muslim Community of the Quad Cities, described Islam as one of the "most misunderstood faiths in the world."

"It is the faith that has become OK to hate; it is the faith that has become OK to say anything about," Dr. Killinger said.

Panelist Dr. Waqas Hussain said that Muslim Americans have to watch closely how they behave and react to different situations.

"Everyone is kind of watching you," Dr. Hussain said. "You are kind of a walking case study for folks who are around you to be able to understand what your culture is like."

Another panelist, Dr. Matlub Ahmad, noted that there is a diverse population within the Muslim community, and that not all Muslims are doctors and teachers.

Also on the panel, Dr. Waqas Hussain said that underneath the skin, everyone is the same. He said Muslims have to work harder to prove themselves because of their faith.

Panelist Ameena Holly Fttil told attendees she considers June 6, 2007, the day she converted to Islam, as being her new birthday.

"Some people think I am less American because I chose to become Muslim. I've had that brought to my attention several times," Mrs. Fttil said. "I am not; I am very proud to be Muslim, but I'm also very proud to be an American."

The audience asked about anti-Muslim rhetoric from Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Dr. Killinger said this kind of rhetoric has been seen before and called it "very disturbing."

"We have seen this pattern of speaking before, just before the Holocaust," Dr. Killinger said. "Where somebody felt it was OK to say anything to a group of people on a basis of their faith, and then it was OK to not do business with them. To remove them from certain areas, like limiting their travel, and next it became killing and murder and the rest is history."
Keith Scott's wife filed the order on Oct. 5, saying that law enforcement officers who encounter him should be aware that he "carries a 9mm black" gun. Police have said Scott had a handgun when they approached him at an apartment complex last week. Officers told Scott repeatedly to drop the weapon and he was shot to death when he didn't follow their orders, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police chief has said.

Scott's family has said that he was not armed. Videos released by police and the family are inconclusive, and state authorities are investigating. Over the past week, sometimes violent protests have erupted, and the police headquarters building had to be evacuated Tuesday as a bomb squad checked out a suspicious package.

In the restraining order last fall, Rakeyia Scott sought to keep her husband away because "he hit my 8 year old in the head a total of three times with his fist," she said in the restraining order document.

"He kicked me and threaten to kill us last night with his gun," she said in the order filed in Gaston County, where the couple then lived. "He said he is a 'killer' and we should know that."

Rakeyia Scott checked boxes on the form informing law officers who would serve the restraining order that her husband had neither a permit issued by a county sheriff to buy a handgun nor a state permit to carry a concealed handgun, which requires a criminal background check. She said he worked as a mall security guard.

When deputies went to serve the restraining order two days after it was filed, Scott had already moved to South Carolina, where he has family. About a week after that, Rakeyia Scott filed a separate court notice voluntarily dismissing the order, saying: "He is no longer a threat to me and my family."

In a video released last week capturing the moments before and after Scott was shot by police, Rakeyia Scott can be heard telling officers: "Don't shoot him! He has no weapon."

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said they found Scott's DNA and fingerprints on a handgun recovered at the scene, and that he was wearing an ankle holster when he was killed.

Police released a photo of a small, black handgun they said was recovered from the scene of Scott's shooting on Sept. 20. Police have not described the gun in detail, but printing on the side of the barrel said it was a Colt Series 80 Mustang .38 caliber automatic, which shoots a 9mm bullet, according to Steven Howard, a firearms consultant in Lansing, Michigan, who has testified as an expert witness in court cases.

It's not clear if the gun mentioned in the restraining order is the same one police said they recovered.

The gun recovered by police had been stolen and later sold to Scott, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police source told The Associated Press on Monday. The person insisted on anonymity because the State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the shooting.

State agent Erik Hooks declined comment when asked whether the gun had been stolen.

Scott has a lengthy criminal record, including convictions in Texas, North Carolina and South Carolina. Texas records showed he was convicted of evading arrest with a vehicle in 2005, and several months later, of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Corine Mack, president of the local NAACP chapter, said Scott's legal history didn't matter because officers didn't know any of it before he was shot and blacks typically are "demonized" after being killed by police.

"I don't want to hear any of that," Mack said at a news conference announcing demands that include implementation of police reforms approved last year.

Police Chief Kerr Putney has said officers were looking for another suspect when they spotted Scott with marijuana and a gun in an SUV and decided to engage him.
WASHINGTON (AP)  In a resounding rebuke, Democrats joined with Republicans Wednesday to hand Barack Obama the first veto override of his presidency, voting overwhelmingly to allow families of Sept. 11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia in U.S. courts for its alleged backing of the attackers.

Both the House and Senate voted decisively to reverse Obama's decision to scuttle the legislation. Democrats in both chambers abandoned the president in large numbers despite warnings from Obama and top national security officials that flaws in the bill could put U.S. interests, troops, and intelligence personnel at risk.

The Senate vote was 97-1, with only Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., backing the president. The House vote a few hours later was 348-77, with 123 Democrats rebuffing the president and voting to override.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois and U.S. Reps. Cheri Bustos, of Moline, and Dave Loebsack, of Iowa City -- all Democrats -- joined Republican Sens. Mark Kirk of Illinois and Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, both of Iowa, in voting to override the president's veto.

Lawmakers said their priority wasn't Saudi Arabia, but the 9/11 victims and their families who continue to demand justice 15 years after attackers killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, the Washington, D.C., area, and Pennsylvania. Fifteen of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers were Saudis.

"Overriding a presidential veto is something we don't take lightly, but it was important in this case that the families of the victims of 9/11 be allowed to pursue justice, even if that pursuit causes some diplomatic discomforts," said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., a chief sponsor of the bill.

Speaking at a forum in Washington, CIA Director John Brennan said he was concerned about how Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally in the Middle East, would interpret the bill. He said the Saudis provide significant amounts of information to the U.S. to help foil extremist plots.

"It would an absolute shame if this legislation, in any way, influenced the Saudi willingness to continue to be among our best counterterrorism partners," Brennan said.

After senators acted, White House spokesman Josh Earnest called the vote the "single most embarrassing thing" the Senate has done in decades and "an abdication" of its responsibility. He accused members of the Senate Judiciary Committee of not understanding the legislation and its impact on the military.

But Republicans and Democrats said the White House had been slow to respond to the bill and miscalculated lawmakers' intent to act on the legislation along with the 15th anniversary of the terror attacks. When Obama and senior national security officials such as Defense Secretary Ash Carter finally weighed in, it was too late.

The Senate passed the bill by voice vote in May. The Obama White House then made the mistake of thinking the bill would stall in the Republican-controlled House. In August, 9/11 families pressured Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., while he was on a campaign swing in New York.

On Sept. 9, two days before the 15th anniversary of 9/11, the House passed the bill by voice vote with little debate.

Despite reversing Obama's decision, a bipartisan group of 28 senators led by Bob Corker, R-Tenn., suggested that defects in the bill could open a legal Pandora's box, triggering lawsuits from people in other countries seeking redress for injuries or deaths caused by military actions in which the U.S. may have had a role.

Corker, the chairman of Foreign Relations Committee, chided the White House for being outraged over the outcome when the administration did so little to sustain the president's veto.

"There was zero desire to sit down and talk about a way to get to a better outcome. Zero," Corker told The Associated Press. "To my knowledge, I don't know of a call from Obama to a single senator over this."

In a letter sent Tuesday to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, Obama said the bill would erode sovereign immunity principles that prevent foreign litigants "from second-guessing our counterterrorism operations and other actions that we take every day."

But proponents of the bill dismissed Obama's concerns as unpersuasive. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the Senate's No. 2 Republican, and other supporters said the bill is narrowly tailored and applies only to acts of terrorism that occur on U.S. soil.

Families of the victims and their attorneys dismissed concerns over the legislation as fearmongering. "We rejoice in this triumph and look forward to our day in court and a time when we may finally get more answers regarding who was truly behind the attacks," said Terry Strada, national chair of the 9/11 Families & Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism.

The legislation gives victims' families the right to sue in U.S. court for any role that elements of the Saudi government may have played in the 2001 attacks. Courts would be permitted to waive a claim of foreign sovereign immunity when an act of terrorism occurred inside U.S. borders, according to the terms of the bill.

Obama vetoed the measure last week, telling lawmakers the bill would make the U.S. vulnerable to retaliatory litigation.

In a separate letter sent Monday to a senior House member, Defense Secretary Ash Carter described the potential for foreign litigants to seek classified intelligence data and analysis and sensitive operational information to establish their cases in what could be an "intrusive discovery process."
IONIA, Mich. (AP)  Few states have been more aggressive in releasing inmates and diverting offenders than Michigan, where a decade ago, one out of every 200 people was in prison, and penal costs were beginning to crowd out basic government services.

After easing parole policies, the state managed to cut its 51,000-plus prison population by about 18 percent. But costs kept surpassing $2 billion a year, in part because too many freed inmates came back after committing new crimes or violating parole or probation rules.

Now Michigan is trying to stop the boomerang effect with a new program that removes soon-to-be-released inmates from the general population and assigns them to an exclusive "vocational village" for job training. The idea is to send them out through the prison gates with marketable skills that lead to a stable job, the kind that will keep them out of trouble long term.

Corrections officials have also ramped up their marketing efforts  attending manufacturing expos to tout inmates' credentials, coordinating with local workforce-development agencies and inviting business leaders behind prison walls to conduct job interviews.

In the village, inmates have "some protection and isolation from the pressures of the rest of the prison compound," state Corrections Director Heidi Washington said. "They are up every day when they're supposed to be, and they're engaged in learning and perfecting their skill or their trade all day long."

The system marks a turnabout for a Republican-controlled state where the get-tough approach has prevailed for years. But pressure has been growing to punish criminals without punishing taxpayers.

Although Michigan has tried vocational programs in the past, officials believe the opportunities for inmate employment are greater these days because the state's skilled tradesmen are getting older or left during the Great Recession, and the workforce has tightened in an improving economy. A state website projects nearly 1,600 annual openings for truck drivers, more than 1,100 for machinists and almost 700 for industrial machinery mechanics.

"This is the best time, when you have an economy that's growing and you have 100,000 open jobs in the state or more," Gov. Rick Snyder said in an interview.

Each year, Michigan releases 10,000 prisoners, but repeat offenders make up nearly 40 percent of those entering the system. That is despite a successful anti-recidivism initiative that was launched more than a decade ago but which was cut back in recent years to save money.

Too many programs "keep people busy but don't really lead to marketable skills or certificates that would allow individuals to get employment on the outside," said Lois Davis, a senior policy researcher for the Rand Corp. who studies prison education and job training programs. A 2013 Rand study found that prisoners receiving educational training were 43 percent less likely to reoffend than those who did not.

Jesse Torrez, 41, is among the prisoners who were admitted to vocational housing at the Richard A. Handlon Correctional Facility in Ionia, about 110 miles northwest of Detroit. There, the inmates receive full days of training in high-demand skills such as welding, machining and carpentry.

Torrez, who is imprisoned for unarmed robbery, served two previous prison terms. Each time after release, he said, he reverted to "drinking and drugging" when he could not find steady work. If he lied about his criminal record, the employer would inevitably find out and fire him.

"It was just real tough, due to my past, which I created and am totally accountable for," said Torrez, a father of five who is hoping to be paroled in 2017 and is being trained in construction trades.

He said he has a job waiting for him with a manufacturer.

The vocational push is being driven by Washington, the reform-minded corrections director who took over last year after 17 years at the agency. She revived an inactive automotive-repair program at the Ionia prison, created new plumbing and electrical schooling, and expanded welding and machining offerings. Days are designed to simulate a regular work schedule, not just a few hours of classes.

It is not enough to have the right technical skills, she said. Inmates "need to understand that an employer needs to rely on you  every day, all day. You need to be accountable to be a producer."

The 225 inmates in the program comprise just a fraction of those paroled annually, but the Republican governor and legislators recently committed more money to launch a second vocational village. Total prison education spending is up nearly $8 million, or 27 percent, from when the governor took office in 2011.

Some executives are now open to employing ex-cons, saying it can be smart business.

"We see an untapped talent pool here," said Mark Miller, president and CEO of Cascade Engineering Inc. in Grand Rapids, which makes automotive parts, trash carts, storage containers and other goods.

Cascade does not ask job applicants about their crimes until they have been extended an offer. Depending on the job, inmates can make between $11.60 to start and $15.15 an hour within a year.

Efforts are underway to lobby 30 other local employers to hire two ex-offenders each and monitor their progress.

Third-time inmate Chris Chavanne, 34, recently landed a construction job upon his release. He robbed a bank when he was 16.

"I feel like I've learned enough to stay the heck out the way and go on to be successful," Chavanne said. "I do feel more equipped and more confident to do something better than what I was doing."
Almost 50 Illinois counties have filed lawsuits against Democratic Governor, JB Pritzker, and the ill crafted SAFE-T Act. Introduced in the General Assembly by the Illinois Black Caucus, the Act passed the Democratic-led General Assembly in the wee hours of Jan. 13, 2021. Amongst many of its weaknesses and deficiencies, the Act eliminates cash bail, emboldens criminals, and makes it even more difficult for law enforcement to keep offenders off our streets. Public Safety personnel and States Attorneys across our great State have decried the legislation, noting that it was drafted and written with very little constructive input from Public Safety leadership, from either party; potentially impacting every Illinois community with dangerous consequences. Allowing perpetrators to bail out of jail, based on their good word that they will be glad to return to court is laughable, at best, and both ludicrous and dangerous, at worst. Soon after the SAFE-T Act was passed at the State level, the Republican-led Henry County Board drafted a resolution, requesting that the General Assembly repeal and replace the SAFE-T Act with a new criminal justice bill, this time with input from professional law enforcement, States Attorneys from across the State, and other Public Safety officials. We unanimously passed our resolution on May 19, 2022, and encourage all County Boards in Illinois to follow our lead. Our Republican-led Board in Henry County believes we all, Democrats, Independents, and Republicans, deserve effective and fair law enforcement in our communities.
CALDCs Halloween Celebration A Real Treat! The Central Astoria LDCs 7th annual Batty Over Halloween Celebration held on Sunday, October 23rd was a real treat for everyone who came out. Despite...

Meng Brings NASA Astronaut To Queens On October 17, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) brought NASA astronaut Dr. Jonny Kim to Queens where he met and spoke with students at Francis...

Celebrating Columbus The Federation of Italian-American Organizations of Queens (FIAO) held their annual Columbus Day parade in Astoria, on Saturday, October 8, during Italian Heritage Month. The...
"This stuff has been asked and answered time and time again and we can just get on with it which is why I'm not pulling my bill," Chloe Swarbrick said.

2 hours ago
The total budget for the project is $US 2.01bn and the Bangladeshi government will contribute $US 512m on top of the ADB financing, which will be released in four tranches.

The ADB has already funded a feasibility study into the project and Bangladesh Railways (BR) signed a memorandum of understanding with China Railway Group in 2014 for the construction of the nine-station line. BR is already rehabilitating the connecting 47km line between Chittagong and Dohazari.

The Bangladeshi government is looking to develop Coxs Bazar as a hub for tourism. Around 1.9 million people visit the areas beaches each year and with this number forecast to increase 5% annually, special tourist trains will operate on the new line.

ADB also expects to support the second phase of the project, which involves increasing capacity and extending the line to the Myanmar border and the new deep sea port on Matarbari Island north of Coxs Bazar.
UZ will test the 3356kW locomotive on its 1520mm-gauge network in the coming weeks and five locomotive drivers for the Odessa division have visited Kazakhstan for driver training in readiness for the trials.

UZ says 99% of its freight locomotives are life-expired and in the 25 years since independence it has acquired just eight locomotives.

Omelyan says that the Ministry of Infrastructure has been working with consultants to draw up a five-year programme for the modernisation of UZs locomotive and wagon fleet, and this is due to be completed by the end of October.

UZ is exploring the possibility of working with an international supplier to localise the production of locomotives and in July it signed a memorandums of understanding with both GE and Bombardier pledging to explore strategic cooperation in this sector.
Both suppliers prequalified separately alongside Alstom, CAF, and Siemens to bid for the contract to build trains for Piccadilly, Waterloo & City, Bakerloo and Central lines.

The trains will be the first on the deep-level Tube lines, which have a very restricted loading-gauge, to have air cooling.

Bids were submitted on September 26 and London Underground expects to award the contract in autumn 2017.
The law firm Thompson & Knight LLP announced September 14 that Charles W. Shewmake has joined the firm as a partner in the Trial Practice Group. Prior to joining Thompson & Knight, Mr. Shewmake served for more than eight years as Vice President and General Counsel for BNSF Railway Corporation (BNSF).

Charles brings a wealth of legal and transportation industry experience from his nearly 30 years at BNSF, said Greg W. Curry, the Firms Trial Practice Leader. While Charles has a breadth of expertise in many areas of law, he will focus his practice at Thompson & Knight on employment and labor law, commercial litigation, regulatory law, and environmental litigation. I have had the pleasure of knowing Charles as a friend and client for many years. Now, I look forward to working with him in his new role.

Mr. Shewmake focuses his practice on labor and employment, regulatory matters, commercial litigation, and environmental litigation. His experience also includes complex shareholder litigation, antitrust litigation, personal injury litigation, and commercial arbitration, as well as emergency response management.

Beginning as an intern at BNSF in 1988, Mr. Shewmake held various positions at the company, including handling and supervising numerous labor and employment matters; overseeing and coordinating BNSFs State Government Affairs team with responsibility for state legislative and political activities in 28 states; environmental litigation; and labor law. In 2008, he was named Vice President and General Counsel with responsibility for casualty litigation, safety related legal matters, labor and employment law, and certain environmental legal matters.

He received an Advanced Management Program degree from Harvard Business School in 2007, a J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law in 1990, and a B.A. in Business Administration from University of Texas at Arlington in 1987.
On the offensive following the Surface Transportation Boards recent flurry of activity on multiple proposed regulations, the Association of American Railroads wrote to leaders of the Senate Commerce Committee and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

AAR President and CEO Ed Hambergers letter covers concerns over three primary issues that we see as STB overreach: Forced access, commodity re-regulation and rate caps.

Following is the full text of the letter to Senate Commerce Committee Chair John Thune and Ranking Member Bill Nelson, and House T&I Committee Chair Bill Shuster and Ranking Member Peter DeFazio:

The Association of American Railroads is writing to you to express the railroad industrys concerns with recent actions by the Surface Transportation Board. Last year, Congress reauthorized the agency for the first time since its inception in 1996 by passing the bipartisan STB Reauthorization Act focused on improving the agencys processes for rendering decisions. Despite a massive lobbying campaign to the contrary, Congress wisely declined to alter the regulatory framework that has governed the industry since the Staggers Rail Act of 1980.

That stable regulatory environment has allowed railroads to spend [more than] $600 billion in private capital to make the nations freight rail network the best in the world. Congress has charged the STB to recognize that where railroads face competition for their servicesfrom other railroads, from other modes of transportation, or from market forces that allow customers to substitute products or obtain them from different sourcesthe market, not regulation, should govern. The regulatory framework provides that in the limited instances where railroads do not face effective competition for their services, economically based rate regulation should be available.

Today, railroads continue to face fierce competition for their transportation services for shipments that can be directly loaded to or from trucks, barges or other railroads and also where those shipments can be transloaded to or from those competitive options. For example, according to the Department of Agriculture, railroads move about 24% of the nations grain, with most grain shipments moving by truck or truck-and-barge combinations. Similarly, railroads account for only approximately 20% of chemical shipments. Those are hardly numbers that support the contention that railroads do not face competition for their services.

Railroads also face competitive constraints on the demand for their service from shippers and receivers that can substitute products in end markets or obtain goods from different geographic locations around the world. Shippers, even those served by one railroad, can and do use all of these competitive forces as leverage in negotiating freight rates at competitive levels.

Any claim that competition for freight transportation has lessened as a result of consolidations in the rail industry is simply not true. Due to conditions placed on those transactions by the Interstate Commerce Commission and the STB, shippers who had access to two or more rail carriers prior to mergers retained access to at least two rail carriers after consolidations. In several mergers, the number of customers served by multiple carriers increased, not decreased.
The Pardee RAND Graduate School (PardeeRAND.edu) is home to the only Ph.D. and M.Phil. programs offered at an independent public policy research organizationthe RAND Corporation.
Indian media conglomerate Zee Group is eying regional broadcast news network TV9 for acquisition, according to an unconfirmed newspaper report.





TV9 is operated by Hyderabad-based broadcaster Associated Broadcasting Company (ABCL), which in turn is 60% owned by Chintalapati Srinivasa Raju (Srini Raju), 20% by US-based private equity firm Saif Partners and 20% by TV9 founder and CEO Ravi Prakash and his associates.Raju and the Saif Partners have long been seeking to sell their stakes in ABCL, according to Business Standard . The newspaper claims a deal to sell their shareholding to Subhash Chandras Zee has been arranged and will be closed in a few months, however this has not been confirmed by either company.ABCL, which launched the first 24-hour Telugu news channel under the brand TV9 AP in 2004, now runs seven regional news channels including TV9 Kannada, TV9 Marathi, TV9 Gujarati, TV9 Karnataka, English channel News9 and Jai Telangana.
Investigators reveal $1.4 mln embezzlement at Khrunichev space center - report

MOSCOW, September 28 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko) - The Investigative Committee of Russia has opened a case on embezzling about 90 million rubles ($1.4 million) during delivery of propellant components for the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, one of the country's leading space enterprises, Izvestia newspaper reported on Wednesday.

According to the newspaper, the criminal case is connected with seaborne supplies of chemicals from Europe. Investigators claim that contracts have been concluded with the participation of mediators, therefore the service cost increased enormously.

First criminal episodes of the case are dated 2005, when the Khrunichev Center signed a delivery service agreement with the US company Express service forwarding (ESF), the newspaper writes. Reportedly, ESF also concluded a contract with a St. Petersburg firm accredited in a seaport which offered the whole list of needful services.

Investigators believe that the use of ESF as an intermediary made it possible to overstate expenses for storage and logistic services and customs brokers service twice. It gave the offenders a chance to embezzle nearly 90 million rubles, the newspaper reported.

As reported earlier, the Gagarinsky District Court of Moscow has given former Khrunichev Centers Deputy Director General in charge of Economics Alexander Ostroverkh a five-year suspended sentence for embezzling 285 million rubles ($4.5 million).

Vladimir Nesterov, former director general of the space center, has also been charged in this case. Investigators believe that Nesterov created a criminal group to embezzle government funds at the center in 2007. It included Mikhail Yakushin, the centers chief accountant, Dmitry Dyakonov, head of the Ekopravo economic and legal consultancy, and several other unidentified persons.

The Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center is one of the country's leading space enterprises. Currently the research centers main priority is construction of Proton and Angara space rockets. In 2014, it was revealed that enterprise faces financial troubles.
MOSCOW, September 28 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko)  More than 50 out of 84 candidates, who had attended the Moscow District Military Court, refused to become jurors in the criminal case over the murder of prominent opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, victims lawyer Vadim Prokhorov told RAPSI on Wednesday.

There is a chance that the panel of jurors will be formed today, the attorney said. The court is to select 12 main and 8 reserve jurors.

At the end of June, Russias Investigative Committee reported that investigation into the case of Zaur Dadayev, Anzor Gubashev, Shadid Gubashev, Temerlan Eskerkhanov, and Khamzat Bakhayev who stand charged with a contract murder in the composition of an organized gang, and of illegal acquisition, transportation and possession of firearms, had been completed.

According to investigators, in late September 2014, Ruslan Mukhudinov, a former officer in the Chechen Interior Ministry, and some unnamed persons offered Beslan Shavanov and the five accused to murder Nemtsov for 15 million rubles ($234,900).

Nemtsov was murdered in central Moscow on the night of February 28. In the 1990s, the politician held a number of high-ranking posts in the Russian Government. In the 2000s, he joined the opposition.

Prosecution of Shavanov was dismissed in November 2015 because of his death by self-destruction in the course of his apprehending in Chechnya.

Investigation into Mukhudinov, the alleged mastermind behind this high-profile murder, who has been on the international wanted list since 2015 and other unidentified persons, is still going on.
Refusal to open case against Domodedovo owner over 2004 terror attacks upheld

MOSCOW, September 28 (RAPSI, Yevgeniya Sokolova)  The Moscow City Court has upheld investigators refusal to open a new criminal case against Domodedovo owner Dmitriy Kamenshchik in relation to 2004 terror attacks in the airport, RAPSI reported from the courtroom on Wednesday.

Relatives of terror attacks victims demanded to initiate the case against the airports owner because, according to them, suicide attackers boarded the plane due to the fault of Kamenshchik who had not organized normal security system in Domodedovo.

Investigators and prosecutors did not find grounds for institution of such criminal case. There were no particular facts and circumstances which could be used as a reason for reopening of investigation, according to them.

On August 24, 2004 two organized terror attacks at Domodedovo airport were carried by suicide bombers and resulted in destruction of two airplanes and deaths of 90 people.

Three persons have been already convicted in the case. Former police officer Mikhail Artamonov received a 6-year prison term; ticket scalper Armen Arutyunyan and ex-employee of Siberia Airlines Nikolai Korenkov were sentenced to 1.5 years in prison each.

Earlier, Kamenshchik was a defendant in the 2011 terror attack criminal case.

A suicide bomber detonated a bomb in the Domodedovo Airports international arrivals hall, killing 37 people and injuring 172, on January 24, 2011.

Kamenshchik was charged with the provision of services that do not meet security standards. He pleaded not guilty but paid out compensation to the victims in the case. In late September, Russias Investigative Committee dropped charges against Kamenshchik at the request of Prosecutor Generals Office.
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.
DRC's neighbor Uganda would like you to believe that the ADF has been infiltrated by international jihadi extremists. For instance, Lt. Colonel Paddy Ankunda, spokesman for the Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF), said, There is no doubt; ADF has a linkage with Al-Shabab. They collaborate. They have trained ADF on the use of improvised explosive devices.
A meeting of international donors, foundations, and multilateral funders opened in the Serbian capital Belgrade on September 21 amid growing concern from young grassroots and philanthropic organizations that the Western Balkans are drifting backward. And in a dangerous way.

It is a backwardness characterized by growing corruption, increasing intimidation of the media, and political elites across the region who pay lip service to reform.

With the EU now focused on ensuring security, controlling its external borders, and stemming the flow of migrants reaching Europe, the union is paying little attention to the negative trends taking place in its immediate backyard. The emerging message from the Balkan Donors Forum, spearheaded by the European Fund for the Balkans and the Open Society Foundations, was that donors and NGOs need to rethink their role in this part of Europe.*

The decision by Britain in June 2016 to quit the EU has dealt a blow to reformers in the Western Balkan countries of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia. For reformers and those who support the region joining the EU, Brexit will mean a weaker Europe. Brexit also robs the EU of a strong advocate of further enlargement.

With this shift by the EU away from integration and enlargement toward security issues, there was a sense among the participants attending the Belgrade conference that as long as the Western Balkans are stable, thats enough for EU governmentseven if it means neglecting to strengthen the regions highly fragile democratic institutions.

This is a big mistake. The region is far from stable, as demonstrations against corruption, abuses of power, and clientelism that have taken place in major cities in recent months confirm.

Yet the protests have not led to changes that would make the elites more accountable. On the contrary. In an internal report presented at the conference to donors and other stakeholders, former Macedonian diplomat Nikola Dimitrov argued that the EU has opted for short-term measures instead of a long-term strategy that would complete the political and economic transformation of the region.

Finishing the job in the Western Balkans has become a side-show at best, he wrote. With the current reactive mood of Europe, if there is any concern left for the region in Brussels, it is about its short-term stability . . . as opposed to democratic reforms.

This emphasis on short-term stability suits most of the leaders in the Western Balkans. Calling them the Balkan Strongmena reference to the regions presidents in the 1990s, when the former Yugoslavia, engulfed in civil war, was led by Slobodan MiloseviA? in Serbia, Franjo TuA?man in Croatia, and Radovan Karad?iA? in Republika Srpska, part of Bosnia and HerzegovinaDimitrov wrote that todays leaders also suit the EU. The perceived need for strong leaders dealing with the situation has enhanced the tendency of horse-trading of fundamental European values for geopolitical interests and stability.

More worryingly, the increasingly authoritarian Balkan strongmen still talk pro-EU talks but they more and more emulate the Russian or Turkish model, Dimitrov added.

The EU is not alone in compromising its values in the Western Balkans in ways that perpetuate the status quo. Young activists at the Belgrade conference complained that the plethora of international donors need to understand how the changes taking place in the EU are having a negative impact on the entire democratization process in the Western Balkans.

Theres too much kowtowing to the status quo by donors and nongovernmental organizations, said Damir ArsenijeviA?, an activist and professor in critical theory and literature at the University of Tuzla in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

His view, shared by others at the conference, was that precisely because the EU was taking its eye off democratization in the Western Balkans, focusing instead on stability and security, NGOs should be far more assertive in speaking out against corruption and the erosion of accountability. Failing that, the Balkan strongmen can continue to act with impunity, as they have done particularly in Macedonia.

The European Commission, the EUs executive, knows exactly what is happening in the Western Balkans. Its regular enlargement strategy and country reports pull no punches about the regions deteriorating rule of law, nepotism, and crackdown on the media.

But Brussels is a long way from the situation on the ground in this part of Europe. That is where NGOs should be the eyes and ears of whats going on and should speak out. However, the Western Balkan strongmen are resorting to tactics used by Vladimir Putin, the Russian president. In these leaders view, NGOs are foreign agents and traitors that need to be reined in.

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vu?iA?, so much liked by Brussels because of his cooperative and conciliatory approach toward resolving the relationship between Serbia and its former province Kosovo, is no exception to this trend. Serbia is now among the countries globally to have suffered the largest declines regarding freedom of the press in 2015, wrote Dimitrov. And as for Vu?iA? using pro-EU rhetoric with his EU interlocutors, so much of it is lip service. There is so little transparency. The pro-EU talk is not matched by reforms at home, said Biljana DakiA? ?orA?eviA?, executive director of Trag, a philanthropic organization based in Serbia.

The seeds of changeand discontentare being sown.

* I was invited to speak at the forum. I wish to thank the organizers for their hospitality.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said he will visit Russia and China to open alliances with the two states.

His announcement follows weeks of toxic rhetoric from the president about relationships between the Philippines and Western partners, both the United States and the European Union.

Since his election, the Filipino leader has made invective-laden speeches against Western partners and their leaders, including US President Barack Obama, decrying them for interfering in Philippine domestic affairs.

Reuters/Lean Daval Jr

At the heart of this emerging dispute is not some fundamental geopolitical clash, but the issue of human rights.

Duterte is incensed by increasingly focused criticism of his campaign against drugs, which has led to a spike in murders and provoked uproar among human rights advocates.

Not only has the president rebuffed calls for an independent investigation by the United Nations and other concerned organisations, he has also threatened to downgrade military ties with America.

Constitutional duty?

Duterte may be inflaming tensions, but on foreign policy he has the law on his side. The Philippines 1987 constitution enshrines the principle of independence. It says:

The [Philippine] State shall pursue an independent foreign policy. In its relations with other states, the paramount consideration shall be national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interest and the right to self-determination.

This policy of independence mandates that the country should not align itself with either the West or the East, but instead pursue friendly relations with all relevant international actors depending on the national interest.

So on the surface, Duterte is simply fulfilling his constitutional duty as the new national commander-in-chief. But a closer look reveals that the Filipino president has something more specific in mind.

Conscious uncoupling

Its the emphasis on non-dependence on America that is unique to Dutertes foreign policy preference. For almost a century, the Philippines has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the United States, first as a colony and later as a staunch regional ally.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the broader Philippine security establishment have, over the decades, heavily depended on American financial assistance, logistical support, and intelligence cooperation. In many ways, Washington is indispensable to Philippine national security interests.

And, in light of rising tensions in the South China Sea  with Beijing expanding its military, para-military and construction footprint across Philippine-claimed waters  Manila has become ever more dependent on American military assistance.

For Duterte, however, his country has become too subservient, and too dependent on a foreign power that isnt reliable enough. He has, on multiple occasions, openly questioned Americas commitment to the Philippines amid the maritime spats in the region.

Washington has never clarified whether the US-Philippine mutual defence treaty covers the specific areas of dispute in the South China Sea. And US military assistance to the Philippines pales in comparison to that enjoyed by European and Middle Eastern allies.

Reuters

As a self-described socialist and long-term mayor of the frontier city of Davao in southern Philippines, Duterte also harbours some misgivings about Americas role in the conflict in the Mindanao region during his tenure.

Everybody needs good neighbours

Duterte has always emphasised the necessity of forging close and friendly ties with other Asian countries, particularly economic giants such as China and Japan, which are crucial to the Philippines economic development.

Despite the bitter disputes in the South China Sea, he has consistently called for dialogue and peaceful management of territorial spats, while welcoming large-scale Chinese infrastructure investments in the country.

In this sense, the foul-mouthed, tough-talking president of the Philippines is a pragmatist on foreign policy, especially when compared to his more urbane predecessor, Benigno Aquino, who went so far as likening China to Nazi Germany.

In itself, a policy geared towards less dependence on America and more engagement with China seems sensible for a country like the Philippines. And realistically, the Philippines isnt forging military alliances with Moscow and Beijing anytime soon.

Some critics are likening Duterte to Hugo Chavez, the staunchly anti-American Venezuelan president who served from 2009 until his death in 2013, suggesting he will plunge an erstwhile American ally into the embrace of Eastern powers.

But given the depth of economic and strategic ties between Manila and the West, and the hard-to-resolve territorial tensions between Manila and Beijing, it is likely that the Philippines will, at most, move along the path of Turkey under President Recep Tayyip ErdoA?an.

ErdoA?an has had occasional diplomatic dust-ups over democracy and human rights issues with the West, but the fundamentals of military-to-military and investment relations remained intact.

Just as Erdogans Turkey, Dutertes Philippines is unlikely to decouple from the West, though bilateral relations are no longer sacrosanct.

Richard Javad Heydarian, Assistant Professor in International Studies, De La Salle University. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Pal Sarkozy had always dreamed that one day his son, Nicolas, would become president. Not president of France, the country over which the younger Sarkozy presided from 2007-2012 and hopes to lead again. Instead it was Frances sister republic on the other side of the Atlantic.

Id have been really proud, Sarkozy pere declared soon after his sons election in 2007, if one of my sons had been president of the United States.

We will probably never know if this wish, like a splinter, lodged itself deep in the psyche of Sarkozy fils. (For the record, Pal Sarkozy believes his sons psyche was already damaged: To become a politician, you need to have complexes. Nicolas has several.) But if the nature of Sarkozys re-election campaign is any indication, it seems clear that, like his father, he has the American presidency on his mind.

Or, more precisely, a presidency a la Donald Trump.

Les Republicains (LR) is entering the home stretch of its presidential primary, which will climax on Nov. 20. The party is the creation of Nicolas Sarkozy, who as president of the neo-gaullist Union for a Popular Movement, or UMP, prodded the rank-and-file in 2015 to, well, Americanize their partys name. Not only is the name new, but so too is the primary: For the first time, it will be open to all registered voters who fork over 2 euros and promise to uphold the republican values of the center and right. Of the seven candidates competing in the primary, five are walk-ons. The lone woman, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, has no more chance of winning than did the one woman, Carly Fiorina, in the other Republican primary -- though Kosciusko-Morizet, a former environment minister, is far more qualified. The other candidates range from former prime ministers under Sarkozy (Francois Fillon) to former enablers for Sarkozy (Jean-Francois Cope).

The primary, in effect, will come down to two men: Sarkozy and Alain Juppe. The pair have wrestled for the partys leadership ever since the political and physical decline of former president Jacques Chirac in the early 2000s. Though they served together in conservative governments -- toward the end of Sarkozys presidency, Juppe was both defense minister and foreign minister -- they gave the unflagging impression of two escaped convicts who shared little more than the handcuffs that chained them together.

In the hothouse of the primary campaign, the differences in their personalities and policies have, perhaps inevitably, grown wider. At the age of 71, Juppe finds himself in the role of the statesman, if not the wise man of the party. This marks a dramatic change in fortune and perhaps character. Juppe long enjoyed a reputation for a sharp mind and sharper elbows, for intellectual brilliance and chronic arrogance. It is a reputation largely deserved. In 2004, he was convicted of violating party finance laws and had to quit public office. Following a short passage through the political desert, Juppe redeemed himself as the mayor of Bordeaux. Practical and pragmatic, Monsieur le maire drew support not just from conservatives and centrists, but from many on the left as well. In his bid to become the LRs candidate for president, he has doubled down on his newfound image as an ideological moderate and skilled manager. Tellingly, lidentite heureuse or the happy identity, is the banner for Juppes campaign -- the belief that the countrys ethnic diversity, along with shared republican values, make for Frances greatness. To this end, Juppe has suggested that the state can reasonably accommodate certain demands of French Muslims, such as serving halal meals in school cafeterias.

To Sarkozy, accommodation is another word for capitulation. In his campaign book Tout Pour La France, he lambastes Juppes position: There can be no happy identity as long as we propose reasonable accommodations in the interest of social peace."

A very French malaise

Indeed, its as if Sarkozys campaign slogan is lidentite malheureuse -- the title of a dystopian essay published in 2014 by the conservative intellectual Alain Finkielkraut, who argues that Frances identity is besieged by the forces of popular culture and unchecked immigration. Never too shy to play the populist card -- as interior minister during the suburban riots of 2005, Sarkozy vowed to power hose the rabble off the streets -- the former president is ratcheting up the ugly rhetoric.

Upon announcing his candidacy in late August, Sarkozy in effect declared that he and he alone can make France great again: I will be the president who will re-establish the states authority over every centimeter of the country. Like the Republican candidate on the other side of the Atlantic, Sarkozy went on to warn that he would be blunt: To the politically correct [les bien-pensants], close your ears because youll be shocked. Shocked because Sarkozy and his supporters are fed up with those who demand that we excuse ourselves for being French and to be quiet. Shocked because he and his supporters are taxed as xenophobes though there is an immigration problem and dismissed as racist because there is a problem with radical Islam. Shocked because, unlike the laxist Socialist government that takes useless precautions, he would be pitiless in the war against terrorism.

On the question of terrorism, Sarkozy is gliding to the right not just of Trump, but also of his rival on Frances far right, Marine Le Pen, leader of the Front National. Earlier this month, he called for the administrative retention of all individuals on the terrorist watch list, known as the S file. In making the demand, Sarkozy avoided the starker language of his lieutentant, Laurent Wauquiez, who has called for the confinement of suspects in internment camps. While Juppes camp denounced the proposal as a Guantanamo a la francaise, Le Pen limited herself to the observation that such camps were contrary to our Constitution.

It was a canny move. As the leader and presidential candidate of the party that feeds off the electorates growing xenophobic and Islamophobic sentiments, Le Pen has no need to raise the rhetorical stakes. Instead, she can afford to appear as the calm voice of reason while the rest of the political class, she sighs, gives the impression of losing its sangfroid. The same cannot be said of Sarkozy, who in his effort to attract the older, conservative, and white electorate drawn to Le Pen has become more Trumpian than Trump. Last week, he declared that climate change is not all that scientists crack it up to be. I dont really believe that humans have much to do with global warming. Perhaps we have had an impact, but I dont believe it is a devastating one. Sarkozys indifference to scientific evidence is, of course, shocking. More shocking, however, is his transparent obsession with the electoral calculus. After all, Sarkozys first major initiative as president in 2007 was to orchestrate an effort to develop clean and durable sources of energy in France.

For the moment, Sarkozys Trumpian tactics seem to be paying off. The significant lead enjoyed by Juppe earlier this summer has largely evaporated, with one recent poll now placing the two men neck and neck at 34 percent, with the remaining votes scattered among the other five candidates. As a consequence, Sarkozy continues to se trumpiser. After visiting earlier this week the so-called jungle at Calais -- the improvised camp where several thousand illegal immigrants have converged in their efforts to reach Great Britain -- Sarkozy vowed he would solve the problem within months of moving back into the Elysee. For good measure, he described France as submerged by illegal immigrants whose impact was tantamount to flood damage. Come November, our sister republics will both find out whether such language will give us brother authoritarians.
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Gigi Hadid says she fought back instinctively during her highly-publicized attack in Milan last week.

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The 21-year-old model defended elbowing Vitalii Sediuk in the face after the notorious Ukrainian prankster ambushed her during Milan Fashion Week on Thursday.

"Honestly, I felt I was in danger, and I had every right to react the way I did," Hadid told Lenny Letter.

"If anything, I want girls to see the video and know that they have the right to fight back, too, if put in a similar situation."

"Practicing self-defense is important so that when you're in the moment, reacting from muscle memory comes more naturally to you than freezing up," she advised.

"Confidence in your own ability to defend yourself comes with educating yourself about it, and is a massive advantage when in an unsafe situation."

Hadid and her sister, Bella Hadid, were leaving the Max Mara show Thursday afternoon when Sediuk grabbed Hadid from behind and lifted her off her feet.

The model managed to escape his grip by delivering a blow to his head.

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"I'm a human being -- and had every right to defend myself," she tweeted to her 3 million followers after the incident.

"How dare that idiot think he has the right to man-handle a complete stranger. He ran quick tho."

Sediuk has ambushed a number of other celebrities in the past five years, including Will Smith, Leonardo DiCaprio, America Ferrera and Kim Kardashian.

He tackled Kardashian at Paris Fashion Week in 2014.
Last night we saw the first presidential debate between two of the three leading candidates; Hillary Clinton (D) and Donald Trump (R). Gary Johnson (L) was not invited to participate. Any presidential election is important, but there are many arguing the 2016 contest is particularly significant  and for a wide array of reasons.

A recent article from The Claremont Institute provides an interesting perspective on what that might be. In fact, it makes the contention that this election could make or break our republic. The Left, the author says, believe they are on the cusp of a permanent victory that will, forever obviate the need to pretend to respect democratic and constitutional niceties. He says they believe that because they are.

You can express your opinion on the matter in the poll below, but first

The Flight 93 Election

Election Roulette  Do you want a Semi-Auto or Revolver?

Says the author, writing under a nom de plume,

2016 is the Flight 93 election: charge the cockpit or you die. You may die anyway. Youor the leader of your partymay make it into the cockpit and not know how to fly or land the plane. There are no guarantees. Except one: if you dont try, death is certain. To compound the metaphor: a Hillary Clinton presidency is Russian Roulette with a semi-auto. With Trump, at least you can spin the cylinder and take your chances.

Alarmist much? Perhaps, but the article makes some cogent points. Consider this:

Lets be very blunt here: if you genuinely think things can go on with no fundamental change needed, then you have implicitly admitted that conservatism is wrong. Wrong philosophically, wrong on human nature, wrong on the nature of politics, and wrong in its policy prescriptions. Because, first, few of those prescriptions are in force today. Second, of the ones that are, the left is busy undoing them, often with conservative assistance. And, third, the whole trend of the West is ever-leftward, ever further away from what we all understand as conservatism. If your answeris for conservatism to keep doing what its been doingeven though weve been losing ground for at least a century, then youve implicitly accepted that your supposed political philosophy doesnt matter and that civilization will carry on just fine under leftist tenets. Indeed, that leftism is truer than conservatism and superior to it. They will say, in words reminiscent of dorm-room Marxismbut our proposals have not been tried! Here our ideas sit, waiting to be implemented! To which I reply: eh, not really. Many conservative solutionsabove all welfare reform and crime controlhave been tried, and proved effective, but have nonetheless failed to stem the tide. Crime, for instance, is down from its mid-70s and early 90s peakbut way, way up from the historic American norm that ended when liberals took over criminal justice in the mid-60s. And its rising fast today, in the teeth of ineffectual conservative complaints. And what has this temporary crime (or welfare, for that matter) decline done to stem the greater tide? The tsunami of leftismhas receded not a bit but indeed has grown. All your (our) victories are short-lived. More to the point, what has conservatism achieved lately? In the last 20 years? The answerwhich appears to be nothingmight seem to lend credence to the plea that our ideas havent been tried. Except that the same conservatives who generate those ideas are in charge of selling them to the broader public. If their ideas havent been tried, who is ultimately at fault? The whole enterprise of Conservatism, Inc., reeks of failure. Its sole recent and ongoing success is its own self-preservation. Conservative intellectuals never tire of praising entrepreneurs and creative destruction. Dare to fail! they exhort businessmen. Let the market decide! Except, um, not with respect to us. Or is their true market not the political arena, but the fundraising circuit? Only three questions matter. First, how bad are things really? Second, what do we do right now? Third, what should we do for the long term?

The author addresses those questions, and focuses a spotlight on Trump's perceived failures in conservatives' eyes.

Yes, Trump is worse than imperfect. So what? We can lament until we choke the lack of a great statesman to address the fundamental issues of our timeor, more importantly, to connect them. Since Pat Buchanans three failures, occasionally a candidate arose who saw one piece: Dick Gephardt on trade, Ron Paul on war, Tom Tancredo on immigration. Yet, among recent political figuresgreat statesmen, dangerous demagogues, and mewling gnats alikeonly Trump-the-alleged-buffoon not merely saw all three and their essential connectivity,but was able to win on them. The alleged buffoon is thus more prudentmore practically wisethan all of our wise-and-good who so bitterly oppose him. This should embarrass them. That their failures instead embolden them is only further proof of their foolishness and hubris. Which they self-laud as consistencyadherence to conservative principle, defined by the 1980 campaign and the household gods of reigning conservative think-tanks. A higher consistency in the service of the national interest apparently eludes them.

Agree or not, it's a thought provoking and eloquent piece.

Take the time to read the rest right here. Note that the original article stirred up quite a response. More so than the author expected. To read the author's response to the article's detractors, take a look at this article.

When you're done, we'd like to hear your opinion on the author's stance  take part in the poll below (which contains language from both the original article and the follow-up).
We actually have no idea who did the Trump Lower you see here; if it's a one-off, a joke, a staunch supporter of presidential candidate Donald J. Trump or just someone who is a master of political trolling. But there it is: the Donald Trump AR15 lower.

Would you run a Trump lower, like maybe the one above from TacSoup?

You can find TacSoup online here. Find the on Instagram, @tacsoup.

Here's an interesting take on things from one of the more articulate and level headed websites out there, the Libertarian Reason.TV.

When 57 percent are saying you suck, something has gone wrong with the selection process, hasn't it? If the Democratic Party and the Republican Party lived up to their various feints toward libertarian rhetoric, they would certainly blunt the appeal of most third-party candidates but certainly anybody put up by the LP itself. The refusal to do so will likely be the undoing of one or both of them. Consider the fact that Hillary Clinton is not just an unregenerate hawk on foreign policy. She is an all-in drug warrior and a hater of the sharing economy who, like Donald Trump, has called for Internet censorship. On the either side of the aisle, Trump's mass-deportation plan implies the creation of a your-papers-please police state and his trade policy is good old American protectionism on steroids. Exactly where he stands on most issues is anybody's guess (on foreign policy, he's promised both bomb the shit out of them and get other countries to fight their own battles).

You can read more of that article here.
Growing up in Georgia, Will and Jim Pattiz said they had heard boasts of President Jimmy Carters character. But in regards to his presidency, the brothers heard comments that did not ring the same praise.
SHARE Freddie Smoke III

By Staff Reports

The man accused of starting the 2014 Bully Fire in Ono was arrested in Indiana on Tuesday.

Authorities arrested Freddie Alexander Smoke III, 39, in East Chicago, Ind.. He awaits extradition to Shasta County, according to Cheryl Buliavac with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Smoke is accused of starting the Bully Fire, which burned 12,661 acres near Ono and killed a 35-year-old man.

Authorities say Smoke was operating a large rental truck to deliver fertilizer to an illegal marijuana grow near Roaring Creek Road and Sargent Road. It was hot and windy, and heat from the truck's exhaust system set dry vegetation ablaze.

Smoke was originally charged with recklessly starting a fire, posted $10,000 bail and left town. That was just days before authorities found a body later identified as Jesus Arellano Garcia, of Michoacan, Mexico, in the fire's perimeter.

The Shasta County District Attorney's Office filed felony charges against Smoke on July 22, 2014, but he didn't show up to face charges of involuntary manslaughter. A judge issued a a felony arrest warrant with a $1 million bail.

Since then, Cal Fire law enforcement officers worked with other agencies to try to find Smoke. Cal Fire worked with U.S. postal inspectors, the U.S. Marshals Service, East Chicago Police Department Narcotics Division, Shasta County Sheriff's Office and Shasta County Marijuana Eradication Team.

Darren Stewart, a captain specialist with Cal Fire's law enforcement division, said postal inspectors were heavily involved with finding Smoke.

"For a couple of years we've been searching for him," Stewart said. "We didn't stop looking for Mr. Smoke."

Smoke will likely be extradited to California. The Lake County Indiana Sheriff's Department confirmed Smoke is in custody.
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By Amber Sandhu of the Redding Record Searchlight

For someone battling addiction, the road to getting clean may be long, difficult and lonely. It's also a road full of fear, pain and stigma.

To ease the conversation about substance abuse and addiction, the Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency will host a forum in Burney  Getting Clean II: A Forum on the Stigma of Addiction  in which four people will discuss their battles with addiction, relapse and recovery.

Marc Dadigan, community education specialist with Shasta County, said much like mental illness, there are preconceived notions about people who battle addiction. "People see it as you're choosing to start using," he said.

While mental illness is perceived by some as a "character flaw," an addict is seen as someone who makes the choice to live that lifestyle, he said.

The forum seeks to shift people's thinking of substance abuse and addiction from a "moral issue" to a medical issue.

"One of the reasons we're targeting it now is there is a growing movement in the medical field," he said.

In Shasta County, opioid and heroin related hospitalizations are on the rise. According to the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, the number of opioid related hospitalizations in Shasta County in 2011 was 390, the following year it was 548, and in 2013 it was 631.

That alarming increase led a group of health officials, doctors and law enforcement members to form NoRxAbuse, a coalition that addresses safe opioid prescription practices among doctors to curb opioid addiction. Members of NoRxAbuse also plan to train Shasta County sheriff's deputies how to use Naloxone, a nasal spray that reverses the effects of opioids. In just the past the month, discussions to bring a methadone clinic to Redding have also sprung up, which Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko and Redding Police Chief Robert Paoletti both support.

This forum follows one held in July in Redding at which 50 people attended.

if you go

What: Getting Clean II: A Forum on the Stigma of Addiction

Where: Burney VFW Hall, 37410 Highway 299 East, Burney

When: 5-8 p.m. Oct. 12.

Information: www.StandAgainstStigma.com

If you go

What: Getting Clean II: A Forum on the Stigma of Addiction

Where: Burney VFW Hall, 37410 Highway 299 East, Burney

When: 5-8 p.m. Oct. 12.

Information: www.StandAgainstStigma.com
Greg Barnette/Record Searchlight Stephen Younger vapes after class Aug. 4 in one of the designated smoking areas on the campus of Shasta College.

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By Amber Sandhu of the Redding Record Searchlight

Gov. Jerry Brown's veto of a bill that would have banned smoking on all public colleges has stalled plans at Shasta College to go smoke-free.

"That was a big piece of the puzzle," Kevin O'Rorke, vice president of student services at Shasta College, said about the bill Brown rejected on Monday. He said college officials will revisit their plans in the wake of the decision.

"We don't quite know if it could totally go smoke-free," O'Rorke said about plans for the campus in Redding. "We have to regroup, talk with everybody, and figure out what the next step is going to be."

Shasta College, with help from the Tobacco Education Coalition of the Shasta County Public Health Department, scored a grant from the Truth Initiative, a nonprofit organization that works to decrease smoking among teens and encourages smokers to quit. Officials used grant funds to survey student's about smoking and secondhand smoke exposure on campus.

"The vast majority wanted to move on to a smoke-free campus," O'Rorke said. "The survey was pretty clear."

Had Assembly Bill 1594 passed, it would have required Shasta College to go smoke-free early next year. But now that the bill is off the table, O'Rorke said he thinks it might be best to reduce the number of smoking areas from two to one, and then slowly transition the campus into becoming smoke-free.

While he's encouraged that students on campus favor going smoke-free, he wants to make sure he includes the other side  the smokers. "We want to make sure all voices are heard," he said.

Simpson University in Redding, which is private, is a smoke-free campus.

Shasta College's website labels the school a "tobacco-restricted campus."

O'Rorke said the school still needs to determine where the no-smoking boundaries would start at the campus, such as the parking lot or among the buildings. He said once a ban is in place, students might head to their cars to smoke, and there's no way campus security would write a ticket for student smoking in his or her car.

For students who want to quit, the Student Health & Wellness Office offers resources  including Debbie Goodman, the college nurse. She uses a machine that monitors carbon monoxide levels in a student's breath. Goodman said when she does the initial screening, a student may tell her he or she smokes 10 cigarettes a day. But after using the machine, it may show that the student smokes about 20 cigarettes a day.

Goodman said the machine shows students the visual effects smoking has on their bodies, but it doesn't mean they quit or have to quit right away.

"It's kind of up to them," she said. "It takes more than one quit to finally quit."
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Donald Trump had plenty of moments on Monday night that would have disqualified any other candidate in a presidential debate: bragging about getting through a discrimination investigation "with no admission of guilt"; saying he had not "given lots of thought" to NATO; noting that he often took advantage of laws; taking pride in having paid no taxes some years; and referring to the man in the White House as "your president."

But you could have compiled a similar list in nearly any two weeks of the Trump campaign, and he is still competitive with Hillary Clinton in the polls. We've become inured to Trump.

He was better at getting his message across than she was, because his message was simpler. We need more law and order, he said; we need to respect police even as we reform them, she parried. Our allies are taking advantage of us, he kept saying; she talked about the value of alliances without responding to the point.

He said that she had been in politics too long; she let it go. Even on trade, where the positions they articulated were pretty similar  they both want tougher enforcement of trade laws, say they are free traders, and reject the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership  she sounded more like someone who wanted to be on all sides of the issue at once.

Trump also continued to cross ideological lines. He refused to let Clinton get to his left on child care, as other Republican candidates would have, saying that they disagreed only on details. He said the U.S. couldn't be the world's policeman, a line no Republican nominee in decades would have used against the Democrats. He even defended Bernie Sanders from her allies' attacks.

But Trump did not have to fill as much time during the crowded Republican-primary debates as he did at Hofstra, and he seemed to run out of things to say early. She, on the other hand, got better after her over-scripted beginning. She took shot after shot: at his tax return, his tax plan, his business record and his history of demeaning women.

He wasn't as versatile. Sometimes he let himself get put on the defensive. By the end, he was just whining that her advertisements were "not nice."

How you think the debate went depends on where you think the race was at its outset. He has had momentum, so his followers have been more buoyant than hers lately. But she has remained ahead in the poll averages, and polls keep showing that voters think she is qualified and he isn't.

So the fact that she didn't disqualify him was not enough to make this debate a win for him. He needed to do more than continue to get across his nationalist message once again. He needed to show himself qualified to people who doubt it. He didn't. She won this round.

Ramesh Ponnuru wrote this for Bloomberg View.
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While not every gun owner in the North State may be pleased with how the state's elected leaders approach the right to bear arms, they can rest a bit easier after Gov. Jerry Brown made a few good decisions as he approved and vetoed a raft of bills on Monday.

Brown vetoed a bill that could have significantly increased the cost to obtain a concealed-weapons permit. AB 450 sought to eliminate the statewide maximum fee of $100, and free up counties to charge for the entire costs of issuing the license and enforcement. Those charges could include up to $300 for psychological studies, as well as nickle-and-dime fees for processing a renewal for a license or amending one. Brown rejected the bill, saying it was introduced to assist only one county and he was not aware of a statewide issue that needed addressing.

He also made life a bit easier for those who do have CCWs by approving a bill that allows permit holders to only have to carry a county-issued permit rather hauling around a bulky state form. A committee of law enforcement officials will determine how the permit will look and what will be included on it.

Brown also signed a law requiring law enforcement officers to lock up their weapons when leaving them unattended in a vehicle. There have been several hundred instances of officers losing weapons left out in the open in their cars. One of those cases ended in the murder of Kathryn Steinle in San Francisco after an undocumented immigrant stole a gun from a federal agent's car.

SB 869 closes a loophole in a law that mandated private citizens to lock up and store their weapons securely in their vehicles but didn't apply to law enforcement. Investigations by the Orange County Register and the Bay Area News Group found that around 1,200 police firearms were reported stolen or lost in Southern California and the Bay Area alone in the past five years. Bay Area State Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, cited the two newspaper investigations in introducing the bill.

He has told media outlets he plans to introduce a bill next year that would require law enforcement agencies to track their missing weapons. Right now, they're not required to audit their guns or even track which guns are assigned to individual officers or units.

Brown wisely rejected SB 1332, which would have created a massive, multi-million-dollar bureaucracy as it beefed up gun registry regulations.

"This bill creates millions of dollars in new and ongoing costs for the Department of Justice," Brown said in rejecting the bill. "The department is already tasked with enforcing the many existing requirements of California firearms law. I do not believe that this additional burden and cost comes with commensurate public safety benefit."

We agree. This boondoggle of a bill would have greatly infringed on gun owners' privacy. The massive database it would have required the Attorney General's Office to keep would have included a complete record of fingerprints, copies of licenses to carry firearms, dealers' records of sales, reports of lost, stolen, found or pawned firearms. It would also require all loans or other transfers of firearms to be performed by a state-licensed firearms dealer or local law enforcement.

One thing it would have done that could have been convenient for some is to allow a spouse or domestic partner be added to a gun's registry to make it easier for a couple to legally share guns.

In its opposition, the Firearms Policy Coalition said that the bill "addresses the loaning of firearms with several new passages about hyper-nuanced events that are all covered with current state and federal law, rendering these provisions redundant and unnecessary. In addition, it also creates new classes of criminals for these mundane and lawful activities."

California is still one of the toughest places to be a gun owner with its regulations  and it could get tougher if Prop. 63 passes this November. That would require residents to apply for permits from the Department of Justice to buy ammunition, ban large-capacity magazines, and allow courts to take away guns of certain defendants.

Gun owners may not like everything they get from Brown, but he wielded his veto pen sensibly this year.
A rooftop party featuring Oktoberfest beers, rose for a good cause and more things to do in Chicago on Wednesday, Sept. 28.

EAT

Bourbon Dinner

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Elixir

1509 W. Balmoral Ave. 773-654-1751

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The Andersonville spot celebrates National Bourbon Heritage Month with a four-course dinner with pairings from Heaven Hill Distilleries including honey-bourbon glazed stuffed portobellos and bourbon chocolate lava cake. 6:30 p.m. $49.95. Tickets: brownpapertickets.com

DRINK

Rose the Day Away

Bar Toma

110 E. Pearson St. 312-266-3110

Sip a variety of rose wines paired with wood-fired pizzas at this kickoff to Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The restaurant gives The Lynn Sage Foundation a portion of the ticket price as well as the proceeds from rose wine and Oskar Blues Brewery Priscilla American wit sales throughout October. 5:30-7:30 p.m. $25. Tickets: eventbrite.com

Oktober-Festivus

Fountainhead

1970 W. Montrose Ave. 773-697-8204

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A party on the Ravenswood spot's rooftop features live music from Alpine Thunder and $6-$8 half-liter pours of Oktoberfest beers from breweries including Left Hand Brewing Company and Metropolitan Brewing. 6 p.m.-midnight. No cover.

Public Haus

Public House

Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. >

400 N. State St. 312-265-1240

Visit five stations to try German-inspired bites paired with 5-ounce pours of beer such as bratwurst with Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest and a schnitzel burger with Great Lakes Oktoberfest. You also get a full stein of your favorite. The Bratwurst Brothers perform German music. 5:30-7:30 p.m. $25 at the door. More information: publichousechicago.com

DO

'Apartment 3A'

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Windy City Playhouse

3014 W. Irving Park Road 773-891-8985

Catch the Chicago premiere of actor and playwright Jeff Daniels' romantic comedy about a woman trying to get her life back on track after a painful breakup. 7:30 p.m. $15-$30. Tickets: windycityplayhouse.com

HAPPY HOUR OF THE DAY

Fat Cat (4840 N. Broadway 773-506-3100) offers $15 flights of three local craft beers and the chef's choice of three snacks, $6 select cocktails and glasses of wine, and $5 highballs and 16-ounce craft drafts from 4-6 p.m.
Comedian Patton Oswalt, whose wife Michelle McNamara died in April, said a therapeutic trip to Chicago the following month was nearly spoiled by an employee at O'Hare airport.

On Monday's episode of "Conan," Oswalt recalled bringing his 7-year-old daughter Alice to Chicago over Mother's Day weekend to visit McNamara's family. Oswalt said he filled the weekend with action, adventure and fun and felt good about their trip until they tried to board a plane home at O'Hare.

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Oswalt said an older Polish woman checked their tickets and said to them, "I hear about what happened to your wife, to your mother. My mother died when I was your age. I never got over it."

"And now every holiday that comes up ... I'm terrified that the Polish woman of doom is just going to loom up," Oswalt said.

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Oswalt won an Emmy last week for his Netflix special "Talking for Clapping." "Conan" airs 10 p.m. weeknights on TBS.

RELATED STORIES:

Michelle McNamara, writer and wife of Patton Oswalt, dies

Comedian Patton Oswalt remembers wife in touching essay

Trevor Noah, Patton Oswalt, bad jokes, satire and straw men







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)
Discussions are on in government about how to make the process simpler for the poor and more cost-effective for telecom operators, says Subhomoy Bhattacharjee.

The Jan-Dhan Yojana is poised for a huge leap by extension of its banking platform to phones not connected to the internet.

It is the next big thing on the government's financial inclusion programme.

"We are holding some very interesting discussions at this stage," said a top government official. The discussions are about how to make the process simpler for the poor and more cost-effective for telecom operators. It is expected to be rolled out soon.

Jan-Dhan Yojana offers a bank account to potentially adult Indians. But if the account holders want to do their banking business via their mobiles, it is only possible if they have a smartphone or at least a feature phone. Else, they need to use an SMS service, which, too, costs money and is difficult and limited in its scope in rural areas.

For them, the practical options are to either visit a banking correspondent, who provides connectivity, or use their RuPay card, where an ATM is available to withdraw money.

The government desperately wants to bridge this gap to make Jan-Dhan a way of life with the poor. As of now, most transactions in these accounts are bunched around the time the government makes a periodic transfer of subsidy to the identified people.



The poorest segment of the population does not use this banking channel for any other purpose to become a conduit for their savings or to transfer money for payment. The option is to make banking services via the unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) technology -- that had become technically possible in India some time ago -- take off. It has not been popular, as it is not offered free by most telecom operators, except for government-run BSNL and MTNL.



The way USSD runs is as follows: For those who have just a 2G phone offering only voice communication, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCIL) runs this common platform for all banks. When a customer dials a short code like *99# from her mobile, the service is activated. The service prompts the customer to dial another code. It is like a postal pincode that identifies her with the bank. It then prompts her to enter her four-digit mobile personal identification number, or PIN, which connects her with her account. The format is akin to how customers check balance on prepaid mobile services or load caller tunes.



Despite the apparent simplicity, the three-stage authentication makes it difficult for typically those who are the poorest. They need to keep note of these numbers for their transactions. It is what switches them off from the benefits that the Jan-Dhan project offers. Since there is a cost involved from telecom companies, this, too, acts as a disincentive.

KEY TAKEAWAYS There are 3 options for mobile banking Smartphone-based wireless application protocol

SMS/text alerts

Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) Smartphone-based wireless application protocolSMS/text alertsUnstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) USSD technology Unique to GSM; capability built into such phones

Allows session-based communications like top-up, caller tunes downloads NPCIL using national unified USSD platform to provide banking service to the unbanked Gets a bank customer to access services with a single number valid across all banks

Agnostic to telecom operator or type of handset service

Banks provide free connectivity unlike SMS service

Works on voice connectivity

Safer than SMS

No application to be downloaded Offers balance enquiry, data on past transactions, money transfer

Three-stage process

To keep them interested, the government entities plan to telescope the three stages to at least two by using the Aadhaar card as an identifier on the USSD platform. The department of financial services in the finance ministry has made this one of its top priority. Once operational, it will allow customers with mobile phones to check their balance, their past three transactions and pay money for any purpose.

The government agencies, including the Reserve Bank of India and NPCIL, are also considering options to cut down or eliminate the charges levied by telecom operators -- cutting it out runs the risk of companies putting less bandwidth to provide the service. This will be a disincentive for bank customers.

Shankar Maruwada, former head of demand generation and marketing at Unique Identification Authority of India, says the Aadhaar numbers are geared to take on the role. "They have been designed for being linked with bank accounts. Using them as identifier from non-internet based phones should not be a problem".



It is a technological jump no country has attempted so far, though. "But, then no country has quite extended its banking channels so deep too," said an official. As on September 14, there were 244.4 million Jan-Dhan accounts with various types of banks. Of these, around half or 51 per cent are seeded with Aadhaar numbers.



The operating environment is quite different from those who use smartphones to tap into banking services. Indian banks, like their counterparts elsewhere in the world, use a 128-bit operating system to offer netbanking to their customers. Once a customer opens a window on her mobile, the operating system of her bank takes over that particular window and lets her safely conduct a transaction.
China and Mexico seem to be the target of Donald Trump's campaign and his response to get jobs back to America

The $146 billion Indian IT services industry could well heave a sigh of relief as the first presidential debate between Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton did not have any mention of job losses due to the IT services industry or the H1-b visa issue.

Rather, China and Mexico seem to be the target of Trump's campaign and his response to get jobs back to America. This does come as a surprise, considering that Trump had previously spoken against the Indian IT industry and tech job losses in the US.

I think the US also realises that what the Indian IT industry contributes just adds to the competitive edge of the US corporates. Look at the industry and you see the change. These days conversation is no more about headcount or how many people are being added but on platforms, technology etc, said Ganesh Natrajan, ex-CEO, Zensar Technologies, and a member of the Nasscom executive council.

The 90 minute debate saw Trump charging on China and Mexico and how companies are moving out of the US and going to these countries for production. During the campaign, Trump has been vocal on H1-B visa and had proposed to raise the minimum wage for this most-popular work visa for Indian technology professionals.

When asked how Trump is a better candidate to put back money into US citizens pocket, he said: Our jobs are fleeing the country. They're going to Mexico. They're going to many other countries.

You look at what China is doing to our country in terms of making our product. They're devaluing their currency, and there's nobody in our government to fight them. Because they're using our country as a piggy bank to rebuild China, and many other countries are doing the same thing.

Trump further added: We have to stop our companies from leaving the United States and, with it, firing all of their people. All you have to do is take a look at Carrier air conditioning in Indianapolis. They left - fired 1,400 people. They're going to Mexico. So many hundreds and hundreds of companies are doing this.

As for Clinton, her focus was on small and medium industries and jobs in infrastructure, in advanced manufacturing, innovation and technology, clean, renewable energy, and small business, because most of the new jobs will come from small business.

India and tech job losses have always been part of presidential elections in the US for several years. Natarajan added that the industry has also started to hire people in local markets. "The industry is creating jobs in the US and other markets," he said.

Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters
Ambani said, in the telecom space, the focus will be on debt reduction, and the virtual merger did away with the need for major capex and will help towards this

Anil Ambani, chairman of the Reliance group, said on Tuesday that he was working with his brother, Mukesh Ambani, to realise their fathers dream and Reliance Communications association with Mukesh-led Reliance Jio has accomplished a virtual merger.

He was addressing shareholders at the annual general meetings of RCom, Reliance Infrastructure Reliance Power, Reliance Communications and Reliance Capital. Anil Ambani said the merger was already in the works given the two entities are sharing spectrum, network, fibre and towers.

He also said the company already has the spectrum it needs for 2G, 3G and 4G, plus spectrum trading and sharing with Jio. This will be beefed up further once the merger is complete.

"Spectrum sharing with Jio has resulted in RCom's expenditure coming down (substantially), while the competition will have to spend heavily to survive," he said.

Ambani said the company has garnered one million 4G customers using more than one GB data per month, within 90 days of the 4G launch.

Ambani added that in the telecom space, the focus will be on debt reduction. Ambani said the virtual merger did away with the need for major capex and will help towards this. Further the MTS, Aircel and RCom wireless business merger will bring down debt by Rs 20,000 crore (Rs 200 billion). RCom, which has net debt of about Rs 42,000 crore (Rs 420 billion), is in advanced stage of tower monetisation plan and this is expected to be closed shortly.

The coming year will be one of transformation for the company, which, given its 50 per cent interest in the merged wireless entity, will be a leader in mobile services and should have lower debt and interest costs in the standalone entity, believes Ambani. The target for debt reduction after the restructuring exercise will be 75 per cent of the current level.

The company has taken on the role of consolidator, acquiring Sistema Shyams assets, which are valid for a long duration, in the lower spectrum that is are more capital efficient.

RPower

On the power vertical, he said the company will adopt a conservative approach. Ambani said, We have an opportunity to double power plant capacity from 1,200 Mw to 2,400 Mw and to double Butibori plants capacity from 600 Mw to 1,200 Mw. We would look at 300-400 Mw of solar power capacity to meet the renewable energy requirement of the Mumbai power business. This will keep us busy for three to four years.

RPower is also seeking a cordial closure of both its Tilaya ultra mega power plant (UMPP) and Krishnapatnam UMPP with the respective state governments, Ambani said. The Tilaya UMPP ran into rough weather over land acquisition, whereas Krishnapatnam UMPP did not take off over change in law in Indonesia relating to coal imports.

R-Infra

Ambani said R-Infra has filed for approvals to the Securities Exchange Board of India (Sebi) to form an infrastructure investment trust for its road portfolio. The company operates 11 road projects.

The company is also expected to win an order to supply 14 vessels to the Indian coast guard worth Rs 1,000 crore, he added. R-Infra is looking to focus on its power business, operation and maintenance of metro rail projects, and the defence business.

RCap

For the finance business (Reliance Capital or RCL) the company is looking at the option of listing its life insurance, general insurance and commercial financial businesses on stock exchanges. It is also targeting to list its housing finance arm by April 2017. Ambani opposed the move to make listing mandatory for insurance businesses.

Mandatory listing is not desirable while optional listing is. The company will look at listing businesses like life and general insurance, and commercial finance at in the future, Ambani said.

At the meeting, his son Jai Anmol Ambani was appointed executive director on RCLs board. "Anmol has brought tremendous luck as the stock price rose by 40 per cent since his induction in the board and has added to the value creation for our shareholders. I hope and I am confident that the 'Anmol Effect' will continue, based on the improved performance, growth and teamwork," the chairman said.

"We have to do what is right for shareholders and growth of company," he said.

Responding to a demand for better returns for shareholders, Ambani said the company will spell out a dividend policy. It is committed to increase the dividend payout ratio, he added.

RCL is converting itself into a core investment company with focus on financial sector businesses. It is also examining a proposal to change its financial year from April-March to January-December.

It will develop a new vertical for consumer lending business for better growth and profitability and will re-launch its commodity exchange with focus on diamond and crude oil futures. Diamond futures will be the flagship product with potential daily turnover of over Rs 6,000 crore (Rs 60 billion).

About Reliance Home Finance, the proposal is to list with RCap holding a 51 per cent stake. The group is looking to expand its mortgage assets, and is targeting a loan book of around Rs 50,000 crore (Rs 500 billion).

RCap has a net worth of Rs 15,390 crore ($2.3 Billion) and total assets of Rs 67,112 crore ($10.2 Billion) as on March 31, 2016.

Photograph: Punit Paranjpe/Reuters
'Syed Salahuddin and Muhamed Sayeed would not have survived so long if they were in the cross-hairs of Mossad,' says Brigadier S K Chatterji (retd).

The ongoing rather dramatic sequel in Jammu and Kashmir started immediately with the first act of Burhan Wani, the poster boy of Kashmiri jihad, being killed.

The second act of the play included the loud echoes of stones bouncing off Kashmir's streets, also off the helmets and body armour of the security forces.

The crescendo was kept at its zenith by ensuring that at the funerals that followed the encounters with the police forces, radicalists incited the crowds to get back to the streets again the next day.

With stone throwing's appeal ebbing, a third adrenaline pumping act had to be enacted to keep the momentum from flagging.

Accordingly, the next act of the play was enacted at Uri on September 18. Eighteen soldiers were killed by a fidayeen. This act packed enough punch in it to set the adrenaline flowing in Indian veins way beyond Kashmir's confines as they carried their dead to distant homes.

A few questions pop out even as television channels continue with the opera: Foremost among them is the apprehensive tenor of a question that lurks in the shadows -- where are the chinks in the Indian armour? How could we lose 18 men in a matter of minutes?

A lot of the weaknesses lie within; and not just with the security forces, at that.

The foremost, is the locational disadvantage that army and police posts face in Jammu and Kashmir. In numerous cases, the posts are separated from a neighbouring village by just a fence -- a few strands of barbed wire.

Barracks for men and stores are yards away and any jihadist fighter can hurl a grenade across to kill fatigued personnel.

There is not enough manpower or equipment to maintain a 24 hour vigil, notwithstanding the shrill cries of the pack that wants dilution of the army's presence in J&K.

There is no wall with observation towers to maintain a vigil. Just the barbed wire strands and the guts it takes to sleep so exposed to danger every night.

The next issue is the fallout of the orchestra of the anti Armed Forces Special Powers Act brigade and activists of all hues who finds stage on national television all too often and project the armed forces as using more force than called for.

A stage has come when a young officer leading an operation or the sentry at the gate or check post is definitely not trigger happy, but quite the opposite -- trigger shy.

If he shoots, a shrill campaign will immediately begin. In the bargain, he presses the trigger a few seconds too late. It actually boils down to shooting only after having come under fire.

Pakistani handlers have understood the psyche and we witness more and more attacks on military establishments.

A lack of offensive design in approach is evident. The world over, killing the jihadist leadership is an accepted design of battle.

If the Indian security organisations can be blamed for any major failure this time, it is their inability/reluctance to eliminate Burhan Wani in time. Here was a man becoming a cult figure, why didn't they go for him earlier?

The jihadi leadership in Pakistan needs to be similarly targeted. If the Research and Analysis Wing has not developed the capability to do it as yet, its leadership requires to introspect.

Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin and Lashkar-e-Tayiba founder Muhamed Sayeed would not have survived so long if they were in the cross-hairs of Mossad, the Israeli intelligence organisation. To say the least, we are yet to shed our legacy of being soft.

Uri provides ample evidence of jihadis having adequate intelligence. The intelligence is provided by the jihadi groups's over-ground workers who operate just about within the law. The security forces know about most of them. This lot needs immediate and harsh focus.

They provide information, instigate youth, distribute money and are the lifeline for the terrorists.

At Uri, they are the ones who possibly advised the weapon mix for the attack and incendiary grenades were used by the attackers.

We lost 18 men and 30 more were injured. The post was apparently packed well beyond limits that tactical dispersion calls for in a post that was under threat.

With battalions handing/taking over responsibilities in that area, the troop density went higher.

Further, Uri has little or no history of terrorism in the past two decades or more. The population is definitely pro-India. A sense of complacency will creep into the best trained soldiers serving in such areas.

Perhaps, they chose Uri, because we thought it can never be Uri.
'The response to terror is not always reciprocal terror, nor is launching a conventional response the best response.'

'The best response is to make the sponsor pay a price he cannot afford,' says former R&AW chief Vikram Sood.

IMAGE: A soldier near the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. Photograph: Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com

The Uri terror attacks certainly originated from Pakistan occupied Kashmir or Pakistan and were sponsored by Pakistan. Eighteen brave men, mostly from the Bihar Regiment and Dogra Regiment, were killed. A readout of their names shows that they had come from all over India.

Clearly, this was war on India. This was terror at its ugliest. It also must be admitted that the jihadists had much better intelligence about their target, were well equipped and had some local help.

One has only to read what Pakistani leaders have been saying about India over the years and this does not mean only 'leaders' like Muhamed Saeed or Masood Azhar, but even many of their democrats like Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto or eminences like A Q Khan, and then understand their visceral hatred for India.

For this lot, and many more, they were the rightful heirs to the throne in Delhi after the British left and today's Hindu BJP majority is a particular anathema. This attitude pervades the thinking in their army, civil service and the political circles although some may be too suave to say so.

This is what we are up against when we deal with Pakistan.

IMAGE: A shop during relaxation of curfew in Srinagar. Photograph: PTI Photo

There are many in India who persist with their belief that political circles in Pakistan have a different point of view on India in comparison to the army's stance on India.

When it relates to India, the Pakistan army, ruling politicians from the Punjab, the civil service and civil society have the same view.

They may have differences when it comes to handling Balochistan, Sindh, the MQM, the economy, education policies, freedom of the media, but not about India and Pakistan's claim on Kashmir.

It is naive for us to hope that if we are sufficiently nice to Pakistani politicians, make concessions, this could drive a wedge between the politicians and the army and lead to a more conciliatory approach by Pakistani politicians and civil society.

Both are under the yoke of the Pakistan army and this is the State within the State that has to be tackled.

An olive branch in response to each depredation is viewed as a sign of weakness, not statesmanship as some of us would like to believe.

One of the most incongruous hopes and contradictory approaches has been the recommendation that we treat the Hurriyat as being representative of the people of the Kashmir valley and therefore authorised to decide for the entire state.

We also pay tax payers' money for their security, upkeep and medical benefits amounting to crores while they retain their secessionist stance. This is absurd logic.

This bunch represents no one except themselves, cannot win an election and are the mouth-pieces of Pakistan. It is only the elected representatives in the state assembly who represent the people.

Besides, we have tried this approach for the last 70 years, but it has not worked. It is time we tried a different approach.

IMAGE: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. Photograph: Umar Ganie

Separate Kashmir from Pak relations

The domestic issue of Kashmir must be separated from our relations with Pakistan and both must be tackled separately.

Pakistan's avowed policy is the dismemberment of India, and Kashmir is the route. Kashmir is not the end. They would follow their war of attrition, their thousand-year war, with a thousand cuts, in the hope that India will succumb one day.

Kashmir is in this state today, not just because of Pakistan, but also because of the politics of our dynastic politicians who have ruled the state. Every periodic crisis means the politicians turn to the security forces to help bail them out.

In the process, it is the army which gets the blame whereas the real fault lies with the political leaders who have never made good use of the interregnums to sort out issues among themselves.

When Pakistan launches its terror attacks, it has a fair idea how we and the world will react and it knows that it can prepare for the next attack with impunity.

The more reasonable nuclear powers consider nuclear weapons as a deterrent. Pakistan, being an irresponsible State, openly considers its nuclear weapons as a strike weapon against enemy India and uses its cover to continue its jihadi warfare against India.

Despite the best arrangements, acts of terror will take place. But when a terror strikes in the same region with similar tactics, routes and targets, this is not just a security breach, but a systemic failure.

Obviously, where the security systems and the intelligence systems are not adequate or imperfectly coordinated, the chances of terror are higher.

When an attack takes place, the first priority is to neutralise the attack, save lives, move the injured to hospitals, and not to look for causes. High decibel debates and fists punched in air, are just that. So much air.

What India needs is sustained action taken at a time of our choosing, all things considered and in cold calculated rage.

IMAGE: Srinagar on Eid-ul-Zuha this year. Photograph: Umar Ganie

A terrorist is a terrorist

We must get our narrative right and this is highly important because the battle is psychological and one of perceptions.

Therefore, a terrorist is a terrorist; he is not a misguided youth, a freedom fighter, nor a gunman, non-State actor, enemy of humanity, rogue elements.

Troubles in Kashmir are not intifada because the Indian Army is not an occupation force. Let us also not delude ourselves.

There is no such thing as rogue elements in the ISI or in the Pakistan army. These are ploys designed to fool the gullible or make it acceptable to those wet behind their ears or introduce deniability, helplessness and confusion.

Reactions in New Delhi after the Uri attack were also true to form. One section went hyperbolic in its condemnation, with politicians giving the usual fire and brimstone sound-bytes.

Discussions on national channels were on similar lines while some political parties and even television channels seemed to enjoy the seeming discomfiture of the government.

Equally bizarre were those open discussions on special operation capabilities and comparative strengths in intelligence capabilities by persons not well qualified to comment.

The US is far too involved with its own elections and the Manhattan bombings to say anything more than what it has. The suspect arrested in the Manhattan bombing, Ahmed Raham Khan, has the inevitable Pakistan connection having spent a year there. Yet, the US will not do anything more if we remember that it did nothing to Pakistan even when it was steadfastly duplicitous with the US.

The John Kerry-Nawaz Sharif joint statement in New York was sufficiently anodyne and Pakistan did not get a public rap on the knuckles. True, it has condemned Pakistan for this act of terror, has downgraded its relationship with Pakistan for its own reasons and in judgement of its interests, not because of us.

It will still expect India and Pakistan to amicably resolve this issue.

IMAGE: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj addresses the United Nation General Assembly in New York, September 26, 2016. Photograph: Paresh Gandhi/India Abroad

Defend ourselves

No other country will do more for us than we ourselves do to defend our interests. The West will remain appropriately condemnatory in its commentary. The Chinese have issued some neutral statement and it has only been Putin's Russia which had the courage to stand by its friend, despite our recent dalliance.

All major powers have condemned this attack in Uri. Even the OIC has said so too, but their stance on Kashmir has not changed. That is as far it will go; for us, therefore, this episodic condemnation may be satisfying but the actual battle has to be fought by us.

Nevertheless, it seems to be our moment internationally with some excellent work done by our diplomats. We should capitalise on this international sympathy. This would be done, not by being the good boy all over again, but by pushing forward some hard realism.

Respond at right time

The response to terror is not always reciprocal terror, nor is launching a conventional response the best response. The best response is to make the sponsor pay a price he cannot afford.

So far, in our national reactions we are like a bamboo forest that bends with the wind, but when enraged we burn fiercely. The embers, however, cool fast enough.

Instead, we need cold rage and not looking over our shoulders all the time.

In our actions all these years, we kept wanting to look good and seek international approbation instead of pursuing our national interest more single mindedly.

Finally, the response has to be long term strangulation of the disease, not dramatic gestures.

IMAGE: The Uri army camp, September 20, 2016. Photograph: PTI

This requires the following attributes. A long term policy that is sustained by successive governments. Only then can we have a strategy to deal with this.

From this follow, tactics and to deploy these tactics we need abilities -- of intelligence, weaponry and a mobile effective special operation and unacknowledged covert capability.

To make these effective we need the political will to sustain a policy despite setbacks and not get swayed by domestic political gamesmanship. We need greater media responsibility that looks beyond TRPs.

Until we develop these doctrines, capabilities and political will, we would continue to see more and more terror attacks in India.

It is of doubtful utility if we simply keep creating new structures by cannibalising existing one instead of strengthening the ones that exist.

We may be the world's largest importer of defence equipment, yet it seems to be perennially short of essential equipment of different kinds.

Obviously, there is a huge disconnect in the system and unless this is corrected we will remain ill equipped to handle threats which cannot be tackled by sentiment alone.

There are some options available to us. Unless we want to continue to pussy-foot and expect the world to do something for us and that something is not we have the courage to do ourselves.

Let us remember that the US policy will remain ambivalent on Pakistan-India relations in keeping with its age-old policy of not allowing any regional power to become strong enough to challenge US interests in the region.

There is a dichotomy here, but the US policy is full of such regional contradictions. So India should be strong enough to challenge China and strong enough to overwhelm Pakistan.

The Russians have a renewed interest in South Asia after their successes in West Asia and the failure of US policies. They seem to have retreated from their earlier policy of getting too close to Pakistan at least for the time being. Maybe it is a signal to us.

One can visualise a renewed great power interest in our immediate neighbourhood. The Russians with their successes in West Asia would like to consolidate its presence in Afghanistan, Iran and India. The Chinese look at the entire region as their preserve and the US is the status quo power.

Clash of interest is inevitable, as in the South China Sea. India must therefore move quickly to safeguard its interests.

Cross border raids and infiltration by Pakistani terrorists have the Pakistan army's backing and it stands to reason that our response should be relentless trans-border bombardment all the way from Poonch-Rajouri to Saltoro. This would be the immediate response to terror from across.

The danger of army action across the international border is that if it is too successful, it could trigger a nuclear war. And action limited to PoK presents military difficulties because of the terrain, and also may not be sufficient to compel the Pakistanis to shut down their jihad factories.

Air strikes are a tempting option. However, India lacks the intelligence and surveillance capabilities that will ensure the targets struck are actually terrorist camps.

Nevertheless, Pakistan believes that India is now on the path towards stepping up covert activities in Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan and it may be useful to keep deepening the Pakistani neuroses here as a bargaining chip to get it to shut down its jihadi shops.

Pakistan remains China's catspaw against India and is fast becoming China's vital geo-strategic thrust into the Arabian Sea and West Asia. We are in reality in the midst of a two-front undeclared war.

Meanwhile, China is concerned about its unimpeded access to Gilgit-Baltistan through which the Karakoram Highway passes. Without access to this region, China's entire strategy for the China Pakistan Economic Corridor falls down. Pakistan would also suffer if all that CPEC promises do not materialise.

IMAGE: Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif in Lahore, December 25, 2015.

There are other long term options if we accept that the problem is going to be with us for a long time. In all its pronouncements from the time of independence, Pakistan's leaders have treated India as a Permanent Enemy.

It exhibits its policy through constant jihadi activity. Since Pakistan considers us as its enemy, we should accept this by declaring Pakistan as an Enemy State.

Parliament should pass a resolution declaring Pakistan as a State sponsor of terrorism. No one else will do this unless we do this. This would entail sanctions and maybe our traders will suffer more. This is a price we will have to pay.

That being so, we are entitled to examine each and every treaty that we have signed with Pakistan. This means we revisit some, abrogate others. This would include the Indus Waters Treaty, Most Favoured Nation status to Pakistan and others relating to trade.

Pakistan has carried out jihad against India under a nuclear umbrella. And has openly declared its four-part low threshold for use of nuclear weapons against India. It does not believe in a 'No First Use' policy that we hold dear to our hearts.

This needs a rethink and ideally Pakistan should be made to adopt a similar policy. We would therefore need to engage the international community as a responsible power trying to make a dangerous juvenile delinquent see reason.

We need to bring China into this as Pakistan's abbettor as the supplier of nuclear technology and material to that country.

We may not succeed in completely isolating Pakistan internationally, but on our part we should reduce all interactions with that country, including any regional multilateral events that are hosted by Pakistan. The urge to play the astute diplomat should be resisted for some time.

Strategically, we should pull out all stops and get the Chahbahar Project in Iran into high gear. Japan has shown interest in this and we should consult the Iranians, Afghans and Central Asians to get the Japanese on board.

We should work more closely with Myanmar in the development of our north east and their northwest and north. This would lead to access to South East Asia.

On the Baloch issue, there could be greater coordination with Afghanistan and Iran although we have to be careful about Iranian sensitivities.

IMAGE: A US soldier teaches his Indian counterpart how to fire an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. Photograph: Staff Sergeant Samuel Northrup/US Army photo.

Chinese vulnerabilities

We should have a close look at Chinese vulnerabilities too. India's China policy would need a rethink especially on issues of trade where China would be vulnerable.

Its vulnerabilities relate to its banking system, large inventories, and rising labour costs leading to actions by India that say that a free ride in the Indian market is over.

We need to intensively examine the embedded cyber technology that China has been using in key manufactured products exported to India in the power and telecommunications sectors. We have to get aggressive and resilient here.

Finally, there is the traditional covert option. Since it is covert, it is totally deniable and not open for discussions.

Vikram Sood, former chief, Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency, is currently Adviser, Observer Research Foundation, where this article first appeared.
Apart from India, Bangladesh and Bhutan have also pulled out of the SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November, saying the environment is not right for the successful holding of the meet.

The decision was conveyed by Bangladesh and Bhutan on Tuesday to the SAARC Chair Nepal, sources said.

"The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016," the communication by Bangladesh said.

"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," it said.

Bhutan said while it is committed to the SAARC process and strengthening of regional cooperation, it is concerned over the "recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

"Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances."

The decision by three countries of the eight-member grouping not to attend the summit would lead to its collapse.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday also decided not to attend the SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November.

The announcement by India came on a day Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar issued a second demarche to Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit over September 18 Uri attack and confronted him with proof of "cross-border origins" of the terror strike in which 18 jawans were killed.

The attack has triggered a strong response from India which has reviewed the 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty, and decide to reconsider the most favoured nation status granted by it, unilaterally, to Pakistan.

Afghanistan has also conveyed to the SAARC Chair that President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani would not be able to attend the summit, sources said.

"Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan", President Ghani "with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the Summit", a communication by the country said.

IMAGE: Leaders of SAARC nations attend the opening session of 18th summit in Kathmandu, Nepal on November 26, 2014. Photograph: SAARC
Four terrorists, who carried out attack on an Army base in Uri, are suspected to have come from a training camp located at a place called Pir Chana Sai in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.

During interrogation, two persons who were arrested for allegedly helping the four terrorists as "guides" said that they had started their journey from Pir Chana Sai in Gyarahbad in PoK where the terrorists have a training camp, official sources said.

The two -- Faisal Hussain Awan and Ahsaan Khursheed -- both residents of Muzaffarabad in PoK, were produced before a designated court in Jammu which remanded them to NIA's custody.

They have since been brought to NEw Delhi where they would be interrogated by a joint team of officials of various security agencies besides being subjected to scientific tests.

It is claimed that during their preliminary interrogation, they have admitted to facilitating infiltration by a group of four JeM terrorists who carried out the Uri attack
Exhorting youth from Jammu and Kashmir to join defence forces, topper of the Border Security Force Assistant Commandants exam, Nabeel Ahmed Wani, today said that 95 per cent of the youngsters from his state want to serve the nation and it is only handful of them who are on the wrong path.

I would like to appeal to the youth of J&K to join the defence forces so that the gap between security forces and them will be bridged. I think defence is not a mere job, but a way of life, it is a commitment towards the nation and I know every youth from J&K thinks like me and wants to serve the nation, said Wani after being felicitated by a city based NGO.

The entire J&K is not like the way it has been portrayed on social media or TV. You cannot compare five per cent (youth) who are on the wrong path with rest of the 95 per cent (youth), he added.

Those 95 per cent (youth) are like me, who want to serve the nation, Wani said.

If we work positively and collectively, the day is not far away when you type Jammu & Kashmir in the internet, the result will come as the most peaceful state in the world, he claimed.

He admitted that the situation in the valley is grim, but asserted that positive mindset of youth there will pave the way for peace.

Negativity will never beat negativity. It is positive attitude and dialogue which will bring a change, said Wani, who hails from Udhampur.

He said that he did not join BSF to earn money but to get the satisfaction of serving the motherland.

To a query on the difference between him and Burhan Wani, Hizbul Commander who was killed by security forces in July, he said that there is no need for comparison.

I believe in people and youth of the state. They should decide, which Wani they want to become. I know, J&K youth is capable of topping every exam, so we should not give publicity to negative things and take negative names.

Answering a question on stone pelting incidents, he said, I know the conditions are very bad in the Valley but violence cannot beat violence. See people are dying every day, schools and colleges are shut, but we can change this, not with violence or stone pelting, but with dialogue.

He said the youth of the state need to decide that they will not pick up stone but will pick up pen and conquer the world.

He also appealed to the countrymen not to criticise those who are on the wrong path.

If you think that some J&K youth have gone astray, please do not criticise them. Instead, you can convince them with love and dialogue and bring them on the right path, he said.

26-year-old Wani is currently serving as a junior engineer in Udhampur.
Blending its Operation Calm Down with jadoo ki jhappi (magical hug), Army is now foraying into the interiors of South Kashmir, giving semblance of law and order and building up confidence among the locals to open their establishments which have been shut for nearly three months.

At the break of dawn, Colonel Dharmendra Yadav, in-charge of the most sensitive Anantnag district, takes out his jeep to take a round of his area of responsibility. He mingles with locals, interacts with them, especially the children.

Col Yadav and his team is often greeted by the villagers and children while passing through. "No doubt they have restored some law and order in many areas of the district," says Ghulam Mohiudden, a teacher. He was encouraged by the army personnel to teach children in a makeshift school so that their education is not affected any further.

A resident of Gurgaon, Col Yadav often meets the village elders and is seen greeted by an affectionate hug which he calls a jadoo ki jhapi.

"At times such colloquial terms do come handy for us to reach out to the civilians. I did watch Munnabhai MBBS some years back..the movie was a hit and so is the formula here," he says as a group of children surround him.

Col Yadav was part of a team of young Army officers involved in the encounter in Bumdoora village in which Burhan Wani and his two aides were killed

However, he refrains from sharing any details of the encounter, saying, "this was part of my duty and we don't share operational details. The matter is over and out for me and my team."

After the army launched the 'Operation Calm Down' in South Kashmir earlier this month, Col Yadav got his men back from highway domination and started getting into the interior areas clearing maximum of the arterial roads leading to the National Highway.

"Restoration of connectivity was imperative and opening of schools a necessity as I don't want the children to become victims of the conflict," he observes.

A father of two, Col Yadav spends time with the children and elders in various villages of his AOR.

"Whenever I miss my kids, I come here, talk to these children and guide them the way a father is supposed to," says Col Yadav while gently stroking the hair of Shamim, a student of Class IV.

As he starts for another adjacent village Rainpora, Col Yadav is seen off by a local Imam with a famous Jadoo ki Jhapi as he also extends his gratitude to the officer for getting the schools and local shops reopened and bringing some peace to the village.

Raja Begum, who operates a shop in the adjacent Rainpora village, which is 80 km from Srinagar, is seen selling essential commodities. "My husband has gone to Srinagar to get some more stocks. While the condition here is fine, I am not sure when he will be able to return as the situation in other parts of the Valley is not as good," she quips.

Within no time, the children from the nearby locality gather near the shop because their "Army uncle" had come. "This is a name that I have not demanded but earned. Many of them want to become army officers," says Col Yadav.

Having done the rounds, Col Yadav reaches his battalion headquarters where a list as well as pictures of wanted militants, believed to be hiding in his area, are on display. After his routine pep up talk to his team and daily update, he shares his time with "Naujawan (young) club" where they enjoy Internet facility, games and gym aided by the Army.

The club is packed with young men and children engaged in various activities. Besides, a group of locals is also present there to share their worries and grievances with the army officer.

After redressing their grievances, Col Yadav does not forget to give his dose of Jadoo ki Jhappi to all those who now seem to be at some ease with his assurances of looking into their problems personally.

As troubles and turbulences continue unabated in the Valley, the army quietly moved an entire brigade to South Kashmir as part of operation 'Calm Down' to clear it of the militants and protestors.

The operation was warranted in the wake of intelligence reports suggesting a virtual 'Jungle Raj' in areas of South Kashmir where militants and their sympathisers are calling the shots, holding protests and blocking the arterial roads. Nearly 4,000 additional troops have been pressed into service to restore normalcy but with clear instructions to use minimum force.

However, the new personnel, mobilised from reserves, have fanned out in all the four districts of South Kashmir -- Pulwama, Shopian, Anantnag and Kulgam -- along the highway whereas the stationed troops have been pressed back into counter-insurgency operations.

IMAGE: Colonel Yadav hugs a local Imam at Rainpora in Anantnag district during the Operation 'Calm Down' of Army in South Kashmir. Photograph: PTI
A 30-year-old man was forced to do a sit-in outside a police station in Virar, around 60 km north of Mumbai, holding a placard to clarify that he is not a terrorist, after rumours were allegedly spread on a mobile app branding him a terrorist.

Saeed Ali Khan on Tuesday lodged a complaint regarding purported messages and photos posted on WhatsApp branding him a terrorist, an official at Virar police station said.

The matter is being looked into and further action will be taken after through investigation, the police said.

Khan claimed that police initially refused to take his complaint, following which he, along with his family members, staged a protest in front of the police station.

During the protest, Khan and his family members held placards with message 'My name is Saeed Sher Ali Khan. I am not terrorist'.

Khan, who also submitted the photos and messages along with his complaint, said the problem started after he refused to pay extra maintenance as sought by his landlord.

A resident of Gopchadpada in Virar, Khan alleged that a man, claiming to be the landlord of the building where he resides, demanded Rs 2,000 as maintenance.

"After I refused, he threatened me and also set my tempo on fire," he alleged.

"The man then posted a photo of mine on WhatsApp with a message that I am a terrorist. If anyone finds me they should catch me and hand over to police," Khan alleged.

"Now, I face problems while venturing out as locals look at me suspiciously," he rued.
The Congress party shut the gates of its headquarters and refused to bid official farewell on the death of former prime minister and party president Narasimha Rao, whose crime was to end proprietary control of Nehru-Gandhi family on the party, according to a new book.

Sanjaya Baru, media adviser to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in his book said that Singh was the only Congress leader who regularly and religiously paid tribute and honoured PVs memory, but was unable to honour Rao with a Bharat Ratna during his decade-long tenure.

The party had again become a proprietorship, he said. Praising Rao, he said the former prime minister proved that there was hope beyond the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty and deserved the Bharat Ratna for his leadership.

During the intervening years, the Congress party disowned PV. His name was virtually erased from the partys public memory.

When he died, the party shut the gates of its headquarters and refused to bid official farewell to a former president. His crime was seeking to end the proprietary control of the Indian National Congress by the Nehru-Gandhi family. PV died on December 23, 2004, the book 1991- How P V Narasimha Rao made history states.

Baru said that Singh was the only political leader who kept Raos memory alive but failed to bestow a Bharat Ratna on him despite being Prime Minister for 10 long years.

In the decade since then the only Congress leader who has regularly and religiously paid tribute and honoured PVs memory on the occasion of his birth anniversary has been Manmohan Singh -- the man whose political career was made by PV. But even Manmohan Singh was unable to honour PV with a Bharat Ratna during his decade-long tenure as prime minister. The party had again become a proprietorship, he said.

Baru also talks abour Rao creating history by winning his Lok Sabha election from Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh when he bagged 89.5 per cent votes and earned himself a place in the Guiness Book of World Records.

This after Rajiv Gandhi had declined to give PV a ticket, forcing him to go into political retirement, the book states, adding that he went on to become a "local hero" by November that year.

Lauding Rao, the book says, PV was Indias first accidental prime minister, and a path-breaking one. He took charge of the national governance and restored political stability; assumed leadership of the Congress proving that there was hope beyond the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty; pushed through significant economic reforms and steered India through the unchartered waters of the post-cold war world.

Baru said from vanaprastha he was on the verge of taking up sanyasa. He was called upon to be a karmayogi. For the leadership he provided in that fateful year, PV deserved the Bharat Ratna. It is a sad commentary on this nation of ours that we do not know who our real heroes are and do not know how to honour them.

The book also brought out how Rajiv Gandhi withdrew support to the Chandra Shekhar government, preventing him from presenting a full budget that led to seriously aggravating the economic crisis in the country.

Baru also said the year 1991 was a year of crises and tragedy, but also a year of possibilities and new resolve. If India won its political independence in 1947, a new generation of Indians believed they had won their economic independence in 1991. It marked the beginning of a new phase of economic development and strategic engagement for India. It also defined new political possibilities.

Of course, PV had his flaws and made his mistakes. Of course, there was much that was wrong with his government. But, in that one year, 1991, he offered quiet, sober and competent leadership to a nation unnerved by multiple crises and unforeseen changes and challenged, he said.

1991 was the year in which the Congress party grabbed the opportunity to return to its origins as a national political party and not just one more of the many family-dominated parties. Since then the Indira Congress has morphed into the Sonia Congress, Baru said in the book.

IMAGE: Former Union minister P Chidambaram with author Sanjaya Baru, left, at the release of the latter's book at a function in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photograph: Kamal Kishore/PTI Photo
Pakistan on Wednesday claimed the World Bank has 'committed' itself to 'timely fulfilling its obligations' under the Indus Water Treaty while remaining neutral as Islamabad approached the international lender amid reports that India may revoke the 56-year-old deal.

A Pakistani delegation led by the Attorney General for Pakistan, Ashtar Ausaf Ali, met with senior officials of the World Bank at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, to discuss matters relating to the Indus Waters Treaty that was brokered by the World Bank.

They discussed 'the formation of Court of arbitration for resolving the matter of water disputes especially those related to construction of hydropower projects,' Pakistan's ministry of water and power said in a statement.

'The World Bank will be deciding the issue in the next few days,' it added.

Meanwhile, the World Bank, the international lender which had mediated the Indus Water Treaty, said on Wednesday that it was approached by India and Pakistan and it is 'responding in its limited, procedural role as set out in the treaty.

"India and Pakistan have informed the World Bank that each has initiated proceedings pursuant to the Indus Waters Treaty 1960 and the World Bank Group is responding in its limited, procedural role as set out in the Treaty, a World Bank spokesperson said in Washington, DC.

For further details on the proceedings brought under the Indus Waters Treaty 1960, your enquiry is best directed to the member governments, the spokesman said, refusing to comment any further.

'In the meeting with the Pakistani delegation, the World Bank committed itself to timely fulfilling its obligations under the treaty while remaining neutral,' said a statement issued by the Pakistani Embassy in Washington.

Under the treaty, which was signed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan in September 1960 and brokered by the World Bank, waters of six rivers -- Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum -- were to be shared between the two countries.

Its Article IX deals with arbitration of disputes between the parties concerning the interpretation or application of the treaty or the existence of any fact which, if established, might constitute a breach of the treaty.

The treaty provides specific design criteria for any hydro-electric power plants to be built by India.

On 19 August, Pakistan had formally requested India for settlement of outstanding disputes pertaining to India's construction of Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants on rivers Neelum and Chenab respectively, by referring the matters to the Court of Arbitration as provided in Article IX of the Treaty.

Under the treaty, the World Bank has an important role in establishment of the Court of Arbitration by facilitating the process of appointment of three judges, called Umpires, to the Court, while each country appoints two arbitrators.

The Pakistani officials met with senior officials of the World Bank to insist on early appointment of the judges and empanelment the court, it said.

Pakistan's Ambassador to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani and World Bank's Executive Director for Pakistan Nasir Khosa also participated in the talks.

The World Bank was represented by Senior Vice President Anne-Marie LeRoy; Vice President for South Asia Annette Dixon; Deputy General Counsel for Operations Alberto Ninio; Chief Counsel for South Asia Melinda Good; and Senior Counsel for International Waterways Victor Mosoti.

Earlier, Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs and Security, Sartaj Aziz said an attempt by India to block Pakistan's water could be seen as "an act of war."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with officials to review provisions of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan. In that meeting it was decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water-sharing pact.

The meeting came as India weighed its options to hit back at Pakistan in the aftermath of the Uri terror attack that left 18 soldiers dead, triggering demands that the government scrap the water-sharing deal to mount pressure on the country.

IMAGE: A child stands near the Chenab river with the Baglihar hydroelectric project in Jammu and Kashmir. Photograph: Amit Gupta/Reuters
Taking a dig at her Republican rival Donald Trump, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has said the race to the White House is real business and not "reality TV".

"This is not reality TV. This is real. It's as real as it gets. So we're going to get the economy working for everybody, not just those at the top," Clinton, 68, said on Tuesday.

"We're going to keep America safe, provide strong, steady leadership, and we are going to bring our country together across the divides that have pitted Americans against each other," she told her supporters in North Carolina.

In her speech, a confident Clinton alleged that Trump during the debate said he would not honour the commitment the country has made with its friends and allies.

"Words matter. And last night it sounded like he was basically telling our treaty allies in Asia, 'Hey, we're not sure we're going to be there for you even though we have a mutual defense treaty'," she said.

"People start to doubt America's word, America's intention. I felt like I had to jump in and say, 'I just want to be clear. We will honour our treaties. We will support our allies and our partners," she asserted.

Clinton faced Trump in the first of the series of three presidential debates on Tuesday.

"We have two different visions here. I believe we are stronger together. That is at the core of what I've done over my years in advocacy and public service," she said.

"I believe that America is already great, and it is our responsibility to make it even greater. I believe that as we make our economy work for everyone, we also need to keep our country safe, and we need to provide strong, steady leadership in the world with our allies and our partners," she added.

Noting that she has already voiced her views on a range of national security and foreign policy issues, Clinton said she had a plan for defeating and destroying the Islamic State.

"What we hear from my opponent is dangerously incoherent. It's unclear exactly what he is saying," Clinton said.

She said Trump made it very clear that he had not prepared for the debate.

"At one point he was kind of digging me for spending time off the campaign trail to get prepared. But just trying to keep track of everything he says took a lot of time and effort. And I said, 'Yeah. You know what? I did prepare. And I'll tell you something else I prepared for. I prepared to be president of the US and I think that's good," she said amidst an applause from the audience.

Clinton alleged that it was very well possible that Trump has not paid any taxes.

"He (Trump) actually bragged about gaming the system to get out of paying his fair share of taxes. In fact, I think there's a strong probability he hasn't paid federal taxes a lot of years," she said.

"And this is a man who goes around calling our military a disaster; who goes around criticising every institution, from health care to education, our vets. But he probably hasn't paid a penny to support our troops or our vets or our schools or our health care systems," Clinton alleged.

IMAGE: Hillary Clinton speaks at a campaign rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, US. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters
The Supreme Court on Wednesday came down heavily on Bihar government for not placing facts before the Patna High Court which granted bail to controversial Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Mohd Shahabuddin in a murder case.

The counsel for Nitish Kumar government, which has RJD as its coalition partner in the state, faced searching questions in the apex court which rebuked it for not being serious in pursuing the case against Shahabuddin.

"Why have you approached the court only after his release? Were you in slumber till he got bail? This is a peculiar case. But the question is this peculiarity has been done at whose instance and who is behind this.

"Why you did not challenge bail granted to Shahabuddin in 45 cases? Why did you realise only when he came out of jail? If everything was fair, why would this case come to us," a bench comprising Justices P C Ghose and Amitava Roy said while clarifying that by peculiarity, it meant negligence.

The observations came after senior advocate Dinesh Dwivedi, appearing for Bihar, sought cancellation of Shahabuddin's bail and said the decision to release the RJD leader was improper as the high court had ignored the relevant material in the case.

He said the high court could not have granted him bail unless there was any special reason or any medical urgency. The senior lawyer admitted there were "anomalies" by the state government in the case.

To this, the bench said, "We can understand your difficulty and the only thing we can say is that we understand everything."

Dwivedi said "I admit the anomalies. I am not in any way justifying the actions of the state government. We were handicapped at that time. But my submission is that the relevant material has been ignored in the case."

The bench then asked him "Why should you be handicapped? You are the state. It was the duty of your lawyer to inform the high court about the correct facts of the case. It was your duty to inform the high court that a revision petition has been filed in the session court by Shahabuddin. Why didn't you tell the high court at that point of time?

"We are just trying to find out what kind of person he is by looking at the background and circumstances of the case. How many cases are pending against him, who is a four time Member of Parliament and two times MLA. We are just thinking what is the common man's thought. There are so many cases against him and there are so many bail orders. You did challenge those bail orders," the bench said.

The hearing remained inconclusive and will continue on Thursday.

Dwivedi said Shahabuddin was first sent to jail in 2005 and since then he has been committing crimes from inside the prison. He said the RJD leader was acquitted in most of the cases as many witnesses refused to testify against him.

"Shahabuddin's remaining in jail has hardly made a difference as he has been committing crimes from inside the jail premises as well. And this is the reason that he was shifted to Bhagalpur from Siwan jail," he said.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for Siwan-based Chandrakeshwar Prasad whose three sons have been killed in two separate incidents, also sought cancellation of Shahabuddin's bail and said enlarging him on bail was "travesty of justice".

Bhushan said the high court had erred in granting bail to a history-sheeter who has a criminal antecedents and termed him as a hardened criminal.

Senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, appearing for Shahabuddin, said his client has been suffering from media trial and said the state government has to be fair and cannot play with the liberty of an individual.

He said the state was "only cooking up stories" and causing prejudice to his client's case as he had attained "notoriety".

"It has become a trend in Bihar that if any crime takes place, then it must be Shahabuddin. This has been a fashion now," he said.

Shahabuddin, who was granted bail by the Patna High Court on September 7, was released from Bhagalpur jail on September 10. He was in jail for 11 years in connection with dozens of cases against him.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has claimed that he was given a defective microphone in the fiery debate with his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton and questioned whether it happened on purpose.

They gave me a defective mic. Did you notice that? My mic was defective within the room, Trump told reporters after the debate.

I wonder, was that on purpose? Was that on purpose? But I had a mic that didn't work properly, he was quoted as saying by media reports.

The 70-year-old real estate tycoon has often joked on the campaign trail about faulty microphones, saying on occasion that he may refuse to pay for the audio rental. He repeated that joke last week during a campaign event in Kenansville, North Carolina.

The mic just shot. That was a weird sound, wasn't it? So I wouldnt pay the mic guy and theyll say, isnt that terrible. He didn't pay his bills, Trump had said at the time. When people don't do a good job for me I dont pay them. Its one of those things.

Overall, however, Trump said he felt he did well against his Democratic rival Clinton in the debate.

I thought it was a very fair debate, Trump told reporters. The polls are all saying we won.

However, the CNN/ORC poll declared Clinton as the clear winner in the first of a series of three debates, with a massive 62 per cent of voters giving an edge to the Democrat over Trump, who was deemed winner by only 27 per cent.

It was unclear what Trump was referring to. The only notable audio interference picked up on television was some sniffing by Trump, which was widely mocked on social media.

Trumps claim about the microphone is far from the first time he has suggested that outside forces have conspired against him.

In August, he told a rally in Ohio that he feared the general election is going to be rigged, adding that he had been hearing more and more that the election may not be contested fairly.
The development comes after four of the eight member states -- India, Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh -- decided to pull out.

In the first concrete fallout of the increasing tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of the September 18, Uri terror attack, the 19th SAARC Summit, scheduled to be hosted in Islamabad in November, is all set to be postponed.

Nepal, the current chair of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), is mulling recommending either a change in venue to salvage the summit or a postponement of the summit after four of the eight member states -- India, Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh -- decided to pull out.

An official announcement to confirm the postponement is likely in the days to come. The SAARC charter states that the conference will be postponed should any member state decline to participate.

According to a report by Pakistans Geo TV, Sartaj Aziz, the advisor on foreign affairs to the Pakistan prime minister, said that the SAARC secretariat has not yet informed officially about postponement of the conference. He, however, said chances are that SAARC Summit will be postponed.

Aziz, according to the report, said that whenever the conference takes place, it will be held in Pakistan. He said it was not the first time India is not attending the regional summit and that it had earlier also caused the summit to be postponed four times.

The summit was scheduled for November 9 and 10. The cancelling of the summit comes in the wake of bitter relations between India and Pakistan, which are likely to further nosedive if India decides to scrap its 20-year-old unilateral decision of granting the Most Favoured Nation status to its neighbour.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to chair a meeting on Thursday to discuss the same. On Tuesday, India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan conveyed to Nepal their inability to attend the Summit in Islamabad in prevailing circumstances. While Indias ministry of external affairs made public its intent to boycott the Islamabad summit on Tuesday, the other three member states confirmed on Wednesday that they will not participate in the summit.

Apart from Pakistan, the remaining three member states -- the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Nepal -- havent taken any decision to not attend the Summit.

The SAARC held its first summit meeting in Dhaka in 1985. There have been instances in the past of the summit being postponed or its venue shifted, but its unprecedented for as many four members to have pulled out.

In their communications to the SAARC chair, the four who have pulled out didnt refer to Pakistan by name but said the growing interference in their internal affairs by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad.

In New Delhi, government sources pointed that the SAARC charter mandates member states to not interfere in the internal affairs of other members. Article 1 of the SAARC Charter demands from member states to respect principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, national independence, non-use of force and non-interference in the internal affairs of other states and peaceful settlement of all disputes.

In its communication, Bangladesh said: The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad. Dhaka said it believes regional cooperation can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere.

Bhutan blamed the recent escalation of terrorism in the region to have seriously compromised the environment for the holding of the summit. It said that it shared the concerns of some of the member countries on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism.

Afghanistan said: Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of terrorism imposed on Afghanistan, the President Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander-in-Chief will be fully engaged, and will not able to attend the summit.

In Washington, the US asked India and Pakistan to resolve their differences through diplomacy and not through violence. On New Delhis decision to not attend the SAARC summit, the White House spokesperson said: It would benefit the region. We want to see de-escalation in the political discourse between the two countries and greater communication and coordination between them.

The spokesperson said the US is not going to give a prescription to the two South Asian neighbours on how to deescalate, but that it was in their mutual interest to put aside tensions and establish more normal channels of communication.
In a landmark 97-1 vote, the United States Senate voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to override Barack Obamas veto of a bill allowing 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia.

Only Obamas ally Nevada Democrat Harry Reid voted against the bill.

This is a severe blow to Obama, who lobbied hard against the bill, known as the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act. This is a first rebuke to Obama in his eight years of presidency.

Obama vetoed the legislation on Friday because he said the bill would infringe on the presidents ability to conduct foreign policy. It was the 12th veto of his presidency and, until now, none have been overridden even after Republicans longstanding control of the Congress.

The White House argued the 9/11 bill would undermine the principle of sovereign immunity and open up the United States itself to lawsuits.

In a letter to Republican and Democratic Senate leaders, Obama had said: I strongly believe that enacting JASTA into law would be detrimental to US national interests.

Obama warned of devastating consequences for the Pentagon, service members, diplomats and the intelligence services.

It would neither protect Americans from terrorist attacks, nor improve the effectiveness of our response to such attacks, he warned.

Families of 9/11 victims have campaigned for the law -- convinced that the Saudi government had a hand in the attacks that killed almost 3,000 people.

Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens, but no link to the government has been proven. The Saudi government denies any links to the plotters.

Declassified documents showed US intelligence had multiple suspicions about links between the Saudi government and the attackers.
'Theirs is not a campaign for diffused issues like social justice and equity. They have three clearly articulated demands,' reports Aditi Phadnis.

A 14-year-old girl in Karjat, Ahmadnagar, Maharashtra, went to see her grandparents on July 14. She never returned. Anxious search parties found her bicycle, and later her mutilated body at a nearby farm.

The police said the medical report stated her hair had been pulled out, her hands were dislocated from the shoulders, her teeth smashed and she was strangled to death after rape. She was a Maratha. The alleged perpetrators of the rape (three of the four involved are in custody) and murder are Dalits.

The Kopardi case (Kopardi being the village where this happened) has become a defining political issue among mostly Marathas in Maharashtra.

The incident grabbed some headlines initially, but the national media more or less forgot about it. The Facebook and WhatsApp chatter in Maratha groups runs thus: 'would similar brutality have got the same treatment if it had been the other way round -- that is, a Dalit victim of outrage by upper caste boys?'

While Dalit activist groups are maintaining resolute and complete silence on the matter, the Marathas, whether in community gatherings or marketplaces, ask each other in hushed outrage: "How did they even dare?"

This refers not just to the changed pattern of violence (Dalits attacking upper castes) but also the deep feeling at the unresponsiveness of political outfits to the incident.

A month passed. People got angrier. In August, Osmanabad in Marathwada district saw a rally of 25,000 people, presumably Marathas. The thing about the gathering was: It had no political patronage, no leaders made speeches; it was just a silent march culminating in a rally where a few Class 12 girls spoke about being a woman and being raped. They read out their speeches from sheets torn out of their school notebooks.

They said: 'We can't stay silent any more.'

What Marathas want? Perpetrators of the Kopradi rape and murder to be hanged

16 per cent reservation for Marathas

Modification of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act

A couple of days later, a similar rally was held in Beed, also in Marathwada. This had 50,000 people. This was followed by another march in Parbhani. This got 100,000 people. It was a completely silent assembly of people that included thousands of women and the elderly. Nothing -- not a sheet of paper, a bamboo stick or a plastic water bottle -- remained after the crowd had dispersed. Everything was cleaned up by those who attended.

Maratha activist groups are now planning such rallies in every big city in every district of Maharashtra. Towards the end of the year, the plan is to hold one in Mumbai where the target is 10 million people. That will be something.

Social media tells us what Marathas -- who are not a monolith, with sub-castes and all, comprising around 40 per cent of Maharashtra's population -- want.

Theirs is not a campaign for diffused issues like social justice and equity. They have three clearly articulated demands.

One, they want the perpetrators of the rape and murder, no matter what their caste, to hang. They want a fast-track court to run the trial and a time frame in which the girl's family should get justice.

Two, they want 16 per cent reservation for Marathas. The outgoing Congress-Nationalist Congress Party government passed the law promising reservation, but the high court struck it down. They want the ban on reservation lifted and the ruling Devendra Fadnavis-led government to look as if it is fighting for a decision taken by the elected legislature.

And they want a modification of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act. This is the real issue.

Maharashtra has a well-organised and assertive Dalit population. Years of oppression and activism have taught Dalits how to use affirmative action in their favour.

The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act is a national law that makes any action -- in speech or in any other way -- against Dalits a cognisable offence.

Which means that if a non-Dalit reproves a Dalit at work, the latter can file an first information report and the police will take him away and lock him up.

Malicious complaints, especially in Maharashtra, abound. The use of the legislation as a tool of blackmail, extortion and intimidation has also been reported.

What the Marathas want is an end to the appeasement of the Dalits. The politically correct may well shudder. But if governments want to correct historical wrongs, they must be prepared to face the consequences.

The most important aspect of the current situation is it is without violence; and it is out of the control of politicians.

Anecdotal evidence suggests the movement is funding itself -- a couple of empty oil tins circulated at one rally yielded nearly Rs 20 lakh (Rs 2 million), reports social media.

IMAGE: A Maratha Kranti Morcha protest in Solapur. Photograph: PTI Photo
UN humanitarian wing condemns attacks on relief workers in Central African Republic

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 27 September 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN humanitarian wing condemns attacks on relief workers in Central African Republic, 27 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57eb6ef740d.html [accessed 31 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

27 September 2016 - The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has condemned 'in the strongest terms' recent attacks involving humanitarian workers in the northern town of Kaga Bandoro located in the Nana Gribizi prefecture of the Central African Republic (CAR).

"Violence against aid workers is a serious breach of International Humanitarian Law," OCHA underscored in a news release issued yesterday.

According to the release, during the month of September, some 15 attacks were recorded with instances where armed men broke into the premises of international organizations.

Highlighting the negative impact of such violence, particularly on vulnerable populations that are still in dire need of humanitarian aid, OCHA deplored the deterioration in the protection of civilians' the country.

It added that the attacks come amid a situation when humanitarian funding for the African country is at its lowest.

"To date, 2.3 million people are still in need of humanitarian assistance, with only the 532 million US dollars of the humanitarian appeal funded," OCHA said, noting that with the increasing needs in the country, "a little investment in the humanitarian action is necessary to save lives and alleviate suffering."
ICC finds Malian extremist guilty of war crime in destroying historic sites in Timbuktu

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 27 September 2016 Cite as UN News Service, ICC finds Malian extremist guilty of war crime in destroying historic sites in Timbuktu, 27 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57eb6f84412.html [accessed 31 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

27 September 2016 - The International Criminal Court (ICC) today found a Malian Islamist accused of destroying historical and religious monuments in the fabled city of Timbuktu guilty in the first-ever prosecution of the destruction of cultural heritage as a war crime.

The judges sentenced Ahmad Al-Faqi Al-Mahdi, a member of a jihadist group linked to Al Qaeda, to nine years in prison for committing a war crime by deliberately destructing in 2012 nine mausoleums and the secret gate of the Sidi Yahia mosque in the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site of Timbuktu in Mali, the ICC said in a press release.

"The decision of the International Criminal Court is a landmark in gaining recognition for the importance of heritage for humanity as a whole and for the communities that have preserved it over the centuries. It also supports UNESCO's conviction that heritage has a major role to play in reconstruction and peace building," said Irina Bokova, the Director-General of UNESCO.

This past month, Mr. Al-Mahdi pleaded guilty to the charges, which consisted in attacking 10 historic and religious monuments in Timbuktu between around 30 June 2012 and 11 July 2012. All sites but one are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The case comes amid growing concern about attacks by Islamists on cultural and religious monuments in the Middle East and North Africa, including, among others, in the ancient cities of Bosra and Palmyra in Syria, and in Nimrud and Nineveh in Iraq.

UNESCO highlighted today that the "historic" decision, a first under the ICC's founding Rome Statute, is a "crucial step to end impunity for the destruction of cultural heritage."

The door of the Sidi Yahia Mosque in Timbuktu, Mali, before and after it was attacked. Photos: UNESCO/Lazare Eloundou Assomo; Ministere de la culture du Mali/DNPC

"It confirms earlier decisions taken by international jurisdictions and it amplifies them in a judgment entirely devoted to the destruction of cultural heritage. This is a major step for the strengthening of international justice and towards peace and reconciliation in Mali," UNESCO added.

The agency also pointed out that the case "reminds us all of how heritage protection has become a major security issue, which cannot be delinked from the protection of human lives."

"Deliberate attacks on culture have become weapons of war in a global strategy of cultural cleansing seeking to destroy people as well as the monuments bearing their identities, institutions of knowledge and free thought," UNESCO said.

According to Ms. Bokova, immediately after the destruction in 2012, UNESCO alerted the international community and seized the ICC to ensure that such crimes do not go unpunished.
Mali: UN food relief agency warns funding gap may jeopardize school meals programme

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 27 September 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Mali: UN food relief agency warns funding gap may jeopardize school meals programme, 27 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57eb6fc537.html [accessed 31 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

27 September 2016 - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today cautioned that unless it receives $3 million in urgent funding, it will have to suspend its school meals programme in Mali, affecting nearly 180,000 children in about 1,000 schools.

"This is critical. School meals are often the only nutritious meal a child receives a day, relieving families from further financial stress, motivating parents to send their children to school, and, ultimately, serving as a vehicle for education," said Silvia Caruso, WFP Mali Country Director.

"Teachers tell us that if the meals are no longer provided, there is a significant risk that parents will stop sending their children to school; children find it difficult to walk long distances to school or stay in class for a full day on an empty stomach," she added.

Since 2010, Mali has faced successive food security crises, brought on by irregular rainfall and prolonged insecurity in the north of the country. More than a quarter of the population suffers from moderate and severe food insecurity, according to WFP.

The agency noted that despite the high levels of insecurity - particularly in northern and central Mali - since 2012, it has been able to provide, along with its partners, school meals to an average of 170,000 children per year.

WFP also highlighted that school meals were instrumental in the 2015 back-to-school campaign of the Government of Mali, encouraging families to let their children resume their studies in regions such as Gao, Mopti and Timbuktu, which had been bearing the brunt of the conflict, and where schools were closed between 2012 and 2015.

"We urge our supporters not to forget the children of Mali. They have been through a lot these past years. Going to school helps them regain their childhood, and school meals play an important role in keeping them in school," Ms. Caruso said.

WFP said it works closely with the Ministry of Education in Mali to implement the school meals programme. The Government of Mali approved a national school feeding programme in 2009.

According to a 2014 national survey, the average prevalence of global acute malnutrition in Malian children under five years old stands at 13 per cent. The World Health Organization (WHO) rates a global acute malnutrition prevalence between 10 and 14 per cent as serious, and above 15 per cent as a critical emergency.
Latest Somali election delay raises risks of manipulation, more delays  senior UN official

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 27 September 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Latest Somali election delay raises risks of manipulation, more delays  senior UN official, 27 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57eb6ffa40e.html [accessed 31 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

27 September 2016 - A new delay in Somalia's elections is a matter of "immediate concern," raising fears that the process is being politically manipulated and that the latest postponement may only be one of yet further rolling delays, the top United Nations official in the long-troubled East African country warned today.

First slated to be held in August, parliamentary elections will now take place between 23 October and 10 November, and the presidential poll by the end of November, the Federal Indirect Electoral Implementation Team, or FIEIT, announced yesterday, citing the need for more time.

"What is most critical at this point is that the new extension does not create additional space for manipulation or disruption by spoilers," the Secretary-General's Special Representative and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), Michael Keating, told the UN Security Council.

"Rather, the urgency and momentum must be maintained and the additional time used to ensure that the process is as transparent and credible as possible," he said, calling it a "novel and exciting experience" for a country that last held national elections in 1969 and descended into civil war and anarchy in 1991.

Mr. Keating noted that much preparatory work has been completed, and registration of 14,000 electoral college delegates and hundreds of parliamentary candidates is in progress, with many painful compromises between interest groups and clans. This broadens the college from just 135 men in 2012. Thirty per cent of the 14,000 must be women and 20 per cent youth.

"Even though the numbers involved may seem relatively modest, this is a complicated process, requiring a high degree of dedication, organizational capacity and some bravery to implement," in a country of some 12 million people divided by tribes and clans. "The security and logistical challenges alone are considerable," he added.

Michael Keating, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), briefs the Security Council. UN Photo/Kim Haughton

The UN is providing technical support to bolster the credibility of the process, including a code of conduct for all candidates, parliametary and presidential, and creation of an electoral dispute mechanism with the inclusion of advisors provided by international partners.

"I am under no illusions about the challenges ahead and the scope for things to go awry. But if we remain vigilant and unified, this process could mark a positive, watershed moment for Somalia," Mr. Keating said. But the road to peace and stability will still be long.

"Violence remains a feature of life for too many people. Al-Shabaab (Islamist movement) has continued to mount spectacular attacks against soft targets, notably in Mogadishu (the capital)," he added. "These attacks have underscored the urgency both of efforts to degrade, defeat and dismantle Al-Shabaab and to address the conditions that make it possible for the group to survive."

He paid tribute to the UN-authorized African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM), which has thousands of troops in the country, with an upper limit of over 22,000, entrusted with of countering Al Shabaab and other armed opposition groups, and providing security to enable the political process at all levels, stabilisation, reconciliation and peacebuilding.

"AMISOM remains vital to Somalia's security. Its troops are paying a heavy price to bring security to the country. They need to be supported in their effort to take the fight to Al Shabaab-controlled areas," Mr. Keating stressed.

He also voiced concerns that a growing number of Somalis, nearly five million, suffer from malnutrition and food insecurity, with only 32 per cent of the UN Humanitarian Response Plan funded at this point. They also face multiple human rights deficits, while women and children are of "grave concern," including youngsters captured from Al Shabaab and sentenced to death.

"The challenges are considerable," he said, adding: "But, crucially, progress is also being made in almost every domain."
UN rights experts urge Pakistan authorities to halt execution of man with disability

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 27 September 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN rights experts urge Pakistan authorities to halt execution of man with disability, 27 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57eb702040c.html [accessed 31 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

27 September 2016 - Four United Nations human rights experts today urged authorities in Pakistan to halt the execution of Imdad Ali, a man with a psychosocial disability, and to re-try him in compliance with international standards.

"It is a violation of death penalty safeguards to impose capital punishment on individuals with a psychosocial disability," the UN experts said in a press release issued by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

"We urge the authorities to annul the death sentence against Mr. Ali and to ensure a fair re-trial which takes into consideration all evidence relevant to the case including medical reports on Mr. Ali's mental health status," they added

The 50-year-old Pakistani was sentenced to death in 2002 for the alleged murder of a religious scholar. A year before the killing, Mr. Ali had been examined by a doctor and referred to a mental health facility for treatment. His psychosocial disability was raised at his first trial, but his condition was not mentioned in the court ruling sentencing him to death, the experts said.

While medical reports commissioned in prison in 2004 and 2012 diagnosed him with psychosis and paranoid schizophrenia, in 2015 the Supreme Court dismissed the defendant's appeal, claiming lack of medical evidence proving his psychosocial disability, according to the experts.

They noted that an appeal had been filed against the decision, but was dismissed by the Supreme Court earlier today, and now Mr. Ali could be executed within a week.

"The courts have disregarded medical reports asserting that the defendant has a psychosocial disability and have not conducted an independent evaluation of his mental health status," stressed the experts. "Implementing the death penalty under these conditions is unlawful and tantamount to an arbitrary execution, as well as a form of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment."

The UN human rights experts recalled that persons with psychosocial disabilities frequently face the risk of being sentenced to death and executed in breach of international standards.

"States must do their utmost to address this risk, including by providing accommodation during all phases of legal proceedings, and by granting adequate protection from any form of discrimination against them because of their mental health condition," they said.

"We are concerned at Mr. Ali's deteriorating psychosocial condition, among other things, due to lack of appropriate treatment and reasonable accommodation in detention," the experts noted, highlighting that the denial of reasonable accommodation in detention can be considered a form of discrimination, as well as cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

The experts include Agnes Callamard, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Juan E. Mendez, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; Monica Pinto, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; and Dainius Puras, Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.

Special Rapporteurs are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council and are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.
UN Human Rights Council discusses situations in DR Congo, Libya, Ukraine and Burundi

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 27 September 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN Human Rights Council discusses situations in DR Congo, Libya, Ukraine and Burundi, 27 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57eb70e440e.html [accessed 31 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

27 September 2016 - At interactive dialogues on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Libya Ukraine, and Burundi, senior UN human rights officials and independent experts today urged the governments to take immediate steps to ensure protection of human rights in their respective countries.

During the dialogues, member countries of the Geneva-based Human Rights Council discuss the human rights situation with delegations from a particular country on the Council's agenda, as well as other Council members, officials of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and Special Rapporteurs and Independent Experts.

The dialogue includes a presentation or a briefing by OHCHR officials followed by discussions.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

On the human rights situation in DRC, Kate Gilmore, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights noted with concern that on 19 and 20 September, at least 53 people, including 49 civilians, had been killed in clashes in capital Kinshasa and said that it was particularly worrying that manifestly excessive and lethal force had been deployed by security forces against crowds.

She noted with further concern that the reports of journalists and photographers being rounded up prior to those incidents were deeply disturbing, and stressed that a large-scale crisis could be looming. As such, she urged all actors to pursue a resolution to the situation.

Ms. Gilmore also called on the Council to augment its scrutiny of the human rights situation in the country and to join the call for investigations into alleged human rights violations there.

Ukraine

Presenting an oral update to the Council, Ms. Gilmore noted that during the reporting period, the conflict in Ukraine continued to impact densely populated civilian areas and that certain parties continued to deny access to external observers and that serious concerns of torture and gender-based violence were also reported.

Urging the Government of Ukraine to intensify efforts to hold the perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses accountable, the Deputy High Commissioner also called on the Government to protect the independence of the judiciary as well as the work of journalists and media.

Ms. Gilmore also noted that the escalation in hostilities and the increase in civilian casualties between 16 May and 15 August underlined the need to withdraw military personnel and fighters from the contact line and to ensure that schools, hospitals and medical centres are protect, as well as to comply with a full ceasefire, in line with the Minsk Agreements.

The report was initially released on 15 September.

In late February 2014, the situation in Ukraine transcended what was initially seen as an internal Ukrainian political crisis into violent clashes in parts of the country, later reaching full-scale conflict in the east. Nevertheless, despite a September 2014 ceasefire agreed in Minsk, the situation has since deteriorated, with serious consequences for the country's unity, territorial integrity and stability.

Libya

Special Representative and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Martin Kobler. UN Photo/Manuel Elias

In her presentation of the human rights situation in Libya, Ms. Gilmore was joined by Martin Kobler, the head of the UN support Mission in the country, known as UNSMIL, who expressed support for the High Commissioner's proposal to the Council to establish an independent expert, under the special procedures, to report on human rights and accountability in Libya.

Ms. Gilmore said situation in Libya is distressing with little hope of resolution in immediate sight. Perpetrators - not without foundation - believe there are no consequences for their actions. Victims believe for good reason that there are few prospects for justice. All Libyans suffer in this current impunity scenario.

She noted that investigation report described how all parties were committing widespread violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, and abuses of human rights, with impunity. Six months on, the situation has not improved. "Warring factions continue to show little regard for civilians -failing to take steps needed to avoid or minimise civilian casualties and protect civilian objects from damage, she said, adding that in residential areas across Libya, heavy weaponry has been deployed without ensuring sufficient precautions and this is true of all parties.

Burundi

The Council also heard an oral presentation of the final report of the UN Independent Investigation in Burundi (UNIIB), was published Tuesday 20 September and describes "abundant evidence of gross human rights violations," possibly amounting to crimes against humanity, by the Government of Burundi and people associated with it.

Given their findings which "suggest widespread and systemic patterns of violations," the country's history of inter-ethnic violence and impunity, and the danger of a spiral of mass violence, the experts urged the Government of Burundi, the African Union, the UN Human Rights Council, the Security Council and other international actors to take a series of robust actions to preserve the achievements made in the Arusha Accord and in the 2005 Constitution, which led to the longest period of peace Burundi has known since its independence.

These include the immediate setting up of an international Commission of Inquiry, the involvement of other independent international judicial processes, reconsideration of Burundi's membership of the Human Rights Council and possible invocation of Chapter VII of the UN Charter if the violations continue and the Government continues to fail to comply with a 29 July 2016 Security Council resolution authorizing the deployment of a UN police force.

Burundi was thrown into crisis more than a year ago when President Pierre Nkurunziza decided to run for a controversial third term that he went on to win. To date, it has been reported that hundreds of people have been killed, more than 240,000 have fled the nation, and thousands more have been arrested and possibly subjected to human rights violations.
Israel/OPT: Pattern of unlawful killings reveals shocking disregard for human life

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 28 September 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, Israel/OPT: Pattern of unlawful killings reveals shocking disregard for human life, 28 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57eb71a04.html [accessed 31 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Nearly a year on from a bloody spike in violence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) Israeli forces continue to display an appalling disregard for human life by using reckless and unlawful lethal force against Palestinians, Amnesty International said today.

In a memorandum sent to the Israeli authorities on 14 September, the organization has detailed 20 cases of apparently unlawful killings of Palestinians by Israeli forces seeking clarification about the status of investigations. In at least 15 of the cases, Palestinians were deliberately shot dead, despite posing no imminent threat to life, in what appear to be extrajudicial executions. The Israeli authorities have not responded to Amnesty International's concerns.

"Since the escalation of violence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories last year, there has been a worrying rise in unlawful killings by Israeli forces, fostered by a culture of impunity," said Philip Luther, Research and Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.

"The cases of unlawful killings outlined in this memorandum reveal a shocking disregard for human life and pose some serious questions to the Israeli authorities. Those responsible must be brought to justice to ensure this cycle of unlawful killings ends."

Since 1 October 2015, Israel and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have witnessed the most significant wave of violence since the end of the second intifada in 2005. More than 225 Palestinians and three foreign nationals were killed by Israeli forces over the past year, most of them during suspected, attempted or actual attacks against Israeli soldiers, police and civilians. At least 35 Israelis and two foreign nationals were killed in the same period by Palestinian attackers.

In some cases, lethal force may have been the only means of protecting the lives of civilians or members of the security forces. However, as in the cases highlighted in the memorandum, in many instances those killed did not pose an immediate threat to life. This includes the shooting of people who were wounded or fleeing and the shooting of unarmed protesters.

Unlawful killings by Israeli forces are nothing new. In the 2014 report, Trigger-happy: Israel's use of excessive force in the West Bank, Amnesty International documented 19 apparently unlawful killings, including three cases where there was evidence of wilful killings, which amount to war crimes.

As violence continues in Israel and the OPT, the families of those unlawfully killed in the past year are left without justice. Of the 20 incidents in the memo, an indictment has been filed against a soldier in only one case. In many cases where there appears to be evidence of an extrajudicial execution, there is not even an open criminal investigation.

Hadeel al-Hashlamoun was 18 when she was shot dead by Israeli forces in Hebron on 22 September 2015. According to a witness she was holding a knife, but was separated from the soldiers by metal barriers. A review by the Israeli army concluded that she could have been detained alive. Amnesty International is not aware of any criminal investigation into her death.

Hadeel's father, Dr Salah al-Hashlamoun, said: "I have been going through some serious depression and loss of hope recently, it is now a year since my daughter was killed, the problem is not only that we have not seen any bit of justice but that Israel continues to kill our youth, that the killing is increasing.

"I want to shed light on the case of my daughter again now with the anniversary - not only to have justice for us but maybe to try and slow down the rate of murder which is again on the rise."

Salman Shaalan's nephew, Mahmoud Muhammad Ali Shaalan, was 16 when he was killed on 26 February 2016 at Beit El checkpoint, near Ramallah. According to eyewitness testimony provided to Amnesty International, he was shot from a distance by Israeli soldiers after being turned away from the checkpoint. An autopsy corroborated this version of events, but a criminal investigation into the killing has still not been opened. His family have also been denied access to video footage of the killing.

Salman Shaalan said: "It's been a nightmare for us. All evidence points to him being killed for no reason, so everyone is staying quiet, just hoping it goes away. They're not investigating, not going to find out what happened.

"What we are faced with today is a fight against the reality that Israel can do anything it wants without being held accountable by anyone. I hope the time for justice is coming."

Amnesty International's research shows that the military justice system consistently fails to deliver justice for Palestinian victims of unlawful killings and their families. The conduct of the Police Internal Investigations Department with regard to allegations of unlawful killings carried out by the Israel Police also raises serious questions about their ability to carry out impartial and independent investigations.

"Relatives of Israelis killed by Palestinians can count on a state that aggressively pursues the attackers - and often oversteps the bounds of legality in that pursuit. Palestinians, on the other hand, do not have anyone to protect their rights," said Philip Luther.

"The only way to prevent further unlawful killings is to end the impunity that exists for those who have carried them out in the past. Israel has a duty to thoroughly, impartially and promptly investigate all killings by its security forces, and to keep families fully informed. The Israeli government must urgently reform its investigation systems so that it can fulfil this duty and bring those responsible for extrajudicial executions to justice."

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Disclaimer

This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
RSF condemns the UK's seizure of Syrian journalist's passport

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 27 September 2016 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, RSF condemns the UK's seizure of Syrian journalist's passport, 27 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57eb74954.html [accessed 31 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns yesterday's decision by an Omani court to sentence three journalists to prison and close their newspaper for good as a flagrant censorship of independent media voices.

The court sentenced Azamn editor Ibrahim Al-Maamari and deputy editor Youssef Al-Haj to three years in prison, a fine of 3,000 rials (7,000 euros) and a one-year ban on working as journalists after their release.

Zaher Al-Abri, Azamn's local news editor, was given a one-year jail term and a fine of 1,000 rials (2,300 euros) while the newspaper, which had been suspended for the past seven weeks, has now been closed definitively.

Al-Maamari and Al-Haj were found guilty of undermining the prestige of the state, disturbing public order, misusing the Internet and reporting on an ongoing court case in defiance of a ministerial ban on the publication of any information about the affair. Al-Abri was convicted of misusing the Internet to disturb public order.

"This appalling court decision confirms the intransigence of the Omani authorities and their determination to crack down hard on independent media regardless of the international outcry about this case," said Alexandra El Khazen, the head of RSF's Middle East desk. "We call on the authorities to overturn this sentence and free the journalists at once."

The Monitor of Human Rights in Oman reports that, if they decide to appeal, Al-Maamari and Al-Haj will both have to pay bail of 50,000 rials (110,000 euros) to be freed pending the outcome of their appeal, while Abri will have to pay 5,000 rials (11,000 euros).

The three journalists were arrested after publishing a story in Azamn on 26 July about government pressure on judicial officials with the aim of influencing the outcome of a court case about an inheritance dispute.

The information ministry ordered the suspension of Azamn's print and online editions with effect from 9 August after it published an interview with the vice-president of the supreme court in which he confirmed the corruption allegations.

According to an RSF source, the supreme court's vice-president was himself then placed under house arrest. Al-Abri was released provisionally on 22 August.

RSF and the Committee to Protect Journalists sent a joint letter to Sultan Qaboos on 24 August asking him to intercede to stop the persecution of the newspaper and its journalists and thereby preserve Oman's reputation as a country capable of mediating in regional crises. No reply was received.

The Sultanate of Oman is ranked 125th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2016 World Press Freedom Index.
RSF calls for justice after South Sudanese journalist's body found

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 28 September 2016 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, RSF calls for justice after South Sudanese journalist's body found, 28 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57eb754b4.html [accessed 31 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is appalled to learn that freelance journalist Isaac Vuni's body was found on 26 September, four months after his abduction, and calls on South Sudan's authorities to shed all possible light on his murder.

Vuni's relatives told the independent Sudan Tribune newspaper that his body was discovered on a farm outside Kerepi, the village where his family lives, located in the north of the country near the Ugandan border.

Gunmen kidnapped Vuni and his brother Andruga from the family's home on the night of 4 June. A witness told the South Sudan Liberty News website at the time that the abductors wore the same military dress as members of the "Tiger Battalion," President Salva Kiir's bodyguards.

It seems that Vuni was killed shortly after his abduction, which was never claimed. His brother has yet to be found. Vuni, who often wrote for the Sudan Tribune, had been under surveillance by the South Sudanese security forces for years. He was

arrested in Juba on 29 July 2009 after reporting that members of the Sudan People's Liberation Army and the South Sudanese government were implicated in a financial scandal.

He was beaten while held incommunicado in a Juba police station from 28 March to 2 May 2011, during a crackdown on South Sudan's journalists.

"We condemn Isaac Vuni's foul murder and call on the authorities to conduct an investigation to identify those responsible and bring them to justice," said Clea Kahn Sriber, the head of RSF's Africa desk.

"The authorities distinguished themselves by their silence at the time of his abduction. Their silence cannot continue. They must put an end to the widespread impunity prevailing in South Sudan, which makes this kind of abuse possible."

Journalists and media outlets have constantly been the targets of violence since the start of the civil war in 2013. The South Sudanese authorities, and the intelligence services in particular, often hold journalists incommunicado in an attempt to silence the media.

As RSF has already reported, Radio Miraya's George Livio has been held incommunicado in Juba for more than two years, while newspaper editor

Alfred Taban was held incommunicado for 13 days in July Alfred Taban was held incommunicado for 13 days in July after publishing an

article calling on the authorities to implement the peace accord.

South Sudan is ranked 140th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2016 World Press Freedom Index, 15 places lower than its position in the

2015 Index.
The UN is waiting for Assad to approve its new Syria chief

Publisher IRIN Author Ben Parker Publication Date 27 September 2016 Cite as IRIN, The UN is waiting for Assad to approve its new Syria chief, 27 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57eb78764.html [accessed 31 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The UN is still without a top official in Syria because the government of Bashar al-Assad has not approved the world body's selection, a UN spokesperson told IRIN on Tuesday.

"The new HC's [humanitarian coordinator's] arrival is on track, but is currently awaiting [the] Syrian government's final approval," the spokesperson said by email. The previous resident and humanitarian coordinator, Sudan's Yacoub El Hillo, left Syria more than a month ago, telling the BBC on 26 August the world had failed Syria.

Another UN spokesman, Farhan Haq, told IRIN: "We continue to await an announcement, but have not received one just yet."

The UN aid system in Syria has only had stand-in leadership since El Hillo's departure, a period that has seen "unprecedented" military action in Aleppo, according to political envoy Staffan de Mistura, and an attack on an aid convoy near Aleppo that left at least 20 dead.

The UN has come under criticism for allowing the al-Assad regime to influence its aid delivery, and 73 NGOs announced on 8 September that they were suspending cooperation with a UN information-sharing scheme in protest.

The position of UN resident coordinator is the highest-ranking UN official in a member state and holds diplomatic status equivalent to an ambassador. In a crisis-affected country like Syria, the role is bundled together with that of humanitarian coordinator, carrying a wide-ranging set of responsibilities in the delivery of emergency relief.

El Hillo's replacement, according to multiple UN sources, was expected to be Ali Al-Za'tari, a Jordanian serving in the UN's office in Libya since June 2015. His name has been rumoured since early August, but the UN has not publicly disclosed his candidacy. Haq told IRIN he "cannot confirm any candidate until one is officially announced".

Following diplomatic convention, a member state must approve the appointment of a UN resident coordinator, as it does an ambassador, and can effectively block an individual it does not welcome. Al-Za'tari held the same position in Syria from 2004 to 2007.
Iraq's Mosul: a make-or-break moment for aid agencies

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 27 September 2016 Cite as IRIN, Iraq's Mosul: a make-or-break moment for aid agencies, 27 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57eb79964.html [accessed 31 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

A city of over a million will soon be the scene of the biggest battle yet involving so-called Islamic State. Will it be possible to provide food, water, and shelter to the hundreds of thousands of civilians who may flee the crossfire in a matter of days?

Iraq is already in trouble - 3.3 million displaced, regular violence by so-called Islamic State, major divisions between the Shia majority and Sunni and Kurdish minorities - and it's about to get a whole lot worse before it gets better.

Mosul, the last major IS stronghold in Iraq, is the country's second largest city. It has been under the group's control since June 2014. Iraqi troops and their allies - Shia-majority militias, Kurdish forces, the United States and the United Kingdom (to name a few) - must take it back if they are to drive the self-declared caliphate out of Iraq.

The battle won't be easy, and the fates of the more than one million civilians thought to be inside lie in the balance.

Aid agencies struggled to cope with the 60,000-80,000 people displaced from Fallujah when Iraqi forces took it back from IS in June - many who fled the city were left in the desert without adequate shelter.

In sheer numbers Mosul dwarfs Fallujah, and it poses an entirely different set of challenges for a humanitarian system that is already underfunded and stressed.

As Becky Bakr Abdulla, spokeswoman for the Norwegian Relief Council in Iraq, put it: "Fallujah is still very close to hearts and minds, and the thoughts of another one, just 10 times worse because of the amount [of people], is completely and utterly heartbreaking Now is our chance to plan a coordinated response. Now is our chance to guarantee that people won't step from one hell into another once the battles begin."

So what exactly is the plan? And can you really be ready for the displacement of a city of more than a million?

Where will they go?

Almost all the aid officials IRIN spoke with said lessons had been learnt from Fallujah, where many said they'd been caught off guard by the exodus of tens of thousands in a matter of days.

One difference is that this time around, the UN-led system in Iraq asked for funding ahead of time, to the tune of $284 million. It has received about half of that, although a reported $100 million more was pledged at the UN General Assembly last week.

Some camps are already being built, Bruno Geddo, head of the UN's refugee agency in Iraq, told IRIN. UNHCR has planned tented camp space for more than 120,000 people, he said.

But what exactly does "planned" mean?

With Turkey claiming that the Mosul offensive will begin on 19 October, time is running out to turn such plans into reality. Many of UNHCR's planned camps are not finished and the land for some hasn't even been confirmed. Geddo said the "timeline for completion is mid-October to mid-December" - the latter end of that might be too late.

And the numbers they are preparing for are still low. The UN estimates that 700,000 people will need shelter. Geddo said that if civilians begin to flee Mosul before the camps are ready, "we will pitch up tents".

"The biggest lesson learned from Fallujah was that the tents were not ready," Geddo said.

UNHCR is planning to distribute 38,000 tents - each can house a family of six - out of which 20,000 are planned for camps and 18,000 to assist IDPs. But they only have money for 27,000 so far.

The Iraqi government has also promised 50,000 tents but, due to various issues during the Fallujah operations, aid agencies aren't counting on them.

Geddo explained that those who don't get tents will be given various "emergency shelter kits", that is hammer, nails, wire, rope, plastic sheeting, and timber to set up rudimentary structures. There are also kits for sealing off unfinished and abandoned buildings - plywood planks and the like.

Land issues

Securing the space for these new camps and additional land for those displaced to pitch these tents is another major challenge.

Many of Mosul's civilians will likely flee to territory administered by the semi-autonomous Kurdish Regional Government, which has yet to allocate enough land for this purpose.

According to a record of a recent meeting of aid agencies, the KRG is taking a wait-and-see attitude. "Land issues might not be resolved [by the government] until an emergency situation is declared, after which land can be seized", the minutes said.

Geddo said it's true that "we are not OK with land", in part because of potential tensions between the mostly Sunni Arab residents of Mosul and the Kurds in the north.

Debaga camp, which hosts 38,000 people displaced from areas around Mosul, is already overcrowded and local authorities have not yet authorised an expansion.

"The sectarian issues around [the] demography of the residents inside Mosul is adding an extra layer of challenges to it all," said NRC's Bakr Abdulla.

Convincing local authorities to expand camp space and others to open their arms to residents of a former IS stronghold - the hope is that communities, businesspeople who need employees, and religious charities might sponsor some of those displaced - is going to take time.

Time is a luxury the relief community wishes it had more of. "The bottom line is the later the better [for the Mosul offensive], from the point of view of humanitarian assistance," Geddo said.

Security concerns

The KRG's reluctance to embrace those fleeing Mosul is based partly on legitimate security concerns. Some of those displaced may turn out to be IS fighters who are slipping away, or sympathisers.

The Kurdish and Iraqi governments insist on conducting security screenings - mostly of men - before they're allowed to move into camps or elsewhere.

Geddo said the UNHCR and others are readying shelter - bigger dormitory tents - for these sites as well, in the hope of turning a "fairly rough-and-tumble process" into one that can at least guarantee minimum access to food, water, and shelter. The women and children who may have to wait as men are screened also need to be catered for.

But the very groups who aren't keen on hosting Mosul's residents may turn out to be the gatekeepers who decide whether they're allowed to make it to the camps at all.

This was a major problem in Fallujah, as credible allegations of torture by the Shia-majority militias, known as Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMFs), emerged during the screenings. Kurdish peshmerga militias may also play a role in Mosul vetting procedures, raising similar concerns.

Aid groups are engaged in what they call "advocacy" to improve the process. They're not keen to talk about it in detail, but the ICRC's Iraq spokeswoman Sarah Alzawqari told IRIN: "We have teams who are directly talking with the authorities to make the screening better and more efficient for Mosul."

Najat Ali, a high-ranking Kurdish peshmerga commander, told IRIN he foresaw "a sense of chaos when the IDPs rush to Kurdistan.

"It will be hard to differentiate between innocents and IS members," he explained, adding that he was concerned "about acts of retaliation between those who suffered under IS oppression and IS collaborators".

On the other hand, civilians in IS-controlled territory are understandably worried about the role the militias might play, both in the screenings and during the battle itself.

Sheikh Azar al-Kurdy, a Kurdish tribal leader who hails from a village east of Mosul that is still under IS control (but currently lives elsewhere) told IRIN: "We don't want the PMFs to participate in liberating our city.

"There have been abuses and violations committed by [the PMFs) in some liberated cities and we don't want this to be repeated in Mosul."

But General Ali al-Hamdani, a PMF commander, told IRIN that the militias intend to fully participate in the Mosul operation. "It is a patriotic and religious duty," he said.

Planning the unknowns

Scale, speed, land, funding, and security screening amount to a formidable set of challenges.

But this is all assuming civilians will be able to leave Mosul, and that's not guaranteed. The UN's humanitarian coordinator in Iraq, Lise Grande, said last week that "civilians will be at extreme risk".

"The conditions families will be facing are terrifying. They will be at risk from crossfire, bombardments and could be used as human shields. They may be unable to flee, or, alternatively forced to run Families may be separated. Many may be wounded or killed."

And if and when they get out, they will be desperate.

"We saw that people from Fallujah and Ramadi literally left with nothing except for the clothes they are wearing," said the ICRC's Alzawqari. "They need everything. They start from zero."

The UN is planning for IDPs to stay for a minimum of six months. They'll need more than just shelter: food, water, protection, and much more.

The short of it, as NRC's Bakr Abdulla explained, is that planning for an operation like Mosul is difficult simply because of the sheer range of possibilities.

"[We're] trying to figure out the possible scenarios, where people will be displaced to, what will happen if people are stuck inside the city during the fighting," she said.

On the upside, there are a multitude of humanitarian groups and aid agencies readying for Mosul, compared to only a few who did so for Fallujah, where access was more difficult.

Even with the extra help, NRC's Bakr Abdulla said, there's plenty to do.

"Mosul is definitely one of the things that is keeping us up at night."
Uzbekistan: New Leader Carrying Out Personnel Overhaul

Publisher EurasiaNet Publication Date 26 September 2016 Other Languages / Attachments Russian Cite as EurasiaNet, Uzbekistan: New Leader Carrying Out Personnel Overhaul, 26 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57eb7d7b4.html [accessed 31 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Uzbekistan's interim leader is wasting no time in culling officials and bringing other figures in from the cold.



In one his first acts after being ensconced as provisional president, Shavkat Mirziyoyev on September 13 reshuffled the cabinet. The rearrangement was not without surprises and signals that as far as personnel issues are concerned, Mirziyoyev intends to make a clean break with the legacy of the late President Islam Karimov.



And yet perhaps it is what did not change that was most unexpected.



Contrary to some expectations, the position of first deputy prime minister Rustam Azimov  who had been touted as a possible successor to Karimov, and therefore a rival to Mirziyoyev's rule  has been strengthened in the reshuffle. His title will remain the same, but his responsibilities, which now include macroeconomic development, structural reforms, attracting foreign investment and administering the country's finances, are being broadened to also take in education and science.



With Mirziyoyev all but certain to make his leadership permanent and formal in a special presidential election on December 4, the possibility of some kind of Uzbek political tandem may be coming into view.



"As far as Rustam Azimov is concerned, I can say that he is keeping a low profile, he has no expectation of running in the election. This tells us that there has been some deal done. That after the elections, Azimov will become prime minister. The political line of Islam Karimov will be maintained  everything will be focused on pragmatism, there will be no playing with democracy and the positions on rights issues will likely be even tougher," journalist Elparid Hadjayev told EurasiaNet.org.



Foreign-based Uzbek political analyst Pulat Ahunov does not see much of a future for Azimov, though. "Even if to begin with they make him premier, it will only be so they can later discredit him for his bad work and fire him, and thereby exile him to oblivion," Ahunov said.



Beyond Azimov, there were more surprises lower in the pecking order.



One familiar face brought back into the team was that of 55-year-old Abdulla Aripov, who was appointed deputy prime minister, a position he filled from 2002 to 2012. Aripov's portfolio will include youth, culture, information technologies and telecommunications.



What state media did not mention, however, was that Aripov disappeared from the scene after the General Prosecutor's Office filed a criminal case against him in relation to the corruption scandal involving MTS Uzbekistan. It was reported by nonofficial media in 2012 that prosecutors suspected Aripov of illegally granting Russia-based MTS permits to install 250 relay antennas.



All shenanigans involving MTS in Uzbekistan have typically been linked to Karimov's eldest daughter, Gulnara Karimova. She was placed under house arrest by the security services in 2014, and little to nothing is known of her fate since that time. In what may or may not be a development related to the government reshuffle, unconfirmed reports have been surfacing in the media in recent days that Karimova has been confined to a psychiatric institute.



It is not clear how Aripov managed to evade punishment, but it appears he may have enjoyed protection from Mirziyoyev, whom he had previously served in an advisory capacity.



The previous occupant of Aripov's chair could hardly have been removed for poor performance since he had only been doing the job for just over one month. The late president Karimov appointed Madjit Karimov deputy prime minister on August 10.



"These reshuffles testify to the fact that Mirziyoyev feels very confident and that he has the full support of internal and external forces. Aripov has contacts and connections with Russian businesses working in telecommunications, and the fact they returned him so quickly means that some agreements have been reached in this issue," Ahunov told EurasiaNet.org.



Another returnee to the cabinet is Rustam Kasymov, who has been reinstated as minister for higher and middle education, a job he carried out from 2004 to 2008. The outgoing minister, Alisher Vahabov, had been in the position since 2014. And deputy prime minister Adham Ikramov has had his portfolio bolstered from health and environment to also take in physical culture and sports.



Following his initial top-level personnel changes, Mirziyoyev headed to the town of Jizzakh, where he first began his political career. While there, he fired the head of Jizzakh city administration, Asror Kobilov  for "shortcomings in his work"  and substituted him with the former head of the Tashkent city administration, Abdukahhar Tuhtayev. The switch was announced on the evening television news.



Tuhtayev had been fired by Karimov in February 2011 from his job running Tashkent for committing "flagrant violations in urban management." But the Ferghana.ru news website in 2013 reported in passing that Tuhtayev had lost his job for more venal reasons, namely major real estate corruption. The website noted that Tuhtayev managed to evade arrest, however. He too reputedly served under Mirziyoyev. Other people that lost their jobs in Jizzakh included the regional prosecutor and several district-level mayors.



As tradition dictates, Mirziyoyev should as acting president now be busy touring the country's cotton-growing regions. Uzbekistan is currently in the midst of its cotton harvest. With personnel changes having been made at the top, attention will now turn to the regions, and the fate of officials there could depend in large part on how the harvest turns out, Hadjayev said.



And what some are describing as a purge has been extended into the state companies. On September 21, the head of the state-run power company Uzbekenergo, Iskandar Basidov, was fired. RFE/RL's Uzbek service, Radio Ozodlik, cited an Uzbekenergo representative as saying Basidov was dismissed for "reasons of worsening health." The firing was ostensibly approved during a company board meeting, although the initiative came from the office of Mirziyoyev, who was unhappy at mounting debts and unpaid salaries at Uzbekenergo, Radio Ozodlik reported, citing its sources.

Copyright notice: All EurasiaNet material  Open Society Institute
The African Union and the Burundi Crisis: Ambition versus Reality

Publisher International Crisis Group (ICG) Publication Date 28 September 2016 Citation / Document Symbol Briefing N122 Other Languages / Attachments French Cite as International Crisis Group (ICG), The African Union and the Burundi Crisis: Ambition versus Reality, 28 September 2016, Briefing N122, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57ebb6264.html [accessed 31 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

African leaders' January 2016 decision not to endorse deployment of a 5,000-strong African Prevention and Protection Mission in Burundi (MAPROBU), as the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) recommended, revealed a wide rift between member states and the AU Commission (AUC) on how to address the crisis. The dispute seriously damaged AU credibility and showed that its ambition to prevent and resolve conflict does not match its capabilities, in part due to uncertainty about the extent of the AUC's role. It also exposed procedural flaws in the PSC's decision-making process. The incoherent response illustrates the limits of AUC and PSC freedom to act without the full support of leaders and the lack of coordination between Addis Ababa and the African UN Security Council members (the A3). If the AU is to fulfil its aim of "silencing the guns" on the continent, the AUC and member states must resolve these issues.

The crisis was sparked by President Pierre Nkurunziza's 2015 decision to seek a third term, which triggered mass protests, an attempted coup, armed opposition attacks and a brutal crackdown that has fuelled a cycle of violence in which as many as 1,115 have already died, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project. The confrontation has settled into low-intensity warfare characterised by targeted assassinations, disappearances and torture and the government's increasing resort to ethnically-charged rhetoric reminiscent of that preceding the mass atrocities of the 1990s. More than 300,000 have fled to neighbouring countries, and a further 108,000 are estimated to be internally displaced. An estimated 4.6 million of the eleven million population need food aid. With both urban and rural economies slowing and imposition of an austerity budget (an 18 per cent decrease on 2015), Burundi is sliding toward a devastating social and humanitarian emergency.

The AU and international partners have failed to halt the crisis. Nkurunziza has exploited divisions within and between the AU, the UN and the East African Community (EAC), the sub-regional organisation charged to lead the continental response. This enables his government to rebuff lacklustre EAC attempts to bring it to negotiations and has stalled the deployment of AUC-authorised human rights and military observers, as well as UN Security Council-sanctioned police. Lack of a shared analysis of the crisis's nature fuels disunity.

The AU itself is divided. A majority of member states favour a less confrontational approach than the interventionist-inclined AUC, which together with the PSC, to avoid further embarrassment, has now shifted focus from Burundi, silencing needed warning voices. The crisis is political at its core, and only a negotiated settlement between government and opposition can end it. That requires re-examination of the 2000 Arusha accord, the power-sharing peace agreement of which the AU is a guarantor that ended the twelve-year civil war. Unless the AU, EAC and wider international community act in concert, it is a distant prospect.

To engage the government and opposition in a genuine and inclusive dialogue:

The AU, EAC and UN should immediately form a contact group to align positions and inject new impetus into the EAC-led mediation, whose leader, President Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), must become more personally engaged, as requested by the facilitator, Benjamin Mkapa.



The AU should expedite deployment of the 200 authorised human rights and military observers and work with the UN to quickly agree on and disburse the financial, technical, logistical and other assistance needed for the deployment.



The AU should immediately implement the decision to impose targeted sanctions, per the 17 October 2015 PSC communique, against those blocking negotiations, inciting violence and/or propagating hate speech.



The AU and European Union (EU) should change financing for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to pay Burundian soldiers directly, rather than permitting the government to keep a portion.

To strengthen AU crisis response capabilities:

Member states should meet their financial obligations so the AUC can be staffed adequately to carry out its mandate.



The PSC should engage consistently in finding political solutions, meeting monthly on Burundi, for example, to evaluate the security situation and discuss observer reports. Member states should engage fully on communiques and ensure they have ownership of decisions. This requires adequate staffing of Addis Ababa embassies and clear communication channels with them.



AUC, PSC and A3 should work more closely together  including PSC observer status for the A3  to ensure common analysis and more coherent responses.

II. The AU in Principle and Practice

A. Member States' Commitment

Since its 2002 inception, the AU has been increasingly active in preventing and resolving conflict in Africa, due in part to growing recognition the UN cannot manage crises alone and in part to the AU's desire to lead. The 2015 UN High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations report highlights the AU, urging intensified collaboration also with its sub-regional partners. The organisation's Constitutive Act set promotion of peace, security and stability on the continent as a founding objective. To help meet it, the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) was created. It asserts AU primacy in peace and security on the continent and devolves jointly to the PSC and AUC chairperson power to "undertake peace-making and peace-building functions to resolve conflicts". APSA consists of the PSC, Panel of the Wise, Continental Early Warning System, Africa Standby Force and Africa Peace Fund. Articles 7, 17 of the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the PSC, and the AU and Regional Economic Communities/regional mechanisms Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

That ambition to "silence the guns" often outstrips action, however, is not surprising given resource constraints. The Peace and Security Department (PSD), charged with administering the fifteen-member PSC, the Continental Early Warning System (CEWS), the Panel of the Wise and other mediation activity, as well as four peace support operations, has just 64 regular staff positions, 26 of which were filled in 2015. The peace support operations are AMISOM, the Regional Cooperation Initiative for the Elimination of the Lord's Resistance Army, the hybrid UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and the Multinational Joint Taskforce for the fight against Boko Haram. "APSA 2014 Assessment Study: Final Report", AU, 27 April 2015, p. 14. Personnel constraints are due to perennial underfunding. Only $169,833,340 of its estimated $416.9 million 2016 budget derives from member-state contributions, the rest from foreign partners, a reliance that compromises AU ownership of its agenda and reflects member states' lack of commitment. Decision no.: Assembly/AU/Dec. 577(XXV). The budget does not include peace support operations. Member-state contributions mostly fund operational costs; 92 per cent of the AU's 2016 program activities are expected to be funded by donors. "APSA 2014", op. cit., p. 14. At the end of 2015, they had paid just 68 per cent of assessed contributions; only nineteen fully met their obligations. In July 2015, leaders pledged to fund 25 per cent of AU peace and security operations. A year later they adopted a mechanism that in theory should generate $400 million per year to help pay for AU missions, but it remains to be seen if it will be honoured."2017 Budget Overview Paper", AUC, 5 March 2016. "Declaration on self-reliance", Assembly/AU/Decl.5(XXV), 15 July 2015. "The African Union Adopts the AU Peace Fund", AUC press release, 18 July 2016.

The uninspiring choices to replace AUC Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is but one sign members may not actually want a strong AU. Their reluctance to cede the chairperson and PSC influence, despite vesting significant formal authority in them at the AU's founding, is consistent with the Constitutive Act's emphasis on national sovereignty but severely limits conflict response capacity. Some member states were dissatisfied with the quality of choices, so no candidate was able to secure the required two-thirds majority. Article 4 sets out the AU's guiding principles, including 4(g) "non-interference by any Member State in the internal affairs of another".

B. The AU's Principles in the Burundi Context

Beyond its commitment to preventing and resolving conflict, the AU also aspires to promote constitutional democracy and stop mass atrocities. The Burundi crisis challenges both principles, exposing inconsistency in interpreting and enforcing the Constitutive Act. Prohibition of unconstitutional changes of government (Article 4(p)) has origins in the 1990s' broad shift from one-party and military rule to multi-party democracy. It is the only founding principle backed by a specific penalty: suspension from participation in AU activities. Articles 4(h) and 4(p) of the Constitutive Act respectively refer to prevention of mass atrocities and prohibition of unconstitutional changes of government. Mulugeta Gebrehiwot and Alex de Waal, "African Politics, African Peace", The World Peace Foundation, July 2016. Solomon Dersso, "Unconstitutional Changes of Government and Unconstitutional Practices in Africa", The World Peace Foundation, June 2016. The AU usually has condemned and, if asked, provided military support, when faced with coups, as in Mali and Guinea Bissau (2012) and Central African Republic and Egypt (2013).

However, what is unconstitutional change of government is not well defined. It includes an incumbent's refusal to relinquish power after a free and fair election, but it is not clear if that extends to amendment or manipulation of the constitution to prevent change in government, as arguably in Burundi. Member states, with their respect for national sovereignty and preference for incumbency, tend to err on the side of the status quo. The commission, as guardian of AU norms and principles, tends to lean toward democratic transitions, but its position is not consistent. Ambivalence was further compounded by uncertainty around the circumstances in Burundi: whether Nkurunziza was eligible for a third-term was not cut and dry; the constitutional court, one of whose justices claims was manipulated and intimidated, concluded his first term did not count because he was appointed, not elected, and ruled he could stand again. The AUC did not condemn Rwanda's or Congo Brazzaville's constitutional changes in 2015. Some donors believed Nkurunziza's case had validity. Crisis Group interviews, Western diplomat, April 2015; Judge Sylvere Nimpagaritse, Brussels, May 2016.

The AU also upholds Article 4(h), "right of the Union to intervene in a Member State  in respect of grave circumstances, namely: war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity". Member states are historically reluctant to approve military or other action against a government, even if mass atrocities are being committed, as in Darfur (2004-2005) or South Sudan (2013-2014). The unprecedented PSC decision to invoke 4(h) for MAPROBU can be seen as a test of the AU's graduation from the principle of non-interference, the bedrock of the AU's predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity, to that of non-indifference. Paul D. Williams, "The African Union's Conflict Management Capabilities", Council on Foreign Relations, October 2011. An AU official said the AUC chairperson viewed the deployment decision as such a test. Crisis Group interview, Addis Ababa, 31 January 2016.

III. The Initial Response

Dissent turned to defiance in March 2015 when demonstrators took to the streets in Bujumbura, Burundi's capital. In the balance was not just the future of President Nkurunziza, but also the survival of the 2000 Arusha peace agreement, which included detailed power-sharing provisions. Protests increased in scale and frequency in April and May following Nkurunziza's decision to stand for re-election, leading to violent clashes with security forces. This briefing focuses on AU and wider international responses to the crisis. For a full evaluation of the internal politics, see Crisis Group Africa Report N224, Elections in Burundi: Moment of Truth, 17 April 2015; and Briefing N111, Burundi: Peace Sacrificed, 29 May 2015.

A. Public Diplomacy

Some praised the AU for its early intervention and strong position as the crisis began, with Dlamini-Zuma setting the tone and direction. Crisis Group interviews, U.S. officials, Addis Ababa, 29 January 2016; EU officials, Brussels, 29 February 2016; Addis Ababa, 19 April 2016. One official even called the AU's response up until the 17 December communique "a model of AU diplomacy". As tensions rose in March 2015, the AU political affairs commissioner and then the chairperson visited Bujumbura and called on the president to adhere to the constitution and Arusha, as well as for dialogue to ensure a credible election process and resolve disagreements over the third term. At first, the PSC and PSD appeared not to adopt the same tough stance, but as the situation deteriorated, positions began to align, and both the commission and the PSC engaged actively and concertedly. Crisis Group interview, UN official, Addis Ababa, 23 March 2016; "AU Commission Chairperson concludes Burundi visit with cautious optimism", press release, AUC, 27 March 2015. The PSC urged stakeholders to respect the pending constitutional court decision on Nkurunziza's eligibility, while Zuma dismissed the court's findings. Zuma, Dlamini (DlaminiZuma). "Other than the #Burundi Court, all interpretations of the constitution & #Arusha Agreements are clear that there shouldn't be a third term." 7 May 2015, 5:43 p.m. Tweet. Crisis Group interview, UN official, Addis Ababa, 15 March 2016. See also AU PSC communique, PSC/PR/COMM.(DI), 28 April 2015. Zuma issued nineteen press statements between March and December 2015. The PSC discussed Burundi at least monthly from March 2015.

The AUC unprecedentedly refused to send a monitoring team because conditions for free and fair elections did not exist.AU communique, 28 June 2015. Many usual preventative diplomacy tools  high-level delegations, a special envoy, human rights and military observers, sanctions and investigation into human rights violations  were utilised, but to little effect, in part because without member states' full political support they were not wholeheartedly deployed. The government was defiant, making concessions but then stalling or reneging on implementation. The AU has been unable to conclude an MoU with the government for 200 human rights and military observers. Only 42 have been deployed, and they cannot operate freely. In its 17 October 2015 communique, the PSC threatened sanctions but the AUC has yet to draw up a list of targets, let alone attempt to enforce them. The government made commitments for inclusive dialogue with the opposition only to go back on them or set unrealistic conditions, including refusing to deal with the opposition Conseil national pour le respect de l'accord d'Arusha pour la paix et la reconciliation au Burundi et de l'Etat de droit (CNARED) coalition. Yolande Bouka, Nanjala Nyabola, "The Crisis in Burundi and the Apathy of International Politics", Heinrich-Boll-Stiftung, April 2016.

In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity that generally governs its cooperation with regional economic communities, the AU ceded primary responsibility for the crisis to the EAC. Initially, they worked closely: Zuma attended EAC summits, and the PSC endorsed EAC decisions, including President Museveni's appointment as chief negotiator in July 2016.EAC communique, 6 July 2016. Engaged in his own contentious election, he delegated responsibility to Defence Minister Crispus Kiyonga. As the crisis dragged on, it became clear the EAC-led dialogue was making no headway. But without consent of Museveni or the other regional leaders, the AU was unable to insert itself into the mediation process and had to settle for expressing concern about the slow pace and endorsing the EAC's lacklustre efforts. Crisis Group interviews, civil society actor, Addis Ababa, 11 December 2015; UN official, Nairobi, 23 March 2016. Also see PSC communique, PSC/PR/COMM.DLI, 17 October 2015.

B. Private Diplomacy

One reason the AUC's and PSC's aggressive public postures have had limited success is that they have not been backed by persistent private diplomacy. Critics suggest they should have both engaged earlier at the lower levels and mobilised a high-level dialogue with interlocutors Nkurunziza trusted. Crisis Group interviews, AU and UN officials, Addis Ababa, 27-31 January 2016. Zuma could have personally engaged more with Nkurunziza and others. Foreign minister when South Africa helped broker Arusha, she arguably has a great stake in the AU's resolution of the crisis. An official suggested she believed the intervention would demonstrate the organisation's transition from a position of non-interference to one of non-indifference. Having failed in March 2015 to persuade Nkurunziza against a third term, however, she did not really try again. Crisis Group interviews, AU, EU officials, Addis Ababa, 9 December 2015, 31 January 2016. Once President Nkurunziza committed to standing, preventative diplomacy options narrowed.

The AU also lacked consistent representation in Bujumbura, relying instead on ad hoc deployment of special envoys, high-level delegations and commission figures, including the chairperson. Following the recall of its outspoken special representative for Burundi and the Great Lakes, Boubacar Diarra, in April 2015, it had no emissary for three critical months as the crisis rapidly escalated. Nkurunziza requested Diarra's recall because he opposed his third term bid. According to an AU official, the chairperson acquiesced because she hoped it would win favour with the president. Crisis Group interview, AU official, Addis Ababa, 31 January 2016.

Diarra's replacement, Ibrahima Fall, a former UN assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights and for Political Affairs, as well as special representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for the Great Lakes region, has had a more discrete presence in Bujumbura. While keeping lines of communication open with the government, however, he has been unable to conclude the MoU for the human rights and military observers and has not proactively engaged with influential actors from the country or region. More dynamic representation, backed by international consensus, might have been better able to advance AU decisions. Crisis Group interviews, AU and UN officials, Addis Ababa, 29-31 January 2016; Western diplomat, Addis Ababa, 15 March 2016.

IV. The 17 December Communique and its Aftermath

On 17 December 2015, the PSC issued a communique authorising a 5,000-strong African Prevention and Protection Mission (MAPROBU) to prevent deterioration of security, protect civilians and help create conditions needed for a credible inter-Burundian dialogue. It gave the government 96 hours to accept. If rebuffed, the PSC agreed, it would recommend that the Assembly of Heads of State and Government (the AU's highest decision-making body) invoke Article 4(h) of the Constitutive Act, which allows intervention in cases of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.AU PSC communique, PSC/PR/COMM.(DLVX), 17 December 2015. This bold decision broke new ground in two respects: first, an ultimatum to a sitting president; secondly, invocation of Article 4(h). The Nkurunziza government quickly refused to admit foreign troops."Burundi: We will not allow foreign troops to enter", Al Jazeera, 21 December 2015.

A. The Context for the Decision

Six days before the PSC communique, violence in Bujumbura intensified significantly. Reportedly, at least 87 were killed, some summarily executed, in intense fighting sparked by coordinated grenade attacks by armed opposition groups on military installations on 11 December. Observations from an African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) fact-finding mission, AU human rights observers' reports and social and traditional media accounts directly influenced PSC decisions."Burundi: 87 killed in worst violence since April coup attempt", The Guardian, 12 December 2015. "Report of the Fact Finding Mission of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights to Burundi", ACHPR, May 2016. Crisis Group interviews, Addis Ababa 31 January; Brussels, 29 February 2016. There was strong belief in Addis Ababa, driven by the AUC but supported by a few key PSC members, that rapidly deteriorating security and grave human rights abuse warranted decisive action. With the 1994 Rwandan genocide in mind, the PSD hoped to demonstrate the AU would not stand idly by. "The communique made it clear that it considered the situation grave; it put Burundi on notice and sent a message to the world that the AU had done what it could", an AU official said. Nigeria, Ethiopia, Algeria and to a lesser extent Uganda were strongly in favour of the PSD drafted communique. Crisis Group interviews, Addis Ababa, 25-31 January, 14-18 March 2016.

B. Miscalculations and Missteps

The PSC intended the communique to freeze the crisis and force the government to negotiate. Crisis Group interview, 8 February 2016. While it arguably focused international attention, helping to curb the worst security force excesses and spurring Museveni to kick-start the stalled EAC mediation, it failed to engage Nkurunziza in an inclusive political dialogue with the opposition. Crisis Group interviews, AU officials, Addis Ababa, 27 January 2016; UN officials, New York, 9 February 2016. The government dismissed MAPROBU as an "invasion and occupation force", shocking some in the AUC, which had been convinced it would grudgingly accept the mission. Burundi watchers said the AU lacked credible situational analysis and misread Nkurunziza's character."Burundi rejects African Union peacekeepers as 'invasion force'", Agence France-Presse, 20 December 2016. Crisis Group interviews, AU, UN officials, Western diplomats, Addis Ababa, 31 January, 16 March, 19 April 2016. AU, UN and Western officials called the PSC's ultimatum a mistake and an insult. An official described it as an "extraordinary thing to do to a sovereign government". The AUC chairperson informed the UN Secretary-General before Nkurunziza. Crisis Group interviews, Western diplomats, New York, 8 February 2016; AU, UN officials, Addis Ababa, 16 March 2016. It was, however, just one in a series of AUC and PSC missteps and miscalculations.

Article 4(h) touched a nerve with those member states whose democratic credentials and human rights records were criticised and feared it might one day be applied to them. Invoking that article, which sets a high bar  verification of war crimes, genocide or crimes against humanity  raised the stakes considerably, and the PSC left itself no other tool with which to ratchet up pressure on the government. Some PSC delegations did not understand the ramifications of its use or consult sufficiently with capitals. Crisis Group interviews, AU, UN, EU officials, Western diplomats, Addis Ababa, 25-31 January 2016. Shortcomings of PSC working practices were exposed. Unlike the UN Security Council, whose members draft resolutions, with one leading and consulting in varying degrees, the AUC mostly writes PSC communiques, typically with little or no input from members. Meetings frequently leave scant time to discuss content; often there is no chance to work the outcomes of deliberations into the final text. As a result, the PSC tends not to buy sufficiently into its own resolutions. The 17 December communique was no exception.

The heavy PSC workload stretches often under-staffed Addis Ababa missions. Most ambassadors did not use the 24-hour silence period to clear the communique at home. Blindsided, some governments were unwilling to give wholehearted support. The AUC also neglected to confirm that Council members had briefed their governments in advance. An official said only about a third of member states sent the communique to capitals in the silence period. Crisis Group interview, Addis Ababa, 17 March 2016. South Africa's international relations and cooperation department issued a statement on Burundi with no MAPROBU mention. Asked to clarify the stance, spokesperson Clayson Monyela said, "we support the AU position yes". "South Africa expresses concern over the situation in Burundi", press release, 18 December 2015; Monyela, Clayson (ClaysonMonyela). "@geoffreyyork We support the AU position yes.", 20 Dec 2015, 18:29 UTC. Tweet, @Clayson Monyela, 10.29am 20 December 2015. After dismissing use of force, Tanzanian Foreign Minister Augustine Mahiga announced MAPROBU support only in January. "Mahiga calls for talks to end the bloodshed", The Citizen, 20 December 2015. "Consultations between [AUC] and Tanzania on the situation in Burundi", AU press release, 8 January 2016. Crisis Group interviews, AU officials, Addis Ababa, 31 January, 16-17 March 2016. It had hoped the communique would spur bolder action, but the response was cautious. A sense of urgency and misplaced belief that others, including the UN, would follow the AU lead led to failure to give advance word to those called upon to endorse and assist MAPROBU. The absence of planning  no concept of operations or commitments from troop contributing countries  and Burundi's rejection of an AU force, made it hard for the Security Council to give the anticipated backing. "We [the AU] can't always back it up with action, but we can enable others". Crisis Group interview, AU official, 9 December 2016. The Security Council merely "took note with interest" of the communique. Press statement, 19 December 2015. An AU official said the AUC subsequently believed the Council was the obstacle to deployment. Crisis Group interview, 29 January 2016; interviews, UN officials and Western diplomats, New York, 8-9 February 2016.

C. Force Preparedness

The AUC did not intend to deploy MAPROBU immediately. Regardless of official statements, the East African Standby Force (EASF), expected to provide forces, was not ready, and without Burundi's consent, the AU needed Security Council approval. In January 2015, the EASF was officially declared able to deploy within fourteen days with 90 days of supplies, but a Western diplomat estimated it would take at least six months to set up operation systems for a Burundi mission. Crisis Group interview, Addis Ababa, 26 January 2016. Use of force against a sovereign state is permitted only in self-defence or UN Charter Chapter VII authorisation. The AU communique requested such a Security Council resolution for MAPROBU. Paul D Williams, "The African Union's Coercive Diplomacy in Burundi", International Peace Institute Special Report, 18 December 2015. Finally, the AUC acknowledged that MAPROBU required considerable foreign financial and logistical support. It had been conceived primarily as a threat with which to push Nkurunziza into a genuine dialogue, rather than a tangible rapid reaction force, and he called the AU's bluff. PSC Communique, op. cit. The AUC may also have wanted to use MAPROBU to push automatic use of UN assessed contributions to finance AU-led peace support missions. Crisis Group interviews, AU, UN, EU officials, Addis Ababa, 26-29 January 2016; New York, 8 February 2016.

D. The AU Summit and the Decision Not to Deploy MAPROBU

The government's refusal to accept MAPROBU meant the future of the stabilisation force rested with African heads of states due to meet at the biannual AU summit in Addis Ababa, 30-31 January 2016. Invoking Article 4(h) left the door open for unprecedented forcible deployment, if two thirds agreed the security situation was sufficiently grave. By then, violence had receded, but the AUC pressed on with a bruising approval process, exposing deep fault lines with member states concerned that the mission would violate Burundi's sovereignty and impede dialogue. The AUC might have persuaded them to pressure Burundi to accept a more limited intervention force, but understaffed and underfunded, it lacked capacity for the political work needed to build consensus around deployment; some were unaware that was needed or naively confident a pared-down version would be endorsed. Nkurunziza's emissaries travelled the continent, arguing the crisis was a case of relatively mild post-electoral violence now under control. The government and opposition dialled back confrontation prior to the summit. Crisis Group interviews, AU, UN officials, Addis Ababa, 16 March 2016. Solomon Dersso, "To intervene or not to intervene? An inside view of the AU's decision-making on Article 4(h) and Burundi", World Peace Foundation, February 2016. Crisis Group interviews, AU, EU officials, Western diplomat, Addis Ababa, 30-31 January, 17 March 2016. "Burundi reaffirms dialogue commitment", Daily News, 16 January 2016; "SA presence in Burundi talks welcomed", African News Agency, 22 January 2016.

E. The AU High-level Delegation

Trying to keep MAPROBU alive, Peace and Security Commissioner Smail Chergui recommended the assembly send a senior delegation to Bujumbura to consult. This again laid bare divisions between member states and the AUC, which insisted deliberations focus solely on an inclusive intra-Burundian dialogue. Dersso, "To intervene?", op. cit. The high-level delegation  presidents of Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania and South Africa, prime minister of Ethiopia  was in Burundi 25-26 February. The 29 January 2016 PSC communique limited the mission's discussions to dialogue, PSC/AHG/COMM.3(DLXXI). A subsequent AUC statement widened the mandate to include MAPROBU. "The African Union appoints High-Level Delegation to Burundi", 4 February 2016. It also revealed member-state disagreements. South African President Jacob Zuma, the delegation head, dominated proceedings and set the agenda. Pretoria was pivotal in mediation and peacekeeping during the civil war, and close ties between the African National Congress and Burundian National Council for the Defence of Democracy-Forces for the Defence of Democracy (CNDD-FDD), meant the president was sympathetic to Nkurunziza. Separate, contradictory communiques, the first unilaterally released by Zuma, the second by the AUC with delegation-member support, reinforced an appearance of disarray. Crisis Group interview, African diplomat, Addis Ababa, 20 April 2016; "AU High Level Delegation to Burundi conclusion statement", South African presidency, 27 February 2016; "Communique of the visit of the [AU] high level delegation to Burundi", AU, 29 February 2016. The AU lost a major opportunity to insert itself into the mediation process.

F. The Fallout

Leaders' failure to endorse MAPROBU severely damaged AU credibility, revealing the gap between ambition and capabilities. The 17 December communique was called "unrealistic" and "un-strategic", and the military force row distracted from dialogue. Crisis Group interviews, Addis Ababa, 25-31 January; New York, 8-9 February; Nairobi 23-24 March 2016. "The Burundi Intervention that Wasn't", Foreign Policy (online), 2 February 2016; "Intervention that Never Was", Africa Confidential, 5 February 2016. "African Union diplomacy fails to take off in Burundi. Literally and metaphorically", UN Dispatch, 29 February 2016; "African Union goes backwards on Burundi", Daily Maverick, 31 January 2016.

Invoking Article 4(h) divided member states. Some were adamant sovereignty trumps human rights; others did not share AUC analysis that Burundi was near to catastrophic violence. The AUC was seen to have over-stepped: one of its senior officials said, "we have embarrassed the continent". Some member states, notably Egypt, dislike AUC influence over PSC decision-making, and many predict a push for member states to draft future measures. The AU lost any authority in Bujumbura and is marginalised in efforts to resolve the crisis. Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh, for example, was clearly opposed to the use of force without consent; Tanzanian Foreign Minister Mahiga did not believe military intervention was warranted. Derrso, "To intervene or not?", op. cit. Crisis Group interviews, AU, EU officials, African diplomats, Addis Ababa, 25-31 January, 17 March 2016; New York, 8 February 2016. Embarrassed by the failure of MAPROBU and other diplomatic attempts and faced with member-state indifference, the AUC and PSC appear to have lost impetus. Failing to act decisively, the AU sacrificed its moral authority to speak out about incumbents manipulating or eliminating constitutional term limits.

V. The Wider International Response

The AU response has been disappointing, but neither regional powers nor the UN fared better. Domestic considerations, power politics and historic allegiances, as well as antagonisms, have shaped Burundi's neighbours' hesitant response. At the UN, the divergent policies of Security Council members and divisions within and between the Council and Secretariat have thwarted attempts to find a solution. Institutional rivalries, coupled with the absence of a shared analysis, prevented a coordinated approach. The government exploited this disunity, playing the main actors  the AU, EAC and UN  off against one another.

A. Regional Dynamics

At the beginning of the crisis, a key concern was the legitimacy of Nkurunziza's re-election attempt. Two allies, Tanzania's President Jakaya Kikwete and South Africa's President Zuma, cautioned him against standing. However, the EAC did not condemn the third-term bid  it would have been difficult for it to do so following the failed May 2015 coup attempt. Nina Wilen, "The rationales behind the EAC members' response to the Burundi Crisis", Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, Volume 17, Number 1, Winter/Spring 2016. "Tanzania's Kikwete says Burundi should heed president term limit; risks regional tensions", Mail & Guardian, 20 March 2016; "Zuma calls for Nkurunziza not to stand for a third term", video, SABC Digital News, May 8 2015. A 31 May 2015 EAC communique stopped short of calling for Nkurunziza not to stand, insisting instead on postponing elections. For others, it was never a consideration. Uganda's Museveni, in power for 29 years and having amended presidential term limits in 2005, was seeking a fifth mandate. President Jose Eduardo dos Santos has ruled Angola since 1979. Next door in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Joseph Kabila has been preparing his own attempt to extend his stay in office.

Once Nkurunziza won the election, the third term became moot in the region and much of Africa. For many African leaders, especially those who fought long liberation struggles, incumbency is paramount. Factor in the special relationships of Nkurunziza and his party with many of them and their parties, and it is easy to see why he has not come under serious pressure. After the July 2015 summit, and aside from a half-hearted attempt to kick-start the inter-Burundian dialogue in December. EAC leaders did little and did not meet until March. For the U.S. and other Western countries, the third term remains a concern (see also Section V.B.). Sheltered by Tanzania during the civil war, the ruling CNDD-FDD has links to its security services. Zuma and Museveni assisted the settlement that ended the war and brought Nkurunziza to power. Crisis Group interviews, UN officials, Addis Ababa, 29 January, 15 March 2016. Rwanda is the exception, consistently calling for him to step down. It argues not that term extensions are inherently bad  President Kagame pushed through a constitutional change that allows him to keep office until 2034  but that Burundi has not prospered under his rule. It is also alarmed by the rise of anti-Tutsi hate speech, similar to that used prior to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, and fears the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda could gain a foothold. The UN and U.S., among others, have accused Rwanda of supporting Burundian armed opposition groups to weaken Nkurunziza. Distrust of Rwanda's perceived destabilisation of the region, and its alleged assistance to the armed insurrection, have shaped the response of other neighbours and contribute to EAC paralysis. Kagame told a University College (London) economist the crisis was about performance, not third terms. "Rwanda's President Kagame tell Burundi's Nkurunziza to step down", Kenya Today, 11 May 2015. "Rwanda aids Burundi rebels, North Korea arms Congo  UN experts", Reuters, 12 May 2016; "US accuses Rwanda of stoking violence in Burundi", Agence France-Presse, 11 February 2016. Yolande Bouka, "Missing the Target: The African Union's Mediating Efforts in Burundi", Egmont Royal Institute of International Relations, June 2016.

Former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa's appointment as facilitator in March 2016 signalled increased Tanzanian engagement and revived optimism in the EAC process. However, negotiation delays, interference from the new EAC secretary general, Liberat Mfumukeko (an Nkurunziza loyalist), and the government's refusal to sit down with the Conseil national pour le respect de l'accord d'Arusha pour la paix et la reconciliation au Burundi et de l'Etat de droit (CNARED), the opposition coalition, during the first round of talks on 21 May, sparked criticism of him. His decision to meet with exiled opponents separately in Brussels somewhat allayed fears, but the discussions collapsed in July, amid government walkouts and opposition boycotts."Violence increases as Burundi talks delayed", Voice of America, 2 May 2016; and "Burundi peace talks open in Tanzania with opposition criticism", Reuters, 21 May 2016. "Burundi: pour le Cnared, la rencontre avec Mkapa est deja une 'victoire'", Radio France Internationale (RFI), 10 June 2016; "Burundi: peace talks collapse in Arusha", The East African, 16 July 2016.

B. The UN's Role

The UN has been actively involved. There have been two Security Council visits and another from the Secretary-General (February 2016), plus Council meetings resulting in three resolutions, two presidential statements and a series of press releases. However, these have borne little fruit. Two reasons stand out. First, disagreements over how to mitigate and resolve the crisis stymied decisive response. Secondly, the Council tried to follow the African lead, but the continent has rarely spoken with a single voice. The Council's slow response, despite warnings by the Secretariat, also illustrates its declining influence in Burundi. This was particularly evident in the withdrawal, under pressure, of the UN's special political mission and its replacement in January 2015 by an electoral observation mission, with a significantly narrower mandate. For example, in January 2015, the Secretariat warned that the elections could "either consolidate or unravel the peace consolidation efforts undertaken since the Arusha accords" and pointed to the eroding spirit of the accords, shrinking of political space, intimidation of opposition supporters and limitations on free assembly and expression. "Report on the United Nations Office in Burundi", UNSC S/2015/36, 19 January 2015. "Burundi briefing and consultations", What's in Blue (www.whatsinblue.org), 27 January 2014. See also, Crisis Group Africa Report N192, Burundi: Bye-bye Arusha?, 25 October 2012.

As the 2015 elections approached, some Western governments focused statements on opposition to Nkurunziza's third term. A number of non-permanent Security Council members and Secretariat officials argue that emphasising this, rather than the risk of violence and importance of dialogue, complicated consensus efforts in a Council whose divisions over other crises were starting to seep into its response. Its first visit to Burundi in March 2015 was of limited value, as members had not agreed on a clear message or possible leverage. Crisis Group interviews, New York, December 2015, February 2016. Whether a different focus would have made consensus easier is unclear, given already acrimonious relations over Ukraine and Syria. Some also argue that the insistence Nkurunziza stand down also made the opposition less likely to compromise. Crisis Group interviews, UN officials, New York, July 2015.

An idea that gained traction after the second, January 2016 visit, was police deployment. Some Western permanent members initially wanted an armed international presence to protect civilians in the event of widespread violence following increasingly sharp anti-Tutsi rhetoric. Crisis Group interviews, UN and member state officials, New York, February 2016. Subsequently, as the Council perceived an immediate genocide threat subsiding, proponents argued police could increase monitoring and so deter continuing human rights abuse by authorities.

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In April 2016, the Secretariat presented the Council three deployment options: light (twenty-50 unarmed police to work with Burundian forces); middle (228 unarmed police); and a 3,000-strong force. Angola, China, Egypt, Russia and Venezuela favoured the light option, largely toeing Burundi's line. France, the penholder, considered the middle course most viable given Council dynamics. The U.S. initially backed the most robust option, with formed police units to patrol visibly and report regularly. Crisis Group interviews, member-state officials, New York, April-August 2016. "Burundi: briefing on options for police deployment", What's in Blue, 26 April 2016. After months of intermittent discussion, the Council authorised deployment of up to 228 to monitor the security situation and support the office of the high commissioner for human rights in monitoring human rights abuses. Russia, which initially wanted the lighter option, voted in favour, but abstentions from Angola, China, Egypt, and Venezuela, all citing Bujumbura's opposition to a large police presence, dampened any sense of Council unity. The Burundian government swiftly rejected the resolution. Resolution 2303, which authorised the police, also asked the Secretariat to report on how the UN could facilitate deployment of AU observers and for proposals on how the UN police component could cooperate with them. It did not specify whether police would be armed, but Council members generally assumed they would not be, per the Secretariat's second option. UNSC S/RES/2303, 29 July 2016. Crisis Group interviews, New York. "Government reaction following the adoption by the UN Security Council of the Resolution 2303 (2016)", 2 August 2016. Some Council members have privately urged the UN Secretariat to liaise with Nkurunziza to soften his position on the police, and some have engaged bilaterally with Burundi. Crisis Group interviews, New York, September 2016. But the Council has taken no further collective action on its resolution  and has not even formally discussed the Burundi situation since July  further illustrating the degree to which divisions undermine its effectiveness.

As Russia and China tend to take their cue on regional crises from African members, it further complicates the Council's role that the A3 have not spoken with one voice or followed AU policy. During discussions in November 2015, Angola counselled against using language directly from earlier PSC communiques. Russia and China supported its position until the AUC persuaded them to withdraw their objections. Since joining the Council in January 2016, Egypt has taken a strong pro-government, anti-interventionist stand on many crises, joining Angola, China, Russia and Venezuela to resist robust UN action in Burundi. Crisis Group interviews, AU and UN officials, Addis Ababa, 9 December 2015, 29 January 2016. Cairo wants to uphold the principle of non-interference, support a fellow Nile Basin country and exact payback for the AUC's suspension of its participation following the 2013 ousting of President Mohamed Morsi. Egypt also became a member of the AU PSC in April 2016. Crisis Group interviews, AU official, Western diplomats, Addis Ababa, 25 January, 16 March 2016.

C. International Discord and Disunity

Institutional rivalries, coupled with the absence of shared analysis, have prevented coordinated approaches. While strategic coordination has been limited, cooperation between the AU and UN at a working-level in Burundi has been more effective. Early attempts at collective action, such as initial cooperation between the AU and EAC and formation of the Joint International Facilitation Team (representing the EAC, AU, International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and UN), were short lived, leaving each appearing to defend its own role or trying to carve out space at the expense of a competitor. The joint team, created at a June 2015 PSC summit, apparently met just once, after which it called for election postponement to 30 July. "Statement by the Joint International Facilitation Team on Burundi", 26 June 2015.

Though its mediation stalled, the EAC was unwilling to allow the AU to engage further. The AUC has bristled at the UN's enhanced role after MAPROBU's failure, fearing that the Security Council's proposed police contingent would steal the mandate and draw financial support away from its human rights and military observers. Nkurunziza has been quick to exploit UN-AUC tension, at times courting the former while giving the cold shoulder to the latter and lobbying Council members not to support the AU's observer mission. Crisis Group interviews, UN official, 15 March 2016; AU officials, Addis Ababa, 31 January, 22 March 2016; UN officials and African diplomats, New York, 25-26 May 2016. Mkapa, like his predecessor, has been slow to accept UN help, relying instead on the EAC secretariat, headed by a Burundian diplomat, despite its limited mediation experience.

The international community missed a number of other opportunities to demonstrate joint commitment to resolving the crisis, such as could have been done if the PSC and AUC chairperson had joined UN counterparts' Burundi visits, assuming positions and messaging were aligned in advance and then relayed clearly to Nkurunziza. Crisis Group interviews, AU and UN officials, Addis Ababa, 29 January 2016. They should take up further chances for collaboration.

VI. Moving Forward

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Despite widespread censure, the government has proven it can resist international pressure. The EAC-led mediation under Museveni has made little progress but is currently the only mechanism for dialogue, so the AU, UN and others should provide logistical, financial and political support. More crucially, the AU, UN and EAC need to build consensus and coordinate better. A contact group would be an important step toward aligning positions and could inject new life into negotiations. As requested by Mkapa, Museveni (and other EAC leaders) must become more personally engaged. Having agreed to mediate, he should shoulder the responsibilities and, as a minimum, set out his vision for the way forward.

Two key leverage points have not yet been fully utilised: targeted sanctions and denying Burundi's financially advantageous participation in AU and UN peacekeeping operations. Implementation of limited sanctions has been haphazard and half-hearted. For example, in October 2015, the EU sanctioned four government members; two months later the U.S. sanctioned a slightly different group. But with government revenue falling and further GDP decline forecast, the government is vulnerable to economic pressure. UN sanctions are unlikely given Security Council divisions, but the AU should implement the PSC's October 2015 decision to impose targeted sanctions. Despite the difficulty of ensuring full adherence in a region generally supportive of Nkurunziza, that would send an important signal and add further pressure on the government. The EU and the U.S., whose special Great Lakes region envoy has already condemned the use of inflammatory rhetoric, should expand their existing sanctions to include those propagating hate speech. Removal of sanctions should be clearly benchmarked to reducing violence, ending impunity and starting dialogue."Burundi braces for more violence", Deutsche Welle, 7 November 2015. Crisis Group Statement, "Burundi: Time for Tough Messages", 24 February 2016.

Funds from the army's contribution to the AU mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the UN mission in the Central African Republic are a vital lifeline for the government. Removal could force it to change its dangerous trajectory. The EU and AU should finalise changes so that AMISOM money is paid directly to the soldiers. The AU and its partners should also solicit other troop contributors to replace Burundian soldiers within AMISOM eventually, so as to pressure the authorities to begin an open, genuine dialogue. "EU takes aim where it hurts Burundi  peacekeeper funding", Reuters, 29 March 2016. Crisis Group Report, Burundi: A Dangerous Third Term, op. cit. A UN Human Rights Council-mandated investigation that found widespread, systematic human rights violations in Burundi has urged the UN and AU to "phase out the use of Burundian troops in peacekeeping operations while the crisis continues". "Report of the UN Independent Investigation on Burundi (UNIIB) established pursuant to Human Rights Council Resolution S-24/1*", UN HRC A/HRC/33/37, 20 September 2016, p. 23. The Burundian government rejected the findings as "politically exaggerated". Foreign Minister Alain Nyamitwe, UN General Assembly speech, 24 September 2016.

VII. Conclusion

Attention and interest has shifted away from the Burundi crisis. The government appears to have realised that keeping casualties to a minimum limits scrutiny and is forging ahead with plans to change the constitution and abolish presidential term limits. Discussions about this could begin at October's parliamentary session. Though the 2020 election cycle seems far off, international actors should press harder for a political settlement. Postponing firmer, more unified action would leave the country at best in a permanent state of low intensity violence. Despite internal divisions, the AU should not disengage but rather insist on deployment of its human rights and military observers. Institutional rivalries between the AU, EAC and UN must not block the concerted international action needed to secure a negotiated solution and prevent a deeper decent into civil war.

Addis Ababa/Nairobi/Brussels, 28 September 2016

VIII. Glossary

A3 The collective name for the three rotating African members of the UN Security Council, currently Angola, Egypt and Senegal.

ACHPR The African Commission on Human and People's Rights oversees and interprets the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, an international instrument designed to promote and protect human rights and basic freedoms on the continent.

AMISO African Union Mission in Somalia.

APSA The African Peace and Security Architecture, the umbrella term for the AU's mechanisms for promoting peace, security and stability in Africa. It consists of the Peace and Security Council, the Panel of the Wise, the Continental Early Warning System, the Africa Standby Force and the Peace Fund.

AU African Union.

AUC The African Union Commission is the AU's secretariat. Headquartered in Addis Ababa, it is led by the Chairperson (currently Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma) and supported by a deputy chairperson and eight commissioners.

CEWS The Continental Early Warning System gathers information about potential conflicts or threats to the security of AU member states. It is housed in the Peace and Security Department's Conflict Prevention and Early Warning Division.

CNARED The National Council for the Restoration of the Arusha Agreement and the Rule of Law is a coalition of the main exiled Burundian opposition movements, as well as two former presidents, members of civil society and CNDD-FDD dissidents.

CNDD-FDD The National Council for the Defence of Democracy-Forces for the Defence of Democracy is Burundi's ruling party. During the civil war (1993-2005) it was a significant rebel group.

DRC Democratic Republic of Congo.

EAC The East African Community is an inter-governmental organisation with six members: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

EASF The Eastern Africa Standby Force is one of the five regional multidimensional forces that make up the African Standby Force. It members are Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda.

EU European Union.

MAPROBU African Prevention and Protection Mission in Burundi.

PSC The Peace and Security Council, the AU's decision-making organ for the prevention, management and resolution of conflict, is a standing committee of fifteen members elected according to regional representation and rotation.

PSD The AUC's Peace and Security Department supports the PSC and Commission in activities related to the promotion of peace, security and stability in Africa.

MoU Memorandum of understanding.

RECs The Regional Economic Communities are groupings of African states formed to facilitate economic integration between member states. They are increasingly involved in coordinating AU member states' interests in areas such as peace and security, development and governance. The AU recognises eight RECs.

RMs The regional coordinating mechanisms of the regional standby forces of Eastern and Northern Africa.
UN food relief agency reaches town in northern Iraq for first time in two years

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 28 September 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN food relief agency reaches town in northern Iraq for first time in two years, 28 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57ebea9b40c.html [accessed 31 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

28 September 2016 - For the first time in more than two years, the United Nations food relief agency has distributed urgently-needed food for people in and around the northern Iraqi town of Shirqat, which was under siege and cut off from humanitarian access from 2014 until earlier this month.

Families in Shirqat are in a desperate need of humanitarian support after being cut off from the outside world for more than two years, said Sally Haydock, Country Director in Iraq for the UN World Food Programme (WFP), in a news release.

Thanks to a major contribution from USAID's Food for Peace and Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, WFP will be able to continue providing support for newly displaced families from the larger Mosul area, she said.

WFP distributed a one-month supply of food for families in the Khadhraniya area of Shirqat through its local partner, Muslim Aid.

Residents of Shirqat  which is located 80 kilometres south of Mosul  have been living under very harsh conditions, struggling to access water, food, medical services and a functioning local market. WFP distributed rice, lentils, wheat flour, bulgur wheat, beans and vegetable oil for an initial 1,000 people. The agency plans to monitor the situation and support people in the town and surrounding villages over the coming weeks.

This latest contribution of $25 million to WFP continues and reinforces our support to displaced and conflict-affected Iraqis, said Douglas Silliman, United States Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq.

Mr. Silliman noted that since 2014, the United States, through the Office of Food for Peace of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has provided more than $113 million in life-saving emergency food assistance to the people of Iraq.

More than three million Iraqis have been displaced by conflict since mid-June 2014. In response, WFP has provided food assistance to more than one million vulnerable, displaced Iraqis across all 18 governorates.

WFP is scaling up its assistance to support people displaced from Mosul and surrounding areas in Iraq as part of an inter-agency humanitarian response. To continue assisting displaced families in Iraq until the end of the year, WFP said it urgently requires $68 million.
Syria: New Deadly Chemical Attacks

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 28 September 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Syria: New Deadly Chemical Attacks, 28 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57ebeba64.html [accessed 31 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Syrian government forces apparently used toxic chemicals in two recent attacks in Aleppo, Syria that killed five civilians and injured dozens. New information also indicates that the Islamic State (also known as ISIS) has recently used chemicals as a weapon.

The United Nations Security Council should respond immediately to the credible reports of the attacks, impose individual sanctions, and refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court.



"Even after the UN confirmed the Syrian government's responsibility for chemical attacks on Syrian civilians, Damascus hasn't stopped its criminal behavior," said Ole Solvang, deputy emergencies director at Human Rights Watch. "The Security Council could deter future atrocities by ensuring that the Syrian government faces real consequences for ignoring Security Council resolutions."

Human Rights Watch phone interviews with local residents, medical personnel, and first responders, as well as reviews of photographs and video footage, indicate that Syrian government helicopters dropped barrel bombs with toxic chemicals on two residential neighborhoods in opposition-controlled parts of Aleppo city, on August 10 and on September 6, 2016.

After each attack, dozens of people suffering from a shortage of breath, coughing, reddened skin and eyes, and excessive tearing sought medical treatment in hospitals. Five people, including three children, died as a result of the attacks, doctors and local activists said.

One doctor described the deaths of two children and their mother from the August 10 attack: "The children were unconscious and unresponsive. Their mother was shivering, coughing, and wheezing. She barely could breathe and was drooling heavily from her mouth."

A UN-appointed investigation into chemical attacks in Syria will present its fourth and final report on nine attacks in 2014 and 2015 to the Security Council on October 21. The previous report by the Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) set up by the UN and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), attributed two attacks with chlorine, in 2014 and 2015, to the Syrian government and one attack with mustard gas in 2015 to ISIS, which is already under UN sanctions. The Security Council should extend and expand the mandate of the UN-appointed investigation, Human Rights Watch said.

Identifying with certainty the chemical allegedly used in the recent Aleppo attacks without laboratory testing is difficult, but the signs and symptoms reported by victims and medical personnel indicate that government forces probably used chlorine, Human Rights Watch said. Photographs and video footage show remnants of the barrel bombs, including several gas cylinders. Local residents who were close to the impact site and medical personnel said they sensed a strong odor of chlorine, similar to the odor of bleach-based household cleansers, near the impact sites and from the clothes of those affected.

Two doctors said that patients they treated after the September 6, 2016 attack told them that they had seen yellow or green smoke near the impact site. That would be consistent with the use of chlorine, which is a pale yellowish green. Chlorine has many civilian uses but the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention, which Syria joined in October 2013, bans the use of chemicals as a weapon.

The remnants at the two sites show that the weapons used were barrel bombs, an improvised unguided device usually dropped from a helicopter. Witnesses to the attacks said that they heard the sound of a helicopter above and then of a barrel bomb falling just before they smelled chlorine. There have been no reports of armed opposition groups flying helicopters.

Syrian government helicopters have dropped barrel bombs containing toxic chemicals on opposition-controlled territory at least since April 2014. Human Rights Watch published reports on the use of chemicals as weapons in Syria in May 2014, April 2015, and June 2015.

The Syrian Archive, a platform that collects, curates, and verifies visual evidence of human rights violations, has collected and analyzed 14 videos related to the two attacks.

On August 7, 2015, the Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2235, establishing the investigation to "identify to the greatest extent feasible individuals, entities, groups, or governments who were perpetrators, organisers, sponsors or otherwise involved in the use of chemicals as weapons." At the time, Russia said the investigation would close the gap in identifying those responsible for the use of chlorine as a weapon in Syria. The United States emphasized that "[p]ointing the finger matters."

The Security Council should renew the joint inquiry's mandate to allow it to continue its investigation into these and other allegations of chemical weapon attacks in Syria, Human Rights Watch said. Extending the mandate would put all parties on notice that their leaders could be held liable as a matter of command responsibility for chemical attacks by their forces.

The Chemical Weapons Convention prohibits the use of the toxic properties of common chemicals such as chlorine to kill or injure. Among other obligations, each member state agrees never to "assist, encourage or induce, in any way, anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Convention." The laws of war applicable in Syria prohibit the use of chemical weapons. The use of prohibited weapons with criminal intent, deliberately or recklessly, is a war crime.

The UN Security Council should impose an arms embargo that would suspend all military sales and assistance, including technical training and services, to all forces credibly implicated in serious violations in Syria, including the Syrian government, Human Rights Watch said. The council should also impose sanctions against officials from all sides who are shown to be implicated in the most serious abuses, and commit to a credible process to ensure criminal accountability for grave abuses by all sides. Human Rights Watch has repeatedly called on the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court.

"It's appalling that 100 years since the First World War, governments are still using chemical weapons, and even more appalling that Syria has been able to get away with it," Solvang said. "The Security Council should enforce the chemical weapon treaty ban, which has spared countless civilians from death and excruciating pain."

September 6 Attack on Aleppo

Shortly after 1 p.m. on September 6, a helicopter dropped a barrel bomb on the Sukkari neighborhood in an opposition-held part of Aleppo, local residents told Human Rights Watch.

Three people who were close to the impact site said that there was no explosion, but that soon afterward, they detected a strong odor of chlorine. Local residents said that there was no opposition military presence in the area at the time of the attack.

One doctor who was at his house near his clinic, coordinating the response to the attack, said:



I could hear the helicopter clearly as it flew in the air above my house. Then I heard the sound of the barrel being dropped. It has a distinct sound. Usually, an explosive barrel makes a very, very loud sound when it lands. But this time there was no such sound. We assumed it didn't explode. Moments later, one of our personnel arrived. He had chlorine smell on his clothes.

One resident said:

The barrel bomb did not explode, but a few minutes later, I sensed a strong smell of chlorine. People ran in the streets. Their eyes were red and they were coughing heavily. Everyone ran to the water tanks to wash their faces. They were screaming, "Chorine! Chlorine!" It was terrible and scary. I put water on my shirt, covered my face, and ran away.

Bilal Abdul Kareem, an American activist journalist who was only a few blocks from the impact site, gave a similar account:

My cameraman heard the barrel land. When we went closer we saw people sitting in the street with cheap surgical masks, gasping for air. The smell became overwhelming. I became short of breath and my eyes began to sting. There was a strong smell of chlorine  like in a swimming pool.

Abdul Kareem later posted a video report about the attack.

Dozens of people sought medical treatment after the attack, according to medical sources. The al-Quds hospital released a statement in which it said that it had received 71 patients, including 37 children and 10 women. A report from the Omar Abdel Aziz Hospital in Aleppo said that it had treated 36 patients, including 9 women and 8 children. The Syrian-American Medical Society reported that more than 150 people went to three hospitals in Aleppo, including one that it supports.

A local activist said that two people died from the effects of the attack: Abd Al-Kareem Afefeh, 29, died immediately, while Hajar Kiali, 13, died two days later. A doctor confirmed Kiali's death to Human Rights Watch.

Medical personnel from the three hospitals said that those affected exhibited symptoms including shortness of breath, coughing, and swollen and red eyes. Some fainted and vomited, one doctor said. The report from the Omar Abdel Aziz Hospital listed similar symptoms.

At the hospitals, first responders and medical personnel undressed and washed the patients and administered oxygen and antihistamine. "Even before the attack we had a shortage of oxygen bottles," one doctor said. "Suddenly, we had to treat 36 patients at the same time. We took the mask from one patient to give to another."

Video footage from the al-Quds hospital show hospital staff undressing and washing people and giving them oxygen. Some of the patients, including children, have apparent breathing problems.

Medical personnel said that there was a strong odor of chlorine on the patients' clothes. One doctor whose hospital had received about 80 patients, two-thirds of them women and children, said:



We didn't even ask them what was wrong when they arrived. It was obvious from the smell and the symptoms. Their clothes smelled of chlorine, similar to what's used in cleaning detergent at home.

Another doctor said, "Their clothes smelled strongly of chlorine, like the bleach we clean the floors with. The smell was so strong it filled the whole hospital."

Two medical personnel also said that patients had told them that the gas was colored. One doctor said patients described the color as yellow or yellow-green. Another doctor said that his team of first responders who went to the site described it as "greenish, leaning toward blue." A journalist working for Halab TV also said that local residents said that they saw a greenish-yellowish smoke.

Photographs and video footage that the Forensic Medical Services in Aleppo posted on its Facebook page show remnants of the barrel bomb, including at least four ruptured gas cylinders.

August 10 Attack on Aleppo

About 8:30 p.m. on August 10, a helicopter dropped at least one barrel bomb containing a toxic chemical in the opposition-held Zabdiya neighborhood of Aleppo, according to a local resident, medical personnel, and photographs and video footage.

A local resident told Human Rights Watch that he was at home when he heard a helicopter and then the sound of a bomb falling and hitting the ground. He went outside to help anyone who was injured:

People started getting dizzy, had tears in their eyes, and were unable to breathe. Those who had asthma and breathing problems were affected the most. Some even started getting symptoms while at home. I wore a mask. My 6-month-old son, however, inhaled toxic gas. He kept coughing endlessly for several days afterward.

The local resident said that there was a strong odor of chlorine and that there was yellowish dust where the barrel bomb had struck.

The local resident told Human Rights Watch that the attack took place in a residential area, away from the front lines, where thousands of civilians still lived.

Dozens of people went to hospitals for medical treatment following the attack. One doctor said:

Many families arrived to the hospital, all with respiratory problems: suffocation, coughing, wheezing, some had a rash, excessive tearing. We knew it was a chemical gas because they all had a strong smell about them. The smell was very similar to the chlorine. We treated around 60 to 65 people.

Another doctor said that two children and their mother died in the attack:

At first, two children and their mother arrived to the hospital. The children were unconscious and unresponsive. Their mother was shivering, coughing, and wheezing. She barely could breathe and was drooling heavily from her mouth. Their clothes were covered in a wet substance with a sharp smell, like chlorine. The two kids went into cardiac arrest after around fifteen minutes. We tried to resuscitate them to no avail. Five minutes later, the mother also died.

The Forensic Medical Services in Aleppo also published a statement saying that two children and a woman died in the attack. Video footage posted on YouTube claims to show one of children who died.

Other video footage shows hospital staff giving oxygen to patients, including children.

Bellingcat, a citizen investigative journalist group, reviewed and analyzed several videos related to the attack, comparing the dates and locations of the videos.

Video footage that the Smart News Agency posted on YouTube shows remnants of the Zabidya barrel bomb, including what appears to be several ruptured gas cylinders. The remnants are similar to those in the September 6 attack.

Attacks Implicating ISIS

Photographs, video footage, and interviews with local residents indicate that ISIS has recently used chemicals as weapons.

About 4 p.m. on August 16, several large, locally made mortar shells struck Marea, a town 30 kilometers north of Aleppo controlled by the armed opposition group the Free Syrian Army and near the front line with ISIS forces, according to residents who gave video interviews to a local journalist.

A first responder and a member of the medical staff said that up to 10 people close to the impact site suffered from symptoms leading them to believe that the mortar rounds contained chemicals. The symptoms included breathing difficulties, reddened eyes and skin, nausea, and loss of coordination. The first responder also said that he noticed a strong odor near the impact site.

Video from the impact site shows the remnants of the munition and what appears to be a thick black liquid splattered on a wall nearby. Photographs from an attack in August 2015, in which dozens of local residents also exhibited symptoms consistent with chemical exposure, show a similar black substance.

Yasser al-Hajj confirmed to Human Rights Watch that he had visited Marea the day after the attack and filmed the interviews and the weapon remnants. The munitions had struck near the post office in the center of Marea, he said.

ISIS has repeatedly attacked Marea from nearby positions.

On September 16, social media reports, collected by Bellingcat, claimed that ISIS had used chemicals as weapons in attacks against several other towns and villages in northern Syria. Two local residents told Human Rights Watch that munitions struck Umm Hawsh, a village five kilometers from Marea, in the evening of September 15 or early in the morning on September 16. Soon after the attack, two women living nearby, including the cousin of one of the local residents, started experiencing breathlessness, coughing, reddening of the eyes, and blistering of the skin. The women sought medical treatment at the hospital in nearby Afrin.

The two residents provided Human Rights Watch with photographs of two women showing blistering. Blistering is a common symptom from exposure to mustard agent, which the joint investigation concluded that ISIS had used in 2015. One photograph also shows munition remnants similar to those found in Marea.

Human Rights Watch also has not been able to determine with certainty the chemical used in the attacks. However, an initial test of a similar "tar-like black oily substance" found on a shell that struck a US base in Iraq revealed traces of a mustard agent, media reports said, citing US military officials.

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Appeal court confirms 10-year term for Narges Mohammadi

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 28 September 2016 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Appeal court confirms 10-year term for Narges Mohammadi, 28 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57ebec3b4.html [accessed 31 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns a Tehran court's decision to uphold journalist and human rights activist Narges Mohammadi's ten-year jail sentence on appeal.

Her lawyers received the news as her close colleague, 2003 Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi, and RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire were meeting yesterday with Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo.

Mohammadi's husband, Taghi Rahmani, told RSF that the court rejected her lawyers' appeals and confirmed the combined 16-year sentence that a Tehran court, under the ministry of intelligence's influence, imposed at the end of trial in April that was marked by irregularities.

Detained since May 2015, Mohammadi will have to serve 10 of the 16 years under a law adopted in 2015, according to which anyone convicted on several criminal charges serves only the sentence corresponding to the most important charge.

Mayor Hidalgo expressed concern yesterday about the fate of Mohammadi, who was awarded the City of Paris medal on 3 May as a journalist and prominent defender of women's rights.

Ebadi, whose latest book, "Until We Are Free," has just been published in France, joined RSF in calling for Mohammadi's release. "I condemn this sentence imposed by the Iranian judicial system as Narges' only crime is to be a human rights defender in a country that flout these rights," Ebadi said.

"Narges Mohammadi, this courageous Iranian woman whose iniquitous sentence has just been upheld on appeal, holds a special place in our thoughts and we once again call for her immediate release," Deloire said.

Mohammadi was the spokesman of the Centre for Human Rights Defenders, which was founded by Ebadi, and she worked with Legam, an outlawed campaign for the abolition of the death penalty in Iran.

Iran is ranked 169th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2016 World Press Freedom Index.
Somalia: Another journalist gunned down in Mogadishu

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 28 September 2016 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Somalia: Another journalist gunned down in Mogadishu, 28 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57ebecb64.html [accessed 31 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns a Tehran court's decision to uphold journalist and human rights activist Narges Mohammadi's ten-year jail sentence on appeal.

Her lawyers received the news as her close colleague, 2003 Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi, and RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire were meeting yesterday with Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo.

Mohammadi's husband, Taghi Rahmani, told RSF that the court rejected her lawyers' appeals and confirmed the combined 16-year sentence that a Tehran court, under the ministry of intelligence's influence, imposed at the end of trial in April that was marked by irregularities.

Detained since May 2015, Mohammadi will have to serve 10 of the 16 years under a law adopted in 2015, according to which anyone convicted on several criminal charges serves only the sentence corresponding to the most important charge.

Mayor Hidalgo expressed concern yesterday about the fate of Mohammadi, who was awarded the City of Paris medal on 3 May as a journalist and prominent defender of women's rights.

Ebadi, whose latest book, "Until We Are Free," has just been published in France, joined RSF in calling for Mohammadi's release. "I condemn this sentence imposed by the Iranian judicial system as Narges' only crime is to be a human rights defender in a country that flout these rights," Ebadi said.

"Narges Mohammadi, this courageous Iranian woman whose iniquitous sentence has just been upheld on appeal, holds a special place in our thoughts and we once again call for her immediate release," Deloire said.

Mohammadi was the spokesman of the Centre for Human Rights Defenders, which was founded by Ebadi, and she worked with Legam, an outlawed campaign for the abolition of the death penalty in Iran.

Iran is ranked 169th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2016 World Press Freedom Index.
Press freedom violations recounted in real time January 2016

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 28 September 2016 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Press freedom violations recounted in real time January 2016, 28 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57ebed594.html [accessed 31 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

28.09.2016 - Journalist sentenced to seven years in prison

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is outraged to learn that Souroush Farhadian, a contributor to several pro-reform newspapers and editor of the bimonthly Ro Beh Ro (Opposite), was sentenced on 23 September to seven years in prison. He has appealed against his conviction.

Farhadian was summoned and arrested by prosecutors in the central city of Arak on 15 May as a result of a complaint by "a military entity" and was then released on bail after being charged with anti-government publicity and "activities threatening national security."

His lawyer said he was secretly tried in connection with articles denouncing the illegality of the detention of Mir Hossein Mousavi, a former prime minister and owner of the now closed newspaper Kalameh Sabaz, Zahra Rahnavard, who is a writer and Mousavi's wife, and Mehdi Karoubi, owner of the now closed newspaper Etemad Melli. Mousavi and Karoubi, who are both also former presidential candidates, have been under house arrest and deprived of all their rights since February 2011. Their state of health is a source of great concern.

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02.09.2016  Website closed after revelations about Tehran city hall corruption

The Committee for Determining Content that Constitutes Internet Crime, which is headed by prosecutor-general, ordered the closure of the Memarinews website yesterday, after it published documents about the Tehran city hall's sale of city-owned land and apartments to senior officials and municipal council members. Published on 29 August, the documents included letters from the Government Accounting Office criticizing disparities between the sale price and real value of the properties.





Several leading figures, including Tehran mayor (and former Revolutionary Guard commander) Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and municipal council president Mehdi Chameran, filed a complaint against Memarinews on the same day that the documents were published. It accused the site of defamation and publishing false information.





Memarinews editor Yashar Soltani was summoned before the culture and media court just hours after the revelations. Then, in an open letter to the prosecutor-general yesterday, the mayor requested "a more thorough investigation into the published revelations, used by enemy media within Iran and abroad." He also requested a severe punishment for those responsible the corruption, if any corruption is proved, or otherwise for those responsible for publishing the lies. The decision ordering the website closed until further notice was issued later yesterday.

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29.08.2016  Legislator punches newspaper reporter

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is appalled to learn that Ehssan Bodaghi, a reporter for the newspaper Iran, was assaulted in a corridor of the Iranian parliament yesterday by Nader Ghazipour, a hardline parliamentarian from Orumiyeh, the capital of West Azerbaijan province.





When Bodaghi started to ask Ghazipour about the creation of a group of Azeri-speaking parliamentarians, Ghazipour reacted by punching him several times in the face and then dragged him to the office of the parliament's security service. Security officers released Bodaghi an hour later after deleting his audio recordings and making him sign an undertaking "not to start fights." Witnesses of the incident nonetheless said Bodaghi had just put questions to Ghazipour, who responded by accusing him of being "one of the reformers who are against Islam."





Ghazipour has a history of violence. During the last parliamentary elections in February, he told a meeting: "Parliament is not a place for women. It is a place for men (...) We did not easily win [this revolution] and get control of the country in order to now send foxes, children or little donkeys to parliament. Parliament is not a place for donkeys."

When a video of him making these comments was posted on social networks, it prompted an outcry and calls for him to be declared ineligible. Although he subsequently apologized to the women of Orumiyeh on his Instagram account, he threatened those who had "spied, recorded and posted the video." A few days later, Aina News director Hamed Atai and the journalist who had distributed the video were attacked on a street in Orumiyeh by Ghazipour supporters.

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22.08.2016 - Court upholds decision to flog blogger

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is appalled to learn that an appeal court in the city of Saveh, in central Iran, has upheld a lower court's decision that the Saveh-based journalist and blogger Mohammad Reza Fathi should be flogged because of his posts about city officials.





Under the original ruling handed down on 13 April, Fathi was sentenced to 444 lashes (to be administered in six sessions of 74 lashes) on charges of defamation and publishing false information. In its 12 July ruling, the appeal court confirmed the decision to flog Fathi but modified the sentence. It sentenced him to three sessions of 77 lashes for defamation and three sessions of 76 lashes for publishing false information  for an increased total of 459 lashes.





But the appeal court added that only the second sentence (three sessions of 76 lashes) will be administered in accordance with article 134 of the new Islamic penal code (as amended in 2013), which says that when a defendant is given more than one sentence on criminal charges, only the sentence corresponding to the gravest charge is implemented.





RSF again calls on the judicial authorities to overturn this sentence, which is inhumane and medieval, and contrary to international law.

Read the entry of 30.06.2016 - Iranian blogger sentenced to 444 lashes





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16.08.2016 - Journalist gets three years, another trial pending

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is outraged to learn that Issa Saharkhiz, a well-known independent journalist who edited several reformist newspapers, wassentenced to a total of three years in prison by a Tehran revolutionary court on 9 August.

His lawyer, Mahmoud Alizadeh-Tabatabaie, said Saharkhiz was given two years on a charge of anti-government propaganda and one year for "insulting Ali Khamenei, the Islamic Revolution's Supreme Leader." Two other pending charges against Saharkhiz  publishing false news and insulting the head of the judicial system  are to be tried separately as political crimes before a court of assizes, the lawyer added.

Saharkhiz was one of several journalists who were arrested on 2 November 2015. He has been in a Tehran hospital since 10 March after suffering a heart attack and going on hunger strike.

Often proposed since the 1979 revolution, the controversial law on political crimes was finally adopted by the Iranian parliament in May. This law violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (which Iran has signed) and other international norms.

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18.07.2016  Narges Mohammadi ends hunger strike

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is relieved that imprisoned journalist and human rights defender Narges Mohammadi abandoned her hunger strike on 16 July after being able to talk by phone with her two children, who now live with their father in Paris. RSF is pleased that the judicial authorities allowed this but points out that she should not be in prison, especially as she is in very poor health.





RSF was also pleased to learn that Afarin Chitsaz, a journalist held since a wave of arrests on 2 November 2015 , was released on bail of 1 billion toman (720,000 euros) on 5 July pending a decision on his appeal. Two other journalists who were arrested the same day, Ehssan Mazndarani and Saman Safarzai, were each granted three days' furlough on 5 July. Mazndarani had been hospitalized with pulmonary problems after being on hunger strike for more than three weeks.

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08.07.2016  Narges Mohammadi on 12th day of hunger strike

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is concerned about the conditions in which journalist and human rights activist Narges Mohammadi is being detained. She has been on hunger strike since 27 June in protest against her treatment and, in particular, a ban on contacting her husband and children, who live in exile in France. Her state of health is very worrying. "She is continuing her hunger strike although she has to take several medicines every day and has been the victim of convulsions in her cell twice," her husband, Taghi Rahmani, said.





A spokesperson of the Centre for Human Rights Defenders (which has been arbitrarily banned in Iran since 2006) and a close aide of Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi, Mohammadi has had many spells in prison in connection with her human rights activism. Her current period in detention began when she was arrested on 5 May 2015. She was given a 10-year jail sentence on 18 May 2016.



At an event that RSF organized at the Theatre du Rond Point in Paris on 2 May 2016, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo awarded the City of Paris medal to four journalists proposed by RSF. One of them was Mohammadi, who sent a poignant message to the event from her Tehran cell. Her health is in danger but she is being denied the medical treatment she needs. In October 2015, she was taken from prison to a Tehran hospital, where she spent ten days handcuffed to a bed before being returned to prison against medical advice.

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30.06.2016 - Iranian blogger sentenced to 444 lashes

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is outraged by the sentence of 444 lashes that a court in the city of Saveh, in central Iran, imposed on Mohammad Reza Fathi, a journalist and blogger, on 9 June. The sentence is to be implemented in six sessions of 74 lashes. Fathi has filed an appeal. RSF urges the judicial authorities to overturn the sentence, which is inhumane and medieval, and contrary to international law.







The sentence is the outcome of three complaints filed by local officials, including a legislator, a deputy mayor and 11 members of the Saveh municipal council, about articles critical of the municipal government and local officials that Fathi posted anonymously on his blog, called Radio Saveh (http://www.pooria6.blogfa.com/). Arrested by members of the FTA (Iran's cyber-police) on 5 August 2012, he was released on bail 13 days later pending trial on a charge of "publishing false information with the aim of upsetting public opinion." The trial finally began on 13 April 2015 and concluded with the announcement of the sentence three weeks ago.







A number of media outlets and prominent figures have protested against the sentence, some of them in a letter to President Hassan Rouhani. Defending the sentence at a news conference, judicial authority provincial director Ghasem Abdolalhi said flogging was sometimes preferable to imprisonment "because only the culprit feels the consequences, while a jail term also affects the family" and because this form of punishment also satisfied the culprit's victims more. He also pointed out that the sentence could be reduced to a fine on appeal.







Fathi was previously arrested in 2005 in connection with his posts in an earlier blog, Savehjam (http://www.savehjam.blogspot.com), criticizing the provincial governor and Saveh's mayor, and a letter he wrote to then President Mohammad Khatami lamenting "the limited ability of officials to accept criticism." After the release of the letter, he was questioned by members of the Edareh Amaken, Iran's vice squad, on 26 March 2005. Nine days later, members of the local police arrested him on the street and held him for three days. Under pressure from the authorities, he finally closed his blog, which had been very popular in his region.

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22.06.2016 - Jail terms for former Iran CEO and three journalists

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the 91-day jail sentences passed on 18 June on Ali Akbar Javanfekr, former CEO of the Iran media group and onetime adviser to controversial former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and three former journalists with the group's pro-government daily Iran, Abdolreza Soltani, Said Yousefipour and Hassan Ghassemi.

The pro-Ahmadinejad website Dolat Bahar said a special court for government employees convicted them on 19 May of an "act of rebellion against government agents." Their lawyers have appealed.





They were convicted in connection with the events that took place on 21 November 2011, as Javanfekr was holding a news conference at Iran's headquarters to protest against the one-year jail sentence and three-year ban on working as a journalist that a court had given him the day before. Tehran prosecutor's office representatives and police carried a particularly violent raid on the newspaper during the press conference, arresting Javanfekr and using teargas on the Iran journalists who were there to support him.

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21.06.2016  Reformist daily Ghanoon suspended

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi's decision yesterday to suspend the reformist daily Ghanoon with immediate effect in response to a complaint by the Revolutionary Guards accusing it of defamation and "publishing false information with the aim of upsetting public opinion." The newspaper's name means "The Law" in Persian.





Dolatabadi said the decision was taken under article 114 of the code of criminal procedure, which provides for immediate measures for the "prevention of crime." He did not say what prompted the complaint but Ghanoon often publishes articles critical of the conservative factions that support the Supreme Leader and have the judicial system's support.

A Ghanoon article dated 25 May and headlined "The latest change: ministry of intelligence 2" criticized a bill that was approved on the last day of the latest session of parliament, on 25 May. It granted full powers to the Revolutionary Guard intelligence agency, which operates independently of the ministry of intelligence.

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16 June 2016 - Conservative website closed, reformist editor prosecuted

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reiterates its condemnation of government harassment of print and online media outlets following the closure of a conservative news website and the start of judicial proceedings against the editor of a reformist newspaper.





The Committee for Press Authorization and Surveillance, the censorship wing of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, closed the conservative Jahannews website on 15 June under paragraph 11 of article 6 of the press code, which bans "spreading rumours and false information and misusing content written by others." The committee did not say which content had caused offence.





The site often posts stories critical of the government. In recent months, it posted information about the visits to Iran by Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour, who was killed in a US drone strike in May, and revealed the content of a letter from European Union foreign affairs representative Federica Mogherini to the Iranian foreign minister about problems implementing the international agreement on Iran's nuclear programme. It also revealed information about the dismissal of a member of the Rouhani administration. According to Iranian media reports, both the foreign ministry and the president's office have filed complaints against Jahannews.





The reformist daily Ghanon was the victim of a complaint by the prison administration accusing it of publishing false information. On 14 June, the Tehran public prosecutor confirmed that Ghanon editor Mahnaz Mazaheri would be prosecuted over an 11 June article headlined "24 cursed hours" about the mistreatment and injuries that a detainee received in the course of a 24-hour period in a prison in the southern part of the capital.





Hossein Shariatmadari, the editor of the ultra-conservative daily Kayhan, was meanwhile questioned by the prosecutor's office for culture and media on 15 June about complaints filed by various government bodies accusing it of publishing false and libellous information. A former interrogator at Tehran's Evin prison, Shariatmadari was appointed as Kayhan's editor by Supreme Guide Ali Khamenei in the early 1990s.

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15.06.2016  Five Internet activists freed conditionally

Reporters Without Borders is pleased to learn that five Internet activists who had been held for the past three years  Amir Gholestani, Fariborz Kardarfar, Masoud Ghasemkhani, Seyyed Masoud Seyyed Talebi and Amin (Faride) Akramipour  were granted conditional releases on 13 June.

Gholestani had been due to serve another 12 years in prison, Kardarfar another 10, Ghasemkhani another eight, and Talebi and Akramipour another four. All of them also have suspended sentence of five years prison. This means they will be under judicial control for the next five years and will have to report to a police station every month.





Revolutionary Guards arrested them and three others in September 2013 because of their activities on social networks, above all their Facebook posts about human rights abuses. After being placed in solitary confinement in Section 2A of Tehran's Evin prison and subjected to a great deal of pressure, the eight defendants were sentenced to a combined total of 123 years in prison on 27 May 2014 on charges of anti-government propaganda, "insulting what is sacred" and "insulting the Supreme Leader of the Revolution."





An appeal court reduced the sentences significantly in April 2015. Two of the other three activists, Naghmeh Shahi Savandi Shirazi and Mehdi Reyshahri, were released in 2014 and 2015 respectively. The third, Roya Saberi Negad Nobakht, is still held.

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14 June 2016  Kabodvand paroled but Mazndarani back in his cell

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is relieved to learn that imprisoned journalist Mohammad Sedegh Kabodvand ended his hunger strike on 9 June after being acquitted of the new charges brought against him and welcomes the decision by the judicial authorities to grant him four days of medical parole, which began on 12 June.





RSF nonetheless points out that Kabodvand should have already been released under article 134 of the new Islamic penal code (as amended in 2013), which recommends that a defendant convicted on more than one criminal charge should serve only the longest sentence.





RSF continues to be concerned about the health of Ehssan Mazndarani, an imprisoned journalist who has been on hunger strike since 17 May. According to his family, he was taken back to Tehran's Evin prison on 11 June although he is still refusing to eat and is suffering from pulmonary problems and anxiety attacks.





In a joint statement published on 11 June, 76 Iranian journalists called for the immediate release of these two journalists. "We are concerned about the crucial consequences that the hunger strike could have on the lives of these detained journalists and we condemn the violation of their legal and fundamental rights," the statement said.

----------







07.06.2016 - Concern about two journalists on hunger strike in prison

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) continues to be concerned about the way the authorities in Tehran's Evin prison are treating Mohammad Sedegh Kabodvand and Ehssan Mazndarani, two journalists who are on hunger strike in protest against the conditions in which they are being held and the injustices to which they have been subjected.









Mazndarani has refused to eat since 17 May, according to his family, who were unable to locate him in the prison for several days after he had a heart attack on 21 May. It later turned out that, without telling the family, the prison authorities transferred him to a hospital, where doctors voiced concern about his condition. His family says he was also the victim of violence by a prison guard on the day he was hospitalized.





Kabodvand was hospitalized after he, too, had a heart attack on 25 May but was sent back to Evin prison a week later. Doctors say that his condition is critical and that the hunger strike could cost him his life.





As there no longer seems to be any limit to the persecution of media personnel in Iran, RSF calls on the authorities to give an immediate undertaking to guarantee the health of these two journalists. RSF also reminds Ahmed Shaheed, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, that he has a duty to intercede without delay and to demand official explanations from the authorities.





---------





23.05.2016  Alarm over fate of two journalists in Evin prison

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is outraged by the lack of transparency and denial of justice surrounding the hospitalization of Mohammad Sedegh Kabodvand, a journalist on hunger strike since 8 May in protest against his continuing detention and the judicial harassment to which he has been subjected in recent months

Kabodvand was taken to hospital on 21 May after collapsing in his cell in Tehran's Evin prison but, after 24 hours of observation, he was returned to his cell. His family was able to visit him today but he was very weak and was unable to remain standing. He is continuing his hunger strike and his condition is very worrying.





Ehssan Mazndarani, another journalist held in Evin prison, has meanwhile disappeared within the prison, according to his wife, Malieh Hossieni.

She was told on 17 May that, on the orders of Revolutionary Court Judge Mohammad Moghiseh, he had been transferred back to Section 2A of Evin, a section controlled by the Revolutionary Guards.

But Evin prison officials denied this on 20 May without saying where he was. Arrested on 2 November 2015 along with three other journalists, Mazndarani was sentenced to seven years in prison on 26 April .





RSF urges Ahmed Shaheed, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, to intercede quickly and demand official explanations from the Iranian authorities.

Under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is party, denying medical care constitutes a violation of the ban on torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

----------





12.05.2016 - Shargh's former political editor released



Reporters Without Borders has learned that Keyvan Mehregan, a journalist who writes for reformist newspapers and used to be the daily Shargh's political editor, was released yesterday after serving nine months of a one-year jail term. His wife said a judge granted his conditional release at a Tehran prosecutor's request.



Mehregan was arrested when he went to the Tehran passport office to renew his passport on 26 August 2015. From there he was taken to Evin prison's sentence enforcement office, where he was told that he had been sentenced to a year in prison and that he had to begin serving the sentence at once. He had been detained on several previous occasions since 2009.



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09.05.2016 - Two citizen-journalists freed conditionally

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) welcomes the decision taken on 4 May to grant a medical parole to citizen-journalist Hossien Ronaghi Malki in return for bail of 300 million toman (220,000 euros). Malki, who was arrested in December 2010 and is serving a 15-year jail sentence, has undergone several kidney operations and is in very poor health. He began a hunger strike more than a month ago.

According to his family, a forensic doctor said his medical problems were incompatible with further detention. The Tehran prosecutor's office therefore obtained for him a suspension of sentence for one month on medical grounds.

RSF reminds the judicial authorities that Hossien should already have been released for good under article 134 of the new Islamic criminal code (as amended in 2013), according to which someone convicted of more than one crime serves only the main sentence.





RSF has also learned that citizen-journalist Atena Ferghdani was freed conditionally on 3 May following last month's announcement by her lawyer, Mohammad Moghimi, that a Tehran appeal court had reduced her jail sentence from 12 years and nine months to 18 months. She continues to be sentenced to three years in prison on a separate charge of insulting the Supreme Leader but this sentence is now suspended and will expire in four years' time .

----------



29.04.2016 - Well-known cartoonist freed conditionally



Reporters Without Borders (RSF) welcomes the release of Hadi Heidari, a well-known cartoonist who worked for the daily Shahrvand and ran the Persian Cartoon website. He was freed conditionally in Tehran on 27 April after completing half of a one-year jail sentence.



Plainclothesmen from the Tehran prosecutor's office arrested him at Shahrvand on 16 November 2015 and took him to Evin prison, where he managed to inform his family that evening that he had been arrested to serve a prison sentence.





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26.04.2016  Long jail terms for journalists arrested in November



Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the heavy jail sentences that have been passed on three journalists who were the victims of a wave of arrests in November.



Afarine Chitsaz of the daily Iran, Ehssan Mazndarani, the editor of the daily Farhikhteghan, and Saman Safarzai of the monthly Andisher Poya were sentenced to ten, seven and five years in prison respectively, according to their lawyers, Mahmoud Alizadeh-Tabatabaie and Iman Mirzazadeh.





A revolutionary court tried them on 7 March on charges of anti-government propaganda, conspiring against government officials and insulting government officials.





They and Issa Saharkhiz, a well-known independent journalist who edited several reformist newspapers in the past, were arrested at their homes by Revolutionary Guard intelligence officers on 2 November. No sentence has been announced for Saharkhiz, who has been in a Tehran hospital since 10 March after going on hunger strike and suffering a heart attack.

Iran is still one of the world's five biggest prisons for media personnel and is ranked 169rd out of 180 countriesin the 2016 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.



----------





25.04.2016  Court reduces citizen-journalist's 12-year sentence



Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is relieved to learn that an appeal court has reduced the sentence imposed on citizen-journalist and human rights defender Atena Ferghdani, and that she is now due to be freed next month. RSF nonetheless calls for her immediate release because she is the innocent victim of judicial persecution.



Her lawyer, Mohammad Moghimi, told journalists today that a Tehran appeal court had reduced her jail sentence from 12 years and nine months to 18 months, and that she should therefore be able to leave prison on 11 May.



"The appeal court acquitted her on the charge of plotting against the regime and ordered a four-year suspension of her sentence for insulting the Supreme Leader, while her sentence for insulting Iran's President and the guards of Section A2 of Evin prison was commuted to a fine," he said. The only sentence upheld by the court was the 18-month jail term for anti-government propaganda, he added.



Ferghdani was arrested on 11 January 2015 when she responded to a summons from a Tehran revolutionary court for posting a video on Facebook and YouTube the previous month. In the video she had described her experiences in Section 2A of Evin prison  a section controlled by Revolutionary Guards  after a previous arrest in August 2014.





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07.04.2016 - Two journalists freed

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is relieved by this week's release of two

journalists  citizen-journalist Vahid Asghari

on 4 April and professional journalist Said Razavi Faghih on 6 April.

A young information technology student arrested on 11 May 2008 at Tehran's main international airport,Asghari was sentenced to death twice by a

revolutionary court on charges of "publishing false information with the aim of stirring up public

opinion," "activities threatening national security" and "hosting anti-Islamic

and counter-revolutionary websites and collaborating with foreign media." After

an international outcry,



the death sentence was quashed and, on 6 December 2012, another revolutionary court gave him an 18-year jail sentence, which a Tehran appeal court reduced to 15 years two months later.



Asghari has various ailments including Carpal tunnel syndrome (compression of the median nerve in the hand and forearm). He spent seven months in solitary confinement and was mistreated and tortured. In

a letter to the presiding judge of one of the revolutionary courts on 17

October 2009, he gave a detailed description of the horrific interrogation

sessions to which he was subjected.





Faghih used to work for various newspapers including Yass-e

No, which the authorities closed in 2009. Arrested on 24 February 2014, he should have been released on completing a one-year sentence in March 2015 but he was given a new sentence of three and a half years in prison on charges of

anti-government publicity and insulting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Assembly of Experts.

He suffers from various renal and cardio-vascular ailments and underwent a heart operation in January 2015, following which he was returned to Rajaishah prison. He began a hunger strike on 27 March in protest against the way he was being treated and was released ten days later.

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29.03.2016  Two journalists freed

pending trial

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has learned that the journalist Hassan Shikhaghai was released on bail on 15 December, pending trial. The editor of Ruwange, a news website based in Mahabad, in the northwestern province of

Kurdistan, he was arrested on 7 October 2015 by plainclothesmen at

the Mahabad revolutionary court's behest.

RSF has also been told that Farzad

Pourmoradi, a journalist based in the western province of

Kermanshah who works for the Kermanshah Post, has also been

released pending trial. He had to pay 90 million toman (70,000 euros)

in bail. Revolutionary Guard plainclothesmen raided his home and

arrested him on 2 November after he created a Kalaghnews page

on the Telegram social networking service. He is charged with

"activities against national security," "anti-government

publicity" and insulting government officials. He suffered acute

cardiac and pancreatic problems while in prison.





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17.03.2016 - Sent into exile after four years in prison





Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

condemns the ruthless manner in which the judicial authorities are enforcing

the sentence imposed in 2013 on journalist and researcher Said Madani. Released on 15

March, after four years in prison,Madani has been ordered to travel at once to

the southern city of Bandar Abbas to begin a period of two years in exile

there.

A sociologist and writer (who haswritten

many articles for independent media outlets), Madani was freed under article

134 of the new Islamic criminal code (as amended in 2013), under which someone

convicted of more than one crime serves



only the main sentence.

After being arrested by

plainclothesmen at his Tehran home on 7 January 2012, Madani spent a year in isolation

in Section 209 of Tehran's Evin prison. The decision to sentence him to a jail

term followed by exile was taken by a Tehran revolutionary court on 18 June

2013.

----------





18.02.2016  Four Narenji website employees returned to prison

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns yesterday's rearrest of four senior members of the Narenji (Orange) tech news website to begin serving long jail sentences that were confirmed on appeal. The four  Ali Asghar Honarmand, Hossien Nozari, Ehsan Paknejad and Abass Vahedi  are sentenced to eleven, seven, five and two and a half years in prison respectively.

Originally arrested along with seven colleagues in the southeastern city of Kerman on 3 December 2013, they were convicted by a Kerman court on 24 May 2014 on charges of "anti-government publicity," "actions threatening national security" and "collaborating with TV stations based abroad." Their seven colleagues received suspended sentences. All were freed in return for payment of large bail amounts. A court upheld the sentences on 30 November 2015 but the authorities did not notify them prior to the time of their rearrest.

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12.02.2016 - Former BBC journalist detained in Tehran

Reporters Without Borders condemns the detention of Bahman Darolshafai, a 34-year-old former BBC journalist with British and Iranian dual nationality. Arrested at his Tehran home by plainclothesmen on 3 February, he managed to make a short phone call to his mother five days later, telling her he was "in a cell in Evin prison and under interrogation."

After several years in London, Darolshafa left the BBC's Persian Service n 2014 and returned to Iran. Thereafter he was repeatedly interrogated by intelligence ministry officials and was forbidden to do any kind of journalistic activity. He had been translating literary and philosophical works.

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2.02.2016 - Four journalists held provisionally for past two months

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the continuing provisional detention of four journalists who were the victims of a wave of arrests exactly two months ago, on 2 November 2015 .

Mahmoud Alizadeh-Tabatabaie, a lawyer representing two of the four, said: "There are differences between the investigation judge and the prosecutor as regards the charges against my clients." He is defending Ehssan Mazndarani, the editor of the daily Farhikhteghan, and Issa Saharkhiz, a well-known independent journalist.

As well as being accused of "propaganda activities against the government," they are also charged with "acting against national security by means of meetings" and "conspiring against and insulting government officials."

The case has been sent to the Tehran revolutionary court, whose president, Aboughasem Salevati, has been persecuting journalists and online information providers for years. He staged the "Stalin-style" mass trials in August 2009 and alone is responsible for convicting more than 100 journalists.

The other two journalists arrested on 2 November are Afarine Chitsaz of the daily Iran and Saman Safarzai of the monthly Andisher Poya. All four continue to be denied all their rights.

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14.01.2016  Woman journalist detained for fourth time since 2009

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns journalist Rihaneh Tabtabai's detention for the fourth time since 2009. Tabtabai, who has worked for Shargh,Etemad, Bahar and other reformist newspapers, was jailed on 12 January to serve a one-year sentence on charges of endangering national security and anti-government publicity.

Originally imposed by a revolutionary court in November 2014, the sentence was upheld by a Tehran appeal court two months ago. She is also sentenced to a two-year ban on political and journalistic activity in the media and online after she completes the jail term.

After being arrested on 12 December 2010, she was released on bail of 10 million toman (7,500 euros) on 16 January 2011. On 2 April 2012, she received a two-year jail sentence from a Tehran revolutionary court that was reduced to six months on appeal. She served the sentence from 21 June to 11 November 2014. She was also detained from 31 January to 26 February 2013, when she was freed on bail.

---------------

12.01.2016  Journalist sent back to prison

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns Meisam Mohammadi's

reimprisonment on 8 January. A onetime political editor of Kalameh Sabaz (a daily closed by the authorities in June 2009) and contributor to the Beheshti Foundation website, Mohammadi was arrested at his home by intelligence ministry officials on 10 February 2010 and was freed on bail two months later, pending trial. He was sentenced in May 2012 to four years in prison and a five-year ban on journalistic and political activities on charges of anti-government publicity and "meeting to conspire against national security."

Kalameh Sabaz's owner, former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi, the writer Zahra Rahnavard (who is Mousavi wife) and Mehdi Karoubi, a former parliamentary speaker and owner of the closed newspaper Etemad Melli, are still illegally held under house arrest and have been detained since 24 February 2011. Mousavi and Karoubi, who were both presidential candidates in 2009, have also been stripped of all of their rights. Their state of health is very worrying.
Lima, Peru -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/28/2016 --World Oil Group, Inc. will begin a series of updates for it Peru Operations over the next few months to inform our shareholders and potential new investors about its progressive movement in Peru and Latin America over the past year. These updates will share a host of information including the direction of the company in a new and diverse market approach to the new oil industry and its related business opportunities in the region.



During these Press Releases, World Oil Group, Inc. will begin to layout projects it's been working on over the last year. Some of these projects 'Letters of Intent" have been signed by government authorities; Non-Disclosure Agreement(s) on these projects are in place until the final deals are completed.



World Oil Group, Inc. will begin its transition into seeking capital for it operations and fillings for the OTC. World Oil Group, Inc. will continue to press forward to build a strong company despite the obstacles its faced in the market.



World Oil Group, Inc.'s CEO Nathan Hall has often been Quoted Saying "Backwards, Never, Forwards Forever". This is the spirt of the company and its leadership mentality.



About World Oil Group, Inc.

World Oil Group, Inc. is an international company with oil exploration operations in Oil City, Pennsylvania and its Management, Petroleum, Commodities & Mining Operations based in Lima, Peru.



SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The foregoing press announcement contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by such terminology such as "believes," "expects," "potential," "plans," "suggests," "may," "should," "could," "intends," or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. In particular, management's expectations could be affected by, among other things, uncertainties relating to our success in completing acquisitions, financing our operations, entering into strategic partnerships, engaging management and other matters disclosed by us in our public filings from time to time. Forward-looking statements speak only as to the date they are made. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.



For more information, contact:

Nathan Hall

World Oil Group, Inc.

Phone Number: 407-777-9228

Email: worldoilgroupinc@gmail.com

www.worldoilgroup.com

Twitter.com/epapetroleum



Source: Uptick Newswire
Shania Twain coming to Indianapolis on first tour in nearly five years
It takes a skilled, knowledgeable, and discerning preacher to pluck a story from the Old Testament, make it relevant to today's audience, and leave that audience glad that they heard it.

Kyndall Rae Rothaus is that preacher. She doesn't call herself a 'preacher,' preferring labels like, 'pastor-poet, listener-liturgist, lover of nature, and emerging mystic.' But make no mistake, this woman can preach.

No doubt, members of her congregation at Lake Shore Baptist Church in Waco, would agree. Certainly, her audience Tuesday at Hardin-Simmons University would. Rothaus is guest speaker for this year's Cornerstone Lecture Series at the Baptist-affiliated university.

During a luncheon Tuesday following the opening lecture, Rothaus answered a question about her experience as minister of a Baptist church, a denomination that historically has not featured women in the pulpit.

The concept still is foreign to some, Rothaus said, but times are changing and the gifts that women bring to the pulpit are being recognized.

'We bring an untold story that very much needs telling,' she said.

Overall theme for the lecture series, which is observing its 50th year, is 'The Voices of Hope: Lament, Protest and Imagination.' Tuesday's opening lecture dealt with lament. And yes, 'lament' is a voice of hope, Rothaus assured.

Her talk came from the story of Jephthah in the biblical book of Judges. Jephthah, who served as a judge over Israel, made a rash vow to God and paid the price. He vowed that in return for a victory over the Ammonites, he would sacrifice whatever or whoever came out of his house first after the victory. Unfortunately, that was his daughter and his only child. His daughter requests two month's grace before the sacrifice so that she may wander in the hills and weep. Her request is granted and the story ends with the daughters of Israel re-enacting the lament each year. They didn't just 'get over it,' Rothaus noted. They wept and grieved. They refused to let the tragedy go unacknowledged.

'These women become serious practitioners of grief and lament,' she said.

Too often, people deny or try to avoid grief, Rothaus said. That can be especially true of 'church people' who believe they should always be happy.

But, she noted, Jesus wept for his friend Lazarus and blessed those who mourn. The women who went to the tomb of Jesus showed a 'stubborn faithfulness,' Rothaus said. Even in their anguish, they kept showing up.

'They visit their grief, she said. 'I consider that to be a form of belief.'

There will be times in life, Rothaus said, when followers of Jesus are asked to be pain-bearers along with him. Don't try to avoid or deny those times, she advised. Rothaus said she wasn't suggesting that anyone wallow in grief.

'I'm just suggesting that you visit with your grief.' she said. 'Don't try to 'magic' your way out of it.'

IF YOU GO

What: Cornerstone Lecture Series

Where: Hardin-Simmons University, Behrens Auditorium

When: 9:40 a.m. Wednesday; 9:30 a.m. Thursday (time differences are due to class schedules)

Speaker: Kyndall Rae Rothaus, pastor of Lake Shore Baptist Church in Waco

Admission: Free, public invited

Theme: The Voices of Hope: Lament, Protest and Imagination
Rumors fueled by social media in Big Spring prompted the Big Spring police chief and school superintendent to issue statements Tuesday regarding an incident at an elementary school.

An investigation turned up no wrongdoing when a janitor gave money to a teacher's aide so a crying student could buy food.

'Based on the evidence collected through the investigation, both the police department and the school district firmly believe that no criminal or inappropriate conduct occurred, and the employee has returned to work,' Superintendent Chris Wigington's statement said.

Police Chief Chad Williams statement ended, 'Understandably this case has caused emotional response through Social Media, but the Big Spring Police Department urges our citizens to wait for the facts prior to jumping to conclusions.'

Following are the statements from the police and superintendent.

From Police Chief Chad Williams:

'On the 22nd of September 2016, Big Spring Police Department Officers were dispatched to the Law Enforcement Center to meet with a parent in regards to allegations of suspicious activity involving a janitor at Moss Elementary and his child. The parent informed officers that his child claimed they were given money from a janitor while in the restroom and that the janitor had cover their mouth to prevent them from screaming. The case was immediately forwarded to the Big Spring Police Department Criminal Investigation Division and contact was made with the Big Spring Independent School District. The child was taken the following morning to Midland, Texas where an interview was conducted by the Children's Advocacy Center personnel. The child made no outcry indicating any inappropriate contact with the janitor. The janitor in question along with a teachers-aide were both interviewed and their statements of the incident were taken. Detectives had met with school officials and obtained all video recordings in question at the time of the incident. The videos revealed the child entering the restroom and the janitor never leaving the cafeteria while continuing to work. The videos further showed the janitor seeing the child crying in the snack bar line and the janitor giving a teachers-aid money to give to the child. The statements taken by Detectives of the janitor and teachers-aide were both corroborated by the videos. It has been determined that the janitor did provide the child money through the teachers-aide to make a purchase within the snack bar because he had witnessed them crying and that no criminal offense had occurred.

'Understandably this case has caused emotional response through Social Media, but the Big Spring Police Department urges our citizens to wait for the facts prior to jumping to conclusions.'

From Superintendent Chris Wigington:

'Last Wednesday afternoon, the Moss Elementary administration was advised by the Big Spring Police Department of an allegation by a parent that a custodian attempted to provide money to a District student. This allegation was made through social media. Upon learning of this allegation, it was immediately investigated by the police with cooperation from the District. As a result of the investigation, it was determined an employee had delivered money to a teacher's aide to be deposited in a cafeteria account so the student could purchase a food item. The Big Spring Independent School district is grateful to the Big Spring Police Department for its quick and thorough investigation of these recent allegations discovered on social media.

'No allegations of inappropriate conduct between the employee and the student were made to the school administration. Administrators learned of the allegations through social media and the police department on Thursday afternoon. Immediately, the subject employee was removed from the campus, and school administrators began assisting the police department with its investigation. Based on the evidence collected through the investigation, both the police department and the school district firmly believe that no criminal or inappropriate conduct occurred, and the employee has returned to work.

'The District and the police department recognize school safety as one of their highest priorities. We each strive to take appropriate corrective action as needed upon learning of any threat to school safety. Time is of the essence in these situations. Therefore, Big Spring ISD and the police department urge our citizens and parents to first report their concerns for school safety and allegations of possible employee misconduct immediately to law enforcement or school officials. We welcome your cooperation in our mutual efforts to provide a safe school environment.

'Thank you for your continued support of Big Spring ISD.'
The Laura W. Bush Institute for Womens Health, part of the Texas Tech

University Health Sciences Center, is opening an office at the

TTUHSC campus in Abilene and announcing a new partnership with Hendrick Health System.

The Laura W. Bush Institute for Womens Health, part of the Texas Tech

University Health Sciences Center, is opening an office at the

TTUHSC campus in Abilene and announcing a new partnership with Hendrick Health System.

Pearl Merritt relates how she feels about the Laura Bush Institute coming to Abilene. pic.twitter.com/3XHVFtseq9

 Timothy Chipp (@TimothyChippARN) September 28, 2016

And the former First Lady will be coming to Abilene in April, officials announced. The date is April 20.

Dr. Tedd Mitchell, president of TTUHSC, is speaking at a press conference about the partnership at this time.

He said part of TTUHSC's job is to make students good, productive citizens, if not in this community, then where they end up landing.

Tim Lancaster, president and CEO of Hendrick Health Systems, said, 'This is going to be exciting for Abilene, Texas,' referring to the Laura Bush Institute.

He said the partners will do 'good things together.'

Connie Tyne, executive vice president of the Institute, said Pearl Merritt, dean of nursing at TTUHSC and Cisco College, has been chosen as regional director.
Mexico is the United States' third-largest trading partner and our nation's second-largest market for our exported goods. Those exports to Mexico create more than 1 million jobs in the United States.

Mexico is the third-largest supplier of imported goods to the United States. That has created millions of jobs in Mexico, improving the economy of a neighbor with whom we share a 2,000-mile border.

The drug trade  a witch's brew of U.S. demand and Mexican supply  is a threat to the stability of both countries. Opioids  especially heroin provided by Mexican cartels  are wreaking havoc in U.S. communities from coast to coast. Those cartels are killing thousands of Mexicans every year, corrupting civil society and threatening the nation's continued development.

The U.S.-Mexico relationship is crucial to the futures of both countries, but the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign has been largely devoid of discussion about that relationship.

Instead, we get Donald Trump's superficial bluster about the North American Free Trade Agreement, his nonsensical blather about building a wall between the two nations, and Hillary Clinton's generalities about broad immigration reform and her tap-dancing about trade.

With seven weeks remaining in the campaign, the major-party candidates should outline their visions for one of our nation's most important binational relationships.

The U.S.-Mexico relationship is crucial for the entire country in this election.

Any substantive discussion about the U.S.-Mexico relationship has to start with an acknowledgment of some facts.

NAFTA, while imperfect, has benefited the economies of the United States, Mexico and Canada. Trump's threat to unilaterally breach the trade pact with Mexico and Canada would cause huge economic disruption. Clinton, in the face of a Democratic base that's highly skeptical of trade deals, has ineffectively tried to thread the needle by supporting free trade in concept but criticizing details in specific pacts, including NAFTA.

Immigration, both lawful and unlawful, has complex causes that defy simplistic solutions. Net migration from Mexico has been negative in recent years because of various factors, including a stronger Mexican economy. Any number of factors  the economy, security, stability  will impact that flow in the future.

An enforcement-dominated approach, including a wall, is incredibly expensive and inefficient. Immigration reform, while necessary, can't address all the factors that cause people to make the wrenching decision to leave their homeland for another country.

Immigration must be addressed in all its complexities, something that the United States body politic  including both current major party nominees  has long been reluctant to acknowledge.

Both the United States and Mexico bear responsibility for the illegal drug crisis that is taking a horrifying toll on both countries. The problem can only be addressed by close cooperation between the countries. Demonizing Mexico  Trump's go-to option  is counterproductive.

So have at it, candidates. Give voters some details on how you, as president, would approach the vital relationship with Mexico.

El Paso Times
Lyndon Gathright, Abilene

America is in the most tumultuous time in our history. We are more divided and off track than at any other time. We were created as the greatest nation of all time, yet we are dangerously close to self-destruction. This upcoming election is the most critical of my lifetime and I am nearing the title of octogenarian (almost 80 yrs. old). The outcome of this election will determine how much longer America will continue to be a world leader. We are on the cutting edge of becoming a 'Third World' nation.

When the FBI director and the current administration decided not to indict Hillary Clinton, they opened the door for the most important criminal trial of all time. We, the voting public will be the judge and jury of this trial. It will not require a unanimous verdict, just a simple majority. When you go to the polls on election day, your vote will determine whether or not Mrs. Clinton will be held accountable for all her misdeeds (unlawful, unethical, and criminal), or if she is above the law that governs you and I. Read II Timothy 3, then vote the Bible.

Lest you think I am pessimistic, I believe God is sovereign and determines who are kings and who are presidents (Daniel 2:21). Nothing happens that God does not allow (not His perfect will but His permissive will). All choices have consequences, and our choice in November is no exception. Think on these things.
Lynn Blair, Eula

I just want to say I completely agree with guest columnist Anthony Romero. Edward Snowden should be given a presidential pardon.

Snowden's brave actions are the mark of a true American patriot and hero. He has shown a deep understanding and love of the U.S. Constitution by blowing the whistle on unconstitutional acts being carried out behind closed doors by our very own government. We as American citizens deserve to know what government is up to at all times. A completely transparent and minimal government is absolutely vital to ensuring liberty and justice for all.

There is only one presidential candidate this cycle who would pardon this great American hero: Libertarian Gary Johnson, and that is one of the many reasons I am endorsing him for president.
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After the 2013 election, Prime Minister Hun Sen (R) shakes hands with leader of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party Sam Rainsy (L) during a meeting at the National Assembly, Sept. 17, 2013.

There are signs that the long political stalemate in Cambodia may be coming to a close as opposition leader Sam Rainsy is considering a return to the country and Prime Minister Hun Sen appears to be softening his hard line against his adversaries.

In one indication that the brutal political battle may be entering a new phase, Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) President Sam Rainsy told BBC-TV on Monday that he is considering a return to the country whether or not he is granted amnesty from arrest.

Since Hun Sen gets pressure from the international community because Cambodia relies on international funds, he will agree and request the king [Norodom Sihamoni] to grant me amnesty, Sam Rainsy said in the interview.

If there is no political will there wont be amnesty for me, he added. Before, I returned to Cambodia just a few weeks prior the [2013] election without amnesty.

Cambodias local elections are set for 2017 and the national elections are scheduled for 2018.

Sam Rainsy has been living abroad off and on as the Hun Sen-led government has charged him with a number of offenses that observers inside and outside Cambodia see as politically motivated.

In 2013, King Norodom Sihamoni granted a royal pardon to Sam Rainsy. While the pardon absolved Sam Rainsy of defamation charges allowing him to return to Cambodia without being put in jail.

While he was ineligible for candidacy in the 2013 general election, thousands of his supporters thronged the streets when he returned.

Sam Rainsys CNRP gained 55 seats in the National Assembly in that election, but the party and international observers found evidence of fraud and the CNRP boycotted parliament from September 2013 until July 2014.

In November 2015 Sam Rainsy was again removed from parliament by the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) when a warrant was issued for his arrest after being convicted of defaming former Foreign Minister Hor Namhong for claiming the CPP politician ran a prison for the bloody Khmer Rouge regime.

Politics or jail

CPP spokesperson Sok Eysan told RFAs Khmer Service that Sam Rainsy was welcome to return home, but his welcome also underscored the danger for the opposition leader.

Sam Rainsy can come back any time because when he went into self-exile, no one chased him out, he told RFAs Khmer service. He can even return now, but there must be a special conditions. He has to have a special court judgment otherwise he wont be returning to politics but to jail.

The Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL) Executive Director Koul Panha told RFA that only when all the parties can participate can the election be considered legitimate.

In a democratic society, party leaders should be tolerant of the expression of each partys opinions, he said. The electoral system in Cambodia is a proportional one, so the participation of all the parties leaders is crucial, especially the opposition parties.

In another indication of a thaw in Cambodias frosty political atmosphere, the National Assemblys powerful Permanent Committee on Wednesday decided against lifting parliamentary immunity for a pair of CNRP lawmakers.

National Assembly spokesperson Leng Peng Long said the committee did not find any actual offenses committed by the two CNRP lawmakers in their actions related to CNRP deputy leader Kem Sokhas alleged affair with a young hairdresser.

The permanent committee did not decide on that issue [lifting the immunity] because the two [CNRP lawmakers] did not commit any actual offenses, he told reporters on Wednesday.

Phnom Penh court spokesperson Ly Sophanna declined to answer reporters questions regarding the committees refusal to lift the lawmakers immunity. Ministry of Justice spokesperson Kim Santepheap also declined to comment.

'There must be a political solution sooner or later'

In July, the ministry asked the National Assembly to strip the immunity of opposition lawmakers Tok Vanchann and Pin Rattana in the governments wide-ranging probe into CNRP leader Kem Sokhas alleged affair.

The National Assemblys rejection of the Justice Ministrys request helps block the court from proceeding with legal procedures against the two opposition lawmakers, CNRP spokesperson Yem Ponharith told RFA.

Most of the cases against opposition lawmakers have been handled by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

On Sept. 9 the Phnom Penh Municipal Court ruled that Kem Sokha was guilty of refusing to appear for questioning in the prostitution case against him, and he was sentenced to five months in prison and a fine of 800,000 riel ($200).

Kem Sokha is accused of procuring a prostitute in relation to his alleged affair with hairdresser Khom Chandaraty. Despite being summonsed twice in May, Sokha refused to appear in court to answer questions about the prostitution allegations.

Tok Vanchann and Pin Rattana are charged with arranging trysts between Kem Sokha and Khom Chandaraty.

While Kem Sokha has been holed up in the CNRPs headquarters for months after heavily-armed police attempted to arrest him in May for refusing to testify, he told supporters that he planned to register to vote after the Buddhist Pchum Ben holiday concludes, according to the Phnom Penh Post.

Leaving CNRP headquarters could make it easier for the authorities to arrest Kem Sokha, but he appears to be ready to take that risk.

I believe there must be a political solution sooner or later; it is up to our communication skills whether we can find the [solution] and a way out, and I believe there will be, Kem Sokha said, according to the report.

Reported by Zakariya Tin and Moniroth Morm for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Yanny Hin. Written in English by Brooks Boliek.
There are conflicting reports of possible civilian casualties from a suspected U.S. drone strike in eastern Afghanistan.

Esmatullah Shinwari, a local lawmaker in Nangarhar Province, was quoted by AP as saying on September 28 that at least 13 civilians were killed when the strike hit a house where people had gathered to celebrate a local tribal leaders return from the hajj in Saudi Arabia.

Shinwari said the tribal leader and 11 others were wounded in the incident.

However, local police chief Mohammed Ali was quoted as saying 18 people, including 15 [Islamic State] militants and three civilians were killed in the attack.

A spokesman for the U.S. military in Afghanistan confirmed a counterterrorism strike in Achin district of Nangarhar Province and said reports of civilian casualties are being investigated.

Afghan and U.S. forces have been fighting IS militants in the district for several months.

Civilian casualties resulting from U.S. air strikes have been a source of intense friction between the United States and the Afghan government.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters
14 The menorah monument to Babyn Yar is located today in a quiet park dotted with strolling couples and friends riding bicycles under a canopy of trees.



"There are events, tragedies, the enormity of which make all words futile and of which silence tells incomparably more -- the awesome silence of thousands of people. Perhaps we, too, should keep silent and only meditate. But silence says a lot only when everything that could have been said has already been said. If there is still much to say, or if nothing has yet been said, then silence becomes a partner to falsehood and enslavement. We must, therefore, speak -- and to speak whenever we can, taking advantage of all opportunities, for they come so infrequently."



-- Address made at Babyn Yar by Ukrainian writer Ivan Dzuiba in 1966
British prosecutors have charged a man with terrorism offenses related to the war between Russia-backed separatists and Kyivs forces in eastern Ukraine.



Benjamin Stimson, 41, faces what are believed to be Britains first terrorism charges involving offenses allegedly committed in the conflict, which erupted shortly after Russia forcibly annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in March 2014.



Police in Manchester said in a statement on September 28 that Stimson was charged with two offenses: the intention of committing acts of terrorism and engaging in conduct in preparation for giving effect to this intention, and the intention of committing acts of terrorism and assisting acts of terrorism.

He was placed in custody and was set to appear in court on October 7.



It was unclear if Stimson had entered a plea, though The Telegraph reported that he had denied any involvement in military action in Ukraine.



British journalist Graham Phillips, who has angered Kyiv with his open support for the separatists while reporting on the conflict, has identified Stimson as a Donbas militia member, referring to the eastern Ukrainian region where separatist forces control some territory.



Stimson told Phillips that he traveled to the Donbas region in August 2015 and returned several months later. According to Phillips, Stimson was arrested by counterterrorism police at the Manchester airport in November 2015.



In an October 2015 BBC interview, during which he was shown holding a gun, Stimson said that he would be prepared to kill people in the conflict if my lifes threatened, according to a YouTube video posted by Phillips:

Im not terrorizing any civilians. I see myself as protecting the civilians here," Stimson said in the BBC interview.



In a follow-up interview, Stimson told Phillips that the BBC journalists told him to hold the weapon during the interview.



A spokesman for the BBC declined to comment on Stimson's assertion, citing the ongoing criminal proceedings.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Carl Schreck, the BBC, The Telegraph, and The Guardian
Its uncertain just how many Christians live in Iran, and those who have converted from Islam worship in secret to avoid arrest, beatings, or worse. RFE/RL's Radio Farda journalist Azadeh Tavakoli explores this secretive world in a documentary she is producing about the history of Christians in her country and the treatment of Christians and other religious minorities in contemporary Iran. She hopes the film will foster tolerance toward beleaguered minority communities, as well as provide hope to those practicing their faith in fear.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said hundreds more U.S. troops will be heading to Iraq ahead of an major assault to retake the city of Mosul from Islamic State militants.

Carter told reporters September 28 that the troops would help Iraqi security forces and Kurdish militias in the run-up to the offensive in Mosul, which could start as soon as next month.



A U.S. defense official later put the number at 615.

Carter tried to emphasize that the U.S. forces would not be engaging in combat outright.

That's something President Barack Obama's administration has taken pains to avoid, having pledged to withdraw nearly all U.S. forces from Iraq, but still finding Iraqi forces struggling to retake territory against Islamic State fighters.

"We're in a support role, but I need to make clear once again: American forces combatting [Islamic State] in Iraq are in harm's way,"Carter told reporters during a trip to New Mexico. "No one should be in any doubt about that."



The effort to recapture Mosul, Iraq's third largest city, is shaping into one of the biggest tests not only for the Iraqi government but also the U.S. effort to reverse Islamic State's gains there.



There are roughly 4,600 troops in Iraq, according to the Pentagon, although the figure doesn't include troops there on temporary duty.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters
NIEUWEGEIN, The Netherlands -- An international criminal investigation into the MH17 tragedy in eastern Ukraine in 2014 has determined the Malaysia Airlines passenger jet was shot down by a Buk antiaircraft missile fired from separatist controlled territory in Ukraine.

The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) further determined that the missile system was brought into Ukraine from Russia shortly before the tragedy and then smuggled back to Russia shortly afterward.

Presenting the JIT's interim findings on September 28, the team's head, Fred Westerbeke, said the investigation had ruled out all other possible explanations for MH17's crash, which killed all 298 people on board.

Westerbeke, who is also the Netherlands' chief prosecutor, added that the JIT could not currently reveal all of its findings for fear of hampering its criminal investigations. However, the investigation has identified about 100 people who are being looked at further.

Westerbeke said it is unknown how long the JIT investigation will continue or when it will be completed. He added that he thinks there is a realistic chance that those responsible for the tragedy will be prosecuted, although the venue for such a prosecution remains undetermined.

WATCH: Relatives Of MH17 Victims Respond To New Findings

Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down on July 17, 2014, over Ukrainian airspace while flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 passengers and crew on board perished.

"On basis of the criminal investigation, we can conclude that Flight MH17 was downed on July 17, 2014, by a rocket of the 9-M-83-38 series, fired from a Buk trailer, and that this Buk trailer came from the territory of the Russian Federation and returned to the territory of the Russian Federation after the launch, Wilbert Pualissen, the head of the Dutch police investigation, told the press conference.

WATCH: Probe Spokesman Lays Out Russian Role In MH17 Tragedy

The JIT showed an elaborate 10-minute animation interlaced with photographs and videos taken in July 2014 that showed the Buk system being brought into Ukraine and arriving near the town of Snizhne. It further presented audio and photographic evidence that a missile was launched. Then the same Buk unit, with only three missiles, was traced moving by night back through the Ukrainian city of Luhansk and into Russia.

An earlier report by the Dutch Safety Board, a separate agency, also concluded that MH17 was downed by a Buk fired from separatist-controlled territory.

Hans de Borst, who lost his 17-year-old daughter Elsemiek in the MH17 tragedy, told journalists in Nieuwegein ahead of the JIT presentation on September 28 that he was confident in the team's findings.

"All kinds of proof. Telephone taps, even new raw material, radars. American information, classified information which they're not allowed to bring in the open here. Witnesses... all kinds," he said. "So I have a lot of faith in this."

Ukraine, whose eastern Donbas region remains largely under control of Russia-backed separatists, welcomed the findings.



All other possible causes of this horrible tragedy were considered and rejected during the course of the criminal investigation, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. This puts an end to all of Russias attempts to discredit activities of the Joint Investigation Team and conclusions by spreading distorted or fabricated information.



In Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a news conference that the probe's findings showed that it was biased and politically motivated."



Arbitrarily assigning blame and dreaming up the desired results has become the norm for our Western colleagues, Zakharova said.

Ahead of the report's release, Russia tried to offer other explanations. On September 26, the Russian Defense Ministry released what it claimed was new radar evidence showing the jet was downed by a missile shot from territory held by Ukrainian troops. This claim contradicted Moscows previous assertion that it had radar evidence showing that a Ukrainian Air Force fighter jet was to blame.

A representative of the self-proclaimed separatist organization in Donetsk, Eduard Basurin, told Interfax that his forces had "no such air-defense systems" and could not have downed MH17.

In July 2015, Russia used its UN Security Council veto to block a resolution aimed at creating an international MH17 tribunal, saying that doing so would be counterproductive.

Shortly before the JIT press conference, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists in Moscow that the international investigation must take the latest information into account.

The data are unambiguous, Peskov said. If there had been a missile, then it could have been launched from other territory.

A JIT official said Russia had not provided this information to its investigators and it had not been evaluated. Westerbeke said the JIT had made several requests for information from the Russian government during its two-year investigation and had received partial answers to some of them.

In July 2015, Russia used its UN Security Council veto to block a resolution aimed at creating an international MH17 tribunal, saying that doing so would be counterproductive.

The JIT includes representatives of the countries most affected by the tragedy -- the Netherlands, Australia, Malaysia, and Belgium working in cooperation with Ukraine. Its purpose is to develop evidence that could be used in criminal prosecutions in any of those countries.

In Washington, the U.S. State Department said the findings corroborated U.S. conclusions made just days after the jet crashed.

"This announcement is another step toward bringing to justice those responsible for this outrageous attack," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.

The JIT has been working with the British-based open-source research group Bellingcat, which has used social media posts to track the movement of a Buk missile unit from near the Russian city of Kursk to the Ukrainian village of Snizhne in the days before the MH17 downing and to track the same units return to Russia immediately afterward.

"Obviously, the Russians are doing everything they can to undermine this press conference," Bellingcat founder and director Eliot Higgins told RFE/RL in Nieuwegein on September 28. "They released this radar data. You know, it was ridiculous really because they managed to prove that their previous press conference was a lie.

"In the first press conference, [the Russians] said there was a jet three to five kilometers away, and in the recent one they said there was nothing anyway near it. So, you know, the Russians are going to try very hard to not to admit responsibility for this."

With reporting by The Guardian, Interfax, TASS, and the BBC
Mohammad Nayeb-Zehi was among the hundreds of worshippers who gathered on September 30 at the Great Mosalla, a religious site in Iran's southeastern city of Zahedan, for Friday Prayers.

Just hours later, the 16-year-old's family learned he was dead.

Nayeb-Zehi was among the scores of people gunned down by security forces in a brutal crackdown following anti-government protests in Zahedan, the provincial capital of Sistan-Baluchistan Province, which is home to the country's Baluch minority.

"He was a simple laborer and not political," Nayeb-Zehi's brother, Ahmad, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda in a telephone interview from Zahedan, adding that his sibling had been shot in the heart. "We're in pain, and we cannot accept it."

The crackdown in Zahedan came amid weeks-long nationwide protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old who died on September 16, days after she was detained by Iran's morality police.

In Sistan-Baluchistan, public anger at the authorities escalated amid reports that a 15-year-old Baluch girl had been raped by a police official in the province's southern port city of Chabahar.

The violence erupted soon after protesters gathered outside a police station near the central mosque in Zahedan. Members of the crowd chanted anti-government slogans, and some threw rocks. Security forces responded with deadly force by firing on the crowd from the station, according to witnesses.

Security forces also raided the central mosque and the nearby Great Mosalla and opened fire on worshippers using live ammunition, rights groups said, adding that many were shot in the head, heart, neck, or torso, revealing a clear intent to kill or seriously wound.

At least 94 people were killed and 350 wounded on that day, referred to as "Bloody Friday," according to the U.S.-based Iran Human Rights Documentation Center. At least 13 minors were among those killed, including Nayeb-Zehi.

The victims were overwhelmingly Baluch -- a mostly Sunni ethnic group that has long faced disproportionate discrimination at the hands of the Iranian authorities.

"He was martyred inside the Mosalla while holding his prayer mat," said Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi.

Nayeb-Zehi's family first visited Zahedan's Khatam al-Anbia hospital, hoping he was among the wounded. They later found his body in a seminary at the Great Mosalla.

"We entered a room there and saw about 10 bodies," said Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi. "[Mohammad] was among them."

He said the authorities prevented the family from filming the scene. "I told them this has to be documented, it has to be published by international media," he said, adding that footage later emerged on social media showing the gruesome scene at the seminary.

The family refused to send Nayeb-Zehi's body to the morgue. Instead, his body lay in the living room for around 24 hours before he was buried.

"We said he was martyred and there was no need for an autopsy," said Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi.

The authorities accused Jaish al-Adl, a Sunni militant group, of attacking the police station. The group is recognized as a terrorist organization by both Iran and the United States and has previously claimed deadly attacks in Sistan-Baluchistan targeting Iranian security forces.

But local and independent sources have rejected the authorities' claims.

The authorities have also reported a much lower number of fatalities, announcing that only 19 people, including several members of the security forces, were killed.

Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi said the authorities were "rubbing salt into the wounds of the people" by claiming "terrorists" were involved.

He said he witnessed a military helicopter shooting at civilians near the Great Mosalla. "I haven't even seen such scenes in Hollywood movies," he said. "A helicopter was shooting at people. A lady was shot in front of my eyes."

RFE/RL could not verify his account. But activists have accused security forces of shooting at protestors from helicopters.

"I don't know what the intention of this crime was," he said. "Our only demand from the establishment is for the murderers of our [family members] to be punished."

The killings have led to widespread anger in Sistan-Baluchistan, one of Iran's poorest provinces.

Anti-establishment protests have been reported in Zahedan since the crackdown, including on October 14 and October 21, when protesters took to the streets after Friday Prayers and chanted "Death to the dictator."

During his Friday Prayers sermon on October 21, influential Sunni cleric Molavi Abdolhamid Ismaeelzahi said senior officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were "responsible" for the September 30 killings.

"We are surprised by the silence of the high-ranking officials," he said in his sermon, which was posted on his website.

"Scores were killed here without any reason. I don't have the exact number. Some have reported 90, some say less, some say more," Ismaeelzahi added.

He also said people will not be satisfied until "those who killed the people" are brought to justice.

The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center said the events of September 30 amounted to "a massacre of protesters by security forces."

"The government's total denial of responsibility for the massacring of citizens by its security apparatus is consistent with similar past denials and is evidence that internal calls for investigation of such crimes are insufficient," said the rights group, which documents human rights violations in Iran.
Banja Luka, the capital of Republika Srpska, is only 300 kilometers from the Serbian capital. Moscow is another 2,000 kilometers away. Yet when Milorad Dodik sought support for his controversial referendum on a Statehood Day for the Bosnian-Serb entity he heads, it was the Kremlin he turned to first.



The date proposed for the holiday, January 9, is laden with significance, not only because it is an Orthodox holiday -- St. Stephen's Day -- but also because it marks the declaration in 1992 of an independent Bosnian Serb state, which led to a three-year ethnic war. From outside Republika Srpska, the celebration of Statehood Day -- especially on that date -- is seen as excluding the Muslim and Catholic Croat minorities who reside there at the risk of stoking ethnic tension.



Yet when the ballots from the September 25 referendum were tallied, the overwhelming majority -- 99.8 percent -- voted in favor of January 9 for the holiday.



The dust has not yet settled, but it seems clear that Dodik's only objective in defying a court order from Sarajevo against holding the referendum was to provoke conflict and affirm his nationalist credentials. For his pains, he has been summoned to the Bosnia-Herzegovina capital for a hearing with the state prosecutor's office.



Sarajevo was not alone. EU officials, Western diplomats, the Office of the High Representative, and many others had urged Dodik to abandon his plans for a plebiscite that had been ruled illegal by the Constitutional Court. For support, he turned to Russian President Vladimir Putin, traveling to Moscow on September 22. According to Russian sources, the meeting was focused on "economic cooperation, the security situation in the Balkans, and the fight against terrorism."



"As far as the referendum is concerned, there was no special discussion, except to conclude that it is the people's right [to vote]," Dodik told Russian media after the meeting.



The photo op with Putin would have to suffice. But given the ambiguous statements by Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic -- who shied away from supporting the referendum after meeting with Serbian leaders from Bosnia on September 1, while saying they did "not want to influence in any way" the political positions of politicians in Republika Srpska -- the mere image of backing from Moscow spoke volumes.



The flirtation suits Putin, as well, but only so long as it's a no-strings-attached relationship, according to Erik Gordi, a Balkan expert from University College London. In a tweet following the meeting, Gordi took a simple lesson from the Putin-Dodik meeting:

That assessment may well be true, but it's still enough to embolden Dodik in his defiance of the country's laws and the international community -- and thus to maintain a sense of crisis in Bosnia.

In suggesting why the Russian president would deign to meet with the head of a Bosnian entity, Serbian sociologist Vesna Pesic told RFE/RL in Belgrade that "by showing his influence over Dodik, and over the Serbian government, Putin is in fact negotiating with his real enemies -- the West -- and not with us."

Amid the ongoing war in Syria and other battlegrounds around the world, it has almost escaped notice that Putin is also challenging the West in the Balkans. Yet Russian soft power is being deployed all over the region with growing effectiveness. The Balkans may not be the next in line for a Russian invasion, or a show of military force, but it's still an important arena for Russia to assert its influence and standing -- as Putin sees it, making up for ground lost during the post-Soviet hangover.

When the former Yugoslavia surprised the world with its bloody breakup in the early 1990s, Russia was dealing with the collapse of Soviet Union and did not play a major role in resolving the Balkan crises. However, it gave shelter to the Yugoslav Army's chief of staff, Veljko Kadijevic, among others. He was granted Russian citizenship and passed away in 2014. The widow of former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, Mirjana Markovic, is a permanent resident in Moscow. A number of Serbian war profiteers who enriched themselves in the 1990s thanks to their connections to Serbia's "first family" are now running successful businesses out of Moscow.

To make up for not being there to help its Orthodox Slavic brethren -- the Serbs -- in the early 1990s, Russia is now wholeheartedly engaged in rewriting the history of the destruction of Yugoslavia, and Serbia's role in it. It was Russia that vetoed the resolution proposed by Great Britain on the Srebrenica genocide. Russian media are actively contributing to the revisionist project with efforts to rehabilitate Milosevic, who died in custody in The Hague in 2006. Contrary to the evidence gathered by The Hague tribunal in the course of the unfinished trial, Milosevic is now being painted as a peacemaker and as someone who wanted only to save Yugoslavia, rather than the man ultimately responsible for the worst atrocities on European soil since World War II.

All of this is intended to undermine Western efforts to bring peace and stability to the region and to reassert Russian influence and control.

Russia has been running a sophisticated and successful campaign to influence Balkan politics for years, explains Jaroslav Wisniewski in The Washington Post, adding that the Western Balkans are symbolically important to Putin's foreign policy.

"Many in Russia viewed the fall of Yugoslavia as an example of humiliation where the West ignored Moscow's views," Wisniewski writes.

But there are deeper, historical reasons why many Russians feel that being a great power implies playing a role in the Balkans.

The Russian strategy consists of projecting an image of a great power and ally but "with little substance behind it in investments or donations to the nations involved," Wisniewski says.



Yet, it is working.

A study published by the Belgrade-based Center for Euro-Atlantic Studies claims that Russia is deploying its soft power to destabilize the Balkan region, to stop the processes of democratization and EU accession, and to undermine the regional states' cooperation with NATO.

Russian soft power in Serbia and the Western Balkans has multiple objectives, according to this study. The primary goal is the replacement of democracy with Russian-style authoritarian populism. The secondary goal is to weaken support for European integration and to discredit the very concept of EU expansion.

To achieve these goals in Bosnia, Putin needs nothing other than Dodik in Banja Luka -- and totally confused political leaders in Sarajevo.

The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect the views of RFE/RL
MOSCOW  Russian officials have decried the interim results of an international investigation that found that the Malaysia Airlines passenger jet that crashed in eastern Ukraine in July 2014 was shot down by an antiaircraft missile transported from Russia and fired from rebel-controlled territory in Ukraine.



Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the findings, released on September 28, showed the probe was biased and politically motivated."



She suggested that Ukraine had been allowed to forge evidence, while the manufacturer of the Buk antiaircraft missile, Almaz Antey, alleged that investigators ignored information they had shared.



Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukrainian territory on July 17, 2014, while flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 passengers and crew on board perished.

The Joint Investigation Team said that MH17 was shot down by a Buk missile fired from rebel-controlled Ukraine. Investigators did not blame Russia directly but said that the Buk was transported from Russia into Ukraine and later smuggled back.



In comments to Russian news agencies, Major General Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, also criticized the findings, claiming they were based on two sources: the Internet and the Ukrainian security services.



Konashenkov denied that a missile system crossed the border between Ukraine and Russia.



Russian officials and state media have made strenuous efforts to lay the blame on Kyiv, at various times suggesting that the passenger plane was shot down by a Ukrainian fighter jet or by a Buk missile launcher in the hands of Ukrainian forces.



The Joint Investigation Team said it had ruled out all other explanations for MH17s crash.



Arbitrarily assigning blame and dreaming up the desired results has become the norm for our Western colleagues, Zakharova said in comments published on the Foreign Ministry website.

Zakharova accused the Joint Investigation Team of marginalizing Moscow from full-fledged participation in the investigative process, relegating our efforts to a minor role.



It sounds like a bad joke, but at the same time they made Ukraine a full member of the JIT, giving it the opportunity to forge evidence and turn the case to its advantage," she said.



On September 26, just two days before interim findings of the international investigation, Russias Defense Ministry released what it called new radar data showing that no missile could have been fired from rebel-held territory.



Just before the JIT findings were made public, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told news agencies that Defense Ministry radar data showed unequivocally that no missile was fired in rebel-controlled Ukraine.



There are undeniable facts. In the given case, it is important to make conclusions based on the latest information that has been published, and specifically the primary radar data that identified all flying objects that could have started or been located in the air in the territory controlled by the rebels, he was quoted as saying by Interfax.



In eastern Ukraine, parts of which the separatists call the Donetsk Peoples Republic, rebel Eduard Basurin told Interfax that his forces had "no such air-defense systems" and could not have downed MH17.
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."
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Russian warplanes pounded rebel-held areas of Aleppo again on September 28, continuing a major assault along with Syrian government troops and Iranian ground forces. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power condemned Russian involvement in Syria this week, calling its actions "barbarism." (Reuters)
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has threatened to cut off all cooperation with Russia on Syria unless Moscow and its Syrian allies end an ongoing air assault on the city of Aleppo.



The State Department said Kerry issued the ultimatum to his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in a telephone call on September 28.



Kerry's spokesman, John Kirby, said Washington was preparing to "suspend U.S.-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria...unless Russia takes immediate steps to end the assault on Aleppo."



Russia's Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, released a statement saying that Lavrov told Kerry that Washington must fulfill its obligations to separate opposition groups from terrorist groups.

Separating groups from one another on the ground has been hugely problematic, given that battlefield loyalities among the different fighting groups are fluid.

Most, if not all, of the groups share a common goal of ousting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. And while Washington and Moscow share some agreement in labeling those with connections to Al-Qaeda as terrorist organizations, Assad's government has labeled all of them as terrorists.



Add to that the fact that Syria's government is a longtime ally of Russia, which means that oscow's targeting decisions are usually informed by Syria's own tactical goals.



Russia and the United States are backing different sides in Syria's civil war but have tried to find some cooperation in targeting known terrorist groups.



A cease-fire that was hammered out by Washington and Moscow collapsed earlier this month. It was followed by a blistering air assault by Russia and Syrian jets on Aleppo, where hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped.

With reporting by AP, and Reuters
Zianna Oliphant Charlotte

The city of Charlotte, North Carolina, was rocked by riots last week after police officers there fatally shot a 43-year-old black man, Keith Lamont Scott.

And to one little girl, enough is enough.

Nine-year-old Zianna Oliphant took the podium at a contentious city-council meeting on Monday, six days after Scott's death.

"I've come here today to talk about how I feel, and I feel like we are treated differently than other people," Oliphant said. "I don't like how we're treated. Just because of our color  doesn't mean anything to me."

Oliphant, holding back tears, was encouraged by audience members to continue speaking.

"We are black people and we shouldn't have to feel like this," she said. "We shouldn't have to protest because y'all are treating us wrong."

Oliphant said she was "born and raised in Charlotte" and that she had never felt this way until now.

"We do this because we need to and to have rights," she said. "And I can't stand how we're treated. It's a shame that our fathers and mothers are killed and we can't even see them anymore."

Charlotte protests

"And we have tears, and we shouldn't have tears," Oliphant said. "We need our fathers and mothers to be by our side."

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department released police bodycam footage of Scott's shooting on Saturday, after tensions grew between protesters and city authorities.

The department's chief, Kerr Putney, said in a news conference on Saturday that the video didn't explicitly show Scott pointing a gun at police officers when he was fatally shot. The police have said Scott was holding a gun, while Scott's family says he was holding a book.

Watch Oliphant's full speech below:







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Scientists and environmentalists are warning that Russia's Siberian forests, hit with a severe drought this summer, are increasingly being consumed by wildfires that are consistently underestimated by the government.

Greenpeace told the French news agency AFP on September 27 that the fires have destroyed 2 million hectares of Siberian forest, and it blamed the problem on global warming.

Russia's federal forestries agency has conceded it is battling a major wildfire problem this year but estimates that only 125,000 hectares of land have been affected.

But Greenpeace Russia spokesman Aleksei Yaroshenko warned of "an unprecedented catastrophe in Siberia," which he blamed in part on "the ineffectiveness of the authorities."

He told AFP that the fires peaked last week around the Siberian cities of Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk near Lake Baikal, where nearly 5 million people live, and that some schools had to be closed because of the thick smoke covering the area.

Since then, much-needed rain has shrunk the affected area but "around 900,000 hectares are still on fire today," he said.

On September 25, Russia's minister of emergency situations, Vladimir Puchkov, called for additional measures to protect residents in the affected areas and said authorities have not been able to fully gauge the extent of the fire damage because satellite surveillance has been hampered by a huge cloud of smoke.

Photos take by NASA satellites this summer showed a swath of smoke covering much of Siberia and stretching from the border with Kazakhstan to Mongolia.

Experts claim that such images show that the fires are 10 times more widespread than acknowledged by the Russian government.

If you look at the whole area over the past 30 years, theres a significant increase in burned area that is very clear by the early 2000s, Susan Conrad, a former U.S. Forest Service scientist who has spent decades researching the impact of fire on Siberia, told ClimateWire.

Conrad and a group of Russian, Canadian, and American colleagues have tracked the incidence of big fires, or those about 2,000 hectares in size or larger, since 1979. Theyve found a sharp uptick.

Fires are a natural event in wild forests and affect other countries such as Canada and the United States, as well. They destroy huge areas in Russia each summer, usually in the eastern region of Siberia, leaving poorly funded government agencies struggling to contain them.

But Greenpeace wildfire prevention expert Grigory Kuksin told the Siberian Times that the government could do more to get the fires under control.

"Everywhere it's the same scenario, where a small fire is ignored and then goes out of control," he said. "If they start reacting on time to small fires, everything will be OK."

Aleksandr Bruykhanov, senior researcher at the Forestry Institute in Krasnoyarsk, told the Siberian Times that massive wildfires have become more frequent and cannot be fully controlled by the government. He said they will only be extinguished when rain returns to the region.

"Large wildfires have been happening here every 10 to 30 years, and in the last decades every five to 10 years, because of increased anthropological pressure and global climate change," he said.

"The Emergencies Ministry won't be able to help here but will only cause some extra work for foresters, who will have to rescue rescuers."

With reporting by AFP, Siberian Times, Mashable, and ClimateWire
Two Guatemalans hired by a Pakistani national to kill a well-known member of Richmonds Muslim community were sentenced to serve 38 years in prison Wednesday in a murder-for-hire plot that netted them about $3,000 each.

Melvin Leonel Sandoval Vasquez, 25, of Washington, and Narcisco DeJesus Lemus Mendoza, 27, of Manassas, pleaded guilty in Chesterfield County Circuit Court to first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit capital murder in the Jan. 23, 2015, slaying of Adel M. Elmadany, who was found strangled and suffocated inside his Turner Road business.

Under terms of the plea agreements, Circuit Judge Lynn S. Brice sentenced each of the men to 70 years in prison with 32 years suspended after accepting their guilty pleas. It was disclosed in court that both men are illegal immigrants from Guatemala and will be deported after completing their prison terms.

The agreement also requires both men to testify against Arshad The Don Mahmood, 56, who allegedly planned the murder. Mahmood, who was living in Northern Virginia and remains at large, rewarded the pair after the killing with $6,000, which they split, according to authorities.

After their arrests, the defendants admitted to police that they posed as customers and knocked Elmadany to the ground, putting a plastic grocery bag over his head and then strangling him with his own shoelace. Investigators recovered surveillance video from nearby businesses that showed the defendants in and around Elmadanys used-car lot, 3 Amigos Auto Sales, the day of the killing.

Elmadany, who lived in the 7500 block of Ander Court, was found dead by his wife the next day. He was 60.

Mahmood apparently wanted Elmadany killed because prosecutors said the victim, who was well-known in Richmonds Muslim community, had been asked to intercede in the financial affairs of Mahmood and his wife, Ebtesam, whom Mahmood married in 2014, according to a summary of evidence.

Ebtesam told police that Mahmood used their marital status to file false tax returns and engage in other illegal financial activities, Chesterfield prosecutor Barbara Cooke told the court. Adel learned of this and allowed Ebtesam, who was only with Mahmood for a couple of months, to move into the 3 Amigos building. Ebtesam told police that Mahmood was capable of hiring someone to kill Adel.

The partial resolution to the case comes 18 months after Chesterfield police staged a rare news conference in an effort to locate Mahmood, who was last known to be living in Prince William County. Authorities at the time had already arrested Vasquez and Mendoza in an investigation that involved multiple federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

Police said last year that they believed Mahmood was armed and dangerous, and they obtained a warrant for his arrest on a charge of conspiracy to commit murder for hire. Authorities say he may have fled to Pakistan.

According to the prosecutions summary, Mahmoods name came up early in the investigation. Investigators were able to recover surveillance video from several nearby businesses that showed two vehicles  one occupied by a man later identified as Vasquez, the other occupied by Mahmood and Mendoza  in and around 3 Amigos Auto Sales.

The video shows Vasquez and Mendoza entering the victims business, as well as Mahmood circling around several times before pulling into the dealers lot.

Police first tracked down Vasquez in Washington. After his arrest, he said that Mahmood had hired him to drive to Richmond to kill Elmadany and that Mahmood asked Mendoza to assist.

On the day of the killing, the two defendants went to Elmadanys business on the pretense of buying a car, and after one of them asked for a drink of water, they attacked Elmadany in the kitchen.

Mendoza began hitting Elmadany while Vasquez grabbed a plastic grocery bag and handed it to Mendoza, who put it over the victims head. Vasquez then removed a lace from Elmadanys shoe and gave it to his accomplice, who began strangling the victim with it. Mendoza then tied the lace around Elmadanys neck.

Vasquez said that Mahmood had also given them a handgun to shoot Elmadany and that he had the weapon tucked in his waistband when he entered the business. But he said he was nervous about using the gun because he had never fired one before.

The two defendants said that after killing Elmadany, they drove back to Manassas, where they got rid of their clothes and met Mahmood, who paid them $6,000. In a later interview, Vasquez told investigators that they had received a portion of the hit money before the killing, and the balance after.

Vasquez also told police that he, Mahmood and Mendoza made several trips to Richmond to survey the area in preparation for the killing.

After Mendoza was arrested, he claimed that Mahmood  whom he called El Senor  had hired him as a mechanic and had threatened him with a gun and forced him to travel to Richmond to kill Elmadany. He eventually admitted to putting the bag over Elmadanys head and tying the shoelace around his neck.

Coincidentally, Mahmood was due in Chesterfield Circuit Court a week after authorities named him as a suspect to answer a civil action filed on behalf of his estranged wife regarding a nearly $100,000 judgment, including $56,400 stemming from unmet provisions of a prenuptial agreement, court records show.

The two were married June 2, 2014, at the Islamic Center of Virginia on Buford Road in Chesterfield.

Elmadany was known to be very active at the center, and his name shows up as a witness to the marriage and to a June 2014 document in which Mahmood claimed his wife of four days was not an employee of Mahmoods business, Goal Transportation Inc. in Woodbridge.

The woman had been ordered to pay $1,400 in taxes by the Internal Revenue Service for 2013 and had received a notice the day of the marriage.

The suit claims that Mahmood used an alias (Arshad Mahood) to sign the June 6 statement that incorporates a declaration that Ebtesam was not an employee and that Mahmood first met her at 3 Amigos Auto Sales Inc. on Turner Road.

Ebtesam also asserted in the suit that a $5,000 check that had been paid to her by Goal Transportation as part of the marriage agreement had bounced, and that she had been physically abused.

Mendoza declined to address the court Wednesday . Vasquez offered apologies to the victims family members, some of whom were in court. He added that things in life happen that we dont understand but said he didnt deserve this.

Defense attorneys Charles Phelps and Jose Aponte noted that neither of the defendants had prior criminal records.

Aponte said he didnt know if his client, Mendoza, will ever be able to come up with an answer as to why he committed murder. Phelps said Vasquez doesnt believe he should be punished as severely as Mendoza because he did not physically kill Elmadany.

The judge called the killing a tragedy and noted that Elmadany tried to be a good citizen by extending kindness to Mahmoods wife.

You both had the opportunity to abandon this plan, said Brice, admonishing the defendants.
A man charged with the first-degree murder of a SunTrust banking executive plans to mount an insanity defense, according to his defense attorney.

Nigel E. Walker, 26, is charged with first-degree murder and use of a knife in a felony in connection with the death of Brian Szabo, 55. Szabo was the banks executive vice president of corporate risk when he was killed April 2 after an argument with Walker, police said.

Dr. Michelle Nelson, a clinical psychologist, evaluated Walker at the request of the defense and said he was insane when he allegedly stabbed Szabo in the neck, according to Walkers attorney, William Efird. Efird then filed a motion notifying prosecutors that Walker intended to plead not guilty by reason of insanity.

On Wednesday, Richmond Circuit Court Judge Phillip L. Hairston granted a motion from supervising Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Cynthia R. Micklem to have Walker evaluated a second time by a court-appointed doctor.

The case had earlier stalled in Richmond General District Court for months while Walkers competency to stand trial was evaluated. The results of his evaluation are not publicly accessible because of medical privacy laws, but both attorneys said Walker has been deemed able to stand trial.

While an incompetent defendant cannot stand trial, an insane one can. If both sides agree that Walker was in fact insane at the time of the offense, then Walker will not likely stand trial nor will he go free, Micklem said.

In most cases, a defendant in that situation would be institutionalized for a period by court order.

If the prosecutions evaluation differs from the defense and says that a defendant was sane, then the case will go to trial. If a defendant is found not guilty but insane at the time of the offense, he or she would be institutionalized.

Walker will next appear in court in November when the results of the second evaluation will be shared.

Walker had been living with the Szabo family in the 100 block of Westmoreland Street, according to police and court records. At about 2 a.m. on April 2, police said there was an argument between the two men and Szabo was killed.

Court records show that Walker is a native of New Orleans who had been living in Virginia for eight months before the April incident.

Walker has no prior charges in Virginia, but was convicted of disorderly conduct in Georgia last year after a strange incident inside a convenience store. In that case, he shattered a display case and stole cigarettes and beer before stripping naked in front of police when he could not produce identification to buy alcohol, according to a police report and court records.

Savannah police charged Walker with disorderly conduct, shoplifting, criminal trespass and public indecency in the Aug. 2, 2015, incident. On Oct. 1, he was convicted of the disorderly charge, but the other counts were withdrawn.
A federal judge has dismissed a discrimination lawsuit filed by the former executive director of Saint Francis Home who was fired after the Catholic Diocese of Richmond learned he was gay.

The judge in the case made the decision based on a motion from John M. Murphy, the fired employee, asking that the lawsuit be dismissed because all matters in controversy between (the parties) have been fully and finally resolved.

The parties have engaged in a cooperative process to attempt to resolve the disputes in this matter and those efforts were successful, Murphys request said.

Details on how the matter was resolved were not included in court filings. The matter has ended. I am not able to comment further, H. Aubrey Ford III, Murphys attorney, said Tuesday. He said Murphy was not available for comment.

The diocese expressed a nearly identical sentiment in an email from spokeswoman Deborah Cox.

The matter has ended. We have no comment, she wrote.

The case was dismissed Monday.

In court papers, Murphy claimed that the home and diocese discriminated against him because of his sexual orientation.

Murphy alleged that eight days into his job as executive director of the Saint Francis Home in Richmond, two diocese officials  Chief Financial Officer Michael McGee and Human Resources Officer Dorothy Mahanes  visited his office.

On the day McGee and Mahanes visited his office, the pair said they had learned he was gay, a fact he confirmed.

McGee, according to the allegations, then told him same-sex marriage is antithetical to Roman Catholic church doctrine and this makes you unfit and ineligible to be executive director of Saint Francis Home. We are here to advise you that your employment is terminated effective today.

In the lawsuit, Murphy says his sexual orientation was never discussed during the interview process, which lasted more than a month.

He claims that the first time it came up was on March 18 of last year  13 days after he was offered the job  at a meeting with Tina Neal, then president of Saint Francis board of directors.

Neal, the lawsuit alleges, mentioned a fundraiser scheduled for May 2 and told him that staff and spouses were invited to attend and that (he) was welcome to bring his wife.

Murphy says he informed Neal that he was married to his male partner of 30 years.

Since this was the first time this issue ever came up, (Murphy) asked Ms. Neal if his same-sex marriage status was an issue, according to the lawsuit. She shrugged and said it was not a problem and would not be an issue, stating: This is 2015.

Neal did not respond to a phone call or email seeking comment.

According to the lawsuit, after his firing Neal said she and the board members who make up the executive committee had met with Bishop Francis Xavier DiLorenzo the previous day. The bishop, the suit alleges, insisted that the executive committee terminate plaintiff on the grounds of same-sex marriage.

The committee refused and several members discussed quitting, according to the lawsuit.

Murphy says he has suffered mental and emotional distress and has not been able to find work.
FORT LEE  In what base officials believe was the first visit by a sitting president to the nearly century-old U.S. Army base, President Barack Obama came to Fort Lee on Wednesday to address concerns and questions posed by military members and their families.

The occasion was a town hall hosted by CNN and broadcast on the cable network Wednesday night. The hourlong forum at the base in Prince George County touched on a number of emotional topics, from the rate of suicides in the military to the challenges of reforming veterans health care at the VA so the U.S. can uphold the sacred vow made to service members.

Addressing news of the day, Obama said Congress made a mistake earlier Wednesday by taking basically a political vote to override his veto of a bill that would let families of people killed on Sept. 11 sue Saudi Arabia. The overwhelming vote marked the first time Congress has overridden a bill during Obamas presidency.

Obama had vetoed the bill on Friday, saying it infringed on presidential foreign policy prerogatives.

Its a dangerous precedent and its an example of why sometimes you have to do whats hard, Obama said.

The president also discussed his feelings about the ongoing demonstration by NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and some other pro athletes, who have been kneeling during the national anthem to protest police shootings of black suspects and to raise other issues related to race.

I believe that us honoring our flag and our anthem is part of what binds us together as a nation, Obama said in response to a question from one of the military members of the audience.

But I also always try to remind folks that part of what makes this country special is that we respect peoples rights to have a different opinion.

Obama said: We fight so that sometimes people can do things that we disagree with, but thats what freedom means in this country.

He said he thinks those inclined to protest should listen to the pain that their protest may cause to somebody who may have had a spouse or child killed in combat ... but I also want people to think about the pain that protesters may be expressing about somebody who lost a loved one that they think was unlawfully shot.

He said that the only way we make it work is to see each other, listen to each other, and try to be respectful of each other, and not just going into separate corners.

Use of force

Obama said the U.S. has to be judicious in determining when to commit military resources abroad.

The president said that great nations have historically had problems in international affairs because they are overextended. Syria, he said, is not a situation in which, absent committing a large number of troops, the U.S. could stop a civil war.

Unless we can get the parties involved to recognize that they are just burning their country to the ground, he said, theres a limit on what we can do.

Answering a similar question later in the town hall, the president said the U.S. does not have the capacity to police every country with troops on the ground, and that peace and stability will require the troubled nations to take responsibility.

Well never have enough troops ... well never have a big enough budget to simply govern and police every country, he said.

As for stopping terrorism, Obama said the lone wolf, motivated by information read or seen online, is going to be our biggest danger because such a person can do significant harm if willing to die doing so.

Still, the president said the U.S. is significantly safer today than we were when 9/11 happened.

Care for vets

There were several emotional moments during the town hall. The wife of a veteran who died from cancer that she said was not properly treated by the Department of Veterans Affairs rose to question the president. She clutched the flag used in the service to bury her husband.

The president said the significant problems at the VA accumulated over decades, and that its budget has increased 85 percent since hes been in office. He said problems with care are inexcusable, but fixing the system is like changing the direction of an ocean liner.

Weve got to meet the sacred vow we made to our troops, he said. Were beginning to fix it but we are not there yet.

A wife of a veteran who committed suicide last year due to post-traumatic stress disorder asked what could be done to stem the tide of military suicides, estimated to be approximately 20 a day.

Obama said he has told military commanders that they have a responsibility to destigmatize mental health issues for veterans, and has increased funding for mental health services 75 percent.

Theres nothing weak about asking for help, the president said. Ultimately that has to pervade the culture of our military. ... The fact that there are still 20 a day who feel hopeless means weve got to do more.

Asked what he would do if his teenage daughters, Malia and Sasha, wanted to enter the armed forces, the president said he would tell them to go for it. ... If that was an avenue they wanted to take, Id be proud of them, he added, while acknowledging that he would be nervous about deployments.

Air Force One had landed at Richmond International Airport at 1:26 p.m. Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones and Tyrone E. Nelson, chairman of the Henrico County Board of Supervisors, were among people who greeted the president upon his arrival. The president flew by helicopter to Fort Lee and arrived for the taping shortly after 2 p.m.

Thanking the troops

Following the town hall, the president paid a quick visit to an Air Force hangar on the base to thank more than 500 service members and civilian defense employees for their role in supporting military operations.

You dont always get the glory, the president said.

He also wished Fort Lee well ahead of the centennial of its founding as Camp Lee in 1917. Im just going to jump the gun and go ahead and say: Fort Lee, happy 100th birthday.

Maj. Gen. Darrell K. Williams, senior commander at Fort Lee, said Obamas recognition of this being the home of Army sustainment, logistics  where we do transportation, quartermaster functions and supply and ordnance functions  the fact that he recognized those functions and their contribution to our military, is pretty phenomenal.

It was also a special occasion for Army Sgt. Maj. Anthony B. Brown, from Tyler, Texas, who was assigned to Fort Lee six months ago. Brown, 48, who has served active duty for 24 years, was one of the lucky few in attendance who got to shake the presidents hand.
John W. Warner, a Republican who represented Virginia in the U.S. Senate for 30 years, will endorse Democrat Hillary Clinton for president today.

Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, the Democratic nominee for vice president, will appear with Warner in Alexandria for the announcement.

Clinton said in a statement on Tuesday night:

For 30 years, Virginians trusted John Warner in the Senate, and for good reason: He has dedicated his life to defending our country, from serving in the Navy in World War II to chairing the Senate Armed Services Committee, where I had the honor of working with him to support our men and women in uniform and their families.

I am proud to have Johns support, and to know that someone with his decades of experience would trust me with the weighty responsibility of being commander in chief.

Warner, 89, who represented Virginia in the U.S. Senate from 1979 to 2009, has split with his party in the past.

For instance, he voted against President Ronald Reagans nomination of Robert Bork to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1987 and he declined to support Republican nominee Oliver North for the U.S. Senate in 1994, instead backing the independent candidacy of J. Marshall Coleman.

In a 2013 telephone interview Warner said he was worried about tumult in the state GOP, noting: Im concerned about the relative strength of the two parties.

In 2014, he backed the re-election bid of U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who had succeeded him in 2009. (John Warner had defeated Mark Warner in Virginias 1996 U.S. Senate race.)

John Warner said in 2014 that he was still a Republican and noted that he had backed Republican George Allens U.S. Senate campaigns in 2006 and 2012 and endorsed the 2013 campaign for attorney general of state Sen. Mark D. Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg.

But the former senator has never before endorsed a Democrat for president.

Warner is a former U.S. Navy secretary. He had the second-longest U.S. Senate tenure in Virginia history, behind only Harry F. Byrd Sr.

Warner, once married to actress Elizabeth Taylor, wed Jeanne Vander Myde in 2003.
This was supposed to be the year that members of Congress finally started acting like grown-ups.

Instead, while most of the United States has been distracted by the circus of the presidential campaign, Congress has regressed further into childishness, proving itself lazier, more incompetent and more obstructionist then even its fiercest critics could have imagined.

Not so long ago, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) promised that, after years of dysfunction and infighting, 2016 would represent a new beginning.

We are turning the page, Ryan said when he accepted the speakership last fall. We are not going to have a House that looked like it looked the last few years.

In what was heralded as the most important indicator of their new-and-improved commitment to good governance, he and McConnell pledged to finally reinstate regular order in the budget process.

Regular order meant that congressional committees would allocate taxpayer money thoughtfully, branch by branch and agency by agency, in 12 separate regular appropriations bills. They would all be voted on and signed into law well before the start of the next fiscal year.

Congress would not wait until the last minute and cram everything into a giant, sloppy, everything-to-everyone bill in a panicked attempt to avoid a government shutdown  as had become the ritual in recent years.

Ryan is a self-identified budget wonk, and getting the nations fiscal house in order was supposed to be his top priority.

Instead, he  and McConnell, and the rest of Congress  blew it.

The new fiscal year starts this Saturday, Oct. 1, and not a single one of the 12 regular appropriations bills has made it to the presidents desk. In fact, this year the House couldnt even pass a budget resolution setting out the broad outlines for what Congress plans to spend, which is the first step in the budget process; this is only the second year since 1975 that the House was unable to pass such a plan.

Additionally, neither the House nor the Senate even held a hearing on the presidents budget request, the first and only time a president has been refused one since 1975.

With no budget resolution or regular appropriations bills ready to go, Congress is now merely trying to extend current funding levels for a few more months. This would allow legislators to return to the campaign trail and delay the hard decisions until after Election Day.

So far they still havent even been able to execute that second-rate plan, though, because legislators have repeatedly tried to tuck poison-pill provisions into this must-pass bill.

The result is that with a little more than a month before the election, Congress is again flirting with a shutdown. And a year into the worldwide Zika epidemic, Congress still hasnt successfully appropriated a cent toward the crisis, nor has it passed any funding to help families affected by emergencies in Louisiana or Flint, Michigan.

Budgets are hardly the only frontier in which the do-nothing legislative branch has proven itself unable to perform even its most basic duties.

Under Republican leadership, the Senate is on track to work the fewest number of days in a session in six decades. It also took the longest summer recess in the modern era.

It cant get anyone confirmed, either.

Merrick Garland, President Obamas Supreme Court pick, famously cant get a hearing, but hes hardly the only nominee being snubbed. The Republican-led Senate has confirmed just 22 federal judges this Congress, putting it on pace for the lowest number of confirmed judges since the 1951-1952 Congress, according to the Alliance for Justice. For context, the Senate had confirmed more than three times as many judges by this point in the final Congresses of previous two-term presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan. In all these cases, mind you, presidents had also faced Senates controlled by the opposing party.

Empty offices pock the entire executive branch, too, thanks to unprecedented levels of Senate obstruction. This Congress, the Senate has confirmed the fewest civilian nominees in modern history, according to a recent report from the Congressional Research Service.

Our legislators cant seem to pass budgets or hold hearings for nominees, yet somehow they find time to go on elaborate political witch hunts, or to hold grandstanding hearings where they publicly shame greedy executives for doing things that the legislators allow to remain legal. They seem to forget that  unlike us poor opinion columnists  they have powers that go beyond mere words, finger-wagging and moral suasion.

That is, they could actually pass laws.
In endorsing Democrat Hillary Clinton for president on Wednesday, former U.S. Sen. John Warner, R-Va., did not mention GOP nominee Donald Trump by name until he uncorked a zinger at the end.

Warner recalled that in the winter of 1945, after he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was in boot camp at the end of World War II, instructors drummed home a message to Warner and other young recruits.

Loose lips sink ships, Warner said. Got that, Trump? Loose lips sink ships.

Warner, a former head of the Senate Armed Services Committee, represented Virginia in the Senate for 30 years. On Wednesday he repeatedly alluded to Trump remarks about the military that Warner considers disrespectful.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., the Democratic nominee for vice president, joined Warner for the announcement at the Charles Houston Recreation Center in Alexandria.

Warner, who represented Virginia in the U.S. Senate from 1979 to 2009, said that in thinking about the presidential contest he was bound by the fundamentals of duty, honor and country he learned as a young man in the U.S. military.

Warner said he feels distressed by some of the comments made by some of the opponents of this ticket regarding the status of the U.S. military.

No one should have the audacity to stand up and degrade the Purple Heart, degrade military families or talk about the military being in a state of disaster, Warner said. Thats wrong.

As I watched this race unfold, I said there comes a time when Ive got to stand up, even though Im basically in retirement and assert my own views to those people in my great state of Virginia who are struggling with the choice.

Warner, who served with Clinton on the Senate Armed Services Committee, testified to her preparation and experience.

She has always, throughout her life, prepared, done her homework and studied, Warner said.

In questioning members of the military at committee hearings Clinton was firm, but fair and  underline  respectful, Warner said.

Thats one word thats totally lacking on the other side in this ticket.

Warner said that anyone who reviews Clintons work on the Armed Services Committee would have a basis to conclude: That candidate is one that is fit and ready to lead our great, free country and to lead the world in the cause of freedom.
BRASILIA, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Brazil is consulting with the World Trade Organization about U.S. barriers to Brazilian steel exports, Foreign Minister Jose Serra told journalists on Wednesday.

Serra also said he was awaiting feedback from the Transportation Ministry about lodging a formal complaint against a maritime treaty with Chile that appears to be pushing up shipping costs compared to its more distant neighbors.

(Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu; Writing by Brad Haynes; Editing by Daniel Flynn)
Canada approved a Can$36bn ($27bn US) pipeline project by Malaysia's Petronas, the first deal by the Liberal government that goes against environmentalists (AFP Photo/Eric Piermont) (AFP/File)

Montreal (AFP) - Canada approved a massive Can$36 billion ($27 billion USD) project by Malaysia's Petronas to build a liquefied natural gas pipeline along its Pacific Northwest coast, targeting Asian markets.

The project is the first deal by Canada's year-old Liberal government that goes against environmentalists in the name of the country's economic interests. Environmental activists and indigenous groups have opposed the plans.

"The government approved the Pacific Northwest LNG project," said Environment Minister Catherine McKenna.

"As the prime minister has emphasized, the only way to get resources to market in the 21st century is if it is done sustainably and responsibly. Today's announcement reflects this commitment," she said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has repeatedly said that the economy and environment should be pursued in parallel, without sacrificing one for the other.

The project includes a pipeline and two Petronas terminals to ship gas to Asia.

The gas terminals are to be built on Lelu Island, near Prince Rupert on the Pacific coast. Each will have a capacity of six million tons per year, with the possibility of adding a third down the road.

The pipeline built by the operator TransCanada must cross 900 kilometers of British Columbia between Hudson's Hope (about 400 kilometers or 250 miles north of Prince George), ending at Lelu Island.

The pipeline deal comes after Petronas in late 2012 snapped up Canada's Progress Energy Resources gas producer for $5.2 billion.

- Climate change, pollution worries -

Environmental groups worry the pollution created will worsen global warming.

"How can Prime Minister Trudeau claim to be a climate leader on the international stage, while approving this new project that will become the single largest source of climate pollution in the country," said Karen Mahon, national director of Stand.

"Honestly we expected better," she said. "This government cannot make decisions like this while honoring their promises on climate change."

Story continues

Meanwhile, many members of Canada's First Nations -- indigenous people whose ancestors lived off the land gently for thousands of years -- are concerned about potential sullying of fishing waters.

The deal means heavy LNG traffic through a maze of islands where salmon is a vital resource.

However, others were upbeat about job opportunities.

The green light for the pipeline project comes a few weeks after a key meeting between federal and provincial governments to define the necessary steps to reduce carbon emissions under last year's Paris climate agreement.

Canada, which has pledged to ratify the agreement, wants to impose a carbon tax on the provinces, a decision that does not hit everyone equally -- especially oil-producing Saskatchewan.

Other Canadian provinces want to keep the carbon trading market principle already in force.
ROTHERHAM has been ranked as the worst place in Yorkshire to eat in a new report by environmental health consultants.

Encentre collated data from restaurants and takeaways showed the borough was ranked bottom in the county for food hygiene in August and September.

The consultants compiled scores on the doors food hygiene ratings from restaurants and takeaways across the country and found Rotherham was the lowest local authority in the region and 21st worst in the whole of the UK.

Michael Eade, from Encentre, said: We have examined this months data and identified the worst areas to eat in the country.

"We found that Rotherham had the highest proportion of food premises in their region with unsatisfactory food hygiene scores  those presenting the highest risk to customers.

Rotherham was not only ranked worst in the region but also against 39 other areas in their sector  local authorities with similar profiles to the borough.
Mountain Province Diamonds announces 3Q 2022 production and sales results Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. has announced production and sales results for the third quarter ended September 30, from the Gahcho Kue Diamond Mine. According to the company, 1,451,455 carats recovered, 7% lower than Q3 2021, and a 15% increase...

Hong Kongs jewellery export dips 17.6% in September Hong Kongs government data revealed that exports of jewellery, goldsmiths and silversmiths wares were down 23.1 per cent year on year to HK$18.24 bn which is around $2.32 bn during September 2022.

Diamcor more than doubles Q2 revenue Diamcor generated gross revenues of about $3 million from its operations in the interim period ended September 30, 2022, compared to $1,4 million for the same period in the previous year. The company is still conducting trial mining exercises at its...

IBJA commits to Declaration of Responsibility & Sustainability Principles The Indian gold industry has signed a Declaration of Responsibility and Sustainability Principles, convened by the LBMA and the World Gold Council, which expresses a commitment to operate responsibly and sustainably, based on a clear set of shared goals...
To further reduce gross debt, Rio Tinto launched a bond purchase plan for up to $3 bn. This announcement follows the successful completion of Rio Tinto Groups $4.5 bn cash tender offers earlier this year.

Under the current plan, Rio Tinto has issued a redemption notice for approximately $1.5 bn of its 2017 and 2018 US dollar-denominated notes and commenced cash tender offers to purchase up to approximately $1.5 bn of its 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 US dollar-denominated notes.

It is noted that the launch of a new program of debt reduction has been made possible thanks to the strong liquidity position of the group.

"Today's announcement is part of the implemented capital management program of Rio Tinto Group and follows the successful completion of the tender offers to purchase for cash bonds in the amount of $ 4.5 billion earlier this year," - said in a release.

In April, Rio Tinto launched a programme to purchase $1.5 bn of its 2017 and 2018 notes and in June it announced plans to purchase $3 bn of its 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022 notes. Both offers were successfully completed. In June, $1.5 bn of notes also matured and were repaid with cash.



Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in-Chief of Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished




HRD Antwerp announces that Peter Macken had been relieved of his duties as CEO as a result of differing strategic views. The decision was taken by mutual agreement and is effective immediately.

At the request of the HRD Antwerp Board of Directors, Mr. Ari Epstein, a statutory board member at HRD Antwerp and CEO of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre, has been appointed President of the HRD Antwerp Board of Directors. Additionally, in the interest of safeguarding operational continuity, Mr. Epstein will assume the role of interim CEO at HRD Antwerp until a suitable replacement has been found, AWDC reported.



Alex Shishlo, Editor of the Rough&Polished European Bureau in Brussels




Rockwell Diamonds new chief executive Tjaart Willemse has concluded that the company is in a state of despair having observed the general health of the business.

He took over from James Campbell mid this month.

It is clear that the business finds itself in a state of despair for a number of reasons, he said in a statement.

There has been a general breakdown in controls over a considerable period of time, non-adherence to the procurement policy, amongst others, being very prevalent.

This, coupled with inadequate work planning and the lack of project front-end loading has led to a series of financial management concerns and business risks.

Willemse said blurred lines of accountability, both within the organisation and between the company and some of its service providers, does not bode well for proper management and control of the business.

He said  without clarification  that some significant progress had already been made.

I am of the opinion that, with appropriate controls in place and with the right team to execute it, Rockwell can be turned around to deliver good shareholder value, said Willemse.

Meanwhile, the company said mining volumes in the second quarter ended August 31 dropped 4 percent quarter-on-quarter and 8 percent year-on-year due to the planned scaling down of operations at Saxendrift, which was partly compensated by a 10 percent increase in volumes processed at Remhoogte (RHC).

Quarterly carat production at Saxendrift declined by 28 percent to 1,227 carats, while a total of 3,424 carats were recovered from RHC, including several 20-carat stones, with the largest being 158.99ct and 129.66ct.

Wouterspan, which saw commissioning starting last August, produced 96.26 carats, including one stone weighing 27.405 ct.

Rockwell sales also dropped 9 percent year-on-year to 4 849 ct.



Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished




In a tax evasion investigation focused on the Swiss arm of HSBC, Israeli authorities on 22nd Sept. arrested and took into custody four diamond dealers who allegedly held undeclared accounts at the bank.

The four Israeli diamond dealers are accused of holding close to 100 million shekels ($21 million) at HSBC in Switzerland that was not reported to the Israel Tax Authority. They have been released after posting bail but all four have denied the allegations.

According to reports, the Israel's tax authority had been working since February 2015 to obtain a list of Israelis with accounts at HSBC Switzerland. In August this year, French authorities handed over a list of more than 8,000 Israeli customers.

Early last year, HSBC had acknowledged "past compliance and control failures" that may have allowed some customers to evade taxes. In Israel, having a Swiss bank account is not illegal as long as it is reported to authorities and taxes are paid.



Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in-Chief of Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished




Lincoln County Port Authority

The Lincoln County Port Authority in Libby, Mont., received a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) for a planned rail spur.

U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) confirmed the funding and said it would be used to build a rail spur between BNSF and Kootenai Business Park.

Sen. Daines authored a letter of support for this project in April writing, Completion of the new rail spur will reassure current businesses in the Kootenai Business Park that economic rail transportation will be available to them, and is considered vital to attract new businesses with good-paying jobs.

This EDA investment will support the creation of additional wood product manufacturing jobs in the distressed region of Lincoln County and will help the Lincoln Port Authority to redevelop its defunct rail spur, which serves the business park. Completion of the $1.66 million project will allow a local company to expand and attract additional manufacturing companies to the area.

Through these additional funds Lincoln County will be able to create and save good-paying Montana jobs, Sen. Daines stated. The Kootenai Rail Development Project will invigorate the region and be a boon for local business.
Canadian stocks fell Tuesday, as weakness emerged in the energy sector due to falling oil prices.

Markets in the U.S. and elsewhere were higher today after Hillary Clinton's strong debate performance soothed fears of a Trump presidency, but Canada bucked the uptrend.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index was down 61.42 points, or 0.42 percent, to 14,588.04.

Energy stocks lost 1.8 percent, as crude oil tumbled below $45 barrel on doubts over whether OPEC will hammer out a deal to curb supplies.

Amazon has added Toronto and Vancouver to the list of cities where free Prime same-day delivery is available.

Shomi, the streaming platform launched by Rogers and Shaw, will shut down on November 30. Rogers (RCI.B.TO) and Shaw (SJR.B.TO) launched Shomi in November 2014.

Aritzia Inc., the Canadian women's fashion retailer, raised C$400 million ($302 million) in its initial public offering. Shares will start trading in October on Toronto Stock Exchange.

Bombardier Inc. (BBD_B.TO, BBD_A.TO) announced Tuesday the delivery of two Q400 turboprops to the Tanzanian Government Flight Agency.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market Analysis
The New Zealand dollar weakened against the other major currencies in the Asian session on Wednesday.

The NZ dollar fell to nearly a 1-1/2-month low of 1.0555 against the Australian dollar, from yesterday's closing value of 1.0498.

Against the U.S. dollar, the yen and the euro, the kiwi dropped to 0.7266, 73.05 and 1.5422 from yesterday's closing quotes of 0.7299, 73.29 and 1.5348, respectively.

If the kiwi extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 1.06 against the aussie, 0.71 against the greenback, 72.00 against the yen and 1.57 against the euro.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Forex News
Consumer confidence from Germany and Italy are due on Wednesday, headlining a light day for the European economic news.

At 2.00 am ET, Germany's GfK consumer confidence survey results are due. The forward-looking consumer sentiment indicator is forecast to rise to 10.2 in October from 7.2 in September.

In the meantime, the Swiss consumption indicator is due for August. The index stood at 1.32 in July.

At 2.45 am ET, the French statistical office Insee is set to release consumer spending for August. Household spending is forecast to advance 0.9 percent in August after rising 0.5 percent in July.

At 3.00 am ET, Swiss KOF leading indicator is due. Economists forecast the index to improve to 100.5 in September from 99.8 in August.

In the meantime, the National Institute of Economic Research is scheduled to issue Sweden's economic tendency survey results.

At 4.00 am ET, Istat releases Italy's and consumer confidence survey results. The business sentiment index is seen at 100.9 in September versus 101.1 in August. Likewise, the consumer confidence index is forecast to fall to 109 from 109.2 a month ago.

At 5.00 am ET, Italy's hourly wages figures for August are due. Hourly wages advanced 0.6 percent annually in July.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
British company Smiths Group plc (SMIN.L) reported Wednesday that its fiscal 2016 pre-tax profit increased to 346 million pounds from last year's 325 million pounds.

Earnings per share grew to 65.6 pence from 62.4 pence a year ago.

Headline pre-tax profit was 451 million pounds, compared to 459 million pounds last year. Headline earnings per share were 85.2 pence, compared to 86.1 pence last year.

Revenue increased 2 percent to 2.95 billion pounds from 2.90 billion pounds in the prior year.

Group revenue declined 2% on an underlying1 basis. The company noted that 53% of Group revenues derived from aftermarket and consumables.

Further, the company proposed final dividend of 28.75 pence per share, giving a total dividend for the year of 42 pence, an increase of 2.4% year-on-year.

Looking ahead, the company said, "We anticipate a broad continuation of the trends experienced in 2016, with ongoing challenges in John Crane's end being more than offset by moderate underlying revenue growth in our other divisions. As is typically the case, Group performance in 2017 is expected to be weighted towards the second half."

The company also sees clear potential to increase exposure to faster growing market segments and to improve overall market competitiveness in the medium term.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Danish Ship Finance announced its Board and the large shareholders view Axcel's, PFA's and PKA's ownership as a highly satisfactory solution ensuring a continued strong Danish ship finance institution backed by well capitalized owners. The transaction is a sale of assets which are no longer considered core to the large shareholders. The buyers of the A-shares in Danish Ship Finance are Axcel, PFA and PKA, that collectively acquires 72% of the share capital and 79% of the voting rights from the large shareholders through AXPP ShareCo A/S. The total purchase price of all A-shares amounts to DKK 4.25 billion.

The A-shares constitutes 90% of the share capital, while the B-shares owned by The Danish Maritime Fund constitutes 10% of the share capital. After the transaction is completed, a dividend payment of DKK 1 billion is expected to be distributed to AXPP ShareCo A/S and the remaining A-shareholders.

Danish Ship Finance A/S is a Danish based ship financing company, who distributes loans to Danish and international shipping companies based on mortgages on the vessels.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Crude oil futures were higher Wednesday morning, rising back above $45 a barrel as OPEC gathered in Algiers to discuss curbing production.

Russia has already said they will agree to limit output if the cartel does likewise.

Still, traders remain sleptical that Iran and some other key producers will go along with OPEC.

Crude oil was up 50 cents at $45.21 a barrel, unable to sustain any recent moves in either direction.

The EIA announces US crude oil inventories data at 10:30 am ET.

Data from the American Petroleum Institute showed crude stocks fell 752,000 barrels in the week to Sept. 23 to 506.4 million barrels.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market Analysis
Canadian stocks look to steady Wednesday morning, with the performance of the heavily-weighted energy sector hinging on the OPEC meeting in Algiers.

Russia has already said it will join a deal to curb supplies, but analysts say Iran and others are unlikely to agree on production quotas.

Crude oil was up 50 cents at $45.21 a barrel, unable to sustain any recent moves in either direction.

The EIA announces US crude oil inventories data at 10:30 am ET.

The TSX Composite Index fell 61.42 points to 14,558.04 in the previous session.

In corporate news, BlackBerry (BB.TO) reported a 31.8 percent drop in 2nd-quarter revenue. The smartphone maker swung to net loss from year-earlier profit.

Air Canada (AC_A.TO) has announced Toronto-Mumbai 787 Dreamliner service.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market Analysis
As part of an effort to avoid a government shutdown, House leaders reached an agreement late Tuesday to allow a vote on an amendment providing funding to address the drinking water contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan.

The agreement will see lawmakers vote on an amendment from Reps. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., and John Moolenaar, R-Mich., that would provide $170 million in federal aid to Flint.

A vote in favor of the amendment would add the funding to the Water Resources Development Act, which authorizes water infrastructure projects around the nation.

"Today's vote is a step forward to ensuring that Flint families get the resources they need to recover from this crisis," Kildee said in a statement on Wednesday.

"The people of my hometown have waited over two years for their government to help them in their time of need," he added. "We will continue to fight until Flint aid reaches the President's desk."

The House Rules Committee previously blocked a vote on the amendment but relented amid indications the move could convince Democrats to vote for a short-term government funding bill.

Senate Democrats blocked the stopgap spending measure on Tuesday, because it did not include any funding to address the crisis in Flint.

While Republicans argued the water infrastructure bill was the better vehicle for Flint aid, Democrats wanted stronger assurances the funding would be provided.

In remarks on the Senate floor on Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., called the agreement in the House a step in the right direction but said he continues to have some concern.

"My Republican colleague, the leader of the Senate, just said that he and Senator Inhofe would work toward funding," Reid said. "This should be pretty easy. Why can't they just say they'll do it?"

The debate comes as lawmakers face a September 30th deadline to pass a government spending bill and avoid another shutdown.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Political News
Japan will on Thursday release August figures for retail sales, highlighting a light day in Asia-Pacific economic news.

Retail sales are expected to fall 0.8 percent on month and 1.7 percent on year after gaining 1.4 percent on month and slipping 0.2 percent on year in July. Large retailer sales are called lower by 2.9 percent on year after adding 0.6 percent in the previous month.

Australia will see August figures for job vacancies; in July, vacancies were down 1.9 percent.

Singapore will provide August numbers for producer prices; in July, prices fell 2.4 percent on month and 9.4 percent on year.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
By SA Commercial Prop News

Rea Vaya stations



The City of Joburg has opened four new Rea Vaya bus stations which will enable commuters to easily integrate with both Metrorail and the soon-to-be-opened Gautrain station at Park station.

Speaking at the launch of the new Rea Vaya bus station at Park station on Wednesday, the City of Joburgs MMC for Transport, Rihanna Moosajee said: We hope that the introduction of the express services to and from Thokoza Park and opening stations along Rissik and Harrison streets will enable easy integration with Metrorail and Gautrain.

The Rea Vaya bus station at Park station is strategically built at Rissik Street, not far away from the well-known Metrorail Johannesburg park station and the Gautrain station which will be opened soon.

The four new stations are Basothong Station at Selby South, serving the T1 and C1 routes; Rissik Street Station, serving the T1 route via the Civic Centre and the C3 route; Harrison Street Station, serving the T1 route via the Civic Centre and the C3 route; Park Station, serving the T1 route via Civic Centre and the C3 route.

The opening of the stations will result in the extension of the T1 route, the first trunk route.

They will also open Booysens, Bank City in the central business district and Park Station to Rea Vaya.

Moosajee said dedicated lanes in Rissik and Harrison Street as well as stations at Park Station and next to Bank City are now complete.

Certain buses starting at Thokoza Park and Dobsonville will now go to Metro Centre and Braamfontein passing Park station.

This will assist Metrorail and Gautrain passengers to transfer to destinations in the inner city and Braamfontein.

The inner-city C3 route will now slightly change its route and will be using De Korte Street instead of Wolmarans Street going to Braamfontein, she said.

Basothong station is complete with a pedestrian bridge so that people can safely cross to destinations in Selby South and Booysens.

Red strips have been painted in the middle of almost all the bus lanes in order to alert motorists to refrain from using the lanes dedicated for buses.

Motorists who will be found driving along the bus lanes will be fined by the Johannesburg Metro Police.

Moosajee urged motorists to leave their vehicles at home and experience the luxury of using public transport.
A first-of-its-kind journey along India and Pakistan border

What binds the two most talked about nations - India and Pakistan together? What makes the
(Adds details, investor quote)

By Davide Scigliuzzo

NEW YORK, Sept 27 (IFR) - Ecuador is offering an attractive discount to entice buyers into a tap of its 2022 US dollar bonds after setting initial price thoughts of 10.75% area, two investors told IFR on Tuesday.

The tap of the 10.75% bond is expected to price later in the day through lead Citigroup and marks the nation's second international bond foray in a matter of months.

"A 10.75% yield is about 100bp cheap to where the 22s were trading pre-announcement (on a yield basis)," one investor said.

Ecuador, rated B/B, was last in the market in late July when it issued a US$1bn of the 2022s at par, also through Citigroup.

(Reporting by Davide Scigliuzzo; editing by Shankar Ramakrishnan)
$25K in Gannett Foundation grants go to central Kansas organizations

Four local organizations are receiving a total of $25,000 as the Gannett Foundation invests in community-building initiatives in north-central Kansas.
PANAMA CITY (AP)  Panama has formally asked the United States to extradite former President Ricardo Martinelli in connection with a phone-tapping controversy, the country's foreign ministry said Tuesday.

The case involves allegations that the phones of dozens of business, opposition and labor leaders were tapped by Martinelli's 2009-2014 government.

The foreign ministry said the extradition request was made through its embassy in Washington late Monday.

Martinelli has denied any wrongdoing and contends the case is political persecution by his successor, President Juan Carlos Varela.

In a message on his official Twitter account Tuesday that appeared to refer to the case, Martinelli said Varela's government is using his political persecution to draw attention away from its own ineptitude.

Martinelli spokesman Luis Eduardo Camacho said via Twitter that the extradition request was illegal.

A detention order was issued for the 64-year-old Martinelli in December after he failed to appear in court. He is believed to be living in Miami.

The U.S. Embassy in Panama did not respond to a request for comment.

Besides the wiretapping, Martinelli is accused of buying $13 million worth of surveillance equipment using money from businesses with government contracts during his administration. The equipment is missing.
BOSTON (AP)  A man who says he spent a week at sea in a life raft before being rescued told the Coast Guard he frantically looked for his mother as their fishing boat sank in the Atlantic Ocean, according to an audio recording released Tuesday. His mother hasn't been found.

The recording captures a phone call a Coast Guard officer had with Nathan Carman, of Vernon, Vermont, after he was rescued off the coast of Massachusetts on Sunday by a passing freighter.

On the call, Carman, 22, describes hearing a "funny noise" in his boat's engine compartment, seeing water pouring in and losing sight of his mother, Linda Carman, of Middletown, Connecticut.

"I was bringing one of the safety bags forward. The boat just dropped out from under my feet," Carman said. "When I saw the life raft, I did not see my mom. Have you found her?"

After the officer tells Carman they have not found his mother, he describes getting to the life raft.

"I was whistling and calling and looking around, and I didn't see her," he said.

Linda Carman, 54, is presumed dead.

Nathan Carman, who was a suspect in his wealthy grandfather's unsolved killing, told the Coast Guard his 31-foot aluminum fishing boat sank and he spent seven days in a four-person inflatable life raft. Many questions remain about how the boat sank and what happened to his mother.

Defense attorney Hubert Santos said he's representing Carman. He said Carman "fully cooperated" with the Coast Guard after he was transported to Boston on Tuesday by the freighter that rescued him.

Santos wouldn't reveal what Carman told Coast Guard officials when he was questioned at the base.

"It was a tragic accident," Santos said.

The mother and son had left for their fishing trip from Point Judith, Rhode Island. Vermont authorities said police from South Kingstown, Rhode Island, searched Carman's home in Vernon on Monday. South Kingstown police did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

Carman grew up in Middletown, Connecticut, but bought a home in Vermont two years ago.

Connecticut court records show Carman was a suspect in the 2013 killing of his maternal grandfather, 87-year-old John Chakalos, a real estate developer.

According to a search warrant for Carman's apartment obtained by the Hartford Courant, Carman was the last person known to see his grandfather alive on Dec. 20, 2013, because he had dinner with him at his home in Windsor. Chakalos was found dead the next morning. He had been shot three times.

The Courant reported Tuesday that Windsor police submitted an arrest warrant for Carman to a prosecutor but it was returned unsigned with a request for more information. Carman was not charged.

Santos declined to comment on that investigation.

A Coast Guard spokeswoman said Carman left the Boston base Tuesday afternoon with his father, Clark Carman, who flew in from his home in California.

The Coast Guard had searched for the mother and son for days but called off the search Friday. Nathan Carman was found in good condition two days later. He was discovered about 100 nautical miles south of Martha's Vineyard.

The Coast Guard said it didn't receive a distress call, but it was unclear if the boat was equipped with a VHF radio that could be used to contact emergency personnel.

Family members have said Nathan Carman has Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism.

Sharon Hartstein, a close friend of Linda Carman's, said the mother and son regularly went on fishing trips together.

"They went fishing  that was one of their bonding things," Hartstein said. "When he was available, she tried to make time so she could spend time with him."

Windsor police Capt. Thomas LePore said Tuesday the investigation into Chakalos' killing remains open and active. He said police interviewed Chakalos' relatives, including Nathan and Linda Carman, as part of their investigation.

Linda Carman's mother, Rita Chakalos, died of cancer just weeks before her father was killed. John and Rita Chakalos were philanthropists who split their time between Connecticut and Chesterfield, New Hampshire, where they had an estate known for its massive holiday lights display.

A will shows John Chakalos left an estate worth more than $42 million to his four adult daughters.
BEIJING (AP)  A massive typhoon made landfall in eastern China Wednesday, a day after carrying strong winds over Taiwan that felled trees and scattered debris, killing at least four people and injuring more than 260.

Typhoon Megi weakened to a tropical storm after hitting the coastal city of Quanzhou in Fujian province before dawn Wednesday, packing winds of up to 118 kilometers (74 miles) per hour, China's National Meteorological Center said. No injuries were immediately reported.

In Taiwan on Tuesday, the typhoon's bands of heavy rain and sustained winds of 162 kilometers (100 miles) per hour blanketed the island by midafternoon as the eye of the storm made landfall on the east coast. Authorities had raised alert levels for Taiwan, which is prone to landslides and flooding, said National Fire Agency Director-General Chen Wen-lung.

The 268 injuries included eight Japanese tourists traveling in a tour bus that turned on its side in central Taiwan. Three people suffered fatal falls and a fourth person died in a truck crash, said Lee Wei-sen, a spokesman for Taiwan's Central Emergency Operations Center. Many of the injuries were from falling and wind-blown objects.

Megi is 500 kilometers (310 miles) in diameter, and rainfall had topped 300 millimeters (12 inches) in the south and eastern mountains of Taiwan.

More than 8,000 people were evacuated, mostly from mountainous areas at risk of landslides or floods. About 2,800 went to shelters, Chen said.

More than 2.9 million households lost power, though 976,000 had been restored by late Tuesday, according to Taiwan's Central News Agency.

More than 121 flights were delayed and 253 canceled at Taoyuan International Airport, and seven were diverted to other Taiwanese airports. Authorities had closed schools, offices and most of Taiwan's railway system.

Megi is the fourth typhoon of the year to hit Taiwan.

On the Chinese coast, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Taiwan at its nearest point, fishing boats were ordered back to port, China's official Xinhua News Agency said.
Dear Editor,

Im flabbergasted when I went to see with my own eyes what these government officials are being paid and the information about our receipts and payments.

It validates what Ive been saying all along.

Not only that weve been on life support with our budget from foreign aid, we are totally funded our whole operations from foreign aid.

The total budget support for 2016-2017 is 242,000,000. We are owned by the outside investors period.

I am sick to my gut of how preposterous these people that sold out our country to these banks.

Not only that but the disproportionate of salaries that the top tier administrative positions make way more money for doing nothing while the people of Samoa are suffering from poverty.

How can you justify that in equitable terms? Its unthinkable! Its the same social structure that weve seen in any Corporate settings.

The C.E.O gets 100 times the amount the regular worker gets and the workers do all the work.

Thats the same corporate structure that Samoa is following, because Samoa is a Corporation, run and operated by a de-facto govt. (puppets) Samoa, e asa le faiva, ae le asa le masalo.

We are in deep ***t!!! kalofae, who are we going to turn to for help? Dont tell me its Jesus because Jesus has nothing to do with this.

Its your ignorance Samoa that lead us to this fiasco. No one ever questions anything the govt. is doing. How can you justify such highway robbery like this when you are living there?

You trusted the govt. so much that you voted them in again in the last election not knowing that you handed them the last nail to seal your coffin.

You think youre living in a reality but that reality is only an illusion.

You are in a bad dream that when you finally wake up you will realize that you are no longer a free people.

You are doomed Samoa just like every other nation taken over by these bloodless souls.

The indigenous people have been stripped from their land all over the world because you accept the false doctrines that these people came over in 1830 and gave us their piecemeal (corporate) religion to pacify us.

We forgot who the real God is.

We forgot how to navigate using the stars and we forgot how to use our herbal remedies that heal our bodies we dont have indigenous wisdom keepers any more the list goes on and on because these people says its of the devil.

Yes go ahead and chastise me but I will speak the truth because you are so afraid of the truth that it might implicate something that is very dear to you because youve been indoctrinated too long that you gave religion a free pass and never been fully vetted and to know where these concepts and ideas came from.

Now what is the recourse of all this?

We are about to be taken over by these banks.

These are the same people that gave us our religion our fiat money and our corrupt govt. are the same ones that literally stole our land from us.

Sorry if Im too hard on you my dear people but Im only interested in truth nothing more then the truth.

Ive only been researching the relationship between money religion and govt. for the last five years and I must say I have covered all the basis to justify my argument today.

With love and peace to you all.

Leituala Roger B
A training session organised by Nuanua O Le Alofa (N.O.L.A.) on Tuesday provided media personnel with some key lessons on how to report on issues for people with disabilities.

Facilitated by lawyer Si Qi Wen who is also a volunteer for N.O.L.A.s policy development, members of the media were given the dos and do nots in reporting certain stories involving people with disabilities.

The meaning for this workshop is to share with the media about the language guidelines about reporting disability issues and programmes, said N.O.L.A.s Secretary of the Board, Faaolo Utumapu-Utailesolo.

We feel that there is still some language that is used in reporting that reflects the old outdated medical moral of disabilities. For example language like crippled, handicap, and the blind.

We are trying to avoid that sort of language and replace them with disability inclusive language thats in line with the Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities that had recently been signed by Samoa.

The language we are trying to avoid is language that reflects exclusion. It actually makes people with disability feel like they are different from other people.

But how often does this issue occur?

It pops up every now and then, Faaolo said.

It pops up and yeah like I said to the others, theres another improvement in regards to disability related stories but some words still pop up every now and then. Thats why we would just do a reminder for the media today.

According to Faaolo, the workshop went well with participants eager to learn more.

I was presenting the language guideline session and there were a lot of questions, she said.

I think there is a lot of interest and a lot of it is because there are still some grey areas in some parts especially in regards to quoting and what they do when they quote.

They asked a lot of questions which I think is a good thing.

Faaolos only plea is for the media to be more inclusive with their reporting.

I just give a plea to the media editors to help us promote inclusiveness by using the appropriate disability related language, she said.

Just a reminder to the media; first and foremost, our disability comes after us being people.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi laughed yesterday when his opinion was sought about the legal battle between two senior lawyers before the Supreme Court.

The dispute in question centres over the question of who should prosecute the suspended Director of the National Prosecution Office (N.P.O.), Mauga Precious Chang.

While the Office of the Attorney General has flown over New Zealand based lawyer, Satiu Simativa Perese, the National Prosecution Office has opted to acquire the services of former Attorney General, Taulapapa Brenda Heather-Latu to prosecute. A decision on the matter is pending.

But Tuilaepa saw the funny side.

Its not a hard matter to understand, he said.

Like I said before, let my children have their little scrap. But the issue is very simple and I will leave it like thatit will go and come back.

Pressed to elaborate, Tuilaepa said: One lawyer said to me I was not a lawyer.

So I replied with a question. Which is the best? The person that makes laws for lawyers to abide by or the lawyer who tries to understand the law?

Which one is the best?

Moses who was given the commandments or the others that did wrong things?

Tuilaepa was also asked about who is paying for the lawyers prosecuting Mauga and the suspended Police Commissioner, Fuiavailiili Egon Keil.

It hasnt come up, Tuilaepa told the Samoa Observer.

That question hasnt come up (yet).

In the Supreme Court last week, two senior lawyers had indicated they were representing the Director of N.P.O.

One was Taulapapa Brenda Heather-Latu, who appeared on behalf of the N.P.O. and the other was New Zealand-based lawyer, Satiu Simativa Perese, who claimed to have been representing the Police.

On the other hand is Sua Helene Wallwork Lamb who appeared on behalf of the Attorney Generals Office and Acting Director of N.P.O. Muriel Lui representing the National Prosecution Office.

A decision is pending.
A forensic document examiner has backed the Associate Minister of the Ministry of the Prime Minister, Peseta Vaifou Tevaga, in the ongoing hearing of claims he forged the signature of a business partner.

New Zealand Scientist, Linda Winfred Morrell, of Wellington, told the Court yesterday the signature she examined on the document referred to her appeared genuine.

I examined the reference material of Mr. Schwalgers signatures and I am able to establish the variations between signatures which everyone has, she said.

I looked at the questioned signature (and) it seems to be very fluent. I also find a number of pictorial similarities, height size and some similar features.

In my opinion, even though I did not get to see the original documents, based on what I examined, I consider that signature could well be a genuine signature.

The New Zealand expert was flown to Samoa to verify if the Associate Minister had indeed forged the signature of Martin Schwalger in transferring of shares to his name.

Peseta, who is represented by lawyer Leuluaialii Olinda Woodroffe, is facing charges of forgery and fraud. The charges arose from a complaint filed by the former Speaker of Parliament, Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao, Apulu Lance Polu and Martin Jonathan Schwalger with the Police.

The plaintiffs are shareholders of a company called Local Partners and Associates Limited. Pesetas son, Danny Leiataua, was also a shareholder of the company. The complainants claim Peseta had forged the signature of Mr. Schwalger in order to transfer shares from his son, Danny, to his name.

The Acting Director of the National Prosecution Office, Muriel Lui, is the Prosecutor with Lucy Sio assisting. Justice Mata Tuatagaloa is presiding.

In her evidence yesterday, Morrell said she was given reference material of several signatures of Mr. Schwalger to analyse together with the alleged forged signature.

She added that because she was only given copies of the documents, it limited her examination.

I was of the understanding that I will be given the opportunity to examine the original document, said the expert.

Ms. Lui questioned the expert about the signature, in relation to some of the missing letters.

The witness pointed out that those are some of the variations of Mr. Schwalgers signature.

Ms. Lui also questioned her preliminary findings which highlighted that the signature could well have been a genuine signature of another writer.

The forensic specialist said her examination was very limited due to the unavailability of the original copies of the document.

Next to give evidence was Leiataua Danny Swenke.

Leiataua is the son of Peseta who was the shareholder and Director of the Local Partners and Associates Limited.

According to Leiataua, he tendered his resignation from L.P.A. on 29th May during a board meeting where all the Directors were present.

Those Directors and partners include Apulu Lance Polu, Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao and Mr. Schwalger.

In that meeting I appointed my dad to take my place, said Leiataua.

I was not happy that I didnt sign the company cheque book and the vehicles (of L.P.A.) were taken to Laaulis land.

The other issues raised in the meeting was my dad saying to revert the shares back to 50/50percent and my dad being a signatory to the cheque book and one other shareholder.

Leiataua recalled that on 31st May, he went with his father Peseta to see company lawyer, Maiava Visekota Peteru.

He explained the document was prepared on the 14th June where Martin was present and signed the companys resolution.

In cross examination, Ms. Lui put it to Leiataua that Mr. Schwalger did not sign a resolution but only a document to have Peseta as one of the signatories.

Leiataua denied this.

He did sign it, I was there.

The Prosecutor reminded Leiataua that all shareholders denied there was a board meeting where his resignation was discussed.

Leiataua insisted there was a meeting.

Ms. Lui also asked Leiataua if his evidence is only to protect his father.

In response, he said no.

The matter was adjourned yesterday until Friday for the lawyers to make their final submissions.

Since the hearing started on Monday, several former Members of Parliament have been in Court to support their colleagues.

Peseta has pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
The Chief Executive Officer of Bluesky, Aoee Adolfo Montenegro, has been sacked by Blueksys parent company, Amper.

The decision was confirmed in a statement released by Bluesky yesterday.

Blueskys Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.) Aoee Adolfo Montenegro and Blueskys parent company Amper SA have decided to conclude their management agreement effective on Friday last week, the statement reads.

Mr. Jaime Espinosa the Chairman of Blueskys parent company Amper now assumes the role of Group C.E.O. of Bluesky Pacific Group.

The statement did not give the reasons behind the decision.

The Samoa Observer understands that Aoee is in Samoa but he could not be contacted for a comment yesterday.

The news comes as Amper works to finalise the sale of its South Pacific business to a Fiji government-backed company, Amalgamated Telecom Holdings (A.T.H.).

Bluesky expresses its sincerest gratitude to Montenegro for his contributions to the Bluesky Pacific Group, to its staff and to the Pacific communities that it serves, the statement from Bluesky continues.

Montenegro has been the C.E.O. of Bluesky since 2008 and he has led the companys significant regional expansion across the Pacific where it now operates in Samoa, American Samoa, the Cook Islands and New Zealand.

The decision to let go of Aoee has raised eyebrows, especially in American Samoa.

According to Talanei News Agency, the sacking occurred only a week after Espinosa and representatives of A.T.H. met with representatives of the American Samoa Governors office and the management of Bluesky.

During both meetings Espinosa and A.T.H. reportedly assured American Samoans of their intent to keep Blueskys current management team.

Amper and A.T.H. officials told locals the sale of Bluesky to A.T.H. was in the best interest of Blueskys employees and the residents of American Samoa and that A.T.H. is committed to protecting the jobs of Blueskys employees.

But on Saturday morning, Bluesky managers woke up to find an email from Ampers president, Jaime Espinosa.

Espinosa wrote that Aoee had been terminated and that he will be assuming executive responsibilities for Bluesky for the time being.

Bluesky managers contacted by K.H.J. News said they did not want their names used in this story, but were extremely upset when they received the email from Mr. Espinosa.

A meeting with about 30 of Blueskys managers and senior staff in American Samoa was held on Saturday, the meeting began at 5pm and lasted into the early morning hours of Sunday.

Asked for his reaction to Aoees termination by Amper, former Bluesky president Barry Rose said it was awful but not a surprise given Ampers history.

Mr. Rose himself is currently suing Amper in Spain for failing to pay Rose and his family for Bluesky stock the Roses sold to Amper in 2013.

Mr. Rose said Montenegro, who holds the title Aoee, conferred upon him by the late P.C. Tufele Lia, is highly regarded within Bluesky offices and throughout the Pacific region.

He said persons he has spoken to worry that Montenegros forced departure will damage Bluesky and A.S.H. cable, which is 1/3 owned by A.S.G.

This is especially true since Amper C.E.O. Jaime Espinosa has appointed himself to run Bluesky for the time being, despite a lack of relevant experience in the telecom business and a lack of familiarity with Bluesky markets and operations in American Samoa, Samoa, the Cook Islands or New Zealand.

According to Mr. Rose, when Montenegro took over as C.E.O. eight years ago, before Amper acquired Bluesky, Bluesky operated only in American Samoa, with 45 employees and had a value of less than 20 million dollars.

Today, the company has over 400 employees in four countries and Amper is selling its 61% stake in Bluesky to A.T.H., which is indirectly controlled and backed by the Government of Fiji, for $79 million dollars.
OPEC nations reached a preliminary agreement Wednesday to curb oil production for the first time since the global financial crisis eight years ago, pushing up prices that had sunk over the past two years and weakened the economies of oil-producing nations.

Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada, Qatars energy minister and current president of OPEC, announced the deal after several hours of talks in the Algerian capital. The levels must still be finalized at an OPEC meeting in Vienna in November.

The preliminary deal will limit output from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to between 32.5 million and 33 million barrels per day, he said. Current output is estimated at 33.2 million barrels per day.

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Benchmark U.S. crude jumped $2.38, or 5.3%, to $47.05 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, was up $2.72, or 5.9%, to $48.69 a barrel in London.

Long-running disagreements between regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran had dimmed hopes for a deal at Wednesdays talks.

Iran had been resistant to cutting production, as its trying to restore its oil industry since emerging from international sanctions over its nuclear program earlier this year. According to Wednesdays deal, Iran will be allowed to increase production to 3.7 million barrels a day, according to Algerian participants at the meeting. It is currently estimated to be pumping around 3.6 million.

The OPEC officials met informally on the sidelines of an energy conference in Algiers to try to find common ground on how to support oil markets.

We reached a very positive deal, said Nigerian Oil Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu. He said all countries will reduce output but the specific quotas will be set in Vienna in November.

Earlier, Iranian Petroleum Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh had played down the OPEC gathering, calling it just a consultation meeting.

The price of crude oil has fallen sharply since mid-2014, when it was over $100 a barrel, dropping below $30 at the start of this year.

Saudi Arabia, the worlds biggest oil producer and Irans rival for power in the Middle East, appeared to be more amenable to some sort of production limit, certainly more so than in April, when OPEC failed to agree on measures to curb supplies.

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih this week promised to support any decision aimed at stabilizing the market.

Over the last couple of years, OPEC countries, led by Saudi Arabia, had been willing to let the price of oil drop as a means of pressuring some U.S. shale oil and gas producers. Shale oil and gas requires a higher price to break even.

Those lower prices have hurt many oil-producing nations hard, particularly OPEC members Venezuela and Nigeria, but also Russia and Brazil.

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2:25 p.m.: This article has been updated with more details and background on the agreement.

This article was originally published at 2:15 p.m.
Certona, a San Diego predictive analytics software firm focused on e-commerce, has raised $30 million in new funding led by Primus Capital.

Founded in 2004, Certona called the financing a minority recapitalization in a statement last week. The money will be used for expansion and product development of Certonas cloud-based analytics software platform for retailers.

Chief Executive Meyar Sheik said the company employs 120 workers in San Diego. It also has an office in London.

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Certona uses machine learning techniques and predictive algorithms to personalize e-commerce.

Within three or four customer clicks on a retailers website, Certonas software uses behavioral profiling to figure out what to offer the shopper next, tailoring the websites product displays and promotional offers to what the customer is shopping for or might like based on buying pattern data.

The company also provides personalized email marketing, mobile tools and the integration of in-store data in its platform.

As we see e-commerce and mobile commerce continue to expand and converge with physical bricks & mortar retail, we plan to capitalize on our strong market position and accelerate the pace of innovation with new solution offerings, while also expanding to new geographies and markets, said Sheik in an email response to questions.

The company said over 500 retailer websites in more than 70 countries use its software. Customers include Pier 1 Imports, Forever 21, Puma, Toys R Us, Adidas and Charlotte Russe.

The last time Certona raised money was in 2008, when it took in $7 million from ABS Ventures, a Boston-based venture capitalist firm, and Express Ventures, a San Diego-based early stage investment group.

Primus is a private equity firm focused on healthcare, software, and technology companies. It has offices in Cleveland and Atlanta.

When Certona looked at raising additional capital, we chose the growth equity route not just based on the capital alone, but we were also looking for a true partner who has experience and expertise with organizations at our stage and can advise and support our next level of growth, said Sheik.

Primus principals Ron Hess and Vasant Kamath will join Certonas board of directors.

As digital commerce takes a larger share of the overall retail market, Certona continues to set the pace by providing robust, best-of-breed personalization solutions to an impressive retail client base, said Hess in a statement.

mike.freeman@sduniontribune.com;

Twitter:@TechDiego

760-529-4973
You are a top manager at a San Diego company. The day after the first presidential debate, one of your subordinates comes to you very upset. Earlier that morning, a co-worker had demeaned his intelligence and ethics in an aggressive and angry way when he disclosed his preferred candidate for president. You favor the opponent of the complaining workers candidate.

May you share your political views with the complaining subordinate? May you send out an email prohibiting all talk of politics in the workplace? Should you investigate the complaint and then discipline the aggressor if you find that the complaint is valid? Must you do nothing?

A California employer may require its employees to focus on work in the workplace during working hours. A common misconception is that employees in the private workplace have a First Amendment right to air their political views at work. Well, no they dont.

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And yet there are laws passed by the California legislature that limit how much influence a private employer may exert over its employees political views and activities. No California employer may adopt a rule, regulation, or policy that prohibits an employee from engaging or participating in politics or running for public office. Also off-limits is any rule that tends to control or direct the political activities or affiliations of employees. In addition, a California employer may not threaten to fire any employee who adopts or refuses to adopt any particular course or line of political action or political activity.

All of this law provides only limited help to the San Diego manager wondering what to do in response to the angry employee in her office just now. The one thing the manager should not do is send an email barring all talk of political activity in the workplace. That is not only unrealistic these days, it also could be considered a policy statement that discourages employees from engaging in politics. In addition, the National Labor Relations Board may well consider that an unlawful attempt to suppress employees from taking collective actions to improve their wages or working conditions. That is true even in a non-union workplace.

It also is unwise, though not illegal, for those in authority to share their political views with a subordinate who is feeling aggrieved, especially if those views are not solicited. If the views of the boss clash with the subordinate, an employee who is later fired may point to that disagreement as an unlawful contributing factor in the discharge.

Going to the employee who is the subject of the complaint to express sympathy with the persons political views -- and a shared disdain for the complaining employees politics -- is no answer either. Word will get out. Bet on it.

The solution rests in focused neutrality when presented with workplace discord with political overtones. It is important to understand that the root of the problem raised by the subordinates complaint is not political disagreement, but incivility. It is easy to imagine a similar clash over sports. The safest course legally is for the manager to send a reminder that dialogue on any topic in the office must be civil. And that work time is to be spent on work.

Dan Eaton is a partner with the San Diego law firm of Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek where his practice focuses on defending and advising employers. He also is an instructor at the San Diego State University College of Business Administration where he teaches classes in business ethics and employment law. He may be reached at eaton@scmv.com. His Twitter handle is @DanEatonlaw.
Under threat of a lawsuit, the San Marcos City Council this week approved sweeping changes to its election system, designed to create a more diverse council.

On Tuesday, the panel unanimously approved an ordinance that divides the city into four zones, where each will elect its own council representative. The council also approved the boundaries of the four districts.

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OK, San Marcos  a lot has just changed, Mayor Jim Desmond said once the votes were cast.

The new districts wont take effect until the 2018 election and the mayor will continue to be elected by a citywide vote.

This is painful. This is definitely not something we want to do, but in the best interest of the city, I think we have no other options.  Councilwoman Rebecca Jones

District representation marks a huge shift for San Marcos, which throughout its 53-year history has always elected council members at large.

The changes were triggered late last year when the city was threatened with a lawsuit alleging its voting system disenfranchised Latino voters and violated the California Voting Rights Act.

Latinos make up 37 percent of the citys population, but none have been elected to the council in roughly 20 years, according to Kevin Shenkman, the attorney for the Southwest Voter Registration Project, the group that threatened the lawsuit. The same group has sued or threatened to sue other cities in Southern California.

Reached Wednesday, attorney Shenkman said he was glad to see that the city made the switch.

Under the newly crafted zones, Latino voting power would be pooled in District 1, a narrow area that cuts through the center of the city including the Richmar neighborhood. In District 1, Latinos make up about 70 percent of the residents and 45 percent of the registered voters.

San Marcos council members said they were forced to adopt the changes to avoid a costly legal battle, since every city that has fought similar lawsuits has lost.

This is painful, Councilwoman Rebecca Jones said. This is definitely not something we want to do, but in the best interest of the city, I think we have no other options.

Only two residents addressed the council Tuesday regarding the change, and both were against it. One was San Marcos resident Sandra Primosch, who said she fears voters like her will suffer.

I would only be represented by one of you, and that is inherently unfair, the 16-year San Marcos resident said.

Technically, the ordinance is not yet final; it must come back before the council for a second vote next month before it becomes official. But its likely to land on the consent calendar, home to housekeeping and non-controversial items.

In broad strokes, the four districts are:

District 1, which runs for the most part in a strip along the north side of state Route 78, as far north as roughly to Mission Avenue on the west end and Bordon Road on the east.

District 2, which includes all of San Elijo and Discovery Hills, as well neighborhoods west of unincorporated Lake San Marcos.

District 3, which runs along the south side of state Route 78, roughly from Rancho Santa Fe Road east to the city limits. It includes Cal State San Marcos, and cuts to the north side of the freeway to Rock Springs Road.

District 4, which is the northern quarter of the city and includes the Santa Fe Hills and Twin Oaks Valley Ranch neighborhoods.

Each district represents roughly 8,000 voters.

Districts 1 and 2 will first come into play in the 2018 election; districts 3 and 4 will follow in 2020.

Two current council members  Kristal Jabara and Chris Orlando  reside in District 2, but Orlando will be termed out by the 2018 election. Council members Rebecca Jones and Sharon Jenkins both live in District 3, and both are running for re-election this year. If Jones wins, it will be her third and final term.

If no one enters a race to represent a district, the council can appoint someone, as long as the person resides within the district.

Unlike its neighbors, San Marcos has not seen large slates of candidates in recent elections. Two years ago, the City Council election was canceled and the incumbents were reappointed to their seats when no one ran against them.

This year, two challengers, Matt Stack and Ruben RJ Hernandez, are jockeying for a council seat against the two incumbents.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
Barely six months after he appeared to indicate that the January death of Glenn Frey also signaled the death knell for the Eagles, Don Henley appears to be reconsidering.

In an interview earlier this month with the Montreal Gazette, Henley indicated he might be open to an Eagles reunion  with an unexpected twist.

Namely, he envisions Freys son, Deacon, 22, assuming the musical role of his late father. This apparently appeals more to Henley than having Jackson Browne, who joined the Eagles on stage for their tribute to Frey at this years Grammy Awards.

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At some point in the future, we might work our way around to that, Henley told the Gazette when asked if a reunion is possible.

You know, Glenn has a son who can sing and play quite well. And one of the only things that would make sense to me is if it were his son. With Jackson, of course, we could do Take It Easy and a couple other things, but the only way I would consider any kind of reunion, I think, would be with Glenns son, Deacon.

But there have been no discussions along those lines, and were still going through the healing process  trying to get through all this. And those are things that might happen somewhere down the road. But right now, everybodys doing the solo thing...

The Eagles will be saluted in December at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C. The band was scheduled to receive that prestigious honor last year, but opted to bow out in the hope that the ailing Frey would rebound from pneumonia and colitis,. Alas, he did not.

Twitter @georgevarga

george.varga@sduniontribune.com
* Banks to respond with loan terms in 3-4 weeks

* Gas reserves are one of biggest finds in a decade

* Multi-billion dollar contracts agreed in recent months

* Projects could transform war-torn Mozambique

By Joe Brock and Ed Cropley

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Italian oil firm Eni has approached banks for billions of dollars to finance a huge offshore gas development in Mozambique, a significant step in getting a long-delayed project off the ground, the company and sources said.

Eni confirmed it met bankers in London last week about project financing to develop the Coral field, part of the huge reserves discovered six years ago in the Area 4 concession off the Mozambican coast.

"It's running into billions of dollars," one source familiar with the financing told Reuters, adding banks were also looking for credit guarantees from foreign governments, including Britain and China.

Banks are likely to respond within three to four weeks with terms of loans they are willing to provide, one of the last stages before Eni can make a final investment decision (FID) on the project, two sources close to the deal said.

Eni said it hoped to announce a FID by the end of this year.

Some lenders may be concerned about involvement in a project in Mozambique, given recent clashes between opposition guerrillas and government forces and financial scandals.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is in Mozambique this week to try to restore trust between President Filipe Nyusi's government and international lenders after more than $2 billion in secret loans came to light this year.

The IMF has suspended its own lending to the southeast African country, insisting on external scrutiny as a precursor to resuming financial aid.

"The biggest challenge is Mozambique country risk," one of the sources said.

Reserves discovered in Mozambique's Rovuma Basin in recent years amount to some 85 trillion cubic feet, one of the largest finds in a decade and enough to supply Germany, Britain, France and Italy for nearly two decades.

Story continues

The gas offers Mozambique an opportunity to transform itself from one of the world's poorest countries into a middle-income state and a major global liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter.

Negotiations with operators Eni and U.S. firm Anadarko have dragged on for years due to disputes over terms and concerns about falling energy prices.

However, there have been several signs of significant progress in recent months.

Eni has struck a deal with Samsung Heavy to provide a floating LNG platform to process the gas from the Coral field, which will be sold to BP.

Eni has also wrapped up long-running talks to sell a multi-billion dollar stake in other fields in Area 4 to Exxon Mobil, sources told Reuters last month.

In 2013, Eni sold 20 percent of its Area 4 licence to China's CNPC for $4.2 billion but since then oil and gas prices have come down by more than half.

Anadarko's $24 billion onshore LNG project is expected to lag Eni's and its FID is unlikely this year.

(Additional reporting by Stephen Jewkes in Milan; Editing by Mark Potter)
United States President Barack Obama reiterated Wednesday his commitment to a peace pact between the Israelis and the Palestinians as a tribute to his friend Shimon Peres, who died Wednesday aged 93 years after suffering a stroke.

Tonight, I can think of no greater tribute to his life than to renew our commitment to the peace that we know is possible, Obama said in a statement in which he called Peres the essence of Israel.

Perhaps because he had seen Israel surmount overwhelming odds, Shimon never gave up on the possibility of peace between Israelis, Palestinians and Israels neighbors, added the US leader, who also said he was grateful for being able to call the late former president of Israel his friend.

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In 2012, Obama awarded Peres the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States.

As Americans, we are in his debt because (...) no one did more over so many years as Shimon Peres, to build the alliance between our two countries, an unbreakable alliance that today is closer and stronger than it has ever been, Obama said.

Peres was undergoing treatment at the Sheba Medical Center at Tel HaShomer, near Tel Aviv, since Sept. 13 after suffering a stroke.

Considered one among top world leaders, Peres enabled the peace process in Oslo, which consequently earned him the Nobel Peace Prize along with fellow Israeli and prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, and Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat.

He ended his 70year political career as president in 2014, after having held numerous government positions.

His most internationallyrecognized contribution was his role as an architect, together with the President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, in the PalestinianIsraeli rapprochement, culminating in 1993 with the Israeli recognition of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and vice versa.
The Rosetta spacecrafts upcoming landing on comet Chury this Friday is set to culminate a decadelong mission considered by the European Space Agency (ESA) a scientific and public relations success that opens the door to future Solar System horizons.

Named in honor of the famous stone that deciphered the Egyptian hieroglyphs, this project _ the first to orbit and land on a comet _ focused on the study of these celestial bodies, reaches the end of its Solar System sojourn with a trunkful of data pending study.

During the mission, scientists concentrated on planning and navigating the craft; now they are going to be busy for years, the Head of ESAs coordinating office, Fabio Navata, told EFE.

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The data the spacecraft is due to collect at close range during its final descent to the comet includes gas, dust and plasma samples, which it must relay back to Earth before its final impact on the comet.

The final descent is the crown jewel of this longrunning project, whose legacy will endure long after the spacecrafts demise.

With Rosetta, we undertook the first solar panel powered mission far away from our Sun. There were technical hurdles along the way which were solved and will enable future missions, said the Italian expert.

Favata refrained from defining it as a historical mission, but did acknowledge it was a milestone for ESA, which has tried to give us insight on the origins and evolution of the Solar System and our understanding of how Earth was formed.

Once the highprofile Rosetta mission is over, this does not mean ESA is bereft of even more interesting projects.

According to ESAs spokesperson, 2018 looms ahead as a missionrich period, as in the case of the BepiColombo project, a joint mission to Mercury with the Japanese Space Agency, JAXA.

It is also the scheduled timeframe for the SolarOrbiter jointmission with NASA _ that will closein on the Sun like no previous mission has done _ to study its magnetosphere, its explosive activity and the immediate effects in our stars vicinity.

It is also the timeframe for the ESA Arianne 5 launch of the James Webb Space telescope in a joint mission with the NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) that hopes to collect infrared imaging of the universe, detect primeval galaxies or witness the birth of new stars.

Further ahead, the JUICE (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer) mission will benefit from Rosettas proven technology; scheduled for 2022, it will be the first European mission to Jupiter and will study possible lifebearing satellites orbiting the gas giant.

One of the most ancient scientific questions is to ascertain if Earth is a unique planet or if other life forms exist. We have often imagined we are not alone in the Universe, the answer has not been disclosed in a scientific manner but from a philosophical point of view, Navata explained to EFE.

By Marta Garde
Federal investigators have identified a suspect believed responsible for a frenzy of high-speed driving across Racetrack Playa, a remote dry lake in Death Valley National Park, officials said Tuesday.

Spinning and swerving wildly in an SUV in early August, the suspect allegedly cut 10 miles worth of ruts into the playa, best known as a site where large rocks leave seemingly impossible trails that wiggle, weave and turn at sharp right angles for hundreds of feet.



For the record: A previous version of this article misspelled Indian Springs, Nev., as India Springs.

The tracks had long posed a mystery, befuddling tourists and attracting worldwide speculation.

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In 2014, however, scientists discovered that huge panes of ice pushed by light winds episodically sail into rocks weighing up to 200 pounds, bulldozing them across the slick muddy bottom of the normally dry lake.

What happened out there is inexcusable.  James Norris, a research engineer who helped solve the mystery of the roaming rocks

The tire tracks, on the other hand, were created by someone out for a joyride, said Abby Wines, a spokeswoman for the park.

The only mystery was who did it.

Investigators have not released the name of the suspect, but Wines said, We are hopeful that someone will be charged in this case.

The incident was only the latest example of vandalism in the hottest, driest place on Earth, and a destination visited by more than 1 million people from around the world.

In May, three men were charged with a variety of felony counts in connection with a drunken rampage at a remote rock tub in Death Valley National Park inhabited by federally endangered Devils Hole pupfish, one of which was found dead at the scene.

Trenton Sargent, 26, of Indian Springs, Nev.; Steven Schwinkendorf, 29, of Pahrump, Nev., and Edgar Reyes, 35, of North Las Vegas, were identified through DNA collected at Devils Hole, a 40-acre detached unit of the park, officials said.

In June, Casey Nocket, 23, of San Diego pleaded guilty to seven misdemeanor counts of defiling rock formations with graffiti in seven national parks including Death Valley and was banned from 524 million acres of public lands during her two years of probation.

Nocket painted colorful faces with acrylic paint and markers on rock formations with panoramic views including Death Valleys Telescope Peak during a 26-day period in 2014, officials said.

It hurts and angers us most to find damage after its done with no leads or possibility of finding out who did it, Wines said. But in the case of Devils Hole and Telescope Peak, we know who did it, and they were charged.

In the case of the racetrack, she added, investigators have a strong lead.

A park ranger on backcountry patrol noticed the long tire track ruts and doughnuts in early August, when the playa was dry.

What happened out there is inexcusable, said James Norris, a research engineer who, along with his cousin, Richard, discovered the mechanism that propels the playas rocks.

They drove north to south and swerved all over the place  all of which will be terribly damaging, he said. Thats because they tore up the surface crust, exposing earth that will be blown away by winds. As a result, the tire marks will be noticeable for years to come.

Sadly, he added, were going to have to wait for a good rain to start the repair process.

Louis.Sahagun@latimes.com

Twitter: @LouisSahagun

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A wildfire fueled by drought-stressed brush has charred 2,250 acres, destroyed seven structures and prompted residents to flee their homes in the Santa Cruz Mountains south of San Jose.

Flames from the Loma fire have consumed a home and six outbuildings and damaged at least one other house since it started Monday afternoon near Loma Prieta and Loma Chiquita roads, 10 miles northwest of Morgan Hill, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The blaze is about 10% contained.

Hundreds of residents were evacuated from canyon and hillside neighborhoods as fast-moving flames threatened at least 300 structures. Evacuation centers at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, Morgan Hill Presbyterian Church and Jewish Community Center of Silicon Valley welcomed residents and some even took large farm animals.

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More than 1,000 firefighters from across the state were aggressively fighting the fire as flames spread into the steep, rural mountains of Loma Prieta, Mount Chual and Uvas Creek drainages, Cal Fire said.

Fire officials said the area hasnt seen a major blaze in about 15 years.

Warm weather combined with windy conditions have contributed to an active wildfire season, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. California experienced its warmest summer on record this year, NOAA said. Drought and bark beetle infestations have killed 66 million trees statewide since 2010.

Early this summer, fuels in [California] were showing dryness usually observed in October, NOAA said in a drought report released Wednesday. In 2016, California has had more fires and more acres burned than in each of the previous five years.

But the National Weather Service in San Francisco said firefighters could get relief from the heat later this week.

By Sunday, rain is forecast to return and possibly stick around for seven days.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter.
A soldier in the U.S. Army and another man were charged with murder Tuesday in connection with the slaying of a Fullerton couple and their friend over the weekend, according to authorities.

Pfc. Joshua Acosta, 21, of Ft. Irwin in San Bernardino County, and Frank Sato Felix, 25, of Sun Valley, each face three felony counts of murder, with special circumstance allegations of multiple murder, according to the Orange County district attorneys office.

Prosecutors also charged Acosta with a sentencing enhancement because he used a firearm, according to the district attorneys office. Both men have been ordered held without bail. If convicted, the men face a sentence of at least life in prison without the possibility of parole.

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The district attorneys office did not say whether a 17-year-old girl who also was arrested after the killings would be charged. The girl has not been identified because she is a minor.

Prosecutors say that Acosta and Felix entered the home in the 400 block of South Gilbert Street early Saturday and shot dead Jennifer Goodwill Yost, 39; her husband, Christopher Yost, 34; and their friend, Arthur William Boucher, 28.

Fullerton police were alerted to the deaths when they received a call from the couples 6-year-old daughter, who reported that her parents had died, authorities said. When officers arrived, they found the bodies of the couple and Boucher, who occasionally stayed with the family. Each victim had suffered significant trauma, police said.

Officers also found the couples 6- and 9-year-old daughters inside the home. They were not harmed, but police discovered the couples 17-year-old daughter was missing and possibly at-risk. She was found a short time later, according to police. Authorities would not say whether the 17-year-old female who was arrested is the couples daughter.

According to a Pentagon spokesman, Acosta has served in the Army since March 2015 and was stationed at Ft. Irwin in the Mojave Desert as a wheeled vehicle mechanic.

On Monday, members of the so-called furry community expressed grief over the couples death. The couple and their eldest daughter often attended furry events together and dressed up in colorful animal costumes.

Christopher Parque-Johnson, a member of the SoCal Furs, told the Orange County Register that Goodwill Yost was a mother figure for the group, saying that people looked up to her.

Parque-Johnson declined to comment Tuesday about the couple and their deaths.

Melinda Giles, a family friend, told the Associated Press that Goodwill Yost barred Felix from seeing her eldest daughter for her protection.

Neighbors said Christopher Yost worked as a mechanic while his wife ran an online business, Vixies Creations, where she sold crystals, small stuffed animals known as plushies and voodoo dolls. One neighbor, Sabo Ludovac, said that Goodwill Yost was uncomfortable because her high school age daughter was dating an older boy.

I heard they were getting very close, but the parents think hes too old, said Ludovac, who lives with his son across the street from the victims.

He saw streams of friends drift in and out of the three-bedroom home and remembers the family as always friendly. It bothers me that people stop their cars and keep looking at their house, he added. This should be a quiet place.

A makeshift memorial with dozens of flickering candles, a white dove and a can of Rock Star energy drink sat in front of the house. Friends, family and teachers had penned special messages strung across the entrance, where an American flag and a lei hung from the door knocker.

They were so welcoming in every way. Everybody they knew, they would invite into their family, said a woman who only gave her name as Lil.

She said she last saw the Yosts two weeks ago. She heard about the murders on the news and reminisced about Goodwill Yosts yummy crock-pot beef and potatoes. They would always feed me. Im missing them just as their favorite holiday is around the corner. They loved to decorate inside and outside for Halloween.

Lil had met the couple several years ago at a birthday party inside their home.

There are people who reach inside you, touch your heart and leave an everlasting impression, she wrote in a tribute to the pair and Billy Boucher, the third victim. She hung her note on craft paper above drawings from their daughters. She stubbed out her cigarette, then watered the plants on their porch.

People at school are very worried about the girls and want them to know that were here for them. Were waiting to welcome them back, said Alicia Miranda, another neighbor who has lived near the Yosts for seven years. What is unfolding is just unbelievable  but you never know what goes on behind closed doors of a family life.

A Gofundme fundraising page has been created for the couples daughters.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter.

ALSO

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UPDATES:

2:35 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details from neighbors.

This article was originally published at 2:10 p.m.
El Cajon police said Tuesday evening that officers shot and killed an African American man earlier in the day after he raised both hands clasping an object in a manner that looked as if he was holding a gun.

Chief Jeff Davis said a video taken by a bystander showed the incident but that the department declined to release it at this time. He also declined to identify the object.

Davis said the man refused multiple instructions from an officer and concealed his hands in his pockets. He said the man drew an object from his front pants pockets, placed both hands together on it and extended toward the officers.

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One officer fired a Taser and another fired rounds from his handgun. No weapon was recovered at the scene.

Now is the time for calm, Davis said Now is the time for the community to work with us.

The shooting sparked protests in the San Diego County city, with friends of the mans family saying he suffers from a mental illness and did not pose a threat to the officers.

The man, who was believed to be age 30, was taken to a hospital with unspecified injuries.

A crowd of about 30 people gathered at the shooting scene. By the evening, the crowd grew to about 100 people, including community leaders and members of local churches.

Most of the demonstrators voiced concerns that the shooting was racially motivated.

The El Cajon violence comes amid growing national debate over police shootings of African Americans. Charlotte was rocked by days of protests last week after police fatally shot 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott.

Police received three calls about a man acting erratically near a strip mall on Broadway near Mollison Avenue shortly after 2 p.m., El Cajon police Lt. Rob Ransweiler said. One caller told them the man was walking in traffic, he said.

Officers said the man refused to follow their orders, spurring a confrontation that led to at least one officer opening fire outside the apartment building adjacent to the strip mall.

Officers provided first aid until paramedics arrived and took the man to a hospital.

On Twitter, the department disputed some of the claims made by protesters: The investigation just started, but based on the video voluntarily provided by a witness, the subject did NOT have his hands up in the air.

Michael Ray Rodriguez said he was driving away from the apartment building when he saw a shirtless black man with his hands in the air. In a matter of seconds, he said, an officer opened fire.

The officer shot him again and again, Rodriguez said, adding he heard five shots.

El Cajon police officers are not equipped with body-worn cameras. The department recently completed a pilot program to test the cameras and ordered some. The equipment has not been delivered, Ransweiler said.

He said a witness voluntarily turned over a cellphone that contains video of the shooting.

The district attorneys office and the El Cajon Police Department are investigating.

Davis said a witness voluntarily turned over a cellphone that contains video of the shooting but the department does not plan to release the footage. A new county-wide protocol embargoes footage of officer-involved shootings until the District Attorneys Office investigates them.

El Cajon police officers are not equipped with body-worn cameras. The department recently completed a pilot program and ordered some cameras but officers have not yet been equipped.

The victim was identified by family friends as Alfred Orlango, 30.

David Hernandez writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Follow @lanow for breaking news.

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UPDATES:

7:15 a.m.: Updated with quotes from chief and other details.

10:25 p.m. This story was updated to reflect that the man has died.

9:12 p.m. This story was updated throughout with more details.

8:12 p.m. This story was updated with additional information from the scene, as well as family members saying the man who was shot suffers from mental illness.

This article was originally published at 6:30 p.m.
Just moments after an African American man was shot and killed by El Cajon police Tuesday, his sister was captured in an eyewitness video as she wept and screamed at officers, saying she told authorities her brother was mentally ill.

In the video posted on YouTube (some explicit language), the mans sister said she told officers he was sick and needed help. She said she called police three times but instead should have called a crisis communication team.

Dont you guys have a crisis communication team to talk to somebody mentally sick? she asked an officer.

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Why couldnt you tase him? she asked officers. Why, why, why, why?

At one point, the woman yelled, Oh, my God, you killed my brother! several times.

I called for help. I didnt call you guys to kill him, she told officers as she shrieked.

Amid outrage and protests over the death of the man  identified as Alfred Okwera Olango  El Cajons mayor vowed a full investigation and said the FBI has joined the probe of the incident.

The most important thing to take away from this meeting today is a tragedy occurred In El Cajon yesterday. We lost a life. Nobody wants to see the loss of a life, Mayor Bill Wells said at a Wednesday afternoon press conference. The family is devastated. The person who lost his life is devastated. Even the police officers involved in the shooting are devastated, and certainly the community is devastated.

Wells also spoke of the death in personal terms. I saw a man who was distraught, a man who was acting out like he was in great pain. I saw him get gunned down and killed. If it was my son, I would be devastated.

Relatives had given Olangos age as 30, but in confirming his identity Wednesday, police gave a birth date that put his age at 38.

Police Chief Jeff Davis on Tuesday urged the public to let the investigation unfold before making any judgments about the shooting.

Now is the time for calm, he said. Now is the time to allow the investigation to shed light on this event and we plan to be open and transparent within the rules of the law.

Davis said Olangos sister called police and indicated that her brother was not acting like himself. He had allegedly been walking in traffic in the 800 block of Broadway before a pair of officers arrived at 2:11 p.m. Tuesday and found him behind a restaurant, Davis said.

He ignored multiple instructions from an officer and concealed his hand in his pants pockets, Davis said. Olango paced back and forth as the officers talked to him, then rapidly drew an object from his front pants pockets, placed both hands together on it and extended it rapidly toward [one] officer, taking what appeared to be a shooting stance, the chief said.

Olango, he said, pointed the object at the officers face. Police said Wednesday evening that the object was a vape smoking device, which officers have recovered.

The vape has an allsilver cylinder that is approximately 1 diameter and 3 long that was pointed toward the officer, police said in a statement.

At that point, the other officer fired a Taser and the officer who had the object pointed at him fired his handgun, striking Olango. Davis declined to say the number of shots that were fired. No firearm was found at the scene.

After the shooting, officers provided first aid until paramedics arrived and took Olango to a hospital.

A witness to the incident made a cellphone video, which was voluntarily turned over to police. The department has so far declined to release the video to the public.

A Facebook page for Alfred Olango identifies him as a head cook at a Hooters restaurant and that he is originally from Uganda. It says he went to San Diego High School and studied at San Diego Mesa College.

Hours after the shooting, protests erupted in the San Diego County city, with friends of the mans family saying he suffers from a mental illness and did not pose a threat to the officers.

Most of the demonstrators voiced concerns that the shooting was racially motivated.

Angry crowd grows after man is shot by police in El Cajon.

By 1 p.m. Wednesday, a crowd of roughly 100 demonstrators had marched from the police station to the scene of the shooting several blocks away, as a cordon of roughly 25 San Diego County Sheriffs deputies stood nearby. The deputies wore riot helmets and held long wooden batons at port arms.

During the march, protesters momentarily blocked traffic at the intersection of Magnolia and Main streets downtown. As car horns honked, either in protest or frustration, the demonstrators chanted black lives matter and thrust their fists in the air.

Their foreheads dripping sweat under an unrelenting sun, activists held signs that read release the 911 call and No justice, no peace!  a rallying cry heard at similar protests throughout the nation.

This stuff has been going on around the country for two years, said JJ Balancier, 27. Now, its finally hitting home. You see it in Ferguson, but now its in our city.

We are now at the scene of the shooting, where people are chanting "black power" and police are lined up in riot gear. pic.twitter.com/nK8WyjBgI4  Sarah Parvini  () (@sarahparvini) September 28, 2016

Earlier in the day, community activists held a news conference at the police station and called on the chief to release any videos of the shooting.

The Rev. Shane Harris, president of the National Action Network in San Diego, said his organization met with family members who have called for a federal investigation into the shooting.

We do not trust local prosecutors to investigate local police, he said.

Bishop Cornelius Bowser, a gang interventionist at Pastor of Charity Apostolic Church, said residents are looking for procedural justice because relations between the black community and police has been ruined already.

We dont want to see a still picture, he said. We want to see the whole story.

The community, he said, wants transparency.

Activists claimed that the city has a history of racism and targeting young men.

Residents are afraid, said Christopher Rice-Wilson, associate director at Alliance San Diego.

The El Cajon shooting comes amid growing national anguish over police shootings of blacks. Charlotte, N.C., was rocked by days of protests last week after police fatally shot 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott.

The San Diego County district attorneys office and the El Cajon Police Department are investigating the shooting.

All videos taken of the incident so far coincide with the officers statements, Davis said.

Police later released a still image from a video showing Olango in a shooting stance as he is confronted by officers.

Its important that the facts come out right now, Davis said. We are investigating facts as we know them and implore the community to be patient with us, work with us, look at the facts at hand before making a judgment.

Pastor Miles McPherson, who joined the chief Tuesday at a news conference, urged peace because we all want the right thing to happen,  he said. He said the truth must come out, but in a peaceful way.

This is very painful to me. Its very personal, said McPherson, who leads the Rock Church in San Diego. I am black man and feel the pain on both sides every time this happens in our country.

At the news conference Wednesday morning, Agnes Hassan, a relative, said she and Olango were in a refugee camp together before they came to the U.S. to make a better life for themselves and their children.

We suffered too much with the war in Africa  we come here, to suffer again, she said.

Hassan said she was heartbroken.

What happened yesterday, it wasnt right, she said.

On Twitter, the department disputed some of the claims made by protesters: The investigation just started, but based on the video voluntarily provided by a witness, the subject did NOT have his hands up in the air.

Michael Ray Rodriguez said he was driving away from the apartment building when he said he saw a shirtless black man with his hands in the air. In a matter of seconds, he said, an officer opened fire.

The officer shot him again and again, Rodriguez said, adding he heard five shots.

El Cajon police officers are not equipped with body-worn cameras. The department recently completed a pilot program to test the cameras and ordered some. The equipment has not been delivered, Ransweiler said.

Both officers involved in the shooting have been working in law enforcement for more than 21 years, the police chief said.

As officials continued to investigate the incident, at least one use-of-force expert said that that Olangos shooting stance complicated matters.

Ed Obayashi, a Plumas County, Calif., sheriffs deputy and legal advisor, said that mental health training for officers may have been of limited value in the situation.

When those hands come up in a shooting stance, the officer wouldnt have time to assess whether what is in the hands is a gun, Obayashi said. Almost immediately, the officer sees the hands flash up into a shooting stance, he must react. A second will be too late if its a firearm.

Times staff writer Parvini reported from El Cajon, Calif.; Rocha and Winton, from Los Angeles.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

sarah.parvini@latimes.com

richard.winton@latimes.com

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UPDATES:

8:20 p.m.: Updated with information about Olangos age.

6:33 p.m. Updated with information about vape smoking device.

4:19 p.m. Updated with more from mayor.

3:50 p.m. Updated with FBI joining probe and mayor quotes.

1:10 p.m.: This article was updated with protest details.

12:20 p.m.: This article has been updated with protest details.

10:50 a.m.: This article has been updated with comments from a news conference and a use-of-force expert.

9:05 a.m.: This article has been updated with details on evidence at the scene.

8:35 a.m.: This article has been updated with the identification of the deceased man by relatives and details from his Facebook page, and with statements by his sister that she had told police he was mentally ill.

This article was originally published at 7:25 a.m.
Sept. 28, 2016, 2:13 p.m. Statute of limitations for rape eliminated in California after Gov. Brown signs bill prompted by Cosby allegations

Nadia Sutton holds a sign while listening to artist and actor Lili Bernard speak about allegedly being raped by Bill Cosby. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

California has ended its statute of limitations for rape cases after Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday signed legislation filed in the wake of sexual assault allegations against comedian Bill Cosby.

Senate Bill 813, filed by State Sen. Connie Leyva (D-Chino) amends the penal code so that some sex crimes, including rape, forcible sodomy and molestation of a child, can be be prosecuted, regardless of how long ago the crime occurred.

Leyva lauded Browns decision, saying it told every rape and sexual assault victim in the state that they matter.

It shows victims and survivors that California stands behind them, that we see rape as a serious crime, that victims can come forward and that justice now has no time limit, she said.

The new law will affect only sex crimes that occur next year or later and offenses for which the statute of limitations has not expired by Jan. 1.

In California, the statute of limitations for rape is 10 years unless new DNA evidence emerges later. Sex crimes against minors must be prosecuted before the alleged victim turns 40.

Its unclear how many additional prosecutions a longer deadline or the abolition of any time limit might bring. And several advocacy groups and associations argued the bill was among those that would disproportionately affect poor and minority defendants with little or no representation.

But supporters said the new law would help victims who are often reluctant to report the abuse to police until many years later. Rape and sexual assault are typically committed by someone victims know, making it difficult to speak out, lawyers and advocates said. Many victims also often experience shame, fear and extreme anxiety and dont come forward until they have the confidence or a support system later in life.

The legislation was signed as Cosby, who has said his relationships with his accusers were consensual, is facing trial in Pennsylvania on three felony counts of aggravated indecent assault.

But Betsy Butler, executive director of the California Womens Law Center, said advocates have been pushing for such legislation long before women spoke out against Cosby.

It is exciting for victims, and it puts perpetrators on notice, she said.

Read more
You dont have to spend too much time visiting food blogs or perusing Pinterest to figure out that cooking in a cast-iron skillet is more popular than ever. Folks arent just using cast-iron skillets for the classics, like fried chicken, pan-seared steaks and puffy oven-baked Dutch baby pancakes. Theyre using their skillets to bake deep-dish pizza, fruit crisps and cobblers, biscuits, brownies, upside-down cakes and gooey skillet-sized chocolate chip cookies.

Restaurants are serving everything from macaroni and cheese to ice cream-topped molten chocolate cakes in tiny individual skillets, for a cuteness factor that veers off the charts. But dont choose this classic black skillet for its good looks alone; cast iron conducts and holds heat beautifully, so baked goods like homemade bread, cornbread, cakes and cookies develop a gorgeous, crisp crust, and hot dishes stay bubbling hot long after they have been pulled from the oven.

In the South, well-used and well-loved cast-iron skillets are passed down through families like priceless heirlooms. A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet is almost indestructible, and the old saying wears like iron could easily have been coined especially for this culinary workhorse. But even something as durable as cast iron needs a little attention to preserve its seasoned, glossy and  most importantly  natural, nonstick finish. Seasoning a cast-iron skillet is an ongoing process that builds up over time and use, by cooking in the skillet over and over. To build up its gleaming nonstick finish, cast-iron skillets are cleaned gently with water alone, dried and brushed very lightly with oil and then heated again over a hot burner or in the oven before cooling. It used to take many years and lots of patience to develop the perfect, well-seasoned pan.

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For this very reason, cast iron fell out of favor with impatient cooks in the latter part of the 20th century, as they turned toward nonstick surfaces created by new technologies. But these nonstick coatings are often easily nicked and scratched, and they cant withstand the same high temperatures, or go from stovetop to oven like the humble cast-iron skillet.

Then in 2002, Lodge Manufacturing Co., a 120-year-old, family-run business in South Pittsburg, Tenn., and the largest domestic manufacturer of cast iron in the United States, developed a way to pre-season their cast iron cookware in the foundry when it is made. Foundry-seasoned cast iron makes cooking in a cast-iron skillet immediately accessible and incredibly easy. Since then, cooking and baking in a cast-iron skillet has boomed in popularity among experienced and novice cooks alike, all over the country and the world.

Most cooks start with the classic 10 1/4-inch pan, but my favorite is the smaller, and lighter-weight 9-inch skillet. Its perfect for pan-frying a pair of steaks or chops and is just the right size for baking most cornbread recipes or my favorite Caramel Apple-Upside Down Cake.

OConnor is a San Diego-based food writer and author of six cookbooks. Her next cookbook, titled Cake: I Love You, will be published in spring.

Hot Chocolate Pudding Cake

If you like magic tricks, you will love this cake: sugar, cocoa and boiling water are spread over the cake batter before baking, and when it comes out of the oven  poof! It transforms into a tender cake atop a thick, warm chocolate sauce.

Hot Chocolate Pudding Cake (Eduardo Contreras / U-T )

Serves 6

1  cups whole milk

 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vanilla

 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter

 cup sugar

 cup natural Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1  teaspoons baking powder

 teaspoon fine sea salt

Chocolate Pudding Sauce:

 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1  cups boiling water

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch cast-iron skillet.

Combine the milk and the chocolate chips in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until the chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with a hand-held mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly beat in the chocolate milk mixture until combined. Sift the cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt into the batter. Beat on low just until combined. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared skillet.

For the chocolate sauce, stir the cocoa and brown sugar together in a small bowl until well combined, taking care that there are no lumps in the sugar. Sprinkle evenly over the batter. Pour the boiling water carefully over the sugar and cocoa. Do not stir. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The cake will rise completely over the sauce and should be puffy and firm around the edges but slightly soft in the center. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving, about 10 to 15 minutes. Cooling allows the cake to settle and the warm sauce to thicken slightly underneath. Scoop generously into dessert bowls, making sure to include both cake and warm sauce in each serving. Serve the cake warm, with vanilla or coffee ice cream.

Skillet Cornbread With Leeks and Pecans

Cornbread connoisseurs from north and south of the Mason-Dixon line continue to debate the addition of sweeteners to their cornbread. I tend to fall on the sweeter side of that line, adding a little honey to my cornbread to complement the savory, buttery sweetness of sauteed leeks. The pecans add a little crunch to liven things up a bit.

Skillet Cornbread With leeks and Pecans (Eduardo Contreras / U-T )

Serves 6 to 8

7 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 small leeks, white and pale green part only, thinly sliced, rinsed, and dried

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1  teaspoons baking powder

 teaspoon baking soda

 teaspoon fine sea salt

 cup chopped, toasted pecans

1/3 cup honey

2/3 cup buttermilk

1 egg

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place a 9-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. When it is hot, add 3 tablespoons butter. When the butter is melted and starting to sizzle, add the leeks and saute them until they are limp and just starting to brown. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and stir until melted. Set aside but keep warm.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pecans. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the honey, buttermilk and egg. Scrape in all the sauteed leeks and melted butter (leaving the skillet coated with a very thin film of butter.) Fold the wet and dry ingredients together just until combined.

Scrape the batter into the skillet, smoothing the top. Bake in the preheated oven until the cornbread is golden brown, and when a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for about 5 minutes before slicing into wedges. Serve warm, straight from the skillet, with additional butter and honey, if desired.

Upside-Down Carmel Apple Skillet Cake

Familiar and comforting, this warm upside-down cake is made with crisp, Granny Smith apples. Their tartness is a pleasant counterpoint to the warm, buttery caramel sauce.

Upside-Down Carmel Apple Skillet Cake (Eduardo Contreras / U-T )

Serves 8

Caramel Apples:

6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter

Pinch fine sea salt

1 cup (200 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar

3 medium Granny Smith apples (about 1 to 11/2 pounds) peeled, cored and coarsely chopped

Cake batter:

1 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoons baking powder

teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

teaspoon fine sea salt

cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 eggs

2/3 cup buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

To make the caramel apples: In a 9-inch cast-iron skillet, melt 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the salt and brown sugar and stir until the sugar is melted and syrupy and starts to bubble. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the apples to the skillet and stir to coat them with syrup. (You do not want to cook the apples at this point, merely coat them thoroughly with the warm butterscotch syrup.)

Remove the pan from the heat, and spread the apples in an even layer. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar together using an electric hand mixer, on medium speed, until light and creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add half the dry ingredients to the bowl and beat on low speed, just until combined, 10 to 15 seconds. Beat in the buttermilk, and then the remaining dry ingredients, beating a few seconds after each addition, just until the batter is smooth.

Drop the batter in dollops over the apples, smoothing it into an even layer with an offset spatula.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Transfer the skillet to a wire rack to cool slightly for 15 to 20 minutes. Run a thin spatula or knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it. Place a large, rimmed platter on top of the skillet and holding the platter with one hand and the skillet handle with the other (use potholders to protect your hands). Invert the cake onto the platter, apple-side up. If any apples remain in the pan, gently scrape them off with a spatula and replace them atop the cake. Cut the cake into wedges and serve warm.

Taking care of a cast-iron skillet

The folks at Lodge Manufacturing Company recommend these tips for taking care of your new cast-iron cookware:

1. Rinse your new skillet or piece of cookware before using.

2. Rub the skillet with a little oil before cooking in it.

3. After cleaning with hot water and a soft cloth, or with a very mild dishwashing liquid, rinse and dry well, and rub the skillet very lightly with vegetable oil. Heat the oven to 350 degrees and place the skillet upside down on the oven rack with a piece of foil on the rack underneath it to catch any drips. Heat the pan for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the oil to seep into the pan. Let the pan cool on the stovetop, wiping away any excess oil with a paper towel before storing.
The Marine Corps may replace its iconic slogan The Few. The Proud. The Marines.

The service is putting together a new advertising campaign that could include a tagline to succeed the current one, which has been used on and off since 1976.

Heres the apparent problem with the longtime slogan: It doesnt explain what the Marines actually do, which is fight.

(We) examined the existing tagline and felt that it did an excellent job describing who we are, but it didnt go further and state what it is that we do, said Lt. Col. John Caldwell, spokesman for the Marine Corps Recruiting Command.

As we look at the new materials that we have designed and are getting ready to produce, its not necessarily the best way to end those advertising products that have a different narrative, he said.

In an era where everyone in uniform has been dubbed a warrior, the new Marine campaign is expected to focus more narrowly on the fight  fighting self-doubt to become a Marine, fighting the nations battles and fighting for whats right back at home as a civilian.

We want it to be clearly focused on that fighting spirit of the Marines, Caldwell said.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marine Corps tagline history*

1970 to 1987: The Marines/We're Looking for a Few Good Men.

1970 to 1978: We Don't Promise You a Rose Garden.

1977 to 1995: Maybe You Can Be One of Us.

1976 to present: The Few. The Proud. The Marines.

1982 to 1987: If Everybody Could Get In The Marines, It Wouldn't Be The Marines.

1996: The Change is Forever.

*Marines have used more than one tagline at the same time.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tinkering with a successful slogan is tricky, marketing experts said.

It might be a little dicey for them. That slogan evokes emotion more so than other slogans. Im not sure Id recommend replacing it, said Jean Walcher, president of J. Walcher Communications, a veteran public relations and marketing firm in San Diego.

Jon Bailey, founder of the San Diego marketing and branding agency i.d.e.a., said switching out the tagline would be a drastic step.

I feel it has tremendous strength, he said. I feel like whatever problem theyre trying to solve, changing that isnt necessarily going to solve it.

They and On Amir, a professor at UC San Diegos Rady School of Management, pointed to examples of branding campaigns that have either cratered or soared.

Tropicana recast its drink packaging in 2009 and had to retreat to the original after consumers couldnt recognize the product in its new guise. Similarly, clothing retailer The Gap released a new logo in 2010, only to return to the previous white lettering in a blue box after advertising mavens and the public panned the change.

On the other hand, Old Spice has successfully reinvented itself from your grandfathers aftershave to a line of deodorant and soap products embraced by young people. New tagline: Smell Em Whos Boss.

Its always a bit of a gamble.

If you change your tagline now, you are going to increase the variance of what comes to mind when people think about you. Some people are going to remember the old one. Over time, you are going to generate an association with the new tagline, Amir said.

If your current tagline isnt generating the response you want, its a good idea to change it. But the first and immediate response is going to be something like confusion.

Its also true that advertising campaigns need to morph to keep up with each successive generation.

The Marines have been marketing for some time to their current core demographic of recruits: the millennials, people born between 1980 and 1995, now age 21 to 36.

But the next wave is coming. Some trend-watchers have called it Generation Z, a group potentially characterized by pragmatism and caution after growing up in the post-9/11 era.

One of the things that we know about todays youth is that they are very interested in service, but they dont typically think of military service. They think of service more in the Bono context, less the Rambo context, said the Marines Caldwell, referring to the U2 singer and the action movie character.

What weve tried to do, in the last campaign and now moving forward into this new campaign, is really demonstrate the alignment of that aspiration to serve others through the military lens as well, he said. You know, we operate across the whole range of military operations  some clearly kinetic, and others more disaster-relief, humanitarian in nature.

Theres no word on what new taglines the Marines are considering, and Caldwell stressed that theres no final decision yet.

The Corps longtime advertising agency, J. Walter Thompson in New York, is working on the new campaign and possible tagline, which were first reported by the publication Marine Corps Times. The launch is expected next year.

Other U.S. military branches have rebranded to varying degrees of success.

The Armys Army of One slogan in 2001 generated a lot of question marks, as an army is almost by definition a group of people. The prior slogan, Be All You Can Be, proved to be a dynamo that lasted nearly two decades.

The Army switched to Army Strong in 2006, and seems to be going without any tagline at all since mid-2015.

The Navy ditched its Global Force For Good slogan and released some new, tough-guy commercials in late 2014 and early last year.

One of them, Pin Map, features each piece of the diverse Navy  ships, submarines and jets, but also SEALs, bomb disposal technicians and unmanned drones. The idea is that the Navy is deployed around the globe, creating all these pins on a map.

The caption at the end is, Around the world, around the clock, in defense of all we hold dear back home.

Another recent Navy commercial, The Shield, shows two parents holding hands with their young daughter. One by one, Navy personnel in various uniforms form a series of circles around the family.

The caption there is To get to you, theyd have to get past us.

The Navys top personnel officer said the goal is to retain sailors who are feeling burned out after years of long, post-9/11 deployments. The commercials were designed to pull at the heartstrings of sailors and remind them why they enlisted.

The underlying slogan for those, and the Navys continuing catchphrase, is the generalist Americas Navy.

A Navy spokesman this week said a new advertising agency has begun researching a future slogan.

We expect to roll out the new tagline sometime later next year, said Capt. Dave Bouve, director of marketing and advertising at the Navys recruiting command.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Most successful recent Marine Corps advertising campaigns

Sword, 1983: Established the era of transformation advertising and the use of metaphor to attract young people seeking personal growth in the form of self-determination, discipline and honor.

Chess, 1990: Continued the hero's journey storytelling, but introduced the notion that these tough, elite warriors possessed the unique intelligence demanded of a modern military.

America's Marines, 2008: Signaled a major shift in the category to promoting the purpose of service as duty to country, not personal growth.

Sources: Marine Corps Recruiting Command, J. Walter Thompson agency

jen.steele@sduniontribune.com

Facebook: U-T Military

Twitter: @jensteeley
A man who El Cajon police said did not comply with orders was shot and injured by at least one officer outside of an apartment building Tuesday afternoon.

The man, who is believed to be 30 years old, was taken to a hospital with unspecified injuries. An update on his condition was not available Tuesday night.

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Friends of the mans family said he suffers from a mental illness.

News of the shooting attracted an irate crowd of about 30 people, some of whom were friends of the shooting victims family. By the evening, the crowd grew to about 100 people, including community leaders and members of local churches.

Most of the demonstrators voiced concerns that the shooting was racially motivated.

Police received three calls about a man acting erratically near a strip mall on Broadway near Mollison Avenue shortly after 2 p.m., said El Cajon police Lt. Rob Ransweiler. He said one caller told them the man was walking in traffic.

When officers got there, the man refused to follow their orders, spurring a confrontation that led to at least one officer opening fire outside the apartment building adjacent to the strip mall.

Officers provided first aid until paramedics got there and took the man to a hospital.

Ransweiler declined to say whether the man was armed.

Witnesses said they heard about five shots fired.

Michael Ray Rodriguez said he was driving out of the apartment building when he saw a shirtless black man with his hands in the air. In a matter of seconds, he said, an officer opened fire.

(The officer) let go of the trigger and shot him again and again, Rodriguez said, adding he heard five shots.

El Cajon police officers are not equipped with body-worn cameras. The department recently completed a pilot program to test the cameras and ordered some. The equipment has not been delivered, Ransweiler said.

He said a witness voluntarily turned over a cellphone that contains video of the shooting.

The District Attorneys Office and the El Cajon Police Department are investigating.
A federal appeals court is taking another look at a San Diego womans lawsuit that accuses officers of using excessive force when a police dog bit her face as she slept in her office one night.

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had ruled in Sara Lowrys favor in April, but the city of San Diego requested a larger panel of judges to consider the case. The judges voted and agreed. An en banc panel of 11 judges will rehear arguments in January in San Francisco, the court ordered this month.

The case centers on whether police used excessive force and whether the San Diego Police Department should be held liable for how it deploys police dogs.

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Lowry had gone out for drinks with co-workers on Feb. 11, 2010, and returned to her Pacific Beach data consulting office, where she fell asleep on the couch. She unknowingly triggered the buildings security alarm when she got up to use the restroom.

Sgt. Bill Nulton, his police dog, and two other officers arrived and saw her office door open. Nulton shouted into the dark and waited for a minute or so and got no response, then sent his dog in off-leash to investigate.

The sergeant followed closely behind and spotted a figure on the couch, and the dog quickly pounced and bit Lowry through her lip. She required three stitches, although the officer told Lowry the damage could have been much worse.

Police testified that the department trains its police dogs in building searches to find a person, bite the person and hold that bite until an officer removes the dog, court records show. It is usually up to the officer to decide whether to let the dog off-leash.

The lower U.S. District Court in San Diego approved the citys request for summary judgment in the case, ruling that the officers acted reasonably and objectively. But the 9th circuit panel found that a reasonable jury could find the departments dog policy to be a severe use of force, and that the case should go back for further proceedings, potentially to trial.

The judges at the January hearing will now reconsider that decision.

A few police organizations urged the rehearing in friend of the court briefs that were submitted, arguing officer safety was at risk.

It is the duty of a police officer to investigate crimes and to confront possibly dangerous and possibly armed suspects even if it means following them in to a dark alley or, in this case, a dark office suite, the California Police Chiefs Association argued. Police service dogs are an invaluable tool for law enforcement, with the canine often acting as a buffer between dangerous individuals and officers. Having this extra layer of protection greatly reduces potential for injury to police officers.

The new demands imposed upon police officers and law enforcement employers by the (three-judge) Panels decision range from very impractical to, potentially, deadly.

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavis
An El Cajon police officer on Tuesday shot and killed a black man who raised an object and took a stance that police said insinuated he was going to shoot a weapon.

The man was not armed after all, police Chief Jeff Davis said. He declined to say what the man was grasping.

News of the shooting sparked a protest that grew to about 200 people by evening, including community leaders and members of local churches who led prayers.

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The victim was identified by family friends as Alfred Olango, believed to be in his 30s. Friends said he was mentally ill and had a mental breakdown that caused him to act out in the minutes leading up to the shooting. Police received several reports of a man acting erratically and walking in traffic along a strip mall on Broadway near Mollison Avenue shortly after 2 p.m.

El Cajon shooting

A woman who called police mentioned her brother was mentally ill, Davis said, adding that police were investigating that statement.

Two officers found the man behind Los Panchos taco shop on Broadway, near an apartment building and the Broadway Village Shopping Center.

Davis said the man failed to comply with multiple instructions from an officer and concealed a hand in a pocket of his pants. The officer brandished a gun and continued to give the man commands.

A second officer got there and brandished a stun gun.

At one point the suspect took out an object from the front pocket of his pants, grasped it with both hands, and extended it rapidly toward the officers as he stood in a stance that suggested he would shoot, Davis said.

One officer fired the stun gun as the other fired the handgun, Davis said.

In this frame from video provided by the El Cajon Police Department, a man, second from left, faces police officers in El Cajon, Calif. The man reportedly acting erratically at a strip mall in El Cajon was shot and killed by police after pulling an object from his pocket. (El Cajon PD / AP )

The officers, whose names were not released, have been with the El Cajon Police Department for more than 21 years. Both will be placed on leave, Davis said.

Officers provided first aid until paramedics arrived and took the man to a hospital with unspecified injuries. He later died.

Witnesses said they heard about five shots fired.

Some people said they saw the man with his hands in the air, a claim police later disputed, saying video of the shooting did not show that.

Davis said a witness voluntarily turned over a cellphone that contains video of the shooting but the department

1 / 14 Pastor Russell Bowman, center, leads the crowd in a prayer at the scene where a black man was shot by El Cajon police earlier. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 14 Shawn Letchaw hugs a woman named Marie, who didnt give a last name, at the scene where a black man was shot by El Cajon police earlier. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 14 People form a circle and hold hands as a crowd upset at the shooting of a black man by El Cajon police gather at the scene of the shooting. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 14 A woman protests the shooting of a black man by El Cajon police while at the scene of the shooting. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 14 El Cajon police officers look toward a crowd that gathered at the scene where a black man was shot by El Cajon police earlier. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 14 People gather a police tape at the scene where a black man was shot by El Cajon police earlier. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 14 A police investigator photographs evidence marked with numbers. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 14 Shawn Letchaw, left, and Melvin Harper yell Hands up. Dont Shoot. toward police at the scene where a black man was shot by El Cajon police earlier. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 14 A man angrily yells at police while at the scene where a black man was shot by El Cajon police earlier. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 14 A police officer tells a woman, who crossed police crime tape, to go back. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 14 People upset at the shooting of a black man by El Cajon police protest at the scene of the shooting. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 14 Four-year-old Zaidyn Palmer is held by his mother Kourtney Adair as El Cajon police stand behind police tape at the scene where a black man was shot. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 14 A man points at police as he and others yell at police while at the scene where a black man was shot by El Cajon police earlier. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 14 One man holds his fist up as others yell at police at the scene where a black man was shot by El Cajon police earlier. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

does not plan to release the footage. A new county-wide protocol embargoes footage of officer-involved shootings until the District Attorneys Office investigates them.

El Cajon police officers are not equipped with body-worn cameras. The department recently completed a pilot program and ordered some cameras but officers have not yet been equipped, Lt. Rob Ransweiler said.

Most of the demonstrators who showed up at the site voiced concerns that the shooting was racially motivated.

India Miles, 34, said she turned out to denounce police shootings nationwide.

People are tired of this, she said. Were tired of innocent people dying. Its one thing if youre guilty and you got a gun at a cops head, but if you have nothing on you and youre just getting shot for having a seizure or having car trouble, or whatever the case may be, that stuff has to stop.

The violence comes amid growing national debate over police shootings of African-Americans.

The San Diego District Attorneys Office and the El Cajon Police Departments homicide unit are investigating the shooting.

El Cajon Shooting On Now Dumanis rules El Cajon police shooting of Alfred Olango justified 2:09 On Now Justice for Alfred Olango 1:33 On Now Video: Protests in the weeks following Olango shooting 1:43 On Now El Cajon City Council Meeting 10.11.2016 1:49 On Now Protest still present after El Cajon Shooting 2:49 On Now Video: Faith leaders, demonstrators rally in El Cajon 3:32 On Now Video: Rally after El Cajon shooting 1:45 On Now Video: Prayer vigil draws crowd in El Cajon 1:12 On Now RAW: Full video of Alfred Olango officer involved shooting 1:46 On Now Angry crowd grows after man is shot by police in El Cajon 1:15

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez
A crop of an estimated 2,500 marijuana plants was found growing illegally on public land in North County, leading to at least one arrest this month, according to a search warrant affidavit filed in San Diego federal court.

Described by a special agent with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management as a large sophisticated outdoor marijuana cultivation operation, the field was hidden within the Beauty Mountain Wilderness Study Area just south of the Riverside County line near Anza.

It is among the numerous illegal grows secreted on public lands throughout San Diego County, a problem law enforcement has said warrants increased attention.

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From January to July this year, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has removed nearly 91,500 marijuana plants from 19 grow sites on public lands in the county, an agency spokeswoman said Tuesday. Thats more than the roughly 52,500 plants removed in all of 2015.

The agent discovered this crop back in June and placed trail cameras in the area in an effort to catch the growers, according to the affidavit. Several times, the cameras recorded a red Toyota pickup going to and from the illegal field. Surveillance later confirmed the truck, which would park in thick brush, ferried farmers to the site, the court records state.

On Sept. 10 during a surveillance operation, a California Highway Patrol officer stopped the truck near Anza for speeding and found two brothers from Mexico inside. They were released with a ticket, and the BLM agent then got a warrant to install a GPS tracking device on the pickup to collect more evidence, the affidavit says.

The truck went between the marijuana field and Moreno Valley several times over the next few days, the agent stated, and on Sept. 13 it was back at the grow site. Agents were waiting. Three men hopped out of the truck and ran; agents caught one and arrested him.

In the bed of the pickup were burlap sacks containing 200 pounds of freshly-cut marijuana buds, the affidavit says.

The man who was arrested was charged in San Diego federal court Thursday, not with cultivating marijuana but with being in the country illegally. Records show he has past immigration violations.

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavis
Hundreds of protesters poured into the streets of El Cajon Wednesday, denouncing a police shooting that killed an unarmed, reportedly mentally ill black man.

Police said Wednesday evening that the object the man had pulled out from his pants pocket and pointed at an officer was a vape smoking device.

Demonstrations that began in the morning continued into the night, with crowds that were mostly peaceful.

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While there is anger, I dont think theres anger to the point that it leads to violence, El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells said Wednesday night. Im happy about that.

He said he was also pleased police were giving people space to protest.

In the evening, about 300 people gathered behind Los Panchos taco shop, where Alfred Olango, 38, was fatally shot Tuesday afternoon. Many poured into nearby streets, marching and shouting: No justice, no peace.

The crowd was loud, but calm, with the exception of a few who at one point threw plastic water bottles at a line of deputies and officers in riot gear.

Olangos cousin, who identified himself only as Anthony, stood somber among the crowd, which took over a section of Broadway in front the taco shop.

Its powerful to see so many people here, he said. But my cousin is not here. Hes not coming back. Hes gone.

By the end of the night, a makeshift memorial under a tree near the site of the shooting grew to include more than 30 candles and a photograph of Olango.

Some signs left behind invoked reports from family and friends that Olango was mentally ill. Black disabled lives matter, read one sign. Another said, R.I.P. Alfred. I have Autisim.

El Cajon shooting

Earlier in the day, a smaller crowd assembled at the police headquarters to demand a federal investigation into the shooting and the release of a cellphone video shot by a witness.

We dont want to see a still picture, we want the whole story. Show the whole video, said Bishop Cornelius Bowser of the San Diego Organizing Project.

El Cajon Shooting On Now Dumanis rules El Cajon police shooting of Alfred Olango justified 2:09 On Now Justice for Alfred Olango 1:33 On Now Video: Protests in the weeks following Olango shooting 1:43 On Now El Cajon City Council Meeting 10.11.2016 1:49 On Now Protest still present after El Cajon Shooting 2:49 On Now Video: Faith leaders, demonstrators rally in El Cajon 3:32 On Now Video: Rally after El Cajon shooting 1:45 On Now Video: Prayer vigil draws crowd in El Cajon 1:12 On Now RAW: Full video of Alfred Olango officer involved shooting 1:46 On Now Angry crowd grows after man is shot by police in El Cajon 1:15

One speaker said he doesnt trust the county District Attorneys Office to complete an unbiased investigation.

On Wednesday afternoon, Wells vowed a full investigation and said the FBI has joined the probe of the shooting.

Outside police headquarters, some waved posters that said, Release the 911 call, and #AlfredOlango.

Police locked their headquarters lobby, posting a sign for the public that normal business was suspended but anyone with an emergency could ring a communications buzzer.

City Hall also was closed Wednesday for security, as well as many businesses near the protests, including Parkway Plaza mall.

A woman in the crowd outside police headquarters stepped forward, wiping away tears, and said she came from Sudan and Olango came from Uganda to America to escape violence.

What happened yesterday, it wasnt right, said Agnes Hassan.

The crowd later walked about a mile from the police station down Broadway for an hour, blocking traffic at intersections and forming a line to match deputies blocking their way toward Interstate 8. One protester walked between the two ranks to make sure no one acted with violence, and the marchers resumed their walk  noisy, but peaceful.

Olangos Facebook page says he was from Gulu, Uganda, attended San Diego High School and Mesa College, and was head cook at West Coast Hooters.

A manager there said Olango worked at Hooters in National City.

Mallory Webb, president of the NAACPs San Diego Youth and College Division, said, Im just questioning why  why you watch it happen and dont do anything.  Im angry, Im very angry and hurt.

Police got a 911 call on Tuesday to get help for a man who was not acting like himself, Chief Jeff Davis said. One caller was a woman who said her brother was mentally ill and unarmed, Davis said.

Other people also called about a man with erratic behavior who was getting into traffic near a strip mall.

Davis said it took police about 50 minutes get there because officers were responding to other incidents.

One officer found the man behind Los Panchos taco shop at Broadway and Mollison Avenue about 2 p.m. A second officer got there a short time later, police said.

Police said the man did not obey the officers orders and then pulled some object out of a pants pocket. He grasped it with both hands straight out in front of him and aimed it at the officers, Davis said.

One officer fired a Taser at Olango and the other officer fired several rounds from his handgun. Olango was taken to a hospital and died there, Davis said.

The chief later released a still photo from a cellphone video showing Olango in what Davis described as a shooting stance with arms aimed at one officer. Olangos legs are spread and his arms are stretched forward about chest level, hands together.

Police said the object turned out to be a vape that has a 3-inch-long silver cylinder that was pointed toward an officer.

Police work with a Psychiatric Emergency Response Team of licensed clinicians who can respond, alongside officers, to mental health calls. When the two officers responded to calls about Olango, that team was attending another call, police said Wednesday.

News of the shooting sparked a fast-growing protest crowd around the taco shop. Some shouted hands up, dont shoot chants, others held hands and prayed for peace in the community.

Sheriffs deputies in riot gear were called in as a precaution against violence by anyone in the crowd. The rally shifted to police headquarters later in the evening. No arrests were made.

Some people in the crowd claimed that police obtained the cellphone video by illegally seizing the phone, and several others, from their owners. Davis denied the allegation, saying at a news conference that a witness voluntarily turned over the video and that no phones were confiscated.

Davis said he would not release the video to the public, but later sent out the still image showing what appears to be a crucial moment before the shooting.

San Diego law enforcement leaders this year agreed to a protocol to not release officer-involved shooting video  whether from witnesses or police body-worn cameras  until the District Attorney has reviewed it.

El Cajon police do not have body-worn cameras.

At Wednesdays morning rally, Christopher Rice Wilson, associate director of Alliance San Diego community organizing non-profit, said Olangos family will be meeting with civil rights attorneys.

They are meeting with clergy and community members who are surrounding them with loving care, Wilson added. Asked if any family or friends would talk to reporters, he said, You have to understand, people are afraid. They dont want to be targeted.

After the speakers were finished, many in the crowd collected into small groups to discuss the issues.

The shooting comes after other police killings of unarmed black men in other parts of the country has ignited confrontational protests and clashes with police.

Eddie Price, 56, longtime El Cajon resident and businessman, commented, Im armed right now. Im armed with the melanin in my skin and the information in my mind. Im armed and dangerous and thats how I feel every time I see the police. And that Im a suspect already, and thats no way to live.

Im tired of walking around like Im a target, like my sons a target like my family members are targets just because of the color of my skin. I pray for the family, but Im tired of praying. We need action.

Wilson, with Alliance San Diego, added, Mr. Olango was killed for three strikes. His first strike was being black. His second strike was being mentally ill. And his third strike was not following orders.

Olango has had some past run-ins with the law.

San Diego court records show that in 1999 he got three years probation in a stolen property case and in 2001 he was put on probation for another three years for cocaine possession.

Two misdemeanor cases were expunged from his record, so no information about them is available.

In 2006, Olango pleaded guilty in federal court to firearms possession in Colorado. He had a 9mm semi-automatic pistol in his car. Because of the San Diego felony convictions, he was not allowed to possess a gun.

1 / 53 Protestors peacefully sat on Broadway in El Cajon stopping traffic in both directions. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 53 One of the protestors tries to regain control of the group on Broadway in El Cajon after others began to throw full water bottles at police officers. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 53 Protestors peacefully sat on Broadway in El Cajon stopping traffic in both directions for the death of Alfred Olango. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 53 Khadijah Neely (right) and Sabrina Crawford (right) hold a candle during the cable light vigil held in El Cajon for the death of Alfred Olango. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 53 Protestors peacefully protested on Broadway in El Cajon stopping traffic in both directions for the death of Alfred Olango. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 53 A sign and a picture of Alfred Olango, the man shot and killed by an El Cajon police officer, is placed at a memorial for him where he was shot on Tuesday in El Cajon. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 53 A woman carries a sign as she and a large crowd of people protesting the police shooting of a black man march down Broadway in El Cajon on Wednesday. (Hayne Palmour IV/San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 53 A man, who went into the crowd of protesters wearing a Donald Trump campaign cap, takes a video of himself as the crowd angered by his cap comes toward him in El Cajon on Wednesday. (Hayne Palmour IV/San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 53 The man who taunted the crowd is knocked down on the ground and surrounded by protesters. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 53 The man who taunted the crowd pleads with protesters that he just wants to leave. He was chased but police intervened and took him away from the protesters. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 53 Protesters angered by the police showing up confront the police as other protesters try to calm the situation. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 53 Police officers respond when protesters gathered in El Cajon Wednesday became agitated when a man not part of the group appeared to provoke the crowd. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 53 Protest organizers try to move the crowd away from police and back to where they were planning to do a candlelight vigil for Alfred Olango, who was shot and killed by an El Cajon police officer, in El Cajon on Wednesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 53 A memorial with candles for Alfred Olango sits next to where an emotional crowd gathered to protest their frustration with El Cajon Police. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 53 Pastor Carroll Nutria became overcome with emotions after leading the protest group in prayer at sunset in El Cajon. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 16 / 53 The emotional crowd chanted during their protest in the parking lot in El Cajon. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 17 / 53 Police officers respond when protesters gathered in El Cajon Wednesday became agitated when a man not part of the group appeared to provoke the crowd. This group formed what they called a peace wall to keep the group separated from the police. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 18 / 53 Police officers respond when protesters gathered in El Cajon Wednesday became agitated when a man not part of the group appeared to provoke the crowd. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 19 / 53 Police officers respond when protesters gathered in El Cajon Wednesday became agitated when a man not part of the group appeared to provoke the crowd. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 20 / 53 Police officers respond when protesters gathered in El Cajon Wednesday became agitated when a man not part of the group appeared to provoke the crowd. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 21 / 53 Rachel Watson (left) and Samantha Boyd (right) watch the crowd from the carport of their apartment as the crowd became agitated when a man not part of the group appeared to provoke the crowd. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 22 / 53 One man attempts to communicate with police officers in El Cajon after the crowd became agitated. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 23 / 53 A memorial with candles for Alfred Olango sits next to where an emotional crowd gathered to protest their frustration with El Cajon Police. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 24 / 53 Ebonay Lee holds up her fist toward a line of Sheriffs deputies as she and other people protesting Tuesdays police shooting of a black man confront the deputies under the Highway 67 bridge on Broadway in El Cajon on Wednesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 25 / 53 San Diego sheriffs deputies block a protester carrying a sign in El Cajon Wednesday as a crowd marches to protest the death of Alfred Olango, a black man shot by El Cajon police on Tuesday afternoon. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 26 / 53 Protesters upset at the shooting of an unarmed black man by El Cajon police gather at Main and Mollison in El Cajon Wednesday and block traffic. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 27 / 53 San Diego sheriffs deputies and El Cajon police face off with protesters over the shooting death of Alfred Olango. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 28 / 53 A man saying the police know what theyre doing was confronted by protesters and asked to leave the protest area in front of the El Cajon police department. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 29 / 53 Protesters gathered in front of the El Cajon Police Department Wednesday to demand the police release the entire cell phone video of the shooting of Alfred Olango. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 30 / 53 Protestors confront the police line blocking their progress up Magnolia Avenue below the I-8 freeway Wednesday afternoon. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 31 / 53 A group of men gather in prayer after a press conference at the El Cajon Police Department Wednesday in the wake of a police shooting that left Alfred Olango dead on Tuesday. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 32 / 53 While under the Highway 67 bridge, people protesting the police shooting of a black man hold their arms up as they confront Sheriffs deputies as they march on Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 33 / 53 At the El Cajon police department, protesters usher out a man who came to the protest, supportive of the police. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 34 / 53 El Cajon resident Laren Littlefield said I used to be prideful in saying this is Americas finest city, and today I dont believe it any more. Protesters gathered in front of the El Cajon Police Department Wednesday to demand police release the entire video related to the shooting of Alfred Olango. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 35 / 53 William Gustin rides atop a car with friends in the protest march through El Cajon Wednesday between police blockades. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 36 / 53 Christopher Rice-Wilson addresses the crowd outside the Police Department in El Cajon Wednesday, as Mallory Webb is comforted by Eddie Price after the two of them spoke against the shooting of Alfred Olango. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 37 / 53 Agnes Hassan, a fellow refugee and friend of the family of police shooting victim Alfred Olango, said the police would never shoot a mentally ill man in need of help in her former country of South Sudan. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 38 / 53 Dwayne Harvey asks Sheriffs deputies to be courageous and change police policy during a protest against the police shooting of a black man on Broadway in El Cajon on Wednesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 39 / 53 A woman yells at Sheriffs deputies as she and other people protesting the police shooting of a black man confront the deputies under the Highway 67 bridge on Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 40 / 53 While under the Highway 67 bridge, people protesting Tuesdays police shooting of a black man confront Sheriffs deputies as they march on Broadway in El Cajon. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 41 / 53 Ebonay Lee, center, and another woman holds up their fists toward a line of Sheriffs deputies as they and other people protesting the police shooting of a black man confront the deputies under the Highway 67 bridge on Broadway in El Cajon. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 42 / 53 Dominick Smith holds a sign as he and other people protesting the police shooting of a black man march down Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 43 / 53 Sheriffs deputies stage on Broadway in preparation for people protesting the police shooting of a black man march down Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 44 / 53 People protesting Tuesdays police shooting of a black man march down Broadway in El Cajon on Wednesday. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 45 / 53 San Diego State student Marissa Simmons, left, holds her fist up as a motorist does the same in support as she and other people protesting the police shooting of a black man march on Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 46 / 53 A man looks for support from motorists as he and other people protesting the police shooting of a black man march down Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 47 / 53 A protester talks to Sheriffs deputies as the deputies stand in a line to stop people protesting the police shooting of a black man from marching in the middle of the street on Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 48 / 53 A deputy yells at protesters to back up as he and several sheriffs deputies stand in a line to prevent them from marching in the middle of Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 49 / 53 A woman yells at police officers as she and other people protesting Tuesdays police shooting of a black man march on Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 50 / 53 People protesting the police shooting of a black man march on Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 51 / 53 A man repeatedly outstretched his arm, at what appeared to be a Nazi salute, toward people protesting the shooting of a black man in El Cajon. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 52 / 53 While under the Highway 67 bridge, people protesting Tuesdays police shooting of a black man confront Sheriffs deputies as they march on Broadway in El Cajon. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 53 / 53 Ebonay Lee holds up her fist toward a line of Sheriffs deputies as she and other people protesting Tuesdays police shooting of a black man confront the deputies under the Highway 67 bridge on Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

The American Civil Liberties Unions local leader posted a statement about the shooting on the organizations website early Tuesday evening.

Norma Chavez-Peterson, executive director of the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties, said in part:

It is too early to know many of the details of the actual shooting and what preceded it, and we hope that the El Cajon Police Department and the San Diego District Attorney provide the public with answers as quickly as possible, with transparency and accountability for all involved.

Unfortunately, there are disturbing reports from a number of witnesses that police officers confiscated cell phones from people who witnessed the shooting. Confiscating cell phones is a violation of the Fourth Amendment (unreasonable seizure without warrant or exigent circumstance) and the First Amendment (interference with the right to record in public) under the U.S. Constitution and analogous rights under the California Constitution. It is hard to see any kind of Fourth Amendment exigent circumstances at issue here.

The First Amendment issues are also significant, because by seizing phones, police would likely be preventing the dissemination of video captured by bystanders. The public has the right to film police in public places, and police officers may not confiscate or demand to view your digital photos or video without a warrant. Under no circumstances may police officers delete your photos or videos.

We will be paying close attention as the details of this situation unfold and our thoughts are with the family of the shooting victim.

Staff writers Kristina Davis, Debbi Baker and research librarian Merrie Monteagudo contributed to this story.
San Diego Unified Superintendent Cindy Marten received a glowing report card from the school board Tuesday when her annual evaluation was released.

The board praised Marten for leadership, and said its analysis was based strictly on the results she achieved for our students and families in the 2015-16 school year.

Among the achievements highlighted: The districts trajectory to achieve the highest graduation rate (92 percent) among the states large urban districts.

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The fact that these results were achieved at the same time as we raised standards is all the more impressive, a board statement said.

Martens professional evaluation is not tied to her salary or bonuses. Her annual pay increased from $267,334 to $275,000 on July 1 as per her contract. Martens yearly $10,000 automobile allowance will continue.

Two years ago, the school board extended Martens four-year contract by a year, through the 2017-18 academic year, as a sign of its satisfaction with her leadership.

Additional points from the past year listed in the evaluation include: Cultural proficiency guidelines embedded in curriculum; a partnership with the National Equity Project; efforts to give students academic credit for mastery of languages other than English; and an overhaul of the program for gifted students.

Trustee Sharon Whitehurst-Payne summarized the evaluation in a two-page statement. The report makes no mention of the scandal that forced Whitehurst-Paynes predecessor, Marne Foster, to resign earlier this year.

In February, Foster pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor violation of the Political Reform Act for taking a gift of plane fare and tuition to a conference for her son following an investigation into her conduct. Foster faced allegations that she used her office for personal gain. Documents released by the district showed Foster pressured Marten to remove her sons principal  and discipline staff  over an unflattering college evaluation of her son.

The superintendent has said the ensuing reassignment of the principal had nothing to do with Fosters demands.

Foster drew criticism for other conduct, including participation in a fundraiser to pay off debt and college tuition for her sons, a benefit that was improperly registered and attended by San Diego Unified officials and contractors; that she was secretly behind a quarter-million-dollar claim filed against the district over an unflattering college assessment of her son; and allegedly enrolled her son in the subsidized lunch program even though her income disqualified the family from participation.

At the recommendation of board Vice President John Lee Evans, the San Diego Unified School District went on to adopt stricter ethics guidelines to prevent trustee misconduct and redefine the relationship between the board and superintendent.
With its most diverse class of freshmen settling in for the fall quarter, UC San Diego has opened campus-wide themed housing based on students sexual identity and race.

The six colleges that make up the university have had specific housing for students who are black, Latino or LGBTQ before, but the new approach unifies the communities in single spaces, said Mark Cunningham, assistant vice chancellor of housing and dining at UC San Diego,

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In the past, Cunningham said a housing community at one college might have as little as three lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer students, making it difficult to build any kind of program.

With the change this quarter, the three unified communities have an average of around 100 or 125 students, Cunningham said.

Its really building some positive energy, he said.

Few of the incoming freshman class are participating in the new communities, but Cunningham said thats probably because they are new to the campus and hadnt heard about them yet.

The new move is part of the schools push to improve the success rate of historically underrepresented groups, including black, Native American and Mexican American/Latino students. Those groups represent 24 percent of the 5,750 freshmen on campus for the new quarter, which started Sept. 22.

Underrepresented students make up about 20 percent of the campuss 2,950 incoming transfer students. About 29 percent of new freshmen and 38 percent of incoming transfers are the first in their family to attend college.

The school has introduced the African Black Diaspora Living-Learning Community at Sixth College, the Raza Housing for Latino students at Eleanor Roosevelt College and a house for LGBTQIA  lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex and asexual students  at Muir College.

Living learning centers, as described by the university, unite people who share common objectives and/or interests and who are actively engaged in learning from each other in a common living environment.

Cunningham said bringing the students together in communities where they are most comfortable will have long-term positive effects that could lead to better grades, improved retention rates and higher graduate rates. By combining different grade levels, he said younger students in the communities are likely to have mentors to help them with their studies.

While having separate communities based on race or sexual orientation might hint at segregation, Cunningham said he doubts any students would see it that way because they were the ones who choose to live with one another.

Its a chose that reflects real life, he noted.

When you move off campus, you dont live with people from your college, he said. You live with your friends.

Cunningham said students from the various communities proposed the idea of unified housing about a year and a half ago, and many worked with administrations to create the housing over the past year.

They said, We want to be able to live together, regardless of our colleges, Cunningham recalled. We need more of us, whatever us is.

The suggestion that ethnic-specific communities could be seen as segregation was raised by the student newspaper The Guardian in April.

The paper quoted David Young, an affiliate of the Black Student Union, saying the notion that the housing equates to segregation is a misguided opinion held almost exclusively by majority groups on campus.

There are times where you can walk around campus and never see a black face in the crowd, Young told the newspaper. (The African Black Diaspora Living-Learning Community) is supposed to be a place where black students can express themselves freely around students who share their ancestry.

The Sixth College website on housing describes the mission of the African Black Diaspora Learning-Living Community as establishing an environment of personal and academic excellence through the affirmation and celebration of Blackness in its various expressions.

The communitys goals are described as cultivating personal development and self-awareness, fostering meaningful interpersonal connections and lifelong relationships, enriching the UC San Diego community with African and black culture, and advocating for the empowerment of black students and working to ensure equity, inclusion and respect.

Also new on campus this quarter, the cafeteria Ocean View Terrace will reopen with a more diverse menu created that Jewish and Muslim students helped create.

When the dining hall closed for renovations last year, members of the Muslim Student Association and Union of Jewish Students worked together to put kosher and halal food on the new menu.

Cunningham said the revamped dining hall on Thurgood Marshall College will reopen at the end of the month with a shorter name, Ocean View, and will be the first cafeteria on campus open 24 hours.

gary.warth@sduniontribune.com

760-529-4939

@GaryWarthUT
The Oceanside Unified School District held a community meeting this week to talk about a Lincoln Middle School students threat to shoot up the campus.

The district learned of the threat on Sept. 20 and worked with police to investigate, officials announced in a letter sent to parents and posted on its website. A public meeting was held Monday to discuss the incident.

The seventh-grade student had made threats to shoot up the school, and had drawn up a list of people to harm, educators said. Officials notified police and removed the student from the school, but said they couldnt release the students name because of privacy laws.

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The student appeared to be working alone, and did not have access to weapons, officials said. Still, the district plans to increase security on campus.

The incident follows on the heels of the districts warnings about a former El Camino High School student who was arrested in 2015 for making threats against Oceanside schools.

The district held a series of community meetings in August, when the former high school student was released from custody. At that time school officials named the student, and said he is under a restraining order until 2016 which forbids him to be within 100 yards of any school district site.

deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan
French ivory carvers currently use tusks which are over 40 years old (AFP Photo/Catherine Triomphe)

Rouen (France) (AFP) - Annick Colette-Fremond is the fifth generation of her family to practise the art of ivory carving -- and she may be the last of her line, due to new rules in France.

She is one of just a handful of French ivory carvers left, plying a trade that conservationists say spurs the slaughter of elephants and rhinos.

Colette-Fremond and her fellow craftspeople work with ivory imported before a ban over four decades ago, but say their future will be doomed when a new decree takes effect -- and will not stop the killing.

"Sadly, this isn't going to save the elephants," said Colette-Fremond, 64, who operates a workshop in the Normandy port town of Dieppe, once a hub of the ivory trade.

"There's just a handful of us left," said the artist, who showcases sculptures of a crying child, a mother with a baby and a sheaf of wheat. "We are not dangerous."

- Elephant slaughter -

Defenders of elephants and rhinoceroses, though, say that behind a piece of artwork lies a darker truth.

Poaching over the past decade has sent the African elephant population on its worst plunge in 25 years, according to a report released Sunday at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) conference in Johannesburg.

Elephant numbers have dropped by around 111,000 in the past decade, putting the continent's total population at around 415,000.

In France, the ivory business has been tightly controlled since it joined CITES, which now includes over 180 countries and bans import of the tusk.

In August, the French government tightened the screw, approving a decree that will ban "the making of objects using ivory... regardless of the age of the ivory used."

The French craftspeople say they are not at fault for the elephant slaughter, and complain their centuries-old art will be destroyed.

At present, they use ivory acquired before the treaty took effect in 1975.

"We work mainly with stock inherited from our forebears," said carver Benoit Migeon.

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"We are audited by the authorities. We have a stock book, everything is marked," he said referring to his 250-kilo (550-pound) supply.

- 'Deadly decree' -

The carvers have support from Dieppe town hall, which says ivory carving is an important part of its history.

"The decree from (Environment Minister Segolene) Royal is ineffective in protecting elephants, and quite deadly to the beautiful craft of ivory carving," said Mayor Sebastien Jumel.

Conservationists disagree, saying the carvers -- whatever the age of their ivory -- indirectly feed demand, and poachers and traffickers benefit.

"This is what drives illegal ivory trade, so the only way to reduce demand is to close domestic markets," said Celine Sissler-Bienvenu, France and francophone Africa director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

"Given the major crisis elephants are going through, there is no way we can continue to trade ivory," she told AFP at the CITES conference.

Internationally, there is a fierce debate over what to do with ivory stockpiles.

A coalition of 29 African countries is pressing for a total halt to the ivory trade to curb poaching of elephants, but others believe it would only fuel illegal trading.

Namibia and Zimbabwe have made a proposal seeking permission to sell off stockpiles of tusks to raise funds for local communities that co-exist with the animals.

France's new rules are the most stringent in Europe, although even activist groups doubt whether they will have much effect.

"France is not considered to be a major destination for newly poached ivory so it's rather difficult to understand how such a ban will help to save elephants," Richard Thomas, global spokesman for wildlife monitor TRAFFIC told AFP.

"Ivory carvers are currently a dying breed worldwide and that trend looks likely to continue," he added.

In the 16th century, Dieppe -- a port whose connections stretched from Scandinavia to Madagascar -- was along with Paris the major pole for ivory-carving in France.

The industry was extensive: in just one of the many workshops in Dieppe, 40 people were employed in the 19th century.

They had specific skills for carving, drilling or polishing the ivory, catering to demand from the aristocracy or the rising middle classes at a time when few, if any, thought of conservation.

Carvers worked in poor light -- blindness was a risk of the trade -- and often fell ill from breathing in ivory dust.

Today, fewer than half a dozen people in France make their living from carving tusk.

Colette-Fremond had hoped her daughter Julia would be able to continue the tradition into the sixth generation.

"Her plans are now in jeopardy," she said.
San Diego County took in 619 refugees in August, according to data from the U.S. Department of State.

Thats more refugees in one month than in any previous month in the past 10 years. The number is double Julys arrivals and higher than the previous high for the decade  572 people in September 2008.

Its a lot all at one time, said Robert Moser, deputy director for Catholic Charities, one of San Diegos four resettlement agencies.

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San Diego County took in 4,168 refugees in fiscal year 2009, the highest number in records dating to 1983, according to a state compilation of the same U.S. State Department data.

The federal fiscal year will conclude at the end of this month. Including the new August total, the county has taken in 2,337 refugees in the fiscal year so far.

Moser said based on projections hes heard for the different resettlement agencies, September will have an even greater number of arrivals than August.

It always happens that theres a surge at the end of the year, in order to reach the ceiling limits, Moser said. Refugees go through that very long vetting process, and they have their health exams. These things have time limits. If they dont bring the people in who are approved this fiscal year, they risk having to start all over again.

He said finding housing for new arrivals is the biggest challenge for the resettlement agencies, especially given the low vacancy rate and the amount of time agencies have to find places.

The time frame of notification has gotten a lot shorter, Moser said. We used to get two months, but now we get two weeks.

The numbers of refugees from Syria, at 261, increased the most between July and August.

Augusts numbers included the 10,000th Syrian to arrive in the United States this fiscal year and his family, which reached a goal set by President Obama to take in that many Syrians this year.

Refugees are people who were forced to flee their home countries because of persecution, war or violence, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees website.

San Diego County has historically taken in more refugees than any other county in California and is set to continue that trend this fiscal year.

President Obama pledged to take in up to 85,000 refugees this fiscal year across the United States. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that there are 21.3 million refugees in the world.

kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com, @bgirledukate
A large and emotional crowd gathered in front of the El Cajon Police Department Wednesday morning to decry the fatal officer-involved shooting of a black man family members said was mentally unstable.

Under a blazing hot sun that seemed to match the temperature of the crowd, speaker after speaker stepped forward saying that the killing of Alfred Olango was a miscarriage of justice that should not have happened.

Mr. Olango was killed for three strikes, said Christopher Rice-Wilson, the Associate Director of the Alliance for San Diego. His first strike was for being black. His second strike was being mentally ill. And his third strike was not following orders, he said. How can you expect a man who cant understand your orders to follow your orders?

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Rice-Wilson said the department should have dispatched a team that deals with the mentally ill when it dispatched the call to the officers.

El Cajon shooting

He also questioned the officers response once they arrived and confronted Olango. He said one deployed his Taser while the other, instead, fired his weapon. What was the difference? he asked.Why did one officer use lethal force while the other did not?

Mallory Webb, with the NAACP, said she was angry and hurt.

That mans life was priceless, she said. He wasnt doing anything. In an emotional speech that was punctuated at one point with people yelling the names of other black men killed by law enforcement, Webb said

1 / 53 Protestors peacefully sat on Broadway in El Cajon stopping traffic in both directions. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 53 One of the protestors tries to regain control of the group on Broadway in El Cajon after others began to throw full water bottles at police officers. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 53 Protestors peacefully sat on Broadway in El Cajon stopping traffic in both directions for the death of Alfred Olango. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 53 Khadijah Neely (right) and Sabrina Crawford (right) hold a candle during the cable light vigil held in El Cajon for the death of Alfred Olango. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 53 Protestors peacefully protested on Broadway in El Cajon stopping traffic in both directions for the death of Alfred Olango. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 53 A sign and a picture of Alfred Olango, the man shot and killed by an El Cajon police officer, is placed at a memorial for him where he was shot on Tuesday in El Cajon. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 53 A woman carries a sign as she and a large crowd of people protesting the police shooting of a black man march down Broadway in El Cajon on Wednesday. (Hayne Palmour IV/San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 53 A man, who went into the crowd of protesters wearing a Donald Trump campaign cap, takes a video of himself as the crowd angered by his cap comes toward him in El Cajon on Wednesday. (Hayne Palmour IV/San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 53 The man who taunted the crowd is knocked down on the ground and surrounded by protesters. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 53 The man who taunted the crowd pleads with protesters that he just wants to leave. He was chased but police intervened and took him away from the protesters. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 53 Protesters angered by the police showing up confront the police as other protesters try to calm the situation. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 53 Police officers respond when protesters gathered in El Cajon Wednesday became agitated when a man not part of the group appeared to provoke the crowd. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 53 Protest organizers try to move the crowd away from police and back to where they were planning to do a candlelight vigil for Alfred Olango, who was shot and killed by an El Cajon police officer, in El Cajon on Wednesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 53 A memorial with candles for Alfred Olango sits next to where an emotional crowd gathered to protest their frustration with El Cajon Police. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 53 Pastor Carroll Nutria became overcome with emotions after leading the protest group in prayer at sunset in El Cajon. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 16 / 53 The emotional crowd chanted during their protest in the parking lot in El Cajon. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 17 / 53 Police officers respond when protesters gathered in El Cajon Wednesday became agitated when a man not part of the group appeared to provoke the crowd. This group formed what they called a peace wall to keep the group separated from the police. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 18 / 53 Police officers respond when protesters gathered in El Cajon Wednesday became agitated when a man not part of the group appeared to provoke the crowd. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 19 / 53 Police officers respond when protesters gathered in El Cajon Wednesday became agitated when a man not part of the group appeared to provoke the crowd. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 20 / 53 Police officers respond when protesters gathered in El Cajon Wednesday became agitated when a man not part of the group appeared to provoke the crowd. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 21 / 53 Rachel Watson (left) and Samantha Boyd (right) watch the crowd from the carport of their apartment as the crowd became agitated when a man not part of the group appeared to provoke the crowd. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 22 / 53 One man attempts to communicate with police officers in El Cajon after the crowd became agitated. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 23 / 53 A memorial with candles for Alfred Olango sits next to where an emotional crowd gathered to protest their frustration with El Cajon Police. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 24 / 53 Ebonay Lee holds up her fist toward a line of Sheriffs deputies as she and other people protesting Tuesdays police shooting of a black man confront the deputies under the Highway 67 bridge on Broadway in El Cajon on Wednesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 25 / 53 San Diego sheriffs deputies block a protester carrying a sign in El Cajon Wednesday as a crowd marches to protest the death of Alfred Olango, a black man shot by El Cajon police on Tuesday afternoon. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 26 / 53 Protesters upset at the shooting of an unarmed black man by El Cajon police gather at Main and Mollison in El Cajon Wednesday and block traffic. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 27 / 53 San Diego sheriffs deputies and El Cajon police face off with protesters over the shooting death of Alfred Olango. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 28 / 53 A man saying the police know what theyre doing was confronted by protesters and asked to leave the protest area in front of the El Cajon police department. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 29 / 53 Protesters gathered in front of the El Cajon Police Department Wednesday to demand the police release the entire cell phone video of the shooting of Alfred Olango. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 30 / 53 Protestors confront the police line blocking their progress up Magnolia Avenue below the I-8 freeway Wednesday afternoon. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 31 / 53 A group of men gather in prayer after a press conference at the El Cajon Police Department Wednesday in the wake of a police shooting that left Alfred Olango dead on Tuesday. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 32 / 53 While under the Highway 67 bridge, people protesting the police shooting of a black man hold their arms up as they confront Sheriffs deputies as they march on Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 33 / 53 At the El Cajon police department, protesters usher out a man who came to the protest, supportive of the police. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 34 / 53 El Cajon resident Laren Littlefield said I used to be prideful in saying this is Americas finest city, and today I dont believe it any more. Protesters gathered in front of the El Cajon Police Department Wednesday to demand police release the entire video related to the shooting of Alfred Olango. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 35 / 53 William Gustin rides atop a car with friends in the protest march through El Cajon Wednesday between police blockades. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 36 / 53 Christopher Rice-Wilson addresses the crowd outside the Police Department in El Cajon Wednesday, as Mallory Webb is comforted by Eddie Price after the two of them spoke against the shooting of Alfred Olango. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 37 / 53 Agnes Hassan, a fellow refugee and friend of the family of police shooting victim Alfred Olango, said the police would never shoot a mentally ill man in need of help in her former country of South Sudan. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 38 / 53 Dwayne Harvey asks Sheriffs deputies to be courageous and change police policy during a protest against the police shooting of a black man on Broadway in El Cajon on Wednesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 39 / 53 A woman yells at Sheriffs deputies as she and other people protesting the police shooting of a black man confront the deputies under the Highway 67 bridge on Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 40 / 53 While under the Highway 67 bridge, people protesting Tuesdays police shooting of a black man confront Sheriffs deputies as they march on Broadway in El Cajon. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 41 / 53 Ebonay Lee, center, and another woman holds up their fists toward a line of Sheriffs deputies as they and other people protesting the police shooting of a black man confront the deputies under the Highway 67 bridge on Broadway in El Cajon. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 42 / 53 Dominick Smith holds a sign as he and other people protesting the police shooting of a black man march down Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 43 / 53 Sheriffs deputies stage on Broadway in preparation for people protesting the police shooting of a black man march down Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 44 / 53 People protesting Tuesdays police shooting of a black man march down Broadway in El Cajon on Wednesday. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 45 / 53 San Diego State student Marissa Simmons, left, holds her fist up as a motorist does the same in support as she and other people protesting the police shooting of a black man march on Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 46 / 53 A man looks for support from motorists as he and other people protesting the police shooting of a black man march down Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 47 / 53 A protester talks to Sheriffs deputies as the deputies stand in a line to stop people protesting the police shooting of a black man from marching in the middle of the street on Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 48 / 53 A deputy yells at protesters to back up as he and several sheriffs deputies stand in a line to prevent them from marching in the middle of Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 49 / 53 A woman yells at police officers as she and other people protesting Tuesdays police shooting of a black man march on Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 50 / 53 People protesting the police shooting of a black man march on Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 51 / 53 A man repeatedly outstretched his arm, at what appeared to be a Nazi salute, toward people protesting the shooting of a black man in El Cajon. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 52 / 53 While under the Highway 67 bridge, people protesting Tuesdays police shooting of a black man confront Sheriffs deputies as they march on Broadway in El Cajon. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 53 / 53 Ebonay Lee holds up her fist toward a line of Sheriffs deputies as she and other people protesting Tuesdays police shooting of a black man confront the deputies under the Highway 67 bridge on Broadway. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

that the shooting could have happened to her little brother or her twin sister.

Im scared to walk the streets every single day, she said. Why do I feel like I have to look behind bushes and hide behind trees because I could get shot and killed anytime? Its not fair at all.

Bishop Cornelius Bowser of the Charity Apostolic Church said Olango was not treated with dignity and respect. He said his sister was calling for help, not to have him killed.

He also questioned the release of the still shot from video released by police that showed Olango with his hands together pointing at the two officers. He called it propaganda on the part of the department that is trying to frame a narrative. Lets see everything, he said referring to the cell phone video taken by a witness.

Dont think for a minute this is over, declared Rev. Shane Harris, the President of the San Diego chapter of the National Action Network. The countrys eyes are on this city.

We are not going to stop until we get justice for Alfred Olango.
Much remains unclear about the fatal police shooting of an unarmed black man in El Cajon on Tuesday afternoon. We hope to learn more in coming days and caution people against believing unsubstantiated claims being made on social media about the death of Alfred Olango, a Ugandan immigrant whose sister called 911 for help during an erratic episode and told an operator he was mentally ill. El Cajon police, for one, flatly denied initial reports that cellphones of witnesses were confiscated, saying officers only have one phone, and that it was relinquished voluntarily.

Yet two points need to be made immediately. The first is that it is unacceptable for a police department to selectively release information to try to frame a lethal incident in as favorable a light as possible. The release of a single still image from a cellphone video of Olangos deadly encounter with police shows him posing as if he has a gun and pointing toward officers. The public needs to see the entire video, not be pushed to judgment.

El Cajon shooting

The second is that in general, too many people in America die at the hands of police. The Supreme Courts 1989 ruling in the Graham v. Connor case says officers may use force depending on the severity of the crime at issue, whether the suspect poses an immediate threat to the safety of the officers or others, and whether he is actively resisting arrest or attempting to evade arrest by flight.

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Part of this conversation must be that officers, who face difficult, often split-second decisions, should strive to deescalate conflicts. While we are not saying this is the case in El Cajon, there is an unsettling righteousness about any and all police shootings in some parts of law enforcement. Many fatal shootings by police may be defensible under the Graham v. Connor standard. But defensible is not the same as justifiable.

ALSO

El Cajon police shooting: Mourning Alfred Olango by name
When it comes to education reform, Gov. Jerry Brown continues to get in the way. The latest example is his veto of a bill by Assemblywoman Shirley Weber meant to ensure California complies with a 10-month-old federal law. The San Diego Democrats bill, AB 2548, would have required state measures of school performance to include a single score reflecting a schools accomplishment, among several other metrics.

Brown dismissed Webers bill as unnecessary and duplicative of efforts of the State Board of Education, which recently adopted its own vague, confusing system to gauge school performance. Webers measure is more accurately seen as remedial  fixing a problem that the governor, the state board and California teacher unions dont want to address.

In December, a rare bipartisan coalition in Congress pushed through the Every Student Succeeds Act, which established a new framework for federal oversight of public education. The measure amounted to a broad retreat from the intrusive policies of 2002s No Child Left Behind Act. Union leaders and others leery of its emphasis on test scores persuaded Democrats to give states more of a say over their education systems. Republicans who didnt like federal micromanagement of the states were ready to back a more hands-off approach.

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But the law still has a major federal string attached. It requires state governments to take over schools which are at the bottom 5 percent of statewide assessments, which have ethnic groups that have consistently poor test results and which graduate less than two-thirds of their students. Determining which schools are in the bottom 5 percent would be accomplished by using a single measure reflecting a schools accomplishments, according to proposed rules to implement the law.

Instead of accepting this edict, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and State Board of Education President Michael Kirst sent a 10-page letter to the U.S. Department of Education arguing that California authorities were crafting superior school metrics.

But Torlakson and Kirst  and Brown, for that matter  simply dont have any credibility here. At every turn, they have resisted the push led by President Obama to make teachers, principals and schools more accountable. Lobbying for vague evaluations of schools is only the latest example.

The Children Now coalition has credibility. It supported Webers bill. California has one of the largest gaps in student achievement, ranking 49th in the nation when compared with other states. While students are improving on state assessments overall, students who have historically been furthest behind ... are progressing at a slower rate, widening the achievement gap, a coalition letter signed by 300 state organizations and advocates noted. Thats why California has an urgent need for a single coherent local-state-federal accountability system.

But in Americas largest state, theres a war being waged on school accountability  because Jerry Browns approach isnt helping students. Its helping teachers and schools avoid being judged and found wanting. Its standing in the way of success.

Now thats unnecessary.
Regarding Trump lost the debate to Clinton, but it may not matter (Sept. 27): What a great first presidential debate.

Hillary Clinton proved, beyond a reasonable doubt, that she wants to, once and for all, bury America in a far more racially divided, financially disastrous and vulnerable homeland.

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Her statements during the debate confirmed that she is fully committed to the destruction of our nation that began with the election of Barack Obama eight years ago.

In stark contrast, Donald Trump clearly showed that he is more than prepared to be the president of the United States.

He demonstrated the strength, character and the bravado we need to bring our nation together and he showed the courage we desperately need to defeat any enemy, foreign or domestic, who threatens the American way of life.

Gary W. Gilbert

San Marcos

* * *

During the debate, when asked if the reason that Donald Trump is reluctant to release his taxes might be that he in fact pays no federal taxes, his response was, That makes me smart.

So, I suppose, that means he considers the rest of us who pay our taxes, the taxes that keep the country running, just stupid chumps.

Michael Willette

Oceanside

New technology needed to protect pedestrians

Regarding Judy Mayberrys letter (Paying attention would serve pedestrians best, Sept. 22) about a phone-toting mother looking down while crossing the street with baby in stroller: What we need now is a sensor that will disable an in-use phone while people are crossing at intersections or one that detects a child in the street.

Bruce Kliewe

Rancho Bernardo

Technology could also lead to our downfall

In regards to the U-T editorial The driverless car revolution begins (Sept 25), I dont welcome the driverless revolution even if all they say good about it is true.

Dont bunch up, grizzled old infantry sergeants used to bellow at us recruits, one bullet will get you all!

Those words come back to me when I think of our increasing vulnerability to electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attacks by the nutty leaders of both North Korea and Iran, who are actively planning such events now.

As documented in the 2004 federal report on our EMP vulnerability and fleshed out in John Mathersons novel One Second After, ceding control of our ability to travel at will to computers would not only make those wise sergeants eerily prescient but help return America permanently to the dark ages.

Larry Stirling

Mission Hills

Wheres outrage over Clinton accountability?

Regarding Bank scams: Its not just Wells Fargo (Sept. 22): There is a double standard in this country when Sen. Elizabeth Warren grills the CEO of Wells Fargo bank, demanding he step down after taking accountability, firing the bad employees, refunding customer money and more on the way.

Shouldnt the senator demand that Hillary Clinton step down after all the email harm she has done to our country? Her passion shouldnt be directed at accountable capitalists who pay her paycheck, it should be towards those that harm our country from within and outside.

Derrick Haun

Valley Center

The victor should be treated with respect

The coming U.S. presidential election is presenting voters with two distinct futures, but regardless of who is elected, it is my fervent hope that the losing voters accept the results.

We may not like who is elected (as was the case for many with former George W. Bush and now with President Obama), but the will of the people is what should govern our country.

Rioting and rampaging is not the way to change results, voting is. We are all Americans and each one of us may feel that our ideas are best for our country, but fighting each other is not the way to implement what is good.

All I wish for is that our country be united and that the next president be successful in bringing us all together as Americans.

Andy G. Pino

Escondido

Deporting Haitians makes little sense

Regarding Church that has been helping Haitians hits breaking point (Sept. 22): Will someone please tell me how many Haitians have terrorized or murdered innocent Americans, or blown up buildings by flying planes into them, or shot up an office or nightclub?

My guess is no one can, yet these are the ones we are deporting while we let murderers roam the streets.

And others bleed our social services in cities that just close their eyes to what is going on.

I am discouraged with our immigration program. Why not go after the illegals who murder and bad people rather than the Haitians?

Could it be that the Haitians accept our rule of law and try to follow the rules so they are easy to deport?

So we throw out those who will abide by our laws and bring in those who basically hate us. They would rather have Sharia laws.

Pat Schonfeld

Kensington

Court made the right call on Yelp ruling

Regarding (Ominous Yelp ruling must be thrown out, Sept. 23): Ominous Yelping would have been a more accurate lead for your editorial calling for the ruling to be thrown out.

Comments were posted on Yelp that were found by the courts to be defamatory  the plaintiff didnt seek damages from Yelp, only removal of the defamatory posts, which the U-T deems to be an awful precedent.

Really? Your position is that false communications that have been found by a court of law to be defamatory should just be left up in a public forum so that they can continue to defame?

The First Amendment does have limits, and Oliver Wendell Holmes noted that falsely shouting fire in a crowded theater is not protected as free speech.

Leaving false, injurious statements up on the internet that were found legally defamatory shouldnt be protected free speech either.

This was a narrow decision by the courts and to stretch the import to one of chilling speech in general is overreaching.

William E. Fisher

Oceanside

Kudos for report on transgender officer

Regarding Transgender police officer who found acceptance, wins honor (Sept. 21): Thank you, U-T, for publishing this uplifting article. Im glad to read something so positive about our police community here in San Diego.

Kudos to Christine Garcia for having the guts to reveal her true self to the world, and to her bosses, co-workers and family for accepting her as is. Its a great day here in Californias finest city.

Nancy Peterson

Escondido

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With little money and poor English conversational skills, Chun Charlie Yim found doors closed to him as he looked for a job to pay for his business studies at San Diego State University. Thats when he hit on the idea of working for free.

Yim, then in his 20s, had recently emigrated to the United States from his native Korea. He came to San Diego to visit his cousin after a stint working in Hawaii as a trainer of Peace Corps volunteers on their way to Korea.

When he decided to stay in San Diego instead of following his original plan to accept a scholarship and attend college in Michigan, he began looking for work. But even though he was accompanied by another Korean student who spoke excellent English, he found few takers.

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In near desperation, he approached the manager of an on-campus restaurant.

I told him I would work for nothing, he looked at me funny, with suspicion, said Yim, 74, a Rancho Santa Fe resident who went on to launch more than 30 businesses and conduct dozens of real estate transactions during a successful entrepreneurial career.

I wanted to get a job, somehow, some way, said Yim. Working for free, he said, was the only way I could prove how good of a worker I was.

The skeptical manager led Yim to the restaurants bathrooms, where he gave Yim cleaning supplies and left him to his work. Yim began scrubbing away.

An hour later, he came and looked surprised and impressed, and said, Chun Yim, youve got a job, Yim said.

The story provided Yim with the title of his self-published memoir, I Will Work for Nothing, which came out in 2015 and is available on Amazon.com.

After college, Yim started his first business, an Encinitas burger joint, with a $5,000 bank loan and an eye for a good deal  he acquired all of the equipment he needed for $1,000 from a defunct downtown San Diego eatery.

He went on to own or operate such diverse businesses as a string of Hallmark greeting card shops, Hilton brand hotels, manufacturing and distribution businesses and shopping centers.

A guest lecturer at UCSD and SDSU (Yim later went on to obtain both an MBA and a doctorate in business management), Yim said he tells students that attitude is everything.

Thats my secret, he said. The willing heart, to give, to share, the positive, enthusiastic attitude.

Yim is proud that during his business career, he has never sued anyone, nor has he been sued. I get along with everybody. I dont have any enemies in the whole world. That is such a joy, he said.

Yim and Gloria, his wife of 47 years, have two grown daughters. After they met and married, she worked as a school teacher and principal for the Oceanside school district. Later, they shared their success with others through the Chun and Gloria Yim Family Foundation, established under the auspices of the San Diego Foundation.

The Yims are role models because their desire to give back comes straight from the heart, having lived with nothing, and knowing that a helping hand along the way can change a life, wrote Leslie Harrington, philanthropic adviser with the San Diego Foundation, in an email. Also, Charlie has a remarkable sense of humor, one of his many attributes that make him a joy to work with.

The Yims foundation benefits the local Korean American community, as well as children facing hardships around the globe, Harrington wrote.

Yim said he and his wife have also supported medical research, and provided scholarships for college students.

Giving is a habit, said Yim, explaining his thoughts on philanthropy. We came here empty handed and when we leave, we leave empty handed.

The couple has also established a legacy foundation to continue their philanthropic work after they are gone.

Yims positive outlook was tested when his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease about 10 years ago. But he seems to approach his wifes illness with his characteristic upbeat nature.

Every time I see my wife, she smiles and says I love you, and its such a huge blessing to me, Yim said. We live life once, why dont we love and embrace everybody with peace and love?
Once again, for Moxie Theatre, less is more. Last month, Moxie closed its 11th season with a super-successful run of Ruthless, a campy musical about a grade-school girl who will stop at nothing to get the lead in her school play. Now Moxie starts its 12th season with the aptly-named peerless, a wickedly comic non-musical about twin high-school girls who will stop at nothing to get into their dream college.

The twins are Asian-American, the college is Harvard- or Yale-ish, and the playwright, Jiehae Park, cites as her two inspirations Shakespeares Macbeth and the real-life, modern-day Gibbons sisters, identical twins who communicate in their own invented language.

The Gibbons sibs, black twins growing up in a white Welsh town, are too close for comfort, sharing a taste for crime sprees, attempted murder and suicide that led to a long confinement in a psychiatric hospital and ended with the death of one of the two. And, although Shakespeare might not recognize much of his Scottish play in peerless, where the teen twins, M and L, are stand-ins for Mac and his Lady, D is a motor-mouth, not-quite-kingly Duncan, with problems of his own, and the wild Dirty Girl is a new kind of witchy, both the real-life and literary influences are clear, with Park putting her own warp-speed spin on them.

The fact is: Unless youre a linguistic conservative with FORL (Fear of Raw Language) peerless is a must-see for lovers of weird and wonderful theater. The writing, the cast and the production are all top-drawer. Theres nothing lower-case about this play but its title.

The opening is an immediate grabber: the loud thud of a falling admissions packet and a stunning rap-rhythm convo by the two sisters, who, except for the color of their backpacks, look pretty close to identical, especially (as they say later on) to white people.

They rage about their college app results: L stayed back a year to avoid competition, but now M has been denied early acceptance. You see right away how they feel about each other and about the nervy someone; a 1/16th Native American male student whos taken Ms well-deserved place as a double minority  a girl and an Asian  at The College. And the plotting begins.

Dana Wing Lau and Jyl Kaneshiro are terrific as M and L, the doer and the pusher. Jennifer Eve Thorn  Moxies associate artistic director  is barely recognizable but memorable as the psychic weirdo, Dirty Girl. (She also appears as Preppy Girl at the plays end.) Justin Lang comes on strong as D, the nerdy early-admissions acceptee, whose nonstop chatter, loaded with positive-thinking, masks heavy issues, including a severely disabled brother, whom Lang also plays. Vimel Sephus has a less notable part as Ms sometime boyfriend, but hes good, too.

Peerless is a contemporary tale of ambition, love and murder thats full of surprises, and manages to win sympathy for its characters, despite the profusion of comic lines. The show looks and sounds great as well, and the power behind it all is Delicia Turner Sonnenberg, Moxies multi-award-winning Founding Artistic Director. If youre an adventurous theatergoer, you wont want to miss this one.

IF YOU GO: Peerless is onstage at Moxie Theatre, 6663 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday/Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday, through Oct. 9. Tickets: $30. Discounts available. (858) 598-7620. moxietheatre.com

About the Playwright

Now based in New York City, Jiehae Park is an award-winning playwright who received her MFA in Theater at UC San Diego.

As an actor, she appeared several times at La Jolla Playhouse, listing among her skills stage combat (hand-to-hand, rapier, broadsword), partner dancing, classical voice, piano, whistling, and tournament poker dealer.

Peerless premiered at Yale Repertory Theatre in 2015.
For her 11th birthday, Rancho Santa Fes Bella Silberstein decided she didnt need any presents: she already felt blessed. Instead of gifts, the San Diego Jewish Academy sixth grader requested that guests of her Sept. 18 birthday party make a donation to Lev Lalev, a girls orphanage in Israel that she has been supporting for the past two years.

Twelve of Bellas party guests on Sept. 18 made donations in her name to the orphanage.

It made me feel better because I didnt get presents, Bella said. I learned from school to be a mensch and to give back to the world. If youre really blessed, you should make sure other lives are blessed as well.

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Bella was 9 years old when she first learned about Lev Lalev (Heart to Heart), when a friend of her sisters donated her Bat Mitzvah money to the orphanage.

For 54 years, Lev Lalev has provided girls with a safe, warm and loving home. The orphanage takes infants to late teenagers whose parents have been killed in terrorist attacks or war and provides individualized therapy, mentoring and tutoring to enable girls to grow past their traumatic histories and develop into well-adjusted, self-sufficient and productive citizens of Israel.

The first thing she asked me about the girls when she heard about the orphanage was, Who tucks them in at night? said mom Heidi, who was understandably touched by her childs question. It was so upsetting to her, when I told her there was nobody. For Bella, that really resonated with her as a child.

On her own initiative, Bella wanted to make some money for the orphanage and started making bracelets on her Rainbow Loom.

Her parents had no idea what she was up to until she came into their room one day armed with 20 bracelets, telling them she would like to sell them as a fundraiser for Lev Lalev. She made and sold a total of 50 bracelets, donating $450 to Lev Lalev, which they used to buy 12 winter coats for the girls.

Lev Lalev thanked her with photos and letters. Bella feels so connected to the girls, she has their photos taped up in her bedroom so she can see them every day.

It makes me feel proud that I did that and glad that I could help them get a better life, Bella said. I want to make sure they get to dance, sing and do volleyball and all of the fun things that I get to do.

In addition to her birthday gift wish, Bella is also making Rosh Hashanah cards to sell and use that money to buy more items for the girls in the orphanage. She has already taken orders for cards and one of her few birthday gifts was some glitter and art supplies to help decorate the cards.

Bella will have her Bat Mitzah in Israel in the summer of 2018 so her ultimate goal is to be able to visit the girls then and have them join in on the celebration.

Her parents, Russell and Heidi, are continually impressed by their shy and humble daughter, who has told them she wished she had a real job so she could make more money to give to the girls.

Its amazing that she has the confidence to do something like this, to be selfless and giving, and that she does it in her sweet, quiet way, Heidi said.

It really shows that one person can make a difference, Russell said. Can you imagine what she can do when shes older? Like 14?

To learn more or give back like Bella, visit Levlalev.com.
It contributes $14.4b to the city-states GDP.

The food industry has done more than relieving hunger as it has also made huge impact in the overall economic growth of Singapore, contributing a bulk to the city-states GDP.

According to the Food Industry Asia report by the Oxford Economics, F&B industry contributes an estimated $14.4 billion to GDP and employs nearly 300,000 people.

The study revealed that overall impact of the food industry is dominated by food distribution.

"The wholesale and retail of food, along with activities linked to Singapores 6,700 food service locations (which include restaurants, coffee shops and street hawker stands) account for two-thirds of the food industrys GDP contribution, and four-fifths of the employment it supports," the study said.

Meanwhile, the food manufacturing industry has also made a huge impact on Singapore's GDP, with its direct support for 38,800 jobs.

In 2014, the food manufacturing industry earned S$9.8 billion from sales in Singapore.

More so, food manufacturers supply chain spending within Singapore supported $1.6 billion of domestic procurement, $610 million of GDP, 6,100 jobs, $31 million in tax revenues, and S$37 million in Central Provident Fund contributions in the same year.

"Based on the reports findings, the food manufacturing industry is equivalent in size to Singapores aerospace industry, and larger than industries such as speciality chemicals, petrochemicals, medical technology and land transport engineering," the study noted.







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Sept 27 (Reuters) - Steelmaking coal prices, which have more than doubled this year, could stay high for several quarters as supply from mines that have restarted take time to reach the market, an executive at Teck Resources Ltd, the world's second-largest exporter, said on Tuesday.

Current spot prices of above $200 a tonne are unsustainable, and the Canadian miner expects prices to settle between $100 and $200 a tonne, Greg Waller, Teck's vice president for investor relations and strategic analysis, told Deutsche Bank's 24th annual leveraged finance conference in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Hit by a slowdown in China's demand for steel, coal miners globally had been shutting down mines for the past three years as prices for steelmaking coal, also known as coking coal, dropped from more than $300 a tonne in 2011 to below $100 a tonne this year.

But in recent weeks, prices have soared on tighter regulations on local production in China.

"Given the inability of the industry to respond to the tightness in the market, we could be looking at these very good prices for a number of quarters," Waller said.

He said it takes three months to a year for idled mines to be restarted.

Teck, which has six coal mines in Western Canada, has "a little bit" of additional capacity it could tap through overtime work and working on public holidays. But it has no plans to restart its Quintette mine in British Columbia, Waller said.

"Nobody is really going to make an investment decision on the basis of six weeks of pricing," he noted.

(Reporting by Nicole Mordant in Vancouver; Editing by Richard Chang)
Pittsburgh, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/28/2016 -- Seegrid, the pioneer and leader in vision-based autonomous industrial vehicles, announced the addition of Pete Chryplewicz to the company's strategic account sales team. Chryplewicz will be heading up the important Detroit, Michigan robotics leadership initiative. Chryplewicz was recently profiled in Robotics and Automation News.



"I am honored to be leading the Seegrid Michigan robotics initiative. Seegrid recognizes the value of the state, its industries, and the role of automotive automation in the global economy. I look forward to working with Michigan's top automotive manufacturing companies and their team members to innovate manufacturing processes and increase competitiveness with Seegrid vision guided vehicles," stated Chryplewicz.



Chris Visnic, Seegrid Vice President of Sales, noted, "Pete is an industry veteran and Seegrid is honored to have him on our team. His expertise in automotive manufacturing will greatly benefit Seegrid and the clients he works with. He understands the needs of manufacturing companies and will work hard to expand Seegrid's presence within the state."



Chryplewicz, a native to Detroit, MI, brings over 15 years of demonstrated success in automotive and manufacturing sales to his new position. Chryplewicz's past employment experience includes Irvin Automotive, Plastech Engineering, Air Center, and CCK Construction Services (part of Colasanti Companies).



Seegrid is a member of Automation Alley, Michigan's leading technology business association, connecting companies and organizations with talent, resources, and funding to accelerate innovation and fuel Southeast Michigan's economy.



To read more, go to: http://bit.ly/2akohuz



About Seegrid

Seegrid (http://www.seegrid.com) provides unique and revolutionary automation technology for materials handling. Engineered with state-of-the-art Seegrid Vision, industrial trucks are transformed into the next generation of AGVs: vision guided vehicles (VGVs). VGVs navigate without wires, lasers, magnets, or tape, and deliver unmatched flexibility. Designed for simplicity, reliability, and safety, the Seegrid flexible automation solution is offered in a line of pallet trucks and tow tractors.



An award-winning organization, Seegrid is experiencing significant growth both in employees and customers. Multi-billion dollar organizations focused on lean manufacturing best-practices are turning to the Pittsburgh-based robotics leader. From large automotive operations to retail distribution centers, Seegrid VGVs are advancing the reality of a North American Fork Truck Free approach. VGVs improve workplace safety, reduce equipment and product damage, and deliver a rapid return on investment, dramatically reducing production downtime.



Follow Seegrid on Twitter at @Seegrid.
The combination of seismic activity and water locked away at depth within Mars could be releasing sufficient hydrogen gas to support communities of microorganisms, says a team of scientists  and theres a possibility weve already observed their presence.

Whilst there is increasing evidence of ancient surface water on Mars, today, much of it is believed to reside below the surface. However that might not stop it supporting life.

Deep within our own planet interactions between water and rock release hydrogen, particularly when accelerated by faulting and fracturing from earthquakes. This hydrogen is thought to provide energy for communities of hydrogenotrophic microorganisms, which metabolize it.

Dr. Sean McMahon is a geomicrobiologist at Yale University investigating whether similar seismic activity on Mars could support a present day alien subsurface biosphere.

As we learn more about Mars it becomes more likely that present day habitable environments are limited to far down below the surface, he says.

In his teams latest study published in the journal Astrobiology, Dr. McMahon analyzed fluids held in fault zones on Earth to calculate the amount of hydrogen collected from a history of seismic activity.

Two types of fault zone rocks were analyzed: cataclasites with large angular clasts, and glassy fine grained pseudotachylites from massive impact craters. These were compared against control samples in the same geological strata but located further away from any faults.

All fault rock samples showed enriched hydrogen compared to controls, with the highest values recording around 8 moles, or 16 grams of H 2 per 10 cm3 of water.

That is supersaturated, says Dr. McMahon, so the gas must have been present as bubbles or gas-filled inclusions.

In fact the rock samples analyzed contained 5 or even 6 times estimates of the concentrations of hydrogen required by hydrogenotrophs here on Earth.

It is because similar seismic regions might be found in the Martian subsurface that makes this study exciting, says Dr. Aditya Chopra, a planetary scientist from the Australian National University who was not involved in the research.

This opens up the possibility of pockets where Martian life could still hang-on as long as there was enough water and other nutrients.

However levels of free hydrogen will be limited to areas of significant seismic history.

Looking across the whole planet, Dr. McMahon and his team predicts planet-wide H 2 production of less than 10 tons  only sufficient to support localized pockets of microbial activity very close to recently active fault zones.

Despite these limits, there is a small possibility we could have already spotted evidence of communities supported by this mechanism within the Red Planet.

NASAs Mars Curiosity rover has measured significant spikes in methane, which has been suggested could be linked to Martian subsurface biomass.

Dr. McMahon believes if microbial communities are living off Marsquake-derived hydrogen they could certainly be a contributing factor.

Some of the microbes that produce methane on Earth use hydrogen as their energy source, though methane can also form without the involvement of microbes, he says.

A barrier to this theory could be thick Martian permafrost preventing hydrogenotroph methane emissions reaching the surface, says Princeton Universitys Professor Tullis Onstott, who hunts for tiny lifeforms deep within the Earth.

To account for periodic methane release into the Martian atmosphere you need some near surface methanogens, and they could get their hydrogen straight from the atmosphere.

Even if the methane emission spikes are a red herring Dr. McMahon believes his teams work strengthens the case for future astrobiological investigation of ancient Martian fracture systems.

Whilst drilling significantly below the surface is not yet feasible, we could find fossils of subsurface life exposed by erosion. And there is always more to do on Earth. Our deep biosphere provides the best search for life on Mars.

We need to dig deeper on Earth, and on Mars, to give us the best chance of finding microbes that live off seismogenic hydrogen, enthuses Dr. Chopra. Dig, baby, dig!

_____

S. McMahon et al. 2016. Evidence for Seismogenic Hydrogen Gas, a Potential Microbial Energy Source on Earth and Mars. Astrobiology 16 (9): 690-702; doi: 10.1089/ast.2015.1405
[NAIROBI] One of the most interesting session at high level conferences for me is the debate on a critical matter of development.



As a Journalist, I value discourses where experts critically analyse matters development. It interests me more when the debates are centered on smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa because they contribute to agricultural productivity.



Such a moment came during the Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD) Africa Synthesis Conference last week (19-20 September) in Nairobi. ISSD Africa is coordinated by the Centre of Development Innovation (CDI), the Royal Tropical Institute Kit, and the Future Agricultures Consortium and is hosted in Nairobi by Egerton Universitys Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development.

But importantly, smallholder farmers should be supported in groups and not individually to access credit. Gilbert Nakweya

Its pilot action research took place in Burkina Faso, Burundi, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.



The big question was: Are grants to seed business essential for seed growth in Africa? Experts from academia, government and the private sectors were sharply divided on whether grants were essential for the seed sector development. Those for grants argued that it provides start-up capital for seed businesses and could spur business.



On the other hand, those against debated that grants should not be relied on as essential sources of funding seed businesses as they could not be sustainable. To them, grants should be for co-investment and focus on infrastructure and capacity building and low interest loans could work as they could challenge smallholders to work hard.



But importantly, smallholder farmers should be supported in groups and not individually to access credit.



Arguments against grants notwithstanding, some experts said that most successful seed companies in Sub-Saharan Africa have heavily relied on grants.

In fact, a study by The African Centre for Biodiversity published last year states that a number of seed companies in Sub-Saharan Africa have largely relied on grants from the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) to fund them; that AGRA has given support to 80 seed companies since its establishment in 2006.From the conference it emerged that the most important thing is ensuring smallholder farmers access high quality seeds and credit lines to start or develop seed entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the long run, many smallholder farmers will access superior quality seeds that will help overcome challenges such as climate change and foster food security through increased agricultural productivity.This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.
Samsung Galaxy C9 with a 6GB ram has appeared on Geekbench earlier today. It has also appeared on an Indian import-export site Zauba. Since these two appearances, there have been wide speculations about its features and prices.

Specifications





According to the latest leak, Samsung Galaxy C9 will arrive with a 6 GB ram, 64GB internal memory, and a 16MP front camera. The device is powered by a Snapdragon 652 chipset. An octa-core 1.4GHz CPU and the Adreno 510 GPU will drive the Galaxy C9. The Galaxy C9 will run on Android 6.0 Marshmallow and will have a 5.7-inch display. Samsung seems to have got all the specs bang on.

Price

There has been no official confirmation by Samsung on any of the specifications or the price. The price that appeared on Zauba was INR 17,107 which roughly equals 260USD. It is worth noting prices on Import-Export websites are only declared the value and may not be the actual reflection of the price, as reported by NDTV gadgets.

Rumors

The Geekbench listing has shown the Galaxy C9 will have a 6 GB RAM. If this turns out to be true, this will be the highest RAM offered by Samsung on any of its phones. There were speculations that the Galaxy Note 7 will feature a 6GB RAM but that never happened.

The AnTuTu benchmark results were also spotted with tests on the phone named SM-C9000. Most of the results of these tests confirmed the specifications that have appeared on other sources.

The mid-range segment is captured by the Chinese companies Le-Eco and Xiaomi. With the launch of Galaxy C9, Samsung seems to be developing its own mid-range C series. In case you missed it, Samsung is also working on Samsung C5 Pro and C7 Pro to target the mid-range segments.

Amidst so many rumors, there was no official word from Samsung on the release date or approval of the surfaced reports. The C-series phones are currently available only in China and whether the C- series phones are to be launched outside China remains to be unknown.
Medical marijuana has been legal in most of the states. It does not mean that children have access if one does not have a medical marijuana card. Reports have shown that two kids were hospitalized due to the intake of brownies with cannabis.

Seven six graders from Lincoln Elementary School ate a cannabis infused brownie and two among them were rushed to the hospital. According to the letter issued by the school, the brownie was given to them at the playground by one of their schoolmates. The school cannot yet confirm if the marijuana-infused brownie is given or sold, as reported by FOX News.

Salt Lake City Police Department, Det. Wilking said that a girl distributed the marijuana-infused brownie to seven kids and they fell ill after eating them and two were brought to the hospital last Thursday and remained hospitalized until Friday afternoon.

The result of the investigation also said that the girl got the brownies from home. The kids who got marijuana-infused brownies were aware that it contained cannabis. This situation alarmed other parents, as the two kids who were hospitalized tested positive for marijuana.

The principal investigates this situation and sent a letter to their parents. The school will give them disciplinary actions for this happening. Thus, other parents of the Lincoln Elementary School were disappointed with the "drugs" being bought to the school.

The principal of the Lincoln Elementary School suggested that parents would take the time to tell their kids the dangers of drugs. He added, "as the principal, I met with our sixth-grade students today to review the various problems related to the use of drugs." The school also plans to conduct a drug-free education for 6th-grade students.

Sandra Pope has a 3rd grader at Lincoln Elementary School said; it is not ok that a six grader have that "stuff." She added that she does not have any idea until she saw the news and it made her really angry. Another parent from the school Bradley Hain also said that "Basically, when it comes down to it, it's just communication with you and your children," according to AOL.com.
Autism is becoming a growing problem around the world. Now, a new study revealed that a gene which was given the name the 'Teashirt' by those who discovered it has been found to have a direct link between children with kidney problems and autism. The study also pointed out certain implications for how doctors treating both conditions perform tests to their patients.

Medical Xpress reported that the new paper, led by the Developmental Biology Institute of Marseille together with The University of Manchester, described the effects of the mutation of Teashirt genes in people and mice. The gene, originally known as Tshz3, had already been proven by the joint team in 2008 as an important factor in the development of smooth muscles in the wall of the ureter. Researchers discovered that mutant mice were born with distended kidneys because their ureters were not successful at propelling urine down to their bladders.

The University of Manchester Profess Adrian Woolf, who used to work as a children's consultant in London, found that one of his patients who was born with abnormal kidneys had an absent Tshz3 gene. Woolf also said that the patient showed characteristics of autistic spectrum disorder. According to Science Daily, the French team also realized that mice with Tshz3 mutation did not only show signs of defective kidneys but also showed signs of learning difficulties.

These findings triggered a search for kidney clinics around the world which resulted in the discovery of 10 additional patients exhibiting similar symptoms. Results of the genetic testing confirmed that the same gene was absent in all of the 10 patients. The findings were then included in the new paper.

Professor Woolf said: "The mutant mouse kidney looks just like 'hydronephrosis', the distended kidney seen in about 1 in 1,000 individuals when they are screened by sonar scans as unborn babies. It now appears that this gene is linked to at least some of these cases and that it also has implications for how our brains work in childhood."

Meanwhile, Medical News Today reported that Professor Laurent Fasano led the research in Marseille and discovered the teashirt gene in fruit flies in 1991. He said: "The sooner the better; early detection of this new condition will favor early behavioral therapies, which is good for the kids and their family."

It is also important to note that the link between the two diseases gave suggestions for how doctors who are working with patients displaying either kidney or learning problems. Professor Woolf, a consultant at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital where he runs a renal genetics clinic, added: "A fairly simple genetic test on patients being treated for either kidney problems or autistic spectrum disorder could identify whether the Teashirt gene is missing and also highlight that the patient may need investigation for the other condition. Time will tell whether TSHZ3 plays a role in many more cases than we've currently been able to identify."
Scientists destined in Africa have unearthed 3.8 million-year-old protein fragments preserved in an ostrich eggshell. The data found in this protein is found to be millions of years older than the oldest known DNA ever recovered. This significantly proves that recovering ancient proteins is possible even of extinct animals and human species.

This breakthrough changes the way ancient proteomics and paleontology views recovery of the building blocks of life since it seemed unlikely to do so before. Proteins are one of the basic building blocks of life that are expressed by the DNA. It comprises every bit of a living thing's body from the smallest parts like teeth, hair, and toenails to the biggest organs like skin and internal body organs. Study lead author Matthew Collins from York University said that they found the 3.8-million-year-old ostrich eggshell in Laetoli, Tanzania.

After analysis of the protein, the found the sequences to be much older than the oldest known DNA extracted from fossils, which was dated back to 700,000 years ago. The discovery led to the possibility that scientists may be able to recover proteins from the earliest humans. They believe the oldest traces of human habitation in Laetoli went as far as 3.75 million years ago. Proteins may not be as detailed as DNAs, but it can still express a lot about an organism.

The co-author and anthropologist Terry Harrison from New York University said the ancient proteins obtained from the enamel of teeth fossil may "yield important clues to the evolutionary relationships, species identity, sex, and migration patterns of early human ancestors."

The preservation of the "entrapped" proteins in the ostrich eggshell was made possible with the protection of surface minerals. The researchers raised a theory that is now tested if true. They think that it is possible to extract full or complete protein sequences from solid surfaces like bones, enamel, and egg shells - which is proven to be right after all. The team used computer models to visualize how the protein sequences managed to survive longer. Stabilization happened as the protein sequences bind strongly to surface minerals found on the hard object.

The researchers are excited to translate their findings to other old fossils like dinosaur eggshells that may now be the next interest for analysis, as reported by BBC.

Even though proteins do not hold as much information as DNA does, it may reveal genetic information 50 times older than DNA. This means proteins tend to degrade much slower than DNA making it a good source of ancient information. When the team isolated the entire protein sequences, rather than a single sequence, there will be able to determine the biological function of that protein encoded in the DNA.

The complete study was published in eLife.
While actual travel to Mars and landing on its surface is still a far way off, a new program can reportedly take humans on a virtual tour of the Red Planet, right here from Earth itself - promising to be the next best thing to actually visiting it. Microsoft's HoloLens will reportedly give you a guided tour of various locations on Mars from the Kennedy Space Visitor Complex with its 'Destination: Mars' program until January 1, hence considerably shortening the 34 million mile travel for space enthusiasts. All you have to do is travel to Cape Canaveral in Florida, the location for the program.

The HoloLens program was created by OnSight, a scientific tool that was a collaboration between NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and Microsoft, which was first announced in January 2015, as a means to enable Mars exploration for researchers by giving a virtual 3D environment, viewed through Microsoft's AR headset, HoloLens. The equipment was used after that as the basis for the VR app Mars 2030 for Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR and Google Cardboard.

Destination: Mars recreates the landscape of Mars through data and images relayed back by NASA's Curiosity rover, which are then placed over the real location of the user. A hologram of Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, and JPL scientist Erisa Hines will guide the virtual visitors through the main areas, as well as discoveries, on the planet.

"The opportunity to get up close and personal with a walk on Mars is so exciting and we can't wait for our guests to experience the thrill of it," said Therrin Protze, COO Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. "We're particularly honored to offerDestination: Mars, offering our guests an experience they can't have anywhere else: a real look into NASA's work on Mars."

A ticket for virtually travelling to Mars will cost $50, which is basically the admission price to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. However, advanced bookings are needed for the show.
UN had held a high-level meeting regarding the drug-resistance superbugs. The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon stated that antimicrobial resistance is a "fundamental threat" to the global health and safety of humans.

Ban said in the general meeting that if they fail to resolve the problem of the drug-resistance bacteria quickly and comprehensively, the antimicrobial resistance will make providing high-quality universal health care coverage more difficult is not impossible. He further said that it will undermine sustainable food production and it will put the sustainable development goals in danger.

The Guardian reports that over 700,000 people die every year due to drug-resistant infections. The number could increase because there is no global system to observe these deaths. In the meeting, all 193 member states agreed to fight the spread of antibiotic resistance.

According to NBC News, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that in the United States, there are about more than two million people that are contaminated by drug-resistant germs every year and about 23,000 died of their infections.

Dr. Margaret Chan, the director-general of the UN's World Health Organization said that the antimicrobial resistance poses a fundamental threat to human health. "We are running out of time."

Jeffrey LeJeune, a professor and head of the food animal research program at Ohio University said that it is ironic that such small thing is causing such an enormous public threat. He further said that it is a global health threat that needs a global response.

Meanwhile, Sally Davies, the chief medical officer of the UK is urging the governments, health professionals, pharmaceuticals industry and the agricultural sector to heed their commitments to save modern medicine. She said that drug-resistant infections are firmly on the global agenda but now the real work begins. The other health issues tackled in the general assembly high-level meetings include Ebola, HIV/Aids and non-communicable diseases.
The annual red tide in the Gulf of Mexico has already started killing thousands of fish and had been driving away beach tourists. Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced that there have already been "naturally occurring" red tide algae blooms in three different counties in the west coast.

Due to the massive number of fish killed during the phenomenon, tourists are staying away from beaches, with one telling Fox13, "We come out here, the fish are dead and it stinks like heck. I can't take that smell."

But what causes these red tides? As the National Ocean Service explained, Florida's red tide is caused by a microorganism called Karenia brevis, which in large concentrations make toxins that are poisonous to shellfish, thus making it hard for them to breathe. These microorganisms, are yes, also red.

The toxicity of the red tide can also affect beachgoers with respiratory issues or sensitive noses. The main risks that the red tide is associated with humans, however, are throat and eye problems. However fish, in particular, are the most affected, and fish kills have been high in numbers, especially in the Pinellas, Manatee, and Sarasota counties.

These algae blooms also affect the economy - according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, it can cost the American economy over $80 million a year in tourism, seafood, and health industries. This current outbreak, which was said to be one of the biggest ever seen, could only have people hoping that the fish death will end soon.

For now, beach goers can check red tide reports from websites like myfwc.com/redtidestatus and visitbeaches.org to know whether their favorite beach haunt is safe from the stench of dead fish. Public works employee Juan Florensa said, "We're holding our breath here, pardon the pun."
Ivory from elephants has been banned due to the animal poaching. Elephants are lowering in numbers because of the rising number of deaths. More good news for the elephant lovers, as currently the process for authorizing ivory trade was rejected at the CITE conference.

Conventions on International Trade in Endangered Species established a "decision-making mechanism" at CoP14 back in 2007. The concept of the DMM is to compromise a nine-year moratorium on the international ivory trade. Several countries are involved with the CITE.

The poaching crisis had been more rampant with a drop of approximately 110,000 elephants in 2007 to 2015. It brought controversy in the CITE yesterday.

CITE have been negotiating a DMM for the last nine years. In which some parties could establish a process for a future trade in ivory. Yesterday the CITES voted in the majority to end the discussion regarding ivory trade.

At the CoP17 conference this week at Johannesburg South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia propose for the DDM to be settled. But, eight other African states counter proposes for the decision to be abandoned. Both of the proposals were rejected, as reported by National Geographic.

In line with this, the third vote on a proposal to put forward from the CITES Standing Committee itself asking for the parties to resolve on whether to extend the discussion regarding DDM was also rejected. Now, the DMM is off the table.

During the conference, it was also pointed out that the DMM can be revived through plenary sessions in a closed door meeting. They also have identified that Kenya among the countries has the largest number of ivory being transited. Some countries that are against the DMM expressed that they have seen a big loss of animals because of the poachers, and they are doing everything to stop the trafficking networks, according to BBC News.
There is not a lot of information how seizures in epilepsy episodes can be suppressed. Now, a new study has found that increasing the concentration of particular fats in the brain could restrain epileptic seizures.

According to Medical Xpress, this ground-breaking study was carried out by the research groups of Professor Patrik Verstreken (VIB-KU Leuven) and Professor Wim Versees (VIB-Vrije Universiteit Brussel). The findings of the collaboration were published in the leading trade journal, Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.

Reports revealed that Professor Patrik Verstreken specializes in brain research, which mainly focuses on synapses which are the connection between two nerve cells where electrical signals are transmitted. In several different brain disorders like Parkinson's disease, the communication at these synapses is impaired.

It was also stated in the report that Professor Wim Versees analyzes the processes which take place in our cells down to the level of individual molecules and atoms. By studying the 3D structures of protein molecules, Professor Versees attempted to get significant information about their role in the cell and the mechanisms that influence various conditions.

Medical Daily also reported that in order for the researchers to reach their findings, they utilized information from previous studies involving fruit flies. It was revealed that a protein dubbed as "Skywalker" plays a key role in the maintenance of communication between brain cells. Researchers of the new study also worked with a protein in the mind called TBC1D24, which is almost the same as "Skywalker". The study reveals that increasing specific brain fats at the synapses with a TBC1D24 mutation could help halt epileptic seizures in their tracks.

Professor Verstreken (VIB-KU Leuven) said: "Genetic mutations of the protein TBC1D24 cause a deviation known as the DOOR syndrome. Alongside deafness, deformed nails, brittle bones and mental retardation, this serious genetic disorder is characterized by neurodegeneration, movement disorders, and epilepsy." By collaborating with Professor Versees at the VIB research center for structural biology, scientists were able to find out the 3D of "Skywalker" which then paved the way for the study of protein in microscopic detail.

According to Professor Versees (VIB-Vrije Universiteit Brussel), "Looking at Skywalker in this way gave us completely new insights into the precise function of this protein, and therefore also the function of the human protein TBC1D24. Among other things, we discovered that it connects with specific brain fats. And more importantly, this connection is impaired in over 70% of patients with a TBC1D24 mutation."

Phys Post also reported that scientists increased the concentration of specific brain fats in fruit flies with a Skywalker mutation which caused the epileptic seizures in the sick fruit flies to be suppressed completely. Professor Verstreken (VIB-KU Leuven) explained that their work showed that increasing specific brain fats at the synapses of patients with a TBC1D24 mutation can be a possible way to prevent epileptic seizures. He added saying, "And although our work focuses on people with TBC1D24 mutations, we think that our findings could be relevant to various forms of epilepsy."

Meanwhile, Professor Versees (VIB-Vrije Universiteit Brussel) explained that the two research group will continue to work together to find other strategies for increasing the concentration of specific fats in the brain to prevent epileptic seizures. It is also important to note that this research is the effect of the cross-pollination between structural biology, biochemistry, and genetics, so we will certainly continue down this interdisciplinary route."
FLORENCE, S.C.  McLaughlin & Smoak Benefits joined the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce with a ceremonial ribbon cutting Wednesday morning in James Allen Plaza. The Mount Pleasant-based company is looking to expand into the Midlands and Pee Dee region.

Derek Bridges, benefits adviser for the 10-year-old employee benefits broker, said principals Trey McLaughlin and Colin Smoak lead an 18-person-strong firm with a core portfolio of companies whose workforce ranges from 50 to 500 employees.

We have a very wide range of clients from six, seven or eight employees all the way up to 3,000. We can help small businesses but our core market is 50-500 employees, especially if help is needed navigating the Affordable Care Act. Weve seen a lot of growth the last few years in the 50 to 500 range.

McLaughlin & Smoak is one of the largest independently owned agencies of its kind in South Carolina, he said.

Most of our business is along the coast but we have 150 clients statewide. Were looking to reach into the Midlands and Pee Dee  from Charleston up to Myrtle Beach and up through the I-26 corridor, he said.

The value of his firm lies with its ability to offer comprehensive services including a human resources director along with the tools and technology to help manage employee benefits.

Sometimes an office manager is also the HR director and assistant to the president and wears 15 hats, he said. We want to make it easier on a staff to keep up with HR and compliance issues. We can take care of the entire employee life cycle from when she or he comes on board all the way through offboarding.

Bridges said the firm is proud of its retention rate in the 97 to 98 percent range.

Our first client is still a client, he said.

For more information about McLaughlin & Smoak, Bridges can be reached at 803-724-0902 or email: derek@mclaughlinsmoak.com
FLORENCE, S.C. -- Ruiz cares.

Ruiz Cares is all about giving back to our community. Thats part of our culture, Josh Brown said Tuesday morning outside Ruiz Foods. He was referring to a program the family-owned frozen Mexican food company employs to help those in need.

Brown, a safety technician, had just used a forklift to unload a 1,500-pound box of food alongside two others that are destined for Harvest Hope Food Bank. He estimated that 6,000 pounds of foods will be donated.

That gives us 4,500 meals, said Donna Lollis, donor relations manager for the food banks Pee Dee branch. It helps to restock our shelves, which we have been desperately trying to do, and gives us an opportunity to feed more people. It helps us close the gap between those in need and those we can provide for.

Jim Bowman, Ruiz Foods operations manager, said the donation was the culmination of a food drive over the last month that ended with a safety fair on Saturday that drew 1,300 people to the plant in the Pee Dee Energy Touchstone Energy Commerce City industrial park.

We had different vendors and games for the kids  it was a family day and we had a big crowd, he said.

For each donated item, employees were given a ticket, said Krista Meekins, the plants administrator assistant. A drawing was held and a 55-inch TV and sound system were given away.

People were bringing in three sacks of food at a time, Bowman said. It was great.

There are 465 Ruiz Foods team members, Meekins said, working first and second shift on two production lines. The company is hoping to launch a third line this spring, she said, which will likely result in more jobs.

In addition to the food, toiletries and various baby-related items such as diapers and wipes were donated as well.

Companies like Ruiz Foods help us carry out our mission, Lollis said. Food drives are a valuable part of what were doing. It takes all the pieces of the puzzle  volunteers, food drives and donors to feed-food insecure people in the Pee Dee.

While final audited totals arent in yet, Lollis said the recent Hope Now dinner for the food bank raised about $75,000.

It went really well," Lollis said. "We met new people that didnt know about Harvest Hope and it gave us a great opportunity to share our mission and empower them to help us in our efforts.
CARTAGENA, Colombia, Sept 26 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday, the first formal meeting between the two since Kerry became the top U.S. diplomat.

The two men sat down together after a ceremony in Cartagena to mark the signing of a peace agreement to end Colombia's civil war.

"My hope is we could have a serious conversation," Kerry told reporters in Cartagena a few hours before the meeting, although he declined to provide specifics about what he thought might come out of the conversation with a leader who has been a persistent critic of U.S. policy.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Eric Beech)
The Indonesian-Japanese flagship deepsea project in West Java has been included in the list which consists of projects to be funded by foreign loans from 2015 to 2019, and is a key part of the foreign loan process.

As much as $1.7bn in foreign loans is expected to be channeled into the deepsea project and the Indonesian government is also set to provide an additional $595m in loans for the project.

Following the revision, the Blue Book now lists $10.3bn worth of loans for transportation-related projects, up from the previous $6.8bn, the reports said.

Transportation Ministry port director Mauritz Sibarani noted however that the $1.7bn loan figure was at this stage still only a proposal from the Indonesian government. There are still discussions required, such as on the actual amount of the funding, he added.

The government has yet to allocate fresh funds for the project as it prefers to wait for a response from its Japanese counterpart. We will then make a yearly commitment, Mauritz said, adding that the government expected the loan to only be disbursed in about March or April 2017, in line with the beginning of the fiscal year in Japan.

The future Patimban Port will be located about 70km from the Karawang Industrial Estate and Bekasi in West Java. It will have a container capacity of 1.5m teu once it is partly completed by 2019 and this will be expanded to 7.5m teu by 2027, which is half of the main Tanjung Priok Ports capacity.

The Indonesian-Japanese joint project is considered a national strategic project that is expected to help ease the flow of goods and services into the country.

Feasibility studies have been completed and Japan expects the draft of its detailed engineering design (DED) to be finished by the beginning of 2017 which will provide exact figures on the projects costs.

The economic councilor at Japan's embassy in Indonesia, Tasaka Takuro, said that the Japanese government welcomed the Indonesian governments move to include the project in the Blue Book.

Its a very good stepping stone for the two countries to proceed with the project, he said. However, he said that Japan would not make any decision on the matter before completing its research.
BRASILIA/SAO PAULO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Loans in arrears in Brazil remained unchanged in August from the previous month, while disbursements of new credit were flat after two months of declines, an early sign that the worst credit cycle in at least two decades has bottomed out.

The so-called default ratio, a benchmark for delinquencies, stood at the equivalent of 5.7 percent of outstanding non-earmarked loans for a second consecutive month, the central bank said in a report on Wednesday. The default ratio has climbed almost a full percentage point over the past year.

(Reporting by Marcela Ayres and Guillermo Parra-Bernal; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
The Chinese shipbuilder hosted a naming ceremony for a $15m AHTS vessel named Rawabi 201 for Singapores Vallianz Holdings, and launched a PSV for Shanghai Salvage Companys subsidiary Shenzhen Huawei Offshore. The new ships were built to Sinopacifics inhouse design series of SPA60 for the AHTS vessel and SPP35ML for the PSV.

The AHTS vessel is the first of four units to be built for Vallianz following an order win in August 2014. The original delivery schedule for the four ships was between 2015 to end-2016, but the difficult market has led to delays in the handover dates.

Zhejiang Shipyard also landed orders from Huawei Offshore in July 2014 to build five ships  two PSVs of the SPP35ML design and three AHTS vessels of the SPA85L design. The latest PSV launch is the first of the five units, as the original delivery schedule of handing over all five ships by end-2016 has also been delayed.

Zhejiang Shipyard faced troubles since the start of this year when Evergreen Holding Group, parent firm of Sinopacific, encountered cash flow issues. By 14 April 2016, a court in Fenghua city in Zhejiang province placed Zhejiang Shipyard under bankruptcy restructuring. The embattled company then adopted a series of austerity measures to streamline the organisation, improve the management system and secure resources to resume yard operations.

Following the collapse of oil prices and the lingering supply glut in the offshore sector, the OSV focused Zhejiang Shipyard, as well as almost all OSV yards globally, were badly hit by a sudden dearth of new orders and owners requesting to delay deliveries.

Zhejiang Shipyard was once the leading Chinese shipbuilder specialising in the constructing of offshore vessels with its well-known inhouse designs. Since its establishment in 2003 until end-2015, Zhejiang Shipyard had delivered 207 ships, including 151 OSVs.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged two lawyers and a brokerage firm manager in Peru with insider trading prior to the merger of two mining companies.

The SEC alleges that Nino Coppero del Valle, who worked at Canadian-based HudBay Minerals Inc., tipped his close friend and fellow attorney Julio Antonio Castro Roca with material nonpublic information about a tender offer his company submitted to acquire the shares of Augusta Resource Corp., whose principal business involved a copper mine near Tucson, Arizona. Castro allegedly traded on the inside information through a brokerage account held by a shell company he set up in the British Virgin Islands in an attempt to avoid having the trades traced back to him and Coppero. According to the SECs complaint, Castro and Coppero made more than $112,000 in illicit profits from these unlawful trades.

The SEC further alleges that Coppero tipped an acquaintance Ricardo Carrion when seeking his advice about making illegal trades untraceable. According to the SECs complaint, Carrion exploited the inside information and caused his brokerage firm to purchase Augusta Resource shares ahead of the tender offer announcement. Carrions firm obtained $73,000 in alleged profits.

As alleged in our complaint, Coppero breached his duty to his employer by tipping Castro and Carrion in advance of any public announcement about HudBays impending tender offer, said Andrew M. Calamari, Director of the SECs New York Regional Office. Try as they might, overseas traders shouldnt presume they can cover their tracks to avoid detection and scrutiny from U.S. law enforcement when they violate insider trading laws.

The SECs complaint charges Coppero and Castro with violating the antifraud provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Coppero, Castro, and Carrion are charged with violating the prohibitions against trading ahead of the announcement of a tender offer contained in Exchange Act Section 14(e) and Rule 14e-3. The complaint seeks disgorgement of ill-gotten gains plus interest and penalties among other things.

The SECs investigation is continuing. It is being conducted by Jorge G. Tenreiro and Thomas P. Smith Jr. of the New York office. The litigation will be led by Preethi Krishnamurthy and Mr. Tenreiro. The case is being supervised by Sanjay Wadhwa. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
Proposal Shortens Settlement Cycle From Three Business Days to Two

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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The Securities and Exchange Commission today voted to propose a rule amendment to shorten the standard settlement cycle for most broker-dealer securities transactions from three business days after the trade date (T+3) to two business days after the trade date (T+2). The proposed amendment is designed to reduce the risks that arise from the value and number of unsettled securities transactions prior to the completion of settlement, including credit, market, and liquidity risk directly faced by U.S. market participants.

Todays proposal to shorten the standard settlement cycle is an important step in the SECs ongoing efforts to enhance the resilience and efficiency of the U.S. clearance and settlement system, said SEC Chair Mary Jo White. The benefits of a shortened settlement cycle should extend to all investors, not just those directly involved in the trading, clearing and settling of securities transactions.

The proposal amends Rule 15c6-1(a) of the Exchange Act of 1934.

The public comment period will remain open for 60 days following publication of the proposing release in the Federal Register.





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Research pharmacists at Detroit's

The research hospital recently chose McCreadie's

HFHS spokesperson Brenda Craig says an initiative to expand the hospital pharmacy's offerings, and a

"Vestigo is a necessary tool for that expansion," Craig says. "[It] will increase efficiency through the use of automation for many of the day-to-day activities in our [IDS], including dispensing, drug accountability, and revenue generation."

While Vestigo had all the functionality the hospital was looking for, not having to look very far for it didn't hurt. Craig says McCreadie's close proximity to Henry Ford made it easier to talk about the project and see the system in action.

"We have also collaborated with the McCreadie Group for other systems in the past and have maintained a great working relationship with them," she says.

Launched in 2005, Vestigo is a web-based software designed specifically for hospital pharmacies that do clinical research trials. By providing a standardized workflow, simple user tools, and accurate data collection, Vestigo automates labor-intensive processes and helps keep pharmacies compliant with regulations. And since Vestigo is a web-based application, there's no hardware or software to maintain.

HFHS is McCreadie Group's second Michigan client for Vestigo; the first was the University of Michigan Health System. Vestigo is used by more than 70 clients nationwide.

Michael Schlesselman, McCreadie Group's director of research products, says Vestigo will provide HFHS with flexibility and efficiency as it grows its pharmacy program and involvement with clinical trials.

"It allows the hospital pharmacy to focus on providing great service to the clinical research team and patient rather than manually completing required paperwork," he says.
Recent times have seen dogs/">reports of dogs whose sniffing senses are so sharp they can detect cancer in human breath samples. Now, a study in the Journal of Breath Research on lung cancer detection appears to throw a bit of cold water on that notion.

Austrian and German researchers trained six dog breeds (golden retriever, labrador, giant schnauzer, large Munsterlander, Havanese and German shepherd) for six months, before handing them the task of sniffing breath samples from 122 test volunteers. Twenty-nine of the volunteers had already been diagnosed with lung cancer, while the remainder had no symptoms of the illness.

The topline results? In a press release, the scientists said the dogs correctly identified the subjects who had cancer 78.6% of the time. However, they delivered on the negatives just 34.4% of the time.

RELATED: Dog Sniffs Out Thyroid Cancer in Human Urine

The study was performed double-blind, to keep subjective bias out of the picture, which the researchers suggest may have been a contributing factor to the less-than-stellar success rate.

"Our dogs made mistakes with both positive and negative samples," study co-author Klaus Hackner, from Krems University Hospital in Austria, acknowledged in a statement. "One important reason for the inferior results might be that a true double-blind situation puts a lot of stress on the animals and their handlers."

"Success and regular rewards," he noted, "are important for every kind of sniffer detection work."

RELATED: 10 Animals That Can Predict Disasters

Experience was likely not a factor. Each of the dogs had a serious professional-sniffing background -- whether finding buried bodies or catching the scent of avalanche victims in Austria's mountains. In their training phase, prior to the official testing, the canines worked with 150 samples that mixed cancer-positive breath samples with negative.

"This disparity is not likely to be a detection issue," said Hackner. "Dogs have been shown to have extremely sensitive noses, as proven by their use in tracking, bomb detection, and search-and-rescue."

"However," he said, "in contrast to analytical instruments, dogs are subject to boredom, limited attention span, fatigue, hunger, and external distraction."

The researcher thinks the dogs might be able to improve their detection success rate, given a program designed to reward them more often. But Hackner and his colleagues still think a better goal might be development of an "e-nose" -- an electronic sniffer that offers fast, affordable cancer screening.

WATCH VIDEO: When Did Dogs Become Man's Best Friend?
Recent headlines seem to suggest that the Islamic State is losing its war of conquest in the Middle East. The militant jihadist group has been driven out of stronghold areas and several top officials have been killed in recent months. So is ISIS really losing the war?

As Jules Suzdaltsev explains in today's Seeker Daily report, the short answer is yes.

The Islamic State's stated goal is to establish a global caliphate, which it hopes to achieve by waging war and overthrowing existing governments. By the end of 2014, ISIS had taken over territories in both Iraq and Syria, and extended its caliphate more than 35,000 square miles -- about the size of the U.S. state of Maine.

Those figures have since been substantially reduced. According to U.S. government estimates, ISIS has lost nearly half of its holdings in Iraq and 20 percent in Syria since 2014. They've also been driven out of major cities including Fallujah, Kobani and Palmyra.

RELATED: How Saudi Arabia Exports Ultra-Conservative Islam

It's estimated that around 45,000 ISIS fighters have been killed during this period, along with several key leaders. With the loss of territory, ISIS has also lost many significant sources of revenue -- fewer civilian areas under their control means ISIS leaders have fewer citizens to tax and extort. Much of the group's oil infrastructure has been destroyed, as well.

What turned the tide? In August and September of 2014, a coalition led by the U.S. began arming rebel groups and carrying out airstrikes on ISIS strongholds. The coalition also partnered with Kurdish and Iraqi armies to engage ISIS forces directly.

Still, the Islamic State continues to operate, mostly relying on tax income from the territories they do still control. One of their key strongholds is Mosul, Iraq's second largest city and a major source of oil. As of September 2016, the Iraqi military is planning a major offensive to retake the city.

-- Glenn McDonald

Learn More:



CNN: What Does ISIS Really Want?

The New York Times: US Official Says IS Has Lost Half Its Territory in Iraq

Time: Timeline: The Rise of ISIS

Check out Discovery Go!
Florida's central Gulf Coast is being ravaged by a noxious algal red tide that is lining beaches with vast quantities of fish carcasses.

The Tampa Bay Times reported that thousands of dead fish were washed up on St. Pete Beach, a stretch of sand lined with popular upscale tourist hotels, creating a sight that "was more akin to a weird Halloween horror show." Walking on the beach required stepping around dead marine animals, and the only swimmers were those who didn't mind paddling around amid rotting fish flesh.

RELATED: Massive Algal Bloom Seen From Space

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website, a high concentrations of the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, were detected in water samples from Manatee and Sarasota counties last week, with low or trace amounts in four other counties.

The Herald-Tribune, another local paper, reported that the sight of the kill and the putrid odor of death that it was driving many visitors away. One horrified tourist told the Herald-Tribune: "Everywhere we've been, there's a brownish hue in the water and dead fish everywhere."

Algal blooms kill fish by releasing toxins into the water, or by altering the water chemistry and preventing fish from getting enough oxygen to survive. In addition to killing fish, the toxins can also harm marine birds and mammals.

Kaitlyn Fusco, a spokesperson for the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota, said in a press release that the red tide organism also poses a threat to the health of humans, though in most cases, the worst effect is eye, nose and throat irritation while at the shore or on the water.

RELATED: Harmful Algae Blooms Intoxicate Marine Mammals

"People with asthma, COPD or other chronic respiratory conditions are cautioned to avoid areas with active red tides," she said.

Karenia brevis is continually present in Gulf Coast waters in extremely low "background" concentrations, but many suspect that the massive bloom was triggered by sewage runoff after rainstorms this summer.

Doug Rader, the chief oceans scientist for the Environmental Defense Fund, told the Christian Science Monitor earlier this year that more needs to be done to improve the water quality in Florida's estuaries. He described red tide blooms as a "normal occurrence" that are "exacerbated by human impact."

WATCH VIDEO: Will Algae or Humans Destroy The Planet First?
Small, reclusive animals known as pangolins are the most trafficked mammals in the world, but they have just received a fighting chance thanks to new protections issued by CITES -- the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Members of CITES voted today to list all 8 species of pangolins in the convention's Appexdix I, which offers the highest level of protection.

"The world is standing up for the little guy with this pivotal decision for greater protection of the pangolin," Susan Lieberman, Wildlife Conservation Society vice president of international policy, said in a press release.

RELATED: San Diego Zoo Builds Rhino Horn Bonfire

She added, "There have been longstanding pressures on the four Asian species of pangolins for both local use of meat and scales and for illegal international trade to meet demand in East Asia. As the Asian species have become depleted, traffickers have begun to target the four African species as well."

The shy mammals are often seen curled up in a ball like pill bugs, hoping to avoid problems. Their reclusiveness seems to be for good reason, as hunters have relentlessly killed them over the years for their scales, which go into folk remedies and other products, and their meat, which is considered to be a rare delicacy.
SpaceX is designing a 100-person spaceship that can make the trip to Mars in as little as three months, depending on how much cargo is aboard and the location of Mars at launch. Follow-on ships could carry 200 people or more. Optimistically, the first human mission would launch in 2024, or soon thereafter, Musk said.

With a fleet of reusable rockets and spaceships, Earth-orbiting refueling stations and fuel production also on Mars, Musk believes SpaceX can provide an affordable interplanetary transportation system that builds mostly on currently existing technology.

"The risk of fatality will be high, there's no way around it," he added. "Basically, are you prepared to die? And if that's OK then you're a candidate for going."

"If you're an explorer, if you want to be on the frontier and be where things are super exciting even if it's dangerous, that's really who we're appealing to here," Musk said.

"The huge challenge is getting the cost such that enough people can afford to go to make it a self-sustaining civilization. That's the prime mission," Musk told reporters at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico .

The trip, however, will be affordable, about $200,000 to start, with the goal of eventually cutting transportation costs to half that amount.

Fancy a move to Mars? SpaceX chief Elon Musk envisions a colony of 1 million Earth emigrants calling the Red Planet home within 50 to 100 years, but early settlers be warned: the risk of death is high.

"The number of people who will be willing to move to Mars is much greater if they know that they have the option of returning, even if they never actually return. Most of the people who went to the original English colonies in North America they never returned to Europe even once. But some did, and just knowing that if you don't like it there you could come back I think makes a big difference in people's willingness to go there in the first place.

"In any case, we need the spaceship back, so it's coming. You could jump onboard or not. You get a free return trip, if you want," he said.

RELATED: Musk: SpaceX Will Go 'Well Beyond' Mars

Once the ships start flying, Musk figures it will take 40- to 100 years to relocate 1 million people to Mars, at which point the colony would be self-sustaining and autonomous. Eventually, the colony could decide to terraform Mars to make it more suitable for human life, such as by warming the planet and creating oceans.

"Terraforming would take place over a long period of time and I think ultimately would be a decision for people of Mars. We need to get there in the first place," Musk said.

Musk unveiled his colonization plan to attract partners -- he figures development costs will be about $10 billion -- and push along other companies and organizations interested in Mars and other space settlements.

"It is really a decision as to whether we want to become a multi-planet species in a space-faring civilization or not. Some people think its fine to stay on Earth forever and some people don't but I think a future where we are a space-faring civilization and out there among the stars is infinitely more exciting and inspiring than one where we are not," Musk said.

RELATED: NASA: Odds Favor Successful SpaceX Mars Mission

The SpaceX founder, who also runs Tesla Motors, is unsure he'd be part of the first crew to travel to Mars.

"I would definitely need to have a very good succession plan because the probability of death is quite high on the first mission and I'd like to see my kids grow up, so some pros and cons there," he said.

"I would like to go to orbit, maybe visit the space station and then ultimately go to Mars. I've got to make sure that if something goes wrong on the flight and I die that there's a good succession plan and that the mission of the company continues and that it doesn't somehow get taken over by investors who just want to maximize the profitability of the company and not go to Mars," Musk said. "That would be my biggest fear in that situation."

SpaceX is planning to launch an unmanned Red Dragon capsule to Mars as an initial test flight in 2018.
Mount Barujari began erupting late Tuesday afternoon, sending columns of ash and smoke shooting 1.2 miles into the sky over Lombok island, a tourist hotspot to the immediate east of Bali.

Photo: Mount Barujari, located inside Mount Rinjani volcano, is seen erupting from Bayan district, North Lombok, Indonesia, in this Sept. 27, 2016 photo. Credit: Antara Foto/Santanu Bendesa/via Reuters Rescuers in Indonesia were dispatched Wednesday to evacuate nearly 400 tourists, most of them foreigners, after a volcano erupted at one of the country's most popular hiking destinations, an official said.

Nearly 400 people were recorded as hiking near Barujari -- a smaller cone within the crater of Mount Rinjani -- when it began erupting, prompting plans for their immediate evacuation, said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

"A rescue team has been sent to Mount Rinjani to evacuate the tourists. They set off on Wednesday morning," he said.

RELATED: Rarely Seen Sub-Antarctic Volcano Erupts

Hikers have been told to keep at least 2 miles from the smoldering volcano, a key attraction on the multi-day trek to the summit of Mount Rinjani made by thousands of tourists every year.

Nugroho said 389 hikers were recorded as having entered the national park since Sunday, the overwhelming majority of them foreigners.

While most would have taken the official route to the summit, rescue teams suspected some hikers may have gone off-piste, Nugroho added.

The threat level of the volcano was upgraded Tuesday as Barujari sent plumes of smoke and hot ash into the atmosphere, but remains two steps from the highest-risk category.

There were no flight disturbances recorded on Wednesday due to the ash clouds, transport ministry spokesman Hemi Pramuraharjo told AFP.

RELATED: Icelandic Volcano Made 68-Square-Mile 'Kettle'

Some flights to and from the nearby resort island of Bali were cancelled overnight, but Lombok's international airport remains unaffected.

Flight disruptions due to drifting ash clouds are not uncommon in Indonesia, which sits on a belt of seismic activity known as the Pacific Ring of Fire and is home to 130 active volcanoes.

An eruption at Mount Rinjani last month forced the closure of Lombok airport and disrupted some flights to neighboring Bali.

SEE PHOTOS: Alaska's Pavlof Volcano Erupts: Photos
Press Release

September 28, 2016 Hontiveros urges government to wage war against malnutrition "There is a real and silent war that the government must embark on; it is the war against malnutrition." This was the statement issued today by Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros as she pushed for the passage of a legislative measure to scale up nutrition support for infants in the crucial first 1,000 days. Hontiveros' Senate Bill No. 1145 otherwise known as the "Healthy Bulilit Law" mandates the Department of Health (DOH) and the National Nutrition Council (NNC) to increase nutrition support to all children in the first 1,000 days. The said bill was deliberated on Tuesday by the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, which the senator chaired. The neophyte senator characterized a child's first 1,000 days as crucial and intervention at this time is key to combatting nutritional stunting. "Amid the government's anti-drugs campaign, it must not neglect to look after the well-being of our children. Currently, under-nutrition remains the underlying killer of children as it makes them vulnerable to bout of infections, low birth weights and wasting. The government must launch a war against malnutrition. This is the real war that must be won," Hontiveros explained. The senator also expressed alarm regarding the grave effects of malnutrition on the Philippine economy. Citing a report by the Save the Children International, Hontiveros said that the economy lost at least P328 billion or the equal of 3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2013 due to the impact of childhood stunting on workforce productivity and education. Hontiveros said that under-nutrition undermines economic development. She said malnutrition leads to lower level of education, reduced labor power and productivity as a result of premature deaths and additional education due to grade repetitions. "This must end. We need to strengthen the government's commitment to provide children all the necessary nutrients to ensure their healthy growth. We must ensure that we have healthy bulilits who will grow up to become healthy Pinoys and Pinays," Hontiveros said.
Lacson: Why not grant amnesty to cops, soldiers in counter-insurgency ops?

If the government can grant amnesty to political prisoners as part of goodwill efforts for peace talks with communist rebels, why not extend this to policemen and soldiers involved in anti-insurgency operations as well?

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson raised this question at a budget hearing Tuesday, where Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, the chief government peace negotiator with communist rebels, was in attendance.

"Since there is a program for the grant of amnesty to political prisoners, perhaps we can include policemen and soldiers facing charges on account of participation in counterinsurgency operations," Lacson said.

He said it would "not augur well" for peace initiatives if amnesty is granted to only one side. Bello agreed with Lacson's observation.

The government under President Rodrigo Duterte had revived peace efforts with communist rebels. Peace negotiations are to resume in Norway this October.
Federalism fever begins: Koko advocates federalism before fellow lawyers

Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III spoke before the Philippine Bar Association on Friday, September 23 and encouraged its members to support the shift to federalism.

Pimentel was the keynote speaker for the Law Day celebration and induction of new officers of the Philippine Bar Association, the oldest voluntary association of lawyers in the country.

Arguing that the country, divided by more than 7,000 islands, 100 languages, and more than a hundred ethnic and tribal affiliations is a federal society, Pimentel turned the table on federalism critics by asking, "Why don't we have a federal system in the first place?"

Pimentel cited the country's positive experience with the decentralization brought about by the Local Government Code, a law authored by his father, former Senator Aquilino "Nene" Pimetel, Jr.

Pimentel said, "This is the logical destination of the journey that we started with decentralization and devolution."

Pimentel outlined PDP Laban's proposal for federalism, saying that there would be 11 states. Also, we could follow the French system of a strong Presidency with a Prime Minister.

He also clarified that the proposed parliamentary setup would remain bicameral, divided into an upper house called the Senate, and a lower house called the National Assembly.

Finally, Pimentel emphasized that the Philippines would remain one country with one flag and anthem, one armed forces and one national police force, one central bank, one monetary system, one foreign policy, and one public education system.

He admitted that the transition would be complex and difficult, and urged the assembled members of the PBA to cooperate by giving their inputs in the process.
The first presidential debate failed to tackle key economic issues head-on, according to Harvard Business School (HBS) Professor Michael Porter.

The debate was disappointing, Porter said. It continued a pattern that weve seen for multiple election cycles now of the players focusing on dividing as opposed to reflecting on the valid perspectives that have to be put together.

Porter added the issues were portrayed too simplistically and were too politicized.

Were not talking about what the country really needs, he said. Were talking about a political game. Were talking about how to get people who are confused and angry and uncertain and scared to vote for one or the other. Were doing it through lack of sophistication in talking about the issues.

Lets focus on what we really have to change and not blame somebody else for ultimately what we all have to do together, he said.

Instead of blaming one another, Porter said, the candidates should focus on how US workers can compete in the global economy.

Theres no doubt that people at lower incomes and lower skill levels are the ones that have been taking the brunt of things lately, but ultimately the root cause of that is not evil business  Its actually our skills training where we are falling behind, he said.

Porter emphasized eight key issues the candidates need to address, as highlighted in HBS recent report on competitiveness.

The state of the economy

Porter explained that the debate moderator, NBCs Lester Holt, portrayed the US economy as rosier than it actually is when he referenced a record six straight years of job growth and incomes that increased at a record rate. In reality, Porter said, the US is still well behind despite the recovery since the 2009 recession.

Source: HBS Competitiveness Study

Still, Trump offered few solutions to Americas economic woes, instead making an apparent attempt to appeal to voters emotions.

Our jobs are fleeing the country, Trump said during the debate. Theyre going to Mexico. Theyre going to many other countries. You look at what China is doing  Theyre devaluing their currency, and theres nobody in our government to fight them.

Story continues

Blame game: Trade deals

Negative rhetoric surrounding trade deals was high during the debateTrump declared the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) a failure. Clinton, meanwhile, defended her disapproval of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which she had previously supported.

Porter said politicssimplistic and divisivehas overpowered logic in this category.

We want trade, Porter said, crediting Clintons acknowledgement of this need. Ninety-five percent of people live outside the United States. If we just sell to ourselves and we cant export, were not going to do very well as an economy. Trade deals are fundamentally about opening up markets for American exports.

On NAFTA, Trumps just wrong, Porter said. Theres no evidence that NAFTA had a disastrous impact on anything in the US economy. On the TPP, I was disappointed with Hillary Clintonshe had it right the first time. The place where we face the most obstacles to trade in America right now that matter the most are in Asia. So that Trans Pacific Partnership thats finally opening up some of these Asian economies that already have opened imports to the US, those are good.

Tax reform necessary

Porter emphasized the near-term need for corporate tax reformgiven that the US has the highest tax rate in the worldsomething both candidates support. However, again, the candidates arent acknowledging the important nuances of potential reforms, he said.

For example, Porter explained that Trump wants to decrease corporate taxes to 15% from 35%.

We dont need to do thatwe only need to get it down to around 25%, Porter explained. And if we eliminate a bunch of loopholes that allow companies to deduct things that they shouldnt really deduct, we can actually bring that tax rate for corporations down revenue neutrally.

The role of business

The way business was portrayed during the debate was negative in many ways; Trump talked about how it was good business to take advantage of the 2009 housing crisis while Clinton talked about big business as predatory.

This is the great paradox of the whole discussion that has emerged in America, Porter said. Its pretty hard to be pro-jobs and anti-business.

Clinton emphasized small business growth, but Porter explained that elevating all business is key especially as large businesses create most of the jobs now.

Porter emphasized that we need a real plan versus one or two hot areas to distinguish themselves from the other side. A number of things need to happen in America, he explained.

Claiming that its just about raising taxes on the wealthy or ending trade deals, thats just not going to get us there, Porter said.

The good news? The US decline in competitiveness is largely self-inflicted, meaning we can come back, Porter said. As long as politicians can be honest about how were really doing and what really needs to happenavoiding simple magic wands.

For more information on the HBS competitiveness report, please see below:

Harvard economist never thought his new study would take him where it did

Harvard professor identifies the worst nightmare in America right now

Harvard study singles out a game-changing economic opportunity: TAX REFORM

Theres a silver lining behind the dark clouds hanging over US businesses

Harvard Business Dean tells us what this huge 5-year study is all about

Harvard Business Dean: The post-crisis monetary policy is running out of runway

How improved infrastructure could end Americas vicious cycle of poverty

Some companies have taken the next obvious step to filling jobs that sit vacant

Theres one piece of tax reform that would have a real impact with little resistance



Americas outdated education system isnt producing the workers companies need



Revitalizing small businesses is key to drive Americas economic growth
Poe committee sets FOI hearing tomorrow, Sept. 29

Sen. Grace Poe will lead the second public hearing on the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill tomorrow, Sept. 29, assuring the Senate's commitment to fast-track the passage of the measure as a crucial tool in the fight against corruption.

A committee report is expected to follow soon after in view of the Senate's commitment to pass the measure in record time.

In the 16th Congress, the Senate passed the FOI measure in eight months, with Poe as sponsor.

Invited to Thursday's hearing by the Senate committee on public information and mass media are officials from the Department of Justice, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Presidential Communications Office, National Security Council, Ombudsman, Bureau of Internal Revenue, and Bureau of Customs and other stakeholders.

Poe expects that the long-delayed measure will be swiftly passed under the Duterte administration, who has issued an Executive Order to manifest its commitment to transparency in governance.

"We see the need to finally enact an FOI law as the administration also fully espouses transparency and accountability in the bureaucracy," Poe earlier said as she highlighted the need to institutionalize this important measure, "An FOI Law is long overdue. Public disclosure of information encourages greater care on the part of the government."

The proposed FOI law opens government records to the public subject to reasonable exceptions. It covers all government agencies and instrumentalities, including the executive, legislative, judicial branches of government, local governments as well as government-owned and -controlled corporations and government financial institutions.
Senate limits video presentations at plenary sessions

The Senate today adopted a resolution seeking to regulate the time spent on film, video and other multimedia presentations by senators in plenary sessions, in an effort to help the Upper Chamber save precious time and resources while fulfilling its mandate.

Senate Resolution No.165 was unanimously approved during the plenary session presided over by Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III.

The resolution, authored by Senate Majority Leader Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, provides a maximum length of 30 minutes of film clips, multimedia and other similar devices per speech, motion or question of any senator.

Sotto's resolution explained that the move is done "in order to make efficient use of the time of the Senate," noting that more and more senators are using multimedia presentations to help explain their ideas to the public while at the Senate floor.

"There is a steady increase of the use of video, film clips, multimedia and other similar devices as integral parts of privilege speeches of Senators," the resolution said.

The resolution also mandated that copies of the videos and other multimedia presentations during speeches, motions and questions by senators during plenary sessions be incorporated in the Senate records, to make them readily available to the public.

"All films, video clips, multimedia and other similar devices shown or played before the plenary shall be summarized and integrated into the records of the Senate before said devices are sent to the Legislative Records and Archives Service for safekeeping," the resolution said.
The Boeing logo is seen at their headquarters in Chicago, in this April 24, 2013 file photo. REUTERS/Jim Young/File Photo (Reuters)

By Zakia Abdennebi

Tangier, MOROCCO (Reuters) - Morocco has signed an agreement that Boeing Co <BA.N> will seek to attract its suppliers to boost the kingdom's aeronautics industry.

The "Boeing ecosystem" project aims to bring around 120 suppliers of the company to help raise Morocco's aeronautics exports by $1 billion and create 8,700 jobs.

Boeing already has a joint venture with France's Safran in Casablanca to build wire bundles and harnesses for aircraft makers, including Boeing and Airbus.

Tuesday's agreement was signed in the royal palace of Tangier by Moroccan trade and industry minister Moulay Hafid Elalamy and the chief executive of Boeing's airplane business, Raymond Conner. Moroccan King Mohammed attended the ceremony.

"Boeing will actively reach out to more than 120 suppliers in the near term to encourage this to happen," Conner said during the ceremony.

Conner and Moroccan officials declined to give details or to say whether some of the suppliers have already commited to open new plants in the kingdom.

Unlike some other countries in the region, Morocco has managed to avoid a big drop in foreign investments since the global financial crisis and the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011, partly by marketing itself as an export base for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

It has attracted some big auto and aeronautics investors in recent years, including Delphi, Bombardier and Eaton Corp.

It has already exported 5.7 billion dirhams ($590 million) of aircraft parts in the first eight months of 2016, which represent around of 3.5 percent of Moroccan exports. The aeronautics sector has been growing by around 7 percent annually.

Morocco expects auto industry exports to reach 100 billion dirhams a year by 2020 thanks to PSA Peugeot Citroen's decision last year to build a factory slated to produce 200,000 vehicles a year. It expects the Peugeot plant to raise industry to 20 percent of domestic product (GDP) from 16 percent.

(Writing by Aziz El Yaakoubi; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)
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The November ballot measure aimed at clamping down on the sale of bullets in California can trace its genesis to one grisly death 43 years ago at a dining room table in Stinson Beach.

That table is where Gavin Newsoms grandfather shot himself to death in front of the future lieutenant governors mother and aunt. Arthur Menzies had endured the Bataan Death March as a World War II prisoner, and apparently was never able to shed the anguish.

My grandfather committed suicide, but not before putting his daughter  my mother  and her twin against the fireplace and saying he was going to blow their brains out, Newsom said. Thats how I grew up. Thats how I found out about guns.

I cant stand em.

The family revulsion for the killing power of a gun barrel, Newsom said, had a lot to do with why he assembled Proposition 63 to require background checks for anyone selling or buying ammunition, ban ammo magazines of more than 10 rounds, and make it an infraction for dealers not to report bullet thefts to police within 48 hours.

Michael Macor/The Chronicle

Prop. 63 would also make it an infraction to not quickly report a gun theft  it could escalate to a misdemeanor on the third violation  and would tighten rules forbidding felons from owning guns. But its the ammunition clampdown that makes this initiative unusual  its the first ballot measure in California history to focus on the purchase of large-capacity clips rather than the gun itself.

The state already bans such clips. But codifying the ban with a statewide vote would mean it could be overturned only by another ballot measure, not the Legislature. Thats considered a higher bar.

The issue is more than personal, said Newsom, who was also a gun control advocate as mayor of San Francisco. Like many activists, he can quickly cite statistics meant to show that limiting firearms can lead to a safer society  and with this measure, hes trying to push the national gun control movement into new territory.

Crimping the availability of bullets crimps the murder power of guns, and for those who are fighting to limit weapons in the U.S., I think its a game changer, Newsom said.

This is the next big battle, I think, in gun safety nationwide, he said. This  ammunition  and relinquishment of guns by those who should not have them.

Gun rights advocates view the initiative as a game changer, all right  a terrible one.

Law enforcement groups, including the California State Sheriffs Association, have generally lined up with gun rights organizations, including the California Rifle and Pistol Association. They say the measure would put small ammunition retailers out of business, force people to get a license to buy ammo, and do nothing to stop terrorists or other criminals from obtaining bullets. They also dont like the proposed $50 fee for the ammunition license.

Bad guys are always going to do whatever they want to get guns and ammo, said Sean Brady, a lawyer with the Coalition for Civil Liberties, which draws together more than a dozen groups, including the National Rifle Association, to fight the initiative. I know Lt. Gov. Newsom says, Oh, thats the golden oldie, it doesnt work like that. But the proof is in the pudding.

Michael Macor/The Chronicle

Despite state and federal laws that require background checks and prohibit gun ownership by felons, he said, terrorist slaughters such as those that rocked San Bernardino and Orlando over the past year are happening with greater frequency. Shooting a potential killer in the wee hours in your house with your own gun is still a better tactic than betting on police showing up to protect you, he said.

Are (they) doing this (the initiative) solely to harass, to say, I dont like these people, I dont like what theyre doing, so Im going to stick my thumb in their eye? Brady said.

Lara Smith, vice president of the Liberal Gun Club of California, is also campaigning with her group against the initiative. She says that, unlike many gun-control opponents, she not only is a Democrat but also is in favor of some weapons limits, such as well-implemented background checks.

Going after peoples ammunition, Smith said, is pointing in the wrong direction.

Of course theres a problem with people being killed  we all see it, she said. What we want to focus on, though, is the root causes, not just going after peoples guns.

By that, she said, she means ramping up programs that give job training for felons, or counseling to prevent suicides  which account for more than half of all gun deaths.

Eliminate the despair and anger that can push someone to pick up a gun and kill, Smith said, and youve gone further toward controlling the problem.

Look, Im a true liberal, Smith said. Im very concerned about womens rights, marriage equality, LGBT issues. But our group doesnt see the Second Amendment as something to take lightly. What we really need is better enforcement of the laws already on the books and getting at those root causes.

Juliet Leftwich, legal director of the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, said opponents of the measure are on the wrong side of history. The prevalence of massacres and gun deaths in the United States  34,000 Californians were shot to death from 2004 through 2014, according to the center  means that the time is right now, she said.

Ive been doing this work for 20 years, and Ive never seen so much public concern and outrage and despair over this issue, said Leftwich, who was in the building on the day of the rampage at the 101 California St. office high-rise in 1993, when a gunman killed eight people and wounded six others before fatally shooting himself. It was the worst mass shooting in San Francisco history, and led to the formation of the law center.

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The fact that our presidential candidates, at least on the Democratic side, are talking about this is remarkable, Leftwich said. Gun violence was viewed as the third rail in politics for decades, so things have changed.

So far, momentum is in Prop. 63s favor. A Field/IGS Poll of likely voters taken Sept. 7-13 found the initiative leading by 60 percent to 30 percent. Through last week, the yes campaign had raised $4.5 million, nearly 10 times more than its opponents.

Many gun-oriented business owners in the Bay Area are reluctant to give their views of the initiative openly, for fear of retaliation, but they are planning to fight the measure if it passes. Theyre already collecting signatures for a ballot measure that would overturn six gun laws signed this year by Gov. Jerry Brown that anticipated Newsoms initiative by banning large-capacity clips and requiring background checks for buying bullets.

My customers arent happy with any of this. It ruins everyones lives but the criminals, and its totally unconstitutional, said Scott Jackson, who teaches 350 people a month how to shoot at his Bay Area Firearms Training center in Burlingame.

Were going to get rid of those recently passed laws, and well do it if this one passes, Jackson said. Its absolutely the wrong way to go.

Kevin Fagan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kfagan@sfchronicle.com

Twitter: @KevinChron

What Prop. 63 does

Background checks: Imposes background checks through the state Department of Justice for the purchase of ammunition.

License: Requires a state license to sell ammunition.

Limitations: Prohibits possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines.

Thefts: Requires the reporting of lost or stolen guns or ammunition to law enforcement.

Restrictions: Ensures that anyone convicted of a gun theft is ineligible to purchase or possess a firearm.

Rules for felons: Sets up a system to document that felons sell or transfer their firearms soon after conviction.
Oakland officials deadlocked Tuesday on a controversial proposal to require cannabis businesses to hand over money and power to the city, following an acrimonious public hearing at City Hall.

The plan by Council members Desley Brooks, Larry Reid and Noel Gallo would require all pot businesses  and anyone who leases property to a pot business  to give 25 percent of their profit and at least one seat on their board of directors to the city in exchange for permits to operate. Money reaped from the arrangement would fund council district activities, loans for aspiring entrepreneurs, community beautification and three job training programs run by politically connected people. The plan would also restrict cannabis operating permits to people who have lived in Oakland for at least five years.

Opponents say the plan would choke off the citys pot trade. Supporters claim it would generate vital revenue for the city and allow city officials to impose racial equity on the multibillion dollar industry, given that most of its top players are white.

When you look across the U.S., the majority of people making money in this industry are white males, said Brooks, the lead author of the proposal. We need to make sure we pass something that is going to level the playing field for everybody.

She and Gallo clashed with Councilmen Dan Kalb and Abel Guillen when the plan went before the councils Public Safety Committee Tuesday, prompting an at times raucous debate. Its in limbo for now, and all four council members say the equity issue is far from settled.

I think we need to get this right, Kalb said. What we have here today doesnt get us there.

Brooks said her proposal would help bolster an equity permit program that the council passed in May. Designed to right the perceived wrongs of the U.S. war on drugs, the equity permit program reserves half of Oaklands cannabis permits for people who were jailed on marijuana convictions in Oakland over the past decade or who have lived for at least two years in a designated East Oakland police beat where marijuana arrests were highly concentrated in 2013.

At least one such person must have a 50 percent ownership stake in a pot business for it to qualify for the equity program.

Frank Tucker, a longtime friend of Brooks who heads the mentorship program 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, praised both the program and the council members new proposal.

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Ive heard its illegal for the city to have ownership in a company  its illegal because youll find any excuse you can to keep the brothers out, Tucker said.

But others accused the city of trying to extract profits from a business sector thats expected to boom as Californians prepare to vote in November on whether to legalize recreational marijuana. Many said that Oaklands cannabis enterprises will flee to other cities if the plan is approved. Some, including Kalb, also denounced the equity program, saying it helps a small group of people but leaves out the vast majority of would-be pot entrepreneurs in Oakland, including people the city says it wants to help.

Brooks said the council members will have to come back at some point with a new proposal that melds all of their competing ideas. State law requires all cannabis enterprises to have a city-issued permit by 2018.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com
As public spaces go, the lobby at 77 Van Ness Ave. isnt much: polished stone floors, an innocuous sculpture, four tables with movable chairs.

But it exists to serve the public. And now, as a result of a recent city rule finally being put into action, it has the chance to do its job.

The snug space is one of at least a dozen privately owned public open spaces in or near San Franciscos Financial District that in recent months have sprouted 16-by-20-inch signs along their perimeter or at the building entrance. More signs will go up as planners finish inspecting spaces and comparing what exists with what originally was approved.

A key element of the citys downtown plan is that we need publicly accessible spaces that are easy to find and that people can enjoy, said Scott Sanchez, the City Planning Departments zoning administrator. If you dont know theyre there, you wont use them.

In all, more than 20 such spaces have been created by developers since the Downtown Plan was approved in 1985. But after The Chronicle in 2012 exposed how difficult it could be to find some of the best spaces  those located inside buildings or on rooftops  the Board of Supervisors updated the planning code to require larger signs. Those plaques also must spell out how much seating is supposed to be provided, and whether restrooms are available for public use.

Stronger legislation

The stronger legislation was authored by then-Supervisor David Chiu, now a state assemblyman, and it didnt require better signage for all existing spaces. Instead, the new regulations only applied to new spaces  but if signs for a current space didnt comply with the standards in place when it was created, they had to be upgraded.

After a slow start, the planning department last year began visiting each space and comparing current conditions to the original expectations.

Those visits resulted in such discoveries as a rooftop plaza at 543 Howard St. with no sign announcing its presence from the street. Others were cynically discreet; at 77 Van Ness, the only clue that the interior lobby was open to the public was a bronze plaque barely larger than an iPhone that was located on Fell Street, around the corner from the actual entrance.

That diminutive declaration remains on the side of 77 Van Ness. But it has been joined by two 16-by-20-inch plaques that frame the entrance and proclaim PUBLIC OPEN SPACE, the words set inside a large print of an abstract tree. Hours of public use are listed along with details about amenities and who maintains the space.

Strict interpretation

To their credit, planners have chosen to interpret the new language as strictly as possible. This means that improved plaques are being installed, at owners expense, at outdoor plazas or other spaces where the original signs were missing only a detail or two.

Pretty much all the existing signage was not in conformance, said Kimberly Durandet, the planner who spent more than a month last year digging out records and comparing what was promised to what appeared. As for the reaction of building owners to the need to update their signs, a few grumbled at first. But then they saw other places stepping up, and they were happy to go along.

Yet even as formerly obscure sites sprout eye-catching plaques, two rooftop terraces might instead be ruled off-limits to regular folk.

Thats the change proposed for the InterContinental hotel at Fifth and Howard streets. Proposed legislation would allow the owners to pay an undetermined sum to convert their fourth- and sixth-floor terraces to guest-only access.

Word of the change surfaced last month on the real estate blog Socketsite, and there was a social media furor. The motion is now on hold until May  in part to find a specific site in the neighborhood that could benefit from the hotels cash, but also to craft language that cant be interpreted as a general loosening of the rules.

We want it to be very clear that this type of move is very specific to this site, said Kanishka Burns of the planning department. Were debating how to make sure that this doesnt set a precedent.

A remarkable resource

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Its a valid concern, because these spaces are a remarkable resource to the public. By instituting a simple requirement 20 years ago that 1 square foot of publicly accessible space should be created in tandem with every 50 square feet of new commercial space downtown, workers and shoppers have benefited by the addition of attractive relief valves ranging from rooftop aeries to indoor spaces that are lunchtime options on cold or foggy days.

Yet every rule has its exceptions  and the InterContinental might be one case where allowing an owner to back out makes sense.

The terraces are on the shady side of the 32-story tower, facing the seven-story-high wall of the adjacent building thats flush against the property line. When the hotel was approved in 2002, the Planning Commission noted that it has concerns about the utility and quality of the terraces. Time has proved the skeptics right. The symbolism of keeping the terraces public isnt as attractive as trading them for the creation or improvement of something nearby at ground level.

San Franciscos publicly accessible private spaces will never be conflict free. There will always be owners who follow the letter but not the spirit of the law. Not all tensions can be resolved by eye-catching plaques.

Still, the widespread arrival of large signs is a welcome step toward letting members of the public know what weve been missing. And if theres a rainstorm the next time youre walking down Van Ness, you know where to take shelter.

John King is the San Francisco Chronicles urban design critic. E-mail: jking@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @johnkingsfchron

Semi-public places

For the Planning Departments storehouse of information on San Franciscos downtown spaces  including an interactive map  go to www.sf-planning.org/popos.

The planning advocacy group SPUR did a qualitative review of 68 downtown spaces in 2009. It can be found at www.bit.ly/TNZps.
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SOQUEL, Santa Cruz County  The sound of helicopters means one of three things to people living on the fringe of the Bay Area in the isolated wildlands of the Santa Cruz Mountains: a medical emergency, a pot bust or a wildfire.

But the unmistakable whirr of choppers during Mondays 97-degree furnace blast left little doubt: Flames had returned.

Ive done this drill before, said Dave Norman, 67, who grew up in these hills south of Los Gatos and bought land here in 1980. A lot of people dont understand why we live out in the country. I was raised out in the country. I wouldnt be able to live in the city.

He spoke Tuesday as the Loma Fire continued to burn aggressively across as many as 2,250 acres after exploding the day before near the 3,790-foot Loma Prieta Mountain ridge, leveling at least one home and six other buildings, and forcing scores of residents to pack up at a moments notice and flee.

Another home had been damaged in the inferno, which officials said was 10 percent contained as of Tuesday night.

More than 500 firefighters were working to halt the advance of a blaze through dry, rugged landscape. While no deaths or serious injuries were reported, a second day of heat in the mid-90s charged the fire, which threatened 300 homes as it sent 70-foot flames into the air, while devouring pine trees and brush.

Residents along the winding maze of rural, sometimes dirt roads branching off Summit Road were under mandatory evacuation orders as the fire extended south to the edge of Uvas Canyon County Park.

The fire moved so quickly at the beginning, said 75-year-old Norman Noble, who fled Monday after noticing his neighbors house ablaze. I saw the billowing smoke that was probably from the house that burned.

Rather than packing belongings, he said he tried to find his cat, Peaches. But the flames became too intense, so he jumped into his hatchback  alone  and sped away. After spending the night on a cot at an evacuation shelter in Soquel, Noble waited Tuesday for word on his house and his cat.

Im very worried, he said.

One firefighter was recovering Tuesday after suffering a minor eye injury during a fierce overnight fight to keep the blaze from progressing west to Santa Cruz County after it ignited near Loma Prieta Avenue and Loma Chiquita Road in Santa Clara County.

As dawn broke, the fingers of the fire reached within feet of some homes on Casa Loma Road and crept toward telecommunications equipment at the mountains summit. Many firefighters on the ground set up on the fires southern front, working to slow its advance deeper into Santa Clara County.

Weve got a plan, said Battalion Chief Mike Mathiesen, stationed at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protections Alma Helitack Base in Los Gatos. Hopefully the plan will help us get a handle on it. It all depends on the weather.

Campers in the Sveadal grounds, a picturesque Swedish community and recreation area on the east end of Uvas Canyon County Park, were among the hundreds forced to pack up and get out.

Evacuation centers were set up at Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, the Soquel Jewish Community Center of Silicon Valley and the Morgan Hill Presbyterian Church well east of the blaze. The fire was 5 percent contained as of Tuesday afternoon, and its cause remained under investigation, though the original report came in as a house fire.

For the mix of mountain denizens, ranging from retirees in modern homes to folks living out of makeshift dwellings and trailers, the threat of fire has become an acceptable trade-off for a simple life away from the bustle of the Bay Area.

Norman, among others, vividly recalls the major fires that have ravaged the community over the years. The Loma Fire of 2009 burned 485 acres and destroyed three structures just one year after the devastating Summit Fire destroyed nearly 100 structures on its way to blackening 4,000 acres.

Those who go back far enough remember the Lexington Fire of 1985 as one of the areas most frightening. A report that year in The Chronicle told of a 200-foot-high, mile-wide wall of flame that devoured the forested land just north of this years fire. In the end, that 14,000-acre inferno destroyed 23 homes and five trailers.

While fire is serious business here, many residents ordered to evacuate their homes along the Loma Prieta ridgeline stayed put Tuesday.

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Were pretty protected, said Art Johnson, 78, noting his swimming pool and 25,000-gallon underground water tank.

If necessary, he said, hes ready to summon a posse to help pump water around his property. You have to be self-sufficient out here, he explained.

Others were less equipped but still stuck around, hoping for favorable weather to help firefighters.

Were always ready to go, said 72-year-old Sharon Fournier, who lives on Loma Prieta Way with her husband, Bruce.

But the couple took their chances and stayed, watching as one of six air tankers assigned to the fire dropped bright red retardant on a nearby ridge.

There is a sense of freedom here, she said. Its normally very peaceful.

Kurtis Alexander and Evan Sernoffsky are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com, esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KurtisAlexander @EvanSernoffsky
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Visit San Francisco during the week, and you can take advantage of a bounty found in no other American city  downtown rooftops open to the public, many with vistas that would make a cinematographer swoon.

Our warmer October days are an ideal time of year to explore the secluded summits  if only to make the building owners scowl.

Even though theyre required by city planning codes when commercial buildings are added downtown, too many are managed as though we outsiders arent welcome. Some buildings require visitors to sign in or show a photo ID, and the guard then walks you to the elevator. One space doubles as a venue for nighttime banquets, complete with a plastic tent that isnt removed during public hours.

One took out its tables last year, though supposedly theyre coming back. Another  1 Montgomery St., wildly popular at lunch with Financial District workers  has wooden benches that look as though they havent been replaced since the space opened in the mid-1980s.

Thats when the city began requiring developers of new buildings in and near the Financial District to include what planners call privately owned public open spaces. Their size is determined by the size of the complex, and many are conventional plazas alongside office towers.

The ground-level spaces are easily accessible, on full view to anyone walking by. The rooftops are another matter, hidden destinations that tend to be created because theres no room on the ground. Two are only at the equivalent of the third floor, but several are in the 15-story range and offer revelations from unexpected vantage points.

Theres a terrace atop a 13-story building from 1929 in the heart of the Financial District, a space entered from the low towers new wing. A public rooftop on Howard Street sits amid the new towers of Transbay and Rincon Hill. Some come with generous landscaping, and several seem tailored for a leisurely lunch or a discreet rendezvous.

These days, thanks to legislation passed by the Board of Supervisors in 2012, almost all the spaces are announced by large signs along the sidewalk. But no rules dictate what hurdles can be placed in your path once you walk through the front door.

The code is not explicit in terms of what restrictions an owner can or cannot place on getting up to the space, said Scott Sanchez, the Planning Departments zoning administrator. If someone felt they werent welcome ... thats probably something we should look at.

In todays security-conscious world  and in a city where screaming, troubled people are an all-too-common sight on downtown streets  some sense of vigilance is to be expected.

Roof decks are extensions of the lobby, and thats problematic, said Jerold Kayden, a professor at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and a longtime champion of making required spaces as accessible as they can be. If youre going to do a rooftop public space, or the city is going to call for one, the design has to take getting there into account.

That will be the case at the 5.4-acre park that will top the new Transbay Transit Center when it opens late in 2017. Not only will a tram suspended from cables glide up from the adjacent ground-level plaza, but also an express elevator from the plaza to the rooftop will be part of the Salesforce Tower now under construction next door.

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But for the free public spaces that now beckon in the clouds, heres the best solution to improve the connection to the public at large: Put them to use.

If more and more people stop by for lunch, or for a few moments of calm amid the urban turbulence, then there will be more pressure on the city to come up with a clear set of guidelines that spell out what sort of check-in procedures are reasonable and which ones are unfair.

There might also be deserved shaming of building owners or managers who let the spaces go to seed, or act as if putting out a few tables is a burden.

Other cities dont have such rooftop spaces. San Francisco does. Its up to us to make them part of our daily lives.

John King is The San Francisco Chronicles urban design critic. Email: jking@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @johnkingsfchron

Online extras

For a full map of downtown San Franciscos privately owned public open spaces, go to the Planning Department website: http://bit.ly/1QUqv0m

To see a video on the rooftops: http://bit.ly/sf-rooftops
Wells Fargo & Co. Chief Executive Officer John Stumpf will forfeit $41 million of stock, plus some salary, as the banks board investigates the companys bogus-account scandal.

Former retail bank chief Carrie Tolstedt, who has left the company, will forgo all unvested stock, valued at about $19 million, and agreed not to cash in outstanding options during the review, the San Francisco bank said Tuesday. Neither Stumpf nor Tolstedt will receive a bonus for this year, the bank said.

We are deeply concerned by these matters, and we are committed to ensuring that all aspects of the companys business are conducted with integrity, transparency and oversight, Stephen Sanger, the boards lead independent director, said in a statement. We will proceed with a sense of urgency but will take the time we need to conduct a thorough investigation.

Separately, the U.S. Labor Department is investigating possible abuses of employees by Wells Fargo in connection with the banks alleged efforts to open millions of unauthorized accounts to meet sales goals.

A group of Democratic senators last week asked the department to investigate whether Wells Fargo tellers, branch managers and customer service reps were harassed and threatened with termination in the aggressive sales push. A complete review of cases and complaints is needed to determine if the second-largest U.S. bank violated the Fair Labor Standards Act, the senators said. About 5,300 employees have been fired since 2011.

In a letter Monday, Labor Secretary Tom Perez said the department takes the senators concerns seriously and has started a top-to-bottom review of labor practices at the San Francisco bank.

We take the concerns raised in your letter very seriously, Perez told the senators, led by Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Given the serious nature of the allegations ... and recent media reports, I have directed enforcement agencies within the department to conduct a top-to-bottom review of cases, complaints or violations concerning Wells Fargo over the last several years.

Bank spokeswoman Jennifer Dunn declined to comment on the Labor Department action.

The scandal over millions of deposit and credit card accounts allegedly opened without customers permission has widened. The Labor Department review comes atop investigations by congressional committees and federal prosecutors.

Federal and California regulators fined Wells Fargo $185 million this month. In a feverish drive to meet sales targets, bank employees opened the unauthorized accounts, transferred customers money into them and signed people up for online banking, according to the regulators. Debit cards were issued and activated, as well as PINs created, without customers knowledge.

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Senators of both parties heaped criticism on Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf last week as he testified at a hearing by the Senate Banking Committee, accusing the bank of fraud. He apologized for the misconduct and promised to assist affected customers. Senators told Stumpf he was scapegoating legions of lower-level employees while senior executives kept their jobs and received hefty pay packages.

In their request to the Labor Department, the Democratic senators noted that the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau had found at Wells Fargo a workplace characterized by stringent sales quotas and aggressive incentives imposed on its employees. In the drive to meet sales quotas, employees were faced with threats of termination, mandated hours of unpaid overtime, harassment and other forms of retaliation, the senators wrote.

On Friday, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco said Stumpf is resigning his position on the advisory council to the Fed board in Washington. Stumpf made a personal decision to give up his position as representative from the Feds San Francisco region to focus on his top priority of leading Wells Fargo, the company said.

Stumpf is returning to Congress to testify Thursday before the House Financial Services Committee.
A 29-year-old Daly City man was charged this week with sexually assaulting three underage girls, police said Tuesday.

Jason Daniel Sanchez Lokerson was charged Monday with continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14, among other offenses.

One allegation stems from an incident at his home June 26 and June 27. Lokerson was accused of trying to have sex with an unconscious 13-year-old girl after he gave her alcohol, according to the San Mateo County District Attorneys Office.

Lokerson was also accused of continuously abusing two more girls, 14 and 13, over a period of several years, officials said.

He was arrested last week and was being held at San Mateo County Jail in Redwood City on $9 million bail.

Police were continuing to investigate the abuse allegations. Anyone with more information can call Detective Christian Poteat at (650) 808-5635.

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Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno
One of three young drifters linked to a savage crime spree took the witness stand Tuesday to say the drug-addled group had selected its two killing victims  the first in San Francisco and the second in Marin County  almost randomly while dreaming of moving to Oregon to start a pot farm.

They chose 23-year-old Canadian backpacker Audrey Carey because she was foreign and possibly had money, and they initially intended to rob her but not kill her, said Sean Michael Angold, referring to the young woman who was found dead Oct. 3 in Golden Gate Park amid the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival.

Two days later, the three chose to kill a hiker in Fairfax, 67-year-old Steve Carter, because they wanted his station wagon for their journey north, Angold said. He said they followed Carter as he walked his Doberman pinscher, Coco  and when they could not find him, waited for him to return.

We decided we were going to shoot the individual for the car keys, Angold said of Carter, a respected tantric yoga instructor.

Angold, 25, appeared at a preliminary hearing after admitting to second-degree murder in a plea bargain in Marin County Superior Court. He testified for the prosecution in its double-murder case against his former co-defendants, Lila Scott Alligood, 19, and Morrison Haze Lampley, 24. A judge will decide Friday whether to send the case to a jury trial.

Angolds chilling testimony filled in many details of crimes that horrified the Bay Area, but his memory was clouded by admitted drug use and his answers were riddled with gaps in time and contradictions with earlier testimony.

Attorneys for Alligood and Lampley seized on the inconsistencies, while suggesting Angolds testimony was compromised by the deal he struck for a possible sentence of 15 years to life in prison, rather than life without parole.

When Amy Morton, Alligoods attorney, asked Angold about his drug use, he answered that he had been on a run of meth for about a week before he met up with the defendants.

Chief Public Defender David Brown, Lampleys attorney, established that Angold has a history of lying to police. Angold admitted that during questioning soon after the killings, he pretended he didnt know Carey was dead.

I said a lot of things that day that werent true, Angold said.

Angold testified that the spree began on a San Francisco street near Coit Tower, where the three pulled on the door handles of parked cars, testing to see if any were left unlocked. They found one: a Ford F-150 that held a .40-caliber Smith and Wesson handgun and ammunition in a camouflage pouch in the console.

Investigators said the gun theft occurred either late Sept. 30 or in the early hours of Oct. 1. Lampley and Alligood  who referred to each other as husband and wife  had joined Angold in San Francisco about a week before, Angold said.

He said he and Lampley, the alleged ringleader of the group, had the gun when they crossed paths with Carey about a day later near one of the windmills at the edge of Golden Gate Park and Ocean Beach. They had been smoking crystal meth, which Angold said he had sold throughout the city. Carey, who was on her first solo backpacking trip in the United States, asked to join them, and together they drank beer and smoked weed, Angold said.

The group stayed together, getting pizza and returning to Ocean Beach. During this time, Angold said, he and Lampley came up with a plan to rob Carey  an idea that Alligood later agreed to. At about sunset, they went into the bushes by the windmill and continued smoking pot and cigarettes.

We were just kicking and talking, Angold said. I left to take a leak. When I came back, Ms. Alligood had jumped across the circle and tackled her.

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Angold said he ran to Careys feet as Lampley held her shoulders and Alligood tried to bind her hands. When Alligood was unsuccessful, she threw the rope to Angold, who tied it around Careys legs to keep her from chasing them, he said.

I see Mr. Lampley reach back for the pouch, Angold said. I heard Mr. Lampley say, Shut up, bitch, or Ill kill you. She said, Just kill me then. Then I heard a pop. I didnt know what was going on. (Lampley) said, Shes dead, dude. Dont worry about it.

Angold said he then separated from his friends and went to Berkeley, but found them again at Fishermans Wharf. He said he stole a bike and a bottle of whiskey and they rode across the Golden Gate Bridge, doing some heroin and speed along the way. They spent the night at the vista point, where Angold said he sold tourists LSD and took some himself.

In Sausalito, Angold said he stole another bicycle before the group followed a trail to Fairfax. They tried unsuccessfully to hitchhike from a turnout, Angold said, when there was a group consensus to shoot somebody for a car.

At that point, Carter pulled into the turnout in his silver Volkswagen Jetta station wagon. He looked at us like we were crazy, Angold said, then drove to another turnout to park. He said Alligood was the one who decided Carter would be a good target, partially because of his age, and they followed him to his trail.

When Carter was found, his dog was also wounded, and he was still clutching the leash. Lampley, Angold and Alligood were arrested two days later outside a Portland, Ore., soup kitchen after authorities tracked them with the station wagons GPS device.

Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @vivianho
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A 28-year-old man suffered minor injuries after a police cruiser hit him on a Mission District street, authorities said Tuesday.

The crash was reported shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday at 24th Street and Potrero Avenue, said Officer Giselle Talkoff, a San Francisco Police Department spokeswoman.

The officer, who was not identified, was heading south on Potrero Avenue when the car struck the man.

The victim, whose name was also not released, was taken to California Pacific Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, officials said. Police did not provide additional details on the crash.

Ben Thompson, a 42-year-old San Francisco resident, said he was stopped in a car at the intersection when he saw the accident unfold.

He said a group of people were walking across the street on the northbound side of the intersection, despite the light being red, because traffic was slow.

Thompson said the injured pedestrian was a few feet away from the group of people crossing when he was hit by the patrol car that had the green light.

The police officer sped through the intersection: no lights, no siren, nothing, Thompson said. If I had to guess, 40 mph.

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He said the area had been crowded with pedestrians at the time, who had taken out their phones to record video of the crash. Thompson said his girlfriend rushed to help the injured man as he lay bleeding in the street.

He spun around a few times and he ended up on the ground, Thompson said. He was moaning. It was a loud hit.

The San Francisco Police Departments traffic division launched an investigation into the collision.

Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno
Bill Hutchinson / The Chronicle

A man was found stabbed to death in a San Jose field Tuesday morning, police said.

Officers called out to investigate a body at 878 Jeanne Avenue found the man unconscious with visible wounds about 10:20 a.m., said Officer Albert Morales, a San Jose Police Department spokesman.
A driver who brandished a gun in a road-rage incident caused a lockdown Tuesday at a Nordstrom store at the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto after police found the suspects car in the parking lot, officials said.

The road-rage incident occurred about 10:40 a.m. between two drivers. During the encounter, one of them pulled a gun, said Lt. Zach Perron of the Palo Alto Police Department.

A man and his wife were driving on Embarcadero Road near Middlefield Road when another driver, 28-year-old Charles Christian Simbulan Blano, made an unsafe lane change prompting the road-rage incident, Perron said. Blano then pulled out a .45-caliber Glock pistol and verbally threatened the man and his wife in the other car when they reached Quarry Road and Arboretum Road, he said.

Police tracked Blanos car to the parking lot outside the Nordstrom, and issued a shelter-in-place order as they closed off streets to the Stanford Shopping Center and searched for the suspected gunman. Nearly 255 Nordstrom customers and employees were instructed to remain in the store for about 40 minutes until police were able to confirm that the suspect was not in the area. No injuries were reported, Perron said.

It was never an active shooter scenario, said Perron. There wasnt a man running through the streets with a gun.

Blano, a Fremont resident, was eventually found about a mile away at the Stanford Health Center around 12:40 p.m. after police received reports that he worked there. He was cited for misdemeanors for brandishing a firearm and possession of a concealed firearm that not properly stowed in a vehicle. He was released at the scene, Perron said.

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Police are on high alert after mall shootings in Seattle and Houston shook the nation over the last few days. On Friday, five people were killed and a gunman was arrested at mall north of Seattle. And on Monday, nine people were wounded in a mall shooting in Houston by a gunman police shot to death.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani
Alameda County Sheriffs Office / Alameda County Sheriffs Office

Inside the Oakland residence of a teenager wanted in a robbery that occurred on an AC Transit bus, police uncovered an arsenal of illicit weapons, including a fully-automatic assault rifle and a semiautomatic rifle with the serial number scratched off.

Alameda County sheriffs deputies arrested Tyheir Bolden, 18, on suspicion of 11 robbery and weapons related felonies after after executing a search warrant on his home on 20th Street in Oakland on Tuesday, officials said.
As with most of our stories, this one begins at the kitchen table in the outer, outer, outer Excelsior. The year after my mother (Nurse Vivian) died, my father (Hap) came out for Thanksgiving. He hadnt unpacked before he said, Lets go to Ikea. And off we drove. Im buying you a kitchen table. Nurse Vivian loved your blue bungalow, but she always said that you needed a kitchen table to make it into a home.

Thirteen years have not been kind to this wooden circle. Pine? Oak? More than a dozen rescue dogs have chewed on its legs, five babies have poured cereal on it, and many of Aidans tantrums involved running a fork along its surface. But Nurse Vivians table turned out to be exactly what she predicted: the place where Aidan eats Cheerios while Zane eats leftover pizza, where Papa balances his checkbook, where Krypto sleeps on my feet while I try to figure out Zanes math homework and where Papa and I share a glass of wine at midnight. Qp had her puppies underneath it, with me as her midwife.

So on a Sunday a few weeks ago, the table was the place where the Fisher-Paulsons spat. Into little glass tubes.

This spitting was the idea of my Fairy God Sister (FGS). When talking about race, we never knew which boxes to check off for Aidan. No birth father was ever named, and so although we knew enough to celebrate Kwanzaa and Juneteenth with Zane, we had no idea whether we should be celebrating Cinco de Mayo or Eid with Aidan. So our FGS sent us four 23andMe kits, and, on a cozy September morning, Uncle Jon counted down, 3-2-1-SPIT! The family that spits together, fits together.

The story goes that my great-great-grandparents Patrick and Rogan Curtis worked on a ferryboat that crossed the Irish Sea. Nine months pregnant, Rogan went into labor on that boat and delivered on the English side of the channel. The customs officials attempted to record the birth of Great-Grandmother Sadie as an Englishwoman, but Great-Great-Grandmother Rogan shouted, Stop! If a cat has kittens in the oven, that doesnt make them cookies.

It took a few weeks to get results, but this week, an email declared that I had 64 percent fewer Neanderthal variants than the average customer. Was that good? I was likely to experience hair loss before I was 40, and given that I dont remember my 40th birthday but I do remember my hair loss, that seemed fair. I was less likely to suffer hangovers than the average customer, which appears to me as an adaptive advantage of my Irish heritage.

This brings me to the nationality thing: No surprise that Papa, whose family can be traced back to the Mayflower, is more than half British/Irish. The curiosity in his genes was that despite the other side of his family claiming to be as French Canadian as Celine Dion, Papa turned up with less than 10 percent Gallic blood, dashing all of my lumberjack fantasies.

Zanes gene pool included: 67.8 percent sub-Saharan Africa, 5.7 percent Native American and the rest European. I am delighted that 3.9 percent of his blood is Celtic so that on March 17, he can wear his Kiss me, Im Irish T-shirt.

Aidan turns out to be 59 percent European, with British, French, German and Italian mixed in, with the remaining portion sub-Saharan Africa, so if we ever get to a college application, well have a few options.

And me? Turned out to be more Irish than I thought: 71.2 percent, with the rest being Scandinavian. Three-quarters leprechaun, one-quarter Viking.

Always thought I was part German since Grandpa Wise, who showed up in Johnstown, Pa., a century or two ago, told no one where he came from but spoke with a Rhineland accent.

Every answer brings another mystery. We Fisher-Paulsons sat at the kitchen table, again, and went over everyones numbers and whether or not they could smell asparagus.

Aidan took it in stride. Zane looked overwhelmed. What does all this mean?

For once, I got to play Father Knows Best: What it means is that we have more facts, but not necessarily more wisdom. We still dont know where Grandpa Wise came from. We might know what percentage of West African blood your birth mother had, but we do not know why she walked out in the hospital. We know this: The Fisher-Paulsons came together and always will be together. We dont know what kind of wood this table is made of. But here we are all different shades of the same family.
An unarmed black teenager shot by a white police officer, followed by a violent protest. It sounds like too many stories in the news recently, but this happened decades in San Francisco.

The Chronicles front page from Sept. 28, 1966, covers the start of the Hunters Point riots after 16-year-old Matthew Johnson was shot dead by San Francisco police Officer Alvin Johnson.

A major riot broke out in Hunters Point last night in the lightning-quick aftermath to the fatal shooting of a Negro teenager by a policeman, the story read, using the accepted language of the time. It was the worst outburst of racial violence in the citys (recent) history, an outbreak the city had been fighting hard to prevent.

The Bayview-Hunters Point area was the forgotten part of San Francisco in the 1960s. Most of the residents were black, and many were impoverished. When the shipyard jobs dried up after World War II, the district declined.

A generation of young men grew up in poverty, often in squalid public housing projects and in broken families, writes city historian and Chronicle columnist Gary Kamiya. Drugs and violence spread. In just 15 years, Hunters Point went from a vibrant, multiracial neighborhood to a ghetto.

This was the atmosphere when Matthew Johnson was shot in the heart and bled to death in the street.

Several hundred youths roamed the poverty-stricken neighborhood  breaking windows, hurling gasoline-filled bottles and bricks, and looting stores, one of the front-page stories read. Five persons, including a policeman and a fireman, were injured and more than a dozen fires ignited.

Race riots had erupted across the country in the early to mid-1960s. Thankfully, the Hunters Point uprising wasnt as bloody.

It was not, indeed, another Watts, the story read. But before the powder keg calmed down last night, the rioting spread sporadically to the Fillmore district, a curfew was imposed on both districts and Police Chief Thomas Cahill requested 2,000 National Guard troops from Gov. Edmund G. Brown.

See more front pages: Go to SFChronicle.com/covers to search a database of hundreds of Chronicle Covers articles that showcase the newspapers history.

More from the Archive The Vault Home of the San Francisco Chronicle's archive and more than 150 years of journalism covering the Bay Area and beyond.

Chronicle Covers highlights one classic Chronicle newspaper page from our archive for 366 days. Library director Bill Van Niekerken and producers Kimberly Chua, Michelle Devera and Jillian Sullivan contributed to the project. Tim O'Rourke is the executive producer of SFChronicle.com. Email: torourke@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TimothyORourke

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The bizarre saga of a Vallejo kidnapping-for-ransom case, in which police initially accused the victims of carrying out an elaborate hoax, will take a major step toward a resolution Thursday when the accused abductor pleads guilty in a Sacramento federal courtroom, attorneys said.

Matthew Muller, 39, a disbarred San Francisco immigration lawyer, has agreed to admit to kidnapping 30-year-old Denise Huskins from the Mare Island home of her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, in March 2015, the defendants attorney, Tom Johnson, said Wednesday.

In exchange for the plea, federal prosecutors will not recommend a sentence of life without parole, said Johnson, a Sacramento attorney. But the decision on whether Muller will spend the rest of his life behind bars will ultimately rest with U.S. District Court Judge Troy Nunley.

Were relieved, Quinns mother, Marianne Quinn, said after learning of the plea agreement Wednesday. But I never can forget about whats happened. Its always in the back of my mind. It never goes away.

Apparently seeking to avoid possible complications with the plea, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Segal requested the court to make a detailed inquiry into the nature and current effects of the defendants mental condition and medications.

Muller has had mental problems in the past and is currently medicated, Segal, the lead prosecutor in the case, wrote in a memorandum filed in court Tuesday.

Earlier this month, prosecutors sought to block Muller from asserting an insanity defense or introducing expert evidence relating to his mental condition that may affect the issue of his guilt.

The sensational case  involving a onetime Marine and Harvard-educated defendant, a sympathetic young couple, and a bungled police investigation  set off a media firestorm as zigzagging revelations of the case played out in public and captured intense national interest.

Thursdays guilty plea will begin to pave the way for a conclusion for the victims civil rights lawsuit against the city of Vallejo and its Police Department.

The criminal charges against Muller, who was eventually caught after a home invasion in Dublin, stem from the early-morning hours of March 23, 2015. He is accused of sneaking into Aaron Quinns home, where he tied up the victims, drugged them and vanished with Huskins.

The boyfriend later called police and laid out the extraordinary details of the home invasion, including the seemingly paltry $8,500 ransom that made investigators suspicious. Detectives interrogated Aaron Quinn for hours, suspecting him in the disappearance.

The day after the kidnapping, while teams of searchers fanned out on Mare Island, The Chronicle received a proof of life statement  an audio recording of Huskins recounting the days news and personal details only she would know.

The next day, Huskins remarkably showed up at the home of one of her parents in Huntington Beach (Orange County). She told police there that she was sexually assaulted by her abductor before being set free.

Investigators in Vallejo, though, publicly dismissed the account as bogus.

Given the facts that have been presented thus far, this event appears to be an orchestrated event and not a kidnapping, Vallejo police Lt. Kenny Park said at a news conference.

But in the days after Huskins safe return, The Chronicle began receiving a series of emails from a person purporting to be the kidnapper. The author described himself as part of a group of Oceans Eleven, gentlemen criminals, who ran an auto-theft ring on Mare Island and wanted to move on to more lucrative crimes.

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Months later, Muller was captured after a home invasion in Dublin. He pleaded no contest in Alameda County Superior Court in September 2015 for the Dublin crime, in which he broke into a home and tried to subdue a husband and wife who were asleep.

The husband fought back, and Muller ran from the scene, leaving his cell phone behind.

Authorities used the phone to track Muller to his parents vacation home in South Lake Tahoe, where police uncovered evidence linking him in the Vallejo crime.

A California native, Muller spent four years in the Marine Corps before enrolling at Pomona College and then Harvard Law School, where he graduated in 2006. By 2011, he was a member of the State Bar of California and did immigration work in San Francisco.

Muller was disbarred for refusing to refund a client for services he failed to perform, and in 2014 he filed for bankruptcy protection in Sacramento. After his arrest in the Dublin case, police around the Bay Area linked him to several similar home invasions over the years.

Vallejo police officials later wrote letters of apology to Huskins and Aaron Quinn after Muller was criminally charged in federal court. The city continues to fight the civil case.

What weve all had is post-traumatic stress from this situation, Marianne Quinn said. At least now the civil case can move forward.

Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky
Who doesnt wish all the best for the Mexican Museum? For more than 40 years, it has made only halting progress toward maturity as an institution celebrating Mexican and Mexican American art  lately broadened to encompass Latino and Hispanic culture internationally.

A new space for the museum, designed by the prominent Mexican architect Enrique Norten and under construction at Mission and Third streets in San Francisco, is a major step in that direction. But there has been little encouraging news from the art side of the organization in quite some time, and there are currently no staff members with curatorial experience or expertise.

Thats why I took note of an email I received last week with the subject line New Curatorial Team at the Mexican Museum. It pains me to report, however, that the news is mixed. Rather than hiring an in-house team of professionals, or even one, the museum has selected Sari Bermudez  who served from 2000 to 2006 as president of the National Council for Culture and the Arts of Mexico  and the Mexico City firm Estudio Museografico to serve as an independent consultant for curatorial programming and exhibit design.

The use of consultants in the museum world is very common, particularly for an institution undergoing major change. In a phone interview, Chairman Andrew M. Kluger said the institution is seeking advice on the quality of a collection that totals 17,000 works, plus several thousand more being offered by various donors.

Although seeking advice is laudable, that analysis would ordinarily be done, if not by the museums curatorial professionals, then in consultation with them. Bermudez, said Kluger, is basically taking on that role for the next two years, and then she will help us do a search for a permanent curator.

We had a number of people that we did hire before as curators, Kluger said. The problem was they were very weak, in terms of their background. And no curator of real substance was going to come into the museum at this time, where it was still in the fundraising and development phase, without any clear guarantee that they had jobs for the next three to four to five years.

So what is the background of the consultants brought on for the job? The website of Estudio Museografico describes a firm oriented to design and presentation more than to scholarship. By phone from Mexico City, Bermudez said that her experience is in the Mexican political realm. Shes been a translator, a television producer and reporter, and a government cultural policy wonk. But she readily admits that she is not an art historian.

She made much of the team of experts with whom she would work, and Kluger said, Its more the team than her, herself. But when I asked the museum for biographies of key team members, a public relations person responded after several days, The Mexican Museum is finalizing the team roster on this project and is not ready to release the names. Once we have the names we will make sure you are the first to know.

Aidlin Darling Design/Modernism Inc.

Modernism on the move: Martin Muller, the San Francisco gallerist who pioneered art in the SoMa neighborhood in 1979, then moved to the Monadnock Building in 1986, has long presented a lively program of droll realism and high abstraction. Sometime in November (depending on the construction), he will open the newest iteration of Modernism Inc. at 724 Ellis St., just within the Uptown Tenderloin Historic District.

The neighborhood has been experiencing a rapid renaissance, with trendy restaurants, bars and shops opening regularly. One of the citys most carefully watched contemporary art galleries, Jessica Silverman, runs two spaces on opposite corners of the 400 block of Ellis, and the influential art publisher and producer the Thing is also in the area.

The new Modernism space shows greater architectural ambition than these, with a top-to-bottom renovation of a 5,000-square-foot building. The work is being orchestrated by Aidlin Darling Design, an award-winning firm best known locally for In Situ restaurant at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Stanford Universitys Windhover Contemplative Center.

The first exhibition in the new space celebrates the gallerys 37th anniversary with a solo exhibition of works by a gallery stalwart, the iconoclastic Gottfried Helnwein.

Breaking the gallery: Dena Beard is talking about the nonprofit organization she runs, and the radically free-form policies at the heart of a new series of exhibitions, installations and performances that will launch there in October. Earlier, she had emailed me, The Lab is finally launching our commissioning program. For these we give each artist-in-residence $25-$70K, unrestricted, and allow them complete license to transform the space, our website, operating systems for up to 10 weeks.

I ask what she means by operating systems. Everything, she says, from accounting to security to all the ways we handle the operations of the place. An artist had just required the removal of window security bars, which changed the way the light entered the space but also communicates something about vulnerability and access at the Mission District space, a half-block from the 16th Street Mission BART Station. Beard allows that the alteration ups the ante on safety, but its also a sign of gentrification  its an ambivalent gesture.

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But what if something an artist wants is a real danger to the organization? What if they break it? Id rather the Lab to break as a result of art, she says, than from something we did administratively.

The series begins with an installation to be developed Saturday, Oct. 1, through Oct. 31 by Jacqueline Gordon, a San Franciscan known for creating sound works. Inside You Is Me is planned as a sculptural and sonic environment with movable walls and a multichannel sound composition. Gordon will work with nine other artists as the piece changes and develops day by day; visitors not only will move around the space, but can also reconfigure it, moving walls and other elements. A series of music and dance performances will add yet another layer. For schedule and details, go to www.thelab.org/projects/2016/10/1/jacqueline-gordon.

Bitforms comes west (temporarily): The Minnesota Street Project continues to challenge galleries in the Bay Area, and even its own long-term tenants, with innovative imports presented in space reserved for temporary shows. Some of the pop-up exhibitions are created by regional galleries with under-resourced but vigorous programs (Capital last April, Eli Ridgway presenting Amy Ellingson Saturday, Oct. 1, through Oct. 29), some by imports from New York or elsewhere.

New Yorks Bitforms Gallery is a media and digital arts space, venerable at 15 years old. Like an oldster looking to add some spice to life, the gallery will celebrate its anniversary, not just at home, but out of town in a hip new place: San Francisco. The show will include currently represented artists as well as those who have shaped the gallerys identity over the years, demonstrating the programs continued engagement with technologically informed practices. It will be on view Nov. 5-Dec. 29.

Charles Desmarais is The San Francisco Chronicles art critic. Email: cdesmarais@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Artguy1
el cajon shooting

Protesters gathered in the San Diego area on Tuesday after a black man was fatally shot by the police.

The shooting happened in the city of El Cajon, about 16 miles northeast of San Diego.

El Cajon Police Department said officers were responding to reports of a man acting erratically. In a press release, the department said the man, described as an African-American in his 30s, was "walking in traffic."

Local news outlets cited family members who identified the man as Alfred Olango.

The police said Olango kept one hand in his pocket as two officers tried to detain him.

"At one point, the subject rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together, and extended them rapidly toward the officer taking up what appeared to be a shooting stance," the police department's press release said.

The department published an image captured from video obtained from a witness. The image appears to show the confrontation between the officers and Olango.

One of the responding officers deployed a "less lethal electronic control device," the police said. Another officer fired several shots from his service weapon, hitting Olango, who died of his injuries at a hospital.

Demonstrators gathered at the scene, chanting and criticizing the way the police handled the situation.

One man said he was driving out of a nearby apartment building as the incident unfolded, according to a report from The San Diego Union-Tribune. Michael Ray Rodriguez said an officer opened fire in a matter of seconds.

"[The officer] let go of the trigger and shot him again and again," Rodriguez said, adding that he heard five shots, according to The Union-Tribune.

el cajon shooting

Investigators were on site for several hours before the police officially addressed the incident in a late-night news conference.

Story continues

A department spokesman urged the public to remain calm and said the agency planned to be "open and transparent" during the investigation.

El Cajon police do not have body cameras, The Union-Tribune reported. Lt. Rob Ransweiler of the police department told the newspaper the department recently completed a pilot program with body cameras and ordered them.

"The equipment has not been delivered," Ransweiler said.

The shooting follows weeks of demonstrations after black men were fatally shot by the police in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and in Charlotte, North Carolina, cases that have reignited a historically fraught discussion about police relations, specifically in communities of color.

At least 715 people have been fatally shot by the police this year, according to data compiled by The Washington Post.





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One of the great public health triumphs of the past century has been the steady decrease in cigarette smoking. Yet there is one group that has not benefited from this progress: persons with mental illness.

Today, smoking rates among adults in the United States are at a modern low of 15.1 percent, and California, which at 11.7 percent has the second-lowest state smoking rate, has led the way with early action on tobacco taxation and clean indoor air laws. Had smoking rates persisted at the rate they were in 1964, 8 million more Americans would have died from smoking-related illnesses.

Persons with mental illnesses, such as depression, bipolar disease, schizophrenia and chronic anxiety, as well as those with substance-use disorders including alcohol abuse or heroin addiction, smoke at rates two-to-three times the national average. Not only that, they smoke more daily cigarettes.

As a consequence, smokers with mental illnesses consume 40 percent of all cigarettes sold in this country, despite accounting for only about 20 percent of the population. Heavy smoking comes with a huge cost  persons with mental illness die 10 to 15 years earlier than the general population and most of those premature deaths are from smoking-related illnesses such as heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, and chronic lung disease.

For too long, smoking among persons with mental illnesses was tolerated and even encouraged because of many misperceptions: Smoking alleviates psychiatric symptoms; smokers with mental illnesses dont want to stop smoking; even if they want to quit they wont be able to; they deserve the pleasure from smoking to counteract the pain of their illnesses; and quitting exacerbates the underlying mental health condition. These myths were perpetuated by too many mental health professionals, and were abetted by the tobacco industry and well-intended families and friends.

Now we know different. Most smokers with mental illness do want to quit, and many are able to do so. Much of the pleasure of smoking a cigarette comes from avoiding withdrawal from its addictive component  nicotine. And rather than worsening symptoms, a recent review has shown that when persons with chronic depression or anxiety stop smoking, their symptoms actually improve.

Despite Californias low rate of smoking, because of its large population, the state has more smokers than any other state, including smokers with mental illnesses. We can do much better in helping Californians with mental illness stop smoking and improve their health  and all Californians have a role to play.

First, the recent $86.4 million state budget increase for behavioral health services should provide resources focused on smoking cessation among persons with mental illness. This has been a neglected area.

Second, clinicians caring for persons with mental illness  both in public and private settings  should identify smokers and encourage them to seek treatment.

Third, administrative barriers to receive appropriate smoking-cessation assistance, including counseling and medications, should be removed.

Fourth, achieving this goal should be a priority for all who work in the health care system, as well as the many committed advocates concerned about the well-being of those with mental illness.

Finally, every Californian who knows a smoker living with mental illness  a family member, friend, classmate or coworker  should encourage them to have a conversation with a health-care provider about how to quit. One important and underused resource is the free California Smokers Helpline (800-NOBUTTS).

It is time to recognize the existence of this hidden epidemic and try to correct it. The health of millions of Californians would benefit.

Dr. Steve Schroeder is a professor of health and health care, as well as the director of the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center at UCSF.
By Russell Cheyne MOTHERWELL, Scotland (Reuters) - Scotland's last major steelworks reopened under the ownership of industrialist Sanjeev Gupta on Wednesday, heralded by Nicola Sturgeon's government as proof that the country can draw investment and protect industry in difficult times. Liberty Steel bought the 144-year-old Dalzell plant in Motherwell and its sister works at Clydebridge in Glasgow in April from Tata Steel for a symbolic sum, with the Scottish government underpinning the process. Tata mothballed the plants at the end of 2015 due to the impact of cheap Chinese imports, causing the loss of 270 jobs and sparking fears for the area's economy after the closure of a nearby plant in Ravenscraig in 1992. Fresh from watching molten slabs of steel roll out of the furnace, Sturgeon described the revival of the steel plate mill as "a very positive signal that the steel and engineering industries still have a future in Scotland". "It is a difficult market, but we now have a company in the ownership of Dalzell that has a vision of what they want to achieve," she told Sky News. Britain's ability to compete in the global steel market was thrown into the spotlight earlier this year when Tata Steel put its entire British operations up for sale. Several groups including Liberty have expressed an interest in those assets, which include the Port Talbot steel plant in Wales, but Tata is currently exploring options for a joint venture with Germany's Thyssenkrupp. Gupta said on Wednesday he was now also looking to open an electric arc furnace in Scotland. "The most compelling place to build an electric arc furnace is the Midlands (in England) because it's a big generator of scrap and a big consumer of steel," he told Reuters. "But we are looking to do it in Scotland also, mainly because of the Scottish government, their enthusiasm. "It's been a great experience working here." In a nod to Gupta's Indian heritage, a steel pellet sculpture of Ganesha, Hindu god of beginnings, had been erected for the opening. Sturgeon, who has said she may seek another independence referendum for Scotland, told a business conference in London on Tuesday that her country was consistently outperforming every part of the UK except London when it came to attracting inward investment. Steel plate is used in industries like construction, shipbuilding, automotive, mining and energy sectors. Dalzell is also looking to make plates for the manufacture of wind turbines and in the longer term could seek to supply projects like Hinkley Point, the new nuclear plant due to be built in southwest England. Liberty has spent five months preparing to reactivate Dalzell's furnace and rolling mill to produce 150,000 tonnes of steel plate a year. It has hired around 120 staff, mostly former employees, and hopes to increase output to 500,000 tonnes eventually, employing 200 people within 18 months. Gupta said the Clydebridge works would come back on stream "in due course as market conditions allowed". Britain currently consumes 700,000 tonnes per year of plate steel, increasing at around three percent annually. (Reporting and writing by Helen Reid, Additional reporting by Maytaal Angel in London and Elisabeth O'Leary in Edinburgh; editing by Kate Holton)
Ryan Stern

The political press corps has known Bob Stern as the straight-arrow president of Los Angeles Center for Governmental Studies who helped Jerry Brown create the Fair Political Practices Commission in 1974. Since the center closed its L.A. offices in 2011, Stern seems to have developed a devious side  or was it there all along? I ask, because in his November Election course at UCLA extension, Stern managed to set up a scenario wherein a substantial majority  he thinks two-thirds of the class of westside liberals; his wife, Joan, says three-quarters  raised their hands when asked if they could vote for Donald Trump in November.

How did Stern do it? Before he set up his scenario, Stern had asked the 125 political junkies in his class to raise their hands if they were going to vote for Trump, Hillary Clinton, Libertarian Gary Johnson or Green Party candidate Jill Stein. While a couple of students said they were undecided, no one raised a hand for Trump, Johnson or Stein. Everyone else supported Clinton  no surprise in West L.A., where it is universally acknowledged that no thinking person would ever vote for The Donald.
One down, two to go, an exuberant Hillary Clinton told a cheering crowd in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday afternoon.

That remark may be more prescient than the former secretary of state meant it to be. Sure, most of the early reviews of Mondays first presidential debate were socko, touting Clinton for a thumping victory in both style and substance over Donald Trump, her GOP opponent.

But there still are two debates left, on Oct. 9 in St. Louis and Oct. 19 in Las Vegas, and a political face-plant in one or both of them could leave any advantages from Clintons performance at Hofstra University little more than a fast-fading memory.

You often see the results of any debate a day or two later in the tracking polls, said Mitchell McKinney, professor of communication at the University of Missouri. If one candidate gets a bump, the assignment then is to maintain a steady performance through the next debate and then the one after.

You dont have to peer too deep into the past to see how that works. Four years ago, Republican Mitt Romney trounced a strangely lethargic President Obama in their opening debate, sparking excited speculation that it was going to be the GOPs year.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

But Romney and Obama met for two more debates after that. Obama improved his performance, and look whos still in the White House.

While Clinton was in a swing state Tuesday, slamming Trump as someone who is dangerously incoherent, the New York developer and reality TV star was in Miami for a fundraiser and a long-planned visit to Little Havana.

We did very well at the debate, Trump said. It was an interesting evening, certainly, and big league. Definitely big league.

Despite Trumps contention that he was the real winner of Monday nights debate, its a guarantee that his campaign team  although maybe not the candidate himself  saw plenty of things they would like him to do  or not do  in the Oct. 9 rematch.

Here are some things the candidates might want to keep in mind before they step back on the debate stage:

Its not about you. Even when it is: Trump needs to remember that its not what a person says about you that counts, but what you say about them. Responding to jibes is a losers game.

Clinton scored many of her points when she needled Trump, suggesting casually that he might not be as rich, charitable, successful or knowledgeable as he likes to portray himself.

Thats one reason why Trump, who started the evening in a thoughtful, low-key, presidential mode, quickly reverted to his angry GOP primary self, shouting down Clinton and the moderator, interrupting her answers and glaring at her as if waiting for a chance to hit back.

Trump let Clinton get under his skin and it showed. And he cant let it happen again.

Know your crowd: When trying to appeal to blue-collar voters, it doesnt help to remind them that you made nearly $700 million in income last year or to chime in that thats called business when you look to make big bucks off a financial collapse that cost 9 million people their jobs and 5 million people their homes.

The figure of an angry populist whos more than willing to show his middle finger to the political establishment may be a winner at a campaign rally, but doesnt do much to attract undecided voters already worried that Trump might not have the temperament or knowledge to be president.

He needs to be a little less pugnacious, said Barbara OConnor, an emeritus professor of political communication at California State University Sacramento.

But a harsh, reasoned focus on the economic woes still plaguing much of the country, along with a reminder that neither mainstream Democrats nor Republicans have been able to fix things, could turn some of those undecided voters. Especially if Trump keeps reminding them why they dont much like Clinton.

Typical politician, he said in one crowd-friendly response to Clintons economic plan. All talk, no action. Sounds good, doesnt work. Not going to happen.

Just say no to sex: Trump said he purposely backed away from attacking Clinton on Monday for the sexual escapades of her husband, former President Bill Clinton, but suggested that could change.

But a discussion of the former presidents sex life, while guaranteed to bring headlines, isnt where a man who has been married three times and has boasted often of his sexual conquests and extramarital affairs needs to go.

Mama dont preach: Clinton too often comes across as an eat your vegetables politician, telling voters what she believes they need to know, rather than what they want to know. And then shes surprised when they dont much like it.

Instead of presenting her political pronouncements as though they were wisdom from on high, Clinton needs to let voters know she wants to put together real plans to help real people and that she is willing to work and negotiate with any and all groups and politicians to turn them into reality.

I want us to invest in you. I want us to invest in your future, Clinton said Monday in a turn of phrase she needs to hang on to.

Less is more: Some of Clintons best moments Monday were when she just sat back and let Trump ramble on, tying himself into verbal knots as he struggled to answer questions or respond to attacks.

In many cases, the more a politician says, the more trouble she can get into. Thats why Clintons response to the inevitable question about her emails and the private server she used as secretary of state  a simple I made a mistake  worked so well.

When Trump takes his anticipated shots at Clintons response to the Benghazi attack, her work with the Clinton Foundation or war in the Middle East, she cant drop into the mud and start wrestling. She needs to make a succinct point and leave it there.

Feel their pain: The Oct. 9 debate is a town hall with undecided voters, which is a very different animal from Mondays debate. People in the hall will be looking for a candidate they can connect with.

The dynamics are very different, said McKinney of the University of Missouri. In Mondays debate, the candidates interacted with each other. In a town hall, they need to interact with the crowd.

Thats not easy for Clinton, who often comes off as cold, over-rehearsed and scripted when she speaks, making her a politician more respected than liked, even among her supporters.

In the St. Louis debate, she needs to walk a narrow line, maintaining her composure, but showing the crowd some passion for what she believes in.

She needs to be less lawyerly ... to pitch herself to undecided voters, OConnor said. And it would help if she could stir up some enthusiasm among her supporters.

John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth
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WASHINGTON  House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday that its up to Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to win over the young voters who she said are keeping the race with Donald Trump close by flirting with third-party candidates, particularly Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson.

A narrow victory would deprive Hillary Clinton of a big mandate that I think she should have going into the White House and that would be helpful as to how we go forward, the San Francisco Democrat said.

A close presidential race would also probably deprive Pelosi of a shot at becoming House speaker again. She held the post from 2007 to 2011.

Pelosi predicted that Democrats would make gains in the House in November, but said the size of those gains would be linked to Clintons fortunes. Democrats would have to net 30 seats to make Pelosi speaker again. Many analysts think Clinton would have to win in a landslide to give the Democrats a shot at a House victory of that magnitude.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, said Monday that prospects were improving for House Republicans. I internally have not seen one poll where a Republican incumbent is behind, he said. As (Trumps) numbers go up, our numbers go up as well.

Pelosi blamed the tight polls mainly on young voters interest in Johnson, and suggested he wasnt worthy of their attention.

Do you think most people who have said theyre going to be for the Libertarian because they like his hairstyle or whatever it is are going to stick with that? Pelosi said at a briefing in her Capitol conference room.

Clintons big August polling lead over Trump has narrowed to a near-tie, in part because she has not secured support from Millennials, those born after 1980. Young voters powered Barack Obamas primary victory over Clinton in 2008 and fueled Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders stiff primary challenge to Clinton this year.

Pelosi said the Future Forum, a group of House Democrats in their 30s led by Rep. Eric Swalwell of Dublin, has identified four big issues that young voters care about: climate change, college affordability, Wall Street reforms and money in elections.

Pelosi said Sanders emphasized all those issues in his campaign, while the Libertarian Party platform is to shut down public schools, eliminate clean air, clean water and every kind of protection in terms of regulation, dismantle Social Security, dismantle Medicare.

She predicted that Sanders will work hard for Clinton in the last stretch of the campaign, but that Clinton is going to have to make her own case to them as well because you can only transfer so much.

Carolyn Lochhead is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: clochhead@sfchronicle.com
Its a pretty straightforward question: When did you first register to vote as a Democrat? Kimberly Alvarenga, though, got it wrong.

The candidate for supervisor in District 11, the Excelsior, answered that query on the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committees candidate questionnaire for its endorsement process by writing, When I turned 18 years old and was first able to register to vote.

She answered similarly on a questionnaire for the San Francisco District 11 Democratic Club. It asked, What is your political affiliation? How long? She answered, I have been a registered Democrat since I was 18 years old.

Neither answer is true.

Voter registration information from the San Francisco Department of Elections shows Alvarenga first registered to vote when she was 19 with no party affiliation. According to the voter records, she remained a decline-to-state voter until April 2016, switching to Democrat.

That was when the election was starting to heat up and endorsements from key political groups were around the corner. The powerful DCCC will only endorse Democrats. In the District 11 race, the party members tied 15-15 between Alvarenga and her main competitor, Ahsha Safai, and gave no endorsement. The Safai campaign believes had Alvarenga been truthful about her party registration, the outcome may have been different.

Its important you represent yourself in a truthful way to voters, and if you say something it has to be truthful, Safai said.

He has been a registered Democrat in San Francisco since moving to the city from the East Coast in 2000, according to the Elections Department. Safai said he registered as a Democrat at age 18 and switched to decline-to-state for one year in Massachusetts because he was miffed with the federal policies of the Democratic Party.

Alvarenga said she has always been devoted to Democratic ideas  the values of fairness and representing the underdog.

She cited her membership in the Harvey Milk Democratic Club, her internship with Rep. Barbara Lee and her work as a district director for then-Assemblyman Tom Ammiano as examples of her Democratic credentials.

On why she didnt register as a Democrat until recently, she said, Our party doesnt always represent our values.

And as for the wrong answers on the questionnaires? She said that as a busy working mom, she had a campaign staffer fill them out.

She assumed, and I missed it, Alvarenga said. Thats the truth.

Heather Knight is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: hknight@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hknightsf
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A gloomy fog swirling over Fort Winfield Scott and historic gun batteries atop Golden Gate Overlook in the Presidio seemed an aptly ominous companion to the recent Night Without Borders exhibition opener of Home Land Security.

Curated by artist-gallerist Cheryl Haines and Jackie von Treskow, this patrons preview dinner raised funds for the For-Site Foundation, Haines art about place nonprofit thats presenting the show (through Dec. 18) in partnership with the Presidio Trust, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and the 100-year-old National Park Service.

Secreted inside spooky nooks of the decades-long shuttered former Nike Missile Administration building, hilltop batteries and Fort Scott Chapel are works by 18 international contemporary artists who present a haunting visual meditation on the wages of fear in an unstable world.

Israeli artist Tirtzah Bassel installed lifelike representations of refugees of war; global politics; and TSA agents. Dinner co-chair Nion McEvoy (joined in his duties by former Presidio Trust chairwoman Nancy Bechtle and major Dem donor Susie Tompkins Buell) was slightly surprised by Bassels medium: Ive always known duct tape could do anything, McEvoy remarked, observing her figures drawn on walls with colorful versions of that ubiquitous adhesive developed during WWII. But I never realized duct tape could create art.

Many art materials used in Home Land Security are the discarded objects of war: A 6-foot-tall Samurai-style suit of armor by Korean artist Do Ho Suh is crafted from stainless-steel military dog tags. Swedish American artist Michele Pred, who lobbied for access to objects confiscated from air travelers in our post-9/11 world, created a colorful large-scale wreathlike installation composed of everyday ephemera (nail clippers, scissors, plastic water pistols) now suspect as sinister.

This show is For-Sites fourth Golden Gate National Recreation Area art installation, and its most recent since its groundbreaking @Large Ai Weiwei show last fall on Alcatraz. That site is also a National Park Service locale, and Haines remains amazed that her parks partners allow her to mount political shows on government soil.

A dinner organized by chef Traci Des Jardins, representing cuisine from many of the artists home countries (Iran, Vietnam, Korea, Israel), followed inside a cavernous Presidio building that Haines reimagined with globes, suitcases and wood walls repurposed from moving pallets.

The ideas Cheryl dreams up are pure art that touches the heart, touches the soul. Its not always about pretty pictures, toasted Buell. This exhibition inspires us to understand more and care more about this very fragile, frightened world were living in.

Warp speed: It was a joyful liftoff at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts where sculptor Tom Sachs blasted off at the recent opening of his Space Program: Europa exhibition .

Led by Cathy Topham and her husband, Ned Topham (his late mother, Dodie Rosekrans, was an early Sachs collector), a cultural crew convened for this heartfelt, slyly humorous mission, which includes almost 200 exquisite bricolage creations handcrafted by the mirthfully obsessive sculptor whose work emits sly winks at our obsessive brandcentric consumerism.

During a mini-version of his Europa landing, Sachs and his studio team meticulously enact a DIY odyssey to Europa, replete with an Atari control system, space-suited astronauts commanding a towering landing module, boombox tunes and a civilized Japanese Tea ceremony.

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Its a bit like Kabuki theater meets This Is Spinal Tap  supplanting dancing midgets with alien abduction. And though Sachs eschews the term mockumentary, he expresses fandom for the sincere passion that film exhibited.

The film conjured a fake metal band from scratch. But its no joke: The band became real  Spinal Tap even toured, he explained during his initial YBCA installation. Thats why its important my space program represents who we are as Americans: Were colonists. We go into other places and impose our view. American culture is about abduction, about taking, about exploiting. We bring the noise. Art tells a story about who we are. And we have to accept who we are as exploiters.

Art centers and cultural organizations are key to that mission. And thats a concept near and dear to the heart of Deborah Cullinan, YBCAs CEO, who is a champion of working with artists who transform how we think about our neighborhoods, our people, our cities.

Thats what YBCA is here to do, she enthused. Toms Space Program reminds us that if we can imagine it and we can make it, we can get there and make it ours. We have to work with pioneering artists like Tom and follow their vision. They see for us things we cannot see and they take us places that we cannot imagine.

Catherine Bigelow is The San Francisco Chronicles society correspondent. Email: missbigelow@sfgate.com Instagram: @missbigelow
The Borgias was a lusty series about poison and duplicity; The Tudors was a lusty series about sex, lies and executions. Versailles is a series about real estate.

The 10-episode series, said to be the most expensive series produced in France, premieres on the Ovation channel with back-to-back episodes on Saturday, Oct. 1, and uses the expansion of the royal hunting lodge at Versailles into the grandest palace in Europe as a backdrop for Louis XIV coming into his own as king of France.

Louis (George Blagden) is a young man as the series begins, but hes already been king since he was 4 and is driven by the fact that he barely knew his father. At this point in what would be a very long reign, he is married to Queen Marie Therese of Spain (Elisa Lasowski), but theirs is hardly a love match. For Louis, the queen is merely a vessel for ensuring the Bourbon lineage. Meanwhile, he dallies daily with other women, but mostly his sister-in-law, Henriette (Noemie Schmidt). His brother Philippe (Alexander Vlahos) doesnt mind all that much because he is generally occupied with his lover Chevalier (Evan Williams) or any other young, willing male in the court.

Louis is determined to make Versailles the primary royal palace, but many in the court, including the queen, are against the idea. They miss the sophistication and gaiety of Paris, so much so that the expansion of the hunting lodge sparks more serious dissension among some members of the court who begin plotting against Louis.

The first four episodes of the series are rather talky, although heaven knows there are moments of eye-opening action of the carnal variety.

As for other varieties of action, when Louis sends Philippe to lead the French troops in battle, we dont even see the battle  just the aftermath, with a bunch of extras playing dead on the battlefield.

But the talk, at least, is revealing and sophisticated, not to mention often filled with intrigue. As Louis and his advisers plot strategy against the Spanish and other factions, he is evolving as a character, finding his footing as king. The more he realizes how few people he can really trust, the stronger and at times more merciless he becomes. When the queen betrays him, he takes his time, using her infidelity as a way to manipulate a strategic alliance with the new king of an African nation. After sending Philippe into battle, he agonizes between his personal concern about Philippes safety and his duty as the king of France. But is there also perhaps another point of conflict in the kings mind? If Philippe were to be killed, he could make Henriette entirely his, if he could figure out a way to dump the Spanish queen.

The series was created by Simon Mirren and David Wolstencroft, and in spite of the fact they rely heavily on talk and even on talk about real estate, they have created powerful and compelling characters to hold our attention. There are moments  blessedly few, thank goodness  when Versailles seems to want to make a pitch for French culture and tourism. We see that in particular when Louis outlines his plans for Versailles, and at an even more awkward moment when he orates about a coming revolution. For a moment, we think hes somehow looking ahead more than a century to the French Revolution of 1789. Mais non. Hes talking a far more important revolution: the dawn of a future age when France will be the worlds foremost center of fashion.

Well, in the meantime, we can be more than content with the jaw-dropping costume designs by Madeline Fontaine in the series produced by France, England and Canada.

The performances are quite good, especially Blagden, Lasowski, Vlahos, Stuart Bowman as the kings valet and most trusted friend, Tygh Runyan as the kings chief of police, and Amira Casar as the conniving Beatrice, who shamelessly pushes her daughter Sophie (Maddison Jaizani) under the kings nose at every opportunity, in hope that shell soon be under him in more socially advantageous ways.

Well, what else can Bourbon courtiers do, stuck out in the middle of nowhere, years before the invention of the Metro and the RER?

In the end, even in the 17th century, its all about location, location, location.

David Wiegand is an assistant managing editor and the TV critic of The San Francisco Chronicle and co-host of The Do List every Friday morning at 6:22 and 8:22 on KQED FM, 88.5 FM in San Francisco, 89.3 FM in Sacramento. Follow him on Facebook. Email:dwiegand@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @WaitWhat_TV

Versailles: Dramatic series. Back-to-back episodes 10 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 1, on Ovation channel.
Pat Wirzs vineyard tells the complete story of California Riesling.

Its a story, first of all, set against a long timeline. In California wines early days, Riesling was widely considered one of the states most promising white varieties  hard to fathom now in the kingdom of Chardonnay. The grape endured varying periods of favor and near-extinction. In 1921, California had about 1,980 acres of Riesling; by 1960, fewer than 285; by 1976, it had boomed again, to 8,650.

The Wirz Vineyard in Hollister (San Benito County) harks back to that mid-60s swinging pendulum: planted to Riesling in 1964, at a time when the grape looked, once again, like Californias next great white wine.

Like California Riesling at large, the Wirz Vineyard is underappreciated, misunderstood. Its half-century-old Riesling vines are own-rooted, head-trained, dry farmed; some of them sit directly on the San Andreas Fault. Says Pat Wirz: The Cienega Valley doesnt get a lot of press, but I think its one of the best places for growing grapes in California. Dont beat yourself up if you havent heard of it.

Yes, the site is hot (107 degrees last week), but it gets a welcome coastal influence through the Gabilan mountain range. If youre standing in it, with mountains towering on all sides, the vineyard can feel like a flat, low valley, but it actually stands at 1,000 feet above sea level.

The logic isnt obvious. If you taste the wines, youll see: The charge that Wirz Vineyard  that California in general  is too hot for Riesling, famously a lover of cool climates, is a fallacy.

Michael Short / The Chronicle

And the arc of the Wirz Vineyard metonymically reflects the shifting demands imposed on California Riesling over time, from commercial cash cow to artisanal obsession. Subjected in the 1970s and 80s to the mass-market treatment  a certain cerulean nun comes to mind  this noble grape has long connoted to Americans a wine that is saccharine, cloying, insipid. Large, value-oriented companies found huge success with Riesling, including Pacific Rim, whose founder Randall Grahm bought the entirety of the Wirz Vineyard crop for 16 years. After Grahm sold Pacific Rim, Wirzs main client was the mega-conglomerate Diageo, and then Constellation. By 2011, both had lost interest in Wirzs Riesling and moved on to another aromatic white  Moscato.

Thats when I started selling to the little guys, Wirz says. First, he sold grapes to the excellent Santa Cruz Mountains producers Big Basin and Thomas Fogarty. Quality-focused wineries like Bedrock, Precedent, Stirm, Ser and Waxwing have since followed, all bottling vineyard designates. There is a waiting list for Wirzs fruit.

Thats a good sign.

Right now, were in an era of small-production Riesling in California, says Graham Tatomer, who makes Riesling and other Austrian-inspired wines for his (tiny) Tatomer label in Santa Barbara. When I started (in 2008), there was no one else doing it. (To see who else is, now, consult my tasting notes.)

Leah Millis / The Chronicle 2014

It can get lonely staking a wine business on an obscure concept. Initially, Tatomer had trouble finding good vineyards that had any Riesling, and what Riesling he found in Santa Barbara County was planted all to the same clone. The available clones of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, by comparison, are in the dozens. Its not the clone that would be my first choice, Tatomer says. Its definitely more in the citrus-margarita spectrum of flavor, as opposed to the better-known, intensely rich stone-fruit flavors that you get in Germany.

Tatomer compensates for the lack of diverse plant material by making Rieslings in different styles, to emphasize the grapes versatility. For example, for his Kick-On Ranch bottling, from Los Alamos Valley, he selects only the grapes with the most physiologically ripe skins; the juice then undergoes 24 hours of skin contact, emulating the more-tannic style of Austrias Wachau Valley. For a wine he calls Vandenberg, Tatomer picks the grapes riper and welcomes the presence of the often-beneficial fungus botrytis, which produces a rich, floral, honeysuckle-inflected wine.

Like the Wirz Vineyard, some of Tatomers Riesling sources in Santa Barbara (Lafond Vineyard, planted in 1972; Rancho Sisquoc, 1968) are accidental survivors of a sort  old vines planted in a more Riesling-optimistic era that have managed to endure despite changing tides. A lot of Riesling here has been here for 40 years, says David deLaski, owner of Santa Barbaras Solminer winery. It was very in fashion in the 70s, and then it became incredibly out of fashion.

After those plantings in the 70s, Tatomer says, they almost immediately started grafting the Riesling over to things that were heartier. And no one would drink Riesling.

Which is a shame, because to the initiated, Riesling offers pleasures that no other varietal can. Its a fetish among the wine cognoscenti  though Californian examples are rarely mentioned in the same conversation as the German, Austrian or Alsatian standards.

When its good, Riesling is explosively expressive  exotic and floral, rich and fruity, persistently mineral. Great Riesling often emits a petroleum- or kerosene-like aroma (you can thank a class of compounds called terpenes), which may, to my nose, be the most knee-weakening scent in the world. (In a good way, if that wasnt clear.)

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Riesling is the most intellectual grape, says James Wasson, who makes a small amount of Riesling from Mendocinos Greenwood Ridge Vineyard for his Rein label. The complexity I dont think can be outdone. No other variety showcases place and time like it does.

Rieslings naturally sky-high acidity means it can age longer than most other white wines, and makes it one of the most versatile food wines. So high is this acidity that it often requires tempering  which is where the issue of sweetness comes in. Here we encounter the most pervasive misconception of all: I dont like Riesling because its too sweet. Sweetness in Riesling can be necessary. If a fermentation stops short of bone-dryness, retaining a little bit of sugar, thats often a welcome foil to an acid content that could otherwise present as unpleasantly tart.

Michael Short/The Chronicle

In many cases, Riesling cannot achieve its fullest expression at absolute dryness. We made dry Riesling until 1973  everybody did, says Peter McCrea, owner of Stony Hill Vineyard in St. Helena, where the Riesling vines date back to 1948. The problem with making it really dry is that you dont get any bouquet until its 6 or 8 years old. Despite its nine grams per liter of residual sugar, Stony Hills Riesling today by no means presents as sweet  and is still better with a few years of age on it  but rather as intensely fruity, often marked by lemon curd and passion fruit.

The most compelling case for Riesling in California, according to Santa Cruz winemaker Ryan Stirm, may be its potential to perform in the face of climate change. Were talking about a grape with a different physiology, the Riesling specialist explains. If an increasingly warmer growing season shifts harvest dates permanently earlier, early-ripening grape varieties  ahem, Pinot and Chardonnay  may not get the hang time on the vine required to develop flavors. Late-ripeners like Riesling, Stirm explains, could fare better. Riesling does have a resistance to heat, he says. It still has a more normal, old-school ripening curve  you can wait for these cooler, more moderate days in fall before you pick.

So, in this moment of renewed interest, in the face of so much history, can California get Riesling right  and keep it in the ground?

Were still in the trial-and-error phase, Tatomer says. Of course, a number of wineries have been making high-quality Riesling without error for decades, including Stony Hill, Smith-Madrone and Trefethen in Napa. Their vineyards, like the Wirz Vineyard, offer a hopeful glimpse of Rieslings promise here. Nevertheless, as Tatomer points out, the lack of clonal diversity, of plantings in all the right places, of knowledge, of willingness to invest  puts California Riesling, on the whole, in something of an infancy stage.

Its defenders insist thats a fluke. Its just funny that Riesling was ever out of favor, because historically, if you go for periods of hundreds of years, its the jam, Tatomer says. It just happened to be out of favor for the last few decades. But its just a matter of time before it comes back.

Tasting Notes: California Riesling
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Tasting notes

The dilemmas of Riesling: To make it dry, off-dry or all-out sweet? To embrace noble rot botrytis or avoid it? To let the grapes soak on their skins or not? To let it get soft and creamy by allowing malolactic conversion or to keep it taut and lean and crisp?

All possible answers to these questions find an antecedent somewhere in the old world, where many wine regions have staked out a signature Riesling style. Of course, theyve had centuries to figure it out. Were not handcuffed by tradition, points out Mike Roth, who makes Riesling for Coquelicot winery and his own Lo-Fi label in Santa Barbara.

The bad news is that theres not a lot of Riesling in California  just 4,160 acres in 2015. Thats still a big jump from the 1,935 in 2006  but not a lot when you consider our 92,634 acres of Chardonnay. Many of our best Riesling vineyards, like Wirz, Stony Hill and Smith-Madrone, are quite old, yielding very little fruit. Regrettably, one compelling Riesling plot, at the Platt Vineyard in Sonoma Coast, was grafted over to Pinot Noir this year. Radio-Coteaus 2015 bottling, from winemaker Eric Sussman, is Platt Rieslings swan song. (The 2014 version is reviewed below.)

Though they can all be found in Bay Area restaurants, most of these wines should be sought directly from the wineries. Since theyre made in such small quantities, however, consider this less of a shopping list and more of a mood board  inspiration, I hope, to order Riesling the next time you see it on a wine list, or to gravitate toward these well-priced wines over the bargain-Chardonnay shelf in a wine shop.

Other California Riesling producers worth seeking out: Bedrock, Thomas Fogarty, Scribe, Scratch, MaidenStoen, Ser, Ludwig, Ojai, Cartograph, Greenwood Ridge, McFadden, Joyce, Claiborne & Churchill, Terra Valentine and Zocker.

Tatomer Riesling Kick-On Ranch Santa Barbara County 2014 (13%, $35)  Graham Tatomers beautiful, expressive Rieslings reflect his obsession with the wines of Austria, where he spent several years working. His Kick-On bottling shows lemongrass, honeysuckle and diesel fuel; its slick, with a waxy, resinous viscosity, tangerine jelly and a suggestion of smoked-fish skin. Open a bottle, put it back in the fridge and come back to it a day later. Tatomers Vandenberg bottling (2014: 13%, $28), meanwhile, includes some botrytis-infected grapes, which gives the wine flavors of marmalade, ginger and fennel. A touch sweeter than the Kick-On, it still maintains tart citrus.

Waxwing Riesling Tondre Grapefield Santa Lucia Highlands 2014 (11.9%, $23)  Give this one a good swirl. Its a little reduced at first, but then opens up into an intriguing briny, petrol-marked nose, with a superpure fruit character  honeydew, lychee. Though the wine is certainly lush, getting into some honeyed flavors, the saltiness endures.

Reeve Riesling McFadden Vineyard Mendocino County 2015 (13%, $28)  Noah Dorrance, also the winemaker at Banshee, works on the Reeve label with his wife, Kelly, and fellow Sonoma winemakers Ross Cobb and Katy Wilson. Theyre betting big on Riesling (and Sangiovese), adding new vineyard sites in the 2016 vintage. The McFadden wine shows a ton of acid, with bright lemon and cantaloupe. Theres a movement from softness to angularity, as a mellow midpalate yields to a spiky, kerosene-inflected finish.

Radio-Coteau Riesling Platt Vineyard Sonoma Coast 2014 (12.8%, $44)  Regrettably, the penultimate vintage of this formidable Riesling; the vines were recently grafted over to Pinot Noir. Initially the wine seems to allude more to the Loire Valley than the Mosel or the Wachau; its waxy, floral, grassy. Theres a superb line of minerality here, narrow and focused through the palate, gilded by succulent apricot and candied ginger.

Stirm Riesling Wirz Vineyard Cienega Valley 2015 (13.5%, $34)  Ryan Stirm allows his Riesling to undergo malolactic conversion; the resulting wine, nevertheless, is angular and lean, with a mealy-apple, oxidative character on the nose, dominated on the palate by inorganic compounds  iron, copper. Theres effervescence and a flash of rich, lush honeysuckle on the end. Needs time to open up. Look out next year for Index Wine Co., a canned Riesling project from Stirm and friends.

Precedent Riesling Wirz Vineyard Cienega Valley 2014 (12.5%, $25)  Nathan Kandler makes Riesling from the Wirz Vineyard for both his own label, Precedent, as well as for Thomas Fogarty Winery. He does justice to the exceptional site, here producing a citrusy, zippy wine, with eucalyptus and Indian spices introducing a kick of tropical fruit on the finish.

Smith-Madrone Riesling Spring Mountain District Napa Valley 2014 (12%, $27)  From the Smith brothers high-elevation, dry-farmed vineyard in Napas western mountains, these Riesling vines date back to 1972. Petrol flavors and aromas shine through in this savory wine, which tastes of juniper berry, orange blossom and white flower. It opens with a kick of fizziness, dissipating after a second. One of the most impressive California Rieslings Ive tasted.

Dr. Klapper Riesling Spatlese Halbtrocken Santa Barbara County 2015 (9.5%, $24)  From Santa Marias La Fenetre winery, Dr. Klapper is an interpretation of German spatlese, a lighter style of late-harvest wine. It exudes terpene-rich aromas, with honeysuckle, lychee and white blossoms. Its sweetness is deftly balanced, framed by a startling line of acidity, and held within a rich core of juicy nectarine. Drink it with cheese or a fruit-based dessert.

Pey-Marin Riesling The Shell Mound Marin County 2015 (11.9%, $29)  From a vineyard just southwest of Petaluma, equidistant between Tomales and San Pablo bays, this wine is bone-dry, on the citrusy end of Riesling, but nevertheless with an arresting mineral component. More lemon verbena than lemon cake; straightforward, clean, fresh.

Stony Hill White Riesling Napa Valley 2015 (12%, $27)  Though Fred and Eleanor McCrea, lovers of white Burgundy, wanted to plant Chardonnay when they acquired their Spring Mountain vineyard in 1948, UC Davis scientists encouraged them to diversify by planting Riesling, too; at that time, the scholars didnt know enough about Chardonnay to recommend it. In its youth, this wine is a bit muted; give it three years or so, and it will sing. At the moment, mineral and petrol come through, with exotic floral and fruit flavors.

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Coquelicot Riesling Los Olivos District 2015 (13%, $29)  In a cool, low-lying, river-adjacent part of the Santa Ynez Valley, the Coquelicot vineyard is a prime spot for Riesling. Owner Charlie Rosenson works with winemaker Mike Roth to produce a delicate, structured wine. A confected hint of Pez candy appears on the nose, echoed by tangerine and jasmine. Its 11 grams/liter of residual sugar are masked by piercing acidity.

Solminer Dry Riesling Santa Barbara County 2015 (13.3%, $28)  Anna and David deLaski  she Austrian, he American  make Austrian-style wines for Solminer, collaborating with winemaker Steve Clifton. In true Austrian style, this Riesling tastes searingly dry. If lacking some of the intense expression of sweeter Rieslings, Solminer makes up for it with crisp, relentless structure. Kiwi, underripe peach and a subtle floral character creep to the back palate.

Trefethen Dry Riesling Oak Knoll District Napa Valley (12.5%, $25)  Tropical and juicy, this wine shows mango and kiwi, with savory edges on the palate and zippy acidity.

Rein Riesling Greenwood Ridge Mendocino County 2014 (11%, $27)  James Wassons tiny Rein (pure in German) label focuses on aromatic whites, especially Riesling and Pinot Blanc. The stunning Greenwood Ridge site has 40-year-old vines at 1,400 feet, less than 6 miles from the Pacific; the wine tastes of green apple, lime and almond, bracingly dry.

Toulouse Riesling Estate Anderson Valley 2015 (13.9%, $24) - Apple and sweet, ripe herbs  think basil and pea shoot  characterize this viscous, lightly sweet wine.

Bouchaine Riesling Las Brisas Vineyard Carneros 2015 (13.9%, $24)  Spicy and peachy, Bouchaines Riesling is marked by green melon, preserved lemon and grapefruit.

Handley Cellars Riesling Anderson Valley 2015 (13.6%, $22)  Showing fresh herb flavors, this wine is light and finessed, with a soft, round texture and a subtle hint of sweet richness.

Navarro Riesling Deep-End Blend Anderson Valley 2014 (13.7%, $29)  Theres a clean, fresh quality to this wine, though it feels heavy on the midpalate. Sharp kiwi and an exotic spice character dominate the palate.

Margerum Riesling Santa Barbara County 2015 (10%, $21)  An unexpected combination of tart, rich and sweet (its 2 percent residual sugar) flavors  as if Warheads candy, orange soda and browned apple had produced offspring.

Silenus Riesling Carneros 2015 (13.2%, $22)  Lemon curd and apricot aromas lead into an expressive palate. Assertive acidity accentuates white pepper and a green-fruit character; despite that, it feels a little weighty from residual sugar.
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Shimon Peres, one of the last surviving pillars of Israels founding generation, who did more than anyone to build up his countrys formidable military, then worked as hard to establish a lasting peace with Israels Arab neighbors, died Wednesday in a Tel Aviv area hospital. He was 93.

His son, Chemi, confirmed his death Wednesday morning to reporters gathered at the hospital , the Associated Press reported.

Mr. Peres died just over two weeks after suffering a stroke. Doctors kept him largely unconscious and on a breathing tube since then in hopes that it would give his brain a chance to heal. But he deteriorated as the nation he once led watched his last battle play out publicly and leaders from around the world sent wishes for his recovery.

As prime minister (twice); as minister of defense, foreign affairs, finance and transportation; and, until 2014, as president, Mr. Peres never left the public stage during Israels seven decades.

He led the creation of Israels defense industry, negotiated key arms deals with France and Germany and was the prime mover behind the development of Israels nuclear weapons. But he was consistent in his search for an accommodation with the Arab world, a search that in recent years left him orphaned as Israeli society lost interest, especially after the upheavals of the 2011 Arab Spring led to tumult on its borders.

In his efforts to help Israel find acceptance in a hostile region, Mr. Peres biggest breakthrough came in 1993 when he worked out a plan with the Palestine Liberation Organization for self-government in Gaza and in part of the West Bank, both of which were occupied by Israel.

After months of secret negotiation with representatives of the PLO, conducted with the help of Norwegian diplomats and intellectuals, Mr. Peres persuaded his old political rival Yitzhak Rabin, then the prime minister, to accept the plan, which became known as the Oslo Accords.

Mr. Peres, who was serving as foreign minister, signed the accords on Sept. 13, 1993, in a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House as Rabin and their old enemy Yasser Arafat, the chairman of the PLO, looked on and, with some prodding by President Bill Clinton, shook hands.

It was a gesture both unprecedented and historic. Up to that time, Israel had refused to negotiate directly with the PLO. Mr. Peres broke the taboo, and the impasse.

What we are doing today is more than signing an agreement; it is a revolution, he said at the ceremony. Yesterday a dream, today a commitment.

Mr. Peres, Rabin and Arafat were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.

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Mr. Peres published a dozen books, including The New Middle East, in 1993, and Battling for Peace, a memoir, in 1995. His last book was an affectionate political biography of his mentor, the countrys founding prime minister, David Ben-Gurion.

Mr. Peres was born Shimon Persky on Aug. 16, 1923, in the small village of Vishniewa, Poland, to a merchant family.

His parents, Yitzhak and Sara Persky, took him to Palestine when he was 11, where he studied in Tel Aviv and then entered an agricultural school.

Peres was married to the former Sonya Gelman. She died in January 2011.

Peres, who frequently drew on historical allusions, thought of himself as philosopher more than a politician.

When asked about the 1993 Oslo Accords, he said: There was no alternative. We had to do it.
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The Vietnam War may have ended on April 30, 1975, but that is the American point of view, as was the name.

The American War, as the Vietnamese call it, is in some ways never-ending, and that is the point of view presented in Love in the Time of War, at SF Camerawork on Market Street. The group show uses the 40th anniversary of the ceasefire as a launch pad to explore all of the ways that the war is still being fought in Cambodia, Paris, Hanoi, Los Angeles and places in between.

Our exhibit asks, How do we respond with love and compassion amidst overwhelming chaos? explains the shows co-curator, Viet Le, 39, an assistant professor of visual studies at California College of the Arts.

Le, who arrived in California as a refugee on his fourth birthday, organized the show with Jennifer Vanderpool, who teaches at UC Santa Barbara. Together they assembled a dozen artists representing the countries President Richard Nixon bombed  Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia  along with Oakland, New York and the Netherlands.

They range from Los Angeles artist Bruce Yonemoto, a Japanese American born in 1949 and old enough to remember the draft, to Vuth Lyno, a Cambodian born in 1982.

There is an undercurrent of violence and sexuality to the show, but nothing overt. SF Camerawork has huge picture windows overlooking Market Street, and one of the images in Love in the Time of War is striking from the street below: It is of a Muslim woman fully shrouded in a sparkling red chador, surrounded by American flags.

Follow that to the big red SF Camerawork door and up the stairs to see images of folded letters. These were written in English to a daughter in the United States, from a Cambodian man being held captive.

As you enter the gallery, at the top of the stairs you are confronted with a wall of cameras shooting video of your entry. These are instantly translated to video screens in a piece called 1984.

There are also portraits of military officers in Hanoi. On the opposite wall are images of a giant red centipede, called The Buddhist Bug, by Anida Yoeu Ali, who is a first-generation Muslim Khmer. There are even some lyrics by Pat Benatar hidden in the wall text.

Taken together, Love in the Time of War amounts to powerful new work from an exciting group of international artists that cant be seen anywhere else in the Bay Area, says Heather Snider, executive director of SF Camerawork.

The exhibit closes Oct. 15, with a site-specific performance of Red Chador, by Ali, who will be traveling from Cambodia.

Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com Instagram:@sfchronicle_art

Love in the Time of War: Noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; noon-6 p.m. Sunday. Through Oct. 15. SF Camerawork, 1011 Market St., second floor, S.F. Closing reception and performance 6 p.m. Oct. 15. Free. (415) 487-1011. www.sfcamerawork.org
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 28, 2016 / Levi & Korsinsky announces it has commenced an investigation of Advaxis, Inc. (ADXS) concerning possible breaches of fiduciary duty by the board of directors of the company.

The investigation concerns the grant of an aggregate of 1,567,595 stock options to the Compensation Committee and to the executive officers and directors of Advaxis, Inc. in 2015. In particular, we are investigating whether there was an improper granting of "spring-loaded" stock options, as well as excessive and unfair compensation received by non-employee Board members.To obtain additional information, go to:

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or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@zlk.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500, toll-free: (877) 363-5972.

Levi & Korsinsky is a national firm with offices in New York, New Jersey, California, Connecticut and Washington D.C. The firm's attorneys have extensive expertise in prosecuting securities litigation involving financial fraud, representing investors throughout the nation in securities and shareholder lawsuits. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

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SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
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A 100-year-old San Francisco woman staved off eviction for at least another week when a judge granted her eleventh request for a stay since March, giving her lawyer more time to come up with a plan to keep her in her home for the remainder of her life.

San Francisco Superior Court Judge A. James Robertson ordered Tuesday that the eviction of Iris Canada from her Western Addition home be put off for seven days.

The stay will expire at 5 p.m. Tuesday. But Canadas lawyer, Dennis Zaragoza, said he has a plan of action to ensure that Canada can remain in the Page Street apartment she has called home since 1965.

Zaragoza said he will continue to ask for seven-day reprieves until he makes a formal request on Oct. 11 for the court to hear a motion for an indefinite stay for Canada. In the meantime, he plans to gather evidence to bolster an argument that his centenarian client should be granted an indefinite stay.

Canadas battle comes after the owners of her unit said she violated the life estate agreement that gave her the right to live in her apartment at a fixed rate of $700 a month for life.

Im a little bit at a loss as to what the court is thinking, said Peter Owens, one of the owners of the unit. Im not sure what the purpose of the stays are at this point.

Owens says Canada has been living with her niece, Iris Merriouns, in Oakland since 2012  a violation of the elderly womans life-estate agreement. Merriouns denies the claim.

But in March 2016, Robertson ruled that, Canada has failed to permanently reside at the Premises as the sole and only occupant. The judge declined a request from The Chronicle to comment because the case is ongoing.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani
A new study cares not for our small-batch roasts and sustainable beans, because it has deemed San Francisco's coffee scene worse than those in Pittsburgh and Orlando.

A study by WalletHub named San Francisco just the sixth-best city in the United States for coffee lovers. And before you get too outraged, know now that the methodology is pretty weird.
Oakland officials deadlocked Tuesday on a controversial proposal to require cannabis businesses to hand over money and power to the city, following an acrimonious public hearing at City Hall.

The plan by Council members Desley Brooks, Larry Reid and Noel Gallo would require all pot businesses  and anyone who leases property to a pot business  to give 25 percent of their profit and at least one seat on their board of directors to the city in exchange for permits to operate. Money reaped from the arrangement would fund council district activities, loans for aspiring entrepreneurs, community beautification and three job training programs run by politically connected people. The plan would also restrict cannabis operating permits to people who have lived in Oakland for at least five years.

Opponents say the plan would choke off the citys pot trade. Supporters claim it would generate vital revenue for the city and allow city officials to impose racial equity on the multibillion dollar industry, given that most of its top players are white.

When you look across the U.S., the majority of people making money in this industry are white males, said Brooks, the lead author of the proposal. We need to make sure we pass something that is going to level the playing field for everybody.

She and Gallo clashed with Councilmen Dan Kalb and Abel Guillen when the plan went before the councils Public Safety Committee Tuesday, prompting an at times raucous debate. Its in limbo for now, and all four council members say the equity issue is far from settled.

I think we need to get this right, Kalb said. What we have here today doesnt get us there.

Brooks said her proposal would help bolster an equity permit program that the council passed in May. Designed to right the perceived wrongs of the U.S. war on drugs, the equity permit program reserves half of Oaklands cannabis permits for people who were jailed on marijuana convictions in Oakland over the past decade or who have lived for at least two years in a designated East Oakland police beat where marijuana arrests were highly concentrated in 2013.

At least one such person must have a 50 percent ownership stake in a pot business for it to qualify for the equity program.

Frank Tucker, a longtime friend of Brooks who heads the mentorship program 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, praised both the program and the council members new proposal.

Ive heard its illegal for the city to have ownership in a company  its illegal because youll find any excuse you can to keep the brothers out, Tucker said.

But others accused the city of trying to extract profits from a business sector thats expected to boom as Californians prepare to vote in November on whether to legalize recreational marijuana. Many said that Oaklands cannabis enterprises will flee to other cities if the plan is approved. Some, including Kalb, also denounced the equity program, saying it helps a small group of people but leaves out the vast majority of would-be pot entrepreneurs in Oakland, including people the city says it wants to help.

Brooks said the council members will have to come back at some point with a new proposal that melds all of their competing ideas. State law requires all cannabis enterprises to have a city-issued permit by 2018.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com
The San Francisco school board voted to bar board members and the superintendent from directly soliciting campaign donations from district employees, a policy aimed at preventing undue influence over subordinates.

The unanimous decision Tuesday night came after The Chronicle reported that board member Sandra Lee Fewer had earlier this year solicited contributions from at least four district workers  including recently appointed interim Superintendent Myong Leigh  as she runs for city supervisor in District One in the November election.

A San Francisco law prohibits city officers and employees from asking other city officers and employees for campaign donations. But there are conflicting opinions on whether that law applies to school district officials, and Fewer has said she did nothing wrong.

Peter Keane, a member of the Ethics Commission, said he believes the city law applies to school board members. But Jessica Blome, deputy director of enforcement and legal affairs at the commission, said in an informal advice letter to Fewers campaign that it appears the law doesnt apply to the board. The city attorney is now reviewing the issue.

District Attorney George Gascon ran afoul of the city law while running for re-election in 2014, when he took part in a staff fundraiser at a bar across from the Hall of Justice. He agreed to pay $4,000 after an Ethics Commission investigation.

The school board has been updating dozens of district policies in recent months to align them with state and local laws, including San Franciscos government Code of Conduct. The new policy regarding campaign contributions was among several updated Tuesday, and was in the works before The Chronicles report on Fewers actions.

While a violation of the citys Code of Conduct can result in an investigation by the Ethics Commission and possible fines, the maximum consequence of a school board member violating a district policy is censure, or formal admonishment, district officials said.

Fewer said prior to Tuesdays vote that it was important to update the district policy regarding board conduct, whether the city law against solicitation applies to school leaders or not.

This is really important for (district employees) to know their rights and what people can ask of them, she said. In this circumstance, its (out of) an abundance of caution, and its the right thing to do.

Fewer, one of 10 candidates for supervisor in the Richmond District, acknowledged last week that she had asked at least two district employees to participate in an April 21 fundraising dinner, which cost at least $100 to attend. Two other district workers said she also asked them to attend.

More than 20 district administrators, principals and teachers participated in the fundraiser, contributing nearly $4,000 to Fewers campaign. Most did not respond to requests asking how they heard about the event. Fewer said that she also sent an invitation for the fundraiser to 10,000 people through a mass email and that 100 total supporters attended the event.

I am incredibly grateful to the SFUSD employees who have chosen, on their own accord and their own time, to support my campaign, Fewer said in a statement released prior to Tuesdays board meeting.

Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker
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The essential stuff of life in the digital age  the minerals and gems that smartphones, laptops and the entire Internet require to function  are going on display at the California Academy of Sciences in an exhibit unseen for a dozen years.

A collection of more than 400 specimens mined from the earth and fashioned by jewelers will open Friday at the academy in Golden Gate Park to illustrate the roles they play in every aspect of modern life.

The items in the exhibit, called Gems and Minerals Unearthed, are among a collection of 46 million scientific specimens of all kinds that the academys scientists have gathered from around the world and are mostly available to scientists from other research institutions.

The academy has not displayed its gems-and-minerals collection since moving in 2003 to a new location in Golden Gate Park after its former building was damaged in the Loma Prieta earthquake. The Hall of Gems and Minerals at the old location carried the following description:

Over 1,000 specimens, from gold to granite, can be found in this hall, which includes a gem room featuring changing exhibits of beautiful gem stones. Highlights in the mineral hall include the 1,350-pound quartz crystal from Arkansas, a rich yellow hued sulphur crystal ... square crystals of pyrite and the gigantic 465-pound amethyst-lined geode from South America donated by Trader Vic.

Trader Vic Bergeron was a famed San Francisco restaurateur who died in 1984, and although his big geode is long gone, the new exhibit features a smaller geode holding amethyst in its open center that visitors can touch to feel the process of geology at work, said Jean DeMouthe, the academys senior geology collections manager.

In the new exhibit, on the academys third floor, there will be gold and granite specimens, and the old, huge quartz crystal will be on view, too, as will the yellow sulphur crystal. Almost everything else is new.

The area was formerly used to display objects from the academys anthropology collection.

Now that weve had the opportunity to share those beautiful specimens with the public for a few years, were excited to showcase some of our 40,000 gem and mineral specimens, said an academy spokeswoman.

Visitors will be able to understand how important so many minerals are to the health and growth of plants as well as to our own bodies, and how theyre needed to make other things work, from cell phones to spark plugs, DeMouthe said. A cell phone alone takes about 60 different metals in order to function, and many of their specimens are here.

Other minerals, like titanium, beryllium and aluminum, will also be on view, reflecting the ingredients needed for every one of the 2,271 satellites now in orbit from 10 nations, including Russia and North Korea.

A major feature of the new exhibit will greet visitors at the start: a large copper specimen embedded with fragments of black rock from a Michigan copper mine. It is more than a billion years old, DeMouthe said.

In another area, five species of fluorescent rocks will glow under invisible ultraviolet light. Among them are ordinary rock salt and benitoite, Californias official state mineral, named for the headwaters of the San Benito River where it was discovered in 1907.

Many other specimens in the exhibit are precious stones that jewelers fashion into gems, and examples of their jewelry will be on view in case after case.

Several exhibit specimens have been gathered from the academys anthropology collection. They include a bronze spear point from A.D. 100, the Roman era. By then, bronze weapons were being replaced by iron and steel.

David Perlman is The San Francisco Chronicles science editor. Email: dperlman@sfchronicle.com
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The protagonist of The Huntress shot a leopard in India, a water buffalo in the Cardamom mountains and any number of quail  all before her 30th birthday.

So the title of this new biography of Newsday founder Alicia Patterson is not simply a metaphor. Yet as the authors make clear, she bagged much bigger game in her career, including a newspaper that won 22 Pulitzer prizes.

Patterson was born into a prominent newspaper dynasty  her great-grandfather published the Chicago Tribune and her father founded the New York Daily News. A child of privilege, her world revolved around equestrian lessons, trips to Europe, debutante balls and society weddings.

But she was an iconoclast. Patterson was expelled from a fancy boarding school for reading Anna Karenina on the sly, never went to college, and set speed and distance records as an aviator.

She was bold in other ways as well. In 1939, when she learned that the SS St. Louis, carrying 900 Jewish refugees, was turned away from U.S. ports, she led a campaign to change immigration quotas for Jews. She herself took two French Jewish children into her home, though they were hardly typical  they were Rothschilds.

After two brief, failed marriages to men her father chose, she shocked her WASP upper-crust family by marrying a Jew  even though that Jew was diplomat Harry Guggenheim, scion of a wealthy mine-owning family.

Pattersons dramatic history is matched by the authors sparkling storytelling. Screenwriter Alice Arlen, who died this year, was nominated for an Oscar for Silkwood (co-written by Nora Ephron). Her husband, Michael J. Arlen, is a former New Yorker staff writer and National Book Award winner. Alice was Pattersons niece  she makes a few appearances in the biography  and writes with warmth and intimacy about her path-breaking aunt.

Some of the meanderings into the minutiae of high society, including a litany of all the presidents the Patterson family knew personally, starting with Lincoln, seem extraneous. The story starts to crackle when the authors focus on Pattersons journalism career.

In 1940, when Patterson heard about a defunct newspaper for sale out in Hempstead, Long Island, she put her family connections and her husbands money to good use. She had to start from scratch. The paper was housed in a former car dealership, and there was no space for a city room, so the reporters shared cramped offices with two ancient printing presses. She even had to train the newsboys how to deliver the paper. The first edition came out ink stained and muddy, and according to Patterson, looked like hell. But she persisted.

The prescient Patterson banked on the postwar housing developments that would transform rural Long Island into a desirable bedroom community for New Yorkers who would desire a quality local newspaper.

Just three years after the end of World War II, she took a reporting trip to cover the Berlin airlift, accompanied by Dorothy Schiff, publisher of the New York Post.

The face of the Berliner is the most terrible part of Berlin, even more terrible than the ruins, Patterson wrote, braving conditions so rough that Schiff returned to New York without setting foot in the isolated, war-ravaged city.

Newsdays star rose during the McCarthy era, and the Arlens describe how Patterson stood up to witch-hunters. She often appeared on a television show called Meet the Editors. When the chief sponsor, the powerful supermarket chain Grand Union, threatened to cancel the broadcast because another panelist was accused of belonging to a Communist organization in his youth, Patterson condemned its hasty, unexamined decision on air  a risky move because Grand Union was also a substantial advertiser in Newsday.

In 1954, after scooping the big Manhattan dailies on a major crime story, Newsday won its first Pulitzer. Time magazine put Patterson on the cover and credited her with creating a new form of journalism for the suburbs. Newsdays circulation grew to 300,000.

Adlai Stevenson, the Illinois governor who ran against Dwight Eisenhower in two presidential elections, was an early admirer of Patterson, and they had an affair that lasted for decades. In addition to secret meetings in the governors mansion and various luxurious hideaways, the two traveled together to the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War.

Pattersons series for Newsday, accompanied by photos taken by her teenage niece Alice, did not adhere to prevailing anti-Soviet prejudices but focused on advances in science and opportunities for women.

In Russia, where medical care is universal, free, though still backward ... an impressive sixty percent of the doctors are women, she wrote.

On their way home via Poland, Patterson took her niece to the grim remains of Auschwitz. Stevenson opted for a quiet walk in a city park instead.

Patterson considered covering conventions one of the great kicks of the news business, and one of the best moments in the book takes place at the 1960 Democratic Convention in Los Angeles. Patterson was approached by Jack Kennedy to see if she would convince Stevenson not to run again.

The Arlens describe the atmosphere in the days before those once shambly, sweaty, smoky, loosey-goosey political assemblies became sanitized and tightened up for television, when convention floors, hotel rooms and corridors provided an unscripted, often rowdy, garrulous mass of delegates of mostly print reporters on the prowl for stories, not sound bites.

The heyday of print journalism may be long gone, but thanks to this rollicking biography, the path-breaking Alicia Patterson will continue to inspire another generation of newshounds.

Elaine Elinson is the co-author (with Stan Yogi) of Wherever Theres a Fight: How Runaway Slaves, Suffragists, Immigrants, Strikers, and Poets Shaped Civil Liberties in California. Email: books@sfchronicle.com

The Huntress

The Adventures, Escapades, and Triumphs of Alicia Patterson

By Alice Arlen and Michael J. Arlen

(Pantheon; 357 pages; $28.95)
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BlackBerry will no longer make its own smartphones, the product it once defined.

Before being overtaken by iPhones from Apple, BlackBerrys phones were so popular that they were nicknamed CrackBerry. But the distressed Canadian companys decision, announced Wednesday, means that the BlackBerry name will be found only on handsets made by groups of phone companies in Indonesia that have licensed the brand.

BlackBerrys market share long ago collapsed to single digits in North America and Europe, despite the introduction of a new operating system and the companys decision to make phones based on the Android operating system from Google.

The decision to abandon the phone business that made BlackBerry a household name is a major step in a strategy begun by John Chen, the executive chairman and chief executive, to turn the money-losing company into a software and wireless device security business.

When Chen joined BlackBerry almost three years ago, he made it clear that the fast-declining phone business was living on borrowed time.

We are reaching an inflection point with our strategy, Chen told a conference call for analysts Wednesday.

BlackBerrys initial responses to the iPhone, the handset that made software the dominant feature of smartphones, were plagued with technical bugs. The arrival of Android phones from a variety of manufacturers, most notably Samsung, rapidly accelerated the decline of BlackBerrys phone business.

This year, Chen suggested that BlackBerry was continuing to make phones largely at the request of some of its large software customers, a group that includes branches of the U.S. military as well as law enforcement agencies.

On Wednesdays conference call, however, he dismissed those concerns and said, while offering no detail, that other companies would provide chips and other hardware to meet those customers needs.

Chen said other companies had shown interest in licensing BlackBerrys trademark and its software, but he offered no specifics or indication of whether such deals were likely.

The effect of the shutdown on BlackBerrys financial results is unclear but it will most likely lead to a much smaller company. The company said Wednesday that phones accounted for 30 percent of its revenue during its second quarter. Sales of about 400,000 phones generated revenue of $105 million and a loss of $8 million.

Overall, the company lost $372 million after accounting for substantial write-downs on hardware, on sales of $334 million in the quarter.

BB Merah Putih, which is led by PT Tiphone Mobile Indonesia, that countrys largest wireless carrier, will pay licensing fees and royalties to BlackBerry, Chen said.

Another of BlackBerrys once-mighty brands also left the company Wednesday. Chen said that the worldwide operation of BBM, the companys once popular instant message service, was sold to another group in Indonesia.
Six years ago, Yahoos computer systems and customer email accounts were penetrated by Chinese military hackers. Google and a number of other technology companies were also hit.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin regarded the attack on his companys systems as a personal affront and responded by making security a top corporate priority. Google hired hundreds of security engineers with six-figure signing bonuses, invested hundreds of millions of dollars in security infrastructure, and adopted a new internal motto, Never again, to signal that it would not allow anyone  be they spies or criminals  to hack into Google customers accounts.

Yahoo, on the other hand, was slower to invest in the kinds of defenses necessary to thwart sophisticated hackers that are now considered standard in Silicon Valley, according to half a dozen current and former company employees who participated in security discussions but agreed to describe them only on condition of anonymity.

When Marissa Mayer took over as chief executive of the flailing Sunnyvale company in mid-2012, security was one of many problems she inherited. With so many competing priorities, she emphasized creating a cleaner look for services like Yahoo Mail and developing new products over making security improvements, the Yahoo employees said.

The Paranoids, the internal name for Yahoos security team, often clashed with other parts of the business over security costs. And their requests were often overridden because of concerns that the inconvenience of added protection would make people stop using the companys products.

But Yahoos choices had consequences, resulting in a series of embarrassing security failures over the past four years. Last week, the company disclosed that hackers backed by what it believed was an unnamed foreign government stole the credentials of 500 million users in a breach that went undetected for two years. It was the biggest known intrusion into one companys network, and the episode is now under investigation by both Yahoo and the FBI.

Certainly, many big companies have struggled with cyberattacks in recent years. But Yahoos security efforts appear to have fallen short, in particular, when compared with those of banks and other big tech companies.

To make computer systems more secure, a company often has to make its products slower and more difficult to use. It was a trade-off Yahoos leadership was often unwilling to make.

In defense of Yahoos security, a company spokeswoman, Suzanne Philion, said the company spent $10 million on encryption technology in early 2014, and that its investment in security initiatives will have increased by 60 percent from 2015 to 2016.

At Yahoo, we have a deep understanding of the threats facing our users and continuously strive to stay ahead of these threats to keep our users and our platforms secure, she said.

The breach disclosed last week is the latest black eye for Mayer, whose failed turnaround effort resulted in Yahoos agreement in July to sell its core operations to Verizon for $4.8 billion. It is unclear whether the episode will affect the sale. Although Yahoos email users are its most loyal and frequent customers, the company has been losing market share in email for years.

Yahoo is already suffering. I dont think theyll suffer more because of this, said Avivah Litan, a security analyst with the research firm Gartner.

Mayer arrived at Yahoo about two years after the company was hit by the Chinese military hackers. While Googles response was public, Yahoo never publicly admitted that it had also been attacked.

A former Google executive credited with creating the search companys simple, colorful aesthetic, Mayer turned her attention at Yahoo to beating Google at search, creating more mobile apps, and turning Yahoo into a video powerhouse with television-style broadcasts featuring big-name talent like Katie Couric.

But in matters of security, Mayer was far more reactive, current and former employees said. In 2010, Google announced it would start paying hackers bug bounties if they turned over security holes and problems in its systems. Yahoo did not do the same until three years later, after it lost countless security engineers to competitors and experienced a breach of more than 450,000 Yahoo accounts in 2012 and a series of humiliating spam attacks in 2013. Yahoo said it had paid out $1.8 million to bug hunters.

In 2013, disclosures by Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor, showed that Yahoo was a frequent target for nation-state spies. Yet it took a full year after Snowdens initial disclosures for Yahoo to hire a new chief information security officer, Alex Stamos.

Jeff Bonforte, the Yahoo senior vice president who oversees its email and messaging services, said in an interview in December that Stamos and his team had pressed for Yahoo to adopt end-to-end encryption for everything. Such encryption would mean that only the parties in a conversation could see what was being said, with even Yahoo unable to read it.

Bonforte said he resisted the request because it would have hurt Yahoos ability to index and search message data to provide new user services.

Im not particularly thrilled with building an apartment building which has the biggest bars on every window, he said.

The 2014 hiring of Stamos  who had a reputation for pushing for privacy and anti-surveillance measures  was widely hailed by the security community as a sign that Yahoo was prioritizing its users privacy and security.

The current and former employees say he inspired a small team of young engineers to develop more secure code, improve the companys defenses  including encrypting traffic between Yahoos data centers  hunt down criminal activity and successfully collaborate with other companies in sharing threat data.

He also dispatched red teams of employees to break into Yahoos systems and report back what they found. At competitors like Apple and Google, the Yahoo Paranoids developed a reputation for their passion and contributions to collaborative security projects, like Threat Exchange, a platform created by Yahoo, Dropbox, Facebook, Pinterest and others to share information on cyberthreats.

But when it came time to commit meaningful dollars to improve Yahoos security infrastructure, Mayer repeatedly clashed with Stamos, according to the current and former employees. She denied Yahoos security team financial resources and put off proactive security defenses, including intrusion-detection mechanisms for Yahoos production systems. Over the past few years, employees say, the Paranoids have been routinely hired away by competitors like Apple, Facebook and Google.

Stamos, who departed Yahoo for Facebook last year, declined to comment. But during his tenure, Mayer also rejected the most basic security measure of all: an automatic reset of all user passwords, a step security experts consider standard after a breach. Employees say the move was rejected by Mayers team for fear that even something as simple as a password change would drive Yahoos shrinking email users to other services.

On Tuesday, six Democratic senators, led by Patrick Leahy of Vermont, sent a letter to Mayer demanding more details about the 2014 breach and what Yahoo was doing to prevent a recurrence. Another senator, Mark Warner, D-Va., has asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate Yahoos disclosures to investors regarding the incident.

And the company is already the subject of several class-action lawsuits from users over the intrusion.
When the messaging service WhatsApp announced last month that it was starting to share some of its users online information with Facebook, its parent company, many users expressed anger that their digital privacy could be at risk.

Now, a German regulator thinks so, too.

The city of Hamburgs data protection commissioner ordered Facebook on Tuesday to stop collecting and storing data on WhatsApp users in Germany, the first time a privacy watchdog has waded into the debate. The regulator also called on the social network to delete all information already forwarded from WhatsApp on roughly 35 million German users.

It has to be their decision, whether they want to connect their account with Facebook, Johannes Caspar, the Hamburg data protection commissioner, said in a statement. Therefore, Facebook has to ask for their permission in advance. This has not happened.

The Menlo Park company said Tuesday, after the order had been issued, that it had complied with Europes privacy rules and that it is willing to work with the regulator to address its concerns. The Hamburg regulator has authority over Facebooks activities in Germany because the companys German subsidiary is based in the city.

WhatsApp, which was acquired by Facebook in 2014 for $19 billion, is trying to forge closer links with the social network and to look for new ways to generate revenue from its more than 1 billion users worldwide.

As part of its proposed overhaul, WhatsApp said it would start disclosing the phone numbers and analytics data of its users to Facebook. WhatsApp also has plans to allow businesses to contact customers directly through its platform. A similar strategy is being tested on Facebook Messenger, a separate messaging service Facebook owns.

While WhatsApp has framed the changes as giving people a better service, not everyone is convinced. A day after the announcement, the British privacy regulator said that it is looking into the changes.

More than any other region, Europe has pushed back against American technology giants use of digital information, routinely forcing companies like Google and Facebook to change their policies after they breached the European Unions tough data protection rules.

In its decision Tuesday, which would affect only WhatsApp users in Germany, the Hamburg regulator said that neither the Internet messenger nor Facebook had received individuals permission to share the information and had potentially misled people over how their data would be used in the future.

The watchdog added that millions of people whose contact details had been uploaded to WhatsApp could now have that information shared with Facebook against their will, which would infringe German law.
LONDON  Shareholders of SABMiller and Anheuser-Busch InBev approved a deal Wednesday valued at more than $100 billion to create a giant in the beer industry that would control some of the worlds best-known brands, including Budweiser, Corona, Hoegaarden, Leffe and Stella Artois.

The takeover of SABMiller by its larger rival, Anheuser-Busch InBev, was approved by shareholders despite objections from some SABMiller investors. The combined company would account for 27 percent of beer sales worldwide and would have annual revenue of about $55 billion.

The deal would also give Anheuser-Busch InBev, already the worlds largest brewer, a substantial operation in Africa, where it has little presence, and greater dominance in Latin America.

We are committed to driving long-term growth and creating value for all our stakeholders, Carlos Brito, the Anheuser-Busch InBev chief executive, said in a news release.

Anheuser-Busch InBev said it expects to delist SABMillers shares on Oct. 6, and shares in the combined company would begin trading in Brussels, Johannesburg, Mexico and New York next month.

Wednesdays approvals came after Anheuser-Busch InBev, which is based in Belgium, spent almost a year putting together a series of agreements to sell a variety of assets to win over regulators:

In November, Anheuser-Busch InBev agreed to sell SABMillers 59 percent stake in MillerCoors in the United States to SABMillers partner in a joint venture, Molson Coors Brewing, for about $12 billion.

In March, it reached a deal to sell SABMillers 49 percent stake in the maker of Snow, the worlds best-selling beer, to China Resources Beer, a state-owned brewer, for about $1.6 billion.

In April, it agreed to sell the brands Grolsch, Meantime and Peroni to Asahi Group Holdings of Japan for 2.55 billion euros (about $2.9 billion).

 It said it would be open to selling SABMillers assets in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia as part of a package of divestments to win approval from European regulators.

All of those transactions are subject to the SABMiller deal being completed, which Anheuser-Busch InBev said was likely by Oct. 10. A series of largely perfunctory steps remain before the two brewing giants are officially combined.

Along with having to make those agreements, Anheuser-Busch InBev was forced to increase its cash offer for SABMiller as the pound fell after Britains vote to exit the European Union.

That increase to about $58.41 a share still did not satisfy some SABMiller shareholders. They believed that the deal  as it was structured  favored SABMillers two biggest investors, who own a combined 41 percent of the brewer, and that it continued to undervalue the company.

To win the support of those two big shareholders, U.S. tobacco giant Altria and the Santo Domingo family of Colombia, the deal was structured to give them the ability to take restricted shares, instead of cash.

That would help Altria and the Santo Domingo family avoid a costly tax bill after the transaction.

Facing investor pressure, SABMiller agreed in July to treat those two shareholders as a separate class, allowing other investors to vote on the cash offer separately.

As a result, the transaction hung on the outcome of a vote by a much smaller pool of SABMiller shareholders Wednesday.

Aberdeen Asset Management, a British investment management company, and the United States Steel and Carnegie Pension Fund were among a group of SABMiller shareholders who publicly opposed the deal in the weeks leading up to the vote.

On Wednesday, however, a majority of the companys shareholders approved the merger, SABMiller said. They represented more than 75 percent of the votes cast  the threshold for the deal to proceed.

In a statement after the vote, Aberdeen said that while the vote had not gone its way, We do take comfort that our engagement with the board and management helped to secure a better deal for our clients albeit the final price still significantly undervalued SABMiller in our view.
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A 28-year-old man suffered minor injuries after a police cruiser hit him on a Mission District street, authorities said Tuesday.

The crash was reported shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday at 24th Street and Potrero Avenue, said Officer Giselle Talkoff, a San Francisco Police Department spokeswoman.

The officer, who was not identified, was heading south on Potrero Avenue when the car struck the man.

The victim, whose name was also not released, was taken to California Pacific Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, officials said. Police did not provide additional details on the crash.

Ben Thompson, a 42-year-old San Francisco resident, said he was stopped in a car at the intersection when he saw the accident unfold.

He said a group of people were walking across the street on the northbound side of the intersection, despite the light being red, because traffic was slow.

Thompson said the injured pedestrian was a few feet away from the group of people crossing when he was hit by the patrol car that had the green light.

The police officer sped through the intersection: no lights, no siren, nothing, Thompson said. If I had to guess, 40 mph.

He said the area had been crowded with pedestrians at the time, who had taken out their phones to record video of the crash. Thompson said his girlfriend rushed to help the injured man as he lay bleeding in the street.

He spun around a few times and he ended up on the ground, Thompson said. He was moaning. It was a loud hit.

The San Francisco Police Departments traffic division launched an investigation into the collision.

Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno
The San Francisco judge in the case of an African American man charged with attacking BART police officers has denied the public defenders claim that she is biased in favor of the prosecution.

Public Defender Jeff Adachi is seeking to remove Superior Court Judge Anne-Christine Massullo from the case of Michael Smith, accused of battery and resisting arrest in a July 29 confrontation with BART officers at the Embarcadero Station. Adachi said in a court filing Sept. 16 that Massullo, a former federal prosecutor, had shown bias in a series of pretrial rulings, including one that prohibits defense lawyers from asking prospective jurors about the Black Lives Matter movement or the case of Oscar Grant, a black man shot to death by a white BART police officer.

I am not biased or prejudiced against or in favor of any party or attorney in this proceeding, Massullo said in a declaration filed Monday. She said that her rulings had been even-handed and based solely on the evidence, and that she had excluded questioning about Black Lives Matter and Grant because they involved unrelated cases and issues not relevant to the (Smith) trial.

Massullo also denied Adachis assertions that she had treated him rudely. While Adachi said the judge smiles snidely, laughs and looks at the clock as he makes his courtroom arguments, Massullo said she had explained to him in court that she saw him smiling and was trying to be pleasant by smiling back.

Another San Francisco judge, yet to be named, will decide whether Smiths case will remain in Massullos court.

Smith, 22, was arrested by transit officers who were responding to a report that an armed man had tried to rob a passenger on a train. Cell phone footage taken by bystanders appeared to show an officer punching Smith while he was in handcuffs and lying on the station platform. Prosecutors have said police body cameras showed Smith kicking and spitting at BART officers.

Adachi said that Smith had not tried to rob anyone and that he was trying to defend himself against the officers. The public defender said he should be allowed to question prospective jurors about possible racial bias.

Also on Monday, Adachi filed a new declaration with statements from seven other defense lawyers saying Massullo had shown hostility or bias in their cases. One attorney, Deputy Public Defender Jack Lamar, said Massullo was visibly upset when a jury acquitted his client, and met privately with the jurors afterward to ask how they had reached their decisions.

Her overall vision of the system seems to be one in which defendants are presumed guilty, Adachi said.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
California has reduced its state prison and county jail populations at historic rates since 2009 without any significant increase in crime  at least not until last year, according to a study released Tuesday.

However, recently released inmates are still being arrested and convicted of new crimes at high levels, and the state is spending even more on prisons and jails than it did in the past, the Public Policy Institute of California reported.

The institute examined the effect of new laws and policies put in place since 2009, when a federal court panel ordered California to reduce its prison population by about 40,000 inmates to relieve overcrowding, which the court determined to be the main cause of woeful prison health care.

Since then, the study said, the number of inmates in prisons and jails, which had climbed for 30 years to a record high of nearly 256,000 in 2006, has dropped by 55,000. The incarceration rate fell from 702 per 100,000 residents to 515, the lowest level since the early 1990s.

The prison population met the court-ordered target last year, although California achieved that goal by housing some of its inmates in private prisons in other states.

The chief causes of the reduction were a 2011 state law known as realignment, which sentenced lower-level felons to county jail instead of state prison, and Proposition 47, a 2014 initiative that reclassified many drug and nonviolent theft crimes from felonies to misdemeanors with much shorter sentences.

Under the court order, Gov. Jerry Browns administration has also granted parole hearings and sentence reductions for some nonviolent felons and elderly inmates.

Since 2009, the report said, California has embarked on a path  unmatched by any other state  of reducing incarceration and reforming its correctional system.

Having fewer inmates behind bars has not led to more crime on the streets, the study said.

Crime rates in California are in a long-term decline that has continued, for the most part, since the inmate population started to fall, the study said. It said the crime rate rose in 2012, then resumed its downward trend in the next two years.

Last year, though, violent crime in California rose by 8.4 percent, and property crime  which had hit a 50-year low in 2014  went up by 6.6 percent, the report said.

Newly released FBI statistics also found an increase in violent crime nationwide in 2015, but only by 3.9 percent. The FBI also released data on 25 major cities that found San Francisco with the greatest increase in property crime rates, 26.6 percent.

For violent crimes, San Franciscos increase of 5.3 percent in 2015 was 11th among the 25 cities. Sacramento, with a 25.3 percent increase, topped the list.

Crime rates remain historically low in California, and its too early to judge whether the 2015 rise was a one-year aberration, the Public Policy Institute said. It said the realignment law, which some prosecutors have criticized, has not led to an increase in violent crime. It noted, however, that other studies have linked realignment to a rise in auto thefts.

The report also said Californias rate of recidivism  crimes by former prisoners in their first few years after release  has remained stubbornly high.

About 58 percent of inmates released from prisons and jails are rearrested within a year and about 69 percent within two years, the same rates that have prevailed for more than a decade, the study said. It said the rates of convictions for new crimes  24 percent in the first year and 42 percent after two years  were about five percentage points higher than they were before 2012, though those increases may reflect more aggressive prosecution policies.

The recidivism rates were lower in counties that emphasized deterrence and crime prevention, including larger police forces and new social programs for young children and high-risk youth.

Despite having fewer inmates, the state is spending more on incarceration, the report said. The state corrections budget for 2016-17 is $10.6 billion, or 9 percent higher than it was in 2010-11, the year before realignment took effect.

California is also providing counties with nearly $1.3 billion for the former prisoners now held in jails or supervised by local probation officers, and the state is spending additional sums on inmate health care and building new prison health facilities.

Those expenditures are unlikely to decline, the report said, until California reduces its inmate population enough to curtail its use of private prison beds or close a state prison.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
Clark Suprynowicz wasnt thinking about the candidates du jour or the politics of 2008 when he composed Red States, Blue States, a seven-minute orchestral piece that deals with binary systems and American democracy.

But that pulsing and romantic piece was written for the Berkeley Symphonys Under Construction series during a presidential election that seems uncommonly civil and rational in light of the spectacle now unfolding.

I wonder what the players in the orchestra might bring to it now, what they may not have brought to it then, says Suprynowicz, who will be at the Paramount Theatre on Oct. 14 when Michael Morgan and the Oakland Symphony uncork their new season with Red States, Blue States, an election-year opener to an evening of Mahler and Elgar.

The piece explores contrast and change, but because the country has become so polarized and fractious, says the composer when asked about context, I wonder if Michael and the orchestra will bring out the fractiousness thats in the piece.

A longtime Berkeley composer of orchestral, theater, opera and jazz music, Suprynowicz was one of four commissioned by the Berkeley Symphony to write works relating to the notion of democracy in America. Composers often chafe at being given themes, but he was up for this one.

Elections are about a chance to make a change, and that happens in music, he says.

Writing music, you have to think about how radical a change youre going to make, and when youre going to make it. And once you make it, something very different enters the room, so to speak, and you cant go back to what you had before. And if you do, its not going to recur in the same way.

Not wishing to write programmatic music, he found the binary nature of our political system something thats intrinsically very musical.

Red States, Blue States begins with the strings playing a gentle animated figure in 6/8 time (based on an Afro-Cuban bell pattern the composer learned playing jazz bass) that leads to some intense action and instrumental conversation.

He likens it to a lot of people bustling around, trying to get people to pay attention and get their support for 14 or 15 candidates. He mentions the arguing voices in the music of Charles Ives, like the voices in the composers string quartets that shout each other down and converse.

The slow, singing second part of this piece is rooted in the Romantic symphonic tradition Suprynowicz studied at the San Francisco Conservatory with David Conte.

I love that tradition, and theres something very American about it, says the composer, who calls that part of the piece the big speech-making section, where people begin to be very earnest and heartfelt. Theyre speaking, if not the truth, some truth, and getting a lot of people to pay attention, open up their hearts and believe that maybe the change theyre hoping for can be made.

As often happens in binary situations, the opening material returns, but you dont go back to where you were. You hear references to the place you started, discovering that things have changed along the way.

As he puts in the program notes, The animated figure in the strings returns. The horns move to the foreground, excoriating us and calling us to action.

Suprynowicz hasnt been composing much lately because hes consumed with Future Fires. Thats the new art and technology festival he and associates are launching Nov. 11 at the Midway, the big venue in Dogpatch.

The attractions include an installation by San Franciscos Future Cities Lab, a performance piece by the Italian digital artists called Fuse and music from the Texas alt-rock band No Such Thing. Its the first in a series of events.

For more information, go to www.oaklandsymphony.org, www.futuresfires.com.

Together Fest

not together yet

Together Fest, the all-female electronic music festival scheduled to debut Oct. 8 at the San Francisco Armory, has been postponed until next year.

Unfortunately, the custom sound system that was supposed to debut with Together Fest has been delayed, wrote producers on the festivals website. As much as it saddens us to move it, we didnt think it fair to produce such an important show with subpar sound.

For more information, go to www.togetherfestsf.com.

Dear Liar returns

Annette Bening, one of the more celebrated actresses to come out of the graduate program at American Conservatory Theater, returns to ACTs Geary Theater on Sunday, Oct.2, for a one-night reading of Jerome Kiltys Dear Liar, which the playwright directed 50 years ago during the companys inaugural season here.

ACT alumna Nancy Carlin directs Bening and ACT regular Mark Harelik in Dear Liar, based on 40 years of letters between George Bernard Shaw and his passionate leading lady Mrs. Patrick Campbell.

For more information, go to www.act-sf.org/specialevents.

Russians speak

Vladimir Putins least favorite feminist punk rock protest band, Pussy Riot, takes the stage of the UC Theatre in Berkeley on Nov. 5 to talk about its guerrilla performances, LGBT rights, why they call Putin a dictator and other subjects of interest.

For more information, go to www.theuctheatre.org.

Jesse Hamlin is a Bay Area journalist and former San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.
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EL CAJON, San Diego County  Dozens of demonstrators protested Wednesday outside a suburban San Diego police station after a black man who reportedly was acting erratically at a strip mall was shot and killed by an officer when, according to authorities, he pulled an object from a pocket, pointed it and assumed a shooting stance

The man was identified Wednesday as Alfred Olango, a refugee from Uganda. Agnes Hassan, originally from Sudan, said she spent time in a refugee camp with Olango. She said they both suffered to get the United States and described Olango as well-educated but mentally ill.

Two El Cajon officers who responded told him to raise his hands, but police say instead Olango pulled something from his pocket and took what they described as a shooting stance. One officer fired an electronic stun gun and another officer simultaneously fired his firearm several times.

El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis would not say what the object was, but acknowledged it was not a weapon.

Demonstrators listened to civil rights figures and chanted no killer cops and black lives matter during the peaceful protest outside the El Cajon Police Department headquarters.

The Rev. Shane Harris said Olangos sister had called 911 to report her brother was acting out and made clear he had mental issues.

There were real issues with his mental health and that was part of the conversation, Harris said.

Before police announced the death, dozens of protesters gathered at the shooting scene, with some claiming Olango was shot with his hands raised. Police disputed that and produced a frame from a cell-phone video taken by a witness that appeared to show Olango in the shooting stance as two officers approached with weapons drawn.

The fatal shooting happened just weeks after black men were shot and killed by police in Tulsa, Okla., and in Charlotte, N.C., where violent protests broke out.

Candles and flowers were left Wednesday at the scene of the Tuesday afternoon shooting, near bloodstains on the pavement.

Olango often hung around the strip mall and frequently seemed agitated but he was never aggressive toward me, said Victor Hauer, who works at a nearby convenience store and sometimes bought him food or gave him a few dollars.

The protest in El Cajon Tuesday was angry but peaceful. Several dozen people, most of them black, gathered and some cursed at officers guarding the scene. They chanted black lives matter! and hands up, dont shoot!

Davis urged the community to remain calm and said the investigation will be thorough.

This will be transparent, he said. This will be looked at by multiple sets of eyes, and not just ours.

Christopher Rice-Wilson, associated director of the civil rights group Alliance San Diego, questioned why one of the officers felt non-lethal force was appropriate while the other did not.

El Cajon is about 15 miles northeast of San Diego and has a population of about 100,000.
DURHAM, N.H.  Appealing to elusive young voters, Hillary Clinton turned to former primary adversary Bernie Sanders on Wednesday to connect with Millennials drawn to third-party candidates threatening to act as spoilers in the 2016 campaign.

None of this will happen if you dont turn out and vote, Clinton said on stage at the University of New Hampshire while flanked by Sanders, who overwhelmed her in the states first-in-the-nation primary nine months ago.

Both Clinton and Sanders touted a plan they developed at the end of the primaries to make college debt-free for millions of students from middle-class and low-income families. Amid signs promoting the proposal, Clinton promised to push the plan through Congress if elected. The former opponents sat on stage for a panel discussion on ways to make college more affordable in the battleground state.

I am here today to ask you not only to vote for Secretary Clinton but to work hard, said Sanders, who exchanged a brief hug with Clinton after she took the stage. It is imperative that we elect Hillary Clinton as our next president.

Young voters were a key part of President Obamas winning coalition, with two-thirds of voters under 30 backing him in 2008 and 60 percent four years later, according to exit polls. That same group fueled Sanders insurgent bid, keeping him in the race until the final primary contest concluded in June.

But while Millennials have recoiled from Donald Trump, they havent flocked to Clinton, whos not only shy of Obamas mark but also well behind John Kerrys level of support with young voters when he lost in 2004.

In Pittsburg, Michelle Obama told supporters not to vote for either Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson or Green Party candidate Jill Stein.

Either Hillary Clinton or her opponent will be the next president this year. The stakes are too high to take that chance by not voting or casting a protest vote for someone else, she said. It isnt about voting for the perfect candidate. Theres no such thing.

In 126 years, 1st Democrat receives papers presidential endorsement

For the first time in its 126-year history, the Arizona Republic has endorsed a Democrat for president.

In an editorial, the newspapers editorial board said Hillary Clintons flaws fade compared with Donald Trumps and her approach to governing is mature and rational. That cannot be said of her opponent, the editorial said.

Los Angeles Times
PORTLAND, Ore.  A crowd of several hundred people gathered in the growing darkness outside Chapman Elementary School in Portland, Ore., before the first Vauxs Swift darted into view high above.

Minutes later, thousands of the tiny birds were swooping and swirling like a cloud of pulsating black ink as they circled a tall brick chimney silhouetted by the fading light.

The humans below, watching from a patchwork of blankets and empty picnic baskets, cheered as the flock poured into the chimney all at once, like water spiraling down a drain.

The swifts noisy migratory stopover each fall has made this chimney famous with bird lovers as far away as Europe and is a quirky Portland tradition so embraced by locals that the school keeps the diminutive Vauxs Swift as its mascot.

But in recent years, fewer of the beloved birds have shown up. The birds were already struggling because of the destruction of old-growth forests and now some scientists believe they are being further impacted by the destruction of old brick chimneys along their migratory path.

The birds can fly for about 100 miles at a time between stops as they travel from Canada to Mexico and back each year and roost in large numbers in tight, enclosed spaces because their body temperature drops at night.

But the decades-old smokestacks theyve adopted are getting torn down and capped off along the West Coast because of redevelopment, seismic concerns and an urban annoyance with swift poop and noisy flocks. When a chimney thats been a major roosting site disappears, no one is sure exactly where they go.

After adapting to live alongside humans in an urban landscape, the graceful birds are being evicted once again. Now, a movement has taken flight to build concrete towers to replace the chimneys that are lost.

Its obvious, its going (to) be real easy for a time to come when the swifts cannot find a nice, brick roost site, said Larry Schwitters, an expert on the West Coast swift species who lives outside Seattle. The problem at this point is us. Were the ones causing their decline.

The birds are 4 inches long and grayish-brown with a jaunty black eyepatch that makes them look like tiny, winged Zorros.

The official estimate of the Vauxs Swift population in the U.S. and Canada is about 390,000.
1 Spending bill: Congressional leaders have broken a stalemate over a spending bill to address the Flint, Mich., water crisis, clearing the way Wednesday for a spending bill needed to keep the government running until December. The spending measure also would provide long-delayed money to fight the Zika virus and help Louisiana rebuild from last months disastrous floods. The deal averts a potential federal shutdown and came just three days before the midnight deadline to keep the government open.

2 Air rage: Incidents of unruly passengers on planes are increasing, and more effective deterrents are needed to tackle the problem, a global airline trade group said Wednesday. There were 10,854 air rage incidents reported by airlines worldwide last year, up from 9,316 incidents in 2014, according to the International Air Transport Association. In the U.S., an American Airlines pilot tackled one passenger after he tried to force his way off the plane as it taxied to the gate in Charlotte, N.C. A Los Angeles-bound Delta Air Lines flight was diverted to Tucson, escorted by two Air Force fighter jets, after a passenger refused to return to his seat. More recently, the FBI and Hawaii state sheriffs arrested a 35-year-old man who allegedly bit a flight attendant on a Hawaiian Airlines flight from American Samoa to Honolulu.
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After almost a year of plotting and petitioning, Amoeba Music on Telegraph Ave. in Berkeley has just been granted permission to open an in-house marijuana dispensary.

Writing on Facebook that the permit was approved on September 20, 2016, local marijuana industry vet Debby Goldsberry said that the managing team at Amoeba Records and the Berkeley Compassionate Care Center group were "so thankful" to receive the necessary permitting to open shop.

The store plans to transform its jazz section into a dispensary called Berkeley Compassionate Care Collective, and give it a separate entrance from the record store. It may take several months for the store to make the changes in accordance with Berkeley's planning department.

The idea behind the change is to pump a little extra money into the store's income to help keep it running. Last year, co-founder Marc Weinstein said Amoeba Berkeley only earned about 50 percent of what it did in 2008, and was forced to cut its staff by more than half. Weinstein believes that adding another business into the mix might just save it.

"[Marijuana is] one of the few products that a brick-and-mortar retailer can get into and consider making a living at," he told Billboard.

There's also the added benefit of the link between an interest in rock 'n' roll and an interest in marijuana, which some believe may help promote music sales.

"[Marijuana] works like a psycho-acoustic enhancer," says Dr. Jorg Fachner, a professor of Music, Health, and the Brain at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge. "That means you are more able to absorb, to focus on something, and to have a bit of a broader spectrum. It doesn't change the music; it doesn't change the ear functioning. Obviously it changes the way we perceive ear space in music."

The move follows a business strategy first implemented locally by San Francisco's Amoeba Records, which added a pot dispensary called Green Evaluations above the store in 2014. The revenue that Green Evaluations earns helps to cover half the annual rent payments made by the Upper Haight's landmark record shop.

Alyssa Pereira is a staff writer for SFGATE. Follow her here on Twitter.
Falling temperatures and light winds came at a critical juncture Wednesday for firefighters battling a blaze in the Santa Cruz Mountains that threatened hundreds of structures and forced dozens of people to flee their homes.

Increased humidity and a 10-degree drop in high temperatures prompted optimism among those fighting the Loma Fire, which has burned 2,250 acres of rugged terrain since igniting Monday near Loma Prieta Avenue and Loma Chiquita Road west of Morgan Hill. Mandatory evacuation orders for Santa Cruz County residents living in the fire zone were lifted late Wednesday.

Typically, when we have the cooler weather with the lower wind speeds, the fire doesnt behave as erratically, so we can get closer to the edge, Sean Cassatt, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said Wednesday. Our goal today is to take advantage of the cooler weather.

Temperatures were forecast to reach the upper 70s to mid-80s, down from the mid-90s on Monday and Tuesday.

The cooling trend was forecast to continue through the rest of the week, with a cold front bringing a slight chance of rain by Sunday.

The cold front, however, will also bring stronger winds, said Matt Mehle, a National Weather Service meteorologist. The relatively light winds of 5 to 10 mph in the fire zone are expected to double in strength at the end of the week, with gusts picking up to 25 mph, Mehle said.

Given that were going to see strong winds and the fuels are so dry now, thats going to cause concerns, he said.

The fire has leveled one home, damaged another and destroyed six other buildings, officials said. Cal Fire said 300 structures were threatened. No injuries have been reported.

More than 1,000 firefighters were deployed to fight the inferno, which was 10 percent contained Wednesday morning. Fire officials expect to have it completely contained by Monday, Cassatt said.

A large plume of smoke could be seen miles from the fire, which was burning along the border between Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation, though an initial report came in as a house fire.

Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov
Thor Industries (NYSE: THO) solidified its position as the No. 1 maker of recreational vehicles (RVs) and motor homes on Tuesday when it posted a record year for RV sales in its fourth-quarter fiscal 2016 results.

"Some people think that Wall Street only worships one god: money. But that is patently false. Why? Because there are plenty of people worshiping Thor these days, and Thor has been pretty darned good to its followers," Jim Cramer said.

In an interview with Thor's CEO Bob Martin on Tuesday, the " Mad Money " host noted that while housing levels are nowhere near where they were in 2006, RVs have surpassed levels achieved then. Martin attributed the rapid growth of RVs to consumer confidence and more wholesale and retail lenders in the RV space.

"That, along with just watching the younger buyers flock to the RV lifestyle, it really has helped to give our dealers the confidence to buy more inventory and to sell more at the shows. It has been definitely a positive for us," Martin said.













Younger buyers these days are looking for technology integrated into the RV experience, Martin said, along with features to make camping easier. Thor has competed by introducing new features into every one of its brands this year.



Thor also indicated that it has seen strong demand from the West Coast, particularly in California.

"Definitely the West Coast is waking up  California was 12 percent of the RV market pre-recession, it dropped down to about 6 [percent]. It's coming back," Martin said.

Moving forward, Martin sees further growth, which could include building factories or buying additional facilities on the West coast.

"All of our products are looking at expansion  We've got everything geared up for more production, but we think it's going to continue to grow. So, we are looking ahead," Martin said.





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Donald Trump was only a few seconds into his first answer in last nights presidential debate when it became apparent that days of unsourced reports out of his campaign about lackadaisical preparation by the Republican nominee werent just some exercise in expectations management. They were the truth.

Asked to speak about his plan to create new jobs, he used his first speaking opportunity of the evening to repeat his debunked claim that China is still manipulating its currency in order to keep the price of its exports low. Then he recycled a dog-eared story about a nameless friend who builds unspecified kinds of industrial plants in Mexico and who says he likes it better there than in the US.

Related: The Most Important Point Clinton Made in Her Debate Against Trump

Supposedly the consummate entertainer, Trump showed up on stage at Hofstra University on Long Island with no new material, even though he knew in advance that he wouldnt be facing an audience content to listen to him reprise his greatest hits from the campaign trail. Worse still, he was utterly unprepared to answer questions that -- as he admitted himself in one case -- he had known were coming.

He stumbled badly when moderator Lester Holt of NBC News pressed him on his support for the invasion of Iraq, which he has vehemently insisted that he actually opposed. His defense devolved into a demand that somebody call up Sean Hannity -- the Trump-friendly Fox News host -- to vouch for him.

Everybody refuses to call Sean Hannity, he complained. He added, Hes willing to say it, but nobody wants to call him.

When Holt asked him why he continued to fuel the false rumor that President Obama, the nations first black president, was born in Africa for years after it was definitively proven false, Trump again showed a complete lack of preparation, responding with the non-sequitur, Nobody was pressing it. Nobody was caring much about it, even as he acknowledged, I figured youd ask that question.

Story continues

Related: Trumps Tax Plan Would Benefit the Wealthy Most, Study Finds

When Holt began what appeared to be a follow-up question, asking Trump how he responds to complaints from the African American community about his years of his efforts to de-legitimize the Obama presidency, Trump abruptly cut him off.

I say nothing. I say nothing, because I was able to get him to produce it, he said, referring to the presidents birth certificate proving he was born in Hawaii. He should have produced it a long time before. I say nothing.

Trump must also have known that his opponent, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, would try to goad him into angry or defensive reactions on various topics, but again and again, Trump rose to the bait.

When Clinton needled him about how he got his start in business, with millions of dollars from his wealthy father, Trump couldnt let it pass, and instead gave the issue more oxygen by addressing it in his response to a different question, insisting that it was a very small loan.

Related: Conservative Economists Mock Trump Campaigns Trade Proposals

When she jabbed at him by mentioning a 40-year-old Justice Department that accused his company of denying housing to African Americans, bragged that he had gotten away without having to admit to discrimination.

I settled that lawsuit with no admission of guilt, but that was a lawsuit brought against many real estate firms, and it's just one of those things, he said.

When she poked him for claiming that global warming is a hoax invented by the Chinese to harm American businesses, he blurted out, I did not. I did not. I did not say that, despite the fact that his own Twitter account still hosts the bogus claim.

By the end of the 90-minute session, the man whose entire campaign has been characterized by his gleeful hurling of personal insults was reduced to complaining that his opponent wasnt treating him kindly in her advertisements.

I will tell you this, Lester Trump said to moderator Lester Holt of NBC News, It's not nice. And I don't deserve that.

Related: Trump-Clinton Debate Means Big Bucks for TV Networks

Clinton, by contrast, was well-prepared and tactically savvy. When the issue of her use of a private email system while serving as secretary of state arose, she dealt with it quickly and without bluster or hand-waving, even as Trump tried to talk over her.

You know, I made a mistake using a private e- mail -- she began.

That's for sure, Trump blurted out in one of the dozens of times he attempted to interrupt her throughout the event.

She continued, And if I had to do it over again, I would, obviously, do it differently. But I'm not going to make any excuses. It was a mistake, and I take responsibility for that.

Given the chance to respond, Trump chose to quibble with her use of the word mistake calling Clintons move intentional before voluntarily turning the discussion back to his own refusal to turn over his tax returns -- another topic on which Clinton relentlessly baited him.

Related: Fact Checker or Debate Moderator--Will Holt Set a Trap for Trump?

In what could have been a stumble, Clinton was the only person on the stage all night who made reference to the Benghazi attacks that have been the focus of so much right-wing criticism of her term as secretary of state. She did it with an off-hand reference to the 11 hours of testimony she endured in front of Congressional investigators looking into the attack.

Trump, surprisingly, let the opportunity to bring up Benghazi pass him by. And for Trump, that could serve as a metaphor for the debate as a whole: He had an opportunity, and he squandered it.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
For all the criticism that has been leveled at BART, it's nice to see that the public transportation system is still willing to gift its riders with wonderful works of art.

The latest art pieces to grace BART stations are from Berkeley artist Miwako Nishizawa, whose woodblock art has been transferred digitally onto posters and displayed throughout the BART system.
A wildfire has grown to 2,250 acres in the Santa Cruz Mountains of southern Santa Clara County since Monday afternoon, destroying one home, damaging another and leading to hundreds of evacuations, according to Cal Fire.



The Loma Fire sparked in the area of Loma Prieta and Loma Chiquita roads about 10 miles northwest of Morgan Hill around 2:50 p.m. Monday, Cal Fire officials said.



The area is north of the border between Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties, where a large plume of smoke could be seen for miles.



On Monday, the fire had spread to more than 400 acres as of 5:40 p.m., and grown to 1,000 acres by 9:30 p.m.





The blaze has charred through 2,250 acres and was 10 percent contained as of 7 p.m. Tuesday, Cal Fire officials said.



It has spread to the Mount Loma Prieta, Mount Chual and Uvas Creek drainages, Cal Fire officials said.



The fire is reportedly burning in steep, inaccessible terrain covered in dry, drought-stressed fuels.



Roughly 300 structures are threatened and numerous residents of Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties have been evacuated, Cal Fire officials said.



Reverse 911 calls have been sent to affected Santa Clara County residents through the AlertSCC notification system, Cal Fire officials said.



Residents have been ordered to leave the Loma Prieta ridgeline area that includes all tributary roads along Summit Road from Soquel San Jose Road to Ormsby Fire station. This includes Uvas Canyon County Park, Loma Chiquita, Casa Loma, Loma Prieta Way, Highland Road and Mount Bache Road.




2000 - 2022   24 .-   .       focus-news.net,                 () .                  24 .                 24      .       .       24 .
Eastman Productions

In 1996, Rafe Chase, Stephen Kearin and Tim Orr founded the improv troupe 3 For All in San Francisco; this weekend, the group celebrates its 20th anniversary with a one-night-only performance at Marines Memorial Theatre.

3 For All specializes in creating long-form improv with just three performers  a rarity in the improv world, especially at the time of the companys founding. Sustaining a spontaneously devised but coherent (or semicoherent) scene for minutes on end requires near-infinite reserves of energy, creativity and openness, as well as trust in and understanding of your fellow performers. (It also requires, the trio like to joke, the willingness and freedom to mess with those fellow performers.)
BENGHAZI, Libya  A powerful Libyan general whose forces recently captured several key oil facilities has rejected a U.N.-brokered government and said the country would be better served by a leader with high-level military experience.

In a series of written responses to questions from reporters this week, Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter said his army only recognizes the authority of the Libyan parliament based in the east, which has also rejected the U.N.-backed government in the capital, Tripoli.

Libya was plunged into chaos by the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime leader Moammar Khadafy, and for the last two years has been split by rival authorities based in the far east and in Tripoli, in the west.

The two sides are deeply divided on Hifters future role in the country. In the east, he is seen as the kind of strong, experienced military leader who can defeat Islamic extremists and restore order to the oil-rich North African country. In the west, where powerful Islamist militias hold sway, he is seen as a remnant of the Khadafy government  which he once served  and an aspiring strongman.

Hifter said little to put such fears to rest.

He cited generals who went on to lead Western nations, as well as President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in neighboring Egypt, who led the military ouster of an elected Islamist president in 2013 and has presided over a sweeping crackdown on dissent.

Military people who were elected to lead their country achieved remarkable success, Hifter said.

Asked if he intended to seek the highest office, Hifter demurred, saying the country first needed security, political and social stability, and that he would not answer the question until that was achieved.

The U.N.-backed government is led by a presidential council headed by Fayez Serraj, an independent technocrat. It was supposed to present a new Cabinet to parliament for approval after lawmakers rejected the last one in August, but has yet to do so.

Egypt has backed Hifter who, like el-Sissi, blames much of his countrys problems on the Muslim Brotherhood group. He says Tripoli has been hijacked by armed gangs, blaming disorder there and the expansion of rogue militias on Islamist factions.

Both Hifters troops and forces loyal to the U.N.-backed government are battling the Islamic State and other extremists.

But there are concerns that victory against Islamic State could bring renewed conflict between east and west.
1 Baghdad bombings: Separate suicide bombings ripped through busy commercial areas in Shiite-dominated neighborhoods of the Iraqi capital on Tuesday, killing at least 17 civilians, officials said. The deadliest attack took place in the eastern New Baghdad neighborhood, where a bomber approached a gathering of construction workers and set off his explosives-laden vest, killing 11 civilians, police said. At least 28 civilians were wounded and the explosion damaged nearby shops and cars. Hours later, another suicide bomber blew himself up in an outdoor market in the southwestern neighborhood of Bayaa, killing six shoppers and wounding 21 others, according to police. In online statements, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks.

2 Taliban attack: An Afghan official says that at least 13 Afghan army soldiers were killed when a group of Taliban militants attacked their checkpoint in northern Kunduz province. Mahmod Danish, spokesman for the provincial governor in Kunduz, said Tuesday that 15 soldiers were at the checkpoint, two of whom had links to the insurgents and facilitated the attack.
NIEUWEGEIN, Netherlands  Dutch-led criminal investigators said Wednesday they have solid evidence that a Malaysian jet was shot down in 2014 by a Buk missile that was moved into eastern Ukraine from Russia.

Wilbert Paulissen, head of the Central Crime Investigation department of the Dutch National Police, said communications intercepts showed that pro-Moscow rebels had called for deployment of the mobile surface-to-air weapon and reported its arrival on July 17, 2014, in rebel-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine.

The deadly surface-to-air weapon that blasted Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 out of the sky that same day at 33,000 feet, killing all 298 people aboard, was launched from farmland in the rebel-held area of Pervomaiskiy, 3 miles from the eastern Ukrainian town of Snizhne, the investigation found.

Witnesses there reported an explosion and a whistling sound and a patch of field was set on fire.

From that and other evidence collected by the Joint Investigation Team, it may be concluded MH17 was shot down by a 9M38 missile launched by a Buk, brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation, and that after launch was subsequently returned to the Russian Federation, Paulissen told a news conference Wednesday in the Dutch town of Nieuwegein.

The conclusions of the investigative unit  which includes police and prosecutors from the Netherlands, Ukraine, Belgium, Australia and Malaysia  were consistent with previous press reports, which established soon after MH17s destruction that a tracked Buk M-1 launcher with four SA-11 surface-to-air missiles had been sighted the same day in the rebel-controlled town of Snizhne near Pervomaiskiy.

A separate investigation by Dutch safety officials last year concluded that the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur flight was downed by a Buk missile fired from territory in Ukraine held by pro-Russian rebels.

Moscow officials have consistently denied allegations that pro-Kremlin rebels in eastern Ukraine were responsible for downing the passenger plane. The Russian Foreign Ministry reacted quickly to the release of the international investigations findings, calling the probe biased and politically motivated.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov also denied that Russian air defense missile systems ever have been sent to Ukraine.
BEIRUT Government shelling and air strikes in Syrias Aleppo landed near a bread distribution center and two hospitals Wednesday, killing seven people and putting at least one of the medical facilities completely out of service, activists and medics said.

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon described the conditions in eastern, rebel-held Aleppo as worse than a slaughterhouse at a Security Council meeting. The United States threatened on Wednesday to halt talks with Russia on the Syria war and scrap plans for joint military targeting of Islamic jihadists unless the Russian and Syrian militaries stopped bombing the northern city.

Secretary of Defense John Kerry expressed grave concern, in a telephone call to his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, the State Department said in a statement, about Russian and Syrian attacks on hospitals, the water supply network and other civilian infrastructure. Some of the air strikes, Kerry said, included the use of incendiary weapons and bunker-buster bombs, heavy-duty explosives that kill indiscriminately.

Doctors Without Borders, which supported both of the hospitals damaged Wednesday, said a brutal and relentless onslaught from air and land has left eastern Aleppo with just seven surgical doctors to treat a population of nearly 250,000.

The head of the organization said people are being taken off life support because of a multitude of wounded, and doctors in eastern Aleppo are left to await their own deaths.

Joanna Liu called the war a race to the bottom, and called on the U.N. Security Council to enact an absolute prohibition of attacks on medical facilities.

Aref al-Aref, a nurse at M2, one of the hospitals, said government shelling hit the bread distribution center near the city center before dawn. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Aleppo Media Center said six people were killed outside the center.

As the wounded were brought into the hospital, one of five shells fired in a sequence fell at the emergency entrance, killing a person who was accompanying a wounded patient, al-Aref said.

In another attack, an air strike hit near a hospital in the northern part of the rebel-held area, cutting off electricity and water supplies. Mohammed Abu Rajab, head of the M10 hospital, the largest of eight hospitals in eastern Aleppo, said the intensive care unit was most affected, as the generators and the oxygen supplies were knocked out.
WASHINGTON  President Obama is preparing to send more troops to Iraq to help reclaim the city of Mosul from the Islamic State group, U.S. officials said Wednesday.

The troops will train and advise Iraqi forces as planning for the Mosul operation ramps up, officials said. Though the precise number of troops was not immediately disclosed, one official said roughly 600 additional troops would be sent.

It wasnt clear whether the troops would include special operations forces, some of which are already serving in Iraq.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they werent authorized to publicly discuss the development before the official announcement, expected later Wednesday.

The decision expands the U.S. military footprint in Iraq just as Obama readies to hand over the conflict to his successor in January. The U.S. has roughly 4,600 troops in Iraq, according to the Pentagon, although the figure doesnt include some troops including those there on temporary duty.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, in a statement posted on his official website, said the added troops would provide support for security forces and the Iraqi heroes in the fight looming in the liberation of Mosul. He said the Obama administration had approved his governments request for the increase.

We emphasize that the role of the trainers and advisers is not combat, but for training and consultation only, Abadi said, adding: It is our troops who will liberate the land.

With Americans weary after years of an unpopular war in Iraq, Obama has tried to emphasize that the troops deployed there now are in advisory roles, not combat. Yet even if theyre not waging war from the front lines, the troops have been embedded with Iraqis, putting them in dangerous situations where fighting could break out.
Wellington International Airport has asked the city and regional councils to re-start its application to extend the runway.

The airport wants to build a 350-metre runway extension in a bid to attract long-haul flights from Asia and the United States, at a cost of $300 million. The airport's 66 percent controlling shareholder, Infratil, is pushing for central and local government funding to cover most of the capital costs, arguing the investment is in the national and regional interest while not being viable on a standalone commercial basis. Wellington City Council owns the remaining third.

The airport applied for consent in April, with public submissions for resource consent closed in mid-August, but the application was suspended to allow experts "further time to consider others views before moving forward" to Environment Court hearings, it said in a statement.

Chief executive Steve Sanderson said he was confident the airport could address all the key concerns through its proposed conditions and management plans.

"The Environment Court will need to weigh up these matters, the mitigation proposed and the overall benefits of the project when it comes to consider the application," Sanderson said. "There is widespread support from the business community, tertiary and education institutions, tourism organisations, the creative and film sector, and individuals all submitting on the benefits they see for the region."

Sanderson said the airport was confident in analysis done by Sapere Research Group which showed a national net economic benefit of $2.3 billion from the runway extension.

Almost every airline operating to and from New Zealand is opposed to the proposed extension. The national carrier, Air New Zealand, is particularly opposed as it structures its long-haul international routes through Auckland.

Airlines who would benefit from the extended runway would need a major hub in Asia or North America as the consents sought would enable direct long-haul services from Wellington to those destinations.

When announcing the initial consent application in April, Sanderson said it was not surprising Air New Zealand and Qantas Airways have both said they wouldn't use the runway, as they don't have hubs in those locations, and the viability of the plan did not depend on their support.

"As expected with any project like this, some members of the community remain concerned about aspects of the project," Sanderson said today. "Of course we acknowledge that a project of this nature will raise concerns, and we remain open to discussing additional ways of mitigating the effects of the project."

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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New Zealand shares rose, with Chorus, Orion Health Group and Air New Zealand recovering losses, while Tower resumed its fall.

The S&P/NZX 50 Index gained 37.53 points, or 0.5 percent, to 7,290.45. Within the index, 22 stocks rose, 15 fell and 13 were unchanged. Turnover was $119.6 million.

Daniel Metcalfe, a senior investment advisor at OMF, said it was a "dull day" for the local index, without much news from NZX50 participants. Markets overnight had been focussed on the first US presidential candidate debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, he said. Wall Street rallied after the debate, with the perception that Clinton had won the first of three debates bolstering confidence in equities.

Markets across Asia were generally lower in the afternoon's trading, with Japan's Nikkei 225 down 1.6 percent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng falling 0.7 percent, and Australia's S&P/ASX200 Index 0.1 percent lower at 5:05pm local time.

Chorus was the best performer on the local index, up 2.7 percent to $3.88. It has rebounded this week, up 4 percent, having fallen 19 percent since it announced its full-year results on Aug. 29. The telecommunications network operator said at the time that lower regulated pricing for access to its copper services was responsible for full-year profit stalling, although it sees a resumption of growth in 2017.

Orion Health Group gained 1.8 percent to $3.35, bouncing back from yesterday when it was the worst performer on the index and fell 4.6 percent. At its annual meeting last Thursday, chairman Andrew Ferrier told shareholders the strength of the kiwi is crimping revenue in local currency terms, meaning Orion will get less when sales are converted back into local currency. That currency movement also weighed on Orion's cash position.

Air New Zealand gained 1.4 percent to $1.875. The airline's annual shareholder's meeting will be held on Friday afternoon in Christchurch. It hit a 22-month low on Monday and has fallen 30 percent this year, as rising oil prices and increasing competition on its domestic and international routes have played on investors' minds.

Auckland International Airport rose 0.4 percent, or 3 cents, to $7.13. It gave up the rights to a 9 cent final dividend, payable on Oct. 13.

Tegel Group Holdings was the worst performer, down 3.7 percent to $1.55.

Tower dropped 1.5 percent to 96 cents. Earlier this month, the insurer's shares hit a then-12-year low of $1.11 after it warned it expects a $16.2 million hit to its after-tax profit due to increased claims provisions for the Canterbury earthquake following greater-than-expected new claims from the Earthquake Commission and increased litigation and customer disputes. It also signalled it will review its dividend and its dividend policy at its full-year earnings result. The shares have plunged 48.7 percent this year.

Outside the main index, Intueri Education Group recovered, up 66.7 percent to 10 cents. The private education group's shares collapsed on Tuesday, slumping 80 percent in response to a warning about Australian government audits that threatened its viability. This afternoon, it told investors it retains the support of its lender, ANZ Bank.

Intueri has until Oct. 21 to respond to the audit, with possible outcomes ranging from a directive to correct areas of non-compliance through to the full cancellation of its Australian business registrations as registered training organisations (RTOs). One of the businesses, OCA, accounted for 35 percent of Intueri's $50.1 million of revenue in the six months ended June 30.

OceanaGold dropped 13.2 percent to $4.13. The company said it is seeking clarification from the Philippines government after officials from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources named the company's Didipio site among mining operations that could be suspended because of outstanding social issues.

"I'm surprised it hasn't been reflected in the share price up until now, OceanaGold has had problems setting up in the Philippines and there have been issues before," OMF's Metcalfe said.

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The Department of Conservation and Hawke's Bay Regional Investment Company (HBRIC) are appealing to the Supreme Court over a conservation land swap which the Court of Appeal halted.

The government department and the regional council-owned sponsor of the Ruataniwha dam want to overturn an appeal court ruling against a land swap deal enabling the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme and today sought urgent leave to the Supreme Court to argue the case.

The land exchange would "provide significant enhancements to the conservation values of the area", HBRIC chairman Andy Pearce said.

Environmental lobby the Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society successfully asked the appeal court to prevent the land swap proposed by DOC, which would have allowed 22 hectares of Ruahine Forest Park be flooded as part of the water storage scheme to provide irrigation for farmers, in exchange for 170 ha of private land.

The $275 million water scheme, backed by the Hawke's Bay Regional Council's investment arm, would create a 93 million cubic metre reservoir to store water in the upper Makaroro river to improve river flows for agricultural use in the Tukituki River catchment. It's estimated it would provide irrigation for 25,000 hectares of farm land in central Hawke's Bay.

The scheme has divided opinion because it would allow farmers in the often parched central Hawke's Bay to ramp up production but also poses risks to the region's waterways that are already under pressure from agricultural and industrial runoff.

"The ultimate outcome sought by this challenge is to enable the controversial Ruataniwha Dam to proceed," Forest & Bird's acting chief executive Mike Kotlyar said in reaction to today's announcement. "We doubt New Zealanders would consider it to be the Conservation Ministers role to support irrigation schemes like this. If it goes ahead, this land swap will set a precedent for up to 1 million hectares of specially protected conservation land, creating the possibility that these areas can be reclassified and destroyed."

In the High Court, Forest & Bird had challenged the DOC chief's right to "trade away" conservation estate land held for recreational purposes under the Conservation Act for the benefit of commercial interests.

Earlier this month, Accident Compensation Corp declined to comment on rumours it is the institutional investor who has conducted due diligence on the Ruataniwha Dam project.

Infratil-controlled Trustpower pulled the plug on its involvement in early 2014, followed by its other private backer at the time, South Island iwi Ngai Tahu's investment arm. HBRIC has said the project will be funded with a mix of equity and debt, and is likely to result in a secondary market for water contracts. The council is putting up $80 million for an equity stake in a yet-to-be-formed irrigation company and expects a contribution from the government's Crown Irrigation Investments.

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The government has picked the Edmund Hillary Fellowship to work with Immigration New Zealand on a new visa which it hopes will attract young entrepreneurs to the country.

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse announced the plan for the global impact visa in April. The visa will be run as a four-year pilot and limited to 400 people over that period, beginning early next year.

In a cabinet paper from April, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment proposed the visa to offer a work-to-residence pathway where migrant entrepreneurs would first get a work visa with open conditions, with the ability to apply for a permanent resident visa after three years.

The current policies for investors and entrepreneurs were working well, the ministry said, but weren't designed to bring in innovative, global entrepreneurs who New Zealand needs to support its growth. They miss out younger entrepreneurs who lack investment capital, start-up teams whose value as a team can't be assessed by current policies, and experienced global entrepreneurs who can't liquidate their assets to meet the investor policy nor commit to spending two years here full-time for one business as is required under the entrepreneur policy.

Edmund Hillary Fellowship is co-run by Kiwi Connect, a Wellington-based organisation which seeks to promote and connect entrepreneurship in New Zealand, and the non-profit Hillary Institute for International Leadership.

It will be responsible for promoting the visa, identifying applicants and building a regional network to integrate visa holders, while Immigration New Zealand will process and make decisions on the visas.

Woodhouse said up to 80 New Zealand entrepreneurs and investors will be accepted into Edmund Hillary Fellowship over the four years, which will provide an opportunity for collaboration with migrants using this visa.

David Cooper, an immigration adviser at Malcolm Pacific Immigration, welcomed the initiative, saying "the government needs to experiment a little bit more in the immigration space".

"There are definitely some gaps in the policy for people who want to come to New Zealand and make a contribution, but may not have all of the money in order to do that," Cooper said.

"I think there have been some people that have come to New Zealand as investor migrants, primarily out of the States, who have said to the government 'hey, we could tap into some really smart, young, clever people in places like Silicon Valley, who could come to New Zealand and potentially be the next Mark Zuckerberg or something like that, but your visa rules are getting in the way - it's hard for those people to be able to come here and do what they potentially could do for New Zealand'. That's where the thinking has come from."

Cooper said the control on numbers is welcome and necessary to make sure the visa attracts migrants the government wants.

"The government's got to be careful they don't lower the benchmark and get inundated. I don't think that's going to happen, but we have seen that kind of thing before, where hordes of people apply and it puts the system under pressure, or to get a new visa off the ground the benchmark gets a bit low, and then when the masses apply, there's a reaction and a whole lot of unhappiness."

Woodhouse said Kiwi Connect and the Hillary Institute "have an exceptional combined record of recognising, rewarding and nurturing emerging entrepreneurs and leaders."

By drawing on private sector strengths and knowledge in this space, the government is better positioned to accelerate innovation and continue to grow the contribution migrants make to the economy.

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Hellaby Holdings' board sees more value in the automotive and resources services investor than the "opportunistic" $322.5 million takeover bid on the table from Australia's Bapcor, managing director Alan Clarke says.

The company was blindsided by Bapcor's $3.30 a share offer yesterday, which was an 8.9 percent premium to the trading price before the announcement, getting a phone call from Bapcor less than an hour before Hellaby lodged a notice to the stock exchange. The shares rose to offer price, which Hamilton Hindin Greene director Grant Williamson said indicated there might be a "sweetener" still to come.

Clarke has cancelled the rest of his investor roadshow to fly back to Auckland and formulate a response to the offer, including the appointment of an independent adviser. The board yesterday "strongly" recommended shareholders put off selling until it provides more guidance.

"The board is quite clear that we believe that the value attributed in the offer undervalues Hellaby," Clarke told BusinessDesk. "We have heard the commentary that it's opportunistic and we don't disagree with that. We see the value as significantly more than that."

Clarke joined Hellaby in November last year, having headed up medical services investor Abano Healthcare where he fended off multiple takeover bids.

Since then, Clarke has been at pains to reshape the company's portfolio to stop it being identified as a diversified investment firm, an investment type out of favour with analysts who struggle to value future earnings for a broad array of businesses.

That's seen Hellaby organise the sale of its equipment business to Maui Capital for $81 million, which will settle at the end of the week, buy maintenance and engineering contractor TBS Group to bolster its resources services unit, and appoint consultants to try and improve the fortunes of the footwear division which is still slated for an exit.

"There was a good response by the market to the new strategy, direction and process, so prior to any Bapcor involvement we were sitting at $3.20 (including dividend) and that was an endorsement," Clarke said. "In relation to that strategy, we have engaged with all of the parties, including the lock-up parties. We've spoken to them about the strategy, we've articulated direction and so on. There has been a frustration by a number of holders at the lack of progress within the share price."

Bapcor has secured a near-30 percent stake in Hellaby, entering into lock-up agreements with Salt Funds Management, Accident Compensation Corp and the former Hugh Green Holdings, now called Castle Investments. The ASX-listed automotive group wants to delist Hellaby with a view to selling its other businesses and keeping the automotive unit as a means to establish a foothold in New Zealand.

The Australian firm may waive the condition to achieve 90 percent, providing it gets more than half of the shares on issue and Overseas Investment Office approval, in which case it would seek board representation to push for a shift in Hellabys direction.

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New Zealand's tertiary education system is set up in ways that preserve the status quo, discourage innovation, encourage high-cost models, and reward the largest providers for gaming the system to be able to 'cry poor', the Productivity Commission's interim report on the sector concludes.

While the focus of most reporting on the report, published this morning, has been on rejection by all major political parties of its suggestion that student loans should be interest-bearing, the commission's most radical suggestions relate to the creation of a voucher-style funding model that would see funding directly allocated to students rather than to tertiary institutions who then use that funding to attract enrolments.

The commission suggests that universities, in particular, seek prestige by owning "very old, or else very modern, buildings" and constitute a powerful self-perpetuating lobby group.

Universities "have managed to secure significant advantages and some of these have been enshrined in legislation," the 402-page report says. "TEIs (tertiary education institutions), especially the universities and their academics, have status in society and can be powerful voices in public debates.

"The majority of politicians and public servants are tertiary educated and many have ties back to the intuitions they attended. While this has many positive consequences, this power could be misused should TEIs apply it to creating and entrenching privileges for their institutions to the detriment of students, employers and the economy, or wider New Zealand society."

As currently configured, the tertiary education system is slow to innovate, does so most commonly as a result of top-down changes to government policy, and in ways that seek to preserve the status quo rather than improve educational outcomes, the Productivity Commission says in the report, for which it is seeking submissions by Nov. 21, for a final report early in election year, by Feb. 28.

The government seeks to control the "high political and financial risks" of the system by increasing top-down control "with more prescription, less trust, and less autonomy", which in turn leads to "less diversity, flexibility and innovation".

The result is "considerable inertia" in the New Zealand tertiary education system, which the commission says is "an emergent property of the system rather than a characteristic of providers".

The system also tends to provide students with the same set of learning choices across different institutions, requires all students to learn at the same pace, and exacerbates existing inequalities, especially as funding methods tend to ensure that the most well-endowed institutions are best-placed to attract further funding. At the same time, a 'Gordian knot' of regulation has grown up over time that makes tertiary institutions less likely to try new approaches.

It also criticises the way funding incentivises research activity without corresponding incentives to invest in teaching.

"To really promote new models, it is necessary to cut through the Gordian knot," the report says "The commission is considering a proposal that shifts education funding, in the first instance, from providers to students", and seeks feedback on a 'Student Education Account' model.

It is in this model that interest would be charged on resulting student loans, which would arise once a student had exhausted the balance of SEA.

"Providers would have freedom to set prices according to student demand. Students would pay fees out of their entitlement to any provider licenced by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.

"The major advantage of the SEA model is that it firmly establishes the student at the centre of the system and allows tertiary providers to offer a much wider range of education models to meet students' diverse needs and aspirations."

Universities New Zealand, a peak body, reacted to the report cautiously.

Executive director Chris Whelan said it had "picked up some of the sectors concerns and makes some sensible suggestions for enhancement".

At the same time, we also have some concerns about the lack of in-depth analysis and evidence provided in the report to support many of the conclusions and recommendations. We are also concerned that the commission has failed to fully consider some of the evidence provided.

Our key concern is that this draft report does not yet provide a vision for a coherent and connected tertiary education system," Whelan said.

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KOLKATA: India is set to become an associate member of CERN -- the world's biggest laboratory of particle physics -- in the next few months, a Department of Science and Technology (DST) official said on Tuesday.

"India's application for associate membership has been approved by the CERN Council in September and after formalities and signing of papers, it will be become an associate member of CERN," a top DST official told IANS.

He said the formalities would be completed in the next few months.

Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan had recently tweeted about the development.

"India to become Associate Member of @CERN Great Opportunities for Indian Industry to bid for contracts in advanced technologies @IndiaDST," he had tweeted.

CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research) operates the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world's largest and most powerful particle accelerator.

It is associated with the discovery of the Higgs Boson (popularly known as the God particle). The facility lies in a tunnel beneath the Franco-Swiss border near Geneva.

India currently holds "observer" status that allows non-member states to attend council meetings and to receive council documents without taking part in the decision-making procedures of the organisation.

As an Associate Member, India would be entitled to attend open and restricted sessions of the organisation.

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COLOMBO: India will invest up to $2 billion in Sri Lanka over the next four years in a variety of sectors including real estate, energy and infrastructure, visiting Indian Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Tuesday.

"In the next two to four years, the total investment interests will rise to $2 billion," Sitharaman told reporters here at the end of her three-day visit to the island nation.

India is Sri Lanka's largest trading partner and both countries are considering a broader bilateral trade agreement.

After meeting here with Sri Lankan Minister of international Trade Malik Samarawickrema and other officials, Sitharaman said that Sri Lanka's decision to scrap a joint venture coal power plant project will not deter India's future investment plans in the country.

"India understands Sri Lanka's need to move from coal power to more renewable power generation sources," she told reporters.

The proposed Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) and issues concerning the existing free trade agreement (FTA) between India and Sri Lanka were discussed in these talks.

"We have been meeting the business chambers to assess their concerns," she said referring to her discussions.

Samarawickrema said the ETCA is expected to open up a market of 1.25 billion people in India.

Both ministers said the negotiations on ETCA were reaching the final stage and both sides want to see it happening "as soon as possible".

"It was noted that the second round of negotiations for the ETCA is scheduled to take place in New Delhi on September 29-30, 2016," the Indian finance ministry said in a release from New Delhi.

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- At least one employee at the Department of Motor Vehicles needed more customer service training.

Peter Grosseto, 29, of Westerleigh, was arrested for allegedly using a state computer at his DMV job to contact a female customer for a date, according to a media release from the Office of Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott.

"This defendant set aside any semblance of professionalism and illegally accessed state resources to satisfy his own interests and harass a customer with unwelcome advances," Leahy said.

Grosseto, a customer service representative at the lone DMV office on Staten Island, allegedly obtained the customer's name and phone number without her knowledge after he saw her being served by another representative.

He proceeded to use DMV computers three times to further access her personal information, and ultimately called her at home, pretending to be a quality assurance representative.

Eventually, he came clean, and admitted he only called to ask for a date.

DMV Executive Deputy Commissioner Terri Egan said Grosseto had been suspended from his job without pay.

"There is no responsibility we take more seriously at DMV than safeguarding the personal information of our customers," Egan said.

Grosseto was arraigned in Richmond County Criminal Court on charges of Computer Trespass, a felony, and Unauthorized Use of a Computer and Official Misconduct, both misdemeanors.

Richmond County District Attorney Michael E. McMahon thanked the DMV and the Office of the Inspector General for their work on the case.

"Mr. Grosseto is charged with violating the public trust for his own selfish gains, and my office will work to ensure that he is held accountable for his crimes and that the public safety is protected," McMahon said.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Empire Outlets developer says the construction of the outlet mall won't be delayed despite BFC Partners' decision to fire the construction company managing the project, which was charged in an unrelated upstate corruption probe last week.

Principals of BFC Partners -- who named LPCiminelli construction manager in June 2015 -- sent the company a termination letter after the Buffalo developer Louis Ciminelli and two other top company executives were accused of trying to defraud a state taxpayer-funded economic development program.

Joseph Ferrara, a principal of BFC Partners, said construction is still on track and New York City's first outlet mall is expected to open during the 2017 holiday shopping season.

"This will not delay the construction at all. I can assure you one thing: My partners and I micromanage every single one of our jobs," he said. "We would never jeopardize any construction site that we're on. We don't leave the fate of the company in anyone's hands."

Ferrara said the hiring of a new construction management company has yet to be discussed among BFC principals.

"The team that BFC has in place there is more than competent to bring this project to completion on time and on schedule," he said.

However, LPCiminelli is disputing the termination by BFC.



"We are challenging the termination and continue working on the project like we always have,'' said Frank L. Ciminelli II, president of LPCiminelli Inc.

ALLEGED CHARGES



Ciminelli, the company's chairman and CEO, and executives Michael Laipple and Kevin Schuler were charged with allegedly paying hundreds of thousands in bribes to a former Albany lobbyist so that LPCiminelli would win a lucrative $750 million state contract to develop a manufacturing site.

The Buffalo High-Tech Manufacturing Innovation Hub at RiverBend is among initiatives in Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Buffalo Billion program.

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said Thursday "pervasive corruption and fraud allegedly infected signature state development projects like the Buffalo Billion program."

Empire Outlets is not part of any alleged corruption schemes described by Bharara on Thursday.

The project will receive some $47 million in state subsidies through a separate fund and grant.

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Barack Obama

Congress overrode a presidential veto Wednesday to allow 9/11 victims and their families to sue Saudi Arabia for an alleged role in funding Sept. 11 hijackers. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

(Carolyn Kaster)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Bill Doyle was overwhelmed upon hearing the news that for the first time in President Barack Obama's eight years in the White House, Congress overrode a veto Wednesday, granting families of 9/11 victims the right to sue Saudi Arabia.

Doyle's son, Joseph, a 25-year-old from Staten Island, was killed on Sept. 11, 2001, and since then, he has dedicated himself to making sure the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act -- JASTA -- was passed.

The Senate passed its bill in May, the House passed its bill earlier this month and Obama vetoed it last week.

JASTA allows victims of terrorists acts and their families to sue foreign governments in civil court by lifting the protection of sovereign immunity that defends countries against lawsuits.

In this case, families of 9/11 victims hope to sue Saudi Arabia, arguing it helped finance 15 of the 19 hijackers who were from that country.

Saudi Arabia has maintained that it did not fund the hijackers.

"It's a happy day, joyous," Doyle said over the phone from his home in Florida. "What I'm most appreciate [of] is the way I started to believe in government again; if we stay united, good things can happen."

Bill Doyle speaking on behalf of 9/11 families at a press conference in Washington in 2005. (Photo courtesy/Bill Doyle)

Doyle has been pressing for JASTA to be passed and has been spreading the word over the years with his listserv that includes thousands of people interested in the cause.

"A lot of people said, 'Why don't you give up, you're never going to beat the government,'" he said.

He and thousands others are being represented by Charleston, SC-based law firm Motley Rice LLC, which lauded Congress' vote to override the veto Wednesday.

"JASTA becoming a law is long overdue," said Jodi Westbrook Flowers, Motley Rice LLC member and attorney for 9/11 Families and Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism. "I am pleased that the 9/11 families and survivors finally received the recognition from our elected officials that they so deserve. All congressional members should be commended for coming together, something we don't see often enough, to see this legislation become law."

The law firm has eight other offices, including one in Manhattan, and in August 2002, filed a civil action for 500 survivors and family members of victims of the 9/11 attacks.

Since then the number of plaintiffs has grown to about 6,000 survivors and family members, which became organized under the title 9/11 Families and Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism to support JASTA.

The civil suit is in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to hold responsible the individuals and entities implicated in sponsoring al Qaeda's terrorist activities.

Manhattan-based law firm Kreindler & Kreindler is also representing a large group of 9/11 victims and their families.

Rep. Daniel Donovan voted to pass JASTA originally and voted Wednesday to override Obama's veto.

He said, "Today, Congress refused to let foreign threats dictate American policy. We put 9/11 families first. That a foreign government could hide behind sovereign immunity after slaughtering Americans in our homeland was an outrage, and Congress properly rectified it. Every American victim of terror deserves the chance to seek well-deserved justice against individuals and governments."

Sen. Charles Schumer is an original co-sponsor of the Senate bill and has been outspoken in his support for it for years. He spoke on the Senate floor before the vote Wednesday.

"The courts in New York have dismissed the 9/11 victims' claims against certain foreign entities alleged to have helped fund the 9/11 attacks," he said. "These courts are following what I believe is a nonsensical reading of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. Do we really want it established inflexibly in precedent that foreign states directly responsible for financing terrorist attacks on U.S. soil are beyond the reach of justice?"

After the vote, Schumer was happy to see Republicans and Democrats agree just as they had in May.

"This rare moment of bipartisanship is a testament to the strength of the 9/11 families, and the validity of their pursuit of justice," he said. "Overriding a presidential veto is something we don't take lightly, but it was important in this case that the families of the victims of 9/11 be allowed to pursue justice, even if that pursuit causes some diplomatic discomforts."
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Parents and students at dismissal in front of PS 5, Huguenot, one of the South Shore schools that is far overcapacity. Borough President James Oddo is calling for an overhaul of the borough's school seat certification process. (Staten Island Advance)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Declaring that "concerns about school capacity and the detrimental impact overcrowding has on students are real," Borough President James Oddo is calling for a complete overhaul of the school seat certification process for Staten Island schools.

Oddo has reached out in letters to City Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina and School Construction Authority (SCA) director Lorraine Grillo, to call for a sit-down to discuss the process. He also said he plans to reach out to the mayor's office, City Planning, and the city Buildings Department, as well as other agencies that may be involved.

At issue is whether the current school seat certification process of one school seat for every two new housing units -- which dates back to the 1974 South Richmond Special Zoning District plan -- should be expanded to cover the entire Island, and thereby include new development on the North Shore and portions of the East Shore.

Oddo said he believes more is needed than just an expansion of the current rules. He said he favors starting from scratch and coming up with a whole new process.

"We share the concerns so many have about school capacity issues, but while calls for expanding the current South Richmond school seat certification process to all of Staten Island are understandable and well-intentioned, we think a fresh look at school seat certifications is overdue.

We think we need to start from scratch and try to formulate a genuine process that actually does what we want it to do," he said.

Oddo told the Advance he is especially concerned with re-sales of homes on the South Shore that originally fell under the South Richmond plan.

"it's a given that there has to be another school built on the North Shore," he said, but the hidden problem on the South Shore comes from what he called "in-fill" from re-sale homes. The school seats certified when these homes were originally built are already taken up.

As the Advance reported, most District 31 elementary schools are serving far more students than they were meant to handle.

The overcapacity extends to schools throughout the Island, including the South Shore. PS 5 in Huguenot, for example, is at 139 percent capacity. The school has an enrollment of 245, but was built for 176 students. Likewise, PS 3 in Pleasant Plans is at 130 percent capacity; it was built for 769 students but now has an enrollment of 998.

Oddo said he had received "an exchange of e-mails" in response to his initial letters to the chancellor and the SCA.

"We're going to have this conversation," he vowed. "It's in everyone's interest to see how we can update the process so that it works for all."
obama.JPG

The Senate acted decisively Wednesday to override President Barack Obama's veto of Sept. 11 legislation, setting the stage for the contentious bill to become law despite flaws that Obama and top Pentagon officials warn could put U.S. troops and interests at risk. (Associated Press)

WASHINGTON -- The Senate acted decisively Wednesday to override President Barack Obama's veto of Sept. 11 legislation, setting the stage for the contentious bill to become law despite flaws that Obama and top Pentagon officials warn could put U.S. troops and interests at risk.

Five weeks before elections, lawmakers refused to oppose a measure backed by 9/11 families who say they are still seeking justice 15 years after the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. The bill permits them to sue the government of Saudi Arabia for the kingdom's alleged backing of the 19 hijackers who carried out the plot. Saudi Arabia is staunchly opposed to the measure.

Senators voted 97-1 to override Obama's veto. The lone "no" vote was Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev).

A House vote on Obama's veto was expected later in the day Wednesday. If the House also overrides, the bill becomes law. During his nearly two terms in office, Obama has never had a veto overridden by Congress.

Despite reversing Obama's decision, several senators said defects in the bill could open a legal Pandora's box, triggering lawsuits from people in other countries seeking redress for injuries or deaths caused by military actions in which the U.S. may have had a role.

In a letter delivered Tuesday to Senate leaders, Obama said the bill would erode sovereign immunity principles that prevent foreign litigants "from second-guessing our counter-terrorism operations and other actions that we take every day."

But one of the bill's leading proponents, Sen. John Cornyn, (R-Texas), dismissed Obama's concerns as "unpersuasive." Cornyn, the Senate's No. 2 Republican, and other supporters said the bill is narrowly tailored and applies only to acts of terrorism that occur on U.S. soil.

"This bill is about respecting the voices and rights of American victims," Cornyn said.

Families of the victims and their attorneys disputed concerns over the legislation as fear-mongering aimed at derailing the legislation that they have long urged Congress to pass.

Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, one of the Democrats who broke with Obama and voted to override, said "the risks of shielding the perpetrators of terrorism from justice are greater than the risks this legislation may pose to America's presence around the world."

The legislation gives victims' families the right to sue in U.S. court for any role that elements of the Saudi government may have played in the 2001 attacks. Fifteen of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers were Saudi nationals. Courts would be permitted to waive a claim of foreign sovereign immunity when an act of terrorism occurs inside U.S. borders, according to the terms of the bill.

Still, a group of national-security minded legislators pledged to discuss how to repair problem areas during the upcoming lame-duck session of Congress. But the fact that legislation could pass both chambers of Congress without closer scrutiny left at least a few senators chiding themselves for not examining more closely the bill's potential ramifications.

The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, or JASTA, moved to the floor of the Senate in May and passed by voice vote. The bill cleared the House earlier this month, also by voice vote.

"We didn't pay much attention to this," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee. "And boy is that ever a lesson learned."

Obama vetoed the measure last week, telling lawmakers the bill would make the U.S. vulnerable to retaliatory litigation.

In his letter to Reid, the president said other countries could attempt to use JASTA to justify similar immunity exceptions to target U.S. policies and activities that they oppose.

"As a result, our nation and its armed forces, State Department, intelligence officials and others may find themselves subject to lawsuits in foreign courts," Obama wrote. As an example, U.S. troops, including those involved in counter-terrorism operations, "would be vulnerable to accusations that their activities contributed to acts that allegedly violated foreign laws," the president said.

In a separate letter sent Monday to a senior House member, Defense Secretary Ash Carter described the potential for foreign litigants to seek classified intelligence data and analysis and sensitive operational information to establish their cases in what could be an "intrusive discovery process."

If the U.S. were sued overseas, a foreign court would decide whether the information should be protected from disclosure, he said in the letter to Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) chairman of the Armed Services Committee. Paradoxically, the information could be central to a defense against the accusations.

"Disclosure could put the United States in the difficult position of choosing between disclosing classified or otherwise sensitive information or suffering adverse rulings and potentially large damage awards for our refusal to do so," Carter wrote.

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn) voiced his numerous concerns with the bill before the vote but decided to override the president's veto anyway.

"I do so understanding that there could be in fact unintended consequences that work against our national interests," said Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Missing the vote were Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine (D-Va.)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A Staten Island jury has awarded $250,000 to a beleaguered Mariners Harbor family whose apartment inside a city Housing Authority complex has been infested with bed bugs.

Blanche and Jose Aponte contended the bed-bug infestation inside their Brabant Street apartment beginning in August 2012 forced their family into a self-imposed exile of sorts, for fear of the critters attacking guests.

"We're miserable," Blanche Aponte, 48, told the Advance in September 2013 after the lawsuit was filed in state Supreme Court, St. George. "You're not happy. You don't want to be here. When people hear 'bed bugs,' they think you're dirty. I clean my house. It's humiliating, it really is."

She said bed-bug bites had left sores and scabs on her son and two daughters, who ranged in age, at the time, from 16 to 12.

Mrs. Aponte said she had asked to be moved to another location, but the Housing Authority did not comply.

She told the Advance then that the agency sent an exterminator to her apartment seven or eight times, but the pests weren't eliminated.

She also said other apartments in her building had a bed-bug problem.

Ms. Aponte said she had lived in her apartment for more than 17 years before the bed-bug infestation manifested in the summer of 2012.

Her lawyer, Michael J. Kuharski, said Wednesday the problem hasn't been eliminated, and his clients "still have an active infestation."

"Since the New York City Housing Authority admittedly knew that their attempts at eradication would not be effective, one can only assume that they did not take all necessary steps for the eradication of the bed-bug infestation because it was either too difficult or too expensive, or both," said Kuharski, a partner in the West Brighton-based firm of Kuharski, Levitz & Giovinazzo.

"And, after all, it wasn't the New York City Housing Authority who had to endure the infestation for four years, it was the Apontes," the lawyer said.

A Housing Authority spokeswoman said the agency is reviewing the verdict, adding, "The health and safety of our residents is our top priority."

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control, bed bugs are small, flat, parasitic, wingless reddish-brown insects which feed solely on the blood of sleeping humans and animals.

Bed bugs are found throughout the country, everywhere from hovels to five-star hotels.

However, their presence isn't indicative of the cleanliness of the living conditions where they're found.

While not considered a health hazard -- bed bugs aren't known to spread disease -- they can be a nuisance.

Their bites typically cause itching, and, in some cases, can cause serious allergic reaction requiring medical attention, the CDC said.

Bed bugs travel in seams and folds of luggage, overnight bags, folded clothes, bedding, furniture and anywhere else they can hide, said the CDC.
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Like most of those non-traditional endorsements for Clinton, the Republic acknowledged she has made "serious missteps." The newspaper critiqued her use of private email servers while serving as secretary of state, and wrote that although there was no evidence of wrongdoing, Clinton should have created a firewall between herself and her foundation to prevent the concern that donors were trying to buy access.
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It's a setting more familiar for those who've found themselves on the wrong side of the law but could Canberra uni students one day attend classes inside the Alexander Maconochie Centre?

The architects of a UK program that allowed university students and inmates to learn side-by-side have toured Canberra's jail ahead of a forum on the role of education in the prison system on Wednesday.

The Alexander Maconochie Centre. Credit:Jay Cronan

Dr Ruth Armstrong and Dr Amy Ludlow of the University of Cambridge designed Learning Together, a program where a university course is taught in prison to both inmates and students.

It's not uncommon for people in jail to attain their university degrees or to have uni students visit inmates but what is unusual is having classmates from both the inside and outside learning along side each other.
More apartment buyers are being told to pay for their own electricity meters, with property developers unwilling to foot the bill after ActewAGL increased prices.

Soon-to-be residents at the Mayfair Apartments  a 16-storey residential complex on West Row in Civic  have been asked to pay $563 for the installation before moving into their new home.

James is one of many residents who moved into the Ivy Apartments without power because the builder didn't install meters. Credit:Elesa Kurtz

Developers have historically installed electricity meters at new properties, although Actew began charging $563 for each apartment in July 2015. Previously the meter charge was incorporated into the supply charge.

The change was opposed by many Canberra builders who feared they would be left thousands of dollars out of pocket on domestic and commercial construction jobs.
While Matthew Suckling and Lin Jong are pushing their cases for grand final spots, the plight of Sid the mascot hasn't gone unnoticed at the kennel.

After originally being boned from the team heading to the MCG on Saturday, the British Bulldog has had his grand final ban overturned, after an overwhelming response from fans.

And while Sid is no doubt happy to be there on the big day, Dogs president Peter Gordon believes his initial omission was at least partially self-inflicted.

"There's been a lot of sympathy going Sid's way over the last little while, but there are some hard truths about Sid that I think we all need to face," Gordon jested.
Former Vocation chairman and federal education minister John Dawkins and former Vocation Ltd chief executive Mark Hutchinson have been accused of misleading investors in the collapsed vocational education outfit.

Former Vocation chief financial officer Manvinder Grewal has also been named in the action brought by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission in the Federal Court.

Former Vocation Ltd chief executive Mark Hutchinson. Credit:Nic Walker

Vocation, Mr Dawkins, who is the co-chair of top public affairs group GRACosway, Mr Hutchinson and Mr Grewal are also facing allegations they breached continuous disclosure laws.

ASIC is seeking declarations Mr Dawkins, Mr Hutchinson and Mr Grewal breached their duties, civil penalties and disqualification orders.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has received 119 reports of "psychiatric events" linked to seven medicines with Montelukast between 2000 and June 2016. It says warnings are not necessary and it will consider "further activities" to highlight the issue. Chloe's mental health started to deteriorate when she started Montelukast Sandoz to help manage her asthma symptoms. Credit:Adam McLean After sharing her son's experience in an ABC 7.30 story about Singulair in early September, Vanessa Sellick from Melbourne launched a Change.org petition demanding compulsory labelling that has since gained 1500 signatures. Her son Harrison began taking Singulair when he was two years old. He lost control over his emotions and had frequent meltdowns. When he was four, he expressed suicidal thoughts and at age five he acted on them. After Chloe stopping taking Montelukast, she started feeling happy again and the unpredictable mood swings and extreme tantrums stopped. Credit:Adam McLean

"One night during bath time he asked me to break both of his legs so that he would fall to the bottom of the bath and drown. I was horrified, heartbroken, scared and confused," said Ms Sellick. "During one of his medical assessments he stated to the doctor: 'I feel like there's nothing in my body, I'm just breathing without lungs, blood just pumping without a heart'." The Consumer Health Forum said adding a warning label was only one part of the solution. "The most important point is that doctors and pharmacists have the prime responsibility for informing patients and/or parents all they need to know about the medicine," said its chief executive Leanne Wells. "Labelling is part of that advice." MSD, an arm of American pharmaceutical company Merck & Co., said it was confident in the efficacy and safety of Singulair, a medication that has been prescribed to tens of millions of patients.

It said the side effects were outlined in the 'Product Information' and 'Consumer Medicine Information' leaflets that were available online. The weblink was printed on the box. "The decision to prescribe or to discontinue treatment is taken jointly by the doctor and their individual patient, as only they can weigh-up the potential benefits against any potential risks in a given individual case," a spokesman said. "The doctor has a responsibility to keep themselves up-to-date with the effects of that medicine." Dr Richard Kidd, Australian Medical Association's chair of general practice, has previously said the chance of side effects was too low to warrant unnecessarily frightening parents. Professor Greg Kyle, a pharmacy expert at Queensland University of Technology, said 16 Singulair cases that have been reported to the TGA were related to suicidal thoughts and depression.

"So 16 cases in over 2 million prescriptions makes this a truly rare effect," he said. "Ideally, these effects would not occur. However, expecting such rare events to be included on warnings is not feasible." Both the National Asthma Council and Asthma Australia have dismissed the calls from parents for a warning label, saying Montelukast was highly effective and had an "excellent" safety record. "Asthma Australia and our partners the National Asthma Council Australia will continue to monitor and assess evidence and update parents and the wider community as necessary," a statement said. For Mr Schmidt, a warning label is one part of the solution. "I wouldn't point the blame at one particular person or group. I think there has to be overall more awareness of the issue, and for doctors to warn their patients," he said.
Australia's major super funds are failing in their commitment to address climate change by voting in favour of "expansion" bonuses for energy company executives, a new report claims.

The report, by environmental campaign group Market Forces, claims super funds are signing off on bonuses for oil and gas executives that are explicitly tied to exploration, despite committing to the 2 degree climate change benchmark established through the Paris climate deal.

A report accuses Australia's major super funds for signing off on bonuses for fossil fuel expansion, despite pledging action on climate change. Credit:AP

The benchmark would render many of Australia's existing reserves unusable.

Seven Australian energy companies in the ASX300 have been singled out in the report as issuing bonuses directly tied to new fossil fuel projects. These include Santos, Oil Search and Karoon Gas Australia.
Qantas is warning all passengers of the risk of phones catching fire on board after a device with a lithium battery was crushed inside a seat and ignited on a flight to New York.

Crew have started to tell customers not to move their seats to hunt for their electronic devices, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said in a report on Wednesday into the June 21 incident.

A spokeswoman for Qantas said the briefings are now on all flights.

The fire started in the business class on a flight from Los Angeles to New York as crew searched for a passenger's phone.
Nursing had become "too dangerous" for Catherine Taylor before she left the profession.

Ms Taylor resigned in April from her job as a nurse in an acute mental health care unit in south-west Sydney.

"It was just getting too dangerous. I felt we were getting a lot of new graduates who were inexperienced and undergraduates who have done a week's mental health training," she said.

"This led to inexperienced staff dealing with highly psychotic patients who would either escalate the situation or not know how to handle it and not report a patient who was suicidal because they didn't want to appear incompetent.
Wells Fargo chief John Stumpf, fighting to keep his job amid outrage over Wall Street's latest scandal, will forgo more than $US41 million ($53 million) of shares and salary as the bank's board investigates how employees opened legions of bogus accounts for customers.

It's a swift turn for one of the industry's most exalted leaders, marking the biggest forfeiture of compensation from a major US bank chief since at least the 2008 financial crisis. But it may not be enough to spare Stumpf - once dubbed the Mr Clean of American banking - another lashing when he returns to Capitol Hill on Thursday. Last week, Senator Elizabeth Warren demanded he resign for "gutless leadership" after he blamed abuses on low-wage employees.

Giving up pay "is a smack on the head, but it doesn't end the question of whether Mr Stumpf should be allowed to head a bank," Erik Gordon, a law professor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. "He is responsible for the culture and he knew or should have known about a practice that was so wide-spread and well-known in the bank."

Stumpf told employees in a memo that he offered to give up $US41 million in unvested stock, which reflected his performance back to 2013, and the board accepted. Former community banking chief Carrie Tolstedt will forgo about US$19 million in unvested stock, and agreed not to cash in outstanding options during the review, the bank said on Tuesday in a statement. She has left the firm, after previously planning to retire at year-end. Neither Stumpf nor Tolstedt will get a bonus for this year.
As the battle over party financing heats up before the October 16 election, at least there seems to be agreement that the ACT needs some kind of anti-corruption commission to ensure transparency into the future.

Both ACT Labor and the Canberra Liberals have come under fire for accepting donations from property developers in recent months. As far back as July it was revealed the Liberals had also received monies from NSW property developers. In NSW, property developers are banned from donating to political parties.

That Labor has promised to ban such donations and investigate the public funding of campaigns if it is re-elected seems somewhat incongruous. The ACT Greens have called Labor out saying if it is serious about such reforms it should return all of the money it has received over the past two years.

It seems a case of Labor wanting to have their cake and eat it too, and then banning anyone else from eating cake once the party is over.
With Greens representatives in the ACT Legislative Assembly for at least the past 15 years, including four in the government's previous term and one a minister in the present regime, it is a bit rich to trumpet an old idea on the eve of an election. That the Greens propose only a trial in Weston Creek and Tuggeranong, areas where they did badly in the 2012 election, evokes even greater cynicism. On August 14, 2014, technology research organisation NICTA announced it was in the final stages of arranging a trial of an off-peak transport solution in Canberra where people would take a taxi from a bus stop for the price of a normal bus fare to any of eight hubs. Taxis would be booked online or with a smart phone, with the government getting a better service for at least the same cost or possibly less. The Greens' Shane Rattenbury was transport minister when the proposal was floated, but as with several similar ideas over the years, it seems to have sunk despite having considerable merit. I have so far been unable to find when I first wrote for The Canberra Times, suggesting taxis provide off-peak services to deliver people to trunk bus routes, but I believe it was in the early 1980s. Certainly, then Transport Workers Union secretary, the late Doug Carpenter, almost had a heart attack when reading that morning's paper. ACTION management has never been too keen on the idea either. Neither has any administration, Liberal, Labor or Greens, moved to introduce anything along these lines.

Yet with today's technology, there is no good reason why taxis, or some other flexible transport, cannot provide an effective off-peak link to trunk bus routes. But don't be fooled by any political party promising to do what they have failed to do for several decades. Graham Downie, O'Connor Euthanasia definition After reading correspondence on euthanasia in The Canberra Times I have come to the conclusion it would help focus the debate if there was greater clarity about what activities people regarded as falling within the scope of euthanasia in their push for reform. Euthanasia seems to be used with reference to one or more of the following: withdrawal of unwanted treatment and intervention; pain relief that may lead to speeding up death; support or assistance for suicide by a person; and taking life, that is killing, by a medical practitioner.

In my understanding only the later two fall within the scope of euthanasia and would require changes to the law. The first two categories are already covered by existing medical protocols and at most require improvements in medical training. Doug Hynd, Stirling Raising the issues Bill Gemmell (Letters, September 28) bemoaned that my letter stole valuable media attention from a wide range of issues that should be ventilated in the current election campaign. What a load of hogwash; my letter raised exactly the kind of issues that were not presented in Richard Dennis's pro-light rail opinion piece. I highlighted a study that found Kambah and Wanniassa residents were found to be the most mortgage-stressed suburbs in the country. I also detailed that unemployment and increasing living costs are an issue for these suburbs.

If Mr Gemmell had bothered to properly comprehend my letter, then he would have understood that I did the exact opposite of his claim and that he would be better levelling his charge at Richard Dennis. Brendan Halloran, Wanniassa Make Nightfest free As a photographer, I love visiting Floriade by day, even though we get locked out before we have a chance to photograph the blooms in the light of a beautiful sunset. What really disappoints me, is that Nightfest is not free to the public. By all means, sell tickets for enclosed special night-time events or ask for gold coin donations to go into display tents, but Floriade already makes a fortune through tourism, so I feel the night-time viewing of the Floriade flowerbeds should be freely accessible, just as Enlighten and its gorgeous installations and wandering entertainers can all be enjoyed for free. M. James, Fisher

Hanson's policies borne of valid fears If The Canberra Times was trying to change increasingly hostile views on Muslim immigration, the Monday editorial ("Leaders must not appease on Muslims", September 26) was well short of the mark. Indeed, there was no mention of the obvious concerns that a broad cross-section of people have about Islam, which is at the heart of the problem. Consider that in the last decade or so the Australian people have witnessed both here and abroad the most appalling behaviour by extreme Islamists who attack the very fabric of liberal democracies. Murder, homophobia, misogyny and mediaeval intolerance on a grand scale are all part of the toxic mix. Add to this a well-founded perception that too many Muslims fail to integrate into society and it should not come as a surprise that people have become wary.

People are also sick of politicians and prominent commentators such as Waleed Aly who deny any link to Islam in terrorist attacks when the only consistent thread in most terrorism is patently extreme Islam openly encouraged by Islamic religious leaders. The need to spend billions of dollars on security to protect Australia from a small group of our own (Muslim) citizens is perhaps the most obvious counter to these nonsensical notions. We rightly condemn the Christian churches for their past sins in, for example, the behaviour of paedophile priests, so why are we so squeamish when it comes to confronting the unacceptable aspects of Islam? Yes, most Muslims are decent people and no, we should not ban Muslim immigration, but we must proceed at a pace that we can accommodate and put an end to the absurd political correctness that suffocates any rational discussion about Islam. H.Ronald, Jerrabomberra In his/her critique of Pauline Hanson and her supporters, Luca Biason (Letters, September 28) raises some interesting points but fails to distinguish between cause and effect.

Muslims around the world are the source of anti-Islamic sentiment, not Ms Hanson, and it's not just the violent extremists that give Islam a bad name. Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan, where executions are carried out for blasphemy and apostasy among other crimes, and where women are subjugated and treated as second-class citizens, account for 300million people. If Ms Hanson's "manipulative and blind hatred" was directed at Christians or Jews, she'd be ignored, because despite their many faults, even the most extreme interpretation of their doctrines doesn't lead to a credible threat of mass-murder that spans the globe. While her views may be inarticulate and her policies ill-considered, the fear upon which they are based is very real and justified. Is it any wonder that the conversation veers into racist and xenophobic territory with someone like Ms Hanson leading it, when the politicians best placed to initiate a sensible discussion of the problem refuse to even acknowledge it exists for fear of being branded Islamaphobic? James Allan, Narrabundah Gittins off the mark

Ross Gittins' critique of the recent speech by International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde paid scant attention to one of the most damning features of globalisation. Recent decades have seen a vast redirection of wealth into the hands of the few. In past centuries such inequality in wealth distribution triggered violence  even revolution. The US-based Economic Policy Institute has published a number of papers on the dramatic increase in executive remuneration while workers' pay has barely changed. Attempts to discuss this in Australia are disparaged by cries of "class warfare" and the like. Governments fail to address this and related issues of tax havens or multinational enterprise "creative accounting" to minimise tax payments. Yet politicians and commentators are perplexed by voter dissatisfaction  and the rise of demagogues like Donald Trump. Must we repeat the bloodshed of the last century or can we finally show some nous by reining in the rampant, destructive greed of corporations, executives and their ilk? So-called "free trade" only benefits the most powerful. Rod Olsen, Flynn Railroaded on tram

No, Bill Gemmell ("Rail railing distracts", Letters, September 28), the current government did not make "... a decision to construct light rail after weighing up the competing views..." The result of the 2012 ACT election was 8 Labor, 8 Liberal and 1 Green  a certain Mr Shane Rattenbury. The price for receiving Mr Rattenbury's support to form a 9-8 majority government was to build a tram line from Gungahlin to Civic! Quite rightly the Liberals said "no thanks" but the Labor Party could not face not continuing in government and said "yes please". The tram became a fait accompli  despite technical and financial analyses demonstrating most clearly that the tram was not, nor ever would be, the answer to the original perceived traffic problem. As for the binding contracts, the government firstly refused to hold a referendum on the tram and then refused to postpone the signing of the contracts until after the upcoming election.

Rescinding these contracts by the Liberal government will not be on a whim  the two tenderers were made fully aware of that outcome before submission of their tenders. 17 days to go! Paul E. Bowler, Holder China dishonest Contrary to John Richardson's letter (September 28), there is a subtle distinction between China's stance on the South China Sea and Australia's position over East Timor's offshore gas fields. China signed the law of the sea documents and then repudiated them. Australia coerced East Timor into signing a contract which the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has just ruled "is not binding" ("East Timor appeals to Australia over border", September 27, p11).

Australia's actions might be described as dishonourable. China's can be described as dishonest and unlawful. East Timor's independence cost Australia time, money and blood. But we do not own it. It is time for us to go to arbitration. Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor TO THE POINT

PROMISES, PROMISES So Andrew Barr promises integrity measures if his government is returned. Is this the same Barr who appointed Brendan Smyth to a highly paid position without canvassing other possible candidates? And all with the apparent support of the Liberals and the negatively geared Greens. Ric Hingee, Duffy POLICE MILITARISATION I am horrified by the intention to increase the numbers of police who can carry Tasers. What are our representatives thinking? The ACT police, with a few exceptions, are highly regarded. The introduction of more Tasers will inevitably change this culture.

The militarisation of police forces across the world has been to the detriment of society. Please don't go there. Janet Rickwood, Greenway BOGAN MARRIAGES It is because of the view of Chris Swinbank and his ilk that makes the plebiscite a necessity. He asks if bogans should be allowed to marry and/or have children  are you, and do you? Alex Wallensky, Broulee NSW

PEACEFUL PROTEST Abbott's peaceful invaders metaphor and Turnbull's urging the world to develop strong borders have given Bernardi a platform on which to spruik delicate and nuanced versions of Hanson's policies. My humble suggestion is for the extreme right to develop a really scary narrative of "the chaos of peaceful swamping", which they can apply to Muslims, LGBTs, dole bludgers, the Greens, unionists, the ABC and vegans. Oleh Lukomskyj, Evatt VOTE FOR MINUS I would love to see an amendment to the Electoral Act to allow one to cast a negative vote. For example, a vote of minus one (-1) for the candidate of one's choice means that the tally for that candidate gets reduced by one vote.

George Beaton, Greenway FOCUS ON CLINTON Now that, post-debate, it is clear that Donald Trump has no chance of winning the US election, would it be possible for us to see some actual investigation into the criminal activities  domestic and international  of the woman who would be president? Greg Ellis, Murrumbateman NSW BACKPACKER TAX
Donald Hawes Blayney An ongoing problem seems to be Julia Gillard's foolish (and politically motivated) promise that no school would be worse off under the Gonski funding reforms. However, since the Abbott-Turnbull government has had no qualms about reversing many other Labor policies, why not reverse this one too? But that would take real courage, Prime Minister. Rob Phillips North Epping Education Minister Simon Birmingham has said some wealthy schools are overfunded and may be worse off under a new funding model. And as usual the private education sector is squealing its head off. We'll hear the usual argument that not all parents who send their kids to "wealthy" schools are wealthy themselves, but want the best for their children, so need the taxpayer to help fund them. I'm not wealthy myself and would love the taxpayer to help fund first class air travel for my trip to Europe next week because I would like the best for myself too.

Victoria Heffernan Walcha Having attended a private school in the eastern suburbs of Sydney in the 1940s, and having visited it recently, I feel qualified to comment on the debate about government funding of private schools. Since 1946 the school has acquired a chapel and a swimming pool, has upset the locals by its expansion, come under the influence of its owners, a fundamentalist protestant denomination, and had a building erected in its grounds by a well-known property developer. The government subsidy it receives would be much better spent by going to a needy public school. Ian Edwards Glebe Senator Birmingham should release the per capita funding for all schools going back 10 years. The public would then be in a much better position to determine the equity of the huge education budget. The ludicrous gold plating of elite private school facilities would be exposed while our overcrowded local public schools languish. Tony Simons Balmain

Subsidising elite private schools is a hideous waste of taxpayers' money, and what for? So we can segregate our children according to parental income and/or religion. That is not education, it is "segre-cation". How dare these pompous elitists try to stifle righteous outrage at their ostentation? Tom Orren Wamberal How long will it be before the government starts painting those with children in public schools as "welfare recipients"? Tony Walbran Dee Why Western moderates insult our intelligence on Islam

There are two clear reasons for the anti-Muslim xenophobia outlined in Heath Aston's article ("Project confirms widespread Islamophobia in Australia", September 28). The first is the tragic adherence to seventh century values by large numbers of Muslims, particularly those subject to repressive Islamic regimes. Daily reports of the Syrian quagmire and Islamist terrorism play like an anti-Muslim propaganda campaign on our TV screens. The second is the denial of Islam's acute problems by Western moderates. Fearful of fanning xenophobia, politicians insult our intelligence with ludicrous feel-good statements. When Malcolm Turnbull claimed the murder of a police office worker by a 15-year-old Islamist had nothing to do with Islam, or when Greens senator Larissa Waters on the ABC assured us that Islam is a religion of peace, neither were making unusual statements. Like many other moderate politicians, they may have thought they were doing their bit to quell bigotry, but the veracity of their words is identical to that of Pauline Hanson's when she declared we are being swamped by Muslims; the propositions are patently false. Unlike Hanson, who thrives in an anti-intellectual milieu, centrist politicians such as Turnbull and Waters don't; their statements must have integrity if they are to have political clout. The response to the bigoted lie "all Muslims are violent" can't be the fantasy "Islam is antithetical to violence". Peter Robinson Ainslie (ACT)

Watch and wait for Obeid pay day To those to whom the Obeids are likely to have to pay legal costs as a consequence of the outcome of their case against the ICAC, and in respect of which Moses Obeid is quoted as saying there was "a long way to go yet" ("Obeid family loses lawsuit for damages against ICAC", September 28), I have two words of warning about the likelihood of them being paid any of the money: "Smart Poles". Harvey Sanders Paddington Eddie Obeid suing for reputational harm takes the oxymoron to a new level. Bill Carpenter Bowral

PM on PM erases a few memories Recent letters calling John Howard our finest prime minister and likening him to Menzies seem to have forgotten it was Howard who said before his last election that "Australia cannot do without me" - and what happened. The Liberals lost government and Howard lost his seat!! Nuff said. Menzies may have thought this but was not stupid enough to say it. Basil Nash Berowra Mean-spirited people continue to have a chip at John Howard and his fascinating program on the enduring influence of R.G. Menzies, even though there had been zilch on record about Australia's longest serving PM. However, Howard's phlegmatic personality will see him shrug off the odd insult, secure in the growing certainty that, over recent decades, he's been our most popular and successful PM by a country kilometre. Rosemary O'Brien Georges Hall

George Fishman (Letters, September 28) seems to be confusing John Howard the actor with John Howard the politician. Howard the actor won the 2001 Logies' most outstanding actor award. Howard the politician won the wooden spoon award in 2007 when he became only the second Australian prime minister to lose his seat. The Hague is definitely the right stage for the failed politician; the production: Truth, Lies and WMDs. Barrington Salter Neutral Bay Naming plights The constant naming and renaming of Sydney stadia is bonkers ("Sterling advice is gold for Townsend", September 28). It can't really be a commercially successful ploy, otherwise why would they keep on changing? I mean really  who is inspired by the hallowed turf of Spotless (!) Stadium, or [insert bank name here] or whichever it is this week? There is one venue that could be truly inspiring if given the right  and permanent  name and that's the Olympic stadium. The name, which would be right in so many ways and a unique one that would be recognised around the world: Eora Stadium.

How about it Sydney peeps? Diana Simmonds Paddington Plebmania Good idea, Joe Wolfe (Letters, September 28). After the plebiscite on Gonski we could have a plebiscite on asylum seekers, the environment, medicare, superannuation and arts funding. John Byrne Randwick

Hunger pains may come back to bite As ocean temperatures change around the world, it is logical to believe that creatures living in those oceans will adjust to those changing conditions accordingly ("Marks of monster shark can't ruffle Cooper", September 28). This could mean that creatures such as sharks may choose to move to a more suitable habitat. These same creatures may find not only water temperatures affect their habitat but a decline in food sources. The food sources may also change or be artificially diminished by humans raping the oceans of sea creatures by allowing large fishing vessels to drag miles of ocean floor, which will eventually effect ALL marine life. Humans may now be seen by sharks as a plentiful alternative food source due to these changes. Wally Reynolds Perth This is one cause over which I agree with the NSW government. Surfers who continue to surf know the risk of shark attack. It is not the job of government to stop people from taking risks; its job is to advise that the risk is there. If people choose to ignore that advice it is their responsibility, not the government's. Stop making government responsible for everything that people do in this world. People need to take responsibility for their own behaviour. Ken Morehouse Wangaratta

While it's great to see Cooper Allen alive and smiling. The real reason is that from this day forth he will have the best set of scars and will be the envy of all his mates at parties. Tim Schroder Gordon Redeploy the greyhounds to shark patrols: two problems solved at once. Paul Roper Croydon Global growth industry

No, global warming didn't start 180 years ago (Letters, September 28); it started millions of years ago with the demise of the ice age and the truth is that this planet is not going to be in existence for ever. Christopher Jobson Monash (ACT) Fuelling discontent Could this be the oil company's version of Gonski ("Northern beaches fuel prices highest in the nation", September 28)? Peter Miniutti Ashbury

For the real deal, bring back Jed Picking up the paper I noted the headline "Reality TV meets The West Wing" (September 28). For a sweet, fleeting moment, in the dawn's early light, there was the sturdy, reassuring figure of Jed Bartlet. God bless America. Pamela Chippindall Woolahra We are all watching the US elections with Trumpidation. Graham Jarvis Epping

At least Hillary and Donald didn't mention the word plebiscite. Vicky Marquis Glebe Global growth zone Oh come now, Stephanie Edwards (Letters, September 28), don't be a party pooper. The grand finals come but once a year. The floods and climate change will be around for a long time. Richard Fry Marrickville

Stephanie Edwards reports that the previous days Herald had Swans on the front page and Forbes floods and climate change on pages 6 and 7. Tuesday's smh.com.au, in the "Latest Headlines" section, listed 30 items, of which 23 related to sport. Priorities? Tony Slattery Heathcote Sleigh bells in range It may not be the first cuckoo of spring, but your 17 down clue in the quick crossword (September 28) reminded me that mince pies and Christmas puddings are already on display at one supermarket, still 88 sleeps away by my reckoning. Almost time for seamail cards to be posted. Robin Hutcheon Edgecliff

Stretching imagination I jumped for joy too at seeing that fantastic colour photo of a ballet couple in the foyer of our glorious Capitol Theatre ("Women lead way with ballet's iconic role", September 28). Any colour photo of The Capitol does it for me, but with ballet talent a-poise, my heart soared. Thank you. Paul Brennan Woollahra Goodbye Tangles Aveagoodweekend, Mr Walker ("Gentlemen of his era", smh.com.au, September 28). Thanks for some great memories, both on and off the field.
Almost 4000 South Australian properties are without power as an extreme weather system moves across the state.

The Eyre Peninsula has been hardest hit so far with reports of wind gusts in excess of 80km/h and heavy rain as a front and intense low pressure system continue to track eastward.

The storm reached Adelaide by midday on Wednesday and was expected to dump up to 100mm of rain in some areas, including the Adelaide Hills, where a flood warning was in place.

The Bureau of Meteorology expected the worst of the winds to hit the state's mid-north.
"The awarding of such a contract to an entity that has hitherto had no direct role in establishing or operating a register of this kind sets a challenging and potentially troublesome precedent," Ms Kotz wrote.

Writing to the Senate inquiry examining the bill, the Australian Medical Association's senior policy adviser, Jodette Kotz, said that while the AMA did not oppose outsourcing clinical registries "in principle", it noted there had been " a lack of transparency around the process for awarding this contract, in particular the timing of the announcement".

The register, which will combine the data of nine existing ones, is due to go live in May next year.

The nation's peak medical lobby group has raised concerns over a "lack of transparency" around the awarding of a $220 million government contract to Telstra to manage sensitive medical records.

"The AMA, therefore, would welcome a detailed explanation and assurance from the Department of Health, as well as independent privacy and data experts, that the entity awarded the contract has the capacity to deliver it as contracted, and that every assurance can be given as to how sensitive health and medical data will be stored, how any potential breaches will be addressed, and what arrangements are to be put in place to manage the transition of nine separate cancer screening registers into a single National Cancer Screening Register.

"Given the potential commercial value of the data contained in the register, the AMA would be more comfortable with it being operated by government, a tertiary institution, or not-for-profit entity that has little interest in how the data in the register might otherwise be used.

"This would go a long way to allaying concerns about the secondary use of data for commercial reasons."

A Senate inquiry is looking into the National Cancer Screening Register legislation, first introduced by Health Minister Sussan Ley on May 5, the day after the government signed a contract with the telco giant to manage a new national cancer screening register, and just two days after Malcolm Turnbull called the election. The contract was announced on May 26, during the caretaker period.

While Telstra Health submitted it was "uniquely well-placed" to manage the register, having the necessary "size, scale and mixture of clinical and technical expertise to successfully build, migrate and operate the Register" and would apply the same standards in security as the government in building the register, the nation's Privacy Commissioner and acting Information Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim, has also raised concerns.
Nearly 200 doctors and health workers caring for Australians of diverse sexuality and gender identity have joined calls for the Turnbull government to ditch its planned plebiscite on same-sex marriage.

In less than a week, Melbourne general practitioner Vincent Cornelisse helped co-ordinate the collection of 196 signatures from healthcare professionals in every state and territory, warning Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that a public campaign could be damaging for vulnerable people in the community.

The letter comes as a new poll shows public support for the national vote has collapsed, with more respondents favouring a vote in Parliament.

Support for the plebiscite has fallen from 70 per cent in July to 39 per cent in Wednesday's Newspoll, with 48 per cent of respondents saying they favour a vote by members of Parliament to resolve the issue.
The Turnbull government has rejected a call from pilots to overturn a relaxation of regulations on unmanned drones, despite warnings they risk catastrophic collisions with commercial aircraft and helicopters.

The liberalised laws, set by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, allow anyone to fly lightweight, remotely-controlled drones without a licence - even for commercial purposes - in a bid to "cut red tape".

Such operators would still need to abide by rules such as keeping the drone below an altitude of 120 metres, within their line of sight and a minimum of 5.5 kilometres away from major airports.

But the Australian Federation of Air Pilots, led by Virgin Australia captain David Booth, has warned the relaxed system is too permissive and will encourage unlicensed drone operators to "fly anywhere".
The Turnbull government's Minister for Women, Michaelia Cash, oversees the department with the lowest rate of female representation on government boards, a new report reveals.

Overall, the Coalition has hit its target for 40 per cent female representation on government boards, a fact celebrated at a gathering at Kirribilli House on Wednesday night.

As at June 30 this year, there were 2351 board seats across 332 government boards, of which 953 were occupied by women, giving an average female representation rate of 40.5 per cent.

This was up from 39.1 per cent the previous year, with women making up 46.5 per cent of new board appointments last financial year, according to the Gender Balance on Government Boards Report released on Thursday. The report was prepared by the Office for Women, which was recently upgraded to a division within the department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Politics has "gone mad", and Australian politicians shouldn't blame a rising tide of anti-Muslim sentiment or opposition to multiculturalism as the main reason.

Instead, according to Labor finance spokesman Jim Chalmers, it's because of a "deeper disillusionment" in society, linked to low wages growth and falling living standards.

And it's that same fall in wages and living standards that has driven the rise in popularity, on the right of politics, of Pauline Hanson, Donald Trump and the successful Brexit vote while on the left, it has driven the rise in popularity of Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn in the US and UK, respectively.

In a fiery behind-closed-doors speech to the Transport Workers Union, Dr Chalmers argued that the Australian economy - despite strong headline growth figures - was simply "not delivering for most people".
In the months since the July 2 election, Malcolm Turnbull and his ministers have relied heavily on the claim that Australia's voters handed them a mandate to hold a plebiscite on whether same-sex marriage should be legalised.

Bill Shorten and Labor, the Greens and the crossbench have made clear they oppose what is effectively little more than a non-binding national opinion poll  citing the $200 million cost, the potential for unleashing hate speech, and the deviation from the ordinary manner in which laws are passed in this country.

Two key factors are now pulling at the threads of the "mandate" argument for the plebiscite and the government's insistence that it is a national vote, or nothing.

The first is the new pragmatism that has been on display from Mr Turnbull and his team in recent weeks.
"She always knows her place."

And it's at the head of the table.

H&M's Autumn Collection 2016 video. Credit:YouTube/H&M

A new ad campaign from H&M has managed to earn praise and raise eyebrows by redefining what it means to be "a lady".

Set to a Lion Babe cover of Tom Jones' She's a Lady, the Swedish brand's Autumn Collection 2016 video, features women picking their teeth in restaurants, ordering room service french fries by themselves, leading a staff, and (gasp) daring to be above a size 10.
But researchers have come out on the side of nagging and I could not be more thrilled. Now, being researchers, they don't actually call it nagging but I know what they mean even if they are couching it in acceptable terms.

Nagging gets bad press. That's probably rooted in the endless chastising of small children in playgrounds. Put your shoes on; don't eat the sand. Or at home. Pick up your clothes; be nice to your sister. The list of instructions we issue our children is long. And the older they get, the longer the list gets.

"Researchers have come out on the side of nagging and I could not be more thrilled," writes Jenna Price. Credit:Stocksy

My friend Deanne Carson, a respectful relationships counsellor, thinks this is a character flaw and that I should have allowed their inner resilience to blossom and their intrinsic motivation to bloom. My response? You aren't born resilient, your mother makes you that way.

Ericka Rascon-Ramirez, an assistant professor at Middlesex University, has devoted her research over the last six years to looking at the impact parents have on children, from Malawi to the UK. The results are similar. Parents who spend time talking to their children about their expectations  and reinforcing those expectations  have children who do better at school. They are more likely to go on to higher education. They are less likely to get pregnant. In Malawi she found that investing in human capital [ensuring the kids actually do the work] through vocational training programs, childbearing was reduced. Same result.

And Rascon-Ramirez explains that it's not about class. In fact, it's particularly true for girls who may not have been performing well at the age of 13, no matter what their socio-economic background is.

Are the parents nagging?

Rascon-Ramirez is diplomatic. The data tells her that parents are talking to their children about their academic work and they do it regularly. Without fail.

"[These parents show] high expectations . . . detailed time allocation data shows us that they spend time doing homework with their children or monitoring or supervising homework," says Rascon-Ramirez. "Even if you have a lack of resources to support your kids, it is important to believe in their future because that will impact their attitudes."
The latest results aren't in yet, but there were more Christians under our roof on Census night than last time. As writ, we added our own flesh and blood to the flock. We did so for many reasons, including our commitment to the notion of community. We want to pave as many paths to participation for our progeny as possible, so connecting her with our local parish seemed like a sensible idea. Whether she walks down it later in life will be up to her.

At last count, 61 per cent of Australians declared they were Christian. Catholics accounted for 25 per cent of the national congregation, Anglicans 17 per cent and the Uniting Church on 5 per cent. Muslims were 2.2 per cent, Buddhists 2.5 per cent, Greek Orthodox 1.8 per cent, and Hindus 1.3 per cent.

The question comes at a time when faith is centre of fresh controversy. The latest Census kicked up a stink surrounding the bit about our beliefs. With the wording of the religion question re-jigged, a conservative Christian lobby group preached 'Muslim peril' was begat by sloppy box-ticking while the atheists argued wanton converts to the Jedi Order risked over-faithifying Australia.

But we haven't been back to church since. And the aforementioned baptism was one of a very few times we've attended church on a Sunday since the last Census was taken. I don't see anything wrong with that. But some do. Some might say we're "cop outs", "token", "lazy", or "cheats". Others - avowedly anti-religion - might question whether a baptism really was in the best interests of our baby.

Yet our experience is far from singular. Megan, from Sydney, is a non-practicing Catholic and had her baby baptised at eight months old. "I felt like it was important to me, for reasons I can't articulate," she says. "Also we wanted our child to have the option to do other sacraments as they grew up and also when the time comes, to attend a Catholic school."

"At our 'lesson' leading up to the baptism more than half of the group said they were doing it to get their child into a Catholic school... (but) I think extended family values and beliefs have a lot to do with it for most people these days."

Meanwhile Adelaide Catholic schoolteacher John, baptised Church of England in the sixties, doesn't attend church with his Catholic wife and stepchildren "apart from weddings, funerals and bar mitzvahs". Is he bothered when Sunday swings around and the family have passed over the pews?

"Not bothered at all," he says. "Rather have toast and watch Insiders."
ANZ (OnePath) is the worst offender, with 239 Fat Cat Funds. Stockspot estimates the bank takes $142 million a year in fees from members and investors in these funds. AMP/AXA owns 81 of the Fat Cat Funds, Westpac (BT) has 63, CBA (Colonial First State) has 50 and NAB (MLC) has 32. Fat Cat Funds charge fees of 2.04 per cent, on average, whereas Fit Cat Funds  the best performers  charge 0.94 per cent. "It means that a 30-year-old of today might lose nearly a quarter of their lifetime super if their money is in an average Fat Cat Fund," Brycki says. Those in their 50s could lose over $100,000 in the years leading up to their retirement if they are in a Fat Cat Fund.

Brycki says not-for-profit industry super funds have fewer Fat Cat Funds and many more Fit Cat Funds than retail funds, owned by businesses such as the banks and other financial institutions. For example, about 38 per cent of Fit Cat Super Funds are industry funds, compared with 14 per cent of retail funds. Among super funds, the better performers include investment options offered by industry funds REST Super and Cbus Super. It is not all bad news for the big banks and AMP. They do have a number of super funds and managed funds that feature in the ranks of the Fit Cat Funds. Default super

Most people do not choose who manages their retirement savings with their super going to the fund chosen by their employer or specified by an industrial award. The Turnbull government last year supported the recommendation by the inquiry into the financial system led by David Murray to open up super to a competitive tender process. That was seen as a win for the big four banks, AMP and other financial institutions that have large superannuation businesses. Retail funds could tender to be become the default fund provider to an employer whose default fund is currently specified in an award, which is almost always an industry fund. However, an open and fair tender process would also be expected to allow industry funds to tender to become the default provider for employers whose default providers are retail funds.

Brycki says he supports the idea of a public tender. "Chile established public tenders for the right to manage default super that has reduced average super fees to 0.3 per cent versus average fees of over 1 per cent in Australia," he said. The government asked the Productivity Commission to study opening up default super to competition and it recently issued its draft report. The commission says decision-making could be centralised and taken out of the hands of employers or industrial awards. The commission will issue its final report to the government by the end of November. Alternative views

Stockspot's report is broadly consistent with super fund researchers Chant West and SuperRatings in finding that industry funds outperform "retail" funds. The main reason is the lower fees of industry funds. Brycki notes that the Fat Cat Fund category captures some of the big financial institutions' older "legacy" super funds that are no longer open to new investors. These funds were launched when fees were generally higher. He says their newer superannuation funds have lower fees. An ANZ spokesperson dismissed the findings. "The report does not accurately reflect the fees paid by our customers invested in these products, as a large number of customers are eligible for discounts based on their level and duration of investment which, in turn, reduces the fees they pay," the ANZ spokesperson said.

"Since last year we have transitioned over 100,000 customers to new low-fee paying products as part of our MySuper transition program that is delivering substantial savings to customers and will see old underperforming funds closed or terminated. "We will ramp up this work in coming months with another 140,000 customers transferred to new lower fee products." A spokesperson for the Financial Services Council, which represents retail super funds, says research shows super fees are internationally competitive. "They [fees] are continuing to fall over time as funds become larger and more efficient," the FSC spokesperson said. Stockspot promotes investments called exchange traded funds (ETFs) that are very low-cost index funds listed on the Australian sharemarket.
The federal government's Aboriginal Hostels has called in the federal police over allegations of criminal conduct at the troubled agency.

There has also been an exodus of senior executives at Aboriginal Hostels Limited, which is now under a new management team whose leader says she is "saddened" by the state of the organisation, which "requires a major overhaul".

Aboriginal Hostels Limited provides accommodation at 47 sites nationwide for Indigenous Australians from rural and remote communities.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion has been aware since February that "allegations of criminal behaviour, bad practices and low morale in AHL" were being investigated.

The Australian Crime Commission was called in February to advise before complaints of criminality were referred to the Australian Federal Police, who are understood to be still investigating the matter.
South Australia blackout: Once in 50-year storm lashes state

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An aspiring rapper from Sydney's south-west has been charged with having sex with a 12-year-old girl he met through social media.

Noor Raad, who raps under the name Thundah MC, was arrested at his home in Bankstown on Tuesday after a tip-off to the State Crime Command's Child Abuse Squad that an underage girl had been procured online for sex.

Noor Raad, 21, allegedly used social media to procure a 12-year-old girl for sex. Credit:Facebook/ThundahIllestInTheGame

Police will allege Raad, 21, spoke to the young girl on social media and then arranged to meet her in person.

They allegedly met once in May and had sexual intercourse.
In the words of one resident: "Time's up, it needs to be fixed."

The people of Forbes are furious that their town could have its main access cut off for up to six weeks, its tourism decimated as the school holidays kick in, while trade with nearby towns turns into a trickle.

The target of their anger is the Newell Highway. The artery of the central-western NSW is no rural lane but a major thoroughfare that ferries goods from Brisbane through NSW to Melbourne, with Forbes at its centre.

But two sections of the highway  one 16-kilometre stretch between Forbes and West Wyalong and another one-kilometre stretch between Forbes and Parkes  flood every time the Lachlan River breaks its luscious green banks.
The old Balmain Leagues Club is a notorious eyesore on one of the city's busiest roads - and it could stay that way for years as wrangling continues over the fate of the derelict site.

Its owner and would-be developer, Rozelle Village, wanted to build 12- and eight-storey residential towers on the Victoria Road site, plus shops and space for a new leagues club.

The fate of the former Balmain Leagues Club on Victoria Road is in limbo after a court refused the latest development application. Credit:Peter Rae

But the development application was refused on Wednesday by the Land and Environment Court, which ruled it did not meet the objectives of the local environment plan for the precinct.

As well as potentially worsening traffic on a congested arterial road, the proposal raised "doubts about the area to be provided for use by the Balmain Leagues Club to promote its long term viability", Commissioner Annelise Tuor said.
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A new watchdog is at risk of delivering diminished oversight of NSW police, the Ombudsman has warned, including less power to monitor internal investigations into shootings and other "critical incidents".

Legislation to establish the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) is before the NSW Legislative Council following a report into police oversight arrangements by former shadow attorney-general Andrew Tink.

The LECC is designed to streamline police oversight by replacing the Police Integrity Commission and functions of the Ombudsman and Inspector of the NSW Crime Commission.

But acting Ombudsman John McMillan has warned in a letter to a parliamentary oversight committee the bill will "diminish rather than strengthen" the functions currently performed by his agency.
The distraught mother of a teenage girl who disappeared from a railway station in Sydney's south three days ago has pleaded to her daughter to: "Please, please, just go for help."

Cassie Olczak, 16, has not been seen since 6.30pm on Sunday, when she got off a south-bound train at Banksia train station, where she was due to catch a connecting train to Hurstville just before 7pm.

Connie Olczak has been handing out flyers at train stations in a bid to find her missing daughter, Cassie. Credit:Facebook

But Cassie's mother Connie Olczak said her daughter did not return to their Sylvania home that night, and there had been no trace of her since.

Her mobile phone is off, and she has not accessed her bank account since she vanished.
A Sydney terror suspect who refused to answer questions at a secret NSW Crime Commission hearing was "profoundly vulnerable" and trying to protect her new husband, a court has heard.

Alo-Bridget Namoa, 19, is one of the first people to be charged with failing to answer questions under the extensive powers of the NSW Crime Commission Act 2012.

'Her motives were not sinister': Alo-Bridget Namoa (right). Credit:Facebook

Namoa has pleaded guilty to 31 counts that occurred when she was called to give evidence at the Commission earlier this year during an investigation into a suspected planned terrorist act by her 19-year-old husband Sameh Bayda.

She is also facing separate charges of possessing an item and documents connected to a terrorist act, while Mr Bayda has been charged with three terrorism offences.
Instead of a night at the museum, it's a rare morning at the zoo without the crowds and queues.

Taronga Zoo is opening its doors an hour early at 8.30am on Saturday for guests on the autism spectrum and their family or friends.

Baby meerkats at Taronga Zoo. Credit:Paul Fahy

"This is a great opportunity to enjoy the peace and quiet of the zoo before it opens to the general public," Taronga's manager of guest experience operations Stephen Williams said ahead of the inaugural Access Taronga day.

Similar mornings are expected to be held throughout the year, and will include early access to zoo exhibits, animal meet and greets and the Sky Safari Cable Car.
A "feasible" three-to-four kilometre light rail project costing around $200 million is the Gold Coast's preferred solution to reduce traffic congestion on the Gold Coast's Southport Spit, not bridges over the Southport Broadwater.

That is laid out clearly in Gold Coast City Council's Transport Strategy 2031, but very rarely reported.

Surfers wait for the Gold Coast light rail. Credit:Glenn Hunt

"By 2031, this transport strategy proposes that.... light rail branch lines are introduced between Surfers Paradise and Bundall, as well as between Main Beach and The Spit," the strategy says.

It is the number three "signature project" in the transport strategy, after extending the light rail south to Burleigh and the airport.
Lord Mayor Graham Quirk wants Brisbane residents to come forward with their ideas on how his proposed $1.53 billion metro rapid transit system could look and operate.

But Brisbane City Council's Labor opposition has seized on the appeal and accused the Lord Mayor of running out of ideas of his own.

Brisbane City Council is considering an automatic, driverless metro. Credit:Brisbane City Council

Cr Quirk said the council would reach out to Brisbane residents from next month to seek input to its Brisbane Metro business case, which was expected to be delivered by May next year.

Cr Quirk said the council wanted to know more about commuters' travel habits ahead of the Brisbane Metro's construction, which he hoped would be completed by 2022.
Government policy and universities are being blamed for worsening problems in higher education. Graduate oversupply, weak collaboration between academia and industry, and poor discovery commercialisation are frequent criticisms.

What of industry's role in this mess. Why is Australian business seemingly immune from criticism for its general lack of engagement in the tertiary sector?

Business can work closer with STEM and other university streams. Credit:iStock/Rudyanto Wijaya

Why isn't industry held to account for outsourcing too much learning to universities and failing to collaborate sufficiently with them on research projects?

Do not read this blog as siding with universities. Regular readers know The Venture has highlighted problems in academia for years  long before it became popular to attack universities for shortcomings in teaching, research and industry collaboration.
Chinese smartphone upstart Xiaomi has revealed its response to Apple's iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, and it looks to be the strongest yet in a long line of impressively competent phones at very low prices.

Xiaomi has a history of making phones that look, feel and are named similarly to the latest from Apple and Samsung, and that pack a surprising amount of polish and power for their price. Sold officially only in a few regions but easily importable to Australia, the company's phones run a highly customised version of Android that works a little more like iOS.

Look familiar? Xiaomi's new Mi 5s. Credit:Xiaomi

Xiaomi's newly-announced Mi 5s, like the Mi 5 before it, is a dual-SIM device with a 5.15-inch screen that looks a little like an iPhone and a Galaxy merged together. Unlike its predecessor though, the Mi 5s is aiming to out-innovate Apple with new tricks and features.

Like the iPhone, the 128GB version of the Mi 5s features a pressure sensitive touchscreen that lets you press firmly to bring up additional options. Like the iPhone 7 it also features a new kind of fingerprint scanner, but Xiaomi's is very different indeed.
To Mars and back on a 50-kilogram tank and more fuel-efficient than NASA: that's the aim of Sydney rocket scientist Paddy Neumann for his prototype ion drive.

And Dr Neumann has just signed a deal with Europe's biggest aerospace company, Airbus Defence & Space, that will take his design to be tested at the International Space Station.

Sydney rocket scientist Paddy Neumann is working on a system of rocket propulsion called ion drive. Credit:Edwina Pickles

Dr Neumann, 32, has been working on a type of rocket for space travel that he says has potential for use in Mars settlement, deep solar system exploration or in orbital adjustment for satellites.

The University of Sydney graduate is in Mexico this week at the International Astronautical Congress, presenting a paper on his design. Airbus will also present, outlining their collaboration, for which Dr Neumann's company, Neumann Space, will pay Airbus.
Dozens of Victorian public hospitals are receiving funding to improve their fetal surveillance equipment in the wake of the Bacchus Marsh infant death scandal.

The $1.4 million boost for equipment and training comes as lawyers continue to manage more than 20 claims against Djerriwarrh Health Services in Bacchus Marsh, where 12 babies died in potentially avoidable circumstances since 2001.

Twelve babies died potentially preventable deaths at Bacchus Marsh Hospital since 2001. Credit:Gabriele Charotte

Fairfax Media understands four families have settled their cases with the public hospital's insurer, but the details are confidential.

A review of some of the infant deaths by leading obstetrician Professor Euan Wallace pointed to misuse and misinterpretation of fetal surveillance, inadequate staffing to support midwifery education, a lack of out-of-hours and emergency paediatric cover for neonatal resuscitation and a lack of formal expert multidisciplinary review of deaths and injuries in the maternity unit.


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Police have seized a stolen booze bus breathalyser from a Perth teenager after she tried to sell the device on Facebook.

The teenager, who cannot be named as she is a juvenile, posted the device online on Tuesday to popular community page, Perth Beer Economy for $200, advertising it as a "police breatho".

Screen shots of interactions with the girl who place a stolen police breathalyser unit for sale on Facebook.

When asked by fellow group members if the device belonged to police, the girl replied, "I don't know".

When another suggested she hand it in to police, she replied, "What do you mean?"
Liverpool: In Liverpool on Tuesday, a fringe session of the Labour Party's annual conference was titled "What would it take for Labour to win a general election?"

It took place in one of the venue's smallest rooms.

This, in a nutshell, was the problem being wrestled with by the thousands of party members, activists, organisers and trade unionists who have gathered by the Mersey.

Is this a party that wants power? Or in the era of Jeremy Corbyn, whose leadership mandate was renewed and increased on the weekend, is Labour more interested in presenting a pure, classic left wing alternative to the Tories?
Paragraphs from a declassified MI5 "summary of the Garbo Case" from 1943. And so Garbo came up with a plan that, with the help of MI5, brought his wife to a state of hysterical, even suicidal grief, persuading her that she was responsible for his imprisonment in a military prison. It left her shocked, humiliated and depressed  and utterly subservient (for a while). The cover of Agent Garbo, a 2012 book by Stephan Talty on the double agent, features an original photo of him. The MI5 file reveals not only the details of the plan but MI5's dismissive, patronising attitude towards the desperately homesick Mrs Garbo  whom it considered "emotional and neurotic", and its sardonic amusement at the deception, which Garbo's handler called "a masterpiece of its sort".

In hindsight Mrs Garbo  Araceli Gozalex de Pujol  could have been her devious husband Juan Pujol Garcia's partner in espionage, had it not been for the inbuilt sexism of the times. In early 1942 in Madrid, and then later in Lisbon, he offered his services to the Germans as a spy, while she went to the British and the Americans to sell him as a double agent. It was likely her efforts finally persuaded the initially dismissive MI5 to come on board and transport the family to England  Araceli now pregnant with their second child. But 'Mrs Garbo' soon found herself trapped in her new English home with two young children, barred from socialising with other Spaniards, unable to speak conversational English, while her husband worked long hours composing counterfeit intelligence to feed to the gullible Germans. By mid 1943 she was fed up and wanted to go home.

She phoned his handler, in a phone call intercepted and later transcribed for the secret service, and threatened to blow his cover. "I don't want to live five minutes longer with my husband," she said. "I don't want to live another day in England. I know what I have to do to spoil the work." Garbo and his handler met to discuss how to deal with the situation. Garbo "put forward a  drastic plan, which was subsequently put into operation", his handler wrote. Garbo wrote to his wife saying he had been detained as a result of her threats, asking her to send him a toothbrush and pyjamas. She was devastated. MI5 agent Haines, whose handwritten notes can be found in the file, wrote: "I found her sitting in the kitchen with all the gas taps turned on. The door of the children's bedroom had been carefully shut and the children were alright she worked herself into several hysterical outbursts in the course of the evening. I think that there was a 90 per cent chance that this was mere 'play-acting'."

It was  she suspected it was all a ploy  but then MI5 put into action the next part of Garbo's plan. His handler's wife, whom she believed a friend, spent the night convincing her of her husband's arrest, as they washed and ironed his clothes in preparation for a long prison sentence. The next day Mrs Garbo, "weeping incessantly", was bundled into a closed van on Kew Bridge, blindfolded and taken to Camp 020, a prison for Germans. There she met Garbo, dressed in prison clothing and unshaven. He said he was up before a disciplinary tribunal the next day. Then she was interrogated by Major Edward Cussen, who said he wouldn't jail her husband if she agreed to behave. Cussen wrote later to a senior MI5 officer: "I said she must remember two things  that I did not like being proved wrong and that if she was bad in future I should be very angry indeed. That I had no time to waste with tiresome people and that if her name was ever mentioned to me again, I should simply direct that she should be locked up."
Charleston, South Carolina: A 14-year-old boy has allegedly shot and killed his father then drove to a nearby elementary school in South Carolina and opened fire with a handgun, wounding two children and a teacher, authorities said.

A woman hugs a boy following a shooting at Townville Elementary, South Carolina, on Wednesday. Credit:The Independent-Mail/AP

The teenager, whose name was not released, was taken into custody around 2 p.m. at Townville Elementary School in Anderson County, about 108 miles northeast of Atlanta.

One of the students was shot in the leg, one was shot in the foot and the teacher was shot in the shoulder, Capt. Garland Major of the Anderson County sheriff's office said.
When President Barack Obama sparred with Mitt Romney during the 2012 presidential debates, hundreds of thousands of memes were spawned from the mentions of "binders full of women" and "horses and bayonets."

That seems almost quaint now.

Many Americans watching the first 2016 presidential debate Monday night at Hofstra University zeroed in on sniffling noises coming from Donald Trump. In less time than it takes to set up a Twitter account - about two minutes these days, give or take a few seconds - the sniffling inspired speculation about his health, a crop of nose-first spoof Twitter accounts, hashtags and a few vaguely unsettling YouTube compilations.

Two weeks after Hillary Clinton's health became the centre of attention after she came down with pneumonia - "Something's going on," Trump said ominously - observers wondered if Trump was suffering from an illness, as well.
No tax: Donald Trump. Credit:AP Hawkins, who works in community development, said that gave her a new view of the Republican candidate: that he is out of touch with the ordinary middle class person who doesn't think it is right for the rich to not pay their share of taxes. Her mother had chided her to get off the fence and support Clinton, but she felt no connection at all to the Democratic nominee. Undecided voter in the presidential election Jamilla Hawkins watches the presidential debate as part of a focus group at a hotel in Cary, North Carolina, on Monday. Credit:Ted Richardson/For The Washington Post "I just wasn't sold on her. A lot of my friends were on the Bernie Sanders train," she said.

But Hawkins said the debate made her appreciate Clinton more. She said she now leaned towards voting for her - a feeling shared by most of the undecided voters gathered for an informal focus group. From left Cindy Adair, Amy Bridges and the Reverend Kelly Andrews. Credit:Ted Richardson/For The Washington Post Polls show that the race between Clinton and Trump is deadlocked in North Carolina, a once-solidly conservative state that has see-sawed between Republicans and Democrats in recent years and is now too tight to call for either candidate. Many believe that the race will come down to undecided voters such as Townley and Hawkins - those committed to voting but not yet to a candidate. In North Carolina, the undecideds amount to about 10 per cent of the electorate, according to surveys; in other parts of the country their numbers are even higher. Trumped on taxes: From left Jamilla Hawkins, Ron Townley and Cindy Adair. Credit:Ted Richardson/For The Washington Post

"In an election that is predicted to be as close as this, these undecideds could well be the deciding factor," said Anita Brown Graham, professor at the School of Government at the University of North Carolina. Most voters in this polarised election support either Trump or Clinton and couldn't possibly consider voting for their rival. Yet there are a significant number who see attractive qualities and flaws in each of the two major party candidates and have not yet decided whom to choose. A Washington Post-ABC News poll released on Sunday showed that 17 per cent of registered voters said the debate might change their minds about which candidate to support; 6 per cent said there was a "good chance" the debate could do so. The undecided voters, gathered on Monday by The Washington Post were from all over the state; they were in Cary to attend a Rural Centre conference, where gubernatorial and Senate candidates were among the speakers. Each of the men and women said they had not yet found a candidate to rally around because they found fault with both.

But after the debate, four of the six undecided voters said they now leaned toward Clinton after she showed mastery of the issues and appeared more presidential. A fifth voter declared himself essentially now in Clinton's camp: "After tonight, I think I am convinced, I will vote for Clinton," said the Reverend Kelly Andrews, a Baptist pastor from Tarboro. But Cindy Adair said the 90-minute debate did not help her at all. She still abhors some of Clinton's policies, including NAFTA, which destroyed the textile industry she grew up in. "That's a lie!" she said as Clinton, under attack for the trade agreement blamed for sending jobs overseas, insisted that domestic manufacturing jobs increased in the 1990s. Clinton "looked snarky" at times, Adair said - though she did think she looked "more professional" than Trump.

She said she did not find Clinton's better performance surprising, given that the former US senator and secretary of state is a "career politician" practised in this kind of forum. Adair, a registered Republican, said she liked it that Trump would reduce taxes. She thinks it is a big mistake that Clinton will continue "Obamacare and the move toward socialist health care". On a scale to 10, Adair said Clinton scored a five and Trump a two. By the evening's end, she was still at a loss over who to support on November 8. The others watching the televised debate had new problems with Trump after listening to him one-on-one for an extended time. They said he appeared racist in some of his remarks about African-Americans, not as prepared and rude in his frequent interruptions of Clinton.

"He started out OK, but then after 30 minutes, he started attacking. He is inconsistent and doesn't have the temperament," Hawkins said. Hawkins' eyes widened with incredulity with his unexpected answer about the culprit behind recent cyber attacks: "It could be Russia, but it could also be China. It could also be lots of other people. It also could be somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds, OK?" "Really?" she said, calling it childish and offensive to those with weight problems. Hawkins' main issue with Clinton - her difficulty relating to ordinary voters - hasn't disappeared. But she has a whole lot more issues with Trump. Amy Bridges, 49, who voted for President Barack Obama in 2008 and Mitt Romney in 2012 - a mirror of how this state went - was troubled by Trump's inability to keep his attention focused.

"He cannot stay on topic," she blurted out, when Trump started talking about ISIS when he was asked about his call for Obama to produce his birth certificate to prove he is a natural-born citizen. "I just want you to answer the questions!" she said at another point. Before the debate, Bridges talked of her reservations about Clinton, especially "the feeling that she was untrustworthy". But afterwards, she said, "It was far more obvious she knows her stuff. I felt a bit more comfortable with her." Andrews, the Baptist pastor, had been attracted to Trump's business experience and his understanding that people were upset about manufacturing jobs going overseas.

He said his wife lost her job when a plant that made tools and drills closed. But then, when he listened to Trump on Monday night, he started shouting at the TV screen. " 'Stop-and-frisk' is unconstitutional!" Andrews hollered. Andrews, who is African-American, said Trump's call for the controversial practice to instil "law and order" would allow police to frisk any black person. Trump also said African-Americans and Hispanics in the inner city are "living in hell because it's so dangerous. You walk down the street, you get shot," Trump said. Andrews found that statement ridiculous. John York, a tech consultant, said the bottom line for him was that Trump gave few details and "showed he really doesn't have a plan".
Washington: Obama administration officials have begun considering tougher responses to the Russian-backed Syrian government assault on Aleppo, including military options, as rising tensions with Moscow diminish hopes for diplomatic solutions from the Middle East to Ukraine and cyberspace, US officials said on Wednesday.

The discussions were being held at "staff level," and have yet to produce any recommendations to President Barack Obama, who has resisted ordering military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the country's multisided civil war.

But the deliberations coincide with Secretary of State John Kerry threatening to halt diplomacy with Russia on Syria and holding Moscow responsible for dropping incendiary bombs on rebel areas of Aleppo, Syria's largest city. It was the stiffest US warning to the Russians since the September 19 collapse of a truce they jointly brokered.

Administration advocates of a more muscular US response said on Wednesday that it was not clear what, if anything, the president would do, and that his options "begin at tougher talk," as one official put it. One official said that before any action could be taken, Washington would first have "follow through on Kerry's threat and break off talks with the Russians" on Syria.
Alicia Barcena, Executive Secretary of ECLAC

PHILIPSBURG:--- The latest good tidings confirm that we are living through a change of era in Latin America. The building of peace will be the great force behind and the opportunity for progressive structural change, with equality, which will embrace as its own the goals of sustainable development.

With the signing of the agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) this September 26 in Cartagena de Indias, a historic act that I had the opportunity to witness, the region consolidates itself as an area of peace and the Colombian people advance with firm and decisive steps on the construction of democratic institutions.

This long-awaited agreement, the result of dialogue and diplomacy, is the expression of a social compact for reconciliation, integration and development. With ratification expected at the ballot boxes on October 2, its implementation will undoubtedly bring greater possibilities for equality, justice and dignity for all. At the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), we celebrate with great pride and joy the auspicious future that opens for Colombia.

The countrys economic and social conditions have improved greatly in recent decades, although we know that many of its citizens still suffer conditions of vulnerability and inequality. According to ECLACs data, nearly half of all Colombians (49.7%) were in situations of poverty in 2002. By 2014, that indicator had fallen to 28.6%, a figure that demands ongoing determined action against this scourge, but also shows an encouraging decline.

Since the year 2000, Colombia has maintained a sustained growth rate, with annual increases in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that have oscillated between 1.7% and 6.9% in that period. In 2015, the country achieved an expansion of 3.1% and, according to our organizations projections, it should end 2016 with a 2.7% increase. With a total of 12.108 billion dollars, Colombia was also the fourth-biggest recipient of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2015.

Colombias institutions have shown their potential for carrying out structural changesalbeit with ups and downsthat have been central state policies, such as betting on macroeconomic stability, environmental institutional advances, the participation of civil society, development planning, and the fight against organized crime.

The paths to peace are the force for transformation that Colombia will have in the coming years. The route that it begins to tread also coincides with the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was approved in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly. Colombia showed early leadership in its formulation and incorporated a significant number of its goals into its 2014-2018 Development Plan.

In light of the challenges seen for today and tomorrow, set forth in the 2030 Agenda, ECLAC offers as a contribution to that strategic road map the contents of the document Horizons 2030: Equality at the Centre of Sustainable Development, presented last May in Mexico. This text proposes an integrated approach to development, with virtuous paths and links, present in the agenda of all the public and social actors of Colombia and of its regions.

At ECLAC we renew our commitment to continue accompanying Colombias efforts to consolidate definitive peace and carry out its own national development project.

We also reiterate our recognition of the Governments of Cuba and Norway, the guarantor countries of the process, as well as Chile and Venezuela, who accompanied the peace talks. All of their efforts have written one of the most brilliant chapters in history of collective commitment to our best civilizing values.

We also recognize the leadership that President Juan Manuel Santos and Foreign Affairs Minister Maria Angela Holguin showed at this complex time.

We trust now that the international community, and the regions countries especially, will continue supporting Colombia in the implementation of the accords. In this beautiful undertaking they can always count on ECLACs good will and capacities.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle was fortunate to have MP Tamara Leonard and Ms. Sharalee Lint of Education for Us All as guest speakers at our regular weekly meeting.

Education for Us All is a new opportunity for higher education for the islands students.

The project is the brainchild of MP Tamara Leonard, who gave us an outline of the requirements which are to be met by the students who are desirous of obtaining a scholarship. Those that are eligible are Students graduating from Sundial, MPC TKL, MPC PKL, vocational training school, PSVE, students whose field of study is not on the priority list of the Department of Studying Finance, students lacking Dutch nationality who were born on St. Maarten to foreign parents paying taxes and have graduated from both elementary and secondary schools on the Dutch side of the island, this also includes students born on the French side to a Dutch parent who did not regulate acknowledged guardianship of the child.

Scholarships have been made available through the I Am SXM, Education for us all Foundation.

There are three types of scholarships available for qualified students.

The foundation is able to make these scholarships available through funding from the St. Maarten Business Community. The businesses are asked to sponsor a child for a period of 5 years.

As part of the overall project a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has also been signed with the University of St. Martin which will facilitate a number of the scholarships which are to be provided.

Todays students are the future generation.

The Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle meets Tuesday at 7pm at Marys Boone in Simpson Bay. For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit our face book page Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle
PHILIPSBURG:-----The Latin American and Caribbean Internet Addresses Registry (LACNIC) and the Internet Society (ISOC) will host an international tech conference called St Maarten On The Move in Philipsburg, from October 27 to 28.

St Maarten on the Move is a unique opportunity for open dialogue about the development of a free, open, stable and secure Internet in the Caribbean, said Carlos Martinez, Chief Technical Officer of LACNIC.

He is one of several regional experts expected to conduct hands-on workshops over the two days, on a range of topics including cyber security, Internet Governance, IPv6 adoption and Internet Exchange Points.

Caribbean citizens are important stakeholders in the global Internet. ISOC is here to foster greater understanding of the issues that are relevant to the growing the Caribbean Internet, and stimulating the regional Internet economy, said Shernon Osepa, Regional Affairs Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean at ISOC.

St Maarten On The Move is part of a five-day event called Internet Week Sint Maarten, which is expected to attract a broad profile of Internet stakeholders, including government officials, policymakers, regulators, academic researchers, journalists and all ordinary Internet users. The St Maarten telecommunications regulator, BTP, is coordinating the weeklong conference.

BTP Public Relations Manager Ryan Wijngaarde described the week as a valuable opportunity for anyone who wants to learn about what it takes to accelerate Internet development and make it accessible and affordable to all.

The 12th regional meeting of the Caribbean Network Operators Group (CaribNOG 12), from October 24 to 26, will kick off the week.

Bevil Wooding, one of the CaribNOG founders, explained that the three-day meeting was designed to give telecom competitors an opportunity to engage as colleagues with a common interest in defending Caribbean networks.

The collaboration between LACNIC, ISOC and CaribNOG is significant, as it signals the commitment of regional and international organisations to work together to strengthen the Internet in St Maarten and throughout the Caribbean, said Kevon Swift, Head of Strategic Relations and Integration at LACNIC.

LACNIC, ISOC and CaribNOG are committed to developing the technical capacity of the region to solve Caribbean issues and address Caribbean challenges.

The five-day event is open to the public and free of charge but space is limited and registration is required. It will take place at the Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort, Casino & Spa, Philipsburg, with a live video stream for remote participants.
So far this year USD$402,715 raised for cancer support across the region

PHILIPSBURG:--- Philipsburg, St.Maarten,September 28, 2016  Thousands of walkers clad in branded T-shirts will hit major streets and highways across the region this weekend united in a common cause to raise funds and awareness in a campaign against cancer.

The fifth annual CIBC FirstCaribbeans Walk for the Cure will see thousands of walkers and runners across most of the 16 territories where the bank is located, converging for early morning or afternoon walks and runs in support of a local cancer charity.

In St.Maarten this year, the bank has partnered with The Sint Maarten Cancer Foundation to stage the Walk for the Cure.

The generous support of a number of regional and local sponsors coupled with the myriad fundraising events and activities organized by the banks staff across the region, has so far raised USD$402,715 of the USD$500, 000 target set for this year.

Last years efforts raised USD$400,000 which went directly towards early detection, care, support and raising awareness of cancer across the region.

We are really excited about this years walk. Persons all across the region have been signing up in their thousands and we are truly overwhelmed by the support for the walk in all of our territories, said walk Co-Chairs and CIBC FirstCaribbean executives Mark St. Hill and Trevor Torzsas.

In the short five years that we have been organizing this event, it is truly remarkable how it has emerged as one of the regions leading cancer fundraising and awareness causes. What makes this walk so special for us is the way it rallies all sections of our regional communities together around this common cause, the Co-Chairs said.

This is truly a family event. To see mothers, fathers, brothers, aunts and uncles  from babes in strollers to grandmothers and grandfathers all walking for the cure is simply heart-warming, they said. We are especially proud to know that every cent raised by their efforts and the generosity of our sponsors and donors will be donated to various organisations across the region to assist with the purchase and maintenance of equipment used in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients, they added.

The funds are also used to provide assistance, care and counselling to patients and their families as well as to raise awareness through education campaigns across the region.

Over the past five years the bank has raised over USD $1 million from the event primarily supported by generous corporate donors and diverse fundraising activities and events hosted by staff members.

This year the banks registration and fundraising efforts were greatly enhanced with the introduction of a new website where persons could both register as well as encourage others to register and donate to the cause by logging on to: http://cibcfcibwalkforthecure.causevox.com/

Even after the walks end this weekend, persons can still continue to make contributions toward the cause at the website.

The walk is also held to coincide with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundations CIBC Run for the Cure sponsored by the banks parent company, CIBC. CIBC has been supporting this event for more than 20 years, donating millions to breast cancer research in Canada.
POINT BLANCHE:--- Port St. Maarten Management and stakeholders are currently in Puerto Rico attending the Caribbeans largest Cruise Conference and Trade Show, the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), which is taking place from September 27 to 30.

The 23rd annual FCCA Conference and Trade Show is bringing together 1,000 cruise tourism stakeholders and 100 senior cruise executives for a series of meetings, workshops and networking functions aimed at developing understanding, relationships, and business.

The event opened on Tuesday morning with the Trade Show which has been described as the largest trade show in the events history with innovations like the first-ever Purchasing Initiative to coincide with the announcements of the new FCCA sourcing program.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Conference opening ceremony featured a keynote address by Arnold Donald, president and Chief Executive Officer of Carnival Corporation along with speeches from Puerto Rican Government officials and the unveiling of a new strategic partnership between the FCCA and Aquilas Center for Cruise Excellence.

Created in 1972, the FCCA is a not-for-profit trade organization that provides a forum for discussion on tourism development, ports, safety, security, and other cruise industry issue and builds bilateral relationships with destinations' private and public sectors. By fostering an understanding of the cruise industry and its operating practices, the FCCA works with governments, ports, and private sector representatives to maximize cruise passenger, crew and cruise line spending, as well as enhance the destination experience and increase the amount of cruise passengers returning as stay-over visitors.

The Port St. Maarten delegation is headed by Mark Mingo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and includes several staff members; a representative from the Walter Plantz Square, and Port Authority National Security Team.

Other stakeholders attending are representatives from the St. Maarten Tourist Office, the Dutch Taxi Association and the Airport Taxi Association. Stakeholders within the Port St. Maarten booth include S.E.L. Maduro and Sons, Rising Sun Tours, Wind is our Friend and Rainforest Adventures.

This conference and trade show once again presents the opportunity for us to meet with decision-makers in the cruise industry, and renew and pave the way for relationships for future business while at the same time showcasing what destination Sint Maarten has to offer.

We are very much interested in learning about the new Purchasing Initiative and the Aquilas Center for Cruise Excellence. Opportunities are presented to destinations at such an event which allows us to develop business and while exploring how the industrys latest and upcoming trends apply to Port St. Maarten and the destination as a whole.

All the information gathered allows us to review and adjust where necessary our strategic plans based on information and business intelligence coming out of workshops and one-on-one meetings as it relates to where ships call, what sells on-board, and how to invest in destination products, shore excursions and infrastructure, Port St. Maarten Management said on Tuesday.
Claim: A woman sued a radio station when the Hummer she won in their contest turned out to be a toy rather than a full-sized vehicle. Rating: About this rating True

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While the origins of April Fools' Day may be lost in the mists of time, the practice of subjecting the unsuspecting to tomfoolery on the first of April is widespread. Individuals, of course, feel free to let loose their inner practical joker on that day, but so do corporations and news outlets, as we detail in our article about memorable April Fools' Day pranks.

Radio stations in particular are known for their penchant for playing mean spirited April Fools' jokes on the public. At times this bent has served to land them in a spot of trouble, as appears to have been the case with a gag perpetrated by a radio station regarding its contest to win a Hummer.

In late March 2005, listeners of KBDS in Bakersfield, CA, were told that whoever came up with the correct mileage accumulated that week by the station's two Hummer H2s as they were driven around town would win new Hummers from the station on April 1. Shannon Castillo was one of two listeners who guessed 103.9 miles, the right answer. (KBDS is also known as Play 103.9, so winning the contest was less a matter of figuring out the number of miles traveled by the trucks as it was an exercise in working out the response the radio station wanted to hear.)

Castillo, who had hired a sitter to stay with her two children so that she could be at the station at 6 a.m. to pick up her prize, was chagrined to discover the "Hummers" she and another listener had won were not Hummer H2s, vehicles that cost approximately $60,000 each, but toy trucks. On 21 June 2005, she filed a lawsuit against the station for $60,000.

Castillo's case came hard on the heels of another instance of a radio station's being embroiled in a lawsuit over a contest wherein listeners had been led to believe the prize being offered was substantially different from the one awarded. On 25 May 2005, Norreasha Gill was the 10th person to call Hot 102 (WLTO-FM) after "DJ Slick" (real name Jason Hamman) announced the station would be giving "100 Grand" to the tenth caller. While Gill did get her prize, it was not what she expected: instead of $100,000 in cash, she received a 100 Grand brand candy bar from the Lexington, KY, station. Gill sued Cumulus Media, Inc. for $100,000.

Although the preceding suits might seem to lack legal sufficiency, a waitress at a Hooters restaurant in Panama City, Florida, was able to wring the value of the prize she had thought she'd won out of the company that had pulled what it described as an April Fools' joke. In 2001, 26-year-old Jodee Berry had bested the other servers at her restaurant in a competition to see who could sell the most beer in a month to that eatery's customers, with the winner to receive a new Toyota. When the day came for her to be presented with her prize, Berry was led blindfolded to the restaurant's parking lot to receive her award, but when the blindfold came off she was devastated to learn that the promised jackpot was not a Toyota automobile but rather a toy Yoda, a Star Wars doll:

Berry quit her job and sued Gulf Coast Wings, Inc., the corporate owner of the restaurant, alleging breach of contract and fraudulent misrepresentation. In 2002 the suit was settled for an undisclosed amount of money, which one of the attorneys involved in the case said would enable her to go to the local car dealership and "pick out whatever type of Toyota she wants."

Whether the outcomes in the Hummer and "100 Grand" cases were similar is unknown, but one would have thought the "toy Yoda" suit would have served to give prank-minded radio stations pause.
Sage Payments API Portal Opens New World of Developer Collaboration

ATLANTA, GA  (Marketwired)  09/27/16  Sage, the market leader for integrated accounting, payroll and payment systems, has announced the launch of The Sage Payments Developer Portal  a modern, scalable, and collaborative content management system that delivers an easy-to-consume API experience for Sage Payment ISV and software development partners.

Providing enterprise-level API management and developer enablement, the new portal is powered by industry leading technology from . Software developers and ISV partners can now access API resources, share knowledge, and promote completed integration solutions through a single interactive space.

By consolidating the back end development infrastructure and user interface into a single platform, Sage has created an environment where partners and developers can easily build and connect apps through a self-service portal that provides the ability to:

Track, collect, and analyze data with the ability to define reporting metrics

Reach multiple business types that are a part of the existing developer community

Drive awareness of completed integrations, join developer forums, and promote apps within the community

Seamlessly integrate with Sage solutions and existing system platforms; enabling a comprehensive payment suite and increasing speed to market

Joseph Smutz, Director of Product Integration at Sage said: The Sage Payments Developer Portal proves our commitment to developing best-in-class payment technology that allows partners and developers integrate into Sage Payment Solutions and create a seamless payments workflow.

Gabby Colarusso, Senior Software Engineer at Fortress GB, a Sage ISV partner says, The Payments.JS platform has removed all the complex logic making it quick and easy to use. The JavaScript API is simple to handle and gives us flexibility to integrate the technology to enrich our own customer facing platform. We have complete control when integrating Payments.JS, meaning we improve our platform without forfeiting style, functionality or usability.

The heart of the Sage brand is built around the experience we provide our customers and partners; and with a fully integrated API portal, well see an exciting exchange of ideas  undoubtedly fuelling the next generation of payment applications and programs.

Ed Anuff, Senior Vice President of strategy at Apigee, said: At Apigee, we believe APIs are changing financial services. The Sage Payments Developer Portal is an excellent example of the industrys digital transformation, and we are proud to help Sage open their APIs to partners and developers. By creating a new digital ecosystem, Sage can help fuel long-term payment innovation.

The Sage Payments Developer Portal is now live and available to development partners in North America. For further information on the portal please .

Sage is the market leader for integrated accounting, payroll and payment systems, supporting the ambition of the worlds entrepreneurs. Sage began as a small business in the UK 30 years ago and over 13000 colleagues now support millions of entrepreneurs across 23 countries as they power the global economy. We reinvent and simplify business accounting through brilliant technology, working with a thriving community of entrepreneurs, business owners, tradespeople, accountants, partners and developers. And as a FTSE 100 business, we are active in supporting our local communities and invest in making a real difference through the philanthropy of the Sage Foundation.

Sage  a market leader for integrated accounting, payroll and payment systems, supporting the ambition of the worlds entrepreneurs.

Gina Glickman

Sage

Office: 470-447-4088

Mobile: 770-310-1938
Food additives under observation

The variety of foods available in our supermarkets has now reached gigantic proportions. The food industry brings new products to market at ever-decreasing intervals. Whats more, the trend away from artificial additives and toward natural ones is a topic that food laboratories have been working on for many years. The huge pressure placed on food producers to bring product developments to market in shorter and shorter periods of time often means it is not possible to carry out real-time testing on the foods. So, to achieve the same result quickly and reliably, laboratory technicians perform accelerated shelf-life testing in constant climate chambers. Accelerated shelf-life testing (ASLT) is an indirect method for measuring and estimating the stability of a product.

It involves using a constant climate chamber to simulate temperature, humidity (RH), and light. The samples are stored at different temperatures, such as 20 C, 30 C, and 40 C, and exposed to high intensity light. Finally, color loss is measured as changes in hue (?H) as a function of different time intervals.

Changes (chemical, microbiological, and physical) are measured at specific time intervals until the product is no longer edible. In addition to determining product and food coloring stability, accelerated shelf-life testing is useful for a number of other purposes, e.g., to determine product safety under improper storage conditions, for troubleshooting in the initial stages of product development, and for assessing the suitability of product packaging.

Through long-term constant temperature and humidity values and exceptionally high accuracy, the KBF P constant climate chamber from BINDER provides optimum benefit for use in the food industry. With a temperature range of 10 to 60 C and a humidity range of 10 to 75% RH, the unit responds superbly to climatic requirements. A unique lighting concept with variable-position illumination cassettes also ensures that light is distributed across the entire usable space in the best-possible way. The BINDER APT.line? preheating chamber technology guarantees homogeneous temperature distribution in the inner chamber of the units.

Leatherhead Food Research, an organization based in Birmingham in the United Kingdom, offers a wide range of experience and services in the food industry, such as market reviews, food research, analyses, food approvals, business and technical information, as well as training. For the determination of accelerated tests, the laboratory has studied individual food colorings in three different food models (hard caramels, gelatine-based candies, and fruit-based beverages).

?Find out more in our free whitepaper: https://www.binder-world.com/de/Wissenswertes/Beschleunigte-Haltbarkeitstests?utm_source=presse&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=leatherhead

BINDER is the worlds largest specialist in simulation chambers for scientific and industrial laboratories. With its technical solutions, the company contributes significantly to improving the health and safety of people. Our range of products is well-suited for routine applications, highly specialized work in research and development, production, and quality assurance. With approximately 400 employees worldwide and an export rate of 80%, BINDER 2015 sales were more than 60 million euros.
Information Builders Makes Solutions Available in Amazon Web Services Marketplace

NEW YORK, NY  (Marketwired)  09/28/16  Information Builders, a leader in (BI) and analytics, information integrity, and integration solutions, today announced that it is working with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to offer its WebFOCUS BI and analytics platform in .

.@infobldrs WebFOCUS now available on @awscloud Marketplace for scalable access to #BI & #analytics via the cloud:

Information Builders WebFOCUS BI and analytics platform, which offers powerful, dynamic, interactive information to both business and technical end users, is now available on AWS

Enterprises can access applications on AWS using either a hybrid architecture or their on-premises environments

WebFOCUS is currently available on the flexible, scalable, pay-as-you-go AWS Cloud

The platform enables self-service BI and analytics for all users both inside and outside an organization and is in three editions: the , the Application Edition, and the Enterprise Edition

Information Builders and AWS are working together to allow enterprises and small- and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) to quickly and easily access enterprise-level BI and analytics on AWS Cloud

Information Builders customers and partners can implement WebFOCUS in a fast, flexible, and scalable AWS environment

With its solutions available in AWS Marketplace, Information Builders allows organizations to gain deep, valuable insight from analytics and access to a complete cloud services solution

Information Builders WebFOCUS is a leading offering for business intelligence and analytics for enterprises that require scalable, agile, and self-service BI, said Barry Russell, general manager, Global Business Development, AWS Marketplace and Catalog Services, Amazon Web Services, Inc. Our customers want easy-to-use software like WebFOCUS that is available for immediate purchase and deployment in Marketplace. By listing its product in AWS Marketplace, Information Builders is enabling organizations to enhance their business by accelerating insights from analytics via the AWS Cloud.

Information Builders provides complete, enterprise-grade BI and analytics solutions to businesses of any size, and this agreement offers our customers faster, highly scalable access to our solutions on the AWS cloud. We are committed to making self-service BI and analytics more pervasive for our valued customers, and increasing accessibility to more organizations utilizing the cloud.

Information Builders provides solutions for business intelligence (BI), analytics, data integration, and data quality that help drive performance improvements, innovation, and value. Through one set of powerful products, we enable organizations to serve everyone  analysts, non-technical users, even partners, customers, and citizens  with better data and analytics. Our dedication to customer success is unmatched with thousands of organizations relying on us as their trusted partner. Founded in 1975, Information Builders is headquartered in New York, NY, with global offices, and remains one of the largest independent, privately held companies in the industry. Visit us at , follow us on Twitter at , like us on , and visit our page.

Kathleen Moran

Information Builders

(917) 339-6313

Kate Finigan

LEWIS

(781) 761-4500
Computer Systems Australia Selects FinancialForce to Transform Back Office in Order to Better Serve Customers

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA  (Marketwired)  09/28/16  , the leading cloud ERP provider on the Salesforce Platform, today announced that (CSA), Australias leading Integrator of Risk-Tolerant Information Technology, has selected and (PSA) to manage their services and financial systems. CSA will first implement FinancialForce Financial Management along with Salesforce CRM, followed by FinancialForce PSA.

CSA selected FinancialForce because it brings their back-office systems onto one platform, is easily customizable and will scale with the business as they grow and evolve in the future. CSA chose the Salesforce Platform and FinancialForce applications with the clear mission to make their customers as successful as possible by transforming their own IT systems.

At CSA we believe that Australian businesses as a whole must improve productivity to be competitive, said John Schneider, Managing Director at CSA. Our customers future is our future, so the investments we make across the business, we do not make lightly. We believe FinancialForce will better provide the insights, agility and one-on-one customer views we need to better anticipate the IT needs of our customers. FinancialForce will help CSA help our customers to leverage their IT investment which drives their success and in turn our own. We are excited about the transformation ahead.

FinancialForce applications will replace Epicors eBackOffice as well as a collection of in-house CRM applications. All departments across CSA  Finance, Client Services and Operations  will use FinancialForce.

is Australias leading Integrator of Risk-Tolerant Information Technology offering solutions to Government Health, Education, Mining, NFP and SMBs. The company provides services across Systems Integration, Managed Services and Value Added Reseller domains. CSAs focus is enabling clients to meet their business objectives through leveraging technology.

Founded in 2009, is the leading vendor with apps built entirely on the Salesforce Platform. The companys , (PSA), and (HCM) offerings provide services-centric businesses with a platform that organizes sales, services, finance and HR entirely around their customers. Headquartered in San Francisco, FinancialForce is backed by Salesforce Ventures, Technology Crossover Ventures, Advent International and UNIT4. For more information, visit .

Salesforce, Community Cloud, AppExchange and others are among the trademarks of salesforce.com, inc.

Allie Rosenberg

PR Manager

FinancialForce

Bill Rundle

Highwire PR
Cliffy said: So much for Trudeau's romance with the aboriginals. That flew out the window. Click to expand...

Not all the aboriginals are like you and want to collect welfare all their lives. Well the women anyway and some of the men have a fair amount of ambition. You are just a convenient pawn in their negotiations for a larger slice of the pie. Just like they did with old growth logging. Now instead of working for foreign lumber barrons the mostly white contractors are working for the local band and the mills in the US are still getting the timber. THe only difference is the provincial government doesn't get all the royalties.
A joint study by a team of Indian and Canadian scientists has suggested that traditional medicines with Ashoka as an ingredient are mostly adulterated.

The bark extracts of Ashoka (botanical name Saraca asoca) tree are used for the treatment of leucorrhea and other uterine disorders. It also has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-pyretic, anti-helminthic and analgesic characteristics.

An evergreen tree that holds cultural significance in the Indian subcontinent, Ashoka is a herb that is mainly used to deal with uterine problems and is popular in Canadas South Asian community.

Ashoka was traditionally used as a uterine tonic, especially to reduce excesive bleeding during menstruation. It was also used to treat other complaints such as uterine pain, congestion and discomfort. In Ayurveda, Ashoka is used to deal with cysts and fibroids in women. This herb has also been used as a diuretic and due to its astringent action, has good action in controlling dysentery and bleeding from internal piles

The study carried out by scientists from University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, Kuvempu University, Shimoga, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment, Bangalore, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, Punjab and University of Guelph, Toronto, Canada, analysed samples from outlets in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and found 80 percent of the samples tested were spurious.

This is the first comprehensive and large-scale study to demonstrate the widespread adulteration of market samples of Ashoka in India. The study was published in International Journal of Legal Medicine.

"In this paper, we have confined only to the bark extracts of Ashoka where we found 80 percent are spurious. In other medicinal plants, the adulteration ranges from 20 to 100 percent ," Dr. G. Ravikanth, Associate Professor at Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Bangalore told Indian Science Journal.

Indiscriminate and rampant extraction of the wood of Ashoka to meet the ever-increasing market demand has led to a sharp decline of the plant population. Consequently, it has recently been classified as 'vulnerable' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

"In the absence of any regulatory agency to check the quality of traditional medicines, no studies have been carried out in India to assess the implication of adulterations," said Dr. Ravikanth.

He added, "Studies abroad have shown adverse consequences of adulteration in Indian traditional medicines. For example, more than 100 women suffered kidney failures due to admixtures of roots of anti-inflammatory agent 'Stephania tetrandra' by the roots of a toxic herb Aristolochia fangchi in the United States. Similarly, Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) barks that were adulterated with C.Cassia and C. Malabatrum have a bitter and burning flavour. C.cassia contains 1 per cent coumarin, a naturally occurring flavouring substance, which causes hepatotoxicity."

The researchers suggested DNA bar coding to detect and quantify adulteration in raw herbal trade of a variety of medicinal plants. A limitation of this technique, however, is the raw herbal trade material is in the form of powder, billets, or even dried plant material and is extremely recalcitrant to extraction. In such cases, chemical fingerprinting, using techniques such as NMR spectroscopy could be used in conjunction with DNA bar coding to identify herb species and admixtures.

In recent years, there has been great demand for medicinal plants as alternative health care system. India exports over 5000 metric tonnes of herbal products annually and the demand is growing approximately by 10-15 percent.

Most of the herbal medicines are used in the crude forms (unlike the chemical drugs) and have to be taken for a prolonged period. There are no regulatory standards for traditional medicines, as in the case of modern pharmaceutical drugs.
Championed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the nations first Afghanistan-born lawmaker, Maryam Monsef said she was shocked to learn she was actually born in Iran.

The 31-year-old democratic reform minister is the youngest member of Trudeaus cabinet.

His Liberals held her up as an example of the countrys strength of diversity, a bright, young refugee from Afghanistan who traveled around the world, including partway by donkey, to find safety and make a new home in Canada.

US President Barack Obama picked up on this during a visit to Ottawa in June, highlighting her roots and dramatic journey in a speech to parliament.

In a statement, Monsef blamed the contradiction of this key narrative that she had nurtured since entering public life on her mother, saying the information had been withheld from Monsef and her two sisters.

Monsef said she pressed her mother about it after the Globe and Mail newspaper dug it up as part of an investigation into the familys elusive past.

She said she had been led to believe for my whole life that she was born in Afghanistan but in fact was born in Mashhad, Iran, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) from the Afghan border.

My sisters and I asked my mother why she never told us we were born in Iran, Monsef said.

She told us she did not think it mattered. We were Afghan citizens, as we were born to Afghan parents, and under Iranian law, we would not be considered Iranian citizens despite being born in that country.

Setting the record straight, Monsef explained that her parents had fled fighting in their hometown of Herat in Afghanistan and found safety across the border in Iran.

After some back and forth, and the death of her father, the family eventually fled the Taliban in Herat and traveled by donkey to Islamabad, Pakistan and beyond, before eventually landing 20 years ago in Montreal, where they claimed asylum.
Guest Commentary

By Jordan Bateman

Gregor Robertsons green obsession should be a grave concern for Vancouver taxpayers trying to make ends meet.

Lost in the hubbub over housing prices in the Lower Mainland this summer was the Vision-dominated city council rubberstamping its Renewable City Strategy, committing Vancouver to completely eliminating natural gas within city limits by 2050. To start, Robertson wants a 70 per cent cut in natural gas use by new buildings by 2020, and 90 per cent gone within ten years.

This will cost individual residents thousands of dollars  and was approved by Robertson and his council without any thought to the affordability crisis in Vancouver. This plan will make it more expensive for people to heat their homes and to buy things from businesses in Vancouver, and it means higher taxes to cover rising costs for hospitals, schools and buses.

Today, 56 per cent of all energy used by homes in Vancouver comes from natural gas, mainly to heat rooms and water. FortisBC has more than 108,000 customers in Vancouver  including homes, condo buildings, medical centres, restaurants and schools.

There are only two energy alternatives that could realistically replace natural gas  a district energy system run by the city, or electricity. Both are roughly the same price. Even with the news that FortisBC is hiking its natural gas price by $82 per year for the average residential customer, natural gas is still far cheaper than these alternatives.

Based on BC Hydro and FortisBC rates and average energy usage, a single-family home could see a $1,400 per year rise in energy bills if it moved from natural gas to electricity  and thats on top of the up-front cost (likely thousands of dollars more) to convert or replace water heaters and furnaces.

It gets worse. In commercial, institutional and industrial buildings, 37 per cent of energy comes from natural gas. That means higher prices for customers, who will have to pay more to help business and restaurant owners foot the bill for the conversion and higher ongoing energy costs.

Hospitals are huge users of natural gas, not just to heat their buildings, but to sterilize equipment. A mid-sized hospital saves as much as $600,000 per year by using natural gas. Force them to use electricity, and more tax dollars will be needed to fund them.

More than a hundred schools use natural gas in Vancouver. The Vancouver School Board could need another $3.6 million per year for higher electricity costs.

Vision Vancouver is coming after vehicles too. TransLink has been buying natural gas-powered buses for a few years, but Robertsons plan may soon force them to buy fuel cell buses  at more than twice the price. You can bet TransLink will be asking taxpayers for more money to cover it.

Robertson and his green gang know all this  and they dont care. The discovery in North America of large quantities of shale gas has now caused the price to crash, and this low cost is expected for years to come. What is not included in this price are the health and environmental damages caused by climate impacts from burning large amounts of natural gas, their Strategy says.

That will come as a surprise to taxpayers who have been shelling out for carbon tax on their natural gas bills for nearly a decade. And all this money will be spent by Vancouver residents to address less than 2.5 of the 732 megatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions released in Canada annually  one-third of one per cent (and Canadas emissions are only 1.6 per cent of world emissions).

Vancouver taxpayers should demand City Hall scrap the plan to outlaw natural gas. And if Robertson refuses, the provincial government should step in and remind Vision of the need to cut the cost burden on Vancouver residents.

Otherwise, the greenest thing about Gregor Robertsons Vancouver will continue to be the stacks of money needed to live there.

Jordan Bateman is the B.C. Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
Photo caption: Big ambitions (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

By Manu Balachandran,

Special to The post

Since December last year, Google has been unleashing initiatives in India to capture the next billion users from the developing world. From high-speed wifi at railway stations to content in local languages, the global tech giant has unveiled several plans to get Indians from all walks of life on its platform

Over the next three years, we plan to help more than 300,000 villages across India go online, Sundar Pichai, Googles CEO, had said in December.

On Sept. 28, at an auditorium packed with journalists and developers in New Delhi, Google walked the talk further.

The company, a unit of Alphabet Inc, launched five new initiatives that it hopes will help bring more users online in a country that is notorious for slow internet speed and unaffordable data.

One such service involves rolling out wifi hotspots at places such as malls, cafes, and universities, which are frequented by a large number of people. Currently, Google provides wifi at 50 railway stations across India.

We want to expand to new venues, like cafes and malls, to help more people get online, and were looking for strategic and forward thinking partners to work with on this effort, Caesar Sengupta, vice-president, next billion users at Google, said in a statement.

It also launched a new YouTube mobile app designed to be offline first and work even when theres low or no connectivity, the companys statement said.

Other products launched include a Hindi Google assistant inside the messaging app Allo and offline features for the Chrome web browser.

Most of these focus on finding a way around Indias super slow internetthe worst among leading Asian countries.

Despite its slow and expensive internet, India is a key market for companies like Google and Facebook.

Though internet usage is plateauing in the developed world, it grew40% in the country in 2015. India already has the worlds second-highest number of internet users, with massive scope for growth as penetration is still just around 15%.

Manu Balachandran is a writer for Quartz, based in New Delhi. He has previously worked with The Economic Times and Business Standard in Mumbai and New Delhi, where he covered public policy and business. He holds a master's degree in journalism from Cardiff University and is passionate about politics, policy, economics, business and formula 1.

This piece was originally appeared in Quartz (qz.com).

See http://qz.com/792755/google-is-taking-several-baby-steps-in-india-to-get-its-next-one-billion-users-online/
5 seats up for election on St. Joseph County Council, majority at stake

Five of the nine seats on the St. Joseph County Council are up for election




Britain will be better off than the EU after Brexit and 'highly attractive' for investors, says Germany business chief

By James Burton City Correspondent For The Daily Mail 27 September 2016

Britain will thrive outside the European Union as the bloc turns inward, a top German business leader has said.Mathias Dopfner, chief executive of media giant Axel Springer, said the UK would be highly attractive to investors after it left.He believes Brexit will see the nation embrace a truly free market, while the EU becomes a transfer union in which money is funnelled from rich states to poor ones.Mr Dopfner said he expected a short-term economic slowdown for Britain, but argued that within three to five years, England will be better off than continental Europe.If Britain can create an alternative here, I think thats highly attractive, he told the Financial Times Axel Springer owns major media titles on the Continent including Bild, Germanys best-selling newspaper.The firms 53-year-old boss said the UK could introduce a very healthy immigration policy based on talent.You basically integrate and invite the people that you benefit from and not people who only benefit from your social welfare system, he said.Mr Dopfner argued the EU would suffer from the loss of Britains healthy influence.He said the UK was pragmatic and focused on free markets, helping to drive sensible compromises with other members.Germany and Britain were traditionally close partners within the bloc, resisting demands from France and the Mediterranean states for a more protectionist approach.The Germans are also fiscally conservative, demanding an end to debt-fuelled growth across the south.If it is all defined, lets say, by France, Spain and Italy making compromises with Germany  Im a little worried by that prospect, said Mr Dopfner, who has run Axel Springer since 2002.The comments pit the former music critic against most of the German establishment, which has issued thunderous warnings about the risks of a clean break with the EU.Eric Schweitzer, head of the DIHK business group, said Brexit would be very negative.Frankfurt and Berlin, along with other foreign capitals such as Paris, are also openly plotting to wrench lucrative finance business away from the City.And EU bureaucrats outraged by the Brexit vote have warned of catastrophic consequences.Embattled European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the vote showed something was wrong in Britain.The warnings were echoed by anti-Brexit organisations from across the world.At an infamous joint press conference with Chancellor George Osborne, International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde said the damage from Brexit would range from pretty bad to very, very bad.Treasury forecasters and economists at major global banks also predicted an immediate recession.But the economys robust performance since then has wrong-footed critics with stock markets higher, High Street sales holding up and a bounce-back in business confidence.Last week the Office for National Statistics declared that there had been no post-referendum economic shock, and the OECD economic think tank revised up its post-Brexit growth forecasts.
Labours chaotic conference raises one important question: Why vote for a party that hates you?

By Tony Parsons, Sun Columnist28th September 2016The SunTHERESA MAY can relax. Jeremy Corbyns shambolic conference has confirmed that Labour is the truly nasty party now.The party that was formed 116 years ago to protect the interests of the working class has come to regard that same working class with undisguised contempt.It has become one of the great cliches of our national discourse that Labour is disconnected from the working class of this country.But it is far worse than disconnection. It is more like a vicious, visceral hatred for all the instincts of ordinary men and women.Baroness Shami Chakrabarti  ennobled by Corbyn for her whitewash on the Jew-baiting anti-Semitism in his party  sneers: Please dont leave me alone with Essex man!Chakrabarti and Abbott make no attempt to hide the poisonous disdain they feel for every ordinary man and woman who loves this country.And although anti-British sentiment has been growing like a malignant tumour in the Labour Party for years, this is something new.When Gordon Brown called decent, Labourvoting Mrs Gillian Duffy that bigoted woman in 2010, the big man had no choice but to offer a grovelling apology.When Emily Thornberry openly sneered at the sight of a white van and the flag of St George while canvassing in the Rochester and Strood by-election in 2014, she had to resign from the Shadow Cabinet.Baroness Chakrabarti wont be resigning for saying there is something inherently disgusting about men of Essex (cheers, Shami!).Diane Abbott will not be apologising for calling 17,410,742 Brits racists because they voted to leave the crumbling, job-destroying European Union.Not so very long ago, a Labour politician would resign or apologise after dripping their snobbish metropolitan bile over the working class.Not any more.In Corbyns Labour Party, sneering at the working class is guaranteed to get you a round of smug applause from other middle-class comrades.In the witless sneers of Diane Abbott and Baroness Shami, there is no sense of any empathy, affection or understanding for the people of this country.They despise our patriotism. They are baffled by our belief that this is the greatest country in the world. And they do not understand that we believe our national identity is worth preserving.It is frequently said that Labour is returning to the mindless militancy of the past. But nobody ever thought that socialists such as Tony Benn or Michael Foot were anything less than patriots.Brussels-loathing Tony Benn believed in Great Britain, not Little Europe.That is what has changed about the Labour Party.England is perhaps the only great country whose intellectuals are ashamed of their nationality, George Orwell wrote 75 years ago.In left-wing circles it is always felt that there is something slightly disgraceful in being an Englishman and that it is a duty to sni gger at every English institution.There has always been a strain of self-loathing on the hard Left. What has changed in our time is the anti-British socialists are no longer on the nutty fringes of political debate.They are centre stage. Jeremy Corbyn is proud to call the terrorists of Hamas and Hezbollah his friends.Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell is a long-time IRA groupie, dreamy-eyed and weak at the knees at the thought of the men of violence, calling for a united Ireland to be achieved by the ballot, the bullet and the bomb.Corbyn and McDonnell are typical of the mealy-mouthed hypocrites who comprise the Labour Party.McDonnell has the gall to shed a tear for the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox while calling for ex-Tory MP Esther McVey to be lynched.Labour was once the home to patriotism prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice. The generation that fought for Churchill, came home and voted for Clement Attlees Labour Party in 1945. Not many of the generation that propelled Labour to a landslide in 1945 are still with us, and that is a relief, as this Labour conference saw the ultimate obscenity of souvenirs sold on a Momentum stall mocking crippled British servicemen. It is difficult to imagine how the Labour Party could sink any lower.It is impossible to imagine it could be further from the people it once represented.The bad news is the Labour Party as we knew it no longer exists. The good news is Corbyns barmy army is on the edge of electoral oblivion.Todays Labour Party is a sick joke, but it does present the readers of the countrys biggest-selling newspaper with a serious question.Why the hell should you vote for a party that hates you?
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Now we know how Elon Musk plans to get 1 million people to Mars.

At a conference in Mexico today (Sept. 27), the SpaceX founder and CEO unveiled the company's Interplanetary Transport System (ITS), which will combine the most powerful rocket ever built with a spaceship designed to carry at least 100 people to the Red Planet per flight.

If all goes according to plan, the reusable ITS will help humanity establish a permanent, self-sustaining colony on the Red Planet within the next 50 to 100 years, Musk said at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara. [SpaceX's Interplanetary Transport for Mars in Images]

"What I really want to do here is to make Mars seem possible  make it seem as though it's something that we could do in our lifetimes, and that you can go," he said.

Mars transport system

A cutaway look at SpaceX's Interplanetary Transport System spaceship to ferry humans to Mars and beyond. (Image credit: SpaceX)

The ITS rocket will be more or less a scaled-up version of the first stage of SpaceX's Falcon 9 booster, Musk said. But the 254-foot-tall (77.5 meters) ITS booster will feature 42 Raptor engines, whereas the Falcon 9 is powered by nine Merlins. When combined with its crewed spaceship, the ITS will stand a full 400 feet (122 m) high, Musk wrote on Twitter. That would make it the largest spaceflight system ever built, taller even than NASA's legendary Saturn V moon rocket.

The Raptor engine, which SpaceX recently test-fired for the first time, is about the same size as Merlin but three times more powerful, Musk said. ITS will therefore be an incredibly potent machine, capable of lofting 300 tons to low-Earth orbit (LEO)  more than two times more than Saturn V could lift. (That's for ITS's reusable version; an expendable variant could launch about 550 tons to LEO, Musk said.)

The spaceship, which sits atop the booster, will be 162 feet (49.5 m) tall and 56 feet (17 m) wide and will have nine Raptors of its own. The booster will launch the spaceship to Earth orbit, then return to make a soft landing at its launch site, which is currently envisioned to be Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. [Fly Through SpaceX's Interplanetary Spaceship | Video]

The spaceship will lift off with little if any fuel on board, to maximize the payload  people, cargo or a combination of both  that the craft is able to carry to orbit. An ITS booster will therefore launch again, topped with a tanker, and rendezvous with the orbiting spaceship to fill its tank.

Then, when the timing is right  Earth and Mars align favorably for interplanetary missions just once every 26 months  the spaceship portion of the ITS will turn its engines on and blast from Earth orbit toward the Red Planet.

The spaceship will be capable of transporting at least 100 and perhaps as many as 200 people, Musk said. It will also likely feature movie theaters, lecture halls and a restaurant, giving the Red Planet pioneers a far different experience than that enjoyed by NASA's Apollo astronauts, who were crammed into a tiny capsule on their way to the moon.

"It'll be, like, really fun to go," Musk said. "You'll have a great time."

This SpaceX graphic shows how the capabilities of the company's Interplanetary Transport for Mars stacks up to NASA's massive Saturn V moon rocket. (Image credit: SpaceX)

The powerful Raptors will allow the ship to make the trip in as little as 80 days initially, depending on exactly where Earth and Mars are at the time, Musk said. That's a pretty quick trip; it takes six to nine months for spacecraft to reach the Red Planet using currently available technology. And Musk said he eventually thinks the ITS ship will be able to cut the travel time to just 30 days or so.

There won't be just one ship making the journey. When the ITS is really up and running, 1,000 or more of the ships will zoom off to Mars every 26 months.

"The Mars colonial fleet would depart en masse," Musk said.

This fleet would land on Mars using "supersonic retropropulsion," slowing down enough to touch down softly by firing onboard thrusters rather than relying on parachutes. SpaceX said it plans to test this landing technique during the company's upcoming "Red Dragon" mission, which aims to launch SpaceX's uncrewed Dragon capsule toward Mars in May 2018.

Not a one-way trip

SpaceX also plans to build a solar-powered factory on Mars that will use the carbon dioxide and water ice in the planet's air and soil, respectively, to generate methane and oxygen  the propellant used by the Raptor engine. (Musk didn't discuss other aspects of the Mars colony; SpaceX is concentrating on the transportation architecture, reasoning that the colonists themselves will build most of the city they live in.) [SpaceX's Interplanetary Ship Could Go Beyond Mars | Video]

The ITS spaceships will be refueled on Mars and will launch back to Earth from there, meaning prospective colonists don't have to stay on the Red Planet forever if they don't want to. (Getting off Mars doesn't require a big rocket, because the planet is much smaller than Earth and therefore has a weaker gravitational pull.)

This SpaceX graphic depicts the mission profile for the company's Interplanetary Transport System, a colony ship to fly 100 people to Mars at a time. (Image credit: SpaceX)

"We need the spaceship back, so it's coming," Musk said. "You can jump on board or not."

Each ITS spaceship will probably be able to fly at least a dozen times, and each booster should see even more action, Musk said. This reusability is the key component of SpaceX's plan, and should be the chief driver in bringing the price of a Mars trip  which Musk said would cost about $10 billion per person using today's technology  down to reasonable levels.

"The architecture allows for a cost per ticket of less than $200,000," Musk said. "We think that the cost of moving to Mars ultimately could drop below $100,000."

Coming soon?

Fewer than 5 percent of SpaceX's personnel are working on the ITS at the moment, Musk said. And the company is currently spending just a few tens of millions of dollars on the project every year, which Musk estimated would ultimately require a company investment of about $10 billion.

But that should change as SpaceX wraps up work on the final version of the Falcon 9 and its crewed Dragon capsule, which will carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station for NASA (and perhaps ferry folks to other destinations close to Earth), Musk said.

Within two years, Musk aims to be devoting most of SpaceX's engineers to ITS, and to be spending perhaps $300 million annually on the project. He envisions other organizations eventually aiding SpaceX in Mars colonization as well, saying the effort will be a "huge public-private partnership."

He said he hopes to complete the first development of the spaceship within four years, then start suborbital testing shortly thereafter. If everything goes really well, Musk said, the ITS could be launching on its first Mars mission "within the 10-year time frame."

In the meantime, SpaceX plans to keep launching Dragons toward the Red Planet every 26 months using the company's Falcon Heavy rocket, to test technology and to establish a "steady cadence" of robotic missions that scientists could take advantage of to send experiments to Mars, Musk said.

The ITS could also be used for many other things, possibly enabling human exploration of Jupiter's ocean-harboring moon Europa or allowing cargo to get from New York to Tokyo in just 25 minutes, Musk said. But for now, the main goal is colonizing Mars, which Musk has long said is the reason he started SpaceX back in 2002.

"The objective is to become a spacefaring civilization and a multiplanet species," the billionaire entrepreneur said, adding that doing so will make humanity far less susceptible to extinction. "The main reason I'm personally accumulating assets is to fund this."

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
A private space plane is set to fly the United Nations' first-ever space mission five years from now.

Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) are teaming up to launch a two-week robotic mission to low-Earth orbit in 2021 using the company's Dream Chaser spacecraft, representatives of both organizations announced Tuesday (Sept. 27).

"One of UNOOSA's core responsibilities is to promote international cooperation in the peaceful use of outer space," UNOOSA Director Simonetta Di Pippo said in a statement.

"I am proud to say that one of the ways UNOOSA will achieve this, in cooperation with our partner SNC, is by dedicating an entire microgravity mission to United Nations member states, many of which do not have the infrastructure or financial backing to have a stand-alone space program," she added.

Sierra Nevada Corporation is developing its Dream Chaser spaceplane to ferry astronauts to Earth orbit and to the International Space Station. See how the Dream Chaser space plane works in this infographic (Image credit: Karl Tate, SPACE.com Contributor)

The 2021 mission is targeted primarily at developing nations, but any U.N. member states can apply to put a payload on board. Nations whose experiments are chosen will be asked to foot part of the mission's total bill, though poorer countries will likely receive a price break, Sierra Nevada representatives said. UNOOSA and Sierra Nevada are also looking for sponsors to help fund the mission.

Over the next year, the two organizations will hash out details of the mission, which "will provide United Nations member states with the ability to access space in a cost-effective and collaborative manner within a few short years," Di Pippo said. "The possibilities are endless."

The 30-foot-long (9 meters) Dream Chaser looks like a much smaller version of NASA's now-retired space shuttle orbiter. Like the space shuttle, Dream Chaser launches vertically, lands horizontally on a runway and is reusable.

Dream Chaser can carry up to seven passengers, but it's also a cargo-hauling craft; indeed, NASA recently selected the uncrewed version of Dream Chaser to provide resupply and trash-disposal services to the International Space Station.

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
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The spaceship that SpaceX is building to colonize Mars could also take people out to Jupiter's ocean-harboring moon Europa and beyond, company founder and CEO Elon Musk said.

On Tuesday (Sept. 27), Musk unveiled SpaceX's planned Interplanetary Transport System (ITS), a rocket-spaceship combo that the billionaire entrepreneur hopes will allow humanity to establish a permanent, self-sustaining, million-person settlement on the Red Planet.

Mars is the first planned stop for ITS, but it may not be the last. [SpaceX's Massive New Spaceship Could Go Beyond Mars (Video)]

"This system really gives you freedom to go anywhere you want in the greater solar system," Musk said Tuesday at the International Astronautical Congress meeting in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Artist's concept of SpaceX's Interplanetary Transport System spaceship on Jupiter's ocean-harboring moon Europa. (Image credit: SpaceX )

With the aid of strategically placed refueling depots, "you could actually travel out to the Kuiper Belt [and] the Oort Cloud," Musk added. The Kuiper Belt is Pluto's neck of the woods, while the Oort Cloud, the realm of comets, is even more distant; it begins about 2,000 astronomical units (AU) from the sun. (One AU is the distance between Earth and the sun  about 93 million miles, or 150 million kilometers.)

The ITS booster will be the most powerful rocket ever built, capable of lofting 300 tons (270 metric tons) to low Earth orbit (LEO) in its reusable version and 550 tons (500 metric tons) in its expendable variant, Musk said. This rocket will blast the spaceship, which will carry at least 100 people, to LEO, where further launches will fuel the smaller vehicle.

When the time is right  Earth and Mars align favorably for interplanetary missions just once every 26 months  a fleet of these spaceships will depart from LEO, arriving at the Red Planet in as little as 80 days, Musk said.

The ITS  both the rocket and the spaceship  will be powered by SpaceX's Raptor engines, which run on a combination of methane and oxygen. Both of these ingredients can be manufactured on Mars and other places in the solar system, Musk said, meaning that the spaceship can and will be refueled far from Earth. (The vehicles will go back and forth between Earth and the Red Planet multiple times, for example.)

A SpaceX Interplanetary Transport System spaceship explores the rings of Saturn in this artist's concept of the vehicle's potential to send astronauts beyond Mars. (Image credit: SpaceX)

The ITS spaceship could, therefore, go very far afield, provided it could access refueling stations along the way.

"By establishing a propellant depot in the asteroid belt or one of the moons of Jupiter, you can make flights from Mars to Jupiter, no problem," Musk said.

"It'd be really great to do a mission to Europa, particularly," he added, referring to the ocean-harboring Jovian moon, which many astrobiologists regard as one of the solar system's best bets to host alien life.

SpaceX's Interplanetary Transport System could potentially carry astronauts to the surface of Saturn's icy moon Enceladus, as seen in this artist's concept image. (Image credit: SpaceX)

Building additional depots farther from the sun  perhaps on Saturn's moon Titan, and Pluto, for example  could theoretically extend the ITS spaceship's reach all the way out to the Oort Cloud, Musk said.

"This basic system, provided we have filling stations along the way, means full access to the entire greater solar system," he said.

But ITS probably won't work for interstellar flight, which would require even greater velocities, Musk said. (He added that he views antimatter drives as the best way for humanity to travel among the stars.)

A SpaceX Interplanetary Transport System spaceship sails near Jupiter in this artist's concept of the deep-space crewed spacecraft. (Image credit: SpaceX)

There are some possible Earthly applications for the ITS as well, Musk said: The system could conceivably allow superfast cargo transport from point to point around the globe.

"You could go from New York to Tokyo in, I don't know, 25 minutes, cross the Atlantic in 10 minutes," he said. "There are some intriguing possibilities there, although we're not counting on that."

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
An artist's illustration of SpaceX's Interplanetary Transport leaving Earth to ferry colonists to Mars. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says he'd like to name the first ship "Heart of Gold" in honor of the fictional ship in Douglas Adams' "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" books.

It looks like SpaceX's first crewed Mars mission will be an epic shout-out to one of the most beloved sci-fi novels of all time.

SpaceX plans to name the first of its many Mars-colonizing ships after "Heart of Gold," a spaceship in Douglas Adams' "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," company founder and CEO Elon Musk said Tuesday (Sept. 27).

"I think probably we'll name the first ship that goes to Mars 'Heart of Gold,'" Musk said during a presentation at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Guadalajara, Mexico. "I like the fact that it's driven by infinite improbability, because I think our ship is also extremely improbable." [Images: SpaceX's Interplanetary Transport for Mars Colonization]

The Infinite Improbability Drive allows the fictional "Heart of Gold"  which looks like a giant, white sneaker  to cruise through every point in every universe at the same time. The drive is powered by a Bambleweeny 57 Sub-Meson Brain and a cup of hot tea.

An artist's illustration of SpaceX's Interplanetary Transport leaving Earth to ferry colonists to Mars. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says he'd like to name the first ship "Heart of Gold" in honor of the fictional ship in Douglas Adams' "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" books. (Image credit: SpaceX)

During his IAC talk, Musk unveiled SpaceX's Interplanetary Transport System (ITS), the reusable rocket-spaceship duo with which the company plans to begin colonizing Mars within the next 10 years or so. ITS is the name of the overall architecture; each individual Mars-bound spaceship will presumably have a unique moniker.

Musk is a sci-fi fan, and he has named SpaceX vessels after ships in his favorite books. For example, the two robotic "drone ships" that serve as oceanic landing platforms for SpaceX's reusable Falcon 9 rocket are called "Of Course I Still Love You" and "Just Read the Instructions," two sentient starships that appear in the "Culture" series by Iain M. Banks.

If everything goes according to plan, thousands of ITS spaceships will eventually journey to Mars, transporting 1 million or so colonists. (These pioneers could come back home if they wanted to; each ITS spaceship would make multiple trips between Earth and Mars.)

Musk said he'd like to go to the Red Planet someday, but he's not sure if he'll be aboard the history-making "Heart of Gold," which could launch as soon as 2024.

"I would definitely need to have a very good succession plan, because the probability of death is quite high on the first mission, and I'd like to see my kids grow up and everything  so, some pros and cons there," Musk said.

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
Sea Launch, idle since a May 2014 launch, could resume operations from California, and using Zenit-3SL rockets, in late 2018 if a sale of the venture's assets to a Russian aviation company goes through.

GUADALAJARA, Mexico  A Russian aviation company plans to acquire the assets of Sea Launch from RSC Energia with the hopes of resuming launches in about two years.

S7 Group, Russia's largest private aviation holding company and owner of S7 Airlines, signed an agreement to acquire all the main assets of Sea Launch, including its two vessels, in a ceremony during the International Astronautical Congress here Sept. 27.

Vladislav Filev, chief executive of S7 Group, said the value of the deal was about $150 million. He added the agreement was subject to approvals in several countries, including the United States and Russia. The companies expect the effort to obtain those approvals to take six months.

In the case of the United States, that process includes export control agreements with the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls and an approval the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, according to a statement released by S7 Group.

Sea Launch has been idle since a May 2014 launch of a Eutelsat satellite. Filev said that Sea Launch could resume operations in about 18 months after receiving final approvals for the deal. "We believe that the life of this asset is 15 years, and we propose to have something like 70 launches over those 15 years," he said.

Despite reports that Sea Launch could move its ships from its current home port of Long Beach, California, and use launch vehicles other than the Zenit-3SL, Filev said there were no plans to change Sea Launch's operations. "It's a reasonable decision for the moment," he said. "Our basic position now is that we will operate as-is."

RSC Energia's Vladimir Solntsev (left) and S7 Group's Vladislav Filev discuss the Sea Launch deal during a Sept. 27 press conference at the IAC. (Image credit: SpaceNews/Jeff Foust)

The future of the Zenit-3SL has been in question not only because of Sea Launch's problems but also because of tensions between Russia and Ukraine, where the lower stages of the Zenit are built. Filev said he believed it was "common sense" that the companies involved work out a deal to continue to produce the vehicle.

It's unclear if one of the conditions of the deal is the resolution of a lawsuit Boeing, an original Sea Launch partner, filed against Energia. Boeing won a judgment valued at more than $320 million in the U.S. District Court for Central California, but recent legal filings in the case indicated that Boeing and Energia were negotiating a settlement.

Vladimir Solntsev, general director of Energia, declined to say if the agreement to sell the Sea Launch assets to S7 Group depended on a resolution of the case. "Today we're signing papers between S7 and Energia, and Boeing is not a part of this deal," he said through an interpreter. "So, it's not appropriate to talk about that right now."

Filev, in a company statement, said S7 Group saw Sea Launch as their best opportunity to move into the space business. "The acquisition of Sea Launch is a 'ticket' for us to enter the space industry," he said. "In our view, it is a very exciting area of business, with good long-term prospects."

Originally published on SpaceNews.
Midland University students joined millions of Americans in watching the first presidential debate of the 2016 campaign on Monday night.

More than 250 students participated in a watch party in the Olson Student Center as Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump debated with each other for the first time. Midlands event was hosted by the Luther College of Arts and Sciences.

It was a great turnout, said Dr. Jamie Simpson, director of the Luther College of Arts and Sciences. Students were engaged throughout the debate, and then they asked great questions of the party representatives who were in attendance.

Students began gathering about 30 minutes before the debate began, enjoying snacks and participating in a presidential candidate trivia contest, released information says.

Then they sat back and watched the debate. While watching, students could play Debate Bingo, marking cards whenever a candidate mentioned one of the listed issues. Unlike the audience at Hofstra University in New York, which agreed to remain silent, the Midland crowd clapped and cheered at points throughout the event.

Afterward, students were able to ask representatives of both major political parties questions. Bud Synhorst, executive director of the Nebraska Republican Party, and Dennis Crawford, a Democrat who ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014, fielded questions about what they thought was the most important topic during the debate, plans to eliminate debt, effective vetting of people wanting to get into the United States and moves to isolate America more from world events.

Both Crawford and Synhorst encouraged students to register to vote and then participate in the upcoming election.

Mondays watch party was just another of a series of special events hosted by the Luther College of Arts and Sciences to broaden the experiences of Midland students. Other activities included a presentation by former FBI Special Agent Anna Brewer about sex trafficking in Nebraska and a celebration of Constitution Day with Lt. Col. Lori Gill of SMSgt. Shlandolyn Williams of Offutt Air Force Base.

Next of the list of events is a Death Penalty Forum scheduled for 7 p.m. Oct. 4. That event is hosted by Retain A Just Nebraska.
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Presbyterian Women will be meeting at 1:15 p.m. Oct. 6 in the fellowship hall of The Presbyterian Church.

Refreshments will be served and a program will be presented called Fashions for Every Occasion. All women in the area are welcome.
Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi, a jihadist, who was sentenced to nine years in prison for destroying several sites in Mali, has apologized.

On Tuesday, Mahdi appeared in front of the International Criminal Court in The Hague in the Netherlands and pleaded guilty. The Islamic militant said he regrets destroying monuments that are listed on the World Heritage Site.

Mahdi told the people of Mali that he was sorry for what he had done and promised to spend his time behind bars reflecting on his actions. He also said that he hopes time will heal the ones he hurt.

Mahdi was considered a brilliant mind by many in his country. He studied in Libya and Saudi Arabia. When Mahdi returned to Timbuktu, he worked as a teacher.

Mahdi was also an educator in an association for Muslim youths where he provided guidance, spiritual advice, and pushed them to live by the principles of Sharia law.

Mahdi grew frustrated because many other Malians did not share his vision of the strictest interpretations of Islamic law. He was also angered by the fact that his fellow countrymen would not change their practice of worshiping Timbuktus shrines of Muslim saints.

In 2012, Mahdi joined the Islamist group Ansar Dine and took part in the destruction of ten monuments in Timbuktu. According to authorities, between June 30, 2012 and July 10, 2012, Mahdi committed the war crime of intentionally directing attacks against historical monuments or buildings dedicated to religion.

Using pickaxes, chisels, and pick-up trucks, Mahdi with the help of other men destroyed monuments, which date back to the 15th and 16th centuries. Mahdi and other jihadists destroyed nine mausoleums and the door of the revered Sidi Yahia mosque.

He caused the destruction of the Mausoleum of Sidi Mahmoud Ben Omar Mohamed Aquit, Mausoleum of Sheikh Mohamed Mahmoud al-Arawani, Mausoleum of Sheikh Sidi Mokhtar Ben Sidi Muhammad Ben Sheikh Alkabir, and Mausoleum of Alpha Moya and Mausoleum of Sidi Mahmoud Ben Amar. Some of the sites have been rebuilt. When pleading guilty last month, Mahdi said:

I want to spend my years in prison purging the evil spirit that took him.

However, during the destruction, Mahdi gave the following reasons for his shocking actions:

The Prophet (Mohamed) said break apart these mausoleums because all people are equal and so in a cemetery, no tomb must rise higher than another.

Erica Bussey, Amnesty Internationals senior legal adviser, said:

This verdict is a clear recognition that attacks on religious and historical monuments can destroy the culture and identity of a population and constitute crimes under international law.

Mahdis attorney, Jean-Louis Gilissen, defended his client by saying that he is an intelligent, reasonable and educated man, who took action after receiving a message from above. The court stated:

(They) were an integral part of the religious life of its inhabitants and constitute a common heritage for the community. Their destruction does not only affect the direct victims of the crimes but also people through Mali and the international community.

This is the first time that the International Criminal Court tried cultural destruction as a war crime. Bussey said she hopes that the International Criminal Court will pursue with its investigation of similar offenses committed in Mali.

Mahdi will not be imprisoned for nine years because the time he spent in detention since his arrest will be deducted from his sentence.
New York (USA), Sept 28, 2016 (SPS) - the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon expressed his "gratitude" to Algeria for its support to the Western Sahara negotiation process led by the UN, during a meeting with the Minister of State and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Algerian, Mr. Ramtane Lamamra .

The meeting took place in the presence of Vice-Secretary General Jan Eliasson, Chef de Cabinet Edmond Mulet, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Taye-Brook Zerihoun, Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Christopher Ross, and ambassador Sabri Boukadoum, Algeria's Permanent representative to the UN, reported APS..

The meeting took place was then broadened to several issues in the UN agenda, mainly Libya, Mali, climate change and SDGs, the same source added.SPS

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Occupied Smara, Sept, 28, 2016 (SPS) - the activists of the intifada organized a march in the streets of Occupied city of Smara to condemn the holding of Moroccan elections in the occupied territories of Western Sahara, reported Saharawi human rights source.

According to the same source, the participants in the march raised the national flags and chanted slogans demanding the departure of the Moroccan occupation, denouncing the elections in the occupied territories of Western Sahara. SPS

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Today

American Red Cross blood drive, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Fremont High School. To make an appointment go give blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit www.redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-2767.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Alzheimers Support Group, 2-3 p.m., Nye Wellness Center at Nye Square, 655 W. 23rd St., Fremont. The guest speaker will be Kim Heinrichs-Suey from Home Instead speaking on the upcoming walk and caregiver support education. For more information, call 402-753-6127.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Canned food drive, 7-8 p.m., Fremont neighborhoods. The confirmation class from First Lutheran Church of Fremont will be out canvasing neighborhoods to collect canned goods for Low Income Ministries. For more information, contact the church at 402-721-2959.

Eagles 200 Aerie and Auxiliary meetings, 7 p.m., Fremont Eagles Club.

Fresh Hope Support Group, 7 p.m., Trinity Lutheran School, 16th Street and Luther Road, Fremont. The support group offers faith-based help for those with mood disorders and for loved ones trying to understand. For more information, call David and Wray Lynn Trost at 402-480-1777.

Narcotics Anonymous Library Group, 7 p.m., Keene Memorial Library East Building, Fremont.

Novel Idea Book Club, 7-8 p.m., Keene Memorial Librarys large meeting room. Everyone is invited to discuss books and meet new people. Coffee and tea will be provided.

Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Thursday

Alcoholics Anonymous big book study, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Storytime, 10-10:30 a.m., Keene Memorial Library auditorium, 1030 N. Broad St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Fremont Kiwanis Club, noon, First Lutheran Church, Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Pie, ice cream and hamburger night, 5:30-7 p.m., Fremont Eagles Club. Everyone is welcome.

Narcotics Anonymous It Works Group, 6:30 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church East Building, west of the church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont. Enter through the rear door.

Bingo, 7 p.m., Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8223, 742 N. Main St., North Bend. Everyone is welcome.

Civil Air Patrol, 7 p.m., 1201 W. 23rd St., in yellow hangar at Fremont Airport.

Storytime, 7-7:30 p.m., Keene Memorial Library auditorium, Fremont.

Tally Ho Toastmasters, 7-8 p.m., Midland Universitys Anderson Building, Ninth and Clarkson streets, Fremont. Everyone is welcome to learn skills in communication, self-confidence and leadership. For more information, call Jan at 402-720-5526.

Alcoholics Anonymous big book study, 8 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous open meeting, 8 p.m., First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 201 N. Davis Ave., Oakland.

Friday

Cosmopolitan 100 Service Club, 7 a.m., USA Steak Buffet, 830 E. 23rd St., Fremont.

Al-Anon meeting, 9:30 a.m., Chapter 5 Club front room, Fremont.

Community Closet, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Uniquely Yours Stability Support, 240 N. Main St., Fremont. The cost is $5 to fill a bag. There is no limit of how many bags you can buy. For more information, call 402-727-8977.

HomeStore, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 701 E. Dodge St., Fremont. The HomeStore sells donated items at discounted prices. Proceeds support the mission of Fremont Area Habitat for Humanity.
Copenhagen (Denmark) Sept 28, 2016 (SPS) - A demonstration was organized Tuesday by group of activists from Afrika Kontakt Organisation in front of the headquarters of the Danish Ship-owners Association in Copenhagen.

During the sit-in, the activists raised banners and distributed pamphlets written in them Stop plundering Western Sahara through Danish Shipping Companies.

Danish Ships thereby co-finance Moroccos occupation of Western Sahara; particularly the Danish shipping companies like UltaBulk and Clipper Group that are large actors in the illegal plundering of resources, which violate UN conventions and International Law. This prolongs the conflict and continues the denial of the Saharawis access to their own resources, the demonstrators said

Danish Ship-owners Association has to make sure that its members do not act against international law. Danish Ships should not turn Moroccos occupation of Western Sahara into profitable business. The demonstrators added

Sit-in was attended by representative of the Polisario Front in Denmark along with a delegation representing the Sahrawi student Union. SPS

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New York, Sept 28, 2016 (SPS) - Uruguay and Venezuela called, Thursday for a meeting of the Security Council to address the situation in the area of El Gargarat following the Moroccan recent violation of cease fire agreement.

Repeatedly, the Polisario Front warned that this violation of the ceasefire would have serious consequences for peace and stability in the region and asked the United Nations to assume its responsibilities to stop this flagrant violation of the ceasefire, as well as taking necessary measures to ensure strict implementation of the said agreement agreed by the two parties.

Moreover, the deputy spokesman of the Secretary General of the UN Farhan Hag denied on Tuesday the information announced by the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs last Thursday in New York, on the alleged return of all members of MINURSO to their functions in Western Sahara.

Farhan Hag said that "full functionality of MINURSO has not been fully restored," adding that in July, a first group of 25 international staff returned, indicating that United Nations continue their efforts for MINURSO to fully perform their duties.SPS

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Speaking after a meeting with the NFU Uplands Forum, chairman, Robin Milton, said he was pleased that RPA staff had met with them to listen to their concerns. But he warned that farmers could be forced to drop annual or seasonal commitments, such as paying for feed and fertilisers or re-investing in their businesses, without prompt payment.

With intense pressure being applied from the NFU at all levels, the RPA continues to tell us that it is still adamant that payments will be delivered promptly in the coming weeks and months.

With the apparent inability of the RPA to meet deadlines or honour commitments farmers are rightly concerned and frustrated that empty promises will compromise their businesses, he said.

We have been assured that cross checks have now taken place with Natural England for forthcoming stewardship funding. This should put Natural England and RPA in a place to allow initial 2016 ELS, HLS and Countryside Stewardship payments in the coming months. We ask these are made without delay, in order to help alleviate some of the now major cash flow issues our members face and especially those in the uplands.

Mr Milton said it was now important for the RPA to deal with remaining BPS payments as soon as possible.

This includes adjustments to common land - as a result of the Minchinhampton court case - and to deliver BPS 2016 payments to all ahead of the 2017 application window opening next spring., he added.

It is absolutely critical that this work includes sorting out the backlog of common land claim issues that exist at this time. What would help the industry regain confidence in the RPA is if it set out a clear timeline to show how these key BPS 2015 to 2017 elements are to be achieved to allow quick and efficient payment.
Two months later with 24 livestock auction marts under the hammer, Jack Walton has finished his travels, his gavel is at rest and he raised a huge 7316.97.

Jacks journey started at Dingwall and Highland Livestock Auction Mart in Invernesshire and finished at Truro in Cornwall. Sponsored by the Three Counties Agricultural Society, his journey has been exhilarating, informative and has raised money for two charities which support the farming communities in times of financial difficulties.

Jacks Journey began on Tuesday 19th July when he visited coupled with an exhibition highlighting the work of the two charities, Jack auctioned off one pen of fat lambs with the markets commission being donated to the fund.

Following his visit to Dingwall, Jack visited 24 auction marts including; Stirling, Hexham, Clitheroe, Worcester, Hereford, Salisbury, Acklington and many more in-between.

Commenting on the completion of his challenge and journey, Jack said:

I am completely overwhelmed with the response I have received throughout the summer. I have met the most wonderful people, auctioned some tremendous livestock and I am very grateful to all the marts that have supported me and to everyone who has donated so generously to the charities.

The last six weeks has been an experience that I will never forget and has certainly cemented what I know are the foundations for a career in auctioneering. I would like to thank all of my sponsors including, JG Animal Health, The Three Counties Agricultural Society and Glendale PR and Marketing for their support throughout my journey.
Jeff Chiu / Associated Press

STAMFORD  Google launched Wednesday its delivery service in Connecticut and throughout the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions. Google Express will allow customers in Connecticut to order with their computers and mobile devices from 14 merchants including Costco, Stop & Shop, Whole Foods Market, Kohls, ToysRUs and PetSmart and receive same-day, next-day and two-day deliveries.

The service had already been available for the past couple of years in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Boston, but Google wanted to extend Express to a much larger customer base on the East Coast. The expansion will serve another 70 million people, according to Google.
Michael Cummo / Hearst Connecticut Media

STAMFORD  When Connie Scarella Stevenson leads the Columbus Day Parade next month, she will bring the intermingled history of her family and her city, and insight into the saga of the Italians who made their way to America since the turn of the last century.

Stevenson will also be the first woman to be grand marshal of the parade, which began more than 60 years ago.
C entrica is axing 560 jobs at British Gas and shutting down a major green energy business as part of 3 million-a-year boss Iain Conns efficiency programme, the Standard can reveal.

Britains biggest gas and electricity supplier claimed the staff  who were put on notice last night  had to leave for the company to remain competitive amid the oil price slump.

Most of the affected are back-office staff and managers in customer and field operations, as well as British Gass UK Home division.

Centrica, which made an 853 million profit in the first half, said cuts were part of its plans, announced last July, to axe 4000 staff and sell 1 billion of assets.

Workers at British Gass construction services business, which installs large energy efficiency schemes, have also been told it is closing down.

Centricas upstream division have also been told to sign a new contract at lower pay, or leave the business, it is understood. Centrica declined to comment.

British Gas chief executive Mark Hodges, whose salary is 625,000, said: I know that todays news will be difficult for those employees affected. Our priority is to consult on these plans with employees.
D eutsche Bank went some way to quell fears surrounding its balance sheet today by agreeing to offload Abbey Life to UK insurer Phoenix Group for around 1 billion.

The under-pressure German lender has been rocked in the past week by fears of looming sky-high US fines and waning support from Chancellor Angela Merkels government.

But today shares rose 2.5% after the Abbey deal was unveiled.

British chief executive John Cryan said it will help bolster Deutsches capital and build a simpler and better bank.

For Phoenix, the deal represents its biggest purchase to date. Phoenix has agreed to buy a book of insurance products typically sold door-to door by Abbey Life from 1961 to 2000.

The book is made up of 735,000 customers and worth 10 billion. Phoenix will use the proceeds from a 735 million share sale and a 250 million bank loan to pay Deutsche 935 million for the book.

Some deals make you bigger and some make you better but its pretty rare you get a deal which does both, Phoenixs chief executive Clive Bannister said.

Deutsche originally bought Abbey Life, a former FTSE 100 giant, in 2007 from Lloyds TSB, months before the financial crisis.
R oyal Mail is set to face tougher competition on its own doorstep after German giant Deutsche Post today spent 243 million swallowing up British delivery firm UK Mail.

Deutsche Post  which owns DHL  has agreed to pay 440p per UK Mail share, 43.1% more than its share price last night.

UK Mail faced technical problems at a new sorting centre last year, which meant bulky parcels had to be handled manually and hiked costs.

Profits fell by more than a quarter, the dividend was slashed and the shares plunged.

UK Mail collects bulk letters such as O2 and TalkTalk bills for dispatch through Royal Mails network, but it was its parcels arm which appealed to Deutsche Post.

The German giant said the deal was part of a plan to expand in Europe where demand for cross-border online shopping orders is soaring.

UK Mails board recommended the deal to shareholders, and Deutsche Post board member Juergen Gerdes said: UK Mail is a well-run business and offers a complementary fit with our integrated offering.
T he UK is in the grip of a sizeable economic shock after the Brexit vote, outgoing Bank of England Deputy Governor Minouche Shafik said today.

Despite better-than-expected data so far since the referendum, she said more stimulus was likely to be needed to help ensure a slowdown in economic activity doesnt turn into something more pernicious.

The Bank has been accused of jumping the gun by some critics after cutting rates to 0.25% in August, expanding money-printing to 435 billion and buying up 10 billion in corporate debt.

But Shafik  who joins the London School of Economics next year  said it was vital that monetary policy is set in a forward-looking manner.

She added: There is no doubt in my mind that the UK is experiencing a sizeable economic shock. Any reduction in openness or need to reallocate resources will necessarily imply a slower rate of potential growth for the economy.

"Moreover, the protracted process of leaving the EU means we still know very little about the nature of our future trading arrangements, and this uncertainty is weighing on prospects for business investment.
T he deluge of disdain heaped upon Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg last week was perhaps unsurprising.

The pair pledged to pump their $3 billion (2.3 billion) Facebook fortune into projects that eliminate disease within our lifetime.

The sneering reaction can be attributed to a mixture of non-business peoples historic distrust (often rightly so) of us in the business world and, more importantly, how we have been poor at stepping up and saying that we are the ultimate fixers of the planets problems  not just the creators of some of them.

Business requires a PR job done on it, and the most successful PR campaigns need to have an authentic, compelling, slightly disruptive message.

In the course of researching my forthcoming book, I have come across it: donating to charities and Western aid to developing countries have only served to widen inequalities and increase poverty.

Business, on the other hand, is the best way to empower the poor and dispossessed, to clean up our environment and provide sustainable growth to people, using the Big Issue adage a hand-up, not a hand-out.

In 2009, the celebrated economist Dambisa Moyo wrote in the Wall Street Journal: Over the past 60 years, at least $1 trillion of development-related aid has been transferred from rich countries to Africa. Yet real per-capita income today is lower than it was in the Seventies, and more than 50% of the population  over 350 million people  live on less than a dollar a day, a figure that has nearly doubled in two decades.

Even after the very aggressive debt-relief campaigns in the Nineties, African countries still pay close to $20 billion in debt repayments per annum, a stark reminder that aid is not free. In order to keep the system going, debt is repaid at the expense of African education and healthcare.

"Well-meaning calls to cancel debt mean little when the cancellation is met with the fresh infusion of aid, and the vicious cycle starts up once again.

Thats pretty much a slam dunk against aid. I could have filled my book 10 times over with examples of charities that have plundered the money the likes of you and I have donated in the past in the hope that giving to good causes is the same as doing good.

After the suicide of 92-year-old Olive Cooke, a poppy-seller who had been pursued by a staggering 99 different charities in the last year of her life, the Charity Commission undertook a sample survey of the direct-marketing activities of a number of charities.

The investigation found that an average of 61% of the money these campaigns raised went into the administration of them.

That means into the hands of direct-marketing firms, no doubt making a tidy profit along the way.

If youve ever felt faintly saintly for sending back an envelope with a cheque to the Mother Teresa Childrens Foundation, Im afraid any sheen of sanctimony you may have experienced will now evaporate when you learn that 81% of the value of your cheque went into the administration of the process.

So those are the unpleasant truths about aid and charity. How does that make business the solution?

I started visiting prisons about eight years ago, and wondering why the rates of reoffending on release were so high.

I found the main reason was that prisoners didnt have a job to go into at the end of their sentence, and so reluctantly fell back into their previous behaviour.

As a restaurateur, when Gordon Ramsay was filming his TV series teaching Brixton prisoners how to cook, I was invited to a lunch they had cooked.

I was particularly impressed by one guy, and told him he could come to my Borough Market restaurant Roast and do some work experience on release if he wished.

He did, and then applied for a permanent position (without my knowledge or interference), and was successful.

The Evening Standard ran an article about this, and we were deluged with letters, emails and calls from people saying they had never been to Roast but now they knew we did things like this, they would start coming.

So the business case for social intervention was verified, giving it legs.

Now you may think thats a nice little anecdote and no more. But we have inadvertently found we are part of a movement where businesses that are driven by profit through purpose in turn become commercially more successful.

Communications giant Havas has developed one such movement through the creation of its Meaningful Brands programme.

A study of 1000 companies shows that businesses which have social and environmental concerns at their core have a 46% a greater return on wallet than companies that dont.

Largely driven by the millennial generation who will only want to buy from brands that share their values, this is a movement that is only going to grow.

So you need to wake up and smell the flat white coffee if your business is to flourish in this final phase of capitalism.

Iqbal Wahhab OBE is the founder of London restaurants The Cinnamon Club and Roast. His book, Charity Sucks, is being launched by Biteback on October 20
J ust when you thought the reputation of bankers couldnt get much worse, along comes Wells Fargos John Stumpf.

Despite the fact that his employees set up two million fake accounts in customers names; despite making his banks name dirt in Washington; despite the share price crashing 10% in the past month, Stumpf  the worlds best-paid banker  stays in post.

Ah, his board may say, but you cant blame him for the actions of dishonest staff. Wrong.

This wasnt just the bad behaviour of a few rotten apples, but a barrel-load. So far, its resulted in 5300 staff being fired.

That many employees only go wayward if they are driven to, by a lousy culture and overly aggressive performance targets.

And those evils come from the top. Yet, instead of resigning, all Stumpf offers up is his bonus.

That may be a lot of money  $41 million. But for a man who earned $60 million in the last three years alone, it barely registers.

Resignation is the only acceptable course. And if he wont resign, the Wells Fargo board should sack him.

That might not be easy, given hes the chairman of the board as well as chief executive, but it must be done.

Every day he clings onto his job brings more shame on the global banking industry.

It's either bail or fail

Londons Tubes, buses and bars will resound with the slapping of palms on foreheads when Evening Standard readers learn of RBSs legal costs in its fight against its shareholders.

Nobody doubts the investors deserve their day in court, but  just like RBSs $1 billion (800 million) US fine last night  it is utterly galling that we taxpayers, who own 72% of RBS, will have to foot the bill.

The nationalisation of RBSs losses from malpractice fines and lawsuits was always going to be a horrible by-product of the bailout after the financial crisis.

But, had we not committed our countrys billions to save it, Britain would have been plunged into an unthinkable economic apocalypse.

Germany  and, by association, Europe  faces the same situation now with the crisis at Deutsche Bank. Berlin has always refused to bail it out, and still declares private investors should shoulder the burden of any recapitalisation.

But, faced by a multi-billion-dollar fine from the US, and Deutsches already-thin capital buffers, this is rapidly becoming an unrealistic option.

Given how interwoven Deutsche is in the German and EU economy, Angela Merkel must reconsider.

A bailout  possibly through a merger with state-backed Commerzbank  would cause outrage. But its rapidly becoming the only way to prevent the next European catastrophe.
R oyal Bank of Scotland has racked up more than 100 million in costs to defend itself against a 4 billion legal action set to drag disgraced former chief executive Fred Goodwin into the witness box next year, the Standard understands.

More than 30,000 retail investors and hundreds of institutions are suing the bank over a 12 billion fundraising in April 2008, just five months before it was forced into a 45 billion bailout in the financial crisis.

The claimants allege they were misled into backing the rights issue, triggering the huge claim as the shares they paid for later collapsed. The bank is still 72% owned by the state eight years on.

Documents from RBSs solicitors Herbert Smith Freehills show the bank has built up a mammoth 86.2 million in costs so far in the case between December 2009 to July 31 this year.

Including VAT at 20%, that brings the banks bill to 103 million so far.

News of the bill came as the bank paid 846 million to partially settle US claims over mis-sold toxic mortgage debt in the run-up to the crisis.

The plunging value of mortgage-backed assets held by RBS as well as its disastrous purchase of ABN Amro were the original drivers behind the 2008 rights issue.

Legal sources said the bill could even double next year as the case moves towards a six-month trial, scheduled to begin in March.

The case is likely to see leading actors in the banks downfall including Goodwin and former chairman Sir Tom McKillop take the stand. The Herbert Smith Freehills letter also shows solicitor fees for individual directors reaching 6.1 million.

One source close to the case said: Weve had 10 case management conferences so far, when usually we would have one. It is a very, very large sum of money. When youve had the trial to decide liability then theres also the quantum hearing (to decide the level of compensation).

Including interest, the size of the claim  being handled by five different legal teams  could hit 6 billion. RBS offered a 700 million settlement to the claimants in July which was rejected. The parties are due in court for another case management hearing next month.

The banks original estimate of costs in August last year put costs at 98 million excluding VAT.

Sources close to the defence said the bill was in line with its expectations because of the delays to the trial, which was originally due to start in December.

An RBS spokesman said: We continue to strongly contest these claims.

Typically, winners are awarded around 70% of their costs, which would be covered by the claimants legal insurance. RBS will face a much bigger bill if it loses.
S ainsburys today hit back at suggestions Aldi and Lidl could eat its lunch, saying its prices have never been closer to the discounters.

Despite reporting another fall in quarterly sales, chief executive Mike Coupe downplayed the threat posed by the German retailers, whose growth has triggered a fierce industry price war.

Like its big four rivals  Tesco, Morrisons and Asda  Sainsburys has fought back by slashing prices. It has also moved away from multi-buy promotions to regular low prices.

Referring to Aldis claims earlier this week that it remains significantly cheaper than mainstream competitors, Coupe said: You can use whatever surveys you want to dress up whatever story you want. Our price position relative to discounters has never been sharper.

Coupe also dismissed the assertion that Aldi and Lidl are set to push further into Sainsburys home turf of London and the South-East.

The idea they are marching into the South-East is somewhat misguided. All the evidence we have suggests that broadly speaking they are opening stores where they already exist, for Aldi in the North-West and the Midlands and Lidl in the South.

Sainsburys reported a 1.1% fall in same-store sales in its second quarter.

That narrowly beat expectations, but compares unfavourably with Morrisons, which reported second-quarter sales growth of 2% earlier this month. Meanwhile, Tescos sales declines are slowing, according to the latest industry data.

Sainsburys blamed food price deflation, which had accelerated slightly in the three months to September 24.

It also posted its first quarterly sales fall in clothing, partly because of unpredictable weather. But sales at Argos, which it formally took over in a 1.4 billion deal three weeks ago, were up 2.3%, it added.

Coupe said conditions would remain tough. Its as challenging a market as it has been for a number of years. That dynamic will continue.
P ostcard from travel giant TUI to rival Thomas Cook: our summer was better than yours.

The German firm behind First Choice Holidays and Thomson Airways upped its profit forecasts for the year to December today, after selling 97% of its summer programme, launching two cruise ships and opening five hotels.

It now sees growth in underlying earnings between 12% and 13% over the year to October  up from Augusts prediction of at least 10%.

Despite European terrorism and Brexit, the UK was TUIs strongest region, with Britons spending 5% more on holidays.

Strong demand for breaks to Mexico and the Dominican Republic this winter means bookings from the UK are up 22%.

Fewer bookings in the Nordics and Germany meant revenues rose 1%, in contrast with Thomas Cook where European summer bookings fell.

TUIs shares rose 3% or 35p to 1121p.
A pple is set to move into Battersea Power Station, Sir Giles Gilbert Scotts splendid cathedral of power. The move will bring together at least 1,400 of its London staff into a single premises from eight existing offices across the city. And it will provide an enormous boost to the Battersea development, becoming the largest single tenant in the complex. It will also become, at a stroke, the biggest private employer in Wandsworth.

The move is politically significant. Apples European headquarters is still in Ireland, notwithstanding a ruling by the EU that the company has received unfair tax advantages from the Irish government, but the Battersea operation will be one of the companys biggest. Post- Brexit, Britain in general, and London in particular, need to send a signal that we are open for business and hospitable to major global companies. Apples decision is a vote of confidence in the long-term vitality of the London economy. These are early days, post-referendum, but London must make clear that our perspective is global as well as European; this decision will help.

Irelands propitious tax environment for companies such as Apple is plainly contentious, as the EU decision makes clear, but one legitimate advantage it does have  against opposition from countries such as France  is a low corporation tax rate of 12.5 per cent, and much lower for companies which invest in research and development. We want global companies to pay tax fairly here but thats no reason why our 20 per cent corporation tax could not be lower, to give us a competitive edge. It could help London attract more global business.

We need an Opposition

Given the unlovely spectacle of Sam Allardyces opportunism, and the bad practice of any number of corporations, it is unsurprising if idealistic young people become disaffected and seek radical political alternatives.

Yet it would be unfortunate if their idealism found an outlet with Labour under Jeremy Corbyn, let alone with Momentum. Mr Corbyn is undoubtedly idealistic himself but what was wanting in his performance as leader at conference this week was a sense of practical politics  his relaxed approach to immigration is a case in point. The conference did have much to appeal to well-intentioned individuals  the slogan from Christians on the Left that patriots pay taxes, which the shadow chancellor adopted, is a case in point  but what emerged from the week was a succession of declarations of intent to help the needy which were not underpinned by any sense that they have to be paid for. The attention paid to those who seek to spend taxes on health and schools wholly outweighed the attention given to those who must generate the revenue.

Meanwhile, the appeals for unity were subverted by the sense among moderate MPs that they are under threat from a body of Momentum supporters who replicate the worst practices of Militant in the Eighties. Its an atmosphere which does nothing to make Labour effective in its actual job, to hold the Government to account.

Brian Sewells lot

Brian Sewell, the Standards late, great art critic, was known for his discerning eye when it came to recognising exquisite works. An astute collector himself, the breadth of art he amassed during his lifetime caused quite a stir when it went under the hammer at Christies yesterday. More than 200 lots, ranging from works of the Italian Renaissance to pieces dating from the Eighties, were sold for a total of 3.7 million  almost twice their estimate. Brian would have been delighted.
H ollywood waves a sad farewell to the partnership between actors Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts. The couple have been together for 11 years, have two children and announced their separation with an admirably civil joint statement announcing that the best way forward for us as a family is to separate as a couple. Their behaviour at a time of personal turmoil is classy and mature. So why does it bore me?

In terms of drama the split inevitably suffers from its proximity to the end of Brangelina, our times most fascinating romance and, incidentally, the only celebrity portmanteau that I have ever been able to get on board with.

The couple have been savvy to minimise attention by following a bigger story, much like Norman Cook and Zoe Ball, who confirmed their split over the weekend. But while Naomi and Liev give Angelina and Brad a run for their money when it comes to good looks, enviable dramatic talent, great wealth and bulging award cabinets, Brangelina prove victorious when it comes to claiming the glamorous split. Their story will fill column inches for years to come, joining a select few in the hall of Hollywood romance.

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn: finding love in Beverly Hills is clearly a Herculean task. But what a tantalising legacy it leaves.

When Bogie asked Bacall to write her phone number on a matchbox in 1944, who could have known that one of the most passionate loves in showbusiness would soon begin, but be cut short by his death? Burton may have adored Taylor, the violet-eyed goddess of her time, so much that he married her twice but they fought like dogs, drank like fish, and were condemned by the Vatican for their erotic vagrancy.

Hepburn loved Tracy until the day he died and beyond, her adoration clear to see even in their final co-production Guess Whos Coming to Dinner. But he was married to another. As a Catholic, Tracy chose to stain Hepburn with the status of secret mistress for almost 30 years. She did not attend his funeral for fear of disrespecting his wife, and didnt speak of their love for many years after. As they earned their gold-plated plaudits and were worshipped as gods on earth by their fans these stars were also living with intense and fascinating loves that could have jumped straight from a studio lot in California.

Its this quality that sets Brad and Angelina apart from the pack of splitting celebrities. Sparks flew from their first meeting on the set of Mr & Mrs Smith. Rumours of a secret love proved true, and they built a beautiful family before marrying in a fairytale setting, Jolie draped in a dress customised by her children. But dramas continued to emerge, with whispers of fights, affairs and a fork in their professional roads being held responsible for what promises to be a blockbusting end to a thrilling love story.

Watts and Schreiber may be pleased to have avoided the circus as they come to terms with their newfound single status, but as Jolie and Pitt walk the tightrope of the worlds biggest divorce since Charles and Diana, they must at least know that they are following the greats.

How great to see Will & Grace back. Thank God its a one-off

Will & Grace, the once-lauded American sitcom, returned to our screens this week with a short, one-off episode attacking Donald Trump. The comedy was a staple of my teen years, and seeing the foursome of Will, Grace, Jack and Karen reunited after more than a decade couldnt help but pluck nostalgically at a heartstring.

But theres also a huge sense of relief at the assurance that the revival is fleeting. A rewatch of old episodes serves as a reminder of its many flaws  its treatment of the LGBT community, for example, is wholly jarring  and its humour has not aged as well as its stars. With pale resurrections of Cold Feet and Are You Being Served? currently filling the TV schedules, Im glad that this particular relic of my past wont be sticking around.

Londoners need to feel the lure of rissole and chips

A survey released by the Co-op yesterday found that local delicacies are disappearing from our kitchen cupboards, with Bosworth jumble biscuits, Yorkshire Solomon Gundy and Bath chaps sliding into obscurity due to the rise of mainstream international cuisine such as spag bol or fajitas.

Those unfamiliar with such regional treats may shrug at their slow extinction but its a tough loss for those who enjoy a reminder of home once in a while. On my first visit to a London chippy after my move from South Wales I ordered rissole and chips. The server had never heard of it. Ditto corned beef pasties and Joes ice cream  both delicious.

Surely, amid a London food scene that offers cereal cafes and hotdog-only restaurants, theres room for a pop-up for the citys regional expats?

Even while silent, mobiles can be a curse

Last week I saw Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick Stewart return to the West End stage in Harold Pinters No Mans Land, currently on at the Wyndhams Theatre. The four-strong cast are impressive, with Sir Ian giving a standout performance, but I couldnt help but be distracted by the slow creep of many a hand, checking their pocketed mobile phones as if the fact that putting them on silent made them invisible.

If I, sitting in row E, could spot the slight to the performers on the stage then so could McKellen, Stewart et al. The play is a triumph but Pinter is complicated enough to follow without the addition of someone elses text messages.

A quick Google search reveals that a mere 60 could get me a portable phone-signal blocker: its a tempting prospect.
A Muslim journalist has posed for Playboy wearing a hijab in a first for the magazine.

Noor Tagouri, 22, makes a bold case for modesty in the October edition of the magazine, which until recently favoured nude models.

The Libyan American journalist wore a hijab, black leather jacket, white Converse trainers and black trousers for the photoshoot.

Playboy called Ms Tagouri a badass activist with a passion for demanding change with beauty-ad-campaign looks.

Tagouri forces us to ask ourselves why we have such a hard time wrapping our minds around a young woman who consciously covers her head and wont take no for an answer, the magazine article continued.

She is featured in a series called Renegade, celebrating people prepared to break new ground in their respective professions.

But Ms Tagouri came under fire from critics shocked to see a Muslim woman in a magazine that was filled with nude centre-folds until earlier this year. Some attacked her on social media with the hashtag #hoejabi.

Ms Tagouri, who lives in West Virginia and works as a video reporter for Newsy, said she was not troubled by her criticism.

Its just negative energy and unhealthy. I make sure to keep a great circle of people around me who keep me grounded, she said.

The journalist, who says she dreams of becoming the first hijab-wearing presenter on US television, added: Whether its at work or at home, the people who have my best interest at heart voice their concerns and their critiques, and I work on them. Besides that, I just do the best I can to not worry about people who get upset because they dont like something that I wear or say.

She won praise from Aymann Ismail on Slate, who blasted critics, saying: Sadly, its just another example of a Muslim woman being told how to live her life.
Storied fashion house Saint Laurent began a new chapter last night when Anthony Vaccarello, the newly appointed creative director, unveiled his debut collection.

If his predecessor Hedi Slimane relied on the perennial cool of rock 'n' roll codes to bring in the customers, Vaccarello is banking on fashion's enduring love of black to keep tills ringing.

Remaining steadfastly devoted to his signatures, Belgian Vaccarello offered an homage to the moody hue which was punctuated only with flashes of gold lame.

What the collection lacked in colour it made up for in texture, silhouette and overt sex appeal. LBD's - of which there was no short supply - came crafted from cobweb lace, shimmering sequins or vinyl leather and featured corset waists, plunging necklines, thigh-grazing hem lengths and exaggerated shoulders. These were dresses designed for the girl with places to be - but only after dark.

Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty

Sharp tailoring - another of his calling cards - featured too with sleeveless tuxedo jackets and slim-fitting cocktail trousers referencing Yves Saint Laurent's iconic Le Smoking jacket. The inclusion of jeans and denim jackets nodded to the new and younger Saint Laurent, rebranded so during Slimane's reign.

Vaccerello has previously worked for Karl Lagerfeld at Fendi and most recently Donatella Versace who enlisted Vaccarello to design offshoot label Versus. The 34-year-old designer also launched his own eponymous label in 2008, which he has currently suspended in order to focus on his new job at the pinnacle of French fashion.

Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty

Certainly, he has big shoes to fill. While Hedi Slimane's controversial reign over the house failed to win many fans in the industry - among his most contentious moves was the decision to drop the first name of the houses celebrated founder Yves from labels name - theres little doubt over his commercial success.

According to company results posted in 2014, Slimane succeeded in more than doubling revenues to the tune of around $787 million within three years. Among his most sellable tactics was the ability to create accessible designs with aspirational ambitions, offering a wardrobe of luxury basic items which included skinny jeans, baby doll dresses and leather biker jackets with four figure price tags.

Among the label's most recent money spinners are it's accessories, with leather goods and shoes accounting for 66 per cent of the business. While his debut collection was entirely void of bags - fans will have to wait a little longer to see what the designer has in store - he choose the occasion to unveil a new Saint Laurent classic in the form of a YSL stiletto court shoe.

Much like the show, held in a construction site complete with a crane which held aloft a giant illuminated YSL logo, Vaccarello's vision for the house is still a work in progress. Only time will tell if his Saint Laurent will sell.
B rian Sewells art collection has sold for 3.7 million  almost double estimates  after a frenzied auction.

The Standards celebrated critic died last September aged 84 after a battle with cancer. He worked at this newspaper for more than 30 years, but was previously an art expert at Christies, which hosted the sale last night.

His lifetimes collection of more than 200 works attracted bidders from 32 countries across four continents, in what auctioneers said was a testimony to his discerning eye.

Noel Annesley, honorary chairman of Christies UK, described the spirited five-hour auction on behalf of his estate as a celebration of Sewells remarkable eye and wide sensibility.

While famously dismissing much contemporary art, Sewell had a fondness for 16th and 17th century masters picked up from art historian and Soviet spy Anthony Blunt, who was his teacher at the Courtauld Institute.

That affection served him well, with Dido Reclining Asleep, by Michelangelos pupil Daniele Volterra, described as the highlight of the sale. The drawing was sold to a museum for more than five times its 150,0000 estimate, fetching 797,000, a world record for the artist. Italian master Matthias Stomers 1652 oil Saint Jerome sold for 365,000 against a guide price of 100,000. A fragment of a chalk study by baroque master Agostino Ciampelli smashed the 20,000 brochure estimate, selling for a record 118,750.

Mr Annesley said the auction was a tribute to the magic of the name Brian Sewell.

Watch live footage from the auction:

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J oan Littlewood, bold visionary and fearless pioneer, never got to see a Fun Palace happen. She, alongside architect Cedric Price, had a vision of a laboratory of fun, a university of the streets; it would bring the arts and sciences to ordinary people, and it would be free for everyone.

Over 100 years after her birth, the spirit of Joan can be found in Stella Duffy. In a discussion around how to commemorate Littlewoods centenary, she said no to the 150th godforsaken revival of Oh What a Lovely War, and asked, why not create Joans Fun Palace at last? The Fun Palace was to be a building where the community could get their art, science and culture right where they lived, without going anywhere else.

The idea of bringing Littlewoods dream of making a Fun Palace alive picked up steam, and became different too  in a way that Littlewood herself would have certainly approved of. It was now available for anyone to lead, so it didnt matter what your expertise were - you could still run your own Fun Palace somewhere in the community.

Duffy and the Fun Palaces team brought the idea to life in 2014, with Fun Palaces springing up across the country. Theyve grown and are now an annual event, with the third taking place this weekend (October 1-2).

Stella Duffy

Duffy, whose formidable list of occupations, as well as Fun Palace founder, include being a novelist, playwright, actress, improviser, and bearer of an OBE for services to the arts, says this means, that the whole point of the Fun Palace is about participation. Joan Littlewoods phrase was everyone an artist or a scientist. Ours is everyone an artist, everyone a scientist.

Anyone can sign up to be a Fun Palace maker via the website  the only ask is that its free, and makes a commitment to engage people locally. That means reaching out to the neighbours, or the shops over the road, or the people who do the cleaning in a big venue. So were trying to change the idea of who leads, so its not just the usual suspects. Its actually led by the people, for the people, Duffy says.

Some Fun Palaces will last for two hours, others will last for the full weekend. Some take place at big venues like the Brockwell Lido, others are much smaller, like Felthams Freddie Mercury-inspired Fun Palace. One will even let its visitors weigh a turkey  Duffy says, its fun and silly, but also its about the ecology of food, about growing and agriculture. So on every level were saying, find a thing that you do normally thats fun, but what else could you do with it?

Duffys background meant that she had no idea, as a young woman, that someone like her could have a career in the arts. She was born in Woolwich and lived on a council estate, the youngest of seven children, and it wasnt until a friends dad appeared in a Shakespeare play at her school that she started to think working class people could work in the arts.

That made all the difference, and Ive wanted that ever since I came into the arts. All Ive wanted is to make the arts more accessible for people like I was, to people who thought it wasnt for them, she tells me. Nothing has enabled that as much as Fun Palaces  nothing Ive ever done. I kept on, because in 2014 I had breast cancer for the second time and I had five surgeries that year and it was really bloody hard. But I kept on because I sort of feel like this is what I was meant to do. All of the joy Ive had from the great privilege of working in the arts and being an actor, a director, writing theatre and novels  I want everyone to be able to join in that.

Fun Palaces are now part of our cultural landscape, and will continue to become more and more important as the project grows in scale  at the time of writing, there were 283 Fun Palaces signed up to take place over the weekend  but when Joan Littlewood wanted to create it, the answer was always no.

Thats partly because it was too expensive. In 1965, it was going to cost 5 million; by 1975 it was going to cost 15 million. Cedric Prices design was just too avante-garde for them at the time, it really was groundbreaking. In fact, Richard Rogers has said that he went on to base the design for the Pompidou Centre on it, Duffy tells me. But also, I dont think Joan was the easiest of characters. Ive met a lot of people who worked with her  all of them loved her, theres not anyone that will tell you she was a terrible person, but they never say she was an easy person.

Not only did Joan p*ss people off  she didnt mind p*ssing people off. She genuinely thought that the way the arts was run in Britain was unfair and elitist, Duffy says.

Things may have changed since Littlewood was alive, but progress is slow, and Duffy laments that our current education system asks children to choose between arts and science as young as the age of 15 or 16. We should be saying these things are joined up, and wed be better artists if we understood science and vice versa, she says.

But Duffy says that in a time of austerity, it may not be possible to change the governments mind, but we can look at what do have. And theres no austerity of brilliant people. There are amazing people in every community.

Duffy agrees with Littlewood that all art and culture should be publicly funded, particularly something like Fun Palaces, because theyre better for the community than not. However, unlike Littlewood, Duffy is keen to work with policymakers.

Well keep talking to them because we know what the community wants, and all too often, policymakers are too far away from communities and they dont hear them. Whats lovely for us about Fun Palaces is we get a direct voice back from the people, she says.

Last years evaluation told them that 88% of people said they didnt just want Fun Palaces to be in their community, they wanted to make them in their community. They felt more creative and they wanted to carry on being creative. 64% of them said it showed them resources that they didnt know their community had  and thats from people who are already actively participating. The Fun Palaces team take these statistics to policymakers and us, what now?

There are countless brilliant stories that emerge from people who have made Fun Palaces. A neuroscientist, Lizzie Glennon, who runs a Fun Palace at Brockwell Lido, has written of how it has changed the way that she works, whilst a couple who are not British Nationals decided to create one because they didnt feel integrated and wanted to work proactively to change that. It shines a light on the optimistic side of human nature.

Arts picks of the week: 26th September-2nd October 1 /10 Arts picks of the week: 26th September-2nd October Turner Prize, Tate Britain The Turner Prize is the biggest award for contemporary artists in the UK, and always surrounded by lots of discussion, from furrowed brows wondering why a giant bum is in an art gallery, to excited art fiends lapping up the crop of British art talent. This year Michael Dean, Anthea Hamilton, Helen Marten and Josephine Pryde make the shortlist. The prize isnt announced until December 5th, but the work goes on display in Tate Britain from today until January, and for the first time, visitors can take photos and livestream from inside the exhibition.



September 27 - January 2; tate.org.uk

Kyle Knodell David Shrigley's Really Good is unveiled at the Fourth Plinth Goodbye skeletal horse, hello giant thumb. The rolling programme of public sculpture in Trafalgar Square has a new resident, with artist David Shrigleys Really Good, a giant thumbs up gesture, being unveiled at the Fourth Plinth on September 29. Lets hope it perks Londoners up this coming winter.



James O Jenkins No's Knife, Old Vic Theatre The work of Samuel Beckett can be a bit daunting, but when its performed by Lisa Dwan, everyone wants to see it. The extraordinary actress toured the country performing Not I, and now shes performing an unseen Beckett monologue at the Old Vic. It promises to make us question who we are - you might be doing that already, but if not, its a perfect plan for a night next week.



September 29 - October oldvictheatre.com Perry Ogden Fun Palaces Pioneering theatremaker Joan Littlewood had a vision to create a university of the streets, a laboratory of fun, providing arts and science for everyone, that everyone could take part in. It never happened, until fearless spirit Stella Duffy kickstarted a conversation for Littlewoods centenary. Now they are an annual event, and take place this weekend across the country.



October 1-2; funpalaces.co.uk

Virtual Orchestra, Southbank Centre Ever wanted to be a part of an orchestra but couldnt be bothered with all those years of violin practise? Great news - the Southbank Centre has found a way to help you out. This week they launch the virtual orchestra, which puts you at the heart of an orchestra without even having to pick up an instrument. Its all done through the magic of technology, so stick on a VR headset and let the symphonies sweep over you.



September 22 - October 2; southbankcentre.co.uk

British Council Bridget Christie, Leicester Square Theatre Bridget Christie wrote a comedy show for this years Edinburgh Fringe, but then Brexit happened, so she binned it and she wrote another one. Because You Demanded It received many a five star review at Edinburgh this year, as Christie tried her hardest not to talk about Brexit. But then did. And was really funny while doing it. Luckily for Londoners, you can now catch her at Leicester Square Theatre every month until February.



September 29 - Feburary 11; Leicester Square Theatre

The Moth, Islington Chapel The Moth comes from America, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to telling true stories in front of live audiences, and now its visiting the Union Chapel in Islington. Its really that simple - people stand up and tell stories. That also happens in the pub, of course, but The Moth has become something of a phenomenon, with a podcast to boot, as well as appearances from people like Ethan Hawke and Annie Proulx.



September 26; unionchapel.org.uk

This Place We Know, Bush Theatre As its home opposite Shepherds Bush Market station undergoes renovation, the Bush Theatre is taking over the Uxbridge Road, with a season of plays in different buildings along the street. Its a love letter to one of the longest roads in Europe and promises to tell stories of heartbreak, joy, loss and retribution. You can also catch a photography exhibition celebrating local residents.



26 September - 15 October; bushtheatre.co.uk Helen Murray The Image as Question, Michael Hoppen Gallery Photographs can be proof that something happened - theres no getting away from that haircut you had when you were in year 10, for example, because theres the snaps to prove it. The latest exhibition at the Michael Hopper Gallery takes photographs used for evidence, or as proof of something, and dislocates them from their context so as to turn the question back on the viewer.



September 28 - November 26; michaelhoppengallery.com

- One of a pair of American Police Identity line-up photographs, 1/5/1933 (with and without hats) Unknown Photographer Last chance to see: They Drink It in the Congo Adam Braces sprawling play about white people trying to do something helpful for the Democratic Republic of Congo promises a long hard hit of theatre, exploring ideas about globalisation and resources. The play ends on October 1, so catch it while you can.



Until October 1; almeida.co.uk Marc Brenner

Joan Littlewood had a phrase: I really do believe in the genius in every person. And thats what Fun Palaces really believes in. That we can help every person to share, to reach out, and to be as brilliant as they can be, Duffy tells me. The current culture says that only some people are brilliant or creative or can achieve. If we live in a world that believes that we will always have people stamped down, well never solve our big problems because were not believing in people enough. Because for all we know, the solution to austerity or cancer of HIV Aids is somebody that were not educating properly, or that were not engaging in science.

The issue is that our ideas of excellence are subjective, even if theyve stood for so long theyve ended up feeling default. The standards we judge by now were decided 100 years ago by white men, who were cis, all middle class, all posh. And that was fine for them to decide that for themselves at that time, but that is not the society we live in now, she says.

But when you talk about art and culture differently, telling people it can be whatever you want it to be, and it doesnt necessarily have to mean sitting in the dark in a theatre or standing still looking at a painting, people can get quite freaked out.

I had a woman say to me, I cant believe that youre saying to everyone an artist. I trained for years to be an artist, and I had to work so hard. You might as well say everyone a scientist. And I said, oh, we do! Duffy laughs.

The link between art and science is a big one. Theyre perfect for talking about humanity. Both of them question what it is to be human, to be alive, what were supposed to do with being alive. The big question of the arts has always been  Hamlet and the human condition  what am I meant to do with this? And its the same with science.

Putting these questions into a community, and engaging people to make and create is crucial, then. I genuinely believe that the more people we empower to step up and do things like this, the more likely we are to get the answers to some of the questions that have bugged humanity forever, Duffy suggests. Part of the problem is that we only ask about 5% of the population to come up with all the solutions, because theyre the ones who are in charge. In fact if we were asking everyone, Im sure wed come up with the solution faster.

The cultural landscape may have seemed set in stone by people hundreds of years ago, the thought of fighting to reset it too exhausting for some. But Fun Palaces have etched in their mark and proven things can be different. One story captures how they have carved out a space to create a culture anew.

Last week, the people who run the Brockwell Lido Fun Palace were putting up their banners, and this kid said to her mum, whats that? And her mother went, Oh, thats the Brockwell Fun Palace, it happens every year, Duffy says. This mother just tells her kid, oh its the thing that happens every year  like Halloween.

Fun Palaces take place October 1-2. To find out more, including where your nearest Fun Palace is visit funpalaces.co.uk

Follow Jessie Thompson on Twitter @jessiecath

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E arlier this summer London lost a gem when Maida Vale gastropub The Truscott Arms was forced to shut due a dramatic rent hike.

Overseen by head chef Aidan McGee, the pub had ranked in the list of the UKs top 50 gastropubs every year since its launch, and its Sunday Roast was named the best in the entire country at the Best British Roast Dinner Awards in 2014.

Sadly there is as yet no word on the pub returning  though owner Andrew Fishwick is determined that it will  but fans of its legendary Sunday lunch can celebrate the fact that McGee will once again be serving it up every Sunday as of November.

The chef will launch a weekly residency at The Wellington in Fulham as of November 13.

He will serve the same much-loved roast options that were available at the Truscott, along with a rotating selection of classic pub dishes.

The roasts will be similar to those at the pub, which ares erved family-style on a wooden board in the middle of the table for sharing. Given the pubs name, beef wellington will definitely be among the other dishes making an appearance.

Places will be bookable, but reservations are not yet being taken.

Follow Ben Norum on Twitter @BenNorum

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W e all know the gender pay gap isn't closing fast enough and new research has found that even when women do edge their way into the top 1 per cent of earners, they remain in the minority.

The gender pay gap widens among the UK's super rich, with women making up fewer than one in five of the highest earners, according to research published by the London School of Economics' (LSE) International Inequalities Institute.

The proportion of women among the wealthiest 10 per cent and 1 per cent of people has risen since the 1990s, but there is a glass ceiling holding them back from joining the top 0.1 per cent of earners, the research found.

Just 28 per cent of the top 10 per cent of earners in the UK (on 40,400 or more before tax) were women in 2013. Even fewer (18 per ce t) of the top 1 per cent of earners (on 119,000 or more) were women and fewer still were women (9 per cent) among the top 0.1 per cent of earners (those on 456,000 or more).

The number of women in the top 0.1 per cent  the wealthiest 53,000 people in the UK  has barely changed in the last two decades.

Researchers also found a similar scenario in the seven other countries they studied: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, New Zealand, Norway and Spain, where women made up less than a third of those in the top 10 per cent of earners.

Higher up the income ladder, there were even fewer women in these countries, too. They constituted between 14 per cent and 22 per cent of the of the top 1 per cent of earners.

The researchers analysed tax data and took into account income from work and other sources, such as investments. They said the results may even be skewed because husbands may have transferred some of their wealth to their wives to avoid tax.

There is also a chance that "positive assortative mating" is going on in the marriage market, the researchers said, meaning "women at the top marry men with similar characteristics and are in a position to share assets and their return".

Professor John Hills, co-director of the LSE's International Inequalities Institute, said "it is still a male world" right at the top, reported the BBC.

"Women have managed to increase their representation in the top 10 per cent because of their success in the professions and business, but few of them are among the very wealthiest."

One important factor is the way we earn our incomes these days. Alessandra Casarico, associate professor of Public Economics at Bocconi University in Italy, who co-authored the report, told the BBC: "In the old days, the rich were those with property; they have been replaced by CEOs and entrepreneurs, among whom women are not well represented."

Women are also prevented from joining the elite clique of top earners by "structural and cultural barriers", said Sam Smethers, chief executive of women's rights charity the Fawcett Society.

"Unconscious bias, with men recruiting in their own image from informal networks, a male-dominated, long-hours culture and the unequal impact of caring roles, all contribute to perpetuating a no-go area for women at the top. It has to change," she added.

Read more from Refinery29:

A Week's Spending On A Freelance Writer's Salary In Birmingham

Demand For Exorcists Rises

Why The Gender Pay Gap Might Not Close Before You Retire
B ritains most notorious hate preacher Anjem Choudary has applied to appeal his conviction for drumming up support for Islamic State, the Judicial Office said.

The 49-year-old was jailed for five-and-a-half-years earlier this month after encouraging backing for the terrorist group in a series of talks posted on YouTube and recognising a caliphate - a symbolic Islamic state - had been created under an IS leader in June 2014.

He finally fell foul of the law after spending two decades as a thorn in the side of UK authorities, with a string of former supporters going on to be convicted of terrorism.

On Wednesday, the Judicial Office confirmed Choudary had applied for permission to appeal his conviction.

The married father of five was convicted of the little-used offence of inviting support for a proscribed organisation after spending years with impunity as a leading figure in the banned terrorist group al-Muhajiroun.

Former supporters were involved in the most serious forms of terrorism, including the murderers of soldier Lee Rigby, Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, and suspected IS executioner Siddhartha Dhar.

But Choudary, who courted media attention, seemed untouchable, sparking rumours that he was being used as an MI5 honeypot - an idea swiftly dismissed by police.

Over 20 years he voiced controversial views on Sharia law, while building up a following of thousands through social media, demonstrations and lectures around the world.

Investigators were eventually able to pin him down when he pledged an oath of allegiance to IS that was posted online.

Choudary's application for permission to appeal was lodged in early September and is currently being processed before it will be heard by a single judge.

Additional reporting by Press Association
T wo directors of a British defence firm who paid a six-figure bribe to win a 3.7m contract for supplying bomb disposal equipment in Afghanistan have been jailed.

Robert Gillam, 66, and Simon Davies, 46, gave a 120,000 kickback to corrupt businessman Robert Gannon after he helped their firm, Mondial Defence Systems, undercut a rival in 2009.

Gillam, who had known Gannon since the 1980s, wined and dined the 54-year-old former director of US Department of Defense contractor RONCO at the Ritz before the corrupt deal was confirmed on a trip to Washington DC.

Davies, Mondials finance director, made the payments into Gannons Singapore-based bank account, and the US businessman confirmed receipt of the money in an email to Gillam saying: Santa left his parcel.

The Old Bailey heard Gillam hoped the bribe would help them land future ROMCO contracts  oiling the wheels for the future  and Mondial went on to receive almost $5m of deals between August 2009 and November 2010.

Judge Wendy Joseph QC today (weds) jailed Gillam for two years and Davies for 11 months, telling them: Corruption is the cancer in public and commercial life and those who indulge in it should expect a sentence of imprisonment despite previous good character.

Their earlier dishonesty certainly gave them the opportunity to earn the money they subsequently did.

The corrupt deal was struck in March 2009 when Gillam heard RONCO was unhappy with its supplier of landmine clearing and bomb disposal equipment to the Afghan National Army.

Secret emails between Gillam and Gannon, copied to Davies, reveal the plot to pay the US deal-maker three per cent of any contract they managed to strike with RONCO.

Gannon wielded considerable influence over the decision making process, the court heard, and was noted by colleagues to be heavily in favour of Mondial for the awarding of contracts.

In May 2009 Gillam sent an email to Gannon saying: The three per cent should be a doddle, and in return Gannon fed him inside information on rival bids so Mondial could undercut to win the 3.7m contract.

The first part of the bribe was paid in August 2009 and when the second half was transferred, on 15 December, Gillam told Gannon: Santa popped over early for a quick turn down.

When the payment was held up by queries from HSBC, Gannon said: Rudolph must have stopped to speak to the girls.

Gillam replied: Sorry about this, must have been an Xmas f*** up.

When the money was finally transferred on Christmas Eve, Gannon wrote: Great news, Santa left his parcel, much appreciated.

The full extent of the deal did not emerge until several years later, after Gannon had been convicted in the USA and jailed for 12 months, providing a statement to UK authorities.

Gillam, who set up Mondial in Poole, Dorset, in 1986, will serve half his two-year prison sentence and has been banned from acting as a company director for the next five years.

Davies, a qualified accountant, has been banned from worked as a company director for the next two years.

They were together ordered to pay 6,429.50 costs of the prosecution, and could be forced to pay back money they made from the corruption.

Davies, of Hightown Hill, in Ringwood, Hampshire, and Gillam, of Rempstone, Corfe Castle, in Wareham, Dorset, both admitted making corrupt payments.
A personal assistant at an international insurance brokerage who glassed a woman during Friday night drinks in the City has been warned by a judge that she could be jailed.

Lauren Gritz, 24, lashed out at victim Paige Wooding with a glass at Agenda Bar on the evening of May 6, Inner London crown court was told.

Ms Wooding, who did not know her assailant, collapsed three times after the attack and required medical treatment to a wound on her forehead.

Gritz, who works at City of London offices of insurance firm Jardine Lloyd Thompson, in St Boltolph Street, pleaded guilty yesterday to unlawful wounding.

Judge Nigel Seed QC adjourned sentencing until October 25 but warned Gritz that she could face a prison sentence at the next hearing.

Facing jail: Lauren Gritz

This is a serious matter and the courts have to consider all sentencing options, he said.

I am releasing you on bail but you must not read into that you will not receive a custodial sentence.

Gritz, who was educated at All Saints Catholic School in Dagenham, has been employed as a personal assistant to the senior moves manager at Jardine Lloyd Thompson since February 2013.

Prosecutor Peter Lancaster told the court: This is in relation to what happened in a bar where the defendant lashed out, wounding the forehead of the victim.

She caused a small cut to the forehead and the victim collapsed three times, so this is obviously a serious matter.

The defendant, dressed in a black trouser suit and white blouse, spoke only to confirm her name and enter the guilty plea during the brief hearing.

The court heard that the attack was captured by CCTV cameras inside Agenda bar and the judge will watch the footage before he passes sentence next month.

Gritz, of South Ockendon, Thurrock, pleaded guilty to one charge of unlawful wounding.
P olice are hunting a man who launched an unprovoked attack on a member of staff at a west London Tesco.

The alleged attacker entered a Tesco on North End Road, Kensington, and assaulted a man working in the store, police say.

He first shoulder barged the victim, then punched him several times in the face, before leaving the store.

The man is described as bald, black, in his 30s and around 6ft 1ins tall.

Police have now released a CCTV image of a man they want to trace over the attack.

Enquiries into the incident, which happened on May 12 at 2.35pm, continue and there have been no arrests.

Anyone with information should call Hammersmith and Fulham CID on 020 8246 2505 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
A barrister who was one of Britains most prolific rail-fare dodgers has been sacked from his profession.

Peter Barnett, an Oxford graduate, was convicted of six charges of fraud by false representation last year after making hundreds of journeys from his home in Thame, Oxfordshire to London's Marylebone station without buying tickets.

Instead he pretended to have only travelled from Wembley, north-west London, paying just for the short trips in the capital and dodging fares worth up to 19,000 over a two and a half year period.

The 45-year-old was caught when he was stopped by a ticket inspector at Marylebone, claiming to have travelled from Wembley instead of Haddenham & Thame Parkway in Oxfordshire.

The Bar Standards Board said that Barnett had been disbarred on Monday by an independent tribunal, the Times reported.

Barnett, who was called to the Bar at Lincolns Inn in London in 2007 and lives in a 600,000 house in Thame, was convicted of a sustained period of evading rail fares in between April 2012 and November 2014.

The Australian-born lawyer was spared jail at the time after a judge handed him a 16-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

A spokeswoman for the regulator told the newspaper: Dishonest conduct is incompatible with membership of the Bar. The tribunals decision to disbar Dr Barnett reflects this.

At Westminster magistrates court last year, Barnett claimed the sum lost by Chiltern Railways was 5,892.70, but the prosecution argued that penalty fare rules took the total to 19,689.

Sentencing him in October, Deputy District Judge Olalekan Omotosho told him his serial fare-skipping was a "serious offence", saying: "You had it all. It remains unclear why you acted so badly.

Barnett was a qualified solicitor in England and Wales and in New South Wales, Australia where the relevant regulators have been informed of the tribunals decision.

A spokesman for the Solicitors Regulation Authority for England and Wales told the Times that Barnett had removed himself from the roll seven years ago; therefore it had no regulatory authority over him.
A woman has been charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving after a cyclist was allegedly chased 200 yards down a road by a motorist.

Jusine Henshaw-Bryan, 24, is accused of knocking cyclist Damien Doughty off his bike in Stoke Newington on February 10, this year.

Mr Doughty, a 37-year-old musician from Hackney, was left critically injured in hospital after he was hit by a car in Victorian Grove, close to Stoke Newington police station at 9pm that evening.

He was taken to the Royal London Hospital suffering a laceration of the liver, a punctured lung and other injuries.

Henshaw-Bryan, of Yoakley Road, was charged on September 22, police said.

She has been bailed to appear at Thames Magistrates Court on October 19.
O n a leafy traffic island close to the Louvre, a contented-looking group of Paris diners enjoy hors doeuvres of vegetarian pate and fresh tomatoes. A main course of chicken with asparagus and mushrooms will follow, with creme caramel to finish.

Apart from the disposable containers and plastic cutlery, the meal looks exactly like those being served in the upmarket brasseries and bistros that fill this part of the capital.

Except that these diners eating on the street are all very poor, mainly homeless, and beneficiaries of a new law that forces large supermarkets to hand over unused stock to those in need. It came into force in February and sets an example that campaigners say other European countries, including Britain, should follow.

Its a fantastic initiative. It means people like me do not starve, said Jerome, 48, who has been sleeping rough for five years. We gather here at around 8pm every evening and a van turns up with hot food, most from nearby supermarkets. The main meal is heated, but there is also stuff like packets of biscuits which we take away.

Under the law, all supermarkets with a footprint of 400 square metres or more must sign donation contracts with charities. It means they have to open their doors at an arranged time and hand over all leftover food. If they fail to, they face a penalty equivalent to just under 3,000.

In Pariss 1st arrondissement a group called Banque Alimentaire  Food Bank  does most of the hard work. It is part of a network of 102 branches across France, distributing some 100,000 tonnes of food every year worth more than 280 million. About 1.85 million people benefit from the 200 million or so meals it produces annually  and the figures are going up.

The new law has been a huge boost, said volunteer Janine. Many shops were very good to us in the past but now all have to work with us. We can pull up outside a shop at pretty much any time towards the end of a working day and get resupplied. The bigger supermarkets are good to work with but weve found smaller ones are joining in too. Everybody realises how important all this is. Nobody should be going hungry in a city like Paris.

The Banque Alimentaire network concentrates on products classed no longer marketable in some 2,000 stores nationwide. It has 6,000 volunteers and a pretty much round-the-clock service in big cities. Products are collected, sorted, stored, and delivered to 5,500 partner associations.

A cross-party consensus has developed on the issue. Yves Jego, of the Union of Democrats and Independents party, said: There is an absolute urgency  charities are desperate for food. The most moving part of this law is that it opens us up to others who are suffering.

For a society built on liberty, equality and fraternity, the law spreads a sense of community. Shops did donate in the past but the system was patchy and one of extremes: at one end, hungry people foraged in bins near supermarkets for leftover food. At the other, stores would pour bleach on surplus produce to stop people stealing it, arguing that items past their sell-by date could cause food poisoning. It is estimated that seven million tonnes of food are thrown away in France each year. However, only 11 per cent is from shops. Consumers waste 67 per cent, while 15 per cent is dumped by the kind of restaurants that dot the 1st arrondissement.

Frances Federation of Commerce and Distribution argues supermarkets have been doing their best to give away leftover food for years. Jacques Creyssel, from the federation, said: The law is wrong in both target and intent, given the big stores represent only five per cent of food waste.

However, Jacques Bailet, of Banques Alimentaires, said the law was practical and highly symbolic and improved the quality and diversity  and therefore the nutritional value  of the food. Rather than just rice and beans, high-quality meat, delicatessen products, fruit and vegetables are now being made available. The law also makes it easier for shops to donate products straight from factories, cutting the bureaucracy needed to release it.

The original figurehead of the free food campaign is Arash Derambarsh, a councillor from Courbevoie, a north-western Paris suburb twinned with Enfield. He said the colossal waste of produce had been scandalous and absurd, adding: The next step is to extend this law to the whole EU. This battle is only just beginning.
H ealth Secretary Jeremy Hunt has won a High Court battle with junior doctors over the imposition of a controversial new contract.

Junior doctors had complained that Mr Hunt wrongly imposed the contract on NHS employers but Mr Hunt said their complaint was without substance.

High Court judge Mr Justice Green today ruled in favour of Mr Hunt after analysing evidence in a hearing last week.

Justice for Health, a group founded by five doctors, said Mr Hunt acted beyond the scope of his powers by compelling NHS employers to adopt the new deal.

High court: Mr Hunt said the legal challenge was 'without substance' / Neil Hall/PA

Dr Nadia Masood, Dr Ben White, Dr Fran Silman, Dr Amar Mashru and Dr Marie-Estella McVeigh said Mr Hunt's decision to impose the contract lacked a sound or rational foundation and should be quashed.

But Mr Hunt argued he had approved a new contract but has not imposed it on employers or compelled them to adopt it.

The litigation follows nationwide opposition to Mr Hunt's plans for seven-day NHS services in England.

All out: striking junior doctors on the picket line outside St Thomas Hospital / Lucy Young

Junior doctors began a series of strikes, the longest of which lasted two days, in January.

Doctors' union the British Medical Association has suspended industrial action by junior doctors planned for October, November and December.
A n investigation has been launched after four mothers died at one of Londons biggest hospitals during or soon after childbirth.

Kings College hospital, in Denmark Hill, believes there are no common themes between the deaths but it has asked experts from St Georges hospital, Tooting, to check. A coroner found that neglect had played a part in the death of Abimbola Babatola, 39, at Kings on July 31 last year after she was not given a blood transfusion, and an intravenous tube giving her fluids after a Caesarean section was not working.

The three other women died between July and December last year. Two women were transferred to Kings after giving birth elsewhere when their condition deteriorated. One woman died two months after giving birth.Inquests into the deaths of two of the other women are due to be held shortly. It is believed that all of the babies, including Mrs Babatolas daughter Vivienne, who was born at King's, survived.

Failures: Abimbola Babatola, 39

The spate of deaths came after a fifth woman, 34-year-old Gillian Nelson from Sydenham, died at Kings in February 2014 after giving birth to her son Wesley at its sister hospital, the Princess Royal, in Farnborough. Last September the Care Quality Commission, the NHS watchdog, raised concerns about the safety of maternity services at Kings, which is a specialist referral centre for high-risk mothers.

It said there had been a long-standing issue about it being unable to cope at times of peak demand, with rising sickness levels among midwives and no replacement doctors for consultants who were on holiday.

Front-line staff told inspectors that midwives and support staff were under stress, consultants failed to carry out checks on patients on time, and planned Caesareans were sometimes delayed. The hospital handles about 5,500 births a year.

Earlier this month Southwark coroner Dr Andrew Harris said Mrs Babatola, from Maidstone, died from a brain injury caused by a lack of oxygen, collapse after her Caesarean section, haemorrhage and sickle cell disease. He ruled her death was from natural causes, but was contributed to by failures in treatment as she deteriorated.

She had reportedly become unconscious on July 13 last year and was then transferred to Kings from Tunbridge Wells hospital.

Ms Nelson suffered complications after birth and required an emergency hysterectomy. Dr Harris, at an inquest on her in April 2015, said she died from multiple cardiac arrests and shock, and her familys lawyer said there had been a failure to follow procedures for major bleeding post-delivery. Kings said in a statement: Sadly, four women died at our Denmark Hill site within 42 days of childbirth in 2015/16.

Patient safety is our top priority and we immediately conducted internal reviews into each case. The review panels, which had external representation, did not establish a link between the cases.

For added assurance, we called for each case to be independently reviewed by external clinicians. We fully complied with the external reviews and currently await their outcomes. We continue to support the patients families at this difficult time, and keep them fully informed of the reviews findings.
B aker Street station was evacuated and put on lockdown this evening after a customer threatened a member of staff.

Police officers rushed to the busy central London station along with the London Fire Brigade just after 8pm.

The station was closed for about fifteen minutes, with confused would-be passengers posting photos of the barred entrance on social media.

A Transport for London spokesman told the Standard: "A member of staff was threatened by a member of the public.

"The station was closed at 8.09 and opened again at 8.25."

The Metroplitian, Hammersmith and City and Circle and District Lines did not stop at the station during the incident.

A normal service is said to be resuming soon.

The Standard has approached British Transport Police but no details were immediately available.
A cyclist has been rushed to hospital after a collision with a car in south London.

Emergency services arrived at 3.40pm to reports of an injured man on Streatham High Road.

The driver stayed at the scene and no arrests have beeen made, according to a Met police spokesperson.

The cyclist's injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, while another person was also treated at the scene and taken to hospital.

The air ambulance was also called to the incident in Streatham / Clifford Flemming

Streatham High Road has been cordoned off from Pinfold Road while the incident is being dealt with, with severe delays expected.

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: We were called at 15:38pm, 28 September to reports of a road traffic collision at Streatham High Road.

"We sent two ambulance crews, a single responder in car, an incident response officer and London Airs Ambulance to the scene.

"We treated two patients at the scene and took them both as a priority to a hospital in south London.

A Met Police spokesperosn said: "Officers in Lambeth came across the cyclist at 3.40. There had been a collision between a cyclist and a car. The cyclist has gone to hospital but his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening."

"The driver stayed at the scene and there have been no arrests."
A decision to host gigs at a north London church has been delayed after police claimed revellers could attack each other with ornaments and hide behind pillars.

The vicar of St Michaels Church in Camden - who said he believes Jesus turned water into wine for a reason - wants his church to become a live music venue selling alcohol.

But Father Tom Plants plans have been jeopardised after police objected to the plan.

The Met Police, which has a dedicated night police patrol in Camden Town, said the surrounding area is a hotspot of violence, most of which is alcohol-fuelled.

Officers outlined concerns including a lack of CCTV at the church plus its numerous pillars that would cause numerous hidden areas.

In a representation made to the council, the Met said: Looking around the venue there are a few ornaments that could cause serious harm to patrons if a fight was to break out.

Officers also said they were concerned about the risk of increasing street drinking as gig-goers preload before the churchs music event.

The reverend, 37-year-old Father Plant, told the Standard earlier this month the plans for the 270-capacity gigs were a bid to put the church on the cultural map.

His application is seeking a licence for alcohol, live music and recorded music to be played over the church sound system between 7pm and 11pm from Monday to Friday.

It would not necessarily be all year round but during the Christmas period, Holy Week and Easter.

Its not a place to come and get drunk, but were not a church that shies away from alcohol, he said.

We believe Jesus turned water into wine for a reason."

Camden council was due to decide on the licensing application on Tuesday night but the decision was deferred after the proposals were amended.

A spokesman for the council said: The applicant had updated the proposed premises operating manual, draft procedures and proposed licence conditions but interested parties did not have sufficient time to consider them before the hearing.

The date of the next hearing is yet to be confirmed.
T he architect behind Londons tallest skyscraper has called for the capitals future landmarks to be built in its unfashionable suburbs.

Renzo Piano, who designed The Shard and is working on a new development at Paddington station, demanded a fundamental rethink of the leafy areas John Betjeman called Metroland.

He said Londons future success depended on fertilising areas outside zone two with great public architecture and building denser housing, echoing similar sentiments from Prince Charles.

In a rare interview, the Italian said the capital could not build into the green belt and conceded that high rise was not always the answer, despite his 72-storey contribution to the skyline at London Bridge.

Piano, 79, told the Standard: It is no longer sustainable to make new suburbs, the only way we can make a city like London grow is to intensify it from the inside. I call it implosion, not explosion.

We need to transform the peripheries and fertilise them with great public buildings such as universities, concert halls and libraries. I dont like to use the word suburb  it sounds boring  I prefer to use periphery.

"We need a mix of functions in the peripheries. We live 24 hours a day but in the suburbs that is not possible. The edge of the city is actually where most people live but if you dont do anything then the centre of cities get squeezed.

Piano, who worked in London in the Sixties and Seventies, when he formed a partnership with British architect Lord Rogers, said: This will be the big challenge for the next 50 years in the same way that 50 or 60 years ago the challenge was to save the historic centres of cities.

"Cities are only great when they are intense, without that they lose strength and energy, but we dont necessarily need towers to create intensification.

How Paddington's Cube building could look

London is not that dense, there are lots of railway areas, old industrial sites, all sorts of black holes that are not being used properly, they are functionally dead.

He pointed to the Manhattanville campus being built by Columbia University in West Harlem, New York, and the new Palais de Justice in Clichy-Batignolles, Paris, as examples London planners should follow.

On his original plans for Paddington, which were scrapped following a public outcry over a 72-storey residential tower dubbed the Paddington Pole, he said: At my age I am not surprised.

View from above: How the Paddington Cube could look

"In my profession we have to accept that our art is a social art, its about the common interest so Im not surprised if people react.

He said the revised Paddington plans were a good example of how intensification can work without killing the street life below major new buildings.

He added: Originally the idea was that it would be residential first functionally speaking but with a smaller floor plate and we were asked to save as much on public space as possible on the ground. Many people liked it but in reality it became clear that the residential function was not the best case in this position and that we could go in another direction with a much bigger but lower building but still with the public realm.

My feeling was that it would not be a compromise, it would be something better than the Pole.
J eremy Corbyn today vowed to let Londons 32 boroughs borrow billions of pounds to fund tens of thousands of new council homes.

In his flagship conference speech, Labours leader promised new powers for council leaders to borrow in the City against the value of their housing stock to bankroll a massive splurge on construction.

The measure  hailed by him as municipal socialism for the 21st century  was a hit back against doubters in his own party who say Labour is not ready to take power.

Mr Corbyn was expected to tell the Liverpool conference that Labour was already running councils such as Croydon, which set up a company to build 1,000 homes.

But I want to go further, he was expected to say. Because we want local government to go further and put public enterprise back into the heart of our economy and service, to meet the needs of local communities. Im announcing that Labour will remove the artificial local borrowing cap and allow councils to borrow against their housing stock.

That single measure alone would allow them to build an extra 60,000 council homes a year.

Party sources were unable to say how much councils might borrow or exactly how many homes might be built in London, saying it would be up to local leaders to assess their requirements.

Mr Corbyn was expected to list councils that were bringing in exciting and innovative policies, from free wifi to cheaper energy. A draft speech seen by the Standard made no mention of Londons City Hall, however. Mayor Sadiq Khan yesterday infuriated Corbyn loyalists by making a speech on the need for Labour to be electable, using the phrase in power more than 30 times but mentioning Mr Corbyns name just once.

Mr Corbyn was expected to call on his party to unite in readiness for a possible early election next year  but he plunged into war with sections of Labour over the critical issue of immigration today.

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said the current immigration system was in chaos and insisted there must be controls. We have to have controls on immigration, thats quite clear, she told BBC News. You have to know who is coming in to your country and who is leaving your country.

In a BBC radio interview, broadcast this morning, Mr Corbyn confirmed that he has no plans to limit the number of migrants coming to the UK.

Asked if he was comfortable with current levels of immigration, at more than 300,000 a year, he said: I understand the problems that can come in some areas... But I also understand that there are many industries and jobs that have done well from migrant labour.

A series of party heavyweights went public with their concern that he could be throwing away the next election on a single issue. Labour MP Stephen Kinnock, son of the former party leader, said the public voted for a sense of control over migration in the EU referendum.

He added that voters were blaming immigration for problems like over-full class sizes or issues around getting appointments with GPs and a Labour government had to show them: Weve got a handle on this, weve got this under control.

In a flat contradiction of Mr Corbyn, he called for a points-based system to enforce a national target based on what industry said it needed.

Outgoing shadow home secretary Andy Burnham warned the party must face up fully to the fact that millions of its supporters voted for change on immigration in the EU referendum.

Former shadow cabinet member Rachel Reeves spoke of bubbling tensions in British society that could explode into riots.

Ex-Home Office minister Caroline Flint told a fringe meeting that Labour was too timid about immigration and had to assure the public it would keep numbers under control.

We have to address immigration, she said. Weve been too timid and weve avoided it for too long.

She also argued Labour should reclaim the flag of St George and a sense of English identity from Ukip. Labour in England has to be a proud English party, she said. English identity is a factor in our society more now since the Scottish referendum and its not going away. Its an emotional issue. We should not hand the St George flag to any of these far-Right parties.

In a speech to conference party-goers in the early hours, Mr Corbyn declared that he wanted the election to come soon. We dont know when the election will be but it could be pretty soon, he said. Weve got to get together, get together to take on the Tories, get together to fight austerity, get together to develop a real genuine economy that works for all.

He told the cheering crowd: We want decent houses, decent jobs, decent schools and we do not want our education system changed into deciding that children are a success or a failure at the age of 10. Every child is a success, fund them properly, treat them properly.

In this afternoons speech he is set to call on rebel MPs to end the trench warfare and accept the decision of members and supporters who backed him over challenger Owen Smith by a landslide 62-38 per cent.
F ormer Tory leader Lord Howard today insisted Britain would quit the EU despite French presidential hopeful Nicolas Sarkozy vowing to offer Britain a chance to reverse the Brexit vote.

The Conservative grandee argued that there was a new dynamic in the UK which meant the people would not want to go back on the June 23 decision.

But Mr Sarkozy said that if he is again elected president of France, he would propose a new treaty for a new Europe in a bid to keep Britain in the EU.

The centre-Right French politician said that if he got back into the Elysee Palace, he would fly on day one to Berlin to get agreement for a draft of a new EU treaty, and then the next day head to London.

I would tell the British, youve gone out, but we have a new treaty on the table so you have an opportunity to vote again, he said, adding: But this time not on the old Europe, on the new Europe.

Do you want to stay? If yes, so much the better. Because I cant accept to lose Europes second-largest economy while we are negotiating with Turkey over its EU membership. And if its no, then its a real no.

However, Lord Howard said there was no question now of any deal.

He told BBC radio: The Brexit vote has created a new dynamic. We are going to leave the European Union. He believes Brexit negotiations should be concluded as soon as we can, saying: The uncertainty is something we dont want to prolong.

Lord Howard described the terms hard and soft Brexit as unnecessary and unhelpful.

What we want is fair Brexit. Fair to the United Kingdom and fair to the European Union, he said.

He believes Britain should quit the single market to gain control over its law-making, judicial rulings and borders, and be able to negotiate trade deals around the world, but that the EU would agree to a free-trade pact on goods.

After Brexit, the City would maintain the same access to the single market, he argued, provided it had the same regulations as the EU which it would have, certainly to start with, although these could be changed.

Meanwhile, David Cameron was accused by Germanys European commissioner Gunther Oettinger of running a s**t referendum campaign.
F ive hundred migrant children at the Jungle in Calais who face being stranded when the camp is ripped down should be brought to Britain, Yvette Cooper said today.

At the Labour conference, the former Cabinet minister issued a fresh plea to the Government to intervene in the migrant crisis.

French authorities are expected to dismantle the Jungle before Christmas and it is expected that up to 1,000 children who arrived in Calais without friends or family will be made homeless. Ms Cooper said Britain and France should each take 500 of them.

She added: Last time they cleared the camp, many of the children just disappeared. This stand-off between France and Britain over who will help the children has to end.

Childrens lives and childrens safety are being put at risk because politicians and bureaucrats cant agree.

France has pledged to bulldoze the camp by the end of the year and people living there will be moved to asylum assessment centres until their claims are processed. However, Ms Cooper told conference that the process should be fast-tracked for lone children to avoid them facing further stress or danger.

Any of the 500 children who may have family living in Britain should be immediately reunited, she said.

This week Unicef warned that without being given urgent help the children could fall prey to exploitation, slavery and trafficking.

Ms Cooper, who is running to replace Keith Vaz MP as chair of the home affairs committee, said: Let each country now take half the children and get them into safety fast while their assessments are done.

And for Britain that must include all the children whose family are here and who can care for them.

She urged the Government to back the new Dubs amendment to the Children and Social Work Bill, drafted by Lord Dubs and Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy, which calls for action to safeguard these children currently at risk.
A passenger jet was forced to divert to Manchester after a Samsung tablet reportedly overheated and began emitting smoke.

The Delta Air Lines flight was heading to Amsterdam from Detroit on Sunday when the device caused alarm.

According to The Aviation Herald, maintenance crews discovered an overheated Samsung tablet wedged within a premium class seat.

The aircraft landed safely at Manchester Airport and was able to continue its journey to the Dutch capital after safety checks.

A Delta Air Lines spokeswoman said: "Delta flight DL138 on 25 September en route from Detroit to Amsterdam diverted to Manchester due to smoke in the cabin.

"The aircraft landed safely and Delta's maintenance team quickly found the source and the aircraft was cleared to continue its journey.

"The safety of passengers and crew is Delta's number one priority."

Samsung issued a statement to say the device was not a Note 7, which has been subject to a major recall due to the risk of bursting into flames.

It added: "It appears that external factors contributed to this incident.

"We have reached out to Delta to investigate as the cause is yet to be determined."
P ippa Middleton has been granted a High Court injunction to stop hacked photos from her iCloud account being published.

Around 3,000 private pictures belonging to the sister of the Duchess of Cambridge were offered for sale to The Sun on Friday last week.

The newspaper alerted Miss Middleton, who was granted an emergency injunction early on Saturday morning to stop the hacked photos from being published.

Mrs Justice Whipple today extended the ban indefinitely and said it should include information that also may have been stolen from the iCloud account.

The photos are said to include naked images of her fiance and private photos of her sister, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte.

The court heard she is not worried about national media breaking the ban, but is concerned about rogue elements online.

Adam Wolanski, representing Miss Middleton, told the High Court this morning: This is a clear case for an injunction restraining any further publication of the photos or any other information that may have been derived from the iCloud account.

There is no suggestion this information is in the public domain - the evidence points towards this having been a flagrant and dishonest act which has caused the claimant substantial distress and is indeed a criminal act.

He said Miss Middleton believes it is a genuine hack having seen a sample of photos sent to The Sun when they were offered for sale.

The injunction is made against persons unknown as the source of the hack has not yet been traced, the court heard.

However Nathan Wyatt, 35, who has been arrested over the hack was represented in court this morning.

He is currently on bail as the police investigation continues.

Mr Wolanski said breaches of the order would be in contempt of court, and the injunction also stopped anyone trying to sell the photos to foreign publications.

These photos have not been published and indeed this matter was brought to my clients attention by Fleet Street, he added.

We are not concerned about them being published by a national newspaper, the problem is rogue elements on the internet.

The judge said she would grant the injunction, to last until trial or further order, and will publish a written ruling later today.

Miss Middleton was not in court for todays hearing.
P rince William and Kate were today captivated by tiny Tagish dancers as they visited Carcross Commons on their Canadian tour.

The royal couple enjoyed a 'raven' and 'wolf' dance from a troupe of four to seven-year-olds dressed in traditional Tagish First Nation cloaks and headdresses.

The Duke and Duchess clapped and cheered as they experienced the ceremonial welcome beneath an elaborately carved totem pole.

They were welcomed to the town by Carcross Tagish nation chief Andy Carvill and wife Corrine who led them to a seating area in the Main Street for an arranged ceremony.

Royal visit: The couple visited as part of their eight-day Canadian tour / PA

Earlier, the couple were mobbed when they were given a rock star welcome as thousands lined the streets of remote Whitehorse, also in the Yukon.

Mr Carvill said: "We are honoured to have you here as our honoured guests.

"We'd like to open with our Dakhka Khwaan dance group who are world renowned."

Spellbound: A troupe of children performed a welcome dance for the couple / PA

The troupe danced down the street, banging drums on their elaborate button cloaks, masks and moccasins.

At one point the lead dancer, his face elaborately painted, apologised to VIPS at the front as they got so close.

"Sorry guys, didn't know you were going to be there," he laughed.

Kate and William laughed and smiled as a male dancer with a crow's head and another with a wolf's head had a pretend fight as feathers flew out of the 'crow's' mouth

Honoured: Officials said they were honoured by the royal couple's visit / PA

Then it was the turn of the children.

Ten "pre-schoolers" held crow and Raven wings as they performed a "Raven dance".

At one point William pointed out a little boy at the back who was 'crowing' at his friend and Kate giggled.

They sung in their Tlingit First Nation language before starting a "wolf" song where they all roared, much to the royal couple's delight.

Chief Carvill then appealed for the couple to help getting First Nation governments recognised.

He said: "I know you're going to love the view on Montana mountain and meet the youth.

Meet and greet: The couple earlier received a rapturous applause in Whitehorse, also in the Yukon / PA

"We're honoured you're here to meet the elders. We have struggled as a nation but we're coming out the other side, with our culture, songs and dances.

"We ask that you assist us and help us to build that relationship with the crown.

We're still looking for recognition, protection of our land and our peoples. We need to protect this land and this beauty.

"We're optimistic that we can do that for the children who were dancing and singing here. We want the recognition as a government."

Greetings: William and Kate meet residents in Carcrass Commons / PA

Then he presented the couple with a 22 inch killer whale totem pole, created by master craftsman Keith Wolfe-Smarch, whom the couple met later.

One fan was granted a dream wish when she was hugged by the couple.

Gwen Wally, 48, from the Carcross Tagish First Nation shouted out to Prince William, interrupting as he and Kate were chatting to her son, Shane Wally.

"I love you. I loved your mum. I've been watching you since you were little," she shouted.

"Is that your mother?" William asked, laughing.

William and Kate walked across to a group of parents and grandparents involved in the project, including Mrs Wally.

They hugged her and another member of the Carcross First Nation band, Susan James.

Mrs Wally told the royal couple: "You just made the top of my bucket list. I've been following you since the days of Diana."
T he Duke and Duchess of Cambridge dined on a rare delicacy of wild clam in Canada - and said it was delicious.

At a food and wine festival in British Columbia, they tucked into geoduck, a giant clam with a long neck which the uninitiated often find off-putting.

As the couple toured a food and wine festival in the idyllic setting of a hilltop winery in the Okanagan valley, they initially appeared as if there was no chance of any geoduck passing their lips.

Presentationally they are quite challenging, said William.

But chef Ned Bell told them: They are getting more popular all the time.

A few stands later at the Taste of BC festival at the Mission Hill winery, they came across some geoduck prepared by Japanese chef Hidekazu Tojo - and could not resist it.

It was, however, unrecognisable from the raw version on Mr Bells stand, having been transformed into thinly sliced BC wild geoduck sashimi, garnished with miso mustard sauce.

William and Kate visit Kelowna in Canada 1 /10 William and Kate visit Kelowna in Canada Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA Wire REUTERS/Chris Wattie REUTERS/Chris Wattie Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

There is a slightly firmer texture to this, said the duchess. Its really unusual. I've never seen it before. It's so fresh from the sea.

Mr Bell said: It is an extraordinary species. You can eat the body, but you can also eat the neck raw, which is what they ate.

It is absolutely phallic, but at end of the day it is a clam. Here on the west coast we have some of the best wild, well-managed shellfish in the world.

Their tour saw them taste an array dishes from some of Canadas most celebrated chefs.

They included Mr Bells cured north noast BC wild sockeye salmon tataki with miso, maple and BC grown radishes, and chef Rob Feenies braised cache creek oxtail and caramelised onion ravioli with Hazelmere farms celeriac puree, port wine jus, shaved parmesan and extra virgin olive oil.

From Chef Vikram Vij they ate Maharaja style coconut curried BC vegetable curry with basmati rice and wine marinated BC lamb popsicle. Asked if she liked cooking, Kate replied Yes, especially curries.

William said: This is amazing. It's the right level of spice for me. I'm very glad you did not surprise us with a vindaloo. I can't manage that - it's too much for me.

William also tried a laird of Fintry single malt whisky, which William pronounced delicious. He said: You can tell the Scottish element - there's a peatiness to it.

Kate turned down the whisky, but tried their cassis - a blackcurrant liqueur - instead, which she said was like sloe gin.

Royal tour to Canada: Day four

Earlier the couple, wearing almost identical Raybans, tried their hand cutting pinot noir grapes from the vines.

Okanagan Valley is Canadas second largest wine region, and accounts for 90% of all wine produced in British Columbia.
T he Duke and Duchess received a rapturous welcome in Kelowna  but were snubbed for a second time in two days by a prominent First Nations leader.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, Okanagan Nation Alliance Chairman and Spokesperson, had been due to join the royal couple on stage at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Okanagans 10th anniversary celebrations, but pulled out this morning.

A day after he refused to attend an historic reconciliation ceremony with William and Kate at Government House in Victoria, he was replaced in the welcome line up by Chief Jonathan Kruger from the local Penticton Indian Band.

The Duke and Duchess, in a racing green Dolce & Gabbana dress and nude heels, were nevertheless greeted by more than 1,000 cheering students and members of the public as they arrived to meet BC premier Christy Clark and UBC Chancellor Mr Lindsay Gordon.

Mr Gordon welcomed the couple to the campus and to the country, adding: A particularly warm welcome to Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who we hope are enjoying their first visit to Canada. We also hope this is the first of many more family visits.

Mr Gordon told the royal visitors that the Queen had visited UBC four times over the years and on her most recent visit to mark her Golden Jubilee in 2002, she was told all about a new library offering state-of-the-art technology for students to research and communicate digitally.

He said: Despite a lifetime of daily formalities, retains a tremendous sense of humour. Her Majesty leant over to the then President Dr Martha Piper and asked: Will there be any books in this new library?

Kate and William received a warm welcome / Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA Wire

William and Kate were then treated to the Song of Okanagan, performed by former UBC student Amber Cardenas, before Chief Jonathan Kruger, addressed them in both his native language and English.

He told them: I am very happy right now. This is our beautiful land and Im so happy that you are all here for a beautiful event.

Welcome to your Highnesses, please enjoy this beautiful land with your beautiful family and create beautiful memories on our lands here in BC.

Referring to the delicate issue of reconciliation between First Nations groups and the Crown, he added: True power is human spirit. Please use that power to allocate for true reconciliation and advocate for the indigenous people in this country so they can be all great and good.

Enjoy your stay and enjoy the gifts we are giving you, Prince, Princess and your beautiful family.

William and Kate were then presented with a gift bag of traditional foods from the region by children from the First Nations community.

They were then tasked with unveiling a plaque to mark the end of the 10 year anniversary celebrations at UBC Okanagan, before being shown a new artwork installed on the campus and meeting its creator Les Louis.

Kate met some of the local children during the Taste of British Columbia event at Mission Hill winery / REUTERS/Chris Wattie

Mr Louis, from Keremeos in the Okanagan, said: It was overwhelming and wonderful, they asked me to walk them through it and describe it to them.

The wooden structure, called snilitn, is based on the frame of an Okanagan summer lodge and carved with pictographs or ancestral markings.

From there, the royal visitors were greeted by cheers and screams as they entered the universitys gymnasium to watch an exhibition match between members of the nationally-ranked womens volleyball team.

As they walked in, the announcer said: Please welcome, all the way from the UK, standing at 6ft 3in and 5ft 9in  or 5ft 11in including high heels, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge!

After watching some of the action, the couple met players, including Paralympic sitting volleyball player Jennifer Oakes, 18, who lost a leg in a boating accident in Alberta last year and took part in the Rio 2016 Games.

They were also introduced to the teams mascot Scorch, who would not reveal his true identity, but said of the couple: I didnt expect them to talk to me, they were very nice. They said Prince George would love to meet me.

Royal tour to Canada: Day four

Before leaving, William and Kate were handed matching volleyball jerseys marked Cambridge and a pair of UBC teddy bears for George and Charlotte.

From there they flew to the stunning Yukon - a former Gold Rush town Whitehorse.
P rince William and the Duchess of Cambridge were mobbed today when practically an entire Canadian town turned out to cheer them.

The royal couple were given a rock star welcome as thousands lined the streets of remote Whitehorse in the Yukon.

Kate, 34, wearing a red Caroline Herrera coat to keep warm from the freezing temperatures, went on a 25-minute walkabout through the town that grew during 19th century Gold Rush.

They had stayed in the stunning Yukon Territory overnight - leaving their two children - George and Charlotte - in the care of their nanny back in Victoria.

Before their walkabout, the royals joined a group of local children at a storytelling session at the MacBride Museum this morning.

Rock star welcome: The entire town of Whitehorse mobbed the royal couple as they visited / PA

At the museum, Prince William and Kate signed the virtual guest book via morse code which was transmitted into a digital message and transmitted onto Twitter.

Ah, theres a spelling mistake, joked William as Doug Bell, a 90 year old former radio operator with the Department of Transport, typed out the message in morse code having last sent a telegram in 1947.

The message read: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Whitehorse, Yukon, September 2016 and William and Kate simultaneously hit the send button.

Making friends: The couple visited the MacBride Museum for a storytelling session with young children / PA

Wow thats amazing, said Kate marvelling at the Telegraph Office which Her Majesty the Queen visited 1959.

Mr Bell, a former Commissioner of Yukon went on to tell the couple about the time he met Charles and Diana in the early 80s when the Prince and Princess of Wales were in Ottawa.

Mr Bell told the Duke I met your parents to which the Duke replied: It seems pretty much everyone has met my family here!

Mr Bell told William how he had met Charles and Diana in 1981 during a line up at a dinner in Ottawa.

Laughing and joking: The couple were in good spirits as they addressed local children / PA

I asked your father if hed been to Yukon and he said no, and I said we ought to do something about that so I called the Governor General and we made arrangements (for them to visit). Then I got a call saying They cant go, the Princess is pregnant.

Wow, that must have been me, or Harry, said William.

After a brief tour of the museum, where they learned about the history of the Yukon region - visited by both Prince Charles and the Queen - and its people, the Duke and Duchess walked through an exhibit of stuffed animals.

It included a bear and caribou before they met with representatives from a cultural language programme which is taking place in schools across the area.

Royal welcome: The couple later visited Montana Mountain where they will see one of the world's most picturesque destinations for mountain biking / PA

Here they met with Mike Parkhill author of the childrens book Hide and Peek which is used in schools to teach children the native language Southern Tutchone.

The programme is supported by the Prince of Wales charity Princes Charities Canada.

William was keen to learn more about the native language and asked Mr Parkhill Is it difficult to study?

How do you pronounce that word? He said pointing to phonics on large boards.

Kate added: Its great to share other languages. She speaks French which she studied at school, but not as well as William.

William and Kate, then sat down on a log to join the schoolchildren for a storytelling session with Grandma Lorraine Allen who translated the book.

Canadian tour: The couple flew to Canada for a eight-day visit / PA

The book opens with a character called William the Moose which prompted William and Kate to burst out laughing. Another character was a sleepy bear.

Theres a few sleepy bears here, William joked as he pointed to some of the children, aged between three and five.

Afterwards the couple visited the newly renovated Telegraph Office.

Duchess of Cambridge's travel wardrobe in Canada 1 /12 Duchess of Cambridge's travel wardrobe in Canada September 24, 2016 Wearing Jenny Packham September 25, 2016 Wearing Alexander McQueen September 26, 2016 Wearing a cream belted Holland and Holland Jacket with Zara jeans tucked into Penelope Chilvers boots September 26, 2016 Wearing Preen September 27, 2016 Wearing Dolce & Gabbana September 27, 2016 Wearing Hobbs Mark Large/Pool/Getty Images September 28, 2016 Wearing Carolina Herrera Dominic Lipinski/PA September 28, 2016 Wearing Canadian brand Sentaler Dominic Lipinski/PA September 29, 2016 Wearing See By Chloe

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh visited the telegraph office, now part of the museum, in 1959.

Later they headed way to Carcross, a small town of less than 300 people 70 kilometres from Whitehorse on the Klondike Highway.

The scenery along this drive is spectacular. At the Carcross Commons they will have a traditional welcome from the Carcross/Tagish First Nation and will be given a tour of the recently completed buildings and public spaces there, and will have a chance to meet the local community.

The Duke and Duchess then travelled short distance to the beautiful Montana Mountain where they will visit what must be one of the world's most picturesque destinations for mountain biking.

The Single Track to Success (S2S) project on Montana Mountain not only builds world class trails, it provides life changing experiences to local youth and contributes to tourism in the area.

They will then travel down to the bottom of the track and bid farewell to the young people and the community before heading back to Whitehorse Airport and on to Victoria.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte were reportedly taken on a secret visit to a petting zoo while their parents were away but a tweet which revealed the visit to Beacon Hill children's farm was deleted less than an hour after it was posted.
B ritains most important double agent of the Second World War almost had his cover blown by his homesick wife after a row.

Agent Garbo, real name Juan Pujol, was a spy who fed incorrect information about the D-Day landings to the Nazis.

But after an explosive argument his wife, who was sick of being confined to their London home, threatened to out him to the Spanish embassy unless she was allowed to see her mother.

Agent Garbo was a Spanish national living in Harrow from where he sent a steady stream of false intelligence reports to his German spymasters.

Homesick wife: Araceli Pujol threatened to out her husband to the Spanish Embassy / The National Archives/PA Wire

His elaborate deceptions helped to convince the Nazis the D-Day landings would take place at Pas de Calais - diverting German forces away from Normandy, the scene of the actual invasion.

However MI5 files released to the National Archives show how his scheming was nearly wrecked because his wife, Araceli, struggled to cope with the pressures of his double life.

In June 1943 - a year before D-Day - after quarrelling violently with her husband, Mrs Pujol threatened tell all unless she was allowed to travel home to Spain see her mother.

She screamed at Agent Garbo's case officer: "I don't want to live five minutes longer with my husband. Even if they kill me I am going to the Spanish embassy."

As fears grew that Mrs Pujol would blow her husband's cover, a plan was hatched by the spy to ensure his wife kept quiet.

Mrs Pujol was informed her husband had been detained following her outburst and was taken blindfolded to an interrogation centre to meet him where, after an emotional reunion, she vowed she had never intended to carry out her threat and agreed to take his work seriously.
P rotesters have taken to the streets after a black man was shot dead by police officers in California.

The man, aged in his 30s, was gunned down by police in El Cajon, a suburb northeast of San Diego, after officers received an emergency call saying he was not acting like himself and had been walking in and out of traffic.

He allegedly pulled an object from his pockets and held it out in a shooting stance, police chief Jeff Davis said during a press conference on Tuesday night.

In response, one officer fired his gun at the men, while a second officer discharged a taser.

It is not clear if the man was armed but investigators did not find a firearm at the scene of the shooting, which was close to a local restaurant, police said.

Protest: A man shouts at police at the scene of the shooting in El Cajon / AP

Outraged residents took to the streets of El Cajon to vent their anger at police after the killing.

A statement from El Cajon police department said: Today, the El Cajon Police Department received calls of a man who was not acting like himself. He was walking in traffic, not only endangering himself, but motorists.

Describing the shooting, it continued: The subject paced back and forth while officers tried to talk to him.

Locals comfort each other at the scene of the shooting / AP

At one point, the subject rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together and extended them rapidly toward the officer taking up what appeared to be a shooting stance.

At this time, the officer with the electronic control device discharged his weapon. Simultaneously, the officer with the firearm discharged his weapon several times, striking the subject.

The killing comes as tensions between parts of the black community in the US and law enforcement reach boiling point.

The recent shooting of 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott sparked riots in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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Black Lives Matter monitoring group Mapping Police Violence said some 214 black people have been killed by US police this year out of a total of 821.
A man has been bitten on the penis by a spider for a second time.

The 21-year-old Australian was using a portable toilet on a building site on Tuesday, when he suffered a repeat of the incident five months ago.

The tradesman, known only as Jordan, said he was bitten on "pretty much the same spot" by the spider inside the toilet in Sydney.

"I'm the most unlucky guy in the country at the moment. I was sitting on the toilet doing my business and just felt the sting that I felt the first time, he told the BBC.

"I was like 'I can't believe it's happened again.' I looked down and I've seen a few little legs come from around the rim."

In April, he was left traumatised after a venomous redback spider bit his genitals inside another porta-a-loo and he was taken to hospital.

Jordan said he was unsure what type of spider bit him this time.

A colleague took him from the worksite in north-west Sydney to Blacktown hospital where he said doctors remembered him from the previous bite in April.

Jordan was later released from hospital and is expected to return to work soon.

He said he would be holding on for dear life rather than use the on-site toilet.
T he missile that brought down Malaysian Airline flight MH17 was transported into East Ukraine from Russia, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors said they were not accusing Russia of involvement and there were 100 people "linked to the crash or the transport of the Buk" missile, but they are yet to determine who could be held criminally responsible.

Families of the 298 passengers and crew killed on the Boeing 777-300 flight have been told that the Buk missile used to shoot down the plane came into East Ukraine from Russia.

Hans de Borst, whose 17-year-old daughter perished, said he and other family members were briefed privately before the news conference to announce the preliminary results of the investigation today.

From Russia: Investigators revealed their findings on the missile's Russian origins / EPA/JERRY LAMPEN

According to Mr de Borst, Dutch investigators said they had proof that a mobile Buk missile launcher had been moved into eastern Ukraine from Russia and was later returned.

Chief Dutch police investigator Wilbert Paulissen said:"Based on the criminal investigation, we have concluded that flight MH17 was downed by a Buk missile of the series 9M83 that came from the territory of the Russian Federation."

The conclusions came after a two-year Dutch-led criminal probe of the disaster.

A separate investigation by Dutch safety officials last year concluded that the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur flight was downed by a Buk missile fired from territory held by pro-Russian rebels.

Russia has consistently denied allegations that pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine were responsible for the disaster in July 2014.

The search for Malaysia Airlines MH370 1 /65 The search for Malaysia Airlines MH370 Malaysia Airlines MH370 Crew members of Chinese icebreaker Xuelong scan the sea to search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in the area where Chinese aircraft spotted some suspicious objects in the southern Indian Ocean Rex Features Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 College students light up candles as they pray for passengers of the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 plane in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province on 13 March 2014 Reuters Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 This screengrab from flightradar24.com shows the last reported position of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 AP A Royal New Zealand Air Force P3 Orion is seen on low level cloud while the aircraft searches for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean AP Malaysia Airlines MH370 Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott talks to the media during a press conference at RAAF base Pearce on 31 March 2014 in Perth, Australia Getty Images Malaysians look at the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 mural painting at Shah Alam, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia EPA Malaysia Airlines MH370 Commanding Officer of the Royal Australian Navy ship HMAS Success, Captain Allison Norris, on the bridge during the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 EPA Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 A Chinese family member breaks down as she speaks to the media at Kuala Lumpur International Airport EPA Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 Artwork conveying well-wishes for passengers and crew at a viewing gallery in Kuala Lumper Reuters Malaysia Airlines MH370 More debris: Satellite images show objects floating in the Indian Ocean AFP/Getty Images Malaysia Airlines MH370 Search operation: a 'credible new lead' was discovered in the hunt for missing flight MH370 Malaysia Airlines MH370 New lead: an RAAF Orion aircraft takes off from Pearce Airbase in Bullsbrook as investigators race to a fresh search zone AFP/Getty Images Malaysia Airlines MH370 Australian Defence Minister David Johnston speaks to the press at RAAF base Pearce near Perth Reuters Malaysia Airlines MH370 Protest: Chinese relatives of passengers onboard the missing flight march towards the Malaysia embassy in Beijing AP Malaysia Airlines MH370 Distraught: a protester holds a placard which reads "MH370, Don't let us wait too long" AP Malaysia Airlines MH370 Upset: a relative walks past Malaysian embassy security officers EPA Malaysia Airlines MH370 Hunt: members of Japan's disaster relief team wave off an aircraft as it prepares to take off at an air base near Perth to search for the missing plane EPA Malaysia Airlines MH370 Investigation: Australian Navy ship HMAS Success takes part in the search in the southern Indian Ocean Reuters Malaysia Airlines MH370 Search: seaman Kurt Jackson keeps watch on the forecastle of the Australian Navy ship Reuters Malaysia Airlines MH370 Ground crew members wave to a Japanese Maritime Defence Force P3C patrol plane as it heads for Australia to join a search-and-rescue operation for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 AP Malaysia Airlines MH370 Discovery: Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein shows a note from the Chinese ambassador stating that they have received new satellite images of potential debris AFP/Getty Images Malaysia Airlines MH370 Investigation: the object spotted in the southern Indian Ocean by Chinese satellites shown on Chinese television Reuters Malaysia Airlines MH370 Graphic showing an area in the southern Indian Ocean where the Australian Maritime Safety Authority is concentrating its search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 AP Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 A Royal Australian Air Force P-3 Orion aircraft takes off from RAAF Base Pearce, north of Perth. Australia rushed four international aircraft to an area 1,500 miles southwest of Perth when analysis of satellite images identified two large objects that may have come from the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 Reuters Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 Royal Australian Air Force personnel launch a Self Locating Data Marker Buoy from a C-130J Hercules aircraft in the southern Indian Ocean EPA Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 Royal Australian Air Force pilot Flying Officer Sam Dudman monitors the systems of a RAAF C-130J Hercules aircraft AFP/Getty Images Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 Members of Akhil Bharatiya Human Rights Organisation hold candles and placards as they take part in a candle light vigil for the passengers onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, in the northern Indian city of Amritsar Reuters Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 Royal Australian Air Force pilot Captain Russell Adams speaks to the media Getty Images Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 A map of the planned search area for missing Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 Getty Images Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 An Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokesman speaks about the discovery of objects possibly related to the missing Malaysia Airlines flight AFP/Getty Images Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 Boeing 777 Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 with the registration number 9M-MRO flies over Poland Reuters Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 A satellite image of the debris in the Indian Ocean ( Reuters Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 Chinese family members of missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 passengers are escorted away from a media conference in Kuala Lumper Reuters Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 Selemat Omar shows a picture of his son, flight engineer Mohd Khairul Amri Selamat who was onboard the missing plane Reuters Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 An image in support of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 is seen on the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) building in Kuala Lumpur Reuters Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 Students gather around artwork based on the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 painted on a school ground in Makati Reuters Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 Malaysia Airlines spokesmen answer questions at a meeting with relatives of passengers in Lido Hotel, Beijing Reuters Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 Crew members from the Royal Malaysian Air Force prepare for a Search and Rescue operation Reuters Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 A pilot studies the map customised for search and rescue operations while hunting for MH370 over the waters of South China Reuters Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 A customer writes a well wishers note for the passengers of the missing Malaysian Airline flight MH370, at a shopping mall in Malaysia Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 Security checks: Mr Hamid is searched before boarding the plane (YouTube) Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 Leaked footage: CCTV shows the pilots calmly being searched before boarding (YouTube) Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 AP Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 Searching: Philippine navy personnel scour the South China Sea for flight MH370 AFP/Getty Images Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 A man watches a large screen showing different flights at the departure hall of Kuala Lumpur International Airport March Reuters Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 A Malaysian police official displays photographs of the two men who boarded the Malaysia Airlines MH370 flight using stolen European passports to the media at a hotel near Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang AFP/Getty Images Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 Grief: a man whose son was on the missing plane while on his honeymoon with his wife AP Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 Mission: MV Swift Rescue is prepared before it departs to assist in the search for the missing plane Reuters Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 Search: a Malaysian patrol vessel hunts for signs of the airliner Getty Images

On Monday, the Russian military said it has new radio-location data that show the missile that downed the aircraft did not originate from rebel-controlled territory, and said it would turn the data over to investigators.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that assertion today ahead of the Dutch report.

Malaysia Airline MH17 crash

Referring to Russian radar data, he said: "If there was a rocket it could only have been launched from a different area.

You can't argue with it, it can't be discussed."

As part of a joint investigation, Dutch police and judicial officials have been working with counterparts from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine, seeking to gather the best possible evidence for use in prosecution of the perpetrators.

Forensic samples were taken from passengers' and crew members' bodies and luggage, and satellite data and communications intercepts were scrutinised. The team also appealed for information from witnesses who may have seen the missile launch.

About two-thirds of the passengers aboard MH17 were Dutch nationals and the crew members were Malaysians.

Malaysia proposed setting up an international tribunal to try those responsible for the plane's destruction, but Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution in favour of a tribunal.
A satanic temple has been given permission to start an after-school club at a primary in the United States.

Local media reported the After School Satan (ASS) club is allowed to hold monthly meetings at the school at Sacramento Elementary in Portland.

Satanic Temple spokesman for the Portland chapter Finn Rezz told Oregon Live the club would focus on "on science and rational thinking" and "benevolence and empathy for everybody".

It also aims to provide an alternative to the Bible-centred Good News Club.

The Satantic Temple organisation is a political activist group that promotes egalitarianism and separation of church and state.

On the ASS website, it argues that: The twisted Evangelical teachings of The Good News Clubs robs children of the innocence and enjoyment of childhood, replacing them with a negative self image, preoccupation with sin, fear of Hell, and aversion to critical thinking.

Instead the clubs promise to "incorporate games, projects, and thinking exercises that help children understand how we know what we know about our world and our universe.

Sacramento Elementary is the second school in Oregon to get an After School Satan Club.

According to The Telegraph, the first, Nehalem Elementary School, was set up earlier this year.

Paul Erlebach, Superintendent of the Neah-Kah-Nie School District, issued a statement at the time saying: The NKN School District recognizes that questions of religious belief and discussion of religious organizations can create strong feelings, and it is important to note that our district does not promote any particular religion.

In fact, our district policies explicitly state that the Board recognizes that the public schools, as agents of government, must remain neutral toward religion and must be careful not to prefer one religion above another.'"
T wo children and a teacher have been injured after a gunman opened fire inside a primary school in South Carolina.

The shooting happened in the early afternoon at Townville Elementary School in Anderson County, located near the Georgia state line about 100 miles (160 km) northeast of Atlanta.

A teenage suspect has been taken into custody.

A dead body was found on a dirt road near the school which appeared to be related to the shooting, Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore told the Anderson Independent Mail.

Mr Shore said the two students do not appear to have life-threatening injuries. Both children are six years old, according to the Independent Mail.

Juana Slade, spokeswoman for AnMed Health Medical Center, said they are treating one adult woman and a boy. Both are in good condition, she said

Armed officers guarded students as they were evacuated from the school and taken by bus to a nearby church, local media said.

Television images showed police swarming the school, with some officers on the roof while others moved around the building.

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A mother whose daughter is in kindergarten at Townville Elementary told WYFF news that she panicked after getting word of the shooting.

She said: "I'm just scared. "I don't even want her to go to school now."

The two injured students were airlifted to the hospital and the teacher was driven by ambulance, said Taylor Jones, deputy chief of the Anderson County Sheriff's Office.

One child was flown to Greenville Memorial Hospital's emergency trauma centre, health system spokeswoman Sandy Dees said.

The other child and one adult were taken to AnMed Health Medical Center, said spokeswoman Juana Slade.
DES MOINES  Iowa College Aid recently released Your Course to College, a free publication for high school students and their families. The comprehensive 70-page guide covers topics such as:

choosing a major and a college,

types of colleges, degrees and certifications available,

applying for college admission and financial aid,

grants, scholarships and loans available to Iowa students and

making the transition from high school to college.

Your Course to College also provides capsule summaries of all Iowa postsecondary institutions offering for-credit courses, including tuition; room and board costs; and ACT, SAT and FAFSA codes.

The guide is available in English and Spanish, as a print publication or a digital download. To order or download, visit IowaCollegeAid.gov/YourCourse.
DES MOINES | Democratic challenger Patty Judge tried to sweeten the deal Wednesday for U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley to meet her in four face-to-face debates by playing on his fondness for ice cream and offering to hold the events in parking lots of Dairy Queens in Iowas largest media markets.

Judges camp said they issued the Dairy Queen debate series challenge after months of stonewalling and radio silence by the incumbent Republicans 2016 re-election campaign.

Chuck Grassley has been ducking debates and debate negotiations for months, so we decided to sweeten the deal and offer debates on his home turf at Dairy Queen, said Judge campaign spokesman Sam Roecker in a news release.

Hes at DQ all the time anyway, so he might as well use the opportunity to talk to Iowans while enjoying 'you know what, Roecker said. Well provide the Blizzards and sundaes if he shows up to explain to Iowans why his commitment to representing Iowa has melted in recent years.

In a video released Wednesday, Garrison Keillor -- creator and former host of A Prairie Home Companion who campaigned with Judge in Iowa last week -- offered to moderate a Dairy Queen debate between Judge and Grassley.

Officials with the Grassley campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Judge has called for four debates offered by media sponsors in Des Moines, Davenport, Sioux City and Cedar Rapids, while the six-term GOP senator has accepted invitations for face-to-face debates from WHO Radio and Iowa Public Television -- a lone televised debate that she noted wouldnt take place until the end of October after many Iowans have already cast their ballots with early voting commencing Thursday.
DES MOINES -- Iowa shelled out almost $310 million to nearly 1,000 economic development projects from 2003 to 2014, and among completed projects companies met 64 percent of job-creation goals, according to a state audit published Wednesday.

Final numbers are not yet available for hundreds more projects, according to the report.

The report, published Wednesday by Iowa Auditor Mary Mosiman, found 987 projects received $310 million in state financial assistance from 2003 to 2014, plus another $1.4 billion in tax relief.

Among the projects, 325 -- roughly one third -- are completed as reported by the state economic development board. Of the 18,503 projected new jobs at those projects, 11,840 -- or 64 percent -- have been realized, according to the report.

Another 396 projects, with 24,757 projected jobs, are considered in progress and do not have an accounting of jobs created.

Another 266 projects had their contract declined, rescinded or terminated, or are in default. Those projects included projections of 14,324 jobs. Most of those companies would not have received their financial assistance and any that did would have been required to refund it, state economic board spokeswoman Tina Hoffmann said.

All told, projections suggested the projects would create and retain 57,584 jobs. But as of 2014, only 11,840 --- or 21 percent --- had been created.

In the report, Iowa auditor Mary Mosiman recommends the states economic development board work with state lawmakers to revise the boards annual report to improve transparency and accountability and to provide a better analysis of the success of state funds awarded to businesses for the purpose of creating and retaining jobs in Iowa.

We want to always do better, and of course any feedback that we have in (the audit) we obviously are going to take seriously, Hoffmann said.

Hoffmann said during the audits timeframe the state went through three governors and six economic development directors, plus an economic recession. She said under current Gov. Terry Branstad and economic development director Debi Durham, the state has attempted to streamline financial assistance programs.

Branstad said he had not yet viewed the audit; he spent Wednesday touring flood damage in eastern Iowa. Branstad said he would look at the report and entertain suggested improvements in the states economic development program.

We used to have a whole alphabet soup type of programs and they were very restrictive. Now we have a much more streamlined and nimble program, Branstad said, adding, Im always interested in looking at what works and what doesnt and how it can be made better.

Sen. Rita Hart, who chairs the Senate Economic Growth Committee, said legislators will need to study the audit and take its recommendations seriously.

We need to look at the audit, and we also need to look at what the auditor is recommending so that we definitely get some accountability here, some transparency, Hart said. We need to make sure the taxpayers are getting their moneys worth out of these projects.
DES MOINES  Roll call is being taken in Iowas U.S. Senate election race.

The campaigns for Democratic challenger Patty Judge and Republican incumbent Chuck Grassley are trading accusations of chronic absenteeism in their roles as elected and appointed representatives.

Judges campaign researched federal records and found Grassley during his current six-year term has attended only roughly a quarter of hearings held by the U.S. Senate budget committee on which he sits.

Grassleys campaign this past weekend debuted a television ad that alleges Judge missed hundreds of votes during her time in the Iowa Senate and a majority of meetings while she served on the Iowa State Fair Board and Iowa Economic Development Commission.

Grassley is running for a seventh term in the U.S. Senate. Judge is a former state legislator, agriculture secretary and lieutenant governor.

Committee attendance became an issue during Iowas 2014 U.S. Senate campaign when Republicans criticized Democratic candidate Bruce Braley, a congressman from eastern Iowa, for his low attendance on a pair of U.S. House committees on which he sat. Braley lost that election to Joni Ernst, a former state legislator who is serving her first term in the U.S. Senate.

Republicans criticized Braley for attending 24 percent of veterans affairs committee meetings and 32 percent of oversight committee hearings in the U.S. House, and a campaign ad produced by the national Republican committee for Senate candidates claimed Braley was not showing up for Iowa.

The Judge campaign now has turned that same criticism on Grassley, who has attended just 27.4 percent of budget committee meetings in his current term, which started in 2011, according to research of federal records conducted by the Judge campaign and confirmed by the Des Moines Bureau.

Since Sen. Grassley has an even worse record of attendance at budget committee hearings, we look forward to them issuing a statement that Chuck Grassley isnt showing up for Iowa,  the Judge campaign wrote in a memo.

Grassley sits on four committees and is chairman of the judiciary committee. His attendance record for those other committees ranges between 68 percent and 85 percent, according to the Judge campaign. It is only the budget committee for which Grassley has a low attendance rate.

Attendance is important to Grassley; he often touts the fact he has not missed a Senate vote in more than 23 years, casting more than 7,600 consecutive votes. The last time he missed a vote was July 1993 when he was touring flood damage in Iowa with then-President Bill Clinton.

Grassleys Senate office provided information on 47 budget committee meetings Grassley has missed during this term. The provided reason for Grassleys absence for 38 of those meetings was another committee meeting or Senate floor activity.

The remainder of his absences for budget committee meetings included meeting with constituents and conducting interviews with Iowa journalists.

Before she attacks the hardest-working senator in America, Patty Judge should do her research, Grassley campaign manager Robert Haus wrote in an email to the Des Moines Bureau. She hasnt disputed a single word in our ad, nor has she offered up a single excuse for her own habitual absences. Rather, she attacks Chuck Grassley for not being able to be in two place at once. She cant even be in one place at once.

That Grassley campaign ad says Judge missed 182 votes during her six years in the Iowa Senate, three-fourths of meetings as a member of the Iowa State Fair Board and 69 out of 72 meetings of the Iowa Economic Development Commission while she was a member.

Sam Roecker, who worked on the Braley campaign in 2014 and now works on the Judge campaign, accused Grassley and his campaign of attempting to deflect from Grassleys Washington absenteeism and obstruction.

Chuck Grassley is running an extremely negative campaign  for the first time in his career  because he knows his actions in Washington are indefensible, Roecker wrote in an email to the Des Moines Bureau. If he wants to look at state legislative votes, he should mention that in 1974 alone he missed well over 100 floor votes as a member of the Iowa House.

Some political experts doubt whether voters are moved by allegations of chronic committee absenteeism.

In a story published online Wednesday by Roll Call, strategists from both political parties said attendance attacks rarely land fatal blows.
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CHARLES CITY  Crews began assessing flood damage in Charles City neighborhoods Wednesday.

The damage survey was done by members of local Community Emergency Reponse Teams, or CERT.

Outfitted in yellow shirts with ID badges, volunteers will collect information that will help emergency officials know the full extent of the impact from flooding of the Cedar River, sewage backups and non-river flash flooding.

Charles City Administrator Steve Diers said Wednesday that officials do not know how many houses were damaged.

In addition to providing community leaders with information about the extent of the damage, data from the survey also will be used to apply for a presidential disaster declaration.

Floyd County has already been declared a disaster at the county and state levels.

On Monday, City crews will pick up items damaged by flood water or sewer backups.

Property owners are asked to have the items pushed to the street curb by 6 a.m. Monday.

They should be sorted into three piles: appliances, metals and other debris.

Crews will remove the property throughout the week.
A local farmer said he doesnt know how he will feed his cows through the winter after a barn fire late Tuesday night destroyed all of the farms hay bales.
Editor's note: Jim Lauderdale will be inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame on Oct. 19. The story below originally appeared in the Record & Landmark in September 2016.
A woman was sent to Iredell Memorial Hospital following a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of East Sharpe and South Tradd streets Wednesday afternoon.

A champagne Dodge four-door vehicle was traveling North on Tradd Street when a red Chevrolet, traveling west, ran a stop sign, according to Statesville Police Officer David Lowery. Their speeds were unknown, but the Chevrolet, driven by Ashley Keiger, 19, T-boned the Dodge driven by Bryant Mumpower, 32.

Both drivers were checked by EMS, Lowery said. A pregnant woman riding in the Dodge, Samantha Blackwell, was taken to the hospital as a precaution, according to Mumpower.

Lowery said no tickets were issued, but the investigation will continue.
Yokefellow Ministry, a nonprofit charity that provides assistance to citizens and families throughout Iredell Country, will host its 41st annual Hunger Walk on Saturday at Mitchell Community College, 500 W. Broad St., Statesville.

This event is free and open to the public. Monetary and food donations are welcome to help Yokefellow Ministry keep its shelves stocked in an attempt to maintain its mission of providing food, clothes and household items for those in need.

The charity will be adding a new element this year with the addition of a 5K. Pre-registration fee is $25; registration fee on the day of the race is $30. Proceeds will benefit the organization. Registration starts at 7:30 a.m. and the walk begins at 9. To participate in the 5K, register online at www.racingtoes.com or call 704-872-1459.
By MARK EVANS mevans@stegenherald.com Bloomsdale will probably host a major fireworks display. The pyrotechnics will not take place until 2024, however. During the Oct. 12 board of aldermen meeting, Kevin Wehner and city officials again discussed the possibility of a July 4 fireworks display at the youth soccer fields on land leased by the city
CLEAR LAKE | A Clear Lake man who police say was dragged more than 150 feet after being hit by a car remained hospitalized Wednesday.

Gary Beach, 47, was hit Tuesday afternoon while riding a bicycle along Main Avenue near 22nd Street South in Clear Lake. Police described his injuries as "significant" and "substantial."

Police say Beach was dragged by the westbound vehicle and that one of his legs, along with his bike, became stuck under the front of the car. They say Beach freed himself.

Update: Cyclist has 'substantial injuries' in Clear Lake crash CLEAR LAKE  A bicyclist hit by a car in Clear Lake on Tuesday was hospitalized with what po

He was taken to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa.

A hospital spokeswoman said Beach was listed in fair condition Wednesday.

The case remains under investigation.

The Iowa State Patrol assisted Clear Lake police with the investigation.

-- Molly Montag
Romania and China have a special relationship that contributes to the development of the partnership between the two countries, on Tuesday said the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Florin Iordache.

"Between our nations there is a special traditional relationship, built on the solid foundation of respect, mutual understanding and appreciation, as of a steadfast friendship. The Romanian-Chinese partnership has very promising and diversified perspectives both on at institutional level and at the inter-human strong bonds' level and despite the geographic distance between us, we have obvious common affinities," Iordache stated in a speech he delivered at the reception celebrating the National Day of the People's Republic of China, organized at the China Embassy in Bucharest.China Ambassador to Romania, Xu Feihong underlined that Romania and China are both in a period of rapid development.He also appreciated that the project regarding the construction of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant's reactors 3 and 4, which a Chinese company participates in, was declared a priority at the Romania's Supreme Council for National Defence.

Agerpres
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates  A Dougherty native credits a flyer with launching her international teaching career.

After what she described as a horrible day of student teaching, Emilie OBrien spotted the sheet in her college building seeking teachers in Taiwan.

I saw it and thought, I should do that; that sounds amazing, OBrien recently said via email.

Two months later, she was on a plane to East Asia.

OBrien, who attended SCMT High School, NIACC and the University of Northern Iowa, said shes wanted to be a teacher since her early years in elementary school.

I had amazing teachers through all my school years, and I really liked working with younger kids through volunteering and through 4-H projects, OBrien said.

She said choosing to teach overseas was an easy decision, since she feels teachers in the U.S. work hard and are burdened with paperwork and expectations, but do not receive enough support.

OBrien has since taught in three countries  Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates and Romania.

She instructed ages 4 to 17 in English as a foreign language in Taiwan for four years.

OBrien was amazed by her students work ethic  memorizing 50 Chinese characters a month as they learned to read, write and speak in English and speak Taiwanese. They would often go to after-school programs after a full day of learning to practice more, she said.

She found her Taiwanese neighbors to be welcoming and friendly, regularly inviting her to dinners and weddings. While there, she enjoyed shopping at morning and evening markets selling everything from fresh produce and meat to shoes and clothes.

OBrien then taught in a private school in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where she instructed students from all over the world. Her 5- to 6-year-old pupils, who had varying level of English knowledge, were doing curriculum American students would complete at age 6 or 7, she said.

They were achieving many goals and outcomes, but it really made me realize how much background knowledge is needed to understand and learn in a language that is not your mother tongue, she said.

Parents, she found, can be as demanding as Americans. Since OBrien taught in a private school, she was required to enforce uniform code  which she found difficult, telling a 5-year-old she cannot have pink nail polish or white shoes.

She later taught in public Abu Dhabi schools, where the government is changing its educational model to allow foreign teachers to work with Emirati Arabic counterparts. There OBrien taught 3- and 4-year olds math, English and Arabic alphabets and pre-writing skills.

We used the play-based model where students learn through exploring and working in small groups with teachers, OBrien said. I learned a lot about the culture and country as all my students were Emirati.

She then worked a year in an alternative school in Romania, a place where she learned a number of teaching skills.

It was great to work in a school where we could do yoga daily and practice meditations to help our students self-assess what they were feeling and what they need to help their learning, OBrien said.

She is currently at a private school in Abu Dhabi which is primarily Emirati students. OBrien works with 4- and 5-year-olds, following a play-based learning method while respecting and valuing Arabic culture, where pigs and dogs are considered unclean, for example.

My students are possibly the best class I have ever taught, she said.

Large class sizes, often 25 kids, can present challenges, as does teaching privileged Emirati children, who have nannies and drivers and may not know how to open a lunch box or clean up toys.

OBrien considers her job highly rewarding, as she sees students advance and self-confidence grow.

She doesnt find it difficult living in the United Arab Emirates, where she does not wear a head covering or a flowing black gown like some Emirati or Muslim women do.

As a woman, the main thing is to cover your shoulders and knees in public, OBrien said. It is a sign of respect for the religion of the country, especially when going to school, the malls or parks.

Heels and shorter dresses are acceptable during ladies nights at clubs or bars, she said.

During Ramadan, the holy Muslim month of fasting, OBrien is more thoughtful in her clothing choices and must eat and drink in private, as Muslims fast during the day.

OBrien says she feels safe in Abu Dhabi, where security guards and surveillance cameras are plentiful. People often leave their cars unlocked and running when running into a shop or cafe.

Bad things happen in the world no matter where you are, but it is best (to) remember one person or group does not define a country or culture, she said.

She plans to stay in the United Arab Emirates for at least two more years, maybe longer, but would like to work in Spain and Australia in the future.

I have a goal to visit all seven continents, she said.

South America, Australia and Antarctica are next on her list.
The first group of companies chosen for SixThirty Cyber, a new accelerator program for cybersecurity startups, is a multinational one.

The fund announced its first four investments Tuesday, including two Israeli companies and one from Norway. SixThirty Cyber plans to invest between $100,000 and $200,000 in each company and put them through a 14-week mentoring and business development program.

The four companies are:

AppsCo, based in Oslo, developer of an identity access management solution that enhances security for web-based applications.

based in Oslo, developer of an identity access management solution that enhances security for web-based applications. CyberObserver, of Haifa, Israel, a management solution that continuously monitors a company's critical security controls.

of Haifa, Israel, a management solution that continuously monitors a company's critical security controls. SecBI, of Beersheva, Israel, which has a tool for finding the most important information in security logs.

of Beersheva, Israel, which has a tool for finding the most important information in security logs. Trust Stamp, of Atlanta, which scours public records and social media to verify a person's identity and generate a trustworthiness score.

SixThirty Cyber is a second fund organized by SixThirty, which was founded in 2013 as an accelerator for financial-technology firms. The original fund, which was named for the 630-foot height of the Gateway Arch, also revealed its fall accelerator class on Tuesday.

The five firms joining the SixThirty portfolio are:

Bitspark, based in Hong Kong, which uses blockchain technology for money transfers.

based in Hong Kong, which uses blockchain technology for money transfers. Bloq, of Chicago, which is developing blockchain technology for global companies.

of Chicago, which is developing blockchain technology for global companies. ClearServe, of New York, a data aggregator that helps private investors manage risk.

of New York, a data aggregator that helps private investors manage risk. Hexanika, also of New York, a developer of regulatory reporting software.

also of New York, a developer of regulatory reporting software. VidVerify, the only St. Louis company in this fall's class. It has developed a video communication platform for the mortgage, banking and real estate industries.

Both SixThirty programs are based in the T-Rex incubator downtown.
Anheuser-Busch InBev has agreed to pay $6 million to settle charges that it violated U.S. anti-bribery laws and also "chilled a whistleblower," the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said on Wednesday.

An SEC investigation found that A-B InBev S.A. used third-party sales promoters to make improper payments to officials in India to boost sales and production, the SEC said.

The company also entered into an agreement with a departing employee prohibiting the person from continuing to communicate with the SEC about potential anti-bribery law violations, the agency said.

A-B InBev had inadequate internal accounting controls to detect and prevent the improper payments, despite repeated complaints from employees, the SEC said. The company also failed to ensure that transactions involving the promoters were recorded properly in its books and records.

A-B InBev, which neither admitted nor denied the SEC's findings, said the settlement concerns events that took place four to seven years ago at a former minority-owned joint venture.

We are pleased to have resolved the SECs investigation and that the U.S. Department of Justice closed its parallel investigation without taking enforcement action," a spokeswoman said in an email.

After A-B InBev began independent operations in India last year, the company said it adopted improved compliance procedures and policies.

"As stated in the A-B InBev Code of Business Conduct, our employees are encouraged to report any activity that they believe might be a violation of laws, regulations, the Code of Business Conduct, or company policies," A-B InBev's statement continued. "We remain firmly committed to the highest compliance standards and to growing our business the right way.
LONDON  SABMiller shareholders overwhelmingly backed the brewers $100 billion-plus takeover by Anheuser-Busch InBev on Wednesday, clearing the last big hurdle for one of the largest corporate mergers in history.

The combined group will sell more than a quarter of all beers sold worldwide and be the fifth-largest consumer goods company. For the maker of Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois it provides entry into Africa and large, fast-growing Latin American markets such as Colombia and Peru.

A-B InBevs 79 billion-pound ($102.85 billion) bid passed in a meeting at a London Park Lane hotel lasting less than half an hour, overseen by Chairman Jan du Plessis, who fielded only two questions from shareholders.

It secured support representing 95.5 percent of SABMiller share value. The threshold to pass was 75 percent.

In an earlier meeting in Brussels, A-B InBev CEO Carlos Brito said the new entity would continue to be called Anheuser-Busch InBev, eliminating any corporate reference to SABMiller, founded 120 years ago in South Africa. The brewer had changed its name after transformative deals in the past, such as InBevs 2008 takeover of St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch.

They can call it what they wish. Thats the way life works and thats fine, du Plessis told reporters after the meeting. Its what it is.

He added that A-B InBev was paying a full price.

The approval by SAB shareholders was widely expected but not a given. Criticism of the takeover offer grew after a steep fall in the British pound made A-B InBevs cash offer less appealing.

Activist shareholders pressured SABMiller to seek a higher offer, prompting A-B InBev to sweeten its bid in July.

Cost-conscious A-B InBev expects to extract at least $1.4 billion in annual cost savings after four years, it said, in addition to the $1.05 billion already announced by SABMiller.Given the companys history of easily beating such targets, broker Jefferies sees it achieving $3 billion in savings. About 3 percent of its global workforce will be cut when the merger is complete on Oct. 10, the company previously said.

The new company will sell off joint venture stakes in the United States and China to satisfy antitrust regulators, divest Peroni and Grolsch and kick off a sale process for SABs central and eastern European brands, estimated to be worth up to 7 billion euros ($7.85 billion).

Still, competition in individual markets will not change radically, as the two companies have little geographic overlap.

A-B InBev previously said the new company would continue to be based in its hometown of Leuven, Belgium, while its operations would be managed from New York. The new company will be organized into nine geographical zones. The North America zone, covering the U.S. and Canada, remains based in St. Louis, the city where Anheuser-Busch was founded.

The Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON  The administration of President Barack Obama has approved $7 billion in long-stalled sales of Boeing Co. fighter jets to Kuwait and Qatar, a decision that could preserve thousands of jobs in the St. Louis area.

The deal had been delayed for more than two years, amid concerns by Israel that the planes posed a threat to that nations security.

But members of Missouris delegation had long touted the sale as a jobs boost for the St. Louis region, where F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and F-15 Eagles are produced.

The Navy also is considering building an additional 14 or more Super Hornets to replace aging ones and add to the Pentagons strike-force capabilities, although funding for them has been caught in the ongoing debate over spending bills now stalled in Congress.

Reuters reported earlier this month that the sale had essentially been approved and that the next step would be notifying members of Congress.

U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin, was among lawmakers applauding the decision. The fighter jet sales, she said, will help our allies located within a volatile region fight the growing threats of Islamic extremism.

These jets are also critical to the St. Louis manufacturing base and support 5,000 families whose loved ones build these jets, as well as thousands of additional jobs across Missouri, she said. I am thrilled that this sale was approved, which will keep the Super Hornet production line in St. Louis running into 2020.

U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, agreed.

The administrations approval of additional foreign sales of Boeing F-15 Eagles and Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets will not only strengthen our Gulf allies, it will protect thousands of skilled manufacturing jobs in north St. Louis County and at Boeing suppliers across Missouri and Illinois, Clay said in a statement.

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said via Twitter, Ive been proud to back the F-15 and F-18 programs and the thousands of jobs they support, and will continue to do so.

The sales were delayed amid concerns raised by Israel, Washingtons closest Middle East ally. U.S. officials have also criticized Qatar for alleged ties to armed Islamist groups.

Earlier this month, the U.S. pledged to provide $38 billion in military assistance to Israel over the next decade, the largest such aid package in history.

The state of Qatar requested to buy at least 36 of the F-15 air-superiority jets, and possibly 72. Boeing is busy building F-15s for Saudi Arabia, and those orders would keep production lines in north St. Louis County running into 2019. The Qatari orders, worth $4 billion, would extend that into the early 2020s.

Kuwait had requested 28 F/A-18 Super Hornet attack jets, with an option for 12 more. Boeing has enough orders to keep that line running into 2018. The $3 billion Kuwaiti order, combined with orders requested by the Navy, would extend production into 2020.

Boeing employs nearly 15,000 people in the St. Louis area. Boeing has never specified the number employed on the fighter programs, but it reaches several thousand.

The White House also approved a sale of 17 Lockheed F-16 fighters to Bahrain, Reuters reported.

The sales will be announced formally once the informal 40-day congressional notification period has ended. Then lawmakers will have 30 days to block the sales, although such action is rare.

The approval of the fighter jet sales comes as the White House tries to bolster relations with Persian Gulf Arab allies who want to upgrade their military capabilities. They fear the United States is drawing closer to Iran, their archrival, after Tehrans nuclear deal with world powers last year.

Qatar, home to the largest U.S. air base in the Middle East, and Kuwait have ramped up military spending after uprisings across the Arab world and amid rising tension between Sunni Muslim Gulf Arab states and Iran, the regions Shiite power.

Both Qatar and Kuwait are part of a 34-nation alliance announced by Saudi Arabia in December aimed at countering Islamic State and al-Qaida militants in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan.

Sources said both the U.S. State Department and Pentagon had largely agreed to the deals some time ago but had been awaiting final approval from the White House.

Jim Gallagher of the Post-Dispatch and Reuters contributed to this report.
ALGIERS, Algeria  OPEC nations reached a preliminary agreement Wednesday to curb oil production for the first time since the global financial crisis eight years ago, pushing up prices that had sunk over the past two years and weakened the economies of oil-producing nations.

Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada, Qatars energy minister and current president of OPEC, announced the deal after several hours of talks in the Algerian capital. The levels must still be finalized at an OPEC meeting in Vienna in November.

The preliminary deal will limit output from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to between 32.5 million and 33 million barrels per day, he said. Current output is estimated at 33.2 million barrels per day.

When the oil inventories begin dropping, prices are expected to begin rising by next summer.

The key to the consumer is  if you have a long view  prices are going to go up fairly dramatically by the second half of 2017, said Larry Goldstein of the Energy Policy Research Foundation. He said that once inventories are worked off, there wont be enough of a cushion of additional, quick production to prevent that run-up.

On Wall Street, reports that OPEC nations were moving closer to an agreement lifted shares of energy companies in late trading. A two-year slump in oil prices has decimated profits at energy companies.

Benchmark U.S. crude jumped $2.38, or 5.3 percent, to $47.05 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, was up $2.72, or 5.9 percent, to $48.69 a barrel in London.

S&P Global Platts estimated that if OPEC cuts production by 700,000 barrels a day, prices would rise by $12 in 2017, according to analyst Nicole Leonard. She said that U.S. producers could not fill the void as quickly as next year, partly because some have too much debt and not enough cash to finance new drilling.

Platts estimated that it will take five years for U.S. operators to increase their production by 1 million barrels a day, or slightly more than OPECs target for cutting production.

The market is rewarding the show of cooperation, said John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital, a New York hedge fund focused on energy. Their acts havent matched their words so far but the market is giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Before Wednesdays announcement, long-running disagreements between regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran had dimmed hopes for any deal.

Iran had been resistant to cutting production, as its trying to restore its oil industry since emerging from international sanctions over its nuclear program earlier this year. According to Wednesdays deal, Iran exceptionally will be allowed to increase production to 3.7 million barrels a day, according to Algerian participants at the meeting. It is currently estimated to be pumping around 3.6 million.

The OPEC officials met informally on the sidelines of an energy conference in Algiers to try to find common ground on how to support oil markets.

We reached a very positive deal, said Nigerian Oil Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu. He said all countries will reduce output but the specific quotas will be set in Vienna in November.

Earlier, Iranian Petroleum Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh had played down the OPEC gathering, calling it just a consultation meeting. But his tone changed after the agreement was announced.

OPEC made an exceptional decision today ... After two and a half years, OPEC reached consensus to manage the market, Zanganeh said.

The price of crude oil has fallen sharply since mid-2014, when it was above $100 a barrel, dropping below $30 at the start of this year.

Saudi Arabia, the worlds biggest oil producer and Irans rival for power in the Middle East, appeared to be more amenable to some sort of production limit, certainly more so than in April when OPEC failed to agree on measures to curb supplies.

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih this week promised to support any decision aimed at stabilizing the market.

Over the past couple of years, OPEC countries, led by Saudi Arabia, had been willing to let the oil price drop as a means of driving some U.S. shale oil and gas producers out of business. Shale oil and gas require a higher price to break even.

Those lower prices have hurt many oil-producing nations hard, particularly OPEC members Venezuela and Nigeria, but also nonmembers such as Russia and Brazil.

The Associated Press, Washington Post, Bloomberg News and Reuters contributed to this report.
MASON CITY  The City Council will hear information Thursday about preparing for emerald ash borers, beetles that destroy trees.

Preparation is one of the topics at a 7 p.m. council work session in the second floor conference room at City Hall.

Emerald ash borers arent in North Iowa yet but they will be, said Operations and Maintenance Manager Bill Stangler.

When the beetles hit, city crews will have to remove 2,200 ash trees from city areas, he said.

Stangler said the council decided to delay purchases for the arborist department during this years budget session but asked him to come up with cost estimates.

An aerial basket truck and equipment to outfit it is $210,000, he said. Delivery time is six to nine months.

He said two or three additional staff members  at the cost of about $55,000 per employee  will be needed to man the equipment.

In addition, the work involved is specialized and will require extra training which could be done while the city is awaiting equipment delivery, Stangler said.

He said removal of all the trees will take several years to complete. As the workload lessens, staffing can be adjusted accordingly, said Stangler.

The council will also hear about a GPS system that will help department heads monitor the use of city vehicles.

City Administrator Brent Trout said the system will give the city the opportunity to cut costs and work more efficiently.

He said the city has installed GPS systems in 26 city vehicles from various departments to monitor fleet use, diagnostics and driver behavior.

The system allows you to track where vehicles are located and where they have traveled to insure the best routes are used to job sites and to be able to dispatch the closest personnel to a job location, he said.

The department director can do real time monitoring of the vehicles to see where the employees are at any given time. The director can also see where the vehicle has been throughout the day.

Trout said he will demonstrate how the system works at the work session.

The fuel use reductions and other driver behavior changes are desired goals with the implementation of this system, he said. Each hour of idling time costs the city a gallon of fuel.

He said the system will help reduce the potential for accidents and keep insurance costs down. The management of personnel and accountability for work conducted during the day is much easier with this system, Trout said.
WASHINGTON  U.S. flooding patterns have shown some regional changes but no countrywide shift despite heavier rains spawned by global warming, a study by U.S. and Austrian researchers said on Wednesday.

Findings that the biggest changes were in the Upper Mississippi Valley, northern Great Plains and New England could help focus resources in dealing with a changing climate, said Stacey Archfield, a U.S. Geological Survey hydrologist and one of the study's authors.

"It's a much more nuanced approach than saying, 'We know change is happening everywhere and this is a particular solution for it,'" she said.

In weighing the impact climate change is having on flooding, researchers from the Geological Survey and Austria's Vienna University of Technology analyzed records from 345 stream gauges in the conterminous United States from 1940 to 2013.

The gauges covered 70 percent of the lower 48 states. The first 30 years served as a base period.

The results concluded that most of the United States had shown no major change since 1970 in the categories of flood frequency, peak magnitude, duration and volume.

The study said that Wyoming and South Dakota had registered a 150 percent increase in peak magnitude. They joined North Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas in notching significant increases in flood duration along with a fall in frequency.

The duration of flooding in sections of the Great Plains went up two to five times. Flood volumes in the area rose almost six times above the average in the base period.

New England, on the other hand, showed an increase in the average number of yearly floods to five from two even as duration, magnitude and volume went down.

The study came a day after a network of flood barricades in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, largely succeeded in holding back the swollen Cedar River. Officials had feared the high water could have been the second-worst flood in the city's history.
NEW YORK  UBS Group AG has agreed to pay more than $15 million to settle U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charges that its failure to properly train brokers led to customers buying hundreds of millions of dollars of unsuitable securities.

The SEC said on Wednesday that UBS from 2011 to 2014 sold about $548 million of "reverse convertible notes," derivatives tied to individual stocks, to more than 8,700 retail customers who were relatively inexperienced and unsophisticated.

These notes, with mouthfuls of names as Trigger Phoenix Autocall Optimization Securities and Airbag Yield Optimization Securities, were sold to people of modest means, often with low risk tolerances, and included some retirees, the SEC said.

"UBS dropped the ball," SEC enforcement chief Andrew Ceresney said in a statement.

Gregg Rosenberg, a UBS spokesman, in a statement said the Swiss bank was pleased to settle. It did not admit wrongdoing.

UBS's payout includes a $6 million civil fine, $8.23 million of improper gains and about $798,000 of interest.

The case is part of a years-long crackdown by the SEC, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and other regulators to stop banks and brokerages from selling products that retail and even professional customers may not want, need or understand.

According to the SEC, UBS's notes were designed to offer attractive yields with a lessened risk of loss.

But Ceresney said on a conference call that UBS's training focused on describing the "potential upside" from the various products, not their volatility.

"Due to the rising stock market most of these products did perform well," Ceresney said. "But our view of the harm was due to the unsuitable recommendations."

Many critics of structured products have said they can be too opaque and expensive.

Ceresney said the UBS case also reflected SEC efforts to "harness the power of big data analytic techniques."

He said this enabled the regulator to uncover a "pattern" of questionable sales to particular groups of customers, without having to go customer-by-customer.

"We will use these advanced analytic techniques" in future investigations, Ceresney said.
WASHINGTON  The longtime CEO of Wells Fargo agreed on Tuesday to forfeit $41 million in performance pay three weeks after the bank acknowledged that for at least five years thousands of low-level employees allegedly set up sham accounts to meet sales quotas.

The San Francisco-based bank has repeatedly apologized for the scheme and said it had fired 5,300 employees for bad behavior and put in place more stringent internal controls. But that hasnt been enough for members of Congress who have been pushing for the companys top leaders to give back the millions in bonuses they earned while the misconduct was occurring.

The independent directors of the Wells Fargo board announced Tuesday that they were launching an investigation into Wells Fargos retail business.

We are deeply concerned by these matters, and we are committed to ensuring that all aspects of the companys business are conducted with integrity, transparency, and oversight, Stephen Sanger, the lead independent director, said in a statement.

John Stumpf, the chief executive, will forfeit unvested stock awards currently worth about $41 million, will not receive a salary while the investigation is ongoing and will not be eligible for a 2016 bonus, the committee said in a statement. Carrie Tolstedt, the former head of Wells Fargo community bank unit, where the misconduct took place, will give up $19 million in unvested stock awards and not be eligible for a 2016 bonus. Tolstedt had announced her retirement in July, but had initially planned to stay at the bank until the end of the year.

Both Stumpf and Tolstedt still have millions in stock and other compensation at Wells Fargo. But this action by the banks board is, by far, the most aggressive and public effort by a financial firm since the 2008 financial crisis to show that top executives will be held responsible for misdeeds.

In early September, Wells Fargo was fined $185 million by regulators after it discovered that thousands of employees were setting up unauthorized accounts, from credit cards to checking accounts, that customers didnt ask for. In some cases, the customer was charged various fees for accounts they didnt know existed.

The case has sparked a national outcry, with lawmakers pummeling Stumpf before the Senate Banking Committee last week, with one calling on him to resign. He is set to be the only witness before the House Financial Services Committee, and this move could help head off some recrimination from lawmakers.
Daniel Neman Daniel Neman is a retail business writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Daniel Neman Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

To boycott or not to boycott?

There is good news out of the Thailand seafood industry, but not enough. Not nearly enough.

In a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation last year, the Associated Press revealed that many Thai shrimp companies used slave labor and children to process the shrimp. Some of the employees were kept in cages, forced to work 15- and 16-hour days, seven days a week.

Some workers paid for the privilege of getting these jobs, which involve removing the shrimp heads, peels and digestive tracts. Then the companies charged them room and board, ensuring a life of endless debt.

Seafood is a $7 billion industry in Thailand. Thai shrimp is available in many restaurants across America and in nearly every supermarket in America. Sometimes it is shipped to other countries for export, so the bags do not necessarily say it is a product of Thailand.

The hard-hitting stories by the AP made an immediate impact: More than 2,000 people were freed from slavery. And the Thai government said it would make improvements to bring the companies up to a reasonable standard.

Now, a year later, some improvements have indeed been made, according to a recent follow-up story by Martha Mendoza, one of the writers of the original series. But there is much, much more work to be done.

Some companies are giving better jobs to their formerly entrapped laborers and are paying them the Thai minimum wage of about $8.50 a day. The facilities are new and clean, the workers receive subsidized meals and the possibility of bonuses, and they now get one day off a week.

But that is apparently the exception, rather than the rule. Of the 109 companies inspected so far this year, 75 percent were found to have violated environmental, safety or labor laws. Twenty-four of the companies were forced to close.

Some of the exporting firms merely turned to other companies to do their dirty work for them, despite a nationwide ban on such outsourcing. These other companies maintain the same inhumane, dirty conditions as before, along with the human trafficking.

The problem is that many of the workers come from other countries, such as Myanmar. They enter Thailand illegally, and are afraid to speak out about their appalling situations. The whistleblower who escaped from slavery and alerted Thai officials to what was going on, Tin Nyo Win, was deported back to Myanmar and given neither the assistance nor the money he was owed.

Thailand promised to allow illegal immigrants who were victims or witnesses of the abuses to stay in Thailand for up to one year while their cases were being resolved. Because of this and the other stumbling first efforts at reform, the United States upgraded Thailand from the very worst list of human-rights offenders to the second-worst list.

Its a start. But whether conditions continue to improve may depend on the rest of the world, or at least the part of the world that buys Thai seafood.

A boycott may put pressure on Thailand and its seafood exporters to make life better for its workers, to treat them humanely, to stop the human trafficking, the slavery and the torture. Faced with a loss of revenue, the companies may realize that their own best interests will be served by treating their own employees like humans.

On the other hand, a boycott would also punish the companies that have made significant strides in human rights. It would affect such companies as Thai Union, one of the largest exporters of shrimp.

The recent AP story found things were much better at Thai Union. The employees work fewer hours, are paid more and have better benefits. I like it. I have more rights, said one worker from Myanmar.
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ST. LOUIS  A jury convicted a St. Louis man Wednesday in a string of armed robberies that occurred within a month of his release from prison for armed carjackings here 20 years earlier.

A jury found James M. Scott, 38, of the 2000 block of East Obear Avenue, guilty of charges stemming from two robberies in the Central West End and third near a motel in the Near North Riverfront neighborhood in December 2013 and January 2014.

Scott stood trial on charges of robbing cash from a couple at gunpoint in the 4400 block of McPherson Avenue shortly before 1 a.m. on Dec. 28, 2013. Two days later, prosecutors said, he robbed a couple of a $500 money order, debit cards, a diamond ring, watch, cellphone, CDs and gold teeth "grill" in the 4800 block of North Broadway. On Jan. 18, 2014, Scott allegedly tried to force a woman at gunpoint in the 300 block of North Taylor Avenue into his car and take her money.

Scott was originally charged in at least two other armed robberies, on Dec. 17, 2013, and Jan. 18, 2014, but prosecutors dismissed six counts related to those cases Monday. After a two-day trial before Circuit Judge Thomas Frawley, jurors returned guilty verdicts in seven of the remaining 12 counts.

Surveillance video from Central West End's network of cameras helped police track the vehicle Scott used in the robberies, authorities said. An accomplice, Antionette M. Chineth, now 29, of the 2000 block of East De Soto Avenue, admitted taking part in two of the robberies and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Scott was paroled from a 20-year prison sentence on Dec. 6, 2013, for convictions of three armed carjackings in the 3900 block of West Florissant Avenue St. Louis in June of 1994, a few weeks before his 16th birthday.

Sentencing of Scott in the latest convictions is set for Nov. 21.
ST. LOUIS  A Soulard familys home security cameras caught a man following residents, trying to enter a home and grabbing a woman early Tuesday.

Chad Vancil, 31, and his wife, Emily, 30, shared the surveillance footage with police and on Facebook, hoping to alert others.

The post had been shared more than 1,400 times by Wednesday afternoon.

Leah K. Freeman, a spokeswoman for the St. Louis Police Department, confirmed Wednesday that investigators have the surveillance video and have identified a person of interest in the case. She had no additional updates.

The first incident caught on video came as Emily Vancil returned home from work to the 2100 block of South 11th Street about 3:20 a.m. Tuesday.

She saw a car at the end of the street make a U-turn back toward her.

People often make U-turns on the street to park, so his wife wasnt worried, said Chad Vancil, a firefighter with the St. Louis Fire Department. But then a man got out of the car and started to walk her way.

The camera caught the man tucking something into the back of his waistband and arriving at the door about 30 seconds after Emily Vancil entered the house, Chad Vancil said.

The man tried lightly knocking on the door. Then he went around the side of the house to the gangway but found it fenced off. He came back around the front, where he seemed to realize he was being recorded by the security camera.

You can see it in his face  Well, what do I do next? Vancil said.

The man hit the doorbell and took off running. Vancil heard the ring and went to the door, but the man was gone.

The next day the Vancils found out their cameras also caught him following their neighbor and grabbing her around the waist as she was entering her home about 9:30 a.m. She pushed him off and he fled.

The Vancils handed over footage to the police and say theyve heard from others whove had similar encounters with what appears to be the same man.

My wife is freaked out, Chad Vancil said. With it happening again next door to another woman, its kind of concerning.

He said the family, including their daughter, 9, has been living in Soulard for a little more than a year.

The neighborhood is generally pretty safe, he said. There are always a lot of eyes around.

No incidents prompted the family to put up the cameras  it was just for added security, Chad Vancil said. The family installed eight security cameras  four outside, four inside  when they built their home. The system cost about $1,000.

The vehicle in the pictures appeared to be a pewter or light silver Isuzu Rodeo or Nissan Pathfinder.
MASON CITY | A man convicted of a Mason City murder 18 years ago will not get a new trial.

The Iowa Court of Appeals Wednesday affirmed a Cerro Gordo County District Court decision to deny 46-year-old Michael Weatherspoon's request for post-conviction relief.

Weatherspoon, 46, was convicted in 1998 of first-degree murder for the death of Jerry Dean at the Willow Run Annex. He is serving a life sentence.

Weatherspoon alleged Dean was suicidal and was trying to get Weatherspoon to kill him when Dean grabbed a knife and approached him.

Weatherspoon gained control of the knife and stabbed Dean 14 times.

The appeals court ruling stated Weatherspoon, who has appealed twice before, failed to raise any new claims for relief.

In the past the appeals court ruled that even though Dean was the first aggressor, Weatherspoon defended himself with an unreasonable amount of force.

The appeals court also ruled in the past that even if Weatherspoon had been allowed access to Dean's mental health records, that would not have had an impact on the jury.

-- Mary Pieper
ST. LOUIS COUNTY  A St. Louis County pharmacist was sentenced Tuesday to three years of probation and fined $2,000 for stealing at least 1,400 prescription pain pills from his employer.

Mark A. Greaves, of St. Louis County, was the pharmacist in charge at the Fenton Dierbergs and began stealing prescription painkillers in mid-2014, court documents say.

Greaves covered up the thefts by altering computer records. If employees asked about pill shortages, Greaves blamed mistakes by staff or wholesalers.

In a court memo, Greaves' lawyers said that he suffered from debilitating headaches, and self-prescribed the pain meds. Greaves recognized his mistake, weaned himself off drugs and sought counseling and treatment before the thefts were discovered, the memo says. He has also repaid $707.47 to Dierbergs, it says.

Greaves, who was beloved by customers, has surrendered his pharmacist license, the memo says.

Greaves pleaded guilty in June to a felony charge of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and deception.
A graduate student at Washington University fraudulently pocketed $23,700 by forging vouchers for research volunteers, authorities say.

Khuyen Nguyen, 27, worked in the university's psychology department. He was charged Thursday with five counts of forgery, all felonies.

His bail was set at $20,000. He lives in an apartment in the 5400 block of Lindell Boulevard.

Between February and the end of June, Nguyen allegedly falsified 755 vouchers and kept the money that was supposed to go to the people who signed up to help with research.

In order to be paid, a volunteer is supposed to fill out a voucher detailing his or her name and address and how much time was donated to the research project. The volunteers would sign the vouchers, which was their receipt of payment. Volunteers are paid in cash, which was checked out by Nguyen before he submits vouchers to the department.

University employees responsible for making the payments apparently discovered Nguyen's scheme. When the employees had trouble reading volunteers' addresses on the forms submitted for payment, they looked up the volunteers' addresses and found information different than what was on the vouchers.

Nguyen surrendered to Washington University police and admitted falsifying the records. He told police he had used names of participants in previous research studies.

Rebecca Biermann, the Washington University police sergeant who investigated the case, declined comment Monday and referred questions to her chief, who could not immediately be reached.

A university profile for Nguyen shows he had been on the PhD-track in the university's behavior, brain and cognition program since the fall of 2011. A man who answered the phone in the lab Monday said Nguyen no longer works there. Nguyen came to Washington University after earning his bachelor's degree in psychology from California State University.

Each forgery count carries a maximum punishment of seven years in prison and a $5,000 fine. A mugshot of Nguyen was not available.
COLUMBIA, Mo.  A fraternity at the University of Missouri has been suspended while officials investigate reports of racial and sexist slurs.

University officials and the Delta Upsilon national organization suspended the chapter of the fraternity Wednesday after members were accused of shouting slurs at black students late Tuesday.

Two black female students said other students yelled racial slurs at them as they walked past the fraternity house. The alleged slurs include the N-word and misogynistic expletives.

The temporary suspension means the fraternity cannot use campus facilities or participate in campus events such as homecoming. The fraternity has been cited for multiple university violations this semester, including alcohol violations, according to a university statement.

Delta Upsilon International said in a statement that the temporary suspension would continue while the incident is investigated. Fraternity Executive Director Justin Kirk said racism and sexism have no place in our fraternity.

No one answered the door of the fraternity house when a reporter knocked Wednesday night, although people were inside.

The university says it has identified the students involved and that discipline for those who violate the universitys nondiscrimination policies may include expulsion. However, because of federal privacy laws, the university cant disclose whether the students involved were disciplined, said Christian Basi, university spokesperson.

Last year, reports of racist incidents on and near campus led to student protests that eventually toppled the heads of the university system and Mizzou campus.

But Tuesday nights incident, just over a month into the semester, triggered reactions of frustration with progress.

Quite frankly, WE. ARE. SICK. OF. THIS! Mizzous Legion of Black Collegians wrote in a statement Wednesday.

The incident began late Tuesday night when a group of white students walked past two members of the Legion of Black Collegians Activities Committee.

The legion said in its statement that one of the white students yelled a racial slur at the women, who then contacted other legion members. Campus police arrived, but the legion says members of a fraternity then began shouting other obscenities and slurs at the legion members.

The legion also alleges that one of the police officers used excessive verbal force against a member while his hand was on his gun.

To say that we are disgusted is beyond an understatement, the legion said in the statement. It is often said that history repeats itself, but the ignorance that occurs on the University of Missouris campus always seems to be too familiar.

Maj. Brian Weimer of the university police said what happened was very disgusting, but because there was no criminal activity, police are having the Office of Student Conduct and Office for Civil Rights and Title IX handle the situation.

Weimer also said his department will look into the allegation of excessive verbal force by an officer toward a legion member. But he added that no legion member has submitted a complaint yet to the department.

Interim Chancellor Hank Foley said in a statement that the university has zero tolerance for racism or sexism.

I am outraged and saddened to hear of this, Foley said in the statement. The safety and security of our campus is our No. 1 priority; the University of Missouri is committed to fostering an inclusive campus environment where all students, faculty, staff and visitors can live, learn, work and feel safe.

At a protest earlier Wednesday in the University of Missouri Student Center, Shelby Anderson, president of the Legion of Black Collegians, said she and other black students were tired of feeling unwelcome on campus.

Its 2016, and Im still made to feel like I dont belong on this campus, she said. If you dont want me here, you can leave.

Sean Earl, student body president, said its simply disappointing and disgusting that this happened, particularly because the campus has been trying to work on diversity and inclusion initiatives in light of last year.

It sucks because it is a setback. But it is not the end of us going forward, he said.

Earl said his staff will support the Legion of Black Collegians and let them know that our platform is also their platform.

Amanda Farrer, president of Mizzous Panhellenic Association, said in a statement, Just last night, our community proved that our perceived progress was distorted.

Open forums will not suffice. Mandatory diversity trainings will not suffice. Initiating negligible numbers of minorities into our organizations will not suffice. To change our campus, we must change our hearts, she said in the statement.

Students gathered at the Black Cultural Center on Mizzous campus Wednesday evening to talk about the incident and brief the community on what had gone on, followed by a prayer service.

Many students declined to speak to reporters, explaining they werent comfortable speaking on behalf of other students of color.

Mizzou senior Destanee Bonds said she was glad the event gave students a chance to learn more about the incident and inquire about the response, as well as pray with their peers.

Just to get our questions asked in a safe place, where in class, if my teacher brought it up I might not want to talk about it, Bonds said.

Tyler Jones, a freshman, said he hoped the meeting would be a first step for students to come together.

Nothing happened to me, but were all one. If something happened to my fellow student, Im going to be mad, too, he said. I dont feel like fighting each other is going to fix anything, and thats kind of like what were doing right now.

The room was filled to capacity, and students spilled into the hallways, but the meeting was closed to the media. University officials said any student organization has the right to reserve a room and restrict who can enter.
BELLERIVE ACRES  A few dozen faculty, students and union organizers gathered at the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus Tuesday to send a message to administrators and their peers: they want a union election for faculty.

Unlike the well-known discussion for union representation for adjunct faculty, the proposal from UMSL faculty is for all faculty to unionize, including those who have tenure.

Its unclear when or if the University of Missouri System will issue rules for an election for faculty. UM System spokesman John Fougere said the issue is not on the Board of Curators agenda for their meeting next week in Kansas City.

Regardless, the group has not reached 30 percent support among faculty, a guideline laid out in federal labor laws. Organizers with the Service Employees International Union couldnt say how close the faculty are to amassing that percentage goal. UMSL has around 500 full-time faculty.

During the rally Tuesday, organizers and attendees encouraged onlookers to support the effort by sending a form letter-style email to members of the University of Missouri Board of Curators and UMSL Chancellor Tom George. A letter to organizers from UM System human resources at the system last week said that of 601 signatures on a petition sent at the time, 34 were signed by faculty.

Wally Siewert, director of UMSLs Center for Ethics in Public Life and an assistant professor, said he has heard from many faculty members who support the effort.

Of course, theyre a little scared to come out publicly, which is why we think its important that vote be done in the right way, he said. Everybody has got something to lose by standing up. Everyone is a little nervous. Everyone has their own reason to feel fear or feel intimidated.

Siewert said some people think a union contract would prevent faculty from being able to talk to their supervisors, that there couldnt be an elected faculty senate or that administration couldnt be as transparent as they want to be. He rebuked those claims.

It just means when the faculty member comes to a point when theyre having an issue and hitting a stonewall, they have someone to turn to, he said.

UMSL faculty senate chairwoman and associate professor Pamela Stuerke said right now, this doesnt seem to be a divisive issue on campus. She declined to share her personal views on the issue.

I really truly believe in shared governance, she said. We have a really fabulous system of shared governance here. Weve been told by people at other institutions that what we have here is how shared governance is supposed to work.

A possible outcome of a union contract is that shared governance and faculty council  along with its almost two dozen committees  could end, Stuerke said. Another outcome is that that doesnt happen.

A school where I previously worked was a union school, she said, declining to specify the school. My experience there with respect to the issues that tie into shared governance was very negative. The relationship broadly between faculty covered under the union agreement and the administration was at best adversarial on both sides. I have nothing good to say about my experience at that school, other than my colleagues.

It is unclear what the timeline is on next steps from the University of Missouri System, as well as as the SEIU organization effort. This particular union is working with tenured faculty at the Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, as well as adjunct professors at St. Louis University and Washington University, among others.
ST. LOUIS  The St. Louis Election Board on Wednesday asked an appeals court to modify its ruling on absentee voting so that touch-screen machines can be used by those who are blind.

The request comes after the Election Board received a letter from an attorney for the Missouri Council of the Blind, arguing that limiting voting to paper ballots was a violation of three federal laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. The motion filed by the Election Boards attorney comes a day after absentee voting began in St. Louis and throughout Missouri for the general election.

Since federal law supersedes state law ... the rights ensured by these acts must be given effect, said attorney John J. Ammann, who also is a law professor at St. Louis University.

Ammann wrote the letter on behalf of Christopher Gray, executive director of the Missouri Council of the Blind, after the Missouri Court of Appeals upheld a decision by a circuit judge that all absentee ballots cast must be placed into a sealed envelope.

The lack of envelopes accompanying absentee ballots cast in-person at the Election Board office was the crux of Circuit Judge Rex Burlisons decision to call for a do-over election between Bruce Franks Jr. and Penny Hubbard in their Aug. 2 Democratic primary race for state representative.

Franks, the newcomer, received more votes on the day of the primary election, but the large number of absentee ballots cast for incumbent Hubbard put her over the top. Franks sued for a new election, saying there were absentee ballot irregularities that could have affected the outcome of the election. In the do-over election on Sept. 16, Franks won by a 3-to-1 margin.

In his motion, Election Board attorney David Sweeney asked the appeals court to modify its Sept. 13 ruling.

The Board respectfully suggests the following sentence: This Opinion does not bar the use of touch-screen absentee ballot voting without the use of envelopes for persons who appear in person to vote absentee and who demonstrate that a disability prevents them from voting using a paper ballot but would be able to vote using a touch-screen voting machine.

In a story published Monday regarding the statewide effect of Burlisons ruling, Boone County Clerk Wendy S. Noren agreed that her office must offer visually impaired voters a means to fill out their ballots in private because federal law trumps state law. She allows anyone with a disability to use a machine for absentee voting at the county clerks office leading up to the election  but thats the only exception.

Everyone else puts their ballot in an envelope.

The federal law doesnt require it (to be available) for everybody, Noren said. Only twice in the past decade have voters with disabilities requested electronic voting, she said.

Sweeney said an appellate court clarification is necessary so it is clear the board may proceed with the use of the touch-screen machines for voters requiring electronic assistance.

Voting irregularities were detailed in a Post-Dispatch investigation Aug. 31. Secretary of State Jason Kander called the findings very troubling, and the problems highlighted are part of an investigation by Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyces office.
WASHINGTON  That next debate at Washington University is going to have some real bigly stakes.

No matter if you heard Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump say he had bigly or big league tax-cut plans in the first debate (social media has been afire with that argument), the showdown in St. Louis on Oct. 9 has all the makings of a raucous and rowdy affair.

What was not said at that first debate at Hofstra University is why.

Pundits and pollsters generally gave Hillary Clinton the advantage, and Trump came across as less prepared and less verbally facile.

But some of the post-debate commentary has also been about what Trump left unsaid, from Clintons role and subsequent explanation involving the attacks in Benghazi, Libya, where U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others were killed; to the Clinton Foundations various tentacles and connections to world leaders.

Clintons use of a private email server while she was secretary of state did get mentioned, and she again apologized. She has been less apologetic over her actions regarding Benghazi and on the activities of the Clinton Foundation.

The first two targets stem from her actions as secretary of state in a world in which the threat of terrorism and regime destabilization has persisted, some would say even risen, under the President Barack Obama.

The final target, the Clinton Foundation, has been a ripe area of criticism for detractors who say there is often a blurry line between the public and private interests of Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Trumps wife, Melania, has said of her husband: When you attack him, he will punch back, 10 times harder. On the campaign trail, the candidate has often demonstrated that, and if the last 16 months of history is any guide, Trump should come to St. Louis expressly planning to get back and get even, and to attack Clinton on issues he left on the table at the first debate.

Clintons deft reference at the end of the first debate to Trumps derisive words describing former Miss Universe Alicia Machado created some of the biggest post-debate buzz.

He called this woman Miss Piggy, then he called her Miss Housekeeping because she was Latina, Clinton said.

She continued: Donald, she has a name. Her name is Alicia Machado. And she has become a U.S. citizen, and you can bet she is going to vote this November.

Notably, Clinton largely stood back while Trump and Machado continued the argument in the post-debate spin. The issue lit up cable television, particularly on Spanish-speaking networks. Machado, who was the first Miss Universe contestant to appear in Playboy, has referred to herself as a spokeswoman for the Latino community, a vital and pivotal sector of the American electorate.

Trump doubled down on his friendly fallback platform, Fox and Friends, calling Machado a real problem as Miss Universe  the worst we ever had.

While trying to continuously win the argument  the counterpuncher punching back 10 times harder  the persistence of the Machado controversy potentially hurts Trump further among two groups he has struggled to attract: women and Hispanics.

Some iteration of that continuing argument is almost unavoidable in St. Louis, if for no other reason than the pundit perception that Clinton one-upped Trump.

Trumps pre-debate spinners tried to describe him as not needing the kind of cramming that Clinton went through, that letting Trump be Trump has gotten him into a poll-clinch with Clinton with a month to go.

But that first debate showed the difference between rhetorical professionals and amateurs on the biggest stage of all.

Effective presidential debate preparation is not about cramming policies and facts, but practicing precision in focusing on an opponents weaknesses, recognizing when to trigger effective, and specific, counterattacks.

An example? Ronald Reagan, running for re-election in 1984, when hit with the age question by his Democratic opponent Walter Mondale, deftly turned the question around by saying he would not hold Mondales youth against him.

Even Mondale, then 56 years old, laughed.

At Hofstra, by contrast, Trump often flailed away while missing opportunities to raise Benghazi, or the Clinton Foundation, or the emails, to connect with overarching and serious questions that voters have about Clintons truthfulness and trustworthiness.

If Trumps ego allows it, opportunities to connect familiar controversies with Clintons trust vulnerabilities should not be missed a second time.

If Trump again flails rather than dices, then it will be very apparent that the Republican presidential nominee will be moving along on the letting-the-Donald-be-Donald course, and the chips will fall where they may.
FLORISSANT  Nathan Cameron spent the morning of his 16th birthday in a rite of passage that ended with his departing the Florissant Meadows Shopping Center with his first drivers license.

Chances are that Nathan, in the coming years, will return to the local office for license renewal, vehicle tags or title transfers.

The bureau he visits in the future will differ in a significant way from the one where on Wednesday he filled out paperwork, had his photo taken and strolled out the door a licensed driver.

Come Oct. 3, patrons of the Florissant License Office will be served by employees of Elle Management, a privately owned OFallon, Mo., company that will add the North Lindbergh Boulevard location to a network of eight license fee offices it operates across the state.

The beginning of Elle Managements tenure will mark the end of 23 years of stewardship by the Florissant Rotary Club, a nonprofit that supported local charities with any earnings after meeting payroll, rent and other financial obligations of the office.

Mike Cameron, Nathans father, described the ownership transfer as very sad.

Florissant Mayor Thomas Schneider offered another characterization.

Shameful, said the mayor.

Schneider headed a lobbying campaign that failed to convince Gov. Jay Nixon and other state officials to keep bureau operations with the Rotarians.

The effort to maintain Rotary ownership included a petition bearing 5,000 signatures.

The service has always been fantastic, Schneider said. We had people come to our office because they received cruddy service at other offices. Its beyond me what there wasnt to like.

Over nearly a quarter-century, the Rotary Club funneled more than $2 million into north St. Louis County food pantries, sheltered workshops and other causes.

Every penny we have ever made on that office has gone back to charity, said Rotary President Rick Dorsey.

The loss of Rotary ownership is rooted in a 2009 Nixon administration policy decision aimed at removing politics from lucrative state licensing bureaus that each year collect millions of dollars in processing fees.

Under the new rules, patronage gave way to a merit-based point system to award contracts for the operation of license offices.

A formula designed to treat nonprofit and for-profit entities equally has resulted in a statewide turnover of license offices operated by long-tenured contractors.

The Missouri Department of Revenue has so far this year put only six license offices up for grabs. The bidding has to date resulted in the awarding of four contracts.

The revenue agency this year also granted contracts to 17 applicants that responded to bids posted in 2015.

Nonprofits currently operate 21 of the 180-plus license offices scattered across the state. The state does not have data to reflect how many nonprofit bureaus were in operation before the 2009 point system took effect.

The Rotary managed to stave off a loss of ownership the first time the state put the contract for the Florissant bureau out for bid.

But the organization wasnt as lucky when the state posted the Florissant contract a second time.

Dorsey said the Rotary challenged the state decision to award points to privately held Elle Management on the basis of corporation filings that identify the firm as female-owned.

Elle scored additional points for a commitment to extend operating hours and expand Florissant office staff to 20 from 12.

With the exception of the office manager, all 12 Rotary club employees will begin receiving checks from Elle Management in October.

Elle Management will move the office to a location in the same shopping center.

On the mid-September morning that Nathan Cameron received his drivers license, the wait extended to over an hour at the Florissant license office. Just five employees were available to serve upward of 40 patrons.

They need more help, thats for damn sure, said Robert Aubuchon, waiting to transfer a vehicle title.

Most of the customers were unaware that a small fee on each transaction that day would go to a nonprofit, until the Rotary Club banner on the south wall of the office was brought to their attention.

Luella Irving allowed that in at least one respect, the switch from a nonprofit to corporate ownership will make little difference to the average patron.

Doesnt matter, said Irving, noting that obtaining a new operators license will still cost money.

Irving nonetheless expressed regret that North County causes could suffer when the Rotary Club closes the license office doors for the last time on Friday.

No one cares about anything anymore, she lamented. All they care about is making money.

Dorsey said the Rotary will attempt to recoup the loss of fee office revenue through its annual dinner auction and other fundraising efforts.

But the loss of the license office will leave the Rotarians, and the charities it benefits, with a significant financial hole to fill.

Were basically starting from scratch because for a generation (with the exception of the dinner auction) we havent held fundraisers, the Rotary president said. We have a whole generation of members who have never had to raise money.

Dorsey pointed out that motorists and vehicle owners interested in continuing the tradition of seeing a portion of their license fees go to charity will have one option.

The Ferguson Lions Club is the sole remaining nonprofit operating a state license office, 728 South Florissant Road, in North County.
(c) 2016, The Washington Post.

WASHINGTON - The Senate on Wednesday voted to override President Barack Obama's veto of legislation that would allow 9/11 victims' families to sue the Saudi Arabian government over its alleged support for the terrorists who carried out the attacks.

The vote was 97 to 1.

The House is expected to vote later in the day and if successful, it will be the first time Congress has overridden a veto during the Obama administration.

"Overriding a presidential veto is something we don't take lightly, but it was important in this case that the families of the victims of 9/11 be allowed to pursue justice, even if that pursuit causes some diplomatic discomforts," Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., who co-authored the bill with Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said in a statement.

Traveling aboard Air Force One Wednesday, White House press secretary Josh Earnest called the vote "the single most embarrassing thing the United States Senate has done possibly since 1983."

"Ultimately these senators are going to have to answer their own conscience and their constituents as they account for their actions today," Earnest said, noting that at least one GOP senator said some of his colleagues had failed to read the bill before voting on it initially. "To have members of the United States senate only recently informed of the negative impact of this bill on our service members and our diplomats is in itself embarrassing."

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., cast the lone vote to sustain the veto after receiving a letter from Obama arguing the consequences could be "devastating," and urging him "to vote to sustain the veto."

In the letter, which Obama sent Tuesday to both Reid and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the president said that he was "fully committed to assisting the families of the victims of terrorist attacks of Sept. 11? but the legislation would put military and other U.S. officials overseas at risk. The bill's enactment, he warned, "would neither protect Americans from terrorist attacks nor improve the effectiveness of of our response to such attacks."

Reid voted against the override despite telling reporters earlier this month that "I support that legislation" and Schumer's efforts.

"He's always had the president's back," said Reid spokesman Adam Jentleson.

McConnell spokesman Don Stewart said the president called the majority leader after the override vote was scheduled, but neither the conservation nor the letter did anything to change his mind.

The sharp rebuke of the president is a sign that Saudi Arabia's fortunes are waning on Capitol Hill. The Saudi government has denied it had any ties to the terrorists who carried out the 9/11 attacks and has lobbied fiercely against the bill. But victims' families have pushed for the legislation so they can press their case in courts, and lawmakers who support the measure argue Saudi Arabia should not be concerned if it did nothing wrong.

Last week, the Senate voted on a resolution to restrict arms sales to Saudi Arabia until it stops targeting civilians in Yemen.

"This is not a time when U.S.-Saudi relations have much popular support on either side," said F. Gregory Gause, head of the international affairs department at Texas A&M University's Bush School of Government and Public Service. Just as the Saudis think the administration has tilted too closely to Iran, he said, many U.S. politicians blame Saudi Arabia for the global spread of Sunni extremism. "I think that's really simplistic."

Both chambers passed the 9/11 legislation without dissent earlier this year. But now, several lawmakers are echoing the White House argument that the legislation could set a dangerous precedent, inviting other nations to respond by suing American diplomats, military personnel and other officials in foreign courts.

Critics of the bill are now focusing on how to scale back the measure once it becomes law. Approximately 20 senators have signed a letter expressing their intention to return to the issue during the lame duck session if the new law generates negative consequences.

"We see the writing on the wall: the override is going to occur," said Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who has been leading efforts to negotiate a narrower alternative, before the vote.

Corker is one of several members who argue the bill, which would allow courts to waive claims to foreign sovereign immunity in situations involving acts of terrorism on U.S. soil, is so broad that it could expose the United States to retaliation in foreign courts.

He complained that if the bill becomes law "what you really do is you end up exporting your foreign policy to trial lawyers," adding that U.S. personnel might find themselves dragged into lawsuits abroad over American drone use in Pakistan and Afghanistan, or even its support for Israel.

Yet he and other senators who expressed similar concerns elected, in the end, to vote for the override.

Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said he voted for the override because "concrete benefit" for the 9/11 victims' families outweighed "speculative detriment" to American officials and foreign relations.

In a letter Monday to House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, and ranking member Adam Smith, D-Wash., Defense Secretary Ashton Carter warned that allowing the bill to become law risked "damaging our close and effective cooperation with other countries" and "could ultimately have a chilling effect on our own counter-terrorism efforts."

Thornberry and Smith both circulated letters among members in the last few days, urging them to vote against overriding the veto.

CIA Director John Brennan also warned of the 9/11 bill's "grave implications for the national security of the United States" in a statement Wednesday.

Critics guessed their colleagues might be more open to scaling back the measure after observing any international "blowback" once it becomes law. Corker said he is working with Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Ben Cardin, D-Md., -- who also supported the override Wednesday -- in the hopes that "during the lame duck, maybe there's a way to be successful in tightening this up."

One alternative lawmakers have discussed is limiting the measure to the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, as a way of satisfying the demands of the 9/11 victims' families without opening the United States to continuing diplomatic and legal problems.

Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said in an interview that it could take time to grasp the bill's full implications, and there may be "some time to tweak the law before some of the most damaging consequences become clear."

"But the biggest issue is that it opens up government agencies to court-ordered discovery," Alterman said, adding that the federal government could face lawsuits from those who have been victims of drone strikes and other American military activities. "It's not limited to Saudi Arabia, and it's likely to have a much larger impact on the U.S. government than the Saudi government, because the U.S. government takes rules very seriously."

While White House staffers have reached out to certain members of Congress, Obama did not launch an all-out lobbying push to pull members away from this bill.

"I know of no counting or anything they've asked me to do on that," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters Tuesday. Pelosi intends to vote to override Obama's veto.

Supporters have not warmed to any of the alternative proposals critics are floating and Cornyn dismissed the idea Congress will revisit the legislation later this year.

"As far as I'm concerned, this bill is a done deal," Cornyn said. "Obviously any senator or group of senators can offer any additional legislation they want, and we'll take it up in due course."

- - -

The Washington Post's Mike DeBonis contributed to this report.

sept11-senate-1stld-writethru

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Keywords: obama, veto, override, jasta, saudi, 9/11
MASON CITY  An Ohio real estate development company has dismissed a lawsuit claiming Kmart broke a binding agreement to sell its former store in Mason City.

The sale of the store to another buyer appears to be rapidly approaching.

Recent court documents in the Cerro Gordo County District Court lawsuit filed by Cocca Acquistions, LLC, state Kmart received a higher offer for the property from a third party and entered into a contract with that buyer to sell the store for $3 million. The buyer was not identified.

Howard Riefs, a spokesman for Sears Holdings, which handles property holding matters for Sears and Kmart, declined to comment on the sale, which was to close Sept. 23, according to court documents filed Sept. 21.

Development company alleges Kmart broke agreement to sell Mason City store MASON CITY  An Ohio real estate development company claims Kmart broke a binding agreement 

Troy Coolidge No. 15, a Kmart holding company, is still listed as the owner of the former Mason City Kmart in the Cerro Gordo County property search database. The store closed in 2014.

Mason City Assessor Dana Naumann said Wednesday she had not seen any paperwork indicating a change of ownership for the property.

Last week District Court Judge Gregg Rosenbladt denied Cocca Acquisitions request for a temporary injunction to prevent the sale of the former Mason City Kmart to the other buyer.

Rosenbaldts ruling stated Kmart received the $3 million offer from this potential buyer before either Kmart or Cocca signed a $2.5 million purchase agreement.

Court records indicate Cocca planned to lease the former Kmart store to a tenant, but that tenant was not named.

A Kmart representative advised Cocca on July 29 that another offer was pending. Cocca responded that company officials felt they already had a binding agreement with Kmart and wished to move forward under that agreement.

Kmart then entered into a contract to sell the store to the other buyer, according to court documents.

In his ruling Rosenbladt stated an offer and acceptance of certain terms of sale, which is what occurred with Cocca and Kmart, are not enforceable under Iowa law.

His ruling also noted that Kmart had not provided directions for Cocca to payment of a deposit for the property, and Kmarts legal department was still in the process of document review and revision when the higher offer was made.

A few days after that ruling, Cocca agreed to dismiss its claims against Kmart, while Kmart agreed not to file any counterclaims. Each party is to pay its own court costs and attorney fees.
MINNEAPOLIS  Minnesota authorities have given prosecutors the results of their investigation into the fatal police shooting of a black man who was killed during a traffic stop.

Philando Castile was fatally shot July 6 in Falcon Heights, a suburb of St. Paul. The gruesome aftermath was streamed live on Facebook by Castile's girlfriend, who says Castile was shot while reaching for his wallet.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has been investigating the shooting by St. Anthony police Officer Jeronimo Yanez. The agency said Wednesday that it turned over its findings to prosecutors.

Ramsey County Attorney John Choi says his office will diligently review the case but offered no timeline on how long that might take. He noted his office has enlisted national use-of-force consultants to help review the case.
St. Louis aldermen frequently employ a traditional economic development tool, voting to give up millions of dollars in taxes in order to attract development dollars. This is a useful way to improve troubled neighborhoods and stop homeowners from fleeing to the suburbs, but its the wrong approach without a comprehensive plan to guide redevelopment and to ensure the economic impact is a net gain for the city.

The citys economic development arm is working on a plan, which would have better served residents if it had been in place years ago. Previously, most tax incentives were awarded in neighborhoods along the citys central corridor that were already thriving. That left little for development incentives in north and far south St. Louis.

Theres no use lamenting lost opportunities. Moving forward, a development plan must include incentives for ensuring investment in truly blighted areas of the city. Otis Williams, director of the St. Louis Development Corp., said it will require more reporting from developers and residents who get abatements and tax increment financing deals. There must be better tracking and analysis from the city, and shorter abatement times or none at all in healthier neighborhoods.

The plan should also encourage ending a quaint political perk known as aldermanic courtesy, which means an alderman doesnt ask too many questions of a colleague requesting a tax abatement in his ward.

There should be healthy debate and lots of scrutiny about the best way to encourage balanced development. If well-connected homeowners or developers are buying property in healthy or upcoming neighborhoods yet still receiving tax abatements for five or 10 years, aldermen need to be asking why.

The upcoming development plan follows a downgrade to St. Louis credit rating, and the loss of about $709 million in local tax revenue to property tax abatements and tax increment financing between 2000 and 2014. The budgetary effects are real and can have serious knock-on effects.

More than half the money  about $12 million a year or roughly 3 percent of the St. Louis Public Schools budget  exempted by tax abatements would have gone to the schools. When schools decline for lack of funds, so does the incentive for middle-class families with children to stay in the city.

If the city had been operating with a plan, leaders might not be in the predicament theyre in now, needing to find funds to pay for $3 million to upgrade the Jefferson Avenue/Interstate 64 intersection after Gov. Jay Nixon stripped that money from the state budget. The upgrades will be needed to channel workers to the planned National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency on the citys north side.

St. Louis has 28 wards, and all of them will improve if aldermen coordinate efforts to make the city the best it can be.
So my question is, if the department is defunded, and low pay continues, what will happen the next time the police are desperately needed and only a handful of them are available?
MVRBC mobile blood drives

The Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center has these upcoming mobile blood drives in Madison County:

 Sept. 29, from 2 to 6 p.m., Freer Auto Body, 4512 N. Alby St., in Alton.

 Sept. 30, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Civic Memorial High School, 200 School St., in Bethalto.

 Sept. 30, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Morning Glory Homecare, 39 Dorothy Dr., in Troy.

 Oct. 1, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., BNI Revenue By Referrals, at LogoIt, 2603 State St., in Alton.

 Oct. 3, from 3 to 6 p.m., Triad High School, at Integrity Spine and Joint Center, 604 Edwardsville Rd., in Troy.

Retired Members Club meeting

The IBEW #649 Retired Members Club will hold its monthly breakfast meeting at 9 a.m. Sept. 29, at the Eagles Nest Restaurant, 117 E. Bethalto Drive, in Bethalto.

Join them for a morning of food and fellowship. For more information, call Marlin Wagner at 618-656-7593.

Director's applications

Hard Road Theatre Productions is accepting director applications for the 2017-18 season.

Hard Road Theatre Productions is a non-profit theatre organization committed to providing the greater Highland area with high-quality, affordable, live theatre productions.

Anyone interested in directing a show for Hard Road can do so by completing a short survey available at hardroad.org and its Facebook page. Applicants can also complete a short form available on the Hard Road website and mail it to Hard Road Theatre, P.O. Box 68, Highland, IL 62249. Applications will be accepted through Oct. 1, 2016.

If you have any questions, send an email to tom@hardroad.org.

MCAHCE International Night

Madison County Association for Home and Community Education will travel to Ecuador for a taste of Ecuadorian cuisine and a study of Ecuador's culture on Oct. 10, at the Farm Bureau Auditorium (back entrance) with doors opening at 6 p.m. and tasting at 6:30 p.m.

A short presentation about Ecuador will be presented and a unique "Inca Play" with video clips about Ecuador will enlighten your knowledge of this country.

The public is invited, but there are no walk-ins. Registration is required with a $5 registration fee (check made out to MCAHCE). Send your registration w/address and phone number to Eleanor Gregory, P.O. Box 185, Alhambra, IL 62001 (phone number: 618-410-5951) by Oct. 3.
After 22 long days and nights, the doctors dismissed my husband from the hospital. The nursing staff went to work to fulfill all the release orders and I made arrangements for the trip home.

My husband, Dennis, lay in his bed watching the beehive of activity. His recent memory of that level of hurried activity was in connection with emergency surgery. He did not know what the outcome would be. He did not know if the bacterial infection had compromised his leg, his immune system and possibly his life. He would be put to sleep and awake to discover his fate. As the operating room staff dashed about to prepare him physically for the unknown, he rushed internally to prayer to prepare himself spiritually for the unknown.

Post-op, he awakened to find the worst possible outcomes had been avoided. He lost some tissue and bone, but the majority was spared. Recovery and rehabilitation promise to yield a good ending and a fully-ambulatory future. On dismissal day, my husband watched the beehive once again. This time, he knew the outcome.

Driving home in the car, Dennis looked at our small community of flat land and corn fields as if he were seeing an ocean or a mountain for the first time. Drive slower, he would say. Was that tree always there? he inquired. Have they finished the construction on Keebler and the Belt Line? he wanted to know. The landscaped provided him a panorama of sight. He was overjoyed. Then, after his 22-day absence, we arrived home and pulled into the driveway. Tears of thanksgiving and appreciation flowed from his eyes. We sat quietly  no activity, no rushing. I reached for his hand; he squeezed my fingers; we rested in the moment. Home. At last. Home.

Here, in the respite of our house, he will not be receiving the expert care the professionals provided. He is no longer in need of the attention of specialists. He is now in need of the attentiveness of his loved ones. As his body heals, his soul needs the comforts of home. He needs a smile, a helping hand, a warm embrace, a peaceful atmosphere. Home is just what the doctor ordered as the optimum environment for complete recovery.

We have transformed the bedroom, kitchen and living room into environments suitable for recuperation. Out of necessity, everything now happens in slow motion. Dennis is not leaping from the chair, sprinting into the bedroom, running to the mailbox. I am not hurrying off to work or double tasking while Im eating dinner. Beehive is not the mode right now for either of us. And, he is looking at our home as if he were seeing a luxurious hotel for the first time.

Life gives us a chance to slow down and have a second look at the things we often take for granted. I have always felt so appreciative of running water, air conditioning and a safe environment after returning from a missions trip. Several decades ago, I broke both arms in a fall down our basement steps and was without use of either limb for months. I was so thankful for the first time I could feed myself or open a door for myself. A recaptured benefit is valued much higher than that same advantage taken for granted or deemed as ordinary.

Post-emergency, post-surgery and post-trauma, we have the choice to either wish we could keep up the hustle or to take advantage of many specific vistas that are only seen when we move in slow motion. We have been granted a chance to gain a unique perspective. We have been afforded an occasion to recuperate. Dennis will convalesce and I will linger. We will  at least for this immediate period of time  we will rest in the moment and pause to appreciate the benefits. Home. At last. Home.

For more articles by Dr. Amsden, visit www.sonlifechurch.org
MASON CITY | Cerro Gordo County Treasurer Patricia Wright reminds taxpayers that first-half Assessment Year 2015 real estate taxes and Assessment Year 2017 mobile home taxes are due in the treasurers office by 4:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30.

She encourages taxpayers to take advantage of secure online property tax payment at www.iowatreasurers.org, through which taxes can be paid for any Iowa property.

Payment may be made by Discover, Master Card, Visa or electronic check.

Taxes not received by Sept. 30 must be postmarked by Sept. 30 or a penalty will be applied.

When paying by mail or in person, Wright recommends using the first-half coupon attached to the statement. The taxpayers canceled check will serve as receipt.

Those wishing an additional receipt must enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope.

The treasurers office in the courthouse is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
While cigars are commonly associated with few countries, at least a dozen countries make significant contributions to handmade cigars. This week, we rank the top ten countries by their importance to the industry. The production of handmade cigars is truly global, as evidenced by the fact that Belgium, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Peru, Jamaica, and the Bahamaseach of which grow cigar tobacco or make cigarsmissed the top ten.

On Monday we counted down from ten to six. Today we reveal the rest of the top ten.

5) Ecuador  Wrapper, wrapper, and more wrapper. Thats why Ecuador is so high on this list. Blessed with powdery, nutrient-rich soil and natural cloud cover, odds are good some of your favorite cigars introduced in recent years use Ecuadorian wrapper, likely grown by the Oliva tobacco family. Not only is Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut (where cloud cover makes netting unnecessary) an alternative to U.S.-Connecticut Shade wrapper, but the country also produces the increasingly popular Ecuadorian Habano leaf, as well as significant amounts of Sumatra-seed wrapper.

4) Honduras  Not too long ago, Honduras surpassed Nicaragua when it came to cigar exports to the United States. Thats no longer the case, and it isnt all that close but the country is still in a tier of its own above all but the top three on this list. Known for bold, flavorful tobaccos, Honduran tobacco continues to be a staple for cigars rolled in Honduras (especially in the countrys cigar epicenter of Danli) and elsewhere.

3) Dominican Republic  Long the number one handmade cigar country for cigars imported into the United States, today the Dominican Republic has a strong claim to our number three spot. Many victims of Cuban revolution ended up in the Dominican Republic, where iconic brands continue to be produced today. Add such classic brands as Davidoff and La Aurora, plus many upstart boutique brands, and it is easy to see why the Dominican Republic continues to be a juggernaut.

2) Nicaragua  Both Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic have a strong case to make for second place, but in recent years Nicaragua has surpassed the Dominican Republic in many ways, especially as the social and political instability of the war in the 1980s moved into the rear-view mirror. In terms of handmade cigar output, Nicaragua, with its rich soil, has pulled even with the Dominican Republic in terms of imports to the U.S. in recent years, even though as recently as 2005 the Dominican Republic outproduced Nicaragua almost four to one. Today, many traditionally Dominican blends are coming out with cigars that include Nicaraguan tobacco, a fact that ultimately pulls Nicaragua ahead.

1) Cuba  Although held back because Cubas cigar industry is state-controlled, Cuba still has some of the best tobacco-growing regions in the world, which results in many of the finest cigars. Plus, no country is as closely identified with cigars as Cuba. If ever we could see some of the top-grade Cuban tobacco used in combination with that from other countries, I would expect the result to be spectacular.

There you have it, our top ten. Agree or disagree? Let us know.

Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys
I have been blessed to have had a career in which I have crossed paths with a wide cross-section of interesting individuals, from paupers to presidents to prime ministers.

I rarely have had the feeling of being in the presence of greatness, but an exception to that occurred on Feb. 18, 1999, when Shimon Peres, former president and prime minister of Israel, who died Wednesday at the age of 93, spoke at North Iowa Area Community College.

Standing between two armed guards on stage that night, wisdom poured out of him. I dont think Im alone in saying, for those of us in the audience, it was a secular moment of grace.

For a man who spent most of his adult life in a country embroiled in war and other turmoil, his words that night were compelling.

I still have my notes from reporting on his speech and I share them today not only as a tribute to him but as a lesson for us.

The younger generation, he said, doesnt want to kill and doesnt want to be killed. We dont have the right to tell them to fight  to lose even if you win, he said.

He added, Instead of asking how many policemen you have, the proper question is, How many universities do you have?

Peres, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994, said, World economic growth is the result of our ability to think rather than fight. Because of the economy of brains, we have a global economy.

Money doesnt produce ideas. Ideas produce money, he said.

Peres said the world economy, with American companies becoming multi-national, has built-in dangers. Instead of just insuring your companies against fire, you have to insure them against political fire, he said.

Peres said the world would be better off if countries worked to make their neighbors stronger, not weaker. It doesnt make sense to help them become poor. It makes sense to help them become rich, he said.

He offered this caution that seems especially timely today: Whether we have a first-class ticket or a third-class ticket, were all on the same ship. Terrorists on the ship are as dangerous as the seas. So keep an eye on the passengers.

He ended his talk at NIACC that night with an illustration. He told of a rabbi and two students discussing how to determine when night turns to day.

One student said it is when you can look out into a field and determine whether an animal you see is a lamb or a goat.

The other student said it is when you can determine whether a tree in the distance is a fig tree or an olive tree.

The old rabbi shook his head and told them they were both wrong.

You can tell that night has turned to day, he said, when a white man sees a black man and a rich man sees a poor man and when a powerful man sees a weak man  and can call him brother.
Sir Stanley Wells

PROFESSOR Sir Stanley Wells, Honorary President of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust was awarded the British Academy's President's Medal at a prestigious awards ceremony on Tuesday.

Professor Sir Stanley Wells said: I am delighted to receive this award from Britain's most august academic institution with which I have been associated for many years. I feel myself most fortunate in having been able to spend so much of my life in the company of Shakespeare and of those who admire and enjoy his works. Throughout my career as teacher and scholar I have enjoyed and benefited enormously from collaborating with fellow scholars from all over the world, and I hope they will share my pleasure in receiving this award."

The prestigious Presidents Medal for services to the humanities and social sciences is awarded to individuals who play important roles in Britains cultural life.

The 2016 winners are: the bestselling author and acclaimed historian Dame Hilary Mantel; Professor Sir Stanley Wells, Honorary President of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Emeritus Professor of Shakespeare Studies at the University of Birmingham, and Honorary Emeritus Governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company; Dr Roger Bland, Visiting Professor at the University of Leicester, formerly Keeper of the Department of Prehistory and Europe at the British Museum and founder of the Portable Antiquities Scheme to record archaeological objects found by the public; and Dr Leofranc Holford-Strevens, who held the positions of proof-reader, copy editor and finally Consultant Scholar Editor at Oxford University Press from 1971 until his retirement in 2011.
Cleopatra-to-be Josette Simon with publicity images for Titus Andronicus and Coriolanus

After the RSC announced its spring/summer 2017 season earlier this week, artistic director Greg Doran chatted to Gill Sutherland about the exciting new Rome-themed programme

RSC Artistic Director Greg Doran

How and why did you decide upon the Rome season for spring/summer 2017?

In terms of working our way through the canon, Id always planned on putting the Rome plays together  like Trevor Nunn did in 1972. Theres a real conversation between the plays. Theres a reason why Shakespeare starts to look at Rome for the source of his material rather than British history, which he had done up until that point. His greatest source material is Ovids Metamorphoses. I have always loved Ovid and always wanted to do something on him, and I noticed he died in AD17  so, 2,000 years ago. Yes weve got centenaryitis!

So 2,000 years on you want to reintroduce the audience to Ovid?

There is a serious reason to celebrate him. His stories provided Shakespeare the landscape of his imagination, but Ive noticed over the years that actors and audiences have less understanding and access to those stories. When that happens there comes a point where directors start cutting out these classical allusions because they dont mean anything to anyone. But surely the better thing for the RSC would be to find ways of reinvigorating and retelling his stories.

So weve been working with other companies, poets and storytellers to think of ways of reengaging with Ovid. Weve chosen ten of those stories over the year we can relook at; which includes my revival of the Venus & Adonis puppet masque [from 2004].

These are fraught political times  Brexit, the American election, Syria  will the staging of these Rome plays capitalise on that?

I think whenever you do a Shakespeare play he acts like a magnet that attracts all the iron filings that are going on in the world  so you cant not, in a way, reference current events. In July, for instance, we did an event at Downing Street a week after Brexit when Gove had stabbed Boris in the back and there were just so many references to Julius Caesar!

These plays are not exactly fluffy  how are you going to draw an audience in that are less entertained by the heavyweight stuff?

Theres a balance over the whole programme. Opposite whats on at the main house, we are looking at Plautus comedies  Shakespeare of course looked at his play The Menaechmi as a source for The Comedy of Errors. I thought it would be great to go back to them because they are so little known, except tangentially via Up Pompeii! or A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

So Phil Porter [The Christmas Truce writer] has done an amazingly delightful adaptation, Vice Versa, inspired by Plautus. Its hysterically funny, and Janice Honeyman is directing, and shes one of the funniest people I know.

Were also doing Salome at the Swan. I wanted to find some way of marking 50 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales, and as Oscar Wilde [who wrote the play] was in Reading Gaol when it was first performed [in 1896] it seemed a good moment. Then Dido is really the last of the major Marlowe plays  its taken us 30 years to get through the canon. It is based on Virgils Aeneid, so again great to look at that in context.

Angus Jackson, who recently directed Don Quixote and Oppenheimer, is the Rome season director, has it been easy to hand over the reins?

Absolutely! Ive been longing to do it! We knew 2016 was going to be huge and busy and that wed damned better know what we were doing in 2017. I have done all those Roman plays and once youve done a Shakespeare play you always establish a special relationship with it, and I didnt want to find myself going back.

Angus is a brilliant director. One of the important jobs as artistic director is to make sure that when I come to the end of my regime, as it were, there are other people chomping at the bit to take over the reins. Thats not imminent is it? I dont think so! In my head most of the RSC artistic directors tend to do about ten years  so Ive got a few more years in me yet before Im pushed out! And Ive still got the rest of the canon to do

The RSC is sometimes accused of not being part of the local community. Youve done a lot recently to change some of those perceptions  like the local actors and schoolchildren taking part in Dream 16. Is that ethos carrying on in 2017?

Most definitely. We are planning a promenade performance of Julius Caesar, involving 14 local schools and Stratford College. Its a chance for kids to get really inspired and engaged  not just with Shakespeare but with their own inner confidence.

What are you particularly looking forward to?

Josette Simon coming back as Cleopatra, shes a great talent. She first joined the company in 1982, playing Iris to Helen Mirrens Cleopatra, so its great shes back, and long overdue that we have a black actor playing Cleopatra. Im also really looking forward to The Hypocrite  its so funny and playwright Richard Bean is a genius storyteller.

So any hints as to other big name actors?

Its bubbling along nicely! Im afraid I will have to leave that to Angus.

Youve also got the premiere of Snow in Midsummer, the first in your project translating Chinese classics for the British stage. Why should we go and see it?

Quite simply its a really great play. Like The Orphan of Zhao [the 13th century Chinese story adapted and performed by the RSC in 212], which was shatteringly moving, Snow in Midsummer is an amazing story about social injustice. Writer Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig has breathed new life into this wonderful classic.

See details of the upcoming season at www.rsc.org.uk
Iran and Saudi ministers said to not have met in Algiers - Seda via Bloomberg
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OPEC said to reach deal to limit oil production, according to Reuters.

The group is said to agree to a 32.5 million barrel/day production limit.
Alaska Airlines will launch historic new flying to Havana, Cuba on Jan. 5, 2017. The daily nonstop flight from Los Angeles is among the first regularly scheduled commercial flights to the island country in more than 50 years, and is the only nonstop flight to Cuba from the West Coast.

"This is a historic year for U.S. travelers, who can now fly to Cuba from the U.S. on scheduled commercial service for the first time in more than 50 years," said Andrew Harrison, Alaska's chief commercial officer. "We'd like to thank the U.S. Department of Transportation for providing Alaska Airlines the opportunity to operate the only daily, nonstop flight from the West Coast to Cuba."

The flights were awarded by the DOT in August, and remain subject to approval by the Cuban aviation authorities.

With the addition of flights to Cuba, customers traveling from Los Angeles can reach 22 destinations on Alaska Airlines' more than 275 weekly flights, and 84 nonstop destinations worldwide via Alaska's expansive global partner network.

"We are focused on strengthening our presence in the Los Angeles area, with daily service to 25 destinations from four area airports," said Harrison. "With the addition of nonstop flights to and from two cities in Costa Rica last fall, and now Havana, we'll offer up to 87 peak season weekly departures from Southern California to Latin America."

Schedule of new service:

Start date City pair Departs Arrives Frequency Jan. 5 Los Angeles-Havana 8:50 a.m. 4:55 p.m. Daily Jan. 5 Havana-Los Angeles 5:55 p.m. 8:45 p.m. Daily

All times based on local time zones

Customers flying from Seattle and Anchorage, Alaska will also enjoy convenient connections to the new route.

Travel to Cuba requires advance planning. The U.S. government does not currently allow U.S. citizens or travelers flying on U.S. airlines to visit Cuba strictly for tourism. Travelers must fall into one of 12 approved categories, including family visits, educational activities and public performances or exhibitions.

To aid customers interested in visiting Cuba, Alaska is working with Cuba Travel Services, the leading travel company serving the destination with more than 17 years of experience. Customers are encouraged to contact Cuba Travel Services for assistance securing travel visas, hotel lodging, and ground transportation and creating itineraries, among other things.

"We are proud to build a new partnership with Alaska Airlines and excited to contribute in their efforts," said Michael Zuccato, General Manager at Cuba Travel Services.
FreeSeas Inc. (OTC: FREEF) announced that on September 26, 2016, it sold to unrelated third parties the M/V Free Maverick, a 1998-built, 23,994 dwt Handysize dry bulk carrier for a sale price of $1,925,000 and her mortgage was discharged.
MASON CITY  Work on county road B-35 will be done by Thanksgiving  with reasonable weather  County Engineer Mary Kelly told the Board of Supervisors Tuesday.

The work involves widening a 2.5-mile stretch of the old Highway 106 that runs parallel to the Trolley Trail between Mason City and Clear Lake. The work has also included adding turning lanes at the intersections of Jonquil, Killdeer and Lark avenues.

The $4.1 million project began in April and was tentatively scheduled to be done in October  and then the rains came.

Kelly said rainfall in the county has been close to 30 inches since June and has caused incremental delays in completing the B-35 and other projects. The crews are frustrated, she said. The rain has definitely delayed the process.

Kelly said as of Tuesday morning, six county roads were still closed due to last weeks heavy rain. At one point Thursday, 50 roads were closed, she said.

There were three spots where culverts were washed out. The eastern half of the county was hit the hardest, but overall it was not horrible. It was certainly not like what happened in Floyd County, said Kelly.
The logo of Anheuser-Busch InBev is pictured outside the brewer's headquarters in Leuven, Belgium February 25, 2016. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

By Martinne Geller and Philip Blenkinsop

LONDON/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - SABMiller (NYSE: SAB) shareholders overwhelmingly backed the brewer's $100 billion-plus takeover by Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: ABI) on Wednesday, clearing the last big hurdle for one of the largest corporate mergers in history.

The combined group will sell more than a quarter of all beers sold worldwide and be the fifth largest consumer goods company. For the maker of Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois it provides entry into Africa and large fast-growing Latin American markets such as Colombia and Peru.

It will also cut its revenue from mature markets North America and Europe to 37 from 47 percent.

AB InBev's 79 billion pound ($102.85 billion) bid passed in a meeting at a London Park Lane hotel lasting less than half an hour, overseen by Chairman Jan du Plessis, who fielded only two questions from shareholders.

It secured support representing 95.5 percent of SABMiller share value, having needed at least 75 percent to succeed.

In an earlier meeting in Brussels, AB InBev Chief Executive Carlos Brito said the new entity would continue to be called Anheuser-Busch InBev, eschewing any corporate reference to SABMiller, founded 120 years ago in South Africa. The brewer had changed its name after transformative deals in the past, such as InBev's 2008 takeover of Anheuser-Busch.

"They can call it what they wish. That's the way life works and that's fine," du Plessis told reporters after the meeting. "It's what it is."

He added that AB InBev were paying "a full price".

NOT A GIVEN

The approval of SAB shareholders was widely expected, but not a given. Criticism of the takeover offer grew after a steep fall in sterling following Britain's vote to leave the European Union made AB InBev's cash offer less appealing.

Activist shareholders pressured SAB to seek a higher offer, prompting AB InBev to sweeten its bid in July.

SAB backed the higher offer, and its two largest shareholders, cigarette maker Altria Group (NYSE: MO) and the Santo Domingo family of Colombia, who together control about 40 percent of the shares, gave their support and did not vote on Wednesday. However, some prominent shareholders, including Aberdeen Asset Management, continued to oppose it.

"We are obviously disappointed with, but not surprised by, the result," Aberdeen said in a statement, adding it felt the final price still "significantly undervalued" SABMiller.

Despite hedge funds piling into the stock over the summer in the hope of a higher offer, Thomson Reuters data showed just six hedge funds with a collective investment of $211 million remained shareholders as the deal crossed the line.

The lion's share of that, $199 million, was held by New York-based Soroban Capital, with smaller positions held by HBK Investments, Platinum Capital Management, Elliott Management, Farallon Capital Management and Davidson Kempner Capital.

Cost-conscious AB InBev expects to extract at least $1.4 billion in annual cost savings after four years, it said, in addition to the $1.05 billion already announced by SABMiller. Given the company's history of easily beating such targets, broker Jefferies sees it achieving $3 billion in savings.

The new company will sell off joint venture stakes in the United States and China, to satisfy antitrust regulators, divest Peroni and Grolsch and kick off a sale process for SAB's central and eastern European brands, estimated to be worth up to 7 billion euros.

Still, competition in individual markets will not change radically as the two companies have little geographic overlap.

(Additional reporting by Simon Jessop in London; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
LA MESA, Calif. (PRWEB) September 28, 2016

Benjamin E. Jenkins realizes his three daughters are all growing up in a world that seems to be overly influenced by greed and selfishness. This realization inspired him to write "Hamagel: The Story of Three Sisters-Volume I: Rise of the Industry," (published by iUniverse) a gripping tale about a classic struggle between good and evil.

The first in a planned trilogy, this book follows the journey of Hattie, Margaret and Ellen, three sisters who are on a vital mission to save their world from an evil enemy. As they confront and combat greed and selfishness, they must rely on each other, friends and allies to overcome evil and corruption. Will they usher in a new era for their land or it is too late for all of them?

"This volume is a classic story of the struggle between good and evil," Jenkins says. "The sisters and their allies struggle in a male-dominated, often malevolent society surrounded by greed, selfishness and corruption."

"Hamagel: The Story of Three Sisters" reflects on women empowerment and hopes to leave readers with a sense that females are strong and capable leaders and heroes as well.

"Hamagel: The Story of Three Sisters"

By Benjamin E. Jenkins

Softcover | 6 x 9in | 154 pages | ISBN 9781491777626

E-Book | 154 pages | ISBN 9781491777633

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Benjamin E. Jenkins was born in Lincolnton, North Carolina. He joined the U.S. Navy after graduating from high school and attended the University of Idaho on an NROTC scholarship. Jenkins has since retired after 24 years of active duty service. He currently resides in San Diego with his wife, Sharon, and their three daughters.

iUniverse, an Author Solutions, LLC, self-publishing imprint, is the leading book marketing, editorial services, and supported self-publishing provider. iUniverse has a strategic alliance with Indigo Books & Music, Inc. in Canada, and titles accepted into the iUniverse Rising Star program are featured in a special collection on BarnesandNoble.com. iUniverse recognizes excellence in book publishing through the Star, Reader's Choice, Rising Star and Editor's Choice designations--self-publishing's only such awards program. Headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, iUniverse also operates offices in Indianapolis. For more information or to publish a book, please visit iuniverse.com or call 1-800-AUTHORS. For the latest, follow @iuniversebooks on Twitter.

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/Hamagel/TheStoryofThreeSisters/prweb13717653.htm
CINCINNATI, Sept. 28, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cincinnati Bell Inc. (NYSE: CBB) will host a conference call on Wednesday, November 2, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. (ET) to discuss its financial results for the third quarter of 2016, which will be issued before the market opens that day.

The conference call dial-in number is (888) 397-5350. Callers located outside of the U.S. and Canada may dial (719) 325-2449. To participate, please call 15 minutes prior to the start time. A taped replay of the conference call will be available approximately one hour after the conclusion of the call until 1:00 p.m. (ET) on Wednesday, November 16, 2016.

Replay Number: (888) 203-1112Replay Number (outside U.S. and Canada): (719) 457-0820Replay Passcode: 8137299

Cincinnati Bell will conduct a live webcast of the conference call. To access the webcast, go to the Investor Relations section of www.cincinnatibell.com, click on the Webcasts/Presentations option and follow the instructions. Please plan to register for the live webcast at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled presentation start time. The archived webcast will be available for replay following the conclusion of the live event.

About Cincinnati Bell Inc. With headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, Cincinnati Bell Inc. (NYSE: CBB) provides integrated communications solutions  including local and long distance voice, data, high-speed Internet and video  that keep residential and business customers in Greater Cincinnati and Dayton connected with each other and with the world. In addition, enterprise customers across the United States rely on CBTS, a wholly-owned subsidiary, for efficient, scalable office communications systems and end-to-end IT solutions. For more information, please visit www.cincinnatibell.com.

Cincinnati Bell Inc. Investor contact: Josh Duckworth, +1 513-397-2292 [email protected] or Media contact: Jane Weiler, +1 513-397-9941 [email protected]

Source: Cincinnati Bell Inc
BOSTON, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Exchange students arrived at Bunker Hill Community College, one of 14 colleges across 11 states, to participate in the 2016-2017 Community College Initiative (CCI) Program. A program of the U.S. State Department, the CCI Program provides participants with quality education at U.S. community colleges and is designed to build technical skills, enhance leadership capabilities and strengthen their English language proficiency.

Participants enroll at BHCC in one-year college certificate programs in workforce development fields, with opportunities for professional internships, service learning and community engagement activities. After completing the program, participants ultimately return home with a deeper understanding of U.S. culture and new skills to help them contribute to the economic growth and development of their countries.

CCI participants also contribute to their U.S. host communities by helping community colleges to internationalize their campuses. According to the 2015 Open Doors Report, fewer than 2% of U.S. community college students will gain 21st-century international experience and workforce skills through study abroad. "In addition to the nearly 1000 international students enrolled at BHCC, our international exchange students provide an invaluable world view to our campuses," says Maria Puente, Interim Dean of Mathematics, Behavioral and Social Sciences. CCI exchange participants engage community college students with international cultures and diverse perspectives in their U.S. classrooms and on their home campuses.

Since 2007, the CCI Consortium has hosted more than 2,600 participants from 20 countries at US community colleges in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. As of 2013, the CCI Program has hosted more than 47 participants from eight countries at Bunker Hill Community College. Participants come from underserved and underrepresented communities. This year, CCI participants at BHCC are from Egypt, Pakistan, Colombia, India, Ghana, South Africa, Indonesia and Turkey.

For further information, please contact the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at [email protected]. For more information about international enrollment and the CCI Program at BHCC, contact Zoisa Edwards, CCI Program Coordinator at 617-936-1912.

Media Contact:Karen M. Norton, Executive Director of Integrated Marketing and CommunicationsBunker Hill Community College, Boston, MA 02129Phone: 617-228-2177; Email: [email protected]

Bunker Hill Community College is the largest community college in Massachusetts. The College enrolls more than 14,000 students on two campuses and at three satellite locations. BHCC is one of the most diverse institutions of higher education in Massachusetts. Sixty-four percent of the students are people of color and more than half of BHCC's students are women. The College also enrolls nearly 1000 international students who come from approximately 100 countries and speak more than 75 languages.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/exchange-participants-build-workforce-and-leadership-skills-at-bunker-hill-community-college-300335900.html

SOURCE Bunker Hill Community College
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- To meet the growing consumer appetite for Uber, Lyft, Split and other on-demand services, GEICO has just introduced its low-cost ridesharing product to 10 more states (Alabama, Idaho, Kansas, Delaware, Maine, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri and North Dakota), in addition to the product being offered in 24 states and the District of Columbia.

"The growing demand for ridesharing services is rapidly reshaping the country's transportation landscape," said Othello Powell, GEICO's director of commercial lines. "As more and more consumers latch on to its popularity, we will continue to offer on-demand drivers the best insurance product at the lowest price to address their needs."

Not long ago, rideshare drivers didnt have many options when it came to auto insurance. Most policies only covered the portion of the trip that drivers were signed in to a ridesharing app and offered limited coverage options to one specific transportation network company.

GEICOs ridesharing insurance product rolled onto the market last year as a game-changer, answering the specific insurance needs of on-demand drivers. GEICO combined the coverage options of two separate policies into a single policy, eliminating the coverage gap between ridesharing and personal use whether or not if the driver is logged into the transportation network company's app. GEICO also offers drivers the flexibility to work with multiple transportation network companies.

Powell noted that GEICO is constantly looking at ways to keep pace with the evolving nature of ridesharing services. "It makes a world of difference when we receive positive feedback from drivers who say GEICO is listening and responding to their needs."

GEICO's ridesharing product is now offered through the company's Commercial division at a price typically much lower than taxi and commercial rates. More details about GEICOs ridesharing product can be found at www.geico.com/ridesharing-insurance.

GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies and is the second-largest private passenger auto insurance company in the United States. GEICO, which was founded in 1936, provides millions of auto insurance quotes to U.S. drivers annually. The company is pleased to serve more than 14 million private passenger customers, insuring more than 23 million vehicles (auto & cycle).

Using GEICOs online service center, policyholders can purchase policies, make policy changes, report claims and print insurance ID cards. Policyholders can also connect to GEICO through the GEICO App, reach a representative over the phone or visit a GEICO local agent.

GEICO also provides insurance quotes on motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), boats, travel trailers and motorhomes (RVs). Coverage for life, homes and apartments is written by non-affiliated insurance companies and is secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Inc. Commercial auto insurance and personal umbrella protection are also available.

For more information, go to www.geico.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928006515/en/

GEICO Communications

[email protected]

To view GEICO's Blog: https://www.geico.com/more/

Source: GEICO
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- Gold Resource Corporation (NYSE MKT: GORO) (the "Company") declares its monthly instituted dividend of 1/6 of a cent per common share for September 2016 payable on October 24, 2016 to shareholders of record as of October 11, 2016. Gold Resource Corporation is a gold and silver producer with operations in Oaxaca, Mexico and exploration and development properties in Nevada, USA.

The Company has returned $108 million to shareholders in monthly dividends since commercial production commenced July 1, 2010, and offers shareholders the option to convert their cash dividends and take delivery in physical gold and silver. For more information on Gold Resource Corporation's physical dividend program, visit the Company website at http://goldresourcecorp.com/gold-silver-dividends.php.

Dividends may vary in amount and consistency or be discontinued at the Board of Directors' discretion depending on variables including but not limited to operational cash flows, Company development requirements and strategies, construction, spot gold and silver prices, taxation, general market conditions and other factors described in the Cautionary Statements below and the Company's public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

About GRC:

Gold Resource Corporation is a mining company focused on production and pursuing development of gold and silver projects that feature low operating costs and produce high returns on capital. The Company has exploration, development and production from multiple potential high-grade gold and silver properties at its Oaxaca, Mexico Mining Unit and its Nevada, USA, Mining Unit. The Company has 56,481,874 shares outstanding, zero warrants, zero debt and has returned $108 million back to shareholders since commercial production commenced July 1, 2010. Gold Resource Corporation offers shareholders the option to convert their cash dividends into physical gold and silver and take delivery. For more information, please visit GRC's website, located at www.Goldresourcecorp.com and read the Company's 10-K for an understanding of the risk factors involved.

Cautionary Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. When used in this press release, the words "plan", "target", "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the statements regarding Gold Resource Corporation's strategy, future plans for production, future expenses and costs, future liquidity and capital resources, and estimates of mineralized material. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon information available to Gold Resource Corporation on the date of this press release, and the company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed in this press release. In particular, there can be no assurance that production will continue at any specific rate. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in the Company's 10-K filed with the SEC.

Contacts: Corporate Development Greg Patterson 303-320-7708 www.Goldresourcecorp.com

Source: Gold Resource Corporation
TULSA, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Oklahomas largest provider of security and smart home solutions, Guardian Security Systems, has been selected as one of the Best Places to Work in Oklahoma, an annual list created by okc.BIZ and Best Companies Group. Guardian Security Systems is part of Central Security Group, a Top 10 provider of security and smart home solutions in the United States and an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private company.

Founded more than 40 years ago, Guardian Security Systems also is the states oldest security company, operating branch offices in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. From these branches, the company provides professional consulting and installation of security and smart home automation systems for home and business owners. The companys state-of-the-art monitoring and customer care center in Tulsa monitors more than 215,000 homes and businesses and supports the companys network of branches across the United States.

Companies selected as Best Places to Work were evaluated for their workplace policies, practices, philosophy, and demographics, as well as an anonymous employee survey to measure the employee experience. This award program was designed to identify, recognize, and honor the best places of employment in Oklahoma, benefiting the state's economy, its work force and businesses.

At Guardian Security Systems, we make team involvement, open communications, and happy, empowered employees a priority, fostering continuous feedback and ideas, said Kent Morris, Central Security Groups Director of Customer Experience and Call Centers. As a result, we put in place benefits, initiatives, and career development opportunities that help retain top employees and attract new ones. Our teams enthusiasm and pride in our company translates into outstanding service and satisfaction for our customers. Were extremely proud to have earned this award along with recent recognition as the 5th largest provider of residential security in the nation and an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company.

In Oklahoma and beyond, Guardian Security Systems and Central Security Group serve home and business owners in 17 states, through 12 branch offices. The company also operates an extensive Authorized Dealer Program. Its core services include its Alert 360 interactive and wireless security, home automation, remote video monitoring, energy management solutions, 24/7 alarm monitoring, plus remote control and access using the companys free Alert 360 mobile app.

For more information on the Best Places to Work in Oklahoma program, visit http://www.bestplacestoworkok.com.

About Central Security Group and Guardian Security Systems

With its mobile-friendly Alert 360 offering, CSG is a Top 10 national provider of monitored security and smart home solutions to homes and businesses in the United States and was named as a 2016 Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Privately Held Company in America. The company operates local service branches in 12 cities, offering alarm monitoring, interactive security, home automation and energy management services that provide comfort and peace of mind for more than 215,000 home and business owners from coast to coast. The company also operates Guardian Security Systems, Oklahomas largest security company for 40 years, and maintains a state-of-the-art monitoring and customer service center in Tulsa, Okla. For more information, visit www.csg-guardian.com or www.CentralSecurityGroup.com. Media inquiries only: Robin Jacobson Lampe, [email protected]. Ph.: 785-221-6569.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005937/en/

Guardian Security Systems

Media inquiries only:

Robin Jacobson Lampe, 785-221-6569

[email protected]

Source: Guardian Security Systems
SINGAPORE and PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- InterOil Corporation (NYSE: IOC, POMSox: IOC) today provided the following update regarding InterOil's pending transaction with Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM) ("the transaction"):

As previously disclosed, the closing of the transaction with ExxonMobil requires a final order from the Supreme Court of Yukon. The hearing was held on September 27 and the court is considering the matter, including an objection filed by Phil Mulacek.

Completion of the transaction prior to the end of September would require issuance of a final order no later than the close of business on Thursday, September 29. ExxonMobil and InterOil intend to close the transaction promptly after the final order is obtained.

About InterOil

InterOil Corporation is an independent oil and gas business with a sole focus on Papua New Guinea. InterOil's assets include one of Asia's largest undeveloped gas fields, Elk-Antelope, in the Gulf Province, and exploration licenses covering about 16,000sqkm. Its main offices are in Singapore and Port Moresby. InterOil is listed on the New York and Port Moresby stock exchanges.

Investor Contacts

Singapore United States David Wu Senior Vice President Investor Relations Cynthia Black Investor Relations North America T: +65 6507 0222 E: [email protected] T: +1 212 653 9778 E: [email protected]

Media Contacts

Singapore United States Ann Lee Communications Specialist James Golden / Aaron Palash Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher T: +65 6507 0222 E: [email protected] T: +1 212 355 4449 E: [email protected]

Forward Looking Statements

This communication includes "forward-looking statements". All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this communication are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements regarding the pending transaction with ExxonMobil, the timing to consummate the proposed transaction with ExxonMobil, the ability to satisfy the conditions to consummation of the proposed transaction, and the timing or outcome of the resource certification process for the Elk-Antelope field as applicable to the CRP. These statements are based on the current belief of InterOil, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to InterOil. No assurances can be given however, that these events will occur. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of InterOil, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied or expressed by the forward-looking statements. These include in particular assumptions, risks and uncertainties relating to the risk that a condition to closing of the proposed acquisition may not be satisfied, the timing or outcome of the resource certification process for the Elk-Antelope field as applicable to the CRP and other risk factors discussed in InterOil's management information circular dated August 16, 2016, its annual report for the year ended December 31, 2015 on Form 40-F and its Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2015, and under the heading "Factors Affecting Future Results" available through the "Investors" section on ExxonMobil's website and in Item 1A of ExxonMobil's 2015 Form 10-K. InterOil disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable laws. References to gas resources in this release may include amounts that ExxonMobil or InterOil believe will ultimately be produced but that are not yet classified as "proved reserves" under U.S. SEC definitions.

Legal Notice

None of the securities anticipated to be issued pursuant to the ExxonMobil transaction have been or will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and any securities issued pursuant to the ExxonMobil transaction are anticipated to be issued in reliance upon available exemptions from such registration requirements pursuant to Section 3(a)(10) of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable exemptions under state securities laws. This document does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

There can be no assurance that the transaction with ExxonMobil will occur. The ExxonMobil transaction is subject to certain approvals and the fulfillment of certain conditions, and there can be no assurance that any such approvals will be obtained and/or any such conditions will be met.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/interoil-provides-update-on-exxonmobil-transaction-300335541.html

SOURCE InterOil Corporation
GLENWOOD, Ill., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Landauer, Inc. (NYSE: LDR), a recognized leader in personal and environmental radiation measurement and monitoring and outsourced medical physics services, today announced that Teri G. Fontenot has been appointed to the Board of Directors, effective September 28, 2016, expanding the Company's Board to nine directors.

Ms. Fontenot has nearly 35 years of experience in leading healthcare organizations. She is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of Woman's Hospital, a Level III regional referral hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana dedicated to women's and infants' healthcare, a position she has held since 1996.

In addition, the Board of Directors announced that, effective at the Company's 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, Robert Cronin, Lead Independent Director, will retire from the Board, as required by the retirement policy set forth in the Company's Governance and Nominating Standards. Current Landauer director, William G. Dempsey, will succeed Mr. Cronin as Lead Independent Director of the Board, effective October 1, 2016. William G. Dempsey joined Landauer's Board of Directors in 2008.

Michael T. Leatherman, Executive Chairman of the Board said, "It is a great pleasure to welcome Teri to the Board. Teri is a proven leader in the healthcare industry and, in addition, brings a wealth of financial experience to Landauer. Her expertise will be invaluable to better understand customer needs as Landauer continues to broaden its products and services targeted at the healthcare industry."

Mr. Leatherman continued, "On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Bob for his service and valuable contributions during his tenure. Landauer has made significant progress over the past few years, and it is clear the Company is well positioned to continue executing its growth strategy and capitalize on the substantial market opportunities ahead."

Teri Fontenot Biography Teri Fontenot has a breadth of healthcare leadership and finance experience. She is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of Woman's Hospital, a Level III regional referral hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana dedicated to women's and infants' healthcare, a position she has held since 1996. Ms. Fontenot joined Woman's Hospital in January 1992 and has held a variety of roles during her tenure, including Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. She previously served as Chair of the American Hospital Association and as a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Board, as well as a member of the NIH industry committee. She is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Mississippi and a Master of Business Administration from Northeast Louisiana University.

About Landauer Landauer is a leading global provider of technical and analytical services to determine occupational and environmental radiation exposure, as well as the leading domestic provider of outsourced medical physics services. For more than 50 years, the Company has provided complete radiation dosimetry services to hospitals, medical and dental offices, universities, national laboratories, nuclear facilities and other industries in which radiation poses a potential threat to employees. Landauer's services include the manufacture of various types of radiation detection monitors, the distribution and collection of the monitors to and from customers, and the analysis and reporting of exposure findings. The Company provides its dosimetry services to approximately 1.8 million individuals globally. In addition, through its Medical Physics segment, the Company provides therapeutic and imaging physics services to the medical physics community. For information about Landauer, please visit their website at http://www.landauer.com.

For the latest news releases and other corporate documents on Landauer, Inc., visit www.landauer.com

For Further Information Contact: Michael DeGraff Sard Verbinnen & Co Phone: 312.895.4734 Email: [email protected]

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/landauer-inc-appoints-teri-fontenot-to-board-of-directors-300335916.html

SOURCE Landauer, Inc.
IRVINE, Calif., and HERSTAL, Belgium, Sept. 28, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MDxHealth SA (Euronext: MDXH.BR), today announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with The European Health Centre Innovation (EHC Innovation) to offer its SelectMDx(TM) for Prostate Cancer and ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer tests to their urology customers throughout Poland.

Under the terms of the agreement, EHC Innovation will be one of two exclusive distributors of SelectMDx in Poland and the only exclusive distributor of ConfirmMDx. Samples will be sent to MDxHealth's state-of-the-art clinical diagnostic laboratory in Nijmegen, The Netherlands for analysis. EHC Innovation will reimburse MDxHealth for all testing services.

"We are delighted to announce our collaboration with The European Health Centre Innovation which, as part of European Health Center Otwock Hospital, is the most technologically advanced multispecialty diagnostic centre in Poland. We believe that SelectMDx and ConfirmMDx perfectly complement EHC Innovation's existing portfolio of advanced diagnostic tools," commented Dr. Jan Groen, CEO of MDxHealth. "With a strong reputation throughout the region and focus on improving patient care and outcomes, EHC Innovation is an ideal partner to help us raise awareness and expand access to SelectMDx and ConfirmMDx within the urology community."

About SelectMDx for Prostate Cancer

Of the nearly 2 million prostate biopsies performed each year, less than a third find cancer. Most of these men could have avoided a painful and invasive prostate biopsy procedure, with its associated complications and costs. SelectMDx for Prostate Cancer is a proprietary urine-based, molecular diagnostic test that offers a non-invasive 'liquid biopsy' method to assess a man's risk for prostate cancer. SelectMDx helps identify men at increased risk of harbouring aggressive, potentially lethal, prostate cancer who may benefit most from a prostate biopsy and earlier detection. The test delivers a negative predictive value (NPV) of 98% for clinically significant disease, helping to reduce unnecessary MRI procedures and invasive prostate biopsies by approximately 50%, thereby reducing healthcare costs.

About ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer

ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer is the first epigenetic, and only tissue-based test in the 2016 NCCN Guidelines for early detection of prostate cancer which addresses false negative biopsy concerns. It is the only molecular diagnostic test that provides a very high negative predictive value (NPV) of 96% for clinically significant prostate cancers, and 90% NPV for all prostate cancers, as well as prostate mapping of the test results to help guide repeat biopsies. Each year, more than 1 million American men undergo an invasive prostate biopsy with a negative result, however approximately 30% of those men actually have prostate cancer. The current standard of care for prostate biopsy procedures samples less than 1% of the prostate, leaving men at risk for undetected cancer and leading to a high rate of repeat biopsies, even on cancer-free men. ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer helps urologists identify low-risk men who may forego an unnecessary repeat biopsy and high-risk men who may benefit from intervention. To date more than 3,000 urologists have ordered ConfirmMDx on more than 45,000 patients. ConfirmMDx has qualified for Medicare, Medicare Advantage and many private reimbursement plans.

About The European Health Centre Innovation

EHC Innovation conducts activities in implementing and providing patients with innovative therapies that can increase the chances of cancer treatment and improve quality and comfort of life. Being a part of the European Health Centre Otwock Hospital which amalgamates tradition with innovation in their entirely renovated facility offering a 96 beds hospital with 4 operating rooms and a speciality focus in Urology, Cardiology, Oncology, Onco-Surgery, General Surgery, Gynaecology and Orthopaedics. The European Health Centre Otwock is one of the most technologically advanced centres in Eastern Europe offering their patient's access to modern diagnostics testing, innovative treatments and one of the most technologically advanced radiology diagnostic centres throughout the region. For more information, visit http://www.inn4health.com.

About MDxHealth

MDxHealth is a multinational healthcare company that provides actionable molecular diagnostic information to personalize the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The company's tests are based on proprietary gene methylation (epigenetic) and other molecular technologies and assist physicians with the diagnosis of cancer, prognosis of recurrence risk, and prediction of response to a specific therapy. For more information, visit mdxhealth.com and follow us on Twitter at: twitter.com/mdxhealth.

For more information: Dr. Jan Groen, CEO MDxHealth US: +1 949 812 6979 BE: +32 4 364 20 70 [email protected] Jonathan Birt, Chris Welsh, Hendrik Thys, Cameron Standage (PR & IR) Consilium Strategic Communications UK: +44 20 3709 5701 US: + 1 917 322 2571 (Rx Communications Group LLC) [email protected]

This press release contains forward-looking statements and estimates with respect to the anticipated future performance of MDxHealth and the market in which it operates. Such statements and estimates are based on assumptions and assessments of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which were deemed reasonable but may not prove to be correct. Actual events are difficult to predict, may depend upon factors that are beyond the company's control, and may turn out to be materially different. MDxHealth expressly disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements in this release to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based unless required by law or regulation. This press release does not constitute an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities or assets of MDxHealth in any jurisdiction. No securities of MDxHealth may be offered or sold within the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or in compliance with an exemption therefrom, and in accordance with any applicable U.S. securities laws.

NOTE: The MDxHealth logo, MDxHealth, ConfirmMDx, SelectMDx, AssureMDx and PredictMDx are trademarks or registered trademarks of MDxHealth SA. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

To access the PDF version, click here http://hugin.info/137314/R/2044996/763754.pdf

Source: MdxHealth (TM)
Company to Offer Great Deals, Exciting Sweepstakes During the Month of October

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Newegg, the top tech-focused e-retailer in North America, is celebrating this years Gametober with great deals on the latest gaming gear, and a pair of sweepstakes with prizes tailor-made for video game enthusiasts. Each October gamers await the release of new titles and video game accessories as publishers and vendors prepare for the holiday rush. This year, with gaming popularity fueled by the rise of virtual reality (VR) and eSports, Newegg will be the best place to find everything gamers need.

PC gaming is on the rise this year as VR and Pro gamers take center stage. This Gametober, Newegg will be the place for everyone to join the fun. We have the right equipment at great prices, said Merle McIntosh, Newegg SVP of Sales & Marketing.

Newegg will kick-off Gametober October 1 with a 72-hour flash sale with deep discounts on video game accessories across all categories, from gaming laptops to components, and everything in between. Also during Gametober, Newegg will partner with some of the biggest names in tech  including Asus, Intel, MSI and Nvidia  to offer exclusive deals.

In addition to great deals on gaming products, customers who shop Gametober will have the opportunity to enter two sweepstakes:

Newegg and Intels GEARUP4VR Giveaway features a trio of prizes with HTC Vive VR headsets matched with three different VR-ready PCs, including a $5K custom-built ABS gaming PC, an MSI VR-ready laptop, and a budget-friendly ABS VR-ready desktop.

features a trio of prizes with HTC Vive VR headsets matched with three different VR-ready PCs, including a $5K custom-built ABS gaming PC, an MSI VR-ready laptop, and a budget-friendly ABS VR-ready desktop. The WD Store-N-Go Sweepstakes gives customers the chance to win great prizes, including a 2016 Vespa Primavera 150, an ultimate ABS gaming PC with more than 12TB of WD storage valued at over $5K, and an 8TB WD personal NAS storage system.

For more information about Neweggs Gametober sweepstakes, visit http://www.newegg.com/gametober. And visit www.newegg.com regularly throughout the month of October to stay up to date on Neweggs Gametober deals and promotions.

About Newegg Inc.

Newegg Inc. is the leading electronics-focused e-retailer in the United States. It owns and operates Newegg.com (http://www.newegg.com) which was founded in 2001 and regularly earns industry-leading customer service ratings. The award-winning website has more than 28 million registered users and offers customers a comprehensive selection of the latest consumer electronics products, detailed product descriptions and images, as well as how-to information and customer reviews. Using the site's online tech community, customers have the opportunity to interact with other computer, gaming and consumer electronics enthusiasts. Newegg Inc. is headquartered in City of Industry, California. The Newegg Hybrid Centers are located in City of Industry, CA and Richmond Hill, Ontario.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928006172/en/

Newegg Inc.

James Merk, 626-271-1420

[email protected]

Source: Newegg Inc.
WALLDORF, Germany, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SAP NEWSBYTE  SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) today announced that it was honored by Brandon Hall Group's 2016 Human Capital Management (HCM) Excellence Awards Program with 17 awards, recognizing consistent, high-quality execution across multiple groups and initiatives within SAP.

Winners in each category were chosen by a judging panel of independent, senior industry subject matter experts and practitioners, and Brandon Hall Group research analysts and executive leaders. SAP's Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence Award wins include:

Excellence in Leadership Development Gold Best Advance in Coaching and Mentoring  SAP's Global Coaching Practice

Excellence in Talent Acquisition Gold Best Advance in Talent Acquisition  SAP's Autism at Work Program Best Unique or Innovative Talent Acquisition Program  SAP Academies for Sales and Presales: Acquiring the Next Generation of Sales and Presales Lea Silver Best Candidate Experience  SAP's Autism at Work Program Bronze Best Recruitment Marketing and Employer Branding  SAP's Employment Brand ReBRAND Best Sourcing and Assessment Strategy  SAP's Sourcification Concept Best Unique or Innovative Talent Acquisition Program  SAP's Sourcification Concept

Excellence in Sales and Marketing Gold Best Program for Sales Training and Performance  SAP's Innovation Challenger Silver Best Sales Onboarding Program  Year One Success at SAP Bronze Best Unique Sales Training Program (3)  Virtual Live Classroom at SAP, Sales Excellence at SAP and SAP Academies for Sales and Presales: Transforming the Next Generation of Sales and Presales Leaders

Excellence in Learning Silver Best Unique Learning and Development Program  GCO Innovation Day Best Advance in Creating an Extended Enterprise Learning Program  SAP Enterprise Support Value Maps Bronze Best Learning Program Supporting a Change Transformation Business Strategy  SAP Learning Hub (IBM and SAP: IBM GBS Drives Business Transformation Through SAP Learning Hub)

Excellent in Talent Management Silver Best Advance in High Potential Development  SAP's CA Talent Rotation Pool Program Bronze Best Unique Talent Management Program  Innovation of SAP's CA Talent Rotation Pool Program



"Winning a Brandon Hall Group Excellence Award means an organization is an elite innovator within human capital management. The award signifies that the organization's work represents a leading practice in that HCM function," said Rachel Cooke, chief operating officer of Brandon Hall Group and head of the awards program. "All award winners have to demonstrate a measurable benefit to the business, not just the HCM operation. That's an important distinction. Our HCM award winners are helping to transform the business."

"We are incredibly proud of our achievements in the HCM space and are committed to continued excellence," said Jenny Dearborn, senior vice president and chief learning officer of SAP. "As digital transformation continues to change the way organizations work, SAP is driving the industry forward by setting the bar high for innovation and developing new initiatives to push the boundaries of traditional HR."

Now entering its 22nd year, the Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards Program is the most prestigious awards program in the HCM industry. Pioneered in 1994, the program was one of the first of its kind in the learning industry. The Excellence Awards recognize the best organizations that have successfully deployed programs, strategies, modalities, processes, systems and tools that have achieved measurable results. The program attracts entrants from leading corporations around the world, as well as midmarket and smaller firms.

For more information, visit the SAP News Center. Follow SAP SuccessFactors solutions on Twitter at @successfactors and SAP at @sapnews.

Media Contact:Geraldine Lim, +1 (415) 418-0945, [email protected], PT

Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "predict," "should" and "will" and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.

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SOURCE SAP SE
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Shiseido Americas Corporation (Shiseido Americas), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based, global cosmetics company Shiseido Company, Limited (Shiseido), today announced that Claudia Poccia has been appointed Chief Marketing Officer of Bare Escentuals, effective October 10th, 2016. Ms. Poccia will assume the role from Sandy Saputo, who will remain with Bare Escentuals in an advisory capacity until the end of the year and will assist Ms. Poccia with the transition. Ms. Poccia will report to the President of Bare Escentuals who will be appointed at a later date.

As CMO and a member of Bare Escentuals Executive Leadership team, Ms. Poccia will play a crucial role in defining and leading all aspects of the bareMinerals brand and products on a global basis. She will be responsible for outlining a strategic growth plan for the brand and will explore ways to build on bareMinerals position as a unique, compelling and highly relevant brand and driving increased engagement with consumers. Additionally, Ms. Poccia will work closely with Shiseidos Digital Center of Excellence in New York, with the goal of inspiring customers around the globe and connecting with them on an authentic intimate level.

Claudia has an incredible track record of brand stewardship in the beauty industry and has proven herself to be a visionary leader with the ability to accelerate growth and drive ROI for companies through successful co-branded, multi-platform consumer marketing experiences, said Marc Rey, President & CEO, Shiseido Americas. I have great confidence in Claudias ability to further deliver results for the BE organization and to find innovative new ways to invigorate bareMinerals while upholding all that the brand stands for. I am excited to see the initiatives she will spearhead to better engage with BEs target consumers and help realize its full potential.

Ms. Poccia served as President and CEO of Gurwitch Products from 2011 to 2015, where she led the Laura Mercier and ReVive brands. Prior to this role, she held several leadership positions at Avon, including President, Avon Beauty, leading the transformation of this iconic brand in the US. Simultaneously, Ms. Poccia was Global President for mark., Avons trend beauty and fashion boutique brand, where she designed and led initiatives to re-imagine the business of direct selling, directed at attracting millennials. Prior to Avon, Ms. Poccia spent more than ten years at Estee Lauder, where she held the role of Senior Vice President, General Manager for Stila, and Vice President, Business Development for Estee Lauder USA and Canada, among other positions. She has also served on the board of F.I.T. and currently sits on the board of C.E.W.

About Shiseido Company, Limited

Shiseido was founded in 1872 as the first Western-style pharmacy in Japan. The business gradually evolved into a cosmetics company, offering people the most advanced technology and the finest aesthetics available in the East or the West. Now known globally as the premier cosmetics company with roots in Japan, the name Shiseido has come to represent the worlds highest standards of quality. Shiseidos global selection of skincare, makeup and fragrance includes a high-performance category for special skincare, and a brightening line. Shiseido also offers body care, suncare and a skincare line for men. Fiercely contemporary and innovative after over 140 years in business, Shiseido group brands are now sold in over 120 countries and regions. For more information, please visit http://group.shiseido.com/.

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Media:

Shiseido Americas

Jadzia Zielinski Tirsch, 212-805-2357

[email protected]

Source: Shiseido Americas Corporation
European Budget and Human Resources Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva holds a news conference after a meeting of the EU executive body in Brussels, Belgium, July 27, 2016. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir/File Photo

By Tsvetelia Tsolova

SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria nominated its European commissioner, Kristalina Georgieva, on Wednesday for the post of United Nations Secretary-General and withdrew support from its previous candidate Irina Bokova.

Georgieva, a vice-president of the Commission who is responsible for sorting out the EU's budget after Britain's vote to leave the bloc, has a better chance to become the first woman to head the global body, Bulgaria's prime minister said.

However Bokova, director-general of the United Nations' cultural arm UNESCO, said she would stay in the race to replace Ban Ki-moon after coming sixth among nine contenders in the latest round of voting at the U.N. Security Council on Monday.

Announcing the decision to switch Bulgaria's support to Georgieva, Prime Minister Boiko Borisov told the cabinet: "We consider this will be a more successful nomination."

Nearly a third of the 193 U.N. member states, led by Colombia, and civil society groups have pushed for a female secretary-general. The nomination of the highly-regarded Georgieva could revive their fading hopes, diplomats said.

Georgieva, 63, a former World Bank economist, said she would present her credentials and vision for the top U.N. job to member states. If her bid is successful she would also be the first secretary-general from eastern Europe to take the post.

"I am deeply honored by the decision of the Government of my country to put my name forward for the post of Secretary-General of the United Nations," she said in a statement.

The EU Commission has granted Georgieva a month's leave while she seeks election, a spokesman said on Wednesday. Guenther Oettinger, the German commissioner who handles digital affairs, will step in for October to cover her portfolio, the EU budget and human resources.

TWO BULGARIAN WOMEN IN RACE

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov said U.N. procedure did not allow for a country to withdraw a nomination and that Bokova would have to decide how to proceed.

Sofia had said it would reconsider its support for Bokova if she did not come first or second in the latest ballot.

But Bokova, who has served as Bulgarian ambassador to France and Monaco and briefly as acting foreign minister in a Socialist government in the 1990s, said on Twitter in the account IrinaForUN: "Grateful to you all who support me and fully committed to continue the race for #[email protected]"

Prior to Georgieva's nomination, Bokova told a Bulgarian newspaper she saw no reason to quit the race and said the nomination of a second Bulgarian candidate would only hurt the chances of both.

Her replacement angered Bulgaria's opposition Socialist party, which said it would try to build support for a parliamentary no-confidence vote in Borisov's center-right government over its foreign policy.

In Monday's secret ballot, the fifth in the process, former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres remained in the lead. The 15-member Security Council will continue holding secret ballots in a bid to reach consensus on a candidate that it then recommends to the 193-member U.N. General Assembly for election.

The next secret ballot is scheduled for Oct 5. South Korea's Ban is due to step down at the end of 2016 after serving two five-year terms.

(Additional reporting by Alastair Macdonald in Brussels; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Former CEO of American International Group Inc., Maurice "Hank" Greenberg, (C) leaves a building in downtown New York after being deposed by the Attorney General's office March 10, 2010. REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi

By Karen Freifeld

NEW YORK (Reuters) - More than a decade after he was sued over accounting fraud, former American International Group Inc Chairman Maurice "Hank" Greenberg on Tuesday took the witness stand to defend himself, repeatedly describing one claim against him as "only a small part" of the insurer's business.

Greenberg, 91, is on trial on civil charges brought in 2005 by then-New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. He is accused of orchestrating sham transactions at the insurer to conceal financial difficulties from shareholders. The case did not go to trial for more than a decade because of legal wrangling.

Greenberg, a World War Two veteran, wore a dark suit with a French Legion of Honor pin on his lapel. He sounded sharp and appeared composed in a Manhattan courtroom as he recalled being advised of problems with an auto warranty program in the late 1990s. The program was projected to lose hundreds of millions of dollars.

"This was a non-event for AIG," Greenberg testified. "We did business in 137 countries."

Still, Greenberg admitted to personal involvement the program, which fell under his son Evan's business line. "I was trying to teach a lesson to some managers," he testified.

The lawsuit, which is being pursued by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, will be decided by a judge without a jury.

Greenberg is accused of engineering a $200 million transaction to hide underwriting losses from the auto-warranty program. The lawsuit also claims that he designed a $500 million transaction to inflate the insurer's reserves.

Greenberg, who was ousted from AIG in 2005, is still in the insurance business as head of C.V. Starr, a privately held company.

Schneiderman is seeking to bar Greenberg and his co-defendant, former AIG chief financial officer Howard Smith, from the securities industry and from serving as officers or directors of public companies.

He also is seeking to recoup more than $50 million from bonuses paid to the executives. The attorney general was forced to drop damages claims after a 2013 shareholder settlement.

Home Depot Inc (NYSE: HD) co-founder Kenneth Langone, a Spitzer foe, came to court on Tuesday to support Greenberg, a friend.

Langone called the case a "waste of taxpayer money," and said it had been "born of raw political ambition" by Spitzer.

Greenberg's testimony continues on Wednesday. The trial, which is not taking place every day, may run into early 2017.

Greenberg led AIG for four decades before he was forced out. The following year, the insurer paid $1.64 billion to settle federal and state probes into its business practices.

The case is People v Greenberg et al, New York State Supreme Court, New York County No. 401720-2005.

(Reporting by Karen Freifeld; Editing by David Gregorio)
Former Gerova Financial Group Ltd president Gary Hirst (R), on trial for securities fraud walks outside Manhattan Federal Court in New York, U.S. September 22, 2016. Picture taken on September 22, 2016. REUTERS/Nate Raymond/File Photo - RTSPX99

By Nate Raymond

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The former president of reinsurer Gerova Financial Group Ltd was convicted on Wednesday on charges that he participated a scheme orchestrated by a man once dubbed "Porn's New King" to defraud investors.

Gary Hirst, 64, was found guilty by a federal jury in Manhattan on all four counts he faced, including conspiracy, securities fraud and wire fraud charges, according to court records.

After the verdict, U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel increased Hirst's bond from $1 million to $3 million and ordered the Florida resident be placed in custody until he could meet the new bail conditions. Hirst's sentencing was set for Feb. 3.

"We are disappointed with the verdict and intend to pursue an appeal," said Michael Tremonte, Hirst's lawyer.

The trial followed charges announced last year against seven people including Hirst and Jason Galanis, an investment banker who prosecutors said oversaw a scheme to secretly dump millions of Gerova shares in an unregistered offering and distribution.

Galanis, a Los Angeles resident whose father and two brothers were also charged, was dubbed "Porn's New King" by Forbes magazine in 2004 after he bought the nation's largest processor of credit card payments for online pornography.

Authorities said Galanis was deeply involved in Gerova's management, but investors were not told that due to a 2007 U.S. Securities and Commission settlement barring him from serving as an officer or director at a publicly-traded company.

Prosecutors said in 2010, Hirst, Gerova's president and board chairman, worked with Galanis to use a straw man and fake documents to issue $72 million worth of Gerova stock that they would secretly control without board approval.

Galanis, working with his family members, then helped the straw man deposit the shares into U.S. brokerage accounts, prosecutors said. Subsequent stock sales netted them about $20 million, $2.6 million of which Hirst received, prosecutors said.

Galanis meanwhile bribed two investment advisers to buy Gerova shares to lessen the stock sales' price-depressing impact, prosecutors said.

The New York Stock Exchange halted trading in Gerova's stock in 2011, following reports raising questions about the company. Gerova commenced liquidation proceedings in Bermuda in 2012.

Five people have pleaded guilty, including Galanis in July. He has yet to be sentenced.

A separate case against Galanis, Hirst and five others filed in May over what authorities call a scheme to cheat investors and a Native American tribe out of millions of dollars remains pending.

The case is U.S. v. Galanis et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 15-cr-00643.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Tom Brown)
French President Francois Hollande (3rd L) surrounded by African leaders, from L-R, Guinea's President Alpha Conde, Benin's President Boni Yayi, Gabon's President Ali Bongo Ondimba, President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana and Prime Minister of Ethiopia Hai

By Tim Cocks

DAKAR (Reuters) - In the heyday of former President Omar Bongo, Gabon and its oil wealth were a central pillar of "La Francafrique", a shadowy network that enabled France's troops to defend African autocrats in exchange for juicy contracts for French companies.

Thanks partly to this web of diplomacy and trade backed by French firepower, Bongo stayed in office for 42 years before his death in 2009. France's energy firms, meanwhile, had undisputed claims to some of the continent's richest oil fields.

But the days of France throwing its weight behind a leader for commercial favors may be numbered, which presents a challenge for French businesses in West Africa, a largely Francophone region because of its colonial past

Ali Bongo, the son of the late president, was inaugurated for a second term on Tuesday after an election whose credibility EU observers seriously called into question.

France's position has been clear since the Aug. 27 poll: it has "doubts" about its credibility, so it won't endorse Bongo as the winner against his main opponent Jean Ping - a clear message that Bongo's half-century family dynasty can no longer count on support from Gabon's former colonial master.

Bongo denies unduly influencing the election, and Gabon's top court upheld the result.

Yet his father used to win elections with so little credibility that in 1986 he got over 99 percent of the vote, and four years later, when protests erupted, French troops stepped in to quell them.

France's Elf won every oil license in a bidding round shortly after, according to British journalist Nicholas Shaxson in his 2008 book Poisoned Wells.

"That period is behind us," French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told the France 2 TV channel this month.

"We do not want ... to interfere in countries' internal affairs," he said, articulating a trademark policy of Socialist President Francois Hollande, who four years ago pledged that "the era of La Francafrique is over" while in Senegal.

OFFICIAL CHANNELS

A French diplomat told Reuters that current thinking in the French government was that Paris could no longer automatically back an ally, even when trade interests are at stake. If the leader's popularity fades, in elections or on the streets, France will distance itself.

"The era of us picking someone and saying 'you're the next president' is over," another French diplomat said, even when France has "specific interests in one country or another".

"France has changed quite a lot," said Paul Melly, associate fellow in the Africa Program of London-based international affairs think-tank Chatham House.

"The time when the French intervened to help Omar Bongo ... that was the old La Francafrique, looking after your chums," he said, an approach that was now "basically impossible".

In Burkina Faso, where crowds ousted Blaise Compaore in 2014 as he tried to extend his 27-year rule, France backed away from its former friend, having quietly told him it was a bad idea.

Socialist Hollande has shown no interest in cultivating the decades-old clandestine networks linking French businessmen and intelligence agents to African politicians that were created by France's right-wing former President Charles de Gaulle.

"There really has been a shift to the idea that if there are to be negotiations with African partners they have to go through official channels," said Aline Leboeuf, a researcher at the Institute Francais.

'OTHER OPTIONS'

The challenge posed to French companies present in Africa is complex, but it is clear the privileges they used to enjoy are being eroded.

A 2013 Gabon oil licensing round doled out 18 blocks to companies from around the world, but French oil major Total, Elf's successor following a merger, was left empty-handed. The following year, Gabon ordered Total to pay $805 million in back taxes, which the company said was an unfounded tax adjustment.

Total declined to comment for this story.

Other sectors that similarly rely on good relations with African governments - like telecoms and mining, in which companies like Orange and Areva respectively operate - could also be vulnerable.

Orange declined to comment.

A spokesman for Areva said the company would "continue to invest in exploration and innovation to find new deposits," but did not address the question of Africa risks.

Some officials and companies say the impact of the end of La Francafrique should not be overstated, since globalization has been opening the field to competition anyway.

Ali Bongo, who has lived in Los Angeles and had a son in elite English boarding school Eton, made a point of trying to expand ties beyond the Francophone world.

France, meanwhile, has been diversifying its own ties.

In a shift from the past, it is increasingly seeking opportunities in former British colonies like Kenya and Botswana; the French government's Africa department now has more experts in east Africa than west, according to government sources. A month ago, Total won a production license in Uganda.

"France has accepted the fact that ... it has a lot less ability to influence local politics," said historian Nathaniel Powell, who specializes in French-African relations, adding that it used to be a condition of working with an African leader that he would not allow in American companies.

"They used to pretty much own the Gabonese economy," he said. "Now African elites have much more leverage, because they have the Chinese, they have other options."

(Additional reporting by John Irish, Marine Pennetier, Richard Lough and Geert De Clercq in Paris; Editing by Pravin Char)
A UN peacekeeper from Burkina Faso stands guard at the Djinguereber mosque, built in the 14th century, during a visit by a UN delegation on election day in Timbuktu, Mali, July 28, 2013. REUTERS/Joe Penney/Files

By Stephanie van den Berg

THE HAGUE (Reuters) - War crimes judges on Tuesday sentenced a former Islamist rebel who admitted wrecking holy shrines during Mali's 2012 conflict to nine years in prison, in the first such case to focus on destruction of cultural heritage.

Human rights groups and international legal experts hope Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi's case in the International Criminal Court may serve as a deterrent to a kind of devastation that continues to be a feature of global conflicts yet has gone largely unpunished.

Al-Mahdi expressed remorse for his involvement in the destruction of 10 mausoleums and religious sites in Timbuktu dating from Mali's 14th-century golden age as a trading hub and center of Sufi Islam, a branch of the religion seen as idolatrous by some hardline Muslim groups.

The sites, nine of them on the UNESCO World Heritage list, "had an emotional and symbolic meaning for the residents of Timbuktu", the panel of judges at The Hague said. Several sites were razed to the ground or badly damaged and needed to be completely rebuilt.

By striking at their most meaningful religious sites, al-Mahdi participated in "a war activity aimed at breaking the soul of the people," said presiding Judge Raul Pangalangan.

Specifically, the judges said, he "exercised joint control over the attacks" by planning, leading and participating in them, supplying pick-axes and in one case a bulldozer.

Such acts have rarely been prosecuted despite being illegal under international law, but have attracted increasing international outrage after the Taliban destroyed the Bamiyan Buddha statues in Afghanistan in 2001 and, more recently, Islamic State jihadists smashed monuments in the Syrian city of Palmyra.

Those acts have not been investigated by the ICC because Syria is not a member of the court and the destruction in Afghanistan predates the court's jurisdiction.

Instead, prosecutors at the ICC have largely focused on war crimes in African states, earning the 14-year-old court criticism for not going after more politically challenging hotspots, such as the occupied Palestinian territories.

SWEPT UP IN A WAVE

The ICC has been examining events in Mali since 2012, when Tuareg rebels seized part of the north, imposing a strict interpretation of Islamic law. French and Malian troops pushed them back the following year.

During his brief trial in August al-Mahdi asked for forgiveness and said he had been swept up in an "evil wave" when al Qaeda and the Ansar Dine Islamist groups briefly seized control of the ancient sites.

Prosecutors and the defense had agreed beforehand to accept a sentence of 9 to 11 years for the former religious teacher, who sat quietly in a gray suit, nodding as the verdict was read aloud.

Judges said the sentence took into account al-Mahdi's "genuine remorse, deep regret and deep pain" and his calls on other Muslims not to make the same mistakes he did.

"Such an admission may have a deterrent effect on others tempted to commit similar acts in Mali and elsewhere," Pangalangan said.

UNESCO said in a statement the verdict was "a landmark in gaining recognition for the importance of heritage for humanity as a whole and for the communities that have preserved it over the centuries".

"This case is of phenomenal significance considering the character of armed conflict going on around the world and the amount of cultural property that is being destroyed," said Carrie Comer, permanent representative to the ICC of Paris-based rights watch dog FIDH.

She said that given al-Mahdi's remorse and cooperation, the sentence "is quite a strong deterrent message: saying we do take these crimes seriously, they have an impact on victims not only in the immediate vicinity but really on the international community as a whole."

A warrant for al-Mahdi's arrest was issued by the ICC on Sept. 18, 2015, and he was handed over by neighbouring Niger eight days later.

Mali's government welcomed the conviction as a source of "hope for all the victims of the barbaric ideology ... of the narco-terrorists in northern Mali", adding that it "should serve as a ... warning to criminals who attack cultural property".

Residents reached in Timbuktu had mixed views about the verdict.

"Nine years in prison is little. But he deserves the sentence as an example for all who committed these barbaric acts," said Alhoussaini Saye, a teacher.

Hawa Sisse, a trader in a Timbuktu market, said: "I was expecting him to be imprisoned for life, but (the court) decided otherwise. I hope that his return to Timbuktu in nine years will not be perceived as a sort of victory among the militants."

Mali expert Bruce Whitehouse said Malians are worried al-Madhi's case will "wind up being a kind of fig leaf".

When the ICC's prosecutor opened its Mali investigation in 2012, "there were different classes of crimes, including murder, torture, execution, pillaging, rape," said Whitehouse, a professor at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania.

"I think Malians find it ironic that the only crime that's been prosecuted is for this attack against protected objects category," he said.

(Additional reporting by Anthony Deutsch and Toby Sterling in Amsterdam, Adama Diarra and Tiemoko Diallo in Bamako and Tim Cocks in Dakar; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall and David Stamp)
Employees work as South Korea's new finance minister Yoo Il-ho (not pictured) visits a port in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, January 15, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's finance minister said on Wednesday he expected exports to fall again, partly due to ongoing strikes in a number of industries.

"While domestic consumption is going through a correction, industrial output and exports are expected to decline again, after showing weak signs of improvement, due to factors like strikes," said Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho.

Yoo was chairing a meeting of government officials in Seoul to discuss their response to strikes that have occurred nationwide, including at Hyundai Motor Co <005380.KS>.

Exports rose for the first time after 19 months of falls in August, but gloomy shipment data for the first 20 days of September showed that rebound was unlikely to last.

Preliminary export data for the full month of September will be released Oct. 1.

Yoo said the strikes at Hyundai from July this year had resulted in accumulative losses of nearly 2.5 trillion won ($2.28 billion), noting Hyundai's suppliers were severely affected.

Workers at a number of locations including banks, subways and hospitals have also taken strike action in recent weeks against the government's push to run performance-based assessments of employees at public corporations.

"This group selfishness is going too far, and (those striking) will not be able to avoid the blame of the public," said Yoo in his opening speech.

(Reporting by Christine Kim, editing by G Crosse and Eric Meijer)
A man passes a logo during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland January 22, 2016. REUTERS/Ruben Sprich

By Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi

ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland has set a record in global economic competitiveness even as mounting political tension and uncertainty is contributing to sluggish growth worldwide, the World Economic Forum's annual rankings showed on Wednesday.

Unrivalled innovation, a sophisticated business landscape and the world's most efficient workforce helped Switzerland to its eighth straight win, the Geneva-based WEF said.

There were no newcomers to its 2016-2017 top 10, though the order of some of the leading countries shifted in its Global Competitiveness Report.

Singapore and the United States stayed in second and third place. The Netherlands overtook Germany for fourth place, while Sweden in sixth spot and Britain in seventh leap-frogged Japan, Hong Kong and Finland.

The Forum bases its assessment on a dozen drivers of competitiveness, including institutions, infrastructure, health and education, market size and the macroeconomic environment.

The report also factors in a survey among business leaders assessing governments' efficiency and transparency.

A jump in tech savviness -- making it the most technologically prepared country -- meant Switzerland achieved the highest competitiveness score since WEF introduced a new ranking system in 2007.

"Switzerland arguably possesses one of the world's most fertile innovation ecosystems, combining a very conducive policy environment and infrastructure, academic excellence, an unmatched capacity to attract the best talent, and large multinationals that are often leaders in their sector as well as a dense network of small- and medium-sized enterprises," WEF said in its report.

Britain moved up three places to its highest ranking in the past decade, led by improvements in its macroeconomic environment. But results were based on data predating Britain's June 23 vote to quit the EU, which posed considerable risks to its competitiveness, the study found.

While China remained at the front of the BRICS pack at place 28, India made the biggest gain, rising 16 places to 39th.

WEF warned that rising trade barriers -- which in the past decade had led to business leaders' perception of falling trade openness across high-income countries -- posed a risk to countries' ability to grow and innovate.

"Declining openness in the global economy is harming competitiveness and making it harder for leaders to drive sustainable, inclusive growth," WEF Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said in a statement.

The report also warned that quantitative easing and other monetary policy measures were proving insufficient to kickstart long-term growth in developed economies.

Especially in countries with low competitiveness rankings, monetary intervention had failed to deliver as effective results as those undertaken in their more competitive counterparts.

This suggested they would need to improve competitiveness in order to sustain growth, WEF said.

Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) top 10

GCI ranking Country GCI ranking

2016-2017 2015-2016

1 Switzerland 1

2 Singapore 2

3 United States 3

4 Netherlands 5

5 Germany 4

6 Sweden 9

7 Britain 10

8 Japan 6

9 Hong Kong 7

10 Finland 8

(Reporting by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson testifies at the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in Washington, U.S., September 27, 2016. REUTERS/Gary Cameron

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told a Senate panel on Tuesday the United States was cracking down on Middle Eastern migrants illegally crossing the southern U.S. border.

Johnson, FBI Director James Comey and National Counterterrorism Center Director Nicholas Rasmussen all were pressed on a range of security issues by the Homeland Security Committee, including migration, cyber hackers manipulating voting systems and recent bombings in New York City and New Jersey.

Johnson told the committee his agency has established a working group in recent months to crack down on smuggling groups bringing Middle Eastern migrants across the southern U.S. border. He said the new group works with the law enforcement in Central and South America to "interdict these people before they get to our border and share intelligence about what we're seeing."

Johnson said the group is focused on the smuggling networks that are moving Middle Eastern migrants, whose numbers have risen in the past year.

Asked about cyber security threats, Johnson told the committee that 18 U.S. states have accepted his agency's offer to help secure their voting systems from hackers ahead of the Nov. 8 election.

In August, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said voter databases in two states had been breached.

Johnson also was pressed about immigrants mistakenly granted citizenship, as revealed last week in a Department of Homeland Security Inspector General report.

Johnson said his agency was reviewing the cases and revoking citizenship for cases in which it was wrongly granted.

Comey said the investigation into Ahamad Rahami, the suspect behind the recent bombings in New York City and New Jersey, so far does not point to a wider terror cell or future attacks.

(Reporting by Julia Edwards; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Bill Trott)
SINGAPORE and PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- InterOil Corporation (NYSE: IOC, POMSox: IOC) today provided the following update regarding InterOil's pending transaction with Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM) ("the transaction"):

As previously disclosed, the closing of the transaction with ExxonMobil requires a final order from the Supreme Court of Yukon. The hearing was held on September 27 and the court is considering the matter, including an objection filed by Phil Mulacek.

Completion of the transaction prior to the end of September would require issuance of a final order no later than the close of business on Thursday, September 29. ExxonMobil and InterOil intend to close the transaction promptly after the final order is obtained.

About InterOil

InterOil Corporation is an independent oil and gas business with a sole focus on Papua New Guinea. InterOil's assets include one of Asia's largest undeveloped gas fields, Elk-Antelope, in the Gulf Province, and exploration licenses covering about 16,000sqkm. Its main offices are in Singapore and Port Moresby. InterOil is listed on the New York and Port Moresby stock exchanges.

Investor Contacts

Singapore United States

David Wu Senior Vice President Investor Relations Cynthia Black Investor Relations North America

T: +65 6507 0222 E: [email protected] T: +1 212 653 9778 E: [email protected]



Media Contacts

Singapore United States Ann Lee Communications Specialist James Golden / Aaron Palash Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher T: +65 6507 0222 E: [email protected] T: +1 212 355 4449 E: [email protected]

Forward Looking Statements

This communication includes "forward-looking statements". All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this communication are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements regarding the pending transaction with ExxonMobil, the timing to consummate the proposed transaction with ExxonMobil, the ability to satisfy the conditions to consummation of the proposed transaction, and the timing or outcome of the resource certification process for the Elk-Antelope field as applicable to the CRP. These statements are based on the current belief of InterOil, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to InterOil. No assurances can be given however, that these events will occur. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of InterOil, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied or expressed by the forward-looking statements. These include in particular assumptions, risks and uncertainties relating to the risk that a condition to closing of the proposed acquisition may not be satisfied, the timing or outcome of the resource certification process for the Elk-Antelope field as applicable to the CRP and other risk factors discussed in InterOil's management information circular dated August 16, 2016, its annual report for the year ended December 31, 2015 on Form 40-F and its Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2015, and under the heading "Factors Affecting Future Results" available through the "Investors" section on ExxonMobil's website and in Item 1A of ExxonMobil's 2015 Form 10-K. InterOil disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable laws. References to gas resources in this release may include amounts that ExxonMobil or InterOil believe will ultimately be produced but that are not yet classified as "proved reserves" under U.S. SEC definitions.

Legal Notice

None of the securities anticipated to be issued pursuant to the ExxonMobil transaction have been or will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and any securities issued pursuant to the ExxonMobil transaction are anticipated to be issued in reliance upon available exemptions from such registration requirements pursuant to Section 3(a)(10) of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable exemptions under state securities laws. This document does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

There can be no assurance that the transaction with ExxonMobil will occur. The ExxonMobil transaction is subject to certain approvals and the fulfillment of certain conditions, and there can be no assurance that any such approvals will be obtained and/or any such conditions will be met.




UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934





Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 25, 2016









PARALLAX HEALTH SCIENCES, INC.

(Exact name of Company as specified in its charter)

Nevada 000-52534 46-4733512 (State or other jurisdiction (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer of Incorporation)

Identification Number)

1327 Ocean Avenue, Suite M Santa Monica, CA 90401 (Address of principal executive offices)

310-899-4442 (Registrant  s Telephone Number)



Copy of all Communications to : Lawrence I. Washor Washor & Associates 21800 Oxnard Street, Suite 790 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 (310) 479-2660







Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the Company under any of the following provisions:



 Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))





















As used in this current report and unless otherwise indicated, the terms "we", "us", "our",  Company  , and  Parallax  mean Parallax Health Sciences, Inc., a Nevada corporation, and its subsidiaries, unless otherwise indicated.





FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS





This current report contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements relate to future events or future financial performance. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "intends", "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "predicts", "potential", or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, levels of activity or performance to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity or performance expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.





Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity or performance. Except as required by applicable law, including the securities laws of the United States, the Company does not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements to conform these statements to actual results.





Unless otherwise specified, all dollar amounts are expressed in United States dollars.





ITEM 1.01

ENTRY INTO A MATERIAL DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT





On September 25, 2016, pursuant to a resolution of the board of directors, the Company executed an Executive Agreement with Dr. Robert Burns Arnot (  Arnot  ) to join the Company as its Chief Medical Officer.

Pursuant to the Executive Agreement, the Company grants Arnot the right to purchase 250,000 shares of the Company  s common stock at par value $.001 and receive 1,000,000 common stock options with a strike price of $.05 cents a share. In addition, the Company entered into a Revenue Sharing Agreement with Arnot that provides that Arnot will receive 10% of the Adjusted Gross Revenue from the sales generated by the Company  s Pharmaceuticals business and the Nootropics and Nutraceutical operations.

















SIGNATURE





Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Company has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.









PARALLAX HEALTH SCIENCES, INC.







Date: September 28, 2016 /s/ J. Michael Redmond

By: J. Michael Redmond

Its: President and Chief Executive Officer










UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. 2)*

Eco Stim Energy Solutions, Inc.

(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock

(Title of Class of Securities)

27888D101

(CUSIP Number)

Bienville Capital Managment, LLC

521 5th Avenue, 35th Floor

New York, NY 10175

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person

Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

9/22/2016

(Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of 240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box [ ].

Note : Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See 240.13d-7 for other parties to whom copies are to be sent.

* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

CUSIP No. 27888D101 13D Page 2 of 14 Pages
UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14D-9

(Rule 14d-101)

Solicitation/Recommendation Statement

Under Section 14(d)(4) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. 5)

MEDIVATION, INC.

(Name of Subject Company)

MEDIVATION, INC.

(Name of Person Filing Statement)

Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share

(Title of Class of Securities)

58501N101

(CUSIP Number of Class of Securities)

Margaret M. Madden, Esq.

Secretary and Vice President

Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

235 East 42nd Street

New York, NY 10017-5755

(212) 733-2323

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications

on Behalf of the Person Filing Statement)

With a copy to:

Christopher Comeau

Paul Kinsella

Ropes & Gray LLP

Prudential Tower

800 Boylston Street

Boston, MA 02199-3600

(617) 951-7000

 Check the box if the filing relates solely to preliminary communications made before the commencement of a tender offer.

This Amendment No. 5 to Schedule 14D-9 amends and supplements the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 previously filed by Medivation, Inc., a Delaware corporation (Medivation), with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 30, 2016 (the Schedule 14D-9), relating to the offer by Montreal, Inc., a Delaware corporation (Purchaser) and wholly-owned subsidiary of Pfizer Inc., a Delaware corporation (Parent, or Pfizer), to purchase all of the outstanding shares of Medivations common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the Shares), at a purchase price of $81.50 per Share, net to the seller in cash, without interest, subject to any required withholding of taxes, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, dated August 30, 2016, and the related Letter of Transmittal, each of which may be amended or supplemented from time to time.

Item 8. Additional Information.

Item 8 of the Schedule 14D-9 is hereby amended and supplemented by adding the following section after the last paragraph:

Expiration of Offering Period; Completion of Merger

The Offer and withdrawal rights expired at the end of the day, one minute after 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on Tuesday, September 27, 2016. Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the depositary for the Offer, has indicated that a total of 115,574,041 Shares were validly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Offer as of the Expiration Date, representing approximately 69.1% of the outstanding Shares. In addition, notices of guaranteed delivery have been delivered for 17,659,861 Shares, representing approximately 10.6% of the outstanding Shares. The number of Shares tendered (excluding Shares delivered pursuant to notices of guaranteed delivery for which certificates were not yet delivered) satisfies the Minimum Condition, and all Shares that were validly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Offer have been accepted for payment by Purchaser. Purchaser will promptly pay for all such Shares in accordance with the terms of the Offer.

On September 28, 2016, Pfizer completed its acquisition of Medivation pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement. On that date, Purchaser merged with and into Medivation in accordance with Section 251(h) of the DGCL, with Medivation surviving as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pfizer. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, at the Effective Time, each Share outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than (i) treasury Shares held by Medivation and any Shares owned by Pfizer, Purchaser or any other direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Pfizer, which Shares have been canceled, and (ii) Shares held by any person who was entitled to and has properly demanded statutory appraisal of his or her Shares) was converted into the right to receive an amount equal to the Offer Price, net to the seller in cash, without interest, subject to any required withholding of taxes.

On September 28, 2016, Pfizer issued a press release announcing the expiration and successful completion of the Offer and the consummation of the Merger. A copy of the press release issued by Pfizer is filed as Exhibit (a)(5)(B) to the amendment to the Schedule TO filed with the SEC on September 28, 2016 and is incorporated by reference herein.

Item 9. Exhibits.

Item 9 of the Schedule 14D-9 is hereby amended and supplemented by adding the following thereto:

Exhibit Number Description (a)(16) Press Release issued by Pfizer Inc. on September 28, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(5)(B) to the Schedule TO-T/A filed with the SEC by Pfizer Inc. and Montreal, Inc. on September 28, 2016)

SIGNATURE

After due inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

MEDIVATION, INC. By: /s/ Margaret M. Madden Name: Margaret M. Madden Title: Secretary & Vice President

Dated: September 28, 2016
MISSION VIEJO, Calif., Sept. 27, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MYnd Analytics, Inc. (OTCQB:CNSOD) announces the publication of Using Electroencephalography for Treatment Guidance in Major Depressive Disorder in the journal Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging. The study is a review of the current literature on biomarkers derived from electroencephalography (EEG) and their role in guiding clinical treatment of major depression. The publication highlights the opportunity for machine learning to deliver actionable information to mental health professionals: The explosion of computational power over the last few decades has led to a dramatic increase in the use of computation-intensive methods to analyze large databases for biomedical research.  Machine learning offers an extraordinary opportunity to extract the most salient predictive features from large EEG datasets.



One technology featured in the review is PEER, a predictive medicine technology developed by MYnd Analytics, Inc., which combines an EEG scan of brain function with a registry of over 38,000 outcomes for over 10,000 unique psychiatric patients. Outcomes are continually added to the Registry, making the guidance more predictive. Predictive accuracy increased from 86% to 91% as of the last update  clear demonstration of the PEER model.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are one of the hottest areas of healthcare, and mental health, in particular, can benefit from bringing evidence-based adjunctive information to guide treatment. George Carpenter, CEO of MYnd Analytics said: Every patient deserves access to objective, evidence-based, personalized treatments.

The full study, Using Electroencephalography for Treatment Guidance in Major Depressive Disorder has been published in Biological Psychiatry and can be read online.

The studys authors are:

Elizabeth C. Wade, B.A., Clinical Research Coordinator, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai



Dan V. Iosifescu, M.D., MSc, Director, Adult Psychopharmacology Program, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

About MYnd Analytics, Inc.

MYnd Analytics, Inc. (www.myndanalytics.com) provides a unique set of reference data and analytic tools for clinicians and researchers in psychiatry. While treatment for mental disorders has doubled in the last 20 years, it is estimated that 17 million Americans have failed two or more medication therapies for their mental disorders. The Companys Psychiatric EEG Evaluation Registry, or PEER Online, is a registry and reporting platform that allows medical professionals to exchange treatment outcome data for patients referenced to objective neurophysiology data obtained through a standard electroencephalogram (EEG). Based on the Companys original physician-developed database, there are now more than 38,000 outcomes for over 10,000 unique patients in the PEER registry. The objective of PEER Online is to avoid trial and error pharmacotherapy, which is the dominant approach for treatment-resistant patients.

To read more about the benefits of this patented technology for patients, physicians and payers, please visit www.myndanalytics.com.

Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties as set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements made herein.




Swedish English

Toronto, Ontario (September 27, 2016) - Lundin Mining Corporation (TSX:LUN) (OMX:LUMI) ("Lundin Mining" or the "Company") announces that Lundin Mining, Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (Freeport), and China Molybdenum Co., Ltd. (CMOC) have agreed to further extend the notice period during which the Company has the right to acquire Freeport's indirect interest in TF Holdings Limited ("TF Holdings") to October 20, 2016.

On May 9, 2016, Lundin Mining received a notice from Freeport offering Lundin Mining the right to acquire Freeports indirect interest in TF Holdings at the same purchase price and on the same terms and conditions offered by CMOC.

TF Holdings is the holding company that indirectly owns an 80 percent interest in Tenke Fungurume Mining S.A. ("Tenke"). Freeport and Lundin each hold a 70 and 30 percent interest, respectively, in TF Holdings.

Lundin Mining, in consultation with its legal and financial advisors, continues its strategic review in connection with its ownership interest in TF Holdings.

About Lundin Mining

Lundin Mining is a diversified Canadian base metals mining company with operations in Chile, the USA, Portugal, and Sweden, primarily producing copper, nickel and zinc. In addition, Lundin Mining holds an indirect 24% equity stake in the world-class Tenke Fungurume copper/cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in the Freeport Cobalt Oy business, which includes a cobalt refinery located in Kokkola, Finland.

On Behalf of the Board,

Paul Conibear, President and CEO

The information in this release is subject to the disclosure requirements of Lundin Mining under the EU Market Abuse Regulation and/or the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act. This information was publicly communicated on September 27, 2016 at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Albany - NY, Sept. 28, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

The global market for nuts and seeds features a highly fragmented competitive landscape, with the nuts market, especially, dominated by a large number of local players in regional markets, states Transparency Market Research (TMR) in a recent report. Product innovation and effective marketing strategies are key to sustainable growth in the nuts market. Companies in the seeds market, on the other hand, bank on the advancements in processing technology and advancements in the field of biotechnology.

Transparency Market Research states that the global nuts market will expand from a valuation of US$1,157.72 bn in 2015 to US$1,279.44 bn by 2021. Volume-wise, the global nuts market will reach 41.34 mn tons by 2021.The global market for seeds is expected to rise from a revenue-wise valuation of US$64.5 bn in 2015 to US$114.26 bn by 2021. Volume-wise, the global seeds market stood at 5.05 kg bn in 2015.

Attempts to attract consumers through innovative products have helped vendors in the market achieve excellent results and traction. Point in case is the introduction of honey flavored products by Blue Diamond Growers Inc., one of the leading vendors in the global nuts market, across its nuts-featured product lines. The replacement of sugar with honey in this particular case has allowed the company to cater to the health conscious consumers. Other key vendors in the global nuts and seeds market include Blue Diamond Growers Inc., McCormick and Company Inc., Diamond Foods Incorporated, Syngenta A.G., Bayer Crop Science A.G., Richardson International, and Cargill Incorporated.

Research Report: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/nuts-seeds-market.html

Shift in Consumption Patterns and Developments in the Field of Genetically Modified Crops to Drive Market

Studies have shown that the moderate consumption of edible nuts has a positive impact on the human health, reducing incidence of conditions such as coronary heart diseases, gallstones, cancers, inflammation, hypertension and diabetes. Moreover, the moderate consumption of nuts is also known to help reduce bad cholesterol, body weight, and have a positive influence on metabolic syndrome, and visceral adiposity. The rising awareness regarding these factors and the increasing affordability of edible nuts owing to rising disposable incomes have brought about a shift in consumption patterns of the global consumer, driving the increased uptake of a variety of nutritious nuts and seeds.

Developments in the field of genetically modified crops in response to the rising demand for sustainable agricultural produce for the mounting global population has also positively impacted the global nuts and seeds market in the past few years. In the near future, rising urbanization, exploitation of arable land for commercial purposes, and reduced fertility will necessitate the cultivation of genetically modified plants on a larger scale. This factor will have a significant impact on the growth prospects of the global nuts and seeds market.

Adverse Effects Related to Excess Consumption and High Costs to Hinder Growth

The high fat content of nuts and seeds can have a negative impact on the health if consumed in excess. Though most of the fat in nuts and seeds is unsaturated, which helps in reducing blood cholesterol levels, high intake can result in high calories and could trigger health concerns such as obesity, high blood pressure, and respiratory problems. Such concerns hinder the growth prospects of the global nuts and seeds market to a certain extent.

The high costs incurred during the complex and long-winding stages of processing nuts and seeds increase the cost of the end-product, making them unaffordable to the cost-conscious demographic. This especially comes ahead as a major retaining factor for the market in developing and under-developed countries and has a significant impact on the overall development of the global nuts and seeds market.

Asia Pacific to Retain Dominance in Nuts Market

Geography-wise, Asia Pacific is the leading revenue contributor to the nuts market, accounting for a share of over 90% in the global market in 2015. In terms of product variety, the segment of corn/maize leads the seeds segment while cashew nuts are the dominant nut-type globally.

This review is based on a recent market research report published by Transparency Market Research, titled Nuts and Seeds Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2015 - 2021.

For this study, the market is segmented as follows:

Global Nuts and Seeds Market by Product Type

Nuts



Peanut



Cashew Nut



Almond



Walnut



Macadamia nut



Others



Seeds



Sunflower seeds



Chia seeds



Sesame seeds



Corn/Maize



Soybean



Others



Global Nuts and Seeds Market by Geography

North America



The U.S.



Canada



Rest of North America



Europe



Germany



U.K.



France



Italy



Spain



Rest of Europe



Asia Pacific



India



China



Rest of Asia Pacific



Rest of the World (RoW)



Middle East



Latin America



Africa



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CHICAGO, Sept. 28, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The conference "From the Classroom to the Community: Teaching and Advancing Social Justice" will attract more than 200 law professors, lawyers and social justice experts from around the world to discuss issues relating to legal education and social justice.



The two-day conference will kick off on Friday, September 30 with the plenary session "Addressing Racialized Violence: The Role of the Legal Academy." The panel will feature Jasmine Gonzales Rose of Pitt Law School, Frank Rudy Cooper of Suffolk Law School, Vickie Casanova Willis of First Defense Legal Aid and David Patton of NYU Law School.



Joey Mogul, a partner at Chicago's People's Law Firm and the director of the Civil Rights Clinic at DePaul Law School will give Friday's keynote address about her role in successfully litigating the Chicago police torture cases.



On Saturday, Vincent Warren, the executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, will give a keynote.



The conference also will include more than 40 panels on topics ranging from diversity in the classroom to social impact advocacy to incorporating social justice in legal writing.



Two additional programs for anyone interested in legal academia or improving their teaching also will be offered. On Wednesday, September 28, SALT will offer "Breaking in and Staying in Legal Academia." The program is for anyone considering a position in law school teaching or administration. Students, practicing lawyers, current teachers and anyone considering a career in law schools are welcome.



On Thursday, September 29, LatCrit and SALT will hold their Tenth Annual Junior Faculty Development Workshop. The workshop is designed for critical, progressive and social justice oriented pre-tenure professors (including clinicians and legal writing professors), as well as those who may be contemplating a law teaching career.



John Marshall Professor Kim Chanbonpin is a member of the Board of Governors of SALT, while John Marshall Associate Professor Hugh Mundy is a nominee for the Board.



For more information about the SALT Teaching Conference, go to www.saltlaw.org



About The John Marshall Law School



The John Marshall Law School, founded in 1899, is an independent law school located in the heart of Chicago's legal, financial and commercial districts. The 2017 U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Graduate Schools ranks John Marshall's Lawyering Skills Program 5th, its Trial Advocacy Program 19th and its Intellectual Property Law Program 21st in the nation. Since its inception, John Marshall has been a pioneer in legal education and has been guided by a tradition of diversity, innovation, access and opportunity.
Hamilton Zoo staff have farewelled one of the zoos most popular animals, male tapir Mr Branco.

One of two South American tapir exhibited at Hamilton Zoo, the 25-year-old Mr Branco had developed age-related arthritis and kidney and liver function issues.

The decision to end Mr Brancos suffering was made after discussions with Hamilton Zoo staff and the zoos veterinarian. He was euthanized earlier this week. At 25, Mr Branco was into the very latest stages of his natural life.

Hamilton Zoo director Stephen Standley says staff were becoming concerned about Mr Brancos welfare as his health deteriorated and with it his quality of life.

"Mr Branco had been under veterinary treatment for some time. His ailments were age-related and we didnt want him to suffer any further.

"These decisions are never easy. Mr Branco was one of our most well-known and popular animals and he was a favourite among the team here, too."

Mrs Branco, who is also 25, will remain at Hamilton Zoo and her health and well-being will be closely monitored by staff.

Stephen says Mr Branco will not be replaced as importing the species is no longer permitted.

Hamilton Zoo is the only zoo in New Zealand to exhibit tapir, a species found in the jungles of South America, Central America and some parts of Asia.

Tapir are the size of a common domestic pig, and are odd-toed ungulates, part of the same broader group of animals as horses, zebras and rhinoceroses.

Tapirs are herbivores with a noticeable snout protruding from their faces.
Police Minister Judith Collins has paid tribute to Police who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Police Remembrance Day will be held today at the Royal New Zealand Police College with Her Excellency the Right Honourable Dame Patsy Reddy, Governor-General of New Zealand, and Police Commissioner Mike Bush in attendance.

Each year, Police staff gather around the country to pay tribute to those officers who have died as a result of criminal acts while on duty, as well as those current and former staff who have died in the last year, says Ms Collins.

It will be an honour for Police, and a great tribute to those who have fallen, for Her Excellency to be joining Police in her first official engagement as Governor-General.

While I am unable to attend the service this year, my thoughts are with the family and friends of those who will be remembered today on what will be an emotional day.

This year, three former officers have also been added to the Memorial Wall, after their deaths were identified as having occurred as a result of a criminal act through Polices Recognition Project  Constable James Butler, Constable Louis Hekenui Bidois and Detective Constable Ronald Hill.

The Recognition Project began three years ago to ensure Police appropriately acknowledged those officers who gave their lives in the course of their work.

Since the project started, 40 officers have been identified who are now officially remembered every year as having died while on duty. This is in addition to the three officers above who have been placed next to the 29 names already on the Memorial Wall as having died as a direct result of a criminal act.

As part of the ceremony, a wreath laying ceremony will take place. In remembrance of those who have gone before, a wreath will be laid on behalf of the Minister by a member of the Police Executive.

Source: New Zealand Police.
NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TAP Portugals Stopover program allows U.S travelers to Europe to include a visit to Portugal on the way for no additional airfare. TAP serves 45 European destinations from the US, via Lisbon, at fares starting from just $499 roundtrip.



Travelers can stay up to three nights on their stopover in Lisbon and even add a free domestic flight to Porto also.

TAP serves Lisbon with daily flights from New Yorks JFK, Newark, Boston and Miami, as well as nonstop to Porto twice weekly from Newark. The Stopover program is available on all flights and all routes.





People always tell me that they want to visit Portugal, said David Neeleman, partner in Atlantic Gateway, shareholders in TAP. With TAPs Stopover program, were making that visit much easier  and free! Lisbon and Porto are the natural gateways to Europe and are a wonderful way to break up your travel.

TAP has several airfare sales on currently which all include up to three days stopover in Lisbon and/or Porto at no extra cost.

For travel between November 1 and December 14, travelers may couple a visit to Portugal with their trip to Paris or London, from $499 or $508 roundtrip, respectively. This fare is for sale through September 30.

Travel to Spain between November 1 to December 14 and between January 8 and April 6, can include Lisbon and Porto on the way, from $640 roundtrip. TAP serves nine cities in Spain: A Coruna, Asturias, Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Malaga, Seville, Valencia, and Vigo. TAPs other European destinations are on sale with the Stopover also from just $680 roundtrip. These fares must be purchased by November 30.

For Christmas holiday travel, travelers may purchase airfare to one of TAPs European destinations and see Lisbon and Porto on the way, starting from $693 roundtrip. Fares must be purchased by October 17, for travel between December 15 through April 16, 2017.

The Stopover booking option is available on the flight search mode in the www.flytap.com site and TAP also has launched an innovative app, available from the Apple Store or Google Play, providing Stopover passengers with a virtual ID card to be presented to the different partners in order to get benefits.

The app is also a tool to provide customer assistance, operating as a travel guide and allowing customers to share their experiences on social networks, encouraging their friends and family to visit Portugal. In addition to great fares, TAPs Stopover program includes hotel discounts and other added benefits such as free wine.



TAP has established a network with over 150 partners, who will ensure exclusive prices for Stopover customers in hotels, a free bottle of Portuguese wine in restaurants and free experiences, such as tuk-tuk rides, visits to museums, dolphin watching in the River Sado and food tastings.

The 45 European destinations from the US which include the stopover in Lisbon and/or Porto include: Portugals own Faro, Funchal, Ponta Delgada, Porto Santo, and Terceira; Frances Bordeaux , Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Nice, Paris, and Toulouse; Germanys Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Munich; Italys Bologna, Milan, Rome, and Venice; Spains A Coruna, Asturias, Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Malaga, Seville, Valencia, and Vigo; the United Kingdoms London and Manchester; and Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Brussels, Belgium; Copenhagen, Denmark; Geneva, Switzerland; Helsinki, Finland; City of Luxembourg, Luxembourg; Moscow, Russia; Oslo, Norway; Prague, Czech Republic; Stockholm, Sweden; Vienna, Austria; Warsaw, Poland; and Zurich, Switzerland.

About TAP Portugal

TAP is Portugals leading airline, and member of Star Alliance, the global airline alliance to offer customers worldwide reach, since 2005. In operation since 1945, TAP celebrated 70 years on March 14, 2015, and completed its privatization process in 2015, with the Atlantic Gateway Group now as new private shareholders of its share capital. TAP hub in Lisbon is a key European gateway at the crossroads of Africa, North, Central and South America, where TAP stands out as the international leading carrier in operation to Brazil. During the current IATA Summer period, the companys network will comprise 76 destinations in 29 countries worldwide. TAP currently operates about 2,500 weekly flights in average on a modern fleet of 61 Airbus aircraft and 17 aircraft operating in TAP Express livery, TAP regional branded product, adding up to a 78 aircraft fleet. As of June 2016, the company took delivery of two additional A330s, thus increasing its fleet to 80 aircraft in the whole. Within the vast restructure program currently going across the company as the outcome of its privatization process, TAP has announced its Network restructure, its medium and long haul fleet renewal program as of 2017 and the retrofit of the fleet currently in operation as well as the launch of the new branded product TAP Express, which replaces PGA and operates a new fleet of 8 ATR 72 and 9 Embraer 190. In the pursuit of its customer focused policy, TAP continuously invests to deliver safe, reliable and upgraded products & services, tailored to meet customers expectations. Retaining the Portuguese character of the Companys brand and quality service as the basic concept has been the main driver of TAP strategy in most recent years. Recognized and awarded as the Europes Leading Airline to Africa as well as Europes Leading Airline to South America by the World Travel Awards in 2015 and 2014, the company was also awarded as the WTA Worlds Leading Airline to Africa in 2011 and 2012 and the WTA Worlds Leading Airline to South America in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. Voted Best Airline in Europe in 2011, 2012, 2013 and again in 2015 by the Global Traveler, USA, the company was also honored by UNESCO and by the International Union of Geological Sciences with the IYPE Planet Earth Award 2010, in the category of Most Innovative Sustainable Product. TAP was also voted Best Airline by Conde Nast Traveller Magazine in 2010, Best Portuguese Tourism Company by the specialized magazine Marketeer, in 2011 and also the airline with Best Reputation by the Reputation Institute in 2014, while its Inflight Magazine UP was voted Best European Inflight Magazine by the WTA awards in 2015 .

For further information, please go to www.flytap.com.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee today announced Cabinets decision to extend New Zealands contribution to the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation through to September 2018.

The United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation is the United Nations oldest peacekeeping operation, and is an important and visible mission to help preserve peace between Israel and its neighbours.

The New Zealand Defence Force has been a longstanding and respected contributor since 1954 through the monitoring role played by our military observers.

Renewing this commitment will see eight personnel continue to support conflict prevention through the mission. It is our largest current contribution to a United Nations-led peacekeeping operation.

Our personnel are serving under the experienced leadership of New Zealands former Chief of Army Major General Dave Gawn, who is the current Head of the Mission through to August 2018, Mr Brownlee says.

About the mission:

The United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation emerged from the Arab-Israeli war of 1948 through United Nations Security Council Resolution 50, to supervise the truce in Palestine.

The subsequent 1949 Armistice Agreements between Israel and its Arab neighbours  Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria  required a continued United Nations presence, which has remained to today.

The United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation mission currently comprises 151 unarmed military observers provided by 25 troop contributing countries including New Zealand. These military observers monitor the situation along the borders of Egypt, Israel, Lebanon and Syria.

New Zealands former Chief of Army Major General Dave Gawn was appointed directly by the United Nations as Head of Mission and Chief of Staff from 1 August 2015 for a three-year term.

Source: Office of Gerry Brownlee.
The Bay of Plenty is becoming an increasingly desirable destination for business and educational conferences, says the regions official tourism and marketing organisation.

Tourism BOPs head of marketing Kath Low says its an exciting opportunity for the region to play host to a number of high-profile events, like this weeks National Maori Housing Conference.
Umbrellas were a necessity at the marine precinct site this morning as city and regional council officials gathered in pouring rain at the marine precinct projects sod turning dawn ceremony.

After short speeches, Tauranga City Mayor Stuart Crosby and Bay of Plenty Regional Councillor Philip Sherry broke the ground  trading the traditional spade for a HEB excavator, which will soon be in operation at the site.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 28, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On September 9, 2016, NOHO, Inc., a Wyoming corporation (the Company), by and through its Board of Directors and majority shareholder entered into a share exchange agreement (the Agreement) with Media360 Licensing, Inc., a Wyoming corporation (Media360). Pursuant to the Agreement, the shareholders of Media360 exchanged 100% of their shares of common stock of Media360 for 54,000,000,000 shares of common stock of the Company. As a result, Media360 shall become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company and the business of Media360 shall continue through the Company. Additionally, as a result of the Agreement, the Company will change its name to Media360 Licensing, Inc. and will request an OTC symbol change from its current symbol DRNK to MDLC or to an alternative symbol if requested by FINRA.



Spin-Out of Certain Assets and Liabilities. Within a reasonable period after the Closing Date, NOHO agreed to convey to a third party entity Mix 1, LLC (hereinafter Mix 1), all assets and liabilities of NOHO listed in the Agreement. NOHO agreed to indemnify Media360 for any and all damages, losses, settlement payments, in respect of deficiencies, liabilities, costs, expenses and claims suffered, sustained, incurred or required to be paid by such NOHO.

The assets that are being conveyed to Mix 1, LLC are as follows: i) all Intellectual Property of NOHO, Inc.; ii) websites, social media and point of purchase materials and displays; iii) all inventory and formulations; iv) furniture, computers and fixtures; and v) all contracts and distribution agreements.

The liabilities that are being conveyed to Mix 1, LLC are as follows: i) all deferred and accrued salaries of NOHO; ii) all accounts payable of NOHO; and iii) a Loan Agreement between NOHO and Presidio for $120,000.

On September 9, 2016, Chairman of the Board of NOHO and its majority shareholder, John G. Grdina, holding 51% of the aggregate voting percentage of both common and preferred stock of NOHO, approved the Share Exchange Agreement by shareholder written consent.

Mr. Grdina, said, The Board of Directors of NOHO has unanimously determined that the Share Exchange and the transactions contemplated thereby, are advisable, fair to and in the best interests of the shareholders of both entities, and has therefore approved the Share Exchange Agreement.

About NOHO, Inc.

NOHO Gold Premium and Functional Lifestyle beverage is setting the standard for beverages that not only taste great, but also serves a functional purpose. The 8.4 oz can's light refreshing flavor can be used to help combat against hangovers by mixing it with your favorite liquor or can be used as a healthy alternative to high sugar sodas and juices. With only 6 grams of sugar and 30 calories, it proves that healthy can taste good.

For additional information on NOHO please visit www.nohodrink.com and follow NOHO on www.instagram.com/nohodrink as well as at www.twitter.com/nohodrink.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.

This press release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements appear in a number of places in this release and include all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the Noho, Inc. (the Company), its directors or its officers with respect to, among other things: (i) financing plans; (ii) trends affecting its financial condition or results of operations; (iii) growth strategy and operating strategy. The words may, would, will, expect, estimate, can, believe, potential and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Companys ability to control, and actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward looking statements as a result of various factors. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which are, in some cases, beyond the Company's control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the company's expectations include, but are not limited to, those factors that are disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in documents filed by the company from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory authorities.
CLEARWATER, Fla., Sept. 28, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Florida chapter of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights  a non-profit mental health watchdog, co-founded by the Church of Scientology, that has worked to protect patients rights for 46 years  demonstrated in protest of the over-drugging of children at the Florida Psychiatric Society annual meeting in response to the psychiatric drugging of 8 million children in the United States.



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f50e495c-12c0-4ff2-bc38-c96186d43d9c

On Saturday the 24th of September, two hundred members of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) of Florida held a rally and demonstration in the vicinity of the Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront hotel where the Florida Psychiatric Society was holding its annual meeting. The purpose of the rally was to bring public attention to the epidemic destroying the fabric of our society  the psychiatric drugging of children.

Currently 8 million U.S. children are being prescribed psychiatric drugs, with more than 1 million between the ages of zero to five.i Normal childhood behaviors are being repackaged and labeled as mental disorders. The result is that millions of children are being drugged for behaviors reclassified by psychiatry as disease.

This drugging of children goes directly against the best practice guidelines published by the American Academy of Pediatrics and in a report by the Center for Disease Control, in a national sample of children ages 4-17 years collected a few short years ago, more children were not receiving treatment as described in these guidelines but instead were being given psychiatric drugs as a first course of treatment.ii

With the meeting exhibitor list of the Florida Psychiatric Societys event filled with companies that produce psychiatric drugs such as Alkermes, Janssen Pharmaceutical Company and Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,iii CCHR descended on the psychiatrists attending the Florida Psychiatric Society annual meeting with signs reading PSYCHIATRY: JUNK SCIENCE & DANGEROUS DRUGS and PSYCHIATRY: LABELING CHILDREN FOR PROFIT taking every opportunity to let people know that this meeting was simply a way to connect up the psychiatrists who prescribe drugs with the companies that sell them.

Dangerous psychiatric drugs are being given to infants and toddlers despite the known debilitating side effects of death, homicides and suicides that are reported in older children and adults taking these medications,iv said Diane Stein, President CCHR Florida. Why is this being done despite the known risks? Because a psychiatrist prescribing drugs can make up to four times as much as one who doesnt and drugs prescribed for ADHD alone make billions every year. It is all about the money.v

CCHR protesters also distributed hundreds of pamphlets informing passersby in St. Petersburg about the issue of the dangerous drugging of children with psychotropic drugs. Passersby in turn honked their horns and responded in agreement to the group and their signs.

About CCHR:

Initially established by the Church of Scientology and renowned psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Szasz in 1969, CCHRs mission is to eradicate abuses committed under the guise of mental health and enact patient and consumer protections.

It was L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, who brought the terror of psychiatric imprisonment to the notice of the world. In March 1969, he said, Thousands and thousands are seized without process of law, every week, over the free world tortured, castrated, killed. All in the name of mental health.

After discovering that 55 percent of foster children in Florida had been prescribed powerful mind-altering psychotropic drugs, CCHR documented the abuse to the health department, which initiated changes that led to a 75 percent reduction in prescriptions for children under six.

i https://www.cchrint.org/psychiatric-drugs/children-on-psychiatric-drugs/

ii http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html

iii http://www.floridapsych.org/page/ExhibitorInfoF2016

iv http://www.cchrflorida.org/infants-being-given-psychiatric-drugs-on-the-rise/

v http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/06/prescribing.aspx
Skaneateles, N.Y.  Welch Allyn plans to add 100 new jobs to its medical equipment factory in Skaneateles, already one of Central New York's largest employers.

Company President Alton Shader and Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the jobs announcement today at Welch Allyn's headquarters on State Street Road, where the company employs 900 people.

Cuomo said the state will provide the company with $12 million in incentives. Onondaga County also will provide economic development incentives to the company, he said.

Chicago-based Hill-Rom Holdings Inc. bought the company for $2.05 billion in September from the Allyn family and has continues to manufacture medical diagnostic equipment under the Welch Allyn name in Skaneateles.

The acquisition raised fears in the community that Hill-Rom might pull jobs out of Skaneateles. Two days after the acquisition, Hill-Rom laid off 50 people at the plant, but there have been no major layoffs since then, and today's announce came as welcome news.

Shader said Welch Allyn has had the most successful year in its history.

"The future is bright for Welch Allyn," he said.

He said the jobs will be in manufacturing, marketing, and research and development and will be created over the next two years. The state's economic development incentives are contingent on the company creating the jobs, he said.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, did not attend the announcement in Skaneateles but issued a statement saying that a recent delay in implementation of a special federal tax on medical equipment sales played a role in the company's decision to add the jobs. Schumer had pushed for the delay.



"Simply put, today's announcement is proof that the medical device tax needs to be permanently repealed so Welch Allyn will remain a source of economic energy for Central New York for years to come," he said.

Dr. Francis Welch and William Noah Allyn founded the company in Skaneateles in 1915.

Contact Rick Moriarty anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148


Skaneateles, N.Y.  Welch Allyn will invest $4.2 million and create 100 jobs in Skaneateles in exchange for up to $13.5 million in state and local incentives.

The 101-year-old medical device maker pledged Wednesday to retain the 900 existing jobs at its factory and headquarters in Skaneateles, 30 miles southwest of Syracuse, and create 100 new jobs over the next two years in exchange for the incentive package.

"I hope that people understand that we want to invest here in Skaneateles Falls," Welch Allyn President Alton Shader said Wednesday following announcement of the new jobs. "We want to invest in Welch Allyn. The incentives are there to ensure that we live up to our commitment."

The company will be eligible for up to $6 million in tax credits under New York's Excelsior Jobs Program over 10 years based on job creation commitments, qualifying capital investments, and research and development expenditures.

In addition, Welch Allyn has been awarded a $6 million grant under New York's Upstate Revitalization Initiative, based on the creation of the 100 new jobs in Skaneateles.

The company also plans to seek $1.5 million in property and sales tax savings, and job training grants from the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency.

Together, the state and local incentives could total as much $13.5 million over 10 years.

Shader said 100 jobs in manufacturing, marketing, and research and development will be added. Most will be new positions, but it's possible some jobs will be transferred from other facilities operated by Welch Allyn's owner, Hill-Rom Holdings Inc., he said.

When Chicago-based Hill-Rom bought Welch Allyn last September for $2.05 billion, ending 100 years of ownership by the Allyn family, and laid off 50 people two days later, business and community leaders feared the company would eventually move production of Welch Allyn's many medical equipment products to other Hill-Rom facilities across the globe.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who made the jobs announcement with Shader in Skaneateles Wednesday, said the story might have ended differently five years ago, with the company moving Welch Allyn to a different location after a brief period of decision making. He said the state and local incentive package helped to keep that from happening, however.

Shader said business was going very well for Welch Allyn in its first year under Hill-Rom's ownership  so well that this will be the best year in the company's 101-year history.

"The team here at Welch Allyn has done a great job and we are experiencing quite a bit of growth within our business," he said.

The addition of 100 jobs at Welch Allyn is particularly welcome news in Skaneateles because it comes as Hill-Rom is looking at ways to consolidate its manufacturing facilities.

In a press release, the company said it has nearly doubled its size over the past two years through acquisitions, including its purchase of Welch Allyn and $250 million purchase of Trumpf Medical, as well as through growth in its legacy businesses.

"One of the company's stated profit improvement initiatives is to drive efficiency by optimizing the current manufacturing network of over 15 facilities," it said. "Hill-Rom's decision to add over 100 positions in Central New York is part of the company's facility consolidation effort."

Contact Rick Moriarty anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148
AbdurRakib wrote:

British historians have sometimes cited financial concerns as the primary cause of the American Revolution, but in doing so, the ideals of the 18th century French Enlightenment are not given their due.



A) doing so, the ideals of the 18th century French Enlightenment are not given their due

B) doing it, the ideals of the 18th century French Enlightenment are not given their due

C) doing so, the ideals of the 18th century French Enlightenment have not been given their due

D) doing so, they do not give the ideals of the 18th century French Enlightenment their due

E) doing so, they do not give the due of their ideals to the French Enlightenment of the 18th century

Abhishek009

doing it

doing so

the ideals

they

they

their

their

ideals

ideals

British historians



Magoosh Test Prep





Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.  William Butler Yeats (1865  1939) Mike McGarryEducation is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.  William Butler Yeats (1865  1939) Signature Read More
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SYRACUSE, N.Y.-- Onondaga County Judge Thomas J. Miller Wednesday was unmoved by a lawyer's argument to allow her client to withdraw a guilty plea for her role in the Father's Day riot involving 300 people.

The judge sentenced Resheena Jenkins-Ortiz, 31, to three years in prison and 18 months of post-release supervision for her role in a riot at a barbecue on Syracuse's Near West Side on June 19. Earlier she had pleaded guilty to rioting and assault. Jenkins-Ortiz was accused of biting a police officer during the melee.

Before sentencing, Jenkins-Ortiz's new lawyer, Irene Flores, said her client didn't remember the riot and didn't understand what was happening when she pleaded guilty earlier, Flores said. The plea should be withdrawn, she said.

"She did not remember what happened that day and she didn't think she had a choice," the lawyer told Miller.

"I didn't know what I was doing when I pled guilty," Jenkins-Ortiz told the judge. Her former lawyer "didn't give me any other opportunity but to plead guilty," she said.

Miller waved aside the argument noting that Jenkins-Ortiz has six previous cases that were satisfied by pleas.

The defendant could have faced up to 11 years in prison if found guilty of assault and riot, the judge said. "I think under the circumstances Ms. Jenkins did well for herself," Miller said.

On Father's Day police were called to a report that a man was down at the James Geddes Housing Development. Syracuse Police Officer Kelsey Francemone, who was the first officer on the scene, heard shots and ran toward the sound. She shot and killed Gary Porter.

A grand jury ruled the shooting was justified because authorities said Porter had a gun. A gun was not recovered at the scene.

After the shooting, a crowd attacked police officers with bottles, rocks, trash and part of a bicycle and a female sergeant was also attacked and bitten.

Ten people were charged with inciting a riot.
SeeakingAdvice wrote:

Hi,

I have a question regarding extracurriculars:



How important to an application are they really?



During college I was not apart of any clubs or associations because I wasn't interested and did not have the forethought to see their importance on graduate school applications.



I have been out of college two years and during that time I have not joined any organizations and volunteered a total of about 16 hours in the last year for random causes, not a defining singular cause. I travel very often during weekdays and have studied most weekends for the CPA exam and GMAT.



I plan to apply to schools during second round (December - January). Should I do anything between now and then like join and organization or volunteer (I really don't have the time...) or is it not a big deal?

Sustainability

Scale

AdComs typically look at 2 aspects when assessing the extracurricular activities candidates cite in their application:1. Sustainability2. Scale: Donating a sum to charity once a year is a blip in the graph. But being a part of a non-profit group or a band or a special interest group for many years, and making meaningful contributions to these is a sustainable involvement.: If you are part of any group or society, what have you done to make a difference to what they do? Anything that has caused an impact? You have to do something of significance, or at least attempt doing something significant (in the process, you will learn many things) for it to really give you brownie points in your application.Keep these points in mind when you take up any activity - and never make the mistake of engaging in any activity just to 'build your profile'. Ask yourself, "If I never get into a B-school, would I regret spending precious hours doing this stuff?" If the answer is yes, don't do it!Cheers.
Please rate my AWA essay [ #permalink

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ARGUMENT

"The producers of the forthcoming movie 3003 will be most likely to maximize their profits if they are willing to pay Robin Good several million dollars to star in it - even though that amount is far more than any other person involved in the movie will make. After all, Robin has in the past been paid a similar amount to work in several films that were very financially successful."



MY RESPONSE:

The author of a recent column in a popular entainment magazine argues that the producers of an upcoming movie called 3003 should be paying Robin Good several million dollars to star in the movie. The author states that this would most likely maximize the profits that the producers will make from the movie. The only evidence that the author provides to support this claim that in the past Robin Good has been paid similar amount of money in several highly financially successful films. Although the author's claim hold some merit it is flawed and contains several questionable assumptions that need to be clarified.



Most conspicuously, the author simply states that all the financially successful movies in the past that Robin Good has been a part of were successful only because of him. It is entirely possible, however, that all those movies had other popular actors in leading roles who contributed to the success of those films as well. Moreover, in addition to the quality of the cast the financial success of movies largely depends on the quality of plot as well. Accordingly, the author should clarify if there were any other causes for the success of those movies in the past.



Additionaly, the author has provided no time frame regarding the past work of Robin Good. The author has assumed that since past movies that Robin Good was a part of were successful all his future movies are likely to be successful as well, as it could very well be possible that his style of acting and the movies that he as a part of were much more popular with the older generation and not so much wih the younger generation. The author fails to provide any information to support the claim that Robin Good is still popular with movie watchers.



In conclusion, the argument that the upcoming movie 3003 will be a financial success if Robin Good is to star in it is poorly supported and makes number of critial assumptions. Not only does the author assumes that Robin Good was the sole reason that made his past movies successful, but he also preproposes that his past success will make his future movies successful as well. In order to make this argument more convincing the author needs to provide a lot more information about these assumption. Therefore, the argument in its current form stands unconvincing and deeply flawed.
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The Black Panther OS is a bare-bones Linux distribution built around the KDE desktop. The KDE environment itself is not a minimal component, but how it is integrated within Black Panther gives you an almost-nothing-there installation until you painstakingly install system tools and applications, literally piece by piece.

Black Panther OS, originally forked from Mandriva Linux, is now under independent development in Hungary. Last months version 16.1 release, dubbed Silent Killer, marks the projects first use of the KDE Plasma 5 desktop.

This is its only desktop environment. Black Panther OS combines features from other major projects. For instance, it uses Mandrivas graphical configuration tools, Fedoras graphical user interface and Ubuntus driver management.

Charles Barcza, who started developing Black Panther OS in 2002, released the first public version 1.0 (code name: Shadow) the following year. He has maintained an annual development cycle.

Black Panther Linux is a general purpose OS designed for use at school, home and work. It focuses on performing everyday tasks, such as time management, office work and media playback. However, it is far from user-friendly, and its time-consuming setup will be an instant turnoff to most users.

Both new and veteran Linux users have far too many better solutions to run the KDE desktop with out-of-the-box convenience.

First Impressions

The latest release has a look and feel that is considerably different from the KDE Plasma 5 desktops other Linux distros use. It does a nice job of disguising the KDE plasma until you start clicking around. The bottom panel is transparent and has a much different configuration than I expected.

The Black Panther OS desktop does not display the telltale signs of a KDE environment. Even the menu icon is not in its expected position on the panel bar.

The desktop design and themes leave much to be desired in terms of attractiveness. Perhaps that is in keeping with the design and code name implications. for the most part, you will look at a very flat display that is mostly white on black. The Black Panther integration of KDE Plasma seems to have muted much of the animation and pizazz I have come to admire about the KDE desktop.

The developer is intent on adopting best practices from other major GNU/Linux communities, but the way the execution tends to give the release a patchwork feel. The website gives this impression. The patchwork mentality follows through to the OS itself.

Black Panther OS is one of the few Linux distros that still manages to pack itself onto a CD rather than a DVD. Credit efficient optimizations for keeping the entire release on a 700 MB CD-R(W), provided you enable the overburn feature before writing the ISO image to the disc.

Silent Killers major components include Linux kernel 4.7.0, Qt 5.6.1., Plasma 5.7.1, Python 3.5.1 and the Calamares installer. The dual-architecture ISO supports both 32-bit and 64-bit architectures. This eliminates the need to select a 32-bit or 64-bit ISO file when downloading the distro. You can burn the ISO to DVD or USB storage of 1GB as well.

Getting It Going

I found the entire process involved with Black Panther OS to be a bumpy experience. The saga began with searching for the ISO download. The website lacks any clearly identified download path. Instead, the download page and download buttons link to other page views that have multiple download links with added dates many years earlier.

Finding the ISO file you need is confusing on the Black Panther OS website. Clicking the Download button gets you to the same page you see here. Can you find the download link for Silent Killer?

All of this masks the actual current download location and contributes to confusion. So does loading the live session ISO or even installing Black Panther OS to a physical hard drive or a virtual storage drive.

Typically, live session ISOs boot into the Linux desktop with little or no user interaction required. Black Panther OS, however, puts you through a similar configuration routine as you would experience doing an actual installation.

This is where the language barrier gets in the way. When you run the CD/DVD, you must select your language. Then you click the button on the bottom of the screen to continue. The problem is, unless you can read Hungarian, you do not know what the labels mean.

The left button is labeled megsem, which roughly means nevermind. The right button is labeled kovetkezo, which roughly means next. I only know that because I had to swivel in my chair to another computer to run a dictionary search on the Internet for those two words.

From this point, you proceed through a series of accept/decline windows to configure your time zone, accept the open source license, select a time zone and keyboard layout, set a root (system administrator) password, or add a user. Most of these questions are unnecessary for a live session trial peak at how any Linux distro runs on your hardware. If you decide to install Black Panther OS, you have to repeat the same process again anyway.

Using It

I found getting ready to use Black Panther OS a time-consuming task. It installed in less than 10 minutes  but that was just the core components. I knew I had some work waiting when I browsed the menu. I saw dozens of application titles listed in gray. Clicking on any one of them loaded the software package installer. That held true for system tools as well as all the other application categories.

The main menu shows colorful categories, but most of the application titles are placeholders. You have to install everything piece by piece.

The menu held numerous surprises. For instance, earlier versions of Black Panther OS bundled the KDE Calligra suite. The current Silent Killer, however, has its own in-house office suite called Black Panther Office. Once I installed the RPM packages for the office suite, it was obvious why Id never heard of it  it is actually LibreOffice version 5.1.4.2.

That office suite has six integrated components that usually install as one product. Each time I clicked on one of the components  word processor, spreadsheet, etc  I had to wade through yet another full product installation and configuration.

Very few of the software titles in the menu actually are installed with the OS. Any title grayed out needs to be installed and set up. This clearly makes Black Panther OS not a ready-to-use OS right out of the box. This is a very tedious and time-consuming process. Almost no applications and system tools are prepackaged with the hard disk installation. One exception is the default Web browser, Vivaldi.

Plan on spending a few hours downloading and installing each application in the main menu. Silent Killer is not ready to use out of the box.

Bottom Line

Installation requires at least 10 GB of hard drive space and 1.5 GB memory. Normally, those requirements are not an issue. It becomes one, however, when installing to a virtual machine.

Avoid two annoyances with installing Black Panther OS. The cancel/next buttons on the bottom of the screen did not show until I narrowed the height of the panel bar.

Make sure the first thing you do after rebooting into the full installation is check for alternative video drivers in the settings panel. The default KDE Plasma drivers loaded fine on reboot, but then failed when I tried to load Black Panther. I did not have that problem with the virtual machine installation.

When I tried loading the OS in recover mode, a text-based console appeared instead of a graphical interface. You guessed it  all the text was Hungarian.

The overall look and feel of this distro is very unappealing. It is mostly black backgrounds with white borders on the window boxes. The flat design and lack of much color makes for a very dull user experience.

Want to Suggest a Review?

Is there a Linux software application or distro youd like to suggest for review? Something you love or would like to get to know?

Please email your ideas to me, and Ill consider them for a future Linux Picks and Pans column.

And use the Talkback feature below to add your comments!
Apple has purchased medical records startup Gliimpse, Fast Company reported Monday, in order to broaden its presence in the personal healthcare information management market.

Apple confirmed that the purchase took place earlier this year, according to the magazine.

Apple in recent years has delved into healthcare with offerings such as HealthKit, CareKit and ResearchKit. The Gliimpse acquisition is seen as an extension of those efforts.

Apple is highly committed to creating products and services around health, said Tim Bajarin, president of Creative Strategies.

Gliimpse gives Apple another powerful data-tracking tool to tie to their health ecosystem of products and services, he told TechNewsWorld.

Magical Machine

Gliimpse has been working for three years on its technology, which it refers to as a magical machine.

The aim is to eliminate the tower of babble plaguing medical data today by converting medical records that can appear incomprehensible into information that both humans and machines can digest and use.

Apple so far has focused on healthcare information gathered outside the clinical spectrum, said Roeen Roashan, senior analyst for healthcare technology at IHS Markit.

With Gliimpse, youre opening up the system with hospital records, lab records, and data from pharmacies, he told TechNewsWorld. That not only expands Apples reach and strengthens its product, but it also enhances its analytics capabilities in terms of providing better patient care.

Guessing Game

What Apple will do with Gliimpses technology is anyones guess, as the company is known for keeping its plans under tight wraps.

Apple might consider Gliimpse a critical technology to an overarching healthcare service, or it may simply see it as complementary to other Apple health and fitness solutions, said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. At this point, its impossible to say.

Purchasing Gliimpse could signal a new direction for Apple, noted Bob ODonnell, chief analyst at Technalysis Research.

I think were seeing arguably the beginning of a new type of Apple thats looking outside its core into a number of different areas and seeing how they can be a disrupter, he told TechNewsWorld. Healthcare is one of those areas.

Formidable Challenge

Healthcare can be challenging for vendors who are already in the business, let alone for newcomers like Apple.

The main challenge in this space is interoperability across systems  not only within Apples platforms, but also across provider networks and the rest of the healthcare sector, IHS Roashan explained.

Numerous challenges face any company doing business in healthcare, Pund-ITs King told TechNewsWorld. They include a lack of consensus among healthcare providers and services, a reliance on proprietary technologies, and fierce competition among stakeholders.

Even initiatives like electronic medical records can result in confusion  at least when it comes to sharing records with nonaffiliated doctors and facilities, he added.

The problems only get worse when you go outside the United States, noted Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy.

Each country has its own compliance schema and laws, making things complex, he told TechNewsWorld, which plays against the consumers need for ease of use.

Baby Steps

With Gliimpse, Apple may be able to reduce some of the healthcare system friction that so frustrates its users.

This is a baby step toward democratizing healthcare information and creating a more empowered consumer of healthcare, said Jeff Dachis, CEO of One Drop.

The first step in doing that is giving consumers their own healthcare information, he told TechNewsWorld. Gliimpse potentially offers that to them.

Giving consumers control of their own health data could be beneficial to both patients and the vendor that cracks the data-sharing problem.

The idea of patients owning and managing their health information could make medical visits simpler, and diagnosis and treatment safer and more relevant, suggested Pund-Its King.

The company that gets it right could become massively successful and prosperous, he added.At the same time, meeting healthcare regulations and security requirements is not for the faint of heart, and numerous healthcare stakeholders are likely see such efforts as endangering the well being of their businesses.

Neither Apple nor Gliimpse reponded to our requests to comment for this story.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on Monday disclosed details about the New Glenn rockets his Blue Origin aerospace manufacturer and spaceflight services company plans to build.

Blue Origins next step  meet New Glenn, he tweeted.

Bezos released illustrations of two models, the New Glenn 2 and the larger New Glenn 3. Theyre larger than all other rockets except the Saturn V, which NASA used for the Apollo program to send astronauts to the moon and other missions.

The New Glenn 2-stage would be Blue Origins foray into the satellite launch market, noted Jekan Thangavelautham, head of SpaceTREx (space and terrestrial robotic exploration) at Arizona State University. It will be able to put large satellites in [low Earth orbit] and smaller satellites  sub-50 to 100 kg  in higher orbits.

The 3-stage heavy lift rocket should be able to put large satellites in [geostationary orbit] or send them on interplanetary journeys, he told TechNewsWorld.

First, however, the 3-stage New Glenn needs to prove the upper stage hydrogen-oxygen cryo engine, he pointed out. That is not an easy accomplishment.

New Glenn Specs

Both the New Glenn 2-stage and New Glenn 3-stage are 23 feet in diameter. The 2-stage is designed to stand 270 feet tall while the 3-stage rocket will be 313 feet tall.

The booster and the second stage are identical in both, and the booster will be reusable.

The first stage will be powered by seven Blue Origin BE-4 engines delivering 3.85 million pounds of thrust. The BE-4 is a single-shaft staged combustion engine running on liquefied natural gas and liquid oxygen.

The second stage will be powered by one vacuum-optimized BE-4 engine. The New Glenns third stage will be powered by a single vacuum-optimized BE-3 engine burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.

The New Glenn 3-stage rocket will be able to fly beyond LEO.

Its expected to launch from Cape Canaverals LC-36 complex by the end of the decade.

Asteroid Mining Potential

The New Glenn 2 is roughly the size of the Saturn V, but its payload will be less since its using engines and fuel with a lower specific impulse, observed Michael Jude, a program manager at Stratecast/Frost & Sullivan.

Its total thrust is about half of the Saturn Vs, so we can assume that it will be capable of lofting large payloads into Earth orbit, he told TechNewsWorld. It will probably be capable of lofting smaller payloads into interplanetary space.

Private enterprise increasingly is demonstrating an interest in interplanetary space, especially asteroid mining, Jude said. The New Glenn 2-stage would seem to be capable of addressing that market.

Further, several companies are looking to place larger structures into LEO, he pointed out, and this booster would be ideal for that mission.

The Commercial Space Race

Private companies participating in the space race, apart from Blue Origin, include Elon Musks SpaceX, Interorbital Systems, Deep Space Industries, and Planetary Resources. The last two plan to mine asteroids for minerals.

SpaceX, the leading competitor, has won a NASA contract to ferry supplies to the International Space Station, but it has been slowed down by recent accidents. An explosion earlier this month destroyed another Falcon 9 rocket, along with its Amos-6 commercial satellite payload, on the launchpad at Cape Canaveral, reportedly during a static-fire engine test. A Falcon 9 rocket earlier this year crashed into an ocean barge during landing.

Blue Origin with the New Glenns could go after the same market [as SpaceX] and the satellite launch market as well, SpaceTRExs Thangavelautham suggested. With the anticipated growth, there will be room for more players. The defense industry is another option.

Competition will do what government couldnt do: drive down the cost to launch payloads, Frosts Jude said.

Theres definitely a race to achieve space tourism, Thangavelautham remarked. However, the first to reach the market is not always the clear winner in the aerospace industry. Weve had lots of failures in the past.
Russia's capital city of Moscow is getting rid of Microsoft's products, replacing them with domestic software. The move comes after President Vladimir Putin called for Russian authorities and companies to be less reliant on foreign technology.

The first casualties will be Microsoft's Exchange Server and Outlook on 6000 Moscow computers. An email system installed by state-run carrier Rostelecom PJSC will replace the Redmond firm's programs.

Bloomberg reports that authorities are looking to expand the homegrown system, developed by Russia's New Cloud Technologies, to as many as 600,000 computers in the future. Artem Yermolaev, head of information technology for Moscow, said that Microsoft Windows and Office could be the next products that get replaced.

The migration to the new email servers is expected to take two years. The city has budgeted around $700,000 for the project, with the new licenses reportedly around 30 percent cheaper than Microsoft's. Communications minister Nikolay Nikiforov said: "We want the money of taxpayers and state-run firms to be primarily spent on local software".

The decision to abandon Microsoft comes at a time of high tensions between Russia and United States. The EU and US sanctions that followed the annexation of Crimea saw many American companies shutter or cut back their business dealings in the country.

Putin's internet czar, German Klimenko, wants heavy taxes on U.S. technology companies, including 18 percent on app store purchases, to help Russian competitors in the country's $3 billion software market.

Russia has been looking to tighten its grip over the nation's tech industry recently. Back in June, it was reported that the country was looking to make backdoors mandatory in all encrypted messaging apps, part of an "anti-terror" bill that Edward Snowden called a "Big Brother law."
The difficult times faced by BlackBerry this year have reached an almost inevitable conclusion: the Canadian company has announced that it would stop internal development of its smartphones, and instead focus on software and services while relying on partners to design and build any future hardware.

"The company plans to end all internal hardware development and will outsource that function to partners. This allows us to reduce capital requirements and enhance return on invested capital."," CEO John Chen said in a statement.

The decision marks the end of an era for the company. In 2009, BlackBerry and Nokia were responsible for 70 percent of smartphone operating systems. Today, the company holds around one percent of the market share.

Chen has twice said that BlackBerry would exit the hardware business become a software company only if he could not make it profitable. The company's second-quarter results showed a net loss of $372 million, or 71 cents per share, on revenue of $334 million.

BalckBerry's move away from the BB 10 operating system to Android hasn't been the success it hoped. The company's first Android device, the Priv, ended up having its price cut in April due to low sales of around 600,000 units since launch. The company is working on other Android devices, including the DTEK60, a successor to the DTEK50 (a clone of the Alcatel Idol 4 with BlackBerry branding).

Back in February, WhatsApp announced that it was dropping support for older operating systems, including BlackBerry OS and BlackBerry 10. A few months later, Facebook and PayPal revealed they would also be withdrawing support for the platform.

Even the President had enough of the company's devices. In June, Barack Obama finally changed his BlackBerry for an unnamed smartphone.

BlackBerry will live on through its software offerings, and BlackBerry devices will continue to arrive through third-party manufacturers, but 2016 is fast becoming a year to forget for what was once one of the most popular phone manufacturers in the world.
Google's Oct. 4 event is near, and the company has already started sending out invitations to the whole shindig.

Before that kicks off, here's a roundup of what everyone can expect to see there. Hint: It's believed that the Mountain View firm will take the wraps off a ton of devices on the center stage, ranging from smartphones and improved dongles to a laptop and a Wi-Fi router.

The Smartphones: Pixel And Pixel XL

Leaks and rumors surrounding the next iteration of the Nexus lineup called the Pixel and Pixel XL have been cropping up nicely.

To start things off, they are expected to be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 and 4 GB of RAM, staying the pace with flagships nowadays.

Going over the cameras, they might sport a rear-facing 12-megapixel shooter and a front-facing 8-megapixel snapper. To make sure all those pictures and videos along with other media content can be stored, they'll offer 32 GB worth of native storage.

On top of that, there's a chance they might have a headphone jack at the top and a USB-C port at the bottom.

In a word, they're similar across the board in terms of specs, but of course, they do have differences. While the Pixel dons a 5-inch 1080p display and packs in a 2,770 mAh battery, the Pixel XL has a 5.5-inch QHD display and a 3,450 mAh pack.

However, they might not be the most affordable smartphone in the market, as the base model of the Pixel is believed to hold customers back by $649. What's more, they may not even be waterproof, and with a price tag like that, the Google-branded handsets are around the same cost as waterproof smartphones such as the Samsung's Galaxy S7 and Apple's iPhone 7.

At any rate, there are plenty of fans who are itching to see them at the event, and based on an alleged official image that got leaked recently via Evan Blass of VentureBeat, they are looking good.

The Google Wi-Fi Router

Described to be similar to OnHub, Google's $129 Wi-Fi router guarantees every nook and cranny of a user's home will have a strong and stable signal. Needless to say, its big debut could be on Oct. 4.

The Amazon Echo Competitor: Google Home

First unveiled at the I/O conference back in May, Google Home may turn heads at the event. Basically, it's arguably one of Amazon Echo's competitors, functioning more or less the same thanks to a mic and a Bluetooth speaker at hand.

The Dongle: Chromecast Ultra

Taking dongle streaming to the next level, the new Chromecast Ultra features 4K support. Of course, that doesn't come cheap. It's relatively more expensive than the Chromecast 2, rumored to come with a $69 price tag.

This is the 4K Google Chromecast Ultra https://t.co/mvRTqcsMn3 pic.twitter.com/5DUO91Z0a8  Evan Blass (@evleaks) September 26, 2016

More Than A Cardboard: Daydream VR Platform

Just like Google Home, the Daydream VR made the headlines via the I/O conference, and the company may finally give more information about it. On that note, it's worth mentioning that the platform stepped out of beta recently, and it's now open to developers.

The Huawei-Made Tablet

Coming from the ever reliable Blass yet again, Google could showcase a 7-inch tablet made by Huawei.

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

The Laptop: Pixel 3

Code-named Bison, the Pixel 3 laptop is said to be in the works, and it's expected to roll out running on a unified OS called Andromeda  more on that in a bit. According to Android Police, the notebook could go official sometime in 2017. That said, Google could announce it as soon as Oct. 4, but it could hold off from doing so for a later event.

The Merged Operating Systems: Andromeda

Rumors about Google bringing the Chrome and Android operating systems aren't new, as they have been circulating since 2015. Now, the company may finally unleash the love child of the two unto the world, calling it Andromeda.

Corroborating this possibility is Google's Hiroshi Lockheimer, who gave a pretty huge hint on Twitter about something big coming to the software side of things.

We announced the 1st version of Android 8 years ago today. I have a feeling 8 years from now we'll be talking about Oct 4, 2016.  Hiroshi Lockheimer (@lockheimer) September 24, 2016

It's also worth mentioning that there are talks about the firm testing Andromeda on the HTC Nexus 9. That means there's more or less a chance that the merged OS will debut on a tablet first, not on the Pixel 3.

With all said and done, what do you think of the expected devices that Google is going to showcase? Hit us up in the comments section below and let us know, especially if you're as excited as we are for the Oct. 4 event.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
It's no secret that Samsung currently sits at an extremely tight spot, in the center of a disastrous situation that it's trying to weather to this day. A constant flurry of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 units have infamously been exploding left and right, from what is reported to be the result of defective and malfunctioning batteries inside the devices.

The company has already launched an exchange program for affected customers, and the it's hell-bent on expediting the process. But now, as an added insult to injury, another case of an exploding Note 7 device has surfaced, long after the company's recall and exchange program started, which begs the question: has Samsung really solved the exploding problem?

A 25-year-old Chinese man ordered a Galaxy Note 7 online, and in less than 24 hours after receiving the smartphone, it burst into flames. According to Bloomberg, Hui Renjie, the affected customer, suffered minor injuries to two of his fingers and also burned his MacBook.

After the incident, a Samsung representative paid Renjie a visit, asking him to turn over the phone. But he did not do as told, as he didn't believe the company would give an elaborate cause behind the spontaneous combustion. He instead plans to publicize the incident.

"We are currently contacting the customer and will conduct a thorough examination of the device in question once we receive it," Samsung said in a statement.

Days after Note 7 devices were released to the public in August, several cases of the devices randomly bursting into flames began surfacing little by little. In early September, Samsung halted all sales of Note 7 devices, prompted by the glaringly numerous cases already circulating around news outlets. The company recalled more than 2.5 million Note 7 devices, and analysts have determined that it will cost Samsung $1 billion to $2 billion.

On Sept. 15 the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), a federal agency responsible for supervising product-related reports and alerts, prompted a formal recall of more than 1 million Note 7 devices shipped to the U.S. Elliot Kaye, chairman of CPSC, marked the Note 7 as a "serious fire hazard," advising customers to turn in their Note 7 devices.

As a stopgap solution to prevent more cases of exploding batteries on Note 7 devices, Samsung released a software update that will cap the batteries to just 60 percent of its total capacity to avoid overheating problems. However, the update only rolled out in South Korea, since Samsung claims that battery issues have already been resolved elsewhere.

The situation still hasn't deflated for Samsung yet, with recent reports of replacement units overheating and the battery draining at a much faster rate. This corporate faux bad bodes unfortunate prospects for Samsung, especially with the release of Apple's iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. It's highly likely that users will avoid purchasing Note 7 units, fearful of the device unexpectedly bursting into flames.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Rising sea water temperature in the Gulf of Maine is posing a big threat to the survival of baby lobsters and there will be bad economic consequences for industry stakeholders.

This was revealed in a newly published research by the University of Maine Darling Marine Center (DMC) and Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences.

Published in the ICES Journal of Marine Science, the study explains how larvae of American lobster is affected by ocean acidification and ocean warming.

Noting that acidification is still not a serious threat to the survival of young lobsters, the study highlighted the struggle larvae faced when exposed to water 3 degrees Celsius higher than the normal water temperature in the Gulf of Maine.

For the study, the researchers raised 3,000 baby lobsters as soon as they were hatched.

"They developed twice as fast as they did in the current temperature of 16 C (61 F), and they had noticeably lower survival," said Jesica Waller, lead author and a graduate student at the DMC.

There is already a forecast by the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that Maine's temperature will increase 5 degrees more by 2100. Experts said the study is a wake-up call.

The vagaries of climate crisis have already taken a toll of the lobster fishery in Southern New England, noted Jesica Waller.

"There has been a near total collapse in Rhode Island, the southern end of the fishery, and we know our waters are getting warmer," Waller added.

At present, the lobster market is flourishing. Prices are up and new markets have opened in Asia, where the growing middle class is craving for America's prestigious seafood.

Gulf Of Maine's Rapid Warming

Ocean warming in the Gulf of Maine was specifically mentioned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. They warned that the Gulf of Maine had warmed 99 percent faster than any other sea and cods are fleeing the region. Like lobsters, cods are a cold water species.

Concerns are high as the fortunes of Gulf of Maine are under threat. The lobster population was up in the past 20 years. In 2015, Maine lobstermen had a record catch of $495.4 million worth of lobsters.

Lobster exports from Maine have zoomed $103 million in the first six months of 2016. The largest beneficiaries of Maine lobsters were the U.S. fishermen who had a catch of more than 100 million pounds.

Photo: Craig Nagy | Flickr

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Samsung is said to be working on a new flip phone called Veyron, which could sport top-end features.

Rumors of a Samsung flip phone Veyron (codenamed SM-W2017) have been surfacing for several months, and now the device has also been spotted on GFXBench.

Many mobile phone users like a flip phone but specs of such devices normally do not impress customers. However, things could change as the Samsung Veyron may pack in specs that are present in some existing high-end phones.

The specs of the Veyron appearing on GFXBench suggest that the phone has a 5.5-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1,920 x 1,070 pixels. A quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor clocked at 2.1 GHz and Adreno 530 GPU power the W2017.

It could have 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB internal storage. It is worth noting that no other clamshell currently includes this much RAM and storage capacity.

The mobile phone could come with 12-megapixel rear-facing facing and 5-megapixel front-facing cameras. According to GFXBench, customers can expect Android 6.0 Marshmallow pre-installed on the rumored Samsung offering.

Previous rumors have hinted that the Samsung Veyron could also feature a fingerprint sensor for enhanced security.

Most of the new top-end phones support Fast Charging that allows users to save time for charging their phones. If rumors are to be believed, then the Veyron will also support the charging feature, which is a good thing since the Veyron is expected to have a relatively modest 2,000 mAh battery.

A smartphone with top-end features also has a premium price tag. The Samsung Galaxy S7 cost $769 at its launch earlier this year. The 5.7-inch Galaxy Note 7, which is deemed one of the most powerful Samsung smartphones, has a starting price of $849 in the U.S.

Rumors claim that the Samsung Veyron may cost $1,498, which is extremely steep in comparison to any other mobile phone available in the market. For instance, the latest iPhone 7 with 256 GB internal storage costs $969, while the 128 GB variant is available for $100 less.

This is not the first time specs of the Samsung Veyron have emerged online. The handset was also spotted at AnTuTu and Geekbench, revealing some of the above specs. Leaked images of the device have also surfaced online, which means that Samsung is in fact working on a flip phone.

Samsung has not confirmed any detail about the Veyron, though. But given that the company launched the W2016 last year, it is likely that Samsung may launch its successor this year.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Got a spouse? Their happiness may be tied to your level of health, with happy spouses associated with better health.

In a study published in the journal Health Psychology, researchers from the American Psychological Association assessed 1,981 heterosexual couples and found that those with happy spouses were likelier to report better health down the line. The researchers observed this, at least, in middle-aged and older couples.

According to William Chopik, Ph.D., the study's principal investigator, the results of their research broadens assumptions about the connection between health and happiness significantly, hinting at a unique social link.

"Simply having a happy partner may enhance health as much as striving to be happy oneself," he said.

Earlier studies have suggested that being healthy generally makes people happy but the researchers took this knowledge further by examining the health effects that interpersonal relationships have.

Based on their findings, Chopik and colleagues identified possible reasons that could explain why having a happy spouse led to better health, regardless of an individual's own level of happiness.

One of the reasons the researchers came up with was that happy spouses are likelier to offer stronger social support, addressing emotional needs that could have physical implications on their partner.

Another is that happy spouses are likelier to promote activities that support good health, such as eating properly, exercising regularly and getting sufficient rest.

Chopik added that just knowing they have a happy partner could lessen an individual's propensity for engaging in self-destructive behavior like taking drugs or drinking excessively.

For the study, the researchers carried out surveys across a six-year period, assessing self-rated information on health, physical activity and happiness from couples between the ages of 50 and 94. Results made no difference whether it was husbands or wives being surveyed.

In June, researchers from the University of California San Diego showed that those married had higher chances of beating cancer. Using data from the California Cancer Registry gathered between 2000 and 2009, they assessed 60,000 people diagnosed with different forms of blood cancer.

Based on their findings, which were presented at the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology conference, the researchers found that those who tied the knot are 20 percent likelier to survive their cancer compared to subjects who were single. However, they observed that singlehood is often detrimental only to men, as women still generally enjoy support despite not being married.

The main reason for being married upping chances of cancer survival is similar to how happy spouses can influence their partners' health: by offering support. Married cancer patients are likelier to take their medications regularly or attend chemotherapy sessions as needed because they have someone who can make them stick to their treatment.

Photo: Ian MacKenzie | Flickr

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Scientists have rebuffed the claims made by a new climate study that said Earth's temperature escalated by 13 degrees Fahrenheit because of carbon volumes already dumped by humans into the atmosphere.

While the study's author asserted that there is little to wonder if the planet had warmed by 3 to 7 degrees Celsius (5.4 to 12.6 degrees Fahrenheit) because of global warming, critics called it a wrong conclusion.

The study was published in Nature. Study author Carolyn Snyder, a former postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University, said it was not a detailed climate forecast.

Snyder's focus was on reinforcing the linkage between sea-surface temperatures of the past as a metric of the change in natural releases of carbon dioxide.

Critics said the results created anxiety because 13 degrees F was too big to accept.

The finding did not make sense as it defied the logic behind the Paris climate accord signed by 200 nations, seeking to control the rise of temperature within 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

Experts Challenge The Findings

Gavin Schmidt, chief of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies called the research findings "simply wrong."

Jeffrey Severinghaus, a paleoclimatologist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, criticized the study as not being logical.

"It's based on a fundamental mistake," he said.

Schmidt said there is a likelihood of temperature rising an additional 0.5 degrees Celsius to 1 degree Celsius. He said no evidence suggested that temperature would rise 7 degrees Celsius.

Many scientists said what went wrong with Snyder's conclusion was that it overplayed the linkage between temperature and greenhouse gases as the data extrapolated the temperatures from past ice ages to the modern era.

"The number she gets is huge," said Eric Steig, an earth sciences professor at the University of Washington.

Broad Data And Exaggerated Findings

Synder was trying to show what is in store for the future by extrapolating the data on ocean temperatures. But the result shocked many as it predicted a 3- to 7-degree Celsius or 13-degree Fahrenheit hike in global temperatures even after nipping fossil fuel emissions.

"We do find this close relationship between temperature and greenhouse gases that is remarkably stable, and what the study is developing is the coupling factor between the two," said Snyder, who works for the Environmental Protection Agency.

However, some scientists applauded Synder's data that succeeded in creating the first temperature timeline for the globe.

Snyder used 59 ocean sediment cores - used by scientists to assess past sea-surface temperatures - and organized 20,000 reconstructions for building a timeline of global average surface temperatures. Snyder's timeline asserted a correlation between CO2 and temperature changes at the global scale for a period of more than 2 million years.

Jeremy Shakun, a geologist at Boston College, cheered the creation of a temperature timeline despite the exaggerated projections.

"It seems like an absolute must-do kind of study. It had to be done," Shakun said.

Synder can take solace in the fact that the record-setting temperatures experienced in 2015 analyzed by scientists pointed to the excessive heating of oceans.

Photo: Woody Hibbard | Flickr

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Elon Musk has always been vocal about his desire to head to Mars and establish a colony, but today, Sept. 27, he's going to be revealing a little bit more about how he and SpaceX are going to make colonizing the Red Planet a reality.

At 2:30 p.m. ET at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, Musk is scheduled for an hour-long speech that will shed light on the future of SpaceX's efforts to get to Mars. The spaceflight company has always been open about developing technologies necessary to fulfill Musk's plans, but hopefully the SpaceX CEO's speech will reveal some exciting new information.

You can watch a live stream of Musk's speech below:

To bring people and cargo to Mars, Musk is looking at a spaceflight system called the Interplanetary Transport System (ITS). Not a lot is known about it, but it used to be called the Mars Colonial Transporter (MCT). It was re-christened after Musk tweeted that the MCT could go well beyond Mars, and thus will need a name change.

Aside from its spacecraft itself, the ITS will be fitted with super-heavy-lift rockets powered by the Raptor Engine. SpaceX recently completed a successful test-fire of the engine, taking it a step closer to getting what it needs ready for colonizing Mars.

Musk and SpaceX are looking to launch their first mission to Mars by May 2018, flying an uncrewed Dragon capsule to the Red Planet to test out technologies that will be crucial to Martian living, like supersonic retropulsion, which will see the use of onboard thrusters fired against the flight path to slow down a spacecraft instead of the usual parachutes.

NASA also believes in the merits of supersonic retropulsion that's why it's providing technical support to SpaceX's 2018 mission. However, the agency is also eyeing getting to Mars on its own, which it has set for sometime in the 2030s.

After the Red Dragon mission in 2018, SpaceX is planning to launch two more Dragon capsules in 2020, with help from Falcon Heavy rockets. Another uncrewed mission is scheduled for 2022 and that will mark the ITS' first flight into space. Come 2024, just eight years from now, SpaceX is looking at bringing the first humans to Mars.

SpaceX appears to be ever moving forward with its plans for Mars, but the company suffered a setback a few weeks ago when one of its Falcon 9 rockets exploded while being prepped for a static fire test. Static fire tests are used to determine if a rocket is ready for launch. In that particular incident, a Falcon 9 rocket was being readied for the launch of the Amos-6 communication satellite.

An initial review attributed the explosion to a helium tank breach. It is not clear, however, what caused the breach in the first place.

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Health insurer Aetna wants to promote health by subsidizing the cost of an Apple Watch for customers who agree to enter wellness plans.

For Apple, this is a major win considering that it just got an important health care backer on its side. With its fitness-oriented Apple Watch, Apple can promote a healthier lifestyle  and Aetna wants to help.

Aetna says it plans to subsidize Apple Watch so that its customers can use the smartwatch with new apps to manage care and medication use, as well as promote wellness. The health insurer will start offering Apple Watches to some of its biggest customers this fall and expand the effort later on.

"Beginning this fall, Aetna will make Apple Watch available to select large employers and individual customers during open enrollment season, and Aetna will be the first major health care company to subsidize a significant portion of the Apple Watch cost, offering monthly payroll deductions to make covering the remaining cost easier," says the health insurance company.

Aetna did not say just how much of the cost it will subsidize, but any amount is welcome considering that the Apple Watch costs nearly $400. And that's not for the highest-end version. With the subsidies, customers will be able to get part of the cost covered by Aetna and pay the rest in monthly installments deducted from their payroll.

The associated applications will remind users when to take their meds, order refills, go to health checkups, get insurance information and more. The apps will also work on iPhones and iPads and will be able to link to Apple Wallet for payments.

In addition to this Apple Watch customer program, Aetna will also provide Apple's smartwatch to all of its employees completely for free. This means that all 50,000 Aetna employees will be getting an Apple Watch as part of the company's new wellness program, encouraging them to lead healthier lives.

Apple, for its part, has been making efforts to play a bigger role in health care and promote health overall, and the new Apple Watch subsidies from Aetna may be of great help in this aspect.

The Apple Watch is definitely not the most accessible smartwatch on the market, but a subsidized price would make it more affordable to a wider pool of customers.

The subsidized Apple Watch initiative will kick off this year, but the iOS-exclusive health apps will not be available until 2017.

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Google is releasing low-bandwidth versions of several of its most popular apps geared toward users who do not have access to high-bandwidth internet, with the products to be introduced first in India.

India is a major opportunity for online companies, and through its new apps, Google is looking to tap into the country where the growth of the internet, as it describes, is explosive.

There are over a billion people in the country, with over 800 million people living in the rural areas with limited connectivity to the internet. In fact, of the entire Indian population, less than a third can be considered online.

At the Google for India event, the company made the announcements for several new products and platforms that look to expand the participation of Indians in the internet.

The first new app is YouTube Go, a reimagined version of YouTube that allows for videos to be loaded and played back smoothly across different levels of connectivity. The app also gives users more control over the consumption of their data, with a feature that allows users to share videos with other users nearby without consuming data.

Google also announced Google Station, an expansion of an earlier project that will give the company's partners in India tools to easily launch Wi-Fi hotspots in public places. Users will be able to connect to the internet using unified login credentials among all the hotspots.

Two updates for the mobile versions of Chrome and Google Play also added features for users on low-bandwidth connections. An expanded Data Saver mode will reduce the data needed by the internet browser, with the Android version of the app to also add a new Download feature which lets users save online content on their phone to be accessed later, even while offline. Google Play, meanwhile, will preload parts of the app store while on Wi-Fi so that browsing will be faster even when the user switches to a low-bandwidth connection.

Why go through all the trouble of launching new apps and platforms to give Indians better access to the internet? Google is looking to lure new users to go online and use its services so that the company will be able to tap the currently dormant advertising revenue potential in India and in countries which have similar connectivity issues.

In addition, India is serving as an incubator for the future of internet products, with Google CEO Sundar Pichai, who is Indian himself, claiming that while the company is improving products for the country, the developments are also making the apps and platforms better for the rest of the world.

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According to a Bloomberg report, Moscow will be replacing Microsoft programs on thousands of computers in the city with local software in response to the call of President Vladimir Putin to reduce Russia's dependence on technology coming from outside the country amid tensions with the United States and within Europe.

Moscow will initially be replacing the Exchange Server and Outlook programs of Microsoft on 6,000 machines with an e-mail tool that will be installed into the computers by state-owned Rostelecom PJSC, according to the city's head of information technology Artem Yermolaev. The city could then widen the deployment of the program, which was created by Russian firm New Cloud Technologies, into up to 600,000 more computers and servers.

Yermolaev added that Moscow may also consider replacing the Windows operating system and Office suite of software. However, there seems to be no concrete plans for such an undertaking.

Moscow has already replaced technology from Cisco Systems for surveillance cameras for software coming from local companies, said Yermolaev. Rossiya Segodnya, a state-run media company, and the regional government of Moscow has also made the switch from database systems powered by Oracle into open-code PostgreSQL programs that are supported by Russian programmers.

Putin has been calling for the move to steer away from foreign software and into homegrown ones for a while, primarily due to the decision of United States companies to shut down their services in Crimea after the Russian government decided to annex the peninsula a couple of years ago.

German Klimenko, the internet czar for Putin, is also seeking to raise the taxes on United States tech companies operating in the country in a bid to boost the competitiveness of Russian rivals including Yandex and Mail.ru Group.

According to Communications Minister Nikolay Nikiforov, the government is looking to spend the money of its taxpayers and state-owned companies mostly on local software. Beginning next year, government agencies in Russia, including the General Prosecutor's Office, the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service and the Audit Chamber, will begin to tighten their grip around state institutions that do not switch to local software, Nikiforov added.

Nikiforov also said that Russian government agencies spend about $295 million annually on foreign software. The Ministry of Communications and Mass Media has prepared a list of almost 2,000 software products made in Russia that state-owned companies should be using instead of foreign products.

These moves will be cutting Microsoft and eventually other foreign tech companies from the lucrative software market in Russia, which held a value of $3 billion last year.

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The Americas have been declared measles free. The World Health Organization (WHO) announcement on Sept. 27 said that it is the first region in the world to achieve the feat.

The WHO announcement followed a rigorous six-year review of the conditions in the region.

"This is a historic day for our region and indeed the world," Carissa Etienne, director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the American arm of WHO, said.

According to the WHO, measles is a highly contagious disease that mostly affects children. The spread of measles happens from airborne droplets and direct contact with secretions from the mouth, nose and throat of the infected.

The end of endemic transmission of measles means that local cases of the virus have been arrested, however, imported cases can still cause isolated outbreaks.

The WHO announcement now makes measles the fifth vaccine-preventable disease eliminated in the Americas. Other diseases include polio, smallpox, congenital rubella syndrome and rubella.

Despite measles vaccine being in the market since 1963, the virus had been proving hard to eradicate. The WHO announcement means the homegrown cases of the disease are gone from Canada to Chile. Already, in many countries, including the United States, the scourge has been eliminated.

WHO has credited the success of measles elimination to sustained vaccination campaigns. In a micro level update, PAHO sources said year-long actions have removed the last of the measles case in Brazil, reported in July 2015.

Top Killer Of Children

Measles is considered a top killer of children worldwide. In 2014, it claimed about 115,000 lives and accounts for 13 deaths every hour, according to WHO. Prior to the advent of vaccination, it killed an average 2.6 million people every year.

The highly contagious virus of measles can be found in the nose and throat of an infected person and lingers longer in the air, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The immediate symptoms of measles are rashes and white spot inside the cheeks. The affected person also has high fever, a runny nose and persistent cough.

Measles could also cause some complications. For example, in pregnant women, miscarriages could happen and death by pneumonia and swelling of the brain are also common.

In the Americas, it took 14 years to declare the disease as fully eradicated. This is in stark contrast to the average three years required for making such a declaration. According to experts, many factors have contributed to this delay, including the surge in mobile migrants, lack of access to violence-stricken areas and poor infrastructure for communications.

Photo: Cory Doctorow | Flickr

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Elon Musk is often compared to Marvel's Tony Stark. A guy with crazy ideas and money turn them into reality. Early in his career, he headed PayPal for a brief time. When the payment gateway company was acquired by Ebay, Musk got his share of $165 millions. You bet he loves the deep blue space as Elon invested most of this money into forming his private space transport company SpaceX in 2002. The company successful built the rockets and also proved the world that it can be done for a significantly lower price. Soon, it was awarded the contract from NASA to transport payload to ISS (International Space Station). Building onto this success, Elon Musk has now set eyes on the red planet. According to him, colonizing Mars is essential for the survival of the humanity.



Addressing the International Astronautical Congress meeting in Guadalajara, Mexico, Elon said that he does not have an immediate doomsday prophecy, but there are only two possible ways forward. "One path is to stay on Earth forever, and there will be some extinction event. The alternative is to become a multi-planetary species, which I hope you will agree is the right way to go. True, that's the right approach. However, if you wondering how Musk is hoping to make that happen, here's his plan:







To address the cost issue, Space X will be taking the airlines industry approach. Using the current technology, the journey to Mars would cost around $10 billion per person. Musk is confident that planning large scale missions can bring the expenses per person to "median cost of a house in the United States". Of course, it will be helped by doing away with the 3-stage vehicle system and refuelling in orbit. For those not in the know, leaving Earth is an incredibly tricky affair. As XKCD guy, who previously worked for NASA, explains: If we want to launch a 65-kilogram spaceship, we need to burn around 90 kilograms of fuel. We load that fuel on boardand now our spaceship weighs 155 kilograms. A 155-kilogram spaceship requires 215 kilograms of fuel, so we load another 125 kilograms on board ... Fortunately, were saved from an infinite loopwhere we add 1.3 kilograms for every 1 kilogram we addby the fact that we dont have to carry that fuel all the way up. We burn it as we go, so we get lighter and lighter, which means we need less and less fuel.







Musk wants to reduce the initial fuel load by relying on orbital refuelling, which sound like a great idea. However, on the way back, the plan is to leverage on resources available on Mars. Now, this is where the things get scary. Basically, we are going to a different planet, and the return plans depend on our success in extracting the right propellent. Musk claims that the only raw material they will be needing on Mars is water and CO2, which are in abundance on the red planet. In reality, it is speculated that the Mars has 5 million cubic km ice, but what if we fail to extract that? At this point, there's no clear answer to this.



Carbon fibre has excellent weight to strength ratio, so that's what the company is going to use to reduce the overall spacecraft's weight during the launch. According to Space X, upon completion, the Mars Vehicle will be the most efficient rocket. It will also be the biggest rocket ever made. You can see how tiny India's GSLV looks in comparison.







Space X will also develop a brand new engine called Raptor to drive the interplanetary spaceship. The spaceship will ideally hold 100+ travellers. The entry into Mar's atmosphere seems figured out as Elon's company is quite confident about its current expertise in the heat shields.







The touch down will be controlled by Raptor engine's final vertical landing burn. The manoeuvre will be similar to what SpaceX had achieved with the booster landing a few months ago.







Time and again Space X has proved that it can deliver it is promise. There's no doubt that the company has potential to pull this one off either. What concerns me is the tight deadline Elon Musk talked about. According to him, the Mars flights will lift off in next 6 - 10 years. Even if the company overcomes the technological hurdles, the biggest question remains about the stupendous amount of money required. And as far as the funding is concerned, this is what Space X has to say:





Science
Google Play Music Store Now Available In India | TechTree.com

Google recently launched a series of new products and services for India. Keeping up that momentum, the search-giant has released its music service Play Music in our country. User in India can now purchase a song for Rs 15, or pay Rs 90 per album. However, features such as the all-access streaming service, radio, and podcasts are still not accessible.



Google Play Music came into existence in 2011, but only made its way into Indian markets recently. This seems like an irony, as with Indias growing populace of internet users who are connected to the net, 300 million as of last known figures, could provide the company the near ideal scope of growth and innovation. Also, unlike the neighbour China, Google has not been blocked out of the country, which gives the company a much more free hand to try out, and innovate with their services, which also results in them raking up better revenue from services. Though the numbers are yet to rack up, in terms of the users buying online, but the opportunity is certainly there if the value is provided for.







Google will have to compete with players such as Gaana (backed by the Times Group), and Saavn, which was in the news recently with their $100 million funding raised from Tiger Global. And if rumours were anything to go by, even Spotify is looking to land on Indian shores very soon.



In order to access the service, you have to fill-in your Credit/Debit card details. It is worth nothing that the penetration rate for credit and debit cards are low, at below 10% in India. This effectively thins down Google's potential customer base. However, being aggressive with their plans, Google just could bring that addition to the service as well, whereby users can pay for their purchases via their mobile operator, through monthly bills and recharging fees. The optimism comes from the Google spokesperson statement, saying Now you can download your favorite local and global music on Google Play in India, plus get free storage for up to 50,000 songs from your music collection. Currently these services are only available to users with international credit cards, but well be expanding soon to additional forms of payment."

TAGS: Google, Google Play, Music Streaming, Online Streaming
Brazil's former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2003-2011) narrowly defeated incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in Sunday's runoff and was thus elected head of state for the third time,... | Read More
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GLYNN -- It remained a mystery Wednesday what sparked the argument leading to the fatal shootings of West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Deputy Donna LeBlanc and her 20-year-old daughter at the hands of their neighbor Gregory Phillips, who turned the gun on himself after killing both women.

But authorities and people who knew Donna LeBlanc said she died Tuesday trying to protect her home from a man with whom the family shared a strained relationship. Phillips lived across the street from the family, in a shabby trailer shrouded by overgrown grass and trees.

+2 Funeral services set for slain West Baton Rouge deputy, daughter Saturday in Brusly West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Deputy Donna LeBlanc and her daughter Carli LeBlanc will be laid to rest Saturday after visitation at the Br

"We don't know what the argument was about. We don't have any eyewitnesses," Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff Bud Torres said Wednesday. "There will be parts of this that are lost because the people that were there are dead."

Phillips, 29, was something of a cipher to neighbors who said they personally knew little about him. But many who lived nearby considered him a nuisance because he was always firing his gun and setting off explosive devices in his backyard at night.

Officials with the Louisiana State Police confirmed Wednesday their office had prior contact with Phillips but wouldn't disclose the nature of their contact withhim. Donna LeBlanc was the wife of a Louisiana state trooper.

"We will not release any information until the Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff's Office's investigation is complete," Major Doug Cain, a spokesman for the State Police, said Wednesday.

Torres said his office is still waiting on findings from forensic evidence collected at the scene and a toxicology report to determine if Phillips may have been intoxicated at the time.

Torres said Phillips had no significant criminal history but suffered from some mental issues. "The extent of that, I don't know," he added.

Phillips' parents hung up the phone after refusing to comment when The Advocate tried to contact them on Wednesday.

Torres on Wednesday offered his initial summary of how events appear to have played out when Phillips shot and killed Donna LeBlanc and her adult-age daughter, Carli LeBlanc, around 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

He said evidence gathered at the scene indicates Phillips drove to the LeBlanc residence that afternoon, knocked on the door, which was answered by Carli LeBlanc, who was there with her 9-year-old sister.

Carli LeBlanc stepped out onto the front porch with Phillips to have a conversation, leaving her sister inside the home, Torres said. The sheriff said he didn't think Phillips was armed at the time.

Things escalated after Donna LeBlanc arrived and got involved in an argument with Phillips, who had retreated back to his truck, which was parked in front of the family's house, located in the 14400 block of La. 416 in Glynn.

"There was an exchange of gunfire between them," Torres said. "Donna fired three shots at him, I don't know how many he fired before killing her."

Donna LeBlanc was armed with her duty-issued weapon, Torres said.

Phillips then turned his gun, a .223 assault rifle, on Carli LeBlanc, who was still standing on the porch. After fatally shooting her, the sheriff said, Phillips then tried to get inside the home where the 9-year-old child had been locked inside the home by her sister.

After beating on the door several times and failing to gain entry, Torres said, investigators believe that Phillips fatally shot himself.

It was a 911 call from Donna LeBlanc' 9-year-old daughter that alerted authorities to the tragedy.

James Didier, who lives next door with his wife Susan, heard the gunfire while he was sitting outside in his backyard. But said he believed the gunshots were coming from hunters shooting in a nearby canal.

His wife assumed it was Phillips just firing off ammunition in his backyard again -- only this time he was doing it in the day time instead of at night.

"When I heard the little 9-year-old girl scream I knew something was wrong," Susan Didier said. "I wish I had gone over there, but we didn't know where the shooter was."

The fatal shootings of the deputy and her daughter shook the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriffs Office, where she was a 22 year veteran and much loved by colleagues who mourned her passing.

The day after the shootings, the American flag was blowing in the wind at half-staff outside the parish courthouse in honor of Donna LeBlanc. Inside, a black ribbon was hanging on the door to Sheriff Mike Cazes' office.

Donna LeBlanc was the first deputy killed doing his tenure as sheriff, he said.

"Donna would do anything for you as a cop. She had a true love for the thin blue line," Cazes said. "She got along great with the community. And she was very involved in both her daughters' lives and just would do anything to help someone."

Emotional shockwaves were being felt at Brusly High as well where Donna LeBllancs daughter, Carli, graduated high school and was a stellar athlete.

Two of her coaches describe her as their star pitcher for the school's female softball team who led the school to Class 3A state title in 2013 before she was involved in a near-death car accident that severely injured her in July 2014.

"She wanted to be a vet but then she had that accident and had to have several eye surgeries," said Julie Mayeux, Brusly High's assistant principal and assistant softball coach. "Everything was a challenge for her after that because she also had a brain injury, but she was working through all of that."

Beau Bouvier, Brusly's head softball coach, said Carli LeBlanc's former teammates and the school's faculty and staff are still grappling with the reality of her death, finding it hard to believe until they saw news reports.

"She was a great competitor and an even better person off the field," Bouvier said. "As you got to know her, everyone would agree with that."

West Baton Rouge deputy Donna LeBlanc exchanged gunfire with a neighbor who had been arguing with LeBlanc and her daughter before the neighbor fatally shot both of them and killed himself, Pointe Coupee Sheriff Bud Torres said.

Torres released new details Wednesday of the confrontation that led to the murder-suicide in Glynn on Tuesday.

Torres said evidence gathered at the scene on Tuesday indicates that Gregory Phillips, 29, drove to the LeBlanc residence that afternoon, knocked on the door and was greeted by the deputy's daughter, Carli LeBlanc, 20, and her 9-year-old sister.

It appears Carli LeBlanc stepped out on to to the front porch with Phillips to have a conversation, leaving her sister inside the home, Torres said. The sheriff said he didn't think Phillips was armed at the time.

Things escalated after Donna LeBlanc arrived and got involved in an argument with Phillips, who had retreated back to his truck, which was parked in front of the house, Torres said.

"There was an exchange of gunfire between them," Torres said Wednesday morning. "Donna fired three shots at him, I don't know how many he fired before killing her."

Donna LeBlanc was armed with her duty-issued weapon, Torres said.

Phillips then turned his gun, a .223 assault rifle, on Carli LeBlanc, who was still standing on the porch, Torres said. After fatally shooting her, the sheriff said, Phillips then tried to get inside the home where the 9-year-old child had been locked inside the home by her sister.

After beating on the door several times, Torres said, they believe Phillips, who lived across the street from LeBlanc and her family, then fatally shot himself.

"We don't know what the argument was about. We don't have any eye-witnesses," Torres said. "There will be parts of this that are lost."

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Torres said Phillips had no significant criminal history but he was aware the man suffered from some mental issues. "The extent of that, I don't know," he added.

Torres said his investigators are still waiting on results from forensic analysis and a toxicology report to determine if Phillips may have been under the influence at the time of the incident.

The crime shocked the quiet community and the law enforcement officers who gathered Tuesday afternoon to brief the press at a news conference.

"Look, we're in the country, in a very quiet area. To think of something like this happening is just unbelievable," Louisiana State Police Superintendent Mike Edmonson told reporters Tuesday evening. "It's a horrible situation."

Donna LeBlanc is the wife of a Louisiana State Trooper. Torres said the couple's 9-year-old child placed the 911 call around 4 p.m. to report the shootings. Carli LeBlanc is the daughter of Donna LeBlanc by a prior marriage.

Deputies first on the scene found the three bodies in the yard of the family's home. Torres said Donna LeBlanc had a gun in her possession when she was killed.

Within 45 minutes of the 911 call, the 14400 block of La. 416 was swarming with law enforcement from the state and sheriff's offices in West Baton Rouge and Pointe Coupee parishes. All were visibly shaken.

Edmonson said the state trooper was at a training exercise when he got the call about the incident.

West Baton Rouge Sheriff Mike Cazes could not hold back his tears as he talked to reporters Tuesday.

"She was one of my first deputies to hit the streets after I became sheriff," he said. "I just saw her day before yesterday. Today was her day off. She's gone now."

Pointe Coupee investigators and officials from the State Police Crime Lab remained on the scene well into the night, gathering evidence and piecing together the chain of events leading up to the tragedy.

As the investigation moves forward, Edmonson said his department is prepared to step in and help in the grieving process for the trooper.

"We'll just counsel him through this," Edmonson said. "You just don't expect things like this to occur."
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO -- Zachary Schools Superintendent Scott Devillier thanks Elette Meaux, of Meaux Books in Broussard, for delivering nine boxes of new books donated by Heinemann Publishing and the company's representatives from around the country. School districts in Baton Rouge, Central and East and West Feliciana parishes also received a donation of books.
Four schools in Baton Rouge, three private and one public, have been named Blue Ribbon schools of excellence, the nations top school honor.

One of the Baton Rouge schools, St. Josephs Academy, has won the honor for the fourth time.

St. Josephs Academy celebrated Wednesday afternoon with song, starting with Kool & The Gangs Celebration and ending with a rendition of the schools alma mater. Faculty and staff made a dramatic entrance into the school gym at the all-girls Catholic school as they danced a New Orleans-style second line. As they marched in, they tossed blue strips of fabric to a sea of girls dressed in their bright red school uniforms.

We are so proud that our SJA colors of red and white are now wrapped in a big blue ribbon, said Cora Barhorst, student body president.

This year, nine Louisiana schools  six public and three private  are among the 329 schools across the country receiving special sky-colored ribbons bestowed annually by the U.S. Department of Education. The awards were first given out in 1982. This is the second year in a row the Capital City has produced four Blue Ribbon schools.

Three of the four Baton Rouge ribbon-winners this year are Catholic schools: St. Josephs Academy is joined by first-time winners St. George and St. Thomas More elementary schools.

The other Baton Rouge school receiving a blue ribbon is charter school Madison Preparatory Academy, a high school that opened in 2009. It was nominated for the honor in January, along with five other public schools, by Louisiana education leaders.

The only Blue Ribbon in the greater New Orleans area is going to John Clancy/Joseph Maggiore Elementary School in Kenner.

A recognition ceremony for the new Blue Ribbon schools nationwide is being held Nov. 7 and 8 in Washington, D.C.

The other four Louisiana Blue Ribbon winners are Avoyelles Public Charter School in Mansura; Anacoco High School in Anacoco; Sixth Ward Middle School in Thibodaux; and North DeSoto High School in Stonewall.

The new list was released officially Wednesday at noon, though winning schools have known for days and were sworn to silence.

St. Josephs Academy, which is 148 years old, previously earned Blue Ribbons in 1991, 1996 and 2002. Principal Michele Lambert declared its fourth ribbon a four-peat.

Lambert, who took over as principal in 2015, shared credit with her predecessors, including immediate past principal Linda Harvison, and noted that the private school has long been known locally for academic excellence.

Now, as of noon, the rest of the country knows it as well, Lambert said with a smile.

The celebration continues Thursday with students getting free ice cream and brownies, and not just any brownies, but Sister Agathas much loved brownies, said Mindy Averitt, school spokeswoman.

To win, Baton Rouges three Catholic schools had to have test scores in the top 15 percent in the nation in reading and math.

We just have a strong program of studies in Baton Rouge. This is an indicator of how that permeates Catholic schools throughout the diocese, said Melanie Verges, superintendent for the Diocese of Baton Rouge.

Madison Prep, a B-rated school, earned its Blue Ribbon thanks to strong academic growth on standardized tests. The school, which has about 500 students, is also notable as one of the only growing high schools in north Baton Rouge, an area that has seen schools close over the past few years.

Dujan Johnson is executive director of CSAL Inc., the charter school group that oversees Madison Prep. The high school grew out of a still operating middle school, CSAL, which is one of the original three charter schools in Baton Rouge. Charter schools are public schools run by private groups via contracts, or charters.

Johnson noted that CSAL  Community School for Apprenticeship Learning  is homegrown and not run, as are many charters schools, by large management groups located in other cities.

This was truly due to the efforts of our children and our families and thats what makes it most rewarding for me, Johnson said.

Johnson said he plans to formally share the good news Thursday, and to hold a bigger celebration in the near future.

Blue Ribbon winners like Madison Prep have to wait until Novembers recognition ceremony before it receives its official ribbon and plaque. Johnson has an idea to speed up that process.

Im going to have some banners up before we even get to that point, Johnson said.
State Superintendent of Education John White Wednesday recommended changes in how public schools are rated, fewer tests and new assistance for struggling students.

All three steps are part of the state Department of Education's draft proposal to comply with a 2015 federal law called the Every Student Succeeds Act.

The law is designed to boost student achievement, and aid students from low-income families and those with disabilities.

The superintendent said it would be a mistake for the issue to turn into a Common Core-style political battle, which sparked heated arguments for more than two years.

"This is not a political document," White told reporters. "We cannot go back to the political squabbles of old."

However, White also said public input is needed on the proposal and that revisions are certain.

"This document does not have a sole claim to viable ideas," he said. "We are still really in the ideas stage."

Part of the proposal would revamp the way public schools are evaluated by the state annually.

Under current rules, tests results account for most of the score and letter grades that go with them.

The change would require that 25 percent of the score be based on the annual growth of students' in key academic skills, regardless of their performance.

The new review would replace the controversial bonus points in effect now, which bolster school scores based on gains by low-achieving students.

Critics say the rewards make schools look better than they are.

The proposal would also allow schools to earn other credits  up to five percent of the score  if students show improvements in one of four problem areas.

Whether the revamped accountability changes would be enough to satisfy critics is unclear.

John White says state cannot afford political fights in public school review Louisiana has to avoid political brawls during its federally required review of public schoo

Leaders of an advisory council named by Gov. John Bel Edwards have said that a wide range of accountability measures need to be studied, including how school letter grades are calculated.

Officials of three school groups did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday.

In another area, the White plan would limit end-of-year state testing to no more than one week per student, and never exceed 2 percent of instructional minutes in a school year.

Also, state exams in math, English would be limited to one per year in grades 9, 10 and 11.

That is aimed at ending the duplication from the ACT a test of college readiness  and end-of-course exams.

In a third area, the plan calls for new help for struggling students and schools.

Test results for Louisiana public school students show that only 30 percent to 40 percent of those in elementary and middle school have the needed math and reading skills to succeed later.

In addition, nearly one in four students fails to graduate from high school, and 30 percent of those who proceed to college have to repeat high school coursework.

New review of Louisiana public schools 'a threat?' No way, key aide for Gov. John Bel Edwards says The chief of staff for Gov. John Bel Edwards said Tuesday that a review of public school pol

Under the plan, the state would launch a series of screening tests in early grades to check for dyslexia and disabilities.

Teachers would get curricula supplements to help students struggling in math and English, among other steps.

The state's proposal would also provide outside help for troubled schools, including about 100 where no more than 66 percent of students have ever graduated.

The state average is 77.5 percent.

Schools in need of sweeping support would build a turnaround plan that partners with one or more groups that have shown success in school improvements.

"Research indicates that nearly every effective model of school transformation includes some external support," according to the draft proposal.

The draft plan released Wednesday is set for discussion at nine meetings in October and November, including public gatherings and education panels.

The final proposal will be reviewed by the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education early next year, and then submitted to the U.S. Department of Education.
Louisiana ranks near the bottom in the nation for energy efficiency, according to the 2016 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard released Tuesday by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

This is the 10th edition and looks at utility and public benefit programs, transportation policies, combined heat and power policies, state and local government-led energy efficiency programs, and appliance and equipment standards.

"Over the last 10 years, many if not most innovative energy efficiency methods originate at the state level," said Weston Berg, lead author of the report with the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

Louisiana ranks 47th out of 51 because of the inclusion of Washington D.C., earning 6.5 points out of 50 possible for things like transportation policies, appliance efficiency standards and government initiatives. Louisiana improved a little from last year's ranking of 48, but fell from the 44th rankings in 2014 and 2015.

Energy efficiency can bring serious savings during serious heat With summer temperatures at sweltering levels, area residents can stay a step ahead of their

The state scored low in almost all of the categories. For example, Louisiana scored a zero out of 3 points under electric efficiency program spending by the state. In 2015, Louisiana spent $13.5 million in energy efficiency programs, which is 0.20 percent of the statewide electricity revenues compared to Vermont, which spent $54.4 million or 6.89 percent of statewide electricity revenue on these programs.

Increasing energy efficiency is one of the ways states can help meet requirements in the Clean Power Plan to reduce greenhouse gas releases from power plants. The future of the Clean Power Plan is uncertain as it's being challenged through the court system with arguments starting Tuesday before the Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit.

Suing and doing: Louisiana developing strategy to meet federal Clean Power Plan, despite court challenge Called a waste of the states time by some and a great opportunity to help Louisianas poor 

California and Massachusetts tied for the top of the list thanks to strong state policies to help increase energy efficiency programs like the California Clean Jobs Act, which sets aside money for energy efficiency projects in schools.

"Leading in this shows the nation that using energy wisely is a good investment in the economy and the environment," said Andrew McAllister, commissioner with the California Energy Commission.

Report was done with support from the U.S. Department of Energy.
If Louisiana's members of Congress are still finishing up their victory laps this morning, well, this is one time when we can say that they de
With all the issues involved in a national presidential campaign, it's understandable enough that the plight of Louisiana flood victims was not part of the first debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Still, we noticed. Too many people in our neighborhoods are living with friends and relatives as they struggle to rebuild their lives after the flooding devastated our state. The condition of Louisiana is not unique: There have been floods this year in West Virginia and elsewhere, so other people do need help. But the biggest national disaster since Superstorm Sandy in 2012 was in Louisiana, yet is not apparently top-of-mind for the major-party candidates for president.

And that omission comes as the Congress continues to debate the federal budget, including a funding bill that needs to pass to keep the government operating through the election. Within that stalled bill is $500 million for flooding victims, most of them in Louisiana.

A strong bipartisan effort involving Louisiana's delegation in Congress and Gov. John Bel Edwards and state officials has achieved that "down payment" on relief. It's obviously well-short of the $2.8 billion that the Edwards administration believes the state needs, but it's a start. But Congress moves haltingly when there's no glare of publicity about the need for action.

That is where more attention from the candidates would help, including a personal visit from Clinton.

The former senator from New York certainly ought to understand that better than most after 2012, and she has boasted of visiting more than 100 countries as U.S. secretary of state.

Her visit here is overdue.

Trump one-upped Clinton earlier with a visit to console some flood victims and deliver relief supplies. Then President Barack Obama came, and to his credit has since supported key measures for aid to the state.

Clinton said she would visit when it would not intrude on relief and recovery efforts. Not only is that no longer an issue, in our view it's a really good time for more national attention on the plight of families in Louisiana.

Trump and Clinton clashed on the role of government and here is a place where Clinton can demonstrate that the United States is ready to stand with, and stand up for, its citizens crushed by disaster.

Either candidate, if elected, will be dealing with the consequences of this disaster for a long time. A first-hand view is important, but in terms of national attention and driving Congress to action, Clinton's arrival right now would be of real value.
The people of Louisiana have suffered terribly since the August flood, and time is of the essence for Congress to send a $500 million aid package this way to help thousands of people make plans and start the process of getting back home.

The people of Flint, Mich., have suffered terribly as well in the two years since heavy lead contamination made the citys tap water unsafe to drink and exposed thousands of children to long-term harm, and are waiting on money from Washington to rebuild their damaged system.

So what kind of system would pit us against them?

Ours, it turns out.

With just two days left for Congress to pass an emergency spending bill to keep the federal government in business through December  thats right, only through December  the Louisiana aid package, which has been called just a down payment on the total need, is in danger of becoming what Gov. John Bel Edwards called collateral damage of a larger partisan fight.

Senators across the board say they want to help victims of both tragedies. But a version of the spending resolution voted down yesterday included money only for Louisiana, not Flint, and members of the Democratic minority said they wont back money for Louisiana  a red state represented by two Republican senators  without also taking care of Michigan, a blue state with two Democratic senators.

Lurking in the background is the question over whether Congress can avoid a government shutdown, which would reflect badly on the Republican majority as the fall election nears. Theres also a possible compromise brewing that would move Flint money into a separate water-related bill. So maybe things will all work out, although it would be hard to make a confident bet.

Well, it's not my job as governor of Louisiana to advocate for Flint, Michigan, but I'm certainly not going to advocate against them either, an exasperated Edwards said.

Shame on Congress for putting anyone in the position of having to do just that.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOSmyther Fallen, left, and Levon LeBan, right, of the American Red Cross present a check from Lake Forest Charter Elementary School in New Orleans to Brenda Wilkerson, principal of Winbourne Elementary School in Baton Rouge.
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An election campaign battle over revenue from poker machines has seen ACT politicians accused of conflicts of interest and misplaced priorities.

Labor's plan to to allow poker machines at the casino has provoked a vigorous anti-government campaign from Canberra clubs, which have a stranglehold on machines in the ACT.

A fierce election campaign battle over revenue from poker machines has seen ACT politicians accused of conflicts of interest and misplaced priorities. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The campaign has been publicly supported by the opposition and called on close to 200,000 members to punish Labor at the polls for stripping revenue from clubs.

To stifle the opposition, Labor announced a 50 per cent tax break on pokie revenue for some clubs earlier this week and a review of plans to cap machine numbers.
Monday saw the start of the Community and Public Sector Union's two weeks of intermittent rolling Border Force strikes at international airports. The random and rolling nature of these half-hour stoppages will dramatically restrict the Border Force executive's capacity to mitigate the impacts of the strike.

Without doubt the CPSU's industrial action is going to negatively impact on many international travellers over the next two weeks. But the greater concern for all Australians should be the strong possibility that these actions will weaken our frontline border security defences against such threats as organised crime and terrorism.

In light of this risk, it's time for the Turnbull government to consider whether the role of the ABF is of such importance to domestic and national security  like that of the Australian Defence Force and Australian Federal Police  that its members should be prevented from being able to take protected industrial action.

In July last year, the new operational enforcement arm of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection  the ABF  was stood up. This was no simple departmental merger, but a deliberate strategic response to the complex threats at Australia's borders  including terrorism, serious and organised crime and the challenge of identifying individuals travelling to fight in foreign conflicts and returnees from Iraq and Syria. The formation of the ABF centralised border control and securitised our border.
Just imagine if you did what Liberal MP Steven Irons did. That is, you charged your customers, or clients, or patients $2000 to fly to your own wedding.

And as if that wasn't enough, you also used your clients' money to fly your new wife back from the wedding shindig in Melbourne to Perth, and the family home.

"How can our system be so wrong that it is possible to even put a private return flight to your own wedding through, without a red flag being raised?" asks Madonna King. Credit:Fiona Bianchinotti

You would be charged. You would be tried, and most likely found guilty. You might even end up in jail - so don't play this game at home, or at work.

But not so, for the Western Australian MP who was quick to point out that his flights were identified during a self-audit and quickly repaid.
There can be few more crucial issues than education. It is a precondition of achieving perhaps the most liberating, laudable and progressive social and economic objective  equality of opportunity.

With the federal government opening negotiations with the states and territories on a four-year funding model to replace the arrangements Labor set up after the 2011 Gonski review, Australia is embarking on an intensive chapter of the education debate.

And it ain't necessarily so ... Credit:Quentin Jones

The pre-eminent notion, one underpinned by fairness, is that school funding should be based on need. Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham injected a contentious element when on ABC TV on Monday night he conceded there are some well-off schools which perhaps should be receiving less public funding. Governments of all hues have been wary of putting the private education sector offside, given that about 35 per cent of children are in independent schools. Labor education spokeswoman and deputy leader Tanya Plibersek immediately and cheaply went for the scare tactic of speculating about a "hit-list" of private schools.

The financing and role of private schools is a complex topic, fiscally and culturally. A threshold question is whether there should be a purely public education system. The Age believes private schools have proved beneficial, offering choice to families and, through robust competition, helping raise education standards. We also believe communities have a right to choose between public and private education, and that standards must be regulated across the system to guarantee academic opportunity. Further, because private schools receive less public funding per student, the overall cost to taxpayers in a mixed system is less than it would be in a purely public system.
A satellite image shows the huge storm over South Australia. Premier Jay Wetherill defended the state-wide power outage, saying the weather event was completely unprecedented and had a "cascading effect" on the power network. The storm took down three transmission lines, nine towers and forced the electricity connection with Victoria to shut down. Lightning also struck a power station. A damaged transmission pole in South Australia. "This is a catastrophic natural event which has destroyed our infrastructure," he said. "There is no infrastructure that can be developed that can protect you against catastrophic events that take out not one, not two, but three pieces of infrastructure."

Political recriminations have begun with federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg and other MPs questioning the state's increasing reliance on renewable energy despite assurances that the switch to cleaner energy sources was not to blame. South Australia was hit by more than 100,000 lightning strikes on Wednesday and some knocked over transmission poles. It's possible that a tornado formed around Blyth in mid-north South Australia, said Rob Sharpe, meteorologist with Weatherzone. "Evidence suggests there could have been a tornado because of the level of the destructive winds there," he said. "The thunderstorms yesterday were incredibly powerful."

NSW weather warnings downgraded Just before midday on Thursday, the bureau downgraded its forecasts for some of NSW and cancelled some severe weather warnings. After some initial downpours in the South West Slopes, including Forbes and Parkes, the heaviest rain falls and strongest winds are now expected to be in the far west around Wilcannia and Broken Hill and the Hunter Valley region including Newcastle. "The heaviest falls [are] expected in quite a short period of six to 12 hours [on Thursday]," bureau meteorologist Andrea Peace said. The rain is likely to exacerbate floods that have already crippled NSW towns including Condobolin and Forbes, where residents are furious that their main access road could be cut off for up to six weeks.

"We still have 22 flood warnings through the very saturated parts of eastern Australia, and we may see some renewed and prolonged river rises there with this additional rainfall," Ms Peace said. Forbes is expected to be inundated by a second peak of the Lachlan River at the same time as the town's weekend floodwaters reach downstream Condobolin. With 30mm of rain expected on Thursday and 20mm on Friday, the SES predicts the high-water marks will occur next week. "We'll have the first peak reaching Condobolin while the second peak hits Forbes," Lachlan SES spokesman Brad Morris told AAP.

"It's been really tough on locals, they've suffered millions of dollars of losses but they are still helping each other." At least 50,000 sandbags have been transported into the towns and all court sittings at courthouses in Forbes, Condobolin and Lake Cargelligo have been cancelled for next week. Wild winds hammer NSW Ms Peace said gusty northerly winds will move across the east of NSW on Thursday morning and are likely to persist in the central and northern ranges and Hunter region through to Friday. The wild weather is expected to last into Saturday as strong winds continue "feeding or wrapping around the low" as it moves south-east.

In NSW, a severe weather warning remains in place for people in the Central Tablelands, South West Slopes, Riverina, Lower Western, Northern Tablelands and parts of the Mid North Coast, Hunter and Upper Western forecast districts. Just before midday on Thursday, severe weather warnings were cancelled for the Southern Tablelands, Central West Slopes and Plains, South West Slopes, Snowy Mountains and Australian Capital Territory districts. Conditions on Thursday are likely to include:

Damaging winds of up to 90km/h in far west NSW and progressing through the central inland and along the ranges by Thursday afternoon. Winds will ease overnight.

Heavy rain on Thursday morning across already-saturated catchments in the central west and south west slopes. A warning has also been issued to sheep graziers across NSW as lambs and sheep exposed to the cold temperatures, rain and showers may die. Victoria faces new battering Areas of regional Victoria already saturated from weeks of rain face more heavy downpours and damaging winds on Thursday. The intense low pressure system is making its way eastward from Adelaide and will hit parts of north-west Victoria.
Counter-terrorism police fear crucial information may slip through the cracks in major investigations because a national case-management system has not been rolled out, despite repeated requests for almost a decade.

The number of terrorism investigations in Australia is rising, yet officers say some are being jeopardised because each state police force uses a different system for managing investigations.

Fairfax Media understands counter-terrorism police have picked up an increasing amount of communication between terrorism suspects in Sydney and Melbourne in recent months. Both cities remain the overwhelming focus of investigations.

But the country's eight police forces have 18 different systems, and counter-terrorism police, who work in joint state and federal teams, are filing information twice - into two systems.
Photographer Julian Kingma had just shot a fistful of polaroids of chef Aaron Turner when he did something that would make most photographers yelp. He sat down at a table in Turner's Geelong restaurant, Igni, and began to carve the photos up with a pair of scissors.

"I sat for an hour and puzzled out the image before getting some tape and sticking it all together," Kingma said.

Julian Kingma's portrait of Aaron Turner, the award-winning chef behind Igni restaurant, is the winner of Shoot the Chef 2016 competition. Credit:Julian Kingma/Clique

While scissors and sticky-tape are unconventional tools for contemporary photography, Kingma's photo collage has been awarded first prize in Shoot the Chef, Fairfax's annual competition that combines Australia's passion for food and photography.

Kingma first met Turner several years ago while taking his portrait at his acclaimed restaurant Loam. In early 2016, the two began collaborating on an analogue photography project, documenting Turner's new venture, Igni. Kingma's winning portrait was taken as part of the project, using an old Pentax 6x7 with a Polaroid back.
Academics from the University of Sydney are protesting against the bestowal of an honorary doctorate on John Howard, saying the former Prime Minister is "considered a racist and a war criminal" and "not a fit recipient of the university's highest honour".

The university said it is conferring the honour "in acknowledgement of his achievements including world-leading gun law reform, leadership in East Timor and contribution to Australia's economic reform".

Former prime minister John Howard in his Sydney office. Credit:Louie Douvis

But about 112 academics from the university had by Wednesday afternoon signed a petition opposing Friday's planned ceremony with Chancellor Belinda Hutchinson.

"To confer a doctorate on him is an insult to Indigenous people, refugees, and anyone committed to multiculturalism, peace and social progress in this country and in the world," the petition says.
The Turnbull government has named Timothy Pilgrim as its next Information Commissioner, a role he has acted in for more than a year.

But the government is unlikely to appoint separate watchdogs for privacy and freedom of information, despite federal law appearing to suggest they should not be the same person.

Three-in-one: Information Commissioner, Privacy Commissioner and FOI Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim. Credit:Michele Mossop

Instead, Mr Pilgrim will fill three senior statutory roles for the price of one.

Attorney-General George Brandis said on Wednesday he would ask the Governor-General to appoint Mr Pilgrim, who is presently the Privacy Commissioner, as Information Commissioner, a more senior role that Mr Pilgrim has acted in since Professor John McMillan left the job in June last year.
An office within the NSW Police headquarters in Parramatta has been sealed off after a letter with potentially dangerous residue on it was opened by a staff member.

Fire crews, paramedics and police were called to the Charles Street headquarters of the State Crime Command about 11.10am on Wednesday.

The Parramatta police headquarters pictured after the shooting of employee Curtis Cheng. Credit:Steven Siewert

It's believed a State Crime Command employee opened a letter that caused her hand to tingle and go red.

A police spokesman said an office within the building had been isolated while Fire & Rescue's Hazmat team examines the item.
A 42-year-old female paramedic has suffered facial injuries after allegedly being assaulted by a patient in Cairns in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The experienced paramedic was responding to a call to an unwell person at a backpacker's hostel in Cairns when the patient became agitated.

A female paramedic was allegedly assaulted at a Cairns backpacker hostel.

According to Queensland Ambulance Service assistant commissioner Michelle Baxter, the paramedics followed the man out of the hostel to ensure his safety when the paramedic was allegedly struck on the face with a spoon.

In line with QAS protocol, the paramedic and her partner retreated to the ambulance when the patient then allegedly assaulted her again.
An alleged rape victim described as "a broken woman" will be forced to endure the retrial of a former partner convicted of horrific rapes against her, because the trial judge broke from a centuries-old protocol for selecting a jury during the trial.

Anthony Cook, 41, of Koroit, was convicted last year of violently raping his partner six times to "punish" her, and to enforce his dominance over her.

He was acquitted of four other rape charges, and the jury was unable to reach a verdict in an 11th rape charge.

The woman, who can be identified only as RJB, was a single mother who met Cook on Facebook in March 2012, and moved in with him in June that year.
Police have charged a man who last week drove himself to hospital after being shot in the head.

Victoria Police's heavily-armed Special Operations Group and detectives from the anti-bikie Echo Taskforce arrested Nabil Maghnie, 40, at a property in Epping about 3pm on Wednesday.

The scene of Monday's fatal shooting in Campbellfield. Credit:Channel Nine

Mr Maghnie was shot in the head and chest but managed to drive himself to a hospital in Epping about 1.20am last Thursday.

He later discharged himself from hospital.
Five piglets are at the centre of a bizarre custody battle involving their distraught owner and a vegan animal rights activist, who has refused to return the animals.

Victoria Police are investigating the theft of the baby pigs from a small farm near Cranbourne on September 23, with the unknown culprit believed to have also released up to 30 other pigs, a goat, several rabbits and an American bulldog called Junior.

Five piglets were allegedly stolen from a home near Cranbourne (not pictured). Credit:Brendan Esposito

Hobby farmer Sam McCarthy said his partner returned from work last Friday to discover their hand-reared piglets had been taken from the house. After being released from its enclosure, their pet dog Junior had also mauled two rabbits and a goat to death, while two pigs were also injured.

"There was blood throughout the whole house, my girlfriend was absolutely devastated. It was horrific," he said.
The state government has conceded it was a mistake to close City Beach High School in 2005 as it announced a plan to refurbish and expand the site for a new school.

The $60 million City Beach College will open to 250 year 7s in 2020, and expand to take 1600 secondary students by 2025, after the government did a deal with two private schools to vacate the Kalinda Drive site.

An artist's impression of the new City Beach College

"We closed four schools and opened one," Minister Peter Collier told ABC News on Wednesday.

"There was Hollywood, Swanbourne, City Beach and Scarborough high schools were all closed over less than a 10-year period. Upon reflection... we probably wouldn't have made that decision."
Police around Australia are marking national Police Remembrance Day to remember officers who died in the line of duty.

WA Police will hold a Remembrance Day ceremony at the Police Academy in Joondalup starting at 9:00am.

National Police Remembrance Day services will he held across Australia. Credit:National Police Memorial Canberra

To show support, members of the public are encouraged to add blue ribbons to their social media.
A view of the MH17 wreckage at the Gilze-Rijen Military Base in 2015 in Netherlands. Credit:Getty Images Images and video from social media, as well as eyewitness reports and phone intercepts, traced the route of the Buk into eastern Ukraine. It enabled the team to identify a precise launch site, which was confirmed by soil samples, eyewitness reports and satellite photos. Australian Federal Police officers and their Dutch counterparts at the MH17 crash site in the fields outside the village of Grabovka in eastern Ukraine. Credit:Kate Geraghty The territory around the launch site was "controlled by pro-Russian fiighters", he said.

The team confirmed their conclusion with classified intelligence provided by the USA. More video and photos showed the Buk launcher, minus one missile, heading back to Russia. Mr Westerbeke stopped short of saying that Russians, or the Russian state, were responsible, saying it was a matter for ongoing investigation. The team had identified 100 people, suspects and witnesses, who were "one way or another" involved in the movement of the Buk launcher, he said. But the investigators had not yet identified a clear chain of command, so they could assess their culpability.

"We won't say any more today  questions about wehre they were from and what nationality will not be answered," he said. "We have not yet identified any official suspects." He appealed for some of the 100 to give evidence to the investigation, saying they may be able to bargain for lower sentences or immunity from prosecution. The Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team included detectives from the Australian Federal Police as well as police from Belgium, Ukraine and Malaysia. AFP Assistant Commissioner Ian McCartney was present for the report release. Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed on July 17, 2014 in sunflower-sown fields of eastern Ukraine, in an area controlled by pro-Russian separatists. All 298 people on board the flight died, including 283 passengers, 80 of them children. Of the passengers, 38 were Australian residents. The majority of the rest of the victims were from the Netherlands, and 43 (including the crew) from Malaysia.

Last year the Dutch Safety Board concluded its air safety investigation, publishing a 700-page report that concluded the plane had been hit by a Russian-made surface to air missile. It found that a 9N1314M warhead, fired from a Buk 9M38 launcher, had detonated near the left-hand side of the cockpit. The report said it had "considered, analysed and excluded" other theories, including claims put about by Russia that a Ukrainian fighter jet had attacked the plane. Russia has since walked back that claim, releasing new radar data this Monday that it claimed had "picked up no foreign objects near the Malaysian plane which could have caused its destruction". "The fact that Ukraine has not published radar data leads us to the conjecture that the missile, if it was a Buk, was launched from territory under the control of the Ukrainian military," Russian General Andrey Koban said.

The Dutch Safety Board narrowed the launch site to a 320 square kilometre area in eastern Ukraine, but said further precision was beyond its mandate. The JIT is still gathering evidence for a possible trial. In a statement, Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Australia, along with the other JIT countries  the Netherlands, Malaysia, Ukraine and Belgium  were "considering the prosecution options available". "It is essential the international community continue to support the criminal investigation," Ms Bishop said. "While we cannot take away the grief of those who lost their loved ones that day, we can do everything possible to ensure justice is done independently, fairly and transparently."

A Dutch diplomat told the BBC that the announcement could cause potential suspects to fear for their lives  which may lead them to hand themselves in. Last year Russia vetoed a proposal for an international tribunal that was proposed by Australia and the Netherlands. JIT country representatives met again at the United Nations this month but did not announce any conclusions as to where those responsible for the crash could face trial. Dutch citizen Silene Fredriks-Hoogzand lost her her 25-year-old son Bryce and his girlfriend Daisy in the crash. She told RT.com: "Of course we'd like to hear who did it and why. Why? Was it on purpose or by accident? Who and why? "I just need to know. I have to know."
The first US presidential debate has finished and both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were out in force the morning after as verdicts on their performance flowed thick and fast.

Given the surreal nature of the campaign so far, it's no surprise that there was a fair degree of crazy in the themes coming from both camps. Here are some of the highlights.

Trump's microphone "didn't work"

Republican candidate Mr Trump said he believed he was given a defective microphone at the debate, asking at one point if, perhaps, it was on purpose.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Announces Sixth Showroom In Japan

 New showrooms in Nagoya and Fukuoka opened in 2016



 Hiroshima dealership in 2017 set to bring the total number of showrooms to six



 Future vision to strengthen aftersales and service network for growing customer base



 Rolls-Royce Motor Cars CEO expresses further commitment to Japan in visit to Tokyo, Yokohama and Nagoya



 Rolls-Royce confident of another strong year in Japan in 2016

TOKYO - September 28, 2016: During a visit to Japan, Torsten Muller-Otvos, Chief Executive Officer of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, today announced plans for further network expansion in the region. In the first half of 2017, a new dealership in Hiroshima will become the sixth dealership in the country.

The Rolls-Royce dealer network has grown rapidly in recent years. In 2013, the Osaka showroom joined Tokyo and Yokohama as the third home for Rolls-Royce in Japan. In July 2016, the marques first Central Japan dealership opened its doors in the business powerhouse of Nagoya, followed soon after by the first Kyushu dealership in the thriving city of Fukuoka, which opened to customers in an interim capacity in September 2016. Hiroshima will be the first location for RollsRoyce in the Chugoku region.

Torsten Muller-Otvos emphasised the importance of Japan for the sustainable growth of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in Asia Pacific, stating, Japan is the fourth largest single market for Rolls-Royce worldwide and we are confident of another strong year in 2016. Wraith, the powerful fastback coupe launched in 2013, is now our most popular model amongst Japanese customers, confirming that our new, more dynamic and contemporary design direction has been well received. Likewise, Dawn has been a phenomenal success and Japan constitutes our largest market in Asia for this model, with two thirds of customers new to Rolls-Royce. I could not think of a better time to strengthen our dealer network.

Year to date, to the end of August, Rolls-Royce sales in Japan are up 23% over the same period of 2015. The 7th generation Rolls-Royce Phantom, for which production will end this year, has also had a strong year here, demonstrating the timeless appeal of Rolls-Royce, a motor vehicle that transcends the automotive field as a Bespoke collectors item for the connoisseur of true luxury. The 8th generation of Rolls-Royce Phantom will arrive in 2018.
All-New Jeep Compass Makes Worldwide Debut In Brazil

LONDON - September 28, 2016: In celebration of the start of production at FCAs Jeep Assembly Plant in Goiana, Pernambuco, the Jeep brand introduced the all-new Jeep Compass today in Brazil.

A truly global all-new compact SUV, the Jeep Compass will be produced with 17 fuel-efficient powertrain options for consumers in more than 100 countries around the world.

The all-new Jeep Compass expands the brands global reach with an unmatched combination of attributes that includes legendary and best-in-class 4x4 off-road capability, advanced fuel-efficient powertrains, premium and authentic Jeep design, superior on-road driving dynamics, open-air freedom, and a host of safety and advanced technology offerings.

The most capable compact SUV ever, the all-new Jeep Compass will be available in North America in the first quarter of 2017 and in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region, starting the second half of 2017.

Additional information will be available on TheAutoChannel.com at the vehicles North American debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.
International Truck and Van of the Year Winners







Two of the most significant commercial vehicles introduced in the past 12 months have been named International Truck and International Van of the Year 2017.

Scanias brand new S-Series, with its flat floor cab, took the honour of International Truck of the Year 2017, while VWs new Crafter won the prestigious International Van of the Year.

The awards are decided annually by an international jury of 25 journalists form the commercial vehicle trade press, who come together to evaluate the newest vehicles across the entire CV market.

Scania S 730 4x2 tractor with tanker trailer Malaga, Spain Photo: Gustav Lindh 2016

The new Scania S-Series was praised for its driver comfort, quality and safety innovations, including dual side curtain airbags, which is a first in the truck industry. It was also praised for its fuel efficiency, with improvements of up to 20 per cent over the manufacturers previous tractor units.

Jury chairman, Gianenrico Griffini  a renowned Italian automotive journalist  said, With its new range, Scania has delivered a truck that represents a real state-of-the-art offering in the heavy duty segment, capable of satisfying not only todays but also tomorrows transport needs.

The S-Series was unveiled last month, and is set to go on sale in the UK in the first half of 2017.

The award is the leading recognition in the industry that all our engineers and the entire Scania organisation have done an excellent job, said Henrik Henriksson, Scanias president and CEO.

Our goal is to always meet our customers expectations and needs, and the jurys motivation is a clear confirmation that we have followed the right approach with the new truck.

The winner of the International Van of the Year accolade  the VW Crafter  was unveiled in a standalone ceremony in early September, ahead of its public debut at last weeks IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hannover, Germany. It means VW wins the top van award for the second year in succession, after taking the spoils for the Transporter T6 in the 2016 honours.tnb-vw-ecrafter







The Crafter is VWs entry into the 3.5t to 5.5t sector, and is also the basis for truck maker MANs first entry into the LCV sector, the TGE. At the IAA CV Show last week, VW also unveiled an electric-powered version of the van called the eCrafter, which it says will be with customers by the end of next year.

After the [Transporter T6] award last year, we are delighted to now receive this special award for the new Crafter as well, said Dr Eckhard Scholz, Chairman of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.
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Donald Trump may be one of the last people in America who doesnt know that he is a bigot. After weeks of alleged outreach to black and Muslim communities, the GOP nominee Monday night littered the debate stage with racial stereotypes, doubling down on his virulent brand of prejudice as more than 80 million Americans watched.

His answers betrayed the heart of a man far too consumed with himself to see other people as they are. Perhaps more devastating, he cannot seem to see himself. And there is nothing any campaign manager, senior adviser, or media trainer can do to help. Trump is incapable of a pivot because he is unable to recognize his own frailties.

A sneering, angry Trump protested that it was he and he alone who understood the plight of black people, writ large, and insisted he should be given some credit for visiting African-American churches (for the first time) in recent weeks. His answer to nearly every dilemma seemed to be: Call the police.

Hillary Clinton, he quipped, was afraid to say two words: law and order, as if black people are inherently violent and prone to criminality. Our inner cities, African Americans and Hispanics are living in hell because its so dangerous.

He gave no credence whatsoever to concerns about over-policing, mass incarceration, or the well-documented dangers of racial profiling. Trump, for all his business experience, misses the linkage between interactions with the criminal-justice system and economic outcomes. He apparently sees no connection between how communities are policed and social disparities. He apparently knows no successful or middle-class black people but believes we all live in war zone-like inner cities where entirely different values apply.

And if that werent enough, Trump continued to defend his attempts to delegitimize the nations first black president, insisting hed done nothing wrong but instead had somehow delivered a public service by spending years amplifying race-war conspiracy nuts in demanding to see President Obamas long-form birth certificate, along with questioning whether Obama deserved entry into Harvard Law School or ever attended Columbia University.

The word sorry never crossed Trumps lips. At one point, as the candidate praised his own birtherism, moderator Lester Holt asked: But were talking about racial healing in this segment. What do you say to Americans, people of color who

Trump interrupted: Well, it was veryI say nothing.

Like every bigot youll ever meet, Trump doesnt believe he is wrong. He looks in the mirror and sees a man of fundamental fairness, one who sees and treats people as they deserve.

What Trump will never admit is that he likes being white. That he knows the opportunities afforded to him as the white son of a wealthy construction contractorafter Clinton noted he started off in business with a $14 million gift from his father, he protested, my father gave me a very small loanare not open to the black and brown children living in poor neighborhoods in Baltimore, Chicago, or Atlanta. He knows that race and wealth matter, that his own path would have been harder, even with such a huge loan, if he had been black. Trump may not recognize his own bigotry, but he knows he would never trade places with my brothers.

It should come as no surprise that Trump is doing so poorly with black voters. His recent outreach to minoritiesintended as a bankshot appeal to moderate white womenis nothing more than a string of missed opportunities. Trump had every chance to make his case to the African-American community, every chance to open a new compact built on mutual trust and respect.

The fact is, Trump cannot make a meaningful connection with people he cannot see. And that work starts with seeing himself.
The day Terence Crutcher died, his widow was stuck in jail.

Frenchel Johnson, Crutchers common-law wife of 16 years and the mother of his three children, was incarcerated on an assault charge Sept. 16. That evening, Officer Betty Shelby fatally shot Crutcher as he stood outside his vehicle with his hands upa shocking incident captured on police helicopter footage, instantly grabbing the nations attention.

Johnson found out about his death on a lockup television.

The nightly news reported a 40-year-old shooting victim off 36th Street near Lewis Avenue: the route Crutcher took home.

I got up from looking at the TV. He didnt answer the phone. I just couldnt believe it, Johnson told The Daily Beast in a phone interview Tuesday. It was the worst feeling anybody could go through. I felt helpless.

She watched her in-laws speak about her husband on national TV without saying he had a wife at all. They never mentioned me one time, Johnson said through tears. They acted like I wasnt in my kids life.

According to the widow, Crutchers father assured her hed get her out of jail but never came through. A friend of hers even tried selling her car for bail money just so Johnson could be with her children after Crutchers death.

I was believing him [but] it was all a lie, she said. They were leaving me in there so they could take care of all this business.

Indeed, Crutchers kin and their lawyers kept Johnson a secret from the outside world, audio recordings obtained by The Daily Beast reveal.

We didnt want nobody to know she was in jail and all of that, the Rev. Joey Crutcher, Terences father, said, calling her incarceration an embarrassing situation for the kids.

While Crutchers sister delivered soundbytes for TV cameras, praising the 40-year-old as a father, she never mentioned he had a wife.

Now court papers reveal a rift between Crutchers parents and Johnson. The in-laws are seeking control of Crutchers estate and the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit against Tulsa authorities.

Not only did she lose her husband, but now her family has essentially turned against her and rejected her as the daughter-in-law, all because of the way probate [court] works in Oklahoma, Johnsons attorney, Daniel Smolen, told The Daily Beast.

Johnson was appointed the administrator of Crutchers estate Friday. The same day, Crutchers father allegedly requested a meeting with Smolen and Johnson, and explained why the Crutchers failed to bail Johnson out.

We were trying to keep her dignity intact, Crutchers dad said in a recorded conversation released by Smolen.

The Crutchers decided to leave Johnson in jail after speaking with their attorneys on the matter, Joey Crutcher says in an audio clip. (Johnson, who was arrested in mid-August, is facing charges including assault with a dangerous weapon, records show.)

Later, Joey Crutcher tells Smolen that people asked about Johnson after seeing her picture but says he declined to discuss her.

I was trying to protect her because I didnt want them kids to be embarrassed by their mother being locked up, and I didnt want Frenchel to be embarrassed, Crutcher says in the recording.

Crutcher then says his attorneysFlorida-based Benjamin Crump, who rose to fame after representing Trayvon Martins parents, and Damario Solomon-Simmons of Tulsaknew about Johnsons incarceration.

They may not have known, however, that Oklahoma is one of few states with common-law marriage. That means Johnson has a claim to Terence Crutchers estatewhich could be worth a substantial amount of money, if planned lawsuits against the city of Tulsa for Crutchers wrongful death are ultimately successful.

Smolen said he received an anonymous call last week from someone claiming to be a relative of Johnson. The caller claimed Terence Crutcher had a wife and that Crutchers family wouldnt bail her out of jail.

I thought it was odd that the wife had not been mentioned by Mr. Crutchers family, Smolen told The Daily Beast. They would say hes a father, hes an uncle, hes a dad, but they never said he was a husband.

Smolen soon visited Johnson, who obtained a loan to secure her bond from Tulsa County jail. She was released Thursday, court records show.

Joey Crutcher arranged a meeting with Johnson, two of her friends, and Smolen the next day, Smolen said.

In a recording of their visit, Crutcher says he tried to put Johnson on Terences death certificate. He claims he talked with his attorneys about making sure that the kids and Frenchel get an estate set up.

The reverend also suggests the charges against Johnson are bogus, saying she shouldnt have been in there [jail] one day.

We couldnt afford an attorney. Me and my son was trying to really get good representation, Joey Crutcher adds. Thats what we want more than anything.

Crutcher says his grandchildren are a basket case and crying for Johnson after their fathers death. Well get her out, well get her out, Joey Crutcher claims to have promised the kids.

Crutcher says he and his wife are old and we dont want to be raising nobodys kids, according to the recording.

They need their mother, he concludes in the recording.

And yet on Monday, Joey Crutcher and his wife, Leanna, began waging a legal battle against Johnson. The Crutchers filed a motion demanding a judge vacate Johnsons appointment as the estates administrator. A judge is scheduled to hear their arguments on Friday, Sept. 30.

Meanwhile, the Crutchers attorneys revised their GoFundMe pagewhich raised $165,928to say checks helping Terence Crutchers children should be addressed to his sister, Tiffany. The site previously said donations must be made out to The Estate of Terence Crutcher.

(Crump and his fellow attorneys did not respond to multiple phone calls and emails left by The Daily Beast.)

According to the Crutchers filing, Johnson failed to disclose that she is a convicted felon. Terence Crutchers parents have legal custody of her three children, the filing states.

The document also says Johnson is disqualified, ineligible, and incompetent, and lacks standing to be the special administrator of Crutchers estate.

Terence Crutcher was not married to Ms. Frenchel Johnson, and Ms. Johnson is not his widow. There was neither a ceremonial nor a common law marriage, and no marriage license, the filing continues.

Its a strange claim, considering Joey Crutcher calls Johnson his daughter-in-law in one of the audio recordings reviewed by The Daily Beast.

In the court papers, the Crutchers claim theyve had physical custody of the couples childrenages 4, 11, and 15for most of their lives. They also claim to have custody of Johnsons 17-year-old son, who was raised by Terence Crutcher.

Joey Crutcher was appointed temporary emergency guardian on Sept. 19 with the consent of Ms. Johnson, court papers state.

According the filing, the family believes a wrongful death suit on behalf of Terence Crutchers estate will be undermined and unduly complicated if filed by Johnson.

Rev. and Mrs. Crutcher care about Ms. Johnson and encourage her to spend time freely with her children and the Crutcher family, the filing concludes, before claiming the mother is disqualified from serving as estate administrator.

In a Sept. 19 petition for guardianship, Joey Crutcher states that his grandchildren have lived with him off and on for three years because of an unstable environment at home.

Frenchel drinks heavly [sic] and the children should not be exsposed [sic] to the fighting and fussing that comes with that life, Crutcher said in the petition. A guardianship hearing is scheduled for Oct. 10.

Smolen and Johnson denied that allegation, saying Johnson was the primary caretaker for her kids until her arrest in August.

Johnson began drinking after her mother was murdered and the killer was never found, Smolen told The Daily Beast.

She was very depressed and self-medicating with alcohol, Smolen said. She was recently able to complete the drug court DUI program [completing] years of sobriety and alcohol monitoring.

In August 2007, Johnson was convicted of driving under the influence, a second offense, and sentenced to three years behind bars, court papers show.

Her next brush with the law came last month, when Tulsa cops arrested and charged her with assault with a dangerous weapon after she threatened to stab her neighbor Toshiba Sabe Brown with a kitchen knife, prosecutors say.

Johnsons criminal defense attorney, Thomas Mortensen, told The Daily Beast that Johnson was charged with stabbing someone, but the police affidavit makes no mention of a stabbing or injury taking place.

Shes charged with stabbing somebody with a knife, and that didnt happen, Mortensen said of the charge.

For her part, Brown told The Daily Beast that Johnson didnt stab her but attempted to do so. She said Johnson was a neighbor to her sister and the two often fought. It was just [a] typical neighbor feud, but that incident that led to Frenchels arrest was the first time it escalated that far, Brown said in an email.

My sister, Frenchel, and Terence has been feuding for years but it has never turned violent, Brown said.

According to an affidavit, officers responding to a verbal argument between Johnson and Brown ordered Johnson to drop a kitchen knife. They shot Johnson with a Taser when she allegedly disobeyed cops commands, the affidavit states.

Court records show Brown filed for a protective order against Terence Crutcher on Aug. 15. It was denied the same day for insufficient evidence.

As Johnson fights her criminal charges, shes also preparing to battle her in-laws in court. Its unexpected for the woman who spent Sundays barbecuing and going to church with the Crutchers.

Johnson said she met Crutcher when she was 22 and that they had been best friends ever since.

I always loved Terence, Johnson added. I just couldnt understand why they [the Crutcher family] want to turn their backs on me.
Shimon Peres was the last of Israels founding fathers, a larger-than-life figure and Nobel Peace laureate who made history several times over. Yet his legacy lies in a shambles.

For someone who built the state of Israel, engineered its massive defense establishment, and twice led the country, Peres was not especially well liked. It was only in his last years, as president of Israela largely ceremonial postthat he settled into his role as elder statesman. And in comparison to the current generation of bombastic right-wingers and ineffectual liberals, Peres came to represent an earlier, more civil period in Israeli life.

But it is on the great campaign of Peress political careerthe quest for peace with Israels neighbors and with the Palestinian peoplethat his legacy will inevitably be judged. And never has that dream seemed more distant than in 2016.

Israel is led by a coalition of conservatives and outright rejectionists. Its prime minister is the scion of a great Revisionist Zionist family, the bitter enemies of Peress mentor, founding Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. On the other side of a negotiating table is a weakened Palestinian Authority, shot through with corruption, threatened by Islamist rejectionists, and undermined by Israels expansionist projects. And surrounding them both, chaos.

At the zenith of the Oslo peace process, shortly after the 1993 handshake between Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Peres published a grand vision for the region, a book called The New Middle East. Even in the heady days of the 1990s (I was living in Jerusalem at the time), it was derided as naive. High-speed trains from Cairo to Tel Aviv to Beirut. International cooperation on technology, water, and natural resources. Though Peres had been a ruthless pragmatist for over 40 years, covertly developing Israels nuclear program and cutting arms deals across the world, he seemed hopelessly hopeful, deluded, utopian.

And then he was betrayed.

First, a Jewish assassin killed Rabin on Nov. 4, 1995, egged on by rallies (attended by Benjamin Netanyahu) at which the former general was called a traitor and hanged in effigy. Peres became interim prime minister, but less than a year into his term, he lost an election to Netanyahu.

Then Arafat betrayed him, too. In 2000, with Labor back in power and outgoing President Bill Clinton eager to cement his own legacy, a final peace deal seemed closer than ever. But Arafat rejected everything the Israelis put forward, offered nothing in return, and even created new myths that undercut Israels historic claims to the land.

A few months later, Ariel Sharon took his infamous walk on the Temple Mount and the Second Intifada was ignited. With the exception of a few brief moments of hope, the last 15 years have been one long downward spiral of mistrust between Israelis and Palestinians. Most Israelis, even those who supported Rabin and Peres in the 1990s, gave up hope. Sharons and Netanyahus governments built their walls, Hamas took over Gaza, Israels settlements grew, and negotiations went nowhere.

Indeed, the tragic irony of Israel and Palestine is that everyone knows what the solution must look like, yet no one has the capacity to achieve it. And without a state of Palestine, there can be no New Middle East.

Perhaps its unfair to evaluate Peress legacy on these terms. After all, he lived so long of a life, dying at 93 after an incredible 70 years in public service, that one could just as well reflect on his accomplishments from the first half of his political life, rather than the second.

And for those three and a half decades, Peress legacy is an astonishing success.

Managing Israels Department of Defense in the 1950s, he deserves the primary credit for transforming Israel from a tiny, improbable experiment to a military powerhouse. He was a lead strategist in the preemptive strikes in 1967 that led to the most dramatic turnaround in Israels history, the Six-Day War. Despite his later reputation as a dove, it was Peres who was the hawk, while Rabinhis bitter rival in the 1970swas more hesitant to use military force.

As a politician, however, Peres lost more than he won. Mahani loozer? he once asked when he was begged to take a back seat to other, younger politicians: What am I, a loser?

But, in part, he was. He lost several bids for Labor Party leadership. His rivalry with Rabin helped end Labors 30-year hold on power. He lost multiple elections. He joined coalitions with right-wing leaders who undermined him. He even lost the presidential election to a man who later served time in prison for rape. (Peres won that election a few years later.) Its hard to think of another world leader who built so much, but lost so often.

That reputation really only lifted in Peress final decades. Long past the age when most men retire from public life, Peres remained on the front lines. I saw him speak many times in the 2000s and 2010s, often at conferences/centers/foundations/symposia he created, and he seemed to have finally found his metier. His sense of humor was as sharp as ever, and he took on the role as Israels wise grandfather. He still talked about peace, but also about Israels leadership in technology, cybersecurity, and a dozen other fields. And not just in generalities; Peres remained current on all of these areas and could plunge headfirst into a wonky discussion on any number of subjects.

Yet Peres also seemed to be living in a parallel universe, one in which the peace process was still a process, and the partners on both sides were still actual partners. I dont think this was naivete; Peres knew the political score as well as anyone. Rather, he doggedly maintained the crazy idea that peace was inevitable because it was the only way for Israel and Palestine to survive. There is no alternative, he said many times.

Alas, there is.
A gas explosion tore through an alleged Bronx drug lab Tuesday morning, killing a second-generation firefighter and rattling neighbors.

Firefighters were on the scene an hour before the 7:30 a.m. explosion, responding to reports of a gas leak at a Bronx house, when they stumbled upon what appeared to have been a drug lab, officials said Tuesday. But before police could investigate the house, its roof blew off, fatally striking Battalion Chief Michael Fahey in the head and wounding at least 12 others.

Fahey, the first on-duty New York City firefighter killed in two years, came from a firefighting family. His father Thomas Fahey is a retired FDNY fire chief. Michael, a 17-year veteran of the department, had three young children.

FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro referred to the younger Fahey as one of our rising stars during a Tuesday press conference. Nigro, visibly upset, said he had known and worked with Faheys father. Seventeen years with the department. He was on the rise. He was a star, a brave man. He was doing what firefighters do this morning.

Several weeks before the explosion, police received a tip-off that the two-story house in the Bronxs Kingsbridge neighborhood might be home to a marijuana operation.

We were in the initial stages of an investigation on that block, Police Commissioner James ONeill said in a Tuesday press conference. Thats going to be part of the ongoing investigation as a possible drug lab, as a possible growhouse. Marijuana.

Explosive substances like propane and butane are sometimes used in marijuana production.

New York City is no stranger to gas explosions, a fact that was not lost on many New Yorkers after two bombing attempts earlier this month. The two makeshift explosives failed to kill anyone, while accidental explosionsoften the result of faulty gas hookupshave wreaked significantly greater damage on the city and its inhabitants.

In March 2014, a gas leak leveled a Harlem apartment building, killing six and wounding 70 others. An illegal gas tap in an East Village building sent half a block up in flames in March 2015, killing two. And in August 2015, an explosion in the Bronxs John F. Kennedy High School left three with serious burns.

The Kennedy High School explosion and Tuesdays Kingsbridge blast came too close to home for Bronx resident Nicolette Molina. Molina, now 20, is a Kennedy High School alumnus. And when the Kingsbridge home exploded Tuesday morning, Molina felt it from her apartment down the street.

Theres that stuff in the walls: the foundation. You could almost hear that vibrating, Molina told The Daily Beast. I swear to god, I thought it was a bomb.

Down the block in the opposite direction, neighbor Rey Delvalles thoughts went to another kind of disaster. It woke me up. I thought it was an earthquake or something, he said of the early morning blast.

Hours after the blast, curtains of smoke were still rising from the ruins of the house. The initial explosion had demolished the second floor and most of the first, burying nearby cars in brick and drywall.

But the explosion rattled more than the neighborhood houses.

We all know each other. This doesnt happen in this neighborhood, Cindy OConnor, a longtime Kingsbridge resident said from her stoop around the corner. This stretch of Kingsbridge is a quiet grid of two-story homes, many of which have housed the same families for generations, OConnor said. On one side, her neighbors have lived there 30 years; the other side have been there for 40.

The exploded house was an anomaly, OConnor said. Home to a transient set of residents, no one in the neighborhood seems to know who lived there at the time of the explosion and alleged drug operation.

Five or six years ago it was a frat house, OConnor said. Then it became a daycare center. Then the daycare center lost its license and those people moved out. Nobody was living in it for probably nine months I would say, until these people.

A postal worker who lives in the neighborhood said neither she nor her colleague who delivered mail to the exploded house knew its current occupants. A lot of college kids, likely from nearby Manhattan College, she said, had begun renting in the neighborhood.

Whether the home was a being used as a makeshift frat house, a drug lab, or some combination of both remains the subject of investigation. On Tuesday evening, police arrested renter Julio Salcedo, 34, in nearby Cliffside Park, New Jersey, the New York Daily News reported. In a Wednesday statement, Manhattan College announced that no students were involved in the explosion. But neighbors say the blast smells too suspicious to be a routine gas accident.

This is not just a gas leak, Molina recalled telling neighbors after seeing the swarm of emergency vehicles after the blast. I felt my whole apartment shake. Regarding rumors of a drug lab, she said she believes it 150 percent.

Manhattan college is right there. I remember that one of the biggest drug busts in Bronx history was right around here, she said.

College kids gotta pay tuition somehow, Delvalle joked, adding that he worried about other gas hookups in his neighborhood. Like his neighbors, he said he did not know the buildings current inhabitants, and that they appeared to have been renters.

A Tuesday evening investigation by DNAinfo supported the neighborhoods early suspicions of a drug lab. Sources told the outlet that firefighters discovered a homegrow lab in the house, with an illegal gas hookup, propane tanks, and drums full of explosive fertilizer.

Neighbors said they were shocked an explosion could shake their familiar neighborhood.

My friend and I used to stand right here and talk for hours when we were teenagers, Molina said. Its weird.
Six years ago this month, Dan Savage famously told LGBT kids that it gets better. But how much better has it really gotten since then? And how quickly?

According to a comprehensive new report from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, several key measures of anti-LGBT bullying in U.S. secondary schools fell by less than 2 percent per year between 2005 and 2015. The situation for LGBT students may be gradually improving, the report states, but it remains troublesome.

In 2005, when GLSEN conducted its first From Teasing to Torment national survey, nearly 62 percent of U.S. middle and high schoolers reported students at their schools were victimized based on sexual orientation. In 2015, when GLSEN collected data for this followup report, that figure was still just shy of 50 percent.

Other decreases in anti-LGBT bullying were similarly gradual. From 2005 to 2015, the percentage of students who reported witnessing victimization based on gender expression fell from 60 to 49 percent, and the percentage who reported hearing the word gay used in a derogatory fashion dropped slightly, from 89 percent to 75 percent.

Even more disturbing is the fact that race-based victimization remained flat, with nearly 38 percent of students reporting it 10 years apart.

Overall, bullying still persists at unacceptable levels, and the gains of the past 10 years throw the more intractable aspects of the problem into higher relief, GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byrd wrote in the reports introduction.

This slow pace of change for LGBT students is especially disappointing when offset against the rapid gains their adult peers have made over the same time period. In 2005, same-sex marriage was legal in one state. By June 2015, it was legal in all 50. In 2005, the military still followed Dont Ask, Dont Tell. Now, LGBT people can serve openly in every branch of the armed forces.

But these sweeping victories have not erased the deep-set cultural biases that exact a special toll on LGBT youth.

According to GLSENs report, which was based a Harris Poll survey of nearly 1,400 students and more than 1,000 teachers, LGBT secondary-school students still deal with considerable prejudice in the classroom. Over half of middle and high schoolers said they still heard their peers use phrases like thats so gay either often or very often. Over 40 percent said they heard slurs like faggot or dyke used just as frequently.

Fifteen percent of the students surveyed even said teachers and administrators were making homophobic comments. Nearly 13 percent reported hearing negative remarks about transgender people from school staff. And less than 20 percent said staff intervened often when they heard negative remarks about gender expression, which is especially concerning given that nearly a quarter of the students polled did not identify in a strictly gender-conforming way.

You would probably expect peers to behave in a way thats biased toward LGBT students, but to see it from teachers? We found [that] quite troubling, GLSEN researcher Christian Villenas told The Daily Beast.

According to Villenas, schools can be some of the last places to change on LGBT issues, in part because some parents still have hang-ups about inclusion in educational settings. A 2016 GLAAD report found that 29 percent of non-LGBT adults would feel uncomfortable knowing that their child had an LGBT teacher and 37 percent would feel discomfort if their child had a lesson on LGBT history in their school.

There might be a limit in terms of what society says they can support, Villenas told The Daily Beast. They can support something like gay marriage, but when it comes to LGBT issues in schools and dealing with young people, that may be where certain people draw the line.

And for anyone inclined to believe that bullying helps prepare LGBT students for the real world, the GLSEN data tell a much different story.

Almost 10 percent of LGBT students in the survey sample said they didnt plan to go to college as compared to just 6 percent of non-LGBT students. Over three times as many LGBT as non-LGBT students said they didnt even plan to finish high school (2.7 versus 0.8 percent) and over six times as many gender non-conforming students as gender-conforming students said the same (3.1 versus 0.5 percent).

What our research shows is that [bullying] doesnt toughen you up and get you ready for the real world, said Villenas. It actually leads to poor psychological outcomes. It leads to lower educational aspirations. It leads to more likely experiences with school discipline and higher absenteeism. We see no evidence here that it prepares students for the real world or for college. Quite the opposite, actually.

The new GLSEN report isnt all doom and gloom, however. For one, the percentage of students who reported having access to a gay-straight alliance (GSA) rose from 21.2 percent in 2005 to 35.8 percent in 2015, with research showing that GSAs are related to greater feelings of safety for the general student body, with an even greater improvement in safety for LGBTQ students specifically. An impressive 82 percent of middle and high school students also reported knowing an LGBT person, and those students had less negative attitudes toward LGBT people than their peers. And overall, most middle and high school studentsnine out of 10still reported feeling safe at school.

But as Villenas told The Daily Beast, Theres a lot left that needs to be done.

Less than 60 percent of schools, for example, have anti-bullying policies that specifically include sexual orientation and gender identity. Last summer, incidentally, the U.S. Senate voted down an amendment to the Every Child Achieves Act that would have prohibited anti-LGBT bullying in all public schools nationwide.

But the most worrying trend GLSEN found is that teachers were less comfortable intervening upon hearing a biased comment in 2015 than they were in 2005. That may be because less than a third of them have ever had any professional development on LGB student issues, and less than a quarter have been trained on issues affecting transgender students, even as school districts become embroiled in restroom debates.

Although teachers overwhelmingly endorsed the idea that they have an obligation to ensure safe and supportive schools for LGBT students, when it came to taking action to do so, many seemed to struggle, the report stated.

GLSENs report wraps up with several recommendations for schools that ultimately boil down to one principle: Do more of the things that help students feel safe. That means creating GSAs, teaching LGBT-inclusive history lessons, instituting more comprehensive anti-bullying policies, and requiring professional development for school staff.

Because ultimatelywhile life may indeed get better for some LGBT teenagers after graduation, as Savage promisedits not getting better for LGBT students fast enough.
Come along with me, people, because its already time to look ahead to the second debate. Consider this thought: Hillary Clinton took Donald Trump to the house Monday night without even playing some of the heaviest cards against him.

What did come up in the realm of Trump dirt? Really, just two things: his failure to pay income taxes, and his sexist remarks. They spent a lot of time on the taxes, and Trumps eye-popping remarks that It would be squandered, believe me seemed an oblique admission that he has not paid any net federal income tax. Then Clinton zinged him on his comments about the former Miss Universe, Alicia Machado, comments that Trump so coarsely doubled-down on the next morning.

Now consider: What didnt come up? Loads of things:

Trump University. In a lifetime of scams too numerous to count and too appalling to rank, this may be Trumps biggest scam of all. Many people lost their money and got nothing whatsoever out of it. There are depositions that have been made public in which Trump U. employees admit they were under instructions to give students a very hard sell and sometimes to lie to them. Then of course theres the whole way that the states of Texas and Florida dropped their investigations of it, after donations from the

Trump Foundation. By now you know all about this bogus enterprise, thanks to the great reporting of David Farenthold of The Washington Post. I would imagine theres more coming, possibly having to do with the kinds of business relationships Trump had with the leading donors to the foundation (a ticket-scalper? Come on.). But even if theres not more coming, theres material aplenty already, from the serious (the apparent, and apparently illegal, self-dealing) to the comic (the two grandiose portraits of himself the charity spent tens of thousands of dollars to purchase).

Deport-em-ghazi. Moderator Lester Holt didnt ask about Trumps vow to create a giant police force to round up and deport 12 million people, and Clinton didnt mention it. Surely shes not going to let the debates pass without this getting a full airing.

Modelgate. And speaking of undocumented workers, one of the better scoops of this season that failed to get the oxygen it deserved was this amazing report by James West in Mother Jones about how young female models in Trumps employ were working in the country illegally and were treated worse than many people treat their dogs. Only one of these women talked to West on the record, but this is a story that would sicken the women watching the next debate, and the men with consciences, too.

Ripping off contractors. Clinton did go into a bit of that Monday night, in the passage where she included the surprisingly personal (however brief, like four words) mention of her fathers drapery business. Theres so much more here though. There are many real human beings involved, and they havent signed non-disclosure agreements, mostly, and theyre willing to talk. Just as Clintons mention of Alicia Machadothe former Miss Universe Trump referred to as Miss Piggypersonalized his sexism and shone that much brighter a spotlight on the issue, if she were to cite a small-business person or two who were just blatantly ripped off by Trump, like maybe this guy, it could really take him down. The guy could be the Joe the Plumber of 2016, with the crucial differences that he would be known by his actual name and profession.

Theres tons more. Heres a partial list. And Im guessing that the Clinton team has done the its oppo work. Think how this could get under Trumps skin. An early mention of Trump U., with a bonus name-check of Judge Gonzalo Curiel, would start things off nicely.

Now of course theres a lot of old Hillary material that didnt come up either. She skated through the email server very fast, and Holt didnt press the point. That may come up again. Trump didnt raise Benghazi. Theres no actual scandal there, but he will say there is, and shell be on the spot to defend it. And theres the Libya invasion in the first place, which isnt a scandal but can be made to reflect poorly on Clintons judgment. Martha Raddatz, a very experienced foreign-policy journalist whos co-hosting the second debate, is unlike to let Hillary skate past that one.

And finally of course theres Monica and whatever other alleged Bill Clinton paramours or (as the right would have it) victims. Thats probably where Trump was going during the debate, when, right after that mention of Rosie ODonnell, he said: I was going to say something extremely rough to Hillary, to her family, and I said to myself, I cant do it. I just cant do it. Its inappropriate. Its not nice.

Next time, hell say it. By his logic, even though he interrupted her repeatedly, he held back, and he lost, so hell think why hold back anything? But Clinton should be more than ready. She has plenty of rounds in her magazine that she didnt fire Monday.
PARIS Shimon Peres is recognized as a great statesman and will be remembered after his death early Wednesday morning at age 93 as a passionate advocate of peace between Israels Jews and the Arabs of the Middle East.

With a longer view, historians will note that he managed to become prime minister twice and president of the State of Israel, but he never clearly won the powerful premiership in popular or parliamentary votes. He was always admirable, but in the end, proved almost unelectable, a brilliant rhetorician, but not nearly as successful a politician as, say, long-serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Even as a peacemaker, or perhaps especially as a peacemaker, Peres could articulate brilliantly and beautifully the desires for peace, the reasons for peace, the benefits of peace, and indeed he shared the Nobel Peace Prize with then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and the PLOs Yassir Arafat. But Peres could not bring home the goods, and the relative calm that exists in Israel and the occupied territories for the moment is far from the peace that Peres so often and so eloquently described.

So it is ironic that his greatest single accomplishmentthe one that has protected his nation decade after decade in the savage landscape of the Middle East, is one the Israeli government still, as a matter of form, will not acknowledge. Because it was Peres who brought home to Israel the nuclear weapons and the ballistic missiles that were and, for better or worse, still are the ultimate guarantor of its survival.

One key to the Israeli nuclear-weapons program launched in the mid-1950s was France, where the young Peresstill in his thirties and serving as the director general of Israels defense ministrycultivated a vast array of important political and scientific contacts.

The other key was the systematic deception of the United States, which at first opposed Israels development of a nuclear-weapons capability, then failed to connect the dots that showed thats what it was doing, then tried to buy it off with a huge increase in conventional weapons shipments, and finally, in 1969 accepted tacitly what it had failed to prevent explicitly.

Avner Cohens book Israel and the Bomb, published in 1998, still offers some of the most detailed and thoughtful information about what he calls Israels nuclear opacity, the refusal to admit what the world knows and what is, in fact, a vital source of deterrence. To study that history of 60 years ago is also to understand why Israel is so suspicious of Irans nuclear deceptions. Its been there, done that, and Peres led the way.

That said, Israels perilous situation in the 1950s was hugely different than it is now. Today it is seen, rightly, as the regions pre-eminent military power, with solid, massive, unequivocal backing by the United States.

In the mid-1950s, no country was ready to guarantee Israels survival, and its Arab neighbors were committed to its obliteration, exploiting the massive displacement of Palestinian refugees as a central cause around which to build pan-Arab nationalism, even as the Palestinians themselves were forced into camps and isolated in these supposedly sympathetic countries.

As early as 1954, then-Prime Minister David Ben Gurion was speaking obliquely and behind closed doors about the importance of science. It might be that our ultimate security would rest on that. But I will not talk about it any further. This could be the last thing that may save us. In an address to the nation in 1955, he said the future of Israel was not dependent on what the gentiles would say, but on what the Jews would do.

This attitude, writes Cohen, became the motto of the nuclear program.

The Polish-born Peres, more at ease in European political and social circles than some of his sabra colleagues, had been exploring the possibility of defense cooperation with the French from early in the decade. By the spring of 1956, as Cohen writes, Peres had reached a comprehensive security understanding with the government of Guy Mollet.

The government of the Fourth Republic in Paris was badly divided, and facing a growing rebellion in Algeria, where Arabs inspired by Egypts new leader, Gamal Abdel Nasser, no longer wanted to be an ostensible part of France.

At the time, the Americans, Russians, and British had developed nuclear weapons, but the French themselves, while they had the technology, had not decided what to do. Peres exploited the situation for all it was worth, forming bonds with the pro-nuclear factions in France, trying to persuade them to give Israel the technology the Americans would only share under strict safeguards, which would have prevented its use to make or develop weapons.

Peres arranged to obtain French weapons through unconventional channels, using these channels to explore whether France would assist Israel in pursuing nuclear weapons, Cohen writes. That France itself was still undecided about the acquisition of its own nuclear weapons, and that the pro-nuclear camp advanced its cause stealthily and incrementally, made it easier for Peres to advance Israels nuclear objective. Defense Minister Maurice Bourges-Maunoury, a supporter of French nuclear weapons, understood Peress vision just as he understood the need to keep the two countries nuclear plans opaque.

The decisive moment came in 1956, when Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, previously controlled by the British, and London and Paris wanted to cut a deal with Israel to launch a tripartite war against Egypt. Peres, greatly exceeding his authority as the appointed head of the defense ministrys bureaucracy, could not let the opportunity pass. He believed such a deal would open the door to the nuclear-weapons cooperation he wanted. Ben-Gurions government eventually agreed to the alliance. When the war began, Israeli troops rolled across the Sinai toward the canal.

The Eisenhower administration in Washington demanded an end to the fighting and the withdrawal of the Israeli and allied forces, while the Soviets, who backed Nasser, made a clear and potentially apocalyptic threat. The Israeli government was criminally and irresponsibly playing with the fate of its own people, Moscow declared, which puts in jeopardy the very existence of Israel as a State.

Peres spoke to his French counterparts. I dont trust the guarantees of others, he said. What would you think if we prepared our own retaliation force?

The French agreed in secret to help Israel build a nuclear reactor and underground reprocessing plant that would allow Israel to produce sufficient quantities of plutonium to build atomic weapons. Construction began at Dimona, in the Negev desert.

All this while Peres and successive Israeli governments insisted in public that any work being done on a nuclear program was for strictly peaceful purposesto produce energy for a country that often had limited access to fossil fuels. But those directly involved in France and Israel never had any doubt about what was going on. Peres reoriented the atomic energy program from research to weapons development, and the lid of secrecy around it was screwed on ever more tightly.

By 1958, American intelligence was getting wind of the developments at Dimona, but failed to connect the dots. Over the next couple of years, as evidence accumulated, the Israelis agreed to let the Americans visit Dimona, and managed to convince them nothing was amiss. In 1962, Peres persuaded the French to sell Israel its first ballistic missiles.

But by then, Charles De Gaulle was president of the new Fifth Republic in France, and he was not happy about the nuclear deal with the Israelis. He ordered it stopped. Peres worked around him, and his persistence and his contacts paid off once again. The program managed to continue with French cooperation for another two years or more after De Gaulle ordered it halted.

One big problem was where to get 20 tons of heavy water for Dimona. The United States would not cooperate without safeguards, and Peres wanted no part of those. De Gaulle would not supply the heavy water either. But Norway had begun producing it for its own peaceful reactors, and agreed with Peres to sell the needed quantity.

In 1967, Israels preemptive war against Egypt and, quickly, against Jordan and Syria, lasted just six days, and the nuclear program was not a direct factor, although rumors and reports of its developments clearly had increased tensions.

Once the victory was achieved, and Israel set about occupying East Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank, the exaltation of victory and the promise of land for peace seemed to show that Israel was secure with conventional weapons. But the nuclear program continued nonetheless.

By 1969, the CIA was certain that Israel had at least a nuclear-weapons capability, and in 1970 the Nixon administration let it be known publicly that the U.S. government believed this to be the case. But efforts to get it to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty were unavailing. In fact, it was building an atomic arsenal that would grow to 80 and, by some estimates, as many as 200 warheads.

Peres had, by the late 1960s, gone into politics. Hed been elected to the Knesset and began his rise to the top of what eventually became the Labor Party.

As he tried and failed repeatedly to win a clear-cut victory as prime minister, one of the things that the Israeli electorate held against the intellectual Peres was his lack of experience as a soldier. Given his decisive contributions to Israels phenomenal military power, that must go down as one of historys great ironies.
Another week, another famous woman harassed and assaulted by an unemployed Ukrainian prankster.

On Wednesday, multi-hyphenate Kim Kardashian was approached on the streets of Paris by a strange man, who proceeded to kneel down and literally kiss her ass. Like many gross men who dont respect womens bodies and personal space, Kardashians attacker wore ripped jeans and a fedora. As he softly pressed his lips against Kim Ks famous derriere, her security pounced, and the subject was taken down faster than a fainting model at Yeezy Season 4.

Kardashians only comment on the attack was a short Tweet: My security is a G.

Kardashians attacker was quickly identified as none other than disgraced celebrity reporter Vitalii Sediuk, who most recently pranked model Gigi Hadid by attempting to pick her up outside of a Milan fashion week show. Sediuk boasted about physically immobilizing the 21-year-old woman to The Hollywood Reporter, explaining, While I consider Gigi Hadid beautiful, she and her friend Kendall Jenner have nothing to do with high fashion. By doing this, I encourage the fashion industry to put true talents on the runway and Vogue covers instead of well-connected cute girls from Instagram.

What Sediuk calls manifest or a protest, we call pure and simple street harassment. As Hadid tweeted following the incident, How dare that idiot thinks he has the right to man-handle a complete stranger. While Sediuk was quickly set straight by Hadids powerful right hooknever underestimate a woman with an Equinox membershipthe 27-year-old celebrity harasser is clearly back to his old tricks. Sediuk first pranked Kim Kardashian back in 2014, when he tackled the star and almost knocked her to the ground outside of a fashion show.

Sediuks rap sheet is a veritable whos who of celebrity victims. The Ukrainian prankster is nothing if not predictable, routinely targeting A-listers for his off-brand, untelevised Punkd spinoff. In 2012, he attempted to make out with Will Smith at a Men in Black 3 premiere, eliciting a slap from the superstar and a cry of What the hell is wrong with you? In 2014, Sediuk stuck his face in Brad Pitts crotch at the worldwide premiere of Maleficent. He has nuzzled Bradley Coopers junk, snuck under America Ferreras dress, and even interrupted Adele on stage. Freaking Adele.

In some ways, Sediuks voracious appetite for celebrity genitalia, which spans stars of all genders and ages, is a beautiful thing. His pranks distill our universal celebrity lust and reveal the fawning madness behind star worship and fetishization. Simultaneously, his red carpet intrusions quickly wipe the shiny Hollywood veneer off star-studded functions. In two seconds, he managed to incite Will Smith to physical violence, and showed the world that Gigi Hadid is actually a badass. Of course, the magnetic quality of these mini disruptions is entirely due to the fact that Sediuk is playing with, studying, and protesting celebrity. This people-as-props mentality utterly erases the humanity of Sediuks victims.

America Ferrera may very well be a fan of experimental performance art in her spare time, but she didnt consent to having her How to Train Your Dragon 2 red carpet appearance coopted by a strange man hiding in her skirt. By asserting his self-proclaimed right to other peoples bodies, Sediuk isnt being original or insightfulhes just mirroring the sort of street harassment and invasive treatment that people, especially women, have always faced. At the end of the day, Sediuk isnt an activist, an artist, or a revolutionary. Hes just another dude with an unsolicited opinion, touching a womans ass on the sidewalk.

After her encounter with Sediuk turned violent, Hadid told Lenny Letter, I just want to use what happened to me to show that its everyones right, and it can be empowering, to be able to defend yourself. Kardashians altercation holds an equally important lesson, and one that people often forget when discussing the genetically blessed reality TV star. Kim Kardashians body doesnt belong to her Instagram followers, her fans, or even her hatersit belongs to Kim Kardashian. After years of dissecting her derriere in think pieces, disseminating her nudes and even pouring over her ass scans, its easy to fall into the trap of thinking that this level of access is an irrevocable right, as opposed to a privilege.

Kardashian has spoken out about this issue before. In a recent Wonderland cover interview, she described her ongoing war against invasive paps: Sometimes photographers will get down and zoom in on my butt. So Ill put my hand over my butt. Its my way of saying: Fuck you, stop laying on the ground just to get a picture up my ass. Literally theyre constantly up my ass and Im over it. Kardashians booty may have been an early staple of her brand, but its safe to say that half of the #WorldsMostTalkedAboutCouple can no longer be summed up in a single peach emoji. And while its one thingone gross, immature thingto reduce an adult woman to a single facet of her anatomy, its quite another to invade her personal space for a closer look.

Sediuks street harassment Euro Tour raises a number of important questions. Given the proximity of this ass kissing to his Hadid altercation, Sediuk has clearly increased the frequency of his attacks. In addition to, inexplicably, not being in jail, the prankster has also managed to travel from Milan to Paris. Its almost as if Sediuk, who was fired from his last known job at Ukrainian TV channel 1+1, has some sort of prank-obsessed sugar daddy. (Ashton Kutcher, is that you?) Rapid-fire pranks aside, Sediuk isnt a single step closer to achieving his goals, which appear to be sleeping with a celebrity and/or changing the fashion industry forever. Like many street harassers, Sediuk seems less set on tangible personal results, and more amped on the idea of scaring women and making them uncomfortable. Just wait until Sediuk tries to tell Lena Dunham to smile more.
It is being billed as the most expensive TV series ever producedwith a budget of $130 millionand the first official trailer for the forthcoming Netflix series The Crown is setting high expectations among fans of costume dramas.

The Netflix drama focuses on Queen Elizabeth II as a 25-year-old newlywed faced with a series of unimaginably daunting private and personal challenges as she ascends to the throne following the unexpected death of her father, George VI.

The series has been written by British playwright Peter Morgan, author of some of the most successful plays of recent years, including Frost/Nixon and The Audience, which focused on Elizabeths relationships with the U.K. prime minister of the day.

The new series is said to be loosely inspired by The Audience. However, to judge from the trailer, the new series will look and feel completely different to that marvelous play, which debuted in 2013.

The title comes from the weekly audience given by Queen Elizabeth II to prime ministers every Wednesday. Although no minutes are taken at these meetings and the discussions are totally private, details have leaked out over the years.

Helen Mirren starred as Queen Elizabeth II in the play, marking her second time in the role after she won the Oscar for the part in Morgans 2006 film The Queen.

Morgan has become famous for masterfully researched scripts that reveal much of the ritual and custom behind the queens public lifehis scene of Tony Blair meeting Elizabeth for the first time in The Queen has gone down as an authoritative account of the ancient custom by which the queen commands the new prime minister to take office.

Stephen Daldry, who directed The Hours and Billy Elliot, directs the 10-episode first season.

To judge by the trailer this new serieswhich debuts Nov. 4it will be destination TV for all Anglophiles this autumn, and focuses on Elizabeths relationship with two important men in her lifePrince Philip and Winston Churchill.

Claire Foy plays Queen Elizabeth II, Matt Smith is her husband Prince Phillip. John Lithgow plays Sir Winston Churchill, Victoria Hamilton is the Queen Mother, Jared Harris plays King George VI, Vanessa Kirby is Princess Margaret, and Dame Eileen Atkins plays Queen Mary.

Each season of The Crown is designed to explore the political rivalries and personal intrigues across a decade of Queen Elizabeth IIs reign, examining the delicate balance between her private world and public life meaning we could have up to seven series to look forward to if the production is a hit.
The bar was set so low for Donald Trump in the first presidential debatebasically refrain from spinning his head and projectile vomiting like the demon-child in The Exorcistthat pundits right and left were predicting a victory for the blustering ex-reality-TV host.

Hillary had other plans. Whereas the former secretary of State came off composed and mature, Trump unraveled about 30 minutes into the debatesniffling and guzzling water as if he were reenacting his first (or second?) divorce mediation, and frequently interrupting Hillary by shouting Wrong! into his mic like a petulant child.

Cue Late Nights Seth Meyers, who called Trump so unprepared for the debate immediately following the Humbling at Hofstra (trademark: Mark Cuban), but opted for a more thorough breakdown on his program Tuesday night.

Based on the expectations his own supporters helped set, all Trump had to do was be a normal person and he wouldve been declared the winnerand yet he still managed to lose. Even Fox News had to glumly admit that he lost, although they did have plenty of excuses, said Meyers.

The comedian then cut to a montage of Fox News analysts making excuses for Trumpthe most egregious of which came from Brit Hume, who let his sexist flag fly in describing Hillary as composed, smug sometimes, and not necessarily attractive. Wow.

She?! She didnt look attractive? exclaimed a stunned Meyers. Last night, Donald Trumps face looked like someone was making a fist inside a sock puppet!

But even in his worst moments, Trump had a best bud to fall back on, Meyers added. You might remember last night Trump continued to falsely claim he opposed the Iraq War, and cited one Fox host in particular who he said could prove itif people would just call him.

That would be Trumps No. 1 cheerleader: Stanexcuse me, SeanHannity. Trump claimed hed opposed the Iraq War (a bald-faced lie), and that his (convenient) alibi was Hannity, whom hed apparently informed in confidence, thereby contradicting his stance on The Howard Stern Show in 2002. Nobody calls Sean Hannity! bellowed Trump, assuming that A) Anyone would want to call Hannity, B) Hannity is an unbiased source, and C) Hannity has any integrity.

In addition to the Iraq lie, one of Trumps other bizarre lies came when he attempted to attack Hillary for sharing part of her plan to combat ISIS in lieu of the Trump plan: repeatedly claiming you have a great one but its a secret, like a true catfisher.

Youre telling the enemy everything you want to do No wonder youve been fighting ISIS your entire adult life, Trump told Hillary.Thats right! Shes been fighting ISIS her entire adult lifewhich led to this fact-check from the Associated Press, one of the better fact-checks in history, said Meyers.Here it is: Hillary Clinton was born in 1947 and is 68 years old. She reached adulthood in 1965. The Islamic State group grew out of an al Qaeda spinoff, al Qaeda in Iraq in 2013, the year Clinton left the State Department.

AlthoughalthoughI guess its not surprising someone had to explain to Trump when adulthood begins since he still hasnt reached it, joked Meyers.

Then there was the exchange between Hillary and Trump concerning his refusal to disclose his tax returnsthe first presidential candidate since 1980 to do so. Hillary accused Trump of attempting to hide the fact that he may not be as charitable as he claims, may not have as much money as much as he claims, and that he may pay little to no federal income tax.

Trump basically admitted that he pays no federal income taxes, said Meyers. Hes refused to release his tax returns so we dont know how much, if anything, he pays in income taxes, but I think he might have tipped his hand with these exchanges last night.

During their back-and-forth on Trumps refusal to release his tax returns (he claims he cant because theyre under audit, which the IRS has repeatedly said is a lie), Trump told Hillary that if he indeed paid no federal income tax That makes me smart and It would be squandered too, believe me.

Oh, the government would squander your money? asked Meyers. Says the guy who covers his penthouse in gold like an old prospector who just won the lottery? But if you were paying close attention, you might have caught the It would be squandered. Trump basically admitted he doesnt pay any federal income taxes.
Piece by piecepieces of the plane, pieces of evidence, pieces of phone conversation and cellphone records, pieces of the victimsDutch prosecutors have put together evidence good enough to go to court. On Wednesday they announced that when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was blown out of the sky over Ukraine in 2014, the dirty work was done by a Russian ground-to-air missile. Importantly, they concluded it was brought into the war zone earlier that day, and the launcher was taken back into Russia that night.

The political and geopolitical consequences of these findings are likely to be with us for a long time as the victims families, prosecutors, and Western and Asian governments involved seek justice, and the Russians throw up clouds of denials and disinformation. But for the 298 people on board MH17 that day, of course, all that is moot.

One can only imagine what it was like flying peacefully on the way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, the passengers and most of the crew, as well, oblivious to the war beneath. Most on board, we can guess, were unaware they were even over Ukraine as they drank their beverages and watched their movies. And then, for the lucky ones, oblivion. For the others, various reports suggest there were 90 horrific seconds between the moment the missile hit and the time they died.

So the question must be asked: What were they doing there in the first place?

It took the catastrophe of Flight MH17 to wake up the worlds airlines to the risks of flying over war zones. Dutch investigators into the crash found there were at least 160 other commercial flights flying over Ukraine that day when, in a grim version of Russian roulette, the Malaysian Boeing 777 was hit and bodies started raining from the sky.

In a report last October, Tjibbe Joustra, chairman of the Dutch Safety Board, said: Not a single state or international organization explicitly warned of any risks to civil aviation, and not a single state prohibited its airliners from using the airspace or imposed other restrictions.

It turns out that assuming that the managers of airlines with long-haul routes would have a basic geopolitical intelligence system of their own and know to avoid hot spots was a dangerously false assumption. Some airlines did show that kind of foresightBritish Airways, for one, had already diverted its airplanes to avoid Ukrainian air spacebut most did not. (A Singapore Airlines flight was within 15 miles of MH17 at the time of the missile strike.)

Ukraine itself had issued a warning about flying over the eastern part of the country, but it only prohibited flights below 32,000 feet, based on another false assumption that the risk posed to airliners would come from shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles, MANPADS, not from a missile like the one that brought down the Malaysian airliner, which can strike at heights higher than any commercial jet can fly.

MH17 had been directed by controllers to fly at 33,000 feet, even though the pilots had asked for 35,000 feet.

Three months earlier, the Federal Aviation Administration had prudently banned U.S. carriers from flying over the Crimean Peninsula and Black Sea because there were Russian military airplanes in action there, but mainland Ukraine was not included.

Malaysia Airlines said that when its airplane was cleared to take off from Amsterdam on that fateful morning, its route had been approved by Eurocontrol, the air-traffic center responsible for all flights over Europe.

After the disaster, the United Nations body responsible for the oversight of aviation, the International Civil Aviation Organization, based in Montreal and not known for being proactive, did issue what it called a conflict zone information depository. It included Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, and Syria.

One basic reason why airlines were reluctant to shift the flight paths of their long-haul flights (up to 7,000 miles) was money. Diversions used more fuel, and fuel is the greatest cost factor on these flights. The most efficient and direct routes took no account of what might be happening on the ground below.

MH17 introduced a whole new urgency to the task of judging whether air space was safenot only a far more skilled appraisal of how to decide what is a war zone and what is not, but a more realistic understanding of anti-aircraft weaponry. MANPADS remain by far the most pervasive weapons; for example, the Islamic State terror group has used them successfully against Syrian and Russian airplanes flying at relatively low altitudes.

But the Ukraine catastrophe has shown that the mobility of long-range missile batteries makes their locations very difficult to anticipate.

A long-lasting result of MH17 is the creation of a densely flown new corridor for international flights between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. To avoid Ukraine, the jets are now flying over Greece and Cyprus, across the Mediterranean to Egypt, then south across the Red Sea and then either across Saudi Arabia to the Indian Ocean or via the worlds fastest growing international hub in Dubai.

Threading flights between hot spots like Syria, Iraq, the Egyptian Sinai, and Yemen leaves little room for error. But this is the dangerous new geography of international routes and nobody can take the risk of ignoring it.
It appears Donald Trump will no longer be restraining himself from hitting Hillary Clinton over personal matters.

During a Wednesday afternoon rally in Iowa, the Republican nominee mocked his opponent for her previous bout with pneumonia when she nearly fainted at the 9/11 memorial more than two weeks ago.

Ive been out from June 16, its been full time, Trump said, bragging about the tough schedule known as running for president. You see all the days off that Hillary takes. Day off. Day off. Day off, he said while wildly gesticulating. All those day offs [sic] and then she cant even make it to her car. Isnt that tough?

Following the medical episode, Trump cautiously wished Clinton well, while his supporters and surrogates pushed various conspiracy theories about her secret health issues and Clinton body doubles.

The real-estate mogul had largely resisted attacking Clintons health, but this nakedly aggressive remark comes just days after he was roundly defeated in the first presidential debate.

During Monday evenings showdown, Trump never expressly mentioned his opponents alleged medical issues but did repeatedly suggest Clinton does not have the energy to be president. She doesn't have the look. She doesnt have the stamina, I said she doesnt have the stamina, and I dont believe she does have the stamina, Trump sputtered.

It was a fairly easy set-up for Clinton to respond with details of her extensive schedule in the State Department.

As soon as he travels to 112 countries and negotiates a peace deal, a cease fire, a release of dissidents, an opening of new opportunities in nations around the world, or even spends 11 hours testifying in front of a congressional committee he can talk to me about stamina, she retorted.

Underwater with female voters overall, Trumps debate performance and commentary about Rosie ODonnell, the weight of a former Miss Universe contestant, and Clintons health did nothing to improve his appeal.

According to an NBC News poll released on Wednesday, 27 percent of likely women voters said that the debate made them think worse of Trump. Conversely 30 percent of that cohort thought better of Clinton after the debate.

And if Trump begins attacking Clinton for her husband Bills infidelityas he threatened following his debate trouncinghe might only dig his hole even deeper.
The bipartisan shellacking Senators gave John Stumpf, the Wells Fargo CEO, last week made for great television, but did nothing about the real scandal: Our government continues to look the other way as many top bankers thumb their noses at fraud laws.

There is a term for the criminality that infects our biggest banks and damages the economy, and there is a solution to this problem. But there is also an obstacle.

The term is control fraud. Thats when executives use their control of a corporation to run frauds because they make much more money that way. The term comes from a white-collar fraud theory developed by William K. Black, who was an especially diligent bank regulator before he got a doctorate in criminology and became a professor of law at the University of Missouri in Kansas City.

The solution is to apply the lessons from the savings-and-loan scandals of a quarter century ago when Blacks insights and diligence resulted in the convictions of more than 1,000 senior bankers, more than 800 of whom went to prison, including Charles Keating and David Paul whose crimes cost taxpayers more than $5 billion.

The problem is that Black is persona non grata in Washington.

No one in the Obama administration and no committee on Capitol Hill will even return his telephone calls because, if they did, they would have to admit that we do not have to let corrupt banking continue.

President Obama has explained away his failure to prosecute Wall Street crooks by saying what they did was wrong, but not illegal. Eric Holder, when he was attorney general, lied again and again, saying that many prosecutions were underway even though an inspector generals report showed he knew that was not so.

We need a government that will prosecute corrupt bankers without fear or favor  and the top candidate at the moment should be Stumpf, who wants us to believe that low-level bank workers were the problem, not top executives.

The Real Rogues at Wells Fargo

No one can seriously believe that the 5,300 low-level employees Wells Fargo fired were rogues. They did what top management didnt just order, but hounded them to do for years, as E. Scott Reckard reported in the Los Angeles Times in 2013. His expose cited the daily dread experienced by Wells Fargo branch manager Rita Murillo each time her phone rang:

Regional bosses required hourly conferences on her Florida branch's progress toward daily quotas for opening accounts and selling customers extras, such as overdraft protection. Employees who lagged behind had to stay late and work weekends to meet goals, Murillo said.

American Bankers Kate Berry described a cutthroat sales culture, with 20 different Wells Fargo management reports tracking cross-sales, even as no one in upper management was held accountable for the frauds then committed by low-level employees told to do the impossible or lose their jobs.

Wells Fargo, Black told me last week, is a clear example of control fraud. It was the defining policy of Wells Fargo. Indeed, it was the defining policy of Norwest before it acquired Wells Fargo.

That takes us back to 1998 when the Minneapolis bank holding company Norwest Corporation acquired Wells Fargo, and adopted its name, for a figure variously reported at $31 billion to $34 billion (nearly $50 billion in todays money).

Stumpfs predecessor, Dick Kovacevich, sold himself to the press as a great banker who took equally good care of employees and customers. Is This Guy The Best Banker In America? read the headline on a Fortune Magazine article that year.

In 2000 the same magazine gave the new Wells Fargo a glowing review, citing topnotch customer service, emphasizing careful execution, making employees feel well loved."

But that same piece contained a hint of the trouble to come. Fortune reported that the new Wells Fargo management was obsessed with cross-selling. The bank boasts that its households each own about 3.4 of its products on average  double the industry average  and Kovacevich wants to drive that number up to eight.

Not many people need eight bank accounts, not many at all.

Wells Fargo is paying $185 million to settle claims about the unauthorized accounts those 5,300 employees opened in the names of customers who had not asked for them. But the focus needs to be on Stumpf  who, Senator Elizabeth Warren pointed out, saw the value of his stock options grow by more than $200 million while the fraud was taking place.

Predictably, some low-level bankers Wells fired have sued, saying their discharges were used to encourage others to open unauthorized accounts. In other news, if Stumpf resigns his golden handshake will be worth at least $123 million, nearly a year's pay for all 5,300 people Wells fired.

Bankers Who Loot BanksWells Fargo illustrates what I have long written about: a major breakdown of ethics at the top of American society, especially in accounting and law. A good illustration of this is what N. Gregory Mankiw, the Harvard economics professor who was President George W Bushs top economic advisor, says about bankers who loot the banks they control.

Mankiw says we should expect bankers to be thieves. Seriously. Here is what he told a 1993 Brookings Institution conference on the S&L scandals and all the prosecutions resulting from Blacks diligence: "Given the incentives that regulators set up, it would be irrational for operators of the savings and loans not to loot."

Black derides this as Mankiw morality, and says government is failing in its duty to enforce the laws against corrupt bankers.

Mankiw is not alone in looking at everything and anything but crime and lack of punishment. Consider how Priyank Gandhi, an assistant professor of finance at the University of Notre Dame, described the issues right after the Senate hearings in a commentary for CNBC:

If the [Wells Fargo] fraud is not more widespread than it currently appears, and if further investigation does not reveal any new material facts, I would think that in time, pessimism about the bank will peak, the share price will stabilize (or dare I say even rebound), and there will be no serious repercussions or consequences from the scandal.

The focus should not be on the stock price, but on integrity.

The Congressional Commission Congress Ignored

For more than a quarter of a century the news has been filled with tales of top bankers who abused their positions of trust to cheat, lie and steal, including all the mortgage securities fraud that sank the economy in 2008.

Congress created the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission to find out how the 2008 economic collapsed happened. The commission laid it all out in detail in a report that no one has ever shown contains a single error. It is a story of corrupt bankers, dishonest brokers and liars everywhere  as well as sightless sheriffs who saw the evidence of criminality and did nothing.

Congress threw the report into the trash. It did nothing to enforce the law, only to enact new rules that bankers continue to flout.

There will be a price to pay for not listening to the commission or to Black. As commission chairman Phil Angelides, a businessman and politician, told me five years ago: If the government fails to enforce the law, its going to happen again."

If youd prefer not to repeat 2008, heres a suggestion. Write, email, call and  the next time he or she is in town  confront your representative in Congress and demand that Bill Black be appointed to make cases against corrupt bankers until enough of them go to prison to get the rest to act lawfully.

We need to get control of control fraud, and Black is the one to do it.
Wesley Snipesactor, film producer, martial artist, and tax evader extraordinairehas just executed the most hypocritical hit of his career. The 54-year-old, most famous for his roles in White Men Cant Jump, the Blade film trilogy, and the epic quote Always bet on black, took to Twitter on Tuesday to go off on Donald Trump. Snipes (LINK:) tweeted, Many are voting 4 a business man who states hes paid NO taxes & at the same time hate on the Daywalker every April?

Snipes is not pejoratively referring to a redhead who does not burn in direct sunlight, but rather to the half-vampire daywalker he played in Blade. His accompanying meme juxtaposes a picture of Trump, labeled, Im smart for paying no taxes, with one of Snipes, captioned, Hes smart for finding the loop holes & PAYING no taxes, Snipes is sentenced for hiring accountants who filed the wrong forms? even when he tried to pay they still locked him up? hmmm??

The 2016 presidential election: it was the best of memes, it was the worst of memes.

Snipess unexpected political commentary comes in light of Donald Trumps abysmal performance at Monday nights debate. Amidst a series of gaffes and sniffles, Trump seemed incapable of explaining why he has refused to release his tax returns. When Hillary Clinton hypothesized that Trump might not be paying federal income taxes, he petulantly interjected, That makes me smart. Like millions of Americans, Snipes seems suspicious of a presidential candidate who has repeatedly prioritized personal wealth accumulation over civic duty. Unlike most Americans, Snipes has a personal relationship to Trumps shady tax dealings, because it takes one to know one.

Back in 2008, Snipes was convicted of three misdemeanor counts for failing to file his 1999-2001 tax returns. Over the course of three years, Snipes cheated the government out of $7 million. According to prosecutors, Snipes was led astray by his two co-defendants, an accountant, and an anti-tax advocate. Using obscure sections of the tax code, they convinced Snipes that he did not legally owe any taxes. Or as Snipes recalled, Accountants know that kind of stuff. And all of the accountants Ive been with, if they told me, You dont owe anything, I believe them. If they say, You owe this amount of dollars, I believe them. Theyre the ones doing the accounting. After losing a retrial appeal, the beloved actor was sentenced to three years at a white-collar prison. He was released on April 2, 2013.

Like Donald Trump, Snipes is a high earner with a history of cheating the system. From 1999 to 2004, the black belt reportedly took in around $40 million in profits. He has also exhibited a Trumpian interior decorating aesthetic, as well as a Trumpian relationship to the outside world. During his trial, one of Snipess lawyers famously said that its not a crime to be crazy. In a GQ interview soon after he was sentenced, Snipes admitted, Im not saying he was incorrect.

This isnt the first time in recent memory that Snipes has dipped his toes into the Twitter pond. In May, the actor used the social media platform to tease the possibility of a fourth Blade film, which explains his newfound insistence on the Daywalker moniker. Heres hoping that Snipess comeback performance doesnt debut during a Donald Trump presidency.
Its hard now to believe that just over three years ago, several hundred journalists, cameramen, and news crews spent several weeks in one of Londons hottest summers standing, sitting, and even sleeping on a pavement outside a London hospital waiting for a glimpse of a newborn babyPrince Georgewho was eventually carried out of St. Marys in a car seat.

It was undoubtedly the height of royal mania; since then, it has all been downhill.

Last years arrival of Princess Charlotte was a more subdued affair, hardly blockbuster stuff, and while it was still a significant news event domestically, internationally it didnt register in the same way as Georges birth did.

It was still quite extraordinary, however, just how little buzz was generated by the arrival of the Cambridges in Canada on Saturday. Their descent from the Canadian Air Force craft was the first time the public got to see both children together without one of them being pushed in a pram or wrapped in swaddling bands, and the palace had expected it to be a big pictorial moment. But, as the foursome walked down onto the tarmac to be met by handsome Canadian Premier Justin Trudeau and his glamorous wife, Sophie, even the 24-hour news channels in the U.K. did not carry a live feed.

George did his bit, waving at the assembled journalists (his father should take some tips) but the following morning, U.K. papers were plastered with a far more juicy royal storyPippa Middletons iCloud account had been hacked, and 3,000 pictures, including intimate shots of her fiance in the nude, were being hawked around the newspapers (the alleged hacker has since been arrested and released on bail, and it appears the leak has been stemmed).

Its not, of course, the first time that Pippa has overshadowed Kate and William, and, distressing as it must have been for Pippa to read the salacious headlines, it was probably even grimmer reading for Kate.

The fact that the royal family got knocked off the front page by a Pippa story after they had flown thousands of miles for their first big joint appearance will undoubtedly raise red flags among the palace press officers.

There has been dutiful reporting of Kates dresses, including the most recent red Preen evening gown, but not gushing praise.

The harsh truth is that the domestic and global public have lost a great deal of interest in Kate and William, and its not hard to see why; they lead a life of almost obsessive reclusiveness at Anmer Hall in Norfolk.

As such they have become increasingly remote and unknowable figures.

Although their lifestyles are funded with incalculable taxpayer pounds, they do shockingly few public duties in comparison to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

And nobody is allowed to know what they are doing, tucked away up there in Norfolk, in between their occasional public appearances and carefully stage-managed photo opportunities.

Even to ask is a surefire way to receive a snippy reply from a courtier informing you that whatever they are doing, it is private.

Photographers legally staking out local supermarkets hoping to grab a pic that might shed some light on the Cambridge lifestyle are routinely served with threatening legal letters.

Such behavior at home is bad enough, but when it happens on what is undeniably the publics dime, it is unforgiveable.

Few news editors have yet forgiven Kate and William for dragging their crews, at great expense, to a remote hilltop monastery in Bhutan, before at the last minute banning the newsmen from joining the royal couple for the last hour of the trek when they actually, you know, got to the monastery.

Their reasoning? The royals wanted to have some private time.

To which one might have been tempted to reply, Dont you get enough private time locked away on your vast country estate on the other 300 days of the year when youre not working?

Several news outlets were quite open about how disgusted they were with the access and treatment they received on tour.

The Sun journalist Emily Andrews wrote a brilliant takedown of the whole debacle in which she revealed, among other things, that halfway up that steep hike to the Tigers Nest monastery, Kates assistant Natasha Archer touched up her hair and makeup.

Although most British news organizations have stumped up to send staff on the tour once again, they have sent lighter teams, and there is a feeling that the Cambridges can no longer simply expect a front page just for showing up with Kate in a new hat (especially when her dowdy dressing has been comprehensively exposed by Sophie Trudeau).

And while no one could have predicted the Pippa hack, putting the Cambridges up against an event such as the first presidential debate may not have been entirely wise planning by the palace.

So we now have the bizarre situation where a couple who complain so bitterly and noisily about the invasion of their privacy that goes with their jobs (jobs which come with an incalculable package of salary and benefits, including a complete exemption from inheritance tax) are relying on an appearance by their kids, scheduled to attend an event at a kids club Thursday, to salvage a royal tour that is fast disappearing into obscurity.

This will, of course, not be how they see it.

They probably arent reading the commentators saying how dull and wooden they are, advising them to loosen up and have a little impromptu moment now and again.

They probably dont care too much that media old and new seem underwhelmed by this visit.

But they should.

The future king and queen often affect a contemptuous disregard for whatever the press may or may not write about them, but they and their advisers should understand that a modern constitutional monarchy can exist long term only as long as it is wildly popular.

And to get back to that happy place, Will and Kate have a lot of work to doand, like it or not, they are going to need their kids to help them.
1

Alec Baldwin to Play Trump on SNL

WHAT THE WHAT
Can you believe Fall is here already? Where has this year gone?! But one thing I am ready for is all of the fun fall trends. So today I thought I might highlight a few of my favorites from Stein Mart: high-low hemlines, olive green and plaid.

The best part about all of these fall trends is that they are all super affordable. Stein Mart offers incredible deals on their merchandise, including designer brands like Nine West and Splendid. Most of the items I am wearing in today's post are under $40.
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.
Legal breakthrough for scotch in Taiwan

Scotch whisky has secured a major legal breakthrough, having been registered as a certification trademark in Taiwan, providing consumers and producers with better protection against fakes.

Taiwan is the fourth biggest market for scotch by value with exports worth 75 million in the first six months of the year. Consumers are knowledgeable about scotch and willing to try out new brands. It is the third biggest overseas market for single malt with exports worth 41m in the first half 2016.

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), which applied for the trade mark, says the existence of the UK Customs Spirit Drinks Verification Scheme, which was introduced in 2014, was an important factor in meeting the requirements necessary to secure protection. The scheme ensures every part of the Scotch whisky supply chain is mapped by the industry, registered with the UK Government and inspected to check it complies with all the rules on the production of scotch. The SWA said the scheme gave the authorities in Taiwan even greater confidence in the robust procedures around Scotch.

The trademark recognises that scotch must be made in Scotland from water, cereals and yeast and matured for at least three years. It is of great commercial value to the scotch whisky industry and gives consumers confidence in the quality and provenance of what they are buying. A second trademark has been awarded in Taiwan to protect the Chinese characters that spell out scotch whisky.

The SWA says that while it already works well with the authorities in Taiwan, which is an ordered and well-regulated market, the trademarks make it more simple to take legal action against anyone trying to produce or sell fake scotch in the future.

Lindesay Low, SWA senior legal counsel, says: Taiwan has for many years been a major market for scotch whisky, in particular single malts. The trade marks for scotch whisky mean that consumers can have even greater confidence in the quality of what they are buying. It will also give a further boost to scotch whisky producers exporting to Taiwan.

We would like to thank the authorities in Taiwan who were of great assistance in working with us on the successful outcome of our trade mark application, as were the UK Government.

28 September 2016 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, editorial assistant
Turkeys Changing Freedom Deficit

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DURHAM  Turkeys Justice and Development Party (AKP) rose to power in 2002 on the promise that it would give pious Muslims religious freedom. Fourteen years later, freedom is the last thing the AKP has delivered.

Today, even AKP supporters need to measure their words carefully, lest they be perceived as criticizing the government or siding with its enemies. This imperative has intensified since the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogans government on July 15. Now, destroying any evidence of association with the AKPs foes  especially Fethullah Gulen, the reclusive Pennsylvania-based imam whom the government accuses of masterminding the putsch  is a matter of self-preservation.

Erdogans government is by no means the first to compel Turkish citizens to hide their preferences and beliefs. Under the secular governments that ruled Turkey from the 1920s to 1950, and to some extent until 2002, pious Turks seeking advancement in government, the military, and even commerce had to downplay their religiosity and avoid signaling approval of political Islam.

The leaders of the three Islamist parties that preceded the AKP resented the barriers to religious expression. They held that French-style secularism had perverted Turkish culture. Though careful not to challenge the constitution openly, from 1971 to 2001, they were successively banned as threats to secularism. In 1999, Erdogan himself was jailed for reciting a poem deemed an incitement to sectarian violence. In the same year, Gulen, under investigation for advocating an Islamic state, moved to the United States.

As fellow opponents of secular governance, Gulens Hizmet (Service) movement and the AKP were natural allies. Indeed, they spent a decade working together to undermine Turkeys secular institutions. After a constitutional referendum in 2010 terminated the staunchly secular militarys guardianship of the Republic, they saw an historic opportunity for overhauling Turkeys institutions, though there was some disagreement  and, indeed, tension  over how that should occur.

Erdogan, who was then Prime Minister, began to transform Turkish society according to his own conservative interpretation of Islam. Religious education was intensified. Alcohol restrictions were tightened. Women were instructed to have at least three children and, later, not to laugh loudly in public. What news media the AKP did not buy off were subdued through threats of punitive taxation and jail time for uncooperative journalists. Secular Turks, once the politically dominant vanguards of modernity, were characterized as lacking in morality, decency, and even Turkishness.

But devout Muslims were not free from fear, either, not least because of the ensuing power struggle between the Erdogan and Gulen camps. Though Gulens supporters initially shared the privileges of power under AKP rule, including preferential treatment in government hiring and contracts, tensions came to a head in 2013, when Gulenists tried to implicate Erdogan in a corruption probe. Erdogan responded by initiating a purge of suspected Gulenists from state institutions.

With two academics having already revealed that several sensational legal cases against the old secular establishment rested on fabricated evidence, AKP officials began to blame Gulen for all judicial improprieties. While there was no doubt that the AKP knew that the victims of the lawsuits, including hundreds of generals, were framed, few Turks said a word, for fear of being labeled part of Gulens parallel state.

Two months after the bloodiest coup attempt in Turkish history, Turks still talk incessantly about the surreal bombardments, the televised images of tanks in the street, and the ferocious government response, which has included tens of thousands of arrests. Some wonder whether Erdogan staged the coup to justify the epic purge. Of course, any such questions are raised in private, amid assertions of antipathy to the Fethullah Terror Organization, the new official designation for Hizmet. Turks know that the government may equate the slightest connection to Gulen, however old or tenuous, with treason.

Alleged sympathizers are being summarily dismissed from their jobs, if not also jailed. People educated on Gulen scholarships are prime suspects, as are millions who have had dealings with a Gulenist-owned business. Gulenists assets are being seized, in the biggest wealth grab since the 1940s. Under the circumstances, extolling the merits of the Gulenist charities that are being destroyed would amount to professional suicide.

This is beyond excessive, not least because, whatever the involvement of Gulen himself, the putsch was not the work of Gulenists alone. Disaffected officers of many persuasions participated, as did opportunists seeking promotion. The putschs failure may have stemmed from the fact that information about it was leaked in advance, inducing many conspirators, including some key military units, to withdraw from the plot.

Many generals, intelligence officers, and other officials hesitated when it became known that a putsch was underway. Erdogans top generals and intelligence chief kept him uninformed for hours, even as an assassination squad made its way to his vacation residence. The wait-and-see approach adopted by many Turkish security officials ended up landing some in jail. Among other Turks, too, there are doubtless many who decided to wait to see how the putsch would end, before turning against Gulen.

The AKP and many of its opponents agree on one thing: had the putsch succeeded, the repression would be far worse. And, indeed, AKP supporters far outnumber Gulenists. But the AKP has made bitter enemies over the last 14 years, and millions of Turks would have applauded the jailing of its leaders, even as many of those leaders plausibly claimed that their support for Erdogan was feigned.

Today, Turkey is further than ever from creating a society whose members feel free to speak openly and honestly. The ongoing witch hunt causes citizens of all persuasions to fear for their jobs and their lives. They seek refuge in dissimulation  social, political, intellectual, and religious. This pervasive untruthfulness reinforces the underpinnings of Turkeys recurrent political crises.
Making a return to our two favourite summer locations, Mount Maunganui and Nelson in early January 2023, we've got whiff of the first release lineup and me oh my, yes boy
For the first time in many years, I have the feeling of being violated by someone I probably know. It also highly upsets me that this was done in Franklin County.

As best I can determine, it took place Thursday night or Friday morning, depending on where the offense took place. I did not discover the loss until Friday about noon when I opened the hatch to get to the cargo area of the of late wife Hazels red Chevy HHR.

It hit me like a rock smack in the face.

Someone had stolen a box my new books about Franklin Countys Famous 1935 Moonshine Trial, featuring every news story of the trial written by Roanoke newspaper reporters. Seventeen books were taken from the box. I had opened the box to sell one, so I know how many I had left. Quickly I did the math. Seventeen books multiplied by $35 each amounted to a loss of $595.

What makes things worse is the fact that two other people, genealogist Beverly Merritt and Angie Leary, a designer at the News-Post who helped design the front and back covers of the 340-page book, are also at a loss.

The books had been selling like hot cakes, as the old saying goes. And people who had read the book said it was so enjoyable, they had a hard time putting it down.

From the day I came to Franklin County, I never locked my vehicle and it always had my camera, film and flash inside. So the HHR was not locked.

For the heck of it, I called Rocky Mount and Franklin County law enforcement officers in case they happen to make a traffic stop and spy the box of books in someones back seat. Yea, right. Big fat chance of that happening.

Perhaps my best bet is to post a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) who stole the books. But dont worry, more books will arrive by the end of the week.

Green Monster --The green monster I created several years ago when late wife Hazel and I planted a few tiny seeds is trying to take over the front of my house.

It didnt take me long after wife Hazel passed away April 29, 2014, for reality to set in about many aspects of my life. Even after two years and five months, without a doubt, I can say that living alone is the hardest thing to do. I dont think there is any way a person can totally adjust to living without a mate.

Hazel loved flowers. Several years ago, daughter Kathy gave her a package of the smallest seeds I had seen in years. Kathy had purchased them at Fresh Market in Roanoke, where she worked.

The package showed a hummingbird buzzing around a tiny, bright red bloom. And the common name for the plant was a hummingbird vine.

Since the seeds were so small, I got a large clay pot, punched a few holes in the mulch and dropped a couple of seeds in each hole. I was careful not to pack it down. I placed the pot against a decorative support pole used to help support the roof of the carport.

It didnt take long for the plant to root. It wasnt long before I noticed what appeared to be grass. After a closer inspection, all of the little sprouts had two leaves pointing in opposite directions, making it look like a tiny green miniature helicopter.

The next thing I knew, there were a lot of sprouts coming up. Then they began to appear like something that would grow on a tropical island. Almost every night, new sprouts would pop out and the old ones would grow 5 to 8 inches. Finally, they attached themselves to the support pole. They grew like honeysuckle. I could almost hear them growing.

One day, I realized the plant had grown as tall as I am. A week or so later, I was standing on my toes while reaching up to the new sprouts that had attached themselves to another area of the pole.

Feeding the birds is just about a daily job. So after I check that chore off the list, I also water the vine, which by now is bushy, to say the least. Near the top of the pole is a sign noting Stephensons and 95 Old Craft Shop Road.

One day it seemed the vine had eaten the support pole, the house sign and was heading upward toward the gutters! In fact, it had attached itself to several pot hangers that werent in use and was moving both north and south, grabbing first one thing and then another.

It is a very fragile plant and wont last long after it starts turning cold. When it dies out, it will be brittle and will break as I pull it away from the support pole. The plant is finally covered with little tulip-shaped red blooms.

Last Thursday, I watched as one lone hummer left at my feeders tried his luck at finding something sweet in the blooms. That was the first time I had actually seen a hummer feeding from the blooms.

I only wish I had paid closer attention as we were getting all the rain and the plant appeared to be growing a foot every day. I could have pinched off some of the growth and maybe shaped it to resemble a green human. Now it just looks like a green monster.

Sister Comes to Visit --Sandra, my little sis who lives in Peoria, Ariz., caught a flight Wednesday night and flew into the Roanoke airport arriving after 9 a.m. Her daughter, Sherry, who lives in Narrows, met her at the airport. They had a mother-daughter shopping day in Roanoke before heading to Giles County,

She rented a car and made it from Giles County by-passing Blacksburg/Virginia Tech. I found out she came the long way through Dublin to I-81 and 581 to Ferrum.

I have never been to her place in Arizona because the 115-120-degree days they have sometimes scare me. Its like the humidity scares her when she comes back to Virginia. So the weather was perfect, and we had a blast that evening going to Roanoke with Debra, late wife Hazels #1 daughter, to see the star at night.

Best Sign -- While in Roanoke, we ate at 611 Steak House with its N&W theme and model train running around just underneath the ceiling. Richard Judy, the owner, and his wife have been friends for years.

At the end of the meal, I decided to go visit the mens room. When I approached the door, there was a framed sign I hadnt seen before. It read, Please do not flush toilets until the train has left the station! I was completely inside before it dawned on me what the sign meant. There was no one in the restroom to hear me laughing out loud. When Debra and Sandra took their turn, I told them to be sure and read the sign. They, too, returned laughing.

Back Up to Two Hummers -- Wednesday evening, a week ago, I paid close attention to my kitchen window. As long as I stood there, I saw only one female hummer at the feeder. Since then, there have been two females at the feeders every day, including Monday morning before I left home for work.

L.D. Arrington in the Bonbrook area hasnt seen any in several days, he told me Monday.
Plan your week ahead in SE Iowa with these local events: music, art, more

Your guide to getting off the couch and out the door this week in Southeast Iowa.
An elderly woman was beaten yesterday during a broad daylight attempted robbery in Manhattan.

The incident occurred at noon near 5th Avenue and 12th Street in Greenwich Village: According to the NYPD, the suspect "approached the 90 year-old female victim from behind and tried to snatch her duffle bag from the front of her utility cart. When the victim tried to prevent the individual from taking her bag, the female knocked her down to the ground and continued to pull at the bag."

The victim managed to keep her bag, and the suspect fled east on East 12th Street. The senior citizen was taken to Mount Sinai Beth Israel with lacerations to her right arm and right middle finger.

The suspect (photo at right), is described as female and having a tattoo on her left arm; she was last seen wearing a black tank top, red pants, black shoes while carrying a black purse.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.
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The Fairfield Museum & History Center takes on a timely issue for Connecticut and its coastal communities with Rising Tides ... Past to Future exhibit Sept. 29 through Feb. 28. Numerous programs, including one for families on Sunday, Oct. 2, are planned.

Fairfields coastline thrives, attracting people to work, play and live along the shore, but rising sea levels and shifting weather patterns are changing our relationship with the coast, the museum said in a news release. In the exhibit, discover our shorelines long history of coastal resilience, through stunning photographs, artifacts, and documents. Examine how climate change presents new challenges for the future.
Despite headline-grabbing murders in the big cities, statistics released Monday by the FBI show crime continued to decline last year in most Fairfield County towns and cities, and across Connecticut.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said Connecticut had the second largest drop nationally in violent crime in 2015 when compared to 2014, an 8.5 percent reduction. Malloy said the states violent crime rate is its lowest since 1974, and the overall crime rate overall is the lowest in Connecticut since 1967.

Over the last six years, we have experienced significant reductions in crime in Connecticut, Malloy said.

Still, while towns and cities from Greenwich to Ansonia mostly posted lower crime numbers, some categories rose, and the states murder rate increased from 89 homicides in 2014 to 117 in 2015, a 24 percent rise.

Homicides in Bridgeport jumped from 11 homicides in 2014 to 19 in 2015, a 42 percent rise, but crime across all other categories in the city was down. Shelton saw violent and property crimes, assaults and larcenies rise, and in Stratford robberies and motor vehicle theft increased while other types of crime were down.

Overall, crime is tending down, said Fairfield Police Chief Gary MacNamara, whose department saw a 17 percent increase in motor vehicle thefts, from 29 in 2014 to 35 in 2015.

I think motor vehicle thefts in the area are on the rise, MacNamara said. But we have to recognize that even as crime is trending down, if you are a victim of a crime its significant to you. There are still too many victims of crime.

Good and bad

Malloy said the state is making significant progress in combatting crime.

We are making extraordinary strides in fostering safer communities with crime at a 50-year low and continuing Connecticuts downward trend of violent crime, Malloy said. Were being smart on crime and transforming our criminal justice system, and its working.

Nationally, violent crime, after two years of decline, increased 3.9 percent in 2015, according to FBI figures. Property crimes dropped 2.6 percent, marking the 13th straight year the collective estimates for these offenses declined.

There were 372.6 violent crimes per 100,000 U.S. residents in 2015, and the property crime rate was 2,487 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants. The violent crime rate rose 3.1 percent compared with the 2014 rate, and the property crime rate declined 3.4 percent, the FBI said.

In Connecticut, the FBI statistics paint a brighter crime picture, with more decreases by category than increases. But that doesnt mean there still wasnt crime, and some types of offenses increased by significant numbers.

In Bridgeport, the rise in homicides was the most dramatic of the Fairfield County communities. But the city is on pace to have fewer homicides this year. As of the end of September 2015, Bridgeport had 12 homicides; so far this year there have been eight.

The number of violent crimes in Bridgeport dropped from 1,338 to 996 between 2014 and 2015, and thefts, property crime, assaults and robberies all fell by significant percentages.

Bridgeport Police Chief Armando Perez credited the work of his officers and technology, such as video shot by stores and cell phones, with helping stem the crime rate by providing valuable information.

We go at it every day, Perez said. We are really focused on the really violent crimes and the hot spots. And technology like video is playing a big part, and information from cell phones. Last week we took 11 guns off the street. Thats very good, a game changer.

Shelton was among the hardest hit communities in the region. Violent crime rose 26 percent, from 23 offenses in 2014 to 31 in 2015. Property crime rose 9 percent, from 388 instances in 2014 to 425 in 2015. There were 30 motor vehicle thefts in 2015, five more than the previous year.

Shelton Police Chief Shawn Sequeira did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Fairfields crime numbers mostly went down across the board, the FBI numbers show. Property crimes decreased 19 percent and larcenies dropped 18 percent. But motor vehicle thefts rose from 29 to 35 incidents.

MacNamara said auto theft can be linked to other crime. There is a tendency to steal cars to complete other crimes, he noted.

Overall, MacNamara credited the work of his officers for the crime reduction.

Motor vehicle enforcement and crime prevention efforts have a lot to do with it, he said. But we see some numbers trending up this year.
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NORWALK  Parents of Marvin Elementary School students have partnered with the neighborhood gas station in an effort to raise funds for the school.

The Marvin Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) will receive money for every gallon of gas sold at the Mobil Station in East Norwalk to go toward supporting safety initiatives at the school.
WILTON  Every year, 175 children in Connecticut are diagnosed with cancer and more than 500 kids are receiving treatment at any given time, according to Circle of Care  a Wilton-based nonprofit organization that provides programs and ongoing support to children with cancer and their families.

Circle of Care invites the community to join hundreds of people from around the state at the second annual Circle of Care 5k: Care to Run on Saturday, Oct. 1. This community-wide event gathers teams of families, corporations, professional runners, student committee members in each grade from Wilton High School and other individuals who connect with the mission of Circle of Care.
BROKEN BOW  Nebraska senators are hoping people will pick up the pace with energy conservation and renewable energy.

Sen. Ken Haar, Sen. Tyson Larson and Sen. Matt Williams spoke Tuesday at the Broken Bow Middle School about the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program that was passed in the last legislative session as part of LR455. The program aims to encourage affordable energy efficency in homes and businesses. This includes solar panels, energy-efficient furnaces and even windows. About 15 people attended the public hearing.

Climate change presents some challenges to the whole planet, and Nebraska in particular, Haar said.

He said the idea behind the PACE program, which is used in more than 30 states, is to save people money on their utility bills while conserving energy and helping the environment.

Ken Winston, Haars legislative aide, explained the details of the PACE program and its benefits.

The legislation allows municipalities to set up PACE programs in communities by passing an ordinance. For example, Winston said that, if Broken Bow were to pass an ordinance to allow the PACE program, a PACE provider would inform anyone wanting to make an upgrade. Any homeowner who needed a new furnace could go through the PACE program with the providers guidance. Through the program, construction is set up and goes on as it normally would. The PACE provider then transmits the financing and construction information to the municipality.

The cost of the project is collected along with property tax, so no interest is collected, Winston said. The program doesnt require upfront spending for the project and the cost can be paid off over longer periods of time to make payments manageable.

Most of the time when energy financing is considered, its done on a relatively short term, he said. Usually, the repayments take five to seven years to pay off a project.

The payments act as a loan tacked onto the property tax, but save the customer money on his or her utility bill, Winston said.

Since the program goes through property tax, Larson said, the value of the installed renewable energy materials stays with the property. If a previous homeowner used PACE to install solar panels, the value and lower utility bills would stay with the property for the next homeowner.

He cleared up confusion about double taxation, saying that the program wouldnt be an added tax. The cost of the project would just be added to the tax bill and paid along with the taxes.

Lucas Nelsen, policy program associate at the Center for Rural Affairs, also spoke at the hearing.

Nelson said Nebraska ranks in the bottom third of the nation in using energy more efficiently, so the PACE program could be a step in the right direction.

He referenced a 2013 project done in Michigan in which a company invested in LED lighting and solar panels. By doing so, Its energy consumption was reduced by 40 percent, which saved money on utility bills. That resulted in about $12,000 of yearly savings.

Its really important to figure out how we can get more people to invest in energy efficiency, Nelsen said. And how we can make that step easier for them.

The financial incentive of saving money also helps save energy, which saves the town money and energy, he said.

As we go into the future, were going to have to cut down on fossil fuels, Haar said.

The current downfall to the PACE program is that its only available for municipalities, leaving rural areas and farmers out of the mix.

Thats something that I think we need to continue to look at, Larson said about changing the law to include rural areas. There is room for expansion, possibly.

Since the program is entirely in the private sector and not state-funded, people will have to urge local government to make moves on passing ordinances. No Nebraska municipalities have gone through with the program yet, but Haar said some, such as Lincoln and Omaha, seem to be interested.

Haar said solar energy and other innovative forms of renewable energy are the future, and that is why this program is important.

We see the challenges of climate change, but also the opportunities that are in that process, he said.
LINCOLN  Dolores A. Kropp, 88, formerly of Aurora, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and sister, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016, in Lincoln, surrounded by family, health care professionals, and Tabitha Hospice caregivers.

A Celebration of Life will be at 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, at United Methodist Church, 1104 A Street, Aurora. The Rev. Karla Sheffy will officiate. Interment will be in the Aurora Cemetery.

Visitation will be one hour prior to service time. Memorials may be made to Tabitha Hospice Care Services, Lincoln, Neb. Higby-McQuiston Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com.

Dolores was born on Jan. 24, 1928, in Norfolk, Neb., and received her primary and secondary education in Stanton. After high school, Dolores attended Wayne State College alongside her lifetime love, friend, and partner, Bill Kropp. They married on Jan. 8, 1949, and together raised a family of four children. After seeing the children through elementary school, Dolores returned to college to complete her degree in elementary education at Kearney State College. She began her teaching career in Aurora, Neb., and enjoyed over 30 years in the profession of education.

Dolores is warmly remembered by her loved ones for the infinite sacrifices she made to ensure that each was provided opportunities for health, happiness, and success. She was a gentle soul with a quick and easy smile and a giving heart. The most fitting tribute to her life would be remembrance of her humility and unwavering strength and purpose. She will never be forgotten and will be forever remembered for her devotion, sacrifice, and steadfast love of family.

Dolores was preceded in death by her husband, William L. Kropp, and is survived by their four children, John Kropp (Karen) of Grand Island, Mary Greenfield (Stan) of Lincoln, Judy Kropp of Lincoln and Tom Kropp (Sonja) of Kearney; brothers, John Kane of Albuquerque, N.M., and Don Kane (Joanne) of Missouri Valley, Iowa; sister, Linda Marshall (Robert) of Springhill, Fla.; seven grandchildren, Kari Voss, Jenny Goess, Jay Kropp, Pete Kropp, Sam Greenfield, Ben Greenfield, and Dominique Kropp; seven great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
CENTRAL CITY  Thomas Frederick Jones, 76, of Central City died Monday, Sept. 26, 2016, at Bryan Medical Center in Lincoln. He was surrounded by his family and a trusted medical team.

Memorial services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Solt-Wagner Funeral Home, with Nathan Musgrave officiating. Burial will be at 4 p.m. Friday in the Rosewood Cemetery near Palmyra.

There will be no visitation.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be given to Central City Heartland Veterans Memorial or Grand Island Humane Society. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.soltwagnerfuneral.com.

Tom was born Friday, the 13th of October, 1939, on a kitchen table in Wymore. He was raised by his grandfather, Fred K Neumann; grandma, Margerite Neumann; mother, Dorothy N. Jones; and aunt, Mary Jane Neumann. Tom graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1962 with his 2nd Lt. Commission through the R.O.T.C. program. After joining the Army, he was stationed in Germany with the 11th Armored Cavalry on the German-Czech border. He had many jobs throughout his career, but the jobs most indicative of his success were the jobs of husband, father, and boompa.

Tom was united in marriage to Betty Ann Dowding on Oct. 3, 1970. He described her as, The best thing that ever happened to me. They had three children together. He was a man with a beautiful imagination, creating art throughout his adult life. He was a wonderful cook and his creative expression continued in the kitchen. Tom set a strong example for his children by loving his wife well for six days shy of 46 years of marriage. He was a passionate advocate and protector of all animals, often demanding that recently captured spiders be set free outside. Tom had a fantastic, strange sense of humor that he passed along to all three of his kids. A Godly man who loved Jesus, Tom had a deeply rooted faith until the end. Tom said, It was a good life and I learned to take it one day at a time.

He is survived by his wife, Betty; his daughter, Heather (Scott) Christopher; his sons, Derek (Alison) Jones and Tyler (Jacki) Jones; 11 grandchildren; a cousin; and his best buddy, Benson.

He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents and aunt.
Schwarber's 2 big swings went 756 feet, got Phillies nothing

Kyle Schwarber had big swings on consecutive pitches for the Philadelphia Phillies when they needed a comeback in...
One of the loudest hypes in the history of higher education has been all the chat about MOOCs. The idea of Massive Open Online Courses was launched five years ago when Stanford University announced that by using Internet-based technologies they would be able to offer college classes for free.

Imagine, a world-class university offering a free education from the comfort of your home, one that didnt require any admission tests or high school transcripts. The possibilities were so exciting that immediately there was talk about the final revolution in higher education - the end of colleges and universities as we know them.

People associated with these initiatives founded companies aimed at capitalizing on this concept. Some at Stanford established Udacity and Coursera, while the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard joined forces to create edX.

Excitement over MOOCs spread among leaders in higher education. After all, many thought, if the big names like Harvard and Stanford were involved then it had to be a great idea. Besides, what could be wrong with something that was free? And what could be wrong with an initiative that fed into that part of the American psyche that believes that for all problems there is always a technological solution?

But questions started to arise. To begin with, although thousands registered for these courses, the completion rates were abysmal. In most cases less than 2 percent of enrollees actually finished the courses. Further, virtually all of that miniscule minority who completed the courses were people who already had a college degree, were financially well off and were technologically savvy.

A number of scholarly studies were conducted confirming not only the fact that these courses worked well for only a small elite, but also that they failed the people who were supposed to be helped the most, including low income, rural and first-generation college students

To make things worse, many faculty members balked at the idea of MOOCs. For them, this was not the way to prepare students for a comprehensive education that required, among other things, discussions employing critical thinking (not vulgar blogging) and hands-on experiences. Logistical problems were also identified. How could you determine that the person taking the exams online, sometimes thousands of miles away, was actually the person enrolled in the course?

This is not surprising. These are among the very same problems that have faced distance education since its inception in 1728 when Caleb Phillips created the first correspondence course aimed at teaching students short hand through weekly mailed lessons.

The business model of the MOOCs also came into question. After all, how do you make money off something being offered for free? That is when some of the providers began charging registration fees for the courses, and even promising a degree by taking a determined number of courses. As the writer Michael Shea put it, By offering courses that are near-impossible to fail and charging up-front fees for worthless certificates, Coursera is simply running a high-tech version of the kind of scams that have been run by correspondence colleges for decades.

With this new money making agenda firmly in place, the very people who started these companies moved elsewhere to other initiatives ranging from researching human aging to developing flying cars (no, I am not making up the last one). Even the companies they created have moved into other businesses. Udacity has now shifted its focus to job-skills training. And while Coursera and edX remain in the business of education, they are still searching for ways to make money from MOOCs.

Even politicians who were pushing MOOCs as an alternative to funding higher education with state money have mostly abandoned their attempts to legislate the use of those courses for public education.

Although some may argue that what we have learned from the failure of MOOCs is not surprising given the similar failures of distance education in the past, there is a much more profound lesson that we have failed to grasp. That lesson is that education is a human activity, one that requires personal interaction.

There will always, of course, be a handful of people who for a number of different circumstances are capable of learning by themselves. But they are usually an elite group who grew up in a family environment that prized that kind of entrepreneurship. They are also much more likely to have access to and be competent with technological resources.

This description does not match the majority of people, and certainly not the kind of people who need higher education the most. These people need experienced educators capable if guiding them through the difficulties of grasping complex ideas and developing high-level skills.

For years Japan, an industrialized nation with a large population of older people who require high levels of medical services, has tried to overcome their shortage of health providers by developing robots that are supposed to act as nurses. Just Google robot nurses and you will find a plethora of videos portraying these robots. Have they worked? Certainly not. People in pain need the kind of attention that can only exist among human beings.

The same can be said about education. After all, when we teach we are not just downloading the memory of one computer into another. We are helping to form that most complex of systems - the human being.

Dr. Aldemaro Romero Jr. is a writer and college professor with leadership experience in higher education. He can be contacted through his website at: http://www.aromerojr.net.
The Madison County Board voted last week to end its participation in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund.

The vote was unanimous.

It follows the passage recently of a state law that prohibits newly-elected County Board members from receiving pensions.

State lawmakers passed SB 2701 in the spring and Gov. Bruce Rauner signed it into law in late August.

The law also requires current board members to document that they have been working the required 600 hours a year, the equivalent of 12 hours each week for 50 weeks a year.

Local governments also have the option of choosing a 1,000-hour requirement though years ago Madison County opted for 600.

Madison County Treasurer Kurt Prenzler has praised the law, saying that it brings transparency to the issue of part-time elected officials getting pensions.

The law requires each County Board member to submit a monthly time sheet to the county that documents how much time they have spent working on County Board business. Those records become public record and will be obtainable through a Freedom of Information request.

County Board Chairman Alan Dunstan recommended ending the board members participation last month. The move, he said at the time, was not an action against the Madison County Board but a move that will benefit county taxpayers and bring the county into compliance with the new law.

IMRF provides benefits for death, disability and retirement. It is distinct from pension programs that cover universities, state employees, teachers, the general assembly and judges. Those are funded by the state.
Edwardsville High School Teacher Adam Koester was one of 100 social studies and STEM educators from the U.S. and Canada who were selected to travel to Germany this past July for a two-week, all expenses paid study-tour with the Transatlantic Outreach Program.

TOPs goal is to expose teachers to contemporary Germany so that they in turn can educate and expose the young people they teach to a nuanced and balanced view of Germany in the 21st century.

Koester spoke exuberantly about his two-week experience as the program promoted education, dialogue, and experience on topics such as the German school system, German and EU politics, sustainability projects, and corporate social responsibility, as well as culture, history, and geography.

To ensure that study tour participants learn about current topics relevant to their curricula, TOP organizes activities that provide the teachers VIP access to German schools, corporations, cultural venues, policy makers and historical sites.

Koester explained that his tour group of 15 teachers began in Munich where they visited some cultural sites before visiting Kaufbeuren, a small town just west of Munich. In this small town they visited a vocational school that is a part of Germanys educational system and learned about the dual system of vocational education and how Germany prepares its people for work. Its incredibly fascinating to me. And so right off the bat I was very interested in this, Koester noted.

He explained that the dual vocational system is based on the concept that people decide on a trade and seek out an employer in that industry who will accept them as an apprentice. The dual system is where you do a couple of weeks in school and then you go work in wherever you decide your trade is and then you go back and forth and back and forth, Koester said. You do that over three years and then you come out as an 18 years old or 19 years old, depending upon your program, and youre fully credentialed.

This particular vocational school that they visited had several refugees as students, but Koester pointed out that there were only a couple from Syria. Of the 20 something we spoke to they were from all over in the Middle East and some from Africa, he said.

The TOP group learned how the refugees were assimilated into German life and the workforce. A big issue for Germany and the German education system is that you need to learn German. Thats the key that unlocks everything. For the first couple of years they learned German as a second language, Koester explained.

The refugees then learned social studies, math as well as received vocational orientation to select a trade, finish their schooling and graduate of sorts into the workforce full-time.

Koester recalled how with his economics background his head was whirling with thoughts as he was analyzing and comparing Americas traditional approach to post-secondary education to Germanys dual system approach. I can see how our vocational education here would really benefit from something like this. I think this is really fascinating, he recalled thinking.

Thats what we started with. Germans do more than their part to accept refugees and get them skills and help them get skills and help them be successful. Its really very cool. And that was just the first day, Koester said with a chuckle.

The rest of the two weeks werent any less educational. It was action packed. We had things we were doing in the morning, in the afternoon and the evenings. It was absolutely fascinating, Koester said. I was exhausted every night, but then the next day somehow I was like 'Im ready.' What are we going to learn now? I couldnt pull enough in. It was unbelievable to me.

Throughout the two-week trip, the TOPs group visited Munich, Nuremberg, Geisa, Leipzig, and Berlin. While in Berlin, they took a day trip to Guttenberg, the historical town where in 1517 Martin Luther nailed his first Ninety-Five thesis to the door of a German church which launched the Protestant Reformation.

Other highlights included a visit to Checkpoint Alpha and a day trip from Nuremberg to Buchenwald to visit a concentration camp. One of our members grandfather was a liberator of the camp so it was very emotionally for him to go through. That was kind of a morose experience, but one that I think was important, too, because you cant really move on from the past until you deal with it. And I think Germany has done a fantastic job dealing with the past, Koester pointed out.

The trip provided a view into todays Germany that American education doesnt typically include but something that Koester was excited about including in his teaching at EHS. Ive already started drawing up some units about Feldheim, Koester said. Feldheim is a very, small, little town that is completely self-sustained. They make their own electricity. They heat their own homes by pumping heat to the homes in this little town, and they make so much electricity that they sell the excess back to the grid. They are completely self-sustained.

Thats going to be one of my microeconomics units on Feldheim and the idea of scale and cost and all of that kind of stuff. But just an unbelievable little town that out of nothing theyve become this hub - and not just people from our group, but from China, Japan, South Korea, Russia - all to this little bitty town to hear about Feldheim. Just an absolutely wonderful experience and something that otherwise you cant really get it, Koester said.

Another highlight was a dinner the group attended in Berlin with the Foreign German Ministry. Koester said that a huge highlight for him was being able to speak with Oliver Bientzle, a Deputy Director working in the Federal Foreign Office of Germany. Hes dealing with a lot of different countries - Canada and America among them, Koester explained. Hes also spent time with NATO and for me to be able to bounce macroeconomics questions off of this guy. To be able to pepper him with questions over dinner about the EU and what does he think and what I think, and what we thought wasnt necessarily the same thing. . . I thoroughly enjoyed that. That was an absolutely fantastic experience to be able to pick his brain a little bit.

As part of the TOPs program, the teachers return home and lead professional development sessions and create original instructional units, which in turn result in new teaching materials based on current events. Since 2002, over 1,300 teachers have traveled to Germany as TOP fellows.

In addition to the study tours, TOP creates and distributes teaching materials addressing topics on current-day Germany that are designed for use in social studies and STEM classes. TOP also supports hundreds of professional development workshops across the United States and Canada to help teachers learn more about Germany and incorporate TOP teaching materials into their lessons.

It was an absolutely wonderful experience, Koester said.
Faculty from the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP), and the SIU Schools of Dental Medicine (SDM) and Medicine (SOM) shared their scholarship on pain education with an audience of more than 2,300 at PAINWeek, the largest interdisciplinary pain conference in the U.S. The 10th annual event was held Sept. 6-10 in Las Vegas.

The oral presentations included the collaborative work of the SOPs Drs. Chris Herndon and McKenzie Ferguson and the SIU SDMs Drs. Kevin Rowland and Cyril Pandarakalam. The research team, through a grant funded by the National Institutes of Health, has established the Center of Excellence in Pain Education (CoEPE) at SIUE and Saint Louis University. The CoEPE creates educational resources for future health professionals on the subject of pain.
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Linkedin Megawaty Khie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

Gender equality is a hot topic everywhere these days. The appointment of Hillary Clinton as the first female presidential nominee of a major party in the US is a monumental step in that countrys movement toward equal opportunity.



We now have many prominent female leaders in the world, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister Theresa May and Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg. According to The Worlds 100 Most Powerful Women released by Forbes in its June edition, our home-grown female leader, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, ranks 37th in the world. This is indeed a very proud moment for all of us in Indonesia. This is where the UN and its Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number five come into play. Goal number five is specifically targeted toward ending discrimination against women and girls throughout the world. As the UN notes, Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world.



If the world succeeds in achieving this goal by the 2030 target date, women will no longer experience extreme violence, such as trafficking and sexual exploitation. Harmful practices like forced marriage and female genital mutilation would end. Women would have universal access to sexual and reproductive health, and they would have equal rights to economic resources. And technology would promote the empowerment of women everywhere.



Progress is being made in all aspects of womens and girls lives  including the area of economic and business empowerment. Through initiatives such as these, women are starting to gain the most basic rights, such as access to the internet, financial inclusion and entrepreneurial empowerment.



A recent report by the World Wide Web Foundation found that women in poor urban areas of developing countries are 50 percent less likely to use the internet than men. The report also found that women are 30-50 percent less likely to use the internet to increase their income or participate in public life.

Lack of internet access is a way of keeping women systematically underserved, according to NetHope, an organization that creates collaboration between non-profit organizations and technology companies to serve populations in developing countries. NetHope and its partners created the Women and the Web Alliance, which introduced more than 600,000 women and girls in Kenya and Nigeria aged between 15 and 25 years old to the internet to advance their social and economic empowerment. In addition, thanks to this initiative, 540,000 women now have access to online e-learning and mentoring programs.

Data from the World Bank suggests that approximately 2.5 billion people do not have a formal account at a financial institution, and only 47 percent of women have a bank account versus 55 percent of men. To counteract this kind of inequality, Compartamos Banco, the largest microfinance bank in Latin America, opened its doors in 1990 to provide financing to female small business owners with low incomes.



Today, over 90 percent of the banks 2.8 million clients in Mexico, Guatemala, and Peru are women. With tools such as loans, savings accounts, insurance and financial education, the bank hopes to give the women it serves the ability to achieve a better quality of life. Research clearly shows that investing in women is not only the right thing to do, but also equals investing in the whole nation itself.



Quality education is evidently a first crucial step in empowering youth, including women and girls, as it is the vital key that will allow them to achieve equal opportunities in other spectrums of life and excel in the current labour market.



The founding of the first school for Indonesian girls in 1903 by the countrys national heroine for womens rights, RA Kartini, was the foremost step toward recognizing the universal right to education for all. Since then, Indonesia has taken steps to ensure gender equality in educational enrolment and literacy levels.



Many companies, including SAP, have acted to realize this gender equality. As of 2015, SAP had 32.1 percent females in its workforce and 23.6 percent of women in management roles, which has been acknowledged by the Global Diversity and Inclusion Office.



Programs such as the Leadership Excellence Acceleration Program (LEAP) are key to the fulfilment of gender equality in the employment world. The LEAP program itself is based on a five-pillar development model covering self-awareness, career development and planning, network and branding, capability building and mentoring and sponsorship. Its mission is to expand and accelerate the pipeline of capable leaders.



As one of the female leaders within my company, I am glad to be able to have this opportunity to help females everywhere and see them become inspiring female leaders of the future, starting with the young.



We are committed, and we hope you are too.

***

The writer, vice president and managing director for SAP Indonesia, is responsible for the strategies of business development and operations for SAP in Indonesia. This is a personal view.

---------------

We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com. For more information click here.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
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Linkedin Bambang Nurbianto Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

Jakarta voters are fortunate to have three choices for governor and vice governor in the February election despite a tough selection process. Because of the popularity of Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama and high public expectations, political parties were made labor to name their best candidates to rival the incumbent.

Ahok may be a runaway leader, but he can no longer rely solely on his integrity to win the election as he will face former national education and culture minister Anies Baswedan, whose integrity is equally unquestionable.

Meanwhile, the nomination of Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, a new kid on the block in practical politics, surprised many. But his lack of political contamination, his youth and military career may offer an alternative to those who are not

impressed with the other two candidates.

Ahok and his running mate, Jakarta Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat, enjoy the most political backing, with four parties  the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Golkar Party, the NasDem Party and the Hanura Party  endorsing their nomination.

The PDI-Ps last minute decision to back Ahok and Djarot has changed the political landscape of the Jakarta gubernatorial election, as members of the Kinship Coalition that had previously pledged to join forces to beat Ahok parted ways.

Former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono gathered leaders of his Democratic Party, the United Development Party, the National Awakening Party and the National Mandate Party and eventually named Agus, Yudhoyonos eldest son, their gubernatorial candidate and assistant to the governor for tourism and culture Sylviana Murni his running mate.

Gerindra and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) went ahead with their plan to nominate young businessman Sandiaga Uno, not as the gubernatorial candidate but as the running mate of Anies.

It is just a coincidence or destiny that the first names of the three gubernatorial candidates begin with A and their running mates first or second names start with the letter S. Whatever this might mean, the Feb. 15, Jakarta election will be a high-level political event that will require voters to think carefully before making up their minds on who to vote for or risk falling victim to the power play.

Most voters have already formed an opinion of Ahok. They have learned from his performance over the last two years or so in leading the city. Ahok himself even feels that he does not need to campaign because people already know him.

Ahok will likely highlight his success stories to lure voters, especially the Jakarta Smart Card (KJP) and the Jakarta Health Card (KJS), which were introduced when he was deputy to Joko Jokowi Widodo, now the president. Ahok will also point out the improvements he has made in public services, the development of dozens of integrated child-friendly public spaces (RPTRAs) and the deployment of new buses along Transjakarta lanes.

His rivals, however, will raise a number of issues that have rendered Ahok a target of criticism and protest, like evictions, non-budgetary funds collected from private companies, land reclamation in Jakarta Bay and low disbursement of the city budget.

For Anies, his participation in the election will require him to prove he is more than an educator and former minister. He has to offer realistic but convincing programs to solve the acute problems of flooding, traffic congestion, lack of housing for the poor and garbage treatment.

He will be challenged to find ways to empower the informal sector, in which many people make a living but also cause concern because of their occupation of public facilities like sidewalks. Sandiaga should do his part by formulating programs to help micro, small and medium enterprises grow.

It seems that Anies also needs to answer voters curiosity about the real reasons behind his exit from the Cabinet. For Sandiaga, the toughest question he will face is him being listed in the Panama Papers, a series of leaked documents containing information about wealthy individuals with wealth parked in offshore company structures.

Although he has claimed that none of his offshore companies was intended to hide illegal activities, many are likely to think otherwise.

As a contender, Agus will face an equally tough test. He will have to study a lot about urban matters. He cannot simply rely on Sylviana, a former Central Jakarta mayor, to address the commonly asked questions because voters will want to know his platform and programs.

Most Jakarta voters know very little about Agus, who will have to move out of the shadow of his father, former president Yudhoyono. It will surely be an uphill challenge for Agus to convince voters that he deserves the gubernatorial position, simply because his lack of exposure to public services.

With balloting still four and a half months away, voters have ample time to scrutinize the track record of each candidate. Barring any unforeseen administrative defects, the three tickets will enliven the fiesta of democracy.

___________________________________

The author is a staff writer at The Jakarta Post.
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Linkedin Marcia Dunn (Associated Press) Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States  Wed, September 28, 2016

On a personal quest to settle Mars, SpaceX founder Elon Musk envisions 1,000 passenger ships flying en masse to the red planet well within the next century, "Battlestar Galactica" style.

Musk outlined his zealous plan Tuesday to establish a self-sustaining city on Mars, complete with iron foundries and even pizzerias. He wants to make humans a multiplanetary species, and says the best way to do that is to colonize the red planet.

"I think Earth will be a good place for a long time, but the probable lifespan of human civilization will be much greater if we're a multiplanetary species," he said.

Musk, who also runs electric car maker Tesla Motors, received a wildly warm reception at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico. Many in the crowd were avid space buffs.

For now, the aerospace company he founded in 2002 is focusing on satellite deliveries, as well as space station cargo runs for NASA and a future crew capsule for U.S. astronauts. Its Falcon rocket, though, is grounded for the second time in a year because of devastating accidents.

During his address, Musk did not mention the Sept. 1 launch pad explosion that destroyed a Falcon rocket and its satellite.

Instead, he noted that SpaceX already has begun work on the Mars Colonial fleet, recently test-firing a powerful new rocket engine named Raptor. The system ultimately could take people to the moons of Jupiter and beyond, he said.

Musk said it would be a "super-exciting" adventure to Mars but also dangerous, at least for the first few trips. His goal is to get the price down so anyone could afford to go, with a ticket costing no more than a house on Earth. He's shooting for 1 million Martians.

(Read also: China begins operating world's largest radio telescope)

This Sept. 25, 2016 photo made available by SpaceX shows a test firing of the company's Raptor engine in McGregor, Texas. On Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, SpaceX founder Elon Musk announced his company's plan for travel to the planet Mars. The engine is being tested for use in the new spacecraft.(SpaceX via A/File)

Would he go, someone asked? Perhaps ultimately, but it would depend on whether he had a good succession plan in place. As for being the first Martian, the risk of fatalities will be high  "there's just no way around it"  and he wants to see his five young sons grow up.

"It would be basically, are you prepared to die? If that's OK, then you're a candidate for going," he told the audience.

In April, Musk announced plans to send an unmanned Dragon capsule to land on Mars as early as 2018. NASA is offering technical support, but no money. The space agency has its own program to get astronauts to Mars in the 2030s, using its own hardware.

Musk invited industry to join the Mars effort, which will represent a $10 billion investment. SpaceX currently is spending a few tens of millions of dollars on the enterprise, and the amount will soon grow, he said.

Musk described in detail his plans to launch a monster-size rocket  larger than even NASA's Saturn V moon rocket  from the same launch pad at Kennedy Space Center from which the Apollo astronauts departed for the lunar surface in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The first-stage boosters would return to land vertically  just like his Falcon rocket boosters do now. Reusability, in fact, is essential to any plan for getting humans to Mars, as is refilling fuel tanks in Earth orbit and creating rocket fuel at Mars for return trips, he said.

The rocket would hoist a spaceship big enough to carry 100 to 200 people to Mars, a trip lasting several months, quicker with nuclear propulsion. Musk promised no one would be stuck there; spaceships would return regularly, and "you get a free return trip if you want."

"Ultimately what I'm trying to achieve here is to make Mars seem possible, make it seem as though it's something that we can do in our lifetimes," he said.
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Linkedin Megawaty Khie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, September 27 2016

Gender equality is a hot topic everywhere these days. The appointment of Hillary Clinton as the first female presidential nominee of a major party in the US is a monumental step in that countrys movement toward equal opportunity.



We now have many prominent female leaders in the world, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister Theresa May and Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg. According to The Worlds 100 Most Powerful Women released by Forbes in its June edition, our home-grown female leader, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, ranks 37th in the world. This is indeed a very proud moment for all of us in Indonesia. This is where the UN and its Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number five come into play. Goal number five is specifically targeted toward ending discrimination against women and girls throughout the world. As the UN notes, Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world.



If the world succeeds in achieving this goal by the 2030 target date, women will no longer experience extreme violence, such as trafficking and sexual exploitation. Harmful practices like forced marriage and female genital mutilation would end. Women would have universal access to sexual and reproductive health, and they would have equal rights to economic resources. And technology would promote the empowerment of women everywhere.



Progress is being made in all aspects of womens and girls lives  including the area of economic and business empowerment. Through initiatives such as these, women are starting to gain the most basic rights, such as access to the internet, financial inclusion and entrepreneurial empowerment.



A recent report by the World Wide Web Foundation found that women in poor urban areas of developing countries are 50 percent less likely to use the internet than men. The report also found that women are 30-50 percent less likely to use the internet to increase their income or participate in public life.

Lack of internet access is a way of keeping women systematically underserved, according to NetHope, an organization that creates collaboration between non-profit organizations and technology companies to serve populations in developing countries. NetHope and its partners created the Women and the Web Alliance, which introduced more than 600,000 women and girls in Kenya and Nigeria aged between 15 and 25 years old to the internet to advance their social and economic empowerment. In addition, thanks to this initiative, 540,000 women now have access to online e-learning and mentoring programs.

_________________________

Quality education is evidently a first crucial step in empowering youth, including women and girls.

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Linkedin Farida Susanty (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, September 27 2016

The countrys major shipping companies have claimed that they are still unswayed by pressure from a global economic slowdown that sent one of the worlds biggest players into bankruptcy, thanks to a relatively stable demand from the domestic market.



The Hanjin Shipping Co., South Koreas biggest container line, filed on Aug. 31 for bankruptcy protection in the US to protect its assets from being seized by creditors. The company, which operates more than 60 vessels, reported that it had debts of US$5.5 billion as of June.



Since then the companys fleet has been stranded at dozens of ports, disrupting global supply chains ahead of the year-end shopping season. Hanjin, once the worlds seventh largest shipping line, managed about 5 percent of Indonesias exports and imports, including of consumer goods, chemicals and industrial components, according to data from the Indonesian Logistics and Forwarders Association (ALFI).



Commenting on the matter, publicly listed shipping and logistics company Samudera Indonesia, which provides international container shipping services to countries like Thailand and South Korea, maintained that their global container shipping volumes had remained relatively stable, especially for the Asian region.



Its just the freight costs that go down, about 15 to 20 percent, because of the oversupply. Thats what decreases revenues, Samudera Indonesia managing director Bani M. Mulia told The Jakarta Post over the phone recently.



The companys first half report showed that its revenues had nose dived by 9.7 percent to $208.7 million this year compared to in the corresponding period last year. However, the company still recorded $13.1 million in profits in the first six months of the year, an increase from $8.5 million in the same period last year.



Bani stated the company was also exploring opportunities to expand services to and from South Korea, a major export destination for Indonesia.



The company claimed that it makes less than 10 monthly shipments from Indonesia to South Korea and currently controls up to 40 percent of the market share among Indonesian exporters.



The figure might increase with more opportunities provided by the absence of Hanjin. We might add some bigger vessels for South Korea, he said, adding that the company was currently allocating $6 million to buy a vessel 1,800 total equivalent units (TEUs) in size.



The World Trade Organization (WTO) forecast that the growth in the volume of world trade would remain sluggish this year at 2.8 percent, unchanged from a similar figure in 2015. It also noted that trade growth remained below 3 percent for the past five consecutive years.



It stated that while the volume of global trade is growing, its value had fallen because of shifting exchange rates and falls in commodity prices.



However, it also made a positive forecast for next year with an expected rise to 3.6 percent.



Similarly, a report by global rating agency Moodys Investors Service said that the companies operating in the container shipping segment had indeed been affected by very weak freight rates since 2015. It projected that supply growth will outpace demand growth by more than 2 percent this year and keep freight rates low.



Publicly listed Pelayaran Tempuran Emas (Temas) managing director Faty Khusumo stated that domestic shipping had been left unperturbed by the global situation with the current economic growth and flow of goods within the country that was still deemed healthy because of infrastructure construction in various areas.



The company still recorded revenue growth to $833.9 million during the first six months of the year, up by 5 percent year-on-year from $791.6 million.



However, it stated that its margins had been lowered as freight costs had decreased to less than 30 percent because of the governments flagship maritime highway program. The program involves state shipping operator Pelni, which runs a subsidized freighter that brings staple goods from major ports to remote areas.



In the end, each company just has to stay efficient to keep up with the competition, she said.



The 2008 Shipping Law stipulates the implementation of the cabotage principle, which requires all vessels operating in Indonesian waters to be domestically owned.



Separately, Indonesian National Shipowners Association chairperson Carmelita Hartoto warned that the countrys small shipping companies would be the first to take a hit from a prolonged economic slowdown.



It will snowball to the domestic container [segment]. Some small and medium-sized shipping companies have also recently collapsed, she said.

---------------

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Linkedin Andi Hajramurni (The Jakarta Post) Makassar, South Sulawesi  Wed, September 28, 2016

A joint investigation team from the South Sulawesi Police and the Gowa Police has arrested seven people allegedly involved in a recent arson attack on the Gowa Legislative Council building.

South Sulawesi Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Frans Barung Mangera said on Wednesday that the suspected perpetrators were all underage. Two out of the seven suspects, identified with their initials MR, 14, and NA, 15, were identified to have set fire to the council building. They have been detained at the South Sulawesi Police headquarters.

Four other perpetrators  MUS,16, AF,16, MUR,15, and SF,16  were named suspects for damaging property and have been taken into custody at the Gowa Police office.

All of the perpetrators have been charged under articles 187 and 170 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) for deliberately damaging and setting fire to property, which carry a minimum sentence of five years in prison.

The last suspect, identified with initials MY, 15, was arrested for looting. He allegedly stole electronics from the council building during the riot on Monday. The suspect was charged under Article 363 of the KUHP on looting and has been detained at the Gowa Police office.

They were arrested separately, from Tuesday evening through early Wednesday, said Barung.

The incident arose following a conflict between Gowa Regent Adnan Purichta Ichsan Yasin Limpo and Gowa royal family members, who had demanded the revocation of Bylaw No. 5/2016, which mandates the establishment of a Gowa customs and traditions institute (LAD).

Under the bylaw, Adnan was inaugurated as the LAD head and now performs the role of sombaya (king) of Gowa. (ebf)
A police officer who was charged with second-degree manslaughter was deemed a flight risk by a state Supreme Court judge. Wayne Isaacs, who was off-duty when he shot a driver in Brooklyn on July 4, is being held on $500,000 bail and was ordered to wear an ankle bracelet.

He was also ordered to surrender his U.S. and Guyanese passports. Isaacs has pleaded not guilty.

In the early morning of July 4, Delrawn Small, 37, believed that Isaacs had cut him off in East New York. At a stop light, Small got out of his car and confronted Isaacs. Video showed Smalls collapsing from a gunshot moments later.

During yesterday's arraignment, a prosecutor in the NY Attorney General's office said, "This defendant fired not one, not two, but three shots from a 9-millimeter semiautomatic handgun as the victim approached with no weapon. The defendant had no legal justification."

But Isaacs' attorney argued against the high bail, "We now know Mr. Small didnt have a weapon. Officer Isaacs didnt have that luxury at the time. He had to make a decision. No reasonable person would have any choice given his situation.

The Post reports, "Smalls relatives burst into applause  and one cheered 'Yes!'  when court officers slapped Isaacs into handcuffs and led him to a holding cell."

In a statement, AG Eric Schneiderman said:

In July of 2015, my office was appointed as Special Prosecutor in cases where an unarmed civilian dies during an encounter with police, and in cases where there is a significant question as to whether the civilian was armed and dangerous. Pursuant to that authority, on July 4th of this year, my Special Investigation and Prosecutions Unit launched an investigation into the death of Delrawn Small. We conducted a thorough investigation and, as I have always pledged, followed the facts where they led, without fear or favor. After a thorough investigation, we concluded that the evidence warranted a presentation to a grand jury. Yesterday, that grand jury voted, and returned an indictment of NYPD officer Wayne Isaacs on charges of Murder in the Second Degree and Manslaughter in the First Degree. Pursuant to that indictment, Mr. Isaacs was taken into custody this morning and arraigned today in Brooklyn Supreme Court. My office takes the prosecution of this matter very seriously, and intends to prove the alleged charges against Mr. Isaacs beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. At todays arraignment, the judge granted our offices request for bail at $500,000, along with the requirement that Mr. Isaacs surrender his passport and firearms, restrict his travel, and wear an ankle bracelet to be monitored by the court. As is always the case in our system of justice, Mr. Isaacs is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Small's family has filed a $25 million wrongful death suit against the city.
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Linkedin Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) must be more effective in implementing its mandate to promote and protect human rights in the Southeast Asian region, an activist said on Tuesday.

AICHR should be able to denounce alleged human right violations taking place in the region, senior advisor at the Human Rights Working Group [HRWG], Yuyun Wahyuningrum said.

Such alleged incidents include extrajudicial killings in the Philippines, limitations on freedom of expression in Thailand and the implementation of the death penalty in Indonesia.

"Every person has an inherent right to life which shall be protected by law," Yuyun told The Jakarta Post, quoting an article of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration as an example of a stipulation that contradicts the law in Indonesia.

The declaration is not legally binding, she noted. However, the content echoes what has been stipulated in treaties adopted by the UN General Assembly, such as the International Covenant on the Civil and Political Right, as well as the Covenant on Economic and Social Rights, which several ASEAN member states are parties to.

The ASEAN declaration itself contains an affirmation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Yuyun said, stressing that familiar content would ease the process of implementation. ASEAN's need for consensus may be a restriction at the regional level, she continued, but efforts at the national level should be allowed to be carried out by the country representative of the AICHR when deemed necessary.

"On the matter of language, it can be drafted so as not to offend. This is a matter of diplomacy," Yuyun said. (rin)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28 2016

Now in its seventh year, the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) is still far from effective as many human rights violations remain unaddressed, an activist said Tuesday.

Yuyun Wahyuningrum, senior advisor on ASEAN and human rights at the Human Rights Working Group, said the group had launched several initiatives to bring AICHRs attention these problems, such as sending the commission an e-mail containing a list of unaddressed human rights issues, but it had not yet received a response.

In Thailand, people are detained for posting comments on Facebook. A large number of activists and students have been arrested in Thailand for doing things that are normal in Indonesia. And then

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Linkedin Corry Elyda (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28 2016

Incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama is not backing down on his plan to evict Bukit Duri residents in South Jakarta, even though rivals have sharply criticized his policies, particularly evictions.

South Jakarta Mayor Tri Kurniadi, who has been tasked by the governor to handle the eviction, said on Tuesday that the eviction would go ahead.

We will demolish the buildings on the riverbank tomorrow morning, he said.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

Bukit Duri residents will continue to fight against the Jakarta administration's "injustice" in evicting them from their houses on Wednesday, advocate Sandyawan Sumardi has said.

Sandyawan, founder of Sanggar Ciliwung Merdeka, an organization that advocates for the residents, said his organization and the residents would sue the administration because they believed the evictions were illegal as legal processes were still underway.

We have rights over the land and houses, and the class action is still in process. Why did the administration still continue this [eviction]? he said, adding that 20 families had moved to a communal rental house in Poncol, Senen, Central Jakarta.

We moved to Poncol to ease our transportation to the [Central Jakarta] district court, he said, referring to the court where the residents class action is taking place.

Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama said the administration could no longer postpone the evictions although the trial was still ongoing, because most of the residents had moved away from the area. As reported earlier, 313 families previously packed their bags and moved to the Rawa Bebek low-cost rental apartment complex.

The Ciliwung River normalization program is a project under the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry, and it uses the 2016 state budget for the project. So the normalization has to start immediately, Ahok said at City Hall.

The evictions were carried out by around 550 personnel from the Jakarta Police and Public Order Agency (Satpol PP), who used three excavators to demolish the homes. (adt/bbn)
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Linkedin Indra Budiari and Corry Elyda (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

The official campaign period in the Jakarta gubernatorial election has not even started, yet political campaigns, and mudslinging, among supporters of each of the candidates have been simmering on social media, where the real battle for the capitals top spot is now taking place.

Teman Ahok, a volunteer group supporting incumbent Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, has set up a social media team, whose members have been working around the clock to promote the frontrunner candidate on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

We try to counter inaccurate news reports about Pak Ahok by presenting the data and facts that we have collected, the groups spokesman, Singgih Widyastomo, told The Jakarta Post at his office in South Jakarta. Every day, he said, the team discusses issues they will raise on social media.

But Teman Ahok is not the only one working behind the keyboards to beat the drum for Ahok and defend him from attacks.

The combative governor, too, has an army of militant online supporters, some of whom are considered celebs with thousands of online followers. They include Addie MS, who has 1.02 million Twitter followers, and writer Guntur Romli, with 92,000 Twitter followers.

Soon after the pairs of Anies Baswedan-Sandiaga Uno and Agus Harimurti-Sylviana Murnir registered at the Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPUD Jakarta) to challenge Ahok, social media accounts claiming to support him started to post memes ridiculing their candidates rivals.

Having announced his gubernatorial bid much earlier and supported by militant social media activists, Ahok seems to have the upper hand in the battle for the digital realms vote, which many say could decide the elections outcome.

The election of Joko Jokowi Widodo as Jakarta governor in the 2012 election and as president in the 2014 election, for instance, has been attributed to the ability of his social media-savvy campaign team to collect netizens support.

Jakarta, dubbed by some as the social media capital of the world, has the most active Twitter users, according to a 2012 study. The city also has more than 11.6 million Facebook users, slightly less than Bangkok with 12.8 million users, according to social media monitoring site brand24.co.id.

Anies camp is aware of Ahoks strength on social media and has been preparing their own social media troops to put up a good fight.

We just got 200 volunteers. I believe it will reach thousands ahead of the election, Anthony Leong, the coordinator of Anies-Sandiaga social media campaigners, told the Post. Anies-Sandiagas digital volunteers, known as Insider members, will be trained every week, said Leong, who works for a digital marketing company and claims to work pro-bono for the pair.

In addition to Insider members, influential social media users who have also endorsed Anies are stand-up comedian Pandji Pragiwaksono and motivator Rene Suhardono.

Agus and Sylviana, who turned up late to the election, may need more time to develop their social-media strategy. Their only edge on social media today is Agus Instagram account, @agusyudhoyono, which has 1.5 million followers, while his wife, celebrity Annisa Pohan, has 1.8 million followers on her instagram account @annisayudhoyono.

His strongest influencer could be his own mother, former first lady Ani Yudhoyono, who is a popular Instagrammer with 4.9 million followers.

Analysts and Agus supporters say that as the youngest and perhaps most charming candidate, Agus, who just set up the Agus Fans Club, could win the support of female voters.
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Linkedin Annabel Tanya Nugent (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28 2016

Beautiful backing: Combiphar CEO Michael Wanandi (center) reveals the Fillerina range alongside the panel of celebrity women who attest to its success (from left to right) Sisilia Oei, Fira Basuki, Cathy Sharon, Imelda Fransisca, Aline Adita and Silvi Saerang.

When all you hear about is botox and chemical face peels, anti-aging procedures can appear intimidating. With a unique formula and easy application, Fillerina introduces itself as a non-invasive, easy and effective way of reducing the signs of aging.

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Linkedin Indra Budiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28 2016

Recent evictions carried out by the city administration have been met with resistance by various parties, including human rights group, scholars, urban planners and the evictees themselves.

The Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) believes that most evictions have been carried out using a law that is no longer relevant to the current situation.

Along with residents who have been evicted by the city administration, the institute filed an application with the Constitutional Court on Tuesday for a judicial review of articles 2, 3, 4 and 6 of Law No. 51 Prp/1960 on the prohibition to use land without permission from the rightful owner or the owners proxy.

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Linkedin Prima Wirayani and Esther Samboh (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28 2016

For Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, the first and foremost priority as the nations treasurer is to ensure equitable growth by creating an appropriate tax regime and sustainable budget.



Its not about expansion for the sake of economic growth. What is more important, she says, is that the budget is spent on things that will be enjoyed by people in the bottom 40 percent wealth bracket and whether the nation can create a taxation regime that produces a productive and competitive economy while at the same time addressing inequality.



We can have high growth but many are left jobless and inequality occurs, the former World Bank managing editor told The Jakarta Post in an interview on Tuesday, when asked about her top priority in leading the institution responsible for billions dollars of state revenue and assets.



When Sri Mulyani, a former finance minister from the 2005 to 2010 period, assumed office in late July, she was met with a cash-strapped state budget due to a tax target overshoot. In her first week, she cut spending by Rp 137 trillion (US$10.55 billion) and widened the tax revenue shortfall to Rp 219 trillion until year-end.



Sri Mulyani said the budget would cover infrastructure, poverty alleviation programs and civil servants salaries. But its not going to be enough for wasting money, said one of the worlds most powerful women, according to Forbes magazine.



So while money is limited, Indonesia is not in a budget crisis, Sri Mulyani said. Spending can only be disbursed for priority programs, those that will alleviate poverty, create jobs and generate growth.



For that reason, a more realistic tax collection target is within sight under her leadership. For next year, the government expects tax revenue to reach Rp 1.49 quadrillion, slightly lower than this years Rp 1.53 quadrillion target in the revised 2016 state budget.



Gadjah Mada University economist Tony Prasetiantono expressed hope that the finance minister could be more realistic and would bring the President away from wishful thinking.



The governments big appetite for spending on development must be brought in line with its ability to collect revenue, he said.



To reach its tax target, the government is working with the House of Representatives to revise some taxation laws, including the General Taxation Law (KUP) that may give birth to the nations first ever tax agency, income tax (PPh) and value added tax (PPN).



We will revise some laws to make sure we are updated, Sri Mulyani said, stressing the need to capture the new economy that involves a lot of untaxed digital transactions. Also, there are too many exemptions in the PPN, she added.



In formulating new tax rates and policies, one thing she has said she would avoid was a race to the bottom, referring to government discourse to lower corporate income tax from 25 percent at present to compete with neighboring country Singapores 17 percent.



The Finance Ministry will hand over all calculations on the matter to the President who is committed to creating a competitive business environment, which may mean lower corporate tax.



We will deliver options to the President so he can politically make an informed decision, said the former director of the University of Indonesias Institute for Economic and Social Research (LPEM-UI), a renowned university-based economic research house.



Sri Mulyani is a firm believer that law is just law, policy is just policy, but they mean nothing without the institutional capacity to be implemented and executed. Hence, it is expected that she will also prioritize institutional reform and capacity building of all those who work under her ministry, which covers debt, fiscal and national asset management, among other things.



Bank Central Asia (BCA) chief economist David Sumual agreed, saying problems may come from home.



The obstacle in implementing the ministers objectives include the bureaucracy, he said, calling for an efficient, effective and productive bureaucracy to optimize state budget execution so as to create the desired effects on the overall economy.



The fact that the government always fails to spend 100 percent of its budget indicates that its institutions often propose higher-than-needed spending requirements, said Samuel Asset Management economist Lana Soelistianingsih.



It is true that the governments task is to boost the economy but if the spending is not realized, it is just a waste, she said on Tuesday.

----------------

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Linkedin Prima Wirayani and Esther Samboh (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

For Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, the rst and foremost priority as the nations treasurer is to ensure equitable growth by creating an appropriate tax regime and sustainable budget. Its not about expansion for the sake of economic growth.

What is more important, she says, is that the budget is spent on things that will be enjoyed by people in the bottom 40 percent wealth bracket and whether the nation can create a taxation regime that produces a productive and competitive economy while at the same time addressing inequality.

We can have high growth but many are left jobless and inequality occurs, the former World Bank managing director told The Jakarta Post in an interview on Tuesday, when asked about her top priority in leading the institution responsible for billions dollars of state revenue and assets.

When Sri Mulyani, a former nance minister from the 2005 to 2010 period, assumed offi ce in late July, she was met with a cash-strapped state budget due to a tax target overshoot. In her rst week, she cut spending by Rp 137 trillion (US$10.55 billion) and widened the tax revenue shortfall to Rp 219 trillion until year-end.

Sri Mulyani said the budget would cover infrastructure, poverty alleviation programs and civil servants salaries. But its not going to be enough for wasting money, said one of the worlds most powerful women, according to Forbes magazine.

So while money is limited, Indonesia is not in a budget crisis, Sri Mulyani said. Spending can only be disbursed for priority programs, those that will alleviate poverty, create jobs and generate growth. For that reason, a more realistic tax collection target is within sight under her leadership.

For next year, the government expects tax revenue to reach Rp 1.49 quadrillion, slightly lower than this years Rp 1.53 quadrillion target in the revised 2016 state budget. Gadjah Mada University economist Tony Prasetiantono expressed hope that the finance minister could be more realistic and would bring the President away from wishful thinking.

The governments big appetite for spending on development must be brought in line with its ability to collect revenue, he said.

To reach its tax target, the government is working with the House of Representatives to revise some taxation laws, including the General Taxation Law (KUP) that may give birth to the nations rst ever tax agency, income tax (PPh) and value added tax (PPN).

We will revise some laws to make sure we are updated, Sri Mulyani said, stressing the need to capture the new economy that involves a lot of untaxed digital transactions. Also, there are too many exemptions in

the PPN, she added.

In formulating new tax rates and policies, one thing she has said she would avoid was a race to the bottom, referring to government discourse to lower corporate income tax from 25 percent at present to compete with neighboring country Singapores 17 percent. The Finance Ministry will hand over all calculations on the matter to the President who is committed to creating a competitive business environment, which may mean lower corporate tax.

We will deliver options to the President so he can politically make an informed decision, said the former director of the University of Indonesias Institute for Economic and Social Research (LPEM-UI), a renowned university-based economic research house.

Sri Mulyani is a firm believer that law is just law, policy is just policy, but they mean nothing without the institutional capacity to be implemented and executed. Hence, it is expected that she will also prioritize institutional reform and capacity building of all those who work under her ministry, which covers debt, fiscal and national asset management, among other things.

Bank Central Asia (BCA) chief economist David Sumual agreed, saying problems may come from home.

The obstacle in implementing the ministers objectives include the bureaucracy, he said, calling for an effi cient, effective and productive bureaucracy to optimize state budget execution so as to create the desired effects on the overall economy. The fact that the government always fails to spend 100 percent of its budget indicates that its institutions often propose higher-than-needed spending requirements, said Samuel Asset Management economist Lana Soelistianingsih.

It is true that the governments task is to boost the economy but if the spending is not realized, it is just a waste, she said on Tuesday.

Editor's note: Paragraph three in this story has been corrected.
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Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

As the Trade Ministry gears up to abolish the quota system for cattle imports, feedlots say that the plan may hamper instead of help their businesses.

Reuters reported on Monday that the ministry sought to allow companies to ship in livestock, provided that they committed to the countrys domestic breeding program.

A trade rule introduced in August stipulated that one out of every six imported head of cattle must be used for breeding purposes. Its gone. There are no more quotas, Trade Minister Enggartiasto Enggar Lukita said on Monday.

If [companies] want to import, they will likely be allowed to, provided they import breeding [stock] because this country needs a [cattle] population.

However, feedlots claim that it will be more cost efficient to import cattle and fatten them up for four months to be ready for slaughter than to take care of breeder cows for three years until they start reproducing.

Indonesian Feedlot Association (Apfindo) executive director Joni Liano said there was insufficient land to accommodate the goal and it would cost businesses a lot of money to take care of the cattle.

An imported breeder from Australia costs at least Rp 20 million (US$1,540) and needs 15 square meters to live compared to a feeder, which costs about Rp 16 million and only needs 3 sqm.

The breeders should be kept for at least three years. They will drain our capacity and eat up the space for slaughter cattle, so this business would close down, he said over the phone.

Joni added that banks considered cattle breeding a risky business, making it hard for them to obtain financing.

Apfindo consists of 39 feedlots spread across West Java, East Java, Banten, Lampung, South Sumatra and North Sumatra. Their combined plots of land cover about 1 million sqm and can support up to 350,000 feeders.

Meanwhile, Reuters also reported that three companies had been granted approval to import a combined total of 300,000 feeder cattle through to the end of 2018 and more were expected.

The companies had agreed to import 60,000 cattle for breeding and the ministry had said it expected Indonesia to import about 700,000 cattle for slaughter in 2017.

There isnt any ministerial regulation for this but there is commitment from businesspeople. If they fail to do so, well confiscate the cattle, Enggar said as quoted by kompas.com.

He argued that the goal of expanding the cattle population was to achieve food self-sufficiency during this administration. The cattle population is reportedly stable at 14.7 million and is spread across Bali, Nusa Tenggara Islands and Sulawesi.

The government has launched efforts to expand the population by opening a new cattle center in the Bangka Belitung Islands, as well as by revamping sea logistics to reduce the shipment cost of cattle from Nusa Tenggara to Jakarta.

Separately, unlike Apfindo, Traditional Market Vendors Association (APPSI) head Ngadiran lauded the new rule, saying that the government needed to enforce it well to protect cattle farmers in the regions and to make businesses use domestic cattle.

We still have other places outside Java that have the potential for cattle breeding. Why worry about land shortage? he said.

Moreover, the government is improving the infrastructure to cut transshipment costs. So please think about the interests of the nation, not only some peoples business interests.

Economist Enny Sri Hartati from the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF) shared Ngadirans view and said business interests must to be synched with the national interest in the long term.
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Linkedin Prima Wirayani and Esther Samboh (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

Public dislike toward tax officials dates back to decades ago  the Beatles even wrote the song Taxman in the 1960s in showing how people feel about being charged for everything they own.

Today in Indonesia, public distrust toward tax officials has grown over cases of them distorting taxpayers obligations, with the infamous case of Gayus Tambunan and the latest high-profile case being probed by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati is no stranger to such dislike and distrust. She lays out her vision straight: The tax office must build the reputation that it is accountable and effective in collecting taxes.

And she means business in getting tough with the bad guys at the tax office, although she says most tax officials are the silent and good ones.

We give positive incentives for the good ones and take on the bad guys. Be consistent on that and that will reverse the morality of tax officials, Sri Mulyani said in an interview with The Jakarta Post at the directorate general of taxations headquarters on Tuesday.

Im always obsessed and passionate about institutional reforms, added the former World Bank managing director, who earned her reputation by reforming the Finance Ministry in her previous term as finance minister from 2005 to 2010, including by introducing a set of ethics and sanctions at the tax office.

Her fresh plan to reform the tax office comes as the nation struggles to boost its historically low tax ratio of around 11 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and collect revenues to aid infrastructure and social programs that are the priorities of President Joko Jokowi Widodos tenure.

First on the agenda is to improve and connect database and benchmarks of tax offices nationwide, as well as to remove tax collection hindrances. Such issues are seen as fundamental.

The absence of a reliable database means tax officials have no precise and accurate economic activities mapping, which leads to less precise tax revenue targets.

When tax officials know they have solid data and believe in their professionalism, they will be confident when knocking on the doors of any taxpayers who are obliged to pay taxes.

On the other side, taxpayers will not feel they are subject to harassment by the tax officials, Sri Mulyani said.

I believe some layers of my tax colleagues are very competent and capable but they havent been working optimally all this time maybe because we made inaccurate targets, she added.

The government set sky-high tax collection targets and failed to achieve them in the last two years. This years tax revenue target is around 30 percent higher than last years achievement.

Unrealistic targets have often led to tax officials taking all means to meet them, observers say.

But Sri Mulyani said she had been told systemic or instructed corruption no longer existed at the tax office, although she admitted that abusive practices against taxpayers remained.

If the information is accurate, we can just narrow it down to who the bad guys are and just discharge them as shock therapy, said one of the worlds most powerful women, according to Forbes.

She expressed hope that the ongoing tax amnesty could provide the much-needed database for the tax office. The program, which lasts from this July to next March, has so far collected information on around Rp 2 quadrillion (US$154.7 billion) worth of assets, revealing the size of undeclared economic activities belonging to Indonesians.

Thanks to the tax amnesty, public awareness on tax compliance has increased. This is clearly beneficial because successful tax collection also depends on the presence of a tax-savvy society, said Bawono Kristiaji, a partner at Danny Darussalam Tax Center.

Tax reforms this time, he added, would be more successful because, politically, the efforts were fully backed up by the President.

Center for Indonesia Taxation Analysis (CITA) executive director Yustinus Prastowo said the tax office was in dire need of a responsible, credible and competent leader due to the widespread public distrust of tax officials.

If necessary, the government can replace the current director general, he added.

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Linkedin Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

The government has developed centers in border areas to better help the documentation of Indonesian people seeking jobs abroad and to empower migrant workers who have become trapped in illegal employment in neighboring countries, an official has said.

"The center in Nunukan has assisted hundreds of Indonesian migrant workers employed illegally in Tawau so that they can obtain proper documentation - such as resident IDs [KTP], family cards [KK] and visas. In the center, they also can be retrained and redeployed for work," the Office of the Coordinating Human Development and Culture Ministers deputy minister for women and children protection, Sujatmiko, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

He said the success of the center since its establishment in March in North Kalimantan, a province that bordered with Malaysia, had given the government confidence to continue to expand the system.

Two more centers are expected to be completed by December, he continued. One center will be located in Entikong, which also borders with Malaysia, while the second one will be in Batam and is aimed at reaching Indonesian migrant workers in Singapore, he added.

"These workers are most vulnerable to being exploited since they have fallen victim to illegal employment," Sujatmiko said.

He said cooperation with regional governments to boost industries and provide jobs for its residents were also being developed to prevent locals from being easily lured into dubious employment schemes abroad.

West Java, Central Java, East Java, East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara and West Kalimantan are the six biggest provinces of origin of migrant workers, official data says. (ebf)
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Linkedin Andi Hajramurni (The Jakarta Post) Sungguminasa, Gowa  Wed, September 28, 2016

The recent arson attack on the Gowa Legislative Council building caused damage estimated at around Rp 5.8 billion (US$447,479.28), a lawmaker has said.

We have not yet drawn up a plan to renovate the building. The exact cost of its renovation also cannot yet be predicted because the Gowa Legislative Council members have not yet discussed it, the councils speaker Anzar Zaenal Bate explained on Wednesday.

We are still focusing our attention on arranging rooms we will use [for our activities].

Anzar explained that the two-story main building in the center of the council complex was burned down. A plenary meeting hall, the first facility set light by attackers, on the first floor of the building, was completely gutted. On the second floor, four rooms comprising three council leaders offices and a finance division office were also set ablaze.

Anzar said all Gowa Legislative Council members and staff members would still work in the council complex because two buildings there could still be used. We will still carry out our activities in this [council] compound, but we will hold our plenary meetings in the Gowa regents office. We are allowed to use one room in the office.

The arson stemmed from a conflict between Gowa Regent Adnan Purichta Ichsan Yasin Limpo and Gowa royal family members, who demanded the revocation of Bylaw No.5/2016, which mandates the establishment of the Gowa customs and traditions institute (LAD).

Under the bylaw, Limpo was inaugurated as the LAD head, who undertakes the functions of the sombaya (king) of Gowa. His inauguration drew criticism as Gowa kings have always inherited the throne through bloodlines. (ebf)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28 2016

The police have arrested an 18-year-old man in Cempaka Baru, Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, for allegedly selling marijuana to high school students.

Sawah Besar Police chief Comr. Ridwan R. Soplanit confirmed the Friday arrest, as reported by tribunnews.com on Tuesday.

Ridwan said his officers also confiscated 4.8 kilograms of dried ganja found in the suspects motorcycle.

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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

The slow economy has forced many university graduates to take lower-skilled jobs, government data shows.

According to a Central Statistics Agency (BPS) survey in February, 4.2 million university graduates are overqualified for their jobs. This number is 10.52 percent higher compared to the 3.8 million overqualified graduates recorded in February 2015.

"We call it 'the bumping down effect' when a university graduate accepts a job like taxi driving" Asian Development Bank (ADB) economist Steven Tabor said during a press conference on the 2016 Asian Development Outlook at the ADB office in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The bumping down effect will create chain effects on the other job seekers. Those who have lower education levels are facing difficulties in finding jobs as low-skill jobs are often occupied by over-qualified workers.

"Low-skilled workers, particularly women, are leaving the labor force," Tabor added.

The number of people employed fell by almost 200,000 from February 2015 to February 2016. This decrease mostly occurred in urban areas. The urban labor market also showed wage stagnation in spite of better economic growth in mid-2016. (evi)
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Linkedin Bambang Muryanto (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

Most houses of worship in Indonesia do not provide adequate facilities for the disabled, making it difficult for disabled Indonesians to engage fully in religious rituals.

The government must guarantee that all houses of worship are accessible to the disabled. If not, the government is violating human rights," said Dria Manunggal director Setia Adi Purwanta to The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Dria Manunggal is an NGO that focuses on the rights of disabled people. Dria Manungga refers to disabled people as "diffable," a blend of the words "disabled" and "ability."

Dria Manunggal has so far cooperated with Baitul Makmur Mosque in Bantul, a Buddhist temple (vihara) in Sleman and the Hindu temple Pura Jagat Nata in Bantul. In Yogyakarta, the NGO has cooperated with Protestant church Gereja Kristen Jawa (GKJ) in Wirobrajan, Catholic Church Hati Santa Perawan Maria Tak Bercela in Kumetiran and a house of worship for the faith group Sumarah.

There are two obstacles the diffable have to face in houses of worship. [Mobility issues] like tall stairs and the absence of interpreters for the deaf, Setia said.

Setia, a blind man, said the government should encourage the development of facilities for the disabled in houses of worship as they had done for other buildings through legislation.

The caretaker of Baitul Makmur Mosque in Bantul, Dodik Junaidi, said the cost of building facilities for the disabled was not high, only about Rp 2 million (US$154). The mosque now has a guiding block for the blind, special access for wheelchairs and seats in washing rooms for the disabled.

We welcome those in wheelchairs to go inside the mosque with the wheelchairs. We dont prohibit the wheelchairs by saying theyre dirty," he said.

Priest Yosef Krisetyo Nugroho from GKJ Wirobrajan said his church had a special lane for wheelchairs. The church also provides a TV to facilitate the hearing-impaired.

In the near future, we will provide special rooms for those in wheelchairs, he said.

Wiwin, a Muslim woman who is physically disabled, said she was happy with the new facility at the Baitul Makmur Mosque. Wiwin said the facility made it easy for her to get down from her wheelchair to wash herself before prayer.

Before, it was difficult to enter the mosque because I had to go up tall stairs, Wiwin said.

The head of the Yogyakarta Mosque Affairs office in the Religious Affairs Ministry, Anis Wain Muttaqien, said houses of worship were obligated to provide facilities for the disabled. (evi)
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Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani and Dylan Amirio (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

During his February visit to Californias Silicon Valley, home to the worlds largest high-tech corporations, President Joko Jokowi Widodo proudly shared his vision to make Indonesias digital economy the biggest in Southeast Asia, amassing a total value of US$130 billion by 2020.

Since then, he has repeatedly called on stakeholders to support the development of a digital economy, particularly e-commerce, noting that Indonesia has abundant potential to compete with other countries in the sector.

The President, who made his living as a furniture exporter prior to entering politics, however, chose on Tuesday to get real about his dream, as he expressed concerns over the slow progress of the countrys ecommerce industry.

In his remarks before a closeddoor Cabinet meeting, President Jokowi shared his disappointment about the countrys underdeveloped e-commerce while emphasizing the potential role of the industry to support the development of millions of the countrys 56 million small and medium-sized enterprises.

Taking the giant Chinese online marketplace Alibaba as an example, Jokowi also highlighted the need for Indonesia to have its own logistics and retail platform in order to support local e-commerce operations.

Just look at Alibaba. They have conquered the world because they have a logistics platform that they have completely mastered. Like it or not, Indonesia must have one of its own, he said.

Indonesias e-commerce market was estimated to be worth Rp 18 trillion (US$1.4 billion) in 2015, with 37 million consumers from a total population of 255 million, according to World Economic Outlook data compiled by the Internet Service Providers Association. The association also predicted that the e-commerce market would reach Rp 25 trillion by 2016, with 49 million consumers.

Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara said the government was preparing a presidential regulation (Perpres) encompassing e-commerce, which would be the subject of its upcoming 14th economic policy package. The Perpres, he said, would focus on seven issues  human resources and education, funding, taxation, consumer protection, cybersecurity, logistics and communications infrastructure  with 31 initiatives.

Rudiantara, however, declined to confirm when the new policy package and Perpres would be issued.

Since taking office in 2014, President Joko Jokowi Widodo has issued 13 stimulus packages aimed at easing hurdles that have long dampened the countrys economy.

By going mainly digital, Indonesia would be able to unleash its next level of economic growth to the tune of $150 billion in terms of impact by the year 2025 if it is able to address the most pressing and basic issues adequately, said management consulting firm McKinsey & Company in a report released on Tuesday.

The report suggested that while Indonesia is admirable in terms of the amount of its internet and smartphone users, it still does not adequately embrace modern technologys benefits. Internet penetration in Indonesia has only reached 39 percent of the population despite having a smartphone penetration rate of 43 percent.

The report partly places the fault of the low penetration on Indonesias relatively weak information and communications technology infrastructure. Indonesias internet bandwidth rate, for instance, is still far below its peers, with an average of 6.2 kbps per user compared to Malaysia with 27.2 kbps and the Philippines with 27.7 kbps.

Digitalization is a reality that affects all industries and even traditional businesses have to think of the right strategy to adopt. In Indonesia there is a massive infrastructure opportunity and thats where economic growth can really begin, McKinseys Jakarta partner Khoon Tee Tan said.

From an online business perspective, the Lippo Groups John Riady, whose conglomerate runs the online e-commerce platform MatahariMall, said that government regulations must also support the trend of digitalization rather than go against it.

Alfacart.com CEO Catherine Hindra Sutjahyo, meanwhile, said that online access is the key for internetdriven growth, suggesting that the development of ICT infrastructure can help speed up development.

Technology is advancing at a very fast rate globally. We should first watch and then let it grow before regulating it later, she said.

Digital technologies(McKinsey Global Institute Study/File)
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Linkedin Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

Indonesia now has diplomatic relations with 190 out of the 193 UN member states as the country is set to establish three new foreign representatives after the signing of agreements for that purpose on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Indonesia will open offices in Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea and Chad, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry released on Wednesday, without specifying any dates.

"Diplomatic relations will facilitate the strengthening and improvement of our cooperation, both bilaterally and multilaterally at the UN," Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said in the statement.

The minister attended 48 meetings throughout the UNGA's 71st session, which ran from Sept. 19 to 26, said the statement, adding 28 of the meetings were bilateral talks.

On Monday, Retno met with her counterparts from Bahrain and Iran, namely Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa and Mohammad Javaf Zarif respectively. She conveyed Indonesia's commitment to boost its presence in the Middle East.

In both meetings, Retno also asked for support from the two countries on its bid for the UN Security Council non-permanent membership in 2019-2020. (ebf)
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Linkedin Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

The ratification of a sea border agreement between Indonesia and Singapore will play a key role in the fostering of conducive relations between the two neighboring countries, experts have said.

"Good fences make good neighbors," said maritime expert and former Indonesian diplomat Hasyim Djalal, commenting on the agreement over the eastern part of the Singapore Strait.

He was speaking during a hearing on an Indonesia-Singapore maritime border bill at the House of Representatives Commission I, which oversees defense and foreign affairs, on Tuesday.

Hasyim supported the immediate ratification of the agreement, especially because its document had been finalized following extensive discussions by both governments since 2014. The agreement would clearly indicate areas belonging to each respective country, allowing full implementation of their sovereignty over their areas, he said.

Hasyim said the agreement was proof of the goodwill between the two nations to continue their two previous agreements over the same waters.

Former Navy official Abdul Rivai Ras, who is also a maritime defense expert, echoed Hasyim's statement, saying the ratification would serve as a basis for law enforcement that would benefit Indonesia's maritime defense and safety measures in the region.

University of Indonesia maritime law expert Chandra Motik said the border agreement was important because it would prevent violations from occurring in the area.

"With legal certainty regarding the borders, further steps to avoid violations on the bordering waters of the Singapore Strait would be easier to do," Chandra said. (ebf)
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Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

President Joko "Jokowi" has called for deregulation in the communication sector and capacity building in efforts to encourage e-commerce developments in Indonesia and make it the largest digital economy power in ASEAN.

During a limited meeting on e-commerce at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on Tuesday, Jokowi reiterated how Indonesia had huge potential in e-commerce as 93.4 million of its total 250 million population are avid internet users. In 2014 alone, he said, the trade value raised through e-commerce amounted to US$2.6 billion.

The President further said e-commerce could assist 56 million small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which contributed about 55 percent to the countrys gross domestic product (GDP).

"This huge market potential should not be abandoned. I believe this potential will be the foundation for Indonesia to become the largest digital economy in Southeast Asia. For that, I urge the acceleration of the e-commerce implementation. Otherwise, we will be left behind other countries around us," Jokowi explained.

As an initial step, he further said, Indonesia should build a logistic platform channel system and take measures to strengthen e-commerce actors. The government should prioritize start-ups it would facilitate to get access to the capital needed to grow their business and sustainability.

"We need to make widespread deregulation of the growing e-commerce industry. One thing we should not forget is to give capacity building training, [which is] needed to make e-commerce actors more competent in the business world," he went on. (ebf)
The United States Congress has overwhelmingly rejected President Obama's veto of a bill that would permit relatives of those killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks to sue Saudi Arabia. In a 97 to 1 Senate vote, and 348 to 77 House decision, the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) is set to become law. It will also be the first veto override of President Obama's two terms in office.

Of the 19 plane hijackers involved in the 9/11 attacks, 15 were Saudi nationals, and over the course of the last fifteen years many have blamed that nation's ruling family for failing to rein in fundamentalist terrorism. As The Guardian points out, JASTA would allow courts to waive claims of immunity by foreign sovereigns in instances of terrorism committed within America's borders.

Earlier this summer, the U.S. government released documents from a 2002 congressional report outlining apparent ties between the Saudi Arabian government and the hijackers behind 9/11. According to that report, Saudi officials helped some of the hijackers find flight schooling and provided financial support while they lived in the U.S. Saudi Arabia has denied any connection to the 9/11 attacks and has come out in strong opposition to the new law.

This is a decision I do not take lightly, New York Senator Chuck Schumer said following the Senate's vote to override Obama's veto. This bill is near and dear to my heart as a New Yorker, because it would allow the victims of 9/11 to pursue some small measure of justice, finally giving them a legal avenue to pursue foreign sponsors of the terrorist attack that took from them the lives of their loved ones. Nevada Democrat Harry Reid was the only member of the Senate to support Obama's veto.

In a letter set to both Reid and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Tuesday, the president stressed he was "fully committed to assisting the families of the victims of terrorist attacks of Sept. 11," but opposed the new law on grounds that it could put American military and officials at risk overseas. The Washington Post notes that Obama's letter warned JASTA would neither protect Americans from terrorist attacks nor improve the effectiveness of of our response to such attacks. In an editorial Wednesday, the New York Times announced its support of Obama's veto:

While the aim  to give the families their day in court  is compassionate, the bill complicates the United States relationship with Saudi Arabia and could expose the American government, citizens and corporations to lawsuits abroad. Moreover, legal experts like Stephen Vladeck of the University of Texas School of Law and Jack Goldsmith of Harvard Law School doubt that the legislation would actually achieve its goal. [...] Advocates say the measure is narrowly drawn, but administration officials argue that it would apply much more broadly and result in retaliatory actions by other nations. The European Union has warned that if the bill becomes law, other countries could adopt similar legislation defining their own exemptions to sovereign immunity. Because no country is more engaged in the world than the United States  with military bases, drone operations, intelligence missions and training programs  the Obama administration fears that Americans could be subject to legal actions abroad.



The newly-passed bill supersedes a 1976 law that granted other countries immunity from American lawsuits, making it possible for nations to be taken to court over their potential involvement in deadly terrorist acts committed within the U.S. It also stands as a sign of Washington's growing anxiety over its ties to Saudi Arabia, which has stood as one of America's Middle Eastern allies for decades and benefitted from $60 billion in arms sales during the Obama administration.

This is not a time when U.S.-Saudi relations have much popular support on either side, F. Gregory Gause, head of the international affairs department at Texas A&M Universitys Bush School of Government and Public Service told the Washington Post. However, Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn, who co-authored the bill along with Schumer, rejected the notion that Congress seeks to pull away from the House of Saud.

"When our interests diverge and its a question of protecting American rights and American values, I think we should do that, Cornyn said Wednesday. This is not about severing our relationship with any ally. This is simply a matter of justice.
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Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

Krakatau Daya Listrik, has officially signed a strategic partnership agreement on transformer maintenance in Indonesia with the local arm of German technology company Siemens Indonesia.

Under the agreement, Siemens will be a collaboration partner for the subsidiary of state-owned steel maker Krakatau Steel in developing its transformer testing and repair facility in Indonesia, Krakatau Daya Listrik president director Alugoro Mulyowahyudi said.

"The partnership is beyond just mutually beneficial collaboration in the transformer testing and repair business. It is a long-term investment to grow our business further," he said at a press conference on the sidelines of the 71th National Electricity Day Conference in Jakarta on Wednesday.

From the partnership, Alugoro continued, Krakatau Daya could develop the competencies of its employees, reduce the cost of transformer repair and maintenance, optimize the existing facility utilization and grow the business scale.

Prior to this partnership, all Siemens transformers had to undergo maintenance in China. Through this partnership, Siemens will generate greater economic value by using Krakatau Daya Listriks facility.

Siemens Indonesia CEO Josef Winter added that the partnership was in line with the firms commitment to support development in Indonesia. "We have a long history in Indonesia and we continue to increase our investment," he said.

Siemens Indonesia's head of energy management division Andreas Aike said the service facility was expected to be Siemens transformer maintenance center in Southeast Asia. "In the future, the facility can also be used for maintenance of products not made by Siemens," he said. (ags)
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Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan  Wed, September 28, 2016

Malaysian developer Building Green, Modern Constructions (BGMC) Corporation has expressed its interest in developing an Islamic center and international school in North Sumatra.

The investment interest was publicly announced after a meeting with North Sumatra Governor T. Erry Nuradi at his office in Medan on Sept. 27.

We want to invest in the development of an Islamic center as well as international school in North Sumatra, said BGMC Corporation chairman Tan Sri Barry Goh.

In response, Erry Nuradi praised BGMC Corporations plan, saying it was in accordance with the regional administrations role as the host of a national Quran recital competition (MTQ) in June 2018.

I have instructed the related government institutions to immediately follow up and coordinate with BGMC in a bid to realize the project, he said, adding that the administration had offered 50 hectares of land in Deli Serdang regency, around 7 kilometers from Kualanamu airport, for the project. (ags)
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Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

Microsoft Indonesia has said it will fully support the government's policy of minimum local content requirements for 4G LTE smartphones as long as the calculation is focused largely on software.

Microsoft Indonesia president director Andreas Diantoro said Tuesday the government should calculate the percentage of local content primarily in the realm of software as this was the area where Indonesia had a lot of strength.

"If local content is in the area of software, we will fully support it because I believe our developers can compete in this field," Andreas told the journalists.

However, Andreas said if the government tried to impose the requirement on hardware development, it would create difficulties because Indonesians might not have the necessary skills to develop the components.

The government currently applies a mandatory 20 percent local content requirement for 4G-enabled smartphones and the content calculation is solely based on hardware. The minimum local content requirement for 4G smartphones, locally abbreviated TKDN, will be raised to 30 percent in 2017 in an attempt to boost the local component industry and make Indonesia a production base. (dmr)
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Linkedin Lita Aruperes (The Jakarta Post) Manado, North Sulawesi  Wed, September 28, 2016

North Sulawesi Police have arrested a man from Langowan Barat district in Minahasa regency for allegedly repeatedly raping his daughter over a six-year period.

The man, identified as Sam, was arrested at his home.

North Sulawesi Police general crimes unit head Sr. Comr. Pitra Ratulangi said Wednesday that his team had followed up on a report filed by the victim and her mother.

Pitra said the victim had been raped since she was a third grader. She is now 14 and in high school.

The last time he forced himself on her was on Sept. 23, Pitra said, adding that she had refused but he slapped her and threatened to beat her up.

The victim reportedly told police that her father had raped her several times in the last six years, carrying out the attacks when his wife went to work.

The police said the mother had suspected something was wrong but the father convinced her everything was fine.

After some counseling, the victim and her mother decided to file the police report.

The head of the National Commission for Child Protections (Komnas PA) North Sulawesi branch, Jull Takaliuang, said she appreciated the polices swift action and she hoped the prosecutors and court would be equally firm.

Jull said the victim had told her that if she refused her fathers advances he would beat her up with a broom, a chair, pull her hair and bang her head against a wall.

He should receive multiple charges for his crime. Rape and battery, she said. (evi)
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Linkedin Teressa Warianto (The Jakarta Post)  Wed, September 28 2016

(JP/Teressa Warianto)

Restu Anggraini may be one of the countrys most successful young designers in Muslim fashion, but she says technology and social media helped jump-start her fashion career.



Before I was designing my own clothes, I started an online Muslim wear fashion business with my friends, and from there I saw how powerful social media was as a marketing tool, Restu said.



We began by uploading around 10 products onto Facebook and immediately received overwhelming feedback. That was what inspired me to take my career in fashion to the next level and start my own Muslim wear clothing line, she said.



Restu believes social media has played a crucial role in getting her to where she is today.



Social media has really allowed fashion designers to get their brands out there. Before all this technology, it would take years for fashion designers to be recognized, but social media has really shortened the time it takes for people to learn about us, she said.



Even as she continues to keep herself busy by showcasing her works in a number of fashion festivals around the world, including the 2016 Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival and the 2015 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Tokyo, Restu still relies on social media to connect herself to her customers.



In my experience, customers are more outspoken online. Theyre more willing to criticize our designs and give us a more honest input through social media, so its really helped fashion designers to not only connect with our customers but to really learn from them as well, she said.



Restu says that even in her day-to-day life, shes pretty reliant on technology to keep her updated.



I can find most of the information I need as a designer on the internet. Even fashion magazines like Vogue, for example, are already online so I dont even think Ive picked up an actual magazine in a really long time!



These are the three gadgets she cant live without:

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Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

The government will include e-commerce development in its 14th economic policy package, top officials said on Tuesday.

"That's the plan. We will look for the right moment," Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution told reporters after a limited meeting on e-commerce at the Presidential Office in Jakarta.

Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung concurred with Darmin's statement, adding that the government was preparing a presidential regulation (Perpres) on an e-commerce roadmap.

"The next package will be about e-commerce and the digital economy in general. We are currently preparing the Perpres," Pramono said.

Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara added that the roadmap would consist of 31 initiatives to address seven issues in the e-commerce sector, namely human resources and education, access to capital, tax incentives, consumer protection, cyber security, logistics and communication infrastructure.

"There are 31 initiatives being prepared in the regulation," he said, adding that the government hopes to build a US$130 billion e-commerce market by 2020. (evi)
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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

Four political parties that support the incumbent pair of Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama and Djarot Saiful Hidayat will reorganize the pairs campaign team to accommodate the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's (PDI-P) wishes to lead the team.

There must be a modification inside the campaign team, which had been formed before the PDI-P declared its support. Now, the parties that supported Ahok should meet to discuss the detailed plan of the team, PDI-P politician Gembong Warsono told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Gembong referred to a campaign team led by Golkar politician Nusron Wahid and appointed by Ahok when he was only supported by three political parties  Golkar, NasDem and Hanura. The PDI-P, the largest party in the coalition, had openly expressed its intention to lead the campaign team.

Nusron was inaugurated as part of the campaign team at Rumah Lembang (Ahoks campaign team) in Menteng, Central Jakarta. But Ahok said on Tuesday that Nusron was not his campaign team chief.

Nusron is not a campaign chief. I never officially declared him as my campaign chief as he just coordinated the team for me, Ahok said.

Separately, Coordinator of Golkar central executive boards politics, law and security division Yorrys Raweyai said his party agreed with the plan to replace Nusron with PDI-P politician Prasetyo Edi Marsudi.

Yorrys said Prasetyo, who is the Jakarta Council speaker, deserved to lead the team. The City Council speaker is good. He has experience in the gubernatorial election in Jakarta, he said on Tuesday as reported by tribunnews.com. (bbn)
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Linkedin N. Adri (The Jakarta Post) Balikpapan, East Kalimantan  Wed, September 28, 2016

A remote village in East Kutai regency has become a target of drug distribution despite being 200 kilometers from the regency capital of Sangatta and 500 kilometers from Balikpapan, a major city in East Kalimantan province.

The police found 432 pil koplo (diazepam tablets), also known as Double LL, in a motorcycle and in the front yard of a church on Sunday night.

This village is along the trans-Kalimantan route. The difference is that dealers usually go past this village but apparently they now see a potential market in rural areas, East Kutai Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Rino Eko said in Sangatta on Tuesday.

The police raided villages earlier this week, looking for drugs, sharp weapons and liquor.

We found a bunch of young people drinking in front of the Kongbeng district office, Eko said.

When police searched them, they found 102 diazepam pills hidden under the seat of a motorcycle belonging to JI, 22.

After some investigation, JI led the police to AY, 19, who had hidden 150 pills in a plastic bag in the yard of a church. A further search revealed another 180 pills in small packages with three or six tablets per bag. (evi)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

Unlike evictions in other areas, residents offered no physical resistance when hundreds of security personnel escorted workers and backhoes to topple their houses in Bukit Duri near Ciliwung River in South Jakarta on Wednesday.

Their protests were expressed in a peaceful manner. The residents played various kinds of musical instruments to balance against the roar of the backhoes.

Sandyawan Sumardi, one of the founders of Sanggar Ciliwung Merdeka, an organization that gives a voice to marginalized people, said the residents would not carry out physical resistance because they had taken the case to court.

We are not victims. We are survivors who never give up, said Sandyawan, adding that the administration had not acted fairly because the evictions had taken place while the legal process was still ongoing.

As one by one the houses were destroyed by the heavy machinery, the residents hit kentongan (bamboo drums), angklung (bamboo orchestra equipment), plastic buckets, cans and other things to express their discontent.

Other residents secured their belongings from their houses as the backhoes approached them. They could only retreat and weep.

In response to critics of his eviction policy, as reported by kompas.com, Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, who is seeking reelection, said: I dont care about popularity. The most important thing is that people will remember me. (bbn)
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Linkedin Ruslan Sangadji (The Jakarta Post) Palu, Central Sulawesi  Wed, September 28, 2016

The development of the Palu Special Economic Zone (KEK) on 1,500 hectares of land in North Palu, Central Sulawesi, may cost around Rp 7.2 trillion (US$556.78 million), a construction firm official has said.

Construction firm PT Bangun Palu Sulawesi Tengah president director Mulhanan Tombolotutu said such a huge budget would be used for land clearing and infrastructure development. Infrastructure facilities to be built include a power plant, water treatment and water supply facilities, road access, drainage, waste treatment and office facilities.

It is expected that such a huge budget could come from the State Budget, regional budgets [APBD], business partners and financial institutions, both banks and non-banks, said Mulhanan, who is also a KEK Palu Management Body member, on Monday.

He said the management body would prepare further land clearings and operational targets so the project construction could be started in the beginning of 2017.

One of the KEK Palu Management Bodys board of director members, Kim Sun Hyun, said one of the private companies, namely the Korean Engineering Consultant Corporation (KECC), was ready to develop a power plant and water treatment facility.

The Indonesian government has inaugurated 10 KEKs in Indonesia. Six KEKs were initiated by private companies and state-owned companies. They comprise Sei Mangkei in North Sumatra, Tanjung Lesung in Banten, Mandalika in West Nusa Tenggara, Morotai in North Maluku, Maloi in East Kalimantan and Tanjung Kelayang in Bangka Belitung.

Meanwhile, four other KEKs were initiated by local administrations. They comprise KEK Palu in Central Sulawesi, KEK Bitung in North Sulawesi, KEK Tanjung Api-Api in South Sumatra and KEK Sorong in West Papua. (ebf)
This week, Gothamist is running excerpts from The Brooklyn Wars, a new book from journalist Neil deMause about the social, economic, and political forces that have radically reshaped Brooklyn over the past four decades. This five-part series, the Bushwick Wars, traces the story of Bushwick from the 1970s to the present day.

As different as Brooklyn and Queens are in the public mind, the border between the two boroughs is barely noticed by most New Yorkers. The only major city border not marked by a waterwayboth Brooklyn and Queens are, geographically and geologically, part of Long Islandit evolved organically starting in the seventeenth century, when the British crown first established Queens and Kings Counties as separate bureaucratic jurisdictions. At one point, the Kings County town of Bushwick and the Queens County town of Newtown engaged in a decades-long dispute over just where the border lay, until the issue was resolved by the designation of a small boulder dubbed Arbitration Rock as the boundary.

Bushwicks western border, initially, was the East River, where the community known as Bushwick Shore grew up in the early 1800s. In 1840, the former Bushwick Shore seceded from its namesake parent and renamed itself the town of Williamsburgh, after Colonel Jonathan Williams, the Army Corps of Engineers chief whom a local developer had hired to survey the land for development. The new towns independence didnt last long: Fifteen years later, both Williamsburg (the "h" had been dropped in the intervening decade) and Bushwick were annexed by Brooklyn, then still an independent city.



The old Domino Sugar Factory. (Vivienne Gucwa)

From its early days, Williamsburg was a mishmash of a neighborhood. Tenements and other small apartment buildings shared streets with light industry; its defining feature for many years was the sickly sweet smell emanating from the Domino Sugar factory on the East River waterfront. By the middle of the 20th century, Williamsburgs mostly German and Jewish population had given way to a melting pot of Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Italians, and Hasidic Jews. Then, starting in the 1980s, the neighborhood began to draw a different kind of migrant: artists and musicians fleeing the high rents that were quickly making unaffordable the Lower East Side. The derelict factories and warehouses of Williamsburg may have been unsightly to some, but they offered dirt-cheap rents and the ability to blast music at all hours without worrying about waking the neighbors. By the mid-2000s, Kent Avenue along the waterfront was home to homegrown clubs like Death By Audio and Glasslands, and the heart of New Yorks new music scene had relocated to Brooklyn.

As Williamsburg became a hip address, landlords began to notice, raising rents and tearing down old buildings to put up new ones. Rents soared and soon young college graduates seeking a place to lay their futons began turning their gaze to what was formerly known as the East Williamsburg Industrial Park, a square mile of warehouses, breweries, and factories on the Williamsburg-Bushwick border that had been gradually emptying out as light industry exited the city. A few landowners, seeing the housing boom underway immediately to the west in Williamsburg proper, began clearing out old buildings and offering them as "lofts" to young artists and musicians who cared more about space, cheap rent and easy access to Manhattan than about having any neighbors or local shopping.

"We didnt know anybody who was living out here, and we didnt know anything to do out here," recalled Jesse Jarnow, a musician and journalist who after graduating from college in 2001 moved back to the Brooklyn that his parents had abandoned, settling on Bushwick in large part because of its easy accessibility to more known quantities like Williamsburg and Manhattan. "This was the home base from which we went to go do things. The idea was it was cheap and available and we could make noise. It was a way we could extend our adolescence, probably." Shortly after he and several friends moved into a former factory building in the industrial park, they took the freight elevator down to the first floor. "It was as if the factory had been closed, and people had just said go home," he recalled. "There was literally still food in the fridge and on some of the tablesit was actually a good sign that there werent rats in the building."



Death by Audio. (Tod Seelie)

With lots of emptyif not exactly finishedavailable space, young musicians frustrated with the difficult-to-break-into club scene began setting up recording studios and DIY performance spaces ("DIY" in this case being code for "not actually licensed by the city"), and often added living spaces for themselves as well. The owner-occupants of Shea Stadium"not the original Shea Stadium, obviously," noted Jarnowinstalled bathrooms and other amenities, and lived upstairs from the club. Soon, the Williamsburg-Bushwick border had a burgeoning art scene of its own, with not just musicians but young activists and artists who saw the largely abandoned properties as a blank slate in which to create a new community. Huge graffiti murals began to appear on long-unused roll gates. "One day there was some dog poop and someone painted it gold," recalled Jarnow. "That was one of my favorites."

Because the industrial park had never been residential, the new loft dwellers werent directly displacing any existing residents with their new music spaces and shops. Soon enough, though, realtors seeking new frontiers noticed the success of the new neighborhood on the Bushwick border and began setting their sights farther east. Listings began to pop up for properties well into Bushwick, advertised as East Williamsburg (or even "Far East Williamsburg") and touting their proximity by subway to Manhattan.

Among the earliest Williamsburg refugees to venture past the industrial park, across Flushing Avenue and into the vicinity of Bushwick proper, were the members of the experimental band Skeletons. Having been evicted from their warehouse building at 184 Kent Avenue on the Williamsburg waterfront in 2004, the band started looking on Craigslist for "raw, industrial live/work spaces that were along the L train," as Skeletons founder Matt Mehlan later recalled. They ended up on Wyckoff Avenue in Ridgewood, just across the Queens border from Bushwick. (Prior to the blackout, the two neighborhoods had even shared a zip code, until Ridgewood residents petitioned the post office to be distinguished from Bushwicks now-sullied 11237). In Ridgewood, the band founded Silent Barn, pouring sweat equity and sheetrock into an old warehouse to create a performance/residential/work space that soon housed both hip bands and a video game designers collective in the basement.

Taking the L train, which makes 12 stops across Williamsburg and the heart of Bushwick, and riding it until you arrived at the first affordable apartment listing became a common tale told by new young residents, most of whom were, unusually for Bushwick, white. "In 2000, we started getting hints of people from Williamsburg trickling into the communitya lot of young professionals, a lot of artists," said Jose Lopez, an organizer with the community group Make the Road New York. It was "something completely foreign to community members in Bushwick," said Lopez. Previously, he said, "people were scared to step into Bushwick."



Along Bushwick Avenue. (Scott Heins)

The migration was accelerated after the city moved to rezone Williamsburg in 2005, ostensibly to protect that neighborhood from developers who were aggressively plotting to erect buildings as tall as possible to cash in on its new popularity. The final Williamsburg zoning map limited high-rises to the largely industrial waterfront; developers promptly moved to take advantage of the new rules while simultaneously rushing to beat the clock on the old ones, erecting new condo towers on the waterfront, plus a swarm of hastily constructed apartment buildings wherever they could break ground inland before the new zoning went into effect. (One tower on North 7th Street, derisively nicknamed the "finger building" by neighbors, got in under the gun to rise 200 feet tall, more than triple the height of its neighbors; the resulting building offered apartments listing for anywhere from $640,000 for a one-bedroom to nearly $2 million for a three-bedroom.)

The new housing brought with it new residents willing to pay more for pricier amenities. It was the rezoning, in fact, that first drove Mehlan and his housemates to first move to Ridgewood and launch Silent Barn: after six months in a warehouse building on the Williamsburg waterfront, explained Mehlan, they had been kicked out of their cheap loft space, along with their neighbors, to prepare for its conversion to "authentic loft rentals."

It was around this time that Bushwick first began to see not just new residents in old buildings, but new construction as well. For Lopez, this was brought home when 358 Grove Street went up on the next block over from Make the Roads headquarters. A 13-story tower moated by parking lots, the buildings opening was advertised to prospective residentsor mocked; no one could be quite sure whether it was too dumb to be real or too dumb to be a jokevia a bizarre YouTube music video. In it, a blonde woman in sunglasses, identified as Daphne B, looked out over Bushwick from her rooftop perch and reminisced in song about her ostensible Manhattan past: "the memory of us/sitting in Washington Square on summer nights." The videos final shot showed Daphne skipping down the sidewalk, framed by a Puerto Rican flag and the tenements that the 358 Grove apartments looked down on. "These hopes, hopeless jokes all rest on you," she sang. "In Bushwick, I hope, someday."

Neil deMause has covered New York City development issues for the Village Voice, City Limits, and Metro New York. He is the co-author of Field of Schemes: How the Great Stadium Swindle Turns Public Money Into Private Profit. The Brooklyn Wars is now available.
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Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) has called on the government to prioritize the interests of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the ongoing Indonesia-EU talks on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

Kadin chairman Rosan P.Roeslani said Indonesian businesspeople welcomed the countrys free-trade pact with the European bloc, highlighting the partnerships potential to widen their export market to EU member countries with fewer trade barriers.

Hopefully the government will also stand up for SMEs in the negotiations, he said in Jakarta on Tuesday

Indonesia and EU began their initial meeting to discuss general issues on the free trade pact in Brussels, Belgium, last week, following the signing of the scoping paper between Indonesian and EU leaders on April 21.

Among issues discussed in the first negotiations include market access of trade in goods and services, customs and trade facilitation, as well as technical regulations in the field of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS).

Other issues discussed were technical regulations in the field of technical barriers to trade (TBT), government procurement, intellectual property rights, trade competition, transparency policies, dispute settlements, and trade and sustainable developments.

During the meeting, both parties agreed that the second negotiation meeting would be held in Indonesia in early 2017, during which they will discuss more comprehensive and substantive issues contained in the scoping paper.

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded that total trade between Indonesia and the EU reached US$26.1 billion in 2015. In that year Indonesia's exports to the EU amounted to $14.8 billion and imports from the EU amounted to $11.3 billion. (ebf)
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Linkedin Farida Susanty (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28 2016

State railway operator Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) is aiming to persuade more businesses to use railway instead of road transportation to ship commodities in a bid to boost revenues from its cargo service.



The company expects its freight service to account for 60 percent of its total revenue in the next two years, from less than 50 percent currently. It aims to earn Rp 6.1 trillion (US$471.3 million) in cargo revenue next year, from Rp 5.1 trillion this year, of the Rp 20 trillion total revenue target.



KAI commercial and IT director Kuncoro Wibowo expected the increase to be backed up by information technology advancements as well as greater connectivity to bonded warehouses and ports.



I want the IT advancement in our cargo service to match that of our passenger ticketing transformation, he said recently, referring to the companys effort since 2010 to digitalize tickets to be available online for railway users, from manual counters previously.



The features envisioned by the company include cargo management, where businesses will be able to track the location of their goods during the transporting process in real time online. This year, the effort will be focused on the development of a web-based application to ease customers access to the service.



KAI already has the digital facilities to calculate the demand for cars and locomotives needed in certain stations at certain times.



If they need more [to transport the commodities], we can allocate more cars and locomotives to that area, he said.



It is also mulling cooperation in IT with US-based technology company General Electric for the technology advancement, as the company boasts RailConnect 360 technology, a set of solutions to optimize train performance and operations.



We are still looking at what we can do. We need to look at their operation pattern, GE Transportation Indonesia sales director Detri Triyadi said. KAI also aims to connect with bonded logistics centers (PLB), which act as warehouses for imported and exported items such as those in Gresik, East Java and Karawang, West Java, to help business players transport their goods straight to the major ports nearby.



The PLBs, introduced by the government in March as part of its economic stimulus packages, are expected to serve as alternatives to ports for storing shipped goods, such as oil, gas, textile-related materials and chemicals.



He cited the recent reactivation of Indro station in Gresik for cargo railway services heading to Sungai Lagowa Station in Jakarta, as part of the effort.



Gresik also has big a port. But so far there is a lot of housing blocking the way, he said.



KAI, through its subsidiary Kereta Api Logistik, provides railway services connecting the countrys busiest Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta and Cikarang Dry Port. The train is able to carry 60 6-meter equivalent container units (TEUs).



The company provides freight services for corporate and retail companies, carrying various commodities such as cement, coal and crude palm oil (CPO).



It has also has started transporting individual corpses for burial, especially for long haul trips, Kuncoro said.



KAI carried a total of 29.7 million tons of goods last year, with this figure expected to more than double to 62.9 million tons this year. The governments railway projects, such as the construction of a double-track railway in southern Java and the trans-Sumatra expansion, will back up the plan, the company said.



The government plans to build more than 3,200 kilometers of railway tracks over the course of five years. Railway construction has not previously seen any significant progress in the country, with a decrease in active railway track from 8,157 km in the 1930s to a mere 5,196 km in 2015.

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Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

Vice President Jusuf Kalla says Indonesias electricity development should not merely focus on achieving a balanced electrification ratio but also on efforts to improve quality and sustainable supply.

He pointed out that in a bid to compete with its neighbors, Indonesia must provide cheap electricity so that businesspeople would not move to countries with lower electricity costs.

Kalla said the governments responsibility to develop electricity was increasing, both in terms of amount and quality.

"Electricity is a key component in industry. With high electricity prices, its certain our industry cannot compete with other countries that have lower electricity prices, such as Vietnam and Thailand. Therefore, developing electricity is not merely an issue of achieving a balanced percentage in the electrification ratio but also improving the quality and sustainability of our energy sources," Kalla said during the opening ceremony of the 71st National Electricity Day conference on Wednesday.

From 2011 to 2015, state-owned electricity company PLNs business flourished. Its electricity sales increased sharply from 157 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2011 to over 202 TWh in 2015. The number of PLN customers increased from 45 million in 2011 to more than 61 million in 2015, while the electrification ratio increased from 71.23 percent to 88.3 percent in those years.

However, Indonesia has continued to suffer sporadic and widespread electricity shortages, for various reasons. These include delays in the completion of power generation and transmission regulations, a lack of bankable projects, poor infrastructure and geographical challenges. (ebf)
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

Indonesia, as the world biggest crude palm oil (CPO) producer, needs to accelerate its efforts to build a downstream industry for palm oil as CPO runner-up Malaysia is far ahead in developing a value-added CPO industry.

In 2015, Indonesias CPO production reached 32.5 million tons, with exports reaching 26.4 million tons. The export value went down from US$21.1 billion in 2014 to $18.6 billion in 2015.

Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF) economist Berly Martawardaya has predicted that the export value in 2016 will not differ greatly from 2015 due to stagnant global demand for CPO. He warned that Malaysia would take advantage of this situation if Indonesia remained slow in building its downstream industry.

"We need to export more palm oil derivative products to counter underperforming CPO exports. Malaysia was aware of this problem and shifted to processed products," he told The Jakarta Post after a Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) event in Jakarta on Tuesday.

By building a downstream industry, Berly continued, Malaysian palm oil companies had even imported Indonesian CPO through their subsidiaries or joint ventures to then process the CPO into derivative products that have relatively stable demand and better prices.

"The F and B [food and beverage] industry in Indonesia could be the anchor for a downstreaming program. We have many world-class F and B industry players such as Indofood," he said. (ags)
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Linkedin Petchanet Pratruangkrai (The Nation/ANN) Bangkok  Wed, September 28, 2016

Three areas of cooperation to stimulate education in science and technological development in the region will be implemented from Oct. 1.

Thailand will invest an initial $1 million to establish a Science, Technology and Innovation Development Fund for ASEAN.

After the first Asean Science & Technology Innovation (STI) Forum, held in Bangkok last week, Science and Technology Minister Pichet Durongkaveroj said the forum had come up with three plans to stimulate education in science and technological development in the region.

"As host of the event, Thailand proposed providing $1 million in initial investment capital to set up a Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Development Fund for ASEAN, so that ASEAN countries will have a tangible plan to direct responsible development of science and technology," he said.

After Thailand's proposal, representatives of other ASEAN countries responded to the idea and said they would ask their governments to approve budgets for contributing to the fund.

Durongkaveroj said the Newton Fund, which is managed by the UK Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in collaboration with 16 partner countries, would support the establishment of the STI Development Fund for ASEAN.

Moreover, he said that after discussions with Mark Walport, science adviser to the prime minister of Britain, Thailand and the UK had agreed to draw up a memorandum of understanding on support for science and innovation.

After the first Asean STI Forum, three areas of cooperation will be implemented from October 1.

The first plan is to set up of the STI Fund for ASEAN, initially funded by Thailand at $1 million. Second, Thailand will support ASEAN human-resource development by providing scholarships for the pursuit of master's and doctoral degrees. And third, the government sector will assist the private sector in doing research and innovative work in the region.

Durongkaveroj said that although ASEAN had encouraged science education and innovation for many years, it had lacked a centre to continue such support. The ASEAN STI Forum and Fund should help tighten cooperation in this area and lead the region towards sustainable development.

ASEAN cooperation in science and technology affects many sectors, such as food, energy and alternative energy, and biodiversity.
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Linkedin Jessicha Valentina (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

To promote Japan's cultural tourism, the country's national broadcaster NHK World is hosting a series of activities at several Jakarta shopping malls in September and October.

The activities are divided into three parts: a pop-up booth, a Domo-kun exhibition and event promotions. The pop-up booth, which takes place in Senayan City in South Jakarta from Sept. 1 to Oct. 2, is designed to give visitors a closer look at Japan's tourism and food culture, the two main attractions for Indonesians visiting the country, by showing the free NHK World's Video on Demand (VoD) service.

(Read also: Popular onsen to visit in Japan)

After making an appearance at Grand Indonesia Shopping Town in Central Jakarta on Sept.12-16, the exhibition of NHK World's iconic character Domo-kun is currently being held in Kota Kasablanka in South Jakarta until Oct. 2, with visitors given the opportunity to take pictures with the character. As for the event promotions, the broadcaster will be joining Garuda Indonesia Travel Fair slated for Oct. 7- 9 at the Jakarta Convention Center in South Jakarta.

As Japan's largest broadcasting organization, NHK World works extensively to promote Japanese cultures by broadcasting television shows, such as Journeys in Japan, Dining with the Chef, and many more. (kes)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, September 28, 2016

Educating local communities and visitors on how to best benefit from tourist attractions without harming the environment is a key part of ecotourism, a presidential staff member said on Wednesday.

"As the main player in ecotourism, local communities must have all the necessary information and comprehension of tourism outcomes," Yanuar Nugroho from the presidential office said on the sidelines of the two-day Ecotourism: Globalizing Local Communities without Impacting the Environment event that runs until Thursday.

Yanuar cited the example of tourists who reportedly stepped on flowers while taking selfies at Baturraden Botanical Park in Banyumas, Central Java, in December last year, which went viral on social media following harsh criticism from netizens.

Meanwhile, the people of Bangka Island, which serves as a mining area, have come together to preserve the strategic tourist destination. As mining has damaged coral reefs, said Yanuar, over 20,000 people from the Save Bangka Island community were campaigning to stop mining activities by taking photos of underwater damage and sharing them online.

(Read also: Developing Nyambu Village into an ecotourism destination)

Attracting investors to help boost ecotourism in the country also posed a challenge, said Yanuar, as it was a long-term investment, not an instant one. Economists said that tourism is not only an alternative for the states income but could also be the backbone.

Some 10.4 million foreign tourists visited Indonesia last year, contributing Rp 144 trillion (US$11.124 billion) in income, a small increase from Rp 133.9 trillion in 2014.

Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) executive director Philips Vermonte said the government and local administrations needed to find the best way to promote local culture and preserve it. Promoting tourism is not only the Tourism Ministry's duty; local communities can also help out. Netizens actually have a big role in the matter as they can easily upload pictures on social media when they travel [across the archipelago], said Vermonte. (wnd/kes)
Nearly 14,000 drivers working for Uber, Lyft, and other ride-share app companies have signed union cards, a major show of support in the uphill battle for recognition and leverage as employees. Drivers rallied outside the Taxi and Limousine Commission office in Long Island City yesterday, calling for the agency to schedule a union election. The TLC says that's not its role.

"While the TLC has no role whatsoever in unionization, we have long valued the importance of driver protections in our rulemaking and regulatory processes," TLC Commissioner Meera Joshi said in a statement.

Uber and Lyft drivers are treated by their employers as independent contractors, meaning the New York drivers' cards pledging support for joining the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181 are somewhat, though not entirely, symbolic. The National Labor Relations Board is the federal agency that formally recognizes unions and mediates labor disputes, and it does not recognize independent contractors as deserving of the same protections as employees.

In the last year, New York Uber drivers have protested fare cuts, and demanded an option for passengers to tip.

Labor lawyer Ben Dictor, a partner at the firm Eisner & Associates, explained in an email that while independent contractors lack formal bargaining rights, "becoming a member can give an independent contractor access to benefits and a stronger, collective voice within their industry." He continued:

One could see how this could be particularly useful from an advocacy and industry standards perspective for workers who, like cab drivers, work alone for significant parts of their workday. Joining a union is one way to pool economic and political power to push the industry forward.

Drivers working for app startups around the country are fighting for formal recognition as employees, in court and through local legislation, with mixed results. In Seattle, lawmakers passed an ordinance in December entitling Uber and Lyft drivers to union representation.

In April, Uber settled litigation with drivers in California and Massachusetts, with the terms denying the drivers employee status and awarding them $100 million. However, a federal judge overturned the settlement last month, calling the $100 million inadequate, and concluding that "a small portion of the $100 million amount reflects only 0.1 percent of the potential full verdict value of the case." A group called the New York Taxi Workers Alliance filed a similar class-action lawsuit on behalf of 5,000 New York Uber drivers late this spring.



Uber drivers striking in February (Max Rivlin-Nadler / Gothamist)

And in August, the NLRB decided in a case out of Columbia University that graduate students working as adjunct professors are employees with a right to unionize.

Dictor, the labor lawyer, said that the many cases involving independent contractors seeking recognition as employees around the country show that the law has not kept up with the country's shift towards a gig economy.

"It's a case-by-case analysis," he said, noting that classification challenges can be brought at before the NLRB as well as the IRS and a litany of other federal agencies. "It's not necessarily the most efficient way of addressing the overall problem, which is that you have a more and more dispersed labor force."

The Amalgamated union drive in New York is one of several competing labor organizing efforts focused on ride-share drivers in the city. In May, Uber came to an agreement with a group called the Independent Drivers Guild, an offshoot of the International Association of Machinists, to listen to representatives of the app's 35,000 New York City drivers. The guild is supposed to meet with management on a weekly basis for the next five years, and offer drivers discounted legal services, life and supplemental disability insurance, roadside assistance, and other resources.

The guild does not have the ability to formally bargain, and has promised not to unionize drivers in the absence of employee status, but a rep told Crain's that status could change.

"Should drivers be classified as employees at any time, the Machinists can help them unionize, building on the strength of the Guild," said guild founder and Machinists attorney James Conigliaro, Jr. "As the only union to successfully organize and unionize New Yorks black-car drivers in the last 20 yearsand the only union to negotiate key protections and a seat at the table with Uberwe are in the best position to win real change."

Uber and Lyft spokespeople told the Daily News that the latest petitions lack employer names in the required field, and that drivers are welcome to switch between apps.
Biographies are but clothes and buttons of the man  the biography of the man himself cannot be written  Mark Twain

Born on the mountaintop in Tennessee

Greenest state in the land of the free

Raised in the woods sos he knew every tree

Kilt him a bar when he was only three

Day-Ve, Day-Ve Crockett! King of the Wild Frontier!

I know this song, and you probably do to, and yet I cant quite say why or how. I think for some reason it started at least a couple decades ago in my grandparents house, probably some Disney family movie night, or maybe I heard it by chance out in the ether somewhere and it just settled into my auditory cortex, like a disc in a jukebox waiting for the drop of memorys coin.

Whats strange (to me, at least) is that even though I know this ditty decently enough, I couldnt really tell you much about the eponymous character it unabashedly celebrates. If pressed, I could probably make something up on the spot based on the hyperbolic verses, but what good is that? And why cant I get it out of my head now that its on my mind? It might be that Disneys myth machine was more effective than Id previously suspected. Apparently the song was dashed off in about 20 minutes, because Boss Disney needed something to get the kids heads bobbing along as the opening credits rolled. Or, even more disturbing, it could be that Tennessee Ernie Ford is as much a crackerjack Americana propagandist as Woody Guthrie, Stephen Foster, or Francis Scott Key.

Im grateful to Michael Wallis, author of the new biography David Crockett: Lion of the West, for giving me a bit of my childhood back. He was inspired to write his book by a similar experience, albeit from a perspective a little more specific and closer to the source:

My first exposure to this inimitable American icon came, and I can vividly recall the date, on the frosty night of December 15, 1954  The ABC television network had just aired Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter, the first of three episodes produced by Walt Disney for his studios then new series, which had premiered two months earlier  I was a goner  I headed straight to my room, where I pored over the World Book Encyclopedia entry for David Crockett, dreaming of the swashbuckler with a proclivity for dangerous behavior, a most commendable quality for any red-blooded American kid.

Id like to say that Walliss biography dispels the mythology which surrounds David Crockett once and for all, separating fact from fiction, the legend from the man, but that wouldnt be quite right. Wallis is a diligent, scrupulous historian; hes got his facts straight, he knows true from false, hes done his homework. He demonstrates a real love and understanding of the backwoods through which David Crockett roamed and rambled. This is all to the good, of course.

It is also significant, however, that Wallis doesnt seem to restrain his lyrical impulses when setting up his subject as early as the opening chapter: David Crockett believed in the wind and in the stars. This son of Tennessee could read the sun, the shadows, and the wild clouds full of thunder. He continues in this vein, describing how Crockett knew the names of plants, trees, constellations, and treated the forests of Tennessee as both a cathedral and refuge. I dont mean to be crude or dismissive, but the voice I hear is more akin to the wizened, dreamy-eyed cowboy in The Big Lebowski than what Id expect from a historian. Wallis isnt telling tall tales, but his history comes across as a sort of amiable yarn with footnotes and period illustrations. Romanticizing the subject at hand is a consistently close call. Im still not sure, given the subject, how much it matters.

Wallis points out early on that Crockett was most definitely not born on a mountain top and only started wearing his iconic coonskin cap when he needed to boost his public visibility and stay politically relevant. Literally turn the page, and next thing we know our hero is describing mortal combat with a giant angry black bear, alone, at 39 years of age, soaked to the bone and nearly freezing to death on a January night near Reelfoot Lake in western Tennessee:

Imade a lounge (sic) with my long knife, and fortunately stuck him right through the heart, he later explained  Exhausted from the struggle, he calmed his pack of panting hounds and managed to pull the bear from the crevice in the frozen ground where they had fought. After butchering the animal, he tried to kindle a fire but could find nothing dry enough to burn. His moccasins, buckskin breeches, and hunting shirt were frozen to his numb body and he knew that unless he kept moving he would die. So I got up, and hollered awhile, and then I would jump up and down with all my might and throw myself into all sorts of motions  But all this wouldnt do; for my blood was now getting cold, and the chills coming all over me. I was so tired, too, that I could hardly walk; but I thought I would do the best I could to save my life, and then, if I died, nobody would be to blame.

Wallis adds a qualifying footnote suggesting that this story might be one of Crocketts much-beloved, enduringly exaggerated tales of derring-do, which were at least half of the reason the good-natured, generous Crockett seemed so well-liked. It neednt trouble us very much if this particular tale is exaggerated. Crockett was unquestionably a master hunter of all manner of wildlife for sport and survival. If the above story is untrue, it could fairly stand in for any number of actual pretty dangerous encounters which might have gone unmentioned, if for no other reason than sheer repetition. Such battles to the death were rather common and necessary for a woodsman like himself. Theres not much reason to start interrogating him on the bear killing issue, either. Crockett soberly mused that hed killed at least a hundred bears in one years professional hunting, including 47 in one month. This would be annoying coming from someone who hadnt actually kept his fledgling family alive for much longer than he preferred by hunting and killing wild bears for food, clothing, insulation, and so on. His raw courage warrants a bit of blarney, if blarney there must be. I shudder to think what I would have eaten, if anything, had I been born in 1786.

And thats why it seems that David Crockett has become a mythological figure in American history. He was a survivor. I hate to pile mythology on mythology here, but theres some Huckleberry Finn at play in his story. Crockett, like Huck, gets his start at the economic and emotional mercy of a drunken, hapless pap who cant get his act together long enough to offer his resourceful, loyal son any leg up in the world besides learning independence and self-sufficiency pretty darn quick. It could also be that this theme contributes to quite a bit of other American mythology. As a culture, we do tend to venerate the innocence that overcomes initial squalor. This theme has its place in early colonial literature and persists in the work and legend of Whitman, Thoreau, Frost, and the Beat Generation on into the political sphere. Anybody who remembers the seemingly guileless genialities of Reagan, Clinton, and George W. Bush can see how electable a myth it is. It might just be that we as Americans take our own optimism as anesthetic for the wound of what Richard Slotkin, in a long study of the American West that Wallis refers to, called  and used as the title of his book  Regeneration Through Violence.

And violence there is in the story of David Crockett  not just of the grizzly kind, either. The world Crockett inhabited was, in many ways, fiercely up for grabs. As a young man, he set out to fight in The Creek Indian War, which broke out in 1813 after news of the killing and scalping of more than five hundred people at Fort Mims, a stockade then in southern Mississippi. He went off to battle with the words remember Fort Mims! ringing in his ears, leaving his wife and children behind to join in the fight for what may well have looked like survival itself: When I heard of the mischief which was done at the fort, I instantly felt like going, and I had none of the dread of dying that I expected to feel (italics mine). Once hed seen and experienced enough of the fighting, which had begun over land, Creek civil wars and the prophetic outrage of Tecumseh (Burn their dwellings! War now! War always! War to the living! War to the dead!), hed remember the gory ruin and devastation it caused years later when he served several terms in Congress as a representative of Tennessee.

Andrew Jackson, once a political mentor to Crockett and eventually an enemy, infamously demanded Indian removal essentially by any means  and trails  necessary. Crockett didnt back down from the ire of Old Hickory. He stubbornly voted against the punitive relocation measures of the vindictive and paternalistic Jackson, defying his party and alienating much of his voting base in the process. He was convinced that Indian Removal was not only a tyrannical move for Jackson but also fundamentally immoral: They said this was a favorite measure of the president, and I ought to go for it. I told them I believed it was a wicked, unjust measure, and that I should go against it  I would sooner be honestly and politically dnd, than hypocritically immortalized. There is, to extend the comparison little bit, a touch of Hucks stirring alright then, Ill GO to hell on a different, though equally historically relevant, issue of race. Wallis notes that some historians consider his stance more in the light of his anti-Jackson position, but its as much of a matter of principle either way. Its encouraging to see that a figure so steeped in rosy Americana really could be as morally adventurous as he was by practice and disposition.

Crocketts death at the battle of the Alamo is alternately charming and surreal. Hed lost his seat in Congress by then, frustrated with all the snobbery and hypocrisy of Washington, and hed always been itchy-footed anyway. Wallis cites the accounts of star-struck fellow soldiers whod probably grown up reading the comics and stories already wildly fictionalized from his life: It was said that Crockett and a Scotsman named John McGregor, who brought his bagpipes to the fight, amused the garrison, and perhaps even the surrounding Mexican troops, with their musical interludes in between skirmishes and repulsed assaults. No one knows precisely how Davy Crockett died, but the image of him, a merry old man by then, playing a fiddle to perk up his comrades as Santa Anas troops routed the place is too strange and vibrant to ignore.

Wallis knows full well that the icon is not the man in full, nor should it be. The issue with a biography like this is that the legend is so much of the story that debunking myths means the subject loses some of what makes him unique. David Crockett was romanticized in the same way that classic film stars, athletes, and politicians are, and for a similar reason  the legend is inextricably entwined with the actual human being. Not only is there no urgency to demystify, theres almost no reason to. Sometimes the legend and the person are inextricable for perfectly good reasons. Late in his life, Crockett attended a loosely-based dramatization of his own exploits, where his stand-in character went by the swashbuckling name of Nimrod Wildfire. The actor playing him, decked out in fringe and a Wild West headpiece, ran to the front of the stage and made an elaborate bow to the guest of honor. The audience, initially shocked, stood up to applaud when Crockett himself rose from his seat and responded in kind. Life is sometimes larger than itself because people can be more than they appear.

Walliss biography gracefully walks the line between acknowledging this dynamic contrast and letting the yarn of Crocketts life unwind in dynamic and fascinating ways on its own merit. This applies to the name on the cover, as well. Its David Crockett, thanks, not the chummily informal Davy that pop culture taught us to say generations ago. In fact, the man himself never used the diminutive. His people  friends, family, voting constituents  were the ones more apt to do so. It was more about the warmth of familiarity than the preference of the man in question. In the cozy distance of posterity, however, our friendly condescension might resemble affection enough for us to ignore the difference. Fair or not, the image seems to preside over the reality even for those, like Crockett, who happened to be the genuine article.

Image: Wikipedia
Police have arrested the mother of 6-year-old Zymere Perkins, as well as her boyfriend, in connection with the child's death. Zymere died in a Manhattan hospital on Monday with severe bruising to his head and body. Geraldine Perkins, 26, and her partner Rysheim Smith, 42, have both been preliminarily charged with acting in a manner injurious to a child.

A spokesman for the NYPD said Monday that the child had been physically abused in the past. "The body had clear multiple bruising and old scars," he said. "Clearly this child had been mistreated before, and over a long period of time."

The Daily News reports that Perkins, who has five child abuse allegations on her record (three substantiated), told police Smith had beaten the child just before his deathfor defecating in an ice bucketapparently with a broomstick. Smith reportedly placed blame on Perkins, accusing her of reprimanding the child for the incident. Smith also claimed that he left the apartment for a stretch of time, returning to find Perkins attempting to administer CPR. An NYPD spokesman could not confirm these allegation on Wednesday.

Local TV stations captured footage of a broken broom that was reportedly taken in as evidence.

According to the NYPD, officers responded to a 911 call regarding an unconscious 6-year-old boy at 606 West 135 Street in Harlem just before 2:30 p.m. on Monday. When they arrived at the address, apparently the child's home, police were informed that Perkins had already transported her son to Saint Luke's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Neighbors told NBC that they helped Perkins hail a cab to the hospital on Monday afternoon, when she rushed out of the building holding Zymere in her arms. According to witnesses, she said that her son had fallen in the bathtub and wasn't breathing.

"The body was lifeless," one neighbor told the news outlet. "The arms were dangling, stuff like that."

"She got the corner and she dropped to her knees and she said, 'Oh no,'" another neighbor told the Daily News. "A young lady asked if she was OK and she said no."

Zymere's cause of death is pending from the Chief Medical Examiner. The Administration For Children's Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment on any casework surrounding Zymere's family.

Relative Nuni Perkins posted on Facebook on Tuesday, "My nephew Zymere he was taking [sic] from not only me but from a whole host of family that loved him there is no reason for this...."

[UPDATE 1:00]: Appearing on Brian Lehrer's 'Ask the Mayor' segment this morning, Mayor de Blasio fielded questions about Zymere's case, and whether the child's death indicated a failure in City intervention. "The bottom line is, something needs to be done differently here," de Blasio said. While the mayor declined to comment on the specifics of the case, he did say that, "clearly a number of representatives of the government engaged this family at different points along the way."

"We need to figure out if it was a specific missed opportunity or something systemic that we have to fix, and Im going to be very personally involved in figuring out what happened and how we can improve, because we have to improve," de Blasio added.
Fertility doctors using a controversial technique developed to eliminate inherited disease have helped a woman deliver the first baby with three genetic parents.

Five-month-old Abrahim Hassans Jordanian mother was treated by a US team in Mexico.

He was conceived from an egg containing nuclear DNA from his mother and father, and mitochondrial DNA from a second mother  an unknown female donor.

The aim was to replace defective mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) that may have condemned Abrahim to Leigh syndrome, a fatal disorder affecting the developing nervous system.

The worlds first child created using a controversial three-parent baby technique has been born in Mexico (Sang Tan/AP)

Mitochondrial DNA is housed in the tiny rod-like batteries in cells that supply energy, and is passed down through the generations by mothers.

So far only the UK has given an official stamp of legal approval to the technique employed by the American doctors.

But the US team moved ahead by achieving the first live birth involving mitochondrial replacement.

Dr Dusko Ilic, an expert from Kings College London, told New Scientist magazine, which carries an exclusive report of the birth in its latest issue: This is great news and a huge deal. Its revolutionary.

Mitochondrial DNA is located in the tiny rod-like structures in cells that supply energy (Thinkstock)

Inherited mitochondrial diseases include devastating conditions that result in poor growth, muscle weakness, loss of co-ordination, seizures, vision and hearing problems, learning disabilities and organ failure. It is estimated that one in 4,000 people has an incurable mitochondrial disease.

Abrahims mother, Ibtisam Shaban, carries the Leigh syndrome mutation in about a quarter of her mitochondria.

While she has suffered no ill effects, the disease killed her first two children, said New Scientist.

Shaban and her husband, Mahmoud Hassan, sought the help of leading embryologist Dr John Zhang, medical director at the New Hope Fertility Centre in New York City.

He used an approach called spindle nuclear transfer, which involves finding an egg from a willing donor and removing its nuclear DNA.

The nucleus from one of Shabans eggs was then inserted into the donor egg.

The result  an egg containing nuclear DNA from Shaban and mtDNA from the donor  was fertilised with Hassans sperm.

Five embryos were created, only one of which developed normally and was implanted in Shabans womb.

Five embryos were created but only one developed normally and was implanted in the mothers womb (Thinkstock)

While the US has not approved the technique, Mexico has no rules, Dr Zhang is reported to have said.

He told New Scientist: To save lives is the ethical thing to do.

Tests of Abrahims mitochondria showed that less than 1% carried the Leigh mutation, which is thought to be far too low to cause any problems.

The work was reported in a little-known scientific journal, Fertility and Sterility, in a paper entitled First live birth using human oocytes reconstituted by spindle nuclear transfer for mitochondrial DNA mutation causing Leigh syndrome.
After half a century of bloodshed, Colombians have embarked on a new path to settle their political differences with the signing of a historic peace accord between the government and leftist rebels.

So why is this such an historic moment and is the peace likely to last?

Why did the conflict last over 50 years?

Farc soldiers in a jungle encampment (Fernando Vergara/AP)

The 1948 assassination of populist firebrand Jorge Eliecer Gaitan led to a political bloodletting known as The Violence. Tens of thousands died and peasant groups joined with communists to arm themselves. A 1964 military attack on their main encampment led to the creation of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

FARC has sought to make the conservative oligarchy share power and prioritised land reform in a country where more than five million people have been forcibly displaced, mostly by far-right militias in the service of ranchers, businessmen and drug traffickers.

FARC lost popularity as its methods turned nasty, including kidnapping, extortion and taxes on cocaine production and illegal gold mining to fund its uprising.

Over 220,000 people were killed in the conflict.

Ingrid Betancourt was freed in 2008 (Martial Trezzini/AP)

Most of these have been civilians. In the past two decades, most of the killings were inflicted by the militias, which made peace with the government in 2003.

FARC abducted ranchers, politicians and soldiers and often held them for years in jungle prison camps. Its captives included former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and three US military contractors, all of whom were rescued in 2008.

What happened during the peace ceremony?

Santos gave his peace pin to Londono during the ceremony (Fernando Vergara/AP)

President Juan Manuel Santos and Rodrigo Londono, top commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), formally signed the agreement before a crowd of 2,500 foreign dignitaries and special guests, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and US secretary of state John Kerry.

Many in the audience, all dressed in white, had tears in their eyes as Mr Santos removed from his lapel a pin shaped like a white dove which he has been wearing for years and handed it over to his former adversary, who fastened it to his own shirt.

It was one of many symbolic gestures during the 90-minute ceremony overlooking the colonial ramparts of Cartagena that filled Colombians with hope and optimism for the work ahead to implement a 297-page accord that took four years to negotiate.

Is the deal set in stone?

(Ariana Cubillos/AP)

The deals first test will be a weekend referendum in which voters are being asked to ratify or reject the deal.

If it passes, as expected, Colombia will move on to the thornier and still uncertain task of reconciliation.

If the accord is accepted by Colombian voters in Sundays referendum, as polls say it will, the FARCs estimated 7,000 fighters would have to turn over their weapons to a team of United Nations-sponsored observers within six months.

A much tougher challenge will be reconciliation, a process that will require rebels and state agents who want to avoid jail to confess to war crimes committed during a 52-year conflict marred by brutalities on both sides.

In the longer term, the two sides have drafted an ambitious agenda to hasten the development of Colombias long-neglected countryside and rid it of illegal coca crops that starting in the 1980s strengthened the FARC  and some say morally corrupted it  while other insurgencies across Latin America fell to the wayside.
dismantled by the end of the year On Monday, French president Francois Hollande announced that the refugee camp at Calais known as the Jungle would be, with some rumours indicating that demolition may begin within four weeks.

The camp currently plays host to around 10,000 migrants, of which the adults and families will be distributed across 164 smaller reception camps throughout France when the camp closes.

What then, is to become of the remaining unaccompanied child refugees currently living in the Jungle, of which there are over 1,000? It seems that the French government are doing nothing to rehome these children, in the hope of pressuring Britain into complying with its promise to help.

In May the UK Parliament passed the Immigration Act 2016, which included an amendment by Labour peer Alf Dubs (who himself sought refuge in Britain from the Nazis when he was eight) which provided for the intake of up to 3,000 lone refugee children. However four months came and went and by mid-September only 30 children had arrived under the scheme.

Child refugees with family members already living in the UK have a legal right to enter, but its taking so long to process applications that an increasing number are starting to take matters into their own hands and attempt the journey across the channel on the backs of lorries. This has led to 12 deaths already this year, most recently of 14-year-old Afghan Raheemullah Oryakhel, the youngest refugee yet to die attempting to enter the UK.

As the crisis on our doorstep slips further and further from the medias focus Theresa May's government is happily taking advantage of the lack of attention shown to it by the public, and allowing the issue to fall down their list of priorities. But with the closure of the Jungle fast approaching action must be taken immediately. The British government is now the responsible for the death of a child  they cannot afford for this to happen again.

Tim Farron used the phrase compassion fatigue to describe this phenomenon in his address to the Liberal Democrat party conference last week, a clip of which has been widely shared on social media. He highlighted that while we have become so wrapped up with Brexit, a new Prime Minister and the circus act that was the Labour leadership contest, weve lost sight of the real world problems surrounding us. The hundreds of lone child refugees are not concerned with the potential electability of Jeremy Corbyn. It doesnt matter to them whether Britain has access to the open market upon leaving the European Union. What they care about is whether or not they will have a home in a months time. That is whats important.

The French authorities are playing a dangerous game of refugee chicken. These are not pieces in a board game but vulnerable children whose lives hang in the balance. A child who had a legal right to enter the country has died doing just that. Governments on both sides of the channel must wake up to the fact that if they dont act soon they will have a humanitarian crisis on their hands. Every day that those lone children remain in that camp is another day that they risk falling into crime, slavery or prostitution. With a 51% increase in unaccompanied minors in the past month noted by the charity Help Refugees, many of these girls just under 16, its time for Britain to get its act together. When part of the Jungle was bulldozed earlier this year the ensuing panic led to the disappearance of 129 minors, and if something is not done soon the aftermath of the camps closure will be far worse.

With our own government causing the hold-up it's easy to feel helpless. So is there anything the public can do? Youre presumably aware of various donation drives, from money to clothes and blankets to be taken directly to Calais. Volunteering is also a really good way of helping, whether collecting donations or spending time in the Jungle itself, although not everyone can afford this time out from their daily lives.

At this moment the most important thing is to put pressure on government. You can help do this in two ways. Firstly you can write to or lobby your MP, asking them to bring up the issue in Parliament. Secondly, you can try and combat compassion fatigue by ensuring that the issue remains firmly in the public eye. Social media is key here  write and share articles, discuss it online, anything to remind people about the situation. A joint effort by the public (the people whose votes they should be trying to win), and hopefully the government will have no choice but to take action.
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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







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Body in freezer dead for 8 years

BANGKOK: An elderly Caucasian man, whose dismembered body was found stuffed in a freezer during a police raid on a passport forgery gangs hideout, is believed to have died about eight years ago, making it difficult to identify him.

crimedeathhomicidepoliceviolence

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 28 September 2016, 08:57AM

Bangkok Police Chief Sanit Mahathavorn speaks to reporters during a press conference in Bangkok yesterday (Sept 27). Photo: Munir Uz Zaman/AFP

The body parts were found last Friday (Sept 23) at a shophouse on Sukhumvit Soi 56.

Investigators believe one of the three suspects arrested after the raid bought the freezer in the Rama IV area in 2008, Metropolitan Police Division 5 chief Somprasong Yenthuam said yesterday (Sept 27).

This new piece of information has led authorities to assume the victim died quite some time ago, Maj Gen Somprasong said.

On Monday (Sept 26), Chulalongkorn Hospitals head of forensic medicine, Udomsak Hoonwijit, said the body parts had been frozen for an extended period.

One of the three suspects, earlier identified as British national Peter Andrew Colter, and reportedly married to a Thai woman, had told police the freezer was moved from his former house on Ekkamai Soi 12 to the shophouse on Sukhumvit Soi 56. Mr Colter said he had no idea what was inside the freezer.

Police found several passports belonging to him with different names, making it difficult to determine exactly where he is from. Police believe he is the gangs leader and has knowledge about the corpse, Gen Somprasong said. However, the man has been tight-lipped, providing no information about the victim.

His alleged accomplices  Aaron Thomas Gabel and Jame Douglas Eger  have been confirmed by the US embassy in Bangkok to be US nationals.

Officers have questioned three individuals who moved the freezer from Mr Colters former house. However, due to the ongoing investigation, their accounts must remain confidential for the moment, according to police.

Meanwhile, a team of forensic doctors yesterday conducted a new postmortem examination on the body and are expected to share results with officers today (Sept 28), city police chief Sanit Mahathavorn said. Investigators are waiting for complete autopsy findings from the hospital.

The foreign suspects are currently facing multiple charges, including concealing a corpse.

Investigators are gathering evidence to press murder charges, Maj Gen Somprasong.

A source said the victims throat was likely slashed before being beheaded. However, he said, officers still need to wait for the autopsy results.

Read original story here.
Phuket jazz musicians hold fund-raising jam for fallen friend Abner Arela

PHUKET: Some of Phukets best jazz jam musicians will gather at the renowned Music Matter bar in Phuket Town tonight (Sept 28) to raise funds to pay for rising medical bills for Abner Arela, who remains comatose after suffering a stroke last week.

charityhealth

By Tanyaluk Sakoot

Wednesday 28 September 2016, 09:18AM

Abner Arela, father to well-known Filipino musician in Phuket Ranel Arela, remains comatose after suffering a stroke last week. Photo: Facebook

Well-known Phuket musician Jeffrey Sevilla (right) will host the fundraiser at his renowned Music Matter bar in Phuket Town tonight. Photo: Facebook

Abner Arelas family watches over him as he remains comatose at Vachira Hospital. Photo: Facebook

Mr Arela, 64, is father to well-known Filipino musician in Phuket Ranel Arela.

My father is still in a coma at Vachira Hospital after he suffered a stroke with multiple ischemia last Thursday (Sept 22), Ranel told The Phuket News.

We need help. All donations will go towards paying medical medical bills, he said.

One of our friends referred the case to a brain surgeon in Italy, and he said that my father needs a medicine called Actovigen as soon as possible to supply sugar to the brain, Ranel explained.

Every minute is important. Please help us to get the medicine. We need help and all donations from the fundraiser tonight will go to paying medical bills.

I hope to see you there, and I thank you from my heart, he said.

The fundraiser jazz jam session will be held from from 9pm to 2am tonight.

Music Matter Jazz O Cocktails Bar is at 119 Chanajaroen Rd in Phuket Town. (See map below.)
Phuket Portuguese man o war warning stands as tourist stung at Patong

PHUKET: The lifeguard warning for tourists to beware dangerous Portuguese man o war stingers at Phuket beaches remained in effect today, following news that a Thai female tourist suffered a small sting at Patong Beach on Monday (Sept 26).

tourismmarineanimalshealthpatong

By Yutthawat Lekmak

Wednesday 28 September 2016, 07:03PM

One Phuket tourist suffered a mild sting from a Portuguese man o war at Patong Beach, but did not suffer an allergic reaction. Photo: Phuket Lifeguards Service

One Phuket tourist suffered a mild sting from a Portuguese man o war at Patong Beach, but did not suffer an allergic reaction. Photo: Phuket Lifeguards Service

One Phuket tourist suffered a mild sting from a Portuguese man o war at Patong Beach, but did not suffer an allergic reaction. Photo: Phuket Lifeguards Service

The woman suffered only a mild sting, and luckily she did not show any signs of an allergic reaction, Prathaiyut Chuayuan, President of Phuket Lifeguard Club, told The Phuket News today (Sept 28).**

She felt a little pain at the back of her leg and quickly presented herself to lifeguards stationed at the beach, he said.

A skin rash broke out where she was stung, but other than that she was fine, Mr Prathaiyut said.

Lifeguards at Patong Beach are monitoring the situation closely. We are concerned that more people will come into contact with these bluebottles (Portuguese man o war), he added.

From Sunday through yesterday (Sept 25-27), lifeguards have collected a total of 359 Portuguese man o war from Phukets beaches.

The alarm was raised at Nai Thon and Nai Yang beaches last Thursday, resulting in Sirinath National Park Chief Kitipas Tharapibal ordering those beaches closed to any water activities. (See story here.)

By Saturday, the Chief of the Hat Nopparat Thara - Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park had issued a warning to tourists to beware Portuguese man o war after the dangerous stingers were found in the tourist-popular Maya Bay. (See story here.)

** UPDATE: Readers have sent in reports of scores of Portuguese man o' war at Kata and Patong beaches. Be careful out there.
For All U of U Health Patients & Visitors
11AAA semis will be awesome and more from HS football quarterfinals
A woman is accusing Herschel Walker, the anti-abortion Republican running for U.S. Senate in Georgia, of encouraging and paying for her 1993 abortion. The accusation comes weeks after a former girlfriend said Walker did the same for her in 2009. Walker is dismissing the latest claim as more foolishness and all a lie," similar to how he denounced the first woman's allegation. The woman who came forward Wednesday is identified only as Jane Doe," and says she's not revealing her identity because she fears reprisals against myself, my family and my livelihood. She said in a call set up by her lawyer that Walker pressured her into an abortion and paid for one after she became pregnant while Walker was married to his first wife.
Authorities say a Lincoln man drove down Main Street without headlights and cursed at an officer who tried to pull him over, stating he "was going home."

Chad Lawrence Tronstad, 44, faces a felony charge of criminal endangerment.

Tronstad is accused of ignoring two sheriff's deputies pursuing him on Monday night and putting others at risk. Court documents say one of the deputies pulled in front of Tronstad in an attempt to stop him, but Tronstad then tried to pass the officer several times. About three miles down the road, Tronstad's truck stopped running and he coasted to the side of Highway 200.

A deputy then noticed a small child in the vehicle, court documents state. Tronstad would not comply with orders for more than 20 minutes, but deputies were able to safely remove the child from the vehicle.

A marijuana pipe was found on the truck's dashboard, the documents note.

Tronstad also faces misdemeanor charges of obstructing a peace officer and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia.
BILLINGS -- Scott Austin Price has admitted guilt in the stabbing death of Miles City man in December.

The 38-year-old entered guilty pleas to deliberate homicide and aggravated kidnapping late Monday afternoon, according to Custer County Attorney Wyatt Glade.

He appeared in Custer County court via video from Missoula, where he faces more charges for a crime spree that left two dead and others injured.

Glade said that he is recommending a life sentence on each count, as well as an additional 10 years on the deliberate homicide for the use of a weapon. The sentences would run concurrently, and he made no recommendation on parole restrictions.

Charging documents state that Price stabbed 78-year-old Ed Martin in the neck on Dec. 14 inside a fifth-wheel trailer. Martin had been Price's landlord for a time.

Hes also accused of assaulting and tying up Martins wife, Helen, before fleeing the scene.

Price and a co-conspirator, 32-year-old Sarah McKnight, were both charged in separate attacks that took place a week later in Missoula. Prosecutors say on Dec. 21 Price stabbed a woman in a grocery store parking lot and later killed Lonette Keehner, a 56-year-old housekeeper at a Super 8 hotel.

The pair were arrested in Idaho a day later.

McKnight pleaded guilty in May to charges including deliberate homicide. She has not been sentenced but was sent to prison on an unrelated case two months after.

Price is expected to change his pleas in the Missoula County case.

Glade said that he was assisted by the Montana Attorney General's Office during the court process. He said that he consulted with the Martin family constantly while drawing up his recommendations of the plea agreement.

"The negotiation was reached with their blessing," Glade said.

A sentencing hearing has been set for Dec. 5 for Price, who remains in Missoula County jail.
Helena High School could be facing loss of accreditation, interim superintendent Jack Copps told the Helena Public School Board of Trustees Tuesday night at its work session at Warren Elementary School.

Copps and Helena School Board chairman Aidan Myhre are to appear before the Montana Board of Public Education Nov. 17-18 to present a plan to address repeated class oversize at Helena High School, according to a Sept. 22 Board of Education letter.

The district has been placed in Step 2 of the Intensive Assistance process, Copps said.

This is a very serious matter and could affect the high schools accreditation, he told the board. Its a severe status to be put in.

Copps met with the Board of Education Sept. 16, he said, and requested to see what data the Montana Office of Public Instruction and the Board of Education are using to determine class oversize.

Our data is different, Copps said. The school districts data indicates that as of last years reporting deadline Nov. 1, 2015, the district had zero deviations on class size.

However, OPI said we had 18 overloaded classes, he said. One overload is serious.

The letter regarding the oversize classes issue regards the 2015-2016 school year, he said.

We are the people who put in the data, Copps said. When the district rechecked its data, it still did not have a class oversize problem for that time period.

The Board of Education had expected him to have come up with a plan to present at the Sept. 16 meeting, Copps said. We went into that ...meeting and we didnt know if their figures were correct. They were not at all happy.

Im just gathering information, he said following Tuesday nights meeting. We need to get the parties together to find out where they got their data. We have reached out to OPI and requested assistance.

Copps is scheduled for a 2 p.m. phone conversation Thursday with Linda Vrooman Peterson, administrator of the Accreditation and Educator Preparation Division.

Copps said he has also been in communication with former district superintendent Kent Kultgen, former executive assistant Diane Neff, HHS principal Steve Thennis and assistant superintendent Greg Upham.

None of them reports having received correspondence regarding a class oversize problem, he said, adding, Steve Thennis was shocked.

Copps has requested to see any spreadsheets OPI is using to see if some numbers have transferred incorrectly, but said that so far he hasnt been provided any.

This defies what should be happening, Copps said, adding that if the district is in Intensive Assistance Category that means we have to have assistance.

In other matters

In other matters, Copps told the board that the school district will be advertising a Request for Qualifications to hire a communications strategy group to help the district with a facilities bond issue that would go to voters this spring.

The RFQ will be legally advertised by this weekend, he said, with a deadline for proposals by Oct. 23.

On Nov. 8, Copps plans to bring to the school board a contractor recommendation for approval.

The communications firm that is hired would review and assess the school districts current communications system, identify communication gaps, conduct a public opinion survey and conduct community forums to reach consensus for a Helena School District bond campaign.

The board also heard a presentation by Warren Elementary School principal Tim McMahon on the schools academic and behavioral progress.

In recent years, the school has improved the percent of students reading at grade level from 53 percent in Fall of 2014 to 72 percent by Spring of 2016, according to the districts STAR assessment test.

And math scores climbed from 68 percent at grade level or benchmark in Fall 2014 to 83 percent in Spring 2016 also using the STAR assessment.

However, the schools students have performed at about the state average on the states Smarter Balanced tests on reading and math, McMahon said.

The Smarter Balanced assessment uses different ways of testing than the students are used to, he said. The kids are not used to the format.

While STAR measures reading and comprehension skills, the Smarter Balanced assessment requires some different test skills such as using computer technology to cut, paste and highlight text, he said. It also uses multiple choice questions that have several right answers, not just one.

To improve academics, the school switched to block scheduling about two years ago, so staff can be better distributed to provide intensive work time with students.

The schedule allows McMahon to break up grade levels into multiple small groups, so students can work with staff on the specific reading and math skills they most need.

The school has come a long way in the 15 years, hes been principal, said McMahon after the meeting.

In the first reading benchmark assessment test done after his arrival as principal, less than 30 percent of the Warren students tested proficient in reading.

The three major concerns McMahon reported to the board were:

70 some neighborhood students are being bused into town to attend other schools because Warrens enrollment of 330 is at its maximum;

28 percent of the schools students have absences exceeding the districts benchmark of less than six absences per semester (creating concerns about these students academic achievement); and

school safety concerns, particularly the need for a controlled entrance into the building.

McMahon also told the board the school now has four carts of Chromebooks and one cart of iPads, providing a total of about 130 computers for classroom use.
I never served my country. And yet, as an American, I still believe it is absolutely outrageous that Denise Juneau attacked a combat veteran. Zinke earned his disability payments after 23 years of service and sacrifice. And I am extremely grateful to the men and women who put their lives and well-being at risk to protect our country. I can never imagine a case when it would be okay to attack a veteran receiving disability payments.

Ryan Zinke has done a great job not only serving our nation, but also serving our state in Congress. He is dedicated to making sure that Montana's unique issues are always addressed. He is always transparent about how he votes and why, and makes sure that those votes align with our values.

You don't have to be a veteran to be proud of our men and women in uniform. You just have to be an American. Juneau's attack on Zinke is detestable and un-American. Montana cannot elect her. I support Ryan Zinke not only because he served our country, but also because he is proving in his first term in Congress that he fully supports Montana. I know Montanans will vote Zinke in November.

Ian Amestoy

Helena
Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low around 40F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low around 40F. Winds light and variable.
Tuesday nights Chamber of Commerce candidate forum, held in partnership with Helena Regional Airport, allowed candidates for local legislative office to differentiate themselves from opponents on issues relating to business and jobs.

The two candidates for the sole opening on the Lewis and Clark County Commission also sought to give their candidacies better identities.

While state law allows communities with a high reliance on tourism to implement a sales tax on luxury items such as lodgings and meals and drinks in restaurants and bars, the legislative candidates were asked if they would support a bill allowing Montana communities to vote on implementing local option taxes.

Candidates in unopposed races didnt participate in the 90-minute forum held in the second floor meeting room at the airport where some 60 people attended.

The forum was broadcast live on KCAP 95.9 FM and 9.50 AM and streamed worldwide through KCAPs partner, Network 1 Sports.

In the race for SD 40, Terry Gauthier, a Republican, faces Hal Jacobson, a Democrat. Gauthier said he would not consider a local option tax without also looking at how property taxes could be reduced.

Jacobson said the critical component of a local option tax would be the publics ability to vote on it.

Merlyn Huso, a Democrat, who is facing incumbent Rep. Kelly Flynn, a Republican, in the contest for HD70, said a sales tax or a local option tax is a regressive form of taxation.

Regressive taxes are those that take a higher percentage of income from those with low incomes.

Legislation to implement the opportunity for communities to vote on a local option tax, Huso said, would be very difficult for his to approve.

Flynn said a public vote would have to be part of any proposal and said he would need to look at any legislation before deciding. He too insisted on a reduction in property taxes as part of any proposal.

Sabrina Steketee, a Democrat, was the sole HD75 candidate to attend. Republican Kirk Wagoner is also running for the office.

She said she would absolutely support tax proposals that give control to local communities.

However, that endorsement came with a caution for what the details that may be contained in a local option tax proposal.

Only two of the three candidates for HD80 -- Becky Beard, a Republican and Valerie Clague, an Independent -- participated the forum. Elizabeth Cain, a Democrat, was not in attendance.

Beard showed hesitation in supporting a local option tax proposal and said voting in any new taxes is a dicey situation.

Those with whom shes spoken while campaigning are upset and say government is not accountable for what its already spending.

They need assurances that money is being spent responsibly, she added.

Clague joined those insisting local communities have control in implementing any new taxes.

Kim Abbott, a Democrat, and Bob Leach, a Republican, are both running for HD83.

Abbott called for caution in considering legislation to allow communities to have local option taxes and said many of these taxes are regressive.

Leach said he opposed it but noted a local option tax may be necessary too.

He advocated caution and warned that if local option taxes evolve into a statewide sales tax, the federal government may want to add to the tax burden as well.

Mary Ann Dunwell, a Democrat and the incumbent representative for HD84, and Steve Gibson, a Republican, attended the forum although Libertarian Paula Bonar was absent.

Dunwell opposed a statewide sales tax because of its regressive effect and favored all property taxpayers paying their fair share.

While neither endorsing a local option tax possibility nor ruling it out, she said it is something for consideration.

Gibson noted that he was not advocating a sales tax but said he didnt object if people wanted to vote on it for their communities.

When asked what could be done by legislators to stimulate jobs and business growth, Gibson said employers need support, and Dunwell called for investing in people through education spending and making the cost of higher education more affordable.

Leach said employees need to be cared for just as those who own businesses and expect a return on their investments.

Abbott called the states education system the cornerstone of Montanas economy and providing a future for workers.

She also advocated for infrastructure investment as business owners rely on that for their success.

Clague said making Montana a place where people want to make their homes will help create jobs just as will schools, infrastructure and clean water.

Beard advocated improvements that would foster businesses and business growth.

Steketee suggested courting business owners from across the country and while acknowledging tourisms role in job creation she questioned if those jobs would be well-paying and provide careers.

Flynn favored targeting health care to reduce the impact on Montanans and improving block management access to private lands for hunters as these are important to people who want to have jobs here.

Huso noted the solar energy industry that is building small electrical generation facilities as a way to create jobs.

Jacobson said the state needs an infrastructure bill and explained it would be a good way to improve Montanas economy and address an array of needs.

While explaining the promotion of Helena College allowed it to train students for jobs in Helena with a company that was purchased by the Boeing Co., Jacobson said there is a hand-in-glove relationship between business and public education.

Gauthier said the Legislature needs to work on ways to make it easier for business owners to come to Montana.

He spoke to the need to make Montana more friendly to business and elimination of the states business equipment tax as contributing to employment and the economy.
BILLINGS -- An anti-drug group has filed a campaign complaint against the groups campaigning to expand medical marijuana in Montana.

Safe Montana sent a complaint to the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices on Tuesday, alleging that the funding strategy for Montana Citizens for I-182 is set up through "deceptive dark money funding practices."

"Safe Montana believes that the primary ballot committee and the incidental ballot committee are purposefully structured in a manner to hide who is truly funding the I-182 ballot issue campaign," states the complaint, which is signed by Safe Montana founder Steve Zabawa.

The complaint comes a week after Montana Citizens for I-182 filed its own complaint against Safe Montana. Commissioner of Political Practices Jonathan Motl has placed the complaint on his docket.

After failing to place its own ballot initiative before voters this year, Safe Montana switched its campaign to oppose I-182.

Montana Citizens for I-182 is campaigning for its ballot issue, which would remove recent restrictions placed on the state medical marijuana program. The group receives funding from the Montana Cannabis Industry Association, a trade organization that is registered as an incidental committee.

Montana Citizens has received more than $227,000 from the MTCIA for its campaign, according to financial filings.

A spokesman for the group declined to comment before seeing the complaint.

In its complaint, Safe Montana alleges that the MTCIA makes expenditures that overstep the support role of an incidental committee. The MTCIA is the primary source of funds for the I-182 ballot campaign.

Safe Montana also alleged that the because contributors to the MTCIA are not listed on incidental committee disclosures, it constitutes dark money.

A consulting firm, M + R Strategic Services was hired to run the I-182 campaign, according to Greg Zuckert, an MTCIA spokesman who spoke to The Billings Gazette in June. The reported MTCIA expenditures are listed as received by M + R.

Safe Montana said that the distinction in expenditures by each group makes the Association the primary ballot committee rather than Montana Citizens for I-182.
DILLON  A former Georgia woman convicted in connection with the killing of a Butte man at a southwest Montana campground in 2014 has been sentenced to 30 years in the Montana Womens Prison with 10 years suspended.

Sandra Lee Ann Cantrell, 52, was found guilty in January of deliberate homicide, assault with a weapon, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and theft, a misdemeanor.

But in August, Dillon District Judge Loren Tucker modified the deliberate homicide verdict to not guilty, writing in his order that prosecutors failed to prove Cantrells common-law husband, Christopher Stiles, was accountable for the stabbing.

Even if this ruling creates unease, it would be unjust to sustain a conviction based on a charge the state expressly abandoned and against which the defendant had no opportunity to defend, Tucker wrote.

On Tuesday, he sentenced Cantrell to 20 years for the assault charge with 10 years suspended; 10 years for the tampering charge; and six months for theft. The assault and tampering sentences run consecutively, and the theft charge runs concurrently. She also has credit for 779 days of time served in jail.

Beaverhead County Attorney Jed C. Fitch initially charged Cantrell with deliberate homicide by accountability, which would have required him to prove Cantrells actions before or during the killing of Mark Robert Mullen, who was in his 60s. The charge was later amended to felony murder.

The fact that (Stiles) beat Mullen to death afterwards does not establish that he knew anything about Cantrells intention to stab, much less that he solicited, aided, abetted, or agreed to help her, Tucker wrote. There was no evidence to support the verdict.

Stiles pleaded guilty to bludgeoning Mullen with a piece of wood and is serving a 50-year sentence in the Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge.

Cantrell admitted stabbing Mullen at the Bryant Creek Campground near Wise River in August 2014. She testified during trial he made sexual advances toward her, and that she a right to defend herself.

In handing down his sentence, Tucker said although he didnt like the recommendation made by Michael Touchette, state probation and parole officer, the harm that Cantrell perpetrated and the circumstances leading to Mullens death justified incarceration with a significant amount of supervision.

Fitch called Mullens murder a crime of violence, dismissing comments that a small stab wound was insignificant. The defendant, he argued, encouraged lethal blows from Stiles after she stabbed the victim.

Defense Attorney John Hud said the prosecutor seems to forget that it was Mullen who grabbed Cantrell inappropriately at the campsite.

Mr. Mullen started the situation.  He was the one making advances, Hud said, adding that he questioned the 30-year sentence but declined to provide a specific recommendation.

Hud rejecteds Fitchs argument for restitution to cover Mullens burial.

She did not kill Mark Mullen. Christopher Stiles did, Hud said.

In a statement, Cantrell apologized to the court but insisted her actions were in self-defense.

I defended myself after I had already asked him to leave me alone, after I had already tried to stop him. He advanced on me again. There was no intent for a loss of life  absolutely not. I am sorry for what happened, but I had a right to defend myself, she said, her voice cracking as tears filled her eyes.

Tucker told Cantrell and her co-defenders she didnt serve herself well by speaking. He scolded her lack of remorse, saying her actions were no excuse for violence.

Fitch found the judges ruling fair. But Huds co-counsel, Christopher C. Petaja, said his client deserved a lighter sentence.

As we saw from her testimony today, she continues to maintain she was sexually assaulted and defending herself from a perverts unwanted advances. She doesn't deserve 20 years in prison for that, he wrote in an email.
But the tribe has a long way to go
The Karnataka government has convened an emergency cabinet meeting followed by an all-party meeting on Wednesday to evolve a consensual stand on release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu according to the Supreme Court order.

The Opposition parties BJP and JD(S) have supported the state government and exhorted Chief Minister Siddaramaiah not to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu as directed by the court in the larger interest of cities which rely on the river for drinking water.

Siddaramaiah has called all party meeting in the morning to seek the opinion of floor leaders of legislature, MLAs and MPs of the Cauvery basin, legal team and technical experts will be sought in the all party meeting.

Any consensus drawn in the all party meeting will be discussed in the Cabinet meeting thereafter. As a precautionary measure prohibitory orders are imposed in Bengaluru and Mandya till September 30.

Since the courts order on Tuesday, peaceful protests were organised in Cauvery basin cities. The police vigil is intensified in sensitive areas.
The BJP government in Gujarat is likely to initiate criminal action against Navsarjan Trust, an organisation working for dalit rights, over allegations of misuse of foreign funds.

According to social justice and empowerment minister Atmaram Parmar, action is being contemplated against the NGO over alleged violation of Foreign Contributions Regulation Act.

Former employees of the organisation had alleged that the Navsarjan Trust had got Rs 30 crore from Swiss Development Corporation, a funding agency in Switzerland. They said, though the amount was meant to be given as payment to field workers but it never reached them.

The Gujarat High Court had directed Amreli police to decide on criminal complaints filed by the former employees. The complainants approached the court after the police failed to take action over their complaint. Among those who have leveled allegations include Gauri Rathod, Babu Jadav and Dhiru Solanki from Amreli.

According to Parmar, the government had received written representations against the organisation and its trustees. The complainants alleged that the funds were misappropriated by the Trust founder Martin Macwan, executive director Manjula Pradeep and others.

The NGO has been working for rights of the dalits in Gujarat and has been fighting for the cause of Thangadh killings victims and their families. It had also sent fact finding team to look into flogging of dalits in Una.

Manjula Pradeep said in a press release that the Trust welcomed any impartial inquiry by the judiciary. She said that the NGO got audited every year and that they had an internal as well as external auditor.
The 19th Saarc Summit to be hosted by Pakistan in November is likely to be postponed with India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutanour of the eight members of the South Asian grouping - deciding to pull out, citing incitement of terrorism in the region.

Sources in Nepal, the current Chair of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, confirmed having received messages from the four countries conveying their inability to attend the summit due in Islamabad on November 9-10.

The sources said that the Himalayan nation is yet to take a decision on calling off the summit, which is over a month away.

With the Saarc process based on consensus, even if one member does not attend the summit is automatically postponed or cancelled.

However, a final decision rests on the current Saarc Secretary General Arjun Bahadur Thapa, who is currently in New York and will return in two days.

With half of the eight-nation regional bloc deciding to skip the event, there is every possibility of the event being postponed, in a big diplomatic snub to Pakistan.

Sri Lanka has already said that the Saarc Summit would not be possible without India's participation.

India on Tuesday announced that it was pulling out of the Islamabad summit in the wake of the September 18 cross-border terror attack on an Indian Army base in Uri town of Jammu and Kashmir, which New Delhi has blamed on terrorists based in Pakistan.

The Uri attack came amid the dragging unrest and violence in Kashmir Valley that has left around 90 people dead since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani on July 8.

In a statement on Tuesday, India said increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Saarc member-states "by one country" have created an environment that was not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th Saarc summit.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that India has conveyed to Nepal its decision not to attend the summit, for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to go.

"India remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in an atmosphere free of terror.

"In the prevailing circumstances, the Government of India is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad," he said in the statement.

Pakistan has termed the boycott decision as "unfortunate".

In its message to Nepal on Tuesday, Afghanistan said that because of "increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the summit".

In a similar message to Nepal, Bangladesh said: "The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the Saarc process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere," the message said.

"In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad."

Bhutan, in its message, cited "the recent escalation of terrorism in the region" as the reason for its non-participation.
In line with the Supreme Court's fresh order, Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti has convened a meeting of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu ministers on Thursday to find a political solution to the "impasse" over Cauvery water dispute.

The apex court had on Tuesday asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to facilitate a meeting of the executive heads of the two warring riparian states with the Centre over the next two days to find a solution to the dispute.

It has also asked Karnataka to discharge 6,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu till Friday despite its Assembly resolution.

According to an official source, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to attend the trilateral meet, while his Tamil Nadu counterpart J. Jayalalithaa, currently recuperating at a Chennai hospital, will depute state PWD Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswamy to represent the state in the discussion.

"Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti to chair a meeting tomorrow (Thursday) on Cauvery with CM of Karnataka and PWD Minister of Tamil Nadu," tweeted Union Water Resources Ministry spokesperson Samir Sinha.

Ministers in charge of water resources departments and chief secretaries of the two states will also be present in the meeting.

Bharti will attempt to resolve the issue "amicably" keeping in view the series of protests and violence which erupted in the two states last month after the Supreme Court's orders on the issue, an official source said.

The Karnataka government has been expressing its inability to release the quantum of water as directed by the apex court, saying its four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin do not have adequate storage and is struggling to even meet its own drinking water requirement.

Meanwhile, Congress MPs from Karnataka have demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in this matter and also urged him to ensure the Cauvery Water Management Board is not constituted as directed by the apex court.

They had also staged protest in Parliament complex on Tuesday over the issue.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said the country is fully capable of meeting any internal or external security threat.

Sharif's assertion came at a high-level meeting here attended, among others, by Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, National Security Advisor Nasser Janjua and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry.

The meeting expressed deep concern at the "increase in systematic human rights violations in (India) Occupied Kashmir and strongly condemned brutal use of force by Indian security forces", reported Pakistan Radio.

Addressing the meeting, Nawaz Sharif said the world is a "witness that Pakistan has given tremendous sacrifices for global peace" and that Pakistan has shown "unequalled and unprecedented restraint despite great provocation".

The Prime Minister said the Indus Waters Treaty was a mutually agreed arrangement between India and Pakistan brokered by the World Bank in 1960 and no one country can unilaterally separate itself from the agreement.

He said Pakistan will "continue to struggle for a peaceful South Asia".

He said Pakistan will continue to extend its moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiris until the issue of Kashmir is resolved as per the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

The meeting reviewed other matters pertaining to national and regional security.

The participants expressed satisfaction over the preparedness of the armed forces to defend the territorial integrity of Pakistan.
US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump expressed his satisfaction on Tuesday about his performance in the first debate against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, and said he will "hit her harder" in their next encounter.

"I thought it went really well. I had some hostile questions. That was okay. It was the debate of debates," EFE news quoted Trump as saying on the television program "Fox & Friends".

Asked if he will change anything in his next debate with Clinton, to be held on October 9 in St. Louis, Missouri, Trump answered that "I may hit her harder in certain ways".

"(Yesterday) I really eased up because I didn't want to hurt anybody's feelings."

Trump said that when Clinton pounced on the magnate's tendency to insult women, he felt like bringing up "the transgressions of Bill", a reference to former US President Bill Clinton's extra-marital adventures.

But he didn't do it, he said, because "I didn't wanna say what I was going to say with Chelsea in the room".

The real-estate magnate said he was proud of having spoken swift and strong in the debate about illegal immigration, the police, law and order, business and jobs, because those are the things he thinks must be dealt with for the good of the country.

He also protested on Twitter that moderator Lester Holt asked Clinton "nothing on e-mails. Nothing on the corrupt Clinton Foundation. And nothing on #Benghazi" where four Americans were killed in that Libyan city in 2012 while she was Secretary of State.

The Republican candidate also complained that he had problems with the microphone, which he blamed for the noise when he spoke that made him sound like he was sniffling with a cold.

"I had a problem with my mic that didn't work, I wonder if it was set up on purpose. In the room they couldn't hear me, not exactly great...I wonder if it was set up that way," EFE news quoted him as saying.

The two candidates faced off against each other at Hofstra University on Long Island, New York, exchanging attacks for 1 1/2 hours on matters of the economy, racism, trade policies and foreign affairs.
Former Israeli President Shimon Peres was Niftar early Wednesday morning. He was 93.

Peres had been hospitalized since suffering a stroke two weeks ago.

Peres held virtually every senior political office in Israel over a seven-decade career, including three terms as prime minister as well as stints as foreign minister and finance minister.

He was the ninth President of Israel from 2007 to 2014. Peres served twice as the Prime Minister of Israel and twice as Interim Prime Minister, and he was a member of 12 cabinets in a political career spanning over 66 years. Peres was elected to the Knesset in November 1959 and, except for a three-month-long hiatus in early 2006, served continuously until 2007, when he became President.

Shimon Peres was born Szymon Perski, on 2 August 1923, in Wiszniew, Poland (now Vishnyeva, Belarus), to Yitzhak (18961962) and Sara (19051969 nee Meltzer) Perski. The family spoke Hebrew, Yiddish and Russian at home, and Peres learned Polish at school. His father was a wealthy timber merchant, later branching out into other commodities; his mother was a librarian. Peres has a younger brother, Gershon.

Peres once told the Lubavitcher Rebbe that he had been born as a result of a blessing his parents had received from a chassidic rebbe and that he was proud of it.

Peres grandfather, Rabbi Zvi Meltzer, a grandson of Reb Chaim Volozhin, had a great impact on his life. In an interview, Peres said: As a child, I grew up in my grandfathers home.  I was educated by him.  My grandfather taught me Talmud. It was not as easy as it sounds. My home was not an observant one. My parents were not Orthodox but I was Haredi. At one point, I heard my parents listening to the radio on the Sabbath and I smashed it.

At the age of four, Peres was taken by his father to Radin to receive a blessing from the Chofetz Chaim. Its interesting to note that Peres was Niftar just one day after the Yartzheit of the Chofetz Chaim.

In 1932, Peres father immigrated to Palestine and settled in Tel Aviv. The family followed him in 1934. Peres was one of the founders of Kibbutz Alumot. In 1941 he was elected Secretary of Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed, a Labor Zionist youth movement, and in 1944 returned to Alumot, where he worked as a dairy farmer, shepherd, and kibbutz secretary.

At age 20, he was elected to the Working and Learning Youth national secretariat, where he was only one of two Mapai party supporters, out of the 12 members. Three years later, he took over the movement and won a majority. The head of Mapai, David Ben-Gurion, and Berl Katznelson began to take an interest in him, and appointed him to Mapais secretariat.

In 1944, Peres led an illicit expedition into the Negev, then a closed military zone requiring a permit to enter. The expedition, consisting of a group of teenagers, along with a Palmach scout, a zoologist, and an archaeologist, had been funded by Ben-Gurion and planned by Palmach head Yitzhak Sadeh, as part of a plan for future Jewish settlement of the area so as to include it in the Jewish state. The group was arrested by a Bedouin camel patrol led by a British officer, taken to Beersheba (then a small Arab town) and incarcerated in the local jail. All of the participants were sentenced to two weeks in prison, and as the leader, Peres was also heavily fined.

All of Peres relatives who remained in Wiszniew in 1941 were murdered during the Holocaust, many of them (including Rabbi Meltzer) burned alive in the towns Shul.

In 1945, Peres married Sonya Gelman, who preferred to remain outside the public eye. They had three children. Sonya Peres was unable to attend Shimons 2007 presidential inauguration ceremony due to ill health. She died on 20 January 2011, aged 87.

He won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize for his work in reaching an interim peace agreement with the Palestinians. As president, a largely ceremonial office, he cultivated an image as the countrys elder statesman and became a popular fixture at international conferences like the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Peres remained active since completing his seven-year term as president in 2014, and is one of the countrys most popular public figures. He often hosted public events at his peace center, bringing together Arabs and Jews in efforts to promote peace and coexistence.

(Charles Gross  YWN)
MISSOULA -- It has become a mission for Yukio Shimomura.

The Utah man and his two brothers all served in the U.S. Armed Forces after spending 2 years of their youth in a concentration camp for Japanese during World War II.

Now 81, Shimomura was in Missoula on Tuesday for two days of talks about the stinging loss of freedom and other matters at Topaz Camp outside of Delta, Utah, when he was 7, 8 and 9 years old.

A couple of years ago a friend of Shimomura's at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, convinced the retired software engineer and human resources worker to share his memories of Topaz.

Shimomura spoke of being uprooted from a boys life in San Francisco and shipped by train with his family to barracks in a powder-dust, square-mile camp southwest of Salt Lake City. He told about towers of armed guards, and of the brittle winter cold that seeped through the California clothes of up to 9,000 other internees at Topaz.

Some people didnt go to the bathroom because they couldnt handle the non-privacy, Shimomura told a class of Sentinel High School juniors Tuesday.

When he'd finished the presentation at Weber State, his friend pressed him further.

He said, hey, youre one of the last guys who lived through it and still can present, said Shimomura. So what I did was I put it on my bucket list. Im committed to doing it as often as I can, until I physically and mentally cant do it any more or they take my car keys away.

Shimomura was brought to town by the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula and the University of Montana. Slide-show presentations to classes at Sentinel, Hellgate and Willard Alternative high schools and a couple of more at the University of Montana are being sandwiched around the prime event, Tuesday nights program on the University of Montana campus.

He has been to Missoula a number of times, drawn by the Kyiyo Pow Wow put on by UMs Native American Student Association each April. But hes also visited the fort museum, which has established itself as a national-class interpreter of the World War II alien detention camp at Fort Missoula.

Shimomura didnt live there in the 1940s, but the father of the woman he married did. Shimomura touched on that story Tuesday. His father-in-law was born in Japan and was drafted into the Japanese army in 1918 before immigrating to the United States. He owned a Mom and Pop grocery store on the West Coast and changed his surname to that of his wife because they wanted to keep the legacy of the wifes name going, Shimomura said.

The man was one of hundreds of Japanese-American men, most of them beyond middle age, who were sent to Fort Missoula from California, Oregon and Washington after the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. His future father-in-law was interrogated at the loyalty hearings courtroom on the second floor of the Fort's T-1 building.

They kept pounding on him: hey, why did you change your last name? What did you do in the Japanese Army? Shimomura said.

Like all others who appeared before the Fort Missoula tribunal, the man was deemed not to be a threat to national security and eventually rejoined his family at the Tule Lake internment camp in northern California.

Yukio is living history, said Matt Lautzenheiser, executive director of the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula. This period of time that were studying, learning about and trying to understand  he provides that firsthand account of it, which is just really powerful.

It fit well with Betty Bennetts English class at Sentinel, which is studying the effects of war on soldiers, families and the children like Shimomura who grew up in internment camps. Bennett said reading books like Thin Wood Walls and visiting the alien detention center exhibits at Fort Missoula are ways of connecting those stories with issues and lives today when dealing with immigration and "all the national rhetoric.

Shimomura winced as he read aloud the comments of Gen. John DeWitt, commander of the Western Defense Command for the U.S. Army as the nation plunged into World War II. DeWitt stressed the urgency of removing all Japanese living in California, Oregon and Washington from the West Coast.

A Jap is a Jap, DeWitt said. It makes no difference if he is an American citizen or not. Hes still Japanese ... I dont want any of them here. They are a dangerous element. There is no way to determine their loyalty.

In 1983, after two years of hearings, the Commission on Wartime Relocation acknowledged that interned Japanese-Americans suffered a "grave injustice ... conceived in haste and executed in an atmosphere of fear and anger at Japan." Their imprisonment, it reported, was not a military necessity but rather an act prompted by "race prejudice, war hysteria and a failure of political leadership."

Shiomomura's grandmother, parents and the two brothers who spent the war years in captivity are gone now. He's the only one left, and he pointed proudly to the service he and his brothers gave in the (United States) military after they left Topaz.

Loyalty has sort of a mystical tone to it, he said. You think that after all of us being put away like that thered be the bitterness, you know? But the loyalty is far greater than what we were put through.
It is the week before Rosh Hashanah and at Ben-Gurion International Airport, this signals the beginning of the Tishrei travel season which includes tens of thousands leaving this week for Uman and 770, as well as tens of thousands of Israelis leaving the country for Rosh Hashanah. The holiday rush officially begins on Wednesday 25 Elul.

At the airport, a special team has been trained to begin operating this week in the hope of expediting security checks, passport continue and check-in.

Travelers are urged to arrive four hours before a flight due to the large number of travelers being processed this week. Persons are advised to take advantage of online early check-in where available via the Ben-Gurion website. One simply visits the page and clicks either Terminal 1 or Terminal 3 and continues the online registration.

Helping ease the process are the automatic gates for travelers with the new biometric passports. Passengers are permitted one 20kg. (44 LBS) suitcase along with hand luggage that does not weigh more than 8kg (17.6 LBS).

For those requiring it, there is a shul in Terminal 3. The terminal also has a few mehadrin certified eateries. There is also a free shuttle operating between Terminals 1 and 3.

Airports Authority officials predict some 1.7 million travelers will pass through the airport in Tishrei, which will represent an 8% increase from last year. Thursday 26 Elul is the big day, with 90,000 passengers booked to travel on 540 flights. Airport officials report they are ready for the large number of travelers but stress passengers must allocate the required time and arrive four hours before a flight.

On erev Yom Kippur, Tuesday, 10 Tishrei 5777, the airport will shut with the last arriving flight touching down at 1:30PM. The last takeoff will be at 1:55PM.

Airport services will resume on motzei Yom Kippur with the first arriving flight touching down at 10:30PM and first takeoff at 11:30PM.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Israels emergency and security organizations are finalizing preparations for Rosh Hashanah, and counted among them is Magen David Adom (MDA).

Dispatch stations are readied as are personnel, including an increased number of on-call personnel and the task of assigning EMS personnel and vehicles to the countless number of public events during Tishrei, especially in Yerushalayim were so many will be visiting during Tishrei.

Pre-Yomim Tovim training exercises were held involving vehicular command centers in major cities including Afula, to respond to any major event in the Jordan Valley/Gilboa regions as well as in Netanya for that area and the same holds true in other major cities around the country.

Special emphasis is given to the Old City in Jerusalem as well as the Kosel, which enjoys hundreds of thousands of visitors over Yomtov.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo Credit: MDA Spokesman Unit)
[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat is currently visiting in New York City for a working visit. On Monday 23 Elul, he bumped into Jonathan Pollard and his wife in a Manhattan cafe near a fundraising event he is attended.

It was the first meeting between Pollard and an Israeli official since his release a number of months ago. Barkat was very moved by the meeting, presenting Mr. Pollard with a pin of honorary citizen of Jerusalem, a designation awarded him while he was imprisoned. Pollard told the mayor he was pleased to accept the pin.

Barkat removed the gold Jerusalem insignia pin from his jacket lapel and presented him with it. If Jonathan cannot come to Jerusalem the eternal capital of the Jewish People, Jerusalem will come to New York or any other place in the world.

The mayor added that he and many others look forward to the day that Pollard will come to Jerusalem, which will become his true home.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photos: Jerusalem Spokesman Unit)
It is common for avreichim in Eretz Yisrael to receive purchase vouchers for a hat, suit and shirt before Rosh Hashanah and Pesach. However, ahead of this Rosh Hashanah, avreichim in the Migdal Ohr community headed by Rabbi Yechezkel Etrog are receiving a different kind of purchase voucher  one to buy a quality piece of jewelry for their wives. This brings Migdal Ohr onboard the growing trend of kollels who are issuing vouchers for the wives of the avreichim ahead of Yomtov.

According to a Kikar News report, the trend began last year in a Bnei Brak Kollel headed by philanthropist Dan Gertler, who distributed vouchers for gifts for wives of avreichim. This Rosh Hashanah the trend is spreading and in addition to the voucher, a letter to the wives pointing out their merit for permitting their husbands to continue learning, asking the women to be mispallel for continued economic success.

The letter explains the woman stands behind the avreich as an angel, who labors over his Torah study, comparing her to the wife of Rabbi Akiva.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Ramat Gan resident Janetta Berman traveled to the new Beersheva Cemetery to visit the kever of her mother-in-law Mrs. Shaina Berman but found the matzeivah of another person in place, Walla News reports, adding the incident occurred about two weeks ago. Mrs. Berman adds she has been visiting this kever for close to 20 years and is quite certain of the location, but this time, there was a kever in the name of Bernardo Tovorovsky. Nevertheless, her first thought is she got confused and retraced her steps and was then certain she was in the correct place but her mother-in-laws matzeivah was gone.

Cemetery Director Avraham Norver was contacted and he escorted Mrs. Berman to the gravesite. He concurred, that the kever should have the matzeivah of her late mother-in-law, admitting he did not have an immediate explanation. Avraham checked back in the office, traced their records, and returned to the correct area plot only to find themselves in the same place, but the matzeivah was not that of Mrs. Bermans mother-in-law but Mr. Tovorovsky, who died on the same day.

According to a cemetery worker, a new matzeivah on the location most likely was done by one of the companies that prepares and installs tombstones.

Osnat, a granddaughter of the nifteres explains the family was in shock. She realized that only the matzeivah could have been changed, but it is also possible the remains of her grandmother were moved chas vsholom.

Attorney Daniel Toldo was called into the picture to represent Mrs. Berman. He explained there are no words to describe the emotional suffering endured by family members, who are speculating what might have occurred.

The Ministry of Religious services confirms the complaint was filed and the matter is still being probed together with officials from the Beersheva Religious Council.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
[COMMUNICATED CONTENT]

There is hardly a name that carries as much meaning to every Jew as that of Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan, the saintly Chofetz Chaim. Each of his many accomplishments would be legendary on its own; when combined, they are beyond our comprehension.

The Chofetz Chaim was niftar 83 years ago today, the 24 th of Elul. The first known dedication to his memory in America took place just a few weeks later. In a small room in Baltimore, Rabbi J. Heffland, the chairman of the Board of Directors of Talmudical Academy, which was founded in 1917, organized a meeting to discuss what could be done to preserve the legacy of the Chofetz Chaim. Rabbi Heffland suggested that they rename the Yeshiva and call it Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim of Baltimore. The resolution was unanimously accepted. (See the actual minutes of that meeting from 1933 attached to this article.)

Little did those at the meeting know the role that Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim  Talmudical Academy would play in the rebirth of Torah in America. Providence had it that this act of dedication to Torah would not only help build the community of Baltimore, but also spread Torah throughout the world. The Yeshiva endured the roaring 20s, the Great Depression, the First World War, the Second World War, and more. Changes in society never affected the Yeshivas commitment to provide a Torah-true mesorah to its students, as a wide array of gedolim, askanim, and chashuvim made their way through the hallowed halls of the Yeshiva. For the Yeshiva continues to work toward the goals of its founding fathers: to serve only Hashem.

What better way to learn to appreciate the greatness of the Yeshiva than through the words of the Chofetz Chaim himself. The Chofetz Chaim spent nearly 30 years working on the Mishnah Berurah, his magnum opus. While working along with him on one particularly difficult passage, Rav Tzvi Hirsch Levinson, the Chofetz Chaims son-in- law, expressed his frustration to his father- in-law over the fact that they had worked for so long on clarifying this one challenging nuance, which would ultimately express itself through a mere four lines of the Mishnah Berurah. Rav Tzvi Hirsch lamented, Rebbi, there will be thousands who learn through these few lines, yet they will have no idea how much time, effort, and energy we spent on these words.

The Chofetz Chaim empathized with Rav Tzvi Hirsch and then shared the following story. A father and son were taken away to the frozen tundra of Siberia, where they were given the task of building roads. It was nearly impossible to break the ground, but they would work continuously, day after day. One day, the young boy asked his father, Papa, thousands will travel these roads. Will any of them ever know how hard we worked on building these thoroughfares to enable them to travel on them?

The father replied, We dont work for accolades or recognition; we work for one reason and one reason only: for Czar Papushka  the Czar, our father.

The Chofetz Chaim explained, Rav Tzvi Hirsch, we do not work for accolades or recognition. It makes no difference whether or not those who learn these lines will appreciate the effort that went into them. We work for one reason and one reason only; we work for the Aibeshter Papushka  the Al-mighty, our Father.

The same can be said for the founders of Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim  TA of Baltimore, who built a Yeshiva for one reason and for one reason only: to bring honor and glory to the Al-mighty.

And now, Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim  Talmudical Academy of Baltimore is gearing up to celebrate its 100-year anniversary. This monumental milestone is rare. How many yeshivos can boast such a long and rich history on this countrys shores? At the same time, YCC-TA is in the process of expanding its campus to keep up with the growth of the community. As they celebrate their 100th year, this is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to have a share in this amazing institution, which is dedicated to the memory of the Chofetz Chaim.

We would also like to ask anyone who has any pictures, documents, or memories of the Yeshiva to please contact Rabbi Yechiel Spero at [email protected]. Rabbi Spero, the noted author and lecturer, is writing a book to be released in conjunction with the Yeshivas centennial dinner celebration.
Gov. Chris Christie was told about the epic 2013 traffic jam at the George Washington Bridge while it was underway, seemed happy about it and joked sarcastically that there was nothing political going on, a former loyalist testified Tuesday in the scandal that helped destroy Christies White House ambitions.

David Wildstein, a former executive at the agency that oversees New York-area bridges and tunnels, took the stand for the prosecution at the trial of two one-time Christie allies accused of engineering the four days of gridlock to punish a Democratic mayor for not endorsing Christie. Wildstein has pleaded guilty.

Wildsteins account was the first testimony to suggest Christie knew about the scheme as it was unfolding.

Christie has repeatedly denied that and has not been charged with a crime.

On Tuesday, the Republican governor said: All kinds of stuff is going on up in a courtroom in Newark. I want to be really clear: I have not and will not say anything different than Ive been saying since January 2014. No matter what is said up there, I had no knowledge prior to or during these lane realignments.

Bridget Kelly, Christies former deputy chief of staff, and Bill Baroni, a former executive at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, are on trial, charged with conspiracy, fraud and civil rights deprivation in the alleged political revenge plot.

Wildstein, a former high-ranking official at the Port Authority, testified that he was present when Christie was told about the traffic in Fort Lee on the third day of the gridlock during a Sept. 11 memorial event in New York.

Wildstein said Baroni told Christie there was a tremendous amount of traffic in Fort Lee that morning and that Mayor Mark Sokolich was very frustrated he wasnt getting his phone calls returned. Baroni then told the governor that Wildstein was watching over the situation, Wildstein testified.

Well, Im sure Mr. Edge would never be involved in anything political, Christie responded sarcastically, and then laughed, according to Wildstein. Wally Edge was a pseudonym Wildstein used while running a New Jersey politics website.

Prosecutors showed the jury several photographs of Baroni, Wildstein and Christie talking that day.

Federal prosecutor Lee Cortes asked Wildstein if he and Baroni were bragging about the traffic jams.

Yes, very much so. This was our one constituent, Wildstein replied, referring to Christie. I was pleasing my one constituent. I was happy that he was happy.

Christies name is on a list of potential witnesses at the trial.

The closing of two of three access lanes to the George Washington Bridge caused bumper-to-bumper traffic in Fort Lee, held up school buses and emergency vehicles, and left drivers fuming for hours at one of the busiest spans in the world. The bridge connects New Jersey to New York City.

For months afterward, Port Authority officials insisted the lane closings were part of a traffic study. But the scandal broke wide open with the release of emails and text messages, including one from Kelly to Wildstein in which she said: Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee.

At the time of the traffic jams, Christie was running for re-election, and his campaign was trying to secure endorsements from local Democratic officials like Sokolich in order to win a big landslide victory and demonstrate the governors broad appeal as a potential candidate for president.

In the end, the scandal helped sink Christies White House campaign. Christie once topped the national polls ahead of the 2016 GOP primaries but dropped out after New Hampshire and said recently that the scandal probably influenced Donald Trumps decision not to pick him as his running mate.

Trump said last December that Christie totally knew about the lane closings. The GOP presidential candidate has since tapped Christie to lead his transition team.

The scandal has brought to light some of the hardball tactics used by the Christie administration and reinforced his reputation as a bully.

Last week, Wildstein testified Christies office used the rich and powerful Port Authority to reward local officials whose endorsements were sought during the 2013 re-election campaign.

(AP)
It has been announced that the levaya of former President Shimon Peres will be held in Yerushalayim on Friday, 27 Elul at 11:00AM.

Leaders, representatives of the international community and former world leaders are expected to arrive to attend the event. Fox News reports that US President Barak Obama will be attending the funeral. Mr. Peres will be interred on Har Herzl in the section for the nations leaders.

A special mourning cabinet session will be held today, Wednesday 25 Elul, at 10:00AM.

President Reuven Rivlin, who is currently on a state visit in the Ukraine, is cutting his trip short to return to Israel.

Mr. Peres body will lie in state in Knesset on Thursday, 26 Elul.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara express deep personal sorrow over the passing of the former President of the State of Israel, Shimon Peres.

The Prime Minister will issue a special statement later this morning and convene the Cabinet in special session.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Education Minister Naftali Bennett has issued the following statement following the petira of former President Shimon Peres:

The last of the founding fathers has left us.

Shimon Peres was my education minister, and I will miss him very much. He didnt watch history  he wrote it.

Peres was a practical visionary and peace-seeking security figure, a courageous leader. He proudly represented Israel around the globe, and cared for the future of the Jewish people with every ounce of his body and soul.

I was fortunate to meet Peres multiple times over the past few years, and to hear his vision of a country that would be a light unto the nations; an Israel that would export to the world our greatest product: the Jewish mind.

I was greatly moved when Peres accepted my request to join the public campaign for the study of sciences in Israel, even though we didnt always see eye-to-eye on other issues.

At the most personal level, I will miss Shimon.

May his memory be a blessing.

I have directed Israels education system to dedicate tomorrow to the life and achievements of Shimon Peres, and I call upon Jewish communities and schools to do the same, so the future generation for whom he fought will know who he was and be inspired by him. 

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
With the petira of former President Shimon Peres and the levaya scheduled for Friday, 27 Elul at 11:00, Israel Airports Authority announces it is taking necessary measures to prepare for the influx of high-level personnel and all the security and other arrangements connected to such a reality; coming during some of the busiest days of year at Ben-Gurion International Airport. Officials add that in addition to world leaders and representatives of the international community, religious leaders and others, there will be an influx of members of the press to cover the levaya, which will be an international media event.

Airport officials report 40,000 travelers will be heading to Uman in the coming days, thousands to NYC to spend Rosh Hashanah at 770, and on Thursday, 26 Elul, 95,000 people are expected to pass through the airport, and this was before the petira of the former President.

It is pointed out that 60 planes arrived in Israel for Mr. Peres 90th birthday event, and a special area and runway was dedicated to accommodate these flights in addition to 20 additional parking area in the eastern and western areas of Ben-Gurion.

The appropriate individuals are meeting on Wednesday morning to map out the plan for the upcoming levaya which coincides with the Rosh Hashanah travelers at the nations international airport.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
WASHINGTONHouse Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) issued the following statement on the passing of former Israeli President Shimon Peres:

The world has lost a true legend and statesman. Shimon Peres was a gift to the country he helped establish and lead, and a persistent voice for the cause of peace. President Peres countless contributions to the world earned him the Nobel Peace Prize, Congressional Gold Medal, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. While we join the State of Israel and people around the globe in mourning his death, we also give thanks for his incredible life.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, issued the following statement on the death of His Excellency, Shimon Peres, the former President and Prime Minister of Israel:

It is with great sadness that I learned tonight of the death of former Israeli President and Prime Minister Shimon Peres.

Shimon Peres was, above all, a man of peace and a man dedicated to the well-being of the Jewish people.

Over the course of his long and distinguished life, Mr. Peres made enormous contributions to the founding and building of the State of Israel. He was devoted to promoting understanding between his country and its neighbors, and shared a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to create peace in the Middle East.

Mr. Peres was an internationally-respected statesman and a great friend to Canada. He visited our country often, and helped build relations that remain strong to this day.

On behalf of all Canadians, Sophie and I offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Peres  and to the people of Israel. His legacy as a tireless advocate for peace will not be forgotten.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
President Reuven Rivlin expressed his deep sadness on the passing of Israels former president and prime minister Shimon Peres in the early hours of this morning (Wednesday). The Presidents Office confirmed that the President  who was currently on a State Visit to Ukraine  would be returning early from the visit, and would arrive back in Israel during the course of the day.

President Rivlin said, A short distance from where I am visiting in Ukraine, in the city of Vishnyeva, Belarus, was born Szymon Perski, who grew to be a young man with great dreams. From here, from Eastern Europe, he emigrated to the land of Israel, and ever since never ceased to work for the sake of the Zionist movement, for the sake of the State of Israel, and the people of Israel.

There is not a chapter in the history of the State of Israel in which Shimon did not write or play a part. As one man he carried a whole nation on the wings of imagination, on the wings of vision. A man who was a symbol for the great spirit of this people. Shimon made us look far into the future, and we loved him. We loved him because he made us dare to imagine not what was once here, nor what is now, but what could be.

This is a sad day for the Israeli people, and the State of Israel. We all bow our heads at hearing of his passing. I will carry his memory with me, his handshake, his sensible advice which he always gave lovingly, and in particular his spirit of hope which he breathed into this people. The spirit of hope and peace which was his path and desire.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo Credit: Mark Neiman, GPO)
Quotes from around the world after the death of former Israeli President Shimon Peres. (New condolence messages will be added at the end of this post)



A light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever. Shimon Peres was a soldier for Israel, for the Jewish people, for justice, for peace, and for the belief that we can be true to our best selves  to the very end of our time on Earth, and in the legacy that we leave to others. For the gift of his friendship and the example of his leadership, todah rabah (thank you very much), Shimon.

(READ MORE) 

President Barack Obama



With the passing of Shimon Peres, Israel has lost a leader who championed its security, prosperity, and limitless possibilities from its birth to his last day on earth. The Middle East has lost a fervent advocate for peace and reconciliation and for a future where all the children of Abraham build a better tomorrow together. And Hillary and I have lost a true and treasured friend.

Ill never forget how happy he was 23 years ago when he signed the Oslo Accords on the White House lawn, heralding a more hopeful era in Israeli-Palestinian relations. He was a genius with a big heart who used his gifts to imagine a future of reconciliation not conflict, economic and social empowerment not anger and frustration, and a nation, a region, and a world enhanced by caring and sharing, not torn asunder by the illusions of permanent dominance and perfect truth. His critics called him a dreamer. That he was  a lucid, eloquent dreamer until the very end. Thank goodness. Let those of us who loved him and love his nation keep his dream alive.

(READ MORE) 

Former President Bill Clinton and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton



I am more sad than words can express. This is a man who was a political giant, a statesman who will rank as one of the foremost of this era or any era, and someone I loved deeply. He was an inspiration, a mentor and a friend. His intellect, his way with words that was eloquent beyond description, his command of the world and how it was changing were extraordinary.

Though he grew older, his spirit never did. Above all, his commitment to peace and his belief that it was in the interests of the country he adored marked him out as a visionary whose vision was never dimmed or displaced. He saw every setback as a spur to further action and every moment of hope as a sign of what could be done.  Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair



Shimon Peres was, above all, a man of peace. My deepest condolences to his loved ones and to the people of Israel on his passing.

(READ MORE) 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau



Shimon Peres never stopped trying to reach peace and believing in peace. His hand was always extended to a historic compromise with our neighbors, and even if this compromise tarried, he taught us never to give in to despair, but to cling to hope.

(READ MORE) 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu



President Abbas has sent a condolence letter to Shimon Peres family expressing his sorrow and sadness, as Peres was a partner in making the peace of the brave with both the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. He exerted persistent efforts to reach a just peace from the Oslo agreement until the final moments of his life.  the office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas



The Palestinian people are very happy at the passing of this criminal who caused their blood to shedShimon Peres was the last remaining Israeli official who founded the occupation, and his death is the end of a phase in the history of this occupation and the beginning of a new phase of weakness.  Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri



The last time I sat with Shimon back in March, at his Center for Peace in Tel Aviv, he said we gave up war, because war led nowhere. Every nation has a soulsomeone who embodies the spirit of a people. And for so many years, Shimon Peres was the soul of Israel. The world is a little darker without him in it.  Vice President Joe Biden



Today with deep sorrow we bid farewell to our beloved father, the 9th president of Israel. Our fathers legacy has always been to look to tomorrow. We were privileged to be part of his private family, but today we sense that the entire nation of Israel and the global community share this great loss. We share this pain together.  Chemi Peres, Shimon Peres son



A giant, a leader and an outstanding statesman has left us. The last of the leaders of the countrys founding. A man who made an immeasurable contribution to Israels security, its standing in the world and its efforts for peace. A world statesman, who even during his greatest achievements and until his last days had a great vision for a better Israel and a better world, along with an inexhaustible curiosity of a young man for every emerging innovation and revolution. His memory will be forever bound up with the chronicles of Israels history. May his memory be a blessing.  Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak



For many years, Shimon Peres worked together with the Mossad on operations and activities for Israels security, and was one of the countrys prominent leaders, a symbol of peace and brotherhood and one that gave an enormous contribution to fortifying Israels security.  Israels Mossad spy agency



President Peres inspired us and paved the way for us to continue strengthening the State of Israel. He encouraged us to look beyond the present and imagine a better future for Jerusalem, Israel, and the world. May his memory be a blessing.

(READ MORE) 

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat.



The Knesset bows its head and agonizes over the passing of the ninth president and former prime minister Shimon Peres. The State of Israel bids farewell to the head of its family; a man who had seen everything, was involved in everything and shaped everything,

(READ MORE) 

Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein



The last of the founding fathers has left us. Shimon Peres was my education minister, and I will miss him very much. He didnt watch history  he wrote it.

(READ MORE) 

Education Minister Naftali Bennett



There is not a chapter in the history of the State of Israel in which Shimon did not write or play a part. As one man he carried a whole nation on the wings of imagination, on the wings of vision. A man who was a symbol for the great spirit of this people. Shimon made us look far into the future, and we loved him. We loved him because he made us dare to imagine not what was once here, nor what is now, but what could be.

(READ MORE) 

Israel President Reuven Rivlin



Words cannot quantify the tremendous amount that Shimon Peres did for the security of Israel. Shimon Peres shaped the character and values of the Ministry of Defense, led the building and development of the Israel Defense Forces and its strategic capabilities, developed defense relationships between Israel and different countries around the world, and played a key role in the developing Israels defense industries.  Director General of Israels Ministry of Defense, Udi Adam



Barbara and I join Shimon Peres countless admirers around the world in saluting his singular life of service  to the universal cause of freedom, to the timeless cause of Israel, to the noblest cause of peace. By his unyielding determination and principle, Shimon Peres time and again helped guide his beloved country through the crucible of mortal challenge. But it was by his innate humanity, his decency, that Shimon inspired the world over and helped pave a path to peace broad enough that future generations will walk it one day, side-by side.

(READ MORE) 

Former President George H. W. Bush



Laura and I join the people of Israel and those around the world in mourning the death of Shimon Peres. As a young man, he worked for his countrys independence. For the rest of his life, he led it with a deep and abiding concern for his people and a commitment to freedom and peace. The Bush family will miss Shimon Peres and his grace, dignity, and optimism.  Former President George W. Bush



My heart is bleeding.my tears are falling.because President Shimon Peres is no longer in this world. He was a father figure not only to his beloved country of Israel, but also to me, because he was what I imagined my father would have been like. Shimons mind was expansive and his heart was compassionate. He was a brilliant statesman, gifted with the ability to listen to others who did not share his views and still remained determined to find a path forward.

He was a voice of reason who also happened to have the sensibility of a poet.thoughtful and soft-spoken, but his words echoed loudly around the world. I adored Shimon.and Im so grateful that I was able to spend some time with him over the years, and sing for him at his 90th birthday celebration in Israel. Thank god his spirit, his wisdom, and his ideals will live forever.  Barbra Streisand



My friend Shimon had a very rare human quality: He had the ability to change.

When I met Peres in the early 70s, he was in my eyes a banal hawk. Supporting settlers, a settler lover, a security man, the more land the better, the more power the better. He changed before my eyes  into an enthusiastic and stubborn believer in Israeli-Palestinian peace and Israeli-Arab peace.  Israeli author Amos Oz



The Last of the Mohicans has left us. He was one of the founding fathers, or founding sons, and all his generation is gone. Shimon is the last who remained.

I also was very close to him when he was around (Israels first prime minister David) Ben Gurion. I remember the entire group of younger people who were around the old man. Shimon was the last. They are all gone. Its a kind of feeling of losing your father. Because he is a father of modern Israel.  Peres biographer and former political adviser Michael Bar Zohar



President Peres believed that the best way to serve the State of Israel and to deliver security to the Israeli people was through peace with the Palestinians. We can only honor his memory with a daily commitment to reconciliation, preserving and advancing his vision for a two-State solution. European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini



The world has lost a true legend and statesman. Shimon Peres was a gift to the country he helped establish and lead, and a persistent voice for the cause of peace. President Peres countless contributions to the world earned him the Nobel Peace Prize, Congressional Gold Medal, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. While we join the State of Israel and people around the globe in mourning his death, we also give thanks for his incredible life.

(READ MORE)

 U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan



Shimon Peres story was the story of modern Israel  a saga of daring, dynamism and wisdom. With all of his heart, this farmer, fighter, author, Nobel Peace Prize winner, prime minister and president worked to guide his nation into a secure and confident future. I valued his friendship. He was an intellectual resource who personified the unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel.  House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi



My wife Lucy had the honor of visiting Shimon Peres a few months ago, at the Peres Centre for Peace. He told her the secret of perpetual youth was to ensure that your list of dreams always remained longer than your list of achievements. On that test, Shimon Peres remained the youngest of leaders.  Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull



On behalf of the entire New York Jewish community, we deeply mourn the passing of Shimon Peres, one of the greatest Jewish leaders of our time. President Peres was one of the extraordinary visionaries of our age, a towering Zionist hero of deep courage who devoted his life to serving and defending Israel and the Jewish people.  Eric S. Goldstein, CEO, UJA-Federation of New York.



I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former President and Prime Minister of Israel Shimon Peres. He was not only a great leader for his country, but one of the most profound statesmen our world has ever known.

(READ MORE) 

NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo



On behalf of the entire New York Jewish community, we deeply mourn the passing of Shimon Peres, one of the greatest Jewish leaders of our time, said Eric S. Goldstein, CEO, UJA-Federation of New York. President Peres was one of the extraordinary visionaries of our age, a towering Zionist hero of deep courage who devoted his life to serving and defending Israel and the Jewish people. He did so much to strengthen the US/Israel relationship and had a deep and abiding relationship with the New York Jewish Community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his entire family and with the people of Israel. May his memory be for a blessing.  UJA-Federation of New York



As the inventor of the eminently quotable Peres-ism, President Peres once observed that Optimists and pessimists die the same way. They just live differently. I prefer to live as an optimist. For 93 years, he did just thatenriching the state of Israel and the world with his light, his laughter, and his abiding loyalty to the land he loved. I extend my deepest condolences to President Peres children Zvia, Yoni, and Chemi and to their families. In the words of the Jewish tradition President Peres valued so deeply, we pray that his memory be a blessing.  National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice



Today Israel lost an eyewitness to its birth and an architect of its history, Shimon Peres. He helped transform a dream into a nation and no one worked harder to bring peace to the region. Throughout his extraordinary career in public service, he sought to bridge political differences and find common ground, an example that our world needs today more than ever. New York and Israel have always shared a special bond, and his door was always open to me and to all of our citys representatives  including on his last day in office, when I was honored to pay him a visit. I was lucky to call him a friend, and I was always inspired by his wisdom and optimism. His life and work will forever remain a vital part of the foundation upon which Israel is built.  Three-term mayor of New York City Mike Bloomberg



When he talked, everyone listened. And later, long after hed left the room, you remembered what he said. It crept into your soul and stayed with you.

Shimon Peres was truly a force of nature. Today, we have lost an amazing leader, and a powerful voice for peace and progress in our world. His loss will be felt not only in Israel but all over the worldin every heart he touched, including mine. It was my great privilege over the past 40 years to benefit from his friendship and his counsel. And each time I met with him, I was struck anew by his incredible compassion, his boundless energy, and his ceaseless curiosity. Even at 93, Shimon was still looking for the next big ideathe next dream to bring to life.  Vice President Joe Biden



Shimon Peres was a pioneer, a founding father, a statesman, and a beloved leader to the people of Israel. More than any title he has held, he was a man of remarkable decency who dedicated himself to bringing people together, finding common ground, and working towards both security and peace for Israel and its neighbors. I will always treasure my last visit with Mr. Peres, just a month ago in Israel, when he moved me with his words about his late wife Sonya, his hopes for his nation and the region, and his dreams for humanity. My heart is heavy, and my condolences and prayers are with his family, the people of Israel, and those around the world whom he has touched.  Senator Cory Booker



I am deeply saddened by the passing of Shimon Peres, former Israeli prime minister and president. Mr. Peres was a founding father of Israel and a visionary leader. As a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Mr. Peres made historic progress in the effort to build peace between the State of Israel and its neighbors. May we be inspired by his life & legacy. Baruch dayan haemet.  U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer



He was a leader of global renown and respect, and the world deeply mourns the loss of such a treasured visionary for peace. His legacy is rooted in his unwavering and inspiring devotion to building better Israeli-Palestinian relations. His lifetime of work included the historic signing of the Oslo Peace Accords and paving the close alliance we have today between the U.S. and Israel. For our childrens future, may his legacy continue.  Queens Borough President Melinda Katz



(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Hamas was not left out, joining world leaders in issuing a statement following the death of Shimon Peres, albeit a different type of message. Hamas officials called the late ninth President of Israel A criminal, and at the time of this article, PA (Palestinian Authority) leader Abu Mazen offered his condolences.

In Hamas-run Gaza, the atmosphere over the death is one of joy, as Hamas blames Peres as being part of the occupation.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said, The Palestinian people are very happy at the passing of this criminal who caused their blood to shedShimon Peres was the last remaining Israeli official who founded the occupation, and his death is the end of a phase in the history of this occupation and the beginning of a new phase of weakness.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
US President Barak Obama will be attending the funeral in Jerusalem on Friday 27 Elul for former President Shimon Peres. The Latest reports state that Obama will be arriving on Friday morning, and will return to the United States on Friday following the funeral.

The first planes will land on Thursday, 26 Elul and a total of no less than six large US military planes will escort the presidential mission, bringing the array of security equipment to protect the US leader while in Israel. The Israel Foreign Ministry as early as Wednesday morning began making arrangement for the US entourage at Ben-Gurion International Airport to accommodate the planes  all necessary for Mr. Obama to attend the funeral.

The planes will be carry many items including armored vehicles which will be driven by Secret Service personnel, as well as bringing teams of security and medical personnel. Israel has already given the green light for the entourage, and the planes which touch down in the western area of Ben-Gurion International Airport near the area where official ceremonies are held for state leaders.

In addition to the American planes, Israel has already received requests from foreign nations to permit thirty additional planes to touch down. They too will be in the area of Airforce 1. There will also be private planes arriving, bringing VIPs planning to participate in the levaya.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Israels High Court of Justice on Wednesday, 25 Elul, rejected the appeal filed on behalf of former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. As such, Mr. Olmert will have to serve an additional eight months imprisonment for his conviction in the Talansky cash envelopes retrial conviction.

This means that instead of completing his 19-month term, that term has now become 27 months. Mr. Olmert began serving his sentence in February 2016.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Chief Rabbi of Israel Rabbi Dovid Lau Shlita released a message following the petira of former President Shimon Peres.

In the name of the Chief Rabbinate and rabbis of Israel, we express deep sorrow over the demise of the ninth President of Israel, Mr. Shimon Peres.

Mr. Peres worked his entire life with dedication and true loyalty for Am Yisrael and the State of Israel and dedicated his life to work towards security and prosperity. Throughout his years of public service, President Peres conveyed a warm sympathetic heart to Yiddishkheit and Jewish tradition. The president merited a to live a long fulfilling life.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
The government Ceremonies Committee, which operates under Minister of Culture & Sport Miri Regev, has announced the details of the coming days pertaining to the passing of Israels ninth President, Mr. Shimon Peres.

The levaya itself is scheduled for 11:00AM on Friday morning at Mt. Herzl, in the section for the nations leaders.

 8:45AM Thursday morning: President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will lay wreathes as the coffin will lie in state in Knesset from 9:00AM to 9:00PM.

 Tens of thousands are people are expected to visit during the day.

 The funeral on Friday will begin at 8:30AM when the niftar will be transferred from Knesset to Mt. Herzl.

 9:30AM  11:00AM: Hespedim at Har Herzl.

 12:00PM: Kvura at Har Herzl.

For the many travelers on erev Shabbos, ahead of Rosh Hashanah or those simply moving about, one should realize the Jerusalem -Tel Aviv Highway will be closed on erev Shabbos as world leaders make their way from the airport to the capital.

Traffic snarls or worse should be expected in many areas including the capital in the area of Har Herzl (Bayit Vegan, Kiryat Yovel, heading to/from Hadassah Ein Kerem and much more).

At this time, the list of foreign leaders and VIPs expected to arrive in Israel to take part in the funeral includes:

 US President Barak Obama

 Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

 Former US President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary

 French President Francois Hollande

 Prince Charles

 Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

 US Secretary of State John Kerry

 German Chancellor Angela Merkel

 UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

 US Vice President Joe Biden

 German President Joachim Gauck

 Crown Prince Charles

 Former Queen of the Netherlands, Queen Beatrix

 Romanian President Klaus Iohannnis

 Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe

 Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto

Security in the capital will be extremely heavy. Many areas will be closed off, and for those traveling; one is urged to allow extra hours to get to and be processed in Ben-Gurion International Airport in the coming days. Prior to the petira of Mr. Peres Airports Authority officials announced anyone flying on Thursday or Friday is urged to be at the airport at least four hours before departure.

This did not take into consideration the traffic issues surrounding the arrival of VIPs from around the world or anything to do with heightened security in and around the airport and the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv Highway which will be closed for period of time.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Magen David Adom is busy preparing for the Friday 27 Elul levaya for the late Shimon Peres, Israels ninth president.

Many tens of thousands will begin marking his death by heading to the Knesset on Thursday, where the body of the late president will lie in state.

MDA will be out in force amid the realization world leaders and an international host of VIPs will be among the mourners attending the funeral on erev Shabbos.

MDA commanders met throughout the day on Wednesday to discuss the levaya as officers in charge of special operations are mapping out the plan for coverage on Thursday and Friday. Needless to say MDA is working in total coordination with Israel Police, which is in charge of the overall operation, that involves the Shin Bet and many other agencies.

Upon hearing of the petira of Mr. Peres on Wednesday morning, MDA Chief Eli Bin stated We got up sad with the bad news of the death of a loved one, a model symbol of the nation and the world, Mr. Shimon Peres.

Upon learning of his death we started preparing for heightened operations to provide coverage for the hundreds of thousands expected to take part in various aspects of saying goodbye to Mr. Peres. At the same time, extensive preparations for the operation are ongoing as MDA personnel stand ready for regular service as well as special events. MDA bows its head with great sadness and sorrow over the loss of Mr. Peres.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Two men seen removing an unexploded bomb from a suitcase left on the street by the Chelsea bomber have been identified by the FBI.

Officials say the pair are both Egyptian pilots who have since left the U.S., presumably to return to Egypt. Their names have not yet been made public.

The men had been seen on surveillance video removing the bomb from luggage on West 27th Street, Manhattan, at around 8pm on the night of the Chlsea bombing attack on September 17.

They dumped the pressure cooker explosive on the street  which was soon discovered by local New Yorkers who reported it to the police. The men made off with the case.

FBI officials previously said that the two men were not considered suspects, but said that agents were keen to speak to them.

They released surveillance footage still of the men in the hope of tracking down but the fact that they has not come forward to law enforcement is raising suspicions.

The agency has now identified the two men, who are no longer in the U.S., but have not yet released their names.

No further information has been released.

READ MORE: DAILY MAIL UK
[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

Kurds held a funeral on Wednesday for Shimon Peres, former President and Prime Minister of Israel, in a show of respect for his support for Kurds.

Kurds in the Province of Duhok held a funeral for Peres, sending condolences to his family.

Kurds respect for Peres came after his meeting with the US President Barack Obama in 2014.

Peres advised the United States to support the Kurds and the creation of a Kurdish state, praising the democracy practiced in the Kurdistan Region.

The Kurds have, de facto, created their own state, which is democratic. One of the signs of a democracy is the granting of equality to women, Peres told Obama in 2014.

About 100 people attended the funeral including journalists and activists.

Bayar Zawitayi, one of the Kurdish activists who participated, told Kurdistan24 the funeral was meant to send condolences to the family of Peres and show respect for what he did for Kurds.

Funeral proceedings began at 3:00 p.m. local time and continued for three hours in front of Duhok Gallery.

The following are pictures of Peres funeral poster in Duhok:

(Source: Kurdistan 24)
I'm a financial adviser, whose clients - a retired couple - have suffered extremely poor service from Santander.

In early 2016, the wife held about 160,000 of shares in a Santander unit trust. In order to make use of her husband's unused capital gains tax allowance, she planned to transfer about half of her holding to him.

Santander reduced her holding but failed to complete the transfer, meaning about 80,000 of savings went missing.

Sloppy: Santander promised a letter of apology and an offer of compensation after losing 80,000 in shares, but neither materialised

I have called weekly since April but Santander refused to correct the mistake immediately. It blamed a systems error and was unable to provide a timescale for resolution. I felt its treatment of my clients was inhumane.

At the end of May, we were told the systems issue had been fixed and that the missing 80,000 would be transferred into a new investment account in the husband's name.

We were also promised a letter of apology and an offer of compensation. So far we have had neither. D. V., by email.

I am regularly baffled by the insensitivity of people who work in banks. How can they fail to realise that their decisions and actions can have an immense impact on their customers' lives?

The 80,000 going missing might have been a trivial 'systems error' to staff, but it was a terrifying experience for pensioners who probably wondered if they would ever see their money again.

I think it goes without saying that they would have suffered sleepless nights thanks to the dozy behaviour of Santander's investment department.

Santander had a duty to keep both you and your clients informed and to rectify the situation as a matter of urgency. A fulsome apology and appropriate compensation should have followed.

Santander now admits there was a series of silly errors that was compounded because nobody took responsibility for resolving the problem. The word 'manana' seems to fit the approach.

Finally, someone from the bank has written to apologise.

They admit the time taken to fix the issue was 'longer than the time we would consider reasonable'.

They have also apologised for failing to keep you and your clients informed - with the consequence that you had to spend significant time and effort trying to gather updates.

The good news is that your clients' financial position is now correct, as far as the investments are concerned, and they have not suffered any loss here.

However, Santander's mistakes have landed your clients with an unwelcome tax bill. So it's promised to make good any extra tax your clients have had to pay and added 500 compensation.

It has also promised to reimburse your clients for any costs you have incurred and charged to them.

It's been a long struggle, but I hope things are now sorted out to your and your clients' satisfaction.

YOU HAVE YOUR SAY - FIGHTING COUNTY COURT ORDERS Every week Money Mail receives hundreds of your letters and emails about our stories. Here's what you had to say about our guide on how to fight county court judgments and keep your record clean: It sounds like it's possible for anyone with an axe to grind to ruin another person's credit very easily. I think it's a very unfair system. M. G., Oxford. Once a debt company or CCJ (county court judgment) is involved, I find it almost impossible to get my credit history put right. It doesn't matter if you are in the right, because there are no penalties that can be used against the firms if they do not remove the incorrect information. You can contact the financial ombudsman, who will send letters on your behalf if they think you have a case, but this takes for ever. L. N., Leeds. What happened to the old practice of sending out court documents by recorded delivery? Then there's no room at all for people to say they knew nothing about them. R. H., London. My best tip is to set up mail redirection with the Post Office before you move house. This means any post sent to your old address is forwarded to your new one. You won't miss any documents sent out. A. D., by email. How can you be responsible for someone else's debts? These are crazy rules that need to be changed now. L. D., Kent. The large majority of the CCJ's are applied for by companies who have bought old debts for peanuts and then cherry-pick the ones they want to collect. W. E., London. You can take a private action against whoever has applied for the CCJ if they have done so negligently, and sue them for damages. However, it's going to cost you money and judges tend to focus on the actual monetary loss to you, which is difficult to prove if you have been turned down for a loan or mortgage. M. K., London. My daughter had the same thing happen to her and the company who applied for the CCJ had bought the debt from a mobile phone company. She had no idea she owed anything until the CCJ. W. T., Bournemouth.
Upstart Boohoo has reported a surge in profits as it attracted millions of internet followers to boost sales.

The online fashion retailer, which is aimed at 16-24 year olds, saw festival and holiday clothing fly off the shelves and it has had a solid start to its menswear site BoohooMan.

Profits rocketed 129 per cent to 14.3million in the six months to August 31.

Web savvy: Boohoo profits rocketed 129 per cent to 14.3million in the six months to August 31

Part of the company's marketing genius involves reaching out to its 2m followers via Instagram and collaborating with so-called influencers on social media.

One such influencer is Jordyn Woods  an LA socialite with an A-list friendship group that includes Kim Kardashian's younger sister Kylie Jenner and Will Smith's children Willow and Jaden.

Carol Kane, co-chief executive of Boohoo said: 'I met Jordyn back in March and we just hit it off.'

Sales at Boohoo increased internationally as well, with revenue rising 41 per cent in Europe and 93pc in the United States. The UK saw a 38pc rise.

Boohoo, which launched Boohoo Kids on Monday, has no plans to launch a range for older women.
It started life as a small taxi service in a North London suburb in the early 70s.

Forty five years later, UK Mail is set to be sold to a German rival for more than 240million  handing a 110million fortune to the family of the firm's founder Peter Kane.

Britain's second-biggest post firm yesterday agreed terms with Deutsche Post in a deal which looks set to shake up the postal market and put more pressure on Royal Mail.

The tie-up will see UK Mail shareholders receive 440p a share in cash - a 43 per cent premium on the day's opening price of 307.5p.

The offer of 440p per share was unanimously backed by UK Mail's directors and major shareholders.

But Mr Kane, 69, is not set to receive a penny having transferred all of his shares to his younger brother Michael, his children and his ex-wife.

This is believed to be for inheritance tax planning purposes, with Mr Kane having collected millions in dividends over the years.

His son John is set to be the biggest beneficiary, with his 25 per cent stake worth around 60million.

Competition: Together with DHL, Deutsche Post will now be battling it out with Royal Mail in both parcels and letters.

Peter's younger brother Michael is in line for 23million, while his daughter and son-in-law will get 13.3million between them.

Ex-wife Ghislaine, who lives in a large gated house in a wealthy Buckinghamshire village, will also hit the jackpot, with 14.7million.

Kane has managed to keep an extraordinarily low profile while amassing a multi-million pound business empire, with 2,800 staff.

UK Mail collects 53million parcels and handles 2.8billion items a year.
Holidaymakers are shrugging off this years disappointing summer by booking trips to find winter sun.

Long-haul destinations such as Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Sri Lanka have grown in popularity while trips to the Canary Islands, Cyprus and Cape Verde, off north west Africa, are also selling well.

Concerns that the fall in the pound following the Brexit vote on June 23 would deter people from going abroad have proven fruitless as Britons feed their growing appetite for winter sun.

Travel giant TUI, which owns Thomson and First Choice, has lifted its profit forecast for the year after the boost in demand saw trips to long-haul countries increase 26 per cent.

Sales at the holiday company were up 11 per cent and bookings up 5 per cent.

The leisure travel group said it remained confident of delivering between 12 per cent and 13 per cent profit growth by the end of the year, compared with a previous forecast of at least 10 per cent growth.

Shares at Tui rose 1.3 per cent, or 14p to 1100p.

Sunseekers forced to cover up by Britains cool summer have knocked sales of fake tanning brand St Tropez.

Owner PZ Cussons warned a cool summer had adversely affected sales.
The world's biggest brewer has been fined 4.6million after being caught bribing officials into promoting its beer  and then trying to silence a whistleblower by threatening them with a 200,000 fine.

On the day it sealed a 79billion mega merger with London listed SABMiller, Budweiser-brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev was punished for using promoters to bribe Indian officials to boost sales of its beer.

The allegations of bribery date back to 2009 when an Indian subsidiary of AB InBev hired a promoter who had no experience in the alcohol industry.

Budweiser-brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev was punished for using promoters to bribe Indian officials to boost sales of its beer

This promoter was found by US investigators to have been paid 'excessive commissions' and reimbursements for 'questionable promotional charges', which it used to pay the bribes.

AB InBev, which employs 150,000 people, recorded these costs as legitimate business expenses.

Due diligence checks were not carried out on the promoter, but staff tried to cover it up by backdating forms to make it look as though they had been completed.

In 2010 and 2011, an employee told AB InBev bosses the promoting company had been 'taking care of' government officials.

The employee also questioned the promoter's lack of experience, staff and infrastructure.

But instead of looking into the claims, AB InBev sacked the worker, and made them sign an agreement promising to remain silent or face a 192,380 punishment.

The worker had also been talking to US investigators but stopped after signing the confidentiality agreement and only passed on information after the investigators issued a legal request.

AB InBev staff also attempted to destroy evidence of the bribery. Yesterday, US watchdog the Security and Exchange Commission fined the firm 4.6million for the offences.

It marred celebrations as the company sealed one of the biggest mergers in history.

The deal will bring together brands including Fosters, Becks and Stella Artois in a brewing giant that will make 30 per cent of the world's beer.

After the merger is complete, AB InBev will sell one in every four of the world' s beers.

Jane Norberg, SEC whistleblowing chief, said the threat of financial punishment for whistleblowing was 'unacceptable'.

Kara Brockmeyer, chief of the SEC's foreign corruption division, said: 'Anheuser-Busch recorded improper payments by its sales promoters in India as legitimate expenses in its financial accounting, and then exacerbated the problem by including language in a separation agreement that chilled an employee from communicating with the SEC.'

AB InBev, which has annual revenues of 43.6billion, yesterday said it was pleased to have resolved the SEC probe and that the US justice department had closed its parallel investigation.

The company said Indian employees had since been given extensive training.

It said: 'Our employees are encouraged to report any activity that they believe might be a violation of laws, regulations, the code of business conduct, or company policies.
The Clorox Company manufactures and markets consumer and professional products worldwide. It operates through four segments: Health and Wellness, Household, Lifestyle, and International. The Health and Wellness segment offers cleaning products, such as laundry additives and home care products primarily under the Clorox, Clorox2, Scentiva, Pine-Sol, Liquid-Plumr, Tilex, and Formula 409 brands; professional cleaning and disinfecting products under the CloroxPro and Clorox Healthcare brands; professional food service products under the Hidden Valley brand; and vitamins, minerals and supplement products under the RenewLife, Natural Vitality, NeoCell, and Rainbow Light brands in the United States. The Household segment provides cat litter products under the Fresh Step and Scoop Away brands; bags and wraps under the Glad brand; and grilling products under the Kingsford brand in the United States. The Lifestyle segment offers dressings, dips, seasonings, and sauces primarily under the Hidden Valley brand; natural personal care products under the Burt's Bees brand; and water-filtration products under the Brita brand in the United States. The International segment provides laundry additives; home care products; water-filtration systems; digestive health products; grilling products; cat litter products; food products; bags and wraps; natural personal care products; and professional cleaning and disinfecting products internationally primarily under the Clorox, Ayudin, Clorinda, Poett, Pine-Sol, Glad, Brita, RenewLife, Ever Clean and Burt's Bees brands. The Clorox Company sells its products primarily through mass retailers; grocery outlets; warehouse clubs; dollar stores; home hardware centers; drug, pet and military stores; third-party and owned e-commerce channels; and distributors, as well as a direct sales force The company was founded in 1913 and is headquartered in Oakland, California.
Suncor Energy Inc. operates as an integrated energy company. The company primarily focuses on developing petroleum resource basins in Canada's Athabasca oil sands; explores, acquires, develops, produces, transports, refines, and markets crude oil in Canada and internationally; markets petroleum and petrochemical products under the Petro-Canada name primarily in Canada. It operates through Oil Sands; Exploration and Production; Refining and Marketing; and Corporate and Eliminations segments. The Oil Sands segment recovers bitumen from mining and in situ operations, and upgrades it into refinery feedstock and diesel fuel, or blends the bitumen with diluent for direct sale to market. The Exploration and Production segment is involved in offshore operations off the east coast of Canada and in the North Sea; and operating onshore assets in Libya and Syria. The Refining and Marketing segment refines crude oil and intermediate feedstock into various petroleum and petrochemical products; and markets refined petroleum products to retail, commercial, and industrial customers through its other retail sellers. The Corporate and Eliminations segment operates four wind farms in Ontario and Western Canada. The company also markets and trades in crude oil, natural gas, byproducts, refined products, and power. The company was formerly known as Suncor Inc. and changed its name to Suncor Energy Inc. in April 1997. Suncor Energy Inc. was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
MetLife, Inc., a financial services company, provides insurance, annuities, employee benefits, and asset management services worldwide. It operates through five segments: U.S.; Asia; Latin America; Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and MetLife Holdings. The company offers life, dental, group short-and long-term disability, individual disability, pet insurance, accidental death and dismemberment, vision, and accident and health coverages, as well as prepaid legal plans; administrative services-only arrangements to employers; and general and separate account, and synthetic guaranteed interest contracts, as well as private floating rate funding agreements. It also provides pension risk transfers, institutional income annuities, structured settlements, and capital markets investment products; and other products and services, such as life insurance products and funding agreements for funding postretirement benefits, as well as company, bank, or trust-owned life insurance used to finance nonqualified benefit programs for executives. In addition, it provides fixed, indexed-linked, and variable annuities; and pension products; regular savings products; whole and term life, endowments, universal and variable life, and group life products; longevity reinsurance solutions; credit insurance products; and protection against long-term health care services. MetLife, Inc. was founded in 1863 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation provides a range of financial products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Securities Services, Market and Wealth Services, Investment and Wealth Management, and Other segments. The Securities Services segment offers custody, trust and depositary, accounting, exchange-traded funds, middle-office solutions, transfer agency, services for private equity and real estate funds, foreign exchange, securities lending, liquidity/lending services, prime brokerage, and data analytics. This segment also provides trustee, paying agency, fiduciary, escrow and other financial, issuer, and support services for brokers and investors. The Market and Wealth Services segment offers clearing and custody, investment, wealth and retirement solutions, technology and enterprise data management, trading, and prime brokerage services; and clearance and collateral management services. This segment also provides integrated cash management solutions, including payments, foreign exchange, liquidity management, receivables processing and payables management, and trade finance and processing services. The Investment and Wealth Management segment offers investment management strategies and distribution of investment products, investment management, custody, wealth and estate planning, private banking, investment, and information management services. The Other segment engages in the provision of leasing, corporate treasury, derivative and other trading, corporate and bank-owned life insurance, renewable energy investment, and business exit services. It serves central banks and sovereigns, financial institutions, asset managers, insurance companies, corporations, local authorities and high net-worth individuals, and family offices. The company was founded in 1784 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
Bank of America has a rich history dating back to 1800 and even earlier. It was begun by immigrants as a group of separate and unrelated banks that, over the years, merged and grew together. One such is the Bank of Italy which was founded in 1904 by Amadeo Giannini to serve Italian immigrants that were facing discrimination. He later buys out the Banca de America e de Italia (Bank of America and Italy) which was also located in San Francisco. Over the years additional mergers and changes in Federal banking legislation, as well as the boom brought on by WWI and then WWII, helped boost the bank to national prominence.

Things turned sour, however, in 1998 with a major bond default that led to yet another merger, this time with Charlotte, NC-based Nations Bank to officially become the Bank of America that exists today. At the time, the merger was the largest bank merger in history and the company has only grown in the time since.

Other additions to the new Bank of America include MBNA (a major credit card operator), Fleet Boston (then the US 7th largest and one of its oldest banks), and Merril Lynch, now Merril, which was added to the group in 2008 to provide an investment banking branch. Together the company dominates as one of the Big Four Banks in America. Bank of America lays claim to nearly 11% of all US deposits which ranks in line with its peer group and Bank of America Securities is listed as the worlds 3rd largest investment bank.

Today, Bank of America Corporation provides banking and financial services for individuals, small businesses, institutions, corporations, and governments worldwide. The bank operates in three segments Consumer Banking, Global Wealth & Investment Management, and Global Banking bringing in a combined revenue greater than $90 billion in 2022.

As of 2022, Bank of America serves approximately 67 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 4,200 retail financial centers. The bank also operates more than 16,000 ATMs and digital banking platforms with approximately 41 million active users.

Its Consumer Banking segment offers traditional banking and investment products for retail clients. These range from deposit accounts to savings, credit cards, consumer loans, and IRAs. The Global Wealth & Investment Management segment offers investment and wealth management solutions including, brokerage, banking, and trust and retirement products. The Global Banking segment provides lending products and services, including commercial loans and leases for businesses of all varieties. The Global Markets segment offers market-making, clearing, settlement, and custody services, as well as risk management, derivatives, and FX exchange services.
Imperial Oil Limited engages in exploration, production, and sale of crude oil and natural gas in Canada. The company operates through three segments: Upstream, Downstream and Chemical segments. The Upstream segment explores for, and produces crude oil, natural gas, synthetic oil, and bitumen. As of December 31, 2021, this segment had 386 million oil-equivalent barrels of proved undeveloped reserves. The Downstream segment is involved in the transportation and refining of crude oil, blending of refined products and the distribution, and marketing of refined products. It also transports crude oil to refineries by contracted pipelines, common carrier pipelines, and rail; maintains a distribution system to move petroleum products to market by pipeline, tanker, rail, and road transport; and owns and operates fuel terminals, natural gas liquids, and products pipelines in Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario. In addition, this segment markets and supplies petroleum products to motoring public through approximately 2,400 Esso and Mobil-branded sites. Further, it sells petroleum products, including fuel, asphalt, and lubricants for industrial and transportation customers, independent marketers, and resellers, as well as other refiners serving the agriculture, residential heating, and commercial markets through branded fuel and lubricant resellers. The Chemical segment manufactures and markets various petrochemicals, benzene, aromatic and aliphatic solvents, plasticizer intermediates, and polyethylene resin. Imperial Oil Limited has a strategic agreement with E3 Metals Corp. to advance a lithium-extraction pilot in Alberta. The company was incorporated in 1880 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Imperial Oil Limited is a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation.
National Bank of Canada provides various financial products and services to retail, commercial, corporate, and institutional clients in Canada and internationally. It operates through four segments: Personal and Commercial, Wealth Management, Financial Markets, and U.S. Specialty Finance and International. The Personal and Commercial segment offers personal banking services, including transaction solutions, mortgage loans and home equity lines of credit, consumer loans, payment solutions, and savings and investment solutions; various insurance products; and commercial banking services comprise credit, and deposit and investment solutions, as well as international trade, foreign exchange transactions, payroll, cash management, insurance, electronic transactions, and complimentary services. The Wealth Management segment comprises investment solutions, trust services, banking services, lending services, and other wealth management solutions. The Financial Markets segment offers corporate banking, advisory, and capital markets services; and project financing, debt, and equity underwriting; advisory services in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, and financing. The U.S. Specialty Finance and International segment provides specialty finance products; financial products and services to individuals and businesses in Cambodia; and investment solutions, guaranteed investment certificates, mutual funds, notes, structured products, and monetization. It provides its services through a network of 384 branches and 927 banking machines. National Bank of Canada was founded in 1859 and is based in Montreal, Canada.
AutoZone, Inc. retails and distributes automotive replacement parts and accessories. The company offers various products for cars, sport utility vehicles, vans, and light trucks, including new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products. Its products include A/C compressors, batteries and accessories, bearings, belts and hoses, calipers, chassis, clutches, CV axles, engines, fuel pumps, fuses, ignition and lighting products, mufflers, radiators, starters and alternators, thermostats, and water pumps, as well as tire repairs. In addition, the company offers maintenance products, such as antifreeze and windshield washer fluids; brake drums, rotors, shoes, and pads; brake and power steering fluids, and oil and fuel additives; oil and transmission fluids; oil, cabin, air, fuel, and transmission filters; oxygen sensors; paints and accessories; refrigerants and accessories; shock absorbers and struts; spark plugs and wires; and windshield wipers. Further, it provides air fresheners, cell phone accessories, drinks and snacks, floor mats and seat covers, interior and exterior accessories, mirrors, performance products, protectants and cleaners, sealants and adhesives, steering wheel covers, stereos and radios, tools, and wash and wax products, as well as towing services. Additionally, the company provides a sales program that offers commercial credit and delivery of parts and other products; sells automotive diagnostic and repair software under the ALLDATA brand through alldata.com and alldatadiy.com; and automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products through autozone.com. As of November 20, 2021, it operated 6,066 stores in the United States; 666 stores in Mexico; and 53 stores in Brazil. The company was founded in 1979 and is based in Memphis, Tennessee.
China Mobile Limited provides mobile telecommunications and related services in Mainland China and Hong Kong. The company offers local calls; domestic and international long distance calls and roaming services; and value-added services, such as caller identity display, call waiting, conference calls, and others. It also provides wireless Internet service, as well as digital applications comprising music, video, reading, gaming, and animation; wireline broadband services; and wireline voice services. In addition, it offers dedicated line and IDC services to corporate customers in a range of industry sectors; and basic corporate communication products comprising corporate VPMN and SMS, and tailor made solutions. Further, the company provides international telecommunications services, which includes IDD, roaming, Internet, MNC, and value added business services. Additionally, it offers telecommunications network planning, design, and consulting services; roaming clearance, IT system operation, and technology support services; value-added platform development and maintenance services; mobile data, and system integration and development services; network construction and maintenance, network planning and optimizing, and training services; electronic communication products design and sale of related products; and non-banking financial services. It also provides mobile cloud research and development services; call center services; e-payment, e-commerce, and Internet finance services; and mobile Internet digital content services, as well as operates a network and business coordination center. The company serves 950 million mobile customers and 187 million wireline broadband customers. The company was formerly known as China Mobile (Hong Kong) Limited and changed its name to China Mobile Limited in May 2006. The company was incorporated in 1997 and is based in Central, Hong Kong. China Mobile Limited is a subsidiary of China Mobile Hong Kong (BVI) Limited.
DECATUR -- Radine Cox was told she had no hope to live.

She was diagnosed with lung cancer and the lump appeared too big to operate on.

Thats devastating to hear, Cox said.

Twelve years later, Cox is cancer-free and on the front lines of the battle to make sure no more cancer patients are told theres no hope. Cox went from forced retirement because of the after-effects of chemotherapy to becoming a powerful voice promoting the fight against cancer on a national level.

Cox recently made her sixth trip to Washington D.C. as part of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Networks Leadership and Lobby Day. The Cancer Action Network (CAN) is the advocacy part of the American Cancer Society (ACS).

After being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2004, Cox was referred to Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, even though it wasnt in her insurances network.

I had a horrible time, but I made it my full-time job to get myself in there, Cox said.

Her surgeon at Barnes at first told her the cancer was inoperable -- no hope. But after doing some further research, the surgeon decided to try to shrink the tumor to make it operable.

They had to really whammy me -- chemo and radiation at the same time, Cox said. They told me they needed to reduce the mass by 30 percent in 11 weeks, and they didnt know if it would work.

I was in a wheelchair not able to walk. I was sick, losing my hair and losing weight.

But the plan worked. The mass shrunk by 39 percent and, though most of Coxs left lung was removed, the cancer is gone.

Im one of the very few who have had lung cancer in its latter stages to survive, Cox said. If it wasnt for research, there would be no cancer survivors. I wouldnt be here.

The effects of chemotherapy -- commonly known as chemo brain -- forced Cox out of her job at State Farm and onto disability. Then her husband died of ALS. Cox began volunteering -- she volunteers at the Cancer Care Center, Decatur Memorial Hospital, the Macon County Obesity Prevention Coalition and Relay for Life -- but fighting lung cancer became her passion.

Coxs first cause was getting a declaration signed by former Gov. Pat Quinn designating November as Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Thats how she first met former Illinois State Rep. Bob Flider.

Flider, a cancer survivor himself, had known Coxs late husband.

He was a building maintenance supervisor where I worked, at the Millikin building -- he was a super guy, Flider said. I knew her through him, and saw her at his visitation.

But after her cancer, I started seeing her more in her role as an advocate -- not just someone I knew through her husband. She would come to the capital and to my office. She was a passionate survivor working for a cause.

Cox then got involved with Smoke Free Macon County, and later ACS.

There was an ACS representative at one of the Smoke Free Macon County meetings, and she told me, We need you to tell your story, Cox said.

Every year, CAN makes a trip to Washington D.C. called Leadership and Lobby Day, that includes representatives from every congressional district in the country -- more than 700 people total. Cox went this year for the sixth time in the last seven years.

The first day we have breakout sessions where (ACS) talks to us about what they want us to talk to our congressmen about, Cox said. Then the next day were on the Hill talking to our congressmen, then we report back about how they replied -- are they going to co-sponsor any of these bills, are they going to vote for them?

The goal, Cox said, is always to get Congress to continue funding cancer research. This year, CAN was also asking them to sponsor bills: One mandating palliative care hospice education training and another closing the Medicare loophole that forces patients to pay when a polyp is removed during a routine colonoscopy.

If the doctor realizes youre on Medicare, theyre going to wake you up and schedule you for another one so they can actually remove the polyp, Cox said. So in the long run, closing that loophole is going to save Medicare money.

Cox was in meetings with Sens. Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk, and Reps. John Shimkus, Rodney Davis and Randy Hultgren.

Senator Durbin is always behind ACS -- sometimes he wont co-sponsor, but hell usually vote yes -- and Representative Davis is always on board with us, Cox said. Senator Kirk is a different story. We never get to talk to him -- its always his aide or staff member, and they usually wont commit either way.

But they should know us by now -- were going to keep hounding them when they get home. And we found out the next day that Senator Kirk did sign on to be the co-sponsor for the palliative care bill.

The ACS is an extremely successful lobby -- in 2016, Congress allocated $5.21 billion to the National Cancer Institute. With volunteers like Cox, its easy to see why.

She doesnt take no for an answer with a smile on her face, Flider said. Shes a warrior for the cause. Shed call, write or personally contact me several times a year to let me know her views. She always did it with a smile, but also with a passion for making a difference.

Shes just a wonderful person. And shes the best kind of advocate because shes there for the right reasons. Shes been through cancer and she understands its impact.

I think all of us, as we near retirement, wonder what we can do to make the world a better place. Radine could have retired and kicked back, but she gives of herself. Thats gratifying to see. She doesnt work hard because she has to. She does it because she wants to. I know Im very grateful for that.
OPKO Health, Inc., a healthcare company, engages in the diagnostics and pharmaceuticals businesses in the United States, Ireland, Chile, Spain, Israel, Mexico, and internationally. The company's Diagnostics segment operates BioReference Laboratories that offers laboratory testing services for the detection, diagnosis, evaluation, monitoring, and treatment of diseases, including esoteric testing, molecular diagnostics, anatomical pathology, genetics, women's health, and correctional healthcare to physician offices, clinics, hospitals, employers and governmental units; and a novel diagnostic instrument system to provide blood test results in the point-of-care setting, as well as 4Kscore prostate cancer testing services. Its Pharmaceutical segment offers Rayaldee to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism in adults with stage 3 or 4 chronic kidney disease, and vitamin D insufficiency; OPK88004, an orally administered selective androgen receptor modulator; OPK88003, a once-weekly administered peptide for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and associated obesity that is in Phase IIb trials; and hGH-CTP, a once-weekly human growth hormone injection that completed Phase III clinical trial in partnership with Pfizer, Inc. This segment develops and commercializes longer-acting proprietary versions of already approved therapeutic proteins. The company also offers specialty APIs; develops, manufactures, markets, and sells pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, veterinary, and ophthalmic products; commercializes food supplements and over the counter products; manufactures and sells products primarily in the generics market; and imports, markets, distributes, and sells pharmaceutical products in a range of indications, including cardiovascular products, vaccines, antibiotics, gastro-intestinal products, hormones, and others. In addition, it operates pharmaceutical platforms in Ireland, Chile, Spain, and Mexico. The company was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Miami, Florida.
DECATUR  Efforts are underway to establish a Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities, or CEO, program for high school seniors in Macon County.

The program would expand on what was started in 2008 in Effingham and has grown through the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship to 40 communities in 4 states. CEO is a year-long course that offers students an inside look at area businesses.

This is a perfect time to be introduced to something like this with everything that is happening around Macon County, said Karen Rolofson of Argenta, who is leading the organizational efforts. This will open their eyes to what's available in the area.

Rolofson said by taking the course, students become more encouraged to return to their hometowns after finishing either high school or college.

In addition to area school districts and private high schools, Rolofson said the program needs support from area businesses. A breakfast meeting will be held at 7 a.m. Monday, Oct. 3, in the Shilling Center at Richland Community College to provide information to get involved with the program, which Rolofson said would is targeted to start in the fall of 2017 if it has enough support by then.

Midland Institute Interim Executive Director Cheryl Mitchell will discuss various aspects of the program. The Institute is involved with providing training, materials, mentoring and guidance leading up to the launch of a CEO program in various communities.

It is the standard for entrepreneurship education in the nation, Mitchell said.

CEO can be supported by those who donate money, mentor students, provide a meeting space, open their businesses for tours or speak to the class. Students will develop a group business plan during the fall semester, followed by developing individual business plans to showcase in the spring.

Rolofson said organizers have visited other programs, including one in Christian County, to see it in action. Students have said how they thought the class should be an opportunity for more to be a part of, Rolofson said.

It is so different, Rolofson said. We've really gotten excited learning about it.

More information about CEO is available or by contacting Rolofson through email at rolofson@ctiwireless.com or call (217) 795-2385.
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.

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DECATUR  The Decatur Board of Education heard more good news on the budget at its meeting Tuesday.

A month ago, Todd Covault, chief operational officer, told the board that the district should receive $2.4 million more in funding this year thanks to the state of Illinois funding schools at 100 percent of the general state aid amount, in contrast to the prorated funding of the last several years, as he presented a tentative 2016-17 budget.

His estimation proved correct, he said as he presented the final budget for a vote on adoption Tuesday. In addition, some of the expected expenses have been reduced since his first presentation, giving the district a budget that should be solidly in the black this year.

I'm hopeful we won't have the painful process of budget reductions this spring, Covault said.

The next challenge the board will face, Covault said, is that nationally there's a teacher shortage, making some positions difficult to fill.

The board approved a month-to-month contract extension for interim co-superintendents Michael Dugan and Bobbi Williams, while the search for a permanent superintendent is underway.

Director of student services Lawrence Trimble gave the board a report on enrollment figures, which are traditionally taken the 12th day of attendance.

Counting preschool students, 9,115 students are enrolled this year, a drop of 24 students from last year's 12th-day figures. Several buildings have seen fluctuations due to high mobility in the district, he said, and three schools have classrooms that are over the cap.

In kindergarten through second grade, the classroom cap is 24 students, and in grades three through six, it's 27 students. Baum and Dennis have one classroom each with one student over the cap, and French Academy has a kindergarten classroom with two more students than the cap.

With the elementary school pods, when a classroom is over capacity, students are moved to another building in the pod that has room, and if all classrooms at that grade are at capacity, the student is moved to a magnet school that has space, Trimble said.

Some buildings' boundaries contain fewer children than other buildings, and in addition, kindergarten numbers were higher than anticipated this year. Student Services is working on registration and transportation planning changes based on the information they have gathered, to streamline the process and resolve issues more quickly.

Board member Fred Spannaus discussed the discipline action committee's meeting, which was held on Tuesday morning, and efforts to update discipline procedures in line with recent changes to state law regarding suspensions and expulsions. Because the committee is part of the Decatur Education Association's contract, alternative education is probably not part of their responsibility, said board member Alida Graham, a former president of the union.

Board President Sherri Perkins asked for a copy of the contract language regarding the committee to be provided to the board before any decisions are considered about further efforts.
DECATUR  An extended delay in a construction project at Richland Community College has led to an opportunity to create a highly visible outlet for student expression.

Since early September, students and others visiting campus have been invited to color on the temporary wall separating the Mueller Student Center with the stalled construction space for the future Student Success Center.

It's becoming a sign of the times, said Tracy Withrow, Richland's marketing coordinator who helped to develop the idea for the project along with theater professor Michelle Stephens and local artist Amy Rankin. Coloring on a wall is one of those things you're told not to do growing up that we're now saying go ahead and do it.

Coloring has become an increasingly popular activity among adults, so Withrow said the project was based in part on that trend.

We added a coloring page in the student handbook, Withrow said. It's so popular this year.

Briannica Houston and Dearian Lipson were among those in recent weeks adding their part to the wall.

It's very creative, Houston said. It gives us something to do.

The wall has become a collection of phrases, tributes and artistic expression. Although it's filling up, space is still available for more to be added.

It's a good way to show how diverse people here are, Lipson said.

The project has gotten students involved on campus in a new way during what has been an active start to the fall semester, said Jason Brooks, vice president of Richland's Student Government Association.

The wall has brought a lot of activity, Brooks said. We've been looking for ways to reinvigorate the student body. This gives us a voice.

The longer the wall sat blank in such a high traffic area, Withrow said the more there seemed to be a need to give the area more character. Markers are set out on a table for anybody passing by to use, although Withrow said some people have brought their own writing and drawing tools to use.

We knew this had been up here a while, Withrow said. This gives them a chance to have fun with it.

Richland officials aren't sure how long the wall will last with plans moving back onto track for restarting construction of the building intended to consolidate offices for student services into one spot. Offices were scattered with anticipation the construction would be completed in a more timely fashion.

Richland had used its $1.175 million share of the project to start construction last year before it was caught in the state budget impasse.

After it was among the projects included in the June 30 budget agreement, the Illinois Capital Development Board recently released $4.2 million in funding for the project, clearing the way for restart plans to proceed. A meeting was held earlier this month with the contractor to discuss what is needed to restart construction.

An exact timetable hasn't been established, said Greg Florian, Richland vice president of finance and administration. He said the condition of the framework has deteriorated while it has remained unenclosed.

We don't have the new schedule from all the contractors, Florian said. We're scheduling a building analysis to find out how much damage has been done.

Changes to original plans are being considered to keep expenses in line as crews are being asked to justify any cost increases from the delay.

Florian estimates a start date about Nov. 1, with construction expected to last six to eight months with the onset of winter being a factor. He said that estimate would likely allow the center to open by late summer.

The weeds are starting to be knocked down, Florian said. It won't look like a ghost town much longer.

Withrow knows the wall won't remain up forever, but she's among those hoping the artwork can be preserved, possibly even incorporated into the layout of the new Student Success Center.

It's changed the space, Withrow said. It's hopefully not going to go away.

Pictures of the changes have been taken and posted on Richland's social media pages, so Withrow said at the very least a record of how it's looked and developed can be kept that way.
DECATUR  After a successful first year, the Illinois Trappers Association Convention is returning to Decatur on Friday and Saturday.

According to convention coordinator Kent Weil, the Macon County Fairground could eventually become the event's permanent home.

We used to bounce all over the state, but Im a numbers guy, and I started watching how things were going in other states, and the ones that seemed to have success were the ones staying in the same location, Weil said.

Because of Decaturs central location, more than 50 percent of the ITAs membership is within a two-hour drive.

The ITA will host the National Trappers Association Convention in Pecatonica, near Rockford, next year, but Weil said he expects to return to Decatur in 2018.

We had a successful convention last year, the venue works out well for us and the fairgrounds people have been great, Weil said. The plan is to enter into a multiyear contract.

For trappers, the convention is basically Heaven on Earth. There will be more than 100 vendors from 10 different states, with low prices for top-of-the-line merchandise.

Anything you need trappingwise, you can get at the convention, Weil said. "And for some things, the person selling it is also the one making it. Who better to ask about form or function? And it gives you chance to compare side-by-side, instead of trying to do it online or in a catalog.

There were also be several trapping demonstrations, a fish and chicken dinner for all attendees Friday night and free chili dogs Saturday. Closing out Friday night will the the Legal Defense Fund Auction, which helped enable the Illinois Department of Natural Resources new bobcat season. The Convention will wrap up Saturday with the general membership meeting, which the public is welcome to attend.

Theres also plenty at the convention for those who arent trappers, or arent trappers yet. The Decatur Area Convention and Visitors Bureau will provide shuttle transportation, and the ITA will cover the cost of admission at the Mueller and Staley museums from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Preregistration is required by noon Saturday. Call Deb Weil at (217) 522-2338, email debweil4ita@comcast.net or visit the ITA Booth prior to noon Saturday.

Nontrapping vendors include Scentsy (flameless scented candles), Kreations by Koree (wreaths), NYO Organics, Young Living Essential Oils and Bee My Honey.

For children, theres a full schedule both days, including games for younger kids, a beginning trapping seminar, workshops on how to make mink boxes and wet fur hangers, a ball toss and a kids trap-setting contest.
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By Gina Martinez

York College celebrated its 50th anniversary with an executive Leadership Breakfast last Friday, then a block party and an alumni art show the following day.

The Leadership Breakfast focused on the founding of York College and its survival during the 1970s fiscal crisis. It featured a panel discussion moderated by York history professor Robert Parmet and three speakers: former City Councilman Archie Spigner; Daisy Bernard, a York alumni and former civic organization leader and F. Carlise Towery, former president and CEO of the greater Jamaica Development Corporation. All of the speakers have been involved with the CUNY college and helped it in one way or another.

The breakfast event, The History of York College as a Beacon of Jamaica, looked in-depth at the history of the fight for York and the schools impact on Jamaica, as well as Spigners role in bringing the school to Jamaica.

Spigner used the power of his Council office and City Hall to bring Gov. Hugh Carey to tour the downtown Jamaica area, including the empty land mass for the then-proposed York campus, said Marcia Comrie, from Yorks office of Marketing and Communications. Impressed, the then-governor returned to Albany and signed off on the funding to build Yorks campus.

York was initially founded in 1966 and was called the Alpha College of the City University of New York. The college first opened its doors in Bayside on a leased space on the Queensborough Community College campus in 1967. The college struggled to keep going through the tough economic climate in the 1970s. President Milton Bassin, civic groups and elected officials advocated to keep the college alive. They also fought to bring the campus to Jamaica.

Construction on the Jamaica campus began in 1980 and the first class was held in 1986.

The block party Saturday was held in front of the college campus. The York College big band played music ranging from classic to pop and the steel band orchestra played Caribbean music. Chereese Sheen, 23, is a journalism major at York and works at the college bookstore.

Although I attended the block party for work purposes, I still had a great time, she said. While handing out fliers, I was able to socialize with many of Yorks alumni. We spoke about how much the college has changed physically and even how the students are now more involved and have more school spirit than in previous years.
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Israeli ex-president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Shimon Peres died on Wednesday, some two weeks after suffering a major stroke, triggering an outpouring of grief for the beloved elder statesman.

The 93-year-old died in his sleep at around 3:00 am (0000 GMT), Rafi Walden, who was Peres\s personal doctor and also his son-in-law, told AFP.

He had been surrounded by family members, a source close to Peres told AFP.

His family held a press conference later in the morning, praising Peres\s tireless work ethic and what they called his devotion to peace.

"He had no interest other than serving the people of Israel," said his son Chemi, his eyes moist as he read a letter on behalf of the family at the hospital.

US President Barack Obama immediately hailed Peres as a friend who "never gave up on the possibility of peace."

"There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves," Obama said in a statement.

"My friend Shimon was one of those people."

Former US president Bill Clinton, who helped usher in the Oslo peace accords of the 1990s, said: "The Middle East has lost a fervent advocate for peace and reconciliation.

"Ill never forget how happy he was 23 years ago when he signed the Oslo accords on the White House lawn, heralding a more hopeful era in Israeli-Palestinian relations."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his "profound sadness". Opposition leader Isaac Herzog, the head of Labour, Peres\s longtime party, said he will be "forever remembered as an icon of Israel\s history."

Peres held nearly every major office in the country, serving twice as prime minister and also as president, a mostly ceremonial role, from 2007 to 2014.

He won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for his role in negotiating the Oslo accords, which envisioned an independent Palestinian state.

The former hawk turned dove was widely respected both in Israel and abroad.

 Active in old age 

Peres had been in hospital near Tel Aviv since September 13, when he was admitted feeling unwell and suffered the stroke with internal bleeding. He had been under sedation and on respiratory support in intensive care.

But there were signs of improvement last week, and on September 18 Peres\s office said doctors planned to gradually reduce his sedation and respiratory support to judge his response.

Walden had said at the time that Peres had seen "very slow, moderate improvement".

But on Tuesday a source said his condition had taken a downturn and he was "fighting for his life". Family members arrived at the hospital.

In January, Peres was hospitalised twice because of heart trouble.

In the first case, the hospital said he had suffered a "mild cardiac event" and underwent catheterisation to widen an artery.

He was rushed to hospital a second time just days later with chest pains and an irregular heartbeat.

Peres had sought to maintain an active schedule despite his age, particularly through events related to his Peres Center for Peace.

When leaving hospital in January, Peres said he was keen to get back to work.

"I\m so happy to return to work, that was the whole purpose of this operation," he said.

In March, he met British supermodel Naomi Campbell at his Peres Center for Peace during an event linked to International Women\s Day. On the same day, he met visiting US Vice President Joe Biden.

Born in Poland in 1923, Peres emigrated to what was then British-mandated Palestine when he was 11.

He joined the Zionist struggle and met David Ben-Gurion, who would become his mentor and Israel\s first prime minister.

Peres became director general of the nascent defence ministry at just 29.

Beyond his accomplishments in the public eye, he was also seen as a driving force in the development of Israel\s undeclared nuclear programme.

Peres once confided that the secret to his longevity was daily exercise, eating little and drinking one or two glasses of good wine.

SOURCE: AFP
Hopewell Community Park remains a 'labor of love' for local community

The lush green park is a product of the combined efforts of the Hopewell Township community and a symbol of decades of conservation efforts in Beaver County.
SHARE Mary Latimer (left) talks with Marie Zeffer, a Girls In Flight Training student, about airspace restrictions and navigation. Zeffer earned her private pilot's license through the program and returned to get her instrument rating. She plans to get both a commercial pilot license and an instructor pilot license. Less than 6 percent of licensed pilots are women. TORIN HALSEY/TIMES RECORD NEWS Instructor pilot Tamara Griffith and her student, Taylor Casebere, go up for a lesson in a Piper Cherokee that belongs to the Girls In Flight Training program. The flight school was founded in 2011 by Griffith and her mother, Mary Latimer, at the Wilbarger County Airport in Vernon. TORIN HALSEY/TIMES RECORD NEWS Mary Latimer (from left), her daughter, Tamara Griffith and granddaughter, Amanda Griffith, are all professional pilots and instructor pilots. Latimer and her husband, Lawrence, operate Latimer Services at the Wilbarger County Airport in Vernon. Her family started the Girls In Flight Training or GIFT program in 2011 and have women from all over the country come in for intensive, weeklong courses each year. TORIN HALSEY/TIMES RECORD NEWS Girls In Flight Training student Taylor Casebere (right) uses an E6B flight computer with instructor pilot Mary Latimer. The circular slide rule can calculate wind correction, fuel burn, estimated time of arrival and more. Casebere is working on her commercial pilot training with plans to earn a flight instructor license as well. The GIFT program was started in 2011 by Latimer and is based at the Wilbarger County Airport in Vernon.

By John Ingle of the Times Record News

The Aero Club of America began issuing pilot's licenses in 1905 when the organization to promote aviation in the United States was organized. Harriet Quimby became the first licensed female aviator in the country when the club issued her certification in 1911.

The Arcadia Township, Michigan, native set another first in April 1912 when she was the first licensed female to fly over the English Channel from Dover, England, to Calais, France. She gained very little notoriety or media coverage of her groundbreaking feat because of another significant moment in history  the RMS Titanic had sunk in the Atlantic Ocean the day before.

Nevertheless, women continued to earn their wings and, for some, press time including the likes of first female African American and Native American pilot Bessie Coleman, famed long-distance and speed-record aviator Amelia Earhart, and Florence "Pancho" Barnes, a stunt pilot and founder of the Happy Bottom Riding Club, a dude ranch and restaurant that served airmen such as Chuck Yeager and Buzz Aldrin from the flight test center at what is now Edwards Air Force Base, California.

But, reaching those lofty achievements didn't come easy for those women with dreams to fly in the technology's early days. It wasn't any different in the 1970s when Mary Latimer set out to earn a living as a female aviator.

Bumpy takeoff

Latimer met her husband, Lawrence, in 1970 when she made a trip to Wilbarger County Airport with her brother. She said Lawrence took her up for a flight that day, and they would marry later that year. Her love for flying began to develop.

A year later, the newlyweds had a child, Tamara, which put Latimer's flight plans in a temporary holding pattern. She eventually went back to learning how to fly and took her first solo flight in 1972. She earned her private pilot's license in 1973, and tagged on an aircraft maintenance title in 1974, along with an instructor's rating.

But, even with all of those achievements, she was met a little turbulence when trying to find a job.

"Back in the day it was difficult. Nobody wanted to hire a woman pilot," she said. "You get comments like, 'Well, we take a lot of overnight trips and my wife wouldn't understand,' or 'Well, we just don't think the men would want to fly with a woman.'"

A man she knew at WCA suggested she become an air traffic controller, which she achieved in 1976. But, that didn't keep her from flying. She continued working as an instructor when she could, but, weather permitting, would also fly to Lawton, Oklahoma, where she worked as a controller for most of her career, and then to Fort Worth from where she retired in 2002.

G.I.F.T. for flying

As was the case in the early days of aviation, licensed female pilots are significantly outnumbered by their male counterparts for one reason or another. Latimer said according to Federal Aviation Administration there are about 440,000 people in the United States with private pilot's licenses or higher ratings. Women make up a little more than 5 percent of that number, and it's been steady.

"It's been very, very close to that number for as far back as you can go on the FAA records and look; it hasn't changed significantly," she said. "That's disturbing."

It was about six years ago, Latimer said, around the time she took her granddaughter, Amanda, took her first solo flight on her 16th birthday. They made a quick trip to Sweetwater, home of the Women Air Service Pilots Museum at Avenger Field, that she realized nothing had really changed for women since the time she first became a licensed pilot in the 1970s.

It was during that visit that they met a young female Air Force B-1 bomber pilot named Crystal, Latimer recalled. During introductions, they told Crystal that Amanda had soloed in five different aircraft on her birthday a short time before.

"Crystal said, 'I'm so jealous of you,'" Latimer said. "She flies B-1 bombers and she's jealous of the 16-year-old kid. What's wrong with this picture?"

They learned Crystal's mother wouldn't allow her to learn how to fly before she was 18, and she was jealous of the family support.

Latimer said that visit was also when she wondered if she could take the all-female environment that WASPs used in Sweetwater during World War II and recreate it in today's environment. Could she create a flying training program that would foster an environment where women could grow into confident pilots?

"It was coming up on Aug. 1, 2011. It was the 100th anniversary of Harriet Quimby earning her pilot's license. She was the first woman to be issued a pilot's license in the United States," she said. "To honor Harriet Quimby, I set up my first (Girls In Flight Training) week."

And G.I.F.T. was borne.

All in the family

Tamara Griffith, 45, never really had a choice about flying when it came to being a child of Lawrence and Mary Latimer. Having grown up at the airport, she probably knows it better than most, and she was flying almost from the beginning when Mary put her in the back seat and flew to Wichita Falls to attend school.

Griffith, who owns her own pilot and aircraft maintenance business in Roanoke, Texas, said she was learning to flying at an early age. Even if she couldn't see over the dash, she learned how to "fly the instruments."

She soloed, like her daughter Amanda, when she was 16.

"I remember my dad hitting me with the sectional because he couldn't complain about my landing," she quipped.

Amanda, the primary flight instructor at Stick and Rudder in Elk City, Oklahoma, is the third generation of female instructor pilots, a rarity as far as this family of fliers knows. Like her mother, she began flying as a back-seat passenger, but she said it doesn't count unless she's in control of the plane.

Now all three are among the roughly 10 instructor pilots who converge on Wilbarger County Airport one week in October with one goal in mind  training female aviators.

Soaring to new heights

Latimer said she wasn't sure what to expect when the program began five years ago.

"It was test mode. I didn't even know if they would come," she said. "So, the first thing is, will they come? Next question is can I give them what they need?"

Latimer said she planned for ladies within a 200-300 mile radius of the airport with an interest to learn how to fly to hear about the newly developed program. She said she was overwhelmed when women from California, Florida and Michigan were also in the program.

After five years, about 150 women have participated in G.I.F.T. for a variety ratings, from private pilot's licenses to instrument training.

One of those attending the course includes Marie Zeffer, 53, from Ann Arbor, Michigan. She said she flew for the first time when she was 7 and wanted to be a commercial airline pilot. But her vision kept that from happening.

At 50, she said she decided she was going to make her birthday present be her pilot's license.

"I almost finished at home, but I got accepted into the G.I.F.T. academy that year. That was in 2013," she said. "I came down here and was just ready to learn more to be more prepared for my check ride when I went home. Mary actually offered to do my check ride here, and it worked out."

Zeffer said training in two different programs has allowed her a unique perspective of how G.I.F.T. instructors train pilots. In regards to Latimer, specifically, she said she uses real-world applications and explanations to make what the student pilots are learning make sense.

She is now getting her instrument rating with Latimer as the instructor.

Life-changing experience

Latimer said her family uses airplanes like others use cars. She said most parents really don't have to question whether their child is going to learn to drive, they just assume they will. Same thing with her family, she said. They just assumed that flying would be part of their lives.

Earning a private pilot's license is more than flying hours and tests to get a card that indicates a person has met requirements. While that is the goal from the beginning, the rewards of finishing is much more. It marks the desire to do something different, to be bold enough take something like flying and manage the risks that come with it. It shows the commitment it takes to see the program through, from beginning to end.

"The difference you can make in this people, you can just see a physical change in these ladies," Latimer said. "You see this physical change in men, too, when they learn to fly. A switch flips inside of them. They're a whole different person."

For more information about G.I.F.T., visit girlsinflight.org.

What you need to earn your wings



Girls In Flight Training, located at Wilbarger County Airport on Highway 183 north of Vernon, offers three areas of training for students: Private pilot, instrument and commercial certifications.

Here are the requirements for each certification:

Private pilot

 Be at least 16 for a student certificate and 17 for a private pilot certificate. There is no maximum age limit.

 Be able to read, speak and understand English.

 Take and pass at least a Federal Aviation Administration Third Class medical exam.

 Students must complete a minimum of 40 total flying hours including 20 with a FAA-certified instructor and 10 solo hours.

Instrument

 Hold a Private Pilot Certificate.

 There is no maximum age limit.

 Be able to read, speak and understand English.

 Hold at least a Third Class FAA Medical Certificate.

 Students must complete a minimum of 40 hours in simulated or actual instrument conditions with a certificated instructor. Up to 20 hours can be done in an FAA-approved flight simulator, and another 50 hours of cross-country flying as a pilot in command is required.

Commercial

 Hold a Private Pilot Certificate with an Instrument rating.

 Be 18 years old or older. There is no maximum age limit.

 Be able to read, speak and understand English.

 Hold at least a Third Class FAA Medical Certificate.



Students must complete a minimum of 250 total flight hours including 20 hours with a FAA-certificated instructor and 10 hours of solo hours.

Source: girlsinflight.org.




Patrick Johnston/Times Record News Members of the Midwestern State University cheerleading squad will teach tumbling, pyramids and more Oct. 2 during the Parks & Recreation Cheerleading Clinic and Contest at Memorial Stadium.

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Kids in grades one through six who aspire to become cheerleaders can get tips from the pros Oct. 2 during the Parks and Recreation Department's Cheerleading Clinic and Contest.

The Midwestern State University Cheerleading Squad will teach the clinic, which starts at 2 p.m. at Memorial Stadium. Youngsters can register for the free afternoon session starting at 1:15 p.m.

Squad members will teach pyramids, stunts, tumbling, cheers and chants. Teams can use what they learn to compete for trophies. Teams participating in the contest can use one of their own routines, but also must perform one learned routine. Teams should bring their own tape or CD and player.

Participants will be divided into three age groups, including Tiny Tots for those in first and second grades, Pee Wees, third and fourth grades, and Midgets, for fifth and sixth grades. First and second place team trophies will be presented in each age division.

Camp Fire ready for Family Fun Night

Harrell Park will be filled with families from 5:30-7 p.m. Sept. 29 during Camp Fire's Fall Family Fun Night.

All Camp Fire members and their families are invited. We also invite any boy or girl interested in becoming a member of Camp Fire and their families to attend. Come on down to Harrell Park for lots of food and fun!

The party will be hosted by the Camp Fire board, staff and friends of Camp Fire. Members and interest families are invited to enjoy hot dogs, roasted corn and s'mores, along with music from deejay "Tommy Tunes." Rides on the freight wagon and carnival games will also fill the evening.

Information: 322-5209 or www.campfirentx.org.

City Lights Parade taking float entries

Float entries for the 2016 City Lights Parade are now being accepted. The City Lights Festival and Parade will be the evening of Nov. 19 in downtown Wichita Falls.

The parade will have a limit of 100 entries, with each business or organization limited to one float. No 18-wheelers will be allowed. Parade participants will be prohibited from throwing candy into the crowd from any moving vehicle, although floats may have people walking alongside who throw candy.

The theme for 2016 will be "Christmas Around the World." Online entries can be submitted at downtownproud.org, or call 322-4525. Entry deadline is Oct. 28.

In addition to floats, the parade will include decorated cars and trucks, marching groups and car clubs.

Quanah sorority plans 3 vs. 3 rodeo

Quanah's ESA Sorority will present a 3 vs. 3 Rodeo Oct. 1 at the Quanah Riding Club arena.

Three-man teams will battle three steers for three minutes in penning, doctoring and tie-down events. Books will open at 2 p.m. and the roping will start at 3 p.m. Entry is $150 per team.

After the rodeo competition, a dance featuring Texas Swing Hall of Fame band Jody Nix and the Texas Cowboys will run from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Quanah Ag Pavilion.

A concession stand will be available at both events.

A portion of the proceeds from the events will go to St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

Zone sewing group will hold quilt sale

The 50+ Zone Charity Quilters will hold the fifth annual Quilt Show and Sale from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 6 in the 50+ Zone ballroom on the second floor of the Wichita Falls Public Library.

Quilts will be priced at approximately 10 cents per square inch, meaning a queen size quilt will sell for $75 and a king will go for $100. Smaller quilts will also be available.

The 50+ Zone Charity Quilters have donated military-themed quilts to Hospice of Wichita Falls for several years. The quilts are given to military veterans with life shortening illnesses as a way to offer thanks for their service. Quilts have also been donated to many other local organizations since the organization was founded by Betty Phelps in 2007. Between six and 10 women quilt together on Mondays and Thursdays using donated and personal thread and fabric.

Dementia workshop to ease discussions

The Alzheimer's Association will hold a free workshop Oct. 4 designed to promote easier conversations with family members who are showing early signs of dementia.

"Dementia Conversations: Driving, Doctor Visits, Legal & Financial Planning" will offer helpful tips to assist families in having honest and caring conversations with family members about dementia. This free workshop will be presented from 2-3:30 p.m. Oct. 4 at the First Texas Building, 901 Indiana St., First Floor Suite 180.

The workshop reinforces the need to plan ahead and build a care team that communicates well to reduce the stress that can accompany a disease like Alzheimer's. The workshop also connects caregivers with helpful resources to enhance quality of life for everyone involved.

Information: Sue Gross at 940-767-8800 or 800-272-3900.
SHARE eakin O&B

Carrie Lea (Whetstone) Eakin, 54, was given back to God on September 22, 2016 due to a long bout with Lupus.

She was born Carrie Lea Whetstone on August 28, 1962 to the late Kathryn and Lee Whetstone of Wichita Falls. After schooling, jobs as a Para-Medic, Dental Manager, assistant at the North Texas Mental Hospital and an accountant at Sam's Club, she married a Tech Sergeant from the base, Steven R. Eakin on December 3, 1993 in Wichita Falls.

Carrie and Steve moved to Houston to follow a job offer. After a few years, they moved to Fort Worth where they lived until 2013 when her mother contracted Cancer. Steve and Carrie dropped everything and came to Wichita Falls to assist her. Through all those times, Carrie and Steve traveled as much as possible, loving their trips to Santa Fe, New Mexico and Boston, Massachusetts to see the sights and beautiful colors. Fall was Carrie's favorite season. Her home was always decorated with Pumpkins, gourds and the orange foliage hues. Entertaining friends and family at Halloween and Thanksgiving gave Carrie an opportunity to show off her cooking and baking skills.

Carrie made things happen, whether managing three dental offices at the same time in Houston or in charge of an event, she insured that everything was carried out to the letter. Those closest to Carrie, knew she was a very loving, caring lady who often gave to the homeless and less fortunate. Her infectious smile, laughter and presence when she came into a room will be sorely missed. Our family gives thanks to the Hospice of Wichita Falls and their remarkable staff for their level of care, love and support we received. Along with her parents, Carrie was also preceded in passing by her brother, Eric "Big E" Whetstone.

Carrie is survived by her husband, Steven Eakin, and Chardonnay (Her Loving Labrador) of Wichita Falls; her brother, David Whetstone and wife Terri of Austin, Texas; and numerous family and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, September 29, 2016 at Grace Church with Dr. Tom Rodgers, officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Owens & Brumley Funeral Home of Wichita Falls.

The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. Wednesday, September 28, 2016 at Owens & Brumley Funeral Home of Wichita Falls.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Wichita Falls, 4909 Johnson Road, Wichita Falls, TX 76310.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.owensandbrumley.com
Google is hoping to get the attention of shoppers in the Capital Region with a new service that enables online purchases from multiple stores.

Google Express launched Wednesday in the Albany area and much of the Northeast.

The service has been available elsewhere in the country, including in Manhattan for the past two years, and now covers 75 percent of the country. The aim is to offer it nationwide by year's end.

Locally, 14 retailers so far have lined up for the program including Kohl's, Whole Foods, Toys R Us, Costco, Payless Shoes, PetSmart and Ulta Beauty.

Shoppers will be able to go to google.com/express or download the app and then order products from multiple retailers at a time. "It's one easy, simple-to-use shopping basket," said Brian Elliott, general manager of Google Express. "People love to shop from a wide range of merchants."

A customer who has a birthday to celebrate can go to the site and buy party supplies from Costco and a gift from Toys R Us.

In addition to the cost of the product, there is a $4.99 fee per store. Customers can instead pay $10 a month or $95 a year for delivery without the fee. Free 90-day trials are available.

Shipping will take two days at the latest, although most merchants and cities will offer to deliver overnight.

While there are 14 retailers that Albany area shoppers can access, he said, the aim is to grow that number substantially.

Asked twice if Google is trying to compete with Amazon Prime, which also allows customers to sign up for free, two-day delivery at a set fee, Elliott ducked the question.

"We're a great platform builder," he said. "People have been excited by the service."

Initially the stores participating are large retail chains. Over time, Elliott said, he hopes to add independent retailers.

"We want to be able to bring a lot more independent and regional businesses," he said. "We absolutely intend to expand out.

"We're really good at connecting users and merchants," Elliott said.

tobrien@timesunion.com  518-454-5092  @timobrientu
Cider tasting at Exit 9 Wine and Liquor Warehouse

Exit 9 Wine and Liquor Warehouse in Halfmoon will hold a tasting of hard ciders from more than 15 makers from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday. Admission and sampling are free.

Among the cideries: Kaneb Orchards, Nine Pin Cider, Brotherhood, Citizen Cider, Awestruck Ciders, McKenzie's Hard Cider, Magners Cider, Woodchuck Cider, Strongbow, 1911 Spirits, Smith & Forge, Angry Orchard, Champlain Orchards, Cider Creek Hard Cider Stella Cidre and Schilling Cider.

Food samples will be from Lindsey's Country Store & Sweet Shoppe, Liberty Ridge Farm and Dolce and Biscotti Fine Italian Bakery.

The shop is located at 9 Halfmoon Crossing Blvd., in the Crossing shopping campus.

Sam's Italian in Albany dropping lunch service

After serving lunch for 45 years, Sam's Italian American Restaurant in Albany has discontinued the meal service. Carmela Daubney, who runs the restaurant with her brother, said, "Paul and I have been there since the first day, and as you know running a restaurant is a demanding job requiring many hours, easily 12 hours a day. Sam's makes a lot of its menu items from scratch: sauce, meatballs, sausage, desserts, etc. By not opening for lunch we get a little break from the daily and weekly pressures by coming in a few hours later."

Sam's is open for dinner from 4:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and has extended Friday and Saturday dinner by an hour, to 10 p.m.

Sam's is located at 125 Southern Blvd. Call 463-3433.

Veteran barman Kevin Tighe opening own place

Kevin Tighe, familiar as a barman for three decades at places that include New World Bistro Bar, McGuire's, the Bar at 74 State and Justin's, is developing Tighe's Bistro Americain, a restaurant serving regional French country food, at 340 Hamilton St. in Albany.

The building, with a courtyard for dining, previously was home to Mezzo Marketplace and, before that, Unlimited Feast. Lynn Beaumont and Bam Lynch, the owners of Cheesecake Machismo, located on the same block, bought the building in 2008 with the intention of moving their shop to new quarters, but they never completed the transition.

Tighe purchased the building from the pair for an undisclosed price.

Tighe said he hopes to open the bistro between Thanksgiving and Christmas, depending on receiving necessary city and state permits. Renovations will be minimal. The menu, Tighe said, will include French classics, including cassoulet and bouillabaisse. He plans to be open Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday for dinner.

Now 60, Tighe said of the project, "This is my easing-myself-into-retirement plan." He will design the menu and manage the kitchen at first, but hopes to identify a talented, ambitious young chef to groom as a successor. "Hopefully after the first five years, somebody will be in place to be able to start thinking about taking it over," Tighe says.

He last owned a restaurant, Nature's Way Cafe on lower Washington Avenue in Albany 30 years ago.

Tighe, bar manager at New World Bistro since it opened, hopes to stay on at the Delaware Avenue restaurant until soon before his bistro is ready to open. He lives on Burden Lake in Rensselaer County.

Compiled by Steve Barnes. Items to be considered for publication must be submitted to sbarnes@timesunion.com. Visit his blog, blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping.
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ALBANY  Former Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman told a judicial panel headed by his successor Tuesday that he would support a constitutional convention next year to ensure New York guarantees civil legal services for the poor.

"I think it is really a tremendous opportunity," Lippman, who retired at the end of 2015 after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70, told the Permanent Commission on Access to Justice, a panel chaired by Chief Judge Janet DiFiore meeting at the Court of Appeals.

Every 20 years, voters in New Yorkers have an opportunity to decide whether to hold a constitutional convention. The next time it will be appear on the ballot is Nov. 7, 2017.

Lippman called it a great opportunity to address civil legal services for the poor  and the lack thereof  which was the signature issue of Lippman's tenure as the state's top judge beginning 2009. In that role, he conducted hearings at which witnesses from several walks of life, including top state officials, testified how the dearth of civil legal representation hurts low-income New Yorkers in civil court cases that include domestic violence, eviction, child support and credit card disputes.

"We need to change the priorities of society," Lippman told the panel Tuesday. He said legal representation for the poor is as important as schools and hospitals and housing.

Lippman said the idea would be to embed into the state constitution a civil right to counsel. A landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision (Gideon vs. Wainwright) found it an "obvious truth" a criminal defendant cannot receive a fair trial without a lawyer. It required all states to provide lawyers for defendants unable to afford their own attorneys.

On Tuesday, Lippman spoke of a "civil Gideon" rule in New York. He said the question would be where to put it in the constitution.

"That's what we're working on, and I think there would be a lot of support for that," Lippman told the Times Union after his testimony.

Among the other witnesses testifying Tuesday was local businessman Edward P. Swyer, president of the Swyer Companies and Stuyvesant Plaza Inc., who is involved with The Legal Project, which offers pro bono legal support to the working poor in civil cases, and the Albany Law School Clinic & Justice Center.
A fire struck a home on Beaver Road Schodack around midnight Wednesday, according to the Northeastern New York Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Red Cross volunteers provided financial assistance for necessities such as food and clothing to two adults.
Rensselaer County Democratic Chairman Thomas Wade will step down Thursday, having decided not to seek a seventh two-year term in the unpaid post.

""I've been doing this for 12 years. It's a long time. I made the decision and it's final. I'll still help out," said Wade, 69, of Troy. "The best days have been when I could serve in some capacity to help someone out."

He informed the county organization's Executive Committee of his decision Tuesday night.

State Sen. Neil Breslin, D-Bethlehem, said Wade has been influential in Democratic circles and assisting him when his district was changed to include the cities of Troy and Rensselaer.

"He is honest, dedicated, professional and hard-working," Breslin said.

The committee unanimously endorsed First Vice Chairman Michael Monescalchi of Schodack to succeed Wade.

Monescalchi is a former Democratic elections commissioner of Albany County. He also has served as vice chairman of the Schodack Town Democratic Committee. He works for Blue State Strategies, a political consulting firm.

Wade saw his greatest success in Troy where he convinced the Democrats' last two mayoral candidates  former Mayor Lou Rosamilila and current Mayor Patrick Madden  to run.

"He certainly did a good job building the party during his tenure, I understand why he wants to take a break," said Councilwoman Lynn Kopka, leader of the Troy City Council's Democratic minority caucus.

Troy also was the scene of disappointment in 2015 when the Republicans took control of the City Council with a 6-3 majority. The GOP success came as Democrats split between the slate led by Madden and a ticket on the Working Families Party line headed by former Council President Rodney Wiltshire.

Wade was not expected to face a re-election challenge when the county Democrats hold their re-organizational meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the American Legion post in Wynantskill.

In the past, Wade defeated challenges to his chairmanship from factions in the party.

"He really did a great disservice to the democratic process by not announcing this weeks ago, thereby allowing interested candidates to campaign for the position," said Charles B. Smith of North Greenbush, who has opposed Wade.

Wade also saw the party face legal difficulties during his chairmanship as political operatives pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to forge absentee in the 2009 Working Families Party primary. Wade also testified before a county grand jury in 2007 when he was accused of allegedly forcing Democratic employees at the county Board of Elections to make contributions to the county committee. No charges resulted as the grand jury expired.

kcrowe@timesunion.com  518-454-5084  @KennethCrowe
Albany

Rain and gloom, as weather conditions and states of mind, hang over the Irish countryside of "Outside Mullingar," a rich, resonant and humorous romance by John Patrick Shanley being given a quality production by Capital Repertory Theatre to start its fall season.

Talk of death dominates the first act, when the four characters, who live on adjoining farms, are returning from a funeral, and two, a widower and the brand-new widow of the deceased, speak resignedly of the likely imminence of their own demises.

But the second act, with the seniors having shuffled off, becomes a time of clearer weather, literally and metaphorically, for their nearly middle-aged offspring, Anthony (David Kenner) and Rosemary (Kim Stauffer). Their final scenes, which, as these stories go, almost by definition will require clambering over emotional terrain of hills and brambles, become increasingly funny and touching. Beautifully acted by Kenner and Stauffer, the scenes, as shaped by director Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill and performed on a deceptively simple and effective set by Ken Goldstein, have moments of exquisite regret, abundant humor and, finally, sunny optimism.

More Information Review "Outside Mullingar" Reviewed: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday Where: Capital Repertory Theatre, 111 N. Pearl St., Albany Continues: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, through Oct. 16. Additional matinee, 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5 Running time: 115 minutes; one intermission Tickets: $20 to $50 Info: 445-7469; http://capitalrep.org See More Collapse

These are a damaged pair, seemingly destined for one another since, as children, Anthony pushed the little girl from next door to the ground, but unable to acknowledge that destiny for three decades. They've worked their adjoining acres alongside their respective parents (Kenneth Kimmins and Laurie O'Brien, both excellent) dutifully, then, in the folks' dotage, solely. They feel stuck. As Anthony says, "My life is fixed down with a rock on each corner."

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What's kept them from one another has mostly been Irish pride and the human foible of failing to recognize what's been right in front of you all along. Anthony had a single, grand love affair, in high school, and anyway, as he says, "People don't appeal to me that much. ... I'm just more with nature than people"; Rosemary rebuffed many suitors.

Shanley's lines are often poetic, from the bluntly colloquial ("Why in the name of Cinderella's shoe?" and "He looked like a stump"/"He has hands like feet" ) to the weighty ("Maybe the quiet around a thing is as important as the thing itself"), all flawlessly delivered by the cast. Though accomplished and affecting, "Outside Mullingar" isn't as good as Shanley's best work, "Doubt." This isn't a slight at all. Moments in "Doubt" will flatten you with their power. In "Outside Mullingar," the ambitions are smaller, the rewards commensurate, the glimmering hope a welcome dawn.

sbarnes@timesunion.com  518-454-5489
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A brand new play, "Yours," is next up in Russell Sage College's ongoing centennial celebrations. Playwright Leigh Strimbeck describes it as a fantasy on the school's history. Because the founders and the many generations of students and faculty are all given a voice in the script, Strimbeck chose the unique and succinct title "Yours," a word that's often used in letters as an endearing send-off and farewell.

"Yours" debuts next Thursday and continues through Oct. 16 in the intimate Meader Little Theater on the college's Troy campus. It's staged by David Baecker, who is managing director of the Theater Institute at Sage, where Strimbeck serves as artistic director.

"I read four books about the founders, two other books about the first 50 years and also poked around the archives," explains Strimbeck of her two years of work that has led to opening night. "But I especially focused on the student newspaper, The Quill, where the student voices come through so clearly."

The Quill, which is still published, also provided the broader flavor for different periods during the school's 100-year history.

More Information If you go "Yours" When: Opens 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, and continues for nine more performances through Oct. 16. Where: Meader Little Theater, Russell Sage College, 5 Division St., Troy Tickets: $8-$15. Call 244-2248 or visit: www.sage.edu/theatreinstitute See More Collapse

"Research is interesting," continues Strimbeck. "You feel like you're trudging, and then there are these moments when you go, 'Oh that's really something!' "

One of those a-ha moments came while reading about the period after World War II. Funds from the Community Chest were given toward helping a returning soldier purchase an artificial arm. A thank you letter from him to the student body told of how he could again play the violin.

That gave me the shivers," says Strimbeck. "World War II had an impact on our entire country. On campus they stopped eating butter and wearing nylons. People really made sacrifices and felt connected."

"Yours" features a 12-member cast, mostly current students and alumni. The show runs for about 90 minutes, as the march through the decades is shown with a succession of students, faculty and administrators. Making cameo appearances in certain performances will be Sage President Susan Scrimshaw.

In order to frame the fast-moving history, Strimbeck places Sage's three principal founders together in one imaginary day. These women are Olivia Slocum Sage, the original benefactor; Eliza Kellas, the first president; and Lillian Todd, who was Mrs. Sage's secretary. But Todd is more widely remembered as an inventor, and, in particular, as a pioneer in the construction of airplanes. That's another aspect that captured Strimbeck's imagination.

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"I was fascinated by the fact she couldn't fly her own damn plane," says Strimbeck. "She had to bring over a French pilot in order to see it fly."

"Yours" opens and closes with the three women standing out on the airfield, looking off into the distance and full of ambitions for the future.

"That image was so terrific," says Strimbeck. "Trying to get the plane to fly speaks to getting a college off the ground."

Joseph Dalton is a freelance writer based in Troy.
Something quite unique happened on September 27 in the village of Vardenis, in Armenias Aragatzotn Province.

Students went on strike, saying they were fed-up going to school in a dilapidated building that could crumble down on them at any minute.

A new school, whose foundations were laid in 2012, still awaits completion.

Regional government authorities were on hand, promising that construction would be completed by October 10. Lets wait and see.

Not surprisingly, the winner of the almost $1 million contract was Spitak Kamar, a company owned by Armenian MP Aragats Akhoyan.

Students say they will continue their strike until the new school opens its doors.
Do Call Centers Need to Look Like Something from "Dilbert?"

For someone who spent their entire career working in a formal office setting, or the ubiquitous cube farm, a visit to a technology company in Silicon Valley is an eye-opening experience. Most of the office space is dedicated to informal work areas or common areas, and employees roam the premises, inside and outdoors, with laptops, tablets and smartphones. Meetings are held not in a blank rectangular room with a large table, but in lounge areas. The feeling behind these open office environments is that relaxed, and mobile employees are collaborative employees.

The contact center is one of those departments that hasnt quite caught up yet. A typical contact center set-up has agents working in rows, anchored to desks and walls by PCs and headsets. A few brave companies, however, are beginning to take the open office concept and apply it to the contact center.

San Francisco-based Airbnb supports customers in its CX Hub in Old Town. The contact center, which was designed by Bora Architects, bears little resemblance to a typical customer support facility. Boras Michael Tingley told Portland Monthly that the goal was eliminate the horror of the boiler room call center.

Airbnb was really intentional about creating an environment to not feel like a call center, he said. So one of the first things was to not consider it a place where you sat at a desk and put partitions around you, creating the awful environment from the Dilbert cartoons. In some respects, this environment feels like the antithesis of an office.

The company uses advanced headset technology to cancel outside noise for agents and enable them to hear both themselves and customers without having to shout over other representatives. Bora Architects chose sound-absorbing building materials  cotton padding in the ceiling and wall tiles  and covered the hardwood floors with area rugs. The company also built felt-lined nooks into the space where agents could work apart from the main space if they chose, using laptops.

In a recent blog post, Monet Software (News - Alert) CEO Chuck Ciarlo noted that the open floor plan may be leading to better collaboration between agents, which is important for companies striving to provide an omnichannel experience to their customers across multiple channels and multiple agents.

There is more freedom of movement, as laptops now do everything that a desktop computer does, so employees do not need to be tied down to one plugged-in machine, Ciarlo wrote. There is more interaction between agents, but the work can still get done.

Given that the contact center has some of the highest turnover in the business world, providing a comfortable, welcoming space for workers is a great idea. (The Airbnb contact center has a cafe area.) Happy, comfortable, relaxed agents generally lead to happy, comfortable, relaxed customers, and keeping turnover low and customer satisfaction high easily pays for more expensive contact center design in the long run.

Ciarlo wonders if this could be the future of the customer support industry, particularly as companies need fewer human agents as automated support gets better.

With more customer contacts now being handled online or other means, fewer call center agents might make it possible to accommodate such flexible facilities, he noted.

Edited by Alicia Young
[September 28, 2016] Construction of Tsetsii Wind Farm at Tsogttsetsii Soum, Umnugobi Aimag, Mongolia

Clean Energy (News - Alert) Asia LLC together with its shareholders, Newcom LLC and SB Energy Corp., signed today with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (hereafter "JICA") and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (hereafter "EBRD") financing agreements to construct a 50MW wind farm in southern Mongolia. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005711/en/ Image photo for completion of Tsetsii Wind Farm at Tsogttsetsii soum, Umnugobi aimag, Mongolia (Photo: Business Wire) Clean Energy Asia LLC, (Head office: Ulaanbaatar city, CEO: Gankhuyag Dagva, hereafter "Clean Energy Asia"), is 51% owned by Newcom LLC, a Mongolian conglomerate with activities in telecommunications, property and energy. The remaining 49% is owned by a subsidiary of SB Energy Corp. (Chairman & CEO: Masayoshi Son, hereafter "SB Energy"), a subsidiary of SoftBank Group Corp. (the telecommunications and technology conglomerate). Mongolia faces great challenges in meeting its growing demand for electricity, almost all of which is currently met by ageing and polluting coal-fired plants. The wind farm will help supply Mongolia's power demand with clean, eco-efficient electricity by harnessing Mongolia's vast and inexhaustible wind resources. The project will help contribute to sustainable economic development and the mitigation of climate change. Clean Energy Asia will aim to launch operations in December 2017. Mongolia has a power-supply capacity of 1130MW, consisting of 88% coal, 6% diesel, 6% renewable energy, and 2% hydropower sources (Department of Energy, Mongolia, 2015). While being the world's eighth country most susceptible to climate change (Climate Risk Index. Source (News - Alert): GERMANWATCH "Global Climate Risk Index 2014"), electricity supply-demand balance along with its economic growth is an urgent issue for Mongolia; accordingly, Mongolia is a country that particularly requires safe and secure power sources such as renewable energy. The State Great Khural approved a national power policy in 2015 that sets Mongolia's mid-to-long term target and plan for 2015-2030 in the energy sector. The policy aims to increase the power generation share of renewable energy to 20% by 2020 and to 30% by 2030, and it stipulates the promotion of investment in the energy industry in cooperation with international financial institutions and donor countries, utilizing the abundant wind and solar resources in the Gobi region. Mongolia is the first country to sign a memorandum with Japan on the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In these circumstances, this Tsogttsetsii wind farm project will help contribute to the increased adoption of renewable energy in Mongolia. This wind farm project is the first dollar-denominated project finance debt transaction by JICA through its Private Sector Investment Finance scheme in the renewable energy field, and the second renewable energy project in Mongolia for Newcom and EBRD following the 50 MW Salkhit Wind Farm, the first wind farm and first private power generator in Mongolia, which began its operations in 2013. The 50MW Tsetsii Wind Farm project marks the first power generation business in Mongolia for SB Energy and the SoftBank Group. Masayoshi Son, SB Energy Chairman & CEO commented as follows:

"This project marks the first step to develop renewable energy in Mongolia for the SoftBank Group. Power generated from the wind farm will supply electricity in Mongolia by connecting to its domestic grid, and I believe the project will help contribute to the stable supply of power for the nation. With this project, the SoftBank Group will have bases in Japan, India and Mongolia for its renewable energy business. We will work to further expand our global business to increase the adoption of renewable energy and reduce CO2 emissions." Boldbaatar Tserenpuntsag, Chairman of Newcom Group commented as follows:

"Having first established the Salkhit Wind Farm Project, to date the first and only wind farm and private power generator in Mongolia, Newcom is proud to continue its investments into Mongolia's renewable energy sector. The Tsetsii Wind Farm project is a further demonstration of Newcom's commitment to the development of Mongolia through strengthening infrastructure and leading the liberalization of the power sector through sustainable and long-term investments. Newcom is proud to introduce our partnership with the SoftBank Group through this pilot Tsetsii Wind Farm project. Founded and led by the internationally renowned entrepreneur and business leader Masayoshi Son, the leading global technology player, is now actively engaged in building a more sustainable and peaceful world through the development of renewable energy. Newcom is pleased to play its part in this initiative. I would also like to acknowledge and thank our international lending partners, JICA and EBRD, for their contribution and support to the project. The Tsetsii Wind Farm project is JICA's first private project financed transaction in the renewable energy sector and will be EBRD's second wind power project in Mongolia in partnership with Newcom, a clear testament to our shared goal and commitment to develop Mongolia's power sector." JICA commented as follows:

"The Tsetsii Wind Farm project in Mongolia marks JICA's first dollar-denominated project finance debt transaction through its Private Sector Investment Finance scheme in the renewable energy field. This project is also the first co-financing arrangement with EBRD. The project is consistent with the 'Partnership for Quality Infrastructure' being promoted by the Japanese government with due consideration on life cycle costs, environmental and social sustainability, and contribution to the local society and economy. JICA has been supporting the power sector in Mongolia, especially Ulaanbaatar Thermal Power Plant No.4. JICA intends to continue providing support to the power sector in Mongolia for stable socioeconomic growth. Going forward, JICA will coordinate with governments and international agencies toward socioeconomic development in developing countries and regions, promoting 'quality infrastructure financing' and responding to climate change." Philip Bennett, EBRD's First Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said:

"We are delighted to mark the tenth anniversary of our operations in Mongolia today by singing the financing for our second wind farm in the country. We are pleased to cooperate in this transaction not only with our long established partner Newcom, but also with our new partners JICA and the SoftBank Group. This signing today builds on eight years of sustained work with the Mongolian authorities to help them put in place the regulatory framework that allows them to harness Mongolia's huge renewable resources. Of the EUR 1.4 billion we have invested in the Mongolian private sector in the last 10 years, the Salkhit and the Tsetsii wind farms are amongst the projects we are most proud of." SB Energy, Newcom, JICA, and EBRD will work to contribute to Mongolia's renewable energy business development and power infrastructure system enhancement.







Summary of Wind Farm Location Tsogttsetsii soum, Umnugobi aimag, Mongolia Output scale 50MW: 2,000kW x 25 generators

About Clean Energy Asia LLC Clean Energy Asia LLC (CEA) was established in 2012 as a joint venture between Newcom LLC and SB Energy Corp., the renewable energy arm of the SoftBank Group. About SB Energy Corp. SB Energy is a subsidiary of SoftBank Group Corp. and one of the leading renewable energy companies in Japan. As of September 2016, it had over 308.6MW of power in operation with 26 plants (equivalent power needed to supply approximately 96,000 households). SB Energy is aiming to spread and expand the adoption of renewable energy derived from natural sources, such as large scale solar power generation (Mega Solar) and wind power generation. About Newcom LLC Newcom is a Mongolian clean technology and infrastructure investor committed to bringing global expertise and innovation to Mongolia. Newcom Group has a diverse portfolio of investments across telecommunication, information technology, financial services, renewable energy, real estate and mining services sectors. The company operates Mongolia's first wind farm, with capacity of 50 MW and located 70km from Ulaanbaatar city and is in the process of constructing the 450 MW combined heat and power plant #5 as part of an international consortium awarded the concession agreement by the government. The company's headquarters are in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. For more information, please visit www.newcom.mn. About the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) JICA assists and supports developing countries at the executing agency of Japan's ODA (Official Development Assistance). In accordance with its vision of "Inclusive and Dynamic Development," JICA supports the resolution of issues of developing countries by using the most suitable tools of various assistance methods and a combined regional-, country- and issue-oriented approach. About the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) The EBRD is a multilateral bank committed to the development of market-oriented economies and the promotion of private and entrepreneurial initiative in more than 30 countries from Morocco to Mongolia and from Estonia to Egypt. The Bank is owned by 65 countries, the EU and the EIB. Follow us on the web, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube (News - Alert). View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005711/en/

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On September 27, during his ongoing working visit to Belgium, Artsakh Minister of Foreign Affairs Karen Mirzoyan met with Eleni Theocharous, President of the European Parliaments EU-Armenia Friendship Group.

The two are said to have discussed relations between Artsakh and Europe and issues related to the Karabakh conflict settlement and regional matters.

That same day, Mirzoyan met with MEP Frank Engel, head of the EU-Artsakh Friendship Group.

The two stressed the need to strengthen Artsakh ties to various European structures, including the European Parliament.

Mirzoyan was also the main speaker at a roundtable discussion entitled NKR-25 Years of Nation Building in an Unstable Region organized by MEP Engel.
[September 28, 2016] DomainTools Joins Splunk's Adaptive Response Initiative at .conf2016

SEATTLE and ORLANDO, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- .conf2016 -- DomainTools, the leader in domain name and DNS-based cyber threat intelligence, and Splunk Inc., provider of the leading software platform for real-time Operational Intelligence, today announced that DomainTools has joined the Splunk's Adaptive Response Initiative. Powered by a growing list of leading cybersecurity technology vendors, Adaptive Response is a best-of-breed security initiative that leverages end-to-end context and continuous response to help organizations improve security operations with an adaptive security architecture. The announcement was made at .conf2016: Splunk's 7th Annual Conference. Following its unveiling at RSA Conference 2016, the Adaptive Response Initiative now includes more than 20 participating vendors. With this extensive network, organizations can use Splunk Adaptive Response to further interact with data, extract and share new insights, gather more context and invoke actions across key security and IT domains. Ultimately, this enables customers to detect threats faster, make analytics-driven decisions and improve operational efficiencies within their Security Operations Center (SOC). "DNS and proxy logs provide a wealth of informaion for a security analyst to triage, investigate, and mitigate threats, especially around domain names, but most organizations struggle to realize the value those logs could provide," said Tim Chen, CEO, DomainTools. "By combining the Splunk Enterprise Security platform with DomainTools context on domain names active in their network, we help security professionals around the world gather more context to detect threats quicker and deliver a more automated and continuous response against advanced attackers."



While many organizations employ a layered, multi-vendor approach to security, most individual solutions are not designed to work together outside of the box. Splunk Enterprise Security, working in conjunction with technologies like DomainTools, works as the nerve center for security and extends analytics-driven decision-making  improving detection, investigation and remediation times, information sharing and response. "We created the Adaptive Response Initiative to enable organizations to efficiently combat advanced attacks while utilizing their existing security architectures. Members like DomainTools are key to the success of Adaptive Response," said Haiyan Song, senior vice president of security markets, Splunk. "Together we will help solve this very challenging problem facing every enterprise."

About DomainTools DomainTools helps security analysts turn threat data into threat intelligence. We take indicators from your network, including domains and IPs, and connect them with nearly every active domain on the Internet. Those connections inform risk assessments, help profile attackers, guide online fraud investigations, and map cyber activity to attacker infrastructure. Fortune 1000 companies, global government agencies, and leading security solution vendors use the DomainTools platform as a critical ingredient in their threat investigation and mitigation work. Learn more about how to connect the dots on malicious activity at http://www.domaintools.com or follow us on Twitter:@domaintools Splunk>, Listen to Your Data, The Engine for Machine Data, Hunk, Splunk Cloud, Splunk Light, SPL and Splunk MINT are trademarks and registered trademarks of Splunk Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective owners. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150728/248018LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/domaintools-joins-splunks-adaptive-response-initiative-at-conf2016-300335552.html SOURCE DomainTools

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[September 28, 2016] Epicore BioNetworks Inc. Announces Corporate Actions

EASTAMPTON, New Jersey, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Epicore BioNetworks Inc. is pleased to announce that a new director has joined the board, effective September 6, 2016. The Board welcomes Mr. Donald R. Siemens of Langley, B.C., Canada. Mr. Siemens holds a bachelor's degree from the University of British Colombia and has over 40 years' experience as a chartered accountant. He has held partnership positions with major accounting firms, senior executive positions in industry and experience as a self-employed financial services executive. The Board expects that his knowledge and experience will be of great benefit to Epicore's planto develop commercial alliances.



The Board of Directors has approved issuance to Mr. Siemens of 50,000 options to buy Epicore common shares. The grants follow Company board compensation policy. The options being issued have an exercise price of C$0.70 per share and expire in five years. The 50,000 options granted is equivalent to 0.2% of Epicore's issued common stock. The Epicore Stock Option Plan was approved by shareholders at the Company's Annual General and Special Meetings of Shareholders. Epicore BioNetworks Inc. is a leading producer of environmental biotechnology and animal nutrition products. It manufactures in the USA and markets worldwide to a variety of industries to reduce environmental pollution and increase operational productivity.

Epicore BioNetworks Inc. is a public corporation with a registered office in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and with shares listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (symbol EBN). [The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.] Mr. William P. Long (Chief Executive Officer), Tel: +1-609-267-9118



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[September 28, 2016] EXPOSED: The Dirty Secrets of Japan's Illegal Ivory Trade

New evidence of Japan's failure to control illegal ivory trading at a time when Africa's elephants face extinction is revealed in a damning report released today. The report from the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) reveals the identities of four Japanese ivory trading companies that offered to sell elephant tusks to undercover investigators for illegal export to China. The Dirty Secrets of Japan's Illegal Ivory Trade also documents a 20-year history of broken commitments by Japan to enact effective controls to prevent poached tusks from being sold domestically or for illegal export. The report follows shocking new elephant census data revealing a 30% decline from 2007 to 2014 in populations in 15 of 18 African nations surveyed. This amounts to an unsustainable 8% annual decline from intensive ivory poaching whch threatens the species' long term survival.



EIA's report is released as a critical meeting of 183 nations Party to the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) is underway in Johannesburg, South Africa. Major proposals from Kenya and nine other African elephant range states, and one from the United States aim to close domestic ivory markets of Japan and other Parties to help protect Africa's elephants. "Japan's efforts to promote continued ivory trade while opposing the domestic ivory ban proposals is a slap in the face to the 29 African states seeking to end domestic ivory trade to protect their elephants," said Allan Thornton, president of EIA. "It's time for Japan to join the global efforts to protect elephants and to permanently ban its domestic ivory trade."

The EIA report reveals: The identities and undercover video of four Japanese ivory companies that admitted to EIA investigators to conducting daily ivory sales to Chinese buyers and boasted of the vast amounts of ivory being illegally exported to China and Hong Kong

Thirty of 37 Japanese ivory traders contacted by an undercover investigator offered to engage in some form of illegal activity to buy, sell, or fraudulently register a tusk that did not qualify for registration

Most of Japan's ivory tusk imports dating from before the 1989 ban on international trade in elephant ivory were from poached elephants. As a result, the government's tusk registration scheme is effectively a tool for granting amnesty to large quantities of pre-1989 poached ivory An influential report by the wildlife trade monitoring group, TRAFFIC, supporting Japan's 1997 bid to reopen ivory trade found that Japan could not control ivory trade, but the conclusions were amended and supported Japan's successful bid to reopen ivory trade The EIA report also reveals that, since 1997, Japan has consistently failed to enact CITES commitments to: Verify the legality of origin and acquisition of ivory tusks presented for registration, thereby enabling poached tusks to be legalized onto the domestic market with the widespread use of fraudulent declarations.

Require registration and marking of cut ivory pieces over 1 kg and 20 cm in height or larger, making it impossible to track the trade chain of ivory.

Enact "demonstrably effective" controls over worked ivory.

Control unregistered ivory traders selling large amounts of ivory online shopping and auction sites like Yahoo! Japan and Rakuten Ichiba.

Prevent illegal export of ivory to China, Thailand, and other nations. "EIA investigations and research over the past 18 months demonstrate that Japan's ivory control system is plagued by loopholes and undercut by weak legislation to such an extent that no meaningful control exists at even the most basic level," said Danielle Fest Grabiel, EIA Wildlife Senior Policy Analyst. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005895/en/

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[September 28, 2016] Fitch Rates California Statewide Comm Dev Auth $40MM Rev Bonds, Series 2016 'AA'; Outlook Stable

Fitch Ratings has assigned an 'AA' rating to the following California Statewide Community Development Authority (CSCDA) bonds: --Approximately $40 million revenue bonds, series 2016 (Monterey County GO SAVERs bond program). The bonds are expected to price via negotiation in mid-October. Proceeds will be used to purchase five series of general obligation (GO) refunding bonds issued by: Alisal Union School District (Alisal), Chualar Union Elementary School District (Chualar), Mission Union Elementary School District (Mission), Salinas Union High School District (Salinas) and Santa Rita Union School District (Santa Rita, and collectively the local districts). The local districts' GO bonds are all refunding bonds being issued to refund outstanding GO bonds on a current basis for debt service savings. The Rating Outlook is Stable. SECURITY The 2016 GO revenue bonds are payable from debt service payments made by the local districts on the purchased local district refunding GO bonds on a several, but not joint basis. The local districts' unlimited tax GO (ULTGO) bonds are secured by unlimited ad valorem taxes levied in each district. KEY RATING DRIVERS WEAKEST LINK ANALYSIS: Payment of debt service on the GO revenue bonds is a several but not joint obligation of the local districts. As a result, the rating is based on Fitch's assessment of the weakest of the five school districts' ULTGO bond credits: Chualar and Mission. SPECIAL REVENUE ANALYSIS: The 'AA' rating on the revenue bonds is based on Fitch's assessment of the weakest of the local districts' ULTGO pledges (Chualar and Mission) which in turn is based on a dedicated tax analysis without regard to the local districts' financial operations. Fitch has been provided with legal opinions for each district that provide a reasonable basis for concluding that the tax revenues levied to repay the bonds would be considered 'pledged special revenues' in the event of a district bankruptcy. CONCENTRATED, STABLE AGRICULTURAL TAX BASE; LOW DEBT, TAX RATE: The economic resource bases supporting both Chualar and Mission's GOs are highly concentrated in their top 10 taxpayers at 33% and 55%, respectively. All top taxpayers for both are agricultural enterprises. Factors offsetting concentration risk include the high value and diversity of the agriculture, the relatively low tax rates and debt levels, and the positive tax base performance throughout the great recession. The Chualar and Mission assessed valuations (AV) increased each year between fiscal 2007-2017 for a compounded average annual growth rate of 5.2% and 6.1%, respectively. RATING SENSITIVITIES MATERIAL CHANGES TO TAX BASE: Economic deterioration resulting in a change in expectations for tax base and economic performance, could negatively affect the rating. CREDIT PROFILE Each of the local districts participating in the current transaction is located in the Salinas Valley in northeastern Monterey County. Monterey County's economy continues to show steady gains with a growing housing market and sustained employment growth. A healthy agricultural industry dominates the county's economy, particularly in the Salinas Valley where the local districts are located. The Salinas Valley is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world and accounts for most of Monterey County's 2014 gross production value of $4.5 billion. Economic stability is supported by the variety of crops produced as well as the diversity of trade partners. Top crops include leaf lettuce, strawberries, head lettuce, broccoli, nursery, cauliflower, celery, wine grapes, and spinach. Top export trade partners include Canada, Taiwan, Mexico, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. Agricultural properties within the local districts share first rights to the Salinas water table, thereby avoiding the water issues that impact other parts of Monterey County. DEBT SERVICE LEVY VIEWED AS 'SPECIAL REVENUE' Fitch believes that taxes levied for bond repayment would be considered pledged special revenues under the U.S. bankruptcy code and therefore the lien on pledged revenues would survive and would not be subject to the automatic stay (i.e., payment interruption) in the event any of the local districts were to file for bankruptcy. Fitch has reviewed and analyzed the legal opinions provided by the districts' counsel and believes they provide a reasonable basis to conclude that these revenues would be treated as pledged special revenues due to certain provisions of the state constitution (primarily proposition 13), which limit and direct the use of pledged property tax revenues for bond repayment. As a result, Fitch analyzes the local districts' bonds as dedicated tax bonds. This analysis focuses on the districts' economy, tax base and debt burden without regard to financial operations because Fitch believes that bondholders are insulated from any operating risk of the district. Fitch typically calculates the ratio of pledged revenues in the most recently completed year to maximum annual debt service for dedicated tax bonds, but this calculation is not meaningful in this case given the unlimited nature of the tax rate pledge on the district's bonds. WEAKEST LINK ANALYSIS FOCUSES ON (News - Alert) CHUALAR AND MISSION CHUALAR UNION ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT - GROWING BUT CONCENTRATED TAX BASE The majority of the district's 66 square miles consists of agricultural properties which account for 72% of the district's AV. The top 10 taxpayers are all agricultural concerns and represent a concentrated 33% of the district's tax base. While the focus on agriculture results in below-average wealth levels for local workers and their households, it did ensure relative AV stability during the recession. The district's tax base grew every year for an aggregate 66% between fiscal years 2007-2017 to almost $487 million. This was primarily due to the rising value of agricultural land. A number of the largest ranches in the district are under multigenerational family ownership. District tax rates are low and unlikely to rise to a level that would pressure the rating even under relatively severe stress scenarios. Under California's constitution (as established by proposition 13), the general tax rate for all overlapping governmental entities is limited to 1% of AV. The debt service tax rate (which varies automatically with debt service and AV changes) was low in fiscal 2016 at just 0.06% of AV for all taxing jurisdictions, of which 0.04% was for the district's debt. Fitch considers it very unlikely that the tax base would suffer losses of a magnitude to meaningfully erode repayment capacity. MISION UNION ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT - GROWING BUT HIGHLY CONCENTRATED TAX BASE



The vast majority of Mission's 36 square miles is agricultural properties which account for 88% of district AV. The top 10 taxpayers are all agricultural concerns and represent a highly concentrated 55% of the district's tax base. The district's tax base was resilient through the great recession, increasing each year for an aggregate increase of 81% between fiscal 2007-2017 to $158 million. Tax rates are very low and unlikely to rise to a level that would pressure the rating even under relatively severe stress scenarios. Under California's constitution (as established by proposition 13), the general tax rate for all overlapping governmental entities is limited to 1% of AV. The debt service tax rate (which varies automatically with debt service and AV changes) was low in fiscal 2016 at just 0.05% of AV for all taxing jurisdictions, of which 0.02% was for the district's debt. Fitch considers it very unlikely that the tax base would suffer losses of a magnitude to meaningfully erode repayment capacity.

ALISAL UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT - DIVERSE TAX BASE; LOW DEBT The majority of the AV in the district's 65 square miles is composed of single family residential properties with multifamily, commercial and agricultural properties represented in the diverse top 10 taxpayers which make up 5.4% of the total tax base. The regional focus on agriculture results in below-average wealth levels for local workers and their households and the AV experienced moderate declines during the recession due to the large number of single family residential properties in the district. Following declines in fiscal 2009-2012, the district's tax base resumed growing by a solid 26% through fiscal 2016 though it remains below the fiscal 2008 peak. This volatility was primarily due to the housing market correction in Salinas. SALINAS HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT - DIVERSE TAX BASE; LOW DEBT The majority of the AV in the district's 259 square miles is comprised of single family residential properties with food processing, commercial and warehousing businesses represented in the diverse top 10 taxpayers (5.2% of the total tax base). The regional focus on agriculture results in below-average wealth levels for local workers and their households and the AV experienced moderate declines during the recession due to the large number of single family residential properties in the district. Following declines in fiscal 2009-2011, the district's tax base resumed growing by a solid 18% through fiscal 2016 and has returned to its previous fiscal 2008 peak. This volatility was primarily due to the housing market correction in Salinas. SANTA RITA SCHOOL DISTRICT - DIVERSE TAX BASE; LOW DEBT The majority of the AV in the district's 38 square miles is composed of single family residential properties with multifamily, retail, and a mining company represented in the moderately concentrated top 10 taxpayers (16.5% of total tax base). The regional focus on agriculture results in below-average wealth levels for local workers and their households and the AV experienced moderate declines during the recession due to the large number of single family residential properties in the district. Following declines in fiscal 2009-2012, the district's tax base resumed growing by a solid 19% through fiscal 2016. This volatility was primarily due to the housing market correction in Salinas. Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'. Applicable Criteria U.S. Tax-Supported Rating Criteria (pub. 18 Apr 2016) https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/879478 Additional Disclosures Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/press_releases/content/ridf_frame.cfm?pr_id=1012326 Solicitation Status https://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=1012326 Endorsement Policy https://www.fitchratings.com/jsp/creditdesk/PolicyRegulation.faces?context=2&detail=31 ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTPS://WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEB SITE AT WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA, AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. 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[September 28, 2016] Ingenu and Vula Telematix Roll Out Machine Network Across South Africa

Smart Cities Week - Ingenu Inc., the pioneer in delivering connectivity exclusively to machines, and Vula Telematix, a leading provider of network solutions for South Africa's telecommunications and energy markets, today announced the availability of the Machine Network in the Western Cape region of South Africa. Vula Telematix, an Ingenu Global Licensing Partner, is the exclusive provider of the Machine Network in South Africa and will be building out the nationwide RPMA (Random Phase Multiple Access) network to serve the country's population of over 52 million. This public IoT (Internet of Things) network is powered by Ingenu's patented RPMA communication technology, which provides robust, reliable connectivity across a variety of operating environments. The cities of Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria will utilize the RPMA network to deliver smart grid and smart city services. RPMA services will expand to additional cities in the near future. Vula Telematix, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vula Investments Group, is a provider of telecommunications and smart energy services to the technology industry in South Africa. The company has a rich heritage of delivering innovative and viable solutions to support the country's ongoing sustainability initiatives. "The availability of the Machine Network to the Drakenstein Municipality in Paarl, Cape Town, will provide a multitude of smart energy services to its customers and will enable limitless opportunities for future smart city initiatives," said Agnat Max Makgoale, CEO of Vula Telematix. "Following the initial roll-out, we will expnd the network to provide truly ubiquitous IoT coverage throughout South Africa to support the region's sustainability and technology initiatives."



Ingenu is currently building out its Machine Network in the U.S. and is on pace to have 30 major markets covered by the end of 2016. The company is also partnering with global strategic companies like Vula Telematix to build nationwide public networks specifically for IoT traffic in their respective countries. "Vula Telematix has worked diligently to quickly deploy the Machine Network in South Africa and provide machine connectivity to this growing region," said John Horn (News - Alert), CEO of Ingenu. "The powerful RPMA network is uniquely designed to support existing IoT applications, with the longevity and capacity to accommodate growth. This enables IoT providers such as Vula Telematix to leverage the network and expand its customer ecosystem without the need for additional infrastructure investment."

About RPMA Utilizing globally available spectrum, Ingenu's RPMA (Random Phase Multiple Access) technology is purpose-built for M2M/IoT connectivity, offering unparalleled range, coverage and capacity with extremely low power requirements and longer-lasting battery life. It uniquely enables devices to connect more efficiently and cost-effectively in both the uplink and downlink. Requiring fewer towers to provide coverage to large areas (1:10 to 1:30 radio towers needed for RPMA vs. cellular), RPMA is rapidly becoming a global standard for IoT communication. For more information on RPMA technology, visit www.ingenu.com/technology/rpma/. About Ingenu Inc. Ingenu is building the first wireless Machine Network, the world's largest IoT network dedicated to LPWA (low-power, wide-area) connectivity for machines only. Operating on universal spectrum, the company's RPMA technology is a proven standard for connecting Internet of Things (IoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) devices around the world, with 38 private networks deployed over seven years. The Machine Network will have further reach, global range and longer lasting battery life than any existing network. It is also future-proof: enabling technology solution providers to maximize their product's efficiency and longevity, with unparalleled control and visibility. Ingenu is led by a highly experienced team and backed by one of the strongest boards in the industry, including veterans from Verizon (News - Alert) and Qualcomm. Information about Ingenu can be found at www.ingenu.com, or follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @ingenunetworks. About Vula Telematix Vula Telematix, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Vula Investments Group, is an exclusive licensee for Ingenu for the Southern African region charged with rolling out the Machine Network South Africa. The Vula Investment Group was founded in 1994 and is credited with successful businesses such a Wireless Business Solutions, which amongst other accolades provided wireless connectivity for the first lottery network, Uthingo and iBurst, South Africa's first wireless data network. Vula is a significant player and a pioneer of black participation in the telecommunication and energy industry in South Africa. Information about Vula Telematix can be found at www.vulatelematix.co.za or follow us on twitter @vulatelematix. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005445/en/

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[September 28, 2016] Internet Security Alliance Releases Cybersecurity Framework for Government and Industry

Recently, the Internet Security Alliance (ISA) released Social Contract 3.0: Implementing a Market-Based Model for Cybersecurity at its 15th Anniversary Conference. Written by experts from a variety of industries, including Utilidata CEO Scott DePasquale, the book seeks to provide a systemic framework for collaborative action on cybersecurity, integrating public policy and economics. The book is intended to serve as a guide for policymakers from both sides of the aisle, proposing practical solutions to the very real cyber threats facing America. Mr. Scott DePasquale, also an ISA board member, authored the chapter focused on 'Cybersecurity in the Power Utility Sector', addressing the challenges associated with protecting an electric grid that is increasingly connected and difficult to defend. "The hack of Ukraine's power grid that resulted in a blackout affecting 225,000 customers was a game changing attack that sets a threatening precedent for the security of the U.S. power grid." said DePasquale. "Protecting the power delivery system is one of the greatest challenges facing our industry today, and while we're working on innovations in technology to better protect the grid, it is also essential that we enhance public-private partnerships and coordinate across industries to drive policies that keep pace with the digital revolution." Recommendations to mitigate risks within the power utility sector include, among others, enhanced information sharing between utilities and the Federal Government, reforming the clearance attainment process for private sector executives, and encouraging public-private collaboration to manage the risks that can be posed by the introduction of third-party vendors. "Cyber-threas represent real-world impacts," said Bernie Cowens, vice president and Chief Security Officer, Pacific Gas and Electric Company. "Addressing them requires public-private sector engagement that is highly coordinated, strategic and unwavering. In this document, the ISA addresses a number of the key challenges facing our industry, particularly in gathering and sharing information. It highlights what we all must do together to strengthen the country's response to cyber-threats."



More information about the ISA's Social Contract 3.0: Implementing a Market-Based Model for Cybersecurity is available at www.isalliance.org/cybersecurity-social-contract. About Utilidata:

Utilidata, Inc. is a global software company that works with electric utilities to enhance energy efficiency and grid security. The company's patented technology captures real-time data from the grid giving utilities information needed to save energy, mitigate issues caused by distributed energy resources, and better detect grid anomalies. With major clients including American Electric Power, National Grid, and Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Utilidata is backed by leading venture capital firms and is expanding across North America and the Middle East. The company has a world-class production, research and development facility at its headquarters in Providence, RI. For more information, please visit utilidata.com or follow @Utilidata on Twitter (News - Alert). About the Internet Security Alliance The Internet Security Alliance (ISA) is a trade association with members from virtually every critical industry sector. ISA's mission is to integrate advanced technology with economics and public policy to create a sustainable system of cyber security. ISA pursues three goals: thought leadership, policy advocacy and promoting sound security practices. ISA's "Cybersecurity Social Contract" has been embraced as the model for government policy by both Republicans and Democrats. ISA also developed the Cyber Risk Handbook for the National Association of Corporate Directors. For more information about ISA, please visit www.isalliance.org or 703-907-7090. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005931/en/

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[September 28, 2016] Lexumo Selected for MIT "Industry-Ready" Accelerator Program

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Lexumo, developer of the world's first automated service for continuously monitoring Internet of Things (IoT) and embedded code for critical open source vulnerabilities, has been selected as one of five companies for the MIT STEX25 Industry-Ready Startup accelerator program. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160927/412617 Lexumo uses graph analytics and machine learning developed for DARPA to precisely identify public vulnerabilities such as Heartbleed in IoT and embedded code. The company has raised $4.9 million in funding from top cybersecurity investors and was recently recognized as an IoT Company to Watch and a Machine Learning Startup to Watch. STEX25 is an accelerator managed by MIT Startup Exchange and its parent, the MIT Industrial Liaison Program (ILP), and is focused on fostering collaboration between MIT-connected startups and ILP member companies. These companies include over 200 of the world's leading brands including companies such as Airbus, Apple, BMW, Boeing, Bose, British Telecom, Chevron, EMC, Hitachi, Honda, Jaguar Land Rover, L-3 Communications, LG Technology, Lockheed, NEC, OSRAM, Philips Electronics, Qualcomm, Raytheon, Samsung, Siemens, Toshiba, and Yamaha. "To gain competitive advantage, all organizations are now transforming into digital businesses and leveraging cloud, mobile and IoT technologies," said Brad Gaynor, Ph.D., CTO and co-founder of Lexumo. "At the same time, they're taking advantage of reusable open source in order to innovate faster and gain efficiencies. We look forward to colaborating with MIT ILP companies to help them adopt the best open source available while continuously ensuring the security and privacy of their customers."



"We're very pleased to name Lexumo as part of STEX25's inaugural cohort," said Trond Undheim, who directs MIT's Startup Exchange. "STEX25 companies have a strong science & technology foundation in important fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), automation, energy, healthcare, ICT, Internet of Things (IoT), life science, manufacturing, materials, nanotech, sensors, etc." "Helping MIT-connected startups get traction with large corporate players is a crucial step in technology commercialization," said Karl Koster, Executive Director of the ILP. "Our members are very interested in meeting with the STEX company founders, and these kinds of connections are vital to growing MIT's innovation ecosystem."

Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Lexumo was founded by a team of computer and data scientists from Draper Laboratory, an MIT spin-off, who spent the past four years inventing the company's core technology for DARPA and other DoD customers. A key breakthrough was developing the first large-scale system for semantically searching and indexing the world's open source software. The company's code security platform is used by leading Global 2000 brands including global service providers and both consumer and industrial IoT manufacturers. About Lexumo

Lexumo secures the world's open source software. Our cloud-based service enables developers to securely adopt the best open source available  so they can ship great products faster. Lexumo uses "Big Code" analytics to precisely identify critical vulnerabilities without the inaccuracies associated with legacy open source software (OSS) governance solutions, even when code has previously been modified or patched. Built on a massively-scalable, AWS-based cloud stack, Lexumo's service integrates with existing developer workflows (Jenkins, Jira, etc.); provides actionable information in the form of detailed patching instructions; and continuously monitors your code for vulnerabilities without requiring any developer interaction. For more information, visit https://www.lexumo.com. About STEX25 and MIT's Industrial Liaison Program (ILP)

STEX25 is startup accelerator focused on fostering collaboration between MIT-connected startups and member companies of MIT's Industrial Liaison Program (ILP). STEX25 is managed by MIT Startup Exchange, and its parent, the ILP. The ILP is a key player in making industrial connections for MIT, with over 220 of the world's leading companies using their ILP memberships to advance research agendas at MIT. For more information, visit: http://ilp.mit.edu or http://startupexchange.mit.edu/ Media Contact:

Phil Neray

Email

617-539-6823 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lexumo-selected-for-mit-industry-ready-accelerator-program-300335440.html SOURCE Lexumo, Inc.

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[September 28, 2016] MSD Animal Health Demonstrates Commitment to Eliminate Rabies Worldwide with Donation of More Than Two Million Doses of Vaccine to Date

MSD Animal Health (known as Merck Animal Health in the United States and Canada) is proud to announce a landmark accomplishment in its fight against rabies with the donation of now more than two million doses of its NOBIVAC rabies vaccine to organizations working to eliminate this completely preventable disease. This year's donations of vaccines and other resources to the Afya Serengeti Project and Mission Rabies in the world's most at-risk regions further represent the Company's deep, long-standing commitment to the fight against rabies. Each year, an estimated 59,000 people die from rabies, with 40 percent of those deaths occurring in children under the age of 15.1 Rabies, a neglected disease of vulnerable populations, occurs mainly in remote rural communities where children ages 5 to 14 are frequent victims. Africa and India bear the highest burden of total annual rabies deaths.2 Since dogs are the source of the vast majority of human cases and the primary reservoirs, the widespread vaccination of dogs is an effective method for eliminating the disease.2 "On this World Rabies Day and every day, MSD Animal Health is proud to extend our collaboration with the Afya Serengeti Project, which we've been committed to for more than 15 years, and with Mission Rabies, in our continued fight against rabies," said Ingrid Deuzeman, Global Marketing Director, MSD Animal Health. "A preventable disease with a devastating impact in vulnerable populations, we are committed to these partnerships and efforts to eliminate rabies globally." Join the Fight Against Rabies In more than 20 participating countries, when pet owners and veterinarians choose NOBIVAC vaccines, MSD Animal Health has committed to match it with a donation of NOBIVAC rabies vaccines to the Afya Serengeti Project and Mission Rabies. "Every year, more than 25 million people worldwide receive a post-bite vaccination, which prevent hundreds of thousands of rabies deaths annually. However, in areas without sufficient access to treatment and hospitals, the impact of rabies is catastrophic. Every day, people are being exposed to rabies and they then face a race against time, which can sometimes have a deadly and tragic outcome," said Professor Sarah Cleaveland, Founder, Afya Serengeti Project. "We, and the communities supported by this project, are very grateful for the continued support of MSD Animal Health that allows us to control rabies and save lives in vulnerable regions." "Widespread canine vaccinations are preventing the needless devastation that rabies can cause in people and animals," said Luke Gamble, Founder, Mission Rabies. "Our collaboration with MSD Animal Health is an invaluable resource in our mission to eliminate rabies worldwide by 2030." For more information, visit www.afya.org, www.missionrabies.com and rabiesalliance.org/world-rabies-day. More information about NOBIVAC vaccines can be found at www.nobivac.com. Saving Lives in the Serengeti The Afya Serengeti Project has prevented hundreds of horrifying deaths in the Serengeti through the widespread vaccination of domestic dogs. Each year, over 600 dog rabies cases are prevented and 23 human lives saved.3 The implementation of mass dog vaccination was initially able to bring rabies to an all-time low,4 but efforts have had to be intensified over recent years to tackle the upsurge of cases that have originated from introductions from outside the vaccination zone, where rabies remains rampant. Fortunately, with this renewed momentum, cases have fallen substantially over the past three years and hold promise for elimination. The effective control of rabies through dog vaccination has also had benefits for wildlife, including endangered African wild dogs, which have become re-established in the Serengeti National Park for the first time since the population disappeared as a result of rabies outbreaks in the early 1990s. Understanding the importance of providing vaccinations to other at-risk areas, the Afya Project is now focused on expanding its service area. Recently, the program has extended to Kenya, Bangalore and the Pune region of India. Eliminating Rabies in India and Africa Since 2013, Mission Rabies has set a goal to vaccinate dogs across rabies hotspots in India, where over a third of all human rabies deaths occur.5 Based on the program's success in India, Mission Rabies has expanded its support to Africa. Mission Rabies does more than just vaccinate hundreds of thousands of dogs against rabies each year. They go to schools and educate children in these communities, informing them of the seriousness of the disease. Children are the most affected by rabies because they play with dogs and don't understand how deadly rabies can be. Using a fast-paced team of veterinarians and volunteers, Mission Rabies has so far vaccinated more than 449,000 dogs, trained 80 veterinarians and educated more than 622,000 children about the risk of rabies. This year alone, the Mission Rabies team visited Goa, India; Blantyre, Malawi; Ranchi City, India; Nwoya, Uganda; Meru, Tanzania and Negombo, Sri Lanka. "As we mark the 10th World Rabies Day in 2016, a milestone in life-saving rabies prevention, MSD Animal Health is honored to continue supporting the Afya Serengeti Project and Mission Rabies with our own milestone of more than two million doses of NOBIVAC rabies vaccine donated," said Dr. David Sutton, Technical Director, MSD Animal Health. About MSD Animal Health Today's MSD is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. MSD Animal Health, known as Merck Animal Health in the United States and Canada, is the global animal health business unit of MSD. Through its commitment to the Science of Healthier Animals, MSD Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and governments one of the widest range of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services. MSD Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. MSD Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.msd-animal-health.com or connect with us on LinkedIn. Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the "company") includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company's ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company's patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company's 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC (News - Alert)) available at the SEC's Internet site (www.sec.gov).







_______________ 1 Hampson K, Coudeville L, Lembo T, Sambo M, Kieffer A, Attlan M, Barrat J, Blanton JD, Briggs DJ, Cleaveland S et al. (2015) Estimating the Global Burden of Endemic Canine Rabies. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 9(4): e0003709. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0003709 2 World Health Organization. Rabies Fact Sheet: Epidemiology. Accessed August 31, 2016 via http://www.who.int/rabies/epidemiology/en/. 3 Hampson, K. Contact-tracing study data [unpublished]. June 2013. 4 Kaare M, Lembo T, Hampson K, et al. Rabies control in rural Africa: evaluating strategies for effective domestic dog vaccination. Vaccine. 2009;27(1):152-160. 5 World Health Organization. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. "India's ongoing war against rabies." Bulletin of the World Health Organization. Volume 87, Number 12, December 2009, 885-964. Accessed June 17, 2015 via http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/87/12/09-021209/en/.

NOBIVAC is a registered trademark of Intervet International B.V., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005276/en/

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[September 28, 2016] PeopleAdmin Celebrates Massachusetts Educator as Part of Inspired2Educate Program

PeopleAdmin, a leader in talent management software for K-12 and higher education, today announced the latest honoree of its Inspired2Educate recognition program for her inspiring story about how one educator helped her find a passion for learning in an unconventional way - by appealing to her love of gymnastics. Marjorie Masse, a math interventionist at Westford Public Schools in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, told of Mrs. Smith, a gym instructor who made such an impression on her as a second-grader that Masse would go on to credit Mrs. Smith for her becoming a school teacher, a university instructor, and the person she is today. "I was finally good at something at school!" Masse wrote in her Inspired2Educate submission. "She showed me a book with [gymnastics] moves and values. There under the beam, I learned to add  and ," she said. "I practiced while Mrs. Smith talked about fractions, gravity, momentum, and muscle cells. She spoke of history and maps. I jumped and twirled, and began to know that the world was interesting." PeopleAdmin CEO Kermit Randa awarded Masse with a scholarship today at a school assembly in Chelmsford, in front of about 350 students who were excited to see one of their school's teachers recognized. Randa also awarded the school with a scholarship as well. "Marjorie Masse is an incredible example of how one teacher's compassion can inspire the entire course of a student's lifetime," Randa said. "She honors the legacy of her teachers - from Mrs. Smith to the college professor who encouraged her to move out of the science lab and into the classroom - each and every day by helping her students feel valued and empowered to learn." Inspired2Educate, a PeopleAdmin program begun in February, encourages current education professionals at all K-20 schools and grades - from kindergarten to Ph.D. programs - to nominate via video or in writing a teacher, administrator, or staff member who inspired them to start their careers in education.



Masse went on to major in microbiology and later received her teaching certificate and Master's in Education. She began her career in higher education, imparting to young teaching candidates the fundamentals of math and science, and now works with young students in grades three, four and five. "I am one of the lucky ones. Someone saw me as worthwhile," she said. "Someone tried and cared deeply about a student who couldn't read or write, yet!" Masse's principal at Westford Public School, Kevin Regan, highlights her compassionate approach as the secret behind her success. "She's just so student-centered. And that may sound like a cliche, but to me, somebody that puts the students at the center of their work really is here for the right reason," he said. "We're so lucky to have her."

Throughout the remainder of the year, PeopleAdmin will continue to honor each month an educator who submitted a video or written story to the program. PeopleAdmin believes that acquiring, managing and developing the right educators is the best way to ensure academic success for the next generation. Inspired2Educate is its way of recognizing some of those great educators and ensuring that our nation's students get the education they deserve. For more information about the Inspired2Educate program and details on how to participate, please visit www.PeopleAdmin.com/Inspired2Educate. Follow along with the latest conversation and updates by using the #Inspired2Educate hashtag on Twitter (News - Alert) and Facebook. About PeopleAdmin PeopleAdmin is the leading provider of cloud-based talent management solutions for education. Its software enables customers to streamline the hiring process, onboard new employees, efficiently manage positions and employee performance, develop compliant and defensible audit trails, and utilize industry-leading reporting and data-driven predictive analytics. PeopleAdmin's integrated talent management suite includes applicant tracking, faculty search committee management, position management, onboarding, performance management, professional development management and workforce planning, as well as a first-of-its-kind teacher candidate assessment tool created in partnership with a consortium of award-winning scholars, respected universities and research partners. PeopleAdmin solutions are rapidly deployed, easy to use and supported through a world-class customer service organization. Visit www.peopleadmin.com for more information. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928006452/en/

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[September 28, 2016] PPG Completes Second COLORFUL COMMUNITIES Project in San Juan del Rio, Mexico

PPG (NYSE:PPG) announced the completion of its second COLORFUL COMMUNITIES project in San Juan del Rio, Queretaro, Mexico, this time revitalizing the park, playground and traffic school on the grounds of the Headquarters of Crime Prevention and Citizen Participation in the La Floresta neighborhood. The global Colorful Communities program provides PPG volunteers and products along with financial contributions to bring color and vitality to communities where the company operates, such as San Juan del Rio, where PPG has a coatings plant and its Mexico headquarters office. The PPG project brought together about 100 volunteers, who worked for three days to revitalize the park, playground and traffic school. PPG provided more than $11,000 (about 200,000 pesos), including donated paints and supplies from the COMEX brand - PPG's architectural coatings brand in Mexico - to support the project, which in addition to painting included repairs to structures and systems along with maintenance of bicycles and tricycles at the site. The Colorful Communities project shows PPG's support for the Headquarters of Crime Prevention and Citizen Participation's mission, to encourage the active and responsible participation of local residents in improving their security through promoting a culture of prevention, by making the public area brighter and safer. It also promoted the recreational use of the site, with activities such as dance lessons and fitness classes hosted by PPG during the weekend. The revitalization effort will benefit about 12,000 local residents who use the area. "As part of our corporate philosophy, PPG seeks to fill the communities where we operate with color and to support neighborhood organizations and sites that are important to our employees," said Luis Fernandez, PPG technical director, industial coatings, Latin America - North. "We hope that by revitalizing these facilities, we will help to promote citizen participation and strengthen the values and bonds of children, youth and adults in San Juan del Rio."



The Colorful Communities program is PPG's signature initiative for community engagement efforts, with the aim to protect and beautify the neighborhoods where PPG operates around the world. The program increases PPG's commitment to invest in communities by adding $10 million to support efforts made during a 10-year period. It supports projects that transform community assets, providing PPG volunteers and donated PPG products. PPG completed 11 Colorful Communities projects in 2015, and it expects to complete more than 30 this year. In 2015, PPG completed its first Colorful Communities project in Mexico at the Mahatma Gandhi Middle School in San Juan del Rio. Since then, six more projects have revitalized sites in regions of Mexico where the company operates.

PPG and the PPG Foundation aim to bring color and brightness to PPG communities around the world. We donated more than $7.8 million in 2015 to hundreds of community organizations across 20 countries. By investing in educational opportunities, we help grow today's skilled workforce and develop tomorrow's innovators in industries related to coatings and specialty materials. Plus, we empower PPG employees to make an impact for causes that are important to them by supporting their volunteer efforts and charitable giving. Learn more at www.ppgcommunities.com and follow @PPG_Communities on Twitter (News - Alert). PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and materials that our customers have trusted for more than 130 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers' biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $15.3 billion in 2015. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com. We protect and beautify the world and Colorful Communities are trademarks and the PPG Logo is a registered trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.

Comex is a registered trademark of Consorcio Comex, S.A. de C.V. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005820/en/

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Gayane Sargsyan

Finding Paghaghbyur, a tiny village in Armenias Lori Province straddling the border with Georgia, really challenged our taxi driver.

Theres no permanent telephone service between Paghaghbyur and the neighboring village of Metzavan  just an expanse of open fields.

After an hour travelling through the fields, I spotted a few houses with tiled rooves  Paghaghbyur. The name means cold spring in Armenia.

The village used to be Azeri-populated before the Artsakh War. It was then called Soyouaghboular. Many Armenians from Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan were attracted by the houses they left behind.

Heriknaz Melkonyans family arrived in 1991 from Yerevan.

My brother visited and said that there were houses for the taking. There were five of us sisters-in-law. We said we would buy some animals to raise, Heriknaz says, adding that she really liked the village.

Conditions, though, have gotten worse over the years. Theres no longer any road linking the village to the outside world. Its like living in no mans land during the winter.

Theres only one or two cars in the village. Vardan Vardanyan, who owns one of them, says he tries to help his neighbors who need to get out to the nearest hospital in an emergency.

It was just a few days ago that I got a call in the middle of the night. A woman was about to give birth. I got in my jalopy and got the woman to the maternity ward, Vardan says.

Sometimes, village women give birth at home.

It happened to me, says Rouzan Kloyan. There were no cars to take me to hospital.

Rouzan says that oftentimes the ambulance refuses to travel to the village. She recounts the time she fell gravely ill and called for an ambulance, only to be told that a medical crew would come if she had a heart attack.

Norik Maghakyan, who relocated to the village with his family in 1998, says that a person with a ruptured appendix might die before an ambulance could make it to Paghaghbyur and back.

Suffice it to say that Paghaghbyur has seen better days. Residents fondly remember the village had a school, stores, a cultural center and a community bus. Thats all in the past.

From a population of 200 in 2000, the village has shrunk to thirteen families today.

Residents boast that the local alpine climate and flora produces the best milk in the region. Those in the milk business make the difficult trip twice a day to stock up on locally produced milk.

Paghaghbyur residents are concerned about what the future holds in store for them. Theres a degree of uncertainty in the air.

Its a village falling apart, with no future, says Mr. Maghakyan, pointing to a village over the border in Georgia, populated by Georgians and Azerbaijanis.

Look there, an Azerbaijani village. How is it that their village isnt being emptied but ours is? Their fields are barren. Theres nothing for the livestock to eat. Our lands are rich but are becoming desolate.
[September 28, 2016] Skkynet Exhibits Industrial IoT Solutions in Germany and Austria

Mississauga, Ontario, Sept. 28, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. (Skkynet) (OTCQB: SKKY), a global leader in real-time cloud information systems, presented their SkkyHub, DataHub, and ETK solutions through the Wavefront Wireless Market Entry Program  Germany & Austria 2016. As part of this program, the Skkynet delegation met with key Industry 4.0 executives from leading manufacturing companies and government agencies in Berlin, Stuttgart, Gunskirchen, and Sattledt, and Skkynet technology was exhibited at the Industry of Things World 2016 in Berlin. We were warmly received, and our approach to the Industrial IoT got an enthusiastic response, said Xavier Mesrobian, Vice President, Sales and Marketing for Skkynet. Those who have been exposed to the concept of the IoT for the past year or two and who have attempted to implement it in an industrial context showed a deep appreciation of Skkynets approach, and the value of what we offer. The week-long trip started with a two-day exhibit at the Industry of Things World conference in Berlin, where more than nine hundred high-level executives involved in Industry 4.0 and the Industrial IoT were invited to access an embedded device in real time through an interactive display on their cellphones, using SkkyHub technology. In the following days, the Skkynet delegation had the opportunity to visit plant facilities at companies in Berlin and Stuttgart, as well as Gunskirchen and Sattledt in Austria, and discuss opportunities for cooperaton. Canadian companies like Skkynet have world leading solutions that make the Industry 4.0 opportunity a reality, stated Brian Roberts, VP of Global Services for Wavefront. I would like to express my gratitude to Wavefront for arranging these visits, and our sincere thank-you to our hosts at each event, as well as Global Affairs Canada in Germany and in Austria, said Mesrobian. It was a pleasure to be part of such a successful trip, and to collaborate with Wavefront at the Industry of Things World conference. Industry of Things World is an international knowledge exchange platform bringing together more than 900 high-level executives who play an active role in the Industrial Internet of Things scene, providing an opportunity for them to rethink their technology & business strategies for scalable, secure and efficient IoT. About Wavefront Wavefront is Canadas Centre of Excellence for Wireless Commercialization and Research, accelerating the growth and success of wireless companies by connecting them with critical resources, partners and opportunities, to drive economic and social benefits for Canada. About Skkynet Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. (OTCQB: SKKY) is a global leader in real-time cloud information systems. The Skkynet Connected Systems platform includes the award-winning SkkyHub service, DataHub, WebView, and Embedded Toolkit (ETK) software. The platform enables real-time data connectivity for industrial, embedded, and financial systems, with no programming required. Skkynets platform is uniquely positioned for the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 because unlike the traditional approach for networked systems, SkkyHub is secure-by-design. For more information, see http://skkynet.com. Safe Harbor This news release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future, and results of new business opportunities. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, such as the inherent uncertainties associated with new business opportunities and development stage companies. Skkynet assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements. Although Skkynet believes that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will prove to be accurate. Investors should refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in Skkynets annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Contact Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. Paul E. Thomas, President Office: (888) 628-2028 Fax: (888) 705-5366 Web: http://skkynet.com Email: [email protected]

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[September 28, 2016] SL Green Inks 308,000 Sq. Ft. 30-Year Leasehold Condominium Conveyance at 220 East 42nd Street to Visiting Nurse Service of New York

SL Green Realty Corp. (NYSE:SLG), New York City's largest commercial property owner, today announced that it has executed an agreement to convey a 30-year leasehold condominium interest covering 308,115-square-feet at 220 East 42nd Street, also known as the "News Building", to Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY), the country's largest not-for-profit home- and community-based health care organization. "We're delighted to welcome VNSNY to the News Building. This was a complicated transaction requiring the consolidation of numerous spaces, the creation of a private tenant lobby and significant upgrade to certain building infrastructure to support the tenant's high density occupancy," said Steven Durels, Executive Vice President, Director of Leasing and Real Property for SL Green, who added, "This transaction together with the previously announced renewal of 231,114 sq. ft. with Omnicom (News - Alert) substantially mitigates the upcoming Omnicom lease expiration covering 493,560 sq. ft.". "This move is part of a bold new vision for the future of VNSNY assuring our ability to continue providing the best and most compassionate home and community based health care for vulnerable New Yorkers," explains Guy Sansone, CEO of VNSNY, who added, "The move is particularly timely as we will be celebrating our 125th Anniversary in 2018, and this new centralized space will help us respond to the demands of a rapidly changing healthcare system, positioning us to continue our mission for another 125 years. We sought to find new space that would allow efficient centralization of our services while remaining in the heart of New York City; and to provide our staff with an innovative and attractive work environment." The 30-year deal covers part of the second, entire third, fifth and sixth, part of the seventh, and part of the ground and concourse level. The not-for-profit is relocating from 1250 Broadway, where they have occupied 320,000 square feet since 1994. The new location, which features a turnkey installation, will serve as a centralized headquarters. The large floorplates allow for better densification, enabling VNSNY to occupy less space and run its operations more efficiently. A Cushman & Wakefield office leasing team of Tara Stacom and David E. Gren, along with Louis Wolfowitz and Mark Todrys from the firm's Corporate Finance & Investment Banking group completed the transaction on behalf of VNSNY.



"Visiting Nurse Service of New York has a great relationship with SL Green Realty, which previously owned 1250 Broadway," said Stacom, a Cushman & Wakefield Executive Vice Chairman. "220 East 42nd Street is a great fit, with a separate entrance, plenty of natural light, terraces and a convenient location near major public transportation." About SL Green Realty Corp.

SL Green Realty Corp., an S&P 500 company and New York City's largest office landlord, is a fully integrated real estate investment trust, or REIT, that is focused primarily on acquiring, managing and maximizing value of Manhattan commercial properties. As of June 30, 2016, the Company held interests in 119 Manhattan buildings totaling 44.7 million square feet. This included ownership interests in 28.0 million square feet of commercial buildings and debt and preferred equity investments secured by 16.7 million square feet of buildings. In addition, the Company held ownership interests in 31 suburban buildings totaling 4.9 million square feet in Brooklyn, Long Island, Westchester County, Connecticut and New Jersey. To be added to the Company's distribution list or to obtain the latest news releases and other Company information, please visit our website at www.slgreen.com or contact Investor Relations at (212) 594-2700. About the Visiting Nurse Service of New York Founded in 1893, the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY) is the largest not-for-profit home- and community-based health care organization in the United States, serving the five boroughs of New York City and Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester Counties. VNSNY focuses on promoting the health and well-being of patients and families by providing high-quality, cost-effective health care to vulnerable individuals in their homes and communities. VNSNY also provides hospice and palliative care to patients at the end of life, operates an array of community mental health services, and private pay home services through Partners in Care. In addition, VNSNY operates health plans through its managed care affiliate, VNSNY CHOICE. On any given day, VNSNY has approximately 33,000 patients in its care. In 2015, VNSNY clinicians made over 1.5 million home- and community-based professional visits, serving over 151,000 patients About Cushman & Wakefield Cushman & Wakefield is a leading global real estate services firm that helps clients transform the way people work, shop, and live. Our 43,000 employees in more than 60 countries help investors optimize the value of their real estate by combining our global perspective and deep local knowledge with an impressive platform of real estate solutions. Cushman & Wakefield is among the largest commercial real estate services firms with revenue of $5 billion across core services of agency leasing, asset services, capital markets, facility services (C&W Services), global occupier services, investment & asset management (DTZ Investors), project & development services, tenant representation, and valuation & advisory. To learn more, visit www.cushmanwakefield.com or follow @CushWake on Twitter (News - Alert). SLG- LEAS View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005294/en/

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Global Satellite M2M Connections and Services Market to Witness Growth Through 2020, Owing to Application in Diverse Industries: Technavio

According to the latest market study released by Technavio, the global satellite M2M connections and services market is expected to grow at a CAGR of almost 15% and 10% respectively during the forecast period.

This research report titled 'Global Satellite M2M Connections and Services Market 2016-2020' provides an in-depth analysis of the market in terms of revenue and emerging market trends. This market research report also includes an up to date analysis and forecasts for various market segments and all geographical regions.

The presence of M2M products, solutions, and services in varied application areas, such as smart homes, connected cars, connected supply chain management (SCM) in manufacturing, and connected transport and logistics is fueling the services market revenue.

Request a sample report: http://www.technavio.com/request-a-sample?report=52571

Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more.

The report categorizes the global satellite M2M connections and services market into four major application segments. They are:

Government

Transportation

Oil and Gas

Others

Government

The global satellite M2M services market by government sector is expected to reach USD 1.3 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of more than 5%. The government sector dominates the global satellite M2M services for various military and government applications that involve monitoring and tracking of logistics and location-based tracking of military forces.

Governments employ systems such as Blue Force Tracking (BFT) and movement tracking system (MTS (News - Alert)), which help to provide the location of friendly and hostile military forces. MTS is a system that provides the technology necessary to communicate with tactical wheeled vehicles and other combat support. It plays a vital role in battlefield distribution operations. Satellite M2M connectivity is used in the implementation of these systems.

Transportation

The global satellite M2M services market by transportation sector is expected to reach USD 1.4 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of almost 12%. Satellite M2M services are extensively used in the transportation sector for asset tracking, fleet management and monitoring, and telematics.

According to Rakesh Kumar Panda, a lead analyst t Technavio for M2M and connected devices research, "They help to improve the overall efficiency of supply chains by allowing inventory level monitoring, fleet tracking, event-based monitoring, and inventory condition monitoring." For example, a gold mining company in the remote region of Western Ghana would not be able to track its truck from the mining site to the base location where the company is located due to lack of cellular connectivity. In this scenario, satellite M2M would be the solution to this issue and provide an economical and effective way to monitor the location of the truck.







Oil and gas

The global satellite M2M services market by oil and gas sector is expected to reach USD 1.3 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of approximately 13%. The global satellite M2M services market by oil and gas sector will grow steadily during the forecast period. The market is driven by an increase in the number of oil and gas rigs and the growing dependence of the industry on high-speed broadband services for the safety and security of rigs and pipelines. Most exploration and production (E&P) units are located in remote areas, where terrestrial connectivity is unavailable. Thus, satellite communication remains the only reliable and cost-effective way to obtain high-speed broadband connectivity for these companies.

The oil and gas industry will have to meet a demand-supply match in addition to contending with the increased rates of depletion of producing reservoirs. Satellite M2M communication provides comprehensive high accurate surveying and mapping benefits for the oil and gas industry. In addition, due to easy deployment and installation, most oil and gas companies prefer satellite communications. "VSAT and MSS satellite units are easily deployable and can operate in hostile locations. The smaller size of the VSAT and MSS terminals also makes them highly portable and an ideal solution for emergency situations," says Rakesh.

Others

The global satellite M2M services market by other sectors is expected to reach USD 240 million by 2020, growing at a CAGR of more than 11%. The global satellite M2M services market by the others segment will generate significant revenue during the forecast period.

This segment includes the use of satellite M2M in sectors such as utilities, mining, green energy, and agriculture. In mining, satellite M2M connectivity is used to track and monitor assets from remote locations. Satellite M2M provides reliable and economical means of communication in remote areas. In the utility sector, satellite M2M is widely used in smart grid communications.

The top vendors highlighted by Technavio's ICT research analysts in this report are:

Globalstar

Iridium (News - Alert) Communications

Kore

ORBCOMM

Rogers Communications

Browse Related Reports:

Do you need a report on a market in a specific geographical cluster or country but can't find what you're looking for? Don't worry, Technavio also takes client requests. Please contact [email protected] with your requirements and our analysts will be happy to create a customized report just for you.

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.

Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at [email protected].

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[September 27, 2016] Twelve Newman Ferrara Attorneys Make List of New York's Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, and Top 100

Newman Ferrara LLP (www.nfllp.com) announced today that named partner Lucas A. Ferrara has once again been rated one of New York's "Top 100" legal professionals in the 2016 edition of New York Metro Super Lawyers Magazine. In addition, six other firm attorneys were ranked as "Super Lawyers," including partners Jonathan H. Newman, Jarred I. Kassenoff, and Jeffrey M. Norton, and Of Counsel, Randolph M. McLaughlin, Debra S. Cohen, and Jon B. Felice. One partner, Ricardo M. Vera, and four associates, Noe Solorzano, Matthew J. Correia, Roman Grutman, and Jonathan A. Ozarow, were nominated as "Rising Stars." "It is no small feat that, year after year, so many of our attorneys are honored in this fashion. Our firm offers a wide array of practice areas so it is particularly validating to be recognized for the breadth of skills, experience, and commitment we bring to the table," noted managing partner and firm co-founder, Jonathan H. Newman. To develop the annual Super Lawyers listings, researchers with Thomson Reuters (News - Alert) solicit nominations from attorneys across the New York metro region. A blue-ribbon panel assists with final selections, and less than 5 percent of eligible attorneys earn selection. The full lists are available online athttp://www.superlawyers.com, and the Super Lawyers list appears in both The New York Times Magazine and New York Super Lawyers magazine.



Named partners Jonathan H. Newman and Lucas A. Ferrara focus their practice on real estate and commercial litigation representing real-estate developers, contractors, building owners, Fortune 500 corporations, condominium and cooperative boards, and tenants' associations. In addition, Mr. Ferrara is the author of a three-volume treatise entitled Landlord and Tenant Practice in New York and is an adjunct professor at New York Law School. Firm partners Jarred I. Kassenoff and Ricardo Vera concentrate their practice in the areas of complex commercial real estate disputes, insolvency issues, zoning and tax matters. Mr. Kassenoff has published numerous articles in the New York State Bar Association Journal and the New York Law Journal, and is regularly quoted in The New York Times for his real estate expertise.

Firm partner Jeffrey M. Norton is chair of the firm's Class Action and Complex Litigation practice group where he focuses on securities litigation, shareholder rights, commercial disputes, and consumer litigation. Mr. Norton is also an adjunct professor at Pace Law School. Randolph M. McLaughlin, a professor at Pace Law School, co-chairs the firm's Civil Rights practice group with Debra S. Cohen, who is an adjunct professor at Pace Law School. McLaughlin and Cohen focus their practice on fair housing, land use, open government, police misconduct, employment discrimination, and marriage equality. Jon B. Felice leads the firm's residential and commercial transactions department together with associates Matthew J. Correia and Roman Grutman. Associates Noe Solorzano and Jonathan A. Ozarow are each actively engaged in the firm's commercial and residential real estate practice, concentrating on litigation and transactional matters. Newman Ferrara maintains a diverse New York practice with attorneys specializing in complex commercial and multi-party litigation with an emphasis on securities and shareholder litigation, consumer protection, civil rights, and real estate. For more information, please visit the firm website at www.nfllp.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160927006704/en/

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[September 27, 2016] India's Minister of Commerce & Industry, Anice Joseph Chandra, To Speak At UNIQUITY India Conference

Mumbai Conference to Focus on Anti-Counterfeiting & Consumer Safety MUMBAI, India and PRINCETON, New Jersey, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- India's Director of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Anice Joseph Chandra, IRS, will be a featured speaker at Systech International's upcoming global conference, UNIQIUITY India 2016, which will focus on serialization, global brand protection and consumer safety. The event is hosted by the global leader in serialization, track-and-trace, and regulatory compliance. Systech's one-day conference will provide customers, industry leaders, and equipment manufacturers with a firm understanding of the many complex regulatory mandates that are quickly unfolding in India and around the world, as well as effective technologies to meet those demands. The event will take place October 6, 2016 at the ITC Maratha Hotel in Mumbai. In her current position, Ms. Chandra serves as director at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, where she is involved in India's free trade negotiations, both bilateral and multilateral. She also handles India's implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement of the WTO. She will give a talk titled: The Role of Public Policy and Private Enterprise in the Global Fight Against Counterfeit Medicines. This special lecture will be devoted to a discussion of the DGFT regulation along with forthcoming changes, and its continuing evolution into the future. A surge in global counterfeiting is costing companies worldwide US$100+billion and threatening consumer safety like neverbefore. Ms. Chandra is passionate about implementing the Commerce Ministry's efforts to promote the Brand India label and eliminate spurious drug products that are being peddled as Made in India.



A key part of Ms. Chandra's portfolio is in the field of healthcare, where she continues to play a pivotal role in the DGFT export regulation for serialization, barcoding, and traceability. The DGFT's export program was developed by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in response to troubling findings in overseas markets where counterfeit products with a Made in India label started appearing with alarming frequency. Ms. Chandra has been responsible for drafting the various DGFT notices that have come to guide the industry over the past several years. In addition, she has interacted with pharmaceutical stakeholders at all levels to promote the regulatory interactions that she has anchored between India and other major export destinations.

Register for UNIQUITY India at http://systechone.com/uniquity2016in/. About Systech International Systech is the global technology leader in product safety, and consumer and brand protection. Systech pioneered serialization and is defining the future of authentication. The world's largest pharmaceutical companies trust their brands to Systech's technology solutions. Systech unifies and optimizes enterprise serialization, track and trace, and authentication technologies to ensure regulatory compliance, mitigate risk, and drive efficiency and profitability. For 30 years, Systech's innovation has led best practices for key brands across the pharmaceutical, life science, food and beverage, and consumer packaged goods industries. PR CONTACTS

Ann Willets

US PR for Systech International

+1 (908) 433-7821

[email protected] Kartick Jagtap/Ninad Vardam

India PR for Systech International

+91 22 67415154

[email protected]

[email protected] SYSTECH CONTACTS

Erin Dunkel

Vice President, Marketing

+1 (610) 761-8960

[email protected] Harry Saint-Preux

Director, Global Alliances & Channels

+1 (201) 923-0726

[email protected] Avi Chaudhuri, PhD

Senior Global Partner

+91 98 303 65993

[email protected] This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

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[September 28, 2016] JD Sound Enters US Education Market with portable DJ device "GODJ"

SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- K-ICT Born2Global Centre (Born2Global), a major Korean government agency under the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP), announced on Sept. 28 that JD Sound, a member of Born2Global makes inroads into the education market in the US. JD Sound completed its final delivery of portable DJ device GODJ to middle and high schools located in New York, USA, which has officially approved the product as teaching aids. DJ music classes will be offered from next month when the fall semester begins in the US.





Currently nine middle, high schools have decided to utilize the handheld DJ device in their music class, including Democracy Prep Charter High School, Democracy Prep Endurance Middle/High School, Bronx Prep Middle/High School, Pathways, Harlem Prep High School, and Democracy Prep Congress Heights Middle School in New York. Democracy Prep Public Schools will allow their affiliated 25 schools to offer music courses utilizing the device. Teachers are prepared to give their classes without difficulties as JD Sound provides them with English-language video tutorials and teaching material drafts. Students who take the courses will perform at each school festival scheduled to be held in June next year. JD Sound owns a technology of manufacturing a handheld DJ device. The DJ device features not only all the hardware a user would need including four stereo jacks, mini-USB, onboard memory and embedded battery but also a variety of software-based functions, such as play and record, sound effects, equalizer, beat sequencer and auto DJ. About JD Sound

JD Sound, established in 2011, has created GODJ Plus based on the expertise on development and manufacture of audio equipment. Since March this year, it has been housed at the Startup Campus in Pangyo as a member firm of the Born2Global. Now the sound equipment company has been discussing businesses of a variety of hardware IP and software IP with a global audio equipment partner, while supplying its products to approximately 20 countries. For more detailed information on the JD Sound, please check out http://www.jdsound.co.kr Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160927/0861610067-a

Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160927/0861610067-b

Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160927/0861610067-c

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[September 28, 2016] GSK and Oncodesign Announce Agreement for Oncodesign's Acquisition of GSK's Research Centre in France

Regulatory News: GSK and Oncodesign (Paris:ALONC) have signed an agreement for Oncodesign to acquire the Francois Hyafil Research Centre located in Villebon-sur-Yvette (Essonne) from GSK, part of the Paris Saclay innovation cluster, including transfer of the team of highly qualified drug discovery staff located at the site (anticipated to be 57 employees). Under the terms of the agreement, GSK will provide 35 million support over a four year period, and Oncodesign will use this funding to integrate the site and its capabilities into its business and ensure the continued employment of the transferring staff over this period. The agreement is expected to become unconditional and effective by or on 1st December 2016. Established in 1987 and located in a new state-of-the-art research facility opened in 2010, the Francois Hyafil Research Centre was most recently a Flexible Discovery Unit that provided scientific expertise and resources to support drug discovery and incubate new science within GSK. The capabilities within the facility include delivery of medicinal chemistry, biology, in vivo pharmacology and drug metabolism/pharmacokinetics capabilities with experience in many therapeutic areas. "We welcome the Francois Hyafil Research Centre staff, who are recognized industry-wide. This strategic acquisition of GSK's research center is a key next step for Oncodesign and without any dilutive impact for our shareholders. It will allow Oncodesign to boost its Drug Discovery programs and Experimentation businesses and to position itself as a leading player in the business of Full Drug Discovery Services, a new market for Oncodesign" said Philippe Genne, CEO and founder of Oncodesign. "This acquisition further accelerates the development of our strategic partnerships, with IPSEN, BMS and UCB. In addition, it will speed up our Nanocyclix based drug discovery internal programs through increased capabilities and productivity in both oncology and non-oncology areas. Oncodesign will thus strengthen its scientific expertise in one of the most modern research centres in France in addition to acquiring new and complementary capabilities and expanion in non-oncology space. Together with our presence at the Open Campus IPSEN site, the FHRC integration will further establish our presence in the Paris Saclay science cluster and allow us to benefit from the innovation in this region in complement to that of our Dijon site."



In 2015, GSK streamlined its R&D organizational operations to consolidate around two major R&D centres: Upper Providence (USA) and Stevenage (UK), with a reduction in the number of satellite R&D sites that support activities at these two central hubs. As a result of these changes, in September 2015 GSK announced that it would be searching for a robust organization to acquire the Francois Hyafil Research Centre and continue activities in this location. "GSK has been fully committed to searching for a high quality research organisation that could acquire the Francois Hyafil Research Centre, and I am delighted that, through this agreement, the skilled scientists based at the site will have a secure future and can remain part of the science research community in France" commented Jean-Francois Brochard, General Manager GSK France.

Dave Allen, SVP, GSK Pharmaceuticals R&D said. "Oncodesign is a fast-growing French company with innovative technologies and novel programs, which has a robust plan for the long term success of the Francois Hyafil Research Center. Acquisition of the site will allow the scientist's drug discovery capabilities to continue to be used to advance human medicines. I am pleased that we have secured this agreement with Oncodesign and am confident the team can become an important and integrated part of their company." GSK - one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies - is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. In France, GSK is a major player in the pharmaceutical sector, involved in every stage of the value chain, with more than 3500 employees, 3 production sites (Mayenne, Evreux, Saint-Amand-les-Eaux), a clinical research centre and Head office located in Marly-le-Roi. Over the last 3 years, GSK has invested around 83 million across its 3 productions sites in France and since 2015 more than 300 jobs have been created on these sites. Oncodesign - Founded over 20 years ago by Dr Philippe Genne, the Company's CEO and Chairman, Oncodesign is a biotechnology company that maximises the pharmaceutical industry's chances of success in discovering new therapeutic molecules to fight cancer and other serious illnesses with no known effective treatment. With its unique experience acquired by working with more than 600 clients, including the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, along with its comprehensive technological platform combining state-of-the-art medicinal chemistry, advanced animal modelling and medical imaging, Oncodesign is able to predict and identify, at a very early stage, each molecule's therapeutic usefulness and potential to become an effective drug. Applied to kinase inhibitors, which represent a market estimated at over $40 billion in 2016 and accounting for almost 25% of the pharmaceutical industry's R&D expenditure, Oncodesign's technology has already enabled the targeting of several promising molecules with substantial therapeutic potential, in oncology and elsewhere, along with partnerships with pharmaceutical groups such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, Ipsen and UCB. Oncodesign is based in Dijon, France, in the heart of the town's university and hospital hub. It has 108 employees and subsidiaries in Canada and the USA. www.oncodesign.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160927006537/en/

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[September 28, 2016] Duetto Introduces ScoreBoard, the Hotel Industry's First Revenue Intelligence Platform

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Duetto, which delivers the hotel industry's most powerful Revenue Strategy solutions, is now offering an application that provides even greater insight into revenue and performance, helping hotels and casinos move beyond spreadsheets to better manage and grow their business on property and across entire portfolios. The new product, ScoreBoard, integrates seamlessly with property management systems to enable hoteliers to compile and centralize up-to-the-minute reports on performance data and forecasts, display custom reports in minutes and deliver big-picture insights across an entire company with one click. Having built the industry's leading profit optimization solution, Duetto Co-Founder and Chief Product & Analytics Officer Marco Benvenuti said ScoreBoard tackles another fundamental problem, leveraging cloud-based technology to provide managers something more than the static, inefficient spreadsheets they currently use to manage their businesses. "Running a hotel with dozens of spreadsheets is an incredibly inefficient way to do business, but until now, that was the only choice," said Benvenuti, who confronted the inefficiencies when he managed revenue for major casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip. "It can take an army of revenue managers days or weeks to provide a company-wide forecast, and if one person makes a mistake in one spreadsheet, the whole project gets derailed. With ScoreBoard, hoteliers can now analyze and forecast performance and deliver actionable insights to key stakeholders in real time." ScoreBoard was developed with several features meant to alleviate common pain points for hotels, including: An intuitive forecast builder that allows month-leel data entry and boasts a "smart spreading" feature, which takes a revenue manager's updated numbers and intelligently allocates them day by day through the month, reflecting when demand rises and falls. A customizable report builder, which incorporates more than 50 performance metrics, filters and comparisons, ensuring that crucial reports are presented in minutes, not days. Cross-property reporting, which rolls up data, budgets and forecasts for an entire portfolio of hotels, saving time and allowing brand executives or asset managers to see the big picture across an entire portfolio.



"What good is all the data companies are gathering if it takes too long to access or make it actionable?" said Fernando Vives, Chief Commercial Officer for Spain-based NH Hotel Group, which partnered with Duetto to design and pilot-test several Revenue Intelligence features. "We're confident that NH will be able to move beyond spreadsheets and develop better business strategies across 400 hotels around the world, now that we have far better visibility into our data and the ability to access and share it faster. Speed and accuracy make all the difference when hotel distribution and traveler preferences change so quickly."

For more information about ScoreBoard, visit http://duettoresearch.com/scoreboard/ About Duetto Duetto delivers the most powerful Revenue Strategy solutions to the world's leading hotels and casinos, allowing them to better manage pricing, revenue and business-mix decisions with superior, actionable data. The unique combination of hospitality experience and technology leadership enables Duetto to provide new insights on pricing and demand as a true cloud-based software-as-a-service. With Revenue Strategy and Revenue Intelligence solutions that address the challenges of today's hospitality industry, Duetto helps hotels and casinos optimize profits and guest loyalty. Thanks to rapid marketplace adoption, Duetto is expanding in key markets throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. More than 1,200 hotel and casino properties in more than 60 countries have partnered to use Duetto's Revenue Strategy and Revenue Intelligence platforms. Contact: Michael Frenkel, MFC PR  New York

For Duetto

(212) 808-6559

[email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/duetto-introduces-scoreboard-the-hotel-industrys-first-revenue-intelligence-platform-300335043.html SOURCE Duetto

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[September 28, 2016] Farmers Edge Partners with Mazergroup, North America's Largest New Holland Provider, to Expand Precision Agriculture Services in the Canadian Prairies

Farmers Edge, a global leader in precision agriculture and independent data management solutions, announced today it has partnered with Mazergroup, North America's largest provider of New Holland equipment and one of Manitoba and Southeastern Saskatchewan's most trusted suppliers of farm machinery and services. Under the agreement, Mazergroup will introduce the Farmers Edge precision agriculture platform to customers across its 15 locations, providing enhanced telematics, Variable Rate Technology (VRT), and field-centric data analytics to growers throughout 6 million acres of Canada's most essential farmland. The partnership will enable Mazergroup to incorporate hardware, software, agronomy and "boots on the ground" support from Farmers Edge to its already extensive offering of critical agricultural products and services. Working with Mazergroup's Precision Land Management (PLM) team, Farmers Edge will equip growers throughout Western Canada with the decision support tools and zone-specific information that ensure the best, most profitable decisions are being made on the farm. Easily integrated with growers' existing equipment and programs, the Farmers Edge Precision Solutions package provides a comprehensive turnkey system that includes: Variable Rate Technology, soil sampling and analysis, field-centric weather, in-field telematics and data transfer, high-resolution satellite imagery, field-centric data analytics, access to FarmCommand - an integrated farm management platform - and a network of highly experienced, trusted advisors. "This partnership will allow our existing Precision Land Management (PLM) team to work alongside Farmers Edge to ensure our customers are getting the best value from their crops and achieving the highest yields possible," said Randy Gates, PLM Manager for Mazergroup. "Technlogy in agriculture is continually changing, and we feel that Farmers Edge has the hardware, software and agronomy solutions to deliver actionable data to our customers that will maximize sustainability, efficiency, and profitability across each of their farms."



Increasingly, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and other vital farming regions throughout Western Canada are turning to precision technologies to streamline their fertilizer applications, manage their fleets, and bolster their bottom lines. This partnership will extend grower access to these innovations. Successfully deployed across 5 countries, the Farmers Edge Precision Solutions platform will be immediately available to Mazergroup growers and will help to usher the Canadian prairies into a data-enhanced agricultural future. "We're continually looking at ways to help our customers improve the productivity of their operations and we feel that Farmers Edge, as an independent provider of precision products, can provide valuable tools and insight to help our customers improve their yields and reduce their input costs," said Chris Finley, VP of Parts and Services at Mazergroup. "We are looking forward to working together to optimize farm operations throughout the Canadian prairies."

"Mazergroup has an unmatched reputation in Manitoba and Southeastern Saskatchewan for establishing successful relationships with growers, and we're proud to join them in providing their customers with access to leading precision agriculture solutions," said Farmers Edge President and CEO Wade Barnes. "As Western Canada accelerates into the next generation of farming, this partnership will provide existing and future Mazergroup customers not only with access to the best technology available, but also ongoing in-field support to ensure the best farming decisions are being made." About Mazergroup Mazergroup is the largest independently owned and operated New Holland dealership complex in North America with over 300 employees in 15 locations across Manitoba and Southeastern Saskatchwan. Mazergroup offers agricultural, construction and turf equipment sales, parts and service. Mazergroup has been in business for nearly 60 years and is dedicated to giving back to the communities and surrounding area it serves. For more information, please visit: mazergroup.ca About Farmers Edge Farmers Edge is a global leader in precision agriculture and independent data management solutions. Leading the development and application of new technologies on the farm since 2005, Farmers Edge is defining the future of agriculture through innovation. For more information on Farmers Edge, please visit: http://www.farmersedge.ca View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005153/en/

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[September 28, 2016] U.S. Air Force Awards Lockheed Martin $395 Million Contract for GPS III Satellites 9 and 10

DENVER, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) $395 million in contract options for the production of the ninth and tenth Global Positioning System III (GPS III) satellite. GPS III satellites will deliver three times better accuracy, provide up to eight times improved anti-jamming capabilities and extend spacecraft life to 15 years, 25 percent longer than any GPS satellites on orbit today. GPS III's new L1C civil signal also will make it the first GPS satellite to be interoperable with other international global navigation satellite systems. The contract includes funding for both long-lead items and full production for the next two space vehicles (SVs) in the Air Force's next generation GPS III constellation. The first eight GPS III satellites are already under contract and in production at Lockheed Martin's GPS III Processing Faclity outside of Denver.



"Lockheed Martin is proud to be working with the Air Force to bring GPS III's tremendous new capabilities to the men and women in our armed forces, as well as to the world," said Mark Stewart, vice president of Lockheed Martin's Navigation Systems mission area. "Our industry team, comprising more than 250 aerospace companies across 29 states, is committed to making GPS III a reality." The Lockheed Martin team is finishing up final testing and integration activities on the first GPS III satellite, GPS III SV01, and is preparing to deliver it to the Air Force later this year. The second satellite, GPS III SV02, is poised to have its major functional systems fully integrated into one space vehicle prior to starting its own environmental testing. GPS III SV03 also is beginning to take form in the company's production clean room as its major subcomponents are being assembled.

The GPS III team is led by the Global Positioning Systems Directorate at the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. Air Force Space Command's 2nd Space Operations Squadron (2SOPS), based at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, manages and operates the GPS constellation for both civil and military users. For additional GPS III information, photos and video visit: www.lockheedmartin.com/gps About Lockheed Martin

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 98,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. Media Contact: Chip Eschenfelder, +1 303-977-8375; [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160928/412816 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-air-force-awards-lockheed-martin-395-million-contract-for-gps-iii-satellites-9-and-10-300335669.html SOURCE Lockheed Martin

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[September 28, 2016] CANARIE Announces Board Changes

OTTAWA, Sept. 28, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - CANARIE, a vital component of Canada's digital infrastructure supporting research, education and innovation, today announced changes to its 2016/2017 Board of Directors. Departing CANARIE Board members are Kim DeVooght, Dr. Michael Geist, and former Board Chair Dr. Howard Brunt. These members brought tremendous energy, insight and commitment to the Board, and CANARIE is grateful for their contributions to the organization's ongoing evolution. One new Board member was elected at the CANARIE Annual General Meeting held on September 15, 2016: Dr. David Castle, Vice President, Research at the University of Victoria and Professor in the School of Public Administration with an adjunct appointment in the Gustavson School of Business. The election of Dr. Castle completed the planned reduction in the size of the CANARIE Board from sixteen to fourteen members. In addition to his role as a senior administrator, Dr. Castle's research focuses on social aspects of life science innovation including democratic engagement, regulation and governance, and intellectual property and knowledge management. He has published extensively on the social dimensions of science, technology and innovation, has held several major research awards, and has considerable experience leading strategic research initiatives and research project management. Dr. Castle is also Chair of the Steering Committee of Research Data Canada, a stakeholder-driven organization dedicated to improving the management of research data in Canada, funded by CANARE.



"I look forward to working with the Board to continue to evolve Canada's digital research infrastructure," says Dr. Castle. "As a researcher and administrator who has witnessed the extraordinary transformation of research as a result of digitization, I know how critical digital research infrastructure is in enabling world-class science and discovery." "We are fortunate to have such a deep pool of expertise bringing a broad range of perspectives to the CANARIE Board, and I welcome Dr. Castle as we continue to shepherd the strategic evolution of a key component of Canada's digital research infrastructure," says Dr. Catherine Middleton, Chair of the Board of Directors. "I also extend the deepest appreciation of CANARIE and the Board to Dr. Brunt, Mr. DeVooght and Dr. Geist for their dedicated service and valuable insights over their twenty combined years of service."

CANARIE's Board is comprised of an equal number of individuals from industry and academia. Directors bring a variety of skills and experience to the Board, and their backgrounds in the academic, institutional, private and public sectors ensure CANARIE's programs and services anticipate and effectively address the evolving needs of its stakeholder communities. Directors are elected for one-year renewable terms, and all Directors serve on at least one standing committee of the Board. More information on CANARIE's Board of Directors. About CANARIE CANARIE strengthens Canadian leadership in science and technology by delivering digital infrastructure to support world-class research that directly benefits all Canadians. Twelve provincial and territorial network partners, together with CANARIE, collectively form Canada's National Research and Education Network (NREN). Canadians at universities, colleges, research institutes, hospitals, and government laboratories rely on this ultra high-speed network to collaborate in data-intensive, cutting-edge research and innovation within Canada and with colleagues in over 100 countries. Beyond the network, CANARIE funds and promotes reusable research software tools to accelerate scientific discovery. CANARIE also supports Research Data Canada as it leads national research data management initiatives, and through the Canadian Access Federation, provides identity management services that enable secure, ubiquitous connectivity and content access to the academic community. To boost commercialization in Canada's technology sector, CANARIE offers cloud resources to startups through its DAIR service, and links a powerful community of public and private sector partners in the Centre of Excellence in Next Generation Networks (CENGN). Established in 1993, CANARIE is a non-profit corporation, with the majority of its funding provided by the Government of Canada. For more information, please visit: www.canarie.ca SOURCE CANARIE Inc.

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When to trick or treat around Indianapolis this Halloween
Everything from dairy farming to honeybees, cranberries, ginseng, and other native Wisconsin products will be covered in promoting the impact of agriculture. The idea to build this agricultural learning center all started with a single person and has grown into a platform set to be completed by the spring of 2018.From early beginnings

Norval Dvorak, pioneer of the WAEC, began developing ideas for the project years ago along with other early visionaries in his farmhouse basement. Dvorak, who was well into his 80s at the start of the project, was fueled by his passion to share the story of agriculture, especially in his home state.

Much of his inspiration came from the well-known Fair Oaks Farm Education Center, located in Fair Oaks, Ind. After touring and evaluating the success of Fair Oaks, Dvorak felt Wisconsin could benefit from a similar program. Early plans were made, and support for the center grew. Dvorak, sadly, passed before he could see the completed project, but with the help of many supporters, his dream of providing a public learning facility will soon become a reality.

Norval would remind us now, as we grow closer to our goal, of how important agriculture is in the community, said Julie Maurer, Wisconsin Agricultural Education Center board president. We plan to pay him recognition in some way as we grow closer to completion.

Though the center is still in its beginning construction stages, support began early on with companies, producers, and other believers investing in the promotion of consumer education of Wisconsin agriculture. Its due time for something like this in Wisconsin, said Pete Kappleman, Land OLakes board of directors chairman and WAEC board member. We need to get consumers of all ages excited about the science and technology that will help sustain our planet.

Many hope the WAEC will generate similar agriculture education centers not only throughout the state, but throughout the country. Somebody has to be the first, said Scott Gunderson, University of Wisconsin-Extension Manitowoc County agriculture agent. There is no reason why we shouldnt have several of these located throughout the country.

As fundraising for the project continues, more than $10 million already has been raised to help accomplish Dvoraks goal. Thanks to the state of Wisconsin, the WAEC received a $5 million nonstate agency grant upon the condition that its donation was matched by the private sector. That condition was met in just one year. With the help of many generous supporters, the WAEC is one step closer to reaching its $13 million goal.

The WAEC plans to include something for all ages on the 36 acres of land set aside for the future educational site and exhibits. Like the Dairy Adventure at Fair Oaks Farm, the WAEC will feature a birthing barn. It will also have a discovery center, an outdoor playground area, a cafe and country store highlighting Wisconsin products, as well as a conference center for companies to host meetings and events. Bus tours will visit a third-generation dairy operation, Grotegut Dairy, located two miles from the centers main location, further tying together the nonprofit, public partnership. With the center set to be built in a high-traffic area located between Milwaukee and the Green Bay-Door County area, the WAEC has the ability to pull in people from all over the state, as well as across the country. An estimated 43,000 cars travel that point of Interstate 43 each day.

The 2,250-cow Grotegut Dairy will host several tours each day for visitors. Guests will have the chance to watch from an observation deck overlooking the 80-stall rotary parlor. Tour buses will make their way through the farms tunnel-ventilated freestall barn, along with providing a glimpse of the dairy operations calf-rearing program.

We are willing to promote what we have to offer, said Doug Grotegut, Grotegut Dairy partner, as he gave WAEC supporters the same tour that will be conducted after the centers completion. It is our duty to help promote and educate others about agriculture, Grotegut noted.

With the amount of agriculture education offered in schools declining throughout the nation, the center is set to serve as a place of inspiration to help educate younger consumers about different careers within agriculture. This is something that we need to get behind, Nic Schoenberger, WAEC vice president and nearby dairy farmer, said. I want our guests to learn something new, leave fascinated, and hopefully get involved with Wisconsin agriculture.

While the building of the WAEC is on the horizon, much is yet to be done before the center opens its doors for its first guests. As fundraising continues, donations will support the creation of an interactive experience for visitors. With the hopes of reaching the $13 million goal by December 2016, more supporters are welcomed to contribute to the investment in agricultures future. Learn more at www.BuildWAEC.org

The seeds that we planted are germinating, Corey Geiger, WAEC campaign co-chair and managing editor of Hoards Dairyman, stated. Food is a big deal, and we need to tell consumers about it. We are going to build bridges for the future.

Though the bridge to the future is still under construction, it is sure to lead to many roads of opportunity for its visitors. With the advancements in science, technology, and farming methods, confusion among consumers will continue to rise unless efforts are made to effectively inform the public.

The grand opening of the WAEC will be an emotional day for those who have dedicated years towards the completion of this project. The fulfilment of Norval Dvoraks goal, however, will mark the beginning of a significant agricultural impact on consumers.

The state of Wisconsin gave $5 million in support via a nonstate agency grant in the state budget. The Land OLakes Foundation donated $1 million with board chair Pete Kappleman shown holding the print of the soon-to-be-built center.

This article appears on page 543 of the September 10, 2016 issue of Hoard's Dairyman.

Return to the Hoard's Dairyman feature page.
A special delivery

The measure of success

Perfect the technique

Guidelines for esophageal tube feeders

Check that the tube is placed in the esophagus (not the trachea) before opening the hose valve to start the flow of liquid. Ensure the calf is standing or lying upright on its sternum while feeding. Hold the tube in place for the duration of the feeding. Allow the colostrum to flow via gravity. Always close the valve (or kink the hose) to stop the flow of liquid before removing the tube from the calf.

This article appears on page 545 of the September 10, 2016 issue of Hoard's Dairyman.





Return to the Hoard's Dairyman feature page.

It has generally been accepted that feeding by bottle or esophageal tube feeder will achieve sufficient results as long as an adequate volume of colostrum is fed soon after birth. However, some recent studies show that there is an interaction between feeding method and volume.According to the USDAs Dairy Cattle Management Practices in the United States, 2014 report, at least some colostrum was fed by bottle on 87.4 percent of farms that hand-fed colostrum (versus allowing calves to suckle the dam). In general, the use of a bottle lessened and the use of an esophageal feeder became more common as herd size grew.When a bottle is used, suckling triggers the esophageal groove reflex. This places colostrum directly into the omasum and abomasum, where it will quickly empty into the small intestine to be absorbed. using an esophageal tube has advantages in convenience and speed, tube feeding results in colostrum deposited into the reticulo-rumen first. The colostrum then empties into the omasum and abomasum and moves on to the small intestine where colostrum is absorbed. Although the flow of colostrum occurs quickly, the ability of the calf to absorb immunoglobulins (IgG) declines rapidly. This situation could potentially result in poorer absorption of colostrum antibodies when fed with an esophageal tube feeder.Monitoring and measuring serum total protein (TP) in calves 1 to 7 days of age is the easiest way to determine how well a colostrum management program is working. Total protein can be determined on-farm using a refractometer. Commonly recommended goals are for 90 percent of calves sampled to have TP values greater than 5.2 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or for 80 percent of calves to have TP greater than 5.5 g/dL.A study done in 2009 by Sandra Godden and colleagues at the University of Minnesota examined the effect of feeding method (bottle or tube) on passive transfer of IgG. Either a large (3 liters, 200 grams IgG) or small (1.5 liters, 100 grams IgG) quantity of colostrum replacer was fed to newborn Holstein calves. By using colostrum replacer, researchers were able to standardize the mass of IgG fed. Not surprisingly, calves fed the larger mass of IgG had higher serum TP and IgG at 24 hours of age.There was an interaction between the method of feeding and volume of feeding (see table). Calves fed 1.5 liters by bottle had greater serum TP and IgG than calves fed 1.5 liters by esophageal tube. In addition, 100 percent of calves fed 1.5 liters of colostrum by bottle had successful passive transfer (serum IgG greater than 10.0 milligrams per milliliter), while only 42 percent of calves fed the small feeding by esophageal tube had successful passive transfer.Method of feeding became less important when more colostrum was consumed. When calves were fed the larger amount of colostrum (3.0 liters), there was no difference between feeding methods in serum TP or IgG, and 100 percent of calves had successful passive transfer.This study suggests that feeding a larger volume of high-quality colostrum regardless of delivery method is more important in achieving successful passive transfer. According to that new USDA report, only 21.7 percent of farms fed the recommended 4 quarts of colostrum or more at the first feeding.If you choose to feed a small volume of colostrum, for example when using a colostrum replacer, then the best practice is to feed it with a nipple bottle. However, if you choose to feed colostrum using a nipple bottle, many calves may not finish the full feeding and must still be tube fed the remaining colostrum.Michigan State University Extension recommends training all personnel handling calves to use an esophageal tube feeder. Although tube feeding is often quicker than bottle feeding, poor tube feeding technique, such as allowing milk to drip into the lungs, will result in aspiration pneumonia.According to Don Sockett with the University of Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, calves that develop aspiration pneumonia will not exhibit clinical signs of pneumonia until two to five days after the event. He notes that affected calves will be unthrifty with chronic pneumonia that does not respond well to antimicrobial treatment. Calves will often have a gangrenous pneumonia that usually affects only one lung lobe.Esophageal tube feeders can be very useful for quickly delivering nutrients to calves, but they must be used properly. See the boxed item for best feeding practices.Colostrum is the first meal calves should receive, and quite possibly the most important meal of their lives. Be sure your method of delivery matches the amount of colostrum being fed, and ensure that colostrum is of the highest quality possible.Best practices to prevent aspiration pneumonia when using an esophageal tube feeder include:
How to disable the new Twitter font

If you dont like Twitter's new Chirp font, heres how to get the old one back, and how to switch back if you change your mind.
Taking Back Sundays lead guitarist is chilling in Des Moines, Iowa, before a show on their current American tour. Yet even miles away from Aussie shores, John Nolans excitement for the upcoming shows with Seattle boys Acceptance is palpable.

My wife and I were over and we rented a car, stayed in Sydney for a little while, Nolan begins, as he considers the first thing that pops into his head when presented with the words Australia and touring.

We drove out to the Blue Mountains, then down the coast and went to some beaches, south to Wollongong It was really great because it was my second or third time touring in Australia, but I hadnt really gotten to experience much. So that was the first time I really got to see and do some things.

With their current US run in support of latest record Tidal Wave kicking off just a day after its release, the axeman relates, Its been really cool in general to play the album front to back to people, and see them start responding and getting into the album in a live setting (not through the Internet or something).

The dynamic five-pieces seventh offering, dropping two years after Happiness Is, was recorded with the mindset of each song never being finished until the band met their final deadline. Some of the tracks Nolan remembers being particularly up in the air were the nostalgic Homecoming, and the blistering album-opener Death Wolf.

Tidal Waves driving concept is the crushing experience of you trying to outrun something that you know you simply cant escape, and things take a hard-hitting turn as Nolan recaptures a dark part of his past where that imagery surfaces.

When I graduated high school, I decided I wanted to be in a band and thats what I wanted to do for a living, which is a little bit crazy. There were a few years where that decision started looking really bad. I had a decent-enough job to pay my rent and get by, but I didnt have a lot of prospects for really making it as a musician. I remember around that same time, my long-time girlfriend and I had broken up, and I was living alone in my first apartment It was just extremely depressing, and it felt like everything was sort of happening at once and nothing was working out in my life.

Weirdly enough, it was only a little while after that that I ended up joining Taking Back Sunday and the band started.

I cant believe that its been six years, the guitarist then reflects on re-joining the rockers in 2010, after initially breaking away back in 2003 (along with bassist Shaun Cooper) when personal and musical differences pulled them apart.

It feels in a lot of ways like a lot less than that. Im really proud of us and everybody in the band. I think weve managed to really accomplish something by putting out these records, especially this newest one. I feel like weve all gone on this trip together and made it work, its really cool. Theres a big thing that comes from working and playing music together consistently over all these years. The thing thats crazy is that Tidal Wave is the fourth album that the five of us have put out, and its the first time theres been three consecutive ones with the same members. So theres a natural progression that happens, that cant if people are coming and going.

That seamless flow threads through Nolans unique lead vocal dynamic with Adam Lazzara, and as he explains, One thing that happened when we first got back together was that we wanted to make everything about the song. I think weve always tried to put it in that context and we work on whos going to take or even write what part of a song.

The chat shifts in the complete opposite direction here as the musician looks back on unconventional ways of making music. One such approach permeates Tidal Wave, with drummer Mark OConnell creating digital beats in GarageBand, while the group tried to figure out how to incorporate that into the overall sound.

It definitely pushed the record in a different direction, because thats not something weve done before, muses Nolan. Marks always been involved in writing music with the band but just not in that way of putting all these tracks together on his phone I think he made us make different choices in how we were going to play our instruments. It was always very digital and synthy, so we were like Its obviously not going to sound like that, but we want to keep the spirit of his idea alive.

However, a huge part of John Nolans life is his journey as a burgeoning solo artist, with his sophomore record Sad, Strange, Beautiful Dream releasing just last year. A tangible feeling of relief is felt as the guitarist admits One of the things that Ive really appreciated from doing the solo stuff is theres no pressure on me.

I can do whatever I feel like. I mean theres some pressure from myself to make good music and be a good performer, but I feel thats how it should be. It gets hard and theres definitely expectations on Taking Back Sunday, whether were performing live or putting out an album, and we always try to get away from that and keep the focus on what our own expectations are. But its a constant challenge. So its really enjoyable for me to put out something and go This is what I wanted to do, and I hope you like it. It doesnt have to sell a lot of records or be critically acclaimed.

Its interesting that some of that stuff has ended up affecting what I do in Taking Back Sunday as well. On the solo album I would go down these roads that I wouldnt have with a Taking Back Sunday record, but then I kind of found with the newer album that I was going down some of the same roads, even in the context of recording Tidal Wave. That was cool, and the big thing was realising that I can do what I want to.

I dont have to feel limited or that I have to do a certain thing a certain way.

Ride the tidal wave with the Long Island rockers whey they bring it crashing down to our shores on the dates below, and prepare for it the best way you can by grabbing the new album here.

TAKING BACK SUNDAY AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES

Friday, March 17th

Enmore Theatre, Sydney (Lic/Aa)

Saturday, March 18th

The Triffid, Brisbane (18+)

Sunday, March 19th  SOLD OUT

170 Russell, Melbourne (18+)

Tuesday, March 21st  NEW SHOW

170 Russell, Melbourne (18+)

Wednesday, March 22nd

The Gov, Adelaide (Lic/Aa)

Thursday, March 23rd

Metro City, Perth (18+)
Community radio music directors often have an encyclopaedic knowledge of local music and an insatiable thirst to keep their ears ahead of the curve. So in this Tone Deaf series, the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (Amrap) invites music directors to highlight new Aussie tunes that you might have missed.

In this edition, Gloria Brancatisano from SYN in Melbourne contributes with a selection of tracks currently making their way to community radio through Amraps music distribution service AirIt.

Check out Glorias selections below and if youre a musician you can apply here to have your music distributed for free to community radio on Amraps AirIt.

Coda Conduct  Usually Im Cool ft. Jimblah

How many lists can I put this Sydney-via-Canberra duo on before I can call myself their biggest fan? Combining sharp lyricism with incredible flow, and fiery social observations with wit and humour, Coda Conduct is a refreshing addition to the scene. On this team up with Jimblah they have stepped it up once again  groovy beats, relatable lyrics and smooth hooks. This ones a winner!

Do yourself a favour and catch them live- not only to marvel at the speed they can rap but also because its so much fun and they can make any awkward, bad dancer (me) feel a little bit cool for half an hour.

Bugs  Instant Coffee

This tune dropped right around the time I was putting together my last music list for Tone Deaf, and much like its namesake, it has got me hooked. While I obviously need to make better coffee choices, I am more than content with my every growing love for Bugs. Instant Coffee is infectiously catchy, exploding with energy and overflowing with joy. And the video is perfect.

Connor Brooker is some sort of enigma. How do you make music in so many projects (Pro Vita, White Wash, under his own name), that all sound uniquely different and consistently great? This is one mystery Ill happy leave unsolved.

Jack Grace  All Lost

Stunning is the first word that comes to mind when trying to describe Jack Graces latest track which continues his knack for weaving together an incredible array of genres. with every layer of sound, and every brutally honest lyric, Grace draws you in. The best part? It all feels so effortless because he really is that brilliant.

Grace is an incredible producer (you can hear his work through artists like BUOY and Ngaiire). The intricate drum breaks and short synth loops drive the track, but it is his achingly raw lyrics that keep me hitting repeat. His debut EP will finally arrive next month. You should probably check it out.

JP Klipspringer  Cant Be

Jack Poulsons voice warms my soul and Cant Be is another great addition to his collection of tracks. Combining sweet indie pop hooks with the tenderness of classic folk, JP Klipspringer sure knows how to craft a tune thatll make you feel right at home no matter where you are.

Heartfelt tunes that draw you in, build on gorgeous production filled with heavenly harmonies. This is all I really need in life. I am eagerly awaiting JPs debut album, which should be arriving any day now.

Bloods  Bring My Walls Down

Bloods latest offering Bring My Walls Down is the hard-edged, floating garage-pop that dreams are made of. Managing to find the perfect balance between the grittiness and fuzz of those incredible guitar lines and the bright, sugary sweet vocals and earworm hooks, Bloods have created a track that evokes feelings of summer warmth with just enough edge to still pack an almighty punch.

Bring My Walls Down is a shining offering from a brilliant band. Someone called it romantic punk and I like that, so Ill use it.

Fripps & Fripps  Get Your End Wet

The song title for this one completely threw me off, and I had no idea what to expect, but damn am I glad I pressed play because Get Your End Wet is an absolute tune.

From the twinkling synth and bright guitar that leads the track to the smooth, powerful vocals and that HUGE chorus, Fripps & Fripps will transport you somewhere tropical and warm (can you sense a theme here?) where a huge party is definitely going down.

Unity Floors  Cost Of Living

Unity Floors sure know how to do a lot with only the most basic of components adding to the brilliant list of two piece rock acts we have ruling the country at the moment, and Cost of Living- with its stripped back set up and blistering sound is a perfect example of this.

Its scrappy and rough around the edges, with a pop tinge that gives the whole package that little bit of gleam.

Gold Class  Kids On Fire

Its simmering and restrained for most of its first half, but when that manic explosion hits somewhere around its middle point, Kids On Fire reaches a whole new level. Its powerful and frantic yet somehow still manages to remain very easy listening. Gold Class are top notch.

Biting guitars and that deep drawl courtesy of frontman Adam Curley are the true highlights of this one. This is gold for sure.
A right-wing politician has come under fire from one of the founding members of UK anarcho-punk group Chumbawamba, best known for their 1997 hit Tubthumping (I Get Knocked Down), for using the song as a campaign anthem.

As the Bendigo Advertiser reports, Bendigo councillor Elise Chapman took a page out of the book of controversial UK politician Nigel Farage by using the song, taking to Facebook to share a link to the tune.

One of my campaign anthems, Cr Chapman, at one time the One Nation partys lead Victorian candidate for the Senate, wrote, much to the chagrin of Dunstan Bruce, a founding member of Chumbawamba who sang on the hit single.

This idiot is using Tubthumping as part of her nefarious election campaign. I have asked the idiot to stop. Idiot, Bruce wrote. The post was indeed removed, which is probably for the best, since Chapmans supporters were a bit miffed by it anyway.

Surely you dont want to align yourself with dirty anarchists? one commenter wrote. However, as Ms Chapman explained to the Advertiser, she like most people focused on the chorus of the song and not the verses or the band playing it.

Chapman said she could relate to the line I get knocked down, but I get up again, youre never gonna keep me down and thought the line p***ing the night away was in fact missing the night away, because that totally makes sense.
REMEMBER, STATISTICALLY SPEAKING . . . KANSAS CITY IS MORE VIOLENT THAN CHICAGO!!!

Tuesday Night Sarcasm: If we try harder, we can be #1

This morningas we wait for the citizen task force against violence tomake a declaration of some sort during one of the most violent years this town has seen in nearly a decade.Of course this is a serious topic but tonight let's take a quick moment of pause and realize that residents have grown weary of the local slaughter met with nothing more than the same trite cliches from the local political leadership.And so, we offer thisinto the tragic murder situation that's bittersweet and thought provoking.Checkit:The Wall Street Journal recently reportedI'm embarrassed to report that St. Louis Missouri whooped us and are ranked number 1 this year at 59.3 murders per 100,000. Their lofty position, along with Baltimore's second place finish, is attributed to the civil unrest experienced by both and the team from Black Lies Matter.Kansas City was a lowly #7. If there was any bright side to this dismal report, we kicked Chicago's butt as they fell to 17.5 murders per 100,000 citizens and fell to #12.We still have roughly 3 months remaining in 2016. I have a great deal of faith in Chief Forte's leadership. I'm confident that in the 3 months remaining in 2016, with his careful guidance, we will soon jump higher in the rankings. If his recent performance is any indication, the Chief is clearly shooting for that coveted #1 position.##########Read more:Developing . . .
The Jackson County Circuit Court has approve the Extension proposal to UMKC. A mail-in election will be held April 5 to May 2 2017.

Take a look at Kansas City moving further town the track to bankruptcy along with the corruption of our local Democracy via apushed forward by a handful of people who were delayed but not deterred to prolong their ongoing consulting fees.You decide . . .
Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has informed French President Francois Hollande on the ongoing Cyprus problem negotiations, during their meeting at 12:30 pm on Wednesday.

After their hour-long meeting and a welcome by the French military, President Anastasiades said that the meeting with President Hollande was productive, since  aside from bilateral relations  they were able to focus their attention on the ongoing Cyprus problem situation.

The President mentioned that the two had discussed the efforts being made and to be made to achieve the goal they have set out: That is to say, to achieve a solution, which will be accepted in its whole by all of the people of Cyprus, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots - even if what I say sounds optimistic - by the end of 2016, President Anastasiades said.

Of course, in this sense, Turkeys stance will play an important role, since there are key issues that are exclusively dependent on their will and contribution the President added.

Invited to comment on Frances stance towards Turkey, bearing in mind that Paris is often tougher on Turkey than other EU countries, the President pointed out that Frances stance is entirely in line with international law, it is not in favour or against Turkey, but in favour of international law.

Kasoulides discusses with officials from TOTAL

Asked whether they discussed TOTALs engagement in Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone, the President said that they did not touch upon this issue, however this matter was raised during a meeting the Cyprus FM Ioannis Kasoulides had in the morning with company officials. He added that the President of TOTAL will be visiting Cyprus soon and they will have the chance to discuss further this issue.

President Anastasiades noted that an international competition is underway, there are rules and EU supervision and therefore the French President could not possibly intervene in any way.

He said that there is interest from the French, the Italians, and the Americans, but the procedures are transparent.

EU Council to discuss Syria in detail

President Anastasiades said that they also discussed developments in Syria and that the issue will be the focus of the next European Council where they will have the chance to get involved in a detailed dialogue.

Cyprus President was in Paris following a visit to London and a meeting with UK Premier Theresa May. Earlier on his was in NY for the UNGA and a tripartite meeting with SG Ban Ki Moon and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci.

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
Israeli and world leaders eulogised former Israeli President and Prime Minister Shimon Peres after his death was announced on Wednesday

Israeli and world leaders eulogised former Israeli President and Prime Minister Shimon Peres after his death was announced on Wednesday morning.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement saying that "Netanyahu and his wife Sara express a deep personal sorrow on the passing of the nation's beloved, the former President of the State of Israel, Shimon Peres."

President Reuven Rivlin cut short his state visit to Ukraine following the announcement of Peres' death, and is set to return to Israel in the afternoon.

Opposition Zionist Union boss Isaac Herzog mourned the former President, saying that "Shimon Peres was one of the great leaders of the State of Israel."

OBAMA, CLINTON REACT

In a long statement, US President Barack Obama said, inter alia, that "I will always be grateful that I was able to call Shimon my friend."

"There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves. My friend Shimon was one of those people," he added.

Former US President Bill Clinton tweeted that "I will miss Shimon Peres, my brilliant and eloquent friend. His life was a blessing to all who strive for peace."

BLAIR LOVED PERES

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair also eulogised Peres, commenting: I am more sad than words can express. This is a man who was a political giant, a statesman who will rank as one of the foremost of this era or any era, and someone I loved deeply.

He was an inspiration, a mentor and a friend. His intellect, his way with words that was eloquent beyond description, his command of the world and how it was changing were extraordinary," added Blair.

MAN OF PEACE

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted that "Shimon Peres was, above all, a man of peace. My deepest condolences to his loved ones and to the people of Israel on his passing."

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also took to Twitter to express his condolences after Peres passing:

Source: Haaretz

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Secretary of Defense License: CC-BY-SA
The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and Jordan Securities Commission (JSC) signed an agreement (MoU) to enhance regulatory cooperation and foster cross-border activities.



The MoU establishes a framework for both Authorities to co-operate on supervisory matters and exchange of information to maintain the stability and well-being of the financial systems in each respective capital market. This agreement further complemented and strengthened the existing relationship between ADGM and JSC.



The MoU was signed by Mazen Wathaifi, commissioner of the Jordan Securities Commission and Richard Teng, chief executive officer of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of ADGM at the ADGM Authorities Building on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi.



The MoU establishes a framework for both Authorities to provide assistance, exchange regulatory information and co-operate in supervising and overseeing the compliance of financial institutions with their respective legislations. The agreement enables JSC and FSRA to promote the integrity, efficiency and financial soundness of their markets through effective regulation, robust supervision of cross-border transactions in both jurisdictions.



It has been one of ADGMs key priorities to establish closer cooperation among regional and global regulators to facilitate cross-border financial activities and uphold the integrity of capital markets, said Teng.



Our partnership with Jordan Securities Commission underlines the importance of regional efforts to bolster the growth of our financial sectors and greater economies. The FSRA will continue to achieve strategic partnerships to enable our financial institutions and companies to expand their global footprints through ADGMs internationally recognised platform that is underpinned by global standards and best practices.



Wathaifi said: The signing the MOU between the JSC and the ADGM signifies an important step towards in a foundation and framework that enables constructive and fruitful cooperation between our institutions. The agreement signifies our common regulatory goals and reinforces our roles in enhancing investor protection and fortifying the regulation of our markets.



The capital market institutions in the two brotherly countries have a long history of cooperation and we will continue to nurture and strengthen this relationship. Reflecting our country's positive and forward looking vision, Jordan securities Commission is committed to enhance the capital market through greater effective operations and robust regulations, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
Diyar Al Muharraq, one of the leading urban developers in Bahrain, has signed a Murabaha contract worth $366 million with a group of local banks in order to provide financial liquidity to develop the Deerat Al Oyoun project.



The agreement was signed by the developer with leading lenders including Al Salam Bank  Bahrain, Kuwait Finance House, Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait and Al Baraka Islamic Bank of Bahrain at a key ceremony held at the Four Seasons Bahrain Bay Hotel in Bahrain.



It was attended by senior officials including Yousif Abdulla Taqi, the director and group chief executive officer of Al Salam Bank  Bahrain; Abdulhakeem Al Khayyat, the managing director and CEO of Kuwait Finance House; Reyadh Yousif Sater, the chief executive (Business) of Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait; Mohamed Isa Al Mutaweh, the chief executive of Al Baraka Islamic Bank; Sheikh Ahmed Bin Isa Al Khalifa, the chief financial resources of the Ministry of Housing and Dr Maher Al Shaer, CEO of Diyar Al Muharraq.



The participating banks will fund the Deerat Al Oyoun project with $366 million in the form of partial funding, which approximately costs $700 million.



Diyar Al Muharraq will bear the responsibility for financing and constructing all units of the social housing project as well as the initial infrastructure and public utilities.



Located in the heart of Diyar Al Muharraq, the Deerat Al Oyoun will span across 1.2 million sq m and will comprise an idea residential community with integrated community services centers and green pack spaces.



Its strategic location also places it in close proximity to schools, shopping malls, public beaches, recreational facilities, mosques, medical facilities, and a modern transportation network. The anticipated date for the projects first phase completion is February 2018.

Commenting on the agreement, Al Khayyat said: "It is our pleasure to play a key role in supporting this housing project by offering financial solutions and services that are Sharia compliant. We are honoured to consolidate our participation in the growth of development projects in Bahrain and supporting innovative initiatives that aim to attract huge funding that contributes to the kingdom's economy and provides suitable housing solutions for Bahrainis. I would also like to extend our gratitude towards the Ministry of Housing, the Central Bank of Bahrain and the participating banks for their continuous efforts in supporting this initiative."

On the deal, Al Salam Bank Deputy Group CEO (Banking) Anwar Murad said: "We are delighted to have played a key role in co-financing the project worth of BD138 million ($366 million) and acting as the Mandated Investment and Security Agent of the Deerat Al Oyoun project which will offer affordable social housing units in accordance to the standards of the Ministry of Housing."



He pointed out that the agreement was a milestone in terms of organizing and financing a project of this magnitude, stressing on the cooperation between Islamic and conventional banks in the region.



"Being one of the pioneering Sharia compliant banks in the Kingdom, we always strive towards building long-lasting relationships with the public and private sector and the citizens of Bahrain, reflecting the importance of supporting such initiatives that are designed to improve the Kingdoms infrastructure and real estate sector," stated Murad.



"Al Salam Bank  Bahrain will continue to put its efforts in exploring new and innovative Sharia compliant products and services tailored to meet the changing needs of the market place and our customers," he added.



KFH-Bahrain's executive manager and head of corporate banking group Sattam Al Gosaibi said: "We are extremely appreciative to be a major contributor and organizer of this co-financing project that aims to facilitate the social requirements of Bahraini citizens."



"In this regard, we extend our thanks to Al Baraka Islamic Bank and the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait for their financial contribution and Al Salam Bank  Bahrain for playing the role of the investment and security agent as well as being a financial contributor," he noted.



On the deal, Dr Al Shaer said: "We are delighted to sign this agreement with the participating banks, which will ensure Deerat Al Oyoun social housing adequate funding and operation in accordance to schedule."



"Part of our strategy at Diyar Al Muharraq is to attract huge investment opportunities which will reinvigorate the northeastern coast of Muharraq, making it an ideal residential area for Bahraini citizens, offering them integrated services including recreational facilities, medical facilities, shopping malls, a modern transportation network and more," he noted.



Diyar Al Muharraq is a unique master planned city for the people of Bahrain offering a range of housing options and quality lifestyle. It offers a cohesive mix of residential and commercial properties with a strong lineup of projects aimed at creating a long term and sophisticated township.

"We look forward to achieving this ambitious housing project and the strategic partnership between the public and private sector in deep cooperation with the Ministry of Housing, which aims to provide suitable and convenient housing solutions for Bahrainis. During the past week only, we launched the reservations and sales of the first phase Deerat Al Oyounsproject for the beneficiaries of the Mazaya Scheme, with 133 units put up for sale," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Qatar Rail has announced the successful completion of all tunneling work on the Doha Metro project with the final breakthrough taking place at Terminal One of Hamad International Airport (HIA) this week.



The first tunnel boring machines started the work in July 2014 and the final 111th km was crossed by TBM "Msheireb" on the southern part of Red Line of this landmark mega project.



According to Qatar Rail, the tunneling milestone was achieved three months ahead of the deadline, thanks to the active deployment of 21 tunnel boring machines at the project site.



Celebrating the feat at HIA station was Sheikh Abdulla Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister and Interior Minister of Qatar, Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti, Minister of Transport and Communications and vice chairman of Rail Steering Committee at Qatar Rail along with Abdulla Al Subaie, the managing director and chairman of the executive committee at Qatar Rail and its CEO Dr Saad Al Muhannadi.



In order to achieve 100 per cent of the tunneling for the Doha Metro project, a total of 470,497 concrete segments were required to produce 70,071 tunnel rings to make the 111km of tunnels. The overall completion of Doha Metro currently stands at 50 per cent.



Al Sulaiti said the Doha Metro project would form the vital backbone of the integrated public transport system of Qatar, supported by other key projects such as the Lusail Light Rail Transit and the Long Distance Passenger and Freight Rail, to encourage the use of public transport and services.



The completion of tunneling work for Doha Metro, he stated, brings the company a step closer towards making this landmark megaproject operational, as per the set timeline and budget, highest quality standards, use of eco-friendly technologies and best international standards.



In his comments, Al Subaie said: "The end of tunneling marks an impressive milestone in the progress of construction of this important project, and therefore, I would like to congratulate all those involved in making this milestone happen."



"This is an incredible feat of engineering and I am especially proud that the tunnels have been built to a world-class standard with the very highest standards of quality and safety having been achieved," he added.



According to him, tunnelling for the Doha Metro began just over two years ago and has seen a record breaking 21 TBMs work to achieve this milestone.



The Doha Metro project is a vital part of Qatar's long term plan to support a growing economy while improving the lives of the country's residents. The achievement of this significant milestones brings us one step closer to its much anticipated delivery."



"It has been made possible due to the combined efforts of the entire Qatar Rail team and joint venture contractors," he added.



Commenting on the achievement, Dr Al Muhannadi said this is yet another major milestone for the project and one that has been achieved on plan and to schedule.



"Until now 7.5km of above ground tracks viaducts have been installed and base slab and foundations have been completed on 33 stations," he stated.



Roofs have been completed on eight stations and roof slabs are progressing at 27 different stations, the official said.



"We are delighted to have been able to achieve all this within the timelines and budgets allocated and this is due to the hard work and dedication of all parties involved. We look forward to sharing many more milestones with you, especially the arrival of the Doha Metro train mock up later this year," said Al Muhannadi.



He pointed out that though tunneling had been completed, much still remained to be done.



"Now that tunneling is over,, we are moving to the laying of the tracks, awaiting the arrival of the train mockups, and working on the completion of the interiors of the stations with mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) works," he stated.



The first phase of the Doha Metro project is likely to be completed in the next four years. Also by then, Doha Metro's 37 metro stations are expected to be operative, with an average journey time of two minutes between adjacent stations.



By 2030, all the three networks - Doha Metro, Lusail Tram and the long-distance rail, which will link Qatar with the GCC Rail network - will be ready, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
The UAE and New Zealand have discussed moves to enhance cooperation and economic relations between the two countries, especially across vital sectors and areas like renewable energy, agriculture, food and innovation.



Engineer Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, recently held a meeting with Todd McClay, New Zealands Trade Minister. McClay was accompanied by a special trade delegation from New Zealand.



The meeting was held at the Ministry of Economys headquarters in Dubai. Also present during the meeting were senior UAE officials that included Engineer Mohammed Ahmed Bin Abdulaziz Al-Shehhi, Undersecretary for Economic Affairs; Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Saleh, Under-Secretary for Foreign Trade and Industry; Juma Mohammed Al Kait, Assistant Undersecretary for Foreign Trade Affairs; Sultan Ahmed Darwish, director of trade negotiations and WTO; and Tariq Al Suwaidi, government communication director for the Ministry of Economy.



The meeting focused on reinforcing cooperative ties between the two countries in the field of renewable energy, which complements an agreement signed between the UAE and New Zealand in 2014, which covers the deployment of renewable energy solutions in various regions of the world. It lauded the role played by Masdar as a crucial factor to its success.



The officials also discussed moves on how to strengthen cooperation in the trade sector and to increase non-oil trade rates between the two countries, which stood at $715 million in 2015. The two countries also talked about effective means on urging institutions and investors from both the UAE and New Zealand to take advantage of the available investment opportunities in various fieldsthrowing key focus on agriculture, food industries, innovation, knowledge economy and civil aviation.



The participants also discussed the current status of the Free Trade Agreement between the GCC and New Zealand.



Al Mansouri emphasised the UAEs keenness towards strengthening and developing bilateral relations with New Zealand, especially in economic and trade segments that contribute to the promotion of development and upgrading frameworks of cooperation in various fields such as technology, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and tourism.



Al Mansouri threw the spotlight on the unique investment environment of the UAE and welcomed the entry of New Zealands investments across various sectors, urging New Zealands business community to take advantage of investment opportunities in the UAE and the attractive incentives that come with it.



He also encouraged New Zealand to participate in the coming Expo 2020 exhibition, which the UAE will be hosting in Dubai.



Meanwhile, New Zealands Minister of Trade praised the development of the bilateral relations between the two countries and expressed confidence in furthering cooperation and exploration of new areas and opportunities to promote the two countries' relations. - TradeArabia News Service
SABMiller shareholders overwhelmingly backed the brewer's $100 billion-plus takeover by Anheuser-Busch InBev on Wednesday, clearing the last big hurdle for one of the largest corporate mergers in history.



The combined group will sell more than a quarter of all beers sold worldwide and be the fifth largest consumer goods company. For the maker of Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois it provides entry into Africa and large fast-growing Latin American markets such as Colombia and Peru.



It will also cut its revenue from mature markets North America and Europe to 37 from 47 percent.



AB InBev's 79 billion pound bid passed in a meeting at a London Park Lane hotel lasting less than half an hour, overseen by Chairman Jan du Plessis, who fielded only two questions from shareholders.



It secured support representing 95.5 percent of SABMiller share value, having needed at least 75 percent to succeed.



In an earlier meeting in Brussels, AB InBev Chief Executive Carlos Brito said the new entity would continue to be called Anheuser-Busch InBev, eschewing any corporate reference to SABMiller, founded 120 years ago in South Africa. The brewer had changed its name after transformative deals in the past, such as InBev's 2008 takeover of Anheuser-Busch.



"They can call it what they wish. That's the way life works and that's fine," du Plessis told reporters after the meeting. "It's what it is."



He added that AB InBev were paying "a full price".



NOT A GIVEN



The approval of SAB shareholders was widely expected, but not a given. Criticism of the takeover offer grew after a steep fall in sterling following Britain's vote to leave the European Union made AB InBev's cash offer less appealing.



Activist shareholders pressured SAB to seek a higher offer, prompting AB InBev to sweeten its bid in July.



SAB backed the higher offer, and its two largest shareholders, cigarette maker Altria Group and the Santo Domingo family of Colombia, who together control about 40 percent of the shares, gave their support and did not vote on Wednesday. However, some prominent shareholders, including Aberdeen Asset Management, continued to oppose it.



"We are obviously disappointed with, but not surprised by, the result," Aberdeen said in a statement, adding it felt the final price still "significantly undervalued" SABMiller.



Despite hedge funds piling into the stock over the summer in the hope of a higher offer, Thomson Reuters data showed just six hedge funds with a collective investment of $211 million remained shareholders as the deal crossed the line.



The lion's share of that, $199 million, was held by New York-based Soroban Capital, with smaller positions held by HBK Investments, Platinum Capital Management, Elliott Management, Farallon Capital Management and Davidson Kempner Capital.



Cost-conscious AB InBev expects to extract at least $1.4 billion in annual cost savings after four years, it said, in addition to the $1.05 billion already announced by SABMiller. Given the company's history of easily beating such targets, broker Jefferies sees it achieving $3 billion in savings.



The new company will sell off joint venture stakes in the United States and China, to satisfy antitrust regulators, divest Peroni and Grolsch and kick off a sale process for SAB's central and eastern European brands, estimated to be worth up to 7 billion.



Still, competition in individual markets will not change radically as the two companies have little geographic overlap. - Reuters
The Oman-Iran gas pipeline project will be finalised soon, a senior government official was quoted as saying in an Iran Tribune report.



Any impediments in the way should be cleared soon, noted Irans First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri.



Oman enjoys many capacities in various domains which can turn it into an important trade partner in the region and Teheran is ready to have necessary co-operation with Muscat in that domain, he added.



The pipeline will connect Irans gas reserves to Oman, providing liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants sufficient material for re-export.
BP has signed three concession amendments for the Temsah, Ras El Barr and Nile Delta Offshore concessions in Egypt.



These amendments allows for the economic development of the Nooros development, where the company recently achieved record production.



The concession amendments were signed with Egyptian Minister of Petroleum Engineer Tarek El Molla.



Hesham Mekawi, regional president, BP North Africa, said: BP is proud to progress the acceleration of its drilling activities in the three concession areas. The conclusion of these amendments was a critical milestone that allowed the discovery and fast track development of the Nooros field in the Nile Delta offshore concession which this month achieved record production of 700 mmscfd and is targeted to reach 880 mmscfd by early 2017. BP will also drill additional wells in Ras El Barr and Temsah areas that are expected to bring significant gas to the Egyptian domestic market.



BP holds a 50 per cent interest in Temsah and Ras El Barr, and a 25 per cent interest in the Nile Delta Offshore Concession. The remaining working interest is held by ENI through its subsidiary IEOC.



In June of this year, BP announced another important gas discovery in the Baltim South Development Lease which was immediately appraised by another well Baltim SW-2. This appraisal well encountered a gas column of 102 metres overall and 86 metres net within two sand layers of Messinian age rock holding excellent reservoirs.



With this new well, the gas potential discovered in the area has reached 3 tcf of gas in place, of which about 2 tcf is in the Nooros field, with the remainder in the new Baltim South West discovery. BP and its partner ENI are already working on the development options for this discovery, the company said.



Mekawi added: We are pleased with the results of the Baltim SW-2 well as it confirms the great potential of the Messinian play and its significant upside in the area. Our plan is to utilise existing infrastructure which will accelerate the development of the Baltim South West discovery, and expedite early production start-up.



BP holds a 50 per cent stake in the Baltim South Development lease, and ENI, through its subsidiary IEOC, holds 50 per cent. The appraisal well was drilled by Petrobel, a joint venture between IEOC and the state partner Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC). - TradeArabia News Service
While UAE leads the world in income, employment, education, infrastructure, civil society, governance and environment, Oman claims the global top rank for economic stability, health, civil society, governance and environment, a report said.



UAE



The dimensions in which the UAE lags behind other GCC countries are economic stability, health and income quality, added the new report entitled The Private-Sector Opportunity to Improve Well-Being: The 2016 Sustainable Economic Development Assessment by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), a global management consulting firm.



Interestingly, while the UAE showed the strongest recent progress scores in governance and civil societycompared to the GCC region and the rest of the worldit is certainly losing ground across other dimensions.



In addition, the analysis shows that the UAE is not effectively converting its wealth into well-beingor its economic growth into well-being improvements for its citizens. In fact, on both these fronts, the UAEs performance is below par globally.



The report also discusses the need for the private sector to contribute to improving a country's wellbeing, and specifically looks at the role of the banking sector at creating financial inclusion.



We have found a clear and measurable association between financial inclusionaccess to basic financial services such as a bank accountand national well-being, said Douglas Beal, BCG's director of Social Impact and an author of the report. Today, in the UAE, private sector innovation can play a significant role in improving living standards. But to make meaningful progress in this area, banks must pursue financial inclusion using their core business, and not just pursue typical corporate social responsibility strategies.



The findings are based on BCGs latest study of worldwide economic growth trends using the firms Sustainable Economic Development Assessment (SEDA). The fact-based, comprehensive analysis measures the relative well-being of 163 countriesincluding the UAEthrough ten key areas, including economic stability, health, governance, and environment. SEDA scores countries in two ways: the current level of well-being and recent progress in well-being from 2006 to 2014. It also assesses how countries convert wealth and growth into well-being.



Overall, when looking at the UAEs current level of well-being as well as its recent progress in that measure, the nation finds itself in the good but losing ground category.



From a regional perspective, the UAEs current-level scores are mostly above par. In terms of recent-progress scores, when stacked up against the average of the GCC, the nation shows strong gains in sustainability measuresincluding civil society, governance, and environment. However, there is no denying that it is falling further behind in other areas such as income, economic stability, employment, health, education, and infrastructure.



All in all, when assessing the UAEs performance versus the rest of the world, it is clear that across various dimensionssuch as civil society, governance, education, and infrastructurethe nation is higher and moving further ahead.



Based on BCGs SEDA analysis, the UAE is lower and falling further behind in economic stabilitywhen pitted against the rest of the world. BCGs report also reveals that, on a global level, the UAE trails behind other countries in converting both wealth and growth into well-being.



The 2016 SEDA report took a close look at the issue of financial inclusion. The analysis found that the strong link between well-being, as measured by SEDA, and financial inclusion existed even when controlling for income.



This means that among countries with the same income (GDP per capita) level, those with higher levels of financial inclusion are likely to have higher well-being levels, added Beal. Our study finds that two factors are critical to improving financial inclusion: a regulatory structure that provides safeguards but allows innovation and a solid infrastructure, including communications networks and payment systems. With those two elements in place, private-sector innovation in the UAE can flourish.



Oman



The dimensions in which Oman lags behind other GCC countries are income, employment, education, infrastructure, and income equality. Interestingly, while Oman showed the strongest recent progress scores in employment and infrastructurecompared to the GCC region and the rest of the worldit is losing ground across other dimensions.



In addition, the analysis shows that Oman is not effectively converting its wealth into well-beingin fact, on this particular front, the nations performance is below par globally. On the other hand, the data from BCGs study demonstrates that Oman is able to translate its economic growth into well-being improvements for its citizens at an above-average rate.



The report also discusses the need for the private sector to contribute to improving a countrys wellbeing, and specifically looks at the role of the banking sector at creating financial inclusion.



We have found a clear and measurable association between financial inclusionaccess to basic financial services such as a bank accountand national well-being, said Beal.



Today, in the UAE, private sector innovation can play a significant role in improving living standards. But to make meaningful progress in this area, banks must pursue financial inclusion using their core business, and not just pursue typical corporate social responsibility strategies.



Overall, when looking at Omans current level of well-being as well as its recent progress in that measure, the nation finds itself in the good and improving category.



From a regional perspective, Omans current-level scores are significantly above par in dimensions like economic stability and environment. In terms of recent-progress scores, when stacked up against the average of the GCC, the nation shows strong gains in areas such as infrastructure and employment. However, there is no denying that it is falling further behind in dimensions such as income and governance.



All in all, when assessing Omans performance versus the rest of the world, it is clear that across various dimensionssuch as income, employment, infrastructure, civil society, economic stability, and healththe nation is higher and moving further ahead.



Based on BCGs SEDA analysis, Oman is lower but catching up in educationwhen pitted against the rest of the world.



BCGs report also reveals that, on a global level, Oman trails behind other countries in converting wealth into well-being.



The 2016 SEDA report took a close look at the issue of financial inclusion. The analysis found that the strong link between well-being, as measured by SEDA, and financial inclusion existed even when controlling for income.



This means that among countries with the same income (GDP per capita) level, those with higher levels of financial inclusion are likely to have higher well-being levels, added Beal. Our study finds that two factors are critical to improving financial inclusion: a regulatory structure that provides safeguards but allows innovation and a solid infrastructure, including communications networks and payment systems. With those two elements in place, private-sector innovation in Oman can flourish.  TradeArabia News Service
Airspace around the Dubai International Airport was closed for about half an hour this morning due to unauthorised drone activity resulting in a number of delays at the airport, a Dubai Airports statement said.



The airspace was closed from 08.08 am to 08.35 am, it said.



"Arrival operations resumed at 0835 hrs and departures at 0840 hrs with some restrictions. Full operations were resumed at 0907 hrs," the statement said.



"Dubai Airports is working closely with its stakeholders to minimise customer inconvenience. Safety is our top priority and Dubai Airports reminds all UAV operators that any and all activities are not permitted unless authorised by regulatory authorities and are strictly prohibited in restricted areas including within 5 kilometres of any airport or landing area," it added.

Earlier in June, Dubai International Airport's airspace was closed for over an hour due to unauthorised drone activity resulting in a number of delays and flight diversions. - TradeArabia News Service
Tamkeen, a semi-government oganisation in Bahrain, has announced the launch of Art Bahrain Across Borders (Art BAB), an ambitious project that aims to solidify Bahrains position as a regional arts hub.



Held under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of HM the King of Bahrain and President of the Supreme Council for Women, the event will take place from the March 22 to 26, 2017 at the Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre.



Tamkeen has appointed international art investment and consultancy firm Art Select (a brand of Art and Spice) to manage and execute the initiative.



Art Bahrain Across Borders (Art BAB) is a culmination of the kingdoms recent success stories in the realm of the arts, and builds on the momentum of the last years international art exhibition as well as the success of the more recent Bahraini Artists Across Borders (BAAB) initiative which was launched at the reputed Victoria and Albert Museum in London in May 2016.



Art BAB is a paradigm of Tamkeens new strategic focus which centres on analysing the needs and growth potential of specific sub sectors and providing more tailored solutions to fuel their development. According to Amal Al Kooheji, chief operating officer of Tamkeen: Tamkeens new strategy 2015-2017 concentrates on three main pillars; namely customer centricity, quality and impact, and efficiency of services. We aim to take a closer look at the requirements of individual industry sectors and offer customised financial support, advisory and training to enable them to evolve into economic drivers. Tamkeens decision to spearhead Art BAB supports our new direction; Bahrains art sector is slowly emerging into a viable industry with vast potential to become an engine of economic growth. Until recently this sector did not receive the required attention and through initiatives such as Art BAB, we hope to steer it into new heights, inspiring entrepreneurship, art education and local skills development.



We want this exhibition to become a platform for nascent entrepreneurs, budding artists as well as existing galleries and homegrown creatives in Bahrain to showcase their talents to an international audience, learn from the experience of renowned names and equip them with the necessary resources to expand their skills and gain international recognition. We also want to position Bahrain as a prime hub for art and education in the future, Al Kooheji added.



Art BAB has been designed to embrace and highlight excellence in the local arts sector while bridging the local and global art communities and providing a stage for learning, engagement and the exchange of ideas. The exhibition will host participants from Bahrain, as well as reputed names from the region and from across the world. Key features will include a BAAB Pavilion exclusive to 30 Bahraini artists who will be selected by an international jury following submissions; a Gallery Arena to host up to 35 international and Bahraini galleries; an International Artists Pavilion to display the works of participating artists from across the world; and an art book shop and art merchandising and design section. A specially designed art and educational program titled [email protected] will also run parallel to the exhibition comprising talks by key artists and panel discussions.



Kaneka Subberwal, founder of Art Select, said: We are extremely proud to be playing an integral part in the realisation of this ambitious project and supporting Tamkeen to drive its vision forward. Without doubt, Art BAB will leave a positive imprint in Bahrains art sector and help local artists embed themselves within the international arts community and gain recognition. The Middle East art industry is going through a transformation and despite the economic slowdown, we have witnessed positive movement due to the vast talent that exists here. Art BAB is a catalyst to stimulating the local arts scene, encouraging investment and most importantly, helping nurture the next generation of Bahraini artists to take the industry forward.



Bahraini artists interested to be part of the BAAB Pavilion are requested to email [email protected], [email protected] [email protected] or contact 17503080 for more detailed information on submissions and the selection process. Submissions open on October 2, 2016 and will close on November 30, 2016. - TradeArabia News Service
Over 20,000 guests have celebrated together during the opening ceremony of The National Museum of African American History and Culture last Saturday on the National Mall of Washington. President George W. Bramble, Laura Bushwill and the first couple themselves, President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama graced the ceremony with their presence. Additional visitors were expected to have viewed from different social media and internet sites.

The gallery's mangement team aim for a million increase of supporters to further develop the project.

One of the highlights of the inauguration was the museum's design. The building's outward outline - known as the Corona - highlights dividers achieving skyward, which the designers say inspires the strength, confidence and trust that has managed black Americans since they were acquired to the country, Fox News reports. Its three-layered shape is roused by an image from the Yoruba individuals of West Africa highlighting a crown.

All in all, the exhibition hall cost around $540 million, not to mention the cost of the 3,600 bronze-hued boards encompassing the building are a tribute to the nineteenth century ironwork made by slaves in New Orleans.

The museum's lead architect Phil Freelon shared to Fox in an interview, "The structure itself is imbued with meaning, all these things are subtle. That's intentional. It has a certain sense to it that is African-American, in the way that our culture is expressive in other areas. We believe architecture can evoke those sorts of emotions."

The whole museum was reportedly a tribute that showcased the rich history of the African-American people as they went on their journey to their freedom. It was to be recalled that the dream started 50 years after the civil war ceased. Black Americans got together in Washington, D.C to create the National Memorial Association to erect what-would-be a posterity shrine. A century later, their dream had finally taken place.

The historical center incorporates 12 inaugural shows and 3,000 of the 37,000 incredible artifacts will be in plain view in the museum this weekend. Some of the must-see bits of memorabilia include the dress Rosa Parks, who was a needle worker, was sewing before she was captured for not surrendering her seat on an isolated transport on Dec. 1, 1955, Nat Turner's book of scriptures, and Muhammed Ali's headgear.

USA Today further reports that in 1863, when Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation declaring all slaves in slave-holding states free, church bells rang as news of the declaration spread. The church bell called "freedom bell" was rang by Pres. Barack Obama, the nation's first black president to declare another milestone for the African-American people 150 years later.

See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018
There are a couple of travel hacks people usually do to earn these frequent flyer miles and they are now enjoying the fruits of their labor which traveling for free!

The second most known way of racking up miles is to use credit cards. However, Nomadic Matt said that a key to travel hacking is signing up to multiple credit cards. According to him, you have to plan everything before your trip, "If I'm low on American Express points, I'll look for a new American Express card. If I want to go to Iceland, I'll sign up for an Alaska Airlines card because I can use those miles to book a rewards ticket to Iceland thanks to their partnership with Icelandair. Moreover, I always look for what card offers the highest bonuses, even if I don't need those points right away," the travel blogger said.

You just have to be mindful of your expense when using multiple cards at a time and be responsible in making payments on time. Once you get a hang of it, you will earn as much as 275,000 points a year.

TheStreet reports, "There is a huge, sprawling market of promotional offers these days because so many companies know people are salivating for these miles," says RewardExpert's Rosemary Clancy. "These miles and points have become such a hot commodity and are so commercialized, that it's become a marketing commodity for a lot of companies."

Many people have already figured out the system are now enjoying benefits from it. The Points Guy, who is a travel advisor, used to be Wall Street guy that became famous for hacking the system to earn miles and travel for free, published on TheStreet.

In addition, "It's important to always do the math. There's a reason some providers are able to offer these mileage incentives -- it's quite possible it will end up costing you more," Zach Honig, editor-in-chief for The Points Guy said.

See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018
Rail services are facing major delays after a man was fatally injured by a train near Falkirk.

According to BBC News, the man was struck just before 09:00 at Polmont station. Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk High and Edinburgh to Dunblane services have been disrupted.

Furthermore, based on reports made by Falkirk Herald, the incident was reported at 9.07am and officers from British Transport Police (BTP) attended with an ambulance crew.

A BTP spokesperson said: "We were called at 9.07am to Polmont railway station to reports that a person had been struck by a train."

"Officers attended alongside colleagues from the ambulance service but sadly the person has died at the scene. "The death is not believed to be suspicious at this time," the BTP spokesperson added.

It is not clear at this time whether the victim is male or female.

Scotrail say services between Falkirk High and Edinburgh will be disrupted until around 11am and trains between Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk High may be cancelled.

Scotrail has issued their customer advice. Buses are running for Stirling, Edinburgh Waverley, Falkirk High, Falkirk Grahamston and Linlithgow.

ScotRail said passengers should check their website for latest updates.

Alternative transports are made for passengers travelling between Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street can use Milngavie and Helensburgh Central services via Glasgow Queen Street low level.

Passengers at Stirling can travel to Queen Street high level for a connecting train to Edinburgh via Queen Street low level.

Rail users can apply for compensation if services that are delayed for 30 minutes or longer.

A ScotRail spokeswoman said: "Sadly, due to a person being struck by a train between Falkirk High and Edinburgh Park, services through these stations are currently disrupted.

"Passengers are advised to check our website or app for the most up to date information before travelling."

See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018
These articles are part of a series being prepared in cooperation with the American Association of Bovine Practitioners.
About Hoard's Dairyman

The mission ofis to supply dairy farmers and their advisers from North America and around the world with practical, factual information to assist in all facets of their dairy businesses. From growing and storing crops to purchasing feeds, from supplying herd health information to explaining the politics of the farm bill, and from the economics of a new technology to the cost of milk production, all aspects important to the livelihood and lives of dairy farmers and their families are covered in the pages of the magazine.

Our magazine originated from the pages of the Jefferson County Daily Union, a newspaper founded by William Dempster Hoard, the first editor of Hoard's Dairyman and Wisconsin's 16th Governor. In that initial issue in 1885, W.D. Hoard said that Hoard's Dairyman would strive to "Give the choicest original and selected dairy literature to be obtained." We continue that legacy with each issue of Hoard's Dairyman and our growing internet presence, and vow that our next issue will be our best.

The publication helps readers run their businesses more effectively because Hoard's Dairyman staff operates a dairy farm themselves and writes from experience. The farm is home to the largest and longest continually registered Guernsey herd in the United States. A new freestall barn with four voluntary milking systems was built in 2019. The majority of the herd is housed in this facility; the remaining cows are milked in a double-10 parlor.
Include a Complimentary Stopover in Lisbon or Porto (or Both) -- Add up to 3 Days in Portugal en route to London or Paris for just $499 Roundtrip; also includes Hotel Discounts and extras such as Free Wine --



(TRAVPR.COM) USA - September 28th, 2016 - New York  September 28, 2016  TAP Portugals Stopover program allows U.S travelers to Europe to include a visit to Portugal on the way for no additional airfare. TAP serves 45 European destinations from the US, via Lisbon, at fares starting from just $499 roundtrip.

Travelers can stay up to three nights on their stopover in Lisbon and even add a free domestic flight to Porto also.

TAP serves Lisbon with daily flights from New Yorks JFK, Newark, Boston and Miami, as well as nonstop to Porto twice weekly from Newark. The Stopover program is available on all flights and all routes.

People always tell me that they want to visit Portugal, said David Neeleman, partner in Atlantic Gateway, shareholders in TAP. With TAPs Stopover program, were making that visit much easier  and free! Lisbon and Porto are the natural gateways to Europe and are a wonderful way to break up your travel.

TAP has several airfare sales on currently which all include up to three days stopover in Lisbon and/or Porto at no extra cost.

For travel between November 1 and December 14, travelers may couple a visit to Portugal with their trip to Paris or London, from $499 or $508 roundtrip, respectively. This fare is for sale through September 30.

Travel to Spain between November 1 to December 14 and between January 8 and April 6, can include Lisbon and Porto on the way, from $640 roundtrip. TAP serves nine cities in Spain: A Coruna, Asturias, Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Malaga, Seville, Valencia, and Vigo. TAPs other European destinations are on sale with the Stopover also from just $680 roundtrip. These fares must be purchased by November 30.

For holiday travel, travelers may purchase airfare to one of TAPs European destinations and see Lisbon and Porto on the way, starting from $693 roundtrip. Fares must be purchased by October 17, for travel between December 15 through April 16, 2017.

The Stopover booking option is available on the flight search mode in the www.flytap.com site and TAP also has launched an innovative app, available from the Apple Store or Google Play, providing Stopover passengers with a virtual ID card to be presented to the different partners in order to get benefits.

The app is also a tool to provide customer assistance, operating as a travel guide and allowing customers to share their experiences on social networks, encouraging their friends and family to visit Portugal. In addition to great fares, TAPs Stopover program includes hotel discounts and other added benefits such as free wine.

For further information, please go to www.flytap.com.

###
Dates: Held annually in June and July; offers seven choices of attendance datesLocation: Washington, DCMore Information: Contact your local or state 4-H or Cooperative Extension office on how to attend.Dates: Held annually in NovemberLocation: Atlanta, Ga.More Information: Contact your local or state 4-H or Cooperative Extension office on how to attend.Dates: Held annually in AprilLocation: Washington, DCMore Information: Contact your local or state 4-H or Cooperative Extension office on how to attend.Dates: Held annually in September or OctoberLocation: Madison, Wis.More Information: Contact your state 4-H office on how to attend.

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Dates: Held annually in NovemberLocation: Kansas City, Mo.More Information: Contact 888-472-4232Dates: Held annually every summerLocation: Various locationsMore Information: Contact your local ADSA Student Affiliate Division chapterDates: Held annually every springLocation: Various locationsMore Information: Contact 608-224-0400The world's largest dairy cattle breed association for those with a strong interest in breeding, milking, and raising Holstein cattle. Contact your state or local Holstein Association for more information.This website is for those who love Jersey cows. The website is now in Spanish. For more details on youth activities, contact your state Jersey Association.This breed's focus is on cutting edge of agricultural technology and Brown Swiss cows. Contact your state Brown Swiss Association for more information about its youth programsThe association's mission is to recognize and welcome the diversity of the Milking Shorthorn. Contact your state Milking Shorthorn Society to learn more about the breed's youth programs.All about the unique Red & White cows and those who breed them. Contact your local R&W Association for more information.Providing promotional programs and services to enhance the value and profits of the Guernsey breed for members, owners, and the dairy industry worldwide. Contact your state Guernsey Association for more information on youth programs.Dedicated to the promotion of the Ayrshire breed, with information on genetics, marketing, and how you can become a member. Contact your state Ayrshire association for more details on youth programs.
Montreal, September 28

Canada approved a massive $27-billion project by Malaysias Petronas to build a liquefied natural gas pipeline along its Pacific Northwest coast, targeting Asian markets.

The project is the first deal by Canadas year-old Liberal government that goes against environmentalists in the name of the countrys economic interests. Environmental activists and indigenous groups have opposed the plans.

The government approved the Pacific Northwest LNG project, said Environment Minister Catherine McKenna.

As the Prime Minister has emphasised, the only way to get resources to market in the 21st century is if it is done sustainably and responsibly. Todays announcement reflects this commitment, she said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has repeatedly said that the economy and environment should be pursued in parallel, without sacrificing one for the other.

The project includes a pipeline and two Petronas terminals to ship gas to Asia.

The gas terminals are to be built on Lelu Island, near Prince Rupert on the Pacific coast. Each will have a capacity of six million tons per year, with the possibility of adding a third down the road.

The pipeline built by the operator TransCanada must cross 900 kilometers of British Columbia between Hudsons Hope (about 400 kilometers or 250 miles north of Prince George), ending at Lelu Island.

The pipeline deal comes after Petronas in late 2012 snapped up Canadas Progress Energy Resources gas producer for $5.2 billion.

Environmental groups worry the pollution created will worsen global warming.

How can Prime Minister Trudeau claim to be a climate leader on the international stage, while approving this new project that will become the single largest source of climate pollution in the country, said Karen Mahon, national director of Stand.

Honestly we expected better, she said. This government cannot make decisions like this while honoring their promises on climate change.

Meanwhile, many members of Canadas First Nationsindigenous people whose ancestors lived off the land gently for thousands of yearsare concerned about potential sullying of fishing waters.

The deal means heavy LNG traffic through a maze of islands where salmon is a vital resource.

However, others were upbeat about job opportunities.

The green light for the pipeline project comes a few weeks after a key meeting between federal and provincial governments to define the necessary steps to reduce carbon emissions under last years Paris climate agreement.  AFP
Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 28

Following talks with party ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, the BJP is strongly considering the name of its former Member of Parliament Satya Pal Jain as the party candidate from the Kharar Assembly constituency.

The Kharar constituency is currently in the name of the SAD in the seat-sharing arrangement of 23:94 between the two alliance partners. Confirming that talks had been held, a senior party office-bearer said the BJP was working out the modalities for exchanging Kharar with Rajpura. BJP candidate Raj Khurana, who had lost by nearly 34,000 votes in the last Vidhan Sabha elections from Rajpura, is not a party favourite at the moment.

The Kharar constituency was won by the Congress candidates during the previous two elections against the SAD candidates.

Keeping the alliance intact, the BJP is contesting 23 seats of the total 117 this time. However, talks are being held on the possible change in constituencies of certain candidates. The party was earlier willing to give up Ludhiana (West), Rajpura, Abohar and Amritsar (East).

The BJP wanted Barnala, Mansa, Batala and Garhshankar. The BJP is seeking the Mansa seat where Akali MLA Prem Mittal has lost favour with the SAD. The BJP wants to field Neeraj Tayal, son of Hit Abhilashi who was gunned down by terrorists. The party is also considering fielding senior leader Avinash Rai Khanna from Garhshankar. The seat was given to the SAD when two-time MLA Khanna became a Rajya Sabha member. Though there was no official confirmation from the BJP, sources close to Satya Pal Jain confirmed that he had been approached by at least three leaders. The former MP is learnt to be not interested at all.

A senior leader said going by his reputation, the party considered him the best bet for the Kharar seat. Jain was twice a Member of Parliament from Chandigarh. Born and brought up in Kharar, Jain has had a long association with the area. He is learnt to have communicated that he is busy handling legal matters in his capacity as the Additional Solicitor General of India and is not prepared for any change in his role.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 28

Join your hands, connect your hearts to make a peaceful world. The Iron Lady of India exhorted the youth during the 11th edition of annual Global Youth Peace Fest (GYPF) that kick-started in the city today.

Irom Sharmila, civil rights and political activist, further said she did not want honours. I want your support, the support of the youth, to pressurise the governments to rebuild Draconian laws, she said.

The GYPF witnessed 250 delegates from over 33 countries of the world joining hands for a more humane and just world.

It is great to be here in the midst of peace-makers from across the globe who would like to see a world free from violence and strife, said Sharmila, emphasising on the need for emulating nature and building strength in youth. She advocated standing up to laws that threatened the fabric of a peaceful society and emphasised the need for consciousness.

Also present on the occasion was brand ambassador of GYPF American Gandhi Bernie Meyer who is coming to participate in Global Youth Peace Fest regularly from last eight years. His book on Mahatma Gandhi was released by Sharmila. David Caprara, international vice-president of Global Peace Foundation, USA, reminded the audience on the relevance of Gandhi in modern times.

The star attraction of the programme was presence of 19-member strong Girl For Peace Delegation from Pakistan that brought Indo-Pak friendship cards made by schoolchildren in Pakistan.

Four exemplary people were awarded with Global Youth ICON Award 2016, by Irom Sharmila and UT Home Secretary Anurag Aggarwal. These included Dr Eamonn Fahil Elbom from Libya for Gandhian Community Work; Aliya Harir, Lead Strategist, Justice, Aid And Development (PEAD) Foundation, Islamabad, Pakistan for exemplary youth action and activism and Santosh Kumar, IFS, director, Department of Science and Technology, Director, Department of Environment, Chief Conservator of Forests, UT, for promoting sustainability thinking and action.

Countries that participated

Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Fiji, France, Indonesia, India, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Liberia, Malaysia, Motswana, Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Syria, Senegal, Taiwan, Uganda, USA, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Student injured

The cultural evening of GYPF came to an abrupt end when Amit, a student of Shri Guru Gobind Singh College, Sector 26, got injured during a dance performance. He was rushed to the GMSH-16.

What Pak students said...

Supporting Indo-Pak war will make me anti-Pak

To hate each other is how we define our nationalism in both countries. People fail to realise that I will not become any less of a Pakistani by loving Indians. What will make me anti-Pakistani is supporting the Indo-Pak war.  Aliya Harir, Pak student

Chandigarh residents have charmed me

It is my first visit to India, and This outpouring of warmth and generosity from Indians, especially Chandigarh residents, has charmed me. I wish I could live here.  Sara, Pak student

There is lack of sincere and sensible leadership

We all are upset because of the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan. The perpetual fight between the two nations is due to lack of sincere and sensible leadership in both countries.  Alveena, Pak student

Its like coming to a second home

Coming to India is like coming to a second home. There is no hatred at all in the hearts of general public of the two countries. I wonder why the governments cant stop fighting.  Syeda, Pak student
Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 28

The stage is set for the establishment of a state-of-the-art 50-bedded Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) hospital in Panchkula.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has approved the project, to be built at a cost of Rs 10 crore on 12 acres in Sector 3. The Central Government has sanctioned Rs 9 crore for this hospital, which will be set up with the assistance of the National AYUSH Mission. The hospital will benefit residents of Panchkula and the adjoining areas, Health Minister Anil Vij said.

Panchkula MLA and BJP chief whip Gian Chand Gupta thanked Khattar and Vij under whose leadership the township has got several projects.

Officials said the hospital would have all wings of AYUSH, including panchkarma, vasti, vaman, virechan, shirodhara and nasya. Besides, OPDs of the Unani,

Yoga, Siddha and Homoeopathy systems of medicines would also be started for peoples benefit, they said.

After coming to power in the state on October 26, 2014, the BJP government, led by Manohar Lal Khattar, decided to promote the alternative systems of medicines. The government appointed yoga guru Baba Ramdev as the states brand ambassador for yoga and ayurveda. Baba Ramdev is helping the government develop the worlds largest herbal forest in the Morni hills in Panchkula. The AYUSH Department is already operating a 100-bedded hospital at Sri Krishna Ayurvedic College, Kurukshetra, and a 25-bedded hospital at Bhiwani. Besides, two such hospitals having 10 beds each and six primary health centres are functioning.
Anand Kumar

India seems to be desperately searching for an option to adequately respond to Pakistan in the aftermath of the attack on the security forces in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir by the Pakistani-sponsored terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad. This time the search for options against Pakistan is intense because the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) now in power has been talking of tough action against Pakistan to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. The real options, however, still seem elusive.

Talking to Pakistan pacifies that country temporarily but it is not a permanent solution. It has been noticed in the past that while such peace initiatives have been going on, a section in that country always tries to scuttle such endeavours. Pakistan raises the temperature at regular intervals by launching terror attacks and during the Kargil conflict even went for a mini war.

India has to realise that we are faced with a rogue state in our neighbourhood. What is worse, this rogue state considers India as an existential threat. India may not have hostile intentions towards Pakistan but this is what Pakistan believes in. It still believes in bleeding India through a thousand cuts. If Pakistan considers India as an existential threat, then there is no point talking to it.

It will not lead to the solution of any of the bilateral problems, and this is what has been happening. Pakistan uses issues like Kashmir to rationalise its hostile behaviour. Kashmir became an issue simply because the Indian State has not handled it properly. On the other hand, countries like China successfully turned critical issues like Tibet into a non-issue. Even Pakistan plans to incorporate Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) by going for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). However, Pakistan has managed to keep the pot boiling in the Kashmir Valley and to bring undue international attention. India does not seem to have a plan to deal with the Kashmir turmoil. The very rational of Pakistan army, the most important functioning institution of Pakistan, is to wage war against India. Often, it is suggested that this army does not want amicable relations between these two countries. If relations between these two countries become normal then how would Pakistan army justify its existence and the massive resources it corners in Pakistan? The Pakistan army at present decides all important foreign policy issues, including towards India. Its hardly surprising that this policy is full of hostility. Of late, democracy in Pakistan has been on the backfoot and the control of Pakistan army is increasing. In fact, some Pakistani scholars go as far as to suggest that Pakistan has actually never seen democracy. It has only seen military rule of various kinds and extent.

The way the Pakistani State is structured at present and the way it functions, it is impossible to expect any responsible behaviour from them. The presence of nuclear weapons in the hand of this rogue state has further complicated the situation. In the past, it was suggested by some that if India responds militarily then it would be walking into the trap laid by Pakistan. The fear of war escalating into nuclear conflict is also cited. But then it would mean that India should prepare itself to take terror blows from Pakistan at regular intervals. This would be a policy of pusillanimity.

A section in India has argued that India should do much more for its neighbours, without expecting any reciprocation. Possibly, following this policy India gave the one-way most-favoured nation (MFN_ status to Pakistan. Unfortunately, Pakistan construed it Indias desperation to buy peace. In Pakistan, the debate is still on about how it can give the MFN status to India, a preferred enemy state.

India on its part has still not decided whether Pakistan is an enemy state or not. In fact, one of the Indian Prime Ministers is known to have weakened the covert capability of the country against Pakistan. Its quite clear that the country has no consistent policy towards Pakistan. We look for options when attacked but start yearning for peace after a few days. But it seems Pakistan has decided that it will not let us live in peace.

No knee-jerk reaction is warranted in the aftermath of the Uri attack, but a well-thought-out reaction is needed to tell Pakistan that its proxy war would no longer be tolerated. Its quite ironical that the Rafale agreement that has been hanging fire for 16 years was finalised after the Uri attack. Similarly, this attack should also act as a trigger to expedite Modis Make in India programme in modern weapon systems.

It has been argued that India is no Israel or the US to take action in such cases. However, both these countries are able to act against their adversaries because they enjoy overwhelming military superiority. Hence, now onwards India should also work to create this overwhelming conventional military superiority vis-a-vis Pakistan, if not China. Only this will deter Pakistan from its regular terror incursions and not so-called diplomatic isolation. Diplomacy often gives only legal cover to military actions and this is where India needs to improve its capability.

The much-talked-about manipulation of the Indus Water Treaty also seems to be no option at present in the absence of suitable infrastructure to control the water flow. However, this is also one area where India can start doing the needful so that it can tighten screws as and when required.

Last but not the least, India should also be ready with a post-Pakistan strategy in case this happens either because of the domestic situation in that country or because of a war.

Its foolish to think that a long-standing problem like Pakistan would have a quick-fix just because a BJP-led government is in power. India will have to create overwhelming asymmetry in conventional power, use the Indus Water Treaty as a pressure point and keep a post-Pakistan plan ready for effective solution of Pakistan-engendered security problems. It may take some time, but the Indian government should start working towards it and there should be a consensus on this issue across the political divide. It should not necessarily be the agenda only of any one political party.

The writer is an Associate Fellow, Institute for Defence Studies & Analyses, New Delhi
KC Singh

PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi surprised India, the world, and certainly his host Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif when he stopped over in Lahore en route to India from a Central Asian tour on the Christmas of 2015. India-Pakistan relations touched the warmth last seen during Vajpayees Lahore visit in 1999. But reality can often delude perception.

On January 2, 2016, a fidayeen attack on the Pathankot air base, causing minimum loss of assets and lives, jolted India back to reality. Pakistans reaction was surprisingly empathetic, offering to investigate the role of conspirators in Pakistan. A Pakistan investigation team was welcomed by India in March 2016, including allowing them to visit the air base. This process stalled when an Indian team was denied similar access to Pakistan.

January to July was a period of political drift in both J&K and Pakistan. Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed died in January, five days after the Pathankot attack, and his daughter Mehbooba assumed office only in April. The Valley was drifting towards alienation as the agendas of the BJP and the PDP meshed poorly. Also in April, Nawaz Sharif left for London for a heart surgery. Rumours swirled of a soft coup and his imminent retirement. He did return in July, but enfeebled politically. In March, Pakistan arrested a former Indian Navy captain, Kulbhushan Yadav, in Balochistan, alleging abetment to terror.

Once unrest exploded in the Valley after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani on July 8, Pakistan went on the rampage to discredit India internationally, alleging human rights breaches. It also fanned trouble by unleashing leaders of terror groups masquerading as heads of religious and educational charities. The Pakistan army also ratcheted up their trans-Line of Control induction of trained militants. Pakistan, for the umpteenth time, was misreading both the situation and the capacity of India to deal with it.

Between July and August 15, Delhi concluded that Pakistan policy needed major re-calibration as the Pakistan government had succumbed to its armys thesis that Kashmir had regressed to the 1990s level and time was ripe to compel India to make territorial concessions. A multi-layered counter-asymmetrical warfare strategy, which actually should have been on PM Modis table within months of assuming office, began to emerge. His Red Fort speech, after tentative articulation earlier in an all-party meeting, asked Pakistan to look within at its atrocities in Gilgit-Baltistan, PoK and Balochistan.

The PM followed it up at Kozhikode and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in her address to the UN General Assembly on September 26. The ministries of water resources, commerce, etc., also swung into action. The full-spectrum response was to remain within treaty obligations, but interpreting them restrictively.

The Uri attack complicated the governments task as the BJPs jingoistic pre-Lok Sabha election rhetoric resurfaced to haunt it. Their core followers expected instant and disproportionate response for the death of 19 soldiers. Ram Madhav, the bridge between the BJP and the RSS, sought jaw for a tooth. The government realised correctly that military options had only bad or worse outcomes. For instance, they would only strengthen Pakistan armys domestic support, perhaps obtaining for retiring army chief Gen Raheel Sharif an extension. The army was given the freedom to respond locally  euphemism for Special Forces action.

Modi soothed the aroused national feelings baying for Pakistani blood. Simultaneously, the focus was turned on Pakistans own rights record. Hints were dropped that India may give asylum to top Baloch leaders of the Bugti and Marri clans fighting Pakistan armys depredations. The aim is to hurt Pakistan both materially and morally, as also have instruments that can be calibrated in response to Pakistans conduct. In Kozhikode, Modi shrewdly turned Bhuttos slogan of a thousand year war into a call for war on poverty, illiteracy and unemployment in both nations.

Among the emerging elements of the new doctrine is withdrawal of the MFN status. This may not hurt Pakistan much and may only enrich traders in the UAE who will become the conduit for the trade, but it signals new intent. The review of the Indus Waters Treaty contrariwise goes for Pakistans jugular. Many ill-informed comments have assumed it to be unilateral abandoning of the treaty. India has been oversensitive in the past to Pakistans objections to developing run-of-the-river hydel projects that the treaty allows. For instance, Baglihar on the Chenab was taken by Pakistan to a Swiss arbitrator, who ruled in 2007 largely in Indias favour. That design should be standard for future projects and India can ignore expected automatic bemoaning by Pakistan. That design allows pondage, which gives India leverage as the time of filling, if it coincides with the sowing season in Pakistan, can be used to cause havoc. This happened inadvertently the last time.

Another salvo is Modi deciding to skip the SAARC Summit in November in Pakistan. This can be followed-up by a meeting of those SAARC members  Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan to start with  which have articulated concerns about the export of terror from Pakistan and joined India in boycotting the summit. Sub-regionalism, on thematic or territorial basis, will isolate Pakistan regionally.

The aim thus is to punish Pakistan bilaterally and isolate it regionally and internationally. It would not happen overnight, or be easy, as China and its new ally Russia will buttress Pakistan, as indeed may Iran and some members of the Gulf Coordination Council like Saudi Arabia and the UAE. But smart diplomacy trumps armed response for which the military power differential between India and Pakistan needs to be wider than it is currently. The Economist notes that despite the defence budget of India being six times that of Pakistan at $ 51.3 billion, India has proved strangely unable to build serious military muscle. George Washington said: To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace. That entails more than acquiring 36 Rafale fighters in an ad hoc purchase.

Meanwhile, the BJP must remember that ultimately the fight is over the hearts and minds in the Valley. No counter strategy will deter Pakistan if the wound at home is not healed or new ones opened by rakshaks of one cause or another.

The writer is a former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs
Indias decision to pull out of the SAARC summit will prick Pakistan the most. Unable to guarantee foolproof security, Pakistan has for years been unable to host a single international event of note. SAARC was going to be a coming-out party for Pakistans rulers and the arrival of seven Heads of Government to Islamabad in November would have put the seal of approval on Pakistan's selective fight against terrorism. That was not to be. Bangladesh and Afghanistan have a similar grouse against Pakistan and found it convenient to join ranks with India. Tiny Bhutan has once again played the loyal associate.

It was Pakistans ill luck that the trouble in Kashmir Valley and the Uri attack happened at a time when the hosts of an international summit should be on their best behaviour. That is what China did just before the G-20 summit. But Pakistan found it too tempting to not take advantage of the trouble in Kashmir. It was probably hoping that despite their misgivings, SAARC members would make it to the summit in order to avoid rupturing a long-held tradition. The Prime Minister will also review MFN status to Pakistan, not that there is much to go over because the other side has not even reciprocated.

Beyond reflecting Indias pique, it is debatable whether such measures will make Pakistan bend. Far from being isolated, Pakistan conducted military drills with Russia and held high-level defence talks with the US. Iran is keen on a stake in the Pakistan-China corridor and West Asian countries are unhappy with India's handling of Kashmir unrest. More importantly, the US is unwilling to take sides and has called for establishing more normal channels of communication. But the US is not entirely unsympathetic to Indias concerns. It has asked Pakistan to crack down on safe havens on its borders. Indias no-show does not spell the end of the SAARC movement but it does rob Pakistan of its day in the sun. Its civil society might be forced to contemplate whether the cosseting of militants is a viable strategy in a world weary of armed movements.
Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 28

The Election Commission has indicted Haryana Legislative Assembly secretary RK Nandal, who was the Returning Officer for the June 11 Rajya Sabha election that witnessed the ink controversy, leading to rejection of 12 legislators votes.

It has recommended disciplinary action against him in a communication sent to the Chief Secretary.

The commission has also directed the Chief Electoral Officer, Haryana, to lodge an FIR against persons on election duty or otherwise, whose conduct resulted in the change of pen/ink.

The commission said an FIR should be registered under sections 129 (influencing voting), 134 (breach of official duty in connection with elections) and 136 (1) (b), 136 (1) (f) and 136 (1) (g) [fraudulently defacing ballot papers] of the Representation of Peoples Act and sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 171C, 171F (interference in free and fair polls), 378, 379 (theft), 415 (cheating), 425, 426 (mischief), 463, 464, 465, 467 and 468 (forgery) of the IPC.

The votes of 12 Congress MLAs were declared invalid for marking their preferences with a pen having a different colour ink than the one officially supplied.

Both the INLD, whose candidate RK Anand lost to BJP-supported Subhash Chandra, and the Congress had accused the ruling party as well as the poll officials of foul play. The commission has now held Nandal guilty of concealment of material facts from it, wilful non-compliance of its lawful directions and written to the Haryana Chief Secretary for disciplinary action against him.

The EC order said it was a serious case of lack of supervisory control and negligence in performance of duty that an unauthorised pen was found inside the voting compartment and another was surreptitiously used for marking ballot papers. The disciplinary proceedings have to be completed within six months.
Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, September 28

The committee of the Union Ministry for Human Resources has approved the land offered by the state government at Jadrangal in Dharamsala Assembly constituency for the construction of campus of Central University Himachal Pradesh (CUHP), sources here told The Tribune today.

The committee comprising University Grants Commission (UGC) secretary JS Sandhu , Joint Secretary Jitender Tripathi, Assistant Inspector General, Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) Kamal Preet; AIG Rajagopal Prashant, Principle Secretary (Education) Himachal, RD Dhiman; Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Jammu Ashok Aima, CUHP Vice- Chancellor Kuldip Chand Agnihotri and Superintendent Engineer, Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Shimla circle PK Aggrawal had inspected site at Jadrangal on September 1.

Since entire land that has been proposed in Jadrangal is forest land, the sources here said that the case for diversion of the proposed land for other purpose would now be sent the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests for clearance. The case would be sent by the state forest department on the request of the CUHP.

VC of the CUHP Kuldeep Agnihorti, when contacted, said, We hope that the university would get its own land very soon on which the campus could be built. The university was already facing problems of shortage of space in its existing temporary campus.

Sources here said that it might take at least another six months before the land could be transferred to the university even if the things move at a fast pace. The state Department of Forests would now have to make a detailed report regarding the forest land that has to be diverted for non-forest purposes and the number trees standing on it. The forest department would propose as to where it would provide alternative land for planting the trees that would be affected due to the project.

The report would be sent to the special empowered committee of the MoEF that would give final clearance for diversion of forest land for the construction of the university. The CUHP would have to deposit the cost of the land and cost of planting about 10 times trees that would be affected by the project.

A tiff had been going on between the BJP and Congress leaders from Hamirpur parliamentary constituency led by their MP Anurag Thakur and Congress Rajya Sabha member Viplove Thakur and Congress and BJP leaders from Kangra parliamentary constituency regarding the location of the CUHP campus.

The BJP leaders for Hamirpur parliamentary constituency wanted that the majority of the campus should come up in Dehra while only headquarters and a few colleges should come up at Dharamsala. The BJP and Congress leaders from Kangra parliamentary constituency had been lobbying for majority of CUHP campus in Dharamsala.

The sources here also said that though the land at Jadrangal has been approved a portion of CUHP land might also come up in Dehra at about 200 acre land that has already been transferred in the name of the university there.
Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 28

The furor within the Congress seems to have been settled, at least for the time being with Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu today sitting across the table to iron out differences that had arisen in the recent past.

It is at the behest of some senior leaders that the two leaders heading, the government and the party met here today in the secretariat. The immediate fallout of the meeting was that Sukhu rejected the resignation of the two HPCC Secretaries - Pradeep Verma and Kusum Verma, both from Shimla (rural) Assembly segment.

Those present during the hour-long meeting included Transport Minister GS Bali, HPCC vice president Harsh Mahajan and HPCC general secretary Harbhajan Singh Bhajji.

The displeasure expressed by Virbhadra over 100 HPCC secretaries being appointed without the knowledge of the local MLA and leaders had evoked strong reaction from the office-bearers. While two secretaries had resigned from their post, five others had objected to the manner in which their standing in the party was being questioned.

I had a detailed talk with the Chief Minister over various party issues and all issues have been sorted out. To ensure better coordination between the government and the party, there will be frequent interaction between the ministers and party functionaries, said Sukhu. He added that as per the desire of the Chief Minister, he will be provided a complete list of the office bearers of the HPCC, District Congress Committee (DCC) and Block Congress Committee (BCC).

Virbhadra had some time expressed displeasure over the fact that despite his repeated request to the HPCC he had not been provided the names and address of the party office bearers. The CM today said that he would want to give prior information to all the party office bearers about his visit to their area, so he should be given a list of names and addresses, said Sukhu. It is learnt that HPCC general secretary Bhajji has been entrusted the task of providing complete lists in this regard to the Chief Minister.

Though Sukhu had taken the initiative to get one minister to attend to grievances of the party workers and the public in general by spending a day at the Congress office but lately utterances by the Chief Minister had reflected that all was not well between the party and the government.

The CM reportedly wrote a letter to the party high command seeking change of the HPCC chief and even suggested names. Though he denied having written any such letter, he did admit that there was need for improvement in the functioning of the HPCC.
New Delhi, September 28

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's son Vikramaditya on Wednesday approached the Delhi High Court for a direction to prevent the Enforcement Directorate from arresting him after a round of questioning in a case regarding corruption charges that he and his father face.

The agency has called Vikramaditya Singh for questioning on September 30. He did not comply with EDs previous summons.

The chief ministers son argued before Justice AK Pathak that he was not named in the agencys FIR.

The high court will hear the case on Thursday. The court is already hearing petitions by Virbhadra Singh and his wife.

The ED is investigating corruption allegations against the Himachal chief minister and members of his family after he was accused of having accumulated a total of Rs 6.1 crore between 2009 and 2011, when he was Union minister of steel.  PTI
R Sedhuraman

New Delhi, September 28

The Supreme Court today upheld the validity of Himachal Pradesh scrapping the 1999 pension scheme in December 2004 for employees of the state-run corporations.

A Bench comprising Justices Jagdish Singh Khehar and C Nagappan held that employees of corporate bodies could not demand as a matter of right to be treated on a par with government employees.

Corporate bodies are independent entities and their employees cannot claim parity with employees of the state government. The government has a master-servant relationship with civil servants of the state, whilst it has no such direct or indirect nexus with the employees of the corporate bodies, Justice Khehar, who authored the verdict for the Bench, ruled.

The government had the right to extend different pay-scales and retiral benefits to the civil servants and refuse to offer the same benefits to employees of corporate bodies. The state government would be well within its right to deny similar benefits to employees of the corporate bodies, which were financially unviable, or if their activities had resulted in financial losses

The claim for parity with the government employees is therefore wholly misconceived. It is, therefore, not possible for us to accept the contention advanced on behalf of the respondent-employees, that the action of the state government was discriminatory. Another reason for us to conclude that the action of the state government was not discriminatory is that despite having revoked the 1999 scheme through the notification dated 2.12.2004, the state government had permitted such of the government-owned corporations which were not suffering any losses, to promote their own pension scheme.

It was not possible for the state government to take upon itself the financial burden of the 1999 scheme. As on March 31, 2014, the cumulative losses of government-owned corporations stood at Rs 2,819.86 crore, the apex court pointed out.

It is also not possible for us to accept that any court has the jurisdiction to fasten a monetary liability on the state government...budgetary allocations, are a matter of policy decisions. The state government while promoting the 1999 scheme felt that the same would be self-financing.

It never intended to allocate financial resources out of state funds to run the pension scheme. The state government, in the instant view of the matter, could not have been burdened with the liability, which it never contemplated, in the first place, the apex court ruled.

The government had come to the SC challenging the High Court directive.
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 28

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today pitched for amicable relations between India and Pakistan to fight poverty and economic deprivation plaguing the region while underlining the need for a bilateral dialogue to resolve the issues.

The two nuclear armed neighbours must cooperate in the fields of social development, including eradication of poverty. With their growing economies and energy needs and the need for newer, more diverse markets and trading opportunities, the future of the troubled region has to be defined by common economic interests instead of hostilities, the Chief Minister said.

She was addressing a function in connection with the launch of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) here today.

Union Minister of State (Independent charge) Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh also addressed the gathering.

Instead of fighting wars with each other, the two countries should join hands to eradicate poverty and address social problems plaguing the region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Pakistan with this message on behalf of people of J&K but the Pathankot incident shattered that process, she said.

The Chief Minister said as in any violent situation, the women have suffered the most in Jammu and Kashmir.

In Kashmir, women have become the primary victims of the violent situation over the last three decades which hasnt led us anywhere. Our party became the harbinger of peace when my father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, spoke of nursing the wounds of people when the memory of Kargil war was still afresh, she said.

In times of war, Mufti Saheb urged India and Pakistan to get involved in talks and start a process of reconciliation. In 2002, we formed the government with the Congress when the NDA was ruling at the Centre. Atalji (Bihari Vajpayee) understood Mufti Sahebs point of view and started confidence-building measures which ushered the state in a new era of peace and prosperity, she said.

The Chief Minister said the Peoples Democratic Party, of which she is the president, entered into an alliance with the BJP to take forward the mission of restoration of peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

If the Centre walks one step towards the people of Kashmir, they will respond with 10 steps which is what made Atalji one of the most popular Indian leaders among Kashmiris, she said.

Hitting out at the Opposition for targeting the coalition government over petty issues, the Chief Minister said the same parties, which want to keep the pot boiling in Kashmir, sold their mandate in the past purely in order to remain in power.

Those speaking against us used to talk in the language of war when they were in power. Mufti Saheb knew that PM Modi had the mandate of the entire country which was why we shook hands with the BJP. We have lost count of widows and orphans. How long are we going to fight with each other? she asked.

The Chief Minister said the recommendations made by the Prime Ministers working groups offered resolutions to every problem in all three regions of Jammu and Kashmir, including talks with Pakistan and return of power projects.
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 28

Porters of the Kargil war today hold a protest rally in Jammu demanding job, which was promised to them by the government after the end of war in 1999.

There are about 1,100 porters, 500 from Jammu, Samba and Udhampur and 600 from Pathankot and Himachal Pradesh, who were hired by the Army to port ammunition and food in the Ladakh region during the war.

The porters alleged that they were promised that they would be given preference in recruitment in the Army and they all would be recruited, but the government didnt keep its promise. Dozens of porters today gathered in Jammu to protest against the government demanding job in the Army.

We helped the Army during the war as true nationalists and we are proud of that. But the government has never recognised our services to the nation and has done nothing for us even after promising us jobs after the war, said Romesh Kumar, president, All India Porters Union (AIPU).

We feel ashamed of our government when the stone-throwers and anti-national elements get jobs as well as compensations, but we poor people, who had put our lives on risk for the sake of our country, are still unemployed, he added.

During the war, 10 porters had lost their lives for which the government paid financial aid and one job to the family member of the deceased, but rest of the porters are still waiting for their engagement as per the assurances made by the government.

After the war, the authorities handed over a certificate to every porter and verbally assured us preference in recruitment in government job keeping in view our service to the nation in the hour of need, said Romesh Kumar.

Porters have also submitted a memorandum to the Prime Ministers Office.
Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 28

In the backdrop of a clamour over alleged discrimination against people of the region, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will pay a two-day visit to the Ladakh region from October 3 to interact with all stakeholders and soothe frayed nerves.

This will be the fourth visit of the minister to Jammu and Kashmir since the eruption of violent protests in the Kashmir valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8. Earlier, Rajnath Singh visited the state on July 23, August 24 and September 4 and 5.

During his third visit to the state, he had led an all-party delegation to initiate political dialogue for restoration of peace in the Kashmir valley, that had been rattled by widespread unrest with the death of more than 85 persons, including security personnel.

The Union Home Minister will reach Leh on October 3 and interact with all stakeholders, different political, religious and social groups and a cross-section of society. He will stay in Leh for the night. On October 4, he will visit Kargil and interact with different shades of opinion there, official sources told The Tribune.

The sources said the minister was likely to interact with senior officers of the Army, ITBP, police and other security agencies while reviewing the security scenario in the strategic Ladakh region. The cold desert shares its boundary with aggressive China and hostile Pakistan.

He will return to New Delhi on October 4. It is not clear as to who will accompany him during his visit to Ladakh, the sources said.

Representatives of Kargil and Leh had expressed resentment against the decision of the all-party delegation not to visit Ladakh during its visit to the state on September 4 and 5. They had alleged that Ladakh had been completely ignored.

MP from Ladakh Thupstan Chhewang submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 30, copies of which had been submitted to Union ministers and all members of the delegation.

He had said they felt stifled because of the senseless violence in a part of the state. Administratively, we are a part of the Kashmir division. Anything happening in any part of it is a matter of deep concern to us, he said.

It is shocking that we have not been involved in any debate or discussion held both at the state and Central levels for finding a clue to end the continuing impasse in the Valley, he rued.

This is despite having an elected Member of Parliament, about half a dozen legislators and two powerful councils for local governance in the twin districts of Leh and Kargil, he stated.

The voices seeking separation of Ladakh from the Valley had gained momentum in recent times, particularly since widespread unrest engulfed Kashmir.
Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 28

When the service rifle of a personal security officer (PSO) of a former lawmaker was snatched in south Kashmir on Wednesday morning, it was the 57th weapon to be looted since unrest began in the Valley. Out of these, 39 have been recovered while 18 are still missing.

All these rifles have been snatched or looted in south Kashmir that has been the epicentre of the unrest following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani and two of his associates on July 8.

There are reports that over 50 youths from south Kashmir, which is also the bastion of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have gone missing after the killing of Burhan and they may have joined militant ranks. It is suspected that the looted weapons may have fallen into their hands. However, there are no exact figures with the police about such youths.

The latest snatching incident happened at Kellar Shopian, when Waseem Ahmad Khanday, a relative of former Member Legislative Council (MLC) Abdul Rehman Tukroo, snatched the rifle of his PSO. Khanday took away the rifle and 30 rounds from the PSO at around 5 am.

He (Khanday) was at my house and this morning he took away the rifle of my PSO and fled. At the time of the incident, I was in a washroom, Tukroo said.

A senior police officer said Khanday was suspected to have joined militant ranks and was staying at Tukroos house for the past five days.

This is the fourth incident of weapon-snatching in south Kashmir this month. On September 19, militants snatched four rifles from the policemen guarding

the house of PDP leader Javid Ahmad Sheikh in Dialgam Anantnag.

A day after the killing of Burhan, a mob had looted 41 weapons, including AK-47 rifles, INSAS rifles, one light machine gun and dozens of magazines and ammunition, after setting ablaze the Damhal Hanjipore police station in Kulgam. Later, the police recovered 35 weapons. Most of which had been damaged in the blaze.

A senior police officer said in the majority of the cases, the weapons ended up with either Hizbul Mujahideen or Lashkar-e-Toiba.

During the snatching incidents, militants also accompanied the new recruits who were given these weapons, the police officer said. These new recruits are later given training locally.

The counter-insurgency operations across the Valley have taken a hit due to the unrest and it has helped the militants to consolidate, especially in south Kashmir.

Gunning for rifles
Parbina Rashid

The invitation for the 11th Global Youth Peace Fest, organised by Yuvsatta at the Chandigarh Institute of Hotel Management, mentioned an interaction with Manipurs Iron lady Irom Sharmila over lunch. Quite a tempting offer! For, until a few months back, the prospects of having lunch with her wouldnt have been there. That is until she broke her 16-year-long fast in protest against the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) in Manipur, last month.

The Iron Lady looks a little frail and needs to be assisted while walking, but things are falling into place slowly. Threats by militant organisations, which did not want her to break the fast, have been subsiding.

The bitterness of the Meira Paibi group of women, who stood by her throughout and felt betrayed when she unilaterally decided to end her fast, is almost over and they are coming to terms with it. Her mother, who had always maintained that she would feed her daughter with her hands as and when AFSPA would be repealed (but did not know what to do with AFSPA still in place) has accepted her daughters decision to change the course of her journey. She is ready to lend Irom the same silent strength she had always given.

Yes, I have met my mother, finally, she said. Irom Sharmila and her mother Irom Sakhi had made this pact of not seeing each other all these years so that her resolve to continue with her struggle did not get weakened. I am not staying with her as I am not staying at one particular place. I am like a bird flying from one place to another.

So, what triggered the decision to end her fast, which she had started in 2000 after the infamous Malom Massacre? A lot of pressure, says Irom without elaborating on what the pressure was, and from where it came. Also, my stamina was on the wane and I realised that I needed to change my strategy to achieve my goal, she adds.

First thing, she is going around generating moral support for her cause and second, now people are focusing on whats on her mind rather than the nasal feeding tube which had become an integral part of her persona for the past 16 years.

So, the question whether she is planning to join AAP did not exactly come as a surprise. The speculation was rife after she met AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi, recently.

But Irom is not in the mood to discuss politics at least on this particular forum. This conference is about peace, so lets not talk about my political goal here, she said, inviting journalists (interested in her political career) to visit her at Manipur Bhawan in Delhi where she will be staying till October 3.

Politics being out of conversation, the focus shifts to food again. I am a vegan. I was a vegetarian even before I started my fast, says Irom. And her body is accepting food after being deprived for so long. I am slowly getting my stamina back, she says. And, it shows. Though frail, she looks radiant in a light-blue Manipuri phanek and a white blouse with those unruly, uncombed curly locks contouring her face. But, her long nails remain intact. They are likely to, till she achieves her goal. The uncombed hair and unclipped nails are now going to be constant reminders that she has just changed her course, not her aim!

Not ready to tell her tale

After a biography titled Burning Bright: Irom Sharmila by Deepti Priya Mehrotra, and quite a few chapters dedicated to her by Anubha Bhonsle in her book Mother, Where is My Country, is Irom Sharmila inspired to write about her life?

No, not at all. I used to write poetry but that phase is over now, she says.

And looking at Bollywoods penchant for biopics, we ask her if we can expect one on her too. Well, she confirms that nobody has approached her for one so far!

parbina@tribunemail.com
Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 28

In a big blow to Pakistan and to its image, Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh today joined India and conveyed their decision to pull out of the SAARC summit scheduled for November in Islamabad.

For Pakistan, the major concern is likely to be the fact that all four countries have cited terrorism as the main cause for pulling out of the summit. Sri Lanka has joined the chorus and said the summit would not be possible without Indias participation.

Edit: SAARC summit boycott

According to sources, in its message to Nepal, which holds the chair of SAARC, Afghanistan said because of the increased level of violence as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, its President was fully engaged, and would not be able to attend the summit.

Bangladesh, which has made its anger with Pakistan very evident, has also conveyed to Nepal that the growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit.

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Dhaka also said that the decision to pull out of the summit was entirely their own and not influenced by Indias decision to boycott the summit.

Bhutan followed suit.

This diplomatic isolation of Pakistan follows Indias decision late last night to pull out of the summit. Unfazed, Pakistan, in the meantime, said it would go ahead with holding of the SAARC summit. This is at variance with the SAARC charter that states that even if one member of the eight-member grouping does not attend, the summit stands cancelled or postponed.

Reasons given for not attending summit in Nov

Afghanistan: Increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani as the Commander-in-Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the summit

Bangladesh: The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November

Bhutan: Unable to attend the summit due to escalation of terrorism in the region
New Delhi/Islamabad, September 28

Pakistan on Wednesday hinted that the next SAARC Summit to be held in Islamabad in November could be postponed if India has refused to attend the regional gathering.

As per SAARC rules, the Summit will not be held if any member-country refused to attend," Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said.

His statement came as it became evident that it was not possible to organise the summit after India and three other member-countries  Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh  informed the SAARC Chair, Nepal, their unwillingness to attend the summit that was scheduled for November 9-10.

Aziz said it was not the first time that India was not attending the regional summit and that it had earlier also caused the summit to be postponed four times.

Aziz said although it is possible to postpone the summit but the SAARC Secretariat has not officially informed the government so far.

Earlier, Pakistani media reported that the government has decided to postpone the summit.

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Earlier, Indias External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said all eight Heads of SAARC countries must be present for the Summit, Swarup said, adding if any one country decides not to participate, the Summit has to be postponed.

"In the current case, not just India but Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan have also written to current Chair of SAARC, Nepal that they are unable to participate in the SAARC Summit, which means there is no option but to postpone it," he added.

The countries have pulled out of the SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November, indirectly blaming Pakistan for creating an environment which is not right for the successful holding of the meet.

In the backdrop of the heightened tension with Pakistan over Uri terror attack in which 18 jawans were killed, India had announced late last night its decision to not participate in Summit, citing increased "cross-border" attacks.

While Bangladesh has categorically said the growing interference in its internal affairs by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the SAARC Summit, Afghanistan pulled out citing terrorism in the region for its abstention.

Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad, it said.

Afghanistan has also conveyed to SAARC Chair Nepal that President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani would not be able to attend the Summit, sources said.

Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, President Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander-in-Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the Summit, a communication by the country said.

Bhutan said while it is committed to the SAARC process and strengthening of regional cooperation, it is concerned over the recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.

Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances.  Agencies
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 28

The Cabinet today approved the ratification of the Paris Climate Change Agreement, which will be formalised on October 2. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi, who on Sunday made the announcement at the Kozhikode BJP national council.

Paris Agreement was adopted by 185 nations on December 12, 2015. India signed the agreement in New York early this year on April 22, 2016. A total of 191 countries have signed the agreement so far.

Notably, India announced its climate action plan on October 2 last year, after submitting to the UN its intended nationally determined contribution a day earlier

As per provisions of the agreement, the treaty will come into force as and when 55 countries contributing to 55 per cent of the total global emission ratify the agreement. So far, 61 countries have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval accounting in total for 47.79% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions.

Indias decision to ratify the agreement will take the number of cumulative level of emission of countries to have ratified the agreement so far to 51.89%.

India will now be one of the key countries that will be instrumental in bringing the Paris Agreement into force. Given the critical role that India played in securing international consensus on the agreement, todays decision will further underline Indias responsive leadership in the community of nations committed to global cause of environmental protection and climate justice, officials say.

The Cabinet also decided that India must declare it would treat its national laws, development agenda, availability of means of implementation, assessment of global commitment to combating climate change, and predictable and affordable access to cleaner source of energy as the context in which the pact is being ratified.
Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 28

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved the ratification of the Paris Climate Change Agreement, which will be formalised on October 2.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who on Sunday had made the announcement at the Kozhikode BJP National Council meet.

The Paris Agreement was adopted by 185 nations on December 12, 2015. India signed the Agreement in New York on April 22, 2016. A total of 191 countries have signed the Agreement so far.

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India had announced its climate action plan on October 2 last year, after submitting to the UN its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution a day earlier.

As per the provisions of the Paris Agreement, the treaty will come into force as and when 55 countries contributing to 55% of total global emission ratify the agreement. So far, 61 countries have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval accounting for 47.79% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions.

Indias decision to ratify the agreement will take the number of cumulative level of emission of countries to have ratified the agreement so far to 51.89%. With the gathering momentum and willingness expressed by several other countries to ratify the agreement before the end of this year, it is expected that the Agreement will come into force soon and give a thrust to the global actions to address climate change.

With this, India will be one of the key countries that will be instrumental in bringing the Paris Agreement into force. Given the critical role that India played in securing international consensus on Paris Agreement, Wednesdays decision will further underline Indias responsive leadership in the comity of nations committed to global cause of environmental protection and climate justice, officials say.

The Cabinet also decided that India should declare that it would treat its national laws, its development agenda, availability of means of implementation, its assessment of global commitment to combating climate change, and predictable and affordable access to cleaner source of energy as the context in which the Agreement is being ratified.

The Paris Agreement pertains to post-2020 climate actions. In the pre-2020 period, developed countries are to act as per the Kyoto Protocol and some developing countries have taken voluntary pledges.

As per the Agreement, both rich and poor countries have to take action to curb the rise in global temperatures that is spelling catastrophe for glaciers resulting in increase in sea levels besides playing havoc with rain patterns. It requires countries to present national plans to reduce emissions to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
BEIJING, September 28

China on Wednesday called on Pakistan and India to solve their differences over Kashmir, as tensions mount between the nuclear-armed neighbours after an attack killed 18 Indian soldiers in the Valley.

India has long accused Pakistan of backing militant groups operating in Kashmir, as well as of sending fighters to other parts of the country to carry out acts of violence.

China "hopes that Pakistan and India will strengthen channels for dialogue, appropriately handle any differences, improve bilateral relations and together protect the region's piece and stability", a deputy foreign minister told Pakistan's special envoys to China for Kashmir, according to the foreign ministry website.

The deputy minister, Liu Zhenmin, also told the envoys that China valued Pakistan's position on Kashmir.

China has long been a strong diplomatic, military and economic supporter of Pakistan, and the two call each other "all-weather friends". Their ties have been underpinned by wariness of their common neighbour, India, with which China fought a brief but bloody border war in 1962.

Tensions between India and Pakistan rose on Tuesday when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi cancelled his visit to a visit the SAARC summit in Islamabad.

Some gunmen attacked an army camp in north Kashmir's Uri on September 18.  Reuters
Shubhadeep Choudhury

Tribune News Service

Kolkata, September 28

The dawn-to-dusk bandh called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in the hill areas of Darjeeling district of West Bengal today evoked good response.

Private businesses remained shut in the three hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong. There was also very little movement of vehicular traffic in the area.

Warnings issued from Kolkata ensured that employees were present at the state government run offices. However, there was hardly anyone around to avail their services as ordinary people preferred to stay put at home.

The bandh was called by the GJM to protest against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees recent claim that Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has been allocated Rs 4,000 crore by the state government.

The GJM, however, raked up the separate Gorkhaland issue as well. A statement by GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said, Those opposing Gorkhaland will get energy if the bandh is unsuccessful.

There was no major incident of violence. A total of 304 people across the three subdivisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong were detained by police for trying to enforce the bandh forcefully, Anurag Srivastava, District Magistrate of Darjeeling, told this reporter.

Srivastava said attendance of the employees in state government offices was about 97 per cent.

The DM also informed that all ration shops of the three hill sub-divisions remained open. Government-run passenger transport vehicles including the toy-train service between Darjeeling and New Jalpaiguri also ran as per schedule.

Those detained today included Kalimpong MLA Sarita Rai and senior GJM leader RB Bhujel. Irate Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters took out a procession at Kalimpong to protest against Rais detention.

A car carrying a flag of Trinamool Congress was also set ablaze at Kalimpong. Trinamool Congress supporters also brought out rallies raising the pitch against the GJM supporters. Thankfully, the two sides did not come to blows.
Patna, September 28

As the row over his remarks on Bihar raged on, former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju has been booked on sedition charge following a complaint by a JD(U) MLC against his online post that Kashmir should be offered to Pakistan on the condition that it takes Bihar too.

Another complaint was also filed today in the district court against Katju, who hit back at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his critical remarks and churned out more taunting posts.

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Katju has been booked under 124-A (sedition) and other sections of IPC, according to SHO of Shashtrinagar police station Birendra Prasad.

JD(U) MLC and its state spokesman Neeraj Kumar had last evening lodged a complaint in the police station here against Katju seeking his prosecution for alleged sedition.

Meanwhile, lawyer, Arvind Kumar, filed a petition in the court of Patna Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Om Prakash against Katju.

The complaint sought registration of a case under Sections 124 (A) (sedition), 500 (Punishment for defamation), 501 (Printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory and 505 (Statements conducting to public mischief) of IPC.

The date for hearing the plea is yet to be decided.

Katju's comments on Facebook about Bihar have drawn sharp criticism here.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had ridiculed him for trying to become 'Mai-Baap' (guardian) of the state.

His comments had also invited the wrath of Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Prasad Yadav, former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and JD(U) leaders K C Tyagi and Shyam Rajak among others.

Though Katju had sought to backtrack yesterday after a barrage of protests by writing on his Facebook account "I was only joking about Bihar" but today he again continued with his jibes on the social media.

"I suggest Biharis should take their complaint against me to the UN.

"When 'cheer haran' of Draupadi was being done, she appealed to Lord Krishna to save her honour," Katju wrote on his Facebook post today.

"Nitish Kumar says that I regard myself as the 'mai baap' of Bihar. No Nitishji, I am not the 'mai baap' of Biharis but their Shakuni Mama," he wrote in another post.  PTI
Abuja, September 28

Indian variety of rice and pulses may soon be grown in Nigeria, a substantial importer of food grains, as it aims to make agriculture the biggest alternative to oil and gas business to diversify its economy.

The issue came up for discussion during bilateral talks Vice-President Hamid Ansari held with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and his counterpart Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday.

Nigeria is a substantial importer of food grains. There are lot of land in the country which can be used for the purpose of growing Indian variety of rice and pulses. This was one of the key areas identified during the talks, Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs Amar Sinha said.

Nigeria also expressed keen interest in cooperation in the field of rice processing and emulate Indias agricultural model and capacity.

In July, the Nigerian government had approved a policy named The Green Alternative to make agriculture the biggest alternative to oil and gas business in its bid to diversify its economy.

Under this policy, the government aims to do everything that is needed to achieve self-sufficiency in agriculture and also become a major exporter of agricultural products.

During yesterdays talks, the two sides held discussions on a range of issues including cooperation in the field of security, defence, ICT, culture, oil and gas, concessional credits, bilateral air services agreements, power, IT, telecom, infrastructure and fight against terrorism, Sinha said.

A memorandum of understanding was signed on standards between the Bureau of Indian Standards and Standard Organisation of Nigeria.

Besides a letter of intent on agreements on health, customs, transfer of sentenced persons, and new and renewable energy was signed, he said.

Ansari handed over President Pranab Mukherjees invitation to Buhari to visit India which is likely to take place next year. It may be mentioned here that Buhari underwent military training in 1973 at Defence Services Staff College.

On terrorism, issues like perception, exchange of information and what joint action can be taken were discussed, Sinha said.

Ansari told the Nigerian leadership that the ties between the two countries were solid and there was little disagreement.

The two sides decided to increase the area of cooperation and strategic partnership on defence issues.

India offered to extend help in Nigeria in several fields including space technology, nuclear applications, ICT and science and technology.

Ansari also complimented Nigeria for democracy taking its roots in the country and lauded the efforts of its defence forces in securing the release of Dubai-owned MT Maximus which was hijacked by pirates.

Describing Nigeria as a great energy talent, he also stressed on the need for diversifying and creating more balanced use of energy.  PTI
New Delhi, September 28

The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed the second Italian marine accused of having killed two fishermen off Keralas coast in 2012 to remain in Italy until an international arbitration tribunal settled a jurisdictional row between India and Italy.

Italy wanted the Supreme Court to modify Massimiliano Latorres bail conditions to let him remain in the country until the dispute was settled, much like his colleague Salvatore Girone, also a suspect in the case.

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Bail conditions imposed on Girone will also be applicable to his colleague.

The court also told the central government to report the progress of the international arbitration to it every three months. The court passed the order after the central government said it had no objections to Latorre remaining in Italy, so long as he had the same bail conditions.

While relaxing Girone's bail terms on May 26, the Supreme Court allowed him to return to Italy until the dispute was settled.

The Supreme Court also imposed four other conditions: Girone must report to an Italian police station on the first Wednesday of every month and Italian authorities must inform the Indian Embassy in Rome about it; he must not tamper with evidence, or influence witnesses, in the case in any way; Girone must undertake to remain under the Supreme Courts jurisdiction; and his bail would be cancelled if he violated its terms.

The marines are accused of killing two Indian fishermen they mistook to be pirates off Keralas coast on February 15, 2012. Agencies
Panaji, September 28

Customs officials in Goa on Wednesday arrested a man from Kerala for carrying with him foreign currency amounting to Rs 25.6 lakh, a statement from the central government agencys Goa unit said.

Anwar Rahiman from Kasargode district in Kerala was arrested by the Air Intelligence Unit of the Customs while he was boarding an Air Arabia flight for Dubai.

The currencies seized from the man included US dollars, dirhams and Qatari riyals valued at Rs 25.6 lakh, according to Wednesdays foreign exchange rates. IANS
Karachi, September 28

With speculation rife of India abrogating the Indus Water Treaty (1960) with Pakistan, Islamabad has taken its case to the World Bank, urging it to stop New Delhi from making illegal constructions on the Neelum and Chenab rivers.

As per the Dawn, an official statement issued by the Pakistan Embassy in Washington on Tuesday said, In the meeting with the Pakistani delegation, the World Bank committed itself to timely fulfilling its obligations under the treaty while remaining neutral.

Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali-led Pakistani delegation met senior World Bank officials at its headquarters in Washington to discuss Pakistans recent request for arbitration under Article IX of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).

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The article deals with arbitration of disputes between the parties concerning the interpretation or application of the treaty or the existence of any fact which, if established, might constitute a breach of the treaty.

Pakistan also reminded the World Bank that the treaty gave the bank an important role in establishing a court of arbitration by facilitating the process of appointment of three judges, called Umpires, to the court. Both the countries can appoint two arbitrators.

The Pakistani delegation, in its meetings with World Bank officials, insisted on early appointment of the judges and setting up the court.

The Pakistani delegation consisted, besides the attorney general, of Water and Power secretary Muhammad Younus Dagha; Pakistans Commissioner for Indus Water Mirza Asif Baig; and Joint Secretary (Water) Ahmad Irfan Aslam and Pakistans Ambassador to the United States Jalil Abbas Jilani and World Banks Executive Director for Pakistan Nasir Khosa.

The officials representing the World Bank were Senior Vice President Anne-Marie LeRoy, Vice President for South Asia Annette Dixon, Deputy General Counsel for Operations Alberto Ninio, Chief Counsel for South Asia Melinda Good and Senior Counsel for International Waterways Victor Mosoti.

Meanwhile, Adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has warned India that if it revoked the Indus Water Treaty, Islamabad would treat it as an act of war, adding that such a step would provide China a justification to consider the suspension of waters of the Brahmaputra.

Speaking at the National Assembly, Aziz on Tuesday said the Indian act could be taken as a breach of international peace, which would give Islamabad a good reason to approach the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Its revocation can be taken as an act of war, or a hostile act against Pakistan. It is highly irresponsible on the part of India to even consider revocation of the Treaty. Unilateral revocation of IWT can pose a threat to Pakistan and its economy. This Indian act can be taken as a breach of international peace, and hence, will give Pakistan a good reason to approach the UNSC, Aziz said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met officials to review provisions of the Treaty with Pakistan.

New Delhi ruled out cancelling the Treaty but is looking for ways to increase its use of waters that flow from India but are controlled by Pakistan.

The treaty was inked by Jawaharlal Nehru and Ayub Khan, which allocates 80 per cent of water to Pakistan from the six-river Indus Water System--the Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum that flows from India to Pakistan.

The treaty, brokered by the World Bank, is often considered one-sided and there has been growing clamour to relook at it. The pact has survived wars and phases of frosty ties between India and Pakistan.

According to reports, India currently generates about 3,000 megawatts of energy from hydropower plants along rivers in Kashmir, but believes the region has the potential to produce 18,000 megawatts. ANI
Washington, September 28

The US has called for de-escalation of the political discourse between India and Pakistan amid the war of words between the two nations after the Uri terror attack that prompted New Delhi to pull out of the SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November.

The State Department also said it would continue to put pressure on them to respond to those groups who were seeking safe haven on Pakistans borders.

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What we have said many times from the podium is that we want to see closer and normalisation of relationship between India and Pakistan, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner told reporters at his daily news conference.

It would benefit the region. We want to see de-escalation in the political discourse between the two countries and greater communication and coordination between them, Toner said.

At the same time, the State Department refrained from commenting on Indias decision to pull out of the SAARC Summit.

I would refer you to the Government of India to comment on their decision not to attend this meeting, Toner said.

He said it is not for the US to offer a prescription to de-escalate tension between the South Asian neighbours.

It is in mutual interest for both the countries to put aside tensions and establish more normal channels of communication, the deputy spokesperson said.

While we have seen Pakistan make progress on some of the terrorist groups operating within its own borders and carrying out attacks within its borders, we continue to put pressure on them to respond to those groups which are seeking safe haven on Pakistans borders, Toner added.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the US had continued to encourage India and Pakistan to find ways to resolve their differences, not through violence, but through diplomacy.

We have condemned violence, particularly terrorist attacks, he said.

He was responding to a question on Indias decision not to attend the SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November citing continuous cross-border terrorism by Pakistan against India. PTI
R Sedhuraman

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, September 28

The Supreme Court on Tuesday grilled the Bihar government for letting RJD leader Mohammad Shahabuddin come out of jail by getting bail in as many as 40 cases, and now seeking to put him back behind the bars even as the ex-gangster pleaded that he had been made a punching bag and a victim of media trial.

You came out of slumber after Shahabuddin was finally out of jail despite the fact that he was sentenced to life in two cases and awarded a cumulative jail term of another 30 years in eight other cases, a Bench comprising Justices PC Ghose and Amitava Roy told Bihars senior counsel Dinesh Dwivedi.

I do not want to defend what has happened. I only want to put forth the reasons for which his bail should be cancelled, Dwivedi pleaded.

Despite remaining in jail since 2005, Shahabuddin kept on committing heinous crimes, which indicated the extent of his influence over criminal elements in Siwan district and in other parts of the state, the senior counsel pleaded.

The Bench pointed out that when Shahabuddin was granted bail on September 7, the public prosecutor did not even oppose it citing his criminal antecedents. The Bench wanted to know as to what kind of a person Shahabuddin was as he had been an MLA four times and an MP twice.

Arguing for another petitioner Chandrakeshwar Prasad, whose three sons were allegedly murdered by Shahabuddin, senior counsel Prashant Bhushan pleaded that he should be sent to Tihar Jail here and the trial in about 25 pending cases be conducted through video conferencing.

Appearing for the RJD leader, senior counsel Shekhar Naphade said his client was being subjected to media trial. Shahabuddin was acquitted in as many as 15 cases as he had merely been implicated due to his bad reputation. The politician was unnecessarily blamed for every crime committed in the region though he had no involvement. The fact that the courts had granted him bail in 40 cases was a proof of this fact, he contended.

The arguments remained inconclusive.
New Delhi, September 28

A Delhi court today pulled up the CBI for conducting a shoddy probe into allegations against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Karkardooma, directed CBIs SP to be present in the court on the next date of hearing on October 25. He passed the order after perusing the status report submitted by the CBI.

Appearing for complainant Lakhwinder Kaur, advocate HS Phoolka brought to the notice of the court the order dated December 4, 2015. In it, the court had rejected the third clean chit given to Tytler and told the CBI the lines on which the probe should be conducted. The court today asked the CBI about the investigation regarding witness Narinder Singh whose contact details were shared by the counsel for complainant. The CBI said there was no response on the phone number shared by the complainants counsel. Phoolka said the number shared by them as functional and also that as Narinder Singhs relatives were in Delhi and Punjab, they could have made efforts to trace them.

The court asked the CBI about the information from the Canadian Government. The CBI said they approached the Canadian Government and showed the communication letter.

The court said the letter was undated and this showed that effective steps were not being taken.  TNS
Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 28

Following talks with party ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, the BJP is considering the name of its former Member of Parliament Satya Pal Jain as the party candidate from the Kharar Assembly constituency.

Confirming that talks had been held, a senior party office-bearer said the BJP was working out the modalities for exchanging Kharar with Rajpura. BJP candidate Raj Khurana, who had lost by a big margin of nearly 34,000 votes during the last Vidhan Sabha elections from Rajpura, is not a party favourite at the moment.

Keeping the alliance intact, the BJP is contesting 23 seats of the total 117 this time. However, talks are being held on the possible change in constituencies of certain candidates. The party was earlier willing to give up Ludhiana (West), Rajpura, Abohar and Amritsar (East).

The BJP wanted Barnala, Mansa, Batala and Garhshankar. The BJP is seeking the Mansa seat where Akali MLA Prem Mittal has lost favour with the SAD. The BJP wants to field Neeraj Tayal, son of Hit Abhilashi who was gunned down by terrorists. The party is also considering fielding senior leader Avinash Rai Khanna from Garhshankar. The seat was given to the SAD when two-time MLA Khanna became a Rajya Sabha member.

Although no official confirmation came from the BJP, sources close to Satya Pal Jain confirmed that he had been approached by at least three leaders. The former MP is learnt to be not interested at all. A senior leader said going by his reputation in the party at the national level, the party considered him best suited for the Kharar seat. Jain was twice a Member of Parliament from Chandigarh. Born and brought up in Kharar, Jain has had a long association with the area. He has communicated that he is "busy handling legal matters in his capacity as the Additional Solicitor General of India and is not prepared for any change in his role.
Chandigarh: Expelled AAP state convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur has decided to float his political outfit on October1. Jasvir Singh Dhaliwal, former Anandpur Sahib zone in charge of AAP, said they were considering two names for the outfitAam Lok Party or Apna Punjab Party. He said on October 1 office-bearers of political affairs committee, state executive and district committees would be announced. He said they were open to an alliance with any political party. Dhaliwal said they were in talks with AAP rebel MP Dharamvira Gandhis group and other breakaway AAP factions. Chhotepur parted ways with AAP last month. TNS
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 28

A Delhi court on Wednesday pulled up CBI for conducting a shoddy probe into allegations against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Karkardooma, directed CBIs SP to be present in the court at the next date of hearing on October 25.

The magistrate passed the order after perusing the status report submitted by the CBI.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Appearing for complainant Lakhwinder Kaur, senior advocate HS Phoolka brought to the notice of the court the order dated 4.12.2015 where the court rejected the third clean chit given to Tytler and gave CBI the lines on which the investigation should be conducted.

The court today asked CBI about the investigation regarding witness Narinder Singh whose contact details were shared by the counsel for complainant.

The CBI informed the court that they tried contacting Narinder Singh on the phone number shared by the complainants counsel, but there was no response.

Phoolka further brought to the notice of the court that the contact details shared by them were working and also Narinder Singhs relatives were living in Delhi and Punjab they could have made efforts to trace them.

The court further asked CBI about the information from the Canadian government. The probe agency informed the court that they approached the Canadian government to obtain that information and showed that communication letter to the court.

The court pointed out that the letter was undated and this showed that the effective steps were not being taken. The CBIs investigating officer said the letter was written on September 8, 2016.

Phoolka informed the court that during his visit to Canada, he had gone to the office of the Canadian Prime Minister to seek their assistance in providing the information. He was assured that the Canadian government was serious about the punishment to the guilty of the 1984 carnage and would fully cooperate with CBI.
Rajmeet Singh &

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 28

The Awaaz-e-Punjab is in touch the Congress high command in Delhi to have an electoral alliance for the upcoming state Assembly elections. The development was confirmed by forum leader and Independent MLA from Ludhiana Simarjit Singh Bains.

Talking to the Tribune here today, Bains said the forum had entrusted Navjot Singh Sidhu to have negotiations with the Congress. He said the issue of seat sharing was being discussed and an announcement regarding this would be made by the weekend. Though Bains did not reveal it, there are clear indications that Sidhu is directly talking to Rahul Gandhis emissaries to clinch the deal. Rahul would back in Delhi tonight from Uttar Pradesh.

Bains refused to divulge the details that for how many seats the Awaaz-e-Punjab would settle. But there are reports that months ago when the Bains brothers were in talks with AAP, they had sought 12 seats in Ludhiana region for their Insaaf group.

Interestingly, the Awaaz-e-Punjab on the one side has confirmed that their talks with the Congress are at an advanced stage, on the other they maintained that they wont have alliance with Amarinder-led Congress.

In a statement, the Awaaz-e-Punjab said Amarinder is hand-in-glove with the Badals and his dubious deals with the Badals are an open secret. There is no question of betraying the people of Punjab. It is to be seen whether the Congress high command will concede to the Awaaz-e-Punjabs demand regarding Amarinder.

Senior Congress leadership in the state has preferred to adopt a wait-and-watch policy because of changing stand of the fourth front leaders. Senior leaders, including Shamsher Singh Dullo and Partap Singh Bajwa feel that it would be suicidal for Congress to accept the Awaaz-e-Punjabs demand with regard to Capt Amarinder Singh at this stage, when the entire campaign has been build around him.

While Amarinder remained elusive, sources close to him said he would prefer to see what stand was taken by the party high command. Congress leaders say not only it would be difficult for Amarinder to work with Sidhu, but even other senior leaders in the party such as Manpreet Badal, Sunil, Jakhar, Ravneet Bittu and Amarinder Singh Raja Warring would not like to be marginalised by Sidhus entry.
Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 28

Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has favoured maximising the internal use of three rivers, the Indus, Jhelum and the Chenab, that are part of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, the Punjab Governments Irrigation Department engineers have showed their concern over the flow of the Ravi waters to Pakistan downstream Madhopur Headworks in Pathankot district.

They want that the work on the Shahpur Kandi dam project be resumed to stop the flow of water to Pakistan, besides bringing more area under irrigation in Jammu region and enhancing the irrigation capacity in Punjab.

The Ravi water was to be pooled at the proposed balancing reservoir by raising the dam with an estimated cost of Rs 800 crore at Shahpur Kandi, about 11 km downstream the Ranjit Sagar dam.

Half of this reservoir was to be made in Punjab territory and the other part in Jammu and Kashmir. The land for the project was acquired years ago and the Centre was to fund 90 per cent of the project. However, following objections by the J&K Government, the work was suspended two years ago.

Consequently, whenever excess water is released from the Ranjit Sagar dam in the Ravi, especially during summer months, a good amount of water flows to Pakistan via Madhopur Headworks in the absence of a balancing reservoir at Shahpur Kandi.

Dr GS Dhillon, former chief engineer, Irrigation Department, said: The balancing reservoir should have been completed even before the Ranjit Sagar dam.

In summer, when the demand for power goes up, all hydro-power units installed at the Ranjit Sagar dam are made operational. To operate turbines about 15,000 cusecs of water has to be released. Of this, 12,000 cusecs is released into the Upper Bari Doab Canal and Madhopur-Beas Link Canals at Madhopur Headworks and the remaining flows to Pakistan.

During the monsoon, sometimes floodgates of the Ranjit Sagar dam have to be opened due to topping up of the reservoir. Again, the water goes to the neighbouring country.

The J&K Government has taken the plea that since the Punjab Government has terminated the River Waters Sharing Agreement in 2004, the previous agreement relating to the Ranjit Sagar dam and Shahpur Kandi dam between Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir too have become defunct.

The Punjab Government has taken up this issue with the Centre asking it intervene, but the J&K Government has refused to budge from its stand.

Kahan Singh Pannu, Irrigation Secretary, Punjab, said the state government had been trying hard to convince the J&K Government over the matter, but to no avail. He said if the project was completed, it would bring additional 65,000 hectares of land under irrigation in Jammu region, besides stopping the flow of Ravi waters to Pakistan.
GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 28

An economic war, instead of one with weapons, would be a better answer to the nefarious designs of Pakistan, said members of the cross-border trading community in the wake of the Uri attack.

We are ready to snap trade ties with Pakistan as national security and integrity are of prime importance to us, they said. Traders say it is Pakistan which is dependent on India for import of goods like vegetables, spices and cotton yarn.

Indias move to review the MFN (most preferred nation) status granted to Pakistan would have little impact. Assocham (Punjab) Chairperson Suneet Kochhar said bilateral trade between the two nations was just $2.6 billion in 2015-16 (of which $2.2 billion were Indias exports to Pakistan). This represented a minuscule 0.4 per cent of Indias overall goods trade worth $643.3 billion in the same year.

President of Federation of Dry Fruit Traders Anil Mehra said traders would agree to forgo their interests as no one was ready to trade with a nation whose law and order were beyond its control.

India is the only country in the world where dry dates are consumed. Normally, 27-28 lakh sacks of dry dates are imported from Pakistan in a year. If we shut down this trade worth Rs 990 crore per year, Pakistan will bow down instantly, he added.

On the other hand, tomatoes, garlic and ginger  exported from here  are in high demand in Pakistan. If we stop it, it would be tough for them to get these items from anywhere else, he said.

However, Gunbir Singh, former chairman, Punjab CII, said steps should be initiated to make relations between the two countries cordial.
Hempstead, September 27

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump today battled it out in front of millions of undecided American voters over racism, terror and temperament in their first presidential debate with the media declaring the Democratic nominee as the winner of the fiery contest.

Edit: Clinton wins the debate

The 90-minute clash, watched by an expected television audience of up to 100 million, saw the 68-year-old former Secretary of State and the 70-year-old Republican nominee, who have attacked each other for months in separate campaigns, taking the stage together here for the first time to woo a substantial chunk of voters who remain undecided ahead of the November 8 poll.

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The CNN/ORC poll declared Clinton as the clear winner in the first of a series of three debates, with a massive 62 per cent of voters giving an edge to the Democrat over the reality TV star, who was deemed winner by only 27 per cent.

The two candidates indulged in a series of combative, acrimonious exchanges as the battle turned personal, with the controversial real estate mogul questioning the stamina of the former Secretary of State after her recent bout of pneumonia.

Clinton smiled through the insults and landed jabs of her own to put Trump on the defensive over his temperament, refusal to release his taxes and his past comments on race and women. Trump said he would release his tax returns if Clinton released her 33,000 emails deleted by her .

The two leaders came face-to-face for the first of the three presidential debates at Hofstra University in Hempstead near New York City. They projected themselves as best-prepared to lead the nation. Clinton accused Trump of being anti-women and challenged his allegations that she lacked the stamina to be the commander-in-chief.

more reports page 15
Nieuwegein, September 28

A Malaysian airliner shot down in eastern Ukraine was hit by a Russian-made Buk missile launched from a village held by rebels fighting Ukrainian government forces, international prosecutors said on Wednesday.

The findings challenge Moscows suggestion that Malaysia Airlines flight 17, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur in July 2014, was brought down by the Ukrainian military. All 298 people on board, most of them Dutch citizens, were killed.

The prosecutors cannot file charges but victims relatives have been seeking details of who shot the plane down in the hope that it might lead eventually to prosecutions over an incident which led to a sharp rise in East-West tensions.

The Buk missile system used to shoot down the plane fired one missile from the village of Pervomaysk and was later returned to Russia, said the prosecutors, from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine.

They told a news conference in the central Dutch city of Nieuwegein that the investigative team had identified 100 people who were described as being of interest to them but had not yet been formally identified individual suspects. It was not clear whether an order had been given for fighters to launch the missile or whether they had acted independently, the prosecutors said.

A probe by the Dutch also concluded last year that MH17 was hit by a Buk missile fired from Ukraine, but Moscow denied pro-Russian rebels were responsible.  Reuters
Islamabad, September 28

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif faces a key choice in the coming weeks about who should run Pakistans powerful military, one that will have a major influence on the countrys often strained relationships with the United States and nuclear rival India.

With Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif saying he will step down when his tenure ends in November, the top post is up for grabs, and the Prime Minister decides who gets it.

Overshadowing the process has been speculation that the General, no relation to the premier, may seek to hold on to some or all of his powers even after his term is finished. The General is immensely popular among ordinary Pakistanis, who see him as a bulwark against crime, corruption and Islamist militant violence.

He has also strengthened the militarys grip over aspects of government, including the judiciary and areas of security policy. Yet the military flatly rejects the possibility of an extension.

In a country prone to military coups, including one in which Nawaz Sharif himself was ousted from power in 1999, suspicions that the General will remain in his post persist, including among some of the PMs senior aides.

Army chiefs soon begin to think they are invincibles-in-chief, said a close aide to Nawaz Sharif, requesting anonymity. The military high command has sent the PM the dossiers of four main contenders.

The premiers favourite, the aides said, was Lt Gen Javed Iqbal Ramday, commander of XXXI Corps who led a 2009 operation to drive the Pakistani Taliban militant movement from Swat Valley near the Afghan border. The three other dossiers are for Lt Gen Zubair Hayat, Chief of General Staff; Lt Gen Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmad, commanding officer in the eastern city of Multan; and Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, who heads the Training and Evaluation Wing.

Ramday is considered among the front-runners, in part because his family has been associated with Nawaz Sharifs Pakistan Muslim League (PMLN) party for many years. If Nawaz Sharif appoints a new army chief, it could allow him to claw back some of the influence he has ceded since coming to power in 2013, analysts said.

In 2014, the PM emerged in charge but weakened after protests demanding his resignation, and that year the army also went against his wishes for a negotiated settlement with Taliban militants by sending troops into North Waziristan. Nawaz has lost a lot of ground to the military during Raheels tenure, Talat Masood, a retired general and political analyst said.  Reuters
Bangkok, September 28

International human rights group Amnesty International on Wednesday accused Thailands military government of allowing a culture of torture to flourish since the army seized power in a 2014 coup.

The military took power in Southeast Asias second-biggest economy after months of street protests against a populist government, saying it had to step in to prevent violence and restore order.

It rejects accusations of rights violations and a government spokesman said on Wednesday investigations into allegations of torture had found no evidence of any such abuse.

Since the coup, dozens of government critics have been held in military detention, although the exact number has not been released.

Amnesty International said in a report it had documented 74 cases of alleged torture at the hands of soldiers and police, and post-coup decrees had allowed authorities to detain people incommunicado.

The group cited allegations of beatings, smothering with plastic bags, waterboarding and electric shocks on detainees by authorities.

Empowered by laws of their own making, Thailands military rulers have allowed a culture of torture to flourish, where there is no accountability for the perpetrators and no justice for the victims, said Rafendi Djamin, Amnesty Internationals director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

The government denied accusations of torture, said General Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesman in the Prime Ministers Office.

Our investigations into such allegations have shown no indication of torture, I have seen no indication of torture and the Thai people have seen no indication of torture, Sansern told Reuters.

Launch called off

Amnesty International was due to hold a news conference at a Bangkok hotel to release the report.

But minutes before the event, men wearing jackets with tags identifying them as Ministry of Labour officials, accompanied by police, said the speakers could face arrest under labour laws.

In response, organisers cancelled the launch, Omar Waraich, media manager for Amnesty International in Asia, told Reuters.

We are here on business visas, we have an office in Thailand, we are not singling out the Thai government, Waraich, said, adding that Amnesty had received no communication from the government on the report or the launch.

In March, the government gave soldiers powers of arrest and detention saying there were not enough police to tackle crime.

Rights groups said the powers would only help strengthen a crackdown on critics.

Thailand came under fire in May at a UN review of its rights record with some member states expressing concern over the rights situation.

Amnesty said torture tactics were encouraged by legal incentives, including martial law, which the military ditched in 2015 and replaced with Article 44 of an interim constitution which gives the military similar powers to those it had during martial law, and which critics have dubbed a dictator law.

A junta order issued in April 2015 allows the military to detain people for up to seven days without charge.

Junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha, who is also prime minister, has frequently defended the 2014 coup saying it was necessary to bring order back after years of on-off political unrest.

He has promised an election will be held next year.  Reuters
Jalalabad (Afghanistan), September 28

A suspected US drone strike against Islamic State in Afghanistan killed 18 persons on Wednesday, most of them militants but possibly including some civilians, Afghan officials said.

Civilians casualties in US air strikes against Taliban and other militants in Afghanistan have long been a source of friction between the allies who have been fighting since 2001 to end militant opposition to the government in Kabul.

The strike in Nangarhar province, on the eastern border with Pakistan, killed 18 persons, 15 of them militants and three civilians, said Mohammed Ali, police chief of Achin district where the attack occurred.

They were in a house to visit someone who had just come from the Hajj pilgrimage, he said. A drone targeted the house and killed most of them.

Provincial police spokesman Hazrat Hussain Mashriqiwal said several Islamic State leaders had been killed, but he denied there were any noncombatants among the victims.

Islamic State has enticed hundreds, perhaps thousands, of fighters in Afghanistan and Pakistan to join, and it holds some territory in Nangarhar, with Achin a stronghold.

But it has not been able to expand its influence in Afghanistan beyond a few districts and the Taliban remain the dominant Islamist force.

A spokesman for the US military command in Kabul confirmed that US forces conducted a counter-terrorism air strike in Achin, but would not discuss the details of the target.

US Forces - Afghanistan takes all allegations of civilian casualties very seriously, said Brigadier General Charles Cleveland.

We are aware of some claims of Afghan casualties, and are currently reviewing all materials related to this strike. We are continuing to look into these allegations. Determining which victims were civilians and which were militants would not be possible until an investigation was complete, said Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the provincial governor.

Thousands of US troops remain in Afghanistan, with many recent air strikes and special operations missions aimed at Islamic State in Nangarhar, as well as helping Afghan forces in their fight against the Taliban in various parts of the country.

Between January and August this year, American aircraft released more than 800 weapons and flew more than 3,500 close air support missions in Afghanistan, according to US military reports.  Reuters
Jalalabad, September 28

Civilians were among at least 18 people killed in a US air strike against Islamic State militants in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday, officials said, with conflicting claims about the number of civilian deaths.

The attack happened in Achin district, a hotbed of Islamic State insurgents in Nangarhar province near the border with Pakistan, as local residents gathered to welcome a tribal elder who had recently returned from the hajj pilgrimage.

"Three civilians lost their lives in this strike," Achin police chief Mohammad Ali said, adding that 15 militants were also killed.

But Esmatullah Shinwari, a Nangarhar MP, said the strike killed 13 civilian relatives of the local elder. Six Islamic State fighters were also killed, he added.

The American military said it conducted a "counter-terrorism airstrike in Achin" on Wednesday, adding it was aware of claims of civilian casualties.

"We... are currently reviewing all materials related to this strike," US military spokesman Charles Cleveland said in a statement. "US Forces-Afghanistan takes all allegations of civilian casualties very seriously."

There was no information on whether it was an attack by a drone or a piloted aircraft.

Islamic State first emerged in Afghanistan in late 2014 and has since violently challenged the much larger Afghan Taliban movement in parts of the country's east.

But the fighters have steadily lost territory in recent months because of stepped-up US airstrikes and a ground campaign by Afghan forces in Nangarhar.

They are confined to two or three districts including Achin, according to Afghan and US officials.

Civilian and military casualties caused by NATO forces have been one of the most contentious issues in the 15-year campaign against the insurgents, prompting harsh public and government criticism.

A US air strike killed eight Afghan policemen earlier this month in the southern province of Uruzgan in the first apparent "friendly fire" incident since American forces were given greater powers to strike at insurgents in June.

The new authority gave the US-led NATO troops greater latitude to order air strikes in support of Afghan troops.  AFP
Beijing: The world's longest (430 metre) and highest glass bridge over the spectacular Grand Canyon Scenic Area in Zhangjiajie will reopen on Friday, over a month after it was closed for safety modifications following a huge influx of tourists. An intelligent monitoring system will now help control the population flow at the entrance and exit. pti
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Photo via Otto blog

The term "Uber for trucking" is at risk of becoming a generic term, being used for a variety of new apps aimed at automating the load booking process  but Uber is making big plans to make "Uber for trucking" a reality, according to a new report from Reuters.

With its recent acquisition of self-driving truck startup Otto, Reuters notes, "Uber Technologies Inc. is plotting its entry into the long-haul trucking business, aiming to establish itself as a freight hauler and a technology partner for the industry.... Uber aims to ultimately transform the competitive and fragmented $700 billion-a-year trucking industry, which is notorious for low margins."

Otto, for instance, plans to expand its fleet of trucks from six to about 15, Reuters reports, and is reaching out to independent truckers and fleets, Otto co-founder Lior Ron told Reuters in an interview. Ron told Reuters that "thousands" of owner-operators have reached out to the company.

"Starting next year, Otto-branded trucks and others equipped with Otto technology will begin hauling freight bound for warehouses and stores, he said."

There's been a lot of skepticism within the industry about "driverless trucks," although there does seem to be a lot of potential to use autonomous technologies for fuel-saving truck "platoons" and as advanced driver assist systems to make driving easier and safer. The recent IAA commercial vehicles show in Germany that I attended last week highlighted many of these up-and-coming technologies.

But truly autonomous trucks are not realistic in the near future. It's not so much the technology itself (which is nothing short of amazing stuff from my teenage sci-fi dreams), but addressing questions about liability, regulations, and public attitudes.

However, retrofitting trucks with Otto's autonomous driving technology is only part of Uber's long-term plan. For the short term, it's also pitching services that will have it competing with brokers and third-party logistics companies, Reuters reports. "The Uber-Otto efforts include a host of other technologies involving navigation, mapping and tracking, which can be deployed even as work continues on self-driving systems."

People in the trucking industry are often skeptical of the feasibility of outsiders truly being able to make "Uber for trucking" technologies work in a widespread way. When you're booking a ride to the airport for a person, the load, a person, generally fits into a range of parameters that is fairly standard. But that's not the case for freight at all, making it's a much more complex and sophisticated process. Is the load hazmat? Does it have to be kept at a specific temperature? Does it need specialized equipment or handling? Security clearance? What about fleet sustainability requirements?

There seems to be some realization that real-world trucking experience will be needed to turn the Uber dreams into reality. As Reuters reports, Otto recently hired Bill Driegert, a logistics veteran who helped found Coyote, a leading freight broker, and served as its chief innovation officer, according to his LinkedIn profile.

"Self-driving trucks may eventually ease the driver shortage facing the trucking industry," write the Reuters reporters. "But even absent autonomous technology, Otto says it could help decrease the cost of trucking goods by more quickly finding freight, mapping more efficient routes and reducing fuel consumption."

Uber and Otto are hardly the only ones working on that. At this week's TMW/PeopleNet In.sight user conference in Nashville, TMW President David Wangler opened the first joint conference of the two Trimble-owned companies emphasizing the fact that by working together, we can transform the way the transportation industry works, and that by leveraging the two companies combined experience, they could deliver solutions that no one else can.

I'd say Uber and Otto will have some tough competition in transforming the industry. But there's no doubt that transformation is indeed afoot.
Linda J. Johnston is leading the effort to help Tulsa County recover from disasters.

She organized the Tulsa Area Long Term Recovery Committee to help survivors of the Sand Springs tornado in 2015, and the group was called back into action when two tornadoes struck north Tulsa in April.

No plans were in place to help 2015 storm survivors, and county and city officials looked for someone to lead recovery efforts. Johnston, Tulsa County Social Services director, was tabbed to develop and lead the effort.

Local disaster preparedness efforts have taken a back seat in recent years, and three tornadoes in two years have challenged the areas virtually nonexistent programs.

The 2015 Sand Springs tornado caused the Oklahoma Emergency Management team to realize that recovery efforts on the west side of Tulsa County were inadequate.

I was asked to put together a committee to try to assist the survivors of that tornado, she said. I am a county employee and have had quite a bit of training over my decades of work in the social services world.

My goal is to build a community infrastructure to respond to a disaster, put it to sleep in a box and hope we never need it. But when there is a need, I would be able to open the box, everything would pop out, and we could go into action.

Discussions included visiting with Tulsa City Councilor Phil Lakin, who is also president and CEO of the Tulsa Community Foundation, and other elected officials about how the community needed an early recovery fund to begin a recovery response. Mark Graham, Tulsa Area United Way president and CEO, provided fundraising expertise.

The first meeting involved representatives from more than 60 agencies. Johnston and the Rev. M.C. Potter with Antioch Baptist Church were named co-chairs.

Disaster case managers were needed, which are people who do the intake documents and due diligence to determine a persons eligibility, Johnston said. Once verified, the case is referred to the Working In Neighborhoods program so quotes can be obtained, contractors contacted and restoration work can begin. This two-phase program has a $5,000 cap, but that is huge if roofs can be repaired and the house secured.

The city of Tulsa placed $70,000 on the table to help with the recovery effort, and it made the recovery effort light years different than the Sand Springs experience, Johnston said. When you have money, you can help people.

The committee received 114 calls for assistance from the impacted area, and 68 cases have been closed because the familys needs have been met. Some of the required help meant paying the deductible and the insurance company was able to step in.

Tulsa City Councilor Jack Hendersons and County Commissioner John Smaligos districts were impacted by the April tornadoes, and they have attended meetings and watched recovery efforts.

The population most affected by the tornadoes were the elderly and low-income residents, Johnston said. They already were struggling to meet the daily challenges of life, and many of them didnt have insurance.

Why is it that Mother Nature seems to find poverty pockets to hit? she asked. I know this isnt always the case, but it sure seems like it.

Johnston knows that disasters come in two forms and how the lack of preparedness impacts recovery. If a person has money, they can respond quickly and life goes on.

Money was not available in the 2015 low-impact tornado and the committee had to raise money and reached out to others in the state and nation, notably faith-based groups.

I dont know of a faith-based group that does not have a disaster program, Johnston said.

Baptists are known for their debris removal and mass feeding programs. This group has semi-trailer trucks available and can quickly go to a disaster site and start feeding people.

Methodists are known for construction recovery. They have a staff that goes to a home, does a damage assessment and advises of the repair costs. They also have a certified mold remediation team to advise about problems that will occur if the structure is not properly enclosed.

Mennonites are famous for going to a community and within two weeks replacing six or seven roofs. The Catholics, through the Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent DePaul Society and Catholic Charities have disaster relief programs, and the Episcopal church can provide funding that others need to buy supplies for the rebuilding effort.

Johnston recently met with the Revs. Mark Martin and Carol Martin with World Renew who, because of disasters in the state, were assessing Oklahomas needs and the possibility of providing future assistance.

Johnston talked with community leaders about how woefully unprepared they were and found quite a bit of education was necessary.

What tornado? was the response when she mentioned the Sand Springs tornado.

She explained the difference between disaster response, when fire trucks, EMSA, police, Public Service Company and Oklahoma Natural Gas employees were on the scene to secure the area and ensure public safety.

Then came disaster recovery and the rebuilding when first responders left. The Red Cross is at the scene to help people as they recovery from the initial shock of the storm.

Then it is possible to go inside and help with other recovery needs.

Local fundraising efforts are underway and Johnston hopes that with a grass-roots recovery, it will not be necessary to tap into other resources.

Disasters have brought city and county employees to the table to work together. Johnston wished the public could see these efforts and realize the teamwork that is involved.

Johnston held a thick document that commits the Tulsa Area Long Term Recovery to paper.

When my battery runs out, we will have something written down, she said. It is my intent to stay on this subject until I am comfortable that we are vastly more prepared for a recovery in this community, and I hope we never need it. Now is the time for Tulsans to come to the aid of those living in their very own community.

918-581-8480
Board members, friends and family gathered at the Fort Gibson Lake Association Visitor Center last week to recognize FGLAs Executive Director Patty Stewart and the contributions she has made not only to the FGLA, but to the city of Wagoner and those passing through town.

Stewart began what she calls her labor of love at the FGLA Visitor Center on April 24, 2004 as a volunteer. She has since provided 12 years of dedicated and loyal service to the FGLA and to the City of Wagoners community members and visitors.

Mayor Albert Jones presented a plaque to Stewart in front of the FGLA board members, family and friends, proclaiming Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016 as Patty Stewart Day.

It is people like Patty that are bringing positive change to our community, said Jones. Today we celebrate her forward thinking, determination, leadership and optimistic attitude, without which today would just be another day.

In addition to her work at FGLA, Stewart has served on the Board of Directors for Green Country Marketing for 11 years, essential in creating tourism maps and ads for the Green Country area which has marketed Wagoner businesses and events for many years.

She obtained a degree in Property Management and has been involved in real estate and property management for 20 years, managing over 500 tenants at one point. This type of experience and position allowed her to realize the need to acknowledge the recreational activities and potential that Fort Gibson Lake had to offer and what that would mean for the city of Wagoner.

I knew the Visitor Center would be an amazing opportunity that we hadnt yet taken advantage of, Stewart said. It was a way for Wagoner to connect with visitors and provide essential revenue to the City of Wagoners sales tax base.

Stewart was essential in the leadership and organization of the FGLA Visitor Center, which has served more than 51,000 visitors since opening.

Shelly Burroughs, FGLA President, said Stewart loves the association and has poured herself into it since she came on board.

Her love and compassion, coupled with her drive and tenacity, have made this association what it is, Burroughs said. Patty Stewart is truly one of a kind.

Stewart moved from volunteer to FGLA Visitor Center Executive Director and has continued to lead by example in expanding the visitor center to include a pavilion and outdoor rest area.

Never one to shy away from getting her hands dirty, she has also been instrumental in bringing the QuikTrip corporation to Wagoner by being hands-on in the process from contract to completion.

Patty continually impresses us by taking on huge challenges, Burroughs said. She handles them like eating an elephant, one bite at a time.

While her professional career is certainly amazing, according to Stewart it pales in comparison to the family that has stood beside her through the years. She relayed stories of meeting her husband Jim with a laugh and a twinkle in her eye.

Jim was my electrician for my realty properties and wasnt exactly a fan of mine all the time, Stewart said.

Stewart has three children and seven grandchildren and it is apparent that they are the joys of her life. All three of her children are attorneys and practice law across the country.

She said they are such a blessing to her and those blessings have come to her in many different shapes and sizes throughout the years.

My son worked at the World Trade Center in New York City in 2001 and narrowly escaped the tragedy on September 11, Stewart noted. He was running late and missed the last train in to work that morning. His co-workers and friends called him as the event took place. I still cant believe it and Im so thankful that he was running behind that day.

Stewart said among her many blessings is definitely the opportunity to work at FGLA and to serve the communities of Wagoner and Fort Gibson Lake.

This has always been a labor of love, Stewart said. My heart has always been here at this intersection of Highway 51 and Highway 69 and I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to pour out my efforts and my heart for these communities over the years.

We promised Wagoner that we would have a park here again and now we have a pavilion with benches and music and a great place for people to visit and to find happiness, she added.

The FGLA pavilion was dedicated in a public ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 24. The celebration included the dedication of a new American flag by members of Wagoner Boy Scout Troop 637. Wagoner Public School students sang the National Anthem.

This pavilion is a place for picnics, birthday parties, walking your dogs or, if you want, to just relax and enjoy a cool breeze, read a book or play cards, Stewart said at the dedication.

Future plans call for landscaping in the coming year and the addition of clean-up stations for pets who are walked in the area.
In a decision that could affect at least 1,000 pending cases, the state Supreme Court has upheld a lower court ruling that overturned the revocation of an Edmond mans drivers license linked to his driving-under-the-influence arrest.

The ruling was the latest in a series of court decisions that have found rules governing the administration of DUI breath tests were improperly adopted by a state board.

This will affect any case on appeal for drivers license revocations at this point, said attorney Bruce Edge, whose law firm handled Eric Samples challenge of his DUI arrest in Edmond.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court, in a 7-2 decision issued Monday, denied a motion by the state Department of Public Safety to review the lower court decision, effectively deciding the case in favor of Sample.

This effectively will invalidate all current drivers license issues involving breath tests, Edge said. The breath test is not valid, and they will not be able to suspend the drivers license because of the breath tests.

The challenge dealt with how the state approved rules governing the use of two pieces of equipment utilized in the breath test procedures: a canister containing a gaseous mixture and a mouthpiece the subject uses to blow into the testing device.

The Monday ruling deals with a Court of Civil Appeals finding in January that upheld a district court decision. The district court found that the state Board of Tests for Alcohol and Drug Influence, which oversees the breath testing process, improperly approved rules governing the use of the gas cylinders. The rule should have been approved through the state Administrative Procedures Act, a process that requires approval by the state Legislature and governor, rather than by resolution by the Board of Tests.

The appellate court also upheld a district court ruling that found that the director of the Board of Tests had no authority to approve certain mouthpieces utilized in the breath test procedure.

Contacted about the ruling, Stephen Krise, general counsel for DPS, said the agency was frustrated with the courts desire to focus on technicalities and losing sight of the big picture.

The agency will still be able to rely on other evidence to revoke licenses at the administrative level, Krise said. But he was uncertain about the fate of cases that have been or will be appealed to district court.

The court decision will likely have the same effect on a number of pending cases; I just dont know how many yet, Krise said. Were just going to have to take them one at a time and deal with the results as they come in.

He estimated that about 1,000 cases have been put on hold at the district court level pending a decision by the state Supreme Court.

The agency handled about 3,000 license revocations last year, and the number varies from year to year, Krise said.

Kevin Behrens, director of the Board of Tests, said the agency was disappointed with the court decision.

I felt like the arguments we made in the friend-of-the-court brief were valid and strong arguments, Behrens said.

The board was not a party in the lawsuit, but it filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of the existing testing protocol.

Behrens said while he could not address how the decision would impact existing appeals, he maintained it would not affect future DUI enforcement efforts.

The breath test is not required for a DUI arrest or a DUI prosecution, so its not open season on driving drunk, Behrens said. Law enforcement officers will still be making DUI arrests.

The court did not find, and there was no allegation, that the breath test was faulty or unreliable, Behrens said. The instruments are very reliable and they are sound.

Behrens said the board would meet in the near future and promulgate some rules that will effectively do what the rules already do except in a way the court will accept.

Behrens said the board would likely approve a new set of emergency rules regarding the gas canisters and mouthpieces until it can come back and approve rules that go through the regular administrative process that includes the state Legislature and governor.

Edge said the Monday ruling did not address the criminal side of the DUI arrest process.

I think it will exclude the criminal part, but it is not as clear at this point, Edge said.
Turkish forces hit dozens of Daesh targets as part of its ongoing Operation Euphrates Shield in northern Syria, military sources said on Tuesday.

A Turkish General Staff statement said 30 Daesh targets had been hit with 57 artillery rounds.

Turkish airstrikes also destroyed Daesh elements at four buildings being used by the terrorist group as a command post and weapons dump in Tal-ar, Amiriyah, and El Eyyubiyah cities, the statement added.

Three Turkish army personnel were slightly wounded in a drone attack in the Wukuf region of Syria, the statement also said.

"The injured were taken to a hospital across the border in Turkey's southern Kilis province," an Anadolu Agency correspondent reported.

A total of 1,337 detected targets have been hit since the beginning of Operation Euphrates Shield, the military added.

Tuesday marked the 35th day of Operation Euphrates Shield, which began last month and saw the Free Syrian Army, backed by the Turkish military, take control of the city of Jarabulus from Daesh.

Turkey has said the operation is aimed at bolstering border security, supporting coalition forces and eliminating the threat posed by terror organizations, especially Daesh.

Anadolu Agency
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has reminded the U.S. over its pledge to push the YPG to the east of Euphrates, noting that more than 200 members of the armed wing of the terrorist PYD/PKK group remain in Manbij in northern Syria.

Speaking at a joint press conference with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson in Ankara on Tuesday, Cavusoglu said: "When our ally, the United States told us that some YPG elements need to be included in the Manbij offensive for logistical purposes, we told them this is a flawed policy.

"But then we agreed to that on one condition: YPG members would retreat beyond [to the east of] the River Euphrates as soon as the operation is over," he said.

However, he noted that the YPG continued to have a presence in Manbij and reminded the U.S. about its pledge to push back the armed wing of PYD/PKK.

"Mr. Biden and Mr. Kerry have pledged. They cannot send them back now, they cannot make the YPG do what they say. More than 200 YPG members are still in Manbij."

The foreign minister also said it would be a "huge mistake" to move the YPG to Raqqa, considered the epicenter of Daesh, given the fact that the U.S. could not now make the group retreat from Manbij.

YPG is the armed wing of the PYD, which Turkey considers to be the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terrorist group.

Operation Euphrates Shield began last month and saw Free Syrian Army fighters, backed by the Turkish military, take control of Jarabulus in northern Syria from Daesh.

Syrian opposition forces recently took control of the Tal-ar district in the town of Cobanbey in the northwestern Aleppo province, which had been occupied by Daesh militants.

Turkey has said the operation aims to bolster border security, supporting coalition forces and eliminating the threat posed by terror organizations, especially Daesh.

The operation is in line with the countrys right to self-defense borne out of international treaties and a mandate given to Turkeys armed forces by its parliament in 2014, which was extended for another year in September 2015.

'Leaving EU but not Europe'

Speaking during a joint press conference with Cavusoglu, Boris Johnson said he hopes for a "jumbo" free trade deal between the UK and Turkey.

"We are leaving the EU, but we are not leaving Europe," said Johnson.

UK's Foreign Secretary also highlighted Turkey's "heroic" efforts to manage the refugee crisis and said that "the most important thing now is that there should be a ceasefire" in Aleppo, Syria.

"Most people I think in the world know that the overwhelming responsibility of what is happening, the carnage that [is] being suffered by the people in Aleppo lies with the Assad regime and their supporters, puppeteers in Russia and in Iran," Johnson said.

Johnson paid a visit to a container city, which houses Syrian refugees in Turkey's southeastern Gaziantep province.

During his press conference with Turkey's EU Minister Omer Celik in Ankara on Monday, Johnson praised the Turkish nation's stand for democracy against the defeated July 15 coup, which left 240 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

He said the people of Turkey had "not allowed their democracy to be destroyed" by the coup plotters.

Johnson, during that interview, praised Turkish goods and mentioned that he is a "proud possessor of a beautiful, very well-functioning Turkish washing machine," like so many other people in the UK.

After his meeting with Cavusoglu, Johnson was received by Prime Minister Binali Yildirim.

According to Prime Ministry sources, Johnson and Yildirim discussed the July 15 defeated coup, the fight against terrorism, Syria and Iraq.

The UK Foreign Secretary was later received by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a meeting, which lasted for 50 minutes and was closed to the press.

Johnson started his Tuesday visits with Anitkabir, the mausoleum of modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

"It is a great privilege to return to the land of my fathers and to pay tribute to the founder of a modern, free and democratic Turkey; and to see how his vision is being fulfilled as Turkey takes its place as one of the great nations of the world," he wrote to Anitkabir memorial.

A village named Kalfat in Turkey's Central Anatolian province of Cankiri is known to be the ancestral homeland of Boris Johnson's paternal great-grandfather Ali Kemal.

Anadolu Agency
Turkish police on Tuesday saved three teenage girls abducted by the PKK terrorist group in the eastern province of Van, a security source said.

The teenagers, aged between 16 and 18, were rescued during an anti-PKK operation launched when the girls were taken to a mountainous area to be recruited into the group, the source -- who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media -- added.

As part of an investigation carried out by the provincial public prosecutors office, anti-terror police started an operation to save the girls. After the teenagers testimonies were taken at a local court, they were released and returned home.

One of the teenagers made a complaint against the person who allegedly tried to recruit them into the PKK.

One of the girls said they made communication with someone identified at the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP)s office in Vans Ercis district. The girl said one individual identified only as V.A. led them into trying to join the PKK.

In her testimony, seen by Anadolu Agency, she said: When I and my friend discussed the issue, she said she was going to the HDP office.

I didnt know she was involved in the party. My friend talked to a man. Then we went out and walked through. She wasnt in a good mood. When I asked what happened, she told me: She is going to join the PKK.

I was not aware of her thinking to go to the mountains. I told her: We should continue our education and you shouldnt go.

In the evening, while texting, she wrote to me: She is going to leave. I texted her: I will not leave you; I will come along with you.

Then she contacted the person she met at the HDP office. On the way, someone else also got in the car.

During the operation two people suspected of recruiting children were detained by the police; the investigation is ongoing.

Anadolu Agency
Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik has called for further enhancement of defense ties between Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Speaking to reporters in the capital Baku following his meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Zahir Hasanov, Isik said: We have good cooperation, but it is still under its true potential. Many more steps are needed. We have to cooperate more to counter the threats our sister country faces.

The Turkish minister also attended the opening ceremony of the International Defense Industry Fair (ADEX 2016) along with his counterparts from Azerbaijan, Djibouti, Serbia, Belarus and United Arab Emirates.

Isik said the fair would help to boost cooperation between Turkish and Azerbaijani firms.

The ADEX 2016, which will run until Sept. 30, is hosting 216 defense companies from 34 countries. Turkey is participating with 42 companies.

Anadolu Agency
Turkeys Minister for EU Affairs Omer Celik has slammed EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn for welcoming the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chairman, Selahattin Demirtas, in Brussels.

In a series of posts made on his official Twitter account late Tuesday, Celik criticized Hahns remarks about the HDPs role in Turkeys politics.

One cannot help but wonder who are the actors that should distance themselves from violence in Turkey, he tweeted.

He asked whether the EU commission considered the Turkish state, which was carrying out a legitimate fight against the PKK, as an equal to the bloody terrorist organization.

While EU considers PKK a terrorist organization, HDP rejects to do so. Then we sincerely wonder how HDP will play a key role? he tweeted.

If we apply same logic to fight against Daesh, then coalition countries and Daesh should be considered [as] equal actors, he added.

Earlier, following his meeting with Demirtas Tuesday, Hahn tweeted: Political solution of #Kurdish issue as crucial as ever. #HDP role key. All actors must distance themselves from any kind of violence.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU and resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015.

Since then, PKK terrorist attacks martyred more than 600 security personnel and also claimed the lives of many civilians, including women and children, while more than 7,000 PKK terrorists have been killed in army operations.

Anadolu Agency
Pakistan on Tuesday warned it would not desist from using its nuclear arsenal in case of war with longtime rival India.

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told local Express TV channel: Pakistan has not developed these [nuclear] weapons to showcase. They are meant for our defense.

I want to make it clear that Pakistan will go out and spare no option if Indian forces enter our territorial borders.

His remarks came amid heightened tensions between the two nuclear neighbors after a brazen militant attack on an Indian army headquarters in the disputed Kashmir region for which New Delhi blames Islamabad.

Pakistan denies the charge.

Pakistan is fully prepared to counter any aggression from India in any form, Asif added.

According to international monitors' estimates, Pakistan and India possess around 100-110 and 80-100 nuclear warheads respectively.

The two arch rivals -- locked in a string of land and sea disputes -- have already fought three fully-fledged wars, two of them over Kashmir, since 1947. The disputed Kashmir region is divided between the two countries which both claim it in full.

Anadolu Agency
The CEO of Ramps Logistics says he is "really really disappointed" with the Guyana Revenue A
Andrew Backwell has resigned as Managing Director Programming and Production at Nine, to depart at the end of October.

In a statement Nine says he will pursue new career opportunities with his responsibilities to be assumed by a number of existing Nine executives.

Hugh Marks, CEO Nine Network said: Andrew has been a valued member of Nines programming team and a key contributor to ratings growth over his 14 years with the business. I am grateful for his unwavering commitment to Nine and his drive to innovate our business model. I wish him every success for his future endeavours.

Andrew Backwell said: It has been an absolute privilege to run programming and production at the Nine Network for so long. Ive also had the opportunity to work with some incredible CEOs during this period including David Gyngell, Jeffrey Browne and Hugh Marks and I sincerely wish the company all the very best.

Michael Healy, Director of Television said: I would like to thank Andrew for his contribution to the programming department over the past decade.

Andrew Backwell became Director of Programming and Production in 2010 when Michael Healy was appointed Director of TV.

He was previously Director of Production and Development and joined Nine following earlier roles at Seven.
New laws concerning drones come into effect today, which will impact use by media.

Certified operators cannot fly drones within 15m of people, which rules out close-up shots and detailed media footage of public events. Hobbyists cant fly within 30m of another person.

From today if you are flying for economic gain you need to have an RPA operators certificate (ReOC), or if youre flying an RPA weighing less than two kilograms, you must contact the Civil Aviation Safety Authority five days in advance. Costs for an RPA (remotely piloted aircraft) operators certificate total around $6400.

A new rule bans flying a drone where emergency operations are under way or where public safety is an issue, such as a car crash scene, a police operation, search and rescues, and fires. Some drone pilots in the past have sought to take footage of police operations to sell to television stations.

The new rules vary depending on the use and weight of the drone.

Source: The Australian, CASA
SBS has rejected allegations by former Struggle Street participants were encouraged into drug-taking during filming.

Two participants told news.com.au they were high on ice during filming after buying methamphetamines with welfare money freed up when SBS paid for their food and phones.

Ice is bad s**t man, Bob Quinn said, that time [filmed on Struggle Street] when I wouldnt come to the door, I was pretty out of it that day.

You were smashed, Billie Jo Wilkie said. SBS gave us a card to put Maccas on and our phones and that so, yeah, we were buying ice.

It was disgusting. We were given money and taken out to do drug deals. They [SBS] took us out to get on.

It was s**t.

In a statement an SBS spokesperson said: Struggle Street is a challenging but important observational documentary series which allows individuals and communities the opportunity to share their stories. The first series was broadly acknowledged as having a significant impact on the national conversation about social disadvantage, and the support needed to address the complex issues of poverty and hardship in Australia today.

Struggle Street was made with rigorous documentary production protocols and standards, and we continue to stand by the integrity of the series. As with all productions, duty of care to participants is paramount, and clear and informed consent obtained. Any claims that SBS was involved in alleged criminal activity are absolutely untrue.

Billie Jo was also sentenced to 13 months prison for driving offences shortly after promos for the show began.

I copped it in jail. Theyd yell out Hey Struggle Street, there goes Struggle Street, she has since said.

Released 3 months ago she claimed, We were tricked into doing it by SBS because they told us it was a documentary and then we have been bullied and degraded on air.

Now were attacked online and just walking down the street everyone knows us.

It doesnt matter where we go, everyone knows us. I hate the attention all the time.

Meanwhile the second season has reportedly been filming in Inala, Queensland, despite filming permits being rejected by council. However it can still film on private property.

Film crews were spotted outside the suburbs Centrelink office on Tuesday and in other locations earlier.

An SBS spokesperson said: 2.5 million Australians live below the poverty line and Struggle Street is giving people the opportunity to share their stories of hardship with all Australians. Greater understanding of the difficulties faced by many people can help contribute to improving outcomes on issues of social and economic disadvantage. Its disappointing that some critics are going to great lengths to discourage those voices from being heard.
Prodded by reporters regarding inquiries into alleged wrongdoing by his campaign team and its allies, Gov. Scott Walker last week made statements that can be interpreted as threats to prosecutors who might investigate that wrongdoing.
Part III: Sharing Hope

Editor's note: This is three of a three-part series about the obstacles U.S. Air Force Maj. Lukiah Mulumba and her family has faced with sickle-cell disease and how the Air Force helped her persevere.



After beating incredible odds, the Mulumba family, with renewed hope and desire to help others like themselves, decided they would find a way to support other Ugandans suffering from Sickle-cell disease.



Lukiah reached out to the state of Texas for guidance on establishing a fund, and with guidance from the federal government, the Uganda-American Sickle-Cell Fund was established.



Lukiah would launch a massive fund raising campaign to begin her battle against SCD.



After Carol was cured, I remembered how I felt and how I was mistreated in the community before, she said. It made me want to change the way people think about this disease.



The fund collected enough money to provide for emergency transportation to hospitals, sickle-cell screening kits and eventually, with the help of the Ugandan government, a clinic. The Ugandan Vice President Edward Ssekandi attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the clinic in Kampala, the largest city and the capital of Uganda.



Lukiah would eventually become known as Lucky, and her cause would rally the support of the highest Ugandan public offices.



Prompting action from the Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business Ruhakana Rugunda and former Minister of Health Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye, a massive sickle-cell screening effort for all Ugandans and the promise of change in education curriculums led to increased awareness of the disease in Uganda.



I didnt want the children in my homeland to die. People did not believe Carol was able to recover from sickle-cell, but it was giving people hope, she said. I didnt think this was a big deal. I was just being me. I didnt know how this was going to catch fire. Its much bigger than me.



The impact of the Mulumbas story has touched the daily lives of Ugandans suffering from Sickle-cell in East Africa.



The voice of Uganda has changed, Lukiah said. Sickle-cell was not talked about, but now there is change. The government is involved with sickle-cell education, and there are efforts to make a sickle-cell treatment hospital.



Lukiah recently returned from a sickle-cell conference in Uganda and is preparing for another in Boston.



In the military, we have a demanding job, Lukiah said. We have to represent the Air Force, but it doesnt mean you wont have bad things like this happen to you. Reach out for support. You cant hide the pain. You have to find something to believe in and you have to take action. The ball is in your court, you have to take it.


Defense attorneys for James Eaton, a Chicago-area man accused of killing Illinois runaway Amber Creek in 1997 and dumping her body in rural Racine County, will be allowed to present evidence they claim points to another suspect in the cold-case homicide.

Racine County Circuit Judge Eugene Gasiorkiewicz ruled Tuesday that evidence presented by the attorneys met the requirements of the Denny rule, a legal standard used by Wisconsin courts to determine whether a defendant can offer evidence that could implicate someone else for a crime.

The court does not believe this issue of the potential of a third party being either complicit in or involved in the strangulation death of Ms. (Amber) Creek is so peripheral to the issue in the case that it should not be allowed, Gasiorkiewicz said. The court will allow the third party evidence (in the upcoming jury trial).

Motion

Eaton, who is accused of killing 14-year-old Creek and leaving her beaten and sexually assaulted body in the Karcher Wildlife Area in the Town of Burlington, was arrested in April 2014 by Racine County sheriffs deputies. The arrest was reportedly made after DNA from cigarette butts he discarded were tested and found to match DNA from semen found on the teens body. The cigarette butt DNA was collected after new fingerprint comparison technology reportedly linked Eaton to fingerprints found on the bag covering Creeks head.

While that fingerprint and DNA evidence might implicate Eaton in Creeks death, his defense attorneys argued in a motion filed earlier this month that other evidence, including DNA evidence, points to a man with whom Creek reportedly had a sexual relationship.

According to the motion, the one-time suspect in the murder was questioned by police in 1997 and 2015, and in both interviews admitted to knowing Creek for about a year and a half prior to her death.

Choking and DNA

The man reportedly told police that he considered Creek a good friend, and stated that he had sex with the teen more than 10 times. The man also allegedly admitted to an officer in 1998 that he engaged in choking acts during sexual contact with Creek.

These choking acts are consistent with the cause of death and provide a reason for the abrasions around (Ambers) neck, Eatons attorneys, Katie Gutowski and Margaret Johnson, state in the motion.

Whats more, the attorneys note, is that the one-time suspect was found to be a contributor to the DNA mixture located on the victims underwear by the Wisconsin State Crime Lab. His DNA was also located at the crime scene, the motion states.

Creek died from asphyxiation after allegedly being choked and suffocated with a plastic bag, according to investigators. She also reportedly suffered blunt-force facial trauma and pattern cutting injuries on her face.

Timing

Assistant District Attorney Robert Repischak argued Tuesday that there was nothing to indicate when the other suspects DNA evidence may have been left on the victims underpants.

Gasiorkiewicz agreed that there was no way to know when Creek last wore the underpants, but he noted that the underpants were found on the girls deceased body.

All of these are close calls and the court concedes that, Gasiorkiewicz noted earlier of the arguments.

Eaton is charged with first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse in connection with the slaying. His jury trial is slated to begin on Nov. 28.

Eaton and Creek are both from Palatine, Ill., a northwest suburb of Chicago.

He remains in Racine County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
Russian-backed militants launched 35 attacks on the Ukrainian positions in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) in eastern Ukraine over the past day.

The ATO press center posted this on Facebook.

Six ceasefire violations were recorded in Luhansk direction. Terrorists shelled Novooleksandrivka, Novozvanivka and Stanitsa Luhanska using grenade launchers and small arms.

In Mariupol direction, 22 ceasefire violations were recorded. Militants used small arms, grenade launchers and mortars to shell Marinka, Vodiane, Shyrokyno, Talakovka, and Pavlopil. In addition, sniper activity was recorded in Shyrokyno, and infantry fighting vehicles were used to shell Talakovka.

In Donetsk direction, terrorists violated ceasefire 6 times. Militants used 82-mm and 120-mm mortars, small arms, machine guns and mortars to shell Avdiivka. Also, in Avdiivka sniper fire was recorded.

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Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman says that the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) plays a significant role in carrying out reforms in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian prime minister said this on Tuesday at a meeting with the UWC leadership, during which a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed.

He stressed that economically Ukraine "is a potentially powerful country" and that's why now it is necessary to join efforts for implementing economic reforms and strengthening democracy.

"The support from Ukrainians abroad is extremely important. We're counting on further support from the Ukrainian World Congress for achieving a common goal - development of Ukraine, the prime minister said.

He also reminded that the Investment Support Office would be created soon in Ukraine with the UWC's assistance. According to Groysman, this is a very serious tool to protect investments, make them efficient, improve and protect investment climate.

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President of the European Council Donald Tusk will arrive in Ukraine on a two-day visit.

This has been reported by the press service of the EU Delegation to Ukraine.

"President of the European Council Donald Tusk pays a visit to Kyiv at the invitation of the Government of Ukraine," reads a statement.

It is planned that on Thursday, September 29, Tusk will meet with President Petro Poroshenko and Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman.

"The leaders will discuss the relationship between the EU and Ukraine, including the issue of visa liberalization process, compliance with the Minsk agreements and agenda for reforms in Ukraine," reads a statement.

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Don't tell me it can't happen again: Babi Yar 75 years on

All Yids of the city of Kyiv and its vicinity must appear on Monday, September 29, by 8 oclock in the morning at the corner of Melnikova and Dorohozhytska streets (near the Viiskove cemetery). Bring documents, money and valuables, and also warm clothing, linen, etc. Any Yids who do not follow this order and are found elsewhere will be shot. Any civilians who enter the dwellings left by Yids and appropriate the things in them will be shot.

This order was posted in Kyiv, 75 years ago, on or around 26 September 1941, just one week after Nazi forces occupied the city.

The Jewish population had been led by the occupiers to believe that they were to be resettled, the deception being so successful that even the Germans were surprised by the response. Underestimating the size of the Jewish population, and expecting 5-6000 people, they were met by over 30,000.

The Jews were stripped of their posessions and marched to the deep ravine at Babi Yar where they were systematically murdered by machine guns. Such was the crush that there was little chance of escape. Over two days 33,771 men, women, and children were to die, many having been buried alive. Only 29 were to survive.

In the Summer of 2015 I visited Babi Yar for the first time: the feelings of horror I experienced as I looked down into the ravine were overwhelming - this is a place where the unthinkable actually happened.

We like to reassure ourselves that it can never happen again. But it can happen, and signs are that it is happening.

The rise of the far-right in Europe is gathering pace. The facists are using fears of immigration, linking migrants to economic downturn, rising unemployment, and social change, in order to fan the flames of discontent. These are the politics of fear, of hatred, of violence, and this is precisely how the Nazis did it. Precisely.

Recently in England a young Polish man was beaten to death in the streets for nothing other than that he was speaking Polish in public. This is the legacy of the far-rights Brexit campaign, an otherwise legitimate campaign that was hijacked in much the same way that the eurosceptic cause in France has been taken over by the far-right Front Nationale, a party with a history of anti-semitism and Holocaust denial.

And so it goes in the Netherlands, and Germany, and Austria, and Switzerland, and Hungary, and Sweden, and Greece.....

That the far-right parties are being backed, and in many cases funded, by the Kremlin should ring alarm bells.

In 1944, on the orders of the Kremlin, more than 230,000 Tatars were deported from Crimea. More than 100,000 were to perish.

When Vladimir Putin invaded and ilegally annexed Crimea in 2014, he became the first leader to carry out such an act against another European country since Adolf Hitler.

Now the Tatars are again being targeted. Parliament closed, villages demolished, Tatar language media shut down, families seperated, and prominent members of the community have simply disappeared.

As in Georgia, which Russia invaded in 2008, and in Eastern Ukraine now, it is ethnic differences that form the basis for policy and action.

Now Putins forces are massing not just on the border with Ukraine, but also on the Finnish and Baltic state borders.

So please dont tell me that it cannot happen again.
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A cloudy, cool and possibly wet Wednesday will give way to a nice Thursday for south-central Wisconsin, according to forecasters

The area is predicted to see seasonable weather over the next week, with highs in the 60s to low 70s and occasional chances for showers.

The lack of heavy rain in the forecast is welcome for areas hit by torrential rain last week and ensuing flooding.

The National Weather Service said a flood warning continues for the Baraboo River at Rock Springs and near Baraboo in Sauk County. At 4:15 a.m. Wednesday, the river was at 19.9 feet, well above the flood stage of 16 feet, and is expected to fall below flood stage by late Friday morning. The level is the 20 percent chance level, meaning that there is a 20 percent chance in any given year of the river reaching this level.

In Madison on Wednesday, theres a 40 percent chance for showers, mainly between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., with cloudy skies, a high near 61 and north winds at 5 to 10 miles per hour.

After an overnight low around 50, Thursday should be sunny, with a high near 69 and northeast winds at 10 to 15 mph.

After a low overnight Thursday into Friday around 53, Friday features a 20 percent chance for showers after 1 p.m., with mostly cloudy skies, a high near 66 and northeast winds at 10 to 15 mph.

The Weather Service said chances for showers are 30 percent Friday night, 50 percent Saturday, 20 percent Saturday night and again Tuesday.

Skies over Madison should be cloudy Saturday, partly sunny Sunday, mostly sunny Monday, and partly sunny Tuesday, with highs near 65, 68, 69 and 72, and lows Friday night through Monday night around 54, 53, 52 and 54.

27 Storm Track meteorologist Branden Borremans forecasts a spotty light shower early Wednesday and a few more this afternoon, a few light showers Friday, a few spotty light showers Saturday, and showers and thunderstorms late Wednesday.

Borremans said skies over Madison should be mostly cloudy Wednesday, mostly to partly sunny Thursday, mostly cloudy Friday and Saturday, cloudy to partly sunny Sunday, partly sunny Monday and Tuesday, and partly sunny to mostly cloudy next Wednesday, with highs near 61, 68, 65, 65, 66, 69, 74 and 75, and overnight lows around 50, 54, 54, 51, 48, 50, 58 and 59.

Tuesdays high in Madison was 61 at 2:24 p.m., 6 degrees below the normal high and 26 degrees below the record high of 87 for Sept. 27, set in 1954.

Tuesdays low in Madison was 48 at 11:59 p.m., 3 degrees above the normal low and 21 degrees above the record low of 27 for Sept. 27, set in 1991.

Officially, 0.05 inches of precipitation was recorded at the Dane County Regional Airport on Tuesday, boosting Madisons September and meteorological fall (September through November) precipitation total (rain plus snow converted to liquid) to 8.27 inches, 5.4 inches above normal. The 2016 total rose to 36.51 inches, 8.82 inches above normal.

Madisons record precipitation for Sept. 27 is 1.57 inches in 1902.
68 dead after suspension bridge collapses in Gujarat's Morbi 31 Oct 2022 | 12:59 AM Ahmedabad, Oct 30 (UNI) At least 68 people were killed and several others injured after a cable bridge collapsed in Gujarat's Morbi on Sunday evening, official sources said. see more..

Anjangaon blast toll rises to 11 31 Oct 2022 | 12:31 AM Khargone (MP), Oct 30 (UNI) The toll has risen to 11 vis-a-vis Wednesdays fuel tanker explosion at Anjangaon in this districts Bistan Police Station limits, it was officially learnt. see more..

Highly decomposed body of an unidentified woman found near Jayanti mata temple 30 Oct 2022 | 11:47 PM Kangra, Oct 30 (UNI) A highly decomposed body of an unidentified woman was recovered in the forest near Jayanti mata temple at Old Kangra on Sunday, police said here today. see more..

Rising Star Corps Cycling Expedition flagged off from Atal Tunnel 30 Oct 2022 | 11:46 PM Dharamshala, Oct 30 (UNI) Rising Star Corps Cycling Expedition flagged off from North Portal, Atal Tunnel (Lahaul Spiti) H.P by CO Transit Camp Palchan and DC Mr Rohit. see more..
Bulgaria nominates EU Commissioner Georgieva to run for UN Chief

SOFIA, Sep 28 (Reuters) The Bulgarian government today nominated European Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva to stand for the United Nations Secretary-General post after another candidate, Irina Bokova, dropped in the ranking in the fifth UN Security Council secret ballot.

The nomination of Georgieva, a powerful deputy president of the European Commission responsible for the bloc's budget, increases the chances of Bulgarian taking over at the head of the global organisation, Prime Minister Boiko Borisov told a government meeting.

"We consider that this will be a more successful nomination," Borisov told his ministers.
Cabinet approves India-Singapore MoU to give boost to innovation, technological advancement

New Delhi, Sep 28 (UNI) The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its nod to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field of Industrial Property Cooperation between Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), which will be signed at the upcoming visit of Singapores Prime Minister to India beginning on October 4.

The MoU will enhance bilateral cooperation activities in the arena of Industrial Property Rights of Patents, Trademarks and Industrial Designs. It is intended to give a boost to innovation, creativity and technological advancement in both regions.

The priority initiatives under the MoU include exchange of best practices, experiences and knowledge on Intellectual Property awareness among the public, businesses and educational institutions of both countries, exchange of experts specialised in the field of intellectual property and dissemination of best practices, experiences and knowledge on IP with the industry, universities, R & D organisations and Small and Medium Enterprises. It further seeks cooperation in the development of automation and implementation of modernisation projects as well as partnership in IP-related training for local IP and business communities, Cabinet spokesperson and Human Resource Development minister Prakash Javadekar, briefing the press, said.
Nepal urges conducive environment for participation of all member states in SAARC Summit

New Delhi/Kathmandu, Sep 28 (UNI) Nepal government has urged for a conducive environment to ensure the participation of all members in the 19th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, after it had received communications from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and India informing their decision to not participate in the summit scheduled to be held in Islamabad in November. Nepal's ministry of foreign affairs released a press release tonight saying that, "as the current chair of SAARC, Nepal strongly urges that a conducive environment be created soon to ensure the participation of all member states in the 19th SAARC summit in line with the spirit of the SAARC charter." The press release also adds that the government of Nepal has received communications from the SAARC Secretariat transmitting the diplomatic notes from four SAARC member states namely, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and India in which they have conveyed their inability to participate in the 19th SAARC Summit scheduled for November 9 and 10, 2016 in Islamabad stating that current regional environment is not conducive to the successful holding of the Summit. In a high-level meeting called by Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda in Kathmandu, it has been decided that an attempt will be made to reach out to other countries to ensure that the SAARC project can be salvaged. "As per SAARC rules the summit will not be held if any member-country refused to attend," Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said. UNI SDR 0049
A semi that went off Highway 11 and overturned in Green County closed the road for over nine hours Tuesday, as crews worked at the scene.

The crash was reported at about 11:55 a.m. and the highway didn't reopen until about 9:30 p.m., the Sheriff's Office said.

It happened at Highway 11 and Cadiz Springs Road in the town of Cadiz.

Jeffrey Girard, 32, of Elk Point, S.D., was driving the semi east on Highway 11 when he looked away from the road to pick up a drink. The semi went off the road into the ditch and kept going.

"It crossed Cadiz Springs Road, struck a stop sign, posts and a road sign before hitting an embankment, causing the semi to overturn onto its side," said Sgt. Robert Werren.

Girard was not injured. He was cited for inattentive driving.

Traffic was diverted off of Highway 11 so crews could work at the scene to right the heavily damaged rig after emptying the trailer of its contents.
Rahul Gandhi should see the corruption charges on his brother-in-law and not me: Gayatri

Amethi, Sep 28(UNI)Criticising Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for terming him corrupt, Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati has said that before charging him of being corrupt, the Congress leader should say about corruption charges made against his brother-in-law Robert Vadra.

" Rahul Gandhi terms me as corrupt but what will he say about his brother-in-law Robert Vadra. Rahul never cared for the people of Amethi and he should be thankful to Samajwadi Party as it helped him to reach the Parliament this time," Prajapati said here yesterday.

Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, MLA from Amethi assembly segment, was re-inducted in the state cabinet on Monday and he was given a rousing welcome last evening on his visit.
India becomes one of biggest country to generate electricity from solar energy: Modi 30 Oct 2022 | 1:26 PM New Delhi Oct 30 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said India has become one of the biggest countries to generate electricity from solar energy and the whole world is looking at solar energy as the future. see more..

India to give $500,000 to combat terror 29 Oct 2022 | 11:44 AM New Delhi, Oct 29 (UNI) India will make a voluntary contribution of half a million US dollars in the UN Trust Fund for Counter Terrorism this year, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar announced here on Saturday. see more..

Delhi govt approves auto, taxi fares hike 28 Oct 2022 | 10:52 PM New Delhi, Oct 28 (UNI) The auto and Taxi fares in Delhi will soon go up as the Delhi government approved the revised fares. New fares will be notified soon. see more..

Delhi Court to hear Satyendar Jain's bail plea on Nov 5 28 Oct 2022 | 4:55 PM New Delhi, Oct 28 (UNI) A Special Court here fixed as November 5 for hearing further arguments in the bail application of Delhi's Health Minister Satyendar Jain, who is arrested under the provisions of Prevention Money Laundering Act. see more..
A 28-year-old Madison man was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison Tuesday for money laundering and conspiracy to distribute marijuana in a scheme that involved shipping marijuana from the state of Oregon to other parts of the country, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Wednesday.

Kyle Lux pleaded guilty to the charges in July, and five other defendants in the conspiracy, who have also pleaded guilty, are to be sentenced in November and December, the Attorney's Office said. The operation involved shipping more than 700 pounds of marijuana to Wisconsin and other states from Oregon, which resulted in more than $2.5 million being laundered at banks in Wisconsin and other states, the Attorney's Office said.

The other men involved in the conspiracy include Stevenson Tran, 24, Loc Bui, 42, Quan Tran, 36, Peter Nguyen, 35, all of Portland, Oregon, and Thay Kah Danh, 34, of Madison, according to the Attorney's Office.

The arrests happened as a result of an investigation involving the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the state Department of Justice and state Division of Criminal Investigation, among other agencies, the Attorney's Office said.
Yahoo users closed theire accounts as they fear the hack attack. US Senator Mark Warner asked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate Yahoo hacking attack.

It seems Yahoo is facing a major problem. Due to a hack attack, it has created fears among Yahoo users, thus, made them decide to close their Yahoo accounts on Sept. 23.

On Sept. 22, the tech giant, Yahoo, disclosed that hackers had stolen the encrypted passwords and even personal details of more than 500 million Yahoo accounts in 2014. After learning the announcement of Yahoo, thousands of users took to social media to express anger over the announcement, The Star reported.

As the fears continue growing because of Yahoo disclosure on hacking, US senators demanded the tech giant to give more details of who knew what and when about a huge data breach happened in 2014.

A letter to the executive officer of Yahoo, Marissa Mayer, said that six Democratic senators addressed their opinion that the hack attack that affects 500 million user accounts was "unacceptable," BBC reported. The letter came after another Democratic Senator Mark Warner asked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate Yahoo on Monday, Sept. 26.

The hacking incident happened in 2014 has been reported last week. This is the reason why many users expressed their angst on social media.

According to the six senators, Patrick Leahy, Ron Wyden, Al Franken, Elizabeth Warren, Richard Blumenthal, and Edward Markey, they were disturbed why the incident only revealed after two years. This is the reason why they said that it is acceptable.

"That means millions of Americans' data may have been compromised for two years," the senators wrote in their letter.

Yahoo agreed a deal in July for Verizon to buy its core business. At that time, the giant tech is already facing class actions lawsuits.
Apple's all new iOS launch seems to gain a weaker security system on iPhone, potentially permitting other unauthorized entity to gain access with password backups, data and the likes.

Russian firm named Elcomsoft has built a tool that could necessarily get pass into the security system of iPhone, became knowledgeable about its weaknesses the moment that the updates on the phone's breaker tool has been declining. Elcomsoft has discovered that iOS 10 update uses a password verification mechanism that doesn't necessarily touch some of the security checks, making it weaker, The Verge reported.

The attack centers on the backups that protects passwords available in the iOS 10. If an attacker is able to acquire one of the files that are backed up without necessarily having a password, Elcomsoft's fresh offensive tactics would be able to crack the password encryption for about 2500 times faster in contrast with the other Apple operating systems in the past.

It seems that the vulnerability of the iTunes backups appears to be coming from a weak link in security to the iPhone, however just for the iOS 10 users. Elcomsoft have capitalized on the idea that the breaking and cracking process is more difficult on a physical phone or on an iCloud however the back up stored in a Mac or PC is much easier and allows some access. Devices ran by the iOS 10 could produce an offline backup when forced in an iPhone or iPad and accessing this backup is much easier for Elcomsoft, Computer World reported.

As of the moment, Apple is currently aware of the glitch in the system and is working on a solution to resolve this issue. Fortunately, the newest update of the company's operating system will provide a much stronger security system that will soon be available for iPhone and iPad users. Moreover, this glitch do not necessarily include iCloud storage hence, once data is backed up using this platform, it is still safe
The 2016 Presidential Debate saw Republican presidential aspirant Donald Trump face off with the Democratic party's candidate, Hillary Clinton. They discussed several issues that the American people are concerned about.

BuzzFeed did a 2016 Presidential Debate fact check on the claims that Donald Trump made at the event. It was revealed that some of his statements on the Iraq War and ISIS, among others were false.

1. Iraq War

The Republican presidential candidate claimed that he "did not support the war in Iraq" and even repeated that he "was against the war" moments later. However, this contradicts the statement he made back in a 2002 interview with Howard Stern.

2. ISIS

Trump accused Hillary Clinton of battling with ISIS for her entire adult life. The Independent reported that this would have made the terrorist group 50 years old or the Democrat a young child. Moreover, he also falsely claimed that Clinton and President Obama caused the rise of ISIS by leaving Iraq when the agreement to remove U.S. troops from the country was negotiated under the previous administration with President Bush.

3. Climate Change

At the 2016 Presidential Debate, Trump insisted that he did not call climate change a hoax. This contradicts his tweet from 2012 which says, "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive."

4. Ford

According to Trump, car manufacturer Ford would be cutting jobs in the U.S. when it shifts some processes to Mexico. Ford CEO Mark Fields has denied this claim, telling CNN that "not one job will be lost. Most of our investment is here in the US. And that's the way it will continue to be."

5. Pregnancy and Career

When he was called out by Clinton for saying that "pregnancy is an inconvenience to employers," Trump denied the accusation. However, it was revealed that he did say that back in 2004 during an interview with NBC.
DePaul University is currently facing backlash for charging political student groups with fees for hosting discussion and lecture events. It has been referred to as "free speech tax," which is the unusual amount of money that the school has subjected student organizations during the planning of said events.

Breitbart reported that administrators at DePaul University are under fire for the "free speech tax" that it imposed on political student organizations for discussion and lecture events. Some see this as a way to stifle freedom of expression.

This is not the first time that DePaul University was involved in a controversy for one of its event. Earlier this year, it was noted that the school also gained criticisms for refusing to let security remove protesters who rushed onstage and derailed an event featuring Breitbart Tech editor Milo Yiannopoulos.

According to Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), the school's promises to protect free expression are "meaningless." "Matters of social and political importance are often highly controversial," FIRE senior program officer Ari Cohn said. "If DePaul requires students to pay extra for the right to explore those ideas, DePaul's promises of free expression are utterly meaningless."

Cohn added that it's already disturbing that the school requires a student organization to accept the presence of the university's security officers at an informational meeting. He noted that "forcing them to pay for it is simply beyond the pale."

Student organization The DePaul Socialists has also been affected by the school's event policies. "What this has resulted in is free speech for the administration, and 'fee speech' for student organizers," Samuel Peiffer, a member of the DePaul Socialists, said.

Michigan Journal noted that DePaul University has denied tenure to Israel critic Norman Finkelstein back in 2007. Free speech has become a nuisance for school administrators and officials nationwide. Trigger warnings and safe spaces are expected to become a staple in schools in an attempt to protect students, which can also be used to "disintegrate he free and fair exchange of discourse that encourages intellectual growth, diversity and freedom."
A Madison woman who stole Social Security benefits intended for her minor child was sentenced to two years probation.

Lori Wenger, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William Conley in federal court in Madison on Tuesday.

She pleaded guilty in July to a charge of theft of government money, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

For about 3 1/2 years, Wenger fraudulently received benefits intended to support the child, but investigators found out the child wasn't living with her and she didn't provide support.

Conley ordered Wenger to pay more than $23,000 in restitution to the Social Security Administration.
Rhodes University in South Africa has continued the suspension of lectures. This comes in the middle of protests by students against the tuition fee increases.

Eyewitness News reported that the suspension for academic activities in Rhodes University has extended for a fourth day because of the ongoing fees protests inside its campus. The school's management has met with some students, the Student Representative Council (SRC), and staff to discuss several issues.

In the meeting, the university has decided to look at how feasible free education and free supplementary exams would be. The process of including students for budget-making has also been discussed.

SRC president Gift Sandi has confirmed that a follow-up meeting has been scheduled to discuss remaining demands. "Wits has been more comprehensive in responding to it, so we want a clear response on how things are going to happen, for instance, the pressure that will be applied on government to increase subsidies," Sandi said.

Rhodes University is in support of free education for the poor. The school is said to be lobbying the government to increase higher education funding.

The protests at several tertiary institutions after Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande announced that tuition fee hike decisions will be left to the schools. Rhodes University management warned that a collapse of the higher education system is imminent if the current fees issue is not addressed well.

According to IOL, Rhodes University has threatened to shut down for this academic year if students continue their protests. In a letter by the office of the school's Vice-Chancellor, the institution urges students to "think hard" about their actions.

"Continued instability will destroy our higher education system," the letter stated. "If normal activities cannot continue next week, the University will be left with no option but to close and send all students home... The closure of the University will have dire consequences for the town, for all University staff, and for students themselves who will not be able to complete the academic year."
The actress is not discouraged at all. Even with the recent events and media buzz surrounding her marriage with actor Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie is still focused on her career.

Angelina Jolie is going to be a visiting professor for a new masters' program. The masteral program is focused on women, peace and security. She does have the background for it. She is a notable humanitarian personality and has received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. She was also a Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Jolie is only one of the four visiting professors in the program. It is going to be housed at the school's Center for Women, Peace and Security.This is the very center that Jolie herself founded in February 2015 with William Hague, Britain's former foreign secretary. The school aims to " developing strategies to promote gender equality and enhance women's economic, social and political participation and security."

The London School of Economics announces that Angelina Jolie is all set to be a visiting professor in 2017. "The post starts in September 2017," a representative from LSE says. The actress continues to keep herself busy. According to Yahoo, the program Jolie teaches will begin accepting applications this fall.

So if you want to become a student of the great Angelina Jolie, this is it! Jolie will be giving lectures, promoting workshops, attend events and actively participate in research projects. This is something close to the actress' heart.

After 12 years of being together as a couple and having six kids together, the "Tomb Raider" star files for a divorce. But unlike some celebrities who want to hide from the media, or act out because of the personal and immense emotions surrounding the divorce, Jolie keeps it together. The investigation continues after their separation this month and Brad Pitt is being questioned for child abuse.
September 28 2016

Glasgow City Council has published a 20 year blueprint for the Greater Easterhouse area of the city, pledging to deliver 6,000 homes as well as nurseries, schools and a wetland park to transform the area following confirmation of a new visitor centre at Provanhall House A report prepared on behalf of the council has identified 10 sites as suitable for the development of private housing totaling some 180 hectares of vacant land as well as the refurbishment of existing properties and an overhaul of the former Shandwick Place shopping centre.Councillor Frank McAveety, leader of Glasgow City Council, said: The plans for the future of Easterhouse are thrilling. When complete, the area will be transformed into one that acts as an eastern gateway into Glasgow and a fantastic retail, cultural and leisure destination for visitors from the rest of the city and beyond.We will build on the successes of recent years to complete the regeneration of Easterhouse to deliver an area of Glasgow that is attractive as a place in which to live, work, invest and visit.A key plank of this strategy is the Seven Lochs Wetland Park
The trial of a man accused of first-degree murder for killing and robbing another man with whom he was in a romantic relationship was postponed Wednesday after a judge found the mans lawyer to be grossly incompetent and removed her from the case.

Dane County Circuit Judge Ellen Berz removed Sarah Clemment as lawyer for Dennis Hassel, who was scheduled to go to trial starting Oct. 10, after ruling that Clemment didnt understand basic legal terms and concepts that were discussed during a pretrial motion hearing on Wednesday.

Hassel, 56, is awaiting a trial for the April 15, 2015, strangulation death of 76-year-old Larry Ewing at Ewings Sheboygan Avenue apartment. Police believe that Hassel, who had recently been released from prison, killed Ewing and took some of his belongings to sell for cash at a shop on Williamson Street. Hassels movements were tracked by a GPS bracelet that he was wearing.

Wednesdays hearing was to set ground rules for the trial, such as how certain types of evidence and testimony are to be handled and which defenses would be allowed during the trial.

Berz began to question Clemment about her responses to motions made by prosecutors after suspecting that Clemment didnt understand what was meant by certain legal terms and concepts. To some of Berzs questions, Clemment simply answered, I dont know, and when asked to cite legal authority on another, Berz noted that Clemment was using her smartphone to find an answer.

Quizzed about other concepts, such as presenting an alibi defense, the admissibility of statements made by the victim to other witnesses, the rules for exclusion of witnesses, the character of the defendant and prior criminal records of witnesses, Berz said that Clemment gave incorrect answers.

Im trying to find out if youre the least bit competent to represent anyone at any kind of trial, Berz told Clemment at one point. When Clemment answered at another point that a legal concept was as simple as apple pie without specifically answering Berzs question about it, Berz remarked that that was the most ludicrous thing Ive ever heard come from the mouth of a defense attorney.

Berz found Clemment to be in violation of several state Supreme Court rules, including a lack of legal competence, failing to diligently represent her client and failing to communicate with him.

Audacious, Berz said. It is audacious that you would handle any criminal case.

Hassel told Berz that he hired Clemment using money provided by his sister, who had cashed in a retirement fund. According to the website for her solo law practice, Clemment is primarily an immigration attorney. She received her law degree from the University of Iowa in 2000, according to the State Bar of Wisconsin. She was publicly reprimanded in 201 1 for her handling of an immigration case.

The state Public Defenders Office will assign a new lawyer to Hassel. Clemment did not respond later to a phone message seeking comment.

Clemment complained at the outset of the hearing that she had no opportunity to meet with Hassel because he is at the Green Bay Correctional Institution, serving a prison sentence for a prior crime. Berz, who was a criminal defense attorney for 30 years and a prosecutor before that, told Clemment that lawyers routinely make arrangements to visit their clients wherever they are incarcerated, and dont wait until clients are transported to more convenient lockups.
Meet a Roadrunner: Sarah Gorton wants to change peoples minds about bats

Communications major spent the summer studying bat populations

(September 28, 2016) -- Meet Sarah Gorton. This Roadrunner spent her summer braving the Georgia wilderness to chase bats.

Ive been interested in bats for a long time, said Gorton, 19. I mean, whats not to like? Theyre the only mammal capable of flight; that puts them ahead of most of us. I also just think theyre really interesting and cute.

Gorton, a UTSA communications major, worked on two bat-related projects over the 90 days she spent in Georgia. The first was surveying the bat populations across several locations in northern Georgia with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

The second was with the University of Georgia at Athens, where Gorton and her team visited several state parks to track the endangered northern long-eared bat to figure out its preferred roosting habitats. Gorton and her fellow researchers would gently catch bats in nets, examine and log the species. They would then track the bats to their daytime roosting area. It was a task that often had them working from sundown to sunup.

Bats are in more danger than wed like to believe, and its kind of our responsibility to help them, said Gorton, who is currently the secretary for Southern Wildlife and Rehab. After all, humans can be so cruel to bats for no good reason. Not all bats drink blood or carry rabies. In fact, the number of both those types of bats is miniscule.

Gortons interest in bats can be traced back to her eighth grade year, when she enrolled in a summer conservation program at the San Antonio Zoo. That summer began her love affair with the local zoo and bats. She returned year after year to assist the zoos efforts in a variety of ways. At age 16, she was made a docent, a position usually reserved for workers 18 or older, and one she continues today.

Through all this work, Gorton also discovered another passion: public speaking.

Im still figuring out where my future will lead me, but I think that if I can use my UTSA education to somehow educate more people about bats, I would be really happy, said Gorton.



Gorton, a sophomore, came to UTSA to refine her communications skills so she can spread positive messages about bat conservation while receiving a top-tier education.

When you spend your days talking to people about bats, you feel a bit of a responsibility to make sure that they walk away without any misconceptions, said Gorton. So Im finding new ways to get people excited about bats. My classes at UTSA have been great for figuring out new approaches to my work.

In addition to her interest in bats, Gorton is an active member of UTSA organizations. She works with the UTSA Academy for Teacher Excellence, which uses research and training to better prepare teacher candidates in the UTSA College of Education and Human Development, and she recently won third place in the UTSA StorySLAM! Competition.

Gorton will soon embark upon another bat-related research project closer to home in Texas. After all, this part of Texas is well-known for its flying mammals.

Texas is the bat capitol of the world, said Gorton. So as Texans, I believe we should all embrace bats as our own. Theres a lot to love, if you just open your mind a bit.

-- Jesus Chavez

-------------------------------

Do you know a Roadrunner who is achieving great things? Email us at social@utsa.edu so that we may consider your suggestion for our next installment of Meet a Roadrunner.

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UW Students to Perform Community Service Oct. 1

University of Wyoming students work on landscaping projects during last years The Big Event. This falls service-oriented event is scheduled Saturday, Oct. 1, to kick off Homecoming week. (UW Photo)

The University of Wyoming will kick off Homecoming week by hosting the fourth annual The Big Event service day to the community Saturday, Oct. 1. The event is free and open to the public.

UWs Service, Leadership and Community Engagement (SLCE) office sponsors The Big Event. More than 700 students participated in approximately 100 locations throughout the Laramie community last year. Jobs included raking, painting, window washing, yard work and other projects.

The Big Event has become a wonderful tradition for our UW students, and Im so proud of their service to the Laramie community, UW President Laurie Nichols says. The relationship between the university and the broader community is so important, and the success of The Big Event illustrates the strength of that bond.

The Big Event promotes campus and community unity as UW students come together through service-oriented activities to express their gratitude for the surrounding community.

Throughout the years, the community of Laramie has shown endless support to the students of UW. The Big Events goal is to reciprocate that appreciation to residents, says Sagan Hunsaker, project coordinator. This is our way of saying thank you to the greater Laramie community for its endless support of the University of Wyoming.

Hunsaker says 672 UW students have signed up for this weekends The Big Event and will assist on 157 projects.

Even though preregistrations are now closed, we anticipate even more students signing up Saturday, she says.

After The Big Event, Laramie Main Street will provide food, drinks and live music to celebrate the community. The free public event is from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the First Street Plaza, located on Grand Avenue from First to Second streets.

The Big Event is recognized as one of the nations largest student-run service days. It originated at Texas A&M University in 1982 and has expanded to 95 other schools across the nation as well as schools in Spain, Australia, Italy and Germany.

For more information, visit www.uwyo.edu/bigevent, like the Wyoming Union on Facebook, or follow SLCE on Twitter and Instagram @SLCE_UW.

To receive future SLCE service and program opportunities, email slcemktg@uwyo.edu or call (307) 766-3117.
Wyoming Youth Voter Summit Oct. 4 at UW

Panel discussions, remarks by Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead and Secretary of State Ed Murray, and a performance by Chancey Williams and the Younger Brothers Band highlight the first Wyoming Youth Voter Summit Tuesday, Oct. 4, at the University of Wyoming.

The summit takes place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center and is free for all attendees, with lunch provided. Voter registration will be provided by Albany County Clerk Jackie Gonzales office from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., throughout the summit.

Only 10.6 percent of youth aged 18-24 chose to vote in the 2014 general election, says Murray, whose office has organized the event. This year, the first-ever Youth Voter Summit is meant to inspire our youth across Wyoming to get out, get informed and cast a ballot. By casting a vote, our youth have the opportunity to determine their future as well as the future of Wyoming and our nation.

The summit will include perspectives on the importance of voting from Wyomings youth, with a keynote address by Wyoming native and Olympic gold medalist Rulon Gardner at 2:45 p.m.

Murray is scheduled to deliver welcome remarks shortly after 10 a.m. The first panel discussion, Civic Education and the Youth Vote, is scheduled at 11 a.m. Panelists are Judge Ronn Jeffrey of Cheyenne Municipal Court, Associate Professor Andrew Garner of UWs Department of Political Science, UW graduate student Melanie Vigil and Kylie Taylor of the law firm of Holland & Hart.

A second panel discussion, Youth, Politics and the Media, is set for 1 p.m. Panelists are Associate Professor Kristen Landreville of UWs Department of Communication and Journalism, Wyoming Department of Education Communications Director Kari Eakins, Cheyenne KGAB Radio morning host Gary Freeman and Casper Star-Tribune reporter Laura Hancock.

The governor is scheduled to speak at 2:30 p.m.

Wyomings own Chancey Williams and the Younger Brothers Band will perform at the Gateway Center starting at 7 p.m.

Murray is working with the Associated Students of UW to promote the event.

Were very passionate about youth involvement in politics and community engagement, says ASUW Director of Governmental Affairs Chris Ryan. The summit is going to be a great opportunity for students to learn about what is going on in their state, how they can get involved and why their voice matters.

Ryan encourages students to attend, noting that the Campus Commuter shuttle runs every 10 minutes with stops at the Wyoming Union and Gateway Center for students who need to come and go for classes.

The events of the day will be live streamed and broadcast at Casper College and Laramie County Community College.

We are thrilled to be holding this summit for youth from across Wyoming, thanks to our sponsors, says State Election Director Kai Schon. This event is funded by our generous partners, who agree that low youth voter participation is a serious issue.

For more information, visit 2016yvs.visitlaramie.org. Preregistration for the summit is encouraged for a head count, but not required.
A Monona man faces numerous charges after police say he led them on two chases in separate vehicles, crashing and fleeing both times before being tased and arrested.

Dillon Rose, 22, was taken into custody on tentative charges of felony eluding, burglary, operating a vehicle without the owner's consent, driving under the influence, battery to a police officer and resisting, the Dane County Sheriff's Office said.

It all started at about 11:40 p.m. Tuesday when Oregon police reported a dark-colored SUV failed to stop during a traffic incident.

A few minutes later, a deputy saw the SUV speeding in the town of Rutland.

"After initiating a traffic stop, the vehicle accelerated away from the deputy and led him on a 6-minute pursuit, ending in a minor crash in the village of Oregon," said Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Elise Schaffer.

The driver fled the scene on foot, with officers and a police dog responding to the scene to help in the search.

"A few hours later, Cottage Grove police were involved in a short vehicle pursuit ending in Governor Taylor Park, where Rose crashed into a tree," Schaffer said.

Once again, the driver fled from the vehicle and tried to run from police, but the officer got into a struggle with him, eventually using a Taser, which didn't stop him.

"The suspect then attempted to disarm the officer by trying to take the Taser from him," Schaffer said. "The physical struggle continued until another Cottage Grove officer arrived and helped subdue Rose."

The two officers suffered minor injuries.

The vehicle Rose was driving in the second chase had been stolen from a garage in Oregon, Schaffer said.
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Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil in Rosedale, Mississippi



Last month, while I was driving down the Mississippi River on a magazine assignment, I had a curious experience in Rosedale, Mississippi. As I was eating lunch in a place called Leos Market, a waitress mentioned that Rosedale is the place where the legendary bluesman Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil in exchange for musical genius (an event alluded to in  among other places  the Cohen brothers movie Oh Brother, Where Art Thou). As if to prove it, the waitress handed me a wrinkled, typewritten transcription of a vision about Johnsons fateful moment that had appeared to bluesman Henry Goodman as he was traveling the road from Rosedale to Anguila. For the sake of posterity (and because I have never seen it elsewhere), I am publishing Goodmans vision in full below, as well as a postscript by Rosedales Crossroads Blues Society.

Interestingly, there are other contenders in the myth of Robert Johnsons devil-purchased soul  and the crossroads of US 61 and US 49 in Clarksdale is where most blues tourists pay their respects (the newest Romantics album is called 61/49 for this reason). Of course  as with ancient Roman tourists setting off to find sites from Greek myths  the location of Johnsons crossroads is not exactly something that can be proven. He was born in Hazelhurst, and his supposed grave is in Quito (near Itta Bena)  but Rosedale did figure in the lyrics for one of Johnsons most famous songs, Traveling Riverside Blues.

Lord, Im goin to Rosedale, he wails, gon take my rider by my side.

Traveling Riverside Blues had a huge influence on rock-n-roll, and was remade as Crossroads by Eric Clapton  which mentions Rosedale with the same phrase Johnson uses. It was also covered by Led Zeppelin (whose more well-known Lemon Song famously steals a lyric from that same Johnson tune: You can squeeze my lemon til the juice runs down my leg).

None of this proves much about Robert Johnsons crossroads, of course, but I for one like the notion that it happened in Rosedale. The text of the vision follows Read More

A travelers guide to Buddhist meditation retreats in Thailand

Since Ive traveled to (and at times lived in) Thailand every year since 1998, Im occasionally asked to recommend a Buddhist meditation retreat for long-term travelers. I can easily recommend some specific starting points for practicing meditation in Thailand (and if you keep reading, youll find a few recommendations below), but over time Ive found that its more instructive to just tell people this: Find your own damn Buddhist meditation retreat! Read more

Review: Osprey Kestrel 48 backpack and how to choose a great backpack

A good backpack can make or break a trip. Drenching rain, language barriers, delayed flights  you can weather all with humor and go-get-em attitude.

But a good backpack is the foundation upon which your trip rests. It holds your entire life in one place. It protects it. Sometimes you wear it so often it feels like another appendage.

Thats why its important to take some time before your trip to figure out what kind of new appendage  or backpack  works for you. Next to figuring out which book to take with me, this decision was the most important on my two-week trip to Europe. Read more

Questioning safety in Guatemala  at the last minute

Just three weeks before Id planned to leave for Guatemala, the first country on my itinerary for my first long-term trip, a friend forwarded an email from her Guatemalan friend regarding my upcoming travels:

My advice is that if she has her heart set on going to Guate, do the volunteering thing and keep travel limited to Lake Atitlan and Antigua  If her heart can be persuaded to go to Nicaragua and Costa Rica, I would highly recommend that  Guatemala is in a sort of state of war where human life is very poorly regarded and that is why if you get mugged it is VERY dangerous 

She also referenced a New York Times story explaining that the Peace Corps recently decided not to send new volunteers to Guatemala as it is assessing safety.

Ok, I knew Guatemala was a developing country and that there would be dangers, and Id been armed and ready to explain to my family and friends that Id be ok. Id read tons of forums about safety in Guatemala. Id read numerous blogs about female solo travel. I knew all the places to avoid, all the things to do and things not to do.

But the Peace Corps backing away and a Guatemalan resident recommending against coming? This was enough to give me major pause. Read more

The worst tourists in the world

I read with interest a recent study by the Trans-Global Association for Travel and Tourism Commerce, which rated the behavior of tourists from all the worlds industrialized countries. Consistently ranking last in the study  bottoming out in categories ranging from airline etiquette to podiatric hygiene  were travelers from Great Britain. This settles it, a TATTC spokesperson was quoted as saying. The British are the worst tourists in the world.

Actually, Im just kidding. There is no such thing as the Trans-Global Association for Travel and Tourism Commerce. I made it up just now, because I know that people like to obsess over international rankings, and Ive been looking for a chance to poke fun at the British.

Mind you, I dont really think the British are bad tourists. To the contrary, Ive usually found travelers from the U.K. to be friendly, well read, and quite prolific in their wanderings. You can find Brits in all corners of the world, from Valparaiso to Vladivostok, and they most always make good travel companions.

The problem I have with the British, however, is that  to a bigger extent than other travelers Ive met  they seem to be obsessed with stereotypes of national character. Read more

Getting a Magic Tattoo in Thailand

The monk sat crossed legged behind me. The quick thrust of his bamboo needle repeatedly poked into my flesh as my tattoo began to take shape. I was being blessed with a Sak Yant, a magic tattoo and an ancient tradition in Thailand.

Moments before the monk and I had been having a deep conversation. We talked as I expressed my fears, problems I am wrestling with, and my dreams. I told him about some of my struggles of traveling long term over the last four years. How I feel the constant call of the road, but how sometimes I have trouble with all the sacrifices it demands.

We talked for a while about what I want out of life, and the person I am striving to become. When the monk felt he had enough information, he started digging in boxes filled with old scrolls and papers. He finally emerged with an ancient tattoo design. My Sak Yant was a rare form of a paed tidt. It a circle with arrows pointing in different directions. What makes my rare is that most paed tidt only have eight arrows, but mine has 16. Read more

5 tips for self-studying a foreign language

In a previous post here at Vagablogging, I wrote about what tools you can use to self-study a language. While your choice of tools will determine the success of your program, your approach to studying can make the learning process easier and more enriching. Here are some things you should keep in mind while youre studying on your own:

Learn everyday. You dont necessarily have to take on a full-blown lesson each day, but by spending just a few minutes learning something new, youll spend less time reviewing in the future. If considerable time passes between lessons, you cant learn as fast and whatever you learn will be easy to forget. Read more
A man was critically injured after being shot in the head on Madisons South Side Wednesday morning, and police spent the day combing the area for suspects.

The shooting occurred about 9:45 a.m. in the street near the 2700 block of McDivitt Road, just west of Todd Drive south of the Beltline, and left the victim, who is in his 20s, with a life-threatening head wound, Madison Police Chief Mike Koval said.

No one was in custody as of Wednesday night, police said. Koval said the shooting appeared to be specifically targeted. Police recovered more than 25 shell casings at the scene, and at least two bullets hit a nearby apartment building, although no one else was injured.

Police spokesman Joel DeSpain said many vehicles were seen leaving the scene of the shooting. Police were unsure how many shooters were involved or if the incident was gang-related, but DeSpain said early investigation suggests more than one gun was fired.

Investigators have had very good cooperation from many witnesses to the shooting, DeSpain added, a contrast to mostly tight-lipped witnesses reported by police in recent investigations into other shootings.

Koval said the victim was comfortable in the area, though it wasnt clear whether he lived in the neighborhood or how he knew the shooter. The victim was being treated at a hospital Wednesday.

Police from Fitchburg and Madison and deputies from the Dane County Sheriffs Office on Wednesday morning were also in the 2500 block of Post Road, where one of the vehicles seen leaving the shooting scene was pulled over and one or more occupants were arrested. DeSpain said it wasnt clear how or whether those arrested were in any way involved in the shooting or knew anything about it.

Students at Leopold Elementary School  directly across Post Road from where the vehicle was pulled over  were ordered inside as police and school authorities put the school in lockdown as a precaution.

Koval said the shooter on McDivitt Road was believed to have left the scene in a vehicle. It wasnt clear if the bullets were fired from one or more vehicles or if the shooter or shooters were also in the street at the time.

After the shooting, longtime resident Lynn Siewert said shooting incidents were getting worse in the neighborhood  This summer has been the worst of them all, she said  though Wednesdays incident was the first time she knew of anyone getting hit and one of the rare times bullets have flown during daylight hours.

Siewert said she has most often heard shots fired in the neighborhood around 9 p.m., and sometimes around 2 a.m., calling the police to report every incident.

DeSpain and Koval said every available officer and the departments Violent Crime Unit was working to find the person or persons responsible for Wednesdays shooting.

Were throwing everything we have at it, Koval said.
A woman leaving work at East Towne Mall and heading to her car was mugged when she got to her vehicle, but reported nothing stolen and no sexual assault.

The incident happened Monday night at about 11:30 p.m., but the 20-year-old victim didn't report it to police until Tuesday, Madison police said.

"She reported having her head pushed into the roof of her car, and when she turned around, she was punched in the face," said police spokesman Joel DeSpain.

The victim told police she fell to the ground and lost consciousness for a short time.

"She said she wasn't robbed or sexually assaulted," DeSpain said. "The motive for the crime is not known."

No description of a suspect was given.
Alicia Ashman, a longtime Madison activist and former City Council alderwoman, died Monday at 93.

Ashman died of natural causes at Agrace HospiceCare in Fitchburg, her daughter Alice Malacara said.

The second woman to be elected to the City Council, Ashman was a champion of progressive issues during the five terms she served from 1968 until 1977, advocating for the environment and gender equality. She also served two stints on the Madison Public Library Board, eventually having the Alicia Ashman Library on the Far West Side named after her.

She was just someone who had boundless energy and the will to make change, Malacara said.

Representing the 10th District on the Near West Side, Ashman was quick to take on environmental issues, several times trying to ban or impose a tax on throwaway beverage containers. She also successfully worked toward reducing the citys use of phosphates in an effort to protect the lakes from algae growth.

She was green before anybody knew what being green was, Malacara said. She was just way ahead of her time.

Mayor Paul Soglin, who was first elected to the City Council along with Ashman in 1968, said the only thing he can remember disagreeing with Ashman on during the time they served together was whether the city should have public swimming pools. Ashman was opposed.

The reason she took that position is she was fearful it would lead to our abandoning the lakes and not caring about the water quality, Soglin said.

In addition to environmental issues, Ashman spoke out against the Vietnam War, lobbied for the pedestrian overpass above Campus Drive, which bears her name, and fought for gender equality.

I have always felt that men and women should be making decisions governing men and women. Thats very clear, she said following her election as City Council president in 1974, the second woman to hold the position in Madison history.

Somewhat controversially, Ashman advocated repealing a ban on sexual massage parlors in the city, believing it was a right of consenting adults to choose to patronize them and that right should be protected.

She was a firm believer in civil liberties and civil rights and was very conscious of government repression. She was a champion for public policy that addressed questions of diversity, Soglin said. She was a progressive in every sense of the word.

Before entering local politics, the Syracuse, New York, native went to school for nursing and met her husband, Hubert, a physician. The two lived in Rochester, Minnesota, while he completed his residency at Mayo Clinic. They then moved to Madison, and Ashman left nursing to raise their four children.

She joined the League of Women Voters in 1949, serving as a board member for years before stepping down to take the City Council position.

From 1969 until 1975, she also served on the Madison Public Library Board, before returning in 1989 until 1996. During her second time on the board, Ashman was president when a former library director was investigated and fired over allegations of inflating library charges. In 2000, the library bearing her name was opened at 733 N. High Point Road.

Ashman is survived by her husband, Hubert; four children, Wendy, Alice, Philip and Martha; three grandchildren and one great-grandchild, Malacara said. Immediate family will have a private service for Ashman.

Over my 25 years in public office, Ive served with hundreds of members of the Madison City Council, Soglin said. There was certainly no one better than her.

[Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect a correction. In the original, the first name of Martha Ashman was incorrect.]
The whole Paige saga seems to be winding down with her partner Alberto Del Rio currently working his magic on the independent scene while she remains content working for WWE.

Things could have gotten ugly when backstage officials reportedly broke the two up on purpose by sending them to Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live respectively.

While this sounds as if someone in WWE is playing God they were trying to protect each superstar but if anything only halted their careers in a big way.

Paige return

Paige is currently in Mexico supporting Del Rio (image: instagram )

Currently based off of her recent Instagram post, the British performer is supporting Del Rio at his latest indie event in Tijuana, Mexico.

While this may seem as if Paige is choosing allegiances, she is presumably there with permission as she has not been cleared by WWE officials to compete yet.

Despite what was previously thought, given that the 24-year-old was backstage at RAW the past two weeks, we can only speculate that she was there in an effort to be allowed to step back into the squared circle.

The women's division on the red brand is in a rather confusing state, with Sasha Banks set to take on Charlotte for the title once again, in what is becoming a rather repeated version of the events before SummerSlam.

Paige has been one of the best technical performers on the main roster since her debut in April 2014 but ever since the women's revolution took place, she has been placed in a backstage role.

Injury issues

Before her suspension, the Brit was experiencing some kind of nerve damage in her neck extending to her shoulders, a common problem with the male wrestlers.

The injury has been known to have serious repercussions which may be the reason why WWE officials are in no rush to get her back into the ring so soon before they can safely say that she is ready.


Ice T and Coco were amongst the 800 people who gathered at Blush Boutique Nightclub to celebrate the Official Las Vegas Inaugural Bash partnered with www.Moveon.org.

Blush at Wynn is the citys first boutique nightclub and offers an intimate encounter with Las Vegas nightlife. For more information, visit www.WynnLasVegas.com.
Internationally known rock band, The FIXX, will perform, along with opening act The Meltdown, at Crown Theater and Nightclub to raise money for St. Judes Childrens Ranch. St. Judes Ranch is a charity which has been taking care of abused, abandoned and neglected children for more than 40 years. Crown will also be collecting school supplies throughout the night to be donated to St. Judes.

WHEN:

Monday, August 29, 2011

Doors open at 10:30 p.m.

COST:

General admission tickets are $20 and a special all-you-can-drink package, which includes one ticket and free well and draft beer all night, is available for $34.

WHERE:

Crown Theater and Nightclub

The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino

3700 W Flamingo Road

Las Vegas, NV, 89103
FIRST Food & Bar is back at it again with their version of a traditional American Thanksgiving feast without the clean up. With a special menu, guests can dine in the hip, comfortable restaurant while enjoying views of the Las Vegas Strip. The restaurant welcomes all-ages, making it the perfect spot to take a break from the kitchen and let Chef Sam DeMarco do all the work.

Thanksgiving Extravaganza, Thursday, November 24:

Bar opens at 11 a.m.

Seating times: 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Making reservations as soon as possible is recommended as seating is limited and all seating sold out prior to the holiday last year. 702-607-3478.

Left-over-stuffed Thanksgiving Day Sandwiches will be available after 9 p.m.

$39 per person; kids ages 5-12 $19.50; kids under 5 years of age and under (or shorter than Chef!) are FREE

Menu features:

Hot mulled apple cider

Roasted Pumpkin Corn Bisque

Choice of salad

Roasted beet with frisee, goat cheese and horseradish orange



Autumn salad endive with blue cheese balsamico



Roasted garlic Caesar with butternut squash ravioli croutons

Pilgrim dinner served family style

Traditional turkey with giblet gravy



Mashed potatoes



Whipped sweet potatoes



Green bean almondine



House made cranberry sauce



FIRST stuffing



Alternative choices of prime rib or roasted salmon

Pie Bar featuring pumpkin, apple and pecan pies, along with chocolate chip cookies and whip cream creme anglaise


Bryan Kroten, president of the Las Vegas Hospitality Association (LVHA), announced the start of its 50th Anniversary year at the June meeting at the Venetian-Palazzo Resort. To start off the celebratory year, Kroten unveiled a commemorative logo and cake (Pictured: LVHA Pres. Bryan Kroten & Pres. Elect Julie Pazina with anniversary cake  Photo credit: credit Gary Michael Prochorchik).

Photo credit: credit Gary Michael Prochorchik.

LVHA was founded in 1962, with hospitality industry members and a volunteer board dedicated to promoting tourism to Las Vegas. There are currently 209 companies represented and more than 400 members with the organization made up members from resorts, attractions, meeting planning and tour companies, restaurants, and specialty contractors, etc.

As an organization, LVHA puts on monthly events providing for professional growth offering networking, educational, and fundraising opportunities.


Rapper, actor and television host Xzibit attended Matt Goss show at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on Friday evening (Photo credit: Cashman Photo).
WAUKESHA  With 40 days left in his campaign, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Wednesday doubled down on his Democratic opponents past in attempting to win over the most important conservative area of Wisconsin at a rally of nearly 2,000 people in Waukesha.

In his sixth stop to the state since embarking upon a presidential campaign that until recently garnered little support from establishment Republicans like those concentrated in Waukesha, Trump was helped by former Gov. Tommy Thompson, who was previously a staunch supporter of former presidential candidate Gov. John Kasich.

Thompson told the crowd gathered in the Waukesha County Expo Center that its time to get on the train. The Trump train is moving.

The former governor likened the real estate mogul who has never been elected to any public office to President Ronald Reagan. But the states top Republicans, Gov. Scott Walker and U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, were not at the rally that was held in the same venue where Walker in July 2015 announced his own presidential bid that lasted just 70 days.

Thompson said Trump, like Reagan did in the 1980s, is inspiring a movement of patriotism.

The rally Wednesday, just two days after Trump and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sparred in their first debate ahead of Novembers election, was held in the heart of one of the countrys most influential movements among conservatives to reject Trump as the way forward for Republicans in the 2016 presidential race.

Trump, along with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, told the crowd that Clinton could not be trusted  and electing her would be continuing a pattern of corruption that began with Clintons husband, former President Bill Clinton, when he was governor of Arkansas.

Its going to be a victory for you, the American people. We are going to end the Clinton corruption and restore dignity and honesty to government service, Trump said. Hillary Clinton is an insider who fights only for her donors and for herself. Im an outsider and Im fighting for you.

If she ever got the chance, she would put the Oval Office up for sale, he said.

He also said the countrys inner cities are being left behind, and he would improve lives for Hispanic and black Americans.

To the African-American community, I say what the hell do you have to lose? I will fix it. Vote for me; I will fix it, he said.

Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesman Philip Shulman described Trumps speech as unhinged and incoherent. He said Trump does not have the temperament to be President of the United States.

Trump said Thompson three months ago urged the candidate to focus on other states because conservatives in Wisconsin wouldnt support him, but after seeing polling a couple weeks ago, asked him to come back to the state.

Even so, Trump continues to have his work cut out for him in Wisconsin with state Republicans struggling with how to handle his incendiary statements and past support for Clinton.

Trump was crushed by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the states primary in April after a successful push by prominent state Republicans and conservatives who sold Cruz as the only viable candidate to stop Trump from becoming the GOP nominee and to defeat Clinton.

But on Wednesday, before Trump was set to speak to the crowd of hundreds, some state Republicans got on board with Trump.

Former GOP Sen. and Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow, GOP Rep. Adam Neylon of Pewaukee, Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp, GOP party chairman Brad Courtney and former U.S. Sen. Bob Kasten all asked Wednesdays crowd to support the real estate mogul, who was a party outsider until his nomination.

Clinton hasnt visited Wisconsin since the spring primary, while Trump made two trips since the GOP convention in July before scheduling the Waukesha visit.

Jane Smith of Williams Bay, a bookkeeper at an electric supply company, traveled to Waukesha with her friend Mary Ong wearing bright pink T-shirts that read Wisconsin Women for Trump in black block lettering.

Smith said her support of Trump is rooted in her opposition to Clinton.

I dont trust Hillary and I dont believe anything she has to say, said Smith, 52.

Smith said she likes Trump because he hasnt spent decades in politics like Clinton and isnt polished, as illustrated by his performance at Mondays debate at Hofstra University in New York.

She did well; I thought he could have done better, said Smith. But thats a big part of why I like him  hes not a politician.

Jay Schroeder of Neenah, a mortgage and loan officer, said the debates questions were designed to discredit Trumps qualifications. He said questioning Trump about his previous comments implying President Barack Obama was not born in the U.S. was unfair.

The country has 21 trillion in debt  I really dont care where (Obama) was born, said Schroeder, 54. If the economy collapses, thats what affects you and me  not where (Obama) was born.

Democratic strategist Paul Maslin said Trump can win the battleground states of Ohio, Florida, Nevada and North Carolina and still lose the election. He has to cut into Clintons electoral college total by winning states that are leaning Democratic, such as Virginia, Pennsylvania or Wisconsin.

Republican pollster Gene Ulm said Trump is likely making a push in Wisconsin because of its blue-collar nature, but he has struggled in the suburban Milwaukee counties. Theyre very Republican, but Republicans there are highly educated and that has been a tougher group for Trump to lock down.

Trumps support drops off among those kind of voters, Ulm said. If support drops off two to three points (in Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington counties) it crushes any Republican.

Ulm said the results of state polls in the wake of Monday nights first debate could influence where the candidates dedicate their time in the final six weeks before the election.

The next Marquette Law School Poll wont be out for two weeks, poll director Charles Franklin said.

Franklin said Chelsea Clintons scheduled visit to Green Bay on Friday is an indication the Clinton campaign is seeing Wisconsin as a much closer state than what it was a month ago.

State Journal reporter Matthew DeFour contributed to this report.
Dung Quat Oil Refinery is run by the Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Co Ltd in central Quang Ngai Province. The factory meets 30-35 per cent of domestic demand for petroleum products. -- Photo vietnamplus.vn

The company achieved 130 per cent of the target it set for 2016.

Binh Son is an affiliate of the Viet Nam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) and operates the $3 billion key Dung Quat Oil Refinery in central Quang Ngai Province.

Binh Son General Director Tran Ngoc Nguyen said profitability was satisfactory in the context that products of the company faced stiffer competition from imports.

He said the company only reached VND51.89 trillion in nine-month revenue, or 63 per cent of the annual target. It contributed some VND8.63 trillion to the state budget this year, equivalent to 72 per cent of the annual quota.

Since commercial operations began at the refinery in February 2009, Binh Son has imported 47 million tonnes of crude oil and produced 42 million tonnes of products, which included propylene, polypropylene, liquefied petroleum gas and gasoline, as well as kerosene, diesel and jet fuel.

The refinery, designed to process 6.5 million tonnes of crude oil per year, or 148,000 barrels per day, has meet 30-35 per cent of domestic demand.

Nguyen said the company faced increasing competition this year because imported products enjoyed preferential tariffs following national commitments for free trade agreements.

He said Binh Son is likely to witness even harsher competition next year when the $9 billion Nghi Son refinery and petrochemical complex  another key project of the nation  comes into operation in central Thanh Hoa Province.

The Nghi Son facility is developed by a joint venture between PetroVietnam and Kuwait Petroleum International with Japan's Idemitsu Kosan and Mitsui Chemicals.

The 400ha project in the Nghi Son Economic Zone is expected to meet 70 per cent of domestic demand for energy in the future, with a capacity to process 10 million tonnes of crude oil per year.

Nguyen said since the Dung Quat refinery has a mission to ensure national energy security, Binh Son will run the factory at full capacity.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has agreed to support a request by Binh Son to adopt a more favourable financial policy, which will be effective from January 2017, to help the Dung Quat refinery compete with imported petroleum products.

In late 2014, the Government approved a $1.8 billion scheme to expand the annual capacity of this refinery to 8.5 million tonnes by 2022. Work is scheduled to be completed by 2021.
Bosch is present in all ten ASEAN member countries and is continuously expanding its footprints across the region.

Southeast Asia is an important region for the Bosch Group, said Peter Tyroller, the member of the Bosch board of management responsible for Asia Pacific. To support growth in the region, we are planning to invest around 80 million euros (about $89 million) in Southeast Asia this year.

Accordingly, in the first half of 2016 Bosch opened new offices in the Philippines and Indonesia with the aim of being closer to its customers.

The company is also strengthening its manufacturing capacity in the region and plans to expand its Mobility Solutions plants in Malaysia und Vietnam.

Additionally, a new plant in Thailand is planned. In the past ten years, Bosch has invested almost 500 million euros ($561 million) in the expansion of its manufacturing and development locations in Southeast Asia.

Southeast Asia offers Bosch a broad range of opportunities

In 2015, Bosch achieved sales growth of 12 per cent in Southeast Asia, generating sales of more than 780 million euros ($875 million). The company also expects positive development in the current year, despite partially volatile economic development in some of the ASEAN markets.

In the first half of the year, business in the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam developed well. There are many factors in the region that bring forth opportunities for Bosch: the large and young population, the growing purchasing power of the middle class, increasing demand for infrastructure, urbanization, and the need to conserve natural resources.

The company also sees potential in the area of connectivity and the Internet of Things (IoT) in Southeast Asia.

Strong local presence

Bosch has been present in Southeast Asia since 1919. Today, the company employs more than 6,800 associates in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar.

In the coming years, the workforce is expected to keep growing. The company has manufactured locally for more than 20 years and currently has seven plants in the region.

In Malaysia, for example, Bosch manufactures power tools, products for the Car Multimedia division, and steering systems.

The Bosch plant in Vietnam produces variable transmissions belts for automatic drive systems. In Thailand, Bosch manufactures washing machines, wipers, and gasoline systems.

Southeast Asia is also becoming increasingly important for the Bosch Groups global R&D network. The company has had development activities in Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia for several years already.

Since 2010, Bosch has operated its first software development centre in Southeast Asia in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Among other things, engineers at the centre work on software solutions for the Internet of Things. This makes Bosch an increasingly important software employer in the region. In Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia, the company has implemented the German concept of dual education.

Strengthening of the brand: We help make a difference

Besides expanding its regional presence, Bosch is also strengthening its brand communication in Southeast Asia. The first international corporate campaign has been launched in the growth region, with marketing and PR activities on different channels.

The aim is to raise awareness about Bosch in the ASEAN member states  especially in emerging markets such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar.

In fact, Bosch is still largely seen as a manufacturer of power tools in the region. The campaign aims to show that Bosch also offers technologies in many other areas that can improve quality of life, among them automotive parts such as spark plugs, wipers, batteries, brakes, and driver assistance systems that make driving safer and more comfortable.

Other examples include hydraulic systems for marine engineering that support the progress of local industry, and power tools that contribute to better quality in the building sector. Packaging technology keeps foods and beverages fresh, even in high temperatures.

The theme of the campaign is We help make a difference. In the dynamic growth region, Bosch is working to develop and offer technology that is tailored to the needs of the local market. In some instances, these solutions are available at a lower cost and meet different specifications.
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks to the media on her plane. (AFP/Brendan Smialowski)

Clinton's bearing, as she flew to a rally in North Carolina, suggested she was climbing out from perhaps the worst period of her 15-month campaign, when she belittled Trump supporters two weeks ago and was then laid up with pneumonia.

"I felt so positive about it," Clinton told reporters aboard her campaign plane the morning after she went toe to toe with Trump and frequently forced her prickly opponent on to the back foot.

"I was thrilled I got a chance to lay out some of the middle-class economic policies and pro-family policies that I've been talking about throughout this campaign to all the viewers who tuned in," Clinton added.

"But the real point is about temperament and fitness and qualification to hold the most important, the hardest job in the world, and I think people saw last night some very clear differences between us."

The White House hopefuls sparred over temperament, judgment, trade, the economy, terrorism and other issues in a televised match-up on Monday night that seemed to have gone in favour of the Democrat Clinton, according to most mainstream political analysts.

But in a campaign that has consistently defied predictions from the political establishment, few can forecast for sure the impact on Americans' vote on Nov 8.

PULLING PUNCHES?

Both sides cried victory on Tuesday as the spin game that began the very instant the showdown ended kept up in full gear.

Trump told Fox News he thought the debate went well, but complained that moderator Lester Holt failed to press Clinton on "her scandals," citing the controversies over her use of private email server as secretary of state and her handling of a 2012 attack on the US consulate in Benghazi.

"They were leaving all of her little goodies out," he said on Tuesday on "Fox and Friends."

And he suggested he may bring up Clinton's husband Bill's past sexual indiscretions in their next debate. "I may hit her harder in certain ways. I really eased up because I didn't want to hurt anybody's feelings."

Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway praised Trump's tone and demeanor. "I was glad that he was polite and a gentleman to her, particularly at the end when he pulled the biggest punch of all," Conway said.

With six weeks until election day, Trump was also on the move Tuesday, jetting to Florida to speak to supporters in the critical swing state.

During the debate at New York's Hofstra University, with an anticipated audience of up to 100 million, Clinton repeatedly questioned her rival's fitness to serve in the Oval Office.

She painted the celebrity real estate mogul as fatally out of touch and willing to say "crazy things" to get elected. "You live in your own reality," said the 68-year-old Democrat, who sought to project her steady experience.

On Monday night, Trump played the populist bruiser, pitching to frustrated blue-collar voters fed up with establishment politicians. "Let me tell you, Hillary has experience. But it's bad, bad experience," said the 70-year-old billionaire.

'IMPERFECT PERFORMANCE'

A lot of Americans will look at tonight's debate and see an individual who is prepared to become president of the United States, and she was up against an impostor," said John Hudak, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

"You saw not a perfect performance by Hillary Clinton, but as much as an imperfect performance as you can imagine by her opponent," he told AFP.

Clinton's brightest moments came when debate turned to foreign policy, while Trump shined when he tapped into malaise about politics and the economy.

Trump squarely blamed Clinton and the political class for losing jobs to Mexico and China through what he termed bad trade deals and incompetence.

Clinton tried to undercut Trump's CEO-in-chief acumen by accusing him of having "stiffed" small business contractors throughout his career.

Clinton has a massive organisational advantage, a bigger campaign war chest and a lead in the popular vote and is in a notably stronger position state-by-state.

But Trump weathered allegations of bigotry and sexism to triumph in a vicious Republican primary campaign, and now has a real shot at being sworn in as the 45th president on Jan 20.

There are two more debates in the 2016 race, which could be pivotal in deciding whether Clinton will become the first woman president, or if Trump can pull off the greatest coup in US political history.
Republican nominee Donald Trump (L) speaks as Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton looks on during the first presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York on Sep 26, 2016. (Photo: AFP/Timothy A Clary)

The White House hopefuls sparred over temperament, stamina, judgement, and other issues in a televised match-up Monday night that seemed to have gone in favour of the Democrat Clinton.

In a snap CNN poll of 521 voters, 62 per cent judged that Clinton had won the debate against 27 per cent for Trump, with most mainstream political analysts agreeing Clinton was the stronger performer.

But in a campaign that has consistently defied predictions from the political establishment, few can forecast for sure the impact on how America will vote on Nov 8.

Nate Silver, a respected election analyst at FiveThirtyEight.com, predicted a two to four percent bump in support for Clinton, after the most recent polls showed the race in a virtual dead heat.

With six weeks until election day, Clinton was scheduled to rally in battleground North Carolina on Tuesday, while Trump was to speak to supporters in the swing state of Florida.

During the debate at New York's Hofstra University, with an anticipated audience of up to 100 million, Clinton repeatedly questioned her rival's fitness to serve in the Oval Office.

She painted the celebrity real estate mogul as fatally out of touch and willing to say "crazy things" to get elected. "You live in your own reality," said the 68-year-old Democrat, who sought to project her steady experience.

Trump played the populist bruiser, pitching to frustrated blue-collar voters fed up with establishment politicians.

"Let me tell you, Hillary has experience. But it's bad, bad experience," quipped the 70-year-old billionaire, accusing the former secretary of state, first lady and US senator of being a "typical politician. All talk, no action. Sounds good, doesn't work."

As the temperature rose, Trump brought out the verbal brickbats, repeatedly interrupting Clinton and even questioning her stamina after a bout of pneumonia. He appeared increasingly irritated, at one point rolling his eyes and emitting a frustrated "ugh."

REACTIONS

"A lot of Americans will look at tonight's debate and see an individual who is prepared to become president of the United States, and she was up against an impostor," said John Hudak, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

"You saw not a perfect performance by Hillary Clinton, but as much as an imperfect performance as you can imagine by her opponent," he told AFP. "The unique part of a presidential debate is that you don't have to excel. You just have to do better than the only other person on stage."

Steffen Schmidt, a professor of political science at Iowa State University, also praised Clinton's performance.

However, he said, "Trump more than held his own with an informal and often unorganised 'speech salad' where he mixed things in odd ways but often with humour, and cleverly."

Meanwhile, financial markets seemed reassured that Clinton appeared to emerge as winner. Asian stock markets and high-risk currencies staged a "relief rally" on Tuesday.

Trump gave an upbeat assessment of his debate outing, telling AFP: "I thought it went very well for me."

Clinton visited supporters who had attended a debate watch party in Westbury, New York, telling the crowd, "Do you feel good tonight? Well, I sure do ... We had a great debate."

'STIFFED'

Clinton's brightest moments came when debate turned to foreign policy, while Trump's came when he tapped into malaise about politics and the economy.

Trump squarely blamed Clinton and the political class for losing jobs to Mexico and China through what he termed bad trade deals and incompetence.

Clinton tried to undercut Trump's CEO-in-chief acumen by accusing him of having "stiffed" small business contractors throughout his business career.

She demanded Trump release his tax returns, suggesting he may be lying about his much-vaunted wealth, his charitable donations, his tax bill or his ties with foreign benefactors.

Trump fired back that he would release his tax returns, "when she releases her 33,000 e-mails that have been deleted," alluding to the Democrat's use of a private email server as secretary of state.

A REAL SHOT

Clinton has a massive organisational advantage, a bigger campaign war chest and a lead in the popular vote and is in a notably stronger position state-by-state.

But Trump weathered allegations of bigotry and sexism to triumph in a vicious Republican primary campaign, and now has a real shot at being sworn in as the 45th president of the United States on Jan 20.

There are two more debates in the 2016 US presidential race, which could be pivotal in deciding whether Clinton will become the first woman president, or if Trump can pull off the greatest upset in US political history.
A representative of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) made the statement at last weeks first Vietnam-Kansai economic dialogue after Daiichi Kigenso Kagaku Kogyo Corporation, amongst other Japanese firms, raised concerns over the issue.

If Daiichi Kigenso Kagaku Kogyos production creates high added value, the firm should propose an export tax reduction to us. As regulated, if no proposal of this kind is made, we will possibly impose the highest export tax on titanium, she said.

Currently, the export tax on titanium is varied, depending on the kind of titanium being produced. The highest export tax on the metal is 40 per cent.

According to Daiichi Kigenso Kagaku Kogyo Corporation, its zirconium (a kind of titanium) deep processing plant, located in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, has been suffering from high export taxes, resulting in high prices.

We do not oppose the Vietnamese governments policy on imposing a high export tax on titanium to prevent the export of natural resources at low prices. However, the policy causes difficulties for businesses operating in the industry, said Tsuyoshi Inoue, president of Daiichi Kigenso Kagaku Kogyo.

Dao Cong Vu, general secretary of the Vietnam Titanium Association (VTA), told VIR that, There are some kinds of titanium on which export tax can be reduced a little. They include deeply-processed titanium products.

Daiichi is not the first firm to make this kind of proposal. Many domestic firms have sought a cut in the titanium export tax but have failed.

Recently, VTA submitted this proposal to the prime minister, the MoIT, and the Ministry of Finance in a move to help businesses which have scaled down their production activities due to the policy. However, the proposal was turned down again.

According to VTA, Vietnam is estimated to have total reserves of around 650 million tonnes of titanium, accounting for five per cent of the worlds reserves, just behind Canada, the US, Norway, India, and Australia.

Besides Daiichi Kigenso Kagaku Kogyo, which has four deep processing plants in Japan, many foreign investors, including those from Japan, China and Russia are very interested in Vietnams titanium industry.
PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc pays an unexpected visit to the Long Bien wholesale vegetable market today, during which he advised small businesses to prioritise locally-grown food products.-VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc paid an unexpected visit to the Long Bien wholesale vegetable market to inspect food safety early today.

He was accompanied by Deputy PM Vu uc am and leaders of the prime ministers office, ministries and the Peoples Committee of the city.

Visiting several fruit kiosks at the market, the PM said small businesses should avoid fruits and vegetables that were infused with pesticides and unsafe growth stimulants and those that were imported from unclear sources.

The consumers health is of utmost importance, he said.

Our future lies in the communitys health and wellbeing, the PM said. Each and every one of us should be aware about maintaining food safety to protect our health.

The PM paid great attention to locally-grown fruits, such as dragon fruit, ambarella and persimmon. He advised vendor owners to seek safe products with clear origin, especially those that were grown in the country.

The PM also visited Van uc Commune  a commune popular for growing safe vegetables in Gia Lam District  and talked to local farmers.

In response to the PMs inquiries, ang Van Toi, a communes farmer, said all members of the Van uc clean vegetable cooperative were determined to stand against unqualified fertilizers and pesticides.

We only buy fertilizers and microbiological plant protection products from the agency that has been certified by the food protection branch, he said. We eat the same vegetables that we grow and sell.

The PM complimented the commitment of local farmers to growing clean vegetables. He also requested the districts authorities, agricultural department and food protection branch to continue supporting farmers and supervising agencies that sell plant protection products.

He asked local authorities to support farmers in selling safe food products by creating consumption chains and reducing the intermediary stages so that the products would be more affordable and able to maintain the competitive edge.

After the visits, the PM held a work meeting on the food safety issue with the citys Peoples Committee.

At the meeting, the PM accepted the citys proposal to form a rapid response force to handle the food safety problems.
The scholarships, which are allocated in 12 categories and cover 100, 50 or 25 per cent of tuition fees, are offered in a variety of subject areas including business, technology, design, communication, fashion, as well as logistics and supply chain management.

RMIT Vietnams president Professor Gael McDonald said giving back to the community through the scholarship program has been a priority of the university since its founding in 2001.

RMIT Vietnam has grown as the country has grown, Professor McDonald said. Weve benefited tremendously from Vietnams socio-economic and political growth, and feel privileged to have played our own part in contributing to the communities we engage with.

To date RMIT Vietnam has awarded approximately 890 scholarships valued at more than VND205 billion.

Through these scholarships many Vietnamese students have gained the opportunity to pursue higher education at an international standard, Professor McDonald said. As well as receiving partial or full tuition, the successful recipients benefit from the expertise and global experience of our teaching staff, our high quality facilities and infrastructure, as well as our industry-informed curriculum and strong industry connections.

Eight students received the Presidents Scholar award  the universitys most prestigious  given to outstanding high school students who have achieved exemplary academic grades and demonstrated outstanding community engagement and leadership potential.

At an awards ceremony at RMIT Vietnams Saigon South campus on September 27, 71 scholarships were presented to current students and high school students.Twenty-three scholarships will be awarded to students at Hanoi City campus on September 30.
Sabeco's production line of beer. The corporation was approved to list shares on HOSE - Photo vneconomictimes.com

Sabeco will have 12 weeks from today to complete its plan for listing on HOSE and report to its management offices. It will then list its shares on the stock exchange, the official said.

Regarding the listed price of a Sabeco share, the official said under the plan, the consulting company will propose the selling price on the exchange. This will be the proposed price, but the offer price will be fixed according to market demand, cafef.vn reported.

In addition, after listing on HOSE, the state will continue to follow its plan and schedule selling more capital at Sabeco in the future.

The division managing state capital at Sabeco will propose to the company's management board to choose a consulting company with a good reputation and experience in listing shares, the ministry official said.

Presently, Sabeco is negotiating with Maybank Kim Eng Security Ltd Company and is expected to sign a consulting contract with the company.

On September 7, the Government Office reported conclusions of the prime minister on withdrawing state capital from Sabeco and Ha Noi Beer Alcohol and Beverages Corporation (Habeco). The government directed representatives of the state's capital at the two companies to list shares of the companies at the earliest.

On September 26, Habeco Chairman Do Xuan Ha told the Tien phong newspaper that his corporation has submitted its plan on withdrawing state capital to the MoIT and the corporation will implement the plan on listing shares as scheduled.

Thank to positive information about Sabeco's listing on HOSE, the offer price of Sabeco shares on the OTC market increased to VND100,000 per unit from VND80,000 in early August.

According to prices traded on the OTC, the capitalisation value of Sabeco shares reached VND65 trillion, including VN57.5 trillion owned by the state.

Meanwhile, the current price of Habeco on the OTC market has moved a little higher to VND47,000-48,000 per unit compared with early August.

Sabeco is the largest Vietnamese beer company with 89.59 per cent of its total shares owned by the state.

According to the Viet Nam Beer Alcohol and Beverages Association, Vietnamese people consumed a total of 3.4 billion litres of beer in 2015. Sabeco holds 43 per cent of market share of the local market with total output of 1.52 billion litres of beer.
Mi Quang Ba Mua is a hotspot for noodle lovers once they visit Da Nang.- Photo dulichdanang.vn

And the wide, yellow noodles of mi Quang can be traced back to the central province of Quang Nam.

Mi Quang has been served in Quang Nam since the 14th century. The noodle dish is a harmonious combination of fresh ingredients.

It is eaten with toasted Vietnamese sesame rice crackers, fried shallots and herbs, such as rau ram (fragrant knotweed), coriander, perilla and lettuce. The Mi Quang dish is delicious and features a distinctive aftertaste.

Culinary expert Nguyen Thi Kim Chi, of the Quan An Ngon chain of restaurants, says mi Quangs simple roots stem from a dish originally meant for labourers.

Ancient settlers in the region used locally sourced fresh ingredients - including whatever seasonal plants, meats and fish they had on hand - to create their culinary traditions.

Over time, mi Quang became the pride of locals. We cherish its original, aromatic flavour and the way it represents the solid cultural values of our native village, says Chi.

The art of the sauce and the dumplings completely depends on each chef. The sauce should have a sweet flavour quite different from the pho broth cooked with oxen bone.-Photo dulichdanang.vn

Mi Quang chefs often customise the style, flavor and ingredients of the dish to individual taste, using whatever ingredients they have on hand.

The art of the sauce and dumplings also varies with each chef. Some use chicken or pig bones. Either way, the sauce should have a sweet flavour quite different from pho broth cooked with oxen bone.

The late poet Bui Giang dreamed of enjoying a bowl of mi Quang before passing away. Similarly, the late writer Nguyen Van Xuan was obsessed with eating the dish under bamboo shade in his native village.

Home village

Huynh Van Toi, from Quang Nam, says Phu Chiem is the Quang noodles native village.

Part of Phu Chiems fame stems from a broth of simmering shrimp and salty side pork. The resulting broth is a very thick, bright and cheerful red, which is considered part of the dishs allure. Phu Chiems Quang noodles should be eaten with green or red chili to accentuate their peppery, warm salty flavour in the broth and dumpling.

This expresses the real culinary style of the central people, Toi says.

Mi Quang has been served in Quang Nam since the 14th century. It is a harmonious combination of materials, delicious for locals but also carrying a resonant aftertaste among visitors-Photo dulichdanang.vn

Tois grandfather Huynh Huy, 90, tells this story of the dishs origins:

"After the sudden death of King Che Man, or Jaya Simhavarman III  the 34th king of the Cham-Pa kingdom (1288-1307)  Queen Huyen Tran ought to have been burned with the kings other imperial maids, in accordance with the kingdoms law. But her brother, the King of Dai Viet sent his men to bring the queen back to her native country. Here in Quang Nams Danh Village she was granted 32 mau (each mau is about 3,600sq.m) of good land. She taught locals weaving and then granted them 28 mau of land to grow rice and produce Quang noodles. Now Quang noodles are essential at every party and gathering of Quang Nam people."

These days Quang noodles are available everywhere in the countrys major metropolitan areas, including Ha Noi, HCM City and Da Nang. Each location cooks the dish in its own style - be it chicken, beef or pork noodle - says culinary expert Chi.
Trees uprooted outside Songshan train station as Typhoon Megi brings Taiwan to a standstill. (Photo: Timothy de Souza)

Typhoon Megi is expected to make landfall in eastern Taiwan later Tuesday but is already bringing widespread violent winds and torrential rain as it nears the island.

More than 5,000 people have been evacuated from their homes and around 2,000 are in shelters, according to the Central Emergency Operation Center. About 36,000 households have lost power due to the typhoon so far.

A total of 575 international and domestic flights were cancelled as of Tuesday morning, and 109 delayed. Most trains were also halted.

Television footage showed powerful waves surging past breakwaters in northeastern Yilan county and outlying Orchid Island.

Ahead of the storm, more than 3,700 tourists had already been evacuated at the weekend from Orchid Island and Green Island - both popular with visitors.

At 0030 GMT, Megi was 220 kilometres (137 miles) southeast of the eastern county of Hualien, packing gusts of up to 198 kilometres (123 miles) per hour.

It is moving at 18 kilometres (11.2 miles) an hour - slower than previously forecast - delaying the time of landfall to around 0900 GMT Tuesday, according to Taiwan's weather bureau.

Hualien and Taitung, which are also popular with visitors for their coastlines and landscapes, will be in the firing line.

Those areas are still trying to recover from damage brought by Super Typhoon Meranti earlier this month - the strongest storm for 21 years to hit Taiwan.

Meranti, which left one dead in Taiwan before killing another 28 as it moved to eastern China, was followed closely by the smaller Typhoon Malakas.

Mountainous regions in eastern Taiwan could see a total of up to 900 millimetres (35 inches) of rain through Wednesday, increasing the risk of landslides.

More than 35,000 soldiers are on standby to help with disaster relief.
Uong Chu Luu, Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam, put the First-Grade Labour Medal on VIRs flag.

The event saw the participation of various Vietnamese leaders, representatives from government agencies, localities, diplomatic agencies, and international organisations operating in Vietnam, as well as other newspapers, and domestic and foreign companies and investors. Many of the newspapers partners also sent flowers and expressed their best wishes.

Starting its journey on September 27, 1991, with two original publications of Vietnam Investment Review in English and Viet Nam - au tu nuoc ngoai in Vietnamese, Vietnam Investment Review has grown to be a leading multi-media group with five regular printed publications, four online newswires, and a list of prestigious special editions. Going a step further, Vietnam Investment Review is also well-known for organising business forums, conferences, and policy-discussion roundtable talks.

25 years after its establishment, VIR remains persistent in its mission to be the most trusted companion of the business community, and a bridge between government agencies, policy makers, entrepreneurs and investors, and, most of all, the people.

The editorial board of VIR and all its staff would like to thank the leaders of Vietnam, government agencies, localities, colleagues, partners, and readers for the love. We will continue to keep renewing and improving ourselves to meet your demands, said editor-in-chief Le Trong Minh.

Vietnam Investment Review strives for recognition amongst the best regional and global business newspapers. With our vision, drive, and ceaseless effort, we are convinced that we are going to see more success to come, he added.
The political arm of U.S. Senate Democrats is delaying the launch of its advertising in Wisconsins U.S. Senate race, billing it as a show of confidence that Democrat Russ Feingold will best Republican Sen. Ron Johnson on Nov. 8.

Not everyone is writing off the race, though. A new super PAC on Wednesday announced a six-figure ad buy that slams Feingold for voting to allow partial-birth abortion.

Lauren Passalacqua, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, confirmed Wednesday that it is canceling the first week of a multi-week advertising blitz in Wisconsin. DSCC officials say the committees independent expenditure arm had planned to air TV ads in Wisconsin starting in early October, but that start date now is being delayed.

Feingold is running an incredibly strong campaign focused on the best interests of Wisconsin families, Passalacqua said. We feel confident about our chances here.

Heading into the campaign, the Johnson-Feingold race had been seen as one of about a half-dozen that would decide which party controls the U.S. Senate in 2017.

Since then, polls consistently have shown Feingold leading the race. He led Johnson 44 percent to 39 percent in the latest Marquette law School poll, with Libertarian Phil Anderson getting 7 percent.

The Johnson campaign downplayed the significance of the DSCC decision, saying in a statement that this race remains as tight as ever.

The super PAC airing the anti-Feingold TV ads is Reform Wisconsin Fund. The ads blast Feingold for abortion votes he cast during his three terms in the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2011.

Russ Feingold voted eight times to allow partial-birth abortions as late as the ninth month of pregnancy. Unimaginable? Thats Russ Feingold, the ads narrator says.

Reform Wisconsin Fund spokesman Chris Martin said the ad buy is about $365,000 for its first week and will air in the Milwaukee, Green Bay, Wausau and Eau Claire-La Crosse media markets.

Reform Wisconsin Fund, created earlier this month, is a separate entity from the similarly named Reform America Fund, which rolled out ads earlier this month hammering Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. The funds share the same spokesman in Martin and treasurer in Lorri Pickens and are registered to the same address in Black Creek.

Martin declined to disclose the donors to Reform Wisconsin Fund. He said they will be disclosed, as is legally required, when the group files reports with the Federal Election Commission next month.
Photo by CHARLOTTE OBSERVER

A focus group in Charlotte, N.C., watches the first presidential debate between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton on Monday at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.
Giuliani calls Clinton too stupid to be president because she didnt know of her husbands affair


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Gov. Scott Walker plans to participate in his first live online question-and-answer session Friday, he announced on social media Wednesday.

The Facebook Live event starts at 8:15 a.m. Questions can be submitted before the event on his Facebook page: facebook.com/governorscottwalker/

Governor Walkers always looking for new ways to connect with the citizens of the state, and this Facebook Live Q&A presents a great opportunity to do that, spokesman Tom Evenson said.

Facebook launched its live video streaming service for public figures in August 2015 and then made it available to the general public in January.

Other politicians who have used the social media platform to connect with the public include House Speaker Paul Ryan of Janesville, who did a Q&A with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in March that has been viewed more than 161,000 times. Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner held his first Facebook Live Q&A last week.

Walkers Facebook announcement elicited a range of responses, including several serious policy-related questions.

I am concerned about the ever spiraling cost of health care and its drain on our state budget, especially with the escalation of Obamacare mandates on the states, wrote Patti Schick, of Green Bay. What cost savings are you considering for those on Medicaid or Badgercare to encourage (for example) use of primary care and urgent care vs ER?

Others used the social media platform to take shots at Walker.

The best solution dealing with sociopaths is to ignore them, wrote Rich Fallis, of Marshall.
Mindful Eating: Slower Consumption for Better Health

With tight schedules and busy lives, sitting down to a meal free of distraction can be more of a luxury than the norm. Mindful eating gets pushed aside for many reasons. Taking a break to satisfy your hunger may also seem like the perfect opportunity to catch up on social
Eritrean journalist Seyoum Tsehaye has been missing for 15 years. Human Rights Watch would like to see that he is not forgotten.

As part of its Free Them campaign to highlight political prisoners around the globe, the rights group is focusing attention on Seyoum, the former head of Eritrean state television, who was taken from his Asmara home by government agents on September 21, 2001, and has not been seen or heard from since.



Seyoum was part of a group of Eritrean journalists rounded up in a crackdown on independent media. Using the hashtag #FreeThem, Human Rights Watch is encouraging people to share Seyoum's story, hold events and tweet to world leaders asking for his release.

Seyoum's advocates believe he is still alive, based on a comment that Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh made to Radio France Internationale in June.

"The political prisoners are all alive and in good hands," he said.

"Good hands" might be an inaccurate term. A former prison guard who escaped Eritrea in 2010 said Seyoum's hands were bound 24 hours a day. The guard also said that the journalist was being held at the maximum security prison north of Asmara.

The Eritrean government has never commented on Seyoum's arrest or disclosed his location or condition. His family and friends have not had access to him since he was taken away.

Niece seeks uncle's release

Seyoum's 19-year-old niece Vanessa Berhe has been campaigning for her uncle's release for years. She started a website, onedayseyoum.com, to raise awareness of his plight.

She led a silent protest September 23 in London in which people wore black bandanas over their mouths and marched silently to the Eritrean embassy. Berhe said she hopes the attention will pressure Eritrean leaders to at least offer a trial for the jailed journalists and political dissidents.

"The main purpose was to stand in solidarity and in that action also to stand in protest. So our act of solidarity was also an act of protest," she told VOA. "What we're calling for and what we've been calling for since day one is to give these people a fair trial. I mean we think they should be released, but if there is any doubt of their innocence, give them due justice and a trial."



Seyoum, 66, was a famed war photographer during Eritrea's 30-year struggle for independence. He later held various positions including head of the state-run television station Eri-TV.

Between 1998 and 2000, during Eritrea's war with Ethiopia, Seyoum was critical of the government's secrecy and increasing restrictions on free speech and democracy. He apparently made enemies.

The state-run television continues to use his photographs during their broadcasts.

"If they use his materials on television fairly regularly, or frequently anyway, why don't they release him?" asks Andrew Stroehlein, European media director for Human Rights Watch.

Family still hopeful



Berhe said her family hasn't given up hope of seeing him again and believes the campaign will draw the attention of more people.

"He believed in the power of the word, the power of the people and the power of democracy, and I want to show him that what he believed in was strong enough to get him released," she said.

Seyoum's wife and two daughters now live in France. The older daughter, Abie, was two years old when the government arrested her father, and his wife was seven months pregnant with their youngest daughter, Beilula.

"The youngest one doesn't have any memories because she never met him. It's very tough for her," Berhe said. "The fact that she doesn't even have any memories and no connection with him whatsoever and that it is impossible to get it because he is imprisoned is something that she's been carrying with her for a very long time."



Human Rights Watch said it plans to continue the Free Them campaign, addressing a different case each week. Unfortunately, Stroehlein said, there is no danger that the rights group will run out of cases.

"We can literally do one political prisoner every hour, and we still wouldn't scratch the surface of a number of people that we're talking about around the world," Stroehlein said. "We're looking at a lot of regimes that are actually getting worse and worse, that are jailing civil society and activists, opposition figures more and more.

"There's a huge number and so you know it's not fair to take one person over the others, he added, but if one person is a symbol for the others, it might be able to put a face on this kind of persecution."
Authorities in an eastern province of Afghanistan say a U.S. drone strike against a group of suspected Islamic State militants has killed at least 18 people, including civilians.

Local police commander Mohammad Ali told VOA Wednesday that several non-combatants were also among those wounded in the pre-dawn attack in the Achin district of the province of Nangarhar, which borders Pakistan.

Using the Arabic acronym for IS, the police officer said two important Daesh commanders were among the militant casualties.

US confirms airstrike



A U.S. military spokesman, Brigadier General Charles Cleveland, confirmed to VOA that U.S. forces did conduct one counterterrorism airstrike in the area on Wednesday. But he would not discuss further details for operational security reasons.

Cleveland reiterated that the U.S. military takes all allegations of civilian casualties very seriously.

We are aware of some claims of Afghan casualties, and are currently reviewing all materials related to this strike. We are continuing to look into these allegations and will provide additional information as appropriate, he said.

Some Afghan officials told local media the drone hit the residence of a Public Health Department officer who recently returned from the annual pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Friends and relatives, as well as IS militants, had gathered to welcome and congratulate him on performing the religious ritual when missiles hit the compound.

IS regaining ground



The latest U.S airstrike came as tribal elders and officials recently warned IS fighters have returned and regained control of some of their former strongholds in the area after retreating to mountain hideouts in the face of weeks of major Afghan security operations.

Achin is among the four districts in Nangarhar where loyalists of the Middle East-based terrorist group have set up bases.

The Islamic State emerged early last year in the region in a bid to establish what it identified as its Khorasan province comprising Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of Iran.

But the effort has largely failed in the face of violent challenges posed by the rival Afghan Taliban, a concerted campaign of U.S. counterterrorism strikes as well as anti-IS Afghan security operations.

The U.S. military say its counter-IS strikes this year have eliminated 12 top leaders, including its regional chief, Hafiz Sadeed Khan.

The number of IS fighters has also been reduced to around 1,300 from an estimated several thousands, limiting their influence to four districts of Nangarhar compared to ten districts of the province in 2015, according to General John Nicholson, commander of U.S.-led international forces in Afghanistan.

He said that mostly ethnic Pashtun militants from Pakistan's Orakzai tribal agency filled IS ranks after they abandoned allegiance to the so-called Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, waging a deadly insurgency in the neighboring country.
An alleged timber smuggler in Cambodia has given journalists a lesson in ethics: People who take bribes should honor their commitments  or be prepared to die.

Timber smuggling and bribery are both common in Cambodia, but a video posted on Facebook late last week appears to illustrate how ingrained both activities have become.

The video clip was posted on a page calling itself the Siem Reap Post. It shows provincial logging tycoon Heng Samneang complaining that journalists in the northeastern province of Stung Treng to whom she was allegedly giving payoffs to keep her activities secret had instead informed the authorities, who then confiscated timber she was accused of trying to smuggle across the border to Vietnam.

She said that those who did not honor their promises would die in a car crash, though it was unclear if that was meant as a curse or a threat.

A journalist in Stung Treng, speaking anonymously because of fear for his safety, confirmed to The Associated Press that he and his colleagues were aware of Heng Samneang's alleged illegal activities, which had been going on for more than 10 years, and had received cash payments from her.

He said officials in charge of regulating logging also were aware of her activities and likewise took payoffs. While some of Heng Samneang's shipments had been confiscated, she had never been arrested, he said.

High deforestation rate

Environmental activists and experts say that Cambodia has one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world, much of it due to illegal logging and corrupt land deals.

The video clip of Heng Samneang, also known as "Yeay Proeung," shows her outside what appears to be her office on an unknown date. She has burning joss sticks grasped between her hands, which she raises up and down in front of her head in an oath-taking ceremony.

Heng Samneang is heard calling on the sky and Earth as her witnesses for punishment for any journalists who betray her by informing the authorities of her activities.

"All you journalists, be my witness," she says. "While we are alive, we shall behave with honesty. If you have given your word to someone, you have to honor that promise or you will die in a car crash."

In the brief segment, she also tells the journalists that she does not keep all her income for herself, but shares it with them.

The journalist who spoke to the AP acknowledged receiving money from Heng Samneang, but said it was just occasional payments of $15 to $20 treated as being for food or gasoline. The average annual income in Cambodia is about $1,000, though it is much lower in rural areas such as Stung Treng.

Some journalists and activists trying to expose illegal logging in Cambodia have been killed. But other journalists  or people who describe themselves as journalists  use their knowledge of illegal logging to extort money from the loggers.

Buth Vicheath, owner of the Siem Reap Post Facebook page on which the video clip was posted, said he received it from a friend and was happy to circulate it to encourage the government to crack down on illegal logging.
With North Koreas latest nuclear test drawing global condemnation, the reclusive regime will likely face challenges in securing aid for victims of floods that hit the nation earlier this month.

Robert King, U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights issues, said in Washington Monday that the government has no plan to send humanitarian aid to North Korea at the moment.

At this point, North Korea has not requested assistance from the U.S., King said. He declined to answer whether the U.S. will provide aid if the communist country formally requests assistance.

Recently, the North made a rare public appeal for international aid after deadly floods devastated the country. The appeal came a few days after its largest and fifth nuclear test.

Much-needed help

King said the Norths provocative acts like the recent missile and nuclear tests are making it difficult for international aid groups to raise funds for the recovery.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye said Tuesday the North carried out the test when the country already was suffering from the natural disaster. Seoul also has indicated opposition to sending humanitarian aid to Pyongyang.

Heavy downpours and strong winds accompanying a typhoon that hit the northeast region of Hamgyong province in early September killed 138 people, left 400 missing and stranded tens of thousands, according to the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in North Korea.

Millions in aid sought

Describing the floods as the worst in 50 to 60 years, the U.N. office launched an appeal for $28.2 million to help North Korean victims.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies also reported that the country requires $15.5 million to facilitate recovery in the region, and it called on the international community to join in the relief effort.

On Tuesday, Washington warned of further action against Pyongyang for its latest nuclear test.

In prepared testimony for a congressional hearing, Daniel Russel, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said the United States is considering possible trilateral measures with the R.O.K. and Japan in response to North Koreas destabilizing actions.
Police in Thailand's capital threatened Wednesday to arrest human rights researchers with Amnesty International over an event tied to a new report detailing allegations of torture and other ill treatment by the military and police.

Minar Pimple, Amnesty Internationals Senior Director of Global Operations, said in a statement authorities warned that if representatives of Amnesty International spoke at the event, they could be subject to arrest and prosecution under Thailands labor laws.

A spokesman for the group went forward with an impromptu news briefing nearby anyway, detailing a report that alleges 74 cases of Thai soldiers and police using beatings, suffocation by plastic bags, water boarding and forms of humiliation. The group says torture remains "shockingly common" despite pledges by the ruling military government to end abusive practices.

Since seizing power in a bloodless coup in 2014, Thailand's military-backed government has come under international criticism for severe restrictions on freedom of expression, political gatherings and delays in returning to democratic rule. The government argues military rule has been necessary to ensure stability.

Thai military worried

Despite the heavy-handed tactics, the public appears to continue to back the military's leadership role. Last month, voters in Thailand approved a new constitution that expands military powers, with 61 percent of voters supporting the charter.

Political scientists say upcoming memorials to bloody military crackdowns against students in October 1973 and 1976, however, have the military leadership on edge.

Steps to allow political discussion stalled after a recent clash at Thammasat University between students from opposite sides of Thailands political divide during a public forum on national political reconciliation.

Panitan Wattanayagorn, an advisor to the defense minister, said judging from the clash, managing the "political space" for people to mark the memorials will be a challenge for the military government.

"Managing the political space in the next few weeks  if there is a riot, if there is a demonstration  big  in front of the national government agencies, something like that, embassies for example  what to do? How to negotiate with them? Ten thousand  20,000 people  we have experienced, he said.

'Semi-democracy'

Academics see Thailand as having entered a period of semi-democracy, as the military presses ahead with reforms ranging from education to police and justice to anti-corruption. In the recent poll, voters backed the militarys extended influence in the selection of the next prime minister.

That means it is more likely that Thailands incumbent junta leader, Prayut Chan-ocha, is on track to remain in the post of prime minister after the next elections, slated as early as 2017.

Former constitution drafter and professor of politics at Chulalongkorn University, Suchit Bunbongkarn, sees few challenges to Prayut keeping his post.

Polls by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) also favored Prayut to return to power as prime minister.

Who will be the next prime minister? I would say, but dont believe me, the next prime minister is likely to be General Prayut Chan-ocha. But he will not run in the election  nor will he set up a political party, Suchit said at a forum on Thailands political outlook.

The professor said the government needs to convince "most at home and abroad of the need for this kind of democracy, at least for the time being" to move the country forward.

Stagnating political process

Pandit Chanrochanakit, a lecturer in government at Chulalongkorn University, said the government's tight rein on debate has stifled the country's political culture.

"It's very hard to imagine the future scenario of Thai politics. But I would characterize the future situation of the 'post-Prayut government as semi-democratic, with no civil society," Pandit said.

Despite the likelihood of a diminished civil political discourse, professor Suchit said that there is more politically going on behind the scenes in negotiations to preposition political groups in order to be aligned with the military leaders.

Government adviser Panitan Wattanayagorn agreed. They are now looking for opportunities to switch parties already. They are negotiating already with their bosses to run in the next election, he said.

Politicians have been sidelined since the May 2014 coup. The moves towards the next elections changes that. "[For the politicians] its a must for them  its a survival issue for them. They are going to be grabbing that space and campaign beginning next month [October]," he said.

Panitan, an adviser to the defense minister, says the military is still hoping to ease its tight grip over public debate.

The military recently announced an end to military trials for most civilian crimes. About 1,800 people have faced military courts over breaches of the interim charter imposed after the coup. The government has consistently prevented activists from staging protests or criticism of official policy.
Former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide has taken a major role in campaigning for next month's presidential election, leading many to believe the most polarizing figure in the tumultuous world of Haitian politics is poised to regain influence if his party wins.

Aristide's return to open campaigning for an ally is energizing supporters in poor neighborhoods who see the former slum priest as a near-messianic figure who fought for the country's most marginalized.

"He's the king of kings! Seeing him on the streets again is like being in paradise,'' Port-au-Prince slum resident Jhony Narcisse said as he jogged to keep up with Aristide's motorcade during a recent rally.

Back on the campaign

Although Aristide said he wouldn't focus on politics after he returned from exile in 2011, the twice-elected, twice-ousted leader has been vigorously campaigning for Maryse Narcisse, the presidential candidate for his Fanmi Lavalas party. While Aristide isn't a candidate for any post, he has been giving stump speeches and waving to adoring loyalists from a convoy touring the country.

In a recent speech, delivered through the sunroof of an SUV, he declared that Lavalas would build homes for the poor if Narcisse, one of 27 candidates in the Oct. 9 election, is elected.

"We're not going to build small birdcages. We are going to build houses,'' Aristide said to cheers from the crowd.

Such remarks suggest to some that he would not sit on the sidelines of a Narcisse presidency.

"It is clear that a victory would allow Aristide to govern behind the throne,'' said Henry Carey, a Haiti expert and political science professor at Georgia State University.

Twice elected, twice ousted

Aristide became a global figure of resistance when, as a slum priest known for fiery oratory, he led a popular movement that ousted the hated dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc'' Duvalier in 1986. He was elected president in 1990, forced out in a military coup a year later, and restored to power by the U.S. in 1994 to serve out the remainder of his term. As a champion of the poor and advocate of leftist "liberation theology,'' he was deeply hated by members of the elite who worked to unseat him.

Re-elected in 2000 amid low turnout and an opposition boycott, he was ousted four years later in a nationwide rebellion led by opponents with ties to the elite and the old Duvalierist regime. His critics accused Aristide of breaking promises to help the poor, allowing corruption fueled by drug trafficking, and masterminding attacks on opponents with armed gangs.

Aristide spent seven years in exile in South Africa after his 2004 ouster. He was greeted by jubilant crowds upon his return to Haiti in 2011, but largely kept a low profile until this year.

Crowded presidential field

A candidate would need to surpass 50 percent to win outright in next month's election.

That is unlikely with such a crowded field. Analysts say that Narcisse, thanks at least in part to Aristide and those who remain faithful to his party, has an outside chance to emerge as one of the two finalists. Narcisse finished fourth in last year's opening round, which was later annulled amid accusations of fraud.

Narcisse said in an interview with The Associated Press that she welcomes Aristide's help in her campaign and would consider him a valuable adviser if she were to win. He was not interested in a Cabinet post, she added.

"I'm very happy that he's there. He's a charismatic leader,'' she said. "The population listens to him. There's a love relation between Haitians and him.''

Narcisse isn't the only candidate with ties to the former president.

The field also includes Jude Celestin, who is backed by Rene Preval, a former protege of Aristide who served as president from 1996 to 2001 and again from 2006 to 2011. Figures once closely affiliated with the Lavalas movement, including Moise Jean-Charles and Jean Henry Ceant, are now presidential candidates on other platforms they created.

Aristide loses some luster

While it's easy to find hard-core Lavalas supporters in neighborhoods that were once Aristide strongholds, roughly a third of Haiti's population is younger than 15 and only know his image from placards or paintings sold on roadsides. There are also voters in these poor districts who view him as a disappointing figure from the past.

Ravix Fadius, a plumber with three children who recently moved back to his mother's shack because he can't find steady work, said Aristide is just another Haitian politician who repeatedly put his own interests before those of the populace.

"Aristide and Lavalas had their chances to make things better and they didn't,'' he said on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince's seaside slum of Cite Soleil, where people live in rows of squalid hovels. "You can't build a sewer and call it a village.''
Bangladesh pulled out of a regional summit to be held in Islamabad in November, a day after India announced that it would not attend the meeting in the aftermath of a deadly attack on an Indian army base close to Pakistan's border.

Without naming Pakistan, Junior Foreign Minister Shahriar Alam of Bangladesh said repeated interference in its internal affairs by one country had prompted Dhaka to pull out of the meeting of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation, or SAARC.

Indian media reported that Afghanistan and Bhutan have also said that they will not attend, but there was no confirmation from these countries.

The action is seen as an attempt to send a message to Pakistan about cross-border terrorism, not just in India but also in other countries in the region.

Blaming Pakistan-based Islamic militants for the assault on the army base that killed 18 soldiers, India has cited increasing cross-border attacks as its reason for staying away. Denying any responsibility, Islamabad has called the Indian allegations an attempt to deflect attention from the restive situation in Indian Kashmir.

South Asia expert Sukh Deo Muni, at the Indian Institute of Defense Analyses in New Delhi, said the pullout decision by India and Bangladesh, and likely also by Afghanistan and Bhutan, demonstrates that Pakistan is at odds with other countries in South Asia besides India.

He pointed out that while tensions between India and Pakistan spiraled recently, ties between Bangladesh and Islamabad have been frayed for a longer period. Their tensions stem from Islamabads criticism of the execution of Islamist leaders in Dhaka for alleged war crimes in the countrys 1971 War of Independence.

Responding to Indias decision to not attend the summit, Pakistan said on Tuesday that it remains committed to peace and regional cooperation and accused New Delhi of perpetrating terrorism on its soil.

SAARC, which was set up in 1985 to promote cooperation in what is one of the worlds least integrated regions, has been constantly overshadowed by the friction between its two biggest members  India and Pakistan.

The other countries in the eight-member group are Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Maldives.

Saying that the summit is now unlikely to take place, analyst Muni says the development represents a serious setback to efforts to promote trade and connectivity in South Asia.

Other analysts say Indias push for a boycott came as the government faces enormous domestic pressure to retaliate to the attack on the Indian army camp.

Manoj Joshi at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi says Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has opted for diplomatic measures. People are angry and they want responses and I think it is better to make this move than to get into any kind of armed conflict, says Joshi.
All Sun Prairie School District students will be back in the classroom Wednesday with the exception of those at Patrick Marsh Middle School following an inspection into possible mold that closed schools Monday.

The search was prompted after mold was discovered on books in the library of Eastside Elementary School on Thursday, said district spokeswoman Patti Lux-Weber.

Students at Patrick Marsh, where mold was found on Monday, will return on Thursday.

Lux-Weber said the mold is the result of the recent rain. In Madison, the amount of rainfall in September is more than 5 inches above average for the month, according to the National Weather Service.

Students at both Eastside and Patrick Marsh will attend classes at other locations in the district while the cleanup process is underway, Lux-Weber said.

Classrooms are being set up in available spaces. Team teaching also will be employed, such as two teachers and two classrooms in the same space, she said.

Our schools are already overcrowded, thats why we have a referendum in November for two new elementary schools, Lux-Weber said. Well make it work, and the kids will continue to be educated, and well be safe.

Officials expect it will take between two and four weeks to clean the entire Eastside school and about half of the Patrick Marsh building. A cost estimate is not yet available, she said.
China said Tuesday it is opposed to any country attempting to "enforce its domestic laws over China's enterprises and individuals," after the United States sanctioned a Chinese company for alleged support of North Koreas nuclear-weapons program.

U.S. Treasury officials announced criminal charges and economic sanctions against a Chinese industrial machinery wholesaler, Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Developmental Company Limited (DHID).

The firm's chairwoman, Ma Xiaohong, and three top executives were charged Monday with conspiring to evade sanctions against North Korea, including by facilitating money laundering through U.S. financial institutions.

DHID also is under investigation by Chinese authorities for its connection with Kwangson Banking Corporation, a North Korean bank previously designated by the U.S. and United Nations for providing financial services in support of North Koreas weapons proliferation.

This shows we can work cooperatively with China; we both see it in our interests to apply greater pressure on North Korea, State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said Monday. The DHID charges and economic restrictions, he added, were necessary to maintaining the integrity of broader sanctions imposed on Pyongyang by the United Nations and by the United States.

China supports UN sanctions

Asked about the move, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China was committed to upholding United Nations resolutions against North Korea, which mandate tough sanctions for its nuclear and missile tests.

Any person or company found in breach of the rules will be punished, and if necessary China will cooperate with other countries on this on the basis of mutual respect and equality, Geng told a daily news briefing.

"I want to stress that we oppose any country enacting so-called 'long-arm jurisdiction,' using its own domestic laws against a Chinese entity or individual," he added. "We have already communicated this position to the U.S. side."

While China is North Korea's sole major ally, it disapproves of its nuclear and missile programs and was angered by its latest nuclear test.

Tighter border controls

China signed on in March to the stiffest U.N. sanctions yet that limit trade with the North. It has tightened controls on cross-border flows of goods, but that hasn't allayed suspicions that North Korea still can conduct illicit business through China.

U.N. Security Council resolutions prohibit nuclear weapons development by the North and all ballistic missile activity.

International concern about Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs is deepening following its largest nuclear explosion ever earlier this month  its second test blast this year and its fifth overall.

North Korea's actions have spurred concern that the country is moving closer to achieving its goal  a missile with a nuclear warhead and a range long enough to reach the U.S. mainland.

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said China should "go into North Korea" to stop its nuclear plans, as China has all the power in the relationship.

Chinese spokesman Geng said the crux of the North Korea issue is not China, and that China has made great efforts to try to bring about denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

Discussions are underway on a possible new U.N. sanctions resolution. The senior U.S. diplomat for Asia said on Friday he was confident an agreement would be reached before long to impose further sanctions and tighten existing ones.
A 14-year-old boy killed his father Wednesday before going to a nearby elementary school and shooting two children and a teacher in South Carolina, authorities said. The suspect was in custody.

The shooting happened at Townville Elementary School in Anderson County, located near the Georgia state line about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northeast of Atlanta.

Captain Garland Major with the Anderson County Sheriff's Office said one of the students was shot in the leg and the other in the foot. Both are 6-year-old boys. The female teacher was hit in the shoulder.

"We are heartbroken about this senseless act of violence,'' said Joanne Avery, superintendent of Anderson County School District 4. She canceled classes for the rest of the week.

Townville Elementary had about 300 students in its pre-kindergarten-to-sixth-grade classrooms last year, according to its annual state report card.
A gas explosion at a Chinese coal mine has left at least 18 people dead and two more missing after what Chinese officials are calling illegal mining activities.

The gas explosion occurred Tuesday morning at a small coal mine in the northwestern Chinese city of Shizuishan as 20 miners were working underground, Chinese state media reported.

Xinhua cited an initial investigation in blaming illegal mining for the explosion, though the state media outlet did not provide further details.

During a news conference Wednesday, local officials said representatives from Linli Coal Mining Co. Ltd., which owns the mine, had been taken into police custody.

Wu Yuguo, vice mayor of Shizuishan City, said heavy gas concentrations and the collapse of the mine shaft had created difficulties for rescue workers.

Despite the dangerous conditions, firefighters and coal mine rescue specialists continued their search for the two missing mine workers Wednesday.

China has made great strides in improving mine safety, but its mines are still the deadliest in the world.

Accidents at Chinese mines routinely make national news, though they continue to happen as bosses disregard safety standards in the quest for higher profits.

Official government figures put the annual number of mining related deaths in China at less than 1,000, but rights groups claim the numbers are underreported and are actually much higher.
The U.S. strategy against Islamic State extremists figured prominently in the first presidential debate Monday night. The candidates, Democrat Hillary Clinton, 68, and Republican Donald Trump, 70, offered starkly different takes on defeating the extremist group, raising the question: How accurate were their comments on IS?

To find out, VOA asked a few experts to evaluate the candidates' statements on IS.

Clinton on IS in Iraq

"Our military is assisting in Iraq. And we're hoping within a year we'll be able to push them out of Iraq.

The U.S.-led coalition has been helping a combination of Iraqi, Kurdish and Arab forces fight IS in Iraq.

IS has been mostly rooted out of Anbar province and the coalition is setting its sights on a big battle for Mosul, currently an IS stronghold in Iraq. Analysts and commanders on the ground say Clinton is likely overly optimistic in saying that IS will be uprooted from Iraq in a year.

Barham Aris Yasin, a Kurdish commander on the front line of northern Mosul, said in an interview with VOA that pushing IS out of Iraq will take at least three years "if the American role remains as its now.

"Iraqi forces are divided across religious and ethnic lines. I doubt they can defeat IS in one year," Yasin said. "America needs to increase its role and unite all the forces under one umbrella. It has to command the forces on the ground.

Dlawar Ala' Aldeen, founding president of the Middle East Research Institute, said it could take generations before Islamic State militants are completely defeated in Iraq.

"IS is a political, military and social actor. Its defeat militarily does not lead to its elimination politically and socially," he said. "You can take away the control of land and population from IS, but unless tackled comprehensively, its political and social influence will remain for generations to come.

Trump on Clinton's failure to curb IS

"No wonder you've been fighting ISIS your entire adult life."

The timeline of the birth of the group and its rise does not support this claim. IS was created following the withdrawal of the majority of U.S troops in Iraq in 2013. A year later, IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi formally declared an Islamic caliphate after fighting the Iraqi army and rapidly taking control of territory in both Iraq and Syria.

Clinton was 66 years old when al-Baghdadi declared a caliphate.

Clinton on combating IS online

"We need to do much more with our tech companies to prevent (IS) and their operatives from being able to use the internet to radicalize, even direct, people in our country, in Europe and elsewhere.

This policy is similar to an Obama administration initiative already in place.

The State Department recently announced that it has begun working with private-sector partners on a program to combat the group's extremist messaging on social media platforms. It is partnering with an affiliate of Google to disrupt IS online recruiting efforts by targeting advertising, algorithms and the use of YouTube's video platform.

"What she mentioned in the debate was an assertion of Obama's current policy on combating IS online," said Dlshad Othman, a digital security expert in Washington. Clinton "was actually part of this approach when she was secretary of state. She was pushing for more involvement by private-sector companies.

Trump on IS oil

"Had we taken the oil  and we should have taken the oil  ISIS (Islamic State) would not have been able to form either because the oil was their primary source of income. And now they have the oil all over the place, including the oil, a lot of the oil in Libya.

On the campaign trail, Trump has often made the argument that IS would be unable to launch deadly attacks if they didn't control oil fields in Iraq. He has said that President Barack Obama should have given the order to seize IS oil operations, cutting off its lucrative smuggling business that helped fund the group.

But, under international law, the United States cannot seize Iraq's oil. U.S. forces have also targeted IS oil production facilities, leading to IS militants losing control of some oil fields.

"Oil revenue gave IS a bloom for a period of time and now does not play a major role," said Seth Frantzman, an Israeli-based Middle East commentator who recently made a trip to Iraq to assess the status of IS.

"Oil has lost much of its significance because of difficulties to exporting it due to border issues, said Frantzman, the op-ed editor for The Jerusalem Post.

"At this point, [IS militants] don't rely on oil revenue as their major source of power to move their vehicle. We can see that they burn oil in order to distract air raids and hinder attacks," he said.

As for IS oil holdings in Libya, David Mack, a scholar at the Middle East Institute and former U.S. ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, said in an interview with CNBC recently, IS "never controlled any oil exports or sales from Libyan production."

"It's possible that they were in a position to extort money from some Libyan militia who had control over oil wells, but that would have only been indirect," Mack said.

Clinton on Trump's 'secret plan' to fight IS

"He says it's a secret plan, but the only secret is that he has no plan.

On the campaign trail, Trump has vowed to "utterly destroy ISIS" and "bomb the hell out of ISIS." But he has yet to outline in detail his plan to combat IS as president, saying he doesn't want to tip off the enemy.

On the eve of Monday's debate, Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, said during an appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe that Trump "certainly has a plan.

"I've heard it," Conway said. "He'll tell you if that question is asked. He'll be happy to offer specifics without telling the enemy exactly what we're going to do.

But when pressed by Clinton during the debate, Trump did not take the opportunity to disclose more details.

Trump on IS in more than 30 countries

"But you were there and you were secretary of state when it (IS) was a little infant. Now it is in over 30 countries and you are going to stop them? I don't think so.

It is hard to assess IS's presence in varying parts of the world, according to experts.

Mainly in Iraq and Syria, IS claims on its website that it has ties to 26 countries. IS has also claimed responsibility for terror attacks that are sometimes lone-wolf incidents. Law enforcement officials say those links are more ideological than direct.

"It's difficult to know what Donald Trump meant," said Mara Revkin, a Middle East expert at Yale University.

"If he means spreading in terms of IS's actual state-building activities on the ground, then the number is substantially inflated," Revkin said. "IS has declared 'provinces' in only 10 countries, and of those, the group has only established governance institutions, such as courts, police departments and municipal services, in three  Syria, Iraq and Libya.

"If Trump means 'spreading' in terms of ISIS's ability to directly conduct or indirectly inspire attacks in other countries, then the number of countries where such attacks have occurred is around 20, Revkin said.

"But that said, mere exposure to ISIS propaganda alone does not lead to radicalization, she said. "If that were true, researchers like me would all be brainwashed by now. It's very difficult to observe or measure the 'spread' of ideas, so I would be cautious about claiming that ISIS's influence is 'spreading' without clear evidence.

Clinton on targeting IS leadership

Clinton said that she would also do everything possible to take out (IS) leadership.

This strategy would be an extension of Obama administrations policy of targeting influential IS figures in Iraq and Syria. Since the beginning of the U.S.-led coalition campaign against IS, dozens in the IS hierarchy have been killed in airstrikes and drone raids.

Chief IS spokesperson Abu Mohammad al-Adnani was killed in a U.S. strike in August. In July, the U.S. targeted two senior commanders: Basim Muhammad Ahmad Sultan al-Bajari, the terror group's deputy minister of war, and Hatim Talib al-Hamduni, an IS military commander in Mosul.

Also, Abu Omar al-Shishani, IS minister of war, was killed in a U.S. airstrike in March. In another strike in the same month, Abd al-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli, IS minister of finance, was killed.

"The Obama administration has been successful for now and it was able to [get] top IS commanders, including Al-Shishani and al-Adnani," said Ahmet S. Yayla, deputy director at the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism (ICSVE) at George Mason University.

Yayla added that IS has "lost many of its top commanders through these surgical operations."
President Barack Obama's nomination of an ambassador to Cuba is welcome, but he should do more to normalize relations between the two countries during his remaining time in office, a senior Cuban government official said Wednesday.

Gustavo Machin, the deputy director for U.S. affairs in the Cuban foreign ministry, told a news conference that Cuba will make those concerns known during a bilateral commission meeting Friday in Washington.

"The Cuban delegation will point out the lack of advances of in the economic, commercial sphere," Machin said. "We consider the measures adopted by President Obama's administration are positive but still insufficient and limited."

Obama on Tuesday nominated career diplomat Jeffrey DeLaurentis, the top official at the U.S. Embassy in Havana since relations were restored last year, to be the first U.S. ambassador to Cuba in more than five decades.

This was welcome news, Machin said. Cuba appointed its ambassador to the U.S. a year ago.

The nomination must be approved by the Republican-controlled Senate, which is seen as unlikely in a presidential election year and given expected strong resistance from Cuban-American senators, including Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas.

Obama should also use his executive powers, Machin said, to further hollow out the trade embargo imposed on Cuba after its 1959 revolution.

Only Congress can lift the embargo, and the Republican leadership is not expected to allow such a move anytime soon.

"If the president could ... allow investment in telecoms, why can't he authorize investments in other areas?" Machin said.

If Obama allowed the export of certain Cuban products to the United States, why could he not broaden the export of Cuban products? Machin asked.

Obama's critics meanwhile accuse him of making too many concessions toward Cuba without getting enough in return.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said earlier this month that if elected he would seek to reverse the detente unless the leaders there allowed religious freedoms and freed political prisoners.

Machin said he hoped the next president would take into account the opinion of the majority of Americans, who agree with the opening to Cuba, according to opinion polls.

Despite the need for more progress, the two countries have made progress in improving relations in the four months since a previous commission meeting, Machin said, for example re-launching commercial airline flights
East Timor has accused Australia of being a bully as the International Court of Arbitration in the Netherlands prepares to hear a decade-long dispute over the sharing of oil and mineral wealth in the Timor Sea.

East Timor  also known as Timor Leste  wants the International Court of Arbitration in The Hague to decide which country owns a large undersea oil and gas field. The East Timorese government believes Australia is receiving more than it is entitled to under an international convention.

The court has said it will oversee a compulsory conciliation between the two countries on their disputed maritime boundary, rejecting objections from Australia.

The judicial process could decide on which side of the maritime border lies a large oil and gas field over which the two nations have a revenue-sharing agreement.

Both sides will now enter into a negotiation process that will take place behind closed doors over the next 12 months.

Jose Ramos Horta, the former East Timorese president, says his country is standing up to a bully.

Throughout the Pacific region, Southeast Asia, people [are] looking at Timor Leste with admiration. Wow, they have the courage, the guts to stand up to this bullying regional power [and] taking immense risk, he said.

Australian officials have said that existing bilateral treaties between the Asia-Pacific neighbors had been "hugely beneficial, but that Canberra would accept the courts decision.

The case has strained relations that have previously been close after Australia supported East Timors successful campaign for independence from Indonesia in the late 1990s. The young nation is beset by serious economic problems, with annual per capita income estimated at around $5,600.

In July, the U.N. Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled against Chinese claims to rights in the South China Sea, supporting a case brought by the Philippines. In that case, Beijing refused to participate and has said it does not recognize the ruling.
Egyptian salvage workers Tuesday pulled the bodies of dozens of migrants from the hold of a sunken fishing boat in the coastal Mediterranean, raising the toll from the September 21 disaster to more than 200 dead.

Survivors have said 450 to 600 migrants, including many women and children, were packed aboard the trawler when it capsized in pre-dawn darkness off the port city of Rosetta as it headed for Europe.

Military authorities said most of the victims so far identified were Egyptians from the Nile Delta region, many of them teenagers seeking a better life in Europe. But local reports said Africans from several nations and Syrians were also aboard the doomed boat.

Tuesday's recoveries came after divers and a salvage vessel pulled the trawler from the mud of the seafloor, enabling teams to retrieve bodies trapped in the boat's hold. On shore, emergency officials later said there were no more bodies on board.

Local police on Monday detained the boat's owner, who according to local reports could face charges of human trafficking and involuntary manslaughter.

The International Organization for Migration says 3,500 migrants have died or gone missing so far this year while trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea. The IOM says that tally represents a nearly 600-person increase over the figure from the same period last year.
German data protection authorities Tuesday ordered Facebook to delete data, such as phone numbers, it has received from its subsidiary WhatsApp.

Facebook acquired the global messaging service two years ago and announced this summer that WhatsApp would begin sharing the phone numbers of its users with the social network as part of a program to synchronize the two businesses.

But Hamburg's Commissioner for Data Protection ruled that Facebook "neither has obtained an effective approval from the WhatsApp users, nor does a legal basis for the data reception exist."

"After the acquisition of WhatsApp by Facebook two years ago, both parties have publicly assured that data will not be shared between them," the agency said in a statement. "The fact that this is now happening is not only a misleading of their users and the public, but also constitutes an infringement of national data protection law."

Facebook, whose German operations are based in Hamburg, questioned the ruling.

"Facebook complies with EU data protection law," the company said in an email to The Associated Press. "We will work with the Hamburg DPA in an effort to address their questions and resolve any concerns."

The California-based company has faced repeated challenges in Germany, where there are strict laws on data privacy and intellectual property.

In March, the country's competition watchdog said it was investigating whether Facebook used its dominant market position to make users give too much personal information. Facebook rejected any claim of wrongdoing and said it would work with the Federal Cartel Office to answer their questions.

The month before that, Facebook was fined 100,000 euros ($112,000) by a Berlin court for failing to narrow down what rights Facebook has to use the photos and videos of users.
U.S. presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump headed Wednesday to political battleground states they need to win the November 8 election.

Clinton is campaigning in the northeastern state of New Hampshire with her one-time rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, as she looks to woo younger voters who were attracted to his candidacy in the months-long campaign she eventually won. Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, is campaigning for her in the key mid-Atlantic state of North Carolina, where Clinton and Trump, the Republican nominee, have made numerous appearances.

First lady Michelle Obama appeared in a new Clinton campaign ad, telling voters that she supports the former U.S. secretary of state because "Hillary will be a president our kids can look up to." Obama, without mentioning the brash Trump's name and his campaign taunts against Clinton, said, "Our children watch everything we do, and the person we elect as president has the power to shape their lives for years to come."

The first lady is campaigning for Clinton in yet another important election state, Pennsylvania, in the eastern part of the country, with stops in its two biggest cities, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

In Philadelphia, she told a group of young voters, "I'm inspired by her persistence, her consistency, by her heart and by her guts."

President Barack Obama, a staunch Clinton supporter, told a radio interviewer that he is frustrated that voters have not embraced Clinton's candidacy as much as he would like. He suggested that one reason is that Clinton is a woman in a country that has never had a female president.

Trump, the Republican nominee, is headed to Chicago, the country's third-biggest city and a Democratic stronghold, where he has little chance of winning. Later he is appearing at rallies in two nearby closely contested states, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Polls shows Clinton edge

U.S. presidential elections are not decided by a national popular vote, but rather by individual races in the 50 states, with each state's importance in the overall outcome weighted by its population. Winning presidential candidates have to amass a majority of 270 votes in the 538-member electoral college based on the state-by-state results.

With about 40 states likely to vote the way they traditionally do, for the Republican or Democratic candidate no matter who it is, Clinton and Trump are focusing their attention on the remaining 10 where the outcome is in doubt.

After Monday's debate, independent political analysts widely gave Clinton the edge after she kept Trump on the defensive, attacking him for not releasing his U.S. tax returns for public scrutiny, his lengthy history of slurs against women, and his years-long campaign to try to prove the debunked claim that President Obama was born in Kenya and is not a U.S. citizen.

In the immediate aftermath of the debate, watched by a record of more than 80 million Americans, political analysts suggested that Clinton, locked in a tight race with Trump, could pick up an additional two percentage points or more of support. The Politico/Morning Consult poll, which had Trump ahead by one point before the debate, said its first post-debate polling now showed Clinton with a three-point edge, a four-percentage-point gain.

Trump, Clinton reaction

Trump's advisers say they are frustrated by his debate performance and intend to try to get him to practice more before his next encounter with Clinton set for October 9, the second of three planned debates. But Trump resisted intensive preparation before the Monday matchup, the Trump aides told The New York Times.

In the face of the wide assessment that Clinton had bested him in the debate six weeks before the election, Trump said on his Twitter account that he raised $18 million for his campaign in the hours after the debate.

Clinton said after the debate, "I felt so positive about it. The real point is about temperament and fitness and qualification to hold the most important, the hardest job in the world." She said there were "some very clear differences" between her and Trump.

He told a campaign rally in Florida, "She's the candidate of yesterday, and ours is the campaign and we're the people of the future. Her only experience has been a failure."

A third-party candidate, Libertarian Gary Johnson, who is collecting single-digit support in the presidential race, wrote in a New York Times opinion article that "the America I know wasn't on the television screen" at the Clinton-Trump debate.

"Americans want to be able to choose a president who is capable of reason, of learning from failures, and of telling them the truth, even when it hurts," Johnson said. "Most of all, they want to choose a president who will adhere to the Constitution and will make government live within its means."

In the weeks before the debate, Johnson did not meet the 15 percent national polling threshold to be invited to the debate, but his name will be on the ballot in all 50 states.
Theres been nothing subtle about Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbans campaign before Sundays nationwide referendum on whether Hungary should agree to accept migrants under the European Union refugee resettlement plan.

Facts have been dispensed with, allege critics, and the governments language has been so abrasive about asylum-seekers, who have been portrayed as being synonymous with terrorists and criminals, that Luxembourgs foreign minister suggested earlier this month that Hungary ought to be thrown out of the EU.

Not that criticism is deterring Orban, a liberal-turned-nationalist conservative who relishes controversy and is surfing a powerful wave of central European populism that may end up reshaping the regional bloc, taking power away from EU institutions in Brussels and placing it back in the hands of national governments.

At a fractious migration crisis summit of European leaders in Vienna a few days ago, Orban, who along with other central European and Balkan leaders have tightened their borders to asylum-seekers, warned any new massive surge would swamp Europe.

When the migrants descend on us and trouble arrives, it will be too late to reach for blueprints, for fences, for physical barriers, for new police and soldiers, he cautioned.

Orban and his ministers deny allegations of racism and say their referendum campaigning has been strictly factual. They defend posters and leaflets depicting claimed "no go" zones across the continent that the government alleges have become perilous for locals because of violent immigrants.

While insisting the map is based on crime statistics, Orban spokesman Zoltan Kovacs acknowledged recently, The picture is a bit disproportionate. That was rare backtracking in a referendum campaign thats likely to increase divisions among European governments about how to cope with the migration crisis that has been roiling the continent for two years.

Orban has predicted the referendum will have a domino effect with other European governments and follow Budapests example, especially Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Like Hungary, they are in the four-nation Visegrad Group of central European countries which have been the strongest critics of EU migrant policies and are overwhelmingly white and Christian.

An earlier incarnation of an EU refugee-burden sharing plan floundered amid objections with just a few hundred asylum-seekers being resettled; but, Eurocrats in Brussels insist a renewed version will start as soon as December.

Theres little chance that Orban will be on the losing side in the national ballot he conceived and championed on the EU mandatory relocation plan, which would involve resettling only 1,294 asylum-seekers to Hungary.

According to opinion polls, at least two-thirds of the electorate will vote no to resettling any migrants sent their way by the European Union. Turnout is likely to be high as a result of Saturdays nail bomb explosion in the heart of Budapest, which seriously injured two police officers. It remains unclear, though, whether the bombing was the handiwork of a jihadist or far-right group.

A recent survey found that Hungarian sentiment has hardened dramatically in the past 12 months. Initially, when thousands of war refugees from the Middle East and economic migrants from Africa arrived in Hungary, marching up from the Balkans heading to Germany and other north European countries, Hungarians were welcoming, donating clothes and essentials to the new arrivals at Budapests main railway station and in makeshift camps that popped up in the capital.

A year ago, 64 percent of Hungarians, according to a survey, acknowledged a moral obligation to assist asylum-seekers. A survey taken last week showed a dramatic reversal with 63 percent saying there was no obligation.

Orban critics blame the government for the shift in sentiment, arguing he has been inciting xenophobia and that it is hardly surprising Hungarians have turned against migrants and view them as a threat.

John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International's director for Europe, said, against the backdrop of a toxic referendum campaign, poisonous anti-refugee rhetoric is reaching fever pitch. On Tuesday, Amnesty issued a toughly worded report accusing Hungary of a flagrant breach of international law in how it is treating refugees.

Last month, Zeid Raad al-Hussein, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, compared Orban to right-wing populists, accusing them of peddling falsehoods. He said they seek in varying degrees to recover a past, halcyon and so pure in form, where sunlit fields are settled by peoples united by ethnicity or religion, living peacefully in isolation, pilots of their fate, free of crime, foreign influence and war. A past that most certainly, in reality, did not exist anywhere, ever.

The attacks on Orban, though, appear to be having as little impact on Hungarians as the warnings foreign leaders issued, including U.S. President Barack Obama, to Britons ahead of their Brexit referendum in June. Some observers say they are in effect playing into Orbans hands by building up popular resentment about foreign interference in domestic politics.

A large part of the appeal of Orbans campaign rests with his argument that nations should determine their policies and not supra-national organizations. The Hungarian leader doesnt disguise his eagerness to roll back not only EU immigration policies, but a European Union status quo that he says is out of touch with popular opinion.
Hillary Clinton spent part of Monday night, as well as the last year and a half, trying to convince the American people why shes the best choice to be the next president of the United States. The entirety of her pitch seems to be shes the most qualified candidate due to her record as a U.S. senator and secretary of state.

But, in reality, it is her record as secretary of state that disqualifies her from consideration.

Look no further than Clintons disastrous handling of the situation in Libya. For Clinton it was simple: Libya was supposed to be the crowning jewel of the Clinton-Obama foreign policy. It was the perfect example of how its supposed to work: no boots on the ground, oust a dictator, and help usher in the Arab spring.

But Libya  specifically Benghazi  turned out to be anything but a crowning achievement and would ultimately disqualify Clinton from ever serving as commander-in-chief.

For months, the Clinton State Department failed to heed numerous warnings about the deteriorating security situation in Benghazi. When other nations pulled out of Libya, U.S. assets remained on the ground, despite more than 200 security incidents taking place. Benghazi had gotten so dangerous that one State Department diplomatic security agent called it a suicide mission and said there was a very good chance that everyone was going to die, referring to Americans remaining in the country.

But the State Department ignored these warnings. Nothing would get in the way of the Clinton-Obama foreign policy legacy.

And then it happened.

On Sept. 11, 2012, Ambassador Chris Stevens residence in Benghazi was overrun in a coordinated terrorist assault carried out by an al-Qaida-aligned group. The attack claimed the lives of Stevens and Sean Smith, a U.S. foreign service officer. The residence was torched and the ambassador was dragged through the streets. Stevens was the first U.S. ambassador to be killed in the line of duty since 1979.

Next, the coordinated terrorist attack hit the CIA annex building, roughly a mile away, where occupants endured hours of assault. That attack ultimately claimed the lives of CIA contractors and former Navy SEALs Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty.

But before the attack had even ended in Benghazi  and before any U.S. military assets were ever deployed to assist Americans  the political spin in Washington began. While Woods was still on the roof of the CIA annex fighting for his life, Clinton, presidential adviser Ben Rhodes, and other Obama administration officials were trying to reclaim the narrative with a 10:08 p.m. State Department press release.

They would soon go on television and blame the coordinated terrorist assault on a YouTube video, claiming the attack started as a spontaneous protest in response to the video.

Think about that: A spontaneous protest using rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and truck-mounted artillery.

Publicly, Clinton allowed one story to be told to the American people, while she told a very different story  the truth  privately. She and her cohorts publicly blamed inflammatory material posted on the internet even as privately she told her daughter that terrorists had killed our people. She also told the Egyptian prime minister that it was a planned attack, not a protest.

Repeatedly, she claimed there was no information to suggest it was a pre-planned attack  despite a senior State Department official in Libya saying it was a well-planned attack.

Remember the context: This took place 56 days before a presidential election and the Clinton-Obama foreign policy legacy was on the line. At every turn Clinton was more concerned with politics than getting the truth to the American people  including the victims families.

When Sean Smiths remains were being returned to the United States, Clinton told his mother that the video was responsible. She also told Tyrone Woods father she was going to have the filmmaker responsible arrested, knowing full well this was a coordinated terrorist attack and that no U.S. forces had taken off before the attack had ended.

For Clinton, politics trumped the truth and honoring the memories of the lives lost in Benghazi. That alone disqualifies her from ever being commander-in-chief.
In an unprecedented decision, the International Criminal Court Tuesday convicted a Muslim extremist of destroying centuries-old religious shrines in Mali.

It is the first time the Hague court has treated such destruction as a war crime, sentencing Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi to nine years in prison.

Al-Mahdi faced as much as 30 years in prison. But the court said it took into account his admission of guilt and regret, along with his plea to other Muslims not to do what he did.

Al-Mahdi was charged with overseeing the destruction of the centuries-old shrines with pickaxes and bulldozers in the ancient city of Timbuktu when Islamic extremists briefly seized control of northern Mali in 2012.

Timbuktu is a United Nations World Heritage site.

UNESCO chief Irina Bokova called the court's ruling against al-Mahdi a "landmark in gaining recognition of the importance of heritage for humanity as a whole, and for the communities that have preserved it over the centuries."

Timbuktu residents who watched the shrines being torn down also cheered. A tour guide told the French News Agency that "justice has been served to our ancestors."

State Department spokesman Mark Toner called such destruction a tool of terrorists to erase history and eradicate identities. He repeated Secretary of State John Kerry's assertion that such acts "are a tragedy for all civilized people, and the civilized world must take a stand."
Hundreds of Iranian Kurds are bolstering Kurdish forces in Syria and Iraq as volunteers in the fight against the Islamic State, according to fighters and Kurdish sources in Iraq and Syria.

I decided to come to Syria to help my Kurdish brethren fight (IS), said Iranian Kurd Zanyar Rafaat, who joined the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Unit (YPG) after IS began a major onslaught on a Kurdish enclave in northern Syria in 2014.

Rafaat, 27, still fights with YPG to combat what he calls Kurdish oppression by the Islamic State.

Thousands of volunteers from many nations  among them, Americans and Europeans  have been supplementing Kurdish forces over the past two years. Kurds train them, provide weapons and house and feed these volunteers. Several of them, including an American from Maryland, have died in battle.

The Iranian Kurds are choosing to volunteer, working outside Iran's official military involvement in the region.

With some 8,000 elite troops in Syria, and thousands more fighters from its proxy Hezbollah, Iran has played a key military role in Syrias civil war in support of Syria, mostly against anti-government rebels. Iran also helps Iraqi forces fight against IS with training and weapons.

Ethnic Kurds make up nearly nine percent of Irans population of 80 million people. They are largely Sunni Muslims and have long desired more autonomy from Tehran's firm grip, calling for cultural and political rights. Iran has fought Kurdish rebels seeking regional autonomy for years.

Iran allows those young Kurds to take up arms as long as this does not pose any threat to its national security, explained Arash Saleh, a Kurdish affairs analyst in Washington.

Iranian Kurdish fighters say they generally cross porous borders into Iraq with the intent of joining Kurdish units. Some of them travel to Syria to join Kurdish forces there.

I went to Iraq with the help of Kurdish forces who control the region, said Rafaat, who says his Kurdish unit has several Iranian volunteers. I stayed there for five months before moving to Syria.

Kurdish commanders reached by VOA in Syria declined to comment on the volunteers, saying the subject was a sensitive one. Sources close to the YPG confirmed that Iranian Kurdish fighters have been fighting with the Syrian Kurdish group since 2014, and are actively recruited.

An Iranian Kurdish rebel group has reportedly received military training from U.S. and European advisers as part of the international program backing Iraqi Kurds against IS, the group's commander told The Associated Press (AP) recently.

The United States has backed Syrian and Iraqi Kurdish forces against IS fighters since 2014. In addition to air support, the Obama administration has also provided training to local Kurdish groups.

"They helped and trained us within the framework of the fight against (IS)," said Hussein Yazdanpana, a commander with the Iranian Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), who was quoted by AP.

US-backed training

28 year-old Maria Ahmadi, who joined the Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces nearly two years ago, said in an interview with VOA that while she has received no training from American advisers, many of her Iranian Kurdish colleagues were part of a U.S. training program in northern Iraq. She currently fights in an all-female unit stationed near Kirkuk in northern Iraq. She too is from the Iranian Kurdish city of Mahabad, where many volunteers come from.

With the knowledge of the region, and their shared ethnic background, Iranian Kurdish fighters have been effective in helping local Kurdish forces in Iraq and Syria in their fight on IS.

Still, the presence of Iranian Kurdish fighters in Syria and Iraq may spike tensions as fighting continues between Iranian forces and Kurdish rebels in northwestern Iran.

Along with other Iranian Kurdish rebel groups, PAK has been engaged with sporadic clashes with Irans Revolutionary Guards since mid-June in some areas along the Iran-Iraq border.

The involvement of the Iranian Kurds in the fight against IS in Iraq and Syria will definitely add to the complexity of their current multifaceted situation in Iran, said Mort Anvari, a military consultant at the U.S. defense department.

But Iranian Kurdish commander Yazdanpana said the Iranian Kurdish fight against IS "was never an alternative to their struggle" against the Iranian government.

And Iranian Kurdish fighters say they believe they have Tehrans blessing to fight for the Kurds against IS.

The Iranian government allowed a public demonstration in Irans Kurdish region in support of the Kurdish fight against Syria as major battle loomed in Kobani in 2014. A Kurdish member of the Iranian parliament at the time called on Iranian Kurds to join the Kurdish fight.

There were some rumors that [Iranian] authorities encouraged young Iranian Kurds to join Kurdish fighters in the battlefields against (IS), said Faryad Ilkhani, an Iranian Kurd, who fights with the YPG.

Iran has recently become so public about its military involvement in Syria that it has been touting its alleged battlefield successes in state-run media, and allowing public burials of dead fighters.

High-ranking Iranian officials in August participated in a memorial service for Amir Qobadi, an Iranian from Mashhad who they say was killed in a battle with IS militants in Syria.

Iranian officials praised Qobadi as a brave fighter who lost his life, defending Zeinab Shrine, a holy site for Shiite Muslims in the southern suburbs of Damascus.

The Iranian government's official line is that its fighters are in Syria protecting the shrine.

But later, the YPG released a statement on Qobadis death, saying that Tehran hijacked Qobadis legacy for the its own benefit.

He died fighting for us, the YPG statement said. He had no ties with any Iranian military force, and we dont allow any group to distort the truth about his sacrifices in Syria.
Japan's top naval officer has said Tokyo has no plans to conduct freedom of navigation (FON) operations in the South China Sea, either alone or with the U.S. Navy, contradicting earlier comments by Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada.

Admiral Takei said this week that although Japan strongly supports U.S. FON operations in the South China Sea, it has no such plans to conduct or join naval patrols in the region. Earlier in September, Japan's defense minister said her country would increase its military presence in the South China Sea through a series of patrols in support of the U.S. and its allies.

Takei and other foreign naval officials attended a Monday meeting in Washington at the National Bureau of Asian Research. Vice Admiral Tim Barrett, Chief of the Australian Navy, said that whether and how Australia would conduct FON operations in the South China Sea is a national decision, but that its Navy will stand ready to carry out any government orders.

Freedom of Navigation operations are designed to challenge territorial claims in oceans and airspace that are actually international waters. Vessels traveling through the area insist that their movements are allowed by the International Law of the Sea.

China has vowed to defend various geographical features in the disputed maritime regions of the South and East China seas, and warned Japan, Australia and others against "meddling" in the South China Sea in particular.

Admiral Takei also said Japan is open to resuming direct verbal engagement with Chinese naval forces following the scrambling of a fighter jet after Chinese warplanes passed by disputed islands in the East China Sea. He said personnel exchanges and port visits between Japan's maritime self-defense force and China's navy, which were suspended several years ago, and should be restarted to improve relations.

Despite strong concerns about China's "dangerous" expansion of its area of operation near islands administered by Japan, Adm. Takei said Monday that Tokyo's "door is open" to Beijing, whose state media outlets called Sunday's fly-by a routine exercise.
Schoolgirls in Malawi are learning what to do if someone tries to attack them. A Kenyan NGO started the training in response to a recent study that showed one in five girls under the age of 18 in Malawi has been sexually assaulted.

At a school in the Salima district of central Malawi, girls are practicing punches and jabs. But this is not a martial arts class. These girls are learning how to defend themselves.

The curriculum involves both verbal and physical skills. Physical skill is used when it is the best and last option, meaning that we use mainly verbal skills which is how to use their voices to [prevent] the assaults, said Loveness Thole, the Ujamaa curriculum coordinator.

The girls learn to shout for help or pretend they see someone coming to fool their attacker. They also learn techniques to disable the attacker so they can run for safety.

Instructors from the charity Ujamaa Pamodzi Africa have been conducting these weekly, two-hour lessons at schools in seven districts around Malawi.

By the end, we would like to reduce the incidents of rape. We would also like to promote education by reducing early marriages, school drop-outs and also early pregnancies, said Simangaliso Domoya, Ujamma project coordinator.

The U.N. Childrens Fund is financing the program. So far, 25,000 girls have taken part.

Teachers like Rebecca Msalanyama say the Ujamaa interventions have removed some of the stigma around sexual assault.

In the past, girls were not reporting it but now they are indeed empowered to report abuses. Some are reporting the incidents to us teachers and others to their parents for action, she said.

Some girls, such as student Shang Chituzu, said they have already had to use their skills.

My uncle ordered me to lie on his bed. When I asked why, he started touching my body. I told him to stop and that I will report him to police or my mother if he continues. After hearing this, he ordered me out of his room, said Chituzu.

The Ujamaa project is also teaching boys about respecting girls and teaching them how to intervene if they see a girl being assaulted.

Funds permitting, project organizers say they want to extend the self-defense program to students nationwide.
Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump might not want to release his tax returns, but a popular business magazine claims to know the real estate moguls wealth.

Forbes magazine says the reality television star is currently worth $3.7 billion. Thats $800 million less than a year ago, the magazine said, adding that in the 34 years of covering Trumps fortune, his wealth has gone both up and down.

The magazine said the reason for this years decline was a softening of New York Citys real estate market, particularly in retail and office.

Forbes said it looked at 28 assets or asset types. Eighteen of those, including Trump Tower in New York, declined in value. Seven of Trumps assets went up, the magazine reported, naming San Franciscos second tallest building at 555 California Street, as one property that increased in value.

The magazine reports Trump added a 4 percent stake in an affordable housing complex in Brooklyn and in what the magazine called Trumps only real estate deal of the year, Trump bought a warehouse in Charleston, South Carolina which had been in foreclosure.

Trump reportedly gave his campaign $7 million and loaned it $48 million more. The magazine says it doesnt expect Trump will get the money back.

The magazine added that when Trump said his company saw $694 million in income over the past year, it was actually over 17 months.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Thursday he will press Russia to support efforts by the United Nations Security Council to prosecute those responsible for bringing down a Malaysian airliner that crashed over eastern Ukraine in July 2014.

International investigators released findings Wednesday saying the plane was shot down by a surface-to-air missiles that was transported into Ukraine from Russia.

Turnbull said in addition to the Security Council, where Russia has used its veto power to block action, the Netherlands could take up its own prosecution of the case.

"Every single one of those murdered victims killed by that missile brought in from Russia, fired with the knowledge of Russia, every single one of them demands justice and we will be tireless in our efforts to ensure that justice is done," he said.

The findings released Wednesday confirm an earlier investigation by the Dutch Safety Board that concluded Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was brought down by a Russian-made Buk missile, a claim Russia has denied.

"It may be concluded MH17 was shot down by a 9M38 missile launched by a Buk, brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation," said Wilbert Paulissen of the Dutch National Police.

Watch related video report from VOA's Henry Ridgwell:

Paulissen said evidence shows that pro-Russian rebels requested the deployment of the surface-to-air missile to the village of Pervomaysk and reported its arrival in eastern Ukraine.

But Russia has dismissed the Dutch-led investigation as subjective.

Russia is disappointed that the situation around the investigation of the Boeing crash is not changing, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement. The conclusions of the Dutch Prosecutor's office confirmed that the investigation is biased and politically motivated.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov told the Interfax news agency, "All of the data presented today at the briefing by the investigation team has two main sources: the Internet and security services of Ukraine. Therefore, doubts are bound to be raised over the objectivity of this information, and, correspondingly, the conclusions based on it."

Zakharova said Russia offered to assist in the investigation but the investigators removed Moscow from full participation, relegating Russia to only a minor role.

In a move aimed at preempting the new findings, Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters earlier Wednesday that Russian radar data proved that no rocket was fired from within territory held by pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine.

Watch related video report from VOA's Zlatica Hoke:

"The most important thing in today's report is that the circle is narrowing and perhaps next year the international commission of inquiry will name the perpetrators of the crime," Bogdan Petrenko, deputy director of the Ukrainian Institute of Extremism, told VOA. "Probably, after a final conclusion, it will be possible to take the Russian Federation to court. Of course, we are talking first and foremost about the relatives of the victims of the downed Boeing."

"The investigation, a trial in this case, is very important for Ukraine. It makes it possible to sue Russia according to several international conventions," political analyst Olesya Yakhno-Belkovskaya told VOA. "One involves support and financing of terrorism. The results of the investigation of this tragedy are, in particular, proof of Russia's actions in the east of the country -- support and funding of military operations against Ukraine."

The U.S. Department of State said the findings support Secretary of State John Kerry's statement days after the attack that the plane was downed by a BUK missile that was launched from an area controlled by Russian-backed rebels.

"While nothing can take away the grief of those who lost loved ones on that tragic day, this announcement is another step toward bringing to justice those responsible for this outrageous attack," said State Department spokesman John Kirby.

Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed rebels were engaged in intense fighting in eastern Ukraine at the time of the crash.

WATCH: Relatives of victims react to findings

Ukraine reacts to findings

Ukraines Foreign Ministry hailed the report as an important milestone that exposes Russias direct involvement in the missile attack.

This puts an end to all of Russias attempts to discredit activities of the Joint Investigation Team and conclusions by spreading distorted or fabricated information, the ministry said.

Malaysia called Wednesday for the perpetrators of the missile attack to be brought to justice.

"Malaysia wants firm action to be taken," said Prime Minister Najib Razak. "We have promised that those who were responsible for the downing of the aircraft will be brought to justice."

In addition to Russias consistent denial of any involvement in the crash, Moscow has claimed the airliner was downed either by a Ukrainian fighter jet or shot down from Ukrainian-held territory. But the evidence against that is overwhelming, military science analyst Justin Bronk of the London-based Royal United Services Institute said in an interview with VOA.



The rebels had been firing surface-to-air missiles regularly for months at all sorts of Ukrainian military aircraft. They did not have any official contact with air traffic control. So they basically have just taken delivery of a much more powerful missile system than they had had previously, and were shooting at whatever they could see. And they, unfortunately, happened to hit an airliner.

Netherlands chief prosecutor Fred Westerbeke said investigators have identified about 100 who were involved in the attack one way or another. He said, A clear impression of the chain of command must be established before it can be determined if they are culpable.

The report, which stopped short of concluding Russian soldiers were involved, was prepared by prosecutors from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine.

The report's findings were based on thousands of pieces of evidence, including wiretaps, photographs, witness statements and forensics tests that were gathered over a more than two year period.

Possible criminal trial

Investigators say the latest findings, in addition to those from an earlier investigation, may be solid enough to be used in a criminal trial. Prosecutors cannot file charges at this time because international investigators have not agreed in which court to hold a trial.

The previous investigation identified a 320-square kilometer area where it said the rocket launch must have taken place. Authorities did not explicitly say who had fired it, although all the land was controlled by pro-Russian separatists fighting Ukrainian forces.

In a move aimed at preempting the new findings, Russia on Wednesday said its radar data proved that no rocket was fired from within territory held by pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine.

On a conference call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian radar identified all flying objects over the rebel territory, and there was no rocket.

The data are clear-cut...there is no rocket, he said. If there was a rocket, it could only have been fired from elsewhere.

All 298 passengers on the Boeing 777 died after it broke apart in mid-air while traveling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The downing of the plane was a major factor in a decision by the European Union and the United States to impose sanctions on Russia, leading to a rise in East-West tensions to levels not seen since the end of the Cold War in 1991.
Protesters yelled "murder" and demanded on Wednesday a federal investigation after an unarmed black man in Southern California was shot and killed, less than two weeks after similar incidents in two other U.S. cities sparked renewed outrage over police brutality.

Two officers responding to several calls for help in dealing with a mentally unstable person confronted an African-American man in his 30s walking in traffic in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon, according to local police.

One policeman opened fire with his service pistol, while the other officer at the same time fired off a Taser stun gun  after the man pulled an unspecified object from his pants pocket and took aim at them in a "shooting stance," according to police. However, no weapon from the man was recovered from the scene, police said.

Police did not immediately identify the victim, but local activists and friends named him as Ugandan-born Alfred Olango.

They said he was mentally ill and that he may have been suffering a seizure in the moments before his death.

Federal court records show that Olango, 38, fled to the United States from Uganda with his family in 1991 because the east African country's then-president, for whom Olango's father worked, had threatened to kill them.

According to court documents from 2006, he had been granted permanent U.S. residency but lost that status in 2001 after he was convicted of selling cocaine. As of 2006, records showed, a deportation order against him was still pending.

One of two officers dispatched to the scene had been trained as part of the San Diego County's Psychiatric Emergency Response Team, or PERT, El Cajon police said.

Days earlier, two black men were killed by police under questionable circumstances in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, igniting demonstrations against racial bias in U.S. policing and demanding greater accountability for law enforcement officers.

The shooting in Charlotte sparked a week of sometimes violent protests, prompting authorities there to impose a state of emergency and curfew.

Cries for 'justice'

In El Cajon, a predominantly white city of about 100,000 residents with a significant community of immigrants from the Middle East and Africa, civil rights activists and as many as 300 protesters gathered outside the police department, where they chanted "murder," "justice for Alfred Olango" and "black lives matter."

"We are not going to stop until we get justice," the Reverend Shane Harris, president of the National Action Network's San Diego chapter, said at the demonstration. "We do not trust local prosecutors to investigate local police."

"Mr. Olango was killed for three strikes against him. The first strike, being black. The second strike, being mentally ill. The third strike, not following orders," said Christopher Rice-Wilson, a community activist.

Police acknowledged that emergency dispatchers had received three calls about a man suffering from mental distress before dispatching two patrol officers, who encountered the man pacing back and forth behind a restaurant, at mid-afternoon Tuesday. The man disregarded officers' commands to show both his hands as they tried talking with him.

The two officers then fired simultaneously when the man suddenly placed his hands together, armed extended, pointing an unknown object at them. Olango died after being taken to the hospital.

El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis told reporters later that no weapon was found at the scene. He did not say what the man appeared to be pointing at police.

"Now is a time for calm," Davis said. "I implore the community to be patient with us, work with us, look at the facts at hand before making any judgment."

The officers were placed on administrative leave.

Police said they obtained cellphone video that a bystander had taken of the shooting. But authorities released only a still frame from the footage that shows two officers pointing weapons at a man who was aiming an object at them.

In a separate video clip taken moments after the shooting and posted on social media, a woman who refers to herself as the victim's sister is heard crying in anguish.

"Oh my God. You killed my brother. I just called for help and ... you killed him," the unidentified woman says, sobbing.

Agnes Hassan, a refugee from Sudan, told the rally she had spent time in a refugee camp with Olango before they both moved to the United States.

"We suffered too much with the war in Africa, and we come here just to suffer again?" she said. "My heart is just broken."

The San Diego District Attorney was investigating the shooting, and police spokesman Lieutenant Rob Ransweiler said the video filmed by the bystander could be released once that investigation is completed.
The president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, says a joint military exercise scheduled to begin next week between his country and the United States will be the last between the two countries.

Duterte said the Philippines will honor its existing security treaties, but will not take part in any South China Sea patrols with the United States, in order to avoid getting dragged into any conflict between Washington and Beijing.

An annual joint amphibious landing exercise is due to begin Tuesday, Oct. 4. The nine-day exercise will take place in the northern part of the Philippines' main island, Luzon.

"So I am serving notice now to the Americans and to those around: I will maintain the military alliance because there is the R.P.-U.S. pact which our countries signed in the early '50s, but I will establish new alliances for trade and commerce, Duterte said. And [we] are scheduled to hold war games again, which China does not want. I would serve notice ... now that this will be the last military exercise. Jointly, Philippines-U.S., the last one."

Duterte said the Philippines would bow out of any future U.S.-led patrols in the South China Sea to avoid the possibility of any worsening of the existing territorial dispute with China. He denied his government was reluctant to assert its rights in the area, however.

"I will not join in the patrol in the China Sea, he said. There will never be an occasion that I will send grey ships [warships] there, not because I am afraid.  Anyway, I have this ruling of the international arbitration court which is that the South China Sea, the entitlements there are ours."

Earlier this month, Duterte called for the United States to withdraw special-forces units it has deployed in the southern Philippines. The American forces there have been advising local troops battling Muslim extremists.

Duterte has had a tumultuous relationship with the U.S. since becoming president in June, and he has openly criticized U.S. security policies.

One week ago, his critical comments about the United States and President Barack Obama resulted in cancellation of the two presidents' scheduled bilateral meeting at a summit in Laos. The two men did eventually hold an informal meeting before departing Laos.
At a polling station in Chechnyas capital, Grozny, children in traditional costume danced to music as voters walked past to cast their ballots.

More a celebration than an exercise in democracy as Chechen voters for the first time elected strongman Ramzan Kadyrov.

Kadyrov was directly elected for the first time September 18 by a whopping 98 percent of voters, with 95 percent of the republic voting, according to official figures, tightening his grip on power in the north Caucasus region.

The landslide win was predictable as Kadyrov has ruled Chechnya for a decade, appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, with almost total control over the republic.

Groznys mayor, Muslim Khuchiev, accompanied by an entourage in full Caucasus regalia, arrived in a horse-drawn carriage with flags bearing the image of Kadyrov and no doubt about who would win. Everyone will vote unanimously, he told VOA, because they are voting not just for someones seats in the Duma (parliament), not just for someones seats in state bodies but, they are voting for their future.

Personality cult

Kadyrov is seen by supporters as bringing peace and development to Chechnya, after two failed wars with Russia for independence, while critics say he has become a cult of personality.

Every major street in Grozny bears an image or reference to Ramzan Kadyrov, or his father Akhmad Kadyrov, and his face is often seen on car windows, T-shirts, and souvenirs.

The government-controlled media covers his every move, lauding him as a Hero of Russia, an award bestowed on him by Putin.



All the environment around us speaks for itself, Kadyrov supporter Melizha Karnaeva tells VOA. I think, I even know and I am sure, that this bright blue sky, that is thanks to Ramzan Kadyrov!

A rebel like his father, they both switched sides to join Putin, who spent billions to rebuild Chechnya and prop up Kadyrov, who in return cracked down on militants and critics.

In Grozny, Kadyrov Prospekt runs past a modern mall and hotel and business complex Grozny City before passing the Akhmad Kadyrov mosque to merge with Putin Prospekt.

Stability at huge price

In a nondescript apartment building on Putin Prospekt, activist Abdulla Duduev tells VOA the opposition Yabloko political party fielded candidates for the election, including himself, but did no campaigning in Chechnya out of fear opposition supporters would be persecuted.

"We keep working in the regions, he said. What motivates this? This is our Republic! We were born here. We cant be indifferent to what is happening here, concludes Duduev.

Tight security is visible in the center of Grozny, especially around the mosque, known as the Heart of Chechnya, Grozny City restaurant and hotel complex, and the neighboring castle-style residence of Kadyrov.

While the election lends Kadyrov a veil of legitimacy, critics say he runs the republic as his own kingdom, ignoring federal laws.

Well, he established peace. So, thats fact. So, thats no doubt, says the Carnegie Moscow Centers Alexei Malashenko. Chechen society, they paid a huge price for this stability, he said.

Chechnya's stability will one day be tested, say analysts, when Putin is no longer in the Kremlin or Kadyrov is no longer in power.

Officials fear that day could come sooner if the hundreds of Islamist Chechens fighting in Syria try to bring their fight back home.

Olga Pavlova contributed to this report.
Nicolas Sarkozy, hurt by legal and political setbacks, has lost ground against his main conservative rival in the race for France's Republican party presidential nomination, two polls showed Wednesday.

Sarkozy, who was president from 2007 to 2012, is pitching himself as a man of action who will push for a new European Union treaty, be tough on immigration and defend France against militant Islam.

While his message resonates with voters tempted by the buoyant far-right National Front, he risks alienating mainstream center-right voters.

In one poll by Kantar Sofres-Onepoint, support for Sarkozy in the November 20 primary first round dipped 1 point to 33 percent, while backing for party front-runner Alain Juppe, a former prime minister, climbed 5 points to 39 percent.

A second poll showed Juppe, a moderate who styles himself as an elder statesman, steady at 35 percent in the first round while Sarkozy shed 2 points at 31 percent.

Both polls showed Juppe winning the primary contest's second round, due November 27, by at least a 10-point margin.

Whoever wins the center-right party ticket is odds-on favorite to win the presidential election.

National Front leader Marine Le Pen is on course for a place in a head-to-head second round but will almost certainly fail to win, polls show.

President Francois Hollande, who has not yet declared he will run, is the country's most unpopular leader and his ruling Socialist Party is riven by internal divisions.

Sarkozy failed to build on the momentum generated by his high-profile campaign launch in late August, according to the IFOP poll, the first since mid-June to show a fall in support for the often abrasive politician in the primary's second round.

Sarkozy has been stung by allegations made by one of his former senior advisers that in 2007 he courted the support of then-National Front chief Jean-Marie Le Pen in his bid to win the presidency.

The call by a prosecutor for Sarkozy to face trial over campaign financing irregularities and an endorsement for Juppe from influential centrist Francois Bayrou have also hampered his campaign.
I am Kerry Burgess. This is what I think.
Former Israeli President and Prime Minister Shimon Peres, whose life of public service spans the life of the Israeli nation itself, has died at age 93.

Peres suffered a severe stroke two weeks ago and died Wednesday in the hospital in Tel HaShomer.

He held nearly every major Israeli political post during his long career, including prime minister twice, the presidency, defense minister and foreign minister.

He was the longest serving member of parliament in Israeli history, holding a seat in the Knesset for 48 years.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Peres devoted his life to the sovereignty of the Israeli people.

"As a man of vision, his gaze was aimed to the future," he said. "As a man of security, he fortified Israel's strength in many ways, some of which even today is still unknown. As a man of peace, he worked until his final days toward reconciling with our neighbors for a better future for our children."

U.S. President Barack Obama said no one did more than Peres to build the alliance between the United States and Israel and described him as a someone who forced people to expect more from themselves.

"He was guided by a vision of human dignity and progress that he knew people of goodwill could advance together. He brought young people from around the world together because he knew they could carry us closer to our ideals of justice and equality," Obama said in a statement.

Former President Bill Clinton said that with the death of Peres, the Middle East "has lost a fervent advocate for peace and reconciliation."

Clinton, along with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, European Council President Donald Tusk, and French President Francois Hollande are among the world figures who have confirmed their presence at Peres' funeral on Friday.

Peres' coffin will be displayed at Israeli parliament Wednesday, and will then lay in state in front of the Knesset building Thursday ahead of the funeral the following day.

Peres was born in present day Belarus in 1923 and moved to Israel when he was 11 years old, when the future Jewish state was under British mandate.

He got his first taste of politics and diplomacy at age 23, when he was appointed to the Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland. The congress was founded in 1897 to encourage Jewish emigration to Palestine.

Peres became Israeli defense minister the first time in 1952, when he was just 29 years old.

He is credited with working to develop Israel's defense and aerospace industries, and sources to buy modern weapons - which helped the newborn Jewish state survive. Peres also is said to have worked to develop Israel's nuclear program, which Israel has never confirmed having.

The Israeli military was decimated by the 1973 Yom Kippur war and it was up to Peres, who again was serving as defense minister after several other posts, to rebuild Israel into a military powerhouse.

While he was determined to make Israel as strong as ever, he was working behind the scenes for peace with Egypt. While rotating as prime minister with Yitzhak Shamir, Peres also worked to reduce tensions with Lebanon and Jordan.

His major achievement was as foreign minister with the Oslo Accords -- a deal for Palestinian self-rule for which Peres, then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize.

Peres became prime minister a second time when Rabin was assassinated in 1995, but he lost reelection the following year.

He was Israeli president from 2007 until 2014 - a mainly ceremonial but important diplomatic post.

Peres also founded the Peres Peace Center, which develops joint, economic, educational and cultural projects with the Palestinians, Egypt and Jordan.

He and continued to work for peace and cooperation until being felled by the stroke.
South Sudan's government has condemned statements calling for a return to armed conflict by former Vice President Riek Machar.

"It is unacceptable to the peoples of South Sudan to even contemplate, let alone be threatened with, a return to armed conflict," First Vice President Taban Deng Gai said Wednesday.

Gai said, "by threatening to return to war, my predecessor has made clear he places his own political ambitions above the government's ambitions for peace and security."

Machar, who is in Sudan's capital Khartoum, called for an armed struggle against the government of President Salva Kiir, a move that could mark a renewal of the country's civil war.

The call came in a statement issued during the weekend, following a meeting of Machars Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO).

The movement signed a peace deal with South Sudan's government in August 2015, but implementation was delayed and largely fell apart after the sides clashed in the capital, Juba, in July.

South Sudan's conflict began with clashes between supporters of Kiir and Machar in Juba in December 2013, five months after Kiir fired Machar as his deputy. Fighting since then has displaced more than two million people.
Switzerland's lower house of parliament narrowly backed a ban on face veils Tuesday, echoing moves by neighboring France and other European nations to tighten controls in the wake of Islamist militant attacks.

The plan by right-wing politician Walter Wobmann, who led a successful campaign to outlaw new minarets in 2009, still has to pass through the upper house and the government before it becomes law.

But it joins a list of measures championed by populist and right-wing movements that have polarized the Alpine nation and drawn some criticism from abroad, including most recently a referendum ordering curbs on immigration from the EU.

Wobmann, from the anti-immigration Swiss People's Party, has said the veil ban will preserve Swiss culture and curb radical Islam. He is also pushing for a referendum on the issue.

His party, the most powerful in Swiss parliament after winning about 30 percent of seats in a 2015 election, pushed the measure through with help from lawmakers from the center-right. It may have a tougher time passing the upper house, where parties that opposed the ban, including the Social Democrats, have a stronger presence.

A poll in August found that 71 percent of Swiss favor a nationwide burqa ban along the lines of one that went into effect in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino this year, covering locals and visitors alike.

About 5 percent of Swiss residents are Muslim, and very few wear the face-covering niqab or burqa.
As bombs tear apart the buildings and families within the decimated Syrian city of Aleppo following another broken cease-fire, a few hundred kilometers away in Lebanon, one refugee contemplated the idea of returning to Syria.

At this point there is no chance of living there, the 25-year old Mohamed,* who had been studying in Aleppo until 2014, told VOA.

There are too many sides who want to kill me there. Not just me, but everyone, and it's something they can do easily.

He is just one of the estimated 1.5 million Syrians who fled their country for Lebanon.

While many refugees do not expect to return for years, anticipating that the war will drag on, talk of sending Syrians back is becoming ever more common among some Lebanese politicians.

Non-integration

At this weeks Arab summit, Lebanons prime minister, Tammam Salam, reportedly called for the formation of an Arab committee to help the international community establish safe zones within Syria to host refugees.

This followed his speech last week at the first United Nations summit on refugees, where alongside appealing for more international aid, he was quoted as saying he would not accept the integration of displaced people in Lebanon. The priority is to repatriate them.

Salam, who qualified his speech afterward by stating that relocation would not be forced, reportedly gave the international community three months to begin putting the foundations in place for repatriation.

Meanwhile, Lebanon's labor minister, Sejaan Azzi, was more explicit in explaining his own plan.

Beginning this January, Azzis plan hinges on Russian-American cooperation in the creation of cease-fires and safe zones.

Troubling rhetoric

As with much else, the government is divided on the issue, but Bassam Khawaja, Human Rights Watchs Lebanon researcher, is concerned.

Weve seen troubling rhetoric around the return of refugees to Syria for some time now, and it appears to have intensified, he said.

Dismissing the short-term prospect of creating Azzis suggested safe zones, he said that as a country at war, there are numerous risks of death, persecution and torture. It is not an environment to be returning refugees to.

Although Lebanon was largely welcoming in the early years of the Syrian war, by January 2015 new visa rules restricted movement between the two countries, and refugees hoping for U.N. assistance must now sign a declaration that they will not work in the country.

Jordan and Turkey have been accused of carrying out forced repatriation, an act named refoulement and deemed illegal under international law.

In April, Amnesty International released a report saying that since January, Turkey had been rounding up groups of around 100 Syrians and sending them back home on an almost daily basis, criticizing the EU deal to send newly-arrived Syrians from Greece back to Turkey in the process.

In Lebanon, cases of refoulement have occurred, though on a more limited scale, and among Palestinian Syrians specifically.

In 2014, 40 Palestinian Syrians were sent back to Syria, and since then there have been fewer than five cases in which a forced repatriation was averted after an outcry.

This January, at least 200 Syrians stuck in Beiruts Rafik Hariri Airport while on their way to Turkey were sent back to Syria.

The decision, prompted by new visa laws in Turkey, drew heavy criticism from human rights activists.

Responsibility for Lebanons desperate efforts to handle its refugee population partly lies with the international community and its failure to respond adequately. Lisa Abou Khaled, a spokeswoman with the U.N. refugee agency in Lebanon, said a scheme to support the country had received $979m in international funding this year - less than half of what is required. Praising the funding that had been received as "generous", she nonetheless said efforts to share the burden of refugees were completely insufficient at this stage.

No time soon

Last year, the agency warned conditions for refugees in Syrias neighboring countries were so bad some refugees were contemplating returning home, despite the danger.

HRW's Khawaja says there is no indication that the refugees weve spoken to are open to returning to Syria in the conditions that currently exist, he told VOA.

Now living in Beirut, like many of his countrymen, Mohamed dreams of returning to a peaceful homeland, but, with much of the country ablaze with war, and the Aleppo cease-fire in tatters, returning now is unthinkable.

Although the government is divided on the issue of repatriation, he is aware that politicians rhetoric can ramp up already inflamed feelings among some Lebanese.

They always talk about us like we are a problem, he said.

Only the war coming to an end could offer a feasible way of truly resolving the tensions within Lebanon over the refugee crisis, his housemate Khaled, who left Damascus in 2013, added.

The Lebanese government knows there is a big problem, but they dont have the answers and they cannot take us Syrians out [of the country].

They are afraid. We are waiting, and we are afraid too.
Opposition to the deployment of the U.S. Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system is weakening in South Koreas National Assembly in the face of North Koreas rapid advancement of it nuclear and ballistics missile capabilities.

In the aftermath of the fifth nuclear test of North Korea and the firing of the SLBM [Submarine Launch Based Missile], I have felt a little bit of change in the National Assembly towards THAAD deployment, said Chung Sye-kyun, the speaker of the National Assembly in Seoul.

THAAD is a missile defense battery designed to intercept and destroy incoming ballistic missiles during their final, or terminal, phase of flight. It has so far proven effective against short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.

Past protests

Seoul and Washington agreed in July to deploy the system on the Korean peninsula at a time when North Korea was test-firing missiles on almost a weekly basis.

While opinion polls showed more than 50 percent public support for the anti-missile shield, the announcement to deploy THAAD sparked angry protests in Seoul and in the area where the battery was to be stationed.

Communities near the site voiced concern that they would become likely targets for a North Korean strike if hostilities broke out, and that THAAD could endanger the health and safety of people living nearby, especially from radiation exposure from the systems powerful radar emissions.

The leader of South Koreas main opposition party, the Minjoo Party of Korea, which holds a majority in the National Assembly, also came out against THAAD in August, arguing that it will needlessly antagonize relations with China.

China paradox

Beijing has voiced strong opposition to stationing the American missile defense system in South Korea on the grounds that THAADs powerful radar could be used against them, and that its deployment increases the U.S. militarys power in the region.

There was growing concern over the summer that China might economically retaliate against South Korea or withdraw its support for international sanctions imposed on North Korea.

Beijings criticism has been toned-down in the wake of North Koreas fifth nuclear test and indications that it is preparing another long-range rocket launch in violation of a U.N. ban on its nuclear and missile development programs.

China continues to support using international sanctions to induce North Korea to engage in dialogue, but at the same time it does not want to induce instability or collapse of the Kim Jong Un government.

Exercising a humanitarian exception in the sanctions, China has actually increased imports of North Korea coal in recent months.

And Beijing has denounced a U.S. Treasury decision this week to sanction a Chinese company, the Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Development Company, for allegedly doing business with North Korean officials and organizations connected to its weapons program.

Legislative oversight

As Speaker of the National Assembly, Chung Sye-kyun is not supposed to take sides on a political issue like THAAD. But he has been critical of President Park Geun-hyes decision to deploy the controversial system without consulting the legislative branch.

The government should have engaged in sufficient or proper communication with the general public and the National Assembly, and also the government has to make some diplomatic efforts with neighboring countries who are opposed to the deployment of the anti-missile system, he said.

Even though Parks ruling Saenuri Party lost its majority status in this years legislative elections, the executive branch has broad discretionary powers to deal with national security threats and foreign affairs.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia Daniel Russel said on Tuesday Washington would will speed up the THAAD deployment to South Korea, given the accelerating pace of North Korea's missile tests.

Youmi Kim in Seoul contributed to this report.
Uber is making an aggressive drive into meal delivery, with the U.S. tech heavyweight gearing up to enter at least 22 countries and take on local rivals.

In a measure of its rising ambition beyond the taxi business, UberEats will begin delivering meals in Amsterdam on Thursday just as Dutch market leader Takeaway.com, begins trading on the city's stock market.

And according to current job listings on Uber and other recruiting sites, the company is looking to fill about 150 roles ranging from general managers and sales staff to bike couriers, indicating UberEats is planning to enter at least 22 countries across the world soon. That is on top of the six countries where it already operates.

As recently as May, Uber executives were signaling that UberEats' international ambitions were a modest extension of its core business of transporting people. But its job-hiring efforts over the last three months suggest something more ambitious is taking shape.

"UberEats is one [business] we feel incredibly confident is resonating across the world and resonating across the footprint of the cities in which Uber operates the transport business," Jambu Palaniappan, recently named head of UberEats for Europe, Middle East and Africa, told Reuters on Tuesday.

He named eight cities, including Dubai and Johannesburg, that UberEats plans to enter by the end of the year but declined to spell out later targets.

Food takeaway big business in Europe

Europe is home to many of the most active international players in the online food takeaway business. They are counting on their local ties, established customer bases and sprawling restaurant networks to insulate them from U.S. tech giants.

The biggest international players, Britain's Just Eat, Germany's Delivery Hero and Takeaway.com, focus on advertising local takeaways and booking orders for nearby users, while leaving deliveries to the restaurants themselves. They have been raising fresh capital or swapping assets to bulk up in the expectation that Uber would ratchet up its challenge.

Meanwhile, smaller players  Belgium's Take Eat Easy, delivering in 20 European cities, and London-based Pronto, which cooked meals as well as delivered them  have shut down in recent months, as the rush of funding that created dozens of startups modeled on Uber in recent years has dwindled.

Rivals not up to scale

Investors have poured nearly 8.9 billion euros ($10 billion) into 421 food delivery deals since the start of 2014, but funding dropped by more than half in the first six months of 2016, according to research from CBInsights.

Overall, the global restaurant takeaway market is projected to grow by 10 percent between 2015 and 2020 to reach $93.4 billion, according to market research firm Euromonitor.

Adding to pressures on existing food delivery players, Amazon launched its international expansion of Amazon Restaurants by entering the London market earlier this month, building on its existing 11-city base in the United States.

"The problem for many of the remaining players is that they are sub-scale: They can't compete without superior logistics," said Neil Campling, head of global research for the tech industry at fund manager Northern Trust Capital Markets.

To date, UberEats has launched in 33 cities in six countries. Of those, 27 are in the United States, where UberEats first began testing food delivery two years ago.

Uber promises quicker, cheaper delivery

Since launching in London in June, Uber has promised to cut delivery times to 30 minutes, with no minimum order size or extra delivery fees. Meaning, a customer can order a cupcake made in Kensington and have it driven across town to Whitechapel for the price of the cupcake in the shop.

"When we launch in a city, one of the things we try to do very quickly is to get customer wait times down as low as possible," said Palaniappan, a Silicon Valley native who ran Uber's core business in the EMEA region and oversaw its move into India.

By contrast, many rivals promise orders will take 30 minutes to an hour, while requiring minimum orders and charging customer delivery fees. UberEats also benefits by being promoted through Uber's existing, popular car-hire app.

Rivals gear up for a fight

Later this week, Takeaway plans to raise 350 million euros ($390 million) in an initial public offering that would give it a market value around 1 billion euros.

Some newer entrants like Deliveroo of Britain and Foodora, a unit of Delivery Hero, have their own drivers. But few can rival Uber's or Amazon's deep pockets and vast customer bases around the globe.

To bolster their respective local and regional positions, Takeaway and Just Eat traded assets in August, with Takeaway exiting Just Eat's British stronghold in exchange for Just Eat's Benelux properties.

London-listed Just Eat expects its revenue to rise around 50 percent this year and says its 66,000 restaurant partnerships can ensure its growth for years to come.

Delivery Hero co-founder and CEO Niklas Oestberg says his firm has built a market-leading position in 28 countries around the world, signing up close to 300,000 restaurants, from Asia to Europe to Latin America, by acquiring local rivals, swapping assets and exiting tougher markets such as China and Russia.

Local restaurants may pass

Dominance is not assured for Amazon and Uber, for whom meal delivery, a highly localized business that must be won city by city from local players, is but one of several big initiatives.

A swing factor could prove to be how willing restaurants, such as pizza chains, are willing to allow big digital players to come between them and their customers, an issue Amazon has faced with brand-name retailers and Uber with taxi associations.

Alexander Frolov, a London-based partner in venture capital firm Target Global, an investor in Delivery Hero and other food-themed startups, says Uber is a formidable challenger but local food delivery is far from a winner-take-all market.

"It's not like Facebook. If all my friends are on UberEats, I don't really care; there will be other options," Frolov said in an interview. "That makes it more difficult for Uber to displace strong local players."
The U.N. envoy for Libya said Tuesday that armed groups were carrying out "grave human rights abuses with impunity," and he warned the international community against breaking the arms embargo.

Martin Kobler said in Geneva that such abuses needed to be urgently addressed, and that no side in Libya must get its hands on guns.

There are 26 million guns in Libya, a country with a population of just 6 million, the U.N. official said.

"These weapons do not fall from the sky," Kobler said. "They come via the sea, they come via land."

He also spoke of the "abominable" state-run detention centers for migrants and refugees trying to reach Europe. He said "women are particularly exposed to abuses, including sexual violence," in these centers.

Libya is facing what Kobler called "political impasse."

A U.N.-brokered government has been set up in Tripoli to replace a pro-Islamist administration that had taken over the capital, but a rival administration in eastern Libya refuses to recognize the unity government's authority. Armed Islamic extremists, including those from the Islamic State group, are compounding Libya's problems.

In Paris on Tuesday, French President Francois Hollande met with Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Serraj and pledged support for the administration in Tripoli.

Hollande warned that the fight against radical extremist groups in Libya was far from over, and he called on the international community to hunt down and neutralize terrorists operating in the North African country.

Libya has been in political and economic turmoil since longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi was toppled and killed in 2011.
U.S. military strikes near Kanjaron village on Monday killed four al-Shabab militants including a former commander, military sources tell VOA Somalia.

Airstrikes outside the village killed the former commander and three others

Somali military sources identified the former commander as Bashir Dhere, a former al-Shabab deputy militia commander in the Lower Jubba region.

Sources say he most recently operated in an Al-Shabab-controlled area west of Kismayo, though it is unclear where he ranked within the terror network.

In a statement, US AFRICOM said the four were killed in 'self-defense' airstrikes after extremists attacked Somali troops and their U.S. advisers outside the port of Kismayo.

The strikes took place in an area that has seen increased confrontations between Somali and AU forces supported by U.S. personnel.

AFRICOM insists the U.S. role is just advisory.

Recent operations in the area appear to be an effort aimed at giving Somali, AU forces a real practical experience in carrying out and fighting commando operations against militant forces, military sources say.

These operations targeted taxation checkpoints and lower profile al-Shabab militants.
The U.S. ambassador to Mali has accused the government of maintaining relations with a militia widely blamed for rising tensions that risk undermining a fragile peace process in the country's desert north.

His comments were the latest indication that key donors to the West African state are taking a harder line toward the government, which denies all ties to Gatia  a mostly Tuareg militia opposed to pro-independence fighters in the north.

"The Malian government should put a stop to all ties both public and private with Gatia, a group of armed militia that is not contributing to peace in the north," Paul Folmsbee said in a post on the U.S. Embassy's Facebook page Wednesday.

"Mali needs to assume a greater responsibility for the peace deal's implementation," he said, urging the southern-based Bamako government to step up its presence throughout the sprawling country.

A government spokesman declined to comment on the allegation of ties to Gatia. Folmsbee did not give details of whether the ties were financial or military.

The United States has pledged more than $1 billion in aid to Mali since the election of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in 2013 after a period of instability.

In a statement, Gatia did not directly deny any links to the Bamako government but said its mission was to protect an ethnic group within the Tuareg known as the Imghad, not to act as an arm of the authorities in northern Mali.

"[Gatia] was created ... to protect the Imghad people and their allies, who have been abandoned by the state in an area where there are armed groups that kill and humiliate with impunity," Gatia's deputy secretary-general Habala Hamzata said in the statement.

Security has been deteriorating in Mali for months despite a peace deal signed in June 2015 between the government and a medley of mostly Tuareg secular armed groups based in the desert north.

The deal was seen as an important precursor to striking at al-Qaida-linked militants based in the same region and who briefly seized key northern cities in 2012.

Many of the rivalries between fighters from the Tuareg minority ethnic group date back centuries and are linked to control of desert trade routes. Up to 20 died in fighting in remote locations in July and there have been further clashes near the northern town of Kidal in recent weeks.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, made similar allegations against the Malian government last week during a session on Mali in New York.
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter is in the southwestern state of New Mexico Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss upgrading the U.S. military's top deterrent - its nuclear weapons program. The military program is up for a $108 billion makeover planned over the next five years. VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb traveled with Carter to Kirtland Air Force Base: the militarys largest nuclear maintenance facility.
At Sandia National Laboratories inside Kirtland Air Force Base, nuclear weapons equipment is spun around, smashed and even blown up--all to help the U.S. military modernize its nuclear weapons stockpile.

Nuclear weapons are essential for US defense

Speaking at the base Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter told troops that the nuclear mission is the bedrock of American security.

The U.S. can deter a nuclear attack in three ways: by land with intercontinental ballistic missiles, by air with nuclear weapons on bombers and fighter jets, and by sea with nuclear missiles roaming the oceans on submarines. These methods are more commonly known as the nuclear triad.

Update is necessary

But all of the programs are entering an age where they need to be modernized.

The last B-52H bomber aircraft rolled off the production line in 1952. New B61-12 nuclear bombs currently being developed at Sandia are updating tube technology dating back several decades, but they wont be ready until 2020.

Outdated computer systems

William Schneider, President of International Planning Services and Former Under Secretary of State for Security Assistance, Science and Technology, says the expansive land-based Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) system was produced in the 1970s and is in need of a complete makeover.

As a benchmark of their ancient character, they still use floppy disks and computers that would be relics in any other setting apart from this, Schneider told VOA.

And the most survivable leg of the nuclear triad, the Ohio-class submarine, has had its life extended from 30 years to 42 years and will start to age out in the next decade.

Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan took attention away

Years of underfunding and a lack of attention have raised questions about how reliable and safe the United States most dangerous weapon will be if more action is not taken soon.

If were going to maintain a safe, secure, and effective force, were going to need to do something to replace the existing delivery systems and extend the life of the nuclear weapons that we have, Frank Klotz, the U.S. Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security, said at a recent nuclear talk hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations.

While in New Mexico, Carter echoed the need to modernize all three legs of the triad and placed the blame for years of delay on being preoccupied in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which he called understandable.

US trailing Russia and China

The delay has put the U.S. nuclear modernization program 20 years behind the Chinese and Russian modernization programs, according to Schneider.

That in itself is a source of instability and something that we need to correct, he said.

The U.S. military's top deterrent is up for a $108 billion makeover planned over the next five years. However, budget squabbles in Congress have continued to threaten the stability of future modernization plans.
The United States and Iraq have agreed on a plan that will send about 600 additional American troops to Iraq to help retake Mosul from Islamic State, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters in New Mexico, Carter said the increase was part of the coalition's "accelerating campaign" to "isolate and collapse" IS control over Mosul and "expand gains by Iraqi Security Forces elsewhere in Iraq."

A U.S. defense official put the total number at 615, bringing the number of American troops authorized to fight IS in Iraq at 5,262.

Carter said the additional U.S. military personnel would train, advise and assist Iraqi Security Forces and Kurdish Peshmerga. They also will be used to improve logistics and to intensify intelligence operations with a "special emphasis" on uncovering IS plans to launch terror attacks against Baghdad and the West, he said.

Carter also echoed other top U.S. defense officials who have suggested the battle to retake Mosul could get underway in a matter of weeks.

"I'm confident it's going to happen," he said. "We're on schedule in terms of marshaling the forces there."

Final number needed

President Barack Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi agreed on the details of the deployment, which Carter said was recommended to the president by him and U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joe Dunford.

In a statement Wednesday, the Iraqi prime minister said Obama was consulted on a request from the Iraqi government for a "final increase" in the number of trainers and advisers "under the umbrella of the international coalition in Iraq."

Carter said the U.S. has long seen this increase as the final number of American troops required "for the envelopment and seizure of Mosul," adding that the U.S. would assess Iraq's future needs with Abadi.

"It will continue to be his decision," Carter said.

The new U.S. forces will be deployed to several locations across Iraq, including Al-Asad Air Base in Anbar province, about 350 kilometers south of Mosul.

"They'll be helping with airfield operations and bringing the state of that airfield up to a level at which it can support a greater pace of operations," Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters Wednesday.

Other troops will be sent to Qayyarah West, an airfield about 60 kilometers from Mosul, that is being built into a major logistics hub, although for now it still has what officials describe as a limited aviation capability.

Tough fight ahead

U.S. defense officials see both air bases as critical for Mosul operations, given the city's relative isolation from other major population centers. They could also play key roles in any fighting that takes place once Mosul is finally liberated from IS.

But Mosul is the tipping point.

"This is it," Davis said. "Mosul is the last major bastion that they hold."

"Once it is clear, and it will be clear of ISIL, what's left is going to be significantly less difficult," he added, using an acronym for Islamic State.

Despite the growing optimism, U.S. military officials are still expecting a tough fight from the approximately 5,000 IS fighters left defending Mosul.

"They've built a hell on Earth around themselves," Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Colonel John Dorrian warned Pentagon reporters Friday via video link from Baghdad.

He said it appears IS has dug trenches around the city, to be filled with oil and set afire as Iraqi forces move in.

The U.S. also says IS fighters in Mosul are trying to use schools, hospitals and mosques to hide their operations and have been planting improvised explosive devices intended to slow any advance by coalition-backed forces.
More Chinese companies and individuals could face investigation for suspected violations of sanctions on North Koreas nuclear proliferation, a senior U.S. official indicated Wednesday.

Days after Monday's announcement that four Chinese individuals and a Chinese company face criminal charges and sanctions for their alleged support of North Koreas nuclear weapons program, the State Departments coordinator for sanctions policy told U.S. lawmakers he would not argue with suggestions that the probe could widen.

It would also be useful if Chinese banks and companies understood that increasingly dealing with North Korean companies, especially those that are sanctioned, is going to be risky and frankly not worthy, Daniel Fried told a Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Wednesday, describing the problem as the heart of the matter.

Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Developmental Company Limited, as well as its chairwoman Ma Xiaohong and three top executives, were charged Monday with conspiring to evade sanctions against North Korea, including by facilitating money laundering through U.S. financial institutions.

Another senior State Department official said Washington is not fully satisfied with Beijings North Korea sanctions implementation.

There is much more that we believe China can and should do, said Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel when testifying at the Senate subcommittee hearing.

Russel added that President Barack Obama has raised with Chinese leaders practical ways that China can enhance the effectiveness of sanctions, including strengthening border controls and limiting access to North Korean banks.

Pyongyang changes tactics

North Korea for years has been under extremely tight international sanctions, which have largely halted North Korean trade with countries other than China. But new research says Pyongyang's state-run trading companies have adapted and are evading international sanctions by hiring more capable Chinese middlemen.

These contacts help Pyongyang access Chinese supplies and foreign firms located in China, which has actually improved the North's ability to procure banned equipment according to researchers from Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.)

In a report titled Stopping North Korea, Inc.: Sanctions Effectiveness and Unintended Consequences, Harvard University faculty member John Park and M.I.T. researcher Jim Walsh said North Korean firms have increased use of embassies as vehicles for procurement of banned materials. Another tactic is expanding the use of Hong Kong and commercial hubs in Southeast Asia for procurement.

In Beijing this week, China voiced strong opposition to Monday's sanctions, characterizing them as legal overreach by Washington.

If any country tries to exercise long-arm jurisdiction by enforcing its domestic laws over China's enterprises and individuals, we are firmly opposed to that, said Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Geng Shuang on Tuesday.

The Dandong-based Hongxiang Company was also under investigation by Chinese authorities for its connection with Kwangson Banking Corporation, a North Korean bank suspected of financing Pyongyangs nuclear weapons program.

Kwangson Banking Corporation was previously designated by the United States and United Nations for providing financial services in support of North Koreas weapons proliferation.
The U.S. government has imposed sanctions on high-level Congolese officials it says are responsible for the decline of democracy and human rights in the country.

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said in a statement Wednesday that it has placed General Gabriel Amisi Kumba, also known as "Tango Fort," head of the First National Defense Zone of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Major General John Numbi Banza Tambo, former inspector general of National Police, on its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List.

Amisi, a key member of President Joseph Kabila's inner circle, was promoted to his current position in charge of security for Kinshasa and western Congo despite having been suspended from the army because of a 2012 U.N. Group of Experts report that said he allegedly supplied arms and ammunition to poachers and illegal armed groups known to commit atrocities. The Congolese military never prosecuted him.

There have also been reports by the U.N. and British broadcasting organization BBC that Amisi made money through the conflict minerals trade.

In 2008, under Numbi, the Congolese national police was accused by human rights groups of using excessive force against an unarmed movement fighting for greater political independence in Bas Kongo province.

Also in 2010, a U.N. investigation that Numbi was heading into the murder of a human rights activist "strongly suggested official responsibility." Despite allegations, Numbi was never indicted for the murder.

The sanctions come at a time when the DRC government has increased repression. Over the past 18 months, several prominent democracy activists have been jailed, and radio and TV stations have been shut down.

Demonstrations to hold elections on time led to government crackdowns, the deaths of at least 44 people, and the arrest of dozens of protesters.

Kabila's government has attempted to hold a dialogue to secure a political transition, but it was boycotted by a majority of the opposition that said the dialogue is a ploy to extend his term.

National elections are scheduled for November 19, according to the DRC's constitution, and Kabila is due to step down December 19. But the government-led electoral commission recently announced that the elections will be delayed, potentially until 2018.
The U.S. Congress has voted to override President Barack Obamas veto of a bill that would allow lawsuits against Saudi Arabia for the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Wednesdays tallies in both houses of Congress were overwhelming and marked the first time an Obama veto has been overturned.

In the Senate, Democratic Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada was the lone member to side with the president. The House vote was 348-77.

The outcome is a major victory for the families of those killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Until now, their efforts to seek justice in U.S. courts have been stymied by Saudi Arabias legal immunity.

Obama told CNN television that Congress' decision to let the lawsuits go ahead is "a mistake."

He said the 9/11 victims and their families deserve support and compensation from a fund set up by his administration. But he said allowing private citizens to sue a country for allegedly not doing enough to stop a terrorist could come back to hurt the U.S.

"If we eliminate this notion of sovereign immunity, then our men and women in uniform around the world could potentially start seeing ourselves subject to reciprocal laws," Obama said. "It has to do with me not wanting a situation in which we're suddenly exposed to liabilities for all the work we're doing around the world."

The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act permits lawsuits against foreign entities that sponsor terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. Although the bill names no specific country, it is widely seen as an effort to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for any assistance the 9/11 plotters may have received from within the kingdom.

These families will never get back their loved ones, but they deserve justice and a day in court, said Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.

The American interest here is for these victims of terrorism to find recourse in our courts of law, concurred Republican John Cornyn of Texas.

White House Warnings on Repercussions

The Obama administration lobbied strenuously against JASTA, arguing it would endanger Americans abroad by undercutting the concept of sovereign immunity on the world stage.

The United States of America is more deeply engaged in more countries around the world than any other country in the world, said White House spokesman Josh Earnest. So carving out additional exceptions to sovereign immunity puts the United States at greater risk than any other country in the world.

Similarly, CIA Director John Brennan warned of grave implications for the national security of the United States in a statement issued as the Senate prepared to vote.

The principle of sovereign immunity protects U.S. officials every day, and is rooted in reciprocity. If we fail to uphold this standard for other countries, we place our own nations officials in danger, Brennan said.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina voted to override the veto, but said he shared the administrations concern.

Weve got diplomats and soldiers and American business people all over the world. So we need to think long and hard about making sure we dont open up Pandoras box to our own people, Graham said, adding that there could be diplomatic fallout between Washington and Riyadh.

Im worried that Saudi Arabia will see this as the Congress finding them guilty of being involved in 9/11. Thats not what this [bill] is about, Graham said.

Saudi Arabia or some other country might be upset. Well, frankly, I could care less, Cornyn said. Were here to represent the American people, not some foreign country.

Saudi officials have reportedly told U.S. lawmakers that the kingdom would be forced to sell up to $750 billion in treasury securities and other assets in the United States before they could be frozen or seized by U.S. courts. Some economists are skeptical, saying Riyadh's economy could be put at risk by such a move.

Fifteen of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were Saudi citizens, but Saudi Arabia has long denied any role in the attacks, an assertion Blumenthal, a former federal prosecutor, finds unpersuasive.

There is mounting evidence that the Saudi government, or at least organizations and operatives within the Saudi government, aided and abetted one of the most massive crimes within the United States, Blumenthal said. If the Saudi government had no involvement in 9-11, it has nothing to fear [from lawsuits].

I dont believe the government of Saudi Arabia was responsible for 9/11, but they will have their day in court, Graham said.

JASTAs resurrection on Capitol Hill was hailed by the family members of 9/11 victims, many of whom made repeated trips to Washington to tell their stories and demand that the bill become law.

My father will never see me graduate college or walk me down the aisle one day, said Kaitlyn Strada, whose father, Tom Strada, died in New Yorks World Trade Center. She added that victims families deserve opportunities to hold those responsible for the death, pain and suffering inflicted on all of us at the hands of terrorism.

Fifteen years is far too long for us to have to wait already, Strada said at a news conference outside the Capitol last week.
Turkish media reported diplomatic tensions dogged the now-concluded two-day visit to Ankara of U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Brett McGurk, Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter Islamic State.

McGurk was reprimanded for accepting a medal from the Syrian Kurdish militia the YPG, a key U.S. ally in the war against Islamic State. Dont do it again, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was reported to have said at the end of their meeting.

Ankara accuses the YPG of being terrorists linked to the banned PKK, which Turkey has been battling for more than 30 years.

The dispute is one of many that has soured relations between the two NATO allies.

In the past few weeks, Washington has been working to repair relations. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Ankara and Erdogan met with his U.S. counterpart, Barack Obama, on the sidelines of a meeting in China of the 20 biggest economies earlier this month.





Those efforts appeared to unravel during Erdogans visit last week to New York. Turkish-U.S. relations are incapable of getting over their tension, said international relations expert Soli Ozel of Istanbuls Kadir Has University.

Between two weeks ago in China, a sense of OK, weve settled our differences, weve agreed to disagree to disagree, but we will get along [now]  to a position whereby everything that Erdogan says particularly on his way back home, is almost in defiance of the United States on different issues.

US presidential elections

Ankaras demand for the extradition of Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who it blames for Julys failed coup in Turkey, also soured Erdogans visit to the United States.

The U.S. presidential elections are increasingly seen as a complicating factor in bilateral relations.

There seems to be a difficulty on the U.S. side to commit itself to a long-term strategy, whether it's to do with Gulen or Syria - also for strategic changes, which Turkey is asking for, said Sinan Ulgen, visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe in Brussels.

Therefore it has become a difficult environment for the relationship. This is very much a consequence of the electoral atmosphere in which President Obama appears to be wanting to leave these decisions to who replaces him.

Former senior Turkish diplomat Aydin Selcen says Ankara is increasingly looking beyond President Obama and the possible election of Hillary Clinton.

Hillary Clinton knows Turkey very well because she was the secretary of state and Turkey knows her very well. And she is someone who is more inclined to have a stronger hand in Syria and who will be readier to work with Ankara on those PKK files and Syria file. So this leads me to believe...the presidential elections will be important to Ankara, said Selcen.

Turkeys ruling AK Party has, according to a government source, reached out to the other U.S. presidential hopeful, Donald Trump. Ankara is pretty excited or optimistic about a possible Trump presidency, says international relations expert Ozel, partially because Trump congratulated Mr. Erdogan for his stance during the attempted coup back on 15 July. And usually the Turks like the Republicans better than the Democrats, as they don't care that much about human rights abuses and don't really hold Turkey to high standards on democracy and that.

Bilateral relations, however, could continue to worsen in the short term, with conflicting messages coming from Washington.

The electoral mood in the U.S. is making inter-agency cooperation and inter-agency cohesion more difficult, observes analyst Ulgen, because the type of conciliatory messages Ankara receives were essentially messages by the White House and by the State Department. Whereas, the Pentagon seems to be on a different wavelength of trying to continue to support the YPG in this region.

Ankara is angered by the fact the Pentagon is considering directly arming the YPG. Erdogan reportedly challenged Biden during his meeting in New York that the U.S. military had already carried out arms drops to the Syrian militia this month.
Scientists have announced the world's first baby born with DNA from three people.

A report in New Scientist magazine says the baby boy was born five months ago in Mexico to Jordanian parents and is in good health.

U.S. fertility doctor John Zhang turned to Mexico for the birth because the technique is still banned in the United States.

The baby's mother carries genes for a fatal nervous system disease called Leigh syndrome. She had passed on the illness to two previous children who died shortly after birth, and had suffered four miscarriages.

Zhang isolated the disease-causing DNA from the mother's nuclear DNA, injected her healthy DNA into a donor's egg, and fertilized the egg with the father's sperm.

Zhang plans to make a full presentation of the case at a medical meeting next month in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Federal health officials have banned the technique in the U.S. because earlier experiments resulted in babies with genetic disorders.
The spokesman for Zambia's main opposition party, the United Party for National Development, has denied the party is falling apart after losing the August presidential election to incumbent President Edgar Lungu.

The opposition party suspended Canisius Banda, its vice president in charge of politics. And Edwin Lifwekelo, the deputy spokesman for the UPND, resigned.

Local media reports also quote Edward Mumbi, special adviser for UPND presidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema, as resigning from the opposition party, citing family obligations.

"The National Management Committee of the party sat and resolved that Dr. Canisius Banda  is suspended so that he explains his relationship with the ruling party, the Patriotic Front. He was issuing statement in the media in which he has had discussions with the president of Zambia and one of the things they have agreed with the president of Zambia is that he should be given police protection and helped with other supports," said Charles Kakoma, UPND spokesperson.

"The party is not falling apart, Kakoma continued. It is normal from our experience in Zambia politics and generally in African politics after general elections there are some people that are weak in the opposition who would rather support a ruling party for benefits. Maybe they are expecting employment, they are expecting contract and so on and so forth, so that happens, some people fall off.

Actually, Kakoma said, we have done well, because not many people have taken that route of defecting to the ruling party.  If anything, the genuine members of the party have become more resolved to continue fighting for their rights."

UPND supporters of Banda and some members of the ruling PF party have accused the opposition of witch hunting and tribalism after his suspension. They said it appears Banda was used to sanitize the tribal perception of the party and dumped after the UPND lost the election.

The UPND has often been accused of engaging in tribal politics, something it sharply denies.

"That is misplaced analysis, said Kakoma, the party spokesman. This party is for all Zambians from all tribes from all regions and provinces making up Zambia. And therefore, the fact that Dr. Canisius Banda happen to come from eastern Zambia does not make him a sanitizer as people are calling it."

"The politics in our country is such that you need to balance the representation of the party and so far that is done, Kakoma said. [Hichilema] is coming from the southern part. Two vice presidents, one coming from the north from the Bemba-speaking tribe, Geoffrey Mwamba, and there is also Canisius Banda who comes from the east, and the chairman of the party, a woman, also coming from the north. In fact, if somebody was talking about sanitizing, the chairwoman of the party and a former deputy speaker [of parliament], was the first one to join the UPND before even Canisius Banda," Kakoma added.

The party challenged Lungu's re-election, but the Constitutional Court threw out the case.

The party then decided to file another case at the Lusaka High Court, saying the human rights of its presidential candidate, Hakainde Hichilema, and his deputy, Geoffrey Mwamba, were violated. The Lusaka High Court will begin hearing the case on November 24.

Local and international poll observers said the August 11 presidential, parliamentary and local elections were free, fair and transparent, despite isolated cases of voter irregularities. But the UPND insists the presidential vote was rigged in favor of Lungu and the PF party.
The U.S. Congress lurched closer to a government shutdown Tuesday as the Senate failed to advance a short-term spending bill.

Democrats blocked a bill that would extend federal spending authority into December. Unless Congress acts, that authority expires at midnight Friday, the end of the current fiscal year, and non-essential government services would be suspended, less than six weeks before the November elections.

Republicans and Democrats blamed each other for the turn of events, which saw the stopgap spending bill fall 15 votes short of the three-fifths backing needed to advance in the Senate.

Can it really be that Democratic leaders have embraced dysfunction so thoroughly that theyd tank a noncontroversial 10-week funding bill over what, exactly? said Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican. Does anybody know what the issue is? Do they [Democrats] even know? The rationale seems to change by the hour.

The Republican legislation misses the mark, asserted Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

Democrats objected to a provision that would weaken disclosure requirements for corporations that contribute to political campaigns. They also complained that the bill contains no funding to eliminate lead contamination from drinking water in Flint, Michigan, a hazard that began two years ago.

One hundred thousand people ingesting lead, said Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin. Imagine 9,000 children in Flint poisoned with lead-contaminated water. That happened. In that poor city they are still drinking water out of bottles every single day.

Republicans countered that they fully intend to provide funds for Flint, but will do so in separate legislation that deals specifically with water safety, not a short-term spending bill for the entire government.

Republicans see election-year politics in play, alleging that Democrats believe their chances of winning control of the Senate will be boosted if Republicans are seen as unable to fulfill basic legislative functions.

Democrats are marching us down a path that leads to a shutdown in order to gain some sort of political advantage, said Texas Republican John Cornyn. What a terrible thing to do to this country.

But Democrats see a double standard, noting that the spending bill does not address Flints water crisis but does contain funds to help flood-ravaged Louisiana.

Im happy to support Louisiana, said Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan. If, in fact, the people of Flint have to wait again, then the people of Louisiana can join them in that wait till the end of the year.

Fiscal drama is nothing new in Washington, where federal shutdowns have either been threatened or actually occurred in five of the last six years.

Funding the government is supposed to be an orderly process in which Congress appropriates yearlong federal spending in a series of bills covering a multitude of departments and agencies.

With Democrats and Republicans unable to agree on spending levels, Congress has been forced to enact catch-all bills weeks or months into the new fiscal year, and often needs a stopgap funding extension to get the work done.

This is not the way the Senates supposed to work, but this is the hand weve been dealt because of their [Democrats] obstruction, Cornyn complained.

Democrats accuse their Republican colleagues of hypocrisy, noting that Republicans regularly blocked bills when they were in the minority in the Senate.
President Robert Mugabe is expected to attend Botswana's 50th independence celebrations, just days after Botswana President Ian Khama urged him to step down.

Mr. Mugabe's government has reacted angrily to President Khama's calls claiming that he violated diplomatic processes by urging a sitting African head of state to step down. Khama says at 92, the Zimbabwean leader is incapable of running the country.

At the same time, the abduction of opposition party members and citizens staging protests against Mr. Mugabe's iron-fist rule continue in the southern African nation gripped by poverty.

According to an unidentified group of people suspected to be state security agents, who target political and human rights activists for abduction and severely assault them before injecting them with a mysterious substance, are on the prowl.

On Tuesday night, the group targeted another victim, Kudakwashe Kambanje, who is the chairperson of Harare central business district of the National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe (NAVUZ) and left him for dead.

Kambanje was reportedly abducted at the corner Nkwame Nkrumah Avenue and Chinhoyi Street in central Harare after the abductors allegedly fired shots at about 10.30 pm.

Kambanje was only found on Wednesday morning at a farm along old Mazowe Road, about 22 kilometers from Harare where he was abducted.

The abductors reportedly injected Kambanje with an unknown substance on the leg after assaulting him. His legs, thighs and hands were left with lacerations from being tortured.

NAVUZ suspects that its members are being targeted after unknown people threw stones into the offices of the organisation smashing window panes and putting its staff under siege on Tuesday afternoon.

On Monday night, the vendors had their wares burnt to ashes by unknown assailants.

Earlier in September 2016, prominent actor and human rights defender, Silvanos Mudzvova, was abducted and dumped at a farm near Nharira Hills on the outskirts of Harare.

Mudzvova is a member of the #Tajamuka/Sesijikile pressure group.

The abductors also injected Mudzvova with an unknown substance twice.

Like Mudzvova, Kambanje was discovered by well-wishers at the farm.

ZimRights is worried by the continued trend of abductions targeted at human rights activists by men who are armed and who torture and inject their victims with mysterious substances. We call upon the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) to investigate the latest trend of abductions in the country.

The resurgence of abductions is unfortunate at a time when the authorities have not accounted for Itai Dzamaras whereabouts since March 2015
Good afternoon. I will be very brief because I said some words on my way into this meeting, but I just participated in the meeting of the EU Defence Ministers and we discussed NATO-EU cooperation,a nd Im glad to be able to say that NATO-EU cooperation has never been closer and never been stronger than it is today. And in July we agreed on a joint statement, I agreed on joint statement with President Tusk, President Juncker, which adds even more substance to the NATO-EU cooperation and we discussed the implementation, the follow up, on these issues related to hybrid, cyber operations, exercises and so on, and its good to see that we are delivering and turning that declaration into reality.

I also like to underline that there is no contradiction between strong European defence and a strong Atlantic cooperation within NATO. Actually, a strong Europe makes NATO stronger. And it was clearly stated by the ministers that what we need is a Europe which provides capabilities in complementarity with NATO, and its important to avoid duplication. So I welcome the efforts to strengthen European defence because that will contribute to our shared security and I welcome also that it has been conveyed very clearly that this is not about establishing anything which is duplicating any efforts from NATO, but which is in complementarity to NATO.

Then, let me also just add some words about the situation in Syria. The appalling attacks on Aleppo have shaken all of us and the violence and the attacks we have seen also on an aid convoy is morally totally unacceptable and its a blatant violation of international law and it underlines the importance of finding a diplomatic and peaceful solution to the crisis in Syria and I join the international calls on Russia to show credible efforts to restore the cessation of hostilities to allow humanitarian aid into Aleppo and to create the conditions necessary for UN-led transition talks to resume. So I think the violence and the killing of so many civilians just underlines the importance to support all efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Syria.

Question by AFP: In your eyes, is the debate on stronger European defence different in the context of Brexit? What is your opinion on that? Is there an opportunity to have a stronger European defence with the Brexit?

Jens Stoltenberg: Stronger European defence is something Ive been calling for for a long time, because stronger European defence is about European nations providing capabilities, strategic lift, precision guided ammunition, and drones, and many other capabilities we need. And the fact that I would like to see more European nations provide more military capabilities is something Ive been calling for both before the UK referendum and I called for it after the UK referendum. And I think its also important to understand that in addition to stronger European defence capabilities we also need closer cooperation between European nations when it comes to a more effective defence industry and we need more research and development and to finance all this we need increased defence spending among European nations. So for me this is something which has been important regardless of the UK referendum, and again, as long as this is in complementarity to NATO and as long as this is not duplicating the efforts of NATO, I think we should only welcome stronger European defence, because thats good for Europe, its good for the European Union and its good for NATO.

Question by ZDF: I wonder if you have any reaction or comment to the Clinton/Trump debate from yesterday evening and the statement by Donald Trump that he likes NATO but that he doesnt see the US in the role of world police, would President Trump scare you?

Jens Stoltenberg: I will not be part of the US election campaign but what I can tell you is what matters for NATO and a strong NATO is important for Europe but is also important for the United States. And we have to remember that the only time that NATO has invoked Article 5, our collective defence clause, was after the attack on the United States on 11 September 2001, and thousands of soldiers from European NATO Allies and also from Canada have been in Afghanistan as a direct response to an attack on the United States. And for me this illustrates that NATO is good for Europe but its also important for the United States. The United States have global responsibilities and for me this just underlines the importance that Europe contributes more and is able to provide more military strength and take more responsibility for defences and security in Europe. Just to connect to the previous question: the importance of a stronger Europe is not something which is an alternative to a strong NATO. Europe needs the United States and the European Union needs North-America and non-EU members as part of the collective defence we provide in Europe. And if we take Brexit into account, 80% of NATOs defence spending will come from non-EU Allies, and three out of four of the battalions we are going to deploy to the Baltic countries and Poland will be led by non-EU NATO Allies as non-EU members of the NATO Alliance, UK, Canada and the United States. For me this just illustrates that we need a strong transatlantic bond at the same time as we welcome stronger European defence.

Question by Reuters: A follow up to my colleagues question on last nights presidential debate. Mr; Trump claimed that the new ASG for Intelligence at NATO would refocus his activities to counter terrorism. I wonder if that was at all true and secondly Mr. Trump also said that the Alliance is focusing more on counter terrorism because of his criticism. I wonder if there was any truth in that? Thank you very much.

Jens Stoltenberg: NATO has played a key role in the fight against terrorism for many many years. Our biggest operation ever, our military presence in Afghanistan, is a counter terrorism operation. We went into Afghanistan to prevent Afghanistan from becoming once again a safe haven for international terrorists. And we have built up substantial and strong Afghan army and defence and we support them, help them, train them in fighting Taliban and fighting different terrorist groups. So NATO is and has been playing a key role in the fight against terrorism. We have stepped up our efforts to support the US led coalition to fight ISIL, we will soon provide AWACS surveillance planes to support the coalition fighting ISIL, and improve the air picture of the coalition. And we will also step up training of Iraqi officers to increase their capacity to fight ISIL. So NATO is already doing a lot together with other international institutions, together with other nations, in the fight against terrorism. The new Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence will also of course be a tool in our efforts to fight terrorism. To share intelligence among Allies is one of the tools we use against terrorism. But this is something which has been planned and discussed for a long time and its not a result of the US election campaign, so NATO has been focused on the fight against terrorism for many many years and its not a result of the US election campaign.

Question by Public Slovak broadcaster: concretely, how can you see, regarding refugees, a coordination between your operation in the Aegean Sea and the EU operation in the Mediterranean Sea? Thank you

Jens Stoltenberg: NATOs presence in the Aegean Sea has been important, and it has made a difference, and it has helped cutting the lines of illegal trafficking across the Aegean Sea and has contributed to the significant reductions in crossings of the Aegean Sea. We provide real time information to the Greek coast guard, to the Turkish coast guard and to the EU border agency FRONTEX. In additional to this practical support in the Aegean Sea, the NATO presence with the naval assets, is also important, because the NATO presence has provided a platform for enhanced cooperation between Turkey, a non-EU member to enhance to cooperation with Greece, an EU-member and with FRONTEX. And I think that we can learn from what we have done in the Aegean Sea when we are now also establishing a new maritime operation Sea Guardian. And we are in dialogue with the EU on how we can provide help to Sofia, in the central Mediterranean, were looking into whether we can provide logistical help, intelligence and in other ways. So this is something which is now being looked into. The details, and the operational details, are now being looked into together with the European Union and then we are ready to also support operation Sofia, but exactly how thats going to be done, remains to be decided.
Baylor Theatre will present the musical Fiddler on the Roof at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and Oct. 5-8 at Jones Theatre in Baylor Universitys Hooper-Schaefer Fine Arts Center, 60 Baylor Ave.

Matinees will be presented at 2 p.m. Sunday and Oct. 9.

Tickets for the 1964 Tony Award-winning musical cost $20 and are available at www.baylor.edu/theatre or by calling 710-1865.

Corvette, Chevy show

Cen-Tex Corvette Club of Waco will host the 18th annual Great American Corvette and Chevy Day car show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at John McClaren Chevrolet, 1015 E. McGregor Drive in McGregor.

The show is open to all year models of Corvettes and Chevrolets. Registration will be from 8 to 10 a.m., with an entry fee of $25 in advance or $30 the day of the show. The first 100 entries will receive a T-shirt.

There will be judging from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., a silent auction from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and an awards ceremony at 3 p.m.

Spectator admission is free.

For entry forms, visit www.Cen-TexCorvetteClub.com. For more information, call Mike Meyers at 716-5726.

Boil-water order

McLennan County Water Control and Improvement District No. 2 in Elm Mott issued a boil-water notice Tuesday for its water customers who reside on the east side of Interstate 35.

The notice was issued as repairs were required to fix a break in the line.

For more information, call 829-1824 or 722-5005.

Community forum

Waco Parks and Recreation Department will continue its monthly Community Conversations forum at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Dewey Community Center, 925 N. Ninth St.

The forum will be a discussion with Interim Police Chief Frank Gentsch and Fire Chief Bobby Tatum.

The town hall-style meeting will provide an overview of police and fire services, prevention strategies and how the community can get involved with public safety.

For more information, call 750-5980.

Rummage sale

New Creation Adventist School will have a rummage sale from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday at Waco Seventh Day Adventist Church, 900 W. Highway 6.

The sale will include baked goods, clothing, toys, furniture and kitchen items.

Proceeds will benefit the school and its community outreach program.

For more information, call 717-0142.

Submit items for Briefly to Briefly, P.O. Box 2588, Waco 76702-2588; fax to 757-0302; or email to goingson@wacotrib.com at least one week before an event.
A Marlin man convicted in a fatal hit-and-run traffic crash in 2013 was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday.

Bruce Donnell Wilkinson Sr., 41, the father of six children, including 4-month-old twins, pleaded guilty to failure to stop and render aid in the Dec. 8, 2013, traffic death of 51-year-old Norma Alicia Valdez.

Wilkinson pleaded guilty without the benefit of a plea agreement with prosecutors and asked 19th State District Judge Ralph Strother to place him on probation.

Wilkinsons attorney, Jonathan Sibley, told the judge that Wilkinson, a laborer, is a hardworking family man who works two jobs to support them. He said it would not bring Valdez back to send Wilkinson to prison.

Strother countered that it also wouldnt bring her back to grant Wilkinsons request for probation.

Wilkinson faced a maximum of 20 years in prison.

This was a tragic accident, and Mr. Wilkinson has accepted responsibility for his role in the accident and his mistake of leaving the scene immediately after, Sibley said. We believe that Mr. Wilkinson was a good candidate for probation and had numerous friends and family in court to testify to his good character, strong work ethic and dedication and support to his family and friends.

While we respect the decision of the court to sentence Mr. Wilkinson to 10 years, we are saddened that a mistake made in a single moment of panic and confusion will separate a good man from his family and those that rely on him. There are no winners in the situation, and this tragedy will have a far-reaching impact on all involved.

Valdez was driving a 2004 Chevrolet Aveo across a bridge in the 100 block of East Waco Drive when her car was struck from behind by Wilkinson, who was driving a Dodge Charger.

Valdezs car skidded sideways across a median, and she was struck on the passenger side by an eastbound 2005 Chrysler 300.

After Wilkinsons car struck Valdezs vehicle, it also hit the side of a Ford F-150 pickup truck in the adjacent lane.

Wilkinson made a U-turn and fled the scene, police said. When Wilkinson was arrested a month later, officials said they found a portion of the taillight from Valdezs vehicle embedded in the grill of Wilkinsons Dodge.

No one else involved in the accident was injured seriously.
A Waco attorney will not be sanctioned by the State Bar of Texas on a complaint that he failed to properly inform opposing counsel in a pending lawsuit that he represented the federal judge hearing the case.

In a letter dated Sept. 16, Rebecca Stevens, assistant disciplinary counsel for the State Bar of Texas, informs New York attorney Ty Clevenger that his complaint against Waco attorney Greg White has been dismissed.

The office of chief disciplinary counsel has fully investigated your complaint and determined that professional misconduct cannot be established, the letter states.

The letter goes on to say that the disciplinary proceeding against White, which the letter says is strictly confidential, has been dismissed by the Commission for Lawyer Discipline.

White, who also is a legal writing lecturer at Baylor Law School, did not return phone messages Tuesday.

Clevenger, who faces potential disciplinary action of his own next month in Washington, D.C., filed the State Bar grievance against White and also filed sexual misconduct and conflict-of-interest complaints against former U.S. District Judge Walter S. Smith Jr., of Waco, in 2014 that led to Smiths reprimand by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

White represented Smith against Clevengers complaint to the 5th Circuit. That, in turn, led to Clevengers bar grievance against White. Clevenger alleged White failed to disclose his attorney-client relationship with the judge to lawyers on the other side of a case from White in Smiths court.

Clevenger has since filed a supplemental complaint that claims Smith may have received free legal services from White while White had cases pending in Smiths court.

Smith, 75, announced his retirement last week, effective Sept. 14, after 32 years on the federal court bench.

White responded to the State Bar allegations made by Clevenger, and Clevenger made Whites responses public.

Not surprised

Clevenger said Tuesday he was disgusted but not surprised that the state bar dismissed his complaint.

I already knew that the State Bars disciplinary system was politically tainted and downright corrupt, and this is just another example. If youre a lawyer in Texas with the right political connections, you can get away with almost anything, Clevenger said.

Judge Smith and Greg White both admitted that they had an attorney-client relationship and failed to disclose it as the law required, and the Fifth Circuit Judicial Council had already reprimanded Judge Smith for concealing that relationship. So if its grounds for disciplining the judge, why not the attorney? It takes two to tango.

Whites response to the allegations acknowledged that an attorney from Florida who was unhappy with Smiths rulings in the case questioned White about his relationship with the judge. White told him he was representing the judge, and the attorney immediately filed a motion to recuse Smith from the case, which Smith granted.

Frankly, I had assumed three things, White wrote in his answer. First, I thought my role was so limited that my representation made no difference to anyone. Second, I though that Tammy (Hooks, Smiths career law clerk) was calling people in my cases (to inform opposing parties of White and Smiths attorney-client relationship). Third, I knew that I was bound by confidentiality  both by rule, and by my clients instruction  not to volunteer that Judge Smith was the subject of a judicial conduct complaint or that I was his lawyer.

In its reprimand of Smith, the Judicial Council of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the judge did not follow appropriate procedures regarding his recusal from the case involving White.

The judicial council reprimanded Smith in December, finding he made inappropriate and unwanted physical and nonphysical advances toward a female courthouse staff member in his court chambers in 1998.

Clevenger included with his complaint a sworn deposition from the woman, who no longer lives in Waco, in which she detailed her unnerving experience with the judge and how it forced her to leave her job at the federal courthouse.

The council also suspended Smith for one year from hearing any new criminal or civil cases filed after Dec. 3, ruling that his conduct was in contravention of existing standards of behavior for federal judges.

The Judicial Council also said Smith does not understand the gravity of such inappropriate behavior and the serious effect that it has on the operations of the courts.

The Judicial Council also finds that Judge Smith allowed false factual assertions to be made in response to the complaint, which, together with the lateness of his admissions, contributed greatly to the duration and cost of the investigation, the order, signed by 5th Circuit Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart, said.

The council said Smiths actions did not warrant a recommendation of impeachment. Clevenger appealed that decision to the Administrative Office of United States Courts in Washington, D.C., which has since ordered the 5th Circuit to reopen the investigation of Smith because the first probe failed to address certain issues raised in Clevengers complaints, including allegations Smith acted inappropriately with other women in his chambers.

The results of the renewed investigation and the 5th Circuit response are pending.

After Clevenger alleged that White represented Smith for free, Smith showed lawyers a copy of a canceled check that he said is proof he paid White $10,000 to represent him on the 5th Circuit complaints.

Showed me the check

The judge showed me the check because he knows that one of the accusations is that Greg White was doing something for him and wasnt getting paid for it to curry favor of the court, and he wanted to show me that not only it wasnt true, he had a copy of the canceled check, Waco attorney Russ Hunt has said. So I dont have any doubt that Walter is telling the truth when he says, Hey, I paid him $10,000, and I do not doubt Gregs word. Greg is a man of his word.

In a letter dated Jan. 27 from White to his attorney and submitted as an exhibit in Whites response to the State Bar, White said an attorney who formerly served as Smiths law clerk called him and said the judge wanted to speak to him about Clevengers federal complaint.

White wrote that Smith was concerned about the accusations being made public and asked White to file a motion to dismiss the complaint.

I must say that I was not sure whether I was writing as Judge Smiths lawyer, or whether I was ghost-writing for Judge Smith, White wrote in his memo. I am sure I had an attorney-client relationship but unsure how formal my representation would be.

White prepared a draft and said the judge asked him to sign the motion as his attorney.

One statement in the motion to dismiss bears mention, Whites memo says. After talking to Judge Smith, I was under the impression that he believed that the young lady involved might have acted in a way to suggest her willingness to participate in a personal relationship  that she was the aggressor.

I wrote that in the motion to dismiss  characterizing it as Judge Smiths memory. His memory came from a lawyer-friend of Judge Smiths while Judge Smiths divorce was pending. During the divorce, there were apparently threats to make this womans complaint a public matter, Whites memo says.

The lawyer, whom White does not identify, suggested that they could respond to the threatened publicity by suggesting that the woman approached the judge romantically in an attempt to gain favorable treatment for her husband, who was part of a group considering litigation in Smiths court.

That suggestion to Judge Smith (from his lawyer-friend) stuck with him, and he suggested it to me, White wrote.

After the motion to dismiss was filed, a more careful examination of the docket revealed the suggestion that the woman approached the judge in such a manner to help her husband was not true, since the lawsuit involving her husband was not filed until long after the incident in Smiths chambers.

During the council probe, the investigator told White that the investigator knew that version was not true.

I acknowledged to the investigator that we had misstated that and wished to correct it, Whites memo says.

Clevenger currently is under fire from a Washington, D.C., judge, who sanctioned Clevenger $120,000 in December, sparking other pending disciplinary actions that have been postponed until next month.

Smith sanctioned Clevenger and fined him $25,000 for filing what Smith called a frivolous lawsuit in his court seven years ago.
Buried under overgrowth from years of caretaker absence, barely legible and broken tombstones dating back to 1797 flock across several acres tucked behind a subdivision just off Interstate 35 in McLennan County.

The cemetery known in county documents by several names has outlived the majority of members of the organization that for decades kept up the historic site that once housed an early settler and Texas Ranger.

The Flowers-Cox Cemetery, now covered in cacti and surrounded by what once resembled a fence, will receive some overdue TLC from Precinct 1 Commissioner Kelly Snell and county crews he oversees. Snell said after receiving multiple phone calls from residents in his precinct about the need for work at the cemetery, county crews will mow the weeds, cut the overgrowth, trim back the vegetation and remove the dumped trash, tires and televisions.

The last surviving member of the Flowers-Cox Cemetery Association is in her 90s and is long past able to care for the property, said Chrissy Brault, Precinct 1 commissioner administrative assistant.

County Administrator Dustin Chapman said the county will not be assuming responsibility of the cemetery but performing a one-time cleanup.

County Judge Scott Felton said the county has done this at least once before, about 25 years ago, at a different site that he remembers.

Snell said cleaning the property also will support the homes in the area. He said crews wont be starting the work until after the first freeze and all signs of snakes are gone.

Commissioner Will Jones raised concern about liability. Jones said there was a similar issue in Precinct 3, and his crews were advised not to assist in the cleanup.

Chapman said in that instance there was concern because the owner of the deed was not clear. He said Flowers-Cox Cemetery is owned by the association.

Snell said some trees in the cemetery have grown to the point where they moved tombstones.

He said his hope is the crews perform the initial cleanup, and then a local Boy Scouts group or local church adopts the cemetery to perform regular maintenance.

Currently, vehicles are driving back through the brush to the area of the cemetery and dumping trash, Snell said. After cleanup, the crews will install a fence around the property, with a gate to allow individuals to walk back to the property.

Snell said he already has the materials to build a fence.

Some real history

Theres some real history inside the cemetery there, Snell said.

Information filed with the county clerks office shows the cemetery once sat off Woodlawn Road between Lorena and Bruceville-Eddy between a house and corral. Documents reveal the cemetery has been called several things over the years, including the E. Tom Cox or the Cox Family Cemetery, referring to the people who donated the land.

Some documents refer to the area as the Flowers-Cox Cemetery, and there are at least 12 Flowers graves there. Still other documents refer to it as the Cedar Bridge Cemetery or Bruceville Cemetery.

It seems that Simeon P. Mixson was a cattleman and drove cattle over the Chisholm Trail to the market. He was a neighbor of E. Tom Cox, county documents state. There were arguments between the two over Mr. Cox letting his cows graze on Mixsons land.

One particular day, Mixson approached the house of Cox to again talk about Coxs cows grazing on Mixsons land. As he approached, Cox killed Mixson with a shotgun, standing behind the door as he approached. Simeon P. Mixson died March 13, 1864. Following this, friends of Mixson no longer desired to commemorate Cox with his name on the cemetery, so they changed it to Cedar Bridge.

Cox, originally born in Tennessee, moved to Masterville  renamed Bruceville with the move of a railroad depot  in 1861, according to county documents. He served as a McLennan County commissioner, justice of the peace and postmaster and was a charter member of the Methodist Church at Bruceville, according to archives. He was buried in the Bruceville Cemetery after his death in 1917.

Last burial

The last person thought to be buried there was in 1952, according to county documents.

Early settler and Texas Ranger Thomas Hudson Barron, 1796-1874, was once buried at the cemetery before his remains were moved in 1976 to First Street Cemetery in Waco, beside the entrance to old Fort Fisher and the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame.

Barrons company of rangers in 1837 established Fort Fisher at Waco Village on the Brazos, and in that same year, built a house later purchased by Sam Houston, according to the Texas State Historical Association. In 1851, Barron opened the first district court of McLennan County and served as clerk, with Judge Robert E.B. Baylor presiding, according to the Texas State Historical Association. Barrons daughter  Mozella Millie Barron Petree  is also buried at the site.

Brad Willis, local dentist and history buff, said there are many notable individuals buried at the site. Willis, who often does research on FindAGrave.com, said Civil War veteran William Thomas Benning Clendening, who died in 1908, is buried at the site, as well as Martha Frances Chapman Smith, who was a citizen of the Republic of Texas.

Willis said there is even someone buried there connected to him indirectly.

A.B. Miles, 1809-1890, is buried at the site and was the father of Dr. Thomas Franklin Miles, who practiced medicine in Lorena for 54 years. Miles married Theodora Sleeper, who is related to Willis, he said.
A 25-year-old man was arrested early Tuesday morning after a traffic stop in Mart uncovered more than two ounces of marijuana and $1,500 in cash in his vehicle, Mart Police Chief Paul Cardenas said.

Jordan Lee Williams, of Mart, was arrested after a Mart police officer spotted Williams driving a vehicle near the Cefco convenience store, at 213 E. Texas Ave., for seat belt violation after the officer saw that Williams front seat passenger did not have a seat belt on, Cardenas said. The officer discovered that Williams did not have a valid drivers license when a family member approached the vehicle.

The family member started pulling out clothing from the car when the officer saw bags of marijuana in the car, Cardenas said.

In the past two months, Cardenas said police have been receiving suspicious reports of Williams allegedly selling drugs to Mart community members, including marijuana and cocaine. While no cocaine was found in the vehicle, more than two ounces of marijuana, some of it individually bagged, confirmed recent reports, Cardenas said.

The passenger was released and the vehicle was turned over to another family member. Williams was arrested on a charge of delivery of marijuana and was taken to McLennan County Jail. Inside the jail, officers reported that about $1,500 in cash was found in Williams sock.

He remained in custody Tuesday afternoon on a $5,000 surety bond. Cardenas said the incident remains under investigation and additional charges may be pending.
We all know that many politicians are prone to exaggeration. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patricks recent statement that private school vouchers, or school choice as he puts it, is a civil rights issue is just such an exaggeration. In fact, Patricks costly voucher schemes could drain billions from local schools and deny many students their right to receive a quality education.

The history of vouchers actually suggests that they were a way to avoid granting civil rights to others. Vouchers were developed in response to the U.S. Supreme Courts Brown v. Board of Education ruling in 1954 that schools integrate and end the charade of separate but equal treatment of students. For at least a decade, some states simply ignored the ruling, but with passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states began to implement freedom of choice programs that would allow white parents to take their child to a select school and thereby leave segregation patterns untouched. Mississippi even had segregation academies that only white children could attend.

No voucher plan introduced in Texas to date has provided adequate accountability for taxpayer dollars. Other states have seen dire results when state funds are handed to individuals and organizations without state accountability for quality of education. Storefront schools with improper supervision that endanger the lives and education of students spring up with investors concerned only about profit and not the future and well-being of children.

Any serious plan would hold the recipients of state funds to the same curriculum and accountability standards as public schools. This must be done to ensure the welfare of our children.

It is not enough to separate our children from the public schoolhouse and then simply treat them equally. All students are not the same and often must be treated differently. My child with spina bifida requires a different level of treatment in the educational environment than another child. A weighted public education funding system ensures that he receives every opportunity to learn  something that voucher plans typically omit. Under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), he receives facilities accommodations that are not readily available in most private organizations.

If were concerned with civil rights, any voucher must come with the requirement the receiving institution comply with all federal codes affecting those with disabilities.

Historically, transportation has not been fully covered in any voucher bill. A civil rights approach would demand that transportation costs to any school the child wanted to attend be included. Otherwise, poor kids stay on the poor side of town and rich kids stay on the rich side and de facto segregation results. Besides, the current transportation allotment for public schools is woefully inadequate and has not been updated for more than 20 years. Its doubtful the state will find new money to transport children with vouchers.

Any plan truly concerned with civil rights would meet the requirements I have outlined. Over the past few years, I have seen a growing number of parents, community members, ministers, businessmen and stakeholders in education join the ranks of those who oppose vouchers for a variety of reasons. There is history to show that vouchers disguised as school choice have repeatedly been used to further segregation around both race and income, and there is ample case law to show that civil rights advocates have fought long and hard to ensure quality educational opportunities for all children.

To call vouchers a civil rights issue denies their history and denigrates a hard-fought battle to ensure a free and appropriate public education for all children.

Charles Luke is coordinator of the Texas Coalition for Public Schools.
Donald Trump was trying very hard to be on his best behavior.

In the opening minutes of the first presidential debate Monday night, the Republican nominee began an answer by saying, In all fairness to Secretary Clinton  then turned to his opponent with exaggerated cordiality. Yes? Is that OK? Good. I want you to be very happy. Its very important to me.

But even Trumps best behavior was not quite good enough. Within minutes, he was hectoring and interrupting Clinton when she spoke, glowering, pursing his lips, shaking his head and interjecting one-word retorts.

Wrong! he told Clinton.

Wrong! he told the moderator, NBCs Lester Holt.

Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! he said, over and over again.

But it was Trump who was wrong  on the facts but also in his approach to the debate. Trump had done well in the primary debates with his insults, interruptions and one-liners. Mondays 90-minute, one-on-one debate, however, was a format that did not work for him.

Clinton had crammed for the encounter, practicing heavily. Trump ostentatiously avoided preparation  playing the proverbial high school slacker drinking beer behind the bleachers while the teachers pet was in the library.

But Monday night was the revenge of the nerd.

Trump was louder and nastier. But Clinton was cool and measured, continuing to make her case while Trump tried to talk over her. Again and again, she put him on the defensive, and his one-line retorts did not serve him well.

Clinton speculated that he wasnt releasing his tax returns because he hadnt paid income tax for several years.

It would be squandered, Trump said, not denying the allegation.

Clinton noted that Trump hadnt paid federal income taxes for several years previously.

That makes me smart, he said.

Clinton accused Trump of rooting for the housing market to collapse in 2006.

Thats called business, Trump said.

At one point, Trump took a dig at Clinton because she decided to stay home, presumably to practice for the debate. Clinton was ready: I think Donald just criticized me for preparing for this debate. And, yes, I did. And you know what else I prepared for? I prepared to be president.

Trump was prepared to do what he has done for 18 months: spout falsehoods. But while that works on Twitter and at campaign rallies, it didnt go well in Mondays debate. Clinton, with an occasional assist from Holt, was able to take some 100 million viewers on a tour of what she called Trumps own reality.

Donald thinks that climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese, Clinton pointed out.

I did not! Trump protested.

He did say so, on Nov. 6, 2012, at 2:15 p.m., on Twitter.

Clinton noted that Trump supported the invasion of Iraq.

Wrong! Trump declared.

He did, on Sept. 11, 2002, on Howard Sterns radio show.

Clinton noted that murders have continued to decline in New York.

No, youre wrong.

Clinton was correct.

Trump repeated the oft-debunked canard that Clinton aides were the first to question Barack Obamas American birth in 2008. And he dismissed the widely held view among cybersecurity experts that Russia was behind the recent hack of the Democratic National Committee. It could be somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds, OK?

This was the shot at Trump that Low-Energy Jeb, Little Marco and Lyin Ted never had: an extended, one-on-one encounter to test the bilious billionaire. Trumps playground taunts sounded juvenile.

He declared that Clinton tells you how to fight ISIS on her website! I dont think Gen. Douglas MacArthur would like that too much.

Well, Clinton replied, at least I have a plan to fight ISIS.

Trump, ignoring Holts admonitions, kept up his interruptions: You didnt read it! .?.?. Who gave it that name? .?.?. Lester, how much?

When Clinton at one point joked that Im going to be blamed for everything thats ever happened, Trump interrupted again: Why not?

You know, Clinton said, just join the debate by saying more crazy things.

That he did.

Dana Milbank covers political theater for The Post.
WAHOO  The words amazing, awesome and community rang out many times Sunday afternoon on the northeast corner of the Saunders County Courthouse campus.

More than 600 people assembled for the dedication of the Saunders County Veterans Memorial.

Person after person who stepped to the microphone talked about the amazing memorial and the awesome community effort that went into making it happen. Also center to Sundays speeches was the bravery shown and sacrifices made by the Saunders County men and women for whom the memorial is dedicated.

We simply cannot express enough our pride and gratitude for the deeds these people have done, said Lt. Col. Dave DuBois of Wahoo.

The officer with the Nebraska Army National Guard offered the official dedication for the afternoon ceremony in Wahoo.

DuBois said the memorial is dedicated to all those from Saunders County who served and is in appreciation for their steadfast service.

It is also a place to remember, he said, those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and lost their life in service to their country.

The names of 110 county residents who died in service are etched upon the military tombstones that are a part of the memorial.

The $700,000 memorial also features 11 flagpoles bearing flags from each branch of the service as well as VFW, American Legion, POW/MIA, Nebraska State and American flags. There are also 11 bronze statues, benches, special markers and a black marble wall etched with the names of more Saunders County veterans and supporters.

Dave Heineman, a Wahoo High School graduate and former Nebraska governor, praised the Saunders County community for the memorial.

It is amazing what all of you have done, and I just say thank you, he said.

The West Point Military Academy graduate said the memorial is appreciated.

As a veteran, I am very, very proud of what you have accomplished here with the Saunders County Veterans Memorial, Heineman remarked. It is very special, and it is very important.

Mike Helms, past national commander of the American Legion, also addressed the crowd that filled the memorial site and spilled over onto the courthouse lawn.

Helms said he attended many memorial dedications during his duties as national commander. A couple of questions always come to his mind during the ceremonies.

Who were these men and women, he asked, and what were they thinking to leave job, family and community when their country called upon them?

Perhaps, he said, they wanted to be heroes. More likely, he added, they just wanted to do their part to help ensure Americas freedom.

Because of them, our nation lives, he said.

U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry also spoke of the sacrifices made by military personnel and their families.

The congressman from Nebraska pointed to the American flag that freely waves at the memorial site and gave credit to the national anthem sung by members of Wahoo and Bishop Neumann high schools to begin the dedication ceremony.

We dont sit down. We dont take a knee. We stand up because it is not about us, it is about them  the men and women who have served our country, he said the national anthem.

The American flag was well represented Sunday too. The Wahoo and Cedar Bluffs fire departments brought their aerial trucks to the site and hung a large flag as a backdrop for the dedication ceremony.

Members of the Patriot Guard Riders attended as well and stood with American flags along the north and east sides of the memorial.

Others speaking during Sundays program were Nebraska Lt. Gov. Mike Foley, State Sen. Jerry Johnson, Saunders County Supervisor Chairwoman Doris Karloff and Wahoo Mayor Loren Lindahl.

A special presentation during the more than an hour-long ceremony surprised three veterans with Quilts of Honor.

The Wahoo Krazy Quilters made three quilts to offer as part of a national program to offer hugs of gratitude.

We wish we could wrap a quilt around every veteran today, said Wahoo Krazy Quilters Member Mary Maxson.

The three veterans who did receive quilts were Scott Cihal, an Army veteran deployed twice to Iraq; Larry Martin, a Vietnam era Marine; and Ken Hanke, a World War II, European theater veteran.

American Legion and VFW posts from throughout the county were represented Sunday afternoon. Also represented was the Nebraska National Guard 623rd Engineering Company, based in Wahoo.

The Ashland American Legion Post 129 color guard presented the colors during the ceremony. Boyd Yochum of Ashland, the local representative on the memorial committee, recited the dedication of flags. Bill Sapp of Ashland did the invocation.
WAHOO  Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts office and the Nebraska Department of Roads made two announcements last week that should have a large impact on roads and bridges in Saunders County.

On Sept. 22, a list of Build Nebraska Act projects selected for construction, design and planning was released.

A 16-mile four-lane divided expressway from Wahoo to Fremont on Highway 77 was listed as one of 12 projects selected for design.

According to a press release from the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR), one of the reasons this project was selected for design is that a four-lane expressway would support continued development in communities along the Fremont to Lincoln corridor.

Completion of this corridor would fill in a gap and make progress toward completing NDORs 1988 commitment to expand Nebraskas expressway system, the release reported.

Wahoo officials agreed.

It will be great for the economic vitality of the community, said Wahoo Mayor Loren Lindahl.

I was excited to see it on the list, said Wahoo City Administrator Melissa Harrell.

Another of the 12 projects selected for design was a four-lane on Highway 92 east of Yutan to Highway 275.

This section was added in part by the stakeholder support shown through more than 200 comments and 600 signatures asking for improved safety and noting potential for economic growth.

According to the NDOR press release, this expansion would not only benefit Yutan, but also the communities west of Omaha and the City of Omaha itself.

However, this does leave a gap of four-lane between Mead and Yutan.

Its a good beginning, Lindahl said of the overall list.

Inclusion of that five-mile stretch would have been nice, he added.

And it will come. But like everything, its time and money, Lindahl said.

NDOR director Kyle Schneweis said thse projects have been selected based on a process that more fully considers economic impact and stakeholder input, while continuing to consider engineering performance.

The closest project selected for construction was the Fremont Southeast Beltway.

The project is four miles of four-lane highway south of Fremont, extending Highway 77 east from north of Highway 109 to Highway 275.

This $26 million project was chosen for construction, as significant economic development is anticipated along this corridor in the near future, according to NDORs press release.

The imminent Costco poultry processing plant is estimated to bring 1,100 jobs to the area. Completion will allow Fremont to retain its character, while improving safety and allowing for this economic growth, according to NDOR.

All of these projects fall under the umbrella of the Build Nebraska Act and Transportaiton Innovation Act.

The other announcement made last week about the County Bridge Match Program, which falls under the Transportation Innovation Act.

On Sept. 20, criteria for the match program were outlined by Schneweis, as NDOR will publish Request for Proposals.

Proposal selection will be based on criteria including innovation, cost or time savings, sustainability or transferability of innovation, long term maintenance savings, project significance/risk, needs and equity.

This approach rewards for thinking outside the box, but also teaming up with other counties, said Saunders County Supervisor Ed Rastovski.

That puts Saunders County at a disadvantage in the district, as the county has more bridges than any other county in Nebraska, he said.

But, the county is fortunate to have Saunders County Public Works Director Steve Mika at the table with the selection group, said county Supervisor Craig Breunig.

Mika is on a committee that helped choose how funds will be allocated across counties and districts. He had stated in several Saunders County Board of Supervisors meetings that the best benefit for Saunders County would be to allocate the funds based on the amount of square feet per bridge each county has.

The match program ends in 2023, but will include $40 million in funds for these projects.
GREENWOOD  A landmark building that once educated hundreds of children will be used as a school once more.

The former Greenwood Public School building has been donated to a religious organization that will open a school there.

One Whole Heart Ministry plans to begin educating children some time next year, according to president and founder Pastor Chuck DeVetter. However, the building has already begun housing missionaries, its other function for the organization.

Bill Sapp of Ashland purchased the building last year after it sat unoccupied for the last few years. Sapp was originally planning to turn the school into apartments. The previous occupants, Harold and Verna Mae Strode, had remodeled the top floor into living space several years earlier, and Sapp had thought he could carve a total of six or eight flats out of the structure.

But Sapp changed his mind after discovering how much it would cost to convert the building into apartments.

As we got along, I could see how hard it would be to do this, Sapp said. Wed have a lot of costs involved.

It was about this time that Sapp encountered DeVetter and learned of his mission work. He decided to give the building to One Whole Heart Ministry along with its contents.

Hes an awesome man of God, DeVetter said of Sapp.

When Sapp first offered the building, DeVetter was a bit skeptical.

To be honest with you, we werent too excited to come out and look at the building, he said.

His uncertainty continued as he walked in the school.

As I entered the building, I was thinking, no way, DeVetter said.

But by the time DeVetter reached the two-story buildings top floor, his mind had changed.

I knew that we were supposed to receive this building, he said.

One Whole Heart Ministry gave Sapp a proposal of what they planned to do with the building, and he was pleased with their plans to use the building to help others.

I think theyre going to be able to use it in a very good way, Sapp said.

The goal of One Whole Heart ministry is to help people with issues like anxiety, depression or addiction, which are defense mechanisms created when the heart is broken, DeVetter said.

Its about God coming in and healing hearts, he added.

Ministry members meet twice a week for worship and prayer, including services in Greenwood. In the future they plan to hold larger worship-type gatherings with well-known speakers in their new community, DeVetter said.

Shortly after One Whole Heart Ministry took over the building earlier this year they moved missionaries into the apartments. Currently a young married couple and another young missionary are staying there permanently.

The building is also being used to train missionaries, who will stay there on a temporary basis and to house visiting missionaries.

The living space was attractive to us because of the fact we could see lots and lots of ministry going out from here, DeVetter said.

DeVetter founded One Whole Heart six years ago. The religious organization is based out of Council Bluffs but also works in the Omaha area. Recently they have been extending their reach into the Lincoln area, making the Greenwood location a perfect fit.

Quite a few people come from Lincoln, DeVetter said.

Outreach into Greenwood has already begun. Representatives from One Whole Heart attended Greenwood Fun Day last month to introduce themselves to the villagers, who welcomed them warmly.

Their every day interaction with the community has been positive, DeVetter said, with many residents expressing their happiness to see the former school being used again.

The last time classes were held in the Greenwood Public School building was in 1986. The brick school was constructed in 1907 for $10,000 to house the growing school district. Within three years the district added 11th and 12th grades.

However, enrollment began to sag in the mid-20th century. By 1957 the district was forced to merge with Ashland-Greenwood. Their high school students began attending school in Ashland and the building was used for lower grades until the district closed the school for good in 1986.

Shortly after the school was closed, Harold and Verna Mae Strode purchased the building and transformed the upstairs into a spacious apartment with two kitchens, two bedrooms, an office, family room and living room.

The Strodes used the first floor classrooms to open a shop in 1987 called Verna Mae Collectibles, specializing in antique dolls and teddy bears.

In an article published in the Sept. 15, 1999 issue of The Ashland Gazette, Verna Mae Strode said she began collecting teddy bears after her children had grown. Her hobby evolved into collecting antique dolls shortly thereafter.

The Strodes had designed their apartment to highlight Verna Maes doll collection. In nearly every room, a three-foot shelf was built along each wall to display dolls. In the living room, the fireplace is flanked by an enormous wooden surround with shelves and glass cases.

According to the 1999 Gazette article, dolls and stuffed animals could be found not only on the custom-built shelves, but also in every nook and cranny of the apartment. They were on the counters of the kitchens and filled most of the chairs and beds.

When Sapp bought the building last year, many of the dolls were still there. Sapp hauled out truckloads of dolls and teddy bears, with some going to stores in his Sapp Brothers truck stop chain.

When Sapp deeded the school over to One Whole Heart Ministry, thousands of dolls and collectibles remained.

One thing we also ended up inheriting were dolls and bears, DeVetter said.

The ministry plans to sell the collectibles to help fund their mission. Right now they are selling a few on an online auction site, but are considering other methods of liquidating the collection, including possibly going into the retail business.

We have a chance to have a little bit of a store here, DeVetter said.

In the meantime, the ministry is focusing on remodeling the building. After being vacant for a few years, a leaky roof created water damage and mold, DeVetter said.

They have abated the mold and are now focusing on other areas that need attention, including the furnace and central air units, plumbing and water heaters and completing an unfinished bathroom and adding a second bedroom on the second floor. They are also tearing out carpet and staining floors.

Its a very nice building, DeVetter said. It just needs to be finished and put in place where its fully utilized.

The organization is still contemplating what to do with the gymnasium. Added to the school in 1936, the floor remains in tact. The two-tiered wooden bleachers, stage and scoreboard are still in place. Right now the space is filled with furniture, dolls and collectibles.

DeVetter said they will probably keep the gym much as it is and will use it for recreation and as a large meeting space.

Its kind of a cool gymnasium, you now, he said.

The gym may also be utilized when the academy opens next year.

The school will be operated by Rachel Baxter, who established the Valor Christian Academy in Omaha in 2014. The school is associated with One Whole Heart Ministry. Baxter is president of the academy and DeVetter is vice president.

Classes will be taught by missionaries from One Whole Heart Ministry.

A lot of the people at the school are missionaries who have come through and been a part of our ministry, DeVetter said.

The school will have about 30 students in grades kindergarten through sixth or seventh grade, DeVetter said, similar to the Omaha school. They may add seventh and eighth grades at a later time.

When the academy in Greenwood will open depends on funding, DeVetter said. At this time they have not determined if they will also call it Valor Christian Academy or choose another name.
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Federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg and other MPs have raised questions about South Australia's increasing use of renewable energy in the wake of a state-wide blackout on Wednesday, despite assurances from the premier the switch to cleaner energy sources was not to blame.

Labor Premier Jay Weatherill hit back strongly on Thursday morning, accusing his critics of "playing politics", pursuing anti-renewable agendas and jumping the gun in defiance of expert advice.

He said the system behaved exactly as it was supposed to when it shut down the interconnector, which supplies energy from Victoria, after part of the network was hit by lightning during storms he described as an "unprecedented weather event".

At least 80,000 lightning strikes hit the state during the wild weather, which knocked over 22 transmission poles.
A number of elderly people in Rockingham say they feared for their lives after more than 100 youths spilled onto their quiet suburban street after an underage party got out-of-control on Tuesday night

Police were forced to call in reinforcements to shut down the party in Arkwell Avenue around 10pm and disperse around 120 juveniles - some intoxicated - and confiscate a large amount of alcohol at the home.

The party organiser agreed to close down the party which led to some youths throwing bottles and bricks at a police car.

One police officer needed medical treatment after being bitten on the leg by a dog while inside the home speaking with the property owners.
The family of death-in-custody victim Ms Dhu have made an impassioned plea for the State Coroner to publicly release CCTV footage of her final moments to honour her memory and help prevent similar deaths.

Ms Dhu, whose first name is not used for cultural reasons, died while spending three days locked-up at South Hedland Police Station in August 2014 for $3622 worth of unpaid fines.

The 22-year-old's family initially opposed media requests to obtain the vision, which was repeatedly played during a coronial inquest, but their lawyers later said the family had reconsidered their position and believed it was in the public interest.

The footage, taken between August 2 and 4 at South Hedland police station's lock-up and Hedland Health Campus, shows Ms Dhu being dragged from her cell, handcuffed and paralysed.
If Bali belly, dengue fever and dangerous drinks have not been enough to put you off taking a holiday to Bali - perhaps the story of "spiderman" will.

West Australian man Dylan Thomas may now be joking about whether he'll develop "superpowers" but on the weekend he was experiencing a "searing sensation" as a spider that had made its way into his abdomen through an old appendix scar, crawled underneath his skin, all the way up to his sternum.

The spider resulted in a "searing sensation". Credit:Shanelle Miller

The horrifying incident happened while the Bunbury man, now known as 'spiderman' to his friends, was holidaying on the Indonesian island.

He told Radio 6PR about the experience.
Following an invitation from the National Board of Revenue, Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, the WCO successfully completed a needs assessment mission in partnership with the Trade and Competitiveness Global Practice, World Bank Group, from 27 August  4 September 2016. The objective of the needs assessment was to identify the countrys capacity building needs to implement the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade Facilitation (TFA), taking into account the work of development partners, including the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) / Bangladesh Trade Facilitation Activity. The WCO mission took place in the framework of the HMRC-WCO-UNCTAD TFA Capacity Building Programme with the generous financial support of the Government of the United Kingdom through Her Majestys Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Recognizing the complexity of the trade facilitation environment and the unique Customs-to-Customs capacity building model of the WCO, engagement with NBR stakeholders in Dhaka and Chittagong, focused on identifying those areas where the WCO could complement existing initiatives and where the WCOs expertise, tools and instruments would add a unique technical value to existing engagements. A visit to the Bangladesh Customs, Excise and VAT Training Academy in Chittagong provided the opportunity to introduce the WCOs e-learning suite and the Framework of Practices and Principles on Customs Professionalism. Meetings with stakeholder groups, including the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Bangladesh and logistics / port stakeholders at the Port of Chittagong helped to confirm key issues and needs, while an open dialogue with the Ministry of Commerce provided the broad economic and trade context from the Government of Bangladesh. The mission resulted in a comprehensive assessment of positive developments in facilitating trade in Bangladesh, along with a broad appreciation of Bangladeshs current needs and challenges with respect to TFA implementation.

The outcomes of this mission will be used to establish a joint forward plan for capacity building support, including a series of activities to be supported by the HMRC-WCO-UNCTAD TFA Capacity Building Programme under the framework of the tailor-made track of the WCOs Mercator Programme which is designed to assist WCO members to effectively implement the TFA using the WCOs instruments and tools. This support will be aligned, and delivered in parallel with support from other development partners, and will target areas where joint delivery seen to be the most effective means to leverage the respective strengths of the WCO and other development partners in the trade facilitation space.
ALLETE, Inc. operates as an energy company. The company operates through Regulated Operations, ALLETE Clean Energy, and Corporate and Other segments. It generates electricity from coal-fired, biomass co-fired / natural gas, hydroelectric, wind, and solar. The company provides regulated utility electric services in northwestern Wisconsin to approximately 15,000 electric customers, 13,000 natural gas customers, and 10,000 water customers, as well as regulated utility electric services in northeastern Minnesota to approximately 145,000 retail customers and 15 non-affiliated municipal customers. It also owns and maintains electric transmission assets in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Illinois. In addition, the company focuses on developing, acquiring, and operating clean and renewable energy projects; and owns and operates approximately 1,000 megawatts of wind energy generation facility. Further, it is involved in the coal mining operations in North Dakota; and real estate investment activities in Florida. The company owns and operates 158 substations with a total capacity of 10,066 megavolt amperes. It serves taconite mining, paper, pulp and secondary wood products, pipeline, and other industries. The company was formerly known as Minnesota Power, Inc. and changed its name to ALLETE, Inc. in May 2001. ALLETE, Inc. was incorporated in 1906 and is headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota.
Tyson Foods, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a food company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Beef, Pork, Chicken, and Prepared Foods. The company processes live fed cattle and live market hogs; fabricates dressed beef and pork carcasses into primal and sub-primal meat cuts, as well as case ready beef and pork, and fully cooked meats; raises and processes chickens into fresh, frozen, and value-added chicken products; and supplies poultry breeding stock; sells specialty products, such as hides and meats. It also manufactures and markets frozen and refrigerated food products, including ready-to-eat sandwiches, flame-grilled hamburgers, Philly steaks, pepperoni, bacon, breakfast sausage, turkey, lunchmeat, hot dogs, flour and corn tortilla products, appetizers, snacks, prepared meals, ethnic foods, side dishes, meat dishes, breadsticks, and processed meats under the Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright, State Fair, Aidells, and Gallo Salame brands. The company also offers its products under Tyson and ibp brands. It sells its products through its sales staff to grocery retailers, grocery wholesalers, meat distributors, warehouse club stores, military commissaries, industrial food processing companies, chain restaurants or their distributors, live markets, international export companies, and domestic distributors who serve restaurants and food service operations, such as plant and school cafeterias, convenience stores, hospitals, and other vendors, as well as through independent brokers and trading companies. The company was founded in 1935 and is headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas.
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By Adam Morton

Sep. 27, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY

By Adam Morton Sep. 27, 2016 | 06:56 PM | PADUCAH, KY

The Paducah Board of Commissioners has approved an ordinance to remove the requirement that dogs be muzzled at community events.



The ordinance was adopted with a 3-1 vote. Commissioner Richard Abraham voted to leave the language as is, unless it was revised to completely prohibit dogs at community events.



"If we're going to take away the part of the ordinance that deals with the muzzle, we need to replace it with the language that says no animals allowed at city permitted events," Abraham said. He mentioned that he saw dogs at BBQ on the River showing signs of stress because of the large crowds and the hot pavement. Abraham said he just couldn't put his own dog through that kind of situation.



Mayor Gayle Kaler said more research is needed on animals attendance at special events.



When the ordinance was introduced last week, discussion included the difficulty in enforcing the muzzle requirement, and the need for pet owners to be aware of how bringing a pet to a community event may be stressful not only for pets but for the public.



Even though the muzzle requirement is no longer in place, dogs at community events are still required to be licensed by either McCracken County Animal Control or by another state or county and to be restrained by a leash or lead that is no longer than three feet.



The amended language was contained in Chapter 14, Section 32 of the Paducah Code of Ordinances.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 28, 2016 | 05:35 AM | MCCRACKEN COUNTY, KY

A Paducah man was arrested Tuesday night on assault and other charges.

The McCracken County Sheriff's Office said deputies were called to a home on Smith Avenue in Farley for a reported domestic violence assault. When deputies arrived, the suspect, 43-year-old Gregory Thomas of Paducah, was seen chasing after a woman outside. Deputies ordered Thomas to stop but he ran inside the home and locked the door.

According to police, Thomas had been arrested at this same location and was out on bond for similar charges from an incident that happened on September 8. The sheriff department's special services team was called in to enter the home.

After a lengthy search of the premises, Thomas was found hiding inside the home and was taken into custody. Thomas was lodged in the McCracken County Regional Jail on charges of fourth degree assault, fleeing or evading on foot and violation of conditions of release.
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By The Associated Press Sep. 28, 2016 | 11:43 AM | FRANKFORT, KY

A Kentucky judge says Gov. Matt Bevin does not have the power to abolish and replace the University of Louisville's board of trustees.

The ruling from Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd on Wednesday permanently blocks an executive order Bevin issued earlier this year that replaced all of the members of the university's board. Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear sued, arguing Bevin's order was illegal.

It is the second defeat for Bevin in a week in his battles with Beshear. Last week, the state Supreme Court ruled Bevin could not cut the budgets of state colleges and universities without the approval of the state legislature. Beshear sued to stop Bevin in that case, too.

Bevin will most likely appeal the ruling. Both sides have said they expect the case to end up before the state Supreme Court.
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By Richard Nelson, Commonwealth Policy Center

Sep. 27, 2016 | CADIZ, KY

By Richard Nelson, Commonwealth Policy Center Sep. 27, 2016 | 02:59 PM | CADIZ, KY

U.S. Civil Rights Commission: Religious Freedom Codeword for Discrimination - by Richard Nelson



When a tree falls in the forest does it make a sound? How about when the U.S. Civil Rights Commission issues a groundbreaking report and nobody hears about it? Such appears to be the case regarding a recent report by the U.S. Civil Rights Commission called "Peaceful Coexistence: Reconciling Nondiscrimination Principles with Civil Liberties." The report hasn't received the attention it deserves but when the Commission's new understanding of religious freedom is discovered to be subservient to nondiscrimination laws, people will hear about it.



The 300-page report is a bombshell that rocks America's well-established understanding of religious freedomespecially as it conflicts with newly asserted claims to sexual freedom. U.S. Civil Rights Commission Chairman Martin Castro charged that "Religious exemptions to the protections of civil rights based upon classifications such as race, color, national origin, sex, disability status, sexual orientation, and gender identity, when they are permissible, significantly infringe upon these civil rights." For the record, sexual orientation and gender identity are not federal statutory protected civil rights.



The report couldn't be more timely. There are cases now in two states where non-discrimination laws that recognize sexual orientation and gender identity as protected civil rights are overriding church policy. The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, which enforces the state's anti-discrimination laws, said that churches "open to the public" must allow cross-dressers to use restrooms of the opposite sex. This means that cross-dressing men in Massachusetts have the right to enter women's restrooms in any church. In Iowa, the Civil Rights Commission ordered a church to censor their teaching on human sexuality because they consider churches public accommodations which are governed under the state's so-called Fairness Laws. Neither case is an aberration. They're a bellwether of what's on the horizon for religious liberty.



U.S. Civil Rights Commission Chairman Martin Castro assailed the phrases "religious liberty" and "religious freedom" when he said they "will stand for nothing except hypocrisy so long as they remain code words for discrimination, intolerance, racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia, Christian supremacy or any form of intolerance." Put that way, its hard to see how anyone could be for that kind of religious liberty. Yet Castro, and his seven-member commission, shouldn't assume authority to impose new interpretations on an inherent human right. Sexual identity on the other hand is an unsettled if emerging right that is imposing itself into public places, institutions and events.



The ACC and NCAA made transgender rights their rallying cry of diversity as they pulled out of post-season games in North Carolina to protest HB 2. The U.S. Navy announced that it will now begin transgender acceptance and sensitivity training for its sailors and the U.S. Army will pay for a court-martialed soldier's sex-change surgery while serving out a prison sentence. Such hasty impositions throw into question what it means to be human and subverts our understanding of rights.



The right to self-define gender contrary to biological truth is quite new. The right to religious freedom on the other hand has been part of our core identity as Americans. Religious freedom has enjoyed permanency since the Pilgrims found it when they first touched our shores. Our Constitution forbids Congress from imposing a national religion and citizen's religious freedom claims have been upheld by our highest court. Religious freedomthe ability to live and worship according to one's conscience and convictionswithout government reprisalis central to the idea of America.



It's ironic that churches are caught in the crosshairs of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission and other states' novel understanding of religious freedom. Churches have been considered shelters for the hurting and shepherds of moral truth. They've had the freedom to teach that man is made in the image of God and defines and assigns gender. Religious leaders teach that God gives moral boundaries to mankind and when moral boundaries are breeched people are hurt. The church is on the verge of losing the freedom to say these things.



The government has supplanted the role of the church by assuming the mantle of moral truth and determiner of human rights. By redefining the terms of the debate it is perpetuating brokenness for individuals and bringing disharmony into society's most private and revered places. We cannot see the forest from the trees when governmental bodies make sexuality and gender identity the pre-eminent civil right at the expense of rights actually found in the U.S. Constitution. Yes, people will hear about this ruling.



Richard Nelson is the executive director of the Commonwealth Policy Center, a Kentucky based nonprofit organization. He resides in Cadiz with his wife and children.
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This article was published 28/09/2016 (2223 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Kelvin Shepherd may or may not have known what he was getting himself into when he became the CEO of Manitoba Hydro less than a year ago.

But it is now clear for all to see  he has to manage Manitobas most vital Crown corporation through a looming debt crisis, cost overruns on multibillion-dollar projects that are too far along to spike and assuage the consumer response to coming rate increases that will be greater than anticipated.

In a speech to the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce Wednesday, Shepherd was poised and expressed optimism for the future, despite the damning review Hydros new board released last week that warned of cost overruns on the construction of the Bipole III transmission line and the Keeyask generating station of close to $2 billion and the possibility of a crushing debt-to-equity ratio of 91 per cent.

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Manitoba Hydro CEO Kelvin Shepherd speaks to the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce in the aftermath of critical review of the utilitys capital spending program.

While we need to transform to become leaner, more efficient and more customer-focused, my view is that it is a positive opportunity for both employees and customers, he said. I have great confidence in the employees of Manitoba Hydro and their capacity to rise and successfully meet the challenges ahead.

Its a brave stance considering Hydro is now faced with the necessity of raising rates above the 3.95 per cent annual rate increases that have been budgeted for the next 15 years as well as the likelihood of reducing its workforce.

He said the board believes the current trajectory, which would see equity levels deteriorate and not recover until the mid-2030s, was too risky putting the company in financial risk and putting customers at risk of having a big financial issue to address.

We have to develop a plan, and it has to be balanced, he said. It cannot be solved by pulling just one lever.

He said the Crown corporation has shed about 400 full-time positions over past three years without layoffs, and there are 900 more who are eligible for retirement right now from a total workforce of more than 6,000.

In an interview with the Free Press, he said it was premature to talk about layoffs or voluntary-retirement packages but he also said nothing was being ruled out. The workforce represents about 80 per cent of Hydros operation costs.

There is pressure to do more, faster (on reducing costs), absolutely, he said. That will mean we may have to take more proactive action to get there.

On the rate front, he said the 3.95 per cent annual increase would have to be stepped up but it was too soon to talk about how much of an increase will be required.

Clearly rates are part of the equation, but it cant be totally solved on the back of rates. It is one of the considerations we are going to look at, he said.

Perhaps the most troubling element of the recent board review was the looming deterioration of equity levels.

Shepherd said the plan had always been to address that over a 20-year period.

He said the board realizes now it likely cant wait that long.

We have to try to find ways to improve the capital structure of the company, he said. We are a Crown corporation, so it is a little different. If you are a private company you would restructure and go and find new equity.

He said raising money in the public-equity markets like Hydro One has done in Ontario is not something the board has discussed or contemplated.

That has certainly never been discussed at the board, and I do not honestly believe that is the governments view of what they want to do, he said. It is probably more working with government around the financial relationship we have with them to see if there are things that could be done that would improve Hydros financial standing. But that obviously has to make sense for the province, too.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 28/09/2016 (2223 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LOS ANGELES  SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk Tuesday unveiled his plans for colonizing Mars, which could eventually involve a fleet of up to 1,000 spaceships to transport as many as one million people to the Red Planet.

Musk envisions continuous launches from Earth, with massive rockets returning for reuse and spacecraft refueling in a parking orbit around Earth. The spacecraft, carrying as many as 100 people, would fly on their own to Mars. They would return using a combination methane and liquid oxygen fuel mined from Mars.

Speaking to the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, Musk said he hoped to reduce the per person cost of getting to Mars from US$10 billion, the price using traditional methods, to close to US$200,000.

The total cost for SpaceX to develop the interplanetary transport system could be US$10 billion. The entire project would cost much more and would probably require a public-private partnership, Musk said.

Musk said the Los Angeles-area company currently is spending less than five per cent of its resources on the Mars system. But in a year and a half to two years, Musk said, most of SpaceX could be working on the project and the company could spend about US$300 million a year on it.

In a tweet before the speech, which was titled Making Humans a Multiplanetary Species, Musk said the rocket booster for his interplanetary transport system will measure about 12 metres in diameter, and the spaceship will be about 17 metres in diameter.

When the two are stacked on top of each other, the total height will be about 122 metres. That is taller than the Saturn V rocket that carried the Apollo astronauts to the moon in the 1970s, and the SpaceX rocket would have nearly four times as much thrust.

On Sunday night, Musk tweeted SpaceX had conducted its first test firing of the Raptor interplanetary transport engine.

He said the spacecraft might fly within four years, with development of the full Mars transport system several more years down the road.

In April, SpaceX said it was planning to send an unmanned Dragon spacecraft to Mars as early as 2018. That mission, known as Red Dragon, will get some technical support from NASA, which has said it is interested in the entry, descent and landing data. Musk said the company wants to send a steady cadence of Dragon spacecraft to Mars.

Musk has said a crewed mission to Mars could launch in 2024 with arrival on Martian soil in 2025. But on Tuesday, he said that if things go well, the time frame could be more on the order of 10 years.

 Los Angeles Times
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This article was published 28/09/2016 (2223 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE U.S. Justice Department is assessing how big a criminal fine it can extract from Volkswagen over emissions-cheating without putting the German carmaker out of business, according to two people familiar with the negotiations.

The government and Volkswagen are trying to reach a settlement by January, the people said, before a new U.S. administration comes into office and replaces the political appointees who have been overseeing the process.

The U.S. is sizing up Germanys biggest carmaker at the same time its trying to settle a civil case with the countrys largest bank, Deutsche Bank  two companies that, together, account for more than 320,000 German jobs. In the case of Deutsche Bank, which is seeking to settle U.S. allegations over its crisis-era mortgage securities business, investors are asking whether the Justice Department would seek a penalty so high it would leave Deutsche Bank short of capital, forcing it into a rushed sale of assets and stock. As the U.S.s Volkswagen calculations show, the department is showing in some cases, it will take a companys financial health into account.

Its not clear what penalty range the U.S. is considering in the criminal case against Volkswagen. The company had net liquidity of 28.8 billion euros (US$32.4 billion) as of June 30, and Chief Financial Officer Frank Witter said his goal is to keep the target for average net liquidity at 20 billion euros to ensure funding needs and protect the companys credit rating. The carmaker generates several billions of dollars of cash each quarter and could tap into a credit line or raise capital if necessary to pay its obligations.

Volkswagen has already agreed to pay an industry-record US$16.5 billion in civil litigation fines in the U.S. after admitting last year its diesel cars were outfitted with a defeat device that allowed them to game U.S. environmental tests. The carmaker is also on the hook for outstanding civil claims from several states and as much as US$9.2 billion in investor lawsuits in Germany, where its also under criminal investigation.

A Volkswagen spokesman didnt have an immediate comment. Peter Carr, a Justice Department spokesman, declined to comment.

The department doesnt pick a number in a complete vacuum, said William Stellmach, a former federal prosecutor now at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in Washington. There are a number of cases where it has acknowledged that the impact of a financial penalty on a company was a factor in deciding what that penalty should be.

In criminal prosecutions, the Justice Department may assess the impact of a charge or settlement on a businesss viability, and the resulting effect on shareholders and employees. A prosecutions potential collateral damage is one of the factors the department considers under principles for prosecuting businesses laid out in the U.S. Attorneys Manual.

Its not clear whether the department is making similar calculations as it negotiates a civil settlement with Deutsche Bank over its dealings in residential mortgage-backed securities. The German lender has been under U.S. scrutiny along with other banks over its role in packaging and selling toxic debt that led to the 2008 financial crisis. Fines by the department for mortgage-backed securities alone total US$41 billion for five banks, with five more banks yet to settle, including Deutsche Bank. Press reports that the U.S. began negotiations by asking it to pay US$14 billion to settle the case rattled markets as investors grew concerned about the banks ability to raise capital.

The ability-to pay assessment doesnt necessarily result in a lower number, according to Stellmach, who isnt involved in the VW case. Rather, the department can structure an agreement to soften some of the sting, such as an installment plan allowing for deferred payments, he said. Companies can also receive credit for penalties assessed by other regulators or authorities both in the U.S. and abroad.

Volkswagen has been doing well, despite all of this. Although sales of VW-brand cars fell in the first half of the year, the German manufacturer has benefited from gains by its Audi, Porsche and Skoda brands, as well as its strong position in China.

 Bloomberg News
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This article was published 28/09/2016 (2223 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It has been eight years since Sam McGillivary sued the province of Manitoba for grabbing him in the infamous 60s Scoop.

Its been five years since the provincial government filed a statement of defence.

McGillivary is wondering if his tale of childhood sexual abuse and beatings will ever be heard in court.

Its not about the money. Im trying to do this on principle, reaching out to other families 60s Scoop survivor Sam McGillivary

Court records show the process began with the filing of affidavits Aug. 20, 2007, but there has been no court activity since the province filed its statement of defence Sept. 19, 2011.

There was over 100-plus boys taken from their homes and placed in foster care, McGillivary said in an interview. Some have committed suicide, some others have died.

The province made an offer, 20 grand or something, he said.

Some of the boys took the money and ran.

The term 60s Scoop refers to the practice of seizing aboriginal children from their families and placing them in foster homes or adoptions from the 1960s to the 1980s.

McGillivary said he was sexually abused in a foster home in the Grandview area. In one group home, one of the boys murdered the operators wife, and it was McGillivary who found her body, he said. He was put to work as a minor on a farm west of Creighton, Sask., the border town with Flin Flon.

Now 53 and looking older than his years, McGillivary says hes been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. He lives in a small apartment in St. Boniface, unable to afford a phone.

The NDP Doer government apologized for the 60s Scoop, but hes taken no money, said McGillivary: Absolutely nothing.

The province wont comment because the case is before the courts.

McGillivarys lawyer of record, Norman Rosenbaum, said in an interview Monday he could not predict when the case will come to court.

Weve gone through examinations of discovery. Were in the pre-trial phase, exchanging documents, Rosenbaum said. Weve had a psychological assessment report.

The government is seeking information calculating McGillivarys loss of income, Rosenbaum said.

As a boy, he endured sexual abuse and beatings, McGillivary said. Put into care in the Riding Mountain area, We were clearing land for farmers, and for cottagers in northern Saskatchewan.

Speaking about the operator of one group home, McGillivary said, He didnt care where he beat us, the streets of Dauphin or Roblin.

McGillivary said hes hitchhiked to Dauphin and Brandon to chase down documents about his case and those of other boys.

Its not about the money. Im trying to do this on principle, reaching out to other families.

I started a protest on my reserve, Opaskweeyak Cree Nation (near The Pas) in 2003. I spent 10 months in my tent there, he recalled. I put my tent up here (on the legislature grounds) eight years ago.

McGillivary said he goes to see Rosenbaum regularly, trying to find out why a court case that began eight years ago is still unresolved.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

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This article was published 28/09/2016 (2223 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In retrospect, Danielle Sicotte remembers the most she learned about mental health in high school wasnt very much.

So when she got to university and anxiety welled up, she didnt know how to talk about it. A lot of students dont.

Its that pressure of not knowing what youre going to do, said Sicotte. Everybody does go through that at some point when deciding what to do in university, but if we had all had a mental health talk in younger years, wed be better equipped.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Danielle Sicotte is excited about her meeting with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Victoria., B.C., Saturday.

In 2015, that realization spurred the 22-year-old University of Winnipeg student to launch a chapter of Jack.org, a not-for-profit that supports youth to lead the dialogue on mental health. That work has earned her a royal nod.

On Saturday, Sicotte will join 18 other Jack.org volunteers onboard a tall ship in Victoria, B.C., where they will get to meet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The event is designed to put a spotlight on young mental health advocates in Canada.

For Sicotte, who is in her final year of studying health and physical education, the whirlwind trip will be a thrill. Its certainly not what she expected when she launched the chapter and began to speak to local student groups about mental health.

Oh, but what a chance to spread the message, beyond the booths and talks she hosts in Manitoba.

This is really our starting point, said Sicotte. This is our time to change the world, and show it does need to be talked about.

When Sicotte got the call last month, she almost didnt believe it. A Jack.org staffer asked if she was busy Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. Sicotte assumed it was to help out at an event. Sure, she said, she could clear her calendar. Why?

Oh, youd just be meeting the Duke and Duchess, she remembers the reply. I was like, yeah, OK, good joke.

It was no joke  and neither, for that matter, is Prince William and Kate Middletons interest in mental health.

The royal issue is complex, and so, too, is this visit. The monarchy and Canadas ties to it are, undeniably, a relic; today, it is essentially a state-sponsored celebrity cult. It costs the Canadian public millions in visit expenses and ceremonial positions.

Whether that is a tolerable situation depends entirely on the viewer. (I write this as someone who can furiously write against the trappings of empire with one hand, while obsessively Googling the Duchesss fashion particulars with the other.)

Yet the royal shine brushes off on everything it encounters; the familys capacity for spotlighting stigmatized issues is enormous. Princess Diana understood this, and by her touch helped destigmatize HIV; she ensured her sons did, too.

For them, mental health must remind them of her, too. Diana struggled with post-partum depression and bulimia, for which she found little support within cloistered royal walls. In 1995, she told the BBC some royals labelled her unstable.

Which is all to say: at a time when few people, even fewer celebrities and certainly no royals spoke openly about their mental health struggles, Diana did. In turning the spotlight of public fixation on her own pain, she gave a voice to millions.

In recent years, her sons have taken up the banner. Prince Harry has become a vocal advocate of mental health support, particularly for veterans and children; in July, at a charity event in support of mental health initiatives, he opened up himself.

You know, I really regret not ever talking about it, he said, about his mothers death. He has also cited stigma around mental health as a massive issue for veterans returning from combat, and one he hopes to help erase.

Recently, the princes and the Duchess of Cambridge launched a campaign called Heads Together, which seeks to combat that stigma and build better mental health support for kids. In February, the Duchess penned a piece for HuffPo on the topic.

We know there is no shame in a young child struggling with their emotions or suffering from a mental illness, she wrote, and called on communities to play their full role to help children who are struggling in ways that are not always easy to see.

In Victoria, Sicotte will meet not just one of the worlds most famous couples, but also kindred spirits. In Toronto recently, she and other Jack.org delegates got a crash course in royal etiquette.

I would definitely like them to know that mental health struggles are the No. 1 problem affecting youth today in Canada, said Sicotte. Its so important to note that it has become something were talking about. Its going to be a highly publicized event. Its really going to get the message across that it affects everyone. And everyone should be talking about it.

melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 28/09/2016 (2223 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Councillors agreed to settle a Handi-Transit human-rights complaint Wednesday that could cost the city as much as $311,000.

Following an in-camera meeting Tuesday, Mayor Brian Bowmans inner-circle executive policy committee voted to settle the dispute raised by a Winnipeg man over age-based Winnipeg Transit discounts not available to Handi-Transit users. The settlement got the green light at Wednesdays city council meeting.

James Derksen  a Handi-Transit user  filed the complaint to the Manitoba Human Rights Commission in 2012, alleging that under the Human Rights Code, he had the right to a discounted fare.

MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES

He sought a refund of the undiscounted portion of the regular fare he paid, and refunds for other Handi-Transit users.

The citys legal team recommended that Handi-Transit users who were 65 or older in the 18 months preceding a change to the rules in 2014  when the disparity was corrected  be reimbursed for the difference.

The maximum cost is estimated at $311,000, but officials have advised Winnipeg Transit that 50 per cent of the settlement amount could be recovered from the province.
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This article was published 28/09/2016 (2223 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Airline pilots flying into the citys airport have reported seeing unmanned drones near their planes, and now a city councillor wants the city to regulate their use and sale.

Coun. Scott Gillingham said hes bringing a motion to todays council meeting directing the administration to prepare a report on the feasibility of council controlling the use of drones with a bylaw.

The goal is to help educate the public, ensure public safety and to ensure public privacy, Gillingham (St. James-Brooklands-Weston) said Tuesday.

Transport Canada has regulations that any UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) 35 kilograms or more has to have a special flight certificate, while anything weighing less has to be operated safely. But when you have something 50 pounds in the air and it has contact with an aircraft, that could be a huge safety issue.

The motion will not be debated at council but will be automatically referred to the civic infrastructure renewal and public works committee.

Gillingham said that committee could look at the proposal as early as its Tuesday meeting.

Tyler MacAfee, the Winnipeg Airports Authoritys spokesman, said the public needs to know the airspace within nine kilometres around an airport is considered a no-fly zone.

People might not be aware of it the operators of drones should understand while they are fun, they also have a responsibility. We want to make sure people have fun, but do it in a way that is responsible.

MacAfee said Transport Canada has other regulations for drones beyond the airport no-fly zone, including not flying one higher than 90 metres off the ground.

Lots of drone operators are OK, but there are a few who dont understand the responsibility about it, he said.

These arent just a toy  they are an unmanned aerial vehicle.

Gillingham said the idea for the motion, supported by Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital), came this summer when he met representatives of the Winnipeg Airports Authority, NAV Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces and was told a bylaw regulating drones would help with safety.

He said the motion would include having the citys administration check to see how other cities are dealing with the issue and if there are any budget or legal implications.

Gillingham said he doesnt know if a bylaw would include remote-control airplanes and helicopters.

Gillingham acknowledged Transport Canada regulations govern the operation of aerial drones but he said the city can still have a role to play that would complement the federal regulations and meet the needs of users and the public.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.caaldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 27/09/2016 (2224 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SWAN RIVER  Despite a slew of social issues contributing to their communitys growing hunger, the Swan Valley food bank volunteers managed to buy their own building, pay off the mortgage, remain debt-free and laugh liberally.

When discussing food and safety regulations  which prevent them from giving away dented or damaged canned goods  co-chair Jake Warkentin thumps his fist on the lunch table.

We need Trump because then we could eat raven, road kill, whatever! he joked, sending the room into fits of laughter.

JESSICA BOTELHO-URBANSKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Volunteers Phyllis Hunt and Kay Betcher sort through the toiletry donations at the Swan Valley food bank, making sure to remove items with alcohol contents.

The eight-member board in Swan River does all the heavy lifting at the food bank on Third Avenue. Theyre hyper-organized and working on a shoestring budget of $20,000 annually, all of which comes from community donations.

On Tuesday, co-chair Albert Quon hauls in a box of sought-after baby formula from one of the three packed pallets donated by Winnipeg Harvest. Volunteers Phyllis Hunt and Kay Betcher sort through toiletries, making sure none of what theyre giving away has alcohol in the ingredients.

Signs posted around the food bank warn clients they may be turned away if they arrive high or drunk. Warkentin said hes only had to enforce those rules once, though addictions problems are rampant.

Most of what they serve at Swan Valley is food and theyre always looking for more canned goods, especially canned meats, fruits and vegetables. Farmers and local grocers, Co-op and Extra Foods, have been generous in donating bread and perishables that are about to expire, Warkentin said.

Since 1997, the Swan Valley food bank has lived in a repurposed Cub Scouts hall, serving clients every Thursday.

For three of the four weeks each month, they offer free bread, buns and pastries. And on the third Thursday of the month, they dole out hampers filled with as many dried goods and perishables as they can muster.

JESSICA BOTELHO-URBANSKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Co-chair Jake Warkentin shows off one of Swan Valley food bank's family-sized hampers, which are given to clients once per month.

But when almost everyone is trying to scrape by on less as food prices continue to rise, giving donations isnt always top of mind. Recent grants from Pepsi and Frenchs are helping them to buy turkeys and chickens to give clients for Thanksgiving; otherwise they might not be able to afford the luxury.

Clients come in droves to Swan Valley, some from 100 kilometres away, usually carpooling and sometimes hitchhiking. Between April 2015 and March 2016, they served an average of 122 hampers per month, between families and singles. Last Christmas, they donated 190 hampers.

I usually tell people, I hope you dont have to come back, but if you need it, well supply it for you, Warkentin said, adding some clients will line up two hours early before doors open. If people didnt need it, I cant see them lining up all the way to the road at 10 a.m.

Harvests volunteer driver, Paul Brault, said the northern donations trip through Dauphin, Swan River, Flin Flon and Thompson is opening his eyes to the state of poverty in Manitoba.

Part of coming up here is really getting a better sense of the north, said the former Charleswood resident (and provincial Liberal party candidate), who now lives in Headingley.

JESSICA BOTELHO-URBANSKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Volunteer and Swan Valley food bank co-chair Albert Quon carries a box full of baby formula delivered by Winnipeg Harvest.

Hes driven as far as Brandon for Harvest during his seven years spent volunteering, and hes been to Swan River once before.

At first I had to scratch my head (about the northern trip) to say, why dont they just ship it all? he explained. Now I see that part of this is to connect with the people were serving.

Harvest serves more than 120 food banks throughout Manitoba  going as far north as Lac Brochet and Lynn Lake, about 1,000 kilometres from Winnipeg  whether by truck or plane.

jessica.botelho-urbanski@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @_jessbu
One of the most enjoyable parts of serving as a member of the Minnesota Senate is communicating with constituents and doing my best to help make a difference for Minnesotans. In most cases, my office is able to provide constituents with the information theyre looking for or put them in contact with the correct expert.

Although I enjoy hearing from constituents, lately the communication has been for an undesirable reason: folks are once again seeing their health insurance premiums and deductibles skyrocket.

Whats frustrating is that significant reform cannot be done at the state level. The increases are due in large part to the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, which was passed by the federal government in 2010. It would be easy for me to say that I voted no for MNsure (Minnesotas health insurance exchange) and point the finger at someone else, but that doesnt help solve the problem thousands of Minnesotans are facing with huge premium and deductible increases and fewer options for coverage.

Before the Affordable Care Act became law, Minnesota had a system in place to provide insurance options for the states high-risk pool, in the form of the Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association. Ultimately, the enactment of the Affordable Care Act and creation of MNsure resulted in the closure of the Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association, which resulted in higher rates. Thats because the high-risk population was mixed with the healthier population, creating a new risk pool with a poorer overall health status. Additionally, insurers continue to drop out of MNsure and individual markets because the plans are not financially sustainable, which further increases costs and reduces choice for Minnesotans.

While the reforms needed to fix the root cause of these issues have to come from the federal government, there are things that can be done at the state level to help ease the financial burden. We can allow a tax deduction on health insurance premiums for folks who do not qualify for group insurance. We can allow agriculture co-ops to offer group health insurance for their members.

We can help increase choice by building on the MNsure reforms that achieved bipartisan support over the past two years, which included asking the federal government for permission to allow small businesses and eligible individual enrollees to receive tax credits for policies purchased both inside and outside of MNsure (the state is still waiting for a response from the federal government). We can revisit a bill I coauthored earlier this year that requested a federal waiver to modify our states current geographic rating areas, which would likely reduce costs for residents in southeastern Minnesota, who have been consistently paying some of the highest premiums in the state.

Federally, I encourage our elected officials to work together toward a compromise resolution. Some in Congress want to completely repeal the Affordable Care Act and others wont admit that changes need to be made, both of which are unrealistic. Posturing wont accomplish anything; something needs to be done to help address soaring health-care costs.

Often in politics there tends to be more of a focus on sound bites attempting to make the opposite party look bad rather than doing what is best for the majority of people. Its unfortunate and it doesnt have to be that way. One simple idea at the federal level would be for Democrats and Republicans to look at provisions in the Affordable Care Act that are working and keep them, and scrap or revise those that are not. Eliminating one-size-fits-all mandates and increasing competition between health insurers would be a good start.

Wouldnt it be great for politicians  all of us  to focus on areas where there is at least some common agreement, rather than on the areas of disagreement? A group of us are trying to accomplish this here in Minnesota with the bipartisan Purple Caucus. At the federal level, there is an organization with a similar goal called No Labels. Most folks dont care about party affiliation, they just want us to stop bickering and deliver results. Now is the time to work together to accomplish that.
My name is David F. McLeod, and I am running for the position of District Court judge in Minnesota's Third Judicial District. Voters will see this contested judicial race, as well as five others, on the Nov. 8 ballot.

The district includes the following counties: Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca, and Winona. Voters in these counties will see six contested judicial races, including one contested seat in the state Supreme Court. The five local judicial races include a contested race in Houston County, one in Mower County, two in Olmsted County, and finally the one in Wabasha County, which is the seat I am seeking.

From what I can tell, the three challengers for the judgeships in Mower County and Olmsted County are not actively campaigning. Candidate Tim Guth is actively campaigning against incumbent judge Carmaine Sturino for the Houston County seat, and I am actively campaigning against incumbent judge Terrence M. Walters.

For voters desiring more information about these contested judicial races and the candidates, I recommend using the Minnesota Secretary of States extremely informative website (sos.state.mn.us). The main home page has a button entitled Elections and Voting; then, select Whats on my ballot; and, then, select Search candidate filings.

Minnesotas Constitution has always provided for judicial elections, and the Minnesota Supreme Court instructs us that our constitution does not prefer one method of selection over the other. Our constitution also provides that a judge stands for election every six years; however, if a judge leaves office during his or her term, the vacancy is filled by appointment of the governor.

If re-elected, Judge Walters will be required to retire before completing his term due to mandatory retirement at age 70. If that occurs, the governor will appoint the new judge  not the voters. Thus, voters have the opportunity to choose the next judge for Wabasha County. Voters can learn more about me at mcleodjustice.us. While campaigning, Ive heard many voters state, I never know anything about the candidates. So, I urge voters to research the candidates in these judicial races, and make informed choices on Nov. 8.

David McLeod,

Rochester
I attended a forum Sept. 12 hosted by the League of Women Voters in Winona to hear from legislative candidates from southeast Minnesota about the key issues for our area. Three candidates for Houston/Fillmore counties attended: state representative candidate Thomas Trehus, running against Rep. Greg Davids, and state Senate candidates Jon Pieper and Sen. Jeremy Miller.

I was disappointed Davids did not attend and did not submit a statement to be shared. We deserve to hear his views on issues like rural broadband expansion, rising health care costs, and transportation funding. We deserve to hear directly from our representative. We deserve to know why our representatives cannot finish their work in a timely manner and without costly errors.

As chair of the tax committee, Davids needs to answer for the $100 million error in this year's tax bill that caused the bill to be vetoed. What does he intend to do to avoid last-minute submissions and allow time to actually review the content of a bill?

Davids absence at the forum begs the question whether he has become complacent after almost a quarter of a century in office. Perhaps he thinks he doesnt need to answer to us any more.

More than ever, we need a representative who will listen to voters, keep us informed, and work toward solutions. Im voting for Thomas Trehus.

Teresa O'Donnell-Ebner,

La Crescent
A Sauk County teen was taken into custody Monday night after authorities say he held up a West Baraboo gas station and confronted police with a flare gun before he was captured.

The Sauk County Sheriffs Department has recommended that prosecutors charge 18-year-old Andrew J.L. Videc of Baraboo with armed robbery, fleeing an officer and numerous traffic citations.

A Sauk County dispatcher was notified shortly before midnight that a male suspect entered the Kwik Trip along West Pine Street, displayed a handgun, and demanded money and cigarettes from the cashier, according to a news release from the Sheriffs Department.

The person who notified authorities was able to get the license plate number of the suspects white Buick, authorities say, and deputies immediately were sent to the scene.

When a sergeant spotted the vehicle headed north on U.S. Highway 12 and attempted to stop it, the driver allegedly sped up, and later turned west on State Highway 23. Several police agencies responded to assist, and a Reedsburg officer deployed a tire deflation device to disable the alleged getaway vehicle in the town of Excelsior, according to the release.

Videc exited the vehicle and displayed and discharged a flare gun at responding law enforcement officers and himself, Sauk County Sheriff Chip Meister said. Videc was engaged in verbal dialogue with the deputies and was taken into custody.

In a recording of first responder chatter that was posted on the Baraboo Scanner Facebook page Tuesday, an officer describes the confrontation with Videc.

Hes got his gun to his head, an officer says. Hes walking back toward us. He shot something at us. Not sure what.

An officer later tells dispatchers that Videc shot himself in the side of the head with a flare gun. He goes on to say that Videc had minor bleeding that was controlled. A photo of Videc provided by the Sheriffs Department shows a large bandage on the side of his head.

Videc remains in custody at the Sauk County Law Enforcement Center in Baraboo.
Wisconsin's method of funding its highways has needed repair for years. Thats why hundreds of municipal governments are joining together this week to draw attention to the problem. As part of a Transportation Development Association project, they are asking the state to Just Fix It.

Just Fix It is a simplistic solution at best because road funding takes money. a lot of it. The real question is how do we Just Fund It? Wisconsins transportation fund is a segregated account funded by things link gasoline tax, drivers license fees and other transportation taxes.

Wisconsin should not be in this situation. The road-funding problem was created when Gov. Jim Doyle and the Democrats raided the transportation fund three times beginning with the 2003 state budget. His last raid of the fund came with the 2008-2009 bi-annual budget. The total raid came to $1.257 billion.

In 2003, the state borrowed $865.5 million to offset the transfers. Its a move that cost the state $22 million a year while the raids continued. In 2009, the Democrats took $22 billion in money for shovel ready projects. Only $319 million of those dollars went toward roads and they didnt pay pack the remaining billion they borrowed.

As a result, TDA is pressuring lawmakers to hurry up and raise more money. Gov. Scott Walker has basically said not so fast.

The governor doesnt want to raise the gas tax or licensing fees, so he is delaying a couple major projects. It has Assembly Republicans wigging out. In a way, both sides of this now Republican problem are right on several points. The governor doesnt want to raise taxes while others, like Republican Keith Ripp of Lodi, want all options left on the table.

The government makes more money on gas taxes than the oil companies do. Tax increases place an additional burden on those primarily paying this tax by driving to and from work. The governors position to postpone a few projects makes sense. If were going to be serious about this problem, then Rep. Ripp shouldnt be ignored in the debate either.

This past week, Republican 81st Assembly Candidate David Moore of Wisconsin Dells expanded on the governors idea. In an interview on WisconsinEye, he said, While raising revenue sounds like a fix eventually youre going to run out of money. He continued by saying, I think we need to make some hard decisions and look at the money that is already coming in.

Moore closed his comments on the subject by adding, I am not necessarily saying things have to go away forever, but maybe instead of delaying the roads, maybe we delay some other projects, some other programs, and well look at fixing the roads so people can get back and forth and we can keep the economy going.

As a Sauk County supervisor, Moore understands the most expensive asset any community manages is its road network. Its the infrastructure that keeps people and goods moving from point A to point B. Its what keeps the other tax dollars coming in so why not prioritize our budget based on this very concept?

In trying to address the road-funding problem, Moores analysis nailed the problem right on the head. Our budgeting process needs to be more about prioritizing our state and federal budgets with the billions and trillions of dollars that already come in versus always trying to find ways to raise and spend more money.

Wisconsin actually could consider reducing money for certain programs. Our costs for important things like roads and health care keep increasing. With aging people and aging infrastructure, the costs only are going to continue to rise. While some programs could be reduced, or put on hold, there could be other state programs that just simply should go away.

When it comes to raising revenues for roads we need to consider a number of options. What are the benefits, if any, of creating a toll system? Can we license adult bikes or trailers? What other users are benefiting from free passage on our road system? What might be the unintended consequences of implementing any new fees?

When it comes to fixing our roads, or establishing a priority based budgeting system, tax increases should be the last consideration. It should be the final consideration that tells the public, Weve exhausted every other avenue when it comes to delivering important and critical services the public needs.
MAUSTON -- Multiple detectives testified and Andrew Dammens ex-girlfriend took the stand as the state continued its case Wednesday in day three of the Natalie Murphy homicide trial.

Murphy, 23, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide for the shooting death of Dammen just after midnight Feb. 12, 2015.

Dammen and Murphys child was in the house at the time.

Before the jury entered the courtroom, Juneau County Circuit Court Judge Paul Curran said a juror had called in sick. The trial began with 14 jurors. A drawing was planned to determine which two would be left out of deliberations and deciding the case. Neither side dissented to taking the juror at his or her word, and it was agreed to move forward with 13 jurors, again with a drawing to decide the final 12. The jury was notified of the change when they entered the room.

Juneau County Sheriff's Department Detective Ben Goehring took the stand and testified he met with Murphy at Mile Bluff Hospital the night Dammen was shot. He said the pants she wore were different than the ones photos showed her to be wearing earlier in the night when she was out at various bars with Dammen.

The defense questioned Goehring on his knowledge of fire arm safety, and he said he was a certified gun safety instructor in Wisconsin.

Goehring said the Glock handgun used in the shooting required 5 to 7 pounds of force on the safety trigger in order to make the gun fire. The gun does not have an external thumb safety like some handguns.

The prosecution and defense differ on whether the gun could be fired accidentally. Goehring said he preferred the word "inadvertent," as he said anytime a gun is misfired it is due to not following proper gun safety procedures.

The debate continued as to whether "inadvertent" and "accidental" was the same thing, until Curran directed both sides to move forward.

The state then called Andrea Parrish, owner of the Little Crane Cafe where Murphy previously worked, to the stand.

Parrish testified Murphy told her she hated Clara Haldeman, the woman Dammen was living with and expecting a child with at the time of the shooting. She said Murphy told her she emailed Haldemans employer to report her for job violations.

The defense argued that reporting Haldeman was Parrishs idea, which Parrish denied.

Haldeman then took the stand and said she and Dammen had tried to keep their relationship hidden at first, and she did know Dammen was seeing Murphy when they first started dating. She said by the time of the shooting, she and Dammen were living together and Murphy was well aware of the situation because she would pick up her child from the residence Haldeman and Dammen shared.

The defense questioned Haldeman if she had ever expressed concern that Dammen was "mentally abusive, controlling and toxic." After being shown messages where she expressed those thoughts, she said she had once had those concerns, but had never felt physically threatened by Dammen.

Haldeman said she did have concerns Dammen was still carrying on a relationship with Murphy at the time of the shooting and was not pleased they would regularly go out to bars and play pool each week.

Murphys father, James Murphy, was called to the stand. He said Natalie Murphy told him the night of the shooting, Why did he make me do that?, despite him never telling that to police in any interviews.

Murphy said he was asleep at the time of the shooting and was not awake until Dammen was dead, 911 had been called and the police were on the way. He said he did find Natalie with the gun shortly after waking and took it from her and put it in his room. He said she held the gun by her head, but denied it was pointed at her head.

James Murphy had been out at multiple bars with Natalie Murphy and Dammen the night of the shooting. He said he saw Natalie Murphy drink, but not Dammen. He admitted to having multiple drinks, though could not give an estimated amount, and that he went home before the pair arrived home later.

Dammen did not keep his archery equipment at the apartment, but it was impossible to say if he kept clothing at the house, James Murphy said. He did say he saw Dammen at the apartment 80 percent to 90 percent of the time he was home, but could not say if he was living there. The apartment is rented to James Murphy.

He said things happened so fast, he was not able to recall many of the details of the night.

The last witness before the midday break was Juneau County Detective Shaun Goyette. He was the first detective on the scene after the first officers arrived and kept the area secured before State Crime Lab personnel showed up to take evidence. He helped with the search of the apartment and said he found the gun in James Murphys room.

He said a car was taken from the scene and searched March 3. Inside the car, a holster was found. No holster was found in the house. There were also receipts for the purchase of a gun in December, and separate ones for ammunition in December.

The prosecution will continue to call witnesses this afternoon and may end its case today, allowing the defense time to begin its presentation.
A small revolution is sprouting in the woods near Reedsburg  small both in regard to the number of people involved, as well as to the relative size of most of those people.

The mini, would-be revolutionaries  who at present range in age from 3 to 4 1/2  dont even realize that what theyre up to is such a big deal, but, then, that seems to be part of the point of what theyre doing in and around these woods, at the site of the Kids Ranch learning center in Rock Springs.

During the past couple of weeks, this handful of pre-school children could be seen in various states of outdoor exploration and enjoyment  from running and hiking in the fields and along the trails of the mostly outdoor Kids Ranch campus, to hunkering down and studying some tiny bit of the outdoor world or crowding around a book about the outdoors, read to them by one of the volunteer adults on hand.

The youngsters somewhat-organized activities have included such enterprises as studying a bleached pile of animal bones in an effort to determine whether they once belonged to a dinosaur, trudging through brambles in search of sticks, leaves and other plant life for eventual compilation into outdoor journals they will soon create, or standing in the rain (wearing appropriate garb to protect them from the elements, of course) while trying to listen as the nearby trees drink the water as it drizzled down from the sky.

Welcome to Month One of the Deciduous Learning Network and its new forest school for pre-school children, the areas first-ever, outdoor- and nature-based learning program for children between the ages of 3 and 6.

The school and the network responsible for creating it are the fairly recent brainchildren of Andrea Fourness of Wisconsin Dells and Melissa Laurie of Baraboo, both relative newcomers to the area who both bring experiences in science education and outdoor learning as well as parenting  they each have two preschoolers  to the unique and nascent effort.

The two women moved to the region independently  Fourness from Appleton by way of the Middle Eastern country of Jordan and her service in the Peace Corps, Laurie from the San Francisco Bay area  when each of their spouses, Dan Fourness and Max Myers, accepted positions with two already well-respected and established, nature-oriented local institutions serving the region, the state and beyond  Easter Seals Respite Camp and Upham Woods, respectively

Fourness and Laurie inevitably met through their shared association with Upham Woods, where Fourness volunteered and Lauries husband is program manager, and they quickly realized they had not only their preschool children in common but also their interest in alternative, outdoor- and science-based learning opportunities for those children.

Experiential learning

The two also shared a passion for what they both refer to as experiential learning  a process of learning defined as a process through which students develop knowledge, skills, and values from direct experiences outside a traditional academic setting, according to the University of Colorado-Daviss Experiential Learning Center.

Numerous rich opportunities for outdoor learning exist in this region, of course, for both school-age children and outdoor lovers of all ages  from the 75 years of 4-H and University of Wisconsin Extension programs at Upham Woods to the year-round opportunities for outdoor activities at Mirror Lake and Devils Lake State Parks, to the rivers, streams, woods and hills all around us.

But, as Fourness and Laurie learned as they enrolled their children in some of the areas traditional pre-school programs and joined local parenting support networks via such avenues as Facebook, nothing with a predominant outdoor focus combined with the experiential approach both women wanted existed in the region.

We noticed the need and the interest, said Fourness. In the parenting groups Im in, there were a lot of people saying theres not really an alternative pre-school.

The alternative the two most valued was one with the outdoors and the natural world as a primary component.

I had heard of environmental pre-schools, and it was always a goal of mine to find other ways to educate kids, said Fourness, who grew up in Appleton and who has a bachelors degree in science education. Especially at summer camps, I saw how successful they were just being outside.

Natural scientists

They are wired from birth to be scientists, to explore and discover things and use their senses, said Laurie, whose childhood educational experiences took a profoundly positive turn when, as a 12-year-old in New York state, she attended summer camp.

The forest school concept just kept popping up more and more when Id be researching nature preschools or different ways to educate learners, Fourness said.

A forest school is defined by the British-based Forest School Association as an inspirational process, that offers ALL learners regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a woodland or natural environment with trees, according to the organizations website.

The approach apparently originated across the Atlantic, in places including the United Kingdom, Germany and Scandinavia, and has taken root in a few U.S. regions including Massachusetts and the West Coast, and has begun to receive positive reviews from some American educators.

The research strongly suggests that time in nature can help many children learn to build confidence in themselves; reduce the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, calm children, and help them focus, Richard Louv, the author of Last Child in the Woods and co-founder of the Children and Nature Network, is quoted as saying in a recent Atlantic Magazine story entitled Kindergarten, Naturally, about the success of forest school in Finland. There are some indications that natural play spaces can reduce bullying. It can also be a buffer to child obesity and overweight, and offers other psychological and physical health benefits.

Over play dates, coffee and a deep-seeded love of experiential education, according to their new organizations website, Fourness and Laurie hatched the idea of a forest school  based in part on a model already popular in Europe.

Kids Ranch connection

In the process, they discovered the availability of the mostly outdoor site of Kids Ranch, which serves school districts in Baraboo, Reedsburg, Sauk and Wisconsin Dells during the summer but has gone largely unused between fall and spring during the traditional school year months.

We contacted them and they were super-cooperative, they gave us a tour the next day, Fourness said. In June, we were like, lets do this.

The two women spent the summer planning the forest school and generating interest through the parenting and preschool groups they belong to in the region, from their Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) group in Baraboo to Facebook parenting groups that stretch region-wide and beyond.

An open house earlier this month generated interest from parents across the region and as far away as Sun Prairie, and online interest has come from as far as Madison so far. As of this week, the DLNs first forest school has reached its capacity of nine preschoolers  from Baraboo, the Dells, North Freedom and Rock Springs  who will be spending most Mondays and Wednesdays through next spring outdoors, in the natural environs of Kids Ranch.

Tuition is $115 a month for two sessions per week, $60 a month for one session per week, or $950 for the entire September-through-May forest school year.

Although the inaugural forest school session is full for the year, additional outdoor, child-oriented programs from the DLN are on the horizon in the coming months, Fourness said, and registration for the 2017-18 school year will take place in April.

For the parents whose children are enrolled, the forest school represents a welcome departure from the traditional preschool model.

Very special

This is very special for this day and age, I think, very special, said Erin Rood of North Freedom, whose son Aden, 3, is part of the inaugural class. This is everything they need for a pre-school thats also so connected to the outdoors. A lot of day cares do outdoors time, but its a half hour of outdoor play then they go back inside.

Weve lost the fact that being outside teaches you just as much as being inside, said Ashley Conklin of Wisconsin Dells, whose 3-year-old son Damien Cuevas is another charter forest school member. We have a fenced-in back yard, but its not the same as going out in the woods and exploring real nature.

Making the out of doors accessible to potential learners of all ages, especially families, is ultimately the DLNs goal, Fourness and Laurie said, and thats why they included the word deciduous in their enterprises name. Deciduous trees shed their leaves once a year in order to continue their growth cycle, and that power of change, especially as demonstrated by nature, underlies the learning experience they hope to promulgate.

We wanted it to be about learning, because were all learners, Fourness said. We want to work with families, provide more opportunities for them to connect with nature, to get outside.

A Connection to Nature workshop for women already is on the docket for Oct. 29, and a winter-time Family Camp is scheduled for Feb. 17-19 of next year. For more information, go to the DLNs website at www.deciduouslearningnetwork.com or its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DeciduousLearningNetwork.

Where the organization goes beyond these offerings will depend in part, appropriate enough, on the experiential learnings its founders get from these nascent efforts.

Well see what the community needs, Fourness said, and go with that.
Olivet Congregational United Church of Christ will host its Fall Festival on Friday, Oct. 14. A Swiss steak dinner will be served from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. The church will also be having a silent auction and a bake sale.

Tickets for the dinner are $12.50 for adults and $6 for children age 5 to 10 years old. Children under age 5 can eat for free. Carryouts will be available. To purchase tickets, call the Olivet Church at 623-5140. Come and enjoy good food and conversation with friends.
Museum: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Portage World War II Museum, 119 E. Cook St., Portage. Free tours for veterans every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The tours take 2 1/2 hours. For information, call 608-697-3690.

Unique Singles: 5 p.m. Susies Steak and Seafood, county Highway CX, Portage. All single men and women older than age 50 welcome. The group is strictly social with no dues or officers.

SATURDAY, OCT. 1

Library event: 10 to 11 a.m. FamilyFunEvent, Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. The first Saturday of the month, October through May, the Childrens Department holds a different free family event that is recommended for families with children up to eight years but older siblings are always welcome to attend. This month will be Family Yoga with yoga instructor, Kari Langkamp. Kids and adults both should come dressed in comfortable clothing and be ready to learn some simple yoga moves and have fun learning about yoga. Registration is not required. For more information, call 742-4959, ext. 211.

Museum: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Portage World War II Museum, 119 E. Cook St., Portage. Free tours for veterans every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The tours take 2 1/2 hours. For information, call 608-697-3690.

Performing Arts Series concert: 7:30 p.m. The International First Lady of Piano Teresa Walters, Portage Center for the Arts, 301 E. Cook St., Portage. Reserved tickets on sale online, over the phone or at the office. Cost is $15 for adults and $5 for students. Tickets will also be available at the door. Major Sponsor: Crawford Oil and Propane.

Unique Singles: Monthly Breakfast, 8:30 a.m. Dinos Restaurant, 2900 New Pinery Road, Portage. All single men and women older than age 50 welcome. The group is strictly social with no dues or officers.

SUNDAY, OCT. 2

Student Recital Series: 1 p.m. Student Recital Series featuring performances from students of independent music teachers located throughout the surrounding region: Portage, Poynette, Pardeeville, Baraboo, Montello, Lodi, Waunakee, Madison, Coloma and more, Portage Center for the Arts, 301 E. Cook St., Portage. Open to the public. Cost is $5 at the door. Sponsored by Portage Soundworks.
Pediatrix Medical Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides newborn, maternal-fetal, pediatric cardiology, and other pediatric subspecialty care services in the United States and Puerto Rico. It offers neonatal care services, such as clinical care to babies born prematurely or with complications within specific units at hospitals through neonatal physician subspecialists, neonatal nurse practitioners, and other pediatric clinicians. The company also provides maternal-fetal care services, including inpatient and office-based clinical care to expectant mothers and unborn babies through affiliated maternal-fetal medicine subspecialists, as well as obstetricians and other clinicians, including maternal-fetal nurse practitioners, certified nurse mid-wives, ultrasonographers, and genetic counselors. In addition, it offers pediatric cardiology care services comprising inpatient and office-based pediatric cardiology care of the fetus, infant, child, and adolescent patient with congenital heart defects and acquired heart disease, as well as adults with congenital heart defects through affiliated pediatric cardiologist subspecialists and other related clinical professionals; and specialized cardiac care to the fetus, neonatal and pediatric patients. Further, the company provides other pediatric subspecialty care services through pediatric subspecialists, such as pediatric intensivists, pediatric hospitalists, pediatric surgeons, and pediatric ophthalmologists, as well as pediatric ear, nose, and throat physicians; and support services in the areas of hospitals, primarily in the pediatric emergency rooms, labor and delivery areas, and nursery and pediatric departments. As of February 17, 2022, it operated a network of approximately 2,700 physicians. The company was formerly known as MEDNAX, Inc. and changed its name to Pediatrix Medical Group, Inc. in July 2022. Pediatrix Medical Group, Inc. was founded in 1979 and is based in Sunrise, Florida.
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.
Duke Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Electric Utilities and Infrastructure, Gas Utilities and Infrastructure, and Commercial Renewables. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity in the Carolinas, Florida, and the Midwest; and uses coal, hydroelectric, natural gas, oil, renewable generation, and nuclear fuel to generate electricity. It also engages in the wholesale of electricity to municipalities, electric cooperative utilities, and load-serving entities. This segment serves approximately 8.2 million customers in 6 states in the Southeast and Midwest regions of the United States covering a service territory of approximately 91,000 square miles; and owns approximately 50,259 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure segment distributes natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and power generation natural gas customers; and owns, operates, and invests in pipeline transmission and natural gas storage facilities. It has approximately 1.6 million customers, including 1.1 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, as well as 550,000 customers in southwestern Ohio and northern Kentucky. The Commercial Renewables segment acquires, owns, develops, builds, and operates wind and solar renewable generation projects, including nonregulated renewable energy and energy storage services to utilities, electric cooperatives, municipalities, and corporate customers. It has 23 wind, 178 solar, and 2 battery storage facilities, as well as 71 fuel cell locations with a capacity of 3,554 MW across 22 states. The company was formerly known as Duke Energy Holding Corp. and changed its name to Duke Energy Corporation in April 2005. The company was founded in 1904 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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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.) B.V., Dymax Corporation, Embo Medical Limited, Enturia de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Enturican Inc., FJ International Inc., FlowCardia Inc., FlowCardia LLC, FlowJo LLC, Franklin Lakes Enterprises L.L.C., GSL Solutions, Gamer Lasertechnik GmbH, GenCell Biosystems, GenCell Biosystems Ltd., GeneOhm Sciences Canada ULC, GeneOhm Sciences Inc, Gentest Corporation, Gesco International Inc., Gesco International LLC, Glentech Inc, HandyLab Inc, HandyLab Inc., IBD Holdings LLC, Iontophoretics Corporation, JoHome LLC, Kabushiki Kaisha Medicon (Medicon Inc.), Liberator Health and Education Services Inc., Liberator Health and Wellness Inc., Liberator Medical Holdings Inc., Liberator Medical Supply Inc., Limited Liability Company Bard Rus, Loma Vista Medical Inc., Loma Vista Medical LLC, Luther Medical Products Inc, Lutonix Inc., Med-Design Corporation, Med-Design Investment Holdings Inc., Med-Safe Systems Inc, Med-Safe Systems Inc., MedChem Products Inc., Medafor Inc., Medegen LLC, Medinservice.com Inc., Medivance Inc., NAT Diagnostics Inc., NAT Diagnostics Inc., NOW Medical Distribution Inc., NOW Medical Distribution LLC, Navarre Biomedical LLC, Navarre Biomedical Ltd., Neomend Inc., Nippon Becton Dickinson Company Ltd., Omega Biosystems Incorporated, P.R.C. (Isialys) Societe a responsabilitie limitee, PT Becton Dickinson Indonesia, PharMingen, PharMingen., Plasso Technology Ltd, PreAnalytiX GmbH, Pristine Access Technologies Inc., ProSeed Inc., Procesos para Esterilizacion S.A. de C.V., Productos Bard de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Productos Para el Cuidado de la Salud S.A. de C.V., Puls Medical Devices AS LC, PureWick Corporation, Roberts Laboratories Inc., Rochester Medical Corporation, Rochester Medical Ltd., Saf-T-Med Inc, Safety Syringes Inc., Scanwell Health Inc., Sendal S.L.U., SenoRx Inc., SenoRx LLC, Shield Healthcare Centers Inc., Sirigen Group Limited, Sirigen II Limited, Sirigen Inc., Sistemas Medicos ALARIS S.A. de C.V., Specialized Cooperative Corporation, Specialized Health Products Inc., Specialized Health Products International Inc., Specialized Health Products International LLC, Staged Diabetes Management LLC, Straub Medical AG, Straub Medical AG, Surgical Site Solutions Inc., TVA Medical Inc, TVA Medical Inc., Tepha Inc, Tepha Inc., Tissuemed Ltd., Tri-County Medical & Ostomy Supplies Inc., TriPath Imaging Inc., Tru-Fit Marketing Corporation, Vas-Cath Incorporated, Vascular Pathways Inc., Velano Vascular, Velano Vascular Inc., Venclose Inc., Venetec International Inc., Venetec International LLC, Visitec, Y-Med Inc., Y-Med LLC, and ZebraSci Inc..

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Avery Dennison Corporation manufactures and markets pressure-sensitive materials and products in the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and internationally. The company's Label and Graphic Materials segment offers pressure-sensitive label and packaging materials under the Fasson, JAC, and Avery Dennison brands; graphics products under the Avery Dennison and Mactac brands; and reflective products under the Avery Dennison brand. This segment provides its products to the home and personal care, beer and beverage, durables, pharmaceutical, wine and spirits, and food market segments; architectural, commercial sign, digital printing, and other related market segments; construction, automotive, and fleet transportation market segments; traffic and safety applications; and sign shops, commercial printers, and designers. The company's Retail Branding and Information Solutions segment offers brand embellishments, graphic tickets, tags and labels, and sustainable packaging solutions, as well as creative services; radio-frequency identification, visibility and loss prevention, brand protection and security, shelf-edge, and price ticketing and marking solutions; and care, content, and country of origin compliance solutions. It serves retailers, brand owners, apparel manufacturers, distributors, and industrial customers. The company's Industrial and Healthcare Materials segment provides tapes and other pressure-sensitive adhesive-based materials and converted products, mechanical fasteners, and performance polymers under the Fasson and Avery Dennison brands; and tapes under the Yongle brand for wire harnessing and cable wrapping. It serves automotive, electronics, building and construction, electrical, general industrial, personal care, and medical markets. The company was formerly known as Avery International Corporation and changed its name to Avery Dennison Corporation in 1990. Avery Dennison Corporation was founded in 1935 and is headquartered in Mentor, Ohio.
The Boeing Company is the worlds largest manufacturer of airplanes and commands more than 50% of the market in some channels and categories. The company and its family of subsidiaries design, develops, manufacture, sell, service, and supports commercial jetliners, military aircraft, satellites, missile defense, human space flight, and related services worldwide. The company operates through four segments including Commercial Airplanes; Defense, Space & Security; Global Services; and Boeing Capital providing products and services to end-users in 150 countries.

Boeing got its start in 1910 when William E. Boeing developed a love for aircraft. Soon after he takes his first plane ride which leads him to build a hangar and begin construction of his first plane. The onset of WWI helped spur the companys growth but business was cut drastically in its wake. The start of WWII was another milestone for the company and one that led to its current position of dominance. The company was incorporated in 1916 and is based in Chicago, Illinois. Boeing employs over 140,000 people in 65 countries making it one of the most diverse employers on the planet.

The Commercial Airplanes segment is built around the iconic 7-series which includes the 737, 747, and 787. The segment provides commercial jet aircraft for passenger and cargo requirements, as well as fleet support services for regional, national, and international air carriers and logistics and freight companies. In terms of global volume, the company estimates about 90% of all air freight is carried aboard one of its jets. This segment also includes the Dreamliner family of planes. The Dreamliner is a game-changing airplane for many carriers as it opens up the potential for new one-stop destinations because of its capacity and range.

The Defense, Space & Security segment develops and manufactures a range of systems including manned and unmanned aircraft, missiles, missile defense systems, satellites, communications equipment, and intelligence systems for governments. Among the many iconic brands within this segment are the AH-64 Apache, Air Force One, B-52, C-17 Globemaster, Chinook, F/A-18, and the V-22 Osprey VTOL aircraft used by the Marines.

The Global Services segment offers a range of products and services that include supply chain and logistics management, engineering, maintenance, upgrades, conversions, spare parts, pilot and maintenance training, technical and maintenance documents, and data analytics to its commercial and defense customers.

Boeing is also a leader in innovation, leveraging its many decades and avenues of experience to further aerospace and defense technology. Among the many innovations is the MQ-25 Stingray which will be the worlds first autonomous aircraft. The Stingray is only one of many areas of research that also include drones and undersea vehicles.
Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. It offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; and Jardiance, Trajenta, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes. The company provides Alimta for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and malignant pleural mesothelioma; Cyramza for metastatic gastric cancer, gastro-esophageal junction adenocarcinoma, metastatic NSCLC, metastatic colorectal cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma; Erbitux for colorectal cancers, and various head and neck cancers; Retevmo for metastatic NSCLC, medullary thyroid cancer, and thyroid cancer; Tyvyt for relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin's lymph and non-squamous NSCLC; and Verzenio for HR+, HER2- metastatic breast cancer, node positive, and early breast cancer. It offers Olumiant for rheumatoid arthritis; and Taltz for plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and non-radiographic axial spondylarthritis. The company offers Cymbalta for depressive disorder, diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain, generalized anxiety disorder, fibromyalgia, and chronic musculoskeletal pain; Emgality for migraine prevention and episodic cluster headache; and Zyprexa for schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, and bipolar maintenance. Its Bamlanivimab and etesevimab, and Bebtelovimab for COVID-19; Cialis for erectile dysfunction and benign prostatic hyperplasia; and Forteo for osteoporosis. The company has collaborations with Incyte Corporation; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; AbCellera Biologics Inc.; Junshi Biosciences; Regor Therapeutics Group; Lycia Therapeutics, Inc.; Kumquat Biosciences Inc.; Entos Pharmaceuticals Inc.; and Foghorn Therapeutics Inc. Eli Lilly and Company was founded in 1876 and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Phillips 66 operates as an energy manufacturing and logistics company. It operates through four segments: Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, and Marketing and Specialties (M&S). The Midstream segment transports crude oil and other feedstocks; delivers refined petroleum products to market; provides terminaling and storage services for crude oil and refined petroleum products; transports, stores, fractionates, exports, and markets natural gas liquids; provides other fee-based processing services; and gathers, processes, transports, and markets natural gas. The Chemicals segment produces and markets ethylene and other olefin products; aromatics and styrenics products, such as benzene, cyclohexane, styrene, and polystyrene; and various specialty chemical products, including organosulfur chemicals, solvents, catalysts, and chemicals used in drilling and mining. The Refining segment refines crude oil and other feedstocks into petroleum products, such as gasolines, distillates, aviation, and renewable fuels at 12 refineries in the United States and Europe. The M&S segment purchases for resale and markets refined petroleum products, including gasolines, distillates, and aviation fuels primarily in the United States and Europe. This segment also manufactures and markets specialty products, such as base oils and lubricants. The company was founded in 1875 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Prosperity Bancshares, Inc. operates as bank holding company for the Prosperity Bank that provides financial products and services to businesses and consumers. It accepts various deposit products, such as demand, savings, money market, and time accounts, as well as and certificates of deposit. The company also offers 1-4 family residential mortgage, commercial real estate and multifamily residential, commercial and industrial, agricultural, and non-real estate agricultural loans, as well as construction, land development, and other land loans; consumer loans, including automobile, recreational vehicle, boat, home improvement, personal, and deposit account collateralized loans; and consumer durables and home equity loans, as well as loans for working capital, business expansion, and purchase of equipment and machinery. In addition, it provides internet banking, mobile banking, trust and wealth management, retail brokerage, mortgage services, and treasury management, as well as debit and credit cards. As of December 31, 2021, the company operated 273 full-service banking locations comprising 65 in the Houston area, including The Woodlands; 30 in the South Texas area including Corpus Christi and Victoria; 63 in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area; 22 in the East Texas area; 29 in the Central Texas area, including Austin and San Antonio; 34 in the West Texas area, including Lubbock, Midland-Odessa and Abilene; 16 in the Bryan/College Station area; 6 in the Central Oklahoma area; and 8 in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area doing business as LegacyTexas Bank. Prosperity Bancshares, Inc. was founded in 1983 and is based in Houston, Texas.
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.
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..

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ResMed Inc. develops, manufactures, distributes, and markets medical devices and cloud-based software applications for the healthcare markets. The company operates in two segments, Sleep and Respiratory Care, and Software as a Service. It offers various products and solutions for a range of respiratory disorders, including technologies to be applied in medical and consumer products, ventilation devices, diagnostic products, mask systems for use in the hospital and home, headgear and other accessories, dental devices, and cloud-based software informatics solutions to manage patient outcomes, as well as provides customer and business processes. The company also provides AirView, a cloud-based system that enables remote monitoring and changing of patients' device settings; myAir, a personalized therapy management application for patients with sleep apnea that provides support, education, and troubleshooting tools for increased patient engagement and improved compliance; U-Sleep, a compliance monitoring solution that enables home medical equipment (HME)to streamline their sleep programs; connectivity module and propeller solutions; and Propeller portal. It offers out-of-hospital software solution, such as Brightree business management software and service solutions to providers of HME, pharmacy, home infusion, orthotics, and prosthetics services; MatrixCare care management and related ancillary solutions to senior living, skilled nursing, life plan communities, home health, home care, and hospice organizations, as well as related accountable care organizations; and HEALTHCAREfirst that offers electronic health record, software, billing and coding services, and analytics for home health and hospice agencies. The company markets its products primarily to sleep clinics, home healthcare dealers, and hospitals through a network of distributors and direct sales force in approximately 140 countries. ResMed Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.
W&M faculty in the media this month

John McGlennon (center) is a professor of government and public policy at William & Mary. He was recently quoted in the Associated Press regarding vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine's religious faith and political career. Photo by Stephen Salpukas

Dawn Edmiston is a clinical associate professor of marketing at William & Mary's Raymond A. Mason School of Business. She was recently quoted in Advertising Specialty Institute magazine discussing how businesses can re-brand themselves. Courtesy Photo

Gregory Hancock is a professor of geology at William & Mary. He was recently quoted by the Washington Post regarding how sanitation officials in Hampton Roads are using wastewater to keep the coastal region from subsiding and ultimately being claimed by the rising sea. Courtesy Photo

Julie Agnew is an associate professor of economics and finance at William & Mary's Raymond A. Mason School of Business. She recently wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal concerning first impressions of financial advisers. Photo by Stephen Salpukas Photo - of - Hide Caption

Following are selected examples of William & Mary faculty and staff members in the media. - Ed.

What are the best majors for jobs of the future?



In a Sept. 22 GoodCall article, David M. Long, professor of organizational behavior at William & Mary, discussed which college majors had the most earning potential for graduates.

According to the GoodCall, college students pursue a degree to land a job after they graduate. However, while employment directly out of school is important, it shouldnt be the only consideration. Some jobs may look promising presently but outsourcing and decrease in consumer demand can negatively impact the number of available jobs, the article says. Therefore, a students ability to attain diverse degrees may help in job-hunting.

Experts like Long, agree that looking at different options may help. For example, he believes that getting a management degree could offer an advantage.

Unlike specialty degrees in business, management is about leading and working with diverse groups of people, said Long. The bottom line  a person can either be an expert in something, or know how to work with and lead experts in something, and managers are often the latter.

Rarely used defense gets wife acquitted in Newport News case

In a Sept. 17 Daily Press article, Cynthia V. Ward, professor of law at William & Mary, discussed the intricacies of using an insanity defense in regards to a murder case that happened in the city of Newport News, Virginia.

According to the Press, a woman by the name of Rose Marie Uribes was found not guilty by reason of insanity by a Newport News Circuit Court judge of shooting and killing her husband. She was committed to Central State Hospital in Petersburg, a psychiatric treatment facility.

She is one of only five murder defendants in the Hampton Roads area to be found guilty by reason of insanity in the last decade.

The defense is used in a tiny percentage of cases and is successful only in a tiny fraction of those, said Ward. This is because cases in which it is successful tend to get a lot of media coverage and that tends to perpetuate the false idea that the defense is frequently used and frequently successful.

How to teach 9/11 to students with no memory of it

In a Sept. 9 U.S. News & World Report article, Jeremy Stoddard, the Spears Distinguished Associate Professor of Education, discussed how to teach students about 9/11 when they were born after and have no memory of the event.

Fifteen years ago, two planes crashed into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon and one into the countryside of Pennsylvania. Sari Rosenberg, a high school teacher in Manhattan decided to see how sensitive students were to the tragedy.

"It's become less of a sensitive topic  though it's still very sensitive, said Rosenberg. And more of a really useful way to get kids to start thinking like historians."

Experts say that the problem is students really dont know how it affects their lives.

They don't actually know a lot about the events of 9/11," said Stoddard. "They don't know what it's like to walk through airport security with a cup of coffee. It is sort of shocking how little they actually know about those events and what led up to them."

Religious freedom doesn't protect child abuse

In a Sept. 2 article in The Atlantic, James Dwyer, the Arthur B. Hanson Professor of Law at William & Mary, discussed why religious freedom doesnt protect child abuse.

According to the article, a woman was arrested for allegedly beat her 7-year-old son with a coat hanger. She argued before the court that the state of Indianas religious-freedom law protects her right to punish her children as she sees fit.

Dwyer, who also studies child welfare, did not agree with her statement.

Its totally implausible that you could ever win [a case like this] on a religious defense, Dwyer stated. [She] used an unusual form of corporal punishment, and an especially gruesome form of corporal punishment. The state has a compelling interest in much more modest forms of child protection, the courts have said repeatedly.

The article also stated that Indiana law allows for reasonable corporal punishment, which is most of the time up to the discretion of the officiating judge to determine what is reasonable.

It makes the public and judiciary in general skeptical and hostile to those sorts of claims, said Dwyer. It will hurt the cause of religious parents who might want to assert the defense in the future since this case involved such an extreme form of punishment.




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Melanie Robitaille, a youth minister for St. Agatha and Precious Blood parishes, sets out the sign for dynamites at the churches Autumnfest food booth this past weekend at World War II Park, as she and other volunteers get ready for the citys annual Autumnfest celebration, coming up Oct. 8, 9 and 10.
Belarus RPV change is 'public acceptance' matter, says Rosatom

28 September 2016

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Russia's readiness to replace the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) its workers dropped during installation work in August at unit 1 of Belarus' first nuclear power plant, reflects the fact this is a public acceptance matter rather than a technological concern, Rosatom director general Sergey Kirienko said yesterday. Kirienko spoke to reporters during the International Atomic Energy Agency's 60th General Conference being held this week in Vienna.

Belarus' energy ministry said on 11 August it wanted the equipment to be replaced, which Kirienko said would not have a negative impact on implementation of the new-build project, which is in Ostrovets.

"We are sympathetic to the position of our Belarusian colleagues," Kirienko said, adding, "Technical requirements are not the basis of the decision, but rather the matter of public acceptance is." The public in Belarus have a "more sceptical attitude" towards nuclear energy, he said, owing to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in Ukraine in 1986.

"We see no problems and the project is continuing," he said.

Rosatom subsidiaries OKB Gidropress and Atomstroyexport inspected the reactor vessel and sent the results of that to the project's customer - the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant Company - and to Gosatomnadzor, specifically, the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry.

Kirienko confirmed the RPV was "absolutely functional, and can be used on other projects". He added that its replacement incurs "no additional costs" for the customer, other than for its transport to the site.

An intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Belarus specifically on cooperation in the construction of a nuclear power plant in Belarus was signed in March 2011.

AEM-Technology, another Rosatom subsidiary, said in May that it had completed assembly of the reactor vessel for the VVER-1200 unit 2 of the Belarus nuclear power plant.

In March, AEM-Technology announced it had completed assembly of the internals for unit 1 of the plant. The reactor vessel itself was shipped there in October last year.

Operation of the first unit of the Ostrovets plant is scheduled for November 2018 and the second unit in July 2020, to give 2340 MWe net capacity on line.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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Russia extends ties with Cuba, Finland, Jordan and Tunisia

28 September 2016

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Sergey Kirienko, director general of Russia's Rosatom, has signed agreements with Cuba, Finland, Jordan and Tunisia this week, covering the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, training and the early notification of nuclear accidents. The agreements were signed on the side of the International Atomic Energy Agency's 60th General Conference in Vienna.

Kirienko and Tiippana at the signing ceremony yesterday (Image: Rosatom)

An intergovernmental agreement signed yesterday with Jose Fidel Santana, Cuba's vice minister of science, technology and the environment, provides the legal basis for further bilateral cooperation between Cuba and Russia in a wide range of areas, Rosatom said. These include nuclear medicine and radiation technology; the training of nuclear specialists; fundamental and applied research; and the management of radioactive waste.

A similar agreement was signed on 26 September with Salim Khalbous, Tunisia's minister of higher education and scientific research. This includes, among other areas, assistance in the development of Tunisian nuclear infrastructure in compliance with international recommendations; the design and construction of nuclear power and research reactors, as well as desalination plants and particle accelerators; uranium exploration and mining; research into Tunisia's mineral resources for use in the nuclear industry; nuclear fuel cycle services for nuclear power plants and research reactors.

A memorandum on education and training was signed yesterday with Khaled Toukan, chairman of the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission. Areas of cooperation will include exchange programs for students and academics in nuclear-related subjects, internships, summer schools, Olympiads, the development of educational materials, manuals and workshops, as well as joint nuclear research and development programs.

Petteri Tiippana, director general of Finland's Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) signed a protocol "on practical measures" for the January 1995 intergovernmental agreement between Finland and Russia on early notification of nuclear accidents and exchange of information on nuclear facilities.

The protocol covers nuclear power plants, propulsion reactors, fresh and used nuclear fuel storage, research reactors and other nuclear facilities that are under construction or which already exist in Finland and are within a 300 kilometres of the border with Russia.

The document also specifies the procedure for exchange of information on various aspects of nuclear and radiation safety, envisages regular joint training and consultation between STUK and Rosatom "as the bodies authorized to fulfil commitments of their states" under the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident of 26 September 1986.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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Firearm-Related Deaths

Firearm-related-deaths is a term used to describe all fatalities caused by firearm use. These losses of life may be by intentional murders, accidental murders, or suicides. They all stem from the discharge of munition from a gun. In some places, these fatalities are more common than in others. This article inspects the top countries with the highest rates of firearm-related deaths.

Honduras

Honduras experiences more firearm-related deaths than any other country in the world. Here, 67.18 firearm-related deaths per 100,000 people occur annually. Additionally, this country has the highest homicide rate in the world; 78.6% of all homicides are by gun. San Pedro Sula, in the country's northwest, is the most dangerous city with a homicide rate of 137.5 per 100,000. Until 1985, this country had no laws regulating the sale and possession of firearms and it was not until 2007 that carrying weapons was made illegal. Citizens are allowed to own up to 5 guns, but can only carry them on private property (like homes, businesses, or farms), and they must be in a case that does not allow for immediate use. The owner must register with the National Arms Registry. The rate of homicides and suicides by gun has decreased slightly since 2011.

Venezuela

The second highest rate of firearm-related deaths is found in Venezuela where 59.13 deaths caused by gun occur for every 100,000 people yearly. In this country, roughly 10.7% of the population is a registered gun owner. To combat these incidences, the government banned gun ownership in 2012. They stopped selling guns and ammunition and set up centers for citizens to turn in their guns. This move did nothing to curb homicide rates which continued to increase. Not everybody turned in their guns and of the 3.2 million privately-owned guns, half are registered to police or military personnel, and the other half are unregistered. The vast majority of these homicides, some estimates are over 90%, are caused by guns. Caracas, the capital of the country, is one of the most dangerous cities in the country. In this city, 57% of police deaths occur as the result of a gun robbery.

Swaziland

Swaziland has the third highest rate of firearm-related deaths. In this country, guns are cause 37.16 deaths per 100,000 people every year. All of these fatalities were homicides. The right to private gun ownership is not guaranteed by the law in Swaziland. In order to acquire a gun, people must pass a background check and obtain a license, reapplying every year.

Guatemala

Guatemala is next on the list with a firearm-related death rate of 34.1 per 100,000 population each year. Guatemala City is the most dangerous place in the country with a murder rate of over 40 per 100,000 people. Estimates suggest that roughly 11.5% of the countrys population owns a gun; this equates to 1.6 million firearms, including legal and illegal. This country has only 123,000 licensed gun owners. The country's Constitution protects the right to own a firearm. However, individuals must have a license. In 2013, the government passed stricter gun control laws for unlicensed carry. Police may now take unlicensed gun carriers to jail until their trial as opposed to the previous house arrest policy.

Jamaica

Jamaica has the fifth highest rate of firearm-related deaths in the world. Every year, 30.72 people out of every 100,000 die due to gun shots. Nearly all of these incidences are murders. Within the country, one of the most dangerous cities is Kingston, the capital. The right to own a firearm is not guaranteed by the law and any person interested in purchasing a gun must apply for a license. Part of the application process includes: proving a true need for the firearm, a mental and criminal background check, and a third party character reference.
Cyprus has had a history of warfare dating back to the time of the Ancient Greek dominance in the Mediterranean world. The Greeks fought against Persians and Turks in the course of their war history. With aid from the Egyptians, the Athenians fought for the Union of Greece with Cyprus, for the freedom of the Cypriots, and to bring an end to the Greek-Persian wars. In some of the wars Empires were born, while in others massive destruction was evident. Strategies employed defined the outcome of the battles and sometimes small armies relying on war strategy won against massive troops relying on numbers and might.



Battle of Salamis, 451 BC

Around this period, Athens had made a truce with Sparta, and for years the Athenians had been allied with the Egyptians against the Persians. Cimon, with 200 triremes of the Confederacy, sailed to Cyprus, sending 60 Ships to the Nile Delta to aid Amyrtaeos, the Egyptian Prince in the fight against the Persians, Cimon matched to Cyprus with the rest to join the Cypriot Greek and laid siege to Citium. When Cimon died in the assault, Anaxicrates took command and matched to Salamis where he engaged the Phoenician and Cilicians. In Salamis, the Greek gained victory on both the sea and land. The victory brought an end to the Greco-Persian Wars.

Battle of Actium, September 2nd, 31 BC

The Battle of Actium was a remarkable event. On September 2nd, 31 BC, the fleets of Mark Antony and Cleopatra met Octavians fleet just outside of the Gulf of Actium. Antony, who was a war genius and commander of the armies of Julius Caesar, had large ships built primarily for sinking and ramming enemy vessels. However, a Malaria outbreak resulted in his 500 ships and 70,000 troops undermanned. Octavian 400 ships were small and fully manned with 80,000 healthy men. Quintus Dellius, a general of Antony, sided with Octavian. Octavian won after destroying more than 5000 men and 300 ships while Cleopatra and Antony's ships escaped the war for the open ocean. Shortly afterward, Octavian had Caesarion, Cleopatras son, murdered, and annexed Egypt into the Roman Empire. Three years later, Octavian declared himself Emperor Augustus Caesar of the Roman Empire.

Battle of Spilia, December 12th, 1955

The Battle of Spilia, fought on December 12, 1955, was the greatest friendly fire incident in the history of Cyprus. The British army wanted to end the campaigns for the Union of Greece and Cyprus. An informant snitched on the location of the EOKA. So when the 700 soldiers attempted to encircle the guerrilla headquarters, General Grivas divided his troops into two one led by himself to fight the units coming from the north and the other led by Grigoris Afxentiou to fight those ascending from the south. The EOKA engaged the British at the summit for a while before escaping West under cover of a dense fog. The enemy troops soon reached the summit and unable to see clearly opened fire at each other for eight hours. There were 250 casualties 127 British soldiers dead, 102 injured, and 21 missing. The EOKA victory was significant since it formed a basis for the independence of Cyprus 5 years later.

Battle of Tillyria, August of 1964

The fight took place in Kokkina. In the wake of events leading up to 1964, the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots engaged in intense confrontations over the control of a strategic location on the regions major highway. On August 6th, a Greek army led by George Grivas attacked and surrounded Kokkina. The Turks and other civilians were forced to evict and retreat to a narrow beachhead. A massive artillery barrage of the beachhead hit the village causing more casualties and extensive damage. The Turks managed to hold the base in the beachhead until August 8th when Turkey intervened with aerial assaults on civilians and military personnel alike. The Turks bombed a nearby hospital killing many and inducing horrific injuries to others. The attack was so intense that the UN council intervened. The Soviet Union stopped the annihilation by threatening to attack the Turks with their state of the art of weapons. The President of Cyprus promised to destroy every Turkish Cypriot Village in the country if the air raids did not cease. On August 9, 1964, Turkey ceased fire, and UNFICYP forces deployed to the area. Ever since the village heavily tarnished and damaged by the war has been a memorial ground.

A Heritage of War

Cyprus, as noted, has brushed shoulders with many enemies in the course of its history. From the Romans, the Turks, to their greatest ancient enemies, the Persians, the Cypriots have for long fought. When time called for confederacies, the Cypriots joined forces with allies that had their enemies as their enemies. After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. However, the battles did prove beneficial to the Cypriot Greeks course. Most of the battles brought an end to the oppression brought forth by their rulers or adversaries. Even so, some, such as the Battle of Tillyria, were so severe that healing would take a long time.
Vietnam is a South East Asian nation covering an area of 128,565 square miles. The S-shaped country has a landscape comprised of highlands, mountains, coastal lowlands, and deltas. Vietnam is known for its many rivers and beautiful beaches. The longest river in South East Asia, Mekong River, passes through Vietnam before draining into the South China Sea.

Mekong River

The Mekong River, which is 2,703 miles long, derives its source waters from the Tibetan Plateau in China. It passes through Chinas Yunnan Province, down to the border between Myanmar and Laos, and on to the border between Laos and Thailand before crossing into Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam where it drains into the South China Sea. It is the longest river in South East Asia and 12th longest river in the world. The capital of Laos, Vientiane, and the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh are located on the banks of Mekong. The river has one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world only second to the Amazon. It has the most species of large fish found in a river. The Mekong River has a myriad of uses in the regions it passes through. Some of the uses are irrigation, fisheries, power generation, navigation, domestic use, and Industrial water supply. Due to the high demands on the river, most of its resources are under threat. The Mekong River Commission was established by Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam to manage the resources found in the river. Local communities, private institutions, and NGOs are involved in the management and development of the river.

Red River

The Red River, or Song Hong, has its source in the mountains of China's Yunnan Province. The river is 714 miles long. Its main tributaries are the Black River and Clear River and on the lower end it spreads out to distributaries that form the Red River Delta. Red River carries heavy amounts of silt as it flows which gives it the red color. The sediment is deposited on the Red River Delta an area that is very fertile. North of Vietnam where the river passes is densely populated, and farming is a primary activity in the area. Other activities in the area include fishing and aquaculture. The rivers resources are threatened by over-fishing, pollution and over-cultivation.

Black River

The Black River, or Song Da, has its source in China where it is known as the Lixian River. It has a length of 570 miles. Black River is the main tributary of the Red River. Black River is essential in Vietnam for its hydroelectric power generation. The Hoa Binh Dam on the Black River, with its 1,920 megawatt power station, produces a significant share of Vietnams electricity. The Son La Dam, which is the largest hydroelectric producer in South East Asia, is also located on the Black River.

Dong Nai River

The Dong Nai River originates in the central highlands in the south of Vietnam. The river is 364 miles long and flows through 11 provinces in Vietnam. The river has a wealth of mineral resources such as gold, iron, tin, and zinc. The river basin also has tropical forests and a rich tropical ecosystem. Due to rapid development in the region, conservation measures have been established by the local authorities to ensure sustainable development.

River Valley Development and Conservation

Rivers are an important natural resource for Vietnam and its people, economy, and wildlife. Most of the Vietnamese population lives near the river basins. In fact, the major cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh are located near the delta regions. The rivers are useful for fishing, farming, mining and power generation. Additionally, rivers are an important mode of transport, especially in rural Vietnam. Vietnamese rivers are threatened by numerous hydroelectric power stations built along the rivers. The stations divert the flow of water which affects the ecosystem. Rapid urbanization near the rivers also poses a threat to their existence. The Vietnamese government has heavily invested in conservation of natural resources including the rivers.
Extensive Review Proposes Radical Overhaul For Student Finance in Wales

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Sep 28th, 2016

A radical overhaul which would see university students receiving the equivalent of the National Living Wage during while they study has been put forward following an extensive review into student finance.

The proposals, which would see significant changes to student finance in Wales, feature as part of an independent review led by Professor Sir Ian Diamond and a panel of experts.

Currently university students in Wales can access annual tuition fee grants of 5,100. However under the proposals these would be scrapped and replaced with student loans.

There would also be a shift towards additional support for the daily living costs of students  both full and part time  through a mix of grants and loans.

It would mean students receiving the equivalent of the National Living Wage during term time while they study.

If the proposals are given the go ahead, the average Welsh student could receive 7,000 a year in grant support while they study, with a pro-rata version available to part-time students. The maximum level of support available would be 9,113 a year for those studying full time.

Professor Diamonds proposals aim to ensure all those who want to go to university are able to do so, while making the system more sustainable in the long term.

The panel recommends new, innovative ways of funding part-time students and a support package for post-graduate studies that helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds. They also propose new ideas for supporting research and knowledge transfer; and a Welsh programme for research students.

Recommendations within Professor Diamonds report include:

 A new improved maintenance grant support system for undergraduate, post-graduate and part time students. The highest level of grant support will go to those most in need.

 A 1,000 annual non-means-tested universal maintenance grant to be made available to all students alongside the additional means-tested grant to cover living costs. Part-time students to receive a modified version of this support on a pro-rata basis.

 The top rate of maintenance grant and/or loan support, for a student living away from home outside London, should be equivalent to the National Living Wage  based on 37.5 hours per week over a 30 week period, currently 8,100. A maximum total grant of 25% more (10,125) to be available for a student living away from home in London and 15% less (6,885) for students living at home.

 Maintenance support to be paid to students on a monthly basis to enable more efficient financial planning and budgeting.

 Given the context of austerity in the UK, the recommended improvements to the overall student support package can only be achieved by releasing funds currently used to provide tuition fee grants to full-time undergraduates. The tuition fee grant for full-time undergraduate students should be replaced with a student loan, up to a maximum fee level agreed with the Welsh Government. Repayments would only begin once graduates earn a salary above 21,000.

Professor Diamond said: It is essential to continue to invest in educating the future generations who will drive the economy and society of the future.

In the twenty first century this requires an education system that minimises the attainment gap between rich and poor and allows people to access higher level skills that are the lifeblood of the kind of nation to which Wales aspires.

The funding of higher education should be a partnership between wider society and the individual. In contrast to England, where maintenance support for students will be based on loans, we propose a significant universal element of maintenance support for full-time students, meaning students from Wales will face a significantly lower average level of debt on leaving university than those from England.

Education Secretary Kirsty Williams added: I want to thank Professor Diamond and his team for all their work. This report presents a progressive and sustainable plan for Higher Education in Wales.

My Cabinet colleagues and I endorse the underlying principles in the report and we will now look into the detail of how we can implement these recommendations.

We want to make sure that those who wish to go on to university are able to. The fear of not being able to meet the cost of living on a daily basis puts many off, not the prospect of paying back loans after they are in work. This system addresses that issue head on, but will also mean making tough decisions to make sure the system is sustainable in the long-term.

The generous package of support proposed by the panel would mean Welsh students would benefit from the only UK system that is consistent, progressive and fair across all levels and modes of study.

I am deeply committed to making sure access to higher education should be determined by academic ability and not social background.

The proposals have also been welcomed by Universities Wales, who say the offer of means tested grants will give many more talented people the opportunity to transform their life-chances by going to university.

A statement released by Universities Wales adds: There is a body of evidence that shows students need financial support whilst studying and so we are pleased to see the recommendation to provide this support.

Alongside this support to students, and with the challenges ahead, we must ensure we retain our world class university system in Wales. University funding for key priorities  quality research, part-time provision and expensive subjects such as medicine  is crucial if our universities are to continue to be a positive force for good for the people and economy of Wales.

We believe the previous government was right to look to an independent panel to make recommendations for the long-term success and sustainability of the sector. As we look to the future, universities, and the growing proportion of people studying at them, will be the key drivers of economic and social transformation in Wales.

We hope that, as a result of the cross party support for the Review we can build a consensus regarding the value of universities and their students to Wales and we look forward to working with Welsh Government to deliver their aim of early implementation of the recommendations.

Changes to the student support system in Wales would not come into effect until 2018 at the earliest.
A prominent front-page article in Rupert Murdochs Australian last Friday targeted former foreign minister Bob Carr as part of an ongoing media witch-hunt against so-called Chinese agents of influence. Carr was already under fire for his current role as director of the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology (UTS) in Sydney, which has been branded a propaganda vehicle for Beijing.

The Australian article strongly implies that Carr, during his time as foreign minister, was Beijings friend and compromised Australian and US national interests through his relations with Chinese businessmen in Australia and with Beijing. So concerned was the Obama administration when Carr was installed in March 2012 that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dispatched senior US official Kurt Campbell to take the fledging foreign minister aside and caution him about his pro-China position and his criticism of Barack Obamas 2011 pivot-to-Asia speech to the Australian parliament.

Carr, a prominent Labor Party figure and former premier in the state of New South Wales (NSW), has longstanding ties in Washington and has strongly supported the Australian military alliance with the United States. However, like other sections of the Australian political establishment, Carr has expressed concerns that Obamas confrontational pivot to Asia would undermine economic ties with China, Australias largest trading partner. Following Obamas 2011 visit, Carr wrote in his blog: It is patently in this countrys national interest to see in the Pacific a peaceful accommodation between the US and China  A treaty partner [to the US] we are, unapologetically, not an aircraft carrier.

The direct intervention of US Assistant Secretary of State Campbell into Australian political affairs underlines the importance of Canberra as an American ally as the US ramps up efforts to undermine and prepare for war against China. Carrs crime of suggesting that Australia should work for a peaceful accommodation between the US and China was also Washingtons chief concern in relation to former Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. He was ousted in June 2010 in an inner party coup by a handful of Labor and union powerbrokers, who were later revealed as protected sources of the US embassy in Canberra.

Six years on, the Australian military is deeply integrated into the Pentagons build-up throughout the region against China. The agreement signed in 2011 by Rudds successor Julia Gillard and Obama to station US Marines in the northern city of Darwin is due to reach its full complement of 2,500 next year. The presence of US naval vessels and warplanes in Australian bases has dramatically escalated as Washington has deliberately heightened tensions with China throughout Asia, especially in the South China Sea.

The media campaign underway, not only against Carr, but anyone regarded as in any way critical of the US war drive, is a sign of just how advanced military preparations are. In recent weeks, an atmosphere akin to wartime hysteria has been whipped up, starting with the castigation of Labor Senator Sam Dastyari for accepting funds from a Chinese businessman. Chinese corporate figures, associations and students have all been accused of being purveyors of Chinese influence and propaganda.

In its criticisms of Carr, the Australian article makes clear that being pro-China is synonymous with any attempt to balance between Beijing and Washington or play down strident US condemnations of Chinese expansionism. The article relies heavily on the comments of Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) executive director Peter Jennings. He criticises Carr, as foreign minister, for having walked away from stronger US-Australian military ties, for making sure that the American position was not promoted and for supporting a Defence White Paper in 2013 that appeased China.

What Carr walked away from was an earlier White Paper that explicitly named China as a threat. In his memoirs, he declared that the 2013 document contains none of the HG Wells science fiction about blockading Chinese ports and shooting off missiles and churning up the seas with state-of-the-art submarines. In other words, Carr did not agree with a document that openly prepared for war with China, which, by implication, Jennings, the Australian and the Obama administration regard as necessary.

Jennings told the Australian that a measure of the 2013 White Papers lack of realism is where we are now, where we have a more aggressive China operating in the South China Sea. The reality is that over the past five years, the US has systemically stoked up tensions in the South China Sea by encouraging countries like the Philippines to more belligerently pursue their territorial claims against China. Beijings reactionto tighten its grip on islets under its controlis branded as aggressive and expansionist.

The most sinister insinuation against Carr is that he betrayed state secrets to China. The Australian article said it was unusual that Carr went from being foreign minister, where he oversaw ASIS, Australias secret intelligence service, to a Beijing-friendly think tanknamely the Australia-China Relations Institute (ACRI). Jennings said he was not suggesting that Carr did anything improper but then implied precisely that. I think we should just remember that he was in a position of great responsibility with completely open access to Australian intelligence, he declared.

Carr was provided space in Saturdays Australian to respond to the accusations, in a comment entitled, I stood for US alliance as well as our China partnership. Significantly, he began by noting his service to the United States in the Middle East. As foreign minister, he attended the G-20 in September 2013 and had the honour of getting up and telling the US president he had Australias support for an impending air war on Syria. In fact, over the previous year, Carr played a significant role in Washingtons vilification of the Syrian regime, even suggesting in October 2012 that President Bashir al-Assad should be assassinated.

Overall, Carrs response is defensive. He notes that his connections to Chinese businessmen were unremarkable, pointing out their ties to Liberal Party leaders such as former Prime Minister John Howard. Carr explains that he defended the US Marine deployment to Darwin and that the policies he pursued as foreign minister were part of the consensus at the time.

Elsewhere, Carr has defended his role as director of ACRI, arguing that Australia needs a think tank focussed on China and noting that he has also been on the board of the US Studies Centre at Sydney University. He pointed out that ASPI, the think tank headed by Jennings, receives whopping funding from US defence industries.

The political climate, however, is shifting rapidly. The attack on Carr, an establishment figure with strong ties in Washington, is a clear sign that nothing less than full support for the US drive to war against China will be tolerated. Those who seek, as in the past, to balance between Washington and Beijing, let alone criticise the US military build-up or warn about the dangers of war, will be vilified as a Chinese fifth column.

Responding to the media witch-hunt, the University of Technology administration has already stepped in to restructure the management of the ACRI think tank. Chinese businessman Huang Xiangmo, who funded the body, stepped down as chairman of the ACRI board, which has been dissolved. As the US pursues its aggressive confrontation with China, the conditions are being created in Australia for the detention of Chinese people as enemy aliens, as were people of German, Italian and Japanese descent during the First and Second World Wars, and for repressive measures against any anti-war opposition.
A stopgap continuing resolution bill to provide funds for the US federal government when the new fiscal year begins October 1 stalled in the Senate Tuesday in a dispute between Democrats and Republicans over the inclusion of $220 million toward the cost of upgrading the water system in Flint, Michigan.

Also involved is wrangling over a proposed $1.1 billion allocation for health measures to fight the Zika epidemic in Puerto Rico and South Florida.

The Democrats are insisting that the funds for Flint be allocated as part of the bill extending current federal funding levels through December 9. Alternately, they are demanding that a provision in the continuing resolution allocating $500 million for floods that occurred last month in Louisiana be deleted, on the grounds of evenhandedness.

If no funding bill is passed by midnight Friday, September 30, federal agencies will be forced to close down just weeks before the national election. However, that outcome is considered unlikely. There are proposals to allocate the money to aid Flint and other communities with lead-poisoned water in a separate water projects measure to be voted on by the lame duck Congress after the November election. The Senate has already passed such a measure, but the House version does not include money for Flint.

The continuing resolution failed by a large margin to receive the 60 votes needed to end debate and proceed to an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor. Only 45 senators voted to end debate, while 55 voted against the procedural motion. Four Democratic senators bucked the Democratic leadership and voted to end debate. Thirteen Republicans voted against the motion, which was backed by the Republican Senate leadership.

There is a huge element of election-eve political theater and posturing in the maneuvering over the funding measure. The Democrats, in particular, are attempting to present themselves as defenders of the people of Flint, the Michigan city devastated by General Motors plant closures where the entire water supply was polluted with lead, with untold health consequences for tens of thousands of working class residents.

In fact, the Obama administration and the Democratic Party have done virtually nothing to address the health crisis in Flint or provide the resources needed to rebuild the citys water supply system. The sum of $220 million is a drop in the bucket compared to the real cost of making the water system safe. Flint has yet to receive any federal funding.

Negotiations over the stop-gap bill have dragged along for weeks due to disagreements surrounding policy riders attached by the Republicans. The bill had included right-wing provisions banning a Planned Parenthood affiliate in Puerto Rico from receiving federal grants to fight the Zika virus, allowing large corporations to secretly funnel money into political campaigns, and blocking the transfer of responsibility for overseeing Internet domain names from the US government to an international body. These provisions were dropped after opposition from Democrats and a number of Republicans whose main concern was continuing military funding without a hitch.

The thirteen Republican senators who voted against the procedural motion on Tuesday are demanding that these provisions be restored.

The Republican Party, pointing to the Democrats intransigence, claims that there is no money for both the water infrastructure package and the flood aid package, pitting flood victims against lead-poisoning victims. The $500 million in flood relief touted by the Republicans is negligible compared to the $8.7 billion in damage caused by floods in the state of Louisiana, let alone the damage done in West Virginia and Maryland.
Jeremy Corbyn will deliver his closing speech to the annual UK Labour Party conference today.

There will no doubt be appeals to restore party unity following the leadership contest provoked by the partys right wing in an attempt to remove him. Corbyn can be expected to plead for Labour MPs to accept the democratic mandate he secured Saturday by substantially increasing his margin of victory over the already decisive majority he won in last Septembers leadership contest. There will also be a call for the party to prepare to take on the Conservatives in the face of a possible early election.

Corbyns speech will crown a conference in which he has repudiated the mandate he received from over 300,000 members and supportersthat is, to take on and defeat the political heirs of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and honour his commitment to oppose austerity, militarism and war.

Corbyn called for party unity Saturday as he accepted the applause of a conference audience notable for the absence of many of the 172 MPs whose vote of no confidence against him led to the latest leadership contest. But the very next day, the counter-offensive of his opponents began.

The anti-Corbyn Labour First campaign held a fringe meeting at which Angela Eagle, a failed leadership candidate, accused Corbyn of laying the basis for populist authoritarian rule, while MPs such as Hilary Benn, Yvette Cooper, Vernon Coaker and Ruth Smeeth vowed to continue opposing his leadership.

At a Fabian Society fringe meeting, a potential future challenger for leadership, Chuka Umunna, centred his fire on Corbyns refusal to recognise legitimate concerns over immigration and his opposition to war. I dont think anyone in the Labour movement should underestimate the importance of us illustrating that we are as patriotic as anyone else, he said.

The Blairites have little support in the party membership, but still control the party apparatus that Corbyn is so desperately intent on improving. As a result, the right wing on Tuesday regained control of the National Executive Committee, overturning the majority briefly secured by Corbyns backers in elections held only weeks ago. They used the simple expediency of demanding representation for Scottish and Welsh Labour. Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale and Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones are bitterly hostile to Corbyn.

Ultimately, the right wing continues to dictate events not through such manoeuvres, but because of Corbyns own politics.

Corbyn wants to preserve the unity of the Labour Party because he represents only a left-talking faction of the apparatus. He stated at the very beginning of his first leadership bid that he wanted only to prevent what he termed the PASOKification of the partya reference to the collapse of the Greek social democrats as a result of their record of imposing austerity.

To this end, he urged Labour to make a feint to the left so that it could reestablish some support among its former electorate in the working class, while stressing at all times his loyalty to the party. To his chagrin, whereas his appeal won significant popular support among layers of workers and young people, it was treated as political treason by the MPs he was so anxious to convince.

Corbyns response is by now well established. He has retreated again and again from the very positions for which he was elected to fight in his uniformly unsuccessful efforts to appease his critics.

The most degrading example of this at conference was the speech delivered by Corbyns newly appointed shadow defence secretary, Clive Lewis. The speech was designed to appease the right by continuing to reference Corbyns own opposition to the renewal of the Trident nuclear submarine programme while accepting that the partys position was supportive of the programme. The speech as delivered therefore stated, As you know, I [Lewis] am sceptical about Trident renewal, as are many here. But I am clear that our Party has a policy for Trident renewal.

It was quickly leaked that Lewis had wanted to go further by adding, I wouldnt seek to change it. However, the sentence was removed at the last minutea fact made public by Lewiss sulking on the platform and reports that he was so angry he punched a wall.

Lewis also made a pointed defence of the NATO military alliance as supposedly embodying Labours values of collectivism, internationalism and the strong defending the weak. This was the same line spouted last December by the Blairite right wing, led by then-Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn, when Corbyn allowed the Blairites a free vote on bombing Syria.

Every Labour government since Attlees (1945-1951) has met NATOs spending target of at least 2 percent of GDP every single year. And I confirm today that the next Labour government will do the same, including our UN and peacekeeping obligations, Lewis added.

Corbyn responded by denying the existence of any tensions, claiming that he had given Lewis a bear hug after he came off stage. In contrast, Lewis reassured MPs, I wont be coming back to conference between now and the next election to try to undo the policy we have on Trident as things stand.

Lewis is an infantry officer graduate from Sandhurst Military Academy who served in Afghanistan and pointedly abstained on the vote for the renewal of Trident. As reported by the World Socialist Web Site, Guardian columnist Owen Jones admitted that he and Lewis had discussed Lewis replacing Corbyn before the scheduled 2020 general election.

More fundamental than Corbyns constant appeasing of the right is the fact that his perspective, even had he the backbone to fight for it, offers no way forward for the working class. This was underscored by Shadow Chancellor John McDonnells speech to conference outlining the economic policy to be pursued by a Corbyn-led Labour government. He made clear that this was a programme centred on an attempt to revitalise the fortunes of British capitalism rather than one addressing the desperate plight facing workers and youth.

Aside from a headline call for a 10-an-hour minimum wagea miserly 1 more than the Tory governments minimum wage pledge by 2020McDonnell began by pledging to defend Britains financial services industry in negotiations over Brexit. He outlined only measures to tackle tax avoidance and evasion, rather than any increase in taxes on business.

His key policy initiative was the creation of a 250 billion investment programme run by a National Investment Bank that will provide money for small businesses, cooperatives, business hubs across the country, etc. This policy is directed to the upper layers of the middle class, not the working class.

McDonnell declared, Well help create 200 local energy companies and 1,000 energy cooperatives, while workers were offered only a Right to Own policy that amounts to first refusal on buying their company when they face a change of ownership or closure.

More generally, under the slogan Good business needs good government, McDonnell pledged protectionist measures to safeguard British manufacturing as part of what he called an entrepreneurial state that works with the wealth creators, the workers and the entrepreneurs.

Imagine the society that we can create, he concluded. In this party you no longer have to whisper it, its called socialism.

Whatever this witches brew might be called, socialism it is not. The central political role played by Corbyn is to hold up a hodgepodge of minimal reforms, pacifist phrases and the forlorn hope of a renewed and remodelled Labour Party as an alternative to the struggle for socialism that the working class must now urgently undertake.
On September 17, the Economist magazine published a special report by Adrian Wooldridge titled The Superstar Company. The article details the sharp growth in the economic and political power of the worlds top corporations.

The editorial accompanying the report, A giant problem, warns that todays economic climate contains worrying similarities to a much earlier era, the period leading up to the Russian Revolution.

The business titans of that age, the editors write, reinforced their positions by driving their competitors out of business and cultivating close relations with politicians. The backlash that followed helped to destroy the liberal order in much of Europe. Today, a century later, what may be taking place is a return to 1917 and all that.

A hundred years ago, capitalism was in the midst of a breakdown much like today. It led on the one hand to the growth of war pursued by the various capitalist powers, and the outbreak, on the other hand, of socialist revolution pursued by the working class.

Also a hundred years ago, Lenin, writing in the midst of the world war, explained why this was the case in his work Imperialism, written during the first half of 1916.

Lenin described the imperialist epoch as a stage of capitalism in which the titans of industry ferociously consume their smaller opponents to create ever larger monopolies. At the same time, the epoch gives rise to a new financial aristocracy characterized by corruption, bribery on a huge scale and all kinds of fraud.

Though limited in its scope, the facts and figures detailed in the Economist report convey just how far this process of corporate consolidation and institutionalized political bribery has gone.

In 1994, the top 100 American companies accounted for 33 percent of the countrys gross domestic product. Today, they account for 46 percent of American GDP. In the financial industry, the five largest American banks controlled 25 percent of the countrys banking assets in 2000. Today, they control 45 percent of these assets.

The article argues that the market share of the leading companies is so vast that competition, in any meaningful sense, has been eliminated at the top of the corporate ladder.

Today, ten percent of the worlds companies generate 80 percent of the worlds profits. Firms whose annual revenue exceeds $1 billion account for 60 percent of all global revenue and 65 percent of global market capitalization.

Fueling this has been a surge in mergers and acquisitions, particularly since the financial crash of 2008. In 1990, there were 11,500 mergers and acquisitions, valued at 2 percent of global GDP. Since 2008, there have been an average of 30,000 mergers and acquisitions per year. The total value of these relative to global GDP has increased by about 50 percent and now equals 3 percent of world economic output.

This new wave of corporate monopolization comes amidst stagnation in the global economy. It is only firms with huge pools of capital that are able to compete in times of stagnation and slump. The article notes that the mortality rate for listed American companies over a five-year period is about 36 percent. However, for companies worth more than $1 billion, it is about 18 percent. (Many companies with assets over a billion dollars go bankrupt only to be looted and have their profitable sections incorporated into other companies).

Much has been made of the entry of high-tech companies into the list of top corporations. At the end of 2006, the following companies were the largest listed firms by market capitalization: Exxon Mobil, General Electric, Gazprom, Microsoft, Citigroup, Bank of America, Royal Dutch Shell, BP, Petro China, HSBC. But today that list reads as follows: Apple, Alphabet (the parent company of Google), Microsoft, Berkshire Hathaway, Exxon Mobil, Amazon, Facebook, Johnson & Johnson, General Electric, China Mobile.

The emergence of the so-called information economy has redistributed claims on the worlds wealth towards tech companies. However, this has not produced an economy of disruption in which small upstarts challenge the titans. On the contrary, it has led to an intensification of the competitive drive towards monopoly.

The report notes the growth of a tech aristocracy, which buys up smaller startups as they grow, weaving them into their ever-expanding web. Speaking about Silicon Valley, the Economist writes: Today the valley has been thoroughly corporatized: a handful of winner-takes-most companies have taken over the worlds most vibrant innovation center. It notes that both the tech aristocracy and the traditional corporate aristocracy employ fewer workers today, even though they are making record profits.

The article continues: The most successful tech companies have achieved massive scale in just a couple of decades. Google processes 4 billion searches a day. The number of people who go on Facebook every month is much larger than the population of China. These companies have translated vast scale into market domination and soaring revenues. The infrastructure of the information economy is increasingly controlled by a handful of companies: Amazon has almost one-third of the market for cloud computing, and its cloud-services division has grown by more than half over the past year.

According to the report, 90 percent of successful startups exit by selling themselves to other companies. And, at the same time, the number of new startups is actually lower than at any time since the late 1970s. More companies tend to die each year than are born.

Hand in hand with the growth of these monopolies comes their capacity to manipulate and control the regulatory system.

The report points out that the growth of regulatory agencies and laws, far from limiting the power of the corporate giants, is aiding their domination. Regulation inevitably imposes a disproportionate burden on smaller companies because compliance has a high fixed cost, the article notes. For a business with less than 19 employees, the cost of federal regulatory compliance is $10,585; for businesses with over 19 employees, it is $7,755.

The actual texts of major new laws are so long that only a few people in the world are rumored to have read them in their entirety. The Dodd-Frank Act, for example, is 2,319 pages long. The tax code is about 3.4 million words long. These are laws and codes written by and for armies of corporate lawyers and they are riddled with loopholes.

The report also notes: Multinationals routinely use foreign direct investment (FDI) in order to reduce the amount of tax they have to pay. In 2012, despite being a miniscule island nation, the British Virgin Islands was the fifth largest recipient of FDI in the world, receiving $72 billion. By comparison, Britain, with an economy 3,000 times larger, had an inflow of only $46 billion.

Only the largest companies can afford to create an elaborate array of offshore holding companies to maximize returns on capital by avoiding regulations and tax. The top 100 most globalized companies have an average of 20 holding companies each. However, each one of those holding companies has, in turn, its own holding companies. The report notes that the convoluted governance structure of modern corporate giants is even more so in high tech.

The report cites the recent case of Apple, which used Ireland to avoid EU taxes. Google also largely avoids tax outside the US. It had an effective tax rate of 2.4 percent on its non-American profits between 2007 and 2009 due to its use of Bermuda, Ireland and the Netherlands as a complicated tax haven network.

At the same time, these companies are spending unprecedented amounts of money on lobbyists. There are 37,700 lobbying groups in Washington, D.C. and 70 percent of them are companies. The average spending per lobbyist nearly doubled between 1998 and 2012.

The report cites a finding from Brown University showing that the pharmaceutical industry spent $130 million, a record amount, in getting a 2003 revision of Medicare passed. The revision netted the pharmaceutical corporations $242 billion.

In the EU, lobbying has also ballooned. Brussels is estimated to be home to at least 30,000 lobbyist groups.

In this regard, the report mentions the infamous revolving door. It is no secret that those who staff government offices, particularly regulatory boards, routinely move to top positions in corporate law firms and businesses. The report, for example, mentions Jose Manuel Barroso, former president of the European Commission, now a banker at Goldman Sachs.

The report concludes with a boilerplate call to regulate the excess of these monopolies and reign in the worst parts of their practice. The author notes with worry that over 70 percent of Americas population believes that the economy is rigged in favor of vested interests.

The reality is that this phenomenon is intrinsic to capitalism. The profit system drives towards monopoly and financialization. As Lenin explained 100 years ago, the growing power of just a handful of capitalists creates an ever more intimate bond between bourgeois politicians and big business.

The advent of new, revolutionary technologies only intensifies the drive to corporate profit as companies must operate at even larger scales to be profitable. From the standpoint of capital, war and economic nationalism abroad and repression at home become the only means of preserving and expanding profit.

But this same process also creates its opposite. Today, the world economy is more socialized than at any point in history. Todays economy is global, technologically advanced, and based on the social cooperation of millions of people. The means of production are tied to a dying social order subordinated to the profiteering of a tiny elite. The working class is being driven into revolutionary struggle against this system. It needs a revolutionary leadership to imbue this struggle with an understanding of the social forces it confronts and a worked out internationalist and socialist program.
Nathan DeSai, 46, a Houston, Texas lawyer, opened fire in the early morning darkness on Monday near his home in the Bellaire-West University area, taking aim at people passing by, wounding nine. None were killed, but six were sent to local hospitals for treatment. One is reportedly in critical condition.

Police arrived shortly after the shooting began. At first, they were confused about DeSais exact location and direction of fire. They took up positions slowly, according to neighbors who witnessed the event, but soon had DeSai surrounded. After he had discharged some dozens of bullets, the police shot and killed him. There are no reports of police injuries.

The shooting occurred at the corner of Weslayan and Law streets, where DeSai lived. A black Porsche automobile parked nearby turned out to belong to DeSai. It was said to have been full of weapons, ammunition, and Nazi materials of an unspecified kind. A bomb squad was called out as a precaution to examine the car, but no explosives were found.

An autopsy of DeSais body was scheduled for Tuesday.

Three of the victims were driving by in their automobiles, narrowly missing death when DeSai shot at them through their car windows. They were treated at the scene for cuts caused by shattered window glass and released. Photographs published later in the day showed several shot-out car windows.

Kevin Chap was less fortunate; as he passed by in his car he was hit by a bullet in the neck. He was able to stop his car and seek help. An EMS ambulance took him to Ben Taub Hospital for treatment. He is expected to recover.

A shelter-in-place order was posted at 8:13 a.m. for West University, the enclave of Houston where the shooting occurred. It was lifted several hours after DeSai had been killed. West University Elementary School held normal classes despite the shelter-in-place order.

The area where the shooting occurred is a mix of residential single- and multifamily housing and commercial shopping centers.

As the gunfire broke out early in the morning, many of the neighbors were startled out of their beds. It appears that many people made cell-phone recordings of the events. Some eyewitnesses say they could not see the shooter at all because it was such a dark and cloudy morning, and there is much foliage along the streets, including broad, low live oak trees.

Desai had apparently taken up a position underneath one of the trees behind the trunk. But witnesses could see the muzzle flashes and could clearly hear that the shots were coming from directly across the street. The gunfire was described by one local journalist as a constant flow.

As a practicing lawyer, DeSai had an unusual resume for a mass shooter. He had a Bachelors degree in psychology from the University of Houston, and received his law degree from the University of Tulsa in 1998. He was in good standing with the Texas State Bar Association, having no complaints or disciplinary actions on his record. For about twelve years DeSai shared a law office with law partner Kenneth McDaniel.

According to DeSais father, his son was upset that the law office did not have enough clients to sustain the business, and it was therefore closed sometime during the past year. DeSais father said his son had been extremely worried about the business for a long time. DeSai continued to represent clients while working out of his home.

McDaniel, contacted by reporters, confirmed that he and DeSai had been partners in the firm, but said he had no idea what his former partner was doing on the morning of the shooting. There have been some media reports characterizing DeSai as disgruntled, and that McDaniel and DeSai had some kind of bad blood between them. McDaniel denied this, saying the office closure was simply a matter of economics.

Questions remain about the significance of reports that DeSais Porsche was filled with Nazi materials of an unspecified nature, in addition to multiple firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition. This brief assertion was repeated numerous times on the air by reporters with local ABC News station KTRK, Channel 13. However, there was absolutely no follow-up on this aspect of the story as of Tuesday.

A fuzzy photograph posted on the television stations web site shows a policeman removing from the car what appears to be a red notebook or binder with a black-and-white swastika on the front cover. Whatever else may have been in the car has not yet been described by police.

Houston mayor Sylvester Turner said that authorities were being cautious in characterizing DeSais assault as a terrorist attack until they had more information. The FBI is working with Houston Police to evaluate the possibility.

Among DeSais weapons and military paraphernalia were also some artifacts from the US Civil War. It remains to be seen if the Nazi materials indicate any form of ideological commitment to the extreme right, or if he was simply a collector of historical military objects.

However, some questions about DeSais personal behavior have been brought forward by a neighbor, Cliff Saunders, a KTRH radio reporter. Saunders said he avoided DeSai, saying, I knew enough to stay away. He said that DeSai had anger issues and drove too fast through the parking lot they both shared as neighbors. Worse, Saunders wife called him last summer to warn him, Dont go home, there is a guy walking around with an AR-15. Saunders asked who it was. The guy with the black Porsche, she replied.

Whether DeSai had any connections to extreme right-wing groups or to national-security forces is unknown at this time. But it must be borne in mind that the combination of quantities of firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition, fascist propaganda literature, and mass shootings conforms to an often-seen pattern of right-wing violence.
India has taken a series of high-profile steps in recent days aimed at punishing Pakistan for the September 18 attack on the Uri military base in Indian-administered Kashmir. The attack, which was carried out by Islamist opponents of Indian rule over Jammu and Kashmir, Indias only Muslim-majority state, killed eighteen Indian soldiers.

The publicly announced steps that India has taken are of a diplomatic and economic character. But there is no doubt that behind the scenes feverish preparations continue for a lethal Indian counterstrike, whether in the form of military or covert action.

Within hours of the Uri attack and before any credible investigation, Indian government and military leaders publicly declared Islamabad responsible. Soon the media was full of commentary baying for military action against Islamabad and enthused reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was huddling with Indias senior-most military and intelligence officials to plot a robust response. The measures under consideration reportedly included air or cruise missile strikes on Islamist Kashmiri separatist bases in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, cross-border raids, and/or the assassination of Pakistani intelligence officials.

The Indian government and military have subsequently signaled that they still intend to bloody Pakistan. However, given the logistical difficulties in carrying out an attack and in rebuffing the inevitable Pakistani military response, they have said that they do not intend to act precipitously. Any action will be at a time and in a form, including potentially deniable covert operations, of Indias choosing.

In the meantime, India is mounting a diplomatic and political offensive against Pakistan, and Modi and his government continue to incite the population against Pakistan. In this they have the full support of the opposition Congress Party, which has called for an emergency session of parliament to discuss reprisals against Pakistan.

Yesterday, the Indian government announced that Modi will boycott the SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) summit in Islamabad in November and indicated that it has convinced other member statesIndian news reports named Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistanto do the same.

On Monday, India said it would increase its water withdrawals from three rivers that flow through India to Pakistan to the maximum permitted under the 1960 Indus Water Treaty (IWT) and cease its participation in meetings of the Permanent Indus Commission, set up under the IWT, until terror comes to an end. India and Pakistan already are at loggerheads over the IWTs application and implementation. By maximizing its water rights and under conditions where Pakistan has repeatedly been hit by drought and electricity shortages, New Delhi hopes to deliver a major blow to the Pakistani economy.

Modi has convened a meeting for later this week to discuss stripping Pakistan of Most Favored Nation Trade status. Given the paltry level of bilateral trade between South Asias rival nuclear-armed states, this will have only limited adverse impact on Pakistan, but India is intent on moving on as many fronts as it can.

Modi and his Foreign Minister, Sushma Swaraj, have given back-to-back inflammatory speeches targeting Pakistan and labeling it a terror state or state sponsor of terrorismdesignations Washington has repeatedly invoked to justify illegal wars and missile strikes.

Speaking last Saturday before the national council of his party, the Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP, Modi for the first time explicitly labeled Pakistan as the author of the Uri attack. Pakistans rulers, said Modi, should know that the sacrifice of our 18 soldiers will not go to waste.

Every time there is a terror attack, continued Modi, it appears that either the terrorist has come from Pakistan or like [former Al Qaeda leader] Osama Bin Laden has sought asylum there.

Modi then went on to contrast India and Pakistan, saying the two countries got independence at almost the same time, (but) have traversed difference paths such that India today export(s) software while Pakistan export(s) terror.

In fact, India and Pakistanthe twin capitalist states born of the reactionary 1947 communal Partition of South Asia, into an explicitly Muslim Pakistan and a mainly Hindu Indiahave followed the same path. Under the rule of the bourgeoisie, both have failed to provide even the most basic necessities of life for large swathes of their populations, have incited communal reaction to split the working class, and have squandered countless lives and resources in pursuit of their geopolitical rivalry.

Modi himself personifies the reactionary and malignant character of the India ruling elite. As Chief Minister of Gujarat, he helped instigate and presided over an anti-Muslim pogrom in 2002 that killed more than a thousand people and rendered tens of thousands homeless.

Indias Prime Minister went on to ridicule the speech Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had given to the UN General Assembly the previous week, saying that it had been written at the behest of his masters, the terrorists, to serenade Kashmir.

To be sure, Sharifs posturing as the defender of the Kashmiri people was an utter fraud. The Pakistani bourgeoisie has denied the Kashmiris under its rule in Azad or Pakistan Occupied Kashmir their basic rights and it has manipulated and systematically sought to communalize the opposition of the people in Indian-held Kashmir, while using it to legitimize its reactionary conflict with India.

That said, Modi clearly had no rebuttal to Sharifs charges of massive Indian state violence and repression in Kashmir. Instead he denouncedand as is in Sharifs case not without justificationPakistan for committing similar crimes against its own people.

In mid-August, well before the Uri events, the Modi government announced that India would hit back against Pakistan by denouncing Pakistani human rights violation in Balochistan and by giving more political space to anti-Pakistani Balochi ethno-separatists in India. In his BJP National Council speech, Modi again brandished the Balochistan card. And so as to underscore the implicit threat India will support Balochistans secession, he noted, as part of a mock dialogue with Islamabad, Once Bangladesh was part of your country. You couldnt handle it.

On Monday, Swaraj used her speech at the UN General Assembly to castigate Pakistan as a terrorist state and call for its diplomatic isolation. Although she did not directly name Pakistan, her meaning was unmistakable. There are nations, she said, that still speak that language of terrorism, that nurture, peddle it and export it. Invoking the USs phony war on terror, she said that such countries should have no place in the comity of nations.

The Indian elites hue and cry against Pakistan over Islamabads ties to Islamist terror is utterly hypocritical and reactionary and not only because New Delhi has its own sordid record of covert operations and is using the reputed Islamist terror menace to legitimize its own belligerent policy.

Pakistan intelligence developed close ties to Islamist groups in Afghanistan in the 1980s, when it served as the pivot of the CIA campaign to overthrow the Soviet-backed government in Kabul, and subsequently incorporated some of them into its machinations against India. But the US, with which the Modi government has a burgeoning military-strategic partnership, has over the past quarter-century waged and fomented one illegal war after another. And in so doing, it has made far greater use than the Pakistani elite of Islamist terror groups to advance its predatory strategic interests. From Kosovo in the late 1990s, to Libya in 2011, and Syria for the past five years, Washington has repeatedly enlisted Islamist terrorist groups as its proxy fighters, in the process blowing up whole societies.

Washington has called on India and Pakistan to pull back from further escalation. A senior US State Department official told the Press Trust of India, Our longstanding position is that we believe India and Pakistan stand to benefit from normalization of relations and practical cooperation. He added that Washington will encourage India and Pakistan to continue to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions.

Such statements are entirely hypocritical and self-serving. As in the South China Sea, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, US imperialism is playing the most incendiary role in South Asia. Its drive to make India a frontline state in its military-strategic offensive against China, has overturned the regional balance of power, stoking an arms and nuclear-arms race, increasing the anxiety and strategic crisis of Pakistans venal bourgeois elite, and encouraging India in its ambitions to impose itself as the regional hegemon.
At an informal meeting of European Union (EU) defence ministers in Bratislava on Tuesday, British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon denounced German-French plans for a European military union and the possible creation of a European army.

There are member states who would like to see a single set of forces. That looks and sounds to me like a European army, and we would oppose that, he told reporters. NATO must remain the cornerstone of our defence and the defence of Europe.

Fallon insisted it was up to NATO, not the European Union, to defend Europe against Russia. Lashing out against plans drawn up by Berlin and Paris to create a joint EU military headquarters, Fallon stated: Europe is littered with HQs, what we don't need is another one. He vowed to continue to oppose any idea of an EU army, or an EU army headquarters which would simply undermine NATO.

Fallon said Sweden, the Netherlands, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania have also raised concerns about the German-French plans.

Other countries proposed competing plans for EU militarization. An Italian paper seen by EU Observer proposed a permanent European Multinational Force (EMF) regrouping member states willing to share forces, command and control, manoeuvre and enabling capabilities. It aspired to deeper military integration in future, calling the EMF an initial nucleus of a future European integrated force.

The Finnish paper is reportedly weaker than the Italian or Franco-German militarization plans. It suggests a new joint permanent civilian-military planning and conduct capability to direct non-executive military operations. It implicitly designates Russia as the main enemy, however, calling on the EU to target hybrid threats, a term routinely associated to Russia amid the current NATO build-up in Eastern Europe.

Fallon's remarks point to deeply rooted conflicts erupting among the leading European powers after Britain's vote to leave the EU. Amid an unprecedented war crisis with Russia and in the Middle East, and the discrediting of the EU by its anti-worker austerity policies, the most powerful states in continental Europe are trying to hold the EU together by turning it into a military alliance. Yet top officials in London and elsewhere in Europe see this as an intolerable threat to NATO and, in particular, to Europe's relations with the United States.

German and French officials at the Bratislava summit responded to Fallon's statement by downplaying any conflict between their military ambitions and those of NATO.

Standing together, German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen and her French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian claimed there were no plans to set up a European army rivaling NATO. On the contrary, von der Leyen said, It is about bundling the various strengths of European countries to be ready to act together quickly. She claimed that everything that strengthens Europe in terms of defence also strengthens NATO.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made a somewhat similar, albeit more tentative, statement. At a press conference, he said, As long as this is in complementarity to NATO, and as long as this is not duplicating the efforts of NATO, I think we should only welcome stronger European defence, because thats good for Europe, its good for the European Union, and its good for NATO.

There is no objective foundation for von der Leyen's claim that rearming German imperialism and its EU allies will inevitably strengthen the US-led NATO alliance. In fact, London's opposition to plans for a strategically autonomous EU military reflects deeply rooted conflicts among the NATO powers.

In the quarter century since the Stalinist dissolution of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, Germany and France have repeatedly come into conflict with US war policies strongly supported by British imperialism. They opposed the illegal invasion of Iraq by Washington and London in 2003.

While Berlin and Paris fell back into line with Washington afterwards, the conflict between their policy and that of Washington amid the current war drive against Russia and China is ever more apparent. They ignored US pressure, as did London, not to join China's Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank last year. They also negotiated the Minsk accords with Russia and Ukraine to forestall all-out war with Russia, blocking the US arming of far-right Ukrainian militias against pro-Russian forces in east Ukraine after the NATO-backed putsch in Kiev two years ago.

The aim of German-French policy is not peace, however, but the assertion of their own imperialist interests. Amid growing war tensions, Berlin and Paris are articulating a longer-term strategy to develop the ability to mount imperialist interventions around the world without the approval ofthat is to say, potentially in opposition toWashington and London. That is, they do not oppose, but contribute to, the drive of all the main imperialist powers towards large-scale war.

Berlin and Paris openly announce, moreover, that a key goal of EU military planning is internal security, or, as foreign ministers Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Jean-Marc Ayrault wrote in a recent report, the interaction between external threats and internal weaknesses. The French government's use of a state of emergency to attack protests against its reactionary labor law has shown that the central target is political opposition in the working class.

Before the first EU summit without British participation on September 16, German Defence Minister von der Leyen and her French counterpart Le Drian released a military policy paper, Renewing the GSVP [Joint Security and Defence Policy]: Toward a comprehensive, realistic and reliable defence in the EU.

The paper calls for a concrete plan of action to quickly implement a new EU global strategy for foreign and security policy (EUGS), presented by High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini at the first post-Brexit EU summit in July. Besides a permanent EU HQ [headquarters] for military and civilian missions and operations, they called for the support of GSVP military missions, the development of military capability and European defence cooperation as well as the concrete support of the European defence industry.

On this basis, strategic autonomy is ensured, and a strong, competitive and innovative European defence industry can be built, the paper proclaims.

In the current context of explosive US-EU tensions on military and economic issues, there can be little doubt that the creation of such EU military structures would challenge NATO and deepen the same inter-imperialist conflicts that twice led to world war in Europe in the twentieth century.

At the September 16 summit, French President Francois Hollande gave voice to EU concerns that, particularly after the upcoming US presidential elections, Washington might prove to be an unreliable ally. He said, If the United States decide to move away from us, Europe must be capable of defending itself. For the EU, defense is the critical challenge. Our task is to weigh on the destiny of the world, to give ourselves the capacity to project force ... and to ensure our defense, for France and for Europe.

At the same time, economic conflicts between Europe and the United States are deepening. Last month, French officials called for ending trade talks with the US on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, amid growing conflicts between US and EU trade negotiators. This month, as Deutsche Bank shares continued their historic collapse, US regulators imposed a $14 billion fine that threatens to bankrupt Germany's biggest bank.
US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter delivered a speech to missileers at the Air Force Global Strike Command base in Minot, North Dakota Monday, defending the massive modernization of the US nuclear arsenal and issuing bellicose threats against Russia.

Carters trip to Minot was the first he has taken to a nuclear missile base since becoming secretary of defense in February 2015. It coincided with the steady escalation of conflicts pitting the US against nuclear-armed Russia and China that threaten to ignite a new world war.

The thrust of Carters speech was a defense of the Pentagons proposed $348 billion plan to rebuild Washingtons so-called nuclear triad of strategic bombers, missiles and submarines. Estimates are that over a 30-year period, this nuclear buildup will siphon fully $1 trillion out of the American economy.

Delivered to the officers and enlisted personnel tasked with launching Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles, each carrying warheads with 60 times the destructive capacity of the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, the speech at times seemed to echo the title of the satiric 1964 film Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.

This massive US death machine, Carter insisted, provided the bedrock of security that has enabled millions and millions to get up in the morning to go to school, to go to work, to live their lives, to dream their dreams and to give their children a better future.

He went on to predict that given what we see in todays security environment, its also likely that our children and their children will probably have to live in a world where nuclear weapons exist. In reality, assuming the continuation of the present security environment and the continued existence of nuclear weapons, there is good reason to fear that the world will be incinerated in the lifetimes of our children and their children.

While using the anodyne Pentagon jargon of our nuclear enterprise to refer to the US nuclear war arsenal, Carters speech contained passages hinting at the undeniable fact that the threat of a nuclear conflagration is now greater than at any time since the height of the Cold War.

He warned that while in the more than seven decades since 1945, nuclear weapons have not again been used in war, thats not something we can ever take for granted.

He added: In todays security environment, one thats dramatically different from the last generation, and certainly the generation before that, we face a nuclear landscape that continues to pose challengesthat continues to evolve, in some ways less predictably than during the Cold War, even though many around the world and even some in the United States are stuck in the Cold War in their thinking.

What has changed in the wake of the Cold War and the Stalinist bureaucracys dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 is the eruption of American militarism, based on the conviction of the US ruling establishment that, with the demise of the USSR, it could freely employ its military might in a bid to assert world hegemony and reverse the global economic decline of American capitalism.

The wars fought over the last quarter century, particularly in the Middle East, have produced a series of debacles and a world historic catastrophe for the peoples of the region. At the same time, they have metastasized into broader conflicts pitting the US ever more directly against Russia and China.

In a press conference after his speech, Carter gave vent to the mounting frustration in Washington over the failure of its five-year-old proxy war for regime change in Syria. This has taken the form of ever more hysterical denunciations of Russia for war crimesthis from a government responsible for well over a million deaths in the region.

Whats going on now in Syria is tragic, disgraceful, preventable, andas I think everyone around the world has been emphasizing over the weekendRussia and the Syrian regime bear responsibility for the violence, particularly against civilians, Carter told the media.

The real concern in Washington is not the loss of civilian lives, but rather the prospect that the Syrian government, backed by Russian airpower, is on the verge of overrunning east Aleppo, one of the last bastions of the Al Qaeda-affiliated militias that constitute the main fighting force in the US-orchestrated war for regime change.

Attacking Russia in his speech, Carter said: Moscows recent saber rattling and building of new nuclear weapons systems raises serious questions about its leaders commitment to strategic stability, their regard for long-established abhorrence of using nuclear weapons and whether they respect the profound caution that Cold War-era leaders showed with respect to brandishing nuclear weapons.

The Obama administration, which recently signaled its decision to abandon even the Democratic presidents pretense of renouncing a nuclear first strike as official US policy, has attempted to portray Russia as responsible for igniting a new nuclear arms race. Given that Russias military budget is little more than one-tenth that of the US, and less than that of Washingtons closest Arab ally, Saudi Arabia, this amounts to an absurd pretext.

The nuclear saber rattling is being carried out by the US government, and Carters trip to Minot was part of it.

The defense secretary described the nuclear bombers and missiles as a force that served to enable US troops to accomplish their conventional missions around the world.

As you know, theyre standing with our NATO allies and standing up to Russias aggression in Europe, he said, referring as well to US operations in the vital Asia-Pacific region, deterring North Koreas provocations and countering Irans malign activities in the Middle East.

Referring to the relentless US-NATO military buildup against Russia, Carter declared: Across the Atlantic, were refreshing NATOs nuclear playbook to better integrate conventional and nuclear deterrence to ensure we plan and train like wed fight and to deter Russia from thinking it can benefit from nuclear use in a conflict with NATO, from trying to escalate to de-escalate, as some there call it.

The US and its NATO allies are deploying thousands of troops on Russias western border and have created a 40,000-strong rapid reaction force in preparation for war. The stated commitment to integrate conventional and nuclear forces in this effort has placed the threat of nuclear war on a hair trigger.

Last week, the Russian news agency Tass quoted the commander of Russias Strategic Missile Force, Sergey Karakayev, as reporting that the latest Yars mobile ballistic missile systems are being deployed to the Tver region, the countrys westernmost ICBM command. Moscow is carrying out the deployment in response to Washingtons positioning of an antimissile defense system in Romania and plans to set up similar batteries in Poland. While the US pretext is that the systems are directed against Iran, which has no nuclear weapons, Moscow sees the deployments as an attempt to make a first strike against Russia more feasible. It also charges that the ABM systems can easily be converted to fire short- and medium-range offensive nuclear missiles.

In his speech Monday, Carter also made a brief reference to a Pentagon effort to boost morale among the military personnel assigned to launch a nuclear war, saying it was bearing fruit. In 2013 and 2014, over 100 officers and enlisted personnel at nuclear bases were implicated in a scandal involving drug abuse, cheating on proficiency tests and gross security violations. The nuclear war command also saw a series of top officers removed from their posts.

The claim of improved morale was called into question, however, with the court martial in June of one member of the security forces at the F.E. Warren nuclear missile base in Wyoming on charges of using and distributing the hallucinogenic drug LSD. Fourteen other airmen have been suspended for suspected drug use there.
Monday nights debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump plumbed new depths in the degradation of American politics. A billionaire and a multi-millionaire, both widely hated, traded false promises, platitudes, attack lines and reactionary bromides without seriously addressing any of the pressing issues facing the American people.

On social policy, Trump combined calls for trade war with a program of sweeping corporate tax cuts and the elimination of all regulations on business, at one point boasting of his own evasion of federal income taxes. Responding to Clintons criticism that he benefited personally from the housing market collapse, he declared, Thats called business.

Clinton, who has the closest ties to Wall Street, said the financial crisis of 2008 was the product of tax policies that slashed taxes on the wealthy, failed to invest in the middle class, took their eyes off Wall Street. She evidently hoped that no one would pick up on the fact that her husbands administration and the Democratic Party as a whole played a central role in this process.

But the heart of the debate, as far as the ruling class is concerned, lay in foreign and military policy, where Clinton has focused the majority of her attacks on Trump, presenting herself as a more ruthless and militaristic future commander-in-chief.

Clinton continued the war-mongering diatribes against Russia that have dominated her campaign since the run-up to the Democratic National Convention in July, along with her attacks on Trump from the right, branding him a stooge of Russian President Vladimir Putin. She repeated the claim, never substantiated, that Putin was responsible for hacking the email of the Democratic National Committee.

In response to alleged cyber attacks by Russia, China, Iran or anybody else, she declared, We are not going to sit idly by and were going to have to make it clear that we dont want to use the kinds of tools that we have. We dont want to engage in a different kind of warfare. But we will defend the citizens of this country. And the Russians need to understand that.

This language echoes her remark at a September 7 forum on national security policy in New York City, where she declared that a Clinton administration would treat cyber attacks as acts of war and respond with military force.

Besides suggesting war with Russiapossessor of the worlds second largest stockpile of nuclear weaponsClinton called for stepped-up US military operations in the Middle East, including intensified air strikes on ISIS and the wider use of drone missile assassinations, targeting, in particular, ISIS leader Abu Baker al-Baghdadi. Such state killings should become one of our organizing principles, Clinton concluded.

Trump was typically bombastic in his threats of military action in the Middle East, but less explicit about war against more formidable targets such as Russia and China. But the logic of his Fortress America appeals to economic nationalism and trade war, and his identification of Mexico, China and other countries as US enemies, leads inexorably to the same program of global military aggression.

Moderator Lester Holt of NBC News did not ask Clinton how many millions of lives she was prepared to sacrifice in a potential war with Russia. However, indicative of discussions going on behind the scenes, he did ask the candidates opinions on reports that Obama considered changing the nations longstanding policy on first use of nuclear weapons. This was a reference to articles revealing that Obama had considered adopting an explicit no-first-use nuclear policy, a proposal he ultimately discarded after it came under attack from within his own administration.

Trump first said that he would not do first strike, before adding, I cant take anything off the table. Clinton pointedly did not reply to the question.

In the aftermath of the debate, the media and most of the political establishment declared Clinton the winner. This is because she is seen as the more reliable instrument of US imperialisms aggressive global policy, involving a vast escalation of military violence after the election.

Clinton is seeking to mobilize behind this policy privileged, pro-war sections of the upper-middle class who support the Democratic Party on the basis of identity politics. This was the essential significance of her pointed reference (in relation to police violence) to systemic racism in the United States.

The 2016 election campaign was dominated for many months by explosive popular disaffection with the whole political and corporate establishment. But it has concluded in a contest between two candidates who personify that establishmentone a billionaire from the criminal world of real-estate swindling, the other the consensus choice of the military-intelligence apparatus and Wall Street.

This outcome has an objective character. The two-party system is a political monopoly of the capitalist class. Both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party are political instruments of big business. The claims of Bernie Sanders and his pseudo-left apologists that it is possible to reform or pressure the Democratsand even carry out a political revolution through ithave proven to be lies.

With six weeks to go until Election Day, it is more clear than ever that whoever wins, the people of the United States and the entire world confront immense dangers, including the threat of a military conflict involving nuclear powers such as Russia and China. The greatest danger, however, is the gulf that exists between the advanced state of the war plans of the ruling class and the level of popular consciousness. Everything must be done to alert workers and young people to what is being planned and build a political leadership to oppose war and the capitalist system that produces it.

The working class must prepare itself politically for the struggles to come. This is the essential significance of the Socialist Equality Partys election campaign and its candidates, Jerry White for president and Niles Niemuth for vice president. We urge workers and young people to support our campaign and attend the November 5th conference on Socialism vs. Capitalism and War, being held in Detroit.
Papua New Guineas national airline has sacked eight pilots who took part in a protest action against Prime Minister Peter ONeill in July. Air Niugini CEO Simon Foo confirmed last week that the pilots were dismissed as disciplinary measures.

The pilots had called in sick over a period of a week in mid-July amid a withdrawal of services by other sections of the working class, including maritime, health and energy sector workers. Their action came ahead of a parliamentary motion of no-confidence against the prime minister, which he subsequently defeated.

The eight pilots are captains Joe Kumasi, Ben Lopa, Vince Tongia and Norman Daniel, and first officers Boris Ageda, Elijah Yuangi, David Sekan and Abel Kanengo. Their dismissal by the state-owned airline is part of a vicious witch-hunt of protesters as part of broader repression against opposition to the governments austerity program.

The prime responsibility for the sackings, however, rests with the trade unions and the professional Concerned Citizens Coalition (CCC) group. These organisations isolated the pilots and promoted the bankrupt perspective that individual protests would pressure the government to make concessions.

The pilots had joined thousands of university students who boycotted classes in the countrys main tertiary institutions for over two months, demanding that ONeill step aside to face fraud allegations. The protests climaxed on June 8 when heavily-armed police fired on unarmed students at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG), wounding at least 23 people.

When the university re-opened on September 5 after a two-month shutdown designed to suppress the protest movement, eight student leaders were permanently barred from their studies. The UPNG Student Representative Council was also disbanded. In protest over the leaders victimisation, students boycotted a reconciliation ceremony organised by the university administration.

Throughout these confrontations, the opposition parties under leader Don Polye manoeuvred to confine the anti-government sentiment to the issue of ONeills corruption. Corruption, however, is rife throughout the countrys venal ruling elites. The parliamentary opposition has no fundamental disagreement with the governments anti-working class austerity program.

Workers, youth and the rural poor face a sharpening assault on living standards. The collapse of global commodities prices has devastated the PNG economy. Growth has plunged from 13.3 percent in 2014 to a forecast 2.4 percent in 2017. In response to plummeting revenues, and under pressure from international financial institutions, the government has slashed spending, resulting in public servants not being paid and deep cuts to the health and education budgets.

The government struck a last-minute deal with the PNG Nurses Association (PNGNA) on September 13 to cancel a nationwide strike by 5,000 nurses over unpaid salaries. The agreement, under which the government and unions will impose further savings in the 2016 budget, is a betrayal. Thousands of nurses will continue to be improperly paid while public services and the living conditions of the working class are savaged to meet budget shortfalls.

ONeills Peoples National Congress-led government is turning to intimidation and authoritarian measures to suppress popular resistance. Before securing the collaboration of the PNGNA, it declared the nurses strike illegal. Previously, following a walkout by doctors at Mt Hagen Hospital on August 24, the third this year, the health minister ordered the doctors to return to work under threats of dismissal and legal action.

In July, the government threatened to mobilise the police and armed forces to suppress strikes. The National Security Advisory Council established a National Security Joint Task Force, including police and military personnel, to quell increasing internal security threats. ONeill responded to the pilots protest by declaring: If you do not go to work, you are breaching your employment contract and you will be dealt with (by the company), as simple as that (because) it is not an industrial issue.

Air Niugini CEO Foo told the National last week that the eight pilots were dismissed for taking part in a politically-motivated stop-work. The sudden increase in the number of national pilots reporting sick and unable to attend work from July 13 to 20 affected Air Niugini flights, he said. Air Niuginis image and branding was severely tarnished, losing valued customers to the opposition airlines both domestically and internationally and incurring significant financial loss.

Captain James Makop, a spokesman for the CCC, which includes aviation workers, lawyers and union officials, said the sackings were made under duress to satisfy the companys political masters need for punitive measures. He told Loop PNG the decision was presumptuous and against regulations.

The CCC, however, insists that the pilots should appeal to the courts to seek reinstatement, claiming it is a subject for the Labour and Industry Department and the judiciary to adjudicate. In other words, the CCC and the unions will take no action to defend the pilots and their fate will be decided in the capitalist courts.

The government and Air Niugini have been able to victimise the pilots only because the unions and the CCC had no intention of waging a political and industrial campaign against the government. Even after their members took action, the National Doctors Association (NDA), National Airline Employees Association and the energy workers union refused to sanction any strikes.

A CCC spokesman, lawyer Moses Murray, told Radio New Zealand in July that his organisation was not calling for strikes but only for people not to go to work. Its not militant in nature, he said. I would not prefer the word strike. Pilots and doctors, he said, had simply exercised their conscience not to attend work. Murray emphasised that the protests were not intended to disrupt essential services.

Other unions openly backed ONeill. PNG Trade Union Congress general secretary John Paska slammed the parliamentary oppositions no-confidence vote as baseless and unjustified. Port workers worked a go-slow for over a week in defiance of orders by the Maritime and Transport Workers unions not to take part in the protests.

The CCC and the unions do not represent the interests of the working masses, but tie them to the political ruling establishment and work to suppress the emerging struggles against the deepening onslaught on living standards and basic rights.
Last Friday, the Polish parliament, the Sejm, approved a draft law in a first reading that provides for a near-total ban on abortion and criminalises both women and doctors involved in abortions.

The bill was introduced by an ultra-right, Catholic lobby group and bans all abortion with the exception of those facing the imminent danger of death. Even underage girls who have been raped are denied a right to abortion. Women who abort face a charge of prenatal murder and a prison sentence of between three months and five years. The same applies to all and any helpers. This also means that even women who suffer a miscarriage run the risk of being charged on suspicion of abortion.

The bill stems from the citizens initiative Stop Abortion (Stop Aborcji), which collected 500,000 signatures for their petition. The ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS) has openly supported the draft from the onset. In its election manifesto for the parliamentary election in 2015, PiS had already included a total ban on abortion.

In the first reading on Friday, 267 deputies voted for the bill, 154 voted against and 11 abstained. The draft will now be forwarded to the Human Rights Committee and the Justice Committee of the Sejm. The same meeting also endorsed another draft law tightening up rules on artificial insemination significantly. Accordingly, the freezing of embryos is to be banned and only a maximum of one fertilised egg can be transplanted per operation, thereby greatly reducing the chance of pregnancy.

The existing law is already extremely restrictive. Currently, abortions are only allowed if the woman was raped, incest was involved or the fetus has severe deformities. As a result, the total number of legal abortions per year in Poland is listed at 2,000. Experts, however, estimate that in fact between 80,000 and 150,000 women undergo illegal abortion in Poland or other European Union (EU) countries annually. According to one survey, one third of all women in Poland have had at least one abortion.

The latest ban on abortion is deeply reactionary and represents an attack on the democratic and social rights of the working class. In a country where one in four lives below the poverty line, including 1.4 million children and youth under age 24, a ban on family planning not only undermines self-determination for women, but is directed at the rights of the working class as a whole.

The PiS is seeking with the bill to consolidate its base amongst right-wing and church-based organisations and mobilise them to attack the rights of working people, as tensions grow within the Polish bourgeoisie over foreign and domestic policy. The PiS government plays a key role in NATOs preparations for war against Russia, and in its first year in office has moved rapidly to build a police state aimed primarily at the working class.

The mobilisation of religious backwardness to enforce austerity measures and social attacks is not new. Following the collapse of the Stalinist regime in Poland in 1989-1990, the president at the time, Lech Walesa, repeatedly restricted abortion rights and worked closely with the Catholic Church to suppress massive opposition to his so-called shock therapy, destroying millions of jobs and the existing social system.

There is mass opposition to the new abortion laws. According to a survey by Newsweek Polska, which has links to opposition parties, 74 percent of the population opposes a tightening up of the abortion law.

But this sentiment finds no expression within the political establishment. The largest opposition party, Civic Platform (PO), which had ruled until 2015, defended the existing reactionary abortion law as a compromise solution. At the same time, the party declared that the bill is a matter of conscience and lifted party discipline for the vote. Four PO MPs voted on Friday for the abortion ban. The new liberal party Nowoczesna, founded by an influential banker and businessman, shares the line of the PO on this issue.

Protests against the new law, mainly by the pseudo-left Razem (Together) party and the organisation Ratujmy kobiety (Let us rescue women), do not reflect opposition to the law within the working class but rather the interests of wealthy layers of the middle class. Representatives of the PO were often allowed to speak at the latters demonstrations.

Several thousand people participated in protests in the largest cities of the country over a period of several months, and a Twitter campaign under the hashtag #czarnyprotest (black protest) was organised with many pop stars, actors and opposition politicians signaling their dissent.

The party Razem, which was founded in early 2015 along the lines of SYRIZA and the Spanish Podemos, has made every effort to suppress the central political and social issues. It divorced the new legislation from the militarist and anti-social agenda of the PiS government and limited its protest solely to the issue of womens rights, above all from the standpoint of privileged layers of the urban middle class.

In fact, Razems stance, like that of other parties, does not differ fundamentally from the PiS line. The party supports NATOs aggressive policy against Russia in Ukraine, which is being massively promoted by the Polish bourgeoisie. Like its sister parties in Europe, Razem also backs austerity and social cuts.

Razem is hostile to the social and democratic rights of the working class. The party merely represents a wing of the Polish elite, which seeks closer links with the EU. It is using the protest against the tightening up of abortion law to mobilise the upper middle class for this pro-EU policy.
Dismissing an Australian government challenge, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague issued a ruling Monday upholding its authority to consider a case brought by East Timor over the disputed maritime border in the Timor Sea.

The judgment is a significant blow to the Australian government. It marks another exposure of Canberras contempt for international law and its rank hypocrisy over the resolution of maritime disputes. Earlier this year, the government joined Washington in backing a dubious Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) finding against China over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The US-backed case, brought by the former Philippine administration, was aimed at bolstering the Obama administrations aggressive drive to maintain its military hegemony in the Asia Pacific.

While Canberra has demanded that China abide by the arbitration ruling, in 2002 Australia declared that it would not recognise any arbitrated case involving its own disputed maritime border with East Timor. This unilateral withdrawal from a key aspect of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) was aimed at preventing any legal scrutiny of the Australian governments thuggery and intimidation of East Timor during negotiations over the division of multi-billion dollar oil and gas fields in the Timor Sea.

Unable to pursue compulsory arbitration, the East Timorese government has used a never-before invoked clause of UNCLOS, allowing for compulsory conciliation. This involves The Hague court considering the rival sea boundary claims and issuing non-binding recommendations that are supposed to be the basis of a negotiated settlement.

Even this limited legal mechanism is regarded as a threat by the Australian government. It sought to have the case thrown out on the grounds that the PCA was not legally authorised to hear it.

The 33-page ruling issued by the court on Monday dismissed this claim, sharply rejecting all the arguments advanced by the governments legal team.

These arguments centred on the supposed sanctity of the 2006 Treaty on Certain Maritime Arrangements in the Timor Sea (CMATS), specifically, one of the treatys clauses that stated the maritime boundary between Australia and East Timor would be left unresolved for 50 years. Australian government lawyers declared that the East Timorese were violating treaty commitments, adding that their challenge to the court was motivated by a serious regard for principle  at a time when the rules-based order globally is under serious challenge, it is vital that countries stand by their treaty commitments.

These statements brazenly flew in the face of Australian imperialisms record in Timor. In 1975 the then Labor government encouraged the Indonesian military regimes invasion of the former Portuguese colony. Subsequent Labor and Liberal-National governments collaborated with Jakarta in carving up the lucrative energy reserves in the Timor Sea. In 1999, Canberra made a tactical shift, endorsing East Timorese independence and launching a military intervention into the territory in order to defend its predatory economic and geostrategic interests. Subsequent negotiations with the Timorese government featured Australian threats to crash the Timorese economy by sabotaging new oil and gas production, and countless dirty tricks, including the planting of surveillance devices in Timorese government offices by Australian intelligence agents posing as aid workers.

The PCAs Conciliation Commission, chaired by former Dutch diplomat and UN jurist Peter Takse-Jensen, gave short shrift to every aspect of the Australian challenge to its competence to hear the case.

Under international law, a maritime border case cannot be brought to The Hague if two states have agreed upon another means of settling the dispute and that this agreement excludes other procedures. Australian government lawyers claimed that an exchange of letters in 2003 between John Howard and Mari Alkatiri, then Australian and East Timorese prime ministers, constituted a legal agreement to determine a maritime boundary through negotiation. The PCA dismissed this, explaining that the letters did not constitute a legally binding agreement and therefore had no bearing.

Australias lawyers also maintained that the CMATS treaty bolstered the 2003 correspondence, with the 50-year exclusion of settling on maritime borders supposedly blocking any potential involvement of The Hague. The PCA also rejected this argument. It noted that what CMATS is notand what Article 281 [of UNCLOS] requiresis an agreement to seek settlement of the dispute by a peaceful means of [the Parties] own choice. CMATS is an agreement not to seek settlement of the Parties dispute over maritime boundaries for the duration of the moratorium.

The court stated that the conciliation process had to be completed within 12 months.

Xanana Gusmao, the former Timorese president and prime minister who headed the countrys legal delegation in The Hague, issued a statement after Mondays judgment. Just as we fought so hard and suffered so much for our independence, Timor-Leste will not rest until we have our sovereign rights over both land and sea, he said.

In reality, the Timorese case before the PCA is a desperate manoeuvre aimed at placing some pressure on the Australian government and the American-Australian oil companies that have the rights to the Timor Seas energy reserves. Dili has the right to abrogate the CMATS treaty, but does not want to alarm transnational corporate investors by doing so unilaterally.

Timorese lawyers in The Hague told the court that government ministers recently travelled to oil and gas company headquarters in Australia and the US, seeking input on a potential post-CMATS treaty that meets the investors requirements.

The Timorese government sought to curry favour with the Australian government by dropping a legal case it initiated over Canberras bugging operation during the CMATS negotiations. The case triggered provocative police and intelligence raids in 2013 targeting an Australian lawyer representing East Timor, Bernard Collaery, and a retired Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) officer who blew the whistle on the bugging operation.

The Timorese ruling elite is desperate to secure additional investment in the Timor Seaboth to further line its own pockets, and to stave off the threat of outright state collapse. Currently 95 percent of government revenue is derived from royalties generated by the Bayu-Undan oil and gas project, which is forecast to run dry in less than a decade. The countrys sovereign wealth fund is currently worth $16 billion, but the global plunge in oil and gas prices has resulted in government spending exceeding limits aimed at ensuring the funds ongoing growth.

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Ten years on, the myths of East Timor independence stand exposed

[28 May 2012]
TOWNVILLE, S.C. (AP) - A coroner says that the injuries of two students from a shooting at a South Carolina elementary school do not appear to be life-threatening.

Coroner Greg Shore gave the information to the Greenville News and Independent Mail.

A law enforcement official has said the shooting happened at the Townville Elementary School on Wednesday and that a teen suspect is in custody. He says all other students are safe and have been evacuated to a nearby church.

A teacher was also reported wounded.
TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) -- As the presidential election gets closer, groups are working hard to get locals registered to vote.

At Florida A&M University, there's a push to attract two key groups: millennials and African-Americans.

"Our goal is register 100 percent of our students with our 'Strike the Vote' initiative," said Asia Johnson with FAMU's Office of Communications. "We want our students to feel like their voices are heard, and we want them to participate in this next election, because it is immensely important for our community, specifically."

A community of young voters who are predominantly African-American -- two groups that are growing voter populations in the Sunshine State.

"All of the policies that are being implemented in this election and other elections are policies that are ultimately going to affect us in the long run and our grandchildren and their grandchildren," said junior Chase Beasley.

It's not just about getting college-age students to the polls. Here at an HBCU (historically black college or university), it's encouraging African-Americans, too.

"There was once a time where we could not vote and have our voices heard in an election," Johnson said. "We just drive home that point, and we want our students to engage in the voting process."

When it comes to getting out the vote, FAMU has already received national attention. This summer, U.S. vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine visited the campus for a voter registration rally. Students say they're excited about finally getting their voices heard.

"Every vote counts, so your vote will transfer over," said freshman Dustyn Floyd.

"I've been wanting my voice to be heard so long now, and now I have the opportunity," said sophomore Chelsea Brereton. "I'm really excited to go to the precincts and do that."
THOMASVILLE, GA (WTXL) - Police said a staff member at a Thomasville private school has accused a school administrator of hitting and choking a student.

The Thomasville Police Department said that an assistant at Favors Christian Academy told them that she has seen Administrator Linda McLean abuse children at the school.

Police said that the staff member told them that in one incident on Sept. 19th, she was walking with her group of children to the choir room when McLean spotted a child who was in line talking.

The staff member said she corrected the child, but McLean asked who she was reprimanding and hit the child on the knuckles with a large permanent marker. According to a police report, McLean then grabbed the child around the neck and began choking.

The staff member told police that she overheard McLean tell the child that she would "choke the life out of her". After that, she let the child go. Police said they were told that the incident happened in front of about 30 other kids.

Police also said the staff member advised that this incident was not the first of its kind. Since the staff member became an assistant at the school in January, she said that she has documented incidents ranging from verbal to mental to physical abuse.

McLean has been charged with felony cruelty to children.
COLQUITT COUNTY, FL (WTXL) - Troopers said that 16-year-old was killed when his car hit a semi-truck carrying a mobile home.

Georgia State Patrol said Charles Harrod Jr. of Norman Park died after the crash on Highway 37 Tuesday morning. They said they were called out to the crash around 8 a.m. near the intersection of Baldy Road.

According to troopers, Harrod was driving westbound when he crossed over the center line dividing the lanes and hit a semi-truck traveling in the opposite direction. They also said the semi was carrying a mobile home at the time of the crash.

Troopers said the teen's car spun and stopped in the north ditch of the road. They said that the driver of the semi-truck was not injured.
Bill Bryant, left, and Governor Jay Inslee start their debate at Pigott Auditorium at Seattle University in Seattle Monday, Sept. (Erika Schultz / The Seattle Times)
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The state will compensate victims of the 2001 Versailles wedding hall disaster, giving them a total of NIS 120 million.

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The disaster occurred in the Versailles wedding hall in Jerusalem during a wedding when the dance floor collapsed, causing many of those in the room to plunge to the floor below. 23 people were killed and 250 were injured.

Versailles wedding hall disaster

The floors of the hall were built in the Pal-Kal method, a system of building lightweight concrete floors which had been banned before the wedding hall was built as it was proven to be unsafe.

In addition to this, the Versailles hall was designed to be a two-story structure, but a third story was added later on. The story on which the wedding party took place was intended to be a roof, and thus was not designed originally to carry the same load as the other floors.

Victims of the disaster fought a long battle for their compensation. A year ago, a way towards calculating compensation on an individual level was reached and most suits were approved. However, the funds were not transferred due to a disagreement between defendants about each party's share of responsibility for the disaster.

Now, the state has agreed to give out all of the compensation money itself to all 428 plaintiffs. The state plans to be reimbursed by the other defendants later on, including by: The Jerusalem Municipal Authority, the Israel Institute of Technology (Technion), and the Standards Institution of Israel. The state did declare to the court, however, that this act is a courtesy on its part, and does not constitute an admission of guilt.

Asaf Posner and Eti Libman-Offaim of Kimhi, Peled, Posner, Shilo and Co., who are representing the largest group of victims, said, "We welcome the decision to pay damages and we are sorry that the victims had to wait so many years for the state, Jerusalem municipality, Technion and Standards Institution to agree to take responsibility for the physical and emotional damage caused by the disaster. This proposal had already been offered by a Knesset committee in 2002 and could have prevented years of suffering and allowed victims to move on. We hope that if, God forbid, there are other disasters, lessons will have been learned and compensation will be delivered in an appropriate time."

The Melamed family who were injured in the disaster

In the years since the disaster, 15 of the injured have passed away. Yaakov Haim, who along with his family were injured in the disaster, said Monday, "I'm very happy to finally see the money, I just hope it actually comes through. People have been suffering for 15 years, and it really is time to put an end to this."

Haim, his wife Ziva and their children were all injured in various degrees. "They got there before me and I arrived a minute before the disaster. I got to the table and all of a sudden everything collapsed and my wife and I fell down. I had fractures in my hand, leg and back. My wife and I were bedridden for an entire year."

According to the compensation outline, whoever wasnt physically injured will receive NIS 50,000 plus interest, while those more than 20% handicapped with receive NIS 6,000 for every additional percentage of disability. The estates of those killed in the incident will be compensated with NIS 75,000 along with an additional NIS 10,000 for every year of expected decrease in life expectancy. Upon passing of victims, NIS 10,000 plus interest will also be provided for funeral expenses.

The owners of the event hallAdi Avraham, Efraim Adiv and Uri Nissim were convicted in 2004 of negligence and wrongful death and sentenced to three and a half years in prison. The Magistrate's Court ruled that after seeing the depression in the dance floor the owners should have consulted with an engineer instead of trying to deal with the problem themselves.
Dozens of statements of condolences were issued Wednesday following the death of Israels ninth President and former Prime Minister Shimon Peres, who passed away overnight Tuesday after a two-battle having suffered a stroke.

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US President Barack Obama released a statement in which he praised Peres for his visions of peace, decribed him as the very essene of Israel and referred to him as a friend.

There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves. My friend Shimon was one of those people, Obamas statement began.

President Barack Obama and Shimon Peres (Photo: AFP)

A large delegation of American officials are expected to arrive in Israel to attend Peress funeral with President Obama, including former US President Bill Clinton.

Tonight, Michelle and I join people across Israel, the United States and around the world in honoring the extraordinary life of our dear friend Shimon Peresa Founding Father of the State of Israel and a statesman whose commitment to Israel's security and pursuit of peace was rooted in his own unshakeable moral foundation and unflagging optimism. I will always be grateful that I was able to call Shimon my friend, the statement continued.

Photo: AFP

I first visited him in Jerusalem when I was a senator, and when I asked for his advice, he told me that while people often say that the future belongs to the young, its the present that really belongs to the young. Leave the future to me, he said, I have time. And he was right. Whether it was during our conversations in the Oval Office, walking together through Yad Vashem, or when I presented him with Americas highest civilian honor, the Medal of Freedom, Shimon always looked to the future.

Photo: AFP

"He was guided by a vision of the human dignity and progress that he knew people of goodwill could advance together. He brought young people from around the world together because he knew they could carry us closer to our ideals of justice and equality."

Former US President Bill Clinton and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton praised Peres as a "leader who championed its security, prosperity, and limitless possibilities from its birth to his last day on earth, adding that the Middle East had lost a fervent advocate for peace and reconciliation and for a future where all the children of Abraham build a better tomorrow together. And Hillary and I have lost a true and treasured friend.

Former US President Bill Clinton with Shimon Peres (Photo: Saar Yaakov/GPO)

Clinton recalled the days of the Oslo Accordswhich were signed when Peres served as foreign minister under Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabindescribing the Israeli statesman's elation as peace appeared to be on the horizon.

"I'll never forget how happy he was 23 years ago when he signed the Oslo Accords on the White House lawn, heralding a more hopeful era in Israeli-Palestinian relations. He was a genius with a big heart who used his gifts to imagine a future of reconciliation not conflict, economic and social empowerment not anger and frustration, and a nation, a region, and a world enhanced by caring and sharing, not torn asunder by the illusions of permanent dominance and perfect truth. His critics called him a dreamer. That he wasa lucid, eloquent dreamer until the very end. Thank goodness. Let those of us who loved him and love his nation keep his dream alive."

Photo: Avi Ochion, GPO

Former President George H. W. Bush remembered Peress unyielding determination and principle...It was by his innate humanity, his decency, that Shimon inspired the world over and helped pave a path to peace broad enough that future generations will walk it one day, side-by side."

Similarly, former President George W. Bush praised his contribution toward achieving Israeli independence and his dedication to pursuing peace. As a young man, he worked for his country's independence. For the rest of his life, he led it with a deep and abiding concern for his people and a commitment to freedom and peace. The Bush family will miss Shimon Peres and his grace, dignity, and optimism."

Expressions of condolence also poured in from around Europe. Indeed, President Vladimir Putin also paid tribute to Peress "courage" and his "sense of motherland".

"I have repeatedly had the chance to talk with this wonderful man. Each time, I admired his courage, his sense of homeland, his wisdom and long-term vision," Putin was quoted saying in a Kremlin statement.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair also lamented the passing of Peres, saying that he was sadder than words could express and describing him as a political giant and a statesman. Blair predicted that he would rank as one of the foremost of this era or any era" and said that Peres was "someone I loved deeply.

He was an inspiration, a mentor and a friend. His intellect, his way with words that was eloquent beyond description, his command of the world and how it was changing were extraordinary, Blairs statement read.

Photo: Gidon Kobi/GPO

"Though he grew older, his spirit never did. Above all, his commitment to peace and his belief that it was in the interests of the country he adored marked him out as a visionary whose vision was never dimmed or displaced. He saw every setback as a spur to further action and every moment of hope as a sign of what could be done."

Blairs sentiments were joined by those of other European leaders such as EU High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini.

"President Shimon Peres has never lost hope in peace, and has never stopped working to turn hope into reality. Even in the darkest moments his wit, his irony, his obstinate pursuit of dialogue have been a source of inspiration for many around the world, including myself.

British Prime Minister Theresa May released a message calling Peres "a visionary and courageous statesman, who worked relentlessly for peace and never lost hope that this would one day be achievable...My thoughts go out to the Israeli people and the family of Shimon Peres as they mourn the loss of a beloved father and compatriota great man who epitomized optimism."

Her foreign secretary Boris Johnson added, "In my last conversation with him he told me that 'pessimists and optimists pass away the same way. But if you leave as an optimist you have had a better life.' He certainly had a better life and throughout his long and distinguished career he was a towering figure in Israel and around the world. "

In a letter to President Reuven Rivlin, German President Joachim Gauck wrote, "I would like express to you as well as to the Israeli people...my profound condolences.

"Shimon Peres left his mark on Israel like no other politician...Despite the atrocities perpetrated (by the Nazis) against his family during the Holocaust, Shimon Peres extended his hand to Germans, Gauck continued. "For this attitude, we are very grateful to him."

Peres and Hollande (Photo: AFP)

French President Francois Hollande commented, "Shimon Peres now belongs to history, which was the companion of his long life."

"With the passing of Shimon Peres, Israel loses one of its most illustrious statesmen, peace one its most ardent defenders, and France, a faithful friend," wrote the French head of state, who last met with Peres on March 25.

The Portuguese president, Prof. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa , called Peres "a paladin of Peace and Concord, values that always guided him in the various political positions that he filled in his countryand an advocate of peaceful coexistence between the two States of Israel and Palestine."

Rebelo de Sousa lamented the fact that he would not be able to welcome Peres to Portugal on October 20, as had been planned.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi also furnished praise on the Israeli political giant, listing his multiple accomplishments and hailing him as the very embodiment of of Israels story. With all of his heart, this farmer, fighter, author, Nobel Peace Prize winner, prime minister and president worked to guide his nation into a secure and confident future. I valued his friendship. He was an intellectual resource who personified the unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel."

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair (Photo: Reuters)

US House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan described Peres as a true legend and statesman. Shimon Peres was a gift to the country he helped establish and lead, and a persistent voice for the cause of peace. President Peres' countless contributions to the world earned him the Nobel Peace Prize, Congressional Gold Medal, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. While we join the State of Israel and people around the globe in mourning his death, we also give thanks for his incredible life."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted on his Twitter account: Shimon Peres was, above all, a man of peace. My deepest condolences to his loved ones and to the people of Israel on his passing.

Condolences also flowed in from international Jewish figures. Chairman of the Executive of The Jewish Agency for Israel Natan Sharansky commended his achievements and celebrated his deep sense of responsibility toward the entire Jewish people.

When I was released from captivity and arrived in Israel, he was the first Israeli I saw upon landing when he came as prime minister to greet me. I will always remember him as the individual who started the Israeli chapter of my life, Sharansky continued.

I have always admired his devotion to his values and vision. He will be sorely missed by all of Israel and the entire Jewish people.

Barbra Streisand's get-well letter to Peres

A friend who had sent him a get-well letter when he was admitted to the hospital,international superstar Barbra Streisand released a moving statement: "My heart is bleeding.my tears are falling.because President Shimon Peres is no longer in this world. He was a father figure not only to his beloved country of Israel, but also to me, because he was what I imagined my father would have been like. Shimon's mind was expansive and his heart was compassionate. He was a brilliant statesman, gifted with the ability to listen to others who did not share his views and still remained determined to find a path forward.

"He was a voice of reason who also happened to have the sensibility of a poet.thoughtful and soft-spoken, but his words echoed loudly around the world. I adored Shimon.and I'm so grateful that I was able to spend some time with him over the years, and sing for him at his 90th birthday celebration in Israel. Thank god his spirit, his wisdom, and his ideals will live forever."

Former Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth Lord Jonathan Sacks wrote, "Shimon Peres was the great visionary of Israeli politics in our time. The tough edge of his early career softened over time into a distinctive economic and technological road map to peace in the Middle East. "

Lauding Peres's achievements as president, he added, "During those presidential years, he was a living embodiment of much that is best in Israeli and Jewish life, and he was an outstanding ambassador for his people.

Jonathan Sacks

"With his death an era has come to an endmarked by a series of outstanding leaders who showed as much courage in pursuit of peace as they did in the course of war. We will mourn him and miss him."

Sacks's successor since 2013, Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis , commented on the world's loss: "There will be countless tributes to Shimon Peres over the coming days, but I fear that few, if any, will adequately capture the palpable sense of collective grief felt across the world, nor do justice to the memory of a true giant amongst men.

"No matter what the future holds, your legacy lives on in the Jewish people who will never rest until we achieve our eternal dream of peace among the peoples of the world," he concluded.
Israeli leaders from across the political spectrum mourned the passing of the nation's ninth president Shimon Peres on Wednesday.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

expressed "deep personal grief at the passing of the beloved of the nation."

"Shimon dedicated his life to the independence of our nation," the prime minister said. "As a visionary, he looked to the future. As a man of defense, he fortified the strength of Israel in many wayssome remain unknown to this very day. As a man of peace, he worked up to his final days to promote reconciliation with our neighbors and a better future for our children."

Prime Minister Netanyahu with Peres (Photo: Koby Gideon, GPO)

"In his seven years as the president of Israel, he's done much to unite the people, and the people responded with great love. There aren't many people in our history who contributed so much to the State of Israel and the people of Israel," Netanyahu continued.

The prime minister also had a more personal note to add, "I met Shimon for the first time 40 years ago at the grave of my brother Yoni. I will never forget his warm treatment of me, my brother Iddo and my parents, at the time of our loss."

PM Netanyahu's video message in English

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"And now, Shimon, the beloved of the nation, is saying goodbye to us. But he will never be away from our hearts and memories. Shimon Peres's name will be forever etched in the story of the Jewish people's independence, as one of the great leaders and founding fathers of the State of Israel."

President Reuven Rivlin

, who cut short his state visit to Ukraine to return to Israel on Wednesday, expressed "deep sadness."

A short distance from where I am visiting in Ukraine, in the city of Vishnyeva, Belarus, was born Szymon Perski, who grew to be a young man with great dreams. From here, from Eastern Europe, he emigrated to the land of Israel, and ever since never ceased to work for the sake of the Zionist movement, for the sake of the State of Israel, and the people of Israel," Rivlin said.

President Rivlin with his predecessor Peres (Photo: Knesset)

There is not a chapter in the history of the State of Israel in which Shimon did not write or play a part. As one man he carried a whole nation on the wings of imagination, on the wings of vision. A man who was a symbol for the great spirit of this people. Shimon made us look far into the future, and we loved him. We loved him because he made us dare to imagine not what was once here, nor what is now, but what could be.

This is a sad day for the Israeli people, and the State of Israel. We all bow our heads at hearing of his passing. I will carry his memory with me, his handshake, his sensible advice which he always gave lovingly, and in particular his spirit of hope which he breathed into this people. The spirit of hope and peace which was his path and desire.

Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein also sent his condolences. "Israel's Knesset bows its head and grieves the loss of the ninth president and former prime minister Shimon Peres," he said.

Peres at the Knesset with Speaker Yuli Edelstei (Photo: Koby Gideon, GPO)

"Israel is saying goodbye today to the man who stood at the head of its family. It is saying goodbye to the man who saw everything, was involved in everything, and shaped everything. Peres is the story of the Jewish people and the State of Israel: Whether as a son to a family of Holocaust survivors, an oleh, a farmer, a security man and a statesman."

"We will sorely miss Peres, but his fingerprints and the fruits of his labor will remain with us for many generations," Edelstein added.

Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely admitted that "Even those who disagreed with his political beliefs could not help but admire his determination and persistence in his aspiration for peace."

Education Minister Naftali Bennett praised Peres as a practical visionary and a courageous leader.

"Peres was my education minister, and I'll miss him terribly," the Bayit Yehudi leader lamented. "Peres lived and breathed education ... It was important to him that every children in the State of Israel gets the opportunity to have excellent education.

"He loved the children of Israel, the people of Israel and the State of Israel. It was the project of his life, and I'd come out of every meeting with him charged with energy and optimism."

Bennett acknowledged that he and Peres did not always see eye-to-eye on the issues facing Israel. "He kept trying to convince me there was no meaning to geographic borders because technology doesn't see borders, and I thought he was wrong. But it was an argument borne of very great love."

Bennett noted that Peres proudly represented Israel around the globe, and cared for the future of the Jewish people with every ounce of his body and soul.

Education Minister Bennett with Peres (Photo: Mark Neiman, GPO)

I was fortunate to have met Peres multiple times over the past few years, and to hear his vision of a country that would be a light unto the nations; an Israel that would export to the world our greatest product: the Jewish mind, Bennett added. "I'd come to him with a notebook and write down his insights."

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked praised Peres who "during his time as president had the wisdom to bring the different parts of the nation together, and aided in improving Israel's international standing among world leaders. Even though our political views were different, there is no doubt he dedicated all of his time and effort to the State of Israel."

Peres with Shaked, both center (Photo: Haim Tzah, GPO)

Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman also acknowledged his ideological and political differences of opinion with Peres, but also said that he would miss the former president.

Peres with Defense Minister Lieberman (Photo: Mark Neiman, GPO)

In recent years, particularly when he was president and I was foreign minister, and later when I was defense minister and he was the former president, we would meet often to talk about the future of this country. I will miss him, both as a statesman and as a person, Lieberman said.

Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon spoke of Peres as someone who "in his personality embodied the creativity, determination and faith that led Israel to new heights in all fields, and holds a place of honor in the national pantheon."

IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot said that all IDF soldiers were bowing their heads at the loss of the former president, prime minister and defense minister.

President Peres was one of the founders and builders of this country, a man of vision and action whose accomplishments spanned more than 70 years, left his fingerprints on every area of life in Israel, and particularly on the defense establishment, Eisenkot said.

His long-term activities and accomplishments, and his vision for the future, served as an important milestone in the establishment and development for the IDF for many years," the IDF chief continued.

Israel was Shimons life mission, and the security of this country stood at the forefront of everything that he did. His legacy of action, of turning vision into reality and of unrelenting forward thinking and development will guide the IDF for many years to come, Eisenkot said.

Isaac Herzog, the leader of the Labor party that has been Peres's political home, eulogized "the man who, from youth and up to his final days, worked for the State of Israel."

"He was a teacher, a friend and a great leader who will be forever bound up with the chronicles of Israel's history," Herzog continued.

"There's a feeling like we're saying goodbye to one of our nation's fathers, because Peres was always there. For 70 years Peres was at the forefront of the work in the State of Israel. As someone who used to be state founder Ben-Gurion's right hand man, to his final day, he was there. He was there as a wonderful foreign minister, a wonderful defense minister, a wonderful prime minister and a wonderful president," he added.

Herzog visits Peres.

"Peres played a part in everything that grew here. He was a man of great deeds that shaped the State of Israel throughout all of its years. His contribution to Israel's security and to its deterrence, to the determined fight against terrorism and the endless striving for peace, to its economy and its social strength, to its international standing, and to Israeli innovation and daringcannot be described by mere words.

"The diplomatic issue was a real passion for him. All Peres cared about lately was the need to make a brave diplomatic move and separate from the Palestinians," Herzog noted.

On a personal note, Herzog said he "has known Peres and his family since I was a child. As an adult, it was my honor to be an aid, an advisor and a friend to him ... We'd meet frequently. I came to him for advice. And in general, history always fascinated mehow he led moves."

Herzog sent his condolences to Peres's children and grandchildren, as well as to Peres's staff and close advisors.

"The State of Israel, and the nation in both Israel and the Diaspora, is saying goodbye with pain and love to a great leader, a giant," the Labor leader concluded.

MK Tzipi Livni , the head of Hatnua and Herzog's co-leader at Zionist Union, stated that "This is the end of an era, of the Generation of Giantsthose who built the nation and ensured its security. But I don't want it to be the end of his vision. I don't want him to be the last person to have pursued peace so much, who worked to bring peace."

Livni with then-president Peres after the 2013 elections (Photo: AFP)

Shas leader Aryeh Deri described Peres as "a true friend to me. I loved him very much. I will always remember him for his wisdom, vision, sensitivity, and the great respect he had to every person."

Deri noted Peres's contribution to Israel's security and his efforts to make peace, saying these contributions "outline his rare, Jewish naturea public leader in every fiber of his being who dedicated his entire life to his people and legacy."

The Shas leader went on to talk about how "Peres honored and treasured the scholars of Torah. His warm and close relationship with Shas's spiritual leader, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, was well known, and (Peres) would visit (Rabbi Yosef) every holiday."

Peres with Rabbi Ovadia Yosef (Photo: Koby Gideon)

"Peres's passing is a great loss to the Jewish people and the State of Israel," Deri added.

On Tuesday evening, Deri arrived the Sheba Medical Center to pray for Peres.

"Yesterday, when I heard these were his final hours... I left everything and went there. I felt a duty as a religious Jew, as his friend, to come and pray Shema Yisrael, the traditional prayer said for every person who is passing from this world," Deri said.

"Rabbi (Shmuel) Rabinovitch, the Western Wall's rabbi, who is also a friend of the family, joined me along with his son. Even though no one was allowed into the room, they realized the importance of the moment and the responsibility we had and we went into the room along with the hospital's director. We had a very moving prayer with a lot of tears, and that's how we said goodbye to him. I'm pleased we've done this. He deserved this, such a great leader of the Jewish people, to pass from this world as custom dictates with the Shema Yisrael prayer."

Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid wrote, "When a man passes away, it's customary to say he is 'gone.' This is what the newspapers' headlines will say'Shimon Peres is gone.' They're wrong. Shimon Peres is here. Even in his death, he's here with us. He's here because we're surrounded by the results of his actions: The defense establishment, the Dimona reactor, the Israeli democracy, our international standing. He put his own unique stamp on each and every one of them.

Lapid and Peres at the President's Residence after the 2013 elections (Photo: Reuters)

"While he did so, he taught us all a unique lesson in leadership. He taught us that real leaders are not measured just by the way they face the enemy, but alsoand perhaps mostlyby the way they face their people and tell them everything, including the things they don't want to hear."

Former prime minister Ehud Barak lamented "a giant, a leader and an outstanding statesman," who was "the last of the leaders who were truly present at the birth of the nation."

Peres with Ehud Barak (Photo: Shaul Golan)

"A man who made an immeasurable contribution to Israel's security, its standing in the world and its efforts for peace. A world statesman, who even during his greatest achievements and until his last days had a great vision for a better Israel and a better world, along with an inexhaustible curiosity of a young man for every emerging innovation and revolution," Barak continued.

Barak, a former leader of the Labor party himself, as well as a former IDF chief of staff, defense minister and prime minister, spoke of Peres's security achievements. "I remember him as a defense minister during the Entebbe Operation," he said, adding that "Peres contributed to the rehabilitation of the IDF after the Yom Kippur War."

Speaking of Peres's work to build the nuclear reactor in Dimona, Barak said: "He wasn't a man of science and chemistry, but he was the very life of the project that added a safety net to the State of Israel's strength and ensured its existence. This also gave him the moral authority to come and say that Israel was strong enough to also try achieving peace."

Despite the fact Peres "had left a massive mark" on the State of Israel, Barak lamented the fact he "had to fight his entire life ... It was only in his last years that he received love from every direction as the president of the state."

Udi Adam , the Defense Ministry's director-general, also spoke of Peres's contribution to Israel's security, saying "Words cannot quantify the tremendous amount that Shimon Peres did for the security of Israel. Shimon Peres shaped the character and values of the Ministry of Defense, led the building and development of the Israel Defense Forces and its strategic capabilities, developed defense relationships between Israel and different countries around the world, and played a key role in the developing Israel's defense industries."

The Mossad released a statement as well, saying "For many years, Shimon Peres worked together with the Mossad on operations and activities for Israel's security, and was one of the country's prominent leaders, a symbol of peace and brotherhood and one that gave an enormous contribution to fortifying Israel's security."

Author Amos Oz lamented "My friend Shimon had a very rare human quality: He had the ability to change.

When I met Peres in the early 70s, he was in my eyes a banal hawk. Supporting settlers, a settler lover, a security man, the more land the better, the more power the better. He changed before my eyes ... into an enthusiastic and stubborn believer in Israeli-Palestinian peace and Israeli-Arab peace."  Israeli author Amos Oz
The government convened a special cabinet session of mourning Wednesday morning following the death of Israels ninth President and former Prime Minister Shimon Peres, who passed away overnight Tuesday after a two-week battle having suffered a stroke.

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This is the first day in Israel without Shimon Peres, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the opening of the meeting, which was followed by a minutes silence by government ministers to remember Israels ninth president.

Government ministers observe minute's silence for Shimon Peres

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Government ministers hold a minute's silence after the passing of Shimon Peres (Photo EPA)

Prior to the special cabinet session, Netanyahu expressed his condolences and his "deep personal grief at the passing of the beloved of the nation."

Shimon Peres (Photo: Reuters)

Peress funeral is scheduled to take place at 9:30am on Friday morning. He will be buried in the Great Leaders of the Nation section at Mount Herzl Cemetery in Jerusalem. Dozens of world leaders and figures are expected to attend the funeral, including President Barack Obama and former US President Bill Clinton.

Photo: Reuters

Moreover, according to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the international dignitaries attending the funeral will include Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State John Kerry, Britain's Prince Charles, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Francois, Hollande, German President Joachim Gauck and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.

The funeral procession, which will also be open to the general public, is expected to attract tens of thousands of people. The Ministerial Symbols and Ceremonies Committee will therefore be requested to allow members of the public to file past Peress casket and pay their respectsincluding overnight as he lies in state from Thursday until he is laid to rest on Friday.
The Palestinian militant group Hamas expressed happiness at the death of former Israeli President Shimon Peres, who passed away overnight Tuesday after a two-battle having suffered a stroke.

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A spokesman for the group, Sami Abu Zuhri, told The Associated Press Wednesday, "the Palestinian people are very happy at the passing of this criminal who caused their blood to shed."

Mahmoud Abbas and Shimon Peres (Photo: Reuters)

He added, "Shimon Peres was the last remaining Israeli official who founded the occupation, and his death is the end of a phase in the history of this occupation and the beginning of a new phase of weakness."

Hamas is sworn to the destruction of Israel. In 2007, it routed forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas and took over the Gaza Strip.

There was no immediate comment from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. However, he did eventually send his condolences to Peress family, describing him as a partner in peace, together with former PA President Yasser Arafat and former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

He also noted the efforts Peres invested in forging a sustainable peace between Israel and the Palestinians since the signing of the Oslo Accords until the final moments of his life

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His mesage appeared to conflict with the items published by the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, under the direct authority of Abbas, which originally covered a short item on Peress death before being removed shortly after, only to be re-published documenting his aggression.

The article was noticeably devoid of any mention of Peress peace initiatives such as his key role as one of the architects of the Oslo Accords when Yasser Arafat stood at the helm of the PA.

Al-Manar, a Lebanese satellite television station affiliated with Hezbollah vilified Peres as a criminal, stating that he will be forgotten since the world is better off without criminals.

President Barack Obama and Shimon Peres (Photo: AFP)

The depiction of Peres as a war criminal strongly contrasts with the sentiments expressed by dozens of world leaders and international figures , including President Barack Obama praised the former president and prime minister as a statesman whose commitment to Israel's security and pursuit of peace was rooted in his own unshakeable moral foundation and unflagging optimism. I will always be grateful that I was able to call Shimon my friend.
The Supreme Court rejected three appeals on Wednesday morning in corruption cases involving former prime minister Ehud Olmert, meaning he will serve eight months in prison in addition to the 18 months he is currently serving for bribery in the Holyland real estate case

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Olmert was convicted for receiving and using over $150,000 in envelopes from US businessman Morris Talansky between 1993 and 2002. The trial began in 2008, when Olmert was prime minister. Olmert appealed the ruling, but it was unanimously rejected.

The Supreme Court also rejected two appeals filed by the state against Olmerts acquittal in the "Rishon Tours" corruption case, and against his relatively lenient punishment of a suspended sentence for the "Investment Center" affair.





Olmert in court (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

Olmert, who was elected prime minister in 2006 and served in that role until 2009, is the first prime minister in Israeli history to serve a prison term.

He was first charged in 2009 with fraud, bribery, tax evasion, and breach of trust in a number of different corruption cases. He was convicted of breach of trust in 2012 and of bribery and obstruction of justice in May 2014.

Olmert has now served seven months at Maasiyahu Prison, located in the central Israeli city of Ramla. Olmert is serving his term in Block 10, a high-security wing designated for prisoners who have held positions of influence such as judges, policemen, and public figures.

Olmert returning to the Maasiyahu Prison after a furlough (Photo: Dana Kopel)

He is due to be released in May 2018.

Olmert's legal woes

Talansky affair: Olmert was found guilty of taking hundreds of thousands of shekels for private use while serving as economy minister. Most of this money came from businessman Morris Talansky. The former prime minister didn't report the money to the state comptroller as required by law, and he was found guilty of graft, aggravating circumstances, fraud and breach of trust. He was sentenced to eight months in prison. It is th appeal of this sentence that the Supreme Court rejected on Wednesday.

The Investment Center affair: This involved Olmert granting favors in his capacity as a minister to his confidante Uri Messer despite a conflict of interest. Olmert was convicted in 2012 and received a suspended sentence only. The state appealed the lightness of the sentence, but the Supreme Court rejected it.

Rishon Tours affair: This case entailed allegations that Olmert was double and triple-billing trips abroad sponsored by Jewish institutions, and either pocketed the difference or financed trips for relatives. In 2012, Olmert was acquitted of any wrongdoing.

Holyland Affair: Investigations found that during his tenure as mayor of Jerusalem, Olmert accepted bribes to overlook building codes for the construction of the Holyland buildings in the capital.

He was convicted of receiving NIS 560,000 ($160,000 US) in bribes. He was acquitted of two other charges of bribery. The judge rejected Olmert's version of events, declaring that he had lied to the court. The Tel Aviv district court sentenced him to six years in jail, but following his appeal his sentence was reducd to 18 months.






Israeli authorities began on Wednesday to prepare for the funeral on Friday the former President and Prime Minister Shimon Peres, who died early Wednesday morning. Dozens of world leaders are expected to attend, is expected to be an international media event. As such, it may be a tempting terror target and will require an unprecedented deployment of Israeli security forces in addition to the protective details of the many foreign dignitaries.

Peress funeral is scheduled to take place at 9:30am on Friday morning. He will be buried in the Great Leaders of the Nation section at Mount Herzl Cemetery in Jerusalem next to Yitzhak Rabin. Peres's body will lie in state at the Knesset on Thursday to allow the public to pay their final respects. Yona Bartal, a former personal aide to Peres, said the arrangements were in line with his wishes.

Preparing Peres's grave

President of the United States, Barack Obama, is expected to arrive for the funeral, along with former President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State John Kerry and Vice President Joe Biden. In addition, German President Joachim Gauck, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Francois Hollande, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, British Prime Minister Theresa May, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, President of Togo Faure Gnassingbe, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and many other world leaders are expected to attend.

Discussing the preparations being made for Shimon Peres's upcoming funeral, Israel Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh said "we are facing an operation of unprecedented proportions."

"We are enlarging the preparations for the funeral procession. There will be 7,000 police officers, Israel Border Police, and other volunteers who will be deployed to the field to protect and keep public order, as well as help direct traffic in Jerusalem," Alsheikh continued.

The operation will be called "Operation Now Tomorrow."

Shimon Peres at the Negev Nuclear Research Institute (The Council for Atomic Energy)

The Police commissioner added that the operation is "a huge security challenge. Our job as police  and as those who are managing the operation  is not to be the people who determine how the ceremonies are carried out. We are there to protect the ceremonies which will be carried out, and to enable the citizens who wish to take part in the ceremonies the ability to come and go as they please."

The Israel Police have announced that the main roadways leading to the Knesset will be closed beginning at 8:00am on Thursday, including: Eliezer Kaplan St, Yoel Zusman St, and route 16 which encircles the Knesset. These roads will remain closed until Friday morning when the funeral procession begins on its way to Mt. Herzl.

President of the United States, Barack Obama, is expected to arrive for the funeral, along with former President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State John Kerry and Vice President Joe Biden. In addition, German President Joachim Gauck, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Francois Hollande, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, British Prime Minister Theresa May, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, President of Togo Faure Gnassingbe, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and many other world leaders are expected to attend.

Lior Akerman, former deputy head of the Shin Bet and intelligence and terrorism expert, explained that, "The Shin Bet is primarily responsible for personal protection such as the Prime Minister, President, and Israeli Government Ministers. It is also responsible for the protection other heads of states, in cooperation with foreign security services and their embassies. The Shin Bet is aware of all security arrangements, down to the exact number of body guards, and who is carrying a weapon."

Flags at half staff at the Knesset (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

The two main scenarios that the security establishment are on guard against are terrorist attacks and so-called lone wolf attacks, who may attempt to take advantage of the situation and harm an Israeli or foreign diplomat.

"Whoever wants to plan an attack has two full days to prepare and they know exactly when and where people will be arriving. It is a security nightmare," admits Akerman. "Terrorist organizations have an opportunity to catch a lot of officials at the same place and at the same time. The risk is clear and understandable, so the challenge here is to hermetically seal travel routes, the entrances and exits (to the events), and to establish a secure perimeter so that no one can get close. The Shin Bet knows how to do it."

The Israel Police are preparing to close off Highway 1 that connects Tel Aviv and Jerusalem periodically once dignitaries begin to arrive. Roads in the capital around the Knesset and Mount Herzl are also expected to be closed.

In all likelihood, once foreign leaders arrive, they will not be exposed for a moment. They deplane in sterile areas, are transferred to armored vehicles, and travel in convoys while police close a wide perimeter of security and employ various technological tactics to identify any threats. Akerman added, "Intelligence will also be utilized to focus on specific individuals who have been identified beforehand or who threatened to cause harm."
CAIRO -- An Egyptian court has sentenced 40 people to life in prison over alleged ties to ISIS and for helping recruit youth to join the extremists in Syria and Iraq.

The Criminal Court of Zagazig issued its verdict on Wednesday against the alleged militants, who were also convicted of plotting attacks against the police and Christians. Twenty of the suspects were sentenced in absentia.

Prosecutors say the group's alleged ringleaders were arrested at Cairo international airport on their way to Syria through Turkey, and later gave detailed confessions.
ANKARA/ISTANBUL -- A concrete wall being built to stop illegal crossings along the length of Turkey's 900km border with Syria will be finished by the end of February, an official at a Turkish state institution with knowledge of the project said on Wednesday.

Ankara has long been under pressure from its NATO allies to seal off the border with ISIS-controlled territory in Syria and is also concerned by the presence of the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which controls most of its Syrian border.

"Construction will be completed within five months," the official told Reuters, declining to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the media. He said winter conditions would be a challenge to the timetable, however.
The Jerusalem Planning and Building Committee was supposed to discuss a building program which would oversee the construction of 76 housing units in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo located beyond the Green Line.

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They were asked to delay the meeting once again due to political sensitivity over the issue, and due to the fact that world dignitaries will be in the city during that time.

The proposed project was removed from the agenda in light of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus meeting with President Barack Obama last week in New York.

Building in Gilo (Photo: AFP)

The Jerusalem municipality claimed that the discussions had been delayed not as a result of the meeting, but due to the absence of the committee's chairman Meir Turgeman and his stand-in Yosef Deutsch who were abroad at the time.

Discussions about the project were the rescheduled to take place on Wednesday but have been postponed once again in light of the expected arrival of President Obama and other world leaders to Israel to attend Shimon Peress funeral
AMMAN- Jordan's King Abdullah swore in a new government headed by Hani Mulki as prime minister for a second term on Wednesday, with a little-changed cabinet and a mandate to accelerate economic reforms.

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Mulki, 64, who has held a string of senior diplomatic and ministerial posts, was first appointed in May to oversee parliamentary elections held last week.

The business-friendly politician was reappointed on Sunday, tasked with reviving a sluggish economy and business sentiment hit by regional turmoil by overseeing a new International Monetary Fund-guided program.

In Jordan's constitutional monarchy most powers rest with the king, who appoints governments, approves legislation and can dissolve parliament.





The King of Jordan swears in the new government (Photo: AFP)

The key finance, foreign and finance ministerial posts will remain unchanged and the 29-member cabinet will, as before, have a mix of technocrats, conservative politicians and tribal loyalists.

Mulki will face a more assertive parliament, after the Muslim Brotherhood gained a foothold in the election.

A royal decree postponed the new parliament's first session until Nov. 7, almost a month later than expected, in a move politicians said was intended to give the new government more time to prepare for vote-of-confidence debates.

The government usually wins such votes by a large majority in parliaments packed with pro-government deputies. But this time there could be vocal dissent from independents and the Islamist movement, which has ended its decade-long boycott of mainstream politics and returns as the mainstay of a broad civic alliance.

The lack of change in the cabinet may weaken its chances of confronting a more vocal parliament, say critics.

King Abdullah II of Jordan at the swearing in ceremony (Photo: AFP)

"It's wrong to say it's even a new government, just a minor reshuffle lacking the personalities with the long experience that would be able to deal with parliament," said Mamdouh al-Abbadi, a veteran lawmaker.

The alliance is not large enough to block legislation or cabinet appointments, but tough criticism of the government in the assembly could undermine public support for its policies.

With parliament passive in recent years, successive governments have been able to enact draconian temporary laws restricting public freedoms.

Deputies are expected to confront austerity steps and tax hikes introduced under a three-year IMF deal signed in August aimed at lowering public debt and accelerating growth.
NIEUWEGEIN- Dutch-led criminal investigators said Wednesday they have solid evidence that a Malaysian jet was shot down by a Buk missile moved into eastern Ukraine from Russia.

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Wilbert Paulissen, head of the Central Crime Investigation department of the Dutch National Police, said communications intercepts showed that pro-Moscow rebels had called for deployment of the mobile surface-to-air weapon, and reported its arrival in rebel-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine.

From that and other evidence collected by the Joint Investigation Team, "it may be concluded MH17 was shot down by a 9M38 missile launched by a Buk, brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation, and that after launch was subsequently returned to the Russian Federation," Paulissen told a news conference.

The conclusions were billed as results of a two-year Dutch-led criminal probe of the disaster that claimed 298 lives.

A Russian affiliated rebel next to wreckage from the downed MH17 flight (Photo: Reuters)

A separate investigation by Dutch safety officials last year concluded that the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur flight was downed by a Buk missile fired from territory held by pro-Russian rebels.

Dutch police spokesman Thomas Aling said the joint investigation findings differ in that they are designed to be solid enough to be used as evidence in a criminal trial. Where and when a trial might take place is still to be determined, Aling said.

Russia has consistently denied allegations that pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine were responsible. On Monday, the Russian military said it has new radio-location data that show the missile that downed the Boeing 777 did not originate from rebel-controlled territory, and said it would turn the data over to investigators.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that assertion on Wednesday ahead of the Dutch report.

"If there was a rocket it could only have been launched from a different area," he told reporters, referring to Russian radar data. "You can't argue with it, it can't be discussed."

In the Joint Investigation Team, Dutch police and judicial officials have been working with counterparts from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine, seeking to gather the best possible evidence for use in prosecution of the perpetrators.

They have faced extraordinary challenges: the crime scene in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk oblast where the plane crashed on July 17, 2014, killing all aboard, was located in an active war zone, and during the days following the crash pro-Kremlin militants limited access to the site.

Eleven containers crammed with debris from the jetliner were ultimately brought to the Netherlands. A research team took soil samples in eastern Ukraine and established the location of cell phone towers and the layout of the local telephone network.

Forensic samples were taken from passengers' and crew members' bodies and luggage, and satellite data and communications intercepts were scrutinized. The team also appealed for information from witnesses who may have seen the missile launch.

About two-thirds of the passengers aboard MH17 were Dutch nationals; the crew members were Malaysians. Malaysia proposed setting up an international tribunal to try those responsible for the plane's destruction, but Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution in favor of a tribunal.
ALEXANDRIA -- A Syrian national pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges for his role in a scheme that hacked computers and targeted perceived enemies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Peter Romar, 37, a refugee who was living in Germany when he was arrested earlier this year, pleaded guilty to charges that spell out a limited role as a member of a so-called Syrian Electronic Army that harassed Harvard University, Human Rights Watch and media outlets.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon says the situation in rebel-held parts of Aleppo is worse than a "slaughterhouse" and implicitly accuses Syria and Russia of committing war crimes.

He spoke to a UN Security Council meeting Wednesday on health care in armed conflict as two more hospitals were struck in the city's besieged east.

Without naming countries, Ban said "those using ever more destructive weapons know exactly what they are doing -- they know they are committing war crimes."
PARIS/UNITED NATIONS -- France's foreign minister said on Wednesday he was working to put forward a UN Security Council resolution for a ceasefire in the Syrian city of Aleppo, and that any country that opposed it would be deemed complicit in war crimes.

Speaking to lawmakers, Jean-Marc Ayrault accused Syria, backed by Russia and Iran, of carrying out an "all-out war" on its people, something that Paris could not sit by idly watching.

"At this very moment, we are proposing to discuss a resolution to obtain a ceasefire in Aleppo," Ayrault said. "This resolution will leave everyone facing their responsibilities: those who don't vote for it, risk being held responsible for complicity in war crimes."
The Israeli flags on the Knesset plaza were lowered to half staff on Wednesday to commemorate the death of Former President Shimon Peres.

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Peres's body will lay in state at the Knesset starting on Thursday so that the public can pay their final respects to the last of the founders of the State of Israel.

Speaker of the Knesset Yuli Edelstein (Likud) gave a eulogy in the plaza, saying "today I feel that the family which is Israel is not only saying goodbye to another member of the family, but saying goodbye to the patriarch himself."

Speaker of the Knesset Yuli Edelstein speaks at the Knesset flag lowering ceremony (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

Edelstein added that "we aren't only eulogizing the ninth president of the State of Israel in this building, not only a former prime minister, but also a Knesset member who served for an unprecedented period of time 48 years. I doubt that anyone can beat this record. Shimon Peres's story is the story of the Nation of Israel of the last 100 years."

Knesset Guard members standing at attention while flags are lowered to half-staff in honor of Shimon Peres (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

"I visited Shimon Peres as he lay in the hospital last week," the speaker of the Knesset added. "I was very optimistic  how else can you feel when you're close to him? Successful optimism. I said to his family and to his doctors  all of whom were optimistic  that I won't accept any excuse, and expect to see him at the opening of the winter Knesset session on October 31st. To my great sorrow, and all of our great sorrows, this won't happen."

"Even as the son of Holocaust survivors, as a new immigrant, as a farmer, as someone in the security services, as an elected official, and as a leader of the State of Israel, he always looked to conquer new challenges. His whole life he looked for ways to contribute to this state to this nation. That's how we'll remember him. I send my condolences to his family, and the condolences of his millions of admirers both in Israel and around the world.
MOGADISHU -- An air strike in northern Somalia left as many as 22 soldiers dead overnight, local officials said on Wednesday, and one region said the United States had been duped into attacking its troops.

Galmudug's Security Minister Osman Issa said 22 of his region's soldiers had been killed in the strike, adding that the rival neighbouring region of Puntland had requested it on the pretext that the men were al Shabaab Islamist militants.

"Puntland misinformed the United States and thus our forces were bombed," he told Reuters.
KIGALI- A Rwandan academic who is accused of participating in this country's 1994 genocide has arrived home following his extradition from the United States.

Leopold Munyakazi was handed over to Rwandan police by US officials at Kigali International Airport on Wednesday.

Richard Muhumuza, Rwanda's prosecutor-general, says the 65-year-old suspect is considered one of the key ideologues of the genocide in which over 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed by Hutu extremists.
BAGHDAD/ALBUQUERQUE- The United States will send around 600 new troops to Iraq to assist local forces in the battle to retake Mosul from Islamic State that is expected later this year, US and Iraqi officials said on Wednesday.

The new deployment is the third such boost in US troop levels in Iraq since April, underscoring the difficulties President Barack Obama has had in extracting the US military from the country.

"American President Barack Obama was consulted on a request from the Iraqi government for a final increase in the number of trainers and advisers under the umbrella of the international coalition in Iraq," Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said in a statement.

The new troops will train and advise Iraqi security forces and Kurdish peshmerga forces, primarily in the Mosul fight but also serve "to protect and expand Iraqi security forces' gains elsewhere in Iraq," US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said.
The funeral procession for Former President Shimon Peres will cause several road closures along major thoroughfares throughout the capital between Thursday morning and Friday afternoon. There will be a free shuttle service between major parking lots and the Knesset on Thursday.

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The following roads will be closed starting Thursday: Derech Mordehai Ish Shalom, Yehoshu'a Farbstein St., Herzl Boulevard from the Chords Bridge to Holland Square, Shmu'el Bait toward Har Herzl, Bayit VeGan, Ha-Zikaron St., Beit Agron and Ramban until the Hotel Square.

Police further added that Highway 1 (Tel Aviv-Jerusalem) will be blocked periodically on Thursday and Friday. During the funeral procession from Tzrifin to Jerusalem, Highway 1 is expected to be closed early on Thursday morning. The route from Ben-Gurion International Airport to Jerusalem will be blocked due to the arrival of foreign dignitaries for the funeral Thursday and Friday.

President Bush's motorcade during his visit to Jerusalem in 2007 (Photo: Reuters)

Beginning at 07:00am Friday, vehicular access to Mt. Herzl will be blocked and all cars parked along the route will be towed. Highway 1 will be blocked from Jerusalem to Ben-Gurion Airport In the afternoon following funeral services.

Due to the expected arrival of people from all over the country coming for the funeral, heavy traffic is expected to roads leading to Jerusalem such as Route 443 and Highway 1.

There will be free parking in various parking locations around Jerusalem for the members of the public who wish to pay their final respects to the former president as he lies in state in the Knesset. There will be a shuttle service which will shuttle the public between the parking lots and the Knesset plaza.

The parking lots with shuttle service will be: the parking lot at the Old Jerusalem Railway station, Teddy Stadium parking lot, Ammunition Hill parking lot, and the Ein Yael parking lot next to the Biblical Zoo.

Parking areas outside of Jerusalem with shuttle service to the Knesset are the Latrun parking lot and the Park and Go parking lot in Modi'in.

The president, speaker of the knesset, and the prime minister will lay wreaths at Peres' coffin Thursday at 8:45am, which will be take place on the Knesset plaza. Members of the public will be able to pass by the coffin to pay their respects from 9:00am until 9:00pm. Israeli flags at the Knesset and all other government institutions as well the IDF and Police, will be lowered to half-staff until the eve of the funeral.

The Shiva (Jewish mourning period) will be held at the Peres Center for Peace in Jaffa on Friday for two hours before Shabbat.
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is planning his first overseas trade mission to Israel.

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Administration officials say the focus of the six-day trip will be to pitch Massachusetts as a potential business hub to Israeli cybersecurity and digital health firms looking to expand into the US.

American flag on Tel Aviv city hall (Photo: Tal Shahar)

Officials say the trip also reflects the longstanding economic and cultural ties between Israel and Massachusetts.

The Republican governor is scheduled to arrive in Israel on Dec. 9 and depart on Dec. 14.

The entourage will consist of 12 administration officials, including Baker, and 40 private sector representatives. Administration officials say tax dollars will only be used to cover the cost of Baker's state police security detail.

The administration is partnering with the New England-Israel Business Council with the support of Combined Jewish Philanthropies.

Governor Baker's visit comes at the heels of a recent trade mission by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, which also sought to further business opportunities with Israel in the areas of high-tech businesses such as life sciences and cyber security.
This has been a long time in the making, but in our continuing pursuit to bring only the best of firearms, 2nd Amendment and defence related news to our readers, we are very excited to announce the next step in our evolution as a company.

As of 2020, Minuteman Review is now the proud owner and operator of Your Defence News, a website with a long history of breaking huge news stories and investigative journalism.

We hope you are equally as excited as us.

This means that now the teams of Minuteman can combine with the firepower of Your Defence News to stay at the absolute forefront for our readers.

Keep an eye. Big things are coming soon. We couldn't be more excited.

In the meanwhile, here are some of our most popular posts and categories to keep you busy.

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29/9/2016

Armand is Buying in... the United States $1 Properties in the US: Investments for the opportunistic.

After some successful experiences with Australian real estate, investor Armand Aguillon turned to the American market, where he purchased properties for as little as US$1. A moderate risk profile has earned Armand several US investments, ready for his children to cash in on in years to come

Though Armand was always aware of the potential wealth creation opportunities that property investing offered, he didnt take serious action until his son was born four years ago.

Many years earlier, back in 2005, he dipped his first toe gingerly into the landlord market, going as far as to purchase his first property

sight unseen.

One of my friends worked for an investment property company and showed me what they had. They went through the whole property with me, he says.

He was given all the information to help him come to a decision, including the area of the property, its amenities and infrastructure, and a timeframe for the house to be built in.

I did a lot of further research online with resources such as the local city council website, which shows what theyre doing or what their plans are in the area, he explains.

I also checked Google Maps to become informed about what local infrastructure and schools were in the propertys vicinity, and its location in proximity to the city.

Armand was able to purchase the property together with his sister and thats how he became the proud owner of his first investment, a three-bedroom home in Cranbourne, Victoria.

They purchased the townhouse for $230,400 in 2005, and sold it just last year for $315,000.

In 10 years of owning the property Armand didnt set foot in it once  which doesnt bother him, as his main concern was driving a profit. His initial success gave him confidence, and prompted him to expand his horizons and consider other international investment opportunities.

The inexpensive risk: properties for $1 each

Already comfortable with buying sight unseen, Armand had no qualms about investing overseas.

With the technology available nowadays, it is much easier to buy properties without having to travel.

It really depends on your risk profile. Some people want to be able to touch an object, and it gives them the peace of mind that what theyre buying is in fact tangible if they can see it, he explains.

Others, like myself, are comfortable to make a decision, given enough data and documentation that everything is what it is  and that is where I am currently at.

Armand now owns several pieces of land in Michigan, Ohio and California, all purchased between August 2013 and now.

You wouldnt believe how much I paid for some of these. Less than the cost of a bottle of water! It costs me almost $500 to transfer it to my name, so it actually costs me more to process it than to buy the land, Armand says.

Finding such incredible deals came down to research, he adds  a lot of it.

I looked at different online platforms where I could buy them, as well as at online auction places. I also researched the local counties  in Australia we call them city councils  and read a lot of information on what they plan to do in the area, what types of investments are coming in and which companies are investing in the area, he says.

Armand also educated himself on the demographics of where the properties were located, the process necessary for purchase, as well as the logistics needed to make sure the transition from sale to receiving title to the deed would be a seamless one.

It all led to him becoming a landowner several times over in the US, for less than the cost of a mortgage for 12 months on a small property

in Australia.

Securing a future for the family

Having paid less than $500 for each of his land acquisitions in the US, despite one of the properties being a double block, Armand is thrilled with the deals he has secured to date.

He has no immediate plans to sell  or, in fact, any plans to sell at all.

At the moment Im just holding them and Ill one day pass them on to my kids. Ive got a four-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter, so Ill give it to them, he says of his plans for his American investments.

He has finished his run of acquiring US assets for now, and he plans to turn his attention back to the Australian market. He has recently begun work as a licensed real estate agent so that he can learn more about the local real estate market and research an investment opportunity closer to home.

Armand may not be able to secure a deal quite as cheaply as he did in the US, but at least hell have the inside scoop on some quality deals down under.
As a homeowner, you probably already know that you should be working to maintain your home. But, chances are, you Read More
Dobra, k. Szczecina 900 m2

40 miejsc parkingowych



Atut: Dodatkowe dochody z paczkomatow InPostu, a juz niedugo i z myjni samoobsugowej.



Tradycyjny zakup nieruchomosci, mozliwosc wykupienia uzytkowania wieczystego.
Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - The Yuma Police Department is pleased to announce we are the recipient of grant funding from the Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistances (BJA) Fiscal Year 2016 Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program.

This Body-Worn Camera Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice in the amount of $104,988.00 will be used for research and development of a body-worn camera purchase project, research and draft policy and program implementation. This grant requires a City of Yuma match which will be satisfied through in-kind implementation and RICO funds. Pending Yuma City Council approval, the Yuma Police Departments goal, is to buy 70 body-worn cameras and 12 docking stations, the majority of which will be used for our Patrol Division.

During the 2016 grant cycle the Yuma Police Department is one of 106 law enforcement agencies across the United States to receive this funding.
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.
The incident took place in Para area of Lucknow, when over two dozen unidentified men forced their way into the victims house, held the family hostage before taking away the girl with them.

By PTI: A 12-year-old girl was allegedly gangraped on Tuesday by five men who held her parents hostage and looted them in Para area here, police said.

The incident took place in the wee hours, when over two dozen unidentified men forced their way into the victims house and after looting valuables, held the family hostage before taking away the girl with them.

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"The girl has told me that she was raped by five men. The incident took place at about 600-700 metres away from the girls house. We are probing the matter and a team has been constituted to crack the case," Senior Superintendent of police (SSP) Manzil Saini told reporters.

The miscreants also beat up the victims father who sustained head injury.

The victim has been sent to hospital for medical examination.

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Watch video: Confessions of a young man who almost raped a girl



--- ENDS ---
Stiri pe aceeasi tema

- President Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday signed the decree by which Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca designates himself as interim Minister of National Defence, told Agerpres. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook stiripesurse.ro  Help your

- The Prime Minister of the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, on a working visit to our country, arrived on Wednesday afternoon at the Getica National Combined Training Center in Cincu, central Brasov County, being accompanied by President Klaus Iohannis. Fii la curent

- President Klaus Iohannis condemned on Tuesday the attacks with Russian missiles over the cities and civil infrastructures of Ukraine, showing that the analysis doesn't reveal, at the moment, an increase of risks in Romania. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro

- President Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday welcomed visiting Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, with military honours. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook stiripesurse.ro  Help your friends know

- Salome Zourabichvili, the President of Georgia, will be received on Tuesday at the Cotroceni Palace by President Klaus Iohannis, on the occasion of her official visit to Romania. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook stiripesurse.ro  Help

- President Klaus Iohannis participated on Tuesday in a videoconference with European Council President Charles Michel and a group of European leaders as a preparation stage for the meetings to take place on Thursday and Friday in Prague. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste

- President Klaus Iohannis will lead the Romanian delegation that will participate in the high-level segment of the 77th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, on Tuesday and Wednesday, in New York, the Presidential Administration informs. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri.

- President Klaus Iohannis signed, on Tuesday, the Condolence Book opened in memory of Queen Elizabeth II at the residence of the ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Romania, the Presidential Administration announced. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri.
By PTI: Panaji, Sept 28 (PTI) AAPs prominent Goa leader Dr Oscar Rebello, who was speculated to be the partys chief ministerial face, has ruled out contesting the state Assembly elections due next year.

Rebello, a practising physician, came into limelight in 2006-07 when he, as convener of Goa Bachao Abhiyaan, had opposed the Regional plan (land use plan) through a mass agitation, following which the then Town and Country Planning Minister Atanasio Monserratte had resigned from his post.

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"I would like to put the record straight that due to my profession and family commitments, I will definitely not contest the election," Rebello told reporters here yesterday, laying to rest speculation about him being the AAPs chief ministerial candidate.

He said though he will not be contesting, he will continue to devote his time to AAP and work full time for the party during the forthcoming state polls.

Hinting that AAP may not project a CM face in advance, Rebello said the party is likely to chose chief minister (if it wins the polls) from the victorious candidates.

The Goa Assembly polls are due before March 2017. PTI RPS GK GVS RYS

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Florida: Donald Trump set aside his debate with Hillary Clinton Tuesday to court Hispanic voters in the key battleground state of Florida, shopping for pastries and visiting Miami`s Little Havana neighborhood.

"You know, when I started off with the Hispanic community, I knew that I had great relationships but it wasn`t reading that way in the newspapers," the Manhattan billionaire told a small, well-heeled audience of mostly Cuban Americans in a college auditorium in Miami.

"We`re leading Florida right now," he claimed to applause, despite polls putting him neck and neck with his Democratic opponent. "And we`re doing that because of the Hispanic community to a large extent."

But if the polls in Florida are too close to call, Trump still faces an enormous task if he wants to count on Hispanics electing him into the Oval Office on November 8.

In Miami, his motorcade swept past a handful of protesters, who held a "No Trump, No KKK, No racist USA" sign as they shouted in heavy rain.

Clinton holds a commanding lead over Trump among Hispanic voters in five key battleground states, at 53 to 34 percent in Florida, according to a recent Florida Atlantic University poll.

From the start of his once improbable bid for the presidency in June 2015, Trump slammed Mexicans as drug dealers, rapists and criminals.

He is campaigning to build a wall along the southern US border, insisting that Mexico will pay for what he says will stem the tide of illegal immigrants and drugs.

He has also threatened to deport millions of illegal immigrants, many of them from a Hispanic background.On Tuesday, Trump offered generalized words about the crisis in Venezuela, promised a better deal on relations with Cuba and urged the overwhelmingly Cuban American audience to get out and vote.

"I see the problems on the news every night, I see what`s going on and you people must be devastated," the candidate said.

Referencing the restoration of diplomatic relations with Cuba, he said friends were "so unhappy. Not at a deal being made, they want the right deal," he said. "We will make the deal, believe me."

He also offered his condolences over the tragic death of Miami Marlins ace pitcher Jose Fernandez, 24, a Cuban refugee turned US citizen who died Sunday in a boating accident.

This was low-key Trump: no music, no grand introduction, no fanfare, just him sitting on stage in an arm chair -- a far cry from his preferred style of large campaign rally attracting thousands.

But still the small, enthusiastic group chanted "Trump, Trump, Trump," "USA, USA, USA," and applauded loudly.

He was preaching to the converted. The gathering appeared to be invitation only, names checked off against a list. Those who spoke to AFP firmly supported his tough stance against illegal immigrants.

It is a crowd fed up with the political establishment, several of whom said there was "no way" they would ever be voting for Clinton.It was also a crowd embodying the American dream of hundreds of thousands of Cubans who fled after Fidel Castro seized power in 1959, coming to the United States to find an education, jobs and prosperity.

None of the five speakers from the floor asked questions. Instead, they thanked him effusively for his "sacrifices" in running for office, calling him "Mr Soon To Be President," or even just "Mr President."

One woman, originally from Venezuela, addressed Trump in Spanish through a translator as he sat with chin resting on his hand.

"I don`t know how to thank you for just jumping into this cesspool. Simply because you don`t want this country to turn out to be another Cuba, another Venezuela," said businessman Max Alvarez.

Trump later stopped off at Versailles Bakery, for what a staffer said was coffee, empanadas, croquettes and a pastry to chants of "Arriba Trump" as a few people jumped on chairs to catch a glimpse.

Later Tuesday, he addresses a rally in an airport hangar in Melbourne, Florida. Also on his schedule -- two Florida fundraisers -- as he tries to play catchup with Clinton`s heaving war chest.

"He would have to just completely reverse a lot of his policies for me to switch from him," David Lopez, a 20-year-old student, told AFP.

"But to go to Clinton? No way. That wouldn`t happen."
District of Columbia: The United States has tapped Jeffrey DeLaurentis, America`s top diplomat in Havana, to become the first official ambassador to Cuba in five decades.

"The appointment of an ambassador is a common sense step forward toward a more normal and productive relationship between our two countries," Obama said in a statement.

Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced a thaw in relations in December 2014.

Since then, Washington and Havana have taken once-unthinkable steps to mend ties after more than half a century of enmity.

President Obama has visit Cuba and relaxed portions of the US embargo imposed since 1962.

Flights have resumed and cruise ships can now sail from Miami to Havana.

US companies like Airbnb and Netflix now operate in Cuba and American hotel group Starwood recently opened a Sheraton in Havana.

DeLaurentis is already in Havana and previously worked in Bogota and at the United Nations.

But his nomination, which requires Senate confirmation, is likely to face stiff opposition in Congress, where Cuban American lawmakers have sought to garner local support by opposing Obama`s policies.

Any senator could place an anonymous hold on the nomination.
By PTI: New Delhi, Sept 28 (PTI) Apart from India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan have also pulled out of the SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November, indirectly blaming Pakistan for creating an environment which is not right for the successful holding of the meet, resulting in its collapse.

Amidst heightened tension with Pakistan over Uri terror attack in which 18 jawans were killed, India had announced its decision of pulling out of the Summit late last night citing increased "cross-border" attacks.

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While Bangladesh has categorically said that "the growing interference" in its internal affairs by one country has "created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the SAARC Summit", Afghanistan pulled out citing "terrorism in the region" for its abstention.

"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," it said.

Afghanistan has also conveyed to SAARC Chair Nepal that President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani would not be able to attend the Summit, sources said.

"Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan", President Ghani "with his responsibilities as the Commander-in-Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the Summit", a communication by the country said.

Bhutan said while it is committed to the SAARC process and strengthening of regional cooperation, it is concerned over the "recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

"Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances."

The decision by India and three countries of the eight- member grouping not to attend the summit would lead to its collapse since as per the SAARC charter the Summit can not be held even in the absence of one head of the government.

The Uri attack has triggered a strong response from India which has reviewed the 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty (IWT), and decided to reconsider the MFN status granted by it, unilaterally, to Pakistan.

The Foreign Secretary had also issued a demarche yesterday to Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit over the attack while confronting him with the proof of "cross-border origins" of the terror strike. PTI PYK RT

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Washington: The US Senate voted overwhelmingly today to override Barack Obama's veto of a bill allowing 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia, the first such rebuke of his eight-year presidency.

In a landmark 97-1 vote backing the override, only outgoing Obama ally, Nevada Democrat Harry Reid, voted against it, teeing up a similar vote in the House of Representatives later today.

The rare act of bipartisanship is a severe blow to Obama, who lobbied hard against the bill, known as the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA).

The rebuke marks Obama's last months in office and shows the White House to be much weakened.

Obama has issued 12 vetoes during his presidency. Until now none have been overridden, a rare feat given Republicans' longstanding control of Congress.

His Republican predecessor George W Bush also issued 12 vetoes and four were overriden. The last president to avoid an override was legendary Democratic congressional dealmaker -- and former senator and congressman -- Lyndon Johnson.

The White House argued the 9/11 bill would undermine the principle of sovereign immunity and open up the United States itself to lawsuits.

In a letter to Republican and Democratic Senate leaders obtained by AFP, Obama said: "I strongly believe that enacting JASTA into law would be detrimental to US national interests."

Obama warned of "devastating" consequences for the Pentagon, service members, diplomats and the intelligence services.

It would "neither protect Americans from terrorist attacks, nor improve the effectiveness of our response to such attacks," he warned.

"The United States relies on principles of immunity to prevent foreign litigants and foreign courts from second-guessing our counterterrorism operations and other actions that we take every day."

Families of 9/11 victims have campaigned for the law -- convinced that the Saudi government had a hand in the attacks that killed almost 3,000 people.

Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens, but no link to the government has been proven. The Saudi government denies any links to the plotters.

Declassified documents showed US intelligence had multiple suspicions about links between the Saudi government and the attackers.

"While in the United States, some of the 9/11 hijackers were in contact with, and received support or assistance from, individuals who may be connected to the Saudi government," a finding read.
Dhaka: Bangladesh on Wednesday said the decision to pull out of the Islamabad SAARC summit was purely its "own decision" and has no relation with the decision of any other country.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs M. Shahriar Alam said: "It (Bangladesh`s decision) has no relation to other countries` decisions. It`s our own decision."

Without taking any name, Shahriar Alam said a "particular country`s" repeated attempts to interfere in Bangladesh`s internal affairs has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful holding of the SAARC summit, Daily Star reported.

"We`ve conveyed it to current SAARC chairman (Nepal and SAARC Secretariat) yesterday (Tuesday) that Bangladesh is not attending the Summit," he told reporters at the Foreign Ministry here.

Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, believes in regional cooperation and connectivity, which was also conveyed to the SAARC chair and SAARC Secretariat.

"When time and scope will be available, Bangladesh will attend such events," he added.

Relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan have deteriorated sharply in recent years after Pakistan`s repeated interference in Bangladesh`s internal affairs following the trial and execution of war criminals in Bangladesh.

The Minister said Bangladesh will never compromise, and has never compromised in the past either, in terms of issues related to the trial of war criminals and execution of the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Dhaka had strongly protested Islamabad`s meddling in its internal affairs and last year Bangladesh expelled a Pakistani diplomat for allegedly funding Islamist extremists.

On Tuesday, Bangladesh conveyed its decision to pull out of the summit.

"The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by `one country` has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) Summit in Islamabad," sources quoted Bangladesh as saying in a message to current SAARC chair Nepal.

"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere," the message said.

"In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad."

On Tuesday, India, Bhutan and Afghanistan also conveyed their decision not to attend the November 9-10 summit in Islamabad.

The summit stands automatically postponed or cancelled if one member country skips the event.

However, Saarc Chair Nepal was yet to issue any statement with regard to either having received intimations about some members` decision not to attend the proposed Summit in Islamabad or a postponement of the summit meeting.

Talking to UNB, a senior official on Tuesday night said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has decided to skip the summit following Pakistan`s "repeated and shameless" interference in Bangladesh`s internal affairs over the trial of war criminals.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not travel to Islamabad to participate in the Saarc summit in November as the atmosphere is "not conducive to a successful summit".

India has conveyed to current Saarc Chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Member States by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.

"In the prevailing circumstances, the government of India is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," it said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to have a bilateral meeting with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Goa on October 16, where they are likely to discuss the future steps on regional cooperation.

Bangladesh Finance Minister A.M.A. Muhith and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan had skipped the two SAARC ministerial-level meetings in Islamabad last month citing domestic compulsion.

On September 19, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh "firmly stands" beside India at this difficult hour and expressed deep shock at the terrorist attack on an army base at Uri, in Jammu and Kashmir.
Washington: The Hindu community in US has lauded the passage of the Hindu Marriage Bill in Pakistan's National Assembly, which now officially recognises Hindu marriages throughout the country.

"The Hindu Marriage Act is viewed as an attempt to bring legitimacy to marriages occurring within the Hindu population, which had previously not been officially recognised," Hindu American Foundation (HAF) said in a statement yesterday.

"This is a long overdue step necessary to accord basic civil liberties and human rights to Pakistan's nearly two million strong Hindu population," HAF senior director and Human Rights Fellow Samir Kalra said.

The bill follows the recent passage of a similar law in the Sindh Provincial Assembly, where the vast majority of Pakistan's Hindu population resides.

The bill will now have to get approval in the country's upper house, the Senate.

"The lack of a legal mechanism to recognise Hindu marriages in Pakistan since the country's creation in 1947 has led to rampant discrimination against Hindus and has left Hindu women vulnerable to forced conversions and forced marriages to unknown Muslim men.

"We hope that the expedited passage of this bill by Pakistan's Senate, along with its rigorous enforcement by government authorities, will curb discrimination and forced conversions of Hindu women," Kalra said.

"This bill may be imperfect but it is a historic milestone for Hindus in Pakistan," HAF director of Government Relations Jay Kansara said.

"The passage of the Hindu Marriage Act, however, should not divert attention from Pakistan's ongoing human rights abuses and its state sponsorship of terrorist organisations that have killed thousands of people in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India," Kansara said.
Hong Kong: Hundreds of Hong Kong pro-democracy supporters holding yellow umbrellas held three minutes` silence outside the city`s government offices Wednesday to mark the second anniversary of mass protests challenging Beijing.

The anniversary of the "Umbrella Revolution" comes as tensions remain high in the semi-autonomous city, with fears growing that China is tightening its grip.

Huge rallies in 2014 demanding fully free leadership elections and other democratic reforms for Hong Kong brought parts of the city to a standstill for more than two months.

Those demands were snubbed by Beijing, but since then former Umbrella Movement protesters have won seats as city lawmakers.

Some of them are now pushing for a complete break from China as the fledgling independence movement gains support.

Former Umbrella Movement protest leader Nathan Law, 23, became Hong Kong`s youngest legislator in the recent citywide elections. He now advocates self-determination for Hong Kong.

Speaking to the crowds Wednesday, Law urged them to keep fighting.

"It`s important for you to find the impulse and bravery from before to allow for an even bigger resistance next time," he said, speaking on a stage beside the "Lennon Wall" -- a staircase near the government complex that became plastered with notes of support for protesters during the 2014 rallies.

Law was joined by political ally Joshua Wong, 19, who also addressed the crowds.

In an interview with AFP Wednesday, Wong said the democracy movement was in a "long-term battle facing the largest communist regime in the world".

"We just have to show our persistence, courage and commitment," he said. At 5:58 pm (0958 GMT) those gathered held three minutes` silence to mark the time two years ago when police fired tear gas at student-led pro-democracy protesters.

That galvanised tens of thousands to come onto the streets in support.

The largely peaceful demonstrations spawned sprawling protest camps, with tents and artworks set up on highways and shopping streets.

The movement gained its name from protesters` use of umbrellas to shield them from tear gas, pepper spray, sun and rain alike.

Supporters Wednesday said they felt the rallies had changed the city for the better.

"The Umbrella Movement transformed many in the city to care about the community, so we must make an effort to remember this incident," said school student Joy Chan, 14.

Chan said she had taken part in the protests in 2014 -- many school-age protesters joined the demonstrations and makeshift classrooms were set up so they could continue their studies.

Housewife Claire Weber, 42, said she was at the site two years ago when police fired tear gas at the crowds.

"No matter what, or how messy the political environment gets, we must persist," she told AFP.

The atmosphere Wednesday was carnivalesque, with souvenirs including miniature yellow paper umbrellas -- the symbol of the movement -- handed out to those taking part.

Metres-tall signs reading "I want real universal suffrage" were displayed, an echo of the slogans of 2014.

Hong Kong was handed back to China by Britain in 1997 under a semi-autonomous "one country, two systems" deal, which guaranteed its freedoms for 50 years.

But there are deep concerns those liberties are under threat in a number of areas, from politics to education and the media.
Kabul: Civilians were among at least 18 people killed in a US air strike against Islamic State militants in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday, officials said, with conflicting claims about the number of civilian deaths.

The attack happened in Achin district, a hotbed of IS insurgents in Nangarhar province near the border with Pakistan, as local residents gathered to welcome a tribal elder who had recently returned from the hajj pilgrimage.

"Three civilians lost their lives in this strike," Achin police chief Mohammad Ali told AFP, adding that 15 militants were also killed.

But Esmatullah Shinwari, a Nangarhar MP, said the strike killed 13 civilian relatives of the local elder. Six IS fighters were also killed, he added.

The American military said it conducted a "counter-terrorism airstrike in Achin" on Wednesday, adding it was aware of claims of civilian casualties.

"We... are currently reviewing all materials related to this strike," US military spokesman Charles Cleveland said in a statement.

"US Forces-Afghanistan takes all allegations of civilian casualties very seriously."

There was no information on whether it was an attack by a drone or a piloted aircraft.

Islamic State first emerged in Afghanistan in late 2014 and has since violently challenged the much larger Afghan Taliban movement in parts of the country`s east.

But the fighters have steadily lost territory in recent months because of stepped-up US airstrikes and a ground campaign by Afghan forces in Nangarhar.

They are confined to two or three districts including Achin, according to Afghan and US officials.

Civilian and military casualties caused by NATO forces have been one of the most contentious issues in the 15-year campaign against the insurgents, prompting harsh public and government criticism.

A US air strike killed eight Afghan policemen earlier this month in the southern province of Uruzgan in the first apparent "friendly fire" incident since American forces were given greater powers to strike at insurgents in June.

The new authority gave the US-led NATO troops greater latitude to order air strikes in support of Afghan troops.
Washington: The United States is ready to send around 600 troops to Iraq to train local forces for an upcoming offensive on the Islamic State group stronghold of Mosul, US officials said today.

IS seized Mosul along with other areas in June 2014, but the country's forces have since regained significant ground from the jihadists and are readying for a drive to retake Iraq's second city.

Speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of a formal announcement, the officials said the troops would mainly be deployed to Qayyarah, a strategically vital air base south of Mosul that will help funnel supplies and troops toward the city.

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter was due to make an announcement later today while on a work trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

"In consultation with the government of Iraq, the United States is prepared to provide additional US military personnel to train and advise the Iraqis as the planning for the Mosul campaign intensifies," another US official said, again speaking on condition of anonymity.

A US-led coalition is carrying out air strikes against IS in Iraq, and Washington has authorized the deployment of more than 4,600 military personnel to the country.

Most are in advisory or training roles, working with Iraqi and Kurdish peshmerga forces, but some American troops have fought IS on the ground, and three members of the US military have been killed by the jihadists in Iraq.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office indicated it has requested "a final increase in the number of American trainers and advisers" to support Iraqi troops in the northern city.

The statement from Abadi's office noted that American forces are helping Iraq in its battle against the jihadists, but their presence remains extremely politically sensitive due to the nine-year war the United States fought in the country.

The statement said the number of trainers and advisers would start to be reduced as soon as Mosul is retaken from IS, and also asserted that no American troops had fought alongside Iraqi troops.

In reality, American special forces have fought IS alongside Iraqi Kurdish forces on several occasions that have been made public, and likely in other operations that have not come to light.

Speaking in New Mexico yesterday, Carter said he expected the Mosul offensive to begin in the coming weeks, but stressed the decision was an Iraqi one.

"The plan is quite elaborate," he said. "All of this is under the command of Prime Minister Abadi."
Guwahati: The Assam Secretariat has decided to make certain improvements in the e-pass system for visitors with effect from October 1 next.

In place of paper slip, entry pass will be issued through SMS, a government release said here today.

Visitors must display their valid ID Cards/ID Proofs (Voter ID/Pan Card/Passport), etc along with the sms at the time of entry into the Assam Secretariat Complex.

The exit code given to the visitors should be entered in the e-pass counter at the time of exit from the Assam Secretariat, the statement said.

If visitors fails to register their exit code in th counter, then they may not be issued an entry pass next time, it added.
New Delhi: The Bihar government on Wednesday admitted its failure before the Supreme Court in not opposing the bail petition of RJD strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin in a murder case at the Patna High Court.

Senior counsel Dinesh Dwivedi, appearing for the state government, also assailed the high court for "non-application of mind in granting bail" to the former MLA from Siwan in Bihar, overlooking the provisions of CrPC in the Rajiv Roshan killing case.

"I am not justifying whatever happened in the past. The state has failed in its duty," Dwivedi told the bench of Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Justice Amitava Roy as he faulted the high court for granting bail to the "hardened criminal" in total disregard of Section 437 of the CrPC.

Section 437 lays down that no person, who is guilty of an offence punishable with death or life imprisonment, or has been previously convicted for an offence punishable with death, life imprisonment or imprisonment for seven years or more, or has been previously convicted on two or more occasions for a non-bailable and cognizable offence, shall be granted bail.

The state government admitted its failure in the course of the hearing of a petition challenging the order granting bail to Shahabuddin in the Rajiv Roshan murder case. Rajiv was the sole witness in the murder of his two brothers allegedly by the henchmen of Shahabuddin.

Before the Bihar government moved the Supreme Court, Chandrakeshwar Prasad, whose three sons were done to death allegedly by Shahabuddin's henchmen, had approached the apex court challenging the order granting him bail.

As Dwivedi referred to the provisions of law for challenging the high court verdict, the apex court asked "Did public prosecutor appear before the high court" and observed that apparently it was not taken seriously by the lawyer.

"I am not justifying or making an effort to defend the state. The state has failed in its duty. I am not justifying whatever has happened in the past. I accept the anomaly. I accept the shortcoming. I am not trying to defend it," Dwivedi said.

"We can only say that we understand, without commenting on it," the bench observed, asking as to why the factum of criminal revision petition against the order of cognizance was not brought to the notice of the high court.

Dwivedi tried to flag the peculiar situation of the case, but the bench asked: "At whose instance this peculiarity has arisen" and then pointed to "continued negligence" by the state government.

The high court had earlier ordered that the trial should commence within nine months. On September 7, when it granted bail to Shahabuddin, it noted that despite its order to commence trial within nine months, it had not happened.

Interestingly, what was not told to the high court, both by Shahabuddin and the prosecution, that soon after cognizance was taken, Shahabuddin had moved a revision petition contesting it, and for that reason trial could not proceed.

Appearing for Shahabuddin, senior counsel Shekhar Naphade told the court that his client was a victim of "campaign by the media and prejudice" and "it is a trend in Bihar that if there is a crime, Mohammed Shahabuddin has to be named".

"Once a man acquires the tag of notoriety, he becomes a punching bag, for everything he is to blame," Naphade told the bench defending Shahabuddin.

The hearing will continue on Thursday.


New Delhi: A day after former bureaucrat BK Bansal allegedly committed suicide along with his son at his residence here, the CBI has received hand-written suicide notes, which accuse several senior officials of the central probe agency of harassing and torturing his family during their investigation into bribery allegations against him.

News agency ANI quoted CBI confirming that it has received purported hand written notes of BK Bansal, then DG (Ministry of Corporate Affairs) and his son from Delhi Police today.

The letters contain allegations against certain CBI officials in connection with the on-going bribery investigation against BK Bansal and his family members, the CBI said.

We have examined the matter and decided to probe the allegations, the agency quoted the CBI as saying.

Bansal, in his letter sent to media houses (India Today TV), had accused five CBI officers of harassing his family.

The former official had written that his wife was physically tortured by two female CBI officials who use to pinch his wife's body.

Meanwhile, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has also reacted to the shocking development and attacked the Centre for misusing the CBI for political gains.

Absolutely shocking. Are we living in a democracy? More shocking is media's reluctance to tell full story. Do read this n make it viral https://t.co/DdDvFj8hZx  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) September 28, 2016

Bansal and his son committed suicide at their residence in Nilkanth Apartments in east Delhi on Tuesday, almost a month after he was granted bail by a special CBI court.

Bansal, who was the Director General of Corporate Affairs, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in July on alleged charges of bribery and attempting to scuttle a probe against a Mumbai-based Elder Pharmaceuticals.

Police said Bansal and his son allegedly hanged themselves and their bodies were discovered today around 9 am by the maid.

Responding to the news, the CBI said it was deeply saddened to know about the unfortunate demise of BK Bansal and his son. "The matter is being looked into by the local police," added the investigative agency.

According to neighbours, Bansal and his son were upset over the ongoing graft case and the recent deaths in the family.

Bansal's wife and daughter had also committed suicide in July.

Satyabala Bansal, 57, and Neha Bansal, 27, were found hanging from ceiling fans in different rooms of their first-floor flat in Neelkanth Apartments in Madhu Vihar area.

The two had left separate suicide notes, saying the "CBI raid" caused "great humiliation" and they did not want to live after that.

They, however, held nobody responsible for their death.

Bansal, an additional secretary-rank officer in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, was arrested by the CBI on July 16 for allegedly accepting bribe from a prominent pharmaceutical company.

The CBI had carried out searches at eight locations in connection with the case during which the agency had claimed to have made cash recoveries.

He was later arrested but released on bail. According to sources, CBI had summoned him for further questioning on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the IAS association has also called for a fair probe into the matter.

Suicides by the entire family of B K Bansal former DG Corporate Affairs is sad & tragic. Free & fair probe is a must.  IAS Association (@IASassociation) September 28, 2016

The opposition Congress party has also called for a court-monitored probe into the death of suspended Corporate Affairs Ministry officer B.K. Bansal and his family members.
Sofia: Bulgaria switched on Wednesday its support from UNESCO chief Irina Bokova to European Commission Vice President Kristalina Georgieva as its candidate for UN secretary-general, potentially shaking up the race.

"We think it will be a more successful candidacy," Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said ahead of a government meeting.

Bokova failed to make a strong showing in an informal vote by the 15-member council this week, placing only sixth in the fifth straw poll.

Georgieva is seen as potentially having better chances to succeed South Korea`s Ban Ki-moon when he steps down on December 31 as the world`s top diplomat.

"Bokova has deployed a lot of efforts. We gave her a final chance for the latest vote... She fell even further and was overtaken by several other countries and other female candidates," said Borisov.

The announcement came after rumours had been swirling for days that Bulgaria would drop its support for Bokova.

On Tuesday evening, Bokova had still insisted she would not quit her candidacy.

"If (Bulgaria) presented another candidate at this stage, it would be a serious political error," she told Bulgarian media.

Portugal`s former prime minister Antonio Guterres is currently in the lead to win the race.

None of the other eight candidates picked up the minimum nine votes required to become the Security Council`s nominee for the top post in Monday`s straw poll.

The next informal ballot is scheduled for October 5 but the five veto-wielding powers will be using coloured ballots in that round to indicate whether they would block a candidacy.

Russia has said it would prefer a candidate from Eastern Europe to become the next UN chief, but it remains unclear if it will use its veto to block a contender from another region.

Council members are hoping to agree on a nominee in the coming weeks and present that candidate to the General Assembly for approval.
By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 28 (PTI) Air India has inked a code share agreement with Air Austral which will help the national carrier to connect with destinations in the Indian Ocean and Africa.

The pact would enable Air India to code share on the French airlines flights on the Chennai-Reunion-Chennai sector as well as on routes including Reunion to Johannesburg, Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar. "Reciprocally, Air Austral will put its marketing code on Air India operated flights beyond Chennai to/from Mumbai, Delhi and Kochi," Air India said in a release today. Both airlines have signed a "free flow code share agreement". Code sharing allows an airline to book its passengers on its partner carriers and provide seamless transport to destinations where it has no presence. Reunion is an island in the Indian Ocean and part of France. According to the release, the domestic carrier would offer its passengers flights departing from India to Saint- Denis de La Reunion with the Chennai/Saint-Denis flight operated by Air Austral. "This agreement will enable Air India to reach out to destinations in the Indian Ocean and Africa. We look forward to expand our relationship with Air Austral in future," Air Indias Executive Director (Strategy and Planning) Seema Srivastava said. It would be the 15th code share partner for the national airline, she added. Air Australs Executive Vice President (Commercial Division) Jean-Marc Grazzini said the pact would help greatly improve the connectivity of Reunion Island to the Indian Ocean. PTI RAM IAS MKJ

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Paris: French President Francois Hollande defended his government`s 2017 budget targets on Wednesday, seven months ahead of the next election, in the face of scepticism from experts.

Hollande said the Socialist government`s aim to cut the deficit to 2.7 percent of GDP for 2017, the lowest in a decade and under the European Union`s limit of 3.0 percent, was "credible and serious".

France has repeatedly broken the EU`s fiscal rules and a top independent watchdog has said it doubts Paris will reach its target next year either.

But Hollande insisted his government had made consistent progress towards hitting its deficit goal.

"A forecast can always be discussed, but until now, and for the last four budgets, we have kept to the commitments we have made," Hollande told a cabinet meeting hours before the draft budget was unveiled, according to the government`s spokesman.

"So we will continue to defend both the perspectives for growth and the target we have set, which is credible and serious," Hollande added.

An independent watchdog, the High Council of Public Finances (HCFP), said this week it doubted that France could hit the 2.7 percent deficit target, which would be France`s lowest in a decade.

Finance Minister Michel Sapin however joined Hollande in dismissing that suggestion, saying: "We will keep this commitment."

Hollande has yet to decide whether to seek re-election, but if he does, his economic record will be key.

The draft budget also maintained an ambitious growth forecast of 1.5 percent for 2017.

Growth of that size is instrumental for the government`s tax and spending plans as well as to meet the public deficit commitment.But the OECD and the IMF have both downgraded their growth forecasts for France to 1.3 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively.

Sapin offered modest tax cuts targeting the middle class and small and medium-sized companies, but blasted as "irresponsible" right-wing candidates for the presidency who have promised bigger tax giveaways.

"The candidates for the presidential election, or the (right-wing) primary before that, who promise immediate tax cuts and say the control of public expenditure can be postponed until tomorrow, are irresponsible," Sapin said.

France will spend 381.7 billion euros ($428.8 billion) next year, a rise of 7.4 billion on this year.

The government said it will make savings in the social security budget and will claw back more money than expected from tax dodgers.

Hollande, who is deeply unpopular in opinion polls, has said he will decide by the end of the year whether to stand for re-election.

He has made reducing unemployment one of the key conditions for seeking a second term, but his hopes suffered a blow when figures released this week showed a sharp rise in joblessness in August.

The number of unemployed in mainland France grew by over 50,000, or 1.4 percent, to 3.56 million, according to the labour ministry.

Former president Nicolas Sarkozy and a former prime minister, Alain Juppe, are the favourites in November`s two-round primary which will decide the centre-right candidate for the presidency.
Madrid: Spain`s Socialist party was hit by a "coup" attempt Wednesday with half of its leadership quitting in a bid to oust leader Pedro Sanchez and unblock the country`s political deadlock.

But while Sanchez remained silent Wednesday evening, his ally and party number two Cesar Luena told reporters the 44-year-old remained firmly in place.

The Socialists (PSOE) have for months been wracked by internal dissent over Sanchez`s leadership during Spain`s nine-month political stalemate, as rival parties fail to agree on a government following two inconclusive elections.

The party took a drubbing in two weekend regional polls, and scored historically low results in December general elections and in a repeat vote in June as voters flocked to other upstart parties.

"Seventeen resignations... were handed in today," a party spokesman told AFP Wednesday.

With two separate, earlier resignations, this takes the number of party executives that have quit to 19 out of 35.

Under party rules, according to Luena, an extraordinary meeting of grassroots members must now be called to elect a new executive, and they will also decide on whether they want their leader to remain.

"Tricks and coups don`t have their place here," said Luena.

"The Socialist party leader is its secretary general, and the PSOE`s secretary general -- elected by party members -- is Pedro Sanchez."As Spain`s political paralysis drags on, some within the PSOE want the party to use its 85 parliamentary seats to help unblock the situation and allow a right-wing coalition government to emerge by abstaining in the necessary vote of confidence.

That, they argue, would avoid a third round of elections and the party could go into opposition and build up strength again.

But instead the Socialists voted against such a coalition government led by acting conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy earlier this month, prompting it to fail.

Sanchez is now trying to form his own coalition with Podemos, the anti-austerity party that wants to replace it as the country`s main left-wing force.

But he would also need the support and seats of nationalist and separatist groupings in Catalonia and the Basque Country in order to form a government -- despite being firmly against independence for any region.

In a sign of how bad the rift is within the party, former Socialist prime minister Felipe Gonzalez came out against Sanchez on Wednesday morning.

"A Frankenstein government is not possible," he told the Cadena Ser radio station.

"He (Sanchez) told me he would go into opposition, that he would not attempt any alternative government.

"I feel frustrated... as if I had been tricked."

Those who resigned Wednesday -- among them several so-called "party barons," or regional presidents -- will be hoping that if Sanchez is forced out and if Rajoy attempts to push a government through again, some Socialist lawmakers will abstain.

But they are up against an October 31 constitutional deadline, after which the king will have to dissolve parliament and call a third round of elections.

And many believe that grassroots party members do not want to see a government led by Rajoy come to power.

Sanchez -- the first Socialist party leader to be directly voted in by these grassroots members -- will be banking on this to help his cause.The mass resignation bears striking similarities to the attempted coup against Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Britain`s opposition Labour Party.

In June, just days after Britain voted to exit the European Union, moderate Labour lawmakers proposed a no-confidence vote on the veteran socialist`s leadership.

A string of his frontbench team then quit in coordinated fashion, each releasing withering resignation letters, before he was defeated by 172 to 40 in the non-binding vote of Labour lawmakers.

But Corbyn, who has the crucial backing of labour unions and was elected last year in a landslide by grassroots party members, survived and was voted back in as leader at the weekend.
New Delhi: Ever since 70 Russian soldiers landed in Islamabad for the first ever joint military drill between the two nations, the Pakistani media and social commentators have been gloating over what was been seen as policy shift by Kremlin.

However, what did not occupy their attention  or they conveniently ignored - was that 250 men from the Indian Army contingent were welcomed by the Russians the very same day at Vladivostok.

The ongoing Indra 2016 is the eight edition of joint military exercises between the two long-standing partner nations.

The main focus of this edition of the joint exercise is on Counter-Terrorism Operations in semi-mountainous and jungle terrain under United Nations Mandate.

To achieve interoperability in joint operations, troops from both sides would acquaint themselves with the respective approach to such operations.

250 soldiers of the Kumaon Regiment are representing the Indian Army and the Russian Army is being represented by 250 soldiers from the 59th Motorized Infantry Brigade.

Check out some wonderful pictures of the bonhomie:

The #IndianArmy contingent arrived Russia for Indo-Russia Jt Mil Ex #Indra2016. 11 days Ex begins tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/JHM7z0Od03  ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) September 22, 2016

Indo-Russia Joint Military Exercise #INDRA2016 began today in the Ussiriysk district in Vladivostok,Russia. pic.twitter.com/naheTgeD8H  ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) September 23, 2016
New Delhi: In a big diplomatic snub to Pakistan, the 19th SAARC Summit, due to be held in Islamabad on November 9-10, stands cancelled. The official confirmation, however, is still awaited.

Notably, India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan - four of the eight members of the South Asian grouping  have pulled out of the summit, citing incitement of terrorism in the region.

Nepal, the current Chair of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, has not made an official announcement of cancellation as yet. However, sources at SAARC Secretariat have told zeenews.com that the summit has been cancelled and it will now take place next year. Current SAARC Secretary General Arjun Bahadur Thapa, who is currently in New York and will return in two days, will make the announcement soon.

Earlier, Pakistan tried to put a brave face and said it would go ahead and host the event in November. Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria was quoted as saying that it was learnt from the Indian External Affairs Ministry's tweet that India is not going to participate in the SAARC Summit, a decision he called "unfortunate". The spokesperson also said Pakistan is committed to regional peace and will continue working for the broader interest of the people of the region, according to the report.

Separately, Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said India is making a propaganda to foil the conference, according to Pakistan Today newspaper.

With the SAARC process based on consensus, even if one member does not attend, the summit is automatically postponed or cancelled. In this case, half of the eight-nation regional bloc has decided to skip the event, forcing the event to be called off.

Sri Lanka has already said that the SAARC Summit would not be possible without India's participation.

India on Tuesday announced that it was pulling out of the Islamabad summit in the wake of the September 18 cross-border terror attack on an Indian Army base in Uri town of Jammu and Kashmir, which New Delhi has blamed on terrorists based in Pakistan.

The Uri attack came amid the dragging unrest and violence in Kashmir Valley that has left around 90 people dead since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani on July 8.

In a statement on Tuesday, India said increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of SAARC member-states "by one country" have created an environment that was not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th SAARC summit.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that India has conveyed to Nepal its decision not to attend the summit, for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to go.

In its message to Nepal on Tuesday, Afghanistan said that because of "increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the summit".

In a similar message to Nepal, Bangladesh said: "The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere," the message said.

"In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad."

Bhutan, in its message, cited "the recent escalation of terrorism in the region" as the reason for its non-participation.

(With IANS inputs)
Karachi: An Anti-Terrorism Court in Pakistan has ordered that a judicial commission would visit Karachi to inspect a boat which was allegedly used in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

An ATC judge on Tuesday heard the Mumbai attack case and accepted a request filed by the Federal Investigation Agency to inspect the boat "Alfoz" in the port city. The FIA had requested the court to send a judicial commission to examine the boat as it was difficult to produce it before the court, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

India`s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup had on September 15 said that Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar had written to his Pakistani counterpart to speed up the trial, which has been pending for almost eight years.

In his letter, Jaishankar suggested several ways in which Pakistan could bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice, including cooperation through legal channels.

Over 166 people, including foreigners, were killed and over 300 wounded when gunmen attacked landmarks in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, triggering three days of gunfights.
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seems to have lost it completely this time.

The AAP chief and Delhi Chief Minister has come under attack for his alleged anti-India tweet over an article published by a national daily which made a case in the favour of Pakistan over the dastardly terror attacks in J&K's Uri.

The article claimed that it was not Pakistan but India which was getting isolated internationally after Uri attacks by Pakistan based terrorists, to which Kejriwal had tweeted: "Excellent article. On Uri, rather than Pak, India seems to be getting isolated internationally.''

Kejriwal's alleged anti-India tweet came at a time when tensions run high between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of terror attacks in Uri in which 18 brave Indian jawans were killed.

A week after the attack, the Narendra Modi government has taken a tough stand and blocked all channels of communications with Pakistan, which includes its decision to boycott the upcoming SAARC summit in Pakistan next month.

The issue has united all political parties in condemning the Uri attacks and demanding a tough response to Pakistan for fomenting terror in the region. Ironically, here is the Chief Minister of Delhi who has insulted the the country by tweeting that India has been isolated internationally, and not Pakistan.

Here are some of those reactions:-

Excellent article. On Uri, rather than Pak, India seems to be getting isolated internationally https://t.co/u6wKBE20fP  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) September 27, 2016

.@ArvindKejriwal Your endorsement of this article proves strongly that you have been installed by anti-India forces. Shame on you.  Sudhanshu S. Singh (@sssingh21) September 27, 2016

.@ArvindKejriwal wah kya khabar sunayi,,, maja aa gya ,, hai na ??

Namak haraam  Manish Pandey (@iammanishpandey) September 27, 2016
Abuja: India and Nigeria have held discussions on the perception, exchange of information or intelligence related to terrorism and have agreed, if at all, to evolve joint action to counter this ever looming threat.

Briefing the media over delegation-level talks between Vice President M. Hamid Ansari and his Nigerian counterpart Yemi Osinbajo here on Tuesday, Secretary, Economic Relations (ER), Ministry of External Affairs, Amar Sinha said, "Terrorism, of course, was a common theme and, of course, with a difference that Nigeria has been lucky that it has got collaborations and cooperation from all its neighbours unlike ours, where one of our neighbours seems to become a source for a lot of terrorist activities that happen in India."

"The discussion on terrorism took place around the perception, exchange of information or intelligence and, the joint action that could be taken, if at all," said Sinha. "Nigeria is acting together with its neighbours and they are quite effectively reducing the space that the Boko Haram had occupied here before," he added.

On the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Sinha said, "India says Nigeria is a influential member of the OIC and its needs to speak up, like all other members need to speak up at the OIC, so that the entire agenda and discourse are not hijacked by the one interested party, and since it is through consensus, if even one of them spoke up, you would have more balanced statements coming out of the OIC, especially on Jammu and Kashmir."

"And, of course, we also made the point that the OIC; we don`t see that they have a locus standi in Jammu and Kashmir," he added.

When asked about the mention of the Uri terror attack during the talks, he said, "We apprised them of the Uri terror attack; whereas soon after the attack, on September 19, they met the acting High Commissioner in Delhi. So, I think, on behalf of the government, they have already condemned it"

Vice President Ansari is on a five-day official visit to Nigeria and Mali as part of efforts to bolster New Delhi`s ties with both West African nations.The historic State visit to Nigeria by then prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in October 2007 after a gap of over forty five years elevated the strategic partnership. Nigeria is India`s largest trading partner in Africa with the bilateral trade amounting to USD 12.6 billion in 2015-16.

India is also the largest buyer of crude oil from Nigeria, and more than 100 Indian companies have a large presence there as well as both the countries have strong defence cooperation.On the second leg of his trip, the Vice President will reach Mali on September 29 for the first ever high-level visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Modibo Keita.
Washington: The World Bank, the international lender which had mediated the Indus Water Treaty, on Wednesday said it was approached by India and Pakistan and it is "responding in its limited, procedural role as set out in the treaty".

"India and Pakistan have informed the World Bank that each has initiated proceedings pursuant to the Indus Waters Treaty 1960 and the World Bank Group is responding in its limited, procedural role as set out in the Treaty," a World Bank spokesperson told PTI here.

"For further details on the proceedings brought under the Indus Waters Treaty 1960, your enquiry is best directed to the member governments," the spokesman said, refusing to comment any further.

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with officials to review provisions of the Indus Water Treaty.

In that meeting it was decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water-sharing pact.

Pakistan next day approached the World Bank, with its senior officials taking up the matter with the body.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today said the Indus Water Treaty was a mutually agreed arrangement between India and Pakistan brokered by the World Bank and no one country can unilaterally separate itself from the treaty
New Delhi: Former foreign secretary Lalit Mansingh on Wednesday said that India withdrawing Most Favored Nation (MFN) from Pakistan will be a very big humiliation for Islamabad.

Singh said by repealing MFN status, India is trying to pressurize Pakistan.

"This is part of India's effort to put pressure on Pakistan through political diplomatic means. It doesn't make any difference to India-Pakistan trade, because the trade is so limited, but symbolically, it means that Pakistan being one of the few countries with MFN from India, and its withdrawal, that in itself will be a big humiliation for Pakistan," Singh told ANI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting on Thursday in which the `Most Favoured Nation' status granted to Pakistan will be reviewed. Post Uri terror attack, India will now decide whether to withdraw the status to that country.
New Delhi: The 19th SAARC Summit to be hosted by Pakistan in November is likely to be postponed with India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan - four of the eight members of the South Asian grouping - deciding to pull out, citing incitement of terrorism in the region.

Sources in Nepal, the current Chair of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, confirmed having received messages from the four countries conveying their inability to attend the summit due in Islamabad on November 9-10.

The sources said that the Himalayan nation is yet to take a decision on calling off the summit, which is over a month away.

With the SAARC process based on consensus, even if one member does not attend the summit is automatically postponed or cancelled.

However, a final decision rests on the current SAARC Secretary General Arjun Bahadur Thapa, who is currently in New York and will return in two days.

With half of the eight-nation regional bloc deciding to skip the event, there is every possibility of the event being postponed, in a big diplomatic snub to Pakistan.

Sri Lanka has already said that the SAARC Summit would not be possible without India`s participation.

India on Tuesday announced that it was pulling out of the Islamabad summit in the wake of the September 18 cross-border terror attack on an Indian Army base in Uri town of Jammu and Kashmir, which New Delhi has blamed on terrorists based in Pakistan.

The Uri attack came amid the dragging unrest and violence in Kashmir Valley that has left around 90 people dead since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani on July 8.

In a statement on Tuesday, India said increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Saarc member states "by one country" have created an environment that was not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th SAARC summit.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that India has conveyed to Nepal its decision not to attend the summit, for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to go.

"India remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity, and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in an atmosphere free of terror.

"In the prevailing circumstances, the Government of India is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad," he said in the statement.

Pakistan has termed the boycott decision as "unfortunate".

In its message to Nepal on Tuesday, Afghanistan said that because of "increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the summit".

In a similar message to Nepal, Bangladesh said: "The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity, and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere," the message said.

"In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad."

Bhutan, in its message, cited "the recent escalation of terrorism in the region" as the reason for its non-participation.
By PTI: London, Sep 26 (PTI) The fierce Vikings may have had a soft spot for cats thousands of years before they came to dominate internet culture, according to a new study which suggests that felines travelled through ancient Eurasia and Africa alongside early farmers and ancient mariners.

In the first large-scale study of ancient-cat DNA, researchers sequenced DNA from more than 200 cats that lived between about 15,000 years ago and the 18th century AD.

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Researchers know little about cat domestication, and there is active debate over whether the house cat (Felis silvestris) is truly a domestic animal - that is, its behaviour and anatomy are clearly distinct from those of wild relatives.

"We dont know the history of ancient cats. We do not know their origin, we dont know how their dispersal occurred," said Eva-Maria Geigl, from the Institut Jacques Monod in France.

A 9,500-year-old human burial from Cyprus also contained the remains of a cat. This suggests that the affiliation between people and felines dates at least as far back as the dawn of agriculture, which occurred in the nearby Fertile Crescent beginning around 12,000 years ago.

Ancient Egyptians may have tamed wild cats some 6,000 years ago, and under later Egyptian dynasties, cats were mummified by the million.

Researchers analysed DNA from the remains of 209 cats from more than 30 archaeological sites across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The samples dated from the Mesolithic - the period just before the advent of agriculture, when humans lived as hunter?gatherers - up to the eighteenth century.

Cat populations seem to have grown in two waves, the researchers said.

Middle Eastern wild cats with a particular mitochondrial lineage expanded with early farming communities to the eastern Mediterranean.

Geigl found that grain stockpiles associated with these early farming communities attracted rodents, which in turn drew wild cats. After seeing the benefit of having cats around, humans might have begun to tame these cats.

Thousands of years later, cats descended from those in Egypt spread rapidly around Eurasia and Africa.

Sea-faring people probably kept cats to keep rodents in check, said Geigl, whose team also found cat remains with this maternal DNA lineage at a Viking site dating to between the eighth and 11th century AD in northern Germany.

Researchers believe that nuclear DNA - which provides information about an individuals ancestors - could address lingering questions about cat domestication and spread, such as their relationship to wild cats, with which they still interbreed.

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Geigls team also analysed nuclear DNA sequences known to give tabby cats blotched coats, and found that the mutation responsible did not appear until the Medieval period. PTI MHN SAR MHN

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a high-level meet at his New Delhi residence on Thursday to review India's unilateral grant of Most favoured Nation (MFN) to Pakistan.

The meet will take place at PM Modi's Lok Kalyan Marg tomorrow morning.

The Congress had on Monday demanded the withdrawal of the MFN status to Pakistan and an imposition of economic sanctions.

India had unilaterally granted the MFN status to Pakistan in 1996 under WTO's General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).

Both India and Pakistan are signatories to this, which means they have to treat each other and rest of WTO member countries as favoured trading partners.

According to Assocham, out of India's total merchandise trade of USD 641 billion in 2015-16, Pakistan accounted for a meagre USD 2.67 billion.

India's exports to the neighbouring country worked out to USD 2.17 billion, or 0.83 percent, of the total Indian outward shipments while imports were less than USD 500 million, or 0.13 percent, of the total inward shipments.

India has decided to revisit the 56-year-old Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan as PM Modi on Monday bluntly said that "blood and water cannot flow together".

The decision to chair the meet to review the MFN status to Pakistan comes at a time when India has decided to withdraw itself from 17th SAARC meet scheduled to be held in Islamabad this year.
New Delhi: A special court has slapped a penalty of Rs 5,000 on CBI for causing an "infructuous" hearing in the 2006 Naval War Room leak case in which arms dealer Abhishek Verma and four former naval officers, including a Wing Commander, are facing trial.

The court passed the order as no prosecution witness could be examined due to the unavailability of the special prosecutor who was said to be busy in Delhi High Court.

"Witness (Retd) Commander Atul Nag is also present since morning. It is now stated by proxy counsel for Special PP for CBI, Rajiv Mohan, that he is held up in High Court in some matter and he will be coming around lunch time.

"However, other defence counsel submit that they are not willing to wait till that time, as they are waiting since morning and they have urgent matters in other courts to attend. Therefore, for rendering today's purpose as infructuous and since the witness is present since morning and has to be discharged unexamined, costs of Rs 5,000 is imposed upon CBI," Special CBI Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal said.

The court directed the CBI to depute another prosecutor by the next date of hearing after it was informed that prosecutor Mohan had written to the agency to relieve him of his duties as SPP from the future proceedings in the case.

The court fixed the case for October 17 for the recording of prosecution evidence.

Former naval officer Kulbhushan Prashar, former commander Vijender Rana, sacked naval commander VK Jha, former IAF Wing Commander Sambha Jee L Surve and alleged arms dealer and Delhi-based businessman Abhishek Verma are facing trial in the case for the offence of criminal conspiracy under IPC and under various provisions of Official Secrets Act (OSA).

While Prashar, Surve, Rana and Jha are on bail, Abhishek Verma is lodged in jail under judicial custody.

Meanwhile, the court granted time to CBI and Verma to respond to a plea by Edmonds Allen, former business partner of Verma, seeking cancellation of bail of the alleged arms dealer.

The 2006 Navy War Room leak case involves leakage of over 7000 pages of sensitive defence information from the Naval War Room and the Air Headquarters, having a direct bearing on national security.

The court had earlier framed charges after the five accused pleaded not guilty and claimed trial. Prime accused Ravi Shankaran is still absconding and has been declared a proclaimed offender by the court.
Islamabad: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said the Indus Water Treaty was a mutually agreed arrangement between India and Pakistan brokered by the World Bank and no one country can unilaterally separate itself from the treaty.

Sharif made the remarks at a high-level meeting here wherein he asserted that Pakistan was fully capable of meeting any internal or external security threat.

"The meeting expressed deep concern on the increase in systematic human rights violations in Kashmir and strongly condemned brutal use of force by Indian security forces," according to statement issued after the meeting.

Addressing the meeting, the Prime Minister said that the Indus Water Treaty was mutually agreed arrangement between India and Pakistan brokered by the World Bank in 1960 and no one country can unilaterally separate itself from the treaty.

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with officials to review provisions of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan.

In that meeting it was decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water-sharing pact.

Pakistan next day approached the World Bank, with senior its officials taking up the matter with the international lender which had mediated the water-sharing deal.

Sharif said the violence on Kashmiris for their right to self-determination, promised by UN resolutions, will never be tolerated and the "oppressed Kashmiris deserve not only Pakistan's support but also the support of the entire world".

He said that Pakistan will continue to extend its moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiris until the issue of Kashmir is resolved as per aspirations of Kashmiri people.

Sharif said that the world is a witness that Pakistan has given tremendous sacrifices for global peace.

He said Pakistan has shown unequalled and unprecedented restraint despite great provocation.

He said that Pakistan will continue to struggle for a peaceful South Asia with a view to enable its people to achieve progress and prosperity of the 21st century.

The meeting also reviewed other matters pertaining to national and regional security and expressed satisfaction over the preparedness of the armed forces to defend the territorial integrity of Pakistan.

Federal Ministers Nisar Ali and Ishaq Dar, army chief General Raheel Sharif, National Security Advisor Nasser Janjua, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry, Director General Military Operations and senior civil and military officials attended the meeting.
New Delhi: Literally, Pakistan has been cornered!

Hours after PM Narendra Modi decided to boycott the SAARC Summit in Islamabad in the wake of Uri terror attack, Bangladesh and Bhutan too have pulled out of the summit.

Also, it's been reported that Afghanistan has also pulled out of the meet. Sources said Afghanistan has communicated its inability to attend to current SAARC chair Nepal.

We are with India on pulling out of SAARC," Bangladesh information minister said.

Bhutan has joined other SAARC countries in conveying inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances, sources said.

According to sources, Bangladesh believes that growing interference in internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created environment not conducive to successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.

Reportedly, Bangladesh said that it remains steadfast in its commitment to regional co-operation but believes these can only go forward in more congenial atmosphere.

"In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," sources added.

Also, Bhutan has expressed concern over recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which seriously compromises environment for successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in Nov 2016, sources added.

Bhutan has shared concerns of some of SAARC countries on deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism.

Earlier, on Tuesday, India pointed out that regional cooperation and terror can't go together.

"India conveyed to current SAARC Chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in internal affairs of Member States by one country created environment that is not conducive to successful holding of summit in Islamabad," MEA said.

The 19th SAARC Summit was scheduled to be held in Pakistan's capital Islamabad from November 9 to 10, 2016.
Chandigarh: Security agencies carried out a night-long search operation in Pathankot district of Punjab to look for some armed men seen by local residents, police said on Wednesday.

"We carried out search operation around Chakki river bank and nearby forest area. However, nothing has been found so far. The search operation was started on Tuesday and carried on through the night," Pathankot district police chief Rakesh Kaushal said.

An extensive search operation began in Pathankot on Tuesday following reports that some local residents had spotted four armed "suspicious men".

The area searched, lying close to the Punjab-Himachal Pradesh-Jammu and Kashmir border, is around 250 km from here.

However, no arrests were made, police officials said.

Search operations have been carried out by security forces in Pathankot and Gurdaspur districts virtually every month after the January 2 attack this year.

Terrorists, suspected to be from Pakistan, had attacked the frontier Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Pathankot on January 2, leaving seven security personnel dead.

The attack was preceded by a terror assault by Pakistani terrorists in Dinanagar town of neighbouring Gurdaspur district on July 27 last year.
Dehradun: President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday paid obeisance at the Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand on the second day of his three-day visit to the hill state.

Accompanied by Governor K K Paul and Chief Minister Harish Rawat, the President spent about an hour at the temple offering prayers and taking a round of it, Sri Badrinath-Sri Kedarnath Mandir Samiti CEO V D Singh said.

The President also took stock of the reconstruction work carried out at Kedarnath which bore the brunt of the June 2013 calamity.

It was the President's first visit to the centuries-old shrine after assuming office. Two of his proposed visits to the temple in the past were cancelled due to bad weather conditions.

Mandir Samiti chairman Ganesh Godiyal welcomed the President by offering him eleven Brahmakamals (a variety of lotus) and a replica of the idol of Kedarnath, the mandir Samiti official said.

Godiyal led the President into the sanctum sanctorum of the temple where he offered prayers.

The Governor, the Chief Minister and Mandir Samiti officials showed the President around to give him an idea of the reconstruction work carried out at the temple and nearby areas.

Mukherjee returned to Dehradun at around 10.30 AM and headed straight to Ashiana, the President's retreat in the city where he will stay for the duration of his visit, which is scheduled to conclude tomorrow after he witnesses a Ganga Aarti on the banks of the Ganga at Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar.
New Delhi: As part of Centre's efforts to reach out to Jammu and Kashmir, Home Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Leh and Kargil early next month and interact with a cross section of people there.

Singh will visit Leh and Kargil on October 3 and 4 and interact with representatives of political parties, social organisations and individuals to seek their views on the present unrest in the Kashmir Valley, official sources said.

The Home Minister has already visited Srinagar twice--the first time with officials and later along with an all-party delegation--since the turmoil in

Kashmir Valley erupted following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8.

Singh had visited Jammu while leading the all-party delegation.

Since the Ladakh region was left out of those trips, the Home Minister will undertake this separate visit for Leh and Kargil to meet locals there, the sources said.
Delhi: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday met all three service chiefs and discussed security situation post-Uri terror attack, as per a media report.

He is also believed to have assessed defence preparedness of Indian Army, Navy and Air Force.

According to CNN-NEWS18, Parrikar is said to have told the armed forces to retaliate to any infiltration bid at the border with full force.

The move comes in the wake of 18 soldiers killed in a deadly strike on an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir.

Four terrorists were also killed by the Army.

Meanwhile, yesterday, for the second time in less than ten days, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar had issued a demarche to Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit and had confronted him with proof of "cross-border origins" of the Uri terror strike.

The FS called in Basit and told him that the preliminary interrogation had revealed identity of one of the slain Uri attackers as Hafiz Ahmed, son of Feroz and resident of Dharbang, Muzaffarabad and also gives details of Pakistan- based handlers.

"Local villagers in the Uri sector apprehended on 21 September and handed over to Indian security forces two individuals from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir who have acted as guides for terrorists and helped them infiltrate across the LOC. Their personal particulars are -Faizal Hussain Awan, 20 years, s/o Gul Akbar Resident of Potha Jahangir, Muzaffarabad and Yasin Khursheed, 19 years, S/o Mohammed Khurshid Resident of Khiliana Kalan, Muzaffarabad," Basit was told, as per MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup.

The FS also told the Pakistan envoy that during his interrogation, Awan had deposed to the NIA that they had "guided and facilitated" the border crossing of the group that perpetrated the September 18 Uri massacre, as per PTI.

In another incident on September 23, 2016, one Pakistani national, Abdul Qayoom, r/o Sialkot was apprehended in Molu sector opposite Pakistan's Sialkot sector and has confessed to undergoing three weeks of training with the terrorist group LeT and donating substantial funds to Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation, their front organization, Basit was conveyed.

(With Agency inputs)
Delhi: In a new revelation, it has emerged that Pakistani Army personnel and ISI officers visited camps in which attackers of Uri were trained, as per a media report.

According to Aaj Tak, things came to light after National Investigation Agency questioned guides who had helped the militants who attacked Army base in Jammu and Kashmir.

Also, training for modern equipment like Japanese ICOM radio set and GPS devices was given by experts from Pakistan Army's IT expert.

The media house further quoted sources as saying that JeM handlers would be subjected to lie detector tests.

Yesterday, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Tuesday had issued a demarche to Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit and had handed him incriminating proof regarding Uri terror attack.

Basit was confronted with proof of 'cross-border origins' of the terror strike and was told that the preliminary interrogation had revealed identity of one of the slain Uri attackers as Hafiz Ahmed, son of Feroz and resident of Dharbang, Muzaffarabad.

At the same time, he was also given details of Pakistan-based handlers.

Details of guides are - Faizal Hussain Awan (20 years), son of Gul Akbar, resident of Potha Jahangir, Muzzaffarabad and Yasin Khurshid (19 years), s/o Mohammed Khurshid, r/o Khiliana Kalan, Muzzaffarabad.

Names of handlers are - Mohammad Kabir Awan and Basharat.

Foreign Secretary calls in Pakistan HC Basit today & presents proof of Cross border origins of #UriAttacks.1/n  Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 27, 2016

Informs him that the two guides who helped infiltration were apprehended by local villagers and are now in custody 2/n  Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 27, 2016

Details of guides:

Faizal Hussain Awan(20 yrs),S/o Gul Akbar;R/o Potha Jahangir,Muzzaffarabad. 3/n  Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 27, 2016

Details of guides:

Yasin Khurshid(19 yrs),S/o Mohammed Khurshid R/o Khiliana Kalan,Muzzaffarabad.4/n  Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 27, 2016

Preliminary interrogation reveals identity of one of d slain Uri attackers:Hafiz Ahmed,S/o Feroz,R/o Dharbang, Muzaffarabad. 5/n  Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 27, 2016

Details of handlers also obtained:Mohd.Kabir Awan &Basharat.FS terms continuing CB terrorist attacks frm Pak against India as unaccpt'le.n/n  Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 27, 2016

18 Indian jawans were killed in a deadly attack by Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists from across the border in J&K.

Four terrorists were also killed by the Army.
By Vishakha Saxena: A 25-year-old PhD student has stunned the medical community by discovering a possible method to kill antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

Malaysia-born Shu Lam and her team have developed a 'star-shaped peptide polymer' that targets the drug-resistant superbugs, rips apart their cell walls and kills them. Their findings were published in Nature Microbiology early this month.

According to a British study, antibiotic-resistant superbugs can kill up to 10 million people a year by 2050 and cost the world economy $100 trillion.

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A student at the University of Melbourne, it took Shu Lam three years of research to make the discovery, which scientists are calling "a breakthrough that could change the face of modern medicine".

What are these polymers?

"For our star molecule, each arm is actually a chain of protein units, and each of these arms are referred to as a polymer. Each polymer is connected at the core. They consist of small chains of proteins, which are essentially called peptides, this is why we call them "peptide polymers," Lam told VICE in an interview.

Lam built these through a method called 'polymerisation'. "It's basically like playing with Lego," she said.

How do they work?

According to Lam, "these star polymers screw up the way bacteria survives. Bacteria need to divide and grow but when our star is attached to the membrane it interferes with these processes. This puts a lot of stress on the bacteria and it initiates a process to kill itself from stress."

E. coli before and after treatment with star-shaped polymers. (Source: Nature Microbiology)





Have they been tested?

Lam and team have tasted success in tests on six different superbugs in their laboratory. The polymers worked against one strain of bacteria in mice too. Superbugs with multiple generations of mutations have also been unable to fight back against them.

Lam says they have been 'very effective at wiping out bacterial infections'. She told The Telegraph her polymers are "relatively non-toxic to the body," since they are too big to enter healthy cells. Besides, they attack the superbugs directly, instead of creating a 'toxic swamp' like antibiotic, which destroy healthy cells.

So when can we start using them?

"We still need to do a lot of studies and a lot of tests," Lam told Vice. Her PhD supervisor told The Telegraph, meanwhile, that 'they will need at least five more years to fully develop the cure.

What the team really needs now are investors.

How are superbugs formed?

The overuse and incorrect use of antibiotics has left some strains of bacteria untreatable, allowing them to mutate and turn into 'superbugs'. Current trends trends are so bad that even a common disease like gonorrhea can become untreatable in the near future.

India, considered one of the worst abuser of antibiotics, has now become a hub of superbugs. Way back in 2010, a gene that makes bugs highly resistant to almost all known antibiotics was found in bacteria in water supplies in New Delhi. It was named NDM-1 (New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamase-1)

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Just last week, the United Nations had declared antibiotic-resistant superbugs a "fundamental threat" to global health and safety. "If we fail to address this problem quickly and comprehensively, antimicrobial resistance will make providing high-quality universal healthcare coverage more difficult if not impossible," Secretary General Ban Ki-moon had said at the first general assembly meeting on drug-resistant bacteria.

All 193 UN member states also agreed to "combat the proliferation of drug-resistant infections," according to a report in The Guardian. Such infections are estimated to kill more than 700,000 people each year.

Can these polymers have more medical purposes?

According to the South China Morning Post, Lam's team is exploring the use of polymers as drug carriers for cancer patients.

Another important project is the synthetic transplant of cornea in the eye, "which involves the use of polymers grown from the patient's own cells in the lab to replace the damaged cornea."

(Source: Twitter)

--- ENDS ---
Delhi: India on Wednesday said that SAARC summit (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) would have to be postponed since four nations had decided not to attend it in Islamabad in November.

MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, "SAARC summit will be postponed since four nations have decided to not attend it in Islamabad, there's no other way. SAARC rule position is very clear. If any one head of state or government decides not to participate in summit, it has to be postponed."

"However, a formal announcement can only be made by Nepal after they have done their internal consultation," the MEA spokesperson added.

He further said, "Unfortunate that Pakistan continues to pursue the path that has led to this current decision. Our commitment to SAARC, to regional connectivity, to regional contact and prosperity remains intact. But we cannot conceive of SAARC summit happening when cross-border terrorism and cross-interference in our internal affairs continues," as per ANI.

Nepal government urges for conducive environment

On the other hand, Nepal MoFA said today, "Nepal government urges that a conducive environment be created soon to ensure participation of all member states in 19th SAARC summit."

"Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and India conveyed inability to participate in SAARC because of the current environment, we've taken it seriously," it added.

Under the SAARC charter, the summit is automatically postponed or cancelled even if one member country skips the event.

Founded in 1985, SAARC currently has Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as its members.

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan join India in boycotting SAARC summit

Following the diplomatic blitzkrieg launched by New Delhi, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan joined India in boycotting the summit.

"Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the summit," sources quoted Kabul as saying in a message to SAARC chair Nepal yesterday, as per IANS.

In a similar message to Nepal, Bangladesh said, "The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad," the message said.

In its message to Nepal, Bhutan, while reaffirming its strong commitment to the SAARC process and strengthening of regional cooperation, noted that "the concern of the Royal Government of Bhutan on the recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad in November 2016", it is learned.

"Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC summit, under the current circumstances," the message from Thimpu yesterday said.

Sri Lanka, it is learned, has said that the event would not be possible without India's participation.

Pakistan's reaction on SAARC summit

Meanwhile, Pakistan today hinted that the summit to be held in Islamabad could be postponed if India has refused to attend the regional gathering.

"As per SAARC rules the summit will not be held if any member-country refused to attend," Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said, as per PTI.

Aziz said it was not the first time that India was not attending the regional summit and that it had earlier also caused the summit to be postponed four times.

Aziz said although it is possible to postpone the summit but the SAARC secretariat has not officially informed the government so far.

Regional cooperation and terror don't go together: India

Yesterday night, India had decided not to attend the SAARC summit in Islamabad.

Citing continuous cross-border terrorism by Pakistan, the government had announced that "in the prevailing circumstances, India is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad."

India had added, that "one country" had created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the summit.

"India has conveyed to current SAARC Chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Member States by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad in November 2016," External Affairs Ministry had said in a statement.

Regional cooperation and terror don't go together. India pulls out of SAARC Summit in Islamabad pic.twitter.com/jabKoaBegJ  Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 27, 2016

Uri terror attack

In the worst attack on the Army in many years, heavily armed militants suspected to be from Pakistan-based JeM had stormed a base in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir in the wee hours of September 18, killing 18 jawans, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to assert that those responsible would not go 'unpunished'.

Located barely a few kilometres from the Line of Control (LoC) and some 70 km from Srinagar, the base was subjected to the brazen attack by four terrorists at around 5.30 am.

Most of the army casualties resulted from the fire in tents in which jawans were sleeping.

After the three-hour gunbattle, four terrorists were killed by the Army.

(With Agency inputs)
Delhi: India on Wednesday said that SAARC summit (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) would have to be postponed since four nations had decided not to attend it in Islamabad in November.

MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, "SAARC summit will be postponed since four nations have decided to not attend it in Islamabad, there's no other way. SAARC rule position is very clear. If any one head of state or government decides not to participate in summit, it has to be postponed."

"However, a formal announcement can only be made by Nepal after they have done their internal consultation," the MEA spokesperson added.

He further said, "Unfortunate that Pakistan continues to pursue the path that has led to this current decision. Our commitment to SAARC, to regional connectivity, to regional contact and prosperity remains intact. But we cannot conceive of SAARC summit happening when cross-border terrorism and cross-interference in our internal affairs continues," as per ANI.

Nepal government urges for conducive environment

On the other hand, Nepal MoFA said today, "Nepal government urges that a conducive environment be created soon to ensure participation of all member states in 19th SAARC summit."

"Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and India conveyed inability to participate in SAARC because of the current environment, we've taken it seriously," it added.

Under the SAARC charter, the summit is automatically postponed or cancelled even if one member country skips the event.

Founded in 1985, SAARC currently has Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as its members.

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan join India in boycotting SAARC summit

Following the diplomatic blitzkrieg launched by New Delhi, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan joined India in boycotting the summit.



"Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the summit," sources quoted Kabul as saying in a message to SAARC chair Nepal yesterday, as per IANS.



In a similar message to Nepal, Bangladesh said, "The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad in November 2016."



"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad," the message said.



In its message to Nepal, Bhutan, while reaffirming its strong commitment to the SAARC process and strengthening of regional cooperation, noted that "the concern of the Royal Government of Bhutan on the recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad in November 2016", it is learned.



"Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC summit, under the current circumstances," the message from Thimpu yesterday said.



Sri Lanka, it is learned, has said that the event would not be possible without India's participation.

Pakistan's reaction on SAARC summit

Meanwhile, Pakistan today hinted that the summit to be held in Islamabad could be postponed if India has refused to attend the regional gathering.

"As per SAARC rules the summit will not be held if any member-country refused to attend," Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said, as per PTI.

Aziz said it was not the first time that India was not attending the regional summit and that it had earlier also caused the summit to be postponed four times.

Aziz said although it is possible to postpone the summit but the SAARC secretariat has not officially informed the government so far.

Regional cooperation and terror don't go together: India

Yesterday night, India had decided not to attend the SAARC summit in Islamabad.

Citing continuous cross-border terrorism by Pakistan, the government had announced that "in the prevailing circumstances, India is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad."

India had added, that "one country" had created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the summit.

"India has conveyed to current SAARC Chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Member States by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad in November 2016," External Affairs Ministry had said in a statement.

Regional cooperation and terror don't go together. India pulls out of SAARC Summit in Islamabad pic.twitter.com/jabKoaBegJ September 27, 2016

Uri terror attack

In the worst attack on the Army in many years, heavily armed militants suspected to be from Pakistan-based JeM had stormed a base in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir in the wee hours of September 18, killing 18 jawans, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to assert that those responsible would not go 'unpunished'.

Located barely a few kilometres from the Line of Control (LoC) and some 70 km from Srinagar, the base was subjected to the brazen attack by four terrorists at around 5.30 am.

Most of the army casualties resulted from the fire in tents in which jawans were sleeping.

After the three-hour gunbattle, four terrorists were killed by the Army.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear a plea filed by Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav challenging his jail sentence in connection with the mid-1990s fodder scam case.

The fodder scam involved the embezzlement of about Rs. 9.4 billion from the government treasury of Bihar.The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed a plea in the apex court against the dropping of a conspiracy charge against Yadav by the Jharkhand High Court in one of the fodder scam cases.

The CBI then filed its latest appeal against the high court order upholding the agency`s plea to continue proceedings in the trial court against Prasad under two sections, while dropping other charges on grounds that a person cannot be tried twice for the same offence.

The high Court had ordered that proceedings against Yadav be continued under IPC Sections 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of an offence committed or giving false information) and 511 (attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or imprisonment, and in such attempt doing any act towards the commission of the offence).

The charges are in connection with the case pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 96 lakh during the chief ministerial tenure of the RJD chief.

The fodder scam relates to fraudulent withdrawal of around 1,000 crore rupees by the Animal Husbandry department from various districts when Lalu was the Bihar chief minister from 1990 to 1997.

On October 3, 2013, Lalu was sentenced to five years` imprisonment in another case of fodder scam by a special CBI court, which had disqualified him from membership of Parliament and also rendered him ineligible for contesting elections for 11 years.

Besides Lalu, six other politicians and four retired IAS officers were also sentenced to prison terms for fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.7 crore from Chaibasa treasury (now in Jharkhand) when Lalu was heading the Janta Dal government in the early 1990s in erstwhile Bihar.
Dialgam: Blending its Operation 'Calm Down' with 'Jadoo ki Jhappi' (magical hug), Army is now foraying into the interiors of South Kashmir, giving a semblance of law and order and building up confidence among the locals to open their establishments which have been shut for nearly three months.

At the break of dawn, Colonel Dharmendra Yadav, in-charge of the most sensitive Anantnag district, takes out his jeep to take a round of his 'Area of Responsibility' or popularly known as AOR. He mingles with locals, interacts with them, especially the children.

Col Yadav and his team is often greeted by the villagers and children while passing through.

"No doubt they have restored some law and order in many areas of the district," says Ghulam Mohiudden, a teacher. He was encouraged by the army personnel to teach children in a makeshift school so that their education is not affected any further.

A resident of Gurgaon, Col Yadav often meets the village elders and is seen greeted by an affectionate hug which he calls a 'Jadoo ki Jhapi'.

"At times such colloquial terms do come handy for us to reach out to the civilians. I did watch Munnabhai MBBS some years back.The movie was a hit and so is the formula here," he says as a group of children surround him.

Col Yadav was part of a team of young Army officers involved in the encounter in Bumdoora village in which Burhan Wani and his two aides were killed.

However, he refrains from sharing any details of the encounter, saying, "this was part of my duty and we don't share operational details. The matter is over and out for me and my team."
Srinagar: A relative of a former legislator today decamped with the service rifle of his security guard in Shopian district of south Kashmir, police said.

Wasim Ahmad Khanday allegedly took away the AK-47 rifle along with a magazine and 30 rounds from the guard room at the residence of former CPI MLC Abdul Rehman Tukroo at Tukroo village of Shopian this morning, a police official said.

He said the weapon was allotted to Tukroo's personal security guard Constable Mohammad Abbas.

It was not immediately clear as to where the constable was when the accused person decamped with the rifle.

A departmental inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the circumstances of the incident even as authorities have sounded an alert in the area to track down Khanday, the official said.

Several cases of weapon snatching have been reported from south Kashmir this year with the biggest arms haul of 39 rifles looted from police station Damhal Hanjipora in Kulgam district at the start of the current unrest in July.
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday justified Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision of not attending the SAARC Summit in Pakistan, suggesting he could not travel there under the present circumstances.

"SAARC was to happen in Pakistan and I had hopes that our PM will get an opportunity to go there but how will he go? Under what circumstances will he go there," she said.

India, along with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan, have decided not to attend the 8-nation Summit because of unabated cross-border terrorism from Pakistan, the venue.

"The Prime Minister went to Pakistan as an uninvited guest (in December last year). Why did he need to go there? He went there for us (people of J and K). He understood that till both the countries do not live together, the people of J&K will continue to face miseries.

"He walked a step but unfortunately there was an attack in Pathankot. But immediately afterwards, the statement of (NSA) Ajit Doval came and he did not blame anyone, which was good. Instead a team from Pakistan came and they were shown the evidence. Pakistan only registered an FIR against one person but unfortunately nothing happened afterwards, she said.

The Chief Minister advocated joint use of resources of all SAARC countries.

"SAARC countries have so many resources - Nepal has its own, Bangladesh and Pakistan have their own, Afghanistan and our country have their own and then Bhutan has its own. We could have used these resources together but it has not happened unfortunately," Mehbooba said.

Maintaining that war is never an option to resolve the issues, Mehbooba pitched for amicable relations between India and Pakistan to fight the poverty and economic deprivation plaguing the region while underlining the need of a bilateral dialogue to resolve the issues.

"The two nuclear-armed neighbours must cooperate in the fields of social development, including eradication of poverty and with their growing economies and energy needs, and the need for newer, more diverse markets and trading opportunities, the future of the troubled region has to be defined by common economic interests instead of hostilities," she said.

The CM said instead of fighting wars with each other, India and Pakistan should join hands to eradicate poverty and to address social problems plaguing the region.
Srinagar: Seeking to keep the pot boiling, separatists on Wednesday extended by one more week the shutdown in Kashmir which has already paralysed normal life in the valley over the last past 82 days.

"From 6 pm Thursday evening, march one and all from the entire Jammu and Kashmir towards the Lal Chowk, Srinagar," said a statement issued by the separatists who are spearheading the ongoing unrest in the valley.

Kashmir has been in the grip of an unrest since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces.

As many as 82 persons including two cops have died while several thousand others have been injured in the clashes between protestors and security forces over the past 82 days.
Bengaluru (Karnataka): With the Supreme Court yesterday directing the Karnataka government to comply with its earlier order of releasing 6,000 cusecs of the Cauvery River water to Tamil Nadu for the next three days i.e. till Friday, former chief minister and BJP state president B.S. Yeddyurappa on Wednesday said there is no water at all, and added that his party would support Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at an all-party meeting being held today.

"We had unanimously taken a decision in the assembly, as we don`t have water for drinking, and thus, it`s not possible for us to release the Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu. We requested the Supreme Court accordingly, but unfortunately, the apex court directed us to release 18,000 cusecs of water in the next three days (till Friday). As there is no water at all, the chief minister is going to take an all-party meeting today, and whatever decision the government takes, we will abide by that," Yeddyurappa told ANI.

When his response was sought on the apex court setting aside the resolution passed by the state assembly and asked Karnataka to release the water, the former chief minister said, "The Supreme Court is very firm and has given direction to the state government to release the water, so now the government must take an unanimous decision at the all-party meeting. Besides, we also don`t know what legal experts have suggested to our irrigation minister. He is coming late Tuesday night. According to his feedback, the chief minister is going to take a decision. We will discuss in detail today and will take a decision."

Asked about the Bharatiya Janata Party`s response on the Cauvery water sharing issue, the BJP state president said, "The BJP is going to support the (state) government wholeheartedly. Whatever decision the chief minister takes, we will support it unanimously."Reacting to a question on the possibility of the apex court considering Karnataka`s request in this regard, he said, "We have already tried our best, but the court has given a very clear direction to release the water. We don`t know what our legal experts have given as suggestions, and also, we have already tried to convince the court, but failed. So, wait up to 9.30 am tomorrow."

Setting aside a resolution passed by the Karnataka state assembly, the apex court also asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to facilitate a meeting between the governments of the two states to find a solution to this long-standing problem by Friday.

The court has, however, agreed to a further hearing of the matter on Wednesday.The apex court`s directions came during a hearing on the Karnataka Government`s plea urging the court to modify its earlier order on the Cauvery waters sharing with Tamil Nadu. In its plea, Karnataka had said its reservoirs are dry and it can only release water to Tamil Nadu by the end of the year. While Karnataka sought modification of September 20 order of the apex court, its neighbour Tamil Nadu contested against modification.Karnataka said it was not in a position to release water to Tamil Nadu on various grounds, while Tamil Nadu said Karnataka is acting as judge in its own cause and refusing to comply with the orders in spite of the matter being sub judice.

The petition came three days after Karnataka`s legislature passed a resolution saying the river will be used only for meeting the drinking water needs of villages and towns in the Cauvery Basin and Bengaluru. The resolutions, however, did not mention the top court`s order directing the state to release 6,000 cusecs every day (cubic feet per second) of water to Tamil Nadu till September 27.Karnataka has said its citizens would go thirsty and crops in the state will be ravaged if it releases any more water to Tamil Nadu.

Over the past month, both states are fighting a legal battle in various courts over the sharing and distribution of Cauvery waters.
Bengaluru: Amidst the raging row over Cauvery water, the Karnataka government on Wednesday deferred the Supreme Court's latest order to release water to Tamil Nadu till tomorrow.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, "The Karnataka Cabinet has deferred till tomorrow the decision on release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu as per Supreme Court order. The state government will take any further decision after meeting Union Water Resource Minister Uma Bharti on September 29."

Union Minister Uma Bharti will chair a meeting at her New Delhi residence at 11:30 am tomorrow on the ongoing Cauvery water crisis with Chief Minister of Karnaraka and Public Works Department (PWD) minister E.K. Palaniswamy of Tamil Nadu on Thursday. (Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is admitted in a Chennai hospital and is recovering from an illness and thus, cannot attend the session with Bharti tomorrow).

Yesterday, Jayalalithaa dictated a speech to her party officials from her Chennai hospital room that she wants shared at tomorrow's meeting with Uma Bharti in Delhi.

Echoing the Bharatiya Janata Party's view, Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) lawmaker Y.S.V. Datta said his party's leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had also conveyed to the state government not to release the water till the outcome of Thursday's meeting between the two states in New Delhi with Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti, as directed by the top court.

"We have told the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah not to release water to Tamil Nadu today (Wednesday). We will meet again after tomorrow's meeting in Delhi. We also told him that our resolution was more important," Datta said.

As the warring states stuck to their respective positions, the apex court bench had directed the central government to convene an urgent meeting of the heads of the two states to resolve the issue before it resumes hearing in the case on Friday.

On Tuesday, the apex court had directed Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs daily for three days from Wednesday till Friday despite Karnataka legislature's unanimous resolution adopted on September 23 to use the depleted water in the four dams for drinking purpose only.

The Karnataka government has repeatedly told the Supreme Court that it is on the verge of running out of drinking water for its major cities including the capital of Bengaluru, which is studded with offices of top IT companies and is considered India's Silicon Valley.
By PTI: Panaji, SepT 28 (PTI) Foreign currencies with a face value of Rs 25.6 lakh were seized from a passenger while he was about to fly to Dubai from the Dabolim airport in Goa today, Customs officials said.

"The Air Intelligence Unit of Goa Customs this morning seized assorted foreign currencies, including Saudi and Qatar Riyals, Dirhams and US Dollars worth Rs 25.6 lakh," Customs spokesman said in a statement.

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The currencies were recovered from Anwar Sadiq Bappaithotty Abdul Rahiman, a native of Kasaragod in Kerala, who was planning to board an Air Arabia flight from here going to Dubai via Sharjah.

The passenger had concealed the currencies in his hand baggage, the spokesman said.

He was being questioned in the matter, the Customs added. PTI RPS GK GVS RYS

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Chennai: The probe into the murder of a Hindu outfit activist in Coimbatore was on Wednesday transferred to CB-CID police even as several BJP workers and leaders were detained here for trying to stage a protest over the killing.

Police said the investigation into the September 22 murder of 36-year-old Hindu Munnani functionary C Sasikumar has been transferred to the Crime-Branch CID wing.

BJP's Tamil Nadu unit President Tamilisai Sounderrajan and National Secretary H Raja were among those detained here for trying to stage a protest without permission over the killing, police said.

The party leaders with their supporters tried to stage the protest in Egmore area against the killing of Sasikumar, who was hacked to death by unknown assailants, without taking permission from authorities concerned and were later detained, they said.

The murder had triggered violent protests in Coimbatore, while several BJP senior leaders had condemned the incident, saying that of late Hindu outfit leaders were being targeted in the state.

Calling the murder of Sasikumar as "undoubtedly a terrorist activity", Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan had asked police to probe whether the assailants had any link to terrorists in Pakistan.

Raja had yesterday slammed the police for their "failure" to nab the culprits and sought a CBI probe into the murder.
Kochi: Condemning the killing of stray dogs in Kottayam allegedly by activists of Youth Front(M), an offshoot of Kerala Congress(M) led by K M Mani, animal rights organisation PETA today urged him to expel all those involved and ensure strict police action against them.

In a letter to Mani, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, urged him to "take steps to ensure the strongest police action" against the Youth Front(M) activists who allegedly killed around 10 dogs and tied a few to a pole and took those out through Kottayam.

Expel those from the youth wing who were involved in this killing, and require them to undergo psychiatric counselling and evaluation prior to rejoining. Acts of cruelty to animals like this one indicate a deep mental disturbance, the letter said.

A copy of the letter is also marked to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Research in psychology and criminology shows that people who commit acts of cruelty to animals often don't just stop there ? many of them move on to hurting children, women, or other people, the letter said.

The letter was signed by Meet Ashar, Emergency Response Coordinator, PETA India.

Police said a case has been registered against 15 activists of Youth Front(M) under section 429 (committing mischief by killing the animals) of the IPC.

The activists, protesting the increasing stray dog menace in the state and Union Minister Maneka Gandhi's stand on the issue, displayed the dead dogs in front of the Head Post Office in Kottayam on Monday.
Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government today suspended Balaghat Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), who among other policemen was charged with attempting to murder an RSS worker there.

Balaghat ASP Rajesh Sharma, who was booked and charged with section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC in connection with beating of RSS parcharak Suresh Yadav on September 25 evening, has been suspended, state Home Minister Bhupendra Singh told PTI over phone.

He said a special team will leave for Balaghat from Bhopal to oversee the investigation into the incident.

Singh had yesterday met Yadav, who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Jabalpur.

Earlier, two police officers attached to Baihar police station in Balaghat were suspended for allegedly beating up Yadav, who was arrested for posting objectionable comments on AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

The police, after receiving a complaint that Yadav had posted some comments about Owaisi on WhatsApp, brought him to Baihar police station on the evening of September 25.

Yadav escaped and hid in the nearby house of Swami Prasad Asati. However, police caught him and brought him back to the station. They booked him under IPC section 295 (a) (outraging religious feeling). And he was allegedly beaten up brutally in police custody.

Meanwhile, the RSS has called for a bandh in Balaghat tomorrow to protest the alleged custodial assault on its pracharak.
Mumba: Saamana caricaturist Shreenivas Prabhudesai on Wednesday expressed regret over an objectionable cartoon which led to a storm of protests from the Maratha community, including attacks on the newspaper`s office and printing press.

In a statement published by Saamana Group, Prabhudesai said the cartoon was not intended to hurt the sentiments of any group or community, particularly the Marathas.

"Despite this, if it has hurt anybody`s feelings, I am sorry for the same," Prabhudesai said, expressing regret for his creation.

He said though he was an artist, he was not a political cartoonist and he draws cartoons to give some comic relief to people embroiled in their daily hectic lives.

"However, my September 25 cartoon has found objections from a particular community for which I am sorry. This has resulted in a political controversy in which the Shiv Sena and `Saamana` were dragged," said Prabhudesai.

The controversial cartoon took a swipe at the ongoing month-long agitations and huge protest marches by the Maratha community across the state.

Playing with words about the "silent processions" called "mook morchas", the cartoon showed a couple kissing with the caption "mooka (kissing) morcha", which enraged the Marathas in the state.

However, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Mumbai President Ashish Shelar was not satisfied with Prabhudesai`s statement and called upon Saamana executive editor Sanjay Raut, an MP, to publicly apologise to the Maratha community.

The Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and leading Maratha organisations have demanded an unconditional apology from Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray.

The cartoon had prompted an attack on Saamana`s printing press in Saanpada, Navi Mumbai and editorial offices in Thane on Tuesday by members of the Sambhaji Brigade, a Maratha group.

In Aurangabad, a bonfire was made of copies of the newspaper and other forms of protests were held in different parts of Maharashtra even as the opposition, ruling ally BJP and the Shiv Sena engaged in a political slugfest.

Late on Tuesday night, Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale said Sambhaji Brigade activists like Purushottam Khedekar, Amol Jadhavrao, Anna Sawant, and Manoj Akhre were booked in connection with the Saanpada incident.

On its part, Shiv Sena senior cabinet minister Subhash Desai flayed the Congress-NCP for fuelling the ongoing pro-reservations agitation among the Marathas all over the state.

"They ruled the state for 15 years, but did nothing for Maratha reservations... They created a farce of reservations which was later struck down by the courts," Desai said in a sharp reaction late on Tuesday.

He said that Thackeray has fully supported the ongoing Maratha agitation and even Sanjay Raut had backed it through his writings in Saamana, but it is the Congress-NCP which is vitiating the peaceful atmosphere.
Mumbai: Saamana cartoonist Shreenivas Prabhudesai on Wednesday expressed regret over a cartoon that led to protests by the Maratha community in Maharashtra.

Hours later, the Shiv Sena and the Saamana Group distanced themselves from his action, saying they had nothing to do with the apology and their "stand remains unchanged".

"It was just a cartoon without reference to any particular community. The caricaturist has apologised and the matter ends," Saamana Executive Editor and Sena MP Sanjay Raut told the media here.

Earlier in the day, in a statement published by the Saamana Group, Prabhudesai said the cartoon was not intended to hurt the sentiments of any group or community, particularly the Marathas.

"Despite this, if it has hurt anybody's feelings, I am sorry for the same," he said.

He said he was an artist and not a political cartoonist and that he draws cartoons to give some comic relief to people busy with their hectic daily lives.

"However, my September 25 cartoon has found objections from a particular community for which I am sorry. This has resulted in a political controversy in which the Shiv Sena and 'Saamana' were dragged," said Prabhudesai.

The controversial cartoon took a swipe at the ongoing month-long agitations and huge protest marches by the Maratha community across the state.

Playing on words about the "silent processions" (mook morchas), the cartoon showed a couple kissing with the caption 'mooka (kissing) morcha', which enraged the Marathas in the state.

However, The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Mumbai unit President Ashish Shelar said he was not satisfied with Prabhudesai's statement and called upon Raut to tender a public apology to the Marathas.

Later in the day, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and senior Congress leader Narayan Rane called on Governor C.V. Rao to discuss various issues.

The Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and leading Maratha organisations have demanded an unconditional apology from Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray.

The cartoon had prompted an attack on Saamana's printing press in Saanpada, Navi Mumbai and the editorial office in Thane on Tuesday by members of the Sambhaji Brigade, a Maratha group.

In Aurangabad, a bonfire was made of copies of the Marathi newspaper -- the mouthpiece of the Shiv Sena -- while other forms of protests were held in different parts of Maharashtra even as the opposition and the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena allies engaged in a political slugfest.

Late on Tuesday night, Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale said Sambhaji Brigade activists Purushottam Khedekar, Amol Jadhavrao, Anna Sawant and Manoj Akhre were booked in connection with the Saanpada incident.

On its part, Shiv Sena senior Cabinet minister Subhash Desai accused the Congress and the NCP of fuelling the ongoing pro-reservation agitation among the Marathas.

"They ruled the state for 15 years, but did nothing for Maratha reservation... They created a farce of reservation which was later struck down by the courts," Desai said in a sharp reaction late on Tuesday.

He said that Thackeray has fully supported the ongoing Maratha agitation and even Raut had backed it through his writings in Saamana, but it is the Congress and the NCP which is vitiating the peaceful atmosphere.


Mumbai: A 30-year-old man was forced to do a sit-in outside a police station here holding a placard to clarify that he is not a terrorist after rumours were allegedly spread on a mobile app branding him a terrorist.

Saeed Ali Khan yesterday lodged a complaint regarding purported messages and photos posted on WhatsApp branding him a terrorist, an official at Virar police station said today.

The matter is being looked into and further action will be taken after through investigation, police said.

Khan claimed that police initially refused to take his complaint, following which he, along with his family members, staged a protest in front of the police station.

During the protest, Khan and his family members held placards with the message - 'My name is Saeed Sher Ali Khan. I am not terrorist'.

Khan, who also submitted the photos and messages along with his complaint, said the problem started after he refused to pay extra maintenance as sought by his landlord.

A resident of Gopchadpada in Virar, Khan alleged that a man, claiming to be the landlord of the building where he resides, demanded Rs 2,000 as maintenance.

"After I refused, he threatened me and also set my tempo on fire," he alleged.

"The man then posted a photo of mine on WhatsApp with a message that I am a terrorist. If anyone finds me they should catch me and hand over to police," Khan alleged.

"Now, I face problems while venturing out as locals look at me suspiciously," he rued.
Aizawl: Opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) will write to President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighting the Congress government's "complete failure" in maintaining law and order in Mizoram and urging them to impose President's rule in the state.

Former Chief Minister Zoramthanga told reporters yesterday that Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court Ajit Singh had in a letter to Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla clearly pointed out that there was a "complete breakdown" of law and order in Lunglei district of Mizoram.

"In a democracy, the three pillars should work together," Zoramthanga said, pointing out that "there is no judiciary in Lunglei district as the Gauhati High Court withdrew the whole judiciary from the district due to security reasons".

He said if one of the pillars of democracy could not function, the only alternative was to place the state under President's rule.

If the same situation arose during the MNF rule, when the Congress was in power at the Centre, Mizoram would be placed under President's rule immediately, the MNF chief claimed.

A mob belonging to Zohnuai locality of Lunglei had attacked district court buildings with stones and bricks and ransacked the official residence of the Civil Judge on Thursday last.

A crowd had gathered in front of the district court demanding to see Stephen Lalchawiliana (26) who was to be produced before the court for allegedly killing C Lalsawmliana (33) of Zohnuai locality of Lunglei on August 27 night.

The crowd turned unruly after learning that the accused was already remanded to judicial custody by holding a camp court inside the district jail.

The incident resulted in the Gauhati High Court withdrawing all the three judges from Aizawl, including the District and Sessions Judge R. Thanga and attaching them to Aizawl on Thursday itself.

The High Court also directed the judicial officer of neihbouring Lawngtlai district who used to hold circuit court in Lunglei district not to continue holding circuit court in Lunglei district till further orders.

Gauhati High Court Chief then sent a strongly-worded letter to Mizoram Chief Minister in which he described the incident as a "slur on the administration and immense failure of the law enforcement mechanism".

Justice Singh had said that unless a stern action was taken immediately, the incident would similar adversities in the future.

The state government on Monday decided to institute a magisterial inquiry and appointed Aizawl district deputy commissioner Kanan Gopinathan to conduct a inquiry into the matter.

Suspension of Lunglei district Deputy Commissioner Abhijit Vijay Choudhuri was also recommended to the Union Home Ministry.
Pathankot: The search operation in Pathankot in the wake of inputs about suspicious movement of armed men in army fatigues in this border district of Punjab which had witnessed a terror attack on IAF base in January was called off on Wednesday after two days.

"We have called off search operation as nothing suspicious has been found," Pathankot SSP Rakesh Kaushal said this evening.

He said the two-day search operation went on for over 12 hours.

Punjab Police conducted search operation jointly with Himachal Pradesh Police in the hilly areas located in Bhadroya which is in Himachal Pradesh and covered almost 5-6 kms of forest area in search operation.

As many 200 security personnel of Punjab police and 50 of Himachal police today participated in the search operation but nothing suspicious was found.

"We continued with our search operation today. However, nothing suspicious has been found so far," Kaushal said.

Yesterday, search operation was conducted near army cantonment along side Dalhousie road.

"We extended our search operation with the help of Himachal Police towards in small hills of Bhadroya area," he said.

Punjab police yesterday suspended search operation but carried out night domination exercise in the city.

Following an input about suspicious movement of armed men in army fatigue, vigil has been increased in and around Pathankot and various police check posts were set up to thwart any attempt by anti-social elements in the district where terrorist from across the border had struck the IAF airbase in January.

The Pathankot attack had claimed the lives of seven security personnel while four terrorists were killed.
Hyderabad: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday said that if the Narendra Modi government is really concerned about the empowerment of Muslims, it should take concrete steps like providing reservation and demand-driven scholarships to the community.

"Let the Modi government ban 'gau rakshaks' (cow protection vigilantes) to prove that it is genuinely concerned about the minorities," the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader said.

The Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad told the media here that constructive steps will help achieve the community's empowerment and not mere holding of panchayats.

He was reacting to the government's move to hold 'progress panchayats' among the Muslims. The first panchayat is proposed to be held in Haryana.

He said the Centre is launching such panchayats from a state where two Muslim females, including a minor, were raped and two Muslim youths murdered on beef consumption accusation.

"The Muslims in Haryana are being harassed in the name of checking their biryani. Let them raid five-star hotels in Gurgaon and check the biryani there," he said.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should also prove his sincerity by stopping statements emanating from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders that hurt the sentiments of the minorities.

Owaisi said empowerment of the Muslims was the constitutional duty of the Modi government and it was not doing a favour to the community.

The AIMIM leader also demanded five per cent quota to the Muslims in Maharashtra as per the Mumbai High Court order.

"You are giving job quota to the Jats in Haryana, to the economically backward classes in Rajasthan and to the Patels in Gujarat. Who is stopping you from extending reservation to the Muslims in Maharashtra," he asked.

Owaisi said the government should hold panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir, as there was an urgent need to reach out to the Kashmiris and talk to them since around 90 persons have been killed and peace remains shattered for nearly three months.

"You talk of empowerment but why are you against the minority character of the Aligarh Muslim University and the Jamia Millia," the MP asked.

He called for implementing the recommendation of a parliamentary standing committee to make demand-driven all minority scholarships, including pre- and post-matric and merit and means scholarships.

On India's decision not to attend the Saarc summit in Islamabad in November, Owaisi said the government had taken the right step since Pakistan did nothing to stop terror organisations like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.

It also did not act on the evidence given by India on 26/11 and the Pathankot attacks, the AIMIM leader noted.

Owaisi, however, said there is a need for a consistent foreign policy.

"You can't have a foreign policy where you go and attend somebody's marriage," Owaisi said in a jibe at Modi's surprise visit to Pakistan in December last year to attend the wedding of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's granddaughter.

On the Uri attack, Owaisi said while everybody knows that terrorists came from the neighbouring country, there was a need to introspect on how this happened.

Pointing out that there have been attacks on army installations in the past, he said there was a need to strengthen the internal system to prevent such incidents.
Lucknow: A day after Rahul Gandhi came under a shoe-attack during his road show at Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh, the grand old party witnessed another embarrassment today after a scuffle broke out between Congress supporters and Special Protection Group (SPG) guards today.

Rahul Gandhi, who kicked-off another road show in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly today, had to intervene to sort out the issue between the two sides.

As per the sources, there were some issues between Congress vice-president's supporters and SPG teams who were present at the Bareilly road show to guard Gandhi. A war of words and scuffle took place between the two sides which led him to intervene to resolve the matter.

According to another media report, several Congress supporters were reportedly thrashed by the SPG guards during the clash.
From what we have gathered, he has not turned into Spider-Man yet.

By India Today Web Desk: An Australian was bitten by a venomous spider on his penis, pretty much on the same spot, second time in less than five months.

Jordan, 21, was using a portable toilet on Tuesday when he was bitten by the spider, says a BBC report.

He was quoted as saying, "I'm the most unlucky guy in the country at the moment. I was sitting on the toilet doing my business and just felt the sting that I felt the first time."

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He also said, "I looked down and I've seen a few little legs come from around the rim," and added that he couldn't believe it happened to him a second time.

Jordan told BBC that when it happened the first time, his friends and colleagues were worried, but this time, they saw the lighter side of the situation and made fun of him.

He said he is unlikely to use the on-site toilet again.

"Toilets got cleaned that day and I thought it was my opportunity to go use one. Had a look under both seats and then I sat down, did my business. Next thing you know, I'm bent over in pain," he said.



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Bareilly: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused the ministers in the Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh of "patronising" criminals, saying this was the reason why the law and order situation had collapsed in the state.

"Crime has increased as it is being patronised by the higher-ups. Hooligans are being patronised by ministers in the Uttar Pradesh government. This is the reason behind the poor law and order situation in the state," he told the students of Rohilkhand University during an interactive session with them.

Girl students of the university told the Gandhi scion that they did not feel safe as hooligans and eve-teasers bothered them regularly.

Rahul reacted saying, "The law and order of the state is the worst. What else can be expected in this jungle raj."

Mounting an attack on the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) in the state, he said, "The cycle's (election symbol of the SP) wheel is stuck. It has not been moving and as a result, the development of Uttar Pradesh has stopped."

During his roadshow in the city, the Amethi MP visited a temple in the cantonment area and a gurdwara.

He also visited Ala Hazrat Dargah and addressed meetings where he attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and alleged that he "only served the interests of industrialists".

During the roadshow, some persons tried to hand over a memorandum of their demands to him but were prevented by the security personnel which led to sharp exchange of words between the two sides.
Lucknow: A gang of armed robbers allegedly barged into a house, assaulted the family and gang-raped their 12-year-old daughter in a nearby field on the outskirts of Lucknow on Tuesday night.

The father said he was asleep with his wife, daughter and two sons in their one-room house when the robbers knocked on the door around 1:00 a.m. When he did not open the door, the men broke the latch and forced their way in.

"Five persons came to my door and asked to open the door. They abused and asked to open the door...They beat me, my wife and children and looted clothes, utensils and jewellery," the father said.

Police came after half an hour. The father added that his family had no dispute with anyone or personal enmity with anyone.

"I was neither involved in gambling nor had enmity with anyone," he said.

The parents managed to escape after a while, followed by their sons. The robbers allegedly carried the girl to a field a few meters away and gang-raped her. The girl was found there after the police reached the area and searched for her.

The girl and her father, a carpenter, were both taken to a city hospital for medical examination and treatment. A relative, Poonam Sharma said, "Three men entered Asaram Sharma's house. Two of them held the father down and the third hit him on the head. They pulled the wife outside and took away the daughter. The brother followed them but they kicked him. Then they did wrong things with her and left her after one or one and half hour."

"There were 12 people in total. They stood near the village. The girl was around 11-year-old. She has been admitted in the hospital and I am not aware of her condition right now. They have taken jewellery and machines used for drilling," she added.

The eight year old son, Dipankar said, "They asked us to open the door and when we did not open, they forcefully broke down the door. Then they took mother outside and beat her up, after which they took father outside and hit him on his head. Father ran away and then three of us were left. Then they took my elder sister away. We tried to follow, but they beat us and kicked us."

Lucknow Senior Superintendent of Police, Manzil Saini said "This is an incident from last night under police station Para area. There is this village Seelampur where at around 1-2 am at night, some 6-7 criminals entered the house. The house is small and not many items were stolen. But, there was a 12-year-old child who was abducted and they did wrong things with the child after taking her 500-600 meters away in a field. I have inspected the crime area and have talked to the victim. She is under medical treatment and is fine now."

The family also complained that the robbers had taken Rs 2,000 cash and some jewellery and utensils. An FIR under Sections 376D (gangrape), 395 (dacoity) and 397 (dacoity with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) of the IPC, and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) has been lodged at Para police station.
Mathura: Tension gripped a village in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district after a gang rape case involving youth from another community came to light early Wednesday and a 'mahapanchayat' has been called to discuss further action.

Sources said the incident could blow up in to a communal flareup.

Meanwhile, the district authorities deployed Provincial Armed Constabulary and police from neighbouring areas in Magorra village, while the father of one of the accused has been held by police.

In a written complaint, the rape victim's father said that his daughter was forcibly dragged to a nearby plot around 11 p.m. on Tuesday by some local youths who raped her.

After the girl screamed and raised an alarm, local residents rushed and caught hold of one of the accused who was thrashed before police came and took him away.

Senior police officials have also reached the spot.


Kabul: At least 13 civilians were killed in an airstrike that hit a residential building in a volatile district of eastern Nangarhar province early on Wednesday, an Afghan official said.

The US military in Afghanistan said the incident was being investigated.

Esmatullah Shinwari, a Nangarhar lawmaker, told The Associated Press that a crowd had gathered at the house in Achin district, near the Pakistan border, to welcome home a tribal leader returning from the Hajj, an annual Muslim pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

At least 12 people were wounded in the strike, including the tribal leader, he said.

Hazrat Hussain Mashreqiwal, the spokesman for the provincial police chief, said that the airstrike had targeted Islamic State group loyalists.

Afghan forces backed by the US military have been battling IS fighters in Achin for months.

The spokesman for the US military in Afghanistan, Brigadier General Charles Cleveland, confirmed a "counter- terrorism air strike in Achin district" early today.

"US forces did conduct one counter-terrorism air strike in Achin district, Nangarhar province, September 28, and for operational security reasons we do not discuss the details of counter-terror operations," Cleveland said in a statement.

"We are aware of some claims of Afghan casualties," he said, adding that investigations were underway.
Dubai: An unauthorised drone forced Dubai airport to halt air traffic for about half an hour on Wednesday in the second such incident in four months, the airport authority said.

Airspace around the world`s busiest airport for international flights was closed between 8:08 and 8:35 am (0408 and 0435 GMT) "due to unauthorised drone activity," Dubai Airports said on its Twitter account.

"We are working to minimise inconvenience," it added.

"Safety is our top priority and we remind all UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) operators that activities are not permitted within five kilometres (three miles) of any airport or landing area."

Those found guilty of flying drones within that limit are liable to heavy fines in the United Arab Emirates.

But since the earlier incident on June 12, which forced Dubai airport to close for 69 minutes, the UAE authorities have announced their intention to tighten the rules on the purchase and use of drones and the penalties for violating them.

Around 100 airlines fly to more than 260 destinations from Dubai, which is also home to major carrier Emirates.

More than 78 million passengers travelled through the airport last year.
New Delhi: A video has gone viral showing former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf, accused in a high treason case, dancing with his wife Sehba Musharraf at a party.

The video was first tweeted by Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir on Sunday.

Notably, Musharraf had left Pakistan and gone to the UAE for treatment in March 2016.

Wearing brown kameez and white shalwar, Musharraf is seen dancing with his wife on famous song shakar wandan re.

Watch the video:

Attention Ch Nisar sb I hope Musharraf no more suffering from back pain u claimed he will come back in few weeks where is he these days? pic.twitter.com/YKZnNlyfFL  Hamid Mir (@HamidMirGEO) September 25, 2016

The video has surfaced at a time when the tensions between India and Pakistan are running high in the wake of the Uri attack.

Musharraf, who stepped down in 2008, is the first military ruler in Pakistan's history to be tried for high treason, a crime punishable by death or life imprisonment, according to legal experts.

His imposition of emergency rule and suspension of the Constitution in 2007 are viewed as treason.

Weeks after assuming office for the third time, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had in June 2013 informed Parliament about the filing of high treason charges against Musharraf.
Oslo: A Norwegian appeals court has rejected a lawsuit from fugitive former US spy contractor Edward Snowden against the Norwegian government, upholding the verdict of a lower court, it said on Wednesday.

Snowden`s law firm said in April he would take Norway to court to secure free passage to the Nordic country to receive a free speech award, but the Oslo District Court dismissed the case in June.

"The court of appeal has -- like the district court -- concluded that the lawsuit must be rejected," it said on Wednesday, adding that the justice ministry could not be compelled to issue an advance decision on whether or not to extradite.

Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor who leaked details about the US government`s massive surveillance programmes, was granted asylum in Russia, which borders Norway, after fleeing the United States in 2013.

Supporters see him as a whistleblower who boldly exposed government excess. But the US government has filed espionage charges against him for leaking intelligence information.

Snowden had been invited to Norway to receive an award from the local branch of writers` group PEN International, but worried that he would be handed over to the United States, his lawyers have said.

"Sadly, this was not entirely unexpected," chairman William Nygaard of PEN Norway told Reuters. "We will of course appeal to the supreme court."
Athens: Four Pakistani minors have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping a 16-year-old boy in a Greek migrant camp, police have said.

"The four minors, aged 16 to 17, will appear before a prosecutor today," a police source told AFP on yesterday. The victim is also Pakistani.

The incident occurred on Sunday in the camp of Moria on the island of Lesbos.

Greece is accommodating over 60,000 refugees and migrants stuck in the country after a succession of Balkan and EU states shut their borders earlier this year.

Many of the camps are grossly overpopulated, and rights groups have repeatedly warned that minors must be accommodated separately for their safety.

There are also regular fights amongst refugees and migrants, who are forced to wait for months for their asylum applications to be processed.

Some 5,000 people had to be evacuated from the Moria camp last week after a fire broke out after another brawl.
Geneva: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon hailed Shimon Peres`s long efforts to forge a deal aimed at fostering peace in Israel and the Middle East, after the statesman`s death earlier on Wednesday.

"He worked tirelessly for a two-state solution that would enable Israel to live securely and harmoniously with the Palestinians and the wider region," Ban said of the former Israeli leader who died at 93.

"Even in the most difficult hours, he remained an optimist about the prospects for reconciliation and peace," Ban added.

Peres, who shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, died in his sleep after suffering a stroke, drawing tributes from past and present world leaders.

Ban voiced hope that Peres`s determination will "guide us as we work to ensure peace, security and dignity for Israelis, Palestinians and all the peoples of the region."
Seoul: A tough new anti-graft law came into force in South Korea Wednesday with many hailing it as a milestone to help root out widespread low-level corruption. Dubbed the Kim Young-Ran law after the former supreme court judge who drafted it, the sweeping legislation covers some four million public servants and employees of education institutions in the country of 50 million.

The law targets teachers bribed by parents to give better grades, journalists paid to give favourable publicity and officials bought off by businessmen to speed up bureaucratic processes.

They are now banned from accepting gifts worth 50,000 won ($45) or more, or meals of 30,000 won or more, with offenders facing hefty fines or even a prison term.

The law even prohibits the common practice among doctors and other workers at university hospitals of offering favourable treatment to personal acquaintances, including expedited scheduling of surgery.

In the past, many people charged with receiving bribes got away with a slap on the wrist.

"We believe that the law will be a turning point to create a fair, clean society ... and to enhance our national integrity," presidential spokesman Jung Youn-Kuk told reporters Wednesday.

The law however drew complaints from local businesses and restaurants who feared sales would slump. Some restaurants recently introduced "Kim Young-Ran menus" priced at 29,900 won or less.

A mobile app was even launched recently to help people look up whether they are a target of the law as well as the details of the legislation. South Korea -- the world`s 11th biggest economy and the Asia`s fourth largest -- has fared relatively poorly in corruption or transparency levels.

Last year it was ranked 37th in the World Corruption Perceptions Index and 123rd in transparency in public policymaking in the Global Competitiveness Report by the World Economic Forum. Bribery scandals involving politicians or high-level officials and rich businessmen have been fixture in South Korean politics for decades.

Local media organisations have been under criticism for years for removing or dismissing stories that are damaging to big advertisers.
By PTI: Chandigarh, Sep 28 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said the demand of war widows for allotment of land, as per governments policy, or compensation in lieu thereof would be met.

Badal, who is unwell, met a delegation of war widows and requested them to give some more time to complete the formalities.

The families of martyrs have been demanding that they be allotted agriculture land as per the policy of the state government or, if an appropriate chunk of land was not available, the concerned families might be given financial compensation in lieu thereof.

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During his meeting with the delegation, the Chief Minister spoke over telephone to the state Financial Commissioner (Revenue) KBS Sidhu, who is in Delhi for an official meeting, and asked him to give a thorough, patient and sympathetic audience to the members of the martyrs families to find an appropriate solution to the issue, an official spokesman said here.

Accordingly, Sidhu fixed a meeting with the delegation on September 30.

Badal expressed hope that the issue would be resolved at the meeting.

The Chief Minister has already accepted the demand of martyrs families that wherever it was not possible to find an appropriate chunk of land for allotment to the affected families, they be given financial compensation for the same.

The quantum of compensation would be decided by a special committee set up by the government. PTI VJ SMJ DV SMJ

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Jakarta: Rescuers in Indonesia were dispatched Wednesday to evacuate nearly 400 tourists, most of them foreigners, after a volcano erupted at one of the country's most popular hiking destinations, an official said.

Mount Barujani began erupting yesterday, sending columns of ash and smoke shooting 2 kilometres into the sky over Lombok island, a tourist hotspot to the immediate east of Bali.

Nearly 400 people were recorded as hiking near Barujani -- a smaller cone within the crater of Mount Rinjani -- when it began erupting, prompting plans for their immediate evacuation, said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

"A rescue team has been sent to Mount Rinjani to evacuate the tourists. They set off on Wednesday morning," he said.

Hikers have been told to keep at least 3 kilometres from the smouldering volcano, a key attraction on the multi-day trek to the summit of Mount Rinjani made by thousands of tourists every year.

Nugroho said 389 hikers were recorded as having entered the national park since Sunday, the overwhelming majority of them foreigners.

While most would have taken the official route to the summit, rescue teams suspected some hikers may have gone off-piste, Nugroho added.

The threat level of the volcano was upgraded Tuesday as Barujani sent plumes of smoke and hot ash into the atmosphere, but remains two steps from the highest-risk category.

There were no flight disturbances recorded on Wednesday due to the ash clouds, transport ministry spokesman Hemi Pramuraharjo told AFP.

Some flights to and from the nearby resort island of Bali were cancelled overnight, but Lombok's international airport remains unaffected.

Flight disruptions due to drifting ash clouds are not uncommon in Indonesia, which sits on a belt of seismic activity known as the Pacific Ring of Fire and is home to 130 active volcanoes.

An eruption at Mount Rinjani last month forced the closure of Lombok airport and disrupted some flights to neighbouring Bali.
New Delhi: This video showing ugly brawl between Georgian politicians has gone massively viral on social media platforms.

The fight broke out between politicians of Georgia during a live TV debate show. The anchor on the show got too scared to see the politicians involved in fist fight.

WATCH its video here:-
Donetsk: A top pro-Russian separatist commander in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday denied Dutch findings blaming the downing of Flight MH17 on a Russian missile fired from rebel-held territory.

"The forces of the People's Republic of Donetsk could not have fired at the plane from a BUK system because we have no such sort of weapons," general Eduard Basurin of the self-proclaimed republic told AFP.

A criminal inquiry in the Netherlands found today that the missile that shot the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 out of the sky was snuck out of and back into Russia.

The investigators also confirmed that the missile that slammed into the plane was fired from a field in a part of eastern Ukraine under the control of the separatists at the time.

But the Dutch-led investigation did not directly accuse Moscow of supplying the BUK missile and its transporter system -- and the Russian government has repeatedly denied any involvement.

The passenger jet was shot down in July 2014 on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

The incident came at the most heated point in the war, straining tensions between the West and Moscow even further.
Baghdad/Mozambique: The United States will send around 600 new troops to Iraq to assist local forces in the battle to retake Mosul from Islamic State that is expected later this year, US and Iraqi officials said on Wednesday.

The new deployment is the third such boost in US troop levels in Iraq since April, underscoring the difficulties President Barack Obama has had in extracting the US military from the country.

"American President Barack Obama was consulted on a request from the Iraqi government for a final increase in the number of trainers and advisers under the umbrella of the international coalition in Iraq," Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said in a statement.

The new troops will train and advise Iraqi security forces and Kurdish peshmerga forces, primarily in the Mosul fight but also serve "to protect and expand Iraqi security forces` gains elsewhere in Iraq," US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said.

"We`ve said all along - whenever we see opportunities to accelerate the campaign, we want to seize them," Carter said.

Though Iraqi forces will be in the combat role, "American forces combating ISIL in Iraq are in harm`s way," Carter said, using an acronym for Islamic State.

Some of the 615 new service members will be based at Qayara air base, about 40 miles (60 km) from Mosul, Carter said. Iraqi forces recaptured the base from Islamic State militants in July and have been building it into a logistics hub to support their offensive into the northern city.

Other US troops will go to Ain al Asad air base in western Iraq, where hundreds of US personnel have been training Iraqi army forces.

Carter, who spoke to reporters while travelling in New Mexico, declined to name other locations where the new US forces will be based.

However, he said that some of the forces would help enhance intelligence gathering efforts, particularly related to Islamic State`s plans to conduct attacks outside its own territory.

"We are prepared to continue to help the Iraqi security forces consolidate their control over the country," Carter said.

"Mosul will be the last of the very large cities that needs to be recaptured but theyll need to continue to consolidate control over the whole city, he added, leaving the door open for U.S. forces to remain in Iraq after the fall of Mosul.

In Washington, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said the troops would be deployed to Iraq in the coming weeks.

Three US service members have been killed in direct combat since the launch of the US campaign against Islamic State.

Abadi met Obama and Vice President Joe Biden last week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, though it was not clear whether the agreement was sealed there.

The United States currently has 4,565 troops in Iraq as part of a US-led coalition providing extensive air support, training and advice to the Iraqi military, which collapsed in 2014 in the face of Islamic State`s territorial gains and lightning advance toward Baghdad.

Iraqi forces, including Kurdish peshmerga forces and mostly Iranian-backed Shi`ite militias, have retaken around half of that territory over the past two years but Mosul, the largest city under the ultra-hardline group`s control anywhere across its self-proclaimed caliphate, is likely to be the biggest battle yet.

The United States has gradually increased the number of US troops in Iraq this year, and moved them closer to the front lines of battle. Obama approved sending 560 more troops to Iraq in July, three months after the United States said it would dispatch about 200 more troops there.

To send the new troops, the White House will raise its cap on US forces in Iraq from 4,647, to 5,262 troops, a senior US defence official said.

US and Iraqi commanders say the push on Mosul could begin by the second half of October. Carter said the campaign to expel Islamic State from Mosul would intensify "in the coming weeks."

The recapture of Mosul, Islamic State`s de facto Iraqi capital, would be a major boost for plans by Abadi and the United States to weaken the militant group.

Current U.S. troop levels in Iraq are still a fraction of the 170,000 deployed at the height of the nine-year occupation that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003, sparking an al Qaeda-backed insurgency and throwing the country into a sectarian civil war.

Loath to become mired in another conflict overseas, the White House has insisted there would be no American "boots on the ground." While coalition troops were initially confined to a few military bases, Americans have inched closer to the action as the campaign progresses.
Two Chinese engineers were killed and several injured in a claymore blast by Baloch rebels in the Windar Kinraag area of Hub district in Balochistan.

Two Chinese engineers were killed in an attack by Baloch rebels. (Photo for representation)

By Mayank Pratap Singh: At least two Chinese engineers were killed and many injured in a claymore blast in the Windar Kinraag area of Hub district in Balochistan on Tuesday.

Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack on the Chinese engineers who were working on the Dudher Zinc Project.

The BLA has been fighting against Pakistan's occupation of Balochistan and does not view Chinese projects on Baloch soil favourably.

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'WE HAD WARNED CHINA'

In a series of tweets by BLA's spokesperson Jeehand Baloch said that "we have continuously warned China to refrain from being part of any expansionist designs".

ALSO READ: Baloch Republican Party protests, chants "No to Pakistan, Free Balochistan" outside UN



The spokesperson then tweeted about the attack by the Baloch Sarmachars (freedom fighters). "BLA has attacked Chinese engineers in Windar Kinraag area of Balochistan. This attack killed and injured many Chinese engineers," he tweeted.

Later, speaking to mediapersons from an undisclosed location, Baloch said "the Baloch resistance will not allow the China-Pakistan nexus to loot Baloch resources in Balochistan??.

'STOP PARTNERSHIP-IN-LOOT'

People of Balochistan reportedly call the mining project a farce. In his statement, the BLA spokesperson urged China to relinquish its partnership-in-loot with Pakistan as soon as possible and not become an accomplice of the Pakistani state in its barbarity against Baloch.

He further said Pakistan is trying to use Baloch soil as a bunker post for its ill designs on trench warfare to destabilize the South and Central Asia, calling Afghanistan its worst victim.

"China is conning the international community with the exploitative project of China Pakistan Economic Corridor on the Baloch soil," he said. "The world knows about China's intentions behind such a grandiose project," Baloch added.

ALSO READ: Balochistan freedom movement gets new poster faces



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Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar has waived all taxes on liquor manufacturing units in the state.

By Amitabh Srivastava: In a sharp contrast to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's clamour for a nationwide ban on liquor, his government on Tuesday waived all taxes on liquor manufacturing units in the state.

The government it seems has decided to keep politial posturing on the backseat for now, and has taken the decision after liquor-manufacturing companies hinted at closing down their plants in the dry state.

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In a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, chaired by the chief minister, the government approved the proposal from the Excise and Prohibition Department which exempts the liquor-manufacturing units in Bihar (currently nine in operation) from any tax on export of the product and bottling fee.

ALSO READ: Nitish to Akhilesh: Impose prohibition in UP, will ensure return to power



The benefits will also be applicable for those who are are planning to set up a bottling plant in the state. The only condition is that they will sell the liquor outside Bihar.

Incidentally, the Bihar Cabinet announced these incentives on a day when family members of liquor bottling plant workers protested against total prohibition at Mokama in rural Patna.

The state is likely to incur a revenue loss of nearly Rs 7 crore because of the exemptions.

Currently, the liquor manufacturing units pay an export fee of Re 1 per beer bottle of 650 ml and Rs 4 per litre of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL. Besides, they also cough up Rs 1.5 per litre on beer and Rs 3 per litre on IMFL as bottling fee. The new incentives will make manufacturing liquor in Bihar cheaper and keep the business competitive for those running their factories in a dry state.

All these IMFL manufacturing units have made huge investments, to the tune of Rs 1000 crore, in the state. "The governments incentive will also neutralise threats of large-scale unemployment for the workers employed by these units. The idea is to retain these companies by making manufacturing profitable in Bihar by offering them maximum rebate," said a government officer.

ALSO READ: Bihar: Hardly any takers for Nitish Kumar's doodh-dahi offer post prohibition law



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Algerian Energy Minister Noureddine Boutarfa attends an informal meeting between members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries on September 28, 2016

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) agreed to cut oil production in a surprise move aimed at boosting stubbornly weak crude prices.

The news triggered an immediate spike of more than five percent on oil markets, which had expected the talks in Algiers to end without agreement, and helped push US equities higher.

At the end of six hours of negotiations and weeks of horse trading, OPEC announced the plan to cut production to a level of 32.5-33 million barrels per day (bpd) from 33.47 billion, bpd in August, the International Energy Agency said.

"We have had a very lengthy but historical meeting in Algiers," said Qatari energy minister and OPEC meeting president, Mohammed bin Saleh al-Sada, who confirmed the planned cut.

There are "very positive signs in the market... nevertheless we need to bring forward rebalancing of the market," he told a press conference after the informal talks.

Brent North Sea crude for November delivery rose $2.72 to $48.69, while a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was up $2.38 at $47.05 after the announcement.

The meeting agreed to establish a committee to determine how the cut will be shared between members and the quotas will be discussed at OPEC talks in Vienna on November 30.

The committee will also hold talks with non-OPEC countries, including Russia, the second-biggest producer of crude oil.

Moscow has already voiced support for a freeze on its production levels, which hit a new record this month.

- ' Historic decision' -

"Today OPEC has taken a historic decision," said Algerian Energy Minister Noureddine Boutarfa, adding that the move had been agreed unanimously.

"OPEC will go back to its role of monitoring the market. It's a role that it lost many years ago."

Faced with new competition from US shale production, the 14-nation cartel had adopted a more defensive strategy, opening up its taps and cutting prices.

Analysts said the output cut, though a surprise, would not fundamentally change the market.

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"Even if one was agreed this would be unlikely to support prices beyond any brief sentiment-driven rally," Capital Economics analysts' group said before the decision was announced.

"Almost all the OPEC members and Russia are already producing very near or at their maximum capacity".

Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh also hailed the agreement, while stressing that Tehran hopes to bring its own production back up to the level of around 4 million bpd it enjoyed before international sanctions over its nuclear programme were imposed.

- Record low prices -

Wednesday's meeting was tasked with addressing the collapse in prices, which have fallen by more than half since mid-2014.

"We must act on supply to re-stabilise the market" which has been hit by massive oversupply, Boutarfa, the Algerian energy minister, told a news conference.

According to the International Energy Agency, last year saw a 25 percent fall in investment in oil and gas exploration and production and the agency says the decline is continuing apace.

Amid record output, there has been discord among the 14-nation cartel, whose share of global crude supply is around 40 percent.

Progress has been hampered notably by disagreements between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the latter back on stream after the recent lifting of a range of energy-related sanctions.

OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia has so far refused to curb its output at a time when Iran is ramping up production.

Saudi Arabia and Iran, the Middle East's foremost Shiite and Sunni Muslim powers, are at odds over an array of issues including the wars in Syria and Yemen.

But there had been some tentative signs of a narrowing of differences in Algiers, where Russia also joined the talks on Wednesday.

A previous bid to freeze output fell apart in Doha in April as Iran refused to take part, saying it needed to return output to its pre-sanctions levels.

Further complicating the negotiations, Libya and Nigeria have also been reluctant to limit production after conflicts that have curbed their output.

Prices plunged from peaks of more than $100 a barrel in mid-2014 to near 13-year lows below $30 in January, before recovering some of the losses.
Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said Italy's budget deficit would fall to 2.4 percent of GDP this year, from 2.6 percent in 2015, and a maximum of 2.0 percent next year

Italy's centre-left government has slashed its growth forecasts for this year and next, nine weeks before a make-or-break referendum that could deepen the European Union's existential crisis.

Speaking late Tuesday after a cabinet meeting on updated budget plans for 2017, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said he was now making a "prudent" prediction of growth of 0.8 percent for this year and one percent for 2017.

That compares with figures of 1.2 percent and 1.4 percent forecast by the government in April.

The downward revisions follow data last month indicating that the economy ground to a halt in the first half of this year.

Independent economists say Italy will struggle to hit even the revised targets given weak domestic demand, the crisis facing the country's debt-laden banks and the fallout from Britain's "Brexit" vote to leave the EU.

Italy's economy has barely grown since the country became a founder member of the eurozone in 1999.

That stagnation has hammered the purchasing power of working and middle class voters.

As salaries have trodden water, the cost of a pizza in Rome has trebled. The rise of energy prices has been sharper, hitting pensioners on fixed incomes particularly hard.

That is the backdrop against which fed-up Italians will vote on December 4 on a package of constitutional reforms designed to make the famously ungovernable country easier to manage.

Renzi has gambled his personal future on the outcome of a vote on abolishing the second-chamber Senate and revising the electoral system to ensure election winners of workable parliamentary majorities.

The bullish premier's stance has hugely raised the stakes involved in the vote because of the realistic possibility that fresh elections will bring the populist Five Star Movement to power on a mandate to organise a Brexit-style referendum on Italy's future within the euro single currency zone.

The 41-year-old premier has admitted he made a mistake in making it all about him.

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But now, he knows that even if he wins the referendum vote, Five Star could still triumph in elections in 2018 and take advantage of reforms that have provoked misgivings about potential authoritarianism and revived unhappy memories of Italy's experience of fascism before and during World War II.

- A bridge to Sicily -

Among the sceptics about Italy's new growth predictions are economists at the OECD club of industrialised countries. They are predicting 0.8 percent growth for both this year and next.

Renzi said Italy's budget deficit would fall to 2.4 percent of GDP this year, from 2.6 percent in 2015, and a maximum of 2.0 percent next year.

The latter figure is slightly above the 1.8 percent target Italy has been set by the European Commission, which is urging Rome to cut year-on-year spending faster to reduce a debt mountain equivalent to more than 132 percent of the entire economy.

Renzi said Italy would be seeking only limited leeway on the interpretation of EU budget rules -- equivalent to a maximum 0.4 percent of GDP in the assessment of its spending plans to cover the exceptional costs of the migration crisis and a deadly earthquake in August.

"On immigration, we set up hotspots (reception centres), strengthened our borders, but with a few exceptions, we have not had the relocations (of migrants) to other EU countries. Europe is seriously in debt to Italy."

Overall, Renzi's budget plans are far less confrontational with Brussels than the versions trailed in the Italian media last month.

The premier has suggested he will push ahead with pension increases for the poorest and an anti-poverty programme funded from the 500 million euros of annual savings projected to arise from the abolition of the lavishly financed Senate.

Renzi has also vowed to initiate, restart or refinance a string of major public works.

In the latest move on that front, he said Thursday he would issue a green light for a resumption of work on a long-planned, repeatedly delayed project to build a bridge between the toe of Italy's boot and Messina, Sicily. Perhaps not totally unrelated to the move, Messina is one of the birthplaces of the modern EU.
The question of what to do with Battersea Power Station, a disused yet oddly beautiful pile of bricks in London, long occupied the city's planners. The latest developers have scored a coup that sounds a lot like the final answer: it's going to be Apple's London headquarters.

Countless schemes came and went for the massive structure, whose four towers belched coal smoke until 1983 and graced the legendary cover of Pink Floyd's Animals. But it was only in the last few years that plans came together for a modern, mixed-use combination of homes, shops and businesses. Apple will be the single largest tenant, London's Evening Standard reports, taking the top 6 floors inside the old boiler house.
Two students and a teacher were injured in a shooting today at Townville Elementary School in Anderson County, South Carolina. A teenager identified as the shooting suspect is now in police custody.

"A bad man came to our school today," 4-year-old Townville student Amber Jolly told a television news reporter.

The two injured students, both 6 years old, were flown by helicopter to emergency trauma centers. The injured teacher was driven to a hospital by ambulance, police said.

A man was found dead at a home not far from the school, with gunshot wounds. He was later identified as a relative of the young shooting suspect in custody.

The Anderson County Coroner's Office is investigating a death on Osborne Road in Townville that officials said is connected with the shooting at the school. The location is a little more than 3 miles from school. The coroner's office said a man was found dead at the home, and that he died before the shooting at the school. Investigators confirmed that the death has a "direct connection" to the shooting at the school.

News reporters say they don't know who the teenage shooting suspect is, or how he gained access to the school, which requires visitors to be buzzed in by the front office.

Law enforcement swarmed the school building, and snipers took positions quickly on the roof of the building.

The children were evacuated to nearby Oakdale Baptist Church. The school initiated its emergency alert system, and notified parents by mass text message, among other methods.

Parents driving to pick up their traumatized children got stuck in a traffic jam along the rural road, and aerial footage showed some abandoning their cars and running down the street to the church where their children are.

On South Carolina TV news WSPA, a reporter describes the scene at that church pickup location, with families of some 290 children waiting to pick their little ones up and take them home. He begins choking up with tears.

"These are small kids. These are elementary school kids. And they were evacuated today because someone started shooting."

Sheriffs from Anderson county and a neighboring county are present at the site of the shooting, along with South Carolina Highway Patrol, and Federal agents from ATF.

On WSPA-TV's live coverage, a father picking up his daughter says on camera, holding his child, that every elementary school teacher should be armed with a handgun.

Welcome to America.
The Ontario Securities Commission's top official is promising a firm hand on addressing conflicts of interest in mutual-fund commissions, and a helping hand for online investment advisors.

In what was billed as her first keynote address since she became OSC chair and CEO in February of this year, Maureen Jensen left the door ever so slightly ajar to averting a ban on embedded mutual-fund commissions . But she insisted that it would be up to the fund industry to come up with ideas on how this could be done while also eliminating conflicts of interest. Embedded commissions are paid by fund companies directly to brokers and dealers, out of the management fees charged to the funds.

"We are also open to considering other options, as long as the conflicts are eliminated," Jensen told a business audience on Sept. 27 at the Toronto Board of Trade. That would seem to be a tall order, since Jensen cited research done for the regulators "found compelling evidence that embedded fees create conflicts that are detrimental to investor outcomes."

In a well-attended media scrum after her speech, Jensen placed the onus firmly on industry participants to come up with alternatives to a ban. "We're asking the industry to come to us with potential options."

In a new development in response to industry warnings that banning embedded commissions would reduce investor access to advice, Jensen announced the formation of the OSC LaunchPad, a pilot project to help financial-technology (fintech) start-ups navigate the regulatory framework.

OSC officials assigned to LaunchPad will work directly with fintech companies to tailor regulations and regulatory oversight to their business models, provided that investor-protection provisions are in place.

Jensen said regulators need to keep pace with an evolving market in which people want financial services that are fast, convenient and mobile. "Our objectives of investor protection and fair and efficient markets are unchanged, but the approach we take needs to change."

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Jensen said the OSC has already worked with 40 fintech firms that are registered or seeking to be registered. These include online advisors (commonly known as robo-advisors ), peer-to-peer lenders, crowdfunding platforms and angel-investor organizations.

Jensen reaffirmed that Canadian securities regulators will publish a consultation paper by the end of this year that will set out the potential impacts of banning embedded commissions.

Insisting the status quo is not an option, Jensen cited research showing that funds that pay higher trailer commissions tend to attract more sales, even if these funds are underperforming. "This is not acceptable. I think we can all agree that the interests of advisors need to be better aligned with their clients."

The impact of fund fees is quite significant, Jensen added, citing the findings of a study conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research on the investment returns of Canadian fund-dealer clients. The study found that returns lagged passive market benchmarks by two to three percentage points a year. "Fees and unsuitable portfolio construction accounted for most of the underperformance," Jensen said.

Jensen emphasized that advisors must be compensated for the advice and services they provide, but that what's at issue is how they are compensated."I believe that investors must be able to understand the true costs of their investments, the costs of buying and holding their investments, and the cost of the advice they receive."

The OSC chair praised Investors Group -- the only company she named in her speech -- for its Sept. 19 announcement that it will eliminate its deferred-sales-charge option, starting in the new year. This is the kind of leadership that's needed, she said. "Industry is a fundamental part of getting this right, and if we continue to work together, we can arrive at solutions that ultimately benefit investors and the Canadian marketplace."
BJP MLA Anil Jha ans supporters today protested against the Aam Aadmi Party, demanding health minister Satyendra Jain's removal, by shaving their heads and performing the party's last rites.

By Parbina Purkayastha: Chorus against AAP government's failure is growing each day with the Opposition parties leaving no stone unturned to highlight the government's failure. A faux paus followed by protest, that has been the format in Delhi for months now.

BJP MLA Anil Jha along with its supporters staged a protest outside Chief Minister Kejriwal's house demanding removal of health minister Satyender Jain. However, this protest was different from others. Jha with his supporters shaved off their hair symbolising the Hindu last rite rituals.

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AAP HAS FAILED US, SAYS BJP MLA

"The AAP government has failed in many levels and it has come to its fag end hence we all are shaving off our hair to showcase the state of present government, they too are in an inactive mode," Jha said.

Recently the Delhi government has been in news for all wrong reasons from failing to handle the outbreak of dengue and chikungunya to its health minister being named in a corruption case.

"We demand Jain's removal immediately, my constituency Kirari is suffering and many are dying everyday of dengue, law is not in order, we need someone to act," Jha said

Meanwhile, heavy security personnel were deployed outside Kejriwal's civil lines residence.

Also Read

As AAP minister Satyendra Jain is issued income tax notice, he serves a dare to media





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Belize is a small country that offers diverse lifestyle choices. Before thinking about buying a home of your own in this English-speaking Shangri-la, ask yourself this critical question: What are your objectives?

[See: 10 Affordable Places to Retire Overseas in 2016.]

In Belize, you could invest in a condo on the beach, a home in a planned community, a house in a local town or a piece of land in the country. Each purchase has its advantages and its downsides. Choosing one over another is all about what you're looking to accomplish. Are you shopping for a place to live or for long-term appreciation? Do you intend to use the property full time yourself or only part time with the hope of renting it out otherwise?

Deciding that you'd like to own a beach condo in Belize leads to more decisions. This little country has a long mainland coast and many cayes offshore. This means lots of beach choices, and all beaches are not created equal. Some Belize beaches are Robinson Crusoe-style. Others are rowdy and noisy with lots of nightlife and tourists. Picking one over another for your retirement comes down to what you're looking for. Do you want privacy or company, solitude or parties?

If it's privacy and security, peace and quiet that you seek, consider a home in a planned community. These are relatively new to Belize. Most are being built to North American standards, meaning you won't have the quirkiness of a Belizean home, such as lights that turn on when you push the switch down or bathrooms plumbed for cold water only.

You probably wouldn't have Belizean neighbors either. This could be a plus or a minus for you. In addition, planned communities are outside the towns for the most part, meaning that, while you'll be safe and secure behind the guarded gate, you'll also be a drive from shopping and restaurants. A drive at night in this country can be an adventure because the roads are basic, often dirt and almost always unlit.

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A home in a planned community also means fees. Monthly homeowner association fees support the upkeep of community amenities and services. These can range from $150 to $300 per month, which is something to keep in mind when doing your budgeting.

[See: How to Prepare for Retirement Overseas.]

A home in town can be the most convenient option and also the most affordable. The trade-off is that, with rare exceptions, houses in Belizean towns are local Belizean houses. You may have to search for a while to find one that will be comfortable for you. Not only is a local-style house in town more affordable than a new house in a planned community, but it also comes without a monthly HOA fee.

If you do consider buying something local in town, understand that zoning doesn't exist in this country. If you buy or rent a big house in a nice part of town with a vacant piece of land next door, it's not out of the question that, a year later, say, someone could buy that piece of land and build a disco or a car repair shop on it.

How can you know how much you should pay for the kind of property you're interested in buying? You have to compare apples with apples, and that's not easy in this market. You want to consider the cost of a condo or house on a per-square-foot basis, but you also have to pay attention to what's included in the square feet. It's like asking, "How much does a bag of groceries cost?" It depends on what's in the bag.

In Belize somebody might tell you he can build you a house for $80 per square foot, but you can't let the conversation end there. Ask what's included in those square feet. You might be surprised to learn that that per-square-foot price doesn't include windows, for example, or plumbing or cabinets. You generally don't expect a house to come with appliances, but most of us don't think of a water heater as an appliance.

If you're looking for rental income, focus on San Pedro or Placencia. These are Belize's highest trafficked tourist destinations. If you are looking for appreciation, focus on Cayo and Corozal. These are the fastest-growing districts in this country.

Another option could be to build your own house. In this case you should know about the Central Building Authority. This is a relatively new government agency that is putting building standards in place. Pay close attention to the building codes you must adhere to.

[See: 10 Retirement Hot Spots in the U.S.]

One more thing you should know: There are no escrow companies in Belize, and you can't take escrow for granted. It's not typically part of the buying process. You can insist on it, but you'll have to set it up yourself. You can do this through your attorney.

Kathleen Peddicord is the founder of the Live and Invest Overseas publishing group.
Learning Management Systems

Canvas Adds Mobile Annotation Tool

Instructure has updated its Canvas learning management system (LMS) to include an annotation feature in the mobile app.

The new feature allows students to annotate and submit assignments directly from the mobile app in an effort to eliminate the need for additional software or paper. Digitizing assignments also makes them next to impossible to lose and allows teachers to use Canvas SpeedGrader.

"This new annotation feature allows work to be completed inside Canvas, reducing a 20+ step process to three steps," according to a news release. "As schools become increasingly digital, teachers and students are often faced with many disparate online tools that can force convoluted, confusing processes for downloading and uploading. Providing students with the ability to annotate documents directly inside Canvas eliminates the need for a separate app, which in turn removes the cost for another digital annotation tool. Through this new annotation feature, teachers gain back hours of instructional time and students are able to focus on producing quality work, rather than manipulating apps."

"At Canvas, we make it our first priority to find ways to simplify teaching and elevate learning, and our insistence on simple, intuitive workflows highlights this belief," said Mitch Benson, vice president of Canvas product, in a prepared statement. "Mobile student annotation, fully integrated into Canvas, simplifies the process of completing assignments for our domestic and global K12 and higher education customer base. It also supports schools in their transition to digital classrooms, creates better experiences and saves time, money and effort for administrators, teachers and students."

In related news, Instructure has entered a partnership with YuJa that will integrate the latter's lecture capture, live webcasting and synchronous video classroom experiences with Canvas via Learning Tools Interoperability standards.

"Video broadcasting and synchronous video activities are important to the future of online and flipped learning, and our partnership with YuJa provides an excellent opportunity for Canvas users to benefit from these technologies," said Melissa Loble, vice president of platform and partnerships at Instructure, in a prepared statement.
Textbooks

Rhode Island Open Textbook Initiative to Save Students $5 Million Annually

The governor of Rhode Island launched an initiative that aims to save college students $5 million a year by switching out traditional textbooks with openly licensed textbooks.

Governor Gina Raimondo introduced the Rhode Island Open Textbook Initiative to combat the steep prices of traditional textbooks, citing that textbook prices have nearly doubled over the last decade, according to a news release.

The Rhode Island Office of Innovation (InnovateRI) will lead the initiative through its partnership with Adams Library, located at Rhode Island College (RIC). RIC launched a pilot program this school year that so far has saved students $100,000 by switching to an openly licensed textbook for a biology course, according a news release.

The announcement comes a week after Raimondo pledged to ensure 70 percent of working-age Rhode Islanders hold at least an associates degree by 2025.

"The day we made that announcement, I met with students at [the Community College of Rhode Island] and [Rhode Island College] who told me the cost of books can be a barrier to earning a degree, Raimondo said in a statement. The Rhode Island Open Textbook Initiative will help train librarians, faculty and students to identify and incorporate openly licensed textbooks and put $5 million back in students' pockets.

Several organizations have partnered with InnovateRI to support the new initiative:

The Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner will offer micro-grants to allow faculty to review and transition their syllabuses to openly licensed textbooks, according to statement;

The Open Textbook Network, an organization that offers a growing catalog of free, openly licensed textbooks, will provide training and support for colleges and universities that participate in the initiative;

The Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition will train academic librarians to help faculty identity openly licensed educational resources, according to a statement; and

The Right to Research Coalition will work with student governments to raise awareness on college and university campuses.

In addition to RIC, six other institutions in Rhode Island have already pledged support for the initiative: Brown University, Bryant University, Community College of Rhode Island, University of Rhode Island, Roger Williams University and the New England Institute of Technology.

Further information, including a video that explains the initiative, is available on the InnovateRI site.
Funding, Grants & Awards

Splunk Offers Free Software, Training for Educational Institutions

Splunk, a provider of real-time operational intelligence software, has launched the Splunk Pledge, a new philanthropic program of the Splunk4Good initiative.

The Splunk Pledge will donate at least $100 million over 10 years to not-for-profit higher educational institutions and other nonprofit organizations. The $100 million pledge includes free software licenses, training and support, as well as volunteer work by Splunk employees.

Splunk's operational intelligence software is designed to make machine data more accessible and usable, according to information on the company's site. Through the Splunk Pledge, the company hopes to help educational institutions and nonprofit organizations take advantage of big data to "support academic research and generate social impact," according to a news release.

Approved educational institutions and nonprofit organizations will be eligible to receive a one-year, 10 gigabyte Splunk Enterprise license with standard support and access to Splunk eLearning. According to the company, the technology "will enable these organizations to reduce operating costs, improve their cybersecurity posture, streamline IT operations, perform research, analyze diverse data sources and gain visibility into their infrastructure."

Splunk will also give its employees up to 60,000 hours collectively of "paid time off to volunteer at the nonprofit organization of their choice."

Nonprofit organizations and educational institutions can apply for free software licenses and the accompanying training and support through the Splunk Pledge site.

In related news, Splunk is expanding its Splunk Academic Program. The program, in partnership with Internet2, currently reaches 339 institutions and more than 5 million students across the United States. Splunk is now inviting "any educational organization around the world to join the program and receive free education for their students." Further information and an online application form can be found on the Splunk site.
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Women who use hormonal methods for birth control, such as "the pill," may have a slightly higher risk of developing depression -- and teenagers may be most vulnerable, a large study suggests.

Researchers said the findings confirm the link between hormonal birth control and depression symptoms. However, the association does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

Manufacturers already list "mood changes," including new or worsening depression, on their products' list of potential side effects.

But this new study of more than 1 million women strengthens the evidence of a connection, said Dr. Ojvind Lidegaard, of the University of Copenhagen, in Denmark.

Lidegaard said women with a history of depression symptoms might want to consider nonhormonal contraception -- such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) that release copper to prevent sperm from fertilizing the egg.

Dr. Jill Rabin, an obstetrician-gynecologist who was not involved in the study, said what's important is having a doctor "you trust" and who will discuss the pros and cons of all birth control options with you.

"We all need to be cognizant of the fact that hormones can have effects on mood," said Rabin, who is co-chief of the division of ambulatory care at Women's Health Programs-PCAP Services, at Northwell Health, in New Hyde Park, N.Y.

Doctors should routinely ask girls and women if they have a history of depression symptoms when discussing birth control options, Rabin suggested.

There are "many choices" when it comes to contraception, she said, including lower-dose hormonal options.

For the study, Lidegaard's team used Denmark's system of national health databases to track more than 1 million women aged 15 to 34 between 2000 and 2013. They were followed for six years on average.

During that time, women on hormonal birth control were anywhere from 23 percent to two times more likely to start an antidepressant, compared with women not on hormonal contraceptives.

And the risks were larger when the researchers focused on teens aged 15 to 19.

Teenagers using hormonal patches or vaginal rings, or IUDs containing progestin, were roughly three times more likely to be prescribed an antidepressant, versus other teens, the findings showed.

The risk linked to birth control pills was a bit lower. Teens on the traditional "pill" (containing estrogen and progestin) had an 80 percent higher risk of starting an antidepressant. Those on the progestin-only "mini-pill" had a twofold greater risk.

Still, the differences in absolute terms were small, Lidegaard's team found. Just over 133,000 women started on an antidepressant during the study period.

Of course, other factors can affect a woman's depression risk, and it's "always difficult" to rule out all other explanations, Lidegaard said.

But his team was able to account for some other factors, such as a woman's education level, and whether she had polycystic ovary syndrome or endometriosis -- conditions often treated with hormonal birth control.

Plus, the investigators found that women had a higher risk of starting an antidepressant in the year after going on hormonal birth control, versus the year before.

As for why teenagers showed a higher risk than older women, Lidegaard pointed to two possible explanations.

Adolescence is a "sensitive period," he said, so teenagers might be more affected by external hormones than older women.

Or, Lidegaard said, young women who develop "mood symptoms" after starting hormonal birth control may stop using it. That would mean women who stick with it through their 20s and 30s are a less-vulnerable group.

Rabin said it's important to keep the issue in perspective. "We know that anything we prescribe has benefits and risks," she pointed out.

So, she said, the small increase in depression risk has to be weighed against the "pro" of using effective birth control.

The study results were published online Sept. 28 in JAMA Psychiatry.

More information

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has more on birth control options.
BK Bansal committed suicide two months after his wife and daughter committed suicide by hanging themselves from the ceiling fans at their residence.

By Ankur Sharma: Former Director General of Corporate Affairs Bal Kishan Bansal, who was facing a CBI probe in a corruption case, allegedly committed suicide along with his son Yogesh Bansal at their residence in East Delhi on Tuesday morning.

The senior bureaucrat committed suicide two months after his wife and daughter committed suicide by hanging themselves from the ceiling fans at their residence. The two had left separate suicide notes, saying the CBI raid on their home caused great humiliation and they did not want to live after that.

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On Monday, BK Bansal had spent hours at the CBI office.

"We received a call about this suicide around 9.30 am and the matter is under investigation" said Rishi Pal, DCP, east district.

Meanwhile, the CBI issued a press statement expressing the agency's sadness. "We are deeply saddened to know the unfortunate demise of Shri BK Bansal and his son. The matter is being looked into by the local police," CBI said.



OFFICIALS REFUSE TO RESPOND

There have been allegations that the CBI raid on Bansal's home continued till odd hours. When Mail Today contacted CBI to seek their side of the story, officials did not reply to the phone calls and text messages.

Delhi police, however, said they find no reason to investigate the case to find out what forced four family members to killed themselves. "There is no point of registering FIR in the case, inquest proceeding will be done," DCP East , Rishi Pal said.



WHAT HAD HAPPENED

According to Bansal's lawyer Umakant Kataria, the CBI had conducted raid on Bansal's residence around 5 pm on July 16 and continued their search till 3 am. "During the raid, family members were asked to stay in a room. Again the next day a CBI team went to Bansal's house and conducted raid which ended early morning. This whole procedure humiliated the family," Kataria, who appeared for Bansal, told Mail Today.

"He got bail as his wife and daughter committed suicide. Bansal had said that his family was not happy with the way the CBI raid was conducted. He also said that the CBI officials humiliated him and his family," Kataria said, adding that the CBI officials used to call Bansal repeatedly. Bansal in his suicide note has reportedly blamed CBI as he felt humiliated and harassed. The police, however, refused to reveal the content of the suicide notes.

Residents of Nilkanth Apartments where the Bansals lived claimed that the bureaucrat and his son had stopped talking to the neighbours after his wife and daughter committed suicide.

"It was a routine for BK Bansal to visit the CBI office. He used to spend hours there and all of us at the Nilkanth society were aware about the case. I think he felt humiliated," one of Bansals' neighbours said.

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Following the suicide of his wife and daughter, Bansal was granted interim bail by the CBI court. While granting bail, special CBI judge Gurdeep Singh had observed that the probe agency should rethink whether it's necessary to arrest the accused in such cases.

"These are not conventional crimes like murder. Earlier, the CBI avoided making such arrests? They (BK Bansal) are public servants and the evidences are mostly documentary in nature in such cases," judge Singh had observed.

Also Read

Pawan Bansal's Theon Pharmaceuticals was a family-run pharma company





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By Tim Cocks DAKAR (Reuters) - In the heyday of former President Omar Bongo, Gabon and its oil wealth were a central pillar of "La Francafrique", a shadowy network that enabled France's troops to defend African autocrats in exchange for juicy contracts for French companies. Thanks partly to this web of diplomacy and trade backed by French firepower, Bongo stayed in office for 42 years before his death in 2009. France's energy firms, meanwhile, had undisputed claims to some of the continent's richest oil fields. But the days of France throwing its weight behind a leader for commercial favours may be numbered, which presents a challenge for French businesses in West Africa, a largely Francophone region because of its colonial past Ali Bongo, the son of the late president, was inaugurated for a second term on Tuesday after an election whose credibility EU observers seriously called into question. France's position has been clear since the Aug. 27 poll: it has "doubts" about its credibility, so it won't endorse Bongo as the winner against his main opponent Jean Ping - a clear message that Bongo's half-century family dynasty can no longer count on support from Gabon's former colonial master. Bongo denies unduly influencing the election, and Gabon's top court upheld the result. Yet his father used to win elections with so little credibility that in 1986 he got over 99 percent of the vote, and four years later, when protests erupted, French troops stepped in to quell them. France's Elf won every oil licence in a bidding round shortly after, according to British journalist Nicholas Shaxson in his 2008 book Poisoned Wells. "That period is behind us," French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told the France 2 TV channel this month. "We do not want ... to interfere in countries' internal affairs," he said, articulating a trademark policy of Socialist President Francois Hollande, who four years ago pledged that "the era of La Francafrique is over" while in Senegal. OFFICIAL CHANNELS A French diplomat told Reuters that current thinking in the French government was that Paris could no longer automatically back an ally, even when trade interests are at stake. If the leader's popularity fades, in elections or on the streets, France will distance itself. "The era of us picking someone and saying 'you're the next president' is over," another French diplomat said, even when France has "specific interests in one country or another". "France has changed quite a lot," said Paul Melly, associate fellow in the Africa Programme of London-based international affairs think-tank Chatham House. "The time when the French intervened to help Omar Bongo ... that was the old La Francafrique, looking after your chums," he said, an approach that was now "basically impossible". In Burkina Faso, where crowds ousted Blaise Compaore in 2014 as he tried to extend his 27-year rule, France backed away from its former friend, having quietly told him it was a bad idea. Socialist Hollande has shown no interest in cultivating the decades-old clandestine networks linking French businessmen and intelligence agents to African politicians that were created by France's right-wing former President Charles de Gaulle. "There really has been a shift to the idea that if there are to be negotiations with African partners they have to go through official channels," said Aline Leboeuf, a researcher at the Institute Francais. 'OTHER OPTIONS' The challenge posed to French companies present in Africa is complex, but it is clear the privileges they used to enjoy are being eroded. A 2013 Gabon oil licensing round doled out 18 blocks to companies from around the world, but French oil major Total, Elf's successor following a merger, was left empty-handed. The following year, Gabon ordered Total to pay $805 million in back taxes, which the company said was an unfounded tax adjustment. Total declined to comment for this story. Other sectors that similarly rely on good relations with African governments - like telecoms and mining, in which companies like Orange and Areva respectively operate - could also be vulnerable. Orange declined to comment. A spokesman for Areva said the company would "continue to invest in exploration and innovation to find new deposits," but did not address the question of Africa risks. Some officials and companies say the impact of the end of La Francafrique should not be overstated, since globalisation has been opening the field to competition anyway. Ali Bongo, who has lived in Los Angeles and had a son in elite English boarding school Eton, made a point of trying to expand ties beyond the Francophone world. France, meanwhile, has been diversifying its own ties. In a shift from the past, it is increasingly seeking opportunities in former British colonies like Kenya and Botswana; the French government's Africa department now has more experts in east Africa than west, according to government sources. A month ago, Total won a production licence in Uganda. "France has accepted the fact that ... it has a lot less ability to influence local politics," said historian Nathaniel Powell, who specialises in French-African relations, adding that it used to be a condition of working with an African leader that he would not allow in American companies. "They used to pretty much own the Gabonese economy," he said. "Now African elites have much more leverage, because they have the Chinese, they have other options." (Additional reporting by John Irish, Marine Pennetier, Richard Lough and Geert De Clercq in Paris; Editing by Pravin Char)
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IRVINE, CA, and HERSTAL, BELGIUM - September 28, 2016 - MDxHealth SA (Euronext: MDXH.BR), today announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with The European Health Centre Innovation (EHC Innovation) to offer its SelectMDx(TM) for Prostate Cancer and ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer tests to their urology customers throughout Poland.

Under the terms of the agreement, EHC Innovation will be one of two exclusive distributors of SelectMDx in Poland and the only exclusive distributor of ConfirmMDx. Samples will be sent to MDxHealth's state-of-the-art clinical diagnostic laboratory in Nijmegen, The Netherlands for analysis. EHC Innovation will reimburse MDxHealth for all testing services.

"We are delighted to announce our collaboration with The European Health Centre Innovation which, as part of European Health Center Otwock Hospital, is the most technologically advanced multispecialty diagnostic centre in Poland. We believe that SelectMDx and ConfirmMDx perfectly complement EHC Innovation's existing portfolio of advanced diagnostic tools," commented Dr. Jan Groen, CEO of MDxHealth. "With a strong reputation throughout the region and focus on improving patient care and outcomes, EHC Innovation is an ideal partner to help us raise awareness and expand access to SelectMDx and ConfirmMDx within the urology community."

About SelectMDx for Prostate Cancer

Of the nearly 2 million prostate biopsies performed each year, less than a third find cancer. Most of these men could have avoided a painful and invasive prostate biopsy procedure, with its associated complications and costs. SelectMDx for Prostate Cancer is a proprietary urine-based, molecular diagnostic test that offers a non-invasive 'liquid biopsy' method to assess a man's risk for prostate cancer. SelectMDx helps identify men at increased risk of harbouring aggressive, potentially lethal, prostate cancer who may benefit most from a prostate biopsy and earlier detection. The test delivers a negative predictive value (NPV) of 98% for clinically significant disease, helping to reduce unnecessary MRI procedures and invasive prostate biopsies by approximately 50%, thereby reducing healthcare costs.

About ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer

ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer is the first epigenetic, and only tissue-based test in the 2016 NCCN Guidelines for early detection of prostate cancer which addresses false negative biopsy concerns. It is the only molecular diagnostic test that provides a very high negative predictive value (NPV) of 96% for clinically significant prostate cancers, and 90% NPV for all prostate cancers, as well as prostate mapping of the test results to help guide repeat biopsies. Each year, more than 1 million American men undergo an invasive prostate biopsy with a negative result, however approximately 30% of those men actually have prostate cancer. The current standard of care for prostate biopsy procedures samples less than 1% of the prostate, leaving men at risk for undetected cancer and leading to a high rate of repeat biopsies, even on cancer-free men. ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer helps urologists identify low-risk men who may forego an unnecessary repeat biopsy and high-risk men who may benefit from intervention. To date more than 3,000 urologists have ordered ConfirmMDx on more than 45,000 patients. ConfirmMDx has qualified for Medicare, Medicare Advantage and many private reimbursement plans.

About The European Health Centre Innovation

EHC Innovation conducts activities in implementing and providing patients with innovative therapies that can increase the chances of cancer treatment and improve quality and comfort of life. Being a part of the European Health Centre Otwock Hospital which amalgamates tradition with innovation in their entirely renovated facility offering a 96 beds hospital with 4 operating rooms and a speciality focus in Urology, Cardiology, Oncology, Onco-Surgery, General Surgery, Gynaecology and Orthopaedics. The European Health Centre Otwock is one of the most technologically advanced centres in Eastern Europe offering their patient's access to modern diagnostics testing, innovative treatments and one of the most technologically advanced radiology diagnostic centres throughout the region. For more information, visit http://www.inn4health.com.

About MDxHealth

MDxHealth is a multinational healthcare company that provides actionable molecular diagnostic information to personalize the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The company's tests are based on proprietary gene methylation (epigenetic) and other molecular technologies and assist physicians with the diagnosis of cancer, prognosis of recurrence risk, and prediction of response to a specific therapy. For more information, visit mdxhealth.com and follow us on Twitter at: twitter.com/mdxhealth.

For more information:







Dr. Jan Groen, CEO

MDxHealth

US: +1 949 812 6979

BE: +32 4 364 20 70

info@mdxhealth.com















Jonathan Birt, Chris Welsh, Hendrik Thys, Cameron Standage (PR & IR)

Consilium Strategic Communications

UK: +44 20 3709 5701

US: + 1 917 322 2571 (Rx Communications Group LLC)

mdxhealth@consilium-comms.com





This press release contains forward-looking statements and estimates with respect to the anticipated future performance of MDxHealth and the market in which it operates. Such statements and estimates are based on assumptions and assessments of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which were deemed reasonable but may not prove to be correct. Actual events are difficult to predict, may depend upon factors that are beyond the company's control, and may turn out to be materially different. MDxHealth expressly disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements in this release to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based unless required by law or regulation. This press release does not constitute an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities or assets of MDxHealth in any jurisdiction. No securities of MDxHealth may be offered or sold within the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or in compliance with an exemption therefrom, and in accordance with any applicable U.S. securities laws.

NOTE: The MDxHealth logo, MDxHealth, ConfirmMDx, SelectMDx, AssureMDx and PredictMDx are trademarks or registered trademarks of MDxHealth SA. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.
The father and son duo, which committed suicide at their residence in east Delhi on Tuesday morning, has accused the CBI of mental and physical harassment and torture.

BK Bansal and his son Yogesh Bansal have accused CBI officers of mental harassment in their suicide note

By Atir Khan: Former Director General of Corporate Affairs Bal Kishan Bansal, who committed suicide on Tuesday along with his son Yogesh, has accused the CBI of mental and physical harassment, torture and abuse, which forced the family to end their lives.

The father and son duo, who committed suicide at their residence in east Delhi, has left behind four sets of suicide notes which talk about a DIG-level officer, a lady DSP, and a "fat constable" who had harassed the family.

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The twin suicides came two months after Bansal's wife and daughter also ended their lives in July by hanging themselves in their flat at Neelkanth Apartment in Patparganj in the national capital.

ALSO READ: BK Bansal suicide case raises questions on CBI



The note reveals that the lady was abusive and used to pinch his wife with nails and was abusive with his wife and daughter.

Meanwhile, the CBI has constituted an internal probe to look into allegations of torture by Bansal.

"We have examined the matter and decided to probe the allegations. CBI is fully committed to conduct investigation in a fair and professional manner without harassment to any one and strictly within the parameters of Law. If any violation is established during the probe, strict action will be taken against the CBI officials concerned. The Competent Court will be informed," CBI said in their statement.





CBI ACCUSED OF HARASSING BANSALS

However, in the note, Bansal praised the investigating officer and described him as courteous. He also wished well for the family of the investigating officer.

The CBI in their press statement expressing the agency's sadness. "We are deeply saddened to know the unfortunate demise of Shri BK Bansal and his son. The matter is being looked into by the local police," CBI said.

ALSO READ: Supreme Court issues notice to Centre, CBI on PIL for guidelines on search and seizure



A senior Delhi Police officer had told India Today that suicide note also mentions the death wish of the duo demanding a high-level inquiry by CBI Director. Subsequently, police have decided to hand over the inquiry to the CBI.

The police also recorded statements of society security guards, maid and some other people. A forensic team also visited the flat to pick up samples.

Earlier, CBI officials had said Bansal was arrested after the agency found evidence against him. The agency was following all the legal procedures laid down for investigation.

HOW IT STARTED

Bansal was arrested by CBI on the charges of taking bribe from a Mumbai-based pharmaceutical company for scuttling the probe against it. He was Director General in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, which was probing the allegations against the company.

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ALSO READ: Jailed bureaucrat BK Bansal granted bail after wife, daughter commit suicide

Days after Bansal's arrest on the charges of accepting bribe CBI had carried out searches at his flat where his wife Satyabala and daughter Neha were present. After the searches both had alleged harassment.

According to Bansal's lawyer Umakant Kataria, the CBI had conducted raid on Bansal's residence around 5 pm on July 16 and continued their search till 3 am. "During the raid, family members were asked to stay in a room. Again the next day a CBI team went to Bansal's house and conducted raid which ended early morning. This whole procedure humiliated the family," Kataria, who appeared for Bansals.

Humiliated with the CBI raids, Bansal's wife and daughter committed suicide two months ago. Before committing suicide they had narrated to their relatives and neighbours about what the team did to them.

Inquiries revealed that Bansal and his son had made up their mind to end their lives on Monday evening. When Rachna, the maid went to their house for daily cleaning on Monday morning, she discovered both father and son hanging inside the rooms.

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The duo had informed Rachna that when she comes to clean the house on Tuesday morning she would find the main door of the flat open. Bansal had told her he would be going out and would come back home late on Monday night.

Reacting on the Bansal suicide story, BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha tweeted, "My heart goes out to the family that was made to suffer so tragically that not one but every one of then was driven to take the extreme step."





My heart goes out to the family that was made to suffer so tragically that not one but every one of then was driven to take the extreme step Shatrughan Sinha (@ShatruganSinha) September 28, 2016

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English French

LAVAL, Quebec, Sept. 28, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, clinical interim results on KLOX Technologies (Klox) LumiHealTM for the treatment of hard-to-heal non-responsive chronic wounds and postsurgical scarring will be reported in conjunction with the 2016 World Union of Wound Healing Societies (WUWHS) Congress in Florence, Italy.



The Klox LumiHealTM system is a first-in-class, proprietary, non-invasive, non-thermal treatment that harnesses the power of fluorescence in the presence of oxidants to treat serious skin and soft tissue disorders.

We believe that LumiHealTM can really make a significant difference in the way we manage and treat acute and chronic wounds, stated Dr. Marco Romanelli, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Dermatology at the School of Medicine, University of Pisa, and Chief of the Wound Healing Research Unit, and President Elect of the World Union of Wound Healing Societies. This is an area where an unmet need remains, and with LumiHealsTM innovative approach, excellent safety profile and effectiveness, it can help bridge that gap.

Professor Franco Bassetto, Head Clinic of Plastic Surgery Full Professor of Plastic Surgery Chair and Residency Program of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, University Hospital of Padova, Italy, will at 12:15 p.m. (CEST) unveil interim results from the EUREKA study, which evaluated the real-life use of LumiHealTM in chronic wounds management.

Following Professor Bassettos presentation, Professor Andreas Nikolis, MD, MSc, FRCSC, Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery, Division of plastic surgery, University of Montreal, Canada, will share interim findings comparing LumiHealTM to silicone sheets in the treatment of surgical wounds in the context of breast reductions.

We are thrilled by the interim results of both studies and the high level of satisfaction from patients and investigators. Due to its ease of use and effectiveness, 95% of investigators involved in the chronic wound management study, EUREKA, stated they would recommend LumiHealTM to their colleagues, said Dr. Michel Cimon, MD, Senior Vice President, Chief Medical and Science Officer of KLOX Technologies. Furthermore, the vast majority of patients that completed the postsurgical scarring study to date, were more satisfied with the use of LumiHealTM with respect to ease of use and complexity of treatment.

Clinical interim results from EUREKA study on LumiHealTM and chronic wounds management

Professor Franco Bassetto will report interim study results on the evaluation of real-life use of LumiHealTM in Chronic Wounds Management. To date, results include 33 patients who took part in the 100-patient EUREKA study. The full study will conclude by the end of the year and data will be available in the first half of 2017.

Investigators interim analysis indicate that the use of LumiHeal in the treatment of pressure ulcers (PU), diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) and venous leg ulcers (VLU) is safe, easy to administer and very well tolerated by the subjects population. Compliance to the study visits was excellent.

The good tolerability and compliance profiles may be due to the positive action on pain reduction observed during this study, especially in the VLU population, along with efficacy.

Interim results support the excellent efficacy profile of LumiHeal in promoting wound healing and wound bed preparation. These results point to the capacity of this treatment to help chronic, hard-to-heal, non-responsive wounds (PU, DFU, VLU) become responsive, as would acute wounds. Interim results show 17 patients with chronic wounds closed over the course of the treatment, while two (2) were close to closing and three (3) others were ready to skin graft. An additional six (6) patients of the 33 experienced a decrease in wound size during the study period, but without meeting the criteria of full responders.



Once closed, no wound reopened during the two-week confirmation period. The very low risk of wound breakdown or dehiscence was in line with the study treatment. Exploratory endpoints showed the potential of the system to modulate the inflammatory response during the wound healing process. Subjects quality of life was improved in all enumerated sub-sections (social life, well-being and physical symptoms), and Investigators also responded with a high level of satisfaction. The very low occurrence of infections during the study period, and especially the absence of infections with DFU wounds, suggests a positive control of the wound biofilm.

Preliminary results on the impact of LumiHealTM on postsurgical scarring

Professor Andreas Nikolis will report interim findings from a study comparing LumiHealTM to silicone sheets in the treatment of surgical wounds.

42 patients undergoing bilateral breast reductions were enrolled in this study. One (1) breast incision was randomized to treatment with LumiHealTM (treatment initiated at seven (7) or 21-days post-surgery), while the contralateral breast was treated with silicone gel sheeting alone for eight (8) weeks.

Preliminary results from 16 patients who have completed all required treatment visits support an excellent safety profile across all patients with a significant improvement in physician and patient reported outcomes. To date, no severe adverse effects have been reported in the study, and reported adverse effects are unlikely to be linked to the LumiHealTM treatment.

At the end of the treatment period, the data to date show a lower proportion of patients with red scars, as well as a greater proportion of patients reaching normal pliability. Furthermore, a significantly greater proportion of patients treated with LumiHealTM have reached a normal scar height when compared to silicone sheets treatment.

The full study will conclude by the end of 2016 and data will be available in the first half of 2017.

Schedule of LumiHealTM related events at 2016 WUWHS Congress

Today, Klox is hosting a Satellite Symposium on The Role of KLOX BioPhotonic System in Wound Healing (September 28, 2016) from 12:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. (CEST) in Hall RAFFAELLO. Oral presentations:

Unmet Needs in Wound Healing

Chair: Prof. Luc Teot, Montpellier University Hospital FRANCE





Wound Healing: Very Intimate Process. The Science Behind the LumiHeal System

Prof. Giovanni Scapagnini, Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise

ITALY





EUREKA ITALIA. The Evaluation of Real-Life Use of KLOX BioPhotonic System in Chronic Wounds Management: a Reproducibility Study. Interim Results

Prof. Franco Bassetto, Head Clinic of Plastic Surgery Full Professor of Plastic Surgery Chair and Residency Program of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery University Hospital of Padova

ITALY





Evolution of Photobiomodulation: Impact on Scarring

Prof. Andreas Nikolis, MD, MSc, FRCSC, Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery, Division of plastic surgery, University of Montreal

CANADA

Other relevant presentations and posters:

BioPhotonic Therapy Applied to Pressure Ulcers: a New Therapeutic Possibilities?

Author: Dr. Alessandro Corsi

Upper Floor at Poster Area (PO217-ID1042.45)





A New Technology Soft Used in the Treatment of Chronic Injuries: BioPhotonic as Added Value in Wound Healing in Economic Evaluation

Authors : Dr. Sara Sandroni, Dr. Morena Mascalchi, Dr. Mirella Rossi

Upper Floor at Poster Area (PO496-ID10893.45)





Photonic Treatment of Chronic Wounds

Authors: Dr. Elia Ricci, Dr. Monica Pittarello, Dr. Alberico Balbiano di Colcavagno, Dr. Veronica Fess

At Hall RENAISSANCE at 8:25 a.m. (CEST) on Monday, September 26, 2016





Lasers and Lights in Wound Healing

Chair: Dr. Nicola Zerbinati (Italy)

Co-Chairs: Dr. Marcello Monti (Italy), Dr. Matteo Tretti Clementoni (Italy)

Speakers: Dr. Steven Paul Nistico (Italy), Dr. Marco Romanelli (Italy)

At Hall LEONARDO from 3:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. (CEST) on Tuesday, September 27, 2016.

About LumiHealTM

The KLOX BioPhotonic LumiHealTM is a first-in-class, proprietary, non-thermal and non-invasive treatment solution that harnesses the power of fluorescence in the presence of oxidants to treat serious skin and soft tissue disorders. LumiHealTM has received the CE mark for treatment of acute and chronic wounds. It is comprised of a multi-LED light and a topical photo-converter gel comprising light-capturing molecules (chromophores), which is applied on the open wound. The illumination of the topical photo-converter gel with the multi-LED light permits the synergistic effects of oxidants and photons (fluorescence) to control biofilms, initiate healing and reduce pain, in a safe and efficient manner. The treatment duration lasts only a number of minutes and is non-abrasive, non-thermal, and has been reported to be comfortable for the patient.

About KLOX Technologies

Klox is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing products based on its proprietary BioPhotonic technology platform to address skin and soft tissue disorders. Klox is advancing its programs as part of its multiple franchises focusing on indications across Dermatology, Wound Care, and Oral Health. For more information and to consult the abstracts, please visit www.kloxtechnologies.com

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this newswire, other than statements of fact that are independently verifiable at the date hereof, may constitute forward-looking statements. Examples of such forward looking statements include those regarding cosmetics and medical devices and medical applications and clinical trials and the status and related results thereto, as well those regarding continuing and further development and commercialization efforts. Such statements, based as they are on the current analysis and expectations of management, inherently involve numerous risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, many of which are beyond Klox Technologies Inc.s control. Such risks include but are not limited to: the impact of general economic conditions, general conditions in the medical, cosmetics and/or consumer goods industries, changes in the regulatory environment in the jurisdictions in which Klox Technologies Inc. does business, financial and commercial markets volatility, fluctuations in costs, and changes to the competitive environment, as well as other risks. Consequently, actual future results may differ materially from the anticipated results expressed in the forward-looking statements. In the case of forward-looking statements regarding investigational product candidates and continuing and further development efforts, specific risks which could cause actual results to differ materially from Klox Technologies Inc.s current analysis and expectations include: failure to demonstrate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of our products, final and quality controlled verification of data and the related analyses, and the expense and uncertainty of obtaining regulatory approval.




MEMPHIS, Tenn., Sept. 28, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Tennessee Bank will contribute $1 million to expand its financial literacy efforts through a partnership with global financial dignity and economic empowerment nonprofit, Operation HOPE, Inc. The $1 million investment in Operation HOPEs new HOPE Fund will support creation of the First Tennessee Financial Education & Empowerment Program, which will offer free financial education to youth, adults, and small businesses.



The curriculum will be facilitated by First Tennessees employee volunteers, strategic nonprofit alliance partners, and counselors at First Tennessee HOPE Inside offices.

First Tennessee will open a total of 15 HOPE Inside offices, including several offices specific to small business counseling. To date, First Tennessee has opened five HOPE Inside offices  in branches in Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville  and will open three more by the end of the year, including the first HOPE Inside location in Chattanooga. The seven other HOPE Inside offices will open in First Tennessee branches in 2017.

First Tennessee is committed to providing financial literacy education, tools and support to help our customers and communities reach their financial goals, said Bryan Jordan, chairman, president and CEO of First Tennessee's parent company, First Horizon National Corp. (NYSE:FHN). We are committed to making our communities stronger, because we know that when our communities succeed, First Tennessee can succeed.

Since 2014, HOPE Inside offices at First Tennessee have provided credit counseling to more than 2,400 participants through the 700 Credit Score Communities Program, which provides education on budgeting, debt management and building wealth.

Operation HOPE is pleased to be part of the expansion of First Tennessees efforts to impact and uplift underserved communities throughout the state, said John Hope Bryant, founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE. This investment in the HOPE Fund will allow Operation HOPE to extend its programming reachteaching people the language of money, transforming financial mindsets, and empowering people with the tools they need to develop plans to move their lives forward by raising their credit scores, starting and growing businesses, or simply making better financial decisions.

More information about the First Tennessee Financial Education & Empowerment Program is available from Melissa Duong of First Tennessee at (901) 523-4156 or MDuong@FirstTennessee.com. More information about HOPE Inside credit counseling is available in the community engagement section of www.FirstTennessee.com or:

Memphis Crosstown: Sherita Goodman at (901) 485-0511 or sherita.goodman@operationhope.org

Memphis Orange Mound: Wanda McDonald at (901) 452-2102 or wanda.mcdonald@operationhope.org

Nashville: Kenneth DeJarnette at (615) 258-4775 or kenneth.dejarnette@operationhope.org

Knoxville Burlington: Deborah Porter at (865) 474-9270 or deborah.porter@operationhope.org

South Knoxville: Kristie Blevins at (865) 577-8025 or kristie.blevins@operationhope.org

About First Tennessee

First Tennessee Bank is the largest bank headquartered in Tennessee, with the number one deposit market share in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis and the Tri-Cities and a top-five deposit market share in Nashville. The FTB Advisors wealth management group has 313 financial advisors and $25 billion in assets under administration. First Tennessee was founded during the Civil War in 1864 and has the 14th oldest national bank charter in the country and one of the highest customer retention rates of any bank in the country. First Tennessee, FTN Financial and FTB Advisors are part of First Horizon National Corp. (NYSE:FHN), which has 4,300 employees. First Horizon has been recognized as one of the nation's best employers by Forbes, Working Mother and American Banker magazines. More information is available at www.FirstTennessee.com.

About Operation HOPE Inc.

Since 1992, Operation HOPE has been moving America from civil rights to "silver rights" with the mission of making free enterprise and capitalism work for the underserved. Through its core programs, the nonprofit has provided financial dignity and economic empowerment to over 2.6 million individuals worldwide, and $2 billion in economic activity for the disenfranchisedturning check cashing customers into banking customers, renters into homeowners, small business dreamers into small business owners and minimum wage workers into living wage consumers. Project 5117 is HOPEs multi-year four-pronged approach to combating economic inequality that aims to improve financial literacy, increase business role models and business internships for youth, and stabilize the American dream by boosting credit scores. Operation HOPE recently received its second consecutive 4-star charity rating for fiscal management and commitment to transparency and accountability by the prestigious non-profit evaluator, Charity Navigatorfurther establishing it as a best-in-class organization. For more information: www.OperationHOPE.org. Follow Operation HOPE on Facebook and Twitter @OperationHOPE.

FHN-G


FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., Sept. 28, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ditech Financial LLC (Ditech) announced that it is hosting a series of events with the housing nonprofit Rebuilding Together to provide critical home repairs to low-income residents throughout the United States.



Here at Ditech, helping people fulfill their dreams of becoming homeowners is the motivation behind our work day in and day out, said David Schneider, President at Ditech. However, our work doesnt end once our customers purchase their homes. We want to ensure that these houses remain safe and healthy for all of our homebuyers. We are honored to work side-by-side with Rebuilding Together to make this a reality for all homeowners, especially those in low-income, underserved communities.

The series began on September 22 with a ribbon-cutting event in Concord, New Hampshire, celebrating the work done by volunteers with Rebuilding Together and Rebuilding Together Twin Cities to revitalize Camp Spauldings play space. Camp Spaulding is a partnership between the YMCA and Concord Child and Family Services that nurtures and creates a sense of community among campers of all ages through a wide variety of programs. Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Ditech Chevrolet SS in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, made an appearance on behalf of Ditech at the event, signing autographs and posing for photos with children from the camp. Two more events will take place in 2016 with local Rebuilding Together affiliates in Minnesota and Texas:

A community revitalization project to be held on October 13 in St. Paul, Minnesota, in partnership with Rebuilding Together Twin Cities and Urban Roots  an organization whose mission is to build vibrant and healthy communities through food, conservation and youth development.

A rebuild project on November 3 in Dallas, Texas, as part of Rebuilding Together Greater Dallas Operation Freedom  an initiative to repair or rebuild the homes of 60 veterans in 60 days.

Ditech recently announced a formal partnership with Rebuilding Together as a part of the companys corporate social responsibility efforts to strengthen communities and make homeownership an achievable and maintainable dream.

Rebuilding Together is proud to work with companies like Ditech that have made a commitment to serving homeowners in a meaningful and powerful way, said Caroline Blakely, President and CEO of Rebuilding Together. By building coalitions with these forward-thinking business leaders, we can generate greater impact, empowering homeowners to be the change makers in the communities where they live.

For more information about the events, please visit the local affiliates websites: Concord Child and Family Services and Concord YMCA, Rebuilding Together  Twin Cities and Rebuilding Together  Dallas.

About Ditech

Ditech Financial LLC (Ditech) makes financially sound homeownership possible for millions of customers. Ditech is a well-known lender and servicer of residential mortgages. With over 4,500 employees in locations across the U.S., the company provides residential mortgage products through a team of home loan specialists who are accessible by phone (1-800-700-9212) and online. Additionally, Ditechs Correspondent Lending Division has relationships with 500+ financial institutions nationwide. Ditech is owned by Walter Investment Management Corp. (NYSE:WAC), a leading diversified mortgage banking firm. For more information, please visit www.ditech.com.

About Rebuilding Together

Rebuilding Together is a leading national nonprofit in safe and healthy housing with more than 40 years of experience. Together, with our corporate and community partners, we transform the lives of low-income homeowners by improving the safety and health of their homes and revitalizing our communities. Rebuilding Togethers local affiliates and nearly 100,000 volunteers complete about 10,000 rebuild projects nationwide each year. Learn more and get involved at rebuildingtogether.org.

Disclaimer and Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, certain of which are related to Ditech Financial LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Walter Investment Management Corp. (Walter Investment). Statements that are not historical fact are forward-looking statements. Certain of these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as believes, anticipates, expects, intends, plans, projects, estimates, assumes, may, should, will, "targets," or other similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors, and Walter Investments actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from future results, performance or achievements expressed in these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on Walter Investments current beliefs, intentions and expectations. These statements are not guarantees or indicative of future performance. Important assumptions and other important factors that could cause Walter Investments actual results to differ materially from those forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those factors, risks and uncertainties described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Walter Investment Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and in Walter Investments other filings with the SEC.
HONOLULU, Sept. 28, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Associa Hawaii is proud to announce Doug Hesley as its new president. Joining Hesley on the leadership team are James Giangarra, senior vice president of operations, and Lillian Rodolfich, vice president of accounting. Each leader has extensive experience in the Hawaiian market and will bring local expertise to Associa Hawaii.



"These three experienced leaders were brought onboard in anticipation of Associa Hawaii's projected growth over the next few years. I feel they are perfectly suited for the challenges ahead," says Associa Senior Vice President of the West Region Garrett Else. "We're excited about the strong team we have assembled and I'm confident they will serve to enhance our reputation of providing unsurpassed management services."



President Doug Hesley brings with him, an extensive history in the hospitality industry, having held leadership roles at Hilton Worldwide, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts and Harrah's Resorts. He was most recently the CEO of Suite 360 and previously held key leadership roles at Turtle Bay Resort and Hilton Waikiki.

Senior Vice President of Operations James Giangarra joins the Associa family with years of experience in finance, IT and operations. He previously worked as the vice president of finance at Healthways, and before that, spent more than 16 years working in Honolulu as the executive director of regional IT finance with Kaiser Permanente.



Vice President of Accounting Lillian Rodolfich has more than 20 years of executive accounting experience in the real estate and airline industries. She was most recently the controller for Queen Lili'uokalani Trust and previously held leadership roles for Aloha Air and Alexander & Baldwin. Rodolfich has both her Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.



Building and managing successful communities for more than 37 years, Associa is the worldwide leader in community management with over 10,000 employees operating more than 180 branch offices in the United States, Mexico, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa. Based in Dallas, Texas, our industry expertise, financial strength, and innovation meet the unique needs of clients across the world with customized services and solutions designed to help communities achieve their vision. To learn more about Associa and its charitable organization, Associa Cares, go to www.associaonline.com or www.associacares.com.



Stay Connected:



Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/associa

Twitter: https://twitter.com/associa

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Google+: https://plus.google.com/+Associaonline/
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
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today urged the Indian Coast Guard to bolster its security mechanism to "avoid infiltration by anti-national elements through sea".

By Manjeet Negi: A day after Home Minister Rajnath Singh pulled up the Border Security Force for not doing enough and told their chief to "come up with a comprehensive mechanism to stop infiltration", Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar conveyed a similar message to the Coast Guard.

In the wake of the Uri terror attack and attempts by Pakistan to push terrorists in India, Parrikar today urged the Indian Coast Guard to bolster its security mechanism to "avoid infiltration by anti-national elements through sea".

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ALSO READ: BSF may get its own air wing to prevent another Uri-like terror attack



Addressing the bi-annual Commanders' Conference of the Coast Guard, the defence minister said, "In view of the current security scenario, the Coast Guard should further bolster its coastal security mechanism by increasing patrolling so as to avoid infiltration by anti-national elements through sea".

According to recent reports, militants from Pakistan are trying to enter India through sea. Terrorists had used the sea route to reach Mumbai and carry out the 26/11 attacks, which killed 167 people and injured several.

Parrikar patted the Coast Guard for their sustained efforts with Pakistani and Sri Lankan security agencies, which has resulted in less Indian fishing boats getting apprehended on international waters.

"I am glad to know that no Indian fisherman is under detention in Sri Lanka," Parrikar said, adding that the Coast Guard should negotiate the release of the detained fishing boats.

ALSO READ: Navi Mumbai terror scare: Locals in Uran speak up about lapses in coastal security





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The PIL filed against Radhe Maa was refused by the Bombay High Court today calling it individual centric.

By Vidya : The Bombay High Court today refused to hear a Public Interest Litigation filed against the self-proclaimed god woman Radhe Maa for hurting religious sentiments.

The division bench of Justice VM Kanade and Justice Swapna Joshi was hearing a PIL filed a year and half ago by advocate Falguni Brahmabhatt. The bench observed that the petition was individual centric and cannot be in public interest.

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Also read: No Pakistani artists in Mumbai after our ultimatum, claims MNS



Justice Kanade asked the petitioner to "approach proper forum" as it was not inclined to hear the PIL. The proper forum would either be in the form of a writ petition before the Bombay High Court itself or an application before the magistrate court.



RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS HURT



Brahmabhatt had filed the petition after she had gone to Borivali Police Station in Mumbai to register a case of vulgarity and obscenity against Radhe Maa. However, according to Brahmabhatt the police had failed to take action on her complaint and thus she had to approach the court for the same.

Also read: HC stresses on need for more blood banks in Mumbai



According to Brahmabhatt, Radhe Maa indulges in obscenity and vulgarity during her sermons and thus as a practising Hindu, her religious sentiments are hurt.

Radhe Maa's lawyers had opposed the petition saying that all sermons are given inside a room and hence, it cannot amount to indecent or obscene behaviour in public.

Television actor Dolly Bindra who has been quite vociferous against Radhe Maa was also present in the court to hear the case.

Also read: Saamana office in Navi Mumbai attacked over cartoon on Maratha stir

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A fresh angle emerged in the Uran terror scare case today after one of the schoolgirls told the investigating officers that it could be a case of mistaken identity.

It could be a case of mistaken identity, says one of the schoolgirls who spotted suspicious looking men near the Naval base. (File photo)

By Saurabh Vaktania: A fresh angle emerged in the Uran terror scare case today after one of the schoolgirls told the investigating officers that it could be a case of mistaken identity.

Last week, the Indian Navy had sounded the highest state of alert after two schoolchildren spotted four suspicious looking men near the Naval base. The scare followed close on the heels of the Uri terror attack on September 18 that killed 18 soldiers.

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ALSO READ: Uran terror scare: Rumours, false alarms add to police's headache



Massive combing operations were carried out by the police along with the Coast Guard and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in and around Uran. Commandos of the National Security Guard (NSG) and the state police's 'Force One' were also part of search operation.

However, a week into the incident, the police are yet to find any clue pointing to suspected terrorist movement in Uran.

STATEMENTS DIFFER



The police, till now, have recorded the statements of both the schoolchildren at least 10 times.

In a fresh statement today, the girl told the investigators that it could be a case of mistaken identity. Sources said that there are lot of differences between the statements of the two schoolchildren.

Police, however, are still probing the case. DG Satish Mathur said that after they got the tip-off from the children, it is their duty to carry out a thorough investigation into the case.

ALSO READ: Navi Mumbai terror scare: Locals in Uran speak up about lapses in coastal security



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In an all-party meeting, Karnataka BJP chief Yeddyurappa said that the party should adhere to the decision taken in the state legislature and not release water.

By Rohini Swamy: The entire opposition in Karnataka is unanimous in suggesting the state government not to release water from Cauvery for Tamil Nadu, as ordered by the Supreme Court.

In an all-party meeting called by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru today, Karnataka BJP chief Yeddyurappa said, "We are clear that we should adhere to the decision taken in the state legislature. Tomorrow, there is a meeting with Union minister Uma Bharti. Our view is not to release water. BJP and JD(S) have one opinion on that."

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READ| Cauvery water row: After SC order, Karnataka has these options before it



State JD(S) president HD Kumaraswamy also said he has "expressed the party's decision before the all-party meeting that Karnataka should not release any water".

Karnataka Water Resources Minister MB Patil said the government will decide in the Cabinet meeting. "We have taken into account the views opinion of other parties," he said.



On Tuesday, the Supreme Court had ordered Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu for three days starting today. It also asked the Chief Ministers from the state states to meet and resolve the dispute.

READ| Cauvery row: Karnataka welcomes Supreme Court's directive to hold talks with Tamil Nadu

"We can't release water just because the Supreme Court said so, as we are not in a position to do. Let me first read the full order and come back to you," Siddaramaiah told reporters on Tuesday shortly after the apex court read its order.

Karnataka had on Monday sought time till January to comply with the apex court's September 20 order to release 6,000 cusecs daily for a week from September 21-27, as it needs the depleting quantity for drinking needs.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:



Also Read:

Supreme Court to Karnataka: Release Cauvery water for 3 more days







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The centre's intervention now comes on the orders of the Supreme Court.

By Rohini Swamy: The central government will be finally holding a meeting of the representatives of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu at the behest of the Supreme Court on Thursday to find a political solution to the latest Cauvery water sharing problem.

Union water resources minister Uma Bharati will be chairing the meeting in which Karnataka team will be represented by chief minister Siddaramaiah and Tamil Nadu team will be headed by the Public works minister Edapaddi K Palani Swamy. Chief minister Jayalalitha's speech will be read out by chief secretary Dr P Rama Mohana Rao.

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FINDING A POLITICAL SOLUTION

Karnataka is going to reiterate its stand that it has enough water on its reservoirs only to meet the drinking water needs of Bangalore, Mysore, Mandya and some villages in the Cauvery basin until the south west monsoon hits the state which is expected in June 2017.

Karnataka will also be reiterating the fact that the Mettur dam has 50 TMC and more water a part of which can be utilised for its samba crop since the north east monsoon will be hitting TN in three weeks time.

Tamil nadu's argument is that till they reach 50 TMC feet of water, they cannot not release water for their samba cultivation.

Tamil Nadu also holds the view that Karnataka has committed contempt of court by not releasing 6000 cusecs of water over three days since the SC ordered on September 20th.

Karnataka has also not released water after the September 27th order of the Supreme Court. Karnataka on the other hand Karnataka has also maintained that it has to follow the resolution of the Karnataka legislature which categorically stated that the water in the reservoirs should be utilised only for the drinking water needs.

Karnataka had approached the PM Modi to intervene and resolve the issue by calling a meeting of the chief ministers. But PM Modi issued a statement that it is a issue that can be resolved only within the legal framework.

The centre's intervention now comes on the orders of the Supreme Court.

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After Supreme Court directed Karnataka to release water, Siddaramaiah called for all-party meeting in the state capital to deliberate and decide on the vexed issue.

By Rohini Swamy: Karnataka's Chief Minister Siddharmiah will be meeting Union Minister for Water resources Uma Bharati in Delhi tomorrow to discuss the Supreme Court ruling over the ?auvery issue'. Until then the state has decided to hold back the release of water to Tamil Nadu.



'I am going to Delhi tomorrow for a meeting with Uma Bharati . I will put forth the ground realities and also explain that while we respect the SC, a resolution has been taken in the legislature. I will try and convince them," said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

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For now we have decided to hold back release of water till tomorrow based on the recommendations made during all-party-meeting," he added.

After Supreme Court directed Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu for three days starting September 28, Siddaramaiah called for all-party meeting in the state capital to deliberate and decide on the vexed issue.

In the meeting Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (Secular) unanimously advised the Siddaramaiah-led government not to release the water.

"After this order, I called for an all party meeting. In the meeting , both the BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular) opined that the existing water should be used for drinking purposes only, that is our resolution," said Siddaramaiah.

Meanwhile, Chief Ministers of both the states involved in the 'water war' have agreed to meet at 11:30 pm tomorrow. The union water resources minister along with other officials will also be present.

ALSO READ:

Cauvery crisis: Karnataka opposition says don't release water to Tamil Nadu





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With the Supreme Court ordering the state of Karnataka to release 6000 cusecs of water for three days, the options before Karnataka may seem limited.

By Rohini Swamy: With the Supreme Court ordering the state of Karnataka to release 6000 cusecs of water for three days , the options before Karnataka may seem limited, but hopes are pinned on the meeting between the chief ministers of the two states, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu mediated by the Centre.

So what are the options before Karnataka?

1. Fall in line and implement the order of the Supreme Court of releasing 6000 cusecs of water.

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2. Await the result of the meeting between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and try and convince the Centre that Karnataka is unable to release any more water as it is now faccing drinking water shortage.

3. Karnataka can go back to the SC , and file another modification application reiterating that it will be unable to release water, this only if TN does not accept the mediation . This move may attract contempt of court proceedings against Karnataka.

4. It is difficult for a state to defy an order of the court and then seek relief, so Karnataka may hope to get some rains which may turn out to be a relief.

The decision will be taken after the all party meeting and the cabinet meeting in Wednesday. Till date Karnataka has maintained that the order passed on September 20 was 'unimplementable'.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:





Cauvery row: Karnataka welcomes Supreme Court's directive to hold talks with Tamil Nadu

Supreme Court to Karnataka: Release Cauvery water for 3 more days

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By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 28 (PTI) Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today asked the Coast Guard to "bolster" coastal security mechanism by increasing patrolling to thwart any infiltration bid by anti-national elements through sea.

The coastal security should be strengthened considering the current security scenario, he said.

Speaking at the 35th Coast Guard Commanders Conference here, Parrikar also promised all assistance to the Coast Guard in enhancing its operational efficiency.

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"Due to current security scenario, he exhorted ICG to further bolster Coastal Security mechanism by increasing patrolling so as to avoid infiltration by anti-national elements through Sea," the Coast Guard said in a release.

The Defence Minister also complimented efforts of the Coast Guard in augmenting Maritime and Coastal security not only by deployment of assets but also by efficient exploitation of Coastal Security Network (CSN).

A modern surveillance system comprising high-resolution cameras and sensors has been installed along the coastline under the first phase of the CSN project. Parrikar hoped that CSN Phase II would also be implemented on time.

He also congratulated the force for their "protracted efforts" with Pakistan and Sri Lankan security agencies which resulted in reduced apprehension of Indian fishing boats.

"The Defence Minister promised all assistance of the Ministry for cases relating to the operational efficiency and those pertaining to the growth of the service, be it the manpower or new acquisitions," the release said.

He also welcomed efforts by Coast Guard in realising the Make in India policy by ordering indigenous ships to strengthen its fleet.

The conference was attended by senior officers of the Ministry of Defence and Indian Coast Guard (ICG). The three-day conference aims to carve out a futuristic vision for the service and to determine the modalities to overcome the challenges efficiently. PTI MPB RT

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"It's a shame that our fathers and mothers are killed and we can't see them anymore," said 9-year-old Zianna Oliphant in a powerful plea to end police brutality to city officials in Charlotte, North Carolina.

By India Today Web Desk: On September 20, police in Charlotte, North Carolina, fatally shot a black man, Keith Scott, 43. Scott was shot by a Charlotte-Mecklenburg officer Brentley Vinson, who is also black, after he mistook him for a criminal.

Emotions are running high as people are outraged by police killings of black people and during a city council meet on Monday, Zianna Oliphant, a 9-year-old Charlotte resident tearfully begged to bring an end to the violence and discrimination that African Americans are continuously slotted into.

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In the heartbreaking speech, the little girl said, "It's a shame that our fathers and mothers are killed and we can't see them anymore. It's a shame that we have to go to their graveyard and bury them. And we have tears, and we shouldn't have tears. We need our fathers and mothers to be by our side."

These words more than just summed up her community's anguish. This was the first city council meet after Keith Lamont Scott's death. Oliphant was one among the 50 speakers who voiced their anger against unwarranted police brutality.



Watch the video below:







According to the Charlotte Observer, Mayor Jennifer Roberts called on the US Department of Justice to open an investigation into Scott's shooting.

Keith Scott was shot in the parking lot of his apartment complex last week. Police claimed to have caught him smoking pot and wielding a gun. His family denied these accounts stating that Scott was disabled and was only sitting in the car reading a book while waiting to pick up his son.

The shooting unleashed a wave of anger and four days into the shooting, the police released the raw body and dash cam footage of Scott's death. People at the city council expressed their anger over the administration's callous attitude towards the whole incident, with some demanding the Mayor's resignation.

Opliphant's words echoed through the court room when she said, "We are black people and we shouldn't have to feel like this. We shouldn't have to protest because you all are treating us wrong. We do this because we need to and have rights."



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Twenty-four-year-old D Ramya, who was working as an assistant professor at Akshaya College of Engineering and Technology at Kinathukadavu, was brutally murdered at her residence at Ganesh Nagar near Teachers Colony in Karamadai on November 3, 2015.

D Ramya was working as an assistant professor at Akshaya College of Engineering and Technology at Kinathukadavu.

By Pramod Madhav: A Coimbatore court today awarded the death sentence and three life terms to a man in a case of rape and murder of an assistant professor in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore district.

Twenty-four-year-old D Ramya, who was working as an assistant professor at Akshaya College of Engineering and Technology at Kinathukadavu, was brutally murdered at her residence at Ganesh Nagar near Teachers Colony in Karamadai on November 3, 2015.

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The Mahila Court today pronounced that Daniel should be hanged on the count of manslaughter and should serve three life terms for attempt to murder, rape and forced entry. The judge also stated that Daniel should pay a fine of Rs 25,000 and that the state government should provide compensation to the victim's family.

Dharmaraj lived with his family at Kaaramadai in Coimbatore. His daughter Ramya, age 25 worked as an assistant professor at a private engineering college. Ramya who was visiting her home for a vacation was found dead next to her severely injured mother on November 3, 2015.

In its investigation, police found out that Ramya was killed and her jewelleries were stolen. Autopsy report further revealed that Ramya was sexually assaulted.

Coimbatore police formed seven special teams, questioned nearly 200 suspects and after a month's period of sweating, narrowed the accused to Mahesh alias Daniel from Thirunelveli.

Upon questioning, Daniel accepted that he followed Ramya to her home. He attacked her mother Malathi and then injured Ramya before stealing gold jewellery. He then raped Ramya and murdered her.

Daniel had been hiding in Papanayakanpaalayam and was arrested during a 'vehicle check' at Sirumugam. He was arrested under Goondas Act. Stolen jewellery and Ramya's laptop were also recovered from his possession and he was charged under five counts, including manslaughter.

ALSO READ:

Techie befriended Indore teen by pretending to be a girl, stabbed her to death when she blocked him



--- ENDS ---
By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 28 (PTI) In a major push to deepen the commodity derivatives market, regulator Sebi today allowed options trading on exchanges while six new products including diamond have been added to the list of commodities on which derivative contracts can be launched and traded.

The new items -- diamond, tea, eggs, cocoa, pig iron and brass -- have taken the total number of permitted commodities on the notified list to 91.

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Exchanges, investors and other market participants have been demanding options trading as also new products for a long time and they welcomed the move taken by the government and Sebi, which now regulates the commodities market as well.

So far, only futures contracts are permitted in the commodity derivatives trading space.

The decision to expand the list of notified commodities as also to allow options trading comes nearly a year after merger of erstwhile commodities market regulator FMC with Sebi.

In consultation with Sebi and on suggestions of an expert committee headed by NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand, the government has notified a consolidated list of 91 commodities, up from 85 so far, on which a derivative contracts can be launched and traded on the exchanges.

The committee had suggested a total of eight additions to the list but only six have been included.

These moves are considered to be conducive for the overall development of the market, attracting broad base participation, enhancing liquidity, facilitating hedging and bringing more depth to the market.

The turnover of commodity exchanges stood at Rs 67 lakh crore in 2015-16, up 9 per cent from the preceding fiscal.

A Sebi official said the regulator has not yet decided on the number of commodities to be allowed for option trade and a decision in this regard will be taken soon.

However, the sources said the regulator plans to allow option trade in one commodity each in agri and non-agri-basket initially. And it is looking at commodities such as gold, copper, castorseed and soyoil.

Welcoming the decision, NCDEX Managing Director Samir Shah said, "The exchange is fully prepared for the launch of options and has also invested in next generation trading technology, gearing towards providing unrivaled levels of performance."

NCDEX awaits detailed guidelines from the regulator in this regard, he said, adding that this "historic step" will go a long way in significantly deepening the commodities market.

Options are also a much better hedging instrument as compared to futures for hedgers, he added.

MCX Managing Director and CEO Mrugank Paranjape said, "Introduction of options would deepen and transform the Indian commodity derivatives markets both in terms of products and participants. It will also complement the existing futures contracts and would make Indian commodity derivatives more vibrant and efficient."

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In a circular, Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) said: "It has been decided that commodity derivatives exchanges shall be permitted to introduce trading in options." The move became effective from today. MORE PTI SP LUX BJ SA

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After being out of power in Uttar Pradesh for close to three decades, the Congress is confident its outreach effort will strike a chord with the people.

By Siraj Qureshi: After being out of power in Uttar Pradesh, considered one of the most important states politically, for close to three decades, the Congress is raring to go this time.

Ahead of the 2017 UP Assembly elections, Congress's Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari said his party's slogan "27 saal, UP behaal" is sure to strike a chord with the people of the state.

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Addressing a rath yatra, Tiwari said the slogan's motto is to make people aware of "how the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have duped them in these three decades".

ALSO READ: Son still rising: UP CM Akhilesh leads popularity vote over father Mulayam by huge margin

Tiwari accused both the SP and the BSP of being involved in "corruption of the highest scale". "Atrocities on Dalits and minorities are increasing, and people are able to file complaints only on courts orders because the police do not listen to their complaints," Tiwari said.

RATH YATRA AND PRASHANT KISHORE

The Congress's Mission 2017, a brainchild of the Congress' star strategist Prashant Kishore, is all about focusing on winning the confidence of the people in UP and promising people a government that walks the development road.

With this in mind, the grand old party's senior leaders such as Rahul Gandhi, Raj Babbar, Ghulam Nabi Azad are touring the state extensively as part of a rath yatra, an outreach effort.

Star campaigners Babbar and Azad were expected to address a gathering in Agra on Tuesday, however their programme got cancelled. Later, Tiwari and PL Pooniya, Congress' Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh, led the rath yatra in Agra.

Tiwari said the rath yatra is building a bridge between the Congress leadership and the people of UP. He said the party is confident of getting full support from the people in the state.

ATTACKING LEFT, RIGHT AND CENTRE

Tiwari spoke about a range of issues. He hit out Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his 'failed' Kashmir policy. "He is scared of taking any strong steps in the state. People in the Valley have overpowered the Mehbooba Mufti government in Jammu and Kashmir," Tiwari said.

Criticizing the Modi government's Pakistan policy, the Congress MP said, "The Congress defeated Pakistan and created Bangladesh, but whenever the BJP comes into power, incidents like the Kandhahar hijack, attack on Parliament, Pathankot and Uri take place."

Tiwari spared none. Calling BJP President Amit Shah a "criminal", he said Shah's words don't carry any value and therefore should not be taken seriously.

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ALSO READ: UP election 2017: Mulayam, Mayawati lose stronghold due to faction-fights

On the state of UP, Tiwari said the SP government is not bothered about taking steps to protect women in the state, referring to the several cases of crimes against women being reported from the state in the last few months.

The Congress Womens Wing President Shabana Khandelwal said that people in UP will make an intelligent choice. "The SP is staring at a split, while the BSP is only betting on rich candidates, which has antagonized the middle-class and the poor Dalits. The BJP is a party of liars. In such a scenario, the Congress remains the most likely option for the people," Khandelwal said.

Meanwhile, political analysts believe that this election will be an eye opener for all political parties. Many of them predict a hung assembly as none of the parties will be able to achieve a majority.



ALSO READ: UP elections: 'Man-to-man marking' to help BJP select candidates



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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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He operated at board level with several airline and aviation groups, including Alitalia, British Island Airways, British Airways, Galileo , British Aerospace, Skyways, former CEO City firm Leadenhall Assoc. (PR WEEK TOP 150) Founder CNS City News Service. Director NTN Television News (joint co. with ITV Wales TWW) Debretts People 2017 and featured in launch edition of the PRWeek Black Book. Investigative Journalist and Broadcaster.

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So, you borrow money to buy buildings as an investment/business (not to live in them yourself). Borrow lots of money. Then, buy the really expensive building and spend lots of money to fix it up with gold leaf and marble and that sort of thing. The gaudier the better. The instant you start to own it you can take a depreciation deduction for 3.3% of the value of the building every year if you do 30 straight line depreciation . This is in addition to whatever of the stuff you are doing is considered basic maintenance (which can be deducted right NOW, not just added to the part that you get to deduct at 3.3% per year). Remember, none of this is your money. You get the 3.3% even if the land your building is on (the location, location, location part of real estate investing) is growing so quickly that any actual deterioration of the physical building is more than offset by that increase in value. This bears repeating. You get to take the deduction even if the value of what you own is getting higher and higher every year and you didn't spend a penny of your own money on it at all. You can use the "losses" (even if there is no actual loss) to offset other income. This is the general real estate developer tax boondoggle. I have no idea how you lose almost a billion dollars in one year in a casino business in a year when all the other casinos are making money hand over fist.
Eugene Robinson

Eugene Robinson is an Associate Editor and twice-weekly columnist for The Washington Post. His column appears on Tuesdays and Fridays. In a 25-year career at The Post, Robinson has been city hall reporter, city editor, foreign correspondent in Buenos Aires and London, foreign editor, and assistant managing editor in charge of the paper's award-winning Style section. In 2005, he started writing a column for the Op-Ed page. He is the author of "Coal to Cream: A Black Man's Journey Beyond Color to an Affirmation of Race" (1999) and "Last Dance in Havana" (2004). Robinson is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and has received numerous journalism awards.
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Indian National Congress could be facing a crisis of survival in West Bengal with its leaders taking up the option of leaving the party, only to join Trinamool.

With questions being raised about Adhir Choudhury's leadership, the grand old party is finding it difficult to keep their flock together in the face of a Trinamool clean sweep across Bengal. (PHOTO: REUTERS)

By Indrajit Kundu: After Arunachal Pradesh, the Congress is facing a serious crisis of survival in West Bengal. It seems a floodgate has opened with Congress leaders and supporters making their way into the Trinamool Congress in hordes. Two more Congress MLA's joined the ruling Trinamool along with eleven councillors from the Murshidabad municipality today. Kaliganj Congress MLA (Nadia district) Hasanuzzaman Sk and Islampur (North Dinajpur) MLA Kanaia Lal Agarwal joined Mamata's party in presence of her nephew Abhishek Banerjee.

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CONGRESS REDUCED TO 39



With the latest round of defection, the total strength of Congress legislators in the state assembly has now come down to 39. In the last two months, three Congress MLAs have switched over to the TMC. The move comes just days after former state Congress chief and seven time MLA Manas Bhunia joined the Trinamool.

READ| Out of power for 27 years, Congress is confident of making a comeback



People have rejected the ideology less alliance of CPI-M and Congress. Nexus of Adhir-Manna-Sujan babu has been rejected. Those who want to join the tide of development ushered in by Mamata Banerjee are welcome,?? TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee told reporters while announcing the decision at the party headquarters in Kolkata.

MAMATA'S GAMEPLAN



Interestingly, Mamata seems to be aiming to hit where it hurts the most - in traditional Congress bastions like Malda and Murshidabad district, the later being the backyard of present Pradesh Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Choudhury. In Murshidabad, Congress now controls two municipalities whereas TMC has five in its fold.

READ| Rahul blames BJP, RSS for shoe attack, says he's not afraid of such assaults

Banerjee said, there were more Congress leaders who have been writing to the Trinamool leadership expressing their desire to join the party. "Eight councillors of Islampur Municipality have also written to us saying that they are willing to join Trinamool," he said adding that "sacrificing the interests of people at the altar of politics will not be accepted."

Ever since the state assembly elections where the Left-Congress alliance was decimated by Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool, the Congress party has been plagued by defections and infighting. With questions being raised about Adhir Choudhury's leadership, the grand old party is finding it difficult to keep their flock together in the face of a Trinamool clean sweep across Bengal.

Also read: Congress targets Punjab youths, launches Jawani Sambhal Yatra



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NSC Partners with Circuit Court of Cook County

The partnership will offer defensive driving courses to Illinois Drivers

The NSC and the Circuit Court of Cook County have partnered to provide driver safety education to Illinois drivers who receive moving violations or other traffic offenses. According to the news release, the partnership makes Cook County the largest county in the country to provide NSC Defense Driving Courses through the courts, which reduces court congestion and overall costs while driving down the rate of recidivism.

Illinois residents deserve to arrive at their destinations safe and sound, said Deborah A.P. Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. We look forward to working with Cook County leaders to create a culture of traffic safety excellence.

Courses will focus on: basic techniques to recognize potential hazards, how to change behind-the-wheel behaviors, coping mechanisms for dealing with speeding, distracted driving, impaired driving, and the most recent statistics and research about motor vehicle safety.

I look forward to partnering with the National Safety Council to help make our roads safer, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans said. Whether its somebody speeding, texting, or driving while impaired, there are many behaviors that we need to address to prevent reckless driving and car accidents. Im confident that our work with the National Safety Council will allow us to take great strides in the education of drivers in Cook County.




DALLAS, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ 

Skava Commerce Platform Enables Unprecedented Agility in Driving Digital Commerce Programs Across Retail Channels

Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in consulting, technology and next-generation services, today announced the launch of Skava Commerce, a modern, mobile-first and modular e-commerce platform that delivers engaging omni-channel experiences. Skava, a Silicon Valley based e-commerce startup acquired by Infosys, developed Skava Commerce to allow businesses to leverage flexible cloud-based microservices and white label applications to quickly launch new offerings, improve conversion rates of digital channels, create highly responsive digital properties, and more. The platform can and easily integrate into existing technologies, while also providing a future-ready architecture that will enable next generation shopping experiences leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, natural language processing and virtual reality (VR).

Skava Commerce provides a comprehensive suite of e-commerce microservices that can be used independently or in conjunction with others, and implemented without any downtime. Its modern architecture scales as traffic increases to provide a consistent experience across all channels. The platform also includes an out-of-the-box mobile-first responsive web store and native mobile shopping applications that can be managed effortlessly by non-technical business users through SkavaSTUDIO  an intuitive web-based experience management tool.

The modern, enterprise-grade architecture of Skava Commerce helps simplify and accelerate the deployment of e-commerce services cost effectively and without large up-front investments.

Infosys will use its global consulting and integration capabilities, gained through partnerships with companies such as Aimia, Darden, and Vodafone, to bring Skava Commerce to its global client base of retailers, CPG companies and others who need a flexible and modular approach to maximize the value of digital customer engagement.

Skava Commerce highlights:

Source Code License  In an industry first, Skava is also offering a source code license of the complete platform or specific microservices to help large retailers who are already on the journey of building their own platform. Such retailers can accelerate their journey and save significant time and money by incorporating Skavas modern and modular technology components and yet have full control and ownership through the Source Code License

In an industry first, Skava is also offering a source code license of the complete platform or specific microservices to help large retailers who are already on the journey of building their own platform. Such retailers can accelerate their journey and save significant time and money by incorporating Skavas modern and modular technology components and yet have full control and ownership through the Source Code License Flexible modular microservices architecture offers deployment options to fit customer needs across different stages of their e-commerce journey. Microservices include Product Information Management, User Management, Order Management, Search, Pricing & Offers, Cart & Checkout, Customer Care, Recommendations, Loyalty, Personalization, Wishlist, Registry, Marketing, Reporting, and Analytics

offers deployment options to fit customer needs across different stages of their e-commerce journey. Microservices include Product Information Management, User Management, Order Management, Search, Pricing & Offers, Cart & Checkout, Customer Care, Recommendations, Loyalty, Personalization, Wishlist, Registry, Marketing, Reporting, and Analytics Modern technologies such as cloud and mobile are leveraged by the platform to launch sophisticated digital commerce experiences tailored for every customer, across all customer touch points. The architecture reduces implementation costs, and allows faster time-to-market for new offerings

such as cloud and mobile are leveraged by the platform to launch sophisticated digital commerce experiences tailored for every customer, across all customer touch points. The architecture reduces implementation costs, and allows faster time-to-market for new offerings Future-ready architecture ensures integration of emerging technologies such as NLP apps, IoT and social commerce tools such as conversational commerce

ensures integration of emerging technologies such as NLP apps, IoT and social commerce tools such as conversational commerce Easy to use and implement capabilities allow retailers to build and deploy complete e-commerce websites and native apps quickly. Business users can easily manage the e-commerce experience without requiring an army of developers to make changes

Quotes:

Dr. Vishal Sikka, Chief Executive Officer, Infosys:

Many businesses today are faced with complex, legacy IT systems that create a fragmented consumer experience across channels and limit the ability of retailers to rapidly prototype, test and launch new digital offerings. By taking a platform-centric approach, leveraging Skava Commerce, retail clients can develop and quickly roll out new offerings on an ongoing basis, enable a consistent brand experience across channels, and deliver unique and delightful experiences within each individual channel. With Skava Commerce, all of this is delivered through a platform that has the robustness and stability to support large scale retailers, and was designed specifically to evolve with the adoption of new technologies such as AI, and new experiences such as VR. In addition, the need for a new kind of digital commerce platform clearly goes beyond the retail and CPG industries, lending itself to any industry where a deep engagement with customers across channels is critical to driving business, such as insurance, banking, utilities, and others.

Arish Ali, Chief Executive Officer, Skava:

Skava has a deep history of innovation, driving the mobile-first approach to e-commerce years ahead of the rest of the industry. The work we have done with some of the largest retail brands stands testimony to that. With the introduction of Skava Commerce we are expanding on our user-first approach, delivering a platform thats modern, modular and mobile-first, and one that evolves with business and customer needs.

Peter Sheldon Principal Analyst, Forrester Research wrote in a recent report, Much of the anticipated growth over the next five years will be driven by replatforming activities as established online retailers look to fortify the scalability of their technology and branded manufacturers increase their focus on direct-to-consumer (DTC) digital channels. Further influencing the growth in this market segment is the investment online retailers are making in PIM, OMSes, experience management, advanced personalization, recommendation engines, and other applications that improve the online shopping experience and drive conversion results. (The Forrester Wave: B2C Commerce Suites, Q1 2015)

Additional resources

About Infosys

Infosys is a global leader in technology services and consulting. We enable clients in more than 50 read more

Other POS news:
Houston Mall Shooting: Nine Injured, Suspect Dead

Just days following the mall attacks in Washington state and Minnesota, a Houston attorney open fired in a strip mall parking lot injuring nine people before he was killed by police.

Capt. D.W. Ready said the shooter, identified later as Attorney Nathan DeSai, was dressed in some kind of military uniform and had Nazi emblems with him when he started the attack on random people passing through the parking lot.

Total of nine persons injured One in critical at Memorial Hermann Hospital. One serious at Ben Taub Suspect is deceased. FBI on scene.  Houston Police (@houstonpolice) September 26, 2016

The Bellaire Police Department and the West University Police Department responded with the Houston police to the report of an active shooter around 6:30 a.m. at the strip mall. Nine officers engaged the gunman in a gunfight while others assisted the wounded citizens, Ready said. The gunman attempted to take cover behind a tree before he was shot and killed.

Active shooter at Weslayan & Bissonnet has been shot by our officers; no reports of other suspects at this time #hounews  Houston Police (@houstonpolice) September 26, 2016

More than 75 expended shell casings were found at the scene, and the gunman had 2,600 rounds of ammunition for his .45-caliber pistol and .45-caliber Thompson carbine rifle, which carried a 40-round clip, Ready said.

Seeing several vehicles hit by gunfire ditched near shooting scene. #abc13 pic.twitter.com/SvV7ixPHVH  Kevin Quinn (@imkevinquinn) September 26, 2016

Police have said DeSai was the lone gunman who was disgruntled over matters at the law firm where he worked, according to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.

An emergency alert went out to the citizens of Houston as the parking lot became a crime scene and a triage unit for the victims in the mass shooting.

One person was critically wounded and another was seriously wounded, the other seven will survive will non-life threatening injuries.
Rising opportunity cost from unregulated firm weighs on tax authorities.

Thailand is the latest in a list of countries looking to tighten tax collection measures targeting digital players. Such a move could be negative for investment and competition, but will also level the playing field between large Internet companies and smaller domestic ones, said BMI Research.

The research firm added that should the actions of individual countries give rise to a regional or global trend, companies like Google will commit only to markets likeliest to yield the most benefits for them.

Here's more from BMI:

According to its Revenue Department, Thailand is evaluating measures to tighten tax collection rules for Internet and technology firms. This could see existing regulations being amended before the end of 2016. When and if implemented, the new regulation would affect a range of over-the-top (OTT) content

providers, including those in the mobile and Internet payments sector.

One reason for arriving at such a decision could be due to the government recognising a need to diversify its revenue sources in view of declining revenue originating from the telecoms sector. This reason itself can be attributed to two factors. Firstly, the mass-migration of subscribers onto NBTC-licensed spectrum following the recent spectrum auctions has resulted in private operators having to pay lower regulatory fees. According to market leader AIS, the total regulatory cost of licences for its 900MHz, 1800MHz and 2100MHz spectra (NBTC-licensed) will amount to just THB8bn a year, less than half of the THB20bn annual fee it had paid to state-owned TOT during the concession period which ended in September 2015. To make matters worse, expensive spectrum payments and handset subsidies have resulted in recent profitability challenges for operators, especially the smaller ones.

On the other hand, digital content providers have been able to tap higher smartphone ownership for growth. The rising opportunity cost from not regulating such companies is starting to weigh on tax authorities. However, we hold to the view that such a measure may not be met with success in markets that are small enough for global Internet companies to overlook. That said, this ties in with an earlier development in Indonesia, where the country's tax office has begun investigating into Google for non-payment of five years' worth of taxes on advertising revenue. Indonesia has been looking to tighten regulation on foreign digital players (see 'Draft OTT Regulations: Three Key Implications', May 6 2016) to benefit its domestic economy, and Thailand could be looking to emulate this move.

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However, Thailand, has poorer scores than Indonesia in all categories in our proprietary Telecoms Risk Reward Index (RRI) and this signals that Indonesia is the more attractive destination for investment between the two (see 'Positive Revision To Rewards But No Upside Risk To Future Scores', July 12 2016). Should companies be forced to decide where to establish a physical presence - if regulations so require this for taxation purposes - then a key downside risk for Thailand could be that international companies will decide to direct investment towards its larger neighbours instead. In such a scenario, domestic firms would benefit the most with not having to compete with their larger international counterparts in a burgeoning market where digital content consumption is rising exponentially.







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Ukraine's maritime grain exports were halted Sunday after Russia suspended its participation in a landmark agreement that allowed the vital shipments, blaming drone attacks on its ships in Crimea. The July deal to unlock grain exports signed between Russia and Ukraine and brokered by Turkey and the UN, is critical to easing the global food crisis caused by the conflict. The agreement had already allowed more than nine million tonnes of Ukrainian grain to be exported and was due to be renewed on November 19. On Saturday, Russia said it was halting its participation after its army accused Kyiv of a "massive" drone attack on its Black Sea fleet, which Ukraine labelled a "false pretext". US President Joe Biden called the move "purely outrageous" while Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Moscow was "weaponising food". The centre coordinating the logistics of the deal said in a statement that no traffic was planned for Sunday. "A joint agreement has not been reached at the JCC for the movement of inbound and outbound vessels on 30 October," it said. "There are more than ten vessels both outbound and inbound waiting to enter the corridor." Ukraine and the UN have urged that the agreement remains in force. "I call on all states to demand that Russia stop its hunger games and recommit to fulfilling its obligations," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the Russian move "an absolutely transparent intention of Russia to return the threat of large-scale famine to Africa and Asia". "Just today, more than two million tons of food are in the sea. This means that access to food has actually worsened for more than seven million consumers," he said in his nightly address. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general, said: "It is vital that all parties refrain from any action that would imperil the Black Sea Grain Initiative which is a critical humanitarian effort". - 'Peddling false claims' - Sevastopol in Moscow-annexed Crimea has been targeted several times in recent months and serves as the headquarters for the Black Sea fleet and a logistical hub for operations in Ukraine. The Russian army claimed to have "destroyed" nine aerial drones and seven maritime ones in an attack on the port early Saturday. "In light of the terrorist act carried out by the Kyiv regime with the participation of British experts against ships of the Black Sea fleet and civilian vessels involved in the security of grain corridors, Russia suspends its participation in the implementation of the agreement on the export of agricultural products from Ukrainian ports," the Russian defence ministry said on Telegram. Moscow's forces alleged British "specialists", whom they said were based in the southern Ukrainian city of Ochakiv, had helped prepare and train Kyiv to carry out the strike. In a further singling out of the UK -- which Moscow sees as one of the most unfriendly Western countries -- Russia said the same British unit was involved in explosions on the Nord Stream gas pipelines last month. Britain strongly rebutted both claims, saying "the Russian Ministry of Defence is resorting to peddling false claims of an epic scale". Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Saturday Moscow would raise the blasts and the alleged drone attack at the UN Security Council. Moscow's military said ships targeted at their Crimean base were involved in the grain deal. The United Nations Coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Amir Abdulla, reported that Russia had notified him earlier Saturday of "its concerns about the safety of movements of merchant vessels" under the agreement. Russia had recently criticised the deal, saying its own grain exports have suffered due to Western sanctions. - 'Massive' attack - Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-installed governor of Sevastopol, said Saturday's drone attack was the "most massive" the peninsula had seen. City authorities said the harbour was "temporarily" closed to boats and ferries and urged people "not to panic". Attacks on Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014, have increased in recent weeks, as Kyiv presses a counter-offensive in the south to retake territory held by Moscow for months. Moscow-installed authorities in Kherson, just north of Crimea, have vowed to turn the city into a fortress, preparing for an inevitable assault. In early October, Moscow's bridge linking Crimea to the Russian mainland -- personally inaugurated by President Vladimir Putin in 2018 -- was damaged by a blast that Putin blamed on Ukraine. The Russian fleet stationed in the port had also been attacked by a drone in August. Russia's allegations Saturday came as the Ukrainian army reported fighting in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions in the east, including near Bakhmut -- the only area where Moscow's forces have advanced in recent weeks. Pro-Russian separatists fighting alongside Moscow also announced a new prisoner exchange with Kyiv, saying 50 will return home from each side. bur-gw/bfm/caw/mca-yad/dva
By Stephanie van den Berg THE HAGUE (Reuters) - War crimes judges on Tuesday sentenced a former Islamist rebel who admitted wrecking holy shrines during Mali's 2012 conflict to nine years in prison, in the first such case to focus on destruction of cultural heritage. Human rights groups and international legal experts hope Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi's case in the International Criminal Court may serve as a deterrent to a kind of devastation that continues to be a feature of global conflicts yet has gone largely unpunished. Al-Mahdi expressed remorse for his involvement in the destruction of 10 mausoleums and religious sites in Timbuktu dating from Mali's 14th-century golden age as a trading hub and centre of Sufi Islam, a branch of the religion seen as idolatrous by some hardline Muslim groups. The sites, nine of them on the UNESCO World Heritage list, "had an emotional and symbolic meaning for the residents of Timbuktu", the panel of judges at The Hague said. Several sites were razed to the ground or badly damaged and needed to be completely rebuilt. By striking at their most meaningful religious sites, al-Mahdi participated in "a war activity aimed at breaking the soul of the people," said presiding Judge Raul Pangalangan. Specifically, the judges said, he "exercised joint control over the attacks" by planning, leading and participating in them, supplying pick-axes and in one case a bulldozer. Such acts have rarely been prosecuted despite being illegal under international law, but have attracted increasing international outrage after the Taliban destroyed the Bamiyan Buddha statues in Afghanistan in 2001 and, more recently, Islamic State jihadists smashed monuments in the Syrian city of Palmyra. Those acts have not been investigated by the ICC because Syria is not a member of the court and the destruction in Afghanistan predates the court's jurisdiction. Instead, prosecutors at the ICC have largely focused on war crimes in African states, earning the 14-year-old court criticism for not going after more politically challenging hotspots, such as the occupied Palestinian territories. SWEPT UP IN A WAVE The ICC has been examining events in Mali since 2012, when Tuareg rebels seized part of the north, imposing a strict interpretation of Islamic law. French and Malian troops pushed them back the following year. During his brief trial in August al-Mahdi asked for forgiveness and said he had been swept up in an "evil wave" when al Qaeda and the Ansar Dine Islamist groups briefly seized control of the ancient sites. Prosecutors and the defence had agreed beforehand to accept a sentence of 9 to 11 years for the former religious teacher, who sat quietly in a grey suit, nodding as the verdict was read aloud. Judges said the sentence took into account al-Mahdi's "genuine remorse, deep regret and deep pain" and his calls on other Muslims not to make the same mistakes he did. "Such an admission may have a deterrent effect on others tempted to commit similar acts in Mali and elsewhere," Pangalangan said. UNESCO said in a statement the verdict was "a landmark in gaining recognition for the importance of heritage for humanity as a whole and for the communities that have preserved it over the centuries". "This case is of phenomenal significance considering the character of armed conflict going on around the world and the amount of cultural property that is being destroyed," said Carrie Comer, permanent representative to the ICC of Paris-based rights watch dog FIDH. She said that given al-Mahdi's remorse and cooperation, the sentence "is quite a strong deterrent message: saying we do take these crimes seriously, they have an impact on victims not only in the immediate vicinity but really on the international community as a whole." A warrant for al-Mahdi's arrest was issued by the ICC on Sept. 18, 2015, and he was handed over by neighbouring Niger eight days later. Mali's government welcomed the conviction as a source of "hope for all the victims of the barbaric ideology ... of the narco-terrorists in northern Mali", adding that it "should serve as a ... warning to criminals who attack cultural property". Residents reached in Timbuktu had mixed views about the verdict. "Nine years in prison is little. But he deserves the sentence as an example for all who committed these barbaric acts," said Alhoussaini Saye, a teacher. Hawa Sisse, a trader in a Timbuktu market, said: "I was expecting him to be imprisoned for life, but (the court) decided otherwise. I hope that his return to Timbuktu in nine years will not be perceived as a sort of victory among the militants." Mali expert Bruce Whitehouse said Malians are worried al-Madhi's case will "wind up being a kind of fig leaf". When the ICC's prosecutor opened its Mali investigation in 2012, "there were different classes of crimes, including murder, torture, execution, pillaging, rape," said Whitehouse, a professor at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. "I think Malians find it ironic that the only crime that's been prosecuted is for this attack against protected objects category," he said. (Additional reporting by Anthony Deutsch and Toby Sterling in Amsterdam, Adama Diarra and Tiemoko Diallo in Bamako and Tim Cocks in Dakar; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall and David Stamp)
d'Good exterior

If the name sounds familiar, its because dGood Cafe has already made waves with its first outlet in Holland Village. Expanding with a different theme altogether, the cafes new Orchard branch in Takashimaya will transport you to the United Kingdom with its London Underground vibes.

d'Good interior

Replicas of cultural British icons like the red telephone booth and letterbox greet you at the entrance, contrasting very well with the tasteful interior reminiscent of Londons version of our MRT- the London Underground Tube.

d'Good bar

Choose to sit at the bar if you want to watch the baristas at work. dGood Cafe does after all specialise in blending and brewing its own coffee and the extensive drinks menu is testament to that.

d'Good coconut cold brew

I was intrigued by the Coconut Infused Cold Brew ($9.50) which promised an interactive multi-sensory experience. I didnt know how to feel about coconut and coffee together as a drink, but it turned out better than expected.

Dry ice is added to coconut water and the resulting coconut infused smoke is slowly poured into the coffee flask and then into a glass filled with whisky stones. Youre supposed to swirl, sniff, pour and then indulge, according to a little instructional card that comes with it.

The dry ice creates quite a dramatic feel and the coconut and coffee aroma really accentuates the strong brew. Its quite a sweet drink but Im sure it will go down well if youre a fan of cold brews.

d'Good hot chocolate

For something more traditional, try the Hot Chocolate Surprise ($7.50) which is also quite interactive. A perfect chocolate sphere is served in a glass, alongside a piping hot mini jug of hot chocolate.

Dont wait too long to pour it over, as the liquid obviously needs to be hot to melt the chocolate ball. Its a pretty fun process and the resulting glass of hot chocolate is rich and luxurious, just like hot chocolate should be.

d'Good azuki matcha pancake

Ive always heard good things about dGood Cafes Deutsch skillet pancakes and decided to try a sweet and a savoury option. The Grand Marnier Sweet Potato Matcha ($12) is a picture perfect combination of purple sweet potato, crushed pistachios and azuki beans atop a dense pancake, covered in just the right amount of grand marnier matcha sauce.

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Vanilla ice cream is served on the side and ties all the elements of this dessert together. Get all the different textures in one bite to truly appreciate the combination.

I personally really enjoyed the pancake itself, which reminded me of a thicker version of a crepe with quite an eggy taste that also explains its dense texture.

d'Good duck pancake

The same pancake base is used for the savoury skillet pancake options and the Pomegranate Citrus Smoked Duck ($13) really caught my eye. Savoury pancakes arent new to the Singapore food scene so I wasnt surprised to find that the flavours worked very well together.

The sweet tartness of the mandarin oranges really brings out the smoky duck flavour and once again textures are really the focus of this dish with additions like crunchy walnuts and pomegranate seeds. A must-try for anyone wanting a hearty brunch!

d'Good exterior 2

The overall concept and menu at dGood Cafe Orchard ensures a pleasant lunch experience, without bordering on tacky. Its an escape to London for awhile and I will surely be back to try the DLobster Roll ($18)!

Expected Damage: $6  $25 per pax

dGood Cafe Orchard: 391 Orchard Road #B1-56, Takashimaya S.C, Singapore 238872 | Opening Hours: 10am- 10pm daily | Tel: +65 6694 1411 | Website

The post dGood Cafe Orchard: London Vibes & Interactive Food in The Heart of Singapore appeared first on SETHLUI.com.
The New Delhi Municipal Council is considering the shopkeepers' requests to put a cap on the nightlife that Delhiites enjoy at Connaught Place.

The New Delhi Municipal Council is considering requests to put a 'cap' on the number of restaurants, cafes and bars in Connaught Place.

By Baishali Adak: The city's party animals who gather at Connaught Place night after night to answer the call of the wild are likely to see the happy hunting ground shrink beneath their feet.

The New Delhi Municipal Council is considering requests to put a "cap" on the number of pubs, nightclubs and restaurants in the Colonial-era white shopping arcade, while it is set to crack down on such establishments misusing terraces for commercial activities.

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Shopkeepers in Connaught Place themselves have complained about the "overburdening of the system". Atul Bhargava, president of the New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA), wrote to the municipality's chairperson about his concerns on September 15.

WHY THIS DECISION

The development comes a month after a fire broke out at another nightlife hub, Hauz Khas Village, killing a young businessman and injuring a French woman in an incident that underscored the Capital's poor safety standards and pervasive failure to enforce laws.

Though the NDMC does not have a count of the eateries, bars and cafes in Connaught Place, officials said the online restaurant search and discovery service Zomato.com shows 160. Besides, there could be 40 other smaller establishments, taking the total figure to about 200. Sources said 50 more are in the pipeline, waiting for licences to be granted.

Some of these applicants already hold multiple restaurants in the prestigious area.

A top NDMC official, who wished to remain anonymous, said, "All the terraces being used as extensions of restaurants and bars are illegal. They are in violation of the NDMC Act, section 252 (misuse of premises beyond sanction). They can never be allowed as they contravene the Delhi Building Bylaws 1983. I have asked the concerned department to close them soon." Connaught Place was built as one of the largest business centres in New Delhi in 1933. At the time, the ground floors were meant for shops and the first and second floors for residences only. Gradually, the upper floors too turned commercial.

Also Read: Fear of fire in nightlife hub of Delhi

THE TREND OF RESTAURANTS

During the 2010 Commonwealth Games (CWG) and after the arrival of the Metro, some enterprising shop owners opened restaurants here. Based on their success, the trend caught on.

On the issue of multiplicity of restaurants, the NDMC official said, "As per existing laws, no such restriction can be imposed. However, we are considering the requests and trying to ensure that the load on the infrastructure is reduced."

The heritage shopping arcade draws people of all ages and backgrounds- from businessmen and foreign tourists to students, middle-class families as well as drug addicts and the homeless.

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"No substantial action has been taken to stop the mushrooming of new restaurants in CP in spite of worries conveyed," Bhargava wrote in his letter to the civic body. "It is imperative that a feasibility study be undertaken on the carrying capacity of each block and how many restaurants CP can actually hold. Accordingly, licenses may be issued in future." Bars and restaurants catering to the young spring up almost every week in Connaught Place's grand colonnaded buildings.

When contacted, Bhargava said, "We have no issues with them (restaurants and bars). In fact, they supplement our business. However, with their wild mushrooming, the infrastructure - sewerage drains, traffic, parking & law and order - are all crumbling." While all the corridors are badly affected, the worst is N Block, said shopkeepers. At one time, it had only three restaurants. Now there are 13.

Restaurant owners, though, had a different take. Bhanu Nehra, owner of Janpath Grill House and Office Office, said, "This is not how it works. I visit London not only to see London Bridge; it's the shopping and nightlife that attract. We should work on 100 per cent advantage for all."

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Siddharth Aggarwal, co-owner of Piali - The Curry Bistro, said, "Why deprive anyone? Let the market forces decide how many restaurants stay finally. Automatically, CP will reach a saturation point and some will close. But fewer restaurants will mean less competition and poor service to people."

Also Read: Spas, night clubs offering sexual services turning Gurgaon into Delhi's Bangkok

Neeraj Dixit, owner of the cafe and pub Master of Malts, said, "If not for the restaurants, who will come to CP? It will shut down." The civic agency had initiated action against 13 restaurants in June last year for extending their services to the terraces. It had sealed Ambrosia Bliss in L-Block, Cafe Morrison and The Vault Cafe in F-Block and Cocoa By Belgique, Desi Vibes, My Bar and Barbeque Nation in N-Block, among others.

Also Read: Delhi: Happy hours turn sour, traffic police kicks off special campaign against drunk drivers

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MOSCOW (Sputnik)  All Libyan political forces should support the Government of National Accord (GNA) as a sole legitimate authority in the country in order to restore work of the state institutions and create stability, the European Union External Action Service (EEAS) said in a statement on Wednesday.

"To become a secure, democratic, prosperous, and unified state, where state authority and the rule of law prevail, Libya needs inclusive political dialogue and national reconciliation. The GNA needs the support of all Libyan forces and economic institutions in order to restore essential services, provide humanitarian assistance, and resume oil production to strengthen Libyas economy for the benefit of all Libyans," the statement reads.

The block reiterated its support for the Libyan Political Agreement and for the GNA "as the sole legitimate government of Libya."
Haftar did send his special envoy to Moscow on a mission that has nothing to do with arms deliveries and without any special message, the source said.

He added that, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Russia was not allowed to send arms to Libya.

Izvestia newspaper earlier wrote, citing a diplomatic source, that Khalifa Haftar, who leads forces loyal to the Tobruk-based Council of Deputies, had requested Russia to end its arms embargo on Libya and begin supplying weapons and military equipment to eastern Libyan forces.
Gerrit Crummenerl, who currently resides near Leipzi, is a great specialist in such cars. He looks for them all across Europe and, surprisingly, often finds the original vehicles in perfect condition.

"There are practically no such cars in the market, and the demand for them is quite big," Crummenerl told the German newspaper. His clients are "former GDR citizens, who at that time were children or teenagers and who want to drive their father s or uncle's car without having to constantly repair it," the man explained.

The reasons behind the desire to buy old cars are different. For many, this is the dream of a lifetime, for which they are ready to pay between 8,000 to 12,000 euros.
The Family Federation of Finland , a welfare organization working in the social and health sector, advocates a nation-wide campaign of handing out free contraception to young people, as previous local efforts proved successful in lowering the rate of unwanted teenage pregnancies, abortions and STDs.

"It is usually the young people who need contraceptives the most who end up not using them," Tuulia Ramark, Development Director at the Family Federation of Finland, pointed out to Finnish national broadcaster Yle.

According to Ramark, underprivileged young people, as well as people in more disadvantaged social and economic situations, are those who are least likely to use contraception. In order to be most effective, she argued, contraception campaigns need to be aimed at high school students.
When he won a landslide victory in May's general election, Rodrigo Duterte vowed to crack down on criminals in an unprecedented blitz to rid the country of illegal drugs in six months.

The move has dealt a serious blow to the local drug barons and their corrupt helpers in state and police apparatuses raised the threat of a military coup to topple Duterte.

These people, who have lost millions during this campaign, may be all too willing to get rid of the president and may already be plotting a coup despite their assurances to the contrary, Moscow-based political scientist Vladimir Kolotov told Sputnik.

In an interview with Sputnik Russian security expert Yevgeny Mikhailov said that the Philippine presidents independent policy made him a prime target for the West, above all the United States, which wants to dominate the whole world.

Countries plunged in anarchy and crime are easier to control. Controlled chaos is Washingtons pet tactic, so I wont be surprised if the Americans are now trying to destabilize the Philippines and topple Duterte in order to better dominate in the Pacific region, Mikhailov emphasized.
TOKYO (Sputnik)  Police confirmed the incident took place at Takadanobaba railway station in the center of the Japanese capital. Some 20 people reportedly said they had felt the strange smell before feeling sick.

According to the NHK broadcaster, experts are carrying out works at the station trying to find the source of the smell. Ambulances and firefighters are also present at the cite of the incident. According to the media outlet, the incident has not halted the train traffic.

In 1995, several members of the Aum Shinrikyo death cult released deadly sarin gas in the Tokyo metro underground, killing 13 people and injuring about a thousand more.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, local media reported that a US drone strike in Achin district could have killed at least 13 civilians. According to the Pajhwok news agency, 18 Daesh terrorists including their commander, Hamza, were also killed in the strike.

"We are aware of some claims of Afghan casualties, and are currently reviewing all materials related to this strike," Cleveland stated on Wednesday. "We are continuing to look into these allegations and will provide additional information as appropriate."

The spokesman added that US forces in Afghanistan take all allegations of civilian casualties "very seriously."
Recently, Seoul announced that it has developed a special military unit known as Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KPMR), specifically designed to remove North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un in the event of a nuclear attack from Pyongyang. It is to be used in conjunction with South Koreas homegrown missile defense system, Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD), and a preemptive strike system called Kill Chain.

North Korea has stated that it intends to continue nuclear weapons testing, despite international sanctions and recent joint military exercises and flyovers conducted by Seoul and Washington.

In a statement to Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the DPRKs Institute of International Studies said, "As long as the US exists on the Earth, a world without nuclear weapons is no more than a daydream and our planet will be in peace only when it is free from its aggressionThe more the US increases its nuclear blackmail, the more we will strengthen our iron-fist of nukes by hundreds of thousands of times."

Hong Yong-pyo, South Koreas Unification Minister, told Yonhap, "Given signs for preparations for a nuclear test, North Korea is likely to make another provocation this year."
ALGIERS (Sputnik)  The ability of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) member states to reach an agreement on oil production freeze depends on whether they are able to agree on the issue with Iran, UAE Governor for OPEC Ahmed Mohamed Alkaabi told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"It depends on what they [OPEC ministers] will reach with Iran," he said asked whether oil producing countries would be able to reach consensus on oil output freeze later in the day on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum.

He added that the UAE energy minister was currently holding bilateral meetings on the topic and specific proposals of levels of oil output freeze would be clearer around 10.30 a.m. local time (09:30 GMT).
ALGIERS (Sputnik)  Iraq hopes that the oil producing countries will be able to reach a deal on freezing crude production, it does not matter for Baghdad whether the agreement will be reached at the International Energy Forum in Algiers or at the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) member states in Vienna, Iraqi Oil Minister Jabar Ali Luaibi told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"We hope that we will be able to reach an agreement, it does not matter for us whether the decision will be taken in Algiers or Vienna. The most important thing is to reach opportunities for the agreement," the minister said.
By PTI: From Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Sep 28 (PTI) Nepal today "strongly urged" that a conducive environment be created to ensure participation of all members in the next SAARC Summit in Pakistan, after four countries of the regional grouping pulled out of the summit indirectly blaming Islamabad.

Nepal said it "has received communications" from four member-states - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and India - in which they conveyed their inability to participate in the 19th SAARC summit on November 9-10 stating that the current regional environment is "not conducive" for the successful holding of the Summit.

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"We have taken this development seriously," it said in a statment posted on its Foreign Ministrys website.

Nepal "strongly urges that a conducive environment be created soon to ensure the participation of all member states in the 19th SAARC summit in line with the spirit of the SAARC Charter," the statment said.

Under the SAARC charter, the summit is automatically postponed or cancelled even if one member country skips the event.

The four countries have pulled out of the summit, indirectly blaming Pakistan for "creating an environment which is not right for the successful holding" of the meet.

That development came after tensions ran high between India and Pakistan after militants stormed an Indian Army base in Uri on September 18, killing 18 soldiers. The militants belonged to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist group.

Founded in 1985, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) currently has Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as its members. PTI ABH

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The government stated that the acquisition is in line with Indias stated objective of adding high quality international assets to its Exploration &

Production portfolio and thereby augmenting India's energy security. Earlier in May 2016 ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) completed the formalities of acquiring a 15% stake in Vankorneft at the cost of USD 1.284 billion.

4/4 In line with Indias energy security objective of adding high quality int'l assets to its Exploration & Production portfolio #Cabinet https://t.co/uP6DikVTdE  Frank Noronha (@DG_PIB) 28  2016 .

Earlier, Sputnik had reported that ONGC Videsh Ltd is exploring the opportunity to acquire a 49% stake in Rosneft's Tagul field. According to sources, the deal is likely to be around USD 1 billion, though nothing has been officially penned down yet. Since Tagul field is yet not operational, OVL will have to share the cost of making the field ready for production.

India currently imports more than 200 MT of crude oil ever year. The government aims to cut this figure down by 50% by the year 2030.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  In July 2014, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled unanimously to award the former shareholders of the now defunct Yukos company $50 billion to be paid by the Russian Federation. On April 20, 2016, the Hague Court disallowed the ruling as the Permanent Court of Arbitration's decision was not in line with its competency.

Russia had also prevailed in the actions laid in the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce in 2005 and 2007.

"There were also the so-called lawsuits of the second wave  Luxtona, Yukos Capital and FPH [companies] laid three more actions worth $15 billion in total to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2013-2014," Kondakov told RIA Novosti.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The economic conditions in Russia continue to improve after a period of stagnation, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde said on Wednesday.

"Russia and Brazil are showing some signs of improvement after a period of severe contraction," Lagarde said at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois.
Global oversupply and stagnating demand have caused oil prices to plunge from $115 per barrel in June 2014 to less than $30 per barrel in January 2016. Prices recovered amid Nigeria's and Venezuela's output outages and growing demand in May, reaching a peak of over $50 per barrel in early June.

In April, major oil-producing states failed to reach an output-freezing agreement in Doha, Qatar. Saudi Arabia, which had previously said that it would freeze output only if Iran followed suit, cited Tehrans absence from the talks as the reason for not supporting an output freeze.

"I hope and I try [to sign an oil output freeze agreement until the end of the year]We try to make a decision in Algeria, we tryit's a consultative meeting in Algeria, it's not a formal meeting," Zanganeh told reporters on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum (IEF) in Algiers.

Zanganeh added that Iran did not expect any oil output freeze agreement to be reached at the Algiers meeting.
David Belliard, who co-chairs the city councils ecologist group, noted that naturism is gaining popularity in France, with over 2 million people practicing, and, after the meeting, said that "Paris so far has nowhere" for nudists to express their lifestyle choice.

"France is the worlds top destination for naturists, and every year two million Germans, Dutch, Britons and Belgians come to the country for its nudist beaches," France24 quoted Belliard as saying. "It shouldnt be impossible to accommodate them in Paris tooWe have to find an outdoor space where nudism is allowed, in the citys parks, forests or on the banks of the Seine."

Currently France has over 100 nude beaches and many holiday camps that appeal to naturists. A single swimming pool in Paris, the Roger Le Gall, allows nude swimming, but only after 9 PM, and theres a limit of three visits per week. Indecent exposure can bring a fine of 15,000 euros ($16,900) and up to a year in prison.
The ruling left-wing Syriza and their coalition partner, the Independent Greeks party, unanimously supported the bill, while all opposition parties voted against.

The bill stipulates a number of social welfare cuts and privatizations demanded by EU and International Monetary Fund (IMF) creditors. Major state-owned companies, including the Public Power Corporation, the Athens and Thessaloniki Water Supply and Sewerage Companies, the Athens underground and the ELVO vehicle manufacturer, can now be passed to the fund that manages the sale of Greece's public assets.
The man later died from multiple gun-shot wounds, the paper reported.

According to the paper, the police was at the site at the time of the attempted attack as it had arrived to detain the 27-year-old individual over accusations of harassment toward the eight-year-old daughter of the now deceased refugee.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Previously Bulgaria backed Irina Bokova, director-general of UNESCO children's fund as its candidate for the post. According to the Sofia Globe newspaper, the country's foreign ministry made the recommendation to change the candidate as Bokova ranked too low  in sixth place  in the most recent UN Security Council (UNSC) secret ballot, while Georgieva had better chances of winning the race.

"I want to thank Mrs Bokova, but we must transfer our support to Kristalina Georgieva," Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov said at the Cabinet meeting, as quoted by the paper.
The main topic on the agenda was an updated European strategy for defense and security. Participants also discussed a German-French initiative to expand military cooperation within the EU. The EU Council is expected to approve concrete steps on the issue in December.

Amid the upcoming reforms, there are problems concerning the duplication of defense institutions. The key question to discuss at the meeting was whether the new European defense mechanisms would interfere with NATO.

The contemporary challenges prove that NATOs interests do not always correspond with European needs and it is important to establish a temporary European military staff, Arnaud Danjean, a French lawmaker at the European Parliament, said.
"We welcome the Parliament's inquiry. Now up to civil society & decision-makers to act upon our revelations" @RyleGerard #PanamaPapers pic.twitter.com/PhHH7ePmVS  S&D Group (@TheProgressives) September 27, 2016

The company was set up to be the vehicle for a proposed deal to acquire some of energy company Enron's assets. The directorship was not declared in the register of interests she completed when joining the European Commission in 2004, which is in breach of the Commission's rules that require commissioners to declare all professional activities in the ten-year period before becoming a commissioner.

#PanamaPapers  | Today the EP heard from the journalists who broke the story! Here's what we discussed  @AnaGomesMEP & @KristofClerix pic.twitter.com/Ui5gtEbZ3z  S&D Group (@TheProgressives) September 27, 2016

As a result, the European Parliament Panama Papers inquiry committee has said it will also look into the Bahama Leaks affair and the case of former Commissioner Kroes.

Committee chairman Chair Werner Langen said:

"Ms. Kroes told us she had given up all her engagements. After her hearing for that post she passed the vote in the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee with a narrow majority of 24 to 22. With the current knowledge, the outcome could well have been different. We want to hear Ms Kroes."

Dodgy Blacklist

A previous parliamentary committee probe into the LuxLeaks scandal in which the ICIJ released some 28,000 pages of confidential documents setting out more than 500 private tax arrangements between the Luxembourg tax administration and more than 300 multinational corporations.

.@langen_werner #PANA is duty-bound to be transparent. We will ensure this is the case. All hearings will be public." #PanamaPapers  EPP Group (@EPPGroup) September 27, 2016

The scandal has brought calls for the EU to crack down on companies "using sweetheart deals"  such as those in Luxembourg, but also in Ireland and the Netherlands, which are all under investigation by the Commission  and offshore tax havens to aggressively reduce their tax liabilities in EU member states. Critics say  despite lawmakers' efforts  the leaks so far,do not show the massive extent of aggressive tax schemes in use.

"Journalists made it clear to us that their findings are only tip of the iceberg" says @Europarl_EN Co-Rapporteur @JezekCZ #PanamaPapers pic.twitter.com/NALsF4LwCz  ALDE Group (@ALDEgroup) September 27, 2016

The Commission drew anger from transparency campaigners after releasing list of "third countries" which will be investigated to identify which are tax havens after it was discovered that it does not include Ireland or Luxembourg, both of which are embroiled in battles with Brussels over sweetheart tax deals.
According to an official, the EW system is worth Rs 330 crore and the technology can be used as a military force-multiplier.

By India Today Web Desk: In the aftermath of the Uri terror attack, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today cleared proposals worth Rs 1,900 crore (close to $3 billion), including proposal for an electronic warfare system (EWS) for low-intensity conflict in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to an official, the EW system is worth Rs 330 crore and the technology can be used as a military force-multiplier.



WHY INDIA NEEDS EW SYSTEM?

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The EW system can be utilised to jam high-powered ground radars, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) used by terrorists and to spot stealth aircraft operated by enemy countries. On the other hand, EW systems fitted on our own Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, aircraft and satellites would help us see deep inside enemy territories. The EW system needs high level of secrecy for maintaining surprise against adversary actions.

According to sources, Pakistan has evinced its interest in acquiring Russian surveillance systems, GPS and drone signal jammers. The four Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists, who attacked army's 12th Infantry Brigade headquarters in Uri last Sunday, brought with them two Japan-made wireless sets. A total of 48 items were recovered from terrorists, including GPS devices.

Currently, India operates a portable EW system called Samyukta.

INDIGENOUS EW SYSTEM

Currently, India operates a portable EW system called Samyukta, which is touted to be the largest electronic warfare system in the country. The EW system was developed jointly by state-owned DRDO, Bharat Electronics Limited, Electronics Corporation of India Limited, and Corps of Signals of Indian Army. It can rule the both communication and radar areas from both land and air.

The government had set up the DAC headed by the Defence Minister for decision making in regard to the totality of the new planning process.



ALSO READ:

Defence Minister Parrikar discusses security situation with service chiefs



Uri attack: Radio sets, GPS devices recovered from terrorists may hold key to investigations



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Drugs, referred to as legal highs, before they were made subject to a blanket ban rolled out earlier this year, have been identified as a major factor in the upsurge of violence and self-harm behind bars in England and Wales.

The bigger the #prison, the less safe it is. New research in @PSJ_UK https://t.co/Qtyezc2ujG  CCJS (@CrimeandJustice) September 22, 2016

Sputnik spoke to leading drug expert, Steve Rolles senior policy analyst at Transform, about the war on drugs in prisons.

"Due to oppressive punitive drug laws across the world there is a high proportion of inmates who are problematic drugs users, involved in the illicit drug trade. There is demand for drugs, made worse by the misery of being in prison and connected people who know how to get them," Mr. Rolles told Sputnik.

Mr. Rolles said this combined with poorly paid prison staff open to corruption and huge daily flows of people and goods coming in and out of the facilities, you have a situation in which extensive drug markets have become a reality.

Sam Gyimah: Safety and prison reform go hand in hand. #cjm2016 pic.twitter.com/ETZ28Zk5Qf  Ministry of Justice (@MoJGovUK) September 21, 2016

It's easy to access high potency and value drugs, according to Mr. Rolles, as it isn't hard to conceal them. The reality is that there are multiple ways that drugs can enter the prison  via visitors, staff, over the walls, as well as by using drones and in smuggled-in prison supplies.

"Demand creates a financial incentive and supply can always find a way when the price is right. In practice, little or nothing can be done to stop it. Even the highest security prisons have drugs, people have actually died of overdoses in supermax [maximum security] prisons, in solitary confinement,"Mr. Rolles told Sputnik.

So what is the issue in this cycle of destitution  is this a prison problem or a drug one?

New punishments to tackle drugs in prison will repeat the mistakes of the past https://t.co/KfbCwmCq4L  Frances Crook (@francescrook) 23 September 2016

"At the heart of the problem is the war on drugs that criminalizes millions of people who use drugs and hands control of the market to criminals. We then spend billions arresting and imprisoning these people, who have no effect on drug use or drug markets and have successfully, created a prison overcrowding crisis with out of control drug markets and a public health disaster," Mr. Rolles told Sputnik.

Mr. Rolles believes there is no quick fix and the starting point is to stop criminalizing and imprisoning people who use drugs, instead getting them into the appropriate treatment programs.

"This specifically includes provision of needle exchanges and opiate substitution treatments. Prison is a terrible place to address drug related health issues, as it's expensive and generally makes things worse, not better. If problematic drug users do end up in prison they need access to appropriate treatment and services, again including harm reduction," Mr. Rolles told Sputnik.

"We also need to take control of the drugs market by legalizing and responsibly regulating drugs and prevent the next generation of drug gangsters being created and then filling our prisons. We need to move from a punitive model to one rooted in health and human rights."
Speaking with reporters, the family member said the team did not lay blame on Russia or other parties in the crash. The family member pointed out that the investigators had local witness testimony, as well as video, photographs and recordings of phone conversations indicating the time, place and method of Buk's transportation.

The JIT report, authored by prosecutors from the Netherlands, Belgium, Ukraine, Australia and Malaysia, has not been officially released.
According to parliamentary protocol, the EP president should alter between the parliament's main parties every two-and-a-half years, however Schulz has already held his position for five years, and was given a boost when European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker seemingly backed the 60-year-old to remain in his post.

What can you see Martin Schulz,Your Empire crumbling? Go back to selling books. pic.twitter.com/O8CDxaTrze  Graham Tonks (@GrahamTonks1) September 24, 2016

"I am in favor of the European institutions being led for the next two-and-a-half years as they have been thus far. We need stability," Juncker told German newspaper der Spiegel in July.

Growing Splits Within Parliament

The ECR's amendment to block Schulz from running for a third term has been looked upon favorably by six of the parliament's eight political groups, with Schulz's own S&D coalition unsurprisingly against the plans.

The proposals will now be put to the EP's constitutional affairs committee in November before being discussed in a parliamentary plenary session.

I agree with Martin Schulz that UK participation in another round of Europarl elections would be farcical and hence we must be gone by 2019.  Patrick O'Flynn (@oflynnmep) September 23, 2016

Given that the challenge has come from British MEPs, some Schulz supporters have dismissed the proposed amendment as a last ditch attempt to have some influence on the bloc before the UK faces an imminent Brexit.

Martin Schulz's #LSEBrexit speech was bizarre. Doesn't get why Brexit happened, no attempt to understand it, wants more EU integration.  Owen Bennett (@owenjbennett) September 23, 2016

However ECR officials have rejected the criticism, saying they will work as normal, until the UK actually does leave the bloc.

"We are still here, and very much involved, probably for the next two and a half years of the mandate. So we are directly concerned. And we really want the European institutions to work as well as possible," Robert Taylor, the ECR spokesman in the European Parliament, told Euractiv.
MADRID (Sputnik)  The operation was carried out in Barcelona, Melilla, Brussels and the German city of Wuppertal. Four of those detained are citizens of Spain, one of Morocco.

"The five detainees formed a cell with perfectly organized structure, which followed instructions from the Daesh terrorist group conveyed through various Internet channels, including the Facebook page 'Islam in Spanish'which has 32,500 followers and contains publications, mostly, in Spanish, which spread religious content, messages and comments of a radical character, in which jihadists praised Daesh actions," the statement reads.

Spain's terror threat alert has been raised to level four out of five after the November 2015 attacks in Paris. According to a study conducted by the Elcano Royal Institute, Spanish police have detained more than 150 Islamists over the last four years.
It is under this disguise that they are spreading their ideas of Ukrainian nationalism, but when speaking about Ukrainian traditions they always have in mind those of Western Ukraine, of Stepan Bandera and his sidekicks! Andrzej Zapalowski said, adding that such publications were apparently available in all five Ukrainian schools in Poland.

The school in Bartoszyce, attended by Polish children of Ukrainian descent, is financed by the state. The abovementioned publications are a gift from the Institute of National Remembrance in Kiev.

The Bartoszyce schools headmaster Lubomira Tchorz said that the school program was meant to instill in the children ideas of Ukrainian patriotism, that these books were not banned in Poland and, when asked about Bandera, she said that Well, every people has its heroes.

Not everyone in Poland agrees with this though. Including Polish MP Tomasz Rzymkowski who said that by accepting such ultranationalist literature from Kiev, the Bartoszyce school completely ignored the traditions of Poland.

I think that the teachers knew that their action flew in the face of Polish citizens! They have become part of the propaganda of a totalitarian state Bandera and his associates strove for. I cant imagine any school anywhere buying books which disseminate ideas of German or Italian fascism, let alone books by Adolf Hitler! Andrzej Zapalowski fumed.

He recalled how two years ago local Ukrainian schoolchildren in Przemysl were taken to a local cemetery to lay wreaths at the graves of Ukrainian nationalists who killed peaceful civilians.

You cant bring up kids on books that instill hatred toward other people. I think that what happened in Bartoszyce is a major scandal, Andrzej Zapalowski noted, adding that he expected greater oversight on the part of regional education officials.

Stepan Bandera is one of the founders of the Ukrainian Rebel Army, or UNA, that collaborated with Nazis and fought against the Red Army during the Second World War.

After the defeat of German Nazism in 1945, members of the UNA and the paramilitary UPA units continued their struggle against the Soviet Union.

Although former Nazi collaborators organizations were officially dissolved in 1949, many of them joined foreign subversive groups and intelligence agencies, dreaming of revenge.
Since the EU army will be created as a parallel structure to the NATO, the military obligations of the European states in this case would only increase, the expert argued.

Of course, the UK  which has the largest military budget in the EU ($ 55.5 billion in 2015)  is unlikely to influence the Europeans' plans anymore, as the country has decided to leave the EU as result of a referendum. President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz said that Britain won't be allowed to veto this issue, although formally the United Kingdom withdraws from the EU in 2018.

"We had long to take into account the position of the UK, which consistently refused to discuss this issue," German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said earlier, cited by German media.

Now, according to the German government, the situation is different.

"The idea is to work together to become more powerful and effective," von der Leyen said before her trip to Bratislava. "None of us would be able to individually respond to the big crises," she added.
Many countries  particularly in Eastern Europe  have refused to go along with the scheme, with both Slovakia and Hungary challenging the scheme in the European Court of Justice. Slovakia's Prime Minister told journalists: "Quotas today clearly divide the EU, therefore I think they are politically finished."

Shaky Deal

Meanwhile, the EU-Turkey migrant deal is also looking shaky. Under the deal, the EU was due to pay Turkey  initially  US$3.95 billion to bolster its refugee camps and accept "irregular" migrants denied asylum in Greece in return  on a one-for-one basis  for Syrian refugees in Turkey being relocated in the EU.

However, as part of the deal, the EU was supposed to grant Turkish citizens visa-free access to the EU by the end of July and accelerate its accession to becoming a full member of the EU, provided it meets more than 70 criteria relating to human rights and other administrative protocols.

The deal has run into serious opposition within the EU, following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's crackdown on opposition groups, the media and human rights, which critics say make any talk of accession or visa-free access impossible, potentially plunging the deal into collapse.

6 months on since the #EUTurkey deal: "People cannot survive another six months of this misery" https://t.co/TBH4wLvvBq #Greece #refugees  Sacha Myers (@sacha_myers) September 22, 2016

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and many leading refugee charities says the returning of refugees from Greece back to Turkey is against the Geneva Convention, as they believe Turkey is not a safe third country" because of its poor standards of refugee camps and treatment of refugees. In practice, only 578 people have actually been returned under the scheme.
However, Sarkozy's encore plan for a Brexit do-over, seems hinged on his ability to pull off what would be an extraordinarily fast-tracked diplomatic coup.

His Strategy

Day 1 of his French presidency: Fly to Berlin to present German Chancellor Angela Merkel with his version of the EU treaty, affecting all 27 remaining member states. Gain approval from Germany in less than 24 hours.

Day 2 of his French presidency: Fly to London and present the new EU treaty draft, ready for UK Prime Minister Theresa May to consider whether to accept, and in doing so, turn her back on the democratic will of 51% of the British electorate that voted to leave the EU.

Sarkozy's idea of a new treaty to undo Brexit is hopping mad on so many levels https://t.co/SdbBUMOb9d  Wolfgang Munchau (@EuroBriefing) September 28, 2016

"I would tell the British, you've gone out, but we have a new treaty on the table so you have an opportunity to vote again," said Mr. Sarkozy, as quoted in the Financial Times.

"But this time not on the old Europe, on the new Europe.

"Do you want to stay? If yes, so much the better. Because I can't accept to lose Europe's second-largest economy while we are negotiating with Turkey over its EU membership. And if it's no, then it's a real no.

"You're in or you're out."

The prospect of such a monumental political about-face, and at such dizzying speed, has left Brits torn on how to respond.

Bloody Sarkozy. Just who the hell do these people think they are? #Brexit  Elliot J. Cornish (@ElliotJCornish) September 28, 2016

Certainly, many of UK Prime Minister Theresa May's staunchly euroskeptic colleagues are expected to reject such a French overture.

On Wednesday, Lord Michael Howard, the former Conservative Party leader, slammed Sarkozy's suggestion that the UK could abandon Brexit.

Speaking to BBC Radio, he emphasized that there is "no question now of any deal."

"The Brexit vote has created a new dynamic. We are going to leave the European Unionas soon as we can. The uncertainty is something we don't want to prolong."

Indeed, there is still a great deal of uncertainty swirling around the EU's unique dilemma of how to manage the UK's disentanglement from the union.

In the UK, Prime Minister May has refused to say when she will invoke Article 50, the official bureaucratic mechanism that would start the official negotiations. Her reluctance has led to several of her own cabinet members to break ranks and publicly call on her to get the process started as soon as possible.
Over the past ten years, fewer graduates have chosen to take the final examination in French and German, while the number of students who chose the Russian language increased. The Union of Upper Secondary School Students expressed confidence that the interest in the language of Finland's vast eastern neighbor may increase further, Finnish news outlet Helsingin Uutiset reported.

This fall, the Finnish parliament will consider the possibility of an experiment in which primary school pupils in a number of Finnish regions would be exempt from the compulsory study of Swedish and allowed to choose another second language.

A number of municipalities in eastern Finland, where Russian is by far the most popular foreign language, may gladly seize this opportunity. The reason is not only a constant flow of tourists and shoppers from neighboring Leningrad Region, the city of St. Petersburg and the Republic of Karelia, but also a quite impressive Russian-speaking diaspora. Eastern Finland was also one of the regions hit hardest by the anti-Russian sanctions, which led to a drop in bilateral trade and tourism.
Snowden, who had leaked the details about NSA global surveillance operations to the press, subsequently fleeing the United States and receiving asylum in Russia, was invited to the PEN International ceremony in Norway to accept an award. His lawyers appealed to a Norwegian court for a ruling to prevent the authorities from extraditing Snowden to the United States.

The PEN, an international association of writers, poets and journalists, awarded Snowden Ossietzky Prize for freedom of expression contribution.
By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 28 (PTI) USD 5.5 million was allegedly paid as commission to a middleman based abroad in the Embraer deal, the CBI has found in what it considers as a major breakthrough in its probe into allegations of kickbacks in the USD 208-million aircraft contract.

Without naming the middleman or location where the agent could be based, CBI sources said the agency is in touch with the law enforcement agencies of that country for further details in the matter.

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The sources said the agency through its sources has found that USD 5.5 million (approx Rs 36 crore as per present exchange rate) was allegedly paid as commission to influence the deal in favour of Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer.

They said the agency, which has registered only a preliminary enquiry in the matter, will soon be converting it into a regular FIR as enough prima facie material has been found by it to proceed in the case.

The deal of three aircraft which were to be used by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for air-borne radar systems was inked in 2008 with Embraer.

A Brazilian newspaper recently alleged that that the company had taken the services of middlemen to clinch deals in Saudi Arabia and India.

According to defence procurement rules of India, middlemen are strictly barred in such deals.

Leading Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo had reported that the company allegedly paid commissions to a UK-based defence agent to finalize the deal with India.

DRDO had purchased three aircraft from the company in 2008 and customized them for serving are air-borne radar system known as airborne early-warning and control systems or AWACS for the Indian Air Force.

The company has been under investigation by the US Justice Department since 2010 when a contract with the Dominican Republic raised the Americans suspicions, the report said.

Since then, the investigation has widened to examine business dealings with eight more countries. PTI ABS RT

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MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Tuesday, FBI Director James Comey told the US Senate Committee on Homeland Security that the United States and Europe would face in the next two-to-five years an exodus of terrorists returning from fighting alongside Daesh when the terror group is defeated.

"We need to be very cautious, we need a closer surveillance of all foreign fighters returning from Syria. That is the most important task for the EU security forces. We also need a closer exchange of information with our allies to confront this threat," Hanning said.

Europe saw an unprecedented wave of migration with over 1.83 million arrivals from impoverished and war-torn regions in the Middle East and Africa last year. According to the German domestic intelligence agency report, in 2015 more than 780 people from Germany had traveled to join jihadists in Syria and Iraq.
The Hungarian government closed their borders on the September 15, 2015 and since then, according to Amnesty International, they have delivered a sustained attack against the refugees.

Refugees are fleeing war & torture, Hungary. Your root vegetable heads will not deter them. https://t.co/QJfk1lJCnw pic.twitter.com/YpCR3nkgyb  Andrew Stroehlein (@astroehlein) August 19, 2016

They have used barbed wire fencing, tear gas and draconian legalization, according to Amnesty's report, to unleash an onslaught of abuse in order to keep refugees out.

"Information from the police shows that over 3,000 persons were returned in July and August only. The arbitrary restriction on the number of asylum applications that can be submitted at the border (30/day) means that these thousands of people are stranded at the border or in overcrowded centers in Serbia, without access to protection," Todor Gardos, Amnesty researcher for Hungary and co-author of the report told Sputnik.

Mr. Gardos also stated that the latest legal amendments mean that the police can stop refugees and push them back to Serbia.

"This measure is the latest in a series which seek to isolate Hungary by militarizing its borders and criminalizing the arrival of refugees and migrants."

Amnesty believe that these latest developments are part of the systematic dismantling of the protections previously put in place to stop such treatment of refugees and migrants as criminals  they now take away their dignity.

"We have seen countless statements from the government proclaiming that the country will be protected and will ensure it is not receiving any asylum seekers at all, if possible. These populist statements flout international standards Hungary has guaranteed in national law (e.g. the right to seek asylum)," Mr. Gardos told Sputnik.

Amnesty International finds that Hungary is, on multiple counts, in flagrant breach of international human rights and refugee law, as well as EU directives on asylum procedures, reception conditions, and the Dublin Regulation.

Millions spent on fences, border hunter units, propaganda Surely, Hungary, it'd be cheaper to welcome refugees. https://t.co/bZ5AU4tYiz pic.twitter.com/mxvRUDE1Ij  Andrew Stroehlein (@astroehlein) 28 September 2016

"The Hungarian authorities continue to intentionally undermine any agreement that could protect the rights of refugees and migrants to safely and legally arrive in the European Union, be treated with dignity and have a fair and individual opportunity to make their cases heard," Mr. Gardos told Sputnik.

Hungary however, do not believe that Amnesty are presenting the whole truth.

The report from the the human rights group was entirely false, according to presidential spokesman Zoltan Kovacs, who also described it as "sheer lies."
Common sense and intelligent flexibility in applying Stability and Growth Pact #SOTEU #Growth pic.twitter.com/aFUMxFUFDf  EU Economy & Finance (@ecfin) September 14, 2016

"The idea is that sanctions can be used and must be used when necessary, but should be avoided as much as possible," he added. "Sanctioning is always a failure for the countries but also for the rules."

Moscovici calls Italy's case special. Obtained from Rome special commitment that 2017 budget will be globally in conformity with rules  Georgi Gotev (@GeorgiGotev) May 18, 2016

The comments back up the commission's decision not to enforce sanctions on Spain and Portugal for missing budgetary targets earlier this year, with the Frenchman saying incentives and reforms were favored over sanctions.

"We're not anti-sanctions, but we want to apply sanctions only when absolutely necessary With Spain and Portugal, we really made the right decision."

Growing Divide Over EU Budgets

The comments come amid increased debate about EU budgets and the enforcing of sanctions, after German officials called for penalties to be enforced on member states who did not meet guidelines.

It also marks the continued shift in the commission's rhetoric on the issue of budgets, after close to a decade of EU-enforced austerity.

France flouts EU budget rules and Germany breaks migration rules, so how about fewer rules? British MEP @SyedKamall asks lawmakers. #SOTEU  James Kanter (@jameskanter) September 14, 2016

While Germany has backed the continuation of the EU's tight fiscal measures, a number of member states such as France, Italy, Spain and other Mediterranean countries have grown increasingly frustrated with the status quo, asking for more flexibility on the matter of public spending in order to boost their respective economies.

With Britain voting to leave the EU, there are growing concerns in Berlin that an "anti-austerity alliance" of Mediterranean member states will gang up on Germany and force changes to EU budgetary rules and guidelines.

The budget issue and spending limits has created another divide within the bloc, already severely torn on issues such as immigration and security.
Corbyn's handling of the campaign in the runup to the referendum on Britain's membership of the EU, June 23, came in for severe criticism from within his own party for being lacklustre. Corbyn has long been euroskeptic, while his party policy was to remain, so while he nominally led the campaign to remain, many felt his lead was not strong enough.

We will be pressing our own Brexit agenda, and building a new relationship with Europe based on cooperation and internationalism. #Lab16  pic.twitter.com/3BBoG9hj2j  The Labour Party (@UKLabour) September 28, 2016

Immigration was the single most important issue in the referendum. Among Labour supporters, there was a backlash against foreign workers entering the UK and taking British jobs, working for less money or benefiting from supported by benefits, giving them an advantage over domestic workers.

However, in an interview ahead of his first speech to his party's annual conference since being reelected as party leader, Corbyn refused to say he would put a cap on immigration, defending migrant workers and angering many party members.
BRUSSELS (Sputnik)  An Islamist called Rachid Kassim, one of the key French-speaking Daesh members, called on extremists in Belgium to stage attacks on Belgian military, the Derniere Heure newspaper reported. He uploaded photos of a number of soldiers and information about them obtained from social networks.

Belgiums Defense Ministry said it took the threat very seriously and launched an investigation.

In July, the Belgian authorities decided to extend military patrol activities, introduced following deadly attacks in Brussels, in public places across the country. The number of servicemen patrolling the streets was increased to 1,828.
Several EU countries, including Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia and Hungary want to restore trade relations with Moscow. If they join with each other and oppose the automatic renewal of the sanctions all together, the proponents of a hard stance toward Russia will have to make concessions, the article said.

"It will become increasingly harder to extend sanctions, but we will be able to achieve this only if we convince skeptics that the sanctions are not the only component of the EU's policy towards Russia," a member of the EU administration told the newspaper on condition of anonymity.

According to the official, the EU is divided into two blocks: those who want "to lower their sights" and let Moscow know that the EU is ready to "normalize the situation" if Russia makes concessions on its part; and those who, on the contrary, want to toughen their policy toward Russia and extend the restrictive measures.
Meanwhile, Bakir Izetbegovic, the Bosnian Muslim member of Bosnia's tripartite presidency, lashed out at the referendum and at Republica Srpskas president Milorad Dodik. He warned that the latter would someday share the fate of Saddam Hussein, Muammar Gaddafi and Slobodan Milosevic.

Other Possible Referendums

When asked about other referendums the Republika Srpska could organize in the future, Dodik did not rule out one on the republics breakaway from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The authorities in Sarajevo fear that Republika Srpska may vote against Bosnias bid to join NATO.

If the people of Republika Srpska, which NATO bombed [in 1999] say they want a referendum I have nothing against it, but in any case we are going to ask the people, Dodik said.

In an interview with Sputnik, Milos Solaja, a university professor in Banja Luka, said that In Bosnia and Herzegovina we see the pyramid of Western politics tumbling down, thats why the collective West was against this referendum.

They know that this referendum has an advisory nature, but they have been stung to see that their policy is not working.

He added that from now on every decision taken by Sarajevo or international institutions will have to keep in mind the interests of Republika Srpska.

We need to sit down together without any direct foreign participation and decide exactly what kind of system we want to have here, Professor Solaja said.
The judge said that Hunt had approved the new contracts but had not compelled employers to adopt them.

In early 2016, Hunt announced plans to introduce a new employment contract for junior doctors, under which they would be paid less for weekend shifts, sparking major protests in a number of UK cities.
In 1959, Peres was elected to the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) and served as Deputy Minister of Defense under then Prime Minister and Minister of Defense David Ben-Gurion. Ten years later, in 1969, he was appointed Minister of Absorption, and in 1970 served as Minister of Transport and Communications. In 1974, Peres was appointed Minister of Defense, a position that he held until 1977. These critical years saw the rebuilding of the Israeli army following the 1973 War.

After the resignation of Yitzhak Rabin in 1977 Peres became acting Prime Minister, and was later elected Chairman of the Labor Party, running against Menachem Begin in the national elections. When Likud came to power in 1977, marking the first time in Israel's history that Labor was not the ruling party, Peres served as Head of the Opposition, a position he held until 1984.

Following the establishment of a National Unity Government combining Labor and Likud in 1984, Peres served as Prime Minister (1984 to 1986) and as Minister of Foreign Affairs (1986 to 1988), rotating with Likud leader Yitzhak Shamir. In the subsequent National Unity Government (1988-1990) Peres served as Vice Premier and Minister of Finance, and then led the Opposition in the Knesset from 1990 to 1992.

After the Labor Party's victory under Rabin's leadership, Peres served again as Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1992, and initiated the negotiations between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), resulting in the Oslo Accords (Declaration of Principles) which was signed by Shimon Peres and Abu Mazen on the White House lawn on 13th September 1993. Peres, together with Rabin and Arafat, were awarded Nobel Peace Prizes in 1994 for their efforts toward peace. Peres was also involved in Israel's negotiations with Jordan, which commenced immediately following the signing of the Oslo Accords, and were officially signed in October 1994.

Following the assassination of Prime Minister Rabin in 1995, Peres became Prime Minister and Minister of Defense until the May 1996 elections. Following his defeat, Peres invested his efforts in creating and establishing the Peres Center for Peace  a non-government and non-partisan organization that brings Israel and its Arab neighbors closer by means of peace-building projects which focus on common social and economic interests, thereby fulfilling his vision of regional cooperation.
First of all, Russia has not established full-scale cooperation on Syria with other countries, first of all with the United States. In the last year, the sides have held dozens of meetings, phone conversations and worked out several documents.

On September 9, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry announced a new peace plan to address the conflict in Syria in Geneva. The international community had high hopes for the deal, however the expectations have not yet been fulfilled. The implementation of the agreement was put into question, as the warplanes of the US-led coalition hit Syrian government troops near the eastern city of Deir ez-Zor on September 17, leaving 83 military personnel killed and about 100 wounded. The Pentagon said that the airstrike was a mistake and was meant to target Daesh militants, yet the attack had contributed to the offensive of the jihadists, who attacked government forces right after the coalition airstrikes.

The attack near Deir ez-Zor has raised the issue of coordination between US diplomats and military. Russia criticized the Pentagon, stating that the efforts of both Russian and US foreign services, as well as their presidents, had been derailed by Pentagon's unwillingness  sometimes covert, sometimes overt  to cooperate with Russia.

"Apparently the [US] military does not really listen to the Commander in Chief," Lavrov said commenting on the Pentagon's activities.
Emma Watson's short film lends just the right kind of positive perspective on feminism.

By India Today Web Desk: UN Women global goodwill ambassador Emma Watson has made a case for issues that really matter time and again. Recently, her speech at the UN about campus safety won her a lot of love and even more respect.

Now, Emma has joined hands with Global Goals, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to sustainable development and come up with a video give us a practical perspective on how far feminism has come.

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The video features a number of bad*ss women Olympians jumping over hurdles while Watson speaks about the history of the women's movement--with Sia's Chandelier adding just the right touch of sass to it all.

"Women and girls have always faced hurdles, but that's never stopped us," she says in the video, as the text on the screen highlights the legislation passed globally to forward women's rights. "We've sacrificed, fought, campaigned, succeeded, been knocked back, and succeeded again..."

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TEL AVIV (Sputnik)  Israeli incumbent President Reuven Rivlin has suspended his official visit to Ukraine over the death of his predecessor, Shimon Peres.

"President Reuven Rivlin has halted his official visit to Ukraine after the news about the death of Shimon Peres emerged and will return to Israel today," Israeli Channel 10 broadcaster reported.
According to Erdogan, this new entity would maintain security in a no-fly zone in Syria. Ankara has insisted on a no-fly zone in Syria for over a year. However, all proposals have been rejected by the international community.

The president added that there were some 65,000 fighters that could be involved in the initiative.

Political observer Mehmet Ali Guller commented to Sputnik on Erdogans proposal, saying that a "national army" made of Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters could be used as an "umbrella" for terrorist groups in Syria.
CAIRO (Sputnik)  Airport administrators in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Hurghada will reserve the entire second passenger terminal exclusively for Russian tourist flights, local media reported Wednesday, citing airport sources.

"The airport administration, after negotiations with the minister of civil aviation and ministry leadership, opted for the second building known as the 'old airport', to send and receive Russian [tourists]," the source told Egypt's Youm7 daily.
ANKARA (Sputnik)  A total of 32,000 people have been arrested in connection with a July 15 attempted coup in Turkey, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said Wednesday.

"To date, 32,000 people have been arrested," Bozdag said in an interview with the NTV broadcaster.

The minister said up to 70,000 people have been investigated for links to self-exiled Islamic cleric Fetullah Gulen and the so-called Fethullahist Terrorist Organization/Parallel State Structure (FETO) suspected of masterminding the attempted overthrow.
"I think [weapons] will possibly come from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE)," he said, adding that in fact, they have already been delivered. The analyst also noted that it was just a matter of time when the Gulf states "give permission to Syrian terrorists  they call them moderates, but we know that they are real terrorists  to use" the weapons.

Dr. Taleb Ibrahim also said that the US has ostensibly provided the BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missiles and night vision equipment to the militants trying to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad. The latter is "critical" with regard to the Syrian conflict since radical groups mostly launch attacks at night.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Joining the fight against terrorism in Syria by the Russian military prevented the division of the Middle Eastern country and strengthened positions of the legitimate government in Damascus, a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik.

"Russia's joining of efforts to settle Syria crisis and the fight against terrorism in the country prevented the division of Syria and protected integrity of its territory, strengthened the legitimate authority in the country, and, in addition, this intervention helped to restore the balance that was in place in the region in the past," Bahram Qasemi said.
DAMASCUS (Sputnik)  Maintaining Syria's statehood and identity is the most important achievement of the Russian aerial anti-terrorist campaign in the Arab country, Syrian State Minister for National Reconciliation Affairs Ali Haidar told Sputnik.

"Maintaining the state with its identity and its current functions, determined by the Syrian people, and with the leadership elected by the Syrian people, is the most important achievement after one year of Russian troops' involvement [in the operation]," Haidar said.

He added that Russia had also played a crucial role in establishment of truce and provision of humanitarian aid to the crisis-torn Syria's regions.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Peres passed away at the age of 93 in a clinic near Tel Aviv earlier in the day after spending approximately two weeks in a stroke-induced coma.

"Vladimir Putin highly appreciated Shimon Peres' personal contribution to the efforts of achieving a peaceful settlement in the Middle East, which has been appreciated by the international community as evidenced by the Nobel Peace Price awarded to him," the Kremlin said.

Peres was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994. His 66-year political career included two prime ministerial terms, two terms as interim prime minister and a presidential stint in 2007-14.
In these documents, the Pentagon openly said that "they are supporting the rebels, they are trying to get rid of Assad with the help of the rebels," the journalist detailed, describing this approach as a "clear" strategy. "In a certain way [the al-Nusra Front commander] is repeating what the Pentagon said four years ago."

The interview with the al-Nusra Front commander took place in "the no man's land between eastern and western Aleppo" on September 17.

The al-Nusra Front commander essentially said what many have already known. "He said what we all were thinking about al-Qaeda. He is completely convinced that he does not want a secular state. He does not want an agreement or democracy. He wants an Islamic state," the journalist explained.

The commander also told the journalist that their group was not ready to accept any ceasefire, but was instead willing to fight until the end. The interview prompted Todenhofer to observe that it was hard for him to imagine how the Syrian rebels and Damascus could find common ground because "they are so far from each other" at a time when there is "no strong peaceful opposition."

Todenhofer also said that "the rebels started this war and they bear responsibility" for what has happened.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Krydees statement comes as September 30 marks the one-year anniversary of the Russian anti-terrorist campaign in the country. It was launched at the request of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

"Russia helped the whole population of Syria, supported the status of the country and the very idea of being a country, and supported the law. Russia protected the establishment, as the country was about to fall down. I think most of the people in Syria are against terrorism, and they will say thanks to Russia one day. Many people understood it from the very beginning," Krydee said.

The United States and its allies have also been conducting airstrikes against terrorists in Syria. But the actions of the US-led coalition raise concerns, the representative of the internal opposition noted.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence contended that in cases of black money detection, it was forced to transfer the matter to the Enforcement Directorate, leading to several technical complications.

By Virendrasingh Ghunawat: In last few years, there have been many instances when the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had exposed major illegal import scams (worth in crores) by big giants in Indian Inc., show cause notices (SCN) were issued after thorough investigation; and later, these cases were handed over to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for further prosecution under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

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The final outcome of these cases were never seen even after one or two years, because either the ED officials are least interested in custom-related cases or the investigation against never ever begins or the files are kept in the cold storage. Finally, the entire exercise leaves DRI officials red face.

Till that time, some of the DRI officials gets transferred to other departments or few of them who are still holding the battle against the corporate giants, faces pressures and threats from all sides. At the end, instead of prosecuting the accused companies for looting the country, the cases lands up nowhere.

Today, the DRI is investigating trade-based money laundering scams, under and over-valuations of imported items, and smuggling of gold, foreign currency, fire-crackers and cigarettes.

In last three years, DRI had issued notices and show cause notices to at least two dozen corporate groups who were involved in over-valuation of imported power equipments and coal products - which becomes the main reason behind high electricity tariffs in India.

Frustrated DRI officials have now decided to take their grievances at the doorsteps of Finance Ministry with a proposal seeking the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) under its jurisdiction, as well.

The DRI has sought more powers to ensure prosecution in cases, where it detects money laundering. DRI has sought authority to prosecute wrongdoers under the provisions of PMLA.

The DRI has written to the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) asking it to take up the matter with the finance ministry. Sources said that the CBEC had sought advice for taking up the matter with the finance ministry.

So far, only the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has powers to register cases under PMLA. Whereas, DRI deals with gathering revenue intelligence. It also has powers to prosecute offenders under the Customs Act, but under less stringent FEMA.

WHAT IS PMLA?

At present, the Directorate of Enforcement in the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance is responsible for investigating the cases of offence of money laundering under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.

The Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 came into force with effect from 1st July, 2005. The Act was amended by the Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment) Act 2009 w.e.f. 01.06.2009 (Tel:01062009). The Act was further amended by the Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment) Act, 2012 w.e.f. 15 (Tel:15022013) (Tel:15022013) 02 (Tel:15022013) (Tel:15022013) 2013 (Tel:15022013).

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WHAT IS MONEY LAUNDERING?

The goal of a large number of criminal activities is to generate profit for an individual or a group. Money laundering is the processing of these criminal proceeds to disguise their illegal origin.

Illegal arms sales, smuggling, and other organized crime, including drug trafficking and prostitution rings, can generate huge amounts of money. Embezzlement, insider trading, bribery and computer fraud schemes can also produce large profits and create the incentive to "legitimize" the ill-gotten gains through money laundering.

The money so generated is tainted and is in the nature of 'dirty money'. Money laundering is the process of conversion of such proceeds of crime, the 'dirty money', to make it appear as 'legitimate' money.

In the PMLA, 2002, money laundering has been defined as "any process or activity connected with proceeds of crime including its concealment, possession, acquisition or use and projecting or claiming it as untainted property".

DRI VS ED

DRI contended that in cases of black money detection, it was forced to transfer the matter to ED, leading to several technical complications.

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Former DRI official said, "In India, we have this umbilical cord syndrome, whoever has initiated the case, he owns the case. Everything runs not on institutionalism but on individualism."

"Cases are booked and investigated at individual officers initiative. If one agency has booked a case, it is expected to take the case to logical end. When one refers case other agency, they simply do not take interest, they don't identify with it. Hence this clamour for PMLA powers, as ED has not been taking up other agency cases to logical conclusion. Examples are numbers", the official explained.

DRI claims that it has been demanding PMLA from a long-time. "It's only logical that one agency looks at all the violations in one go, if they are interconnected and functionally akin", the official said.

DRI officials also clarifies that it is not the case of power struggle. "DRI is better equipped to deal with Trade Based Money Laundering cases. We are asking for exclusive powers and concurrent powers. We should be empowered under PMLA", another DRI official working for Western region said.

Former DRI official who had worked for ED as well handling crucial cases, believes PMLA should be given to DRI for a reason that it would bring in competition among agencies and fast prosecution against the accused individuals/companies too.

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"Sometimes, when Custom cases of DRI are being told to be investigated by ED officials or at a time when permission are sought from the higher officials to implement an action plan, for some or other reasons, it never happens. In all the major zonal regions of ED, there are large number of Custom cases lying either in the cold storage or getting probed at a snail pace, which is unfortunate. As it gives enough time to accused for preparing their defence strategy", former ED official told Indiatoday.in.

Surprisingly, even the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had also demand PMLA, despite enjoying powers to prosecute offenders under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

At present, the matter is lying with the revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia. Till now, there has been no indication from Finance Ministry, but sources said seeing the seriousness of Modi government on tackling the black money issue both in India and foreign, some crucial decisions could be expected on PMLA in Union Budget 2017.



ALSO READ:

DRI detains gold jewellery, says bullion traders playing mischief



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DAMASCUS (Sputnik)  More than 100 militants and their families left El Waer on Thursday in accordance with the deal negotiated with the Syrian government.

"Russia's participation filled the gap left by the United Nations and provided logistics and field conditions that ensured withdrawal of militants and their families from the El Waer neighborhood toward the north of the Homs province," Barazi said.

In his opinion, the most important achievements of the Syrian army after the Russian Aerospace Forces launched the anti-terrorist campaign in Syria are the liberation of the cities of Palmyra and Al Quaryatayn both located in the Homs province and efforts applied by them to protect the eastern city of Deir ez-Zor.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Russia's aerial campaign in Syria has reinforced Moscow's positions among other countries and contributed to the multipolarity in the world, Syria's Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) co-chairman Saleh Muslim told Sputnik.

"The Russian campaign in Syria has strengthened country's positions in the world affairs. I believe, this was the end of the unipolar world. We can talk about multipolar world now," Muslim said.

He added that Moscow's aerial campaign had also changed Washington's perception of terrorists, pushing the United States to change its stance with regard to several militant groups in the region.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  According to the Khaama Press agency, the Daesh commander killed in the airstrike has been identified as Qari Hamza. It has not been revealed yet, whether the US forces or the Afghan Air Force carried out the air strike, targeting Daesh militants in Shedal area of the province's Achin district, according to the media outlet.

Afghanistan is in a state of political and social turmoil, with government forces fighting the continuing Taliban insurgency, while other extremist groups, such as Daesh group, outlawed in many countries including the United States and Russia, have also expanded their activities both in the country and in neighboring states. The instability has persisted in the country since the 2001 US-led invasion to defeat the Taliban and al-Qaeda.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  He stressed that the meeting participants' agreed that the situation in Afghanistan was worsening, despite Taliban failing to reach their spring goals, especially in a number of regions, including Helmand, Urozgan, Kunduz provinces, where the government forces are involved in heavy fighting against Taliban.

"Everyone realized that there are no serious grounds for an Afghanistan peace agreement at the moment. Taliban is strengthening its positions and, apparently, there will not be any substantial talks in the near future," Zamir Kabulov told RIA Novosti.

The New York meeting of the 6+1 Group on Afghanistan included Russia, Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Pakistan and the United States.
ALEPPO (Sputnik)  Fighting has been continuing in the liberated al-Farafira district. The Syrian army has managed to keep control over the liberated area.

On Tuesday, Syrian government forces liberated most of the al-Farafira district northwest of Aleppo's historic Old City and advanced the frontline for the first time in years.

Syria is witnessing intensified fighting in Aleppo, after the Syrian army declared an end to the week-long Russia-US-brokered ceasefire, blaming militants for numerous violations that made the cessation of hostilities unreasonable.
CAIRO (Sputnik)  Russian and Egyptian authorities reportedly discussed the resumption of passenger air traffic between Russia and Egypt as well as a bilateral draft agreement on civil aviation security.

"There were no talks on that issue," Shoura told RIA Novosti commenting on media reports claiming that the entire terminal of the airport would be assigned for flights from Russia following the meetings of Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi and Minister of Civil Aviation Sharif Fathi on Tuesday.

Passenger flights from Russia to Egypt were suspended due to security reasons after the crash of the Russian A321 airliner on October 31, 2015, which was hit by the bomb blast on board. Daesh terrorist group claimed responsibility for the downing of the Russian plane.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  A Daesh drone was shot down in the Al Qayyarah region in Iraq's Nineveh province by volunteer forces on Wednesday, an Iraqi parliamentarian said.

"The drone was downed in al-Qayyara region located 65 kilometers to the South of Nineveh and was equipped with a camera that the ISIL [Daesh] used for monitoring the movements of Iraq's security and tribal forces," Ahmad Jabouri, an Iraqi member of parliament from the Nineveh province, was quoted as saying by Fars news agency.
Talking about the organizations visit to Syria, the president of the federation said that his team was operating in an area where everything was calm and despite Syria being at war; the streets in Damascus were relatively quiet and safe.

There are many people everywhere and commerce is active. In particularly, in Damascus, the capital of Syria, life is normal, Jarjour told Sputnik Brazil.

Of course, the country is at war and there are checkpoints for the security of the population. The authorities are, however, closely monitoring the situation.

Looking at the war in Syria, the president of the federation said that, What we see are not Syrians who are fighting. There are jackals, or mercenaries from more than 80 nationalities, who pursue their own specific objectives, which are far from the objectives of this war.

Jarjour also mentioned the Syrian president, saying that, He [Bashar Assad] is very well-balanced, kind and confident. He is a statesman who is aware of the responsibility that rests upon him. He is fighting for his country, for his own people, Jarjour concluded.

Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to President Bashar Assad fighting a number of opposition factions and extremist groups, such as Daesh and al-Nusra, both of which are banned in Russia and a range of other countries.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The US Department of Defense is deploying 600 more US troops to Iraq in advance of the operation to retake the city of Mosul from Daesh.

The US military personnel will provide logistics support for Iraqi forces, NBC News cited Pentagon spokesperson Peter Cook as saying.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  Earlier on Wednesday, US media reported that Washington has agreed to send 600 additional troops to Iraq.

"In consultation with the Government of Iraq the US is prepared to provide additional US military personnel to train and advise the Iraqis as the planning for the Mosul campaign intensifies," the official stated.
By PTI: Gondia (Maha), Sep 27 (PTI) Explosives and live detonators were seized today from a Naxal hideout near here in Maharashtra, police said.

Acting on a tip off, personnel from Anti-Naxal Cell, C-60 Commando Force and local police jointly raided the hideout in a forest range near Kosambi village and seized 6 kg of explosives kept in two aluminium containers, concrete mixture, three live detonators, electric wires and iron rods, among other items, they said.

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The area lies under Chichgarh Police Stations jurisdiction and is part of Naxal-affected Deori tehsil of Gondia district.

According to the police, a local resident spotted around 15 armed Naxals, 5 to 6 of them women, near Kosambi yesterday.

He immediately alerted the local police who along with personnel from Anti-Naxal Cell, C?60 and Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad launched a search operation under supervision of District Superintendent of Police Dilip Bhujbal and busted the hideout. PTI COR RSY RG

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US servicemen, accompanied by the members of the opposition Free Syrian Army (FSA), entered two Syrian towns: Mare and Azaz, located to the north of Aleppo.

They arrived to prepare attacks against Daesh positions in the northern parts of Aleppo, primarily to free al-Bab, which is a Syrian city in Aleppo Governorate.

However, their arrival didnt go down very well with some of the FSA fighters. It is reported that about 100 FSA fighters staged a protest against the participation of US troops in the operation.
The media source said that a woman covered in a veil took out a gun and shot down two Daesh militants on Monday morning near one of the checkpoints in Mosul, Syria.

The murder was reportedly not the first of its kind.

"The incident is the third of its kind in the city of Mosul this month. This phenomenon has raised ISIS [Daesh] concerns during the past weeks," the TV channel said.
Talking about Russias major achievements in Syria, Anderson said, I think it was putting the proxy armies of NATO and the Gulf states on the back foot. It was really turning the war around and as we saw the results from early 2015 to this year, there are a very large number of displaced people returning to their homes. Several hundred villages and towns across Northern Syria have been liberated.

Looking at the current situation in Syria and assuming what would have happened had Russia turned down Assads request for aerial support to fight the militants, what would have happened then, Anderson said, Around this time last year I was in Syria, the Syrians held their ground but there was this huge invasion of an al-Qaeda linked group from Turkey into Idlib and Palmyra.

He further said that although those invasions were turned around, the Syrian Army was starting on many fronts and the role of Iran on the ground was very important to ending the conflict.

The role of Iran in the coordination of ground forces and recruiting the militia from around the region was vital. What was even more important was the coordination of Iran with Russia. I stress once again that the coordination role of different partners which you might call the Syrian alliance in Syria was very important, the analyst said.

Looking back at the past year in Syria, it can be seen that the missions were conducted in close cooperation with the Syrian troops, using intelligence data collected from a coordination center in Baghdad.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On August 24, Turkish forces, backed by US-led coalition aircraft, began a military operation dubbed Euphrates Shield to clear the Syrian border town of Jarabulus and the surrounding area of Daesh, outlawed in Russia and many other countries. Ankara also pledged to continue the operation until the threat allegedly posed by Kurdish militants active in the area is eliminated.

"In the course of the offensive, the intruding units have advanced to the Syrian territory over a distance of 10-20 kilometers [about 6-12 miles] and are restoring their fighting capabilities and are regrouping. We notice periodical armed clashes between the units of the FSA, the Turkish army and Kurdish militias in the area," Poznikhir said at a news briefing in the Defense Ministry.

He added that Daesh jihadists almost did not resist the offensive of the FSA troops in northern Syria and retreat to the south and southeast.
"We do not need missiles with a range of over 2,000 kilometers. The longest range required for [Irans] missiles is the [Israeli] occupied lands."

Last week, Hajizadeh claimed that one of the missiles on display, the Zolfaghar, had a range of roughly 466 miles. That missile was adorned with a banner that warned against Israeli provocations.

"If the leaders of the Zionist regime make one false move, the Islamic republic will turn Tel Aviv and Haifa to dust," the banner said.

According to General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, chief of staff of Irans armed forces, Tehran is concerned with the recently agreed-upon military aid deal between the US and Israel.

"The recent decision of the American criminals to give military aid to the usurper Zionist regime reinforces our determination to increase our defense capabilities," Bagheri said, according to the Times of Israel.
TOKYO (Sputnik)  "North Korea has reached a significant level of miniaturization and power of nuclear weapons," a spokesperson for the ministry told RIA Novosti commenting on Pyongyang's statement regarding the completion of essential part of the nuclear arms development made on Tuesday.

The spokesperson added that the North had reinforced its strategic capabilities and was continuing efforts to develop nuclear and biochemical weapons and ballistic missiles.

"We suppose, that North Korea posses 40 kilograms [88 pounds] of weapons-grade plutonium and the uranium enrichment program is underway," the ministry said.
Russia's refurbishing of military bases and civil infrastructure along the Northern Sea Route from Murmansk to the Far East has prompted the Norwegian Intelligence Service to believe it needs more monitoring capacity; Norway claims the two spy ships it has are insufficient. Both of Norway's intelligence collection ships will be sent into the high Arctic to gather data on Russia's military maneuvers.

In a few months, the FS Marjata will therefore keep company with the ship it was originally supposed to replace, which has been renamed the FS Eger after receiving a full overhaul and becoming modernized. Both reconnaissance ships are heading to neutral waters in the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea, but will be tasked with monitoring Russian activity exclusively.

"Norway's role as a monitor in the North, also on behalf of NATO, is becoming increasingly evident. This strengthens Norway's part and guarantees that our allies will come to our assistance in the event of a conflict. Intelligence is political capital," Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten's commentator Per Anders Madsen wrote.
BARNAUL (Sputnik)  A Russian in southern Siberia has denied any knowledge of a hack that was carried out against US Democratic National Committee using the servers he leased, a police source told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

"Vladimir Fomenko, a 26-year-old resident of Biysk in the Altai region, founded a web hosting service, King Servers, that leases server space, mostly to anonymous clients," the source in the law enforcement said. "He rented out servers that were used in the hack, there was no criminal intent. His business is absolutely legal and he blocked the servers immediately."
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The test launch of an aerial drone from an unmanned submarine has been deemed a success, US defense contractor Lockheed Martin said in a press release on Wednesday.

"This effort marks a milestone in showing that an unmanned aircraft, surface vessel and undersea vehicle can communicate and complete a mission cooperatively and completely autonomously," Kevin Schlosser, chief architect of Lockheeds Unmanned Systems Technology Division, said in the release.
"The paradigm then was we saw a new signal in an environment and got a lot of experts and put them in a room in a laboratory and had them start to dissect what those characteristics were, in order to build a prescription for a solution, whats that antidote," said Niedzwiecki. "That process took months."

The new system relies on artificial intelligence techniques and machine learning to work in real time.

"If Im a tactical soldier, maybe Im trying to detect and locate certain enemy signals or understand where and how the enemy is communicating in that tactical battlespace," said Niedzwiecki.

"This technology allows me to make better sense of what signals are in that electromagnetic spectrum and how theyre being used to better inform my tactical maneuvers."

The Pentagons concern with the EW gap is largely explained by its focus on the Middle East in the wake of the Cold War.

"My guess is," said Steven Pifer, former US Ambassador to Ukraine, "that after 15 years of doing largely counter-insurgency operations in the Middle East, the Army is now taking a look at how it would do large force-on-force conflict in a place like Europe."
By PTI: Basics

New Delhi, Sep 28 (PTI) Social networking website Facebook is cooperating with the Indian government to "explore alternatives" to its controversial Free Basics programme, which had to be shut down following the TRAIs move to bar operators from charging different rates for Internet access based on content.

"Facebook is working cooperatively with the Indian government to see what are the potential alternate solutions moving forward for connecting India," US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Sepulveda said today.

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His remarks came following the US-India Information and Communication Technology (ICT) working groups meeting here as a part of the fifth cyber dialogue between the two countries.

India, which has the worlds largest population "offline", will have to focus on the wireless mobile space to spread Internet connectivity, which is cost-effective compared to laying down of wires, Sepulveda said when asked to identify the "basic thrust" of the dialogue.

"The solution to connecting people, who are either very poor or live very far from others, will have to be a mobile one as laying down of wires from one person to another in a rural community costs a lot. A much more cost-effective solution is wireless," he told journalists.

A decision to establish technical working level groups around new technologies was taken during the talks, Sepulveda, who is also the US Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy, said.

He said US tech industries are "bullish" on India and "excited" about the upcoming wireless spectrum auction.

He flagged the India-specific testing standards of devices, to be marketed in the country as an area of concern, saying most markets recognise international certification.

"Mandating production is both counter-productive and bad economics...We are trying to understand why India has separate requirements and what would be the business-friendly ways to meet those standards," he said.

Sepulveda said countering "violent extremism" on Internet was a global challenge and the US was partnering with multiple countries, including India, on that front. PTI SBR RC SK RC

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Marine Corps has awarded BAE Systems a contract worth $103.7 million for the ACV 1.1 programhttps://t.co/Jdrfn6j2T0 pic.twitter.com/GhqoRnL66U  Dmitry Shulgin (@DrDmitryShulgin) 26  2015 .

The armored Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) transport, is a mine-protected 8x8 wheel-propelled vehicle, almost twice the height of the average soldier. According to the manufacturer, its current (1.1) version provides limited amphibious capabilities, compared with AAVs, but future versions will compensate this setback. The reason for the amphibious limitation lies in a confusion of requirements. Initially, the naval capabilities were less prioritized. Later, however, the Marine Corps required that the new vehicles be able to swim as well as the current AAVs.

The vehicle can carry 13 Marines, along with 3 additional personnel, and is able to propel itself even if some its wheels are destroyed.

The machine is an upgraded version of SuperAV, an amphibious vehicle produced by Italian manufacturer IVECO, which is, in turn, an upgraded version of several earlier designs. According to USNI News, the only actual change in the Italian design is the engine, boosted from 500 to 700 horsepower, so that in the future, heavier armor and weapons can be installed on the machine. Despite being licensed from IVECO, BAE's ACVs will be produced in York, Pennsylvania.

"The vehicle we have here today is our first production vehicle," which came off the production line "a couple of weeks ago," BAE program manager John Swift told reporters.

"It'll begin BAE's own internal testing in two weeks and we will present it to the government in December, along with the test results," he stated.
MEXICO CITY (Sputnik)  The meeting between Maduro and Kerry took place on Tuesday in Colombia on the sidelines of the signing of a peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) former rebel group. The signing ceremony was attended by a large number of international guests.

"I want better relations and dialogue with Barack Obama, as well as the next president, whomever comes after," the president said during the weekly "In Contact with Maduro" television program.

The meeting with Kerry was held in a diplomatic and positive manner, he added.
ANKARA (Sputnik)  Turkey expects the United States to respond within days to its request to detain self-exiled Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen that Ankara suspects of organizing the July 15 coup attempt, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said Wednesday.

"We are actively negotiating with the US on Gulen's extradition. The needed documents have been submitted. As we have been informed by the US, they will respond to our inquiry about Gulen's temporary arrest within one-two days," Bozdag said in an interview with the NTV broadcaster.
The poll also revealed that in the second round, 55 percent of French voters are also likely to support Juppe, while 41 percent are in favor of Sarkozy returning as the president.

The survey was conducted on September 21-26, with 8,031 potential voters taking part in the poll.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  A Russian diplomatic source told the Izvestia daily earlier in the day that Gen. Khalifa Haftar, who leads forces loyal to the Tobruk-based Council of Deputies, has called on Moscow to ends its arms embargo and begin military supplies.

"I can neither confirm, nor deny it. I do not know through which channels [the request] could have been transmitted," Peskov told reporters.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  White House spokesman Josh Earnest said at a press briefing Monday that the public would be informed concerning sanctions targeting Syria and Russia "only after that decision has been made and those penalties have been imposed."

"Of course, in general, imposing sanctions in the context of Syrian affairs evokes deep misunderstanding, especially among those who know the reality of the situation in Syria, the real situation related to the implementation of commitments set out in Russian-US agreements," Peskov told reporters.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The United States sabotages the implementation of the agreements on Syria reached with Russia, this is "de-facto helping the enemy" in the case of war, speaker of Russia's upper house of parliament Valentina Matvienko told Sputnik.

"The US-Russia agreements of September 9 were a great success. But this makes out disappointment even greater in relation to us seeing complete sabotage and dragging out, some new conditions and accusations towards us instead of a prompt resolution of all key issues (primarily disengagement the moderate forces and terrorists which the US side promised to do," Matvienko said.

According to the official, in conditions of war this is not only "avoiding combat," but also "de facto helping the enemy."
On October 13, 2015, the Dutch Security Council issued results of its own investigation. The council did not try to blame any party to the conflict in Ukraine for the plane crash  it revealed that the jet was hit by a 9M38 missile fired from a Buk missile system. The Security Councils report only said that the missile had been launched from a 320-square-kilometer (more than 120 square miles) area in eastern Ukraine.

"It would be wrong to speculate about media reports and leaks, we should wait for the report to see what wording it uses and what conclusions were made," Peskov told reporters.

Russia agreed with the reports conclusion that the missile exploded near the left side of the jet. But Russias arms manufacturer Almaz-Antey said that it was a proof that the missile had been launched from the Zaroshchenske region controlled by Ukrainian armed forces. According to Almaz-Antey, if the missile had been launched from Snezhnoye controlled by eastern Ukrainian pro-independence militia, it would have hit the right side of the plane.

Despite the fact that Russian experts were not invited in JIT, they were asked for help during the investigation. The Netherlands asked for primary radar images of the Ukrainian air space obtained in the time of the crash. Russia managed to gain radar data that revealed no objects that could have caused destruction of the jet.
Calling Russia "the greatest threat" to America's national security or describing its behavior as "assertive" and "alarming" to secure more funds would certainly not look as convincing if the deal negotiated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry would have been fully implemented. In that case, the US and Russian Armed Forces would have been compelled to coordinate their counterterrorism operations in Syria at an unprecedented level.

"My view is that the Pentagon was dead set against it. They have their own bureaucratic self-interest in not having cooperation with Russia, which is extremely important to them; the reason being that they're in a so-called new Cold War with Russia and they're getting a lot of Congressional money based on that promise," investigative journalist Gareth Porter told RT. "So they don't want to have that promise challenged by this idea of close cooperation militarily with Russia in Syria."

This is not what America's civilian leadership had in mind. The White House and the State Department have made a remarkable effort to work with Russia on resolving the five-and-a-half-year conflict that claimed more than 280,000 lives, left half of Syria's population displaced and sparked a major refugee crisis in Europe.
The study concluded that Hillary would be the better choice for the states at the NATO eastern border, but the alliance should consider the consequences if Trump is elected.

Clinton will only speak about the need to expand NATO during her campaign or to intimidate Russia, but in fact no real expansion can be expected, experts told RT.

"In 2008, US President George W. Bush tried to speed up Ukrainian and Georgian accession to NATO but France and Germany rejected the move because they wanted normal ties with Russia," said Sergei Samuylov, senior analyst and the Institute for US and Canadian Studies.

According to him, if elected Hillary Clinton is unlikely to restart the process. Since his election, Barack Obama has been accused of showing "weakness" towards Russia. Hillary Clinton has been criticizing Russia during her campaign in order to secure victory in the election.

Samuylov also assumed that if elected Trump will cut US NATO spending.

"In fact, new NATO members are financial dependents. Trump wants all NATO members to pay two percent of their GDP. This is why some European countries dont like him," he added.
All Savannah Shukla did was feed her hungry baby while getting some shopping done.

By India Today Web Desk: Her crime for being threatened with an arrest? Feeding her child while getting some shopping done. Yup, it's just as simple as that.

Savannah Shukla from Columbus, Georgia, is mother to two beautiful kids--a one-month old and a 20-month old. While shopping at a supermarket (Piggly Wiggly), Savvy (Savannah) just decided to feed her hungry one-month old, only to be approached by a police officer who threatened to arrest her for being "offensive" by breastfeeding in public. When Savvy stated that the Georgia State Law does not prohibit breastfeeding in public, the officer told her that she THINKS she knows the law.

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Saavy Shukla wrote her whole ordeal on her Facebook page:

"Tonight while in Piggly Wiggly with my sister and both my children (the oldest 20mos and the youngest 1month old today) while nursing a Deputy approached me right when I was about to leave and informed that I needed to cover up because someone might find it "offensive"

I repeated the law back to him stating that Georgia state law says I can breastfeed however most comfortable wherever I want as long as I'm authorized to be there.

He then grows flustered and says "No ma'am that's not the case." And I said

"No I know what the law says" for him to say:

"You just THINK you know what the law says and if your nipple becomes exposed I really don't want to have to arrest you or you be arrested for being offensive. This isn't like the first amendment where you can say something offensive."

I then repeated what the GA state law says and told him if someone finds this offensive something is wrong with them.

For him to tell me once again that I just "think" I know the law.

He also pointed out how he could "already see my areola" and that if someone saw my nipple (even if I were trying to cover up) that he would have to arrest me and that he "really didn't want to arrest me". For him to see my areola he would've had to have been staring VERY hard.

I finally got mad enough and walked away telling him I know my right to have a good night. And went to the car and boohooed and I'm still boohooing about it.

I'd like to thank April the Paralegal for defending me, taking this picture and getting his name for me.

I'm so upset about it and I understand why this type of harassment can cause moms to stop.

I WILL be reporting this to whoever his higher ups are tomorrow morning because if he did it to me he will do it to someone else. And who knows who else he's done it too."

--- ENDS ---

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Similarly, Bhutan and Afghanistan also conveyed their concerns to SAARC Chair Nepal.

The letter from the Bhutan government to SAARC Chair Nepal said that, The Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances.

Due to increased level of violence and fighting which resulted from the imposition of terrorism in Afghanistan, the President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged and will not be able to attend the Summit, the letter send by the Afghan government to SAARC Chair Nepal said.

Earlier on Tuesday, India expressed its displeasure in taking part in the SAARC Summit.

Therefore in the prevailing circumstances, the Islamabad SAARC Summit is unlikely to happen, although the final decision will be taken by the current SAARC Chair Nepal.

After the boycott by four countries, we would most certainly call off the Summit. It will be conveyed in due course, Nepal-based sources told Sputnik.
Russia's limited military engagement in Syria is a testament to what could have been achieved if Washington had decided to join forces with Moscow and fight terrorist groups such as Daesh and al-Nusra Front together.

"A minimalistic and selective use of our military force led Syria out of a deadlock not in a year, but in the first three-four months, turned the tide of war and drastically improved Russia's standing not only in the Middle East, but throughout the world," he observed.

All this time, Russian leaders have repeatedly called on other countries, particularly the United States, to join forces and defeat what the Kremlin perceives as one of the greatest global challenges facing every country: international terrorism.
The Center for Syrian Reconciliation has since served as a platform for negotiations between the Syrian government and militant groups willing to lay down arms. The center has been issuing reports on the situation in Syria, including the number of settlements that join the ceasefire deal, daily since its launch.

A joint Russia-US center to monitor the ceasefire implementation in the war-torn Arab country has also been launched.

The Russian-US monitoring center started its work in Geneva in May with the aim to oversee the implementation of the Syria ceasefire regime, which has been in place in parts of the country since late February.

The opening of the joint Russian-US center for Syria ceasefire monitoring has brought the bilateral cooperation on that issue to a new level, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on May 6.

"This interaction could be more active and more effective. At the same time, we are satisfied with the fact that the opening of such a center in Geneva on the UN platform has brought [the Russia-US] cooperation [on Syria] to a certain new level," Zakharova said.

In September, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura called to improve work of joint Russian-US operation center in Geneva to identify those responsible for ceasefire violations in Syria.

"This operation center where the Russian and American military are present in Geneva has been pretty good at monitoring through local contacts, through NGOs, through the media but also directly through Syrian people What needs to be better  identify those who started it, which is complicated sometimes, and how to stop it  what type of deterrence, punishment, if you want, will be applied to those to break the agreement on the ceasefire," de Mistura said.

Work of Baghdad Information Center

Russia has made attempts to engage the United States in coordinating anti-terror activities in Syria through an information center in Baghdad as well, which was established jointly with Iran, Iraq and Syria in September 2015.

The stated aim of the Baghdad Center is to collect, process, summarize and analyze current data about the Middle East in the context of counterterrorism measures against Daesh, distributing intelligence between the general staffs of the four countries.

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, US experts and military officials were invited to work in the center. "Unfortunately, they did not attend first meetings and discussions of the center," he said in late September 2015.
The agreement between Russia and the People's Republic of China was signed in Beijing on September 27, 2010. It envisions the development of bilateral cooperation in counterterrorism strategy, including joint measures for prevention, detection and suppression of terror activities. It stipulates an exchange of data concerning terrorist organizations, their proposed operations, the sources of financing, as well as information about illegal use of explosives, weapons and ammunition.

The agreement is aimed at strengthening of Russia-China cooperation against terrorism based on the Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism, signed on June 15, 2001, and the SCO Convention Against Terrorism, singed on June 16, 2009, in Yekaterinburg.
However, the Japanese Foreign Ministry rebuffed the reports. Some experts say that the Japanese government is ready for such a compromise and Tokyo deliberately leaked the news to test public response.

The idea was discussed during a meeting in 2001 between Vladimir Putin and then-Japanese Premier Mori Yoshiro. Since then it has not been discussed.

It seems that Japan has changed its approach towards Russia, but this strategy has not been made public, said Oleg Kazakov, an expert at the Center for Japanese Studies, the Institute for Far Eastern Studies.

"Abe said that politics and the economy should be separated. This means that Tokyo wants to separate the territorial problem from Russia-Japan economic cooperation. But this is not new. This was proposed in the 1990s. But Tokyos new strategy is secret. If they still want all four islets then what has changed?" Kazakov told Sputnik.

According to the analyst, the publication in Yomiuri Shimbun was aimed to make different groups of the Japanese establishment formulate their stance on the issue.

"Some in Tokyo still hope that Japan can get back all four islands in exchange for economic cooperation and financial aid. But this straightforward approach will not work," he said.
Cooperation between the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Syrian military has proven the efficiency of combat activity coordinated by a foreign air force and a national army, Former Syrian Information Minister Mehdi Dakhlalla said.

According to him, the cooperation resulted in the destruction of over 1,000 of the most dangerous Daesh and al-Nusra Front militants.

Moscow started its anti-Daesh operation in Syria on September 30, 2015. Unlike the US-led coalitions' efforts in the country, Russia's campaign has been authorized by Damascus and is conducted in close cooperation with the Syrian military.
The Italian journalist was referring to President Obama's Executive Order 13572, published on April 29, 2011. The document accused the Syrian government of ostensibly carrying out "human rights abuses" that "constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States."

Moscow, Chiesa insisted, is not interested in perpetuating the Syrian War. Russia is "the only country that has been authorized to act in Syrian airspace" and the only nation that has been fighting Daesh, he said.

This is why Russia made every effort to reach an agreement with the United States to pave the way for a ceasefire. The truce lasted seven days, but was declared over by the Syrian Arab Army due to numerous violations by US-backed rebel groups.

"Who wanted to undermine the [Lavrov-Kerry] agreement? Clearly members of the 'Western' alliance (or their intelligence services) do not want any ceasefire," the Italian journalist noted. "Meanwhile, a chorus of Western media outlets blames Russia."
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  According to Kirby, Kerry voiced "grave concern over the deteriorating situation in Syria" and said Washington considers Moscow responsible for the situation.

"[Kerry] informed the Foreign Minister that the United States is making preparations to suspend US-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria  including on the establishment of the Joint Implementation Center  unless Russia takes immediate steps to end the assault on Aleppo and restore the cessation of hostilities," the release stated.

Kerry also accused Russia of the use of incendiary and bunker-buster bombs in urban areas in Aleppo. He also blamed Moscow and Damascus for attacks on civilian infrastructure in Aleppo.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  He added that with the ceasefire established, a collective surveillance mechanism proposed by France could be established.

"We propose to discuss a resolution to actually reach a ceasefire in Aleppo, and that resolution will make everyone face up to their responsibilities. Those who abstain from voting will risk being considered complicit in war crimes," Ayrault said in his speech at the National Assembly.

Ayrault stressed that Aleppo would not share the fate of Guernica, a town heavily bombed during the Spanish Civil War.
Previously, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov emphasized that Moscow strongly opposed the measure.

"Given the lukewarm attitude of Western powers, including the US, towards the concept of a 'safe zone', this is least likely to happen," Sheikh suggests.

On the other hand, tensions continue to simmer between Ankara and Washington over the US' alliance with the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and the Democratic Union Party (PYD), which are regarded by Turkey as "terrorist" organizations linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

"Turkey's 'conditional' approach to Syria, which is now revealing itself over the question of the Syrian Kurds, remains the main obstacle preventing it from working much more closely and effectively with its NATO allies under a viable strategy," Semih Idiz of Al-Monitor's Turkey Pulse underscores.

Idiz emphases that Washington has made it clear to Turkey that it still considers the YPG to be its ally in Syria. Moreover, "much to Ankara's annoyance," the Pentagon continues to arm the YPG while preparing to liberate Raqqa from Daesh (ISIS/ISIL).

Citing Abdulkadir Selvi, a columnist for Hurriyet Daily News, Idiz explains that Ankara has offered Washington to replace the YPG fighters with the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army to retake Raqqa.

"The FSA, however, has not proved itself to be a viable replacement for the YPG," Idiz remarks.
By Romita Datta: The stage is set for a mighty showdown in the Hills with both Trinamool Congress and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha gearing up for a show of strength and political space in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong.

GJM SENSED LOOSENED HOLD

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), the leading party in the Darjeeling hills and advocate of separate state of Gorkhaland for the people, is in a difficult position with members quitting the party either for Trinamool Congress or for JAP (Jana Andolan Party), which is its offshoot. The policy of poaching, which Trinamool Congress adopted to increase its tally has affected the GJM. The party's principal agenda of a separate state is also not finding many takers.



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ALSO READ: Trade organisations call bandh in Tamil Nadu against torching of state lorries in Karnataka



Yet the bandh called by GJM today was a huge success as Hill people preferred to go on a holiday instead of risking their lives in the confrontation between the Trinamool Congress and GJM supporters.

The ruling Trinamool Congress has left no stones unturned in making the bandh a flop show. Three ministers are camping in the Hills to ensure normalcy. But the situation is far from being normal. Schools, colleges, government offices were kept open and public transport was plying, but very few people were willing to step out of their houses.



ALSO READ: Tamil Nadu bandh over Cauvery dispute: DMK workers block trains; Stalin, Kanimozhi court arrest

LOCALS STAYED OUT OF THE SCENE

The division bench of Calcutta High Court has passed an order and asked the government to ensure an atmosphere of normalcy for people. However, the government was unable to build up confidence among people to feel free.

"People of Hills want peace and development. They don't want disturbance. The success of the bandh does not indicate that GJM still holds influence among the Hill people. If people have stayed away from work, it is because they are peace loving," said Harka Bahadur Chhetri of JAP. For Mamata, the outcome of the bandh cannot be music to the ears, but she is still hoping that appearance can be deceptive.

--- ENDS ---
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  According to the statement, Lavrov emphasized that some of the so-called moderate opposition groups, sponsored by the United States, joined al-Nusra Front terrorists instead of abiding by the ceasefire regime.

Lavrov reiterated Moscows call on Washington to fulfill its commitments to separate moderate opposition units from terrorist groups.

"[Lavrov and Kerry] discussed the opportunity of exerting influence over the situation in Aleppo to improve it by returning to basic principles of Russia-US agreements on the Syrian conflict settlement," the ministry said in a statement.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) announced that the plane had allegedly been downed by a Buk missile system's missile which was brought from "the territory of the Russian Federation."

Furthermore the investigation believes that the missile was launched by the territory controlled by the Donbass militia.

Nevertheless, the JIT said that the prosecutors do not link the MH17 downing to the Russian state of Russian citizens' actions. The team said that there are some 100 people involved "in one way of another" in the MH17 plane's downing.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  If Congress fails to pass the TPP trade deal, Kerry argued, the US economy will lose its competitiveness and fall behind other nations, especially considering that 95 percent of Americas customers reside outside of the United States.

"I hope that within a few weeks when the election is over and Congress returns to Washington to finish the peoples business, they will take up and approve TPP to preserve, protect and defend the best interests of our beloved country," Kerry stated.

The TPP, Kerry claimed, contains high labor and environmental standards that will be enforceable, unlike previous arrangements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  On Monday, the US Department of Justice announced charges against four Chinese nationals and the Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Development Co. Ltd. (DHID) with money laundering and conspiracy to evade sanctions against North Koreas nuclear program.

"We believe we have the authorities we need, and yes, we are looking at all possible pressure points including financial," Fried said when asked during a Senate hearing if the United States intended to sanction Chinese banks caught facilitating North Korean financial transactions.

The US Treasury also announced sanctions on four top executives of DHID.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) announced that the plane had allegedly been downed by a Buk missile system's missile which was brought from "the territory of the Russian Federation." Furthermore the investigation believes that the missile was launched by the territory controlled by Donbass militia.

Nevertheless, the JIT said that the prosecutors do not link the MH17 downing to the Russian state of Russian citizens' actions. The team said that there are some 100 people involved "in one way of another" in the MH17 plane's downing.

"The investigation is essential to ensure that those responsible face prosecution and to deliver accountability. Todays initial criminal report offers clear evidence that the missile was Russian-made, and launched from within territory held by Russian-backed separatist groups. We ask that Russia now engages constructively with the findings and ongoing investigation," Johnson said.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  Kerry explained that the dangers posed by North Koreas nuclear tests and the development of long-range ballistic missiles are a genuine threat to the United States and to [its] allies in the region.

It is essential that we work closely in every way about all of our values and interests from a position of strength with our partners South Korea and Japan, as well as work with China, Russia and others who have stakes in the outcome of this challenge with the DPRK, Kerry said, referring to North Korea.

On Monday, the US Treasury Department announced sanctions against Chinese company Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Development and four executives allegedly tied to North Koreas weapons programs.
Whether the West has the political will to reach such an agreement is highly questionable, "taking into account Germany's weapons supplies to Saudi Arabia and the US arms deliveries to the al-Nusra Front". According to him, Germany could have stopped the supplies if the federal government really wanted to.

"I would like to hear the opinion of the German Justice concerning the supply of arms to Saudi Arabia and Qatar," Hunko stated.

Hunko's colleague and fellow Left Party member Wolfgang Gehrke also commented on the Syrian conflict in an interview with Sputnik.

"I've always had the impression that Daesh, the al-Nusra Front and other Islamist organizations have received money via Turkey, the US, Saudi Arabia and Qatar to acquire weapons," he said.

In order to end the war in Syria, one should immediately sign "a temporary truce that would allow the population to leave the eastern part of the city of Aleppo. [We also need] the suppression of any cash flows and weapons supplies to ensure peace in Syria."
Although the US regularly lectures other countries on the need for fair elections, there are serious flaws in the U.S. voting system that are compounded by inequality. This has serious implications for how people view democracy in the United States  or the lack thereof.

Google has released its new instant messaging app called Allo. The company says it is revolutionary, but Edward Snowden has warned people against using the app. Is Google Allo the perfect tool for the surveillance state? Becker is joined by Professor Bryan Ford, who leads the Decentralized/Distributed Systems lab at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne.

Israel has teamed up with Facebook to monitor what it says are comments on social media that incite violence. But as the arrest of seven journalists from the Shehab News Agency and Quds News Network this week shows, the relationship is really about undermining the Palestinian movement in general, and any kind of criticism of Israels apartheid policies. Becker is joined by journalist Marwa Osman.
KHABAROVSK (Sputnik)  In Siberia's Republic of Buryatia, EMD troops are working to provide communication to motorized infantry, tank and artillery army units taking part in an active phase of ongoing drills, which involve live shooting, according to the EMD.

"Around 1,000 troops from EMD signal corps and over 100 units of modern special equipment are involved in tactical drills that are being carried out in Buryatia, in the Primorsky Territory and in the Sakhalin Region," the EMD said in a statement.
Yuri Stavitsky said that the new robotic unit would replace the Zhuk reconnaissance and demining systems that are currently mounted on BMP-1 and BMP-2 armored fighting vehicles and T-72 and T-90 tanks.

In an interview with Izvestia, Viktor Murakhovsky, editor-in-chief of the journal Arsenal Otechestva (Arsenal of the Motherland), said that he couldnt imagine a wheeled APC being hit by antitank mines and moving on.

Thats why I think well opt for the Armata tracked platform as all our existing systems are built around the T-72 and T-90 tanks, Murakhovsky added.

A similar robotic mine-clearing vehicle capable of quickly breaking through enemy lines is being developed in the US, and is based on the Stryker APC.

The T-14 Armata was unveiled at the May 9 Victory Day military parade in Moscow in 2015. The main battle tank is operated by a crew of three, who are housed inside an armored capsule in the front of the vehicle.

Its main armaments include a 125-mm smoothbore 2A82-1M tank cannon with 45 rounds, a 7.62-mm remote-control PKTM machine gun and a 12.7 mm (0.50 in) Kord machine gun.

The Russian Defense Ministry plans to purchase as many as 2,300 Armata tanks by 2020.
After the recent flood in Hyderbad due to rains, the chief minister had promised that a massive anti-encroachment drive would be started in the city.

By Ashish Pandey: As promised by Telangana Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has started a massive anti-encroachment drive in the city. The corporation demolished 26 structures today encroaching lake beds and storm water drainage. But this time the sufferers are those who as per the municipal corporation had built houses on encroached areas.

The team consisting police personals civil and municipal corporation officials are taking up this drive in 28 circles under the jurisdiction of the corporation. In past two day the authority demolished over 250 illegal structures and encroachments.

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Also read: Apollo Hospitals launches Heart Failure Clinic in Hyderabad

LOSING SHELTER



Animal Husbandry Minister, T Srinivas Yadav who also represents the Sanathnagar constituency made it clear that the government is in no mood to spare even the high and mighty while hitting on the poor. Speaking to India today, he said, "We are ready to provide two bedroom houses to the poor who will lose their shelters during this drive but now we need support from the political parties also to implement it completely."

On Tuesday, the team demolished structures in Ameerpet, Nizampet, Malkajgiri, Chandnagar, Kukatpally, Indira Nagar-Gacchobowli, Nallakunta and posh Banjara Hills area. Apart from the illegal structures, they also raised down extra floors and other constructions standing without proper permission.

Also read: Sixteen black magicians nabbed separately in Hyderabad



In the first phase of the drive, the real sufferers are mostly the lower middle class who managed to build small homes. They questioned the government's move and the GHMC officials saying why were they sleeping till now when the structures came up under their nose.



FLOOD SITUATION DUE TO ILLEGAL STRUCTURES



Recently, while reviewing the flood situation in Hyderabad, the chief minister himself had confessed that 28,000 illegal structures made the city suffer during the recent rains and promised that the illegal structures would be demolished no matter who they belong to.

Also read: Telangana govt inks agreement with ISRO



Although the move is being appreciated but questions are also being raised about who permitted these structures to be built in the first place and would the guilty be punished.

--- ENDS ---
All technical part of the JIT team's investigation had false data, the Almaz-Antey company said. If the MH17 flight had been downed by a missile from the territory controlled by Donbass militia, the plane would have been damaged from the right side, however, no such damages have been found by the JIT.

When simulating the MH17 downing, the Netherlands used data about an American missile that is different from the BUK's missile, the Russian arms manufacturer said.

There is a possibility that the Malaysian MH17 Boeing passenger plane was downed by a Buk missile in eastern Ukraine in 2014 by mistake, Russia's Almaz-Antey concern said.

"The possibility that it was downed by a mistake made by Buk air defense system operator cannot be ruled out." "It could have been poor training of the crew, or unreliable tracking data, any tragic mistake was possible, including a mix-up during the loading of a missile  combat version instead of a dummy variant."

A representative of the radar-producing plant, Lianozovskiy Electromechanical plan, said that radars can not notice objects flying toward it. Radars can not see planes in a cloudy sky as the speed of a plane is higher than that of a cloud, Viktor Meshcheryakov explained.

The radar system could not have noticed a rocket fired from the south of the MH17 crash site, the town of Zaroschenskoye, according to the expert. If the missile had been fired from Pervomaiskiy town controlled by the Donbass militia, the radar would have 90 percent noticed it.

The Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was en route to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam when it was downed over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014. All 298, including 80 children and 15 crew members, were killed.
The Russian Defense Ministry said that the data provided by the JIT and conclusions made on its basis cause doubts.

"We have carefully examined today's statement by the representatives of the Dutch investigation team probing the Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 MH17 flight's catastrophe over Ukraine. Let me remind you that all data, which was presented today at the briefing of the investigative group, has two main sources: the Internet and the Ukrainian special services. Therefore, the objectivity of this information, and, consequently, findings made on its basis cause doubt," Lt. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.

The Russian Defense Ministry denied that a Buk missile defense system had crossed the Ukrainian border from Russia as the investigators claimed earlier in the day.

"No Russian anti-aircraft missile systems, including BUKs, have never crossed the Russian-Ukrainian border. This is what we responsibly declared immediately after the crash [of MH17 flight] on July 17, 2014."

The Russian Defense Ministry will continue providing all necessary assistance in the investigation of the crash of the MH17 plane in eastern Ukraine, spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.

The Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was en route to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam when it was downed over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014. All 298, including 80 children and 15 crew members, were killed.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Yukia Amano opened the Nuclear Technology for the Sustainable Development Goals scientific forum on the sidelines of the 60th IAEA General Conference earlier on Wednesday.

In the first two days of the Conference, which kicked off on Monday, Russias Rosatom nuclear energy corporation signed four bilateral documents ranging from agreements to memorandums of understanding with four countries.

Nuclear Power Plant Construction in Jamaica Possible in Long Term

Jamaicas energy policy envisions the possibility of construction of a nuclear power plant in the future, but such possibility will not be addressed in the short term, Andrew Wheatley told Sputnik.

"As it is right now, our priorities are medicine, research and industrial applications. Our energy policy speaks to the possibility of using nuclear energy to generate electricity but not at this time."

Jamaica currently operates only one scientific nuclear reactor at the University of the West Indies International Centre for Environmental and Nuclear Sciences in Kingston.
Jake Hockley, the Director of Marclay Associates, a cybersecurity firm, told Sputnik that this kind of outsourcing makes cybercrime more difficult to track and intercept.

"If the criminals and militants speak to the right people, online protection and the use of the Darknet, accessed via the TOR browser, can make it very difficult for law enforcement to track down who is at the end of an email address or chat username. Traffic is, by default, encrypted in TOR so this makes monitoring traffic difficult.

"However, there are numerous scammers on the Darknet, offering a range of services and, whilst you can make a purchase of a firearm or hacking exploit, you are also just as likely to be ripped off by a fellow criminal," Jake Hockley told Sputnik.

Europol also called for greater security collaboration across national borders.

"Law enforcement presence in an area that has no effective national boundaries causes issues. To effectively progress such investigations requires at least EU-level cooperation. Given the additional challenges investigations on the Darknet present to law enforcement, collaboration and the sharing of intelligence is essential," Rob Wainwright said.

So What is the Darknet?

Cath Senker is an author who focuses on cybercrime in her new book, Cybercrime and the Darknet.

"The Darknet is anything that is not visible to regular users: you can't just Google those sites. It's everything that's beneath the surface and that does include databases and subscription only services," Cath Senker told Sputnik.

"They can buy and sell illegal goods and services that you can't do so easily on the surface net because there are no control mechanisms there. So clearly, that gives opportunities."

"Interestingly, my book does look at the other side of that, which is that it [the Darknet] does provide opportunities for people who do need to have freedom of expression, because it is unsupervised," Ms. Senker added.

Mr. Hockley from Marclay Associates, explained the kinds of tools that cybercriminals deploy to extort money from their victims.

"The attack that most companies fear the most is the targeted attack using sophisticated (or 'zero day') malware. Zero day malware is something that has not had a security patch released for it, so cannot be defended against. In these attacks, the aim of the hacking group is to steal all the information that resides in a company's database.

"In this type of attack nothing is left  so the company is faced with the very real prospect of serious reputational damage which may be fatal. The motives for this kind of attack vary and often this kind of attack is delivered for either political or business competition reasons. So the company may not know it has been attacked for months or even years. Companies that deal with government contracts, particularly in defense, are targeted by hostile nation states with this kind of attack."

"If they are looking for a mass attack against multiple targets for generating money then ransomware continues to be developed that will try to circumvent anti-virus programs. Some of these gangs are well resourced and the ransomware industry is worth millions. They will send out an email with an attachment or, as is becoming more common, will compromise a website and use it to host malware which they will then try and get users to visit.

"This will then launch the program on the victim's computer, silently encrypting everything on the computer (or network) and then asking for a 'ransom' to be paid in bitcoins to decrypt the information. It is the digital version of extortion," Mr. Hockley told Sputnik.

The UK is particularity vulnerable to Distributed Denial of Service  or DDoS  attacks, which aim to flood a network or server with so much traffic that it cannot cope and basically "crashes." In August, it was revealed that the UK gets hit by 9.3 % of the world's DDoS attacks  second only to the United States.

Mr. Hockley explained the consequences for targeted businesses:

"The gang will use multiple compromised computers in multiple locations to remotely send requests to the server simultaneously, a bit like a thousand calls all coming into a call centre at the same time. Cyber gangs are known to threaten companies with DDoS attacks and demand money or they will be attacked. The consequences for, say, an online retailer who has their website attacked in this manner are huge."

Europol Director Rob Wainwright, also commented on how criminals are exploiting the trend across societies the world over, to increasingly depend on technology and the Internet in our day to day lives.

Europol Director @rwainwright67 on #IOCTA16: The relentless growth of #cybercrime remains a real threat to our collective security in Europe pic.twitter.com/kZWwDDc29r  Europol (@Europol) September 28, 2016

Author Cath Senker, agrees.

"Absolutely, the only reason crime has increased on the Darknet is because more and more people are using the internet. More people are doing their business online, whether it's through online banking or buying goods and services.

"Businesses and people go where the opportunities are, and increasingly they are online.

"At the end of the day, it's easier to defraud someone online, than to do so on the street."
By Ranstorp's own admission, it is difficult to assess the number of returnees, as some have already died in battles and others may move on to other conflict areas. Regardless of this, the returnees present a challenge to Sweden's traditionally pacifist society, as they clearly could continue to harbor violent ideologies, Ranstorp warned.

Since this spring, both committing terrorist crimes and traveling abroad with the aim of committing terrorist offences have been punishable offences in Sweden. However, prison does not solve the problem of reintegrating returnees into society, researcher Amir Rostami, who is working against violent extremism, told SVT. Earlier this year, Rostami, who received a PhD in Sociology at Stockholm University, warned that jihadism in organized crime was an all-European trend.

According to Rostami, there are two different groups of returnees, which should be treated in different ways. The first one consists of those who actively participated in the battles, while the other one is non-combatants, who followed their husbands or parents into the conflict areas in question.

"People who have been in combat are primarily a matter for the Security Service. Should crime be suspected, it is important to ensure that these people do not fall between the cracks and receive help from social agencies to break off from the destructive environment. Additionally, care must be taken so that their traumatic experiences don't get vented out through destructive behavior," Rostami said.

By its own admission, the Swedish Security Police agency SAPO stands prepared for a possible wave of jihadi returnees.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  Trump said Florida had already lost one in five of all its manufacturing jobs since Clintons husband, President Bill Clinton signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994.

"American manufacturing is being led to the slaughter," Trump told a rally at Orlando-Melbourne International Airport on Monday night. "A vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote for TPP and the continued destruction of America's jobs."
On September 20, federal prosecutors filed terrorism and weapons charges against Ahmad Rahami in connection with three bombings in New York City and New Jersey over the previous weekend.

One bomb exploded in Seaside Park, New Jersey and another in New York Citys Chelsea neighborhood. No one was hurt in Seaside Park, but the Chelsea blast injured 31 people. A day later, a police robot accidentally detonated a third device, in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

According to prosecutors court filings, Rahami bought bomb parts on auction website eBay. An investigation of social media accounts used by the suspect revealed that he posted videos praising jihad, prosecutors assert.

On Tuesday, Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey told a US Senate committee that there so far is no indication Ahmed Rahami is part of a terror cell.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  On Friday, Obama vetoed the JASTA legislation, which was approved unanimously by voice vote in the House and Senate. The president cited concerns that the bill could negatively impact US alliances, or open the US government to similar lawsuits for alleged terror sponsorship.

Ahead of the final roll-call vote, the Senate clerk announced that "no senator voted in the negative." During the final count, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid cast the sole vote against the veto override.

If the House of Representatives votes along with the Senate to override Obamas veto, JASTA will allow the victims of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks to pursue a long-standing lawsuit against Saudi Arabia for allegedly providing support to hijackers involved in the attacks.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The FBI has sought the publics help in locating "unknown" persons who removed the suitcase. It contained a pressure-cooker bomb that authorities found a few blocks from the Manhattan street where another device exploded on September 17, injuring 31 people.

"US officialshave confirmed the identity of two men who took a suitcase they found on a city street, possibly without realizing a wired pressure cooker they removed from it, NBC News reported.

Authorities had said they were seeking those individuals as possible witnesses to the bombing, not as suspects.
"Disclosure could put the United States in the difficult position of choosing between disclosing classified or otherwise sensitive information or suffering adverse rulings and potentially large damage awards for our refusal to do so," he wrote.

Riyadh has also publicly opposed the legislation.

Congressional lawmakers argue, however, that the bill could allow the families of victims to seek

justice and closure for the atrocities that occurred in 15 years ago.

"This bill is about respecting the voices and rights of American victims," said Texas Senator John Cornyn.
Vijay's next film with director Selvaraghavan is likely to be produced by Dhanush's home production Wunderbar Films, say reports.

By India Today Web Desk: Ilayathalapathy Vijay, who was last seen in the blockbuster film Theri, is currently wrapping up the shoot of his Bairavaa, which is directed by Bharathan of Azhagiya Tamizh Magan fame.

Earlier, rumours were rife that Vijay will be teaming up with director Selvaraghavan for his forthcoming film. According to recent developments, the project is indeed happening and is most likely to be produced by Selvaraghavan's brother and actor Dhanush.

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ALSO READ: SJ Suryah to sport macho look for Mahesh Babu's next with AR Murugadoss

ALSO READ: Ranveer Singh heaps praise on Suriya, says he's THE original Singam

Speaking about the project, Selvaraghavan was quoted by Behindwoods as saying, "I cannot divulge anything right now."

However, we await an official confirmation from the sources.

Meanwhile, the makers of Vijay's Bairava had recently released the first look posters of the film, which has been doing rounds on social media. The film co-starring Keerthy Suresh is slated to release later this year.

Selvaraghavan too is busy with the post-production of his horror film Nenjam Marappathillai. The film starring SJ Suryah, Nandita Swetha and Regina Cassandra is slated to release later this year.

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El Cajon Police maintain that Olango ignored multiple instructions from officers, and concealed his hand in his pants pockets.

I didnt hear any command Halt, Stop or Ill shoot, a witness who identified himself only as George told NBC 7. I didnt hear any command or yelling. I didnt hear the man say anything. Next thing I see Pow, pow, pow, pow, pow  five shots.

Other witnesses believed that Olango was having a seizure when he was shot.

Police Chief Jeff Davis told the Los Angeles Times that Olango rapidly drew an object from his front pants pockets, placed both hands together on it and extended it rapidly toward [one] officer, taking what appeared to be a shooting stance. At this point, another officer standing nearby fired a taser at him, while the officer who Olango confronted with the object fired his gun.

The police have recovered the object, but have not revealed what it is.
At least one of the children was airlifted to the trauma center at nearby Greenville Memorial Hospital. Earlier reports indicated both children suffered non-life threatening injuries.

A third victim, identified as a female teacher, was taken by ambulance to another medical facility with unspecified injuries.
But the Playboy interview is a step too far. It represents Muslim women, as purportedly represented by Tagouri, not on their own terms but in Playboys terms  and, in the process, mocks the very ethics and morals the hijab is religiously intended to reflect, Uddin wrote. The hijab, though politicized in a variety of contexts, is at its religious core a symbol of chastity and spiritual connection to God. As one prominent Islamic scholar has explained, the hijab is essentially a mode of living that reflects the sanctity of privacy and private spaces. In other words, it is a repudiation of the voyeurism Playboy is fundamentally about.

Indeed, a core tenet of the Playboy Philosophy is to oppose religiously mandated, chastity-centered codes of sexual morality, Uddin noted, ultimately declaring that she believes that Playboy is mocking the hijab, using it as a costume, for their wardrobe of fetishes.

Other Muslim women have offered similar opinions, expressing their disappointment in media outlets including The Independent, The Huffington Post, Muslim Vibe, and more. Some have taken their discontent with Tagouris personal choice to social media, using the hashtag #hoejabi.

Tagouri, a well-spoken and vibrant young woman, does not appear to be concerned by the criticism.

 Noor Tagouri (@NTagouri) September 28, 2016

You know when something feels right in your heart/gut. And you follow it. And you don't know why you soon find out the reason. That's faith, Tagouri tweeted on Tuesday.
Earlier, local media reported that two children and a teacher suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the school shooting. At least one of the children was airlifted to the trauma center at nearby Greenville Memorial Hospital.

County sheriffs deputies said a suspect was taken into custody and police were clearing the school. The assailant is believed to be a teenager, according to media reports.
"Contemporary police killings and the trauma it creates are reminiscent of the racial terror lynching of the past. Impunity for state violence has resulted in the current human rights crisis and must be addressed as a matter of urgency," the report reads.

Netfa Freeman, a Washington-based activist with Pan-African Community Action (PACA), hosted the working group when they came to the US capital. In an email to Sputnik, Freeman called the report a "positive reflection" that is the "product of decades of work and struggle by African people in the US."

Freeman noted the significance of the report being published in the midst of a national prisoners' strike and the movement for Black Lives, which he says exposes how "the US government is complicit with a transnational oligarchy in the exploitation and repression of African people."
The document signed by the pilot only stated his readiness for a transfer to his country of citizenship, Yaroshenko's attorney Alexey Tarasov told the newspaper.

A transfer request was made by the Russian Justice Ministry around three years ago, but was turned down by the US side. The pilot's mother, Lyubov Yaroshenko, said she had began preparing documents to make a transfer request to the Justice Ministry.

"We are preparing a letter for the Justice Ministry asking to transfer Konstantin to Russia in accordance with the 1983 conventionOf course, we want for the Russian ministry to against submit the request to the United States again," she told Izvestia.

Yaroshenko was sentenced to 20 years in prison for conspiring to import more than $100 million worth of cocaine into the United States, having been arrested in Liberia in 2010 and subsequently extradited to the United States.

The Russian authorities have repeatedly expressed concern over the circumstances of the pilot's arrest and the poor conditions of his detention. The issue was discussed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US State Secretary John Kerry earlier this month, but was not discussed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama during their last meeting, according to the Kremlin.
Ward warned that members of US Congress, however, might believe that the Chinese government has ties to DHID and its support of North Korea.

The prosecution and conviction of DHID executives by US authorities will take time, Ward added, but might affect perceptions of Chinese investors.

"Chinese companies that want to invest in the United States or that seek US investment certainly may take lessons from any resulting convictions," Ward explained.

For Chinese companies that want to partner with North Korea on these illicit activities, on the other hand, these actions by the United States will likely have minimal impact, Ward claimed.

"Certainly, though, were the Chinese government to prosecute these individuals the impact might be quite different," Ward stated.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Haftar has addressed the request to both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu via his special representative Abdel Basset Badri, who also serves as Libya's ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Badri visited Moscow on Tuesday, meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, the Russian Izvestia newspaper reported, citing a diplomatic source familiar with the situation.

"The meeting really did take place. Badri came to Moscow for one day. During talks with Bogdanov, they discussed the issue of lifting the embargo on arms supplies. Libyans are asking us to send them small arms, but also equipment, including planes. Also, they asked Moscow to start an anti-Islamist military operation in Libya that is similar to the one in Syria," the source told the newspaper.

Haftar visited Russia in late June, discussing a number of issues, including weapons deliveries, with Shoigu and Russia's Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Cargo volumes traveling between Russia and China have been growing rapidly, with Russian haulers set to benefit greatly from the new route that will cut the distance between western Russia and southern China by over 1,000 kilometers (600 miles).

"The signing is planned as early as December this yearAccording to preliminary estimates, the cargo flow will increase 17-20 percent due to the rearrangement of transport movement. Later, increases of 10 percent per year are possible, which is, in general, in tune with the average yearly Russian-Chinese foreign trade increase," Dvoinykh told the Izvestia newspaper.

Currently, traffic between the two countries is restricted to bordering regions and may only take place along international routes.
TEL AVIV (Sputnik)  Peres passed away in a clinic near Tel Aviv earlier in the day after spending around two weeks in a stroke-induced coma.

"Today, with deep sorrow, we say goodbye to our father, the ninth president of Israel, Shimon Peres," the former president's son told reporters at the clinic.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already expressed his grief over Peres' death and is set to hold a cabinet meeting to mourn his passing.
India is conveying a message to Beijing that it also has a direct stake in the old road's legacy.

A 5th century Buddha from Mathura and 5th century Tang style Buddha from China (blue background), showing different styles, on display in Beijing.

By Ananth Krishnan: As China goes ahead with an ambitious plan to revive the legacy of the ancient Silk Road, India is conveying a message to Beijing that it also has a direct stake in the old road's legacy.

That message was underlined on Tuesday in a rare exhibition of 5th century Gupta period sculptures that opened its doors at the Forbidden City's Palace Museum in Beijing.

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India's Ambassador to China Vijay Gokhale said at the opening that "while China's Silk Road was creating opportunities for merchandise trade across Asia including with the Gupta Empire", "simultaneously, the Dharmaratna Marg or Spiritual Road forged by earlier generations of Indian scholar-monks, became the channel for the flow of cultural and intellectual ideas between India, and China and Central Asia."

The idea behind the exhibit was to show the concurrent prosperity in the Gupta period and the Tang Dynasty, when there was an outpouring of creative works in literature, music, the arts and sciences in India and China. The two civilisations were also linked through the journeys of monks Fa Xian (or Fa Hien) and Xuan Zang (Hiuen Tsang) to Nalanda.

The exhibit, titled "Across the Silk Road: Gupta sculpture and their Chinese counterparts between 400 and 700 AD", aims to showcase that history.

"For a long period until the mid-20th century contacts India and China had withered away," Gokhale said. "Through the collective efforts of our leaderships, and with the support of the two peoples, Indians and Chinese are beginning to re-connect. We should value this. Building a better understanding about our historical exchanges will enhance our current efforts to build the 21st century as the Asian Century. This wonderful exhibition with its artistic treasures from a Golden Age in our civilizations will make a valuable contribution to this process." RARE EXHIBIT

The rare collection has 56 sculptures from 9 museums in India: the National Museum, New Delhi, Government Museum Mathura, State Museum Lucknow, Allahabad Museum, Bharat Kala Bhavan, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Museum and Picture Gallery, Vadodara, Gujarat, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai and Government Museum Kota, Rajasthan.

A 5th century Ganesha from Gujarat on display in Beijing.

The priceless artefacts were transported by air in two batches, each wrapped carefully in customised crates filled with special styrofoam.

The oldest display is a late 3rd century/early 4th century Bodhisattva from Gandhara, which is set to generate particular interest in China.

Shan Jixiang, director of the Palace Museum, said it would give the Chinese public a rare opportunity to see Indian cultural artefacts from a period that has special significance to China's history.

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Gupta period art influenced not only Tang Dynasty styles but Central Asia as well. Buddhism is still the most widely practiced faith in China, with an estimated 300 to 400 million Buddhists although precise figures are unavailable in the still officially Communist nation.

Shan described the sculptures of that era as "twin lotuses from the same stalk". The two displays bear striking similarities yet with revealing differences: 5th century Buddhas from India and China show features that subtly reflect their origins.

The exhibition will continue in Beijing until December 28 at the Forbidden City's Palace Museum, before travelling to Fujian, Zhejiang and Sichuan provinces.



SILK ROAD POLITICS

The exhibit appears to be a rare instance of India signalling its willingness to associate itself with China's Silk Road revival, albeit only in a cultural project.

India has so far responded cautiously to President Xi Jinping's ambitious "One Belt and One Road" plan which aims reviving the Silk Road's legacy. China is building a Silk Road economic belt to South and Central Asia and a Maritime Silk Road to Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean Region.

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India has rejected China's requests to endorse the plan, saying that it wanted more information about specifics and that a "national initiative" of China's didn't require international endorsements.

While India's major point of concern is that China has included a corridor plan through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as a signature initiative of the "Belt and Road", another worry is that the plan is Chinese-led rather than a multilateral initiative.

Beijing has since sought to reframe the plan as a more consultative enterprise, for instance, renaming it as the "Belt and Road" in English, rather than the more limited "One Belt, One Road". That, however, still remains the name in Mandarin Chinese.

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MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Sanctions are counterproductive and do not serve to resolve problems, he stressed, adding that differences must be resolved through negotiations.

"If Catalonia gets independence, it will recognize Crimea as a part of Russia. Why shouldn't we recognize Crimea? A referendum was held on the peninsula, and the people decided to join Russia. The results of the plebiscite can only be respected. And even though an independent Catalonia plans to join the European Union, this will not impact the decision. The same goes for anti-Russian sanctions," Folch told the Russian Izvestia newspaper.

Catalan Solidarity for Independence is a coalition of six political parties that was formed to participate in parliamentary election in Catalonia. The coalition actively promotes the idea of Catalonias independence from Spain.
According to the official, the investigation believes that the missile was launched by the territory controlled by the Donbas militias, not the regions controlled by the Ukrainian armed forces.

"[We examined the possibility of] Zaroshchenske, because the Russian Ministry of Defense named this place as the possible launch site. We were able to establish that it was not the launch site," Director of the National Criminal Investigation Division of National Police of the Netherlands Wilbert Paulissen told reporters.

The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) believes that the missile that downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 two years ago was launched from a region in eastern Ukraine called Pervomaisk.

"The launch site is the countryside in the Pervomaisk region," Director of the National Criminal Investigation Division of National Police of the Netherlands Wilbert Paulissen told reporters.

He claimed it was "beyond reasonable doubt" that the territory was controlled by pro-independence militia at the time of the launch.

But the Dutch presecutors do not formally link the MH17 crash to Russian State or Russian citizens' actions.

"We have determined that the weapon arrived from Russia. Having established this, we are not making statements about the role of Russia as a state or people from Russia," Westerbeke told reporters.

The JIT's anticipated report was not expected to answer the question of who was responsible for the crash that killed 298 people on July 17, 2014, only the type of missile and the launch site.
BERLIN (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) announced that the plane had allegedly been downed by a Buk missile system which was brought from "the territory of the Russian Federation." Furthermore the investigation believes that the missile was launched by the territory controlled by the Donbass militia.

Nevertheless, the JIT said that the prosecutors do not link the MH17 downing to the Russian state of Russian citizens' actions.

The team said that there are some 100 people involved "in one way of another" in the MH17 plane's downing.
According to the spokeswoman, Ukraine was made a member of the JIT despite the fact that it is an interested side.

"It sounds like a cruel joke, but Ukraine was made a full-fledged member of the JIT, giving it an opportunity to falsify evidence and have the case develop to its advantage Everything that the so-called evidence base of the Dutch prosecution is based on was provided by the Ukrainian agencies, which are indubitably an interested side," Zakharova said.

The spokeswoman expressed hope that the situation would change after Russia provided "such indisputable evidence as primary radar data."

"And the final conclusions of the investigation, unlike the preliminary ones, will turn into an objective truth and will finally point to the real culprits in this tragedy," she concluded.
BARNAUL (Russia), (Sputnik)  Earlier, US experts said, that King Servers owned six out of eight IP addresses that FBI made public during the investigation. This was called one of the reasons, why the US accused the Russian firm of being involvement in the crime.

"We are outraged that someone used our servers to conduct criminal actions Our lawyers are considering the possibility of addressing the FBI or other intelligence services to offer starting a joint investigation," the firms owner Vladimir Fomenko told RIA Novosti.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  "Yet in the near future Russian experts will travel to Geneva to resume consultations with the United States on searching for the possible ways of improving the situation in the area of Aleppo and in Syria in general," Lt. Gen. Viktor Poznikhir, first deputy chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the Russian General Staff, said at a news briefing in the Defense Ministry.

According to Poznikhir, Russian defense and foreign ministries are ready to continue joint Russia-US efforts on Syrian peace process.

Earlier on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry agreed on the need to return to basic principles of the Russia-US agreements on Syrian peace process.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  Kirby did not disclose details of those talks, but he said none of the ideas being discussed would be better for Syrias people than an immediate, nationwide cessation of hostilities, delivery of humanitarian aid, and the resumption of political talks.

Interagency conversations about other options and alternatives that might be available to us and to our partners continue, Kirby stated when asked about possible US options in Syria in the event of disengagement with Moscow.

There are other options that dont revolve around the active diplomacy that the interagency [group] has discussed and has talked about, and those discussions are ongoing, the spokesman added.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, the JIT announced that the MH17 airliner allegedly was downed in 2014 in eastern Ukraine by a Buk missile system which was brought from Russia and consequently returned there. Furthermore the investigation believes that the missile was launched by the territory controlled by the Donbas militias.

"Today's interim results of the independent criminal investigation, presented by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), demonstrate that important progress has been made, answering many questions that have borne heavily on those who lost their loved ones on 17 July 2014 The European Union reiterates its full support for the work of the JIT and welcomes the progress made by the countries involved on an effective prosecution mechanism," Mogherini said, as quoted by the European Union External Action Service's (EEAS).
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, US Congress overrode President Barack Obama's veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), which allows families of the September 11 victims to pursue lawsuits against Saudi Arabia for allegedly supporting the terrorist attacks.

"Some of our European friends have expressed concerns about the issue of sovereign immunity," Kirby told reporters.

Secretary of State John Kerry, Kirby noted, is also disappointed by US lawmakers deciding to reject Obamas veto.
ALGIERS (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, media reported that the OPEC states reached an agreement to freeze daily oil output.

"After [OPEC's] meeting in Vienna [on November 30]," the source said on condition of anonymity, speaking about the terms of agreement's implementation.
By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 28 (PTI) In the backdrop of Uri attack, India will tomorrow take a relook at the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status granted to Pakistan including options like withdrawing it or filing a case in WTO against them.

The decision to review the MFN by Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes in the wake of the Uri attack over which India is weighing options to respond.

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The meeting, according to sources, may deliberate upon the option of dragging Pakistan in the World Trade Organisations (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism for not according similar status to India.

India granted the MFN status to Pakistan in 1996 but Pakistan is yet to reciprocate to that. The neighbouring country has missed its own deadline of December 2012 for this.

Under MFN, a WTO member country is obliged to treat other trading nation in a non-discriminatory manner, especially with regard to customs duty and other levies.

According to experts, withdrawal of the MFN status by India is likely to hurt Pakistani industries as it might stop flow of raw materials at competitive prices.

In 2015-16, Indias exports to Pakistan stood at USD 2.17 billion, while imports were USD 441 million.

As per the WTO rules, India can roll back the MFN status from Pakistan.

This meeting comes after the Prime Minister chaired a review meeting of 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty during which it was decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water sharing pact.

Indias main exports to Pakistan include sugar, cotton, man-made filaments, chemicals, carpets, furniture fresh fruits and vegetables while its imports comprise mineral fuels, precious stones, wooden handicrafts among others.

Among others, officials from commerce and External Affairs ministries are expected to attend the meeting, which was convened by the Prime Minister. PTI RR CS AKK MR

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UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik)  Earlier on Wednesday, US media reported that the Department of Defense is deploying 600 more troops to Iraq in advance of the operation to retake Mosul from the terrorist group.

"We are concerned at the possible humanitarian ramifications of the fight. And that is why we are working with our Iraqi counterparts and trying to pre-position as much humanitarian aid as possible," Dujarric stated.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The United States, Kirby stated, has been preparing to cut off cooperation with Moscow because of Syrian government offensives in Aleppo.

We know that in some cases the [Syrian] opposition themselves have conducted attacks and violated the cessation of hostilities, Kirby told reporters.

"We are working through steps that we might have to take to begin to suspend our engagement with Russia on Syria. We havent taken those steps yet," Kirby added.
UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) announced that the MH17 airliner allegedly was downed in 2014 in eastern Ukraine by a Buk missile system which was brought from Russia and consequently returned there. Furthermore the investigation believes that the missile was launched by the territory controlled by the Donbas militias.

"We welcome the presentation of the Joint Investigation Teams preliminary results of the criminal investigation into the downing of Malaysian Airways flight [MH]17," Dujarric said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  He expressed hope that bilateral relations in different dimensions would develop further.

"Russia is sincerely delighted by Chinas achievements, who is our strategic partner bilaterally and internationally. We truly appreciate our relations with the Peoples Republic of China and consider them as the best in history," Morgunov said on the 67th anniversary of Chinas founding.
He added that the investigators had studied about half a million of video records and photographs and listened about 3,500 intercepted phone conversations, which had been provided by Ukraine's security services by court order.

According to the investigators, the abovementioned materials contributed to clarification of the Buk's route.

During the report's presentation, the JIT showed reporters video records and photographs showing the details of Buk's movement and a phone conversation of people, who discussed the details of the Buk's delivery. The presentation had also included photos of an alleged launch site and a condensation trail.

INFORMATION FROM RUSSIA

Despite the fact that Russia is not a member of the JIT, the information from Moscow had also been attached to the case. The Russian Defense Ministry said this week it would forward the new data uncovered by one of the Almaz-Antey's radar and control system production plants to Dutch investigators.

Commenting on this fact, Westerbeke told reporters that the investigators had not received such information yet, but would thoroughly study it in future. At the same time the Dutch prosecutors were still expecting Russia's response to several requests on the issue.

Earlier in the day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the MH17 crash probe was accompanied by speculation and other countries' refusal to provide radar data, adding that it was necessary to make conclusions against the backdrop of all the available information, including the most recent data.

MOSCOW'S RESPONSE

The report and its conclusions could not have slipped under the radar in Moscow. Almaz-Antey rejected the findings in the probe, saying that the investigators had not got enough technical evidence to support their claims.

"The conclusions by the Joint Investigation Team announced today do not have sufficient technical evidence to support claims allegations that Russia was somehow involved in Malaysian Boeing catastrophe in summer of 2014," Mikhail Malyshevsky, an adviser to Almaz-Antey general director, told RIA Novosti.

According to Malyshevsky, Almaz-Antey has conducted three simulations that can serve as technical proof of the fact that a missile, which downed the Malaysian plane, was launched from the Zaroshchenskoe area, controlled by units of the Ukrainian army at the time of the incident.

He added that the investigators made their conclusions in accordance with the characteristics of a US missile that was different from the ones used in Buk systems.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said that the impartiality of the data provided by the investigators of the crash and the conclusions made on the basis of this data cannot help but cause doubts.

"We familiarized ourselves carefully with todays statements of the representatives of the Dutch investigation team on proving the crash of the Malaysian Boeing MH17 in the Ukrainian airspace I remind that all data presented today in the briefing of the investigation team had two main sources  the internet and the Ukrainian special services. Therefore, the impartiality of this data and consequently the conclusions made on its basis cannot help but cause doubts," Konashenkov said.

The official added that no Russian missile systems, including Buk, have ever crossed the Russian-Ukrainian border.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Russia was disappointed with the situation around the investigation of the airliner's crash.

"Russia is disappointed that the situation regarding the Boeing crash is not changing. The conclusion of the Dutch prosecutors confirm that the case is biased and politically motivated," Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for the ministry, said in a statement.

According to the spokeswoman, Ukraine was made a member of the JIT despite the fact that it is an interested side.

"It sounds like a cruel joke, but Ukraine was made a full-fledged member of the JIT, giving it an opportunity to falsify evidence and have the case develop to its advantage Everything that the so-called evidence base of the Dutch prosecution is based on was provided by the Ukrainian agencies, which are indubitably an interested side," Zakharova said.

She also expressed hope that the situation would change after Russia provided "such indisputable evidence as primary radar data."

WORLD'S REACTION
UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, US Department of State spokesman John Kirby said that the United States would disengage cooperation with Russia over the Syrian crisis, unless it took immediate steps to stop operations of the Syrian army in the city of Aleppo and reinstated a ceasefire.

"The joint leadership of the United States and Russian Federation in the International Support Group for Syria is crucial. Their joint leadership in getting a cessation of hostilities in place is crucial. Their cooperation, their continued cooperation [in] solving this conflict is crucial for where we stand," Dujarric told journalists.

The Russia-US-brokered ceasefire which entered into force on September 12 was shattered by numerous violations. Fighting in Aleppo intensified, after the Syrian army declared the end of the truce blaming militants for the breach of the deal.
In August, US Vice President Joe Biden visited Ankara to reassure the Turkish government of Americas cooperation, and asked for their patience in the extradition process. After meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, Biden said he understood the "strong feelings" about Gulen in Turkey and said that the US has "no interest whatsoever in protecting anyone who has done harm to an ally. None." Biden added, however, "But we need to meet the legal standard requirement under our law."

Biden explained, "Our legal experts are working right now with their Turkish counterparts on the production of and the evaluation of material and evidence that needs to be supplied to an American court to meet the requirements under our law in the extradition treaty to extradite Gulen."
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, the Dutch-led JIT announced that the Flight MH17 was downed by a Buk missile system, which was brought from Russia and later returned there.

"I welcome the first results of the investigation of the Joint Investigation Team, comprised of the investigation authorities from the Netherlands, Ukraine, Malaysia, Australia and Belgium. The report sheds light on the causes and circumstances of the downing of MH17," Stoltenberg said, as quoted by NATO's press service.
ALGIERS (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, media reported that the OPEC states reached an agreement to freeze daily oil output.

"We agreed on [creating] a technical committee of all OPEC members to study the mechanism of sharing a production at individual countries level from now to the 30th November to be presented in the next meeting in Vienna," he said during the press conference held after informal talks which turned into an extraordinary session of OPEC.
"Yet even with this progress, we all know that there is far more to do," she said.

Ukraine's economy has deteriorated since an armed conflict between government forces and militias in the country's southeast escalated in April 2014.
The human entrails were found in a Moroccan woman's baggage during airport checking in Graz, Austria.

By AP: Austrian customs officials are used to finding unusual items in travelers' luggage. But human intestines were not on their list - until now.

The Austrian Press Agency reports that the organ parts were found packed tightly in plastic containers and formaldehyde in a Moroccan woman's baggage during a recent check at the airport of the southern city of Graz.

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It said Monday that the woman told police that she had brought the intestines of her dead husband to Austria to have them examined because she thought he had been poisoned.

The tissue is being subjected to a pathological analysis. Pathologist Gerald Hoefler told state broadcaster authorities in Morocco where the man died gave the cause of death as intestinal obstruction, a diagnosis he says is plausible.

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WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The exercise will focus on non-combatant events and include seminars in military medicine and maritime law as well as subject matter expert exchanges in navigation, shipboard medicine and damage control, the release stated.

"We're looking forward to working with and interacting with the VPN [Vietnam Peoples Navy] and people in Da Nang, building on the success and lessons from last year's NEA," Destroyer Squadron 7 commodore Capt. H. B. Le asserted.
MOSCOW (Sputnik), Anastasia Dmitrieva  He added that secondary sources were creating problems for Iraq, as they have put different levels of the country's oil production levels.

"The highest figure we reached is around 4.77 something [million barrels a day]," Al-Luiebi said at a Wednesday press conference after the extraordinary OPEC session in Algiers.

Earlier on Wednesday, media reported that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) states had reached an agreement to freeze daily oil output for the whole organization. The commitment date of oil output freeze will be presented at the cartel's upcoming meeting in November.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  Ford said it is not aware of any accidents or injuries caused by the problem.

"In the affected vehicles, an improper bond may exist between the panoramic roof and the vehicle body, resulting in wind noise, water leaks and, in some cases, separation from the vehicle," the release on Wednesday explained. "If the entire panoramic roof separates from the vehicle while driving, it can increase the risk of crash or injury."
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Wednesday, the JIT presented a preliminary report on the investigation of the MH17 plane crash in eastern Ukraine in 2014, according to which the aircraft was downed by a Buk missile system, which was brought from Russia and later returned there.

"The conclusions of the investigation group on Malaysian Boeing are extremely politicized. And, certainly, Russian Buks did not strike the Malaysian Boeing. In this case, the conclusions are aimed at only one thing  to further marginalize the image of Russia in the international political and informational space," Slutsky told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

He added that the experts of the Interstate Aviation Committee and other organizations would scrutinize the material that had brought JIT to such conclusions.
By PTI: Islamabad, Sep 28 (PTI) Iran border guards today fired three mortar shells into Pakistans restive Balochistan province, triggering panic among the local population.

"Mortar shells fired by Iranian border guards landed in the district of Panjgoor," a provincial government official said.

Two of the shells landed near Frontier Corps check-post, while the third landed at Killi Karim Dad, the Dawn quoted the official as saying.

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No property or human loss was reported in the shelling.

Locals panicked as a result of the attack, and Frontier Corps personnel reached the site to initiate investigations.

Security forces tightened security at the border after the incident.

Pakistan shares a 900-kilometre porous border with Iran and the two countries in 2014 decided to boost intelligence coordination to wipe out terrorists from the border region. PTI KJ SAI AKJ KJ

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NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's government said on Tuesday it was taking steps to replace all its electoral commissioners under a deal with the opposition to resolve a row that has led to protests and violence. Rivals in parliament have held talks to end the dispute over the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which critics said was biased and not fit to oversee elections scheduled for August 2017. A government statement said a committee representing several government agencies "will lead negotiations with the IEBC commissioners to facilitate the orderly and dignified exit of current commissioners and ensure a seamless transition". Violence has often been a feature of Kenyan elections. After the 2007 vote, ethnic fighting left 1,200 people dead. Opposition protests against the 10-strong commission erupted in April and led to a least four deaths when youths blocked roads and clashed with police. The opposition Coalition for Reform and Democracy coalition led by Raila Odinga had tried but failed to overturn the result of a 2013 election won by President Uhuru Kenyatta. The opposition complained about the failure of electronic voter identification devices and other technical glitches, which they blamed on the shortcomings of the commission and corruption. The commissioners earlier this year denied allegations of malpractice, rejected accusations of bias and vowed to stay on. The government initially backed the commissioners, but in June agreed to a bipartisan parliamentary committee to resolve the dispute, a move that prompted the opposition to call off the protests. The government statement did not give a date for when the electoral officials would leave office but said the government "recognises the urgency that accompanies the ongoing transition process." (Reporting by George Obulutsa and Elias Biryabarema; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Andrew Roche)
News

Microsoft's Cloud Covers Germany, More Geographic Areas

From Microsoft Ignite: Azure now in Germany, four other areas. Plus: Bevy of Azure announcements include more security controls in the cloud, improved monitoring capabilities.

Microsoft Azure's coverage continues to expand, with coverage now in Germany and four other areas. It now covers "34 unique regions around the world." That's according to Microsoft's Cloud and Enterprise Group EVP Scott Guthrie, in a keynote at the company's Ignite event in Atlanta.

Independent analysts estimate that Microsoft Azure is the second-largest global public cloud by customer revenues. The company now claims an Azure presence in twice as many regions as the public cloud market-leading Amazon Web Services (AWS).

"Over the last several years we've been hard at work expanding it to run literally all over the world," said Guthrie, in an Ignite keynote Monday. "We now have 34 unique Azure regions around the world."

Guthrie described Azure regions as clusters of multiple datacenters that are geographically close to customers to allow them to access data and computing power faster.

The list includes 30 generally available regions, including a pair that just opened in Germany, where Microsoft previously didn't have a presence.

"The Microsoft Cloud is also the only [global] cloud vendor licensed to operate legally in China, and the only to offer full data sovereignty in Germany, using our data trustee model," Guthrie said.

To meet German data sovereignty requirements, data in the new regions in Frankfurt and Magdeburg will be under the control of T-Systems, a Deutsche Telekom company acting as the German data trustee. Those new datacenters bring Microsoft's European Azure region list to six, joining Ireland, the Netherlands, Cardiff and London.

Guthrie's total of 34 also includes four regions that are in the development stage but are not yet online. Those are a U.S. Department of Defense East and a U.S. Department of Defense West, as well as two regions in South Korea.

Amazon categorizes its public cloud AWS infrastructure differently and, like Microsoft, positions its datacenter coverage in a light favorable to the physical investments the company has made. While it currently lists 13 regions worldwide with four more in the works, Amazon can make a case that the 35 entities within those regions that it calls availability zones are similar in some ways to what Microsoft calls regions. Although Azure currently has a regional presence in 12 countries, AWS is close behind in 10. Both Microsoft and Amazon detail the global scope of their datacenter infrastructure here for Azure and here for AWS.

Quick Notes:

Announced in conjunction with Guthrie's news from keynote: Accelerated networking, Virtual Network Peering, IPv6 support, Active-Active VPN Gateway for high-production loads, end-to-end SSL encryption and user-configurable SSL policies now supported in Application Gateway, preview of Application Gateway Web Application Firewall.

Public preview of Azure Monitor includes extensibility via PowerShell, REST API, CLI, and Resource Manager template.

Azure Service Fabric for Windows Server and Azure DNS are now generally available.

Check back on this site and Redmondmag.com for details on these announcements.
Hiring an experienced licensed contractor can save you a lot of headaches, time and money when it comes to building or remodeling your home. Although it may seem easier, cheaper or even less of a headache to hire an unlicensed contractor, in the end you will probably regret it. New Mexico law does require contractors to be licensed in order to protect the consumer from any bad actors in the business.

New Mexico requires two to four years of practical experience in a trade specific field before applying for a license. Within the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, the Construction Industries Division oversees all licensing and code enforcement responsibilities for contractors. In addition to practical experience in their specific trade, all contractors are required to take a business law class before taking a trade-specific examination.

The downside of using an unlicensed contractor is that you will have no way to collect for any damages if things go wrong on the project. In addition, you could be liable for damages or injuries to the contractor or others on the job site. Unlicensed contractors are unable to get a bond and most likely do not carry liability insurance. Because only licensed contractors can apply for building permits, the chances are good that bad things can get worse quickly if you try to save money by using an unlicensed contractor.

Save yourself the trouble and always use a licensed contractor for any remodel and new building project. Ask your friends who did their project; word of mouth is still one of the best ways to get an honest testimonial. You can also check the Home Builders Association member directory online at hbacnm.com or the Better Business Bureau. Always ask to see their license and be safe by validating that license with the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department at www.rld.state.nm.us/construction. Be sure to check for any complaints or problems with the contractor before you start any project.

These safeguards are in place to protect you, the consumer, from any fraud or abuses by unlicensed contractors. There is every reason to feel confident that your dream remodel will meet your expectations. By using a licensed and bonded professional you can be assured of a job well done.
Daycie Dozhier, 16, left, a member of Girl Scout Troop 47, and Lydia Miller, 14, right, a member of another troop, work to clean a nursery room in the old jail that now serves as a winter shelter for homeless people. (Marla Brose/Albuquerque Journal) Marisa Sala, 15, prepares artwork that will hang inside a winter shelter for homeless people. The space was once used as a jail. (Marla Brose/Albuquerque Journal) Arianna Fernandez, 15, right, and her mother, Jane Fernandez, walk down the main hall of the old jail. Members of Girl Scout Troop 47 are fixing up the interior of the shelter. (Marla Brose/Albuquerque Journal) Girl Scout badges. (Dean Hanson/Albuquerque Journal) Pictured are women who were in Girl Scout Senior Troop 390, now called the Wild Women. This was their first reunion in 1998 in Vallecitos, Colo., as they were all nearing 40 years old. They reunite once a year. NAPOLITANO: Member of Troop 390 in Albuquerque (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Prev 1 of 6 Next

Gone are the days when being a Girl Scout meant mastering a needle or learning how to cook.

Girl Scouts today aims to transform its members into leaders.

Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails CEO Peggy Sanchez Mills said the focus has shifted from more traditional things like learning how to sew or cook, to teaching girls how to step up and take on roles and projects the put them in a position to solve problems and make decisions.

So now something like cooking would be learned in the context of having a career in that field or owning a catering business. While the legacy badges representing the more traditional skill are still available, theres now a whole line of financial literacy badges, including business owner, philanthropy, good credit and budgeting.

Girl Scouts of New Mexico has 4,000 girls and 1,800 volunteers, she said.

We are trying to build courage, Sanchez Mills said. At about 12 or 13, girls start deferring to the guys. We are teaching them to be leaders whether in a job, an advocacy role or in their own family.

She said the tradition of selling cookies is still a major activity and fundraiser for the Girl Scouts, but even that has evolved. The program helps develop leadership skills by teaching the Scout how to set goals, make decisions, talk to people, develop business ethics and manage money.

Girls are asked to set goals for the amount of cookies they want to sell. They then figure out how much money that will earn for them.

Sanchez Mills said there is nothing more representative of this shift in the organization than the Gold Award, the most prestigious honor a Girl Scout can earn. They do that by coming up with Take Action Projects. The projects must have an impact in their communities even after their involvement ends.

We ask them What are you doing in the community to take action and make the world a better place?' she said. They have to implement it in a way that it will exist even when they go away.

Girl Scout Isabel Rodriguez earned her Gold Award by creating an outdoor classroom for students at Nava Elementary School is Santa Fe about three years ago. Both her parents have been teachers at the school since before she was born and she herself was a students there. She transformed an area between two classroom after applying for and receiving grants.

A troop of girls in Albuquerque is earning Gold Awards through their work with Albuquerque Rescue Mission, which works with the homeless population. The mission uses a former jail space on the West Side of Albuquerque to house its homeless families at night. The girls have worked more than 700 hours to make the shelter more welcoming by adding books, toys and educational materials and by painting murals.

When the homeless come into this shelter, we want them to feel like someone cared about them, said Dr. Rosalie Multari, troop leader of Girl Scout Troop 47. We want them to remember what it feels like to have a home.

Sanchez Mills said Girl Scouts is also more proactive with social issues. While the organization never came out against members of the gay, lesbian and transgender community, she said it now openly welcomes them, acknowledging their sexuality.

Today we are more likely to take a stand on something like this, she said.

The Girl Scouts, she said, also tackle serious subjects such as sexual abuse and rape, holding workshops on what is and is not appropriate touching.

While there is a more concerted effort to raise leaders, Sanchez Mills said the Girl Scouts has always had a progressive spirit, an example set by founder Juliette Gordon Low. The Southern belle started the organization in 1912, when women could not even vote, in hopes of giving girls the skills they needed to meet their world with courage, confidence and character, according to the Girl Scouts website.

Girl Scouts really gave me my voice and my confidence, Haist said. I really feel it was instrumental in teaching me how to get up and take the lead.

In elementary school, Janet Haist and Barb Johnson signed up to be Girl Scouts, not realizing that decision would impact and shape their lives for the next 50 years.

Johnson retired from the New Mexico Corrections Department and Haist is a retired teacher and assistant principal. Both women were Girl Scouts through high school, spending many of their summers camping.

They each continued their involvement with Girl Scouts by becoming camp counselors in college. Through this all, they forged powerful friendships with other girls in Senior Troop 390.

When we were in our 40s we decided to have a reunion for our Girl Scout friends, Haist said. Twenty-two women showed up and we went to a house by a lake.

The year was 1998 and decades of friendship fortified by a love for Girl Scouts have kept most of these women coming back every year.

Quite frankly, we enjoy each other, Johnson said. Its so relaxing. There is no pretense. Its rejuvenating for all of us. We spend a lot of time laughing and singing.

They have jokingly named themselves the Wild Women. During one of their many gatherings they were being a little too rowdy for someone near the camp who remarked about their group calling them those wild women. The women knew the remark wasnt meant as a compliment. But they didnt care.

We embraced it as a collective way of describing our group, Johnson said. We found it hilarious.

Their reputation grew, unbeknownst to its members, over the years. They realized the group had become somewhat of a legend during a recent Girl Scout camporee where hundreds of girls gathered to camp. A leader from a troop of high schools girls approached Johnson and Haist.

She said You are the Wild Women? My girls are going to want to meet you,' Johnson said. When they met us, they were literally jumping up and down. When I left, I told Janet Did you feel like a rock star?'

And while they may not be rock stars, these wild women were the trailblazers for the future generation of Girl Scouts, almost all of them becoming leaders. Among them are two doctors, a lawyer, librarians, educators and most famously Janet Napolitano, who served as governor of Arizona and secretary of Homeland Security. The women are a representation of the mission of todays Girl Scouts.
President Obama said Tuesday he will nominate Jeffrey DeLaurentis to be the first U.S. ambassador to Cuba in more than half a century.

DeLaurentis currently is the top diplomat at the U.S. Embassy in Havana, which opened last year after relations were normalized, ending a freeze of 54 years. He served twice before in Havana in the 1990s, first as a consular officer, then as head of political-economic sction.

Jeffs leadership has been vital throughout the normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba, and the appointment of an ambassador is a common-sense step forward toward a more normal and productive relationship between our two countries, Obama said.

DeLaurentis must be confirmed by the Senate. Some congressional critics of normalizing relations with Cuba have said they intend to oppose anyone for ambassador.

Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), who is ranking member of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on the State Department and foreign operations, said the time has come for Washington to have an ambassador in Havana.

We need an ambassador who knows Cuba, who is respected by the Cuban Government, and who will stand up for U.S. interests and values, he said, noting the increasing number of Americans travleing to Cuba.

ambassador-cuba
Mylan chief executive Heather Bresch said one thing at a contentious hearing last week that could quell the criticism from people with life-threatening allergies: Mylan will soon push to extend the shelf life for EpiPen.

EpiPens currently expire 18 months after their date of manufacture. Facing outrage from patients and politicians for the drugs rapidly rising price, Bresch said the company hopes to extend this to a minimum of 24 months.

To make the change, Mylan will need to convince federal regulators that its data demonstrates that a new EpiPen formulation can remain effective for months longer.

We hope, within the next 12 months, we will have approved a new formulation that will extend the shelf life, Bresch said during Thursdays hearing.

An extension would increase the time between refills, helping to address a common complaint among patients and parents who have to toss out unused EpiPens annually and buy new ones. The devices cost more than $600 for a pack of two. (There is a common misconception that EpiPens shelf life is a year because time elapses between the manufacturing of the drug and when people pick up their prescriptions.)

This would not be the first time EpiPens time frame for expiration was altered. In 2002, the products shelf life was 27 months, but a formulation change by then-owner Meridian Medical Technologies required a shorter period, said Theresa Eisenman, a spokeswoman for the Food and Drug Administration. Initially, the approval was for 20 months, but subsequent data supported 19 months. The company decided to use 18 months, she said.

EpiPens shelf life has been limited by the chemistry of the drug it contains. Epinephrine is an old and cheap medication, but it also is notoriously finicky. If exposed to light, heat or air, it can degrade, turning rust-colored.

The FDA-approved label warns that if the liquid in the pen is discolored, it should be discarded. Epinephrine solution deteriorates rapidly on exposure to air or light, turning pink from oxidation to adrenochrome and brown from the formation of melanin, it states.

But what about an expired EpiPen that looks normal?

Data suggests epinephrine can remain useful after the expiration date  with a predictable, slow decline over time, Julie Brown, an emergency medicine physician in the University of Washingtons health-care system, said in an email.

In one case reported by ABC News in 2013, a mother who had only an expired EpiPen on hand when her teenage son went into anaphylactic shock was instructed not to use it by first responders. A neighbor brought over a newer EpiPen, but the young man died. It was unclear whether the out-of-date pen would have saved his life, according to the news report.

When you are talking about a life-threatening reaction and no alternative options, you are weighing that unknown and likely small risk against the greater risk of not treating the lifethreatening reaction, Brown said. Not using an available device, even an expired one, likely places someone in anaphylaxis at greater risk than using it.

One study, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in 2000, examined EpiPens one to 90 months after their expiration dates. Most were not discolored, but the epinephrine content decreased over time. The study found that the pens contained at least two-thirds of the intended dose up to a year after expiration.

Another study, published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in 2015, found that EpiPens contained more than 90 percent of the labeled dose for up to two years after the expiration date. The study also found that the color did not reliably indicate whether the epinephrine had degraded.

However, Eisenman said some research has raised concerns about extending the drugs shelf life.

In 2012, FDAs Office of Testing and Research examined several EpiPen samples that were beyond their expiration date and the data raised concerns, Eisenman said in an email. The agency found an indicator that the drug had decreased in potency and concerns about discoloration, which indicates degradation is likely occurring.

Wayne G. Shreffler, chief of pediatric allergy and immunology at Massachusetts General Hospital, said in an email that parents regularly ask questions about expired EpiPens.

In the absence of data Im confident in, I recommend that people replace their devices when theyre expired, but say use if you have nothing else, Shreffler wrote.

Mylan is not the only company working on the problem. Chris Stepanian runs a start-up called Windgap Medical, based in Somerville, Mass., which is focused on creating an epinephrine auto-injector that is more compact, more resistant to temperature extremes and longer lasting than the EpiPen. His company is still in a very early stage  it will not submit an application to regulators until 2018  but he said that it was not trivial to prove that a product can be safe and effective for a very long time.

When the whole world is watching, there is no room for the mistakes that normal people make.

If you want a very long shelf life, say five years, youre probably going to have to test it for five years before you can submit, Stepanian said.

epipen
HARTFORD, Conn.  As authorities continued on Tuesday to gather information in the case of Nathan Carman, a former Middletown man who spent eight days on a raft at sea, court records in Connecticut show police suspected him in the unsolved 2013 slaying of his grandfather in Windsor.

Windsor police submitted to a prosecutor an arrest warrant for Nathan Carman, 22, on a murder charge in July 2014, but the warrant was returned unsigned the next day, according to a search warrant that police used to search Carmans apartment in Middletown.

The search warrant indicates the arrest warrant was returned with a request for further information. Carman was not charged in the episode.

Nathan Carmans lawyer, Hubert Santos, had no comment Tuesday on the Windsor investigation. He said his client cooperated with the Coast Guard in Boston and left with his father.

South Kingstown, R.I., police searched Nathan Carmans Vernon, Vt., home Monday night. South Kingstown police did not return a phone call for comment. Carman and his mother left on their fishing trip from Point Judith in Rhode Island.

Detective Lt. Alfred Bucco III wrote in his application for the warrant to search the Vermont house that police were seeking documents, maps, global positioning devices, computers, hand-held electronic devices and books that would provide coordinates, locations or positioning information about the location or destination of the fishing trip he and his mother embarked upon on Sept. 17. Police were also seeking receipts for purchases of boat parts or equipment for repairs to Carmans boat.

In a brief conversation after being rescued, Nathan Carman told the Coast Guard that he escaped from his 31-foot aluminum boat, called The Chicken Pox, in a life raft Sept. 18 as the vessel was taking on water in deep ocean off the coast of New York.

Nathan Carman arrived in Boston Tuesday morning after being rescued by a freighter near Marthas Vineyard.

The details of John Chakalos slaying are contained in the search warrant application. No arrest warrant was ever obtained in the Chakalos slaying. The chief states attorneys cold case unit is assisting Windsor police on the case, authorities said. The state has posted a billboard on Interstate 91 that says the family is offering a $250,000 reward for any information on the death.

Police searched Nathan Carmans Middletown apartment on George Street on July 18, 2014, and found a Remington tactical shotgun, a rifle scope and several boxes of ammunition, the search warrant states. The rifle did not match the caliber of the gun used to kill Chakalos, the search warrant says.

The warrant also says that Nathan Carman was the last known person to see John Chakalos alive on Dec. 20, 2013, as the two were having dinner at Chakalos home.

The next morning one of Chakalos daughters found 87-year-old John Chakalos dead in his home  shot three times in the head and torso.

The search warrant states that Carman, who was then 20, became a suspect after police interviewed his mother, Linda Carman, who told them that her son was supposed to meet her in Glastonbury at 3 a.m. that morning to drive to Rhode Island but didnt show up.

Linda Carman is now missing and presumed dead by Coast Guard officials. She and her son left Point Judith in the boat on Sept. 17.

They were reported missing the next day and a massive search proved fruitless until eight days later, when a freighter found Nathan Carman floating in a raft 100 nautical miles off Marthas Vineyard.

Nathan Carman told Coast Guard officials that their boat sank near Block Canyon and he got into the raft but was unable to locate his mother.

Probate records show that Chakalos estate was worth about $40 million and that his four daughters, including Linda Carman, were the beneficiaries of $21 million.
SANTA FE  A Santa Fe woman is suing city government, the Santa Fe Police Department and Toyota of Santa Fe after receiving serious injuries from a crash that ended an SFPD officers pursuit of a car stolen from the dealership in April.

The lawsuit maintains the Santa Fe police didnt know the car was stolen during the chase, that Toyota hadnt even reported the car missing at the time and that the pursuing officer had no probable cause to initiate the chase.

Arlena Jackson, 78, got a fractured sternum, eight fractured ribs, a fractured pelvic bone, a fractured sacrum, multiple fractures in her left foot and bleeding in her lungs after a stolen Toyota Tacoma driven by Jeremy Chavez crashed into her Subaru Crosstek at the intersection of Agua Fria Street and Lopez Lane on April 7.

Chavez was arrested April 18 for aggravated fleeing and is still being held at the Santa Fe County jail on several charges.

Jackson filed her civil suit in Santa Fe District Court Friday claiming the SFPD did not have probable cause to initiate the car chase and that Toyota of Santa Fe should have secured its cars better, because of the well-known fact that stolen vehicles are much more likely to be involved in accidents.

Police spokesman Greg Gurule said Tuesday that the city or the police department doesnt comment on pending litigation when asked if the pursuit was justified.

The car chase started when SFPD officer Jacob Martinez responded to a fight in progress at an apartment complex and saw a gray Tacoma leaving the parking lot.

The suit says Martinez didnt have probable cause to stop the car or make an arrest and had no reasonable basis to believe any person in the car committed a crime or was a danger to the public. Regardless, Martinez ignored guidelines established in conformance with the New Mexico Safe Pursuit Act and initiated a high-speed chase through city streets of up to 70 mph, the suit maintains.

Jacksons lawyers also write in the complaint that the department had the authority to stop the chase but chose not to.

According to the state Law Enforcement Safe Pursuit Act, an officer may initiate a high-speed pursuit if the suspect poses a clear and immediate threat of death or serious injury to others or who the officer has probable cause to believe poses a clear and immediate threat to the safety of others that is ongoing and that existed prior to the high speed pursuit.

SFPD sent out a press release a couple weeks after the chase saying that Chavez was part of a crime ring that police believe was responsible for several car thefts and other high-speed pursuits throughout town, including the one that injured Jackson.

The suit says a Toyota of Santa Fe sales manager told police that someone failed to secure a gate to the dealership when at least three cars were stolen from the lot in early April. Jackson claims the dealership had the obligation to secure its vehicles so they arent stolen and involved in car crashes.
By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 27 (PTI) Shares of IRB Infrastructure Developers rose nearly 4 per cent today after the company received letter of award from National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for a Rs 2,100-crore project in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

The scrip gained 3.66 per cent to Rs 266 on BSE.

At NSE, shares of the company went up 3.69 per cent to Rs 266.30.

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"The company has received letter of award from NHAI for the project of six laning from Udaipur to Rajasthan/Gujarat border i.e from 287.4-401.2 km section of NH 8 in Rajasthan and Gujarat," IRB Infrastructure said in a filing to the BSE yesterday.

The project will be on design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) mode under National Highways Development Project Phase V.

"The estimated project cost of the company is Rs 2,100 crore," the company said adding the concession period of the project is 21 years including construction period of 910 days. PTI SUM ANU

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Albuquerque police have arrested a man suspected in connection with the death of a man found shot in a quiet cul de sac in Albuquerques Northeast Heights in June.

Joe Ray Newson, 27, was arrested Tuesday evening after a brief standoff with police, according to Albuquerque police spokesmen. Officers havent said what charges Newson is facing.

Larry Sanchez, 49, was found dead around 2 a.m. on June 20 on Casa Feliz NE, a residential street near Wyoming and Academy.

Albuquerque police spokesman Tanner Tixier said Sanchez was shot in a car and his body was then dumped in the street. Officers believe Dakota Cook, 24, was the shooter.

Cook is in custody on an unrelated case.

Albuquerque police spokesman Fred Duran said detectives arrested two people on felony warrants near Central and Eubank Tuesday evening. Newson was found at the Sahara hotel at Gibson and California, and was taken into custody after a brief standoff, Duran said.

Tixier said he believes detectives are still looking for Antoinette Martinez, a third suspect in the shooting.
In order to understand me, you have to understand me in the context of New Mexico.

 Author Rudolfo Anaya

Rudolfo Anaya has been well known in New Mexico since Bless Me, Ultima, his coming-of-age work of fiction, was published in 1972.

Last week, he became better known to the rest of America as he and his work were recognized by President Obama, who awarded him the National Humanities Medal. As a hint as to the prestige of the award: other honorees included humorist Mel Brooks and Motown Records founder Berry Gordy.

Obama told the gathering that Anayas works of fiction and poetry celebrate the Chicano experience and reveal universal truths about the human condition. And, as an educator, he has spread a love of literature to new generations.

To be able to do just one of those things would signify a life well lived. That Anaya has accomplished both while continuing to call New Mexico home is a testament to his talent and his dedication to his home state. After the ceremony, Anaya said of the president hes my hero, man. And, for many young Chicanos and readers of any ethnicity, Anaya is theirs.

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.
SANTA FE  A federal judge held New Mexicos top human services official in contempt Tuesday for failing to comply with court orders aimed at improving the administration of food aid and Medicaid health care benefits.

The contempt order against Human Services Secretary Brent Earnest by U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Gonzales upheld findings that the cabinet secretary did not diligently attempt to comply with court orders concerning the handling of Medicaid benefit renewals, eligibility for immigrants, training for agency employees and other administrative requirements.

The judge, in his Tuesday order, also said objections filed by the agency were without merit and that the overall direction of the case was troubling.

It remains clear that HSD and its officials have failed to exercise the leadership, control and managerial oversight to effectively come into compliance with the court orders, Gonzales wrote.

However, a spokesman for the Human Services Department, which runs the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, took issue with at least part of the judges order.

We strongly disagree with the judges characterization of the department, which doesnt take into account all of our efforts to resolve long-standing issues  some of which are three decades old and occurred under several administrations, HSD spokesman Kyler Nerison said. However, we are pleased that the court has agreed with us to bring in an outside monitor to help resolve those issues.

Regardless, we are going to continue providing services to New Mexicans who need it the most, he added.

The contempt finding accompanies the judges earlier approval of plans for a court-appointed special master to help ensure federally funded benefits are administered properly amid internal investigations by state and federal agencies into allegations that food aid applications were falsified.

The civil contempt order carries no additional sanctions or penalties.

Sovereign Hager, an attorney at the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty and advocate for aid beneficiaries in the litigation, said the order sends a strong message nonetheless.

I think this is a message that if things dont work out with a special master and the state doesnt come into compliance, the court will look to harsher remedies, she said.

New Mexico has one of the nations highest poverty rates, and there were more than 536,000 New Mexicans receiving food assistance benefits under SNAP, which was formerly known as food stamps, as of July, according to HSD. That figure was up by more than 7 percent  or nearly 36,000 people  from a year earlier.

The judges contempt order is the latest twist in a 1988 lawsuit. Earlier this year, a series of hearings were conducted by U.S. Magistrate Judge Carmen Garza, who had been tasked with monitoring compliance with a consent decree in the lawsuit and previous court orders.

Those hearings showed potential problems with the SNAP program, including testimony that state intake workers had been ordered to falsify income for some applicants, effectively denying them emergency benefits.

The testimony prompted criticism of Gov. Susana Martinezs administration by top legislative Democrats and party officials, including a call from Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, the chairman of the interim Health and Human Services Committee, for Earnest to resign.

Earnest took over as HSD secretary  after Martinez picked him for the job  in December 2014 after the agencys former secretary stepped down.
Decades of minimal investment in the nations nuclear enterprise needs to be reversed to maintain the nuclear deterrence America and its allies have maintained for decades, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said Tuesday during a tour of Kirtland Air Force Base and Sandia National Laboratories.

The honest truth is that we not only have to pay attention to the year in which we live, we have to catch up a little bit on the underinvestment we have made, Carter told about 75 civilians and uniformed airmen at Kirtlands Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center.

Kirtland, home of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, and Sandia, which, among other missions, is involved in the sustainment of nuclear weapons, play key roles in the nuclear enterprise, Carter said.

Carter, who started a multi-day tour of the nations nuclear facilities Monday at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, is urging Congress to increase spending on all three legs of the aging nuclear triad: strategic bombers; land-launched intercontinental and medium-range ballistic missiles; and submarine-launched missiles.

The Defense Department spends about $15 billion annually on nuclear sustainment and operations, but Carter is requesting $19 billion for 2017  part of $108 billion over the next five years to recapitalize the nuclear force.

The nuclear mission is the bedrock of American security.  It is what everything else rests upon, he said.

Its hard to keep that in perspective, even if youre a part of it, as you are, because its not in the headlines every day.

My observation is, were in real trouble when what you do is in the headlines, he said.

Your job is to make a deterrent so strong, so effective, so reliable, so secure and safe, that no one can doubt Americas ability and resolve to protect its people, friends and allies  as it has done for decades  Carter told the audience, most of whom received a Secretary of Defense coin as a memento of his visit.

Thats becoming a more complicated task in todays world than it was in decades past, he said, noting that its not only belligerent superpowers and would-be superpowers that America must consider, but new players hoping to become nuclear players.

The type and variety of nuclear use that we are called upon to deter is more varied than it was in the Cold War, he said. Thats going to require a nuclear enterprise that we continue to invest in, both its people and all three legs of the nuclear triad.

Carter thanked New Mexicans for their long-standing and true support of the nuclear enterprise, the tremendously dedicated people you have here and the deep technical expertise at its military installations and national laboratories.

After addressing nuclear workers and Kirtland airmen, Carter held a brief news conference and then toured Sandia Labs.
A southern New Mexico legislative candidate who runs a Boys & Girls Club is being sued for negligence after a former employee was sentenced to prison for sexually abusing two boys.

The parents of one boy are suing Republican candidate for District 38 Rebecca Dow, claiming she ignored obvious red flags that could have prevented Alejandro Hernandez from hurting two 13-year-old boys during his employment at the Boys & Girls Club of Sierra County in Truth or Consequences.

Dow told the Journal: In our facilities we go to great lengths to ensure the safety of our students, including background checks. I cant comment on the things they have alleged against me, but I trust the legal system will work.

An amended complaint filed in the 7th Judicial District last week names Dow, Amelia Wilcox, AppleTree Educational Center and the Boys & Girls Club of Sierra County. Dow serves as executive director, and Wilcox serves as assistant director at AppleTree, a faith-based, nonprofit daycare and preschool that provides comprehensive family support services, according to its website.

The lawsuit alleges that Dow and other defendants put Hernandez in charge of organizing a May 29, 2015, overnight lockdown sleepover in which Hernandez was the adult chaperone, despite a March 18, 2015, incident for which Hernandez was given a written warning for questioning a female teen about her sex life with her boyfriend.

At the sleepover, Hernandez molested a 13-year-old boy. In March, Hernandez pleaded guilty to multiple counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and was sentenced to six years in prison.

Administrators allegedly learned of the abuse after a second boy was raped by Hernandez in July at a sleepover or similar event. Truth or Consequences Police Chief Lee Alirez said Boys & Girls Club and administrators reported that abuse to police immediately; a police detective arrested Hernandez within hours of the report.

The administration was very cooperative with the investigation, Alirez said.

Alirez said detectives investigated the programs hiring practices and found they had three levels of background checks, including fingerprinting and screening for an applicants name on sex offender registries. Background checks did not flag Hernandez for past convictions.

But the lawsuit alleges Dow and other defendants failed to conduct interviews with former employers and did not question the perpetrator on some of the incredible claims in his resume, including that he coordinated five-day evangelical childrens camps in Houston in 2007 when he would have been 15 years old or that he was the childrens ministry teacher and worship leader at a Baptist church at 14 years old.

The lawsuit charges that the defendants did not investigate the claims on his resume but took the assurances of his mother, who was also an employee of the defendants.

Defendants should have known that having a sleepover with Hernandez as an adult chaperone was inappropriate particularly in light of the March 18, 2015, incident and other troubling information indicated in his application and known to defendants, according to the lawsuit.

The Boys & Girls Club of Sierra County sent a letter to parents in late July 2015 referring to inappropriate conduct by a staff member. The letter, a copy of which is attached to the complaint, doesnt mention the May incident of abuse.
Lets innovate in teacher training

THE JOURNALS front-page article on Sept. 17 (Number of effective teachers keeps dropping) on the diminution of effective teachers in New Mexico reflects the defensive narrative of the cartel comprised of teachers unions, the state Public Education Department, university education departments and the federal Department of Education. Through no fault of the Journal, the article depicts a myopic and self-exculpatory profession. We have heard it all before. Where are the innovative thinkers in education?

In their classrooms, teachers face social, emotional, psychiatric and personal issues with which they are ill-equipped to cope. Other than the simple expedient of returning to tracking of like intellectual capabilities, these issues are not within the purview of educators to handle. Yet the education cartel saddles teachers with these responsibilities rather than expect academic excellence based on their own academic preparation.

It is a fact that teachers who love, live and exude their subject are the best instructors. Their infatuation with their field transmits intuitively from teacher to student. This infatuation with and knowledge of ones discipline is the sine qua non of a good teacher. The education cartel has lost sight of the compact between teacher and student founded on a mutual love of the subject they study.

The field of education is not an academic discipline in which one grows intellectually. It is a skill, a craft. No one in the APS system teaches education as subject matter. Why then does the pedagogical system direct teachers to major in the process of education rather than in an academic subject?

Rather than continue the same failing practices, the state of New Mexico should consider a 10-year experiment in which prospective teachers complete an academic major in a discipline  not equivalent classes in the education school but courses taught in academic departments  culminating in a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science. They could complement their major with appropriate electives on the craft of teaching.

This experiment would require no new funds, administrators, evaluations or tests and could run parallel to the current curriculum. The results after the first decade would speak for themselves.

LOUIS L. OLLIVIER

Albuquerque

PED undermines vital trust, again

I WOULD LIKE to gently and politely remind all citizens of New Mexico that the Public Education Department released summary information on teacher evaluations to the media before they (were distributed) to the teachers. We were not even aware that they were ready.

So, when you wonder why teachers have so much distrust and anger at this administration in Santa Fe, this is exhibit A. When you wonder why so many of us laugh at the idea of being given $100 once a year being tantamount to supporting teachers, this is why.

Dont tell us that releasing information about personnel evaluations  peoples jobs, careers and pride  to the media before those individuals even know they are ready has nothing to do with supporting teachers. Support requires trust, and actions like this contribute to the total lack of trust between teachers and Santa Fe. It has nothing to do with supporting teachers and everything to do with denigrating us and our profession.

JAMES MACKLIN

Albuquerque

Policymakers effectiveness falls

THE PERCENTAGES of ineffective and minimally effective secretaries of education, governors and APS decision-makers are continuing to rise. (Secretary of Education Hanna) Skandera has given us standardized testing that is of little or no use to our students and educators  with shallow data available to teachers; old, never-updated practice tests for PARCC; and the ridiculous annual carnival of school scores.

The number of ineffective and minimally effective policymakers at APS is also rising. The latest boondoggle, Springboard, is a transparent attempt by the College Board to recapture the market share it has lost to the ACT. Transparent to a lot of us, but not to APS, which is wasting millions of dollars on materials they would like to force teachers to use.

These materials completely disregard the backgrounds and problems that our students face and the different paces at which they must be allowed to work in order to succeed. As foolishly instituted at Rio Rancho, APS would have made teachers into robots controlled by administrators and greedy College Board executives but for the efforts of the teachers union to stop them.

The College Board may be nonprofit when it comes to paying their fair share of taxes, but not when you look at their executives salaries. The same goes for APS and the unconscionable disparity between the salaries of administrators and teachers.

A fraction of Springboard money could have gone to good old-fashioned books, workbooks and even technology for the alarming amount of kids in our district who simply do not have access to minimal technology and training. Something should also have gone to teachers who have seen their effective salaries drop so precipitously in the last decade that only the likes of our current politicians and their ilk could be as hard-hearted as to let it go on.

The problem is not teachers  never has been teachers  and has always been the top-heavy, salary-heavy, politics-heavy nonsense from those who think they know better than the people who spend hour after hour and day after day in the classroom. The secretary, the governor and a good many at APS need to be on an improvement plan; the best start would be jobs in other states so we teachers can be left alone to do our jobs as they should be done  with attention to the backgrounds, ethnicity, humanity and challenges of our students.

IRA COOPER

Albuquerque
A REMINDER

to those super-busy, self-important drivers who blatantly run stop signs and red lights. I might not be able to slam to a stop every time and you will get a hefty bill for my German-made SUV and my injuries. Its getting old, people.  D.L.

A CITY COUNCILOR wants to consolidate city and county governments, but split up the APS school district. How does that make sense?  L.H.

GET THE FEDERAL government and unions out of education!  J.K.A.

I HOPE OIL keeps getting hit hard with recessions so we can wean ourselves off of our dependency on oil and stop using oil once and for all. There already are much cleaner and safer methods of energy and fuel that we need to start shifting towards ASAP.  K.K.

THE EPIDEMIC of vehicle thefts in Albuquerque will continue until someone with authority takes it seriously and does something meaningful.  F.A.

WILL THE UNIVERSITY of New Mexico now pay service fees when they pay by credit card since they are charging students service fees when they pay them by credit card? Seems only fair. E.C.E

I TRULY BELIEVE we could begin to solve a lot of our social problems  but not all  if we started to persistently pursue the answer to the questions, Where is the father of this child and why is he missing from this story?  D.K.

WE NEED TO end the war on drugs first and foremost. Then we need to treat drug users as patients instead of criminals.  J.R.

DEAR APS transfer students: If you want to attend my neighborhood schools, move into district and pay my property taxes. Sincerely, a frustrated parent.  J.R.

MEXICO IS considered a failed state due to corruption and illicit drugs. Albuquerque has become a failed city for the same reasons.  E.C.

ALEPPO ISNT an animal  its not a cross between a leopard and a hippo. Aleppo is a town in Syria on the brink of extinction. The world needs to come together to help save Aleppo and its children.  P.J.S.

GOTTA LOVE the comments on El Paso Electric no longer using coal. Their power generation sources include 66 percent natural gas, 30 percent from the Palo Verde nuclear plant  that was said to be a bad choice by PNM  and a whopping 4 percent from solar. WOW! The hypocrisy towards PNM is almost amusing.  J.E.H.

SO IDIOTS AND insane people can now vote  legally. Better print more ballots and open more polling places!  C.M.T.

I SUSPECT OR hope LANL will inform the command ranks of the airport police and TSA next time they have an employee taking a mock up device to a convention prior to entering the airport security screening area. LANL needs to respect other agencies procedures.  D.E.

THE NUMBER of effective teachers is not dropping. Just test scores. The two do not correlate.  L.C.

CANDIDATES ARE mortal. Time to give serious thought to the vice presidential selections. Lets really look at their curriculum vitae. Which one has the greater depth of experience and proven track record. They really will live one heartbeat away from the Oval Office.  R.B.C.

IM JUST GLAD the Republican Party has finally started paying attention to womens health. I mean, its only the first woman in 240 years to get this far  Hillary Clinton, but its a start.  B.F.

THE POLICE ARE utterly out of control, the banks are corrupt and I dont see our government protecting us. When our safety and resources are in the hands of criminals, there is no rule of law.  K.S.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands  An international court on Tuesday found a Muslim radical guilty of committing a war crime by overseeing the destruction of historic mausoleums in the Malian desert city of Timbuktu, and sentenced him to nine years in prison.

Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi, a former teacher, had pleaded guilty and expressed remorse for his role in overseeing the destruction of nine mausoleums and a mosque door by pickax-wielding rebels in June and July of 2012.

His trial, which opened Aug. 22, was a landmark for the International Criminal Court, which has struggled to bring suspects to justice since its establishment in 2002. It was the tribunals first conviction for destruction of religious buildings or historic monuments, and the first guilty verdict delivered against a Muslim extremist.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the courts ruling as an important step forward in the fight against impunity in Mali, according to a statement released by Bans spokesman.

Al-Qaida-linked rebels occupied the fabled Saharan city of Timbuktu in 2012 and enforced a strict interpretation of Islamic law that included destruction of the historic mud-brick tombs they considered idolatrous. Al Mahdi was leader of one of the morality brigades set up by Timbuktus new rulers.

ICC prosecutors said Al Mahdi was a member of Ansar Eddine, an Islamic extremist group with links to al-Qaida that held power in northern Mali in 2012. The militants were driven out after nearly a year by French forces, which arrested Al Mahdi in 2014 in neighboring Niger.

Clad in a gray suit and striped purple tie, the defendant said nothing after the verdict and sentencing. Earlier in the trial, Al Mahdi urged Muslims around the world not to commit acts similar to those he had admitted to.

They are not going to lead to any good for humanity, he said.

Al Mahdi had faced a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for destruction of the World Heritage-listed sites. But presiding judge Raul Pangalangan said numerous factors argued for a lesser prison term, including Al Mahdis initial reluctance to raze the historic shrines and what the judge called his apparently sincere admission of guilt.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization hailed the verdict as a crucial step toward ending impunity for the destruction of world cultural landmarks.

Soon after the destruction in 2012, UNESCO alerted the international community including the International Criminal Court to ensure such crimes do not go unpunished, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova said in a statement.

In the context of repeated violence against people and their heritage, this sentence of the International Criminal Court is a key element in the broader response to violent extremism, Bokova said.

Al Mahdis conviction is a first important step toward the fight against impunity in Mali, said Drissa Traore, vice president of the International Federation for Human Rights.

But this victory has an almost unfinished look  We hope ICC will continue to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the most serious crimes committed in Mali, especially crimes of sexual violence.
HOUSTON  The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has reversed a state district judges decision to dismiss charges against a Harris County deputy constable recorded kicking a man on the ground during a traffic stop five years ago.

The Harris County District Attorneys Office had appealed the ruling in the case of Jimmy Drummond, who was charged with misdemeanor official oppression. A judge in September 2013 ruled the statute of limitations had expired. Prosecutors have wanted the case to go before a jury and the appeals court Wednesday returned it to the trial court.

Prosecutors said Drummond roughed up a 26-year-old man after the driver was handcuffed, breaking one of the mans ribs. A patrol car dashcam captured the confrontation.

Drummonds lawyer has said the deputy believed the man had a gun.
BEIRUT  The two largest hospitals in the Syrian city of Aleppo were bombed Wednesday, knocking them out of service and worsening an already dire medical crisis in the besieged city, medical workers said.

Two patients were killed and three hospital staffers injured in the pre-dawn attacks, including a nurse and an ambulance driver, according to the Syrian American Medical Society, which runs hospitals in opposition-controlled areas of Syria.

Since a cease-fire collapsed last week, the rebel-held eastern portion of Aleppo has been subjected to what residents describe as the most intense bombardments yet of the five-year-old war, with waves of Syrian and Russian airstrikes sending sometimes hundreds of injured people streaming to the citys few remaining hospitals in a day.

Both of the damaged hospitals were hit by airstrikes between 3:30 and 5 a.m., according to reports from medical workers. One of the hospitals held eastern Aleppos only trauma center, they said.

Fewer than eight hospitals are functioning for what the U.N. estimates are 275,000 people living in the rebel-held part of the city, and there are just 29 doctors to treat the floods of injured people, said Adham Sahloul of the SAMS medical organization, who is in Gaziantep, Turkey, near the Syrian border.

Both hospitals are expected to be repaired, but they are badly damaged. It could take a while before they are functioning again. In one of them, there was extensive damage to the intensive-care unit, and a generator and ventilator were destroyed, equipment that cant be replaced because of the siege.

Their closure, even if temporary, will deepen the already profound misery of those being injured in the bombardments, Sahloul said.

This is going to reduce capacity. They are in areas that are hit quite often and are densely populated, so this is going to be a problem, he said. It is very dire.

The pace of the bombardments has slowed somewhat in recent days after a weekend blitz that killed some 300 people and injured nearly 700. Patients piled up on the floors of the hospitals and spilled onto the sidewalks outside because there were not enough beds for such a huge influx, according to witnesses and videos and photographs posted on social media.

We had to take the difficult decision to let the difficult cases die and attend to those who had better chances of surviving, said Mohammed Tareq, a nurse at one of the hospitals. Everything was topsy-turvy.

On Tuesday, at least 26 people died in the bombardments, including 23 who were buried under the rubble of an apartment building when it was demolished by an airstrike, according to the White Helmets civil-defense group.

Aleppo has been completely encircled by government troops for the past three and a half weeks, and there are fears that medical supplies soon will run out. One hospital has already run out of anesthetics, and the surge of casualties over the past week has dangerously depleted supplies at other facilities, Sahloul said.

The bloodshed coincided with the announcement by the Syrian government that it had launched military operations to recapture eastern Aleppo from the rebels, who have controlled it since 2012, squashing any remaining hopes that the cease-fire plan could be salvaged.

The government is pressing ahead with the offensive. On Tuesday, it announced that its forces had launched a ground assault along one of the front lines near the center of the city, but no evidence showed that one had taken place.

Diplomatic efforts by the United States and Russia to solve the crisis have meanwhile lapsed since a hostile exchange Sunday at the United Nations in which the U.S. envoy Samantha Power accused Russia of barbarism for its support of the Aleppo assault.

There has been no further contact between U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, since the U.N. clash, the State Department said Tuesday.

Kerry will not give up the quest for a negotiated settlement to Syrias war, spokesman Mark Toner said in Washington.

He has not closed the door on this diplomatic process and, as the secretary of state, hell never do that, he said. But, that said, were under no illusions, given the intensity of the conflict in and around Aleppo over the past 72 hours, with barrel bombs, indiscriminate bombings, that were anywhere near.

syria-1stld-writethru
CRPF and Jammu-Kashmir Police raised the matter regarding inability of PAVA shells to deal with crowd control, especially the stone pelters in Kashmir.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: CRPF and Jammu-Kashmir Police (JKP) have expressed their disappointment to Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) over PAVA shells. Both CRPF and JKP raised the matter regarding the new "non lethal" weapon's inability to deal with crowd control, especially the stone pelters in Kashmir.

MHA has taken prompt measures to make new PAVA shells more potent. Sources in MHA also admitted that there was "a problem with PAVA shells and that it is taking steps to rectify it."

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Sources in the CRPF confirmed that "the message has been conveyed to the Home Secretary, with no less than the Director General (DG) CRPF briefing Rajiv Mehrishi." Adding further, the sources said "the first ground report came in from JKP, saying the state police has been thoroughly disappointed."

HOW PAVA SHELLS WORK

PAVA shells have a longer trajectory and can be used on crowd at a distance, to keep protestors at bay, to avoid any close proximity physical attack. The PAVA grenades are used for short distance, with the capacity to throw the grenade which has its impact on hitting the ground.

Also read:

Kashmir unrest: Rajnath Singh approves use of chilli-based PAVA shells as alternative to pellet guns

Scarred and blinded for life: Brutal repercussions of using metal pellets in Kashmir



PAVA shells and grenades work in closed environment and streets. But not in open spaces, where they have limited impact. The wind blows away the chemical component, rendering it almost useless. The angry protestors have on occasions used petrol, kerosene and acid bombs along with stones to aggravate injuries on security forces.

DG CRPF, K Durgaprasad was more restraint in his response, "we are still to get an analytical report on this. However, we are asking the same from the field. Once we get the feedback, we will provide it to Tekanpur manufacturing unit for any improvement."

DG CRPF TO TEST NEW PAVA SHELLS

However, India Today has found out that CRPF has already expressed its concern with BSF who manufactures the PAVA shells and grenades. Sources said, there have not only been communication from CRPF but also from MHA to expedite work on new PAVA shells which would be more potent. DG CRPF will be heading to Takenpur and Gwalior in October to test the potency of the new shells.

The 7-member expert committee which submitted its report to Home Ministry in August end, gave its nod for use of PAVA shells and grenades by security forces in crowd control and protest-like situations in the Kashmir Valley. These shells are to be used in place of pellet guns which has led to wide-scale criticism as their usage led to cases of severe blindness and injuries to people.

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WHAT ARE PAVA SHELLS

PAVA stands for Pelargonic Acid Vanillyl Amide, also called Nonivamide, and is an organic compound found characteristically in natural chilli pepper. On the Scoville scale (the degree to measure the power of chilli), PAVA is categorised as "above peak" meaning it will severely irritate and paralyse humans, but in a temporary fashion. It is also used as a food additive to add pungency, flavouring and spicy effect to food. Speaking on condition of anonymity, an officer said "The much hyped PAVA shells are no match to protestors. And are definitely not an answer to stone-pelters."

The committee also analysed and is understood to have recommended the supply of few other non-lethal/less-lethal munition to security forces personnel deployed for crowd control and counter-protests in the Kashmir Valley and other similar situations elsewhere. Rajnath Singh, who visited the Valley thrice, since the turmoil broke out, including leading the all-party delegation, had announced use of PAVA shells as alternative to pellet guns. Though Home Ministry later clarified, that the guns would not be put away. But would be used on rare occasions.



--- ENDS ---

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DOVER, Del.  Remains thought to be those of U.S. troops who died in the Mexican-American War have been flown to a military mortuary in Delaware in an effort to determine whether they belonged to militia members of a Tennessee regiment known as The Bloody First.

An Army twin-engine turbotrop bearing two aluminum cases topped by American flags arrived Wednesday afternoon at Dover Air Force Base, home to the nations largest military mortuary. White-gloved members of the 3rd Infantry Old Guard unit, which stands vigil at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery near the nations capital, solemnly transferred the cases to a vehicle bound for the mortuary.

The Armed Forces Medical Examiner System will work with a team of scientists to analyze the remains, discovered in 2011, in the hopes of gleaning more information. The scientists will use DNA testing, elemental analysis, forensic dentistry and other methods in examining the commingled bones, which officials say appear to be those of at least 11, and possibly 13, individuals.

We dont know how much we can get, but we have a number of experts who can try a number of different things, said Hugh Berryman, a forensic anthropologist and director of the Forensic Institute for Research and Education at Middle Tennessee State University.

Berryman, who is leading a team of more than 20 scientists and historians that will work with the Army, acknowledged that the odds of actually identifying the remains are very remote.

But if it can be done, its spectacular, and were going to see if we can do that, he said.

Troops from several states, including Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas, fought in the Battle of Monterrey in 1846. Berryman said the skeletal remains were found in an area of the Mexican battlefield where a large number of Tennesseans had died.

Were hopeful that theyre going to be found to be Tennessee men, and then were going to bring them home to Tennessee as Volunteers, said U.S. Rep. Diane Black, part a Tennessee contingent that traveled to Dover to witness the repatriation of the remains.

The Battle of Monterrey, a U.S. victory in which more than 160 Americans were killed or reported missing, was part of a larger conflict waged from 1846 to 1848 that marked Americas first extended conflict in another country. The war significantly altered geographical boundaries, with the U.S. adding about 1 million square miles of territory that today include the states of Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. The conflict also proved to be a training ground for a host of West Point graduates who later fought on both sides during the Civil War.

Berryman suggested that skeletal analysis could help scientists determine what was in the water the men drank as they grew up, which could help narrow the possible locales where they had lived.

Army Col. Louis Finelli, chief medical examiner and director of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, said analyzing the remains will take at least a couple of months. He expects that the effort will be able to determine the number of individual remains but said its difficult to say whether it will result in identifying particular individuals.

We can do everything in our power to generate unique sequences for DNA, but without references and accurate family genealogies, we may not be able to put a name to it, he said. Like fingerprints, like dental exams, we have to have a reference to compare, otherwise we just have sequences and numbers.
DALLAS  A Dallas County grand jury has opted not to indict a former sheriffs deputy from Oklahoma who shot an inmate during a 2015 escape attempt at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

A Dallas County District Attorneys office spokeswoman said the grand jury made the decision Monday. Former Tulsa County sheriffs deputy John Werts and another deputy were escorting Brent Taff from Utah to Oklahoma in February 2015 to face charges of threatening a judge overseeing a separate kidnapping case against him.

While in an airport bathroom, authorities say Taff attacked Werts, who then shot him in the hand as he tried to escape. The other deputy stopped Taff.

Dallas County court records show Taff is still facing escape and assault charges, but has been found incompetent for trial.
WASHINGTON  The Latest on the U.S. presidential election (all times EDT):

8:33 p.m.

Donald Trump says he saved former Miss Universe Alicia Machados job by shaming her into losing weight.

Trump told Fox News host Bill OReilly Wednesday night that he saved her job because they wanted to fire her for putting on so much weight. Trump says he said, Dont do that, let her try and lose the weight.'

Machado says that Trump humiliated her by inviting reporters to her gym sessions and calling her Miss Piggy.

But Trump says he deserves thanks.

I helped somebody and this is what you get for helping somebody, he says.

He adds that she and other girls knew what they were getting into, adding, Its a beauty contest.

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5:34 p.m.

Donald Trump wants to know how many Christian conservatives are backing him in Iowa.

The Republican presidential nominee asked those attending a Wednesday afternoon rally in Council Bluffs to raise their hands if youre not a Christian conservative.

He noticed a couple people raising their hands.

He asked the crowd, Should we keep them in the room? He answered himself, Yes, I think so.

Many Iowa Republicans are Christian conservatives. The thrice married Trump has faced tough questions of his own about his devotion to Christian values.

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5:22 p.m.

Donald Trump has said the name of former GOP rival Ted Cruz.

The Republican nominee saluted the Texas Senator at a rally Wednesday in Iowa, saying Ted Cruz endorsed me the other day and I know the people of Iowa like Ted Cruz.

Cruz won the Iowa caucus and is popular among the states evangelical population.

The Texas Senator held out endorsing Trump for months before finally announcing his support last week. He dramatically refused to back Trump at this summers national convention, telling Republicans to instead vote their conscience.

Trump had viciously attacked Cruz during their primary battle, insulting the senators wifes looks and trying unsuccessfully to link Cruz father with the assassination of President John Kennedy.

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5:16 p.m.

Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence is noshing on a hot dog with chili sauce before a campaign stop in northeast Ohio.

Pence, his wife Karen and daughter Charlotte made a quick stop at Jib Jab Hot Dog Shoppe in Girard, Ohio, on Wednesday before an evening rally in nearby Leetonia.

Pence ordered a hot dog with chili sauce and scarfed it down in just a few quick bites in one of the restaurants booths. Pence then chatted and posed for pictures with diners and restaurant staff.

Pence was campaigning in Ohio after spending the morning and previous afternoon in private debate preparations in Wisconsin with Gov. Scott Walker.

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5:12 p.m.

Donald Trump is unleashing a line of attack on Hillary Clinton that he notably underplayed during the first presidential debate.

Trump suggested to supporters Wednesday in Iowa that the Democratic nominee used the Clinton Foundation to enrich herself.

The celebrity businessman said that if Clinton ever got the chance, she would put the Oval Office up for sale. He repeatedly drew the contrast that Clinton was a career politician who failed at everything during her Washington tenure while portraying himself as an agent of change.

Many believe Trump spent too much time on the defensive during Mondays debate and missed several opportunities to attack Clinton.

Though most observers feel Clinton had a strong debate, Trump said I dont think she did well in the debate at all.

___

4:42 p.m.

Hillary Clintons campaign is calling Donald Trump to apologize to former Miss Universe pageant winner Alicia Machado.

Clinton campaign spokeswoman Jen Palmieri told reporters Wednesday that Trump and his campaign should stop bullying her.

Trump aides have seized upon reports that Machado threatened to kill a judge in Venezuela in 1998. She was never charged with any criminal involvement.

Machado said in a Tuesday interview with CNN that everybody has a past.

Trump has refused to back down from comments he made about Machados weight, saying on Tuesday that her massive gain had been a real problem.

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4:06 p.m.

More people are seeking or casting early ballots in the critical states of North Carolina and Florida than at this point in 2012, with Hillary Clinton the likely benefactor.

Nationwide, early voting is showing signs of surging.

Clinton may also benefit from an increase in ballot requests in Georgia, a traditionally Republican state where Democrats have made inroads. But Donald Trump is showing strength in Iowa and Maine, states won by Barack Obama in the last two elections.

The latest snapshot of ballot data offers a glimpse into a key question: how much of a vote advantage Clinton can run up before Nov. 8, when more Republicans tend to vote. While the ballot sample remains small, Clinton is hitting guideposts in several battleground states compared to 2008 and 2012.

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3:58 p.m.

Hillary Clinton is appealing to young voters in New Hampshire, promising to give them relief from high interest rates and massive student loans if shes elected president.

Clinton is campaigning with her one-time primary rival Bernie Sanders at the University of New Hampshire. Clinton says she wants to make a difference in the lives of young voters with a plan she developed with Sanders to make college debt-free for millions of middle-class families.

Sanders was popular with millennials during the primary. Clinton is trying to connect with young voters who may support third-party candidates Gary Johnson or Jill Stein.

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3:29 p.m.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is making the case for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire, calling her plan to provide free college tuition to middle class families revolutionary.

Sanders says the plan that he developed with Clinton after their lengthy presidential primary is a big deal and would help millions of young people from middle-class and low income backgrounds go to college.

Sanders is introducing Clinton at a rally at the University of New Hampshire. The senator says the November election is enormously important for the future of our country and its imperative that voters send Clinton to the White House.

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2:17 p.m.

Its a line of questioning that was simply too delicious to resist.

House Speaker Paul Ryan appeared Wednesday before the Economic Club of Washington to discuss economic policy and, inevitably, politics. Two days earlier, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump debated Hillary Clinton and was panned for a poor performance and inadequate preparation.

Club president David Rubenstein was asking the questions, seated on stage facing the GOPs 2012 vice presidential candidate.

Rubenstein asked, So, you did a vice presidential debate. Did you prepare a lot for that?

Ryan, whos had a touchy relationship with Trump, laughed along with audience. He said, I know where youre going with this one, all right? Yes I did, David.

Rubenstein bore in and asked, Well, does preparation help?

More laughter.

Ryan giggled, It does, David.

___

1:35 p.m.

Michelle Obama says presidential candidates dont change if they win and we need an adult in the White House.

The first lady attacked Donald Trump at a rally in Philadelphia Wednesday, saying that if a candidate thinks not paying taxes makes him smart, or makes cruel and insulting comments about women, thats who the candidate really is.

She said experience, preparation and temperament matters and Hillary Clinton has it all.

The first lady was heading to Pittsburgh for another rally later Wednesday.

The Trump campaign says Clinton is in panic mode in Pennsylvania because of his improved polling and what they say is her disconnect with millennials and African-American voters.

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1:34 p.m.

The political arm of Planned Parenthood is targeting Ohio as part of its largest education and get-out-the-vote effort ever.

Planned Parenthood Votes says its Ohio campaigns public launch Wednesday is part of an unprecedented, $30 million national effort to mobilize voters, particularly young and undecided Americans.

The field campaign is data-driven. The group says internal analysis shows uncommitted Ohio voters can be moved by issues surrounding Planned Parenthood, the womens health care and abortion provider, and abortion rights.

Its volunteers will push votes for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Senate candidate Ted Strickland in 450,000 door knocks and 17,000 phone calls.

Abortion opponents are rallying support through a 40-day bus tour launched Tuesday. It promotes politicians who favor legal abortion limits.

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1:05 p.m.

Donald Trump is praising former Israeli leader Shimon Peres as a consummate statesman, a distinguished patriot and a friend of peace-loving people everywhere.

The Republican presidential nominee says in a statement issued by his campaign Wednesday that Peres was a visible and highly effective patriarch to the people of Israel whose life always pointed toward peace.

Peres died Tuesday.

The statement said Peres, a former president and prime minister personified dignity and grace in a region of the world where both run far too short.

Trump and his wife, Melania, extended their condolences to Peres family.

___

1 p.m.

Michelle Obama is using a Hillary Clinton rally to denounce Donald Trumps role in the birther movement.

The first lady said questions about her husbands citizenship cant be swept under the rug by an insincere sentence uttered at a press conference.

She didnt mention Trump by name, but that was clearly a reference to the Republican nominees brief statement this month finally acknowledging that Obama was born in the United States.

Mrs. Obama said the birther movement raised hurtful, deceitful questions aimed at undermining her husbands presidency.

She said the president has answered those questions by going high when they go low.

The first lady said the next president just cant pop off or lash out irrationally.

Mrs. Obama was campaigning at LaSalle University in Philadelphia.

___

11:45 a.m.

Donald Trump is pledging if elected to work with Poland to strengthen NATO.

Trump is speaking to Polish-Americans in Chicago. Hes praising Poland for paying its fair share to collective defense under NATO.

Trump had been criticized earlier in the campaign for describing NATO as obsolete and questioning the U.S. commitment to the alliance. But Trump says hes helping NATO by putting pressure on it to focus on terrorism.

Trump also touched on other campaign themes, promising hell be the greatest president for jobs that God ever created.

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11 a.m.

Hillary Clintons presidential campaign is airing its first television ad featuring Michelle Obama.

The first lady says in the 30-second ad that Clinton is the best candidate to help Americas children.

She says our children watch everything we do and Clinton would be a president our kids can look up to.

Clinton has made the case that rival Donald Trump doesnt have the temperament to be president.

The ad is airing ahead of Mrs. Obamas campaign events Wednesday in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. The first lady will urge voters to register before the Oct. 11 registration deadline.

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10:10 a.m.

Former Republican senator John Warner is panning Donald Trump as disrespectful of the military and woefully unprepared to be commander in chief.

Warner is a five-term Virginia senator, veteran and former Secretary of the Navy. He was appearing with Hillary Clintons running mate, Tim Kaine, in Virginia to endorse the Democratic ticket.

Warner said hes weighing in because hes distressed by Trumps comments that the military is in bad shape. He said Clinton is deeply prepared to be president, citing their time together on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

He said above all, Clinton is respectful of the military. He added: Thats one word thats totally lacking on the other side.

This is Warners first time endorsing a Democrat for president. He endorsed a Democrat for senator in 2014.

___

9:50 a.m.

Former Republican Sen. John Warner of Virginia says Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine is a longtime friend who exemplifies what this country needs.

The five-term senator was formally endorsing Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her running mate at an event in Virginia, also Kaines home state.

Kaine and Warner warmly recalled their friendship. Warner is a friend of Kaines father-in-law, former Republican Virginia Gov. Linwood Holton. Warner said he first appeared on behalf of Kaine when Kaine ran for the Richmond city council decades ago.

Kaine told the crowd that he called Warner for advice when deciding to run for Senate in 2012. Hes praising Warner as a politician who has always put country and commonwealth above everything else.

___

9:20 a.m.

President Barack Obama says people dont give Hillary Clinton enough credit  perhaps partially because shes a woman.

Obama was speaking in an interview with radio host Steve Harvey airing Wednesday. He said hes been frustrated at peoples reluctance to give Clinton credit. He said its partially because shes been around a long time and possibly because there hasnt been a female president before.

Obama said his legacy is on the ballot this year. He said everything his administration has accomplished in the last eight years is at stake.

The president said Trump basically admitted in the first debate that he didnt pay taxes. He said Trump admitted he didnt pay people who worked for him. Obama accused Trump of insulting women during and after the debate.

___

7:35 a.m.

Hillary Clinton is trying to build on her widely praised debate performance by making a direct appeal to younger voters.

Clinton is campaigning Wednesday in New Hampshire with Bernie Sanders. Its their first joint campaign appearance since their unity rally after Sanders endorsed Clinton. Shes struggled to win over the young voters whose enthusiasm drove his primary campaign.

Donald Trump is claiming that the debate was a success for him, too. His campaign is celebrating what it says is about $18 million Republicans raised in the day after the debate.

Trump is campaigning in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Clintons campaign is also dispatching Michelle Obama to campaign for her in Pennsylvania. The first lady has been one of the most effective campaigners for Democrats this year.

___

3:05 a.m.

Donald Trump is refusing to release his tax returns. But he has turned them over when he stood to make a profit, needed a loan or when a judge forced him.

No one whos seen those documents is allowed to say whats in them.

In all the cases reviewed by The Associated Press, each person, organization, company or government office that has seen copies of Trumps tax returns is barred from discussing their contents. That leaves the public with only glimpses into what his tax returns contain.

Trump faces increased criticism from Democrat Hillary Clinton to release his tax returns after he said during the presidential debate that he was smart for not paying federal income taxes in some years. Since 1976, every major party nominee has released their returns.
Donald Trump is avoiding the media.

The statement sounds utterly ridiculous  and thats the genius of Trump. Even though it is true, the Republican presidential candidate has built such a strong reputation as a spotlight seeker that it is hard for the press to convey a new reality: Trump is largely withdrawing from non-Fox News media outlets during the final months of the campaign.

Trump and his aides seem well aware of their favorable position. Check out this debate-night exchange between The Washington Posts Erik Wemple and Trump spokeswoman Katrina Pierson:

A question for Pierson: Why has Trump tended to retreat from his all-networks media-exposure strategy of the primary months to a more Fox News-centric approach? As CNNs Brian Stelter reported last week, Trump is saying yes to Fox News almost every day but saying no to most other major networks and news organizations  a highly unusual strategy for a presidential nominee.

Pierson denies this retreat. What youve seen is a very hectic rally schedule. When hes doing rallies  two or three a day  in multiple states, theres really no time to do TV. But didnt he do many rallies in the primaries? No, its much more now, because hes going into other locations as well. Hes having coalition meetings. So why wouldnt he mix up the outlets when he does have time for interviews? Why Fox News instead of others? Oh, Im sure he would, if the schedule allowed. Mr. Trump loves doing media. Hes a media guy; everybody knows that. I dont think its really fair to criticize him for media at this point, considering how hes been the most available candidate ever. 

Piersons last sentence is the most important. As the campaign sees it, Trump has granted so many interviews and held so many news conferences that he is now immune to criticism for ducking the press. Everybody knows hes a media guy, right? So no one will believe otherwise, despite the following:

 Trump has not held a news conference  a real one, where he took questions  since July 27.

 He has not appeared on a Sunday-morning political talk show since July 31.

 Since mid-June, he has appeared as many times on Russia Today (once) as he has on CNN.

 He has not been a guest on an MSNBC program since May 20 (via Huffington Post).

Meanwhile, Trump has found time this month to tape interviews with Dr. Oz and Jimmy Fallon.

Trump is a busy candidate, to be sure, but it is bunk to say that only Fox News fits into his schedule. Were CNN and MSNBC not on the air when he called into Fox & Friends on Tuesday? Or last Monday and Thursday? Piersons denial that Trump is dodging those networks just isnt credible.

But the Trump campaign knows that he cemented his status as the most available candidate ever by gamely appearing on all channels all the time throughout the first year of the campaign  a period when Hillary Clinton spoke to reporters far less frequently. The paradigm was set: Trump is accessible, and Clinton is not.

Trump appears to be betting that there is not enough time between now and Election Day to change voters perceptions.

trump-media
NEW YORK  Norman Lear, a show business legend and full-throated humanist, set out last spring to rent a modest apartment in the Bronx.

The landlord welcomed this incognito white man with a couple of offers.

Not so lucky was an African-American man who had come to him the day before. The landlord, insisting nothing was available, brusquely turned that man away.

This undercover mission, as well as Lears subsequent blowing the whistle on the landlord, was filmed for America Divided, a star-driven, eye-opening probe into systemic inequality in the U.S. today not only in housing but also education, health care, labor, criminal justice and voting rights.

The five-week docuseries, which premieres Friday at 9 p.m. EDT on Epix, employs the 94-year-old Lear (armed with a hidden camera) as one of its correspondents as well as an executive producer.

Im happy to have reached the 1 percent, said Lear, back in New York, where he spent part of his childhood, to shoot his report, but I started as a kid in the Depression whose father was serving (prison) time. But what was wonderful about America was it offered me opportunity. And it promised that opportunity to everybody else, regardless of the color of their skin. After all these years, that promise has yet to be delivered on. I care about that.

Others who care include:

 Hip-hop artist and actor Common, who explores disparities in the criminal justice system in his hometown of Chicago in the aftermath of the 2014 police killing of teenager Laquan McDonald.

 Rosario Dawson travels to Flint, Michigan, to probe how the government poisoned its own citizens, a mostly African-American underclass.

 Greys Anatomy star Jesse Williams heads to St. Petersburg, Florida, where he finds an educational and criminal-justice divide resulting from what some call re-segregation.

 America Ferrera, whose parents and siblings emigrated from Honduras, travels to Texas Rio Grande Valley to report on the plight of Central American refugees.

 Zach Galifianakis examines the nations deepening political divisions as evidenced in his native state of North Carolina.

 Amy Poehler ventures into the world of the invisible immigrant women who help keep the California economy afloat: domestic workers.

 And Peter Sarsgaard looks at the addiction crisis in Dayton, Ohio, where the shuttering of Americas factories and rampant unemployment exemplifies a heartland epidemic of drug- and alcohol-related deaths.

However unsettling, each story stands as more than a cry of distress. The narratives not only expose wrong-doers and bear witness to victims, but also highlight dedicated reformers.

In Lears housing segment, viewers meet Fred Freiberg, executive director of New Yorks Fair Housing Justice Center, which flushes out discriminatory housing practices, then sues the offenders. It is Freibergs agency that dispatches Lear and his African-American counterpart on their landlord-busting mission.

With every story, we tried to show causes of inequality and the impacts of inequality, but we also tried to provide models of social action, says Solly Granatstein, a creator of the America Divided series. We try to show that there are solutions and there is work being done, that its not just simply a problem.

For the series, Granatstein, a nine-time Emmy-winning former producer at ABC News, NBC News and CBS 60 Minutes, joined forces with Richard Rowley, whose credits include the 2013 Oscar-nominated documentary Dirty Wars, and Lucian Read, with whom Granatstein teamed on their previous docuseries, Years of Living Dangerously, which addressed the threat of climate change. (Their Divided Films produced the series in association with RadicalMedia.)

For this new venture, the trio set out to look at what Granatstein calls the OTHER existential threat to our society and culture.

For this, they enlisted Lear, drawing on his show-business gravitas and his history of social activism. Common, too, signed on as a correspondent-executive producer, while TV hitmaker Shonda Rhimes (Greys Anatomy and Scandal) came aboard as a behind-the-scenes exec producer.

Then the task began to settle on stories and recruit star-correspondents to report them.

Theres no shortage of stories that we could have done, says Granatstein with a wan smile. But we were looking for geographical and demographic diversity, and where there were heroic individuals and groups who were struggling to heal the divide, whatever that divide might be.

The project, in the works for more than two years, was timed to air during the home stretch of this election season, when issues from the series might help inform the campaign dialogue.

If you get people attuned to these issues, said Granatstein, then, eventually, there could be a whole societal shift.

Its a long slog, noted Lear, whose own crusade to stir the public reaches back to his socially conscious sitcoms like All in the Family nearly a half-century ago.

But I dont want to wake up the morning I dont have hope, he declared. Boasting 34,000-plus mornings and counting, Lear persists among the hopeful on America Divided.

___

A previous version of this story incorrectly spelled America Ferreras name as Ferrara.

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EDITORS NOTE  Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmoore//www.twitter.com/tvfrazier. Past stories are available at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/frazier-moore

_____

Online:

http://www.epix.com/series/america-divided
It starts out like any other training montage. Alan is a white doctor in Uganda, and the children of the slum resolve to teach the him the ways of the commando. A child soldier, armed with a makeshift assault rifle strung together by yam sticks and slung over his shoulder, chases the hapless doctor into a small stream. Alan falls face first.

That, my friend, was poo poo, for real, the films omniscient narrator exclaims through giggles. This is Uganda. Poo poo everywhere.

Madcap moments like this are emblematic of Wakaliwood-style films. And Wakaliwood is one Ugandan man in a slum.

Isaac Nabwana, 44, is the architect of an entire film industry in Wakaliga, the Kampala slum where he and his family live and work. Its the setting of more than 30 ultra-violent, DIY action films that Nabwana has completed or has underway. Its also an impoverished town with unreliable electricity and water that also happens to house a school of martial artists, self-taught through magazines and Bruce Lee films.

Nabwanas profile grew in 2010 with a trailer for Who Killed Captain Alex?, a war epic shot with a budget of less than $200 and watched by millions on the internet. This past weekend, Nabwana held his first American premiere, in Austin, Texas, showing his latest project, Bad Black  with the sewage-drenched training montage  to attendees of Fantastic Fest, a genre-focused film festival.

Most of his distribution has been through his YouTube channel. His budget still doesnt go beyond $200, and his films are often made for about $60. He dresses up his own home to look like different buildings, and his props shack is made up of household items chiseled to look like bombs and guns.

Everything is difficult, here and elsewhere, Nabwana told The Washington Post. But you need determination and work. It takes action to make action.

Nabwanas films are a triumph of imagination over resources. Sure, the blood is food coloring, and the green-screen effects used to portray large-scale action sequences and vehicle crashes are cheap and transparent.

But the films refuse to be defined by low-resolution footage. Instead, the action pops. The kung fu fights? The gun battles? Theyre all choreographed with an expert eye for clear action and storytelling. The shaky-cam action sequences made standard by the Bourne movies work just as well here as they do with Matt Damon.

The inspirations are obvious: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dolph Lundgren action flicks, John Woos Hong Kong gun fight choreography a la Hard Boiled and old Shaolin kung fu movies from the Shaw Brothers.

Like an early hip-hop pioneer from the 1970s, Nabwana could see and hear the sounds and experiences he needed to make. But with no resources and unreliable Internet, he had no access to a sound library of explosions. The solution? Watch Commando and sample it.

Action films are an incredibly expensive genre, in staging it and finding the talent, said Alan Hofmanis, a former New York film festival director who discovered the Alex trailer early and ditched his life in the United States to work with Nabwana full time, promoting the other mans movies. He also plays Alan in Bad Black.

Its been a long road to seeking acknowledgment from within the film industry and to move beyond viral success, Hofmanis said.

Its the violence, said Hofmanis, describing how they had to pitch the movies to film festivals and distributors. They tell us, If Isaac is serious about movies he shouldnt be making movies, he should be making movies about poverty. But there are so many films about poverty. How many are from it?

Nabwana is working through memories of growing up around violence. As a child he would hide under his bed away from stray bullets.

In his movies, the good guys can die at any time, Hofmanis said. He wants to show that youre not invincible just because you have a machine gun.

Nabwana is also driven by an innate need to entertain. He regularly holds screenings for schoolchildren in the area. And people get a thrill from seeing themselves on screen.

We made them to make (the villagers) happy and so they can hear their own language and locations they recognize, Nabwana said. Even their friends could be in the movies.

In the end, its less about fame and recognition, and more about planting the seeds for other would-be filmmakers to become do-it-yourself dream factories.

Hollywood is a tool, Nabwana said. The end goal is for everyone in the world to know that they can do something with very little. That they can create something that is good and enjoyed all over the world. Hollywood can help with sending that message.

Thats as much a plea as a statement of fact. Despite the audiences hes been able to reach, Nabwana has one major milestone to reach as a movie lover and director. Over the weekend, he was able to Skype in to chat with Austin film festival attendees. But this self-made auteur has still never set foot inside a movie theater.

film-uganda
Government agencies in New Mexico last year sent more than one-half billion dollars of taxpayer money to out-of-state businesses rather than spending it locally, a practice that is one of the states structural job killers, state Auditor Tim Keller said Wednesday.

The largest percentage of out-of-state spending happens in the IT, health and medical and food services industries, Keller told the Economic Forum.

The bright spots are in the construction, architecture and engineering sectors, where 91 percent of the money spent last year through contracts was awarded to in-state vendors. according to initial data Keller presented. A factor is the in-state preference included in construction contracts, he said.

Keller said the information is among initial findings of an audit looking at contracts over $60,000 entered into by state and local governments, school districts and other government entities. The full audit will be released later this year, covering a total of $1.3 billion in contract spending.

Among agencies, Central New Mexico Community College does the best job of keeping procurement jobs in New Mexico, Keller said.

So where does the out-of-state money go?

Mostly Missouri, especially when it comes to the corrections and insurance industries, Keller said. For the health and medical industry, 84 percent of out-of-state spending in 2015 went to Colorado and Tennessee. Keller did not give further details.

Taken altogether, more than half of the contract dollars spent on health care, IT and food services went to vendors outside of New Mexico.

This represents a huge opportunity  hundreds of millions of dollars of government spending that could potentially nurture expansion in these industry sectors, according to Auditors Office information.

However, Bernalillo County Commissioner Wayne Johnson pointed out that keeping those dollars in New Mexico is not always possible.

He said if a local business offered a product or service that was wildly expensive, it would not be a prudent use of taxpayer money to hire that vendor.

He also said the numbers in Kellers report dont reflect the fact that even if a purchase were made locally, its possible that only a small percentage would stay in the state. Thats because if a computer-related purchase was made locally, for example, its often the case that the manufacturer would be from out of state, he said.

Also, he said, some items are simply not available for purchase in New Mexico.
PHOENIX  An appellate court says Arizona law doesnt require that there be an actual child victim for a person to be convicted of solicitation to commit child molestation.

A divided three-judge Court of Appeals panel ruled Tuesday that it was enough that a defendant had solicited a postal inspector posing as a parent offering to make two children available for sex acts.

The majoritys ruling says the act of solicitation was complete when Dale Allen Wright asked the postal inspector to allow him to engage in sexual conduct with children.

A dissenting judge disagreed, saying Wrights criminal convictions lacked a factual basis because they didnt involve real children.

Wright was convicted in 1992 but his convictions became an issue more recently in probation revocation proceedings in Maricopa County Superior Court.
EL CAJON, Calif.  Police in this city near San Diego shot and killed an apparently unarmed black man within a minute after arriving at a strip mall here Tuesday to answer a call of a man acting erratically, a police official said Wednesday.

Two officers had arrived at the scene about 2:10 p.m., said El Cajon police department spokesman Lt. Rob Ransweile. When the man pulled something from his pocket and took a shooting stance, an officer opened fire, hitting the man multiple times. The shooting happened at 2:11 p.m., Ransweile said.

Relatives identified the man as Alfred Olango and described him as mentally challenged, saying that his sister had called police to say that he was walking in traffic and not acting like himself.

The police and the county district attorney will both investigate the shooting, officials said. Residents who gathered at the scene Tuesday night and on Wednesday called for authorities to release video footage showing what happened.

Olangos death came as tension lingers in Charlotte over a deadly police shooting there a week earlier, which sparked a renewed focus nationwide on how officers use deadly force, and it prompted protests and a prayer vigil in this city in Southern California. In an interview with a local radio talk show host, Mayor Bill Wells said he expected demonstrations to be peaceful but said the local police force, with 120 officers, has more than enough manpower to handle whatever comes.

Later addressing a news conference, Wells said he is willing to meet with the protesters. We are open to dialogue. We are open to listening to your complaints, he said. I am begging El Cajon to remain peaceful and harmonious place.

Promising transparency in the investigation, Wells said he has viewed the entire video and that once the public sees it, they will be able to determine what happened. On Tuesday, police released a still shot from the video that purported to show the shooters stance.

Without going into the details of the incident, Wells said he was concerned about the time it took for the police to respond to the call from when the victims sister.

When police responded, Olango initially refused multiple instructions by the first officer on the scene and concealed his hand in his pants pocket, Jeff Davis, the citys police chief, said during a news conference. Davis said a second officer arrived and was prepared to use a Taser to stun Olango, who was pacing while officers spoke to him.

At one point, the male rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together on it and extended it rapidly toward the officer, taking what appeared to be a shooting stance, putting the object in the officers face, Davis said.

As one officer used the Taser to try to subdue Olango, simultaneously, the officer who had the object pointed at him fired his gun and hit Olango, Davis said. No gun was found at the scene, he said.

Police say Olango, 38, was struck multiple times, given first aid at the scene and pronounced dead at a hospital. The two officers involved, who have not been identified, have been placed on three-day administrative leave.

Friends said that Olango may have suffered a seizure before the incident on Tuesday. Olango was an immigrant from Uganda who was working as a cook, relatives said Wednesday.

Olango had a series of run-ins with police in San Diego County and Colorado, according to court records. He had convictions for car theft, burglary and selling drugs and had served time in prison.

Mental health issues are a factor in about a quarter of fatal police shootings, according to a Washington Post database tracking such incidents nationwide. Olango was at least the 716th person shot and killed by police this year. In 2016, 172 of those who have died had mental health issues.

Police are on pace to shoot to death about the same number of people this year as last year, when officers fatally shot nearly 1,000 people. People with reported mental health issues account for about one in four of the fatal shootings this year, the same share as last year.

Experts say such shootings highlight the issue of how often police are called to respond to people in mental or emotional crisis  and whether police training adequately prepares them to handle those calls.

In most cases last year where people with reported mental illnesses were fatally shot by police, police were responding because relatives or bystanders were worried about the person behaving erratically; last year, this included dozens of explicitly suicidal people.

On Wednesday morning, about three dozen residents held a news conference outside police headquarters to demand the release of the full video of the incident. Tension building from other controversial shootings nationwide was evident in this blue-collar, mostly white city of 103,000.

I have been a black man for 56 years. None of this is new to me, said Eddie Price. He implored reporters to tell how black people are treated by police.

I am tired of walking around like I am a target, like my son is a target, he said.

One person held a sign that read Stop the genocide, while activist Armand King, 34, said the police murdered someone last night.

Mallory Webb, president of local NAACP Youth Council, called for an end to these senseless killings and said the killings of black men by police are the modern-day equivalent of lynchings.

Davis, the police chief, asked residents to allow time for the shooting in El Cajon to be investigated thoroughly. He promised transparency and said that this will be looked at by many sets of eyes, not just ours.

Video of the immediate aftermath of the shooting was uploaded to Facebook Live by Rumbie Mubaiwa. The footage shows a woman, reportedly the sister of the victim, wailing uncontrollably and repeating the phrase, You just killed my brother.

I called you to help me, but you killed my brother, the sister said.

In a recorded interview with KNSD, Michael Rodriguez, who said he had been 15 to 20 feet away from the shooting, said, I see a black male coming out with his hands up. According to Rodriguez, three officers approached the man, and when he tried to run, Rodriguez said, they fired five shots into his torso.

But the mans sister told KNSD that her brother was not showing his hands to police and was not complying with the polices orders.

  

Andrews and Berman reported from Washington.

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When nuclear weapons policy came up in Mondays presidential debate, Donald Trump showed once again that he doesnt have basic knowledge of the details and hasnt thought through how he would handle Americas nuclear arsenal if elected. Its only the latest example of his refusal to study up on national security.

Hillary Clinton first brought up the subject of nuclear weapons Monday as an argument that Trump doesnt have the temperament to be commander in chief. She referred to Trumps previous statements endorsing the idea that allies including Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia might get their own nuclear weapons.

He even said, well, you know, if there were nuclear war in East Asia, well, you know, thats fine, have a good time folks, she said.

Wrong. Trump responded. Nuclear is the single greatest threat.

Moderator Lester Holt followed up with a new question about nuclear policy neither Trump nor Clinton had faced before. He referred to my own reporting that President Barack Obama is considering changing longstanding U.S. nuclear policy by declaring a No First Use policy, meaning the United States would promise never to use nukes first in any conflict.

I would like everybody to end it, just get rid of it. But I would certainly not do first strike. I think that once the nuclear alternative happens, its over, Trump began, appearing to endorse the proposed policy change. But then he contradicted himself.

At the same time, we have to be prepared. I cant take anything off the table, he said.

Theres no way that Trump as president could have a policy that promises not to strike first with nuclear weapons and also keeps the option of a nuclear first strike on the table. Experts said Trump simply didnt know what he was talking about.

Trump appears not to understand the important nuances of nuclear strategy, said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, which supports a No First Use nuclear policy. He wants to have it both ways. He wants to seem as if he would exercise restraint, but he wants to project fear in our adversaries that he might use nuclear weapons. It reflects a lack of understanding that the commander in chief needs mastery of.

In his answer, Trump also said Americas B-52 bombers are too old, that Russias nuclear weapons are newer than ours, that the Iran deal should have included a requirement that Iran solve North Koreas nuclear threat and at the same time that China should solve the North Korean nuclear threat.

China should solve that problem for us, said Trump. China should go into North Korea.

Clinton, in her answer to the question about No First Use nuclear policy, didnt say she was for or against it. But at least she didnt say she was for AND against it. She called for America to stand with allies and honor its defense commitments. As Ive also reported, allies including Japan and South Korea have told the Obama administration they are opposed to the United States declaring a No First Use nuclear policy.

Trumps stumbles on nuclear policy at the debate come after several other instances where he appeared not to understand the basics of the issue he says is the number one threat to the nation. He has suggested he might use nukes against the Islamic State. He often says he would be unpredictable about how and when he might use nuclear weapons. In a primary debate, he had no idea what the nuclear triad was.

Trumps lack of basic understanding about nuclear weapons policy is concerning enough. But even more troubling is Trumps lack of progress over the past few months on national security issues overall. He simply refuses to make the effort to prepare himself for the job of commander in chief.

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Kerala Tourism is planning to give a boost to its tourism infrastructure by introducing disabled-friendly tourist facilities for the disabled.

By India Today Web Desk: Kerala is one destination which is there in almost every traveller's bucket list. Right from its backwaters to its verdant slopes, the state attracts travellers from all parts of the world.

Credit goes to the Kerala Tourism as well, which constantly makes efforts to ensure that those travelling to the state leave the place feeling fulfilled by the varied experiences. One such effort is the tourism board's initiative to make Kerala a destination which offers a memorable experience to even those who are disabled.

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The historic town of Fort Kochi, located in the Ernakulam district, is all set to become the first ever disabled-friendly heritage destination in the state of Kerala, reports The Hindu. The facilities provided will focus on those with visual, hearing, mobility or cognitive impairments.

Kerala Tourism will introduce specially designed ramps and non-slippery tiles on the walkways dedicated to provide easy movement to the disabled, the elderly, and those on wheelchairs.

Also read: Coming in November: This new destination for nature and adventure lovers in Kerala



In order to provide convenient viewing of the famous Chinese fishing nets, the tourism board will build cast iron handrails and projected standing areas. Apart from this, the other amenities that are slated to be introduced in this place include a special toilet facility for the disabled, seating and lamp posts made out of cast iron, sliding doors and grab bars, eating areas every 30 metres of the walkway, and spill-out spaces that can be accessed through the ramps.

But this is not all. Other major tourist destinations in Kerala are also slated to become disabled-friendly as International Day for Persons with Disabilities will provide basic facilities for the disabled by the month of December this year, as a part of fulfilling the UNWTO goal of "Tourism for All".

Also read: Kerala Tourism is going to be the next big thing in Incredible India; this is why



This initiative by Kerala Tourism aims to be an important part of the development work of the state's tourism infrastructure. The Hindu quoted the Minister for Tourism A.C. Moideen saying, "We are on the job to create basic facilities for leisure and recreation for people with special needs by December 3 in major destinations".

Outlets providing quality food for the disabled, special rest rooms in hotels, self-functioning ramps, wheel-chair lifts, wheelchairs, and special houseboats are some of the many things the tourism board is planning to set up.

Also read: Marayoor: A destination in Kerala where you can see a centuries-old secret



Focus will also be given on the information centres as Kerala Tourism plans to impart training in sign language to the tourist guides and the personnel manning these centres. For those who are blind or have special needs, the tourism board will provide signages in Braille, tactile maps, and recorded travel information and guidance. Crutches, walking sticks, and electric wheelchairs will be made available at the travel assistance centres.



--- ENDS ---

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Three prominent local startups shared their successes with a packed audience Tuesday night to kick off this weeks ExperienceIT celebration of technology and innovation in Albuquerque.

The LaunchIT forum offered startup pitches and a panel discussion by top executives from the cybersecurity firm RiskSense, the online branding and social marketing firm boomtime, and CleanSpot Technologies, which created an all-natural hand sanitizer that it launched this month.

CleanSpot, which is marketing its ActiveClean sanitizer through online promotion and sales, unveiled clips from newly-filmed, comical commercials to be aired on YouTube. The ads, which feature a woman campaigning for ActiveClean, drew hearty laughter by mimicking todays presidential race.

Together, lets make America clean again  vote ActiveClean! the woman shouts from a campaign podium in one clip.

In another, she calls for building a wall on our hands, not by building it, but by spraying it.

CleanSpot CEO Chuck Call said the commercials, including one in which the actress dumps her hand in a toilet, aim to tap YouTubes standing as the premier online consumer search site for products like hand sanitizers.

Theyre edgy, but younger people like them, he said.

Mark Fidel, RiskSense co-founder and head of corporate development, coined a new term for cyber hygiene, or cygiene, during his pitch. The company offers a comprehensive software platform that provides businesses and institutions with the real-time network awareness they need to rapidly respond to threats and plug vulnerabilities before cybercriminals can take advantage of them.

Ninety four percent of data breaches are predictable, Fidel said. We employ cyber hygiene and pro-active risk management to monitor and fix vulnerabilities.

RiskSense has drawn broad local attention by raising $7 million in venture funding in August and doubling its workforce to 70 people since 2014. It expects to reach 100 this year.

Boomtime is more under the public radar than CleanSpot and RiskSense, but its steadily built a 3,000-strong customer base since its start in 2005, with operations in Albuquerque, El Paso and Dallas. The company custom builds and manages websites for effective online marketing and branding for small businesses at an affordable price to better compete with large, national companies, said CEO Mark Canon.

Our average customer spends $6,000 to $8,000 a year, compared with like $150,000 by the bigger guys, Canon said. We provide the tools for smaller businesses to manage customer communications. We level the playing field so they can compete.

The company, which now employs 36 people, has raised $3.5 million from the Verge Fund and angel investors, including a $1.5 million round it closed on in August to further build its sales and operations staff.

Were focused now on growing our business, Canon told the Journal. Our goal is to bring in another 1,000 customers over the next 12 months.

The LaunchIT event, hosted by Coronado Ventures Forum, marks the first of a series of ExperienceIT activities this week that will culminate in an all-day conference on Friday focused on technology-based businesses.
Secretary of State John Kerry sought to raise the stakes Wednesday in the debate over the Trans-Pacific Partnership, warning that U.S. leadership and credibility in Asia would be severely damaged if Congress fails to approve the largest regional trade accord in history.

The fate of the 12-nation pact, known as the TPP, will go a long way toward determining whether the United States of America is an Asia-Pacific power or whether we are not  and the not carries with it serious consequences, Kerry said in a speech at the Wilson Center.

Kerrys impassioned defense of the agreement came two days after the two major-party nominees for president, Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, criticized the impact of multilateral trade pacts on American workers and denounced the TPP in a nationally televised debate.

Though polls show that a majority of Americans favor international free trade, widespread skepticism in manufacturing-heavy swing states, including Ohio and Pennsylvania, has put the future of one of President Barack Obamas top economic priorities in doubt. Republican leaders in Congress have said it is unlikely that the pact would be considered for a ratification vote before Obama leaves office in January.

Kerry called on lawmakers to approve the deal in an expected brief lame-duck congressional session after the Nov. 8 elections. Without naming Trump or Clinton, he said that trade skeptics who have warned of economic doom and gloom . . . have consistently been proven wrong.

The secretary cast the trade accord as a crucial strategic initiative underpinning the Obama administrations attempt to rebalance U.S. foreign policy away from the Middle East and Europe and toward greater attention on Asia.

The Obama administration spent five years negotiating the deal, which covers countries that account for about 36 percent of the worlds gross domestic product. The pact includes advanced economies such as Japan, Canada and Singapore as well as some of the worlds least developed, such as Malaysia and Vietnam.

We cant withdraw from the TPP and still be viewed as a central player in the Pacific Rim and an undisputed force for peace and prosperity across the globe, Kerry said. Our partners worldwide need to know they can always look to us for principled leadership, with no uncertainty and no doubt.

The TPP is a sprawling, 30-chapter accord that addresses tariff reductions for agriculture and automobiles, as well as intellectual-property rights for movies and pharmaceutical drugs, the free flow of information on the Internet, wildlife conservation, online commerce and dispute settlement practices for multinational corporations.

The debate over trade has become central to the 2016 campaign. Trumps opposition to the TPP has muted support among GOP leaders who had overwhelmingly backed legislation last year that granted Obama greater trade powers. Trump blames past trade deals for obliterating the U.S. manufacturing industry.

Clinton had been a forceful advocate for the deal while serving as secretary of state in Obamas first term. But she reversed her position during a hard-fought Democratic primary campaign against Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.), who has vehemently opposed free-trade pacts.

During the debate Monday, Trump noted that Clinton had referred to the TPP as the gold standard of trade deals while serving in the State Department. Clinton responded that she had raised concerns over the deal in her book, Hard Choices, which was published after she left office, and formally renounced the pact after the final terms were announced last fall.

Is it President Obamas fault? Trump asked her. Because hes pushing it.

The administration has vowed to continue lobbying Congress, and Kerrys speech was the latest in a coordinated campaign to promote the deal. Obama met with a bipartisan group of political and business leaders in the Oval Office to talk about the merits of the TPP two weeks ago.

On Tuesday, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman published an editorial in the Houston Chronicle warning that the United States risked ceding ground to China. Although China is not a member of the TPP, Beijing is negotiating a separate regional trade pact in Asia that does not include the United States.

If Congress delays, China will be all too glad to fill the vacuum and even our closest allies will feel the need to move on, Froman wrote.

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SANTA FE  In a 3-2 vote, the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission on Wednesday approved an increase in annual revenue for the states largest utility of $65.7 million, about $58 million less than Public Service Company of New Mexico requested.

PRC staff told the commission the estimated increase would equate to a bill hike of 10.24 percent for the average customer, but PRC spokesman Carlos Padilla later told the Journal the average customer rate increase would be 7.6 percent, with residential customers seeing an average bill increase of around 9 percent.

PNM said it plans to file an appeal with the New Mexico Supreme Court.

The approved rate hike was a little more than half of PNMs requested increase of $123.5 million in annual revenue, but higher than the $41.3 million recommended by a PRC hearing officer. PNMs request would have on average had customers see their bills increase by more than 14.4 percent, versus about a 6 percent increase under the hearing officers recommendation.

Voting for the increase were Commissioners Pat Lyons, Lynda Lovejoy and Karen Montoya; voting against were Valerie Espinoza and Sandy Jones.

The increase will affect more than 500,000 New Mexican homes and businesses.

This is a sad day for ratepayers, Espinoza said.

The decision marks the conclusion of one of the most contentious rate cases in recent memory. It lasted nearly two years and was marked by public protests, personal attacks from the parties involved in the case, as well as solidarity between entities that have historically found little to agree on.

Much of the controversy stemmed from hearing examiner Carolyn Glicks decision to exclude several transactions from the calculation that determines how much PNM can charge customers.

In particular, Glick said PNM acted imprudently by failing to sufficiently weigh other options when it purchased 64.1 megawatts of nuclear power from the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station for $163.5 million, extended several leases at Palo Verde for $19.5 million per year and installed $52.3 million worth of air pollution controls at San Juan Generating Station that some parties called excessive.

PNM maintains that the investments Glick excluded from the rate calculation were prudent and appropriately analyzed.

The commission showed consensus early in the day that PNM was entitled to only $300,000 per year in recovery of the $52.3 million it spent on balanced draft air pollution technology at San Juan. PNM argued that the commission was obligated to allow full recovery of the costs because the balanced draft had been required by a permit issued by the states Environment Department. Evidence presented in the case showed that the balanced draft was included in the permit at PNMs request.

The commission called the arguments PNM used in its request for full recovery of the costs spurious and misleading.

This highlights the desperate nature of PNMs arguments and undermines the integrity of this commission, wrote the commission in its proposed order. PNM may be subject to sanction if it continues this type of practice in the future.

The commission allowed PNM $300,000 in cost recovery to account for operating and maintenance costs of the technology.

Regulators were divided when it came to evaluating the Palo Verde transactions. Espinoza moved to accept Glicks proposal that the Palo Verde costs be excluded from the rate base, but she was the only one who voted in favor of doing so.

A second proposal offered by Jones would have offered PNM the option of selling its nuclear power purchase on the open market, but no other commissioners voted in favor of the measure.

The third proposal, brought forth by Lyons and supported by Montoya, accepted the full value of the Palo Verde leases and included the purchased nuclear power at net book value  the value of the cost of the asset minus depreciation.

The deciding vote came down to Lovejoy, who called it the most difficult decision shes had to make in years.

Im not proud of it, and Im not happy with it, she said. But I just couldnt go along with the (hearing examiners) recommended decision.

Lyons proposal also included in the rate base PNMs nuclear power purchase at about $44.6 million instead of the $163.5 million PNM had requested.

We appreciate that the commissions order corrects some aspects of the Hearing Examiners recommendation related to the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, said Pat Vincent-Collawn in a statement. We are, however, disappointed that the commission discounted the value of these long-term, carbon-free assets and did not approve recovery of the required balanced draft technology for the San Juan Generating Station.

New Energy Economy, one of the intervening parties in the case, also expressed displeasure in the decision, albeit for a different reason.

This PNM-friendly body voted for profits and further rate hikes over the rule of law and against the people, said executive director Mariel Nanasi. There is no factual legal or moral basis for the PRC to grant approval of more coal and nuclear. We will appeal.

Another intervening party, Western Resource Advocates, took a different view.

The commission reached a reasonable outcome for valuing Palo Verde, said attorney Steve Michel. The PRC recognized that Palo Verde is a zero-emission, useful resource for PNMs customers, but also recognized that PNMs claimed value was way too high.

PNM has said it plans to file a new rate case by the end of the year.
CRAIG, Colo.  Sex education within the Moffat County schools may not comply with a 2013 Colorado State law.

The last time the school board discussed this policy  IHAM, family life/sex education  was in April 25, 2013, said Charity Neal, school board secretary, member of the policy review committee and Director of Public Health for Northwest Colorado Health.

That same year Colorado state legislators passed House Bill 1081-13, reported the Craig Daily Press (http://bit.ly/2dupV2X). It was signed into law on May 28 and mandates that, when taught, information about human sexuality must be comprehensive and factual.

The law states that Colorado youth have a right to receive medically and scientifically accurate information to empower them to make informed decisions that promote their individual physical and mental health and well-being and then clearly spells out content including all methods to prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases and infections.

What schools are and are not allowed to teach is also governed by federal law (NCLB and others), Colorado Academic Standards, Colorado State Statute and MCSD corresponding board of education policy govern the choices the district makes regarding sex education, said School Superintendent Dave Ulrich.

The current district policy still includes references to clauses in the 1990 Comprehensive Health Act that were removed by House Bill 1081-13.

High teen pregnancy rates are cause for concern

Last year, 39 of the 436 girls living in Moffat County who were between the ages of 15 and 19 became pregnant, according to information presented by Dr. Eileen Joyce, a womens health provider and OB/GYN with The Memorial Hospital at Craig, at the parents preview night of a new course on reproductive health being offered for area parents and teens.

One of the presenters, Chandra Lopez-Shue, was 16 when she got pregnant. As a high school junior, two weeks before her 17th birthday, she became a single mom.

I had had a boyfriend for a while, we hadnt really talked about being safe, and I was far too scared to go to my parents, and I didnt know about the resources. I didnt really think it through, she said.

A pregnancy can result in a live birth, an abortion or a miscarriage, reads the National Campaign to prevent teen and unplanned pregnancies website.

Of the 39 teen pregnancies projected by Joyce in 2015, 13 babies were born, according to data provided by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

This means, if Joyces data was correct, 26 teen pregnancies in Moffat County may have ended in miscarriage or abortion.

Joyce was contacted several times by the Craig Daily Press to find out where her data originated, but she did not return calls for comment.

This is just one indicator of the increased population of at-risk youth and adults in Moffat County, Ulrich said.

In addition to the high rate of teen pregnancies, area providers are also concerned about the level of reproductive knowledge of area teens.

Ken Davis, director of community integration at Northwest Colorado Health, is concerned that Moffat County teens lack a basic understanding of their own anatomy, describing experiences of girls with abdominal pain unaware of the location of their ovaries.

Dr. Elise Sullivan, who has a family medical practice through The Memorial Hospital Medical Clinic, reports that she and other area providers have encountered similar incidents in their practices.

Moffat County School Districts approach

Sex education in Moffat County schools has given primary emphasis to abstinence by school-aged children, said district nurse Karie Fisher as reported in the Craig Daily Press.

That approach was mandated in the comprehensive health education act of 1990 but altered by House Bill 1081-13 in 2013, and Moffat County schools do not appear to have kept up. Therefore, the district is not compliant with state law.

Teaching materials used by Craig Middle School include a 2004 video called Everyone Is Not Doing It, self-produced by Mike Long, a former teacher who is described as one of Americas foremost pro-life communicators by Premiere Speakers Bureau, and is a national consultant to Project Reality, an abstinence-education-program provider.

Craig Daily Press staff reviewed the video to learn that Long describes the six pressures that drive teens to have sex, preaches that television companies and musicians are encouraging teens to have sex in order to sell their products and goes so far as to say that these companies are stealing money from teens. He speaks to the risks associated with sex, but information does not go into any depth or detail about pregnancy or STDs.

Despite the social benefits of abstinence-based education, declines in teen pregnancy risk are entirely driven by improved contraceptive use, as the levels of teen sexual activity were essentially unchanged between 2007-2012, according to findings by Laura Lindberg and colleagues in a peer-reviewed scientific study published in June by the Journal of Adolescent Health.

These policies and mindset are not something that the current board has dealt with, Neal said.

Past school administration and students believe that the approach is not as rigorous now as the program provided to students in earlier decades.

Once a year, sex ed classes were done for an entire week for eighth graders, usually in mid-April, said Roger Little, who retired as principal for the middle school in 1989. The science teachers, the school nurse and I were on the team for the unit. It was a very thorough and well done approach.

Shirley Balleck, owner of the Flower Mine in Craig, grew up in Moffat County and remembers the sex education class taught in middle school about 45 years ago.

We were taught sex education in middle school by Mrs. Gardner. She made it informative and somewhat fun, she said. Its good to know the facts before they start a relationship. I think the class was very beneficial to me and my classmates.

Teen birth rates in Routt County are generally much lower than in Moffat County and the school district, according to data from Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

The approach to sex ed by the Steamboat Springs School District differs in that it is mandatory for grades six to eight, and community partners assist.

We have a health class required by all sixth, seventh and eighth grade students for one quarter every year. A low number of parents opt out, primarily for religious reasons, said Steamboat Springs Middle School Principal Jerry Buelter. We work with Grand Futures, providers, and Americorps 20-year-olds to target at-risk kids, provide positive role models, and another adult to guide students.

Community response in Moffat County

Sex education should be a partnership between parents, providers and the school system, its not just a school problem, but also a community problem that we need to address as a community, Neal said.

Because teens are so healthy, if parents and the schools are not talking with teens about reproductive health choices, providers may have to fill in the gaps only after a child is pregnant or has contracted a disease, Dr. Sullivan said.

By providing free workshops in September to parents and teens, area health care providers aimed to reduce teen pregnancy rates and improve teen health. The partnership between The Memorial Hospital, Northwest Colorado Health, Advocates Crisis Support and the Yampa Valley Pregnancy Center resulted in a series of classes called Building a Healthy You.

The school board is expecting a presentation from the group behind Building a Healthy You at its October meeting.

We will always review policy at the recommendation of community, board and staff. I would not be surprised if this is a policy that gets a request for review. It will be up to the board as a whole to decide if we would make any changes, Neal said.

Moffat County School District policies are available for public review on the school district website.

Jennifer Riley and her team will review the information they have been presenting to the community in their Building a Healthy You presentation. They will also share with the board the statistics on teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted illnesses, Ulrich said.

___

Information from: Craig Daily Press, http://www.craigdailypress.com
What happens when you combine an animal-loving child with an animal-indifferent mother?

You relent and get a guinea pig.

A dog would be too much work and too much money. And while a goldfish might be the ultimate choice for the pet-indifferent parent, it seemed cruel to offer that to a kid who was constantly running up and smooching every furry creature she encountered.

But a guinea pig seemed manageable. There had been one in the day-care center my daughter had attended years ago, and as far as I could tell, all it did was sit there. A note was sent home the day the day care guinea pig died, asking us to tell our kids that it had just gone away for a while, and explaining that the teacher was sad and would be taking the day off. Well thats a bit much, Id thought at the time. Even if you were an animal lover, could you really mourn a rodent?

I wasnt about to cuddle up to our pet guinea pig. I certainly would never call in sick when it eventually died. I didnt see the appeal of a creature with zero apparent personality. But I decided I could live with it. So last Christmas, my daughter awoke to a cage and a furry creature under the tree. Or rather, next to the tree. Adding a guinea pig cage was a like adding a piece of small furniture to our house. Still, it didnt take long for me to see that the lost square footage and the subtle smell of wood chips in our home was worth it. The new toys were tossed aside before winter break was over, but our new pet became an ongoing source of fascination that entertained my daughter and brought out her nurturing side. She started insisting that play dates come to our house, and when the weather got warmer she took it upon herself to give the pig weekly sponge baths on our front lawn.

None of this was a surprise. My daughter is a real animal whisperer. But what I had not expected was that I too would be won over. We invested in a larger, more comfortable cage, researched different types of hay and bedding, and started visiting the pet store for fun to observe the other caged animals. And then a few months later, we got a second guinea pig. I found I couldnt dismiss what was clearly Pig 1s loneliness and I started to worry it was ailing. When I read a New York Times story, Is your pet lonely and bored? my conscience got the best of me.

Our two guinea pigs proved to be more work than I had imagined. At some point when I was cleaning out their cages it occurred to me that for all the joking about car seats or minivans or single-family homes being the ultimate symbol of parenthood, the really telling symbol was probably a guinea pig: a pet that only a reluctant pet owner would get (the animal lovers would go for the dogs or the cats), but one that would nonetheless find its way into the home as the childs wants and needs slowly overtook your own so that at the end of a long day you were sweeping up wood chips and picking pellets out of the cage as your child slept.

Despite the work, I found the pigs delightful. They squeaked hello when we came home, chased each other around the cage, and late into the night when the house was dark, they seemed to go back and forth in a conversation that was incomprehensible to us, but sounded quite involved. It was sort of like that talkative, wordless teacher on Charlie Brown cartoons. Pig 1 one stopped sitting lazily in its cage and became more animated now that she had a friend.

Friends teased that I was crazy to open my home to a pair of rodents. My daughter, meanwhile, wrote a poem about guinea pigs for her school yearbook, and when her ninth birthday came around she asked for a cake decorated with two guinea pigs. I rolled my eyes at her growing obsession, yet when we went to see The Secret Lives of Pets, I found the guinea pig was my favorite character. I enjoyed how it wandered endlessly through the buildings ventilation system trying to find its way back to its cage and was amused when it uttered a profanity only a guinea pig owner could appreciate: Oh, pellets.

My daughter researched how long the guinea pigs would live and when she learned that they sometimes made it to eight years, she assumed theyd still be alive when she was well into her teenage years. But our adventure in pets turned out to be a crash course in their life cycle: Shortly before the school year started, Pig 2 died a sudden and untimely death. It was not yet fully grown.

If there is a hierarchy of pets, you have to figure that the guinea pig ranks significantly below the dogs and cats that are pretty universally beloved, perhaps a rung or two above rats or mice, or the goldfish that can be replaced without your kids being any wiser. Thats at least how my non-pet loving self saw it. So, even as I gradually took to our guinea pigs and found myself occasionally watching cute guinea pig videos on YouTube, I was careful not to post Facebook photos or make the pigs my screen saver.

I was struck by how much the loss moved me. No, I didnt call in sick. But I was briefly moved to tears, mainly for my daughter, who felt the loss profoundly. She cried herself to sleep for several nights and asked all those deep questions about death, including this killer, Why did she have to come into the world if she was going to leave so soon?

Good question, I think, as I remind myself of the blessing that shes asking this question about a guinea pig. Because I know that after all, it is still just a guinea pig.

I suppose there are a lot of teaching opportunities in here somewhere but I havent yet figured out what a child is supposed to learn from the loss of a pet, especially a pet rodent who died young. One thing I have learned is that pets get the best of you. If you get a pet, no matter how reluctantly, youll probably be won over. And that means more upside and ultimately more downside too.

Which is something to consider as I mull over a possible Pig 3.

  

Andrea Orr is a Washington writer and mother.

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Donald Trump announced Monday at the first presidential debate that he would not be extremely rough to Hillary Clinton and her family. He explained later that he meant he wouldnt bring up examples of former president Bill Clintons infidelity.

Trumps surrogates have no problem doing it for him.

Former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani, one of Trumps closest advisers, said Hillary Clinton is too stupid to be president because she appeared to not know her husband was unfaithful to her. David Bossie, Trumps deputy campaign manager, accused Clinton of being an enabler. And Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, R, questioned Hillary Clintons treatment of women involved with her husband. Trump himself said Tuesday in an interview with Fox News that he might bring the issue up himself, as he has done before, if Clinton again cites his comments about women.

Meanwhile, Trumps son Eric Trump said Tuesday that it took a lot of courage in so many regards for his dad to restrain himself and not take the bait when Clinton accused him of sexism in the final minutes of the debate.

Its unclear how embarrassing the Clintons on this issue helps Trump win new support from voters  especially from white women with college degrees, who have often been the most hesitant to back him. Plus, the topic is a reminder of Trumps own behavior during his three marriages, the first of which ended following a high-profile affair that was closely followed by the tabloids.

Eric Trump repeatedly said that he was proud of his father for not directly bringing up Bill Clintons affairs and that he will always remember that moment, a sentiment echoed by a number of other surrogates this week.

He said it when he came off the debate stage, I wasnt gonna respond to that question because I saw Chelsea in the front row, and I just wasnt gonna go there out of respect for her,  Eric Trump said Tuesday during an interview on 1040 WHO Iowa radio.   He wouldve probably hurt a family if he did. I dont know, I think that took a lot of courage in so many regards and I think he really answered that well and took the high ground and kept the high road.

Chelsea Clinton responded to Donald Trumps comments in an interview with Cosmopolitan magazine that was published Wednesday.

Well, my reaction to that is just what my reaction has been kind of every time Trump has gone after my mom or my family, which is that its a distraction from his inability to talk about whats actually at stake in this election, Clinton said.   And candidly, I dont remember a time in my life when my parents and my family werent being attacked, and so it just sort of seems to be in that tradition, unfortunately.

Giuliani said in a brief interview Monday night with Elite Daily, which focuses on millennials, that Clinton not only stood by her husband during the sex scandal involving Monica Lewinsky, but she also criticized the younger woman.

And after being married to Bill Clinton for 20 years, if you didnt know the moment Monica Lewinsky said that Bill Clinton violated her that she was telling the truth, then youre too stupid to be president, Giuliani said, according to a video posted online.

Lewinsky has never publicly accused Bill Clinton of violating her, as Giuliani claimed.

Rutledge, the Arkansas attorney general, said Wednesday on MSNBC that if Clinton wants to revisit comments Trump made in the 1990s, then its fair to revisit things that Clinton said about fellow women  including once reportedly calling Lewinsky a narcissistic loony toon. That label came from papers donated to the University of Arkansas Special Collections library by Diane Blair, a political-science professor and close friend to Clinton.

Rutledge repeatedly dodged questions about comments Trump has made about a Miss Universe winner by bringing up scandals involving Bill Clinton and Hillary Clintons treatment of women.

There were so many, unfortunately, that we cant recall all of President Clintons indiscretions, Rutledge said at one point.

Bossie, Trumps deputy campaign manager, also tied Hillary Clinton to her husbands high-profile affairs on Fox News on Wednesday.

I think that if you look at Hillary Clintons background and if you look at her being an enabler, really, in the 90s and really attacking these women, it goes against everything that she now tries to spout as a candidate for president, Bossie said.

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When Ryan James Martin walks around the Virginia Tech campus, he wears an empty handgun holster at his side as a silent reminder to his fellow students that he is not allowed to bear arms there.

Martin, a 22 year-old senior, is an advocate for the Constitutions second amendment and a vocal critic of the universitys prohibition on carrying firearms around school buildings, dorms and classrooms in Blacksburg, Virginia. Martin believes the schools policy is an infringement of his rights and prevents him from being prepared to keep himself and other students safe from harm should an active shooter storm the campus.

It just calls attention to the fact that we are unarmed and have no self defense, essentially, except for our fists, Martin said.

The administration in Blacksburg has viewed Martins advocacy with concern, and some of his peers have displayed vehement disdain, in large part because the campus experienced a searing mass murder on April 16, 2007. Within the span of 11 minutes that spring morning, Seung Hui Cho fired 174 gunshots in Norris Hall, and in total he killed 32 students and faculty members and wounded 17 others. Though nearly a decade ago, the memory remains fresh.

Now Martin is fasting as part of a hunger strike aimed at bringing attention to his efforts to allow students who are 21 or older  and appropriately permitted by the state  to carry concealed weapons, which would mean keeping a firearm on their person or within a backpack so that it is not readily visible. Martins protest began early Monday morning and will continue until at least Friday, when Virginia Tech President Timothy Sands is scheduled to give an address on the state of the university. Martin said that hes willing to end his fast if hes given an audience with Sands; he wants to make the case for allowing concealed carry on campus.

Its not a Republican or Democratic issue, or an Independent issue, Martin said. Its about the right for self defense for Virginia Tech students and faculty members on this campus. Its an issue that I simply want to talk about.

Michael Stowe, a Virginia Tech spokesman, said the university certainly respects any students right to civil protest, provided that person abides by our Principles of Community and incurs no harm to self or others.

Martin, a native of Fredericksburg, Virginia, fondly remembers the day in middle school when he received his first gun as a gift, a .22 caliber plinker. Now he owns five others, including a 12-gauge shotgun, a .243 rifle, an AR-15 assault-style rifle, a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber pistol and a Glock 19, the same kind of handgun Cho used in the 2007 mass shooting.

Now in his fifth year on campus, Martin is majoring in both English and Biology and has aspirations to become a high school teacher or perhaps pursue a career in law enforcement. He often takes friends who are curious about his hobby to a nearby shooting range. Martin said that many of his classmates dont know much about firearms and that he enjoys exposing them to sport shooting.

I come from a place where guns are everywhere  pretty much everybody has one, Martin said. A lot of my peers are from places where that doesnt ring true. . . . If you dont know about something, its going to be scary from the outset.

Two hours east of Blacksburg, at Liberty University, students at the conservative Christian school are encouraged to arm themselves, and the schools president has given speeches with a pistol in his back pocket. Liberty allowed people with permits to carry concealed weapons on campus in 2011, a move school officials described as being in response to the 2007 mass shooting at Virginia Tech. In December, Liberty announced plans to let qualified students store guns in residence halls for the first time, and many members of the community have said they planned to take free classes from Liberty police on gun safety, a step toward obtaining a state permit to carry a concealed weapon.

At Virginia Tech, Martin has faced insults from opponents and anonymous sniping online from detractors since he began his hunger strike. But hes also received support from faculty members who are concerned for his health in light of his hunger strike, and he has had numerous peaceful discussions with students about the possibility of carrying handguns on campus.

Its also unclear exactly how much support Martin has at Virginia Tech. A group he started on Facebook, Students for Campus Concealed Carry, has just 43 likes. He admits that attendance at his rallies are sparse. But thats not the point, Martin said, noting that many of his supporters dont want to attract attention to themselves on a campus that is especially sensitive about the possibility of guns in classrooms.

All in all, I think Ive already brought success by bringing this to thousands of Virginia Tech students and alumni, Martin said.

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A company that was denied a preliminary license to grow medical marijuana in Maryland is seeking to join a lawsuit challenging how regulators authorized 15 growers for the potentially lucrative industry.

Maryland Cultivation and Processing was one of two prospective growers that submitted one of the 15 highest-ranking applications but was rejected by the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission in favor of lower-scoring companies from underrepresented parts of the state.

The other company, Green Thumb Industries Maryland, filed a lawsuit in Baltimore City Circuit Court earlier this month alleging that the reshuffling was illegal. On Wednesday, Maryland Cultivation and Processing submitted a petition to join the lawsuit.

The suit alleges that commissioners broke their own rules by telling prospective marijuana cultivation applicants that their locations were not relevant, then basing final decisions about which ones would get preliminary licenses on the counties in which the applicants planned to operate. The suit also raises questions about why regulators voted unanimously on July 27 to accept the 15 highest-ranking applications and reversed themselves two days later.

Commission vice chair Buddy Robshaw previously told The Washington Post that he pushed for the reversal after learning none of the highest-ranking growers planned to operate in swaths of southern and southeastern Maryland. The medical marijuana legalization law calls for geographic diversity in cultivation sites.

The commission and state attorney generals office, which represents state agencies in court, have declined to comment on pending litigation.

Maryland Cultivation and Processing is led by Andras Kirschner and Edward Weidenfeld, co-founders of a marijuana-growing operation in the District of Columbia, where medical cannabis has been legal for years.

Weidenfeld, a longtime District lawyer who was general counsel to Ronald Reagans 1980 presidential campaign, says he joined the industry after learning the benefits of marijuana in treating his Parkinsons disease.

Marylands long-delayed medical marijuana program is grappling with several controversies, including a possible ethics probe into a lawmaker who was instrumental in legalizing and regulating the industry, and complaints from elected officials objecting to the lack of racial diversity among approved growers.

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Joseph Harmatz, a Lithuanian Holocaust survivor who led a band of self-proclaimed avengers in poisoning 3,000 loaves of bread for German prisoners after World War II, an act that he regarded as rightful retribution for the Nazi slaughter of 6 million Jews, died Sept. 22 at his home in Tel Aviv. He was 91.

The cause was a heart ailment, said a son, Ronel Harmatz.

For decades, Harmatz did not speak publicly about the act of sabotage that he helped organize near Nuremberg, Germany, in April 1946  a plot that sickened thousands but produced no confirmed fatalities, and that was perhaps the most dramatic act of its kind in the aftermath of the Holocaust. He had lost most of his family to Nazi persecution and then reestablished himself as a civic leader in Israel, a life that he believed did not permit discussion of his postwar activity.

Only in the 1990s did he reveal his association with Nakam, a group formed by the Jewish partisan leader Abba Kovner and that operated across Germany after the war. The name meant vengeance in Hebrew, but Harmatz and his comrades did not necessarily seek revenge, observed Dina Porat, chief historian of the Yad Vashem Holocaust remembrance center in Jerusalem.

They wanted justice to prevail after a horrible injustice was inflicted upon the Jewish people, she wrote in an email, so that no one would dare raise his hand against them again.

Like many of Nakams several dozen members, Harmatz had proved himself in the Jewish resistance, enlisting at 16 while confined to the Vilna ghetto. During the liquidation of the ghetto, Harmatz escaped through the sewers and fled to the swampy Rudniki Forest outside Vilna, where Kovner, later a prominent Israeli poet, named him chief of special operations.

During the war, the partisans attacked railways, bridges and telegraph lines to thwart the German war effort. But Harmatzs most noted actions came later, when Germany was defeated but remained, in his view, insufficiently punished for its crimes against the Jews.

The Germans here were taking their children out in little prams, they had milk to feed them and still they complained that the level of fat in the milk was not high enough, Harmatz observed in comments cited in the book Endkampf: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Death of the Third Reich by Stephen Fritz.

They, on the other hand, grabbed our children and babies by the legs or by the hair and threw them against telephone poles and into the furnaces, he remarked. Many of us became nihilistic. Life was not important, neither your own nor anyone elses.

Harmatz took command of a Nakam cell in Nuremberg, where it made him sick, he said, to sit through the minutiae of the war crimes trials administered by the Allies. The group contemplated but abandoned a plan to gun down the Nazi defendants in the courtroom.

Regarding German guilt as pervasive, the fighters plotted an attack in which they would have poisoned the water supply to Nuremberg. Kovner went so far as to secretly obtain the poison in Palestine but was discovered en route by ship back to Europe and threw the toxins overboard, according to accounts published by the London Observer and the Associated Press.

Nakam then formed the plan to poison the bread provided to Nazi prisoners at Stalag 13, an American-run camp in Langwasser, outside Nuremberg. The group infiltrated the bakery, eventually hiding supplies under floorboards. On the appointed night, operatives sneaked in and coated the 3,000 loaves of black bread with arsenic mixed with glue so that the substance would adhere to the bread like flour.

They knew that each loaf would be divided among four prisoners, and that the poison might therefore reach 12,000. The goal, Harmatz told the Associated Press in an interview last month, was to kill as many Germans as possible.

Harmatz claimed that the attack killed 300 to 400 Germans, but the figure could not be substantiated. According to a 1946 news report, more than 2,200 Germans were sickened. Porat said that there were no known deaths. It was speculated that prisoners tasted something amiss in the bread and declined to finish their rations.

Nakam soon disbanded, and Harmatz shifted his efforts to Bricha, the effort to illegally shepherd Jews from Eastern Europe into what was then the British mandate of Palestine. Although there were individual acts of revenge against Nazi perpetrators, the Nuremberg plot was the only episode on record of large-scale retaliation, Andrew Nagorski, a journalist and author of the book The Nazi Hunters, said in an interview.

Its not surprising that some survivors would try to mount such an act, he said, but whats perhaps more surprising is how quickly how many Holocaust survivors and people who are called Nazi hunters began to focus not so much on revenge but on trials, as well as the historical documentation of the events of the Holocaust. But until the end of his life, Harmatz saw his actions as justified.

We didnt understand why it shouldnt be paid back, he told the AP in August.

Harmatz, known by Yulek, was born in Rokiskis, Lithuania, on Jan. 23, 1925. His father was a prosperous wholesaler.

Yulek belong to a youth communist group and said he was enlisted to help guard Vilna after the Soviet Union annexed Lithuania in 1940. The next year, Nazi occupiers arrived and embarked on a killing campaign that would destroy 90 percent of the Lithuanias Jewish population, one of the highest rates in Europe, according to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Of Harmatzs immediate family members, only his mother survived the war. His father committed suicide in the ghetto. One brother died serving in the Soviet army, and another brother perished in a concentration camp.

Outside the ghetto with the resistance, he told an interviewer, I first met people whod escaped from concentration camps. They told me of the atrocities. I decided I wouldnt rest until I got revenge.

After the war, Harmatz ran a shipping company in Israel and became a high-ranking director of World ORT, a nongovernmental organization that provides educational and vocational training.

In 1998, following his retirement, he published a memoir of his time with Nakam, From the Wings. A German court later investigated him and an associate but declined to prosecute them because of persecution experienced by the two involved and their family.

Harmatzs wife, the former Gina Kirschenfeld, whom he married in 1950, died in 1987. Survivors include two sons, Ronel Harmatz and Zvi Harmatz, both of Tel Aviv; and three grandchildren.

According to Porat, about eight of Harmatzs former comrades are living today.

We were the Avengers, he told the Observer in 1998. Unfortunately, we did not do more. Our ultimate intention was to kill 6 million Germans, one for every Jew slaughtered by the Germans. . . . And I dont feel any differently today.

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Ares Management is reportedly seeking to raise more than $45bn for its latest batch of funds.
Actor SJ Suryah, who will be playing the antagonist in Tollywood superstar Mahesh Babu's next with director AR Murugadoss, will be sporting six-pack abs, say reports.

By India Today Web Desk: After the stupendous success of the Tamil film Iraivi, director SJ Suryah has been getting a lot of acting offers. Suryah, who has been roped in to play the villain in superstar Mahesh Babu's bilingual flick, will be sporting six-pack abs for the first time in his career.

ALSO READ: Ranveer Singh heaps praise on Suriya, says he's THE original Singam

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ALSO READ: Happy Birthday Puri Jagannadh- 5 films of ace director that redefined commercial cinema

Suryah, who spent the last two months rigorously training, will also be seen in a clean shaven look in the film. According to reports, the team recently completed a three-week schedule in Chennai, where the unit has erected a massive setting in EVP world.

Despite maintaining secrecy of the project, now it's been rumoured that Mahesh Babu is indeed playing a stylish intelligence officer in the film.

Rakul Preet Singh plays the female lead after Bollywood actor Parineeti Chopra turned down the offer.

Music director Harris Jayaraj, a frequent collaborator with Murugadoss will compose the film's music.

Jointly produced by Prasad and Tagore Madhu, the film is slated to release next year.

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As veterinarians, we are always focused on the wellness of our patients, Dr. Sarah Allison of the AVMA Future Leaders class of 2015-2016 said at an Aug. 6 press conference during AVMA Convention 2016 in San Antonio.

However, we need to focus on making ourselves and our colleagues well. We know the statistics of our profession, such as increased risks of depression, psychological distress, and burnout.

The 2015-2016 class focused on wellness in the workplace for veterinarians and paraprofessional staff, building on the previous classs work on individual wellness.

At the press conference and an Aug. 7 continuing education session in the Professional Development track, the class illustrated the resources it has created to help veterinarians implement wellness practices in the workplace.

Members of the 2016-2017 class were also announced at the press conference. Each year, the AVMA receives numerous nominations for the Future Leaders program. Now entering its sixth year, the program promotes leadership in organized veterinary medicine to benefit the veterinary workplace, society, and especially the profession. Zoetis is the sponsor.

The Future Leaders class of 2016-2017 comprises Drs. Joshua Ames, companion animal practitioner, Spartanburg, South Carolina; Jennifer Bornkamp, clinical instructor in anesthesiology, Ames, Iowa; Kirk Brueniger, corporate veterinary medicine practitioner, Vancouver, Washington; Tracey Hlede, companion animal practitioner, Chicago; Christina Larson, comparative medicine practitioner, Minneapolis; Jessica Larson, industrial practitioner, Nashville, Tennessee; Katie Rohrig, companion animal practitioner, Chatham, Virginia; Ian Rubinoff, poultry medicine practitioner, Wakefield, Rhode Island; Nicki Wise, associate professor in large animal medicine and surgery, Grenada, West Indies; and Jennifer Wishnie, food animal industry practitioner, Seattle.

The 2015-2016 class addressed workplace wellness issues by creating a five-step wellness toolkit. The kit includes a short video stressing the professions increased risk of depression, suicide, and substance abuse; ideas for creating a culture of wellness; work-team discussion points; a game plan for work group huddles; and guidance on appointing a workplace wellness champion.

We know the benefits of implementing wellness: improved morale, increased productivity, lower turnover, Dr. Allison said. More importantly, though, when we are well, we are better able to serve.

The outgoing class has invited key leaders throughout the profession to make wellness a priority and sign the AVMA Future Leaders Wellness Pledge. Dr. Joe Kinnarney, 2015-2016 AVMA president, and Dr. Christine Jenkins, chief veterinary medical officer for Zoetis, on Aug. 6 became the first to sign the document, followed by other leaders attending the press conference.

    AVMA President (2015-2016) Joe Kinnarney signs the wellness pledge as Dr. Christine Jenkins of Zoetis looks on. (Photo by R. Scott Nolen) 

The class also wrote a commentary on implementing wellness in the veterinary workplace. Dr. Allison is corresponding author of the commentary, which appears in this issue.

Dr. Corinn Hardy of the 2015- 2016 class shared her own wellness story at the CE session. Looking back, she saw that her addiction to living at a fast pace began in her final year of veterinary school. Later, in practice, she began eliminating lunch from her workday, consciously not hydrating, and reluctantly leaving work. In veterinary terms, I had become that renal insufficiency cat, she said.

Even after realizing she was living in a chronically dehydrated state, Dr. Hardy needed support to change her behavior, and she began to do so only after coming to the realization that change was necessary for the sake of the whole team. Another point: By not being willing to talk about wellness issues, we are creating a culture of secrecy and shame, she said.

Future Leader Dr. Will Sander walked attendees through the five steps in the toolkit, and Dr. Cyndie Courtney underscored the toolkits step of identifying a workplace wellness champion, who could be a veterinarian or a member of the support staff.

In closing, Dr. Courtney said, We cannot wait to see the ripple effect of every single person in this room implementing wellness in your workplace.
Since the AVMA held its Veterinary Wellness Roundtable in March, those who attended have started to advance mental health and well-being initiatives throughout the profession.

Dr. Anna Reddish, an assistant director for student initiatives in the AVMA Membership and Field Services Division, outlined the progress made so far during an AVMA Convention 2016 session in San Antonio.

Dr. Aimee Eggleston, a member of the 2015-2016 AVMA Future Leaders class, talks about the five-step wellness toolkit, during a presentation outlining progress since the Veterinary Wellness Roundtable. Photo by R. Scott Nolen)

The AVMA plans to partner with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct an analysis of causes of death for more than 12,500 veterinarians who died from 19792015. Involved in that investigation will be Randall J. Nett, MD, a NIOSH medical officer, and Tracy K. Witte, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Auburn University.

In addition, a handful of state VMAs and other organizations have been active in the wellness arena. Drs. Timothy Kolb, a member of the Ohio Veterinary Medical Licensing Board, and Jerome Williams, director of the Alabama Veterinary Professional Wellness Program, gave a presentation on successful veterinary wellness programs at the state organization level and the potential for wellness-related continuing education during the American Association of Veterinary State Boards annual meeting in September.

Already, veterinary leaders in North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Washington have put in a formal request to their tate veterinary boards to require that veterinarians earn wellness continuing education credits. Plus, Tennessee changed its veterinary practice act this year to establish a wellness committee and, that any information given to or produced by the committee is confidential, which is not the case in a number of states.

VetVance, a website created by Zoetis, features free educational content focusing on nonclinical skills. The site, just launched seven modules aimed at enhancing personal well-being.

The Student AVMA House of Delegates voted Aug. 7 to make its Wellness Committee a permanent entity (see article). SAVMA will fund attendance by two students at the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges fourth Health and Wellness Summit, Nov. 4-6 at Colorado State University.

Speaking of the summit, this will be the first year it will offer a practitioner track for those outside veterinary academia, for whom the meeting was previously geared. Prior to the summit, on Nov. 3, a symposium will be held by a group of more than a dozen mental health professionals who deal with veterinarian well-being. The group had its first meeting at the Veterinary Leadership Experience this past summer. It is coming together to provide a stronger voice and relevant expertise to help inform decisions being made by the veterinary profession.

This wellness think tank plans to continue to meet at least twice a year. An outline of outcomes from its first meeting will soon be available here.

Meanwhile, the wellness roundtables steering group, which will define strategy, create an action plan, and develop resources, met Sept. 26. Dr. Reddish also announced that the AVMA recently hired Dr. Marci Kirk as its new assistant director of recent graduate initiatives, and she will provide staff support for wellness initiatives.

For more information about wellness resources available for veterinary professionals, visit www.avma.org/wellness.

Related JAVMA content:

Veterinary wellness roundtable advances conversation (May 1, 2016)

Reversing the downward spiral (May 1, 2016)

Studies confirm poor well-being in veterinary professionals, students (May 1, 2016)
During AVMA Convention 2016 this August in San Antonio, the AVMA gave awards to a number of individuals and one organization to recognize excellence in veterinary medicine.

Dr. Roger O. McClellan received the AVMA Meritorious Service Award (see JAVMA, Oct. 1, 2016). Following are some key achievements of the other award recipients.

AVMA Advocacy Award

This award recognizes an AVMA member or nonveterinarian for advancing the AVMA legislative agenda and advocating on behalf of the veterinary profession.

U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran

The senator from Mississippi was honored for his contributions to the advancement of legislation on behalf of the veterinary profession.

Cochran championed the National Veterinary Medical Service Act of 2003, which established the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program. To date, more than 300 veterinarians have participated in the program, which places veterinarians in underserved areas in exchange for repayment of student loans.

His other advocacy efforts include the following:

Serving as a chief co-sponsor of legislation establishing the new Veterinary Services Grant Program, which passed in the 2014 Farm Bill and will help educate and train veterinarians for rural practice and help bolster veterinary practices in rural areas.

Leading appropriation efforts to ensure veterinarians have federal resources to bolster food safety and animal health, to conduct animal disease surveillance and laboratory diagnostics, and to protect animal welfare and advance animal science.

Co-sponsoring more than a dozen bills over the years that advance animal health and the standing of the veterinary profession.

AVMA XIIth International Veterinary Congress Prize

This award recognizes an AVMA member who has contributed to international understanding of veterinary medicine.

Dr. Craig N. Carter

Dr. Carter was recognized for his international contributions to veterinary public health at the Global Health Summit reception during AVMA Convention 2016. Dr. Joe Kinnarney, 2015-2016 AVMA president, said, He is a service-oriented individual whose contributions to one-health efforts have had far-reaching effects across the globe.

Dr. Carter joined the University of Kentucky Department of Veterinary Science as a professor of epidemiology in 2005 and became director of the University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in 2007. He also is on faculty at the University of Kentucky College of Public Health and the Lincoln Memorial University College of Veterinary Medicine in Harrogate, Tennessee.

His military career spanned four decades, starting with active and reserve duty in the U.S. Air Force and later changing over to the Army Reserve; he retired as a colonel in 2009. Dr. Carter consults internationally, and his current research focus is the epidemiology of infectious diseases and electronic monitoring of animal health.

Dr. Carter received his veterinary degree in 1981 and his doctoral degree in veterinary public health in 1993, both from Texas A&M University. He is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine.

AVMA Public Service Award

This award recognizes an AVMA member for outstanding public service while an employee of a government agency or for education of veterinarians in public service activities.

Dr. David L. Suarez

Dr. Suarez is leader of Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research at the Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory, which is part of the Department of Agricultures Agricultural Research Service.

Dr. Suarez was recognized for work to support control of avian influenza and Newcastle disease. His research led to the development of diagnostic tests for both diseases, and they have been used to screen for outbreaks in the United States and abroad, said Dr. Joe Kinnarney, AVMA president, in an announcement about the award. Dr. Kinnarney said Dr. Suarezs influence also is evident in the development and implementation of new vaccine technologies that have been applied worldwide. Dr. Suarez has authored or co-authored more than 160 peer-reviewed articles on avian viral diseases. He received his veterinary degree from Auburn University in 1988 and his doctoral degree in veterinary microbiology from Iowa State University in 1995. He is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists in both virology and immunology.

AVMA Presidents Award

Dr. Joe Kinnarney, 2015-2016 AVMA president, chose the recipients of this award, which is for individuals or groups that have made a positive impact on health, veterinary organizations, or the profession.

Dr. Eleanor M. Green (for the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges)

The AAVMC, which is celebrating its 50th year, was recognized for shaping the future of veterinary medicine and providing a forum for all the veterinary medical colleges to gather under one roof and address critical issues in the profession. Together, the AVMA and AAVMC have built greater awareness of and support for academic veterinary medicine and the veterinary profession. The AVMA/AAVMC Joint Committee monitors changes in and the future direction of veterinary medicine in North America. The AVMA and AAVMC share responsibility for appointing members to the AVMA Council on Education, which accredits veterinary colleges. The AVMA, AAVMC, and Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine organized the recent Economics of Veterinary Medical Education Summit to assess the impact of educational debt on the veterinary profession and identify strategies to address these challenges.

U.S. Sen. Harry Reid

The Nevada senator was recognized for contributions to the veterinary profession, including co-sponsoring legislation that restored the rank of brigadier general to the chief of the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps. Beginning in 1946, the chief of the corps was a brigadier general, but that status was lost after the military downsized. With lobbying from the AVMA, Reid worked to include a provision in the defense authorization bill requiring that the chief of the Army Veterinary Corps hold the rank of brigadier general. Reid served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1982-1986 and has served in the U.S. Senate since 1986. Since 2004, he has been the Senate Majority or Minority Leader. He has served as the chair or ranking Democratic member on several committees and subcommittees.

Dr. Arthur V. Tennyson

Dr. Tennyson was recognized for more than 26 years of service as an AVMA staff member and for service to the Student AVMA. Dr. Tennysons contributions to the AVMA included maintaining governance documents, acting as an adviser to staff and volunteer leaders, and providing support to councils and committees.

Dr. Kinnarney expressed gratitude for Dr. Tennysons role in influencing him to become involved in organized veterinary medicine. Dr. Tennyson joined the AVMA staff in 1977 as director of the Membership and Field Services Division.

He served in that role until his appointment as assistant executive vice president in 1996. He retired from the AVMA in 2004. Prior to joining the AVMA, Dr. Tennyson served in the U.S. Air Force from 1958-1970 and spent three years as a mixed animal practitioner and part owner of a veterinary practice in Vermont. He earned his veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1974.
By PTI: Hyderabad, Sept 28 (PTI) Civil Service Commission (CSC) of Maldives today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) to get short term capacity development training programmes for its officials.

Maldives CSC President Aly Shameem and ASCIs Director General Prof Paramita Dasgupta inked the pact in the presence of ASCI Chairman, K Padmanabhaiah here.

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"ASCI shall assist CSC to develop training programmes and materials required by CSC and help its curriculum developers/trainers to develop new programmes and materials or adapt ASCI programmes and materials for CSC use," according to the MoU.

Prof Paramita said ASCI shall assist in organising exchange of experts and consultancy service as needed by Maldives Civil Service apart from sharing information, research publication and experiences generated by the institution.

"For being our historic friend, closest neighbour, and great development partner, Maldives always admires India. ASCI is observed as an ideal learning laboratory and encyclopedia for civil or public servants of Maldives," Shameem was quoted as saying in an ASCI statement.

"For, ASCI offers multiple scopes for talent and skill development as well as enhancement of knowledge and real-time experiences," Shameen added.

"We will also like to seek the assistance of ASCI, a rich resource centre, in locating experts and consultants in running reform and developmental projects towards modernising, strengthening and economising Maldives Civil Services," he added.

The Director of the Civil Service Training Institute, Maldives, Fathimath Habeeba, ASCI Deans --Prof Nirmalya Bagchi (Dean of Research Studies) and Prof Usha Ramachandra (Dean of Training Programmes) -- were also present. PTI RS NRB RCJ PTP

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One of America's notorious pharmaceutical executives has announced an auction in which people are bidding high to slap or punch him. Find out why.

By India Today Web Desk: Martin Shkreli, the notorious American pharmaceutical executive, has announced an auction on Twitter that comes with an opportunity to punch or slap him.

All you have to do is bid to punch or slap Martin, who sparked outrage and earned a bad name when he purchased the rights to a drug used to treat conditions related to AIDS and cancer and increased its price by a whopping 5,000 per cent.

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The 33-year-old's company sold the life saving pill of Daraprim for $750 whereas before the hike they were available for $13.5.

The proceeds of the auction will help the 6-year-old son of his friend and public relations manager Mike Kulich, who recently died. Mike's son Tyler recently got done with his chemotherapy for acute lymphocytic leukemia.



Martin tweeted on September 26 that he will auction one slap/punch in the face to benefit his friend's son. He has asked bidders to send him a direct message on Twitter. So far the highest bids are $78,000 and $25,000.

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Modified On Oct 04, 2016 12:12 PM By Alshaar for Hyundai Tucson 2016-2020

At the beginning of current fiscal, Hyundai had made it known that it will launch at least two new products every year, henceforth. And living up to its word, the South Korean auto giant followed up the recent launch of its next-gen Elantra sedan by revealing that it will now roll out its next offering in the form of the Tucson SUV on October 24.

And sources now inform us that bookings for the new big car from Hyundai have unofficially commenced at select dealerships for a refundable token amount of Rs 25,000. They added that customers, who are keen on purchasing the Tucson, can also experience the car in flesh; though test drives have not been facilitated yet. Some units of the car were imported in India for homologation and are available with certain dealerships in cities like Mumbai.

Showcased at the Delhi Auto Expo earlier this year, the Hyundai Tucson has been a much-awaited product, especially after the success of the companys smaller SUV  the Creta  in the country. And in its second coming, it will be nothing like its previous avatar that was discontinued around five years ago.

For instance, the new Tucson will come with a petrol variant, unlike the erstwhile version that only featured a diesel mill. The petrol pot will be same as the one that debuted on the latest Elantra; where in its 2.0-litre capacity, it churns out 152PS of power and 192Nm of torque. Power will be transmitted by either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

As for the diesel powerplant, expect it to be a bit more powerful than the one available in the Creta currently; something like the 2.0-litre mill that is offered on the Tucson in global markets. In its international iteration, the engine is capable of churning out 185PS of power and an impressive 400Nm of torque.

Talking money, our sources have confirmed to us that the Hyundai Tuscon will be priced starting from around the Rs 17 lakh mark for the base E variant, going up to Rs 25 lakh for the top-spec SX plus trim. To be positioned between the Creta and the Santa Fe by Hyundai, the car will be pitted against the likes of the Honda CR-V and the Skoda Yeti in the segment.
Bro its really easyall u american poker players have to do, is set couple of senators and congress man and women cars on fire, that will get their attention, trust me, and just in case that doesnt do it, keep setting those cars on fire, till they UNDERSTAND they are not out of reach to the "ordinary people" let me put it as plain and simple as i can say it, THOSE C UNTS ARE NOT AFRAID OF YOU, SO THEY DO WHAT EVER THEY WANT(i should say,they are doing what ever makes them money or will make them money) once u put some fear in to them, see how fast things changecoz i know gathering votes and signs, calling your representative will never work, coz of the reason stated above, and thats how u will have poker again in `merica "land of the free home of the brave" yeah right, that turned out to be a joke too
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: In Atlanta, Soyia Ellison, soyia.ellison@cartercenter.org

In Tunis, Fida Nasrallah, +216 94 556 461, fida.nasrallah@cartercenter.org

Read statement in English (PDF)

En francais | 

ATLANTA  The Carter Center urges the Assembly of the Representatives of the People to move quickly to adopt key amendments to the draft electoral law so that municipal and regional elections can be held as soon as possible.

In a statement released today, the Center recognized the efforts of Tunisian authorities to amend the electoral law to incorporate municipal and regional elections but noted a glaring lack of attention to the organization of regional elections. Local elections at the municipal level will help establish a critical link between citizens and their elected officials, whereas elections at the regional level will further encourage development and help meet citizens concerns in Tunisia.

Draft legislation to amend the 2014 electoral law now under consideration in the assembly will strengthen Tunisias electoral framework and create opportunities for traditionally marginalized populations  including women, youth, and disabled persons  to participate as candidates in municipal and regional polls. The Center applauds these proposed reforms. In addition, the Center encourages the assembly to include reforms to address other key issues, including the enfranchisement of more than 100,000 citizens in the military and the internal security forces, as well as facilitating access to voters in hospitals and prisons. The electoral law also should ensure that electoral authorities are not empowered to overturn preliminary results prior to a court ruling by competent authorities.

Despite the prolonged period of legislative review, the draft electoral law introduces substantive improvements. The current draft strengthens the concept of gender parity, requiring political parties or coalitions running in municipal and regional elections to ensure both vertical parity of candidate lists (alternating male and female candidates) as well as horizontal parity (submitting an equal number of lists headed by women and men). In addition, the Center encourages the assembly to ensure that horizontal parity is respected at the regional rather than the national level and that the methods for sanctioning non-compliant lists are objective and do not further reduce the number of lists headed by women.

The Center also encourages the assembly to consider revising the definition of the actual address of the voter in order to facilitate greater inclusivity and reduce potential coercion. The definition in the current draft is likely to negatively affect the participation of many students and seasonal workers. It could also be manipulated by employers who could compel employees to register and vote in their place of work, possibly subjecting them to pressure to vote a certain way.

Finally, the Center encourages the assembly to adopt campaign-finance regulations that allow independent candidates and small political parties to conduct meaningful campaigns. These regulations should include effective mechanisms for the recovery of funds from recipients who do not garner the minimum threshold of electoral support.

The process of electoral reform in Tunisia has been frustratingly slow. There has been inadequate public consultation and a lengthy review process. Debates on key issues organized by the government did not involve a broad audience. In addition, there were considerable delays in reviewing the legislation. The government presented a draft text to the assembly on Jan. 11, 2016. The bill was examined in parliamentary commission for three months and finally advanced to the plenary on June 1. Plenary discussions on the draft law were suspended several times, reportedly over political disagreements on its content.

The legislative delays have forced repeated postponement of Tunisias municipal and regional polls. Two dates on which there was political consensus for holding elections (Oct. 30, 2016, and March 26, 2017), had to be discarded along with the electoral calendars and roadmaps that were developed by the Independent High Authority for Elections.

The assembly has an opportunity in the plenary session to reach consensus decisions and enact amendments to the draft electoral law that will open the door for critically important municipal and regional elections. Elected municipal and regional authorities could play a central role in hearing, understanding, and addressing citizens frustrations, which contributed to the 2011 revolution. The Center urges parliamentarians to adopt the electoral reform legislation and support the holding of municipal and regional elections at their earliest opportunity.

Translations

Carter Center Statement on Tunisias Electoral Legislation and Municipal and Regional Elections (PDF)

Declaration du Centre Carter concernant la legislation electorale en Tunisie et les elections municipales et regionales

          

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"Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope."

A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.
Kaayum Pegu, one of the four DU students who met with an accident after a drunk Uber driver rammed into a truck, died today.

Kaayum Pegu, died fighting for life after the Uber cab she was in rammed into a truck. Photo: Facebook\KaayumPegu

By India Today Web Desk: Four Delhi University students were severely injured in an accident where an Uber cab rammed into a truck parked near Sector 16A in the wee hours of Friday, September 23.

Kaayum Pegu, a 20-year-old Delhi University student pursuing English Honours at Miranda House college, was one of the four students inside the Uber cab, driven by a drunk driver. Kaayum succumbed to her injuries and died today.

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On September 24, a Facebook post made by Kaayum's brother Rikesh Pegu seeking O positive blood donors for his sister had gone viral with over 18,000 shares.





A report in the Hindustan Times say that the driver was arrested the same day, produced in court but released on bail. HT quotes Amarnath Yadav, Sector 20 station house officer as saying, "An FIR of rash and negligent driving was registered against the driver who was later identified as Viresh."

The other three students injured in the accident are Tanuz Kalita of SGTB Khalsa College, Siddharth Pathak of Swami Shraddhanand College and Akshara Badola of Mata Sundari College.

The four friends were returning from Greater Noida after attending a birthday party. "The cab driver was smoking inside the car. He rammed a stationary vehicle at 3 AM. All of us were injured, but the driver escaped with minor injuries. Instead of calling for help, he abandoned the car and fled the spot," said Kalita, who was discharged after initial treatment. Pathak and Badola are still in the hospital, but are out of danger.

Ruchita Machal, an Assistant Professor at University of Delhi posted "Kaayum is no longer with us" on her Facebook profile, and sought action from Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal against the Uber driver.



The HT report quotes Pathak as saying, "Pegu sat in the middle of the backseat and was thrown off the seat and hit the windshield and the dashboard, under the accident's impact."

A friend of Pegu told HT that Uber is not taking any responsibility for the incident and have left Pegu and family at 'the mercy of the cab driver's insurance'.

"We are pained to learn about the accident and are closely engaged with the victims' families to provide all assistance," said an Uber spokesperson as per the report.



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A 14-year old border conflict between Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, and Australia was revived by The Hague's Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) on Monday. Around 3,000 nautical miles separate Australia and Timor-Leste, an island in the Indonesian archipelago. Between the two countries lie the Timor Sea, home to the Joint Petroleum Development Area (JPDA) that is rich in oil and natural gas deposits. Next to the JPDA are the Sunrise and Troubadour gas fields, collectively known as Greater Sunrise, that are worth an estimated $40 billion. These fields are at the heart of the maritime dispute that has weighed on bilateral relations and holds the potential to accelerate the nascent Timorese economy.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration

Background

Under the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty, the Southeast Asian island receives 90 percent of revenues from the JPDA's energy resources, with the remainder going to Australia.

However, only 20 percent of the Greater Sunrise fields lies inside the JPDA, according to the 2006 International Unitization Agreement on Sunrise (IUA), which allotted the remaining 80 percent to Australia. Subsequently, a separate 2006 agreement [the Treaty on Certain Maritime Arrangements in the Timor Sea, or CMATS] was signed to divide revenues from the Sunrise fields 50-50. CMATs also stipulated a 50-year freeze on both countries from negotiating a permanent maritime boundary. In 2013, the Timorese government accused Canberra of espionage to gain commercial advantage during CMAT's negotiations, claiming that such a move invalidated the agreement. In April this year, Timorese Prime Minister Rui Maria de Araujo initiated formal conciliation proceedings by invoking the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. He aims to establish an exclusive economic zone, including a permanent boundary, one that will allow the island to gain control of the entire lucrative Greater Sunrise fields. Australia has argued that the Hague's international arbitration court does not have jurisdiction over the dispute as per CMATsa response that bears striking similarities to China's viewpoint when the same court ruled on the South China Sea dispute. In an effort to appeal to the U.S. for help earlier this year, PM Araujo also accused Australia of behaving like Beijing. On Monday this week, the court refuted Canberra's claims, announcing that it was indeed competent to hold a conciliation. Talks between the two countries will now continue over the next year.

Activists attend a rally outside the Australian embassy in Dili, capital of Timor-Leste, on February 23, 2016. Hundreds called on the Australian government to negotiate for the establishment of permanent maritime boundaries between Australia and Timor-Leste. VALENTINO DARIEL SOUSA | AFP | Getty Images

Implications
The JS INEOS Insight shale gas tanker sails under the Forth Rail Bridge as it arrives in Scotland before docking at INEOS Grangemouth. Stuart Wallace | Ineos

Shale gas from the U.S. arrived on the shores of the U.K. for the first time Tuesday, sparking a wider debate about the impacts of the industry on the environment and the global economy.

Amid much fanfare, a Scottish bagpiper greeted a ship called the Ineos Insight on the banks of Grangemouth in east Scotland. Its cargo was 27,500 cubic meters of ethane from U.S. shale fields. However, disgruntled campaigners used the boat's arrival to dismiss the benefits of hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking." Scotland currently has a ban on the technology, which unlocks underground oil and shale gas resources using high-pressure steam and chemicals, while in England it's still at the exploratory stage with the ruling Conservative backing the industry and extolling its virtues.

Tweet 1 Tweet 2 Ineo is a privately owned multinational chemicals company headquartered in Switzerland and Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire founder and chairman of the firm, says that he needs the shale gas to make chemical products, fuels and plastics at his Scottish plant. He told the BBC on Tuesday morning that the price of U.S. gas can be as much as a third of the price of U.K. gas, adding that the U.S. was "immensely more competitive" than his home nation where North Sea oil is in its "sunset years."

The company also states that it needs the cheaper gas to keep the plant open after it has "limped along for the last three years" and it wants to sustain the 10,000 jobs it provides in Scotland.

Campaigners are quick to point out that the gas is being supplied by Range Resources in the U.S., which was previously fined by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for violating environmental regulations. Ineos has a "corporate agenda that damages communities' health," the anti-fracking group Frack Off said on its website on Tuesday. Ineos is expected to be a major part of any shale gas industry that potentially germinates in the U.K.

Tweet 3
New Delhi : A recent report by the Brussels-based Crisis Group, which focuses on the role of madrassas in promoting religious extremism in Pakistans Punjab, corroborates PM Narendra Modis assertion that the neighbour exports terrorism.

The report titled, `Pakistans Jihadist heartland  Southern Punjab, says jihadi groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad have created parallel legal structures that exploit political dysfunction.

Absence of the rule of law and the presence of parallel legal structures has resulted in large swathes of southern Punjab (Pakistan) becoming a no-mans land where criminal and militant networks flourish, it says.

Parts of Rajanpur and Dera Ghazi Khan districts, bordering Balochistan, have jihadist madrassas linked to Islamabads Lal Masjid. It goes on to say that heavily armed groups occupy three small islands on the Indus. The area around southern Punjabs Rajanpur, Sindhs Kashmore and Balochistans Dera Bugti districts are sanctuaries forjihadist groups due to lack of governance and an inaccessible riverine terrain.

Deobandi seminaries dominate the madrassa sector in southern Punjab, although madrassa unions of other sects also maintain significant networks, the reports says identifying seminaries that have given rise to Taliban and anti-India groups. They run educational institutions, including madrassas and regular schools.

Crisis Group says Islamist groups and Sunni proselytising movements like the Tableeghi Jamaat seek to coopt teachers and students, even in colleges. The Tableeghi Jamaat is an agent of `internal conversions from Barelvi to Deobandi and expands the potential jihadi recruitment pool. An NGO worker from Jhang area is quoted to say , Radicalisation starts in the classroom.

A Pakistani diplomat spoke on the role of madrassas during the anti-terror meet of Saarc nations in Delhi last week, saying seminaries were a big problem as they radicalised youth.

Asserting that Pakistan militarys ambitious National Action Plan made little headway to stop terrorism, the report says Pakistan has not done much to regulate hate speeches either. Despite arrests of hardline preachers, graffiti and advertisements on `short jihadi courses available, are seen in public.

Radical Deobandi groups continue to receive donations, particularly from the trader community, while landowners give large sums to local mosques and madrassas, both as insurance and to gain political clout, it says.

Source : Economic Times
AMID claims that enhanced vigil on the India-Bangladesh border has brought down cattle smuggling by 99 per cent in last one year, the organised malaise continues to flourish, Mail Today investigations have found.

Indian beef fetch high price

Bangladeshi cattle markets, known as khattals, are brimming with cows and oxen from India that travel thousands of kilometers, including water routes, on the sly. Traders at these markets admit that demand for Indian beef is high and the scaling down of smuggling activity has only served to push the prices up.

There is a slump in the volume after the (Narendra) Modi government came to power, but cows and oxen still reach here from villages of Haryana, Rajasthan and even Maharashtra, said Mohammed Rehan, who works at Gabtole, one of the biggest cattle market of Bangladesh, a 13km drive from Capital Dhaka. On an average, around 3,000 cattle make it to Gabtole daily from India and Nepal. The prices have now gone up due to higher risk and bribe rates.

Prices high as Rs. 2 lakh

Depending on its health and specie, a cow can fetch 3,000 to 45,000 takas in Bangladesh. Bigger cow species from Haryana and Rajasthan are sold at a premium. During festival time, such as Eid, the prices could move into one to two lakh takas.

Traders at Gabtole told Mail Today that the cattle are first transported in trucks via UP, Bihar and Jharkhand to enter into border destinations of West Bengal and Assam. From the two border-states, the smugglers use water routes from villages to cross over.

The commonly-used water routes are in rivers Kalindi, Ichhamati, Raimangal and Hariabhanga of Bangladesh. The cows are first kept in remote villages and bound one after another by a long iron-chain. At night these are herded in water by Rakhals, young local aides who are good swimmers and know their way even in the dark. For facilitating a pair of cow, a Rakhal gets the equivalent of Rs 3,000.

Cattle smuggling since Bangladesh was East Pakistan

The BSF and BGB have also identified many of these cattle corridors which include Khulna, Kustia, Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Mymensing, Sylhet, Comilla and Chittagong. However, there are always new routes are discovered by the smugglers.

The business of cattle (smuggling) has been going on since Bangladesh was East Pakistan. Cows come from India, Nepal and Bhutan legally or illegally, said Nadeem Khan, a trader at Gabtole, before he is advised by others against drawing undue attention.

Similar stories were recounted by traders at the Paikgachi cattle market, located between Satkhir and Jessore. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the traders said rise in demand for beef has made smuggling even more lucrative. Only the smugglers are making more money, said one of the traders.

Cattle smuggling worth 5 billion dollars

Defence expert Maj Gen (Rtd) PK Sehgal told Mail Today the cattle smuggling on Indo-Bangladesh border was worth $8 to 10 billion but after strict instructions by Narendra Modi government, the smuggling has come down. But it still continues to be worth at least $5 billion dollars. The cattle are pushed in, unfortunately many times in connivance of the force guarding the border.

This is in sharp contrast of the claims made by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) that smuggling on the border has come down by 99 per cent as compared to the previous year.

BSF increase troops to curb cattle sumggling

The BSF, over the last five months, has plugged some of the vulnerable patches of the 4,096-km border by not only increasing troop strength but also new vehicles and a fresh fleet of attack motorboats to patrol riverine areas. The seizure of cattle by BSF in South Bengal frontier also known as the cattle corridor of India, reflects the trend. In 2014, it was 1,21,887, in 2015 1,51,402, and till August-end this year it has been 1,18,711.

GI pipes have been welded to continexisting metal fence as a defence against cattle smugglers, said a top officer in BSF.

However, smugglers either manage to either cut wires or use unique techniques like makeshift wooden cranes to lift the cattle. On Sunday, BSF guards killed a 35-year-old cattle smuggler, Bahrul Islam, for allegedly trying to cross over near northern Kurhigram areas Roumari Upazila.

Cattle caught at border go to actions

There is another set of cattle which fetch better prices now. Police and guards often catch cattle that have either moved into Bangladesh or were abandoned by the smugglers for the fear of being caught. These cattle go to the auction block, said Subash Chowdhry, a local journalist with a Bangladeshi daily at border district of Satkhira said. Chittigong and Dhaka traders used to get them at a marginal price earlier. But the increased demand now ensures that they fetch good prices for government departments.
Water Protectors Across Midwest Continue to Stop Active Construction of Dakota Access Pipeline & Dispel Accusations of Violence

Cannon Ball, North Dakota, September 27, 2016 - On Monday, North Dakota news outlet WDAY-TV published a report on a #NoDAPL action in North Dakota that occurred the day prior. The report alleges a private security guard was assaulted and carried by protesters at a Dakota Access construction site. There is no proof of the incident - the hundreds of photos and live video shot of the demonstration all show an entirely peaceful day.As documented on Sunday, hundreds of indigenous peoples, organizations, and allies gathered in peaceful opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline. Native women and youth planted willow trees in the path of the pipeline. Prayers and songs by the protectors were in stark contrast to the helicopters flying overhead and police presence. Elders spoke of protecting the water, and the significance of the willow trees.Despite continuing efforts of local media to paint us as aggressors and the pipelines construction as inactive, protectors are united in non-violent direct action to stop this destructive project. The company has sicced dogs and used mace on Native women and children to protect its fossil fuel investment, but we fight with our prayers and love for seventh generation. Dakota Access hasn't stopped construction, they've upped their efforts with a six to seven day work week, and purchase of Cannonball Ranch, land with numerous sacred sites that is right next to where they plan to drill under the river, said Tara Houska, National Campaigns Director of Honor the Earth.The same day, organizers opposed to the Dakota Access Pipeline project movement identified a construction site near Redfield, South Dakota. They placed one thousand traditional prayer ties at the construction site in peaceful direct action to permanently stop the construction of the pipeline."In support of all the tribes who have been praying and Yankton Sioux Tribe's filing for injunction against Dakota Access pipeline we came down to lend our support in resistance to this evil monster. Do not think that this fight is done. We will be watching you and we know the grave injustices Energy Transfer has done to the people to the earth and the threat to sacred water. explained Joye Braun, citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and frontline organizer with the Indigenous Environmental Network.The two actions in North and South Dakota were peaceful and no arrests were made. However, in Iowa 12 arrests were made on Saturday, September 24, at the Mississippi River access point for the Dakota Access Pipeline where the group Mississippi Stand has recently set up an encampment to resist the construction of the pipeline.Over 100 Iowans have been arrested so far in direct actions against this crude oil threat to our drinking water. We wont rest until the pipeline has been stopped in Standing Rock and in Iowa. We wont rest until all the Rivers are protected. We wont rest until future generations are guaranteed clean water. We wont rest until the Tribes have gotten justice, said Carolyn Raffensperger, executive director of the Science and Environmental Health Network.The Indigenous Environmental Network
New Report: Biased International Observers Failed Haiti in 2015, Neutrality and Independence Essential for Upcoming October Elections

NEW YORK, September 19, 2016  As Haiti prepares for presidential and legislative elections on October 9, 2016, a new report (see PDF) by voting rights advocates charges that international observation efforts in previous rounds were a monumental failure. Despite clear evidence of fraud, violence and other irregularities during the August 9 and October 25, 2015 elections, international observers hailed the two rounds of voting as a successful exercise of democracy, the report shows. The failure to uphold international standards for free and fair elections raises serious questions about the objectivity and independence of international observers, said Nicole Phillips, a member of the National Lawyers Guild and one of the reports authors.The report, entitled Democracy Discouraged: International Observers and Haitis 2015 Elections, documents how the Organization of American States (OAS) and European Union (EU) electoral observation missions ignored reports of electoral problems from Haitian observers, journalists, two governmental commissions and, at times, even their own observers. How is it possible that the OAS and EU observers did not see what everyone else did? said Mario Joseph, Managing Attorney at the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux, based in Port-au-Prince, and a member of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers governing Bureau. Their unjustifiable endorsement of the 2015 elections has badly damaged international observers credibility in Haiti.Despite mounting evidence of fraud, OAS and EU observers persistently opposed calls from a broad spectrum of civil society within Haiti for an independent verification, and defended the election results. The international observers position closely mirrored that of the United States and other large donor nations, which used the flawed assessments of the OAS and EU to justify their opposition to verification, the report shows.The apparent influence wielded by powerful states over electoral assessments raises doubts about the neutrality and independence of international observers, the report states. In May 2016, an independent commission confirmed that massive fraud had badly distorted the October 25 elections outcome and ordered the presidential race rerun. In response, the U.S. government cut off election funding and EU observers withdrew in protest. The OAS mission has announced it will stay to observe the next round.The report recommends that international observation missions report objectively and honestly on the electoral process, refrain from political interference, and incorporate the views of Haitian civil society observers into their evaluations of the upcoming October 9 vote. Shodona Kettle, Chair of the Haiti Support Group, states: Our civil society partners are deeply concerned by the reluctance of international organisations to address serious allegations of fraud and irregularities during the elections. Rather than sweep this issue under the carpet, we urge the EU and OAS to acknowledge and respond to the contributions of local observers in the monitoring of elections in their country.The National Lawyers Guild and International Association of Democratic Lawyers November 2015 report calling for an independent investigation to address widespread allegations of fraud is available at http://www.nlg.org/news/releases/nlg-and-iadl-election-observers-establish-flaws-haitis-october-25-vote-call National Lawyers Guild
A Bay Area resident is taking the fight to protect our oceans from Northern California to South Africa. This week, thirty-year veteran environmental activist and biologist, Todd Steiner, executive director the Marin-based Turtle Island Restoration Network and SPAWN, is in South Africa advocating on behalf of marine wildlife. Joined by several colleagues, he is attending a major international treaty conference to promote greater protections for endangered marine species, including two species of sharks and several species of rays.

International Conference Will Decide Fate of Endangered Marine Species

Olema, Calif. (Sept. 28, 2016) - A Bay Area resident is taking the fight to protect our oceans from Northern California to South Africa. This week, thirty-year veteran environmental activist and biologist, Todd Steiner, executive director the Marin-based Turtle Island Restoration Network and SPAWN, is in South Africa advocating on behalf of marine wildlife. Joined by several colleagues, he is attending a major international treaty conference to promote greater protections for endangered marine species, including two species of sharks and several species of rays.

The CITES is meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa 24 September  5 October and is being attended by government representatives from more than 120 nations and scores of environmental organizations from around the world. CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement to ensure that trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. CITES provides a framework to be implemented at the national level through domestic regulations.

Historically, CITES has focused on land-based megafauna  such as lions, rhinoceros, and elephants. Although the treaty protects 5,600 animals, and 30,000 plants, only 103 fish species have made the list to date. Steiner is looking to correct that.

"We need to also focus on marine wildlife, in light of the crisis facing our oceans from overfishing, ocean acidification, and pollution. Protecting marine wildlife is critical to the survival of our planet," Steiner said.

Specifically, Turtle Island is working to increase protections for silky sharks, thresher sharks, and several species mobula rays (known as devil rays) by getting them listed on Appendix II of the CITES treaty. This classification encourages greater controls on the trade in species that are moving towards being threatened with extinction.

"It is an honor to represent the hundreds of thousands of Turtle Island supporters, and fight to protect species like silky and thresher sharks, and mobula rays. These animals need international protections to survive the threats they face from overfishing and climate change," said Steiner. "Sharks and rays migrate beyond national boundaries and into international waters. Their survival depends on cooperation, and thats what we are looking to achieve here."

Turtle Island Restoration Network, recognized as an international organization by the United Nations, participates at various international and regional treaty organizations including the Law of the Sea, Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, IUCN World Conservation Congress, in addition to CITES and others. Locally, Turtle Island activities are represented by its SPAWN and 10,000 Redwoods programs, which protect critically endangered coho salmon and sequester carbon to fight the climate crisis.

Joining Steiner at the meeting is Randall Arauz, Turtle Islands International Policy Director and 2010 Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, and Regi Domingo, both based in Costa Rica.

More info on CITES at: https://cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/news/CoP17_press_corner/PRESS_KIT_CoP17_Cites.pdf

https://cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/news/CoP17_press_corner/Background_on_CITES_and_CoP17.pdf

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Turtle Island Restoration Network is an international marine conservation organization headquartered in California whose 150,000+ members and online activists work to protect sea turtles and marine biodiversity in the United States and around the world. www.seaturtles.org
In May of 2016, two of our comrades in Azerbaijan, Qiyas Ibrahimov and Bayram Mammadov, were arrested for spraypainting the monument of the former dictator Haydar Aliev. It was on the night before the so-called "Flower holiday", a day made up in conmemoration of Haydar, the father of the current President of Azerbaijan. Nonetheless, as the charges for spraypainting would not have been very high, more than 1 kilogram of heroin was planted in each of our comrades' homes.They were processed on different trials. Qiyas has already been sentenced to 10 years of prison, his friend Bayram Mammadov is still on trial.From Azerbaijani comrades we received the text of Qiyas' speech in front of the jury, him being interrupted regurlarly by the judge. In support of his case, we made an audio version of this speech and the judge's comments.You'll find the audio (to listen online or download in different sizes) here: http://aradio.blogsport.de/2016/11/01/a-radio-in-english-azerbaijan-state-repression-and-the-anarchists-speech-in-court/ Length: 11:30 minYou can find other English and Spanish language audios here: http://aradio.blogsport.de/englishcastellano/ Among our last audios you can find:* A presentation on the Prison Strike in the USA 2016: http://aradio.blogsport.de/2016/10/24/a-radio-in-english-presentation-the-prison-strike-in-the-usa-2016/ * An interview about the "flower holiday" in Azerbaijan and the imprisoned anarchists: http://aradio.blogsport.de/2016/09/26/a-radio-in-english-azerbaijan-the-flower-holiday-of-the-dictator-and-the-imprisoned-anarchists/ * An interview on the repression against anarchists in Czech: http://aradio.blogsport.de/2016/09/08/a-radio-in-english-antifenix-interview-on-the-repression-against-anarchists-in-czech/ * Reflections on the NoBorder Camp Thessaloniki 2016: http://aradio.blogsport.de/2016/08/25/a-radio-in-english-reflections-on-the-noborder-camp-thessaloniki-2016/ * An interview about the ongoing defense of the Rog factory squat in Ljubljana: http://aradio.blogsport.de/2016/06/17/interview-on-the-defense-of-the-rog-factory-squat-in-ljubljana/ * An audio recording of a former anarchist prisoner in Belarus who tells about his experiences in jail and how he survived: http://aradio.blogsport.de/2016/03/28/a-radio-in-english-belarus-former-anarchist-prisoner-about-his-experiences-on-how-to-survive-jail/ * An interview on an anarchosyndicalist struggle in vegan pizzeria in Berlin: http://aradio.blogsport.de/2016/03/28/a-radio-in-english-belarus-former-anarchist-prisoner-about-his-experiences-on-how-to-survive-jail/ * An interview with the Anarchist Federation in Britain about its Safer Spaces policy (about feminism and conflict resolution): http://aradio.blogsport.de/2016/02/26/a-radio-in-english-feminism-and-conflict-resolution-the-anarchist-federation-britain-and-its-safer-spaces-policy/ * Mediterranean 4: An interview with the workers of the self-managed soap factory Vio.me in Thessaloniki: http://aradio.blogsport.de/2016/01/24/a-radio-in-english-mediterranean-4-the-self-managed-soap-factory-vio-me-in-thessaloniki/ Enjoy! And please feel free to share!A-Radio Berlinps.: We are now on Twitter! Please feel welcome to follow us at @aradio_berlin!ps2.: Please note: We are always looking for people willing to lend us a hand with transcriptions and translations from Spanish or German into English as well as people able to do voice recordings - in order to amplify our international radio work. You can contact us at aradio-berlin/at/riseup(dot)net!
MNS claims that there are no Pakistani artists in Mumbai as all of them have gone back to Pakistan directly or via Dubai.

By Mayuresh Ganapatye: Raj Thackeray's party MNS has claimed that 48 hours after his ultimatum, there are no Pakistani actors in Mumbai. His party has written to Red chillies and Dharma Productions issuing a threat that they will not allow the release of 'Raees' and 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' in Mumbai.

ARTISTS FLED VIA DUBAI: MNS



Upping its ante against Pakistani artists, MNS claims that there are no Pakistani artists in Mumbai as all of them have gone back to Pakistan directly or via Dubai.

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MNS recently issued threat letters to various production houses for hiring Pakistani artist for their shows, TV serials and films.

OMIT PAK ACTORS PART IN THE MOVIES, DEMANDS MNS



Staying firm on its stand, MNS has maintained that unless production houses of big budget movies like 'Raees' and 'Ae dil Hai Mushkil' omits the portion of Pakistani artists, the party will not permit these films to hit the Mumbai theaters.

Also read: Fawad Khan HASN'T left India because of MNS, he left long ago

"When our soldiers are attacked and our artists are being ill-treated, how can we allow Pakistani artists to come here and perform? Though we are personally not against Pakistan but for us nation comes first and such cultural isolation is required for Pakistan," says Shalini Thackery, an MNS leader.

'PAK ACTORS COME AS TOURISTS TO INDIA'



MNS also raised the visa issue of Pakistani artists. The party claims that the Pakistani artists come as tourist and work here, which is illegal.

"How can we allow these artists who come here as tourist and work. It's completely illegal. We have raised this issue many times with government also but there was no action from them" said Shalini.



MNS has warned production houses that after this ultimatum, if Pakistani artists are hired in future, then production houses and Pakistani Artist should get ready for a MNS style protest.

Also read| MNS workers protest at Karan Johar's office in Mumbai



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September 28, 2016 - Nearly a year on from a bloody spike in violence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) Israeli forces continue to display an appalling disregard for human life by using reckless and unlawful lethal force against Palestinians, Amnesty International said today.

Amnesty International USA joined 14 other organizations in calling for President Obama to launch an investigation and demand that Israel publicly release all evidence in the killing of U.S. citizen Mahmoud Muhammad Ali Shaalan earlier this year. The organizations sent a letter to the president on September 28.Shaalan was 16 when he was killed on February 26 at Beit El checkpoint, near Ramallah. According to eyewitness testimony provided to Amnesty International, he was shot from a distance by Israeli soldiers after being turned away from the checkpoint. An autopsy corroborated this version of events, but a criminal investigation into the killing has still not been opened. His family have also been denied access to video footage of the killing.His uncle, Salman Shaalan, said: Its been a nightmare for us. All evidence points to him being killed for no reason, so everyone is staying quiet, just hoping it goes away. Theyre not investigating, not going to find out what happened.What we are faced with today is a fight against the reality that Israel can do anything it wants without being held accountable by anyone. I hope the time for justice is coming.At a time when cameras have documented officer-involved shootings of civilians in the U.S., it is shocking that the White House has yet to publicly demand that Israel release the video footage from its own fatal shooting of U.S. citizen Mahmoud Shaalan, said Sunjeev Bery, Middle East/North Africa Advocacy Director for Amnesty International USA. "It is time for the Obama Administration to publicly demand that Israel release all video footage from the military checkpoint where Israeli soldiers fatally shot a U.S. citizen.Additionally, in a memorandum sent to the Israeli authorities on September 14, Amnesty International has detailed 20 cases of apparently unlawful killings of Palestinians by Israeli forces  including the death of Mahmoud Shalaan -- seeking clarification about the status of investigations. In at least 15 of the cases, Palestinians were deliberately shot dead despite posing no imminent threat to life in what appear to be extrajudicial executions. The Israeli authorities have not responded to Amnesty Internationals concerns.Since the escalation of violence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories last year, there has been a worrying rise in unlawful killings by Israeli forces, fostered by a culture of impunity, said Philip Luther, Research and Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.The cases of unlawful killings outlined in this memorandum reveal a shocking disregard for human life and pose some serious questions to the Israeli authorities. Those responsible must be brought to justice to ensure this cycle of unlawful killings ends.Since October 1, 2015, Israel and the West Bank -- including East Jerusalem -- have witnessed the most significant wave of violence since the end of the second intifada in 2005. More than 225 Palestinians and three foreign nationals were killed by Israeli forces over the past year, most of them during suspected, attempted or actual attacks against Israeli soldiers, police and civilians. At least 35 Israelis and two foreign nationals were killed in the same period by Palestinian attackers.In some cases, lethal force may have been the only means of protecting the lives of civilians or members of the security forces. However, as in the cases highlighted in the memorandum, in many instances those killed did not pose an immediate threat to life. This includes the shooting of people who were wounded or fleeing and the shooting of unarmed protesters.Unlawful killings by Israeli forces are nothing new. In the 2014 report, Trigger-happy: Israels use of excessive force in the West Bank,Amnesty International documented 19 apparently unlawful killings, including three cases where there was evidence of willful killings, which amount to war crimes.As violence continues in Israel and the OPT, the families of those unlawfully killed in the past year are left without justice. Of the 20 incidents in the memo, an indictment has been filed against a soldier in only one case. In many cases where there appears to be evidence of an extrajudicial execution, there is not even an open criminal investigation.Hadeel al-Hashlamoun was 18 when she was shot dead by Israeli forces in Hebron on September 22, 2015. According to a witness she was holding a knife, but was separated from the soldiers by metal barriers. A review by the Israeli army concluded that she could have been detained alive. Amnesty International is not aware of any criminal investigation into her death.Hadeels father, Dr Salah Hashlamoun, said: I have been going through some serious depression and loss of hope recently, it is now a year since my daughter was killed, the problem is not only that we have not seen any bit of justice but that Israel continues to kill our youth, that the killing is increasing.I want to shed light on the case of my daughter again now with the anniversary  not only to have justice for us but maybe to try and slow down the rate of murder which is again on the rise.Amnesty Internationals research shows that the military justice system consistently fails to deliver justice for Palestinian victims of unlawful killings and their families. The conduct of the Police Internal Investigations Department with regard to allegations of unlawful killings carried out by the Israel Police also raises serious questions about their ability to carry out impartial and independent investigations.Relatives of Israelis killed by Palestinians can count on a state that aggressively pursues the attackers  and often oversteps the bounds of legality in that pursuit. Palestinians, on the other hand, do not have anyone to protect their rights, said Luther.The only way to prevent further unlawful killings is to end the impunity that exists for those who have carried them out in the past. Israel has a duty to thoroughly, impartially and promptly investigate all killings by its security forces, and to keep families fully informed. The Israeli government must urgently reform its investigation systems so that it can fulfil this duty and bring those responsible for extrajudicial executions to justice.Read MoreHuman Rights in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories
By Jun Ji-hye

Gen. Wamala

The chief of Uganda's armed forces will visit South Korea Thursday to discuss ways of bolstering defense ties between the two nations, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Wednesday.

The military chief of Uganda, which had maintained friendly relations with North Korea until recently, comes while tension remains high here following Pyongyang's fifth and most powerful nuclear test, Sept. 9.

Officials say the visit by Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, the head of the Defense Forces of Uganda, reflects the deepening isolation of the North in the international community.

The Ugandan Army general is planning to meet with JCS Chairman Gen. Lee Sun-jin, Thursday, to discuss ways of enhancing the two sides' military cooperation.

During his four-day visit, Wamala is also planning to pay South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo a courtesy call.

In May, President Park Geun-hye became the first South Korean leader to visit Uganda. During a summit between Park and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, the latter promised to "disengage" from military cooperation with the North.

Fifty North Korean personnel serving in Uganda left the country after a contract extension was not signed in June.

Uganda also dispatched a delegation led by Ministry of Defense Permanent Secretary Rosettie Byengoma to the Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD), a multilateral defense forum hosted last month.

The government has been making efforts to bolster diplomacy with countries that have been friendly with the reclusive state to ensure worldwide implementation of sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Pyongyang.

In March, the UNSC imposed its toughest-ever sanctions yet on the North for its fourth nuclear test in January and a long-range rocket launch the following month.

The council is now considering fresh sanctions on Pyongyang for its fifth nuclear test.
By PTI: Jammu, Sept 28 (PTI) Noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has opened another window of opportunity for Pakistan by calling for a joint war against poverty, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today asked the neighbouring country to understand that such opportunities do not come daily.

"The call of Modiji to Pakistan and its people for war against poverty has no answers (from them). Pakistan, its people and its leadership should understand its meaning," Mehbooba told a gathering here tonight.

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"There is no answer to his remarks... Despite Pathankot, Modiji went to Lahore for peace but Uri happened," she said.

Mehbooba said Pakistan should understand that Modi has given them another window of opportunity fot friendly relations, peace and normalcy in the region.

"Despite this (Uri) and huge pressure, Modiji as a statesman gave another window (of opportunity) to Pakistan... If Pakistan will not even today understand this, it will not get such opportunities daily," she said.

"Recently there was a cry for war and attack on Pakistan -- do this and do this kind of environment. But the reply came from our the PM. It was more than hydrogen or atom bomb when he (PM) declared a war against poverty," she said.

The Chief Minister said had it been former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in such a situation, he would have said the same thing.

"I am hopeful that the strike, PM called for against Pakistan will definitely have results. Our biggest problem is poverty. If problems of conflicts and smaller problem would have not been faced by India, our country would much more developed and prosperous," she said.

Referring to the ongoing unrest in Kashmir, she said, "We are passing through trying times and a test. The situation is slowly improving in Kashmir."

Maintaining that war is never an option to resolve the issues, Mehbooba pitched for amicable relations between India and Pakistan to fight the poverty and economic deprivation plaguing the region while underlining the need of a bilateral dialogue to resolve the issues.

"The two nuclear armed neighbors must cooperate in the fields of social development, including eradication of poverty and with their growing economies and energy needs, and the need for newer, more diverse markets and trading opportunities, the future of the troubled region has to be defined by common economic interests instead of hostilities," she said.

"Instead of fighting wars with each other, the two countries should join hands to eradicate poverty and to address social problems plaguing the region... Modi went to Pakistan with this message on behalf of people of J&K but the Pathankote incident shattered that process," she said.

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The Chief Minister said as in any violent situation, the women have suffered the most in Jammu and Kashmir.

"In Kashmir, women have become primary victims of the violent situation over the last three decades which hasnt led us anywhere. Our party became the harbinger of peace when my father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, spoke of nursing the wounds of people when the memory of Kargil war was still afresh," she said. PTI AB SMN

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Get ready to watch the talented Mohit Abrol make Mona Singh's life miserable on Ekta Kapoor's Kawach.

The two actors will be seen together on Kawach. Picture courtesy: Instagram/razia_sultan; Instagram/monajsingh

By India Today Web Desk: TV actor Mohit Abrol is on cloud nine these days, and why not. The talented actor has recently bagged an interesting role in the serial Kawach.

The good-looking actor will soon be seen in Ekta Kapoor's supernatural drama opposite none other than the show's main lead, Mona Singh.

The actor confirmed the news himself.

Also read:After Arjun Bijlani, Mouni 'Naagin' Roy to enter Kawach?



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"Yes, I have been roped in to pair opposite Mona in the show. Since I haven't been briefed about my role, I won't be able to divulge much," The Times of India quoted Mohit as saying.

Apparently, in the upcoming episodes of the popular show, Paridhi (Mona's character) will find solace in Mohit's character, following a separation from Vivek's character (Rajbir) on the show.

"Mohit's character is named Jolly and he is anything but that. After being spurned in love, he throws acid on his girlfriend. Paridhi, who is a witness to the incident, files a complaint against him and lands him in jail. He is back to take his revenge from Paridhi and wreak havoc in her life," a source told The Times of India.

Wow! Now, that will be fun to watch!



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It was a hot afternoon in April 2016, we are a set of more than 10 women who drove to two orphanages, our first stop was a home at the Christ Treasured Orphanage in Kwali, where we visited a school under construction with hopes of raising funds to complete the project.

The next stop on the same day was Kuje, Vine Heritage home where rescued children from culture and tradition of death, live.

PART ONE OF THE INVESTIGATIVE REPORT ON TWINS KILLING IN THE FCT

Pa Muhammad of Dafa village flanked by his grand children

The journey to my report started from there. I engaged the missionary who explained to me how they have been rescuing endangered` children for the past 22 years and how they have a recently rescued 1-month-old twins from one of the interior villages.

Important note

And, I asked him if other media house had visited the villages in the past, he nodded his head and mentioned a popular TV station that did a coverage few years ago. I asked him if I can visit some of the locals and he said at your own risk. this made me scared.

I told a colleague. Yinka Adeparusi about my fear, Yinka became nervous but positive, we encouraged each other which was the beginning of the birth of the investigative report. Every risk is worth taking if we carefully strategize.

Aderonke Bello at Sabudu with Paul and Elijah (local guide and translators) Helpful and understanding

Plan

Our aim is to get these locals to tell us about the practise and if we come out straight and disclose our mission, they could attack and probably kill us. We discovered that, this is a custom which they are all sensitive about and would rather not talk about.

Yinka and I decided to stick to maternal healthcare and hospitals, during our discussion, I will ask about child care and how the upper tooth grows, from there to twins affairs which we asked briefly without much emphasis, none but a family suspected us and the moment I popped the question and our guide interpreted to them, the women started murmuring loudly in their native language.

The situation became scary and I changed the topic immediately to the lack of schools. This scenario happened in Dafa village, Kwali area council.

Sabudu village, this Papa's compund housed two twin altars

Concern

Safety is not guaranteed; the locals could attack us.

The roads are bad and not motorable, we trekked a lot.

Because they are remote villages without electricity or phone network, we might not be able to seek help if anything happens to us in the course of the journey.

Language and communication could be a barrier.

Yinka and I drove for almost an hour to inner Kuje, outskirt of Abuja - the orphanage, to interview the couple, Mr. and Mrs. Stevens running the place. We left the home for Kiyi village to speak with the locals, communication was hard of course but we got a guy who helped with pidgin English. The Kiyi people speak Gwari language and said they no longer kill twins but confessed it happened in the past.

After this I started making consultations and also commenced research about the interior villages within the FCT area council.

Kiyi village with a local welder

Language Barrier

An Abuja indigene, Joseph followed us as a guide to Kwali and Bwari respectively. He speaks the Gbagyi language.

We met a heavily pregnant woman who said she doesn't want twins in the Kwali area council. She couldnt speak English and was in pain waiting for her water to pop so she can give birth to her baby at home.

After all was done and dusted, it took about three locals to help with transcription and translation. It was not easy getting this people to travel all the way down to the city centre, some of my personal income expended into transporting them, if you ask me, it was worth it!

With Mrs. Stevens and a month old rescued twins in April 2016

PART TWO OF THE INVESTIGATIVE REPORT ON TWINS KILLING IN THE FCT

Elijah, Joseph and Blessing helped translate at different times, the three major languages spoken to us in the sojourn were; Gwari, Gbagyi and Bassa.

It is also good to note that the Abuja indigenes are 90% Christians and 10% are Muslims and other religion. We travelled different times and days to the interior villages.

In the middle of nowhere with cows, I was really scared at this point

Security issues

We became scared during our journey to the Gwagwalada area council, where we encountered a herd of what appears to be about a thousand cows in front of us, the driver was visibly afraid and anxious, but our guide (Joseph) was calm. Yinka declared how scared he was as well but kept his wits about him, I wasn`t able to keep mine unfortunately.

We spent about 40mins waiting for the cows to move away, what came to mind was, what if these Fulani herdsmen attack us inside this bush, no mobile network, no internet, etc. I forced a smile, which was nervously planted on my face and started waving to the herdsmen who waved back at us. We unwittingly survived in the middle of nowhere.

Parts of the corn given to the team, I took a picture with mine, lol

Gifts

In the course of our journey, we were constantly bombarded with dry corns by the locals, generously given to us to eat. What can I do with these things? Was the question I kept asking myself, I had no idea, but we accepted them regardless as it might be rude not to. We were well received by many, with our mission unbeknown to them.

Some people also offered us water to drink under the hot weather, we could not drink it to prevent any reactions but politely said thanks, a small girl also offered to plait my hair which to her was untidy. I held her small hands, thanked her and shook my head in disapproval  I am on the field, let me look this way, better for me.

Strange but had to move closer to the twin altar despite the warning, oh well..... Can you see my little friend here, she offered me drinking water from the stream

Twins Altar

The altar is very important to the report which are usually build inside the houses, this is not easy to access. I was also forewarned not to move closer to it because of the contents inside it which are harzadous when inhaled.

" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">LINK TO THE VIDEO DOCUMENTARY OF THE REPORT

We were denied access in some houses, but got help when a youth who is not happy with the custom took us to a house and explained to us how things work, especially the twin altar. I must have inhaled something from the Twin Altar because I broke down for two days after the visit, my head was banging with strange noises, sneezing and a kind of hallucination.

Mama Cecilia of Kiyi village

Hunger

We became hungry at a time when we departed the Bwari area council, we ate by the expressway we all were pressed and had to answer the call of nature in the open. You have to just do it. It was not easy driving under the heavy rainfall with thunderstorm but we had a great driver who held sway. Some locals advised us to stop and wait till the rain stops but no! We persevered. It was work and fun for the team. We got back to the city centre around 7pm from the commencement of journey at 9am.

Rubuchi Abuja with the Padas who will be keeping their twins

Sickness

After the report, I fell sick, visited the hospital and was told to rest, I got some medications which took about 7 days to complete.

As the kind of woman who doesnt allow any kind of circumstances get her down, I got back to work and started working on the article, single-handedly without help from any quarter. Despite this, I had to combine with delegating and editing my subordinate's stories, while attending to other reports as well dealing with other work related issues. This affected some googledocs which I could not fill timely in the office and would be later used against me.

Despite the very hot sun, I still smiled for the camera. Standing tall. LifeOfaPassionateReporter

Conclusion

An article of mine was disqualified from an award recently due to lack of supporting documents (according to the convener) because of the loss of my gadget (anyone can be a victim) and was misconstrued as fraud by doubters and by those with vendetta against my upsurge in journalism.

This, however, will only empower me to aim for greater heights rather than pull me down. what doesnt kill you, makes you stronger. The unfortunate experience above inspired this diary actually, and, it will be a norm henceforth.

The report above took me five months plus to conclude, I hope to follow it up with the lawmakers, government reactions and actions and push till it become a solutions journalism. I have other great projects coming up, to be researched and authored by me, Aderonke Bello.

Thanks to the Amnesty International, National Orientation Agency (NOA), and, other people who reacted to the report. A special thanks to the local guide, translators, Mr. and Mrs. Stevens. I will revisit the Nigerian police, FCTA and other traditional rulers and see if I can convince them again to speak to me as they have declined comments in the past.

Infanticide is going on quietly in the FCT area councils, innocent babies are murdered, poisoned, and kidnapped while we go about our businesses.

Thank you for reading my diary!

Twitter: @AderonkeW

Source: Legit.ng
Both the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party are engaged in pulling the Muslims towards their camps, but the Muslims themselves are totally silent and not ready to open their cards yet.

By Siraj Qureshi: With the eighth and final expansion of his cabinet, UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has tried to prove that his government is pro-Muslim, by inducting many Muslim ministers in order to attract Muslim voters, who are increasingly shying away from Samajwadi Party.

MAYA SETS HER EYES ON MUSLIM VOTE BANK



On the other hand, the Bahujan Samaj Party Supremo Mayawati is also busy talking about Dalit and Muslim rights, hoping to ride the shoulders of these two communities into becoming the chief minister of UP for the fifth time. It is clear from the fact that Agra South seat has been reserved for a Muslim candidate by the BSP and when the original candidate Barkat Ali appeared weaker, he was replaced by former MLA Haji Zulfikar Ahmad Bhutto, interestingly named after the first Prime Minister of Pakistan. Bhutto had been previously expelled from the party for six years for indulging in anti-party activities, but his closeness with BSP second-in-command Nasimuddin Siddiqui resulted in the suspension being revoked and a ticket being granted to him, although some BSP leaders are also mentioning in muted voices, a 'deal' worth Rs 5 crores for this ticket.

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MUSLIM WELFARE VS VOTE BANK POLITICS



Both the parties are engaged in pulling the Muslims towards their camps, but the Muslims themselves are totally silent and not ready to open their cards yet.

Bhartiya Muslim Vikas Parishad Chairman Sami Aghai told India Today that not only the SP-BSP, but even the BJP is vying for Muslim votes, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi openly criticising the treatment of Muslims as "Voton ki Mandi" (Market of votes). Aghai said that Muslims are also the residents of India and should not be just seen as voters, but all political parties should look towards their welfare.

SPLIT IN MUSLIM VOTE IN UTTAR PRADESH



Criticizing the Samajwadi Party government, Aghai said that the UP CM is aware that he is going to lose miserably in the 2017 assembly elections, so he is trying to lure Muslims towards his party by inducting Muslim ministers in his cabinet in the last leg of his government, but the Muslims are wary of Samajwadi Party this time. He said that the internal strife in the SP is a clear indication for the Muslims that this party can no longer take care of the community and since there is no Muslim elected to the Lok Sabha this time from UP, the Muslims are now increasingly looking for other options apart from the Samajwadi Party although whether this option will be the Bahujan Samaj Party, is hard to tell at the current juncture as the community is also concerned that the BJP needs to be stopped from coming into power in the state and unless the Muslim votes are united, it will be hard to stop the BJP.

RESULTS TO BE VISIBLE AFTER 2017 ASSEMBLY POLLS



He said that after Riyaz Ahmed and Yasir Shah's induction in UP cabinet, the Akhilesh Yadav cabinet now has 12 Muslim ministers, which is a fair representation of 20 per cent for this biggest minority of the state. However, the Muslims are not yet ready to fall in the age-old honey trap of temporary benefits and perks offered to the community in return of votes. Where the Muslim voters will be polarised, is already being deliberated in the meetings of Muslim clerics and religious leaders and will be decided very soon, but the result of these deliberations will only be visible after the 2017 assembly elections.

ALSO READ:

Son still rising: UP CM Akhilesh leads popularity vote over father Mulayam by huge margin



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By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 28 (PTI) Denim fabric maker Nandan Denim Ltd (NDL) today said it will raise Rs 100 crore by issuance of convertible warrants on preferential basis to foreign investors to fund its expansion plan.

Nandan Denim Ltd said it will be issue 25 lakh fully convertible warrants each to Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) -- LTS Investment Fund Ltd and LGOF Global Opportunities Ltd -- at Rs 200 each.

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"The company is expected to raise Rs 100 crore from the warrants issued to fund its growth plans, investment in proposed subsidiary/ies, meet long term working capital requirement and improve capital structure, etc,"Nandan Denim Ltd said in a statement.

Nandan Denim Ltd said it has received shareholders approval for this at the Annual General Meeting held today.

LTS Investment Fund Ltd currently holds 11.64 lakh shares (2.42 per cent) which post issue will increase to 36.64 lakh shares (6.91 per cent).

"The warrant holders shall be entitled to convert the warrants into equal number of equity shares of face value of Rs 10 each, on receipt of entire amount in one or more tranches, within a period of 18 months from the date of the allotment," it added.

Nandan Denim Ltd CEO Deepak Chiripal said: "The company has the strategic vision of emerging as a global leader in the textile industry. To fast track this strategic vision, the company requires the infusion of the additional funds."

"The proceeds will be utilised to augment the networth and the capital base of the company required for its business growth, to infuse the funds to the existing or proposed subsidiaries, to meet the long term working capital requirement of the company, to improve the capital structure of the company and for general corporate purposes," he added.

This will be the second warrant issue by Nandan Denim Ltd. In September 2015, the company had issued 25 lakh convertible warrants to FII namely Polus Global Fund which has been converted in to equity shares at Rs 200 per share upon receipt of Rs 50 crore towards the consideration.

As of June 2016, FII & FPI held 11.02 per cent in the company while promoter group holding is 58.27 per cent.

"Post issue of the 50 lakh warrant, holding of FII & FPIs will increase to 19.70 per cent and promoter holding will come down at 52.78 per cent," the company said.

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The company has also proposed to increase the aggregate limit for holding shares by the FIIs/ FPIs to 49 per cent from 24 per cent at present. PTI SVK ABI

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- The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has said that Nigeria's president lack understanding of the process of referendum

- The group has also made a move to educate the president on the process of referendum

Biafrans launched a Biafrexit to call for votes for a referendum like the UK government did recently.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has said that Nigerias president Muhammadu Buhari has a limited understanding of referendum process.

The group in a statement signed by Emma Nmezu and Clifford Iloanya on Wednesday, September 28, said the IPOB is not surprised at the limited level of understanding of freedom process of a certain people by the president.

IPOB further called on the president to be cautious in making utterances concerning the groups agitation.

Recall, that at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Buhari while speaking on the issue of Biafra agitation in the country called on the Igbo people (south easterners) to forget their call for a referendum.

READ ALSO: If Kanus blood is spilt Nigeria will descend into war  Prophet warns Buhari

President Buhari also advised the Biafra agitators to form a political party that would champion the immediate needs and concerns rather than continue with its Biafra movement.

Below is a full text of the IPOB statement:

BUHARIS LIMITED UNDERSTANDING OF A REFERENDUM PROCESS: TIME TO EDUCATE HIM ON WHAT REFERENDUM IS ALL ABOUT

We are cognizant of the educational limitations of retired major general Muhammadu Buhari especially as he does not have any evidence of having completed secondary education nor is there any record of his West African School Certificate (WASC), a certificate that is statutorily issued by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) upon writing the WAEC exams in chosen subjects.

We also know that from the day Buhari committed treason, which was on 31st December 1983, to the present day, he has not engaged in any formal education to improve his knowledge base quite unlike retired General Yakubu Gowon who went back to school after he (Gowon) was overthrown by Buhari and his military colleagues on July 29, 1975.

It is therefore, not surprising that Buhari displayed his shallow understanding of a referendum process through his utterances during a media event in New York City--USA, on September 24, 2016. Buhari was reported to have asserted that there will not be referendum for Biafra independence.

If we assume that the various media reporting of this assertion from Buhari is true, then there is no better way to exhibit ignorance on the typology and application of the concept of referendum. We will like to use this opportunity to educate and enlighten Buhari and his ilks on Referendum.

READ ALSO: War on militants: Religious leaders beg Buhari

Referendum is a method of expression of the will of the people in matters concerning their welfare, existence, and association.

A referendum is created normatively by an act of parliament (legislature) and is not dependent on the aversions or preferences of the president or executive arm of government.

For instance, the Scottish Independence Referendum Act 2013 which led to the Referendum vote of September 18, 2014 was passed by the Scottish Parliament on 14th of November 2013.

Even the Scottish Parliament itself was brought into existence through the Scottish Devolution (pre-legislative) Referendum of 11 September 1997.

In France, the Jacobin Constitution was adopted in 1793 through a Referendum and Article-3 of the French Constitution of 1958 internalized Referendum as a bulwark to engender any change of policy and philosophy of the Fifth Republic and for the benefits of her citizens.

United Kingdom, the god that created Nigeria recognizes Referendum and uses the Parliament to superintend and put into force any Referendum that it undertakes such as the European Communities Membership Referendum of 1975 and the Alternative Vote Referendum of 2011.

It is interesting to note that referenda are held even in brutal dictatorial regimes similar to the one Buhari is running in Nigeria today. A good example being the case Greece under Colonel Georgios Papadopoulos who successfully conducted a Referendum on November 15, 1968.

READ ALSO: No peace for you and Nigeria  IPOB threatens Buhari over his final verdict for Biafra

In Africa, examples abound where several countries conducted Referendum through the instrumentality of the legislative arm of government or at the behest of the citizenry.

A few examples include Eritrea in April 1993, Egypt on 19th of March 2011, and Morocco on June 1, 2011. Beyond Africa, Bangladesh had Referendum on September 15, 1991 while East Timor had a Referendum on their independence on the 30th of August 1999.

In all these historical backgrounds and lucid examples of the concept, ownership, and application of Referendum, it is very clear to everyone that Buhari does not know or understand what Referendum is all about.

In a presidential system like the one practiced in Nigeria, Referendum process is not subject to the dictates of the Presidency or Executive Arm of Government. In other words, Buhari has no business or legal right or claimed superiority to determine if there will be Referendum or not.

Even the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) is unequivocal on the inalienable rights of Indigenous People to decide on how they want to govern themselves. Affirmatively, Nigeria is a signatory to the UNDRIP.

While we feel sorry for Muhammadu Buhari because he is deficient in knowledge and understanding of the concept of Referendum due to lack of grounded education, however, we believe that he should have consulted with his aides and his political appointees who are supposedly educated enough and abreast of the thinking behind the concept of Referendum.

They should have tutored him well enough to make him understand that the Presidency cannot make any sweeping statement on Referendum because it lies within the domains of the legislature or at the behest of the citizenry.

Considering his aforesaid educational limitations, we therefore call on Buhari to be more circumspect in his future public utterances especially as they relate to issues bordering on governance and intellectual discourse of this sort.

The concept of Referendum is beyond the intellectual capacity and comprehension of Muhamadu Buhari who coincidentally happens to be the least educated among all the presidents/leaders of any country on this planet earth.

We assert that if at all Biafrans decide to choose referendum as an option to exit from Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari cannot stop it.

Q.E.D!

Signed

Barrister Emma Nmezu

Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya

Spokespersons for IPOB

Source: Legit.ng
Speaking at an event of the Bihar police, Nitish asserted that the state government was doing everything possible to strengthen law and governance in the state.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has said that he believes in replying to his critics with his work.

Speaking at an event of the Bihar police, Nitish asserted that the state government was doing everything possible to strengthen law and governance in the state.

"Many people who have no other work but to mock and make fun of Bihar. I reply to such people with my work. Law is the same for everyone and rule of law in Bihar is the mantra of sushansan", said Nitish Kumar.

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Nitish also asserted that the government has drafted "seven resolves" for the development of the state and the work has already begun.

He claimed that 35 per cent job reservation of women in the state, one of the seven resolves, has already been implemented.

"Women had already been given 35% job reservation in the police force and now we have extended that reservation on other government jobs also", he said.

Nitish on Wednesday inaugurated 151 newly built police buildings including 48 new police stations.



ALSO READ:

Nitish managed to keep Shahabuddin inside jail only under BJP-JDU tenure

--- ENDS ---
Atlantas food scene has come a long way in the past few decades, namely in thanks to an influx of diverse citizens and industry. The city has gone both gourmet and global, incorporating as well as starting food trends.

The former streetcar suburb Virginia-Highland has blossomed into one of Atlantas most acclaimed neighborhoods, notably for its walkability, quaint early 20th-century architecture and array of top-notch restaurants. Hit up these sweet spots next time you find yourself inside the perimeter. If youve got the right stomach, you can easily knock them out in a few hours.



Murphys originated as a bakery in the early 1980s and has since expanded to include weekday lunch, dinner and some of the best weekend brunch in the city. The aroma of whatevers baking often overflows into the dining area, leaving expectant chocolate chip muffins, sweet cornbread biscuits and colossal cinnamon rolls to overpower whats already on the table.



Photo: Paolos Gelato Italiano

Opened in 2000, this old-school Italian spot boasts a rotation exceeding 60 flavors spanning from classics like stracciatella and pistachio to more adventurous, floral notes such as violet and jasmine (pictured). Paolos range of indulgences also includes Italian coffee, cookies and a customizable array of cannoli shells, filled to order.



Photo: Cacao Cafe

Cacao Atlanta Chocolate Co.s Virginia Highlands outpost sells their own gourmet chocolates as well as coffee and treats like pale pink macarons and cookies with ample chocolate chunks. Standouts include their sipping chocolate, which has been acclaimed by publications such as Travel + Leisure and Zagat (and also comes frozen) and chocolate salami, which emerges for special occasions and holidays.



Photo: Sarra Sedghi

Start off your morning (or early afternoon) at Callies Hot Little Biscuit, the hit Charleston spots younger sister. Callies roundup of toppings and fillings includes classic like sausage patties and gravy, but if youre looking to satisfy a sweet tooth, go for the peachthe biscuits salty notes and doughy texture mix with peach preserves to create a breakfast that tastes like Southern cobbler.



Photo: San Francisco Coffee

Just a few blocks away from Virginia-Highlands main drag, this shop sells desserts that deserve to be paired with their quality coffee, particularly their chocolate croissantstheyre rich but not overloaded, an admirable accoutrement to a jolt of caffeine.

Sarra Sedghi is Paste Foods Assistant Editor. She can usually be found arguing about mayonnaise on Twitter.
In a really stunning piece of international news, the U.S. is sending 600 troops to Iraq in an attempt to retake the city of Mosul, which is currently occupied by ISIS forces. The move was announced by Defense Secretary Ash Carter earlier today, who pitched the troop surge as support for the Iraqi military.

From his statement:

The troops, in close coordination with the government of Iraq, will provide specific capabilities including logistics and maintenance support; train, advise and assist teams for Iraqi Security Forces and Kurdish Peshmerga for the upcoming Mosul operation; and expanded intelligence resources to help disrupt ISILs terrorist network in Iraq and beyond.

The move will increase the U.S. troop presence from 4,600 to 5,200. Its already meeting criticism from Republicans, with John McCain calling it an example of mission creep.

So, there are a few questions we could ask, such as:

1. Even if we retake Mosul, is this really going to measurably fix the situation in Iraq in the long term?

2. What happens when we leave?

3. When the Iraqi forces prove incapable of maintaining whatever we accomplish, does that mean we cant leave?

But then again, why even bother asking these questions? Its clear that Obama, and the entire American political leadership, is just fine with repeating the mistakes of the past, over and over and over, with no concern for the fact that it just doesnt work. If the sign of insanity is repeating the same stupid action ad nauseam while expecting different results, then what would you call this?
READ: CEO Tells Fortune What Women Can Learn From Poker About Business

September 28, 2016 Katie Callahan

After playing poker in her mid-20s at underground poker clubs in New York City, Nancy Lublin learned an invaluable lesson: Poker can be applied to business, she told Fortune Sept. 21.

Lublin, CEO of Crisis Text Line and the former CEO of Do Something, revealed this and more in a panel hosted by Sothebys Sept. 20, saying that women in particular should know how to fold, leave a hand behind and move on.

Social Entrepreneur and Angel Investor Caterina Fake (also co-founder of Flickr and chairman of the board for Etsy), Senior Technology Correspondent for CNN Laurie Segal and Executive Director of Cool Culture Candice Anderson were all on the panel.

Along with her fellow panelists, Lublin talked about the best way to achieve success, mentioning it may involve an investment.

"Some of the wealthiest women in Silicon ValleyI wont mention any namestheir capital is not being released," Lublin said to Fortune. "The women who have made a lot of money need to start spending it."

You can read the full article at Fortune.com right here.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Joi
The first Kereru sightings on Dunwold Farm, South Waikato, New Zealand were in 1999. Owner Pete Fairlcough and Gerry Kessels (Environment Consultant) who had his camera with him on the day, immortalised their find.

By: Dunwold Farm, South Waikato, New Zealand

1 2 3 Dunwold Farm_Kereru Sighting NZ Dunwold Farm and Forest NZ Dunwold Farm Gate2

Contact

Pete Fairclough: Dunwold Farm, New Zealand

+ 64 274 522 040

***@nealconsulting.co.nz

0274522040



Photos:

https://www.prlog.org/ 12587645/1

https://www.prlog.org/ 12587645/2

https://www.prlog.org/ 12587645/3 Pete Fairclough: Dunwold Farm, New Zealand+ 64 274 522 0400274522040

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-- The kereru is a large bird with iridescent green and bronze feathers on its head and a smart white vest. The noisy beat of its wings is a distinctive sound in our forests.While kereru are not threatened, parea are considered nationally vulnerable. Two other kinds of native pigeon became extinct on Raoul Island and Norfolk Island last century, probably due to hunting and predation.Since the extinction of the moa, the kereru and parea are now the only seed dispersers with a bill big enough to swallow large fruit, such as those of karaka, miro, tawa and taraire. "The disappearance of these birds could be a disaster for the regeneration of our native forests," says the Department of Conservation at its website www.doc.govt.nz/ kereru The birds also eats leaves, buds and flowers, the relative amounts varying seasonally and regionally; eg, in Northland they eat mostly fruit.The most serious threat to the kereru comes from predators. Recent studies in several parts of the country have found that many nests produce no chicks at all. Rats, stoats, cats and possums eat their eggs and young.Possums also compete with adult kereru for food (leaves, flowers, fruit) and devastate trees by consuming new shoots. Stoats and cats will attack and kill adult kereru.Forest clearance and poaching are also threats to its survival. Research by the Department of Conservation, Landcare Research, universities and other groups has found that the species is unlikely to cope with hunting pressure.Pete Fairclough, farm owner of 279-hectareSouth Waikato, New Zealand, is keen for new property owners to have an "instinct" for species preservation while maintaining farming and landcare priorities.For anyone interested in investing in Dunwold Farm, please contact:
Contact

Josh Steinfeld

***@gmail.com Josh Steinfeld

End

-- Meeting the Challenge (MTC), a nationally recognized disability rights laws expert and provider of implementation solutions for government and commercial clients, is proud to announce that it has been awarded a five year, $5 million grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) to continue operating The Rocky Mountain ADA Center (RMADA).This award marks thesixth time the Meeting the Challenge has received the grant since the center opened in 1991. Under the grant RMADA will provide technical assistance, training, awareness programs and materials to Colorado, Utah, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming on the Americans with Disabilities Act."We are humbled to have the opportunity to continue to operate the Rocky Mountain ADA Center as a project of Meeting the Challenge," said Kent Kelley, President of Meeting the Challenge. "The ADA Center provides so much valuable information, training and several awareness programs not only for our Rocky Mountain region, but in some cases the nation. It is a tribute to the center's entire staff that NIDILRR responded so positively to our application by presenting our organization an additional five year award. We are excited for the future and are honored to continue to support the ADA needs of those living in our six state region."The grant will be used to fund the RMADA's array of projects and outreach, including free trainings, original research, online courses, awareness programs and daily operations including the telephone center where the public can call and have questions answered about the ADA free of charge."Today marks a culmination of many months of hard work by our team to ensure the RMADA continues to be a project of MTC and remains in Colorado Springs," said Rachael Stafford, Director of The Rocky Mountain ADA Center. "For the next five years our staff of disability law experts will continue to be a hub of information for those seeking to learn more about the ADA. We will continue to offer free and low cost training, technical assistance and information on the law, along with many of our programs launched in 2015/16. These include our, first of a kind online disability etiquette training courses, as well as a training course about how to make voting accessible, along with the our national awareness program "NO H Word." In addition, we are excited to continue to build upon our relationships with many entities outside of the Rocky Mountain Region, including The White House to ensure the 60 million Americans who identify with a disability have the support, training and materials they need."NIDILRR is a federal government grants-making agency that sponsors grantees to generate new disability and rehabilitation knowledge and promote its use and adoption. The grant is number 90DP0094-01-00.About MTC: Since 1989, Meeting the Challenge has provided a starting place for public and private entities to gain understanding and guidance to solve compliance challenges. What MTC does as a company is grounded in many federal disability laws. At the most basic level, it is important for organizations to be in compliance with these laws to minimize their exposure to legal proceedings that could result from noncompliance. MTC believes that accessibility should be about more than compliance. It believes the investment clients make in compliance should have a measurable return. This return can come in many forms, and MTC's experience across 25 years of disability law consulting has shown innovative ways to help clients realize that return. For more information:About The Rocky Mountain ADA Center: The Rocky Mountain ADA Center, operated by Meeting the Challenge, Inc., is funded under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90DP0094-01-00) to provide technical assistance, training, and materials to Colorado, Utah, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming on the Americans with Disabilities Act. For more information: www.rockymountainada.org or connect with us on Twitter and Facebook.
By Naseer Ganai: Mehbooba Mufti called for India and Pakistan to join hands to eradicate poverty and to address social problems plaguing the region.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbobba Mufti today pitched for amicable relations between India and Pakistan to fight poverty and economic deprivation plaguing the region and called for need of a bilateral dialogue to resolve the issues.

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As the Centre is in process of reviewing the Indus Waters Treaty, the chief minister said the agreement, while being beneficial to India and Pakistan, is not in the interest of Jammu and Kashmir. "However, if the two countries can mutually share the water resources, why not other resources?" she said.

Also read: Kashmir unrest: MHA steps in to rectify weak PAVA shells



ADDRESS SOCIAL PROBLEMS



"The two nuclear armed neighbours must cooperate in the fields of social development, including eradication of poverty and with their growing economies and energy needs, and the need for newer, more diverse markets and trading opportunities, the future of the troubled region has to be defined by common economic interests instead of hostilities," the chief minister said while addressing a function organised here to launch the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) at SKICC, Srinagar.

Under the PMUY, 35 gas lakh connections will be provided during the next 15 days.

"Instead of fighting wars with each other, the two countries should join hands to eradicate poverty and to address social problems plaguing the region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Pakistan with this message on behalf of people of J&K but the Pathankot incident shattered that process," she said.

Also read: Defiant Pakistan decides to go ahead with SAARC summit despite India-led boycott



WOMEN SUFFER



The chief minister said like any violent situation, the womenfolk have suffered the most in Jammu and Kashmir. "In Kashmir, women have become primary victims of the violent situation over the last three decades which hasn't led us anywhere. Our party became the harbinger of peace when my father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, spoke of nursing the wounds of people when the memory of Kargil war was still afresh," she added.

"In times of war, Mufti Sahab urged India and Pakistan to get involved in talks and start a process of reconciliation. In 2002, we formed the government with the Congress when NDA was ruling at the Centre. Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji understood Mufti Sahab's point of view and started CBMs which ushered the state in a new era of peace and prosperity," she added.

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Also read: China attaches importance to Pak's Kashmir stand: Minister

Mufti said her Peoples Democratic Party, of which she is the president, entered into the alliance with the BJP to take forward the mission of restoration of peace in Jammu and Kashmir. "If the Centre walks one step towards the people of Kashmir, they will respond with ten steps which is what made Atalji one of the most popular Indian leader among Kashmiris," she said.



BLAMING OPPOSITION



Hitting out at the opposition for targeting the coalition government, she said, "The same parties, who want to keep the pot boiling in Kashmir, sold their mandate in the past purely in order to remain in power."

"Those speaking against us used to talk in the language of war when they were in power. Mufti Sahab knew that PM Modi has the mandate of the entire country which was why we shook hands with the BJP. We have lost count of widows and orphans. How long are we going to fight with each other?" she said.

The chief minister said the recommendations made by the Prime Minister's Working Groups offer resolutions to every problem in all the three regions of Jammu and Kashmir, including talks with Pakistan and return of power projects.

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Also read: India can't decide unilaterally on Indus Waters Treaty, says Pak PM Nawaz Sharif



She added while the state government had started a process of development of all the three regions, especially in the field of women empowerment, a parallel process of reconciliation must be initiated to resolve the political problem of Jammu and Kashmir.



SAARC



The chief minister also expressed dismay over the non-participation of various leaders in the region in the upcoming SAARC summit in Islamabad. "It is unfortunate that while other countries are forging new economic ties, the SAARC countries are going in the reverse direction," she said.

Mufti said violence has no place in modern societies, adding, "Those societies who lionise violence as a means to end their problems are doomed. We should look at places around the world where a saga of death and destruction has unfolded and is consuming anybody and everybody."

--- ENDS ---
The Knowledge Group Live Webcast Series, the leading producer of regulatory focused webcasts, has announced today that Margo Chernysheva, Founding Partner, MC Law Group will speak at the Knowledge Group's Event.

End

--https://www.theknowledgegroup.org/eb-5-program-reforms-on-the-horizon-implications-of-the-jay-peak-enforcement-live-webcast/Margo Chernysheva (margo@mclawlv.com)Founding Partner of MC Law Group based in Las Vegas, NV since 2009. She concentrates on business and investment-based immigration cases. Mrs. Chernysheva also does removal defense and federal court representation in Nevada. She has over 10 years of corporate contract negotiation experience specializing in pharmaceutical and biotech industry. Mrs. Chernysheva received pro bono award from Legal Aid of Nevada in 2010-2015. She is a mediator for Neighborhood Justice Center of Southern Nevada and has been appointed by the Nevada Supreme Court as FMP mediator. Mrs. Chernysheva serves as arbitrator and mediator for the Nevada State Bar Fee Dispute Committee. She is fluent in three languages. Mrs. Chernysheva volunteers as a chair for Practice Management and Ethics committees for AILA's Nevada and California Chapters as well as NMD liaison for NV Chapter. She is a graduate of UNLV Boyd School of Law and is licensed to practice in Nevada and California.Founded in 2009, MC Law Group is a boutique woman owned law firm in Las Vegas, Nevada with three attorneys and 12 support staff specializing in immigration law.Clients from all over the world, many of whom do not speak English, rely on the advice of MC Law Group as they apply for family, work, and investor visas, permanent residency, and U.S. citizenship through naturalization. MC Law Group's entire legal staff is qualified and ready to serve new clients, both individuals and businesses, wanting skillful legal counsel and advice on various matters of American Immigration Law. With a staff that is fluent to communicate with and counsel clients in English, Armenian, French, Russian, and Spanish, and expending into other languages, MC Law Group is a unique and capable provider of immigration related legal counsel.Some of MC Law Group's most popular practice areas are business immigration, artist visas, investor visas, fiancee visas, family-sponsored immigration, naturalization, immigration court, and waivers of inadmissibility. The attorneys of MC Law Group have the skills and the experience to meet and exceed expectations of their clients. Whether they're foreign students wanting to study in the U.S., investors who want to invest in the U.S. economy, business professionals who want to work in the U.S., or entertainers/performers who want to display their talents for an American audience, MC Law Group's attorneys and support staff can help foreign nationals reach their American Dream. MC Law Group can also help family members of current visa holders get their own visas so they can visit or move in with their loved ones in the U.S.The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program ("EB-5 Program") is a U.S. immigration program that provides a path to U.S. citizenship for foreign investors who can demonstrate that their capital investment into an existing U.S. business resulted in the creation of at least 10 full-time jobs per foreign investor. The EB-5 Program is sometimes heralded as a successful immigration program since it promotes economic development through job creation.However, the EB-5 Program has recently become subject to increased scrutiny and enforcement actions by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In April 2016, the SEC filed a complaint against Jay Peak Ski Resort and its principals, Ariel Quiros and Bill Stenger, alleging violations of the anti-fraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The complaint alleges that funds raised through the EB-5 Program were fraudulently diverted for uses not permitted under the EB-5 Program. More specifically, the SEC complaint alleges that more than $200 million was misappropriated in a Ponzi-like scheme. Among other things, the complaint also claims that Mr. Quiros allegedly stole approximately $50 million from foreign investors and that Mr. Stenger helped facilitate the fraud.While some argue that the Jay Peak complaint underscores the need for reform to the EB-5 Program, Congress has not yet passed legislation that would reform aspects of the EB-5 Program identified as problematic by EB-5 industry operators. It is therefore crucial for stakeholders, developers, regional centers, and immigration attorneys to advise and help implement key processes and best practices to ensure transparency and compliance for the EB-5 Program. In light of these issues, The Knowledge Group has put together a panel of industry leaders and professionals for a two-hour LIVE Webcast that will provide an in-depth discussion of the EB-5 Program and proposed reform measures, as well as the implications of the SEC enforcement action against Jay Peak.Some of the major topics that will be covered in this course are: EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program: Overview Implications of the Jay Peak Enforcement EB-5 Violations and Obligations Significant Lawsuits Due Diligence Considerations Compliance Responsibilities EB-5 Integrity Act Recent Legal Issues and Litigation Risks Best Practices in Mitigating Litigation Risks Best Risk Mitigation StrategiesThe Knowledge Group was established with the mission to produce unbiased, objective, and educational live webinars that examine industry trends and regulatory changes from a variety of different perspectives. The goal is to deliver a unique multilevel analysis of an important issue affecting business in a highly focused format. To contact or register for an event, please visit: http://theknowledgegroup.org/
A definitely luxury allure reveals the origin of HEDON, the new and unique brand of premium cigars entirely made in France, exclusively from tobacco grown in the Navarre region.

By: Hedon Cigares

Media Contact

Luisa Barbieri

barbieri@hangar.it

+39 02 48028758 Luisa Barbieri+39 02 48028758

End

-- The region of Bearn, in south-west France, is best known for its picturesque villages and countryside, forests, rivers, lakes and, of course, for its excellent food and wine.Not many are aware that Bearn, which once belonged to the Navarre kingdom, is also the home of Hedon, the one and only premium cigar-maker, working exclusively with 100% French tobacco grown here.Hedon's history dates back to 1999, when, for the first time, the idea of introducing cigar tobacco cultivation to this area and of setting up a small luxury hand-made production became reality thanks to a group of French entrepreneurs. Since the start of the first tobacco plantation in Navarre, exclusively dedicated to premium cigars, it has taken twelve years of research and experimentation to develop the optimal type of tobacco and master a perfect production technique. The following years were employed to make the cigar production chain more efficient and more sustainable, introducing advanced irrigation technologies in the fields and energy-saving systems in production facilities.In 2015, backed by a small team of passionate shareholders and supported by the competence of expert artisans, a new management team brought new energy to the project in order to develop the brand on international markets.Today, Hedon intends to share its expertise and vision with the most demanding cigar lovers worldwide through a premium cigar range of unique and unparalleled quality. Impeccably rolled by artisans of traditional expertise with fillers, binders and wrappers from the Pyrenean Piedmont, Hedon cigars unveil subtle aromas and a deep body that slowly reveals itself, delivering an entirely new and unexpected experience.Already named "Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant" by the French government, Hedon stands in the wake of the most authentically French luxury and offers an original tasting experience. Its sweet and aromatic notes, both typical and recognisable, are particularly sought after not only by cigar aficionados but also by those who are approaching the cigar world for the first time.A cigar is never just a cigar, it is the pleasure of a moment that is just our own. It is a journey that started in the XVII century, when the first tobacco plantations were introduced in France, and then reached this corner in the mild south-west.Here, Hedon cigars are made, in the middle of a green and generous land, where tobacco cultivation takes place, giving life to a masterpiece of craftsmanship and savoir-faire.Hedon is the first and unique French premium cigar where both the filler, the inside of the cigar, and the wrapper, its outer cover, are grown in the same area: it is the Navarre region at the foot of the Pyrenees. Unlike other places of production, however, in Navarre only a single variety of tobacco, especially identified and developed to ideally suit this terroir, is grown and used for both components.For this reason, Hedon tobacco leaves attain both a superior colour and appearance that are absolutely incomparable and stand out from all others, with unique organoleptic characteristics.In March, seeds are sown in the greenhouse. Two months later, the seedlings are transplanted into the ground, where they grow for about a month partly outdoors and partly under the shelter of light nets for a more balanced and harmonious ripening if they are destined for the most precious wrapper leaves.In Navarre, there is an abundance of pure natural mineral water, which springs from the Pyrenees: a pureness that is also to be found in Hedon cigars. By accurately monitoring the real-time water requirements of plants, an advanced irrigation system guarantees that the water needs of the plants are met in an optimal way.When the plants reach optimum maturity, they are harvested and then left to dry in small automated dryers, fully self-sufficient in terms of energy consumption and conceived to work, in detail, every single batch of the crops.After two months, the dried tobacco is ready for fermentation, which takes place in such a way so as to allow a linear evolution of taste. In fact, fermentation is needed to burn the sugars in the starch of leaves at the time of combustion. Perfect control of the fermentation process is therefore essential to obtain a product that can release all its aromas and fragrances.The leaves are then sorted and stacked to mature for at least three years. In due time, they are selected and processed by Hedon's skilled artisans, who roll each cigar by hand with the utmost care, using only whole leaves. At the end of the manufacturing process, every cigar is draw tested to guarantee maximum quality.Three hundred separate operations are carried out to create a French "puro". Every phase of the whole production process is important, from planting to rolling, as the smallest detail affects the final taste: given the soil and climate, a daily effort is needed to guarantee an excellent product for consumers.What really makes a difference in the cultivation of Hedon tobacco is a unique savoir-faire developed through a combination of technology and intelligence, traditional knowledge and agricultural innovation, which over the years has resulted in high quality wrappers, binders and fillers that are able to release all their complex aromas.
QueueMetrics call-center suite for Asterisk PBX 16.09 Release announced.

Contact

Maurizio Sabot

***@loway.ch Maurizio Sabot

End

-- The Loway team is pleased to announce the release of QueueMetrics 16.09.Loway primary vision for this release is to build a new version of their renewed call-center suite around the idea of making the software flexible, intuitive and even more reliable."We are extremely proud to release this brand new version of QueueMetrics at AstriCon 2016, the go-to place for all thing Asterisk," said Lorenzo Emilitri, founder of Loway. "Our intention is to show you how you can run a modern and full featured call-center based on open technology."QueueMetrics 16.09 is a significant release in several aspects. Most importantly it implements a new set of statistics to addresstracking calls resolutions problems, programmable and customizable agent data blocks, improved agent's page and WebRTC soft phone. Loway developers also added an official Docker image and a new lighter, optimized loader called "Uniloader", that works very well with the official QueueMetrics Docker image.Release 16.09 fully supports Asterisk 13.11, as well as any older version, and works fine with FreePBX and Elastix GUIs.QueueMetrics 16.09 features include:* Tracking Call Resolutions and Programmable agent data blocks* An improved version of the Icon Agent page* The official Docker image* The new generation data loader "Uniloader"* Over 80 bugs fixand much more.Check https://www.loway.ch/ press-releases.jsp
The foundation stone ceremony was held on the construction site of Bushehr nuclear power plant Phase II. The plant is being built in the framework of the Russian-Iranian cooperation.

Contact

Rosatom Asia

***@rim-pn.ru Rosatom Asia

End

-- The foundation stone ceremony was held on the construction site of Bushehr nuclear power plant Phase II. The plant is being built in the framework of the Russian-Iranian cooperation. The contract provides for construction of two power units of Bushehr NPP (Units 2 and 3).The Russian delegation was headed by CEO of ROSATOM Sergey Kirienko. The ceremony was attended by President of the Group of Companies ASE Valery Limarenko. On the Iranian side the ceremony was attended by First Vice-President of Iran Eshaq Jahangiri and Vice-President of the country and President of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi.First power unit of Bushehr NPP was connected to the national grid of Iran on September 3, 2011. This power plant was built with the Russian assistance and became the first NPP in the Middle East region.Nuclear Power Production and Development Company of Iran (NPPD) and JSC Atomstroyexport (JSC ASE) signed contracts for construction of Units 2 and 3 of Bushehr Phase II on EPC turn-key terms in November 2014. Total power capacity of two VVER-1000 reactors should be 2,100 MW. JSC ASE is the principle contractor of Bushehr Phase II. The plant will be built to the new design of Generation III+. The design was certified by EUR (European Utility Requirements). Bushehr Phase II will employ unique technologies and cutting-edge solutions, as well as new safety concept. The Russian and Iranian parties have started working on this project on September 10.Sergey Kirienko commented on the event: "Construction of Bushehr Phase I proved that Russia always fulfills its obligations before foreign partners irrespectively of the political climate in the world. Phase II of this project is the practical contribution of ROSATOM to the broadening of the Russian-Iranian cooperation and, at the same time, a serious move to strengthen Russia's positions in the global market of civil nuclear technologies in a promising micro-region such as Middle East."According to Valery Limarenko, Unit 1 of Bushehr NPP is a unique facility with no rivals in the world. He said: "We have managed to integrate Russian equipment into buildings made earlier to the German project. This success was achieved owing to professionalism and devotion of Russian and Iranian specialists who worked and continue working to implement the project of Iran's first nuclear power plant. Today we start building Bushehr Phase II. I am sure we are awaited by the joint success in working on this project".
By: Siemens

End

-- The Saudi National Day reception in Berlin, hosted by the Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Germany, saw Siemens showcasing its ingenious energy technologies and solutions for Saudi Arabia. With hundreds of guests making their way into the ballroom of the Adlon Kempinski Hotel in downtown Berlin, the event provided an ideal opportunity to highlight the company's milestones within the Kingdom. Looking back at a history of over 85 years in the Kingdom, and as the only exhibitor at the evening reception, Siemens was uniquely positioned to inform the Saudi Ambassador to Germany, HE Dr. Awwad Alawwad, and the guests about its expanding local footprint and initiatives that confirm the strong partnership with the Kingdom and its society.Dr. Alawwad welcomed the dignitaries and high level representatives from politics and the private sector to the 86Saudi National Day reception and highlighted the 80-year collaboration with Saudi Arabia, and German companies in Saudi Arabia. He underlined Siemens' first "Made in KSA" gas turbine as a key milestone in the strong partnership with the Kingdom and in line with the Saudi Vision 2030.The first "Made in KSA" gas turbine was recently built at the Siemens Dammam Energy Hub (SDEH), a milestone that resonates with the spirit of celebrating the Saudi National Day, fully in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030. The first shipment of the locally produced turbines left the factory in Dammam and travelled more than 1,500 km to their new home at the Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle power plant in Jazan.The company's continuously expanding local footprint has leveraged opportunities to further increase the "In-Kingdom Total Value Add" (IKTVA) in line with the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030. Together with its long-term partners, E.A. Juffali & Bros., Siemens is jointly developing and strengthening local supply chains, especially within the scope of its manufacturing and service operations.The Saudi National Day commemorates the founding and unification of the Kingdom under the leadership of The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud. The unification marked the beginning of an era of prosperity in Saudi Arabia evidenced by the discovery of oil, the strengthening of political and economic relationships with many countries as well as the increasing regional and global importance of the Kingdom.Arja Talakar, CEO of Siemens Saudi Arabia, attended the reception and said, "We congratulate the Kingdom on this special day and are proud to celebrate with our partners and friends. Siemens has been at home in the Kingdom for over 85 years and the announcement of the Saudi Vision 2030 drives our passion towards developing local capabilities and achieving sustainable local value add in a diversified economy. What is important to the Kingdom matters to Siemens and we are looking forward to jointly shape a prosperous future."
SETS day aims to build students' skills and support their learning experience

Contact

Sara Hassan

Media Relations Specialist

***@zu.ac.ae Sara HassanMedia Relations Specialist

End

-- Zayed University kicked off its second Student Engagement, Training and Services Learning Day (SETS) with a variety of programs and supports aimed at augmenting the students experiences at Zayed University in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai campuses.The SETS day aims to build students' skills for their future career path and support their learning experience. Around 30 workshops were held in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai campuses.Workshops discussed and highlighted various topics, such as definition of ethics, honor and integrity, healthy lifestyle, leadership and service, creative reading, and many others.Professor Reyadh AlMehaideb, Vice President of Zayed University, said: "Zayed University is always committed to play a vital role in cultivating student engagement. We believe that increased student engagement and motivation is key to academic and behavioral success.""Positive engagement with the many opportunities for personal and social development, which Zayed University offers today, contributes significantly to students retention and ultimately student academic success. Therefore, SETS day was launched to promote student integration into the life of the university in order to promote a sense of belonging and develop powerful learner identities,"AlMehaideb added.With the appointment of a CEO for happiness and positivity at all government bodies and the establishment of councils for happiness and positivity at federal entities, the Student Life organized "Make Them Happy" workshop. It encourages students to write positive message to whoever they want, with an aim to draw a smile and to gauge happiness and positivity levels within the university."Ten Jewels for Student Success," was another workshop held to enhance students' awareness, knowledge, ad skills regarding the ten critical components of student success.With twenty distinguished Eritrean students enrolled at Zayed University this year, a cultural and culinary exhibition was held to take students on a journey through the hills and beaches of Eritrea. The exhibition aimed at introducing Eritrea's culture and traditions through videos, pictures, and traditional homemade dishes.Furthermore, the Student Life Department at Zayed University organized workshops to raise awareness about the importance of integrating more UAE nationals into the private workforce for the prosperity of the private sector and well-being of the UAE, as part of Absher initiative that was launched in 2012 by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.Students who attended training sessions and workshops earned certificates, as part of the university students co-curricular program that is designed to recognize and record a student's contribution in the areas of service and experiential learning, training and leadership.Zayed University is today the premier national university in the United Arab Emirates and a regional leader in educational innovation and change. It has created and implemented a skills-rich, outcome-based general education program that systemically develops student skills, knowledge, and values associated with liberal learning and provided a solid foundation for pursuit of disciplinary majors and future careers. Zayed University welcomes national and international students, and provides them with a high quality education, offered by seasoned teaching scholars to prepare them to shape the future of the United Arab Emirates.Zayed University offers Undergraduate and Graduate degrees in the following Colleges: College of Arts & Creative Enterprises (recognized as substantially equivalent by NASAD), College of Business (Accredited by AACSB), College of Communication & Media Sciences (Accredited by ACEJMC), College of Education (Accredited by NCATE), College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Natural and Health Sciences, and College of Technological Innovation (Accredited by ABET). For more information, visit www.zu.ac.aeMedia contacts: Sara Sabry, Media Relations Specialist at the Office of the Vice President at Zayed UniversityDir-Tel: 025993630
Dave Cox, Middleton Idaho DUI Analyst and Consultant, recently concluded multiple DUI Seminars in Pennsylvania, helping DUI attorneys win more DUI cases.

Contact

Dave Cox

***@yourduipro.com Dave Cox

End

--Your DUI Pro, recently traveled to Pennsylvania to present his well-received "Winning DUI Cases" Seminar. Dave visited Wilkes-Barre, Allentown, and Philadelphia;Pennsylvania to deliver the seminar to some of Pennsylvania's best DUI attorneys. Dave Cox taught these Attorneys how to win DUI cases using NHTSA Manuals and advanced cross-examination techniques.The attorneys who attended Dave Cox's DUI Seminar, "Winning DUI Cases", had great things to say about their experience. Here are some testimonials from some of Pennsylvania's best DUI attorneys:"Hands down the most beneficial CLE seminar I've attended to date. Presenter was extremely knowledgeble on subject matter. Information was voluminous, but presented in an organized & easy to comprehend manner. Course is worth its weight in gold for those in this practice area."Robert Pfersich, Jr. - Cheltenham, Pennsylvania"This seminar provided analysis you never knew existed. An excellent resource for the defense of your clients!"Laura Dennis - West Pittston, Pennsylvania"Great job, again!"Andrew Zelonis - Barnesville, Pennsylvania"Very informative. Provided the tools needed to get the job done."Bohdan Zelechiwsky - Allentown, PennsylvaniaDave Cox, DUI Analyst and Consultant, has personally trained thousands of attorneys across the United States. Dave is a former police officer and, during his career, he was recognized as one of the top DUI officers in the country. As an officer, Dave Cox was certified as a Drug Recognition Expert, the highest level of training available to DUI enforcement officers. Dave now specializes in training attorneys how to easily and effectively use the officer, the officer's training, and the officer's NHTSA Manuals to win DUI Cases.In the upcoming weeks, Dave Cox will be presenting his DUI Seminar to attorneys in Virginia, Washington, Idaho, Ohio, and Nebraska. Dave will be visiting the following cities:Roanoke, Richmond, and Virginia Beach; VirginiaHarrisonburg, Charlottesville, and Alexandria; VirginiaRichland and Spokane; WashingtonLewiston, IdahoDayton, Columbus, and Cincinnati; OhioGrand Island, Lincoln, and Omaha; NebraskaTo register for upcoming seminars, please visit http://www.YourDUIPro.com/ seminars To learn more about Dave Cox and Your DUI Pro, please visit http://www.YourDUIPro.com
Local Author, Deborah Carr Senger, will be available to sign copies of book

End

--From the clamor of bygone parades to the phantom scent of burned rubber on Route 66, ghoulish and supernatural visions flourish in Bloomington-Normal. Claimed by a devastating fire in 1859, the spirit of a young girl haunts Kelly's Bakery. Visitors to Kemp Hall report seeing the specter of a lady in red. Cantankerous pitcher Charles "Old Hoss" Radhourn trolls Evergreen Memorial Cemetery.Author Deborah Carr Senger embarks on a tour of Bloomington-Normal's haunted heritage. Senger is a spiritual medium and mystic with a private metaphysical practice in Normal, Illinois. She co-owns and operates Spirits of Bloomington, which offers step-on and walking tours, as well as presentations of historic and haunted Route 66 and Lincoln sites in the Bloomington-Normal area. Several historic homes featured in the book, such as the Funk's Home, David Davis Mansion, and Ewing Manor, still stand and have scheduled tours. Since 2008, the Spirits of Bloomington investigation team has been providing opportunities to investigate and explore local businesses and homes.Barnes & Noble1701 East Empire StreetBloomington, IL 61704Sunday, October 9, 2016; 1:00 p.m.  3:00 p.m.Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at (888)-313-2665 or online.The combination of Arcadia Publishing & The History Press creates the largest and most comprehensive publisher of local and regional content in the USA. By empowering local history and culture enthusiasts to write local stories for local audiences, we create exceptional books that are relevant on a local and personal level, enrich lives, and bring readers closer - to their community, their neighbors, and their past. Have we done a book on your town? Visit www.arcadiapublishing.com
In 'Leadership Today,' Professors Marques and Dhiman Showcase Works Exploring Hard Skills, Soft Skills and the Mystique of Leadership

By: Woodbury University

Media Contact

Ken Greenberg

Edge Communications, Inc.

ken@edgecommunicationsinc.com

(323) 469-3397 Ken GreenbergEdge Communications, Inc.(323) 469-3397

End

-- In their most extensive publishing effort to date, Woodbury University (http://woodbury.edu/)School of Business professors Joan Marques (https://www.amazon.com/Joan-Marques/e/B001JOXVI4/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_2), Interim Dean of the Business School, and Satinder Dhiman (https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1?ie=UTF8&text=Satinder+Dhiman&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Satinder+Dhiman&sort=relevancerank), have collaborated on(Springer International Publishing, 2016), the university announced today.The new textbook includes essays from 33 contributing authors in 23 chapters, all on leadership but each addressing that discipline from a distinctive angle. The text is believed to be the first to integrate hard and soft leadership skills, approaching leadership from both a personal and a professional perspective.incorporates practical cases, interactive questions, experiential exercises and reflection pages, and reviews conventional as well as non-conventional leadership qualities.Drawing on scholars and practitioners from around the world, the textbook counts among its contributors Dr. Michelle C. Bligh, Associate Professor in the Division of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences, Claremont Graduate University; Richard Barrett, founder and chairman of the Barrett Values Centre, Former Values Coordinator at the World Bank; Dr. Iris Berdrow, Associate Professor of Management, Bentley University ( https://scholar.google.com/ citations?view_ op=view_org& amp... ); and Dr. Ruth H. Axelrod, Granite State College, among others.defines leadership needs in today's business world, explained within the scope of such qualities and skills as spirituality, empathy, moral behavior, mindfulness, empathy, problem solving, self-confidence, ambition, knowledge, global understanding, and information technology. Soft skills are reflective in nature, and entail qualities such as empathy, motivation, self-awareness, self-regulation, and social skills; in leadership performance, the application of soft skills entails a combination of interpersonal and social skills. Hard skills are more subject to measurement, and encompass analytical and technical skills.The text provides guidelines to implement each skill and includes examples from contemporary and historical leaders inviting the reader to consider each quality and engage in self-reflection.Dr. Marques earned an MBA from Woodbury and an educational doctorate (Ed.D.) in Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University. In addition to degrees from Woodbury and Pepperdine, Prof. Marques has a Ph.D. in Social Sciences from the University of Tilburg in the Netherlands and a B.S. in Business Economics from MOC, Suriname. She also holds an AACSB Bridge to Business Post Doctoral Certificate from Tulane University's Freeman School of Business. She is cofounder of The Business Renaissance Institute, president and cofounder of the Academy of Spirituality and Professional Excellence, and a member of the Academy of Management, the Organizational Behavior Teaching Society and the Phi Delta Kappa National Honor Society.Dr. Marques is the author or co-author of more than a dozen books on management and leadership topics, including most recently,(Routledge, 2016), in which she lays the foundation for understanding the need to develop both ambition and acceptance, and provides the context for what performance means in modern times;(Springer, 2016), with School of Business colleague Dr. Satinder Dhiman ( https://www.amazon.com/ s/ref=dp_byline_ sr_ebooks_1? ie=UTF... );(Routledge, 2015), in which Buddhism is approached as a leadership psychology, and(Palgrave-McMillan, 2014), in which she provides directives to leaders to adopt a wakeful mindset and abstain from the sleepwalking mode.Satinder Dhiman, PhD, EdDserves as a Professor of Management and as the Associate Dean, Chair, and Director of the MBA Program at the School of Business. He has served as the Chair for a special MBA Program for Mercedes-Benz executives, China. He also consults as Accreditation Mentor and Site Visit Team Leader for the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) for various universities in America, Canada, Europe, and India. He has been elected as the President of International Chamber for Service Industry (ICSI), 2014-2016. He has completed advanced Executive Leadership Programs at Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton.Dr. Dhiman's work has been published in multiple national and international journals, and he has authored, co-authored, and co-edited more than ten books on management and leadership during the last seven years, including most recently,(Palgrave MacMillan, USA). His current research on fulfillment, which is also the theme of his book,(2012/2014), is focused on transformative habits of mind for attaining lasting joy and fulfillment in both personal and professional life.The recipient of several national and international academic and professional honors, Dr. Dhiman won the Woodbury University Ambassador of the Year Award in 2015, the Steve Allen Excellence in Education Award in 2006, and the prestigious ACBSP International Teacher of the Year Award in 2004. In 2013, he was invited to be the opening speaker at the prestigious TEDx Conference @ College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Calif. He is the founder and Director of Forever Fulfilled, a Los Angeles-based Wellbeing Consultancy, which focuses on workplace wellness and self-leadership.Founded in 1884, Woodbury University is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Southern California. The university ranks 15th among the nation's "25 Colleges That Add the Most Value," according toand is a 2016-17 College of Distinction. With campuses in Burbank/Los Angeles and San Diego, the university offers bachelor's degrees from the School of Architecture, School of Business, School of Media, Culture & Design, and College of Liberal Arts, along with a Master of Business Administration, Master of Architecture, Master of Interior Architecture and Master of Science in Architecture. The San Diego campus offers Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Architecture, Master of Interior Architecture and Master of Landscape Architecture degrees, as well as a Master of Architecture degree with a concentration in Real Estate Development. Visit woodbury.edu (http://www.woodbury.edu/)for more information.
By: Dovetail Brewery

Dovetail Rauchweizen

Contact

Kurman Communications, Inc.

Cindy Kurman or Lee Barrie

***@kurman.com Kurman Communications, Inc.Cindy Kurman or Lee Barrie

End

-- The only thing better than fall in Chicago are fall craft beers in Chicago. Located in the heart of the city's Brewery Corridor, Dovetail Brewery has released a fall seasonal beer, the Rauchweizen. A smoked wheat beer, the Rauchweizen goes perfectly with the changing weather.Smoked beer is an old German beer style with origins dating back to the 1500's, with the heart of current production being in the town of Bamberg in the region of Franconia. It's typically a dark color but with smokiness so robust, so assertive, that it nearly recreates the taste of spiced, smoked meat.Serious beer lovers are encouraged to enjoy this wonderful seasonal specialty beer during the next few weeks.Dovetail has soft pretzels made fresh daily but if you want a more filling meal, the taproom is BYOF (Bring your own food) or step outside the taproom and grab food from one of Chicago's finest food trucks!Dovetail Brewery, located at 1800 W. Belle Plaine in Chicago, Illinois, is a craft brewery owned by certified master brewers Hagen Dost and Bill Wesselink, specializing in delicious, balanced beers brewed using traditional German and Belgian brewing methods. Signature beers include unfiltered German-style lagers, traditional Hefeweizen, Rauchbier and Lambic-style sour beers. Dovetail Brewery also produces a variety of special seasonal beers.Taproom hours are: Tuesday, 2 pm-10 pm; Wednesday, 2 pm-10 pm; Thursday, 2 pm-10 pm; Friday, 12 pm-11 pm; Saturday, 11 am-11 pm; Sunday, 10 am-8 pm.The 22,000 square foot brewing facility includes an attractive tap room that is open to the public for drinking and retail sales. The tap room and other brewery areas are also available as a rental space for private events.Dovetail Brewery delivers beer by the keg to venues near the brewery and also to some select venues closer to the Loop. All bars, taverns and restaurants in the greater Chicagoland area that wish to serve Dovetail beer on tap are welcome to contact the brewery at info@dovetailbrewery.com or visit the taproom during normal business hours.For more information about Dovetail Brewery, please visit the brewery's website at http://dovetailbrewery.com (under construction), their newsroom at http://www.newsline360.com/dovetailbrewery or contact Bill Wesselink by email (mailto:bill@dovetailbrewery.com?subject=Dovetail%20Brewery%20question)or Hagen Dost by email (mailto:hagen@dovetailbrewery.com?subject=Dovetail%20Brewery%20question). For additional information, call 773-683-1414.Follow Dovetail Brewery on Twitter (https://twitter.com/dovetailbrewchi;@DovetailBrewChi)Follow Dovetail Brewery on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DovetailBrewery/)Follow Dovetail Brewery on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/dovetailbrewery/;@dovetailbrewery)
By Samonway Duttagupta: What else are weekends for if not to make yourself happy? And for those who love to travel, nothing can bring more joy than a weekend getaway.

While living in those metropolitan cities has its own set of advantages, the daily deadlines and traffic snarls make us crave for a much-needed break over the weekends. Each of these weekend getaways is offbeat and located less than five hours away from a metro city.

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Karnala Bird Sanctuary (Mumbai)

Distance from Mumbai: 60 km

Time taken: 2 hours

Picture courtesy: Facebook/Anadi Chaturvedi Photography

The Karnala Bird Sanctuary is a nature lover's paradise. Located at a convenient spot on the Mumbai-Goa highway, this sanctuary is spread over an area of 4.8 square kilometres and is home to more than 150 resident birds and 37 migratory avian species. Situated within a dense forest of the Sahyadri mountain range, the sanctuary is popular for its stunning natural beauty and thus attracts plenty trekking enthusiasts, nature lovers and photographers at all times.

Picture courtesy: Facebook/Outdoor and Photography

70 km

Time taken: 2-3 hours

Picture courtesy: Facebook/Pavan Kumar

Located at a convenient driving distance of just about 70 km from Bengaluru, Anthargange is a weekend getaway with a difference. What makes this place unique is the opportunity of caving. While you trek through the verdant charms of this place, exploring a cave or two on the trail will make your experience really unique. All of these caves and hillocks are formed of volcanic rocks and boulders, and thus provide the added scope of undertaking adventure activities like rock climbing and bouldering. Anthargange is also one of those few places where you can go for a night trek.

Henry's Island (Kolkata)

Distance from Kolkata: 130 km

Time taken: 4 hours

Picture courtesy: Facebook/India Tourism Singapore

It is likely that you have never heard about this place. Even if you are from Kolkata. If that is the case, then making a trip to this place would mean a gem of a discovery for you. The Henry's Island is a Mangrove forest located at the western tip of the famous Sundarbans. The island is one place where you can enjoy the best of both natural beauties--the river and the forest. Named after a former British surveyor who stayed here over a century ago, this place is ideal for bird watching, nature walks, forest hikes, and bonfire nights.

Nuh (Delhi)

Distance from Delhi: 90 km

Time taken:3 hours

Nuh, a small town located in the Mewat district of Haryana, is a heritage destination a Delhiite would rarely travel to. But actually, it's a hidden gem for the history buffs of the capital. Located at a distance of just 90 km from the capital, Nuh's historical monuments and ruins date back to the Tughlaq Dynasty. Besides, it is believed that Nuh's roots traces back to the Aryan civilisation. The Shaking Monument, the Chui Mai Pond or Tank, and the town of Sheikh Musa are some of the important historic sites of this place. When you are here, don't miss out on some of the Haryanvi and Punjabi delicacies offered by the local dhabas--Singri ki sabzi, Methi Gajar, Bathua Raita, and Kadai Hara cholia, among others.

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Also read: 5 weekend getaways from Delhi that won't cost you more than Rs 5K



Vidisha (Bhopal)

Distance from Bhopal: 60 km

Time taken: 2 hours

Carvings inside the Udaygiri cave. Picture courtesy: Wikimedia/Creative Commons

Located at a distance of just 60 km from the city of Bhopal, Vidisha is a place not every heritage traveller visiting Madhya Pradesh would explore. This lesser-known destination has some historic sites that provide significant insight into the country's past and are yet not that popular among the tourists. Bijmandal for instance, is a temple which is believed to have been built around the 11th century during the rule of the Parmar dynasty. Another site of interest is the Heliodorus pillar, which is locally known as the Khamb Baba. It is a stone column which was erected in 110 BCE by Heliodorus, a Greek ambassador of the Indo-Greek king Antialcidas, and it served as a gift to the court of the Sunga king Bhagabhadra. Surmounted by a sculpture of Garuda, the stone column was apparently dedicated by Heliodorus to the god Vasudeva. Apart from these monuments, the Udaygiri caves, having important inscriptions of the Gupta dynasty, are also located here.



--- ENDS ---

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Director Aaron Biebert Continues Film Festival Winning Streak in Johannesburg

By: A Billion Lives

Media Contact

Jane Sparango

jane@coteriemedia.com Jane Sparango

End

-- The internationally acclaimed filmby director Aaron Biebert, won theat the 5th Annual Jozi Film Festival in Johannesburg, South Africa.The four-day festival screened 40 films selected from 300 entries and closed with an awards ceremony in Johannesburg on September 18with the best films in five categories garnering honors.A year in the making,tells the story of how Biebert, who witnessed a close friend suffering from lung cancer continue to smoke until his death, began investigating alternatives to cigarette smoking. In the process, he learned that according to the World Health Organization (WHO),will be lost this century to smoking related illnesses, but that systemic corruption was endangering lives.exposes how pharmaceutical companies, anti-smoking advocacy groups, tobacco companies, and even the U.S. state and federal governments are to blame for the disinformation, over-regulation, and banning of smoking alternatives worldwide.To prove his case, Biebert captures compelling interviews with leading scientists, doctors, technologists and policy makers from major international health organizations. Each in turn gives reasoned answers to the very serious question: "Arebeing sacrificed needlessly for billions of dollars?"The Electronic Vapour Products Association of South Africa (EASA), the national representative body of the South African e-cigarette industry, commended the film for bringing attention to the alternatives to smoking.is a brilliant work that uncovers the real solutions we believe so many people have been waiting for. It addresses questions about both smoking and vapor technology in a manner that is both informative and insightful, giving all of us access to the global material available and opportunity to make our own choices for our health," said Dr Zuko Kubukeli, Chairman of EASA."I am immensely honored to have won this prestigious award and havemake its' South African premiere at the Jozie Film Festival in Johannesburg,"said Biebert. "It's very important for us to get the message out about safer alternatives to smoking to an African audience as part of our global awareness program."Independently funded by the Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based production company Attention Era Meda,continues to rack up top honors: the Supreme Jury Prize and Best Director Awards at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival in Australia, the Remi Award at the Worldfest Houston International Film Festival, and The Dorn Award from the Global Forum on Nicotine.To view the trailer and obtain additional information visit: http://abillionlives.com
New trek route departs from Cusco and visits Peru's Rainbow Mountain and majestic Ausangate.

Rainbow Mountain Peru

Media Contact

Ayni Peru

***@ayni-peru.com

+51 84 431514



Photo:

https://www.prlog.org/ 12590576/1 Ayni Peru+51 84 431514

End

-- Ayni Peru is happy to announce the launch of a new 4D/3N Rainbow Mountain and Ausangate Trek for the 2017 season. The route, departing from Cusco, Peru, is designed to combine the world famous Ausangate Circuit and the emerging trek destination of Vinicunca, known as Peru's Rainbow Mountain. In contrast to longer routes in the area, our 4D/3N allows trekkers on a tight schedule to visit the highlights of the Ausangate area, thought by many to be the most beautiful in the region.The new Ausangate and Rainbow Mountain trek is a challenging, high altitude trek featuring snowcapped peaks, glaciers, turquoise lakes and stunning Vinicunca, a mountain striped with red, orange, yellow, blue, brown and cream mineral deposits. Along the route, trekkers will pass tiny traditional villages and grazing herds of curious alpacas and visit areas few other foreigners have seen.Ayni Peru plans all tours in conjunction with horsemen and cooks, who receive fair payment in return for the services they provide. Extensions to Machu Picchu , throughout Peru and Bolivia, are available before or after the trek, with daily departures for two or more travelers. For solo travelers, confirmed departures can be found on our group departure calendar (http://www.ayni-peru.com/south-america-group-travel-calendar/)Ayni Peru is a boutique adventure travel operator based in Cusco, Peru. We specialize in unique travel packages that prioritize authentic, active experiences that benefit the communities our clients visit.


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The hair-of-the-dog-that-bit-you is a time-honored allergy remedy for a good reason: It works.

But how it works has not been well understood.

Now a research team led by Duke Health, using mice as the models, has described the cellular processes that occur during "rush desensitization." The approach involves giving a small dose of the allergy trigger -- peanuts or bee poison or even chemotherapy -- to the susceptible patient in small, yet increasing doses over a short period.

"We have known for at least 100 years that the approach is effective," said Soman Abraham, Ph.D, senior author of a study published online Sept. 26 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Abraham is professor in the departments of Pathology, Immunology, and Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at Duke University School of Medicine and professor in the Program of Emerging Infectious Diseases at Duke-National University Singapore Medical School. "People who have terrible, even life-threatening reactions to certain antigens can then tolerate an exposure -- if just for a short period of time."

Understanding how the process works could lead to new and better therapies for managing allergies to foods, dust, pollen, drugs and insect bites that cause serious and even fatal reactions for millions of people annually.

Abraham and colleagues employed different experiments to track the cellular events during allergic reactions and after rush desensitization. The team included A. Wesley Burks, M.D., who, before he left Duke for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, pioneered a peanut allergy approach for children that relied on rush desensitization principals.

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Allergy symptoms arise from a process that starts in the immune system's mast cells, which are white blood cells that harbor tiny containers called granules filled chemicals involved in the inflammatory process such as histamines and heparins.

When a person is exposed to an allergen such as pollen for the first time, the body makes an antibody known as immunoglobulin E, or IgE, which is capable of binding to the allergen whenever another exposure occurs.

Once produced, these IgE antibodies collect in large numbers on the surface of mast cells. During subsequent exposures, the allergen is promptly recognized by IgE, which binds to it and immobilizes it on the mast cell. That process initiates a signal that triggers expulsion of the granules from the mast cell, releasing the inflammatory chemicals.

The result is allergy symptoms such as sneezing, wheezing, itching and swelling. In severe cases, when mast cells lining blood vessels release their inflammatory contents throughout the body, the reaction can be life-threatening.

It's long been understood that rush desensitization therapy somehow disrupts the mast cells through the repeated exposure of allergens over several hours or days.

Abraham and colleagues found that the disruption occurs inside the mast cells, among tiny filaments called actin that line the inner envelop of the cell. When confronted with an allergen, the actin breaks down and rushes to the center of the cell, creating the conditions necessary for the eruption of the granules.

When tiny doses of allergen are administered during rush desensitization, however, the actin are fooled into disassembling, and prematurely move to the center of the cell. The misplacement of the cellular actin, however, does not initiate expulsion of the granules and the inflammatory chemicals. Even with repeated and escalating exposures, the cascade of events is avoided and there is no allergic reaction.

"Having figured out the mechanism, we should now be able to find new drugs that can target the actin and prolong the desensitization," said lead author W.X. Gladys Ang, a graduate student in the Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology at Duke. "This will allow for recovery to be slower, enabling people to be tolerant of allergens for longer periods."
Whether for use in safe data encryption, ultrafast calculation of huge data volumes or so-called quantum simulation of highly complex systems: Optical quantum computers are a source of hope for tomorrow's computer technology. For the first time, scientists now have succeeded in placing a complete quantum optical structure on a chip, as outlined in the Nature Photonics journal. This fulfills one condition for the use of photonic circuits in optical quantum computers.

"Experiments investigating the applicability of optical quantum technology so far have often claimed whole laboratory spaces," explains Professor Ralph Krupke of the KIT. "However, if this technology is to be employed meaningfully, it must be accommodated on a minimum of space." Participants in the study were scientists from Germany, Poland, and Russia under the leadership of Professors Wolfram Pernice of the Westphalian Wilhelm University of Munster (WWU) and Ralph Krupke, Manfred Kappes, and Carsten Rockstuhl of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).

The light source for the quantum photonic circuit used by the scientists for the first time were special nanotubes made of carbon. They have a diameter 100,000 times smaller than a human hair, and they emit single light particles when excited by laser light. Light particles (photons) are also referred to as light quanta. Hence the term "quantum photonics."

That carbon tubes emit single photons makes them attractive as ultracompact light sources for optical quantum computers. "However, it is not easily possible to accommodate the laser technology on a scalable chip," admits physicist Wolfram Pernice. The scalability of a system, i.e. the possibility to miniaturize components so as to be able to increase their number, is a precondition for this technology to be used in powerful computers up to an optical quantum computer.

As all elements on the chip now developed are triggered electrically, no additional laser systems are required any more, which is a marked simplification over the optical excitation normally used. "The development of a scalable chip on which a single-photon source, detector, and waveguide are combined, is an important step for research," emphasizes Ralph Krupke, who conducts research at the KIT Institute for Nanotechnology and the Institute of Materials Science of the Darmstadt Technical University. "As we were able to show that single photons can be emitted also by electric excitation of the carbon nanotubes, we have overcome a limiting factor so far preventing potential applicability."

About the methodology: The scientists studied whether the flow of electricity through carbon nanotubes caused single light quanta to be emitted. For this purpose, they used carbon nanotubes as single-photon sources, superconducting nanowires as detectors, and nanophotonic waveguides. One single-photon source and two detectors each were connected with one waveguide. The structure was cooled with liquid helium to allow single light quanta to be counted. The chips were produced in an electron beam scribing device.

The scientists' work is fundamental research. It is not yet clear whether and when it will lead to practical applications. Wolfram Pernice and the first author, Svetlana Khasminskaya, were supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and the Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft, Ralph Krupke was funded by the Volkswagen Foundation.
First generation cephalosporins -- antibiotics introduced as a treatment against bacterial infections in 1963 -- now show promise for tuberculosis (TB) therapy, according to new research published in Scientific Reports.

Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is the most deadly infectious disease in the world. Standard TB therapy takes at least six months and patients infected with multi-drug resistant (MDR) or extensively drug resistant (XDR) strains undergo treatments that are even longer (up to 24 months). Treatment is often associated with severe side effects. Studies indicate that the cost of developing a new drug has soared to $2.6 billion.

The in vitro study indicates cephalosporins work well on their own against bacteria that cause TB. But they are even more active when used in synergistic combinations with traditional and new TB therapies.

"Cephalosporins can be taken orally and have a good long-term safety record, but were never explored as a TB therapy," says University of British Columbia (UBC) microbiologist Santiago Ramon-Garcia, who led the study.

"While these are in vitro results, their potent anti-mycobacterial properties suggest cephalosporins could be used as part of new combinatorial TB therapies."

"Because cephalosporins are already clinically approved drugs, they could be readily tested in the clinic," says Prof. Charles Thompson from UBC who also led the work.

"New treatments are urgently needed to shorten the duration of the standard treatment and for MDR and XDR-TB therapy."

The study was performed in collaboration with the Diseases of the Developing World GlaxoSmithKline Centre under an agreement with the Tres Cantos Open Lab Foundation. Grand Challenges Canada, Canadian Institute of Health Research, and British Columbia Lung Association provided initial support for the project.
Brown adipose tissue -- main organ generating heat in the body- is also an endocrine organ that secretes signaling factors that activate the fat and carbohydrates metabolism.

This is the main conclusion of an article published in Nature Reviews Endocrinology, signed by the professors Francesc Villarroya, Ruben Cereijo, Joan Villarroya and Marta Giralt, from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the University of Barcelona and CIBER of Physiopathology in Obesity and Nutrition (CIBERobn) of the Institute of Health Carlos III.

Brown adipose tissue: more than burning calories in the body

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) helps "burning more calories" and making body heat out of fat. According to the new study, this special kind of fat -the motor of thermogenesis- has an endocrine function able to activate the lipid and glucidic metabolism in the body, which has a profile for a future therapeutic target to treat pathologies like obesity.

"Traditionally, brown adipose tissue was just seen as an organ to burn calories, but we have seen it has an endocrine biological role," said Professor Francesc Villarroya, member of the Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB) and head of the Research Group in Genetics and Molecular Biology of Mitochondrial Proteins and Associated Diseases.

New perspectives in the physiology of brown adipose tissue

This new vision on the brown adipose tissue means a revolution similar to the one from years ago with white adipose tissue (WAT), the most known fat. "Until the eighties -says Villarroya- people believed WAT was a mere fat storage. From the nineties on, after discovering leptin as a hormonal factor released by WAT, other adipokines were found (active factors synthesized by this organ)." Therefore, WAT is now understood as an endocrine organ and now, with BAT, the same process is going on.

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According to the experts, when there is a situation of BAT activation and there is a high oxidation in metabolism products to generate heat, this organ would also send a series of biochemical signals to the entire organism to activate the global oxidizing metabolism. Identifying the released factors -called batokines- is the main challenge of the researchers, apart from discovering how the target organs act, or if there are other secretory tissues, etc.

The most known factors are FGF21 (fibroblast growth factor 21), neuregulin 4 and IL-6, among other compounds that are the focus of an intense research activity. "White adipose tissue, liver, heart, and probably pancreas and brain (counting the regulation points of feelings of hunger and thirst) are some of the target organs of the batokines," says Villarroya. "We also know that some of the factors released by WAT, such as FGF21, are able to cross the blood-brain barrier and act on brain areas" he said.

From basic research to human physiology

BAT secretory function as an endocrine organ has been studied through laboratory animal models and in vitro cell culture. In studies with animal models, there were improvements in the diabetes course -and even obesity- in mice transferred with small samples of brown adipose tissue. According to the experts, the transferred BAT would release factors that promote glucose consume and sensitivity to insulin (in general, a healthier metabolic profile).

"In human physiology -says Villarroya- it is essential to define if all batokines that are identified in animal models are also present in human BAT and behave the same way. In a future, these batokines could be considered as potential candidates in drug design to treat these diseases. In the case of obese patients with few active BAT -and probably less released batokines- a first therapeutic strategy could be to give them these molecules as drugs."

However, moving this basic research to the clinical field is a hard challenge, for several reasons but also for the hard availability of samples through human biopsies. For this reason, among other strategies, the team of Dr. Villarroya is developing in vitro human cells of brown adipose humans in population that allow verifying in human physiology the obtained results in mice.
By analysing ice cores drilled from deep inside the Greenland ice sheet, researchers have started to calculate how much Arctic sea ice there was in the past. Researchers from Denmark, Italy, Spain and Japan have just published the results in the research journal Scientific Reports.

The Greenland ice sheet records information about Arctic temperature and climate going back to more than 120,000 years ago. But new research reveals that the ice doesn't just tell us about the situation in the air and on the land -- it can also tell us about what was happening at sea. By analysing ice cores drilled from deep inside the Greenland ice sheet, researchers have started to calculate how much Arctic sea ice there was in the past. Researchers from Denmark, Italy, Spain and Japan have just published the results in the research journal Scientific Reports.

Arctic sea ice is changing. In the past the Arctic Ocean was covered by metres of thick sea ice but now that sea ice is thinning and being replaced by sea ice that melts away over the summer. The rapid decrease of summer sea ice that we currently observe is opening up the region for shipping and exploration but also threatening local ecosystems and cultures. But what was sea ice like in the past? The amount of sea ice has only been well known since the 1970's when satellite measurements began, so we don't know what has been happening far back into the past.

Researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute in Denmark and Ca'Foscari Univeristy of Venice in Italy have discovered that chemical traces of sea ice can be found far away from the ocean within the kilometres-thick Greenland ice sheet. The ice sheet is covered by snow which falls every year and is compressed into ice over many thousands of years. Every layer of ice tells us about the year that the snow originally fell on the ice sheet -- what the temperature was like and what kinds of particles were blowing around in the atmosphere at that time.

"We can measure the amount of a chemical called bromine in the Greenland ice cores. You find bromine in both the ocean and sea ice, but when new sea ice forms in the winter the sea salt is concentrated into salty pockets of brine which contain bromine. In spring and summer, the sunlight that shines down onto the sea ice starts chemical reactions. In these reactions, ozone in the air reacts with bromine in the ice and the bromine is released in greater and greater amounts from the sea ice. This process is called a bromine explosion. When it is released from the sea ice, the concentrated bromine is carried by the wind up onto the ice sheet and then deposited with the falling snow. That is the source of the bromine we measure in ice cores," explains Andrea Spolaor, researcher at Ca' Foscari University of Venice, "The reactions stop in autumn and winter, when the sun goes below the horizon and new sea ice begins to form again.."

Reconstructing sea-ice in the past

It's one thing to measure the amount of bromine in an ice core from Greenland, but it's another thing to understand the connection between bromine and the amount of sea ice in the Arctic.

In order to link the bromine measurements with the amount of sea ice covering the Arctic, scientists have used satellite observations of sea ice as a measuring stick, which goes back to the 1970's. The measurements can be used to link the bromine content in the ice cores with the amount of new sea ice produced each year since 1979. A clue about the amount of sea ice in the past has also been revealed by records from Icelandic fishing communities, which go back more than 1000 years. Altogether, these data have allowed researchers to calculate how much sea ice there was in the Arctic tens of thousands of years ago.

"With this technique we can fill the gaps in our understanding of the amount of Arctic sea ice in the past. Since ice cores also reveal a lot of information about the climate, we can combine the sea ice data with the climate data and start to understand how sea ice reacts to climate change" explains Paul Vallelonga, Associate Professor at the Centre for Ice and Climate at the Niels Bohr Insitute, University of Copenhagen.

Sea ice and climate change

Researchers have found that 8000 years ago the Arctic climate was 2 to 3 degrees warmer than now, and that there was also less summertime Arctic sea ice than today.

"We have been in this situation before, with less sea ice and more open ocean during the warm Arctic summer. So right now we have not yet exceeded the natural boundaries for the Arctic region, but the question is: with more warming in the Arctic driven by rising greenhouse gases, how soon will sea ice melting reach and exceed the levels of 8000 years ago? These new research results can help us to answer this question when we combine them with climate models," says Paul Vallelonga.
Time is of the essence when getting people stricken with acute ischemic strokes to treatment. And the use of stent retrievers -- devices that remove the blood clot like pulling a cork out of a wine bottle -- has proven to be a breakthrough for removing the life-threatening blockage of blood flow to the brain.

Current professional guidelines recommend that the procedure be performed within six hours for people to benefit. But researchers on a UCLA-led study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association have found that the procedure has benefits for people up to 7.3 hours following the onset of a stroke.

"Extending the time window for therapy will let us help more patients, including patients who were not able to get to a hospital right away because the stroke started while they were asleep or made them unable to call for help," said Dr. Jeffrey Saver, director of the UCLA Comprehensive Stroke Center and the study's lead author.

The researchers also found that for each six-minute delay, there is a 1 percent increase in the proportion of people who end up disabled, underscoring the need for people to seek treatment as quickly as possible when they experience symptoms of a stroke. The study examined the relationship between the onset of the stroke, the amount of time until the blockage was treated and patient outcomes.

The first coil-shaped clot retriever was invented at UCLA and cleared for use in 2004. For this study, researchers primarily used a newer generation of stent retrievers, which were cleared for use in 2012. First, doctors insert the small mesh tubes through an artery in the leg to the blockage in the artery that takes blood to the brain. Next, they open the mesh tubes in the middle of the clot and then extract the stent and the clot to restore blood flow to the brain.

The current study combines data from five clinical trials involving a total of 1,287 people, including the SWIFT PRIME trial led by Saver, that show these devices improved outcomes for people with acute ischemic strokes due to large vessel blockage. The researchers analyzed the relationship between time from onset of the blockage to treatment and outcome among these patients.

The researchers found that people treated earlier with the retrievers plus standard medical therapy were less likely to be disabled three months after surgery than people who only received medical therapy. Outcomes were the best if the procedure was done within the first two hours of a stroke, but those treated up to 7.3 hours after a stroke continued to show a lesser benefit.

Earlier treatment is better than later treatment to restore blood flow and prevent or limit damage to the brain, Saver noted.

"It is important for the public to know the critically important relationship between time to treatment and outcome, so they know to activate the 911 system as soon as possible when they detect stroke symptoms in themselves or friends, family and co-workers," he said. "And it is important to reorganize regional systems of stroke care to ensure that ambulances transport appropriate patients to hospitals that perform this procedure quickly and safely."

The people in these trials were seen at mostly academic medical centers, so the question remains as to whether these same results can be achieved at non-academically affiliated medical centers. Other elements that could skew the results include differences in trial entry criteria and patient characteristics, and that these results may not apply to people who did not qualify for the trials.

In future studies, the researchers plan to use brain imaging techniques to determine if it is possible to identify a specific, smaller group of people who can benefit from the clot retrieval therapy seven to 24 hours after stroke onset, said Dr. Reza Jahan, professor of radiology and neurosurgery at UCLA, and a co-author of the study.

The five trials were funded by European and Canadian government agencies and by companies that make retrieval devices. This pooled analysis was funded by Medtronic, a maker of the retriever devices. The funding went to the University of Calgary, which collaborated on this study.
An international team of scientists with participation from the University of Gottingen, the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Pennsylvania State University, and Wright State University has measured the mechanics of tiny crystalline ceramics. Materials are made of atoms, and if they are arranged periodically, they are called crystalline structures. If the size of these crystalline structures is 1,000 times smaller than a single human hair diameter, then they are called nano-structures such as nano-rods, nano-wires, nano-ribbons, nano-belts etc.

In some cases, special atomic arrangements enable them to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. These materials are called piezoelectric materials. They are useful for energy harvesting as well as a variety of electro-mechanical gadgets to enhance the quality of life. Hence, it is important to have a grip on these nano-structures and measure their mechanical responses. Until now, it was unknown that mechanical behavior of piezoelectric nano-crystals containing atomic defects is different than pure. This recent study is reported in the journal Nano Letters.

In nature, crystals are never 100 percent perfect, and they have various kinds of structural defects. One such defect type is a stacking-fault. This is considered a structural defect. In a stacking fault, a stack of periodic arrangements of atoms in crystals gets added or missing. Dr. Kasra Momeni, Director of Advanced Hierarchical Materials by Design Laboratory and faculty member of Mechanical Engineering at Louisiana Tech University, elaborates that the presence of structural defects including stacking faults can significantly alter the stress distribution. This is due to the complex interaction between stress fields from stacking faults and the ones from free boundaries of the nano-rods, which can alter the failure mechanism of nanorods with stacking faults compared to the perfect ones.

"Since energy harvesting is one of the key requirements in today's age, converting mechanical forces into a useful form of energy, i.e. electrical output, is an alternative to other energy transduction modes as well as an efficient approach. There are several crystalline ceramics which convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. We introduced a new concept that mechanics of these tiny crystalline ceramic structures are dependent on atomic defects. For example, they can collapse and their mechanical properties are not as expected. Consideration of these facts will enable us to design energy harvesting devices out of such tiny structures," explains Dr. Moumita Ghosh, leading scientist of this research from the University of Gottingen and former doctoral research scholar of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

The new finding reveals a non-intuitive know-how of defects in terms of mechanics at low dimension. Defect engineering in piezoelectric nanomaterials in future will enable us to realize various high quality and cost-effective vibration-based energy harvesting as well as electro-mechanical devices for biomedical research, diagnostics, and electronic applications.
By PTI: Chennai, Sep 28 (PTI) Over 400 Terrapins, a rare breed of turtles, have been seized and four persons arrested in this regard in Tuticorin district, DRI officials said today.

Acting on a tip-off that 477 turtles, all alive, were allegedly being smuggled to Sri Lanka from a coastal village in Tuticorin district, DRI officials searched a car in a village and seized 23 bags containing the turtles recently.

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"A total of 477 turtles, all alive, were found to be stuffed in 23 bags loaded in the vehicle," a DRI release said.

Terrapins are small turtles, classified under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 as an endangered species. They live in fresh water.

These turtles are smuggled for the meat and some fetch a "very high price" in the international market, DRI officials said.

Forest officials identified the turtles to be of Spotted Black and Eastern Hill varieties.

Thameem Ansari, M Mani, Abdul Rahman and Keyton Kumar, all from Chennai, were arrested and remanded to judicial custody, the release said.

The seized turtles were handed over to Forest officials for releasing them in their natural habitat, it added. PTI VIJ BN RC

--- ENDS ---
In an important discovery in the battle against the United States' growing drug epidemic, a Michigan State University economist has found the Carolinas could be a hotspot for the trafficking and production of the drug Ecstasy.

Siddharth Chandra, director of MSU's Asian Studies Center, has developed a methodology based on the wholesale prices of Ecstasy in 59 cities, identifying probable city-to-city links for the transit of the drug. He used data published by the National Drug Intelligence Center of the U.S. Department of Justice from 2002 to 2011, which field intelligence officers and local, regional and federal law enforcement sources collected through drug arrests and investigations.

"NDIC hasn't highlighted the Carolinas as an area of activity but our price data suggest there's a lot going on there," he said. "Prices are probably one of the most important economic phenomena because they carry information about the movement of goods."

Never before implemented to study drug-trafficking patterns, Chandra's methodology is simple. Drugs are inferred to flow from the city with the lower price to the city with the higher price. If cities are connected as source and destination cities, drug prices will move in lockstep, growing more expensive as they leave cities of origin.

Other key findings:

 Canada has become a major exporting country of Ecstasy into the United States.

 Cities close to the U.S.-Canada border, such as Seattle, Detroit and Portland, have become major Ecstasy gateways and distribution centers.

 Clusters of cities with lower prices can be found along the entire West Coast, in the Central Rockies and in the Great Lakes region -- areas in which there are major interstate highways connected to Canada.

 The price of Ecstasy increases as it travels inland from the west and east coasts and the Canadian border.

Chandra said his method could be used to inform drug policy and enforcement efforts and plans to allocate resources for treatment. It can easily be applied to the trafficking of other drugs, such as cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.

"While prices can be used to confirm some of what we already know and suspect, there are instances in which they can tell you things that perhaps you weren't thinking about," he said. "The more information you bring to bear on a problem, the more facets of that problem you get to see."

Chandra's study is published in the journal Global Crime.
Assanee and Wasan, two brothers named after famous Thai pop stars, began their lives not in the safety of their mother's care, but severed from it.

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand

It's more than likely that the northern pig-tailed macaques were stolen from the forests after witnessing the death of their mom, according to Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT).

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand

After that undoubtedly traumatic experience, the two brothers were shuffled into the pet market, where they were purchased at only a few months old for $230 each - and then they were put to work. For nearly two years, the macaques were kept on the fifth floor of a hotel about an hour away from WFFT's rescue center in Phetchaburi.

Dodo Shows Soulmates Growling Little Kitten Becomes Her Mom's Best Friend

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand

"The two macaques in question were being used as 'guard' macaques, chained on the top floor of the hotel to scare away the smaller, urban long-tailed macaques, and prevent them from occupying the hotel," WFTT wrote on Facebook. When Assanee and Wasan's owners decided that they no longer needed the monkeys, they reached out to WFFT to take the animals.

The hotel the monkeys lived at in Thailand | Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand

"We were asked to help as the chains which were used to confine them were beginning to start causing serious injury and pain," Tom Taylor, assistant director at WFFT, told The Dodo.

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand

"Maybe this impulsed the owners to think again about keeping wild animals captive. We can also assume that using them as guard monkeys to scare away others was not such a success, as giving up such animals with value is not done lightly," Taylor said.

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand

When WFFT's rescue team arrived to pick up the brothers, the monkeys were "very wary," Taylor said. "Imagine being confined to the roof of a building for two years with little contact with humans and no contact from other members of their own species, then to be faced with lots of 'strange faces,'" he continued. During their initial health examination, it was found that the skin around the iron collars the monkeys wore had become so deeply embedded in their necks that some areas were completely concealed by flesh.

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand

"Such barbaric tools are to used prevent the enslaved macaques from escaping," WFFT wrote. "These rigid iron neck restraints are comparable to those used on human slaves during the abhorrent transatlantic slave trade. They are put around their necks at a young age and remain unadjusted as they grow."

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand

Once the monkeys had their chains removed, they were taken to the WFFT Wildlife Hospital, where they were also relieved of their shackles before they were cleaned and given antibiotics in addition to pain medication.

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand

Taylor said the macaques are now slowly getting used to their new lives, although they're still wary of their surroundings. Since the brothers grew up in captivity, they are unable to return to the wild. However, Assanee and Nasan will be housed at the WFFT Wildlife Rescue Center, in a large open field habitat, where they can move freely, socialize with their own species and finally be safe from harm.

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand

"Free from their chains, these young boys will never have to be slaves again," WFFT wrote.

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand
The number of Canadian women serving on corporate boards has inched up a mere one percentage point in the year since securities regulators first began ordering companies to track and disclose women in their ranks.

Of 677 companies listed on the TSX and analyzed by provincial regulators, based on corporate year-end reports, women made up 12 per cent of all board seats, up from 11 per cent a year ago.

Fifty-five per cent of the companies had at least one female director, up 6 per cent from last year.

But that means 45 per cent did not have a single woman.

And, of 521 board seats that became open this year, only 76 were filled by women.

That means eighty-five per cent of the time the seat was filled by a man, said Ontario Securities Commission CEO Maureen Jensen during an address to the Toronto Region Board of Trade on Tuesday.

Without an improvement here, we will never reach 30-per-cent female board representation, she said. Although the OSC did not set any specific benchmark, some lobby groups have set an informal target, and it was this that Jensen was referring to.

Sarah Kaplan, director of the Institute for Gender and the Economy at the Rotman School of Management, argued the results show theres been almost no change in getting women on boards in Canada.

I think its basically the same number.

One per cent is not movement, she said.

If we only made one per cent with incredible press and attention, it feels like we will never make progress.

Kaplan concedes that there is no easy fix, but added its not enough to say we want this and it will magically happen.

Increasingly, she believes that without quotas or penalties, we are not going to move the needle.

If theres a cost to a companys reputation, not necessarily a fine, where the corporation is called out in a public statement for not having a woman on its board, it might bring change, she said.

Some shareholders have called for more aggressive action beyond the OSCs comply-or-explain model, where companies must disclose female representation in the board room and in the executive offices.

Ontario Teachers Pension Plan has previously called for a minimum of three women on every board by 2020 or face delisting from the stock exchange.

Other jurisdictions have adopted aggressive rules. Norway mandated that all boards must be 40 per cent women, or face stiff penalties including forced dissolution. In France, any company with more than 500 employees or 50 million in revenue must have at least 40 per cent women directors by 2017.

Kaplan added that, while there are reasons why people oppose quotas, saying it can make women feel like token choices, she believes it results in a wider recruitment strategy.

It forces you to search more broadly. Its not to take lower quality people, she argued.

Typically in a board search, people go to their networks. If you have a board filled with white men over a certain age, then you end up settling on someone who looks like just yourself, she said.

Matt Fullbrook, manager of the Clarkson Centre for Business Ethics and Board Effectiveness at the University of Toronto, believes there may be a greater willingness to consider quotas now.

Up until very recently, a lot of women were against the idea of quotas, he said. They were reluctant to be appointed as a token. I think that sentiment is starting to change.

Just because its a quota doesnt make you a token, he said. Quotas are the tools to push it beyond an incremental amount.

Andrew MacDougall, partner at Osler law firm, who co-authored a report on diversity among publicly listed companies, believes companies should look at their own needs, not face externally imposed quotas.

However, MacDougall noted many companies choose not to set targets of their own. I call that a big disappointment. If you dont set a target, if you dont have a goal, how are you going to reach it?

He noted that 46 per cent of companies have all-male boards. Its surprising in this day and age that there should be such a large number of issuers without a woman on their board.

What other countries are doing

Norway: This Nordic country was the first country in Europe to mandate that corporate boards must be at least 40 per cent female or face stiff penalties and risk dissolution, beginning in 2008. The requirement forced companies to go beyond their traditional networks for directors.

France: In 2011, France required any listed and non-listed French companies with more than 500 employees or 50 million in revenue to have at least 40 per cent women directors by 2017. As of 2015, women had 33.5 per cent of French board seats.

United States: U.S. public companies are only required to disclose whether or how they take diversity into account in the makeup of their boards. A government report noted that women make up about 16 per cent of board seats, and, even if men and women joined in equal numbers, it would take four decades to reach parity.

United Kingdom: In 2011, the United Kingdom adopted its form of comply-or-explain. As of October 2015, women held 26.1 per cent of FTSE 100 board seats, up from 12.5 per cent in 2011, meeting a 25 per cent target. A new report has suggested it be raised to 33 per cent by 2020.

Australia: Companies must either adopt a diversity policy or explain why they have not done so, and disclose data. In 2015, women held 22 per cent of all board seats in ASX 200 companies, compared with 18 per cent in 2013.

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Disgraced theatre mogul Garth Drabinsky will present the world premiere of his new musical Sousatzka in Toronto in February.

Drabinsky is producing the Broadway-bound show, which has a book by Craig Lucas, who wrote the story for An American in Paris.

The composer-lyricist team comprises David Shire and Richard Maltby Jr., whose Broadway shows include 1996s Big.

It will begin performances on Feb. 25 at Torontos Elgin Theatre and officially open on March 23. Its slated to close in Toronto on April 9.

Tickets will go on sale, via Ticketmaster, on Oct. 17.

The production will mark Garths return to the industry, a spokesperson for DKC/O&M, a Broadway public relations agency, told the Star.

Garth is a true visionary producer who has produced some of the most notable shows in the second half of the 20th century, so the fact that hes back and doing it again, I think, is going to be exciting for people, the spokesperson said.

Adrian Noble is directing the show, which is based on the Bernice Rubens novel Madame Sousatzka, about a musical prodigy torn between his mother and his piano teacher in London in 1982.

The story was adapted into a 1988 Shirley MacLaine film.

The cast includes acclaimed musical theatre stars Victoria Clark, Montego Glover and Judy Kaye, as well as newcomer Jordan Barrow.

My association with Garth has proven itself to be one of the most satisfying and enduring creative relationships Ive ever had, and I look forward to ensuring that he has every resource available to get this inspired show to Broadway, and beyond, Richard Stursberg, CEO of the new theatre-production company Teatro Proscenium LP, said in a statement.

Drabinsky, former Livent CEO, and his business partner were convicted of fraud in 2009.

With files from The Canadian Press and Jackie Hong

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OTTAWAThe Canadian Armed Forces have created a special team of investigators to handle sexual crimes after concerns were raised last year that military police didnt have the skills and experience necessary to deal with such offences.

Brig.-Gen. Rob Delaney, the militarys top police officer, announced the creation of the new 18-member team during a ceremony at Canadian Forces Base Trenton on Tuesday.

Team members have been given specialized training to better investigate crimes and support victims, officials said. They will be deployed to six locations across Canada to respond whenever and wherever an alleged sexual offence takes place.

Our job as military police is to protect the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces and their families, Delaney said in a statement.

The creation of the Sexual Offences Response Team and the increase in personnel to tackle these crimes will enable us to better support victims of sexual misconduct and ensure timely, professional investigations.

Military police investigated 280 alleged sexual crimes in 2015 and during the first six months of 2016. They laid 49 charges, although its unknown how many resulted in convictions.

Retired Supreme Court justice Marie Deschamps sharply criticized the military police service in her scathing report last year on sexual misconduct in the forces.

While she said military police officers were dedicated, many were confused about the relevant policies, insensitive to the problem of sexual assault, lacked training on the basic elements of the offence (including the legal concept of consent), and were unaware of the available resources to support victims.

Some have suggested that criminal investigations dealing with sexual offences should be left with civilian authorities.

But military police commanders have pushed back against that suggestion, noting that they are the only ones with the jurisdiction to investigate crimes committed by military personnel on missions abroad.

So if we dont have enough experience to do them now and you take it away from us completely, how are we going to do them over there and what service are we going to provide to the victims then? Lt.-Col. Brian Frei, the deputy commander of military police, told The Canadian Press in a recent interview.

The answer is not to give it to somebody else. The answer is to invest in the (military police) and give us the ability to build that experience, and thats what were doing with the standing up of that sexual response team.

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OTTAWAFormer Commons speaker Andrew Scheer, a 37-year-old father of five, launched his candidacy for the Conservative party leadership Wednesday by promising not to reopen divisive issues like abortion or same-sex marriage.

Scheer, an affable Saskatchewan MP who is a fiscal and social conservative, made a show of the support he has already garnered from Conservative caucus members  17 MPs and three senators.

Ten MPs, mostly rookies from Western Canada, along with Scheers wife, Jill, flanked him at his launch at the National Press Theatre.

Scheer staked out political markers, stressing party unity and his intention to run a campaign focused on free markets, low taxes and strong families. He unveiled a slogan: Real Conservative. Real Leader.

Pressed to define what that means, Scheer said if he becomes party leader or leads a government, he would not reopen questions of abortion or same-sex marriage, stating the caucus and party have already agreed those are settled.

But Scheer said he would not prevent MPs from making statements of support for those hot-button issues in the Commons, citing his own wise ruling in the past parliament.

A native of Ottawa, Scheer moved to Regina after getting married, went to work in real estate, and portrayed himself as someone who can bridge the regions of the country.

And in what appeared to be a shot across the bow of some of his rivals, Scheer said Conservatives dont always win when we are united, but we always lose when we are divided.

Asked directly to address Kellie Leitchs suggestion that immigrants and refugee claimants should be screened for Canadian values, Scheer said it is neither practical nor preferable to police whats going on in peoples minds.

He said the government should focus on making sure security threats are dealt with. He said when immigrants get here its a good idea to have a conversation about the values that do make Canada great. He listed our common law, our Westminster parliamentary system, and fundamental principles of equality.

But he said any debate around those values must maintain the image of the Conservative party as a positive, welcoming, inclusive party that accepts and welcomes the contributions of immigrants to Canada.

Scheer joins a race that seems certain to become more crowded when, as expected, GTA MPs Erin OToole and Lisa Raitt join a field of nine other MPs and unelected party members who have declared an interest in the top job.

Those include MPs Michael Chong, Maxime Bernier, Tony Clement, Leitch, and Deepak Obhrai. All have stepped aside from their positions as party critics in the Commons and registered with the party their intention to vie for the leadership. Others have publicly mused about their plans.

If all the would-be aspirants for the top job do run, the field could number a total of 16 candidates  a far cry from the last leadership race in 2004 which saw only three people enter the contest: Clement, businesswoman Belinda Stronach, and Stephen Harper who led the merger of the Canadian Alliance with then-Progressive Conservative leader Peter MacKay.

MacKay, who has a strong base of support among the so-called progressive Red Tory wing of the party, cited family reasons for not running this time.

The other presumptive front-runner would have been Calgary MP and social conservative standard-bearer Jason Kenney who has returned to Alberta to try to win the provincial PC party leadership, hoping to merge it with the Wildrose and unite the right at the provincial level.

With MacKays and Kenneys departures, the federal Conservative race has opened wide, and the number of candidates will split support at least in the early stages.

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OTTAWAJustin Trudeaus government says its approval of a massive natural gas project on the West Coast with extraordinary measures to safeguard the environment sets the bar for more decisions yet to come on contentious energy projects.

But critics denounced Ottawas decision to allow the Pacific NorthWest liquefied natural gas project to go ahead, branding it a dirty energy project that will make Canadas own commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions much harder to meet.

Just a day after travelling to British Columbia to announce approval of the project, Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr and Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc were back in Ottawa Wednesday defending the decision.

I dont know that you could ask for a better example of how economic growth and environmental sustainability can work so well, hand in hand, Carr told reporters.

McKenna pointed to the environmental assessment, extensive consultations with local indigenous peoples and 190 legally binding conditions meant to lessen the impacts of the project as evidence that the government had done its due diligence.

The only way to get resources to market in the 21st century is if you can do it in a sustainable and responsible way, she said on Parliament Hill

We made the decision based on science and evidence.

The project, led by Malaysian energy giant Petronas, is worth up to $36 billion and would create as many as 4,500 jobs during construction. It would see natural gas shipped by pipeline to a terminal near Prince Rupert for shipment to Asian markets.

But environmental groups and opposition parties accused the Liberals of hypocrisy for giving the green light to a project that will boost greenhouse gas emissions  at the very time the government is pledging to reduce such pollution.

The project is expected to produce an estimated 4.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, increasing greenhouse gas emissions in B.C. by 8 per cent and by 0.75 per cent nationwide.

Is it possible for Canada to be building any pipelines right now that will increase greenhouse gases and, at the same time, respect our international obligations, said NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair.

Dale Marshall, of Environmental Defence, noted that the environmental assessment itself flagged significant impacts with the project. He said the groups concerns centre on the impacts on marine life, indigenous peoples and the high output of greenhouse gases.

This will immediately become one of Canadas largest point sources of pollution. At a time when were trying to reduce emissions, thats a pretty big impact, Marshall said in an interview.

My question is, how bad does a project have to get before it gets turned down, he said, calling it a pretty terrible project. Its discouraging to see it moving forward.

Yet McKenna said Canada is committed to reaching its climate change target.

For this particular project, were able to reduce the emissions significantly through a hard cap on emissions. . . . clearly all projects that go forward need to fit within our broader pan-Canadian framework, McKenna said.

Ottawa faces another controversial decision this fall when it must decide whether to allow Kinder Morgan to twin its Trans Mountain pipeline to move Alberta oil to the B.C. coast. That project faces serious opposition.

While Carr said that project will be decided on its own merits, he said also said it would happen within the framework laid out by this weeks decision.

We believe that the same principles that have governed the decision we took yesterday will apply. Every project has its own nuance and its own set of challenges, Carr said.

Despite this weeks approval, low gas prices mean theres no guarantee the LNG project will go ahead. In a statement, Petronas said it has to first study the conditions and conduct a total review of the proposed project prior to deciding on the next steps forward.

Given the uncertainty, Conservative interim leader Rona Ambrose called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to champion the project and help ensure it becomes a reality.

The proponent has gone through all of the regulatory approvals it needed to and unfortunately now were at a place where it may not even be built, Ambrose told reporters.

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By PTI: Chennai, Sep 28 (PTI) Over 400 Terrapins, a rare breed of turtles, have been seized and four persons arrested in this regard in Tuticorin district, DRI officials said today.

Acting on a tip-off that 477 turtles, all alive, were allegedly being smuggled to Sri Lanka from a coastal village in Tuticorin district, DRI officials searched a car in a village and seized 23 bags containing the turtles recently.

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"A total of 477 turtles, all alive, were found to be stuffed in 23 bags loaded in the vehicle," a DRI release said.

Terrapins are small turtles, classified under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 as an endangered species. They live in fresh water.

These turtles are smuggled for the meat and some fetch a "very high price" in the international market, DRI officials said.

Forest officials identified the turtles to be of Spotted Black and Eastern Hill varieties.

Thameem Ansari, M Mani, Abdul Rahman and Keyton Kumar, all from Chennai, were arrested and remanded to judicial custody, the release said.

The seized turtles were handed over to Forest officials for releasing them in their natural habitat, it added. PTI VIJ BN RC TRK

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BANGOR, MAINEA retired RCMP officer accused of smuggling narwhal tusks across the border pleaded guilty Wednesday in a U.S. court to 10 money-laundering counts.

Prosecutors said Gregory Logan, 59, of Saint John, N.B., smuggled 250 tusks valued at $1.5 million to $3 million into Maine in false compartments in his vehicle.

Narwhals are medium-sized whales known for spiral tusks that can grow longer than 2.5 metres. They are protected by the U.S. and Canada.

Logan, who was a Mountie when he began bringing the tusks into the U.S., faces up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine for each count.

Logan was originally charged with smuggling, conspiracy and money laundering.

He pleaded guilty in Canada to a related wildlife smuggling crime, and terms of his extradition limited U.S. charges to money laundering.

Prosecutors say Logan kept a post office box at a shipping store in Ellsworth, Maine, where the tusks were shipped to U.S. buyers, and maintained a bank account in Bangor, Maine, to aid in funnelling money back to Canada.

Logan was originally charged along with two U.S. residents.

Andrew Zarauskas, of Union, N.J., was convicted and sentenced to 33 months. Charges against Jay Conrad, of Lakeland, Tenn., were dismissed.

Logan, who retired from the RCMP in 2003, served four months of home detention and paid a $350,000 fine in Canada.

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With former prime minister Stephen Harper out of the picture, it appears Canadians are so thirsty for big bad guys we have begun importing villains, like beer, from across the border.

I am referring, of course, to Donald Trump, the tawny tyrant to the south whose run for the White House has polarized not only his own nation, but in a rather annoying turn of events, ours too.

Last week at Mount Royal University in Calgary, a female student castigated a male student for wearing to school, a red and white, Donald Trump campaign hat that reads Make America Great Again.

Not only did she castigate him, she demanded he remove the hat, while her equally incensed, anti-Trump peers egged her on.

Eventually, one of her friends, a lanky, exasperated-looking guy, actually snatched the hat from atop the Trump supporters head and withheld it from him.

I know all of this because the incident was captured on a smartphone camera, uploaded online, and subsequently went viral. Id rather not write the anti-Trump students name here, as she is now by her own admission the recipient of several death threats; besides, her name isnt relevant to my argument.

Her behaviour, on the other hand, is.

Its easy to understand why a Donald Trump hat or any piece of Trump merchandise would make a fair-minded person mad; its even easy to see why the initial impulse of the campus far-left has been one of support for the offended student and repulsion at the hat in question.

After all, Make America Great Again, Trumps official slogan, is pretty much synonymous with xenophobia. America is no longer great, Trump likes to rant, on account of illegal immigrants (Build the wall!) and supposedly nefarious, foreign Muslims  whom hed like to bar from entering the United States.

That Trump may be a political opportunist who doesnt believe a word of his own loathsome rhetoric, or a celebrity totally in over his head, is beside the point. If you are an immigrant or a member of any of the minority groups that a healthy chunk of his supporters openly despise, the possibility of a Trump presidency is not a joke or an unfortunate turn of events. Its genuinely scary.

Hence the Calgary students uproar about the hat, which, conservative commentators argue, is just a hat. But its only just a hat until someone puts it on. Then its a personal affirmation of an odious, and often racist ideology.

But this is where I part company with the aggrieved Mount Royal student and those in her camp. Because for one thing, Trumps ascension is not set in stone. He is not yet guilty of the sins he seems so eager to commit. And for another thing, a Trump hat, while a poor fashion choice (even if worn ironically, a la Prince Harry in a Nazi uniform) is not a Swastika. Not even close. Not even a fraction of a fraction of close.

The notion then that it should be banned from university campuses  or banned anywhere besides a fashion runway  is, in the end, absurd. And the fact that some university students think otherwise is depressing. Its also proof that many students who consider themselves quite liberal do not understand the meaning of free speech, and would happily dispose of it where it suits them.

Of course, weve heard this all before. Not a week goes by, it seems, without news of some offended co-ed wanting to ban something or rather, and a conservative media outlet making a fuss, proclaiming: Its the end of free speech as we know it!

However, what we dont discuss often enough, and what we ought to, is the reality that so often, the offended, PC party at the heart of these controversies doesnt speak out on behalf of his or her own slighted kind, but on behalf of some other marginalized group. In the words of the white, anti-Trump student at Mount Royal University, who provided a statement to the CBC this week: I have diverse friends (culturally and sexually) who would drop a class if the person wearing the hat was in the room with them, because they would feel unsafe.

This is an example of what Ive begun to call sympathy colonialism: the unflinching mission of white (and often heterosexual) liberals to take offence on behalf of marginalized groups  and to protest what they perceive as offensive with even greater zeal than the marginalized group itself.

Of course, sympathy colonialism has very good intentions: allies, especially zealous ones, are necessary for social change. But the dual notion, upheld by some on the campus far-left, that oppressed people are so downtrodden that they cannot speak up on their own behalf, and so fragile that free speech itself poses a threat to their safety, is not only spurious; its insulting.

Marginalized people are marginalized. They are not helpless.

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Its a strange feeling walking away from something that has taken up a substantial fraction of your waking life for seven years. On Monday, I deactivated my Twitter account.

Its like slamming on some brake inside your head. When I took a quick lunch on Tuesday I read from a book instead of casting about for three smart-assed things to say on Twitter. Im not sure what just happened in the world  like in the last 10 minutes or so  but Im toying with the theory that not knowing is all right. If it was important, people will still be talking about it 10 minutes from now. Im hoping to be about 2 per cent wiser by the weekend than I would have been.

But that hope isnt why I walked away from Twitter.

In my case theres a lot to walk away from. On New Years Eve in 2009 I joined the micro-blogging site, which restricts users to 140 characters at a time on whatever subject they want to discuss. By the beginning of this week, Id written 90,000 tweets, for an audience that was closing in on 60,000 followers.

Almost every journalist I know is on Twitter more or less constantly. Its a valuable resource. Most journalists in the world tweet about breaking news before they start to write it or recite it to camera. Having those extra minutes of insider knowledge is a huge rush. And following the top experts on Brexit or jazz or cooking or humour  a few of my long-standing preoccupations  is a bonus.

I wrote about 30 tweets a day, on average. Its probably good for any writer to spend time on Twitter. If you cant make your point in 30 words, you may not have one.

Above all, Twitter, for me, was a way to automate the easily distracted, bottomlessly curious work habits Ive had since I was a kid. Interested in everything, with almost no attention span. Constantly jumping up from my workstation to gossip with colleagues, or to try a line aloud to see whether it got a laugh. Ive been doing that since the 80s. Twitter just made that kind of behaviour convenient, and far more intense.

But there were problems. This week, they got worse.

Anyone on Twitter knows it is overloaded with jackasses, most of them hopped up on testosterone and posting anonymously. This makes too much of Twitter feel like a fire hose of bathroom graffiti, complete with disgusting politics, toilet humour, sexual obsession and attempts to degrade others. The avalanche of sexist, racist, homophobic, Islamophobic, anti-Semitic abuse against too many users has been exhaustively chronicled.

My own imperfect response was to block anyone who tried to pick a fight. But Ive seen gentler souls take appalling abuse. A friend wrote a sweet, funny observation about her baby daughter. It got misinterpreted, twisted, amplified across dozens of accounts, and soon my friend was facing near-constant abuse from across North America. One guy wrote that hed like to watch her daughter die. The people at Twitter were good enough to suspend his account. Too many others are allowed to carry on.

Twitter knows it has a problem on its hands. It has tried, with slowly increasing zeal, to block the worst abusers. But because the company proclaims its allegiance to free speech, it hasnt done the most obvious thing: require users to post under their own name and provide proof of identity when signing up.

Ive got a lot of sympathy for the free-speech argument. There are people on Twitter who say valuable things that their employers or governments dont want said. Abuse is a nasty by-product of the cover Twitter gives useful speech.

But what if the cover itself isnt dependable?

Mahir Zeynalov is a Turkish journalist who for years has been chronicling the excesses of Turkeys government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Arbitrary arrest, mass firings, blacklisting, newsroom purges. The abuses accelerated after the failed coup attempt against Erdogan in July gave him a pretext for wide-scale oppression against perceived opponents.

The best source for news of this tinpot tyranny has been Zeynalov, tweeting in exile in the United States after Erdogan had him deported in 2014. But this week Twitter emailed Zeynalov to tell him the Turkish government has called for his account to be blocked in Turkey.

By midday Monday, Zeynalovs case was murky. Twitter told him it has not taken any action on the reported account at this time. One of our core values is to defend and respect the users voice. Good news! But the email continued that Twitter may consider filing petition of objection if Zeynalov wished.

Compared to the answer the Erdogan regime should have received  Go to hell  that message is awfully equivocal.

Twitter is not worth much if it folds like a cheap suit when one of the most thin-skinned autocrats on Earth says boo. Until Twitter makes it clear that it has the back of Zeynalov and other public truth-tellers, it cannot credibly protest that its users have to put up with brigades of anonymous liars. And while it sorts out its assorted positions on free speech, Twitter can get along without me.

Paul Wells is a national affairs writer. His column appears Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

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In a surreal moment in a Toronto court Tuesday, convicted serial killer Mark Moore read a letter claiming the 361 University Ave. courthouse had a vendetta against him and that the man hed been found guilty of assaulting had framed him for two of the murders hes serving life sentences for.

Moore was in court for a sentencing submission following his conviction for aggravated assault of the key witness in his murder trial, Kevin Williams, after the two were kept in the same courthouse holding cell in 2013 despite a court order to have no contact with each other. Theyd been scheduled to appear together in May 2013 for a violent 2010 robbery, but Williams never made it to a courtroom; instead, he left 361 University in a stretcher.

In the holding cell, Moore hit Williams and then repeatedly kicked and stomped on his face after Williams fell to the floor, Crown attorney Marnie Goldberg told the court Tuesday, adding that Williams suffered a broken orbital bone. The Crown requested a sentence of five to six years, factoring in that, at the time of the assault, Williams was a Crown witness in Moores quadruple first-degree murder trial.

Moores defence lawyer Cheryl Robb asked for just a two-year sentence for the assault, noting that the beating was not premeditated, that no weapon was used, and that Williams had taken off his shirt and glasses beforehand, suggesting he had expected, or provoked, a fight. As well, there was no evidence that the assault happened to prevent Williams from testifying against Moore, Robb said.

Williams was not present in court Tuesday; Moores mother Hyacinth watched the proceedings alone from the third row of seats, staring straight ahead and only exchanging a handful of glances with her son as he sat in a prisoners box guarded by two police officers.

Following the submissions, Moore read from a two-page, double-sided letter Robb said she had not reviewed and that he had declined her offers to do so.

Introducing himself first by his legal name and then stage name, Preezidenteeh, Moore described Williams, who he mostly referred to by rapper name Mayhem Morearty, as a close former friend who test-a-lied, not testified, against me.

Moore was convicted on four counts of first-degree murder in 2015 in the shooting deaths of Jahmeel Spence, 27, Courtney Facey, 18, Mike James, 23, and Carl Cole, 45. At trial, the Crown suggested Moore killed then all  within a 75-day span in 2010  to prove himself as a real gangster rapper. He was given a life sentence for each, on top of already being sentenced to 16 years for various firearm offences and to 12 years for the robbery committed with Williams.

During that trial, Williams had testified that he was in a car with Moore and heading to a LCBO when Moore rolled down his window and shot Facey and James point-blank as the two sat in their own vehicle listening to music. Williams told court that Moore said the angel of death made him kill.

But it was actually Williams who had shot Facey and James, Moore said Tuesday. Moore told court, Mayhem did not see me kill . . . What Mayhem saw was a reflection of himself gunning down two people and throwing me under the bus.

Moore also claimed Williams had rushed and assaulted him in the holding cell in 2013 and that he was merely acting in self-defence when he hit Williams back. Testimony from the correctional officer who intervened was nothing but bogus and (the officer) didnt like me, Moore added.

But what can I say? Seems like 361 University has a vendetta against me for some reason.

Moore said regardless of his sentence, he has no choice to accept it and that he would not appeal.

Im getting older and becoming more wise, he said. Ive been here since I was 25. Now Im turning 32 soon.

Justice Jane Kelly will sentence Moore Oct. 4.

With files from Star staff

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Fourteen deals to go.

Although 456 deals have already been negotiated between union locals and school boards across the province, 14 are still outstanding under Ontarios new education bargaining process. Its a procedure both sides hope will be reworked before the next round of talks begin.

Just two weeks ago, the Toronto public board and its high school teachers ratified an agreement. Because of the time it has taken, the three-year deal  like all others across Ontario  will expire in August 2017.

I am still waiting to see if the government is going to make any changes to the legislation, said Paul Elliott, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation.

Elliott was referring to Bill 122, the legislation that formally brought in a two-tier system of bargaining in education, with costly matters such as salary to be hammered out at provincial negotiating tables, leaving individual boards to reach separate agreements on more administrative matters with union locals.

Theyve given no indication. They did their own internal review, and we know the review has gone to the minister, and we are waiting to see  If they do want to make changes, I think they move fairly quickly to get those changes done  I dont see why it could not be done by Christmas.

During the review, the government heard suggestions for improvement, but there was no consensus on how to amend the act, which a report said does not provide a clear path forward.

A spokesperson for Education Minister Mitzie Hunter said in a statement that the first round of bargaining under the School Board Collective Bargaining Act (SBCBA) resulted in nine central agreements and laid a strong foundation and framework for the next round of negotiations.

When the SBCBA came into effect, we committed to a review of the legislation after the completion of the first round of central collective bargaining. We are in the process of reviewing the feedback we received from our education partners during the consultation process and we look forward to continuing to engage in a collaborative dialogue with our partners regarding any potential improvements to the bargaining process.

Elliott said he expects the next round of bargaining to resume early in the new year, and noted that his union is still negotiating with the Rainy River public board for occasional teachers.

Normally there wouldnt be a problem here, but with it being such a lengthy process to get the (full-time) teachers deal done, thats why this hasnt been resolved yet, he said of the Rainy River negotiations.

Im optimistic it will be done by the middle of October.

(His union is also negotiating a first contract with speech language pathologists in the York Region public board, but because its a new bargaining unit, and they are trying to negotiate a first contract, it doesnt fall into the same category, he added.)

Toronto District School Board chair Robin Pilkey said shes pleased there are now agreements in place with all of the boards employee groups.

We are happy were going to have a school year where we dont have to deal with contract talks, she said.

Its a lot better on the ground for principals and schools and teachers, and parents will be much happier.

With files from Louise Brown

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Bramptons former commissioner of planning and development has testified that the citys former top bureaucrat was biased in favour of former mayor Susan Fennells preferred bidder in a half-billion-dollar deal, now the subject of a $28.5-million lawsuit against the city.

John Corbett, who later became the citys chief administrative officer, also testified that the selection committee in the $500-million development deal was biased against local builder Inzola Group, which was eventually disqualified from the bidding process.

The lawyer representing the plaintiff, Inzola Group, asked Corbett if staff responsible for selecting the winning bidder, a consortium that included Dominus Construction, knew who Fennell wanted: It was certainly understood that the mayors agenda included the approval of Dominus as the preferred respondent, correct?

Corbett replied, I would agree with that statement.

And that agenda was known right through the process of preparing the staff report that was given to city council? Corbett was asked.

Correct, he replied.

That report, presented to council in March 2011, outlined the decision to select the winning bidder by six senior staffers, including Corbett, who were the only people allowed to see the bids, evaluate them and then present one bidder that council could either choose to go forward with or reject, which would have scrapped the entire bidding process.

Fennell responded through her lawyer to Corbetts allegations against her. Ms. Fennell categorically rejects this unsubstantiated opinion expressed by Mr. Corbett. Mayor Fennell welcomed the involvement of all bidders, including Inzola, in the (bidding) process, lawyer David Shiller wrote in an email to the Star and Guardian. He said Corbetts testimony does not provide any factual basis whatever for his opinion.

Inzola lawyer David Chernos asked Corbett during the deposition if city manager Deborah Dubenofsky had an objective of furthering the mayors political agenda.

Yes, Corbett replied.

He was asked if he witnessed Dubenofsky giving direction to the six staff tasked with making the decision that Dominus should be the preferred respondent.

Yes, Corbett answered.

Dubenofsky, according to the bid rules, was not to have any involvement in the decision on which bidder staff selected for the $500-million deal.

Dubenofsky said she would not respond to Corbetts allegations because the matter is before the court.

During the bidding process for the half-billion-dollar downtown redevelopment project between 2009 and 2011, Corbett served as the citys commissioner of planning and development, but in 2012, he was appointed the citys top bureaucrat. He replaced Dubenofsky in that role; her contract was not renewed. Corbetts contract was terminated in 2015, months after the city had announced his retirement.

During the bidding process, which used a procurement method that had never been used in Canada, Bramptons administration was led by Dubenofsky, who had championed the bidding method, called competitive dialogue. Under its rules, neither she nor council was allowed to see the bids, evaluate them or influence the six-member selection committees decision on which developer to select.

Inzola Group filed the $28.5-million lawsuit against the City of Brampton, alleging it was unfairly disqualified from the bidding process, that senior staff and Fennell were biased against Inzola and in favour of the winning bidder. The city denies the lawsuits claims. There are no allegations against the winning bidder, which has said it followed all rules in the bidding process.

A pretrial motion by the city is seeking to dismiss the suit. The plaintiff has deposed witnesses and filed their testimony, along with supporting exhibits, to argue against the citys dismissal motion.

Corbett testified that in private meetings that included Dubenofsky as well as the six members of the selection committee, There was a lot of pejorative statements made about (Inzola principal) Mr. (John) Cutruzzola . . . that should not play a role in a decision-making process of that import . . . but certainly Mr. Cutruzzola was subject to a lot of pejorative commentary during those discussions.

Corbett testified that Dubenofsky, former treasurer Mo Lewis, who chaired the selection committee, and former commissioner of buildings and property Julian Patteson, the committee vice-chair, routinely made negative remarks in private about Cutruzzolas character, would mimic him, make disparaging comments about his short stature and said that impersonations were regular kinds of anecdotes, unfortunately.

There was a distinct and clear voice that it would be a hope that somewhere along the process that there at least would be a trip-up that he would be  would not succeed, either on technical grounds or procedural grounds, and that he would not be the winning proposal.

Corbett testified that the majority of the views were expressed by Ms. Dubenofsky, and secondly by Mr. Lewis. He described Patteson as more of a follower than a leader.

Patteson said he has provided an affidavit in response to Corbetts testimony, but it has not yet been submitted. He declined to provide his response to the Star and Guardian. The City of Brampton dismissed Patteson earlier this month, in a restructuring, but said his departure had nothing to do with the lawsuit.

Asked to respond to the new evidence in the lawsuit recently filed with the court, City of Brampton spokesperson Natalie Stogdill said: There is a motion before the court to dismiss Inzolas $28.5-million claim against the city in its entirety. The city will not comment further on the allegations you raise given that all of the relevant evidence will be considered by the court.

According to Corbetts testimony transcript, Inzolas lawyer showed Corbett minutes of a March 31, 2011, meeting of the selection committee three days after council voted to accept the committees decision to recommend the consortium that included Dominus. Inzolas lawyer asked Corbett who made the statement, that council sent a message to the community that Inzola is not the big guy in this town anymore. 

Corbett responded that Lewis made the comment. Lewis, according to the city, retired in 2013. He is currently the interim chief administrative officer for the Region of Niagara.

Corbett was shown an email from Lewis sent a couple months after that meeting, to the assistant of Peter Honeyborne, the deputy treasurer who also sat on the committee. In the email, Lewis tells the assistant, referring to the March meeting, You need to delete the sentences re the debrief of the March 28th meeting, that says Council sent as (sic) message to the community that Inzola is not the big guy in this town anymore. 

Lewis said he has no comment on the matter as it is before the court.

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Two years after Jermaine Carby was fatally shot by police following a traffic stop in Brampton, his family has filed a $12-million lawsuit alleging racial profiling, claiming Peel Regional Police services practice of carding has disproportionately targeted racialized people, especially young black men.

In a statement of claim filed Tuesday against the Peel Regional Police Services Board, Chief Jennifer Evans and seven Peel officers, Carbys family alleges he was racially profiled and subjected to an unlawful street check by police on the night of his death, setting off a fatal chain of events.

Far from an isolated incident, Carby case was just one example of a systematic and co-ordinated policy and practice employed by (Peel Police), at the direction of Evans and the Peel police board, according to the statement of claim.

In this case, the unlawful street check led to a confrontation which ended when Mr. Carby was shot and killed, the lawsuit, prepared by Toronto lawyer Davin Charney, alleges.

Carbys family also claims police failed to employ de-escalation techniques to avoid a dangerous confrontation with a man they knew was suffering from a serious mental health issue.

Lorna Robinson, Carbys mother, is seeking compensation for psychological injuries including depression, anxiety and nervous shock.

Its affected me a whole lot, as well as my family, and we deserve compensation, Robinson told the Star. We miss him.

None of the allegations have been proven in court. A statement of defence has not yet been filed.

Sgt. Josh Colley, spokesperson for Peel police, said in an email Tuesday that the matter is currently before the courts and the service is unable to comment at this time.

Carby, 33, was shot three times on Sept. 24, 2014 by Const. Ryan Reid, after the car in which he was a passenger was pulled over for a traffic stop in Brampton by another Peel officer, Const. Jason Senechal.

Last year, the Special Investigations Unit, the Ontario civilian watchdog that probes deaths involving police, cleared Peel police of any criminal wrongdoing in the case, finding the officer that shot Carby was acting in self-defence.

The SIU did not name any of the officers involved in the case. Their identities became public at a coroners inquest into Carbys death earlier this year.

According to the SIU and evidence heard at the coroners inquest, Senechal asked for Carbys identity after pulling over a vehicle in which Carby was a passenger. The traffic stop was made because the licence plate was askew and front lights turned off.

During the stop, Senechal asked Carby for his identity, then ran his name through the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC), a national database that includes criminal files. There, he discovered Carby had a lengthy criminal record and outstanding warrants from British Columbia. CPIC also cautioned Senechal, via a warning note, that Carby had previously attempted to disarm a police officer.

According to the SIU, when Senechal returned to question Carby about the warrants, Carby pulled out a knife and moved toward officers, prompting Reid, one of the officers who arrived as backup, to shoot.

It was initially unclear why Carby was asked for his identification, since he was the passenger in the car. It was revealed during Senechals testimony at the coroners inquest that he asked Carby for his identification because he was conducting a street check.

Also known as carding, street checks are the controversial police tactic where officers ask an individual not suspected of crime for identification, then enter that personal information into a police database. A series of Star investigations has shown the practice has been used disproportionately against young black men.

The Carby family lawsuit alleges Peel polices practice of street checks disproportionately targets and affects racialized people, especially young Black men, including Mr. Carby. The street checks policy was implemented without proper training and led to systemic and widespread abuses, the lawsuit claims.

If he wasnt carded, hed still be here, said Carbys cousin, La Tanya Grant, who wants recognition from the courts that Carbys rights were violated.

Its a controversial practice that weve been trying to stop. If we as Canadians are supposed to take the Charter (of Rights and Freedoms) seriously, then it doesnt matter who violates them, they need to be held accountable.

In response to years of criticism about carding practices by police across the province, the Ontario government earlier this year passed regulations banning the arbitrary and race-based collection of identifying information.

In April, Evans said that in response to the provinces carding regulations, changes to language, definitions and policy had been implemented . . . ahead of the targeted dates set by the province.

The Carby family lawsuit also claims wrongdoing on the part of the Peel police officer who made what the SIU called the highly regrettable decision to remove Carbys knife from the scene after he was shot.

In cases where its evident the SIU will be called in to investigate, such as a fatal shooting involving police, the police agency involved must only secure the scene until SIU investigators arrive to take over. In this case, the weapon, a 13-centimetre serrated kitchen knife, was not located by SIU investigators until several hours later, when an acting Peel sergeant handed it over.

Loparco ruled that, while there was sufficient evidence to show Carby had a knife, its removal cast a pall over the investigation. The Carby family lawsuit, however, claims Carby did not have a knife at all, as evidenced by the fact that no knife was found at the scene by the SIU.

At the coroners inquest, the officer who removed the knife, Const. Justin Chittenden, was adamant that he had to pick up the knife in order to preserve evidence.

Peel Regional Police Association president Paul Black also previously defended the officer, saying it was seized in good faith.

Black did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Wendy Gillis can be reached at wgillis@thestar.ca

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Police Chief Mark Saunders vehicle was spotted parked illegally on Wednesday afternoon, next to a fire hydrant at a busy intersection, while he attended an event in downtown Toronto.

In a photo taken by a Global News cameraman, the chiefs police-issued SUV was parked directly in front of a fire hydrant on Victoria Ave., just east of Dundas St. E., at about 12:30 p.m. Global reported that the SUV remained parked there for more than 30 minutes.

According to the police service, Saunders was attending the Simon Wiesenthal Centre for Holocaust Studies Freedom Day, and ensured that the driver of the vehicle was close enough in the event firefighters needed access to the hydrant.

The Chief of Polices driver goes to great lengths to park appropriately, police spokesperson Meaghan Gray told the Star. If there is no other option, they will park where they need to, in order to provide that safety and security should something happen.

In an initiative at the beginning of September to crack down on gridlock, Toronto Police issued 1,467 tickets and towed 298 vehicles in a four-day enforcement blitz targeting parked vehicles that were obstructing busy downtown streets.

According to a Canadian Press analysis of Torontos parking-ticket data, the city collected more than $24 million between 2008 and 2014 in fines levied against drivers who parked too close to hydrants.

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Ontarios renewable energy industry will continue growing despite the suspension of plans for another round of wind, solar and hydroelectric projects, says Energy Minister Glenn Thibeault.

Companies that have been part of the green energy wave in Ontario since the Green Energy Act was passed seven years ago have been building customer bases outside the province, Thibeault said Wednesday.

Weve got Siemens in Tillsonburg that just signed a contract with the U.K. to export blades, he told reporters a day after a $3.8-billion round of renewable energy procurement was axed to keep about $2.45 monthly off the average household hydro bill in the years to come.

I think were going to continue to see jobs growing in this sector; were leaders in this.

The procurement of 1,000 megawatts, equivalent to just under one-third the capacity of the 3,500-megawatt Darlington nuclear plant near Oshawa, was scrapped because the provinces electricity planning agency said it wont be needed over the next decade.

While this means there will be fewer jobs created than expected in the sector, the Canadian Wind Energy Association noted 16 procurement contracts signed earlier this year for facilities producing 455 megawatts of renewable power will proceed across Ontario.

Were still building out projects that have been awarded contracts, association president Robert Hornung said in an interview, adding that Tuesdays decision has created uncertainty for renewable energy companies and disappointed the entire sector.

It will cause people to diversify their operations outside the province.

The renewable power industry is looking to the next iteration of Ontarios long-term energy plan, due out next year.

It will set a roadmap for the electricity system over the next decade and more. Hearings to gather public input begin next month.

In the Legislature, Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown accused the government of a exaggerating the importance of the $2.45-a-month that wont be going on hydro bills, and that they were doing this to dampen public outrage over skyrocketing electricity bills.

No one is saving anything. Did I save $25,000 this morning by not going out and buying a car? he asked in an exchange with Premier Kathleen Wynne.

Were further moving to take costs out of the system, replied Wynne, whose government is trailing in the polls and is up for re-election in the spring of 2018.

The decision not to award new wind farm contracts at this time could be seen as an olive branch to opponents of turbines on farmland, said Conservative MPP Vic Fedeli.

The Liberals have few seats in rural areas, where some residents complain about health effects of wind turbines. A 2014 Health Canada study found the turbines can be annoying but said there is no connection to medical problems.

Earlier this month, the premier promised to cut the 8-per-cent provincial tax on electricity bills starting in January, and a 20-per-cent cut to hydro bills for thousands of rural residents who pay high delivery charges for hydro, which they often use to heat their homes because natural gas is not available.

As well, another 1,000 companies will be allowed to join 300 large manufacturers in a program that provides lower hydro rates in return for dramatically reducing electricity use in peak periods.

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CHARLOTTE, N. C.  Angry Charlotte residents verbally lashed city council members for hours, complaining about what they called unaccountable police officers and civilian leaders who have failed to force change as the city marked a week of protests since a police officer fatally shot a black man.

At its Monday night meeting, the council opened the floor to dozens of residents who voiced their opinions about the Sept. 20 shooting of Keith Lamont Scott by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police. Many called on Mayor Jennifer Roberts, police Chief Kerr Putney and other council members to resign on the seventh day of protests since the shooting.

Its going to be rough in these streets until you give justice to our people, said the Rev. Milton Williams, the final speaker in a three-hour string. Our citys in an uproar, and you did not respond.

Many of the speakers carried signs expressing their anger. One mans sign called for the repeal of legislation taking effect Oct. 1 that blocks the release of police video without a court order. Many speakers demanded that police release all video footage of the confrontation.

Scotts family and advocacy groups complain that the department divulged only about three minutes of footage from two cameras. They have urged the police department to release all other video footage it has, as well as audio recordings of communications that could clarify how the situation unfolded. A media coalition also is requesting more footage.

We have no reason to trust you, and youre giving us even less, Khasha Harris told city council members.

Some speakers brought their children, not only to share in the moment, but in several instances, to address the council. Many in the crowd were brought to tears by the comments of Zianna Oliphant, a child who needed a stool to be seen over the lectern.

Its a shame that our fathers and brothers are killed and we cant see them anymore, Zianna said. Its a shame that we have to go through that graveyard and bury him. We need our fathers and brothers to be by our side.

Council member Kenny Smith said the council should be listening and taking action to answer the concerns.

The unrest here has been decades in the making, council member Al Alston said. Tuesday was the boiling point, and its getting hotter.

The footage released so far of Scotts shooting left questions in many peoples minds, including whether he was holding a gun, as police have stated. Scotts family said he didnt have a weapon. The footage includes body camera video from one officer, but not the black officer who fatally wounded Scott, who was 43.

The gun recovered at the scene of Scotts shooting had been stolen and later sold to Scott, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police source told the Associated Press on Monday. The source insisted on speaking anonymously because the State Bureau of Investigation continues to look into the case. SBI agent Erik Hooks declined to comment when asked whether the gun had been stolen.

At a rally at a downtown church, North Carolina NAACP president Rev. William Barber said federal authorities should investigate the citys police department. Police officers who fail to operate their body cameras during an encounter should be prosecuted, Barber said.

Six people were fatally shot since body cameras were given to all patrol officers about a year ago. But the officers who fired the fatal shots in five of those cases, including Scotts, werent using the cameras.

Charlotte police didnt respond Monday to requests for information about those cases.

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Pakistan cannot take India's policy of strategic restraint for granted for too long and if Islamabad rejects Prime Minister Narendra Modi's offer of cooperation, US said.

By PTI: Pakistan cannot take India's policy of strategic restraint for granted for too long and if Islamabad rejects Prime Minister Narendra Modi's offer of cooperation, it will become part of a case for making the country a "pariah nation", a US daily has claimed.

"Modi is practicing restraint for now, but Islamabad can't rely on that continuing. Modi's offer of cooperation, if rejected, will become part of a case for making Pakistan even more of a pariah nation than it already is," The Wall Street Journal said in an opinion piece yesterday.

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READ: How to punish Pakistan when a war is ruled out



"If the (Pakistani) military continues to send arms and fighters across the border, the Indian Prime Minister will have a strong justification to take action," it warned.

INDIA ENJOYS HIGH MORAL GROUND



The Wall Street Journal said India has always enjoyed the moral high ground on the terrorism issue, but past Congress and BJP governments lacked the courage to assert it forthrightly.

That led to a policy of "strategic restraint", which meant that Pakistan would never be held accountable for its terrorist proxies, no matter how heinous their attacks, it noted.

READ: PM Modi won't go to Pakistan for SAARC summit, environment not conducive, says MEA



Praising Modi for deciding against taking any military action, the daily said even as he walked back threats of military action, he replaced them with a pledge to isolate Pakistan internationally if the military doesn't stop supporting terrorist groups.

He is considering the cancellation of the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, which protects Pakistan's rights to the Indus River's water.

He could also withdraw most-favoured-nation trading status, granted in 1996, that Pakistan has never reciprocated, the daily said.

INDIA'S ANGER UNDERSTANDABLE



In an op-ed published in Foreign Affairs, Sameer Lalwani, Deputy Director of the Stimson Center's South Asia program, said in the wake of the Uri attack, the understandable anger and frustration of Indian policymakers and strategies is building momentum for major military action.

"But the arguments for such action are highly debatable, if not incorrect.

A major militarised response might satisfy a desire for revenge, but it is not clear that it would serve the Indian government's political, credibility, prestige, or coercive interests," Lalwani said.

"The 2009 elections and recent polling data suggest that Indian prime ministers have thus far suffered no real political costs for opting against military actions in retribution for major attacks.

"Further, the country could actually weaken its credibility if it embarked on a militarily disastrous adventure that exposes gaps in capabilities," he said.

"Finally, although India has fulminated over its lack of options to punish its enemies, it has invested little in the comparatively easier approach of denying its enemies their goals.

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"With new considerations of costs and benefits, Indian strategists might turn their conversations toward security through meaningful capabilities and political engagements and away from risky, punitive gambits," Lalwani wrote.

READ| Uri attack: India killed Indians, says Pakistan's Defence Minister



George Perkovich from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said beyond small-scale tit-for-tat action against targets in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, India's best recourse is to persuade the rest of the world to exert sufficient political and economic pressure to punish Pakistan for its toleration if not outright support of violence against India.

"To do that, however, New Delhi must recognise the largely indigenous cause of the Kashmir uprising and end its refusal to negotiate with relevant parties, including, maddeningly, Pakistan," he said.

Perkovich said India could, and probably will, increase the intensity of covert operations to foment disorder in Pakistan, particularly in the restive province of Balochistan.

"Such activities would certainly harm the interests of the Pakistani military.

"But they would also bolster Pakistan s effort to portray India as morally and politically equivalent to Pakistan in the use of terrorism, a label India has long sought to avoid," he wrote in his op-ed.

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"India will also justifiably seek to mobilise the world against Pakistan as a state-sponsor of terrorism, which is increasingly difficult to deny," he said.

ALSO READ:



Uri attack: India shows evidence by identifying handlers, summons Pak Envoy Abdul Basit



India Today at LoC: After Uri attack, India quietly fortifies border positions, locals worried Army and BSF jawans arrest two Jaish guides in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri



--- ENDS ---
Hillary Clinton was waiting for this one on Monday night: a line of questioning about Donald Trumps refusal to release his income tax returns.

And she pounced, listing off theories of why Trump would not do so.

Perhaps he did not want to reveal foreign business interests. Maybe he had not been so charitable or was not as wealthy as he claimed. But it was another possibility  that Trump had not been paying income taxes  that set off a curious response from him that sounded a lot like an admission.

That makes me smart, Trump said when Clinton brought up how he had paid no taxes more than two decades ago.

When she suggested a short time later that Trump was still paying no federal taxes and had not done so for many years, Trump offered another retort: It would be squandered, too, believe me.

For someone as wealthy as Trump to pay no federal income taxes would be remarkable, all the more so given the doctrine of progressive taxation long embraced by the United States.

Even before Mondays debate, it was known that Trump had not paid any income taxes in certain years, based on paperwork he filed with New Jersey casino regulators and other instances in which his taxes appeared in a public record. But those records are all at least 25 years old.

Tax experts say that real estate developers such as Trump have access to a range of tax breaks, meaning it would be possible for him to pay minimal taxes even as his wealth expanded. Others have suggested that major losses in his businesses in the 1990s may have sheltered him from paying taxes for years. A business loss in one year can be used to offset income in future years, reducing or even eliminating someones tax burden.

When Mitt Romney was the Republican nominee in 2012, his return from the year before revealed his effective tax rate had been 14 per cent, strikingly low for someone of his wealth. He had legally benefited from the lower tax rate on so-called carried interest, which Democrats in Congress have tried unsuccessfully to reverse. Romney has been among those calling on Trump to release his taxes.

Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, have released their 2015 returns, showing that they paid $3.6 million in federal taxes on adjusted gross income of $10.6 million, for a 35-per-cent tax rate. The Clintons have released taxes dating to 2007 for this campaign, in addition to taxes that they have made public during earlier campaigns.

Those disclosures have allowed Hillary Clinton to seize on the issue to draw a contrast with Trump at the debate. She said that if Trump had not paid taxes, that meant zero for troops, zero for vets, zero for schools or health.

For 40 years, everyone running for president has released their tax returns, she said. You can go and see nearly, I think, 39, 40 years of our tax returns  but everyone has done it.

During the debate, the Democratic National Committee noted Trumps statements, sending out a response: Trump Sniffs at Paying Taxes.

Trump says he is not releasing his tax returns because they are under a routine audit from the Internal Revenue Service, but IRS officials have said he is under no obligation to keep his forms secret.

In the spin room after the debate, Trump disputed any suggestion that he had admitted to not paying income taxes. No, I didnt say that at all, he said. I mean, if they say I didnt, I mean, it doesnt matter. I will say this: I hate the way our government spends our taxes.

Trump also asserted, Of course I pay federal taxes.

As the questioning wore on at the debate, Trump suggested that he would forego his lawyers advice and release his taxes if Clinton released emails from her private server that have not yet been made public. A spokesman for Trumps campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Presidential candidates are not required to make their taxes public, but doing so is seen as valuable  particularly for a candidate running on a business record  because the returns can offer insights into financial dealings, investments, charitable donations and tax payments. Trump has filed the required personal financial disclosure, which includes details of business interests  and during Mondays debate, he suggested that viewers seek out that document for information on his finances.

As far as my tax returns, you dont learn that much from tax returns, he said.

With the race in its final phase, there is substantial interest among voters in Trump making his taxes public, according to recent polls. A CBS News/New York Times Poll this month showed that 59 per cent of respondents said it was necessary for him to release his tax returns. In a survey by Fox News last month, 60 per cent said they believed that Trump was hiding something in his returns.

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WASHINGTON  How did Donald Trumps performance at the first presidential debate hurt him with women?

How much time have you got? said Katie Packer, a veteran Republican strategist who specializes in persuading female voters.

There was his manner  glowering, contemptuous, interrupting his female opponent dozens of times. There was his unsubtle hint-hint invocation of Bill Clintons affairs  women, Packer said, dont blame Hillary for that.

And then there was his unpreparedness for Hillary Clintons baiting attack on his mistreatment of a former Miss Universe, which on Tuesday spiralled into a second day of self-harm.

Her name is Alicia Machado. When she gained weight after she won Trumps pageant in 1996, at age 19, he humiliated her privately and publicly, allegedly calling her Miss Piggy and forcing her to exercise in front of television cameras.

Trump, who thrills many voters when he picks fights with elites, is never less popular than when he is seen to be bullying a regular person. But on Tuesday he did it again, following his sputtering debate response with another insult of a woman who says he traumatized her into an eating disorder.

It was reminiscent of his damaging July attack on the Muslim family of a dead soldier. This time, he was bashing a Venezuelan-American actress.

She gained a massive amount of weight. It was a real problem, he said on Fox News. We had a real problem.

Trump is dominant with white men. With women, especially the critical suburban professionals he needs, he is getting clobbered. Clintons campaign, which uncoincidentally had a Machado ad ready to roll, saw an opportunity to lure Trump into appalling them further while also energizing Latinas. And he complied.

I think a lot of women will be very, very bothered by that story, said Packer, partner at Burning Glass Consulting and a Trump opponent who was deputy campaign manager for Mitt Romney.

It raises doubts, she said, about his claim to be a champion for women in the workplace. It makes women worry again about what a president Trump would teach Americas men and boys. It reminds them of what they hate about a culture that seems to prize appearance above all.

If you dont look like a model, then you have no value in his eyes. Heres a woman that by any measure is stunningly beautiful; even at 40 points overweight, she was stunning. And its still not enough for him. Its never enough, Packer said. And it goes to his willingness to bully and demean and intimidate women to suit his own purposes.

Here are six other take-aways from a showdown watched by an estimated 84 million people:

Trump really, truly didnt study up for the biggest event of his life: Liberal pundits had scoffed at reports that Trump aides were worried about his refusal to rehearse. This, they protested, was surely mere spin.

It was not. Trump was transparently unequipped to compete, not only to defend himself from obvious attacks, like the one over a 1970s racial discrimination lawsuit, but to present his own ideas, like the border wall he never mentioned.

Thats something I find hugely disrespectful to the American people. You dont go out in front of the American people without preparing, said Democratic media strategist Joel Silberman, of Democracy Partners.

There are vulnerabilities in Trumps populist pitch: Clinton made a systematic attempt to dent Trumps improbable self-portrayal as a champion of the working man she said he has stiffed. While nothing she can say will convince non-college-educated white men that she is a superior choice, Trumps feeble responses may slightly diminish the enthusiasm of his key constituency.

Clinton may have found her magic email words: Clinton has been plagued all campaign by lawyerliness and peevishness in responding to questions about her email scandal. Monday, she tried something different: short and sweet contrition. While Trump and moderator Lester Holt helped her by not pressing too hard, her brief answer  Im not going to make any excuses, it was a mistake and I take responsibility for that  was her best yet, even if it wont make her troubles go away.

R.I.P. minority outreach: When asked what he would do to heal the countrys racial divide, Trump demanded law and order. And when given a chance to say something to minorities about his promotion of conspiracy theories about Barack Obamas birth, he said defiantly, I say nothing.

His sudden recent focus on black people was greeted with a widespread suspicion that he was just putting on a tolerance show for white people. Any hope he had of convincing blacks or Hispanics of his sincerity may have vanished with those two answers.

Trumps last defence is incoherence: Trump told lie after lie. Equally notable, though, was what liberal Vox writer Ezra Klein called the coherence gap. Confronted with questions he could not or did not want to answer, Trump repeatedly resorted to a gibberish avalanche.

Asked about cyber warfare, for example, he said at one point, I have a son, hes 10 years old. He has computers. He is so good with these computers, its unbelievable. The security aspect of cyber is very, very tough and maybe its, its hardly doable. When his likeable spontaneity veers into incomprehensibility, he makes Clintons caution look more attractive.

Clintons clunkers: Clinton is generally perceived as inauthentic. She never seems more wooden than when she tries to land a focus-grouped groaner of a catchphrase like Trumped-up trickle-down. Her campaign would be better off letting her talk like an actual human.

More on thestar.com:

Does Donald Trump pay taxes? Heres what we know

Donald Trump said 34 false things at first presidential debate

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A year before Keith Lamont Scott was shot to death by police in an incident that has convulsed Charlotte, his wife filed an application for a protective order against him that said he owned a firearm and had threatened to kill family members with it.

The document was filed by Rakeyia Scott in October in district court in Gaston County, which is near Charlotte. In a handwritten complaint, Rakeyia Scott asserted that Keith Scott had hit my 8-year-old in the head a total of three times with his fist and kicked me and threaten to kill us with his gun.

Rakeyia Scott added, He said he is a killer and we should know that.

After the Sept. 20 police shooting of Keith Scott, authorities said they had recovered a gun at the scene. Family members said he did not have a gun with him when he was shot.

Justin Bamberg, a lawyer for the Scott family, said in an interview Tuesday that the assertions Rakeyia Scott made in the court filing had no bearing on the question of whether police officers should have used lethal force in their confrontation with Keith Scott in the parking lot of his Charlotte apartment complex.

Police say that they confronted him because officers saw him with a gun and what they believed was a marijuana cigarette, and that they believed he posed a threat to public safety.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department released dashboard- and body-camera videos of the episode that do not show Keith Scott acting aggressively in the moments before an officer fires four shots. The incident was also captured on a video recorded by Rakeyia Scott in which she can be heard telling officers he does not have a gun. None of the videos definitively shows whether he had a gun, and if so exactly where the gun was when police confronted him.

Regardless of what details come out about his past, about what he may or may not have done in the past, nothing changes the footage weve seen, Bamberg said. And again, at the moment hes shot and killed, hes non-aggressive. His hands are by his sides, we cant tell what if anything he has in his hands, and when hes shot and killed hes actually walking backward.

In a statement, officials in the police department said a handgun and an ankle holster had been recovered at the scene after Scott was shot.

In Gaston County in 2015, a magistrate judge issued a protective order the same day Rakeyia Scott filed the complaint stating that Keith Scott owned a firearm.

He has a 9 mm and threatened to use it last night, Rakeyia Scott wrote. He does not have a permit, he is a felon.

While living in South Carolina in the 1990s, Keith Scott was charged with a number of offences, including check fraud, aggravated assault and carrying a concealed weapon, according to court records. Later, he moved to Texas, where he shot and wounded a man in San Antonio in 2002. He was convicted and sentenced, in 2005, to seven years in prison, records show. He was released in 2011.

Gaston County records show that a deputy sheriff was unable to serve Keith Scott with the October 2015 protective order before a court appearance, when a district court judge extended it by one week. The judge, who concluded that Keith Scott had committed acts of domestic violence, ordered him to keep away from Rakeyia Scott and forbade him to visit any schools where the couples children were enrolled.

Officials were unable to serve Keith Scott with that order, either, because he had moved from North Carolina, a court filing said. But by Oct. 16, Rakeyia Scott filed a new notice with the court and asked to end the case.

He is no longer a threat to me and my family, she wrote.

In a separate interview last week, Bamberg said Rakeyia Scott had been unaware that her husband owned a firearm. On Tuesday, Bamberg said she did not believe he had had a firearm since he returned home in January from a long hospital stay.

Keith Scott was involved in a serious motorcycle accident in November, one month after his wife sought the restraining order against him. He suffered from a traumatic brain injury, Bamberg said, and, upon returning home, had to relearn how to walk, and relearn other skills.

She took care of him literally all the time, and as far as she knew, he did not have a gun as of January, Bamberg said.

Rakeyia Scott also brought a domestic violence complaint in April 2004 in Mecklenburg County, which includes Charlotte. Court records show that she asked a judge to issue a protective order after Keith Scott, according to her account, became violent.

My husband Keith Scott assaulted me several times by stabbing me in the back almost puncturing my lungs, he sliced me ear and bruised my body, she wrote.

On the complaint, she checked a box indicating that she believed there was a danger of serious and immediate injury to me or my children.

A judge in Mecklenburg County quickly issued a protective order, but Rakeyia Scott asked the court to dismiss the case just 10 days later. She did not explain why.

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WASHINGTONDonald Trump followed his deluge of debate dishonesty with yet more lies.

The day after saying 34 false things at the first presidential debate, Tuesday Sept. 27, he did an interview on Fox News and spoke at a rally in Florida. He said eight false things and one misleading thing.

1. Falsely said, You look at African-American youth with unemployment rates in the 50s. (The unemployment rate for African-American youth is 26 per cent.)

2. Falsely said, I was against going into Iraq. And its so well-documented. (Trump supported the invasion. There is no documentation showing he opposed it.)

3. Falsely said Boeing is going to manufacture 757s like his in China: See that plane? That plane was built in America. Now that same company is going to start building these planes in China. I dont like it. (The 757 is no longer being manufactured. While Boeing is opening a China plant to install interiors and paint exteriors on 737s, the vast majority of its manufacturing is remaining in the U.S.)

4. Falsely said, Almost every single poll had us winning the debate against Crooked Hillary Clinton. Big league. Big league. (The only polls that had him winning were unscientific online polls anyone could click. In legitimate polls, such as the ones conducted by CNN and Public Policy Polling, he lost.)

5. Falsely said of the Drudge Report online debate poll: I got almost 90 per cent of the vote. (This is an exaggeration. Trump got 82 per cent in Drudges unscientific poll.)

6. Falsely claimed to have won a CBS post-debate poll. (We did not conduct a post-debate poll, CBS White House correspondent Major Garrett wrote on Twitter.)

7. Falsely took credit for NATO creating a new intelligence position dealing with terrorism: If I dont say that, believe me, NATO is not opening up a terror operation. (NATO and independent experts say Trump had nothing to do with the creation of the position. And contrary to Trumps suggestion, NATO has had a terror operation for years.)

8. Falsely said Clinton put her public office up for sale. (While reports show that Clinton Foundation donors sought access to her as secretary of state, there is no evidence she sold favours or tried to.)

9. Misleadingly said, I see whats happening in the polls  I guess you see Im tied in Minnesota. (Of the last 20 Minnesota polls, only one has showed Trump tied with Clinton  and it was commissioned by Breitbart, the pro-Trump website. Clinton leads by two points or more, and as many as 13, in every other poll.)

Related:

Donald Trump said 34 false things at first presidential debateE ND

Previous fact checks of Donald Trump END

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WASHINGTONSecretary of State John Kerry threatened on Wednesday to end all co-operation between the United States and Russia to stop Syrias civil war, unless Russian and Syrian government attacks on Aleppo end. More than 250 people are believed to have been killed in the besieged city in the last week.

Kerrys warning came in a telephone call Wednesday to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the State Department said, describing the latest U.S. ultimatum in Syrias 5 -year conflict. Many have gone unfulfilled, including President Barack Obamas declaration that the U.S. would take military action if Syrian President Bashar Assad crossed the red line of using chemical weapons.

It was unclear what effect Kerrys words would have.

The burden remains on Russia to stop this assault and allow humanitarian access to Aleppo and other areas in need, Kerry told Lavrov, according to State Department spokesman John Kirby.

Kerry said the U.S. is preparing to suspend U.S.-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria, including talks on a possible counter-extremist partnership, unless Russia takes immediate steps to end the assault on Aleppo and restore a cease-fire.

Government shelling and airstrikes landed near a bread distribution centre and two hospitals in Aleppo on Wednesday. Activists and medics reported several people killed. They said at least one of the medical facilities was no longer operable, leaving the countrys biggest city with only six functioning hospitals.

The Syrian government and its ally Russia have been accused of intentionally targeting medical facilities in rebel-held areas. The U.S.-based Physicians for Human Rights has recorded 382 such attacks throughout Syria since the conflict started in 2011. The group says government forces carried out 293 of the attacks; Russian warplanes conducted 16.

Despite Moscows military engagement in the war alongside Assads government, Washington has been working with its former Cold War foe in hopes of securing a cease-fire and a peace process. The latest effort collapsed last week after several days of reduced violence, but the U.S. and Russia have been discussing ways to revive it.

The Obama administration had hoped the promise of the new U.S.-Russian alliance against Daesh and al-Qaida affiliates would be enough to get Moscow to ground Assads forces.

Current co-ordination to ensure U.S. and Russian planes stay out of each others way will continue no matter what, the Pentagon said. The U.S. and its coalition partners are flying missions in Syria against Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL; the U.S. also has a small contingent of special forces on the ground.

Kerrys threat aside, the U.S. has few other options beyond engaging Moscow to end the fighting between Assads forces and rebels.

Obama has made clear he wont authorize military action against Syria and the presence of Russian air assets alongside Syrian forces makes such a scenario all the more unlikely. The U.S. is similarly uncomfortable ramping up military support for anti-Assad rebels given the close ties even the so-called moderate groups maintain with al-Qaida-linked militants.

Peace efforts without Russia are unlikely to win over Assad. And green-lighting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey or other countries to provide more weapons to the rebels could only make the war deadlier. Already, as many as 500,000 people have been killed.

In the telephone call with Lavrov, Kerry expressed grave concern over the deteriorating situation in Syria, particularly for continued Russian and Syrian regime attacks on hospitals, the water supply network and other civilian infrastructure in Aleppo, Kirbys statement said.

The secretary made clear the United States and its partners hold Russia responsible for this situation, including the use of incendiary and bunker buster bombs in an urban environment, a drastic escalation that puts civilians at great risk.

Russias Foreign Ministry presented a different version of the call, making no reference to the U.S. ultimatum.

It focused on Lavrovs demand that the U.S. compel opposition forces to separate themselves from extremist groups. He told Kerry that many U.S.-backed groups have merged with the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front and said Nusra was getting U.S. weaponry that way.

Nevertheless, Lavrov and Kerry discussed ways to normalize the situation in Aleppo and return to the basic principles of the Sept. 9 cease-fire, the ministry said.

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NIEUWEGEIN, NETHERLANDSDutch-led criminal investigators said Wednesday they have solid evidence that a Malaysian jet was shot down by a Buk missile moved into eastern Ukraine from Russia.

Wilbert Paulissen, head of the Central Crime Investigation department of the Dutch National Police, said communications intercepts showed that pro-Moscow rebels had called for deployment of the mobile surface-to-air weapon, and reported its arrival in rebel-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine.

From that and other evidence collected by the Joint Investigation Team, it may be concluded MH17 was shot down by a 9M38 missile launched by a Buk, brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation, and that after launch was subsequently returned to the Russian Federation, Paulissen told a news conference.

The conclusions were billed as results of a two-year Dutch-led criminal probe of the disaster that claimed 298 lives.

A separate investigation by Dutch safety officials last year concluded that the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur flight was downed by a Buk missile fired from territory held by pro-Russian rebels.

Dutch police spokesman Thomas Aling said the joint investigation findings differ in that they are designed to be solid enough to be used as evidence in a criminal trial. Where and when a trial might take place is still to be determined, Aling said.

Russia has consistently denied allegations that pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine were responsible. On Monday, the Russian military said it has new radio-location data that show the missile that downed the Boeing 777 did not originate from rebel-controlled territory, and said it would turn the data over to investigators.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that assertion on Wednesday ahead of the Dutch report.

If there was a rocket it could only have been launched from a different area, he told reporters, referring to Russian radar data. You cant argue with it, it cant be discussed.

In the Joint Investigation Team, Dutch police and judicial officials have been working with counterparts from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine, seeking to gather the best possible evidence for use in prosecution of the perpetrators.

They have faced extraordinary challenges: the crime scene in Ukraines eastern Donetsk oblast where the plane crashed on July 17, 2014, killing all aboard, was located in an active war zone, and during the days following the crash pro-Kremlin militants limited access to the site.

Eleven containers crammed with debris from the jetliner were ultimately brought to the Netherlands. A research team took soil samples in eastern Ukraine and established the location of cellphone towers and the layout of the local telephone network.

Forensic samples were taken from passengers and crew members bodies and luggage, and satellite data and communications intercepts were scrutinized. The team also appealed for information from witnesses who may have seen the missile launch.

About two-thirds of the passengers aboard MH17 were Dutch nationals; the crew members were Malaysians. Malaysia proposed setting up an international tribunal to try those responsible for the planes destruction, but Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution in favour of a tribunal.

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CAIROWhile Western leaders mourned the death of Israeli statesman and Nobel laureate Shimon Peres, many in the Arab world reacted with scorn, viewing him as a key architect of destructive Israeli policies toward Palestinians.

In Saudi Arabias Sabq newspaper, the headline of his obituary read, President of Israeli Colonialism Peres Dies.

On the Qatar-based Al Jazeera networks Arabic-language website, Peres was described as: The butcher of Qana who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace  a reference to the Israeli bombardment that killed scores of civilians in the village of Qana during the 1996 war in Lebanon. Peres was prime minister at the time.

The starkly different reactions to Peress death underscored the deep divides over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the plight of the Palestinian people, as well as the wide gulf in perceptions between the West and Arab countries.

Even as U.S. President Obama and other leaders paid tribute to his legacy as a peacemaker, obituaries across the Middle East on Wednesday described Peres as playing a central role in Israeli assaults against Palestinians, dispossessing them of their lands and rights.

To the West, Shimon Peres is the Nobel laureate and the tireless dove who has been widely respected for his achievements regarding the peace in the Middle East, said an obituary on the website of Al-Manar, the television station of Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite Islamist militant group and political party. However, behind this image Peres, who died on Wednesday, represents the real face of the bloody and colonial policies adopted by the Zionist regime.

The vitriol also appeared louder and more widespread than after the 1996 assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Rabin shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Peres and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat following the Oslo peace accord in 1994. Statesmen from nine Muslim countries, including Egypt, Jordan, Turkey and Qatar, attended Rabins funeral, which was widely seen as a tribute to his efforts to build peace in the region.

Dignitaries included Egypts then-president, Hosni Mubarak, and Jordans King Hussein. Both nations had signed peace accords with Israel.

As of Wednesday evening, the number of Arab leaders planning to attend Peress funeral, scheduled for Friday, remained unclear.

Peres was a more polarizing figure in the Arab world than Rabin. In 2009, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, now the countrys president, famously stormed out of a World Economic Forum debate after verbally clashing with Peres, then the Israeli president, over Israels offensive against the Gaza Strip. Critics have long condemned Peres for his advocacy of a blockade of Gaza.

Now, tensions between Israelis and Palestinians are deepening again, fuelled by a spate of deadly stabbings by Palestinians over the past year against a backdrop of growing frustration over peace talks that have all but faded.

In other Arab media, Peres was criticized for his drive to build up Israels nuclear weapons programs and his support of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, occupied by Israel after the 1967 war.

Peres name has always been linked to settler colonialism, forced displacement of Palestinians from the West Bank, so much that he became known as the founder of settlements,  wrote Akhbaar24, a leading Saudi website.

Still, Palestinians had mixed reactions to Peres death.

In a tweet in Arabic, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas described his passing as a heavy loss for all humanity and for peace in the region. He also reportedly sent a condolence letter to the Peres family, according to WAFA, the official Palestinian news agency.

Some in the Arab world dismissed Abbass condolences on social media. Referring to Abbass comments, Abdulkhaleq Abdullah, an adviser to Abu Dhabis royal court, tweeted: Might be a loss to you, but not a loss to humanity, peace, and surely not a loss to the Palestinian People. He was a Zionist and a criminal.

A spokesman for the Palestinian militant group Hamas described Peres as one of the Israeli occupation states founders that was established on Palestinian land, which caused the displacement of millions of Palestinians worldwide until now.

In the Palestinian mind, Peres is connected to massacres conducted by the (Israeli) occupation against the Palestinian people, said Hazem Qasem, the Hamas spokesman in Gaza. Hamas feels sorry that Peres died before he is held accountable according to international justice for conducting crimes against humanity like the Qana massacre.

Predictably, Israels other core enemies also expressed scorn for Peres.

The website of Irans state-run Press TV carried a story noting Peres death and illustrated with photos of a magazine cover that described the former Israeli leader as a war criminal and images from Israeli attacks in Gaza in 2014 and the war in Lebanon in 1996.

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BOSTONA 22-year-old man rescued in the Atlantic after floating on a life raft for a week had been a suspect in the 2013 slaying of his grandfather, deepening the mystery surrounding his ordeal and the apparent death of his mother at sea.

According to a search warrant for Nathan Carmans apartment obtained by the Hartford Courant, Carman was the last person known to see his maternal grandfather, John Chakalos, alive on Dec. 20, 2013, because he had dinner with him at his home in Windsor, Conn. The 87-year-old Chakalos, a real estate developer, was found dead the next morning. He had been shot three times.

The Courant reported Tuesday that Windsor police submitted an arrest warrant for Carman to a prosecutor, but it was returned unsigned with a request for more information. Carman was not charged.

A will shows Chakalos left an estate worth more than $42 million (U.S.) to his four adult daughters.

Carman and his mother, Linda Carman, 54, of Middletown, Conn., left Rhode Island on a fishing trip on Sept. 17. Nathan Carman was rescued in a life raft off the Massachusetts coast on Sunday. His mother remains missing and is presumed dead.

Carman said outside his Vernon, Vt., home Tuesday that hes been through a huge amount emotionally, and he thanked the public for its concern and prayers.

Coast Guard officials interviewed Carman when he arrived in Boston on Tuesday. In an audio exchange with the Coast Guard from the Chinese freighter that rescued him 160 kilometres offshore in the Atlantic, Carman described hearing a funny noise in his boats engine compartment, seeing water pouring in, then losing sight of his mother before he boarded the raft.

I was bringing one of the safety bags forward. The boat just dropped out from under my feet, Carman says on the recording. When I saw the life raft, I did not see my mom. Have you found her?

After the officer tells Carman they have not found his mother, he describes getting to the life raft.

I was whistling and calling and looking around, and I didnt see her, he said.

Carman told the Coast Guard his 10-metre aluminum fishing boat sank and he spent seven days in a four-person inflatable life raft. Many questions remain about how the boat sank and what happened to his mother.

The Coast Guard has said Carman had food and water in the raft, and without it, he might not have survived.

Defence attorney Hubert Santos said hes representing Carman. He said Carman fully co-operated with the Coast Guard after he was transported to Boston by the freighter that rescued him.

Santos wouldnt reveal what Carman told Coast Guard officials when he was questioned at the base.

It was a tragic accident, Santos said.

The mother and son had left for their fishing trip from Point Judith, R.I. Vermont authorities said police from South Kingstown, R.I., searched Carmans home in Vernon on Monday. South Kingstown police did not immediately return calls seeking comment, but their search warrant indicates authorities think Carman was handling some boat motor repairs himself and the vessel might not have been seaworthy, which could support a charge of reckless endangerment.

The investigation has also revealed that Nathan had intended to go fishing further offshore in a different location than what were his mothers intentions and understanding, the warrant says.

Police seized three items from Carmans house: a modem, a SIM card and a letter.

Carman had not been charged with anything as of Wednesday morning.

Santos declined to comment on that investigation.

Family members have said Carman has Aspergers syndrome, a form of autism.

Sharon Hartstein, a close friend of Linda Carmans, said the mother and son regularly went on fishing trips together.

That was one of their bonding things, Hartstein said. When he was available, she tried to make time so she could spend time with him.

Windsor police Capt. Thomas LePore said Tuesday that the investigation into Chakalos killing remains open and active. He said police interviewed Chakalos relatives, including Nathan and Linda Carman, as part of their investigation.

Linda Carmans mother, Rita Chakalos, died of cancer just weeks before her husband was killed. John and Rita Chakalos were philanthropists who split their time between Connecticut and Chesterfield, N.H., where they had an estate known for its massive holiday lights display.

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What? He said what? Did I hear that right? The Monday Clinton-Trump debate outpaced my capacity for wonder. It was like being a carsick kid on a family vacation and the nausea distracting from ones first sight of the Rockies. Yes, Mount Robson amazing but can we pull over so I can expel?

It was 90 minutes of weirdness spikes, like a printout of a heart monitor but a shocked heart, a distended explosive heart. There was Hillary Clinton, sane, and there was Donald Trump looking like a mobster, a baggy Tony Soprano pursing his mouth as though he were testing a dodgy macadamia nut.

And of course the weird sniffing. Just blow it or wipe it, people will understand. But thats a normal thought, and what came over me during the debate was a powerful sense of the American abnormal.

My note-taking faded to nothing except the dire notation Oct. 9, 19 for the next two debates. Three times will I sit in a room and be unable to list lunacy spikes coming at me too thick and fast to record. Three times will I think Trump has reached his lowest point and be serially proved wrong.

The weirdest moments? Its a greatest hits compilation. Did the Stars Daniel Dale, midway through his Trump-said-34-false-things list lose the will to live?

It could have been Trump appearing to call on China to invade North Korea, or his listing of faulty American airports, or saying his Palm Beach club allowed Mooz-lims as evidence of his fight against racism. There was his I have a winning temperament. Or his response when Clinton referred to his calling a beauty contestant Miss Piggy for gaining weight and Miss Housekeeping because she was Latina.

Where did you find that? he said angrily.

There is nothing unfindable in this era, except for Trumps tax returns, which he will have to release. Clintons recital of reasons why he might not wish to was the most insulting thing he has ever heard from a woman, particularly in public, and the predictions that Trump would be very angry the next day at his shaming were accurate.

Tuesday he re-stated his fat-attack on beauty contestant Alicia Machado, saying, She gained a massive amount of weight, an unwise remark in a nation where obesity is a national health problem. Trump is himself overweight, which may be why he lashes out at women but not men.

I wont even mention Trumps hair, which looked like the tuft on an ear of corn or carefully combed dryer lint or a mullet turned backwards on the head, teased forward and sliced. Trump has bangs. There, I mentioned it.

Its very odd how often U.S. candidates speak incoherently. George W. Bush was famous for it, and he won. Trump has a choppy command of English: a very against police judge, And the reason I say that is not in a braggadocious way. Somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 lbs. What?

Trump became Sarah Palin, sending out disconnected thoughts and proper names that he plucks from a faded memory cloud. Why mention Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Rosie ODonnell? Why use Sean Hannity as a mantra? And then theres the eternal Laura Norder, as they say, whom Trump lavishly praised in code.

But no, the lowest point was his threatening to abandon a defence treaty with Japan. Clinton, for the first time genuinely alarmed, had to reassure watching U.S. allies that Americas word is good.

At this I recoiled. Clinton was taking time out to reassure the rest of the world that the U.S. had not become a liar and would not betray a nation with which it made peace after bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

Suddenly the Allies great victory in the Second World War was in the air again. Risking Godwins Law, U.S. journalist Philip Gourevitch did something great on debate night. He quoted Auschwitz survivor Primo Levi from his 1986 book The Drowned and the Saved, about how power was wielded in the Nazi death camps.

For us to speak with the young becomes ever more difficult, Levi wrote. We have collectively witnessed a fundamental, unexpected event. It took place in the teeth of all forecasts; it happened in Europe; an entire civilized people ... followed a buffoon whose figure today inspires laughter, and yet Adolf Hitler was obeyed. It happened, therefore it can happen again.

If Trumps fingers approach the nuclear button, we are done.

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Re: A wise investment, Editorial Sept. 20

A wise investment, Editorial Sept. 20

Aside from the investment of $85 million to outfit all our police officers with body-worn cameras, I very reasonably wonder what will happen when a Freedom of Information (FOI) application is submitted to obtain the video evidence that either exonerates oneself or convicts a police officer.

I could not imagine the police freely handing over the damning video records from a body-worn camera knowing it would be used against them. More than likely, the police, as they have a habit of doing with FOI applications, will claim every exemption they know of, legitimate or not, to shield the records from the public.

Yes, I am aware of the appeals process but that is not a panacea. The police are experts at withholding records, despite the best intentions of our provincial privacy commissioner. Currently, the police regularly redact and black-out records before handing them over.

With a video, its not so simple. Would editing result in audio passages being silenced, would images be removed, distorted, or blacked out? Not only would the process be very time consuming and expensive, but an image or sound may be considered more subjective than written words and therefore more difficult to redact accurately.

Conversely, more information may end up being legitimately (or not) redacted than is necessary. Again, and cost aside, the idea of video and audio evidence sounds wonderful, but one must consider the entire process  who will benefit, will access be balanced or biased, and what will the real costs be once access requests are accounted for?

Before any more cameras are purchased, the province must substantially strengthen access legislation, and remove the numerous loopholes that improperly allow for the withholding of responsive records- something that is long overdue.

Jeff Green, Toronto

If we deal with annual budgets, deal please also with annual costs. The $85 million over 10 years equals $8.5 million per year, which is less than 1 per cent of the annul police budget. A fair cost to reduce potential police misconduct and subsequent high legal costs as well as protecting the majority of decent cops/officers from unwarranted slander.

Armin Weber, Toronto

It is absurd to think that the Toronto Police Association would support funding this project. Canada already has a struggling economy due to a slowed job growth, as well as the declining monetary value of the Canadian dollar. If the police force intends to cut $100 million from the police budget over three years, how do they expect to pay for this project?

The project is littered with flaws. Its only benefit would be building public trust, but the police force should not have to create public trust. Due to a few cases of the police force misusing their authority, the public has lost faith.

However, people do not give light to the other 70,000 dedicated police officers that make a change in Canada. Furthermore, whos to say that police officers who misuse their authority will not just get around this system by turning the camera off and then coming up with an excuse in court.

The point is, money should not be wasted on flawed ideas just to build public trust. There should be a definite benefit when making such drastic decisions.

Christopher Martin, Ajax

Theres no question front-line Toronto police should have cameras installed as part of their basic uniform. However, the cost estimate of $85 million seems rather high.

Considering the newest GoPro camera sells for $399 (US), or about $525 (Canadian) retail, and about 3,500 cameras would be required to equip all front-line officers, would not the cost be closer to $2 million? And this doesnt factor in what a bulk purchase discount and wholesale pricing should yield.

As for storage, I pay $1.29 a month for 50 gigabytes of Apple Cloud data storage, so adding this to the cost of GoPro cameras adds about $5,000 a month, or $60,000 a year for data storage.

And lets say a belt or brace to affix the camera to officers uniforms runs $10 a uniform, with each officer having at least two uniforms, thats another $70,000 to the initial cost.

So please explain how the published cost estimate comes to $85 million?

David Balcon, Toronto

Can one be alarmed and not surprised at the same time? I am.

That is in regard to the new dark grey Toronto police cruisers. I am alarmed that our Toronto police continue to ratchet up an intimidating look of authority as mentored by the military infused American police.

Gone are the British blue shirts and red striped dark blue pants of yesteryear for all-black uniforms. Then came the military load-bearing utility ballistic vests. And now the unsurprising colourless gun metal grey police cars of Robocop.

Having successfully shed all personable Canadian distinction from American police culture, I say we at least be honest about it and replace To serve and protect with Dont mess with us! or Be Scared!

Yehuda Beni, Toronto

I presume that the chief must mean modernizing policing to mean making the force look less community friendly  i.e., better to give the cars that more aggressive look to help intimidate us.

I want an approachable people-friendly force. Who comes up with these dumb ideas?

Hans Zander, Toronto

At $85 million the police cameras are $26,562.50 each. Help me understand that enormous number.

Peter Crosby, Toronto

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Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said they have not received any official communication in this regard and the Indian announcement is unfortunate.

By PTI: Unfazed by India and three other SAARC member nations deciding not to participate in the groupings summit here, Pakistan today said it will go ahead and host the event in November.

After India announced its decision to boycott the SAARC summit, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan backed New Delhi by deciding not to participate in the summit, citing incitement of terror in the region. The 19th edition of the annual SAARC summit has been scheduled to be held in be held in Islamabad in November 2016.



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Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said Pakistan will host the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit in November, Radio Pakistan reported today.

Zakaria was quoted as saying that it was learnt from the Indian External Affairs Ministry's tweet that India is not going to participate in the SAARC Summit, a decision he called "unfortunate".

ALSO READ | All those burning Pakistan flag deserve to be butchered, says Pervez Musharraf on Balochistan



"While we have not received any official communication in this regard, the Indian announcement is unfortunate," he said.

The spokesperson also said Pakistan is committed to regional peace and will continue working for the broader interest of the people of the region, according to the report.

Separately, Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said India is making propaganda to foil the conference that was scheduled to be held in November, according to Pakistan Today newspaper.

Besides India, three other SAARC members - Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan - have pulled out of the summit, indirectly blaming Pakistan for creating an environment which is not right for the successful holding of the meet.

ALSO READ:

SAARC summit in Islamabad likely to be cancelled after 4 members boycott Pakistan



--- ENDS ---
Re: Trade talks reopen Canada's fascination with mysterious East, Sept. 26

Re: How Canada should engage China on human rights, Opinion Sept. 23

Trade talks reopen Canada's fascination with mysterious East, Sept. 26

So China and Canada have signed an agreement to protect each others corporate investors from unseemly government interference, such as environmental regulations that reduce profitability. Funny, I thought governments are supposed to protect us from the environmental ravages that the search for profitability has brought us. How naive of me!

Sylvia Putz, Toronto

How Canada should engage China on human rights, Opinion Sept. 23

Professor Wenran Jiang beckons Canada to stop treating our pursuit of human rights and our closer economic ties with China as mutually exclusive objectives. In response Canadians should ask: Why are economic progress and political freedom for Chinas citizens not mutually attainable?

Jiang also claimed that Canada entered NAFTA with the U.S. despite its history of invading other countries, conducting torture in secret CIA facilities around the world, or illegally monitoring hundreds of millions of people globally.

Clearly he was referencing U.S. policy post-9/11, but that was almost a decade after NAFTA was ratified.

Bob Wong, Richmond Hill

So Canada is planning an extradition treaty with China. Maybe, while were at it, we can rewrite extradition treaties with other countries.

Hassan Diab was extradited to France on the basis of evidence the judge admitted would be laughed out of court in Canada, and with no assurance that he will get a fair trial there.

Then theres Leonard Peltier, who was extradited to the U.S. on perjured evidence (and convicted on more perjured evidence).

Perhaps we shouldnt feel smugly superior to China when it comes to human rights.

Elizabeth Block, Toronto

The reason for the extradition treaty negotiation is subtle: its part of a multi-pronged approach to lowering Vancouver house prices. Taxes and a trip to the gulag: that should make Chinese oligarchs think twice before buying that condo.

Lloyd Gray, Toronto

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Re: Tax haven probe, Sept. 22

Tax haven probe, Sept. 22

This story makes it clear that the greeds of the world are far more united than the workers of the world ever were. The great fear rippling across the developed world in the early 20th century was that the workers of the world would unite, but they never did. The reason is complex but mostly because the workers of the world had varying degrees of social conscience that they failed to reconcile.

However, for the greeds of the world, a lack of social conscience is the unifying force. We ought to fear them.

We live in the Age of Greedism where most of the economic output goes to the greeds: Never in economic history has so much money gone to so few. This has to change, it has to stop.

Because the world is sitting on a powder keg filled with the explosive ingredients of greed and inequality. Too many people are sinking into temporary employment, precarious employment, unemployment and poverty, something will happen, the Brexit vote in the U.K., the turn to far right parties in Europe and the attraction of Donald Trump, are all indicators of this.

Keith Parkinson, Cambridge

Continue to expose the Canadians who are evading taxes with foreign tax havens. This corrupt practice is hurting all Canadians and perpetuating income inequality. The federal government needs to act on this unscrupulous group of senators and others, and enforce the laws of the land.

Diane Sullivan, Toronto

Banks serve people, with the level of service and benefits being dependent upon how much money each customer has in the bank. So naturally the one per centers (those whose nationality is wealth itself) are able to collectively control the banks of the world while also influencing its governments.

The people who created the 2008 collapse of the world economy made obscene fortunes by lowering the standard of living for millions around the world and causing thousands upon thousands of families to lose their homes. And it was the victims, the 99 per centers who had to pick up the tab for the one per centers new found fortunes, their mansions, limousines, beach houses, yachts, jets  and power.

Its obviously immoral but apparently legal to exploit the masses. So who the hells gonna stop em and how?

Randy Gostlin, Oshawa

If there are legitimate reasons for setting up corporations in traditional tax havens, and if there is no evidence of any illegal activity in corporate records, why is the Star trying to make legitimate business sound dishonest? Our well-regulated banks have done an outstanding job in difficult financial times without government aid as happened in so many other countries.

Donald Adams, Brighton

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Re: GM's pension loss is a blow for company's new workers, Sept. 24

GM's pension loss is a blow for company's new workers, Sept. 24

In 2013, I was actually excited to see the formation of Unifor, a new union that brought together members of the Canadian Auto Workers, Communications, Energy and Paper workers. This larger union promised broader organizing of new members and a focus on the future.

This past week, that hope was dashed. Instead of fighting back against two-tier pensions, and for equality for new hires, Unifors leaders caved to get a quick deal with General Motors. This two-tier deal will haunt the union for decades and sets a terrible precedent for everyones future.

New and precarious workers deserve equality in the workplace, decent pensions, and respect. Postal workers and library workers  in groups much smaller than Unifor  have actually opposed two-tier contracts and concessions, and won.

Companies like GM that are highly profitable and benefit from Canadas skilled workforce, as well as our health care and education systems, should be able to afford decent pay and benefits for new hires.

So why did Jerry Dias accept defeat so quickly? Sadly, it looks like Unifor is no longer new, and it certainly is not a union for everyone.

David C. Fox, Toronto

It is indeed good news for workers of Oshawa, St. Catharines and Woodstock when Unifor announced investment from General Motors. However, as Thomas Walkom pointed out, it didnt come without a cost. The new generation of workers, including myself, will not be receiving the same pensions as our sisters and brothers before us and beside us on the line.

Justin Trudeaus Liberals have played a part, but were not out of the woods yet. Weve pushed back the 2019 closure date but I hope we dont need to keep battling for product every time our contract comes up.

What will be given up next to secure a future? When a company makes record breaking profits year after year, the workers who have made the profit for the company shouldnt need to concede a thing.

And if we do, it should affect us all, and not just the next generation.

Mike Mutimer, Oshawa

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NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Shares of Carnival (CCL) were climbing in late-morning trading on Tuesday after the company posted better-than-anticipated results for the 2016 fiscal third quarter.

Before yesterday's market open, the Miami-based cruise company reported adjusted earnings of $1.92 per share, topping analysts' estimates of $1.88 per share.

Revenue for the period was $5.1 billion, above Wall Street's forecasts of $5.06 billion.

"Revenues during the peak summer season were bolstered by strong performances from both our North American and European brands and across all major deployments including the Caribbean, Alaska and Europe," CEO Arnold Donald said in a statement.

Carnival now sees full-year earnings per share between $3.33 and $3.37 vs. its previous view for earnings of $3.25 to $3.35 per share. Analysts are expecting earnings of $3.39 per share for fiscal 2016.

The company is projecting fourth-quarter earnings per share between 55 cents and 59 cents, while analysts are looking for earnings of 58 cents per share.

The cruise ship operator said that advance bookings for the first half of next year are ahead of 2016 bookings at "considerably higher prices."

Carnival has gained from low fuel prices, higher prices and strong bookings in recent quarters, the Wall Street Journal noted.

Separately, TheStreet Ratings Team has a "Buy" rating with a score of A- on the stock.

The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its impressive record of earnings per share growth, compelling growth in net income, revenue growth, attractive valuation levels and expanding profit margins.

The team believes its strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had lackluster performance in the stock itself.

Recently, TheStreet Ratings objectively rated this stock according to its "risk-adjusted" total return prospect over a 12-month investment horizon. Not based on the news in any given day, the rating may differ from Jim Cramer's view or that of this articles's author.

You can view the full analysis from the report here: CCL
Eversource Energy (ES) , New England's biggest energy distributor, is growing steadily and increasing its dividend. Plus, its stock price is more reasonable than other utility stocks.

It's a stock for investors to own. Shares fell 1.65% in Tuesday trading.

Energy distributors, known as wires, mainly deliver energy that other utilities produce, and so have less risk, making them great investments for anyone seeking stability and income. Unlike energy generators like Southern and Duke Energy, distributors are insulated from volatile price swings for coal, oil and natural gas.

Eversource is diversified, which also reduces risk. For instance, it distributes natural gas and electricity from both non-renewable (coal) and renewable sources (hydropower, biomass, solar). As a result, the utility does not depend on a single source of energy for revenue.

The network is also diversified. Eversource delivers power to about 3.6 million customers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and it owns the largest wire system in New England, NU Transmission. This regional dominance positions Eversource for market-beating gains in a risky, volatile investment climate.

Rising natural gas consumption in New England, wire construction and new renewable energy projects are making Eversource bigger and driving the company's earnings and revenue growth. Eversource distributes natural gas through its pipelines, and the more natural gas people use, the more gas Eversource distributes and the more money it collects.

In the Northeast, natural gas generated 17% of the region's electricity in 2001, rising to 50% by 2013. Natural gas distribution accounted for 12.5%, or $1 billion, of the company's $8 billion revenue, with electricity distribution to customers' homes accounting for 74%.

Expanding and replacing transmission wires make up the bulk of Eversource's major projects. Thanks to electricity distribution, net income rose year-over-year from $247 million in 2007 to $879 million in 2015.

Eversource's renewable energy portfolio is at the forefront of its industry. While Connecticut and New Hampshire want renewable energy to generate 23% of electricity by 2025, Massachusetts is aiming for 27%. Across the rest of the country, the standards for renewable electricity range between none in the Southeast, 12.5% in Ohio by 2026, 50% by 2020 in California and 100% in Hawaii by 2030, according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Among the Eastern states, New England's standards are slightly more stringent.

Of the little energy Eversource generates, almost all comes from renewable sources. This emphasis on renewable energy should propel the stock's price over the long haul, making it a well-timed addition to a wealth-building plan.

Eversource owns one solar facility in New Hampshire and three in Massachusetts powering over 1,700 homes. The company also sold nine hydroelectric power plants in New Hampshire last year in an agreement with state regulators to allow its Northern Pass project, which would import hydropower from Canada to New Hampshire's power grid.

The project stands to increase Eversource's earnings because the imported electricity will need to be transmitted on the company's wires. Hydropower generates electricity constantly, unlike wind energy that blows strongest at night and solar energy that needs sunshine. One of the surest ways to make money over the long haul is to tap into unstoppable trends. In this regard, Eversource is on target.

During its second-quarter 2016 earnings call, the company revealed that the Northern Pass project had hit a snag with regulators in May and would be delayed nine months. It was scheduled for completion in May 2019 and will now be finished sometime in 2020. CFO Phil Lembo said the delay would not affect future earnings adversely. Analysts expect earnings per share of 80 cents in the third quarter compared to 74 cents for the same quarter in 2015.

The company's share price is up nearly 10% since the year began. Last November, management projected long-term, earnings-per-share growth of 6% to 8% through 2018, with dividend growth in line with earnings growth.

Revenue has increased from $4.46 billion in 2011 to $8 billion at the end of 2015. At the same time, the annual dividend rose from $1.03 to $1.78 at a four-year, average growth rate of 6.6%, and the share price climbed from $26.43 to $55.54.

The company's forward price-to-earnings ratio of 17.8 times is also comparable to the average forward P/E of the electric utilities industry. So at about $55.50, Eversource's share price trades on par with the industry.

Those share price and dividend growth trends should continue thanks to rising demand for natural gas and the Northern Pass project. Currently, the company yields an attractive 3.2% dividend.

---

As we've just explained, Eversource is a great opportunity for both income and growth. If you're looking for otherenticing opportunitiesin this overvalued market, we've found a genius trader who turned $50,000 into $5 million by using his proprietary trading method. For a limited time, he's guaranteeing you $67,548 per year in profitable trades if you follow his simple step-by-step process. Click here now for details.

The author is an independent contributor to TheStreet.com. At the time of publication, he owned none of the stocks mentioned.
Budweiser maker AB InBev (BUD) will retain its name after gulping down Miller Genuine Draft maker SABMiller, it said as shareholders of both companies approved the 79 billion ($102.74 billion) combination on Wednesday.

Investors in the Leuven, Belgium-based buyer were the first to vote on the deal nicknamed "Mebagrew," followed quickly by the green light from SABMiller shareholders in a lightening-fast 19-minute gathering in London.

"It will probably be a record that will never be matched," said SABMiller spokesman Richard Farnsworth. He said that only one, non-contentious question was asked, concerning voter turnout.

"We are pleased that our shareholders' vote brings us one step closer to combining our companies, teams, strong heritage and passion for brewing," said AB InBev CEO Carlos Brito in a statement from Brussels. "We are committed to driving long-term growth and creating value for all of our stakeholders."

The company plans to retain the AB InBev name after the tie-up, while the SABMiller name will be consigned to the history books 120 years after South African Breweries began selling beer to miners and prospectors in and around Johannesburg.

AB InBev, which also makes Beck's, Corona and Stella Artois, is already the world's largest brewer, while SABMiller is No. 2.

AB InBev shareholders were first to give the green light, followed by the go-ahead from 95.46% of SABMiller shareholders, clearing the 75% threshold needed for the takeover to go ahead.

SABMiller's two biggest shareholders, Altria Group (MO) and the Santo Domingo family's holding company Bevco, were treated as a separate class and did not participate in Wednesday's vote, according to the SABMiller spokesman. The investors, who together own 41.6% of SABMiller, have irrevocably undertaken to support the deal.

AB InBev said its timetable of completing the tie-up in early October remains unchanged. In August it disclosed plans to cut 3% of its enlarged workforce after the combination along with a nearly-$2 billion in tab in merger-related fees and expenses.

AB InBev shares were up 1.03% in Brussels at 117.35, giving it a market value of around 188.7 billion ($211.36 billion). SABMiller gained 0.56% to 4,490.00 pence in London, valuing the whole of its equity at 72.5 billion.

SABMiller shares will be de-listed from both the Johannesburg and London stock exchanges in the first week of October, with shares of the enlarged AB InBev due to start trading on several exchanges on Oct. 11.

The deal is nearing the finish line about 10 months after AB InBev unveiled a formal offer for SABMiller, which it further sweetened in July by 100 pence to 4,500 pence a share.
The German Finance Ministry has denied it's working on a rescue of Deutsche Bank (DB) following a report it had hatched a plan to take a 25% in the lender as a last resort.

Die Zeit newspaper in Germany had earlier on Wednesday claimed officials in Berlin, Frankfurt and Brussels were working on a preemptive rescue plan for the bank which could entail the state forcing the lender to sell parts of its business but guaranteeing the price, and in the worst case taking a 25% holding.

The newspaper said the plan would kick in if Deutsche Bank needed to replenish its capital after litigation fines but couldn't do so on the market. Officials still hoped the plan wouldn't be necessary and some unnamed government factions, at any rate, favored supporting the bank through European Union mechanisms instead, the paper claimed.

But the Finance Ministry said it is "not preparing rescue plans" for the lender.

"This report is wrong," the Finance Ministry said. "There are no grounds for speculation of this kind. The bank has expressly made this clear."

Financial regulator Bafin declined to comment.

The state aid furore comes as Deutsche Bank shares hover near record lows after being hit by an unexpectedly high fine of $14 billion from the Department of Justice for misselling residential mortgage-backed securities.

The bank said at once it had no intention of paying that amount and suggested the fine was the DoJ's opening gambit only. But its shares have since fallen about 16% on concern about its ability to lower a fine that could otherwise tip it to the brink. Deutsche had 5.5 billion ($6.2 billion) set aside in legal and regulatory provisions as of June 30.

Deutsche Bank CEO John Cryan, pictured, said in a separate interview with Das Bild published on Wednesday that a bailout is "out of the question for us" and "at no point" did the bank seek support from German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

In the interview Cryan also said a rights issue wasn't on the agenda.

"This is currently not an issue for us. We meet all regulatory capital requirements. We are also working hard for this situation to remain the same, should the requirements become even tougher. We are restructuring the bank, we have fewer risks in the books than before, and we are comfortably equipped with free liquidity, that is, financial means," he said.

He said concern about Deutsche Bank's financial situation was overplayed.

"The situation is better than its perception from the outside," he said. "Over the past few months, we have made much progress in creating a simpler and better bank. Unfortunately, it was made public that the US Department of Justice is demanding, in a first offer of compromise, 14 billion dollars for our real estate business from 2005 to 2007. This has caused much concern, although it was clear from the beginning that we would not pay this sum. We assume that the Department of Justice will treat us with the same fairness as American banks that have already agreed on a compromise."

He also said that Deutsche Bank could hand retail lender Postbank over tomorrow."But the price has to be right. We've got time."

The company had originally hoped to sell it in a partial IPO this year before a rethink.

A spokesman declined to elaborate on Cryan's comments.

Separately on Wednesday Deutsche Bank clinched a sorely needed business disposal with a 935 million ($1.2 billion) deal to sell its Abbey Life insurance businesses in the U.K. to Phoenix Group.

Phoenix will pay the sum on completion of a deal which the seller said would have lifted its common equity Tier One capital ratio by about 10 basis points as of June 30. That ratio stood at 10.8% at that time.

Deutsche Bank shares extended earlier gains and were recently up 2.6% at 10.88 after the Finance Ministry put out its statement.

Elsewhere in the sector, Skip Raschke of Real Money Pro, TheStreet's subscription-only site for active traders and professional investors, writes that Bank of America (BAC) looks good on both a technical and fundamental basis. Click here for a free 14-day Real Money Pro trial and learn about the long synthetic call that Raschke likes for the stock.
The world's largest oil producers are gathering in Algeria, but investors shouldn't expect a production freeze, at least not right now.

"Comments from the Iranian oil minister [on Tuesday] calling this just a consultation meeting and that any decisions should be made at an official OPEC meeting says it all; that's game over in terms of any decision being made," said Jasper Lawler, a market analyst with CMC Markets, based in London.

Lawler attributed Wednesday's 1% rise in oil prices to expectations that Saudi Arabia may eventually agree to a freeze deal. "It does seem like Saudi Arabia has softened their negotiating position a bit and it looks like, probably not Wednesday, but at some future meeting, they are going to be willing to cut production in order to bring Iran to the table and actually agree to some sort of freeze."

Iran is looking to boost oil production now that many burdensome sanctions have been lifted thanks to its nuclear deal with the West. Iran is currently producing 3.62 million barrels of oil a day, a far cry from the roughly six million daily barrels it produced back in 1974.

Saudi Arabia is producing a record 10.69 million barrels of oil a day and is fearful to give up market share, especially to rival Iran. But Lawler said Saudi Arabia may soon start to see the benefits of a production freeze deal.

"This week, we've heard there has been a big pay cut among Saudi politicians; they are physically bearing the brunt of this drop in oil prices," Lawler added.

Even if Saudi Arabia and Iran can put their rivalries aside, Nigeria and Libya are looking to boost production.

Libya said Tuesday it "would be expect to be exempt from any type of freeze agreement," Lawler said. That's because Libya is producing a paltry 260,000 barrels of oil per day, compared to roughly 3.3 million in 1970. Nigeria pumps 1.4 million barrels a day, compared to a peak of 2.45 million in 2005. These oil production figures were compiled by Bloomberg data.

OPEC's next official meeting is in November.
We take a look at Pakistan's tactical nuclear weapons, the HATF-9 ballistic missile, and the threat they pose to India.

By India Today Web Desk: Tension between India and Pakistan has escalated since the recent attack on an Indian Army camp in Uri in Kashmir which left 19 soldiers dead.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in her speech at United Nations General Assembly this week, stated that Pakistan should abandon its ambitions to claim Kashmir, in response to Pakistani PM asserting that foreign forces were trying to destabilise Pakistan.

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Opinion: Indian Army's surgical strikes should make Pakistan think twice before trying another Uri



The Pakistani Air Force has the F-16 fighter jet in its fleet. The jet is capable of delivering nuclear weapons.

Amid the war of words between India and Pakistan, there have been a number of statements from Islamabad threatening India with nuclear weapons. We take a look at Pakistan's tactical nuclear weapons, the HATF-9 ballistic missile, and the threat they pose to India.

Also read:

Sushma Swaraj slams Pakistan at UNGA, says Kashmir will always be integral part of India

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW:

HATF-9 is a short range ballistic missile, designed for 'battlefield' use which has a range of up to 60 kilometres. Destruction caused by this missile is much lesser than an atomic bomb.

Pakistan produces 10-12 nuke warheads every year.

ALSO READ: The dirty bomb



Intent: Halt march of Indian Army

Strategy: Checkmate India's cold start doctrine

Also read:

Apocalypse alert: How India-Pakistan nuclear war will kill 12 million, destroy two countries

Sushma Swaraj has total animosity against Pakistan, says Pervez Musharraf



NEW WEAPON, NEW CHALLENGES

India has no tactical nuclear warheads, its nuclear doctrine is of 'massive retaliation'

Tactical nuclear warheads pose unprecedented challenges. Though they have never been used globally, Pakistan army has been deploying tactical nukes for battlefield use. Pakistan is capable of using tactical nukes on its own soil to halt India's march.

India, however, has declared its policy of 'no first use'.

TACTICAL NUKES VS STRATEGIC NUKES

Tactical nuke: Yield 0.3 tons

Strategic nuke: Yield 100 kiloton onwards

Tactical nuke: Casualty - 25-100

Strategic nuke: Casualty - 1 lakh to 1 million

Tactical nuke: Destruction - Rival army's battlefield formation

Strategic nuke: Destruction - Entire city

Tactical nuke: Control - Centralised with army headquarters

Strategic nuke: Control - Delegated to junior officers

Tactical nuke: Delivery system - Short range missile, suitcase nukes, artillery shells

Strategic nuke: Delivery system - Long range missile system

ALSO WATCH: What if terrorists get their hands on a radioactive dirty bomb?





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RISKS OF TACTICAL NUKES



Authorisation to use nuke war heads delegated to junior officers.

Vulnerable to battlefield accidents.

Susceptible to unauthorised use.

Risk of missile falling into jihadi hands.

ALSO READ:

Why India didn't strike Pakistan after 26/11

Inhuman impact of nuclear bomb tested by Pakistani army in Chagai

Want Indo-Pak war? These films will show how destructive nuclear war can be

Pakistan's new nuke threat: Why India has to worry



Watch video





--- ENDS ---
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Shares of Wells Fargo (WFC) were higher in late-afternoon trading on Wednesday despite the California State Treasurer John Chiang announcing the state would suspend business relationships with the San Francisco-based bank for a year.

The suspensions include halting investments by the treasurer's office in all Wells Fargo securities, ceasing the use of Wells Fargo as a broker-dealer for purchasing of investments by the office, and suspension as a managing underwriter on negotiated sales of California state bonds where the treasurer appoints the underwriter, the office said in a statement.

"Wells Fargo's fleecing of its customers by opening fraudulent accounts for the purpose of extracting millions in illegal fees demonstrates, at best, a reckless lack of institutional control and, at worst, a culture which actively promotes wanton greed," Chiang said in a statement.

Chiang added he would work with the state's two public pension funds to change the bank's management structure, including separating the roles of CEO and chairman at Wells Fargo.

Wells Fargo has come under fire after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau fined the company $185 million for illegal account openings. CEO John Stumpf testified in front of the Senate Finance Committee last week and is scheduled to attend another hearing this Thursday.

The company's board announced late yesterday that Stumpf would forfeit $41 million in unvested stock awards, as well as any bonus for the year. He will also forego his salary as Wells Fargo conducts an internal investigation into the deceptive sales practices.

(Wells Fargo is held in Jim Cramer's charitable trust Action Alerts PLUS. See all of Cramer's holdings with a free trial.)

Separately, TheStreet Ratings objectively rated this stock according to its "risk-adjusted" total return prospect over a 12-month investment horizon. Not based on the news in any given day, the rating may differ from Jim Cramer's view or that of this articles's author. TheStreet Ratings has this to say about the recommendation:

The team rates Wells Fargo as a Buy with a ratings score of B. This is driven by a few notable strengths, which it believes should have a greater impact than any weaknesses, and should give investors a better performance opportunity than most stocks it covers. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, expanding profit margins and attractive valuation levels. The team feel its strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows weak operating cash flow.

You can view the full analysis from the report here: WFC



WFC

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NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- California State Treasurer John Chiang announced the state is suspending business relations with Wells Fargo (WFC) for a period of 12-months as a result of the banking giant's recent scandal.

It was disclosed this month that in order to meet aggressive sales goal Wells Fargo employees had been creating fake accounts using customer information without customers' knowledge or permission. The bank must pay a penalty of $185 million.

Washington College president and former chairperson of the FDIC Sheila Bair appeared on Wednesday afternoon's "Closing Bell" on CNBC to discuss the sanction.

"There's always a piling on effect when you have a situation like this," Bair said. "This is serious, this is very, very bad, though I do think what the board did yesterday was very significant."

Bair was referencing a board of directors' investigation that resulted in Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf agreeing to give up $41 million in unvested stock awards.

"That's got to hurt. I don't know what the exact numbers are but I can only assume [Wells Fargo does] a large amount of business in California...It's just the reputational issue and the desire for state government officials to show a sign of disapproval and protest," Bair said.

Many investors, analysts and even members of Congress have called for the resignation of CEO Stumpf following the accounts scandal. However, Bair does see the need to show the head of the company the door.

Wells Fargo has "a lot of good people" within the company, it's a "good franchise," it's a "valuable franchise," and Bair believes you should take all of that into account when evaluating the bank's current issues.

Wells Fargo stock closed higher on Wednesday.

(Wells Fargo is held in Jim Cramer's charitable trust Action Alerts PLUS. See all of Cramer's holdings with a free trial.)

Separately, TheStreet Ratings objectively rated this stock according to its "risk-adjusted" total return prospect over a 12-month investment horizon. Not based on the news in any given day, the rating may differ from Jim Cramer's view or that of this articles's author. TheStreet Ratings has this to say about the recommendation:

We rate WELLS FARGO & CO as a Buy with a ratings score of B. This is driven by a few notable strengths, which we believe should have a greater impact than any weaknesses, and should give investors a better performance opportunity than most stocks we cover. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, expanding profit margins and attractive valuation levels. We feel its strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows weak operating cash flow.

You can view the full analysis from the report here: WFC
An official website of the United States Government
KVERT reported that a Strombolian eruption at Klyuchevskoy continued during 16-23 September. Volcanic bombs that were ejected above the summit crater and the cinder cone landed in the Apakhonchich drainage on the E flank. A lava flow traveled down the Apakhonchich drainage and also down the SW flank. ...

Background:

Kliuchevskoi is Kamchatka's highest and most active volcano. Since its origin about 6000 years ago, the beautifully symmetrical, 4835-m-high basaltic stratovolcano has produced frequent moderate-volume explosive and effusive eruptions without major periods of inactivity. Kliuchevskoi rises above a saddle NE of sharp-peaked Kamen volcano and lies SE of the broad Ushkovsky massif. More than 100 flank eruptions have occurred at Kliuchevskoi during the past roughly 3000 years, with most lateral craters and cones occurring along radial fissures between the unconfined NE-to-SE flanks of the conical volcano between 500 m and 3600 m elevation. The morphology of its 700-m-wide summit crater has been frequently modified by historical eruptions, which have been recorded since the late-17th century. Historical eruptions have originated primarily from the summit crater, but have also included numerous major explosive and effusive eruptions from flank craters.

---

Source: Klyuchevsky information by the GVP (Smithsonian Institution)
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The steady march of globalization that powered the world economy for the past 30 years is stalling out at a time when leading political figures in the United States and elsewhere have become increasingly hostile to international trade. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight The World Trade Organization said Tuesday that growth in global trade would fall to 1.7 percent this year, the slowest pace since the 2009 financial crisis and part of a vicious cycle that has dragged down broader economic growth. Formerly highflying countries such as China and Brazil are spending less on manufacturing equipment and railroads, while stalwarts such as Europe and Japan are fighting the perilous phenomenon of falling prices known as deflation  leaving nations with little appetite for trading with one another.

Economists say the slowdown in trade could carry significant risks for workers in the United States. Although advocates of trade barriers say they could protect more American jobs from going overseas, most economists say tariffs would raise costs for American manufacturers and consumers, imperiling an already fragile economy. Meanwhile, cutting off emerging markets could threaten the livelihoods of workers around the world. Globalization was instrumental in reducing the number of people who live in extreme poverty by half over roughly the past two decades, according to the World Bank.

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The WTO report comes on the heels of the first presidential debate, in which Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton showed unusual agreement in sharply criticizing past trade deals and questioning the benefits of approving a new agreement with 11 countries along the Pacific Rim. Instead, Clinton called for smart, fair trade deals. Trump, who has made opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership a centerpiece of his campaign, threatened to raise tariffs and pull out of existing agreements.

But the wave of globalization that sparked political outrage is actually already waning. The WTO slashed its estimate for 2016 trade growth by more than one-third, to just 1.7 percent from a previous estimate of 2.8 percent made in April. It also cut estimates for 2017 trade growth, citing uncertainty about the global economy.

Chinas economy is slowing after years of driving trade growth as it gobbled up raw materials and exported goods around the world. Falling commodity prices have pushed Brazil, another major exporter, deeper into recession. Advanced economies such as the United States, Europe and Japan have been slow to recover, weighing on demand for imported goods. And Britain has voted to leave the European Union and its single market.

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The dramatic slowing of trade growth is serious and should serve as a wake-up call, said Roberto Azevedo, the WTOs director general. We need to make sure that this does not translate into misguided policies that could make the situation much worse.

But at Hofstra University in New York on Monday, skepticism of trade policy that has been building throughout the presidential campaign was on full display. It has been fueled on the left by Bernie Sanders, the senator from Vermont who challenged Clinton for the Democratic nomination. And although Republicans have historically supported free trade, Trump has blamed increased economic engagement with China and Mexico in particular for Americas woes.

During the debate, Clinton reaffirmed her opposition to the TPP while also reminding voters that she voted against a trade agreement with Central American countries in 2005. Meanwhile, Trump derided deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, signed by President Bill Clinton, as sending American jobs overseas, calling it the single worst trade deal ever approved in this country.

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Economists generally maintain that the benefits of trade remain much larger than the costs  although there is growing recognition that those costs are painful and often fall narrowly on one group. One widely cited study by MIT economist David Autor and colleagues found that an increase in imports from China cost the United States roughly 2.4 million jobs from 1999 through 2011.

Harvard University economist Greg Mankiw said that the U.S. recovery has been sluggish and that the wealth the country is producing is not being equitably distributed.

Theres no question that there are economic trends that are disturbing, and that will make people feel concerned about the economy, he said. And the prosperity we do have isnt being widely shared. . . . These are real trends that are making people feel unhappy.

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At the same time, he added, he would not put the blame for those trends on trade agreements.

Many economists say trade has been made a scapegoat for a host of economic ills  including the decline of the manufacturing sector, falling employment and growing inequality  that are likely more closely linked to the way technology is transforming low-skilled work. At the time of weak growth and economic uncertainty, there is a desire to look for a bogeyman outside the country, said Eswar Prasad, a professor of trade policy at Cornell University and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

The slowdown in global trade has been a focus of international policymakers in recent months. A report on global competitiveness also released Tuesday by the World Economic Forum argued that the degree to which economies are open to international trade in goods and services has been steadily declining for the past decade. It also warned that barriers to trade could hurt prosperity in the future.

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Data from the International Monetary Fund reveals a similar slowdown in trade. The IMF estimates that global trade will grow a paltry 2 percent this year  just a fraction of the 7 percent pace regularly seen in the 1980s and 1990s. In a speech in Toronto this month, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde urged countries to do more to help workers left behind by globalization, but not to give up on the principles of free trade.

History clearly tells us that closing borders or increasing protectionism is not the way to go, Lagarde said. We need to make globalization work for all.

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Dear Amy: I am an adult professional woman with two teenage children. I am divorced, and the survivor of an abusive alcoholic mother.

I have been through years of counseling and have struggled with anxiety my entire life. My relationship with my mother has always been my burden.

As my children have gotten older, my moms health has deteriorated. She doesnt call or attend birthday parties or sporting events, and tries to put the burden on me. I have not had a mother for most of my life, and she doesnt seem to care.

Now that she is sick from her chosen lifestyle, she wants again to pull us toward her because she needs us, not because she wants to make amends or apologize.

People view me as cold-hearted, but I let her abuse me until I had children and only then was I able to pull away. All I ever wanted was for her to love me.

She has broken my heart so many times and affected all of my relationships because when the only person on earth who is supposed to love you abuses and rejects you, youre afraid to love.

Im going to a psychiatrist and a counselor, and they say to protect myself and to go with my heart. Im so conflicted. I really dont like her, but she is my mother. Ive spent 46 years of my life trying to please her, and she just disappoints me.

What do you think? Do I keep trying, or just move on with my life?

Angry in Iowa

Angry in Iowa: Moving on starts with acceptance. You need to accept your bad luck at growing up in the household of an alcoholic parent. You deserved better  everyone does  but you didnt get the parent you deserved to have (but your own children did  lucky them!).

Please dont let your childhood define you for the rest of your life. Being a good parent and a good person should define you now.

After acceptance, you work on detachment. You cant fix your mother, and you cant change her. You cannot rewrite the past, you cant rewire your mothers brain, and you cant cure her disease.

You should attempt to have the relationship you want to have  and that includes no relationship.

Your desire to fix things, while wrestling with conflicted feelings, is common for adult children of alcoholics. In addition to your therapy, you should research and seek support from others who understand your challenges, through Al-anon or another support group.

Read After the Tears: Helping Adult Children of Alcoholics Heal Their Childhood Trauma, by Jane Middleton-Moz and Lorie Dwinell. (HCI, 2010).

Dear Amy: I am living with my daughter, her hubby and their children. I came here because when my husband passed away, I was unable to get an apartment.

My daughter and her husband graciously offered a room to me; it was a good feeling to know I wasnt alone at this time.

I feel that the time has come for me to move on. Unfortunately, this brings up the problem of finances.

I have been living on Social Security, and now with the upcoming presidential election, there is a lot of talk about this program and others being cut back, or worse, cut completely.

Im so confused. I dont want to make a bigger mistake by moving out. This is not a decision that I can just jump into. What do you think I should do?

Running in Circles

Running in Circles: You should enlist your daughters help to research housing options in your area. Where I live, you can apply for subsidized housing specifically intended for low-income seniors.

It is sensible to try to anticipate possible changes in your benefits, but I dont think Social Security is going to go away anytime soon.

Regardless, you should do your research and apply soon  the process might take several months.

Moving into a community of elders could be a positive life change for you, and I hope youll bravely try to make this happen.

Dear Amy: Worried is an 11-year-old girl whose father recently died. The letter and your compassionate response moved me.

In addition to your recommendations, readers should know that hospices often offer grief groups for children. I hope her mother looks into this for her.

Touched

Touched: Thank you for the reminder of how important and helpful hospice programs are  before and after a loved ones death.
Saif Ali Khan has time and again not minced words while talking about India-Pakistan relations, terrorism and 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed.

By Ananya Bhattacharya: In the wake of the September 18 Uri attack, the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) called for a ban on all Pakistani artists in India. While the issue of letting Pakistani artistes work in India has left Bollywood polarised, actor Saif Ali Khan feels it's better to leave it to the Indian government to decide who it wants to allow to work in country.



ALSO READ: Saif Ali Khan on Phantom ban and Uncle Isfandiyar - My uncle is in equal trouble for having relatives in India



OPINION: Why is Hafiz Saeed so threatened by Phantom, a film?

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Khan said, "This (cross cultural exchange) should definitely be encouraged. The industry is open to world talent, especially from across the border. But the government has to decide these things. We are artistes and we will talk about love and peace. But the government has to take such decisions about law and who to allow to work here and who isn't."

Saif Ali Khan has time and again taken a strong stand against terrorism and the way Pakistan and India both treat each other's films. When Saif's film Phantom was banned in Pakistan last year, at the behest of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed, the actor minced no words as far as the treatment of the Kabir Khan-directed film was concerned.



Here are five statements from Saif that made heads turn:

On the MNS calling for a ban on Pakistani artists

We are artistes and we will talk about love and peace. But the government has to take such decisions about law and who to allow to work here and who isn't.

On the struggles of expressing one's opinion post the Phantom ban in Pakistan



It is terrible to apologise for expressing one's opinion. If our beliefs or statements are scrutinised all the time, then nothing original or heartfelt would ever be said.

On Hafiz Saeed moving court to get Phantom banned in Pakistan



We have seen Hafiz Saeed's hate speeches. He hates us. And people like Ajmal Kasab are a result of it. They are sent to India to harbour terrorist organisations.

On the Phantom ban in Pakistan



India and Pakistan have always shared a very complicated relationship. If you tell uncomfortable truths, films gets banned.



On Hafiz Saeed



They (Pakistan) are not admitting that he (Hafiz Saeed) is a terrorist. He is not admitting he is a terrorist. ... I believe he is India's enemy number one. I believe he says and does dreadful things in India.(The writer tweets as @ananya116 .)

--- ENDS ---


Sen. Chris Murphy, who walked across Connecticut to talk with voters recently, said he does not shy from political stunts: You need to be unapologetic. With him in Greenwich are sons Rider and Owen and wife Cathy Holahan. (Bob Luckey Jr./Hearst Connecticut Media)

On a warm September afternoon, Sen. Chris Murphy ambled through a picturesque stretch of farm country, listening to birds chirp and thinking about how hell politicize the next mass shooting.

You cannot accept the premise that there is any waiting period after a tragedy to start engaging in political action, he said, trudging along a winding two-lane road in a Red Sox cap, a Hawks Nest Beach T-shirt and dad shorts. I think you need to be unapologetic about that. I am talking about legislative action within an hour of a shooting. These shootings wont stop unless we move seamlessly from tragedy to action.

It was this philosophy that prompted the Connecticut Democrat, within days after the June massacre at Orlandos Pulse nightclub that killed 49 people, to seize the Senate floor for a 15-hour filibuster in pursuit of gun control. Was it a stunt? Sure. But Murphy, 43, sees value in political stunts. He was in the midst of one right now: a five-day, 126.5-mile walk across his home state that was a chance for Murphy to talk about guns or anything else on the minds of folks he bumped into.

Folks like Billie-Jean Severi, a 57-year-old woman in a floppy straw hat and wraparound sunglasses, who happened upon the peppy lawmaker while walking her little white dog. If Murphy was looking for an on-the-nose moment, he found one: Severi was deaf, but even she thought the 2016 election had gotten too loud.

I took myself off of Facebook and Twitter because I dont want to hear it anymore, she said.

The noise of the political theater has never bothered Murphy. He admits to loving the game and to being a big ball of political ambition. This self-awareness makes him an odd fit for 2016, when even the people running for president are obligated to pretend not to be politicians.

Though not facing reelection for another two years, Murphy has charged into the election-year circus in hopes of making the November vote a referendum on his big cause: background checks for purchasers of firearms. He championed the issue in a speech at the Democratic National Convention and will stump for candidates who see eye-to-eye with him  including Hillary Clinton.

[Debbie Wasserman Schultz was the ultimate Washington survivor. Until she wasnt.]

Some people thought Clinton was only using the gun issue as a way to differentiate herself from Bernie Sanders, and that after the primary she would stop talking about it, said Murphy, who will appear for Clinton in Ohio in early October. But she continues to make it an issue, and so will I.

When Murphy first came to Congress in 2007, he had never spent much time thinking about background checks or automatic weapons bans. He was in the House then, serving a rural and suburban district in western Connecticut that was mostly untouched by gun violence. Then, in 2012, Adam Lanza murdered 20 children at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown.

Murphy was at the train station in Bridgeport, taking his young son to see the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, when he got the call. (Murphy still hasnt talked about the events of that day with his now-8-year-old son: Ive never told someone the story of Sandy Hook who doesnt know it. How does an innocent react? Im kind of petrified to find out.) Murphy knew right away his life had changed. But at the moment, he didnt know what to do next.

I got caught in a trap, he said. My instinct was to let a few days go by, to allow a time to grieve without talking about policy.

But at the first Sandy Hook memorial service he attended, Murphy and his colleague, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), met a young victims father and promised that they would start figuring out a way to make change whenever he was ready.

He said, Were ready now,  Murphy recalled.



Murphy greets diners at a luncheon stop in Guilford, Conn. Ive never told someone the story of Sandy Hook who doesnt know it, he says. How does an innocent react? (Office of Senator Chris Murphy / )

Murphy speaks at the June Democratic filibuster on gun control, a camera-grabbing exercise that made it easier to raise campaign funds: Some people were sheepish about that, but they shouldnt be. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

Until recently, Democrats had long been hesitant to make gun control a signature issue. Many thought a backlash against the 1994 passage of a federal assault weapons ban was the reason the GOP was able to regain control of the House that year for the first time in four decades  so for years, Democrats largely avoided the topic, for fear of drawing the ire of the National Rifle Association. But after a string of gun massacres  Sandy Hook, Aurora, Tucson  that began to change.

This is something we should politicize, President Obama said in an address to the nation after a shooter killed nine people at Umpqua Community College in Oregon last fall. Suddenly, the politics were looking better for Democrats: Nearly 9 in 10 Americans supported some form of background checks.

By the time of Orlando nightclub shooting, Murphy no longer felt the need to seek permission. Instead, he sought the spotlight.

A few mornings after the massacre, he headed to the Senate chambers where he promised to speak for as long as I can to push his colleagues on gun control legislation. Murphy held the floor for nearly 15 hours with the help of 38 of his 45 fellow Democrats. He ended the filibuster after securing a commitment for a vote on a bill that would ban people on the terrorist watch list from buying a gun. The bill failed, but for Murphy it was still a success. One of the first people to call him and tell him that: Hillary Clinton.

[For years, he tried to get other gay people to the gun range. Would they come now?]

Since then, Murphy says its been easier to raise money for himself and other candidates.

Some people were sheepish about that, but they shouldnt be, he said about a practice that can be construed as exploiting personal tragedy for political gain. Why are we doing any of this? We are engaged in the business of building organizations to try to beat bad guys in elections.

(This week, after shootings in Washington state and Texas, Murphy took to Twitter: Hey everybody  people opening fire at shopping malls and college campuses is not normal. We shouldnt accept it. We can stop it if we want.)

Its also become easier to get booked on television, another part of the job that Murphy, unlike many of his colleagues, doesnt even pretend to dislike.

Everyone doing this job is fooling themselves if they dont admit that we are attracted to the show business element of it, he said. We are all doing this in part because we enjoy being in front of the cameras.

And Murphy has been a politician since he was a teenager, running for student government partially because it was easier to ask girls for votes than for dates (Though maybe that was backwards. To win an election you are trying to get 50 percent of the people to like you. You only need to get one girl to yes to get to go on a date with her). Many stories about Murphy mention that in high school he used to carry a briefcase instead of a backpack. Murphy denies it. But the reason it keeps getting repeated, he said, is because its believable.

He had the kind of ambition that kept him from sticking around in a job more than five years. A couple of years out of Williams College, he won a seat in the Connecticut House of Representatives at 25. By 29, he rose to the state Senate just months after getting his UConn law degree, then knocked off a 12-term Republican incumbent for his districts seat in Congress in 2006, when he was 33. In 2012, he defeated pro wrestling magnate Linda McMahon for the open U.S. Senate seat.

[I hate palm trees: The sentimental journey of Harry Reid]

For a politician who presents himself as being driven by a pure cause, Murphys track record suggests he can be easily swayed by partisan dynamics. Earlier this month, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced a bill that would require the FBI to be notified whenever someone who had been the subject of a federal terrorism investigation within the last 10 years bought a gun. Instead of welcoming another Republican to the debate, Murphy blasted the proposal, saying it will not come close to stopping a terrorist who wants to buy a gun. Then again, Rubio is up for reelection, and Murphy is supporting his Democratic opponent.

Murphy did reach across the aisle to Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who in 2013 teamed up with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) on a compromise gun-control bill. Though the bill failed, Murphy called Toomey heroic for flouting GOP orthodoxy. And yet, Murphy is supporting Toomeys Democratic opponent, Katie McGinty, this year  and if Toomey loses, Murphy admits Republicans may decide its too dangerous politically to take on gun control.

Toomey commends Murphy as a senator who actually wants to get things done, but that when it comes to gun control, its going to take bipartisan support.

Still, Toomey concedes, Theres nothing surprising about a Democrat supporting a fellow Democrat. Especially for a Democrat like Murphy, a politician considered one of the future leaders of the party, alongside Senate colleagues Kirsten Gillibrand and Cory Booker.



Murphy greets well-wishers at Roger Sherman Baldwin Park in Greenwich, Conn., in early Saturday. At 43, he happily describes himself as a big ball of political ambition. (Bob Luckey Jr./Hearst Connecticut Media)

Fresh-faced and a natural at working a room, hes earned comparisons to a young Bill Clinton. During his walk across Connecticut, he gabbed with owners of a horse sanctuary (horse slaughter is one of the top issues in my state), a gaggle of college-aged girls gathering in downtown Chester for a fashion show (Ill tweet about it!) and a young couple refurbishing an old RV.

After the road dipped alongside some protected wetlands and curved past a hilltop castle that once belonged to turn-of-the-century stage legend William Gillette, Murphy came across Tom Springfield, a local out for an afternoon constitutional.

Youre a Democrat, said Springfield. Well, s---. Were not going to agree on anything, And they didnt. Springfield said he thought there were too many takers in this country these days, grousing that great men of days gone by didnt need handouts. Murphy pointed out the great men of the past relied on federally built roads and subsidies. Then he handed him a business card with the offer to chat more in the future.

Wow, youre a United States senator? Springfield said, genuinely shocked. Damn. Ive actually been able to talk to an important guy. Nobody like me would ever come to you.

Murphy caught a ferry across the Connecticut River, and walked to a town hall in Chester. As night fell, the roads cleared of people and there were no more stops on his schedule, but Murphy walked another couple of hours just to knock off a few more miles.

At most, Murphy had chatted with a few dozen people that day. Not enough to swing any elections, or boost Congresss approval rating. But theres not much a senator can do these days, amid constant gridlock and a presidential election sucking the oxygen out of Washington. Sometimes all you can do is perform, in Murphys words, a feat of legislative strength  to walk 30 miles in a day, or stand for 15 hours on the Senate floor just to try to show a few people that you are listening to them. Millions of people may have caught glimpses of the filibuster, but the people who mattered most, he said, were the parents at Sandy Hook.

They dont expect change overnight, but they want to know I care about it at least one-quarter as much as they care about it, Murphy said. The point of the filibuster, part of it anyway, was about showing these parents how deeply I care about the subject, even if I cant get the change as fast as I want. I will consider myself a failure if I cant get this done for them  but for now, all I can do is show them Im trying.
Anne Arundel County

The following incidents were reported by the Anne Arundel County police. For information, call 410-222-8050.

BALTIMORE AREA

VEHICLE CRASH

Ft. Smallwood and Sycamore roads, 3:36 a.m. Sept. 19. A Chevrolet Venture minivan traveling northbound on Fort Smallwood Road crossed the concrete median and jumped a curb and sidewalk in front of a gas station. The van struck several light poles and flipped before landing on its roof in the gas station parking lot. A passenger who was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle was taken to a trauma center for treatment of critical injuries. The driver suffered minor injuries. Police thought the main cause of the accident was the driver's failure to remain right of center. Alcohol and marijuana were contributing factors, police said. The driver was operating the vehicle on a suspended learners permit, police said.

SEVERNA PARK AREA

CARJACKING/ROBBERY

Ritchie Hwy., 600 block, 12:59 a.m. Sept. 17. A couple and two young children entered a taxi in a parking lot at a convenience store. The man and woman assaulted and robbed the driver of his cellphone and car keys, pushed the driver out of the vehicle and fled in the stolen taxi. The assailants were charged with carjacking, robbery, unlawful taking of motor vehicle, second-degree assault and disorderly conduct. Child Protective Services took custody of the children.

Annapolis

These were among incidents reported by the Annapolis Police Department. For information, call 410-268-9000.

ASSAULT

Tyler Ave., 1300 block, 10:45p.m. Sept. 20. A group of women assaulted another woman and fled before police arrived. The victim reported that one of the assailants punched her, knocking her to the ground, and that the group stomped on her head and body. The injured woman reported that the same group had assaulted her earlier in the evening, striking her with a baton and spraying her with mace. The woman was taken to a hospital and treated for injuries that were not life-threatening. Three Annapolis women were arrested and charged with first- and second-degree assault and reckless endangerment.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Lincoln Dr., 1900 block 5 p.m. Sept. 20 to 7:30 a.m. Sept. 21. Two work vans were entered by force, and power tools with more than $1,000 were stolen from each van.

Marcs Ct., unit block, 12:50 to 1 p.m. Sept. 20. A girls Razor Rura bicycle was stolen at a residence after a delivery person placed it near the front door of the home.

Northwest St., unit block., 1 p.m. Sept. 18 to 8:30 a.m. Sept. 19. A front window was smashed on a vehicle. Nothing was reported stolen.

State St., 300 block, Sept 7 to 15. An unknown person entered a residential garage and took a blue-and-green Trek Hybrid Bike. In its place, the assailant left a Huffy Ultima Mountain Bike. There was no sign of forced entry.

Howard County

These were among incidents reported by the Howard County Police Department. For information, call 410-313-2236.

COLUMBIA AREA

ASSAULT

Hildebrand Ct., 5400 block, 8:40 p.m. Sept. 21. Five adult acquaintances were reported to be fighting with each other. One person was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. One assailant was arrested; an investigation is ongoing.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Guilford Rd., 8600 block, Sept. 11 to Sept. 12. An attempt was made to pry open a safe at a business. Nothing was reported missing.

Jerrys Dr., 6100 block, 4:34 p.m. Sept. 14. A black-and-silver BMX bicycle was stolen from a garage.

Lynx Lane, 5400 block, 2:04 p.m. Sept. 14. Two men jumped over a counter at a pharmacy and fled with medication.

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS

Knighthood Lane, 7000 block, 12:54 a.m. Sept. 14. A 2007 gray Chevrolet Cobalt was stolen.

Sterrett Pl., 5500 block, 12;30 p.m. Sept. 12. A silver Mazda 5 was stolen.

ELKRIDGE AREA

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS

Keeton Rd., 8000 block, 6:59 a.m. Sept. 21. A 1992 white Honda Accord EX was stolen.

Washington Blvd., 6600 block, 7:22 a.m. Sept. 19. A 2000 gray Honda Civic was stolen.

ELLICOTT CITY AREA

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS

Duncan Dr., 5800 block, 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. Sept. 18. A bicycle was stolen from a residential garage.

INDECENT EXPOSURE

Queen Annes Lane, 10:16 a.m. Sept. 14. A man exposed himself at an office. A Laurel man, 31, was arrested and charged with indecent exposure.

SAVAGE AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Foundry St., 8600 block, Sept. 13 to 14. Cash was stolen from an office.

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS

Foxborough Dr., 8500 block, 3:04 p.m. Sept. 13. A blue Subaru was stolen.

LAUREL AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Center St., unit block, Sept. 16 to 19. A rear door of a vacant trailer was pried open at a business. A drill was stolen.

HANOVER AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Florey Rd., 5900 block, 7:54 a.m. Sept. 19. A crossbow was stolen from a vacant house. There was no sign of forced entry, but property damage was visible.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified Manassas City Public Schools executive director of finance and operations. He is Andy Hawkins.

An Arlington, Va. school bus idles in the driveway of Wakefield High School, demonstrating special cameras aimed at catching motorists who illegally pass school buses when their stop arms are deployed. Manassas City school buses are now equipped with a similar system. (Moriah Balingit/The Washington Post)

The Manassas City public school system has equipped its bus fleet with cameras aimed at catching motorists who illegally pass the buses as they load and unload young passengers, a violation school officials say poses serious danger to students.

The cameras, now on the school systems 60 buses, activate when the school bus deploys its stop arm. If a motorist passes the school bus while a stop arm is out, the camera will capture footage of the car. Police will review the footage and can send a summons, which comes with a $250 fine, to the drivers home.

School officials said bus drivers have long complained about motorists who illegally go around stopped buses, said Andy Hawkins, the districts executive director of finance and operations.

Weve had a lot of complaints from bus drivers in the community talking about the number of people who pass the school buses with the stop arm out, Hawkins said. Were just trying to add another layer of protection for our students.

The cameras are especially critical in Manassas City, where buses share arterial roads with a daily flood of fast-moving commuters, officials said. Several of our bus routes are on major thoroughfares, said Manassas Police Lt. Bill Hutchinson. Its extremely crowded with people traveling to and from Northern Virginia.

The camera systems are growing in popularity as school districts seek ways to deter motorists from endangering youths. School buses in Arlington, Falls Church and Montgomery County have stop-arm cameras.

[Passing a stopped school bus? Youre breaking the law, and on camera]

The problem appears to be on the rise in Maryland: A study estimated that the number of drivers illegally passing school buses was up 50 percent from the previous year. And the consequences are serious: A kindergartner in Roanoke was struck by a car while crossing the road to board a bus Monday, according to police and school officials. The girl was expected to survive, and the driver was cited for failing to stop for a school bus.

[Big jump in number of Maryland drivers who illegally pass school buses]

Arlington and Falls Church were forced to halt their programs last year after Virginias attorney general ruled that the citations had to be hand-delivered  rather than mailed  to drivers, which would have been too cumbersome. The law was changed earlier this year to allow police to mail the citations.

[School bus cameras will be back to catching dangerous drivers after change in law]

Without the cameras, police have had difficulty enforcing laws banning drivers from maneuvering around stopped buses. Even when an officer catches a motorist in the act, the officer also has to pass the school bus to pursue the violator, potentially putting students at risk.

The Manassas City Police Department, which administers the system, hopes to have it fully activated by mid-October. For the first month, police will issue warning tickets to violators.

The camera system in Manassas was installed by Force Multiplier Inc. and was free of charge to the school district. The company will collect 60 percent of fine revenue collected from bus camera citations, and the rest will go to the district.

The company also installed cameras in school buses that give school transportation officials a live view of the buses and panic buttons for drivers that will alert school transportation staff and police when there is a problem. The system also allows school transportation staff to deliver messages over buses public announcement systems remotely.
Md. Gov. Larry Hogan has said his Aug. 31 executive order to keep schools closed until after Labor Day  extending the summer break  would benefit families and the economy. (Jeffrey MacMillan/for The Washington Post)

The Maryland State Board of Education took a step toward giving school systems a way to seek waivers from Gov. Larry Hogans recent executive order mandating that public schools stay closed until after the Labor Day holiday.

The board voted unanimously Tuesday to ask state staff members to draft guidance that makes it clear to districts, charter schools and the public that the board intends, beginning immediately, to approve expeditiously requests for waivers from the calendar limits set by the executive order.

[A look at the measure approved by the Maryland State Board of Education]

Although the decision appeared to present a pathway for school systems to circumvent Hogans order, interpretations after the meeting varied about how far the measure went, how soon school systems could be granted waivers and whether there are legal limitations to the move.

Hogan (R) issued the order Aug. 31 in Ocean City, saying a longer summer break for the states public schools would benefit families and the economy. Under the order, schools must start after Labor Day and end by June 15 but also may seek waivers from the order based on compelling justification.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan signed an executive order stipulating that public schools in the state extend summer recess until after Labor Day beginning in 2017 and end school by June 15. (Video: WUSA9 / Photo: AP)

Doug Mayer, a spokesman for Hogan, said that regulations related to the order must precede the state boards approving any waiver requests, and that there appears to be confusion on the board that he hopes will be resolved soon. Such regulations could take months to develop.

Our office has been in touch with board president Andy Smarick and State Superintendent Karen Salmon, who both assured that the board in no way will approve waivers before regulations being submitted and approved, as the Executive Order directly requires, Mayer said in a statement.

The boards action involved waiver requests made while the regulatory process is underway, not only afterward, according to interviews with several board members and an audio recording of Tuesdays discussion. One member clarified that point before the vote, explaining that the regulatory process takes many months.

I dont think we can wait, board member Laura E. Weeldreyer said in an interview. I want them [school systems] to have choices to tailor their school calendars to the needs of their students and families.

Smarick said in an interview that he wanted to get the ball rolling, by getting a start on developing regulations and by giving more detail about waivers to school systems as they work to create academic calendars for 2017-2018.

We needed to get the regulation process going and give guidance to districts about what this regulation process is going to look like and what happens next, he said.

The board is seeking legal guidance about the boards waiver authority in advance of final regulations, Smarick said Wednesday.

[Could a late school start mean an end to spring break? Md. move could have consequences]

At the board meeting, discussion of Hogans order began with board Vice President S. James Gates Jr. expressing great distress that the independent board is being directed directly from the governors office. Although the governor is an important citizen, he said, that doesnt mean that we simply have to become a rubber stamp. And I think the process needs to be deliberative. If there are good educational reasons for this, then I think we should try to unearth those reasons. But the idea, for me, that this can be done by fiat, overriding our independence, is deeply and profoundly disturbing.

Nine members of the 12-member Maryland state board, including the student member, are Hogan appointees. Tuesdays motion was put forth by board member Chester E. Finn Jr., who was appointed by Hogan in 2015 and said he supports local control of calendar decisions.

Finn, president emeritus of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, wrote a blog item this month at odds with the Hogan order, saying he would expect to vote for every waiver thats requested so long as the school district shows educational justification. It ended: Sorry, Governor.

Finn said in an interview that if districts want to apply for waivers and can show an educational basis, it makes sense to consider their requests soon, as opposed to waiting until deep spring, when it would be unhelpful to those trying to figure out the next school year.

Some Maryland educators have said that the governors order could pose academic challenges and worsen summer slide, when students lose what they learned in the previous school year and need time to catch up in the fall. Research shows that disadvantaged students are hit especially hard by summer learning loss.

Finn said he thinks the extent of a childs learning time is a very important educational variable for school systems as they consider how to best educate students.

Maryland has way too many disadvantaged kids who are not achieving enough in school, and for those kids, an extended school year is an educational option that should certainly be available, he said.

Madhu Sidhu, a board member appointed in 2009 by former governor Martin OMalley (D), said the board intends to establish guidelines and consider waiver requests in the next few months.

Sidhu said she does not agree with the constraints on the school year that Hogans order imposes. We have to offer the schools the flexibility they need to do their jobs, she said. This squeezes them too much.

If she could choose, she said, the school year would be longer, not shorter.

Jennifer Jenkins contributed to this report.
At least one gunshot struck a charter school building Monday in the District, authorities said. There was no indication that the school was the target, and no injuries were reported.

The sound of gunshots was reported about 2:30 p.m. in the 4800 block of Benning Road SE, the D.C. police said.

One of the shots struck a building at the KIPP DC Benning Campus, a public charter school campus there, said Officer Sean Hickman, a police spokesman. A Facebook posting from KIPP said a classroom window was broken at the LEAP Academy at the site..

A KIPP representative in Washington said a few shots did hit the building, But the representative, Tom Clark, said the number was not clear.

The reason for the gunfire was not known.

After police arrived at the scene, KIPP said on Facebook, more shots were heard in the area.

As a result, students were temporarily brought back into the building until it was safe to dismiss them, KIPP said.

We know this is very troubling to our community and we will have additional police presence in response to this incident.  KIPP said.

An update to KIPPs original posting thanked parents for cooperation during this terrible incident.
A month after losing its chief of police, D.C. is losing the head of its Department of Corrections.

Thomas N. Faust, who was appointed director of the agency in 2011, said Tuesday that he will retire in November.

[D.C. inmates fall under Thomas Fausts jurisdiction, sooner and later]

Faust, an Arlington County native and former Arlington sheriff, will relocate to the west coast to focus on family and personal priorities, according to a statement from the department.

I am honored to have been able to lead the dedicated workforce of DCDOC and to have played a role in the rehabilitation of men and women returning to our neighborhoods and communities, Faust said in a statement. The work of DOC is critically important to putting residents on a pathway to the middle class.

Thomas N. Faust (D.C. Department of Corrections)

Faust enjoyed a reputation as somewhat of a progressive at the top of a troubled corrections system that had historically struggled with inmate suicides and overcrowding and was frequently the target of lawsuits. Officials say overcrowding is no longer a problem at the jail.

A persons punishment is being sent to jail, Faust told The Washington Post in 1991 before winning office in Arlington for the first time. Its not for me to punish them further once theyre there.

D.C.s relationship with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which started housing more D.C. inmates in 2001 after the closure of the Lorton prison complex, also limited his portfolio.

Were not a prison system, Faust told The Post in 2013. Were a jail system.

Fausts tenure wasnt without incident, however, including a controversy about video visitation after the elimination of face-to-face visits, as well as four suicides in less than 12 months a few years ago.

The Department of Corrections is also set to resume control next year of the Correctional Treatment Facility, an institution next to the D.C. Jail that houses women and juveniles, among other offenders. The facility is run by the Corrections Corporation of America, one of the companies affected by the Justice Departments recent announcement that it will no longer use private prisons to house federal inmates.

[Justice Department says it will end use of private prisons]

Local advocates for prisoners rights, some surprised by Fausts announcement, offered faint praise for his tenure.

We have nothing bad to say about Mr. Faust, said Louis Sawyer, head of the Reentry Task Force, an advocacy group that has criticized the citys efforts to smooth offenders transitions back into the community. He did what he could with what he had.

As Fausts replacement has not been named, others focused on the future.

Director Faust leaves the department at a time that it faces significant challenges, Deborah Golden, director of the D.C. Prisoners Rights Project, said in an email. The D.C. Jail is in disrepair, basic systems are failing.
A Maryland gun-control group began airing radio ads Tuesday criticizing Senate candidate Kathy Szeliga (R) for not supporting fingerprint-based licensing for handgun purchases, something her opponent, Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D), has long promoted.

The commercials from Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence are scheduled to run during peak commute times through Friday.

Szeliga, a delegate from Baltimore County and Marylands House minority whip, is airing her own commercial statewide on Fox News Channel. That ad will run for two weeks.

[In lopsided race, Szeliga tries to put Van Hollen on defense]



Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D) and state Del. Kathy Szeliga (R). (Linda Davidson/The Washington Post; Associated Press)

The gun-control commercial features Cynthia Bruce, a Baltimore mother of four who says she lost her youngest son to gunfire last year while he was sitting on a neighbors front porch in broad daylight. The case remains unsolved. Bruce says in the ad that 44 other people were killed in the city that same month  and 87 percent had been shot, according to a Baltimore Sun crime database.

We cannot go on this way, Bruce says.

A narrator then explains that Szeliga opposed a bill that the states Democratic-majority legislature passed in 2013 to require fingerprinting for handgun purchasers, and that Van Hollen has introduced a measure in Congress that would provide financial incentives for other states to adopt similar legislation.

Advocates say such measures help reduce firearm homicides and prevent guns from flowing from states with less-restrictive purchasing guidelines into the hands of criminals in states that have tougher regulations.

Gun-rights advocates contend that such requirements restrict the constitutional right to bear arms while doing little to block criminals from obtaining weapons illegally.

A 2013 Washington Post poll found that Marylanders overwhelmingly supported tougher national gun laws, with 63 percent saying they favored such measures, compared with 34 percent who said they opposed them.

Szeliga met last month with gun-control advocates and family members of shooting victims at a gathering organized by Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence.

The Republican declined to back stricter gun regulations, but told the group that she supports tougher enforcement of existing laws. Afterward, she touted her willingness to meet with all Marylanders, whether we agree on every issue or not.

[Szeliga sticks to her guns in opposing stricter firearms laws]

Szeligas television ad accuses Van Hollen of being a Washington insider whose campaign is bankrolled by special-interest groups.

I have never worked in D.C., and I have way less money, she says, promising that she would change the culture in Washington if elected in November.

Van Hollens campaign has not run campaign ads since the Democratic primary.

A Goucher College poll last month showed the congressman far ahead of Szeliga in the Senate race, with 55 percent of likely Maryland voters planning to cast their ballots for him, compared with 26 percent for his opponent.
When the National Transportation Safety Board issues its preliminary report  possibly as early as next week  on the probable cause of the deadly explosion and fire at the Flower Branch Apartments, living conditions in the Silver Spring complex are unlikely to play a major role.

But they were a recurring theme at a three-hour Montgomery County Council hearing Tuesday on the natural gas-fed inferno that killed seven, injured 39 and left 63 families homeless. The August 10 disaster on Arliss Street has triggered a debate over how often the countys 67,000 apartments should be inspected  especially those in buildings with histories of housing code violations.

At the hearing, several council members pressed housing director, Clarence Snuggs, whose department handles code enforcement, for a more robust inspection system.

[Residents describe poor treatment by management before and after fire]

Apartment buildings are inspected triennially. Officials have the option of sampling anywhere from 10 to 100 percent of the units in a building, depending on its age and overall condition.

In three rounds of inspection since 2007, every unit at Flower Branch was examined. Records show repeated findings of mice, roaches, bed bugs, mold from water damage and other problems.

The most recent inspections, in 2013, identified more than 400 violations in the 362-apartment community. In 2010 inspectors spotted 698 violations. According to housing department data, all of the conditions were eventually corrected. Landlords who do not address violations can be taken to court and fined.

Council member Tom Hucker (D-Silver Spring), whose district includes the predominantly Latino Long Branch neighborhood where the apartments are located, told Snuggs that more frequent inspections seemed essential.

Dont you look at this and think this is an apartment building thats aging and has persistent violations and should be inspected every year or two years? he asked.

Snuggs pointed out that not all of the violations found at the complex were life-threatening. But he said his department is looking at our strategy on how to focus on issues like this.

[Couple killed in blast built business with eye toward return to Nicaragua]

Kay Management, owner of Flower Branch, moved some displaced tenants into nearby Northwest Park, another building the company owns. Recent inspection records found about 2,200 violations in the 800-unit complex  many of the same kind that were found in Flower Branch.

So the traumatized individuals from Flower Branch, some of them were relocated there? Hucker asked.

Snuggs said it was a leap to assume that Flower Branch victims were moved into apartments that had code issues.

Kay president Clark Melillo has disputed claims of poor conditions, describing the county citations as terribly small and quickly corrected.

Records show relatively few tenant complaints in the years between triennial inspections. Advocates say this is a sign that residents, primarily the immigrant working poor, are reluctant to reach out for assistance because of possible reprisals from landlords.

A bill to overhaul landlord-tenant relations, sponsored by council member Marc Elrich (D-At Large), originally included a provision requiring annual inspection of all apartments, a proposal rejected by Snuggs as costly and unnecessary.

Elrich now advocates an inspection surge, in which officials would eyeball all apartments over a period of one to two years before deciding which buildings warrant annual visits.

We cannot make a rational decision right now about who goes on what schedule, Elrich said. His bill would also allow tenants to make repairs and deduct the cost from their rent if landlords are unresponsive. The measure is currently before the councils planning, housing and economic development committee.

Snuggs said after the hearing that he was still working on his own proposal for the committee. He called the situation very much evolving and dynamic.

[Immigrant working poor scuffle to find affordable rental housing]

The NTSB, usually in the public eye for investigations of air and railway crashes, also probes the origins of explosions involving pipelines that are under federal regulation. In this case, that means service lines operated by Washington Gas.

Paul Sledzik, NTSB deputy director for safety recommendations and communications, told the council Tuesday that a preliminary report would probably be available within the next week or so.

While the inquiry is still ongoing, Sledzik said, tests showed no evidence of leaks in the Washington Gas service line that runs underground and extends about a foot inside the building. The remainder of the line inside the apartment building, up to and including meters and regulators, was damaged by the explosion and could not be tested. Pieces of the regulators are under laboratory study, Sledzik said.

Lines that run beyond the meters into individual apartments are the responsibility of building management. All new installation of plumbing from the meter to inside the apartments is supposed to be inspected by WSSC.
Pakistan approached the International Court of Justice over implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty, with senior Pakistani officials taking up the matter with the World Bank.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Pakistan on Tuesday approached the International Court of Justice over implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty, with senior Pakistani officials taking up the matter with the World Bank.

Attorney General for Pakistan, Ashtar Ausaf Ali along with a delegation met senior officials of the World Bank at their headquarters in Washington to dicsuss the nation's next move concerning Indus Waters Treaty. The meet to further access Pakistan's recent request for Arbitration given to India pursuant to Article IX of the Indus Waters Treaty, 1960, reported Geo News.

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ALSO READ: Pakistan says India can't suspend Indus Waters Treaty unilaterally



On August 19, Pakistan formally requested India for settlement of outstanding disputes pertaining to India's construction of Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants on rivers Neelum and Chenab respectively, by referring the matters to the Court of Arbitration as provided in Article IX of the Treaty. Under the Treaty, the World Bank has an important role in establishment of the Court of Arbitration by facilitating the process of appointment of three judges, called Umpires, to the Court, while each country appoints two arbitrators.

Pakistani officials met senior Officials of the World Bank to insist on early appointment of the judges and empanelment the court.

ALSO READ: Uri attack: India killed Indians, says Pakistan's Defence Minister



A POSSIBLE ACT OF WAR

The move comes as Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs and Security, Sartaj Aziz said that an attempt by India to block Pakistan's water could be considered an act of war.

Speaking on the National Assembly floor, Aziz said China would get justification to block Indian water if New Delhi did the same to Pakistan.

Aziz briefed lawmakers on the Indus Water Treaty starting that international law prohibits Indian from unilaterally changing the treaty. He said the treaty was not even suspended during Kargil and Siachen wars.

On Monday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met officials to review provisions of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan and to increase India's use of the river waters During the meeting Modi was quoted as saying "water and blood can't flow at the same time".

The Indus Waters Treaty, 1960 was negotiated by India and Pakistan under the auspices of the World Bank, and gives India complete rights to usage of waters of the Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Chenab, and Beas) and Pakistan rights over Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) with limited allowance of use of water by India from the western rivers for purposes of, among others, power generation.

The Treaty provides specific design criteria for any hydro-electric power plants to be built by India. Pakistan has held the position the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants violate the design parameters of the Treaty, said Geo.

--- ENDS ---

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Howard County Sheriff James F. Fitzgerald is in the hot seat after a county investigation found evidence he discriminated against a former staff member. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun)

When Money Magazine named Columbia, Md., the best place to live in America earlier this month, it splashed a glossy photo of a smiling local black family on its cover. Why we love it, the publication gushed: A planned community that prizes economic and social diversity.

Before the issue could even hit newsstands, however, another report threatened to paint a very different picture of the place.

Black sheriffs deputies are not too smart, but they get the job done.

Theres no watermelon there for you!

Are you getting the chicken special?

Residents demand Howard Coutny Sheriff James F. Fitzgerald resign after the release of a report documenting more than five years of alleged bullying and discrimination. (Algerina Perna/Baltimore Sun)

These are a few of the negative comments, gestures, and/or derogatory epithets against African-Americans allegedly made by Howard County Sheriff James F. Fitzgerald, according to an investigation by the countys Office of Human Rights. The report also detailed sexist and anti-Semitic remarks by Fitzgerald, who allegedly referred to former county executive Ken Ulman (D) as little Kenny Jew-boy.

The report has shaken a community renowned for its racial tolerance and inclusivity. Protesters have twice picketed outside the sheriffs office since the report was released last week. Elected officials across the political spectrum have called for Fitzgerald, a Democrat, to step down.

[See the 48-page report]

We really pride ourselves on being a place were we dont just tolerate diversity, we celebrate it, explained County Council Chairman Calvin Ball (D-East Columbia), who is black. When I heard that kind of racially insensitive, disrespectful and intolerant language, it just sent a chill down my spine.

So far, the sheriff has ignored calls for his resignation  and refused to answer the phone, according to several officials who have tried to reach him. An awkward standoff has ensued: Under Maryland law, elected officials cannot be recalled but must be removed if convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude. On Thursday, County Executive Allan H. Kittleman (R) sent a letter to state lawmakers asking them to investigate whether Fitzgerald can be impeached.

Fitzgerald, who is serving his third term, declined to comment. Speaking to investigators, however, he denied the allegations, arguing he had increased diversity and helped bring the sheriffs office into the 21st century. He wasnt a bigot, he said, but rather just a loud New Yorker.

The controversy comes at a time of intense nationwide debate over race and policing. During Monday nights presidential debate, Donald Trump  another loud New Yorker  extolled stop-and-frisk policies that have been ruled unconstitutional. And his opponent, Hillary Clinton, suggested that implicit bias may have played a role in police shootings of black men across the country.

In Howard County, the sheriffs office primarily acts as an arm of the court system, transporting prisoners and issuing summons. The police department handles most law enforcement.

But Renee Grant, a black small-business owner who attended last weeks protest, said she was worried Fitzgeralds attitude on race had spread down the ranks. She feared an officer would end up pulling a trigger because of the bias that he is spreading.

An investigation may be needed of the whole department, said David S. Steele, president of the Howard County branch of the NAACP. The climate right now as a direct result of this report is very tense.

Howard County is an unlikely place for racial turmoil.

[Racial turmoil in Marylands Friendliest Town after black police chief is fired]

When I first moved here, I said, Oh wow, this is like a utopian society: Its so diverse and everybody gets along,  said Rev. Janelle Bruce, of St. John Baptist Church in Columbia, who organized a protest Monday outside Fitzgeralds office. But this shows we have issues like other places.

To call Columbia a utopian experiment is no exaggeration. In the early 1960s, James W. Rouse, a self-made millionaire developer often credited with inventing the shopping mall, secretly bought up 15,000 acres of farmland between Baltimore and Washington. In 1963, he unveiled his plan for a diverse, integrated and self-sustaining city of 100,000 people.

My parents moved to Columbia because of James Rouses vision of a place that embraced diversity, acceptance and opportunity for everyone, said Ulman, who was born and raised in the city.

A half-century later, Columbia is often cited as an urban planning success story. It ranks in the top 5 percent of the 823 places on this years list for job growth and economic opportunity, wrote Money Magazine in its best places to live issue, which also lauded its relatively affordable housing prices and dedication to community building.

That sense of community is now being tested by the scathing report issued Sept. 1 by the countys Office of Human Rights.

The investigation stemmed from complaints made by one of Fitzgeralds employees. Lt. Charles Gable, a white, 64-year-old officer with 18 years on the force, claimed he had been punished for refusing to support the sheriff in his 2010 reelection campaign. Gable said Fitzgerald made him work nights and weekends for years and subjected him to verbally abusive tirades so fierce that he was eventually diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

He has become the poster child for bigotry, bullying and temper tantrums, Gable told investigators. The venom that spews from this mans mouth is abhorrent. I could no longer work for this man.

The human rights report, however, went beyond Gables case. Over the course of nearly a year, investigator Cheryl M. Brower interviewed 35 current and former employees as well as several civilians who described unpleasant interactions with Fitzgerald.

The 48-page report accused Fitzgerald of disparaging the intelligence of black deputies, using racist gestures and often describing African Americans as N----rs.  Fitzgerald also allegedly made derogatory comments about womens breasts and Jewish people.

Ive got really thick skin after serving in office for 12 years, said Ulman, an unsuccessful candidate for lieutenant governor in 2014 who learned of the alleged Jew-boy insult when his phone began buzzing with texts during a class he teaches at the University of Maryland.

To me, he said, its more a reflection on how much work we still have to do as a society: the fact that in the year 2016, somebody in a position of power and authority thinks that way, let alone lets those thoughts come out of their mouth.

Protesters and public officials are hoping continued pressure will force Fitzgerald to step down.

Few people are as personally invested in the outcome as Ball, the council chairman. After all, that beaming black family on the cover of Money Magazine is his.

This post has been updated.
A Syrian refugee living in Germany helped pass money to extortionist hackers in his home country, he admitted Wednesday in a U.S. court.

Peter Romar, 37, was part of a group calling itself the Syrian Electronic Army. He pleaded guilty in Alexandria, Va., federal court to conspiring to receive extortion proceeds and conspiring to unlawfully access computers.

The SEA has been sabotaging computers in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since at least 2011, according to U.S. officials. Romars alleged co-conspirators Ahmad Umar Agha and Firas Dardar are still at large, believed to be in Syria. Both are on the FBIs list of Most Wanted cybercriminals.

Dardar was behind the extortion plot, according to prosecutors. He would take over a companys computer systems and demand a ransom payment to stop causing havoc. If a victim was blocked from sending money through Syria, the funds would be routed through Romar in Germany.

Agha and Dardar are separately accused of attacking U.S. companies and institutions that include Harvard University, The Washington Post, the White House, USA Today, NASA and Microsoft. Using emails designed to look as though they came from a trusted source, the pair would allegedly gain access to websites and social media accounts and deface them with pro-Assad messages.

Theres no evidence that Romar himself profited from the scheme, and court documents show that he refused Dardars offer of payment.

He gained no money for himself, defense attorney Geremy Kamens said in court Wednesday. He used his own name; he did not hide anything.

Kamens said that Romars parents and brothers have all been killed in the fighting in his home city of Alleppo. The defense attorney lobbied to have Romar sentenced immediately so that he could return to Germany, where his wife is battling brain cancer.

Judge Claude M. Hilton refused that request, saying the companies victimized had the right to be heard at sentencing. Romar has agreed to pay restitution to those firms.

Federal guidelines in the case call for a sentence of six to 12 months of incarceration, far below what other hackers pursued by Alexandria federal prosecutors have received. For example, a hacker from Kosovo who sent a list of private information about U.S. military and government personnel to the Islamic State was sentenced last week to 20 years in prison. The Romanian hacker known as Guccifer was given a four-year sentence earlier this month.

Arrested in March and extradited to the United States in May, Romar has already been imprisoned for about six months.
Pedestrians pass by a 'parklet', a mini-park created by extending existing sidewalk into a parking spot, on K Street in downtown Washington in this file photo. (Amanda Voisard/For the Washington Post)

Few topics can spoil polite conversation as swiftly as politics, religion and off-street parking. In a gentrifying city such as Washington, new housing means new residents means more cars  and pointed questions from natives on where all of those cars will go.

Now, in a policy paper released Monday, the White House has taken a side, coming down against rules across the nation that require developers to build parking spots.

[Cities should take back their parking spaces]

Parking requirements generally impose an undue burden on housing development, particularly for transit-oriented or affordable housing, the paper states. When transit-oriented developments are intended to help reduce automobile dependence, parking requirements can undermine that goal by inducing new residents to drive, thereby counteracting city goals for increased use of public transit, walking and biking.

The anti-parking stance came from a Housing Development Toolkit, a broadside against zoning. The report says zoning reduced the ability of many housing markets to respond to growing demand, making affordable housing hard to find in high-price areas.

Nixing off-street parking is not the papers only recommendation. It also advocates taxing vacant land, making it easier to get permits and making cities more dense.

NIMBYs have got to go, the paper states.

Yes, in our backyard, we need to break down the rules that stand in the way of building new housing, it says.

We want new development to replace vacant lots and rundown zombie properties, we want our children to be able to afford their first home, we want hard-working families to be able to take the next job on their ladder of opportunity, and we want our community to be part of the solution in reducing income inequality, it states.

[D.C.s plan to make it even harder for you to find a place to park]

The paper, which points out that Washington saw a 31 percent increase in family homelessness last year amid a 14 percent increase in homelessness overall, is not silent on the D.C. region. It praises Fairfax Countys flexible zoning for encouraging economic development.

These more flexible zoning regulations include 40-50 foot increases in building height, parking requirement reductions, and abbreviated fees and approval processes for development changes, it reads.

This was the policy paper many urban planners have been waiting for.

This is an amazing document, Jeff Speck, a city planner and the author of

Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time, wrote in an email. It gets just about everything right.

Speck, a former D.C. resident, praised the papers endorsement of density and accessory dwelling units, also known as backyard cottages or granny flats.

Offering U Street, where he owns a property, as an example, Speck said new residents should not be able to get resident-only parking permits the city previously offered.

Particularly in cities where alternatives to driving exist, on-site parking is a build-it-and-they-will-come phenomenon, Speck wrote. If a building has parking spaces, people show up with cars. If it doesnt, people show up without them.

[The problem with too much parking]

Stewart Schwartz, executive director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, a nonprofit that promotes walkable communities, said debates about density and parking were endemic to the region, often pitting longtime residents against new arrivals.

Its a battle in every neighborhood, Schwartz said, citing the fight over Georgetown Day School development in Tenleytown and the communities not canyons debate over the height of planned buildings in downtown Bethesda.

Dennis Williams, a Tenleytown resident who spoke out last year against the Georgetown Day development, said that he was not familiar with the White House paper but that his community is concerned about height and density.

Other kinds of housing and building high-rise buildings close to residential areas reduces the quality of the environment around which we live and in which people raise their families, he said.

The White House paper is novel for pushing a philosophy the Obama administration is not known for: deregulation.

Economic insights are finally creeping into the administration, and thats a good thing, said Sanford Ikeda, a professor of economics at the State University of New York at Purchase whose work is cited in the paper.

The Districts Office of Planning has proposed doing away with parking requirements for new construction in the past. Office director Eric Shaw said Wednesday the city already has implemented most of the suggestions in the White House paper.

Our commitment is to use every tool at our disposal to preserve, produce, and protect affordable housing so that every resident in the District can afford a place to call home, he said a statement.
In a meeting chaired with top officials, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today said that India could not take any unilateral decision on the Indus Waters Treaty.

By Anil Kumar: Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif chaired a meeting attended by Federal Minister for Interior Ch. Nisar Ali, Minister for Finance Mr. Ishaq Dar, COAS General Raheel Sharif, National Security Advisor General (R) Nasir Janjua, Foreign secretary and DGMO among other senior civil and military officials.

Sharif said that the Indus Water Treaty was a mutually-agreed arrangement between India and Pakistan brokered by the World Bank in 1960 and no one country could unilaterally separate itself from the treaty.



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Also read: Pakistan moves International Court of Justice as India reviews Indus Waters Treaty



PAK ARMED FORCES PREPARED

Other matters pertaining to national and regional security were reviewed in the meeting. The participants expressed satisfaction over the preparedness of the Armed Forces to defend the territorial integrity of Pakistan.

The meeting expressed concern on the increase in systematic human rights violations in Indian-held Kashmir and condemned the brutal use of force by the Indian security forces.Also read: Indus Waters Treaty: Blood and water can't flow together, says PM Modi



Sharif said that the world was a witness to the fact that Pakistan had given several sacrifices for global peace and shown unprecedented restraint despite great provocation. Pakistan would continue to strive for a peaceful South Asia to enable its people progress and prosper in the 21st century, he added. It was agreed in the meeting that Pakistan was fully capable of meeting any internal or external security threat with the resolve of its people and valiant armed forces.

OPPRESSED KASHMIRIS DESERVE PAK'S SUPPORT



The Pak PM reiterated that violence on Kashmiris for their right to self-determination, promised by UNSC resolutions, would never be tolerated and the oppressed Kashmiris deserved not only Pakistan's support but also the support of the entire world. Pakistan would continue to extend its moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiris until the issue of Kashmir was resolved as per their aspirations, he said.

--- ENDS ---
An Anderson County sheriff's deputy stands outside of Townville Elementary School after a shooting in Townville, South Carolina, September 28, 2016. (Reuters)

SOUTH CAROLINA

3 wounded in shooting at elementary school

A teenager with a handgun opened fire at an elementary school in South Carolina on Wednesday afternoon, injuring three people, shortly after authorities found his father shot to death in a home nearby.

Police said the teenager, whom they did not identify, shot two male students and a female teacher at Townville Elementary School, about 40 miles west of Greenville, S.C., before being quickly taken into custody by authorities.

One of the students was shot in the leg and the other in the foot, while the teacher was struck in the shoulder, said Capt. Garland Major of the Anderson County Sheriffs Office.

Reports said both students were 6 years old. One of them was thought to be in critical condition.

After the attacker began shooting, volunteer firefighter Jamie Brock pinned him down while staff led children to safety inside the building, Reuters reported.

Police arrived within seven minutes of a teacher calling 911 and took the suspect into custody.

The shooter never entered the building.

According to Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore, a 47-year-old man was found dead in a home about two miles from the school.

 Mark Berman

and Justin Campbell

HEALTH

Patients can sue nursing homes

The Obama administration is issuing new nursing home standards that reverse a long-standing industry practice and preserve the rights of patients to sue in cases of abuse or neglect.

Many nursing homes require patients seeking admission to first agree to resolve disputes through binding arbitration, relinquishing the court system.

The industry argued that arbitration  done properly  can keep costs down for all patients by avoiding large jury awards. Consumer advocates and trial lawyers countered that requiring such agreements as a condition of admission coerced vulnerable patients and families into signing away their rights.

Effective Nov. 28, the requirement is part of the first major rewrite of nursing home rules in 25 years.

 Associated Press

WEST VIRGINIA

Report: Chemical spill was preventable

A 2014 chemical spill into the water supply of 300,000 West Virginians could have been avoided if a company had inspected its storage tanks and saw two tiny holes forming at the bottom, federal investigators said Wednesday.

Almost three years after the spill, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board released a draft report on the January 2014 leak from Freedom Industries. The spill prevented the capital city and surrounding areas from using their tap water for several days. Businesses were temporarily shut down and hundreds of people headed to emergency rooms for issues from nausea to rashes.

The disaster quickly led to a state law requiring more inspections and registrations of aboveground storage tanks. It spurred Freedoms bankruptcy and resulted in 30-day prison sentences for two company officials on federal pollution charges, and fines and probation for four others.

My message here today is what happened in Charleston was preventable, Chemical Safety Board Chairwoman Vanessa Allen Sutherland said at a news conference in Charleston. The board discussed the 125-page report Wednesday evening at a public meeting in Charleston.

 Associated Press
Michael Vickers was undersecretary of defense for intelligence from 2011 to 2015 and assistant secretary of defense for special operations, low-intensity conflict and interdependent capabilities from 2007 to 2011. Michael Morell was deputy director of the CIA from 2010 to 2013, and twice served as acting director during that time. They have both endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton for president.

Donald Trump showed again during Mondays presidential debate the many ways in which he is unfit to be president. But nowhere did he reveal himself to be as temperamentally unfit, unserious, unprepared and incoherent as he did on the topic of national security.

Trump continued to question the global alliance system that has served U.S. national security interests so well since World War II. He continues to see our relationships with our closest allies and partners solely in terms of cost  who is paying how much of the bill. He does not see all the benefits that have accrued to the United States from this system, including the stability of Europe and East Asia that has made this a more secure and prosperous nation.

Trump spoke off the cuff about the most important responsibility of our commander in chief: U.S. nuclear weapons policy. Apparently unaware of the meaning of the words, he first said he believed in no first use of nuclear weapons, then contradicted himself by saying he would keep his options open as president. One of us (Michael Vickers) had oversight for U.S. nuclear weapons policy during the George W. Bush administration, and we can say unequivocally that absolute clarity is critical to the strength of our nuclear deterrent. And these comments come on top of Trumps already-reckless pattern of remarks on allowing more countries to obtain nuclear weapons and the potential scenarios in which he would consider using such weapons.

Trump failed to articulate a plan to defeat the Islamic State, and he baldly lied about initially opposing the Iraq War. He continued his silly argument that to talk about his plan would give away secrets to the enemy. Nonsense. As two people who fought terrorists for almost two decades, we can assure Trump that offering the broad outlines of a policy gives nothing away. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.) , the talented chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, just produced a thoughtful, nonpartisan policy paper on dealing with terrorism and protecting the homeland. Does Trump think that paper, produced by a fellow Republican, gives away secrets? We do not.

Trump has repeatedly claimed on the campaign trail, as he did again Monday night, that the United States would have prevented the emergence of the Islamic State if we had taken the oil in the aftermath of the Iraq War. Trump is apparently unaware that the terrorist group got its oil from fields in Syria, not Iraq. Trump likewise dubiously asserted that had the United States maintained 10,000 troops in Iraq after 2011  against the wishes of the Iraqi government  it would have prevented the Islamic State from becoming a threat. Again, Trump is seemingly unaware of the facts. The Islamic States most rapid growth occurred when it crossed the border into Syria, where most of its forces remain today.

And Trump was not serious when he was discussing one of the most significant threats of our time: cyber. In discussing Russias possible involvement in the recent hack of the Democratic National Committee, he posited that a 400-pound person sitting on a bed could have been responsible. It is highly unlikely that a lone hacker conducted this attack. Trump did not want to admit that the most likely culprit was Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom Trump actually encouraged to conduct cyber espionage against his opponent, Hillary Clinton.

As bad as he was on the issues, Trump was even worse on temperament and style. He was clearly not prepared for the debate, rambling through answers with many digressions that had nothing to do with what he was asked or even the point he was trying to make. A commander in chief needs many qualities, and one of them is being prepared. If Donald Trump thinks preparation is overrated and that a seat-of-the-pants approach makes sense for the most important debate of his life, why do we think he would treat meetings in the White House Situation Room any differently?
By Seemi Pasha: As chorus against Pakistan builds in South Asia with India, Bhutan, Nepal, Afghanistan and Bangladesh opting out of the SAARC summit, slated to be held in Islamabad, Bangladesh High Commissioner Syed Muazzem Ali says recent developments had left no option before the Sheikh Hasina government. The high commissioner spoke to India Today's Seemi Pasha. Here's an excerpt.

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Q: The Indian prime minister has decided to not attend the saarc summit after the URI attack left 18 soldiers dead, Bangladesh too has decided to give the meet a miss. what reason has Dhaka cited for the move?

A: Bangladesh has time and again asked Pakistan to not interfere in its internal matters but Pakistan has continued to do so particularly in the trail of war criminals in our country. They had questioned the judicial process in the country and had questioned our military as well. India had sent Rajnath Singh for the Home Ministers meet but we did not send our minister. We sent an official from the ministry. Our Finance Minister too gave the SAARC finance ministers meeting a miss. After the Uri incident, the situation in South Asia is not conducive to holding the SAARC summit and it wouldn't have produced any concrete results.



SAARC summit: Bhutan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh join India in boycott; Pakistan isolated



Q: Bangladesh itself has been a victim of Pakistan sponsored terror and has suffered because of it- can you share instances where Dhaka communicated it's concerns to Islamabad and got an unsatisfactory response?

A: We too have been victims of Pakistan sponsored terror. Pakistan is helping home grown terror groups in our country...sometimes even providing them with arms and ammunition. Even though Pakistan is creating problems in the west, Bangladesh is going ahead with its sub-regional integration with Bhutan, Nepal and India. We have recently signed a motor vehicle agreement and soon there will be frequent movement of trucks within these countries.

Q: India is using a three pronged strategy to corner Pakistan. We're also planning to approach the WTO about Pak not reciprocating the most favorited nation status granted to it by India. Is Dhaka also looking at revising trade ties with Islamabad?

A: Bangladesh-Pakistan trade and economic relations are currently under review and basically the UN general assembly session is on and we're in talks with other stake holders to decide what action to take against Pakistan.

Q: Pakistan is looking at being isolated in the subcontinent. How do you think the Nawaz Govt will respond to such a stern message?

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A: SAARC summit requires the presence of all heads of state. If four countries aren't attending the summit cannot take place. This is a clear message to Pakistan. It's time for it to wake up. Denial mode will not help Pakistan anymore.

--- ENDS ---
THE PRESIDENTIAL debate Monday did not absorb just Americans; it was closely followed by adversaries and allies of the United States across the globe. Many of the latter will have new cause for alarm as they reflect on a string of ignorant misstatements and irresponsible assertions by Donald Trump.

Start with Japan, the closest U.S. ally in Asia, bound to Washington by a mutual defense treaty. Mr. Trump declared: We cant defend Japan because they do not pay us. That will be news in Tokyo, which annually budgets some $4 billion to cover the costs of American bases  so much that some analysts estimate it is cheaper to keep 54,000 military personnel in Japan than it would be to return them to the United States. Thats not to speak of the contribution Japan makes to defending vital U.S. interests, such as checking aggression by China and North Korea. The government of Shinzo Abe recently fought to modify the constitution so as to make deeper defense cooperation with the United States possible. Yet Mr. Trump suggests that his administration would not continue this vital alliance because were losing a fortune.

The same goes for the NATO alliance, which has kept democratic Europe secure for 65 years. Mr. Trump made some cavalier comments about an obsolete transatlantic alliance earlier this year, at a time when, as he conceded Monday, he hadnt given lots of thought to NATO. Remarkably, with six weeks to go until the presidential election, he seems to have done no more thinking, or learning. He said NATO countries should at least be paying us what they are supposed to be paying by treaty and contract. But there are no such treaties or contracts; NATO is a mutual defense pact.

Mr. Trump also claimed that after he said that NATO should devote itself to terrorism, it set up a major terror division. (He said he learned this from a newspaper article.) Could he really be unaware, as Hillary Clinton pointed out, that the only time NATOs mutual defense article has been invoked was after Sept. 11, 2001, and that NATO has been fighting terrorism in Afghanistan ever since? Apparently so.

The GOP candidates flights of fancy must have prompted some amusement as well as alarm in foreign capitals. Take his assertion that the Iranian nuclear deal should have required Tehran to do something with respect to North Korea and its nuclear arsenal because Iran has power over North Korea. Or consider Mr. Trumps claim that had we taken the oil . . . ISIS would not have been able to form . . . because oil was their primary source of income. But the Islamic State obtained the majority of its oil from Syria. Is Mr. Trump saying that the United States should have invaded that country to seize its wells?

Unfortunately, Mr. Trumps ludicrous assertions have serious implications. As Ms. Clinton put it, words matter when you run for president. She added, I want to reassure our allies in Japan and South Korea and elsewhere that we have mutual defense treaties and we will honor them. No doubt U.S. allies will be comforted if she wins in November. Between now and then, like a lot of Americans, they will fear for their future.
AS CHINAS economy mushroomed in recent decades, outsiders often pointed out the need to establish rule of law, giving investors and business executives, both at home and abroad, a reliable set of rules upon which to make decisions. In a democratic system, rule of law also provides a guarantee that no one, not even the highest officials, are above the law. China does have a system of courts and judges, but it was shown last week, once again, that it does not have rule of law, and in some ways rule of law is slipping further away under President Xi Jinping.

The most recent example was the sentencing Sept. 22 of a human rights lawyer, Xia Lin, on trumped-up charges. Human rights lawyers are at the tip of the spear in the battle over rule of law  they often defend people who are wronged or hurt by the state. Now, they are being systematically persecuted and silenced. Mr. Xia, a 46-year-old lawyer whose clients have included dissident artist Ai Weiwei and free-speech champion Pu Zhiqiang, was convicted of fraud and given 12 years in prison, the harshest sentence to date in the crackdown on lawyers. His supporters denounced the conviction and sentence as a blatant political effort to punish him for his professional activities and send a message to others who dare champion human rights and challenge the Communist Partys monopoly on power.

Mr. Xia was detained Nov. 8, 2014, after working to defend an advocate of democracy in Hong Kong. He was charged with fraud more than a year later, accused of swindling people out of money and using it to pay gambling debts, which he vigorously denied. According to his lawyers, the supposed victims of the fraud never complained, nor was evidence of gambling debts presented in court. This is how it works in Chinas authoritarian system  justice is dictated from above.

After a surge of arrests of activists and lawyers last summer, more than a dozen remain behind bars. As The Posts Simon Denyer reported, a first batch of four went on trial last month and were given sentences ranging from 7 years to a suspended three-year prison term, all shown on television making humiliating public confessions, renouncing their own actions and warning against hostile foreign forces and subversive ideas, such as human rights and democracy. Another prominent lawyer, Wang Yu, had been held for more than a year on subversion charges and remains under tight surveillance similar to house arrest, according to Radio Free Asia.

Since Maos time, China has treated dissent with brute force and dissenters without mercy. Those who believed that economic modernization might bring China closer to rule of law had reason to hope  but those expectations look increasingly misplaced under Mr. Xi. He is charting an intolerant and illiberal course, forcing the news media to become ever more obedient to the party, straitjacketing independent nongovernmental organizations and preferring rule by the few over rule of law.
WITH THE passing of Shimon Peres, who died Wednesday at age 93, Israel suffers the loss of a lion, the last of the founding generation of leaders. Mr. Peres came to Palestine from a village in what is now Belarus when he was 12. He became a young kibbutznik, a lieutenant to founding father David Ben-Gurion, a Knesset member, a deputy defense minister, an acting prime minister, and minister of defense, foreign affairs, transportation, communications, immigrant absorption, information and finance. He was twice prime minister and, near the end, the nations president. Through a career that spanned this tumultuous period  through years of siege, bloodshed and building a nation  Mr. Peres never abandoned hope that, with enough sweat and tears, Israel would live in peace.

The young Shimon Persky once described the Jewish world of his birth as similar to a voyage in a subway train  you travel underground, you dont see the scenery, and nobody sees you in the train. Nevertheless, with an eloquent tongue and quick mind, he excelled in school. He arrived in Palestine in 1935 pale and introverted, but within a few years had heartily embraced the Labor movement. He worked the land at a youth village, impressing friends with a fondness for literature and history that was, at times, otherworldly. One friend told biographer Michael Bar-Zohar that when he spoke to us we felt as if we were right now in London and had met Churchill an hour before.

Mr. Peres did not fight in the trenches in Israels war of independence, but rather scoured the world for arms, often working in an office separated only by a sheet of plywood from Ben-Gurion. Later, he helped found Israels aircraft industry and, using tortuous and sometimes illegal methods  because no one would sell weapons to Israel openly  he snapped up tanks, aircraft, torpedo boats and spare parts. He opened the doors for Israel to the French arms industry in the 1950s. This was followed by an even more spectacular and secret achievement, the creation of the Israeli atomic bomb, an unstated but powerful deterrent.

Mr. Peres was a security hawk at a time when Israels enemies were its Arab neighbors. But the dynamic changed somewhat after Israel made peace with Egypt in the Camp David Accords of 1979. When the Palestinian uprising broke out in 1987, Mr. Peres realized that, while the Palestinians were not an existential threat, Israel would never live in peace without settling with them. Mr. Peres had been shrewd, secretive and scheming in politics, but he and his longtime rival, Yitzhak Rabin, made a fateful decision to work together upon returning to power in 1992. The next year, a surprising back-channel negotiation with the Palestine Liberation Organization led to the Oslo Accords, offering the Palestinians limited self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It was a crowning triumph for Mr. Peres, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with Mr. Rabin and Yasser Arafat.

It also marked a metamorphosis for Mr. Peres, who spoke of peace fervently and with no less eloquence than in his school days. He found great respect as Israels president, his final stop in a long journey, but his dream of Israel at peace, pursued with such determination and vision, eluded him to the last.
A group gathers to listen to taps being performed to commemorate the 15th anniversary of 9/11 at Sun City in Huntley, Ill., on Sept. 9. (Sarah Nader/Northwest Herald via Associated Press)

As a long-standing friend and close ally of the United States, I am concerned about negative and unintended consequences if the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act is enacted.

Having fought throughout the Afghanistan campaign, from the invasion in 2001 to my departure from service in 2010, I understand the case to bring justice and to right a great wrong against the architects and perpetrators of the Sept. 11, 2001, tragedy. Many of those with whom I served from across the globe in this fight lost their lives in pursuit of these goals under the old-fashioned military dictum  duty, service, sacrifice; they gave their all and did so willingly.

It would be a great mistake to believe that this course of action would resolve the desperate sense of loss or in any way assist those still in uniform and among the secret services who continue to operate in harms way to protect our way of life.

To enact this legislation, in the face of an increasingly unstable and dangerous world, would be simple folly. This proposition should not be about seeking a day in court, which I believe will resolve little, but about the United States, its future and those who fight in many guises for its freedom.

Graeme Lamb, Guildford, Surrey, England

The writer, a retired lieutenant general, is a former deputy allied commander in Iraq, special adviser in Afghanistan, commander of the

U.K. Land Army and director of U.K. Special Forces.
Residents walk alongside a higher new metal wall installed by U.S. workers to replace fencing along the border between Juarez, Mexico, and Sunland Park, N.M., on Sept. 12. (Herika Martinez/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)

The Sept. 23 news article Migrant flow into U.S. again soaring was correct. Numbers appear to be rising again this year, compared with last years. Im a social worker at a school that serves Langley Park, where there is a high concentration of Central American immigrant youths.

Our students were willing to take the dangerous journey because it was perceived as worth the risk over staying in their more dangerous communities back home. Survival is a basic human instinct. As long as the youths in these countries are intimidated by gang violence, extortion, narco-trafficking and corruption, they will continue to choose the dangerous journey north over the dangerous journey to school in their home towns. The vast majority of these youths are indeed refugees, fleeing violence to save their lives.

Beth Hood, Silver Spring
In his Sept. 24 op-ed, We dont need a national Latino museum, Mike Gonzalez argued that Hispanic politicians want to build a museum for Latinos only because one was created for African Americans, and that the experiences of African Americans vary vastly from those of immigrants.

However, throughout U.S. history, white Europeans and their descendants were portrayed as civilized and making contributions to society that overshadowed the effects on marginalized groups. The varied experiences of these marginalized groups add to the entire national history and should be presented to the public.

Mr. Gonzalez claimed such a museum would perpetuate the divisions among socially constructed ethnic and racial groups. This distinction may underline the differences among groups but it ultimately would emphasize the cultural diversity of the United States and challenge the stereotype of the typical American.

A museum does not have to adhere to a political agenda of promoting victimhood culture. Instead, it could feature both detriments and contributions of a group in a more objective manner, including demonstrating the American dream of overcoming struggles. A national Latino museum could show the contributions of different groups, such as Cuban Americans, Mexican Americans and Guatemalan Americans, and their history and impact in the United States without generalizing the category.

Vivian Chan, Poquoson, Va.

It is clear to me, as a Latina, that Mike Gonzalez doesnt seem to consider that by claiming that Latinos, just by being nonwhite, cause social incohesion, he not only deprives us of our identity. He also tries to blame us for divisions brought about by large social constructs of racial and ethnic disparities that generate so much pain and violence.

Recognizing us as nonwhite does not lead to feelings of victimhood or make us feel less American; it connects us with who we truly are and increases self-esteem. Trying to deny others dignity as they present it is the same as trying to pretend that they dont exist. That is what causes division.

Sarah Izabel, Sandston, Va.
Protesters call for the rejection of the Trans-Pacific Partnership in Atlanta last year. (Paul Handley/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)

The question about the TPP  the Trans-Pacific Partnership, President Obamas signature trade agreement  is whether it has already gone to the political morgue or whether its still in intensive care. Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump oppose the agreement, while the president has urged ratification. With Obamas term ending and his already-modest influence eroding by the day, the TPP seems dead.

But it may still be in intensive care.

In a speech to the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a Washington think tank, Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Tex.), the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee whose jurisdiction includes trade agreements, said that the TPP could still be ratified in the lame-duck session after the election and before a new Congress takes office.

Brady gave two main reasons to approve the TPP.

The first is geopolitical: It would maintain and enhance U.S. influence in the Asia-Pacific region and act as a counterweight to Chinas growing economic and political power.

As Obama has often argued, the TPP would give the United States a major role in regulating global commerce in the 21st century. The trade agreement codifies rules on intellectual property (patents, copyrights), data flows and state-owned firms, among other things. Ratification of the TPP would fortify Asian confidence that the United States intends to remain a Pacific power. Rejection would sow doubts.

The second reason is economic: Asia remains a fast-growing region. The TPP would eliminate most tariffs among the 12 member countries, aiding U.S. exporters in these markets. The advantage may be particularly important in services (tourism, consulting, finance and engineering), where U.S. firms are especially strong. In 2015, the United States had a $762 billion deficit in goods trade (machinery, steel, medical equipment) and a $262 billion surplus in services trade, leaving an overall deficit of $500 billion.

According to the Peterson Institute, the 12 countries in the TPP accounted for about 36 percent of the world economy and 24 percent of global trade in 2014. The biggest countries ranked by their economies are the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia and Mexico. The other countries are Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Other countries  say, South Korea and Indonesia  might someday join, perhaps even China.

Still, anti-trade sentiment is pervasive in the campaign. Why doesnt Brady dismiss the TPPs prospects as bleak?

People change once they get into office, he says. Translation: The campaigns anti-trade and anti-globalization rhetoric might recede before the realities of governing. Although Brady didnt say so, one implication is that a victorious Clinton might put up only token opposition to the TPP, both because the case for approval is strong and because she might feel obligated to Obama for his political support.

Even with this, getting a deal would be difficult. Brady indicated that there are some details to the TPP that require further explanation to members of Congress or renegotiation. These include rules on drug pricing, data storage and tobacco products, according to a spokesperson for Brady.

In addition, with many Democrats adamantly opposed to the TPP, Obama would need to rely heavily on Republicans to approve the agreement. Unless the president can round up enough Democratic votes to ensure victory, its unlikely that Republicans would even allow the agreement to be taken up.

We are running out of time, Brady told the Peterson audience. The TPP may yet wind up in the political morgue.

Read more from Robert Samuelsons archive.
Hillary Clinton's campaign said that retired Republican senator John Warner of Virginia will endorse Clinton, marking the first time he has endorsed a Democratic presidential candidate and adding to the list of high-powered GOP figures stepping away from Donald Trump. (Video: WUSA9 / Photo: Kate Patterson/For The Washington Post)

Hillary Clinton's campaign said that retired Republican senator John Warner of Virginia will endorse Clinton, marking the first time he has endorsed a Democratic presidential candidate and adding to the list of high-powered GOP figures stepping away from Donald Trump. (Video: WUSA9 / Photo: Kate Patterson/For The Washington Post)

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will score another high-powered Republican endorsement on Wednesday, according to a campaign aide: retired senator John Warner of Virginia, a popular GOP maverick with renowned military credentials.

Warners decision not to support his partys nominee, Donald Trump, is intended to send a signal in the five-term senators battleground home state and beyond that mainstream, security-minded Republicans should side with Clinton.

Virginia is an important, military-rich state that both candidates see as essential to winning the White House as the race tightens nationally. Clinton is making a pitch across the country that she is the more seasoned and responsible candidate on military and national security issues.

Perhaps best known by some for marrying actress Elizabeth Taylor, Warner, 89, is also known for bucking his party. A World War II veteran, former U.S. Navy secretary and former chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Warner famously opposed the Supreme Court nomination of Robert Bork, as well as the 1994 Senate candidacy of Oliver North of Iran-contra notoriety. He endorsed Democrat Mark R. Warner over Republican Jim Gilmore to fill his own seat in the U.S. Senate.

John Warners ability to withstand the Republican criticism he endured for those decisions stemmed largely from the gravitas he had built over a lengthy Senate career in which he mastered national security issues and diligently delivered for the states military bases and defense contractors.

The list of Republicans who reject their presidential nominee, Donald Trump, and support his Democratic opponent keeps growing. (The Washington Post)

He has never before endorsed a Democrat for president.

For 30 years, Virginians trusted John Warner in the Senate, and for good reason: He has dedicated his life to defending our country, from serving in the Navy in World War II to chairing the Senate Armed Services Committee, where I had the honor of working with him to support our men and women in uniform and their families, Clinton wrote in a statement provided to The Washington Post. I am proud to have Johns support, and to know that someone with his decades of experience would trust me with the weighty responsibility of being Commander in Chief.

[The real Donald Trump showed up at Hofstra. Republicans must live with it.]

Warner is planning to make his endorsement official at an event in Alexandria with Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.), Clintons running mate, the Clinton aide said. The aide spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the endorsement before it was announced.

Wednesdays event, in a region where turnout is crucial to the Democratic tickets prospects in November, is expected to focus heavily on military issues. Kaine is a member of the Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, and one of his sons is an active-duty Marine deployed overseas.

The event will highlight how Hillary Clinton is by far the strongest and most experienced candidate on a full range of national security issues, and that she has the knowledge, steadiness and temperament to be commander in chief, the Clinton aide said.

Despite a show of force of military leaders backing Clintons candidacy, Trump continues to claim more endorsements and to outperform her in polls of military veterans.

1 of 13 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  These GOP heavyweights endorse Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump View Photos Business executives, a former treasury secretary and John McCains biographer are among those who have opted to support the presumptive Democratic nominee. Caption Business executives, a former treasury secretary and John McCains biographer are among those who have opted to support the presumptive Democratic nominee. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell General Powell said at a meeting of the Long Island Association that he would be voting for Hillary Clinton, spokeswoman Peggy Cifrino confirmed on Oct. 25. Yuri Gripas/AFP/Getty Images Wait 1 second to continue.

Warner retired in 2009, leaving office with approval ratings that any politician would covet. A Washington Post poll conducted a little more than a year before his retirement found that 72 percent of likely voters approved of the job he was doing.

Since becoming the nominee, Trump has struggled to corral the support of mainstream, establishment Republicans  notably in Virginia. But Clinton also has struggled to earn the trust of a majority of voters, particularly those associated with the military.

Clinton was leading Trump among likely Virginia voters 48 percent to 38 percent in a head-to-head matchup in a survey released Monday by the Wason Center for Public Policy at Christopher Newport University.

With three third-party candidates in the mix, Clinton has 39 percent to Trumps 33 percent. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson attracts 15 percent, while Green Party nominee Jill Stein and independent Evan McMullin each have 3 percent, according to the poll.

In military-heavy Virginia, more voters think Clinton would make a better commander in chief than Trump, 50 percent to 40 percent, with female voters saying so by a 2-to-1 margin. But military voters prefer Trump in that role 48 percent to 39 percent.

Surveying voters on character issues, the CNU poll found that 54 percent said Clinton cannot be trusted with classified information, while 53 percent said Trump is a racist.

Warner will become perhaps the most high-profile former GOP elected official whom Clinton has trotted out in recent weeks to try to make the case that she is the superior candidate on foreign affairs, in particular.

Other names well known in the foreign affairs establishment include John Negroponte, who held high-level positions in the administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush; Brent Scowcroft, a national security adviser to Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush; and Richard Armitage, a deputy secretary of state in the George W. Bush administration.

Warners pick could also bolster the standing of the Democratic ticket in Virginia at a time when Republicans are trying to keep the state competitive. Not long ago, Republicans held the edge in presidential contests. A little more than a decade ago, President George W. Bush won Virginia with ease for a second time  an eight-point victory that was never in doubt.

Over the subsequent eight years, nearly the opposite happened: Barack Obama won the state twice, becoming the first Democrat to win Virginia since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

With Kaine on the ticket this year, Clinton has maintained a lead that suggests a long-term realignment. As Trump has risen in the polls nationally, the race in Virginia has grown somewhat tighter, but the Democrats still enjoy a nearly 7 percentage point lead, according to the RealClearPolitics average of recent polls.

Kaine, a former Virginia governor and Richmond mayor, has been deployed far more often by the Clinton team to other battleground states around the country, including Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania  a sign that Virginia is not the campaigns steepest challenge.

About two weeks ago, Kaine held his first formal campaign events in Virginia  one in Norfolk and another just outside Richmond  since being named to Clintons ticket in July.

Other former elected Republican officeholders who have endorsed Clinton include: Michael Bloomberg, a mayor of New York; Arne Carlson, a governor of Minnesota; David Durenberger, a senator from Minnesota; Constance A. Morella, a congresswoman from Maryland; Larry Pressler, a senator and congressman from South Dakota; Christopher Shays, a congressman from Connecticut; and John J.H. Schwarz, a congressman from Michigan.

Clinton has also been endorsed by Richard L. Hanna, a current Republican congressman from New York.
Sens. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), left, and John Cornyn (R-Tex.) speak to reporters after the Senate voted 97 to 1 for the veto override. (Shawn Thew/European Pressphoto Agency)

Congress voted to decisively overturn President Obamas veto of a controversial 9/11 victims bill Wednesday, the first override of his presidency and a sharp setback for longtime U.S. ally Saudi Arabia.

The bill clears the way for families of the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to file claims against Saudi Arabia for the kingdoms long-rumored but unproven links to the 9/11 attackers. The Saudi government has consistently rejected those allegations.

The overwhelming vote to override  97 to 1 in the Senate and 348 to 77 in the House  reflects the extent to which Saudi influence in Washington has waned. And it comes just over a month before an election that makes it nearly impossible politically to oppose legislation long sought by thousands of aggrieved American families.

Many lawmakers who voted for the override acknowledged problems with the legislation that they hoped could be fixed later.

The measure amended the 1976 Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act to allow for lawsuits against foreign nations in federal court if it is determined that they played a role in terrorist attacks that killed Americans on U.S. soil.

President Obama, as well as many international legal experts and former Republican national security officials, have argued in recent weeks that the bill could make Americans more vulnerable to lawsuits for their activities overseas. But a concerted lobbying campaign by the Saudi government and some of its allies, including several major U.S. firms such as General Electric and Dow Chemical, fell flat as lawmakers from both parties said the bill could ensure some measure of accountability for a tragic event.

Overriding a presidential veto is something we dont take lightly, but it was important in this case that the families of the victims of 9/11 be allowed to pursue justice, even if that pursuit causes some diplomatic discomforts, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), who co-wrote the bill with Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.), said in a statement.

Obama, speaking at a CNN town hall with members of the military in Fort Lee, Va., said he considered the override a mistake but added: I understand why it happened. All of us still carry the scars and trauma of 9/11.

I wish Congress here had done whats hard, he said. My job as commander in chief is to make sure we are looking ahead at how this will impact our overall mission.

The earliest version of the bill was introduced in 2009, but it only gathered real momentum this spring. On Tuesday, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said lawmakers did not delve into the details as much as they could have when considering its passage.

I wish we had all focused on this a little bit more, earlier, but I think the same difficulties would have presented themselves, he said.

Speaking from the Senate floor Sept. 28, Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) expressed concerns about a vote to override President Obama's veto of a bill allowing Saudi Arabia to be sued for the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. (C-SPAN)

Traveling aboard Air Force One on Wednesday, White House press secretary Josh Earnest called the vote embarrassing given the cursory review.

Ultimately, these senators are going to have to answer their own conscience and their constituents as they account for their actions today, Earnest said.

Obamas Democratic allies on Capitol Hill provided scant support for the presidents position, with Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) casting the lone vote to sustain the veto after receiving a letter from the president warning that the consequences of an override could be devastating.

One provision in the new bill allows the U.S. government to effectively halt litigation if the State Department certifies there are good faith negotiations underway with the defendant nation. That would lead to a 180-day pause, which could be repeatedly extended.

The Saudi government has denied any connection to the terrorists who carried out the 9/11 attacks and has lobbied fiercely against the bill. Victims families have long pushed for the legislation so that they can press their case against Saudi Arabia in courts, but many lawmakers who supported the measure said the override vote should not be interpreted as an assertion that Congress thinks the kingdom bears responsibility for the 9/11 attacks.

The rebuke was also another sign of Saudi Arabias changing fortunes on Capitol Hill.

Last week, the Senate voted on a resolution to restrict arms sales to Saudi Arabia until it stops targeting civilians in Yemen. It was tabled on a 71-to-27 vote, but Human Rights Watch Washington deputy director John Sifton said it was still a spectacular statement of concern about Saudi conduct in Yemen as well as at home, where restrictions are placed on women and political dissidents. The tide is turning, he said.

F. Gregory Gause, who heads the international affairs department at Texas A&M Universitys Bush School of Government and Public Service, said distrust on both sides has complicated the American relationship with Saudi Arabia.

This is not a time when U.S.-Saudi relations have much popular support on either side, he said. Americans, he said, are concerned about the Saudi support for Wahhabism, a conservative strain of Islam that some terrorists embrace. But the idea that if the Saudis cease to be the Saudis, or if the Saudis became liberal, all this would go away is unrealistic.

Some senators expressed misgivings about the bill even as they voted for it: 28 of them have signed a letter saying they are open to passing legislation to narrow the scope of the bill in a lame-duck session after the November election.

Im for the 9/11 families having their day in court, but Im also for not exposing our people unnecessarily, said Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.). Graham said that he respects colleagues who pushed the bill but warned: If you want to go forward in the Mideast without Saudi Arabia as an ally, then be careful what you wish for.

Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the bill could be detrimental to U.S. interests. The biggest issue is that it opens up government agencies to court-ordered discovery, he said. One example, he offered, was lawsuits filed against the federal government by victims of drone strikes and other American military activities. Its not limited to Saudi Arabia, and its likely to have a much larger impact on the U.S. government than the Saudi government, because the U.S. government takes rules very seriously.

International law experts predicted the Saudis could start moving assets out of the United States for fear that they could get frozen in the future by court order.

John B. Bellinger III, who served as the State Departments legal adviser from 2005 to 2009 and is now a partner at Arnold and Porter, said measures in other countries are hardly likely to be as precise and surgical as our Congress has been.

I do think Congress is playing with fire here, even if for a laudable purpose, just because of the unintended consequences, Bellinger said, noting he had worked with 9/11 families and was in the White House the day of the attacks. When we ourselves begin to chip away at sovereign immunity . . . it does encourage other countries to chip away at sovereign immunity.
The government today approved the ratification of the historic Paris Climate Change Agreement.

By India Today Web Desk: The government today approved the ratification of the historic Paris Climate Change Agreement, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said.

"The Cabinet has approved the ratification of the Paris Agreement, also known as COP 21, which India will join on October 2," Javadekar told reporters.

With the ratification, India will be one of the key countries instrumental in bringing the Paris Agreement into force.

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Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made the surprise announcement to ratify the Paris agreement, which is intended to give momentum to the implementation of measures at the international level to control global warming.

Modi said he had chosen the date, which is celebrated in India as Gandhi Jayanti, since Mahatma Gandhi's life was an example of minimum carbon footprint.

The Paris pact will come into force after it is ratified by at least 55 countries that account for 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. 60 countries accounting for 47.5 per cent of the emissions had complied, leaving a 7.5 per cent gap for greenhouse gas output.

When India, the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases that puts out 4 per cent of the world's total emissions ratifies the pact, that gap would have shrunk to 3.5 per cent, bringing the agreement closer to implementation.

--- ENDS ---
Stacked containers sit among gantry cranes illuminated at night at Tanjong Pagar Container Terminal at the Port of Singapore in Singapore. (Seongjoon Cho/Bloomberg)

Secretary of State John F. Kerry sought to raise the stakes Wednesday in the debate over the Trans-Pacific Partnership, warning that U.S. leadership and credibility in Asia would be severely damaged if Congress fails to approve the largest regional trade accord in history.

The fate of the 12-nation pact, known as the TPP, will go a long way toward determining whether the United States of America is an Asia-Pacific power or whether we are not  and the not carries with it serious consequences, Kerry said in a speech at the Wilson Center.

Kerrys impassioned defense of the agreement came two days after the two major-party nominees for president, Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, criticized the impact of multilateral trade pacts on American workers and denounced the TPP in a nationally televised debate.

[Trump, Clinton target trade deals at a time when globalization is stalling]

Though polls show that a majority of Americans favor international free trade, widespread skepticism in manufacturing-heavy swing states, including Ohio and Pennsylvania, has put the future of one of President Obamas top economic priorities in doubt. Republican leaders in Congress have said it is unlikely that the pact would be considered for a ratification vote before Obama leaves office in January.

The U.S. and 11 other nations have come up with a trade deal after years of negotiations. But what's in it, who hates it, and what happens next? (Gillian Brockell/The Washington Post)

Kerry called on lawmakers to approve the deal in an expected brief lame-duck congressional session after the Nov. 8 elections. Without naming Trump or Clinton, he said that trade skeptics who have warned of economic doom and gloom . . . have consistently been proven wrong.

The secretary cast the trade accord as a crucial strategic initiative underpinning the Obama administrations attempt to rebalance U.S. foreign policy away from the Middle East and Europe and toward greater attention on Asia.

The Obama administration spent five years negotiating the deal, which covers countries that account for about 36 percent of the worlds gross domestic product. The pact includes advanced economies such as Japan, Canada and Singapore as well as some of the worlds least developed, such as Malaysia and Vietnam.

We cant withdraw from the TPP and still be viewed as a central player in the Pacific Rim and an undisputed force for peace and prosperity across the globe, Kerry said. Our partners worldwide need to know they can always look to us for principled leadership, with no uncertainty and no doubt.

The TPP is a sprawling 30-chapter accord that addresses tariff reductions for agriculture and automobiles, as well as intellectual-property rights for movies and pharmaceutical drugs, the free flow of information on the Internet, wildlife conservation, online commerce and dispute settlement practices for multinational corporations.

The debate over trade has become central to the 2016 campaign. Trumps opposition to the TPP has muted support among GOP leaders who had overwhelmingly backed legislation last year that granted Obama greater trade negotiating powers. Trump blames past trade deals for obliterating the U.S. manufacturing sector.

Clinton had been a forceful advocate for the deal while serving as secretary of state in Obamas first term. But she reversed her position during a hard-fought Democratic primary campaign against Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.), who has vehemently opposed free-trade pacts.

Secretary of State John Kerry (Jason Decrow/AP)

During the debate Monday, Trump noted that Clinton had referred to the TPP as the gold standard of trade deals while serving in the State Department. Clinton responded that she had raised concerns over the deal in her book, Hard Choices, which was published after she left office, and formally renounced the pact after the final terms were announced last fall.

Is it President Obamas fault? Trump asked her. Because hes pushing it.

The administration has vowed to continue lobbying Congress, and Kerrys speech was the latest in a coordinated campaign to promote the deal. Obama met with a bipartisan group of political and business leaders in the Oval Office to talk about the merits of the TPP two weeks ago.

On Tuesday, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman published a commentary in the Houston Chronicle warning that the United States risked ceding ground to China. Although China is not a member of the TPP, Beijing is negotiating a separate regional trade pact in Asia that does not include the United States.

If Congress delays, China will be all too glad to fill the vacuum and even our closest allies will feel the need to move on, Froman wrote.
At a rally for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in Philadelphia on Sept. 28, first lady Michelle Obama attacked Clinton's opponent for his temper, his remarks about women and his questions about her husband's birth certificate. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post)

At a rally for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in Philadelphia on Sept. 28, first lady Michelle Obama attacked Clinton's opponent for his temper, his remarks about women and his questions about her husband's birth certificate. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post)

Michelle Obama tore into Donald Trump on Wednesday, criticizing him for erratic and threatening behavior that would put the country at risk. Never mentioning Trump by name, she said the Republican presidential nominee traffics in prejudice, fears and lies and routinely insults women.

At a campaign rally for Hillary Clinton at La Salle University, Obama told an audience of 3,600 cheering students and supporters that Clinton is clearly the only person in this race who has any idea what this job takes.

What the country needs, Obama said, is an adult in the White House.

[Michelle Obama delivers a passionate defense of Hillary Clinton]

Obamas mission in Pennsylvania  she spoke later Wednesday at the University of Pittsburgh  was to energize young voters considered critical to Clintons effort in a traditionally Democratic state where Trump has made gains in recent weeks.

Michelle Obama campaigns for Hillary Clinton at La Salle University. (Jessica Kourkounis/Getty Images)

Acknowledging surveys that show that many millennials are not inspired by either of the two major-party candidates, Obama urged them not to choose a third-party candidate or stay home out of frustration. She said the stakes are far too high to risk a Clinton defeat.

Here is the truth, Obama said, either Hillary Clinton or her opponent will be elected president this year. And if you vote for someone other than Hillary or if you dont vote at all, you are helping to elect Hillarys opponent.

She added: Remember, it is not about voting for the perfect candidate. There is no such person.

The Clinton campaign is hoping to leverage Obamas carefully cultivated connections with young audiences, a role that Obama played for her husband in 2012, when she traveled to college campuses, sometimes even leading students to early voting booths to cast ballots.

Obama, who will be traveling to battleground states in the six weeks before the election, also appeared in her first video ad for Clinton, released Wednesday. In the 30-second spot, she said, Our children watch everything we do. . . Hillary will be a president our kids can look up to.

In Philadelphia, Obama concentrated on what she described as character and values, drawing a sharp contrast between the New York businessman and his rival, the former secretary of state, senator and first lady. Very different candidates with very different visions, she said.

[As Clinton builds on a strong debate, Trump lobs attacks and complaints]

First lady Michelle Obama speaks at La Salle University in Philadelphia. (Mel Evans/Associated Press)

She spoke explicitly about statements Trump made during Mondays debate, watched by an estimated 84 million people. Riffing on her 2012 remark that the presidency doesnt change who you are; it reveals who you are, Obama said the same is true of a presidential campaign. Trump, she said, stands unmasked.

If a candidate thinks that not paying taxes makes you smart, or thinks that its good business when people lose their homes; if a candidate regularly and flippantly makes cruel and insulting comments about women, about how we look, about how we act, well, sadly, thats who that candidate really is.

[Trump stumbles into Clintons trap by feuding with Latina beauty queen]

Obama took strong exception to Trumps brief Sept. 16 news conference, where he finally acknowledged that President Obama was born in the United States. Although the Obama campaign released his birth certificate in 2008 and the Honolulu Advertiser reported his birth in a standard newspaper announcement in August 1961, Trump tried to raise doubts.

[Trump admits Obama was born in U.S. but falsely blames Clinton for starting rumors]

Trump persisted for years, even after Hawaiian officials released Obamas long-form birth certificate in 2011. At his news conference and later, Trump falsely blamed the birther movement on Clinton and her advisers.

Michelle Obama told the audience here that her husband had faced hurtful, deceitful questions deliberately designed to undermine his presidency. Questions that cannot be blamed on others or swept under the rug by an insincere sentence uttered at a press conference.

To Obamas left on Wednesday, in large, white cut-out letters against a black curtain stage were the words When they go low, we go high. The line has become something of an Obama family motto, adopted years ago in the face of harsh attacks.

Clinton invoked it during Monday nights presidential debate, and Obama did again on Wednesday. She spoke up for Clinton, saying that she is the one candidate prepared for the highest-stakes, most 24/7 job you can possibly imagine.
Hillary Clinton speaks in New York while her husband, former president Bill Clinton, applauds.

Nov. 9, 2016 Hillary Clinton speaks in New York while her husband, former president Bill Clinton, applauds. Melina Mara/The Washington Post

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton promised young voters Wednesday that she will champion issues they care about, especially the crushing cost of college, as she and former rival Sen. Bernie Sanders appealed to an age group that has never fully warmed to her.

Is anybody here ready to transform America? Youve come to the right place, Sanders said at a joint rally with Clinton at the University of New Hampshire in Durham.

Today I am asking all of you to think big, not small, the senator from Vermont told a crowd that included many in the target audience of young people but also a large contingent of gray hair.

We should and we will make public colleges tuition-free for families earning less than $125,000 annually, Clinton said.

Sanders praised Clinton for updating her platform to include tuition-free enrollment in public, in-state colleges for most families.

Audience members listen during the campaign stop by Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders at the University of New Hampshire. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

That pledge is a compromise with Sanders and his free-tuition proposal that was wildly popular with young voters; it was the capstone to a list of liberal positions Clinton outlined before a university audience.

None of this will happen if you dont turn out to vote. None of it will, Clinton said.

Campaigning together in the state where Sanders defeated Clinton by 20 points in the February primary, Clinton and Sanders plugged what Sanders said would be a revolutionary way of paying for college.

I want young people to leave school excited about the future, Sanders said, not being saddled with tens of thousands of dollars in student debt.

Clinton announced the shift in her platform in July, ahead of the Democratic National Convention. During her primary fight, Clinton had proposed that community colleges be tuition-free for all working families.

The original cost of Clintons college plan was $350 billion over 10 years. A Clinton aide said the expansion will raise the cost by more than $100 billion. Any such plan would require congressional approval.

The truth is, it is an expensive proposal, Sanders acknowledged. But I will tell you what is even more expensive, and that is doing nothing.

Hillary Clinton's campaign said that retired Republican senator John Warner of Virginia will endorse Clinton, marking the first time he has endorsed a Democratic presidential candidate and adding to the list of high-powered GOP figures stepping away from Donald Trump. (Video: WUSA9 / Photo: Kate Patterson/For The Washington Post)

Clinton and Sanders spoke in front of huge new signs promising debt-free college, the most visible element of Clintons effort to attract younger voters. They led a wonky discussion that included preselected questions from a few members of the audience.

Republican nominee Donald J. Trumps name did not come up much, and Clinton made only passing reference to the widely watched debate between the two presidential nominees on Monday.

Instead, the discussion focused firmly on economic, social and environmental issues of prime interest to younger voters. Clinton spoke of her own youthful experiences borrowing and paying off law school loans and afterward being able to take a public-interest job that paid little.

Sanders nodded and smiled as she spoke, and she smiled as he riffed on favorite themes from his primary, including the role of special interests in politics.

Shes really underperforming with millennials, said Ben Tulchin, who was a pollster for Sanders during the primary. Its obviously helpful for him to vouch for her, and say her economic message aligns with his.

Bernie was a rock star with them, and I dont think shell be able to replicate his success, Tulchin said. But she can keep making progress.

After rolling out the joint college-affordability plan in July, Clinton didnt keep it in the spotlight like she should have, Tulchin said.

Shes really got to lean into it, he said. It sounds like the campaign gets it now, but they get it because its a crisis.

Sanderss victory in the symbolically important first primary of the presidential season here sealed his importance as a liberal alternative to Clinton and demonstrated his appeal to young voters. Voters under 35 were a critical trouble spot for Clinton then, and they remain so now  despite the efforts of Sanders, liberal heroine Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and first lady Michelle Obama to win them over.

Obama spoke Wednesday in Pennsylvania; Warren campaigned on Clintons behalf on the same New Hampshire campus last week.

The RealClearPolitics average of recent state polls shows Clinton with a comfortable five-point advantage over Trump in New Hampshire, but it also shows the strength of third-party candidates in a state that rewards iconoclasts. Clinton would be the choice of 42.7 percent of voters in polls taken this month, Trump 37.3 percent and Libertarian Gary Johnson 13 percent. Green Party candidate Jill Stein earns 2.7 percent of support.

A Quinnipiac University poll this month shows Clinton with about 55 percent of support among voters 35 and younger and leading Trump by about 20 points in a head-to-head contest, but her support among this group plummets to 31 percent when third-party candidates are included.

This is only the second time that Sanders and Clinton have held a joint event since the primary season ended. The first was his endorsement of her in Portsmouth, N.H.

Im sure there will be more of these, said Jeff Weaver, who was Sanderss campaign manager.

Weaver said the aim isnt as much for him to travel to states he won as to motivate constituencies that responded to his message.

There are a number of states he can help with, Weaver said. But more than the states, its the constituencies he can help with.

During an appearance Sunday on CBSs Face the Nation, Sanders said he wasnt sure why Clinton was not doing better with the younger demographic.

But I think the antidote is that she has got to make it clear to not only the millennials but every American the difference that she has, not just on personality issues, which is what the media focuses on, but the real issues impacting the middle class and working families of this country, Sanders told host John Dickerson.

John Wagner in Washington contributed to this report.
The recovery of army fatigue besides the burnt out pieces of uniform has left the police baffled. The security agencies are now trying to find out the motive behind burning the army uniform.

By Manjeet Sehgal: Police, Army and Air Force continue to be on a high alert in Pathankot where the movement of four suspected militants attired in army fatigue was reported on Tuesday evening.

India Today crew noticed burnt pieces of Army uniform including tags, jersey, scarf, socks and a shoe besides bottles of medicine.

The police had recovered a belt, cap, tie and a shirt from the same spot in Chakki area on Tuesday during the search operation which was halted following the darkness.

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The police is still clueless about the presence of four suspects. The recovery of army fatigue besides the burnt out pieces of uniform has left the security agencies baffled. The security agencies are now trying to find out the motive behind burning the army uniform.

Meanwhile the Pathankot police which had halted the combing operation on Tuesday is likely to resume the operation today.

The place from where the army uniform has been recovered is located at a distance of a few kilometres from the Air Force base which was attacked by Jaish terrorists in January this year.

Sources said the sleeper cells and spying network was active in and around Pathankot and the terrorists may target the army establishments. Besides the suspicious movements, signals of satellite phones were also intercepted in the area about a couple of months back.

The Parliamentary committee which visited Pathankot and other areas recently had informed the union government about the possible presence of Pakistan trained terrorists in and around Pathankot.

Vigil has already been stepped up in the area after the Uri terror attack.



--- ENDS ---
Former Israeli president and prime minister Shimon Peres, right, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrive at the World Economic Forum in Southern Shuneh, Jordan, in May 2015. (Nasser Nasser/AP)

While Western leaders mourned the death of Israeli statesman and Nobel laureate Shimon Peres, many in the Arab world reacted with scorn, viewing him as a key architect of destructive Israeli policies toward Palestinians.

In Saudi Arabias Sabq newspaper, the headline of his obituary read, President of Israeli Colonialism Peres Dies.

On the Qatar-based Al Jazeera networks Arabic-language website, Peres was described as: The butcher of Qana who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace  a reference to the Israeli bombardment that killed scores of civilians in the village of Qana during the 1996 war in Lebanon. Peres was prime minister at the time.

The starkly different reactions to Peress death underscored the deep divides over the IsraeliPalestinian conflict and the plight of the Palestinian people, as well as the wide gulf in perceptions between the West and Arab countries. Even as President Obama and other leaders paid tribute to his legacy as a peacemaker, obituaries across the Middle East on Wednesday described Peres as playing a central role in Israeli assaults against Palestinians, dispossessing them of their lands and rights.

To the West, Shimon Peres is the Nobel laureate and the tireless dove who has been widely respected for his achievements regarding the peace in the Middle East, said an obituary on the website of Al-Manar, the television station of Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite Islamist militant group and political party. However, behind this image Peres  who died on Wednesday  represents the real face of the bloody and colonial policies adopted by the Zionist regime.

[Shimon Peres, Israeli statesman and Nobel Peace Prize winner, dies at 93]

The vitriol also appeared louder and more widespread than after the 1995 assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Rabin shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Peres and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat following the Oslo peace accord in 1994. Statesmen from nine Muslim countries  including Egypt, Jordan, Turkey and Qatar  attended Rabins funeral, which was widely seen as a tribute to his efforts to build peace in the region.

Dignitaries included Egypts then-president, Hosni Mubarak, and Jordans King Hussein. Both nations had signed peace accords with Israel.

As of Wednesday evening, the number of Arab leaders planning to attend Peress funeral, scheduled for Friday, remained unclear.

Peres was a more polarizing figure in the Arab world than Rabin. In 2009, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, today the countrys president, famously stormed out of a World Economic Forum debate after orally clashing with Peres, then the Israeli president, over Israels offensive against the Gaza Strip. Critics have long condemned Peres for his advocacy of a blockade of Gaza.

Today, tensions between Israelis and Palestinians are deepening again, fueled by a spate of deadly stabbings by Palestinians over the past year against a backdrop of growing frustration over peace talks that have all but faded.

In other Arab media, Perez was criticized for his drive to build up Israels nuclear weapons programs and his support of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, occupied by Israel after the 1967 war.

Peress name has always been linked to settler colonialism, forced displacement of Palestinians from the West Bank, so much that he became known as the founder of settlements,  wrote Akhbaar24, a leading Saudi website.

Still, Palestinians had mixed reactions to Peress death.

In a tweet in Arabic, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas described his passing as a heavy loss for all humanity and for peace in the region. He also reportedly sent a condolence letter to the Peres family, according to WAFA, the official Palestinian news agency.

Some in the Arab world dismissed Abbass condolences on social media. Referring to Abbass comments, Abdulkhaleq Abdullah, an adviser to Abu Dhabis royal court, tweeted: Might be a loss to you, but not a loss to humanity, peace, and surely not a loss to the Palestinian People. He was a Zionist and a criminal.

[The world mourns Shimon Peres as Israel considers his legacy]

A spokesman for the Palestinian militant group Hamas described Peres as one of the Israeli occupation states founders that was established on Palestinian land, which caused the displacement of millions of Palestinians worldwide until now.

In the Palestinian mind, Peres is connected to massacres conducted by the [Israeli] occupation against the Palestinian people, said Hazem Qasem, the Hamas spokesman in Gaza. Hamas feels sorry that Peres died before he is held accountable according to international justice for conducting crimes against humanity like the Qana massacre.

Predictably, Israels other core enemies also expressed scorn for Peres.

The website of Irans state-run Press TV carried a story noting Peress death and illustrated with photos of a magazine cover that described the former Israeli leader as a war criminal and images from Israeli attacks in Gaza in 2014 and the war in Lebanon in 1996.

Heba Mahfouz in Cairo, Liz Sly in Beirut, Kareem Fahim in Istanbul, William Booth in Jerusalem, Hazem Balousha in Gaza and Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said that Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated in 1996. He was killed in 1995.

Read more:

Q&A with Israel President Shimon Peres

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
Afghanistans national unity government, which will complete two troubled years in power Thursday, has set aside its internal differences and prepared an upbeat report of its achievements and goals to present to international donors in Brussels next week, hoping to secure their renewed commitment to long-term support.

By highlighting their efforts to combat public corruption and waste, and outlining a five-year plan to develop agriculture, private investment and regional ties, President Ashraf Ghani and his aides hope to prove that Kabul deserves the trust of a skeptical world community that has paid Afghanistans bills for the past 14 years.

Abdullah Abdullah, Ghanis governing partner and chief executive, has embraced the initiative and dropped the sharp public criticism he leveled last month at Ghani, calling him unfit to lead. This week, Abdullah said that the government will remain legitimate after the two-year power-sharing agreement expires Thursday, and that it will continue for Ghanis full five-year presidential term.

The CEO is fully on board. He has been at every single meeting and discussion in the planning for Brussels, said Nader Nadery, a senior spokesman for the Ghani administration. Nadery ticked off a long list of reforms achieved in the past two years, including curbing customs fraud and collecting a record amount of taxes. We are frank and self-critical about where we have not made progress, but in many areas we have made a lot, he said.

[Afghan government signs peace pact with guerrilla group led by fugitive Islamist]

But critics say that the long-running dispute between Ghani and Abdullah has only been put on hold, and that a flurry of pre-Brussels good-news gestures  including last weeks announcement of a peace deal with fugitive militia leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar  cannot mask the failures that have led to deep public disillusionment after two years of aggressive insurgent attacks, rampant unemployment and entrenched public corruption.

They also say that despite Abdullahs conciliatory new stance and recent moves by Ghani to implement long-delayed electoral reforms, the joint government has lost its legitimacy by not holding elections and a constitutional assembly to determine Abdullahs future status.

Under the governing agreement brokered by the Obama administration after a fraud-plagued presidential contest between Ghani and Abdullah in 2014, those events were to have been completed by Thursday.

The national unity government did not manage to meet any of the peoples expectations or fulfill its key slogans over the past two years. It is attending the Brussels conference with no major achievement except the progress on peace talks with Hekmatyar, said Ahmad Zia Rafat, a professor of law and politics at Kabul University.

The Ghani government worked for months to reach an agreement with Hekmatyar, a longtime Islamic militia leader who has been fighting the government for 20 years, in hopes that it would persuade some Taliban leaders to lay down their arms, too. Many Afghans consider the deal an unsavory, but necessary, first step toward taming the insurgency that has been ravaging Afghanistan for more than a decade.

[Afghanistan has many problems. Its president may be one of them.]

It is far from clear, however, whether Hekmatyar will be granted immunity from international terrorist bans imposed by the United States and the United Nations, and what the political fallout would be if the controversial figure did return to Afghanistan as a free man.

Some critics fear that Ghani and his aides, in their haste to proffer a concrete security accomplishment to international donors, agreed to an overly vague and generous deal that could backfire.

The government is rushing everything to show some results in Brussels and before the international community, but when you rush too much you can make mistakes that end up harming the entire process, said Haroun Mir, an analyst in Kabul.

Even if the 70 governments and 30 international agencies meeting in Brussels next week are impressed enough to extend a vote of confidence and a generous hand to the Ghani government, analysts said, it will still face the same domestic political pressures that have delayed so many reforms and dashed so much of the hope that was generated when a modern, technocratic team took power two years ago.

Instead, the second anniversary will pass with no clear resolution as to the governments future makeup and constitutional status, and powerful opponents continuing to cause trouble, adding to a sense of instability and turmoil rather than the kind of determined push for economic development and peace that Ghani and his aides seek to present to the world.

People are confused and in a state of limbo, said Khalil Roman, an academic in Kabul, but he added that like the Afghan public, facing a choice between voracious insurgency and disappointing leaders, the international community is trapped in Afghanistan and has no alternative but to support the government, because otherwise it will not survive.

Read more

Gunmen try to stop the burial of a long-dead Afghan king

U.S., European military advisers work to boost lagging Afghan combat readiness

Afghan political crisis intensifies as two-year anniversary nears

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world


A supporter holds a poster of then presidential candidate and Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte during an election campaign rally in May. (Mohd Rasfan/AFP/Getty Images)

People here love to tell stories about the man they call our mayor.

One time, when a tourist ignored no-smoking rules, our mayor stormed a restaurant with a revolver and forced him to eat the cigarette butt. Our mayor patrolled the streets on his motorcycle. Our mayor saved us from thugs.

The mayor they speak of is Rodrigo Duterte, who ran this coastal city on the island of Mindanao, in the southern Philippines, for more than two decades before he was elected president this spring.

Since taking power in Manila, Duterte has made international headlines for all the wrong reasons. His call to kill all the countrys criminals has unleashed an extraordinary wave of violence, with police fatally shooting more than a thousand suspects and plainclothes assassins dumping an even greater number of bodies on the streets.

When President Obama raised the issue, Duterte lectured him about U.S. colonialism and used a slang term that translates, roughly, as son of whore. When the European Parliament issued a statement condemning the deaths, Duterte said, F--- you  and gave them the finger for good measure.

Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte is demanding respect from the EU after an expletive-laden rejection of its concerns about his deadly drugs crackdown. ( / Reuters)

His sharp tongue risks turning him into a pariah abroad, but it only serves to help him at home. Despite the violent deaths of 3,000 Filipinos in less than three months, Duterte remains popular in the Philippines, with high approval ratings and strong legislative support.

As the political class falls in line, the cost of crossing him grows. When a longtime Duterte critic, Sen. Leila de Lima, opened a Senate investigation on extrajudicial killing, he publicly urged her to hang herself.

When she presented a witness who claimed that he killed for Duterte in Davao, once feeding a man to a crocodile, she was ousted from her role as chair of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

The senator has since been publicly accused of taking bribes from drug dealers and sleeping with her driver. Her personal number and address were broadcast on national television, leading to threats.

She was not only screwing her driver, she was screwing the nation, the president joked.



Shes not laughing. The truth is, Im not safe, she said.



Residents walk through an informal settler area in Davao City on the southern island of Mindanao in May. (Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images)

Welcome to Duterte city

To understand how a man who makes crude jokes about women and urges troops to massacre suspects became the Philippines best hope, look to Davao.





In this coastal city on Mindanaos southeast, the cult of Duterte is strong. The presidents daughter Sara Duterte was sworn in for her second term as mayor in July, the same day that a son, Paolo Duterte, became vice-mayor. This, a sign reminds you, is Duterte city.

By the standards of Philippine metropolises, Davao is an orderly place. A curfew keeps unaccompanied minors off the streets after 10 p.m. The sale of liquor after 2 a.m. is prohibited. And, as that unlucky tourist learned, you may smoke only in designated places  or else.

Around town, banners remind people whom to thank for city rules. President Duterte: Thank you for making Davao City smoke-free, reads an apparent favorite.

The former mayors status as the local strongman is such that street vendors hawk novelty license plates emblazoned with Du30 (how his name is pronounced). One shop was selling a red T-shirt, childrens size 12, that showed the president firing a gun.

Another popular piece of Duterte merchandise shows the mayor riding a motorcycle, his fist raised in victory, with the tagline Change is coming.

Several people here compared him to a strict parent  a real disciplinarian, one man said  and seemed to see him as their personal protector.

At the market, Mila Sultan, a vendor who lives and works in her stall, credited the former mayor with making the city livable.

Even if you sleep on the sidewalk, nobody will harm you, she said.

Abear P. Bato, who runs two halal food stands, said that Duterte supported small businesses and helped them thrive by keeping crime at bay.

Hes a great guy, he said.

And what of the Davao Death Squad, the contract killers who journalists and rights groups say Duterte backed? Or the Senate witness who said that Duterte ordered them to kill criminals and critics alike?

No comment, Sultan said.

I have no comment on that, Bato said.

Hes a good guy, but dont break his rules.



Mortuary workers carry the body of a summary execution victim on a stretcher on Sept. 21 in Manila. (Dondi Tawatao/Getty Images)

Am I the death squad?

In most contexts, earning the nickname the Death Squad mayor would be a political disaster. To Duterte and his fans, its a source of pride.

Dogged by questions about extrajudicial killings in Davao, Duterte has not shied away from his bloody record.

Am I the death squad? True, he said in May.

The fact is, millions of Filipinos look at Davaos transformation with envy  whatever it cost.

The city, like the Philippines as a whole, was mismanaged for centuries. It was occupied by the Spanish, seized by the United States, held by the Japanese  and plundered at every step.

When Duterte entered politics in the mid-1980s, the dictator Ferdinand Marcos was out, but no power had replaced him. Davao, nicknamed Murder City, was plagued by rival insurgencies and ceaseless crime.

The mayor set out to change that  by force. When Filipino journalist Sheila Coronel and a colleague toured Davao with the newly elected mayor in 1988, he bragged to them about pulling the plug on a still-alive drug kingpin and pushing a dealer out of a helicopter, she wrote in the Atlantic.

Stories by Filipino journalists and reports by rights groups point to a pattern of extrajudicial violence in Davao that is strikingly similar to whats unfolding nationwide today.

During much of Dutertes tenure as mayor, suspected criminals were summarily executed by police or gunned down by plainclothes assassins riding on motorcycles. Few cases were investigated.

To the families of the victims and critics of the president, that constitutes an appalling abuse of power. But to Filipinos fed up with a sclerotic justice system and exhausted by crime, Davao is proof that, with some bloodletting, things can change.

In Davao, those who dared speak about their former mayor insisted that, on his watch, only bad guys get hurt.

If Duterte doesnt do those killings, there are a lot of victims, especially the young generation, said Chris Yaco, a rice vendor. Be a good person in Davao and the mayor will help you.



The whole nation is hoping against fear that hes right.

Rody Duterte, reads a sign in Davao, The Peoples last hope.

John Dimacutec contributed to this report.

Read more

Philippine witness: We killed for Duterte, fed body to crocodile

Duterte mocks senator investigating killings as screwing her driver and nation

The son of a whore story is about so much more than Dutertes dirty mouth

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
Syrians evacuated from Fuaa and Kafraya, two Shiite villages under rebel siege, are welcomed by pro-government forces as they arrive in Jibrin, on the eastern outskirts of Aleppo.

Dec. 19, 2016 Syrians evacuated from Fuaa and Kafraya, two Shiite villages under rebel siege, are welcomed by pro-government forces as they arrive in Jibrin, on the eastern outskirts of Aleppo. George Ourfalian/AFP/Getty Images

The bombings at night are the worst. There is no electricity in the rebel-held portion of eastern Aleppo, and the warplanes flying overhead target any light piercing the blackness beneath.

So families huddle together in the dark, gathered in one room so that they dont die alone, listening to the roar of the jets and waiting for the bombs to fall.

After they do, rescue workers venture out, navigating the rubble and craters left by earlier bombings, to dig out victims without headlights or lamps. They haul them to hospitals swamped with patients being treated on the floor by doctors who barely sleep and must choose which lives to save and which to let go.

In the small hours of Wednesday morning, it was the turn of two hospitals to be hit in the dark. The hospitals, the two biggest in eastern Aleppo, were struck by bombs shortly after 3:30 a.m., killing two patients and putting the buildings out of use for the victims of more bombings later in the day.

Such is the tenor of life in rebel-held Aleppo, which had become accustomed to regular airstrikes in the four years since rebels seized control of the eastern portion of the city  but nothing like the intensity of the past week.

The collapse of a U.S.- and Russian-sponsored cease-fire on Sept. 19 was followed by the launch of a Syrian government offensive, backed by Russian airstrikes, to recapture the neighborhoods held by the rebels. The operation heralded what residents, doctors and medical workers describe as the most ferocious bombardments yet.

[U.S. accuses Russia of barbarism and war crimes in Syria]

At least 1,700 bombs struck eastern Aleppo in the first week after the cease-fires collapse, according to the White Helmets civil defense group, a volunteer force funded by the United States and Europe that goes to the aid of people buried by buildings collapsed by bombs. Still, they keep raining down, with new bunker-buster bombs designed to be

used against military installations blasting apartment buildings that house families.

Except that now there is no escape. The challenge of staying alive has been heightened by the complete siege imposed by government troops this month, shortly before the cease-fire was announced.

Hundreds of thousands of people had already fled Aleppo  once a city of 3 million  to refugee camps farther north, to Turkey and on boats to Europe. But the United Nations estimates that 250,000 remain surrounded in eastern Aleppo, many of them the poorest of the poor, the families who couldnt afford the cost of transportation out of the city.

Now they couldnt leave if they wanted to. Food is scarce and prices for it are high, and although no one really knows how much Aleppo has stockpiled over many months of fearing just such a siege, it will eventually run out. Doctors have already detected signs of malnutrition in some children, said Caroline Anning of the British charity Save the Children, which estimates that 35 to 40 percent of those trapped in Aleppo are children.

[U.S. threatens to suspend all bilateral cooperation with Russia over Syria]





Critically wounded victims who would previously have been evacuated to Turkey must now be treated in makeshift hospitals barely equipped to handle life-threatening injuries. The bombing of the hospitals on Wednesday left just six hospitals functioning, and they are overwhelmed. Only 35 doctors remain, according to the World Health Organization, and 29 according to doctors in the city  down from 30 on Friday after a dentist died in an airstrike, said Adham Sahloul of the Syrian American Medical Society, which runs some of the hospitals.

Only seven of those doctors are surgeons capable of treating the catastrophic wounds inflicted by heavy bombs, the medical charity Doctors Without Borders said in a statement condemning Wednesdays hospital attacks.

In the past week, the doctors have been handling hundreds of injuries a day. Photographs posted by medical workers show patients lying in pools of blood on hospital floors. Some have been left waiting for treatment on the sidewalks outside, according to Mohammed Tariq, a nurse at one of the hospitals.

The doctors are exhausted. Many of them are working until 4 or 5 a.m., and then starting again at 9. They are also scared, said Maher Saqqur, a surgeon who has been advising the doctors in Aleppo over Skype from his clinic in Canada.

We have to triage patients, we have to judge whether their cases are hopeless. If they are, it is the hardest thing, he said. Those with head injuries are being left to die. A man with both his legs blown off was judged too seriously injured to save. Five children died in one hospital on Sunday because there were insufficient resources to treat them.

We try to make sure they suffer as little as possible, but even the supplies we need to do that are running out, Saqqur said.

[Aleppo is being burned: Residents cope with an onslaught of airstrikes]

Anesthetics have already been used up entirely at one of the hospitals, said Sahloul, and supplies at others are running low. At the rate at which they are being used now, they could be gone within two weeks, he said, which will add pain to the misery of those being torn apart by bombs.

That hospitals and other vital facilities are being deliberately targeted is not doubted by residents. Only three locations were hit during the strikes carried out early Wednesday  two hospitals and a bakery, where six people were killed as they stood in line to buy increasingly scarce bread.

The White Helmets civil defense teams sometimes intercept the communications of pilots in the planes flying overhead, said Ismail Abdullah, a White Helmets volunteer in Aleppo. Sometimes we hear the pilot tell his base, we see a market for the terrorists, there is a bakery for the terrorists, is it okay to hit them? he said. They say, okay, hit them. Every time they use the adjective terrorists. 

On Sept. 21, two days after the cease-fire collapsed, the White Helmets heard a pilot send a message referring to the terrorist civil defense centers, he said. The group passed on the warnings that they might be targeted to U.S. officials in New York, where world dignitaries had gathered for the U.N. General Assembly.

Two days later, in the dark before dawn Friday, the rescuers were struck. They have only four bases in Aleppo and three were targeted. Two were destroyed, along with five vehicles, including a firetruck and an ambulance, said Abdullah.

Those vehicles cant be replaced. Their loss means rescuers will respond to fewer bombings, save fewer people. Bodies remain buried in the rubble of buildings bombed over the weekend that rescuers couldnt reach, and now more are piling up, said Ammar al-Selma, the head of the White Helmets teams in Aleppo, who is currently in Turkey.

When teams are too busy to respond to all the bombings taking place, residents are told to write the names of buried families on the debris, so that the bodies can one day be retrieved.

It is grim work. The White Helmets have won international acclaim and prizes for their courage. Some may think what we are doing is heroic, their leader, Raed Saleh, told a forum in Washington during a visit to the United States this week.

But, in fact, it is devastating and depressing beyond belief, he said. You are pulling corpses from the rubble. You dont know if one day that body will belong to your sister, your brother or your friend.

And the rewards diminish. Selma described how White Helmets rescuers dug one family out of the rubble of a strike last week and transported them to a different neighborhood, only to respond to an airstrike in that neighborhood the following day and find that the family they had saved had been killed.

This left us without hope. They killed our work. They killed what we did for many hours, said Selma. The aircraft sent us a message: We will kill people wherever they go.

If there were a pattern or timing to the attacks, people would know when to go out to find food and when to take cover indoors, said Abdullah. They just want to kill everything in sight, so that no one can walk in the streets, so that no one can be saved. They want us all to die, he said.

As it is, they can kill you at any time, said Omar Shaban, a student who described how families cluster in the evenings on the lower floors of his apartment building to escape the bombs. Entire families sleep in one room, because they prefer to die together than to create orphans, widows or bereaved parents.

Shaban, who is 23, married two months ago and spends the evenings sitting in the dark with his new wife, listening to the bombs. They talk about their fears. I am afraid we will be hungry after two weeks. I am afraid of the airstrikes. I am afraid to lose someone close to me, he said.

She is afraid of becoming pregnant, he said, and of bringing a child into the world in which they live.

Heba Habib in Stockholm contributed to this report.

Read more:

A ferocious assault on Aleppo suggests the U.S. may be wrong on Syria

Why did they wait to kill us?: How the attack on the aid convoy near Aleppo unfolded

Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world
A Dutch-led investigative team said Wednesday that the surface-to-air missile that downed a passenger jet over eastern Ukraine in 2014, killing all 298 people aboard, came from Russia and was fired from territory held by pro-Moscow separatists.

Investigators stopped short of directly accusing Russia of complicity in the attack on the Boeing 777 and declined to name any suspects publicly. But the briefing was seen in Russia and in the West as a virtual indictment of Moscow, prompting Russian protests as investigators said they would continue trying to determine who ordered the strike.

[Full details of the Dutch-led investigations report]

Both Russia and the rebels in Ukraine deny any role in the July 2014 attack on Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which was traveling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital.

The findings are intended to be used in a possible criminal trial. But even if suspects are identified, it is unclear how they would be apprehended, especially if they are in Russia or in separatist-held Ukrainian territory.

The investigators concluded that the plane was shot down with a missile launched from what the Russians call a Buk TELAR battery, said Wilbert Paulissen, a senior investigator in the Dutch national police.

The missile launch vehicle was brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation and after launch was subsequently returned to Russian Federation territory. This conclusion is based largely on forensic investigation, he said.

[Video: The animated reconstruction of Flight 17s last moments]

The system thought to be used in the missile firing  four surface-to-air missiles mounted on a launch vehicle  was smuggled into Ukraine from Russia just hours before the missile was fired, the investigators said at a news conference in Amsterdam. The launch system, also known as an SA-11 Gadfly, was returned to Russia the day after the attack, which left bodies and wreckage strewn across farms and fields of sunflowers.

The U.S. State Department said the findings matched those made by American officials, and British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said that we ask that Russia now engages constructively with the findings and ongoing investigation.

The evidence was based on intercepts of telephone conversations between separatist fighters in eastern Ukraine, as well as open-source photographs, eyewitness accounts and satellite data, investigators said. Much of the material was first identified by online activists and citizen journalists, including the influential Bellingcat.com website, which has been targeted by Russian government hackers, according to reports.

While a previous Dutch-led safety inquiry had said the missile was most likely launched from separatist-held territory, Wednesday was the first time that investigators said it had been transported across the border from Russia.





The team members said that they had identified more than 100 people linked to the downing of the plane and that they would seek to identify who ordered the plane to be shot down. The investigation has been extended into 2018.

No venue has been given for a possible trial.

[European Union extends sanctions on Russia]

Moscow has maintained that it has not backed the separatists at all, much less supplied them with a modern antiaircraft missile system that requires a trained crew. On Monday, Russia said it had radio location data that implicated Ukraines government in the attack and ruled out the launch of a missile from separatist-held territory.

On Wednesday, Russias Foreign and Defense ministries, and Almaz-Antey, the manufacturer of the Buk missile system, all declared the investigation biased and dismissed some of the evidence presented.

All the data presented today at the briefing of the investigative group have two main sources: the Internet and the Ukrainian security services, said Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, a Russian military spokesman. Thus the objectivity of the information, and the subsequent conclusions made on it, must summon doubt.

In Ukraine, separatist leaders on Wednesday denied the evidence presented in the report, saying that they did not have access to sophisticated surface-to-air missiles, and they accused Ukraines government of the attack.

Dutch investigators suggested Wednesday that the Buk may have been transferred to Ukraine to protect separatists from Kievs aerial attacks during intense fighting in the summer of 2014. Pro-separatist websites initially announced the attack on the passenger jet as a successful strike against a Ukrainian military plane.

The investigators, citing intercepted telephone calls and social-media photos, said that the trailer carrying the Buk missile system crossed into Ukraine from Russia on the morning of July 17, the day of the attack, accompanied by a jeep and minivan carrying separatist fighters. Video and photographs showed the missile system that day in Donetsk, the largest city held by the separatists, and then traveling toward the villages of Snezhnoye and Pervomaiskiy.

The missile without any doubt was launched from a field in the farmland near Pervomaiskiy, a video made by the investigators said, citing witnesses who gave testimony and showing pictures of a smoke trail coming from the field.

The missile launcher was subsequently driven back across the Russian border early the next morning on a Volvo truck, judging by videos and intercepted telephone calls, the investigators said.

The Dutch-led investigative team includes representatives from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine. Relatives of those killed in the attack were informed of the conclusions earlier Wednesday. Of the victims, 193 were Dutch citizens, 43 were from Malaysia and 27 were from Australia. Citizens of the United States, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, New Zealand and the Philippines also died in the attack.

Read more

After Malaysian plane is shot down, grief and outrage ripple worldwide

Russia claims new data show rebels didnt down MH17

In Ukrainian village near MH17 crash site, residents fear more death is coming

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
The relatives told the doctor that they do not have the money to take the body to another district for post-mortem. Despite that, the doctor still did not arrange for an ambulance.

By India Today Web Desk: In Bihar's Katihar district, three people carried a dead relative in plastic bag because they could not get an ambulance to take his body to Bhagalpur for post-mortem.

This incident is an addition to a long list of recently reported cases in various states of India and this reveals the sad state of affairs of state health departments.

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In Uttar Pradesh, a cycle rickshaw was used to transport an abandoned woman's body from the district hospital to the post-mortem house because the hospital could not arrange a car or an ambulance.

Also read: Tribal man in Odisha had to walk 10 km carrying wife's body after being denied govt help



Similar instances have been reported depicting the lack of basic facilities.

In this incident that took place in Bihar, the man had died 14 days ago from drowning in Ganga. When the relatives brought the man's decomposed body to Katihar hospital, they were told that the post-mortem will be done in the hospital itself.

After keeping the body for 24 hours, they were asked to take the body to Bhagalpur. But the relatives did not have the money and informed the doctor about it.

Still the doctors did not arrange for an ambulance and the relatives resorted to take the dead body in a plastic bag.

Photo: ANI

Also read: Odisha: Man carries pregnant wife on shoulder to hospital, woman dies



--- ENDS ---
Joseph Harmatz, a Lithuanian Holocaust survivor who led a band of self-proclaimed avengers in poisoning 3,000 loaves of bread for German prisoners after World War II, an act that he regarded as rightful retribution for the Nazi slaughter of 6 million Jews, died Sept. 22 at his home in Tel Aviv. He was 91.

The cause was a heart ailment, said a son, Ronel Harmatz.

For decades, Mr. Harmatz did not speak publicly about the act of sabotage that he helped organize near Nuremberg, Germany, in April 1946  a plot that sickened thousands but produced no confirmed fatalities, and that was perhaps the most dramatic act of its kind in the aftermath of the Holocaust. He had lost most of his family to Nazi persecution and then reestablished himself as a civic leader in Israel, a life that he believed did not permit discussion of his postwar activity.

Only in the 1990s did he reveal his association with Nakam, a group formed by the Jewish partisan leader Abba Kovner and that operated across Germany after the war. The name meant vengeance in Hebrew, but Mr. Harmatz and his comrades did not necessarily seek revenge, observed Dina Porat, chief historian of the Yad Vashem Holocaust remembrance center in Jerusalem.

They wanted justice to prevail after a horrible injustice was inflicted upon the Jewish people, she wrote in an email, so that no one would dare raise his hand against them again.

An undated photo of Mr. Harmatz. (Family Photo)

Like many of Nakams several dozen members, Mr. Harmatz had proved himself in the Jewish resistance, enlisting at 16 while confined to the Vilna ghetto. During the liquidation of the ghetto, Mr. Harmatz escaped through the sewers and fled to the swampy Rudniki Forest outside Vilna, where Kovner, later a prominent Israeli poet, named him chief of special operations.

During the war, the partisans attacked railways, bridges and telegraph lines to thwart the German war effort. But Mr. Harmatzs most noted actions came later, when Germany was defeated but remained, in his view, insufficiently punished for its crimes against the Jews.

The Germans here were taking their children out in little prams, they had milk to feed them and still they complained that the level of fat in the milk was not high enough, Mr. Harmatz observed in comments cited in the book Endkampf: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Death of the Third Reich by Stephen G. Fritz.

They, on the other hand, grabbed our children and babies by the legs or by the hair and threw them against telephone poles and into the furnaces, he remarked. Many of us became nihilistic. Life was not important, neither your own nor anyone elses.

Mr. Harmatz took command of a Nakam cell in Nuremberg, where it made him sick, he said, to sit through the minutiae of the war crimes trials administered by the Allies. The group contemplated but abandoned a plan to gun down the Nazi defendants in the courtroom.

Regarding German guilt as pervasive, the fighters plotted an attack in which they would have poisoned the water supply to Nuremberg. Kovner went so far as to secretly obtain the poison in Palestine but was discovered en route by ship back to Europe and threw the toxins overboard, according to accounts published by the London Observer and the Associated Press.

Nakam then formed the plan to poison the bread provided to Nazi prisoners at Stalag 13, an American-run camp in Langwasser, outside Nuremberg. The group infiltrated the bakery, eventually hiding supplies under floorboards. On the appointed night, operatives sneaked in and coated the 3,000 loaves of black bread with arsenic mixed with glue so that the substance would adhere to the bread like flour.

Authorities examine the hiding spot where arsenic was found at the bakery supplying bread to Stalag 13 in 1946. (U.S. Army Signal Corps via AP/AP)

They knew that each loaf would be divided among four prisoners, and that the poison might therefore reach 12,000. The goal, Mr. Harmatz told the Associated Press in an interview last month, was to kill as many Germans as possible.

Mr. Harmatz claimed that the attack killed 300 to 400 Germans, but the figure could not be substantiated. According to a 1946 news report, more than 2,200 Germans were sickened. Porat said that there were no known deaths. It was speculated that prisoners tasted something amiss in the bread and declined to finish their rations.

Nakam soon disbanded, and Mr. Harmatz shifted his efforts to Bricha, the effort to illegally shepherd Jews from Eastern Europe into what was then the British mandate of Palestine. Although there were individual acts of revenge against Nazi perpetrators, the Nuremberg plot was the only episode on record of large-scale retaliation, Andrew Nagorski, a journalist and author of the book The Nazi Hunters, said in an interview.

Its not surprising that some survivors would try to mount such an act, he said, but whats perhaps more surprising is how quickly how many Holocaust survivors and people who are called Nazi hunters began to focus not so much on revenge but on trials, as well as the historical documentation of the events of the Holocaust. But until the end of his life, Mr. Harmatz saw his actions as justified.

We didnt understand why it shouldnt be paid back, he told the AP in August.

Mr. Harmatz, known by Yulek, was born in Rokiskis, Lithuania, on Jan. 23, 1925. His father was a prosperous wholesaler.

Yulek belong to a youth communist group and said he was enlisted to help guard Vilna after the Soviet Union annexed Lithuania in 1940. The next year, Nazi occupiers arrived and embarked on a killing campaign that would destroy 90 percent of the Lithuanias Jewish population, one of the highest rates in Europe, according to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Of Mr. Harmatzs immediate family members, only his mother survived the war. His father committed suicide in the ghetto. One brother died serving in the Soviet army, and another brother perished in a concentration camp.

Outside the ghetto with the resistance, he told an interviewer, I first met people whod escaped from concentration camps. They told me of the atrocities. I decided I wouldnt rest until I got revenge.

After the war, Mr. Harmatz ran a shipping company in Israel and became a high-ranking director of World ORT, a nongovernmental organization that provides educational and vocational training.

In 1998, following his retirement, he published a memoir of his time with Nakam, From the Wings. A German court later investigated him and an associate but declined to prosecute them because of persecution experienced by the two involved and their family.

Mr. Harmatzs wife, the former Gina Kirschenfeld, whom he married in 1950, died in 1987. Survivors include two sons, Ronel Harmatz and Zvi Harmatz, both of Tel Aviv; and three grandchildren.

According to Porat, about eight of Mr. Harmatzs former comrades are living today.

We were the Avengers, he told the Observer in 1998. Unfortunately, we did not do more. Our ultimate intention was to kill 6 million Germans, one for every Jew slaughtered by the Germans. . . . And I dont feel any differently today.
The attack aircraft  American A-10s, Australian F-18 Hornets and Danish F-16s  converged over eastern Syria in the late afternoon. Their target: several clusters of Islamic State militants, dug in among rocky hills overlooking a strategic airfield.

For nearly an hour, the aircraft successively struck the sites below, laying waste to trenches, sandbagged fighting positions, vehicles and tanks, holding at a distance between bombing runs. Higher in the sky, British and American drones kept a constant watch.

The planes were still pounding their targets when leaders at the U.S. air command center in Qatar got a call from a Russian liaison officer: They were hitting Syrian army troops, not the Islamic State.

Accusations that the Sept. 17 attack killed at least 60 members of President Bashar al-Assads army struck a blow to the U.S.-led air campaigns claims of accuracy, inflamed U.S.-Russia tensions and threatened to bury a faltering cease-fire deal.

In the hours after the attack, the Pentagon issued a statement of regret, and a senior officer is now investigating the attack, which may mark the first Western strike on government forces in Syria.





[U.S. admits carrying out airstrike that Russia says killed 62 Syria soldiers]

The incident underscores the difficulties that military commanders face as they conduct an air campaign in a nation where they have little ground presence and where an array of armed factions clash across constantly changing battle lines.

The Syrian government has seized on the incident as a chance to propagandize about U.S. perfidy, asserting that it proves Western support for the Islamic State. The authorities list of alleged casualties, anti-government activists allege, includes long-dead soldiers whose deaths they had been trying to hide.

The picture is further complicated by the fact that some within the U.S. military say the initial statement of regret may have been premature, suggesting that all indications  including what the individuals struck were wearing and what they were doing  point to the possibility that at least some of those killed may have been militants.

We were pretty convinced they were ISIL moving through ISIL territory, one U.S. official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to speak freely. ISIL is an acronym for the Islamic State.

But interviews with Syrians and U.S. officials with knowledge of the strike provide new detail about an operation that took place in a hotly contested area, where Islamic State, Syrian army and pro-government militia forces had been positioned in close quarters. The attack marks one of only a handful of times since 2014 when the U.S.-led coalition has struck an active fault line between Syrian and Islamic State forces.

[ 500-pound bombs struck their targets in a Syrian village. But who did they kill?]

Faysal Itani, a scholar at the Atlantic Council, a Washington think tank, said a central question is: Why did we make such a serious error?

The strike came amid a sustained U.S. air campaign across Deir al-Zours vast desert, which seeks to deprive the militants of oil assets and roads they could use to strengthen campaigns elsewhere.

While government-militant clashes have been a regular fact of life in Deir al-Zour, the Jabal al-Tharda highland is seen as especially important for both sides, said Jalal al-Hamad, who heads an activist organization tracking events there.

Their seizure, he said, would mean capture of the airport and the falling of areas controlled by the regime.

Militant have tried repeatedly to capture the highland and, at least twice, they succeeded in driving off government forces. But according to statements by Syrian officials, pro-government troops and local activists, the Syrian army and supporting militiamen were in place there when the strike occurred.

On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the situation in Deir al-Zour had been static for two years and dismissed U.S. claims that the area had been under aerial surveillance for two days before the strike. Government troops surrounded by ISIL, and thats it, he said. If this is a mistake after two full days of intelligence and of targeting, then we also want an investigation, frankly speaking.

The militiamens presence may have been critical to any error. According to Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi, a fellow at the Middle East Forum, a U.S. think tank, the Syrian army, sapped by five years of relentless fighting, receives vital support in Deir al-Zour from a host of pro-government irregulars, including militia groups,religious factions and tribal groups. Some of those groups wear regular uniforms; some do not.

[Pentagon grudgingly accepts Syria deal amid deep mistrust of Russia]

U.S. officials say both Islamic State and Syrian fighters were present but thought they could distinguish between the two.

Assad has insisted the attack on established army positions could not have been a mistake. It was definitely intentional, he said in an interview with the Associated Press published on Thursday.

Typically, targeteers and intelligence personnel combine imagery taken from drones, manned surveillance planes or satellites with electronic surveillance and reports from intelligence assets or friendly forces.

But Norton A. Schwartz, who was the U.S. Air Force chief of staff from 2008 to 2012, said the task of identifying factions on the ground becomes harder when those forces do not wear traditional uniforms or when they use weapons and equipment that differs from those of known military forces.

Unlike other areas of Syria where the United States conducts airstrikes, there also is no real U.S.-backed armed opposition force in Deir al-Zour, making it more difficult for the United States to obtain reliable on-the-ground reporting.

The truth of the matter is that we can hit whatever we aim at. The real fundamental question is, is it the right target? Schwartz said. That is a human undertaking, both for intelligence and operations.

Before the attack, an official at the coalition air command center in Qatar phoned a Russian official at a military base in Syria and informed him of the general location where the strike would occur. U.S. officials notify the Russian military of strike plans in certain cases, including when they say that government forces may be in the area.

About 20 minutes after the first bomb was dropped, a Russian official called back, saying he had something to pass along to the designated liaison officer.

By the time the U.S. officer spoke with the Russian official, who informed him that coalition planes might be hitting Syrian government forces, almost an hour had gone by. Less than five minutes later, commanders gave the order to cut the short operation.

[10 new wars that could be unleashed as a result of the one against ISIS]

At the Pentagon, senior officials were aghast, worrying the incident might derail a hoped-for cease-fire between the Syrian government and opposition forces. The Pentagon was already on the defensive over its barely veiled opposition to negotiating a deal with Russia that would have led to unprecedented military cooperation with Moscow.

Fady Mallah, who leads a pro-government militia that was present at Jabal al-Tharda, said that Islamic State forces were not far from where Syrian fighters were hit. He said a large number of militants were at shooting distance  about 200 meters, he said, from pro-government forces at the time of the attack.

After the strike, men identified as Syrian soldiers described it on Syrian television, saying they had observed surveillance planes all day before the strikes began in the late afternoon. Their positions, which included trenches, security walls, tanks and vehicles, were struck more than 12 times, they said from a hospital in Deir al-Zour.

At first, we thought they were our planes, one young fighter told a pro-government news channel from his bed. Then they started hitting us. . . . All our colleagues were killed.

Pro-government websites have posted names of the alleged victims in last weeks attack, saying that two major-generals and three colonels were killed. Some local media reported that conscripted prisoners were also among the dead.

Activists, however, have voiced doubt in the governments account of the attacks, saying far fewer dead and wounded were received at a nearby military hospital.

Hamad and other activists have suggested the Syrian government has included casualties from earlier engagements in its count of the Sept. 17 dead. That would allow it to explain away the deaths of senior officers that would raise questions about the governments narrative of the war.

We think it was an attempt to cover up casualties from previous battles, he said.

Habib reported from Berlin. Liz Sly in Beirut, Zakaria Zakaria in Istanbul, Karen DeYoung in New York and Louisa Loveluck, Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Suzan Haidamous and Dana Priest in Washington contributed to this report.

Read more:

U.S. accuses Russia of barbarism and war crimes in Syria

How the attack on an aid convoy near Aleppo unfolded

A ferocious assault on Aleppo suggests the U.S. may be wrong on Syria
FBI Director James B. Comey speaks at the 2016 Intelligence and National Security Summit earlier this month. Comey on Wednesday rejected the notion that the FBI might reopen its investigation into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server. (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

FBI Director James B. Comey on Wednesday rejected the idea that the bureau would reopen its investigation into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server while she was secretary of state  laying to rest a long-shot hope of Republican legislators who have questioned the governments handling of the case.

At a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee, Republican congressmen again peppered Comey with questions about how he came to the conclusion that Clinton should not be charged in connection with her server use. As he has at other hearings, Comey did not bend from his earlier decision.

Since you announced that there would be no prosecution of Secretary Clinton in July, there have been several very material issues that are troubling, and would those not require a reopening of the investigation to solve those issues? Rep. James F. Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.) asked.

I havent seen anything that would come near to that kind of situation, Comey responded.

[FBI recommends no criminal charges in Clinton email probe]

Republicans have been asking for information on the Clinton email probe for months, and they have asked for a separate investigation into whether the Democratic presidential candidate committed perjury when she testified before a congressional committee about her private server. Comey said the Justice Department had received that request but declined to comment further.

Democrats have charged that the effort is politically motivated and intended to affect the election. Comey at one point acknowledged the politics affecting Congresss interest after Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) suggested some things were done differently in the Clinton investigation.

I hope some day when this political craziness is over you will look back again on this, because this is the FBI you know and love, Comey responded. This was done by pros in the right way. Thats the part I have no patience for.

For their part, Democrats asked Comey on Wednesday about Trump advisers contacts with Russian officials and whether the bureau was investigating. Comey declined to answer those questions.

Republican legislators focused a large portion of their questions on the various immunity agreements extended in the Clinton investigation, including those recently revealed for top Clinton aides Cheryl Mills and Heather Samuelson. Comey said the five agreements in the case were fairly typical in a complex, white-collar case especially, and Mills and Samuelson were only granted immunity related to computers they turned over to agents.

Republican legislators also asked about posts on Reddit by Paul Combetta, a Platte River Networks employee who worked on Clintons server, soliciting advice in 2014 about removing a VIPs email address from archived messages. The legislators said that seemed obviously to refer to Clinton and might have been evidence of a coverup.

Comey said investigators had looked at the posts, and he noted that nothing was deleted after the FBI began investigating.

Combetta deleted a batch of emails in 2015 after a congressional committee investigating the 2012 attack in Benghazi, Libya, had requested they be preserved, and Comey made clear Monday that Combetta wanted  and received  immunity because of that.

Thats why the guy wouldnt talk to us without immunity, Comey said. But Comey said investigators determined that no one had directed him to do that. Comey said investigators found credible Combettas account that he had been told to delete the emails the year before and  having realized he failed to do so  went back and did it on his own after he was required to preserve the records. Comey acknowledged, though, that Combetta gave investigators various accounts about his deletion of the emails in two interviews. Kenneth F. Eichner, an attorney for Platte River, declined to discuss the details of the case, though he confirmed Combettas immunity agreement came in May, after his first conversation with agents.

Comey flatly dismissed the idea that Clinton herself should be prosecuted, though he said an FBI employee doing what Clinton did would be in big trouble, even if they were not criminally charged. He bristled at any suggestion that Clinton faced a double standard or that agents were influenced by politics.

You can call us wrong, but dont call us weasels, Comey said. We are not weasels.

Read more:

Clinton aide told FBI there were internal concerns raised at State over private email server

FBI director: Clinton email case was not a cliff-hanger
Former solicitor general Donald B. Verrilli Jr., who argued some of the highest-profile cases in recent history before the Supreme Court, will soon open the Washington office of the California law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson.

Verrilli, 59, said he decided to join the Los Angeles-based firm because of the opportunity to build an office as part of a firm with a commitment to excellence and a deep, long-standing commitment to pro-bono and public service work.

I want to help clients deal with their toughest and most challenging legal problems, Verrilli said in an interview. Im really energized and excited about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He said he also hopes to build a Supreme Court and appellate practice that is second to none.

When he left the Obama administration in June, Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch called Verrilli a brilliant lawyer, a devoted public servant and one of the most consequential solicitors general in American history.

Verrilli argued 37 cases before the Supreme Court, including the landmark case, Obergefell v. Hodges, in which the court held in a 5-to-4 decision that same-sex couples should be allowed to get married no matter where they live. He twice successfully defended President Obamas health-care plan, the Affordable Care Act, and persuaded the Supreme Court to strike down several parts of Arizonas tough immigration law.

Before the same-sex marriage case, Verrilli successfully convinced a majority of justices that the Defense of Marriage Act defining marriage as between a man and a woman was unconstitutional. Two other victories for Verrilli were the courts decision to strike down Texas abortion-clinic restrictions, considered the most important decision on abortion in 25 years, and the courts ruling in another Texas case to allow university officials to consider race in making admissions decisions.

Verrilli said the successful rulings most important to him were the health-care cases.

In both of those, I felt we were fighting for a social policy of enormous consequence, there was a huge amount on the line, and I felt that in both cases the lawyering really made a difference, Verrilli said.

Before Verrilli served as solicitor general, he was an associate deputy attorney general and deputy White House counsel. Prior to joining the Obama administration, Verrilli was a partner at the Washington law firm Jenner & Block.
A Malaysia Airlines investigator inspects the crash site of Flight 17 in the Donetsk region of Ukraine on July 22, 2014. (Maxim Zmeyev/Reuters)

Russian government hackers began targeting a British citizen journalist in February 2015, eight months after he began posting evidence documenting alleged Russian government involvement in the shoot-down of a Malaysian jetliner over Ukraine.

And then in February 2016, a group that researchers suspect is a propaganda mouthpiece of the Russian government  CyberBerkut  defaced the home page of Eliot Higginss citizen journalism website, Bellingcat.com.

That same month, CyberBerkut hacked the email, iCloud and social media account of a Bellingcat researcher in Moscow, then posted online personal pictures, a passport scan, his girlfriends name and other private details.

Russias information operations against Bellingcat are a taste of what may be in store for other media organizations whose reports anger the Kremlin, said a cyber-research firm that has extensively documented the effort.

[Dutch probe: Missile brought from Russia downed Malaysia Airlines plane over Ukraine]

If Russia is willing to go these lengths to compromise a small journalist organization and its contributors, consider what they are willing to do to major news and media outlets that publish similar articles, said Rich Barger, chief intelligence officer at ThreatConnect, a Northern Virginia-based research firm that analyzed the campaign against Bellingcat in a report released Wednesday. ThreatConnect looked into the matter after being approached by Bellingcat.

The report comes on the same day that a Dutch-led, multinational joint investigative team announced the results of a criminal probe that corroborated Bellingcats findings: The airplane was downed by a Russian surface-to-air missile fired from territory held by pro-Moscow separatists.

Russia has denied complicity in the downing.

Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was destroyed on July 17, 2014, over eastern Ukraine. All 298 passengers and crew members were killed.

Beginning that day and for the next 26 months, Bellingcat published no fewer than 92 posts focused on Russian involvement in the planes downing, using open-source information and imagery to prove the presence of Russian military equipment that had been moved into eastern Ukraine despite the Kremlins denials.

[Read the ThreatConnect report on Bellingcat]

The Russian harassment and propaganda campaign against Bellingcat, and Higgins in particular, began in February 2015. Bellingcat had completed a report that documented Russian shelling of Ukrainian military positions in eastern Ukraine, which Moscow had denied. The state-run Sputnik website ran an article suggesting that Bellingcat was linked to the CIA.

1 of 36 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  What the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crash site looked like View Photos A Malaysia Airlines plane carrying 298 people and traveling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, fell in a Ukrainian field. Caption Malaysia Airlines jet carrying 298 people fell in a field in Ukraine. Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 takes off at 12.31 PM from Schiphol Airport. Fred Neeleman/European Pressphoto Agency Wait 1 second to continue.

Beginning that month through July 2016, three Bellingcat researchers, including Higgins, received spearphishing emails that were written in a way meant to dupe the recipient into clicking on a link containing malware. Higgins received 16 such emails, which consisted of false Gmail security notices urging the recipient to click a link to review recent suspicious activity.

That technique, Barger said, is consistent with a technique used by a Russian hacker group dubbed Fancy Bear by some security researchers. The group is run out of the GRU, the military intelligence service, analysts said.

Meanwhile, with every new Bellingcat revelation, Russian propaganda outlets such as Sputnik and RT, formerly Russia Today, produced pieces that called into question the citizen journalists work.

In October, for instance, Bellingcat published reports based on the geolocation data of Russian defense ministry videos that showed that Russian airstrikes were destroying positions held by the Free Syrian Army and other rebel groups rather than the Islamic State, as Russia had indicated.

Nearly every day for a week, a new piece emerged on RT or Sputnik attacking Bellingcat. After the fourth day, I said, This is out of control,  Higgins said. Theyve gone crazy.

RT even sent a satirist with a cameraman to find Higgins in his home town of Leicester, England.

The comic Nimrod Kamer wound up reaching Higginss mother, who, Higgins said, was in tears after being questioned by Kamer about her son. It was intimidating, given the circumstances, he said.

Then, in February, CyberBerkut, which describes itself as a group of pro-Russian Ukrainian hacktivists, defaced Bellingcats website.

In a blog post, the group also said it had hacked Bellingcat researcher Ruslan Leviev. To gain access to his email inbox, the group hijacked a text message sent to his cellphone that contained a security code, Leviev said.

Barger said he thinks the group gained access to Bellingcats website through Levievs account.

In July, two days before the second anniversary of the crash, Russian bloggers trolled Higgins, publishing more than 30 articles in Russian in 30 hours attacking his credibility and questioning his reporting.

Higgins is bringing to light the truth behind the 298 people killed, Barger said. There is an aggressive campaign to undermine those who are shining a light on the tragedy.

If you cross Russia, you become a target for Russia, said Higgins, 37.

But, he added, he thinks the campaign of harassment and hacking may backfire. It just makes them look insane and makes us look far more credible because they are going at us so hard.

Read more:

Putin wants revenge and respect, and hacking the U.S. is his way of getting it

The enduring mystery of who shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 nearly two years ago

Heres how Russian hackers could actually tip an American election
The Obama administration threatened Wednesday to suspend plans for coordinating counterterrorism strikes in Syria with Russia unless Moscow moves to stop its assault on the city of Aleppo and restore a collapsed cease-fire.

Secretary of State John F. Kerry, in a telephone call to his Russian counterpart, made clear the United States and its partners hold Russia responsible for this situation, including the drastic escalation of its military actions in recent days and its refusal to ensure the safe passage of humanitarian aid to government-besieged areas, the State Department said.

The United States, Kerry told Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, is making preparations to suspend U.S.-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria . . . unless Russia takes immediate steps to end the heightened carnage in Aleppo, where at least a quarter-million civilians are trapped amid withering Syrian and Russian bombing.

The scale of the slaughter is unprecedented in Syrias five years of civil war, as are the international cries for something to be done. Yet there is a growing sense that the United States is powerless to stop it, or is at least unwilling to take steps that might force Moscow and Damascus to change their calculations.

Those possible steps  including U.S. military action, increased arms shipments to Syrian rebel forces or additional sanctions  have changed little over the years of Syrias civil war.

1 of 41 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Scenes from Aleppo View Photos The Syrian government has dropped two chlorine bombs in the past month on the besieged, rebel-held city. Caption Images from inside the Syrian city. Dec. 19, 2016 Syrians evacuated from Fuaa and Kafraya, two Shiite villages under rebel siege, are welcomed by pro-government forces as they arrive in Jibrin, on the eastern outskirts of Aleppo. George Ourfalian/AFP/Getty Images Wait 1 second to continue.

All are again being reviewed by the administration, including at a National Security Council deputies meeting Wednesday to prepare options for top national-security officials.

But just as the alternatives are the same, so are the perceived drawbacks and internal opposition to each of them. If anything, the fast-approaching end of the administration and the complications of the conflict  which now involves a bewildering mix of rebels, terrorists and the forces of several governments  have made them even less attractive, according to several senior administration officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity about the closed-door discussions.

Kerry and President Obama believe that none of the options are better, in the long run, for the Syrian people than trying to get a diplomatic solution now, State Department spokesman John Kirby said. Kirby and other officials declined to define immediate in the context of Wednesdays demand for Russian action and emphasized that the door, for now, remains open to Moscow.

In Moscow, Lt. Gen. Viktor Poznikhir of the Armed Forces General Staff did not mention the U.S. threat. Following the Kerry-Lavrov call, he said that, at the behest of the Russian president, Russia would further continue the joint work with our U.S. partners on the Syrian problem, according to Interfax, the Russian news agency.

The threat of suspending bilateral engagement largely refers to ongoing U.S.-Russia talks in Geneva over plans for coordinating strikes against al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Under a plan agreed to by Kerry and Lavrov this month following lengthy diplomatic negotiations, the cooperation was to follow seven consecutive days of reduced violence and the distribution of humanitarian aid.

Russia agreed to ground Syrias air force, while the United States agreed to separate the opposition forces it supports from the terrorist groups with which they are increasingly intertwined.

The truce, which began Sept. 12, lasted only a few days before fighting began again in and around the divided city of Aleppo, with each side blaming the other with starting it. An apparently mistaken U.S. airstrike that killed Syrian troops in eastern Aleppo, followed by a strike against a humanitarian convoy outside Aleppo for which the United States blamed Russia, significantly raised temperatures.

Late last week, the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad declared the truce at an end and began a new offensive intended to retake eastern Aleppo from the now-surrounded rebels.

Amid continued Syrian and Russian airstrikes pummeling the ravaged city, using incendiary and bunker-busting bombs that reach even the underground caverns where schools and hospitals have operated for years, critics were quick to belittle the administrations response.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz) and Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), who last week called Kerry delusional for trusting Russia, sarcastically labeled the threat of suspending cooperation a real power move in American diplomacy. . . . We can only imagine that having heard the news, [Russian President] Vladimir Putin has called off his bear hunt and is rushing back to the Kremlin to call off Russian airstrikes on hospitals, schools, and humanitarian aid convoys around Aleppo, they said in a Wednesday statement.

Kerry has been unrepentant in trying to take diplomacy to its outer limits. Wheres the congressional vote for force? he said Monday, referring to congressional refusal, in 2013, to back Obamas plans to punish Assad with airstrikes for his use of chemical weapons. Talk is cheap, Kerry said. I have my own views about what we ought to do, but Im not going to be arguing about them publicly.

The cause of what is happening is Assad and Russia wanting to simply try to pursue a military victory. And it would be diplomatic malpractice not to try to pursue whether or not through some kind of diplomatic effort you could actually wind up reducing the violence, he said. And whats the alternative? Today theres no cease-fire, and were not talking to [Russia] right now. Whats happening? The place is being utterly destroyed. Okay?

Thats not delusional, Kerry said. Thats a fact.

Long an internal proponent of a more muscular U.S. response to Assad, including the use of U.S. military power, Kerry has largely kept his peace since Russia first sent its air force to Assads aid last fall. For its part, the Pentagon has not wavered from a belief that entering the civil war against Assad would detract from the separate fight against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq and risk a broader conflagration. Although Obama has overruled Defense Department objections to cooperating with Russia and supported Kerrys efforts, he has long been unwilling to approve any Plan B for what to do if diplomacy or limited efforts to arm the opposition fail.

While still on the table, military options such as bombing Assads airstrips, once the subject of lengthy internal U.S. discussions as to legality and effectiveness, now seem impossible with Russias participation in the air war.

Some officials have continued to advocate allowing more-eager backers of the rebels, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, to supply them with more-sophisticated weapons, including shoulder-launched antiaircraft missiles. But long-standing U.S. fears that the weapons could fall into terrorist hands now seem even more acute, with the increased mixing on the ground of rebel groups and the potent forces of the newly renamed Front for the Conquest of Syria, the former al-Qaeda affiliate known as Jabhat al-Nusra.

I just dont see it at the moment, a Western official, whose government is part of the anti-Islamic State coalition, said of any U.S. military steps. This White House, the official said, hasnt got much longer, and theres a reluctance to do anything that would bounce a future administration into a course of action.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on Wednesday proposed a new U.N. Security Council resolution for an Aleppo cease-fire, saying those who dont vote for it risk being held responsible for complicity in war crimes.

The goal, the Western official said, is to shame Russia. . . . But Russia has shown that it isnt easily shamed.

Read more:

Stunned, bloodied face of 5-year-old Omran Daqneesh sums up horror of Aleppo

Images from Aleppo: Syrian children are at the heart of this catastrophe

Hey, Gary Johnson, people in Aleppo dont know who you are
Israeli President Shimon Peres addresses members of the Foreign Press Association during a visit to the southern Israeli town of Sderot.

July 06, 2014 Israeli President Shimon Peres addresses members of the Foreign Press Association during a visit to the southern Israeli town of Sderot. Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images

The elder statesman was involved in the most important events of Israels history for more than half a century.

The elder statesman was involved in the most important events of Israels history for more than half a century.

The elder statesman was involved in the most important events of Israels history for more than half a century.

As tributes poured in from abroad, Israel prepared to say goodbye to Shimon Peres, one of the founders of the Jewish state, who died Wednesday of complications from a massive stroke.

For many, Peress long and complex legacy reads like chapters from Israels history.

The 93-year-old  a former prime minister and president and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate  died at a Tel Aviv hospital surrounded by his family.

His body will lie in state at the Israeli parliament Thursday, allowing the public to pay their respects. Many world leaders and dignitaries  including President Obama, former president Bill Clinton, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Prince Charles  are expected to attend his funeral Friday in Jerusalem. The White House said Obama will depart Thursday for Jerusalem and return Friday after the service.

Peres arrived in British Mandate Palestine as a boy from what was then Poland and is now Belarus. He began more than six decades of public service as a security hawk who helped turn Israel into a nuclear power, only to become the ultimate dove, pushing until the end for peace with the Palestinians.

At the Sheba Medical Center, his son Chemi Peres said, The loss we feel today belongs to all of Israel. We all share this pain.

Until Tuesday, doctors had expressed guarded optimism that he might recover from the stroke he suffered Sept. 13, but his condition deteriorated quickly.

The family said Peres wanted any useful organs donated for transplant. His corneas were removed.

[Shimon Peres: Statesman and Nobel laureate]

His son-in-law and personal physician, Rafi Walden, said Obama called the family and spoke with Peress daughter to express condolences.

Education Minister Naftali Bennett directed that all of Israels schoolchildren dedicate a portion of the day Thursday to the study of Peress life.

Social-media sites were filled with Peres quotes Wednesday.

Optimists and pessimists die the same way. They just live differently, he said in 2005.

My greatest mistake is that my dreams were too small, he concluded during a TED talk in Tel Aviv in 2015.

Abroad, Peres was best known as Israels elder statesman, the grandfatherly figure who liked poetry and a glass of wine  a leader hailed for his optimism, vigor and pursuit of a deal between Israel and the Palestinians, who seek an end to the almost 50-year military occupation and the creation of a sovereign state.

At home, Peres was most beloved in his later years, especially during his term as president, a largely ceremonial post. But his legacy is complex in Israel.

[Gallery: Shimon Peres over more than half a century]

Many Israelis have turned away from Peress signal achievement, the crafting of the 1993 Oslo Accords, the beginning of what has become a faltering peace process with the Palestinians.

Peres shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat for the peace accords.

Peress tenure in power lasted through 10 U.S. presidents.

In an unusually personal statement, Obama said that no Israeli did more over so many years than Peres to build the alliance with the United States.

I will always be grateful that I was able to call Shimon my friend, Obama said. Perhaps because he had seen Israel surmount overwhelming odds, Shimon never gave up on the possibility of peace between Israelis, Palestinians and Israels neighbors  not even after the heartbreak of the night in Tel Aviv that took Yitzhak Rabin.

Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish extremist in 1995 as he worked to build a lasting peace with the Palestinians. Peres succeeded Rabin as prime minister, one of three times he held the post.

Ill never forget how happy he was 23 years ago when he signed the Oslo Accords on the White House lawn, heralding a more hopeful era in Israeli-Palestinian relations, Clinton said in a statement.

His critics called him a dreamer. That he was  a lucid, eloquent dreamer until the very end, Clinton added.

A campaign aide to Hillary Clinton said she will not attend the funeral. The Democratic presidential nominee plans to be at events in New Hampshire, Iowa and Florida this week.

[Obama will travel to Israel for Peres funeral]

Yoram Dori, a close friend and former adviser to Peres, said that what drove the Israeli leader, even after numerous setbacks, was that he considered his fellow Israelis family.

He would say to me, Yoram, do you ever quit your family? Your concern until your last breath is your family and you will do everything you can to help your family, and my family is the state of Israel,  Dori said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted that Peres was always dedicated to Israels security. He strengthened Israel in many ways, some of which are still secret, said Netanyahu, who as a leader of the Likud party was often a political rival of Peres and his Labor Party.

Former Israeli lawmaker Einat Wilf, who served as a foreign policy adviser to Peres, said that as a politician, Peres was not always popular in Israel, especially because he was so opinionated. She said he kept his Polish accent until his last day and was often viewed as an outsider in a country he helped build.

Frederic C. Hof, a former U.S. diplomat, observed that Peres could be stubborn, didactic and irascible. His feuds and maneuverings were legendary. But, in the end, the legacy of this immensely talented, engaging and inventive man will depend on the efforts of others who will either build upon his good works or abandon them entirely, Hof said.

[A light has gone out: Obama, Netanyahu and others pay tribute to Shimon Peres]

Among Arabs, especially, Peres remained a controversial figure for his role in fostering Jewish settlements in the occupied territories and his leadership during a deadly attack on a U.N. base in southern Lebanon in 1996.

On social media, supporters of the Palestinians warned that glowing obituaries were a whitewash. They called Peres a war criminal who had blood on his hands.

Diana Buttu, a lawyer and former peace negotiator for the PLO, tweeted, For Peres, peace meant bombing civilians, stealing land, ethnic cleansing and building settlements.

Yet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas tweeted in Arabic, Shimon Peress death is a heavy loss for all humanity and for peace in the region.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Abbas had sent a condolence letter to Peress family.

In a speech Peres gave in 2014 upon accepting the Congressional Gold Medal, he called peace with the Palestinians the most possible impossibility.

Netanyahu in his last reelection bid famously vowed that no Palestinian state would be created on his watch. He later said that the time just wasnt right. Netanyahu frequently disparages Abbas and accuses him of inciting violence and shirking negotiations.

But Peres disagreed. He called Abbas clearly a partner for peace. He added, The Arabs are not Israels enemies. The terrorists are the enemies of both of us.

Anne Gearan in White Plains, N.Y., and Carol Morello in Washington contributed to this report.

Read more:

Career highlights of Shimon Peres

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
The two largest hospitals in the Syrian city of Aleppo were bombed Wednesday, knocking them out of service and worsening an already dire medical crisis in the besieged city, medical workers said.

Two patients were killed and three hospital staffers injured in the pre-dawn attacks, including a nurse and an ambulance driver, according to the Syrian American Medical Society, which runs hospitals in opposition-controlled areas of Syria.

Since a cease-fire collapsed last week, the rebel-held eastern portion of Aleppo has been subjected to what residents describe as the most intense bombardments yet of the five-year-old war, with waves of Syrian and Russian airstrikes sending sometimes hundreds of injured people streaming to the citys few remaining hospitals in a day.

Aleppo is being burned: Residents cope with airstrikes

Both of the damaged hospitals were hit by airstrikes between 3:30 and 5 a.m., according to reports from medical workers. One of the hospitals held eastern Aleppos only trauma center, they said.

Fewer than eight hospitals are functioning for what the U.N. estimates are 275,000 people living in the rebel-held part of the city, and there are just 29 doctors to treat the floods of injured people, said Adham Sahloul of the SAMS medical organization, who is in Gaziantep, Turkey, near the Syrian border.

Both hospitals are expected to be repaired, but they are badly damaged. It could take a while before they are functioning again. In one of them, there was extensive damage to the intensive-care unit, and a generator and ventilator were destroyed, equipment that cant be replaced because of the siege.

Their closure, even if temporary, will deepen the already profound misery of those being injured in the bombardments, Sahloul said.

This is going to reduce capacity. They are in areas that are hit quite often and are densely populated, so this is going to be a problem, he said. It is very dire.

The pace of the bombardments has slowed somewhat in recent days after a weekend blitz that killed some 300 people and injured nearly 700. Patients piled up on the floors of the hospitals and spilled onto the sidewalks outside because there were not enough beds for such a huge influx, according to witnesses and videos and photographs posted on social media.

We had to take the difficult decision to let the difficult cases die and attend to those who had better chances of surviving, said Mohammed Tareq, a nurse at one of the hospitals. Everything was topsy-turvy.

On Tuesday, at least 26 people died in the bombardments, including 23 who were buried under the rubble of an apartment building when it was demolished by an airstrike, according to the White Helmets civil-defense group.

Aleppo has been completely encircled by government troops for the past 31/2 weeks, and there are fears that medical supplies soon will run out. One hospital has already run out of anesthetics, and the surge of casualties over the past week has dangerously depleted supplies at other facilities, Sahloul said.

The bloodshed coincided with the announcement by the Syrian government that it had launched military operations to recapture eastern Aleppo from the rebels, who have controlled it since 2012, squashing any remaining hopes that the cease-fire plan could be salvaged.

The government is pressing ahead with the offensive. On Tuesday, it announced that its forces had launched a ground assault along one of the front lines near the center of the city, but no evidence showed that one had taken place.

Diplomatic efforts by the United States and Russia to solve the crisis have meanwhile lapsed since a hostile exchange Sunday at the United Nations in which the U.S. envoy Samantha Power accused Russia of barbarism for its support of the Aleppo assault.

There has been no further contact between U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, since the U.N. clash, the State Department said Tuesday.

Kerry will not give up the quest for a negotiated settlement to Syrias war, spokesman Mark Toner said in Washington.

He has not closed the door on this diplomatic process and, as the secretary of state, hell never do that, he said. But, that said, were under no illusions, given the intensity of the conflict in and around Aleppo over the past 72 hours, with barrel bombs, indiscriminate bombings, that were anywhere near.

Read more

Ferocious assault on Aleppo suggests the U.S. may be wrong on Syria

Syria ignores Kerry and launches an offensive to recapture Aleppo

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
The films made by Roger Ross Williams would at first appear to have little in common. Life, Animated, the acclaimed documentary that premiered at Sundance in January and was released by The Orchard over the summer, got into the head of a young man on the autistic spectrum who learned to relate to the world through Disney animated films.

Williams 2013 feature God Loves Uganda focused on the Christian right in that nation. Along the way, he has made shorts about everything from a young disabled African musician (the Oscar-winning Music by Prudence) to a gay luchador (for The New Yorker Presents) to the Dutch holiday tradition of Zwarte Piet (Blackface).

But Williams sees them as all of a piece.

Theyre actually very connected, because everything I do is about people who feel theyre outside of society, outside of the mainstream, says the native of Easton, Pa., who now lives in upstate New York. I felt like I was an outsider growing up in the black church, as a gay man, in a poor community.

Julie Goldman, a producer on Life, Animated, God Loves Uganda, and Blackface, explains, Really, what attracts Roger is the human side of the story. Hell have this breakthrough with subjects where theyll say, Ive never talked about this before, or Ive never gotten emotional like this, and its because he has this extraordinary empathy.

Williams got his start in TV journalism, working at ABC, NBC, CNN, and Comedy Central. A Sundance Channel gig  covering the film festival  sparked a desire to pursue documentary filmmaking. With $5,000 in the bank, he quit his day job and made Music by Prudence. It won him the 2010 Academy Award for documentary short. With the success of his first feature, God Loves Uganda, his career was on its way.

At this years New York Film Festival, Williams has two projects: Traveling While Black, an immersive virtual-reality project about the fraught experiences of African-Americans through the lens of travel, and Land of the Lost Sidekicks, a short inspired by Life, Animated.

Hes also at work on an untitled documentary about the cycle of incarceration in the black community in his Pennsylvania hometown, as well as a project about upper Manhattans storied Apollo Theater. Meanwhile, hes executive producing a couple of documentary features and beginning to explore narrative filmmaking.

Im excited to see what I can do in that area, he says.

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Against the backdrop of a spate of attacks on policemen on duty, Maharashtra govt is planning to provide them state-of-the-art stealth body cameras.

By Kamlesh Damodar Sutar: Against the backdrop of a spate of attacks on policemen on duty, Maharashtra govt is planning to provide them state-of-the-art stealth body cameras. The body cameras will be helpful during security checks and patrolling and are going to serve as an important piece of evidence in case of an assault.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis made this announcement during an event to inaugurate the Mumbai Heart Healthy City programme for city policemen.



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Also read: Mumbai police to keep a tab on pandals owned by gangsters



The programme, in association with the Asian Heart Institute, aims to offer free health check-ups to 5,000 policemen in the initial phase. It also includes a comprehensive heart-focused examination and medical mapping.



WELFARE MEASURES ANNOUNCED



Apart from this initiative, the Chief Minister also announced several welfare measures for cops. Fadnavis announced a plan of 25,000 to 30,000 ownership houses for police personnel and a smart township project in sub urban Ghatkopar for the force with about 8,000 houses.



Also read: Mumbai Police notice to MNS for 48-hours ultimatum to Pakistani actors



"More than 18,000 police officials over the age of 40 need to be covered under a comprehensive health assessment plan. I, therefore, appeal to other city hospitals also to come forward and join the health assessment programme," Fadnavis said.

CARING FOR COPS NECESSARY



"Policing as a profession is highly stressful and many policemen suffer from heart ailments. It is necessary to take care of those who take care of our security. This initiative will help transform the lives of police personnel and help them in taking preventive measures," added Fadnavis.

The health assessment programme will also keep a digital health record of cops across all the police stations.

--- ENDS ---
This past summer, Bella Burton, 11, was riding a bike and walking on her own for the first time  thanks to a lot of help from her best friend and adorable service dog George, a 137-pound Great Dane.



Burton, a Woburn, Massachusetts, sixth-grader, has Morquio Syndrome, a rare inherited metabolic disorder that was diagnosed when she was 2.



The progressive genetic disease can lead to abnormal bone development and dwarfism, and make it hard to walk. Bella, just 42 inches tall, is not expected to grow much more, her mother, Rachel, tells PEOPLE.



Until Bella got George 20 months ago, she had to rely on crutches and a wheelchair to get around. Then Bella learned to lean on George, a fun activity that's also strengthened her legs.





Little Girl with Rare Disease and Her Service Dog Have a Special Friendship: 'I Pretty Much Love Everything About Him'| Health, Good Deeds, Real People Stories, The Daily Smile



"We never thought she would be off crutches. And now she will go in the yard and play, even without George," Rachel says. "To see how much stronger she's gotten is awesome."



Adds Bella, "I pretty much love everything about him."



Since Bella's gotten George  who attends classes with her  she's also been happier.



 Need a little inspiration? Click here to subscribe to the Daily Smile Newsletter for uplifting, feel-good stories that brighten up your inbox.



"He's always there for me," she says, "and whenever I'm feeling sad or something, he's always there. He knows, he just kind of comes over and leans over me."



Bella and George's love for each other and their adventures are followed by more than 20,000 fans on their Facebook page.



Bella, who loves to swim, even got the water-shy George to enjoy boat rides and romps in the ocean this past summer.





Little Girl with Rare Disease and Her Service Dog Have a Special Friendship: 'I Pretty Much Love Everything About Him'| Health, Good Deeds, Real People Stories, The Daily Smile





George joined Bella's family on January 19, 2015 from the Ipswich, MA-based Service Dog Project, which trained the gigantic pooch. The group has donated over 100 Great Danes to people with severe balance issues, according to its website.



George actually picked Bella.



"Bella came her and spent a lot of time at the farm and she'd go in with all the dogs on the property and no one would give her the time of day," Megan Kokaras, a head trainer at the Service Dog Project, tells PEOPLE.



"She stumbled upon George and there was an instant connection," she says. "She climbed into his loft [where he sleeps] and he put his paw on her leg and didn't want her to leave.



"It was instant. George said, 'This is my person' and we ran with it from there. They were made for each other."



After Bella began receiving a weekly infusion of an enzyme replacement therapy at Boston Childrenas Hospital in June 2014, George was at her side. (She now receives the infusions at home, says Rachel.)





Little Girl with Rare Disease and Her Service Dog Have a Special Friendship: 'I Pretty Much Love Everything About Him'| Health, Good Deeds, Real People Stories, The Daily Smile



George has also accompanied Bella for two recent short overnight hospital stays, and as dogs are apt to do, climbed into bed with her. On October 14, Bella returns to the hospital for reconstructive surgery on her right foot. George will be with her.



"Bella was never really shy, but he's given her more confidence," Rachel says. "She feels she fits in better with her peers than when she was on crutches or a wheelchair. She feels more confident about herself.



"Now that she has George, she feels more like a regular kid."




You dont have to watch the trailer premiere for Gimme Danger (above) for too long before learning how filmmaker Jim Jarmusch feels about the seminal punk band hes documenting: We are in an undisclosed location, interrogating Jim Osterberg [better known as Iggy Pop] about The Stooges, Jarmusch announces. The greatest rock n roll band ever.

Fans of the Stones and Beatles might take issue, but Jarmusch  the O.G. NYC hipster, revered director behind movies like Down By Law, Ghost Dog, and Broken Flowers, and fervent music aficionado  clearly believes his proclamation.

Gimme Danger (titled after the 1973 song of the same name) marks Jarmuschs first nonfiction work since the 1997 Neil Young tour doc, Year of the Horse, and the filmmaker has been working on telling The Stooges story (at the request of Mr. Pop) since at far back as 2010.

Originally formed as The Psychedelic Stooges in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967, the band behind tracks like I Wanna Be Your Dog and Search and Destroy became one of the most influential rock outfits of their time, known for innovative punk-rock soundscapes and showmanship. I just started jumping up and down, like baboons do before theyre gonna fight, Osterberg explained about his stage persona. (And, as seen in the trailer, they also helped popularized both stage-diving and having bottles thrown at their heads).

The Stooges, who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010, played their last show was exactly two years ago today, on Sept. 28, 2013.

Gimme Danger premiered to cheers at the Cannes Film Festival in May and most recently played at the Toronto International Film Festival. It opens in New York and Detroit on Oct. 28 before going nationwide on Nov. 4.

The film marks of the first of two releases this fall from Jarmusch. Yahoo Movies will have the exclusive trailer for the second, the Adam Driver-starring drama Paterson, tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET/ 10 a.m. PT.
Lin-Manuel Miranda has long stumped for Hillary Clinton, but he explained why Donald Trump would be a dangerous president in a new interview with Variety. In a passionate conversation for this weeks cover story in Varietys 2016 Gotham Issue, Miranda outlined the case against Trump.

What remains to be said? he asked. I got interviewed a year ago and I said he was an annoyance gone national  that was very early in the primary  but I think weve long since crossed that line.

He earned my contempt with his comments on John McCain, and his doubling down on the Gold Star family just made me sick to my stomach, he continued, referring to Trumps dismissive response to the DNC speech of Khizr Khan, the father of a U.S. soldier who died in a car bombing in Iraq, and to McCains statement defending Khan and his family. It made me sick to my stomach that a candidate, who is seen by the rest of the world, is going after a military family. Theres no excuse for it. And his defense: I was attacked? What do you think is going to happen when youre president? If you cant handle a speech, how are you going to handle aggression from another country? That really scared a lot of people, and it scared me.

Miranda is a Hillary supporter, as evidenced by the extra matinee performance that Hamilton added in July as a fundraiser for Clinton. But this election season, the Hamilton creator-star is focused on getting out the vote, no matter what side youre one, via three TV spots (two in English, one in Spanish) produced by the Hamilton production and Mirandas company, 5000 Broadway Productions.

If youre for voter suppression, if you dont believe your ideals stand up to the voting booth, then you are for the losing side, he said. My goal is to get everyone voting as much as possible. Because you dont want 40% of the nation to decide who our president is. You want a majority. You want a mandate. You want to hear the will of the electorate. Whether that breaks with my personal interest or not, it is in the interest of the common good for as many people to show up as possible.

Story continues

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The suspect is a 14-year-old male who shot the victims on the school's playground earlier today (Sept. 28).

Two six-year-old students and a teacher were injured in a shooting at Townville Elementary School earlier today (Sept. 28) in Townville, S.C. The shooting suspect is a 14-year-old male who is in custody, according to CNN.

According to reports, the shooting occurred on the schools playground around 1:45 p.m., where one male student was hit in the foot, another male student was hit in the leg and a female teacher was hit in the shoulder by a teenager with a handgun.

The teacher and one student were transported to AnMed Health Center, where they were listed in good condition and released around 5:50 p.m. The other injured student was airlifted to Greenville Health System emergency trauma center, where he underwent surgery earlier this afternoon, says WYFF. Other students in the school were evacuated and moved to Oakdale Baptist Church.

The suspect was taken into custody by police after a volunteer firefighter helped take him down. Reports are swirling that he is a key suspect in the death of 47-year-old Jeffrey Osborne- his father- who was found dead Wednesday afternoon after being shot to death about two miles away from the school.

Burke Royster, the superintendent of the Greenville County school district, released a statement which says, our thoughts and prayers go out to the students, teachers, administrators, and families of Townville Elementary School and Anderson School District 4. School will be closed tomorrow, Sept. 29, and when school resumes, counselors will be on-hand to talk to students.
Major Lazer was a hit from the moment blogs first hinted at a Diplo and Switch collaboration. Before debut album Guns Don't Kill People Lazers Do, hipsters were wearing Major Lazer shirts depicting the bionic, cartoon, Rasta soldier. When the frenetic, colorful, dancehall-influenced finally hit ears, it was an instant classic, and things have only ever gotten bigger.

The 10 Best Chainsmokers Songs

Switch eventually left and was replaced by Walshy Fire and Jillionaire, infusing the project with even more island power. Major Lazer's second album Free The Universe saw the group launched into absolutely stardom, and recent LP Peace Is The Mission put them squarely in the mainstream. Recent A-list collabs from upcoming Music Is The Weapon are just, like, beyond - but are they the best? Here's Billboard Dance's list of the top Major Lazer songs for your listening pleasure.

#10 Major Lazer Song: Powerful

With more than 75 million watches on YouTube and a peak position of 5 on the Dance charts, "Powerful" is one of Major Lazer's biggest hits to date. Ellie Goulding is simply magical on the vocal and is matched in strength by the dark rasp of Tarrus Riley. It's a dance music power ballad, so let your voice crack with passion as you sing along.

#9 Major Lazer Song: Be Together

Wild Belle are a really cool brother and sister duo with tons of cool instruments in their arsenal and a seriously cool way of telling musical stories. When they teamed up with Major Lazer for this cut off Peace Is The Mission, it became the pace-setter for the whole album. It's a bit of a sleeper hit compared to others on this list, but it deserves a million listens.

#8 Major Lazer Song: Keep It Going Louder

This was one of the catchiest dance-pop songs of 2009, and the music video, directed by comedy weirdo Eric Wareheim, was unlike anything anyone had ever seen. We now recognize that effect as a Snapchat filter effect, but we digress. Nina Sky and Ricky Blaze provide the perfect club vocal on this Guns Don't Kill People Lazers Do hit. Shout out Skerrit Bwoy, the dude in the blonde mohawk floating throughout the video. He was the original gangsta of the whole Major Lazer vibe. More on him later

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#7 Major Lazer Song: Watch Out For This

Seriously classic vibes on this single from Free The Universe. There's a touch of middle-eastern flavor in this jam that is otherwise a total Caribbean banger. Busy Signal, The Flexican, and FS Green step up to the plate to kill the soundboys and bust microphones open like ladies' legs. So fiyah.

#6 Major Lazer Song: Jah No Partial

This collaboration with Flux Pavilion is one of the hardest hitting bass lines in dance history. It puts the "dub" in dubstep with a sample of Johnny Osbourne's "Mr. Marshall." This Free The Universe gem was dropped in every bass set of 2013 and at least half of what followed in 2014. It was remixed and reworked by everyone and their mom, but the original is the golden ticket. That rave bit in the middle? C'mon, bro.

#5 Major Lazer Song: Pon De Floor

Major classic alert! This was the jam when it came out. It introduced thousands of white hipsters to "daggering," the Kingston dance craze so dirty, it was actually banned by the Jamaican government. There's Skerrit Bwoy again. He was daggering's biggest star. He does this thing with a ladder. He would do it on tour with Major Lazer and in this video, again directed by Eric Wareheim. After a couple years of partying, he recommitted himself to Jesus Christ and stopped daggering for good. Sad days, but we will always remember them with this video. Oh, and Beyonce liked this song so much, she turned it into "Run The World (Girls)." Nbd.

#4 Major Lazer Song: Light It Up

Another killer anthem from Peace Is The Mission, this one featuring Nyla, Fuse ODG, and one seriously cool trumpet solo. This rhythm breaks into moombahton territory, but the chart performance of "Light It Up" has pop smash hit written all over it.

#3 Major Lazer Song: Get Free

This isn't just one of the best Major Lazer songs ever recorded, it's one of the best songs, like, ever. Produced alongside GTA with vocals from Amber of the Dirty Projectors, it reaches right into your soul and touches your heart. It's like Amber is singing for the entire world. She is the voice of Gaia on this one, and we as humans can all come together and dance in the hope that things can and will get better for all of us, equally. It's not even preachy. It's just solid.

#2 Major Lazer Song: Cold Water

It's almost cheating to have Justin Bieber on your song. Obviously it's going to be a hit. Obviously it's going to be awesome, but it wouldn't be fair to act like The Biebs is what makes "Cold Water" so good. Major Lazer killed the production on this one, fusing elements from all over the world to create an anthem fit for any parade, silent car ride, or packed club. This one comes from the upcoming Music Is The Weapon.

#1 Major Lazer Song: Lean On

You're not even surprised, are you? This is a J-A-M, with capital letters. M's distinctly rich vocals draw you in so Major Lazer and DJ Snake can go in for the kill. It's the perfect hook. This is the kind of song you go around singing for the rest of the day if someone even so much as whispers the words. Does this mean Peace Is The Mission was the best Major Lazer album of all? Oof, we have to wait and see.
Discover top all-inclusive retreats opening across Mexico and the Caribbean.

While the all-inclusive vacation concept is nothing novel, each property offers its own benefits, pricing plans and version of paradise. Some all-inclusives are known for their striking beachfront scenery or family-friendly atmosphere, while others are celebrated for their superior dining, vibrant nightlife and outstanding amenities. If you're looking to try a new resort and enjoy a hassle-free holiday that's kind to your wallet, fortunately, there are plenty of spots to try that cater to a variety of traveler types, needs and budgets. Here are 10 all-inclusive properties that recently opened or are scheduled to debut next year to keep on your radar.

Waves Hotel & Spa, Barbados

Barbados

Opened in August 2016, Waves Hotel & Spa by Elegant Hotels offers a high-end all-inclusive experience. With an adult-themed wing, an on-site spa and top-notch dining options, Waves is the perfect destination for a romantic or fun-filled family getaway. You and the kids can take advantage of the pool and idyllic beachfront and enjoy water sports, which are included in the nightly room rate, starting at $300.

Breathless Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa

Cancun, Mexico

Breathless Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa became the area's premier adults-only retreat in May 2016. This property boasts 526 suites, all of which have terraces and Jacuzzis, 24-hour dining, 20 restaurants and bars and three themed pools. Here, you can enjoy a tranquil oceanfront, get pampered with an on-site massage or facial or simply relax. Nightly room rates start at $400.

Hyatt Ziva Cancun

Cancun, Mexico

This all-ages resort opened in January 2016 with 547 rooms, 17 on-site eateries and a 270-degree view of the Cancun surf. Surrounded by ocean on three sides, the Hyatt Ziva Cancun was built to satisfy all ages and family sizes with amenities catering to a variety of travel preferences and tastes. Take a dip in the Caribbean Sea, enjoy a handcrafted beer brewed on-site or relax in your personal pool as you gaze at the stars. Nightly rates start at around $500.

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Royalton Blue Waters

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Opening in October 2016, the Royalton Blue Waters sits on prime beachfront real estate in Montego Bay. With a location next door to its sister resort, the Royalton White Sands, guests can enjoy fun for all ages at both properties. Relax in a lazy river, splash around with the kids at an on-site splash park and enjoy the 11 upscale restaurants and bars. And when you're ready for a break, drop the kids off for supervised fun at the shared Kids Adventure Program. Nightly all-inclusive rates start at around $400.

Royalton Negril and Hideaway at Royalton Negril

Negril, Jamaica

Royalton Negril and Hideaway at Royalton Negril offer postcard-worthy views along one of Jamaica's most picturesque beachfront settings. Scheduled to open in January 2017, these all-inclusive resorts complement one another in more way than one. While Royalton Negril offers a family-friendly atmosphere and amenities, the Hideaway at Royalton Negril is an adults-only outpost; guests can take advantage of amenities and dining venues at both retreats. Whichever property you choose, you'll have access to Negril's Seven Mile Beach. Nightly rates start at $392 per night.

Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Kids who love Nickelodeon will squeal with delight upon landing at the new Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts all-inclusive outpost in Punta Cana. This family-friendly retreat opened in June 2016 and offers character-themed activities, fun for the kids and daily supervised activities. Its modern design and gourmet dining options make it a splurge for adults, too. All-inclusive nightly rates start at around $350, and select promotions allow kids to stay free.

Grand Velas Los Cabos

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Set on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, the Grand Velas Los Cabos offers 306 ocean-facing suites, plunge pools, five gourmet restaurants and a wealth of relaxation-inducing amenities. Enjoy on-site spa treatments, beach concierge services, exercise programs and leisurely afternoons at one of four of the resort's pools while you soak up the area's picturesque and tranquil surroundings. This property is slated in open in late 2016, with nightly rates starting at around $400.

Warwick Paradise Island Bahamas

The Bahamas

Opening in September 2016, Warwick Paradise Island Bahamas is a new four-star, adults-only property with 250 guest rooms, all-inclusive pricing and a wealth of restaurants, bars and amusements to keep you entertained. Adjacent to the sprawling Atlantis Resort complex, Warwick will offer plenty of fun without an enormous price tag. Nightly rates start at $371 for reservations booked by Nov. 15, 2016.

Royalton St. Lucia and Hideaway at the Royalton St. Lucia

St. Lucia

Slated to open in January of 2017, the Royalton St. Lucia and its adults-only wing -- Hideaway Royalton at the St. Lucia -- sit among lush landscapes in the lovely Cap Estate. In addition to taking in St. Lucia's breathtaking views, guests can dine at nine restaurants, check out numerous bars and soak up the sun along the pristine, white-sand beach. Best of all, rooms are appointed with complimentary Wi-Fi access, rain showers and a terrace or balcony. Nightly rates start at around $390.

UNICO Hotel Riviera Maya

Riviera Maya, Mexico

This adults-only, all-inclusive resort will offer a premier location between Tulum and Playa del Carmen, a breathtaking beachfront and gourmet dining options, including a rotating chef restaurant concept, once it opens its doors in the first quarter of 2017. Book a treatment at the state-of-the-art wellness center, enjoy handcrafted cocktails or partake in immersive excursions to explore lesser-visited parts of the region. Average nightly rates will start at $630 per room (based on double occupancy).
AOL Inc Chief Executive Tim Armstrong speaks at the Viva Technology event in Paris, France, June 30, 2016. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Good morning. Here's everything you need to know in the world of advertising today.

1. AOL chief executive Tim Armstrong on the "concerning" Yahoo hack and how he's convincing workers not to leave post-acquisition. Armstrong opens up to Business Insider two months after AOL's parent company Verizon announced it was acquiring Yahoo for $4.8 billion.

2. Apple is quietly developing "iPhone 8" hardware in Israel. Hardware for the iPhone 8 is being created in Herzliya, a local Apple employee has told Business Insider.

3. Uber has finally found a CFO. An application for non-immigrant workers shows that Uber promoted an unnamed internal employee in January to the role of chief financial officer.

4. The BBC and Channel 4 just had a huge public row over "The Great British Bake Off". BBC strategy boss James Purnell and Channel chief creative officer Jay Hunt argued on stage at a London conference.

5. Why NBCUniversal's boss was "very worried" watching the first US election debate. "The environment is so tough right now for anyone moderating anything to try to make sure it is a fair debate," said chief executive Steve Burke.

6. Leaked photos reveal Google's two new smartphones. VentureBeat confirms that the world will be introduced to a Google Pixel and a Google Pixel XL.

7. Slack has a hidden meaning behind its name. The red hot $3.8 billion startup's brand is an acronym for Searchable Log of All Conversation and Knowledge.

8. Snapchat filters were the real winners of the first Trump-Clinton debate. How Snapchat filters provided entertainment for viewers in the US.

9. Men are more likely to complain about ads than women. The Advertising Standards Authority has found that 56% of the 25,647 complaints it received last year were from men, according to The Guardian.

10. How Refinery29 and Lane Bryant Are Fighting Plus-Size Stereotypes in the Media. New project aims to include a broader range of women, writes Ad Week.

Story continues

NOW WATCH: NASA is bringing back one of its most experimental and dangerous programs





More From Business Insider


A Portuguese man had to spend 43 years of his life in a wheelchair because of a mistaken medical diagnosis.

Rufino Borrego was 13 when he was misdiagnosed and rendered to a wheelchair. (Source: Twitter)

By India Today Web Desk: A Portuguese man had to spend 43 years of his life in a wheelchair because of a mistaken medical diagnosis, a recent newspaper report revealed.

Rufino Borrego was 13 when he was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy -- an incurable disease. For more than four decades after his diagnosis in Lisbon, Borrego used a wheelchair to get around.

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Then, in 2010, a neurologist realised that he was actually suffering from myasthenia, a disease that weakens muscles. The disease can be treated simply by taking asthma medication.

According to the Jornal de Noticias report, Borrego finally began re-learning to walk in his fifties.

Borrego, now 61, manages to live a normal life, needed only two physiotherapy sessions in a year.

Talking to the newspaper, he said he had no ill-feelings against the hospital that made the original diagnosis. "I just want to make use of my life," he said, admitting not many doctors knew about myasthenia in the 1960s.

--- ENDS ---
From Delish

1. There's a huge difference between juice and cider.

Cider is raw apple juice made from pressed apples that hasn't been filtered to remove pulp or sediment. It's opaque and highly perishable, which is why you typically find it at farm stands and not always in the grocery store. Apple juice, on the other hand, has been carefully filtered and pasteurized for a longer shelf life.

Photo credit: Getty

2. The best stuff isn't necessarily in New England.

You can find some of the best ciders all over the country, including in California, Georgia, and Michigan.

3. Outside North America, "cider" is always alcoholic.

We have both apple cider (unfiltered apple juice) and hard cider, which is as dry and bubbly as champagne and as refreshing as beer. But in other parts of the world, cider is simply the boozy version.

4. Hard cider has a long and winding history.

It's been around since about 55 B.C., when Romans conquered continental Europe and planted orchards in place of native crab apples for the production of hard cider. It also has history in northern France, where apples fared better during the Dark Ages (400 A.D.) and cider became an alternative to wine.

5. Hard cider was more popular than beer in America's early days.

Because barley and other beer grains were trickier to cultivate in New England soil, hard cider was the drink of choice for most English settlers in the North East. By the mid-18th century, the average Massachusetts resident consumed 35 gallons of cider every year.

6. Abraham Lincoln served cider before his presidency.

Our sixteenth president was a bartender and owner of the tavern Berry & Lincoln in New Salem, IL before taking his place in the Oval Office.

7. There's a reason hard cider is more like beer than wine.

Cider is most often compared to beer because it's slightly bubbly and contains less alcohol by volume than its fellow fruit-fermented drink, wine. This is because even the sweetest apples contain much less sugar than grapes. On average, hard cider contains 4 to 6 percent alcohol.

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8. Applejack is cider's super boozy cousin.

The concentrated spiked drink has been around as long as cider and was even used in colonial New Jersey as currency. Historically, it was made by freeze-distilling, and therefore concentrating, hard apple cider. Calvados, which was first known as eau-de-cidre when it was created in the 1500s, is another apple liqueur that's related to apple cider.

9. Johnny Appleseed was a real dude.

His actual name was John Chapman and he traveled ahead of westbound settlers to graft small nurseries of cider apple trees in the Great Lakes and Ohio River regions.

10. Cider makes insanely good sangria.

During crisp fall months, cider is arguable the best cocktail mixer you can use to whip up mimosas and more.

11. You can make OG hard cider in just a few hours.

In the Middle Ages, people made depense, a steeped apple cider drink that consists of 2 parts hard cider, sliced apples and oranges, and 1 part ginger beer. Let it sit in a pitcher for 3 to 6 hours and then start sipping.

Photo credit: Getty

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A 12-year-old girl was sent to the principals office for wearing this denim skirt, were scratching our heads

A 12-year-old girl was sent to the principals office for wearing this denim skirt, were scratching our heads

School dress codes have gotten seemingly more stringent in recent years and Moultrie Middle School, in South Carolina, is no different. When 12-year-old, Reese Franyo, went to school last week, she had no idea her outfitincluding a denim skirt would be deemed inappropriate by school officials.

Franyo, whod been sent to the principals office to call her mom for a change of clothes, had first been shamed in front of peers by a teacher for the outfit. The teacher apparently claimed she looked as if she should be clubbing and yes, were just as confused as you are because she looks great!

The schools dress code has a policy, stating the skirt must be five inches above the knee so when Franyos mom, Suzie Webster, arrived and measured on her own accord in front of the principal, the skirt was found to be in conduct with the rules. Its long been discussed how dress codes seem to focus mainly on the female population and this is another example of everyone needing to chill out and let the girl wear her denim!

The principal agreed to let Franyo wear the skirt but by this point, she was too embarrassed and we would be, too. Instead, she changed into the clothes, pants, Webster brought, though we really feel for Franyo. The shaming understandably angered Franyos mother. She took to Facebook to vent.

So, I thought long and hard about whether or not I wanted to post anything about my encounter with Moultrie Middle... Posted by Suzie Webster on Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Everyone has different body shapes and it is sad to think that girls who may be more developed are called out because of how they look in their clothes, this is just plain wrong.

Shortly after, on Franyos birthday, Webster posted a similar, yet more encouraging photo.

Happy Birthday to my funny, outgoing and happy Reesie Peesie. In honor of your 12th birthday today we are going "clubbing." I love you! Posted by Suzie Webster on Thursday, September 22, 2016

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Happy Birthday to my funny, outgoing and happy Reesie Peesie. In honor of your 12th birthday today we are going clubbing. I love you!

We love when a parent supports their child, especially in matching outfits! She goes on in another post to say:

Please know that it is not my intention to hurt Moultrie Middle School or Principal Ryan Cumback, but merely to draw attention to how important it is to raise our girls up and fill them with confidence. I do understand the need for a dress code, but there is a better way to handle enforcement. Lets keep working on this together in a fierce, but positive way.

We only hope that, aside from addressing this incident, Moultrie Middle School, and others, take a page from Suzie Websters post and stop tearing girls down for what theyre wearing, but instead, focus on instilling the self-esteem and confidence they deserve.

The post A 12-year-old girl was sent to the principals office for wearing this denim skirt, were scratching our heads appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Three people, including two students, were injured in a Wednesday afternoon shooting at Townville Elementary School in Townville, South Carolina, local law enforcement said.



The students have been airlifted to a Greenville, South Carolina, hospital and the teacher was hospitalized locally, according to an Anderson County, South Carolina, sheriff's deputy who spoke to local media.



One suspect, a teenager, is in custody, the deputy said.



The victims' status was not immediately available.



The Anderson County Coroner's Office confirms to PEOPLE they are investigating a death near the school that is related to the shooting. That victim is an adult male and is related to the suspect, Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore says.



Dozens of emergency vehicles arrived at the school shortly after 2 p.m. Wednesday, according to news reports.



Panicked parents swarmed the crime scene at the school, hoping to pick up their children.



Police are now reuniting the parents with their uninjured kids. The children have been bussed to Oakdale Baptist Church in Townville, where parents are picking them up.



 With reporting by HARRIET SOKMENSUER



This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
The Daily Beast

Patrick Pleul/AFP via GettyJust days after he promised advertisers that Twitter would not become a free-for-all hellscape, Elon Musk used the platform he now owns to amplify a baseless conspiracy theory about the hammer attack on Nancy Pelosis husband by an intruder.There is a tiny possibility there might be more to this story than meets the eye, Musk tweeted Sunday morning in reply to a tweet by Hillary Clinton blasting the Republican Party for creating a toxic environment that lays the gr
IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 28, 2016 / Khang & Khang LLP (the "Firm") announces the filing of a class action lawsuit against Tokai Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Tokai" or the "Company") (TKAI). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares between June 24, 2015 and July 25, 2016 inclusive (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the Firm prior to the September 30, 2016 lead plaintiff motion deadline.

If you purchased shares of Tokai 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 via 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, Tokai made false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: there were significant structural problems with the trial design for its Phase 3 galeterone study, ARMOR3-SV; that ARMOR3-SV was unlikely to succeed in meeting its primary endpoint; the commercialization of galeterone was less likely than investors were led to believe; and as a result of the above, the Company's statements about its business, operations, and prospects were false and misleading at all relevant times.

If you want 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.

This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions.

Contacts

Joon M. Khang, Esq.

Telephone: 949-419-3834

Facsimile: 949-225-4474

joon@khanglaw.com

SOURCE: Khang & Khang LLP
From ELLE

Working women get all sorts of advice. Lean in, lean out, ask for a raise, but don't ask in the wrong way, be aggressive, but not too aggressive. We're also told to make sure not to forget about our personal lives, lest we end up forgoing families or love or travel or friendship in service of our careers. It's confusing and maddening, and we're all still struggling to figure it out.

"This Woman's Work" is an ongoing series meant to highlight how women in different industries are living their lives. We hope to show that there's no one "right" way to succeed. There are so many ways, and so many different experiences.

Today we're talking to Komal Ahmad, founder and CEO of Copia, an app that aims to solve what Ahmad calls the world's dumbest problem-hunger-by matching businesses that have excess food with non-profits in need of food. The app not only helps redistribute leftovers from corporate cafeterias and events (Copia "Food Heroes" pick up and deliver to the ideal non-profit), it also provides ongoing feedback and helpful documentation for each client company. It's a symbiotic dream of a platform, one that's only been getting more and more popular in the past few years. Since launching in 2011, Copia has fed almost 700,000 people, including more than 23,000 people in the two days after Super Bowl 50 alone. In the process, it's saved companies an estimated $4.5 million.

Here, Ahmad tells us why the hunger problem irks her, how she keeps herself organized, and how very, very crucial it is to be unreasonable person.

For those who don't know your career path, tell us about life before COPIA.

I was born in Lahore, Pakistan. My family wanted more opportunity for us so they moved us to Las Vegas, Nevada, of all places. When I was probably two years old, I decided I wanted to be a doctor because that was the only way I thought you could help people. So I went to U.C. Berkley thinking that's what I was going to do. I was also in NROTC, Naval Reserve Officer Training Camp, so I was training to become a medical doctor in the U.S. Navy. What I realized when I came to Berkley was that we are one of the wealthiest, most prosperous countries in the world, and still 50 million Americans don't know where their next meal is coming from. That's preposterous, especially when a vast majority of them are women and children and veterans.

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Where did the idea for COPIA come from?

One day I was walking down Telegraph Avenue in Berkley and encountered a homeless man begging for food and something about him compelled me stop and invite him to join me for lunch. He had just come back from his second tour in Iraq and was waiting weeks for his veteran benefits to kick in. He hadn't eaten in three days. That hit home for me. This is a veteran, someone who has made the most selfless sacrifice for our country, only to come home to face another battle. And then, adding insult to injury, right across the street the U.C. Berkeley dining hall was throwing away thousands of pounds of food. And so it's this very stark reality of those who have and waste and those who are in need and starve, and those two people are literally right across the street from one another. I thought, how cool would it be if people who had food could say, "Hey, we have food," and people who need food could say, "Hey, we need food," and we could match these two people and clear the marketplace. And that's essentially what we've built. If you can use your cellphone and get food within 15 minutes, if you can hail a car, if you can find a date for that night or order a puppy, you can definitely use that same technology to give away your surplus food.

What sort of advice do you have for someone who wants to start his or her own business?

Be unreasonable. I am unreasonable. I think that entrepreneurs and foundersthere's something different about them. Not everyone is meant to be an entrepreneur. So I think it's also about figuring out where you are in that. It's not easy, it will be difficult, you have to be resilient beyond belief. You have to manage your time, not everyone will believe in you. People will scoff at youthat's not your problem. If you believe in something, it is your job to see it through. If you're truly doing something that will add value to the world, stop at nothing to make it happen. For me, I am my own limiting factor. Nothing is going to get in my way except for me.

I'm very good about managing who I spend my time with and knowing who my true friends are, who are the people that actually support me and believe in me. And you create a tribe, you create a village of people around you. I used to think that I was Wonder Woman, that I could do everything. The truth is, I can do a lot, but I can't do it alone, especially not when you're trying to solve a problem like I am. So surrounding yourself with people who can help you, whether it's picking you up when you're down or supporting you to become something even bigger than you are, is super important.

What characteristics do you think somebody has to have if they want to start their own business?

Being a founder personally is not my career, it's who I am. It's not about my passion, it's about my obsession. And being a founder or a CEO is not about accolades, it's largely about how much you're willing to sacrifice to accomplish your goals. Being a founder means leading your team when you've missed out on a huge deal, and it's up to you to motivate your team through the rest of the day even though you may not have any idea where the rest of the money is coming from. It means finding something that you love to do so much that you can't wait for the sun to rise to do it all over again, in spite of the inevitable setbacks and frustrations that come with entrepreneurship. And aside from making sure there's always money in the bank, being a founder means attracting the world's best talent, setting and executing the vision, and accepting the responsibility when the company messes up.

One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that you should be willing to take on any role at any time, so that means scrubbing vans, packaging and delivering food, and I've done it in saris even after Indian weddings, and also completing monotonous spreadsheets and data reports.

What do you look for when you're hiring new talent?

People who are unstoppable, who are unreasonable just like I am. Obviously solving the world's dumbest problem requires some of its smartest people. I also see that genius ideas, all of the best ideas, don't come from me, which is a very humbling thing. But they'll come from new people. People that are willing to give it their all. You're not going to get paid a Google salary with us, but you are going to build something that is going to serve and help the lives of billions of people, so its about having the right perspective and being a really great team player.

Solving the world's dumbest problem requires some of its smartest people.

I've also seen people have a little bit of arrogance depending on what alma mater they come from. But talent is everywhere and it doesn't matter if you have this shiny degree or no degree. If you have the ability to adapt and the ability to grow, I think those are very important qualities. I don't care where you went to school or where you grew up, what's relevant is how hungry are you to actually create.

Do you have any tips to ask for a raise or to negotiate for a raise?

I'm actually not the highest-paid person in my company, and that's totally okay with me. I think it's important not to ask for a raise with an emotional reason, like, "I have three kids, I have to put dinner on the table," because everyone has responsibilities, so nobody's going to care. But if you show how many years you have [at the company], you've done XYZ for the company, how you're going to take the company not just steps forward but light-years forward. Be logical, even data-driven, if you can. And a closed mouth doesn't get fed. If you don't ask for it, it isn't going to happen. Be shameless. I'm so uncomfortable so often, but that's what pushes me to grow. So be uncomfortable, ask. Know your value.

What is the best piece of career advice that you ever received?

We try so hard in life to avoid mistakes, but it's not about avoiding mistakes, it's about learning from them. It's about growing from them and not making the same one twice. It's about what you're going to do after the mistake was made. And stopping at nothing. My mom has been working since she was 18 or 19 years old, and I don't think she'll ever retire. She worked three jobs when I was growing up so I saw that you get out what you put in. Things were never handed to me on a golden platter. If you want something, you've got to work for it. It's not going to just come to you.

What is the worst piece of career advice that you have ever received?

I think when people who are like, "Don't be too noisy," or "don't try and rattle this too fast," and tell you to be patient. Patience is important in some ways, but I'm not going to tolerate someone's inability to see the future that I want to have for the world. I'm not going to play small so that you're more comfortable.

What are your tips for staying organized?

You need to have one to-do list in one place. When everything's a priority, nothing's a priority (I've learned that the hard way). So then take this to-do list and assign priorities to things. Put them onto a calendar and say: "These five things, I'm going to do them from 10-11am. And these things, from 11-12." Starting the day with a workout is always the best way to start; I just see a difference in terms of clarity, energy, and purpose.

I'm not going to lie, I have an assistant. It is the best decision I've made. Mine is virtual, so it's not like I'm paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for her, but it has helped me so much. And optimize your time, if someone can do something better than you can, let them. Done is better than perfect.

When everything's a priority, nothing's a priority.

Where do you hope to see COPIA go in the next two or three years?

I want it to be in all the largest cities in America. I want it to grow globally. I want to create a replicable, highly scalable model. I want this to be much faster. I want to create a playbook of customers and of cities and how we expand, customer by customer. I want us to have that global presence and reach. Do I think necessarily that we will be operating in Shirati, Tanzania? No, not necessarily. If we are, fantastic. But in the UK, France, Italy, those are places that we can operate. And now that France and Italy have both banned food waste, it's an ideal place for us to expand.

This interview has been edited and condensed for space.

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Rizwan Khan and his friend were coming back on the bike after a joyride when he lost balance of his bike due to the pothole near JJ hospital.

By Mustafa Shaikh: Rizwan Khan, 21, died after he lost control of his bike due to a crater-like pothole near JJ hospital in Mumbai on Monday while his friend who was pillion rider suffered injuries.



Khan suffered severe head injury due in the accident and later succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday while undergoing treatment. Khan's father Kamaal, filed a complaint against the concerned authorities at JJ Marg police station today. The pothole was repaired on Tuesday.

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Khan was returning home after a joyride when the accident took place and his friend Sayed Murtuza was riding pillion. "Murtuza narrated to us how the accident happened. They were not speeding but the pothole in the middle of the road was deep and my son lost balance due to it," said Kamaal adding, "My son suffered injuries to his head due to which he died at the hospital. He had blood coming out from his nose and ears also. He was immediately rushed to the hospital by the locals there but we could not save him."

Also read: No Pakistani artists in Mumbai after our ultimatum, claims MNS



POTHOLE MENACE



Khan had completed his HSC after which he was helping his father at their factor's manufacturing unit. "This is not the first death due to potholes. Mumbaikars have been complaining about the bad roads in the city but losing lives to it makes the city aphathetic. The concerned authorities should be brought to books so that loss of young lives can be avoided," said Wasim Sayed, a social activist.

JJ Marg police has filed an accidental death report and are going through the complaint filed by Khan's father to take necessary action.

Also read: Saamana office in Navi Mumbai attacked over cartoon on Maratha stir



When asked about whose responsibility it is for the deaths due to the potholes, BJP's Mumbai President, Ashish Shelar said, "The Shiv Sena should be held accountable for the potholes as they are ruling the corporation. There should be a thorough enquiry with regards to quality and maintenance of the roads."

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Istanbul (AFP) - Turkish courts have placed 32,000 suspects under arrest ahead of trial on charges of links to a group run by US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen who is blamed for the July 15 coup, the justice minister said Wednesday.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told NTV television that 70,000 people had been investigated after the coup and of them 32,000 remanded in custody.

"This process is continuing," he said. The numbers of those arrested marks an increase of more than 10,000 from those previously given by the government.

Bozdag said that there could be new arrests, while some of those currently arrested could still be freed under judicial control or freed entirely.

Some two-and-a-half months after the coup attempt aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan led to a crackdown unprecedented in Turkey's modern history, there is still no indication as to when trials might start.

The trials of tens of thousands will be the biggest legal process in Turkey's history and are set to put the system under unprecedented pressure.

"It is not entirely clear how the trials will be carried out," Bozdag acknowledged.

He said trials would take place in cities across the country and not in one single venue.

Bozdag said there was no need to create a special trial venue in Istanbul as capacity was sufficient. But he said one was needed in Ankara and work is taking place for a trial venue at Sincan outside the capital.

"People are not going to be put on trial in just one place but trials will take place in all of Turkey," he said.

Turkey's Western allies have expressed concern over the magnitude of the crackdown, but Ankara has insisted that the rule of law is being observed.

Gulen, who has lived in self-exile in the United States since 1999, has denied that he was linked to the coup in any way.
Eaton Vance Corp. EV is a renowned global investment management company, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The company was founded in 1924 and has offices in North America, Asia, Europe and Australia. A variety of wealth management services and investment strategies are provided by the company to its clients. It manages worth more than $334.4 billion of assets (as of July 31, 2016). Also, it aims to provide the best investment solutions to individual and institutional investors, family office and high-net-worth investors, and financial professionals.

Below we share with you four top-rated Eaton Vance mutual funds. Each has earned a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and is expected to outperform its peers in the future. Investors can click here to see the complete list of Eaton Vance funds.

Eaton Vance Tax-Managed Growth 1.1 A ETTGX invests its assets mainly in the equity securities of growth companies, which are expected to have strong investment potentials for the long run. ETTGX maintains a diversified portfolio and seeks after-tax return. Eaton Vance Tax-Managed Growth 1.1 A has a three-year annualized return of 9.2%.

ETTGX has an expense ratio of 0.82% as compared to the category average of 1.04%.

Eaton Vance High Income Opportunities A ETHIX seeks growth of income and capital. ETHIX invests the majority of its assets in fixed-income securities like convertible securities and preferred stocks. The fund focuses on investing mainly in high risk, high yield corporate bonds. Eaton Vance High Income Opportunities A has a three-year annualized return of 5.4%.

Michael Weilheimer is one of the fund managers of ETHIX since 1996.

Eaton Vance Income Fund of Boston A EVIBX invests the bulk of its assets in high-risk, high-yield bonds or junk bonds that are rated below investment-grade. EVIBX seeks appreciation of income and capital. Eaton Vance Income Fund of Boston A has a three-year annualized return of 4.6%.

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EVIBX has an expense ratio of 1% as compared to the category average of 1.06%.

Eaton Vance High-Yield Municipal Income A ETHYX invests a large chunk of its assets in municipal securities which offer income exempted from federal tax. ETHYX aims to invest mainly in high-yield municipal bonds. Eaton Vance High-Yield Municipal Income A has a three-year annualized return of 9.7%.

As of July 2016, ETHYX held 329 issues, with 1.56% of its assets invested in Texas Transn Commn Cent Tex Tp Ref Bd 5%.

To view the Zacks Rank and past performance of all Hartford mutual funds, investors can click here to see the complete list of Eaton Vance funds.

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Zacks Investment Research
Net profit margin is the most effective way to measure a companys profitability. A proper analysis of the same reveals how well a company is run and the headwinds confronting it.

A higher net margin reflects the companys efficiency at converting sales into actual profit.



Net Profit Margin = Net profit /Sales * 100.



In simple terms, net profit is the amount a company retains after deducting all costs, interest, depreciation, taxes and other expenses. In fact, net profit margin can turn out to be a potent point of reference to gauge the strength in a company operations and cost-control measures.



Also, higher net profit is indispensable for rewarding stakeholders. Further, strength in the metric not only attracts new investors but also draws well-skilled employees that eventually add to the value of the business.



Moreover, a higher net profit margin as compared to peers lends a company competitive edge.



Pros and Cons



Net profit margin helps investors gain clarity on a companys business model in terms of pricing policy, cost structure and manufacturing efficiency. Hence, a strong net profit margin is preferred by all classes of investors.



However, net profit margin as an investment criterion has its own share of pitfalls. The metric varies widely from industry to industry. While net income is a key metric for investment measurement in traditional industries, it is not that vital for technology companies.



Moreover, the difference in accounting treatment of various items  especially non-cash expenses like depreciation and stock-based compensation  makes comparison a complex task.



Further, for companies preferring to grow with debt, instead of equity funding, higher interest expenses usually weigh on net profit. In such cases, the measure is rendered ineffective to analyze a companys performance.



The Winning Strategy



A healthy net profit margin and solid EPS growth are two most sought-after elements in a business model.



Apart from these, we have added a few other criteria to ensure maximum returns from this strategy.



Screening Parameters



Net Margin 12 months  Most Recent (%) greater than equal to 0: High net profit margin indicates solid profitability.



Percentage Change in EPS F(0)/(F-1) greater than equal to 0: It indicates earnings growth.



Average Broker Rating (1-5) equal to 1: A rating of #1 indicates brokers extreme bullishness on the prospects of the stock.



Zacks Rank equal to 1: Only Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks are allowed. In good markets or bad, Strong Buy stocks continue to outperform. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

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VGM Score of A or B: Our research shows that stocks with a VGM Score of 'A' or 'B' when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 offer the best upside potential.



Here are five of the nine stocks that qualified the screen:



Wood Dale, IL-based AAR Corp. AIR provides various products and services to the aviation and defense industries worldwide. Its principal customers include The Boeing Company and Airbus. The stock has a VGM score of B. Moreover, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2017 has increased by 9 cents (5%) to $1.48 over the last 30 days.



Rockville, MD-based Argan Inc. AGX provides inside premise wiring services to the federal government. The company also offers underground and aerial construction services and splicing to major telecommunications and utilities customers. The stock has a VGM score of A. Moreover, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2016 has increased by 45 cents (14%) to $3.65 over the past 30 days.



Denver, CO-based Hallador Energy Company HNRG is engaged in the production and sale of steam coal used for power generation. The company has a VGM Score of B. Its earnings estimate for the current year has remained steady at 59 cents over the last 30 days.



CO-based Innospec Inc. IOSP develops, manufactures, blends, markets and supplies fuel additives, oilfield chemicals, personal care and other specialty chemicals. The stock has a VGM score of B. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2016 has remained steady at $3.80 over the past 30 days.



U.S. Auto Parts Network Inc. PRTS is a leading online provider of automotive aftermarket parts, including body parts, engine parts, performance parts and accessories. The company has its headquarters at Carson, CA. The stock has a VGM score of A. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2016 has increased by a couple of cents to 7 cents over the last 30 days.

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The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out.

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Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.

Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks' portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance.

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Zacks Investment Research
A member of Somalia's hardline al Shabaab rebel group walks with a machine gun after attending Eid al-Adha prayers inside a football stadium north of the capital Mogadishu November 16, 2010. REUTERS/Feisal Omar

Earlier this year, global security expert Robert Muggah released a report that outlined the most "fragile" cities in the world  basically, cities that were flirting with economic or physical collapse.

Muggah ranked fragility based on a scale of 0-4, with 0 being rock-solid and 4 being extremely fragile. In total, 66 cities scored a 3 or higher and 160 scored a 2.7 or higher.

But only one city scored a 4: Mogadishu, Somalia.

The story behind Mogadishu's fragility is really the story of Somalia's fragility as a whole. Out of the 20 most fragile cities in Muggah's analysis, which took into account environmental risks (e.g. flooding, earthquakes, etc.), terrorism rates, and economic insecurity, the 3 most fragile cities are all in Somalia  Mogadishu, Kismaayo, and Merca. (It also contains the 14th most fragile city, Hargeysa.)

Like other fragile countries, Somalia is plagued by a near-constant threat of violence, high population growth, and rampant unemployment. When tensions escalate to such a lethal degree, Muggah's research has found, societies' entire systems are vulnerable to collapse. That's what makes them fragile. Fragile cities don't offer equality, safety, access to affordable health care, or adequate resources during environmental disasters.

When Huggah performed his analysis, Somalia's most fragile cities all had unemployment rates of 66%. For women between 14-29 years old, the rate is 74%.

Muggah has clarified that "all cities are fragile to some degree, but Mogadishu is a special case. The Somali capital has been a hotbed of terror for the better part of a decade, as the Al-Shabaab terror group continues to carry out targeted killings and public executions.

According to a 2015 report released by Human Rights Watch, the Somali government has largely been complicit in many of these crimes, often responding to protests with sweeping violence and property destruction without any legal mandate to do so.

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The HRW report states that "the Somali government continued to rely on its military court to administer justice for a broad range of crimes not within its jurisdiction in proceedings that fall short of international fair trial standards," including the execution of 15 people in 2014, 13 of whom were not part of Somali terror groups.

If Somalia's most fragile cities are to gain stability over the next decade, Muggah says they need help in several distinct areas, including public security, public services, and effective, well-equipped leadership. As with all vulnerable cities, Muggah says the goal is to uplift Somalis themselves.

"They are exceptionally talented business people," he explains. "Providing opportunities for credit, enabling small business, facilitating remittances, and encouraging diaspora returnees are all essential."

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Even if you've saved enough for retirement, you may decide you want to bring in some extra income during your golden years. Whether you're looking for a part-time gig to fill in some serious financial gaps or you just want to give the grandkids better gifts, these websites can help you bring in an income from your own living room.

1. Upwork. Two of the most popular websites for freelancers, oDesk and Elance, combined into Upwork. This site can help you find gigs, regardless of your specialty. When you sign up, you create a profile that features your skills. Then you can search for and bid on jobs. You get a set number of bidding points per month, depending on your membership level. Potential employers will contact you if they think you're a good fit. Upwork offers gigs in a variety of fields, including design, writing, virtual assistantship, sales and marketing, accounting, consulting, web development and customer service. Translating your past work experiences into an Upwork profile could help land you work.

[See: 10 Ways to Make Extra Money in Retirement.]

2. Fiverr. This site is built on the idea of small jobs for small fees. Jobs generally start at $5 each, but can pay more depending on the job and the requirements. Competition for jobs is stiff, but you can build a decent side income on Fiverr if you translate skills into a great profile and excellent bids. Though Fiverr caters to jobs that can be done remotely, some people offer or ask for in-person services, such as personal assistants. Jobs are available for a variety of skillsets and interests.

3. Swagbucks. This site lets you complete tiny tasks, such as taking online surveys, shopping online, watching videos and even playing games in exchange for points. The more points you gather, the more you can earn. The one caveat with Swagbucks is that you aren't paid in cash. Instead, you're paid in gift cards. But with gift card options to versatile retailers such as Amazon and Wal-Mart, you can easily translate Swagbucks points into groceries, new clothes or holiday gifts for the kids. You can complete many Swagbucks tasks while relaxing in your living room watching TV or listening to an audiobook.

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4. Toptal. If your professional background is in software, web development or design, Toptal is where you can make the most of your background for great pay. Toptal vets its freelancers, so you'll have to go through a serious application process. But if you can pass, you could get high-paying freelance jobs. Toptal has a funnel-system application process, which screens your language, personality and technical skills before conducting a live interview and test projects. They say that they only take the top 3 percent of freelancers, making this a competitive process.

[See: 10 Jobs Hiring Older Workers.]

5. About.com. This website has been around for years, and it continues to be a useful resource. About hires experts in various fields to write about specific topics from travel to parenting. Experts who draw in a lot of traffic can get paid decent rates for their articles. About hires both guides, who run entire content sections, and writers, who are paid per article on specific topics. Some training is required, but could be worthwhile if you want to write about something you're passionate about, but don't have the time, expertise or interest to create your own topic-based website from scratch.

6. Shutterstock. If you're more into photography than writing, check out Shutterstock. You can sell your own footage, images, vectors or illustrations. How much you earn depends on who buys your images and under which terms. The more images you sell, the more you'll earn from individual images sold. You'll get a bump in earnings when you hit the $500, $3,000 and $10,000 lifetime earnings milestones.

7. Skillshare. If you want to teach others your skills, rather than just using your skills to make money, check out Skillshare. This platform allows you to pass on your skills, such as crafting, cooking or writing. You can create mini courses using videos, screencasting and voiceover. Once 25 people sign up for one of your classes you will be enrolled in a Partner Program that lets you earn royalties on your work. You can also refer members to the premium program, which is another way to earn.

8. Mechanical Turk. In spite of all today's technological advances, computers still aren't good at some things. For instance, they're not always great at telling the difference between images. Amazon created Mechanical Turk to help businesses bridge this gap. On this platform, you can sign up for various human intelligence tasks, which are simple tasks that require human input. HITs pay very little, starting at just a penny. But you can often complete several HITs a minute, even while watching TV. Some people become efficient enough to earn $10 to $11 per hour doing HITs from Mechanical Turk.

[See: The Best Cities for Retirement Jobs.]

9. Kindle Direct Publishing. If you have always dreamed of becoming an author, but don't want to go through the traditional publishing process, publishing books independently on Kindle Direct Publishing may be an option for you. You can publish a book you've written in about five minutes, and it'll hit the Amazon marketplace within two days. Earnings from independently published Kindle books vary greatly, depending on the price you set and how popular your book becomes. But this can be a fun way to put your knowledge and creativity into the world in exchange for some extra cash.

Abby Hayes is a freelance blogger and journalist who writes for the personal finance blog The Dough Roller, which covers topics ranging from credit scores and banking to how much money you should be saving.





More From US News & World Report


BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Anheuser-Busch InBev said on Wednesday that it would retain its existing name after a planned $100-billion-plus (76.89 billion pounds) takeover of rival SABMiller.

SABMiller shareholders will vote on Wednesday on whether to accept AB InBev's 45 pound-per-share offer for the world's second-largest brewer, as well as an alternative partly composed of AB InBev shares.

Preceding that vote AB InBev held a meeting of its shareholders to approve the mechanics of the transaction.

AB InBev Chief Executive Carlos Brito, who will head the combined company, outlined the rationale for the deal - including the creation of the first global brewer with new fast-growing African and Latin American markets - before announcing that the name Anheuser-Busch would remain.

The brewer of Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois has undergone a series of name changes - from Interbrew to InBev after a 2004 merger with Brazil-based AmBev and then to its current name after its 2008 purchase of Budweiser maker Anheuser Busch.

(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; editing by Jason Neely)
(Corrects paragraph 2 attribution to Mike Williams instead of Mark Wahlberg, corrects paragraph 6 to other cast members did not attend London premiere instead of they attended) (Reuters) - Actor Mark Wahlberg said "the biggest responsibility" for himself and the makers of the new movie, "Deepwater Horizon," was to honor the real-life victims of the 2010 oil rig disaster. "The oil can ultimately be cleaned up, (but) those 11 men can't be replaced," Mike Williams, oil rig engineer and survivor of the disaster, told Reuters at the film's London premiere on Monday. Wahlberg plays Williams in the film. "Those were fathers, brothers, husbands, uncles, cousins. We can't replace those guys and so when they approached me about doing this film, I thought, 'What better way to promote their story'," he added. "Deepwater Horizon," due out in theaters on Friday, focuses on the hours before and after the BP Plc rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010, leading to the worst offshore oil disaster in U.S. history. Eleven workers were killed and millions of barrels of oil spewed onto the shorelines of several states for nearly three months. In the movie directed by Peter Berg, Wahlberg plays Mike Williams, one of the last people to escape from the burning rig. The real-life Williams joined Wahlberg at the premiere. The film also stars Kurt Russell, Gina Rodriguez, John Malkovich and Kate Hudson, who did not attend the London premiere. "The focus wasn't really on who made what mistakes and who was responsible. Really, it was about the heroics of the 11 people and the inspiring things that they did to survive and help one another," Wahlberg said. "Deepwater Horizon" examines the decisions concerning safety made by BP executives leading up to the disaster, highlighting the pressure that workers were under to save money as drilling fell behind. British oil major BP in July estimated costs from the disaster will total about $62 billion. "I never faulted BP for being a company for profit. That's what fuels our economy. We all use fuel. I get that they're a company for profit," Berg said. "Where I think they erred was when they got behind schedule and behind budget, some of the guys from BP pushed too hard, they moved too quickly." In October 2015, U.S. officials announced an agreement of more than $20 billion to settle federal and state claims against BP over the spill (Reporting by Reuters TV in London; Writing by Piya Sinha-Roy in Los Angeles; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
By PTI: Categories (Attn.editors: The following press release comes to you under an arrangement with Businesswire. PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same). Pricebaba.com Crosses 100M Visitor Milestone, Launches 10 New Categories

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (Business Wire India) Wednesday, September 28, 2016 Pricebaba.com, a 500 Startups backed product research engine today announced a milestone of serving over 100M visitors on its site. With this latest milestone, Pricebaba is one of the few web portals in India to cross the 100 Million threshold, thus serving a significant percentage of India?s online population.

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With a growing consumer electronics & e-commerce market in India, increasing number of consumers are relying on the internet to research and find products. Pricebaba fills this gap with a comprehensive engine that answers what to buy, where to buy and how much to buy it for.

Annkur P Agarwal, Co-founder & CEO of Pricebaba on reaching the milestone said, ?Pricebaba started with an aim to help consumers shop more powerfully. Over the years we have proudly served over 100 Million visitors and a testament to our work is the fact that we haven?t spent any money on advertising to acquire these users.?

Pricebaba is also expanding its offering to 10 new categories. From now on, it will offer product & price research for Televisions, Microwaves, Washing Machines, Refrigerators, Pen Drivers, WiFi Routers, Printers, Portable Storage Devices and Power Banks in addition to Mobiles, Laptops & Smartwatches. There are plans to foray further into more categories, with the ultimate aim being to become the one stop shopping assistants to this massive audience reach of Pricebaba. MORE BUSINESSWIRE BMR TLS

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Dakar (AFP) - When farmer Isaac Tondo fell on lean times in Liberia's long rainy season, his brother in the capital sent 8,000 Liberian dollars (US$87) to his Lonestar mobile money account, ensuring his children's school fees would still be paid.

Across Africa more and more people -- from urban start-ups to hard-up villagers -- are now spending, saving and planning for the future through banking services offered by mobile phone companies. And experts believe growth and poverty reduction will follow, if certain key risks are managed.

Tondo's brother used to entrust cash with contacts passing through their home village in Grand Gedeh county, but the roads are so bad they can no longer access it.

"The only means of receiving money from Monrovia is through mobile money," the farmer told AFP.

Collecting and depositing cash at omnipresent kiosks and sending money via text message has fast become the natural solution in African nations where distances are often long, roads and infrastructure poor, and few have access to traditional bank accounts.

Africans are "leading in the world" in their uptake of mobile banking services, Mitsuhiro Furusawa, Deputy Managing Director of the IMF told AFP at a recent conference on promoting access to financial services in Dakar, Senegal.

The IMF has said the potential for further financial development is "substantial" on the continent, and that wider access to banking services could unlock an additional 1.5 percent in annual growth.

Payment systems such as Orange Money in west Africa, M-Pesa in Kenya and Tigo Cash, used in several nations, have become incredibly popular in recent years in sub-Saharan Africa, where the vast majority lack physical or financial access to traditional banking services.

Around 11 percent of Africans now have a mobile banking account, according to the IMF, rising to 60 percent in Kenya. The average figure for the rest of the world is two percent.

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While Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda lead the way in east Africa, Ivory Coast is the bright spot in the west of the continent, where 25 percent of the nation uses such services.

Jean Marius Yao, President and Director General of Orange Money in Ivory Coast, believes the market is far from saturated.

"There is a big margin for improvement, with some sectors not being fully served, notably rural communities and women," he said.

One other area of growth was likely to be those who already had traditional bank accounts, he said, including employers paying wages via text.

"The flow is going in both directions," Yao added.

- Parallel system -

Africa's enthusiastic adoption of mobile banking has evolved from a simple way to transfer cash into an entire parallel system of micro-payments of everything from saving accounts to business loans.

Countries such as Kenya could give a glimpse of how the sector will evolve across the continent, said Roger Nord, Deputy Director of the IMF's African Department.

Payment system M-Pesa, operated by British telecom giant Vodafone's subsidiary Safaricom, began offering interest on its "e-wallet" accounts, allowing users "who never saved a dollar" to put money aside, Nord said.

"There is a very clear relationship in economics between financial development and economic growth and poverty reduction," he added.

M-Pesa's range of services now encompasses medical insurance, bill payments and small business loans, building livelihoods and better securing users' futures.

In Ivory Coast, Orange Money offers savings accounts, collective financing of large-scale projects and life insurance to a population previously largely locked out of such services.

Meanwhile East African companies are now able to collect small payments every day for purchases made by clients unable to save up large sums to pay at the end of each month, Nord said.

In Asia above all, others have taken note: Afghanistan now pays police salaries by mobile, while India has just launched an ambitious national payments system for smartphones.

- Credit checks -

But these systems' ease of use also pose a significant drawback, however.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has described mobile money fraud as "a huge problem," citing a Kenyan Central Bank study that showed 37 percent of mobile money transactions were fraudulent compared with 10 percent by banking agents.

Poor encryption and a proliferation of scams including fake "rewards" offers by text and phones that mimic telephone identifier codes were also a huge problem, the EIU said.

But mobile companies are getting smarter every day, mapping consumer behaviour and judging credit-worthiness from the results.

A recent report by the Washington-based Brookings Institute cited a study in Brazil that showed one month of pre-pay activity provided sufficient information to determine credit risk.

"The data that this generates: people who are saving a lot, saving regularly, suddenly we knew who were the reliable risks and suddenly they were given access to small loans," Nord commented.
Agnes Nixon, creator of the long-running soap operas All My Children and One Life to Live, died Wednesday morning, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. She was 88.

All My Children ran for 41 years on ABC, until 2011, while One Life to Live ran for more than 43 years on the same network, until 2012.

Among the groundbreaking moments delivered by All My Children was the first onscreen lesbian kiss on daytime television in 2003, and a storyline about a transgender characters coming out in 2006.

Also Read: Tyler Christopher Exits 'General Hospital' After 10 Years

Born in 1927 in Chicago, Nixon attended Northwestern University, and broke into soap operas as a protege of Guiding Light and As the World Turns creator Ima Phillips.

Phillips other protege at the time was William J. Bell, who would later create the soaps The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful.

Susan Lucci, who portrayed Erica Kane on All My Children, paid tribute to Nixon via Instagram on Wednesday, writing, I am devastated to learn that we have lost Agnes. I adored her and admired her  and I am forever grateful to her! May this liveliest and loveliest of women rest in peace.

Also Read: 'General Hospital' Star Kirsten Storms to Take Leave of Absence

Nixons daughter Mary remembered her mother as someone who strove to help viewers understand their own lives better.

The thing as an adult that I look back on is she really made people look at stigma and peoples own feelings about a lot of important issues in her time and in our time, Mary Nixon told the Inquirer.

She really wanted to help people learn and grow. It was more than just about how many marriages  [it was to help viewers] have a better understanding of life.

I am devastated to learn that we have lost Agnes. I adored her and admired herand I am forever grateful to her! May this liveliest and loveliest of women rest in peace.?????????????????????????????-??-??-??-??- A photo posted by Susan Lucci (official) (@therealsusanlucci) on Sep 28, 2016 at 1:11pm PDT

Also Read: 'The Young and the Restless': Justin Hartley Confirms He's Leaving CBS Soap

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In a statement issued Wednesday, Walt Disney Company chairman and CEO Robert A. Iger called Nixons impact on daytime television and pop culture undeniable.

It is with a heavy heart I mourn the passing of television pioneer Agnes Nixon, someone I was proud to call a friend. Agnes impact on daytime television and pop culture is undeniable, Iger said. She was the first to champion socially relevant topics, and the towns and characters Agnes brought to life leave an indelible imprint on television that will be remembered forever. On behalf of Walt Disney and ABC, I want to extend our deepest condolences to her family.

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Agnes Nixon, Creator of All My Children and One Life to Live, Dies at 93

Agnes Nixon, known as the grande dame of daytime drama for creating, writing, and producing soap operas including All My Children, One Life to Live and Search for Tomorrow, died Wednesday in Rosemont, Pa. She was 93.

Nixon had been suffering complications from Parkinsons disease, the New York Times reported.

The prolific producer was highly regarded as a pioneer for women in television who transformed the traditional soap opera by weaving real-world issues into her shows. Nixon famously modeled the fictional Pine Valley setting of All My Children on the suburban region where she lived outside Philadelphia. She kept her home base there even as the TV production company she ran with her husband, Robert Nixon, expanded.

Nixon was also co-creator of CBS long-running As the World Turns with her mentor, Irna Phillips, who is credited with creating the soap opera genre on radio. Early in her career, Nixon was a writer on CBS The Guiding Light and NBCs Another World.

I am devastated to learn that we have lost Agnes. I adored her and admired herand I am https://t.co/fZHBamiDnN  Susan Lucci (@Susan_Lucci) September 28, 2016

A native of Chicago, Agnes Eckhardt attended Northwestern University and decided to focus on a career as a writer. Eckhardts father arranged a meeting with Phillips in an effort to dissuade her from going into writing, but Phillips wound up hiring Eckhardt to work on the radio soap Women in White.

Nixon and Phillips co-created Search for Tomorrow for CBS in 1951 and As the World Turns in 1956. During this period, Nixon also wrote episodes of primetime anthology series including Robert Montgomery Presents and The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse.

Nixon hit her stride in the late 1960s and early 1970s as she and her husband, Robert Nixon, created One Life to Live and All My Children for ABC.

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The series were notable for featuring racial and ethnic diversity among its characters, in contrast to the existing soaps. Susan Luccis Erica Kane character from All My Children became a TV icon and synonymous with the soap genre. All My Children pushed the envelope in addressing issues such as the anti-war movement and by having Kane undergo a legal abortion in 1971, nearly two years before abortion was addressed in primetime on CBS Maude.

On One Life to Live, the character canvas included Carla Grey, played by African-American actress Ellen Holly, who initially passed among citizens of the fictional town of Llanview as a white woman. Viewers examined their own prejudices as Carlas journey unfolded.

As a child, I sat in the middle of a bus while distinguished black people walked past me to stand in the back, Nixon told Variety in 2010. That ran deep and bitter with me. I asked ABC if I may do this story. They said, Yes, we trust you. 

In the 1980s Nixon expanded her soap empire with ABCs Loving. The show was revamped in 1995 into The City, which was designed to have a faster MTV-esque pace, but the reboot only lasted another two years. All My Children and One Life to Live were canceled by ABC in 2011 after 40-plus years on the air. The declining audience for the soaps that helped propel ABC to parity with CBS and NBC in the 1970s and 80s reflected the changing landscape for women in the U.S. workforce and the extreme fragmentation of the daytime TV audience.

Nixons other credits included the 1981 ABC miniseries The Manions of America, a story of Irish immigrants that featured a young Pierce Brosnan.

Over her long career, Nixon earned five Daytime Emmy Awards and five Writers Guild Awards, among many other honors. She was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 2010. She received a lifetime achievement honor from the Daytime Emmy Awards the same year.

Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of Walt Disney Co., hailed Nixons legacy and impact on ABC.

It is with a heavy heart I mourn the passing of television pioneer Agnes Nixon, someone I was proud to call a friend, Iger said. Agnes impact on daytime television and pop culture is undeniable. She was the first to champion socially relevant topics, and the towns and characters Agnes brought to life leave an indelible imprint on television that will be remembered forever.

Nixons survivors include three daughters, a son, 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Robert Nixon died in 1996.

Nixon recounted stories of her early days in television and the evolution of the soap opera in her 1997 interview with the Archive of American Television.

Correction: Nixons age was previously reported as 88.

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One of the all-time giants of American soap operas is gone. Agnes Nixon, creator of the landmark ABC daytime dramas All My Children and One Life to Live, was an instrumental figure in making soaps a socially conscious medium and created Susan Luccis iconic AMC character Erica Kane, died today. She was 88. No details of her death were provided.

Born in Chicago in 1927, Nixon started out as a writer in the postwar early days of TV as a protege of legendary writer-producer Irna Phillips, who created many of the earliest American soaps. Nixon became a writer on the Phillips-created shows Woman in White and As the World Turns and would serve as head writer on Phillips iconic Guiding Light  then titled The Guiding Light  from 1958-66.

Nixon was highly in-demand early in her career, serving as co-head writer on Search for Tomorrow from 1951-56. She later would serve as sole head writer on Another World for 300 episodes from 1965-69, before creating her first series.

As a writer, she pioneered the use of soap operas to discuss real-world issues, penning what is widely believed to be the first medical-related narrative in the genres history. Inspired by a friend who had died of cervical cancer, Nixon wanted to educate women to get regular pap smears and subsequently penned a 1962 storyline in which Guiding Light lead character, Bertha Bert Bauer had a cancer scare.

Because of content restructions of the day, Nixon was forced to find creative ways to discuss the topic, as she was forbidden from using the words cancer, uterus or pap test. Despite these limitations, the storyline popularized the pap smear significantly among American women and for this Nixon was recognized as a pioneer in 2002 by Sentinel for Health.

Nixon made the jump from writer to show creator in 1968 with One Life to Live, a series on which she was specifically given the mandate to incorporate a more contemporary tone  not only examining class divisions but also racial and ethnic diversity, among them Jewish and Polish-American characters and most notably the first African-American soap opera leads played by Ellen Holly and Al Freeman Jr.

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Thanks to the success of One Life, Nixon then was allowed to bring All My Children to television, premiering the series in 1970. The show was known for frequently incorporating real-life controversies and social issues, including the anti-war movement, the AIDS crisis and abortion. Nixon served as head writer on the series several times throughout its long tenure, and still was shaking things up well into the twilight years of her career. In 2000, notably, Nixon would be personally responsible for the first time the series saw a major character come out, with Bianca Montgomery revealing she was a lesbian.

Nixon also created the series Loving, which ran from 1983-95 on ABC but never managed to catch on like her other series.

In addition to her groundbreaking storylines, Nixon also created some of the most famous and iconic characters in soap opera history, most notably All My Childrens Erica Kane. Introduced in 1970, Kane was portrayed for more than 40 years by Lucci, whose name became synonymous with consistently being nominated for, but not winning, Daytime Emmys. She earned 18 nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series before finally taking home the statuette in 1999. She was nommed again twice after that.

Nixons survivors include her son, Robert Nixon, a conservationist and filmmaker who among his other credits was co-producer on 1988s Gorillas in the Mist.

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By Karen Freifeld

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Maurice "Hank" Greenberg, the 91-year-old former chairman of former American International Group Inc (AIG.N), said at his fraud trial that he never would have considered doing a transaction that failed to pass muster with the insurers lawyers and accountants.

Greenberg defended himself during his second day of testimony over two allegedly sham transactions. The trial finally got under way this month after more than 11 years of pursuit by three New York attorneys general.

He is accused of engineering a $500 million transaction to inflate AIG's reserves, and a $200 million transaction to hide underwriting losses from the auto-warranty program by converting them into investment losses.

The day's questioning focused on the poorly performing auto-warranty program. The state claims AIG structured and invested in an offshore vehicle known as Capco to offload the losses.

"The concept of converting underwriting losses to investment losses was intriguing," Greenberg said in the Manhattan courtroom on Wednesday.

But he said he would only consider using the vehicle after the lawyers and accountants signed off on it. "It had to pass muster."

At the same time, under questioning by Assistant New York Attorney General David Nachman, Greenberg said he did not know if anyone asked for an opinion from an accounting or law firm about the propriety of the transaction.

Nachman also offered evidence that Greenberg sent Joseph Umansky, head of AIG's special reinsurance operations, to the head of AIG's private bank in Switzerland to find outside investors for the offshore entity. The attorney general views the investors as straw men.

Greenberg led AIG for four decades before he was forced out in 2005. The following year, the insurer paid $1.64 billion to settle federal and state probes into its business practices.

He still works in the insurance business as head of C.V. Starr, a privately held company.

If Greenberg is found liable, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is seeking to bar him and his co-defendant, former AIG chief financial officer Howard Smith, from the securities industry and from serving as officers or directors of public companies.

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Schneiderman also is seeking to recoup more than $50 million from bonuses paid to the executives. The attorney general was forced to drop damages claims after a 2013 shareholder settlement.

Greenberg's testimony continues on Thursday. The trial, which is not taking place every day, may run into early 2017.

The case is People v Greenberg et al, New York State Supreme Court, New York County No. 401720-2005.

(Reporting by Karen Freifeld; Editing by David Gregorio)
By Ellen Francis and Tom Perry BEIRUT (Reuters) - Russian or Syrian warplanes knocked two hospitals out of service in the besieged rebel sector of Aleppo on Wednesday and ground forces intensified an assault in a battle which the United Nations said had made the city worse than a slaughterhouse. Two patients died in one of the hospitals and other shelling killed six residents queuing for bread under a siege that has trapped 250,000 people with food running out. The week-old assault, which could herald a turning point in the war, has already killed hundreds of people, with bunker-busting bombs bringing down buildings on residents huddled inside. Only about 30 doctors are believed to be left inside the besieged zone, coping with hundreds of wounded a day. "The warplane flew over us and directly started dropping its missiles ... at around 4 a.m.," Mohammad Abu Rajab, a radiologist at the M10 hospital, the largest trauma hospital in the city's rebel-held sector, told Reuters. "Rubble fell in on the patients in the intensive care unit." M10 hospital workers said oxygen and power generators were destroyed and patients were transferred to another hospital. Photographs sent to Reuters by a hospital worker at the facility showed damaged storage tanks, a rubble strewn area, and the collapsed roof of what he said was a power facility. There were no initial reports of casualties there, but medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said two patients had been killed at the other hospital, in shelling which took it out of service as well, leaving east Aleppo with only seven doctors in a position to undertake surgery. And this comes at a time when east Aleppo has been under siege since July and is suffering the bloodiest indiscriminate bombing since the beginning of the war," MSF's Syria head Carlos Francisco said. The government of President Bashar al-Assad, backed by Russian air power, Iranian ground forces and Shi'ite militia fighters from Iran, Iraq and Lebanon, has launched a massive assault to crush the rebels' last major urban stronghold. Syria's largest city before the war, Aleppo has been divided for years between government and rebel zones, and would be the biggest strategic prize of the war for Assad and his allies. Taking full control of the city would restore near full government rule over the most important cities of western Syria, where nearly all of the population lived before the start of a conflict that has since made half of Syrians homeless, caused a refugee crisis and contributed to the rise of Islamic State. UNPRECEDENTED BOMBING The offensive began with unprecedentedly fierce bombing last week, followed by a ground campaign this week, burying a ceasefire that had been the culmination of months of diplomacy between Washington and Moscow. Washington says Moscow and Damascus are guilty of war crimes for targeting civilians, hospitals, rescue workers and aid deliveries, to break the will of residents and force them to surrender. Syria and Russia say they target only militants. Asked by a reporter at the United Nations whether Syria had bombed the two hospitals hit on Wednesday, the Syrian ambassador to the world body, Bashar Ja'afari, appeared to laugh. The Syrian army said a Nusra Front position had been destroyed in Aleppo's old quarter, and other militant-held areas targeted in "concentrated air strikes" near the city. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said those using "ever more destructive weapons" were committing war crimes. Describing the situation in Aleppo, he said: "This is worse. Even a slaughterhouse is more humane." France's Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said he was working to put forward a United Nations Security Council resolution to impose a ceasefire in Aleppo, and that any country that opposed it would be deemed complicit in war crimes. "This resolution will leave everyone facing their responsibilities: those who don't vote it, risk being held responsible for complicity in war crimes," he said. Another hospital, M2, was damaged by bombardment in the al-Maadi district, where at least six people were killed while queuing for bread at a nearby bakery, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring body and residents. Food supplies are scarce in the besieged area, and those trapped inside often line up before dawn for food. The collapse of the peace process leaves U.S. policy on Syria in tatters and is a personal blow to Secretary of State John Kerry, who led talks with Moscow despite scepticism from other top officials in President Barack Obama's administration. Kerry spoke to Lavrov on Wednesday and Russia said later that it was ready to continue diplomacy on Syria and would soon send experts to Geneva for talks with U.S. counterparts on normalizing the situation in Aleppo and elsewhere. The U.S. State Department said non-diplomatic options to halt the violence had been discussed within the administration, but declined to say what the options might be. BATTLEFIELD VICTORY Assad's Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah allies have said in recent days the war will be won in combat. But the rebels remain a potent military force even as they have lost control of urban areas. The collapse of peace efforts ends a proposed scheme to separate Western-backed fighters from hardened jihadists. It has also raised the question of whether the rebels' foreign backers, states including Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United States, will increase military backing to rebels who have long said weapons they provide are inadequate. The rebels' main demand has long been for the provision of anti-aircraft missiles, but Washington has resisted this, fearing they could end up in the hands of jihadists. U.S. officials told Reuters in Washington that the collapse of the Syrian ceasefire had heightened the possibility that Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia, might arm rebels with shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles. A senior rebel commander, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was not out of the question that this could happen. "The Americans might thinking about doing something, but nobody knows how big it will be," the commander said. Another rebel commander told Reuters his group had received deliveries of a new type of Grad surface-to-surface rockets. The rockets, with a range of 22-40 km, had arrived in "excellent quantities" and will be used on battlefronts in Aleppo, Hama and the coastal region, Colonel Fares al-Bayoush said. Fierce fighting accompanied by air strikes was reported on Wednesday in northern Hama province between Syrian government and allied forces trying to recapture territory lost to insurgents this week, and rebels who made some advances, the Observatory and a rebel group said. MORE GROUND ATTACKS A senior official in Aleppo-based rebel group said pro-government forces were mobilizing in apparent preparation for more ground attacks in central areas of the city. "There have been clashes in al-Suweiqa from 5 a.m. until now. The army advanced a little bit, and the guys are now repelling it, God willing," a fighter in the rebel Levant Front group said in a recording sent to Reuters, referring to an area in the city center where there was also fighting on Tuesday. Another rebel official said government forces were also attacking the insurgent-held Handarat refugee camp a few kilometers to the north of Aleppo. "It doesn't seem that their operation in the old city is the primary operation, it seems like a diversionary one so that the regime consumes the people on that front and advances in the camp," the official, Zakaria Malahifij, head of the political office of the Fastaqim group, told Reuters from Turkey. (Reporting by Tom Perry, Ellen Francis and Lisa Barrington in Beirut, Philip Pullella in Vatican City, John Irish in Paris and Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva, Lidia Kelly in Moscow, Michelle Nichols in New York and Arshad Mohammed in Washington, writing by Peter Graff, editing by Peter Millership and Philippa Fletcher)
Minority Affairs Ministry has decided to hold 100 "Progress Panchayats" as they are called, all across the country in the next few months.

By Brijesh Pandey: In a major minority outreach, Modi government has decided to hold direct dialogue. Minority Affairs Ministry has decided to hold 100 "Progress Panchayats" as they are called, all across the country in the next few months. These Progress Panchayats will be used to evaluate and take feedback on programmes run by the Minority Affairs Ministry for the minority community.

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Coming close on the heels of the concluding National Council address in Khozikode, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi, referred to Deendayal Upadhyay and asked everyone to emulate his view of not treating Muslims as a vote bank. With elections in Uttar Pradesh round the corner, the back to back move by the Modi government has generated a lot of buzz.

FIRST PROGRESS PANCHAYAT TO BE HELD IN MEWAT

The first Progress Panchayat will be held on September 29, in Hathin and Bichor village of Mewat district of Haryana. Apart from Minority Affairs Minister, two other MoS, Indrajeet Singh and Krishnapal Gurjar will also participate. The first panchayat in Hathin will start at 10.25 am and the second in Bichor will begin at 12.30 pm.

In these panchayats, scholarships and programmes run under Multi-Sectoral Development Programme (MSDP) will also be evaluated and feedback will be taken.

When asked whether these panchayats are being held with an eye on Uttar Pradesh elections, Naqvi said, "if this was done to woo Muslims of Uttar Pradesh, then we would have held the first panchayat in UP itself and not Mewat. Problem is that every effort of this government is always viewed through a politically jaundiced eye". BJP insider's view this panchayat as an effort to reach out to minority community in order to blunt their aversion of BJP politics because of which they vote en masse to any party who is in a position to defeat BJP.

OPPOSITION TARGETS MODI GOVERNMENT

As soon as the announcement of the 100 panchayat became public, opposition party ridiculed the effort by the Modi government. JDU member and RS MP, KC Tyagi said, "if the BJP really wants to do anything for Muslims then they have to leave their contentious demand of Uniform Civil Code, Common Civil Code and the issue of cow. If they are serious about this, they should not flare-up situation like Kairana and Muzzafarnagar and should work honestly to readdress the legitimate grievances of Muslims".

Congress party spokesperson Meem Afzal too hit out at the BJP and said that in the last 2 and a half years they have not done anything for the minority community and now when the UP election is around the corner, they are doing this. "It's not progress but politics," said Afzal.

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But it is not only the opposition parties which are criticizing the government, there is a section within the party which feels that these efforts will end up boomeranging on the BJP itself. A senior leader said, "no matter what we do, they are not going to vote for us. However this overt appeasement has potential of a Hindu backlash and we will end up being nowhere".

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Ministry of Minority Affairs plans to develop idle wakf land for commercial use



--- ENDS ---
Algiers (AFP) - Algerian Energy Minister Noureddine Boutarfa on Wednesday pressed demands for action on an oil supply glut and higher investment to stabilise the market as an informal OPEC meeting in Algiers began.

"We must act on supply to re-stabilise the market" which has been hit by a massive surplus that has dragged prices down to record lows in the past two years, Boutarfa told a news conference following an International Energy Forum meeting.

"This energy market needs regulating a little. The law of supply and demand is not being applied rationally," Boutarfa added just prior to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries meeting.

"Today, we cannot go on in an erratic fashion because if we do, we cannot prepare for the future," he ventured, voicing concern at a falloff in investment in the sector owing to the long slump in prices.

According to the International Energy Agency, last year saw a 25 percent fall in investment in oil and gas exploration and production and the agency says the decline is continuing apace.

"Investing at less than $50 (a barrel) is not possible," said Boutarfa.

"Will this situation not end up creating one even more complex in the years ahead? This is why it's in all countries' interest to reach a compromise.

"It's clear that from a theoretical point of view everyone supports the general interest. Then there comes the point where you fall back on special interests and things get a bit more complicated."

The informal OPEC meeting was due to discuss a potential production freeze of around a million barrels a day to bring markets and prices back towards equilibrium.

But amid record output, there is discord among the 14-nation cartel whose share of global crude supply is around 40 percent.

Progress is hampered notably by disagreements between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the latter back on stream as a producer after the recent lifting of a range of energy-related sanctions.
Alicia Machado is opening up about her battle with anorexia and bulimia during her days as Miss Universe.



Then 19 years old, the Venezuela native says she was relentlessly teased by Miss Universe co-owner Donald Trump, who allegedly called her "Miss Piggy" and "Miss Eating Machine" after she gained 42 lbs. in the year after she won her crown.



She is back in the news after Hillary Clintonbrought her up in Monday night's presidential debate, alleging that Machado's experience is evidence of Trump's sexism over the years.



On Tuesday, Trump doubled down on his comments about Machado in an interview on Fox & Friends, saying, "She was the worst we ever had. She was the winner, and she gained a massive amount of weight, and it was a real problem."







Now a United States citizen, the 39-year-old mother-of-one said she was battling eating disorders when Trump made his comments 20 years ago.



"I had a lot of problems," she revealed to Good Morning America on Wednesday. "Anorexic, bulimic  that kind of problems."





Alicia Machado Says She Was Struggling with Anorexia and Bulimia When Donald Trump Called Her 'Miss Piggy'| 2016 Presidential Elections, Bodywatch, Donald Trump, Hillary Rodham Clinton

Just three months after earning the Miss Universe title, rumors about Machado's weight started swirling  and Trump and pageant officials threatened to take away her crown unless she lost weight.



Trump was vocal about her appearance back then  telling PEOPLE in Feb. 1997, "We want her to stay as Miss Universe and she is working on her problem."



"When you win a beauty pageant," he continued, "people don't think you're going to go from 118 to 160 in less than a year, and you really have an obligation to stay in perfect physical shape."



"She was like an eating machine  she ate a lot of everything," Trump told Howard Stern in Feb. 1997.





RELATED VIDEO: Donald Trump on Miss Universe winner Alicia Machado: 'She gained a massive amount of weight'



Trump hired a trainer for Machado to help her lose the weight before she would have to make appearances and crown the next winner in May 1997. He also once held a press conference to show her working out.



Reflecting back on the experience, Machado told GMA, "He used me to make publicity."





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I so proud and inspiration to be a U.S. Citizen! I'll be Voting! All my power and my support become with my next President @hillaryclinton Miss Housekeeping and miss Piggy Can Vote @realdonaldtrump A photo posted by Alicia Machado (@machadooficial) on Aug 19, 2016 at 8:54am PDT



Now, Machado is owning her own experience. After becoming a U.S. citizen in August, she's registered to vote and is pledging her support to Hillary Clinton.



She tells her side of the story in a new campaign video  released minutes after brought up Machado at the presidential debate Monday night in an effort to show Trump's disdain for women.





Donald Trump called her "Miss Piggy" and "Miss Housekeeping."



Her name is Alicia Machado. #DebateNight pic.twitter.com/0wrISjJe6z a Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 27, 2016



Despite the harsh names  which Machado said also included "Miss Housekeeping"  she says she's unfazed by his words now.



"Maybe he will be saying bad things about me, but it's okay," she told GMA. "I'm strong."
A Washington State man was pulled over by police for cruising in the HOV lane with Donald Trump  a cardboard cutout of the presidential candidates head, that is.

A state trooper pulled over the vehicle on State Route 167 in Auburn when he noticed something about the passenger wasnt quite right, Trooper Rick Johnson told InsideEdition.com. Trumps infamous screaming face was pasted to the passenger seat.

Read: Motorist Caught Riding in HOV Lane With Mannequin as Passenger, Gets $490 Ticket

Its not clear whether the driver was trying to trick officers but Johnson said the driver didnt seem mad about the $136 citation he received for the act.

They were laughing together, Johnson said of Trooper Greg Ulrichs encounter with the man.

The driver told Ulrich, I thought youd like it, Johnson said.

Johnson also made light of the incident on Twitter.

Read: Only in America: Don King Spews N-Word in Bizarre Speech as Trump Smiles

Commenters joked that the driver's fine would be "yuge."

Ulrich said maybe hed find Hillary Clinton next.

Watch: Meet The Toddler Who Crowd-Surfed to Be Autographed By Trump

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The FBI reported Monday that 1,197,704 violent crimes were committed in 2015, up 3.9% from 2014. While the increase is discouraging, it is by no means a crime wave. Some areas have serious crime problems, but there are a number of U.S. cities where violence is a rare occurrence.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed violent crime rates in major U.S. cities from the FBIs 2015 Uniform Crime Report. Violent crime includes all offenses involving force or threat of force and are broken into four categories: murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. For every 100,000 U.S. residents, 373 violent crimes were committed in 2015.

ALSO READ: Cities Where You Don't Want to Get Sick

Cary, North Carolina is the safest city in the nation with just 51 reported violent crimes per 100,000 city residents. By contrast, St. Louis, Missouri, leads the nation with 1,817 violent crimes per 100,000 residents.

Relatively crime-free cities can be found just a few hundred miles from some of the most violent places in the country. California is home to cities such as Irvine, Murrieta, and Sunnyvale, which have among the 10 lowest violent crime rates of all U.S. major cities. California is also home to some of the most violent cities in the country, including Oakland, which is just 40 miles from Sunnyvale.

In an interview with 24/7 Wall St., Nancy La Vigne, director of the Justice Policy Center at nonprofit economic and social policy research organization the Urban Institute, noted the highly localized nature of violence in the United States. We see no connection between state policies and where these [crime] trends are up or down, La Vigne said.

Because many diverse and complex factors can affect violence in a community, it is very difficult to predict and address violent crime. For example, some cities attempt to curb gang violence by increasing enforcement. These efforts, however, are usually unsuccessful, if you dont look at issues around structural inequality and reasons why kids may be compelled to join gangs to begin with, La Vigne explained.

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For example, in many cases, the reason for the lack of violence is the presence of more lawful activities, including -- La Vigne noted -- employment opportunities. The unemployment rate is below the national rate of 5.3% in 20 of the 25 cities with the lowest violent crime rates.

Several other social and economic factors have been tied to low violent crime. The vast majority of cities with the lowest violent crime rates tend to also report very high incomes, low poverty, and high educational attainment.

To identify the 25 safest U.S. cities, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed violent crime rates in cities with at least 100,000 people from the FBIs 2015 Uniform Crime Report released Monday. The total number and rates of murder, non negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, which are included in the violent crime rate, as well as burglaries, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson  all classified as property crime  also came from the FBIs report. We also considered these data for each year from 2011 through 2015. Annual unemployment rates for 2015 came from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Median household income, poverty rates, the percentage of adults with at least a bachelors degree, population, and the percentage of adults with at least a high school diploma came from the U.S. Census Bureaus American Community Survey (ACS).

These are Americas 25 safest cities.

25. Virginia Beach, Virginia

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 138.3

> 2015 murders: 19

> Poverty rate: 8.3%

> Unemployment rate: 4.3%

There were 138 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in Virginia Beach in 2015, roughly one-third the national violent crime rate. Of the 626 violent crimes that were reported in the city that year, there were 234 aggravated assault incidents, 270 robberies, 103 rapes, and 19 murders. The number of murders reported in Virginia Beach is exceptionally high compared with other relatively safe cities, most of which reported no more than two murders last year.

Crime tends to be less prevalent in more affluent areas. Virginia Beach is one such area, with a poverty rate of just 8.3%, or nearly half the national poverty rate of 15.6%.

24. Simi Valley, California

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 136.5

> 2015 murders: 1

> Poverty rate: 6.6%

> Unemployment rate: 5.0%

Like residents of most of the nations safest cities, Simi Valley residents are well-off financially. The typical household earns $89,595 a year, the 13th highest median household income of major U.S. cities and considerably higher than the national median household income of $53,482. Low violent crime levels are tied to the affluence of a citys population. In these cities there are often more lawful activities -- employment opportunities, for example -- available to residents.

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23. Arvada, Colorado

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 135.2

> 2015 murders: 2

> Poverty rate: 8.4%

> Unemployment rate: 3.6%

While there is no evidence that unemployed individuals are more likely to commit violence than individuals who are employed, cities with low crime rates tend to also have relatively healthy job markets. Arvada is one such city -- just 3.6% of the workforce is unemployed, well below the national annual rate of 5.3%.

22. Provo, Utah

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 132.7

> 2015 murders: 0

> Poverty rate: 30.1%

> Unemployment rate: 3.0%

The FBI did not document a single murder or nonnegligent manslaughter in Provo last year, one of only a handful of major U.S. cities where such killings were practically nonexistent. As is almost always the case, aggravated assaults made up the majority of violent incidents in Provo. At 67 incidents per 100,000, Provo's aggravated assault rate is less than a third of the national rate of 237 aggravated assaults per 100,000 Americans.

Compared with other relatively safe cities, Provos poverty rate is exceptionally high. At over 30% it is close to double the national poverty rate.

21. Round Rock, Texas

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 131.9

> 2015 murders: 1

> Poverty rate: 9.8%

> Unemployment rate: 3.2%

With a violent crime rate of 132 incidents per 100,000, well under half the national rate of 373 per 100,000, Round Rock is one of the safest cities in the United States. However, violent crime rose by 33.0% over the five years through 2015, among the largest spikes of any major U.S. city. Specifically, there was a 61.2% surge in the number of aggravated assaults, the eighth largest such increase. Round Rocks dramatic population growth over that time of 13.7% can partly explain the increase in the number of crimes. Still, crime levels remain low, likely explained by the same economic factors that attract residents to the city. Fewer than 10% of residents live in poverty, and just 3.2% of the workforce is unemployed, each among the lowest such percentages of any major city.

20. Olathe, Kansas

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 131.3

> 2015 murders: 3

> Poverty rate: 7.4%

> Unemployment rate: 3.3%

Crime is often less prevalent in cities with low poverty and unemployment, which could help explain why Olathe is one of the safest cities in the country. Just 7.4% of Olathe residents live in poverty and just 3.3% of workers are unemployed, far lower than the national poverty and unemployment rates of 15.6% and 5.3%, respectively. While Olathe is one of the safest cities, crime is on the rise. The number of violent crimes rose by 75.2% between in 2015, the sharpest increase of any U.S. city.

19. Surprise, Arizona

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 130.7

> 2015 murders: 2

> Poverty rate: 11.0%

> Unemployment rate: 5.6%

Just 131 violent crimes were reported per 100,000 Surprise residents in 2015, far fewer than the national rate of 373 violent crimes per 100,000 Americans. While Surprise remains one of the safest cities in the country, 2015 was far more dangerous than in the previous year. The 22.6% jump in the number of violent crimes, one of the sharpest increases of any U.S. city, was driven by greater numbers of rapes and aggravated assaults last year.

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18. Corona, California

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 129.6

> 2015 murders: 5

> Poverty rate: 11.3%

> Unemployment rate: 5.2%

There were just 130 violent crimes per 100,000 Corona residents in 2015, much lower than the national crime rate of 373 per 100,000. While Corona is one of the safest cities in the country, crime has been on the rise. The number of violent crimes reported in the city rose by 24% last year, one of the sharpest increases of any major U.S. city. In response to the spike in crime, the Corona police department initiated an investigation into local gang activity earlier this year. In a single sweep of the city, the police department made 52 arrests and seized an estimated $1.6 million worth of drugs.

17. Santa Clara, California

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 126.3

> 2015 murders: 1

> Poverty rate: 9.0%

> Unemployment rate: 3.7%

Just 126 violent crimes per 100,000 residents were reported in Santa Clara in 2015, among the lowest of any city in the country. Violent crime tends to be less common in wealthier areas, and the affluence of Santa Claras population may partially explain the citys low crime rate. The typical household in Santa Clara earns $93,840 a year, the seventh highest median income of any large U.S. city. Also, Santa Clara's low unemployment rate, at 3.7%, reflects a healthy job market. In such economic conditions, residents are less likely to turn to criminal activities out of necessity.

16. Centennial, Colorado

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 125.9

> 2015 murders: 1

> Poverty rate: 5.2%

> Unemployment rate: 3.6%

Crime tends to be less prevalent in areas with low poverty and low unemployment, as fewer crimes are committed out of financial necessity and more legal economic opportunities are available, for example. In Centennial, just 5.2% of residents live in poverty, and 3.6% of workers are unemployed, far lower than the national poverty and unemployment rates. Also, 97.4% of Centennial adults have at least a high school diploma, the largest share in the country. The high educational attainment rate likely helps keep unemployment low and therefore help keep crime levels also low.

15. Orange, California

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 122.4

> 2015 murders: 7

> Poverty rate: 12.6%

> Unemployment rate: 4.2%

While Orange is one of the safest cities in the country, crime there is on the rise. Even as the population fell, there was a 21.1% increase in the number of violent crimes between in 2015, one of the sharpest spikes in crime nationwide. In 2014, California passed a law that reduced prison sentences for certain drug offenders. The Orange County Sheriff's Department attributed the crime increase to the law, claiming it would lead to potential repeat offenders returning from prison sooner. The number of burglaries in Orange surged by 43.4%, the fourth most of any city.

14. Cape Coral, Florida

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 116.8

> 2015 murders: 0

> Poverty rate: 13.7%

> Unemployment rate: 5.1%

With just 117 violent crimes reported per 100,000 residents in 2015, Cape Coral is the safest city in Florida and one of the safest in the country. Crime is also steadily declining in the area. Even as the Cape Coral population increased by more than 5,000 residents in 2015, the number of reported violent crimes fell by 16.1% -- one of the best improvements in the country. The number of property crimes also fell significantly last year.

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13. Bellevue, Washington

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 109.7

> 2015 murders: 2

> Poverty rate: 8.0%

> Unemployment rate: 4.0%

Just 110 violent crimes were reported per 100,000 Bellevue residents in 2015, the lowest rate in Washington and one of the lowest nationwide. While Bellevue has a fairly low violent crime rate, it has a relatively high property crime rate. The area's property crime rate of 3,126 incidents -- of burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson -- per 100,000 residents is higher than the national rate by about 600 incidents.

12. Woodbridge, New Jersey

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 109.0

> 2015 murders: 1

> Poverty rate: 6.1%

> Unemployment rate: 0.0%

There were just 109 violent crimes reported per 100,000 residents in Woodbridge in 2015, among the lowest per capita of any U.S. city. Crime tends to be less prevalent in more affluent areas, and Woodbridge is no exception. The typical household in the city earns $86,506 annually, far more than the $53,482 the typical household earns nationwide. Similarly, just 6.1% of Woodbridge residents live in poverty, the sixth smallest share of any city.

11. McAllen, Texas

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 108.1

> 2015 murders: 2

> Poverty rate: 26.4%

> Unemployment rate: 5.0%

One of the poorest cities in the country, McAllens poverty rate of 26.4% is far more than the national poverty rate of 15.6%. While crime tends to be more prevalent in less wealthy areas, McAllen is one of the safest cities in the country. Just 108 violent crimes were reported per 100,000 residents in 2015, less than in all but 10 cities. One reason for the low crime rate may be McAllens location along the U.S.-Mexico border. Many government agencies -- including Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement among others -- help police enforce the law in border towns such as McAllen. Perhaps due to the additional enforcement, border towns are often safer than most large U.S. cities.

10. Thousand Oaks, California

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 104.6

> 2015 murders: 0

> Poverty rate: 7.0%

> Unemployment rate: 5.5%

Crime is often less prevalent in high income areas, and the affluence of Thousand Oaks may partially explain the low level of violence in the city. The typical household in the city earns $99,115 a year, the fifth highest median income of any major U.S. city. Also, just 7.0% of residents live in poverty, less than half the 15.6% national poverty rate. Living in economically disadvantaged areas can strain relationships, lead to financial distress, and encourage illegal behavior. The absence of these factors has likely helped reduce violence in Thousand Oaks.

9. Sunnyvale, California

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 103.6

> 2015 murders: 1

> Poverty rate: 7.9%

> Unemployment rate: 3.7%

Sunnyvale is one of many California cities among the safest in the country. There were just 104 violent crimes per 100,000 Sunnyvale residents in 2015, among the lowest of any U.S. city. Crime is less common in wealthy areas where residents have access to a healthy job market. The typical Sunnyvale household earns $103,257 annually, nearly double the national median income. Similarly, just 3.7% of the Sunnyvale workforce is unemployed, one of the lower unemployment rates nationwide.

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8. Temecula, California

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 102.1

> 2015 murders: 1

> Poverty rate: 8.2%

> Unemployment rate: 4.8%

While Temecula is one of the safest places in the country, crime is on the rise. The number of violent crimes rose by 14% between last year, one of the sharper increases of any U.S. city. Like in many cities in California, the police department in Temecula has attributed the uptick in crime to Californias recent reductions of prison sentences for certain drug offenders. The number of property crimes -- burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson -- in Temecula increased substantially in 2015.

7. Glendale, California

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 96.4

> 2015 murders: 5

> Poverty rate: 14.7%

> Unemployment rate: 6.5%

There were fewer than 100 violent crimes per 100,000 Glendale residents in 2015, the seventh lowest rate of any city in the country. At 1,737 incidents per 100,000 residents, Glendales property crime rate is also relatively low. By contrast, there were 2,487 property crimes reporter per 100,000 people nationwide. While crime is often less common in wealthy areas with favorable economic conditions like low unemployment, Glendales population is actually slightly less affluent than is common in Americas safest cities. The median annual household income in Glendale of $52,451 is about $1,000 lower than the national figure. Similarly, Glendale's 6.5% unemployment rate is slightly higher than the national unemployment rate.

6. Frisco, Texas

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 91.0

> 2015 murders: 2

> Poverty rate: 4.2%

> Unemployment rate: 2.9%

Just 91 violent crimes were reported per 100,000 residents in Frisco in 2015, less than in all but five U.S. cities. Crime is often less prevalent in wealthy areas with low unemployment, as fewer crimes are committed out of financial necessity, more lawful opportunities tend to be available, and the financial distress that can lead to violence is less common. In Frisco, the typical household earns $112,155 annually, the highest median household income in the country. Also, the 2.9% unemployment rate is tied for the fourth lowest of any city.

5. Naperville, Illinois

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 87.0

> 2015 murders: 0

> Poverty rate: 4.3%

> Unemployment rate: 4.5%

There is often less crime in wealthy areas with low poverty, and Naperville is no exception. The typical Naperville household earns $109,512 annually, the second highest median income of any large U.S. city. Similarly, the 4.3% poverty rate is the second lowest. The drivers of crime levels appear to be very localized. While suburban Naperville is one of the safest cities in the country, neighboring Chicago is one of the most dangerous. There were 478 reported murders or instances of nonnegligent manslaughter in Chicago in 2015, more than in any other city in the country.

4. Gilbert, Arizona

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 71.6

> 2015 murders: 2

> Poverty rate: 6.8%

> Unemployment rate: 4.2%

Five years ago 84 violent crimes were reported per 100,000 residents in Gilbert. Even then, the city was among the safest, and the crime rate has fallen since then. Just 72 violent crimes were reported per 100,000 Gilbert residents in 2015, the fourth lowest rate of any large U.S. city. According to Arizonas local CBS channel, Gilbert's police attribute the drop in crime to its use of data in its recently implemented crime tracking system.

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3. Murrieta, California

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 63.0

> 2015 murders: 0

> Poverty rate: 7.9%

> Unemployment rate: 5.4%

Murrieta residents reported just 63 crimes per 100,000 people in 2015, the third lowest violent crime rate of any city. There were also just 1,553 property crimes per 100,000 residents, far lower than the national figure. While the Murrieta violent crime rate remained unchanged compared to 2014, however, the property crime rate increased substantially. Like many cities in California, the Murrieta police department attributes the spike in property crime to a state law passed in 2014, which reduced prison sentences for certain drug offenders. The 16.6% increase in the number of property crimes in Murrieta is in stark contrast with the 2.6% nationwide decline.

2. Irvine, California

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 55.8

> 2015 murders: 2

> Poverty rate: 12.4%

> Unemployment rate: 3.3%

Nearly two-thirds of adults living in Irvine have at least a bachelors degree, one of the highest proportions of any city in the nation and a very strong indication of the prosperity that tends to accompany high educational attainment rates. In turn, such prosperity tends to help keep crime levels low. In relatively safe cities, there tend to be more lawful opportunities for residents, which reduces the likelihood of violence. With an unemployment rate of 3.3%, one of the lowest rates, Irvine workers have access to more jobs, for example.

1. Cary, North Carolina

> Violent crimes per 100,000: 50.5

> 2015 murders: 5

> Poverty rate: 6.7%

> Unemployment rate: 3.8%

No city is safer than Cary, where just 51 violent incidents were reported last year for every 100,000 city residents -- a fraction of the national violent crime rate of 373 per 100,000 people. Also, while violent crime is up across the nation, the number of incidents in Cary dropped by 17.3% last year.

In addition to safe neighborhoods, Cary residents enjoy high incomes, low poverty, and a healthy job market. The typical household earns $91,481 annually versus the national median of $53,482. The city's poverty rate of 6.7% is less than half the national rate of 15.6%. And, 3.8% of the workforce is unemployed, well below the 2015 national jobless rate of 5.3%.

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Dillard's was upgraded to outperform by Credit Suisse said. $70 price target. The company can continue to reduce debt and repurchase stock, said Credit Suisse.

Alphabet was downgraded to underperform from neutral by Wedbush. $700 price target. Recent changes to mobile search has seen ad growth decelerate sharply, according to Wedbush.

Huntington Bancshares was upgraded to buy, Deutsche Bank said. This is a valuation call because the stock trades at a 10% discount to its peers, according to Deutsche.

Macy's was cut to neutral, Credit Suisse said. $40 price target. Management needs to prove to investors that it can execute in a challenging retail environment, said Credit Suisse.

Signature Bank was upgraded to overweight, Barclays said. $139 price target. Commercial real estate risk is exaggerated and the company can deliver above-average growth, according to Barclay's.

Select Medical was downgraded to underperform from market perform, JMP Securities said. $10 price target. Estimates were cut, too, given lower expected earnings in the long-term care hospital business, according to JMP.

Shopify was downgraded to equal-weight from overweight, Morgan Stanley said. $47 price target. This is a valuation call because the stock is up 70% year to date.

Twitter was downgraded to sell from hold, Loop Capital said. $18 price target. Meaningful upside is not likely, even in a takeover situation, according to Loop.

Workday was upgraded to neutral from underperform, Wedbush said. $82 price target. Investor sentiment is improving and sales should recover in the second half of the year, said Wedbush.

Independence Realty Trust was upgraded to buy at TheStreet Ratings. You can view the full analysis from the report here: IRT.

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Activists and multiple witnesses are outraged over the latest police-involved shooting of a black man  this time at a strip mall in suburban San Diego.

Authorities said that an African-American man in his 30s was fatally shot after he pulled an object from his pants pocket and pointed it at two police officers in a shooting stance. To support this claim, the El Cajon Police Department released a still frame taken from a cellphone video. They have not yet revealed what kind of object he was holding.

Still frame of confrontation from witness video. (Photo: El Cajon Police Department)

In a Facebook live stream of the shootings aftermath, a woman wearing hospital scrubs, who identified herself as the deceased mans sister, said she had called the police to help her brother.

Oh my God, you killed my brother! she cried. I just called for help, and you came and killed him. I called you guys to come help, not to kill my brother!

The bystander who posted the video to Facebook, Rumbie Mubaiwa, started the live stream by saying, The police did it again, yall. They shot another unarmed black person as usual. And the lady is saying she called them for help, not to kill her brother.

Police have not yet officially named the shooting victim, but relatives have identified him to multiple news outlets, such as the New York Daily News and Al Jazeera, as Alfred Olango. His name quickly started to trend on social media.

According to what appears to be his Facebook page, Olango lived in San Diego and was a head cook at a Hooters restaurant. His page indicates he studied at San Diego Mesa College and San Diego High School and was originally from Gulu, Uganda.

Slideshow: Police shoot and kill a man in El Cajon, Calif. >>>

Alfred Olango, posted on his Facebook page. (Alfred Olango via Facebook)

Demonstrators gathered at the site of the shooting to speak out against what they consider a scourge of systemic police brutality against young black men. Over the past two weeks, similar fatal encounters have occurred in Charlotte, N.C., and Tulsa, Okla.

The outrage exploded on social media overnight. Many were furious that Olango, who apparently suffered from epilepsy (a neurological disease characterized by seizures), was shot and killed when his sister said she had been reaching out for help.

Story continues

Seizure First Aid:

 time the seizure

 roll the person on his side

 protect from injury

 don't SHOOT them#AlfredOlango  Kick (@MatthewKick) September 28, 2016

Imagine calling 911 so your epileptic brother doesn't die from a seizure only to have him killed by the police that show up #AlfredOlango  blackbubbles (@itstifftiara) September 28, 2016

Only in a racist ableist culture is a black man seeking help while having a seizure called "acting erratic." #AlfredOlango #blacklivesmatter  Janet Mock (@janetmock) September 28, 2016

Addendum to the list of things black people can't do: have seizures and call an ambulance. #AlfredOlango  Akilah Hughes (@AkilahObviously) September 28, 2016

After mass shootings some ppl love to talk about investing in mental health treatment. Don't hear those ppl saying much about #AlfredOlango.  Clint Smith (@ClintSmithIII) September 28, 2016

I have seizures, and I can assure you that being shot has never been part of any treatment plan provided to me. #AlfredOlango  Ashley C. Ford (@iSmashFizzle) September 28, 2016

Black men are scary to police officers even when we are having epileptic seizures? Rest easy #AlfredOlango  Everette Taylor (@Everette) September 28, 2016

Early Tuesday evening, eyewitnesses said Olango had his hands raised in a show of surrender when police shot him. These claims exacerbated the discontent.

Michael Rodriguez says he saw man with hands up shot my El Cajon PD officers. He heard five shots fired. pic.twitter.com/zC68rXpAxc  David Hernandez (@D4VIDHernandez) September 28, 2016

However, the El Cajon Police Department swiftly responded to those claims by tweeting that his hands were not in the air and released the aforementioned still frame for corroboration.

The investigation just started, but based on the video voluntarily provided by a witness, the subject did NOT have his hands up in the air  El Cajon Police (@elcajonpolice) September 28, 2016

Similarly, the police department used Twitter to rebut witness claims to local media that their phones were confiscated following the shooting.

We ask that the community please be careful about reacting to inaccurate information. No phones were confiscated from anyone at the scene.  El Cajon Police (@elcajonpolice) September 28, 2016

The police department said in a statement that it had received multiple calls of a man who was not acting like himself and walking into traffic, endangering himself and drivers. One officer told the man to remove his hand from his pocket and drew his gun when the man did not comply, according to police. A second officer arrived and prepared to use a less lethal electronic control device, authorities said.

At one point, the subject rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together and extended them rapidly toward the officer taking up what appeared to be a shooting stance, the statement read. At this time, the officer with the electronic control device discharged his weapon. Simultaneously, the officer with the firearm discharged his weapon several times, striking the subject.

A witness approached detectives, who arrived on scene to investigate the officer, and volunteered to provide his phone to the police department to download the video, according to the police statement.

The El Cajon Police Department encourages anyone with information about the incident to call 619-579-3311.



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Global beer giant Anheuser-Busch InBev will pay $6 million to settle with US authorities over bribery allegations in India and for attempting to silence a whistleblower, US regulators announced Wednesday.

The Belgian-based maker of international beer brands including Budweiser, Corona, Becks and Stella Artois paid bribes to Indian officials to help boost sales in that country, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

US law forbids companies and people from bribing foreign officials to win business.

In entering into the agreement, AB InBev neither admitted nor denied wrongdoing, a controversial practice sometimes allowed in settlements with the SEC.

An SEC investigation found that the company used third-party sales promoters to make the improper payments and then entered into a severance package that would have penalized a former employee for continuing to speak to the SEC about the issue, the agency said.

"Threat of financial punishment for whistleblowing is unacceptable," Jane Norberg, acting chief of the SEC's Office of the Whistleblower, said in a statement. "We will continue to take a hard look at these types of provisions and fact patterns."

The sum the company will pay includes a $3 million penalty, with the remainder consisting of disgorgement of profits and interest, which unlike the penalty are tax deductible.

In 2011, the SEC also settled with the London-based spirits maker Diageo, the maker of Johnny Walker whisky and Smirnoff vodka, for $16 million over alleged bribery in India, Thailand and South Korea to win sales and tax benefits.

The SEC action came as investors on Wednesday approved AB InBev's proposed $103 billion takeover of SAB Miller, which brews Fosters and Peroni, among other brands, cementing AB InBev's position as the global leader in the beer industry.
By Suzanne Barlyn

(Reuters) - Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A., the world's largest brewer, has agreed to pay $6 million to settle charges that it had violated U.S. foreign bribery laws and "chilled a whistleblower," the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said on Wednesday.

An SEC investigation found that a minority-owned joint venture of the Belgium-based company used third-party sales promoters from 2009 to 2012 to make improper payments to officials in India to boost sales and production in that country, the agency said in a statement.

Anheuser-Busch InBev owned 49 percent of the joint venture, Crown Beers India Private Limited, at the time.

The SEC said Anheuser-Busch violated the accounting provisions of U.S. foreign bribery laws by having inadequate internal controls to detect and prevent the improper payments, despite repeated complaints from employees. The company also failed to ensure that transactions involving the promoters were recorded properly in its books and records, the agency added.

Anheuser-Busch has improved its compliance procedures and policies, and boosted training in India, company spokeswoman Karen Couck said in a statement. The settlement involves previous conduct, she noted.

The company did not admit or deny the SEC's findings, according to the settlement.

The SEC also said Anheuser-Busch had entered into an agreement with a former Crown employee prohibiting the person from communicating with the agency about potential anti-bribery violations. Anheuser-Busch had used the same language in other agreements with departing employees, the SEC said.

The SEC is cracking down on companies that insert language into their severance agreements that prevent outgoing employees from reporting conduct that could lead to monetary whistleblower awards from the agency.

Couck said the U.S. Department of Justice had closed its parallel investigation into the company without taking enforcement action.

A Department of Justice spokesman declined to comment.

Anheuser-Busch, as part of the settlement, must report its foreign bribery law compliance efforts to the SEC and try to notify certain former employees that it does not prohibit them from reporting possible legal violations to the SEC, the agency said.

(Reporting by Suzanne Barlyn; Editing by Alistair Bell and Richard Chang)
India has climbed 16 places to reach 39th rank in the latest WEF report from last year's 55th, making it the highest for any economy this year.

By Devina Gupta: With India climbing up the ladder in the global competitiveness index prepared by the World Economic Forum, Government calls for global rating upgrade too. India has upgraded its WEF ranking to 39th, a sensible increase of 16 positions from the last year's 55th. This also places India as the highest gainer among all 138 countries included in the report.

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The report claims that Indian economy's competitiveness has improved across the board particularly in goods market efficiency, business sophistication and innovation. It has also lauded India's push for foreign investment with higher transparency in public institutions. So while the Switzerland based forum recognizes Indian Government's efforts to ramp up the Indian economy, Finance Ministry is now pushing global ratings agencies to take note.

ALSO READ: Govt committed to generating entrepreneurship, says Kalraj Mishra



PROGRESS SHALL AFFECT OTHER RATINGS



"Ratings agency should take note of the India's progress. They should take at number of reforms measures, the kind of reforms and the pace at which reforms are being undertaken by the government", said Shaktikanta Das, Economic Affairs Secretary, to India Today

Interestingly, Finance Ministry had questioned methodology adopted by U.S based Moody's after its recent report on India. Moody's had called the reform process slow and gradual with muted private investment. Moody's report also claimed that it could upgrade India's rating in next 2 years if it's convinced that reforms are 'tangible'.

Shaktikanta Das told India Today that Moody's gave its report on India a day before meeting the Finance Ministry officials. "They (ratings agencies) are free to arrive at their conclusion but at least they should follow a due process" ,said Shaktikanta Das, Economic Affairs Secretary.

ALSO READ: PM Modi: Focus on the progress of projects, not on your phones



India's sovereign rating by U.S based Moody's stands at 'Baa3' which is the lowest investment grade. Interestingly the Swiss based World Economic Forum Report has indicated that India is the second most competitive economy among BRICS nations behind China and while there are challenges, India has been able to climb up the ranks for a second year in a row.

"Ratings agency have to take note of the reform process and give due weightage to these developments", Shaktikanta Das told India Today.

--- ENDS ---
Ariel Winters midriff-baring gym look is making her confidence contagious

Ariel Winters midriff-baring gym look is making her confidence contagious

Ariel Winter inspires us so often, in so many ways. Take yesterday, for example: She was just leaving the gym and she gave us #StyleGoals. Yup, were serious.

The Modern Family actress was spotted in Los Angeles Tuesday afternoon wearing a gray crop top and black v-front workout leggings  not unlike these ones from Yummie by Heather Thompson or these ones from Ivy Park

And now we cant wait to slip ourselves into a similarly confident, sexy gym outfit.

Celebrity Sightings In Los Angeles - September 27, 2016

(Shes also wearing black Yeezy Boost sneakers, but well have to skip those since were not exactly on a Modern Family stars budget!)

Back to our #StyleGoals! What we love most about this look is Ariels confidence. While shes often criticized for dressing too sexy or in a way thats inappropriate for her body, shes always had the right answer for her haters: Sit. Down.

BUTT really, don't miss a spot @kipzachary : @davinaadjani #secretshoot #embraceyourcurves A photo posted by ARIEL WINTER (@arielwinter) on Sep 22, 2016 at 1:46pm PDT

Winter constantly stands up to body-shamers and continues wearing gorgeous, body-confident outfits (like this one!) because she knows it sends an important message to her fans. Example: In a 2015 Instagram post responding to comments insisting that she shouldnt be showing her body online in a bikini (WTF?) Winter wrote,

I typically never give power to the mean things people bravely say behind their computer screens on the Internet, but this is for the girls who are constantly bullied whether it be online or at school. You are not asking for anything because of what you are wearing  you are expressing yourself and dont you ever think you deserve the negativity as the consequence to what you are wearing  YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL. Celebrate you and dont let anyones comments allow you to think less of yourself. Us girls have to stick together!!!!!!

Yasss, kween! Us girls do have to stick together, and were so happy we have someone like you on our team.

The post Ariel Winters midriff-baring gym look is making her confidence contagious appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f227090%2fclintonendorsement

The Arizona Republic was founded in 1890 and since then, they've endorsed a Republican for president every single election.

On Tuesday, however, the newspaper made a startling announcement. For the first time in its 126 year history, the newspaper endorsed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, claiming that Trump's responses to criticism were "beneath our national dignity," and that Clinton could heal the country's "rancor and incivility."

SEE ALSO: CNN said Hillary won the debate. Why do so many polls seem to say otherwise?

The paper's endorsement quickly caught speed and made national headlines. The Arizona Republic is located in a conservative state, where Trump is currently polling ahead of Clinton by two percentage points. Though Trump is still currently expected to capture the state, the paper's endorsement may have a powerful ripple effect.

Part of their endorsement was, predictably, a damning indictment of Donald Trump and his brand of Republicanism. The paper expressed their lack of confidence in Trump's conservatism. Voters who plan to vote for Trump solely on the basis of the Supreme Court, the paper said, should look elsewhere:

"Trumps conversion to conservatism is recent and unconvincing. There is no guarantee he will name solid conservatives to the Supreme Court," the endorsement reads.

The Arizona Republic only briefly addressed Trump's political platform, and instead chose to attack what they saw as the candidate's deep character flaws that made him uniquely unfit to be president. Trump's comments about prisoners of war and Latino judges showed, as they said, "a stunning lack of human decency, empathy and respect."

Still more groundbreaking was the paper's warm endorsement of Clinton itself. Choosing Clinton, the paper explained, wasn't just a lesser of two evils. The paper, while not exactly embracing the Democratic party platform, expressed confidence in Clinton's character, plan for immigration and vision for America.

Story continues

"Clinton retains her composure under pressure. Shes tough. She doesnt back down," the endorsement reads.

The paper's endorsement appears to be part of a growing trend of papers with otherwise conservative editorial boards who are now endorsing Clinton. The Cincinnati Enquirer recently broke their almost 100 year tradition to endorse Clinton, as did the Dallas Morning News.

Arizona Republic: 126 years

Cincinnati Enquirer: 100 years

New Hampshire Union Leader: ~100 years

Dallas Morning News: 76 years  Tim Dickinson (@7im) September 28, 2016

While it's unclear just how sizable an impact these endorsements have, it's a big pickup for the Clinton campaign. You can read the full endorsement here.
On Wednesday, the Arizona Republic newspaper endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. And while their readership may be a fraction of the New York Times's, their endorsement of Clinton is far more significant: Since the paper was first published more than 120 years ago, back in 1890, its editorial board has never thrown its weight behind a Democratic candidate.



That's right: not Roosevelt, not Kennedy, not Carter, not the first Clinton  not even President Obama.



Its history, the paper said, "reflects a deep philosophical appreciation for conservative ideals and Republican principles."



But "this year is different," the paper's editorial board wrote. "The 2016 Republican candidate is not conservative and he is not qualified."







The Republic touted Clinton's "cool head," "steady hand" and "ability to think carefully before acting" as three essential qualities to serve in the Oval Office, and said those are attributes Republican nominee Donald Trump does not possess.



Though the paper admitted Clinton is flawed (pointing to her emails and acceptance of donations to the Clinton Foundation while serving as Secretary of State), it argued that Trump's faults are greater.



"When the president of the United States speaks, the world expects substance," the board wrote. "Not a blistering tweet."



The Republic is just the latest conservative paper (or person) to come out against Trump this election season.



Last week, the Cincinnati Enquirer also endorsed Clinton, deviating from its Republican leanings of the past century.



The staff pointed to Trump's "praise" of "some of our country's most dangerous enemies," naming Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un and Saddam Hussein, as well as his insults of people like President Obama, the Khan family and Senator John McCain.



"In these uncertain times, America needs a brave leader, not bravado," the staff wrote. "Real solutions, not paper-thin promises. A clear eye toward the future, not a cynical appeal to the good old days.



"There is only one choice when we elect a president in November: Hillary Clinton."



The Dallas Morning News became one of the first right-leaning papers to break with tradition, endorsing its first Democrat for president in 75 years and 20 elections back on Sept. 7.



The move from the Morning News was especially poignant, considering that in 1964, the paper chose to abstain from endorsing either Republican Barry Goldwater or the Democratic incumbent, President Lyndon Johnson.



"We've been critical of Clinton's handling of certain issues in the past," the staff wrote. "But unlike Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton has experience in actual governance, a record of service and a willingness to delve into real policy. Resume vs. resume, judgment vs. judgment, this election is no contest."



The Morning News also mentioned Clinton's past-proven ability to "reach across the aisle" as a reason for its support of her as a candidate, citing the fact that two-thirds of her bills in the Senate had Republican co-sponsors.



And like the Republic, the staff criticizes Trump, saying his "values are hostile to conservatism" and that he exploits "base instincts of xenophobia, racism and misogyny  to bring out the worst in all of us."



It wasn't a decision that came easily to the paper, or one that was entirely well received, Morning News editor Mike Wilson told Poynter.



"Certainly we've paid a price for our presidential recommendation," Wilson said. "But then, we write our editorials based on principle, and sometimes principle comes at a cost."



Of course, it's not just papers, it's people, too: more than 60 Republican lawmakers have either endorsed Clinton, or said they'd vote for her over Trump.



This number includes former Republican governors such as William Milliken of Michigan and Larry Pressler of South Dakota, current and former members of Congress  like Representative Richard Hanna, former Congresswoman Connie Morella and former Senators David Durenberger and John Warner  as well as multiple members of past Republican presidential administrations.



Warner is the latest addition to the pro-Clinton conservative camp: He endorsed Clinton on Wednesday morning at an event with vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine in their home state, Virginia.



Perhaps the biggest anti-Republican Republican name of all? George H.W. Bush  however, whether he's actually pro-Clinton hasn't been confirmed by Bush himself. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, daughter of Robert F. and Ethel Kennedy, shared a photo on Facebook posing with the former president, with the caption "The President told me he's voting for Hillary!!a



Bush hasn't yet endorsed any candidate this election season (well, besides son Jeb!), but Townsend told Politico "that's what he said."
Saamana cartoonist issued an apology in today's issue. The cartoonist said the controversy over the cartoon was unnecessary, and that he was an artist, not a political cartoonist.

By Kamlesh Damodar Sutar: After running into trouble over the cartoon controversy, Saamana cartoonist Shrinivas Prabhudesai has issued an apology in Saamana today.

The controversial cartoon allegedly poking fun at the Maratha rallies had put the Shiv Sena on a back foot.

Published on the front page page of Shiv Sena's mouthpiece, Prabhudesai in his apology, said "There was no intention to hurt anyone's sentiments. The controversy over the cartoon is unnecessary. I am an artist and not a political cartoonist."

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Also read: Saamana carries 'couple kissing' cartoon mocking Maratha's 'silent rally', draws flak

'THE ISSUE WAS POLITICISED'

He said, "In a busy life, my intention is put a smile on people's face. That's why I make cartoons."

"With great humility I would like to state that I did not wish to hurt the sentiments of any community, I apologise for that. The issue was politicised and Shiv Sena's and Saamana's name was unnecessarily dragged into it, " Prabhudesai added.

The cartoon row was turning out to be a big trouble for Shiv Sena.

Several top leaders, including MPs and MLAs, had expressed displeasure with the cartoon and had even threatened to tender resignations.

Shiv Sena's office in Navi Mumbai was also attacked by the workers of Sambhaji Brigade, a maratha outfit.

Also Read:

Saamana cartoon row: BJP, Opposition demand apology from Shiv Sena



--- ENDS ---
Oliver Queen is, once again, a killing machine.

In a new trailer for Arrow Season 5, the masked hero puts death-by-lethal force back on the table, which is a a huge step backwards, in Theas opinion.

RELATEDFall TV Spectacular: Exclusive Scoop and Photos on 42 Returning Favorites, Including Arrow

While Oliver certainly makes his might known on the streets of Star City, taking out criminals left and right, he cant do it alone. With Big Bad Prometheus on the streets murdering people, Team Arrow takes in some new recruits, who are put through the ringer by Ol and Dig. And theyre not the only ones being initiated: In flashbacks, Oliver renounces his family as he joins the Bratva.

Also spotted in the sneak peek: Felicity smooching her new boyfriend, Mayor Queen getting shot and Oliver doing the salmon ladder in a business suit.

Arrow Season 5 will feature a variety of fresh faces, including Rocky IV opponent Dolph Lundgren (as a Big Bad in the Russia flashbacks), Popular alum Carly Pope (as a Coast City reporter), Chicago P.D.s Josh Segarra (in the series-regular role of D.A. Adrian Chase aka Vigilante), Reapers Rick Gonzalez (as the DC Comics character Wild Dog), The McCarthys Tyler Ritter (as SCPD Detective Malone), Blindspots Joe Dinicol (recurring as Rory Regan aka the vigilante Ragman) and former WWE grappler Cody Rhodes in a guest role TBA.

RELATEDArrow Episode 100: Big Bad [Spoiler] Will Return for Four-Way Crossover

Katie Cassidy  who is now a series regular across Arrow, The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow  will return in the season opener to spill what Laurel told Oliver before her death.

Arrow returns Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 8/7c on The CW, where it now leads into the freshman drama Frequency.

Press PLAY above to watch the video, then hit the comments with your thoughts on back-to-dark Oliver.

Save

Save

Launch Gallery: <i>Arrow</i> Season 5 Photos

Related stories

Legends of Tomorrow First Look: Hourman Returns With the JSA Team

Story continues

TVLine Items: Arrow Mom Returns, Nashville's Rayna Superfan and More

Supergirl Joins The CW's Superhero Fight Club -- WATCH VIDEO
By John Tilak

TORONTO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Canada's Artis Real Estate Investment Trust is looking to sell retail and industrial assets in Alberta worth about C$300 million ($227 million) to diversify away from the oil-producing province, according to two sources familiar with the process.

The move comes after Artis earlier this year put on the block about 50 percent of its Calgary office assets and hired BMO Capital Markets to run the process, the sources said.

Artis has not seen much demand for its Calgary office assets, and there has not been any convergence in price expectations, the sources said.

The company expects about C$300 million to C$350 million for its Calgary office assets, the sources said.

Artis declined to comment.

Demand for the retail and industrial assets has been strong, and interest has come from asset managers, real estate-focused pension funds and other real estate investment trusts, the sources said.

The sale of the retail and industrial assets could happen through multiple deals targeting a number of buyers, and is less likely to go to just one buyer, the sources said.

The slump in oil prices that began about two years ago has hurt unit prices of Alberta-exposed REITs, including Artis.

About 33 percent of the company's net operating income comes from Alberta.

The Calgary office assets are still on the table, though the retail and industrial assets are likely to be sold faster, probably by the end of the year, the sources said.

($1 = 1.3216 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by John Tilak; Editing by Andrew Hay)
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - An Asiana Airlines flight bound for South Korea returned to Los Angeles on Tuesday after smoke was reported in the cargo section, a spokeswoman for Los Angeles International Airport said.

Asiana Flight 201 head to Seoul landed back at Los Angeles International Airport at about 7:45 p.m. (0245 GMT) after being in the air for about seven hours, according to Flightaware.com.

The flight returned to Los Angeles after the crew alerted the airport that smoke had been reported in the bulkhead or cargo area, LAX spokeswoman Nancy Castles said.

When an signal in the cockpit signifying smoke in the cargo section turned on then off the plane's crew decided to turn back to the airport with "safety foremost in mind," an Asiana Airlines spokesman said.

The flight was originally bound for Incheon International Airport with about 353 passengers and crew on board, Castles said.

A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said he had no information on the incident.

(Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Lisa Shumaker, Peter Cooney and Michael Perry)
The Networking System Helps the Athens, Georgia Community Share Experiences and Ideas With Each Other

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 28, 2016 / Community Signage, LLC, a startup company that focuses on creating community-based social display networks, recently announced the launch of its latest project, Athens FrontDor. The company's technology makes it easy for communities to stay in touch with its residents by turning regular TV into social message boards.

To learn more about Athens FrontDor, please visit goo.gl/GwbuOQ.

According to a representative of Community Signage, Athens FrontDor will use simple slideshows, Instagram feeds, and text message marketing to keep the community's residents in touch with each other. In addition to staying in touch with the board by following its Instagram feed or subscribing to text messages, locals are invited contribute to the board by hashtagging pictures of them participating in local activities. Ultimately, Athens FrontDor wants to create a product that shares experiences, local deals, and ideas of things to do in Athens.

Additionally, any local Athens business can use FrontDor to host a display. Businesses can use the technology to cross-advertise with peer locations, strengthen their social media presence, and reach locals with important promotions via text. Athens FrontDor will be available to 15 business locations upon its launch.

"There is no commitment, and there are no monthly fees," stated Community Signage. "To become a host, all you have to do is: plug a FrontDor MediaPlayer into your TV, connect it to the Internet, and let the FrontDor team do the rest."

At this time, Community Signage has taken FrontDor to Kickstarter, where it seeks the necessary funds to bring the project to life. In exchange for the public's support, Community Signage is offering a wide variety of perks, such as FrontDor MediaPlayers and displays.

Individuals interested in learning more about Athens FrontDor can visit the project's Kickstarter page for additional information.

Story continues

About Athens FrontDor:

Athens FrontDor is a new type of community networking system that converts any TV into a bulletin board. The technology is the first step in getting Athens, Georgia residents connected to events, deals, and announcements more efficiently and providing businesses and individuals with a wider audience for their posts. FrontDor connected TVs will display slideshows with Instagram feeds, text message marketing, event advertising, and any other bulletins to keep the community connected. By getting FrontDor running in 15 popular business locations around town, it will be easy for patrons to stay up-to-date with what's happening in Athens. For more information, please visit https://goo.gl/GwbuOQ.

Contact:

Elsie Rodriguez

admin@rocketfactor.com

(949) 555-2861

SOURCE: Community Signage, LLC
Today in 5 Lines

FBI Director James Comey warned congressional lawmakers about a terrorist diaspora sometime in the next two to five years at a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing. During a rally in North Carolina, Hillary Clinton criticized Donald Trumps debate performance, saying he made it very clear that he didnt prepare for that debate. Former Miss Universe Alicia Machado called Trumps attacks against her a really bad dream in a press call organized by Clintons campaign. President Obama nominated Jeffrey DeLaurentis to be Americas ambassador to Cuba. The Senate voted to block a stopgap bill that would have allocated funds to combat the Zika virus and keep the government open beyond Friday.

Today on The Atlantic

A Calm and Collected Clinton : During Monday nights debate, the Democratic nominee remained cool against a heated Donald Trump, which may be exactly what she needed to do to appeal to undecided voters. (Ron Fournier)

Trying Something New : On Tuesday, the Commission on Presidential Debates confirmed a new format for the second showdown between Clinton and Trump: Americans will be able to submitand vote onquestions online that will be considered by ABC and CNN for the debate. (Russell Berman)

Where Financial Aid Went Wrong: The federal system works under the assumption that parents will help pay to send a student to college. But thats not always the case. (Sara Goldrick-Rab)

Follow stories throughout the day with our Politics & Policy portal.

Recommended: Donald Trump's 'Miss Piggy' Comments Expose a Double Standard on Weight

Snapshot

A man stands on a flood wall as he looks at the flooded Cedar River in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Charlie Neibergall / AP

What Were Reading

Liar, Liar: Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton had a lot to say during Mondays 90-minute debate, but not all of it was accurate. NPR fact-checked their statements here.

What Trump Missed: Immigration, Obamacare, the Clinton Foundation, and Benghazisome of Trumps strongest talking pointswere absent from Monday nights debate. Thats on Trump, Byron York argues, for not taking matters into his own hands. (Washington Examiner)

Story continues

Recommended: Trump Is His Own Worst Enemy in a Crisis Situation. Again.

Measuring Climate Change: A newly released study suggests Earth could be doomed to a catastrophic temperature rise of up to 7 degrees Celsius (about 13 degrees Fahrenheit). But not all scientists are on board with the findings. This is simply wrong, said the chief of NASAs Goddard Institute for Space Studies. (Craig Welch, National Geographic)

Debate Night in the District: The New York Times Emma Roller describes the scene at a debate watch party at a bar in Washington, D.C. Heres a sneak peek: In this crowd, even Mrs. Clintons lamest zingers went over like gangbusters.

The 1,000-Year Flood: Southern Louisiana is still recovering from historic rainfall in August that devastated the region. Julie Dermansky captured the aftermath in these photographs. (Reveal)

Visualized

Caricatures of the Candidates: The New Yorker dug through its archives for the 50 most interesting images of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. View them here.

Question of the Week

This month, our very own Megan Garber kicked off a reader discussion on political films in our Notes sectiona virtual movie club, if you willas a way to embrace and to escape the day-to-day doings of this long-running campaign season.

What politics-related movie do you consider mandatory viewing for all Americans?

Send your answers to hello@theatlantic.com, and our favorites will be featured in Fridays Politics & Policy Daily.

-Written by Elaine Godfrey (@elainejgodfrey) and Candice Norwood (@cjnorwoodwrites)

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Tom Hanks is parlaying his onscreen experiences into a real-life campaign to help the rarely celebrated caregivers who aide military members who are injured in action.



Hanks helped Army wife Jessica Allen launch the Hidden Heroes campaign on Tuesday during an appearance on the Today show.



"I've covered some of this turf in my fake life as an actor who puts on other people's clothes, and the emotional impact of a number of those jobs, it's never left," Hanks, who starred in Saving Private Ryan, told Matt Lauer. "It comes down to a chance to serve and I think help out in a very pragmatic and understandable way."



The Hidden Heroes campaign, which was created by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation with support from Comcast NBC Universal, serves as a portal for military caregivers to connect, find support programs and participate in education programs.







Further, caregivers can access free financial advice, and view testimonials from others taking care of injured veterans.



Hanks, 60, explained the role of a caregiver is a "24 hour a day" job.



"The thing that I can't stress enough is that there are military caregivers in your neighborhood," said the Sully star. "It will be astounding how a tiny bit of help can alter the lives of those people."



Allen got involved after her husband, Army Staff Sgt. Chaz Allen, lost both legs and one of his elbows after stepping on an IED in Afghanistan in 2011.





RELATED VIDEO: What Do James Brolin and Tom Hanks Have in Common? A Son...Well, Sort Of



"Every single day I have to think about what my day's going to look like and pray that my husband doesn't further injure himself," she explained of her role as his caretaker.



Dole also has direct connections to the loved ones and workers helping out servicemen and women: Her husband, former Sen. Bob Dole, spent 11 months at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center five years ago. There, she witnessed "the kinds of challenges that" caregivers face.



She told Today via satellite from Washington, D.C., "I had to do something about it."



For more on the Hidden Heroes campaign, visit the Elizabeth Dole Foundation website.
Bangladesh, Bhutan and now Afghanistan have backed India by confirming they will not participate in the SAARC summit scheduled in November in Islamabad.

Pakistan is virtually getting isolated in the region with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan joining India in boycotting the annual SAARC summit scheduled to be hosted by Islamabad in November. (Photo: Reuters)

By Smita Sharma: Bangladesh, Bhutan, and now Afghanistan. The Indian campaign to isolate Pakistan in the aftermath of Uri attack has worked with the three countries today confirming that they will not participate in the annual SAARC summit which is scheduled in November this year in Islamabad.

"Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, the President of Afghanistan with his responsibilities as Commander-in-Chief will be engaged, and will not be able to attend the SAARC summit," the Afghan government said in its letter to Nepal, which is the current SAARC chair.

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India on Tuesday announced it will not attend the SAARC summit in Islamabad in November, saying that regional cooperation and terror can't go together. Pakistan has termed the boycott as "unfortunate".

According to diplomatic sources, in official communication sent to SAARC chair Nepal on Tuesday, the Bangladesh government said, "The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

READ: PM Modi won't go to Pakistan for SAARC summit, environment not conducive, says MEA



"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," the statement further said.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:



The Bhutan government in its statement said, "While reaffirming Bhutan's strong commitment to the SAARC process and strengthening of regional cooperation, it notes the concern of the Royal Government of Bhutan on the recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.

"Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC summit, under the current circumstances," it said.

A SAARC summit can take place only when leaders of all member countries are present.

READ: India Today at LoC: After Uri attack, India quietly fortifies border positions, locals worried



India, the largest member of the eight-nation South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), announced its decision to pull out hours after Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit was summoned to South Block and handed over Pakistan's "proof of cross-border origin" of the September 18 Uri terror attack.

India is also planning to revoke the Most Favoured Nation status to Pakistan in trade, in another punishing measure.

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READ: Uri attack: India shows evidence by identifying handlers, summons Pak Envoy Abdul Basit

India has been increasing its diplomatic offensive against Pakistan over the past few days for its open backing of the Kashmir unrest and specially after the terror attack on an army camp in Uri on September 18 that left 18 soldiers dead.

ALSO READ:



All those burning Pakistan flag deserve to be butchered, says Pervez Musharraf on Balochistan

Pakistan stands isolated today; it's high time it acted against terror groups: MEA



--- ENDS ---
(Reuters) - Credit Suisse Group AG (CSGN.S) and Barclays Plc (BARC.L) are in mortgage-settlement talks with the U.S. Department of Justice, Bloomberg reported, citing sources.

A Credit Suisse deal could be announced within several weeks, a source familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. (http://bloom.bg/2daifzh)

Credit Suisse declined to comment on the report. Barclays and the Department of Justice could not immediately be reached.

DoJ officials are eager to wrap up pending cases against lenders, a source told Bloomberg, but said the talks could drag out or fall apart, sending the cases to civil trial.

The settlement figures under discussion with either bank could not immediately be learned, Bloomberg said.

Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) said this month that it would fight a $14 billion demand from the DoJ to settle claims it mis-sold mortgage-backed securities.

Other banks that have disclosed investigations related to their mortgage securities businesses include UBS Group AG (UBSG.S), Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc (RBS.L), HSBC Holdings Plc (HSBA.L) and Wells Fargo & Co (WFC.N).

(Reporting by Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Olivia Oran in New York)
Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican pick Donald Trump faced off for the first presidential debate in New York on Monday night, potentially setting the stage for the next six weeks of battle.

The forum was sparse on foreign policy details, and full of political platitudes and personality clashes. And yet in exchanges over trade, Russian-linked cyberwarfare, the Iran deal, and more, Clinton put Trump on defense by painting him as a man full of rhetoric  with no plan to make it reality.

There are plenty of urgent questions left unanswered  and not just why the Republican nominee was sniffling. For example, how will the next president deal more successfully with Russia than the Obama administration has to stop the carnage in Syria, now that the ceasefire has collapsed and amidst a renewed push to sanction Damascus for using chemical weapons. At least some of those pressing questions are likely to be asked at the next, foreign policy-focused debate on Oct. 9.

But after Trump and Clintons first faceoff, undecided members of the American public may spend the next few weeks leading up to Election Day demanding more answers of the candidates  particularly of Trump, for whom not preparing has been a point of pride.

I think Donald just criticized me for preparing for this debate. And, yes, I did, Clinton said in New York. And you know what else I prepared for? I prepared to be president. And I think thats a good thing.

Sign up for FPs Editors Picks newsletter here to receive Battleground 16, our take on the presidential race, each Wednesday through November.

Clintons Debate Take on Trump: Only Secret Is He Doesnt Have a Plan

Short on details but long on criticism, Trump is put on the defensive in a test of his preparedness to be commander in chief.

When the president of the United States speaks, the world expects substance. Not a blistering tweet.

Story continues

 The Arizona Republic, a newspaper in the Southwestern U.S., endorsed Hillary Clinton  its first time it has backed a Democrat over a Republican in a presidential contest since it began its publication around 1890.

From Reset to Realpolitik, Clintons New Hard Line on Moscow

As president, Hillary Clinton is prepared to take a much tougher stance on Russia than Trump  or even Obama. Syrias civil war will be the first test.

Clintons aggressive approach to Moscow  that Putin cannot be trusted and must be met with force  diverts sharply from Trumps cozy take. But it also commits her to a far more confrontational policy in Syria if elected, giving the clearest indication yet that there and elsewhere, shed try to handle the Russian bear head-on.

Debate Gaffes, Platitudes and Absurdities On National Security

On nuclear weapons, war strategy and cyber threats, Trump stumbled and Clinton avoided specifics.

55.7%

Hillary Clintons chances of winning the 2016 presidential election, compared to Trumps 44.2% odds, according to FiveThirtyEight.

Trump and Clinton Try to Out-Israel the Other Ahead of New York Debate

In meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, the GOP nominee blames the Palestinians for the conflict and promotes his wall, while the Democratic nominee recommits to the two-state solution.

Sign up for FPs Editors Picks newsletter here to receive Battleground 16, our take on the presidential race, each Wednesday through November.

Photo credit: TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images
By Pamela Barbaglia

LONDON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - At least four private equity funds including BC Partners are in talks to buy a majority stake in Italy's fourth-biggest supermarket chain Esselunga in a deal worth up to 6 billion euros ($6.7 billion), sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The talks, led by Citi, started earlier this year amid efforts to find a succession plan for the business, which runs more than 150 stores across Italy and is held by Bernardo Caprotti, who will turn 91 on Oct. 7.

London-based BC Partners is one of two private equity houses which recently joined the race to submit offers and outbid previous expressions of interest from two other heavyweight funds, Blackstone and CVC Capital Partners, the sources said.

Esselunga, Blackstone and BC Partners declined to comment while CVC was not immediately available for comment.

Caprotti, who co-founded the business in 1957, started informal talks with Blackstone and CVC about six months ago, the sources said.

The two funds were later granted access to the company's books in August to perform due diligence, one of the sources said, but price disagreements soon emerged.

After extensive negotiations with Blackstone and CVC, Caprotti asked Citi to launch a strategic review to sound out interest from other buyout funds, they said.

Italian private equity group Investindustrial was informally asked to take part in the negotiations for Esselunga but has yet to decide whether to make an offer, another source said.

The size of the transaction may be challenging for some private equity firms, this source said, and these funds could try to team up in a consortium with Italian investors.

Blackstone and CVC have almost completed their due diligence work and remain keen to win control, the sources said.

Caprotti is against a sale of Esselunga to any of its direct competitors, the sources said, and doesn't want to entertain talks with industry rivals.

The billionaire businessman, who has been in a long-running legal dispute with the two children of his first marriage over ownership of the chain, stepped down as Esselunga chairman in 2011 and resigned from all executive functions in 2013.

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But he has a final say on any change of ownership and his price expectations are seen as ambitious, the sources said, cautioning that the talks may yet fall apart.

Based in Milan, Esselunga holds a portfolio of real estate assets worth more than 1 billion euros, one of the sources said, adding the deal's value will hinge on whether these assets will be part of it.

Caprotti, who comes from a long line of Italian businessmen and often airs his views in the media, has rebuffed overtures from international supermarket chains in recent years, another source said.

ROLL OUT

Esselunga, which employs nearly 22,000 people in seven Italian regions, primarily in the North of the country, grew its revenues by 4.3 percent last year to an overall 7.3 billion euros with core earnings of 625 million euros.

It offers private equity suitors the opportunity to roll out the Milan-based business across Southern Italy and win market share from Coop, Conad and Selex, which rank as Italy's largest supermarkets by market share, the sources said.

A number of buyout funds have recently expressed interest in European supermarket chains including Polish convenience chain Zabka Polska.

Earlier this year CVC teamed up with Qatar's QIA and Canada's Brookfield Asset Management to bid for British supermarket group Sainsbury.

BC Partners bought 50.8 percent of Turkey's largest supermarket chain Migros in 2008 and subsequently sold part of its stake to Turkish beverage firm Anadolu Endustri Holding last year.

($1 = 0.8928 euros) (Additional reporting by Paola Arosio in Milan and Sophie Sassard in London; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)
Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton, apparently had an upper hand in the first presidential debate. This is especially true as the latest polls and surveys show Clinton having an edge over Republican Donald Trump. As per the CNN/ORC poll, 62% of voters who watched the debate see Clinton as the winner compared with 27% for Trump while a public policy polling survey revealed that Clinton won the debate with 51% of voters (read: Clinton Apparently Won First Debate: ETFs in Focus).



This has brought back the allure for riskier assets, and has given a boost to the global stock market. Notably, Mexican stocks and its currency emerged as clear winners of the debate as Clintons victory may mean favorable trade relations for the country. In fact, Mexican peso jumped 2.5% post debate.



Why Mexico?



Mexican peso and the stocks were the hardest hit on fears of a Trump presidency that sent the currency slumping to a record low against the U.S. dollar last week. This is because Trump policies could prove a nightmare for the Mexican economy with less employment, less income, lower exports, and thus a weakening currency (read: ETFs to Watch as Trump Races Closer to Clinton).



Trump intends to renegotiate or terminate the North American Free Trade Agreement  the free trade deal between Canada, Mexico and America. This would hamper the trade relationship between Mexico and the U.S., and hurt the countrys exports. Notably, 81% of its exports go to the U.S. that makes up for more than one-third of Mexicos GDP. The renegotiation might impose a 35% tariff against the import of Mexican goods, like cars, to the U.S.



Additionally, Trump seeks to build a wall along the U.S. southern border to keep Mexican immigrants away. This would directly restrain Mexicos balance of payments.



However, the debate went against Trump, bringing some respite to the Mexican economy and the stock market. As a result, investors should catch on this opportune moment by investing in single country ETFs. While there are four ETFs available in the space, we have highlighted a couple of funds that offers broad exposure to the Mexican stock markets without a currency hedging tacked on it (see: all the Latin American Equity ETFs here).



Both ETFs gained nearly 4% in yesterdays trading session after Clinton apparently won the debate. These have a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 or Hold rating, with a Medium risk outlook.



iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF EWW



This fund is by far the most popular and liquid ETF in the Latin America space with AUM of $981.2 million and average daily volume of nearly 2.7 million shares a day. It tracks the MSCI Mexico IMI 25/50 index and holds 62 securities in its basket having a higher concentration on the top two firms with over 9% share each. Further, the fund is heavy on consumer staples making up for more than 26% of the portfolio, closely followed by financials (21.5%). It charges 49 bps in fees per year from investors (read: Mexican Economy Shrinks First Time in 3 Years: ETFs to Watch).



SPDR MSCI Mexico StrategicFactors ETF QMEX



This fund offers exposure to 31 Mexican stocks that have value, low volatility and quality factor strategies. This is done by tracking the MSCI Mexico Factor Mix A-Series Capped Index. It is also highly concentrated on the top two firms that collectively make up for 20.3% of assets and a consumer staples sector accounting for 34%. The fund has accumulated $2.1 million in AUM. It charges 40 bps in fees per year from investors and trades in a paltry average daily volume of 3,000 shares.



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Belgian film powerhouse Umedia is expanding its geographical footprint in Canada with the launch of a visual effects and finishing studio in Vancouver to bolster its presence in the post-production landscape in North America.

The Vancouver facility, which will be Umedias fifth office, will focus on film and television development, production and financing in London, Los Angeles, Brussels and Paris. Umedia already has VFX studios in Brussels and Paris.

I am delighted to welcome Umedia Vancouver to the family, said Umedia founder Adrian Politowski. The world-renowned quality of Vancouvers VFX and finishing artists, combined with an attractive tax incentive program, made the city an obvious choice.

Umedia tapped Peter Muyzers, the Oscar-winning industry vet whose credits include Elysium, American Sniper, District 9, Corpse Bride, the Harry Potter series and Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Muyzers (pictured above with Politowski) previously worked as COO of Imagine Engine, where he spearheaded the creation of the companys film division.

From on-set supervision to finishing and delivery, Umedia Vancouver offers an integrated approach for filmmakers, said Muyzers. We work closely with clients to bring their creative visions to lifeon time. Between the talented team we have assembled and Umedias significant investment, we look forward to becoming a leader in Vancouvers thriving post-production and VFX industry.

Umedias VFX team recently worked on What Happened to Monday, Netflixs French show Marseille. The company is also behind I Kill Giants, which will soon start shooting with Zoe Saldana and is being produced with Chris Columbuss 1492 Pictures.

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Rome (AFP) - Silvio Berlusconi celebrated his 80th birthday on Thursday, away from the limelight he enjoyed for decades as a flamboyant Italian prime minister, media tycoon and owner of AC Milan.

Vladimir Putin and the current Milan squad were among those who sent birthday greetings with the Russian president phoning his old pal to wish him "rude health and success", the Kremlin said.

The Milan players marked the occasion by making a video in which captain Riccardo Montolivo thanked Berlusconi "for making this club the greatest in the world."

Matteo Renzi, Italy's current prime minister said he had sent good wishes privately, although he couldn't resist a swipe at his predecessor in an interview with the newspaper Il Foglio.

"I think Berlusconi will be remembered 100 years from now for the things he did in football, publishing and television," Renzi said. "In politics he will above all be remembered for the things he did not do."

Twice-divorced Berlusconi spent the day with his 31-year-old girlfriend Francesca Pascale and an extended family that he admits to having neglected during the course of his business and political careers.

The one-time cruise ship crooner has been largely absent from public life since undergoing open heart surgery in June.

But he did grant an interview to one of his publishing empire's own magazines, Chi, to mark the milestone.

In it, he confirms that his political career is effectively over and that he plans to spend his time left with his five children and 10 grandchildren.

Despite his penchant for hair transplants and plastic surgery, Berlusconi has not been able to stop the march of time.

He underwent successful surgery in June to replace a faulty heart valve that could have cost him his life.

It was not his first intimation of mortality. He had a pacemaker fitted in the United States after a heart attack a decade ago and he was operated on for prostate cancer in 1997.

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"Throughout my life I have never given any thought to my age," he told Chi. "On the contrary, I always lived as if I was 40 because that is how I felt: full of curiosity and desire to do things," he added.

"Then the (heart) illness arrived out of the blue. And with the operation I underwent I had a very strong realisation that I am an 80-year-old man," he revealed.

- Charges still outstanding -

Other regrets include not being able to give enough time to his football club of late.

The once-mighty Milan have dropped to the level of also-rans in recent seasons having being starved of funds by their owner, who is now in the process of offloading the club to Chinese investors.

"If Milan has not done as well as before these past years, it is because I have not had the time to personally take care of it," Berlusconi lamented.

That, he claims, is the fault of politically-biased judges who have pursued him in a string of legal cases ranging from corporate tax fraud to having sex with an underage courtesan at one of his notorious Bunga Bunga parties.

"For years I have spent at least three afternoons a week with my lawyer preparing the 3,600 hearings I have had to endure in 73 political trials," he said.

Tax fraud was the only crime the supposedly 'red' judges ever nailed Berlusconi for.

Most charges he got off because of court cases timing out, and in the Bunga Bunga trial the judge accepted that he could not reasonably have known that 'Ruby the heart stealer' was 17 at the time of their encounter.

Allegations that he bought the silence of up to 21 young women remain outstanding. A preliminary hearing in the case has been set for next week but there were reports Thursday Berlusconi was seeking its postponement on medical grounds.

La Repubblica reported he was planning to fly to Cleveland, Ohio, for a check-up with the surgeon who treated him for his previous heart problems.

The 2013 fraud conviction saw Berlusconi kicked out of parliament and, like a spurned lover, he now insists he never cared.

"Politics was never really my passion," said the man who was Italy's longest-serving premier of the post-war period.

"All it did was make me lose a huge amount of time and energy. If I entered the ring it was only to stop communists from getting into power."
When frontwoman Bethany Cosentino and multi-instrumentalist Bobb Bruno founded Best Coast in 2009, the SoCal indie rockers hardly seemed the types to get political. But their sun-kissed guitar pop has progressed from its bedroom beginnings, and during 2016, Best Coast expanded its social scope as well.

First Donald Trump & Hillary Clinton Debate Draws Reaction From Katy Perry, Chance the Rapper & More

Like many millennial alternative artists, Cosentino and Bruno pledged their allegiance to Bernie Sanders. They went as far as to join his left-wing "political revolution" in a formal sense, playing a rally at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in early April.

Now, with Sanders on the sidelines, Best Coast has turned its attention to electing Hillary Clinton and assuring Donald Trump gets nowhere near the Oval Office. Cosentino has remained actively engaged in the election, rallying the troops as Best Coast continues to promote its 2015 album California Nights. She hopped on the phone with Billboard to discuss her takeaways from Sept. 26's Clinton-Trump debate, the first of the 2016 cycle.

Now that it's been two days since the first debate, where's your head at?

Hearing the things that come out of your mouth around this election, it almost feels like you're talking about a prank television show. I was incredibly nervous before I watched it. I didn't even know if I was going to be able to watch it. I feel a little bit less so now that it's over.

Watching it made me realize Donald Trump is 1 million percent incapable of doing anything other than being Donald Trump. To be honest, I don't know how you could still be undecided, but I know people who were but watched that and said, "OK, there's absolutely no way I'm ever voting for him."

What do you think about what transpired at the debate?

I think what we saw was a woman who is incredibly skilled and trained for the job, knows how to have a political debate. She doesn't have the best track record but knows what she's doing. We have another person it was like watching an 8-year old boy high on cocaine. I swear to God he was on coke. If he even thinks he stands a chance, he's going to have to work with someone who tells him, Donald, as an adult man, as an adult human, this is not how you go about debating things. I muted it at one point, and it was like you could still hear him yelling. And you have Hillary being calm, cool, collected, professional Hillary Clinton.

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The things they talk about are also important. Donald Trump was not even answering questions. There were times Hillary seemed to deter as well, but that seemed like it was because she couldn't get a word in without Trump interrupting her. Although it's scary and it is real, I will say it's some of the most entertaining reality television I've ever watched.

People who are in the boat of "f--- both of them" -- I do hope they continue to watch the debates and see where one person is a politician who is qualified for the job and the other is just a bully with a lot of money and a Twitter account.

How worried are you going forward to November?

I won't lie -- I'm nervous for sure. What I'm trying to focus on is trying to get everyone I feel I have any influence upon people are listening. Like, I just registered someone to vote yesterday who wasn't registered. It's things like that where I feel we have to make these bold movements we maybe haven't had to do in the past to ensure he doesn't win.

I really, really don't think he will win, but I'm going to do everything I can to vocally inspire people to make sure that doesn't happen. But there is 100 percent anxiety in me every time I see him talk or see a poll. It's like a roller coaster -- when does it stop and can we all get off without being completely nauseated?

The two years Obama ran and the year John Kerry ran against Bush, musicians and celebrities seemed to be so vocal for the Democrats. Now, especially with Bernie out, they seem a lot quieter. Have you noticed that? Why do you think it is?

Yeah I think it's two things. If Hillary wasn't a woman, I really don't think there would be so many people focusing on the things they are. You have to think about how every single person who's ever held the highest position of power has always f---ed up, always done crazy, shady things. That's basically what being a politician means She gets the short end of the stick so much because she's a woman and she's had to work so much harder than any man that's ever run for president because in America, it's something that has to be discussed: Oh, you're a woman? So that makes you different? That to me is frustrating in itself.

And I also just think that musicians who supported Bernie are now afraid to come out and say they're now supporting Hillary, because they think it's a contradiction and people are going to call them out. I really think it's a matter of swallowing your pride and realizing this isn't about you, what people comment on your Instagram or anything. What matters now is making sure this country doesn't go 50, 60 years backwards I definitely talked shit on Hillary when I was a crazy Bernie supporter. I said a lot of things where if someone showed it to me now, like, "Defend this," I would literally say this is my defense: I don't want Donald Trump as my president. I still think Hillary has made a lot of bad mistakes and there are a lot of policies she was a part of that are not going. The influence of Bernie is going to be there. When Hillary wins, Bernie's going to have to hold her feet to the fire. She's not going to be able to get away with saying she was going to do things and just not [doing them].

I do think people are afraid of looking two-faced. I'm not gonna name names, but I do know a couple of people within the industry who were very vocal about Bernie, who are now saying absolutely nothing about the election, but I do know they're voting for Hillary.

You mentioned you've voted in every presidential election since you turned 18. What first got you interested in politics?

When I first turned 18, the first year I was able to vote, it was against George W. Bush. So okay, f--- this guy. My whole thing with politics has always been: defeat the bad guy. And I know that doesn't sound like the most eloquent way of discussing politics, but where I was raised it was kind of upper-middle class white and a lot of conservative people. I grew up around a lot of people who were homophobic and racist. I went to school where it was predominantly Koreans and Armenians and the Koreans and the Armenians would always fight. We lived in this little kinda white community but everybody was like, there's all this crazy racism and crazy sh-t happening. To see that at a young age, it made me wonder why people are racist and homophobic; why don't people want everyone to live a life they enjoy?

The biggest passion of mine when I became old enough to vote was anything involving women's reproductive health -- Roe v. Wade and all that stuff. I would never tell someone what decision to make, but that is the point of a woman's right to choose -- that you have that decision. And if that decision is taken away, I don't even understand what will happen. That's always kept my attention on what's going on in politics; I would be so mad if anything ever stripped those rights away from women, so what if I just sat around and did nothing?

It's not just the insane immigration things, the blatant racism and the horrible things he's putting out into the world -- it's also disdain for women where he's like, you're not a hot model? I don't care about you and I think you should be punished if you have an abortion. I am never gonna let this guy tell me what I can and cannot do with my body. So I want everyone to remember -- Supreme Court. Those are the two words we need to think about.
Beyonces NOLA tour stop is the best yet, and heres why

Beyonces NOLA tour stop is the best yet, and heres why

Beyonces Formation Tour is wrapping up, and were all kind of sad. We know by now that when one tour ends Beyonce is already gearing up for her next secret project, but we still hate to see her disappear. But, in her final stops in the south the queen turned it up a notch, being sure to leave all of her fans with a little something to talk about.

Shes from Texas with Louisiana roots, so you can expect those shows to be full of surprises  and they most definitely were. Beyonce showed off some of her best outfits during the Houston stop, but she completely blew the roof off of the Superdome with an unexpected, yet highly requested guest in New Orleans. While in The Big Easy, Big Freedia, whos featured on the original Formation track, made a live introduction at the show, instead of her usual recorded lyrics!

Getty Images Portrait Studio Powered By Samsung Galaxy At 2015 Summer TCA's

Dressed to the nines in her black Formation uniform and flat brimmed hat, the queen of bounce hit the crowd with her infamous lines:

I did not come to play with you hoes. I like cornbread and collard greens.

The New Orleans trailblazer, Big Freedia, was asked to collaborate with Beyonce on Formation just a few days before its release. And as requested, her ad-libs in the beginning of the song gives it the NOLA flavor that we needed. Beyonce is pretty good when it comes to keeping a tight lip about her next moves, and things werent that much different this time around. According to NOLA.com, Big Freedia didnt get the call to open up for the tour until the last minute.

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Well, theyre very secretive about everything so I got the call at the last minute, she said. When I hit the stage, my heart was pounding. Right right before I came onstage, [Beyonce] gave me a little kiss on my hand, and I just died on the steps. It was very special for me tonight and special for me to represent New Orleans and represent the queen who holds it down.

Very special, indeed!

Beyonce adding such an integral piece of New Orleans sound and culture to her show was everything! And we cant wait for more Big Freedia collabs in the future.

The post Beyonces NOLA tour stop is the best yet, and heres why appeared first on HelloGiggles.
White Plains (United States) (AFP) - Former US president Bill Clinton will attend the funeral of Shimon Peres, but will not be joined by Hillary Clinton as she campaigns in the final stretch of the White House race, her team said Wednesday.

Clinton, who oversaw the signing of the Oslo Accords that envisioned an independent Palestinian state, paid tribute upon news of Peres' death to "a fervent advocate for peace and reconciliation and for a future where all the children of Abraham build a better tomorrow."

An advisor to Hillary Clinton said she would not join world leaders in Jerusalem on Friday as they pay their respects to the Nobel peace prize winner who died Wednesday at 93.

The Democrat was laid up several days earlier this month by a bout of pneumonia, and spent part of last week hunkered down with advisors prepping for her high-stakes debate against Donald Trump.

On Friday she has a slew of campaign events planned in swing state Florida.

Her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, extended his condolences to the Israeli statesman's family in a public statement mourning his passing.

The Manhattan billionaire praised Peres as "a visible and highly effective patriarch" to the people of Israel, and as a leader "devoted" towards cultivating peace between Israelis and Arabs.

"He was a consummate statesman, a distinguished patriot and a friend of peace-loving people everywhere," Trump said in the statement.

"With his hand outstretched in peace and friendship, Shimon Peres personified dignity and grace in a region of the world where both run far too short. May he rest in peace."
Here is all you need to know about SAARC, and what goes on in its summits.

By India Today Web Desk: The SAARC summit is back in news after Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan confirmed today that they will not be participating in the event scheduled to take place in Islamabad this November. It will be the 19th SAARC Summit.

Read more: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan join India in boycott; Pakistan isolated



This call came a day after India pulled out of the SAARC Summit, saying regional cooperation and terror don't go together. Meanwhile, Pakistan termed India's decision to boycott as "unfortunate".

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WHAT IS SAARC?

SAARC stands for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. It is a geopolitical cooperation maintained for mutual benefits between eight south Asian nations: India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Maldives.

SAARC emblem and flags. Source: elections.in



WHAT HAPPENS IN A SAARC SUMMIT?

1. The Summits are attended by the "head of states and the heads of government" of these eight countries. From this body of leaders, officials such as a chairman, a vice-chairman, etc, are appointed for the meeting. The appointed chairperson presides over the meeting.

2. The members of the meeting are allowed to discuss and debate for limited time frames at the meeting, under the chairperson's ruling. The discussions, however, can only take place when there are at least five representatives of Member States present.

3. As a general rule, copies of the proposal being discussed must be handed out to all delegations in the language of the meeting, i.e., English. However, a representative can speak in their national language as long as they provide interpretation into English.

4. At the end of the meeting, a report is made based on the discussion. The decisions and recommendations are made on the basis of unanimity.

5. All SAARC meeting are closed-door meetings. Inaugural and closing ceremonies can be public.

6. Representatives from United Nations System or other international organisations that SAARC is associated with can only attend the inaugural and closing ceremonies, and meeting regarding involving their collaboration with SAARC.

SAARC nations' representatives at the 37th Ministerial Meeting in Pokhara, Nepal. Source: SAARC website



A FEW OTHER THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SAARC:

1. SAARC Summits are held annually. There have been, however, times when the summits skipped a year.

2. The diplomatic summits can only take place when all the members of SAARC are present.

3. SAARC Secretariat is based in Kathmandu. It is responsible for monitoring the activities of the cooperation.

4. The body was founded in Dhaka in 1985.

5. Apart from its members, SAARC has nine countries with observer status: Australia, China, Iran, Japan, Mauritius, Myanmar, South Korea, the United States, the European Union. It is in permanent diplomatic relations with the United Nation as well.

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6. Myanmar wants to become a member of the SAARC. Russia and Turkey have applied to be granted observer status.



Read more:



PM Modi won't go to Pakistan for SAARC summit, environment not conducive, says MEA

How to punish Pakistan

Pakistan says Rajnath left SAARC Summit in a huff, but India differs

Palak paneer replaced biryani at SAARC summit

--- ENDS ---
By Irene Klotz

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Reuters) - SpaceX is developing a massive rocket and capsule to transport large numbers of people and cargo to Mars with the ultimate goal of colonizing the planet, company chief and tech billionaire Elon Musk said on Tuesday.

Musk outlined his plans for the Mars rocket, capable of carrying 100 passengers plus cargo per voyage, even as SpaceX is still investigating why a different rocket carrying a $200 million Israeli satellite blew up on a launch pad in Florida earlier this month.

SpaceX intends to fly to Mars about every 26 months when Earth and Mars are favourably aligned. Musk said he would like to launch the first crew as early as 2024, a schedule he said was optimistic.

Musk said there would be no guarantee of survival for anyone signing up with SpaceX for the "incredible adventure" of a trip to Mars.

"The risk of fatality will be high. There's no way around it. Basically, are you prepared to die, and if that's OK then you're a candidate for going," he said at a presentation at the International Astronautical Congress meeting in Guadalajara.

Though Musk said he envisions humans living in a large colony on Mars and possibly terraforming the planet, he added that one key issue will be getting the cost low enough to attract customers.

"You can't create a self-sustaining civilization if the ticket price is $10 billion per person," he said.

"Our goal is to get it roughly equivalent to (the) cost of a median house in the United States, about $200,000."

Mars colonists would not have to sign up for a one-way journey since reusing the spaceships keeping the transportation costs low, Musk said.

"The number of people willing to move to Mars is much greater if they have the option of returning, even if they never do," he said.

Musk said it would be a challenge to fund the Mars effort, with development costs estimated at $10 billion. "I'm personally accumulating assets in order to fund this," he said, adding that "ultimately this is going to be a huge public-private partnership."

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SpaceX, which Musk founded specifically with the purpose of colonizing Mars, is one of several private and government-funded ventures vying to put people and cargo on the Red Planet and other destinations beyond Earth's orbit.

Mars is typically 140 million miles (225 million km) from Earth and landing the first humans there, after what traditionally has been a six- to nine-month journey, is an extremely ambitious goal. Musk expects his rocket to be able to cut the transit time to as little as three months and released a four-minute video showing the craft. (http://bit.ly/2dipzuU)

Amazon.com (AMZN.O) founder Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin space venture is also designing a heavy-lift vehicle and capsule called New Armstrong, that will be capable of Mars transport, company President Rob Meyerson said.

The U.S. government is also stepping up efforts to venture beyond the moon.

NASA is supporting SpaceX's first mission to Mars, which is targeted for launch in 2018. SpaceX wants to send an unmanned capsule, called Red Dragon, to the surface of Mars to test descent, entry and landing systems.

NASA will be providing deep-space and Mars communications relays for SpaceX and consulting services in exchange for flight data. NASA wants to be able to land payloads weighing up to about 30 tons on Mars. So far, the heaviest vehicle to land on Mars was the one-ton Curiosity rover.

For now, Musk said SpaceX's top priority is tracing the cause of its Sept. 1 accident. Its the most vexing and difficult thing  Weve eliminated all the obvious possibilities," Musk later told reporters.

He characterized the accident, SpaceXs second in 14 months, as a small thing on a long road, adding that the company has not lost a single customer.

SpaceX has a backlog of more than 70 missions for commercial and government customers, worth more than $10 billion.

There probably will be other failures in the future, Musk said.

(Reporting by Irene Klotz; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
By Irene Klotz GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Reuters) - SpaceX is developing a massive rocket and capsule to transport large numbers of people and cargo to Mars with the ultimate goal of colonizing the planet, company chief and tech billionaire Elon Musk said on Tuesday. Musk outlined his plans for the Mars rocket, capable of carrying 100 passengers plus cargo per voyage, even as SpaceX is still investigating why a different rocket carrying a $200 million Israeli satellite blew up on a launch pad in Florida earlier this month. SpaceX intends to fly to Mars about every 26 months when Earth and Mars are favorably aligned. Musk said he would like to launch the first crew as early as 2024, a schedule he said was optimistic. Musk said there would be no guarantee of survival for anyone signing up with SpaceX for the "incredible adventure" of a trip to Mars. "The risk of fatality will be high. There's no way around it. Basically, are you prepared to die, and if that's OK then you're a candidate for going," he said at a presentation at the International Astronautical Congress meeting in Guadalajara. Though Musk said he envisions humans living in a large colony on Mars and possibly terraforming the planet, he added that one key issue will be getting the cost low enough to attract customers. "You can't create a self-sustaining civilization if the ticket price is $10 billion per person," he said. "Our goal is to get it roughly equivalent to (the) cost of a median house in the United States, about $200,000." Mars colonists would not have to sign up for a one-way journey since reusing the spaceships keeping the transportation costs low, Musk said. "The number of people willing to move to Mars is much greater if they have the option of returning, even if they never do," he said. Musk said it would be a challenge to fund the Mars effort, with development costs estimated at $10 billion. "I'm personally accumulating assets in order to fund this," he said, adding that "ultimately this is going to be a huge public-private partnership." SpaceX, which Musk founded specifically with the purpose of colonizing Mars, is one of several private and government-funded ventures vying to put people and cargo on the Red Planet and other destinations beyond Earth's orbit. Mars is typically 140 million miles (225 million km) from Earth and landing the first humans there, after what traditionally has been a six- to nine-month journey, is an extremely ambitious goal. Musk expects his rocket to be able to cut the transit time to as little as three months and released a four-minute video showing the craft. (http://bit.ly/2dipzuU)Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin space venture is also designing a heavy-lift vehicle and capsule called New Armstrong, that will be capable of Mars transport, company President Rob Meyerson said. The U.S. government is also stepping up efforts to venture beyond the moon. NASA is supporting SpaceX's first mission to Mars, which is targeted for launch in 2018. SpaceX wants to send an unmanned capsule, called Red Dragon, to the surface of Mars to test descent, entry and landing systems. NASA will be providing deep-space and Mars communications relays for SpaceX and consulting services in exchange for flight data. NASA wants to be able to land payloads weighing up to about 30 tons on Mars. So far, the heaviest vehicle to land on Mars was the one-ton Curiosity rover. For now, Musk said SpaceX's top priority is tracing the cause of its Sept. 1 accident. Its the most vexing and difficult thing  Weve eliminated all the obvious possibilities," Musk later told reporters. He characterized the accident, SpaceXs second in 14 months, as a small thing on a long road, adding that the company has not lost a single customer. SpaceX has a backlog of more than 70 missions for commercial and government customers, worth more than $10 billion.There probably will be other failures in the future, Musk said. (Reporting by Irene Klotz; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
black lives matter protesters

Race-relations between the police and black citizens is a huge topic of conversation in America right now.

Athletes are refusing to stand for the national anthem in protest over police killings of unarmed black men, the presidential candidates were asked about the issue in their debate on Monday. And on Tuesday, police near San Diego fatally shot another unarmed black man within minutes of responding to a mental-health-related call.

With this subject in mind, we bring you this story of what an ordinary black family can face when they need the police.

Take for example this series of tweets from by Tristan Riddell, who is best known for his Nerd Party network podcasts The Senate Floor and Nerd Nuptial. For his day job, he works as a videographer/video editor at Northwestern University.

"One of my favorite students had his car stolen last night. He's a 17 year old black male. Thought it would be a good idea to call the cops.

Groceries in hand he checks his LoJack app first and can see that its moving down the road. Cops arrive and immediately frisk him.

They ask him if he's on drugs. He tries to tell them that he just wants his car back.

He shows them on his phone exactly where his car is. They don't believe him so they put him in the squad car and take him in. They process him and take his fingerprints.

He gets to call his mom and she raises hell. After a long time they let him go.

They then allow him to go get his car and the window is broken in. It was exactly where the app said.

This never would have happened to me because I'm white. He called the cops asking for help and got treated like a criminal.

Just because he's black and could afford a fancy car."

Here are the final two tweets in the story:

This is happening everywhere and everyday.  Tristan Riddell (@TheInsaneRobin) September 28, 2016

He still showed up to practice because that's the kind of person he is.  Tristan Riddell (@TheInsaneRobin) September 28, 2016

We reached out to the student who has, so far, not responded to our questions. Riddell has not revealed his identity nor said what city and police department where this occurred, except to reveal that it happened in Illinois.

Story continues

Although Riddell's tweets mention LoJack by name, if the story is true then the subject was probably using some other app instead, as LoJack does not have a consumer app for tracking stolen vehicles.

Northwestern is located in the Chicago suburb of Evanston however the Evanston police have confirmed to Business Insider that this incident did not occur in Evanston.

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By Alastair Sharp WATERLOO, Ontario (Reuters) - BlackBerry Ltd's decision to outsource the development of its smartphones helps it avoid the risks of a competitive market and focus on its more lucrative businesses of software and managing rival devices, its chief executive said on Wednesday. The company's shares rose 5 percent as investors welcomed a further shift away the money-losing handset business, in which BlackBerry had gone from being a market leader to trailing far behind rivals like Apple Inc . In a model for how it plans to keep BlackBerry-branded handsets in the market, the company said it had signed a deal with Indonesia's BB Merah Putih to manufacture, distribute and promote new devices in that country, its largest handset market. BlackBerry said it was in late-stage discussions for a similar deal in China and working on several India initiatives. "What we did was cut off the entire chain, and I'll take a royalty," Chen told reporters, noting it could now avoid inventory and supply chain costs. "I'm still in the handset business, but I'm in it in a profitable way." Chen said less than 100 jobs would be lost from its latest move away from making hardware. The change would likely weigh on overall revenue for two more quarters before software revenue growth makes up for the decline, he said. Revenue fell to $334 million in the fiscal second quarter ended Aug. 31 from $490 million in the year-ago period, missing analysts' estimates of $393.75 million. "This is an entirely sensible decision and probably an overdue one," said IDC technology analyst John Jackson. "Software revenue and the margin profile associated with that is where the focus should have been, and now can be." BlackBerry said revenue from software and services was $156 million in its second quarter, down from $166 million in the first quarter. The device business accounted for $105 million in revenue. BlackBerry also said Chief Financial Officer James Yersh would leave as of Oct. 1 for personal reasons, and be replaced by former Sybase executive Steven Capelli. Excluding large one-time costs, the company said it broke even in its second quarter. On that basis, analysts had on average expected a loss of 5 cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. BlackBerry raised its full-year earnings outlook to a range of breakeven to a loss of 5 cents a share, excluding special items. It had previously expected a loss of 15 cents a share. (Reporting by Alastair Sharp in Waterloo; Additional reporting by Allison Martell in Toronto; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Richard Chang)
(Adds detail on possible decisions, comments on government investment and debt maturities)

By Allison Martell

TORONTO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Bombardier Inc is starting to look at its options for a new aerospace program now that its CSeries commercial plane is complete, but no decisions have been made, its chief executive said on Wednesday.

Chief Executive Alain Bellemare said he did not know yet whether Bombardier would invest in commercial or business aircraft, but the company is looking at where there are gaps in the market and what competitors are doing.

"We are going to look at all of our options," said Bellemare, speaking to reporters in Toronto. "We have started the work and the advance analysis."

When Bellemare joined Bombardier in 2015 the Canadian plane and train manufacturer was struggling to complete several development programs, including the CSeries, then running years late and billions over budget.

But the company delivered its first CSeries jet in June, and its new Global 7000 business jet is scheduled to enter service in 2018. Bellemare said he would like to see the company investing about $1 billion a year in engineering and design, down from closer to $2 billion in the past few years.

"To make sure that we don't lose momentum, and we don't lose the talent and the knowledge that we have built over the past five to ten years, you need to launch this next platform in time," he said.

He did not say when he expects to make a decision or launch that new program.

Asked about the company's request for aid from Canada's federal government, Bellemare said he hopes to reach an agreement soon: "It has been a complicated negotiation, and we are still engaged," he said.

Bellemare said it is not critical that Bombardier make a decision on how to handle its 2018 debt maturities right now.

"If we see opportunities we will capture the moment," he said. "We're keeping all options open. Fundamentally, the most important thing is to make sure that we put the business back on a track of strong operating performance." (Editing by Bernard Orr)
Nepal, which currently chairs the SAARC, has sought a new new venue for the annual summit in November after a number of members have decided to boycott the meeting in Islamabad.

By India Today Web Desk: In further embarrassment for Pakistan, Nepal, which currently chairs the SAARC, has sought a new new venue for the annual summit in November after a number of members have decided to boycott the meeting in Islamabad.

As chair of the SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation), Nepal has asked for the forthcoming summit to be moved out of Pakistan in a bid to salvage the 19th summit. No summit is held even if one nation does not show up.

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In a high-level meeting called by Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda in Kathmandu, it has been decided that an attempt will be made to reach out to other countries to ensure that the SAARC project can be salvaged.

Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh have backed India as the four nations have already announced that they will not participate in the SAARC summit in Islamabad on account of Pakistan's role in fomenting terror in the region.

SAARC functions on the principle of consensus. If one country pulls out of the summit, then it gets cancelled. In the past as well, SAARC summits have been cancelled on account of tension between India and Pakistan.

SAARC summit: Bhutan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh join India in boycott; Pakistan isolated

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:

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For her undergraduate degree, Indian national Darshika Chaturvedi was interested in exploring different cultures and places, but the thought of going too far from home in addition to a new country was unsettling. She says she wanted to be close to home and earn a "reputed degree" -- so she chose the Malaysian branch campus of the U.K.'s University of Nottingham.

"Nottingham Malaysia was the place I locked my options at since it ticked all the boxes," says Chaturvedi. "It was not only close to home yet extremely cost effective, from accommodation to food, traveling within Malaysia and other general expenses here were much lower than that in the U.K."

For international students who want to earn a degree abroad but not venture too far away, a branch campus could be ideal. Fortunately, they have more than 200 international branch campuses to choose from.

[Learn about the four types of students who should consider international universities.]

The U.S., U.K., Russia, France and Australia primarily establish branch campuses in other countries, according to the Cross-Border Education Research Team at the University at Albany--SUNY, which tracks transnational higher education. Countries with the most branch campuses are the United Arab Emirates with 32, China with 27, Singapore with 13, Qatar with 11 and Malaysia with nine.

Kevin Kinser, C-BERT co-founder and head of the department of Education Policy Studies at Pennsylvania State University, says branch campuses typically offer many benefits, including reduced living and travel costs. Tuition may also be less expensive, he says, "compared to the home campus, though not necessarily in terms of the other campuses in the country." He says another benefit may be cultural, since students "might be more comfortable studying in a country that has similar religious or cultural norms."

For international students researching their nearby international educational options, here are some things to know about branch campuses.

Story continues

[Learn how to calculate the cost of earning an overseas degree.]

-- Same degree as the home campus: Temple University's Japan branch campus is the only foreign, U.S. university in Japan that offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees, says Bruce Stronach, dean of TUJ. Students in the region "are able to complete their entire degree program at an American university much more conveniently and at less cost" than on the home campus, he said via email.

The school offers 10 undergraduate majors, three master's programs and one doctoral program, he says -- and students in Tokyo receive the same degrees as those studying at the main campus in Philadelphia.

Chaturvedi says the opportunity to earn the same degree as students at the University of Nottingham's home campus, "despite paying almost half their cost" swayed her decision. According to the school's website, the 2016-2017 undergraduate tuition for international students studying at the Malaysia branch ranges from 30,000 to 51,000 Malaysian ringgit (around $7,200 to $12,300), and for the U.K. home campus, the cost ranges from 10,900 to 28,320 pounds (roughly $14,100 to $37,000), depending on the major.

-- Access to diverse faculty: C-BERT Co-founder Kinser says quality is another factor students should consider, since branch campuses may offer distinguished faculty members. These campuses, he says, may also be a good fit for international students seeking an American- or British-style education.

"To me it was not just about the distance but also about the quality of education," says Chaturvedi, who graduated from Nottingham's Malaysia branch in 2014 with a bachelor's with honors in international business management.

South Korean national Myung-In Sohn, a Middle Eastern studies major, says New York University Abu Dhabi in the UAE was her top choice as she sought a global education. She says the diverse faculty in the language department, their teaching of different regional dialects and their broad research interests "made it possible for me to foster my passion for Arabic language and the Emirati dialect."

[Discover the ways Arab region branch campuses offer Western-style education.]

After contemplating Australian and New Zealand universities, Canadian national Nicole D'Souza says she chose Murdoch University Dubai, an Australian branch campus in the UAE, since it was closer to home than Australia and she wanted an international learning experience with diverse faculty.

She says she was interested in Australian and New Zealand universities because several schools offered a master's degree in human resources, which wasn't as common in Canada. And since, like Canada, Australia is part of the Commonwealth, D'Souza says she was able to use loans from the Ontario Student Assistance Program to help with tuition, which is also possible at Murdoch University Dubai.

"By having professors with experience from different corners of the world, not only were they then able to provide us with relevant and stimulating content, the smaller class sizes also meant that we were able to build better relationships with the faculty," says D'Souza, who completed her master's in human resource management this year.

The experience paid off in an unplanned way: D'Souza's faculty mentor offered her an adjunct professor position at the school, which she accepted.

-- Opportunity to spend time on the home campus: One of the benefits that Nepali national Dhiraj Aryal found appealing about an international branch campus was the ability to spend some time at the university's home campus.

As a computer science major in the 2+2 program, he can complete his first two years at Temple University Japan and the last two years at the home campus in the U.S. He says he previously considered Sophia University and Waseda University in Japan, "but because of the American degree and the 2+2 computer science program, I came to TUJ."

Sohn found this aspect appealing as well. She says she spent a semester at NYU's New York campus through the school's Study Away program, which provides an opportunity "to become exposed to farther places and cultures without the longer commitment, which may discourage students who wish to study close to home."

See the complete rankings of the Best Global Universities.

Anayat Durrani is a Los Angeles-based freelance education reporter for U.S. News, covering global universities, including those in the Arab region.
SAO PAULO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - A Brazilian court plans to hold a hearing on Thursday on the case of a former Telefonica Brasil SA senior executive who says the country's No. 1 wireless carrier planted news that she acted to permit excessive price differences in advertising contracts.

The former executive, Cristina Duclos, and representatives from Telefonica Brasil are scheduled to meet at the 33rd Labor Court of Sao Paulo to discuss their case and seek an out-of-court settlement, according to a person familiar with the matter and information obtained from the court.

Duclos - who led image and communications at the company's Vivo wireless unit until her departure in June - alleges that Telefonica Brasil spread news that she had breached internal guidelines for ad contacts. She wants Telefonica Brasil to reinstate her and give her a chance to prove her innocence.

On July 25, Valor Economico newspaper reported, without saying how it got the information, that Telefonica Brasil was investigating whether Duclos had colluded with ad agencies to overprice contracts. The incident led to a restructuring of the division and increased scrutiny of purchases, suppliers and contractors, according to the report.

Duclos said in a statement to Reuters that her reinstatement "will lead the company to explain whether such an investigation existed."

If reinstated, Duclos said she would work to "make ad contracts more transparent, for I am sure that ad agencies have nothing to hide."

Telefonica Brasil said in a statement to Reuters that "it does not comment on ongoing legal cases."

The company said in July 26 securities filing that contract reviews are normal, although it denied having put in place the procedures that the Valor report described.

The situation underscores the extent to which reputational and compliance risks have grown for senior executives and listed Brazilian companies, after a series of scandals involving some of the country's main state-controlled and privately run firms.

Story continues

Telefonica Brasil's Vivo wireless unit spends about 1 billion reais ($309 million) a year on marketing and advertising, and lists the country's largest ad agencies as contractors, including Omnicom Group Inc's Africa, DPZ&T and Young & Rubicam.

If the sides fail to end their dispute during the hearing, the judge could open a formal enquiry into the matter, obliging Telefonica Brasil and Vivo to open their publicity contracts and be subject to court-mandated audit, the person and a lawyer specialized in labour disputes said.

($1 = 3.2335 Brazilian reais) (Reporting by Guillermo Parra-Bernal; Additional reporting by Tatiana Bautzer; Editing by Tom Hogue)
Sao Paulo (AFP) - A Sao Paulo court has thrown out convictions of police in the deaths of 111 prisoners during the suppression of a 1992 prison riot, drawing condemnation from rights groups Wednesday.

Judge Camilo Lellis, at the 4th Court in Brazil's biggest city, ruled that the evidence was not strong enough to convict the 74 officers who put down the bloody riot at Carandiru penitentiary, which was then Latin America's biggest prison.

"There was a confrontation and I believe excesses were committed but it has to be checked who committed them and who shot at whom. The evidence was not conclusive and was unconvincing," Lellis said in the ruling put up on the court's website late Tuesday.

The local prosecutor's office said it was "perplexed" by the ruling and would appeal.

Amnesty International called the judge's decision "a shocking blow."

"The fact that 111 prisoners can be killed without anybody being held responsible after 24 years is not only shocking, but sends a terrifying message about the state of human rights in Brazil," said Amnesty's Brazil director Atila Roque.

The 74 police officers were convicted of having executed prisoners in cold blood while their defense argued that they had only fought back during a violent uprising.

No police were injured during the operation to take back Carandiru, which was razed in 2002 and replaced by a park and a library.

The trials of most of the police officers took place in 2013 and 2014, more than two decades after the incident, which was the worst loss of life in the history of Brazilian prisons.

They received sentences of between 48 and 624 years in prison. However, none of the officers in the case have begun to serve their sentences.

The leader of the operation, Colonel Ubiratan Guimaraes, was sentenced to 632 years in prison in 2001, but was acquitted on appeal in 2006. He was murdered that same year in circumstances that remain murky.

Marcos Fuchs, director of the rights group Conectas, told AFP that the ruling opened the door to more police violence inside prisons.

"It sets a precedent for police to go into prisons and carry out the same atrocities," he said.
By Lin Taylor LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Efforts to protect millions of people fleeing violence and rights abuses could be jeopardized if Britain's exit from the European Union triggers a decline in funding for charities, a move many expect, a report on Wednesday showed. More than three months after Britons voted to leave the EU, Prime Minister Theresa May's government has given little away about its Brexit plans. The EU is the world's largest humanitarian aid donor. The 'Britain Stronger in Europe' campaign said 249 British charities received 217 million pounds ($282 million) from the EU in 2014. "The EU funds a lot of charitable and humanitarian work. Once we leave the EU, will UK charities get the benefit of that? The answer is: probably not," said Mark Mansell, a partner at London legal firm Allen & Overy LLP, which published the report with TrustLaw, a pro bono legal service run by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. When Britain formally leaves the bloc, any overseas aid and development work that had been funded by the EU is unlikely to be subsidized by the British government, Mansell said. He said charities should examine their source of funding, and consider restructuring the organization if necessary. UK-based development charities have voiced concerns since the Brexit vote on June 23 about the impact of the sharp falls in the value of the pound and expected losses in EU funding for charities. A report by the Overseas Development Institute think-tank estimated the loss in value of the pound will cost developing countries $3.8 billion. "At the moment, no-one know what's going to happen. It's being aware and taking this time to think and plan, rather than keeping fingers and toes crossed and hoping that everything works out OK in the end," Mansell said. (Reporting by Lin Taylor @linnytayls, Editing by Katie Nguyen. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters that covers humanitarian issues, conflicts, global land and property rights, modern slavery and human trafficking, women's rights, and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org to see more stories)
By Scott Malone (Reuters) - Testimony by a former ally of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie that the Republican knew about the "Bridgegate" traffic scandal as it was going on could endanger his best chance at a political future: a role in a Trump administration. Christie has denied claims he had been an active participant in the plan to deliberately create massive traffic jams on a key bridge to New York to punish a Democratic mayor's refusal to endorse his re-election bid. But each piece of evidence that ties Christie closer to the scandal makes him more of a liability for Republican presidential contender Donald Trump, a New York real estate developer who has tapped the governor to head his transition team. "Every revelation increases the odds that Trump will distance himself from Christie, especially as Election Day gets closer," said Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at New Jersey's Princeton University. "Christie still serves a value to Trump, who wants to compete in blue states," he added. "But there will be a point where the revelations overwhelm any sense of loyalty or any perception that he remains valuable to the campaign." A Trump campaign spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The 53-year-old governor's political future is already limited. New Jersey law prevents him from running for a third consecutive term next year, and polls show that Bridgegate has seriously hurt his popularity, explaining in part why Christie, who hoped to be president, quickly tied his fortunes to Trump. Christie on Tuesday repeated that he had not known about the lane-closure plan. "There's all kinds of stuff going on up in a courtroom in Newark, and I want to be really clear to all of you about something," Christie told reporters in Trenton. "I had no knowledge prior to or during these lane realignments." That contradicted the testimony of David Wildstein, a former executive at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, in a federal court in Newark, where two other ex-Christie allies face criminal charges for their role in the scandal. While Bridget Kelly, his former deputy chief of staff and Bill Baroni, a close associate and former executive at the Port Authority, are on trial for their role in the 2013 incident, Christie himself has not been charged criminally. The governor was at the peak of his popularity at the time, having stepped into the national spotlight when he toured Superstorm Sandy-ravaged New Jersey shore with President Barack Obama. With his eye on the White House, he was eager to secure the endorsements of Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich and other Democratic mayors to show he was a politician able to forge alliances across party lines. The lane closures, which generated massive traffic jams at the George Washington Bridge and national headlines, took a heavy toll on Christie's image and drew the mockery of the state's favorite son, rock star Bruce Springsteen. A Rutgers-Eagleton poll conducted early this month found that 23 percent of state residents held a favorable view of Christie, down 7 percentage points from a year earlier and one-third of what it was at Christie's peak of popularity in February 2013. "Bridgegate almost wholly contributed to the downfall that we've seen for the governor," said Ashley Koning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at New Jersey's Rutgers University. His low popularity makes it highly unlikely he'd be successful in another statewide run, whether it was for governor in 2021 or for another office, she said. After Christie's bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination failed, he pivoted quickly to endorse Trump, who embraced his support and named him transition chair in May. Christie would be charged with helping build a cabinet for a Trump White House and serve as a liaison with the outgoing Obama team. Christie was a federal prosecutor in New Jersey, suggesting the likeliest job in a Trump cabinet would be attorney general. "It's hard to imagine that he would be able to win Senate confirmation with knowledge of this scheme confirmed," said Brigid Callahan Harrison, professor of political science and law at New Jersey's Montclair State University. Trump could also pick Christie for a staff role, she said. Bill Stepien, who managed both of Christie's gubernatorial runs, is an adviser to the Trump campaign. Harrison added: "From what we know of Trump, he may not be overly cautious about affiliating himself with people that could be damaging." (Reporting by Scott Malone in Boston; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
By Joseph Ax NEWARK, N.J. (Reuters) - In December 2013, as the "Bridgegate" scandal was unraveling, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's chief spokesman learned the truth: that lanes had been closed at the George Washington Bridge to punish a local mayor for political reasons. That was the testimony from former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey executive David Wildstein on Wednesday, who told jurors in Newark federal court he informed Christie's press secretary Michael Drewniak that he executed the scheme with the approval of Christie aides. Wildstein has said several key figures in Christie's inner circle knew about the plot as it was occurring or soon afterward - including Christie himself, who was told of the closures by Wildstein as they unfolded in September 2013, according to Wildstein's testimony on Tuesday. Christie, who is not accused of wrongdoing, has repeatedly denied any knowledge of the plot at the time, but Wildstein's testimony has bolstered the government's assertion the governor knew about the scandal earlier than he has acknowledged. The scandal helped derail Christie's bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination and could endanger his best chance at a political future: a role in Donald Trump's administration should the Republican presidential candidate win a Nov. 8 election. The governor's former deputy chief of staff, Bridget Kelly, and a former Port Authority executive, Bill Baroni, are charged with deliberately creating gridlock in Fort Lee, New Jersey, after the town's mayor declined to endorse Christie's 2013 re-election bid. Wildstein said on Wednesday he met with Drewniak on Dec. 4 and offered to resign. "I told him the stories were out of control," Wildstein said. "This wasn't going away." Drewniak has previously confirmed that Wildstein told him of the closures, but has denied knowing it was political payback. Wildstein also said he met with Christie's chief counsel, Charlie McKenna, two days later and told him about the scheme, though he did not say whether he disclosed the motivation for the plot. Wildstein previously said he informed Michael DuHaime, a Christie adviser, in November. He has also testified that Christie's campaign manager, Bill Stepien; David Samson, the chairman of the Port Authority; and a board member, Pat Schuber, were aware of the plot beforehand. Stepien's lawyer has said he had no role in the scheme, while Samson and Schuber have denied advance knowledge. Defense lawyers began questioning Wildstein on Wednesday and sought to portray him as the true mastermind of the scheme, even though Baroni was nominally his superior. Michael Baldassare, a lawyer for Baroni, also suggested Wildstein's testimony was biased because he is seeking a reduced sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy. (Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Scott Malone and Alan Crosby)
LONDON/PARIS (Reuters) - The British government and France's EDF will officially sign a contract to build Britain's first new nuclear power plant in a generation on Thursday, after months of wrangling over the involvement of EDF's Chinese partner, sources said. British, French and Chinese government officials will be among those attending the signing ceremony in London on Thursday afternoon, which will formalise the deal for French state-controlled utility EDF to build the Hinkley Point C plant in southwest England, backed by $8 billion (6.1 billion) of Chinese cash. It will be a second attempt at finalising the deal after a signing ceremony set for July 29 was cancelled at the last minute when British Prime Minister Theresa May unexpectedly announced she needed more time to verify the $24 billion deal. The British government finally gave the go-ahead this month, after including the proviso that it will have the right to block the sale of EDF's controlling stake before or after completion of the project. The delay strained Britain's ties with China just as it is trying to reach out to non-European trading partners following its decision to leave the European Union. Thursday's ceremony is expected to be more low key than the one planned for July. It will be attended by France's Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and Britain's Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark, as well as China's National Energy Administration Director Nuer Bekri; EDF Chief Executive Jean-Bernard Levy; and He Yu, chairman of China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN), the project's Chinese state-backed investor, the sources familiar with the matter said. EDF approved the revised terms of the deal on Tuesday, setting the process for a formal agreement in motion. (Reporting by Karolin Schaps and Kate Holton in London and Geert de Clercq in Paris; Editing by Susan Fenton)
LONDON (Reuters) - British Airways has signed a revenue-sharing agreement with Qatar Airways, allowing the pair to co-operate on scheduling and pricing, BA's owner IAG (ICAG.L) said in a statement on Wednesday.

State-owned Qatar Airways owns 20 percent of IAG as a result of a stake it has been building since 2015, and the companies had said further commercial agreements between the groups could come as a result of that investment.

Airlines often use revenue-share deals where they carry each other's passengers on certain routes, giving customers a greater choice of flights and generating cost and revenue synergies for the carriers.

IAG already operates such a deal with American Airlines Group (AAL.O) on the North Atlantic, for example.

IAG chief executive Willie Walsh said in a statement that the tie-up followed a deal IAG Cargo had signed with Qatar two years ago.

"It will also allow us to provide easier journeys with better aligned schedules, more frequencies and improved flight transfers," Walsh said of the new deal.

(Reporting by Sarah Young, editing by Paul Sandle)
[Warning: This story contains spoilers from Tuesday's "Coral Palms Pt. 2" episode of Fox's Brooklyn Nine-Nine.]

Fox's Brooklyn Nine-Nine welcomed its second main Parks and Recreation alum during Tuesday's all-new episode as Jim O'Heir - aka Jerry (or Terry or Larry) - popped in as a slightly racist and homophobic Florida sheriff.

In a bid to track down mob boss Figgis (to be played by Eric Roberts), Jake (Andy Samberg) and Holt (Andre Braugher) wind up in the witness protection program in Florida where they wind up being arrested by none other than O'Heir's Sheriff Reynolds.

When Jake and Holt, who had been posing as a couple, come clean - that they're actually cops from Brooklyn who are in the witness protection program - Reynolds doesn't believe them. In a bid to escape, Jake and Holt wind up kissing and freak out the homophobic sheriff and seize their opportunity to escape.

To hear showrunner Dan Goor tell it, producers have been trying to get O'Heir - and any other Parks grad - to reunite with them on Brooklyn. The series previously featured Nick Offerman (aka Ron Swanson) as Frederick, Holt's ex-boyfriend. And while Amy Poehler (Leslie Knope) hasn't popped up on screen, she visited the set in season one.

Below, Goor talks with THR about why O'Heir was right for this part, courting other Parks grads and seeing Sheriff Reynolds and the Florida characters again.

Read more: Broadcast TVs Returning Shows 2016-17

How long has this been in the works?

I've always been a huge fan of Jim's. We're always trying to figure out a part - and have been since the first minute of the show - that Jim could play. It always felt like someone somewhere in the world of Hitchcock and Scully was a Jim O'Heir-type person. When we started talking about this Florida cop and the idea that Holt was pulled over, it immediately crystalized the idea that Jim would be funny playing that part.

Story continues

Did you write the role specifically for him?

We had the idea and before we wrote it, had the idea for it to be Jim. So we started talking to him as we were writing it. It felt good that Holt and Jake got arrested and then had to break out of jail. Then early on in talking about who should arrest them, Jim was the idea.

The timing of this episode coming two nights after Jon Hamm surprised everyone on Fox's Last Man on Earth is pretty great.

I think Jim O'Heir will be flattered being compared to Jon Hamm! But in truth, Jon Hamm should be flattered being compared to Jim O'Heir! They are our country's two greatest leading men! (Laughing.)

Is there a chance we'll see Jim again?

We do see him again in episode three. After that, there are a few people from Florida that will be really fun to see in Brooklyn, if we can figure out a way to get them there - or if our guys had to go back to Florida - and one of them is definitely Jim. I think it'd be really fun to see Maya Rudolph and her U.S. Marshal again. We always try to bring people back if we can.

Read more: 'New Girl' and 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' Will Stage a Rare Comedy Crossover This Fall

Sheriff Reynolds was very Jerry-like - but also a bit racist and homophobic. Why go that route?

Jerry didn't have a hateful bone in his body! But Jerry is a product of the Midwest and a sweet, Midwest town. Sheriff Reynolds has a different upbringing from experience he needs to overcome. The idea for him was that he outwardly appeared to be a dolt but then actually was effective as a cop in the sense that his Newlywed Game tactic, for instance, surprisingly works and he does catch Holt and Jake in a lie. That's a thing that Jim is able to play: he's able to play simple and sweet on the outside but there's something under the surface.

Were there any other roles that you thought of Jim to play?

We had talked about Jim as a guy who had been [like] Jake 20 years before in precinct and then had become Jerry 20 years later. That seemed funny. Or like a former partner of Hitchcock and Scully or a former partner of Holt's or a former captain. We bandied about ideas for Jim but since none of those resulted in a story, we thought let's use him and he'll be great in this role rather than waiting for a story to come to fruition.

You've had Nick Offerman guest in the past. Is the goal to get everyone else from Parks on the show?

The cast of Parks is one of all-time great TV casts. It would be a dream and is a dream to work with any and all of them. We'd love to bring Nick back but he's so busy that it's difficult. It'd be nice to see an episode where we had more time for Nick with Holt and see more time between the two of them. There are no immediate plans [for the other Parks stars] but as roles come up, we always look to them. It would be funny if we had a walk-on part for Chris Pratt with a two-line bit but he's a bit busy. But they're all such huge stars after Parks and have movie careers that it's hard for scheduling. part for Pratt, a two-line run. They're all such huge stars after Parks and have movie careers that scheduling is hard.

Any fun anecdotes from your time on set with Jim?

I was on set for his second episode and he reminded me, as he always does, of the episode of mine where it was revealed that Jerry had a very large, ahem, penis. Jim is always eternally grateful that we gave Jerry that character trait. (Laughing.)

Read more: Emmys: On Set and Undercover With the Cast of 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' (Photos)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on Fox.
SAARC summit scheduled for November in Pakistan this year is likely to be cancelled after four member countries join India's boycott.

By India Today Web Desk: The 19th edition of the annual SAARC summit to be held in Islamabad in November is likely to be cancelled after four of its eight members decided to boycott it following India's aggressive campaign to isolate Pakistan over terror.

A formal announcement of the cancellation of the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) summit is expected to be made soon by Nepal, which currently chairs the South Asian group.

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MEMBER COUNTRIES BOYCOTT SUMMIT



After India announced its decision to boycott the SAARC summit, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan backed New Delhi by deciding not to participate in the summit, citing incitement of terror in the region.

Nepal has confirmed having received messages from the four countries conveying their inability to attend the summit due in Islamabad on November 9-10. Earlier, the Himalayan nation had also considered an alternate venue for the summit.

READ| SAARC: As Pakistan faces boycott from 4 nations, chair Nepal seeks new venue for summit



With the SAARC process based on consensus, it automatically stands postponed or cancelled even if one member does not attend the summit. Sri Lanka has already said that the summit would not be possible without India's participation.

NEW DELHI DECLARES URI ATTACK'S BLAME ON JeM



India on Tuesday announced that it was pulling out of the Islamabad summit in the wake of the September 18 cross-border terror attack on an Indian Army base in Uri town of Jammu and Kashmir, which New Delhi has blamed on Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists based in Pakistan.

In a statement on Tuesday, India said increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Saarc member-states "by one country" have created an environment that was not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th Saarc summit.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that India has conveyed to Nepal its decision not to attend the summit, for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to go.

Also read - SAARC summit: Bhutan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh join India in boycott; Pakistan isolated





--- ENDS ---
Moscow (AFP) - The BUK missile system blamed for shooting down flight MH17 over east Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board, is an anti-aircraft weapon whose origins date back to the Soviet era.

The system is designed to be a mobile surface-to-air system able to engage multiple targets at a variety of ranges.

BUK -- which means "Beech" in Russian -- first fully entered service with the Red Army in 1980, and has been exported to many countries, including North Korea and Syria. NATO's official designation for it is the SA-11 Gadfly.

The system fires a single-stage 700-kilogramme (1,500-pound) missile whose warhead explodes in close proximity to the target, shredding it with high-velocity shrapnel.

Up to six BUK missiles can be fired simultaneously from a launch vehicle -- usually either a military truck or a tank -- on targets flying on different bearings, according to the London-based Jane's defence and intelligence group.

The missiles lock onto targets using a separate radar system that is usually operated from an accompanying mobile unit.

It works by exploding close to a target and sending a hailstorm of shrapnel across a wider area.

The system can operate in any weather and reportedly hit some targets at an altitude of 25 kilometres (15 miles) or more.

Findings from the Dutch-led criminal inquiry released Wednesday said the Malaysia Airlines Boeing-777 "was shot down by a BUK missile from the 9M38-series."

The aircraft was flying at a cruising altitude of 33,000 feet (about 10 kilometres).

The international probe said that "the system was transported from Russian territory into eastern Ukraine" and fired from a field in rebel-held territory.

The findings appear to back up long-standing accusations from Ukraine and the West that the pro-Russian rebels downed MH17 with a missile likely provided by Moscow.

Russia and the separatists furiously deny this and have instead pointed the finger of blame at Kiev's forces.

Story continues

Russian state-controlled manufacturer of the BUK system Almaz-Antey has previously claimed that if the plane was downed by a missile then it had to be the 9M38 model.

This older variant of the missile was produced until 1986 and went out of service in Russia in 2011, but is still likely in Ukraine's stockpiles.

The company had earlier claimed that the missile could only have been the more modern 9M38M1 version that was discontinued in 1999.
Sofia (AFP) - Bulgaria on Wednesday switched its candidate to be the next head of the United Nations, shaking up the race to succeed Ban Ki-moon when he steps down on December 31.

Sofia is now throwing its weight behind European Commission Vice President Kristalina Georgieva, dumping UNESCO chief Irina Bokova after she came a lowly sixth in the latest round of informal voting in New York.

"We think it will be a more successful candidacy," Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said.

Borisov said that Bokova, 64, had been given a "final chance" in the most recent vote but was jettisoned after she "fell even further and was overtaken by several other countries and other female candidates".

Bulgaria's switch to Georgieva, a 63-year-old economist, came a day after Borisov spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone.

Veto-wielding Russia wants the next UN chief to come from eastern Europe, the only region yet to be represented in the top post.

Rumours had been swirling for days that Bulgaria would drop its support for Bokova, a Harvard graduate and fluent Russian speaker backed by Moscow.

Georgieva, who is currently the EU's budget commissioner, has long been tipped as a possible contender to be the first woman to lead the United Nations.

She is "a global authority on international and humanitarian affairs, an essential component of the UN's work," the Bulgarian government said in a statement released Wednesday.

Georgieva called the nomination a "huge honour".

Bokova could in principle stay in the race without her country's backing. But observers said this was an unlikely scenario.

Late Tuesday, Bokova had still insisted she would not give up her candidacy.

"If (Bulgaria) presented another candidate at this stage, it would be a serious political error. It would not only weaken my chances, but also those of the other candidate," she told Bulgarian media.

On Wednesday, a tweet on Bokova's Twitter account for her candidacy said she was "fully committed to continue the race".

Story continues

Under UN rules, member states can put forward candidates at any stage of the selection process, even at the last minute.

- Game changer -

Nine candidates are currently vying to become the next UN chief and the Security Council has already held five straw polls to gauge support for the contenders.

Portugal's former prime minister Antonio Guterres has consistently maintained a lead in each round.

But council members are facing calls to pick the first woman for the top job, after eight men.

The next informal ballot is scheduled for October 5.

That round could prove yet another game-changer, as the five veto-wielding powers -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- will be able to block any of the candidates in that vote.

Council members are hoping to agree on a nominee in the coming weeks and present that candidate to the General Assembly for approval.
By Tsvetelia Tsolova SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria nominated its European commissioner, Kristalina Georgieva, on Wednesday for the post of United Nations Secretary-General and withdrew support from its previous candidate Irina Bokova. Georgieva, a vice-president of the Commission who is responsible for sorting out the EU's budget after Britain's vote to leave the bloc, has a better chance to become the first woman to head the global body, Bulgaria's prime minister said. However Bokova, director-general of the United Nations' cultural arm UNESCO, said she would stay in the race to replace Ban Ki-moon after coming sixth among nine contenders in the latest round of voting at the U.N. Security Council on Monday. Announcing the decision to switch Bulgaria's support to Georgieva, Prime Minister Boiko Borisov told the cabinet: "We consider this will be a more successful nomination." Nearly a third of the 193 U.N. member states, led by Colombia, and civil society groups have pushed for a female secretary-general. The nomination of the highly-regarded Georgieva could revive their fading hopes, diplomats said. Georgieva, 63, a former World Bank economist, said she would present her credentials and vision for the top U.N. job to member states. If her bid is successful she would also be the first secretary-general from eastern Europe to take the post. "I am deeply honored by the decision of the Government of my country to put my name forward for the post of Secretary-General of the United Nations," she said in a statement. The EU Commission has granted Georgieva a month's leave while she seeks election, a spokesman said on Wednesday. Guenther Oettinger, the German commissioner who handles digital affairs, will step in for October to cover her portfolio, the EU budget and human resources. TWO BULGARIAN WOMEN IN RACE Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov said U.N. procedure did not allow for a country to withdraw a nomination and that Bokova would have to decide how to proceed. Sofia had said it would reconsider its support for Bokova if she did not come first or second in the latest ballot. But Bokova, who has served as Bulgarian ambassador to France and Monaco and briefly as acting foreign minister in a Socialist government in the 1990s, said on Twitter in the account IrinaForUN: "Grateful to you all who support me and fully committed to continue the race for #NextSG!@She4SG." Prior to Georgieva's nomination, Bokova told a Bulgarian newspaper she saw no reason to quit the race and said the nomination of a second Bulgarian candidate would only hurt the chances of both. Her replacement angered Bulgaria's opposition Socialist party, which said it would try to build support for a parliamentary no-confidence vote in Borisov's center-right government over its foreign policy. In Monday's secret ballot, the fifth in the process, former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres remained in the lead. The 15-member Security Council will continue holding secret ballots in a bid to reach consensus on a candidate that it then recommends to the 193-member U.N. General Assembly for election. The next secret ballot is scheduled for Oct 5. South Korea's Ban is due to step down at the end of 2016 after serving two five-year terms. (Additional reporting by Alastair Macdonald in Brussels; Editing by Gareth Jones)
By Tsvetelia Tsolova SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria nominated its European commissioner, Kristalina Georgieva, on Wednesday for the post of United Nations Secretary-General and withdrew support from its previous candidate Irina Bokova. Georgieva, a vice-president of the Commission who is responsible for sorting out the EU's budget after Britain's vote to leave the bloc, has a better chance to become the first woman to head the global body, Bulgaria's prime minister said. However Bokova, director-general of the United Nations' cultural arm UNESCO, said she would stay in the race to replace Ban Ki-moon after coming sixth among nine contenders in the latest round of voting at the U.N. Security Council on Monday. Announcing the decision to switch Bulgaria's support to Georgieva, Prime Minister Boiko Borisov told the cabinet: "We consider this will be a more successful nomination." Nearly a third of the 193 U.N. member states, led by Colombia, and civil society groups have pushed for a female secretary-general. The nomination of the highly-regarded Georgieva could revive their fading hopes, diplomats said. Georgieva, 63, a former World Bank economist, said she would present her credentials and vision for the top U.N. job to member states. If her bid is successful she would also be the first secretary-general from eastern Europe to take the post. "I am deeply honoured by the decision of the Government of my country to put my name forward for the post of Secretary-General of the United Nations," she said in a statement. The EU Commission has granted Georgieva a month's leave while she seeks election, a spokesman said on Wednesday. Guenther Oettinger, the German commissioner who handles digital affairs, will step in for October to cover her portfolio, the EU budget and human resources. TWO BULGARIAN WOMEN IN RACE Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov said U.N. procedure did not allow for a country to withdraw a nomination and that Bokova would have to decide how to proceed. Sofia had said it would reconsider its support for Bokova if she did not come first or second in the latest ballot. [nL8N1BO3FH] But Bokova, who has served as Bulgarian ambassador to France and Monaco and briefly as acting foreign minister in a Socialist government in the 1990s, said on Twitter in the account IrinaForUN: "Grateful to you all who support me and fully committed to continue the race for #NextSG!@She4SG." Prior to Georgieva's nomination, Bokova told a Bulgarian newspaper she saw no reason to quit the race and said the nomination of a second Bulgarian candidate would only hurt the chances of both. Her replacement angered Bulgaria's opposition Socialist party, which said it would try to build support for a parliamentary no-confidence vote in Borisov's centre-right government over its foreign policy. In Monday's secret ballot, the fifth in the process, former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres remained in the lead. The 15-member Security Council will continue holding secret ballots in a bid to reach consensus on a candidate that it then recommends to the 193-member U.N. General Assembly for election. The next secret ballot is scheduled for Oct 5. South Korea's Ban is due to step down at the end of 2016 after serving two five-year terms. [nL2N1C20ZZ] (Additional reporting by Alastair Macdonald in Brussels; Editing by Gareth Jones)
One burn survivor is defying the odds  again.



Andrea Grant was told she would never be able to give birth after a house fire left third-degree burns over 80 percent of her body when she was 8 years old, according to Yahoo Beauty. Now, she's expecting her second child.



"Once you build up your confidence, nobody else can take it down," Grant, of Jacksonville, Florida, told Yahoo.



To celebrate the baby news, Grant decided she wanted a maternity photo shoot fit for a queen.







"I learned to love myself unconditionally, Because I am a queen #BurnSurvivor," Grant wrote alongside an Instagram photo of herself dressed in a long, lace skirt with a crop top and a crown on her head.





Burn Survivor Celebrates Second Pregnancy with Photo Shoot After Doctors Said She'd Never Give Birth| Medical Conditions, Bodywatch, I Love My Body, BodyWatch, Real People Stories



She uploaded several photos and videos from the shoot and told the Huffington Post that she did not expect the attention they would attract. In just one week, the posts had a total of more than 70,000 "likes" on the social media site.



"I had no idea that would be the outcome," she said. "It's a blessing."





Burn Survivor Celebrates Second Pregnancy with Photo Shoot After Doctors Said She'd Never Give Birth| Medical Conditions, Bodywatch, I Love My Body, BodyWatch, Real People Stories



The photos prompted many to take note of Grant's story, including stars like Steve Harvey, Meagan Good, Christina Milian and Morris Chestnut.



Grant has shared her pregnancy journey  and her road to self acceptance  on Instagram.









"The person I saw in the mirror the Morning before August 14, 2001 was not the person I woke up seeing after August 14 my hair was GONE a the face I knew was GONE and I was forced to deal with it," she wrote alongside a collage photo showing her scars.



"[One] day I looked in the mirror and saw my smile 'Look In The Mirror find that one thing you love about yourself and build confidence around it.' "





AnnaLynne McCord Says She 'Sold Her Body for Love' After Being Sexually Assaulted at Age 18



She has also used her platform to raise awareness for Beyond Scars  an advocacy and support organization to help burn victims and their families.
From Harper's BAZAAR

Jaunting between New York and London to check out the latest gallery openings and up-and-coming artists is all in a day's work for Legacy Russell, the UK gallery relations lead at Artsy-an e-commerce site which aims to make art accessible to anyone with an Internet connection.

Russell, recently named one of the "26 Coolest Women in UK Tech" by Business Insider, has produced programs for three major New York museums (the Brooklyn Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art), is on track to publish her first book with Verso Books in 2017, and is deeply concerned with how we consume art in the digital age. How do you tell what's of worth when there are millions of options? Russell has a few ideas.

Harper's BAZAAR: When buying art digitally, what should a collector look for? Are there any online scams to avoid or any certifications to ask for?

Legacy Russell: Collectors should ask to get on the phone with the gallery, and, if they can, to visit the work in person. Any legitimate gallery will get on the phone, and share with the collector as much information as possible. With a platform like Artsy, we aim to facilitate introductions between collectors and galleries-while many of these conversations begin online, they often deepen into offline relationships. Young collectors should know that it is okay to ask questions, to set boundaries (regarding budget), and to take a minute to think; they should also know to slow their roll with asking for super high discounts, as that can sometimes come out of the artist's pocket. If you want something for free, go make it yourself.

HB: In your experience, what might be a good predictor of an artist's success?

LR: A successful artist knows how to advocate for themselves, but also for other artists. A successful artist aims to create opportunities for themselves, in addition to their peers, acknowledging that being creative is in part a pledge to make to a wider community. A successful artist understands that it is as much about the talent, as it is about the hustle. A successful artist doesn't shy away from working to understand-and then defy-the art market.

Story continues

"Young collectors should know that it is okay to ask questions."

HB: Other than the way a piece looks or makes a viewer feel, what should collectors take note of with artists? Are there certain schools, awards, residencies, galleries that are better than others?

LR: I often encourage younger collectors that I work with to roll with these questions: "Who is the artist?", "Why does this work matter?", "Where did this work come from-and where is it going?", "Has this artist ever gone to auction?", "Where else can this artist's work be found?" and, "What does the price say about the work?" If you can't figure out how to answer these questions, take pause and evaluate what you're really aiming for. Ultimately the thing that should rule above all else, though, is whether or not you're in love with the work.

HB: Are there any up-and-coming artists or galleries or curators that you would mention? Why do you think they're worthy?

LR: Imran Perretta and Taylor Le Melle's C.R.E.A.M. collaboration is pretty grand-I think they have a show on at Arcadia Missa right now in London. As for up-and-coming artists-E. Jane, Zadie Xa, Katie Pomerantz, Kameelah Rasheed, Evan Ifekoya, and Dominique White keep shining. These are artists that are bringing important worldviews to the table, and with sharp execution. Now pay attention!

"Ultimately the thing that should rule above all else, is whether or not you're in love with the work."

HB: What are the best galleries to look at first? Which ones are good, but might have pieces at a lower price point?

LR: For emerging collectors who want to really begin to get a sense of the art market and develop a language surrounding the major players within it-but may not be ready to drop six-figures right off the bat-I highly recommend getting in on some editions and smaller-scale works, like prints. This is a great way to familiarise oneself with inspiring makers, to hone one's sense of taste, and to meet some cool people. Some of my favorites: Counter Editions, Ingleby Gallery, and Marlborough Contemporary. I'm also really into the editions programs of Studio Voltaire, ICA, Fruitmarket Gallery and Whitechapel Gallery, if you're looking to explore some institutions.

HB: You're currently living in London. What's great about the art scene there? Any favorite galleries?

LR: I'm an East Village girl through and through, so New York City will always be where my roots are. That said, I go between London and New York throughout the year, as I work on projects in both spaces. In London, the art scene is filled with cross-collaborations and performative experimentation. It's an absolutely massive city and there is a lot to see, often way more than what a single person can take on in a day. In New York in one night you can go to 10 shows, and then go for dinner after. In London it's not like that, so things are a bit slower-paced, and a bit more deliberate. Londoners don't just stumble into a gallery show, they often travel for it, and so the act of stepping out in that way becomes like a mini-pilgrimage, where people really set their eye on what they want to participate in, and gear up toward it.

Beyond this, wonderful contemporary institutions in London like the ICA or Serpentine take a lot of time to invest in artists on the rise, in addition to those luminaries that have already "arrived." New York has become a tricky site for creativity, as it has such a mystique surrounding it, historically being the place to be an artist, but the avant-garde there is relatively non-existent now. New York is hands down one of the most inspiring cities to be in, but it has become a site where young artists really struggle, as socio-economically it is disparate and as a result, there isn't much wiggle room provided to go through various rotations in career, to, like, get weird, you know? New York's gotten slightly too serious for itself, which impedes an artist's ability to fully engage with their brilliance. Galleries I'm really into include Corvi-Mora, as they've shown some of my favorite artists-Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Jennifer Packer, and Imran Qureshi. Beyond that, I love Project Native Informant, Studio Leigh, Kate MacGarry, Maureen Paley, IMT Gallery, Rowing Projects, Annka Kultys...I could keep going, but those are some of my regular haunts.

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- By insider





Chairman and CEO of C.r. Bard Inc (BCR) Timothy M Ring sold 110,000 shares of BCR on 09/26/2016 at an average price of $228.96 a share. The total sale was $25.2 million.

CR Bard Inc manufactures, distributes and sells medical, surgical, diagnostic and patient care devices. The Company sells its products to hospitals, individual healthcare professionals, and extended care facilities. C.r. Bard Inc has a market cap of $16.79 billion; its shares were traded at around $228.59 with a P/E ratio of 53.54 and P/S ratio of 4.85. The dividend yield of C.r. Bard Inc stocks is 0.43%. C.r. Bard Inc had an annual average EBITDA growth of 8.50% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated C.r. Bard Inc the business predictability rank of 2-star.





CEO Recent Trades:

Chairman and CEO Timothy M Ring sold 110,000 shares of BCR stock on 09/26/2016 at the average price of $228.96. The price of the stock has decreased by 0.16% since.

Directors and Officers Recent Trades:

VP - Human Resources Betty D Larson sold 4,032 shares of BCR stock on 09/19/2016 at the average price of $225.33. The price of the stock has increased by 1.45% since.

Sr. VP, Gen Counsel & Secy. Samrat S. Khichi sold 9,183 shares of BCR stock on 09/06/2016 at the average price of $221.01. The price of the stock has increased by 3.43% since.

Sr. VP Sci Tech and Clin Afrs John A Deford sold 7,928 shares of BCR stock on 09/06/2016 at the average price of $221.06. The price of the stock has increased by 3.41% since.

For the complete insider trading history of BCR, click here

.This article first appeared on GuruFocus.






By Sharon Bernstein

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - California Governor Jerry Brown on Wednesday signed a bill to end the statute of limitations for rape, a measure inspired by accusations against comedian Bill Cosby, some of which surfaced decades after alleged crimes occurred.

Cosby, who built a long career on family friendly comedy, including his long-running NBC sitcom "The Cosby Show," has steadfastly denied ever assaulting anyone and has insisted that all his sexual encounters were consensual.

He is charged in Pennsylvania with drugging and sexually assaulting a former Temple University employee, Andrea Constand, at his home in 2004. In California, he faces a civil suit by a woman now in her 50s who alleges that Cosby plied her with alcohol and molested her in 1974 at the Playboy Mansion when she was aged 15.

Existing California law generally limits prosecution of a felony sexual offense to 10 years after the offense is committed.

Only two in 100 rapists will be convicted of a felony and spend any time in prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

"Governor Jerry Brown's signature of SB 813 tells every rape and sexual assault victim in California that they matter and that, regardless of when they are ready to come forward, they will always have an opportunity to seek justice in a court of law," said bill author Senator Connie Leyva.

"Rapists should never be able to evade legal consequences simply because an arbitrary time limit has expired," she said.

The bill will not work retroactively and will not help some of Cosby's accusers, according to Gloria Allred, an attorney who represents several of the comedian's alleged victims.

The governors of Nevada and Colorado have signed similar bills extending the statute of limitations to 20 years for rape cases into law.

The California law takes effect on Jan. 1, 2017.

(Reporting by Sharon Bernstein; Additional reporting by Rory Carroll; Editing by David Gregorio and Sandra Maler)
By PTI: Kathmandu, Sep 28 (PTI) The next SAARC Summit, which was scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan in November, has been postponed after India pulled out of the event "in the prevailing circumstances", Nepalese media reported today.

"The 19th SAARC Summit has been postponed after India yesterday announced its inability to take part in it "in the prevailing circumstances"," the Kathmandu Post reported.

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Reports emanating from Nepalese media are significant as Nepal is the Chair of the eight-member grouping.

India has already communicated its decision to Nepal.

The summit is automatically postponed or cancelled even if one member country skips the event.

Tensions between India and Pakistan are growing after militants stormed an Indian Army base in Uri on September 18, killing 18 soldiers.

Besides India, three other SAARC members - Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan - have pulled out of the summit, indirectly blaming Pakistan for "creating an environment which is not right for the successful holding" of the meet.

Founded in 1985, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) currently has Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as its members. PTI SAI AKJ SAI

--- ENDS ---
wells fargo

The state of California will no longer use Wells Fargo as an underwriter for the issuance of state municipal bonds, and the bank will have no involvement in the state's banking or investment activities for the next 12 months.

California is the largest issuer of municipal bonds and the home state of Wells Fargo.

In a release, the state's treasurer admonished Wells Fargo for its recent fake-accounts scandal.

"Wells Fargo's fleecing of its customers by opening fraudulent accounts for the purpose of extracting millions in illegal fees demonstrates, at best, a reckless lack of institutional control and, at worst, a culture which actively promotes wanton greed," John Chiang, the state treasurer, said in the release.

If the bank fails to meet California's standards during the 12 months, the state could permanently sever ties with Wells, according to the release.

The release also said that the state currently has $2.3 billion invested in Wells Fargo "fixed income securities and equity."

Wells Fargo is one of the top banks for debt deals in the US. It ranked fourth in US debt capital markets activity in the year to September 23, ahead of the likes of Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, according to data from Dealogic.

The bank has been embroiled in a scandal in recent weeks, after it was revealed that bank employees opened roughly 2 million accounts without the knowledge of customers between 2011 and 2015.

Since the announcement of Wells' settlement with regulators for $185 million earlier this month, CEO John Stumpf has testified before the Senate banking committee and forfeited $41 million in stock-based compensation.

Chiang said he sent the letter to Stumpf and noted that the state similarly sanctioned HSBC earlier this year. He drew comparisons among Wells, HSBC, and financial institutions that failed during the financial crisis.

"Just as Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns learned the hard way that no bank is truly too big to fail, those banks which survived the Great Recession must now learn that they are not so powerful as to be untouchable," Chiang said in the release.

Story continues

NOW WATCH: STIGLITZ: It makes me crazy that everyone gets this wrong about the economy





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By Robin Respaut

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California State Treasurer John Chiang on Wednesday announced a sweeping suspension of business relationships with Wells Fargo & Co as punishment for the company's defrauding of customers.

In addition, Chiang vowed to work with the state's two giant public pension funds to change the management structure at the bank, which is California's oldest financial institution.

The sanctions, which will last for 12 months, include suspending Wells Fargo as a managing underwriter on state negotiated bond sales. California is the nation's largest issuer of municipal debt.

"We want to make sure that Wells Fargo understands its errors, and we want to make sure there is meaningful change,"

Chiang told reporters, adding that the bank would not be happy with the State's actions.

"We hit them with the three most highly profitable lines of business," Chiang said.

Wells Fargo responded that company understood "the concerns that have been raised," and promised to "address these issues and rebuild the state's trust." The company's stock rose 0.48 percent to close at $45.31.

Wells Fargo on Sept. 8 agreed to pay $190 million to settle a case by California prosecutors and federal regulators over what were potentially more than 2 million unauthorized credit card and deposit accounts opened by branch employees scrambling to meet sales quotas. The bank said it fired 5,300 employees over the issue.

Chiang, who oversees nearly $2 trillion of California's annual banking transactions and manages a $75-billion investment pool, called for the state to suspend Wells Fargo's "most highly profitable business relationships with the state of California."

On Tuesday, the day before the announcement of sanctions, California postponed two bond sales totaling nearly $740 million in order to replace Wells Fargo as the senior manager.

The sanctions also suspended state investments in all Wells Fargo securities and halted the use of Wells Fargo as a broker-dealer for investment purchasing.

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"Wells Fargo's fleecing of its customers by opening fraudulent accounts for the purpose of extracting millions in illegal fees demonstrates, at best, a reckless lack of institutional control and, at worst, a culture which actively promotes wanton greed," Chiang said in a letter to Wells Fargo's chairman and chief executive, John Stumpf, and bank board members.

Chiang called Stumpf's responses to a U.S. Senate Finance Committee inquiry "disheartening" and "callous."

Chiang promised to work closely with the state's two public pension funds, the California Public Employees Retirement System and the California State Teachers Retirement System, to among other things, advocate for the separation of the bank's CEO and chairman roles and to appoint a consumer ombudsman.

Together, these funds hold more than $2.3 billion in Wells Fargo fixed income and equity instruments. Chiang called for the bank to develop a whistleblower protection program and to "claw back" some executive compensation.

Stumpf is already forfeiting unvested equity awards of $41 million and will not get a salary during a board investigation.

The bank will face tougher sanctions or permanent severance with the California's Treasurer's Office if it does not comply with the sanctions, Chiang said.

(Reporting by Robin Respaut; Additional reporting by Dan Freed in New York; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Alan Crosby)
(Adds Wells Fargo statement and postponement of state bonds sale)

By Robin Respaut

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - California State Treasurer John Chiang on Wednesday announced a sweeping suspension of business relationships with Wells Fargo & Co as punishment for the company's defrauding of customers.

In addition, Chiang vowed to work with the state's two giant public pension funds to change the management structure at the bank, which is California's oldest financial institution.

The sanctions, which will last for 12 months, include suspending Wells Fargo as a managing underwriter on state negotiated bond sales. California is the nation's largest issuer of municipal debt.

"We want to make sure that Wells Fargo understands its errors, and we want to make sure there is meaningful change," Chiang told reporters, adding that the bank would not be happy with the State's actions.

"We hit them with the three most highly profitable lines of business," Chiang said.

Wells Fargo responded that company understood "the concerns that have been raised," and promised to "address these issues and rebuild the state's trust." The company's stock rose 0.48 percent to close at $45.31.

Wells Fargo on Sept. 8 agreed to pay $190 million to settle a case by California prosecutors and federal regulators over what were potentially more than 2 million unauthorized credit card and deposit accounts opened by branch employees scrambling to meet sales quotas. The bank said it fired 5,300 employees over the issue.

Chiang, who oversees nearly $2 trillion of California's annual banking transactions and manages a $75-billion investment pool, called for the state to suspend Wells Fargo's "most highly profitable business relationships with the state of California."

On Tuesday, the day before the announcement of sanctions, California postponed two bond sales totaling nearly $740 million in order to replace Wells Fargo as the senior manager.

The sanctions also suspended state investments in all Wells Fargo securities and halted the use of Wells Fargo as a broker-dealer for investment purchasing.

Story continues

"Wells Fargo's fleecing of its customers by opening fraudulent accounts for the purpose of extracting millions in illegal fees demonstrates, at best, a reckless lack of institutional control and, at worst, a culture which actively promotes wanton greed," Chiang said in a letter to Wells Fargo's chairman and chief executive, John Stumpf, and bank board members.

Chiang called Stumpf's responses to a U.S. Senate Finance Committee inquiry "disheartening" and "callous."

Chiang promised to work closely with the state's two public pension funds, the California Public Employees' Retirement System and the California State Teachers' Retirement System, to among other things, advocate for the separation of the bank's CEO and chairman roles and to appoint a consumer ombudsman.

Together, these funds hold more than $2.3 billion in Wells Fargo fixed income and equity instruments. Chiang called for the bank to develop a whistleblower protection program and to "claw back" some executive compensation.

Stumpf is already forfeiting unvested equity awards of $41 million and will not get a salary during a board investigation.

The bank will face tougher sanctions or permanent severance with the California's Treasurer's Office if it does not comply with the sanctions, Chiang said.

(Reporting by Robin Respaut; Additional reporting by Dan Freed in New York; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Alan Crosby)
* Canadian dollar at C$1.3218, or 75.65 U.S. cents * Bond prices mixed across the maturity curve TORONTO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar weakened slightly against its U.S. counterpart on Wednesday despite higher oil prices as a boost from the U.S. presidential debate faded.

A view that Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton fared better than rival Donald Trump in a television debate supported Mexico's peso and the Canadian dollar on Tuesday. Both countries have strong trade ties to the United States.

Trump has said he would renegotiate or scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement if he is elected.

Markets were looking ahead to an appearance by U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen and a meeting of oil producers in Algiers. Crude is a major Canadian export.

U.S. crude prices were up 1.12 percent at $45.17 a barrel after sharp losses in the previous session, as industry data showed a surprise draw in U.S. crude stocks, although worries over a lack of agreement among producers to curb output kept a lid on gains.

At 10:01 a.m. EDT (1401 GMT), the Canadian dollar was trading at C$1.3218 to the greenback, or 75.65 U.S. cents, slightly weaker than Tuesday's close of C$1.3203, or 75.74 U.S. cents.

The currency's strongest level of the session was C$1.3195, while its weakest was C$1.3235.

On Tuesday, the loonie touched its weakest intraday level in nearly six months at C$1.3281, following dovish comments by Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz on Monday evening. .

Still, the currency ended up 0.3 percent on Tuesday.

Canadian policymakers are facing increased pressure to support the country's lackluster economy as infrastructure spending takes time to kick in and record high debt loads dampen the impact of stimulus checks.

On Wednesday, the U.S. government reported that U.S. core capital goods orders rose for the third straight month in August, a positive signal for the business investment outlook.

A pickup in U.S. business investment would improve the outlook for Canada's non-energy exports.

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Canadian government bond prices were mixed across the yield curve, with the two-year down 0.5 Canadian cent to yield 0.500 percent and the benchmark 10-year falling 3 Canadian cents to yield 0.97 percent.

Still, the 10-year yield earlier touched a new historic low intraday at 0.915 percent.

Canada's gross domestic product data for July is due on Friday. The economy is expected to have grown by 0.3 percent, which would reinforce expectations that it rebounded in the third quarter after contracting in the second.

(Reporting by Fergal Smith Editing by W Simon)
Ottawa (AFP) - Canada took in a record number of immigrants in the 12 months ended July 1, the government statistical agency announced Wednesday.

"The country had not received such a large number of immigrants in a single annual period since the early 1910s during the settlement of Western Canada," Statistics Canada said in a statement.

The arrival of 31,000 Syrian refugees since last November helped push the figure up to 320,932, and break a previous peak set in 2009-2010 when migrants flocked to Canada to escape economic hardships.

During that period, Canada had just gotten through the worst global recession since the Great Depression relatively unscathed, and welcomed more than 270,000.

This latest wave of migrants also helped to push up the Canadian population by 1.2 percent to more than 36 million.
Barcelona (AFP) - The president of Spain's Catalonia region said Wednesday he would call an independence referendum in September 2017, in a move likely to infuriate Madrid as the country endures a protracted political crisis.

Secessionist parties in the wealthy, northeastern region approved a plan to achieve independence by next year after winning a clear majority in 2015 regional elections, but ideological differences have hindered progress.

"We will look for an agreement (with the central government) until the very end, we will at every moment work with the will to hold a referendum in agreement with the state," Carles Puigdemont told regional lawmakers.

"But if we reach the end of our term in office and there has been no positive response, we will be ready to... call a referendum for the second half of September of next year."

Puigdemont was speaking ahead of a vote of confidence in his government that takes place Thursday.

He was forced to call the vote after his pro-independence coalition that rules Catalonia broke down in June when its most radical component -- the far-left CUP party -- refused to back the government budget for 2016.

The CUP had since said it would help bring the coalition back together again and vote for Puigdemont, but only in exchange for a Scotland-style referendum next year.

As such, Puigdemont had widely been expected to announce such a vote and lay out plans for his region's secession from Spain in his Wednesday speech.

"At the end of June next year, parliament will approve the necessary laws for Catalonia to be able to function as an independent state," he said.

After that, he added, citizens would be called to the ballot box for the referendum.

- Scottish example -

Catalan separatists have for years tried -- in vain -- to win approval from Spain's central government to hold an independence referendum like Britain's Scottish referendum in 2014 which resulted in a "no" vote.

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Puigdemont's predecessor Artur Mas had already tried to hold such a vote.

But when it was banned by Spain's Constitutional Court, he held a symbolic independence vote in November 2014.

Over 80 percent cast their ballot in favour of independence then -- although just 2.3 million people out of a total of 6.3 million eligible voters took part.

Unlike British former counterpart David Cameron with Scotland, which did get a vote in 2014, acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has always categorically refused a referendum.

But as Spain remains mired in nine months of political stalemate after two inconclusive elections, it is not certain that Rajoy will still be in power next year.

Rajoy's traditional Socialist rivals however also refuse to back any referendum, so would not be any more flexible if they came to power.

The only party on the national scene that has said it would allow one is far-left, anti-austerity Podemos, but it does not have enough parliamentary seats to govern alone.

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 since the late 1970s after the Francisco Franco dictatorship, which had suppressed Catalan nationalism.
By Press Trust of India: The Supreme Court today came down heavily on Bihar government for not placing facts before Patna High Court which granted bail to controversial RJD leader Mohammad Shahabuddin in a murder case.

The counsel for Nitish Kumar government, which has RJD as its coalition partner in the state, faced searching questions in the apex court which rebuked it for not being serious in pursuing the case against Shahabuddin.



WHO IS TO BE BLAMED

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"Why have you approached the court only after his release? Were you in slumber till he got bail? This is a peculiar case. But the question is this peculiarity has been done at whose instance and who is behind this. Why you did not challenge bail granted to Shahabuddin in 45 cases? Why did you realise only when he came out of jail? If everything was fair, why would this case come to us," a bench comprising Justices P C Ghose and Amitava Roy said while clarifying that by peculiarity, it meant negligence.

WHAT HAPPENED

The observations came after senior advocate Dinesh Dwivedi, appearing for Bihar, sought cancellation of Shahabuddin's bail and said the decision to enlarge the RJD leader was improper as the High Court had ignored the relevant material in the case.

He said the High Court could not have granted him bail unless there was any special reason or any medical urgency. The senior lawyer admitted there were "anomalies" by the state government in the case.

To this, the bench said, "We can understand your difficulty and the only thing we can say is that we understand everything."

Dwivedi said, "I admit the anomalies. I am not in any way justifying the actions of the state government. We were handicapped at that time. But my submission is that the relevant material has been ignored in the case."

The bench then asked him "Why should you be handicapped? You are the state. It was the duty of your lawyer to inform the High Court about the correct facts of the case. It was your duty to inform the High Court that a revision petition has been filed in the session court by Shahabuddin. Why didnt you tell the High Court at that point of time?

"We are just trying to find out what kind of person he is by looking at the background and circumstances of the case. How many cases are pending against him, who is a four time Member of Parliament and two times MLA. We are just thinking what is the common mans thought. There are so many cases against him and there are so many bail orders. You did challenge those bail orders," the bench said.

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The hearing remained inconclusive and will continue tomorrow.

--- ENDS ---
* Stocks rebound but for Slovenia which hiked corporate tax * Romanian 10-year bonds extend gain, Bucharest to tap eurobond * Hungarian, Romanian, Polish 10-year yield at almost same level * Kuna eases ahead of president's talks on new government By Sandor Peto and Luiza Ilie BUDAPEST/BUCHAREST, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Slovenian stocks bucked a rebound of Central European equities on Wednesday after parliament approved tax changes late on Tuesday which companies said would boost their costs.

The finance minister said the measures, which will lift the corporate tax from 2017 to 19 percent from 17 percent and cut the income tax for high earners, would help rather than hurt the economy's competitiveness.

However, the Ljubljana bourse's index fell 0.3 percent by 0859 GMT. It set a 2-week low, off a 14-month high touched a week ago.

Stocks rose on Central Europe's biggest bourses, tracking a rebound of European stocks, led by a partial recovery of Deutsche Bank.

Poland's bluechip index rose 0.2 percent as Pekao bank and copper maker KGHM shares rebounded.

Bucharest's main index rose by 0.6 percent.

Bids for leu-denominated government bond yields dropped by 2-3 basis points as Romania opened books to tap an earlier issue of 2028-expiry eurobonds.

Romania, which will hold elections in December, has boosted household revenues even more than Slovenia. The region grapples with labour shortages as young skilled workers flow into much richer Western European states.

Romania's budget deficit was a low 0.4 percent of economic output in the first eight months of 2016 even though the net average wage surged by 12.4 percent in annual terms in July.

The country's 10-year bond yield around 2.8 percent is now near its lowest levels since early 2015, ING analysts said in a note.

"While there might still be some room for positive price action for longer-maturing papers, spreads versus Bunds and CEE peers are quite low, suggesting only limited space in this direction," they said.

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Hungary's 10-year yield rose 3 basis points to 2.82 percent.

"Some investors are driving up the yields to get better prices at tomorrow's auction," one Budapest-based fixed income trader said.

Poland's corresponding yield rose 2 basis points to 2.84 percent.

Concerns that Poland's economic policies may turn even sourer to companies have weighed on the country's asset prices since Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said on Friday that she would make changes in her government this week.

She may announce the details of the reshuffle on Thursday or Friday, the Polish daily Nasz Dziennik said.

The zloty eased 0.1 percent to 4.291 against the euro.

The kuna slid to a 9-day low at 7.518 ahead of talks between Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and parties on forming a new government.

CEE SNAP AT 1059 MARKETS SHOT CET CURRENCIES Late Prev Dail Chan st ious y ge bid clos chan in e ge 2016 Czech 240 330 03% 0% Hungary 8500 8050 1% % Polish 10 48 4% 7% Romanian 72 86 03% % Croatian 80 45 8% % Serbian 0700 1900 10% 0% Note: calcula prev clos 1800 daily ted ious e at CET change from STOC KS Late Prev Dail Chan st ious y ge clos chan in e ge 2016 Prague 866. 869. -0.3 -9.4 34 10 2% 1% Budapest 2765 2748 +0. +15 4.45 1.04 63% .61% Warsaw .60 .81 22% 9% Buchares 6954 6913 +0. -0.7 t .75 .08 60% 1% Ljubljan 04 12 8% 30% Zagreb .53 .21 12% .15% Belgrade 63 42 1% 4% Sofia 20 26 03% .26% BOND S Yiel Yiel Spre Dail d d ad y (bid chan vs chan ) ge Bund ge in Czech spre Republic ad 2-year 17 9 8bps ps 5-year 72 7 2bps ps 1 9bps s Poland 2-year 2 2 4bps ps 5-year 9 04 2bps s 1 9bps ps FORWARD RATE AGREEMENT 3x6 6x9 9x12 3M inte rban k Czech (PRIBO R=) Hungary (BUBOR =) Poland (WIBOR =) Note: are for FRA ask quotes prices ***************************************** ********************* (Reporting by Sandor Peto)
* Poland replaces finance minister Szalamacha with Morawiecki * Zloty eases, Polish stocks underperform European peers * Kuna eases as tourism season is ending (Updates prices) By Sandor Peto and Luiza Ilie BUDAPEST/BUCHAREST, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The zloty led a weakening of Central European currencies on Wednesday as Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo dismissed Pawel Szalamacha as finance minister in a government reshuffle.

His responsibilities will be taken over by Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Mateusz Morawiecki who has bigger support within the ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS) which is advocating a bigger state role in various economic sectors including banks.

Szydlo said the reshuffle was needed to make the government's wide-reaching economic stimulus plan more effective.

She had warned on Friday that she would make changes to her 10-month-old government, causing uncertainty over policies and weighing on Polish asset prices. The zloty dipped by 0.3 percent against the euro by 1633 GMT.

Nomura analyst Peter Attard Montalto said the reshuffle was not as bad as expected.

"The concentration of economic policy under Deputy PM Morawiecki can only be a positive if communications and transparency with investors improve, which seems difficult," Montalto added in a note.

The Warsaw bourse's bluechip index closed 0.1 percent higher, off a 2-week low hit on Tuesday.

Poland's 10-year government bond yield rose 4 basis points to 2.86 percent. Hungary's corresponding yield also rose by 3 basis points as investors were pushing prices lower ahead of a government bond auction on Thursday.

The bid on Romania's 10-year bond yield rose 3 basis points to 2.89 percent, reversing an early decline. The country tapped an earlier issue of 2028-expiry eurobonds on Wednesday, borrowing further 1 billion euros.

Slovenian stocks briefly touched a 2-week low after parliament approved a corporate tax hike which companies said would boost their costs.

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But late gains by pharmaceuticals Krka helped Ljubljana's main stock index close 1.2 percent higher. The index of the Sofia bourse, which is as illiquid as Ljubljana, jumped 3.4 percent to an 18-month high.

The kuna eased 0.2 percent to 7.5165 against the euro even though Croatia moved closer towards forming a new government as President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic started talks with parties.

Dealers said the kuna could ease even further as the end of the tourism season cuts the country's foreign currency revenues.

CEE SNAP AT 1833 MARKETS SHOT CET CURRENCIES Late Prev Dail Chan st ious y ge bid clos chan in e ge 2016 Czech 200 330 05% 8% Hungary 3200 8050 7% % Polish 85 48 2% 4% Romanian 85 86 00% % Croatian 65 45 6% % Serbian 1500 1900 03% 6% Note: calcula prev clos 1800 daily ted ious e at CET change from STOC KS Late Prev Dail Chan st ious y ge clos chan in e ge 2016 Prague 866. 869. -0.3 -9.4 34 10 2% 1% Budapest 2747 2748 -0.0 +14 6.40 1.04 2% .86% Warsaw .59 .81 10% 0% Buchares 6946 6913 +0. -0.8 t .93 .08 49% 2% Ljubljan 36 12 12% 78% Zagreb .03 .21 6% .82% Belgrade 84 42 6% 9% Sofia 92 26 38% .64% BOND S Yiel Yiel Spre Dail d d ad y (bid chan vs chan ) ge Bund ge in Czech spre Republic ad 2-year 17 9 8bps ps 5-year 45 4 5bps ps 1 0bps s Poland 2-year 7 7 4bps ps 5-year 2 4 2bps ps 6 6 1bps ps FORWARD RATE AGREEMENT 3x6 6x9 9x12 3M inte rban k Czech (PRIBO R=) Hungary (BUBOR =) Poland (WIBOR =) Note: are for FRA ask quotes prices ***************************************** ********************* (Additional reporting by Marja Novak in Ljubljana/Igir Ilic in Zagreb; Editing by Alison Williams)
Chance the Rapper is headed to the White House. The Chicago MC will join Kelly Clarkson and gospel great Yolanda Adams to spread some Christmas cheer when the trio perform as part of the National Christmas Tree Lighting concert on Dec. 1.

Nicki Minaj, J. Cole & More Musicians Meet With Obama to Discuss Criminal Justice Reform

It's no surprise that Lil Chano made the cut, since President Obama included Chance's "Acid Rain" on his summer playlist. Chance also revealed last month that he knows the Obamas are fans of his Coloring Book album, which he told GQ is on repeat at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. "They're bumping Coloring Book hard up there. If you go up there, you'll probably hear Coloring Book. This is not a joke at all," he said.

The Obamas Are 'Coloring Book' Fans, Chance the Rapper Says

Chance was among a group of musicians who met with Obama in April to discuss the president's My Brother's Keeper initiative, aimed at spurring criminal justice reform in the U.S. Clarkson isn't new to the White House either. The pop idol ripped "My Country 'Tis of Thee" at Obama's second inauguration in 2013; Adams appeared at a White House "In Performance" celebration of Ray Charles in April.

Free tickets for the 94th annual event will be awarded through an online lottery, which begins at 10 a.m. ET on Oct. 7. To enter the lottery go to www.thenationaltree.org.
By Harriet McLeod CHARLESTON, S.C. (Reuters) - A 14-year-old South Carolina boy shot and killed his father then drove to an elementary school where he opened fire with a handgun, wounding two children and a teacher before being tackled by a firefighter who held him for police, authorities said on Wednesday. The suspect, whose name has not been released, shot dead his 47-year-old father, Jeffrey DeWitt Osborne, then drove a pickup truck about 2 miles (3.2 km) to Townville Elementary school where he crashed into a fence surrounding the playground, authorities said. After the teenager began shooting, volunteer firefighter Jamie Brock pinned him down while staff led children to safety inside the building. Police arrived within 7 minutes of a teacher calling 911 to take the suspect into custody at the school in Anderson County, located near the Georgia state line about 100 miles (160 km) northeast of Atlanta. The shooter never entered the building. U.S. schools have taken added security precautions since 2012 when a gunman shot dead 20 children and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Brock, a 30-year veteran of the Townville Volunteer Fire Department, was hailed on social media as a hero and credited with preventing another school massacre. "(He) was there in the hot scene and risked his life to mitigate this incident," Anderson County emergency services director Taylor Jones said. "He just used enough force to take him to the ground." The shooting left a 6-year-old boy in critical condition and undergoing surgery, Scott Stoller, Anderson County's director of emergency services, told the Anderson Independent Mail. The other boy and a female teacher were in good condition, said Juana Slade, spokeswoman for AnMed Health Medical Center. Both boys were 6 years old, the Independent Mail reported. One male student was shot in the leg and the other boy was shot in the foot. The female teacher was shot in the shoulder, authorities said. The shooter and victims were white. Anderson County Sheriffs Office Captain Garland Major did not know the relationship between the shooter and those injured at the school. The suspect was home schooled, authorities said. Immediately after the shooting, armed officers guarded students as they were evacuated from the school and taken by bus to a nearby church, local media said. Television images showed police swarming the school, with some officers on the roof while others moved around the building. Jamie Meredith, whose daughter is in kindergarten at Townville Elementary, told WYFF news that she panicked after getting word of the shooting. Her daughter is OK but described a scene of scared and crying children. Im just scared, Meredith said through tears as she was interviewed by WYFF. I dont even want her to go to school now. About 280 students attend the school. The incident was the latest in a series of shootings at U.S. schools that have fueled the debate about access to guns in America. Earlier this month, a 14-year-old girl shot and wounded a fellow student at a rural Texas high school and then died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is due to meet with law enforcement officials in the area this evening, Jones said. (Additional reporting by Colleen Jenkins in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Curtis Skinner in San Francisco and Laila Kearney in New York; Writing by Lisa Shumaker; Editing by Andrew Hay)
By Harriet McLeod CHARLESTON, S.C. (Reuters) - A 14-year-old boy shot and killed his father then drove to an elementary school in South Carolina and opened fire with a handgun, wounding two children and a teacher on Wednesday, authorities said. Volunteer firefighter Jamie Brock held the suspect down on a playground behind Townville Elementary School in Anderson County until police arrived, giving a teacher time to get students inside the building, authorities said. The teenager never entered the school, located near the Georgia state line about 100 miles (160 km) northeast of Atlanta. "He risked his life to mitigate this incident," Anderson County emergency services director Taylor Jones said of Brock. "He used enough force to take him to the ground." U.S. schools have taken added security precautions since 2012 when a gunman shot dead 20 children and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Wednesday's shooting left a 6-year-old boy in critical condition and undergoing surgery, Scott Stoller, Anderson County's director of emergency services, told the Anderson Independent Mail. The other boy and a female teacher were in good condition, said Juana Slade, spokeswoman for AnMed Health Medical Center. Both boys were 6 years old, the Independent Mail reported. The teenager shot his 47-year-old father, Jeffrey DeWitt Osborne, in the chest then drove a pickup truck about 2 miles (3.2 km) to the school where he crashed the vehicle into the fence surrounding the playground, authorities said. The teenager was not named. One male student was shot in the leg and the other boy was shot in the foot. The female teacher was shot in the shoulder, authorities said. Both the shooter and all victims were white. Anderson County Sheriffs Office Captain Garland Major did not know the relationship between the shooter and those injured at the school. The suspect was home schooled, authorities said. Immediately after the shooting, armed officers guarded students as they were evacuated from the school and taken by bus to a nearby church, local media said. Television images showed police swarming the school, with some officers on the roof while others moved around the building. Jamie Meredith, whose daughter is in kindergarten at Townville Elementary, told WYFF news that she panicked after getting word of the shooting. Her daughter is OK but described a scene of scared and crying children. Im just scared, Meredith said through tears as she was interviewed by WYFF. I dont even want her to go to school now. About 280 students attend the school. The incident was the latest in a series of shootings at U.S. schools that have fuelled the debate about access to guns in America. Earlier this month, a 14-year-old girl shot and wounded a fellow student at a rural Texas high school and then died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Governor Nikki Haley is due to meet with law enforcement officials in the area this evening, Jones said. (Additional reporting by Colleen Jenkins in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Curtis Skinner in San Francisco and Laila Kearney in New York; Writing by Lisa Shumaker; Editing by Andrew Hay)
BEIJING (Reuters) - China will prosecute a former Communist Party boss in the western city of Hotan, in the troubled Xinjiang region, an anti-graft watchdog said on Wednesday, as President Xi Jinping pushes on with a years-long crackdown on corruption. Chen Yuanhua, 50, was removed from his post as party secretary in Hotan and expelled from the party for "serious violations of discipline", the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said in a statement on its website. Authorities announced an investigation into Chen earlier in the year. Chen let others pay for luxury hotels, abused his post for the benefit of others, sought and accepted a huge amount of assets, as well as cash and gift cards, "swallowed public funds", and "maintained long-term inappropriate sexual relations" with others, the commission said. His case would be transferred to judicial authorities, the country's main anti-graft agency said, indicating he would be prosecuted. Party members can be punished for adultery as they are supposed to be upstanding members of society. The charge is frequently leveled against high-ranking suspects as a way of showing they are morally degenerate and worthy of punishment. Chen could not be reached for comment. Since assuming power almost four years ago, Xi has waged an ambitious campaign against corruption. Dozens of senior officials have been jailed, including a powerful former domestic security chief, Zhou Yongkang. Xi, like others before him, has warned that the graft problem was so severe it could affect the party's ability to maintain power. The CCDI last year sent inspectors to Xinjiang, including to the southern, one-time Silk Road outpost of Hotan, considered part of the heartland for the region's largely Muslim ethnic Uighur minority. Hundreds of people have been killed in Xinjiang in the past few years in violence between Uighurs and ethnic majority Han Chinese. Chen is Han, though in 2014, authorities investigated Hotan's then Uighur mayor, Adil Nurmemet, for corruption. The two officials' tenure in the city overlapped, according to their biographies posted online. (Reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Robert Birsel)
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China shut schools and canceled dozens of flights as Typhoon Megi made landfall in the southern province of Fujian on Wednesday with winds of close to 120 km per hour (75 mph), the official Xinhua news agency said. Megi, which has killed four people and injured more than 523 in Taiwan since roaring in from the Pacific, made landfall at 4:40 a.m. local time (2040 GMT Tuesday). Chinese authorities issued their third-highest severe weather warning in anticipation of the storm. Xinhua said more than 120,000 people who work close to shore or at sea have been moved by Fujian authorities. The province's 31,700 fishing boats have been recalled to port to avoid the high winds. China Southern Airlines said it had canceled 24 flights beginning from Tuesday. More than 14,700 people were evacuated in Taiwan, while millions lost power and hundreds of thousands of homes were without water. Typhoons are common at this time of year, picking up strength as they cross warm Pacific waters and bringing fierce winds and rain when they reach land. (Reporting by Brenda Goh; Additional Reporting by J.R. Wu in TAIPEI; Editing by Paul Tait)
Peres was hospitalised following a stroke two weeks ago and had made some progress before a sudden deterioration in his condition.

By Reuters: Former Israeli president and elder statesman Shimon Peres died in Tel Aviv on Wednesday aged 93, Israel Radio said.

Peres was hospitalised following a stroke two weeks ago and had made some progress before a sudden deterioration in his condition on Tuesday.

An official announcement of the death of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former prime minister was expected at around 7 a.m. local time (04:00 GMT). Details of the timing of the funeral were also expected.

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Peres was part of almost every major development in Israel since the country's founding in 1948. In a career spanning nearly 70 years, he served in a dozen cabinets and was twice a Labour prime minister.

He shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with the late former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for reaching an interim peace deal in 1993 which never turned into a lasting treaty.

Rabin was assassinated in 1995 by an Israeli ultra-nationalist who opposed the interim accords, and it was Peres who took over as prime minister after Rabin's death.

Peres is widely seen as having gained nuclear capabilities for Israel by procuring the secret Dimona reactor from France while defence ministry director-general in the 1950s. And as defence minister oversaw the 1976 Israeli rescue of hijacked Israelis at Entebbe airport in Uganda.

Peres held the largely ceremonial post of president from 2007-2014 and used the pulpit to continue to advocate peace.

Earlier in September, after a series of health scares including a mild heart attack, Peres received an artificial pacemaker.

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From Popular Mechanics

For nearly sixty years, U.S. Navy fighters have launched from aircraft carrier decks with steam-powered catapults. These catapults were created for carriers because they can safely accelerate large aircraft with big payloads. Catapult-Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) operations soon became the norm for the U.S. Navy and a handful of its allies.

Now China is looking to get in on the action. Growing evidence suggests that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy is mimicking the U.S. Navy's launch methods, and the change could have big ramifications for the western Pacific.

Although cost-efficient, China can't match the US Navy's ability to launch a range of large heavy combat and support aircraft.

Although powerful, the CATOBAR system expensive. So several navies- including Britain, Russia, Spain, and India-have adopted a similar but cheaper launch system called Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) for chucking planes airborne. Britain's Invincible-class carriers developed in the 1970s, for instance, had a 7 to 12-degree ski-jump on the edge of the forward deck. This allowed Hawker Sea Harriers to accelerate up the ramp under their own power.

China operates a former Russian aircraft carrier (Liaoning, formerly Varyag) which it purchased in 1998. This vessel uses STOBAR, and while it's cost-effective, it means China can't match the U.S. Navy's ability to launch a range of large heavy combat and support aircraft. But fresh rumors point to the Chinese developing their own CATOBAR operations for aircraft carriers, as well as testing facilities that ape the U.S. Navy's.

Possible confirmation of China's new launch plans come from a variety of sources, including photos from mid-September of a Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark carrier-borne fighter. Attached to the fighter is what looks like a catapult "launch bar" on its nose wheel, which hooks up to the catapult during launch.

Story continues

USNI News also published airborne photos of a launch bar-equipped J-15 last week, sourcing a Chinese-language website. These images join others published in 2014 by IHS Jane's 360 of a launch bar-equipped J-15 on the ground. USNI News says the J-15 may be one of six original prototypes modified with the launch bar, or it may be a new-build aircraft. The Flying Shark is based on the Russian Sukhoi Su-33 carrier fighter but equipped with Chinese radar and weapons systems.

Whether the J-15 in the photos flies with Russian or Chinese engines, however, is a matter of speculation but USNI News thinks that the fighter is likely one of a small group of J-15s that will be tested at China's land-based CATOBAR facility. Satellite imagery shows that the facility has been under construction at Huangdicun Airbase in Liaoning Province since late 2014 or early 2015.

Analysts also think there are two 460-foot-long catapults under construction on the northeastern corner of the same airbase. One of the catapults appears to be a conventional steam catapult, and the other an equivalent to the Navy's Electromagnetic Aircraft Launching System (EMALS). If so, China is building a rough equivalent of the U.S. Navy's land-based carrier deck testing facility at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey.

The building complements ongoing construction by China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation on the country's second (and first indigenously-produced) aircraft carrier. The new aircraft carrier will have a ski-jump like the Liaoning and aircraft will takeoff under their own power. However, this design limits the carrier's options for carrying larger aircraft. So CATOBAR will likely not be present on China's upcoming carrier but might be on its next one, currently called Type 002.

The Chinese PLA Navy wants these aircraft to expand the capability of its carrier air wings and its status as the power in the western Pacific. A launch-bar equipped J-15, as well as CATOBAR testing facilities, demonstrates that China's goal could be coming into focus.

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Carhaix-Plouguer (France) (AFP) - China's third largest baby formula producer on Wednesday opened a vast plant in France's Brittany region, whose prized dairy cows are set to contribute 100,000 tons of powdered milk a year to a growing Chinese market that mistrusts domestic production.

Synutra's 170 million euro ($190 million) factory covers some 38,000 square metres (410,000 square feet) near the small town of Carhaix.

The company said it was China's largest foreign investment in the milk processing sector.

The factory will be supplied by Sodiaal, France's biggest dairy cooperative, which has signed a 10 year contract with the Chinese firm.

Sodiaal will collect 288 million litres of milk a year from 800 farmers.

"No infant milk formula company in the world can produce such quantities," Synutra France CEO Christian Mazuray told journalists at the opening.

He said the Carhaix region had been chosen because it was "in the heart of a dairy region known for the exceptional quality of its raw materials and for its industrial know-how."

France's dairy sector is emerging from a turbulent summer marked by protests by farmers demanding higher milk prices.

Mazuray said Synutra would pay market rates for its milk, saying the company was more concerned about the quality and traceability of its products than the cost of milk.

China has been a major importer of dairy products for 25 years and is now the world's biggest importer of such goods.

Since 2000 Beijing has encouraged citizens to drink more milk.

This state endorsement, coupled with a contamination scandal that affected 300,000 babies -- six of whom died -- has encouraged investors to look oversees, including to France, to meet demand.

"Since 2008, the Chinese milk sector has seen repeated health scandals and the Chinese population no longer wants to consume Chinese baby milk," explained Gerard Calbrix, an economist at ATLA, an association of French dairy processors.

Story continues

In 2009, domestic milk production in China plunged 20 percent and imports began to soar.

Set up in 1998, Synutra, which specialises in upmarket products, employs 12,000 people across the world.

The addition to the the Brittany plant is set to almost double Syuntra's 2014 turnover of 517 million euros to 1.17 billion euros within 12 to 18 months.
Christian Louboutin is getting into the holiday spirit with a trio of new colors for his Velvet Matte Lip Colour range.

The designer, who has achieved global fame with his luxury shoe brand, has named the new electrically bright shades -- 'Miss Loubi', 'Altressa' and 'So Tango' -- after some of his more whimsical and festive handbag and footwear designs.

'Miss Loubi' is a bright coral with a subtle pink undertone, while 'Altressa' comprises a luminous red with a hint of orange. 'So Tango' is a slightly softer, sultry orchid pink. The new shades have been designed to encapsulate Louboutin's vision of holiday beauty with their opulent packaging and cheerful hues.

The lipstick formulas are highly pigmented and infused with luminosity for a vibrant color, but the super matte texture provides a shine-free, non-drying finish that the brand claims lasts for hours.

Louboutin, known for his blood red stilettoes, first broke into the beauty industry in 2014 with a nail polish collection, but cemented his influence on the market last September when he released his first lipstick line. He has continued to focus on lip colors ever since, and the beauty brand now carries Velvet Matte, Sheer Voile, and Silky Satin finishes, as well as a range of 'Loubilaque' glosses.

The new Velvet Matte colors will be available from November in selected stores and on christianlouboutin.com, priced at 85, or $90.
Back in May it was revealed that Fleetwood Mac's 1982 chart-topping album Mirage would be reissued as a three-disc expanded deluxe edition. The reissue was originally slated for a summer release, though had since been pushed back to September. Although, the extra months proved not enough time for Christine McVie, who -- according to a recent interview with Rolling Stone -- still hasn't found time to listen to it.

Fleetwood Mac Revives Chemistry In Studio: 'We Get Chills,' Says Christine McVie

The reissue finally arrived late last week, and McVie spoke with the magazine about getting back into the groove of recording together -- "we all disappeared for a few years. But we have a habit of doing that, Fleetwood Mac. Just kind of taking quite long hiatuses" -- the album's towering success, and any future Fleetwood Mac plans.

As for the recording process, she said it was "unusual" due to the fact they recorded at Chateau d'Herouville in France, a place McVie said was "a beaten-up old castle" and a "weird, manic kind of resort" where they were not only recording but also living.

Reunited Fleetwood Mac's Music Sales Surge

She shared little insight into what their time in the castle was like, though she did disclose that "none of us were stone-cold sober. There was a fair degree of alcohol and drugs going on." That wasn't the only piece of information she spilled: Elsewhere in the interview she admitted she has yet to listen to the reissue, citing her recent move as the cause. She said she doesn't have a DVD or CD player set up yet, but is curious to listen when she can.

Thinking back to the original, she said her favorite track off the album is "Gypsy" and that it stands out as the best, "without a doubt." She also mentioned the video -- which supposedly had the biggest budget of any music video produced at the time -- and said it is one of her favorites to this day, taking all music videos (not just Fleetwood Mac's) into account.

Story continues

Stevie Nicks Announces Joint Tour with The Pretenders

As for the future of Fleetwood Mac, McVie seemed optimistic. She said Fleetwood Mac has already laid down seven new tracks for an upcoming album, and they plan to get back in the studio in October to finish it up. She said while Stevie Nicks has yet to contribute -- she's currently on a solo tour -- "hope springs eternal." McVie is also hopeful the new album will see a 2017 release, in addition to a potential tour. "And after that, who knows? But we're all still alive, how about that?"

Read the full Rolling Stone feature here.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - CIA Director John Brennan said on Wednesday that legislation to allow lawsuits against the government of Saudi Arabia over the Sept. 11 attacks has "grave implications" for U.S. national security.

Brennan's comments in a formal statement came as the Senate prepared to hold a vote on overriding President Barack Obama's veto of the legislation.

"The most damaging consequence would be for those U.S. Government officials who dutifully work overseas on behalf of our country. The principle of sovereign immunity protects U.S. officials every day, and is rooted in reciprocity," Brennan said. "If we fail to uphold this standard for other countries, we place our own nations officials in danger."

(Reporting by Timothy Ahmann and Jonathan Landay)
Citigroup Inc. C is planning to close nearly 10% of its branches in India, to expand digital banking, as per a Bloomberg report. This move is in response to customers largely switching to the banks digital banking platform to carry out their transactions, the source quoted people familiar with the matter.



The bank may shut down around 5 out of 44 branches nationwide, to focus on larger cities as well as wealthier clients. Further, the affected employees will be redeployed by Citigroup.



Citigroups consumer banking business manager in India  Kartik Kaushik  stated that nearly 97.5% of the banks transactions in India are currently conducted through digital platforms, compared to 75% three years ago. He further added that the bank will be largely focusing on locations with potentially high growth rate. Kaushik, however, declined to comment on the branch closures.



During second-quarter 2016, the bank reported a 13% year-over-year decline in consumer banking branches in Asia, bringing down the count to 461. Notably, Citigroup is one of the largest foreign banks operating in India.



Citigroup is focusing on digital banking to curtail costs and expand its customer base, besides improving profitability.



In Feb 2016, the bank announced its plan to sell its Consumer Banking operations in Brazil, Argentina and Colombia. Also, in Apr 2016, the bank downsized its presence in China to grow via its digital platform.



Additionally, the move is in line with other global players like HSBC Holdings plc HSBC. In May 2016, HSBC declared its plan to shut down nearly half of its branches in India, to focus on digital banking, aiming to expand its consumer business in the South Asian nation. (Read more: HSBC to Close 24 Indian Branches to Expand Digital Banking)



Big banks, including Bank of America Corporation BAC, JPMorgan Chase & Co. JPM and Barclays PLC, are also taking similar defensive measures.



Citigroup currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f226388%2fscreen_shot_2016-09-28_at_1.40.46_pm

Apparently having life-destroying jaws isn't enough of an advantage in the wild when it comes to catching dinner.

A photographer for NT News, Michael Franchi caught a crocodile performing a very unusual fishing technique. At least, that's the theory being touted to explain why a massive crocodile would swim around with its arms outstretched like it wants a hug.

SEE ALSO: Watch: Cow-eating crocodile gets caught by the cops

Crocodile expert Professor Grahame Webb told NT News that the perplexing behaviour could indeed have something to do with fishing. "It looks like some kind of herding behaviour ... and I have not seen it done anywhere else."

"Maybe there are examples elsewhere of something similar but to me this is special behaviour, and I have only heard about it at Cahill's Crossing," Webb told the newspaper.

Cahill's crossing is in Kakadu National Park, Australia, and is a notoriously treacherous waterway, often flooded and frequented by scores of crocodiles during the wet season.

It's all just further proof that nature is filled with wickedly intelligent animals that could herd us into dinner. Or not.

But either way, don't go jumping into water ways in the Top End any time soon  these guys are getting crafty.
By Jonathan Allen DURHAM, N.H. (Reuters) - Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton shared a stage with former rival Senator Bernie Sanders on Wednesday to appeal for youth votes in the Nov. 8 election as opinion polls show a close race with Republican Donald Trump. Clinton told an audience at the University of New Hampshire that she would make college affordable if she wins the White House, the kind of promise that won Sanders many young supporters during the Democratic nominating contest. "We should and we will make public colleges tuition-free for families earning less than $125,000 a year," Clinton said. She vowed to help those who already have student debt to refinance. Clinton's campaign is worried that some polls show voters under the age of 30 might not turn out in great numbers at polling stations in November, potentially giving an advantage to Trump. Members of the crowd on Wednesday waved signs that read: "I will vote." Recent opinion polls have shown the race tightening between Clinton, a former secretary of state, U.S. senator and first lady, and Trump, a New York real estate magnate. A majority of Americans say Clinton won Monday night's presidential debate, but her performance does not appear to have boosted support among likely voters, according to a Reuters/Ipsos national tracking poll released on Wednesday. The online poll found that 56 percent of American adults felt Clinton did a better job, compared with 26 percent who believed the Republican did better. Even so, Clinton's performance seemed to have little impact on her support. The poll showed 42 percent supported her, while 38 percent backed Trump. At a rally in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Trump described Clinton, America's top diplomat in President Barack Obama's first term, as a globalist out of touch with average Americans. Hillary Clinton is an insider fighting for her donors and her insiders, mostly fighting for herself. I am an outsider, fighting for you, said Trump, who has never held elective office. PRAISING SANDERS Clinton's event with Sanders took place on a university campus, but it was not open to students without an invitation, according to attendees, many of whom were middle-aged and said they were members of local Democratic organizations or invited by the campaign. Clinton praised Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont who was her opponent in the hard-fought struggle for the Democratic nomination earlier this year. "He is one of the most passionate champions for equality and justice that I have ever seen and someone that I am looking forward to working with," Clinton said of Sanders, who introduced her on Wednesday. Although Sanders lost to Clinton, he consistently drew younger voters to his side with promises to take on Wall Street, make college less expensive and close the income gap. He called on young people in New Hampshire, a swing state in the presidential election, to get behind Clinton. Get your uncles, your aunts, get your friends to vote for Hillary Clinton, he said. Clinton's campaign said it hoped to get Sanders to make more appearances on Clinton's behalf before the election. (Additional reporting by Chris Kahn in New York and Steve Holland in Iowa; Writing by Alistair Bell; Editing by Peter Cooney)
By John Whitesides RALEIGH, N.C. (Reuters) - Democrat Hillary Clinton sought on Tuesday to keep Republican rival Donald Trump on the defensive a day after their first U.S. presidential debate with accusations he is a sexist, racist and tax dodger, while Trump suggested he would "hit her harder" next time by bringing up her husband's infidelity. While the New York real estate mogul found himself in another controversy over his fresh insults about the weight of a former beauty pageant winner, Clinton tried to keep up the momentum after her forceful debate performance. She told reporters that during the debate, Trump "was making charges and claims that were demonstrably untrue, offering opinions that I think a lot of people would find offensive and off-putting." For his part, Trump, speaking at a rally in the battleground state of Florida on Tuesday, said of the debate: "On issue after issue, Secretary Clinton defended the terrible status quo  while I laid out our plan to bring jobs, security and prosperity back to the American people." Monday night's face-off between Clinton, with decades of experience in public life, and Trump, famous as a television personality but running for office for the first time, attracted a record audience for a U.S. presidential debate. Nielsen data showed 84 million people watched the debate on U.S. television, topping the 80.6 million viewers for the Jimmy Carter-Ronald Reagan TV presidential debate in 1980. Trump praised himself for not attacking Clinton during the debate about the marital infidelity of her husband, former President Bill Clinton, but said he may take up the attack line going forward. There are two more debates scheduled, on Oct. 9 in St. Louis and Oct. 19 in Las Vegas, ahead of the Nov. 8 election. "I may hit her harder in certain ways. I really eased up because I didn't want to hurt anybody's feelings," Trump said in an interview on the Fox News program "Fox & Friends." He added that when Clinton criticized him for his treatment of women, he held back, saying: "I was going to hit her with her husband's women. And I decided I shouldn't do it because her daughter was in the room." Clinton brushed off Trump's vow, saying: "He can run his campaign however he chooses." She added that "the real point is about temperament and fitness and qualification to hold the most important, hardest job in the world." Trump himself was still married to his first wife, Ivana Trump, when he had a high-profile affair with Marla Maples, who became his second wife. He eventually divorced Maples and married his third and current wife, Melania Trump. In the interview with Fox News, Trump sought to deflect criticism of his debate performance, saying the debate moderator, Lester Holt of NBC News, asked him "very unfair questions" and that he was given a "very bad" microphone. "I don't want to believe in conspiracy theories, of course, but it was much lower than hers and it was crackling," Trump said of the microphone. Clinton, speaking to reporters on her campaign plane, said: "Anyone who complains about the microphone is not having a good night." BEAUTY QUEEN Clinton, 68, excoriated Trump, 70, during the debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, for having called women "pigs, slobs and dogs." But Trump leveled new and highly personal criticism on Tuesday toward Venezuelan-born beauty queen Alicia Machado, who won the 1996 Miss Universe title and is now a U.S. citizen. "She was the winner and she gained a massive amount of weight," said Trump, the former owner of the Miss Universe pageants. "And it was a real problem. We had a real problem. Not only that - her attitude - and we had a real problem with her." Clinton, the first woman to win the presidential nomination of a major U.S. political party, seemed to pique Trump when she brought up during the debate how Trump had insulted women, mentioning Machado by name. Clinton said Trump called her "Miss Piggy" and also "Miss Housekeeping" because she was a Latina. 'GAMING THE SYSTEM' Clinton, a former U.S. senator and secretary of state, stepped up her criticism of Trump for refusing to release his tax returns, as presidential candidates have done for decades, and for saying during the debate that not paying federal income tax "makes me smart." "He actually bragged about gaming the system to get out of paying his fair share of taxes. In fact, I think there's a strong probability he hasn't paid federal taxes a lot of years," she said at a campaign rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, a pivotal state in the election. "He probably hasn't paid a penny to support our troops or our vets or our schools or our healthcare system." Trump held a campaign event in Miami's Little Havana, aiming to shore up support among Hispanic voters. His campaign said on Tuesday it had raised more than $18 million since the debate. Trump earlier complained that issues from Clinton's 2009-2013 tenure as secretary of state were not addressed on Monday night, including topics such as her use of a private computer server for government emails, the deadly attack in Benghazi, Libya, and the Clinton Foundation charity. In one of their more heated exchanges, Clinton accused Trump of promulgating a "racist lie" by questioning the citizenship of Barack Obama, the first black U.S. president, saying he was not born in the United States. Obama lent his support again to Clinton's bid to become his successor, tweeting on Tuesday: "Couldn't be more proud of @HillaryClinton. Her vision and command during last night's debate showed that she's ready to be our next @POTUS." The Washington Post, citing a Clinton campaign source, reported she would be endorsed by John Warner, a former Republican U.S. senator from Virginia and Navy secretary, who the newspaper said would appear at an event in Virginia on Wednesday with Clinton's running mate, Tim Kaine. The Arizona Republic's editorial board also endorsed Clinton, the first time in the newspaper's 126-year history it has backed a Democrat for president. (Additional reporting by Steve Holland, Amanda Becker, Ginger Gibson, Luciana Lopez, Roberta Rampton, Emily Stephenson, Alana Wise, Doina Chiacu, Eric Beech, Dan Burns, Jill Sergeant and Lisa Richwine; Writing by Ginger Gibson and Will Dunham; Editing by Frances Kerry and Peter Cooney)
About one of every nine voters this fall is expected to be Latino. In critical swing states like Colorado, Florida and Nevada, that percentage is likely to be even higher.

Thats why Democrat Hillary Clinton and her allies are taking increased measures to mobilize Latino voters this year.

Since January, the Clinton campaign has sponsored more than 2,500 Spanish language TV ads, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of data provided by ad tracking firm Kantar Media, which monitors ads on broadcast television and national  but not local  cable. In Nevada alone, about one of every eight TV ads Clintons campaign has broadcast so far this month has been in Spanish.

Clinton herself has advocated for comprehensive immigration reform, including a pathway for citizenship for undocumented immigrants in the country illegally.

Republican Donald Trump, meanwhile, has called for the construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, mass deportations and the end of birthright citizenship. Hes also called Mexican immigrants criminals and rapists. None of his campaigns TV ads have been in Spanish.

By contrast, President Barack Obama aired more than 13,200 TV ads in Spanish during his 2012 re-election bid, while his Republican rival, Mitt Romney, aired about 3,700, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of data provided by Kantar Media/CMAG.

This year, Clintons also getting a super PAC assist reaching out to potential Latino voters.

Enter the Latino Victory Fund and El Super PAC Voto Latino, which have taken to the TV airwaves this month and are working in partnership with the main pro-Clinton super PAC, Priorities USA Action. A coordinated ad blitz by the three super PACs has been concentrated on the battleground states of Colorado, Florida and Nevada.

This story is part of Source Check. Click here to read more stories in this series.

Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email.

The ads sponsors

The Latino Victory Fund was formed in May of 2014 as a traditional political action committee to support Latino candidates. Five months later, it transformed itself into a hybrid super PAC  meaning it could still directly donate to candidates from its PAC account, but it could also collect unlimited funds in a separate account to produce political ads.

Story continues

Meanwhile, El Super PAC Voto Latino was launched last month, according to paperwork filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Whos behind it?

The Latino Victory Fund is the political arm of the Latino Victory Project, a nonprofit advocacy group founded by actress Eva Longoria and Texas businessman Henry R. Munoz III.

While officially describing itself as nonpartisan  it is dedicated to building political power within the Latino community to ensure the voices of Latinos are reflected at every level of government  the Latino Victory Projects efforts have largely aided Democrats and its leaders are decidedly partisan.

For his part, Munoz currently serves as the finance chairman of the Democratic National Committee. And Longoria, who raised more than $500,000 for President Barack Obamas reelection, herself donated nearly $67,000 in March to the Hillary Victory Fund  a joint fundraising committee that benefits Clintons presidential campaign, the DNC and Democratic parties in dozens of states.

Furthermore, four influential Democrats serve as the honorary co-chairs of the Latino Victory Fund: U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas, New York City Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, billionaire hedge fund manager Tom Steyer and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Cesar Blanco, a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives, is the Latino Victory Funds interim director. He took over the job after the Clinton campaign, in June, hired its president, Cristobal Alex, to be Clintons national deputy director of voter outreach and mobilization.

At the same time, Maria Teresa Kumar is the president of El Super PAC Voto Latino. A longtime political commentator on MSNBC, Kumar also serves on the national boards of Planned Parenthood, EMILYs List and the Latino Leaders Network.

Other people behind El Super PAC Voto Latino include Ingrid Duran, the former head of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, and Robert Raben, who served as the assistant attorney general for legislative affairs under President Bill Clinton.

Both Duran and Raben are also registered lobbyists in Washington, D.C. Duran co-founded D&P Creative Strategies in 2004, and her clients include Comcast and Microsoft. Raben founded the Raben Group in 2002, and his clients include Airbnb, Google and MasterCard.

Duran told the Center for Public Integrity that she became involved with El Super PAC Voto Latino because the attacks on our community have been appalling.

Related: Hillary Clinton's TV ads in Nevada so far this month

Money in

Campaign finance records show that the Latino Victory Fund has raised more than $1.1 million since January 2015.

The biggest donor to the super PAC? The political action committee of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, called the CHC BOLD PAC, which has donated about $340,000.

The Latino Victory Funds other top donors include Steyer, the billionaire hedge fund manager and environmentalist, who has given $250,000, as well as a number of labor unions, including the Service Employees Industrial Union ($100,000) and the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union ($55,000).

Additionally, the pro-Clinton super PAC Priorities USA Action has donated $40,000 to the Latino Victory Fund, all of which came last month.

Meanwhile, its not yet clear how much money El Super PAC Voto Latino has at its disposal. The super PAC wont file its first campaign finance report that details its fundraising until next month.

Money out

The Latino Victory Fund has spent nearly $100,000 on anti-Trump ads, and the upstart El Super PAC Voto Latino has already spent about $274,000 on anti-Trump ads, according to campaign finance filings.

The Latino Victory Fund has also spent a combined $466,000 boosting five U.S. House candidates so far this year: Democrats Nanette Barragan of California, Lou Correa of California, Adriano Espaillat of New York, Joseline Pena-Melnyk of Maryland and Darren Soto of Florida.

The Latino Victory Fund entered September with about $173,000 in the bank.

For its part, Priorities USA Action entered September with about $41.5 million in the bank.

Why it matters

The Latino Victory Fund and El Super PAC Voto Latino  in partnership with Priorities USA Action  are expected to continuing running TV ads through Election Day.

The three groups last month announced a joint $3 million operation targeting voters in Colorado, Florida and Nevada.

Justin Barasky, a spokesman for Priorities USA Action, told the Center for Public Integrity that Latino voters in these states are incredibly important, which is why the super PAC is doing so much to make sure these voters come to the polls and vote for Hillary Clinton.

David Damore, a professor of political science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a senior analyst at Latino Decisions, a polling and research company, agrees.

Without an overwhelming majority of Latino voters, Damore told the Center for Public Integrity, Clinton, simply put, cant win.

This story was co-published with TIME.

This story is part of Source Check. Click here to read more stories in this series.

Related stories

Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.
IAS officer Subhash Chandra Khuntia will replace incumbent Arvind Jadhav as the chief secretary of Karnataka whose term ends on September 30.

By Rohini Swamy: Karnataka Chief minister Siddaramaiah has cleared the name of senior IAS officer Subhash Chandra Khuntia to succeed as the next chief secretary of the state. Khuntia will replace incumbent Arvind Jadhav whose term ends on September 30.

Siddaramaiah was under pressure to choose between Khuntia and additional chief secretary K Ratnaprabha.

With the alleged land deals controversy surrounding Arvind Jadhav, Siddaramaiah opted for Khuntia who has a 'clean' image.

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The appointment was done after careful deliberation to avoid any further embarrassment and damage to the image of the government.

Arvind Jadhav, who has been charged with manipulating government records with regard to a parcel of land bought by his mother, is being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Ratnaprabha was given a clean chit by the Andhra Pradesh High Court and Supreme Court in an old CBI case pertaining to alleged illegal land allotment to Indu Tech zone in the previous united state of Andhra Pradesh during her stint as secretary, Information Technology and Communications. However, now she is facing a penalty which maybe imposed by the Telangana government.

Additional chief secretary Subhash Chandra Khuntia is currently on Central deputation as Secretary, School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Human Resource and Development.

--- ENDS ---
Two coastguard teams rescued a climber in Northern Ireland on September 27, after the climber became stuck while scaling a cliff during a force 9 gale.

Two climbers started climbing the cliff, but only one managed to get the top after the winds switched the positioning of their ropes. The alarm was raised at a local farmhouse, and the occupants of the farm quickly alerted one of the local Coastguard team members, who called the Belfast coastguard operations centre.

A statement from the coastguard said: Ballycastle and Coleraine coastguard rescue teams and Redbay RNLI All Weather Lifeboat were sent to the scene, along with the UK Coastguard search-and-rescue helicopter based at Prestwick. The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service was also informed of the incident.

In the same statement, station officer for Ballycastle coastguard rescue team Daniel McAuley said that a combination of working in darkness, the instability of the cliff edge and the 44 knot winds meant that we had to set up thirty metres away from the edge of the cliff to make sure the equipment was secure. Credit: YouTube/Maritime and Coastguard Agency
RTSPKZW

Congress voted on Wednesday to override President Barack Obama's veto of a bill that would allow the family members of September 11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia.

Some of Obama's staunchest supporters in Congress came out against his veto, including Democratic New York Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand.

The White House slammed the Senate for overriding the president's veto, calling the move the "most embarrassing thing" lawmakers have done since 1983.

The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, or JASTA, has further increased tension between the White House and Congress, which passed the bill with ease and little debate from either side. Obama vetoed the bill on the grounds that it could alienate Saudi Arabia, one of the United States' most important allies in the Middle East. He also argued that it could expose other US entities to potential lawsuits.

What JASTA actually does

JASTA will give relatives of 9/11 victims the power to file civil suit against a "sovereign nation" in US federal court. Currently, civil suits filed against foreign nations are thrown out of federal court on the grounds that most foreign nations  with the exception of those that are classified as sponsors of terrorism by the State Department  are granted sovereign immunity, which gives them broad protection against lawsuits and claims made against them.

JASTA's purpose, among other things, is to expand the list of exceptions outlined in the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. Specifically, it gives American citizens the power to file civil suits against "countries that knowingly or recklessly contribute material support or resources" to organizations who commit acts of terror on U.S. soil.

RTSPVVW

Critics claim that JASTA would make the United States vulnerable to prosecution from foreign nations over US military actions.

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Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told The Washington Post that JASTA would likely have "a much larger impact" on the US government than Saudi Arabia, because the US takes rules "very seriously." Further, Alterman said JASTA would leave government agencies open to "court-ordered discovery."

The bill itself does not guarantee family members of 9/11 victims any certainty in the outcome of their lawsuits. It does, however, eliminate a major obstacle as far as opening the door to federal courts hearing cases filed against Saudi Arabia.

Supporters of JASTA have overwhelmingly cited the right of families of victims to seek justice as cause to override Obama's veto.

"Overriding a presidential veto is something we dont take lightly, but it was important in this case that the families of the victims of 9/11 be allowed to pursue justice, even if that pursuit causes some diplomatic discomforts," Schumer said in a statement.

In light of Congress's vote to override Obama's veto, critics of the bill are deciding on how best to limit its influence once it becomes law.

Republican Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee told The Washington Post that the bill is essentially "exporting your foreign policy to trial lawyers." He also highlighted the possibility of the United States being sued by other nations for its drone strikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan, or even for its strong support of Israel.

NOW WATCH: We spent an afternoon at the Trump Winery in Virginia and it wasn't what we expected at all





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A bipartisan group of 18 U.S. congressional representatives, led by judiciary committee members Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA) and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), have sent a joint letter to Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch this afternoon, calling for the Dept. of Justice to reconsider its decision on 100%, or 'full-works,' licensing, which it pushed through in an August 4th closing statement by its antitrust division.

BMI Rate-Court Judge Rules Against Dept. of Justice's '100 Percent' Licensing Decision

The letter comes on the heels of a ruling by U.S. District Judge Lewis L. Stanton, who last rejected the DoJ's decision. Stanton wrote that "the consent decree [which governs how BMI can interact with the composition licensing marketplace] neither bars fractional licensing nor requires full-works licensing."

The DoJ's decision declared the opposite: that the consent decrees mandate full-works licensing, meaning that any songwriter who worked on a song, whether there are two or twenty, can license that song. The industry has operated under fractional, wherein all songwriters' assent is required to license a composition, for some time.

The MIC Coalition, a group which represents licensees, strongly supports the DoJ's decision however, writing that Judge Stanton's BMI overturn "eviscerates the entire purpose of the BMI blanket license, hurting every restaurant, bar, hotel, winery, local broadcaster, digital music service, retailer and other venue that plays music."

ASCAP, BMI Announce Plans for Bilateral Fight Against Dept. of Justice Decision

"We believe a well-functioning music marketplace benefits America's music-loving public, businesses that use music to connect with their customers," the Congress members' letter begins, "and, especially, more than one million songwriters and composers whose creative work is the lifeblood of the entire American music economy."

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The letter also cites the U.S. Copyright Office's opposition to the DoJ's decision, concluding that "the DoJ can no longer maintain that the language of the ASCAP and BMI consent decrees clearly prohibits fractional licensing" and that "the DoJ should take prompt action to limit the confusion and chaos the closing statement creates in the market."

100 Percent Licensing: U.S. Copyright Office Argues New Proposal Threatens Song Owners' Rights

The DoJ's decision was roundly criticized by the publishing industry. Both BMI and ASCAP announced their intentions to fight the DoJ's ruling, and the Songwriters of North America (SONA), a grassroots advocacy organization of 200 working songwriters and composers, filed a lawsuit on Sept. 13 against the U.S. Department of Justice over the same issue.

Other Congressional signatories to the letter include Rep. John Conyers (D-Michigan), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-New York), Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Rep. Trent Franks (R-Arizona), Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tennessee), Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-Kentucky), Rep. Adam Schiff (D-California), Rep. Ted Lieu (D-California), Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tennessee), Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-California), Rep. Judy Chu (D-California), Rep. Joe Crowley (D-New York), Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Rep. David Cicilline (D-Rhode Island), Rep. Karen Bass (D-California) and Rep. Henry C. Johnson (D.-Georgia).
The man rescued at sea on Sunday after floating on a raft for eight days was once a suspect in the 2013 murder of his grandfather, according to the Hartford Courant and other outlets.



Nathan Carman was the last known person to see grandfather John Chakalos alive, according to an arrest warrant application for the 22-year-old submitted by the Windsor police in July 2014 and obtained by the Courant.



Over the weekend, Carman was found drifting on a life raft by a freighter about 100 nautical miles from Martha's Vineyard. Carman and his mother, Linda Carman, 54, had left Rhode Island on Sept. 18 to go on a fishing trip in a boat called "Chicken Pox," the Associated Press reported.



Linda is still missing, and her whereabouts are "under investigation." The Coast Guard does not believe that Linda could still be alive.







A search warrant was executed Monday night at Carman's Vernon, Vermont, home, according to CBS Boston. Officers seized a modem, a Garman SIM card and a letter written by Nathan, CBS Boston reported.



The warrant, obtained by the Courant, revealed details from the 2013 investigation into Chakalos' death.



Carman had dinner with Chakalos on Dec. 20, 2013. Chakalos was found dead in his home the next morning with three gunshot wounds to the head and torso.



While executing a 2014 search warrant for Carman's Middletown, Connecticut, home  which was obtained by the Courant  authorities found a Remington tactical shotgun and boxes of ammunition, among other things, but the weapon did not match the caliber of the gun used to kill Chakalos.



The murder arrest warrant was returned unsigned with a request for information, and Carman was not charged, the Courant reported.



Chakalos left behind an estate worth more than $42 million to his four adult daughters, including Carman's mother, the AP reported.



 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.



On Tuesday, the Coast Guard released audio of their interview with Nathan after he was rescued, reported CBS Boston.



"Mom and I, two people, myself and my mom were fishing on Block Canyon," Nathan told the Coast Guard, CBS Boston reported. "There was a funny noise in the engine compartment, I looked and saw a lot of water."



He continued, "I had my mom bring in the reel, I brought the safety stuff forward. I was bringing one of the safety bags forward and the boat stopped out under my feet. When I saw the life raft, I did not see my mom. Have you found her?"



Carman further described whistling and calling for his mom.



Hubert Santos, Carman's lawyer, told the AP that Carman has "fully cooperated" with the Coast Guard's investigation.



Family members told the AP that Carman has Asperger's syndrome, and that Linda thought they were going fishing closer to shore than Carman intended.
hillary clinton debate

In its 126-year history, The Arizona Republic, Arizona's largest newspaper, has always endorsed a Republican candidate for president.

But that changed with Donald Trump.

For the first time, the newspaper's editorial board endorsed a Democratic candidate: Hillary Clinton.

"The 2016 Republican candidate is not conservative and he is not qualified," the board wrote of Trump.

In the piece, the newspaper praises Clinton's political track record and her ability to withstand criticism throughout her career, including from Trump, who has often crossed generally accepted boundaries during this election cycle  hitting Clinton's personal and professional life in ways the paper describes as "demeaning."

"They are evidence of deep character flaws," the board wrote. "They are part of a pattern."

"The challenges the United States faces domestically and internationally demand a steady hand, a cool head and the ability to think carefully before acting," the board wrote. "Hillary Clinton understands this. Donald Trump does not."

The publication criticizes Trump's controversies on the campaign trail  many of which have prompted critics to question whether he is fit to be commander in chief.

"The president commands our nuclear arsenal," the board wrote. "Trump can't command his own rhetoric."

Slamming Trump's use of divisive rhetoric in his effort to appeal to downtrodden, working-class voters, the editorial board vaulted Clinton as a centrist who "knows how to compromise and to lead with intelligence, decorum, and perspective."

"This is Hillary Clinton's opportunity," the board wrote. "She can reach out to those who feel left behind. She can make it clear that America sees them and will address their concerns."

NOW WATCH: Clinton calls out Trump for not releasing his tax returns  'Maybe he's not as rich as he says he is'





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By Igor Ilic ZAGREB (Reuters) - The Croatian president on Wednesday completed a first round of talks with parliamentary parties on forming a new cabinet without nominating prime minister-designate, but said the new parliament would convene in mid-October. The conservative HDZ party looks best-placed to work with the center-right, reformist Most party in a renewed coalition government. Whichever party heads the new government, it will face the difficult task of pushing through the painful cuts and restructuring being urged by the European Union to boost the debt-burdened economy's modest growth. "The consultations have showed that no one at the moment has sufficient majority backing ... I set the next round of talks for Oct. 10, while the new parliament will hold its inaugural session on Oct. 14," President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic said after meetings with chiefs of the parliamentary parties. The HDZ won 61 seats in the 151-seat parliament in a snap election this month, leaving it short of a governing majority but well ahead of its Social Democrat rivals. Most, which means Bridge, won 13 seats. The previous HDZ-Most coalition collapsed after a tempestuous five months of rows over appointments, but many believe HDZ's emollient new leader Andrej Plenkovic can assemble a more stable coalition. After intra-party talks on Monday, the two parties' leaders said they hoped to wrap up a deal on an economically focused governing program in the coming weeks.. To be given the mandate by the president, Plenkovic needs the support of at least 76 lawmakers, a number he believes he can achieve with the backing of statutory parliament members representing Croatia's ethnic minorities. He must form a government within 60 days - two attempts of 30 days - and if he does not achieve it within that time, a new prime-minister designate would be nominated. Economists say Croatia needs to cut red tape and lower taxes as well as overhaul its pension and health systems while streamlining or shuttering many loss-making public firms. (Reporting by Igor Ilic; Editing by Alison Williams)
Constellation Brands Inc. STZ is slated to release second-quarter fiscal 2017 results on Oct 5. Last quarter, the company had delivered a positive earnings surprise of 1.99%.



In fact, it has outperformed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by an average of 8.9% over the trailing four quarters. Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement.

CONSTELLATN BRD Price and EPS Surprise

CONSTELLATN BRD Price and EPS Surprise | CONSTELLATN BRD Quote

Factors Influencing this Quarter



Constellation Brands has been gaining from its strategy of boosting growth via acquisitions, efforts to include new products in its wine and spirits businesses as well as strong demand for beer. The companys top and bottom lines are benefiting from strength in the beer business, improving trends at its wine and spirits business, and solid overall depletion trends. This assisted the company to post its seventh straight earnings beat in the last reported quarter. Further, the companys impressive outlook for fiscal 2017 reflects that it expects these robust trends to continue in the future.



While these factors make us hopeful of Constellation Brands upcoming results, we prefer to remain somewhat cautious, given the intense competition in the industry from other major players and the risk of increasing taxes.



Earnings Whispers



Our proven model does not conclusively show that Constellation Brands is likely to beat estimates this quarter. This is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1, 2 or 3 for this to happen. This is not the case here, as you will see below:



Zacks ESP: Earnings ESP for Constellation Brands is currently 0.00%. This is because both the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are pegged at $1.66.



Zacks Rank: Constellation Brands carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Though a favorable Zacks Rank increases the predictive power of ESP, the companys ESP of 0.00% makes surprise prediction difficult.



We caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 or 5 (Sell-rated stocks) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions.



Stocks Poised to Beat Earnings Estimates



Here are some companies you may want to consider as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat:



Fastenal Company FAST, scheduled to report earnings on Oct 11, has an Earnings ESP of +2.22% and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).



Mondelez International Inc. MDLZ, anticipated to report earnings on Oct 26, has an Earnings ESP of +2.33% and a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



Newell Brands Inc. NWL, expected to report earnings on Nov 4, has an Earnings ESP of +6.85% and a Zacks Rank #3.



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To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
Lyle Denniston, Constitution Dailys Supreme Court correspondent, looks at an argument supported by Rand Paul in a proposed Senate bill that seeks to use the 14th Amendment as a way to end abortion without enacting a constitutional amendment.

THE STATEMENTS AT ISSUE

randpaul400x300

Working from what the Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade, pro-life lawmakers can pass a Life at Conception Act and end abortion using the Constitution instead of amending it. That is why its so urgent you sign the petition to your Senators and RepresentativesA Life at Conception Act declares unborn children persons as defined by the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, entitled to legal protection. This is the one thing the Supreme Court admitted in Roe v. Wade that would cause the case for legal abortion to collapse.

 Excerpt from an open letter to the public on September 20 by Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, seeking signatures on a petition to urge Congress to pass a bill introduced by Paul and others last January (S. 2464).

To implement equal protection for the right to life of each born and preborn human person, and pursuant to the duty and authority of Congress,the Congress hereby declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human beingThe terms human person and human being include each member of the species homo sapiens at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilizationor other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being.

 Excerpt from the text of Senate bill S. 2464, as introduced on January 21, and as reported on the website, Congress.gov.

WE CHECKED THE CONSTITUTION, AND

More than four decades after the Supreme Court first ruled that a woman has a constitutional right to an abortion, at least in the early weeks of pregnancy, the effort to overturn that right has continued as intensely as ever. Years have passed since the failure of an attempt to get Congress to propose a constitutional amendment to overrule the 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, but members of Congress routinely propose new measures to at least limit the right, if not to end it.

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The most recent proposal, as described by its leading Senate sponsor, Kentuckys Rand Paul (Republican), is a quite simple measure that would attempt to scuttle Roe v. Wade by legislation, without having to start the laborious  and often forlorn  process of amending the Constitution.

Among the sources of congressional authority to do that, the Paul measure relies upon Section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment. That is the last part of the Amendment, and it gives Congress power to enforce by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article. Among the protections that the amendment assures is a prohibition on state laws that would deprive any person of life. Senate bill S. 2464 seeks to define life to include fetal life, at all stages of pregnancy.

Invoking Section 5 authority, the bill is based upon a novel argument. It reaches into Justice Harry A. Blackmuns opinion for the Roe v. Wade majority and pulls out passages that are then offered as support for the Life at Conception Act as a valid use of congressional authority.

In one passage cited by Senator Paul in promoting his bill, Justice Blackmun wrote that the court did not need to settle the difficult question of when life begins. And the senator then turns to another passage in which Blackmun said that, if the court were to accept that person under the Fourteenth Amendment meant a fetus, at all stages of development, that would mean that a claim to a right to abortion collapses because the fetus right to life is then guaranteed specifically by the Amendment.

That, the senator has said, is exactly what a Life at Conception Act would do.

The argument encounters several obstacles, however, some within the Roe majority opinion itself, and some from other action by the Supreme Court.

The Blackmun opinion drew a distinction between when life begins, which the court was not attempting to decide, and whether a fetus is a person under the Amendment, which the court did, in fact, decide. Indeed, the opinion says flatly that the word person, as used in the Fourteenth Amendment, does not include the unborn. Blackmun added that this view had been expressed in prior decisions of the Supreme Court and lower courts.

The opinion also noted that the state of Texas, in urging the court to include a fetus as a constitutionally protected person, had conceded that no court ruling could be cited in support of that idea. And Blackmun ran through the other parts of the Constitution where the word person is used, and commented that none of those indicates, with any assurance, that it has possible pre-natal application. In a footnote, it wryly noted that, when the Constitution uses the word in connection with the census that is taken every decade, it has never been understood that fetuses should be counted.

Beyond Roe v. Wade itself, the Life at Conception Act appears to run up against a constitutional principle that the Supreme Court declared in a 1997 decision in the case of City of Boerne v. Flores. That is the ruling in which the Justices ruled that a federal law, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, could not constitutionally be applied to restrict state and local governments power to regulate at least some aspects of religious organizations activity.

The most important part of that ruling, as it applies to attempts to protect fetal life under the Fourteenth Amendment, is that the court declared that Congress simply does not have the power  under the enforcement provision in Section 5 of the Amendment  to redefine a constitutional right that has been spelled out by the courts. Congress does not enforce a constitutional right by changing what the right is, the court said. The definition of what rights exist under the Constitution, it stressed, is the task of the judiciary.

The court has been claiming that exclusive power of interpretation ever since 1803, and the decision in Marbury v. Madison.

Having spelled out in Roe v. Wade that pregnant women do have a right to seek an abortion and having rejected the argument that protection of a fetus from termination of any pregnancy cannot be based on the mention of person in the Fourteenth Amendment, it still seems clear that Roe could be overturned only by actually amending the Constitution.

Legendary journalist Lyle Denniston is Constitution Dailys Supreme Court correspondent. Denniston has written for us as a contributor since June 2011. Denniston has covered the Supreme Court since 1958. His work also appears on lyldenlawnews.com.

Recent Stories on Constitution Daily

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By Reuters: Once known as Temple City for its ancient Hindu temples, Bhubaneswar is striving to become a hub for technology and healthcare with funding from the government programme to modernize upcoming smart cities.

Included in the list of 100 Smart Cities, Bhubaneswar is supposed to get replete with modern availabilities, making its living standards comparable to that of Europe, by 2022. But the drive to overhaul cities to accommodate a growing population of migrants will force tens of thousands of people from their slum homes as city planners spruce up central business districts and build metro train lines, activists claim.

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ALSO READ: Smart city third list out! Amritsar tops chart, PM Modi's Varanasi finally finds a place



CAN'T AFFORD GOVERNMENT HOUSES: SLUM DWELLERS

"We have no choice. If we stay, the government will forcefully evict us," said Ananda Chandra Parida, who has lived since 2007 in Bhubaneswar's Kargil slum, home to 2,000 families. "The houses they are building for us are small, and many of us cannot afford them," said Parida, 40, who lives in a two-room brick house with his wife and two children.

About a third of the country's 1.25 billion population lives in cities with numbers growing every year as tens of thousands of migrants leave their villages to seek better prospects in urban areas.Many migrants end up in overcrowded slums, lacking basic facilities. Activists say the Smart Cities Mission is neglecting the needs of millions of people like them."(The plan) will only benefit a few and exclude the most vulnerable from the resources they so badly need," Rajendra Ravi of the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), an umbrella organisation of rights groups, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.



PLAN DOESN'T FOCUS ON THE INTERRESTS OF ALL

About 65 million people live in India's slums, according to 2011 census data, which activists say is a low estimate. Most cities that have submitted development proposals in order to be picked as a Smart City, plan on spending more than 70 percent of funds on developing an area for the benefit of only about 4 percent of the city's population, said Bhanu Joshi, a researcher at the Centre for Policy Research in Delhi.

"It's a very exclusionary plan that doesn't take into account everyone who makes up an urban space," Joshi said."Simply monetising the land and building fancy enclaves does not make a city inclusive or sustainable or smart." Government officials, who have unveiled 60 Smart Cities so far, say the project will boost investment and create millions of jobs.

In Bhubaneswar, campaigners say about 50,000 slum dwellers will be evicted, many of whom will also lose their livelihoods.There have also been demolitions and evictions in slums in the cities of Indore and Bhopal in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, which were named as Smart Cities. About 1,200 families were evicted in Indore, according to NAPM.

ALSO READ: BJP to woo voters by including four UP cities in Smart City Mission



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City officials in Bhubaneswar defended the plan. "Our plan is very inclusive," said Krishan Kumar, vice-chairman of Bhubaneswar Development Authority. "We are planning 6,000 units of affordable housing which would be allotted to them near their locality at a highly subsidised rate," he said, without specifying how slum dwellers will pay Rs 150,000 for each of these homes.

SHARING THE PLIGHT

In the hill city of Dharamsala, which was also picked as a Smart City, about 300 families were evicted from the Charan Khad settlement in June. Most were low-caste Dalits and indigenous people who had lived there for 30 years. "In a smart city, the poor have no role," said Bipin Bharadwaj, an activist with Lok Raj Sangathan in Dharamsala.

The city's mayor told reporters there was no option but to relocate residents, that due process was followed, and that they had been given enough time to make alternative arrangements. Even when slum dwellers are offered accommodation, officials are applying an eligibility criteria based on the number of years spent there, thus excluding many, NAPM's Ravi said.

"They just want us to go far away. They don't want huts in the city area," said Ramesh Kumar, a cobbler who had lived in Charan Khad and now rents a tiny room in town. "You want to make a smart city and you think we look poor and are dirty; where should we go?" he said.

--- ENDS ---

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LONDON (Reuters) - Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) Chief Executive Tidjane Thiam said on Wednesday that his bank was relatively well placed to deal with the impact of Britain's vote to leave the European Union.

Credit Suisse's EU investment banking business is run out of London but Thiam said the Swiss lender had already been scaling back its presence in the city.

"We had, since last year, announced a plan to reduce our footprint in London. We have eliminated about 2,000 jobs in London at this point in the year. Our strategy was to deemphasise London," he said at the Bloomberg Markets conference.

Many investment banks use their London hubs to run their EU operations, relying on the passporting system that allows them to operate across the bloc while being regulated just in Britain. The Brexit vote could threaten those arrangements, though Thiam said Credit Suisse should not face a severe hit to its business.

"We will not be very impacted by passporting. Around 15-20 pct of volumes will be impacted."

Thiam also rowed back on some cautious comments he made at a conference in London on Tuesday regarding Credit Suisse's third-quarter results, which the bank will report on Nov. 3.

"I think Q3 will be reasonable," he said. "Yesterday I gave a few warnings on Q3 but fundamentally it's still going to be a good quarter, good performance of the bank."

(This story corrects CEO quote to show 2,000 figure refers to jobs cut, not number of employees in London)

(Reporting by Anjuli Davies and Joshua Franklin; Editing by Rachel Armstrong and David Evans)
By Dan Whitcomb and Marty Graham EL CAJON, Calif. (Reuters) - Protesters yelled "murder" and demanded on Wednesday a federal investigation into the fatal police shooting of an unarmed black man in Southern California, just as racially charged anger over two similar incidents during the past two weeks had begun to subside. Tuesday's shooting unfolded as two officers responding to several calls for help in dealing with a mentally unstable person confronted the man walking in traffic in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon, according to local police. One policeman opened fire with his service pistol and his partner simultaneously fired a Taser stun gun when the man pulled an object from his pants pocket and took aim at them in a "shooting stance," according to police. No weapon from the man, however, was recovered from the scene, police said. The object he was said to be carrying was not specified. Police did not immediately identify the victim, but local activists and friends named him as Ugandan-born Alfred Olango. They said he was mentally ill and that he may have been suffering a seizure in the moments before his death. Federal court records show that Olango, 38, fled to the United States from Uganda with his family in 1991 because the east African country's then-president, for whom Olango's father worked, had threatened to kill them. According to court documents from 2006, he had been granted permanent U.S. residency but lost that status in 2001 after he was convicted of selling cocaine. As of 2006, records showed, a deportation order against him was still pending. One of two officers involved in Tuesday's confrontation, the policeman who fired his Taser, had received special training in working with San Diego County's Psychiatric Emergency Response Team, or PERT, El Cajon police said. The officers, who were not publicly identified, were placed on administrative leave. Days earlier, two black men were killed by police under questionable circumstances in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, igniting demonstrations against racial bias in U.S. policing and demanding greater accountability for law enforcement officers. The shooting in Charlotte sparked a week of sometimes violent protests, prompting authorities there to impose a state of emergency and curfew. At a news conference on Wednesday, El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis appealed for calm. "I implore the community to be patient with us, work with us, look at the facts at hand before making any judgment," he said. CRIES FOR 'JUSTICE' In El Cajon, a predominantly white city of about 100,000 residents with a significant community of immigrants from the Middle East and Africa, civil rights activists and as many as 300 protesters gathered outside the police department, where they chanted "murder," "justice for Alfred Olango" and "black lives matter." Some of the protesters broke off and marched toward the scene of the shooting, joined by more demonstrators, as the swelling crowd stopped at times to block traffic. "We are not going to stop until we get justice," the Reverend Shane Harris, president of the National Action Network's San Diego chapter, said at the demonstration. "We do not trust local prosecutors to investigate local police." "Mr. Olango was killed for three strikes against him. The first strike, being black. The second strike, being mentally ill. The third strike, not following orders," Christopher Rice-Wilson, a community activist, said. Police acknowledged that emergency dispatchers had received three calls about a man suffering from mental distress before dispatching two patrol officers, who encountered the man, pacing back and forth behind a restaurant, at mid-afternoon on Tuesday. The man disregarded officers' commands to show both his hands as they tried talking with him before he was shot. Police said they obtained cellphone video that a bystander had taken of the shooting. But authorities released only a still frame from the footage that shows two officers pointing weapons at a man who was aiming an object at them. In a separate video clip taken moments after the shooting and posted on social media, a woman who refers to herself as the victim's sister is heard crying in anguish. "Oh my God. You killed my brother. I just called for help and ... you killed him," the unidentified woman says, sobbing. The San Diego District Attorney was investigating the shooting, and police spokesman Lieutenant Rob Ransweiler said the video filmed by the bystander could be released once that investigation is completed. (Additional reporting by Laila Kearney in New York, Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee and Alex Dobuzinskis; Writing by Steve Gorman; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky, Jeffrey Benkoe and Bernard Orr)
On Wednesday, crude oil futures saw a nice boost, spiking 4.88% to $46.85 per barrel in late afternoon trading after it was announced that OPEC had reached an agreement to cut its oil output for the first time since 2008.

Todays crude oil bump, however, is still well below the highs seen back in 2014, where oil was going for over $100 a barrel.

Sources told Reuters that the group would reduce output to 32.5 million barrels per day [bpd] from current production of 33.24 million bpd.

Leaders of OPEC, or the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, have spent the last two days in Algiers discussing the potential for a cut in oil output. According to the Wall Street Journal, the meeting was a direct result of Iran saying it would be open to considering capping its total output at 4 million bpd, which is an increase from the current 3.6 million a day, said Irans oil minister Bijan Zanganeh.

However, Saudi Arabia, a leading member of OPEC, is in favor of a plan that would slash nearly 1 million bpd of oil from the overall market over the next year, as well as require Iran to hold its production at around 3.7 million bpd, a proposition Mr. Zanganeh has soundly rejected, the WSJ continues.

While this resolution of sorts means good things for the energy industry, boosting economies of oil-rich countries and brightening business prospects of oil giants, it only means higher prices at the pump for consumers.

Other companies in the industry seeing a boost today include Exxon Mobil Corp. XOM, up around 4.3% in late afternoon trading, as well as Royal Dutch Shell RDS.A) and BP Plc. BP up 3.08% and 3.45%, respectively. The VelocityShares 3x Long Crude Oil UWTI, an ETF that is composed entirely of WTI crude oil futures, was up big today too, gaining almost 15% at one point Wednesday.

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By Dustin Volz

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A cyber security company on Wednesday asserted that the hack of 500 million account credentials from Yahoo was the work of an Eastern European criminal gang, adding another layer of intrigue to a murky investigation into the unprecedented data heist.

Arizona-based InfoArmor issued a report whose conclusion challenged Yahoos position that a nation-state actor orchestrated the heist, disclosed last week by the internet company. InfoArmor, which provides companies with protection against employee identify theft, said the hacked trove of user data was later sold to at least three clients, including one state-sponsored group.

Reuters was unable to verify the report's findings. Yahoo declined comment. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is investigating the hack, did not return a call seeking comment.

A U.S. government source familiar with the Yahoo investigation said there was no hard evidence yet on whether the hack was state-sponsored. Attribution for cyber attacks is widely considered difficult in both the intelligence and research communities.

The task is made especially challenging by the fact that criminal hackers sometimes provide information to government intelligence agencies or offer their services for hire, making it hard to know who the ultimate mastermind of a hack might be.

Yahoo said last week that it only recently discovered the intrusion, which it blamed on a state-sponsored actor without providing technical evidence. Nation-state hackers are widely viewed as possessing more advanced capabilities than criminal groups, a perception that could benefit Yahoo as it works to minimize fallout from the breach and complete its sale to Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ.N)

InfoArmor concluded the Yahoo hackers were criminal after reviewing a small sample of compromised accounts, Andrew Komarov, the firm's chief intelligence officer, said in an interview.

The hackers, dubbed Group E, have a track record of selling stolen personal data on the dark web, and have been previously linked to breaches at LinkedIn, Tumblr and MySpace, Komarov said.

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They have never been hired by anyone to hack Yahoo," Komarov, who is from Russia, said. "They were simply looking for well known sites that had many users."

In an illustration of the confusion about who carried out the hack and why, an NBC News report Wednesday interpreted Komarov's findings as pointing to the Russian government as the ultimate perpetrator.

A Wall Street Journal report, which said that InfoArmor was able to crack encrypted passwords for some Yahoo accounts provided by the newspaper, came to the opposite conclusion.

(Reporting by Dustin Volz; Additional reporting by Mark Hosenball and Joseph Menn; Editing by Jonathan Weber and David Gregorio)
And the city-state cemented its position as top fintech hub in Asia.

Singapore is urged to take more aggressive action against complex cross-border money-laundering. The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force said the city-state has made significant money-laundering and counter-terrorist financing framework since the last assessment in 2008. Read more here.

The tax amnesty in Indonesia may not be the only thing driving the city-state's Singapore's luxury home sales. According to the American Global investment bank, the growth in prime residential sector can also attributed to the morphing of businesses into investment hold companies or family offices. Read more here.

Singapore has cemented its position as top high profile fintech hub in Asia. It has noted a number of key areas for improvement ahead of a fintech festival to be held in November. All the major national banks are participating in support programmes and fintech research. Read more here.





More From Singapore Business Review


PARIS, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Daimler on Wednesday said it was working on a new "hypercar" and also plans to expand its range of upmarket AMG Mercedes-Benz performance cars by at least 10 models.

The hypercar, due to be produced in about 2.5 years' time, will have the powertrain of the current Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 car with a modified gearbox and it will be made from carbon fibre.

"In the past Formula one cars and road cars were separate. Now these are moving closer together," Thomas Weber, a Daimler board member responsible for development at Mercedes-Benz told Reuters on the sidelines of a Mercedes-AMG event in Paris on Wednesday.

Daimler did not provide details of the car's top speed, horsepower, or sticker price, but did say that research teams from the Mercedes Benz AMG division and the conpany's Formula 1 engineers were working on the project.

Tobias Moers, Chief Executive of Mercedes-AMG, told Reuters that the car would have in excess of 1,000 horsepower.

AMG is a sub-brand of Mercedes-Benz which already makes tuned-up versions of the S-Class limousine, G-class offroader and also the A-and B-Class compact cars.

The company said it expects to boost sales this year after delivering almost 70,000 cars in 2015, up from 32,200 in 2013 thanks to sales of the AMG-GT, a flagship model designed to take on Porsche, costing between 97,000 and 112,900 euros($126,572.19).

The company also unveiled the new Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster in Paris. This is an open-top version of the car with a 476 horsepower engine.

Moers said: "We will top up our portfolio by at least ten newcomers. With that, we will offer a choice of no less than 48 different AMG performance cars." ($1 = 0.8920 euros) (Reporting by Edward Taylor. Editing by Jane Merriman)
Warning: This recap of the Sept. 27 episode of Dancing With the Stars contains spoilers.

*

kym filling in for erin andrews

lens official commentary plus

just left brunos mic on.. gossiping with julianne

ryan lochtes grandma

clip of Valentin Chmerkovskiy at 15 years old: I like girls.

fitz and the tantrums

fl ga line

With no presidential debate to contend with, DWTS stretched out Tuesday night with a two-hour results show to supplement Mondays crazy cramp session. We heard from the judges about each couples Face-Off dance, lived vicariously through the random ladies Maks and Val plucked from the audience to shimmy around with, and marveled at co-host Kym Johnsons little black gown (she filled in for Erin Andrews, who took time off to be with her grieving boyfriend but will be back next week).

At the end of the

former governor Rick Perry and his partner Emma Slater have been eliminated following a very respectable paso doble effort on Week 3. Oh my God, hes digging for oil! we heard an impressed Bruno Tonioli yelp mid-dance. Hes digging for Texas! (More unfiltered sound bites from all four judges, please.)

daughters getting married October 15 look good

doing it for all the veterans out there Advance the Colors

Amber Rose and Maksim Chmerkovskiy joined Rick and Emma under the spooky red light, while Terra Jole and Sasha Farber were repeatedly designated as in jeopardy throughout the show.

Head Judge Len Goodman announced hell be absent for the next few weeks to judge the mothership, Britains Strictly Come Dancing full-time. Make sure its a dancing competition and not all about razzle-dazzle, he warned his mischievous fellow judges and all of Our Pros. Perhaps its for the best that the ballroom traditionalist will miss next weeks first-ever Cirque du Soleil theme night.

Tune in Monday for the most sparkly splash of acrobats, aerialists, and tumblers  oh my! to ever hit Hollywood. See you then!

XOXO,

Fringe Fairy

Dancing With the Stars airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.


Two familiar faces will be absent from Dancing with the Stars in week 4.



On Tuesday night's results show, host Tom Bergeron revealed to audiences that Len Goodman will miss a few weeks of the ABC reality dancing competition series to fulfill his commitments as head judge on Britain's Strictly Come Dancing.



But although Goodman, 72, will be M.I.A. for the following weeks, he assured both the dancers and viewers that he will "be well-informed of what's going on."



"It's difficult to fly every week there and back," Goodman explained. "I'm going to miss it because I've enjoyed so much watching the progression. But I'm going to be well-informed of what's going on. Make sure that  it's a ballroom dancing competition, it's not all about razzle dazzle. Show us some proper ballroom dancing."







"The amazing Len Goodman who will come back in a few weeks," Bergeron said of the British judge after the dancing troupe performed a number in his honor.







At the wrap of the episode, Bergeron announced that Amber Rose and Terra Jole were safe from elimination, and that Rick Perry would not be proceeding in the competition.











"My daughter's getting married the 15th of October, but I can promise you I will look good on the dance floor for her," Perry, 66, said after being eliminated. "And I'm dong it for all the veterans out there and I hope everybody will find a great veteran's cause to go help these guys. We've got one called Advance the Colors that I hope everyone will go take a look at. Thank you guys!"



Dancing with the Stars airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 27 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and urged him to extend the term of the foreigners tribunals, which determines the identity of illegal immigrants, for five more years.

Sonowal conveyed to the Home Minister that at present 100 foreigners tribunals are functioning in Assam out of which 64 were created in 2004 in compliance with a Supreme Court directive.

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As the validity of these tribunals has expired on February 9, 2016, the Chief Minister requested the Home Minister to extend their term for five more years for smooth settlement of foreigners issue, an official spokesperson said.

Foreigners tribunals in Assam were set up under the Foreigner (Tribunal) Order of 1964 to determine the status of citizens whose Indian nationality are doubtful.

Referring to the updation of National Register of Citizenship in Assam, Sonowal requested Singh for early release of funds for the speedy implementation of the process.

The Chief Minister urged the Home Minister to hand over the construction work of fencing of borders to Indian Army as was done in the case of Indo-Pak border in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sonowal also requested Singh to facilitate raising of India Reserve Battalion in the Assam. PTI ACB SMJ

--- ENDS ---
Copenhagen (AFP) - A Danish far-right group faced criticism on Wednesday after courting criticism by handing out "asylum spray" to be used against violent migrants.

In the southern town of Haderslev, 137 cans of relabelled hair spray were given away to the public on Saturday by the far-right Party of the Danes, which does not hold any seats in parliament.

"The asylum spray is a concrete reaction against more Danes feeling insecure," party leader Daniel Carlsen, a former member of a Nazi group that he now distances himself from, told AFP.

"Some Danish girls don't dare to go outside after it gets dark, partly because there are now asylum seekers in town," he added. The spray was described as "effective" and "legal" -- in a nod to Denmark's ban on pepper spray.

In the long run the problem could only be solved by "stopping non-western immigration and beginning comprehensive repatriation," Carlsen said.

The United Nation's refugee agency, UNHCR, said it "strongly regrets that this kind of incident is taking place in Denmark against asylum seekers and refugees, people who already have suffered so much".

"It is a small group that is involved in this incident and only represents a very small fraction of the Danish people," it added in a statement.

A lawmaker for the opposition Danish Social Liberal Party, Zenia Stampe, said she would ask the government "what legal options we have to stop the spread of vigilantism".

In a post on Facebook, she suggested that politicians would have reacted more strongly if other minority groups, such as Jewish or gay people, had been targeted in a similar stunt.

Around 22,000 people live in Haderslev, where a migrant centre currently houses around 140 asylum seekers, according to the Danish Red Cross.

Europe has faced its biggest migration crisis since World War II with well over one million refugees and migrants arriving on its shores in the past year as they flee war in Syria and the Middle East, and poverty in Africa.

Populist groups across Europe have sought to capitalise on widespread unease over the unprecedented migrant crisis, using it to boost their electoral gains.

The Danish People's Party, which won 21 percent of the vote in a 2015 legislative poll and whose support the minority government needs to pass legislation, has backed a controversial decision to seize migrants' valuables and cash to help finance their stay.
Danny Glover has been confirmed to join Robert Redford in upcoming Netflix movie "Come Sunday" reports The Hollywood Reporter.

The "Lethal Weapon" actor will also star alongside British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor in the film, inspired by the true story of an evangelical minister.

"Maria Full of Grace" director Joshua Marston will helm the project.

The story is based on a 2005 episode of "This American Life" which focused on the story of Carlton Pearson, to be played by Ejiofor.

Pearson was a renowned evangelical minister in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who, after stating that there is no hell, lost both his church and his family and had to rebuild his life.

Redford will star as televangelist Oral Roberts with Glover set to play Carlson Pearson's uncle Gilbert Pearson.

The actor most recently appeared in "Dirty Grandpa" and indie flick "Mr. Pig" and can next be seen in "Monster Trucks" with Rob Lowe and Amy Ryan.
Sathi Devi, widow of the late PM Menon, and her daughter Jayanthi Menon (right) Photo: Nicholas Yong

Some four decades ago, journalist Punnappilly Madhava Menon decided to donate his body to science to be used for medical research. In the wake of his passing from pneumonia earlier this month, friends and family members have been inspired to do the same.

The 85-year-olds younger daughter Jayanthi told Yahoo Singapore that at least 10 friends have reached out to the family to make the same pledge. The messages I got was that we have decided, said the 51-year-old artist and former lawyer. Others also came to see us to find out how to go about it.

One of them is her close friend Sujja Menon, 46. The housewife, her husband and their 18-year-old son have all been inspired to commit their bodies to science. I had heard about it, but never took it seriously until Jayanthi mentioned it when Uncle fell very sick, said Sujja, who added that her mother and aunt have also pledged their bodies.

Im hoping that this story will go further and inspire people to sign the form and not cremate their bodies, when the medical community can use them for research.

Cadavers for medical research

P.M. Menons obituary in The Straits Times. Photo: Nicholas Yong

The Medical Therapy Education and Research Act (MTERA), which legislates organ donation, was first enacted in 1972.

In response to queries from Yahoo Singapore, the National Organ Transplant Unit (NOTU) said that as of August 2016, more than 2,000 people have pledged their bodies to be used for medical teaching and research since the Act took effect.

Research on each donated body takes between six months and four years. Upon completion of the research, the donated bodies are cremated and the ashes returned to the families.

These bodies are assigned to different medical institutions such as the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (YLLSOM) at the National University of Singapore, where Menons body was sent.

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According to Associate Professor Ng Yee-Kong of YLLSOMs Department of Anatomy, the school has received some 18 bodies so far this year. Given that YLLSOM takes in some 300 medical and 54 dentistry students each year, this still translates to a shortage.

Prof Ng said that students are taught to treat donors, or silent mentors as they are called, with respect and dignity.

Silent mentors (like) Mr Menon, they are so selfless, giving their body as last gifts for medical education and research. When students can practice on actual bodies, they can appreciate the intricacies and the relations between the different layers of the tissues and the orientations of the bodies, as well as variations between individuals bodies.

A principled man



P.M. Menons original organ donor card. Photo: Nicholas Yong



Family members remember Menon as an erudite, stubbornly principled man with a strong work ethic who spoke six languages. He came to Singapore from the Indian city of Kerala in the 1950s and became a citizen.

Menon, who spent 33 years as a sub-editor with French news agency Agence France-Presse before retiring in 1990, took great pride in being a journalist, and meticulously filed every story he had worked on.

In his personal life, the father of two and grandfather of three was an affectionate and jovial man who made people laugh. His grandnieces called him Happy Mutachan, or Happy Grandfather in Malayalam.

His older daughter Santhi said Menon was an avowed atheist, but loved talking about religion. He could quote from the Bible, the Koran, the Bhagavad Gita, said the 56-year-old, who is based in Perth and works in project management consultancy.

Jayanthi, who is married to Singapores High Commissioner to Malaysia Gopala Menon, added with a smile, He was very tolerant. We (Jayanthi and her sister Santhi) both went to convent schools and I used to say my Hail Marys before my meals. I just respected him so much because he never forced it on us.

While Menon was in ill health in recent years, he began arranging his affairs even before, having passed a folder of documents to Jayanthi in 2011. It included his organ donor card and a personally written obituary, which even had options (passed away after a brief/prolonged illness) that she could cross out.



Leaving a legacy



P.M. Menon and his wife Sathi Devi used to take a photo for their wedding anniversary every year. Photo: Nicholas Yong

The response to Menons final wish has greatly comforted his family, said Jayanthi. It filled me with this very strange sense of happiness, to think that hes inspired people even upon his death. His thinking was Im gone, but at least my body can be put to good use

Asked why he had made the decision all those years ago, his widow Sathi Devi, 77, admitted, I dont really know where he got the idea from. That is a question we should have asked him long ago.

Devi, who was married to Menon for 57 years, added with tears in her eyes, Many people, when they heard it, said Oh, hes a great man, hes a great man.

Both mother and daughter are following in Menons footsteps - Jayanthi pledged her body to science last year.

Devi, 77, also wants to get an organ donor card - provided I have got anything left in my body, she said with a laugh.

To find out more about pledging your body for medical research, contact the National Organ Transplant Unit at 63214390 or organ.transplant@notu.com.sg.


(Repeats story from Tuesday)

* Divisions in Labour mean no challenge for May on Brexit

* Brexit was not on agenda at Liverpool Labour conference

* Fears Conservatives could lurch right with muted opposition

By Elizabeth Piper

LIVERPOOL, England, Sept 27 (Reuters) - With the re-election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader unlikely to heal deep rifts in Britain's Labour, the only significant opposition that Prime Minister Theresa May looks likely to face as she plots Britain's divorce from the EU is from her own party.

Britain's exit from the bloc, or Brexit, did not even make it onto the official agenda of the Labour party's conference in Liverpool, where lawmakers were more concerned with whether Labour will survive in the future.

For May, who campaigned quietly for Britain to stay in the European Union before the June referendum, it means she will be able to drive the talks without much interference from the Labour opposition.

But she may face a stronger challenge from those in her Conservative Party who are pressing for a hard Brexit, or a clean break with the EU and its single market.

Seema Malhotra, a former Labour treasury spokeswoman, told an event at the conference that she feared Labour had all but handed control to the Conservatives on Brexit.

"We have to insert ourselves into that debate because otherwise it runs the risk now of becoming another blue on blue debate, with 'leave means leave' and others who are Eurosceptic driving Theresa May to the right," she told a conference event, referring to the colour that represents the Conservatives.

She said Labour must try to keep "the best of what we have in the European Union, not just because it's good for Britain, but because it's good for Europe and it's good for the world as well".

LABOUR BREXIT STANCE

Other lawmakers said Labour had spent little time formulating a Brexit stance, not only because of the leadership election, but because it was still unclear what it would mean, with May giving little away.

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Even some in the Conservatives say Brexit could foster complacency - allowing the party's own rifts to drive Britain's biggest shift in policy since the end of World War Two.

"The Labour Party are not providing opposition, they are not asking those questions (on Brexit)," Nicky Morgan, a former Conservative education minister, told ITV television this month.

And while supporters of Corbyn say now that the leadership contest is out of the way, the leftist leader has the political clout to campaign for Britain to have a softer landing in its negotiations, others fear it is not his priority.

Critics say that the split between the left and centre-left in Labour offers little hope of getting the party back on track.

FEARS IN CURRENCY MARKETS

Three months after Britain's vote to leave the European Union, fears in currency markets of a "Hard Brexit" that are expected to drive banks from London have knocked sterling to near its weakest levels in decades.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson spurred sales of sterling last Thursday by saying it was likely London could early next year invoke Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, which gives the sides two years to reach a deal.

May has yet to make her position clear, saying only that the formal divorce notification will not be invoked before the end of the year and that Britain will not get a bad deal.

Corbyn, accused of half-hearted campaigning for the remain camp, called for unity when he was elected for the second time as Labour leader at the weekend, hoping to overcome deep division between the party's left and centre-left.

DIVISIONS IN LABOUR

Divisions in Labour are nothing new and the groundswell for change that brought Corbyn to power is mirrored across Europe, where centre-left parties lost support to anti-establishment movements since the 2008 economic crisis.

But the rift has rarely been so pronounced, and for centre-left lawmakers the victory by Corbyn with his left-wing agenda mean the business-friendly centre ground that handed them power in 1997 under Tony Blair has been ceded to the Conservatives.

"I just wish the party would take half a step back and realise that if the public are running in this direction, the last thing the Labour Party should be doing is running at speed in the other direction because that's not going ... to win us the country," said Ian Murray, the only Labour lawmaker to represent a Scottish seat in parliament since the party was crushed by the nationalist SNP in 2015.

A survey by ComRes before Corbyn's win suggested 65 percent of Britons think the Conservatives under May are more likely to win the next election. With 16 percent saying Labour under Corbyn was likely to win, many in the party see the outlook as bleak.

MAINSTREAM CONCERNED

But with a convincing leadership victory and much of the party's machinery in the hands of his supporters, Corbyn is able to set policy with renewed confidence. Those lawmakers who do not see eye-to-eye with him say they will have to play ball.

Calling the leadership election result "fantastic", James Schneider of pro-Corbyn campaign group Momentum said only when Labour has been unified has "the government been in retreat".

But while centrist lawmakers say they are on board, the scars run deep - with many deeply frustrated that their bid to oust Corbyn failed so dramatically, with challenger Owen Smith winning only 38 percent of the leadership vote.

"I don't think there's a short-term political solution," Tristram Hunt, a former education spokesman for Labour, told Reuters.

"Then I think we take a step back, we do the hard work, which we haven't really done, of intellectual renewal and it's a 10-year process. I am still up for the fight ... but I think some people will bow out." (additional reporting by Kylie MacLellan and William James; editing by Peter Millership)
This deer appears to be pretty fawn'd of driving.

Read: Deer Poses in Selfie Video As Deaf Man Shares Sweet Story of Saving It From an Icy River

Police dashcam video shows a deer jumping into the driver's seat of a car in New Jersey in what looks like an attempt to take the wheel.

Ellen Sager, of Howell Township, said she stopped after seeing a deer lying on the side of the highway.

"I don't know if a car hit it," Sager told InsideEdition.com. "I pulled over to see if it was okay."

She opened the door and out of nowhere, the deer suddenly got up and leapt into the car over her.

"Sager was still in the driver's seat with the door open as the deer attempts to climb over her and into the vehicle," a press release from the Howell Township Police Department reported.

"It was mad, or frantic," said the 43-year-old woman. "It wasn't looking for help."

Thinking quickly, Sager held her foot against his chest, in an attempt to keep the wild animal out of her vehicle, and save her own life.

The deer soon fell out of the car and to its side, and Sager promptly shut the door.

Read: Make America Carpool Again! Man Ticketed for Driving in HOV Lane With Trump Cutout

"It [appeared] to be a scene from a cheap comedy," the press release reported.

The driver's knee was hurt as a result of the scuffle, and her car was also dented where the deer hit it.

However, the deer succumbed to its injuries soon after.

Watch: Days-Old Fawn Poses for Photographer After Being Saved From Louisiana Floods

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Although the libel trial brought by British Holocaust denier David Irving against the American academic Deborah Lipstadt happened nearly 20 years ago, it simply could not be more pertinent today. With the level of discourse about various attacks on the truth and a certain current presidential campaign that had its beginnings on a lie and the birther movement, the issues brought up in the incredibly powerful and fascinating new drama Denial not only make this movie vital for todays audiences in the era of Donald Trump, it also makes it the most important and urgent film of 2016. The fact that it has been in development for seven or eight years makes it even more remarkable, since it shows the more things change, the more they stay the same and that the power of someones words  actually lies  is more lethal than a weapon and must be stopped.

That is the story of what happened to New York-born historian Deborah Lipstadt (Rachel Weisz), when, after her book Denying the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and Memory was published in the UK, she suddenly was sued for libel by Irving (Timothy Spall), a writer of texts about World War II and a leading denier that the Holocaust happened. Worse for her was the fact that the UKs libel laws put the burden of proof on the defendant, so she not only had to defend the truth of her own accusations against Irving but had to prove the Holocaust reality in a court of law. Adding to the legal woes, her British team of lawyers led by Richard Rampton (Tom Wilkinson) and solicitor Anthony Julius (Andrew Scott) would not allow her or any Holocaust survivors to take the witness stand, fearing what Irvings team might do to them during the trial. Still, against all odds, she refused to settle, and director Mick Jacksons (Temple Grandin, L.A. Story) strong depiction of this incident jumps between the trial and her interactions with her lawyers. There also is an incredibly moving sequence detailing the trip to the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland that the legal team took, shot partially at the location.

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The great British playwright David Hare wrote the screenplay based on Lipstadts book and her follow-up, Denial: Holocaust History on Trial, and he has stuck entirely to the actual words spoken in that courtroom for the key showdown. This is just riveting filmmaking at its finest. And Lipstadt is a real firecracker of a character, particularly as portrayed by Weisz, who is in top form here, really nailing the accent and essence of this courageous woman who finds herself in the middle of a legal debate over the very existence of perhaps historys and humanitys most shameful chapter. Spall, taking on what could be a thankless, no-win character, brings three dimensions to this despicable man and turns in a performance that must be considered when Supporting Actor nominations are made. Wilkinson, as usual, is also first rate as is the rest of a perfectly cast film.

Jackson and Hare have found a way to make all of this thrillingly cinematic, even though in other hands it might have been too dry to have the impact these filmmakers have landed. Denial is a movie that never lags, and for what it manages to say about the dangers of a lie  particularly now that we live in the age of the Internet  it is a rich and rewarding motion picture experience that must not be missed. Producers are Gary Foster and Russ Krasnoff. U.S. distributor Bleecker Street opens the film, produced in association with BBC Films and Participant Media among others, Friday in select theaters.

Do you plan to see Denial? Let us know what you think.

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COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Denmark will need to extend temporary control at its German border after November 12, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on Wednesday. The Nordic country implemented temporary border control in January after the refugee crisis in Europe intensified, and was extended in June to November 12. "I foresee that we need to prolong the internal border control, but that is of course due to negotiations and dialogue within European countries," Rasmussen said at a joint news conference of Nordic prime ministers in Finland. Border controls between Schengen countries are usually not allowed, but in a situation of emergency, such as Europe's migration crisis, checks can be reintroduced for a maximum of two years. (Reporting by Jussi Rosendahl, writing by Annabella Pultz Nielsen, editing by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen)
While individual scholars have analyzed the decision-making events, the U.S. government itself has never commissioned any detailed analysis of the path that our government took leading up to the war.

By Lt. Col. Amy McGrath, USMC

Best Defense guest columnist

Three months ago, the British Government released findings from the independent investigative committee charged with examining the decision to invade Iraq in 2003, known unofficially as the Chilcot Report. The British investigation meticulously examined its governments public statements and actions crosschecking them with declassified information like intelligence reports and minutes of their high-level cabinet meetings. The British had enough courage to officially critique their own decisions leading up to this war. We need to do the same.

Unlike some investigative reports created by the U.S. Congress, the Chilcot Report contains an objective, thoughtful, and thorough accounting of British decision-making. The Iraq War is widely considered a strategic failure, with 4,806 American and coalition members deaths and 32,246 wounded, not to mention the deaths of an estimated 500,000 Iraqi fighters and civilians  a conservative number by any measure, and all at a monetary cost of over $3 Trillion. The American people are entitled to a similar exhaustive inquiry.

Lets put this in context. The U.S. Congress has conducted seven investigations, held 33 hearings, and spent almost $7million examining every facet of the disaster in Benghazi, Libya, in which four Americans were killed. Shouldnt we spend at least as much to examine how this nation decided to go to war under what we now know were potentially false pretenses and assumptions?

While individual scholars have analyzed the decision-making events, the U.S. government itself has never commissioned any detailed analysis of the path that our government took leading up to the war. Given the lives lost, families destroyed, cultures in turmoil, and money expended, such a government-run analysis should be mandated. The 911 Commission report exhaustively investigated the lessons learned with that national security tragedy. However, the only official analysis of Iraq was the Iraq study group back in 2006 and it did not delve into the details of the initial decision to go to war. Instead, its focus was on the deteriorating security situation in Iraq at the time. After 13 years, its well beyond time for the U.S. to examine how and why the American people were duped into supporting this invasion and full-scale occupation of a sovereign state, an action squarely against historic American principles and international law.

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One of the Chilcot Reports most damning conclusions is that the British government knew how weak the intelligence used to justify the invasion in Iraq was, yet still pushed to proceed. In 2003, British Prime Minister Blair told his people it was clear that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). As we learned later, Iraq had no WMDs  at least not any WMDs that could produce mass destruction (nuclear). We now know the British knew this from the beginning. The top secret declassified British intelligence assessments consistently indicated that it would take Iraq at least five years following the end of sanctions to produce enough fissile material for a weapon, assuming they would try to do so. Didnt U.S. leadership know this as well? According to the Chilcot Report, British intelligence also assessed that Iraq did not have the capability to carry out chemical or biological terrorist attacks beyond individual assassination attempts using poisons. Did U.S. intelligence say the same thing? And if so, what made our leadership continually state in public that Iraq posed a WMD threat to anyone, let alone the U.S.?

Leading up to the invasion, President Bush and key members of his administration said repeatedly that the safety of American people depended on ending a direct threat from Iraq. His administration insinuated numerous times that Saddam Hussein had ties with al Qaeda and would transfer its WMDs to terrorists for use against America. But there was no link between Iraq and al Qaeda. As it turns out, British intelligence knew this back then, too. Five months prior to the invasion, the Brits assessed that Iraq had no role in the 9/11 attacks, and that it was unlikely Iraq was cooperating with Al Qaeda. Saddam Hussein had actually refused to permit any al Qaeda presence in Iraq. According to a declassified report, Iraq not only showed no credible evidence of covert transfers of WMDrelated technology and expertise to terrorist groups, but also had very limited capability to conduct effective terrorist attacks itself. Did the U.S. leadership know this as well? How could U.S. intelligences slam dunk evidence have been so different than that of our strongest allies? These are questions to which the American people deserve answers.

The decisions that led to Americas biggest strategic failure of the past half century should be reviewed and released in detail. The Iraq war as a political issue has died down in the current discourse, and U.S. leadership on both sides of the aisle seems content to keep the war buried. The American people and our elected leaders must have the courage to resist that temptation. Its not that we owe the world an American Chilcot Report. But for those Americans who fought in that war, died or were injured, and for those who killed other people, our so-called enemies in Iraq, under glaringly false pretenses, this nation owes us a Chilcot Report.

Amy McGrath is a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps, and F/A-18 pilot. She flew numerous attack combat missions in Iraq in 2003. These are her personal views and do not reflect the official position of the USMC.
Berlin (AFP) - The German government and Deutsche Bank were at pains Wednesday to quash speculation of a rescue plan for the troubled lender, in an effort to reassure investors spooked by a potentially massive US fine.

The denials came after Deutsche's share price sank to a record low this week on reports that Germany's biggest bank had asked Berlin for help after US authorities demanded an unaffordable $14-billion fine over the subprime mortgage crisis.

State aid "is not on the table", chief executive John Cryan told Germany's biggest-selling newspaper Bild.

But investors were further rattled when news weekly Die Zeit on Wednesday reported that German and EU officials were working on an emergency plan for Deutsche "if the worst comes to the worst".

Germany's finance ministry swiftly shot down any talk of such a bailout.

"The report is wrong. The government is not preparing rescue plans. There are no grounds for such speculation," the ministry said in a statement.

Reacting to the flurry of news, Deutsche Bank's shares gained 2.04 percent by close of trade in Frankfurt, ending the session at 10.77 euros ($12.06), while the DAX 30 index of leading German shares gained 0.74 percent.

Uncertainty over the bank's financial health had seen shares hit a record low on Monday, dropping 7.54 percent to close at 10.55 euros ($11.80) and ending at the same level on Tuesday.

- Offloading assets -

Deutsche has been dominating business headlines ever since the US Department of Justice (DoJ) made its demand for the eye-watering fine earlier this month.

If Deutsche is unable to negotiate the sum down to less than the $5.5 billion it has set aside for legal costs and fines, it could be forced to raise fresh capital on the markets, diluting the value of its shares, or weakening its balance sheet.

"We expect the DoJ will treat us just as fairly as the American banks" that have settled for much less in similar cases, Cryan insisted to Bild.

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Eager to show investors it was working to clean up its balance sheet, Deutsche on Wednesday announced it had agreed to offload its British insurance company Abbey Life to life insurer Phoenix Group for 1.1 billion euros, which will provide a slight boost to its capital buffer.

- 'At no point' asked for help -

Cryan insisted to Bild that he had "at no point" asked Chancellor Angela Merkel for a rescue.

But Die Zeit is to report on Thursday on plans by Berlin "if the worst comes to the worst" to sell off parts of Deutsche to other financial institutions, and possibly buy a 25-percent stake.

Some voices in the government favour involving the European Single Resolution Mechanism, set up in the wake of the financial crisis to prevent taxpayer bailouts of failing banks, the newspaper said.

In that case, creditors and customers would bear a share of the rescue costs -- potentially creating fresh chaos on the financial markets.

German officials believe attempting to intercede with the US authorities could be "potentially counterproductive", Die Zeit said in an extract sent out on Wednesday.

Deutsche faces further looming problems in the shape of an investigation by New York regulators into alleged money laundering at its Russian branch.

The two cases are among the most pressing of some 8,000 weighing on Deutsche, and CEO Cryan has promised to resolve them by the end of the year.

The lender's woes come as European banks complain of a harsh business environment, confronting low interest rates cutting into their profit margins, anaemic economic growth, fierce competition and high requirements on the amount of capital they must hold as a buffer against future crises.

European Central Bank president Mario Draghi rejected attempts to blame him for Deutsche's travails.

"If a bank represents a systemic threat for the eurozone, this cannot be because of low interest rates," he told journalists in Berlin after meeting with German lawmakers.

In the boss's chair at Deutsche Bank for a little over a year, Cryan has launched a massive restructuring of the Frankfurt institution and plans to slash almost 9,000 jobs worldwide by 2020.

Shares in the bank have lost more than half of their value since January after it booked an almost 7-billion-euro loss in 2015.
Find out in detail how SpaceX chief Elon Musk plans to send humans to colonise Mars and how the plan will be executed.

By Reuters: SpaceX is developing a massive rocket and capsule to transport large numbers of people and cargo to Mars with the ultimate goal of colonising the planet, company chief and tech billionaire Elon Musk said on Tuesday.

Musk outlined his plans for the Mars rocket, capable of carrying 100 passengers plus cargo per voyage, even as SpaceX is still investigating why a different rocket carrying a $200 million Israeli satellite blew up on a launch pad in Florida earlier this month.

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Also read: Watch: SpaceX rocket carrying Facebook's satellite goes up in flames



Trip to Mars every 26 months but no guarantee of survival



SpaceX intends to fly to Mars about every 26 months when Earth and Mars are favorably aligned. Musk said he would like to launch the first crew as early as 2024, a schedule he said he was optimistic about.

Musk said there would be no guarantee of survival for anyone signing up with SpaceX for the "incredible adventure".

"The risk of fatality will be high. There's no way around it. Basically, are you prepared to die, and if that's OK then you're a candidate for going," he said at a presentation at the International Astronautical Congress meeting in Guadalajara.

Also read: How and why did SpaceX rocket crash and burn third time in a row?



Reduce cost to attract customers

Though Musk said he envisions humans living in a large colony on Mars and possibly terraforming the planet, he added that one key issue will be getting the cost low enough to attract customers.

"You can't create a self-sustaining civilization if the ticket price is $10 billion per person," he said. "Our goal is to get it roughly equivalent to (the) cost of a median house in the United States, about $200,000."

Mars colonists would not have to sign up for a one-way journey since reusing the spaceships keeping the transportation costs low, Musk said.

"The number of people willing to move to Mars is much greater if they have the option of returning, even if they never do," he said.

Also read: Be dazzled: Pics show how SpaceX launched Falcon 9 rocket and lit up the night sky



Massive amount of funds required



Musk said it would be a challenge to fund the Mars effort, with development costs estimated at $10 billion. "I'm personally accumulating assets in order to fund this," he said, adding that "ultimately this is going to be a huge public-private partnership."

SpaceX, which Musk founded specifically with the purpose of colonizing Mars, is one of several private and government-funded ventures vying to put people and cargo on the Red Planet and other destinations beyond Earth's orbit.

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Mars is typically 140 million miles (225 million km) from Earth and landing the first humans there, after what traditionally has been a six- to nine-month journey, is an extremely ambitious goal. Musk expects his rocket to be able to cut the transit time to as little as three months and released a four-minute video showing the craft.

Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin space venture is also designing a heavy-lift vehicle and capsule called New Armstrong, that will be capable of Mars transport, company President Rob Meyerson said.

Also read: SpaceX launches futuristic pop-up room, lands rocket at sea



US to venture beyond moon



The U.S. government is also stepping up efforts to venture beyond the moon. NASA is supporting SpaceX's first mission to Mars, which is targeted for launch in 2018. SpaceX wants to send an unmanned capsule, called Red Dragon, to the surface of Mars to test descent, entry and landing systems.

NASA will be providing deep-space and Mars communications relays for SpaceX and consulting services in exchange for flight data. NASA wants to be able to land payloads weighing up to about 30 tons on Mars. So far, the heaviest vehicle to land on Mars was the one-ton Curiosity rover.

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Also read: The 10 worst disasters in space travel history



Investigations around the September 1 satellite blow up

For now, Musk said SpaceX's top priority is tracing the cause of its Sept. 1 accident. "It's the most vexing and difficult thing. We've eliminated all the obvious possibilities," Musk later told reporters.

He characterized the accident, SpaceX's second in 14 months, as "a small thing on a long road," adding that the company has not lost a single customer.

SpaceX has a backlog of more than 70 missions for commercial and government customers, worth more than $10 billion.

"There probably will be other failures in the future," Musk said.

Here is a four-minute video on SpaceX's plans to colonise Mars:

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Frankfurt (AFP) - Deutsche Bank has agreed to sell its British insurance company Abbey Life to life insurer Phoenix Group for 1.1 billion euros, the troubled German lender announced on Wednesday.

Shares in the bank had jumped 3.65 percent in Frankfurt by just after 0800 GMT on the news, recouping a fraction of the heavy losses suffered on Monday and Tuesday.

Regulators must still approve the 935-million-pound ($1.2-billon) sale, the bank said.

Deutsche Bank said in a statement that the sale would boost its core capital ratio -- the stock of funds regulators require banks to have on hand -- by 10 basis points, or 0.1 percent over its level on June 30.

But it added that it would book a pre-tax loss of 800 million euros in a writedown of the value of its business and intangible assets.

The announcement comes after shares in the bank hit a record low on Monday, dropping 7.54 percent to close at 10.55 euros ($11.80) amid growing fears over its capital cushion.

Investors are nervous after it emerged earlier this month that the US Department of Justice is seeking a $14-billion fine from Deutsche over its role in the subprime mortgage crisis.

Following the sale of Abbey Life, subsidiary Deutsche Asset Management "will continue to concentrate on its core business," bank chief John Cryan said in a statement.

"We are continuing to work on a Deutsche Bank that is safer and less complex," he went on.

Cryan launched a drastic restructuring programme at Deutsche after taking office 15 months ago, as Germany's biggest lender continues to struggle with the fallout of the financial crisis.
New York (AFP) - Already hobbled by a weak capital base, Deutsche Bank finds itself in the crosshairs of US prosecutors, who have proposed $14 billion in fines over its role in the 2008 financial crisis.

However, given its size and importance, US authorities may be wary of destabilizing the global financial system by penalizing Germany's largest bank too heavily and endangering its survival -- something the bank may use to its advantage in pending settlement talks, attorneys say.

Deutsche Bank, which federal prosecutors believe knowingly sold toxic mortgage-backed securities between 2006 and 2008, this month publicly rejected the proposed settlement amount, saying it had "no intent" of agreeing to a sum "anywhere near" that amount.

Going public with their position is a rare move to be as open as possible at a time when the bank appears worryingly weak, according to a source with knowledge of the matter."

The bank's share price has tumbled 50 percent since the beginning of the year, bringing its market value below $17 billion. Citigroup, by comparison, is currently valued at $135 billion.

A large fine could drag the company's common equity tier-one ratio, now at 10.8 percent, below the psychological threshold of 10 percent, according to Stephen Ellis of MorningStar.

This, and other question marks over the bank's longer-term viability, have investors deeply worried.

- Room to negotiate -

But weakness could be the bank's trump card.

"When it comes to negotiating over the final bill, Deutsche Bank's weaknesses could actually be strengths," said James Kousouros, a white-collar defense attorney in Manhattan.

Deutsche Bank's ultimate settlement amount will depend in part on the bank's financial stability, a person with knowledge of the matter told AFP.

Other settlement deals show the Department of Justice is willing to negotiate. Citigroup, seen as having similar levels involvement to Deutsche Bank's in the dodgy mortgage-backed securities trade before the crisis, payed $7 billion in 2014, compared to the government's initially proposed $12 billion.

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Contacted by AFP, both Deutsche Bank and the Justice Department declined to comment.

The bank's troubles have been evident for months. The International Monetary Fund in June said Deutsche Bank was the financial institution most likely to inflict damages on the global financial sector.

More worrisome, however, the bank's derivatives exposure in 2015 was estimated at $46 trillion, or about 13 times the size of the entire German economy.

In other words, should Deutsche Bank run aground, a bailout would be difficult. But without one, contagion could spread from the German financial system to the global one.

In 2008, Lehman Brothers collapsed, spreading havoc through the global financial system, having had net exposure to derivatives of a little less than a tenth of the value of Deutsche Bank's positions.

"DOJ knows there will be dire ramifications... for countries that Deutsche Bank does play an important role in if they were effectively to take the bank down," said Kousouros.

- Collateral consequences -

He cited the controversial principle that some financial institutions are "too big to fail" and can thus force authorities to preserve them at taxpayers' expense, while those responsible are never held to account.

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall, and when they fall they make a lot of noise," he said.

In pursuing corporate entities, US prosecutors are asked to consider "collateral consequences" that could arise if companies face criminal charges.

New York attorney Alan Futerfas, whose firm has defended clients accused of sanctions violations in Iran, said he emphasizes such questions in settlement talks.

"When I represent an institution in a situation like this, the issue of whether the amount the government is proposing will cause significant financial harm to the business, or whether the business will have to fire people, or whether the business will be able to sustain itself in the wake of the payment, is always an important part of my presentation," he told AFP.

Financial markets have not hid their impatience, especially given that German Chancellor Angela Merkel has ruled out any public bailout of Deutsche Bank.

In a tweet on Tuesday, Christopher Whalen of the Kroll Bond Rating Agency warned that market perceptions are fraught with peril for banks, recalling the demise of investment bank Bear Stearns at the start of the financial crisis.

"Let us recall, the collapse of Bear Stearns was due to a lack of confidence, not a lack of capital," he said on Twitter.
Frankfurt (AFP) - Germany's Deutsche Post, owner of express delivery service DHL, on Wednesday said it had agreed to buy UK Mail in a push to strengthen its European foothold, while taking advantage of a post-Brexit vote slump in the pound.

The German logistics giant said it would pay 440 pence a share for UK Mail, valuing the company at 242.7 million pounds (281 million euros, $316 million).

"With this acquisition, we will further extend our network and have a strong foothold in Europe's three largest e-commerce markets, the UK, Germany and France," Deutsche Post DHL group board member Juergen Gerdes said.

Shares in UK Mail shot up by more than 40 percent on news of the deal, while Deutsche Post shares gained 0.8 percent in afternoon trading in Frankfurt.

CMC markets analyst Jasper Lawler said Deutsche Post had acted at the right time.

"It's an opportunistic buy for Deutsche Post, using a devalued pound and problems with UK Mail's new sorting facility to expand its stake, beyond its ownership of DHL, in the UK delivery market."

The pound plummeted against major currencies immediately after Britain voted in June to leave the European Union, before regaining some ground.

But ongoing uncertainty over the Brexit fallout has continued to weigh on sterling, which hit a three-year low against the euro last month.

The takeover will also see UK Mail step up competition with British heavyweight Royal Mail, whose privatisation was completed last year.

"UK Mail competes with Royal Mail in bulk letters and parcels. We would expect it to become a much more powerful competitor with the backing of a much larger, financially stronger and ambitious owner," analysts at Liberum said in a client note.

Deutsche Post last month reported its strongest-ever second-quarter results with a net profit of 541 million euros, up 66 percent on the year before, largely thanks to growth in online shopping and an increase in the price of stamps.
By Tina Bellon and Arno Schuetze

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Post DHL is buying independent British postal operator UK Mail Group for 243 million pounds to cement its foothold in Europe's three largest e-commerce markets, Britain, Germany and France.

European postal firms are having to cut their costs and invest in new technology and services as they try to stay ahead of new entrants in the lucrative parcel delivery market such as U.S. online retailer Amazon.com.

The cash offer from Deutsche Post, the world's biggest mail and logistics group, was recommended by UK Mail's directors, the two companies said on Wednesday.

Deutsche Post said the 440 pence per share bid represented a 43 percent premium to UK Mail's three-month weighted average share price, and it had undertakings from shareholders holding about 60 percent of the company to accept the offer.

UK Mail shares jumped 43 percent to 440.25 pence, while Deutsche Post's rose 1.2 percent to 27.94 euros, broadly in line with the German blue-chip DAX.

"The on-going expansion of our parcel network in Europe is driven by increasing demand within our e-commerce customer base for cross-border deliveries," Deutsche Post board member Juergen Gerdes said in a statement.

UK Mail, which is focused on business customers, last year launched a new hub in Coventry with machinery it said enabled it to handle 24,000 parcels an hour - four times as many as before.

The market has seen a wave of consolidation in recent years. Among other, U.S.-based FedEx agreed to buy Dutch TNT Express last year for 4.4 billion euros, catapulting it to second place in Europe ahead of UPS.

Deutsche Post's bid takes advantage of a slump in UK Mail's share price, which has fallen by a third over the last two years.

"The board believes that UK Mail... will be better positioned to continue to develop our parcels and mail businesses with the benefit of Deutsche Post DHL's greater financial and operational resources," UK Mail Chairman Peter Kane said in a statement.

Deutsche Bank advised Deutsche Post and UK Mail was advised by Investec.

(Writing by Georgina Prodhan; Editing by Alexander Smith)
DJ Khaled is taking his major keys from Snapchat to a forthcoming book called The Keys. The hip-hop mogul announced (Sept. 28) that he will be releasing his debut literary effort on Nov. 22, via Crown Publishing Group.

New book alert !! https://t.co/4Lhv6Enb5y ---------------------------------- pic.twitter.com/v7tbA0XSpo

- DJ KHALED (@djkhaled) September 28, 2016

"Finally, the book They don't want you to read is here," the book's Barnes & Noble pre-order page reads. "The Keys will reveal DJ Khaled's philosophy for success, featuring stories from his own life as he breaks down all of the major keys." The page goes on to preview a couple of said keys, including "The key is to not jetski at night" and "The key is to have every key."

Join DJ Khaled in a 'Mansion on Wheels' for Rolls-Royce Tour of NYC

Khaled previously teased his self-help book in a May 11 interview with the New York Times magazine. "The keys can never run out. Sometimes when you get a key, it gets you another key, and gets you another key," he said about his motivational nuggets of wisdom. "One of my major keys is actually the master keys: God. In my life, they've hid the keys from me, so I've overcome and weathered a lot of storms."

The news of his book comes in the midst of a banner year for Khaled, who also secured the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 with his latest effort Major Key back in August.
(Reuters) - World number one Novak Djokovic has been forced to withdraw from next week's China Open in Beijing because of an elbow injury. Serb Djokovic, a six-times winner of the tournament who has a 29-0 win-loss record in Beijing, last played in his U.S. Open final loss to Stan Wawrinka this month. "I am extremely disappointed not to be able to compete at the China Open this year. I'm still recovering from my elbow injury and have been advised not to play until my condition improves," Djokovic said on his website (www.novakdjokovic.com) on Wednesday. "I will continue with my rehabilitation and hope to be able to return to the ATP Tour as soon as possible. The China Open is one of my favorite tournaments." Women's world number two Serena Williams also withdrew from the China Open due to a persistent shoulder injury. (Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
The deceased, identified as Fozia, along with her sister was hit by a SUV moving backwards after it faced heavy stone pelting by a mob.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: A young girl died during the stone pelting in Srinagar on Tuesday morning.

The deceased, identified as Fozia, along with her sister was hit by a SUV moving backwards after it faced heavy stone pelting by a mob.

The stone pelting has had serious repercussions on both civilians and security personnel since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen.

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While more than 7,000 civilians died during the recent unrest in the Valley, as many as 2400 CRPF men have been injured, 122 of them grievously.

83 DAYS OF UNREST

As per CRPF internal record 1321 incidents of stone pelting have taken place in the last three months in Kashmir valley.

The danger of stone pelting is worse when petrol/acid/kerosene bombs are lobbed along with stone. The strike rate is higher in these cases. As per an internal figure available with CRPF. Forty-three CRPF men have been injured in 43 reported incidents.

Speaking on such incidents, a top official in the force said "The stone pelting incident is being compared to 2010, is turning out to be much worse in comparison. Our soldiers are coming back with grievous injuries. One of our assistant commandants is being treated in Chennai for grievous eye injury."

Stone pelting incidents have been used by militants to lob grenade at the force by taking cover from the crowd. CRPF has also reported incidents of stray firing from the crowd targeting the security forces.

As many as 117 mob attacks on Security Force camps and Police Stations with intention to loot weapons have also been reported.

According to the force, the CRPF personnel are using maximum restraint to control the crowd using Tear smoke and less lethal weapons.

Facing the flak for using pellet guns, which resulted into more than 180 cases of severe eye injuries, security forces now use Tear smoke Shells fired, Tear Smoke Grenade, Rubber Bullets , Multi Button shells, Plastic Pallets, Stun grenades, 3 way grenade and chilli grenades as non lethal measures to deal with civilian protestors.

Since killing of Burhan Wani on 8th of July:

No. of Stone pelting incidents- 1321

No. of CRPF personnel injured in Stone Pelting -2400

No of CRPF personnel injured in other incidents - 144

ALSO READ:

Kashmir Unrest: Tension rises after another civilian dies in Baramullah

Kashmir unrest: MHA steps in to rectify weak PAVA shells

--- ENDS ---
During the first Presidential debate on Monday night, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton asked viewers to remember that her opponent had started his career with a 1973 lawsuit brought by the Justice Department because he would not rent apartments in one of his developments to African-Americans, and he made sure that the people who worked for him understood that was the policy, as Clinton put it.

Republican nominee Donald Trump responded briefly, noting that his companys involvement was merely part of something larger: We, along with many, many other companies throughout the country  were sued. We settled the suit with zerowith no admission of guilt.

It is true that there was no legal decision about whether or not the Trump Management Corporation did engage in discriminatory practices. It is also true that the case was part of something bigger.

Throughout the 20th-century civil-rights movement, housing discrimination remained one of the most intractable and important barriers to full racial equality in the United States: in the suburbs and in cities, minorities (especially black Americans) found that there were numerous barriers to their buying or renting homes. Those barriers, from restrictive covenants to redlining, kept neighborhoods segregated.

New York City had been one of the first places in the nation to ban racial discrimination in some private housing, opting in 1957eight years after making the same decision for public housingto implement penalties for apartment landlords who refused minorities. But, even when local laws banned such practices, they often returned in subtler forms.

Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter

In 1966, when the House introduced a bill to do the same federally, on President Johnsons urging, it was heavy with loopholes but was still, by TIMEs reckoning back then, one of the most controversial civil-rights bills of the era. Not only did it concern private property, but it also affected the entire country, meaning that Northern whites would have to confront their own biases instead of just watching the Jim Crow South squirm. (At that point, the magazine reported, about a third of white Americansdown from 45% in 1963told pollsters they would consider moving out of their homes if a black family moved in next door.) That bill died, but the legal justification for fair-housing laws was getting ever firmer.

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Sure enough, two years later, in the wake of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., a new version of the law passed. It was an important step, as TIME explained:

If, as Lyndon Johnson intended, the 1964 civil rights bill was a monument to John Kennedy, the measure that became law last week will stand in part as a memorial to Martin Luther King. The 1968 Civil Rights Act, opening some 80% of all the nations housing to Negroes, should also endure as a major legislative landmark of the Johnson Administration. The proudest moments of my presidency, said L.B.J. at the bill-signing ceremony in the White House, have been such times as this when I have signed into law the promises of a century. The measure does nothingdirectly to conquer prejudice or poverty. Moreover, enforcement may prove forbiddingly difficult since a Negro who is refused housing because of his race must first appeal to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, then file suit in the courts. Yet the psychological effect of the act upon developers, homeowners and Negroes alike will open many doors. For the first time by federal law, a Negro in the U.S. is as entitled as any whiteor more accurately, four-fifths as entitledto buy or rent any house or apartment that he can afford.

And yet, in 1970 TIME declared that integrating housing was proving even more difficult than integrating schools. Lax enforcement of existing laws, difficulty with zoning restrictions and a federal reluctance to get involved in local matters all contributed to the problem.

One response to this situation was the direct investigation of landlord compliance with the law. One such initiative was known as Operation Open City, a federally funded project under the auspices of the New York Urban League. As an Open City report from 1967 put it, the project began in 1964even before the federal law changedto fight the housing discrimination which keeps non-white New Yorkers in racial ghettos.

Though the organization was meant primarily to help minority families directly with their moves, it was found that a high percentage of the people who moved with the help of Open City had to file discrimination complaints as part of the process. As one 1970 New York Times report explained, starting in 1969 the group began gathering information on many of the citys landlords, with white checkers visiting buildings where black applicants had been turned away; if the white applicant was not denied, that became evidence.

In 1973, the Department of Justice decided to bring charges against the Trump Management Corporation, for violation of the 1968 law. An investigation had found evidence that minority tenants were being denied rentals at Trump properties or redirected to other Trump housing developments that were less white. The suit was at least partly a result of an investigation by Operation Open City, according to the initial New York Times report on the case. At the time, Trump called the charges absolutely ridiculous.

The Washington Post and others have re-investigated, in light of Trumps candidacy, what went on in the 1970s at Trump Village and what happened during the lawsuit. According to the Post analysis, though the Trumps were always careful to make it clear that the settlement was not an admission of guilt, as the candidate said on Monday, the government portrayed the settlement as a win. It was a big deal, Elyse Goldweber, a former Department of Justice lawyer, told the Post.

Media coverage of the case conformed to that view. Trump promises to end race bias, the New York Times headline declared.

As This American Life deftly showed in 2013, discriminatory rental practices are still very much a problemand the tactics developed back in the 1960s are still in use, with testers posing as renters to test landlord bias. If youre discriminated against in getting housing, theres a decent chance you dont know it happened. Maybe you dont even suspect it, note the shows Nancy Updike. The whole idea seems like a throwback.
In Mondays night 90-minute debate, Donald Trump barely made mention of an issue that has been the cornerstone of his presidential campaign since its launch: immigration.

The Republican nominee has touted his hardline stance on the issue on the campaign trail and on the primary debate stage next to his Republican opponents. But he left the matter untouched in the first debate with his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, despite numerous opportunities to it bring up.

Trump has called Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals. If elected, hes said he would deport the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. He has promised to build a wall on the southern border with Mexico, and to force that country to pay for it. He has said he would ban Muslims and refugees from Syria from entering the United States. All of those signature Trump proposals went unmentioned Monday night.

The closest Trump came to any of those issues during the debate was citing his recent endorsement by the National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council, a union representing federal immigration officers. The endorsement came a few months after the National Border Patrol Council, a labor union representing more than 16,000 agents, also decided to back Trump. (Trump mistakenly said that ICE, the agency, had endorsed him, rather than the union representing ICE officers.)

Recommended: Donald Trump's 'Miss Piggy' Comments Expose a Double Standard on Weight

That might have been an opportunity for Trump to plug his line that he would build a great wall on the U.S.-Mexico border that would be paid for by Mexico, but he refrained. By contrast, during the Republican primary debates, Trump frequently pounced on his opponents for their more lenient stances on immigration, like Jeb Bush, who supported a pathway to citizenship, and Marco Rubio, who was involved in the Gang of Eight legislation that would have granted legal status to millions of undocumented immigrants.

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Trump also refrained from mentioning his stance on refugees.

Trump also refrained from mentioning his stance on refugees. Late last year, more than half of the countrys governorsall of whom were Republican except oneurged the Obama administration to halt the resettlement of Syrian refugees.

During the debate, Trump charged that Clinton had been fighting ISIS her entire adult life, but did not mention the refugee issue. (ISIS has not been in existence for Clintons adult life.) While Trump has portrayed refugee resettlement as national security threat, only three resettled refugees out of the almost 800,000 brought to the U.S. since 2001 have been arrested for planning terrorist activities, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

Anti-immigrant voters have contributed to Trumps surge. As Ronald Brownstein and Leah Askarinam reported in August: Republicans who support deporting undocumented immigrants supplied Trumps margin of victory in most of the key contests before he broke open the race in April.

But on Monday night, Trump faced a far larger audience, some of whom could have been turned off by his hardline stance. Still, while he may have excluded his immigration talking points from the first presidential debate, theyre unlikely to be written off altogether.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Donald Trump, in tones that have veered from feisty to "muted" in the two days since his debate performance against Hillary Clinton, is labeling the former secretary of state "grossly incompetent" and promising his supporters he won't just defeat his Democrat opponent at the polls on Nov. 8, he will "get rid of that crooked woman."



On Wednesday, the GOP nominee spoke during a campaign event at the Polish National Alliance, using what the Chicago Tribune described as "very muted if not hushed tones." He told the crowd of about 200 voters: "We're going to have a Trump administration that's going to get things done, that's going to lower taxes. Hillary Clinton, who I happen to believe is grossly incompetent, she's going to raise taxes."



"I happen to believe that she'd be very, very bad for our country," he continued. "I think it would be worse than four more years of Obama. It would actually be worse and it won't be great for the people you're representing and it won't be great for the people of our country because we have a chance to really make America great again."



"Whether it's tax, whether it's trade, whether it's regulation, there's so many different things we're going to do. But we're going to spur growth and we're going to spur growth in the right direction, not the wrong direction," he said, adding that he would be "the greatest president for jobs that God ever created."







NBC Chicago reports that the "uncharacteristically low-tempoed speech ... fueled further questions about Trump's health" following his infamous case of the sniffles at Monday night's debate. Trump's campaign said he does not have a cold and is feeling "just fine," NBC Chicago said.





Donald Trump Calls Hillary Clinton 'Grossly Incompetent' and Promises Supporters He's 'Going to Get Rid of That Crooked Woman'| 2016 Presidential Elections, politics, Donald Trump, Hillary Rodham Clinton

Trump struck a feistier tone at a campaign event in Melbourne, Florida, on Tuesday night, where he doubled down on the attacks he made against his opponent during the first presidential debate.



Calling Clinton "virtually incompetent, certainly as secretary of state," he told the crowd, "We're going to get rid of that crooked woman."



"She's a crooked woman," he added. "She's a very, very dishonest woman."





Story continues



 Are you voting? Not voting? How do you really feel about the candidates? PEOPLE wants to know! Take our brief survey about the 2016 election now, and receive 20% off in the PEOPLE Shop as a thank you for your time.



Trump also stood by his comments on two of the most contested issues from Monday's debate  one, in which he claimed he did not support the war in Iraq and another in which he insisted the stop-and-frisk practice in N.Y.C was not ruled unconstitutional in 2013.





RELATED VIDEO: ICYMI: The Most Talked About Moments From The Presidential Debate



There are conflictingreports as to whether or not Trump publicly opposed the war before it began. Asked whether he supported an Iraq invasion in a 2002 interview with Howard Stern, Trump said, "Yeah, I guess so; I wish the first time it was done correctly."



Federal Judge Shira Scheindlin ruled New York's version of stop-and-frisk unconstitutional in 2013.





Donald Trump Calls Hillary Clinton 'Grossly Incompetent' and Promises Supporters He's 'Going to Get Rid of That Crooked Woman'| 2016 Presidential Elections, politics, Donald Trump, Hillary Rodham Clinton



Closing the event, Trump reiterated all of his major campaign proposals.



"I am going to lower your taxes by a lot," he said. "I'm going to eliminate every unnecessary and costly regulation. We're going to repeal and replace Obamacare. We're going to unleash American energy. We're going to end illegal and very dangerous immigration. We're going to keep radical Islamic terrorists the hell out of our country. We're going to save your Second Amendment. We are going to support the men and women of law enforcement. And we're going to appoint justices to the supreme court who will uphold and defend the constitution of the United States. We will rebuild our roads, our bridges, our tunnels, highways, airports, schools, hospitals. We will rebuild our country and we are going to put a lot of people to work."
Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks as Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton listens during their first presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, U.S., September 26, 2016. REUTERS/Rick Wilking

Hillary Clinton's performance in the first presidential debate buoyed hopes of her victory in November, especially in Mexico, where her performance raised spirits and the value of the peso.

But win or lose, there is still the potential for Donald Trump, who has made having Mexico pay for a wall on the southern border a central campaign promise, to have a lasting impact on the Mexican political landscape.

The Republican candidate has already caused turmoil in the sitting Mexican government.

In the wake of Trump's visit with current President Enrique Pena Nieto in early September, Luis Videgaray, one of Pena Nieto's closest advisers and reportedly the person who suggested Trump's visit, stepped down as finance minister.

As Trump has tapped into a dissatisfaction with the political status quo in the US, his stance toward Mexico appears to have bolstered the position of a leftist Mexican presidential candidate who has the same anti-establishment appeal.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, often referred to as AMLO, has twice run for Mexico's presidency, losing narrowly in 2006 and again by 6 points to Pena Nieto in 2012  and he's set to run again in 2018.

'If Trump were to win ... Lopez Obrador would have a field day"

AMLO's party, the National Regeneration Movement, or Morena  which he formed in 2014 after breaking with the leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution  got a boost from Mexico's midterm elections in June, in which the party won 18% of state-level votes nationwide (but no states), a number of local elections, and Mexico City's vote for a constitutional assembly.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Mexico presidential election leftist morena party

"Lopez Obrador was the big winner in the last election cycle, because they had so much to gain," David Shirk, a professor at the University of San Diego, told Business Insider. "They were a nonpresence, and they basically were able to sap a whole bunch of strength away from the PRD, and no other party made as large a gain as in the election as Lopez Obrador."

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Pena Nieto's Institutional Revolutionary Party lost six of the nine governorships it held going into that election cycle, a defeat attributed to corruption scandals, the country's weak economy, and rising violence, all of which have dogged the party.

The shortcomings of the PRI and other mainstream parties, coupled with Trump's incendiary rhetoric about Mexico, has burnished AMLO's appeal as an outsider willing to challenge the status quo and as a defender of Mexicans.

pena nieto

"If Trump were to win the U.S. elections, Lopez Obrador would have a field day," Miami Herald columnist Andres Oppenheimer wrote in June, after the PRI's electoral drubbing. "Lopez Obradors fiery speeches against Trumps Mexico-bashing would rally many Mexicans behind him."

Recent presidential polls have found AMLO in contention in Mexico's multiparty system.

An early August poll by Mexican newspaper Reforma found his support at between 24% and 29%, comparable to the 24% to 27% support for Margarita Zavala of the rightist National Action Party.

An August poll by Mexican newspaper El Universal found him with a 36% approval rating, while another round of polls that month found him with 24.8% to Zavala's 25.99%

A recent Reforma poll found him trailing Zavala by only 2 percentage points, and other surveys have put him in first with as much as 28%, according to The Wall Street Journal.

If Trump were to take the White House in November and doesn't moderate his tone on Mexico, chances are AMLO would benefit.

"If the negative rhetoric on Mexico would continue after the US election, it would definitely bolster Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors competitiveness because he would be framed as more nationalistic and more capable candidate to really fight back that negative rhetoric that has been taking place in the US against Mexico," Carlos Petersen, Eurasia Group's Latin America associate, said in August.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Mexico leftist presidential elections morena

Moreover, if Mexico's current government continues to be plagued by corruption allegations and if the current security situation doesn't improve, Mexico's established parties will likely have more trouble steering voters away from him.

"In two years, if incumbents havent done more to address Mexicos corruption and violence problems, it will be very hard to scare people with the prospect of a Lopez Obrador victory," former US Ambassador to Mexico Tony Garza told Oppenheimer in June.

"People will say, 'Are you telling me that I should be scared of Lopez Obrador, when you havent done the things that you should have been doing for years?'"

' He is his own man'

Unlike Trump, AMLO has held public office but spent little time in the private sector, but in other aspects, the two are fitting counterparts.

"I guess the main point of distinction that sets AMLO apart is that he is, in some ways he is like Trump," said Shirk, who is also the director of USD's Justice in Mexico program. "He doesn't play according to the traditional rules. He is his own man, and his platform is really about him as much as they try to make it seem otherwise."

"It's basically that [AMLO] is a maverick," Shirk added, "and he is going to stand up for the people and he's specifically going to stand up for the poorest of the poor, and I think he would if he gets elected."

Donald Trump

Both have struck populist stances on economic issues.

While Trump has targeted NAFTA in his campaign, AMLO has railed against constitutional reforms (the most polarizing of which opened the country's oil industry to private investment) enacted under Pena Nieto, promising to reverse them.

And as Trump has been buffeted by reports of financial impropriety and other misdeeds, AMLO has been accused of less-than-honest dealings, most recently with reports finding he failed to disclose his ownership of two Mexico City apartments  nothing illegal, but a potential blow to efforts to separate himself from Mexico's establishment.

And like Trump, AMLO is competing to lead a country where economic fortune has divergent for people at the top and the bottom. "Right now the situation in Mexico is very interesting because you have a population that is very divided," Petersen said.

"You have one part [of the country] that has benefited a lot from these [current] policies and another that hasnt really seen any benefits," Petersen added. "And thats what the political environment shows."

Former Mexican President Vicente Fox has even drawn a comparison between Trump and AMLO, calling them both "loudmouths."

EPN Trump slump = AMLO Trump bump

While AMLO may be trying to play to a broader constituency  striking a more conciliatory tone in late summer, seeking out alliances with other parts of Mexico's political left and easing his stance on some of Pena Nieto's reforms, as Carin Zissis of the Americas Society/Council of the Americas noted in early August  there are reasons to doubt he would triumph in a presidential election that is still more than a year away.

"That is just name recognition," Viridiana Rios, a global fellow at Washington, DC's Wilson Center, said of AMLO's performance in recent polls. "[It's] clear people know him more than others just because he has been running for office for so long."

"Whoever is against Pena has a chance now," Rios told Business Insider. "That is AMLO but also PAN and everybody."

Lopez Obrador benefits from positioning himself against the status quo, with which many Mexicans have grown frustrated. Moreover, that he is the first presidential candidate to secure a place on the ticket of a main party also likely boosted his image. Whether that translates into votes in 2018 is a different matter.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Mexico presidential election leftist morena

"Lopez Obrador is necessarily limited to a very specific segment of the electorate, and I don't know that Lopez Obrador will ever be able to pull more than ... 30% of the vote," Shirk told Business Insider.

Some of AMLO's positions could turn off parts of Mexico electorate. He has downplayed the importance of issues like legalizing abortion and gay marriage and spoken of gentle treatment for those implicated in corruption.

"With respect to AMLO I would only say he does not represent a progressive, smart left but an authoritarian, old one," Rios argued. "His platform does not represent younger, more creative, educated and innovative Mexican voters," Rios said.

"I think we definitely see a Pena Nieto slump due to Trump," Shirk said, "but the Pena Nieto Trump slump doesn't necessarily translate into a AMLO Trump bump."

NOW WATCH: 'She gained a massive amount of weight': Trump criticizes the Miss Universe winner Clinton said he called 'Miss Piggy'





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Donald Trump speaks at the Polish National Alliance in Chicago on Wednesday. (Photo: John Locher/AP)

CHICAGO  It has been a central theme of Donald Trumps campaign in recent weeks: the ongoing bloodshed from gun-related violence that has plagued the streets of inner city Chicago, killing more than 500 people so far this year and wounding thousands more.

In stump speeches all over the country and at Mondays debate against Hillary Clinton, Trump has repeatedly invoked the violent turmoil in President Obamas adopted hometown, calling it a daily horror that no one in America should suffer.

You walk down the street, you get shot, Trump declared at Mondays debate. In Chicago, theyve had thousands of shootings, thousands since Jan. 1. Thousands of shootings, and I say where is this? Is this a war-torn country? What are we doing?

Trump has mentioned the subject almost daily over the last month, speaking in interviews and at other public appearances. But it seems there is one place where the GOP nominee does not want to talk about Chicagos violence: in Chicago.

Visiting the Windy City on Wednesday, Trump did not go to see for himself the neighborhoods that have suffered the most from gun violence. At the same time, Trump notably omitted the subject at his lone public campaign stop here, where he addressed the Polish National Alliance on the citys far northwest side. His other campaign stop, a fundraiser in the Chicago suburbs, was closed to reporters.

Its unclear why Trump didnt address the issue. A Trump spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

Since late summer, Trump has been citing Chicagos deadly plague of violence almost daily. He has used it not only to cast himself as the candidate who will restore law and order to the nation, but also as an appeal to African-Americans and others who he says were betrayed by Democrats unwilling to do anything about the shootings.

We have to help them, Trump said at a campaign rally Tuesday night in Melbourne, Fla. It is unacceptable.

Donald Trump rallies with supporters in Melbourne, Fla, on Tuesday night. (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Trumps pitch on rebuilding the inner cities and making streets safer comes as he tries to make inroads with minority voters who have been skeptical of his candidacy amid inflammatory statements hes made about immigrants and other voting blocs.

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In recent weeks, the celebrity businessman has taken his unlikely campaign for the White House to unexpected settings, including to predominantly black churches in Detroit and Cleveland. There, hes bemoaned the crimes affecting African-Americans and Latinos, pledging that if hes elected, he would make it a priority to secure the streets and invest heavily in education and job creation to make their daily lives better.

But hes also sparked criticism with suggestions of how he might do that. Last week, Trump proposed that Chicago police officers be able to employ stop-and-frisk, a controversial tactic allowing random search that was discontinued by the New York Police Department after a federal judge found that it unfairly targeted minorities.

At Mondays debate, Trump trashed the ruling, saying it was issued by a very against-police judge. But specifically citing Chicago, he also called for better relationships between law enforcement officers and the community they serve.

You dont have good community relations in Chicago, Trump said, reminding voters that he owns a hotel there. Its terrible whats going on in Chicago.

Donald Trump, center, talks with business leaders at the Polish National Alliance on Wednesday in Chicago. (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Twenty-four hours later, in a speech that seemed to focus on missed opportunities at the debate, Trump invoked Chicago again, citing statistics on the latest number of those senselessly killed.

Nine more people, think of it, nine more people were shot in Chicago yesterday. Yesterday! Trump told supporters in Florida.

The GOP nominee accused Clinton of doing nothing to help Chicago and other cities beset by crime, adding he would never back down from trying to save American lives.

I will never back down from fighting to rebuild our inner cities, Trump declared. How much more violence must there be on our streets before Hillary Clinton abandons her scripted and rehearsed lines and speaks authentically for even one second about the real problems facing our nation?

In the days leading up to his visit here, there had been rumors that Trump might participate in a local event to talk about Chicagos violence. But nothing was added to the schedule. Instead, on Wednesday morning, he traveled from his hotel, just off the Magnificent Mile in downtown Chicago, to an office complex on the northwest side of the city, far from the neighborhoods most affected by the gun epidemic. There, he spoke briefly on foreign affairs issues and made an appeal for Polish-Americans to back his candidacy.

I hope I get every single Polish-American vote in this country, he said.
CHICAGO  Amid rumors of campaign disarray and unease over his debate performance, Donald Trump took aim at Hillary Clinton in a more personal way Wednesday, mocking her for taking days off the campaign trail and suggesting she would only bring scandal to the White House if elected.

Campaigning in Council Bluffs, Iowa, the celebrity businessman turned Republican presidential nominee delivered a scathing scripted speech casting Clinton as a corrupt insider who has had many opportunities to bring change to Washington but failed.

RELATED: In Windy City, Trump suddenly quiet on Chicago violence

For nearly a half-hour of his 45-minute speech, Trump relitigated a litany of Clinton scandals, including the flaps over her private email server and dealings between Clintons State Department staff and the Clinton Foundation. Linking his rival to her husband, former President Bill Clinton, Trump described them as the sordid past and his campaign as the bright future.

Hillary Clinton is an insider fighting only for insiders, Trump declared. She disgraced the office of secretary of state, putting it up for sale. And if she ever got the chance, she would put the Oval Office up for sale too.

Follow the money, he repeated again and again. The Clintons have perfected the politics of profit, he added.

Donald Trump supporters before a rally in Council Bluffs, Iowa. (Photo: John Locher/AP)

But Trump went off message near the end of his speech, looking away from the teleprompter to attack Clintons campaign stamina. He appeared to reference her stumble into a van as she left a Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony earlier this month, when doctors say she had been diagnosed with pneumonia.

You see all the days off that Hillary takes? Day off, day off, day off, Trump said. All those day offs, and she cant even make it to her car. Isnt it tough? All those day offs Boom.

She is day in, day out, and Im campaigning, he added.

Its not the first time Trump has attacked Clintons stamina. Speaking in Ohio a few days after Clintons pneumonia diagnosis, he touted his own campaign abilities. You think Hillary would be able to stand up here for an hour and do this? Trump asked at a rally in Canton, Ohio. I dont know. I dont think so.

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Trumps comments came amid reports of staff sniping over the candidates debate preparations and the trajectory of his campaign. On the campaign trail and on social media, the GOP candidate has repeatedly claimed he won Mondays debate, citing unscientific online polls. But his sour mood on the trail seems to undermine that claim.

In addition to surrogates trashing Mondays debate moderator, NBCs Lester Holt, Trump has assailed the media more vigorously than he has in weeks. Campaigning in Florida on Monday, Trump suggested the only reason Clinton was competitive in the race was because of the dishonest media. At least four times, he broke from his scripted remarks to trash the media  at one point instructing supporters to turn around and boo journalists on hand to cover the rally.

Trump in Council Bluffs. (Photo: John Locher/AP)

Meanwhile, anonymous leaks from Trump world suggested another round of disarray within staff ranks. Citing unnamed sources, the New York Times reported that Trump aides were unhappy with their candidates debate performance and were struggling to convince him to do more preparation in advance of the Oct. 9 debate.

As that story made the rounds, anonymous sources told NBCs Katy Tur that Trumps adult children  Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric  are unhappy with Trumps campaign leadership, including senior aides Kellyanne Conway, Steve Bannon and David Bossie. The same source also said the kids were increasingly concerned that the campaign was hurting the family business.

In response, the campaign released a statement that sounded like something that Trump would write himself. They are happier than ever before, as they should be, given the success in the polls and in Mondays debate, the statement read.

Campaign response to the kids being unhappy about adverse effects to the business pic.twitter.com/C4GSwwQz3V  Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) September 28, 2016

And in an unusual move in an already unusual campaign year, Trump responded: Your sources, if they even exist, are probably sources that have been fired long ago and have no knowledge of what is happening in the campaign, the candidate said in a written statement. Hard to be unhappy when we are doing so well.
Donald Trump

Donald Trump took a swipe at Hillary Clinton on Wednesday for her early September health episode outside a 9/11 memorial event, mocking the Democratic nominee for not being able to "make it to her car."

"You see all the days off that Hillary takes?" Trump asked the crowd at an Iowa rally. "Day off. Day off. Day off. All those day offs. And then she can't even make it to her car."

"Isn't that tough?" he continued. "All those day offs. Right. Boom. Every see her chart? 'She won't be campaigning today. She won't be campaigning today.'"

Trump was referencing an early-September incident when Clinton appeared to collapse outside of her car at the 9/11 memorial in New York. Her campaign later disclosed that she had a pneumonia, and she took part of the following week off the campaign trail.

Trump was initially reluctant to comment on the episode, wishing her a speedy recovery. But Trump hinted at the incident later in the week. However, Wednesday's comment was one of his strongest jabs at the moment yet.

During Monday's debate, Trump and Clinton had a lengthy back-and-forth over his accusation that she doesn't "have the stamina" to be president.

"She doesn't have the look  She doesn't have the stamina," Trump said when debate moderator Lester Holt asked him about his prior statement that Clinton doesn't have "the presidential look." "I said she doesn't have the stamina. And I don't believe she does have the stamina. To be president of this country, you need tremendous stamina."

"You have to be able to negotiate our trade deals," he continued. "You have to be able to negotiate, that's right, with Japan, with Saudi Arabia. I mean, can you imagine, we're defending Saudi Arabia? And with all of the money they have, we're defending them, and they're not paying? All you have to do is speak to them. Wait. You have so many different things you have to be able to do, and I don't believe that Hillary has the stamina."

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Clinton fired back, mentioning her past experiences.

"Well, as soon as he travels to 112 countries and negotiates a peace deal, a cease-fire, a release of dissidents, an opening of new opportunities in nations around the world, or even spends 11 hours testifying in front of a congressional committee, he can talk to me about stamina," she said to applause from the crowd.

"The world  let me tell you," Trump responded. "Let me tell you. Hillary has experience, but it's bad experience. We have made so many bad deals during the last -- so she's got experience, that I agree."

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The court asked Sahara to give a road-map by which it wants to return investors' money that it had raised from the investors in 2008-09 through Optionally Fully Convertible Debentures (OFCDs).

By India Today Web Desk: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked Sahara to deposit another Rs 200 crore by October 24, as it extended its interim order releasing Subrata Roy and two other directors on parole.



The bench headed by Chief Justice of India TS Thakur, while extending the parole, asked Sahara to give a road-map by which it wants to return investors' money that it had raised from the investors in 2008-09 through Optionally Fully Convertible Debentures (OFCDs).

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The Supreme Court also asked the Sahara chief to provide a roadmap on how the company will pay approximately Rs 12,000 crore to SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India), which has dragged two Sahara companies for not complying with the apex court order directing them to return Rs 17,600 crore to their investors.

Last week, the Supreme Court had given Roy time till September 30 to surrender after his parole was cancelled.

ALSO READ:

Sahara's Subrata Roy gets another week from Supreme Court to surrender

Supreme Court extends Subrata Roy's parole till September 23



--- ENDS ---
A sure way to get under Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's skin is to accuse him of not treating women properly (or ask about his taxes) -- which is exactly what Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton did at the end of Monday night's contentious first presidential debate.

When Clinton read off a list of insults Trump has made about women over the years, including unkind remarks about comedian Rosie O'Donnell, a frustrated Trump shot back, "Rosie O'Donnell -- I said very tough things to her, and I think everybody would agree that she deserves it and nobody feels sorry for her."

First Donald Trump & Hillary Clinton Debate Draws Reaction From Katy Perry, Chance the Rapper & More

That slam drew a strong reaction from the crowd in the room at Hofstra University and an even bigger response from the Twitterverse, including one pointed tweet from Family Guy creator and crude humor champion Seth MacFarlane.

Wait... did Trump whine about Rosie O'Donnell there at the end? Does he know where he is? Am I in the ninth circle of Hell?

- Seth MacFarlane (@SethMacFarlane) September 27, 2016

But seriously, what's the deal with these two, who pick on each other and name-call like a pair of grade-school bullies? Why can't they stop sniping? It all began back in December 2006, when O'Donnell slammed Trump for his decision not to fire Miss USA Tara Conner after stories emerged of drug and underage alcohol use by the beauty queen. "I've always been a believer in second chances," Trump said on Dec. 19 of that year. O'Donnell, then a co-host of The View, was not impressed, saying the next day on the show that Trump is not a "self-made man" but rather a "snake-oil salesman on Little House on the Prairie."

She doubled down with the insult that seems to have really stuck in his craw: "[He] left the first wife -- had an affair. [He] had kids both times, but he's the moral compass for 20-year-olds in America. Donald, sit and spin, my friend." That's when the gloves came off and Donald let loose, never turning back, calling O'Donnell a "real loser" in People magazine and threatening to sue her for claiming he'd gone bankrupt several times. "Rosie's a loser. A real loser. I look forward to taking lots of money from my nice fat little Rosie," he said.

Story continues

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Thus began a strange good cop/bad cop scenario in which Trump would alternately insult O'Donnell and come to her defense. He did the latter in May 2007 when Rosie left The View eight months after joining following a fight with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck over the conservative's support of the Iraq war. "On this one I think Rosie should win, but Rosie is not much herself," he told Extra, according to CNN. Trump went on to call Hasselbeck "not a very smart person, she's one of the dumber people in television."

Things were quiet for a few years, but they heated up again in December 2011, when Trump lashed out at O'Donnell following the announcement of her engagement to now-ex-wife Michelle Rounds. "I feel sorry for Rosie's new partner in love whose parents are devastated at the thought of their daughter being with @Rosie -- a true loser."

I feel sorry for Rosie 's new partner in love whose parents are devastated at the thought of their daughter being with @Rosie--a true loser.

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2011

Rosie's response? "Wow u r an ass."

@realDonaldTrump - wow u r an ass https://t.co/aL3WQ0cL

in every way -- Rosie (@Rosie) December 14, 2011

Trump wasn't done, denigrating O'Donnell's then-new show on Oprah's OWN network as a "complete and total disaster, lumping her in with another frequent punching bag, MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell.

#trumpvlog Same last name, same bad ratings- @lawrence and @rosie..... https://t.co/KCVRNBJa

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2011

"It's really amazing," he said. "When I don't like somebody their shows do really badly."

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He was back at it in May 2012, after Cher fired shots at then-GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, once again dubbing Rosie a "total loser."

.@Cher attacked @MittRomney. She is an average talent who is out of touch with reality. Like @Rosie O'Donnell, a total loser!

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2012

Donald returned in August 2012, after O'Donnell suffered a heart attack and he wished her a speedy recovery, adding, "I'm starting to miss you!" O'Donnell appreciated the kind words, saying she was shocked and wondering if he was secretly "trying to kill" her.

@realDonaldTrump @Rosie - well thank u donald -

i must admit ur post was a bit of a shock ...

r u trying to kill me ?

xx- Rosie (@Rosie) August 21, 2012

Unable to keep his powder dry, Trump struck out at Rosie again in May 2014 after she discussed her 50-pound weight loss following surgery several months earlier. "Rosie O'Donnell just said she felt 'shame' at being fat -- not politically correct!" he tweeted. "She killed Star Jones for weight loss surgery, just had it!" That time, Rosie told him to just "go away."

@realDonaldTrump - Donald - go away

- Rosie (@Rosie) May 10, 2014

Things heated up again in July of that year when O'Donnell announced her upcoming return to The View. While he called it a "good move" on ABC's part, his joy quickly turned sour as he said it was proof of how "desperate" the network was before unleashing both barrels on Rosie.

Rosie is crude, rude, obnoxious and dumb - other than that I like her very much!

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 11, 2014

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That thing about sticks, stones and words? It's true. When O'Donnell made it back on air at The View she said the venom from Trump was the "most bullying I ever experienced in my life, including as a child." Trump's response? "Good luck on your new show, but remember, you started it!"

.@Rosie - No offense, and good luck on the new show, but remember, you started it! https://t.co/Ag3TyZZxOh

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 25, 2014

O'Donnell was back out at The View by February 2015, saying the stress was too much after her heart attack. Trump didn't miss the chance to pounce. "Well, it's very sad what's happened to 'The View' and I predicted that with Rosie O'Donnell it would fail," he said. I guess the prediction is correct, but, I mean she's a total train wreck, so let's see what happens and I hope it works out well. ... I like the show a lot, but let's face it, Rosie is a loser."

Things got especially nasty in August 2015, when Trump was asked by GOP debate moderator and Fox News host Megyn Kelly about his history of referring to women as "fat pigs," "dogs" and "slobs." His response? "Only Rosie O'Donnell." Rosie, a mother of four, was devastated by the renewed attack on national TV.

try explaining that 2 ur kids

- Rosie (@Rosie) August 7, 2015

Trump gloated about his latest diss the next day, telling Fox & Friends that the line got "tremendous applause" in the room.

Late-Night Hosts Take on the First Presidential Debate

After Monday night's debate comments, O'Donnell responded with her own string of tweets, in which she referred to Trump as an "orange anus" and mocked him for not being able to get over the comments that started it all.

https://t.co/EvxYa7A4bL --- the 5 mins orange anus can't seem to get over --- tell the truth - shame the donald #ImWithHer

- Rosie (@Rosie) September 27, 2016

And that wasn't all she had to say.

HE WILL NEVER BE PRESIDENT ... @WeinerAnne

- Rosie (@Rosie) September 27, 2016

i opposed the IRAQ war ... there is evidence ... #WAKEUP #TRUMPisanILLUSION @feelITnow pic.twitter.com/SdDytl4OmJ

- Rosie (@Rosie) September 27, 2016

For @Rosie. A #debate2016 Haiku published today in Politico: "Clinton came prepared.

Trump did not. So by the end,

Rosie O'Donnell."- Hilary Rosen (@hilaryr) September 27, 2016

Her old pal Madonna also came to Rosie's defense.

Mess with my girl Rosie and you're messing with me!!! Cruelty never made anyone a winner.  #rebelhearts4ever pic.twitter.com/gvkF6HpU47

- Madonna (@Madonna) September 27, 2016

And, in a sign that he's not done yet, on Tuesday morning (Sept. 27) Trump called in to Fox & Friends, congratulating himself for holding his fire against Clinton the previous evening. "She hit me at the end with the women," Trump said of Clinton's characterization of his misogynistic attitude toward O'Donnell and other women. "I was going to hit her with her husband's women, and I decided I shouldn't do it. I didn't feel comfortable doing it with [the Clintons' daughter] Chelsea in the room. I think Chelsea's a fine young lady."

.@realDonaldTrump: "I was going to hit [Hillary] with her husband's women, and I decided I shouldn't do it...I think I did the right thing." pic.twitter.com/aXEkUTQ9Tw

- FOX & Friends (@foxandfriends) September 27, 2016
By Chris Arsenault RIO DE JANEIRO (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Infrastructure projects designed to open the western Amazon for investment are to blame for deforestation in parts of Peru, Colombia and Bolivia - rather than coca production, researchers said on Wednesday. Policymakers and U.N. anti-drugs officials have blamed coca farming for destroying forests in the western Amazon, but a study from Stony Brook University in New York said this was not accurate based on new analysis of satellite maps and other data. Instead, deforestation was largely caused by new road building programs and projects launched by South American governments in the 1960s to settle the Amazon frontier, the study published in BioScience journal said. "We should be stabilizing the (Amazon) frontier rather than fighting against coca production," Liliana Davalos, one of the report's authors, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "Deforestation and coca cluster together in the Amazon frontier, but (the deforestation problem) ... sprung from efforts to develop western Amazonia." Farmers pushing into new areas of the Amazon where legal systems and environmental monitoring are often weak have been a primary driver of deforestation, cutting down trees to grow crops or using the land for livestock grazing, the report said. Settlers cutting down trees in order to open lands to grow coca, a raw ingredient for cocaine production, had a negligible impact on forests, it said. Most of the land in the western Amazon belonged to governments when settlement and infrastructure projects were first launched more than 40 years ago, Davalos said. Today, land ownership in the region is murky and strong data on who owns different pieces of territory is not easily accessible, she said, further complicating efforts to reduce deforestation. In the past, governments and U.N. officials said poor farmers move into the forest and grow cocaine because they lack better economic alternatives - prompting aid agencies to develop programs to encourage farmers to produce different crops. The study argued against this model for addressing deforestation in frontier areas with high levels of cocaine production. Creating formal protected areas was a better way of protecting the rainforest, Davalos said. Development projects in the region, where there is often an unclear system of land ownership, should work with Amazonian farmers to set clear forest conservation goals, she said. (Reporting By Chris Arsenault; Editing by Katie Nguyen.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking and climate change. Visit news.trust.org)
By Charlotte Greenfield

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Lawyers for German entrepreneur Kim Dotcom, wanted in the United States on copyright infringement and money-laundering charges over his file-sharing website Megaupload, argued on Wednesday there was not enough evidence to show he conspired to commit a crime.

The Auckland court heard closing arguments in Dotcom's four-week appeal against a lower court's decision to extradite him to the U.S., the first New Zealand court proceedings to be broadcast live on the internet.

The appeal took place nearly five years after dozens of black-clad police rappelled into the flamboyant entrepreneur's New Zealand mansion and cut him from a safe room.

U.S. authorities say Dotcom and three co-accused Megaupload executives cost film studios and record companies more than $500 million and generated more than $175 million by encouraging paying users to store and share copyrighted material.

The four deny wrongdoing and are on bail.

The case has been closely watched by the media industry and developers in the file-sharing business for signs of how far the United States is willing to go to protect copyright holders.

"Dotcom is one of these poster boys for these file sharing sites," said Marcelo Rodriguez Ferrere, an administrative law academic at Otago University.

"A successful extradition to the U.S. could make this a really important case down the track for determining the legality or otherwise of sites like Mega."

Years of legal wrangling followed Dotcom's arrest in the police raid in 2012 and it emerged that the Government Communications Security Bureau had illegally spied on him before the raid.

While the main arguments have now been heard, a few technical matters have yet to be argued in court. Lawyers said a decision was likely to be weeks away - and it was unlikely to be the final word.

"Given the stakes of this case, the losing party will likely appeal any adverse judgment to the Court of Appeal," said Ira Rothken, a lawyer representing Dotcom, in an email.

Story continues

The appeal set a precedent when the judge gave permission for the hearing to be streamed on YouTube, but legal experts at the time had warned that appeals hearings tend to be similar to "watching paint dry".

Rodriguez Ferrere said the "monolithically boring" nature of the entire proceeding "turned everybody off".

The final afternoon's proceedings only attracted around 100 viewers online, according to YouTube.

(Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield; Additional reporting by Rebecca Howard; Editing by Nick Macfie)
DPM Tharman at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January this year. Photo: Associated Press



Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam ruled himself out as a candidate to become Singapores prime minister on Wednesday (28 September), saying that a few of the fourth-generation leaders have the potential to be first among equals.

Tharman was responding to a question from the media on the results of a survey commissioned by Yahoo Singapore, which showed that 69 per cent of 897 Singaporean respondents would support him as a candidate to be prime minister. The survey, released on Monday (26 September), was conducted by market research consultancy Blackbox.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event, Tharman said, Just to be absolutely clear, I am not the man for PM. Its not me.

I have expressed myself quite clearly and categorically: I know who I am and I know how I want to serve.

Tharman said he is confident that one of Singapores fourth-generation leaders is capable of leading the country forward as the next prime minister.

I can tell you from my working with them, from my observing them that there are a few of them with that potential to become first among equals during the next term of government. I am confident of that, Tharman said in a video posted by The Straits Times.



Some of us in the third generation will be around to support them.

Video posted on YouTube by The Straits Times



Related stories:

Most Singaporeans would choose Tharman as the next Prime Minister: survey

Race is not a key factor in choosing PM for Singaporeans: survey


The Hague (AFP) - Former Congolese vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba, jailed for 18 years for war crimes, has formally appealed against his conviction by the International Criminal Court (ICC), arguing his trial was "flawed," his lawyers said Wednesday.

Bemba earlier this month "filed an appeal against his conviction", his defence team said in a statement sent to AFP, adding his rights had been violated to the point that "the Bemba trial, in fact, was a mistrial".

The former militia leader was sentenced in June to 18 years in jail after being found guilty at the ICC on five charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Once the powerful leader of the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC) and a wealthy businessman, the court found that Bemba had failed to stop a series of rapes and murders committed by his troops in the Central African Republic in 2002 and 2003.

Bemba's case was the first before the ICC to focus on sexual violence as a weapon of war, and the first to underline a military commander's responsibility for the conduct of troops under his control.

But his lawyers argued in their appeal filed on September 19 that the judges' "findings on effective control fall far outside established military doctrine and practice".

Bemba's trial "invented a theory of command responsibility which is a military impossibility", his defence team said.

"In reality, Mr. Bemba is the commander that international law would have him be. He trained his army, he gave them a code of conduct, he actively pursued rumours of crimes, he punished those identified to him."

His appeal comes just weeks before Bemba, 53, and four aides are due in court for a verdict on a related bribery and contempt of court case.

Prosecutors in the separate case allege that Bemba, two of his legal advisors and two acquaintances colluded to try to bribe witnesses in his main trial to withhold information. The verdict will be delivered on October 19.

His defence team also alleged in their appeal that the court had failed to prove Bemba knew "his conduct was part of a widespread attack on a civilian population".

"No such finding was made in this case. This failure invalidates Mr. Bembas convictions for the crimes against humanity of rape and murder and, thus, materially affects the judgement," the defence argued.
Manila (AFP) - A man accused by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte of being the nation's top drug trafficker was injured and a gang member killed during jailhouse knife attacks on Wednesday, authorities said.

Two other high-profile inmates were injured in the violence at Manila's notorious Bilibid National Penitentiary, from where Duterte has said much of the nation's illegal drug trade is run.

"It appears there was a knife fight," Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre said.

Duterte won the presidential election in a landslide in May after promising to kill 100,000 criminals as part of a campaign against illegal drugs.

More than 3,700 people have been killed in the less than three months he has been in office, prompting widespread criticism from Western governments and rights groups about a breakdown in the rule of law.

Duterte has railed against the criticism, vowing to do whatever is necessary to stop the Philippines from becoming a narco state.

He had targeted Bilibid prison as one of the hotspots for the drug trade and accused Peter Co, one of the men injured on Wednesday, as being the biggest drug trafficker.

On July 8 Duterte said Co ran a drug empire from inside his prison cell, supplying Manila and the main island of Luzon, with the help of corrupt officials in the previous government.

"So my appeal to them is, since they are beyond redemption, they can stop and commit suicide, because I will not allow these idiots to run their show. Not during my watch," Duterte told reporters.

Prison officials said the six men involved in Wednesday's violence were all top gang leaders who attacked each other at a maximum-security wing of the jail, where they had been segregated as a security measure.

They did not explain how the weapons got into the jail.

The man killed was Tony Co, no relation to Peter Co but a member of the same prison gang and also a convicted drug trafficker.

Senator Leila de Lima, one of Duterte's most outspoken critics over the killings in the war on crime, accused the government of organising the knife attacks.

Story continues

"It makes this government an assassin state," de Lima told reporters.

Both Duterte and Aguirre denied de Lima's allegation.

Duterte has in turn accused de Lima of being involved in the prison drugs trade when she was justice secretary in the previous government, allegations she denies.

The president's allegations are being investigated by the House of Representatives, which last week heard testimony from seven other Bilibid jail gang bosses about De Lima's supposed role in the prison drugs trade.

Aguirre has said he planned to put Peter Co and two of the other wounded inmates on the witness stand at the next hearing, but the House has not set the date for the next hearing.
Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) CEO Lynn Good appeared on the FOX Business Networks Mornings with Maria to discuss the companys $6.7 billion acquisition of Piedmont Natural Gas Company (NYSE:PNY), saying that she anticipated the deal to close by the end of the year, but that it could transpire earlier.

This is an important part of our move into natural gas infrastructure, she told FBNs Maria Bartiromo.

Good hopes the deal will expose the company to growth in the natural gas industry.

Natural gas is an important part of delivering energy, whether youre producing power or other solutions for customers. And so we see power generation, gas generation and we see pipeline infrastructure and Piedmont as being part of what we believeimportant solutions for customers, she said.

Good also said the production of natural gas could be a real game changer for the U.S. economy.

We have low cost resources that we can use in a period where we are trying to grow and also decarbonize and natural gas is a lower carbon source of generation. And so I think theres a great opportunity to put that resource to work for the benefit of our economy, she said.

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Dunkin' Donuts of Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. DNKN has signed a multi-unit store development agreement with franchise group Finely Grounded Inc. to develop two new restaurants in Phoenix, AZ, over the next several years. The first restaurant under the agreement is slated to begin operations in 2017.



Notably, Finely Grounded has been franchisees with Dunkin' Donuts sister brand Baskin-Robbins since 2012. The group presently owns and operates five Baskin-Robbins shops across Arizona.



There are also additional franchise opportunities in Phoenix to build up Baskin-Robbins standalone shops. Moreover, to aid additional growth in the market, Baskin-Robbins is offering certain attractive financial incentives which include 50% off on the initial franchise fee along with lower royalty rates for five years.



Meanwhile, with this recent deal, the franchise group aims to expand Dunkin' Donuts' presence in Phoenix.

DUNKIN BRANDS Price

DUNKIN BRANDS Price | DUNKIN BRANDS Quote

Notably, Dunkin' Brands ranks among the well-established global quick service restaurant brands. However, the company is experiencing challenges in the international markets due to sluggish macroeconomic growth in emerging economies.



Hence, it plans to continue its full-fledged franchisee model for expansion in both domestic and global markets. The franchisee model facilitates earnings per share growth and return on equity expansion due to lesser capital requirements.



Still, a soft consumer spending environment in the domestic restaurant space along with intense competition from similar food & beverages companies like Starbucks Corporation SBUX, McDonalds Corporation MCD and Jack in the Box Inc. JACK, might continue to put pressure on revenues.



Nonetheless, the companys continued expansion strategies, innovation in terms of products along with various sales and digital initiatives are expected to positively support earnings and revenue growth.



Dunkin' Brands currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



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Nieuwegein (Netherlands) (AFP) - The missile that downed flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine was transported from Russia, a criminal inquiry revealed Wednesday, as it announced that about 100 people were being investigated for playing "an active role" in the disaster.

Saying they had "irrefutable evidence" that the BUK missile system was used to blow the Malaysia Airlines plane out of the sky, investigators also for the first time pinpointed that the device was fired from a field in a part of eastern Ukraine then controlled by pro-Russia separatists.

The findings of the Dutch-led probe stopped short of directly accusing Moscow of involvement in the tragedy in July 2014, and both the rebels and Russia issued fresh statements denying any responsibility.

But the new details appeared to back up long-standing accusations from Ukraine and the West that pro-Russian rebels were to blame using a missile which may have been provided by Moscow.

The Boeing 777 was ripped apart mid-air during a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur over Ukraine, where a war pitting separatists allegedly armed by Russia against the Kiev government erupted in April 2014.

All 298 people on board the plane including 196 Dutch citizens were killed.

But despite two official international investigations, the burning question of who gave the orders and who pulled the trigger remain unresolved.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko hailed the inquiry's initial findings saying: "We have solid proof of who is to blame for this dreadful crime and who bears full responsibility for the terrorist attack."

- Phone taps -

A "BUK missile from the 9M38-series" was used that "came from the territory of the Russian Federation," said Wilbert Paulissen, the head of the Dutch police investigation.

When it reached Ukraine it was transferred onto a white Volvo truck and escorted by armed men in uniform. Afterwards the missile launcher system "was taken back to Russia," Paulissen said.

Story continues

Over the past two years, up to 200 investigators have studied half a million photos, videos, some 200 witness statements and 150,000 tapped telephone conversations.

They have also assessed five billion internet pages to painstakingly retrace the route taken by the convoy which brought the missile system into eastern Ukraine.

In one chilling wiretapped phone conversation from July 16, 2014 played to reporters on Wednesday, one man believed to be a Russian-speaking military commander asks another if he can "receive a BUK in the morning" saying his forces are under pressure from air strikes and he doesn't know if "they can hold on."

The 700-kilogramme (1,500-pound) BUK, a complex radar-guided ground-to-air anti-aircraft weapon, was fired from a field in Pervomaiskyi which at the time "was in the hands of the Russian separatists," said Paulissen.

The joint investigation "has identified approximately 100 people" believed to have had an "active role" in transporting the missile system, added chief investigator Fred Westerbeke.

Moscow, which remains under EU sanctions for its alleged role in the Ukrainian conflict, has always denied being part of the MH17 disaster. It described the inquiry as "biased" and "politically motivated" saying it was "disappointed" by the results.

Ukrainian rebels also quickly rejected any conclusion that they were behind the disaster.

"The forces of the People's Republic of Donetsk could not have fired at the plane from a BUK system because we have no such sort of weapons," general Eduard Basurin of the self-proclaimed republic told AFP.

But Dutch prosecutors later released the names of two men heard speaking Russian in a wiretapped conversation, saying they wanted more information about them.

"What is clear is that the BUK missile system came from Russia to Ukraine, was fired and taken back to Russia," Piet Ploeg, who lost three relatives in the disaster, told AFP.

The findings "clearly suggest the involvement of the Russian Federation," he added.

- 'Cowardly assassins' -

The criminal investigation has now been extended to 2018, but Westerbeke said he could make "no promises" about when any suspects would be brought to justice.

"The relatives have run out of patience. They want these cowardly assassins to be brought to justice," Evert van Zijtveld, who lost his 18-year-old son Robert-Jan and daughter Frederique, 19, and his parents-in-law, told the Dutch broadcaster NOS.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called the preliminary findings "an important step on the road to the ultimate goal: finding and prosecuting the perpetrators."

And Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said his country sought "firm action" so that those responsible "will be brought to justice."

Should any Russian suspects be identified however, the chances are small that they'd be prosecuted, as the Russian constitution expressly forbids Moscow from extraditing its citizens to another country.
The Hague (AFP) - Dutch prosecutors, for the first time in their long inquiry, on Wednesday released the names of two Russian-speaking men in connection with the MH17 disaster after investigators found the missile to down the plane had been transported from Russia.

The inquiry is "especially looking for more information" on two people, Dutch investigators said hours after releasing a report into their initial criminal findings.

The men used the pseudonyms of "Orion" and "Delfin" but have been respectively identified as Andrey Ivanovich and Nikolay Fiodorovich, according to a statement published on the Dutch police's website.

It is the first time that the probe, which also includes investigators from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine, has named individuals in relation to the attack.

The inquiry team released five wiretapped conversations in Russian "in which these people participate," the statement said.

But, it stressed, "there is no evidence that these calls are directly related to the shooting down of MH17."

However, if people recognise the voices, know either of the individuals or have any "information concerning these people or their connection to the BUK (missile) that allegedly shot down MH17," they should contact investigators immediately, the statement said.

"If you are concerned about your safety, various protective measures can be taken," the investigators promised.

English transcripts of the conversation show two men talking about a "convoy" moving in the direction of an airport, at Sabivka near Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.

The Boeing 777 passenger jet was brought down over rebel-held eastern Ukraine in July 2014 on a routine flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, killing all 298 people on board including 196 Dutch citizens.

The inquiry team concluded Wednesday that the missile that shot down the plane came from a battery that was transported from Russia across the border into Ukraine and taken back after the launch..

Story continues

The preliminary criminal findings also said around 100 people are under investigation for playing "an active role" in the incident and confirmed the missile was fired from a field which at the time was in territory held by pro-Moscow rebels, who are battling Kiev.

Russia immediately described the report as "biased", while Ukraine said it proved Moscows direct involvement in the tragedy.

The pro-Russian separatists have denied having fired the missile, denying possessing such a weapon.
By Rohit Kumar Singh: Senior BJP leader Sushil Modi has slammed Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for suspending Bihar Sharif Excise Inspector Deepak Kumar Singh who was released on bail earlier this month in a liquor case. The excise inspector, on the basis of a tip-off, had raided the house of JD(U) leader Chandradeep Sen and recovered 168 bottles of liquor from his house. Sen was later arrested and is currently in jail.

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EXCISE INSPECTOR FRAMED?



However, a few days later, the DM and SP of Nalanda after conducting a joint investigation gave a clean chit to Chandradeep Sen and arrested the excise inspector on charges of conspiring against the JD(U) leader and planting liquor bottles in his house. Deepak Kumar Singh was sent to jail but soon released on bail by the court, as the administration did not produce enough evidence to nail him. The court had then rejected the bail of the JD(U) leader.

Interestingly, Principal Secretary of the excise department KK Pathak went on a long leave to protest against the government move to frame Deepak Kumar. Pathak was later transferred from the excise department.

SUSHIL MODI SLAMS NITISH GOVERNMENT



"By suspending Deepak Kumar Singh, Nitish Kumar has shown that he can go to any extent to protect JD(U) leader Chandradeep Sen who is the block president of Harnaut, the home block of the Bihar CM," said Sushil Modi.

Modi questioned the excise inspector's suspension and asked that when only one bottle of liquor was enough to frame a person, why would the excise inspector plant 168 bottles at the house of the JD(U) leader.

"How many cases are there in Nalanda where the DM and SP have conducted a joint investigation in a liquor case? Will Nitish Kumar go to any extent to save Chandradeep Sen?" questioned the BJP leader.

Also read:

Bihar excise inspector, who arrested JD(U) leader with 168 liquor bottles, arrested

Excise officials striking work in Nalanda over Deepak Kumar's arrest

Police grills excise inspector who arrested JDU leader for stocking liquor bottles, suspects conspiracy



--- ENDS ---
By Martin Petty HANOI (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte plunged one of the United States' most important Asian alliances deeper into uncertainty on Wednesday by declaring upcoming U.S.-Philippines military exercises "the last," and ruling out any joint navy patrols. The firebrand Duterte pledged to honor a longstanding security treaty with the United States, but said China opposed joint marine drills in the Philippines starting next week and there would be no more war games with Washington after that. "I am serving notice now to the Americans, this will be the last military exercise," Duterte said during a visit to Vietnam. "Jointly, Philippines-U.S.: the last one." Duterte's remarks gave one of the strongest signs yet of fissures in a historic alliance that Washington has relied upon as it tries to cement its influence in Asia to counterbalance China's rapid rise. Duterte's foreign minister later said his comments had been taken out of context. State Department spokesman John Kirby said he was not aware of any official notification from the Philippines about ending joint exercises. "Our focus is on the relationship today and moving it forward," Kirby told a regular news briefing. "We continue to believe that that's possible. ... (W)e have significant security commitments with the Philippines. We're committed to meeting those commitments and to furthering this relationship." The Philippines military and U.S. Marines are to hold annual amphibious landing exercises from Oct. 4 to 12. Military leaders from the countries have also started preparing for a new set of exercises next year. Duterte said he would establish "new alliances for trade and commerce" with Russia and China, but would maintain security agreements with Washington. His near-daily outbursts against the United States began in earnest last month, when he spoke of alleged atrocities a century ago by the United States when it was the Philippines' colonial ruler. He has called President Barack Obama a "son of a bitch" and said he would order the pullout of the remaining U.S. special forces stationed in the Philippines' restive south. Duterte told a gathering of the Filipino community in Hanoi there would be no chance of naval patrols with Washington because they risked dragging the Philippines into conflict with China. The Philippines and China have long sparred over sovereignty in the South China Sea, and Manila and Washington have shared concerns about China's military clout and pursuit of broad maritime claims. WHAT DUTERTE "CLEARLY MEANT" Asked if Duterte was serious about ending military exercises with the United States, Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said he was misunderstood and his remarks taken out of context. The only thing Duterte had ruled out were joint patrols beyond the Philippines' 12-nautical mile territorial waters, Yasay said. "Our agreement, that will be respected and this is what the president clearly meant," Yasay told a scrum of reporters, referring to a 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty. Despite Yasay's words, Duterte's latest comments add to uncertainty about what his end game is and whether Manila's next moves could complicate regional diplomacy or alter the status quo in the South China Sea. A U.S. defense official said he had not seen the Philippines make a formal request to stop sea patrols and added that the bar for a "joint patrol" with the Philippines was low. "If the joint patrols stop, will this have any sort of major impact on the situation in the South China Sea? Most likely not," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. He added that in a sign things were continuing as usual, the landing ship USS Germantown would be making a port call in Manila from Wednesday. Richard Jacobson, an American security expert, said Duterte's posturing could embolden China to exploit a testy relationship between two old allies. "The U.S.-Philippines relationship might become strained and even shaken," Jacobson said. "The U.S. geopolitical stakes in the region are much too high to react to his hyperbole. The current attitude in Washington is mature - more of patience than feeling provoked." The Philippines has not formally committed to joining the United States in patrols beyond its territorial waters in the South China Sea. It has carried out at least two patrols with the United States this year that remained within 12 nautical miles of the Philippine coast. (Additional reporting by Karen Lema and Manuel Mogato in Manila and David Brunnstrom and Idrees Ali in Washington; Editing by Alex Richardson and Leslie Adler)
CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt has approved a law that will increase jail terms for those who perform female circumcisions, raising the maximum sentence to seven years from two, according to the state's official gazette on Wednesday. Genital cutting of girls, often referred to as female genital mutilation (FGM) or circumcision, is banned in Egypt but the practice remains common as a rite of passage and is often viewed as a way to protect their chastity. More than nine in 10 women and girls aged 15 to 49 in Egypt have undergone FGM, but the number has declined in recent years, according to data collected by the United Nations. Female genital cutting is performed on both Muslim and Christian girls in Egypt and Sudan, but is rare elsewhere in the Arab world. It is also common in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia. The new law stipulates jail sentences of between five and seven years for doctors who perform the operation and one to three for parents who order it. Egypt's parliament passed the bill on increased sentences in August, but it required presidential approval to come into law. (Reporting by Ali Abdelaty; Writing by Eric Knecht; Editing by Andrew Roche)
Parents, in the country I am from, raise a son hoping he will stay with them, look after them in oldage. They dread the slim odds of their sons return as they move out for higher education or job opportunities. I am perhaps the only Indian son whose parents dissuade him from returning. And so after 8 years of exile, I continue to live, in a country not my own, surrounded by people I am not related to, counting as days pass by.

As a teenager I was my parents pride. I was the one to bag all the academic awards, the one with perfect attendance, most importantly, the only 16 year old in the class to have no girlfriend. There were a dozen of pretty girls around me, many interested in me  I somehow could never reciprocate their feelings.

When I landed in New Zealand, at the age of 22, for the first time in my life I felt the emotions any man would, when that one special someone passed by the difference was, I felt those emotions for a man. Indian men should not be gay, and so the possibilities of being one never occurred to me. But one cant evade ones reality forever  sooner or later truth catches up. I dated a couple of wonderful men before settling down with Vladimir  settling down in the sense, we are in a live-in situation for over 5 years now.

I broke the news to my parents around 6 years ago, when I was with my then boyfriend Mark  no, they didnt approve. But reality denies to get altered by someones approval or the want of it, it remains real; the heat of noones contemption has ever been strong enough to warp reality. My mother made a profile for me in some matrimonial site, suggested medical treatments, consulted numerous astrologers, it may sound funny but she even went to tantriks and blew away lacs to rid me off of the possession of some evil spirits. Following years of futile persuasion they finally gave up on their unyielding attempts at straightening me out, though not before my mother resentfully wishing I had rather died than turning gay, repenting the cursed day she birthed me.

Story continues

Mom says my tread is turning girly by the day, and also because my single presence would lead to questions like Why at 30, is he still unmarried? I should never come in front of relatives and family-friends. They admitted having a hard time coming to terms with my peculiarity, but people, they say, would ridicule them, turn them into a laughing stock. To avoid being roasted in every social gatherings, they have chalked out a plan  I, like million other young men who cross the ocean to never return, should settle down in New Zealand for good. This is how my homosexuality will stay hidden and their reputation, unmarred. They would visit me if required, but the house I was born and spent 20 joyous years of my life in, will never open its doors for me.

Its been over four years that I have visited my family, my country; I wasnt tending to him when my father was rushed into the ICU early one morning, only in pictures I saw how beautiful my sister looked on her wedding. My nephew will turn six months next week, in my culture the uncle is supposed to feed the child his first morsel of cooked rice  I am forbidden from attending his Annaprassan ceremony. My cousin will be performing the rituals I had inherited by birth, everyone will be told I couldnt arrange for leaves. Dad isnt keeping well these days; at 66 years old, he has already been through three heart attacks - yes, he blames my wrongdoings along with my sinful lifestyle for the same. His doctor has long prepared us for the inevitable - anytime - he said. Will I be allowed to perform dads last rites - I dont know. I wonder how many more rituals will I be compelled to relinquish and pass over to cousins with wives and children on account of sins I didnt choose to commit. No body chooses to be gay, they are, or they are not.

(This story was shared with Avantika Debnath. If you have a story worth sharing, or an idea that needs to be shared, please send it to Avantika_debnath@yahoo.in)


epn el chapo

The long-awaited judicial review of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's injunctions against his extradition to the US ended without a resolution on Monday, according to his lawyers.

It looks likely that a judge's decision on whether to uphold or strike down an appeal against the extradition approved by the government in May will likely take days or weeks to emerge.

A US official said a ruling could take 15 days, while Guzman's attorneys have said months could pass before it's issued.

"Here there is uncertainty because we could wait two, three months up to six months for a resolution of the injunction," Jose Refugio Rodriguez, one of Guzman's lawyers, told Radio Formula.

Should the judge rule against Guzman, his legal team would have 10 days to appeal to a higher court, which then could take weeks to decide  extending the process for weeks or months more.

After a hearing that lasted less than two hours on Monday, one of Guzman's lawyers, Andres Granados, told reporters that the Mexican department of "foreign relations is going to lodge a revision in case [the resolution] favors us."

"If it doesn't favor us we are going to request a revision" by a panel of judges, Granados went on, noting that the kingpin's representatives could take the legal fight all the way to the country's supreme court.

El Chapo Guzman fake escape story prison photo

With the legal wrangling set to continue, there are varying estimates on when Guzman is headed north.

Granados told AFP that if Guzman is "judged according to the law, he won't be extradited this year or during the six-year term" of current President Enrique Pena Nieto, which ends in 2018. A US government official told AFP that the Sinaloa cartel chief could be in US hands before the end of this year.

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'Believe me, they all want ... to prosecute him'

In spite of that uncertainty, however, multiple US jurisdictions with indictments against the kingpin, along with US federal officials, are gearing up to face one of the most well-known and powerful figures in the history of the drug trade.

As part of these preparations, US government officials are in close contact with their counterparts in Mexico City.

"The US government at the highest levels is coordinating closely with the Mexican executive branch at the highest levels to make sure that if the judicial system in Mexico does ultimately approve of his extradition, that the United States has some slight advance notice and to where he will be sent," Peter Vincent, a former legal adviser at the US Department of Homeland Security, told Business Insider.

Peter Vincent 60 Minutes El Chapo

Guzman is currently incarcerated at a facility near Ciudad Juarez in northern Mexico.

His housing is also a source of legal concern, as his successful appeal to transfer him back to Altiplano prison in central Mexico (which he broke out of in 2015) has reportedly been meet with an appeal from the Mexican government.

In May, the Mexican government approved extradition requests from two US jurisdictions: the West District of Texas and and the Southern District of California, where the cartel leader faces charges that include drug trafficking, homicide, and money laundering.

Several other US District Courts have indictments pending against Guzman, including the Eastern District of New York, the Northern District of Illinois, and the Southern District of Florida.

"The full weight of the United States government, predominantly the US Department of Justice, will assist whichever US attorney's office is actually essentially awarded the opportunity to prosecute him," Vincent told Business Insider.

"And believe me, they all want the opportunity to prosecute him, because he is the best well-known, most infamous criminal in the world right now," Vincent added.

While there are indications that he will stand trial in the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn, he is sure to face a concerted effort from US prosecutors wherever he ends up.

"All of the DOJ will pull together and they will share evidence ... in a way that puts the United States government, and the Mexican government, in the best position possible to get a conviction," Vincent said. "If he actually opts to go to trial, as opposed to taking a plea agreement."

NOW WATCH: Who is paying for the wall? Trump and Mexico's president contradict each other





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spacex mars rocket interplanetary transport system youtube20

Elon Musk unveiled SpaceX's plan on Tuesday for humans to colonize Mars by 2022. The idea is to load 100 people into a spaceship just smaller than the Washington Monument, blast them to the Red Planet in a matter of months, then land gingerly on the surface and set up a permanent settlement.

It's that last bit some scientists are a little squeamish about.

Space agencies all over this world have meticulously protected other planets from Earth's germs for decades. NASA even has an entire department dedicated to the task, aptly named the Office of Planetary Protection.

If we do find alien life, NASA wants to make sure it's actually alien, and not some Earthling (likely bacteria) that hitched a ride on one of its spacecraft. That's why you always see people building spacecraft wearing white plastic suits in cleanrooms making sure the spacecraft stays immaculate.

spacex mars rocket interplanetary transport system youtube11

Musk doesn't seem worried about infecting Martians  which he won't be at all surprised to find.

"There's really nothing on the surface of Mars, I think," the SpaceX CEO said during a press call Tuesday evening. "There may be subterranean, chemotrophic bacteria. I would expect they're pretty hardy, and there's not much that we could do to kick them out even if we wanted to."

As Emily Lakdawalla wrote for The Planetary Society, the organization Bill Nye heads that has proposed humans orbit Mars first and think about landing later, Earthlings are notoriously germy.

"If we keep our filthy meatbag bodies in space and tele-operate sterile robots on the surface, we'll avoid irreversible contamination of Mars  and obfuscation of the answer to the question of whether we're alone in the solar system  for a little while longer," Lakdawalla wrote in a 2015 blog post. "Maybe just long enough for robots to taste Martian water or discover Martian life."

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What a human Mars mission could look like

spacex mars rocket interplanetary transport system youtube16

On the flip side, alien Martian life could be just as dangerous to humans as we could be to it, which is another argument scientists make for keeping missions sterile. NASA has been planning a human mission to Mars, and the agency has of course weighed the risks of contaminating astronauts, or the planet they might land on.

Agency scientists who studied the issue in 2005 concluded: "All operations of an initial human mission to Mars should include isolation of humans from any direct contact with materials from Mars for planetary protection purposes."

That means a NASA trip likely wouldn't look like the one in the 2015 blockbuster, "The Martian," with Mark Watney growing potatoes, suitless inside an oxygen-filled habitat, on the planet's surface.

The SpaceX colony would probably look a lot different, too, and be much more permanent. Musk spoke about the distant possibility of growing plants on the Red Planet if they change the atmosphere, or even creating oceans where water used to flow millions of years ago.

He wouldn't be the one to make the decision to change Mars so it looks more like Earth in a process called terraforming, though.

"Terraforming would take us a long period of time, and I think, would ultimately be the decision of the people on Mars. We have to get there in the first place," Musk said. "The larger point is creating a self-sustained civilization on Mars to provide insurance for life as a whole  life as we know it."

'Out there among the stars'

spacex elon musk mars colonization

Musk kept repeating this phrase, "life as we know it," which seems to basically mean "not aliens." And that is the difference between Musk's ideas and those of scientists who want to keep space free of Earth's scourge  he's prioritizing "life as we know it."

"I think, really, the planet we should be considering for protection is Earth," he said. "We can bring life as we know it, and breathe life into Mars where it doesn't exist today, and ensure that if there is some kind of cataclysmic event on Earth, that life as we know it continues to exist."

Musk's defense for sending humans to colonize Mars may not convince some scientists, but it sure is poetic:

"I think a future where we are a space-faring civilization and out there among the stars is infinitely more exciting and inspiring than one where we are not."

NOW WATCH: Elon Musk on going to Mars  The probability of death is quite high'





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SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is set to unveil his plan to send a human expedition to Mars in the next decade at a presentation at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Tuesday.

The tech mogul plans to send an unmanned vehicle to the red planet by 2018, and his company will continue to send these unmanned spacecrafts every 26 months when the planets align favorably.

Essentially, what we're saying is [that] we're establishing a cargo route to Mars," Musk told The Washington Post in June. And if scientists around the world know that they can count on that, and it's going to be inexpensive, relatively speaking, compared to anything in the past, then they will plan accordingly and come up with a lot of great experiments.

Love this picture of the Curiousity rover on Mars. Landscape looks just like the California desert. pic.twitter.com/02GDasae

 Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 21, 2012

The most ambitious part of his plan is to follow the cargo mission with a human expedition that would launch in 2024 and arrive on Mars in 2025.

The 140-million-mile journey has never been attempted by humans, though several groups, including the Dutch non-profit Mars One, are planning expeditions in the next 10 years.

Experts are critical of Musk's project, saying that lack of funding could be a problem.

It's unlikely that [Musk] will be able to get humans on Mars by 2025, John Logsdon, former director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, told Agence-France Presse. Bottom line is the cost. You're talking of tens of billions of dollars and SpaceX doesn't have that type of money, he said.

You can watch the livestream of Musks Mars announcement at 2:30 p.m. ET:

Musk's planned announcement comes on the heels of a setback for his space program after the Falcon 9, an unmanned rocket, exploded during its pre-launch from Cape Canaveral in September. The $175-million spacecraft encountered technical difficulties after a helium system breach, according to SpaceX.
(Recasts with CEO comments, adds details on broadband and restructure)

By Rosalba O'Brien and Felipe Iturrieta

SANTIAGO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Italian utility Enel has talked to telecoms providers in South America about leveraging its power networks to run broadband, similar to a strategy it is following in Italy, chief executive Francesco Starace said on Wednesday.

"Other telecoms operators in some South American countries have asked us to explore this opportunity," said Starace, speaking to journalists after a regional shareholder meeting in the Chilean capital Santiago.

In Italy, state-controlled Enel wants to run fiber optic cables along its power network at a time when the country is seeking to roll out high-speed internet.

"It's not so certain there would be the same benefit in other countries ... first, we are trying to do this well in Italy and then after that experience if we can do it well, do it in other places," Starace said.

Earlier on Wednesday, shareholders approved a merger of Enel's South American subsidiaries , marking a key step in a lengthy restructuring process.

"The new structure is expected to drive efficiency savings of 360 million to 380 million euros per annum by 2019," Enel said.

Under the reorganization, a unit called Enel Americas will hold the company's generation, transmission, and distribution assets in Peru, Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia.

Enel's Chilean assets , meanwhile, will form a company called Enel Chile. The restructure is expected to complete around the beginning of December.

(Reporting by Felipe Iturrieta and Rosalba O'Brien; Editing by Alan Crosby and Sandra Maler)
Equity Residential EQR is on track to meet its full-year same store revenue guidance. In fact, this residential real estate investment trust (REIT) has reaffirmed its full-year same store revenue growth projections of 3.5%4.0%. The company had provided the range during its second-quarter 2016 earnings release on Jul 26. It has also provided its third-quarter operating update.



Notably, in July, the company had revised its annual guidance, citing an elevated new supply and slowdown in high-paying jobs in San Francisco and New York. It lowered its revenue growth assumption to 3.5%4.0% from 4.0%4.5% guided earlier.



Nevertheless, for its overall markets, the company is presently meeting revised expectations with respect to occupancy and base rent. For renewals, there is normal seasonal reduction that is aggravated by San Francisco & New York rent declines. The company expects to level off at 34% in Q4.



Further, according to the company, the current inventory expansion in San Francisco is historic but this region still faces a structural housing shortage. Moreover, Equity Residential declared that despite slowing rents in existing properties, lease-ups remain solid.



As a matter of fact, Equity Residential has been in the headlines this year for making huge dispositions, including the sale of the Starwood portfolio, as well as countering high supply in some of its key regions. The disposition activities have been a part of the companys portfolio repositioning efforts.



While sale of assets result in dilutive impact on earnings, the repositioning moves are expected to help it focus exclusively on its core, high-density urban markets, over the long term. However, in the near term, excess supply is likely to restrict any robust growth.



Equity Residential currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

EQUITY RESIDENT Price

EQUITY RESIDENT Price | EQUITY RESIDENT Quote

Investors can also consider some better-ranked stocks in the REIT industry like American Tower Corporation AMT, CorEnergy Infrastructure Trust, Inc. CORR and InfraREIT, Inc. HIFR, all sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.



American Tower is a consistent outperformer, having beaten the Zacks Consensus Estimate over all the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 6.16%. CorEnergy Infrastructure has experienced 3.9% upward revision in full year 2016 estimates in the past two months. Also, InfraREIT has a long-term expected growth rate of 10% against the industry average of 5.8%, which is encouraging.



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Before he became known as a member of Cypress Hill, and before he performed with the Beastie Boys, percussionist Eric Bobo took over as director of his late father's Latin jazz band. Bobo was 15 years-old at the time, which was a decade past the first time he performed with his dad.

"He never forced me to get on the stage," recalls Bobo, if I didn't do good in school I wouldn't be playing. My treat was that I got to play."

Watch Cypress Hill Perform Their Classic 'Rock Superstar' Live From Austin: Exclusive Premiere

His father was Willie Bobo, the Latin soulman and bugalu pioneer whose sound also fed psychedelic West Coast Latin rock. The quintessential cool cat, Bobo played timbales, congas and bongo with Tito Puente and Cal Tjader, in whose band the Nuyorican percussionist performed beside the great Cuban player Mongo Santamaria. In1967, he made the first recording of "Evil Ways," the song that later became a hit for Santana. Bobo tracks, like his signature "Spanish Grease," captured the renegade Latin groove of his music and the streetwise Latino pride of the era.

"He was the life of the party," says Eric Bobo, who adopted his father's stage name, but is also known by the family's given last name, Correa. "You'd go somewhere and the spotlight was on him. He took his music very seriously. He ruled it with an iron first and it had it be right; he was a great performer."

Willie Bobo put out 14 solo albums on labels that included jazz bedrocks Verve and Blue Note, although, his son recalls, he was not so good at playing music industry politics.

"In 1969, he had a label deal with A&M Records," Eric Bobo explains. "They had Sergio Mendes, the Carpenters; their sound was more safe. Coming off of his Verve years, his sound was the bugalu. He got a deal with A&M, and they were expecting an album like that. He gave them some psychedelic soul songs instead. So they shelved the record. My dad was on the cusp."

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Living with his family in Los Angeles, Willie Bobo was between labels for most of the Seventies, the time when he recorded the tracks on a just-released new album, Dig My Feeling. Eric Bobo found the forgotten demos decades later on reel-to-reel tapes in a box in a closet in his mother's house. He produced Dig My Feeling with Mario Caldato Jr., best known for his work with the Beastie Boys.

"I think this album represents my father at his most free as far as wanting to blend in different sounds, different genres, different grooves," says Bobo. Dig My Feeling, released earlier this month on Nacional Records, debuted at no. 17 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.

'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' Re-Cut with Beastie Boys' 'Sabotage' is the Trailer You've Been Looking For: Watch

"He came from a background of mambo and salsa; he also had his ear to jazz. He kept being progressive and he didn't want to be pigeonholed into one kind of music. He wanted to bring his style to the present, and he always tried to put his flavor into it. Once he made it to the West Coast where Latin jazz and bugalu were more popular than in New York, it let him open up even more."

Some of the same tracks were released on a 2006 album called Lost and Found (Concord Picante). Bobo says that for this new record, "We tried to preserve the essence of what he was trying to do and make things a bit clearer sounding and a bit more up to date.

"We didn't do any overdubs," he adds. "Everything there is original."

Willie Bobo died in 1983 of cancer; he was only 49 yeara-old. That was when Eric, who was in high school, took over his band for a year, before going his own way and finding himself in hip-hop. "It was all just instinct being around him and some of those great musicians," Bobo says of his childhood years with his dad. "He never really gave me a formal lesson. I was just like a sponge, being able to see Weather Report live, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie. For me, it all came together. I couldn't have had [hip-hop without jazz].

Bobo, who now lives in Buenos Aires, is "putting the finishing touches" on a new album with Cypress Hill, and also working on a new recording with his Latin project Ritmo Machine. He will be on tour with his DJ/percussion outfit Beat Junkies in Europe in October. A tour supporting Dig My Feeling could also be in the works.

"I haven"t played my dad's music in over 25 years," he says. "Now with this record, to be able to play this music live, and also play some of his classics, I think it would be really fun. And now, it's not like I'm 15. I can explore the genius of my father with a different head. I believe it's going to happen."
Amit Yadav, a 24-year-old software engineer, had pretended to be a girl on Facebook, and befriended a young girl called Priya.

Enraged techie Amit Yadav reached Priya's (in pic) flat and attacked the girl and her mother with a knife, leading to the girl's death.

By Ravish Pal Singh: Macabre crimes linked to Facebook relationships with strangers continue to pour in regularly, and this time, cost the life of a 16-year-old girl in Indore.

Amit Yadav, a 24-year-old software engineer, had pretended to be a girl on Facebook, and befriended a young girl called Priya. However, when he revealed his true identity to the girl, she broke off all ties with him. The enraged techie reached Priya's flat and attacked the girl and her mother with a knife, leading to the girl's death.

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Subsequently, he tried to kill himself by jumping from the second-storey flat but failed in the process. Police are investigating the case.

The youth, who was infatuated with Priya, had befriended her using the name Priyanshi.

According to area SHO Rajendra Soni, Amit kept up the facade of being a girl for over a year. However, when he revealed his true identity, Priya unfriended and blocked him. By then the accused had already got his hands on Priya's address and her mother's mobile number.

He reached the flat and attacked Priya's mother. When Priya intervened, he repeatedly stabbed her and she died on the spot. Priya's mother has been rushed to hospital.

ALSO READ:

Former lovers Upen Patel, Karishma Tanna fight on a busy street



--- ENDS ---
Swedish communication technology and services giant, Ericsson ERIC has entered into a partnership with HomeSend. This deal is aimed at accelerating the adoption of international remittances through mobile phones across emerging markets.

HomeSend is fast bridging the gap between financial institutions, non-financial entities and mobile network operators. HomeSend is the result of an alliance between MasterCard, eServGlobal and BICS.

This partnership between the two companies will provide Ericsson access to HomeSend's expanding network of money transfer operators (MTOs), cash agents and banks in over 200 countries. The Ericsson Wallet Platform is now certified by HomeSend. Consequently, millions of users who leverage the Ericsson-powered mobile wallet globally will enjoy easier and faster international payment services. These services will have new levels of flexibility, options and value in remittance.

Together, the two entities are aimed at delivering a cost-effective, prompt and simple way to financial service providers to connect the HomeSend global money transfer hub with Ericsson's mobile money offering around the world.

Ericsson Interconnect is another of Ericsson's Mobile Financial Services solutions. This product is a cloud-based financial transactions switching and mediation service, which aims to contribute in making Financial Services providers accessible, using any wallet or mobile banking platform.

ERICSSON LM ADR Price and Consensus

ERICSSON LM ADR Price and Consensus | ERICSSON LM ADR Quote

Through this joint initiative, the companies will provide improved access to digital inflows to millions of new unbanked consumers. This collaboration will aid bridge the gap between finance and telecommunication service providers, empowering mobile wallet users to transmit money through their mobile phones. It will also help financial institutions to offer the ease of digital money transfers.

Ericssons technology has been enabling telecom players and financial services providers to adapt to the rapidly changing landscape, and expand the financial services available across the world.

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However, reduced consumer telecom spending is playing a spoilsport for Ericsson. Also, stiff competition and currency fluctuations have been hurting this Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) companys performance. Ericsson is also grappling with waning sales in some key end-markets, slowdown in 4G deployment in China and ongoing industry consolidation among customers and major rivals.

Stocks to Consider

Some better-ranked stocks in the same space include Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. UBNT, Motorola Solutions, Inc. MSI and Novatel Wireless Inc. MIFI, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Networking products and solutions provider Ubiquiti Networks has an excellent earnings surprise history, beating estimates each time, over the trailing four quarters. It has a positive average surprise of 13.2%.

Motorola Solutions is engaged in providing communication equipments, software and services. The company has a striking earnings surprise history over the trailing four quarters, having beaten estimates all through, for an impressive average beat of 16.4%.

Novatel Wireless  a provider of wireless data modems and software  has been seeing positive analyst estimate revisions of late. Its Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has narrowed from a loss of 35 cents 60 days ago, to a loss of 30 cents today, which reflects bullish analyst sentiment.

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Brussels (AFP) - The EU said Wednesday it hoped to relocate 30,000 refugees from Greece by the end of next year, insisting it was making "significant progress" on tackling the migrant crisis.

A deal with Turkey to cut the flow of migrants to the Greek islands is also proving successful, said an assessment by the European Commission, the executive arm of the 28-nation bloc.

But despite their hopes for refugees in Greece, European Union nations look set to fall well short of their overall plan agreed a year ago to share 160,000 migrants around the bloc.

"We have come a long way," Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said as he released reports on several key areas of the crisis. "We have made significant progress as a union but we have more work ahead of us."

Europe has faced its biggest migration crisis since World War II with well over one million refugees and migrants arriving on its shores in the past year as they flee war in Syria and the Middle East, and poverty in Africa.

In September 2015 the EU agreed controversial mandatory quotas to relocate 160,000 people from overwhelmed Greece and Italy, the two countries most heavily affected by the crisis, to other countries.

Hungary is having a referendum on whether to accept the quotas, which have angered several eastern and central European states, even as Germany has taken in a million asylum seekers.

The European Commission insisted there had been "important progress" despite so far only 5,651 refugees having been moved from Greece and Italy during the past year.

It said it was speeding up relocations with 1,202 in September alone, twice the previous biggest monthly total.

- 'Dramatic' fall in arrivals -

"With the increased capacity of the Greek Asylum Service, and if member states step up their efforts, it should notably be possible to relocate the remaining relocation candidates present in Greece (around 30,000) within the next year," the commission said in a report.

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Greece is accommodating over 60,000 refugees and migrants stuck in the country after a succession of Balkan and EU states shut their borders earlier this year.

Only half would be eligible for relocation under the EU plan which caters for Syrians, Iraqis and Eritreans.

The EU said the deal with Turkey signed earlier this year had "dramatically" reduced the flow of migrants over the Aegean Sea to Greece, despite the instability from a coup attempt in Turkey in July.

"Despite challenging circumstances this summer, the settlement has continued to work and remains our number one priority," Avramopoulos told a news conference in Brussels.

Eighty-five people have been arriving a day on average in the Greek islands since June, compared to 1,700 per day in March and 7,000 per day in October 2015, the commission said.

But Avramopoulos said Turkey had yet to fulfil the criteria to achieve its most sought after element of the deal: visa-free travel to the EU, although Brussels was working with Ankara to achieve it.

Emergency border checks introduced in the EU's supposedly passport-free Schengen Area by five countries amid the migration crisis are allowed to continue for now.

But the EU will only decide on whether or not to approve a new six-month extension in November.

The EU has said it plans to restore Schengen to full borderless status by the end of the year.

"Our objective remains to lift all border controls," Avramopoulos said.
By Francesco Guarascio

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - France and Germany have persuaded their EU counterparts to discuss pending global banking rules at their next finance ministers' meeting amid concerns the bloc may refuse to sign on to the new regulations.

The Basel Committee, a body of banking supervisors from nearly 30 countries, set a December 2016 deadline to conclude an overhaul of existing banking rules known as Basel III. Opponents reckon the new rules go too far, including increasing what banks must hold in capital against risk.

European Union finance ministers agreed a common position on the reform in July calling on global regulators not to increase capital requirements. The ministers will now address the issue again on Oct 11, two EU officials said, as negotiations in the Basel Committee have hit a snag.

While Europeans are sceptical, U.S. regulators and other supporters of the proposals say they are needed to make sure banks have enough spare capital to match the amount of risk they have taken..

Last week, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble and his French counterpart Michel Sapin said it was critical that new rules did not put European banks at a disadvantage.

The French and German banking federations warned the new rules may increase capital requirements for banks "in some cases by up to a further 50 percent."

"The discussion at the council of finance ministers may result in a new joint statement," an EU official said.

In July, ministers called for the Basel reform not to result in a "significant increase in the overall capital requirements for the banking sector".

Industry sources said they are still confident a compromise can be reached by the end of the year. The Basel Committee will meet again in November.

The core of the review is the introduction of models to calculate bank risks based on common standards, rather than on benchmarks developed internally by banks, a change that would hit mostly European banks with higher capital requirements, European officials and lenders fear.

(Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
Brussels (AFP) - The EU on Wednesday launched an in-depth investigation into whether the blockbuster attempt by the Frankfurt stock exchange to merge with its London exchange rival harms competition.

The LSE and Deutsche Boerse tie-up would create a financial markets behemoth competing with the likes of the Chicago exchange and ICE in the United States as well as the Hong Kong stock exchange in Asia.

The EU team, led by the hardened Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, has 90 days to assess the merger which has already hit turbulence after the shock decision by Britain to quit the European Union.

"Financial markets provide an essential function for the European economy," Vestager said in a statement announcing the wide-ranging probe.

"We must ensure that market participants continue to have access to financial market infrastructure on competitive terms," she added.

The merger would ring up one of the globe's biggest groups for stock listings and market data, tying the Frankfurt-dominated eurozone to a post-Brexit London.

Crucially, it would also handle more super risky derivatives trades than any other venue in the world, becoming a hub for what is sometimes called shadow banking.

The proposed deal has drawn sharp rebukes from France, Belgium, Portugal and the Netherlands, fearful that their own stock exchanges, owned by Euronext, will get buried in the aftermath.

In addition to the London market, LSE also operates the Milan stock exchange and the LCH Clearnet clearing house, where hundreds of billions of euros in foreign currency trades and risky derivatives are processed, outside the eye of banking regulators.

Deutsche Boerse operates the Frankfurt exchange, as well as the Luxembourg-based clearing house Clearstream and the derivatives platform Eurex.

In a brief statement, Deutsche Boerse said it simply took note of the probe.

LSE meanwhile proposed the sale of the French division of its LCH clearinghouse as a "pro-active" concession to EU concerns.

Story continues

Clearing houses are an increasingly vital part of financial markets, insuring buyers and sellers against their counterparts pulling out of a deal in exchange for cash guarantees.

London hosts roughly 1.3 trillion euros ($1.44 trillion) of euro clearing transactions every year, a status that is now in danger with the British vote to leave the EU.

Originally, the new company was to be headquartered in London and run by the current CEO of Deutsche Boerse, Carsten Kengeter.

But German regulators and politicians are reluctant to see the Frankfurt exchange run from a non-EU country.

Deep concerns over competition helped scupper two earlier attempts by the companies to merge, in 2000 and 2005.

Deutsche Boerse has also tried to combine forces with NYSE Euronext in 2011, which operated the New York, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels and Lisbon exchanges at the time.
European indexes closed higher on Wednesday, with investor sentiment buoyed by a rally in Deutsche Bank (XETRA:DBK-DE) shares and a strong performance in the basic resources stock sector (STOXX:.SXPP).

The pan-European STOXX 600 index (^STOXX) closed around 0.7 percent higher, with all sectors and major bourses in positive territory.

The U.K.'s FTSE 100 (FTSE International: .FTSE) ended provisionally 0.5 percent higher, while the German DAX (^GDAXI) and the French CAC (Euronext Paris: .FCHI) index both closed roughly 0.8 percent higher.





The DAX was boosted by shares of Deutsche Bank (XETRA:DBK-DE), which closed over 2 percent higher, bouncing back after several sessions of heavy selling. This came after it was asked to pay a settlement by the U.S. Department of Justice and speculation that it was seeking help from the German government.



The European basic resources stock sector closed up 1.4 percent. Strong performers included Rio Tinto (London Stock Exchange: RIO-GB) and Arcelormittal (Euronext Amsterdam: MT-NL), which both closed over 2 percent higher.



U.S. stocks opened slightly higher on Wednesday, before paring gains as several U.S. Federal Reserve spoke and a meeting of major oil-producing countries concluded.



On Wednesday, oil prices rose in early trade before declining

Meanwhile, Petrofac (London Stock Exchange: PFC-GB) shares rallied as much as 4 percent after Goldman Sachs upgraded its outlook on the firm. Shares closed up 2.7 percent.



Steinhoff (: @SHFJLFDC16J-GB) saw its shares close 3.9 percent higher, after the retail group announced on Wednesday that it was planning a capital increase.

ICAP (London Stock Exchange: IAP-GB) shares lost nearly 4 percent in early deals after a rating downgrade from Citigroup. Its shares closed 3.6 percent lower on the day.

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(Updates with details, background)

By Tim Hepher

BARCELONA, Sept 28 (Reuters) - A senior Airbus Group executive, Christian Scherer, is to be named as chief executive of Franco-Italian turboprop aircraft maker ATR, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

Scherer, who currently heads Airbus Group International, will replace Patrick de Castelbajac, who is leaving half way through his four-year mandate to return to Airbus, one of ATR's two shareholders, the source said, asking not to be named.

Scherer is expected to serve the full four-year term at the world's largest regional turboprop maker, whose top post usually alternates every four years between joint shareholders Airbus Group and Italy's Leonardo Finmeccanica.

ATR declined to comment.

The appointment of Scherer, seen as one of the main architects of the successful A320neo Airbus jet programme as well as the launch of a new overseas Airbus assembly plant in Alabama, is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Industry sources say he will bring a staunchly commercial focus as the European turboprop maker, and its main rival Bombardier of Canada, face volatile markets.

With $2 billion of turnover, ATR contributes steadily to both shareholders but there have been differences over strategy in recent years as Airbus blocked proposals for a new 90-seat turboprop that was viewed more favourably by Leonardo.

Longer term, there also remains uncertainty over its future shareholder structure, with Leonardo reported to be interested in buying out its French partner while Airbus Group would like to get hold of Leonardo's stake in missiles venture MBDA.

Scherer, an Airbus veteran whose engineer father was onboard the maiden flight of an Airbus jet over 40 years ago, has spent most of his career in the Airbus commercial jets arm including as strategy chief, before switching to defence and space sales followed by head of international operations at Airbus Group.

Despite only completing half his mandate, de Castelbajac had recently appeared ready to leave ATR following signs of friction with Italian shareholders, according to industry reports.

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Usine Nouvelle reported last week he could land a senior role under Airbus planemaking chief Fabrice Bregier.

ATR predicts demand for 2,800 turboprop aircraft in the next 20 years, about two thirds of which would come from new routes and growth in countries like China and India.

Officials at rival Bombardier told the ISTAT Aviation conference in Barcelona that Iran could be a strong market for turboprops on domestic routes due to arduous airport conditions.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Richard Lough and Mark Potter)
(Reuters) - With Britain set to leave the European Union, hopes have risen in Paris and Berlin for the realization of a nearly 70-year-old ambition to coordinate European defense policy. Britain blocked such plans in recent years, fearing an EU army, but France and Germany have come forward with new proposals. Here is a chronology of Europe's search for common defense. 1949 - The United States, Canada and European countries set up the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a U.S.-led military alliance. 1950 - The European Defense Community is proposed as a European alternative to NATO to incorporate West Germany and create a European army, a joint budget and shared arms. 1954 - The French parliament rejects the European Army plan. Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Britain form the Western European Union, a common defense group with a shared air force and joint command. 1993 - The EU's Maastricht Treaty redefines European integration and introduces a Common Foreign and Security Policy as one of its goals, allowing European governments to take joint action in foreign policy. 1998 - Britain and France agree to common defense in the Saint-Malo Declaration, and London pledges to play a central role in the security and defense policy of the European Union. 2003 - The European Union launches its first independent military mission outside of Europe, Operation Artemis, with United Nations backing, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 2004 - The European Defense Agency is formed to help EU governments develop their military capabilities. 2007 - Rapid-reaction forces of about 1,500 soldiers, called EU Battlegroups, are formed under control of the Council of the European Union. 2009 - The EU's Lisbon Treaty strengthens the Common Foreign and Security Policy, creating an EU foreign policy chief. 2016 - France and Germany make fresh proposals to integrate European defense policy. EU leaders are set to meet to consider the new policies in December. (Reporting by Marilyn Haigh; editing by Mark Heinrich)
By Daniel Wiessner (Reuters) - An ex-Fox News anchor told her therapist that former network chairman Roger Ailes sexually harassed her, two years before she went public with the allegations that the company said she made up, a document filed in court on Wednesday said. Lawyers for Andrea Tantaros filed a statement in New York state court in Manhattan from the therapist, who said Tantaros spoke to her about the harassment in 2014. Tantaros sued Ailes and Fox News, a unit of Twenty-First Century Fox Inc in August. Ailes resigned in July after two decades with Fox News after another former anchor, Gretchen Carlson, sued him for sexual harassment. Fox News agreed to pay $20 million on Ailes' behalf to settle Carlson's case in early September. Several other women have told news outlets including New York Magazine that Ailes sexually harassed them, but none have sued. Tantaros sued Fox, Ailes and four other network executives, claiming she was taken off the air in April in retaliation for rebuffing Ailes' advances and complaining to top officials. Wednesday's filing was in response to one by the company in August in which Fox News called Tantaros an "opportunist" and a "wannabe." It said Tantaros made up the claims in her lawsuit after the company took her off the air for writing a book without the company's permission. "This blows Foxs defense out of the water," Tantaros' lawyer, Judd Burstein, said in an interview on Wednesday. The statement by the therapist, Dr. Michelle Berdy, said Tantaros was "shocked and devastated" when then-senior executive William Shine in 2014 shrugged off her complaints that Ailes had made a number of inappropriate remarks. Shine became co-president of Fox News when Ailes resigned. "Andrea found Shine's warning 'not to fight this' as both very threatening and extremely disturbing," Berdy wrote. Tantaros' lawyer on Wednesday also filed court documents asking a state judge to reject a bid by Fox and Ailes to send the lawsuit to arbitration. The judge is scheduled to hold a hearing in the case in October. A representative for Fox said "we stand by our earlier motion to compel arbitration." Lawyers for Ailes did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The case is Tantaros v. Fox News Network LLC, New York State Supreme Court, New York County, No. 157054/2016. (Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New York, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Grant McCool)
(Adds details on bail decision, comment from defense lawyer)

By Nate Raymond

NEW YORK, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The former president of reinsurer Gerova Financial Group Ltd was convicted on Wednesday on charges that he participated a scheme orchestrated by a man once dubbed "Porn's New King" to defraud investors.

Gary Hirst, 64, was found guilty by a federal jury in Manhattan on all four counts he faced, including conspiracy, securities fraud and wire fraud charges, according to court records.

After the verdict, U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel increased Hirst's bond from $1 million to $3 million and ordered the Florida resident be placed in custody until he could meet the new bail conditions. Hirst's sentencing was set for Feb. 3.

"We are disappointed with the verdict and intend to pursue an appeal," said Michael Tremonte, Hirst's lawyer.

The trial followed charges announced last year against seven people including Hirst and Jason Galanis, an investment banker who prosecutors said oversaw a scheme to secretly dump millions of Gerova shares in an unregistered offering and distribution.

Galanis, a Los Angeles resident whose father and two brothers were also charged, was dubbed "Porn's New King" by Forbes magazine in 2004 after he bought the nation's largest processor of credit card payments for online pornography.

Authorities said Galanis was deeply involved in Gerova's management, but investors were not told that due to a 2007 U.S. Securities and Commission settlement barring him from serving as an officer or director at a publicly-traded company.

Prosecutors said in 2010, Hirst, Gerova's president and board chairman, worked with Galanis to use a straw man and fake documents to issue $72 million worth of Gerova stock that they would secretly control without board approval.

Galanis, working with his family members, then helped the straw man deposit the shares into U.S. brokerage accounts, prosecutors said. Subsequent stock sales netted them about $20 million, $2.6 million of which Hirst received, prosecutors said.

Story continues

Galanis meanwhile bribed two investment advisers to buy Gerova shares to lessen the stock sales' price-depressing impact, prosecutors said.

The New York Stock Exchange halted trading in Gerova's stock in 2011, following reports raising questions about the company. Gerova commenced liquidation proceedings in Bermuda in 2012.

Five people have pleaded guilty, including Galanis in July. He has yet to be sentenced.

A separate case against Galanis, Hirst and five others filed in May over what authorities call a scheme to cheat investors and a Native American tribe out of millions of dollars remains pending.

The case is U.S. v. Galanis et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 15-cr-00643.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Tom Brown)
By Nate Raymond

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The former president of reinsurer Gerova Financial Group Ltd <GVFG.PK> was convicted on Wednesday on charges that he participated a scheme orchestrated by a man once dubbed "Porn's New King" to defraud investors.

Gary Hirst, 64, was found guilty by a federal jury in Manhattan on all four counts he faced, including conspiracy, securities fraud and wire fraud charges, according to court records.

After the verdict, U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel increased Hirst's bond from $1 million to $3 million and ordered the Florida resident be placed in custody until he could meet the new bail conditions. Hirst's sentencing was set for Feb. 3.

"We are disappointed with the verdict and intend to pursue an appeal," said Michael Tremonte, Hirst's lawyer.

The trial followed charges announced last year against seven people including Hirst and Jason Galanis, an investment banker who prosecutors said oversaw a scheme to secretly dump millions of Gerova shares in an unregistered offering and distribution.

Galanis, a Los Angeles resident whose father and two brothers were also charged, was dubbed "Porn's New King" by Forbes magazine in 2004 after he bought the nation's largest processor of credit card payments for online pornography.

Authorities said Galanis was deeply involved in Gerova's management, but investors were not told that due to a 2007 U.S. Securities and Commission settlement barring him from serving as an officer or director at a publicly-traded company.

Prosecutors said in 2010, Hirst, Gerova's president and board chairman, worked with Galanis to use a straw man and fake documents to issue $72 million worth of Gerova stock that they would secretly control without board approval.

Galanis, working with his family members, then helped the straw man deposit the shares into U.S. brokerage accounts, prosecutors said. Subsequent stock sales netted them about $20 million, $2.6 million of which Hirst received, prosecutors said.

Story continues

Galanis meanwhile bribed two investment advisers to buy Gerova shares to lessen the stock sales' price-depressing impact, prosecutors said.

The New York Stock Exchange halted trading in Gerova's stock in 2011, following reports raising questions about the company. Gerova commenced liquidation proceedings in Bermuda in 2012.

Five people have pleaded guilty, including Galanis in July. He has yet to be sentenced.

A separate case against Galanis, Hirst and five others filed in May over what authorities call a scheme to cheat investors and a Native American tribe out of millions of dollars remains pending.

The case is U.S. v. Galanis et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 15-cr-00643.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Tom Brown)
Hitting out on Katju, Tejaswi said the state of Bihar may be lacking in resources but it did not give Katju the free hand to humiliate Bihar.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav has slammed former Supreme Court judge Markande Katju for his sarcastic comments where the latter had said if Pakistan wanted Kashmir, it will have to take Bihar along in the package deal.

" It's a package deal. You have to take the whole package or none at all. Either you take both Kashmir and Bihar or nothing. We wll not give you Kashmir alone", Katju tweeted on Monday.

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Hitting out on Katju, Tejaswi said the state of Bihar may be lacking in resources but it did not give Katju the free hand to humiliate Bihar.

"Bihar has always shown the way to the country in good and bad times. The state may be devoid of resources but it does not mean anyone can lambast it", Tejaswi countered in his tweet.

Tejaswi further said that Bihar was the land of Lord Mahavira, Lord Buddha, Guru Gobind Singh, Mata Sita and many sufi saints and did not reserve unwarranted comments from former Supreme Court judge.

" This land has great courage and the will to fight against injustice. Bihar is the combination of courage, patience, might, mind, culture and spirituality", tweeted Tejaswi.

Katju's comments has kicked a political storm in Bihar with leaders from ruling and opposition, both criticising his tweets.

ALSO READ:

Another picture of Lalu's sons with journalist Ranjan's murder accused surfaces

Nitish is better PM material than Rahul or Modi, says Tejaswi Yadav



--- ENDS ---
At first, South Dakota authorities believed former police chief Russell Bertram killed his 26-year-old pregnant fiancee by accident during a 2009 hunting trip.



He'd said his shotgun went off accidentally as he loaded it into his truck, hitting Leonila Stickney in her stomach, according to the Associated Press.



But on Monday, seven years after Stickney's death, a Gregory County, South Dakota, jury found the 64-year-old Bertram guilty of first-degree murder, state Attorney General Marty Jackley and Gregory County State's Attorney Amy Bartling announced.



"The jury returned a verdict in a case that could have likely gone unsolved but for the hard work of investigators and prosecutors," Jackley said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.



Bertram, who had once served as police chief in Harrisburg, South Dakota, "took the life of his fiancee while claiming the death was a result of an accidental shooting with the hopes of collecting over $900,000 worth of insurance money," prosecutors said in their statement.



Prosecutors also said they believed Bertram murdered Stickney because he had learned she was pregnant with another man's child, according to The Daily Republic, which covered the trial.



According to prosecutors, Bertram knew the child wasn't his because he'd had a vasectomy, the Republic reports.



The South Dakota Attorney General's Office began investigating Bertram in 2010, after Leonila's then-estranged husband, David Stickney, contacted authorities, according to the AP. David said that after Leonila's death, he received a letter from a life insurance company that was processing a claim from Bertram.



 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.



Months before Leonila died, Bertram bought two life insurance policies for her, according to the Republic. Bertram said he planned on sending the money to Leonila's family in the Philippines, but prosecutors said he only sent a small portion to her relatives.



Bertram's attorneys, however, said their client continued to give Leonila's family money until his arrest, according to the Republic.



His attorneys also said that no one questioned if Bertram allegedly murdered Leonila until her estranged husband and his lawyer took him to court in a civil suit to gain a portion of the insurance money, according to the paper. David was ultimately awarded about $600,000 of the insurance money.



During Bertram's trial, his defense argued to jurors that then-Gregory County Sheriff Charlie Wolf did not believe he had enough evidence to bring charges.



Bertram maintained the shooting was accidental.



In a further twist, he married Leonila's sister after her death, according to the AP.



Melliza Del Balle  his wife and Leonila's sister  told the AP she was pleased by the verdict: "He deserves it. ... We are so happy. Finally, we already have justice. I think he did it on purpose for money."



She has filed for divorce, citing "extreme cruelty," according to the AP.



Del Balle married Bertram after he traveled to the Philippines in the wake of Leonila's shooting but before he was charged with murder, according to the AP. The two have a young child.



Bertram faces life in prison and is expected to be sentenced in November.



His attorney did not immediately return calls for comment.
By Jessica Toonkel and Greg Roumeliotis (Reuters) - Sumner Redstone's National Amusements Inc is preparing to call on CBS Corp and Viacom Inc to explore a merger, two people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. National Amusements is the controlling shareholder of both media companies, which separated from each other 10 years ago. A merger would give Viacom, whose networks include Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and MTV, a seasoned media executive at the helm in CBS CEO Leslie Moonves at a time when its TV ratings and ad revenue are in decline, many investors believe. The possible benefits for CBS are less clear, beyond the company gaining scale, which could help with negotiations with cable and satellite distributors. CBS's ratings and ad revenue have been strong over the past few years and Moonves has resisted the idea of a recombination, other people familiar with the situation have said. Investors tentatively welcomed the prospect of a deal, if only to end the uncertainty that has hovered over the companies for the past two years as the ailing 93-year-old Redstone has become less involved in their operations. We would like to see CBS continue on its path of success and bring Viacom along with the ride, said Michael Cuggino, president at San Francisco-based Permanent Portfolio Family of Funds, which owns voting shares of CBS and Viacom. He said his enthusiasm for a deal would depend on the details. A merger could save $400 million in costs between the two companies and give them greater clout in the consolidating world of television, according to Michael Nathanson, senior analyst at MoffettNathanson Research. Viacom shares jumped as much as 7 percent after Reuters exclusively reported National Amusement's plans, and ended trading up 3 percent at $36.56, giving the company a market value of $14.7 billion. CBS shares closed up 4 percent at $54.15, indicating a market value of just over $24 billion. SPECIAL COMMITTEES A combination of CBS and Viacom would be the latest example of a deal between two companies with high-profile owners in common. Elon Musk is the largest shareholder in both Tesla Motors Inc and SolarCity Corp , which announced a deal in August. A month earlier, Larry Ellison's Oracle Corp said it would buy NetSuite Inc , 40 percent of whose shares are controlled by Ellison. In both those cases the companies formed special board committees to explore all transactions available to them before agreeing to a deal. National Amusements may contact CBS and Viacom as early as this week to ask them to form such independent board committees, one of the sources said. The sources asked not to be identified because the deliberations are confidential. Representatives for National Amusements, Viacom and CBS declined to comment. National Amusements, the privately held movie theater company owned by Redstone and his daughter Shari Redstone, own 80 percent of the voting shares of Viacom and CBS. Viacom was spun off from CBS in 2006, but Shari Redstone has been in favor of recombining the two under the leadership of Moonves, sources have previously told Reuters. Industry speculation that the two might tie up has increased over the past few weeks, after the Redstones prevailed over a power struggle that resulted in the departure of Viacom Chief Executive Officer Philippe Dauman. CBS DOUBTS, VIACOM STRUGGLES However, Moonves has previously indicated he is not warm to the idea. "We are never going to do something that is bad for CBS shareholders," he told investors at a Bank of America Merrill Lynch investor conference earlier this month, adding that the two companies were not "in active discussions." Last week, Viacom, which has more than $12 billion in debt, slashed its dividend by half to 20 cents per share and said it expects a fourth-quarter adjusted profit of 65 to 70 cents per share. Analysts on average were expecting 89 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Viacom, which also owns Paramount Pictures, announced last week that its interim CEO, longtime Viacom executive Tom Dooley, would be leaving in November, opening a gap at the top of the company as its board navigates the way forward. Merging Viacom back into CBS is the most logical solution, particularly for Sumner Redstone, who is known to be very attached to pieces of Viacom, particularly its Paramount studios, according to Mario Gabelli, whose firm is the second-largest owner of voting shares of both Viacom and CBS after Redstone. Gabelli would not say whether he favors a deal. "It's always a question for my clients as to 'What do I get?," he said. Despite Viacom's recent issues, there is still a lot of value in the company, he said. "It's a fixer-upper," said Gabelli. "It's like prime real estate on a beach overlooking a bluff in East Hampton, but the house sucks." (Reporting by Jessica Toonkel and Greg Roumeliotis in New York, Additional reporting by Liana B. Baker in San Francisco; Editing by Matthew Lewis, Andrew Hay and Bill Rigby)
Black-ish has a new guest star!



Hamilton's Daveed Diggs is starting his post-musical career with a guest starring stint on the hit ABC show  and PEOPLE has an exclusive first look at his role.



The Tony-winning actor is joining the cast of black-ish as Johan, Rainbow's ( Tracee Ellis Ross) brother who just got back to America after teaching for two years in France. Naturally, this makes him unable to say the word "croissant" without a French accent  and subsequently infuriating Andre ( Anthony Anderson).



Johan may rub Dre the wrong way, but in real life the actors had a blast working together.









An Exclusive First Look at Hamilton Star Daveed Diggs' Guest-Starring Role on Black-ish| black-ish, People Picks, TV News

An Exclusive First Look at Hamilton Star Daveed Diggs' Guest-Starring Role on Black-ish| black-ish, People Picks, TV News

"We were shooting a scene in a car  and spending most of the day with Anthony Anderson in a car is a thing I will never forget," Diggs told PEOPLE. "I havenat taken a road trip with him, but this was like that."



And Hamilton's favorite fighting Frenchman certainly needed high-energy moments like that to adjust to the TV world after being a part of such an electric show for more than a year.



"I was surprised at how relaxed the schedule was going from Hamilton on Broadway and having a sustained energy in theater  three hours at a time of intensity," sys the Broadway star. "Going to TV it is about keeping things fresh and having a short burst of intensity over the course of a day."



Black-ish airs Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
From Esquire

The following essay is excerpted from The Unknown Kerouac: Rare, Unpublished, and Newly Translated Writings. The Library of America-published collection, out today, includes previously unpublished work-two of which originally written in French-that give an early glimpse at the man who would go on to become one of America's most iconic novelists, thinkers, and cultural heroes.

Photo credit: The Library of America

From a handwritten journal dated September 3October 9, 1946, this essay, titled "America in World History," echoes the theme of American national exceptionalism formulated by Ralph Waldo Emerson in such essays as "The American Scholar" (1837). Animated by the triumphalism of the immediate postwar period, Kerouac's essay idealizes America as a virtuous alternative to European mores and traditions. At the center of "America in world history" is an enumerated list of singular American achievements, fueled by what Kerouac considers the "unconscious pulse of soul and destiny" propelling national life into the Cold War era. The discussion of jazz is especially notable in this regard, as the budding 24-year-old writer celebrates the jazz idiom for its dynamism and extemporaneous inventiveness-qualities that would guide some of his most impressive writing.

It would be much easier for me to assert that America is a separate culture-civilization from "West-Europe"-younger, with an unfulfilled destiny, not in the petrified decadent "late" civilization stage that Europe undoubtedly is in-because I myself do not feel "late" and "finished," and because I feel young and unfulfilled. However, it would be infinitely harder NOT to separate America from West-European civilization because there happen to be innumerable facts that indicate there is actually a deep separation.

Therefore, I hereby separate American culture from West-Europe, I do it as an American, and it is not because this is the easier choice: I am impelled by facts, the deepest and most powerful of which is my feeling that I am young and unfulfilled, like 90 percent of my American brothers, and I believe that in this decision beats the unconscious pulse of soul and destiny.

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Photo credit: Shutterstock

This message will have most meaning to those who have felt what I write long before now, to many of those who, indeed, never read as a general rule. This message is directed to those Americans who feel the final culminating Alaska of American meanings beating in their blood.

But before anything of American destiny can be worked out and hinted-before that Goethean task, it is necessary for me, as an American versed in world history, as a thinker and novelist, as an intellectual conversant with the summaries of West-Europe (lodged comfortably in all large American cities, but in not one Alaskan town), it is necessary for me for the first time in America to formally and consciously disengage my nation from West-European civilization, announcing that it is a young and separate culture, with its own separate age and destiny, and marshaling these facts to prove it to all doubtful Americans.

A LIST OF THE FACTS--

1.Native Americans themselves have always disclaimed any cultural ties with Europe, and ever certain of the immigrant populations of the 20th century, after they have dispersed among the native culture and civilization, are first to disclaim any such cultural ties with Europe, having experienced that indefinable "American way" and the deep opposition of it to European ways. Hitherto, it has been only in the classroom of the academician or in the salon of the great intellectual that America has been identified as a transition, a growth of European civilization, in the most matter of fact taken-for-granted manner.

The American soul, here, is incalculably new in its originality and impulsiveness.

2.Nothing has been accomplished in Europe with the industrial tool that Europe itself developed, to compare with what America accomplished with that borrowed tool-take American mass production of automobiles and planes, on a scale undreamed-of in Europe. The American soul, here, is incalculably new in its originality and impulsiveness. A European, Celine of France, was baffled and crushed by the sight of ford's assembly lines in Detroit, as though face-to-face with a Martian horror. It was only America.

3.The deep persistence of capitalism in American ways, despite the socialization of England and Europe, and the Communizing of Eastern Europe and China, is a pure sign of irreversibility of soul, a pure sign of American self-hood-("you can't change the spots on a leopard"). The more America swings to the "right"-which is a European word for capitalism-the more America proves its spots. Free enterprise, the root of capitalism, developed in the American summer of the late 19th century-it is the prime phenomenal direction of American society, the rugged individualism that can only be erased from the American's soul when he is no longer his "own boss." All "leftism" in America is European in origin and in purpose.

America's literature, from Emerson, Thoreau and Twain on down to Whitman and Wolfe, is one continuous assertion of American singularness.

4.America's literature, from Emerson, Thoreau and Twain on down to Whitman and Wolfe, is one continuous assertion of American singularness. Of Wolfe it can be said that he devoted all of his energies in evoking the feeling of the "unuttered American tongue in the wilderness" in all of his huge novels. Twain's Innocents Abroad, Whitman's evocations of a fresh West wind blowing over a newly felt land, Emerson's springtime testimonials to a "new man, a new freedom"-all these are self-evident. All American writers who were not Americana in sum, were, like Poe and henry James, influenced by Europe by their own tacit admission.

5.In passing-(if I myself, in this year 1946, were alive in Europe as a citizen of a European nation, I would have nothing left to write about, and I would not write. As an American, however, I see no end to my subject and to my task!)

6.The "naivete" of the American, a common complaint made by all Europeans and American Europa-intellectuals, is just one way of their admitting the American's cultural youngness. (Adolescence is another charge leveled at the American.)* The peculiar American mother worship and oedipal complex is responsible for this "adolescence" and for many other singular American traits, all of which is material to be examined in due time, which, I believe, will further substantiate the fact of America's separate age and destiny from that of West-Europe.

The "naivete" of the American, a common complaint made by all Europeans and American Europa-intellectuals, is just one way of their admitting the American's cultural youngness.

7.The "boom town" atmosphere in many American towns, especially during the war in towns where new war plants were springing up, a fact which is more of a reflection of the spirit of Americans than the mere presence of the new industries, is something quite different from the weary atmospheres of Europe and England.

8.American music-Native, "unlearned" Americans persistently fail to appreciate "fine" music-which is just another word for European music, from Bach to Schoenberg-because, as it should have been evident long ago to our historians, Americans appreciate their own music only. This native American music is as yet unrecognized and uncatalogued. There are the fiddle reels of hillspeople, Negro and white jazz, folk music ("Big Rock Candy Mountain," "On Top of Old Smoky"), "cowboy music," and so forth. The prime phenomenal individualism of American culture is most vividly apparent in jazz music where each soloist extemporaneously creates new melodies in infinitely changing progression, so that all the composer supplies is the harmony line, the true composer remaining the jazz soloist himself. All formal American composers schooled in European music, are not the true American composers, of course, this including such as Sessions, Harris, et al.

* Lions are big babies; intellectuals are mature.

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Let's get one thing clear: Divorce is not a continuation of Sex and the City in any way. It's not Carrie Bradshaw in the suburbs. Frances, an executive recruiter and mother of two living in upstate New York, "is different," Sarah Jessica Parker tells ET, as she has told press time and time again, about her highly anticipated return to TV on the new HBO dramedy, her first major role in 12 years since playing Carrie on that other HBO series. "She has a different relationship to men, to romance, to money, to New York City, to children, to commitments."

"Frances is not nearly as buoyant, as technicolor," she continues, referring to Carrie's much louder personality and esthetic. "Still waters run deep with her."

MORE: Sarah Jessica Parker Almost Passed on 'Sex and the City' -- Find Out Why!

In fact, the first scene audiences see when the show premieres on Sunday, Oct. 9 will dispel any notion that this is Carrie's unwritten future. What would normally be Carrie preening into the bathroom mirror as she gets ready for a date becomes Frances examining her aging beauty when her husband, Robert (Thomas Haden Church), comes in to chide her about fair use of bathroom. "I was forced to take a sh*t in this coffee can [gesturing toward a Folger's container in his hand] in the garage. Just wanted you to know," he says dryly, to which she replies with a middle finger.

While the opening scene puts Carrie squarely behind her, letting Parker embrace her new life as Frances, the actress says it wasn't necessarily a priority to make that distinction so clear. "You can't produce a show thinking, 'How will I be different so people stop seeing one thing or another?'" Parker says. "You have to have the courage of your convictions -- and I've wanted to tell this story for a really long time."

MORE: Sarah Jessica Parker on What Makes People 'Bail' in Marriages

That story, about an unhappy married couple, is about more than the title lets on. "Surprisingly and to much frustration, you actually need this other person to be divorced," Parker says, explaining that it goes beyond a courtroom, not intently focused on the judicial outcome of the separation. "You're really, in some cases, needing to be more connected during the divorce than you may have been in the most recent past in your marriage." So, in many ways, it's about two people -- in this case: Frances and Robert -- coming together in order to pull apart their marriage and figure out what it means to be single in relation to each other. "Who are we as divorced people?"

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Trying to answer that question has not been easy. On the process of developing the show, Parker admits that she "didn't know how to go about it and the story was told lots of ways." But in 2014, HBO introduced Parker and creator Sharon Horgan, who since earned an Emmy nomination for writing the breakout Amazon series Catastrophe, and the show started coming together. Eventually Paul Simms, who worked on Girls and The Larry Sanders Show, came on board as showrunner. Between the three, and even with feedback from Church, Divorce started finding its voice.

HBO

"Everything was subject to revision and rethinking," Church says of offering notes on scripts very early in the process. "Even when doing the first 10 episodes, a lot of it was, 'Let's just see how things develop.'"

While Parker knew she wanted to produce the series, starring in it was never a consideration -- at least at first. "Once I was made aware that [HBO] wanted me to play the part, it was a question of 'was I ready to take on a huge responsibility?'" she says.

MORE: How Sarah Jessica Parker Continues to Give Us Fashion Goals at 51

When Sex and the City ended in 2004, Parker focused her attention on her family, no longer willing to commit to those 80 to 100-hour work weeks the series required of her. James, her first son with husband Matthew Broderick, was only 2 at the time, and the couple eventually had twins, Marion and Tabitha, via a surrogate in 2009. Now, James is 13 and her twins are 7 and can express how they feel about her going back to work. "I had the blessings of my son and my husband in a way that's meaningful to me," Parker says of feeling confident about returning to set.

But there's also "Sarah Jessica Parker" the brand, which has expanded beyond acting. Not only is she the vice chair of the New York City Ballet's board of directors, which hosted its annual fall gala on Sept. 20, Parker also has a fragrance line and the SJP shoe collection, which is now carried at Bloomingdales and Nordstrom.

MORE: Sarah Jessica Parker Finally Responds to All the 'Sex and the City 2' Haters

"I know what it takes to produce a show. I know what I ask of myself. I know what it means for time away," Parker says of coming to terms with returning to TV in a way that didn't require her to abandon her other obligations -- family, philanthropic, business or otherwise. "Once I knew I could sort all those things out, I felt, 'Yes, I'm actually ready.'"

Now, it's just a matter of finding out if audiences are ready for this new chapter. "It's up to us to make it worth the viewers' time and ask of them for this space of 30 minutes," Parker says, knowing it takes more than just attaching a name to a show to garner a hit. But there's been a level of excitement building for Parker's big HBO comeback series, especially over the last few months as the first teaser trailer and images were released. But Parker says she doesn't pay attention to all of that -- and wasn't aware of the anticipation during production. "I'm really pleased that I wasn't privy to any of those conversations or any of that peripheral noise because I probably would have internalized it in a way that might not have been great."

HBO

For Horgan, it went all the way back to the first day of writing. "I couldn't think about it, because if I had thought about it, I would freeze," she says about trying to ignore the obvious. "Everything I've ever done has always been a small show, but just by luck or chance that it kind of became something. Whereas this, this started out as something -- before I even put pen to paper. I felt a huge pressure but also it was a ridiculous situation to be in, to be writing for someone that good and that well-known."

Unaware of it while filming, Church got his first taste of excitement during the Television Critics Association press tour in late July, when reporters surrounded Parker after the show's panel. "That was the first time I was like, 'This is a really big deal,'" he says, adding that as the anticipation grows, there's been some hesitation. "I hope the expectations are not absurdly outsized because it's not a big, sensational show."

MORE: Sarah Jessica Parker Couldn't Be Prouder of Meme-Worthy Met Gala Looks

"Compared to Sex and the City, it's a much smaller, more human story," Church says, almost reiterating Parker's point about Frances and Divorce. "I think she's a very different person, but her story's being told across the globe frankly right now," Parker says.

"I think lives are interesting, and that sounds like a very general statement but I think lives that we don't always talk about are, for me, the ones I'm most wanting to explore. People's lives and choices and big changes and obstacles can be interesting," she concludes. "I think there's something there."

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By Guillermo Parra-Bernal and Tatiana Bautzer

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Spanish fashion and fragrance firm Puig SA agreed on Tuesday to pay around 500 million reais (119 million pounds) for a 35 percent stake in Grupo Granado SA, a Brazilian manufacturer and retailer of high-end beauty care goods seeking to expand globally, three people with direct knowledge of the deal said.

Under terms of the deal, part of the proceeds will go to the owners of Granado and the rest to the company in the form of a capital increase, said two of the people, who asked not to be identified since the transaction remains private. The deal values Grupo Granado at around 1.42 billion reais, they said.

Reuters reported on July 14 that Barcelona-based Puig, the owner of the Carolina Herrera and Jean Paul Gaultier brands, was in advanced talks to buy a stake in Granado. Puig consistently stood out over a number of private-equity firms and strategic rivals that had showed early interest in Granado.

Efforts to reach investor relations staff at Rio de Janeiro-based Granado outside business hours were unsuccessful. Calls made to Puig's headquarters went unanswered.

The Granado stake could help Puig grow in Brazil, a country of 200 million that ranks as the world's No. 3 cosmetics and beauty care market. A third-generation family-owned business, Puig manages licenses such as Prada and Valentino and markets celebrity fragrances in more than 150 countries.

Founded in 1870 by Portuguese pharmacist Jose Antonio Coxito Granado, Grupo Granado has managed to weather the impact of Brazil's harshest recession in eight decades by targeting sales of the company's glycerin soaps, shave balms, creams, nail polish and body powders to an affluent clientele.

Former banker Christopher Freeman, who bought Granado from Coxito Granado's children in 1994, has found in Puig a partner to help bolster an overseas push that began three years ago with the opening of a small shop in Paris. Freeman began to look out for a minority partner around February, the people said, adding that talks with Puig formally started in June.

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FATHER AND DAUGHTER

Granado, which had revenue of 380 million reais last year, has achieved compounded average growth of 20 percent over the past decade.

Freeman and Grupo Granado hired the investment-banking units of Itau Unibanco Holding SA and Grupo BTG Pactual SA as advisors, Reuters reported in July. BNP Paribas SA advised Puig, one of the people said on Tuesday.

Rio de Janeiro-based Eskenasi Pernidji Advogados and Sao Paulo-based Stocche, Forbes, Padis, Filizzola, Clapis Advogados also acted as legal advisors in the transaction, the same person added.

A former Citigroup Inc investment banker, Freeman and his daughter Sissi have spent the past decade honing Grupo Granado's business focus and retro image, represented by vintage logo designs and old-styled store decoration mimicking early 20th century pharmacies.

Granado's three divisions run a web of 47 stores across Brazil, a distribution network and a plant where the company's flagship products are manufactured. Granado's most recognized products include Phebo, Brazil's first luxury perfumery and glycerin soap brand, which Freeman bought in 2004.

On its part, Puig's presence in emerging markets has grown, helping the company decouple from years of weak growth in Spain. Currently, 47 percent of revenues come from emerging market countries outside of the European Union and North America.

Last year, Puig had net income of 126 million euros ($141 million) on revenue of 1.645 billion euros. Puig expects annual revenue to reach 2 billion euros by the end of next year.

(Editing by Sandra Maler and Jacqueline Wong)
(Beijing)  Chinese authorities blamed illegal mining activities for a gas explosion at a coal mine that killed 18 miners left two others missing, Chinese state media reported Wednesday.

Tuesday mornings explosion occurred at a small coal mine when 20 miners were working underground in the city of Shizuishan in the northwestern region of Ningxia, the official Xinhua News Agency said. State broadcaster CCTV had said in the morning that the blast had killed 19 people, but later reported 18 deaths.

Local officials said at a news conference early Wednesday that representatives of the company that owned the mine, the Linli Coal Mining Co. Ltd., were in police custody, Xinhua said.

Xinhua cited an initial investigation as showing that the blast was caused by illegal mining, but did not provide details. The company could not immediately be reached at its listed phone number, which rang busy.

At the briefing, Wu Yuguo, the citys vice mayor, said an excessive concentration of gas and the destruction of the mine shaft have hindered rescue efforts.

Chinas mines have long been the worlds deadliest, but safety improvements have reduced deaths in recent years.

Calls to the Shizuishan city government Wednesday rang unanswered.
By PTI: From K J M Varma

Beijing, Sep 27 (PTI) About 174,000 people from east Chinas Fujian and Zhejiang provinces have been forced to seek cover and nearly 55,000 fishing boats have returned to port to take shelter from the approaching Typhoon Megi.

China has already issued an orange alert for Megi, the 17th typhoon this year.

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Megi made landfall at Hualien in eastern Taiwan about 2:00 PM today, disrupting traffic and leaving more than 1.9 million homes without power.

In Taiwan, it killed four people and injured scores , bringing violent winds and heavy rain.

It is expected to make a second landfall in Fujian tomorrow morning, bringing heavy rain and gales to Fujian and neighboring provinces.

Schools in five cities in Fujian, including its provincial capital of Fuzhou, have been ordered to suspend classes in the next two or three days.

A total of 266 trains through Fujian were expected to be canceled in the next two days while bus services were also affected.

Over 150 flights at three major airports in Fujian have been canceled, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Hu Raowen, an official with the Zhejiang Provincial Headquarters of Flood Control and Drought Relief, said heavy rains could cause natural disasters and therefore precautions should be taken.

Last week, Meranti, the strongest typhoon to hit China this year, killed at least ten people in Zhejiang, with most casualties being caused by landslides and flash floods in rural areas. PTI KJV ASK ASK

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has pledged to raise taxes on the wealthy, preserve the Dodd-Frank financial reform law and provide a path to citizenship for undocumented workers. Here are the proposals the former secretary of state has made as part of her argument that she is best qualified to occupy the Oval Office: ECONOMIC POLICY Clinton has said the rich, not the middle class, would see their taxes go up. She supports billionaire investor Warren Buffetts eponymous tax proposal calling for those making more than $1 million a year to pay an effective tax rate of 30 percent. Clinton has also called for an additional 4 percent tax on those making more than $5 million annually. Clinton has pledged to raise the estate tax levied on property transferred from a deceased person to their heirs. She also supports a tiered inheritance tax structure, with a top rate of 65 percent on the wealthiest estates of more than $500 million for a single person or $1 billion for a couple. Clinton has pledged to unveil a plan to rebuild U.S. infrastructure during her first 100 days, saying this would create new jobs. She would use some of the revenue generated from her tax plan to pay for making community colleges tuition-free and ensuring students can graduate from public colleges and universities without incurring debt. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan, nonprofit group that independently scored Clintons proposals in their totality, estimated her policies would cost $1.8 trillion over the next decade and would be offset by $1.6 trillion, mostly generated by taxing high earners. The group said the remaining $200 billion could be covered by $275 billion in corporate tax revenue the Clinton campaign has called for but not yet spelled out in sufficient detail for them to credit as an offset at this time. IMMIGRATION Clinton has promised to propose broad legislation within her first 100 days in office to overhaul the immigration system and establish a process for undocumented workers to become citizens. Clinton has said she will defend executive actions taken by Democratic President Barack Obama to defer deportations of children brought illegally to the United States and the parents of children who are citizens or legal residents. She has said if Congress does not pass comprehensive immigration reform, she will similarly use executive action to defer deportations in sympathetic cases. A federal court has ruled that Obama did not have the authority to issue his executive orders on immigration, known as DACA and DAPA. The U.S. Supreme Court, currently short one member, split 4-to-4 on whether to hear the administrations appeal, leaving the lower courts ruling in place for the time being. WALL STREET REGULATION Clinton has promised to preserve the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law enacted after the financial crisis, and to pursue further measures to toughen Wall Street regulations. She has proposed a fee for large financial institutions based on their size and the level of risk they pose. She would also give regulators additional authority to force institutions that pose high risks to break apart or reorganize. Clinton has also urged strengthening the Volcker Rule, which restricts proprietary trading by commercial banks. She has called for a new tax on high-frequency trading and for stricter oversight of hedge funds, private equity firms and other players in the so-called shadow-banking system. She has promised stiffer policies on people who commit financial crimes, including an extension of the statute of limitations on such crimes and a requirement for bank executives to return bonuses if their institutions suffer major losses. Changes to Dodd-Frank have stalled in the Republican-controlled Congress, and it is unclear whether Clinton could get congressional backing to strengthen the law, unless Democrats win control of one or both chambers in the Nov. 8 election. ISLAMIC STATE Clinton has pledged to defeat Islamic State and has said the first step to fighting the militant group is to eliminate its strongholds in Iraq and Syria. In a departure from the Obama administration, she supports the establishment of a no-fly zone over Syria and has called for an intensified air campaign by the U.S.-led coalition. Clinton has said she would send additional American special forces to help Arab and Kurdish forces already on the ground. She opposes sending additional U.S. ground troops to the region. Clinton has said the United States and European allies must share intelligence more effectively in order to thwart potential attacks. She has urged Silicon Valley companies to work with the government to track militant recruitment tactics on the internet. RUSSIA Current and former Obama administration officials have told Reuters they believe Clinton would take a harder line on Russia than either Obama or Trump. Clinton has said she believes Russian hackers are behind the breach of Democratic Party systems in an attempt to influence the U.S. presidential election. Clinton has said Russia should play a role in combating Islamic State in Syria, and her foreign policy adviser has said she would consider arming government forces in Ukraine, one of Russias neighbors, in a move to combat Russian "aggression in Europe." Russia has backed ethic Russian separatists in Ukraine. CHINA Clinton was a key player in Obamas pivot to Asia when she served as his secretary of state from 2009 to 2013. Clinton has said she will "aggressively pursue trade cases and impose consequences" against China when it commits trade abuses. She opposes granting China market-economy status, which China will be seeking when a World Trade Organization clause expires in December, and has said she would make sure a newly installed trade prosecutor would ensure that China is playing by the rules. Clinton has said she would treat cyber attacks from countries such as Russia and China like any other attack and that the United States will be ready with serious political, economic and military responses. (Compiled by Amanda Becker; Editing by Caren Bohan and Jonathan Oatis)
(Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump wants to build a wall on the border with Mexico, boost spending on the military and slap trade tariffs on China. Here are those positions and others the real estate developer, who has never held elective office, has put forward to convince the American people that he should be the next U.S. chief executive: ECONOMIC POLICY Trump has proposed collapsing the current seven income tax brackets to three with rates of 12 percent, 25 percent and 33 percent. The current top rate is 39.6 percent. He also would eliminate the estate tax, and slash the corporate rate to 15 percent from 35 percent. His plan would allow families to deduct childcare costs from income taxes and offer further support through an existing tax credit for lower-income people. He would also provide six weeks of paid maternity leave for new mothers through temporary unemployment insurance. He has proposed paying for it by cracking down on fraud in the unemployment insurance program and through other changes to the system. Trump has proposed increasing spending on the U.S. military and infrastructure but says he would reduce spending on other categories by 1 percent each year. However, the Social Security and Medicare programs for the elderly would be exempt from cuts. Some economists questioned whether Trump's ideas for reducing spending would be enough to make up for major tax cuts, particularly since many Republicans believe Medicare and Social Security must be revamped to control government outlays. IMMIGRATION Trump launched his presidential campaign with his vow to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border and has said he would insist that the United States' southern neighbor pay for it. He has promised to triple the number of immigration enforcement officers, hire more Border Patrol agents and boost penalties for overstaying visas. Trump has said he would prioritize the deportation of people in the United States illegally who have committed crimes and of those who have arrived recently or overstayed visas. He would require people seeking legal status to leave and reapply. Trump said that after his immigration goals are achieved, he would determine what to do about people still in the country illegally. Trump has proposed ideological screening, or "extreme vetting," of people coming to the United States to determine whether they share American values. He has proposed a ban on immigration from countries where vetting would be difficult. Initially, he proposed a temporary ban on all Muslims from entering the United States. Critics, including some of Trump's defeated rivals for the Republican presidential nomination, said the initial plan to ban all Muslims was discriminatory and likely unconstitutional. Others have since said his extreme vetting idea might not be feasible. WALL STREET REGULATION Trump has promised a "dismantling" of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law enacted following the financial crisis, but has given few details. The Republican Party's platform calls for reinstating Glass-Steagall, the 1930s-era law that forced the separation of investment banks from deposit-taking institutions. Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, said in July that his campaign backed this change. Republican lawmakers have so far been unable to undo many of their most-despised pieces of the Dodd-Frank law, and many in their ranks oppose a return to Glass-Steagall. ISLAMIC STATE Trump has offered few details about his plans to combat Islamic State but has said he would "knock the hell out of" the militant group. He says he is keeping the details of strategy a secret so as not to disclose them to the enemy. Trump has said if he wins, he would give U.S. generals 30 days after he takes office on Jan. 20, 2017 to propose their own plans. Trump has said he opposes accepting refugees fleeing violence in Syria, and instead has said he would create "safe zones" there, which he says would be funded by Gulf states. President Barack Obama has said a safe zone in Syria would require a large U.S. military commitment, something unlikely to be popular with Americans weary of lengthy wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. RUSSIA Trump has said he would have a "very, very good" relationship with Russia. He has said he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin was a better leader than Obama. Trump has said could work with Russia to combat Islamic State. He also said he would look into recognizing Crimea, seized from Ukraine in 2014, as Russian territory and lifting sanctions on Russia imposed by Western nations for what they called an illegal land grab. Trump has criticized the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, saying some U.S. allies have not met their defense commitments. In July, he said if Russia attacked a NATO member, he would consider whether the country has paid up before providing defense. NATO leaders say the sanctions against Russia are key to persuading it to change that country's behavior in Ukraine, where it has backed ethnic Russian separatists, and that the alliance has long been focused on fighting international terrorism. CHINA Trump has made criticism of China's trade practices a central campaign theme. He has vowed to formally label China a currency manipulator, impose tariffs on Chinese imports and bring unfair trade cases as punishment for what he believes are improper subsidies. Trump has called for a stronger U.S. military presence in the South China Sea. He has said he would pull the United States out of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP. Though the trade agreement does not include China, Trump has said he is concerned it could try to enter it through the "back door." TPP supporters, including Obama, have said China hoped to reach its own deal that would make it the leader in Asian trade. They have said the pact would enable the United States to take a leadership role in the region instead of China. (Compiled by Emily Stephenson; Editing by Caren Bohan and Jonathan Oatis)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey told a House of Representatives panel on Wednesday that the police tactic known as "stop and frisk" is an important tool when used right.

Comey told the panel that police who search citizens without stating the reason should explain after the encounter why they decided to do so.

The tactic has been struck down in some courts as a form of racial profiling, but Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has called for its return.

(Reporting by Julia Edwards)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen on Wednesday said Puerto Rico faces a fiscal crisis but that a solution should come from the White House or Congress. "This is really something that I'm not an expert on," she told a meeting of the House Financial Services Committee. "What the appropriate programs are for Puerto Rico to deal with its longstanding problems - I think that's squarely a matter for Congress and the administration to consider." (Reporting By Patrick Rucker; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
WASHINGTON -- Even under normal circumstances this year, it is hard to predict what kind of performance Gio Gonzalez will give the Washington Nationals when he takes the mound.

The veteran left-hander is 11-10 with a 4.51 ERA through 31 starts, but he has a 5.35 ERA in his past seven starts and has lasted a combined 9 1/3 innings in his past two outings.

Gonzalez will start at home Wednesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks just three days after his friend, Miami Marlins right-hander Jose Fernandez, died in a boating accident in Florida.

Gonzalez broke down in tears when a moment of silence was given for Fernandez before Washington's game in Pittsburgh on Sunday.

The Nationals are trying to hold onto the second-best record in the National League and home-field advantage for the NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Washington (92-65) owns a two-game edge on Los Angeles (90-67).

"That is what we are playing for," right-hander Max Scherzer said after the Nationals' 4-2 win Tuesday over Arizona. "I would love for Game 5 to be here at Nationals Park."

But first things first.

Gonzalez hasn't faced the Diamondbacks this year, and he owns a 2-0 record with a 2.97 ERA in five career starts against them.

However, the current Arizona hitters who have faced him have done very well.

Paul Goldschmidt is hitting .778 in nine at-bats against the veteran lefty. Welington Castillo is batting .333 in nine trips to the plate against Gonzalez, and Phil Gosselin is 4-for-5.

Arizona will counter Gonzalez with right-hander Shelby Miller, who is concluding a rough year. He is 2-12 with a 6.47 ERA, although he had one of his best outings on Friday. Facing the playoff-hopeful Orioles in Baltimore, Miller went six scoreless innings.

Miller is 2-2 with a 2.85 ERA in seven career starts against Washington, though he hasn't faced the Nationals this year and he lost to them twice last year.

Daniel Murphy is 4-for-10 against Miller, though the Washington second baseman is slowed by a strained glute, and he has not played since Sept. 20.

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Bryce Harper is hitting .294 in 17 at-bats against Miller, but Harper has not played since hurting this left thumb in a slide on Sunday in Pittsburgh.

Washington shortstop Danny Espinosa is 4-for-11 (.364) against Miller. Anthony Rendon is 5-for-14 (.357), while Ben Revere, a reserve outfielder, is hitting just .133 (2-for-15) against the former St. Louis righty.

One Nationals regular who won't be in action Wednesday -- or again this year -- is Wilson Ramos. The All-Star catcher was diagnosed with a torn right anterior cruciate ligament.

His season ends with a .307 average, a career-high 22 homers and a career-high 80 RBIs.

"This was the most inopportune time for this to happen," Washington manager Dusty Baker said.

Arizona lost all three games last weekend in Baltimore and has now split the first two games against Washington.

"We are doing our best," Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said Tuesday. "The guys want to finish strong whomever we are playing. We will have to be ready tomorrow."
You can finally earn your degree in Beyonce with this universitys incredible class on Lemonade and black feminism

You can finally earn your degree in Beyonce with this universitys incredible class on Lemonade and black feminism

The artistry, symbolism, and politics of Beyonce arent new topics of discussion for college lectures  just ask students at Rutgers University and University of Waterloo in Ontario. Now, an English professor at a Texas university is teaching a class focused solely on the symbolism within Beys latest masterpiece, Lemonade  and we are desperate to enroll.

beyformationbraids

Professor Kinitra D. Brooks teaches English at University of Texas at San Antonio, and her research areas include include black feminism and African-American studies. Her newly-designed and sure-to-be ***flawless course for the fall semester is titled Black Women, Beyonce & Popular Culture.

beyformation

The course examines U.S. racial tensions, black feminism, and womens empowerment  all while looking through the lens of Lemonade, particularly dissecting the albums visual and lyrical imagery. In an interview with Mic, Professor Brooks said she was inspired by Candice Benbows project celebrating black women artists and academics, called the Lemonade Syllabus. Professor Brooks continued to describe the experience of the course:

The students realize that these larger topics are interconnected Everyone is able to come together over Beyonce, but a month into the class weve already moved onto focusing on so much more.

Professor Brooks also explained why Lemonade is such an important work:

I was appreciative to Beyonce because she got so many folks who wouldnt normally be interested in black feminism, in West African religious practices, involved in those topics.

The symbolism within Lemonade is powerful and dependent on knowledge of African history. As noted by Mic, critics explain that Bey nods to Oshun (the Yoruba water goddess and African figure of feminine sensuality and fertility) in the music video for Hold Up. And that is just one example of deeper meanings that exist in the incredibly layered album.

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We are forever envious of the students lucky enough to study this complex artistic work with Professor Brooks. Help us raise a glass for the college grads!

The post You can finally earn your degree in Beyonce with this universitys incredible class on Lemonade and black feminism appeared first on HelloGiggles.
By PTI: Peshawar, Sep 28 (PTI) The UN today inaugurated its second voluntary repatriation centre in Pakistans restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to facilitate safe return of up to 10,000 refugees daily.

The new centre in the province would enable United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to facilitate the return of refugees through the Torkham border crossing, a key border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

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The centre is situated at Azakhel in Nowshera district, some 40 kilometers east of Peshawar.

UNHCR Representative in Pakistan Indrika Ratwatte said, "The extension is an important decision by Pakistan which recognises the importance of policies to manage the legal stay of registered Afghans in Pakistan".

"Pakistan has ensured that the repatriation remains voluntary and that returns are conducted in safety and dignity," Chief Commissioner for Afghan Refugees Imran Zeb Khan said.

Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal asked Afghan refugees to return to their homeland "despite the challenges and to join the nation-building process".

Zakhilwal said "the repatriation remains voluntary and the fact that Afghan refugees are returning of their free will demonstrates confidence in the efforts of the national unity government".

Since 2002, UNHCRs voluntary repatriation programme has helped nearly 3.9 million Afghans return home from Pakistan.

Around 167,228 registered Afghan refugees have returned home from Pakistan so far this year.

UNHCR now has three voluntary repatriation centres in Pakistan -- two in Chamkani and Azakhel and one in Baleli, Quetta in Balochistan.

Since July, there has been an increase in the number of Afghans voluntarily repatriating to Afghanistan.

The spike in returns coincides with the introduction of tighter border management controls at the Torkham border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Afghans now need valid passports and visas in order to enter Pakistan.

The increase in UNHCRs voluntary repatriation and reintegration cash grant has significantly contributed to the increase in number of people opting to return. The cash grant was doubled from USD 200 to USD 400 per individual in June, which is approximately USD 2,800 for a family of seven.

Pakistan claims to be the second largest refugee hosting country with some 1.4 million Afghans. It says another 600,000 Afghans reside in the country irregularly.

On September 9, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif extended the stay of registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan until March 31 next year. PTI AYZ CPS AKJ CPS

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(Beijing)  A massive typhoon left one person dead in eastern China on Wednesday, a day after killing four and injuring 260 in Taiwan.

Typhoon Megi weakened to a tropical storm after hitting the coastal city of Quanzhou in Fujian province before dawn, packing winds of up to 118 kilometers (74 miles) per-hour, Chinas National Meteorological Center said.

One person died after several structures collapsed in Quanzhou, state-approved news media reported. In Fuzhou, Fujians provincial capital, people were shown on state television walking through knee-deep waters that had swamped major roads. Schools were closed and dozens of flights were canceled.

The storm was forecast to move northwest Wednesday and fade gradually.

In Taiwan on Tuesday, the typhoons bands of heavy rain and sustained winds of 162 kilometers (100 miles) per-hour blanketed the island by midafternoon as the eye of the storm made landfall on the east coast. Authorities had raised alert levels for Taiwan, which is prone to landslides and flooding, said National Fire Agency Director-General Chen Wen-lung.

The 268 injured included eight Japanese tourists traveling in a tour bus that turned on its side in central Taiwan. Three people suffered fatal falls and a fourth person died in a truck crash, said Lee Wei-sen, a spokesman for Taiwans Central Emergency Operations Center. Many of the injuries were from falling and wind-blown objects.

Megi was 500 kilometers (310 miles) in diameter at its largets, and rainfall had topped 300 millimeters (12 inches) in the south and eastern mountains of Taiwan.

More than 8,000 people were evacuated, mostly from mountainous areas at risk of landslides or floods. About 2,800 went to shelters, Chen said. Approximately 2.9 million households lost power overnight.

The weather delayed more than 121 flights and forced the cancellation of 253 more at Taiwans Taoyuan International Airport, while another seven were diverted to other Taiwanese airports. Authorities had closed schools, offices and most of Taiwans railway system.

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Megi is the fourth typhoon of the year to hit Taiwan and third in the last two weeks.

On the Chinese coast, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Taiwan at its nearest point, fishing boats were ordered back to port, Chinas official Xinhua News Agency said.

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Associated Press writer Ralph Jennings contributed to this report from Taipei, Taiwan.
By Abhinav Ramnarayan

LONDON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - A flight to safety bid underpinned euro zone government bonds on Wednesday, keeping yields near record lows hit a day earlier on investor concern about the health of the European financial industry.

The German two-year bond was at minus 0.70 percent, hovering near an all-time low hit on Tuesday.

Finland's 10-year bond yield, which fell into negative territory for the first time on Tuesday, was at minus 0.02 percent and Spain's 10-year bond hit fresh record lows, dropping 2.5 basis points to minus 0.88 percent.

"The current yield levels I think to some extent is an overreaction so we could see some move in yields as the market calms down and German (10-year) Bunds will move closer to zero," said DZ Bank analyst Rene Albrecht.

The yield on the 10-year Bund was at minus 0.15 percent at 0730 on Wednesday.

Bond yields fell sharply on Tuesday with concerns on the European financial system triggered by a media report that Deutsche Bank had requested Berlin's help with a demand for $14 billion from the U.S. government to settle claims it mis-sold mortgage-backed securities. Deutsche denied the report.

Albrecht said the yield on the 10-year Bund will stay rangebound between zero and minus 0.10 percent given the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming U.S. presidential election and the future of monetary policy in that country.

U.S. Federal Reserve speaker Janet Yellen is also due to testify before the House Financial Services Committee, and the market will look for clues on the likelihood of a rate hike in December.

"Right now the market is factoring in a 50 percent probability of a December hike and traditionally the Fed has only increased rates when the probability was 70 percent or higher," said Albrecht.

"So if they want to hike in December, they need to start preparing the market - so we could have some comments from Yellen on this today," he said.

In Europe, ECB President Mario Draghi is set for talks with the German parliament, one of the eurozone countries most opposed to the extent of his stimulus measures.

Story continues

Though the meetings will be held behind closed doors, investors will be keeping an eye out for potential leaks to the press.

"Finance Minister (Wolfgang) Schauble's recent sharpening of the lawmakers to ask tough questions adds further juice. Thus, possible follow-up noise may get higher attention than it would get under normal circumstances," analysts at Commerzbank said in a note.

For Reuters new Live Markets blog on European and UK stock markets see reuters://realtime/verb=Open/url=http://emea1.apps.cp.extranet.thomsonreuters.biz/cms/?pageId=livemarkets (Reporting by Abhinav Ramnarayan; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
Chicago (AFP) - New tests show water quality improving in Flint, the Midwestern US city hit by a massive lead contamination scandal, officials said Wednesday, but it is not yet cleared of the toxin.

It has been more than two years since lead from aging pipes first began to leach into the drinking water of the hard-scrabble city, when officials switched the water source to a more corrosive one as a cost saving effort.

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder told a press conference that 95 percent of recent tests of the most problematic areas showed lead levels considered safe under federal guidelines. But he stopped short of declaring Flint's water safe to drink without lead filters, and would not offer a timeline of when it would be.

"Frankly, without filters, I don't think anyone in the US should trust water from a lead pipe," said Marc Edwards, a professor of environmental engineering at Virginia Tech university, who is assisting Michigan with the Flint response.

"This is a national lesson that we are learning and we have to think about," he said.

Snyder on Wednesday urged federal lawmakers to send long-delayed aid money to the embattled city.

"I highly encourage the federal government to move forward and to get the aid done for Flint," said the Republican governor.

Aid for the city has become a major bone of contention as the US Congress wrangles over a federal government funding bill, with lawmakers scrambling to stave off a shutdown at week's end.

Lawmakers settled on a compromise Wednesday, that would allocate $170 million for infrastructure funds for cities with water contamination.

State officials want to replace all the lead pipes in Flint and in Michigan, but that process could take years. City residents have complained about the slow pace of the recovery, and filed several lawsuits.

Officials in Michigan had initially denied that there was a problem with Flint's water. Those denials lead to a criminal investigation, and charges against nine current and former state employees.

For its part, the state has sued two consulting firms -- a French and a Texas company -- accusing them of negligence and fraud. Veolia North America and Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam of Texas have responded by saying their suggestions and concerns were ignored by the state.
Musicians and nightlife aficionados in Sydney, Australia, will take to the streets Oct. 9 in protest of the city's controversial "lockout laws."

After a couple of partiers died of drug overdoses, amendments enacted an effective curfew by forcing clubs to cease admission at 1:30 a.m. and stop the sale of alcohol by 3:30 a.m. Opponents of the law argue it suffocates the city's thriving cultural market and has led to the closure of many bars and venues that once supported Sydney's international influence in the music business.

Sydney Lockout Law Review: City Recommended to Extend Nightlife Hours

A recent hearing resulted in one former judge's recommendation to extend the curfew by at least an hour later in both instances, but those recommendations are not mandatory. The protest planned for Oct. 9 hopes to influence city officials to come to a compromise.

A promotional clip for the protest features local musicians and supporters coming together to remember the clubs and venues closed as a result of the lockout laws. Flume chose the clip as a means to debut his latest single "Heater," his own form of support. Check it out below, and find more information about the planned protest on Facebook.
Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f227222%2ftpwmidatlanticflood_copy

2016 is turning out to be the year of the flood, at least in the U.S. Most recently, there were the Louisiana floods, which caused more than $1 billion in damage and displaced tens of thousands of people. Before that, there was the violent flash flood in Ellicott City, Maryland, and the deadly flood in West Virginia in June.

Now weather forecasters are warning of a potentially dangerous scenario already beginning to unfold across the Mid-Atlantic states. Both Washington, D.C., and Baltimore are in the crosshairs for this system, with as much as 5 to 8 inches or more of rain likely to fall through Friday.

Higher amounts, possibly as much as 10 to 12 inches of rain, are within the realm of possibility from this weather pattern.

SEE ALSO: Climate change poses a major security risk to the U.S. today, intelligence report warns

In fact, short-term forecasts show that up to 8 inches of rain may fall along the I-95 corridor on Wednesday night and Thursday morning, with still more rain to come after that.

Precipitable water anomalies, including the atmospheric river plume directed at the Mid-Atlantic.

Image: tropicaltidbits.com/mashable

A low pressure area in the upper levels of the atmosphere will set up residence just to the west of the Mid-Atlantic, with a moist southeasterly air flow out ahead of it transporting an unusually moist air mass off the Atlantic Ocean and into the Mid-Atlantic.

The air at mid-to-upper levels of the atmosphere will be diverging above the Mid-Atlantic, which encourages air to rise, cool and condense to form clouds and precipitation. Forecast models are showing sustained lifting of an increasingly humid air mass from Wednesday through Friday.

Excessive rainfall outlook for the next couple of days. Be prepared for possible flash flooding in these areas... especially the red. pic.twitter.com/bpqr4wyLIz  NWS MARFC (@NWSMARFC) September 28, 2016

In fact, the moisture will be so abundant that it can be thought of as the East Coast's version of an atmospheric river, which are a phenomenon more frequently seen in West Coast storms.

Story continues

Here's how the Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang blog describes the forecast for its large readership:

The winds coming off the Atlantic will form a strong current known as a low-level jet, at an altitude of about 5,000 feet.

The total transport of water vapor from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mid-Atlantic will yield an air mass that more closely resembles what might expect in a tropical storm or hurricane, with extremely high moisture levels that can be wrung out of the air as torrential rainfall. Total water vapor transport will be about three standard deviations above average, according to the National Weather Service.

Map showing the upper level, closed low pressure system and the area of diverging air at upper levels (oval).

Image: Tropicaltidbits.com/mashable

Part of the reason there will be so much precipitable water for this storm is the fact that sea surface temperatures off the Mid-Atlantic coast are still running much higher than average for this time of year.

It's difficult for meteorologists to pinpoint which areas will receive the highest rainfall totals, although one bulls-eye appears to be along the mountains northwest of Washington. Here, winds flowing up and over the high terrain will enhance rainfall rates.

However, stalled frontal zones and other factors could result in surprises, including much higher rainfall totals across the Interstate-95 corridor.

Percent increase from 1958 to 2012 in amount of precipitation falling in very heavy events.

Image: climate central/ncsu/ncdc

Because this region has been relatively dry during the past few months, flooding will be a threat once rainfall passes a particular threshold (around 3 inches in 6 hours or less in some places, a bit more in others).

Flooding will also depend on rainfall rates, with a longer period of steady rains minimizing the threat of flash flooding but raising the possibility of small stream and river flooding.

As in many other areas, heavy precipitation events in the Mid-Atlantic region have been on the rise in a trend linked to human-caused global warming. As air temperatures warm, more water vapor is available for storm systems.

In addition, higher ocean temperatures also boost water vapor, which further adds to the precipitation potential of a storm system.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's estimated net worth is $3.7 billion, $800 million less than a year ago, Forbes magazine reported on Wednesday, attributing the loss largely to New York's softening real estate market. The magazine probed 28 assets or asset classes owned by the New York businessman and found 18 had declined in value, including Trump Tower in Manhattan and his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. The value of his 40 Wall Street property in downtown New York had also declined, according to Forbes, which said it has been tracking Trump's wealth for 34 years. At the same time, one asset remained steady while seven others - including 555 California Street, the second tallest building in San Francisco - saw their value increase, it reported. Representatives for the Trump campaign could not be immediately reached for comment. The report comes as Trump, known as a reality television star as well as for his real estate business, heads into the final stretch of campaigning for the Nov. 8 election. Trump, seeking elected office for the first time, has touted his business acumen in pressing for change in Washington. He has vowed to rip up trade deals, negotiate with allies to make them pay more for their U.S. defense protection, and have Mexico pay for a wall he has proposed along the southern U.S. border. If elected, he would be the first billionaire to serve as president, according to Forbes. Details of Trump's wealth are not publicly known because, bucking a decades-old tradition of U.S. presidential candidates, he has refused to release his tax returns. His Democratic rival, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, earned $10.75 million in 2015 alongside her husband, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, their tax filing showed. Clinton and others, including some prominent Republicans, have pressed Trump to release his returns. They have also raised questions about his net worth as well as his charitable contributions and business ties. Forbes said its analysis did not place any value on Trump's brand. It also disputed Trump's assertion in Monday night's presidential debate that he reported $694 million in income from last year to the Federal Election Commission. Forbes said Trump mixed revenue and income in the document. Trump has so far given $54 million to his presidential campaign. His campaign has also paid his companies for office space in Trump Tower and use of his private airline, among other expenses, federal election filings have shown. Politico reported separately on Wednesday that Trump is considering giving more money to his campaign to fund an advertising blitz, citing three sources close to him. Amid the campaign, Trump made just one real estate deal in the past year: purchasing a Charleston, South Carolina, warehouse that was in foreclosure, Forbes said. (Additional reporting by Emily Stephenson and Grant Smith; Writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Frances Kerry)
From Esquire

HEMPSTEAD, LONG ISLANDThe bloodbath spilled out from the debate stage last night. As Donald Trump's surrogates-and, eventually, the freshly juiced tangerine himself-made their way into what's called the "spin room" after the main event, you feared for them. Advisor Jason Miller, for instance, was surrounded by a ferocious pack of reporters two or three deep. He struggled, mightily, to explain how Trump really was always against the Iraq War. (He wasn't.) When asked repeatedly if Trump has paid federal income taxes over the last few years, Miller could only muster that he "pays taxes."

You might almost feel bad for them. Then again, they knew what they were signing up for.

One of those who signed up was General Joseph "Keith" Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general. The Daily Beast describes him as "among the first U.S. personnel sent in to try and govern Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein" in November of 2003. At the time he worked for Oracle, a defense contractor, but now he works for Trump as a foreign policy advisor. It's an unusual pairing, especially since Hillary Clinton has commanded far stronger support from military and intelligence leaders this cycle.

Photo credit: archives.gov

I asked Kellogg if he really thought that Trump was ready for the job.

"Absolutely; I wouldn't be with him if I wasn't confident," Kellogg said.

"If you look at the way he asks questions of people like us, when he talks to them-a lot of people ask questions dead center of a piece of paper. He asks edge questions, and it makes you sit back and think. That means he's learning, he's developing, he's going along, and he wants to learn...When he asks the questions, he listens. The first time I met him was a 90-minute meeting. He talked for 10 minutes, we talked for 80."

Kellogg's not the first Trump surrogate to claim that, contrary to every public appearance he's ever made, the man is in fact a great listener and endlessly curious in private. "I think he's got great judgment, he's got great temperament," Kellogg added.

Story continues

"A lot of people ask questions dead center of a piece of paper. He asks edge questions, and it makes you sit back and think."

(The Daily Beast credits Kellogg with overseeing the "disbanding of the Iraqi army, a move that is widely seen as helping to fuel an insurgency that later threatened to plunge the country into a civil war.")

What about this whole nuclear weapons thing, though? Does Trump have a handle on that now?

"He understands the power of nuclear weapons," said Kellogg. "He understands that if you walk down that path, it's a terrible path and you can't come back off it. He appreciates that."

But what about when he said Japan should get themselves some nukes, and didn't seem to be aware of the U.S. policy on nuclear non-proliferation?

"People have to step back and be realistic about this," Kellogg said. "We have nations now that have become nuclear powers where we don't like it at all. The North Koreans have now, since the Democratic administration, have exploded four nuclear devices. They've only had five in the history of their country."

So how would the Trump administration's policy differ?

"Well I think you have to start looking at pressuring the Chinese, and I think you can do that through economics. Because they're the ones who have control over North Korea-they really are. And I think the other thing you can tell the North Koreans-we do have a bilateral treaty with South Korea, and we basically said in the treaty, if you read it, that an attack on South Korea is an attack on us. Doesn't say that specifically, but it does tell them there's a line you can't cross. And you better understand that."

Sounds about right.

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Paris (AFP) - Former South Africa international Ricky Januarie has been suspended for four weeks for a dangerous tackle, the French Rugby League said on Wednesday.

The 34-year-old La Rochelle scrum-half was yellow carded for the tackle on Lyon's Tongan centre Hemani Paea during a 43-18 win on September 10.

Januarie will become available again on October 21, meaning he will miss La Rochelle's European Challenge Cup clash with Bayonne the day before, as well as their opening match in the competition a week earlier away to Italians Treviso.

The former Cats, Lions and Stormers half-back has played 47 times for his country, scoring five tries.

He moved to France in 2011 to join Lyon before switching to La Rochelle in 2015.
Members of Parliament are demanding more preferential treatments for flying after demanding a rise in the salary.

The MPs earlier used to place demands only before Air India, but this time sought favours from private players.

By Anindya Banerjee: The nation may be still mourning the Uri Attack in which 18 Indian soldiers were martyred, but for our members of Parliament it is business as usual. Forget National Security, their priority is clearly more perks like preferential treatments while flying.

After demanding a steep increase in salary, Monday's joint committee on salaries and allowances meeting was all about more facilities. The meeting was attended by top officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aviation secretary and officials from different airlines such as Jet Airways and Vistara.

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Also Read: Uri attack: India shows evidence by identifying handlers, summons Pak Envoy Abdul Basit

FORGET URI, HERE ARE THE DEMANDS

The set of demands submitted by the MPs include no surge pricing for MPs, preference for front row seats, preference during checkins. In a bizarre move they also reportedly asked for free access to executive lounges at the airports. Sources say, a demand of preference during boarding and de-boarding aircrafts were also made.

It has irked the aviation industry considering such demands were generally placed before state-owned Air India. But for the first time such elaborate favours were sought from private airlines as well.

Sources said that many private airlines were not too keen to send their representatives for this meeting. But only at the insistence of the ministry of civil aviation they decided to send one.



Also Read: India Today at LoC: After Uri attack, India quietly fortifies border positions, locals worry about escalation

REJECTION

Sources say many demands were clearly rejected by the private airlines. One of them is keeping an amount of front row seats for member of Parliament.

The source also confirmed to India Today that airlines objected to MPs' demand to abolish the difference between a minimum and maximum fare.

A top official of a private airlines, who is in know of the matter, told India Today on condition of anonymity, "We are here to do business and ticket pricing is determined according to the demand-supply ratio. How can we change that?"

Now if that's not all, there's more. Without demanding officially, MPs have also demanded free meals when they fly with their companions. The idea of discounted ticket was also floated by one MP.

What's interesting is this committee has representation from across political parties. Though it's headed by BJPs Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath but has representation from the Congress, Trinamool Congress, Janta Dal Secular and AIADMK.



Also Read: BSF may get its own air wing to prevent another Uri-like terror attack



TIMING

When contacted, Yogi Adityanath denied being present at the meeting and refused to answer questions. He said: "I was not there at the meeting. Please contact those who were there."

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But at a time when families of 18 brave martyrs are still grieving and figuring out how to go about in life without their sole bread winner and when the government is considering abrogating treaties with Pakistan to give a 'befitting reply', this new set of unreasonable demands of our MPs are anything but timely.

--- ENDS ---
Paris (AFP) - France's finance minister said Wednesday that authorities were re-examining a 2.2-billion-euro ($2.5 billion) tax break Societe Generale took, after a court found it partly responsible for losses in a 2008 rogue trading scandal.

Michel Sapin said he hoped for a quick review following the appeals court ruling last week in the eight-year case of "rogue trader" Jerome Kerviel.

The lender, one of France's top three banks, had claimed, under tax rules, the writedown as it maintained the 4.9-billion-euro loss it had suffered was due to fraud.

But the court in Versailles found that the "loss could not have been incurred without the woefully inadequate oversight systems at Societe Generale".

It ordered Kerviel to pay one million euros to his former employer, Societe Generale, instead of the full 4.9 billion euros the lender had been seeking.

Sapin told a news conference on France's 2017 draft budget that the "ruling recognises a responsibility that I would qualify as signficant" by the bank in the trading by Kerviel.

Kerviel at one point was staking as much as 50 billion euros of Societe Generale's money on the market and nearly pushed the lender into bankruptcy.

The tax administration is now "re-examining the tax situation of Societe Generale", Sapin told reporters.

"We'll see what decisions need to be taken," he added.

"Personally, I favour a resolution as quickly as possible because in these sorts of situations you shouldn't let things drag out," he said.
By John Irish and Michelle Nichols PARIS/UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - France's foreign minister said on Wednesday he was working to put forward a U.N. Security Council resolution for a ceasefire in the Syrian city of Aleppo, and that any country that opposed it would be deemed complicit in war crimes. Speaking to lawmakers, Jean-Marc Ayrault accused Syria, backed by Russia and Iran, of carrying out an "all-out war" on its people, something that Paris could not sit by idly watching. "At this very moment, we are proposing to discuss a resolution to obtain a ceasefire in Aleppo," Ayrault said. "This resolution will leave everyone facing their responsibilities: those who don't vote for it, risk being held responsible for complicity in war crimes." Since the collapse of a ceasefire brokered by Washington and Moscow, Russian and Syrian warplanes have launched their biggest offensive on Aleppo's besieged rebel-held sectors, in a battle that has become a potentially decisive turning point in the five-year civil war. With Western states reluctant to pour weapons into Syria to change the military balance of power, Paris hopes that by taking the matter directly to the United Nations Security Council it may be able to force Moscow into some form of compromise. "We will not let Aleppo become the Guernica of the 21st century," Ayrault said, referring to the indiscriminate bombing of civilians in the Basque town during the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s. A senior French diplomatic source said Paris had prepared a text that it wanted to discuss with Britain and the United States before presenting it to the Russians. "The idea is not to get a Russian veto, but to have a proper discussion with them on ending the violence, enabling humanitarian access and putting a mechanism in place to enforce the ceasefire," said the diplomat. "If they don't play the game then we will have no qualms taking this to the Security Council even if it means a Russian veto." Britains deputy U.N. Ambassador Peter Wilson said diplomats were looking to "move on this as quickly as we possibly can". A senior council diplomat, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said it was time to force Moscow's hand. "Were trying to embarrass Russia into doing the right thing on the ground," he said. "Our priority is action on the ground ... If that doesnt work then I think were back in the Security Council." France has also been pushing for a separate Security Council resolution after a joint investigation by the U.N. and the global chemical weapons watchdog OPCW found that Syrian government troops were responsible for two toxic gas attacks and Islamic State militants used sulfur mustard gas. "The Security Council must condemn the use of chemical weapons under chapter 7," Ayrault said. Chapter 7 deals with sanctions and authorization of military force by the Security Council. (Addititional reporting by Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; editing by Richard Lough, Giles Elgood and David Stamp)
* France distances itself from 50-year Bongo dynasty

* Hollande shifting away from "La Francafrique"

* Cooler ties could pose challenge for French oil firms

By Tim Cocks

DAKAR, Sept 28 (Reuters) - In the heyday of former President Omar Bongo, Gabon and its oil wealth were a central pillar of "La Francafrique", a shadowy network that enabled France's troops to defend African autocrats in exchange for juicy contracts for French companies.

Thanks partly to this web of diplomacy and trade backed by French firepower, Bongo stayed in office for 42 years before his death in 2009. France's energy firms, meanwhile, had undisputed claims to some of the continent's richest oil fields.

But the days of France throwing its weight behind a leader for commercial favours may be numbered, which presents a challenge for French businesses in West Africa, a largely Francophone region because of its colonial past

Ali Bongo, the son of the late president, was inaugurated for a second term on Tuesday after an election whose credibility EU observers seriously called into question.

France's position has been clear since the Aug. 27 poll: it has "doubts" about its credibility, so it won't endorse Bongo as the winner against his main opponent Jean Ping - a clear message that Bongo's half-century family dynasty can no longer count on support from Gabon's former colonial master.

Bongo denies unduly influencing the election, and Gabon's top court upheld the result.

Yet his father used to win elections with so little credibility that in 1986 he got over 99 percent of the vote, and four years later, when protests erupted, French troops stepped in to quell them.

France's Elf won every oil licence in a bidding round shortly after, according to British journalist Nicholas Shaxson in his 2008 book Poisoned Wells.

"That period is behind us," French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told the France 2 TV channel this month.

"We do not want ... to interfere in countries' internal affairs," he said, articulating a trademark policy of Socialist President Francois Hollande, who four years ago pledged that "the era of La Francafrique is over" while in Senegal.

Story continues

OFFICIAL CHANNELS

A French diplomat told Reuters that current thinking in the French government was that Paris could no longer automatically back an ally, even when trade interests are at stake. If the leader's popularity fades, in elections or on the streets, France will distance itself.

"The era of us picking someone and saying 'you're the next president' is over," another French diplomat said, even when France has "specific interests in one country or another".

"France has changed quite a lot," said Paul Melly, associate fellow in the Africa Programme of London-based international affairs think-tank Chatham House.

"The time when the French intervened to help Omar Bongo ... that was the old La Francafrique, looking after your chums," he said, an approach that was now "basically impossible".

In Burkina Faso, where crowds ousted Blaise Compaore in 2014 as he tried to extend his 27-year rule, France backed away from its former friend, having quietly told him it was a bad idea.

Socialist Hollande has shown no interest in cultivating the decades-old clandestine networks linking French businessmen and intelligence agents to African politicians that were created by France's right-wing former President Charles de Gaulle.

"There really has been a shift to the idea that if there are to be negotiations with African partners they have to go through official channels," said Aline Leboeuf, a researcher at the Institute Francais.

'OTHER OPTIONS'

The challenge posed to French companies present in Africa is complex, but it is clear the privileges they used to enjoy are being eroded.

A 2013 Gabon oil licensing round doled out 18 blocks to companies from around the world, but French oil major Total , Elf's successor following a merger, was left empty-handed. The following year, Gabon ordered Total to pay $805 million in back taxes, which the company said was an unfounded tax adjustment.

Total declined to comment for this story.

Other sectors that similarly rely on good relations with African governments - like telecoms and mining, in which companies like Orange and Areva respectively operate - could also be vulnerable.

Orange declined to comment.

A spokesman for Areva said the company would "continue to invest in exploration and innovation to find new deposits," but did not address the question of Africa risks.

Some officials and companies say the impact of the end of La Francafrique should not be overstated, since globalisation has been opening the field to competition anyway.

Ali Bongo, who has lived in Los Angeles and had a son in elite English boarding school Eton, made a point of trying to expand ties beyond the Francophone world.

France, meanwhile, has been diversifying its own ties.

In a shift from the past, it is increasingly seeking opportunities in former British colonies like Kenya and Botswana; the French government's Africa department now has more experts in east Africa than west, according to government sources. A month ago, Total won a production licence in Uganda.

"France has accepted the fact that ... it has a lot less ability to influence local politics," said historian Nathaniel Powell, who specialises in French-African relations, adding that it used to be a condition of working with an African leader that he would not allow in American companies.

"They used to pretty much own the Gabonese economy," he said. "Now African elites have much more leverage, because they have the Chinese, they have other options." (Additional reporting by John Irish, Marine Pennetier, Richard Lough and Geert De Clercq in Paris; Editing by Pravin Char)
By Tim Cocks DAKAR (Reuters) - In the heyday of former President Omar Bongo, Gabon and its oil wealth were a central pillar of "La Francafrique", a shadowy network that enabled France's troops to defend African autocrats in exchange for juicy contracts for French companies. Thanks partly to this web of diplomacy and trade backed by French firepower, Bongo stayed in office for 42 years before his death in 2009. France's energy firms, meanwhile, had undisputed claims to some of the continent's richest oil fields. But the days of France throwing its weight behind a leader for commercial favors may be numbered, which presents a challenge for French businesses in West Africa, a largely Francophone region because of its colonial past Ali Bongo, the son of the late president, was inaugurated for a second term on Tuesday after an election whose credibility EU observers seriously called into question. France's position has been clear since the Aug. 27 poll: it has "doubts" about its credibility, so it won't endorse Bongo as the winner against his main opponent Jean Ping - a clear message that Bongo's half-century family dynasty can no longer count on support from Gabon's former colonial master. Bongo denies unduly influencing the election, and Gabon's top court upheld the result. Yet his father used to win elections with so little credibility that in 1986 he got over 99 percent of the vote, and four years later, when protests erupted, French troops stepped in to quell them. France's Elf won every oil license in a bidding round shortly after, according to British journalist Nicholas Shaxson in his 2008 book Poisoned Wells. "That period is behind us," French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told the France 2 TV channel this month. "We do not want ... to interfere in countries' internal affairs," he said, articulating a trademark policy of Socialist President Francois Hollande, who four years ago pledged that "the era of La Francafrique is over" while in Senegal. OFFICIAL CHANNELS A French diplomat told Reuters that current thinking in the French government was that Paris could no longer automatically back an ally, even when trade interests are at stake. If the leader's popularity fades, in elections or on the streets, France will distance itself. "The era of us picking someone and saying 'you're the next president' is over," another French diplomat said, even when France has "specific interests in one country or another". "France has changed quite a lot," said Paul Melly, associate fellow in the Africa Program of London-based international affairs think-tank Chatham House. "The time when the French intervened to help Omar Bongo ... that was the old La Francafrique, looking after your chums," he said, an approach that was now "basically impossible". In Burkina Faso, where crowds ousted Blaise Compaore in 2014 as he tried to extend his 27-year rule, France backed away from its former friend, having quietly told him it was a bad idea. Socialist Hollande has shown no interest in cultivating the decades-old clandestine networks linking French businessmen and intelligence agents to African politicians that were created by France's right-wing former President Charles de Gaulle. "There really has been a shift to the idea that if there are to be negotiations with African partners they have to go through official channels," said Aline Leboeuf, a researcher at the Institute Francais. 'OTHER OPTIONS' The challenge posed to French companies present in Africa is complex, but it is clear the privileges they used to enjoy are being eroded. A 2013 Gabon oil licensing round doled out 18 blocks to companies from around the world, but French oil major Total, Elf's successor following a merger, was left empty-handed. The following year, Gabon ordered Total to pay $805 million in back taxes, which the company said was an unfounded tax adjustment. Total declined to comment for this story. Other sectors that similarly rely on good relations with African governments - like telecoms and mining, in which companies like Orange and Areva respectively operate - could also be vulnerable. Orange declined to comment. A spokesman for Areva said the company would "continue to invest in exploration and innovation to find new deposits," but did not address the question of Africa risks. Some officials and companies say the impact of the end of La Francafrique should not be overstated, since globalization has been opening the field to competition anyway. Ali Bongo, who has lived in Los Angeles and had a son in elite English boarding school Eton, made a point of trying to expand ties beyond the Francophone world. France, meanwhile, has been diversifying its own ties. In a shift from the past, it is increasingly seeking opportunities in former British colonies like Kenya and Botswana; the French government's Africa department now has more experts in east Africa than west, according to government sources. A month ago, Total won a production license in Uganda. "France has accepted the fact that ... it has a lot less ability to influence local politics," said historian Nathaniel Powell, who specializes in French-African relations, adding that it used to be a condition of working with an African leader that he would not allow in American companies. "They used to pretty much own the Gabonese economy," he said. "Now African elites have much more leverage, because they have the Chinese, they have other options." (Additional reporting by John Irish, Marine Pennetier, Richard Lough and Geert De Clercq in Paris; Editing by Pravin Char)
Fulgent Genetics (FLGT) has revised its IPO price to a range of $9-$11 per share, down from its previously filed range between $12 and $14. The number of shares the company is seeking to offer has been revised lower as well, down to 4.2 million shares from a previous 4.6 million. This severely lowers the amount of money which Fulgent expects to raise (from $59.8 million to $42 million, excluding share purchase options for underwriters).

Fulgent is a company that seeks to provide physicians with diagnostic information, and its technology provides genetic testing for over 7,500 conditions. The firm is growing fast, and its proprietary technology platform has led the company to believe that it has the most effective and wide ranging tests in the market. It also strives towards bringing affordable diagnostics to patients that rely on its disease panels.

FLGT is heavily invested in NGS (next generation sequencing), a method for sequencing genomes quickly but at a low cost. The DNA testing market is forecasted to see significant growth over the next 6 years or so, and NGS falls within this industry.

Grand View Research says that NGS-based diagnostics stands to see considerable growth because of innovative and breakthrough developments. The research firm also thinks that the variety of platforms for sequencing results in efficient, highly accurate and rapid diagnosis (which) is attributive towards anticipated progress in this segment.

Sales are growing fast, and Fulgent posted about $13 million in revenue for the 12 months ended June 30, 2016. Right off the bat, it looks like this is an expensive IPO. It is, and with the current midpoint share price target of $10, FGLT is valuing itself at a market cap of about $180 million (17.44 million shares outstanding). Fortunately, the firm is in a rapidly growing industry, and it has displayed competitive advantages that make it worth taking a bet on over the long run. FLGT is a high-risk, high-reward investment, so it would be wiser to place a small bet rather than going all in on the stock. Of course, you should only buy shares if you are convinced by the growth potential of Fulgent Genetics and its industry.

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LIBREVILLE (Reuters) - Gabon President Ali Bongo promoted foreign minister Emmanuel Issoze Ngondet to the post of Prime Minister on Wednesday, a day after Bongo was sworn in following a razor-thin election victory whose integrity was questioned by international observers. A statement read on state television said Bongo asked Ngondet to form an open government, in an apparent signal that members of the opposition could be invited to join. Bongo's victory by less than 6,000 votes has drawn unwelcome scrutiny of the president, whose family has ruled the oil-producing state in Central Africa for 49 years. Just a handful of African leaders attended his inauguration. [nL8N1C34KC] France called for a recount of the Aug. 27 vote and the European Union said it found anomalies in Bongo's stronghold province of Haut-Ogooue, where he won 95 percent of the vote on a 99.9 percent turnout. Opposition leader Jean Ping said the election was rigged. [nL8N1BX54J] (Reporting by Gerauds Wilfried Obangome; Writing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg; Editing by Bernard Orr)
China is the one major market that was not affected by the massive Galaxy Note 7 recall. Samsung said the phones in the region are safe because they contain batteries made by a local supplier, not Samsung SDI. The Samsung subsidiary made the exploding batteries that equipped Galaxy Note 7 units sold outside of China, which is why Galaxy Note 7 sales were not interrupted in the country.

But recent Galaxy Note 7 explosions in China may end up hurting Samsung anyway.

DONT MISS: One of the iPhone 8s hottest new features was just unveiled by another company

Samsung did not recall the phones sold to Chinese buyers and explained in recent days that the explosions within China were related to external heating. But the company did not fully explain what really happened. Even worse, a new Galaxy Note 7 went up in flames days after Samsung released a press statement saying the battery was not at fault.

Consulting firm iiMedia Research found that Chinese buyers may be willing to switch to some of Samsungs competitors in the near future, following the Galaxy Note 7 explosions. iiMedia asked 12,000 Samsung users in China whether the Galaxy Note 7 issues have affected their decision to stick with the company. 51.9% of respondents said they would definitely switch away from the brand.

Samsung stated that 90% of the Galaxy Note 7 buyers who had to exchange the phone remained loyal to the brand so far. But it looks like Chinese consumers may think differently.

Of the people who said they would switch to a different smartphone maker, 37% stated that they would buy an iPhone, and 26% will get a Huawei handset. Others picked local brands including Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi and Meizu.

Trending right now:

See the original version of this article on BGR.com
Gaten Matarazzo from Stranger Things powerfully opened up even more about his genetic condition

When Gaten Matarazzo isnt touching our hearts or making us laugh as the one and only Dustin on Netflixs sci-fi pop culture phenomenon, Stranger Things, he is bringing attention to a disability that many people had never heard of before his rise to fame.

Gaten was born with an exceptionally rare genetic condition called cleidocranial dysplasia, which impacts bone growth. Gatens disabilty was written into the show, and the young actor has previously discussed his responsibility to inspire others who share his genetic condition  as well as the fact that it stopped him from getting a lot of roles.

For more Jimmy Kimmel Live excerpts and full episodes visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS.

In a recent appearance on the UKs The Jonathan Ross Show, the talented teen opened up about his disability once again, providing even more visibility for the condition:

Its a condition where you are born without your collarbones; I dont have any. It affects your facial growth, your skull growth, it affects your teeth. Thats why I dont have any  these are fake  I have teeth but theyre all baby teeth.

He especially wants people with cleidocranial dysplasia to know it should never be a source of shame:

I just wanna raise awareness for it and let people know that its not something that you should be afraid of showing.

And Gaten has already become such an important figure:

its awesome how my uncle is inspired by Gaten Matarazzo (stranger things) bc he has cleidocranial dysplasia too.  carol?????? (@chickencuntlets) September 28, 2016

As someone who also has this disability, I think its amazing that Gaten spreads awareness for cleidocranial dysplasia. https://t.co/B6uiFx92g2  Christine (@christineet97) September 27, 2016

We cant even imagine what the incredibly talented and eloquent Gaten has yet to accomplish!

The post Gaten Matarazzo from Stranger Things powerfully opened up even more about his genetic condition appeared first on HelloGiggles.
The NIA has brought the two people, arrested on Monday in connection with the Uri terror attack, to Delhi for further interrogation. They have been remanded to 10-days police custody till October 7.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu, Mausami Singh: The NIA has brought the two people, arrested recently in connection with the Uri terror attack, to Delhi for further interrogation. They have been remanded to 10-days police custody till October 7. They were produced before a special NIA court in Jammu yesterday.

Opinion: Indian Army's surgical strikes should make Pakistan think twice before trying another Uri



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The accused have been identified as Faisal Hussain Awan, 20, and Ahsaan Khursheed, 19, both residents of Muzaffarabad.

Also read: India can't decide unilaterally on Indus Waters Treaty, says Pak PM Nawaz Sharif



ACCUSED WORKED AS BORDER GUIDES



On being interrogated, they confessed to working as border guides and are associated with Jaish-e-Mohammad for cross border infiltration.



They also revealed that they were tasked by the Jaish-e-Mohammad Commanders with facilitating infiltration of a group of four JeM cadres, who carried out the Uri Army camp attack. Awan identified one of the Uri attackers as Hafeez Ahmed, a resident of village Dharbang in Muzaffarabad, of PoK.

Uri fallout: DAC clears proposals worth Rs 1,900 crore, including electronic warfare system



The duo is being questioned at length for more details.



URI ATTACK WELL PLANNED



Sources said that the terror guides seem to have formed local laison in the border town of Uri, not only facilitating to and fro movement near the LoC but also giving terrorists refuge. It seemed to be a very planned attack, said a top level source.

Also read: Twitterati tear into Kejriwal for saying India, not Pakistan, is globally isolated over Uri attack



A mobile phone was also reportedly recovered. In the case, this could be another physical link. Even if data has been deleted, a source said recovery could be made.

--- ENDS ---
BERLIN (Reuters) - The German Finance Ministry on Wednesday denied a newspaper report that the government was working on a rescue plan for Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) in case the lender would be unable to raise capital to pay for costly litigation.

"This report is false," spokeswoman Nadine Kalwey wrote in an emailed statement. "The federal government is preparing no rescue plans. There is no reason for such speculation. The bank has said that clearly."

Weekly newspaper Die Zeit reported that the rescue plans would enable Deutsche Bank to sell assets to other lenders at prices that would ease the strain on the lender, reducing the burden on the bank.

Chief Executive John Cryan told German daily Bild on Wednesday that he had never asked for support from the government.

(Reporting by Matthias Sobolewski; Writing by Joseph Nasr; Editing by Andrea Shalal)
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany should speed up implementation of recommendations requiring operators of nuclear plants to pay billions of euros into a fund to cover the costs of waste storage, a commission urged the chancellery in a letter seen by Reuters on Wednesday. The commission tasked with finding a solution for how to fund the storage of radioactive waste said in April it wanted utilities to pay 23.3 billion euros ($26.08 billion) into a state-fund to cover the costs. The German cabinet has approved the commission's recommendations, affecting Germany's "big four" power firms - E.ON, RWE, EnBW and Vattenfall [VATN.UL]. Every year of delay in implementation would cost utilities 4.6 percent in accrued interest, the commission said, as the original amount they have to pay into the fund was based on calculations for 2014. The commission said a planned meeting on the issue of several ministries set for Oct. 10 was too late, as it risks postponing implementation well into next year. ($1 = 0.8934 euros) (Reporting by Markus Wacket; Writing by Joseph Nasr; Editing by Christoph Steitz)
BERLIN (Reuters) - A German woman who was kidnapped in war-torn Syria last year and gave birth while in captivity escaped with her baby to Turkey on Wednesday, the German foreign ministry said. "The German woman and her baby who was born while she was held hostage are in good condition considering the circumstances," the ministry said in a statement. It said the two were now under the care of German consular officials and members of the German federal police in Turkey. The German mass circulation newspaper Bild said the woman was a freelance journalist who had worked for Munich's Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily and broadcaster NDR. Reporters without Borders Germany, a non-profit group, welcomed the news. "This case shows again the incalculable dangers to which journalists are continually exposed in the Syrian war," said Christian Mihr, the group's director. He said it was important that most German media outlets had refrained from writing about and sensationalizing the case. "The German government is relieved about the outcome of this case given the extremely difficult overall situation in Syria," the ministry said. A ministry spokeswoman said she could give no further details about the case, citing privacy considerations. The German federal police was not immediately available to comment. Focus newsmagazine reported on the case in February, naming the woman as 27-year-old Janina Findeisen, who published under the pseudonym Marie Delhaes. It said she was kidnapped in October 2015 and gave birth to her son in December. It said the woman had been held by a faction within the Islamist Nusra Front militant group, recently renamed Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (JFS), which was demanding a ransom of 5 million euros for her release. JFS on Wednesday tweeted a denial that it was behind the kidnapping, and said it had in fact freed the woman and her child from the prison where they were being held by a "small group" that was not named, the SITE Inteligence Group reported. Focus, citing federal police sources, reported in February that Findeisen had been lured to Syria by a woman she knew from Bonn with the promise of exclusive information about Islamist militants. The German embassy in Ankara was preparing the woman's return to Germany and thanked the Turkish government and other international partners for help they provided on the case. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; editing by Mark Heinrich and David Gregorio)
DRESDEN, Germany (Reuters) - German police are stepping up protection of Muslim institutions in Dresden after two improvised bombs exploded in the eastern city on Monday evening, one at a mosque and one at an international conference center. No one was hurt by the blasts although the imam of the mosque was inside the building with his wife and sons. "Even if we so far have no claim of responsibility, we must go on the basis that the motive was xenophobic," Horst Kretzschmar, president of Dresden police, said in a statement. He said police believed there was a link to celebrations planned for the coming weekend in the city to mark the anniversary of German reunification on Oct. 3, 1990. Kretzschmar said three mosques, a Muslim social center and a prayer room would be given protection immediately. Soon after the mosque explosion, Dresden's International Congress Center was also damaged by a home-made device and the bar of a nearby hotel was evacuated. Mehmet Demirbas, founder of the mosque that was hit, said the Muslim community had been expecting some kind of attack for a long time. "Glass panes have been broken in the past, or graffiti on the wall. But this is the first time something like this happens. Hopefully it will be the last time and we carry on happily living in Dresden," he said. Dresden was the cradle of the anti-Islam PEGIDA grassroots movement whose weekly rallies attracted around 20,000 supporters at the height of its popularity at the start of 2015. The influx of about 1 million migrants, mostly Muslims, to Germany last year has increased social tensions, especially in eastern Germany where there have been some high-profile attacks on refugee shelters. Support for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which says Islam is not compatible with the constitution, has risen due to Chancellor Angela Merkel's open-door refugee policy. AfD co-leader Frauke Petry condemned the attack on the mosque, saying: "Attacking a building in which people worship God is barbaric, whether it be a church, a mosque or a synagogue." German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble stressed at an annual conference on Islam on Tuesday that Islam belonged to Germany, repeating a view that Merkel voiced in 2015 ahead of a PEGIDA demonstration in Dresden. (Reporting by Reuters TV in Dresden and Thorsten Severin in Berlin; Writing by Madeline Chambers and Michelle Martin; Editing by Catherine Evans)
"I stink terribly of onions," is the first thing Emily Blunt says, right before she leans in for the customary Hollywood air-kiss greeting on a warm September morning. "I've just been cooking at home."

We're meeting in a tiny 10-seater coffee shop in Brooklyn, and Blunt - wearing a breezy cornflower linen dress, her hair tied in a bobbing blond ponytail - looks very much like she just stepped out of a country kitchen. "My baby pulled away from me while nursing because of the smell. 'Ick,' " she jokes, referring to 12-week-old daughter Violet, who's waiting for her at the nearby townhouse Blunt has been sharing with husband John Krasinski for slightly less than a year - long enough for their 2-year-old, Hazel, to begin stretching her vowels. "She's sounding a bit American from what I see. 'Can I have some wah-ta?' " the London-born actress re-enacts, her Queen's English shifting to a nasally New York accent. "I was like, 'Wodder?' And she went, 'No, it's wah-ta.' I was like, 'Oh, for God's sake!' "

It's immediately obvious why Blunt, 33, was chosen for one of the three female leads in The Girl on the Train, Universal's much-anticipated R-rated adaptation of Paula Hawkins' best-selling thriller. She's perfect for Anna, the beautiful, happily married mother living a life of upscale bliss whose typical worry is whether her baby's pureed fruit is organic.

Except, of course, that's not the part Blunt will be playing in Girl on the Train, which opens Oct. 7. Instead, she's starring as Anna's nemesis, Rachel, a 32-year-old blackout drunk and sometime stalker who may (or may not) have witnessed (or committed) a crime while inebriated. It is by far the darkest, roughest role the British actress and soon-to-be Mary Poppins (she is about to uproot the entire family to London for eight months to start shooting the Disney musical) has yet attempted. Which, naturally, is what drew her to it.

"With so many movies, women are held to what a man considers a feminine ideal," says Blunt, sipping a soy cappuccino. "You have to be pretty. You have to be 'likable,' which is my least favorite bloody word in the industry. Rachel isn't 'likable.' What does that mean? To be witty and pretty and hold it together and be there for the guy? And he can just be a total drip?" That Blunt herself seems extremely likable as she says all this only underscores her point.

"People say, 'Oh, she's way too beautiful to play her,' " says Hawkins of the actress who'll be portraying her literary creation. "But that doesn't matter. The thing about Rachel is her self-loathing, about what she feels about herself, and Emily really brought that out in the way she carries herself. All that damage is visible."

The Girl on the Train was last year's single-biggest literary phenomenon. It sold nearly 6 million copies in the U.S. alone and more than 15 million worldwide. It spent 88 consecutive weeks on The New York Times best-seller list - debuting at No. 1 in all formats, from hardcover to e-book to movie tie-in paperback - and has been published in 50 countries in more than 40 languages.

Not surprisingly, expectations at Universal are sky-high for the $45 million film version. "As we were breaking down the marketing pieces, you could see that Emily is just mesmerizing in this role," says Universal chairman Donna Langley. "And there are also two other fantastic female parts" - played by Rebecca Ferguson and Haley Bennett - "so we celebrated the female aspect of it, to be honest with you, because you want to get that core audience. We saw from films like Gone Girl that female audiences - if you give them something great - they are going to show up."

Hawkins, 44, bristles at all the Gone Girl comparisons and instead focuses on her book's (and the film's) more topical themes - namely how technology has turned us all into voyeurs, increasingly consuming and creating fake narratives. "On social media, everyone's curating their own happy lives, presenting their happiness for everyone else to look at," explains the author, noting that she tried to channel Hitchcock in her approach to the novel by creating a palpable atmosphere of paranoia and self-doubt where characters - primarily Rachel - think they are going mad. "On Facebook, everybody's always looking great, and their children are always smiling. It's so unreal. I can understand how it makes some people feel terribly lonely, insecure and sad about their lives."

Not that Hawkins has anything against social media. (Blunt, on the other hand, does - you won't find her on any social platform. It's "not really an organic sort of fit for me," she said in a December interview.)

On the day we meet for her THR interview at an industrial space in Bushwick - Hawkins is wearing a pair of well-worn Birkenstock-esque sandals that stand out from her black silk shirt and gray tweed trousers - I notice that she has tweeted a picture of a glass of white wine with the following very Rachel-like missive: "Yes it's 8.30 am but I've been up since 4 so it's pretty much lunchtime really." So, naturally, I ask her if Girl on the Train is at all autobiographical.

"No," she laughs, shifting uncomfortably on a couch. "There are always aspects of yourself in a character. I lived in Africa when I was a child. [She grew up in Zimbabwe, the daughter of an economics professor and financial journalist.] I moved to England when I was 17, and I didn't know anyone. I was really lonely, and I used to take the train in and out of town. I was a very lonely little person looking out at the houses that I passed and looking at all the people living there, their lives and having a good time and feeling that desperation, that wanting to connect that is in Rachel. That is definitely me from a certain time in my life, but like 20 years ago, not now."

More recently - until 2012 - Hawkins was working as a financial journalist for publications including The Times of London, covering such unsexy topics as taxes, pensions and mortgages. On the side, she wrote four throw-away romantic comedy novels under the pen name Amy Silver ("I don't recommend," she deadpans). Though she found her beat dull, it helped shape her understanding of the underlying psychology of Girl on the Train's six main characters: three strong women (each flawed in her own way) and the three men in their lives (played by Justin Theroux, Luke Evans and Edgar Ramirez), who fall on the spectrum from weak to loathsome.

"You spend a lot of time talking to real people asking them about their lives, people whose finances have gone horribly wrong, people who've gotten themselves into debt, people who've lost money on the stock market," says Hawkins of her reporting days. "Those stories were always interesting to tease out. It was very much about human life and coping. That kind of stuff always interests me because I'm kind of nosy."

In the novel, Rachel is financially destitute. Infertility and a failed marriage have catapulted her into a self-destructive spiral - she's crashing in the guest room of a tolerant friend, swilling vodka on the train from a gym water bottle. In real life, Hawkins, who is single and lives in south London, had reached her own point of desperation before finishing Girl on the Train, which took a year to write. "I put myself into a bit of a mess and had to borrow money from my dad, which is very embarrassing when you were my age to ask your parents to pay your mortgage for a couple months," she says. "I'd written half, and I said to my agent: 'Can we go to publishers with it? Because I need money.' And she agreed, even though it's not really usual to go out with a half-finished book, especially if you're a new writer, which I kind of was because I was unknown. My agent made me rewrite it a few times, and then she took it to publishers and there was immediately a good response."

Hawkins and Blunt were photographed Sept. 17 at The 1896 in Brooklyn.

Even before publication, Hollywood came knocking. Not surprisingly, it was DreamWorks, largely run by women at the time - with Stacey Snider, who since has departed for Fox, at the helm and Holly Bario overseeing production - that was first to pounce. DreamWorks book scout Marcy Drogin gave the manuscript to Bario, who read it in one sitting. "Every executive in town post-Gone Girl was looking for this kind of unreliable narrator with a hook," says Bario. "We all thought, 'This is it.' But when we bought it, we had no idea that it would explode the way it did." (Now, all of Hollywood is eagerly awaiting Hawkins' follow-up, expected to publish in spring 2017. Once again, the plot hinges on foggy memories. Set in a fictional village in the North of England near the Scottish border, the story revolves around the relationship between estranged sisters. "I love this idea that we all treat our memories as gospel," says Hawkins. "The truth is, there are points in your life when you realize that something you believed about yourself actually didn't happen.")

Langley, too, read The Girl on the Train early and loved it - but had little opportunity to go after it because DreamWorks made a pre-emptive move. "When Steven Spielberg wants something and puts his hand up for it, that's pretty hard to argue with," she says. But in the end, Universal still is getting its crack at the material. In a seismic deal struck in December, Spielberg and Participant Media founder Jeff Skoll formed Amblin Partners and inked a deal with Universal to be its new distribution partner (DreamWorks previously had funneled its movies through Disney, which couldn't be a less appropriate match for Hawkins' dark and violent material). Girl on the Train marks the first film under that Amblin-Universal union.

With Hawkins uninterested in adapting her own novel a la Gone Girl's Gillian Flynn ("I would have no idea where to start, actually"), DreamWorks enlisted Erin Cressida Wilson, a writer whose credits - the pre-Fifty Shades bondage romance Secretary and Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus - demonstrated a strong female point of view.

Tasked with this dark, moody material, Wilson found the idea of an alcoholic protagonist to be a powerful tool. "Alcoholism is often about secrets - even from oneself," she says. "I wanted to use the drinking for what was most important and dramatic in the film - the device for amnesia and blackout - and to focus the story more on Rachel's longing, desire, loneliness and voyeurism, and ultimately her utter terror of herself."

Marc Platt, already collaborating with Spielberg at the time on Bridge of Spies, was enlisted to produce. When it came to a director, DreamWorks wanted someone who could elicit strong performances from actresses. That person was Tate Taylor, who helmed the studio's best picture Academy Award contender The Help (that film saw three actresses earn Oscar nominations, with Octavia Spencer winning in the supporting category). Before casting the lead, DreamWorks moved the narrative from London to New York for budgetary reasons and to broaden its appeal. Platt wanted Blunt, with whom he worked on the musical Into the Woods; he considers the actress "instantly accessible." So did Taylor, who had courted her unsuccessfully for The Help. Though Blunt can do a reliable American accent, Taylor decided that her character should remain British. "I thought that also made it a deeper story of isolation, for her to be away from her homeland going through [a divorce and alcoholism]," says Taylor. "The audience might gather that she moved here for a man."

Ask any studio head, and you'll hear there's a dearth of actresses in their 30s who can carry a movie. Most female protagonist roles go to over-40 women who established their box-office power back when a star system still existed (think Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, Charlize Theron and Sandra Bullock). Among the handful of 30-something exceptions, Blunt might have the widest range, from biting comedy (The Devil Wears Prada) to sexpot (Charlie Wilson's War) to ass-kicker (outshining Tom Cruise in Edge of Tomorrow). Last year, she pulled off that Hollywood rarity: female action protagonist in Sicario (as a testament to that feat, try to envision other A-listers her age - think Natalie Portman or Anne Hathaway - in the role). And, of course, she can sing, as evidenced by Into the Woods. Still, Blunt is downplaying expectations about her rendition of "Jolly Holiday" in the new Mary Poppins film: "I can't sing like Julie Andrews," she says. "I mean, no one can out-Julie Julie Andrews. But I'm going to have to do my version of it."

Admittedly not much of a drinker ("I grew up being allowed like a half-glass of wine at 14 at the Sunday roast"), Blunt couldn't wrap her head around the sensation of being blind drunk - nor the shame that ensues. But she says she understood Rachel's feelings of inadequacy.

"I've experienced those moments of feeling less than, where I was just trying to figure how to be a strong person and own who I want to be, but not for a while now, not since I met my husband," she says (she and Krasinski met through friends in 2008 and married in 2010 at George Clooney's Lake Como estate in Italy). "When I met John, everything changed for me, truly. And I really was emboldened to discover who I really am."

She toyed with the idea of drinking heavily and having Krasinski videotape her as a way of understanding Rachel. But the couple learned that she was pregnant about a week before she began shooting, scuttling her binge plan. As an alternative, she binge-watched the reality show Intervention. "Fascinating. Heart-wrenching. It makes you weep," she says. For most of the production on Girl on the Train, she hid her pregnancy from the cast and crew, but playing an out-of-control alcoholic made the subterfuge difficult.

"It turned out to be a much more physical role than I had anticipated," says Blunt. "She gets in a fair few tussles and gets knocked around a bit by various characters. Justin guessed because we're very good friends. We were going over the final sequence, and I was being a bit wussy about some of the stunts. He pulled me aside and was, 'What is with you? Are you pregnant?' And I was like, 'Yes.' "

Still, Blunt's first trimester exhaustion and queasiness ended up aiding her performance as a woman either drunk or hung over for much of the film. "John said to me, 'Oh my God, you look like a ghoul,' " she says with a laugh. Wilson praises Blunt's ability "to act totally shit-faced drunk and still be charming, compelling and even funny - she also knows how to perfectly place a line, a gesture, a piece of vulnerable ugliness in a way that slides right into our place of total watchability and empathy."

As the decibel of the music in the cafe rises and afternoon customers begin to stream in, Blunt locks on that one subject that makes her soothing British inflection rise: what exactly Girl on the Train has to say about gender roles and expectations.

For her, the novel and film offer a needed rebuke to long-embedded double standards that shape the way we talk about women. "A woman is a drunk, a whore, whereas the guy's like a partyer, a player," the actress says. "I've been around both women who drink too much and guys who drink too much and it's just as ugly on the guys. It makes me crazy. I don't think that women should be seen as any less sexual than a guy. And maybe she doesn't want to settle down, and that's OK. And maybe she doesn't want a kid, and that's OK. And she's just happy playing the field. There's so much judgment with women."

This story first appeared in the Oct. 14 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
Graffiti is very, very bad. You should not do it. You should especially not write graffiti on big billboards that large companies like NBC Universal have paid good money for, to promote lovely shows like Chicago Med.

But if you must, must tag up a billboard, please do so by referencing Goodbye Horses, the dark 80s song that Buffalo Bill dances to while tucking his penis and fantasizing about having sex with himself in The Silence of the Lambs.

Thats what some very bad person did to the Chicago Med billboard at the corner of Pico and South Swall Drive in Los Angeles.

Also Read: 7 '80s TV Themes That Obsessed Me as a Child

Theres no saying what Chicago Med has to do with Silence of the Lambs, aside from Hannibal Lecter being a doctor.

But the discovery of the billboard on Sunday night sent one native Angeleno (hi) down an Instagram rabbit hole that yielded many delights, and also this head-shaker:

If the whole sequence in which serial-killing, womens-suit-making Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine) dresses up as a woman strikes you as horribly transphobic, and ruins your enjoyment of Silence of the Lambs, please know that: 1. You are not alone and 2. There is a moment in the script when our hero, Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), generalizes, Theres no correlation in the literature between transsexualism and violence. Transsexuals are very passive.

It seems like a conscious attempt by the film to avoid demonizing transgender people.

Whatever your feelings about the scene, Goodbye Horses, by Q Lazzarus, is a beautiful song, and I appreciated the reminder of it, despite the terrible vandalism involved.

Also Read: Hannibal Lecter Quotes Used to Prank Unwanted Suitor, Texts Go Viral

Story continues

The songwriter, William Garvey, once explained its meaning thusly, according to a now-defunct website about his music:

As the writer, musician and producer of this song, I wanted to add a bit of light to it, as it has a rather grisly association with the serial killer in The Silence of the Lambs, but really the song is about transcendence over those who see the world as only earthy and finite. The horses represent the five senses from Hindu philosophy (The Bhagavad Gita) and the ability to lift ones perception above these physical limitations and to see beyond this limited Earthly perspective.

Awesome. Now it is also a song about a billboard, transitioning from an advertisement for a lovely show to a reminder about looking up, at billboards for example, to discover unexpected delight and meaning, flying, flying, flying over you.

Related stories from TheWrap:

7 '80s TV Themes That Obsessed Me as a Child
DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / September 28, 2016 / Earlier this month, on September 1 to be exact, the search giant has unleashed another algorithm update that left some businesses scratching their heads because they can't find their Google My Business listing in local search results anymore. But, their listings are not actually gone as some have thought.

According to Joy Hawkins in her blog post on SearchEngineLand.com, those Google My Business listings are not gone. They were just being filtered when the search giant rolled out their newest update.

So, what really does this newest animal-themed update bring into the most-talked-about search algorithm worldwide?

What is Google "Possum"?

Before we'll discuss that, we need to clarify first that "Possum" is not the official name for this filter update. This name was just being suggested by fellow digital marketing experts who felt that it's a fitting name because of what it currently does. A possum, by the way, for those who are not familiar, is a tree-dwelling Australasian marsupial that typically has a prehensile tail.

The Google "Possum" update tends to filter spammy listings off from local search results (Google Maps Results). According to Hawkins, the main purpose of this filter update is to help diversify the local results and to eradicate spams from showing up in Google Maps search results.

However, since this is just a filter update, you should not expect to get any types of penalties.

How Google "Possum" Works?

It is quite obvious now that Google Possum specifically targets redundant or spammy local business listings and filter them out so that only the most relevant ones will show up in the SERPS (search engine result pages).

As of this writing, the search giant hasn't released any official statements yet about this update, thus the following observations from fellow search engine experts and enthusiasts may shed some light on how this newest roll-out has affected how business listings appear in local search results.

Story continues

"I noticed a big move up for a client which I'm sure is related to this local algo change. Four days ago, according to my Brightlocal ranking report, they were at #30 in maps. As of yesterday, they are at #1 for the same keywords. That's the first time they have ever been that high in a year of tracking." - Scott ClientClicks

Where before I said organic didn't seem significantly affected, I have to revise that. I'm now seeing noticeable upticks in organic rankings yet ironically, maps rankings still either down or disappeared for same businesses. - danieljc

"I have found some very strange behavior. Specifically, if I search "nokomis florida mortgage broker" I get a single listing for Gulfside Mortgage Services, but if I look for "nokomis fl mortgage broker" I get a 3 pack (with only two listings, one of which is Gulfside Mortgage Services). A week ago, the first search showed the same findings that are now gone. If I use "nokomis florida mortgage lender" I get the same 2 findings as "nokomis fl mortgage broker" but then add one more to complete the 3 pack." - Hammer

You can read the rest of the observations here.

Joy Hawkins has also specified the top 5 changes Google Possum has done so far. They are the following.

Businesses that fall outside of the physical city limits saw a huge spike in ranking.

Google is now filtering based on address and affiliation.

The physical location of the searcher is more important than it was before.

Search results vary more based on slight variations of the keyword searched.

The local filter seems to be running more independently from the organic filter.

You may read the rest of Hawkins's analysis here.

How to Avoid Google Possum?

To avoid your listing getting filtered out by this latest algorithm update, you should make sure that it has no duplicates and it has consistent information across all pages. Make sure that the details about your business are complete and accurate.

But, before that, the best thing you can do is to register your listing in Google My Business. This can surely help make it more relevant than the unregistered ones (if there are any) and can lessen the chances of it being filtered out.

Inserting your Google Map address (and embedding the actual map itself) when you publish new content can also help you gain more authority over your listing.

How about you? What are the specific precautions that you are doing now to avoid this latest algorithm update from Google? You may share them at the comment section below.

Media Contact:

Qamar Zaman

OneseoCompany.com

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source: http://news.oneseocompany.com/2016/09/26/googles-possum-update-shakes-up-local-search-results_201609261479.html

SOURCE: OneSEOCompany via Submit Press Release 123
Choosing a college is one of life's big decisions, and the process of getting in is an exciting -- but often stressful -- rite of passage. To find out what that passage is really like, U.S. News visited Robinson High School in Tampa, Florida, in late April to ask a group of seniors what went into their calculus for deciding on a college.

RHS is a neighborhood school whose International Baccalaureate diploma program attracts about one-third of the student body. Nearly a third are connected to the military, with family members stationed at nearby MacDill Air Force Base.

The school population is diverse: 47 percent of students are white; Hispanics comprise more than 21 percent; and African-American students account for 15 percent. Nearly half qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Eighty-five percent of students go on to college. Here's how eight seniors found the right fit -- and what it took for them to make the cut.

Ausby stuck with Florida and got into all five schools he applied to: University of Florida, Florida State University, Florida Atlantic University, the University of Central Florida and the University of South Florida.

He chose the University of South Florida, considering it to have "the best pre-med program in the state."

Ausby, who wants to be an orthopedic surgeon, says he did two things that helped his application shine despite suboptimal SAT and ACT scores. First, he earned an associate degree at Hillsborough Community College as well as a high school diploma by participating in a dual-enrollment program starting his sophomore summer. And he highlighted his commitment to service in his essay, which included helping out at a local clinic and at two elementary schools.

He also expected to get certified as a medical technician over the summer. Working will help pay for college, and one-third of the $21,000 annual cost is covered by a scholarship.

GPA: 3.73

SAT/ACT scores: 600 math, 500 critical reading, 610 writing/25

Story continues

Extracurriculars: Founded the school's African-American Heritage Club, member of Feed America and Future Doctors of America clubs; shadowed a pharmacist to get a sense of a career in health.

Essay: The decisions and accomplishments of his parents to get to where they are today, with his father in the military and his mother a teacher, and continuing the family legacy of service.

Early start: Began working on his applications at the end of junior year and sent off his last app in early November.

Boost: The community college degree. "My test scores were low, but dual enrollment showed I can do the work."

Regret: Getting a liberal arts and sciences associate degree rather than one that would have allowed him to work as a surgical technician. The liberal arts credits transferred, but he thinks the work experience would have been helpful when he applies to medical school.

Advice: Do what his dad advised: Be disciplined. That means "getting up when you don't feel like it and doing your work when you don't feel like it."

This story is excerpted from the U.S. News "Best Colleges 2017" guidebook, which features in-depth articles, rankings and data.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today called the three service chiefs to discuss the security situation in the aftermath of the Uri terror attack.

By Manjeet Negi: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today called the three service chiefs to discuss the security situation in the aftermath of the Uri terror attack.

Parrikar met Army chief General Dalbir Singh, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha and Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba to learn about the preparedness of all three services was discussed.



PREPAREDNESS OF SERVICE CHIEFS DISCUSSED



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Earlier, he held a meeting in the morning to take stock of coastal security. He has asked for security to be tightened along the coasts, apprehensive of a repeat of 26/11-style of attack.



Meanwhile, security of Parliament has been reviewed and beefed up in the wake of the threat perception following the Uri terror attack on September 18 in which 19 Army personnel were martyed.

According to sources, every part of the Parliament premises is being thoroughly checked, including access points. Validity checks are being done for the perimeter security apparatus.



Also read: Defiant Pakistan decides to go ahead with SAARC summit despite India-led boycott

VIGIL STEPPED UP



Sources say anti-sabotage checkings are being carried out frequently to maintain constant vigil and Parliament guards have been asked to stay alert.

Although there is no specific threat input for Parliament, vigil has been stepped up in view of the prevailing security scenario.

Also read: PM Modi won't go to Pakistan for SAARC summit, environment not conducive, says MEA



--- ENDS ---
New York (AFP) - Tom Petty, the heartland rocker behind hits such as "American Girl," will be honored at a gala ahead of next year's Grammy Awards, it was announced Wednesday.

The Recording Academy, which organizes the music industry's biggest night, named Petty as 2017's Musicares Person of the Year to be feted in a concert before the awards.

Born and raised in Gainesville, Florida, the 65-year-old Petty came onto the scene in the 1970s with his band The Heartbreakers, modernizing a classic rock style with hits such as "American Girl," "I Won't Back Down" and "Free Fallin'."

"Tom burst into our musical consciousness and never let go," Recording Academy president Neil Portnow said in a statement.

"His brand of rock and roll benefits from a celebratory rebelliousness, infectious rhythms and unforgettable lyrics that are incised in our imaginations," he said.

Musicares -- whose gala in Los Angeles next year will be on February 10, two days before the Grammy Awards -- raises money for musicians in need.

While primarily a fund-raiser and concert, the Musicares gala made unexpected news in 2015 as rock legend Bob Dylan, who in recent years has rarely given interviews, delivered a lengthy address about his career.

Besides his music, Petty is well-known for his advocacy for greater control by artists and has repeatedly accused record labels of greed.

Petty, a three-time Grammy winner, was inducted in June into the Songwriters Hall of Fame where in brief remarks he called music "much more important than money."
From her perch at the top of a hill at a school for at-risk youth in Bogota, a 17-year-old girl wearing a white track suit, her hair pulled into a ponytail, could see the city stretch before her. Her straight back and easy assertiveness were the only signs that, just six months earlier, she was roaming the jungle with the Popular Liberation Army (EPL), a communist guerrilla group that formed in the late 1960s with the aim of overthrowing the Colombian government. The group formally demobilized in 1991, but since then, dissident factions have continued to fight and finance themselves via drug trafficking. Nowadays, the groups ranks have dwindled to around 100 fighters, down from 3,000 at its peak in the 1970s, but it still holds sway in some rural areas of Colombia where the state is largely absent.

When I visited the young woman at her school this April, she told me she fled her home in Norte de Santander in 2015 to join the EPL to escape her family. Her stepfather began sexually abusing her when she was 12, and when her mother found out four years later, she turned her anger on her daughter. She joined the group at 16, she said, not to achieve some ideological goal, but to unburden [her] mind. In only two months in the jungle, she learned how to carry a 50-pound pack and a rifle, and barely escaped being pummeled by an improvised mortar that landed next to her during a firefight.

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She is one of thousands of women who have fought in leftist guerrilla groups during more than half a century of war in Colombia. Groups like the EPL, the National Liberation Army (ELN), and, most notably, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) took up arms to fight against land and wealth inequality, but wound up turning to illegal activities like kidnapping and drug trafficking to finance their operations. On September 26, after four years of negotiations, the largest rebel group, the FARC, signed a peace treaty with the Colombian government. This means that, soon, an additional 7,500 combatants, including about 3,000 women, will demobilize en masse.

Disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) has played a crucial role in the governments strategy to weaken leftist rebel groups. Between 2002 and 2012, the FARC shrank from 20,000 guerrillas to 8,000. But critics say the Colombian governments efforts to bring women back into civilian life have always been lacking. Women made up about 40 percent of the FARC and about 25 percent of the ELN; about 20 percent of leftist guerrillas who participated in the government reintegration between 2003 and 2012 program were women.

The young woman I met in Bogota wants to be an architect. Shes a natural leader, and the school has put her in charge of a group of girls. But she faces a host of challenges. She misses her friends, the security of her rifle, and life in the camp, which she talked about wistfully. The only reason she doesnt rejoin, she said, is because she knows it would kill her mother. Like other female ex-combatants, she faces intense stigma for betraying not only her country, but her gender.

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When she leaves school and finishes college, shell face a culture that expects her to care for children, keep a clean house, and meet a high standard of beauty. When friends or future employers discover her guerrilla past, they might reject or even fire her. If she chooses to get married, that, too, might be difficult: Men, even former guerrillas, can see women who have been members of rebel armies as damaged goods.

The Colombian governments problem with women combatants is apparent from a public-service campaign designed to look like a lipstick ad. It reads: Guerrillera, feel like a woman again. Demobilize. Designed by the PR firm MullenLowe SSP3 in 2012 for the Colombian government, it features lipstick colors with names like freedom, love, happiness, and tranquility, and promises women that they can smile and become the mother [theyve] always dreamed of being.

Its hard to imagine the lipstick campaign convincing Sandra Sandoval, a 34-year-old former combatant I met in Bogota, who joined a local FARC militia when she was 17. When she heard that paramilitariesrival right-wing militiaswere coming after her for being a member of the FARC, she escaped into the jungle with the guerrillas, leaving behind her first child, a baby girl. Sandoval later rose to become a commander, using her position to help local communities find the resources to build schools and roads, she said. At any moment you could die in the struggle  but sometimes you feel that youd die peacefully because maybe in some future, others could enjoy that transformation that you were fighting for.

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In 2003, after she had been with the FARC for five years, Colombian security forces captured and held Sandoval for questioning overnight. Other FARC combatants assumed her quick release meant shed betrayed them. Her life in danger, she fled to the Colombian army and demobilized through a program at the Ministry of the Interior, which led the DDR effort at the time. The program expanded several times until in 2011 the government formed the Colombian Reintegration Agency (ACR), the office that now guides former combatants into civilian life.

But Sandoval left the program in 2012, she said, because she disagreed with the DDR process, which she felt failed to offer her the support she needed to survive in the city and apply to collegeboth entirely new phenomena to her. The program did not help ex-combatants who are mothers find childcare while they participate in programs requirements, she added. The program also often pigeonholes women into more domestic careers, according to Kimberly Theidon, an anthropologist at Tufts University who has done extensive fieldwork with former combatants. In Sandovals case, she finished her high-school degree in a year and in 2005 was offered vocational training. I was asked to choose between cooking, tailoring, or computer maintenance, said Sandoval. She chose computer maintenance, something shed never done. She later received a government scholarship and studied systems engineering, though she said she left her first class in tears because she had never learned advanced math.

In 2013, the ACR started incorporating gender analysis into their program in earnest. Joshua Mitrotti, the head of the ACR, said that challenging traditional gender norms is now a part of his agencys mission. If [women] want to maintain that traditional role, perfect. If they want to innovate beyond that, we can support them, Mitrotti said, insisting that now the options for female ex-combatants are exactly the same as those for men, and that the ACR tries to encourage their leadership, especially among other combatants.

But Mitrotti went on to contradict his own feminist bona fides. He said that female former combatants have sometimes lost their feminine features by doing the same work as men and want to get them back. We put a strong focus on accompanying them and helping them again reconstruct those feminine features that they want to construct.

Of course, some, like Sandoval, never saw [herself] as feminine. Peasant women have to do hard physical labor from the time they are children, she said. As a girl, she grew accustomed to carrying firewood and working with a machete. She started wearing makeup at 25, not because she sought to be more feminine but because she lives in Bogota and wanted to fit in. Life in the city has made her question herself. They say my way of walking is very macho, she said.

Roxanne Krystalli researches transitional justice and gender violence at the Fletcher School at Tufts University. She said that the low number of women whove undergone formal integration via the ACR means that women are likely choosing to demobilize without government support. That puts them at risk of retaliation from their home communities and the armed groups. It also means they are missing out on the allowance, psychological support, and job training provided by ACR.

Its unclear why women reintegrate with the government at such a low rate. It could be due to poorly conceived PR campaigns, or the belief that the programs wont address their needs. Or it could be that the path to reintegration is a dangerous one. Guerrillas who wish to demobilize must turn themselves in to the Colombian army, which then hands them over to the appropriate government office. But Theidon said that first step may be particularly frightening for women, given how rape has proliferated as a tool of war in the Colombian conflict.

The ACR declined to respond to Theidon, Sandoval, and Krystallis critiques, citing Mitrottis busy schedule during the signing of the FARC peace deal. Sandoval, who re-registered for the ACR program two months ago, said that it it is now more personalized, and has expanded its geographic reach. But it remains to be seen whether it has made the structural changes she thinks are necessary, she said.

Colombias reintegration programs have historically been male-dominated. Theidon said that when she visited shelters for former combatants it was a very masculine space. She questioned whether women would want to be one of the only women in a shelter or on a small farm. Krystalli added that women may choose to demobilize informally because of the stigma they face as former combatants, which is greater for women, who have contradicted the idealized role of a peaceful, loving mother.

After living with a group that at least nominally valued equality, this can be difficult to accept. An 18-year-old former ELN combatant that I interviewed in Palmira said that returning to civilian life is made doubly difficult by the stigma she experiences as both a former combatant and as a woman. They always think that women are more domestic, more feminine, and all that, but not back there, she said. With the guerrillas, its gender equality, were all equal. So its difficult.

This stigma is sharpened by the stereotype that women in the FARC sleep with commanders to advance their rank, a sexualization bolstered by the notion that the only reason a woman would join a rebel group is because they were forcibly recruited or wanted to escape abuse at home. Theidon found that just 9 percent of combatants in leftist militias were forcibly recruited. Most joined because they lived in areas where, with the presence of the Colombian state was virtually invisible, the guerrilla group was more or less in charge, its presence normalized, or because an acquaintance who was already in the group convinced them to join.

Though the FARC and ELN profess to believe in gender equality, and use this claim as a recruitment tool, neither group offers a feminist utopia.

The government projects the idea that we were brought to join armed groups by force, that we had to be the lovers of the combatants and the commanders. That we slept with everyone, Sandoval said. Its making us into idiots. Its saying women dont have the capacity to think and make a decision.

Though the FARC and ELN profess to believe in gender equality, and use this claim as a recruitment tool, neither group offers a feminist utopia. Coerced sex, rape, and forced abortions have been widespread problems in both groups. Many women were also forced to give up their children. Jeimy Velasquez, a 30-year-old currently taking ACR-funded dress-making classes, still cries when she talks about having to leave her two-year-old son when the FARC forcibly recruited her. She didnt see him again until he was five. While she was with the group, she had to keep her feelings good and buried because the commanders couldnt know that she was in pain, she said. She carries the guilt of not only missing part of her sons life, but of recruiting others to join the FARC. For me, this is to steal someones life from them, she said. She now gives presentations to young people to try to convince them not to join guerrilla groups.

Theidon explained that female ex-combatants carry a different kind of guilt than male ones. Many of them, because of forced abortions, because of having partners that they didnt necessarily want, because they had children they didnt keep, felt that theyre bad moms, theyve been bad women.

But the guerrillera experience is full of contradictions. The young former ELN combatant, who was with the group from ages 14 to 16, savored her uniform and her rifle. It gives you authority, she said. When asked if local people were afraid of her, she said no. In rural communities, she explained, people grow coca to live, which government forces destroy. So guerrillas get their affection because theyre protecting what they rely on to eat and survive.

For Velasquez, it was the worst thing that has happened to her. Yet it gave her skillsdiscipline, punctuality, obediencethat now serve her well. She also formed connections with other guerrillas. In the middle of pain, you make a family, she said.

Reporting for this article was funded by an Adelante fellowship from the International Womens Media Foundation.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fstory%2fthumbnail%2f22476%2fscreen_shot_2016-09-28_at_2.01.43_pm

There are many ways to explore Europe. While some folks like to backpack, Californian man Travis DeRose decided to moonwalk.

DeRose explained to Mashable in a statement that his moonwalking started from a previous trip to Ireland, as it was a good way to beat the unease of posing for a holiday photo.

"Instead of just standing there looking awkward, I started moonwalking and it actually turned out pretty cool. So when I started this big Europe trip I started moonwalking every place we went," he said.

The video is captured across 13 different countries, during a two month trip of Europe. It beats doing that leaning on the Tower of Pisa or Eiffel Tower thing that everyone does, at least.

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Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Hamas welcomed the death of former Israeli president Shimon Peres Wednesday, calling him a "criminal", while Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas lauded the "brave" Nobel Peace Prize winner.

In the Gaza Strip, a spokesman for the Islamist Hamas movement which runs the enclave said: "The Palestinian people are happy at the death of this criminal.

"Shimon Peres was one of the last Israeli founders of occupation. His death marks the end of an era in the history of the Israeli occupation," spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP.

But Abbas had a sharply different reaction in the West Bank, where the Palestinian Authority dominated by his Fatah party is in power.

Abbas hailed Peres as a "brave" partner for peace and sent his family condolences, the official Palestinian news agency reported.

"Abbas sent a message of condolence to the family of former president Shimon Peres, expressing his sadness and sorrow," WAFA reported.

"Peres was a partner in making the brave peace with the martyr Yasser Arafat and prime minister (Yitzhak) Rabin, and made unremitting efforts to reach a lasting peace from the Oslo agreement until the final moments of his life."

While Peres has been praised abroad and in Israel as a peacemaker, many Palestinians view him very differently, citing his involvement in successive Arab-Israeli wars and the occupation of Palestinian territory.

He was also prime minister in 1996 when more than 100 civilians were killed while sheltering at a UN peacekeepers' base in the Lebanese village of Qana fired upon by Israel.

Diana Buttu, former spokeswoman for the Palestinian Authority, tweeted: "Peres was an unrepentant war criminal. Revisionist history won't work."
By Scott Malone BOSTON (Reuters) - A 2014 New Hampshire law prohibiting voters from taking selfies with their ballots on election day is an unconstitutional infringement on the right to free speech, a federal appeals court ruled on Wednesday. The New England state had banned the practice, which has become a popular way for voters to show support for favored candidates, claiming that it would set the stage for a return of the vote-buying scandals that rocked many U.S. states in the 19th century. Three New Hampshire citizens, including a man who wrote in the name of his dog to express dismay at his choices in the 2014 Republican primary for the U.S. Senate, sued the state that year claiming the measure violated their rights to free expression, as protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. A federal court in New Hampshire sided with them, but the state appealed, making its case in Boston just two weeks ago. The appeals court swiftly rejected its arguments. "The statute's purposes cannot justify the restrictions it imposes on speech," Circuit Judge Sandra Lynch wrote in the court's decision. New Hampshire's argument that ballot selfies could lead to people selling their votes or being compelled by their employers to vote in a certain way fell short in no small part because the state had no evidence of that actually happening, Lynch wrote. "The legislative history of the bill does not contain any corroborated evidence of vote buying or voter coercion in New Hampshire during the 20th and 21st centuries," she wrote. "Digital photography, the internet, and social media are not unknown quantities -- they have been ubiquitous for several election cycles, without being shown to have the effect of furthering vote buying or voter intimidation." Lynch also noted that several federal and state laws in effect in New Hampshire already make it illegal to buy or sell a vote, which would allow prosecutors to take on allegations of election tampering even in an environment where selfies were permitted. Other states, including nearby Rhode Island, have passed laws explicitly allowing ballot selfies, partly reasoning that the trend has helped younger voters show their enthusiasm for the democratic process. (Reporting by Scott Malone; Editing by Tom Brown)
Juicy J recruited Kanye West for his flashy new single "Ballin," off the Three 6 Mafia rapper's upcoming LP Rubba Band Business: The Album. The track premiered on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 radio show.

The TM88, Crazy Mike and Juicy J-produced cut opens with a submerged soul sample before West lends his three-word contribution  "And I'm ballin'" on repeat  to the track's chorus. Juicy J jumps on the track with a pair of swaggering verses. "House so large/ Put a maze in it/ I'm the type to take a chick to lunch in the middle of the White House lawn," Juicy J raps before joking that he's going to ask the First Lady to join.



The video for "Ballin"  not to be confused with Juicy J's 2012 track "I'm Ballin"  arrives Thursday, exclusively on Tidal. "Ballin" marks the first time in a decade that West and Juicy J have collaborated, following a 2006 remix for Three 6 Mafia's "Side to Side."



Rubba Band Business: The Album, the follow-up to Juicy J's 2013 solo debut Stay Trippy, is expected out this winter. The LP also features the rapper's previously released single "No English" featuring Travis Scott.

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From Woman's Day

It was 52 years ago that Mary Poppins introduced movie-goers to Julie Andrew's fun and charismatic nanny with magical powers. Since then, the Disney movie continues to be a beloved classic, watched again and again by scores of people, young and old.

Of course, we all remember Jane Banks, played by eight-year-old actress Karen Dotrice, as one of the lucky children Poppins took under her care-but many of us wouldn't have a clue who she was today if she passed us on the street.

Photo credit: Getty

After Mary Poppins, Karen appeared in a string of films, like The Gnome-Mobile (1967) and The Thirty-Nine Steps (1978), as well as on television programs like Upstairs, Downstairs, but eventually she left the business of acting to raise little ones of her own. Karen, now 60, was named a Disney Legend in 2004, a designation that honors people who have contributed to Disney's "rich heritage."

Photo credit: Getty

Did Poppins secretly give Jane a spoonful of water from the fountain of youth? Talk about aging gracefully!

On a sad note, if you're wondering what ever happened to Karen's co-star, Matthew Garber, who played little Michael Banks, the child actor passed away at the age of 21, a year after contracting hepatitis during a trip to India in 1976.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Disney

"I can't imagine making movies would have been half as much fun without him," Karen has said of her childhood co-star, who was also named a Disney Legend in 2004. "While I was Victorian proper and wouldn't let myself get dirty or muddy, Matthew had a great sense of fun and danger. He was a daredevil and could have been a race car driver. And he did live a full life over his 21 years."

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Malia Obama

Gap years  essentially a year off before starting freshmen year  are gaining in popularity among American students.

For example, Harvard has seen a 33% increase in the number of students taking gap years. And MIT saw its deferments double between 2009 and 2010, according to CIEE, the world's oldest and largest nonprofit study abroad and intercultural exchange program.

In fact, The White House announced announced earlier this year that Malia Obama will take a gap year before attending Harvard as a member of the class of 2021.

Whether students participate in a service program in the US, travel abroad, or work on a project, there are clear benefits to taking a gap year.

According to Robert Clagett, a former dean of admissions at Middlebury College and former senior admissions official at Harvard, students who take gap years, like Obama, "will frequently be more mature, more focused, and more aware of what they want to do with their college education" when they do enroll in college.

And data reflects his observations: At Middlebury, researchers found that students who took a gap year have shown a "clear pattern" of attaining higher GPA's than those that didn't take gap years, even controlling for the student's performance in high school.

Beyond GPA, students experience positive results.

Gap years allow students a trial period  without schoolwork or the pressures of testing and deadlines  to figure out what they're passionate about.

For example, 98% of students who responded to a 2015 survey from the American Gap Association reported that the time off school helped them develop as a person, and 97% said taking a gap year, "increased their maturity."

Additionally, 84% of respondents said that taking a gap year helped them acquire useful career skills, and 77% said that a gap year helped them find their purpose in life.

Story continues

To assuage the concerns of parents who may think their kids will never go back to school after taking a gap year, researchers from the American Gap Association found that 90% of students were likely to return to school within a year, and 73% of survey respondents said a gap year increased their "readiness" for college.

Harvard students

Plus, taking a gap year can also increase student's chances of gaining acceptance into better schools.

Abby Falik, the founder of Global Citizen Year  a gap year program that combines service, language learning, and travel with a capstone project  told NPR that 90% of students who complete the program and re-apply to college end up in "more selective" or "better-matched" schools.

Students with gap year experiences, like Nick Boulos, who spent a year in France before attending college, often give them glowing reviews.

"I saw, experienced and learned so much more than I could have ever dreamed to," Boulos told The Portland Press Herald. "Not only this, but it also served as a time for me to mature, see a little bit more of the real world, and really understand the big picture of what life is by seeing so many different cultures and points of view on certain topics."

But while gap years are becoming more popular, many people are still cautious.

Gap years are often viewed as something only wealthier families can afford and that students from poorer backgrounds should just get on with their studies.

Programs like City Year  an Americorps program that places students as teaching assistants in urban public schools  actually pay students a small stipend, however.

Regardless of how she decides to spend her gap year, Obama is sure to benefit from the time off.

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After the fierce face off between Trump and Clinton in the first presidential debate, Americans have been flipping out. Police plead people to stop calling 911 just to rant about the derelict political future of their country.

By India Today Web Desk: The 90-minute presidential slugfest between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton got Americans seriously worried about the future of America, with many frantically calling 911 only to vent their anger against the candidates.

Police departments across the country had their hands full with a number of distressed callers. In a tweet posted yesterday, Kansas police reminded people that calling 911 was not the solution to any political arguments.

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Lawrence PD tweeted saying, "We realise politics can make emotions run high, but being mad at a presidential candidate in a debate is NOT a reason to call 911."

REMINDER

We realize politics can make emotions run high, but being mad at a presidential candidate in a debate is NOT a reason to call 911. Lawrence Police (@LawrenceKS_PD) September 26, 2016



The tweet went viral, with more than 30,000 likes and over 37,000 retweets in just 34 hours.

They also warned people not indulge in drinking games, especially ones involving Republican nominee Donald Trump repeatedly using of the word 'huge'.



Additionally, drinking games where you drink every time someone says "yuge" leads to binge drinking, and we discourage that strongly Lawrence Police (@LawrenceKS_PD) September 26, 2016

While Twitterati went berserk with hilarious reactions, many even guessed that it was merely a fun prank played by Kansas police. Rightly so, Officer Drew Fennelly from the LPD told alocal news channel, "the tweets were put out in anticipation of the debate as a joke for our followers. We certainly did not expect them to catch on quite like they did, but we are thrilled so many people found them to be humorous. As far as I am aware, there were no calls to dispatch for debate related issues."

Reading through our @ mentions like pic.twitter.com/Y7LVY5WRD3 Lawrence Police (@LawrenceKS_PD) September 27, 2016

--- ENDS ---
Hillary Clinton unleashed the sickest of burns when Trump complained about his microphone at the debate

Hillary Clinton unleashed the sickest of burns when Trump complained about his microphone at the debate

Last night, the country (and the world) witnessed a televised debate between the first woman to be nominated for U.S. President by a major political party, Secretary Hillary Clinton, and the other interrupting, abrasive, sexist, racist, and frequently untruthful Republican candidate and questionable businessman, Donald Trump. This roundup of the best Internet reactions to #debatenight can give you an idea of how it went, as can this video of Hillary.

Following the first debate of this election, the general consensus was that Hillary definitely owned the evening.

When you have a really, really good night. #SheWon A photo posted by Hillary Clinton (@hillaryclinton) on Sep 27, 2016 at 7:54am PDT

Following Hillarys slayage of Trump, the Democratic nominee spoke to reporters on her plane about the victorious evening  and the fact that Trump has to know that he was completely unprepared. The reporters asked Hillary about Trumps interview post-debate, in which he claimed that a microphone conspiracy attempted to throw him off: My mic was defective within the room I wonder, was that on purpose?

Hillary had already walked away from reporters when they asked this question, but she had to unleash the ultimate zinger. The first woman Presidential nominee turned around and told them:

Anybody who complains about the microphone is not having a good night.

OHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get it.

The post Hillary Clinton unleashed the sickest of burns when Trump complained about his microphone at the debate appeared first on HelloGiggles.
NBC anchor Lester Holt did Hillary Clinton a big favor on Monday night when he brought up the birther issue, asking Donald Trump why it had taken so long for the GOP candidate to acknowledge Obamas legitimacy. Most people have probably put the birther debate to bed and do not see it as central to the future of the nation. But, the question from the debate moderator allowed Hillary to again denounce Trump as racist and as disrespectful to our (popular) first African-American president.

Holts other questions about race gave her an opportunity to repeat her push for criminal justice reform and stricter oversight of our police. Since she is desperate to attract and motivate black voters, it was a win for her. Or was it?

Related: Trump Could Still Win  and Stocks Arent Ready for Him

Is there a point at which Hillarys pursuit of black voters, and especially her attacks on law enforcement, will turn off white voters? As Dick Morris relates in Armageddon, Mitt Romney lost in 2012 because white turnout tanked. Between 2004 and 2012, according to Morris, white voter turnout dropped by 10 million and black and Hispanic turnout rose by four million. Romney carried the white vote 61 percent to 39 percent but ten million stayed home.

As Morris correctly argues, Trumps number one ambition is to drive white turnout higher. He has already proved that he can do that, by talking up law and order and with his emphasis on jobs. Morris points out that the newly registered voters showing up to participate in the primaries are exactly the ones who sat out the last race. With her incessant outreach to blacks, Clinton may be giving Trump an important assist.

A recent ABC News\Washington Post poll found Donald Trump leading Hillary Clinton among white men without college degrees by 76 percent to 17 percent  a crushing 59-point lead, up from 47 points just a few weeks ago. Romney won this group by 31 points in 2012. Overall, Trump leads Clinton by 16 points with white voters. That is formidable.

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Bill Clinton gets that, and is hitting the campaign trail this week in Florida to corral white Democrats. As Politico reported a couple of months ago, The presumptive nominees husband is singularly obsessed with bringing back to the fold white voters who twice elected him to the Oval Office.

Related: Heres Who the Betting Markets Are Saying Will Win the Election

That could prove critical, especially if Hillary Clintons muddled message to blacks fails to excite that constituency. On the one hand, she argued in the debate that African-Americans are subject to implicit bias and that race still determines too much.

At the same time, Clinton again mocked Trumps dire portrait of the black community. She cites the vibrancy of the black church, the black businesses that employ so many people, the opportunities that so many families are working to provide for their kids. If that is true, why is she advocating spending $125 billion in targeted investments to create good-paying jobs to revitalize the economy in communities that have been left out and left behind?

In short, she wants it both ways. She wants to tell African-Americans that she will help level an unfair playing field, but at the same time she is panicked that Trumps portrayal of inner city problems will hit a nerve.

Consequently, she has singled out racism in law enforcement as the safe issue. Thats bipartisan territory, and the path has been paved by President Obama, who has argued that too many young men of color are locked up for non-violent offenses, a charge Clinton repeated in the debate.

Related: Clinton, Trump Clash Over Spending and Taxes but Ignore Nearly $20 Trillion Debt

Safe, except that the charge is simply not true. There are roughly 2.2 million individuals imprisoned in the U.S., of which about 200,000 are in federal lock-ups. State prisons hold most criminals charged with murder, rape and other violent crimes; consequently, a disproportionate share of federal prisoners are those convicted of drug-related offenses.

These people are not ordinarily young people who made mistakes that arent that different from the mistakes I made, as President Obama has described them, but more usually traffickers or other repeat offenders who have pled down to lesser charges. Fewer than one percent of those locked up for drug-related crimes in 2014 were jailed for possession.

In state prisons, fewer than 20 percent are jailed for drug-related crimes, and less than 4 percent were in for possession, most likely a reduced charge from plea-bargaining. More than half those jailed stand convicted of violent crimes, while the vast majority of those incarcerated for nonviolent offenses were repeat offenders.

Related: The Most Important Point Clinton Made in Her Debate Against Trump

The reality is reflected in President Obamas rush to pardon criminals in federal prison. On August 3, Obama pardoned 214 people  the most ever in a single day -- bringing the total for his time in office to 562. They were described as mostly non-violent and by CNN as drug offenders. But nearly one quarter of those released were convicted of gun charges; thats a far cry from an innocent teen locked up for smoking weed.

Hillary Clintons embrace of criminal justice reform and stricter oversight of police plays well with the black community and those sympathetic to the charge that our law enforcement is biased. But in Charlotte, North Carolina, site of another police shooting of a black man, scenes of rioting and the savage beating and dragging of a white man by a black mob, could alarm whites.

Crime is on the rise, as Trump correctly noted in Mondays debate. The FBI reports that murders rose almost 11 percent in 2015 over the year before, with cities including Baltimore (up 63 percent), Milwaukee (up 61 percent) and Washington, D.C. (up 54 percent) accounting for much of the rise. People may begin to wonder if abandoning Stop & Frisk was a good idea after all.

If she continues down this path, Hillary could win the black vote, but lose the election. Which goes to show, we actually are stronger together.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
As global nonprofit Shalva honored longtime showbiz exec and producer Michael De Luca for his work in the Jewish community, the running joke for the evening was his disservice of sorts for producing the 2008 Adam Sandler comedy The Love Guru. Even the evenings emcee, Jeremy Garelick, noted that his roasts on the nights honoree went a tad overboard.

Tonight I made three Love Guru jokes, which is three more than what made it into The Love Guru,' he quipped.

De Luca, who accepted top honors at the organizations first Spirit of Hope Dinner with wife Angelique, opened his acceptance speech on the defense.

I did get some profit [for The Love Guru], De Luca said. I got a profit for participation check from Paramount, which is rare in this town. It was for $62.

De Lucas award was presented by producer and former Sony co-chairman Amy Pascal, who received her own set of unmerited Sony hack jokes throughout the night  which Table 22 agreed to be more than a little dated. Nevertheless, Pascal endured the jabs, all the while detailing De Lucas history of commitment to the organization that benefits the Association for Mentally and Physically Challenged Children in Israel, and provides assistance to local families raising individuals with special needs.

As a parent, you go through a certain amount of terror that youve never felt before because you suddenly care more about this child that youre having than you ever felt about yourself, De Luca continued. I can only imagine what its like for parents to feel that terror and not know where to go or turn, and the fact that Shalva supplies an island of comfort, security, and hope  whether youre a Muslim parent or Jewish parent  they have your back and I was incredibly moved by that.

Hosted at the home of real estate businessman and philanthropist Stanley Black, other notable attendees included Universal Pictures chairman Donna Langley, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Dawn Hudson, director and producer Brett Ratner, and CAAs Adam Berkowitz, who spoke a few words about former Israeli president Shimon Peres, who died on Tuesday night at the age of 93.

Story continues

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Hundreds of Hong Kong pro-democracy supporters holding yellow umbrellas held three minutes' silence outside the city's government offices Wednesday to mark the second anniversary of mass protests challenging Beijing.

The anniversary of the "Umbrella Revolution" comes as tensions remain high in the semi-autonomous city, with fears growing that China is tightening its grip.

Huge rallies in 2014 demanding fully free leadership elections and other democratic reforms for Hong Kong brought parts of the city to a standstill for more than two months.

Those demands were snubbed by Beijing, but since then former Umbrella Movement protesters have won seats as city lawmakers.

Some of them are now pushing for a complete break from China as the fledgling independence movement gains support.

Former Umbrella Movement protest leader Nathan Law, 23, became Hong Kong's youngest legislator in the recent citywide elections. He now advocates self-determination for Hong Kong.

Speaking to the crowds Wednesday, Law urged them to keep fighting.

"It's important for you to find the impulse and bravery from before to allow for an even bigger resistance next time," he said, speaking on a stage beside the "Lennon Wall" -- a staircase near the government complex that became plastered with notes of support for protesters during the 2014 rallies.

Law was joined by political ally Joshua Wong, 19, who also addressed the crowds.

In an interview with AFP Wednesday, Wong said the democracy movement was in a "long-term battle facing the largest communist regime in the world".

"We just have to show our persistence, courage and commitment," he said.

- Tear gas moment -

At 5:58 pm (0958 GMT) those gathered held three minutes' silence to mark the time two years ago when police fired tear gas at student-led pro-democracy protesters.

That galvanised tens of thousands to come onto the streets in support.

The largely peaceful demonstrations spawned sprawling protest camps, with tents and artworks set up on highways and shopping streets.

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The movement gained its name from protesters' use of umbrellas to shield them from tear gas, pepper spray, sun and rain alike.

Supporters Wednesday said they felt the rallies had changed the city for the better.

"The Umbrella Movement transformed many in the city to care about the community, so we must make an effort to remember this incident," said school student Joy Chan, 14.

Chan said she had taken part in the protests in 2014 -- many school-age protesters joined the demonstrations and makeshift classrooms were set up so they could continue their studies.

Housewife Claire Weber, 42, said she was at the site two years ago when police fired tear gas at the crowds.

"No matter what, or how messy the political environment gets, we must persist," she told AFP.

The atmosphere Wednesday was carnivalesque, with souvenirs including miniature yellow paper umbrellas -- the symbol of the movement -- handed out to those taking part.

Metres-tall signs reading "I want real universal suffrage" were displayed, an echo of the slogans of 2014.

Hong Kong was handed back to China by Britain in 1997 under a semi-autonomous "one country, two systems" deal, which guaranteed its freedoms for 50 years.

But there are deep concerns those liberties are under threat in a number of areas, from politics to education and the media.
CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Illinois Attorney General has appealed a federal judge ruling that blocks same-day registration at polling places in the state's most populous counties, a spokeswoman for the office said on Wednesday. The appeal submitted by the state's Attorney General, Lisa Madigan, to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, seeks to reverse a ruling that bars Election Day voter registration at polling places in counties with populations of 100,000 or more. Such registrations were allowed under a state law enacted last year. The appeal was filed on Tuesday evening, according to court documents and Maura Possley, a spokeswoman for the Attorney General's Office. The ruling, issued Tuesday by Judge Samuel Der-Yeghiayan of the Northern District of Illinois, resulted from a federal court lawsuit brought in August against the state law by a group aligned with a conservative think tank and came six weeks before the Nov. 8 election.[nL2N1C321W] The Chicago-based Liberty Justice Center, which filed the lawsuit, argued that the population threshold unconstitutionally discriminated against voters in less populated counties and boosted Democrats in heavily Democratic Cook County, where Chicago is located. In his ruling, Der-Yeghiayan wrote that the law provided an advantage to urban voters over their rural counterparts. The law, passed in late 2014 by the Democratic-led legislature and signed into law in early 2015 by former Democratic Governor Pat Quinn, allowed Election Day voter registration for the first time, including at polling places. But the section of the law regarding polling place registration pertained only to counties with populations of 100,000 or more. (Reporting by Timothy Mclaughlin; Editing by Frances Kerry)
IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 28, 2016 / Khang & Khang LLP (the "Firm") announces the filing of a class action lawsuit against Yirendai Ltd. ("Yirendai" or the "Company") (YRD). Investors, who purchased or otherwise acquired shares between May 11, 2016 and August 24, 2016 inclusive (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the Firm prior to the October 25, 2016 lead plaintiff motion deadline.

If you purchased Yirendai 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 via 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, Yirendai made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: that the Company was experiencing increasing fraud related to customer applications for its loan products; that the implementation of new anti-fraud regulations by the Chinese government could have a negative impact on Yirendai's performance; and that as a result of the above, the Company's statements about its business, operations, and prospects were false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. On August 24, 2016, Bloomberg reported that China imposed limits on peer-to-peer lending and also placed a new regulations cap on individual borrowing at 1 million yuan. When this news was released to the public, Yirendai's stock price fell, thus causing 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 via e-mail at joon@khanglaw.com.

This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in certain jurisdictions.

Story continues

Contacts

Joon M. Khang, Esq.

Telephone: 949-419-3834

Facsimile: 949-225-4474

joon@khanglaw.com

SOURCE: Khang & Khang LLP
A key South Asian summit was in doubt Wednesday after India and three other countries pulled out following a deadly attack on an army base that New Delhi blames on a Pakistan-based group.

India has sought to isolate Pakistan in the wake of the raid on its base in the disputed region of Kashmir, which killed 18 soldiers and triggered public fury.

On Tuesday it said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Islamabad in November, in a major snub to its neighbour.

In Islamabad, a senior Pakistani foreign ministry official who declined to be identified said the meeting would be postponed following the four withdrawals.

Without naming Pakistan, India's foreign ministry said "increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of member states by one country" had created an environment that was not conducive for a meeting.

Hours later, Bangladesh said it was also pulling out. Afghanistan and Bhutan -- both close India allies -- have since followed suit, according to an official with the Nepali government, current chair of SAARC.

"Pakistan has been interfering in our internal affairs for some time," a senior Bangladesh foreign ministry official told AFP, requesting anonymity.

"That's why we have pulled out of the SAARC summit."

Under pressure to act after the Kashmir raid, Modi warned Pakistan in a major speech on Saturday that India would push to make it a pariah state.

Pakistan denies any involvement in the September 18 attack, the worst of its kind in over a decade.

But India's army has blamed Jaish-e-Mohammad, a Pakistan-based militant group that was also implicated in an audacious assault on an Indian air force base in the northern town of Pathankot in January.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars since partition in 1947, two of them over Kashmir, where the two countries regularly exchange fire across the disputed border.

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At the last SAARC summit in 2014 a newly-elected Modi shook hands with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, raising hopes of warmer ties.

Just over a year later Modi made a surprise Christmas Day visit to Pakistan for a meeting with Sharif.

But those hopes were dashed by the Pathankot attack in which seven Indian soldiers died, and peace talks have been on ice ever since.

- 'Closer to China' -

Current SAARC chair Nepal said it hoped the issues would be resolved but could not comment on whether the summit would go ahead.

"The host will take decisions regarding the summit," said Jhabindra Aryal, joint secretary with Nepal's foreign ministry.

The foreign ministry official in Islamabad, speaking on condition of anonymity, said SAARC officials "will reorganise future dates for the conference". A formal announcement postponing the summit "has to come from the SAARC secretariat and not from us", the official said.

The leaders of the eight SAARC countries -- which also include Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Maldives -- expressed frustration after the last summit in Kathmandu with the slow pace of progress towards greater regional integration.

Analysts say this is due to the mutual mistrust between Pakistan and powerhouse India.

Cyril Almeida, a columnist in Pakistan's English-language daily Dawn, said India's move to exclude Pakistan from regional discussions was not unexpected.

"Diplomatically, (it's) maybe not a big deal for Pakistan given that SAARC is widely perceived as ineffective," he said.

"But (it's) a fresh sign of Pakistan not being in a comfortable place in its own region."

Analyst Ashok Malik said the withdrawals would have little practical impact on Pakistan.

"It basically scores a symbolic and a political victory. As for Pakistan, this will push it even closer to China," said Malik, head of the Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation's regional studies initiative.

Pakistan said it remained "committed to peace and regional cooperation" and accused India of perpetrating "terrorism" on its soil.

"As for the excuse used by India, the world knows that it is India that has been perpetrating and financing terrorism in Pakistan," tweeted foreign ministry spokesman Nafees Zakariya late Tuesday, citing the capture of an Indian intelligence officer in Balochistan earlier this year.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused India of interference in the southwestern province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan and is afflicted by Islamist militancy and a separatist insurgency.
The American elections are proving to be a gripping and entertaining affair, despite the fact that certain candidates like Darth Vader, Satan, Deez Nuts and Captain Crunch are not exactly in the race.

Yep, all these tried running for US presidency.

By Vishakha Saxena: If you had a chance to apply for the job of President and didn't want to use your own name, what nickname would you go for?

Darth Vader? God? Satan? Captain Crunch?

No?

That's okay, those names are already taken.

America's election commission received 'statements of candidacy' from more than 1,800 spoof candidates for the election slated November 8 this year.

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One such candidate, 'Vermin Supreme', guaranteed a pony for every American. In another case, a high schooler named Isaac Weiss filed a statement for his friend's cat 'Limberbutt McCubbins'.

Source: Facebook / Limberbutt4President2016 Source: Facebook / Limberbutt4President2016

Believe it or not, Limberbutt had a dedicated Facebook page, a Twitter account, a website and even a campaign slogan "Meow Is the Time". The five-year-old cat's owner Emilee McCubbins told Cosmopolitan that she was contacted by lawyers and volunteers looking to represent him, not realising that he's a cat.

According to a CBS report, the Federal Election Commission sent separate letters to all such 'suspicious candidates' earlier this month.

"Dear Candidate," it wrote. "It has come to the attention of the Federal Election Commission that you may have failed to include an accurate name of the candidate and an accurate principal campaign committee... when you filed FEC Form 2."

This Form 2 -- a statement of candidacy -- is a necessary form for those seeking office in the US House of Representatives, Senate, or the White House in an election cycle. And it's incredibly easy to submit.

Source: Twitter

Ajay Madala, an eighth-grader from California told the Wall Street Journal, "It's easier to file for the FEC than it is to create a Gmail account." He filed to make a 1920 penny a presidential candidate under the name One Cent Piece.

This would explain why officials are having to go through hundreds of forms from characters named Ghosts of Ronald Reagan, Terminator, Luke Skywalker, The Ghost of Christmas Present, Mickey Mouse, Francis Underwood, Cranky Pants, Rocky Balboa, Beast Mode, Butt Stuff, Voldemort and Deez Nuts, among many, many others.

Deez Nuts, who raked up support from 9% voters back in 2015, is actually a 15-year-old high school boy from Iowa. His real name is Brady Olson.

Even Captain Crunch raked up 17% support, according to a poll by Public Policy Polling.

The 2012 election saw spoof candidates like Santa Claus and President Emperor Caesar too.

Source: All Things Democrat

Hoping it will deter pranksters from filing fake paperwork, the FEC letters elaborated on the legal implications of filing such fake statements.

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"Knowingly and wilfully making any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation to a federal government agency is punishable under US law," read the letters.

These spoof candidates now have 30 days to respond to FEC, before their names are removed from the pool of eligible presidential candidates.

So, Mr Terminator, unless you plan to do some time travelling, you need to get on this.

--- ENDS ---
MUMBAI (Reuters) - India is selling a 7 percent stake in state-run Hindustan Copper Ltd in stock market deals over two days to Friday, potentially raising the government 4.02 billion rupees ($60.5 million).

The government, which owns almost 90 percent of the miner, is selling 64.7 million shares, and has set a floor price of 62 rupees apiece, according to a regulatory filing.

The sale is part of the government's asset sale plan to raise funds to help plug its deficit. For the year to March 2017, it plans to raise 565 billion rupees from such sales.

The government also needs to cut its stake in state-run companies to 75 percent over a period of time as capital market rules require publicly traded companies to maintain a minimum 25 percent float.

SBICAP Securities, ICICI Securities, Edelweiss Securities and Deutsche Equities are managing the sale.

($1 = 66.4886 rupees)

(Reporting by Promit Mukherjee; Editing by Adrian Croft)
By Manoj Kumar

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The Indian government has sent out about 700,000 notices to suspected tax evaders to coax them to declare hidden income and assets, promising they won't be pursued by the authorities if they pay a penalty now to clear their name.

But, as the four-month campaign draws to a close this week, there looks to be few takers despite a high-profile warning that this is the last chance for tax dodgers to come clean.

Officials privately acknowledge they are likely to miss their internal goal to raise about 500 billion rupees ($7.5 billion) by a wide margin, though there is no public target.

Disclosures up to mid-September would be enough to generate around $1.5 billion in extra tax, one senior tax official and an auditor who advises the government on tax policy told Reuters.

Many entrepreneurs aren't so keen on a scheme that offers little relief: they would have to pay 45 percent in back tax and penalties, and even then would not be sure of keeping the taxman off their back.

One auditor cited the case of a real estate firm in Mumbai that was investigated by the Enforcement Directorate, a financial crime-fighting agency, after disclosing assets under the Income Declaration Scheme that ends on Sept. 30.

"It's better to take sleeping pills than declare assets," the auditor said.

Finance ministry officials said that information received under the scheme was not shared with any other agency.

The government is playing tough, saying tax evaders who pass up this chance would face harsher penalties - up to 35 percent tax and a 90 percent fine - and up to seven years in prison if they are subsequently found out.

But distrust between businesses that often operate in the shadows and authorities that practice what even Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has called "tax terrorism" is hampering the drive.

A businessman in Noida, a booming commercial hub outside Delhi, told Reuters he had wanted to sell a flat to help pay nearly 4.5 million rupees ($67,000) in tax and penalties under this scheme.

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But no buyer was willing to pay the price, which was less than half what the businessman paid two years ago, on fears they too could face scrutiny. His tax adviser told him to hold off.

"There is nothing to fear," the adviser recalled telling the businessman. "We will handle this when the tax official comes to your door." Both requested anonymity, concerned they could draw the attention of the authorities.

AMNESTY AMNESIA

The government hopes the scheme will at least partly deliver on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign promise to voters in 2014 to bring back billions of dollars in "black money" from abroad.

The amount recovered, he said then, would be enough to put 1.5 to 2 million rupees ($22,500-$30,000) into the bank account of every poor family in India.

Graphic - India's tax collection stats: http://tmsnrt.rs/2cZrqXB

Graphic - India's tax arrears mount: http://tmsnrt.rs/1SFMitS

Tax officials said they had gathered information on possible tax evasion through stock exchanges, banks and other sources to identify assets bought with untaxed money.

Early in the current drive, Modi said in a radio address that the government "will not investigate or ask any questions about the source of income" if people declare it voluntarily.

A similar amnesty last year fell short, with fewer than 700 people declaring their foreign assets and paying 25 billion rupees in taxes.

That contrasts with Indonesia, where an amnesty has uncovered $110 billion in undeclared assets because tax evaders only have to pay a 2 percent penalty on undisclosed income.

The Indian government has resisted a broad amnesty for those with hidden wealth due to the risks of a political backlash and court challenges by civil society groups.

Yet despite the threat of prosecution, many seem prepared to take their chances.

"The scheme has not many takers mainly because of an inadequate infrastructure of the tax department to prosecute tax evaders," said Amit Maheshwari, a partner at consultancy Ashok Maheshwary & Associates LLP.

In a country of 1.3 billion, fewer than 18,000 people declared annual income of 10 million rupees or more in 2012/13, the latest figures show, with India borrowing about $155 billion to fund its fiscal deficit over the last two years.

"If we could get our hands on all the tax evaders, India's fiscal deficit could be wiped out for at least two years," said another senior tax official.

($1 = 66.7225 Indian rupees)

(Additional reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh; Editing by Douglas Busvine and Kim Coghill)
Leading technology services and consulting firm, Infosys Limited INFY, expanded its portfolio with the launch of Skava Commerce, a modular e-commerce platform. This platform is expected to aid clients in improving their omni-channel experiences.

Of late, innovation has become Infosys key business strategy. The company fulfils this objective by developing its next-generation AiKiDo offerings (the acronym for Artificial Intelligence, Knowledge-based IT and Design thinking). Launch of the Skava Commerce is part of enhancing the innovation quotient to attract more customers.

A Sophisticated e-Commerce Platform

Skava Commerce, developed by Infosys operating unit  Skava  is a highly sophisticated mobile-first e-commerce platform built on cloud-based microservices. This will empower business enterprises to come up with new offerings, improve digital channels conversion rates and create responsive digital properties.

Leveraging on artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing and virtual reality, Skava commerce will transform users shopping experiences. This platform will primarily assist retail clients roll out new applications. It will also enhance customer satiation by delivering a consistent performance across multiple channels.

Skava Commerce comes with a host of advanced features, including mobile-first responsive web store, native mobile shopping applications, user-friendly interface and source code license. Further, it possesses a scalable technology that can seamlessly regulate traffic to provide satisfactory customer experience.

At present, retailers have been encumbered by a lot of information technology issues, preventing them from timely prototyping, testing and launching new digital offerings. Skava Commerce eliminates these difficulties without making any hefty investments.

Skava Commerce Prospect Looks Bright

Infosys has been steadily boosting its global consulting and integration capabilities by entering into collaborations with multiple companies including Aimia, Darden Restaurants, Inc. DRI, and Vodafone Group Plc VOD. This is expected to be conducive to Skava Commerces market traction. Infosys is bullish that Skava Commerces promising features will help it gain acceptance beyond retail and CPG industries, in domains like insurance, banking and utilities.

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According to the independent technology and market research firm  Forrester Research  over the next five years, re-platforming activities will strongly drive the growth of e-commerce platforms. This is because online retailers are scouting for ways to make their technology more scalable and branded manufacturers continue to strengthen their direct-to-consumer digital channels. Also, the research reveals that rise in investments in applications like PIM, OMSes, experience management and advanced personalization by online investors, will further fuel Skava Commerces market traction.

INFOSYS LTD Price

INFOSYS LTD Price | INFOSYS LTD Quote

Near-term Challenges Pressing

Despite Infosys planned growth initiatives, the changing pattern of technology use, along with rapid proliferation of customizable Internet-based software, has been affecting its traditional outsourcing business. Also, the company suffers weakness, particularly in its sales and other delivery operations, posing a direct threat to its near-term profitability.

This technology firms business is highly prone to currency volatility between the Indian rupee and the U.S. dollar as the majority of its revenues are derived from the U.S. markets. Also, macroeconomic concerns like slowdown in China and economic uncertainty post Brexit might compel businesses to delay discretionary spending. This might pose as a challenge to this Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) company.

A better-ranked stock in the industry is consumer data and analytics provider Acxiom Corporation ACXM, which carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The company has an excellent earnings surprise history over the trailing four quarters, beating estimates all through with an average positive surprise of a whopping 102.5%. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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(Reuters)  U.S. health insurer Aetna Inc said it would offer some customers discounts on Apple Incs smartwatch, marking the first deal made by the tech giant with an insurer for its devices.

Aetna, which has about 23 million members in the United States, will also give away the Apple Watch for free to its nearly 50,000 employees, Aetna said in a statement on Tuesday.

The deal could help Apple boost the appeal of its Watch to potential customers as the company looks to target health and fitness conscious users with its new device.

Aetna will discount a significant portion of the cost, and will offer users monthly payment options to pay off the remaining amount.

The discounts on the devices will vary for customers, according to Aetna spokesman Ethan Slavin.

However, reaction to the second edition of the Apple Watch has been muted since its launch earlier this month with the device likely to remain a niche offering, according to some analysts.

Apple shipped 1.6 million units of the original Apple Watch, in the second quarter, down by 56.7 percent from last year, according to research firm IDC.

In comparison, Fitbit Inc shipped 5.7 million units in that period.

Aetna is also developing health applications for Apples devices that will remind users to take their medications, order refills for prescriptions and message or call their doctor.

The applications, which will use Apple Wallet to allow customers to pay their bills, will be available early next year. (Reporting by Narottam Medhora and Siddharth Cavale in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)
Paris (AFP) - The editorial production room of the International New York Times, a Parisian fixture for nearly 130 years, closed on Tuesday, staff said.

Editorial production of the international version of the New York Times in Paris stopped a few days ago under a plan that the owners announced in April.

The publication has appeared under various titles over the course of its long history, most recently as the International Herald Tribune, which it dropped in 2013.

One Paris-based editor, who asked not to be named, told AFP on Wednesday: "We had a party with champagne here last night."

Editing and pre-press print production of the paper will be transferred to New York and Hong Kong.

The Paris news bureau of the New York Times and an advertising department will remain in the French capital.

Pascal Lebegue, a French union representative for the paper, said 69 of the 113 jobs in Paris would be lost.

"It was the presence in Paris of the journalists who wrote it which made the newspaper what it was. Now they are based in New York," Lebegue said.

The International Herald Tribune, the only international newspaper in English produced in Paris, first appeared in 1887 as the Paris Herald, aimed at American expatriates.

When its first owners, the New York Herald, shut in 1966, the New York Times and the Washington Post took over part ownership and from 1991 they had a 50-50 share in the newspaper.

The New York Times eventually took full ownership in 2003 and in 2013 renamed it International New York Times.

When the plan to shut the editorial offices in Paris was announced, editors said in a memo to staff: "Only by moving ahead with this proposal can we assure our ability to maintain our international print presence for the coming years and do so in a way that will best serve our international readers."
By Toby Sterling and Anthony Deutsch NIEUWEGEIN, Netherlands (Reuters) - Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down by a missile fired from a launcher brought into Ukraine from Russia and located in a village held by pro-Russian rebels, international prosecutors said on Wednesday. The findings counter Moscow's suggestion that the passenger plane, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur in July 2014, was brought down by Ukraine's military rather than the separatists. All 298 people on board, most of them Dutch, were killed. The conclusions were based on thousands of wiretaps, photographs, witness statements and forensic tests during more than two years of inquiries into an incident which led to a sharp rise in tensions between Russia and the West. Among the key findings were: the plane was hit by a Russian-made Buk-9M38 missile; the missile was fired from the rebel-held village of Pervomaysk in eastern Ukraine; and the launcher was transported into Ukraine from Russia. "This Buk trailer came from the territory of the Russian Federation, and after the launch it was returned again to the territory of the Russian Federation," said Wilbert Paulissen, chief investigator with the Dutch national police. The Ukrainian government said the findings pointed to Russia's "direct involvement". Russia - which has always denied Moscow or pro-Russian rebels were responsible - rejected the prosecutors' conclusions, saying they were not supported by technical evidence and the inquiry was biased. Earlier on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said its radar data had "identified all flying objects which could have been launched or were in the air over the territory controlled by rebels at that moment". "The data is clear-cut ... there is no rocket. If there was a rocket, it could only have been fired from elsewhere," he said. The investigators, from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine, said they had not had access to Moscow's radar images but would gladly include a Russian contribution to the inquiry. Ukrainian and Western officials, citing intelligence intercepts, have long blamed the pro-Russian rebels for the incident, which played a big part in a decision by the European Union and United States to impose sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine conflict and has damaged Dutch-Russian economic ties. SUSPECTS In reaction to the investigators' findings, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called on Russia "to lend all possible cooperation" to the inquiry, which will now shift its focus to identifying individual suspects. Prosecutors said that while they had not brought charges against culprits or established a court, they had identified 100 individuals of interest in relation to the incident on July 17, 2014. "Of a number of them, we know pretty exactly what their role and position was, for instance those who organized the arrival of the Buk rocket and who were in charge of the transport that day," said Fred Westerbeke, chief prosecutor at the Netherlands National Prosecutor's office. "We know exactly what happened, but who exactly was in charge, and whether it was done intentionally, there the investigation is still continuing," Westerbeke said. He declined to specify the nationality of any potential suspects, and called on witnesses to come forward and help determine who gave the order to shoot the plane down. Victims' families, who were informed of the findings earlier in the day, were skeptical about the investigation's progress. Silene Fredriksz, whose son Bryce was on the airplane with his girlfriend, Daisy Oehlers, said Russia would never hand over any suspects voluntarily. Moscow was "going to have to be put under intense pressure, with sanctions - that's the only way to make it possible", she added. A civilian investigation by the Dutch Safety Board also concluded last year that MH17 was hit by a Buk missile fired from eastern Ukraine, but did not specify who fired it. The board criticized Ukraine's government for leaving its airspace open to civilian traffic. At the time of the incident, pro-Russian separatists were fighting Ukrainian government forces in the region. The Boeing 777 broke apart in mid-air, flinging wreckage over several kilometers (miles) of fields in rebel-held territory. Harun Calehr, uncle of two boys killed in the crash, said he was not holding out hope for a swift resolution. "I think there will never be a judicial conclusion to this nightmare," he said. "Even a political agreement with financial compensation for the victims' families by Russia and Ukraine seems tenuous, and perhaps two decades in the future." (Writing by Timothy Heritage; Editing by Pravin Char)
VIENNA (Reuters) - A landmark nuclear accord sealed last year between Iran and six world powers will not be in danger if Donald Trumps wins the U.S. presidential election in November, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said on Wednesday. Republican presidential candidate Trump has called the accord "the worst deal ever negotiated" and said it could even lead to "nuclear holocaust", although he has also conceded it would be hard to rip up a deal enshrined in a U.N. resolution. Trump has also blasted his Democrat rival Hillary Clinton for her role as Secretary of State in 2009-13 in helping to pave the way for the talks culminating in the deal, which curbs Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. However, Iran's Ali Akbar Salehi played down the possibility that Trump might turn his back on the accord. "I think whoever gets into the ... office of the president in the United States will have to move according to the realities on the ground," he told a panel discussion in Vienna. "You can (use) many words, slogans, but then at the end of the day you are constrained by the realities." Salehi said the accord included necessary mechanisms for dealing with the contingency of one side breaching it. "I don't think (the nuclear deal would receive) any serious impact (from Trump). It may go a little bit up and down, it may delay certain things, but it will not seriously detract (from the deal)." (Reporting By Shadia Nasralla; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Baghdad (AFP) - Iraq has asked Washington to deploy additional trainers and advisers as its forces prepare for the battle to retake Mosul from the Islamic State group, the premier's office said Wednesday.

IS seized Mosul along with swathes of other territory in June 2014, but the country's forces have since regained significant ground from the jihadists and are readying for a drive to retake Iraq's second city.

Iraq has requested "a final increase in the number of American trainers and advisers... to support the heroic Iraqi security forces in their impending battle to liberate Mosul," Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office said in a statement.

Abadi's office said the US government had agreed to the request.

A US official said that Washington is prepared to send additional troops, but there has not yet been an announcement on when they would be deployed or how many more would be sent.

A US-led coalition is carrying out air strikes against IS in Iraq, and Washington has authorised the deployment of more than 4,600 military personnel to the country.

Most are in advisory or training roles, but some American forces have fought IS on the ground, and three members of the US military have been killed by the jihadists in Iraq.

The US has repeatedly emphasised that the assistance it is providing to Iraq is at Baghdad's request, but such requests have generally not been publicised by the Iraqi government.

Abadi's spokesman Saad al-Hadithi said the announcement was made in this case to clarify what the US forces would be doing and head off accusations that they would be involved in combat.

- Politically sensitive -

The statement from Abadi's office noted that American forces are helping Iraq in its battle against the jihadists, but their presence is still extremely politically sensitive due to the nine-year war the US fought in the country.

The statement said that the number of trainers and advisors would start to be reduced as soon as Mosul is retaken from IS, and also asserted that no American troops had fought alongside Iraqi troops.

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In reality, American special forces have fought IS alongside Iraqi Kurdish forces on several occasions that have been made public, and likely in other operations that have not come to light.

Various Western officials have indicated that the battle to retake Mosul will begin in October, though Abadi has declined to specify when it will start, saying he wants to maintain surprise.

Once the push is launched, a coalition of heterogenous and sometimes rival Iraqi forces will have to fight through IS defences -- in some cases over distances of dozens of kilometres (miles) from their current positions -- to reach the city.

Then, if Iraqi strategy for Mosul follows that used in previous operations, they will seek to surround and seal off the city prior to an assault.

The operation also poses major humanitarian challenges: the United Nations has said that it may displace up to one million people, and impact up to 1.5 million.

Even after Mosul is retaken, the war against IS will be far from over.

The jihadists are likely to revert to insurgent tactics, such as bombings of civilians and hit-and-run attacks on security forces, following the demise of their "state" in Iraq.
More than 480 passengers were stranded on a passenger ship off Visakhapatnam in the Bay of Bengal since Tuesday night, when the cruise ship was hit by a technical snag.

By Ashish Pandey: More than 480 passengers were stranded on a passenger ship off Visakhapatnam in the Bay of Bengal since Tuesday night, when the cruise ship was hit by a technical snag.

As per the report, the ship MV Harshavardhana was operated by the Shipping Corporation of India Limited and was on its way to Andman Nicobar Iceland.



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The ship, which sails twice a month, also ferries passengers between Port Blair and Chennai (1,190 km), Kolkata (1,255 km) and Visakhapatnam (1,200 km).

Mr. Anil of M/s.A.V.Bhanojirow, Garuda Pattabhiramayya and Co. (M/s.AVBGPR and Co.) confirmed that the ship with 480 passengers and 50 crew members on board was hit by a technical snag off the Visakhapatnam port.

Also read: Indian Navy set to get second warship of Visakhapatnam class soon



GLITCH IN GENERATOR



The ship had left the port city of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday at 01:35 pm and was sailing for the Andaman. Six hours later, the ship halted due to a technical snag in its generator set and since then has been stuck in the sea.



The ship was scheduled to complete its journey to Port Blair, the capital city of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in about 55 hours.

However, an official on duty assured that passengers were safe and food, water and other necessary things were provided to them by the crew. He also added that engineers and other staff would soon fix the snag and all passengers on board the ship would reach the Visakhapatnam port.



INS KUTHAR ON STANDBY

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy has put ship INS Kuthar on standby at the eastern naval command base in the city to provide any kind of help if required.

Also read: Kerala Tourism to introduce cruise ships for travellers

--- ENDS ---
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (Reuters) - The United States is likely to face a higher risk of Islamic State-inspired attacks over the next two years as the group loses land in the Middle East, a top official with the Federal Bureau of Investigation said on Wednesday.

"I'm fairly convinced that 2017 and 2018 in the homeland will be more dangerous than we've seen before, because as we shrink ISIS, they'll lash out," Michael Steinbach, executive assistant director of the FBI's national security branch, told a security conference at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Islamic State proclaimed a caliphate over parts of Iraq and Syria in 2014 but has lost a significant amount of territory since then to U.S.-backed offensives, though it still controls oil wells on Syrian land.

Steinbach was quick to say that the fact that additional attacks might be planned did not mean they would be successful. He noted that U.S. security officials disrupted some 70 Islamic State-inspired planned attacks in 2015 alone.

The U.S. has seen a spate of attacks inspired by the militant group, which has been fighting a long civil war in Syria. They include the June massacre of 49 people at an Orlando nightclub and the killing of 14 people at a San Bernardino, California, social services agency last December.

Steinbach also noted that militant attacks remain rare in the United States, saying that 19 people were killed in the United States and 21 Americans killed overseas in attacks considered terrorism in 2015.

"There is no expectation that we will stop every homicide here in Boston or Chicago," he said. "For some reason, with terrorism, there is an expectation, a bar that is set at zero and every single attack that goes through is considered a failure."

(Reporting by Scott Malone; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)
TEL AVIV, Israel  In his twilight years, Shimon Peres became the ultimate symbol of the Israeli peace camp. The Zionist visionary, statesman, and legendary dove among hawks, who died on Wednesday morning at the age of 93, had a place at the Israeli political table since before the states 1948 founding. And for a brief and golden period in the 1990s, when he broke all of Israels rules to negotiate directly with the PLO to push through the much-lauded Oslo Accords (for which he earned a Nobel Peace Prize alongside Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat in 1994), Peres looked poised to end Israels legacy of conflict for good.

But Peres, who served in virtually every governmental capacity over the course of more than six decades  from stints as defense minister and transportation minister to president to prime minister  never achieved the peace he so passionately sought for Israel. He was one of the architects of Israels highly controversial land-for-peace initiative dividing into parcels areas for both Jews and Arabs. His pursuit of which came, he openly admitted, not from a bleeding heart but from a pragmatic sense of what was necessary to secure a safe Israel.

Speaking to a massive crowd at a rally in Tel Avivs Rabin Square in November 2014, the former prime minister reminded Israelis of his philosophy:

He who has despaired from peace is the one hallucinating. Whoever gives in and stops seeking peace  he is naive, he is the one who is not a patriot! In order to be practical and not hallucinate and not be naive, there is a need to recognize several basic truths that are sharp, clear and eternal. Israel will not have permanent security without peace. Israel will not have a stable thriving economy without peace. Israel will not have a healthy society free from poverty and discrimination without peace. Israel has no chance of preserving its Jewish democratic character without peace. Israel will be giving up its future if it sees the status quo as its desire.

On Wednesday, as Israelis mourned the last of their founding fathers and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus hard-line rightist government held a special moment of silence in his honor, Peress death felt emblematic, marking the end of the optimism and irrational dreaming that helped bring the state of Israel into the world. The peace process is also dead, at least for now.

For though Peres held a largely ceremonial role on Israels political scene for the last two decades of his life, exercising little actual influence over national politics, his optimism, humor, and dogged insistence on the potential for a better Middle East were, for many Israelis, the final gasps of hope. With Peres gone, his friends and former colleagues say, the trademark Israeli optimism that the nation was founded on is gone as well.

He really was the last of the founding fathers. The last Mohican, if you will, said Danny Ayalon, the former deputy foreign minister who served as Israeli ambassador to the United States from 2002-2006 under Ariel Sharon. He was easily the most popular Israeli among the international community, always welcomed by world leaders, and so many Israeli politicians  and those who wanted to become politicians  went to him for advice.

Peres was held in high regard among world leaders, many of whom, including U.S. President Barack Obama, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, and Prince Charles, are reportedly planning to gather in Jerusalem on Friday for his funeral. After the Israeli leaders death on Wednesday, Obama issued a statement in which he described Peres as a friend: Shimon was the essence of Israel itself. As Americans, we are in his debt because, having worked with every U.S. president since John F. Kennedy, no one did more over so many years as Shimon Peres to build the alliance between our two countriesan unbreakable alliance that today is closer and stronger than it has ever been.

World leaders across the spectrum were drawn to his optimism and dogged determination that Israel could achieve peace. Following the announcement of Peress death, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he was [p]ained by his demise while Justin Trudeau, Canadas prime minister, tweeted that Shimon Peres was, above all, a man of peace. My deepest condolences to his loved ones and to the people of Israel on his passing. Even Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sent a personal letter to Peress family expressing his condolences.

Dan Rather perhaps summed up the leaders magnetism best, tweeting: Of all political leaders I have ever met, few commanded a room with as much grace, charm, and depth as Shimon Peres.

There isnt a single Israeli politician alive today who inspires that sort of warmth or confidence, Ayalon said, and with his death, a vital line of communication will close.

But in the Middle East idealism rarely survives a tussle with reality, and the 1990s closed with the optimism of the Oslo Accords giving way to the horrors of Rabins assassination and Palestinian terrorist attacks. Today, the peace process stands at an absolute impasse, a situation Ayalon, like many Israelis, attributes to the lack of a negotiating partner among the Palestinians.

Einat Wilf, a former Knesset member who served as Peress foreign-policy advisor during his tenure as vice prime minister, described the statesman as a final optimistic holdout, someone who insisted on believing in a better future at a time when most national pundits had already surrendered to pessimism and grim geopolitical forecasts

There is a sense today that we are bidding farewell to a grand imagination, she said. But I think the mood turned dark long before, as we recognized the grand historical forces at work. [Peress] passing is symbolic, but in terms of geopolitics, it wont change anything. The possibility of peace will be determined by forces far greater than any single person.

After Oslo, however, Peres became one of Israels most controversial figures. The left blamed him for the death of Rabin; the right blamed him for the onslaught of Palestinian terrorism that came in its wake. In 1996, he was voted out of the nations highest office in favor of the hard-line Netanyahu. The Second Intifada soon followed, and Peres shifted his attention to his Peres Center for Peace and private projects. Although he made something of a political comeback in the mid-2000s, many in Israel say that his political influence effectively ended with the bullet that took out Rabin.

But Isaac Herzog, the chairman of the Zionist Union party, sees it differently.

Peress vision of a two-state solution is alive and kicking, he said. Peres dreamt of the new Middle East, and in many ways there is an opportunity for a new Middle East. The tragedy is that both peoples want, in an overwhelming majority, to move toward that two-state solution, and its not happening due to political impediments. In 100 years, we will see that many of the things that Peres wrote about and imagined will come true.

Peace, Peres insisted, was about much more than the laying down of arms. It was about the allocation of resources toward education and arts, to seeing a long-term solution in a short-sighted land.

If you have children, Peres said the same day he signed the Oslo Accords, you cannot feed them forever with flags for breakfast and cartridges for lunch. You need something more substantial. Unless you educate your children and spend less money on conflicts, unless you develop your science, technology, and industry, you dont have a future.

Author and journalist Yossi Klein Halevi referred to the leader as a long-term prophet and said his inability to create peace in his lifetime was a failure of the peace process, not the other way around.

Both of his official terms as prime minister came not as the result of an election. His finest and most beloved hour in Israel came at the end of his life, when his role as president was entirely ceremonial. Nevertheless, Halevi said, Peress symbolic worth to the Israeli psyche is beyond measure.

He became the grandfather of Israel, Halevi said. He was not a beloved politician, he did not win a single election, but  he represented the founding generation at a time when Israelis have been losing the optimism of the [nations] founders.

Though its unlikely the political situation will be drastically different in post-Peres Israel, Halevi feels that how Israelis view their neighbors, and the efforts they are willing to make toward that ever elusive mission of coexistence, is likely to shift.

Israelis tend to be a very optimistic people when it comes to their own lives and about the future of the country, but they are profoundly pessimistic about relations with the Palestinians, Halevi said. Peres really was the most compelling voice reminding us that our optimism shouldnt be selective. It needs to also apply to our most pressing and long-term problem. Whether they know it or not, thats a voice that Israelis will miss.

Photo credit: FRANCOIS LOCHON/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Tel Aviv (AFP) - Israelis were united in mourning Wednesday after the death of 93-year-old former president Shimon Peres, the last of the state's founding fathers.

But while grief was widespread for Israelis, among Palestinians responses tended to be diametrically opposed after decades of hostility between them.

On the streets of major Palestinian cities, people labelled Peres a "war criminal" and accused him of "massacres".

In the centre of the Israeli commercial capital Tel Aviv, Liora Levy, an Israeli woman in her 50s, was in tears. She said she was going to work with a heavy heart.

"He was one of the best. It's a terrible day, a day of sorrow, a day of mourning," she said.

Radio and television programming was interrupted after the announcement early on Wednesday, switching between special editions and archive footage from the 1950s.

With the programmes Israelis immersed themselves in their history, a part of which disappears with Peres's passing.

But the mourning Israelis feel has not so far resulted in major gatherings or candle-lit vigils as happened after the assassination of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin by a Jewish extremist in 1995.

This was partly because Israelis felt prepared by multiple "false alarms" as Peres's health faltered in his final years, several people said.

- 'From heaven' -

"He was someone sent from heaven, a very, very great man who made us feel so good," said Kalman Belhassan, an octogenarian crossing Rabin Square in Tel Aviv.

In the same square, a teacher gave an impromptu class on Peres, who held almost every senior political position in Israel and won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize along with Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

He was active until the end of his life and had for his 93rd birthday joined the social media network Snapchat.

"In life I have had two examples: my father and Shimon Peres. He was a hero," yoga teacher Chemi Weber told AFP.

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Weber is among potentially thousands of Israelis who plan to visit Jerusalem Thursday, where the coffin of the late president will be displayed at the Israeli parliament.

On Wednesday, Israelis did not want to speak ill of Peres but during his lifetime, like Rabin, he was the subject of much resentment from the nationalist right -- who loathed the Oslo peace accords the two men agreed with the Palestinians.

"I come from a rightwing family, so a completely different party than his, but I respected him. He is someone who did a lot for Israel," Emmanuel Kipnisch from Tel Aviv said.

- 'Go to hell' -

In contrast, in the Palestinian territories, good words about the former president were hard to find.

Hossam Qiblaoui, a 52-year-old trader, was typical of responses when he labelled Peres "a criminal, a butcher."

Tamer Daraghmeh, a 47-year-old in Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority born of the Oslo Accords, accused Peres of being complicit in "many massacres. He made many widows and orphaned children."

Saber Farraj was angry Peres was being portrayed as "a man of peace," pointing out he was a key figure in Israel's undeclared nuclear programme.

"How can a man of peace kill children? Would a man of peace (build) nuclear weapons?"

"He got the Nobel Peace Prize but he was not a man of peace," Abdessalam al-Hau, who lives in Gaza, added.

"Let him go to hell," said Hossam al-Hajouj, also from the small enclave ravaged by three wars with Israel since 2008.

Sitting drinking tea, Mouayyed Odeh, a 28-year-old actor, however said there is "a truth we Palestinians have to recognise."

"No Arab leader until now has done for his country what Peres did for his," he said.

"He was one of the founders of what they call the state of Israel. Everything he did against the Palestinians he was convinced he was doing for his state and to settle permanently on this land."
Italian fashion house Ermanno Scervino has opened a dedicated women's corner at Harrods in London, in a bid to cater to "the market's growing interest" in the label (via WWD).

The section, which spans an 860-square-foot space, is part of the International Designer Room 4, the store's area dedicated to global luxury brands.

Featuring a selection of some of the most elegant pieces from Scervino's collections, the offering adds yet another point of sale to the brand's distribution network, in addition to the 48 boutiques it currently operates worldwide.

Commenting on the opening, Scervino chief executive officer Toni Scervino said Harrods is "a point of reference for the UK" and the brand is "happy about this new opening."

The label was founded in 2000 in Florence, has since become a synonym of Made in Italy quality and International style.
By Francesca Piscioneri ROME (Reuters) - Italy will set aside 6 billion euros ($6.73 billion) over the next three years to increase pensions and allow people to retire earlier, the welfare minister said on Wednesday, rowing back on a pension reform passed in 2012. The announcement comes as Prime Minister Matteo Renzi struggles to boost his popularity ahead of a December referendum on constitutional reform on which he has staked his career. Former prime minister Mario Monti sharply hiked the retirement age when Italy was in the front line of the euro zone debt crisis in 2012, a move that helped calm markets but was deeply unpopular with Italians. Welfare Minister Giuliano Poletti said after meeting trade unions that the 6 billion euros would boost the pensions of retired people currently receiving less than 1,000 euros per month and allow certain types of workers to retire earlier. Poletti said details of the operation, which will cost less than 2 billion euros in 2017, would be provided in the 2017 budget to be presented by Oct. 20. Italy spends more public money on pensions than any other EU country, around 16 percent of its gross domestic product. Earlier this year Renzi announced a scheme allowing workers to retire at 63 instead of 67, but the plan got an icy reception because the pensions taken earlier would have to be funded by bank loans to be paid back with interest. However, on Wednesday Poletti said people with particularly tiring jobs, as well as the unemployed and those on low incomes would be allowed to retire at 63 without having to pay back any money. He gave no details on the jobs to be defined as "tiring." He also said those who had begun work under the age of 18 and worked for at least 41 years would be able to retire regardless of their age, lowering this threshold from 43. Unions welcomed the 6 billion euros pledge and said negotiations were ongoing and progressing well. Susanna Camusso, leader of CGIL, Italy's largest trade union, said it was finally being recognized that age should not be the only criterion for being able to draw a state pension and "how tiring a job is" was also being taken into account. Around half of the CGIL's roughly 6 million members are pensioners. The government on Tuesday sharply hiked its 2017 budget deficit target for the second time in five months, and said public debt would not fall this year as previously promised. Italy's debt, at more than 132 percent of GDP, is the highest in the euro zone after Greece's. Renzi, whose popularity has fallen over the last year, has promised to resign if he loses a Dec. 4 referendum on his plan to reduce the role of the Senate and local authorities. Most polls suggest the reform is likely to be rejected.. (Writing by Gavin Jones; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
Jared Kushner gushes about his wife, Ivanka, in a new online essay. (Photo: Getty)

In the midst of the U.S. presidential campaign, Ivanka Trump  elder daughter of the Donald  has been elected one of 50 people in Varietys New Power of New York list, which honor a new generation of movers and shakers that capture the best of Manhattan, according to the site. The publication asked Ivankas husband, Jared Kushner, to pen a tribute to his entrepreneurial wife and the mother of his three children. He gushes, of course, about his amazing spouse, but he also praises her ability to be both a consummate professional and a supermom.

In one anecdote, he recalls a moment when the 34-year-old had her hands full  quite literally  but didnt miss a beat when the opportunity came to thank a fan of her popular footwear line. He wrote:

Ivanka defines the phrase hands on. A few years ago, at a large family function, Ivanka was carrying a plate of snacks in one hand and our daughter, Arabella, with the other, when she was approached by a guest holding a Sharpie. The woman took off her heels, handed Ivanka the marker and asked her to sign them  they were Ivanka Trump shoes. The timing was less than ideal, but Ivanka knows that the women who buy her clothes are often like her, busy moms trying to (sometimes literally) balance their work and family lives. Ivanka signed the shoes with a smile and then resumed being supermom to our very busy toddler.

And thats just one way in which Kushner is impressed by his multitasking spouse. He points to her courage, poise, and business acumen as just some of the qualities he admires in Ivanka. He acknowledges the scrutiny shes under  as the daughter of the Republican presidential candidate, a business owner, and a public figure in her own right  and praises her ability to juggle it all without breaking a sweat (not outwardly anyway). Grace under pressure is what she does best, and I could not be more proud of her, Kushner writes.

As Kushner points out, Ivanka runs her own lifestyle company and IvankaTrump.com, is finishing her second book, Women Who Work, and is an executive in her familys real estate business. Her first book, The Trump Card: Playing to Win in Work and Life, debuted in 2010 and was a New York Times bestseller. For her second, upcoming book, shes launched an eponymous social media campaign, #WomenWhoWork, which celebrates the multidimensionality of todays working women, according to her site. Regardless of our job titles, were each working hard to create the lives we want to live. Were in it together. It isnt easy  but its worth it.

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Ivanka married Kushner in 2009, after a courtship of just over two years. They would probably have wed sooner, but could not get engaged until Ivanka converted to Kushners religion, Judaism, according to Romper. In a 2015 Vogue interview, Kushner called Ivanka definitely the CEO of our household, whereas Im more on the board of directors.

He goes on to say in his essay, If you know Ivanka, you have not been surprised to see her emerge during this crazy campaign season as a leader advocating for serious policies to support American women and their families  these are issues she has been championing for years. It took real courage for Ivanka to stand before 35 million Americans, including many who had not previously focused on these issues before, to help advance substantive policies that will dramatically improve U.S. law in favor of all women, parents and children.

The old adage might go, Behind every successful man is a great woman. Kushner shows us, with his modern-day love letter, that behind every successful woman is a partner who supports and appreciates her.

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Jaden Smith has been tapped to receive the Male EMA Futures Award at the Environmental Media Association's 26th annual EMA Awards.

Will 'The Get Down' Succeed Where 'Vinyl' Failed? A Look at Netflix's New Hip-Hop Drama

Smith will be honored "for his leadership and action on environmental issues" at the Oct. 22 event, to be held at Warner Bros. studios in Burbank. The EMA Awards "recognize and honor environmental pioneers who embody the commitment and leadership to raise awareness of environmental issues." As previously announced, Shailene Woodley will receive the Female EMA Futures Award.

"We are so honored to be able to share with the global public this inspiring young voice for environmental issues and sustainability," said Debbie Levin, president of EMA. "Jaden is a true activist and role model that can authentically lead his generation to a more thoughtful and conscious future. Taking action and creating a movement sharing his vision of water stewardship, forestry and plant-based solutions with the goal to decrease the level of greenhouse gas emissions can influence billions. We couldn't be happier to present Jaden with the Male EMA Futures Award. We are so grateful for his innovation, for his commitment to preserving our Earth and for the powerful example he is setting for not only his generation, but for all of us, to take action."

Smith, who is 18 years old, is part of JUST water, a business venture looking at new ways to source, deliver and consume bottled water.

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"It's important for everyone to know that you can make a difference no matter what obstacles you think are in your way," said Smith. "After seeing the amount of ocean pollution and the effect it was having on marine wildlife, I couldn't stand there and do nothing about it - I knew I had to take action. By packaging water in bottles made from paper and plant-based plastic, JUST water is reducing the amount of harmful greenhouse emissions while helping to preserve the environment. With the Male EMA Futures Award, our voices are being amplified and we're making a difference. Having the support from an organization that shares the same values as me makes the future more optimistic than ever."

Smith currently co-stars on Netflix's The Get Down.

This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.
The Royals got a taste of geoduck, a kind of clam native to the region, at Kelowna, Canada.

By Shreya Goswami: There are certain kinds of bizarre looking food that you'd never imagine putting in your mouth, let alone swallow or savour. Geoduck (pronounced goo-ey-duck) is definitely one of them.

This giant saltwater clam is found in the west coast of North America, and is considered to be quite a delicacy. But, it has an undeniable phallic appearance, which many would find amusing, but unappetising.

Geoduck is a saltwater clam native to the west coast of North America. Picture courtesy: Twitter/FSologists_AK

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So guess what happened when Will and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, were faced by the prospect of eating the geoduck?

The Royal couple, on tour through Canada, came across the strange clam at a food and wine festival in Kelowna, British Columbia. According to a report by Daily Mail, the Royals were daunted by the appearance of this unique clam when they first saw it whole. "Presentationally they are quite challenging," the Duke is reported to have said.

The Royals tried geoduck sashimi prepared by a Japanese chef at a food and wine festival in Canada. Picture courtesy: Instagram/willsandkatefan

But Ned Bell, one of the chefs present at the fest, told them that it's quite popular. So when, a few stations later, they found some geoduck prepared by Japanese chef Hidekazu Tojo, they realised that the clam looks quite different once turned into a sashimi.

Also read: What Will and Kate should try during their Assam visit: Stinky ingredients that are unique to the Northeast



Will and Kate tried some of the sashimi, dressed with a Miso Mustard sauce, and seemed to enjoy it. "There is a slightly firmer texture to this," said the Duchess. "It's really unusual. I've never seen it before. It's so fresh from the sea."

While the Royals might have gone on this little food adventure with the geoduck, we're not sure how many others would take on such a challenge. The clam looks extraordinarily unappealing, but like a lot of ingredients which still haven't found their way into mainstream food culture, the geoduck is quite delicious.

Will and Kate attended a food and wine festival in Kelowna, Canada, where they tried a variety of local produce. Picture courtesy: Instagram/tourismkelowna

And if Kate actually breaks her habit of not eating in public for something that looks like a geoduck, then that must be a dish worth a million bucks! Really, the Duchess does not eat in public for the fear of bad photos. But she made an exception with the geoduck!

So here's the lesson--no matter how strange or unappetising an ingredient looks, make sure you taste it once (even if you have to do so blindfolded). It might look as phallic and inedible as a geoduck, but hey, the taste could be just as good and sought after as truffles or blue cheese (both of which smell worse than they taste).



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James Corden has a new cause, and it's focused on reinstating dance routines and matching outfits in today's music. "I care about this maybe more than anything else on the planet," said The Late Late Show host on Tuesday (Sept. 27).

Speaking enthusiastically about his cause, he declared: "We are bringing back boy bands. I'm talking proper boy bands. Five guys together - I'm talking about the cute one, the funny one, the nice one, the other one and the maverick who refused to play by the rules. All living together in some weird mansion in Orlando."

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Referencing newer boy bands like One Direction, he admitted he was "aware that boy bands haven't gone away. But now, they just stand onstage wearing skinny jeans and Vans sneakers. And some of them even have the audacity to pick up instruments! That is not what I want in a boy band, OK? I want matching outfits, synchronized dancing and way over-budget music videos!"

To prove how serious he was about this, Corden performed "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" with the top-selling boy band of all time, the Backstreet Boys, who start their "Larger Than Life" residency in Las Vegas in March 2017.

Watch the performance below.

This article originally appeared on The Hollywood Reporter.
Paris (AFP) - Bouchra Jarrar pulled off an impeccable debut Lanvin show on Wednesday at Paris fashion week despite the storm clouds still swirling around the troubled French label.

The 45-year-old French designer took the helm of the fashion capital's oldest couture house in March, five months after the shock sacking of its charismatic guiding light Alber Elbaz.

The hugely popular Elbaz had dragged the house from near oblivion during his 14 years in charge, and his departure sparked a revolt by staff and a haemorrhage of talent.

Jarrar's appointment has not ended the turmoil surrounding the brand, with rumours persisting that a takeover could be in the offing to oust its redoubtable Taiwanese owner Shaw-Lan Wang.

But her first collection betrayed none of the behind the scenes drama, a procession of refined and elegant creations which exuded class.

All the Lanvin signatures of feathers and slightly bohemian narrow jackets were there, with pyjama-stripe coats, embroidered flowers and silk trousers cut to fall perfectly over beaded flat sandals.

Unlike her own label's daintily minimalist business day wear, these were clothes for parties, premieres and launches, and Jarrar brought in the big guns of the catwalk to model them, including Imaan Hammam, Liu Wen and Karlie Kloss, who finished the show.

Jarrar told AFP that she was zen despite all that was riding on the show, with Lanvin's turnover sharply down.

"I hate stress, I am someone who likes to anticipate things even if it means I have very full days," she said.

And in as near a declaration that she is there for the long-haul, the quiet-spoken creator added, "I love to dress women, to reveal them to themselves... to cross borders between femininity and masculinity. Hence a wardrobe which shall evolve and echo itself from one season to the other."

And the critics seemed to agree, with the Wall Street Journal's Christina Blinkey tweeting afterwards that "Lanvin's fortunes are about to change for the better".

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- Intergalactic Galliano -

John Galliano is another designer who knows all about riding out high altitude turbulence.

His show for Maison Margiela was in his own words a "cross-pollination of codes (which) draws the eye to focus in desire and delight."

What that meant for those who witnessed it was a fun-filled, ingenious take on what humans -- or indeed Martians -- might wear if Elon Musk ever gets us to the Red Planet.

While some of his combinations might look improbably futuristic, there was plenty of individual pieces that had critics swooning, not to mention the 1940s style suits and trench coats worn with scuba boots.

Few designers have clients calculating their credit card limits quicker these days than the Dutch master Dries Van Noten.

His flower powered show was a sumptious ode to silk in all its incarnations, with striking floral patterns in crimson, gold and blue contrasted with black, purple and green flapper-gothic inspired dresses, suits and dressing gowns.


By Anna Isaac - The News Minute



Ask anyone with a smartphone in Tamil Nadu and theyll tell you what they know about Chief Minister Jayalalithaas health. Youre probably living under a rock, if you havent received an SMS or a WhatsApp/Facebook message of the 68-year-old leaders health report.

Since her admission late on Thursday night at a private hospital in Chennai, forwards of Ammas progress report has been passed on from person to person, or in the case of WhatsApp, from group to group. These social media health bulletins allegedly reveal everything from the CMs medical diagnosis, her vital parameters to the date of her discharge. With medical terminology thrown in, the authenticity of these messages are never doubted, nor their source of origin verified.

The steady stream of updates has not been limited to Jayalalithaas health. On Monday, hours after AIADMK released its list of candidates for the local body elections due next month, there was wild speculation from both within the party and from political rivals, over whether the party supremo had, in fact, cleared the names.

Many mischief makers also attempted to join the dots between the Chief Ministers admission in hospital and the verdict in the Disproportionate Assets case. One message reportedly states that the Supreme Court judgement on the DA case is not expected to come out soon as the judge is set to retire. A simple fact-check reveals that Judges PC Ghose and Amitava Roy, who are hearing the case, will serve in the apex court until May 2017 and March 2018 respectively.

But the dangers of rumour mongering over Jayalalithaas health are real, spreading fear and panic across the state. This was evidenced on Monday when several IT companies in Chennai reportedly told their employees to return home early, fearing a law and order problem.

Rise of WhatsApp journalism

While its easy to point fingers at a layman for believing such forwards, the real threat is when journalists and media organisations fall prey to unsubstantiated reports. Rumours of Jayalalithaa being flown abroad for treatment was featured as Breaking News on a national news channel after a message was circulated amongst Delhi journalists, but was quickly retracted after officials in the Tamil Nadu government swung into action.

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And although the channel was hardly the first media organisation to erroneously carry such rumours as factual news reports, the rise of WhatsApp journalism is both real and alarming.

At an informal level, sharing of information is useful, says RK Radhakrishnan, Associate Editor of Frontline, but notes that as far as journalistic ethics are concerned, WhatsApp journalism is wrong.

Another senior journalist in Chennai laments that the basic rule of journalism, verifying news from at least two sources, has been thrown out since the advent of WhatsApp. Everyone is a reporter these days. There are journalists who are part of over 100 news groups and this is bringing down the value of journalism, he observes.

In the case of Jayalalithaas hospitalisation, Radhakrishnan believes that it is essentially desperate journalism. With the hospital less than forthcoming when it comes to the VVIP patient, journalists are forced to source information beyond the two-line health bulletin. He, however, points out that some of the hospital sources that journalists cite, very often have no information on the Chief Ministers health. In such a scenario, where information is tightly guarded, journalists, Radhkrishnan suggests, should make an informed choice on whether to forward such messages to friends and peers or whether to keep it to himself/herself.

Doctor-patient confidentiality?

Many argue that Jayalalithaas health should remain confidential and her doctors are bound by the Hippocratic oath. But journalists like Radhakrishnan argue that the public has the right to know about the Chief Minister, a democratically elected leaders health. And while security may be a concern for government officials, rumour mongering can very often spiral out of control.

Following wild speculation over Jayalalithaas health during the weekend, doctors together with the Health Minister and the Health Secretary called for a press meet on Sunday to put an end to the rumours. But instead of addressing questions about the Chief Ministers hospitalisation, the press meet was off-limits to reporters. Camerapersons were allowed entry to record the prepared statement of the hospital.

To kill all rumours surrounding the CMs health, Radhakrishnan says, The hospital has no escape but to give people the truth.
Jimmy Kimmel is cleaning out the closets at Jimmy Kimmel Live to raise money for the homeless youth organization My Friends Place.

The ABC late-night show will host a yard-sale event on Oct. 1 at the Hawthorn Avenue parking lot facility for Hollywoods El Capitan Theater, where Kimmel tapes. Proceeds from the event will benefit for Kimmels Uncle Franks Helping Hand Foundation, which will earmark the funds for My Friends Place. The latter org helps about 1,500 homeless youth in Hollywood every year with a range of support services.

The sale items will include various set props, wardrobe and memorabilia used on Jimmy Kimmel Live over the shows 14-year run to date. The sale will be held from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Kimmel fans can also bid on various items via Ebay.

Kimmels yard sale event is the final event in ABCs larger Summer of Service campaign that has provided $500 grants to changemakers focused on community service and environmental projects.

Heres a clip of Kimmel announcing the yard sale:

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LONDON (Reuters) - British consumer morale recovered slightly in September, but fears over job security when Brexit talks begin next year could yet dampen confidence, a survey published on Wednesday found.

Consumer confidence nosedived after Britain's vote to leave the European Union on June 23, which many economists warned would catapult the country into recession. But morale recovered after early data showed the economy would avoid an immediate slump.

The YouGov/Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) Consumer Confidence Index rose one point in September to 111.1, four points up from July but two points lower than before the Brexit vote.

The index, based on interviews with 6,000 people per month, showed measures of job security and household finances decreased and people were more pessimistic about business activity in their workplace over the year ahead.

This was balanced out by more positive expectations of household finances and house values over the coming year.

But the figures for job security over the next 12 months were the lowest since February and the second lowest in 20 months, YouGov said.

Formal exit talks with the EU are expected to start next year, when the impact of Brexit will become clearer.

Fears over this impact "will act as a handbrake on the post-referendum recovery in consumer confidence," said Cebr director Scott Corfe.

Market research firm GfK is due to release its latest consumer confidence survey on Friday. Analysts polled by Reuters expected the index to rise to -5 from -7 in August and -12 in July, when it suffered its sharpest drop in over 26 years.

(Reporting by Peter Hobson)
Wuhan (China) (AFP) - Double Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova put aside thoughts of rankings to down newly crowned number one Angelique Kerber in an epic three sets at the Wuhan Open on Wednesday.

The US and Australian Open champion, playing her first tournament since ascending to number one, took the first set after an aggressive 22-point tie break.

Kvitova took an early lead in the second set, going 5-3 up, before a surge from the German brought them level.

But Kerber failed to capitalise on the gain, taking the two left-handers into a third set -- and a third hour of play.

"I think that in the really important moments, I (made) two, three easy mistakes, which was the key in the second set," Kerber told reports after the match.

The Olympic bronze medallist surged ahead in the final set, but Kerber denied her the first match point, pushing for another game -- and five match points -- before Kvitova was able to bag her place in the quarter finals.

"When you're playing, you just don't really care about the rankings. But, of course, it's nice to beat world number one," the Czech told reporters after the match.

Next round Kvitova will face Briton Johanna Konta, who boosted her chances of qualifying for her first WTA Finals when she beat eighth ranked Carla Suarez Navarro in another tight dual.

Konta won the epic, nearly hour-long first set, but the eighth-ranked Spaniard took an early lead in the second, pushing two breaks up.

- 'Brave' Konta -

But momentum was on Konta's side as she saved three set points to set up a tie break win.

After dropping again at the beginning of the decider, she then romped through five consecutive points to win the match 7-5, 7-6 (8/6).

"I was fully prepared to obviously play a third (set) if need be," Konta said.

"I really just tried to be brave and just play the way I wanted to play throughout the whole match, and those points as well."

The win takes her a step closing to being the first British woman in a generation to join the ranks of the top ten.

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She reached the Australian Open semi-final at the start of the year and won her maiden WTA title in July, which saw her rise to 13th in the world.

In a veterans' third round matchup, former world number two Svetlana Kuznetsova beat seven time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams in straight sets 6-2, 6-2.

The pair have more than three decades on the professional circuit between them but had not met on court for seven years.

Kuznetsova will face Agnieszka Radwanska in the quarter finals, after the Pole ended former world number one Caroline Wozniacki's strong Asian run in straight sets.

Meanwhile at the other end of the age scale, teenager Daria Kasatkina of Russia fell to 21-year-old American Madison Keys.

Keys will meet fourth seed Simona Halep in the last eight after she defeated Kazakh Yaroslava Shvedova, despite being knocked dizzy and forced to retire from a doubles match a day earlier.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) look toward one another during a news conference following their meeting in Geneva, Switzerland where they discussed the crisis in Syria September 9, 2016.

US Secretary of State John Kerry threatened to suspend negotiations with Russia over Syria unless the Russian and Syrian aerial bombardment of the city of Aleppo ends, The Associated Press reported Wednesday.

Kerry told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in a phone call that the US was preparing to "suspend US-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria ... unless Russia takes immediate steps to end the assault on Aleppo" and restore a cease-fire.

The State Department issued a statement about the call, saying "the secretary made clear the United States and its partners hold Russia responsible for this situation, including the use of incendiary and bunker buster bombs in an urban environment, a drastic escalation that puts civilians at great risk."

Hundreds of people have died over the past week in the worst bombings on the rebel-held eastern half of Aleppo since the war began in 2011.

Republican senators John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina issued a statement that appeared to mock Kerry's attempts to intimidate Russia:

"Finally, a real power move in American diplomacy. Secretary of State John Not Delusional Kerry has made the one threat the Russians feared most  the suspension of U.S.-Russia bilateral talks about Syria. No more lakeside tete-a-tetes at five-star hotels in Geneva. No more joint press conferences in Moscow. We can only imagine that having heard the news, Vladimir Putin has called off his bear hunt and is rushing back to the Kremlin to call off Russian airstrikes on hospitals, schools, and humanitarian aid convoys around Aleppo."

"After all, butchering the Syrian people to save the Assad regime is an important Russian goal," the statement continued. "But not if it comes at the unthinkable price of dialogue with Secretary Kerry.

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The bombings, which have also targeted rescue services in the city, punctuated the collapse of a fragile cease-fire brokered between the US and Russia earlier this month.

The cease-fire was part of a deal between the US and Russia to coordinate their military operations in Syria and share intelligence about terrorist positions. That deal has been jeopardized by the latest scorched-earth offensive on Aleppo, however, with American and Russian diplomats exchanging diplomatic jabs Sunday night and into Monday.

"What Russia is sponsoring and doing is not counterterrorism  it is barbarism," Samantha Power, the US ambassador to the United Nations, told member nations at a UN Security Council meeting on Sunday.

Even so, most analysts who have been monitoring the conflict agree that, absent deliberate US action, only Russia can end the war.

"The end of the war in Syria will not be just, and it's unlikely to be peaceful," said Emma Beals, an independent journalist and specialist on Syria. "But it will be the Russians who end the war  at this stage, they are the only ones who can."

The problem, however, is that they have no incentive to do so.

'A bloody chess game'

Kerry's willingness to walk away from the partnership is unlikely to sway Russia's determination to wipe out any and all opposition to Syrian President Bashar Assad in the country's most important battleground  especially since Washington has no known plans of intervening in the conflict directly or significantly ramping up its support for moderate rebels.

"Ambassador Power's rhetoric is entirely hollow," Russian affairs expert Mark Kramer, the program director of the Project on Cold War Studies at Harvard, told Business Insider earlier this week. "The only thing that can change Russia's behavior now, in Syria and elsewhere, is forceful action. Rightly or wrongly, the Obama administration has no intention of taking any action vis-a-vis Syria, and thus Power's accusations amount to mere huffing and puffing."

Damaged Red Cross and Red Crescent medical supplies lie inside a warehouse after an airstrike on the rebel held Urm al-Kubra town, western Aleppo city, Syria September 20, 2016. REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah

Ulrich Speck, an independent foreign-policy analyst, presented a similar assessment on Wednesday of the fundamental dilemma facing Washington's efforts to negotiate with Moscow: Russia has no incentive to end the war, and the US has no leverage.

"Russia has no incentive to end the war in Syria as long as the rebels fail to win massive Western support," Speck wrote for Carnegie on Wednesday. "The military alliance between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Iran, and Russia has managed to make constant progress and appears set to regain control over the whole of Syria."

In fact, walking away from the deal at this point may serve as a signal to Russia that the US is washing its hands of the conflict, decisively forfeiting the country to Moscow as a Russian sphere of influence.

"The absence of the United States from the field leaves most of the shots available to the Kremlin," Gianni Riotta of the Council on Foreign Relations wrote for Carnegie on Wednesday.

"The shouting match at the UN Security Council on September 25 between the US and Russian ambassadors matched the worst episodes of the Cold War, with the violent exchange leaving other diplomats aghast," Riotta continued. "So do not expect Putin to stop bombing Aleppo  civilians or rebels. He is playing a bloody chess game, and Syria is just a pawn."

'No intention of pressuring Assad'

Many experts doubted how effective the joint plan would be to begin with, given the hugely disparate objectives Russia and the US have for the country and the region.

"It is obvious by now that US-Russian cooperation over Syria is impractical because the objectives of the two sides are fundamentally divergent," Kramer of Harvard said. "Temporary cease-fires have proved to be mostly illusory because Russia has no intention of pressuring Assad to make concessions."

"Russian officials are not going to change what they are doing simply because the United States decries it," Kramer added. "In the 1990s, the Russian government cared what Western governments thought, but that era is long over."

Dmitry Peskov

Indeed, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the language used at the UN Security Council meeting by the US "unacceptable." At the meeting itself, Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, doubled down on an oft-repeated talking point: Russian airstrikes are targeting only terrorists.

Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, which was known as Jabhat al-Nusra before it formally severed ties with Al Qaeda, has a presence in the city. It was an instrumental part of the military alliance of several rebel brigades known as Jaysh al Fateh that helped the mainstream Free Syrian Army regain control over a significant portion of Aleppo early last month.

But the Russian and Syrian bombs are being dropped indiscriminately on the opposition-controlled east, where more than 250,000 civilians are under siege.

Even if Russia decided it wanted to end the war  which is unlikely, given the leverage it offers Moscow over Washington  the consequences would be devastating at best.

"If Russia decided to end the conflict, it would probably do so in the way it assaulted Grozny in 1999-2000," Marc Pierini of Carnegie Europe wrote on Wednesday.

That is, "by razing anything that still stands and by mercilessly targeting fighters, civilians, humanitarian workers, hospitals, and ambulances alike  as it does on a daily basis in Aleppo now."

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Having become king of the jungle, Jon Favreau is heading to the African Savannah.

Disney has tapped the filmmaker to oversee its upcoming live-action remake of The Lion King. Favreau already had success modernizing The Jungle Book for the studio. Hes also the director of Iron Man and Iron Man 2. Disney has been busy delving into its vaults, and modernizing classic animated fare like Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella with flesh and blood actors, and, in the case of The Jungle Book, pixilated critters. Barring tremendous advances in lion taming, presumably real animals wont be used in this one either. Theyll be of the digital variety.

The Lion King has already been turned into a Tony-winning Broadway musical, that continues to draw crowds. The 1994 version was one of the studios most successful films, earning $968.8 million globally. The story centers on a young lion whose father and the king of his pride, is killed by his villainous uncle, who than usurps his throne. Disney will presumably keep the catchy music from the original film, with Tim Rice and Elton John songs such as Hakuna Matata and Can You Feel the Love Tonight? making an appearance.

Disney and Favreau are also developing a sequel to The Jungle Book. No release date has been set for either The Lion King or The Jungle Book 2.

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From Cosmopolitan

Business Insider has blessed the world with the first-ever interview of Justin Theroux commenting on the Brangelina divorce. It was published Tuesday, which also happens to be the one-week anniversary of arguably the biggest celebrity news of 2016 (sorry, Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift). For those looking for drama, Justin offered none. But he did have these nice words about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolies split: As a child of divorce all I can say is thats terrible news for those children and thats all you can really say. Its boring to sort of comment on anything else. People are having a bad time, thats horrible. Hes not kidding about the anything else. The past seven days have been anything but business as usual, from the New York Posts stunning cover of an imagined Jennifer Aniston reaction to the reported investigations surrounding a private flight the Jolie-Pitts took earlier this month. Theres also the all-important question of how the Jolie-Pitts will divide their reported $500 million.

Today's cover: Jennifer Aniston knew Brangelina would end one day https://t.co/JvMlGzXP0A pic.twitter.com/uwVam0Glr1 - New York Post (@nypost) September 21, 2016

Justin says that throwing his wife into the mix is nonsense considering whats happening outside of Hollywood. Theres an endless appetite for trash, apparently, though everyone would say that they dont have that appetite, he tells Business Insider. But I think a lot of people do because people buy it. But there are bigger things to bitch about. Its shocking how much bandwidth things can take up when there are far more important things going on in the world.



Justin is currently promoting his new film The Girl on the Train, which opens Oct. 7. This probably means the press will try to get him to talk about Brangelina some more. Good luck to everyone involved.

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Follow Peggy on Twitter.

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Thursday's event comes on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in Kerala earlier in the week where he called for Muslims to be treated" as our own and not as vote banks".

Uttar Pradesh has close to 18 per cent Muslim vote and the BJP is keen on making some kind of an inroad into the votes of this segment, which has mostly voted against it, in the past.

By Javed M. Ansari : In a major overreach to the country's minorities, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) intends to hold panchayats in Muslim dominated areas, commencing from Mewat in Haryana. Thursday's event comes on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in Kerala earlier in the week where he called for Muslims to be treated" as our own and not as vote banks".

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TIMING OF ANNOUNCEMENT QUESTIONABLE



The timing, prime ministers comments and the announcement of the BJP's outreach programme, is both significant and ironic. It comes at a time when Kashmir is on the boil and the country is eye ball to eye ball with Pakistan. it's also ironical that it comes from a party that has never shied away from accusing previous governments and its political opponents of "vote bank politics and appeasement" every time they made similar overtures.

ALSO READ | Muslims aren't vote bank; need to be empowered, says PM Modi at BJP conclave

The move also comes ahead of the spate of assembly elections scheduled for early next year. The Congress and the BJP's other political opponents have accused the Modi government of initiating the move with an eye on the state elections in Uttar Pradesh. The state has close to 18 per cent Muslim vote and the BJP is keen on making some kind of an inroad into the votes of this segment, which has mostly voted against it, in the past.

NAQVI TO LAUNCH NEW INITIATIVE IN MEWAT



Mukhatar Abbas Naqvi, Minister of State for Minority Affairs (independent charge), will launch the new initiative in Mewat, a conservative Muslim enclave in Haryana. The minority affairs ministry intends to open schools and even a hostel for girls in the area. This is a first.

ALSO READ | Mayawati woos Dalits, Muslims at Saharanpur rally; accuses BJP of engineering communal tension in UP

Meo's, as the residents of Mewat are more popularly known are as conservative and inward looking as it gets. The literacy rate in the area, especially amongst the women is amongst the lowest in the country. The central government has therefore done well in starting the scheme from the Mewat. It also has the advantage of ensuring that move goes beyond mere optics.

CONGRESS SLAMS BJP



Significantly, it was in Mewat just a fortnight ago that the Haryana government was making surprise checks on Muslim homes to ascertain whether the Muslims of the area were using beef in their biryani on Eid.

In politics, the position of political parties adopt depends on where they stand this is true in the present case as well. So often, on the receiving end of the BJP's accusations of appeasing Muslims ,the Congress is now hurling the same accusation at the Modi government's door.

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Muslims shying away from SP in view of current internal strife



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Justin Timberlake's ready to go in his suit and tie! The 35-year-old is releasing a Netflix exclusive concert film, Justin Timberlake + the Tennessee Kids, on Oct. 12, and the teaser trailer already has us rocking out bodies (this way).

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In the new clip, Timberlake jams out on stage with his band, The Tennessee Kids, while singing his 2013 hit song "Mirrors."

"Let's #TimberlakeAndChill. #Netflix," Timberlake wrote on social media to get fans excited for the upcoming special.

The concert event was filmed during the final two shows of his 20/20 Experience World Tour and will feature behind-the-scenes footage of Timberlake preparing to perform.

"There's not a character that I can sort of hide behind," Timberlake recently told ET of the Netflix special.

WATCH: EXCLUSIVE: Justin Timberlake Talks Not Having Anything to Hide Behind in Concert Film

But that's not the only film JT has on the horizon. He is currently filming an untitled Woody Allen project with actress Kate Winslet. Earlier this week he was spotted filming a heated scene in Coney Island, N.Y., alongside the Oscar winner.

He was also photographed on set this month, dressed as a sexy 1950s lifeguard  vintage swimsuit and all!

For more about Timberlake's concert video, watch the clip below!

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Despite what Kanye West and Kim Kardashian may say, the bad blood with Taylor Swift keeps flowing.

Yeezy's Saint Pablo tour stopped by Nashville, Tennessee, Swift's hometown, on Sep. 24 and he played "Famous" not one, but three times. That is, of course, the song that contains the infamous lyrics, "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex/Why? I made that b*tch famous/

I made that b*tch famous."

SEE ALSO: Everyone's a Kardashian at Kanye West's Saint Pablo tour

Kanye West performed 'Famous' 3 times so he could tell Taylor Swift how he feels about that line #SaintPabloTour #Nashville pic.twitter.com/19ULrP8UOV  Nabil (@NAsfari) September 25, 2016

West paused the song during one of the performances to address the controversy surrounding the lyrics.

"So many people told me, 'You've got to take that line out of the song. You got to play it safe, but this is what rap music is,'" Kanye told the crowd. "This is what art is. Saying how you feel. And this song is how I feel."

They responded by chanting, "Fuck Taylor Swift!"

T Swift is currently in New York working on her album, exiting gyms without a trace of sweat and hanging out with models, and so the ebb and flow of the universe carries on.
By Douglas Busvine and Fayaz Bukhari SRINAGAR, India (Reuters) - Simmering anger over India's crackdown on 10 weeks of protests in Kashmir risks drawing more young people to radical rebellion, demonstrators and security officials warn, as the sense of despair and alienation from New Delhi deepens. In the worst unrest in the disputed Himalayan region for six years, more than 80 civilians have been killed and thousands wounded, a widespread curfew is in place and suspected ringleaders are being held without charge. "They are treating us like 'dons', like we are criminals," said Bilal Bhat, a 27-year-old journalist who is active in a local youth civil rights movement. Bhat was taken in by police in August and told to stop posting articles on Facebook. It was the second time he has been held. "When I was beaten by the cop, I cursed myself for taking a pen - I should have taken a gun instead," he told Reuters. A conflict that has seeped for decades and spilled into war twice between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan usually passes little noticed by the international community. But the scale of the violence and security crackdown, and, more recently, a sharp escalation in tension between the neighboring countries, have made the outside world sit up and pay attention. India's security forces have also reinforced their already large presence in Kashmir, drafting in 20,000 paramilitaries and 10,000 more soldiers. A senior Home Ministry official said India's security forces had reduced their use of pellet ammunition, which has drawn widespread condemnation, and had been instructed only to fire when they felt directly threatened. "It is clear that the local Kashmiri youths were being used by Pakistan to attack Indian forces," the official said, responding to questions from Reuters about the use of force and risk of youth radicalization. "It is true that there is a lot of anger among the Kashmiris, but we cannot legitimize their anger if it is for all the wrong reasons." ROOT OF THE PROBLEM? India blames Pakistan for a raid earlier this month on a base that killed 18 soldiers, in the deadliest attack on its army in 14 years, prompting Hindu nationalist supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to call for revenge. Several countries, alarmed at the prospect of a military response by India, condemned the attack, while Pakistan denied any involvement. Journalist Bhat and others see the start of the latest crisis in Kashmir not as the attack on the army camp in Uri on Sept. 18, but the killing by Indian security forces of Burhan Wani, a popular separatist militant leader, on July 8. Stone-throwing protesters took to the streets in a display of support for the slain insurgent that also reflected deep-rooted unease about a central government they say is pursuing a Hindu-nationalist agenda to pacify and assimilate India's only Muslim-majority region. Many of those killed in the clashes died from shotgun pellets or rifle bullets fired by police and paramilitary troops, and the supposedly non-lethal pellet rounds have blinded hundreds of bystanders, including children and women. "The police are using brute force," said one protester, a 27-year-old university graduate who works in the private sector and spoke to Reuters at a safe house in the old town of Srinagar, the summer capital of India's northernmost state. "They are leaving local boys with no choice but to take up arms. You are creating home-grown rebels by your actions - and then you are labeling them as terrorists." HOSPITAL WARD FULL The ophthalmology ward of Srinagar's main SMHS hospital is still overflowing with patients either partly or fully blinded by pellet rounds fired by police or paramilitary troops. Some, like Mushtaq, a 22-year-old student from the restive district of Pulwama, say they were demonstrating when they were shot at. Despite being blinded in his right eye, which was swathed in a bandage, Mushtaq said: "I would go out again and protest once I recover." Others, like an 18-year-old high school student who gave his name as Muhsin, say they were bystanders caught in the crossfire. Four young boys tried to escape by jumping into the nearby Jhelum river but were fired on by police. Muhsin dived in to try and rescue one boy who had been shot, only to be hit himself in the left eye and blinded. He was unable to save the boy, who drowned. The 850-bed hospital has received hundreds of casualties from street clashes, which have died down for now. "I don't know how we managed," said Dr Nisur Al-Hassan, a consultant at the hospital and president of the Doctors Association of Kashmir. Hassan said he had seen patients "with eyes gone, spleens gone, kidneys gone. These pellets have pierced their hearts, their abdomens, their brains. We can only operate on three to five patients at a time. You can only imagine." "FAILURE TO ANTICIPATE" Human rights activist Khurram Parvez, a vocal critic of the security crackdown, was on the way to present his findings to a UN rights meeting in Geneva when he was turned back at Delhi's international airport on Sept. 14. After Parvez returned home to Srinagar he was briefly detained, and then re-arrested under a public safety law that allows suspects to be held for six months without being charged. Parvez is not alone: in jail is moderate separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, while hundreds more suspected protest ringleaders have been detained over the past month in raids on towns and villages across the Kashmir Valley. Schools in Srinagar have been commandeered and turned into barracks and, even in quieter parts of the city of 1.3 million where the curfew has been lifted, there is a heavy security presence. Most shops remain shut. A senior army officer said the outbreak of protests in Kashmir had at first been overwhelming. "Our failure was in not being able to anticipate the extent of the protests," the officer said, on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the record. "We were unable to stabilize the cycle of violence and killing. Some lives were lost because the use of force was required. Our crowd control methods are primitive, but in this part of the world nothing else would have worked." In the meantime, the protests have given a new lease of life to militants who have been sighted among the crowds and are believed by the authorities to be playing an active role in organizing them. "It's a very organized hoodlum element that works with the militants," said a senior police officer with long experience of the insurgency in Kashmir that first broke out at the end of the 1980s. The officer pulled a smartphone out of his pocket and showed a video circulated by Zakir Rashid Bhat, named to replace Wani as Hizbul Mujahideen's commander in South Kashmir. The video shows men in uniform beating protesters and is accompanied by a soundtrack of rhythmic chants urging people to be faithful and to take revenge against the police. "This is the imagery of ISIS," the police officer said, referring to the extremist group Islamic State. "The radicalization is growing stronger." (Additional reporting by Rupam Jain; Writing by Douglas Busvine; Editing by Mike Collett-White)
Prince William and Princess Kate are taking Canada by land, sea, air  and now mountain bike!



The royal couple showed off their sporty sides during an afternoon visit to meet mountain bikers in the Yukon on day five of their whirlwind Canadian tour on Wednesday.



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Princess Kate switched out of the stunning red coat and maroon pumps she wore earlier in the day for a more casual look, which included a grey wrap coat with ribbed sleeves by Canadian brand Sentaler (retail $920) and her suede R. Soles cowboy boots!









Kate in Cowboy Boots! William and Kate Get Sporty at Mountain Biking Festival in Canada| The British Royals, The Royals, Kate Middleton, Prince William



When it comes to bringing some cowboy flair to Canada, this isn't Kate's first rodeo! During the couple's 2011 visit to the country, Kate and William donned matching white cowboy hats while attending an actual rodeo in Calgary. Kate's R. Soles cowboy boots made an appearance then, too.





Kate in Cowboy Boots! William and Kate Get Sporty at Mountain Biking Festival in Canada| The British Royals, The Royals, Kate Middleton, Prince William





Kate in Cowboy Boots! William and Kate Get Sporty at Mountain Biking Festival in Canada| The British Royals, The Royals, Kate Middleton, Prince William



After a morning visit to Whitehorse, Will and Kate flew up to the tiny town of Carcross, Yukon (population 300) where the Carcross/Tagish First Nation greeted them with an official welcome ceremony featuring traditional music, dancing and speeches.



The royal parents then took a stroll across Carcross Commons to visit the workshop of renowned Tlingit carver Keith Wolfe Smarch.



Smarch showed William and Kate how he practices his craft, and put Kate to work painting a totem pole.





After hearing about the traditional Inland Tlingit and Tagish totem project, The Duchess paints the eye on a totem pole #RoyalVisitCanada pic.twitter.com/ss08SbiPMX a Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) September 28, 2016





The local craftsman also took the opportunity to send his regards to William's father, Prince Charles, who received a carved mask from Smarch during his visit to the Yukon in 2001.



Smarch told CBC News that his mask's placement in the Buckingham Palace art collection is "the highlight of my career."





How Will and Kate Spent a Kid-Free Night in Yukon During Their Canadian Tour





William and Kate will travel next to Montana Mountain (known for being home to one of the best mountain biking trails in the world), where they will join a community mountain biking festival and meet with local families.



While there, they'll learn learn about the Single Track to Success Project, an initiative aimed at engaging the Yukon's First nation youth in trail building and mountain biking to promote health and wellness and restore a connection to the ancestral lands.



The royal couple will end their day by greeting mountain bike ride participants at the bottom of the mountain and then take off to rejoin Prince George and Princess Charlotte in Victoria.



Tomorrow, the young royals will host a children's party for military families at Victoria's Government House.
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LONDON  The art of diplomacy oftentimes involves politely partaking in the customs of another country's culture, regardless of how unusual or unfamiliar those traditions might be.

It's a skill that requires finesse, tact, and sometimes bravery, but we're guessing that even the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge weren't expecting to encounter such a demanding exercise in all three traits during their visit to the commonwealth nation of Canada.

But then the Canadians busted out a penis-shaped clam. And you definitely need finesse, tact, and bravery to get that puppy down the hatch.

SEE ALSO: Prince George doesn't have time for high fives from Justin Trudeau

Behold, the geoduck  an oversized mollusk native to the western coastline of North America and a Canadian delicacy. And also very, very phallic:

Today the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will taste the best of BC produce, including this delicacy: geoduck! #RoyalVisitCanada #TasteofBC pic.twitter.com/aJB1qR3ehs  CanadianUK (@CanadianUK) September 27, 2016

The royal couple was offered the edible saltwater clam at a food and wine festival in British Columbia during a royal tour of Canada. The creature has a lifespan of around 140 years, and its "neck" can extend to almost 1 meters (3.3 ft) in length.

In a Telegraph article, Prince William is quoted as saying about the clams, Presentationally they are quite challenging, while the Duchess called them "really unusual."

Ladies and gentlemen, diplomacy at its absolute finest.
Prince William and Princess Kate began a (kid free!) 24-hour visit in the Yukon on Tuesday night with a meeting with Canadian Rangers.



After touching down at the Whitehorse airport, the royal couple was greeted by a guard composed of the Canadian Rangers and Junior Rangers. William and his brother, Prince Harry, were made honorary Canadian Rangers in 2009.



With this warm welcome came near freezing temperatures and light rain. Kate bundled up in a Hobbs coat to keep warm for the official greeting on the tarmac.





TRH are greeted on arrival in Whitehorse by the Canadian Rangers and Junior Rangers #RoyalVisitCanada pic.twitter.com/ZtvuDCLy2R a Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) September 28, 2016









The royal parents were then escorted to the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Center where they were greeted by First Nation Chiefs and treated to a performance of Land of Gold, a Yukon cultural celebration. The 45-minute performance featured dancers, drummers and musicians.





How Will and Kate Are Spending a Kid-Free Night in Yukon During Their Canadian Tour| The British Royals, The Royals, Kate Middleton, Prince William

How Will and Kate Are Spending a Kid-Free Night in Yukon During Their Canadian Tour| The British Royals, The Royals, Kate Middleton, Prince William





After the performance, Will and Kate were escorted to the stage where the Yukon premier presented them with a book by 9-year-old Evan James Lafreniere-Clark.



Will and Kate will end their night by meeting with performers around a ceremonial fire pit and then spend the night in Whitehorse.





How Will and Kate Are Spending a Kid-Free Night in Yukon During Their Canadian Tour| The British Royals, The Royals, Kate Middleton, Prince William

How Will and Kate Are Spending a Kid-Free Night in Yukon During Their Canadian Tour| The British Royals, The Royals, Kate Middleton, Prince William





There they'll spend their only kid-free night of their 8-day tour, while Prince George and Princess Charlotte remain in Victoria, British Columbia's Government House along with royal nanny Maria Turrion Borrallo.



The royal couple will resume their cultural exploration of the area with a Wednesday morning visit to the MacBride Museum of Yukon History followed by a visit to the small town of Carcross.
Jerusalem (AFP) - Following are key dates in the life of Israel's former president, prime minister and Nobel peace laureate Shimon Peres, who died on Wednesday at the age of 93.

- August 2 1923: Born Shimon Persky at Vishneva in what was then Poland and is now Belarus, he later took the Hebrew name Peres, meaning eagle.

- 1934: Arrival in British mandatory Palestine.

- 1959: Elected a member of parliament for Mapai, which would later become the Labour party.

- 1984-1986: Prime minister of a Labour-Likud government of national unity.

- 1993: Oversees secret negotiations with the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) which lead to the signing of the Oslo accords.

- 1994: Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with Yitzhak Rabin (assassinated November 1995) and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (died November 2004) for their role in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

- 1995: Succeeds Rabin after his murder on November 4 as premier and head of the Labour party.

- June 2007: Elected Israel's ninth president.

- July 2014: Stands down as president nine days before his 91st birthday and during the Gaza war, handing over his duties to Reuven Rivlin.
You can always count on Kim Kardashian West to tell it like it is.

The 35-year-old reality superstar sat down with Andy Cohen at The Girls' Lounge dinner in New York City on Tuesday, where she referenced her brother Rob Kardashian's latest (and very public) Twitter drama. Rob tweeted little sister Kylie Jenner's phone number on Monday night, accusing his famous family of not inviting his pregnant fiancee, Blac Chyna, to a baby shower they were planning.

When Cohen asked Kim if she was able to watch the first debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the outspoken Clinton supporter admitted she was a little bit distracted at the time.

WATCH: EXCLUSIVE -- Inside Rob Kardashian's Baby Shower Drama, What Led Him to Tweet Kylie Jenner's Phone Number

"I watched a little bit of it but I was on the phone at the same time, a little family drama," she said candidly. "Group texting."

Kim looked flawless at the event, sporting a black halter cut-out dress that showed off her slim stomach.

NYC  PARIS A photo posted by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Sep 27, 2016 at 6:34pm PDT

Getty Images

Earlier in the day, the mother of two spent some time with her good friend, Racquel Smith. Smith's husband -- former defensive end for the New Orleans Saints, Will Smith -- was shot and killed in April in a case of road rage.

"Love spending time with my @rockie91," Kim captioned a selfie of the two. "Today was definitely much needed and warmed my heart! Love you!!!"

Love spending time with my @rockie91 Today was definitely much needed and warmed my heart! Love you!!! A photo posted by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Sep 27, 2016 at 2:43pm PDT

Smith also posted the same pic on her Instagram, and gushed about Kim's "beautiful soul."

"Regardless of what ANYBODY has to say, her beauty runs deep in her heart," Smith wrote. "To call her a friend is putting it mildly. She has been there for me from day one but through this tragedy, I can call or text her night or day and she is there immediately. Whether acting as a confidant or just giving me sisterly advice, she is there."

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On Tuesday, a source told ET that Rob "misunderstood" and "overreacted" when he called out his family on Monday night.

"Rob was told that the shower was still going on for him but Chyna couldn't make it, but he misunderstood the entire thing and overreacted," the source said. "The girls knew Chyna couldn't make it, and Chyna was cool with it, but Rob thought something was being done behind closed doors to make sure she couldn't be there."

WATCH: Kim Kardashian Helps Rob Get Ready for Fatherhood -- 'Nothing Will Prepare You For This'

According to the source, Rob and Chyna's relationship has also been strained in recent days, though she's not planning to leave him.

"Rob and Chyna haven't been doing well lately," the source said. "Rob is in one of his funks right now."

Watch below:

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(Recasts lead, adds analysis, quotes, background)

By David Ljunggren and Nia Williams

OTTAWA/CALGARY, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Canada's approval of a natural gas plant is not a sign it will automatically let Kinder Morgan Inc expand a crude pipeline, a top official said on Wednesday, amid what sources say is uncertainty inside the government over the project.

In its first major energy decision since taking power last November, the Liberal government on Tuesday granted a permit to Malaysia's Petronas to construct the liquefied natural gas plant in the province of British Columbia.

The federal cabinet has promised that by Dec. 19, it will announce whether Kinder Morgan can more than double the capacity of its Trans Mountain pipeline from the oil sands of Alberta to the British Columbia coast.

The case is complex, pitting the energy industry's interests against a series of differing opponents, and if mishandled, could hurt the Liberals in a part of the country where they gained more support than expected in last year's election win.

Environmentalists and aboriginal activists strongly oppose the expansion while the British Columbia government - wary of possible spills - has imposed a series of conditions on any pipeline crossing its territory.

"Kinder Morgan will be decided on its own merits. There is no linkage between these projects," Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr told reporters when asked what message markets should take from the Petronas decision.

Analysts are skeptical about the Petronas project's prospects given low gas prices and cost-cutting at the Malaysian oil giant.

Several sources familiar with the file dismissed the idea Ottawa had approved the Petronas plant to give it cover to reject the Trans Mountain expansion, insisting that ministers were not close to making a decision and had ruled nothing out.

The existing Trans Mountain pipeline is the only one linking the oil sands in Alberta and the Pacific Coast.

Greens, who were courted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last year with promises he would do more to protect the environment, are outraged he would contemplate a move that they say would increase greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands.

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The Liberals are also under pressure from the energy industry, which wants help to relieve a shortage of pipelines that pushes down the price of Canadian crude.

Tim Pickering, chief investment officer of Calgary-based fund Auspice Capital Advisers, said the Petronas approval was positive but stressed the need for more capacity.

"That's a little frustrating but this is a step in the right direction," he said in an interview.

Other industry sources expressed cautious optimism the Trans Mountain expansion would be approved as it follows the pipeline's existing right of way.

Carr, referring to the Petronas approval, said Canada understood the needs of energy markets.

"There is a thirst for Canadian natural resources internationally. And what this decision shows is that we are being responsive to that need," he said. (Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Bernard Orr, Diane Craft and Frances Kerry)
The world's first child has been born using a revolutionary technique that combines the DNA of three parents.

By India Today Web Desk: Five-month-old Abrahim Hassan is the first baby to be born using a new technique that incorporates DNA from three people.

The New Scientist revealed on Tuesday that Abrahim was born on April 6, to Ibtisam Shaban and Mahmoud Hassan. A US based team in Mexico used the controversial technique that is legally approved only in the UK. The technique allows parents with rare genetic mutations to have healthy babies.

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The baby's mother Shaban carries genes for Leigh syndrome which is a rare genetic disorder that causes the central nervous system to fail. The couple previously lost two kids owing to this disorder, so they sought help of the New Hope Fertility Center in New York.

According to the New Scientist, the disease is passed on through DNA in the energy-producing cell centers called mitochondria and this is what killed her previous children.

The approach devised by the doctors involves removing the affected gene and replacing with a 'clean' DNA from a third donor.

The team led by John Zhang conducted the procedure in Mexico, since the US is yet to legalize the controversial technique.

According to a BBC report, scientists have created babies that have DNA from three people since the 1990s, so it's nothing new. Scientists have devised a number of fertility methods to solve this genetic disorder.

The procedure:

1) The conventional method is called Pronuclear Transfer which involves fertilising both the mother's egg and a donor's egg with the father's sperm. Before the embryos start dividing, the nucleus of both eggs are removed and the mother's nucleus is added to the donor's egg. The nucleus from the donor's egg is then discarded. The method is legalized in the UK.



However, the Ibtisam Shaban and Mahmoud Hassan who are Muslims rejected this method because it goes against the tenets of their religion.

2) They instead approved the other "three parent" technique, called Spindle Nuclear Transfer. In this method, the nucleus from the mother's unfertilized egg is removed and inserted into the donor's egg. This egg is then fertilized with the father's sperm.

Doctor Zhamg used five embryos in the process and the final one gave birth to Abrahim Hassan. Zhang told New Scientist that he considers the procedure justified. "To save lives is the ethical thing to do," he said. When the doctors tested the Abrahim's mitochondria, they found that less than 1 per cent of it carrying the mutation.

--- ENDS ---
A heroic koala mum rescued her joey from a wire fence on Monday, September 26, after it became stuck while trying to follow her. The young koala was spotted wailing as it navigated the tricky task on a street in Burnside, South Australia, before its mother wandered over to lend a helping hand.

The adorable clip was captured by Nick of The Farm Barn in Adelaide, who considered rescuing the cub himself before realising help was on the way.

In a video shared by more than 20,000 Facebook users, the pair were last seen wandering off with the baby firmly attached to mums back. Credit: Facebook/The Farm Barn
Kuwait City (AFP) - A Kuwaiti court on Wednesday ordered the government of the oil-rich Gulf state to abolish an increase in petrol prices nearly one month after it took effect.

The price hike, ranging from about 40 to 80 percent depending on the type, met stiff opposition from lawmakers and activists when introduced on September 1 following a slide in oil revenues.

The administrative court did not immediately give the reasons for its ruling which was based on a petition filed by lawyer Nawaf al-Fuzai.

Fuzai told AFP that he argued the price decision "should have come through a bill from parliament and not from the cabinet."

"I believe the judge has accepted our argument," he said after the verdict was announced.

The court was expected to release the full ruling later Wednesday.

It can still be challenged by the government at the appeals and supreme courts.

The development came after Kuwaiti lawmakers on Thursday requested an emergency session of parliament to debate the price increase.

In their motion, lawmakers said the move had resulted in a rise in the prices of commodities and goods.

MPs want the government to compensate Kuwaiti citizens who comprise around 30 percent of the 4.3 million population, which also includes about three million foreigners.

The cabinet has said the decision is part of a series of measures to meet a budget deficit due to a sharp drop in oil revenues which previously made up around 95 percent of the country's total income.

The emirate liberalised the prices of diesel and kerosene in January 2015 and revises them monthly.

Other oil-rich Gulf states had already raised fuel and electricity prices.

In April, Kuwait's parliament approved a government-sponsored bill to raise electricity and water prices paid by foreign residents and businesses, but exempted Kuwaiti citizens.

The OPEC member recorded a budget shortfall of 4.6 billion dinars ($15.3 billion) in the fiscal year which ended on March 31.

It was the first shortfall since the fiscal year to March 1999.
KELOWNA, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 28, 2016 / Laguna Blends Inc. (CSE: LAG) (OTC: LAGBF) (Frankfurt: LB6A.F) (the "Company" or "Laguna"), a network marketing company, announces that it has retained the digital marketing expertise of ArDoMi Media Group and C&I Studios to increase market awareness of the Company's line of functional beverages made from high-quality hemp protein. ArDoMi Media Group is collaborating with C&I Studios to launch an initial marketing campaign for Laguna Blends.

C&I Studios has worked with clients such as Polaroid, Nike, P&G, Sony, Universal, ESPN, lululemon, Coca Cola, American Apparel and more.

Los Angeles-based ArDoMi Media Group specializes in digital marketing and branded content, and has successfully developed and launched national and international marketing campaigns for industry-leading clients such as Nike, Adidas, Snickers, Verizon, Spark Communications, Greenpeace, Amnesty International, P&G, Comcast and others.

For Laguna Blends, this caliber of branding and marketing expertise provides the opportunity to increase brand visibility in both targeted and unexplored markets. The initial media campaign's production shoot date is scheduled for October 7th and 8th 2016 in California.

"Having been immersed in the plant-based product world for years, I am excited to present Laguna Blends to the marketplace and promote its industry-leading products, bridging my experience that ranges from traditional forms of advertising to social media campaigns. We look forward to introducing Laguna Blends to many more mainstream consumers," says Herb Dogan, partner and founder of ArDoMi Media Group and I-rey, Inc.

Joshua Miller, Executive Director of C&I Studios said, "We are excited to partner with ArDoMi Media Group for the production of the Laguna Blends Media Campaign. It's not often that you find such a creative group of individuals to work with as well as such innovative products to rally behind. Producing this shoot in Los Angeles, California is going to be an amazing spring board to already exciting products. This will for sure be a campaign to keep your eyes on."

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"We continue to see increasing awareness and acceptance of the vast health benefits of hemp, and our goal at Laguna Blends is to elevate our marketing strategies to become a leading supplier of hemp and CBD products. We are excited to partner with ArDoMi Media Group and C&I Studios to enhance our business profile and take the Laguna Blends brand to the next level," says Laguna Blends CEO Stuart Gray.

Ray Grimm, President of Laguna Blends said, "Branding is critical and ArDoMi has the knowledge and expertise in bringing new products into the market through their marketing and social media campaigns. We are pleased to be partnering with both ArDoMi and C&I Studios, world class Marketing and Media Companies."

Functional Beverage Products

"Caffe" is an instant, "just add water" hot coffee beverage that is infused with both whey and hemp protein. With 2 grams of protein in every serving, Laguna's proprietary product packs a powerful protein punch. Caffe, contains Instant coffee, whey protein hydrolysate, hemp protein, natural flavors.

"Pro369" is a single serving, "on-the-go," plant based, instant, hemp protein that is served cold and comes in 4 delicious flavors. Pro369 is water soluble and can be directly mixed in water, added to milk, almond milk or coconut milk. Pro369 can also be blended in a shake or smoothie. Pro369 is also a source of Omegas, 3, 6 and 9 and contains ginseng.

Laguna Blends has been granted approval from Health Canada for four powdered Pro369 flavours: Chocolate Banana, Mixed Berry and Vanilla Caramel and Tropical Powder. Pro369 contains Hemp protein, natural flavors, stevia, and American ginseng.

The Minister of Health from Health Canada has granted Laguna a product license along with a Natural Product Number ("NPN") for all four of the Pro369 Flavours. They are all listed under the same NPN.

A source of protein that helps build and repair body tissues.

Source of amino acids involved in muscle protein synthesis.

Assists in the building of lean muscle.

An adaptogen to help maintain a healthy immune system.

Supportive therapy for the promotion of healthy glucose levels.



HempOmega

HempOmega is an environmentally sustainable, vegetarian source of Omegas 3 and 6 that boasts a superior nutrient profile. A water soluble, homogenous, powdered ingredient, it can be easily integrated and/or manipulated, with no unpleasant taste or chemical contamination  opening up entirely new product formulation opportunities. Hemp Omega's greater ability to endure the digestive process delivers unmatched bioavailability, thereby maximizing its potential health benefits.

Hemp has long been recognized by the health and nutrition industry as a super food, cited in many publications as a balanced source of all ingredients required to achieve health and wellness.

CannaCeuticals, CBD Skin Care Products

"CannaCeuticals" Swiss heritage is at the core of Canna's revolutionary skincare products. It's pure, cosmeceutical-grade CBD extract hails from the crisp, clean air of Switzerland, but Canna's heritage goes much further than that. Swiss culture is known for its precision and perfectionism, and CannaCeuticals radiates that same standard in every formula it produces. Canna's team of formulators are made up of chemists and product developers that analyze every detail, sourcing ingredients from all ends of the earth to create the most balanced, highly efficacious, anti-aging CBD skincare products in the world.

CannaCeuticals CBD7 anti-aging skincare products incorporate cannabidiol (CBD), a superior antioxidant and a potential anti-inflammatory agent, both of which are significant in anti-aging. Canna's Swiss heritage influences a sense of unity in its products, and it combines CBD with other essential anti-aging ingredients to create formulas that pack a powerful punch.

Clinical trials were conducted by BioScreen Testing Services, Inc., a third party FDA approved lab located in the USA. The test subjects that used the Cannaceutical facial serum noticed a 100% overall improvement of the skin appearance within a two-week period.

Laguna has signed a distribution agreement with ISO International, LLC, a transaction under which Laguna has acquired the exclusive right to market, promote and distribute seven CBD skin care products of CannaCeuticals of California, USA ("Canna")

About C&I Studios

We create media to do our part in changing the world. While we do not have millions of dollars in the bank, trust funds or, wealthy parents, we have cameras, pencil and pens and ideas. We believe that we have a responsibility to use media to change the way people view themselves and the world. C&I Studios has worked with clients such as Polaroid, Nike, P&G, Sony, Universal, ESPN, lululemon, Coca Cola, American Apparel and more https://c-istudios.com/.

About ArDoMi Media Group

ArDoMi Media Group is a digital marketing and branded content company based out of Los Angeles, CA that caters to companies and businesses of all scopes. The marketing firm primarily provides quality content for companies looking to increase brand awareness in unexplored markets. ArDoMi Media Group and the I-rey, Inc. team have marketed, produced, planned and executed national and international marketing campaigns for clients such as Nike, Adidas, Snickers, Verizon, Spark Communications, Greenpeace, Amnesty International, P&G, Comcast and many more. For more information, visit www.Ardomi.com.

About Laguna Blends Inc.

Laguna is a network marketing company that generates retail sales through independent affiliates. Affiliates utilize tools and technology that enable them to build an international business from their own home or anywhere else in the world. This technology replaces the need for expensive travel and hotel meetings.

The Company is currently focused on the nutritional health benefits derived from hemp and CBD's. The Company currently sells its products through its independent affiliates in the USA and Canada.

HempOmega is a Trademark owned by Naturally Splendid Enterprises, Ltd. and is used under license by Laguna Blends Inc.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Stuart Gray"

Chief Executive Officer

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS:

Howe & Bay

Suite 600 - 535 Howe St.

Vancouver BC

V6C 2Z4

1.604.449.5302

COMPANY:

Laguna Blends

ir@lagunablends.com

www.lagunablends.com

https://cbdskincream.com/

Join Us On Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/LagunaBlends/

Twitter: @LagunaBlends

Forward-Looking Information:

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to statements regarding the Company's business, products and future the Company's business, its product offerings and plans for sales and marketing. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Such forward looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance and developments to differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, the risks that the Company's products and plan will vary from those stated in this news release and the Company may not be able to carry out its business plans as expected. Except as required by law, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation, and does not intend, to update any forward looking statements or forward-looking information in this news release. The statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release.

SOURCE: Laguna Blends Inc.
* Peru returns with jumbo liability management foray

* Pemex set to announce debt management deal

* Votorantim Cimentos prices new 10-year

* Bermuda launches bond tender

By Mike Gambale and Paul Kilby

NEW YORK, Sept 28 (IFR) - Below is a recap of primary issuance activity in the LatAm market on Wednesday:

Number of deals priced: 3

Total issuance: US$814.24m equivalent

VOTORANTIM

Brazil's Votorantim Cimentos announced a US$500m will-not-grow 10-year bond (January 2027) that is being issued through St Mary's Cement Inc. (Canada). Expected ratings are Ba2/BB+/BBB-.

Votorantim Cement North America Inc. and Votorantim Cimentos SA are acting as guarantors. Proceeds are going to fund a tender and for general corporate purposes. Bookrunners are Banco Votorantim, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, HSBC, JP Morgan and Santander.

IPTs: 6.25% area

PRICE GUIDANCE: 6% the number

LAUNCH: US$500m 10-year at 6%

PRICED: US$500m: 98.107; 5.75%C; 6%Y Settlement Oct 3 2016; Maturity Jan 28 2027

AES PANAMA

AES Panama has announced a US$75m tap of its 6% 2022 bonds ahead of pricing on Wednesday. The deal is being sole lead by Deutsche Bank. The existing bonds have a US$300m outstanding size, according to Thomson Reuters data. The company carries long-term foreign currency ratings of BB-/BB+ by S&P and Fitch.

IPTs - 5.10% area

LAUNCH: US$75m tap of 6% 2022s at 5.10%

PRICED: US$75m tap of 6% 2022s: 103.726; 5.10%YTW

REPUBLIC OF PERU

The Republic of Peru announced a benchmark local currency 12-year bond. The bond, which is being sold to foreign investors, is part of a liability management transaction to exchange or tender for outstanding sol and US dollar denominated bonds.

BBVA, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and HSBC are leads on the transaction. The country's foreign-currency ratings are A3/BBB+/BBB+, while its local currency ratings are A3/A-/A-.

IPTs: 6.625% area

PRICE GUIDANCE: 6.375%, the number

LAUNCH: 806.826m sol (US$239.24m) 12-year at 6.375%

PRICED: 806.826m (US$239.24m) 12-yr: 99.851; 6.35%C; 6.375%Y

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PIPELINE:

Mexican development bank Nafin wrapped up roadshows Wednesday, as it looks to market a potential US dollar bond through Bank of America Merrill Lynch and HSBC. The issuer is rated A3/BBB+/BBB+.

Mexican retailer Liverpool wrapped up roadshows on Wednesday to market a 10-year bond to international investors.

Citigroup, Credit Suisse and JP Morgan have been mandated on the deal.

Mexican bank Banorte has finished marketing a Tier 2 Basel III compliant bond to international investors.

The bank is eyeing either a 15NC10 or a 10NC5 bond. Ratings on the sub debt are expected to be Ba1/BB+, while the bank itself is rated A3/BBB+/BBB+.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley have been mandated on the deal.

The Republic of Argentina is planning a dual-tranche, benchmark sized euro denominated bond issue, according to a lead.

The sovereign has mandated BBVA, BNP Paribas and Credit Suisse to arrange a series of fixed income investors meetings that will finish in Italy on Thursday. The issuer is rated B3/B-.

Brazilian corporate Ultrapar is finished marketing a possible RegS senior unsecured US dollar bond.

BB Securities, Bradesco BBI, Morgan Stanley and Santander have been mandated to organize investor meetings. Ratings are Ba1/BB+.

Ultrapar is involved in specialized distribution and retail, specialty chemicals and liquid bulk storage.

(Reporting by Mike Gambale and Paul Kilby; Editing by Shankar Ramakrishnan)


Picture by: GVK/Bauergriffin.com

It can be bitterly disappointing to lose precious days of a trip to poorly planned sleep and jet lag. But international models and celebrities like Kendall Jenner and Kim Kardashian oftentimes dont have the luxury of sleeping in, and need to look their best and be on top of their game within hours of landing.

A few years ago, jet lag from traveling around the world never affected me. Everyone told me that it was because I was young. Well, I must be old now because jet lag seriously gets to me these days, lol, Kendall wrote in a blog post. Kim Kardashians hectic lifestyle is catching up to her as well. From Kanyes Saint Pablo Tour to NYFW and PFW, Ive been flying SO much lately, she wrote.

Happy Birthday to my little Kenny!!!! Youre not a teenager anymore! I love you so much and am so proud of everything you have accomplished and the person you have become! A photo posted by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Nov 3, 2015 at 8:36am PST

The sisters have developed personal plans to combat jet lag. Kendall has trained herself to become a plane sleeper to pass the time, and has found that its helped her with quicker adjustment to new time zones. She uses Dream Water to aid in lulling herself to sleep. Recently, a model friend and I were on the subject and she told me that she meditates to help fight it, she wrote. I was skeptical at first, but Ill try anything at this point! Kim and I did a class just the other day and I loved it. It was so peaceful and totally helped me concentrate.

airport flow A photo posted by Kendall (@kendalljenner) on Oct 26, 2015 at 7:27am PDT

Kim credits her jet lag survival kit for keeping her on point post-flight. She wrote that she never travels without two silk pillowcases to help her fall asleep early on local time, Vital Energy Tea from Yogi for the morning after, her de-puffing eye cream from Skyn Iceland, and an Armani under eye concealer that she keeps in her purse at all times.

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Cannes! ???????? A photo posted by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on May 17, 2016 at 5:16am PDT

Turns out, some of the Kardashian-Jenner sisters anti jet lag hacks are even scientifically proven. Kendall wrote that she gets anxious and impatient on flights, and meditation is indeed a great way to calm the nerves and set yourself up for an easy, restful trip.

Scanning your body from head to toe is a great way to manage travel anxiety, Dr. Guy Meadows of Sleep School told the Daily Mail. Make time to describe every detail of your body in a objective manner such as, I can feel my toes touching the floor, the beat of my heart, the seat on my back, the movement of my breath and so on. When your thinking mind starts to race with worries, gently acknowledge them and let them go by returning back to your body. Dr. Meadows does not recommend sleeping by default like Kendall does, though. If you are arriving at your destination in the afternoon or evening, make sure you stay awake on the plane so that you are ready for the local bedtime on landing. Alternatively, if you are arriving in the morning, aim to sleep on the plane to be ready for the day ahead, he says.

vintage Hermes A photo posted by Kendall (@kendalljenner) on Apr 4, 2016 at 11:45am PDT

More items from Kims kit get props from experts for those who have trouble sleeping away from home. Bring elements or objects from home like a picture of the family, favorite pillow, blanket or even a coffee mug to ease the feeling of being in a new environment, the National Sleep foundation recommends, noting that familiarity is key when falling asleep (so Kim is smart to travel with her favorite pillowcases). The absence of a familiar noise can also disrupt sleep. City dwellers may have trouble falling asleep without the familiar sounds of traffic. Or a traveler may find it difficult to sleep without the familiar tick, tick, tick of the alarm clock at home. Turns out theres a thing or two we can learn from this jet setting family.

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By Abdi Sheikh MOGADISHU (Reuters) - An air strike in northern Somalia left as many as 22 soldiers dead overnight, local officials said on Wednesday, and one region said the United States had been duped into attacking its troops. Galmudug's Security Minister Osman Issa said 22 of his region's soldiers had been killed in the strike, adding that the rival neighboring region of Puntland had requested it on the pretext that the men were al Shabaab Islamist militants. "Puntland misinformed the United States and thus our forces were bombed," he told Reuters. In Washington, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters that the United States had carried out a "self-defense air strike" after Somali troops faced fire from militants as they tried to stop an improvised explosive device (IED) making network. Davis said that nine al Shabaab militants had been killed in the strike, but the Pentagon was looking into reports that the strike could have killed others. "We will look at the reports to see if they are credible and if they are credible we'll investigate them," Davis said. A Puntland police officer said the attack had killed "more than a dozen" members of al Shabaab, which is waging an insurgency against Somalia's Western-backed government and regional authorities. Galmudug and Puntland regions have often clashed over territory. The United States has launched many air strikes in Somalia, usually against al Shabaab. Al Shabaab denied that it had any fighters in the area of the latest incident. "We neither have a base nor forces in Galkayo area," Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaabs military operations spokesman, told Reuters. Protesters in Galmudug's capital Galkayo burned U.S. flags and images of President Barack Obama in protest, witnesses said. Shops closed because of the demonstrations. Somalia is trying to rebuild after two decades of war. The conflict that began in 1991 left the Horn of Africa nation riven by clan rivalries and struggling with an Islamist insurgency. Rival regions still sometimes take up arms against each other. (Additional reporting by Idrees Ali in Washington; Writing by Katharine Houreld; Editing by Edmund Blair, Andrew Roche and Lisa Shumaker)
By Abdi Sheikh MOGADISHU (Reuters) - At least 17 soldiers were killed in clashes overnight between forces from two semi-autonomous regions of northern Somalia, local officials said on Wednesday. Soldiers in Puntland and Galmudug have clashed repeatedly over territory and political rivalries in recent years. As well as fighting in a civil war that began in 1991, national forces, loyal to the Western-backed Mogadishu-based government, and regional militias are battling an Islamist insurgency. The militias sometimes also attack each other. Puntland said it had killed Islamist militants in an air raid but Galmudug said its soldiers were targeted. "This [story of] killing militants is propaganda. Seventeen of our soldiers were killed and two of our military vehicles were destroyed by the air strike," Abdi Hussein, the deputy governor of Galkayo, the capital of the Galmudug region, told Reuters by phone. Galkayo hospital confirmed it had received 17 dead and 15 wounded soldiers. A Puntland police colonel insisted the raid killed militants. "Puntland security forces launched a planned attack last night. We killed over a dozen militants and destroyed their vehicles," Colonel Abdullahi Nur said. (Writing by Katharine Houreld; Editing by Louise Ireland)
Anyone not immersed in the modern art world may be unfamiliar with the two mega-artists, Frank Uwe Laysiepen (a.k.a. "Ulay") and Marina Abramovic, who went head to head in a Dutch court last week. But the implications of what happened there, the dissolution of their professional partnership (with Ulay the victor), apply to all sorts of entrepreneurs, artistic or no.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About Business Partnerships

First, some background: The Serbia-born Abramovic, 69, is sometimes called "the grandmother of performance" art, in which she's pioneered the practice of having observers actively participate in her pieces. She's described those pieces as focusing on "confronting pain, blood, and physical limits of the body."

West German-born Ulay, 72, is known for his experiments with photography. The two were a couple for some years and dissolved that personal relationship in 1988, in seemingly appropriate performance-artist fashion: Both started out walking from the opposite ends of the Great Wall of China and met in the middle to say goodbye.

They reunited briefly in 2010, during a performance Abramovic put on at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, where she sat at a table, silently staring into the eyes of visitors. When, at one point, she opened her own eyes to see the next visitor, there sat Ulay. The video of her teary reaction has been viewed on YouTube some 30 million times.

But back to that breach of contract action in the Dutch court: Any business owner who has had to deal with a partnership gone bad knows the horrific experience a battle with someone who was once a close friend -- or lover -- can be. Ulay actually stated in part that, the massive legal battle with Abramovic was threatening my existence. Indeed, the emotional cost of a partnership dispute is oftentimes more draining and costly than any other tangible loss in the battle.

Importantly, in this case, both artists had taken the time to sign a contract. The agreement between Ulay and Abramovic, signed in Amsterdam in 1999, laid out how they were to distribute the share of profits on the sale of their joint art, among other contract elements.

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When their battle ensued, it became clear that the court case dealt with the royalties that Abramovic was contractually obliged to pay Ulay, or more specifically what he said she didnt pay. The problem was that Abramovic had used a different equation as to the royalties owed, and relied on her interpretation of the contract.

The core issue finally came to light when the Dutch court explicitly ruled that the contract did not make clear how gross income, the key factor in the calculation of royalties, should be defined.

Related: 9 Ways to Negotiate a Contract Like a Boss

In the end, based on what some may argue were legal technicalities between Anglo-Saxon and Dutch law, Ulay won decisively and Abramovic was ordered to pay the royalities according to Ulays interpretation of the contract. This is where we as bystanders can take heart and learn from the situation.

What a partnership can offer you

A partnership can be the best thing that's ever happened to your business, or the worst, if it's entered into improperly. Accordingly, dont be afraid of a partnership; just commit yourself to documenting it properly and considering all of the issues.

The partnership agreement and the setting up of a proper entity/structure for it is the single most important step in your partnership process. Indeed, it may even be more important than analyzing the merits of the project within the partnership itself. You could have the most potentially successful money-making idea in the world, but if the foundation for your partnership is faulty, the business will ultimately fail.

One of the key sections of any good partnership agreement is to nail down the definition of profits and when and how distributions will be made. Here are three tips that can help you in your joint venture or partnership agreements.

1. Be clear about the definition of profit.

Clearly, the problem in the Ulay/Abramovic contract was the definition of "profit." The two werent fighting over when the payments were to be made, or if they hadn't been made at all, but the amount. Think about non-cash expenses, such as depreciation or amortization. Also, what about capital improvements made near year's-end? One partner may think that that is a justifiable expense that affects the bottom line for profit distributions, while the other partner wants his or her share of profit ahead of any capital expenditures.

2. Talk about re-investment.

One partner may be going into the partnership planning to re-invest all the profits to maximize the future profits and the health of the company. The other may be entering into the agreement to create as much cash flow as possible and a strong ROI on the capital originally invested. Ironically, a lot of partners in a dispute whom I meet never thought to consider this before setting up the business entity online.

3. Agree about distributions dates and amounts.

Many partners forget that in the United States, most partnerships (i.e., LLCs) are flow-through entities for tax purposes. What this means is that the partnership may make money and profit that flows through on paper to the partners, and theyll be taxed on those amounts even if there arent distributions. As stated, one partner may desire to re-invest most of the profits. So, make sure you not only agree on how much you plan to distribute of the quarterly or annual profits, but be sure that the distributions are made in time to pay taxes. You dont want to have "phantom income" on paper and no cash to pay the tax bill.

4. Watch out for that phantom income.

This means income you are allocated on a K-1 from a partnership, but with no corresponding cash distributions made by the partnership. Importantly, if there are a lot of dollars at stake, always make sure to meet with an attorney and go through a list of partnership issues to be considered before entering into the contract.

Related: 6 Challenges Confronting Every Business Partnership

Remember, a partnership can be an amazing blessing in your life, or a terrible curse. Regrettably, it appears that it proved to be the latter for Ulay and Abramovic. Dont fall into the same trap they did.
LONDON (Reuters) - Industrial and commodity group Liberty House's bid for Tata Steel UK's speciality steel and pipe businesses is worth nearly 100 million pounds, an industry source told Reuters on Wednesday. Britain's largest steelmaker paused the sale of its major UK assets in July to explore a joint venture with Germany's Thyssenkrupp , but proceeded with separate talks to sell its speciality and pipe businesses. The businesses employ around 2,000 people directly, but up to 8,000 jobs would be at risk in sectors related to steelmaking if sale talks fail. Liberty was a bidder for Tata Steel UK's major assets. An industry source told Reuters after Tata Steel paused the sale that Liberty would proceed with plans to bid for the company's speciality steel and pipe businesses, based in Rotherham, Stocksbridge and Hartlepool. Tata Steel and Liberty declined to comment. (Reporting by Maytaal Angel; Editing by Veronica Brown and Mark Potter)
Even though Local Natives are on tour, vocalist and guitarist Taylor Rice made time to watch as much of Monday night's first presidential debate as he could. For anything he may have missed, he combed through the countless recaps, listicles and think-pieces inspired by the event.

Lollapalooza 2016: Local Natives Still Feel the Bern, Talk More Politics

Local Natives' most recent album, Sunlit Youth, is not only their most forward-thinking to date, it also inserted them in the politically geared dialogue for the first time. "We've never had socially conscious ideas on a record," Rice tells Billboard. "These were just things that I think were on our hearts and on our minds. So I felt prepared and excited to be a part -- some small part -- of a dialogue that hopefully has some effect."

Over the summer, the L.A. natives played a rally in support of Bernie Sanders when he was still in the running, though they've since shifted their support to Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Rice wrote the song "Fountain of Youth" from the latest record, which has since become an anthem of sorts for change both in politics and elsewhere, as it includes the statement-making line: "I have waited so long, Mrs. President."

Local Natives Talk Swapping Bernie For Hillary, New Album 'Sunlit Youth': Alt In Our Stars Podcast

While Rice thinks the debate went better than expected for Hillary -- "[She] is a very very qualified, super smart woman who's dedicated her life to public service and is a policy wonk and all these things that I would want my president to be" -- he acknowledges the deck is often stacked against her.

He says absurd pressure is placed on Hillary to "pull off this ultra-complex showing of all these different personality traits -- be really relaxed and poised and happy but also really tough, but not too tough because people don't like tough women," while all Trump had to do was "not be a complete lunatic and to appear presidential." Though he believes Trump even failed at that.

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Local Natives Perform Public Rooftop Concert as a 'Thank You' to Los Angeles

He says Trump showed himself to be "ultra rude" and "incoherent" and that as a whole, "He's not really a capable human being to be president." Rice also blames Trump for the devolution of this election cycle, saying, "The whole thing has become a circus," adding that this election has veered away from professionalism, policy and facts "because of Trump."

This stance isn't a new one for the band, or more specifically Rice. During Local Natives' performance on Conan in July, Rice debuted a guitar that read "Make America Afraid Again." The guitar has since become a staple on their current tour. He says that now during the shows, he has also been making a comment about the election, noting how important it is and letting the audience know that everybody's voice, though tiny alone, does sway the world in one direction or another when joined together. He says the band encourages everyone to be informed, be a part of the process, and vote. The nonprofit HeadCount has also been joining the band on tour in certain cities, setting up a booth or passing out information at the shows.

Chart Moves: Local Natives' Best Week Ever, Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours' Returns

Despite the concern, Rice still remains enthused and hopeful for the election's outcome. While he says Hillary's voters include populations of people that are growing, such as youths and minorities, support for Trump represents "this last dying gasp of fear of losing control." He acknowledges that this election is close -- which he says makes him nervous -- but he has his sights set on victory. "From my perspective, there is this clear path that I see to what will be a better world, and I just have a faith that that is inevitably going to win out."
A top Malaysian opposition MP was sentenced Wednesday to three months in jail after being found guilty of sedition over statements urging protests against Prime Minister Najib Razak's government, lawyers said.

Najib has come under fire for using repressive laws against critics and stifling scrutiny of a massive corruption scandal involving state investment fund 1MDB that he is allegedly embroiled in.

Chua Tian Chang, better known as Tian Chua, was found guilty of sedition for inciting Malaysians to take to the streets to rally against corruption in 2013.

Chua, who is the vice-president of the opposition People's Justice Party, said the court decision reflected the "growing intolerance" of Najib's regime.

"There is growing intolerance against critics. The government aims to stop people from voicing out," Chua, who is freed on bail, said.

The sessions court also hit the vocal MP with a fine of 1,800 ringgit ($435) in a decision slammed by rights groups.

Chua's lawyer N. Surendran said an appeal will be filed.

Last year Najib purged his government of critics and shut down domestic investigations while the number of activists facing court action and police probes has shot up.

The 63-year-old premier is clinging to power despite increasingly damaging allegations that he took part in the looting of billions in state funds. Najib and 1MDB have repeatedly denied wrongdoing in the scandal.

Amnesty International Malaysia described Wednesday's court ruling as a "setback" for freedom of expression.

"The ability of individuals to criticise the state ... must not be criminalised," Shamini Darshni, Amnesty International Malaysia executive director, said in a statement.
The Vermont man found in a lifeboat eight days after disappearing during a fishing trip with his mother, now presumed dead at sea, was once suspected in his grandfathers unsolved murder, according to reports.

Nathan Carman was the last known person to see John Chakalos alive before the 87-year-old real estate developer was found by one of his daughters shot to death in his Windsor, Connecticut, home in 2013, according to a search warrant application by Windsor police obtained by the Hartford Courant.

Chakaloss grisly death came less than a month after the passing of his wife of 59 years, who had lost her battle with cancer on November 21, 2013.

"John dedicated his life to his marriage, work and community, and above all, family. His favorite motto was 'without family you've got nothing; family is everything,'" his obituary read.

Police began eyeing Carman, then 20, in his grandfathers slaying after his mother, Linda Carman, told them her son failed to meet her in Glastonbury at 3 a.m. that morning to drive to Rhode Island as discussed, the paper wrote.

Investigators reportedly found a Remington tactical shotgun, a rifle scope and several boxes of ammo in Carmans apartment, but the rifle did not match the caliber of the gun used to kill Chakalos, who had been shot three times in the head and torso.

The warrant, submitted by police to arrest Carman on a murder charge, was returned the next day unsigned by the prosecutor, who requested further information, the Courant wrote.

Carman was never arrested or charged.

Read: Man Found 100 Miles Offshore After More Than Week Spent Lost At Sea, Mother Still Missing

Chakalos murder remains unsolved. A billboard posted on Interstate 91 by the state notes the WWII veterans family is offering a $250,000 reward for information.

His will showed Chakalos left an estate worth more than $42 million to his four adult daughters, according to WCVB.

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Tragedy hit the family again as Carman, now 22, and his mother vanished after setting out on their 32-foot aluminum center console boat, the Chickenpox, from Point Judith, Rhode Island, on September 17.

Carman, who has Asperger's syndrome  a form of autism  was discovered alive in a raft two days after the Coast Guard suspended their search for the pair, who often went on fishing trips together.

He told authorities his boat capsized near Block Canyon, not Block Island as initially reported, and said he did not know where his mother was.

There was a funny noise in the engine compartment, Carman told the Coast Guard via radio from the freighter, audio released by officials shows. I looked and saw a lot of water.

He told officials he brought the safety stuff forward, at which point the boat just dropped out from under my feet.

When I saw the life raft, I did not see my mom. Have you found her? he asked.

Linda Carman, 54, is presumed dead, but loved ones could not concede that all was lost.

Theres very little hope, but were not ready to give up yet, friend Sharon Hartstein told InsideEdition.com Tuesday, calling her friend resourceful with a survivalist mentality.

A reward for information leading to the woman and boat is in the works, Hartstein said.

She deserves to be home, she said. Shes just such a good person  the world will not be the same if shes not in it.

Read: Why This Diver Recorded His 'Final Hours' Adrift at Sea Before Being Rescued

No distress call was made from the boat, but it was not immediately clear if the boat had the radio needed to make such a call.

A friend of Linda Carman told police that she refused to go fishing any further than Block Island and that she believed their destination was nearby Striper Rock, a search warrant executed on Monday to search Carmans Vernon apartment said.

The Canyons, where a witness told police Carman said he was going fishing, are approximately 100 miles offshore, while Block Island is approximately 20 miles off the Rhode Island shoreline, the search warrant said. Carman had allegedly tried to get his mother to go out to the Canyons on previous occasions, the warrant said.

For Linda Carman, fishing was a way to spend time with her son, a very private young man, Hartstein said.

She doesnt eat fish, she said. Fishing was something he liked to do.

A witness told police that Carman removed the trim tabs  which correct listing, or tilting, and help a vessel operate as intended over a broad range of water conditions  from his boat and patched the holes with a marine sealant, the warrant said.

The witness also told police he did not see any fishing equipment.

Another witness told investigators there were many issues with Carmans boat, including problems with a newly installed motor and air getting into the lines. It was unclear if the problems witnesses reported seeing were fixed prior to the boat trip.

Police seized a cable modem, a SIM card and a letter written by Carman from his apartment in a search for evidence of reckless endangerment, the warrant said.

Carman was reunited with his father after being interviewed by Coast Guard officials Tuesday for a survivor de-briefing, which is standard procedure for people rescued at sea.

Emotionally, Ive been through a huge amount, he told reporters. I would just like to thank the public for their prayers and for their concern for both my mother and for myself. I would like to thank the crew of the ship that rescued me, both for rescuing me and for treating me very well.

Carman has not been charged with a crime and his attorney said this was a tragic accident.

Watch: Toddler Who Survived Under Capsized Boat Thanks Her Rescuers

Related Articles:
Anthony Lassman Nota Bene

Rich people love to travel as much as the rest of us. In fact, it's a favorite hobby among billionaires.

But when the 1% travel, the word takes on an entirely new meaning.

"Travel is the currency of status; it's far more about the experiences you have as opposed to whether you're driving the latest Rolls Royce or whether your wife has the latest Hermes handbag," said Anthony Lassman, cofounder of London-based luxury travel- and lifestyle-management company Nota Bene Global, in a recent interview with Business Insider.

Lassman and his wife Elaine launched Nota Bene  meaning "note well" or "take note" in Italian  in 2005 to offer tailor-made, travel-planning services to the ultra high net worth crowd. The Lassmans drew knowledge from their careers as publishers of premier travel and destination review guides as well as several years selling high-end real estate.

Nota Bene serves clients with net worths upwards of $200 million, with several in the billion-dollar range. Lassman describes them as "cash rich and time poor"  those seeking once-in-a-lifetime experiences who don't have the time to research and plan to the degree that suits them.

Increasingly, clients are coming from "Silicon Valley kind of money," Lassman said. They're people who made money in their 20s, 30s, and early 40s who push boundaries in order to have unique experiences.

"People who have striven really hard, and achieved really hard, are risk takers," Lassman said. These businesspeople tend to take more risks in their travel, and it's often thanks to the flexibility and security of their wealth. They place their safety  and their money  in the hands of Lassman and his team.

For about $26,000 annually, clients enlist Nota Bene to plan, book, and manage every detail of their travels.

"In the same way that an asset manager manages private wealth, we manage time and experience. We manage curated experiences," Lassman said.

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Nota Bene Global

Nota Bene operates in two ways: Clients either approach Nota Bene with destination requests and the company crafts detailed itineraries for them, or Note Bene presents once-in-a-lifetime experiences to clients based on their travel research of what's trending.

Nota Bene's range of possibility is virtually endless and includes experiences like flying privately from Cape Town, South Africa, to Antarctica; taking a private jet through Rajasthan, India, at dawn to glimpse the Taj Mahal before the overbearing crowds gather; and lunching with the Louis Roederer family at their private estate in France's Champagne country.

But no matter the destination or experience they seek, Lassman noted that his wealthy clients always expect two things: exclusive access and one-step-ahead service.

1. Exclusive access

The Lassmans have spent 30 years in travel and real estate cultivating connections with hotel managers, restaurants, tour guides, experts, and businesses around the globe. Their connections grant their clients access to exclusive destinations and events in both the world's largest cities and far-off corners.

"We have one estate that comes with a private plane and a helicopter and it's on Mount Kenya  3,000 feet above the Great Rift Valley. You wake up in the morning and [the staff] will say 'What do you feel like doing?' You can go to truly authentic markets, go fly fishing up on Mount Kenya ... anything," Lassman said.

Clients also turn to Nota Bene for access to world-renowned events, including couture fashion shows, the Grand Prix in Monaco, the Cannes Film Festival, the Oscars, and the Palio Di Siena horse race in Italy, where balcony seats cost 15,000 for the hourlong event.

As such, there are certain destinations that the wealthiest tend to frequent year after year. Lassman calls these places "the watering holes of the rich" and considers summer spots like Capri, St. Tropez, Mykonos, and the Mediterranean, and winter locations like Jackson Hole, Aspen, and San Moritz, among them.

"Access is key," Lassman said. "There are very few things we can't provide access to."

2. Top-tier service

About one-third of Nota Bene's approximately 150 clients belong to the company's bespoke-level service with several opting to trade up from their lower-tier service, which costs $6,500 and grants access to online travel guides and generic travel planning but does not include the minute-by-minute management enjoyed at the bespoke level. The $22,000 annual fee for the bespoke service may seem steep to outsiders, but Lassman assures the price is justified.

"We're tracking them every single day, we're there for them. We're in constant contact with them and the hotel behind the scenes," Lassman said.

Perks of the top-tier service include private check-in rooms and frequent upgrades to suites at hotels, hand-selected welcome amenities, the option to ship luggage to and from destinations, arrangement of personal security services, and hand-picked staff teams, including chefs, housekeepers, and, if needed, childcare services or nannies.

Nota Bene's travel managers spend time familiarizing themselves with the habits and requests of each client to ensure they'll meet their wants and needs.

"We're always thinking one step ahead, preparing. It really is like putting on a great theater performance  when the curtains go back it all has to be perfect."

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[Photo: Pexels]

If you havent hopped aboard the manuka honey train yet, heres yet another reason to do so: A recent study has found that its anti-bacterial qualities are so strong it could soon be used to fight hospital infections.

Researchers at Southampton University recently found that using manuka-based solutions to clean hospital equipment effective at reducing the ability of potentially deadly bacteria to accumulate on surfaces by more than 75%.

Apparently this discovery could pretty revolutionary for those particularly at risk of bacterial infections, such as hospital inpatients using a catheter (one in four) or those that regularly suffer from urinary tract infections.

[Photo: Pexels]



It could be great news for the NHS, too - damage resulting from using long-term urethra catheters costs it a massive 1 billion a year, and accounts for 2,100 deaths, according to the researchers.

Plenty of us have sung the praises of manuka honey for years now - its believed to be a great natural medicine, and thanks to studies like this, a proven antibacterial solution too.

While the Australia and New Zealand-based honey has been used as a health remedy for centuries now, this study was the first to look into the potential of mono-floral honey, produced exclusively from the nectar of the manuka tree.

[Photo: Pexels]



Dr Bashir Lwaleed, associate professor of health sciences at the University of Southampton, told The Telegraph: Catheter infection rates can account for a large proportion of hospital acquired infections. It is an area of clinical practice that needs addressing.

We believe that patients might also benefit from honeys anti-inflammatory properties, which are generally stronger in dark honeys, such as manuka, and that antibacterial resistance is unlikely to be a factor when honey is used.

What do you think about this research? Tweet us at @YahooStyleUK.

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Among all the ignorant, nonsensical things Donald Trump uttered during Monday nights debate, his admittance and defense of not paying income taxes might have been the most galling. He took a bizarre pride in avoiding the financial stake that every American is supposed to have in this country  that makes me smart  and in doing so, likely angered millions of Americans who struggle to pay their taxes or get by on underfunded assistance programs.

Mark Cuban has enough money to find himself accountants who could maneuver around and within the tax code, and he likely does. But even he knows the difference between being savvy and taking responsibility for the wealth youve amassed.

.@mcuban on Trump saying not paying taxes makes him smart #debatenight pic.twitter.com/uPNunatukV  Stefan Becket (@becket) September 27, 2016

That Dallas Mavericks practice facility to which Cuban refers was reportedly funded entirely by he and the Mavericks, with no public assistance. Did Cuban use a question about Trump to promote his own brand for its more honest business dealings? Sure. But the contrast is an important one.

Time and time again, Trump has confused swindling and conning with business savvy, and claimed that his underhanded dealings make him qualified to be an expert negotiator as commander in chief. But there are far more important things in life than amassing personal wealth, and all of those things are magnified when youre a public servant. Even Cuban, whose practice arena is a for-profit business venture rather than any grand public works project, knows the difference.
Mary J. Blige belts out a song about police violence to presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in a new interview for Apple Music's The 411 with Mary J. Blige radio show.

In a preview clip of the interview, which premieres on Friday, the R&B icon sings the track as Clinton intently listens.

NEWS: Jesse Williams Explains Why 'You Say Vote' In Powerful Election PSA

"If an officer ever stops you, always be polite and never ever run away," sings the GRAMMY-winner, as Clinton nods along. "Promise momma you'll keep your hands inside. Is it a gun? Is it a knife? Is it a wallet? This is your life."

Blige then takes Clinton's hand as she belts out the powerful line, "It ain't no secret, no secret my friend, you can get killed just living in your American skin."

NEWS: Rosie O'Donnell Continues to Strike Back at Donald Trump After Debate Bashing

The 45-year-old star is a well-known supporter of the Democratic nominee, choosing one of Clinton's fundraisers in March to debut her single, "Strength of a Woman."

She is one of many celebrities backing Clinton, including Kerry Washington, Sigourney Weaver, Connie Britton, Meryl Streep, Demi Lovato and Katy Perry.

Watch Perry get arrested for voting naked in a Funny or Die sketch below.

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Madrid (AFP) - Spain's Socialist party was hit by a "coup" attempt Wednesday with half of its leadership quitting in a bid to oust leader Pedro Sanchez and unblock the country's political deadlock.

But while Sanchez remained silent Wednesday evening, his ally and party number two Cesar Luena told reporters the 44-year-old remained firmly in place.

The Socialists (PSOE) have for months been wracked by internal dissent over Sanchez's leadership during Spain's nine-month political stalemate, as rival parties fail to agree on a government following two inconclusive elections.

The party took a drubbing in two weekend regional polls, and scored historically low results in December general elections and in a repeat vote in June as voters flocked to other upstart parties.

"Seventeen resignations... were handed in today," a party spokesman told AFP Wednesday.

With two separate, earlier resignations, this takes the number of party executives that have quit to 19 out of 35.

Under party rules, according to Luena, an extraordinary meeting of grassroots members must now be called to elect a new executive, and they will also decide on whether they want their leader to remain.

"Tricks and coups don't have their place here," said Luena.

"The Socialist party leader is its secretary general, and the PSOE's secretary general -- elected by party members -- is Pedro Sanchez."

- Could it unblock situation? -

As Spain's political paralysis drags on, some within the PSOE want the party to use its 85 parliamentary seats to help unblock the situation and allow a right-wing coalition government to emerge by abstaining in the necessary vote of confidence.

That, they argue, would avoid a third round of elections and the party could go into opposition and build up strength again.

But instead the Socialists voted against such a coalition government led by acting conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy earlier this month, prompting it to fail.

Story continues

Sanchez is now trying to form his own coalition with Podemos, the anti-austerity party that wants to replace it as the country's main left-wing force.

But he would also need the support and seats of nationalist and separatist groupings in Catalonia and the Basque Country in order to form a government -- despite being firmly against independence for any region.

In a sign of how bad the rift is within the party, former Socialist prime minister Felipe Gonzalez came out against Sanchez on Wednesday morning.

"A Frankenstein government is not possible," he told the Cadena Ser radio station.

"He (Sanchez) told me he would go into opposition, that he would not attempt any alternative government.

"I feel frustrated... as if I had been tricked."

Those who resigned Wednesday -- among them several so-called "party barons," or regional presidents -- will be hoping that if Sanchez is forced out and if Rajoy attempts to push a government through again, some Socialist lawmakers will abstain.

But they are up against an October 31 constitutional deadline, after which the king will have to dissolve parliament and call a third round of elections.

And many believe that grassroots party members do not want to see a government led by Rajoy come to power.

Sanchez -- the first Socialist party leader to be directly voted in by these grassroots members -- will be banking on this to help his cause.

- Like Corbyn coup -

The mass resignation bears striking similarities to the attempted coup against Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party.

In June, just days after Britain voted to exit the European Union, moderate Labour lawmakers proposed a no-confidence vote on the veteran socialist's leadership.

A string of his frontbench team then quit in coordinated fashion, each releasing withering resignation letters, before he was defeated by 172 to 40 in the non-binding vote of Labour lawmakers.

But Corbyn, who has the crucial backing of labour unions and was elected last year in a landslide by grassroots party members, survived and was voted back in as leader at the weekend.
LONDON (Reuters) - Scottish actor Ewan McGregor, in his directorial debut, brought an adaptation of Philip Roth's novel "American Pastoral" to the Zurich Film Festival this week and said his wife helped him get behind the camera. McGregor also stars in the movie, set in late 1960s America, alongside Jennifer Connelly and Dakota Fanning, playing a man whose family starts to fall apart when his daughter becomes politically radicalized. "I've always wanted to direct for a long time and I always wanted to wait to have a story that I felt I was burning to tell," McGregor told Reuters in an interview. "Then I was talking to my wife about the fact that I didn't think this one was going to happen and she said 'you should direct that one' (American Pastoral)." Asked about potentially playing the next James Bond - a role that has been linked to various actors - McGregor joked: "If there are auditions for James Bond, I don't know about them. So I am going to phone my agent immediately to find out." (Reporting By Reuters Television; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Meet the Guatemalan designer with Down Syndrome who is shattering stereotypes in the fashion world

Meet the Guatemalan designer with Down Syndrome who is shattering stereotypes in the fashion world

Meet Isabella Springmuhl, a Guatemalan goddess with Down Syndrome taking the fashion world by storm. Since the young fashionista started designing clothes for her dolls at 6 years old, Isabella wanted to be a fashion designer. Following in her grandmothers footsteps, Isabella applied to study fashion design in her native Guatemala but was rejected because the schools viewed Down Syndrome as a liability.

I graduated from High School two years ago and decided to go to University to study fashion design. It was denied to me due to my condition, Isabella wrote on her website.

That didnt stop Isabella from pursuing her dreams. The 19-year-old slowly built an impressive portfolio and eventually the fashion world took notice. Isabella made her fashion debut at London Fashion Week earlier this year.

Isabellas designs are influenced by her upbringing and identity. I love using Guatemalan textiles for my designs because they are very rich in colors and in patterns and I identify with them, because they are carefree  just like me, she wrote.

Using the Mayan textiles in my designs I honor all these women that for ages and ages have been waving Guatemalas history in clothing and textiles.

Bienvenidos a mi #Instagram! #down2xjabelle #downtoxjabelle A photo posted by Down to Xjabelle (@down2xjabelle) on Sep 8, 2016 at 4:17pm PDT

But her main inspiration comes from other adults with Down Syndrome.

Story continues

One of my dreams was to be able to design beautiful and fashionable clothing for youngsters and adults with Down syndrome. Because of the physical characteristics we have, sometimes it is quite difficult to find nice clothing that fits us well.

Paz interior #paz #downtoxjabelle #down2xjabelle #Guatemala A photo posted by Down to Xjabelle (@down2xjabelle) on Sep 8, 2016 at 4:27pm PDT

New Collection coming soon! #downtoxjabelle #down2xjabelle #newcollection #newcollection2016 #fashion A photo posted by Down to Xjabelle (@down2xjabelle) on Sep 10, 2016 at 10:38am PDT

Isabellas story is a testament to never giving up on yourself, no matter what other people say. As long as you believe in you, the sky is the limit.

You can see all of Isabellas beautiful designs here. And we cant wait to see the young designers career skyrocket!

The post Meet the Guatemalan designer with Down Syndrome who is shattering stereotypes in the fashion world appeared first on HelloGiggles.
From Town & Country

Photo credit: Getty

Last week, the David Adjaye-designed National Museum of African American History & Culture opened its doors in Washington D.C. thanks to the very generous private donations of two individuals: Oprah, who gave the biggest gift with $21 million, and-trailing her by just $1 million-Robert F. Smith. The famously private Smith, who runs Vista Equity Partners, one of the most successful private equity firms in the country, has been upping his public persona as of late in an effort to become a role model for young African Americans-much like the way black executives like Kenneth Chenault and Richard Parsons once inspired him. "I want people to say, 'If Robert Smith can do it, I can do that and more,'" he recently told the Washington Post. In June, he was unanimously elected by Carnegie Hall's board to serve as its chairman, the first African American and non-New Yorker to hold that title.

Herewith, some quick facts.

Age: 53

Current residence: Austin, TX

Alma mater: B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Cornell. MBA from Columbia.

Net worth: $2.5 billion

Signature look: Three-piece suits and matching reading glasses.

Marital status: Wed former Playboy model Hope Dworaczyk last year on the Amalfi Coast. John Legend and Seal performed. They have two sons: Hendrix and Legend.

Other philanthropic causes: Chairman of Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights; gave $50 million to Cornell's engineering school; Founding Director of the Fund II Foundation; donated $300,000 to Jane Goodall's youth environmental program, Roots and Shoots.

Photo credit: Getty

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Meet Shayne, the baby koala whose story is hitting us right in the FEELS

Meet Shayne, the baby koala whose story is hitting us right in the FEELS

There is no shortage of furry cuteness on the internet. From adorable animals weve never even heard about to the most lovable friendships that left us saying awww  the cuteness basically never ends. (The limit does not exist)! And the following little guy is no different

Wed like you to meet Shayne, a totally charming 9-month-old koala who hasnt had the easiest life:

Its Trauma Season at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital and 9 month old Shayne the koala joey is just one of the many patients to have been affected. Losing his mum after being hit by a car, Shayne was forced to fend for himself and was found by rescuers as he was being chased by crows! Thankfully, Shayne has no injuries as a result of the accident, instead, hes dealing with the loss of his mum and the vital life lessons he needs to learn in order to become an independent, wild koala. Help us get him and other native Australian animals back out into the wild by donating today! Click here: http://bit.ly/donateWW Posted by Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors on Sunday, September 18, 2016

You see, according to The Huffington Post, Shayne and his mom were hit by a car in Queensland, Australia back in August.

Were NOT crying, youre crying!!

sadness



Luckily for Shayne and for us, the baby koala was found by a good Samaritan who rushed him to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. The kind hospital staff then tended to his injuries, both emotional and physical.

For the emotional pain, they provided the little guy with a plushy koala bear for him to latch on to. The stuffed toy has become a cuddle buddy and a sort of replacement mom for Shayne, whos still trying to cope with the sudden loss.

For as little as $10 you can help us care for orphaned koala joeys like Shayne Find out how you can help here: https://t.co/UHZPv3xsa1pic.twitter.com/9qICNqisP5  Wildlife Warriors (@wildwarriors) September 21, 2016

Hes dealing with the loss of his mum and the vital life lessons he needs to learn in order to become an independent, wild koala, Dr. Rosie Booth, Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital director, said in a release. Its very fortunate that we had an observant rescuer who found Shayne and brought him into us.  He wouldnt have lasted even a day in the wild by himself.

Story continues

The strength the stuffed animal gives him is helping the young koala prepare for life after the hospital. And once Shayne has mastered the art of climbing, making friends (something were still trying to figure out), and all the other koala activities, hell be released into the wild to start his own koala family.

thumbs up

Were rooting for you little guy!

To help prevent koalas and other animals from getting hurt in the wild, Booth said Australians (and all of us, for that matter) should be mindful and slow down when driving through wildlife habitats, particularly at night.

The post Meet Shayne, the baby koala whose story is hitting us right in the FEELS appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Mel Gibson is in negotiations to star in Every Other Weekend, an action-adventure project that will be directed by French filmmaker Benjamin Rocher.

Clement Miserez and Jean-Charles Levy are producing the feature - which is eyeing a late-year start in France - along with Peter Safran (The Conjuring).

The script has a multigenerational-family storyline that centers on a father who has his son convinced he's a CIA spy, but in actuality he works in the agency's IT department. However, on a father-son trip in Paris, the two find themselves in a life-threatening adventure in which secrets are spilled.

Gibson will play the grandfather, who actually is a spy.

Brandon and Kurtis Birtell wrote the original script with the most recent drafts being by Davis Moreau and Tad Safran.

SND is producing and fully financing.

The actor is currently shooting period drama The Professor and the Madman with Sean Penn and enjoying strong buzz for Hacksaw Ridge, his first directorial outing since 2006's Apocalypto. The war drama starring Andrew Garfield is due to be released by Lionsgate on Nov. 4.

He is repped by Shanahan Management and RPMedia.

Read more: 'Hacksaw Ridge': Venice Review
mercedes electric teaser

The big reveal of Mercedes' electric concept car will occur today at the Paris Motor Show  and we're getting excited.

Mercedes is planning to show off its first all-electric SUV concept, and it's been teasing the reveal on Twitter. The German automaker showed a video of the SUV earlier this week, giving us a glimpse of some of its features, like using cameras in lieu of sideview mirrors.

We are going to electrify Paris. Stay tuned for more tomorrow! #MondialAuto [Consumption 11.4-9.4l/100km|CO2 259-219g/km] pic.twitter.com/4Gfz4c4oPF  Mercedes-Benz (@MercedesBenz) September 28, 2016

The video is scant with details, but we did manage to glean what appears to be a black center console with an LED screen showing information like the temperature:

mercedes concept enter console

Daimler's chief development officer Thomas Weber said in June that Mercedes will debut a prototype of an electric vehicle with a range of 310 miles at the Paris Motor Show. So we're expecting the concept SUV to boast that killer range.

German magazine AutoBild reported in December 2015 that the concept car could be an electric version of its GLC crossover.

Mercedes Benz GLC

It seems the Paris Motor Show is turning into the spot for electric concept car reveals.

Volkswagen unveiled its I.D. electric concept car at the Paris Motor Show that has a range between 248 miles and 372 miles on a single charge. The German automaker is planning to release its production version of the car in 2020, with a fully autonomous version slated to arrive in 2025.

Competition is mounting in the electric car space. Tesla recently announced a battery upgrade that will increase the range of the Model S with Ludicrous mode to 315 miles, and the Model X with Ludicrous mode to 289 miles. The Chevy Bolt will have a range of 238 miles when it hits dealerships by the end of 2016.

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Of course, what Mercedes reveals at the Paris Motor Show will be a concept, so we can't really compare it to the likes of Chevy or Tesla. Still, it shows a growing interest of competing in the electric car space by building cars that can handle ranges nearing or exceeding 300 miles.

NOW WATCH: Mercedes-Maybach rivals Tesla with a new jaw-dropping concept car





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Metallica, a hugely popular touring band in Latin America, will headline Lollapalooza's South American editions, taking place in Chile, Argentina and Brazil in 2017. They'll join an impressive roster that also includes The Strokes, The Weeknd, The Chainsmokers, Duran Duran and The XX among dozens of other acts. The Latin Lollas kick off March 25 and 26 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, then head off to Buenos Aires March 31 and April 1 and Santiago April 1 and 2. Lollapalooza Heads to South America, 'Where The Money's Great' The proximity of the dates has sometimes meant that not all major headliners are able to play all three events, but this time, the official lineups indicate the top five headliners will indeed be everywhere. There has been much speculation about who would play Lollapalooza in Latin America in 2017, and over the weekend, "official" lineups -- which turned out to be not official -- were leaked to the press, including names like Metallica along with Daft Punk, who are not performing. Lollapalooza has turned out to be extremely popular and successful in South America, and pre-sale tickets to Lollapalooza Chile, the longest-running Latin Lolla, have been sold out for weeks even with no lineups announced.
A little more than week has passed since a Charlotte, North Carolina, police officer shot and killed Keith Lamont Scott.



The 43-year-old black man's death sparked days of protests, both violent and peaceful in the city, fueling the national debate over police reforms  and Michael Strahan (a father of four kids between the ages of 12 and 24) says the topic is certainly on his mind.



Speaking to PEOPLE for his cover story earlier this month, the newly minted co-host of Good Morning America, 44, said the "climate seems to be scarier than it ever was."



"Even though a lot of these things have been going on, now we see it  there are cameras there," he said. "I think it's shocking for a lot of people and for anybody with kids. I think all of the events that have happened have been tragic and unnecessary."









Michael Strahan on Black Lives Matter and Teaching His Kids How to Act Around Police| Crime & Courts, True Crime, TV News, Michael Strahan

Strahan  who shares daughter Tanita, 24, and son Michael Jr., 21, with ex-wife Wanda Hutchins and twins Sophie and Isabella, 12, with ex-wife Jean Muggli  said he's especially concerned about his two eldest children.



"They drive, they're on their own," he said. "They have their own places and they're in college and it's scary because they could be one of these kids in these situations."



As for what advice he gives his kids when it comes to dealing with police, Strahan said for him, it's about "learning how to handle it, to stay calm."



"If you're in a situation with a police officer, if he tells you to do something, just do it," said Strahan. "It's not worth it. It's not worth the fight, it's not worth the argument. You're not trying to prove a point  because as they say when you're arguing or fighting with somebody, nobody can tell who's right and who's wrong."





Michael Strahan on Black Lives Matter and Teaching His Kids How to Act Around Police| Crime & Courts, True Crime, TV News, Michael Strahan

"I just think you have to be very careful and accountable because one bad choice and one split-second decision can change or alter your life or end your life," he said. "I don't want that for my kids and I don't want that for anybody's kids."



"That's been the hard thing to watch  to see these parents afterwards suffering because anyone who has kids understands that probably the worst thing you can go through on this planet, on earth, is to lose a child."



Continued Strahan: "Be respectful. Be respectful and listen and do exactly what you're supposed to do and what you're told to do. Don't get upset, don't argue, don't fight. Just listen."



Strahan believes a calm demeanor will ultimately pay off.



"I think if you take a deep breath and just go through the motions of what you need to go through, you won't even remember you were there a few hours later," he said. "It's kind of like sitting in traffic  you get mad in the moment but you'll be somewhere in a few hours and you won't realize you were sitting in traffic because you just got through it."





Michael Strahan on Black Lives Matter and Teaching His Kids How to Act Around Police| Crime & Courts, True Crime, TV News, Michael Strahan

And while "a lot of it has always been there," Strahan said today's age of social media and camera phones has brought much of the issue to light.



"It's not just your word against mine  now there's actually proof of it," he said. "But I can't say that all cops are wrong, or all cops are bad. I think that that's the wrong approach to take because, as they say, whenever you need help, they're the ones who show up there for you when everybody else runs the other way. We've got to respect that too."



But that being said, Strahan said the climate feels different than it did when he was growing up.



"I just think that definitely what we're seeing now is not the way it's supposed to be," he said. "I don't feel like as I was growing up it was that way for me. It feels like maybe it's gotten worse. And when you're a parent, you worry about your kids in all situations."



Strahan said the increasing frequency of fatal civilian shootings at the hand of police officers in recent months is "disturbing."



"It feels like it's almost every day, something new. And you see the riots, you see the protests  which I'm glad because if people feel like they're wronged you have to [react]," he said.



"As a human being, you feel passionate about some things  I think one great thing in this country is we have the ability to speak up and show that," he added. "I just don't like when it becomes violent, because I don't think you kill violence with more violence."



 With AURELIE CORINTHIOS
There's an "A" narrative and a "B" narrative to the future of Viacom - both seeming to come from the same source.

In the A narrative, the board of the beleaguered media company will emphasize good governance principles in its search for a new CEO after the ouster of Philippe Dauman and the Sept. 21 reveal that the company will look beyond interim CEO Tom Dooley. National Amusements, Sumner Redstone's family company that controls the voting shares and which now is controlled by his daughter, Shari, will not meddle in operations. Installing management that can lead a Viacom turnaround is the primary goal in what everyone recognizes will be a long fight. In the B narrative, it's all about the inevitability that Viacom will be slammed together with its sibling CBS, whose leader, Leslie Moonves - whether he wants to or not - will solve everybody's problems.

While both of these narratives trace back to Shari Redstone and by their nature are quite contradictory, nobody is necessarily dissembling here. Rather, Shari, for so long kept at light-years' distance from her father's universe, is now, however unprepared, the master of it - and enjoying her power to do almost anything. "She's flailing around like a fish on the dock but is as happy as a clam in deep water," says one observer. Or, in another estimation, "She's talking to everybody, and everybody wants to talk to her, and she's strongly influenced by the last person she spoke to - so you can't know what's going to happen because you can't know who will truly be the last person." Or, more generously, from a former Viacom executive, "She's been intrepid enough to dive into the mess, and the fact that she's taken the dive without a plan is actually fairly courageous on her part, albeit not necessarily comforting." (Sources are masked here because Redstone reps, with something of a purge mentality, are actively trying to ferret out anybody who might not be with the program, even though there isn't yet a program.)

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While the variables begin with Shari's own apparently conflicting inclinations, they expand with each decision she has to make, with many of these decisions structured to preserve both the A and B narratives. Appointing a high-profile, Wall Street-wowing CEO - the favorites in this scenario include former DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg or former News Corp. COO Peter Chernin - would demand assurances of a long-term future and pretty much take a CBS merger off the table. Hence, it's seen as an unlikely move. But a variation on that move turns Thomas May - who took the chairman's job after Dauman was ousted - into only an interim chairman. He would be replaced, as part of a good governance approach, with a well-known big-foot mogul with time on his hands. The potential lineup here includes former Disney CEO Michael Eisner, former Viacom CEO Tom Freston as well as Katzenberg and Chernin.

Read more: Viacom's Next Steps: Does CBS' Leslie Moonves Hold the Key?

Some smart money puts Freston, although he's publicly demurring, as top man here, in part because he and Shari are said to have bonded over their mutual exile by her father and, too, because his close friend, venture capitalist and major behind-the-scenes New York player Ken Lerer, is now a leading voice on the board; indeed, many believe he took the board job at Freston's behest and with an eye on Freston's interests. (Lerer is said to have encouraged the shift from Brunswick, Viacom's traditional PR firm, to Finsbury, which merged with Lerer's former firm and is aggressively advocating the good governance narrative.)

While strengthening the clout of the board with a big-foot chairman with personal independence (all the above candidates are rich in their own right) is a significant good governance move, it also arguably is part of a not-so-good governance strategy to implement the B narrative, the CBS slam-up.

In this, a more independent chairman paves the way for a less independent CEO, likely one of three internal candidates, who would be more willing than a big foot to be an interim figure awaiting savior Moonves:

Cyma Zarghami, who is aligned with Katzenberg, now leads Nickelodeon, Viacom's most successful business, one with a global brand, a big consumer products division and meaningful IP franchises (SpongeBob and Kids' Choice Awards). She's the only creative executive in the bunch (the company's other main creative, Doug Herzog, is considered highly vulnerable). And she's a woman. Her downside is she is famous for her tyrannical behavior and management brutality. Other top managers likely would flee if she became CEO.

Bob Bakish, said to be most closely aligned with Freston and the MTV old guard, is the CEO of Viacom International, the fastest-growing part of the company. He's a fixer. An operations guy. A safe but not inspirational choice.

Wade Davis, aligned with Chernin, is the company CFO. He's the internal favorite and a possible straddle between narratives A and B. That is, he could move the company closer to CBS, and is perhaps the only person who has a grasp on Viacom's Byzantine dividend and buy-back programs and the structure of its complicated debt. But he's also a risk taker and the executive who has led, even as turmoil engulfed the company, the internal turnaround plan. Oft he internal candidates, he could most credibly run an independent Viacom if the CBS merger path isn't taken. Still, if the issue is how to emerge from one of the deepest corporate quagmires going, you probably don't choose anybody who, no matter their talents, has been part of the quagmire. If the emphasis is truly on leading a Viacom turnaround, you go to an outsider. Except if the outsider is Leslie Moonves and you're merely waiting for him to get enthusiastic about saddling his successful company with a crappy one.

Read more: Leslie Moonves: CBS "Not in Active Discussions" to Merge With Viacom

Moonves, when the Redstone properties were divided in 2006, was relegated to a diminished CBS but then emerged as a mogul for all seasons. In this path, the solution to the Viacom problem is to let Les solve it. The snag is that you do this at the expense of CBS shareholders, who would have to absorb the cost of a Viacom turnaround (CBS shares have already taken a big hit at the mere rumor of the recombination). Or you do it at the expense of Viacom shareholders, who would have to take a vastly larger haircut than they've already taken to make it worthwhile for CBS shareholders, Moonves chief among them.

Confusingly, the Redstone interests here are different from the interests of Viacom shareholders or of CBS shareholders because the Redstones hold equal amounts of both companies. If Viacom takes the hit in favor of CBS, or vice versa, the Redstones still benefit.

It is hard to argue a fair-minded, good governance case for the B narrative and the re-merger. That's partly why analyst Rich Greenfield, with ties to Shari, seems to have been delegated to do it: "If I were in Shari Redstone's shoes, I'd want Les Moonves  to run the combined company," he recently pronounced. No matter what Moonves wants.

This then is the point at which the narratives collide in open contradiction. Indeed, Dooley is said to have bailed on extending his CEO status over irreconcilable differences with Shari - likely that the agenda would have been hers and not his. On Sept. 23, not waiting for a new CEO and despite the A narrative of not getting involved in operations, Shari dived into the mess at Paramount and fired vice chairman Rob Moore. Peculiarly, she left in place chairman Brad Grey, presumably for Viacom's new CEO to fire.

Indeed, running Paramount is another job of probably an interim nature. If there is a re-merger, Moonves likely would want his own studio head. And, if there isn't a re-merger, then, even though the sale of a minority stake in Paramount was a flashpoint issue in Dauman's ouster, a sale of the entire studio - some believe it could fetch as much as $10 billion - remains an obvious part of a Viacom turnaround solution. ("Shari," says an executive who has known her for many years, "is not a sentimentalist. If she could turn everything into cash, she probably would.")

The smart money believes former Fox film head Jim Gianopulos not only is among the most talented movie execs available (his unexpected recent ouster from Fox is said to have occurred because the Murdoch sons wanted more direct control of the studio) but that he might be agreeable to a temporary, albeit lucrative, appointment. If that's so, he, too, may be useful as an even bigger hedge.

This comes back to the Moonves wild card. What happens if Shari makes the decision to recombine Viacom with CBS but Moonves won't go along? Currently, Moonves holds all the cards. Except if there were a credible Viacom CEO. What you'd uniquely need is a CEO who would gracefully bow out if Moonves accepted a merger, but, about whom, if necessary, you could credibly argue has the bona fides and chops to take the ultimate job - you really do need this anyway as negotiating leverage with Moonves. So Gianopulous, perhaps. Or possibly Tom Staggs, the former COO at Disney, who was being groomed as Bob Iger's replacement until the board got cold feet. Or the fabulously well-connected Shari friend, Hillary Clinton confidante, new Viacom board member and former Sony president Nicole Seligman. Big feet who are not so big as the biggest feet.

But in the end, even with every possible outcome still in play, and with a fair portion of the top talent in the media industry either wanting a say or wanting to play a part, and with Leslie Moonves having established for himself something near an ultimate bargaining position, the lesson may yet be the same as it has always been: The only name that really counts in the Redstone-controlled universe is Redstone.

A version of this story first appeared in the Oct. 14 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
Mindy Kaling wrote a new movie, and its like The Devil Wears Prada, and we were born ready for this

Mindy Kaling wrote a new movie, and its like The Devil Wears Prada, and we were born ready for this

If you go to bed every single night, wishing, hoping, and praying that soon, Mindy Kaling will be running all of Hollywood, do we have some great news for you: Shes got a brand new movie in the works.

And not only is she going to star in it but she WROTE IT. And its about a late night television host  a FEMALE late night television host. And that female television host will be played by Emma Thompson, so lets go ahead and just call it now, the new Hollywood dream team following in the footsteps of Hanks and Ryan, and Stone and Gosling, is Kaling and Thompson!

'Alone in Berlin' Press Conference - 66th Berlinale International Film Festival

According to Variety, who first broke the news, the story is described as The Devil Wears Prada meets Broadcast News and follows, a venerated late-night talk show host, played by Thompson, whos in danger of losing her long-running show right when she hires her first female writer, played by Kaling.

Oh gosh, can we buy tickets for this movie NOW?

Kaling is actually no stranger to late night television. Yes, shes been a guest on just about every show out there so far, but once upon a time she actually used to intern for Late Night with Conan OBrien (where she is self-described as the worst intern ever).

Glad to see shes put what she (didnt) learn at Conan to good use. The movie is currently in very early stages of pre-production, so dont expect to see it on the big screen for some time. But its coming, and hopefully more Kaling movies will follow after it, and soon, she will rule over all of Hollywood like the queen she is



.

The post Mindy Kaling wrote a new movie, and its like The Devil Wears Prada, and we were born ready for this appeared first on HelloGiggles.
(Reuters) - Minnesota on Wednesday handed over to prosecutors a probe into the fatal police shooting of a black motorist, officials said, as the county attorney weighed possible charges in a case that gained widespread attention through social media.

Philando Castile, 32, was shot on July 6 in Falcon Heights, a St. Paul suburb, during a traffic stop. The shooting, along with that of a black man by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the day before, fueled public outrage in the United States over the use of excessive force by police. [nL1N19T1Z0]

Castile's girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, live-streamed images of him after he was shot, and some of them went viral on social media. Reynolds said after the shooting that Castile had told police he had a firearm carry permit and that he was armed.

She said they had been stopped for a broken tail light and that Castile was reaching for his license and registration when he was shot.

The state's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, a division of Minnesota's public safety department, gave its findings into Castile's death to the Ramsey County Attorney on Wednesday. The information is not public because of the ongoing investigation.

Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said in a statement that his office would conduct a review of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's investigation "to determine what justice requires in this case."

Choi said in a public letter earlier this month that he was weighing possible charges against Officer Jeronimo Yanez, who killed Castile.

Yanez, and fellow officer Joseph Kauser, who was with him during the traffic stop, were placed on administrative leave in July.

(Reporting by Timothy Mclaughlin in Chicago; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
Led by Midnight Sun, one of the most anticipated shows in Europe, Studiocanal is bringing four new TV series onto the market at Mipcom, its biggest TV sales slate ever.

Backed by Canal Plus and Swedish broadcaster SVT and written by The Bridge co-screenwriters Mans Marlind and Bjorn Stein, Midnight Sun is joined by Below the Surface, from Denmarks SAM Productions, run by the creators of Borgen and The Killing and the producer of A Royal Affair. The two series establish Studiocanal as a preeminent representative of Nordic noir and Scandinavian TV talent at Mipcom.

Also on Studiocanals slate: the procedural Paranoid, from Nicola Shindlers Manchester-based RED Production Company, producer of Harlan Cobens The Five, which launched last week on ITV1 to above-average ratings; and Crazyhead, from Misfits creator Howard Overman, described as a Buffy-style demon slayer horror comedy, from Londons Urban Myth Films.

Urban is one of three TV production houses  along with Benedict Cumberbatchs SunnyMarch TV and Madrid-based Bambu Productions (Velvet)  in which Studiocanal took a minority stake, a move announced at Aprils Mip TV. Studiocanals Mipcom slate shows the fruits of this producer network.

Partnering with or owning seven companies gives us the chance to grow step by step and bring to the market a broader, more diverse slate, said Rodolphe Buet, Studiocanal president, international marketing and distribution.

Its partners are also more producing series on a European scale, highlighting previously untold true stories across the continent.

Midnight Sun is a case in point. A buzzed-up series since its first two episodes bowed at Aprils Paris Series Mania, sharing its coveted Audience Award, the high-end murder mystery tracks a French police officer, Kahina Zadi (Leila Bekhti, A Prophet), who is dispatched from Paris to a small mining community in Arctic Sweden to investigate the gruesome murder of a French citizen. She is aided by a local Swedish DA, Anders Harnesk (Gustaf Hammarsten, The Girl in the Dragon Tattoo).

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Spoken in English, Swedish, French and Sami, Midnight Sun mixes a thriller narrative, stunning Lapland landscapes, troubled characters  both Zadi and Harnesk have to accept their true identity, one as a mother, the other as a gay Sami cop  and true-events-based issues, here of a decidedly ecological bent.

Studiocanal is in advanced negotiations to close sales deals with various partners worldwide, said Rodolphe Buet. The breadth of buyers reflects Midnight Suns ability to address both free TV and pay TV audiences, he added.

Below the Surface, an eight-part crime thriller made by SAM for Denmarks Discovery Communications-owned Kanal 5, turns on 15 people taken hostage on a Copenhagen subway train by three masked armed men. A task force led by Philip Norgaard (Johannes Lassen, 1864) is sent in to rescue them as a journalist (Paprika Steen, The Celebration) plays go-between with their captors. Kasper Barfoed (Dicte  Crime Reporter) serves as the series creator, head writer and concept director; Morten Kjems Hytten Juhl, producer of Johannes Nyholms Toronto-screened feature The Giant, produces; Sren Sveistrup (The Killing) and Adam Price (Borgen) are creative producers, Meta Louise Foldager Srensen (A Royal Affair) executive producer. Action plays out over eight days, one day per episode, Buet said.

Made for ITV and Netflix, Paranoid stars Indira Varma (Luther, Torchwood), opening with a small-town murder investigation which quickly spirals into an ever-darkening mystery on a European scale, Studiocanal said in a statement.

That pan-European dimension is part of Studiocanals roots: We want to anchor TV series, as well as films, in Europe, said Buet.

Paranoid is written by Bill Gallagher (The Paradise), produced by Tom Sherry (Prey, Ordinary Lies, Scott & Bailey) and executive-produced by Shindler (Happy Valley, The Five, Last Tango in Halifax) and Gallagher.

Crazyhead stars Cara Theobald (Downtown Abbey) and Susan Wokoma (Chewing Gum) as two women dealing with being in their early twenties while facing off with the legions of hell. Thrilling, anarchic and rude, though turning on love, friendship and accepting who you are, according to Studiocanal, Crazyhead is scheduled to bow this fall on Channel 4s E4 in the U.K., a channel targeting 15-35s.

Its a genre which Studiocanal wants to develop further. Weve seen over the last months how comedy is growing, Buet said.

He added:  Just look at the fantastic results of Bridget Jones internationally at the moment. People are looking for comedy.

Crazyhead is exec-produced by Urban Myths Johnny Capps (Merlin, Sugar Rush), Julian Murphy (Merlin, Hex) and Overman,

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Jonathan Butler (c), a University of Missouri grad student who did a 7 day hunger strike listens along with founding members of the campus group, Concerned Student 1950, during a forum speaking to students on the campus of University of Missouri - Columbia on November 9, 2015 in Columbia, Missouri. Students celebrate the resignation of University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe amid allegations of racism. (Photo by Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images)

The University of Missouri has suspended its Delta Upsilon fraternity chapter after reports that members shouted racist and sexist epithets at members of a black student government group, The Columbia Daily Tribune reported.

The move came hours after Delta Upsilon's International also suspended the chapter as a result of the alleged incident, which took place at 11:50 p.m. on September 27, according to a statement by the group allegedly targeted, the Legion of Black Collegians.

A group of six to seven white male and female students shouted, look at those n------ looking at us, according to the statement. Nearby police reportedly approached and intended to deescalate, when members members of Delta Upsilon shouted, 'Mizzou PC, c----, B-----, N------' and a plethora of other micro-aggressions," the statement continued.

The incident comes almost exactly a year after a similar racial incident sparked mass tension on Mizzou's Columbia, Missouri, campus in September 2015.

Tensions continued to rise when the Legion of Black Collegians was targeted with hate speech in October. The students were rehearsing for a play when an inebriated white male used racial slurs against them, according the Columbia Missourian.

Students rebuffed the Mizzou administration for a lack of action, and athletes of color on the Missouri football team pledged not to play football until university president, Tim Wolfe, resigned or was fired. Wolfe stepped down in November.

This time, Mizzou administrators seem keen to get in front of the alleged situation and disparage any acts of racism.

I am outraged and saddened to hear of this! Interim Chancellor Hank Foley said, according to the Tribune. The University of Missouri is committed to fostering an inclusive campus environment where all students, faculty, staff and visitors can live, learn, work and feel safe.

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Mizzou's diversity officer is set to meet with the students allegedly targeted in the incident.

Mizzou did not immediately respond to our request for comment.

NOW WATCH: DAVID CAY JOHNSTON: 'Donald Trump is literally making a profit off of his campaign'





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By Linda Thrasybule (Reuters Health) - Although current U.S. guidelines encourage women to stop drinking while trying to get pregnant, a new Danish study suggests giving up alcohol may not be necessary for improving the chances of conceiving. Women in the study who drank up to 14 drinks per week were just as likely as those who didnt drink at all to get pregnant in the first month of trying. We tell women not to eat seafood, or consume too much caffeine when trying to conceive, Dr. Christina Porucznik of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City told Reuters Health by phone. So its reassuring to know that if they drink a small amount of alcohol, its not going to prevent them from getting pregnant. But she cautions that women who think they might be pregnant should still limit their alcohol intake. In this study, they focus on drinking before you conceive. But we know that alcohol can be harmful for the fetus, said Porucznik, who studies the effects of the environment on pregnancy but who wasnt involved in the current research. Lead author Dr. Ellen Mikkelsen, senior researcher in the Department of Clinical Epidemiology at Aarhus University in Denmark, didnt respond to a request for comment. The researchers analyzed national survey data collected from 2007 through 2016 from 6,120 Danish women, ages 18 to 40, who were in stable relationships with men and were trying to conceive. As part of the surveys, women were asked to consider their alcohol intake during the previous month and to report on average how many servings of alcohol they consumed weekly. The definition of one serving varied depending on the type of drink: beer (330 mL, or about 11 oz), red or white wine (120 mL; about 4 oz), dessert wine (50 mL; about 2 oz), and hard liquor (20 mL; about 1 oz). Researchers also accounted for risk factors including age, menstrual cycle regularity, frequency and timing of sex, caffeine intake and last method of birth control. But they didnt examine the alcohol habits of male partners. By the end of the study, 4,210 women, or 69 percent, had gotten pregnant. Fecundability  the probability of getting pregnant in a single menstrual cycle  was similar as long as women consumed less than 14 servings a week of hard liquor, the researchers found. Consumption of beer and wine made no appreciable difference to fecundability no matter how much women consumed, they found. The study wasnt designed to examine the effects of binge drinking on fertility, the authors note in The BMJ. Dr. Lynn Westphal, who studies fertility issues in women at Stanford University Medical Center in California but was not involved with the study, was not surprised by its findings. Its common knowledge that women get pregnant even while drinking, she said. For women who want to conceive, its most important to think about living a healthy lifestyle, said Westphal. Its a good time for women to cut back on alcohol, especially for those who drink heavily, she said. If theyre aware of their drinking habits, theyll hopefully be mindful of stopping as soon as they get pregnant. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2bKojfP The BMJ, online August 31, 2016.
The health secretary has been urged to outline how he will stop the practice of hospitals discharging frail and elderly people in the middle of the night.



A committee of MPs called for Jeremy Hunt to take action over potentially dangerous night discharges between 11pm and 6am.

The calls come after a report from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) in May detailed worrying cases of frail and elderly people being sent home from hospital while they were still unwell or unable to cope.

In one case, a woman in her 80s was discharged from hospital to an empty house while she was in a confused state and still had a catheter in place. In another, a grandmother in her late 90s collapsed and died in her granddaughters arms after being discharged from hospital too soon.

One hospital sent an 85-year-old woman with dementia home alone at 11pm without telling her family, despite the fact she was unable to look after herself.

Action - MPs have urged Jeremy Hunt to set out how he will stop people being discharged at night (Pictures: PA)

The ombudsman - which saw a 36% rise in discharge-related investigations in 2015 - found that some deaths and incidents of suffering could have been prevented if hospitals carried out the right checks before discharging people.

In a new report, the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) urged Jeremy Hunt to ensure that people are only discharged between 11pm and 6am if they want to be.

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It said: We agree with the Alzheimers Society that night discharges are potentially dangerous for patients, and detrimental to their carers and relatives.

The PACAC found that the cases outlined by the ombudsman werent isolated incidents but examples of a wider problem caused by pressure on resources and capacity in hospitals.

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Management - staff feel pressured to discharge patients before its safe, MPs said

Chairman Bernard Jenkin, Conservative MP for Harwich and North Essex, said: "Hospital staff seem to feel pressured to discharge patients before it is safe to do so.

Janet Morrison, chief executive of the charity Independent Age, said: "This report paints a damning picture of the management of hospital discharge across many parts of the NHS.

We are consistently seeing record numbers of people being kept in hospital unnecessarily because appropriate care services have not been put in place.

"Elsewhere, the worrying revolving door approach means people are being rushed out of hospital too soon as the race to find beds takes priority over patients needs. Sadly, frail patients who werent even ready to leave only find they end up back in hospital again.


A couple days after Donald Trumps trip to Mexico City, his campaign posted a video on YouTube showing his arrival at Los Pinos, the official residence and office of Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.

The video shows Trump step from a gleaming white Mexican Air Force helicopter that transported him from the Mexico City airport on Aug. 31. It was really good, thank you, Trump can be heard saying on the video, when asked by a Mexican official about his trip.

The details of who paid for the helicopter trip, however, remain shrouded in mystery, raising concerns in the capitals of Mexico and the United States.

Campaign finance experts say U.S. election law likely prohibits the Mexican government from picking up the tab of Trumps helicopter flight, under statutes that bar any foreign national from contributing, donating or spending funds in connection with any federal, state, or local election in the United States, either directly or indirectly. Mexican legislators, meanwhile, have fumed at the possibility that the Mexican people subsidized Trumps August visit.

Read More: Transcript of Read Donald Trump and Enrique Pena Nietos Press Conference

The Trump campaigns August filing with the Federal Election Commission includes no listed reimbursement to the Mexican government for the use of the helicopter, nor any other associated costs of the trip. In response to questions from TIME, the office of Pena Nieto also declined any comment on the cost of the helicopter flight, and whether there was a reimbursement.

Trumps campaign did not address a specific question about the helicopter expense but spokeswoman Hope Hicks said in a statement, expenses for this trip werent due on this report and will appear on the next report. If Trump was invoiced for the helicopter in September, he could wait to report it until next month.

The trip to Mexico was clearly a campaign event, said GOP election lawyer Charles Spies, and it is impermissible for a foreign government to make contributions to a federal campaign, so the campaign would need to reimburse the Mexican government for the helicopter in able to avoid an impermissible in-kind contribution.

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Mexican opposition lawmakers, who were critical of the trip from the moment it was announced, condemned the governments expenditure of funds on Trump. Not a single Mexican liked Mr. Trumps visit, and much less the idea that their taxes contributed to his visit in this campaign, said Senator Gabriela Cuevas of the National Action Party. Senator Luis Humberto Fernandez, of the Party of the Democratic Revolution, told TIME that he requested that Pena Nietos government to detail the costs associated with the trip but has yet to hear back. Ethically it is not correct or possible that the Mexicans tax money goes to launch or relaunch [of] Mr. Trumps campaign, he said.

Paul Ryan, the deputy executive director of the Campaign Legal Center, a watchdog group, told TIME that any expense relating to a campaign event must be covered by the campaign. Failure by the Trump campaign to reimburse Mexico for Mr. Trumps Mexico trip would amount to the receipt of an illegal in-kind contribution from the state of Mexico, he said.

Tony Herman, a former general counsel at the FEC, said there is a well-recognized exemption for Secret Service protection that campaigns dont have to pay for. And while the helicopter may be claimed as a security requirement, taking it as in-kind would be uncharted territory, for the committee.

A Secret Service spokesperson referred questions to the campaign.

If Trump fails to reimburse the Mexican government for the trip, he could face an investigation by the FEC, which could level fines or even refer the case to the Department of Justice. But the six-member commission is notoriously deadlocked on partisan lines, making enforcement action unlikely. A campaign found to take illegal contributions is fined $5,000 under federal election law, while those knowingly accepting the payments can be fined the same amount and imprisoned for up to one year.

Additional reporting by Dolly Mascarenas/Mexico City and Sam Frizell
During Monday nights presidential debate, Hillary Clinton, eyes fixed on her audience, declared that words matter when spoken by political leaders. Some might dismiss this as a glib cliche, but it also reminds us that these debates matter greatly for well-functioning democracies. The ancient Greek historian Thucydides, who recounts  or, more likely, re-creates  in his History of the Peloponnesian War many celebrated debates between Athenian statesmen, would surely agree.

Unfortunately, theres also good reason to believe that Thucydides would find Clintons performance as a cautionary tale, rather than a paean to democratic values. The Mytilenean Debate was a verbal duel that, in uncanny and unsettling ways, anticipated this weeks presidential clash and suggests that while Clinton won the debate, the loser might not just be Donald Trump but also America.

In 428 B.C., scarcely three years into its war against Sparta, Athens found itself in desperate straits. The war had lasted longer than anticipated; Athenss powerful leader, Pericles, had perished in a plague sweeping the polis; and most disturbing, one of the citys historic allies, Mytilene, had suddenly gone over to Sparta. (Both Athens and Mytilene belonged to the Delian League, a Greek rehearsal for NATO. Just as America dominates the latter, Athens was the heavy lifter in the former.) Though an Athenian fleet besieged and brought Mytilene to heel, anxiety was running high not only over this betrayal but also because a Spartan fleet, in a failed attempt to relieve the siege, managed to sail through Athenian waters unimpeded. Overwhelmed, the Athenians voted to have all adult male Mytileneans killed and their women and children sold into slavery. Upon wakening the next day, however, and discovering that a ship had already departed to execute the citys order, some horrified Athenians demanded that the assembly reconsider its initial decision.

At this point, Cleon steps onto the stage of Athenian history. Inheriting the wealth of his father, who was a merchant, the ambitious Cleon parlayed it into a political career. Both Thucydides and the comic playwright Aristophanes portray Cleon as a bellicose buffoon who uses and abuses the demos, or people, to rise to power. Furious with the moral qualms expressed at the assembly, Cleon declares that the empire is a tyranny exercised over subjects who do not like it. If that isnt to your taste, he thunders, surrender your empire  [and] go in for philanthropy. In the end, Athenss security trumps justice: A city is better off with bad laws, so long as they remain fixed, than with good laws that are constantly being altered.

Speaking immediately after is Diodotus, who appears as calm and collected as Cleon was seething and strident. It is obvious that he has clearly prepared for this moment. The good citizen, he announces, ought to triumph not by frightening the people, but by beating them fairly in argument. But Diodotus, placed on the defensive by Cleons claim that national security requires brutal realism, shows a greater sense of realpolitik than Cleon. Forswearing idealism, Diodotus argues that the question of right and wrong, either in moral or legal terms, was irrelevant. Instead, the assembly must consider if the motion was to Athenss advantage. Given the situation with Mytilene, he argues, there are no good choices, only lesser bad choices. Our national security, Diodotus affirms, is best guaranteed by showing leniency to the Mytileneans  not because we are Pollyannas, but because we are pragmatists. Showing mercy, he insists, is the only way to avoid future rebellions against Athens.

Swayed by Diodotus, the assembly sends a ship in all haste to overtake the earlier one sent on, in Thucydidess words, a distasteful mission. Worthy of The Perils of Pauline, the second ship arrives just when the first ship is about to execute the assemblys original order, thus sparing the lives of the Mytileneans. With a sigh of relief, the reader concludes that alls well that ends well.

Or not. The debate between Cleon and Diodotus unfolds not just in the shadow of war but also in the shadow of Pericles. From 461 until his death in 429, Pericles enjoyed undisputed ascendancy. This dominance was due to Pericless oratorical brilliance and strategic genius but also to his large and liberal vision of democracy. In his celebrated funeral oration, Pericles underscored the ideals that all Athenians should strive, sacrifice, and die for. He glorified not just what Athens was, but what Athens could become, praising what the city had already done and all that it could do in the future. Dwelling on those Athenian traits that had made the city great, including its openness, tolerance, its ideal of equality, and sense of balance, Pericles declared that Athens served as an education for all of Greece.

In the end, the education offered by Athens  and told by Thucydides  was as tragic as the plays of Aeschylus. The harrowing brutality of the endless Peloponnesian War reached its nadir sometime after the Mytilenean Debate at Melos, a neutral city that, in 416, the Athenians devastated as a reminder to other Greek poleis that either you were a winner with Athens or a loser with Sparta. It was a massacre that Diodotuss pragmatic logic had paved the way for. In a dialogue that precedes the siege, the Athenian commander makes clear to the Melians that the only matters he will discuss are expediency and advantage. The standard of justice, he announces, depends on the equality of power to compel and that in fact the strong do what they have the power to do and the weak accept what they have to accept.

Justice and right, clearly, are for low-energy types. The Athenians declare, extrapolating from Diodotus, that the sole law of human nature, and thus the central rule of international relations, is that of power; and since they are stronger than the Melians, they have every right to expect them to bow to their demands. The Melians refuse, revealing another truth of human nature: Just as the will to exert power is all too human, so is the will to resist. Athenian hubris gives birth to increasingly determined efforts at resistance and reaches its crescendo less than a decade later in Sicily, where Athens was decisively defeated by local forces.

Pericless oration was widely cited by the democrats of his day and has continued to be by their successors in the centuries since. Pericless words, or at least those given to him by Thucydides, for example, inspired and shaped Abraham Lincolns writing of the Gettysburg Address. But if this weeks presidential debate serves as a prologue to the next six weeks, its the far less comforting Mytilenean Debate that embodies the present state of American politics. There are striking and sobering parallels between Cleon and Diodotus on the one hand and, on the other hand, our presidential candidates. We have been pummeled by the lawless and pitiless tirades of our own scion of a wealthy father  a demagogic discourse that has struck a chord with the demos.

But rather than rising, rhetorically and morally, to this challenge, Hillary Clinton has instead done a Diodotus. In the debate, she regaled us with her practicality and returned repeatedly to the need for realpolitik. For example, her reply to Trumps criticism of the Iran nuclear deal  that it has succeeded in putting a lid on the threat  makes sense in a certain narrow way but lacks the heroic sensibility found in Pericless speeches. The daring and candor of the Athenians, qualities embodied and emphasized by Pericles, were as absent from Clintons words and person as they were from Diodotuss.

With Clinton, as with Diodotus, political language and action undermine directness and transparency  traits, Thucydides writes, that marked the Periclean period  for coldness and calculation, both on the level of personal ambition and on the level of national strategy. Diodotus lacked, as does Clinton, what we have come to call the vision thing. And though they both seek what the Greeks called the good  that is to say, the pursuit of worthy ideals  Diodotus and Clinton do so not by rousing their fellow citizens to rise to their nations ideals, but instead by encouraging them to lower themselves to matters of practical advantage.

Thucydides insisted his work was not a piece of writing designed to meet the taste of an immediate public but was done to last forever. A braggadocious claim, one of our candidates might now say. But Thucydidess brand has lasted two millennia, and one reason  a huge reason, really  is its insights into the ties between language and democracy. Democrats might well read or reread Pericless funeral oration: If we dont truly grasp that words matter, for democracys defenders no less than its destroyers, it may spell the impending funeral of our own democracy.

Photo credit: Getty Images/Foreign Policy illustration
NAFTA is taking a beating this election season.

Donald Trump called the trade agreement between Canada, Mexico and the United States the single worst trade deal ever approved in this country during the first presidential debate against Hillary Clinton. Earlier this year, Bernie Sanders leveled a similar criticism, calling it disastrous when debating the former secretary of date during the primaries.

But whether NAFTA has been good or bad for the U.S. economy depends largely on who you ask. American companies that benefit from lower-wage workers in foreign countries give it a thumbs-up, while the American workers whove lost jobs or are earning lower wages decry the agreement.

NAFTA, short for the North American Free Trade Agreement, has been around since 1994 and was the product of both George H.W. Bushs and Bill Clintons administrations. It was designed to reduce barriers to trade and investment by eliminating tariffs between the three North American countries.

NAFTA means jobs. American jobs, and good-paying American jobs. If I didn't believe that, I wouldn't support this agreement, then-President Clinton said in 1993.

Related: The Most Important Point Clinton Made in Her Debate Against Trump

Fast forward more than two decades later and NAFTA is rallying cry for those who believe free trade has done more for other countries than for American workers. Trump and Sanders have been at the forefront of this criticism, while Clinton began to back away from her full-throated support of NAFTA when she first ran for president in 2008, and more so as she battled Sanders and now Trump in 2016.

Trump has promised to renegotiate NAFTAs terms to get a better deal for our workers, according to his campaign site. If that doesnt work, he vows to withdraw from the agreement altogether.

Clinton doesnt address NAFTA specifically on her campaign site, but promises to reject trade agreements that dont meet her high standard of raising wages, creating good-paying jobs, while cracking down on companies that move jobs overseas.

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According to one widely cited analysis, NAFTA has been a bad deal for tens of thousands of American workers. A study from the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute found that the trade deficit with Mexico and Canada ballooned more than tenfold from $17 billion to $177.2 billion between 1993 and 2013. That trade flow displaced 851,700 American jobs as companies moved production facilities out of the country in pursuit of cheaper labor.

Related: Conservative Economists Mock Trump Campaigns Trade Proposals

Prominent economists and U.S. government officials predicted that NAFTA would lead to growing trade surpluses with Mexico and that hundreds of thousands of jobs would be gained, the study said. The evidence shows that the predicted surpluses  did not materialize. Instead, trade deficits became larger.

But not everyone agrees with the overall assessment. The non-partisan Congressional Research Service last year concluded that NAFTA had a relatively modest effect on jobs and the overall economy, largely because trade with Canada and Mexico was a relatively small percentage of the countrys gross domestic product. In reality, NAFTA did not cause the huge job losses feared by the critics or the large economic gains predicted by supporters, the study said.

Related: Trump Denounces Globalization, but Trade Experts Arent Buying It

Part of the reason its hard to parse out the specific effects of NAFTA is because the economy is so large and complex, and other forces are continuously at work. For example, deindustrialization in the U.S. is a long-term trend that was well underway before the trade agreement was implemented. Most economists believe that the movement of low-end production out of the country would have happened with or without NAFTA, though the agreement may have hastened the process.

The late 90s was a period of strong economic growth in North America, and its hard to see negative effects from the agreement in the data. Trade between the three countries increased almost three-fold between 1993 and 2006 and total employment rose, with nearly 50 million new jobs being added in the treaty nations.

So if the U.S. economy did so well after NAFTA, is there any reason to think the trade agreement was harmful? It all depends on where you are in the economic structure. A 2012 review by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development weighed NAFTAs macroeconomic benefits against the plight of the thousands of largely low-skilled workers who were displaced in its wake. Many of them could not bridge the gap in skills to take the higher-skilled positions that had replaced the jobs they had lost to trade. Retraining and assistance programs didnt appreciably help those workers find new jobs, either, the report said.

The report questioned whether the gains in trade under NAFTA were enough to offset the struggles of displaced workers and recommended that future agreements include stronger provisions to protect U.S. workers exposed to foreign competition.

But it may be too late for those Americans who have already lost their jobs to overseas competition and have been unable to enjoy the fruits of the larger and more efficient economy. Those workers are the ones who may use their votes this November as a referendum on free trade.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
Ten years ago, Betty France, executive vice president and assistant treasurer of NASCAR, formed the NASCAR Foundation, the charitable arm of the popular auto racing organization.

Under her guidance, the foundation supported emerging childrens charities both financially and by shining the national spotlight on them. France passed away this last August, but at Tuesday nights NASCAR Foundations Honors Gala 2017  held for the first time in New York at Times Squares Marriot Marquis  her son Brian France, the CEO and Chairman of NASCAR, told Variety that he was determined to continue his mothers work. Weve got to be in touch with our industry and fanbase, its just the right thing to do, he said. This is for our children.

The Gala was hosted by NASCAR on NBC host Krista Voda and opened with remarks by Today Show host Hoda Kotb, who noted that she got to speak the iconic drivers, start your engines line at a NASCAR event last year.

Each year, the Foundation picks a number of charities to highlight and encourages fans to vote for the winner of the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award Winner. This year, the four finalists were Tuesdays Children, a foundation dedicated to helping families who lost a loved one on September 11 or other terrorist attacks, the pediatric brain cancer research and awareness charity Team Jack Foundation, Mikaylas Voice, a charity started by Logan Houptley when he was nine to promote inclusion and awareness of the differently abled, and Backpack Beginnings, an organization started by Parker While to combat food insecurity in her hometown of Greensboro, North Carolina. The $100,000 award went to Team Jack, while the other three finalists received $25,000.

Additionally, the gala featured a two-song set from Sara Bareilles, and a charity auction hosted by rapid-fire interlocutor Colonel Michael R. Powers, who auctioned off tickets to the 2017 Super Bowl and a Daytona 500 VIP experience, as well as an original painting from 2015 Betty France Humanitarian Award Winner Jeff Hanson, who started making brightly colored paintings to raise money for charity when he learned he was going blind.

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This is what her sole purpose was, what she saw for NASCAR, helping other families, and Im honored to be a small part of it, says NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. of the evening and Frances legacy. This was her one thing that she wanted to succeed in NASCAR, and I think everyone in our sport has embraced it to make sure it keeps going and keeps doing the the great things that it does.

Other drivers in attendance included Danica Patrick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Rusty Wallace and more.

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Norfolk, Va.  Nate Parker got a rapturous reception on Tuesday at Norfolk State University, a historically black college half a mile from the housing project where he lived during his early years.

Im home, he told the packed theater, to a huge ovation.

The appearance was The Birth of a Nation directors first on a college campus since controversy erupted last month over his acquittal on rape charges 17 years ago.

Parker did not mention the controversy, nor was he asked about it. Instead, he stuck to the themes of the film. The audience of about 350 people  almost entirely African-American  greeted him like a returning hero.

He had a confession, he said. The first time he was on the campus he was three years old in campus care as his mother, Carolyn, attended classes. But not for long. I actually got kicked out, he said. I think it was for biting.

Parkers appearance followed by the private screening in a nearby multiplex of The Birth of a Nation. He co-wrote, stars, and directs the film about the 1931 slave rebellion led by Nat Turner that left 60 whites dead and as many as 200 slaves and free blacks killed in retaliation. Turner was hanged, beheaded and skinned.

At his first college promotion appearance, he stressed his desire that the film would be a catalyst for healing and change. My art is a function of my activism, he told the students.

Even before he was an actor, Parker said, Nat Turner was his hero, describing him as a Braveheart for the black community. When I had the potential to become a filmmaker I knew his story was something I could pull everything I wanted into, he said, adding that growing up he had no idea slaves fought for their freedom and were not just given it.

For Parker, Turners story changes the narrative of history. Its important to know slaves resisted from the time they were put into the bottom of a ship, he said. Turners rebels were willing to fight, even with only axes and tools. They poisoned their owners. They destroyed crops.

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Resistance is essential in the fight for freedom, he said, adding that he was not advocating violence.

He wants the film to help people better understand the complexity of racism. How are you going to use that Nat Turner-inspired ideology to resist and create some change in this country? he asked students. You can do it.

Since it won the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prizes earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival and sold for $17.5 million in a rights distribution deal to Fox Searchlight, the movie has been the darling of critics and ignited early awards talk. But promotion for the film, which reaches theaters next month, slowed after the old rape case against Parker resurfaced and it emerged the woman had later committed suicide.

Parker, then a scholarship wrestler at Penn State University, and a roommate were charged with raping a drunken 18-year-old woman. Parker was acquitted. His roommate  Jean Celestin, the co-writer of the film  was convicted, but freed on appeal.

Parker, who has discussed the rape in recent weeks, was not asked about it during a short question-and-answer session with pre-screened questions.

In the movie, the rape of Turners wife, Cherry, incites the revolt. But thats not historically accurate, according to Cassandra Newby-Alexander, a professor of history at Norfolk State and one of those who introduced Parker.

Turner said he wrote the film with 2016 in mind. The first police officers, he noted, were slave catchers. People wonder why we have a fractured relationship with law enforcement, he added.

His film intentionally bears the same title as the racist 1915 Birth of a Nation that reinvigorated the Ku Klux Klan. He urged students to tell the stories of their ancestors, stories like those of Nat Turner and others who revolted against slavery. He referred to the Bibles admonition that a good man leaves an inheritance for the children of his children.

We have to assert ourselves so we are part of the solution, not part of the problem. We have the power to tell stories, he said. We have the power to correct revisionist history. We have the power to pass that on to our children.

After the talk, attendees stood in a long line to take selfies with Parker.

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Viacom shares just spiked 2.0% after Reuters reported that Sumner Redstones National Amusements is about to call for Viacom and CBS to explore a merger.

The exhibition company, which owns 80% of the voting shares at the two media powers, will ask their boards to form independent committees to consider the advantages of a deal.

That call could come this week, the news service says citing two people familiar with the matter.

National Amusements has to handle the matter gingerly. Even though it has voting control of Viacom and CBS, each companys directors also must protect the rights of independent shareholders.

That is a particular concern for CBS, which has been doing well. Some analysts worry that Viacoms weakening cable network ratings reflect a shift by young viewers to digital platforms, and can not be fixed by the kind of program picking skills that CBS chief Les Moonves might bring.

CBS says in a statement that it will always act in the best interest of all of its shareholders.

Moonves told an investor gathering this month that hes very happy with the position we are playing now  we think we have a great future as the CBS Corporation now. He added that the company is never going to do anything that would harm the CBS shareholders.

CBS shares are up less than 1% in mid-day trading.

Viacom desperately needs new leadership and a strategic vision. Interim CEO Tom Dooley  who recently replaced Philippe Dauman  plans to leave on November 15. Directors announced last week that they had scrapped the idea of selling a 49% stake in Paramount in order to consider all options available to the Company.

Redstone and his daughter, Shari, secured their control over Viacom in August. They reached a settlement agreement with Dauman ending his suits seeking to overturn Redstones moves to oust the CEO from the family trust and National Amusements board.

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This week Barclays Kannan Venkateshwar said that he could envision deal terms that might satisfy Viacom and CBS shareholders. But the key is Moonves motivation to take on the complexity of turnaround project when he could just execute on a defined plan for the simpler CBS story.

But Redstone might make Moonves an offer thats too sweet for him and his shareholders to refuse. Brean Capitals Alan Gould said last week that if the controlling shareholder of both companies wants the deal and [Viacom] makes an attractive enough offer, then we assume a deal can get done.

Wells Fargo Securities Marci Ryvicker says a merger is not [an option] that we like at the moment, but adds that a call for one by National Amusements is not surprising.

She says a deal might be done if Viacom, which already shoulders a heavy debt load, borrows even more to pay $100 a share for CBS  a nearly 90% premium to its current trading price. Another possibility is for CBS to buy Viacom at a discount, a possibility that probably would anger its investors.

Viacom paid $35.6 billion for CBS in 2000, but decided in 2005 to spin it off. At the time it was thought that Viacom would be the fast-growing cable company while CBS would appeal to value investors who wanted predictable, if unexciting, returns.

But thinking about the companies changed as cable matured, and CBS opened a new revenue stream by negotiating retransmission consent payments from pay TV distributors.

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National Amusements is pushing CBS and Viacom closer to a merger.

However, no letter has been sent from Sumner Redstones holding company to CBS or Viacom, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter, which makes it an odd move that the push would leak to the media in advance of an official approach to both companies.

National Amusements will ask the boards of both companies to form independent committees related to a possible merger as early as next week, Reuters first reported.

As weve said before, the CBS Corporation will always act in the best interest of all of its shareholders, a company rep said in a statement.

National Amusements controls 80 percent of the voting shares of both Viacom and CBS, and is privately owned by Sumner Redstone and his daughter Shari. Former Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman was forced out of his role at the company this summer after losing a legal bid to declare the 93-year-old Sumner Redstone mentally incompetent. He took a severance package of $70 million.

Mario Gabelli, the billionaire investor who owns more of Viacoms voting shares than anyone not named Redstone, told THR hes also in favor of a CBS-Viacom merger, in part because it would create a much larger company with more leverage when it comes to striking TV distribution deals.

Is it logical? Yes, if CBS is thinking, how do I go global quickly? This is one way, Gabelli said.

He also said Shari Redstone is looking out for her fathers legacy, which would be enhanced if Viacom and CBS were to reunite with CBS CEO Leslie Moonves - trusted by both Shari and Sumner Redstone - at the helm.

Romancing Les has got to be a high priority right now, said Gabelli, who figures a CBS-Viacom merger could close in about six months.

When interim CEO Tom Dooley said last week hed be leaving Nov. 15, it was a signal that a merger with CBS was on the table, many observers say.

Dooley is too close to Philippe. If the goal is to make a fresh start, then his departure makes that easier, said Brett Harris, a research analyst with Gabelli & Co.

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Gabelli and Harris speculate that Viacom, meanwhile, is focusing on an internal search to replace Dooley as CEO, and will likely settle on one of three executives: Doug Herzog, president of Viacom Music and Entertainment Group; CFO Wade Davis; and Robert Bakish, president and CEO of Viacom International Media Networks.

Wells Fargo analyst Marci Ryvicker in a first reaction wrote in a note to investors: We view this as a pretty reasonable thing for National Amusements to do as a CBS-Viacom merger is a possible option - not one that we like at the moment, but the fact that it is being explored is reasonable and not surprising to us.

Highlighting that NA is looking to request the recombination option, she added that this means (to us at least) that there is no forcing a combination, and that CBS/Les Moonves clearly gets a say here.

Concluded Ryvicker: "Given that CBS has been invited to the decision-making party, we are even more comfortable that whatever decision is reached will be in the best interest of CBS shareholders - whether that is: levering Viacom to purchase CBS at a premium, CBS purchasing Viacom at a discount, or CBS concluding that nothing can be done, therefore it will remain independent.

Moonves has talked about a $100 per share sales price [for CBS] before, which would be some pretty nice upside, the analyst also noted.

Viacom stock spiked on the news, trading up 2.7 percent to $35.95 from $35.01. The company now has a market cap of $14.56 billion.

Viacom and National Amusements declined to comment on the deal.
CBS and Viacom are inching closer to discussing a merger, according to a report by Reuters.

The controlling shareholder of both companies is Sumner Redstone's National Amusements, which will ask the boards of both companies to form independent committees related to a possible merger as early as next week, the report said.

"As we've said before, the CBS Corporation will always act in the best interest of all of its shareholders," a company rep said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.

National Amusements controls 80 percent of the voting shares of both Viacom and CBS, and is privately owned by Sumner Redstone and his daughter Shari. Former Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman was forced out of his role at the company this summer after losing a legal bid to declare the 93-year-old Sumner Redstone mentally incompetent. He took a severance package of $70 million.

Wells Fargo analyst Marci Ryvicker in a first reaction wrote in a note to investors: "We view this as a pretty reasonable thing for National Amusements to do as a CBS-Viacom merger is a possible option - not one that we like at the moment, but the fact that it is being explored is reasonable and not surprising to us."

Highlighting that NA is looking to request the recombination option, she added that this "means (to us at least) that there is no ''forcing'' a combination, and that CBS/Les Moonves clearly gets a say here."

Concluded Ryvicker: "Given that CBS has been invited to the decision-making party, we are even more comfortable that whatever decision is reached will be in the best interest of CBS shareholders - whether that is: levering Viacom to purchase CBS at a premium, CBS purchasing Viacom at a discount, or CBS concluding that nothing can be done, therefore it will remain independent."

Moonves "has talked about a $100 per share sales price [for CBS] before, which would be some pretty nice upside," the analyst also noted.

Viacom stock spiked on the news, trading up 2.7 percent to $35.95 from $35.01. The company now has a market cap of $14.56 billion.

Viacom and National Amusements declined to comment on the deal.
By Sharon Burke

Best Defense climate chief

Egypt has long been called the gift of the Nile, but if Egypts upstream neighbor goes ahead with plans to build the massive Renaissance Dam, the Nile might well be exchanging that gift for Ethiopia.

This struggle between Egypt and Ethiopia over water may be peacefully resolved, as are many international disagreements about water rights, but it also has the potential to lead to conflict. Indeed, there have been dark murmurings of sabotage among some Egyptian authorities, who would doubtless find it very difficult to bomb 10 million cubic meters of concrete. This is one security challenge that has no military solution, even if it ends up having military consequences.

I was thinking about this case when I heard that the White House would be releasing a new presidential memorandum on climate security. At first blush, the memorandum may not seem especially impressive  it really just tells 20 government agencies to meet and discuss the topic, and then come up with a plan for more meetings and discussions. But in other ways, this is exactly what the executive branch needs. Theres a governance gap when it comes to climate change policy in general, and even more to the point, this memo underscores the need to rethink what national security means in the 21st century.

The Renaissance Dam is not the only water challenge that has the potential to provoke conflict, nor is it the only 21st century national security problem that that doesnt lend itself to military solutions. But the U.S. government is not really set up to deal with this kind of non-military, long-term, slow-boil security challenge. Even in more kinetic situations, the United States is struggling to figure out how to resolve such crises as Afghanistan, Syria, and Ukraine. You can see that struggle in the new buzzwords defense experts are coming up with to describe this not-quite-war conflict environment, such as full spectrum warfare, anti-access/area-denial threats, and gray zone conflict.

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Despite the new lingo and the creative strategic thinking that goes with it, however, American national security institutions, people, and equipment remain largely optimized for warfighting in the industrial age. The recent readiness hearing in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee was a bit of representative cognitive dissonance: The Service Chiefs all spoke about this turbulent, new security environment, but then largely referred to the big equipment they need (admittedly with a healthy dash of cyber).

What we really need now is a new approach, one that focuses not just on warfighting, but on security building for the digital age.

Dont get me wrong: There will always be war, and the U.S. military still needs conventional capability. At the same time, the United States is not likely to get in a shooting war with near peer nuclear-armed competitors, such as China and Russia. Conflict with them is going to look different  it already does. The Islamic State, al Qaida, and other non-state actors will continue to attack U.S. targets and interests regardless of how many joint strike fighters the Pentagon buys. And some of the most significant threats to U.S. prosperity, interests, and allies are not military in nature at all.

Climate change, in particular, illustrates the importance of making a shift from a warfighting to a security building approach. Climate change is a pervasive threat to national security (as outlined in a new National Intelligence Council report), with the potential to undermine prosperity in ways that can catalyze civil unrest and conflict around the world. At the same time, this is not a security challenge that lends itself to military means; you cant defeat climate change with weapons, not even GPS-guided bombs or rail guns.

The United States government is not, however, set up to manage such a threat. There is no Department of Climate Security, not even a bureau or an office. Instead, the new presidential memorandum is aimed at those 20 different agencies.

First among equals, when it comes to national security, is the Department of Defense, which has acknowledged climate change, water, and other non-traditional security challenges in some of its strategy documents. And the intelligence community supplies the Pentagon with analysis on such threats. But the Department of Defense has done little to actually adapt its personnel, organization, or equipment for such challenges. The actions it has taken, while not unimportant, are relegated to areas such as military basing, which are largely a support function and not core to its mission. In other words, the Pentagon can invest in resilience to sea level rise at military bases without adapting to a world in which struggles for access to water may cause conflict.

Arguably, it is not the Pentagons job to actually build resilience to climate change, even if it is the Pentagons job to understand how climate change will affect the defense mission (more disaster relief operations or Russian aggression in the Arctic, for example). Unfortunately, the U.S. government lacks civilian capacity to promote global climate security. The State Department focuses on diplomacy and international negotiations, in particular, a difficult task, and lacks the staff for an operational mission. The United States Agency for International Development makes important investments in development to support climate resilience, but those investments are limited (the entire USAID budget is about $23 billion, compared to the Department of Defenses budget of around $700 billion), generally do not take the potential for conflict into account, and often are not well connected to other U.S. regional security and foreign policy priorities.

The White House tackled this gap in governance by issuing its presidential memorandum on climate security. The memo directs the key agencies to meet together in a working group to define the nature of this challenge, as well as the various roles and responsibilities. It also explicitly tries to bring together the scientists and the defense, diplomacy, and development communities, looking to bridge an important gap between information and action. Ultimately, its really inviting the federal government to begin redefining national security to mean building resilience to non-military threats, such as climate change.

Of course, this administration is in its waning days, so for that vision to be fully brought to life, its going to take action from both the next president and Congress. So, while the memorandum is a great step in the right direction, theres still a long way to travel  and only one of the presidential candidates has expressed any interest in this particular journey.

Sharon E. Burke, a senior advisor at New America, served as the assistant secretary of defense for operational energy from 2010 to 2014. When so moved, she writes the Natural Security column for this blog.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
Paris (AFP) - Nature or nurture? The quest to understand why humans kill one another has occupied the minds of philosophers, sociologists and psychologists for centuries.

Are we innately violent, as Englishman Thomas Hobbes postulated in the 1650s, or is our behaviour influenced more by the environment we grow up in, as Jean-Jacques Rousseau theorised a century later?

On Tuesday, a team of scientists who looked at the question from a new angle -- that of evolutionary biology -- concluded that our violent nature was at least partly inherited from an ancient ancestor, and shared with other primates.

Lethal violence appears to be "deeply rooted" in the lineage of monkeys, apes and Homo sapiens, the researchers wrote in the science journal Nature.

This, in turn, suggests that "a certain level of lethal violence in humans arises from the occupation of a position within a particularly violent mammalian clade."

A clade is the biological term for a group of organisms descending from a common evolutionary ancestor.

The Spanish researchers gathered data on more than four million deaths in 1,024 present-day mammal species, as well as 600-plus human populations from the late Stone Age some 50,000-10,000 years ago until today.

The animals sampled represent some 80 percent of mammal families.

The researchers looked specifically at the proportion of deaths caused by lethal violence perpetrated by a member of the same species -- in humans this was war, homicide, infanticide, execution and other intentional killings.

They also searched for similarities between species with common ancestors, which they used to infer how violent those predecessors would have been, and to reconstruct a history of ancestral killing rates.

Overall, the researchers found, intraspecies killing was the cause of about 0.3 percent of mammal deaths.

- Turning it off -

But for the ancestor of all primates, rodents and hares, killings caused about 1.1 percent of deaths, rising to 2.3 percent for the next, more recent, common ancestor of primates and tree shrews.

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By the time the common human ancestor first appeared around 200,000-160,000 years ago, the rate was about two percent -- similar to that for other primates, the team found.

"This means that humans have phylogenetically inherited their propensity for violence," they wrote.

Phylogenetics is the study of the genetic relationship between species over time, giving us the so-called evolutionary tree, with a primordial ancestor at its base from which all organisms developed.

Study co-author Jose Maria Gomez Reyes told AFP the new data showed there was "an evolutionary component to human violence, not that this is the only component."

This evolutionary component are not only genetic, and "most likely" influenced by environmental pressures on survival.

"In fact, social behaviour and territoriality, two behavioural traits shared with relatives of (Homo) sapiens, seem to have also contributed to the level of lethal violence... inherited in humans," said the study.

Commenting on the study, Mark Pagel of the University of Reading said it provided "good grounds for believing that we are intrinsically more violent than the average mammal."

But it also showed that humans are able to curtail such tendencies.

"Rates of homicide in modern societies that have police forces, legal systems, prisons and strong cultural attitudes that reject violence are, at less than one in 10,000 deaths (or 0.01 percent) about 200 times lower than the authors' predictions for our state of nature," he wrote.

"Hobbes has landed a serious blow on Rousseau, but not quite knocked him out."
Upstream energy player, Newfield Exploration Co. NFX recently closed the divestment of oil and gas producing assets and undeveloped acreage in Texas. The company generated proceeds of roughly $380 million from the sale. The aforesaid asset sale pertains to two separate purchase and sale agreements that Newfield signed this August to sell substantially all its properties in Texas.



The company has executed the asset sale in order to focus only on those resources that have a deep inventory of future drilling opportunities and immense growth prospects.



The assets sold by the company include unconventional resources in the Eagle Ford Shale and its conventional natural gas properties in south and west Texas. The Eagle Ford Shale properties were sold to Protege Energy III LLC. However, the name of the buyer of conventional natural gas properties remained undisclosed. The combined assets had a daily production capacity of around 12,700 barrels of oil equivalent per day (BOE/D), of which oil made up for 35%.



Newfield believes that this divestment will have negligible impact on its third-quarter production and hence, has kept the third-quarter production guidance unchanged. However, the company intends to revise its full-year 2016 production guidance to include the impact of the asset sale.



Newfield, is an independent energy company based in Woodlands, TX. It is engaged in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas. The company is well positioned to benefit from its holding in the Anadarko Basin.



However, most of the companies involved in upstream businesses have been adversely affected by the persistent weakness in oil prices. Companies like Denbury Resources Inc. DNR, Chesapeake Energy Corporation CHK and Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation COG have been reeling under commodity price woes and Newfield is no exception to this trend.



Newfield currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), implying that it will perform in line with the broader U.S. equity market over the next one to three months. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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Widespread Relationships Across the State Increase its Access to Users

MIAMI, FL / ACCESSWIRE / September 28, 2016 / Novus Acquisition and Development, Corp. (OTC Markets: NDEV), the nation's first healthcare insurance carrier in the medical cannabis field and property and casualty sector, today announced its completed health coverage footprint for medical marijuana (MMJ) in California. Novus' revolutionary MMJ health plan now covers approximately 110 cities across the state with its relationships with 20 dispensaries. For a complete list of cities and coverage, please visit: http://www.getnovusnow.com/nmg/california.

Frank Labrozzi, Novus' Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "This milestone of our Provider Network (dispensaries and/or delivery services) in 100+ cities in California is significant representation of how we built our health insurance infrastructure. The Golden State represents 50% of the cannabis market with close to 1,000,000 registered patients averaging over $300 per month per cannabis transaction. Achieving this significant task puts Novus in a position of no longer turning down any patients for not having a Provider to service their geo-region."

With Proposition 64 on the ballot this November, all signs are pointing to a 60% approval by California voters. With a GDP of $2.5 trillion per annum, California has the economy that ranks eighth in the world, with marijuana being one of the biggest businesses. An approval would have a tremendously positive impact on Novus, as Proposition 64 imposes an excise tax on retail sales of recreational marijuana at 15% of sales price, and state cultivation taxes on marijuana of $9.25 per ounce of flowers and $2.75 per ounce of leaves resulting in a total retail sales tax of over 20%. However medical marijuana patients will receive an exemption on the taxation leaving Novus patient/members savings of 45% -50% on their monthly med purchases, based on $300 per month, with a minimum annual saving of $1,620 per patient. Drawing consumers ever so closely to medical benefit packages that Novus possess.

Novus is proud to introduce our new providers into our network:

Danko & Dab Co. located in California

Beach Meds located in California

Budee.org located in California

Goldmine located in California

Nice Dreams located in California

Sweet Dreams located in Illinois

We Clone located in California

NDEV 2nd Quarter Financial Filing: http://bit.ly/2cJ3Efj

About Novus

Novus Acquisition & Development Corp. (NDEV), through its subsidiary Novus Medical Group, Inc. and WCIG Insurance, provides health insurance and related insurance solutions within the wellness and medical marijuana industries in states where legal programs exist. Novus has positioned itself to gain market share within many lines of insurance business within and outside of the MMJ sector.

Novus will work as outside developers and will not cultivate, handle, transport grow, extract, dispense, put up for sale, put on the market, vend, deliver, supply, circulate, or trade cannabis or any substances that violate the United States law or the Controlled Substances Act, nor does it intend to do so in the future and will continue to follow state and federal laws. The statements made about specific products have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. All information provided on these press releases or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. Once a push notification is competed the transaction is solely between the state-licensed dispensary and the registered patient.

The state laws are in conflict with the federal Controlled Substances Act. The current administration has effectively stated that it is not an efficient use of resources to direct federal law enforcement agencies to prosecute those lawfully abiding by state designated laws, allowing the use and distribution of medical marijuana. However, there is no guarantee that the current administration, nor any future administration, will not change this policy and decide to enforce the federal laws strongly. Any such change in the federal government's enforcement of current federal laws could cause significant financial changes to Novus Medical Group. While we do not intend to harvest, distribute or sell cannabis or cannabis related products, we may be harmed by a change in enforcement by federal or state governments.

For more information, check out: http://www.getnovusnow.com

For NDEV 2nd Quarter Financial Filing: http://bit.ly/2cJ3Efj

Learn How Insurance Companies Are Evaluated: http://bit.ly/2ddIYva

Forward-Looking Statements

This release includes forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and reflects management's current expectations. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. Some of these factors include: general global economic conditions; general industry and market conditions and growth rates; uncertainty as to whether our strategies and business plans will yield the expected benefits; increasing competition; availability and cost of capital; the ability to identify and develop and achieve commercial success; the level of expenditures necessary to maintain and improve the quality of services; changes in the economy; changes in laws and regulations, includes codes and standards, intellectual property rights, and tax matters; or other matters not anticipated; our ability to secure and maintain strategic relationships and distribution agreements. Novus Medical Group disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact Information

Corporate:

Chairman and CEO

Frank Labrozzi

frank@ndev.biz

855-228-7355

Investors:

Hayden IR

hart@haydenir.com

917-658-7878

SOURCE: Novus Acquisition & Development Corp.
From Country Living

If you're a longtime reader (and Country Living Fair-goer!) then you're already familiar with Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge, a.k.a. the Fabulous Beekman Boys, the convivial country moguls behind the Beekman 1802 brand. And if you're as big of a fan as we are, then get excited: The Beekman Boys have teamed up with Target to design a charming, rustic collection of farmhouse-inspired home decor.

According to Josh and Brent, the online-exclusive Beekman 1802 FarmHouse collection, which includes rugs, lamps, quilts, dinnerware, furniture, and lots more, is inspired by the history and style of their upstate New York farm. "Whether we are designing one of our books, a new recipe, or a piece of furniture, our inspiration always begins with the farm," Josh said on Target's blog. "But we spent a good portion of our professional lives in New York City, so our rural experience now is definitely filtered through the lens of our time in the city. We try to approach the simple life with a little bit of sophistication."

Here's a glance at what you can expect from the line (Embroidery! Ticking stripes! Barn-style pendant lights!):

Photo credit: Courtesy of Target

Photo credit: Courtesy of Target

Photo credit: Courtesy of Target

Photo credit: Courtesy of Target

Photo credit: Courtesy of Target

Photo credit: Courtesy of Target

Photo credit: Courtesy of Target

The Beekman 1802 FarmHouse collection is currently available at target.com, with prices ranging from $14.99 to $599.99.

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Washington (AFP) - US President Barack Obama will join other world leaders in attending the funeral of Israeli ex-president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Shimon Peres in Jerusalem, the White House said.

Obama, who ordered US flags at half-staff late Wednesday, "will lead the US delegation to Jerusalem to participate in the funeral," the White House said.

He is to depart for Israel Thursday and return after the ceremony on Friday.

The US president led tributes to the elder statesman as a friend who refused to give up on the dream of peace.

Peres' commitment to Israel's security and pursuit of peace was "rooted in his own unshakeable moral foundation and unflagging optimism" the US leader said in a statement.

Obama is to join world leaders including former US president Bill Clinton, French President Francois Hollande and German President Joachim Gauck as well as Britain's Prince Charles in attending Peres' Friday funeral at Jerusalem's Mount Herzl, where many Israeli dignitaries are buried.

Flags at the White House, on all public buildings and grounds, and at US buildings overseas will be flown at half-staff through sunset Friday "as a mark of respect for the memory of Shimon Peres," the White House said in a statement.

Peres, who was 93, held nearly every major office in the country, serving twice as prime minister and also as president, a mostly ceremonial role, from 2007 to 2014.
Tributes have poured in from around the world following the death of former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres.

Read: World Mourns 'The Greatest' Fighter of All Time Muhammad Ali, Who Is Dead at 74

The former prime minister played a key role in the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Accord that earned him a Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.

The 93-year-old Peres died due to complications of a stroke. His funeral will take place in Jerusalem Friday.

In a statement, President Obama said: There are few people who we share this world with, who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves. My friend Shimon was one of those people.

Peres son, Chemi, released a statement on behalf of the family, saying that his father had been getting treatments since suffering a stroke on September 13.

Our father's legacy has always been to look to tomorrow," he said. "We were privileged to be part of his private family, but today we sense that the entire nation of Israel and the global community share this great loss. We share this pain together."

Read: 113-Year-Old Holocaust Survivor, the Oldest Man in the World, Has Bar Mitzvah 100 Years Later

Bill and Hillary Clinton said in a statement they lost a true and treasured friend."

Peres spoke to Inside Edition after President Obama won his historic first election in 2008.

The former Israeli leader believed Obama had the charm, talent and charisma to help bring peace to his area of the world.

Watch: Boy, 6, Writes Obama About Syrian Ambulance Boy: 'Can You Please Go Get Him?'

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Washington (AFP) - President Barack Obama hailed Israeli elder statesman Shimon Peres, who died Wednesday, as a friend who refused to give up on the dream of peace, while former president Bill Clinton called him "a genius with a big heart."

Obama said Peres' commitment to Israel's security and pursuit of peace was "rooted in his own unshakeable moral foundation and unflagging optimism."

"Perhaps because he had seen Israel surmount overwhelming odds, Shimon never gave up on the possibility of peace between Israelis, Palestinians and Israel's neighbors -- not even after the heartbreak of the night in Tel Aviv that took Yitzhak Rabin," Obama said in a White House statement.

"There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves," Obama said. "My friend Shimon was one of those people."

Clinton, who oversaw the signing of the Oslo Accords that envisioned an independent Palestinian state, said "the Middle East has lost a fervent advocate for peace and reconciliation and for a future where all the children of Abraham build a better tomorrow."

"I'll never forget how happy he was 23 years ago when he signed the Oslo Accords on the White House lawn, heralding a more hopeful era in Israeli-Palestinian relations.

"He was a genius with a big heart who used his gifts to imagine a future of reconciliation not conflict, economic and social empowerment not anger and frustration, and a nation, a region, and a world enhanced by caring and sharing, not torn asunder by the illusions of permanent dominance and perfect truth," Clinton said in a statement.

Peres won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin -- who was assassinated in 1995 -- and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for his role in negotiating the accords.

Story continues

Clinton noted that Peres' critics called him a "dreamer."

"That he was - a lucid, eloquent dreamer until the very end. Thank goodness. Let those of us who loved him and love his nation keep his dream alive."

Former president George H. W. Bush also hailed his devotion to peace.

"By his unyielding determination and principle, Shimon Peres time and again helped guide his beloved country through the crucible of mortal challenge.

"But it was by his innate humanity, his decency, that Shimon inspired the world over and helped pave a path to peace broad enough that future generations will walk it one day, side-by side," he said in a statement.

His son, former president George W. Bush, said Peres led his country "with a deep and abiding concern for his people and a commitment to freedom and peace."

"The Bush family will miss Shimon Peres and his grace, dignity, and optimism."
NEW YORK, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC will pay $400 million and a subsidiary will plead guilty to resolve U.S. probes into its involvement in bribes paid to African officials, two people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

In a deal expected to be announced on Thursday, the largest publicly traded U.S. hedge fund firm will enter a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice while a subsidiary will plead guilty, the sources said.

The payment will also resolve a related probe by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the sources said. A spokesman for Och-Ziff declined to comment.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Additional reporting by Jennifer Ablan; Editing by Tom Brown)
(Adds details on related criminal case, updates share price)

By Nate Raymond

NEW YORK, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC will pay $400 million and a subsidiary will plead guilty to resolve U.S. probes into its involvement in bribes paid to African officials, two people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

In a deal expected to be announced on Thursday, the largest publicly traded U.S. hedge fund firm will enter a deferred-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice while a subsidiary will plead guilty, the sources said.

The payment will also resolve a related probe by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the sources said.

A spokesman for Och-Ziff declined to comment. A spokesman for the Justice Department declined comment while SEC representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

U.S. authorities had been investigating whether Och-Ziff violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and was involved in paying bribes to officials in various African countries including Libya and Congo.

New York-based Och-Ziff -- a $39 billion hedge fund founded by Daniel Och -- had earmarked $414 million for a possible settlement with the U.S. government relating to the investigation.

One of the first hedge fund companies to publicly list itself, in 2007, Och-Ziff has increased its assets under management in recent years.

But news of the government's investigation has sent some investors fleeing, and it has lost $5.5 billion in investor outflows so far this year, the company recently disclosed.

In August, Samuel Mebiame, a Gabonese man who U.S. authorities said acted as a "fixer" for a joint-venture involving a hedge fund, was arrested and accused of engaging in a scheme to bribe officials in Africa to obtain mining rights.

Prosecutors did not identify the hedge fund at issue, but its description matched that of Och-Ziff.

A criminal complaint said Mebiame supplied cash and cars to two Niger officials; an S-class Mercedes Benz sedan and rented private Airbus jet to a Guinean official; and travel and shopping expenses for an adviser to Chad's president.

Story continues

A lawyer for Mebiame, the son of the late former Gabon Prime Minister Leon Mebiame, declined comment on Wednesday.

Shares of Och-Ziff on Wednesday closed up 5.72 percent after news of the settlement broke. The imminent deal was first reported by Bloomberg News.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Additional reporting by Jennifer Ablan; Editing by Sandra Maler and Alistair Bell)
By Nate Raymond

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC will pay $400 million and a subsidiary will plead guilty to resolve U.S. probes into its involvement in bribes paid to African officials, two people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

In a deal expected to be announced on Thursday, the largest publicly traded U.S. hedge fund firm will enter a deferred-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice while a subsidiary will plead guilty, the sources said.

The payment will also resolve a related probe by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the sources said.

A spokesman for Och-Ziff declined to comment. A spokesman for the Justice Department declined comment while SEC representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

U.S. authorities had been investigating whether Och-Ziff violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and was involved in paying bribes to officials in various African countries including Libya and Congo.

New York-based Och-Ziff -- a $39 billion hedge fund founded by Daniel Och -- had earmarked $414 million for a possible settlement with the U.S. government relating to the investigation.

One of the first hedge fund companies to publicly list itself, in 2007, Och-Ziff has increased its assets under management in recent years.

But news of the government's investigation has sent some investors fleeing, and it has lost $5.5 billion in investor outflows so far this year, the company recently disclosed.

In August, Samuel Mebiame, a Gabonese man who U.S. authorities said acted as a "fixer" for a joint-venture involving a hedge fund, was arrested and accused of engaging in a scheme to bribe officials in Africa to obtain mining rights.

Prosecutors did not identify the hedge fund at issue, but its description matched that of Och-Ziff.

A criminal complaint said Mebiame supplied cash and cars to two Niger officials; an S-class Mercedes Benz sedan and rented private Airbus jet to a Guinean official; and travel and shopping expenses for an adviser to Chad's president.

Story continues

A lawyer for Mebiame, the son of the late former Gabon Prime Minister Leon Mebiame, declined comment on Wednesday.

Shares of Och-Ziff on Wednesday closed up 5.72 percent after news of the settlement broke. The imminent deal was first reported by Bloomberg News.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Additional reporting by Jennifer Ablan; Editing by Sandra Maler and Alistair Bell)
Highway patrol officers hear all kinds of excuses for speeding. But Mark Ross didn't really offer one. Pulled over for speeding Sunday, he just broke down crying.



Ross was driving to Detroit to visit his mother, Jamika McClain, after hearing that his 15-year-old sister Eliza had been killed in a car accident overnight.



"I knew I was going to jail due to a petty warrant," Ross wrote on Facebook. "The police called Wayne County and they refuse to come get me because of the distance."



With his car hooked up to a tow truck, Ross, who hadn't slept since he'd heard the news, couldn't keep things together any longer. He tearfully explained his situation to the highway patrolman, Sgt. David Robison.







"He saw the sincerity in my cry," Ross wrote on Facebook. "He reached over and began praying over me and my family," he continued. Sgt. Robison then drove Ross the next 100 miles to Detroit.



"Everybody knows how much I dislike cops, but I am truly grateful for this guy," Ross finished. "He gave me hope."



McClain has set up a GoFundMe account to help defray the costs of Eliza's burial.
DailyFX.com -

Talking Points:

- While OPEC hasnt implimented changes, todays meeting sets stage for production freeze in November

- Earlier this morning, US crude inventory figures dropped a fourth week by 1.882 million barrels

- US Crude oil prices posted one of its largest daily rallies in five months while USDCAD dropped 85 pips.

At the final day of its three-day meeting in Algiers, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) came to an understanding for a need for a curb to crude output, which has continuously grown to record levels. Suadi Arabia, the largest producer in the group, has been pumping at record levels in an effort to fight for market share. Previous meetings with rumors of output freezes had abruptly come to ends with a dispute among members and regularly loggerheads between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Seeming progress in this meeting however, has led the Saudi oil minister to suggest that the worst of the dowturn is behind us.

While there are no concrete plans yet, a person familiar with the matter has said that OPEC will be setting up a committee to determine the size of the cut for each member. The number suggested is a cap of between 32.5  33.5 million barrels a day. That compares with August output levels estimated at 33.2 million barrels per day. And while Iran and Saudi Arabia - two countries that had previously disagreed - were both present; an important absentee was Russia. Though a non-OPEC member, Russia is the worlds largest producer of crude oil with record output levels and had been involved in talks with the group regarding slowing output.

Earlier in the day, US crude oil inventories measured by the Department of Energy missed by a large margin, showing a steep drawdown in supplies to help work down the supply-demand balance from a different corner of the globe. US inventories unexpectedly fell -1,882k, missing expectations of 3,000k and following a previous drawdown of -6,000k. Cushing OK Crude also contracted with a report of -631k versus expectations of 95k and a previous growth of 526k. Meanwhile, US implied demand fell to 16.601 million barrels per day  the lowest level since the week of June 10.

Story continues

See the DailyFX economic calendar for Friday, September 28, 2016

Chart 1: Crude Oil 1-day Chart (September 28, 2016)

Oil Rallies and USD/CAD Tanks As OPEC Announces Output Cap Plans

US crude oil prices surged following both the initial rumors of a deal and further after the confirmation. The absolute range through the active session accounted for a remarkable 7 percent rally from the spans low. The surge has pushed through immediate resistance, but momentum will need to be determined by activity over the coming days.

Chart 1: USD/CAD 1-minute Chart (September 28, 2016 Intraday)

Oil Rallies and USD/CAD Tanks As OPEC Announces Output Cap Plans

The USD/CAD fell on the data and continued its fall during the outpouring of OPEC-related news. The pair fell from 1.32675 to a low of 1.30860 and has begun to settle near 1.31. Crude oil prices jumped, rising over 5% on the day.

--- Written by John Kicklighter, Chief Strategist and Omar Habib, DailyFX Research

For comments or feedback, e-mail feedback@dailyfx.com



original source

DailyFX provides forex news and technical analysis on the trends that influence the global currency markets.

Learn forex trading with a free practice account and trading charts from FXCM.
Oil is going through the roof following a Reuters report citing sources that say OPEC has reached a deal to limit oil production, with the deal going into effect in November.

Prices for Brent crude oil, the international benchmark, surged by as much 6.3%, to $49.44 per barrel, around 2:33 p.m. ET.

WTI Crude is up 4.8%, at $46.82 per barrel, as of 2:45 p.m. ET.

US energy stocks are rallying on the news, with BP up 3.7%, Exxon Mobil up 4.1%, and Chevron up 3.1% around 2:37 p.m. ET.

Petro-currencies are rallying as well, with the Russian ruble up 1.1%, at 63.1506 per dollar, and the Norwegian krone up 0.8%, at 8.0466 per dollar, around 2:47 p.m. ET.

Here's the key detail from the Reuters report:

"OPEC agreed on Wednesday to reduce its oil output to 32.5 million [barrels per day] from the current production levels of around 33.24 million bpd, two OPEC sources told Reuters. ...

"One source also said that once production targets were reached, OPEC would reach out to non-OPEC producers for cooperation."

Screen Shot 2016 09 28 at 2.33.04 PM

OPEC has been holding much-buzzed-about talks in Algiers as members of the oil cartel become increasingly burdened by economic and financial pressures in light of lower oil prices.

Most analysts didn't get their hopes up ahead of the event, arguing that political tensions and long-run strategic market interests could once again keep the cartel from agreeing.

However, Helima Croft, the global head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, was more optimistic last week. She argued in a note that the "odds are in favor of the cartel opting for pragmatism and announcing a moderately constructive framework."

As she and her team explained in greater detail:

"This time, we believe that the environment is more conducive to some type of deal, and if there is not enough time to iron out all the details in just a few days, the ensuing statement will strongly suggest a willingness to act at the November meeting (assuming that market conditions remain challenging). Perhaps most compelling, many of the biggest and most influential producers are close to maxing out and hence may judge that there is little downside to agreeing to cap output at current levels or sign up again for a collective ceiling."

Story continues

Furthermore, her team had previously noted that things have gotten tougher at home financially for both the Saudis and the Iranians  and their publics have started to notice.

As such, "while the Saudi-Iranian regional rivalry could still upend the talks, we contend that these countries have the capacity to opt for pragmatism in order to secure some financial relief," the analysts wrote.

NOW WATCH: Paul Krugman weighs in on the Apple tax debate





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MUSCAT (Reuters) - Police in Oman have detained a senior judge who criticized the judiciary in a newspaper which was shut down earlier this week by court order, an Omani rights group said on Wednesday. Ali al-Numani, Oman's supreme court deputy, is being held in a police hospital and is in good health, the Omani Human Rights Commission said in a statement. Numani told the privately owned Azamn newspaper in an interview in August that Oman's attorney general and supreme court justice chief had "abused laws of the state". He also apologized for the way authorities treated the newspaper, which had reported extensively on a series of corruption cases in 2014 in which several company executives were convicted. An Omani court on Monday ordered the permanent closure of Azamn and jailed three of its journalists on charges that included undermining the prestige of the state. A police spokesperson declined to comment on the detention of Numani. A State Department spokesman said on Monday the United States was very concerned about the court decisions and the U.S. ambassador had conveyed the concern to Oman's government at a senior level. (Reporting by Fatma Al Arimi; Writing by Tom Finn; Editing by Dominic Evans)
This week's OPEC meeting in Algeria may not have resulted in a resolution as of Tuesday, but at least one person is optimistic an accord will be reached within two months.

Kent Moors, the executive chairman of Energy Capital Research Group, told CNBC's "Closing Bell" on Tuesday from Algeria that there is a consensus developing that there may be "an extraordinary session in 4-6 weeks," well before OPEC's next meeting in Vienna on Nov. 30.

"Behind the scenes there's a considerable amount of negotiation," Moor said. "Everybody has been shooting themselves in the foot, for some time here in OPEC. There is a consistent simple budgetary crisis that's developed."

Moor said that several non-OPEC elements are coming into play, such as Russia's "unsustainable" 11 million barrels per day rate.

"We have a situation where nobody has a vested interest in keeping any oil in the ground," Moors said. "Right now, your market share demands that you lift it up and you sell it, even though the overall revenue flow is declining and that simply is not sustainable."

Short term, Moore said, the closed door meetings taking place in Algeria this week should start presenting strategic leaks. However, he cautions against listening to everything that comes out of Venezuela, Libya and even Algeria. He said those countries are hurting from a budgetary standpoint and will "grasp at any straw to argue that there is a cut coming."

"Here's the bottom line: I'm seeing low $50 a barrel by the time we reach the end of the year," he said. "We're looking at $63 to 65 dollars a barrel, I think, by the end of the first quarter of 2017. That requires that the balance be clearly in focus and that balance requires that production remain tempered and those are the great unknowns."




Poland has submitted Afterimage, veteran director Andrzej Wajda's film about an artist persecuted by Communist-era authorities, in the Oscars' foreign-language film category.

Films by Wajda, who turned 90 earlier this year, have been submitted by Poland on eight previous occasions. He has been nominated four times, most recently in 2007 for Katyn, his pic about the wartime massacre of Polish officers by the Soviet secret police, but has never won the coveted golden statuette.

Afterimage, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month, reflects Wajda's lifelong passion for probing beneath the surface of Polish life to reflect the country's troubled history and/or contemporary issues.

The Hollywood Reporter''s review called the film "a compelling portrait, despite some broad brush strokes."

On the surface, Afterimage is a biopic about avant-garde artist Wladyslaw Strzeminski (played by Boguslaw Linda) who was persecuted by post-war Polish authorities for his refusal to employ his art in the service of the Communist cause. Strzeminski was a contemporary of early Soviet abstract and constructivist artists that included Kasimir Malevich and Katarzyna Kobro, whom he later married.

Wajda's film, which concentrates on the last couple of years of Strzeminski's life when devoted students at the art institute where he teaches refuse to desert him even though they, like their revered teacher, are kicked out by college authorities.

Read more: Oscars 2015: Poland Wins First Foreign Language Film Honor for 'Ida'

For Polish audiences, parallels with the country's current political situation - where a right-wing government is pushing through a raft of measures affecting free speech and other areas unprecedented since Communist times - will be clear.

Wajda told THR: "I'm touched by the respect and confidence in my recent work the Polish committee has shown by choosing it to represent Poland in the Oscar run. The film is universal and deeply significant for all of us now, who worry about the development of political events in many corners of the world. It is of crucial importance to remember about the sorrowful past in order to not repeat it in the future."

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In a statement, the Polish Oscar Committee said: "Whereas members of the Academy have a high regard for the ideals of civil liberties and freedom, Afterimage stands a good chance of winning the Academy's favor. Andrzej Wajda's most recent film is a touching universal story about the destruction of an individual by totalitarianism. The director has shown us a world in which beauty, art, and artistic integrity are persecuted."

Afterimage was produced by Akson Studio and co-produced by Poland's National Audiovisual Institute, Telewizja Polska, EC1 Lodz-Miasto Kultury and Fundacja Tumult, with co-financing from the Polish Film Institute. Films Boutique is handling world sales.

Poland has submitted films to the Oscars on 48 occasions since Roman Polanski's debut Knife in the Water in 1963, earning 10 nominations and one win: Pawel Pawlikowski's Ida in 2014.

Read more: 'Afterimage' ('Powidoki'): Film Review | TIFF 2016
Jerusalem (AFP) - Former Israeli president Shimon Peres, who died on Wednesday aged 93, was the last survivor of the three men awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the Oslo accords.

The agreements, signed in the early 1990s, were meant to create a "lasting and comprehensive peace settlement" between Israelis and Palestinians and were hailed across the world.

What were the historical agreements and did they ultimately fail?

- Historic achievement -

The accords, signed in Washington in 1993 and Taba, Egypt, in 1995, were the first peace treaties ever signed between Israel and the Palestinian leadership.

They are named after the Norwegian capital where the two sides launched eight months of secret negotiations, in which Peres played a key role.

The first agreement led to the establishment of the Palestinian Authority the following year with limited powers of self-rule, initially only in parts of the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank town of Jericho.

It foresaw further phased pullbacks by the Israeli army and was meant to lead to an independent Palestinian state.

The 1995 agreement divided the West Bank into three zones known as Areas A, B and C.

Area C -- some 60 percent of the West Bank -- was meant to be "gradually transferred to Palestinian jurisdiction" but remains under full Israeli military and civil control to this day.

Crucially, many key issues -- including the status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the right of return for Palestinian refugees -- were not agreed upon, with the two sides saying they would be subject to later negotiations.

- An iconic handshake -

To confirm the agreement, US President Bill Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, along with then foreign minister Peres, met on the White House lawn.

In the most iconic moment, a smiling Arafat extended his hand to Rabin who, after a brief hesitation, accepted it.

The sight of the two longtime adversaries shaking hands was hailed across the world as a major breakthrough in a conflict that at that point had already lasted nearly 50 years.

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The following year, Rabin, Peres and Arafat received the Nobel Peace Prize "for their efforts to create peace in the Middle East."

Accepting the award, Peres said "armies of occupation are a thing of the past."

- The legacy -

Just two years after the iconic handshake and a few months after the second Oslo agreement was signed, a Jewish extremist opposed to the agreements shot Rabin twice in the back as he was leaving a pro-peace rally in Tel Aviv.

He died in hospital several hours later along with, many Israelis would argue, the Oslo accords.

Peres took over, but within a year lost an election to Benjamin Netanyahu -- Israel's current prime minister and an outspoken opponent of the agreements.

Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, Palestinian attacks, including bus bombings, and political hardening on both sides meant the promise of the agreements was never realised. Arafat died in 2004.

More than 20 years on, the agreements, which were not meant to last more than five years, are still the basis of relations between Israel and Palestinian officials in the West Bank.

The phrase "Oslo" is still widely used by both Israelis and Palestinians but there is little optimism its goals will become reality.

A poll last month revealed that only 51 percent of Palestinians and 53 percent of Israeli Jews still support a two-state solution.

Peres, speaking earlier this year, said he still believed in peace but said the two sides see the "obstacles" differently.

"In the eyes of the Palestinians clearly the settlements are the great obstacle. In the eyes of Israelis, terror is clearly the greatest obstacle."
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 28, 2016 / CIBT Education Group Inc. (TSX: MBA, OTCQX International: MBAIF) ("CIBT") is pleased to announce that approximately $16.85 million in subscription funds and signed unit subscription agreements have been received from qualified investors for the purchase of limited partnership units in connection with the GEC Education Mega Center and GEC Education Super Center flagship projects. The subscriptions will be closed in a series of tranches throughout September and October. Proceeds from these subscriptions will be used by the respective limited partnerships to acquire the lands and to provide deposits for construction of the GEC Super Center and GEC Mega Center.

"We are very pleased to have received such high level of interest in a very short time for our GEC flagship projects," commented Toby Chu, Chairman, President and CEO of CIBT Education Group. "We expect that the first phase financing raising approximately $17 million will soon be fully subscribed, and the limited partnerships will then proceed with phase 2 of the equity raise of approximately $100 million. These private placements are being conducted through limited partnerships managed by a subsidiary of CIBT and therefore, there is no share dilution to CIBT shareholders. These flagship projects will generate substantial structuring fees and are expected to also generate significant management income and capital gains to the benefit of CIBT and its shareholders."

About CIBT Education Group:

CIBT Education Group Inc. is an education and student-housing investment company focused on the global education market since 1994. Listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and OTCQX International, CIBT owns and operates a network of business, technical and language colleges in North America and Asia. CIBT offers cooperative joint programs in various countries with campuses, offices and training centers at 27 locations enrolling over 8,300 students annually. Its education business is operated through Sprott Shaw College (established in 1903), Vancouver International College and CIBT School of Business. Through these subsidiaries, CIBT offers recognized and approved business and management degrees, programs in college preparation, healthcare, hotel management, English language training, and over 150 career and vocational programs. CIBT also owns Irix Design Group, a leading design and advertising company based in Vancouver, Canada, Global Education Alliance ("GEA") and Global Education City Holdings Inc. ("Global Education Holdings"). GEA recruits international students for many elite kindergarten, primary, secondary schools and universities in North America. Global Education Holdings is an investment holding and management company with a special focus on education related real estate projects in Canada such as student hotels, serviced apartments and education super centers. Visit us online at www.cibt.net, www.studenthotel.ca and watch our corporate video at http://cibt.net/about/.

Toby Chu

President, CEO and Chairman

CIBT Education Group Inc.

Investor Relations Contact: 1-604-871-9909 extension 318 or | Email: info@cibt.net

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information (the "forward-looking statements") about CIBT Education Group Inc. and its future plans. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and in this news release include the statements as to the expected financings for the GEC Education Mega Center and GEC Education Super Center projects, the intended use of proceeds, and that significant management income and capital gains are anticipated. The forward-looking statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors (collectively, "Risks") that could cause CIBT's actual results or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by forward-looking statements. The Risks include, without limitation, the ability to raise the uncommitted portion of the total equity investment and secure other required funding to acquire the project and pay the required construction deposits, usual construction risks, the ability to obtain all required municipal approvals, and future real estate appreciation. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, opinions and expectations of CIBT's management at the time they are made, and CIBT does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements if those beliefs, opinions or expectations, or other circumstances should change, except as may be required by law.

SOURCE: CIBT Education Group Inc.
The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, continue to cast a long shadow over American politics, and have now led to the first congressional override of a veto signed by President Barack Obama.

After a series of impassioned floor speeches Wednesday morning, both the U.S. Senate and House acted with sweeping bipartisan comity, rejecting the presidents opposition to a bill that allows the families of American victims of the 9/11 attacks to sue the government of Saudi Arabia.

The months-long debate over the bill split some longtime national security alliances in surprising ways. GOP Sen. John McCain was a vocal supporter of the bill, while his fellow Republican and usually reliable partner on such issues, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, argued against it.

The Senate voted 97-1, and the House, 348 to 77.

Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) joined Graham in a failed effort to tweak the legislation and make it harder not only for families to pursue lawsuits, but also for the U.S. to be sued by foreigners in the future. The European Union also signaled its opposition to the bill last week in a demarche to the State Department.

But in the end, despite proclaimed widespread Democratic opposition, only Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada sided with the White House by casting the lone vote against override in the upper chamber

CIA Director John Brennan said in a statement that the bill will have grave implications for national security, particularly at the spy agency.

The fight put up by the White House, Pentagon, and intelligence agencies centers around the principle of sovereign immunity, which protects American officials from lawsuits. If we fail to uphold this standard for other countries, Brennan said, we place our own nations officials in danger. No country has more to lose from undermining that principle than the United States  and few institutions would be at greater risk than CIA.

But the Senate was unswayed. As the last lawmaker to speak before the votes were cast, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) made an emotional plea on the chambers floor, quoting family members of those who died in the Twin Towers demanding their day in court. He called an override of the presidential veto a moral imperative.

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The White House expended plenty of effort to block the override, and the Saudi government also opened up the coffers in a massive campaign against the legislation with teams of lobbyists.

Washingtons relationship with Riyadh has been awkward since the 9/11 attacks. Fifteen of the 19 attackers were Saudi citizens.

The Pentagon has long stationed troops on Saudi soil, and has a long-term relationship training and advising the Saudi armed forces. American military planners have also been a part of the controversial Saudi-led air war in Yemen, although in August the Pentagon announced it was pulling some staff out of the Saudi-based coordination center after widespread international condemnation of the strikes, which have been part of the killings of thousands of civilians in that war.

Fewer than five U.S. service people are still working out of the Joint Combined Planning Cell, down from about 45 earlier this year. The United States has also flown hundreds of refueling missions to refuel jets from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on bombing runs in Yemen.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joe Dunford have both expressed their opposition to the bill in letters to House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-Tx.).

In the House, the bill passed despite pleas to uphold the veto by Thornberry and Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, the panels top Democrat. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told reporters this week, Ive worked with these families for a very long time, and I think they should have their day in court.

While a welcome, and somewhat rare, victory for the Republican majority on Capitol Hill, it comes with some bitterness. The issue is far cry from the partys top priorities coming into the legislative session  taking apart Obamacare, peeling back government regulations, and passing trade bills. It also opens the United States to a tidal wave of lawsuits from aggrieved parties across the globe, and possibly creating a boon for another Republican punching bag: trial lawyers.

But uncertainty remains. Before the vote, Corker admitted that Ive had tremendous difficulty with this one, calling it an imperfect solution given the concerns over immunity. But some lawmakers have said they expect the bill to be tweaked in Congresss post-election lame duck session, and Corker added, I think that we will be dealing with overcoming this over time.

The White House blasted the vote, with spokesman Josh Earnest saying, this is the single most embarrassing thing the United States Senate has done possibly since 1983, calling it an abdication of its responsibility. In 1983, the Senate overrode President Ronald Reagans veto of an Oregon lands transfer bill 95-0.

Photo Credit: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call
Paris (AFP) - Widely used prescription and non-prescription painkillers are associated with an increased risk of hospital admission for heart failure, according to a study released Thursday.

The drugs in question are so-called NSAIDs, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including several known as COX-2 inhibitors.

Many are among the most commonly used drugs to alleviate pain and inflammation, and some were introduced over a century ago with minimal safety checks.

The broad link between the use of NSAIDs and heart failure is well established, but which drugs pose the greatest risk, and at what doses, remains poorly understood.

To get a clearer picture, a team of researchers led by Giovanni Corrao at the University of Milano-Bicocca combed through the medical records of nearly 10 million NSAID users in four European countries: Germany, Britain, the Netherlands and Italy.

They identified 92,163 hospital admissions for heart failure and then checked to see which of 27 drugs -- and at what doses -- each of them was taking.

Overall, they found that current use of NSAID slightly raised the risk of hospital admission compared to past use for nine drugs.

These included diclofenac, ibuprofen, indomethacin, ketorolac, naproxen, nimesulide, and piroxicam, along with two COX 2 inhibitors, etoricoxib and rofecoxib.

At very high doses, some doubled the risk of hospital admission.

The researchers emphasised that the study was observational, meaning that it did not benefit from the controlled conditions of an experiment and thus could not draw firm conclusions about cause and effect.

But the findings "offer further evidence that the most frequently used individual NSAIDs and selective COX2 inhibitors are associated with an increased risk of hospital admissions," they concluded.

The study was published in BMJ, a leading medical journal.

"Even a small increase in cardiovascular risk is a concern for public health," two Danish heart experts, Gunnar Gislason and Christian Torp-Pedersen, wrote in a comment, also in BMJ.

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For one drug in particular -- diclofenac -- the European Society of Cardiology has recommended against its use at any dose, they noted.

Helen Williams, a consultant pharmacist for cardiovascular disease at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in Britain, noted that the country's National Health Service had been "moving away" from the powerful NSAIDs in recent years.

"Reassuringly," she added, "use of the most commonly purchased NSAID -- ibuprofen -- was associated with a lower overall increased risk" compared to the other medicines, she added in a comment released by the Science Media Centre.
By Mehreen Zahra-Malik ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif faces a key choice in the coming weeks about who should run Pakistan's powerful military, one that will have a major influence on the country's often strained relationships with the United States and nuclear rival India. With Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif saying he will step down when his tenure ends in November, the top post is up for grabs, and the prime minister decides who gets it. Overshadowing the process has been speculation in the media and by some government officials that the general, no relation to the premier, may seek to hold on to some or all of his powers even after his term is finished. The general is immensely popular among ordinary Pakistanis, who see him as a bulwark against crime, corruption and Islamist militant violence. He has also strengthened the military's grip over aspects of government, including the judiciary and areas of security policy. Yet the military flatly rejects the possibility of an extension. "I will request you to avoid speculations, because we have already taken a position very clearly," Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa, the army's main spokesman, told a recent press briefing. The military declined to comment further and said General Sharif was not available for interview. In a country prone to military coups, including one in which Nawaz Sharif himself was ousted from power in 1999, suspicions that the general will remain in his post persist, including among some of the prime minister's senior aides. Reuters has no independent evidence to corroborate this view. "Army chiefs soon begin to think they are invincibles-in-chief," said a close aide to Nawaz Sharif, requesting anonymity as he was not authorized to speak about military appointments. What happens at the top of Pakistan's armed forces will be closely watched overseas. With nearly 10,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan fighting the Afghan Taliban and other militant groups, Washington is losing patience with what it says is Pakistan's failure to hunt down insurgents who launch attacks on Afghanistan from Pakistani territory. Pakistan denies this. India has ratcheted up rhetoric against Pakistan, alarmed at an escalation of violence in the disputed region of Kashmir, including an attack on an army base there that killed 18 soldiers. Islamabad denies accusations it was behind the raid. LIST OF CONTENDERS According to three close aides to the prime minister and a senior military official, the military high command has sent the prime minister the dossiers of four main contenders. The premier's favorite, the aides said, was Lieutenant General Javed Iqbal Ramday, commander of XXXI Corps who led a 2009 operation to drive the Pakistani Taliban militant movement from Swat Valley near the Afghan border. The three other dossiers are for Lieutenant General Zubair Hayat, Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmad, commanding officer in the eastern city of Multan, and Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who heads the army's Training and Evaluation Wing. Ramday is considered among the front-runners, in part because his family has been associated with Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (PMLN) party for many years. He is also seen by some security officials as popular with General Sharif. "He's perhaps as liked by Raheel Sharif as he is by Nawaz Sharif," said a senior security official based in Islamabad, declining to be named. Neither the prime minister nor General Sharif have commented publicly on his chances. Hayat oversees intelligence and operational affairs at the army's General Headquarters, and before that headed the Strategic Plans Division (SPD), which is responsible for Pakistan's nuclear program. Retired and serving officers who have served with Hayat see him as a compromise between the military and civilian government. Ahmad has extensive experience with military operations, especially against Pakistan's Taliban insurgency, and was previously the Director General Military Operations. Several past army chiefs had served as DGMOs before being promoted to the top post. A serving brigadier who has worked with Bajwa said he was the general "most similar in temperament to General Raheel", adding that: "His chances are also very good." The army's media wing did not respond to requests to interview the four contenders. WRESTING BACK POWER If Nawaz Sharif appoints a new army chief, it could allow him to claw back some of the influence he has ceded since coming to power in 2013, analysts said. In 2014, the prime minister emerged in charge but weakened after protests demanding his resignation, and that year the army also went against his wishes for a negotiated settlement with Taliban militants by sending troops into North Waziristan. "Nawaz has lost a lot of ground to the military during Raheel's tenure," Talat Masood, a retired general and political analyst said. "He will try and retake certain space by asserting himself. I think he would like a change in leadership." Sharif has been quiet on the issue of the military's ascendancy in public. But a statement from his office late last year, issued after the military urged the government to match its efforts in fighting militancy, said "all institutions have to play their role, while remaining within the ambit of the constitution." Under Raheel Sharif, the army tightened control over the battle against militants, including creating military courts that have sentenced dozens of people to death. The courts have been criticized by lawyers and families of defendants for denying basic rights, and some are challenging the courts' rulings through the civilian judiciary. The military has also taken a lead role in policing the southern city of Karachi, a broadly popular operation that has reduced rampant crime but also been denounced as heavy-handed and open to abuses including extra-judicial killings. "If Raheel Sharif hadn't been chief, these militants and criminals would have destroyed Pakistan," said Bismillah Khan, a bus driver in the southwestern city of Quetta. "I hope whoever replaces him will be just like him." (Additional reporting by Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Mike Collett-White and Kay Johnson)
Athens (AFP) - Four Pakistani minors have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping a 16-year-old Pakistani boy in a Greek migrant camp, police said Wednesday.

"The four minors, aged 16 to 17, will appear before a prosecutor today," a police source told AFP.

The incident allegedly occurred on Sunday in the Moria camp on the island of Lesbos.

Greece is accommodating over 60,000 refugees and migrants stuck in the country after a succession of Balkan and EU states shut their borders earlier this year.

Many of the camps are grossly overpopulated, and rights groups have repeatedly warned that minors must be housed separately for their safety.

There are also regular fights amongst refugees and migrants, who are forced to wait months for their asylum applications to be processed.

Some 5,000 people had to be evacuated from the Moria camp last week when a fire broke out after another brawl.

Greece is in the process of building additional camps on the mainland with EU funds.

But Athens says it has still not received the required EU staff promised by fellow member states to process a massive wave of asylum applications.

This would have enabled Greek authorities to relocate approved refugees out of the congested island camps.

Greece has also bemoaned the failure of fellow member states to accept thousands of refugees from its camps, despite a highly-publicised EU scheme launched last year.

"Fires and incidents in certain island camps are, in a fashion, the result of the failure to share out refugees to all EU member states," junior foreign minister for European affairs Nikos Xydakis told Die Welt daily on Wednesday, according to an excerpt of the interview sent in advance.

Xydakis said some 7,000 refugees could immediately leave but "most EU states either accept very few or do not even respond to our requests."

The Greek official also addressed a warning by German interior minister Thomas de Maiziere earlier this month to send migrants back to Greece, ending a five-year suspension of the EU's Dublin rules, under which refugees must seek asylum in the first EU country they enter.

Xydakis said that returning migrants to Greece under the Dublin regulations is "not realistic" and it would mean the cash-strapped country would end up with an additional one-two million people when it is already "near its limits" with 60,000.
Ramallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas hailed Shimon Peres as a "brave" partner for peace and sent his family condolences after the Israeli ex-president died earlier Wednesday, the official Palestinian news agency reported.

"Abbas sent a message of condolence to the family of former president Shimon Peres, expressing his sadness and sorrow," WAFA reported.

"Peres was a partner in making the brave peace with the martyr Yasser Arafat and prime minister (Yitzhak) Rabin, and made unremitting efforts to reach a lasting peace from the Oslo agreement until the final moments of his life."
paris seine highway

Cars will no longer be welcome along a major thoroughfare in Paris.

In a few weeks, the city will ban all vehicles from the Right Bank, a popular two-mile expressway running along the Seine River, The Guardian reports.

It will be turned into a grassy promenade with a cycle way, flowerbeds, and a playground. Only pedestrians will be allowed to use it.

As CityLab notes, pro-car advocates say the ban will intensify traffic elsewhere. But according to previous tests where Paris closed the highway to cars, traffic on the neighboring road only increased average journey time by one minute.

Urban planners and other supporters of the highway shutdown argue that the waterfront expressway has become unwelcome to those on foot, and the ban will alleviate that.

paris seine

In recent years, rising air pollution has also plagued Paris, which is why the city has been experimenting with temporary car bans from parts of downtown.

In July, the city completely banned cars built before 1997 from downtown in an effort to curb emissions. Since 2002, Paris has also seasonally closed parts of the road running along the Seine. The city also plans to double the number of bike lanes and limit select streets to electric cars by 2020.

seine paris

Madrid set an even more ambitious car-free precedent in 2014 when the city announced a plan to kick cars out of 500 acres of downtown by 2020. Other European cities, like Oslo and Hamburg, have worked toward similar objectives but not at this scale and speed.

Paris' Mayor, Anne Hidalgo, told the Guardian that the city's latest car ban marks the "end of the urban motorway in Paris and the reconquest of the Seine."

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By Jean-Baptiste Vey and Noah Barkin PARIS/BERLIN (Reuters) - France and Germany distanced themselves on Wednesday from a suggestion by French presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy that he could reverse Brexit if elected next year by negotiating a new European Union treaty more acceptable to Britain. Sarkozy, who has raised eyebrows in European capitals recently with his tough rhetoric on immigration, promises to ignore deficit targets and comments playing down climate change, told business leaders in Paris on Tuesday that he was committed to keeping Britain in the EU and had a plan to do so. If elected in May of next year, he said he would travel to Berlin a day later with the draft of a new EU treaty that he would present to German Chancellor Angela Merkel for approval. Sarkozy said he would then travel on to London to give the British government an opportunity to drop its promise to take Britain out of the EU following the June 23 Brexit referendum. British Prime Minister Theresa May has said repeatedly that "Brexit means Brexit" and signaled that she will trigger divorce proceedings with the EU early next year. The French and German governments have said they view Brexit as irreversible. Berlin, Paris and their EU partners have also made clear they do not foresee undertaking politically sensitive changes to the EU treaty in the foreseeable future. "I don't see how one country can ask another to hold a new vote. It is up to the British to decide this," French government spokesman Stephane Le Foll said in response to a question about Sarkozy's proposal. He added that it was "difficult to follow the logic" of Sarkozy's initiative. Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said the German government's view that Brexit was irreversible had not changed. A senior EU official added: "No one is talking about keeping Britain in now. Mrs. May has said 'Brexit means Brexit' and we don't see how politically the British can reverse course. No one is expecting a miracle." The British government did not immediately reply to a request for comment. "RECONCILING THE PEOPLE" WITH EU Sarkozy, a former president, and Alain Juppe, a former prime minister, are the leading contenders to become the conservative candidate for president. Whoever wins the conservative primary in November will be seen as the odds-on favorite to replace the unpopular Socialist incumbent Francois Hollande next year. In his remarks on Tuesday, Sarkozy repeated proposals he has been making for months for a new treaty he says should focus on reforming the Schengen free-travel zone, reining in the powers of the European Commission, integrating the euro zone further and halting membership talks with Turkey. An adviser to Sarkozy said his proposals were important for the EU as a whole, not only for Britain, adding that the former president was not trying to tell London what to do. "It's on the basis of this new Europe that we could reconcile the people - British and others - with the European project," the adviser told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Sarkozy's broad message was welcomed by some members of Merkel's conservative party, though they conceded that pushing through a new EU treaty would be a huge challenge. "I'm convinced that the EU will be worse off without Britain," Thorsten Frei, a conservative lawmaker who sits on the European affairs committee of the Bundestag, told Reuters. "Therefore I believe it is right to do everything possible, despite the difficulties, to find ways to keep us together." Frei said he agreed with all four of the elements mentioned by Sarkozy, including ending Turkey's membership talks. "We need to be clear that under the current conditions, the membership talks with Turkey are an illusion that have nothing to do with reality because Turkey is moving away from Europe," Frei said. (Additional reporting by Ingrid Melander, Alastair Macdonald, Elizabeth Piper, Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Paris (AFP) - France will host an international meeting on strife-ridden Libya next week featuring several countries in the region including Egypt and Gulf states, the French government's spokesman said.

Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told a cabinet meeting the gathering would bring together countries including Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey "to see how we can advance the cause of achieving the necessary unity in Libya", spokesman Stephane Le Foll said.

Libyan prime minister-designate Fayez al-Sarraj held talks with President Francois Hollande in Paris on Tuesday.

Sarraj told AFP in an interview that military strongman Khalifa Haftar, who controls the north African country's main oil ports, should be represented in a new, more inclusive government.

"We have no other choice but dialogue and reconciliation," Sarraj said.

"No one wants an escalation or a confrontation between Libyans," he added.

Haftar's forces this month seized control of Libya's so-called "oil crescent".

Sarraj's fragile unity government, formed in March following a UN-backed deal in December 2015, is backed by the international community.

But the Government of National Accord (GNA) has struggled to impose its power across a country riven by violence since the fall of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

Libya has Africa's largest oil reserves, estimated at 48 billion barrels, but production and exports have slumped dramatically after years of crisis.
Jerusalem (AFP) - Shimon Peres, who died Wednesday aged 93, is famed for his peace efforts with the Palestinians but his role as architect of Israel's nuclear programme may prove his more lasting legacy.

When still in his 30s during the 1950s, Peres played a key part in Israel's pursuit of a nuclear capability at the urging of Israel's first prime minister David Ben-Gurion.

He reached a secret agreement with France that led to the building of a nuclear reactor at Dimona in Israel's Negev desert, which went critical around 1962.

Israel is now considered to be the Middle East's sole nuclear-armed power, although it has never confirmed it, maintaining a policy of ambiguity.

It is estimated to have produced enough weapons-grade plutonium at Dimona to arm between 100 and 200 nuclear warheads, according to the US-based Nuclear Threat Initiative.

Peres, who was president and twice prime minister, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 for his role in negotiating the Oslo accords with the Palestinians, but he saw no contradiction between that achievement and his nuclear programme efforts.

"Dimona helped us to achieve Oslo," he told Time magazine in an interview in February.

"Because many Arabs, out of suspicion, came to the conclusion that it's very hard to destroy Israel because of it, because of their suspicion.

"Well if the result is Dimona, I think I was right. Anyway, weve never threatened anybody with nuclear bombs, and weve never tested it."

Peres was put in charge of the nuclear programme by Ben-Gurion while director general of the defence ministry.

The prime minister had made the programme a priority, driven in part by the Holocaust and the 1948 war with neighbouring Arab states that accompanied Israel's creation, historian Avner Cohen wrote in his book "Israel and the Bomb."

"Peres's boundless energy and political skills became the necessary ingredient in realising Israel's nuclear hopes," he added.

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- 'One of the ablest' -

Ephraim Asculai, a senior research fellow at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies, said Ben-Gurion had enormous trust in Peres.

He saw him as "one of the ablest persons in the country and one who could carry out the mission."

Peres enlisted France's help for the secret programme, and even the United States, now Israel's most important ally, was kept out of the loop.

In a documentary aired on Israeli television in 2001, Peres acknowledged that France agreed to provide Israel with "a nuclear capability" as part of the secret negotiations that led to their invasion of Egypt alongside Britain during the Suez Crisis of 1956.

It was only years later, in 1969, that Israel reportedly reached an understanding with Washington under which Israeli leaders would refrain from making any statement about the country's capabilities and would carry out no nuclear test.

In exchange, the United States avoided exerting any pressure on the issue.

Israel has still not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was a political rival of Peres, made reference to the elder statement's involvement in the nuclear programme in a tribute after his death on Wednesday.

"As a champion of Israel's defence, he strengthened its capacities in many ways, some of them still unacknowledged to this day," he said.

While Peres and other Israeli leaders have credited the country's policy of nuclear ambiguity with protecting it from hostile neighbours and helping it leverage peace agreements, others have been critical.

Opponents say Israel's suspected arsenal has been a constant spur for its regional rivals to try to develop their own as a deterrent.

Last year's nuclear deal between the major powers and Israel's arch-foe Iran was aimed at ensuring it could not do so.

Israel has continued to keep a tight lid on its nuclear programme.

Former nuclear technician Mordechai Vanunu was jailed in 1986 for disclosing the inner workings of the Dimona nuclear plant to Britain's Sunday Times newspaper.

Snatched in Rome by agents of the Mossad intelligence agency and smuggled to Israel, Vanunu spent more than 10 years of his sentence in solitary confinement.

Even after his release in 2004, he remained subject to a raft of restraining orders, including a ban on speaking to the foreign media.
Jerusalem (AFP) - Shimon Peres, who died Wednesday aged 93, strove for peace with the Palestinians with the Oslo accords he helped negotiate more than two decades ago, but his dream is rapidly fading.

The peace process that he helped create is now comatose, with little hope on either side that the deadlock can be broken anytime soon.

It is a sharp contrast with the burst of optimism in the early 1990s.

"We are leaving behind us the era of belligerency and are striding together toward peace," Peres declared in his acceptance speech for the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize, awarded for his role in negotiating Oslo.

At the December 10, 1994 Nobel award ceremony, large spectacles dominating his face, foreign minister Peres stood at the rostrum in Oslo.

He was joined by the other joint recipients of the prize: Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

All three wore broad smiles as they received the medals and diplomas "for their efforts to create peace in the Middle East" which had crystallised a year earlier when the first Oslo accord was signed in Washington, carrying with it the promise of resolution to the conflict.

But hope has since given way to deep pessimism.

"Twenty-three years ago, almost to the day, the first Oslo accord was signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation," United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon said on September 15.

"Unfortunately, we are further than ever from its goals. The two-state solution is at risk of being replaced by a one-state reality of perpetual violence and occupation."

Ban described the Gaza Strip as a "time bomb".

The 1993 treaty brought the first Palestinian intifada to an end but a second erupted in 2000.

Thousands of people, including women and children, have died in a cycle of Palestinian suicide bombings and rocket attacks as well as Israeli military offensives, punitive operations and "targeted killings" of alleged Palestinian militants.

Story continues

Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish extremist opposed to Oslo in 1995.

- 'Peace process charade' -

Next year will mark a half-century of Israel's occupation of the West Bank and east Jerusalem, captured in the 1967 Six-Day War.

It has continued despite mutual Israeli-Palestinian recognition, endorsement by the international community of a two-state solution and UN recognition of Palestine as an observer state.

Recognition of Palestinian statehood has come from more than 130 countries.

"Our hand remains outstretched for making peace," Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas told the UN General Assembly last week.

"But the question that keeps presenting itself over and over again: Is there any leadership in Israel, the occupying power, that desires to make a true peace and that will abandon the mentality of hegemony, expansionism and colonisation?"

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the world body that the root of the problem is the "persistent Palestinian refusal to recognise the Jewish state."

"When the Palestinians finally say yes to a Jewish state, we will be able to end this conflict once and for all," he said.

The gulf between them is so wide that many diplomats fear that the concept of an Israeli and Palestinian state in peaceful coexistence is slipping away.

Former Abbas advisor Dianna Butu says that Israel clearly has no real plan for peace.

"It's time to drop the charade of the failed, decades-old 'peace process' that has only brought more misery and suffering to Palestinians," she said.

"It's time for the Palestinian leadership to finally embrace large-scale nonviolent popular resistance."

- 'The greatest victory' -

Itamar Rabinovich, a former Israeli ambassador to Washington, recalls the historic handshake between Rabin and Arafat on the White House lawn as a smiling president Bill Clinton looked on.

He said that after Rabin shook hands with his old foe he beckoned Peres forward, saying "Your turn, Shimon."

"The accords are not in good shape but the mutual recognition is still with us," he added, citing security and economic cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Israeli analyst Jonathan Rynhold said that although the Oslo framework is "severely wounded", it is still alive and, at the very least, has fostered a general acceptance by Israelis of the idea of a Palestinian state.

As for the future of the process and the role of Israel's ally the United States, Rynhold says that a victory by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton probably offers the best hope of saving the Oslo accords.

"She's been there from the beginning until now," he said. "There are few people who understand this better."

Israel has won its wars, Peres said in 1994, "but we did not win the greatest victory that we aspired to: release from the need to win victories."
Lima (AFP) - A Peruvian court convicted the ex-heads of the country's intelligence services and army of murdering students and burning their bodies in an oven during a crackdown against opponents in 1993.

It handed a new jail sentence of 22 years on Tuesday to ex-spy chief Vladimiro Montesinos, the right-hand man of now-jailed ex-president Alberto Fujimori.

It handed the same sentence to the former head of the army, Nicolas Hermoza.

Montesinos is considered one of the masterminds of a violent crackdown by Fujimori's government against opponents who he alleged were linked to the Shining Path, a Marxist armed rebel group.

A court found Fujimori, 78, responsible for massacres of opponents committed in the early 1990s and handed him a 25-year sentence in 2009.

Montesinos, 71, and Hermoza, 81, are also already in jail for killings by death squads and other convictions.

The court on Tuesday found the two responsible for the forced disappearances of students Martin Roca Casas and Kenneth Anzualdo and the teacher Justiniano Najarro, all from Callao Technical University.

The court heard that the three were killed and their bodies burned in an oven in the basement of the army intelligence service in Lima.

It also sentenced former army intelligence chief Jorge Nadal in absentia to 15 years and ordered his capture.
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said Wednesday he will soon end joint military exercises with the United States, a move that could further dampen relations with Manila's longtime ally after the controversial leader branded Barack Obama a "son of a whore".

Speaking to a raucous crowd at an upscale Hanoi hotel where he kicked off his two-day visit to Vietnam, the foul-mouthed leader said next month's military drills would be the last.

"I will serve notice to you now, that this will be the last military exercise, jointly Philippines-US, the last one," he said in a rambling speech to several hundred Vietnam-based Filipinos.

The Philippine-US Amphibious Landing Exercises (Phiblex) are set to take place from October 4 to 12 in the Philippines, which follow the larger annual Balikatan exercises in April involving more than 8,000 forces from both sides.

The allies have quarrelled in recent weeks, with Duterte vowing to eject US special forces from the country's troubled south, just days after he insulted President Obama at a regional leaders summit in Laos.

The 71-year-old leader has also come under fire for his bloody war on crime that has claimed more than 3,700 lives since he took office in June, including by Obama who has said he must conduct his crime war "the right way" by protecting human rights.

Western governments and rights groups have raised concerns about a breakdown in the rule of law over Duterte's crackdown on crime, a criticism the leader laughed off on Wednesday.

"I am the favourite whipping boy now of the human rights (groups) all over the world," he told the crowd, which gave him a rock star welcome.

Defence ties between the United States and the Philippines date back to 1951, and annual joint military exercises have been a pillar of the alliance.

Duterte will meet with Vietnam's political top brass Thursday to discuss maritime freedom and boosting economic and defence ties. Both Manila and Hanoi are locked in separate disputes with powerhouse Beijing over territory in the South China Sea.
If Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte makes good on his threats to turn away from his countrys 65-year-old alliance with the United States, the first casualty would likely be the U.S. military mission there, which has become a model for successful counterterrorism operations worldwide.

After warning earlier this month that the U.S. military contingent of several hundred troops has to go, Duterte said Monday that his countrys alliance with Washington had reached a point of no return and on Wednesday he said an upcoming joint military exercise would be the last with the United States.

The threat to push out the team of up to 100 U.S. Special Operations Forces, along with an additional 300 to 500 American conventional troops, comes as concerns mount in Washington and Southeast Asia about the Islamic States efforts to spread its tentacles in the region. Governments are especially worried that the Islamic State could fuel a resurgence of Abu Sayyaf, the militant group in the southern Philippines founded and trained by al Qaeda that U.S. forces have been helping Manila fight for 14 years.

An Islamic State propaganda video earlier this year underlined the groups interest in the Philippines, showing jihadi fighters in the jungle pledging allegiance to the group. And in April, a battle between the Philippine Army and Abu Sayyaf militants reportedly left 18 soldiers dead and dozens wounded. So far, the Islamic State has yet to demonstrate whether it can work through Abu Sayyaf to expand its influence, but experts believe the fight against the militants is at a pivotal moment.

Southeast Asia is clearly a place they aspire to be spreading, Defense Secretary Ash Carter told senators last week when asked about the threat posed by the Islamic State. The issue will be high on the agenda when Carter meets his defense counterparts from the region on Friday for talks in Hawaii.

Launched in 2002 in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. counterterrorism mission was designed to provide advice and intelligence to help Philippine forces take on Abu Sayyaf, which kidnaps for ransom and was set up with seed money from the al Qaeda terror network.

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And 14 years later, the mission is widely regarded as a success, with Abu Sayyaf severely weakened and Philippine forces employing more nuanced tactics honed during a decade-plus of operating side-by-side with American commandos. In the U.S. military, the mission is often held up as a successful example of a counterterrorism mission that uses a light footprint and a light touch to empower local forces without a high-profile American presence or large-scale airstrikes.

After years of relentless pressure, the number of attacks carried out by Abu Sayyaf has declined, and polls also show less sympathy for the militants and satisfaction with Philippines security forces.

But Abu Sayyaf militants and other extremist groups in Southeast Asia are looking to regroup by linking up with the Islamic State network to attract recruits and money.

It would be a huge setback if U.S. troops were forced to leave now, said Seth Jones, a former advisor to American forces who has written extensively about terrorist threats. It has been really successful weakening Abu Sayyaf.

Even with improvements in the capabilities of Philippine troops, the American Special Operations Forces (SOF) still play an important role in tracking the militants by using intelligence from drones and other U.S. surveillance aircraft, experts and former officials said.

Abu Sayyafs roots date back to the early 1990s, when it split off from a Muslim separatist rebellion waged by the Moro National Liberation Front. With an estimated 400 fighters, Abu Sayyaf is a small but brutal insurgency operating in the countrys southern islands and is known for kidnapping foreigners for ransom and beheading hostages if governments refuse to bow to their demands. The militants beheaded two Canadian nationals this year.

With the Philippine armed forces facing budget pressures and preoccupied with Chinas rival territorial claims in the South China Sea, Abu Sayyaf has tried to reassert itself over the past year and associate the group with the Islamic State brand, experts said.

Withdrawing all U.S. SOF support in the current conditions could definitely cause backsliding in security and stability of the south in the face of both a resurgent threat and mixed signals from the government, said Linda Robinson, a RAND Corporation expert who recently wrote a report on the American commandos mission.

Officials in Manila have tried to reassure Washington and downplay Dutertes inflammatory, profanity-laced remarks. But his stream of anti-American statements, including referring to President Barack Obama as the son of a whore, are not easily dismissed, given his track record as the former mayor of Davao, a southern Philippines city where he backed up his tough talk with anti-crime tactics condemned by international human rights groups.

I think hes absolutely capable of asking U.S. forces to leave, said Vikram Singh, a former senior Pentagon official who handled relations with the Philippines and other Southeast Asian states.

When someone like this gets into power, you should expect they will act in the way theyve acted and the way they said they would act, said Singh, now at the Center for American Progress.

As Davaos mayor for 22 years, Duterte rose to fame by bringing down a sky-high crime rate through draconian measures, including a strict curfew. Human Rights Watch has accused him of backing vigilante death squads which killed hundreds of petty criminals, drug dealers, and street children. Duterte has denied the charges.

Embracing his nickname as the Punisher, Duterte has applied similar drastic crime-fighting measures as president, and the results have shocked rights groups and foreign governments, including the United States. The death toll from his anti-drug campaign by police and vigilantes has reportedly surpassed 3,000 since he took office in June, and authorities have rejected calls to investigate the killings.

In July, Duterte called on people who knew of any drug addicts to go ahead and kill them yourself as getting their parents to do it would be too painful.

By bashing the United States, Duterte is playing on deeply rooted resentment over Americas colonial legacy in the Philippines, though the small contingent of U.S. Special Operations Forces there has taken pains to play a supporting role to the countrys armed forces fighting Abu Sayyaf.

We said in 2002 that we would not conduct unilateral operations and we kept that word, said David Maxwell, a retired U.S. Army colonel who commanded Special Forces in the Philippines. We built a level of trust.

But tensions are running high between Duterte and the United States  as well as European governments  over his governments violent war against drugs. Some U.S. lawmakers are calling for imposing conditions on U.S. aid to Manila over the issue.

This is systematic, widespread, brutal, and beyond the bounds for a constitutional democracy, Sen. Ben Cardin, the Senate Foreign Relations Committees top Democrat, said in a written statement entered into the congressional record on Monday.

Referring to the decades-old U.S. alliance with the Philippines, Cardin said because of the way in which the new government of President Duterte is approaching this issue, we may find ourselves at something of a crossroads.

The State Department has left open the possibility that $6.7 million in planned U.S. funding for the Philippines criminal justice system might be canceled if human rights concerns are not addressed.

The funds can be used only after agreement between the United States and the Philippines on their specific use. If no agreement is reached, the funds may be used in a country other than the Philippines, a State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Foreign Policy.

The official added that we are deeply concerned by reports of extrajudicial killings by or at the behest of government authorities in the Philippines.

The Pentagon said it is in discussions with Manila about the future of the U.S. military mission.

Over the last two months, we have been consulting with our Filipino partners at senior levels on ways we can support the new administrations counterterrorism efforts, Cmdr. Gary Ross, a Pentagon spokesman, told FP.

Administration officials said privately there has been no formal request to end the U.S. military mission. But officials also are concerned that Duterte might jeopardize gains in the campaign against Abu Sayyaf and alienate the local population if he orders a major military operation along the lines used in his aggressive anti-drug fight.

Dutertes remarks have also spooked financial markets and sent the countrys peso plunging to a seven-year low. International credit rating agency Standard & Poors has said the presidents statements and threats could endanger the economy and that his unpredictable behavior means an upgrade to the countrys credit rating is unlikely in the next two years.

For the Obama administration, Dutertes volatility is a discouraging turn of events after years of diplomatic legwork that had produced steady progress. The White House had come to see Manila as an important pillar in its strategic rebalance to Asia, including its bid to counter Chinas assertive moves in the South China Sea.

The improving relations culminated with a new military cooperation agreement that entered into force this year allowing the United States broad access to several key air and naval bases. The move was driven largely by concerns over Chinas growing military might and its expansionist claims to reefs and islands also claimed by Manila. But it illustrated how far U.S.-Philippine relations had progressed since 1992, when Manila  keen to assert the countrys independence from the American superpower  voted to force the U.S. military to abandon its vast naval base at Subic Bay.

The Philippines remains sensitive about its sovereignty, given Americas bloody colonial campaign more than a century ago that failed to distinguish between civilians and pro-independence rebels, and Washingtons heavy military presence after the countrys independence in 1946.

Still, over the past decade and a half, the U.S. military mission had not been a source of contention between Washington and Manila, particularly as the American footprint has decreased from more than 1,000 troops to between roughly 500 and 600. In 2007, the mission scored a coup when U.S. forces helped Philippine troops hunt down and kill the thenleader of Abu Sayyaf  Jainal Antel Sali  at his jungle hideout after a firefight and an elaborate intelligence operation. A militant inside Abu Sayyaf  responding to a U.S. appeal for information on the groups leader in return for a cash reward  delivered crucial information that led to the raid.

Some former U.S. officials and analysts argue that Dutertes coarse and angry rhetoric is mostly about maintaining his populist appeal at home, and that in the end, the alliance between Manila and Washington will not be blown off course.

Given the sensitivity in the Philippines over Americas presence, Washington will have to tread carefully and accept that it cannot push too hard to persuade Manila to retain the U.S. Special Operations Forces, said Maxwell, who now teaches at Georgetown University.

This has to be pull, not push. It has to be the Philippine government that wants support, not us forcing ourselves on the Philippines, he said.

Photo credit: JOEL NITO/AFP/Getty Images
Now in its second year, the Nasher Prize was established to honor a living artist who enhances the medium of sculpture and its cultural significance. French artist Pierre Huyghe has been designated for the 2017 prize.

The Nasher Prize is awarded through the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, Texas. Conceived for the exhibition, study, and conservation of modern and contemporary sculpture, the 2.4 acre site includes a 55,000 square-foot building designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano and features more than 300 iconic pieces by Calder, de Kooning, Giacometti, Matisse, Miro, Picasso, Rodin, and Serra, amongst others.

Pierre Huyghe was selected for the Nasher Prize by an international jury of museum directors, curators, artists, and art historians with expertise in the domain of sculpture. Jury members included Lynne Cooke (Senior Curator, National Gallery of Art), Okwui Enwezor (Director, Haus der Kunst), and Sir Nicholas Serota (Director, Tate).

Huyghe was born in 1962 in Paris, and pursued his studies at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts Decoratifs in his native city. Today he lives and works between Chile and New York. In 2013, he had a retrospective at Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, which traveled thereafter to Museum Ludwig in Cologne (2014) and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (2014-2015). He has had numerous international solo exhibitions at such venues as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (2015) and the Tate Modern in London (2006).

He deploys an unconventional variety of materials and disciplines  music, cinema, dance, and theater mingle with biology and philosophy, incorporating elements as diverse as fog, ice, computer programs, video games, dogs, bees, and microorganisms.

He has vastly expanded the parameters of what sculpture can be and can symbolize. I'm looking at the co-evolution of interdependent agents, biotic and abiotic, real or symbolic, Huyghe said in a statement. He describes his approach as examining "different states of living, self-organizing in a dynamic and unstable situation: mesh, porous, contingent."

Huyghe will be presented with an award designed by Renzo Piano, the aforementioned architect of the Nasher Sculpture Center, at a ceremony in Dallas on April 1, 2017.

In conjunction with the Nasher Prize, the Nasher Sculpture Center annually presents a series of public programs exploring the evolving nature of contemporary sculpture. This year, Nasher Prize Dialogues will occur in Berlin, Mexico City, and Dallas, Texas.
London (AFP) - A British High Court judge on Wednesday granted an order barring the publication of photographs allegedly stolen from the online account of Pippa Middleton, Prince William's sister-in-law.

Around 3,000 photographs were reported to have been taken from Middleton's iCloud account, including shots of her sister Kate and Kate's children with Prince William, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

Lawyers for 33-year-old Middleton and her fiance James Matthews, who did not attend the court hearing in London, had lodged a civil action against a "person or persons unknown" to bar publication.

An emergency ban had been granted on September 24 but the new order makes that ruling permanent and widens it to "any other information" that Middleton stored on her iCloud account.

The ruling said the pictures "include photographs of family, friends and places of personal importance".

It said it was "as yet not clear" who had originally gained access to Middleton's account.

The order handed down by judge Philippa Whipple means that anyone who published the photos would be at risk of contempt of court charges, which carry a possible prison sentence.

British tabloid The Sun said it had been asked for 50,000 (58,000 euros, $65,000) for the photographs, after someone contacted the newspaper via the encrypted messaging service WhatsApp.

The ruling said it was "as yet not clear" who had originally gained access to Middleton's account.

Police arrested a 35-year-old man on Saturday on suspicion of an offence under the Computer Misuse Act and he was bailed until November.
Google is getting ready to take the wraps off its newest flagship phones, featuring new hardware, a different take on software and  potentially  an entirely new name. While past Google phones have carried the Nexus label, Google is expected to switch the name to Pixel for two new phones that will replace the Nexus 6P and 5X as the hardware that shows off what the Android operating system can do.





Last year's Nexus flagships

Last year's Nexus flagships

Here's a round-up of what we've heard about Google's phone plans in advance of their expected October unveiling.

* The new phones will be called the Pixel and Pixel XL.

* They'll make their debut at an Oct. 4 press event, where Google's expected to show off other hardware, too.

* Google will offer 5- and 5.5-inch versions of the phone, which will run Android Nougat and support the company's Daydream VR platform.

* The phones will run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 821 processor.



Goodbye, Nexus; Hello, Pixel

In September, Android Police broke the news that Google planned to drop the Nexus name from its lineup of smartphones. Instead, it's expected that the next flagship phones to come out of Google will be named the Pixel and Pixel XL.

MORE: Here Are the 10 Best Smartphones Available

It's unclear why Google is opting for this name change, though it might bring some naming consistency to Google's lineup of mobile devices. Last year, Google introduced the Pixel C convertible tablet during the same event where the Nexus 6P and 5X made their debuts. So putting tablets and smartphones under one brand name might make more sense from a marketing perspective.

Mark Your Calendars for October 4



We can speculate on what Google might call its new phones, but it's very clear when they'll arrive. Google has announced an October 4 press event, and it's almost certain that the Pixel phones  if that turns out to be their name  will be center stage.

The phones are unlikely to be the only hardware Google unveils at the event. Earlier this year, Google unveiled plans for a virtual reality platform called Daydream. It's a dead-certainty that the new Pixel phones are going to meet the hardware standards Google spelled out for its VR platform, and it seems likely that Google will show off the VR headset its developing as part of the Daydream project. Google is working on an Amazon Echo-like speaker called the Google Home, and we could get a glimpse of that device, too. And, if Google follows the format from its 2015 Nexus phone unveilings, it could show off updates to its Chromecast streaming device as well as more Pixel tablets.

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MORE: What to Expect at Google's Oct. 4 Event



Whatever Google has planned besides the Pixel phones, we'll be at the Oct. 4 event in San Francisco which starts at noon ET/9 a.m. PT.

Here's What the Pixel Phone Looks Like



Credit: VentureBeat

Credit: VentureBeatVentureBeat

offered up our first good look at the Pixel phone's new appearance with a leaked photo of what's likely to be the new device. The hardware itself looks like pretty standard stuff for a smartphone, but the photo shows off circular launcher icons and a Google icon in the upper left corner of the phone. Android Police has more on the new look for the icons as well as that Pixel Launcher.

What About the Specs

Details about the Pixel phones leaked out earlier this year when the devices were code-named Sailfish (the 5-inch phone) and Marlin (the 5.5-inch model). It's widely believed HTC will build the phones; that device maker handled the first Nexus One phone as well as the Nexus 9 tablet. Last year's Nexus 5X and 6P were produced by LG and Huawei, respectively.

As noted above, both phones are almost certain to comply with the standards of Google's Daydream VR platform, since the entire point of Google creating phones is to showcase the capabilities of its software. That likely means Qualcomm's Snapdragon 821 will power both Pixel phones. The CPU has already shown up in fall flagships like Xiaomi's Mi 5s and Asus's ZenFone 3 Deluxe.

Much of what we've heard about the new Pixel phones based on Android Police reports on the both the smaller Sailfish phone and the 5.5-inch Marlin device have been confirmed by Carphone Warehouse, a UK retailer that prematurely posted a Pixel phone specs page. In addition to confirming the presence of the SnapDragon 821 inside the new devices, the Carphone Warehouse post indicated the smaller Pixel will have a 1920 x 1080 AMOLED display while the 5.5-inch Pixel XL will feature 2560 x 1440 resolution. Both phones will start at 32GB of storage and feature 4GB of RAM. They'll have a 12-megapixel camera on the back, with an f/2.0 aperture and 1.55-micron pixels; an 8-MP shooter will be on the front of the Pixel and Pixel XL. Besides different screen sizes, the new phones will have different sized batteries  a 2,770-mAh battery will power the Pixel while the Pixel XL will offer a 3,450 mAh power pack.

Credit: Carphone Warehouse via Android Central

Credit: Carphone Warehouse via Android Central

If those are the Pixel's specs, that 5-inch phone will be an upgrade from the Nexus 5X in many areas, even if its screen is smaller than the 5X's 5.2-inch display. The Nexus 5X runs on a 1.8-GHz hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor with 2GB of RAM. The rear camera on the Nexus 5X is also 12-MP, but an 8-MP front camera would improve upon the 5-MP sensor on the current phone. The Pixel's resolution should be the same as the Nexus 5X, while its battery is only a slight uptick from the 2,700-mAh pack powering Google's current phone. Of course, with the Nexus 5X lasting 11 hours, 30 minutes on our battery tests, that shouldn't really be an area of concern.

The Pixel XL's rumored specs have a lot in common with the 5.7-inch Nexus 6P. While HTC is shrinking the screen by 0.2 inches, the resolution will be the same, as will the camera specs. The Nexus 6P featured 3GB of RAM, so this new phone would ship with more memory. You could also buy a 64GB version of the 6P; the Pixel XL is expected to feature 32GB and 128GB versions. Most tellingly, the 3,450 mAh battery in Marlin would be the same that powered the Nexus 6P, though that's not a bad thing. The 6P lasted 12 hours, 25 minutes on our battery test, making it one of the longer-lasting phones we've seen. We're hopeful that the Pixel XL can continue that tradition.

These phones are likely to cost you, if reports about pricing are true. Pricing is expected to start at $649, though it's unclear if that's for the smaller Pixel, as Android Police reports, or for the Pixel XL. If the former, that would match the pricing on Apple's iPhone 7.

Other Changes



When you get a Nexus phone these days, you're pretty much on your own for transferring contacts, adjusting preferences and otherwise setting up the device. A report from Android Police says that will change with the 2016 models, as Google is reportedly developing a support app that can put you in touch with customer service. The app will include screen-sharing capabilities so that customer support can better see what issue is causing you problems.

As described by Android Police, the feature sounds an awful lot like the Mayday feature Amazon includes with its tablets and TV set-top boxes. And that would be a welcome addition that potentially opens up the Nexus phone beyond hardcore Android enthusiasts to casual users who might be put off by having to turn to online support documents for answers.

See also : Best Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge Cases
Los Angeles (AFP) - Playboy magazine, once famous for bunnies and soft porn, for the first time is featuring a Muslim woman wearing a hijab, in a spread that is drawing both praise and criticism.

American journalist Noor Tagouri appears in the magazine's October "Renegades" edition, a series that focuses on men and women "who risked it all -- even their lives -- to do what they love."

The 22-year-old journalist who works as a reporter for Newsy, a video news network, is featured wearing a black leather jacket, jeans, sneakers and a hijab, or headscarf, in the publication that describes her as "a badass activist."

Tagouri, who is of Libyan descent and whose goal is to become the first "hijabi" anchor on commercial US television, says that her struggles as a Muslim woman growing up in the United States have helped her move ahead in her career.

"I know what it's like to have the narrative of our community be skewed and exploited in the media," she told Playboy, which did away with nudity earlier this year as it sought to appeal to a wider audience.

"I was like, 'Hey, I know what it's like to be misrepresented in the media. I won't do that to you. I want to tell your story because it's important and deserves justice.'"

Tagouri, who has a social media following of more than 100,000, first gained attention after launching the viral #LetNoorShine campaign in 2012.

Her appearance in the revamped Playboy is being hailed by many as a breakthrough, but others have hit out at the young woman.

"Playboy is synonymous with pornography," read an article in The Muslim Vibe, an online magazine.

"It has been at the forefront of the objectification, sexualisation and commodification of women for decades and just because they've softened their image, it doesn't mean we can begin to engage with the platform and jump on board."

Blogger Nishaat Ismail also questioned in an opinion column the wisdom of Tagouri associating with an institution "based on the objectification of women."

"Are the voices of women -- and in particular Muslim women -- buried so deep under the cries of those who claim to speak on our behalf that our only available response is (to) involve ourselves with Playboy, a magazine that has solely existed for the past 63 years for men to gawp at the bodies of half-naked women?" wrote Nishaat.

"Is this really how we reclaim our own narrative?"
Poland has chosen Afterimage, from veteran director Andrzej Wajda, as its entry for this years foreign-language Oscar.

The film, written by Andrzej Mularczyk, is a biopic about avant-garde artist Wladyslaw Strzeminski, who battled Stalinist orthodoxy and his own physical impairments to advance progressive ideas about art. It saw its world premiere at the Toronto Intl. Film Festival earlier this month.

The film was chosen as Polands Oscar contender by a committee composed of representatives of the countrys film industry and members of the Polish Film Institute.

The 90-year-old Wajda, who received an honorary Oscar in 2000, has directed films across seven decades since his debut with A Generation in 1955. His 1983 film Danton won a BAFTA for best foreign-language film.

Afterimage is his ninth film to be submitted by Poland for Oscar consideration. Four have made the cut for the foreign-language Oscar short list: The Promised Land in 1975, The Maids of Wilko in 1979, Man of Iron in 1981, and Katyn in 2007. His previous film Walesa: Man of Hope was Polands submission in 2013 but did not secure a nomination.

Andrzej Wajda has always had a unique take on his protagonists and their personal stories. By placing man in the spotlight, Wajda does not shirk from thoroughly analyzing his complex relationship with a world that often violently interferes in his life, said a statement from the Polish selection committee.

Poland won the Oscar for best foreign-language film for 2014 with Pawel Pawlikowskis black-and-white film Ida, about a young nun in 1960s Poland on the verge of taking her vows when she discovers a dark family secret dating back to the German occupation of World War II.

Kyrgyzstan has also entered the foreign-language Oscar race with A Fathers Will, co-directed by Bakyt Mukul and Dastan Zhapar Uulu. The drama tells the story of a man who, following the death of his father, returns to his family village in Kyrgyzstan after 15 years living in the U.S. to pay back money the father owed the villagers. The film won the Golden Zenith Award for best first fiction feature at the Montreal World Film Festival earlier this month.

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Latvia is hoping for its first foreign-language Oscar nomination with Dawn, a drama about life on a farm commune in Soviet-controlled Latvia based on a story about a young man who turned his father in to the secret police and was subsequently killed by his family. Written and directed by Laila Pakalnina, the film, a co-production with Estonia and Poland, was partly inspired by Sergei Eisensteins unfinished film Bezhin Meadows, based on the same story.

Macedonias Oscar submission, The Liberation of Skopje, marks the directorial debut of actor Rade Serbedzija, working alongside his director son Danilo. Rade also co-wrote the film with Dushan Jovanovic, adapted from Jovanovics stage play, which tells the story of an 8-year-old boy living under German occupation in World War II.

Macedonia has not received an Oscar nomination since its first submission, 1994s Before The Rain, starring Serbedzija, which made the final five for 1995 but lost out to Russias Burnt By The Sun.

Other Eastern European countries entering the Oscar race earlier this month include Armenia, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Serbia and Ukraine.

Armenia selected Sarik Andreasyans Earthquake, an Armenian-Russian co-production about a 28-year-old Armenian and a 50-year-old Russian working together to rescue survivors following the devastating earthquake that hit the country, then part of the U.S.S.R., in December 1988. Earthquake is Armenias first submission for the foreign language Oscar since 2012.

Bulgaria will hope Losers is finally a winner for the country. Ivaylo Hristovs drama, about four high school students whose lives are shaken up when a famous rock band gives a concert in their small provincial town, is the 27th film Bulgaria has submitted for Oscar consideration, but the country has yet to receive a nomination. Losers premiered at the Moscow Intl. Film Festival in 2015, winning three awards.

Lithuanias entry is drama Senecas Day, the first co-production between all three Baltic states (with Estonia and Latvia). The film, written and directed by Kristijonas Vildziunas, sees a love triangle break up the friendship of two 18-year-old boys in 1989. Twenty-five years later, one of the friends, feeling he has betrayed the ideals of his youth, reflects on the past.

Serbias submission, Milos Radovics comedy Train Drivers Diary, won the Moscow Intl. Film Festivals audience award. The film follows a train driver who is near retirement and is preparing his adopted son to follow in his footsteps, but who also holds the record for the most accidental deaths. It is a co-production with Croatia.

Ukrainian Sheriffs, Ukraines entry, is a documentary by Roman Bondarchuk that follows a two-man law-enforcement team in a remote Ukrainian village. It won a special jury award at the Amsterdam Intl. Documentary Film Festival in 2015.

The nominations for the 89th Academy Awards will be announced Jan. 24.

Related stories

Turkey Selects 'Cold of Kalandar' as Its Foreign-Language Oscar Hope

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Toronto Film Review: 'Afterimage'
Los Angeles (AFP) - Protesters marched in a California town following the fatal police shooting of an unarmed black man said to be mentally ill, as local officials urged calm and pledged a full investigation.

Alfred Okwera Olango, 38, was shot on Tuesday in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon after police received an emergency call about a man behaving erratically and walking in traffic.

El Cajon police chief Jeff Davis said Olango had ignored repeated calls by responding officers to remove his hand from his pocket and one officer used a taser against him while another fired his weapon when he turned and confronted them.

"At one point, the subject rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together and extended them rapidly toward the officer taking up what appeared to be a shooting stance," Davis said in a statement. "At this time, the officer with the electronic control device discharged his weapon.

"Simultaneously, the officer with the firearm discharged his weapon several times, striking the subject."

Authorities said Wednesday the object that Olango had in his hands was a "vape" electronic cigarette. It had a silver cylinder and Olango held the vape's box in his grip.

The shooting took place as the United States reels from a string of police killings of black men that have raised racial tensions nationwide.

Dozens of angry demonstrators marched peacefully on Wednesday in El Cajon, a town with a large immigrant and refugee population, at one point blocking an intersection as they faced off with police in riot gear.

"These senseless killings have to stop -- not just in El Cajon but in the entire country," community activist Estela De Los Rios said.

More than 100 people had gathered Tuesday evening at the scene of the shooting insisting that it was unjustified and racially motivated. Several shouted "black lives matter" and "hands up, don't shoot."

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- Police urge calm -

Local officials have urged residents to remain calm, pledging that the incident would be fully investigated by police, the district attorney and the FBI.

"This will be transparent. This will be looked at by multiple sets of eyes, and not just ours," Davis vowed at a news conference.

Police have also released a still photo lifted from a video taken at the scene that shows a man in a shooting stance.

One witness posted a Facebook Live video after the shooting that showed a distraught woman who identified herself as Olango's sister and said she had called police to help her brother who was mentally ill.

"You guys came and killed my brother," the woman wails in the video that had been viewed more than 110,000 times by Wednesday afternoon.

"I called you guys to help my brother. You killed my brother in front of me."

Relatives said Olango was a refugee from Uganda.

Davis said the two officers involved in the shooting, each with more than 20 years of service, had been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

The deaths of black men at the hands of police have spurred protests across America, most recently last week in the North Carolina city of Charlotte.

The fatal shooting of Keith Lamont Scott, 43, triggered days of unrest, forcing the governor to declare a state of emergency and deploy the National Guard.
When the Center for Public Integrity and The Associated Press launched a two-part series about the politics behind the nations opioid addiction epidemic last week, reactions came swiftly from around the country.

More than two dozen editorials and columns were written in response to the Politics of Pain project. News outlets from across the nation demanded reforms, calling for congressional and local hearings, changes to campaign finance rules and tighter regulations. One columnist suggested dissolution of the Pain Care Forum, a national coalition of drug companies and their allies that was the focus of the investigation.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., also cited the reporting from the Senate floor Thursday as he called for action. The Money Mile and its army of Big Pharma lobbyists are the reason mandatory prescriber education is not the law. It is the reason the Food and Drug Administration has been complicit in many instances in the worsening of this epidemic, he said. Our cities are fighting a war, and we need to help them.

Heres a sampling of the editorial commentary in response to the series:

This story is part of Inside Publici. Stories were working on, the impact of our investigations, news about our fundraising efforts, and other issues that shape our work. Click here to read more stories in this topic.

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The Arizona Republic (Phoenix, Ariz.)

There's a troubling disconnect between the pharmaceutical industry and the people who need its products.Americans need Congress to be a full-time, independent champion for their best interests.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee, Wisc.)

The solution is for legislators and physicians to show courage in the face of these pressures. Legislators and Congress should take appropriate action to ensure that the drugs are available to those who need them but arent overprescribed. And physicians, knowing the risk, should be more reticent in prescribing these drugs.

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The Salt Lake Tribune (Salt Lake City, Utah)

As long as there is pain, there will be a market for painkillers. But we have the power to ease the addictive, often deadly, side-effects of one kind of drug if we will stand up to the legal drug pushers at least as forcefully as we fight the illegal ones.

The Vindicator (Youngstown, Ohio)

An exhaustive, revealing two-part investigative series by the Associated Press and The Center for Public Integrity must not go unnoticed by federal and state lawmakers...A full-fledged congressional inquiry based on the AP/CPI investigative series is warranted.

The Greenwood Commonwealth (Greenwood, Miss.)

It is improbable  given as much money is at stake  that the pharmaceutical industry will police itself. And while medical groups are aware of the problem, they have their own issues trying to rein in doctors who overprescribe painkillers. That's why outside regulation is needed. Getting that done is difficult, though, when those who are fueling the problem have the resources to kill proposed reforms.

Elko Daily Free Press (Elko, Nev.)

There was a big fight in Congress this summer over additional funding to address the problem, but we think more progress would be made simply by following the money and drying up the flow that has allowed this manufactured epidemic to thrive as vigorously as the illegal heroin trade.

Times Union (Albany, N.Y.)

This sort of influence-peddling would not be so effective in a better regulated, more transparent political system. Yet talk of reforms  like lower limits on political spending and greater disclosure of who is really behind efforts to influence legislation and government policy  inevitably devolves into partisan gainsaying and ideological posturing. Too many well-heeled special interests dont want to lose access to legislators and other decision makers; too many politicians dont want to stop the gravy train. All this is not so abstract in the context of something like the opioid crisis, in which one of the nations most profitable industries has used the power of money to the detriment of tens of thousands of patients and tens of thousands more of their parents, brothers, sisters, children and friends who have watched them descend into addiction and, often, die.

The Daily Item (Sunbury, Pa.)

If the pharmaceutical companies are sincere with their promise to be part of the solution, then they should put some of their money into successful programs, not just into the pockets of politicians. The real measure of success will be when the body count drops.

Chris Tomlinson, Houston Chronicle business columnist (Houston, Texas)

Spending $140 million to keep lawmakers from addressing a public health crisis is not acceptable behavior, even if the forum is playing by the rules. This what infuriates Americans about big business, a complete disregard for common decency. The Pain Care Forum needs to disband, and companies that make painkillers need to join the effort to stop the opioid epidemic that is killing more than 18,000 people a year. That means selling less opioids, not more.

Related story: Pro-painkiller echo chamber shaped policy amid drug epidemic

Related story: Politics of pain: Drugmakers fought state opioid limits amid crisis

This story is part of Inside Publici. Stories were working on, the impact of our investigations, news about our fundraising efforts, and other issues that shape our work. Click here to read more stories in this topic.

Related stories

Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.
Two years after the pro-democracy "Umbrella Revolution" began, Hong Kong is entering uncharted political territory as former protesters prepare to take office, advocating a possible split from China.

The first major elections since the 2014 rallies saw rebel politicians win seats earlier this month as fears grow that Beijing is tightening its grip on the city in a number of areas, from politics to education and the media.

Hong Kong was handed back to China by Britain in 1997 under a semi-autonomous "one country, two systems" deal, which guaranteed its freedoms for 50 years. There are deep concerns those liberties are under threat.

It was 2014 that shaped this key new group of lawmakers who will now promote self-determination or independence from Beijing inside the legislature when it starts its new term in October.

Wednesday marks two years to the day since the "Umbrella Movement" protests calling for democratic reform exploded onto the streets. Police fired tear gas on gathering crowds, galvanising tens of thousands more to join them in what became more than two months of rallies.

Despite huge numbers, the largely peaceful protests failed to win concessions from Beijing.

However, the momentum and consequent disappointment heavily influenced the young protesters who recently won seats in the Legislative Council (Legco) -- Hong Kong's lawmaking body -- in citywide polls.

They say the failure of the protests forced them to turn to a more radical message which has gained support among voters demanding change.

At least five new legislators support self-determination or independence, which was not on the agenda during the 2014 rallies and is a departure from the traditional stance of the rest of the pro-democracy camp.

Former Umbrella Movement student leader Nathan Law is the best-known of the new breed -- at 23 he is Legco's youngest ever lawmaker.

Law's new party Demosisto, founded with fellow Umbrella Movement campaigner Joshua Wong, is calling for self-determination for Hong Kong in frustration at the intransigence of the authorities.

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"We are not pushing for independence but Hong Kongers should be able to choose their own future. Independence is one option," Law told AFP.

Fellow new lawmaker Eddie Chu, 38, who also participated in the 2014 protests, says it is time to "take back the right" of self-determination as previous tactics have failed.

"From changing the Basic Law (Hong Kong's constitution) to seeking independence -- all are acceptable to me," he told AFP.

- Chaos and confrontation -

Beijing has warned it will not tolerate any talk of independence "inside or outside" the Legco.

The Hong Kong government -- criticised as a stooge of Beijing -- banned the most vocal independence candidates from standing in the Legco polls.

And in a system skewed towards Beijing friendly groups, the pro-establishment camp still holds 40 seats against the pro-democracy camp's 30.

But the new lawmakers have said they will not tone down their message, with observers predicting fireworks.

Political analyst Joseph Cheng says the first year of Legco's new term will be "chaotic and difficult".

"The pro-independence legislators will use every single relevant issue to articulate their position," says Cheng.

The pro-establishment camp will unite against any talk of self-determination or independence, while the new breed may also have to take on opposition in their own camp, where the moderate democrats still hold sway, Cheng adds.

Meanwhile, the public will be hoping the fresh crop of lawmakers will push a range of social issues that have stagnated in the deeply divided legislature, including supply of affordable housing in a city where rents are sky high.

But with faultlines starker than ever, progress will be tough.

Those frustrations may well drive some new lawmakers to campaign on the streets once more if they feel they cannot make headway in Legco, says political analyst Willy Lam.

"They have indicated they will use non-violent methods, but the possibility of ugly confrontation between these new young Turks and the police cannot be ruled out," says Lam.
(WASHINGTON) President Barack Obama is preparing to send more troops to Iraq to help reclaim the city of Mosul from the ISIS, U.S. officials said Wednesday.

The troops will train and advise Iraqi forces as planning for the Mosul operation ramps up, officials said. Though the precise number of troops was not immediately disclosed, one official said roughly 600 addition troops would be sent.

It wasnt clear whether the troops would include special operations forces, some of which are already serving in Iraq.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they werent authorized to publicly discuss the development before the official announcement, expected later Wednesday.

The decision expands the U.S. military footprint in Iraq just as Obama readies to hand over the conflict to his successor in January. The U.S. has roughly 4,600 troops in Iraq, according to the Pentagon, although the figure doesnt include some troops including those there on temporary duty.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, in a statement posted on his official website, said the added troops would provide support for security forces and the Iraqi heroes in the fight looming in the liberation of Mosul. He said the Obama administration had approved his governments request for the increase.

We emphasize that the role of the trainers and advisers is not combat, but for training and consultation only, Abadi said, adding: It is our troops who will liberate the land.

With Americans weary after years of an unpopular war in Iraq, Obama has tried to emphasize that the troops deployed there now are in advisory roles, not combat. Yet even if theyre not waging war from the front lines, the troops have been embedded with Iraqis at the brigade and battalion levels, putting them in dangerous situations where fighting could break out. In some instances, the U.S. has acknowledged its troops involvement in special missions to capture or kill high-value targets or to try to rescue hostages.

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The U.S. and Iraq have been planning for months for a complex push to drive ISIS out of Mosul, Iraqs second-largest city and the extremist groups last major urban stronghold in Iraq. Both countries want to move quickly to take advantage of recent momentum against ISIS in Iraq and the perception that the extremists morale is waning.

Capturing Mosul would mean a symbolic and strategic defeat to the militants. The U.S. and its partners hope a successful Mosul offensive will set the stage for eventually ousting the group from Raqqa, the largest IS-held city in Syria and the de facto capital of the groups self-declared caliphate.

Military experts have said that retaking Mosul would be an arduous task that plays to the extremist groups advantages, including its ability to embed among civilians. The battle will require huge numbers of troops and street-by-street combat. In preparation, Iraqs military has been amassing troops and retaking a string of towns in the vicinity of Mosul.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter had signaled the move was coming when he told reporters Tuesday that final preparations for the Mosul offensive were in the works. Yet he also said the timing was up to Abadi.

There are some additional steps like logistical moves that still need to be made, Carter said. He cited for example the need to further prepare Qayara West airfield, which is south of Mosul and will serve as a staging area for Iraqi forces as well as a base for US troops advising the Iraqis.
Sept 28 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories from selected Canadian newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

THE GLOBE AND MAIL

** The federal Liberal cabinet has approved the construction of an $11.4 billion terminal to export liquefied natural gas from northern British Columbia, subject to the project's owners meeting an array of conditions designed to reduce the proposal's environmental footprint. Federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, who made the announcement late Tuesday in the Vancouver suburb of Richmond, outlined 190 conditions that Pacific NorthWest LNG must meet before building an export terminal on B.C.'s northern coast, including a cap on greenhouse gas emissions that would cut them nearly 20 percent below what was first proposed. http://bit.ly/2d2Qolu

** In the clearest sign yet that Ontario is losing patience with Bombardier Inc, the government has privately signalled it is open to commissioning vehicles from other companies for a key Toronto transit project. The Quebec-based company is contracted to provide 182 vehicles to Metrolinx for light-rail lines in Toronto. But Bombardier has struggled with persistent delays in producing a prototype for testing, and the government is showing new willingness to look elsewhere for part of the order. http://bit.ly/2cBY5Rs

NATIONAL POST

** Amazon Canada has upped the competitive stakes in the lead-up to the busiest shopping period of the year by offering free same-day delivery in Toronto and Vancouver for members of its Amazon Prime program. Amazon.ca said Tuesday that Prime subscribers, who pay $79 per year for free delivery on items with no minimum order, will be entitled to free same-day delivery on orders above $25 on orders placed in the two cities. http://bit.ly/2d3rNAk

** Ontario Securities Commission chair Maureen Jensen says Canada's compensation model for mutual funds is fundamentally flawed and that regulators are looking at an outright ban on embedded fund fees as a "possible solution." http://bit.ly/2deLuSa (Compiled by Rama Venkat Raman in Bengaluru)
Sept 28 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in the Wall Street Journal. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

- Wells Fargo & Co Chief Executive John Stumpf will forgo his salary and forfeit $41 million in unvested equity awards during an investigation into the bank's sales practices. http://on.wsj.com/2dqnbnC

- Billionaire Elon Musk unveiled his vision for sending humans to Mars in roughly the next decade and ultimately setting up colonies there. http://on.wsj.com/2dqoeDZ

- Uber Technologies Inc plans to launch its food delivery business, UberEats, in Tokyo on Thursday. http://on.wsj.com/2dqnBdA

- Canada gave conditional approval on Tuesday to Malaysia's state-owned energy company Petroliam Nasional Bhd, clearing the final regulatory hurdle facing the C$36 billion project. http://on.wsj.com/2dqmzOT (Compiled by Abinaya Vijayaraghavan in Bengaluru)
Sept 28 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the New York Times business pages. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

- Wells Fargo announced that it would claw back compensation valued at $41 million from its embattled chairman and chief executive, John Stumpf, as the financial consequences of the scandal over illegally created sham accounts at the bank reached the executive suite. http://nyti.ms/2d8NPNP

- Maurice Greenberg, the former chief executive of insurance giant American International Group Inc, took the witness stand for the first time in his state civil accounting fraud trial in State Supreme Court in Manhattan. http://nyti.ms/2cBBOmG

- Jim Yong Kim, 56, a public-health official and former president of Dartmouth College, was unanimously appointed by the World Bank's executive directors to a second five-year term as president, according to a statement released by the bank on Tuesday. http://nyti.ms/2d8tom5

- Charles Schultze, 91, an economist who was President Lyndon Johnson's budget director and President Jimmy Carter's chief economic adviser, died on Tuesday at his home in Washington. http://nyti.ms/2cUBkUN

- Greek lawmakers approved a new set of austerity measures on Tuesday evening, including further trims in pensions and the transfer of major state assets to a new privatization fund to be overseen by the country's creditors. http://nyti.ms/2drs7s4 (Compiled by Subrat Patnaik in Bengaluru)
(L-R) Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Chok Tong, Lee Hsien Loong. Photos: Yahoo Newsroom/Reuters

Nine in 10 people feel that the process of selecting Singapores next Prime Minister should be made more transparent, according to a survey conducted by market research consultancy Blackbox.



The representative survey of 897 Singaporeans, commissioned by Yahoo Singapore earlier this month, also showed that four in 10 respondents felt very strongly about it.

This was a sentiment that resonated across age and ethnic groups. For example, some 43 per cent of those aged 25-34 strongly agreed on the need for more transparency, while 40 per cent of those aged 50 and above also felt the same.

41 per cent of Chinese respondents felt the same way, followed by 40 per cent of Indians and 36 per cent of Malays.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has addressed the issue of leadership succession on multiple occasions, most recently in an interview with Beijing-based magazine Caijing this month.

Lee is expected to step down after the next General Election, which must by held by January 2021. He told Caijing, It takes time, but I have a promising team of younger Ministers and I am quite sure from amongst them, one leader will emerge.

Leadership renewal

Graphic: Blackbox

While Singapore has had three Prime Ministers from the ruling Peoples Action Party in 57 years  the late Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Chok Tong and Lee Hsien Loong - little is known about the process of choosing one. In Singapores political system, the leader of the ruling party is the PM.

Lee Kuan Yew served from 1959 before making way in 1990 for Goh, who was previously Deputy PM and headed the defense, trade and industry, and health ministries.

Goh himself stepped down in 2004 for Lee Hsien Loong, who boasted a similar CV. He had also served as DPM and headed the defense, trade and industry, and finance ministries.

In countries such as the United Kingdom, political party leaders are chosen in an open election.

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After David Cameron of the ruling Conservative Party stepped down as Prime Minister, party members who are elected MPs voted for Theresa May to replace him.

For the opposition Labour Party, all registered party members were able to vote in this months leadership election.

But the Peoples Action Party only holds elections for its Central Executive Committee every two years, when party cadres vote in 12 members from a list of candidates. Up to six more members can be co-opted as well.

In a Straits Times (ST) commentary last month, editor at large Han Fook Kwang said, (The process of leadership succession) shouldnt also be such an opaque decision that no one knows what is happening until the succession announcement is made. Being more open and transparent would help Singaporeans understand better why a particular person was chosen and how the assessment was made.

This drew a swift rebuke from PAP chairman Khaw Boon Wan, who is also Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport. In a letter to The Straits Times, Khaw claimed that the process is anything but opaque.

He added, As with both ESM Goh Chok Tong and PM Lee Hsien Loong, the next prime minister will be chosen by the next generation of leaders from among themselves. If all goes well, they will make this choice by consensus. Older ministers, including the current PM, will stay out of the deliberations.

Other survey findings

The Blackbox survey also found that 73 per cent of respondents did not feel that the race of the PM is an important criterion. More than half of all those polled also picked Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam as their top choice to become the next PM.

The survey also revealed that the topic of leadership succession is closely followed by Singaporeans, with seven in 10 respondents having recently heard or read news about the topic.
Bobigny (France) (AFP) - Prosecutors on Wednesday called for suspended jail terms of between two and five months against five Air France staff on trial for assaulting executives over planned layoffs, calling the workers "thugs".

Captured on camera, the so-called "shirt-ripping" attack made headlines around the world, highlighting the tensions in France's labour relations.

On the second day of a trial in the northeastern Paris suburbs, prosecutor Philippe Bourion said the attack had been perpetrated by "thugs".

"It was not something that was carried out by trade unions, (but) by troublemakers and, ultimately, thugs," he said.

The incident occurred on October 5 2015 at the French airline's headquarters at Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport, when management unveiled a restructuring plan, entailing the loss of 2,900 jobs, to workforce representatives.

More than 2,000 workers staged an angry protest rally outside, and about a hundred of them broke through the main gate and headed toward the conference room.

One executive was left naked to the waist and had to climb over a perimeter fence to escape the hostile crowd. Another was escorted to safety by security guards with his shirt and jacket ripped.

Bourion called for a four-month suspended term for one of the defendants, Fabrice Lhermitte, and three months for Pascal Maquet, Samir Ait Taleb and Vincent Martinez, a representative of the personnel.

He requested a two-month term against a fifth defendant, Cedric Errin.

The five, charged with "organised violence," face potential terms of three years in jail and a 45,000-euro ($51,000) fine.

Four of the five were fired after the incident, including Martinez.

Bourion called for fines of 1,000 euros against 10 other defendants accused of criminal damage.

- Shock images -

Images of what looked like a mob assault had a traumatic effect in France.

The incident occurred amid a PR campaign by the Socialist government to portray France as a stable country for foreign investment.

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Prime Minister Manuel Valls branded the defendants "rogues" and said they should be given stiff sentences.

Sympathisers for the defendants included leftwingers within the Socialist Party.

They argued the assailants had been driven by despair and dread of unemployment.

That argument was dismissed by one of Air France's six attorneys, Baudouin de Moucheron, who said there had been a "manhunt".

"Not an ounce of criticism" had been directed at the leftwing CGT trade union, whose members are among the accused and which had refused to disavow the violence, he said.

Defence lawyer Lilia Mhissen said she hoped her clients would "not be judged on the basis of video clips that last a fraction of a second" but on the bigger picture.

At least two of them, she pleaded, had "clearly acted" to protect the two executives, human resources director Xavier Broseta and the director of long-haul operations, Pierre Plissonnier.

Air France, which employs around 55,000 people, scrapped the restructuring plan after the incident but its labour problems continue. Pilots and flight crews staged strikes in late July at the height of the holiday season.

The company's parent, Air France-KLM, returned to profit last year after seven years of losses, but faces stiff competition from Asian and Gulf airlines as well as new, low-cost long-haul alternatives.

The "Air France 15" will hear their fate from the court on November 30.
An African-American man was shot by a San Diego police officer on Tuesday prompting community members to protest.



Several protesters gathered around the scene in a San Diego suburb, chanting "black lives matter" and "hands up, don't shoot."



According to police, the man did not have his hands raised at the time of the shooting.



A witness working at a drive-thru window took video of the shooting and voluntarily handed her phone to the police, according to the Associated Press.







The man shot was taken to the hospital. It was not immediately clear what his condition was.



Shortly after 2 p.m., officers arrived to the Broadway Village Shopping center, after receiving reports of a man "walking in traffic, that kind of stuff," Lt. Rob Ransweiler said. He declined to state if the man had a weapon.



Ransweiler said the police department is working toward obtaining body cameras for officers, although none have been issued.



The shooting occurred a day after a 9-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina girl broke down in tears Monday night during a city council meeting after a series of violent protests wracked the city.



"We are black people and we shouldn't have to feel like this, we shouldn't have to protest but y'all are treating us wrong," she said, as supportive cheers rang from the crowd. "We do this because we need to and we have rights."
Protests erupted in California Tuesday night after police fatally shot an African-American man.



Officers in El Cajon, California, northeast of San Diego, responded to a call about a man who was "not acting like himself" at around 2 p.m. and arrived at the Broadway Village Shopping center to find the man, believed to be in his 30s, "walking in traffic, not only endangering himself, but motorists," police said in a statement.



"The subject paced back and forth while officers tried to talk to him. At one point, the subject rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together and extended them rapidly toward the officer taking up what appeared to be a shooting stance," police alleged in the statement.





Protests in San Diego Suburb After Police Fatally Shoot Black Man| Death, Murder, Shootings, True Crime, True Crime



"At this time, the officer with the electronic control device discharged his weapon," police alleged. "Simultaneously, the officer with the firearm discharged his weapon several times, striking the subject."







The man died later at a hospital.



El Cajon police also released a photo of the scene, showing a man in a black tank top and blue jeans surrounded by officers.



 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.



In a Facebook Live video of the incident streamed by witness Rumbie Mubaiwa, a woman was seen crying and yelling, "Oh my God, you killed my brother!"



"I just called for help and you come and kill him," the woman yelled. "I called you guys to come help, not to kill my brother."



Soon several protesters were at the scene chanting, "black lives matter" and "hands up, don't shoot."



A witness working at a drive-thru window took video of the shooting and voluntarily handed her phone to the police, according to the Associated Press.



Lt. Rob Ransweiler said the El Cajon police department is working toward obtaining body cameras for officers, although none have been issued.



The shooting occurred a day after a 9-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, girl broke down in tears Monday night during a city council meeting after a series of violent protests wracked the city following its own fatal shooting of an African-American man.



"We are black people and we shouldn't have to feel like this, we shouldn't have to protest, but y'all are treating us wrong," she said, as supportive cheers rang from the crowd. "We do this because we need to and we have rights."



The California man's death follows the fatal police shootings of Terence Crutcher in Oklahoma and Keith Lamont Scott in North Carolina.
Last time the AmeriKat wrote about the

Competitiveness Council and the UPC

she was a mere kitten

"The Council will take note of a report on the progress made towards setting up the unified patent system and the situation concerning ratification of the Unified Patent Court agreement."

"According to the official timetable of the Committee the Court could be operational in early 2017. This was based on the assumption that the required ratifications where received during the fall of 2016.

The outcome of the UK referendum has had consequences on the UK ratification process. The time-plan, therefore may have to be revisited.

It is highly desirable to keep any delay of the entry into force of the system to a minimum in order to provide the business community with the clarity and the swift entry into operation of the new patent system they require."

Letter from Business Europe - click here

Letter from UJUB - click here

Letter sent by Michel Guilbaud (DG MEDEF) to Philippe Leglise-Costa, Secretary General of SGAE - click here

Letter by several companies (including Air Liquide, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bayer, Audi, Bosch, SAP and VW) to Mr Kris Peeters (Deputy Prime Minister, Belgium) - click here

"In the wake of the political unrest seen in Europe in the summer, we find it timely to give a clear message to responsible politicians that we, the signing companies and industry associations, welcome the new patent system and urge that it should enter into force as planned, without delay.

The attractiveness of the system would increase with a long-term participation of the United Kingdom. Therefore we also urge that solutions for such inclusiveness are considered."

states:

"Pour les entreprises, l'attractivite du systeme serait accrue si la participation du Royaume-Uni pouvait etre assuree sur le long terme et ce point devrait faire partie des solutions recherchees." BusinessEurope's letter The letter from MEDEF BusinessEurope's letter continues

"Member States should make all possible efforts to bring the Unitary Patent package into life in 2017 as planned and to immediately start working on any necessary changes or additions to the legislative framework."





The IPKat recently wrote on the legal opinion from Richard Gordon QC and Tom Pascoe of Brick Court on the legal feasibility of the UK's post-Brexit UPC participation (see



Against this background, the AmeriKat's words in The German Bar Association's recent position paper took a harder line stating that "a quick decision of the UK is needed" on whether it will ratify the UPC Agreement with the view that if there is no quick ratification, then "an alternative solution should be found to allow the court system to start its work as planned".The IPKat recently wrote on the legal opinion from Richard Gordon QC and Tom Pascoe of Brick Court on the legal feasibility of the UK's post-Brexit UPC participation (see here ). Legal feasibility is one hurdle, but the higher one in this landscape is politics. Will the political hurdle of the UK's participation in the UPC post-Brexit be lowered in light of these comments? In a political environment where Prime Minister May is applauded for her " under the radar " approach, it seems unlikely to Merpel that any noise, no matter how positive, from European industry will make the UPC politically palatable to the current UK regime, at least publicly.Against this background, the AmeriKat's words in a May 2012 post on the timing of the UPC seem oddly fitting now:

"The AmeriKat cannot say whether the hands on the unitary patent clock that are ticking away as she types are counting down to an expected implementation of the patent proposals that have preoccupied the patent community for the past year [over 40 years] or to yet another legislative death when the proposals for the Utopian ideal of a unified European patent system fail to bring fruit."

reporting on the pending unitary patent proposals and the frenetic activity at the Competitiveness Council (see posts here ). Five years later, the UPC looked like it was ready to happen. Then Brexit. And now, with a sense of deja vu, the Competitiveness Council is back. Tomorrow at around 2:30PM CET , the Competitiveness Council will be discussing , as AOB, the unitary patent and UPC (and also the review of the SPC system - for those who are less in love with the UPC). It looks to be a public session so should be webcast here , with a press conference to follow here . The background brief published yesterday states that:The report from the Presidency to the Council dated 19 September 2016 provides a succinct summary on the state of play of the unitary patent and UPC. The key section can be found in the Annex to the report which was prepared by the Chairs of the Select Committee of the Administrative council of the EPO and of the UPC Preparatory Committee. The Annex states:In advance of the tomorrow's meeting, numerous organizations have written to the Council as follows:A theme that emerges in the letters is that (i) politicians need to find a way to get the system up and running and, with respect of some of the communications, (ii) politicians need to find a way in which to retain the UK in the system "that remains sustainable even after the Brexit" (to quote BusinessEurope).The letter to Deputy Prime Minister Peeters states The countdown has seemingly begun again, but the stakes seem to be even higher. The IPKat will be back tomorrow to report on the Competitiveness Council's session tomorrow and future debates on this topic.
A fatal police shooting has sparked unrest in a Southern California city.

An unidentified black man was killed by cops in El Cajon after officers there received calls of a man who was "not acting like himself" Tuesday afternoon. Cops say he was endangering his own life, as well as the lives of motorists, by walking in a roadway.

Read: Girl, 9, Tearfully Appeals for Peace Following Fatal Police Shooting: 'I Can't Stand How We're Treated'

By Tuesday evening, a crowd of about 100 citizens and community leaders gathered near the strip mall, where the incident occurred to demonstrate their concerns the shooting was racially motivated.

Police say the man refused to remove his hand from his pocket despite repeated orders to do so.

According to a police statement, a second responding officer arrived on scene and immediately prepared to use a Taser on the man.

However, at one point, cops allege the subject drew an object from his front pants pocket and "placed both hands together and extended them rapidly toward the officer taking up what appeared to be a shooting stance."

The second officer fired his Taser just as the first shot his gun multiple times.

Officers provided first aid on scene until medics arrived and transported the subject to an area hospital for treatment.

The subject has since died as a result of his injuries.

While detectives were on scene investigating the officer involved shooting, a witness came forward and notified officers they had video footage of the incident. El Cajon police included a still from the footage that appears to show the man holding his hands together in the "shooting stance" mentioned in their statement.

Other witnesses, however, allege the officers were too quick to open fire and suggested their actions had been influenced by the fact that they were dealing with a black man, one they described as mentally challenged, according to CBS8.com.

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Read: 13-Year-Old Boy Fatally Shot by Police After He Pointed BB Gun at Officers

Friends of the man's family have also reportedly confirmed he suffers from a mental illness and did not pose a threat to the officers.

The shooting and ensuing unrest come at yet another tense moment in cities across America in the wake of what protesters have called racially motivated fatal shootings of black men at the hands of police.

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a female police officer is being charged in the death of a black man who was shot dead while some say his hands were raised on September 16. The officer says she fired in self defense.

A week of protests subsequently began in Charlotte after cops killed Keith Lamont Scott in an encounter some witnesses believed did not warrant the use of deadly force.

The El Cajon Police Department said the district attorneys office has been contacted, and the two officers will be on administrative leave until the conclusion of the investigation.

Watch: Family of Unarmed Man Fatally Shot by Police Demands Justice: 'It Feels Like a Nightmare'

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Russian airstrikes helped scupper the cease-fire in Syria. Now, Russian foot-dragging threatens to derail another diplomatic effort by the United States and its allies: sanctioning Damascus for using chemical weapons against its own people.

Although the Dresden-esque bombardment this past week of the besieged city of Aleppo by Russian and Syrian aircraft has dominated discussions about Syria, diplomats in New York are still grappling with recent U.N. findings that President Bashar al-Assads regime used chlorine bombs in attacks on northwestern Syrian towns in 2014 and 2015. Meanwhile, the worlds chemical weapons watchdog in The Hague, Netherlands, recently raised suspicions that Syria may not have destroyed all its stocks of nerve agents, mustard gas, and other chemical weapons.

On Aug. 24, a U.N.-mandated team of chemical weapons experts concluded that Syrian air force helicopters dropped chlorine barrel bombs on the towns of Talmenes and Sarmin in Idlib governorate between April 2014 and March 2015. The team  officially known as the Joint Investigative Mechanism, or JIM  offered the strongest evidence to date of Syrian complicity in chemical weapons attacks, handing the United States and its European allies ammunition to pursue penalties against the regime.

The report confirms that the Syrian regime is responsible for the repeated use of chemical weapons in Syria, Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said last month, shortly after the report was presented to the Security Council.

Britain and France pressed last month for immediate sanctions, including a possible asset freeze on officials linked to Syrias chemical weapons program, in the wake of the revelations. Although the United States seems to agree, Washington also wanted to wait until the end of October  when the U.N. chemical weapons team will present another report documenting three more cases of alleged Syrian chemical weapons use  before deciding on a response.

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In the meantime, the United States has poured its diplomatic energy into forging, and then trying to salvage, the Syria cease-fire agreement. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry did not raise the matter of Syrian chemical weapons in lengthy discussions last week with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the top Russian diplomat said Friday. But with the cease-fire in tatters, the United States and its allies are now weighing whether and when to mount a push for a resolution sanctioning Syria at the Security Council, according to a senior European diplomat.

But a U.S. official said any action would have to wait. As you know, the JIMs work is not yet complete, he said. At the JIMs request, the council extended its mandate to Oct. 31 so they could continue their work on the report, and we hope that in this additional time the JIM will be able to provide as much additional information as possible.

The biggest potential obstacle to getting Security Council agreement for any sanctions seems to be Russia, which is pouring blood and treasure into the civil war in Syria to prop up Assad and his regime.

Russia is seizing on the thinnest shred of ambiguity in the mechanisms findings to challenge efforts to sanction the Syrian government, according to Security Council diplomats and outside experts. Chief among them is the fact that the report never directly attributes the attacks to Assads regime; instead, it simply says Syrian government helicopters dropped the chemical bombs. That appears to be a smoking gun to most observers, but not for Russia.

Lavrov insisted Friday that the JIM never in fact accused Syria of using chemical weapons. It is a good report, good quality, he said at a press conference in response to a question by Foreign Policy. It does not say that they confirm that the government and ISIL [the Islamic State] used the chemical weapons. They present evidence, which is not conclusive, and they recognize this.

Behind closed doors, Russias U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, has proceeded to poke holes in the report, expressing apprehension over the experts methodology, according to diplomats. Russia has also raised concern that the JIMs findings have been based, in part, on assessments from Western intelligence agencies, which Moscow views as biased.

That makes it unlikely the U.N. will be able to cobble together truly biting sanctions on Damascus, even as evidence mounts that the regime has unleashed prohibited weapons on its own people as the five-year civil war further intensifies.

One Security Council diplomat, who spoke on the condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the issues, said countries supporting a tough response should not hold back in putting a strong response down out of anticipation of the difficulties they may face with the Russians. If the Russians want to block it, they will have to be the ones to block it.

Diplomats said the United States and its European allies are expected to resume discussions on a resolution in the coming weeks.

The United States and its allies have accused Syria of using chemical weapons since December 2012, when seven people died in Homs following an alleged government attack using Agent 15, a poisonous gas. Several months earlier, Syria acknowledged that it had possessed a secret chemical weapons program for decades and subsequently agreed to join the Chemical Weapons Convention and eliminate its program under international supervision. But even after its declared program was largely destroyed, reports continued to emerge indicating Syria had weaponized chlorine  a legal industrial cleaner  and used it multiple times in attacks on opposition-controlled towns.

In April 2014, the worlds chemical weapons watchdog  the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons  set up a fact-finding mission to determine whether or not chlorine was being used as a weapon. The mission found compelling evidence that chlorine had been used in multiple occasions. But it had no mandate to identify who used it.

That was the responsibility of a new team, the JIM, created by the Security Council in August 2015. The team examined nine cases, including eight alleged chlorine attacks by the government and one alleged use of mustard gas by the Islamic State.

Last month, the team announced it had collected sufficient information to conclude that on March 16, 2015, Syrian air force helicopters dumped a barrel bomb that released a toxic substance, which match[ed] the characteristics of chlorine on a home in Sarmin, killing all six members of the family residing there. It also concluded that a Syrian air force helicopter dropped a barrel bomb on a concrete building in Talmenes on April 21, 2014, that emitted a toxic substance, sickening hundreds of people. In addition, the team concluded that the Islamic State used mustard gas in an artillery attack on the opposition-held town of Marea.

Damascus claimed that opposition fighters in Talmenes had fired a land-based projectile that struck the building. But the report found that the extent of the damage and munition fragments were consistent with a barrel bomb attack.

Russia has also tried to discredit the inspectors report, suggesting that Islamist groups may have gotten their hands on Syrian helicopters. On Jan. 11, 2013, three different Islamist factions, including the al Qaeda affiliate formerly known as the Nusra Front, captured the Taftanaz air base in northern Idlib. Fleeing Syrian forces left behind 15 helicopters, including nine that were fully operational. Russian officials insist opposition pilots may have commandeered the Syrian aircraft. They are saying its entirely possible that there were plenty of people who defected who could fly helicopters, the council diplomat said. Its a ridiculous point. There have never been any reports of the opposition flying helicopters.

But the JIM team shot down those arguments as well, arguing that opposition forces would likely be unable to fly helicopters long in the face of sophisticated Syrian air defenses.

The modern air defence capabilities of the Syrian Arab Armed Forces make it very unlikely that an aircraft could take off and operate in the western Syrian Arab Republic without being detected and/or destroyed, the JIM report stated. After reviewing all the information gathered, the [JIM] found no evidence that armed opposition groups had been operating helicopters at the time and location of the cases investigated.

The U.N. team also obtained a radio intercept of Syrian air force communications detailing the flight of a government helicopter over the site of the chemical weapons attacks in Talmenes and Sarmin. After dropping a barrel bomb on Qmenas, near Sarmin, the Syrian helicopter dropped two items on Sarmin itself before returning to base at Latakia, according to the JIM report.

The pilot informed the base and said Sir, the barrels are at the terrorist area,' it added.

The JIM team also cited unidentified sources claiming that a Syrian helicopter operating out of Hama had dropped two devices on Talmenes at about the time witnesses saw the chemical weapon explode there.

There is sufficient information to conclude the impact was caused by a Syrian air force helicopter dropping a device causing damage to the structure of a concrete block building house and was followed by the release of a toxic substance which affected the population, the report concluded.

The United States is gambling that next months JIM report will strengthen the international case for holding Syria accountable for its use of chemical weapons. But other diplomats say they anticipate a diplomatic brawl between Russia and the West.

Im not sure the Russians would have any difficulty vetoing anything presented to the council, the Security Council diplomat said. It looks like they are in total regime protection mode.

Photo credit: JM LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images
By Andrew Osborn MOSCOW (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin appears politically invincible after Russia's ruling party won its biggest ever parliamentary majority this month. But he faces an increasingly pressing dilemma: How best to ensure the survival of a system built around himself. With a presidential election due in March 2018, Putin, 63, must decide whether or not to run again. He must also decide whether to bring that vote forward to 2017 to reset the system early to hedge against the risk of a flat-lining economy. Few outside his tiny coterie know what he will do. Most Kremlin-watchers are sure he will run again and win, delaying the successor question until 2024. Others say he may surprise. On the face of it, staying on looks to be an obvious choice. Polls give Putin an approval rating of about 80 percent, the ruling United Russia party just won 76 percent of seats in parliament, and his annexation of Ukraine's Crimea sealed his savior-of-the-nation image in many Russian eyes. But beneath the surface, Putin's problems are piling up. They include what is forecast to be an anemic economic recovery, the lack of an obvious successor, voter apathy, his own complaints about the physical demands of the job, and the risk of destabilizing clan infighting inside the system. Increasingly, it also seems that the only way Moscow can reset ties with the West would be for Putin to stand aside. The United States and European Union imposed economic sanctions over Russia's actions in Ukraine in 2014 and thus far there has been little sign of a lifting of trade restrictions. Nikolai Petrov, a political analyst at Moscow's Higher School of Economics, believes Putin could preserve the system's legitimacy if he handed over to a handpicked successor in 2018. "It's a possible scenario," Petrov told Reuters. He said he was skeptical Putin would choose that path, however, despite being under pressure to find alternative ways of maintaining broad support for the system beyond nationalism and foreign military adventures. "Putin is a hostage of his own popularity," said Petrov. People who know Putin say he is growing weary. In an unguarded moment picked up by microphones last year, he was heard complaining about how little he slept. One former high-ranking official close to the Kremlin said Putin, in power either as president or prime minister for nearly 16 years, was fatigued. "Putin is tired, he's getting older," the source, who declined to be named, told Reuters. Dmitry Gudkov, a liberal opposition politician who lost his seat in this month's elections, told Reuters Putin looked certain to run again regardless because he was afraid stepping down might leave him vulnerable to prosecution for his actions in Ukraine. "With a lot of enemies both inside and outside the country, he's starting to feel less secure. It doesn't look like a time when he'd give up control," said Gudkov. Putin is fond of a surprise though. Many thought he would not step down from the presidency in 2008, but he did, albeit to make a triumphant return to the office four years later. The source close to the Kremlin said the outcome of the U.S. presidential election and how the winner dealt with Russia initially was likely to influence Putin's decision. "Putin is rather taken by global politics and won't run unless 'a firm hand' is needed," said the source. "Otherwise he will leave it to (Prime Minister Dmitry) Medvedev." Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton would take a tough line with Moscow, unlike Republican contender Donald Trump who has said he wants to reset ties with Russia, people close to the Kremlin believe. THE ENEMY WITHIN The economic outlook is bleak. More than two years after the West imposed sanctions, their impact appears to be waning and the economy is expected to return to modest growth next year. A continuing dearth of foreign investment, something that has played a major role in kick-starting growth in the past, means the recovery is likely to take years however and growth is forecast to reach only around 0.5 percent in 2017 and stay that way for a prolonged period. Maintaining a semblance of popular support amid signs that growing numbers of voters believe their participation in elections is an empty ritual is becoming harder too. Turnout at the Sept. 18 vote fell to a post-Soviet low. And while there are no signs of serious unrest among the elite, Putin's allies are starting to worry that a threat might emerge from within the system one day. "Our state is always destroyed from the top and from inside," Dmitry Olshansky, a columnist for the pro-Kremlin Komsomolskaya Pravda tabloid, wrote after the election, saying the appearance of the state's victory might be deceptive. Such fears and the need to reshuffle officials to create the impression that the system is renewing itself help explain why Putin has replaced a slew of senior Kremlin, security and regional officials in recent months, a process seen continuing. EARLY ELECTIONS? Putin will have to make his mind up about the timing of the next presidential election soon. Alexei Kudrin, an economics adviser to the government and a former finance minister, suggested bringing the vote forward to next year from 2018, saying that would allow the authorities to win a new mandate to launch tough reforms. Kudrin, a Putin ally, did not say who he thought should stand, but the country's elite assumed he was talking about Putin. The finance ministry fueled speculation that such a decision has already been taken, publishing a letter in July talking about a presidential vote in 2017. The same source close to the Kremlin said there was now a more than 50 percent chance of an early presidential election. Political analyst Petrov said he thought early elections were highly likely unless Trump won the U.S. presidency and lifted sanctions. A different source close to the Kremlin said: "By 2018, the economy won't be any better and the population will be weary. There will be more negativity around, Putin's rating will be falling, and our financial reserves will be running out," the source, who also declined to be named, said. "All this backs the argument for early elections." OPERATION SUCCESSOR Even if, as is widely expected, Putin decides to run for president again, he will need to begin preparing a successor. After years of fawning state TV coverage, many voters say they struggle to imagine political life without Putin. "The president will find himself in a trap," the Carnegie Moscow Center said this month. "Legitimacy bestowed on a charismatic leader is not automatically passed down to his successors." The only other politician regularly given prominence on state TV is Medvedev, the prime minister. He stood in as president from 2008-12 to help Putin skirt a constitutional ban on anyone serving more than two back-to-back presidential terms. He is a potential successor, though many voters find his style too soft. Speculation about other possible successors ranges from the defense minister to the governor of the central bank to the new and unknown head of the presidential administration. One new name to have emerged after the elections is Vyacheslav Volodin, the former deputy head of the presidential administration. Putin has said Volodin should be the new speaker of parliament, a job that would give him a high public profile. (Additional reporting by Elena Fabrichnaya, Katya Golubkova and Daria Korsunskaya; Editing by Janet McBride)
Australian carrier Qantas has warned of the danger of mobile phones being crushed in reclinable plane seats and catching fire after one ignited during a US flight, according to a safety report Wednesday.

The findings came just weeks after Qantas and domestic competitor Virgin Australia, as well as other international airlines, told customers not to use or charge Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 during flights after faulty lithium-ion batteries in the new smartphone caused some handsets to explode.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau report said the phone, without revealing the brand, was crushed in a Qantas business class passenger's seat on a Los Angeles-New York flight on June 21 and "immediately began hissing and emitting smoke".

"Moments later, the PED (personal electronic device) ignited... ehen the cabin crewmembers arrived at seat 3A, they observed an orange glow emanating from the seat," the report said.

"A crewmember discharged a fire extinguisher into the seat, extinguishing the glow."

A Qantas spokesman told AFP the airline was telling customers to keep track of their phone while seated and to alert flight crew if they lose it down the side, instead of moving their seats.

"When the seat moves, that's when the phone may get crushed," the spokesman said, adding that the seats were fire-retardant.

"Our crew are trained to deal with this scenario and they've done a great job on the odd occasion where we've had a phone break and start to smoulder."

South Korean smartphone maker Samsung earlier this month suspended sales of the Note 7 "phablet" and recalled 2.5 million units.
Paris (AFP) - The surprise announcement that a healthy baby boy was born from a new technique mixing the DNA of two women and a man raises as many questions -- scientific and ethical -- as it settles, experts said Wednesday.

What are the methods?

Mitochondria -- inherited from the mother -- are tiny structures in cells that convert food into energy and have their own DNA, separate from the trait-defining genome housed inside the cell's nucleus.

A handful of rare genetic diseases, some of them fatal, can be passed down through this auxillary maternal DNA.

There are two main techniques involving three "parents" for avoiding faulty mitochondria.

One removes the healthy nuclear DNA from a fertilised egg produced by a couple seeking to have a child, and then inserts it into a fertilised donor egg stripped of its own nucleus.

The other engineers a swap between unfertilised eggs, placing the healthy nuclear DNA of the mother into a nucleus-free donor egg with normal mitochondria.

Only then is the recomposed egg fertilised by sperm via in-vitro fertilisation.

Which methods work best?

"The pronuclear technique is somewhat more efficient at producing viable embryos," said David Clancy, a researcher in the faculty of health and medicine at Lancaster University in Britain, referring to the one using fertilized eggs.

"But the spindle method" -- which yielded the "three-parent" baby introduced to the world on Tuesday -- "transmits less of the maternal, and potentially diseased, mitochondria," he told AFP.

It also avoids the destruction of fertilised eggs, which some people find morally objectionable.

Both methods have been approved in principle in Britain, the only country with a regulatory framework for their use.

British health authorities, however, are still evaluating safety reports, and have not yet authorised clinics to perform the procedures.

That review process will likely conclude within a few months, according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

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What don't we know?

Many scientists criticised the lack of data provided by John Zhang of New York University, who oversaw the mitochondrial swap.

Beyond a summary description, there was no scientific paper, and no raw data for other experts to pour over.

"The abstract gives very little information about the technique used, the follow up or the child, or the ethical approval process," said Doug Turnbull, a professor at Newcastle University in northern England and head of a specialised clinic for mitochondrial disease.

One key question is exactly how much of the mitochondrial DNA from the mother -- which carried Leigh syndrome, a deadly neurological disorder -- carried over into her son.

Zhang put the estimate at about one percent, but the evidence presented was found wanting.

"From the brief report, it is not clear what the levels of diseased mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA) are in the various tissues of the offspring," said Clancy.

Was the procedure ethical?

Many scientists hailed the announcement as a medical breakthrough.

"This is an ice breaker," said Dusko Illic, a researcher in stem cell science at King's College London.

"Hopefully this will tame the more zealous critics and accelerate the field."

But other experts raised red flags.

Moving the operation to Mexico to avoid restrictions in the United States "is a concern," said Bert Smeets, director of the Genome Centre in Maastricht University in the Netherlands.

A regulatory framework "not only safeguards the introduction into the clinic, but also the follow up of the children born after treatment," he said.

Even Illic cautioned that the precedent "risks encouraging others to follow the example, as we saw with 'stem cell tourism'."

For Marcy Darnovsky, executive director of the Center for Genetics and Society, this "rogue experiment" was an irresponsible act.

"No researcher or doctor has the right to flout agreed-upon rules and make up their own," she said in a statement.

"This development is particularly troubling at a time when we are seeing fraudulent stem cell clinics by the hundreds putting patients at risk."
- Frankie Dettori is on the hunt for a ride in Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after his intended mount Fascinating Rock was diverted to the Champion Stakes. The star Italian rider, who at the weekend celebrated the 20th anniversary of his famous 'Magnificent Seven' winners at Ascot, claimed his fourth triumph in Europe's richest race last year on Golden Horn to add to success on Marienbard, Sakhee and Lamtarra. Dettori was hoping to bid for a record fifth success on Fascinating Rock, but trainer Dermot Weld now plans to bypass Chantilly in favour of the Champion at Ascot later in October. Irish handler Weld will still be represented in the five million euros ($5.6 mn) showpiece by Harzand.

AFP
Aleppo (Syria) (AFP) - An air strike and artillery fire hit the two largest hospitals in rebel-held parts of Syria's Aleppo on Wednesday, in what rights groups said was a deliberate strategy of targeting civilian infrastructure.

President Bashar al-Assad's forces and his ally Moscow have carried out a barrage of air strikes on opposition-controlled eastern Aleppo since Syria's regime announced a bid last week to retake all of the divided city.

Dozens of civilians have been killed, residential buildings have been reduced to rubble and residents of eastern districts -- already suffering under a government siege -- are facing severe shortages of food and medical supplies.

The latest bombardment of the city has been some of the worst in Syria's five-year civil war, and comes after the failure of a short-lived ceasefire brokered by Russia and the United States earlier this month.

The two hospitals were struck just before dawn, with the M10 facility hit in an air strike and the M2 facility hit with artillery fire, said Adham Sahloul of the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS), which supports both hospitals.

The attacks put both facilities temporarily out of commission and left only six hospitals operational in the eastern parts of the city, Sahloul said, calling the attacks "deliberate".

It was unclear who had carried out the bombings.

"I am in the M2 hospital now. I was inside when the entrance to the emergency room was hit. Three of my colleagues were hurt," said Aref al-Aref, a medical assistant trapped inside.

"Everyone is terrified and scared today. We are afraid that we will be today's victims," he told AFP.

- 'Death warrant for hundreds' -

Sahloul warned of devastating consequences if the hospitals remain closed and violence spiked as it did with heavy strikes over the weekend.

"With these two hospitals gone, if today there is another offensive like Saturday or Sunday, this is signing the death warrant for hundreds of people," he told AFP.

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The World Health Organization on Tuesday warned that medical facilities in the city's east were on the verge of "complete destruction".

The UN body called for "an immediate establishment of humanitarian routes to evacuate sick and wounded from the eastern part of the city."

More than 170 people have been killed in east Aleppo since Syria's army announced its operation to retake the city, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group.

On Wednesday, at least six civilians died in artillery fire by regime forces near a bakery in the opposition-controlled Maadi district, the Observatory said.

A hospital in the government-held west also reported two people had been killed and 10 injured in rebel fire on the Aziziyeh district.

Clashes also continued inside Aleppo's Old City for a second day, the Observatory said, after pro-government troops seized control of the Farafira district northwest of Aleppo's historic citadel on Tuesday.

- 'Will answer before God' -

Once Syria's commercial hub, Aleppo has been ravaged by fighting since 2012 and is divided between government forces in the west and rebels in the east.

An estimated 250,000 people still live in the eastern districts, which have been under devastating siege by government forces since early September.

Rights groups and the opposition accuse the Syrian government and its allies of using sieges and deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure to pressure civilians to flee.

"There is no objective to attacking these hospitals other than adding to the suffering of civilians, destroying infrastructure so that civilians are left with no hospitals and are then forced to leave," said Diana Semaan, Syria campaigner at Amnesty International.

In announcing its operation, Syria's army urged civilians to flee to government-held territory, but residents of the east fear passing through regime-held districts.

The head of the White Helmets volunteer rescue force, which operates in opposition-held territory in northern Syria, told AFP that under current conditions civilian facilities in eastern Aleppo would no longer be able to provide services within a month.

"The civilians there would seize any opportunity to escape, to go wherever they could go," Raed Saleh said.

"But nothing is available to provide safety and protection for those civilians. We are worried that they are facing massacre or the kidnapping or the arrest of many of them."

Pope Francis on Wednesday called for the bombing to stop.

"I appeal to the conscience of those responsible for the bombardment, who will have to answer before God," the pope said at his weekly address in St Peter's square, without naming Syria or Russia.
LONDON  Eric Juhola came to the Raindajnce Festival with Growing Up Coy,one of the more timely documentaries in the selection, covering the increasingly explored issue of gender identity (known medically as gender dysphoria) from the lesser seen perspective of the civil rights angle. The subject is Coy Mathis, a six-year-old from Colorado Springs who, at the age of four, decided that she wasnt happy with her birth gender. Initially, Coys penchant for female clothing and rejection of stereotypically male toys was seen as a phase, but Coy proved so stubborn that her parents were forced to accept that there was much more to it.

Juholas film covers this backstory in the run-up to the decision by Kathryn and Jeremy Mathis  who have three other children  to go public with the story after Coy was forbidden to use the girls bathroom at school. Which brings us to the timeliness of the documentary  there are currently 12 states in the United States that are suing the U.S. government, after the Obama administration came out in support of trans students rights. Though the film is currently playing the festival circuit, Juhola has strategic plans for the film once those bookings have ended.

Were not moving onto another project right away, Juhola says. We really want to take our time into the world in the right way and give [this film] all our attention and energy. So for the rest of the fall well continue to do festivals around the world, but we also want to do a little bit more fund-raising for a community screening tour. We really want to get the film seen in those 12 states, and not only have screenings but also community conversations afterwards, so that we can really start a dialogue about these issues. I think if we get this film out there in the right way we might be able to change some hearts and minds and affect some laws and policy. That would be best-case scenario.

How did first get involved with the Mathis family?

I had been in touch with the familys attorney, who is based in New York, and I had been wanting to make a film about transgender rights for while. This attorney only does civil rights litigation for transgender clients, so we had been talking for years about potential cases that we could make a film about. So when he told me about the Mathis family, they had only just contacted his office about what happened with Coy at school, so that allowed us to get there about six weeks before they went public with the case.

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So it was perfect timing?

Yes. And it was actually really good that we started filming before the Mathis family went public, because as soon as they did, they were being contacted by reality television shows, by other documentarians. Every media from all over the world wanted to tell their story, but because we were there early we were able to have conversations about what our intentions were, what we wanted to do, and so we were able to build up that trust before things got really crazy.

How did you convince them?

It was really just about explaining to them what our intentions were with making a feature-length documentary and how we really wanted to tell their story in a way that was real and honest, with the common goal of educating people about transgender issues. Which, in the long run, hopefully will make the world a better place for people like Coy and their families. Which was different from the news media  they would come and talk to them for an hour on camera, then put together a news piece that night and bring their biases to the reporting.

How long was the process?

I guess we started filming with them in January 2013, and we just finished in May this year, so about three years from start to finish. I think we filmed with them for two and a half years, because for the last six months we were just in the edit room.

Did you ever have second thoughts, because, obviously, theres a child involved?

I think there was something about [the subject] being a child that was very interesting to us, because its impossible when you meet Coy to confuse gender identity with sexuality, because she is so young. When you meet her and spend an hour and a half with her in the film, you can see that this is just a little kid who wants to be like any other little kid, who barely knows what the word transgender  or any of these adult labels  means. So that made it interesting for us. But of course we were concerned about the fact that she was six, so we took a lot of precautions while were filming.

What kinds of precautions?

For example, we never put a microphone on Coy. We never asked her questions directly about her gender identity that might make her feel different or singled out. We filmed with her siblings just as much as we filmed with her, even though we didnt use a lot of that footage, just so the other kids wouldnt become jealous or feel like it was all about Coy. And the truth is, we really did try to make it a film about the family and not just about Coy.

Were you surprised by the media storm?

It did surprise us. I didnt know how big this story was going to get. I certainly didnt think it would get worldwide media attention. And the truth is, the film, in essence, sort of became about the media and the intense scrutiny that it put the family under. In fact, it was the media and the criticism of the parents that really put pressure on their relationship. And it was very uncomfortable, when all that was happening, to film. Our approach was just kind of fly-on-the- wall, and we let events play out as they happened. It was hard to witness the family go through that, but we just had to [accept that] we were there to document the story and ask, What does it mean when you stand up for your rights in a civil rights case? And what the film shows is that there are sacrifices that come with that. Its not all happy and inspirational. When you put yourself out there you become a sacrificial lamb and a poster child.

Did anything surprise you?

When I first flew out there to meet Coy and her family I really did not know what to expect  I had never met anyone at that age who was transgender. And as soon as I walked into the house and started speaking with the Mathis family, Coy came up to me and gave me a big hug. And it just melted away any preconceived notions, and it made me realise whats was really at stake in this case. Because its just a little kid who doesnt really understand all the fuss that these adults are making, in her life and on the news. In terms of what I learned, I guess I put myself in [Coys] shoes, and in her parents shoes  which is what I hope everyone else can do when they see the film.

Are you planning to revisit the story at a later date?

No, this is all I want to say for now. A lot of people have said that we should keep filming Coy until she goes through puberty, but my feeling is that there are already many documentaries and television shows about transgender kids going through puberty. To me this is a story about a six-year-old and this particular time in her and her familys life. And if people want to see other stories about transgender kids getting older, then I think there are other resources out there for that. I feel that this is the story I wanted to tell.

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Mars spaceship

GUADALAJARA, Mexico  In order to make the figures work for Elon Musks plan to put settlers on Mars, SpaceX will have to build boosters and interplanetary spaceships for less than the price of a Boeing 777x jet, on a shorter time frame.

Whats more, Musk is aiming to ramp up to building 1,000 of those spaceships. Thats three times the number of 777x orders to date.

The comparisons between Boeings next airplane and SpaceXs ultimate spaceship suggest Musk is overly optimistic about what itll take to get a million settlers to Mars by the end of the century.

So what else is new?

Based on past estimates, SpaceX should have started flying astronauts into orbit two years ago. Another one of Musks ventures, Tesla Motors, should have delivered its first Model X electric car in 2013.

Even Musk acknowledged during this weeks presentation to the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara that he tends to lean forward in his expectations.

Timelines  Im not the best at this sort of thing, he said, drawing chuckles from the 3,000 attendees.

The timeline he displayed on the big screen called for the first big spaceship to be sent to Mars by 2023, just seven years from now. In comparison, its taking Boeing eight years to go from 2012s first announcements about the 777x to the first anticipated deliveries by 2020.

Musk backed away from 2023 in his remarks, saying only that the first flight could occur in a 10-year time frame if things go super-well. As SpaceX found out this month, things dont always go super-well.

Affordability is another squishy issue: Musk said the price of a ticket could eventually go as low as $100,000, depending on how much luggage the ticket-buyers take with them. But thats predicated on a cost structure that assumes hardware can be built at the cost of $200 million per spaceship, $230 million per booster and $130 million per tanker.

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To some, those figures seem unrealistic, especially when you compare it to the list price for a top-of-the-line 777x ($400 million) or 747 ($379 million). To be fair, Musk chose a cheaper Boeing jet, the $80 million 737, for his own comparison. Nevertheless, it set rocket scientist Jonathan Goff to wondering. Color me extremely skeptical, he wrote in a blog post that expands upon a series of tweets:

Am I the only one who finds this a wee bit optimistic? 747s are produced on an assembly line at far higher rates, are far less complex 2/n  Jonathan A. Goff (@rocketrepreneur) September 28, 2016

Despite the skepticism, Goff says Musks plan seems more affordable than anyone elses. He figures the ticket price would be in the range of $5 million, which is less than a tenth of the Russians price for a flight to the International Space Station.

While I think Elon doesnt have an architecture that really gets down into the cost of a median US house range, he is getting into a range that a lot of people could afford, Goff writes. Having a Mars architecture this affordable would still be absolutely amazing, even if I think it could be done better.

How would the passengers fare? Some of the classic worries about long-duration spaceflight  such as the health effects of weightlessness and space radiation exposure  might not be as worrisome if settlers can get to Mars in 80 days rather than the oft-quoted figure of 260 days.

Astronauts on the space station routinely spend four to six months in zero-G, and are able to stave off muscle loss and bone loss through exercise. Would-be Mars settlers will just have to make sure to work a couple of hours of treadmill time and resistance exercise into their daily routine.

Radiation is more of an unknown. The ill effects can be minimized by positioning the spaceship to shield its occupants from the suns blast and setting up a special shelter from radiation storms. Some have even suggested using onboard water, supplies and, yes, poop as shielding material.

During his talk, Musk said theres going to be some risk of radiation, but its not deadly. Thats mostly true. Settlers are likely to face a heightened cancer risk. Beyond that, the state of the research is fuzzier.

Considering the challenging environment theyd face on Mars, how eager will a million people be to settle on Mars? Musk says plenty of people will be eager to settle a new world, but Bill Nye (the Science Guy) isnt sure about that.

Nye, who is CEO of the nonprofit Planetary Society, thinks the vibe will ultimately be more akin to that of a research base in Antarctica  scientifically valuable and worth the effort, but not a fun place to live.

And then there are the Martians to consider.

Its an exciting time for space. Just as we have a permanent science base in Antarctica, I can imagine having a science base on Mars, Nye said in emailed comments. But before we set foot, lets investigate any ecosystem that may exist there. A discovery of Martian life would change the world.

Musk and his supporters would argue that Martian microbes shouldnt stand in the way of turning humanity into a multiplanetary species, due to the doomsday risks we face on our own fragile planet. Such risks range from an asteroid strike to a climate meltdown to an AI apocalypse.

That may well be the ultimate reality check: How much effort should be spent on terraforming Mars vs. protecting Earth and its occupants?

Science-fiction author William Gibson shared an interesting take on that question via Twitter:

I would be much more excited by an Elon Musk plan to terraform Earth  William Gibson (@GreatDismal) September 28, 2016

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By Julia Symmes Cobb and Nelson Bocanegra EL DIAMANTE, Colombia (Reuters) - Veterans of Colombia's FARC guerrilla army could soon be making a living as eco-tourism guides, beef processors or cheese makers under plans by the Marxist group to invest in economic projects once a peace deal takes hold. Vast swathes of rural land abandoned for decades because of war will be open to development, including by ex-fighters from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) working on communal farms and other initiatives funded by the group. President Juan Manuel Santos and top rebel leader Timochenko signed peace on Monday, ending a 52-year-old conflict that killed more than 220,000 people and forced millions more from their homes. The deal will be put to a public vote on Oct. 2 and is expected to be approved. The economic projects, many planned for the future and some already functioning, will be run by the FARC to provide jobs to some of its 7,000 former fighters. Financing will come from the FARC's own funds and demobilization money earmarked for individual ex-rebels under the peace agreement. Many fighters have little education and come from poor, rural families so they need employment options to resist the profitable pull of drug trafficking, kidnapping and extortion. "We have to be involved in the economy," FARC commander Mauricio Jaramillo told Reuters in the jungle outpost of El Diamante, southern Caqueta province. "We have to push an assured and positive development so we don't head down the wrong path," he said, declining to expand on specific projects or say how much would be invested. Deep social inequality and lack of opportunities for rural Colombians sparked the creation of the FARC in 1964, and many fear disenchanted former rebels will join drug-running crime gangs unless there are economic alternatives. The FARC's seven-member secretariat, or leadership team, is loathe to acknowledge the existence of already-functioning projects for fear they may be seized by the government to lock down funds for victim reparations, say rebel sources. Projects allowed under the peace deal are meant to be funded by payments of 8 million pesos (about $2,700) to demobilized fighters to help them start businesses. Reuters was not permitted to visit the active projects in Caqueta or surrounding regions, even though FARC members confirmed a milk processor and a bean farm were up and running. Many fighters say they want to get involved in politics or stay in familiar rural areas working alongside peasant farmers, but FARC business plans also include tourism initiatives and factory projects. Ex-fighters could shepherd tourists around little-explored areas of Colombia's mountain and jungles, which have been under rebel control for decades. "A tourist could get to see where the secretariat camped during the peace process," said Sebastian Gomez, head of a community organization that wants to partner with the FARC on eco-tourism, during a visit to the group's Yari unit to explain the effort to fighters. "Nobody knows these areas like the rebels do." A FARC document reviewed by Reuters shows plans for a dairy plant, cheese factories and farms are already well advanced. "The factories will be constructed one per region and will be multi-functional in accordance with harvests," the document said. "They will be advised by professionals with relevant experience in Europe." REBEL WEALTH Colombian authorities say the rebels possess huge tracts of valuable land, as well as cattle ranches, shops and construction companies which allegedly help the group launder drug and ransom money, but there have been few confiscations of rebel property. While some experts estimate the proceeds from the drugs business and extortion have netted the FARC billions of dollars, the rebels say their income is minimal and spent mostly on maintaining fighters. Santos told Reuters the government will go after illicit FARC funds and properties to pay reparations. The attorney general's office said on Tuesday that any efforts to cover up the origins of illegal FARC property will be prosecuted as money laundering. Ex-fighters can choose for their 8 million peso payment to go directly to a communal project, the FARC said last week, or they can invest in an individual business. Rebel leader Timochenko said last week that the FARC and its ex-fighters would contribute to economic growth. "We will not take jobs from anyone. The opposite - we are going to develop projects that create more opportunities and galvanize the economy in areas where we have presence." Jaramillo, a member of the FARC's secretariat who also uses the alias 'El Medico', said some business owners had been in touch with rebel leaders to ask about future projects. "They have expressed some ideas, there are business owners who want to be involved," he said, without providing details. (Reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb and Nelson Bocanegra; Editing by Helen Murphy and Kieran Murray)
If 50 Cent were to rewrite the lyrics to his 2003 hit "P.I.M.P." today, they'd probably go a little something like this: "I don't know what you heard about me / but a plaintiff can't get a dollar out of me."

The popular rap track is at the center of a legal battle, but in a Monday filing attorneys for the labels described the suit as nothing more than a misguided attempt to turn a royalty dispute into a federal copyright case.

50 Cent's Birthday Present: No More Bankruptcy Court

Brandon Parrott sued Curtis Jackson, better known as 50 Cent, in June, claiming "P.I.M.P." infringes on his composition "BAMBA." Parrott is suing for copyright infringement, unjust enrichment and fraud and is asking the court to order an accounting of profits from the song and related albums and an injunction to keep defendants from exploiting "P.I.M.P." until Parrott receives proper credit and consideration. Producer Denaun Porter, Attorney Zach Katz, UMG Recordngs, Interscope, Aftermath Records, Shady Records and EMI Music Publishing are also named as defendants.

Attorneys for the labels, Andrew Bart and Daniel Rozanski, argue their clients should be dismissed "because Parrott has not pled a single factual allegation that would support a finding that the UMG Defendants ever communicated with Parrott, let alone acted fraudulently toward him."

Parrott says in 2001 he sent a CD containing 10 of his tracks, including two co-produced with Porter, to Dr. Dre (Andre Young) at Aftermath Records. Two years later, he says Porter told him "BAMBA" was used to create "P.I.M.P." and they had mistakenly failed to credit him or obtain his permission. In March 2003, according to the complaint, they tricked him into entering a settlement and mutual release agreement. "Defendants were well aware that Defendant Porter was not the sole author of these tracks and intentionally released the tracks without providing credit or proper compensation to Brandon Parrott," writes Parrot, who is representing himself in the lawsuit.

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50 Cent's 'I'm the Man' Leads THR's Top TV Songs Chart, Thanks to 'Ballers'

The labels argue these issues were resolved by the settlement and Parrott has been collecting royalties for more than a decade.

"In the Co-Producer Agreement, the parties agreed, inter alia, that they had co-produced the 50 Cent Track, that Parrott's contributions to the 50 Cent Track were now the property of Porter who was free to use them as he saw fit and to authorize others to do so, and that Parrott licensed the use of any of his musical compositions that were embodied in the 50 Cent Track," Bart writes. "In exchange, Parrott received a monetary advance, an ownership share in the copyrighted musical composition underlying the 50 Cent Track, as well as 65% of Porter's producer royalties on income derived from the exploitation of the 50 Cent Track."

Further the labels claim the terms of that settlement dictate Parrott can't sue. "Parrott did more than simply release all claims," Bart writes. "He expressly acknowledged and represented 'that no promise, representation, or inducement not expressed herein has been made in connection with this Agreement.'"

Jackson's attorneys in August requested a stay in light of his ongoing chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

Erica Tucker, Parrott's business manager, is named as a co-plaintiff in the suit. Bart has asked the court to dismiss her from the case for lack of standing as she is not a party to any of the agreements at issue.

A hearing is currently set for Oct. 31.

This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter
If 50 Cent were to rewrite the lyrics to his 2003 hit "P.I.M.P." today, they'd probably go a little something like this: "I don't know what you heard about me / but a plaintiff can't get a dollar out of me."

The popular rap track is at the center of a legal battle, but in a Monday filing attorneys for the labels described the suit as nothing more than a misguided attempt to turn a royalty dispute into a federal copyright case.

Brandon Parrott sued Curtis Jackson, better known as 50 Cent, in June, claiming "P.I.M.P." infringes on his composition "BAMBA." Parrott is suing for copyright infringement, unjust enrichment and fraud and is asking the court to order an accounting of profits from the song and related albums and an injunction to keep defendants from exploiting "P.I.M.P." until Parrott receives proper credit and consideration. Producer Denaun Porter, Attorney Zach Katz, UMG Recordngs, Interscope, Aftermath Records, Shady Records and EMI Music Publishing are also named as defendants.

Read more: Hollywood Docket: Jay Z Beats Logo Suit; Comcast Escapes Daily Fantasy Sports Litigation

Attorneys for the labels, Andrew Bart and Daniel Rozansky, argue their clients should be dismissed "because Parrott has not pled a single factual allegation that would support a finding that the UMG Defendants ever communicated with Parrott, let alone acted fraudulently toward him."

Parrott says in 2001 he sent a CD containing 10 of his tracks, including two co-produced with Porter, to Dr. Dre (Andre Young) at Aftermath Records. Two years later, he says Porter told him "BAMBA" was used to create "P.I.M.P." and they had mistakenly failed to credit him or obtain his permission. In March 2003, according to the complaint, they tricked him into entering a settlement and mutual release agreement. "Defendants were well aware that Defendant Porter was not the sole author of these tracks and intentionally released the tracks without providing credit or proper compensation to Brandon Parrott," writes Parrot, who is representing himself in the lawsuit.

Story continues

The labels argue these issues were resolved by the settlement and Parrott has been collecting royalties for more than a decade.

"In the Co-Producer Agreement, the parties agreed, inter alia, that they had co-produced the 50 Cent Track, that Parrott's contributions to the 50 Cent Track were now the property of Porter who was free to use them as he saw fit and to authorize others to do so, and that Parrott licensed the use of any of his musical compositions that were embodied in the 50 Cent Track," Bart writes. "In exchange, Parrott received a monetary advance, an ownership share in the copyrighted musical composition underlying the 50 Cent Track, as well as 65% of Porter's producer royalties on income derived from the exploitation of the 50 Cent Track."

Further the labels claim the terms of that settlement dictate Parrott can't sue. "Parrott did more than simply release all claims," Bart writes. "He expressly acknowledged and represented 'that no promise, representation, or inducement not expressed herein has been made in connection with this Agreement.'"

Jackson's attorneys in August requested a stay in light of his ongoing chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

Erica Tucker, Parrott's business manager, is named as a co-plaintiff in the suit. Bart has asked the court to dismiss her from the case for lack of standing as she is not a party to any of the agreements at issue.

A hearing is currently set for Oct. 31.

Read more: Frank Darabont to Seek More Than $280 Million From AMC at 'Walking Dead' Profits Trial
Los Angeles (AFP) - Festering alongside mountains of stinking trash under the sweltering South American sun, Cateura is a long way from the conservatories of Prague or Vienna.

Yet the township which grew out of Paraguay's largest dump is gaining an unlikely reputation as a hothouse for musical talent -- and for its youth orchestra that plays instruments made from discarded rubbish.

"The world sends us garbage. We send back music," said Favio Chavez, leader of the "Recycled Orchestra," during a recent visit by the group to Los Angeles.

Chavez hit upon the idea of using trash to make music 10 years ago.

Orchestra members, impoverished children from Cateura, play violins fashioned from oven trays and guitars made from dessert dishes.

One cello is made from an oil barrel with wooden spoons and a stiletto heel for tuning pegs, while a discarded x-ray serves as the skin for a drum.

The orchestra provides the youngsters an outlet and an escape, a chance to transcend the squalor of their slum through the music of Mozart, Vivaldi and even Sinatra.

"In the beginning, it was difficult to play, but Favio helped me learn over time. From Favio, I have learned to be more responsible and value the things I have," 10-year-old violinist Celeste Fleitas told AFP.

Cateura, a shantytown of 40,000 people on the outskirts of the capital Asuncion, is one of the poorest communities in South America.

- Gang violence -

The destination for more than 1,500 tons (three million pounds) of waste each day, the community has no safe drinking water and little access to electricity or sanitation, so disease is rife.

Impoverished slum-dwellers -- many just children themselves -- rummage through the dump on the floodplains of the Paraguay River for scraps they can sell.

Illiteracy is rampant, and the children of the township often fall into drugs, gang violence and delinquency.

Chavez, a musical prodigy who was directing his church choir by the age of 11, came to Cateura as an environmental technician in 2006 and started a youth music school.

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He knew shop-bought instruments were beyond the means of villagers whose shacks are worth less than a violin, so he approached carpenter Don "Cola" Gomez to make one out of debris from the dump.

It worked, and soon Gomez was manufacturing cellos, guitars and even double basses.

The orchestra caught the eye of Paraguayan filmmaker Alejandra Amarilla, the ex-wife of former LA Lakers basketbal player Steve Nash, who began filming the young musicians in 2010.

Amarilla uploaded a short clip of the orchestra to YouTube in 2012, hoping to secure crowdfunding for what would become "Landfill Harmonic," a theatrical documentary being released across the US this month.

Within days, millions of people around the world had seen the footage, and donations poured in as the youngsters were catapulted onto the world stage.

"Landfill Harmonic" follows the children -- many of whom had never left the slum -- as they embark on a tour of the world's music halls, playing for European royalty and even Pope Francis.

- 'Brighter future' -

Co-director Brad Allgood told AFP he wanted audiences to go away feeling inspired and motivated by Chavez's idea that you have to be dedicated, willing to work hard and be a team player.

"There is one line in the film that stands out for me, which is where he says 'To have nothing is not an excuse to do nothing'," the Los Angeles-based director told AFP.

The orchestra has opened for heavy metal group Metallica, jammed with Stevie Wonder and Megadeth and spawned copycat projects across the world.

Toby Armoa, 15, has been a member for four years, practicing his saxophone fashioned from a drainpipe, bottle tops and coins for two hours every day.

"The community has changed a lot, because now kids are thinking about finishing school and staying away from drugs. Now they want to have a brighter future," he told AFP.

The "Recycled Orchestra," which is building a music school in Cateura, has given the community a newfound respect for the importance of education and the sanctity of childhood.

"Before, kids would stop studying or they'd have to go to work but now education has become an important aspect of the community," Chavez said during the orchestra's Los Angeles trip.

"They may have fallen into drugs or other vices if this opportunity had not been there," he added.

"Music is a powerful force not only for the musicians. It unites people. It transcends linguistic barriers."
With UberEats set to take off in at least 22 new countries across the world, it seems like a good time to take a closer look at whats going on in this market segment.

Restaurants have themselves taken care of deliveries for a very long time and its only in recent years that delivery became a business proposition in itself. The advantage for restaurants is obvious: by outsourcing delivery to third parties, they can focus resources on improving the menu and servicing more orders. Most delivery companies send the order to the restaurant, which gets the food cooked and packed for a delivery man to pick up and drop off at the customer.

This is particularly good for smaller players with more limited resources or not enough real estate to provide for seating arrangements, i.e. the classic takeout joint.

The downside is of course the restaurants brand, which may be impacted if the delivery service is unsatisfactory or if the delivery staff is impolite. Plus the fact that customer data has to be ceded to the delivery company.

Operations that can make the most of this data are necessarily companies with the wherewithal to invest in suitable technology to create a platform that both users and restaurants can interact with. They should also be equipped to create a network of delivery people, and maintain or arrange for a fleet of vehicles and plug them into the system. Even then, growth will be difficult without a good marketing team that can get more restaurants on board.

Given these basic requirements there are currently just a handful of delivery companies that can boast any degree of success and unsurprisingly, they are all technology companies.

Restaurant Industry Factors Supporting Delivery

Matching speed, convenience and price: Restaurant delivery has got to be fast and hassle-free, which is a characteristic it shares with fast food. But it neednt be dirt cheap or low-quality, at least for most people, which is a characteristic it shares with casual dining. On the other hand, its also not like fine dining, which would include ambiance, service etc and so be best experienced in the restaurant. So delivery services essentially deliver to the new fast-casual trend, i.e. the demand for decent quality and convenience at a decent price.

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Selling One Idea: Quick service restaurants, the broad industry name given to both fast food and fast casual restaurants, thrive on being able to sell one idea or experience. Its the kind of place you head for when you know exactly what you want whether its burgers, pizza or a sandwich, or whether its Chinese or Mexican. In case of geographically diverse chains, the goal is to keep the restaurant experience consistent across all outlets, so again you know exactly what youre heading for. Since it isnt variety but volumes that drive the business, a delivery service can help by reaching more people.

Essentially Local and Getting More So: People generally dont go out of their way to visit these restaurants, so growing traffic is a bit of a challenge. There is also a limitation on differentiation, because new competitors can crop up and sell the same thing next door. Customers are driven mainly by taste and price although quality is growing into more of a factor.

Part of the drive for quality is a call for locally-sourced fresher ingredients, which can bring an element of local taste to the food. Partnering with a delivery company can get more people to try the food and if the taste agrees with them, there will be repeat orders.

Growing Pressure from Worker Groups: Restaurants are a labor intensive business, because every aspect of operations requires personnel involvement, whether its cooking, cleaning or packing/serving. So labor costs are significant. Smaller fast food restaurants are therefore unable to provide living wages in some cases, leading to labor unrest.

For the restaurateur under pressure to keep prices down, its practically impossible to pay a decent wage. On the other hand, cooking staff is of utmost importance because a high turnover will result in varying tastes and can turn customers away. The trend toward fast-casual is therefore a blessing as it allows higher pricing, more variety (therefore differentiation) and supports slightly longer delivery time.

So What Are Food Delivery Companies Doing?

Its important to note here that all restaurant formats are likely to co-exist, because there is a time for drive-ins and a time for home delivery. And the same people dont generally do the same thing every day. People do try variations, as long as the food is hot, healthy and tasty and doesnt set you back too much.

GrubHub

One of the most illustrious food delivery companies, GrubHub GRUB has partnered with 45K restaurants across 1,100 U.S. cities and London, and this list continues to grow. The company has been testing a new recommendation platform, which is reportedly doing a good job connecting diners with restaurants. Earlier this month, Morgan Stanley analyst Brian Novak expressed confidence in the platform, saying that the recent increase in orders per diner was now sustainable. He also raised his estimates and price target on the shares.

Based on his own estimates and company data, Novak believes GrubHub has cornered 23% of the market, just a point behind Dominos and way ahead of Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, Jimmy Johns, Eat 24, Postmates, Door Dash, Caviar and UberEats, which control 19%, 14%, 4%, 2%, 2%, 2%, 1% and >1% of digital delivery orders, respectively. So basically, other than the pizza chains, this is the only company that has made serious headway.

Just yesterday, Canccord raised its price target on GRUB shares citing the recent brand refresh, ongoing product improvements, delivery network and maturing tier two markets, that will help business metrics in the second half of 2016.

GRUBHUB INC Price

GRUBHUB INC Price | GRUBHUB INC Quote

Yelp

Restaurant review company Yelp YELP has struggled for a number of years now because of the poor impression it created amongst both customers and businesses. Customers have moved away because of the growing evidence of fake reviews while business owners have complained about the lack of transparency in the advertising business from click through to sale.

But Yelp saw its shares jump up in May as the number of reviews increased, offering evidence that the site remained popular. Last year, the company decided to move away from brand advertising in favor of local and entered the delivery market through its acquisition of Eat24.

According to Benzinga, which quotes TickerTags data about social media mentions of delivery services, Eat 24 mentions are down 33% sequentially and 21% year over year compared to increases of a respective 113% and 1081% for UberEats and a respective 11% and 92% for Postmates.

YELP INC Price

YELP INC Price | YELP INC Quote

Uber

Uber is better known as a ride hailing company, so it figures it can deliver hot meals just as easy as it transports people. True enough it already has the network of cars and drivers to do the job and an app that many people all over the world log on to every day. So it can advertise the new service and list the restaurant menus quite easily.

The company started its restaurant deliveries in the U.S. with minimum fanfare, charging around five bucks as delivery charges. Initial results must have been quite good because the company has now decided to launch the service in 22 countries in the EMEA region (Amsterdam, Brussels, Dubai, Johannesburg and Stockholm before year-end).

Postmates

Postmates charges a $5 delivery fee for delivery within an hour, around 80% of which is passed on to the delivery person an incentivize them to deliver more. Its GPS system tracks the man closest to the store in question, who uses a bike or car to minimize delivery time. It also charges a 9% convenience fee banking on the fact that users will be willing to forego the amount to save on time and fuel.

Earlier, the company didnt have agreement with stores/restaurants but had delivery men pick up orders for customers ordering food through its app. But this led to complaints about the temperature and packaging of food and some restaurants even tried to prevent Postmates delivery men from collecting orders. So it has now started a merchant program wherein it ties with stores/restaurants, similar to other companies.

Amazon

Amazon AMZN is just starting out and may be expected to creep up from behind and steal a big share of the market. Thats because Amazon is offering delivery services free, while charging restaurants around 27% of order value. Moreover, the service is only available to Prime members, so it serves as a lure for non-Prime buyers on Amazon. Prime members spend more on Amazon so there are synergies in there.

Amazons service is far more expensive for restaurants than GrubHubs which charges between 13% and 20%, with the rates varying depending on the placement of the listing on its website (like ranks on Googles search engine results page). GrubHub also charges users up to $5 for the delivery service.

Amazon is probably using its Prime base to promise higher sales to restaurants, but the model may be re-worked because restaurant delivery is a local business, and you cant deliver hot food to people all over the state, let alone the country or the world. So if sales growth falls below expectations, this may become another loss leader.

AMAZON.COM INC Price

AMAZON.COM INC Price | AMAZON.COM INC Quote

Google

Alphabets GOOGL Google hasnt entered food delivery business yet, but judging from its interest in drones and self-driving cars, it is definitely exploring use cases for these things. Particularly since the company recently tested delivering Chipotle CMG burritos via drone at the testing grounds.

ALPHABET INC-A Price

ALPHABET INC-A Price | ALPHABET INC-A Quote

Amazon is definitely the most buyable stock discussed in this piece, as evident from its Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The other tech stocks have a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), while CMG has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Choosing the right stock can however be tricky in an unpredictable market, so it makes more sense to go for something more sure-shot. So cast aside all uncertainties and take a look at the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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The man responsible for more than 1 million illegal downloads of The Revenant won't go to jail.

William Kyle Morarity in February pleaded guilty to felony copyright infringement for illegally posting screener versions of the Leonardo DiCaprio film and The Peanuts Movie online before they were released in theaters.

Morarity on Monday was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Wilson to eight months' home detention, plus two years of probation. He was also ordered to pay $1.12 million in restitution to 20th Century Fox, according to a press release from the office of Eileen M. Decker, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California.

Morarity - known online as "clutchit" - was working for a studio when he stole screeners of the films, a detail not lost on Decker.

"The film industry creates thousands of jobs in Southern California," says Decker. "The defendant's illegal conduct caused significant harm to the victim movie studio. The fact that the defendant stole these films while working on the lot of a movie studio makes his crime more egregious."

As part of his plea deal, Morarity also taped a PSA about pirating.

"Morarity agreed to assist the FBI in the production of a public service announcement to assist the government in educating the public about the harms of copyright infringement and the illegal uploading of movies that are the legal property of the movie studio," states the release.

Government prosecutors had recommended Morarity serve 12 months in custody, but his attorneys argued house arrest would be more appropriate given his familial circumstances. Morarity's unemployment benefits are currently supporting his family, which includes a wife and four children age six or younger - one of whom has severe autism according to court documents. Given the family's financial situation, it's unclear how exactly Morarity will be expected to pay his seven-figure fine.

Read more: Inside the Quiet Legal Battles Over Martin Scorsese's 'Silence'
The fourth album from Detroit's Danny Brown is the year's most thrilling cry for help. With his 2011 breakthrough XXX, the "Adderall Admiral" built an intense indie fanbase thanks to a quirky off-kilter flow about his various vices. While Atrocity Exhibition is stuffed like a pinata with colorful addictions  "Mimosa for breakfast/With a thick ho from Texas" he sort-of-boasts on the chugging "Golddust"  its also teeming with the isolation, paranoia and regrets you could expect from a rap album named after a Joy Division song. Threesomes come with performance issues and STD anxiety; his copious drug use isn't glamorized but instead punctuated by grinding teeth, itchy throats, nosebleeds and a fear of death. The party-centric life of indie-rap's wild card is painted as more of a permanent hangover.

Produced almost entirely by Paul White, the beatmaker who gave XXX its noise-flecked flavor by doing things like sampling post-punk band This Heat, Atrocity Exhibition plays like a manic, mood-swinging, bullet-sweating nightmare. The songs are short, the beats are drunken and lo-fi, and dark psychedelia breaks the lava lamp via acid rock tones (opener "Downward Spiral) or gamelan clank (the Evian Christ-produced "Pneumonia"). With the broken, tumbling sample style preferred by artists like Madlib and Dilla, Atrocity Exhibition gets extra claustrophobic thanks to White's ill-angled, imperfect layers. Getting high but feeling low, Brown takes a long hard look at himself through a funhouse mirror. As he raps over the swirling, discordant circus "Ain't It Funny, "It's a living nightmare that most of us might share."

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For countries who want to do their part to curb waste and help the planet, Romanias agriculture minister has a meaty idea: Raise food prices.

On Wednesday Achim Irimescu suggested to the Romanian versions of EurActiv, an EU news site, that the same taxes levied on fossil fuels to reduce carbon emissions could just as easily be applied to meat.

They fill up the fridge and then have to deal with a lot of expired items. I admit it has happened to me, he said. If a kilo of meat is priced right, then people will take more care.

According to official Romanian statistics, the country throws away 2.25 million tons of food annually.

Europes agricultural industry is heavily protected  prices are kept down thanks to $40 billion in EU subsidies. But perhaps Irimescu is preparing for a dip in funds as Britain prepares to Brexit and eventually stops paying into to the EU budget pot.

Still, with around 22.5 percent of the countrys population living below the poverty line, a food tax would be a cruel hit to Romanian pocketbooks.



Irimescu also suggested that Bucharest could embrace a solution popular in other Western European countries: Encouraging supermarkets to donate close-to-expiring food to charity, or sell it for cheaper prices. In February, France became the first country in the world to ban grocery stores from throwing away or destroying food.

Photo credit: JOHN LI/Getty Images
Rosie O'Donnell is not taking Donald Trump's insults lying down after the Republican presidential candidate rekindled their longstanding feud during Monday night's debate with Hillary Clinton.

"Donald Trump bullying Rosie O'Donnell is justified... #WTF," O'Donnell tweeted on Tuesday along with a link to an article by The Advocate, chronicling the history of animosity between the 54-year-old comedian and the 70-year-old GOP candidate. "Donny -- hold ur nose -- cuz here comes the cold water."

donny --- hold ur nose - cuz here comes the cold water #ImWithHer https://t.co/29TRGkJVqo  Rosie (@Rosie) September 27, 2016

Another tweet seemed to imply that Trump misstated facts about his original stance on the Iraq War.

"'I opposed the Iraq war ... there is evidence...' #WAKEUP #TRUMPisanILLUSION," she wrote.

The two have been at odds for the better part of a decade, and Trump dragged O'Donnell's name into his debate on Tuesday after Clinton mentioned his history of making misogynistic comments toward women.

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"Rosie O'Donnell, I said very tough things to her, and I think everybody would agree that she deserves it and nobody feels sorry for her," Trump said.

WATCH: Donald Trump Slams Rosie O'Donnell During First Presidential Debate, Stars Show Her Love and Support

Some of the "tough things" the former Apprentice host has called her include "dumb," "disgusting," and "fat, ugly face."

While O'Donnell originally tweeted that she was not watching the debates, she quickly caught wind of Trump bashing her.

HE WILL NEVER BE PRESIDENT ... @WeinerAnne  Rosie (@Rosie) September 27, 2016

"HE WILL NEVER BE PRESIDENT," O'Donnell tweeted Monday.

Their bad blood can be traced back to a 2006 segment on The View in which O'Donnell criticized Trump for being a "snake oil salesman."

https://t.co/EvxYa7A4bL --- the 5 mins orange anus can't seem to get over --- tell the truth - shame the donald #ImWithHer  Rosie (@Rosie) September 27, 2016

"He annoys me on a multitude of levels," O'Donnell said at the time. "He's the moral authority? Left the first wife, had an affair. Left the second wife, had an affair. Had kids both times, but he's the moral compass for 20-year-olds in America?"

O'Donnell received support from peers and fans on social media following the debate. One message came from O'Donnell's A League of Their Own co-star, Madonna.

Mess with my girl Rosie and you're messing with me!!! Cruelty never made anyone a winner.  #rebelhearts4ever pic.twitter.com/gvkF6HpU47  Madonna (@Madonna) September 27, 2016

"Mess with my girl Rosie and you're messing with me!" Madonna tweeted. "Cruelty never made anyone a winner. #rebelhearts4ever."

to all those who reached out in love and kindness - (and even memes) thank u pic.twitter.com/QW0j2QP9tq  Rosie (@Rosie) September 27, 2016

O'Donnell later thanked all her supporters, writing, "To all those who reached out in love and kindness -- (and even memes) thank u."

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LONDON (Reuters) - A former deputy property manager in the British royal household was jailed on Wednesday over corrupt payments linked to the awarding of building work contracts at Buckingham Palace and other royal homes. Ronald Harper was sentenced to five years in prison at Southwark Crown Court for conspiracy to make corrupt payments, prosecutors said. Harper worked with an annual budget of 2.3 million pounds and was able to authorise orders worth up to 30,000 pounds, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said. But he personally received more than 100,000 pounds in covert payments from companies awarded lucrative contracts for mechanical and electrical work in Buckingham Palace, the Queens Gallery, St James's Palace and Kensington Palace. Buckingham Palace is Queen Elizabeth's London residence while Kensington Palace is home to her grandson Prince William and his wife Kate, and his younger brother Prince Harry. The judge said Harper's offences were aggravated by his displaying of an award for excellence, given by the Royal Household, in his office. Harper was found guilty of conspiring to receive corrupt payments from the former owners of a company called Melton Power Services (MPS), which had been granted a royal warrant on Harper's recommendation, and from another firm, BSI Nordale. Both firms inflated the price of contracts and used the additional amounts to create a fund to pay bribes. Five others who were also convicted or pleaded guilty to involvement in the conspiracy, received jail terms, suspended prison sentences or orders to carry out unpaid work. "It was a long-running, sophisticated and well-planned fraud in which they exploited the good name and status of the Royal Household to enrich themselves at the taxpayers' expense," said Nick Vamos, Head of Special Crime at the CPS. (Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Stephen Addison)
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia on Wednesday flatly dismissed a report from international prosecutors which concluded that Malaysian airliner MH17 had been downed by a Russian-made missile launched from a Ukrainian village held by pro-Russian rebels in 2014. In a strongly-worded statement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the Dutch-led investigation's findings were biased and politically-motivated. "To arbitrarily designate a guilty party and dream up the desired results has become the norm for our Western colleagues," said Zakharova. "The investigation to this day continues to ignore incontestable evidence from the Russian side despite the fact that Russia is practically the only one sending reliable information to them." Russia has long denied any involvement in the episode. Zakharova complained that the Russian government had been prevented from playing a full role in investigators' work and alleged that the Ukrainian government had been able to influence the inquiry using fabricated evidence. Zakharova said she hoped new radar data presented by the Russian military would prompt the prosecutors to revise their findings. (Reporting by Andrew Osborn, Jack Stubbs and Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Lidia Kelly)
Moscow (AFP) - Moscow is prepared to relaunch talks with the United States on the crisis in Syria, the Russian defence ministry said Wednesday, hours after Washington threatened to suspend its cooperation on the issue.

"On orders of the Russian president, we are ready to continue joint work with our American partners on the Syrian issue," and to send experts to Geneva to "relaunch consultations," the defence ministry said.
Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: AP

A new U.S. intelligence report says the Russian government is conducting a wide-ranging and opportunistic campaign to expand its political influence in Europe by deploying Internet trolls and other cyber actors to challenge pro-Western journalists and spread pro-Kremlin messages in social media forums.

Yahoo News obtained a declassified summary of the report, which also describes the role of two state-owned media outlets, RT and Sputnik, in what some experts say is an increasingly aggressive information warfare campaign. According to the report, the outlets promote Russias political aims with programming targeted to activist audiences including far-right and far-left elements of European society. It adds that the RT channel gives disproportionate coverage and airtime to the European Parliaments more extreme factions.

The report, by the office of Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, was originally requested by congressional intelligence committees late last year. The panels also asked for a separate report on Russias use of political assassination. Classified versions of both documents were delivered by Clappers office to Capitol Hill in July.

The decision to declassify brief excerpts from the first report coincides with recent disclosures about suspected Russian cyberattacks on the Democratic National Committee and other political groups. Many in the U.S. intelligence community believe that indicates Russia has expanded its cyberwar and disinformation efforts to the United States. This is the 21st century version of active measures, said Heather Conley, director of the Russia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a reference to the Cold War term for the Soviet Unions efforts to manipulate Western opinion by spreading false information, such as the claim that U.S. scientists had manufactured the AIDS virus as part of a biological weapons project at Fort Detrick, Md.

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Conley added that the use of information warfare techniques to pursue political goals has now been incorporated into official Russian military doctrine. The goal, she said, is not the annihilation of the countrys enemies, but to weaken them from within by keeping everybody off balance and sowing doubt about their political leaders and institutions. A report by Conley describing this effort is due to be released by CSIS next month.

Russias use of trolls on social media would appear to fit that pattern. A report in the Guardian last year identified a St. Petersburg office building where hundreds of paid bloggers work around the clock to flood Internet sites and Western social media forums with posts praising Russian President Vladimir Putin and denouncing the depravity and injustice of the West.

Letter to Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

Michael Weiss, editor of the Interpreter, an online publication that tracks the Russian media (and that is funded by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty), said he was personally targeted by Russian trolls after he published an article exposing a frequent RT commentator on Germany as the editor of a neo-Nazi magazine. Theyve been on a campaign to destroy my career, said Weiss. Hes found himself attacked on social media forums as a neocon Zionist propagandist, he said. A pro-Russian troll even dug into his wifes Facebook account to retrieve old photos, he said.

Another tactic of the trolls is to inject blatantly false stories into the media, forcing public officials in Europe and the U.S. to respond, according to Weiss and other experts. A New York Times Sunday Magazine piece last year documented how Russian trolls based in the St. Petersburg office had swamped Twitter with hundreds of messages about an explosion at a Louisiana chemical plant that never took place, setting up dozens of fake accounts and doctoring screenshots from CNN and Louisiana TV stations to make the pseudo-event seem real. (The trolls even created a fake Wikipedia page about the supposed explosion, which in turn linked to a phony YouTube video.) Similar methods were used to spread false stories about an outbreak of Ebola in Atlanta, the Times account reported.

The author of the Times article, Adrian Chen, now a writer for the New Yorker, recently said many of the Russian trolls he was tracking have begun tweeting favorably about Donald Trump.

Although the activities of the Russian trolls have been aired in a handful of media accounts in recent years, the decision to include references to them in the declassified DNI summary appears to be part of a stepped-up effort by Washington to publicly combat Russian Internet efforts and cyberattacks. The full report covers a much broader subject: the scope of Russian influence operations throughout Europe and Central Asia, including the covert funding of political parties and nongovernmental organizations.

Moscow has been opportunistic in its efforts to strengthen Russian influence in Europe and Eurasia by developing affiliations with and deepening financial or political connections to like-minded political parties and Non-governmental Organizations, according to a letter containing the declassified excerpts that was sent this week by Clappers office to House Intelligence Committee Chair Rep. Devin Nunes and ranking minority member Rep. Adam Schiff.

Moscow appears to use monetary support in combination with other tools of Russian statecraft, including propaganda in local media, direct lobbying by the Russian Government, economic pressure, and military intimidation, the letter states.

The declassified excerpts dont include specific examples. But a separate report on the same subject earlier this year by the Congressional Research Service, prepared at the request of Rep. Chris Stewart, a Republican from Utah, cited as evidence Russian financial and political support for far-right, anti-immigrant European political parties, including the National Front in France and Jobbik in Hungary. The French National Front, which is headed by Marine Le Pen and which backed Russias annexation of Crimea, has received a loan of 9 million euros from a Russian bank with close ties to Putin, the CRS report notes, and Jobbiks finances have been under investigation by the Hungarian Parliament amid allegations that it had received funding from Moscow.
On a balmy evening Sept. 9, Dana Brunetti was making the rounds at the Chase oyster bar in Toronto. Wearing a maroon blazer, jeans and Gucci low-top sneakers, the new Relativity Media president looked the picture of L.A. casual as he hosted the company's first event since it emerged from bankruptcy in April. Despite Brunetti's $500-plus footwear, it was a modest affair. No private helicopter idled on the roof, as one often did at the Relativity headquarters in Beverly Hills during its heyday just a few years ago. Aerosmith's Steven Tyler wasn't there to entertain, as he was at Relativity CEO Ryan Kavanaugh's Malibu wedding in 2015. In fact, Kavanaugh wasn't even at the party; he was back in Los Angeles that night due to the death of his uncle. But a respectable number of film executives and agents showed up, including UTA's Charles Ferraro and Voltage Pictures' Zev Foreman. Brunetti, 43, played the face man - "waving the flag and showing that we're here," he explains - making the case that the relaunched Relativity is a "lean and mean" version of its formerly bloated self and, yes, is ready to do business again.

Industry insiders could be forgiven for a measure of incredulity. After all, Relativity may be out of bankruptcy, but by no means is it out of the woods. Kavanaugh, 41, is still in triage mode, trying to secure the financing needed to make Relativity's debt payments to hedge fund Anchorage Capital. In July 2015, Relativity filed for bankruptcy protection in New York, listing assets of $560 million but liabilities of a staggering $1.18 billion. It marked one of the largest bankruptcies in Hollywood history and came just weeks after Kavanaugh had claimed repeatedly to his employees that he had pulled the company back from the brink. As the studio's embarrassing financials were laid bare, Kavanaugh feuded publicly with investors and board members as Relativity films, including Natalie Portman's Western Jane Got a Gun and Sundance hit The Bronze, sat unreleased. By the end of the summer, Kavanaugh had become an industry punch line.

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But then, in an unanticipated twist, Kavanaugh held on to his company in the Chapter 11 proceeding (even though he says he personally lost $104 million in the bankruptcy and his investors lost more). At its height, Relativity boasted a staff of 350, spanning film, TV, fashion and sports. Today, just 75 work at the company, plus another 65 employed by Relativity Europa Distribution (RED), a joint venture that Relativity co-owns with EuropaCorp. On Sept. 30, Relativity will face its first test with the wide release of Masterminds, a comedy starring Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson and Kristen Wiig.

"We've hit a lot of important milestones with the company, we obviously have a big release coming out this week and we are in the process of closing a refinance on the company, which will be very important," says Kavanaugh in his first interview in more than a year.

But many are skeptical. There are plenty of burned bridges, many former staffers remain unemployed, and vendors who were stiffed are still fuming. Within Hollywood's tight-knit banking community, the prevailing wisdom is that Relativity, which burned through hundreds of millions of dollars since Kavanaugh transformed his movie slate financing company into a full-fledged distributor in 2010, still can be lent money for prints-and-advertising because P&A money is paid back quickly. But as a target for equity investment, it remains a roll of the dice.

The presence of Brunetti - a successful producer with such credits as The Social Network, Fifty Shades of Grey and House of Cards and a man about town (recent red-carpet dates have included actress and El Chapo friend Kate Del Castillo) - may go a long way in repairing the reputation damage. But the question on the minds of many is why Brunetti would be willing to captain such a ship. Netflix's Ted Sarandos, whose company is feuding with Relativity in court, took a swipe at Brunetti (who once advised shorting Netflix stock) while congratulating him at Netflix's recent Emmy party. "Dana Brunetti is a great producer but not a great stock picker," Sarandos quipped to guests (Brunetti wasn't there).

Asked why he answered Kavanaugh's call, Brunetti is candid. "I went in very skeptical, like there's f - ing no way that I'm going to Relativity," he says. "What got my attention was that the distribution and output deals weren't affected or touched by the bankruptcy." Those lucrative output pacts guarantee distribution of Relativity films in some 110 countries. And after prevailing (for now) in the Netflix case, Kavanaugh can continue to count on guaranteed fees for upcoming films. "We cover between 80 and 100 percent of the budget of any movie we make before we say 'go,' without having to do anything," maintains Kavanaugh. (Of course, he once claimed to have an "algorithm" for determining box-office success.)

That, combined with a development fund of an undisclosed size, is allowing Brunetti to start building a slate, provided Kavanaugh can come up with a plan to pay for overhead and debts. Over the past few months, Brunetti, involved only in creative, has invited top agents to discuss Relativity 2.0 at the company's office. "What we're doing right now is showing people that it's not the old regime and the old mentality," he says. "We're bringing in the sensibilities I had at [his and Kevin Spacey's company] Trigger Street, both from how we do business to the type of material that we're looking for to how we handle talent."

So far, the film community has been cautiously receptive. "The industry needs as many healthy buyers as possible," says UTA's Ferraro. Initially, Spacey was on board to join Brunetti as Relativity's chairman, but he pulled out when he reassessed the time commitment. "Kevin goes, 'Look, I don't think I'm going to move forward with this, but you want to still continue to do it?' " recalls Brunetti. "Initially, I was like, 'Well, no. I was looking forward to doing this with you and just basically taking Trigger Street to another level.' But I came around. This is a great opportunity for me because it's scorched earth, and I can build this."

Relativity had five completed movies embroiled in the bankruptcy, but Kavanaugh saw only three as having potential: Masterminds, the Halle Berry starrer Kidnap (Dec. 2) and the Nicholas Hoult-Felicity Jones action thriller Collide (to be dated soon). The bankruptcy judge required Kavanaugh to raise $100 million to emerge from Chapter 11. He says he raised more than $200 million, with Chicago-based hedge fund billionaire Joseph Nicholas putting in $117 million of his own money. The funds to release the first three films will come from that pool, but the overhead for a staff of 75 is sizable, and Kavanaugh still needs to court new investors.

Even if Masterminds isn't a hit (it's tracking soft), he hopes getting the pre-bankruptcy movie into theaters will send a message to producers whose films were held in limbo. "There's no good in saying, 'Oh those bastards at Relativity.' I never felt that," says Kidnap producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura. "I just felt really frustrated because we knew it had real potential, and we kept trying to take it back, but [Relativity] kept holding on."

The first post-bankruptcy film to move into production likely will be Strangers 2, a low-budget horror movie (the 2008 original earned $82 million worldwide). The plan then is to make Act of Valor 2, chronicling an L.A. SWAT team, followed by a reboot of The Crow, starring Jason Momoa.

Brunetti hasn't exactly been impressed by the development slate left by former president Tucker Tooley. "You're just like, 'What the f - were they thinking?' " he says. One of his first moves as president was negotiating with Stanley Kramer's widow for a contemporary High Noon remake that will be set along the U.S.-Mexico border. He also has enlisted his Fifty Shades cohort Michael De Luca to produce a film about a Marine who takes his dog on one last epic road trip after the dog is diagnosed with cancer.

Given his success with House of Cards and the upcoming Manifesto at Discovery, Brunetti also plans to relaunch the company's TV division. The old Relativity TV, a cash-generating asset with such shows as MTV's Catfish and CBS' Limitless, was sold off to senior lenders for $125 million, paving the way for Kavanaugh's reorganization plan to be approved.

Kavanaugh now is attempting a personal rebranding as well. He and his second wife, model Jessica Roffey, have an 11-month-old son, Tommy (she went into premature labor at 20 weeks, in the middle of Relativity's financial chaos, but he was born healthy), so he's toned down the celebrity jet-setting with such pals as Leonardo DiCaprio and Bradley Cooper and the partying that led to a pair of DUIs. "Without naming names, I learned that I had a lot of true friends that I didn't know I have," he says of post-bankruptcy life. "And I learned that some of the friends that I thought were true friends really weren't. Both celebrity and noncelebrity. In some cases, it was actually the opposite of what you would expect."

At the same time, Kavanaugh has alienated some with his new Twitter persona. He called filmmaker Brett Ratner a "sleaze" in one rant, prompting an exchange of lawyer letters ("I took down quite a bit of it but not all of it," he says), and slammed Judd Apatow, who labeled Brunetti "an idiot" for saying he wouldn't vote for Hillary Clinton.

"Clearly I don't support Hillary, and I haven't given my support for Trump," says Kavanaugh, who still is undecided. "What really concerns me is not if people support Hillary. It's when people attack those that don't and they don't have any facts to attack with. They attack on emotion. They retaliate and they call people names and they call you idiots, like Judd Apatow did to Dana. It's just not acceptable. It's not right."

Ultimately, Kavanaugh and Brunetti will try to sell the Relativity reboot to an audience that didn't end up loving the original. But Hollywood loves a new buyer, and Brunetti says it's time to move forward.

"Relativity's been kicked enough," he says. "I mean, it's boring now. Who the f - wants to hear about another Relativity debt story? I don't even. My eyes glaze over. I don't even f - ing understand the stuff that they're talking about. And it's like, I don't care, and I'm in the middle of it."

This story first appeared in the Oct. 14 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
* Deal seen closing on Oct 10

* AB InBev to retain name after takeover

* Deal adds Africa, Latin American markets to AB InBev

* AB InBev targeting at least $1.4 bln in cost savings (Adds comments from executives, shareholder)

By Martinne Geller and Philip Blenkinsop

LONDON/BRUSSELS, Sept 28 (Reuters) - SABMiller shareholders overwhelmingly backed the brewer's $100 billion-plus takeover by Anheuser-Busch InBev on Wednesday, clearing the last big hurdle for one of the largest corporate mergers in history.

The combined group will sell more than a quarter of all beers sold worldwide and be the fifth largest consumer goods company. For the maker of Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois it provides entry into Africa and large fast-growing Latin American markets such as Colombia and Peru.

It will also cut its revenue from mature markets North America and Europe to 37 from 47 percent.

AB InBev's 79 billion pound ($102.85 billion) bid passed in a meeting at a London Park Lane hotel lasting less than half an hour, overseen by Chairman Jan du Plessis, who fielded only two questions from shareholders.

It secured support representing 95.5 percent of SABMiller share value, having needed at least 75 percent to succeed.

In an earlier meeting in Brussels, AB InBev Chief Executive Carlos Brito said the new entity would continue to be called Anheuser-Busch InBev, eschewing any corporate reference to SABMiller, founded 120 years ago in South Africa. The brewer had changed its name after transformative deals in the past, such as InBev's 2008 takeover of Anheuser-Busch.

"They can call it what they wish. That's the way life works and that's fine," du Plessis told reporters after the meeting. "It's what it is."

He added that AB InBev were paying "a full price".

NOT A GIVEN

The approval of SAB shareholders was widely expected, but not a given. Criticism of the takeover offer grew after a steep fall in sterling following Britain's vote to leave the European Union made AB InBev's cash offer less appealing.

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Activist shareholders pressured SAB to seek a higher offer, prompting AB InBev to sweeten its bid in July.

SAB backed the higher offer, and its two largest shareholders, cigarette maker Altria Group and the Santo Domingo family of Colombia, who together control about 40 percent of the shares, gave their support and did not vote on Wednesday. However, some prominent shareholders, including Aberdeen Asset Management, continued to oppose it.

"We are obviously disappointed with, but not surprised by, the result," Aberdeen said in a statement, adding it felt the final price still "significantly undervalued" SABMiller.

Despite hedge funds piling into the stock over the summer in the hope of a higher offer, Thomson Reuters data showed just six hedge funds with a collective investment of $211 million remained shareholders as the deal crossed the line.

The lion's share of that, $199 million, was held by New York-based Soroban Capital, with smaller positions held by HBK Investments, Platinum Capital Management, Elliott Management, Farallon Capital Management and Davidson Kempner Capital.

Cost-conscious AB InBev expects to extract at least $1.4 billion in annual cost savings after four years, it said, in addition to the $1.05 billion already announced by SABMiller. Given the company's history of easily beating such targets, broker Jefferies sees it achieving $3 billion in savings.

The new company will sell off joint venture stakes in the United States and China, to satisfy antitrust regulators, divest Peroni and Grolsch and kick off a sale process for SAB's central and eastern European brands, estimated to be worth up to 7 billion euros.

Still, competition in individual markets will not change radically as the two companies have little geographic overlap.

($1 = 0.7681 pounds) (Additional reporting by Simon Jessop in London; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
LONDON (Reuters) - SABMiller shareholders backed the brewer's $100-billion-plus takeover by rival Anheuser-Busch InBev by a large majority on Wednesday, paving the way for one of the biggest corporate mergers in history.

The 79 billion pound deal was comfortably passed by the SAB shareholders who voted. It had required approval from a majority in number of shareholders and by at least 75 percent in share value. For the latter, it secured 95.5 percent support.

SABMiller's two largest shareholders, cigarette maker Altria Group and the Santo Domingo family of Colombia, who together control about 40 percent of the shares, had already pledged their support for the deal.

The approval of SAB shareholders was widely expected, but not a given. Criticism of the takeover offer grew over the summer, after a steep fall in sterling following Britain's vote to leave the European Union made AB InBev's cash offer less appealing.

Activist shareholders pressured SAB to seek a higher offer, prompting AB InBev to sweeten its bid in July. SAB backed the higher offer, though some prominent shareholders, including Aberdeen Asset Management, continued to oppose it.

The takeover is expected to be completed on Oct. 10, nearly a year after AB InBev first approached SABMiller about the acquisition, which required a succession of sweetened bids to win over SAB and asset disposals to satisfy regulators around the world.

The shares of the new company will begin trading on Oct. 11 in Brussels, with secondary listings in Johannesburg and Mexico City and American Depositary Shares in New York.

Soon after, the company is expected to kick off a sale process for SAB's central and eastern European brands, estimated to be worth up to 7 billion euros.

Earlier, AB InBev Chief Executive Carlos Brito, who will head the combined company, outlined the rationale for the deal - including the creation of the first global brewer with new fast-growing African and Latin American markets - before announcing that the name Anheuser-Busch InBev would remain.

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After selling off SAB's joint venture stakes in China and the United States and its businesses across Europe, the combined company will have a 27 percent share of the global beer market, according to Euromonitor International, with large positions in markets of Africa and Latin America.

Still, competition in individual markets will remain relatively unchanged, since the two companies have very little geographic overlap.

Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewer, had offered SABMiller a $3 billion break-up fee, payable if regulators or its own shareholders failed to approve the takeover.

(Reporting by Martinne Geller in London, Philip Blenkinsop in Brussels; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
LONDON (Reuters) - SABMiller shareholders backed the brewer's $100-billion-plus takeover by rival Anheuser-Busch InBev by a large majority on Wednesday, paving the way for one of the biggest corporate mergers in history. The 79 billion pound deal was comfortably passed by the SAB shareholders who voted. It had required approval from a majority in number of shareholders and by at least 75 percent in share value. For the latter, it secured 95.5 percent support. SABMiller's two largest shareholders, cigarette maker Altria Group and the Santo Domingo family of Colombia, who together control about 40 percent of the shares, had already pledged their support for the deal. The approval of SAB shareholders was widely expected, but not a given. Criticism of the takeover offer grew over the summer, after a steep fall in sterling following Britain's vote to leave the European Union made AB InBev's cash offer less appealing. Activist shareholders pressured SAB to seek a higher offer, prompting AB InBev to sweeten its bid in July. SAB backed the higher offer, though some prominent shareholders, including Aberdeen Asset Management, continued to oppose it. [nL8N1AF6DR] The takeover is expected to be completed on Oct. 10, nearly a year after AB InBev first approached SABMiller about the acquisition, which required a succession of sweetened bids to win over SAB and asset disposals to satisfy regulators around the world. The shares of the new company will begin trading on Oct. 11 in Brussels, with secondary listings in Johannesburg and Mexico City and American Depositary Shares in New York. Soon after, the company is expected to kick off a sale process for SAB's central and eastern European brands, estimated to be worth up to 7 billion euros. [nL8N1AB2N3] Earlier, AB InBev Chief Executive Carlos Brito, who will head the combined company, outlined the rationale for the deal - including the creation of the first global brewer with new fast-growing African and Latin American markets - before announcing that the name Anheuser-Busch InBev would remain. After selling off SAB's joint venture stakes in China and the United States and its businesses across Europe, the combined company will have a 27 percent share of the global beer market, according to Euromonitor International, with large positions in markets of Africa and Latin America. Still, competition in individual markets will remain relatively unchanged, since the two companies have very little geographic overlap. Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewer, had offered SABMiller a $3 billion break-up fee, payable if regulators or its own shareholders failed to approve the takeover. (Reporting by Martinne Geller in London, Philip Blenkinsop in Brussels; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
From Town & Country

There are few things in this world that grown women are willing to camp out for: the arrival of a royal baby, Beyonce, probably, Hamilton tickets, in its Lin Manuel-Miranda heyday. After last week, add Outlander actor Sam Heughan to the list.

In New York on a quick break from shooting season three of the Starz show that some have called a feminist alternative to Game of Thrones, Heughan announced he was doing an appearance at the uptown Barbour store, and the first 20 in line would have the opportunity to take photos with the actor.

People started lining up the night before the event.

"Can you believe it? They've been there since midnight," Heughan said, clearly bewildered by his own stardom, as we sat down to breakfast. "I was terrified that no one would turn up, and that I would have to fly my family out to pretend that they want to come and see me. It's magnificent."

In person Heughan's Scottish accent is much softer than that of his character, Jaime Fraser, and, of course, he's sporting a Barbour plaid button-down instead of the show's 18th-century period garb.

Heughan was recently named Barbour's global brand ambassador, and we were there to talk shop about the partnership he calls "a perfect fit." After all, he grew up in the same part of Scotland as the company's founder John Barbour, an area called Dumfries and Galloway in the southwestern part of the country.

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"Barbour is a brand that I have grown up with and been associated with since I was living near the borders of Scotland," he said. "I was brought up in a very rural area on grounds of a castle. It was a working farm, and I even remember the local shepherd wearing his Barbour jacket."

Photo credit: Barbour

So what does being a global brand ambassador entail, exactly? Doing promotional events like the one at the store and appearing advertisements-like these ones for Barbour's shirt department which debuted earlier this summer-are a given. But what's most intriguing to Heughan about the role role is the opportunity to design a collection for the brand.

"I've been working with their whole design team and Gary Janes, who is just this fascinating designer. And we've had many discussions and meetings about the line, and what we want it to represent, and how we can marry some of my ideas with their great heritage. We talked about everything that I love and then they made the prototypes."

And while he's never done anything related to fashion design before, Heughan wants to make sure he gets this right, visiting the brand workshops and the company's archives to look at old catalogs, and jackets from the early 1900s, which helped to inspire the line.

"It's completely new. Growing up as an actor, [fashion] isn't something you ever think is going to be part of your job description, but it's been great fun. This family at Barbour they've made me feel very welcome. And it's been great to go down and see their workshops and see the people that work, and the community that they've got," he said.

Photo credit: Barbour

The collection is slated to launch with a collection of pieces for men and women for Fall 2017, but for now the vintage-inspired prototypes are being kept tightly under wraps.

No stranger to spoilers, Heughan was also tight-lipped when asked about Outlander season three, which will follow Diana Gabaldon's Voyager novel. In fact, a siren roared the second I asked my question-even the city wanted the show's secrets kept safe.

"I'm extremely excited about it. I feel already it's a very strong season, and I think people are really going to enjoy it," he said.

As for what's next? Something tells me there could be a Barbour kilt in Heughan's future.

"Actually, we'll see. It might be in the pipeline," he said of the prospect. "I love wearing them, and I think it would be really interesting to see a Barbour kilt, with all the different elements of what Barbour could bring with its wax or herringbone, and all these different materials and all these different fabrics. We may have talked about it. Who knows?"

Outlander fans can only hope.

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Jess Walter's best-selling novel Beautiful Ruins has emerged from the ashes.

Sam Mendes has signed on to produce an adaptation of the book for Fox 2000 as a potential directing vehicle. The film had been in development at Cross Creek Pictures with Todd Field attached to write and direct but it stalled and became a hot package circulating in Hollywood.

The story centers on an American actress who travels to Italy in 1962 during the production of Cleopatra, considered the most expensive flop in Hollywood history. In a plotline spanning decades and locations, the actress' narrative intertwines with Elizabeth Taylor, who starred in the real-life version of Cleopatra, and the subsequent love affair between Taylor and Richard Burton.

Transparent writing duo Noah Harpster and Micah Fitzerman-Blue are now adapting the film.

When the book was being developed at Cross Creek, the 1960s movie at the heart of the story was unnamed -- a departure from Walter's book - because Cleopatra is owned by Fox and there would be licensing and copyright issues. But Fox 2000's pitch to Mendes was that it could, indeed, incorporate the 1963 epic.

Published in 2012, Beautiful Ruins became an international best seller and catnip for producers looking for a story that takes a pivotal moment in Hollywood history as a jumping off point.

Mendes will produce via his Neal Street banner alongside Neal Street's Julie Pastor. Walter is executive producing alongside Neal Street's Pippa Harris and Nicolas Brown.

Elizabeth Gabler and Erin Siminoff are overseeing for Fox 2000.

Mendes, whose last two films have been in the James Bond franchise with Spectre and Skyfall, recently signed on to direct and produce The Voyeur's Motel through his Neal Street Prods. banner. But that story, which is based on a Gay Talese nonfiction article in The New Yorker, has since been called into question when the the Washington Post uncovered that parts of titular character Gerald Foos' tale had been fabricated.Voyeur's Motel, set up at DreamWorks, appears to have been thrown off course. Mendes also is attached to direct a live-action James and the Giant Peach for Disney.

He is repped by CAA and attorney Melanie Cook of Ziffren Brittenham.

Harpster and Fitzerman-Blue are handled by UTA, Kaplan/Perrone and attorney Jamie Feldman.
Washington (AFP) - Samsung is in discussions about "potential safety issues" concerning some of its washing machines after a class-action lawsuit complained the appliances were exploding, the company said Wednesday.

The news comes after the South Korean electronics giant recalled millions of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones following a series of battery explosions.

Samsung is "in active discussions" with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission on issues with top-load washing machines manufactured between March 2011 and April 2016, a company statement said.

"In rare cases, affected units may experience abnormal vibrations that could pose a risk of personal injury or property damage when washing bedding, bulky or water-resistant items," it said.

Samsung recommended consumers use the "lower speed delicate cycle" when washing bedding or bulky items until it can offer additional information or remedies.

The safety commission confirmed it is in discussions with Samsung and that they are "working on a remedy for affected consumers."

A US law firm has filed suit in New Jersey "alleging that some Samsung top-loading washing machines explode in owners homes," leading to potential injury or damage, attorney Jason Lichtman said earlier on Wednesday.

"Users have reported Samsung top-load washers exploding as early as the day of installation, while other owners have seen their machines explode months or even more than a year after purchase," the firm said in a statement.

Samsung -- the world's largest maker of smartphones as well as mobile phones in general -- suffered a major blow to its prestige when it was forced to recall some 2.5 million of its flagship smartphones after some users complained that batteries had caught fire while charging.

The recall affects phones sold in 10 countries, including around one million sold in the United States.
What's the point of using your phone to pay for stuff when you have your debit card with you? Samsung is giving Galaxy phone owners more incentive by integrating coupons into its Samsung Pay service.

Credit: Getty Images

Credit: Getty Images

By teaming up with Quotient Technology, the company behind Coupons.com, Samsung Pay users will be able to search, save and redeem coupons at select retailers directly from the Samsung Pay app.

According to the press release, users will also be able to redeem gift cards from hundreds of the nations largest retailers, as well as earn rewards through their membership programs. Don't worry if you switch phones; Samsung Pay now offers a cloud storage feature to restore membership, gift and Samsung Reward cards when you sign into the new handset.

MORE: It's Close, but iPhone 7's Camera Still Can't Top Samsung

Since launching a year ago, Samsung Pay now works with 500 banks across the U.S., covering more than 80 percent of all debit and credit cards.

Apple Pay has offered discounts and promotions through third-party retailers and even coupon alerts through such partners as Walgreens, but it doesn't currently offer a comprehensive coupon tool that includes searching and clipping.

Samsung Pay has another advantages over Apple Pay, such as the ability to work at both NFC retail terminals and old-school Magnetic Stripe Technology terminals.

Samsung's service works on several recent Galaxy devices, including the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, Galaxy S6 line and Galaxy Note 7 and Note 5.

See also : 20 Best Android Games
Samsung acknowledged Wednesday that some of its top-loading washers pose a risk of personal injury or property damage, the latest safety issue to hit the South Korean manufacturer in recent weeks.

Over a dozen consumer complaints about Samsung washers, some referring to exploding machines, prompted the Consumer Product Safety Commission on Wednesday, September 28, to issue a warning about certain top-loading machines made between March 2011 and April 2016. Only top-loaders are affected, not front-loading Samsung washers.



Consumer Reports, meanwhile, suspended recommended status for any top-loading Samsung washers that earned that designation in its washing-machine tests.



According to the complaints filed with the CPSC, the problem seems to occur during the spin cycle when some machines suddenly and sometimes violently break apart. In a statement, the agency said it is actively and cooperatively working with Samsung to address safety issues.



Samsung said that in rare cases, affected units may experience abnormal vibrations that could pose a risk of personal injury or property damage when washing bedding, bulky, or water-resistant items. The manufacturers statement goes on to recommend that consumers with the affected models use the lower-speed delicate cycle when washing the aforementioned items. According to Samsung, there have been no reported incidents when using the delicate cycle.



The CPSC also advised consumers to only use the delicate cycle when washing bedding, water-resistant, and bulky items. The lower spin speed in the delicate cycle lessens the risk of impact injuries or property damage due to the washing machine becoming dislodged.



The problem with some top-loading Samsung washers comes less than two weeks after Samsung was forced to issue a massive recall of the Galaxy Note7 because of problems that can cause the battery to overheat and catch fire.



Neither the CPSC nor Samsung could provide Consumer Reports with model numbers of affected units at this time. There are 10 Samsung washers in our high-efficiency top-loader ratings, four of which were recommended models. When we checked the serial numbers of the specific models we tested on Samsungs website, six of the 10 turned out to be affected machines. But we have no way to know yet whether that indicates an issue with all production runs of any particular model.



In our washer tests, using the normal wash, heavy-soil setting, none of the top-loading Samsung washers experienced this issue. Note that we run our performance tests on new machines and we do not wash loads of bedding, water-resistant, or bulky items since not every washer has a specialty cycle for these items. We test a washer's response to an unbalanced loadthe score is included in the overall scoreby placing cotton towels in a mesh bag, wetting it, and using the normal wash cycle and the highest spin speed setting. Then we watch how the washer reacts to our unbalanced load.

Consumer Reports will post the model numbers of the affected Samsung washers as soon as we find out what they are, along with any other news updates.

What You Can Do

If you have a Samsung high-efficiency top-loader, check the serial number on the back of the machine. Then enter the 15 digits in Samsungs online search tool to find out if your particular machine is affected. If you have questions, call Samsung at 844-483-3881, and report any incidents to the CPSC at saferproducts.gov. Post your comments below.







More from Consumer Reports:

Top pick tires for 2016

Best used cars for $25,000 and less

7 best mattresses for couples





Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright  2006-2016 Consumers Union of U.S.
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Europe's biggest software maker SAP has earmarked 2 billion euros ($2.2 bln) for investments in products that help companies to connect everything from washing machines to cars to the Internet.

The German company said it would invest that amount by the end of 2020, targeting what it estimates to be a 250 billion-euro market in the so-called Internet of Things (IoT), in which regular objects are connected to networks to send and receive data.

Such functions are increasingly used in manufacturing and areas such as logistics, digital farming, drones or 3D printing.

SAP sealed a deal last week to work with German car parts maker Robert Bosch to connect everything from screwdrivers to cars to the Internet, and more deals could follow.

The company will launch a new product line, dubbed SAP IoT, which will combine large amounts of data from things connected to the Internet with machine learning and SAP's real-time database S/4 HANA.

"It is a big and growing market and we think we can be a significant part of it," said Tanja Rueckert, SAP's executive vice president in charge of digital assets and Internet of Things.

"While business and public sector entities have unprecedented access to more information and real-time feeds, they still have difficulty tying it all together," SAP said.

By 2020, 21 billion IoT devices will be in use worldwide, up from fewer than 5 billion last year, research firm Gartner has estimated.

Rueckert said part of the 2 billion euro investment plan would be reserved for targeted acquisitions, typically small bolt-on deals that fit in SAP's IoT portfolio.

SAP said on Wednesday it had bought Italy's PLAT.ONE and Fedem Technology from Norway for an undisclosed amount. Both acquisitions will be integrated into SAP IoT.

"We cooperate with Siemens, Dell, Intel, T-Systems and Vodafone among others. We talk to other partners as well. That is the direction we will continue to look at. To work with others in partnerships," Rueckert said.

($1 = 0.8932 euros)

(Reporting by Harro ten Wolde; Editing by Susan Fenton)
Paris (AFP) - Nicolas Sarkozy's campaign to win back the French presidency hit turbulence this week, as a spurned ex-advisor tore into him and a Libyan official claimed late dictator Moamer Kadhafi provided millions towards his 2007 campaign.

The Libyan claims and revelations in a tell-all book come as polls show Sarkozy failing to close the gap on former premier Alain Juppe, two months before the right holds a primary election to choose its presidential nominee.

Two polls this week showed Juppe, a moderate, extending his lead after a summer spurt by Sarkozy, defeating the ex-president by 57-59 percent to 41-43 percent in the second round of voting among the two top candidates on November 27.

With the ruling Socialists in disarray the primary is seen as a bellwether of the election result.

The winner of the Sarkozy-Juppe duel is forecast to become president, defeating far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the final round of voting on May 7.

Sarkozy entered the campaign under a legal cloud, with several cases hanging over him.

The combative politician has persistently denied any wrongdoing, claiming he is being hounded by the judiciary in a politically-motivated bid to torpedo his comeback.

But his past continues to haunt him.

- 'Kadhafi millions' -

On Monday, his former domestic intelligence chief Bernard Squarcini was arrested on suspicion of influence peddling.

Nicknamed "The Shark", Squarcini is suspected of using his police contacts to obtain confidential information about investigations for private clients after he was dismissed as spy chief following Sarkozy's failed 2012 re-election bid.

While Sarkozy is not himself accused in the affair, the case has added to the whiff of scandal engulfing him.

On Tuesday, he was hit by fresh allegations of accepting millions of euros from Kadhafi towards his 2007 presidential campaign.

Judicial sources confirmed that investigators had retrieved a diary belonging to former Libyan prime minister Shukri Ghanem that details a series of transfers to Sarkozy's campaign totalling 6.5 million euros ($7.3 million).

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Sarkozy has rubbished the claims -- made by several Kadhafi loyalists -- that he was in the pocket of the Libyan leader whom he helped oust during a 2011 NATO-led bombing campaign in which France fired the first shot.

Ghanem, who defected from Kadhafi's regime in 2011, was found dead in 2012 in the Danube river in Vienna.

For Pascal Perrineau, a professor at Sciences Po university in Paris, the growing pile of allegations against Sarkozy could be either a bane or boon to his campaign.

Either "people will say that's enough, there's no smoke without fire," or he would succeed in convincing right-wing voters that "everyone is after me".

- 'Fake tough guy' -

The most damaging allegations could be those coming from Patrick Buisson, a historian and former top advisor to Sarkozy who masterminded his controversial sharp shift to the right in the second half of his presidency.

In "The People's Cause: The forbidden story of Sarkozy's presidency" Buisson, who was repudiated by Sarkozy in 2014 for taping him in secret, paints a blistering picture of the ex-leader as a "fake tough guy" with an outsized need to feel loved.

Sarkozy, Buisson wrote, was a "political trader" whose stern rhetoric on immigration and economic reforms masked a "soft hand."

Buisson also sensationally claimed that his former master ordered police to hang back in 2006 when students demonstrating over labour reforms came under attack.

The book claims the then interior minister Sarkozy told his advisors: "We decided to let groups of blacks and Arabs attack young whites at Invalides (near parliament buildings in Paris)."

For Buisson, the street battles were to Sarkozy what the Battle of Austerlitz was to his hero Napoleon Bonaparte, "his tactical masterpiece".

The aim, Buisson said, was to give the image of "savage hordes descending on Paris" and helped pave the way for the election of the man who had pledged to cleanse the suburbs of "racaille" (scum).

Buisson also accused Sarkozy of secretly cosying up to the founder of the far-right National Front, Jean-Marie Le Pen during the 2007 election and of defending the FN's values in discussions with advisors as those "of all French people."

Sarkozy, who won 10,000 euros in damages from Buisson for secretly taping him during his presidency, has refused all comment on the book.
PARIS (Reuters) - Nicolas Sarkozy has lost ground against his main conservative rival in the race for France's Republican party presidential nomination, two polls showed on Wednesday, hurt by legal and political setbacks. Sarkozy, who was president from 2007-2012, is pitching himself as a man of action who will push for a new European Union treaty, be tough on immigration, and defend France against militant Islam. While his message resonates with voters tempted by the buoyant far-right National Front, he risks alienating mainstream center-right voters. In one poll by Kantar Sofres-Onepoint, support for Sarkozy in the Nov 20 primary first round dipped 1 point to 33 percent, while backing for party frontrunner Alain Juppe, a former prime minister, climbed 5 points to 39 percent. A second poll showed Juppe, a moderate who styles himself as an elder statesman, steady at 35 percent in the first round while Sarkozy shed 2 points at 31 percent. Both polls showed Juppe winning the primary contest's second round, due on Nov. 27, by at least a 10 point margin. Whoever wins the center-right party ticket is odds-on favorite to win the presidential election. National Front leader Marine Le Pen is on course for a place in a head-to-head second round but will almost certainly fail to win, polls show. President Francois Hollande, who has not yet declared he will run, is the country's most unpopular leader and his ruling Socialist Party is riven by internal divisions. Sarkozy failed to build on the momentum generated by his high-profile campaign launch in late August, according to the IFOP poll, the first since mid-June to show a fall in support for the often abrasive politician in the primary's second round. Sarkozy has been stung by allegations made by one of his former senior advisers that in 2007 he courted the support of then National Front's chief Jean-Marie Le Pen in his bid to win the presidency. The call by a prosecutor for Sarkozy to face trial over campaign financing irregularities, as well as an endorsement for Juppe from influential centrist Francois Bayrou have also hampered his campaign. (Reporting by Sophie Louet and Richard Lough; Editing by Dominic Evans)
For more Saturday Night Live sketches visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS.

by Seth Abramovitch



Executive producer Lorne Michaels made the decision to put the SNL guest-host record-holder in the part over the summer.

Saturday Night Live viewers who tune in for the Oct. 1 season premiere are going to see a very familiar face in a very important role.

Alec Baldwin will debut his Donald Trump impression on the episode  a part he will play for the entire season, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter.

The reality star-turned-Republican presidential nominee was played last season by Darrell Hammond, a onetime cast member (and SNL Trump) who returned to the show in 2014 as its announcer. Hammond will remain with the series as its announcer and continue to appear on the show periodically. Before Hammond, Trump was played by castmember Taran Killam, whose contract was not picked up for Season 42.

Trump himself hosted the show in Nov. 2015, amid much controversy and calls for SNL to #DumpTrump over the candidates perceived racial bias.

Executive producer Lorne Michaels made the decision to cast the 58-year-old Baldwin in the part of Trump over the summer. A close personal friend of Michaels who also starred on the Michaels-produced NBC sitcom 30 Rock, Baldwin officially signed on earlier this week and taped a promo that debuted on social media on Wednesday.

The arrangement is similar to the casting last season of Larry David to play Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders over multiple episodes  an idea that paid off in huge comic dividends with winning sketches like Bern Your Enthusiasm, a send-up of Davids long-running HBO hit.

Baldwin has deep ties to SNL, having guest-hosted a record-setting 16 times since his debut in 1990. (Steve Martin is right on his tail at 15.) In that time, he has performed more than a dozen celebrity impressions, including Al Pacino, Bono, Harvey Fierstein, Tony Bennett and Marlon Brando. Hes even taken on a Republican presidential hopeful before, playing Texas Gov. Rick Perry in a 2011 cold-open sketch mocking the GOP debates.

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But this will be his first time playing Trump  a candidate about whom hes had ambivalent feelings in the recent past. Baldwin told Howard Stern in June 2015 that he would love to see Trump be the Republican nominee  [Hes a] huge campaign finance reform person. But in a May 2016 interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Baldwin said, We dont really want a president who looks like hes been dipped in movie popcorn butter. And in June of this year, he told The Telegraph that Trump is the first candidate made of hate.

The Oct. 1 premiere will feature Margot Robbie as host and musical guest The Weeknd. The following week, on Oct. 8, Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda will assume hosting duties, with Twenty One Pilots appearing as musical guest.

Exactly one month later, U.S. citizens will cast their votes in the general election  and Baldwin will learn whether he is playing a president or an also-ran.

READ MORE How Darrell Hammond Channels His Inner Donald Trump on 'SNL
Saturday Night Live viewers who tune in for the Oct. 1 season premiere are going to see a very familiar face in a very important role.

Alec Baldwin will debut his Donald Trump impression on the episode - a part he will play for the entire season, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter.

The reality star turned Republican presidential nominee was played last season by Darrell Hammond, a onetime castmember (and SNL Trump) who returned to the show in 2014 as its announcer. Hammond will remain with the series as its announcer and continue to appear on the show periodically. Before Hammond, Trump was played by castmember Taran Killam, whose contract was not picked up for season 42.

Trump himself hosted the show in November 2015, amid much controversy and calls for SNL to "#DumpTrump" over the candidate's perceived racial bias.

Executive producer Lorne Michaels made the decision to cast the 58-year-old Baldwin in the part of Trump over the summer. A close personal friend of Michaels' who also starred on the Michaels-produced NBC sitcom 30 Rock, Baldwin officially signed on earlier this week and taped a promo that debuted on social media on Wednesday.

Read more: How Darrell Hammond Channels His Inner Donald Trump on 'SNL'

The arrangement is similar to the casting last season of Larry David to play Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders over multiple episodes - an idea that paid off in huge comic dividends with winning sketches like "Bern Your Enthusiasm," a send-up of David's long-running HBO hit.

Baldwin has deep ties to SNL, having guest-hosted a record-setting 16 times since his debut in 1990. (Steve Martin is right on his tail at 15.) In that time, he has performed more than a dozen celebrity impressions, including Al Pacino, Bono, Harvey Fierstein, Tony Bennett and Marlon Brando. He's even taken on a Republican presidential hopeful before, playing Texas Gov. Rick Perry in a 2011 cold-open sketch mocking the GOP debates.

Story continues

But this will be his first time playing Trump - a candidate about whom he's had ambivalent feelings in the recent past. Baldwin told Howard Stern in June 2015 that he "would love to see Trump be the Republican nominee ... [He's a] huge campaign finance reform person." But in a May 2016 interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Baldwin said, "We don't really want a president who looks like he's been dipped in movie popcorn butter." And in June of this year, he told The Telegraph that Trump is "the first candidate made of hate."

The Oct. 1 premiere will feature Margot Robbie as host and musical guest The Weeknd. The following week, on Oct. 8, Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda will assume hosting duties, with Twenty One Pilots appearing as musical guest.

Exactly one month later, U.S. citizens will cast their votes in the general election - and Baldwin will learn whether he is playing a president or an also-ran.
By Rania El Gamal, Alex Lawler and Vladimir Soldatkin

ALGIERS (Reuters) - OPEC agreed on Wednesday modest oil output cuts in the first such deal since 2008, with the group's leader Saudi Arabia softening its stance on arch-rival Iran amid mounting pressure from low oil prices.

"OPEC made an exceptional decision today ... After two and a half years, OPEC reached consensus to manage the market," said Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh, who had repeatedly clashed with Saudi Arabia during previous meetings.

He and other ministers said the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries would reduce output to a range of 32.5-33.0 million barrels per day. OPEC estimates its current output at 33.24 million bpd.

"We have decided to decrease the production around 700,000 bpd," Zanganeh said.

The move would effectively re-establish OPEC production ceilings abandoned a year ago.

However, how much each country will produce is to be decided at the next formal OPEC meeting in November, when an invitation to join cuts could also be extended to non-OPEC countries such as Russia.

Oil prices <LCOc1> jumped more than 5 percent to trade above $48 per barrel as of 2015 GMT. Many traders said they were impressed OPEC had managed to reach a compromise after years of wrangling but others said they wanted to see the details.

"This is the first OPEC deal in eight years! The cartel proved that it still matters even in the age of shale! This is the end of the production war' and OPEC claims victory," said Phil Flynn, senior energy analyst at Price Futures Group.

Jeff Quigley, director of energy markets at Houston-based Stratas Advisors, said the market had yet to discover who would produce what: "I want to hear from the mouth of the Iranian oil minister that hes not going to go back to pre-sanction levels. For the Saudis, it just goes against the conventional wisdom of what theyve been saying.".

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Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Tuesday that Iran, Nigeria and Libya would be allowed to produce "at maximum levels that make sense" as part of any output limits.

That represents a strategy shift for Riyadh, which had said it would reduce output to ease a global glut only if every other OPEC and non-OPEC producer followed suit. Iran has argued it should be exempt from such limits as its production recovers after the lifting of EU sanctions earlier this year.

The Saudi and Iranian economies depend heavily on oil but in a post-sanctions environment, Iran is suffering less pressure from the halving in crude prices since 2014 and its economy could expand by almost 4 percent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Riyadh, on the other hand, faces a second year of budget deficits after a record gap of $98 billion last year, a stagnating economy and is being forced to cut the salaries of government employees.

OIL PRICE PRESSURES

Saudi Arabia is by far the largest OPEC producer with output of more than 10.7 million bpd, on par with Russia and the United States. Together, the three largest global producers extract a third of the world's oil.

Iran's production has been stagnant at 3.6 million bpd in the past three months, close to pre-sanctions levels although Tehran says it wants to ramp up output to more than 4 million bpd when foreign investments in its fields kick in.

Saudi oil revenue has halved over the past two years, forcing Riyadh to liquidate billions of dollars of overseas assets every month to pay bills and cut domestic fuel and utility subsidies last year.

"The Iranians have lived with a very tough macro backdrop for many years..." said Raza Agha, chief Middle East economist at investment bank VTB Capital. "So a sustained drop in oil prices has a more difficult social impact on Saudi."

However, with unemployment in double digits, Tehran is also facing calls to maximize oil revenues and President Hassan Rouhani is under pressure from conservative opponents to deliver a faster economic recovery.

Oil prices are well below the budget requirements of most OPEC nations. But attempts to reach an output deal have also been complicated by political rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which are fighting several proxy-wars in the Middle East, including in Syria and Yemen.

OPEC sources have said Saudi Arabia offered to reduce its output from summer peaks of 10.7 million bpd to around 10.2 million if Iran agreed to freeze production at around current levels of 3.6-3.7 million bpd.

Riyadh has raised production in recent years to compete for market share while Iran's output was limited by sanctions. Minister Zanganeh has said Iran wanted an output cap of close to 4 million bpd. Saudi output drops in winter when it needs less fuel than during summer, when cooling requirements spike.

(Additional reporting by Patrick Markey and Lamine Chikhi in Algiers, Andrew Torchia in Dubai; Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by Dale Hudson)
Democratic Senators renewed their call for a public health insurance option late last week, a move met within hours by firm disapproval from across the insurance industry. At issue is dwindling competition among American health insurers, as providers struggle to remain profitable in the new regime created by the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Rather than attempting to impose competition on an already strained market, policymakers should take the lead in easing regulations that have squeezed insurers, doctors and patients alike.

Two recent studies underscore the challenge: McKinsey projects that 17 percent of Americans eligible for ACA policies will have only one option next year, up from just 2 percent last year. Breaking down coverage by geography, Avalere Health projects that 36 percent of exchange rating regions  where regulators approve plan offerings and prices -- will have only one plan available next year.

Related: Obamacare Insurers Are Looking for a Taxpayer Bailout

Less competition means higher costs for consumersand for taxpayers, who cover the lions share of insurance premiums.

Red states and blue states alike are feeling the pain. In Arizona, Blue Cross Blue Shield, the insurer of last resort, is considering withdrawing from the public exchange, on the heels of UnitedHealth pulling out after losing $185 million in 2015. In Minnesota, BCBS reported a $265 million loss from individual market plans in 2015, and projects a cumulative loss of more than $500 million over three years. They announced withdrawal in June.

Oregon lost two health care providers from the exchanges last year, including Health Republic, a failed co-op that went belly up after $20 million in losses. Oregons BCBS plan reported a loss of $12.7 million in just the first quarter of this year. In fact, theres only one insurer in Oregon operating in the black.

Senate Democrats seem to suggest the ACA can be tweaked simply by following Hillary Clintons lead and launching a public option, a government financed plan that would compete with private insurers.

Story continues

While Clinton has yet to release any specifics, her 2008 healthcare platform, the American Health Choices Plan, gives us a glimpse. The AHCP stipulated a public option which could be modeled on the traditional Medicare program, but would cover the same benefits as guaranteed in private plan options[to] compete on a level playing field with traditional private insurance plans[and] provide a more affordable option.

Related: With Aetna Pulling Out, Can Anything Save Obamacare?

That assumes insurers are price gouging by not offering affordable options. But the problem isnt that theres too much profit being made on the exchanges, its that theres too little. Such a public option would undercut insurers, leading to even less competition. Low government rates would encourage even more doctors and hospitals to abandon exchange plans.

Democrats and Republicans should agree on a different strategy: driving down health care costs through choice and competition. The ACAs heavy handed regulations have undermined this effort. Prices are kept artificially low for older applicants, but that drives up prices for the younger enrollees insurers desperately need to keep premiums from skyrocketing.

Government mandated benefitsfor pregnancy coverage, addiction recovery, and rehabilitation servicesdrive up the cost of even bare bones plans, and limit the types of plans on offer. The result has been a proliferation of high deductibles and narrow networks (not bad in themselves) that offer very little in the way of coverage for average consumers, as opposed to the poorest and sickest (who receive generous federal subsidies).

The markets going to get worse before it gets better. Thats because two big federal programs designed to offset insurers losses on the sickest patients phase out this year. Higher premiums will chase even more healthy people out of the exchanges.

Related: Obamacares Death Spiral of Consumer Choice

Simple reforms that could attract bipartisan support should include allowing insurers to charge younger applicants less relative to older ones, offer benefit designs that cover fewer services (like Copper plans) at a lower price point, offer multi-year plans with premium discounts for consumers who sign up. If consumers opt for less expensive plans, they should keep the savings in a Health Savings Account. Finally, as in Medicare Part D, you should have the option of declining insurance, but it should come with a financial penalty that grows over time.

As an olive branch to Democrats, and following the Medicare Part D model, Congress could accept the Clinton proposal through a fall back plan. A Medicare option could be available to those 50 to 64 in any region with fewer than two private insurers competing for business. Private Medicare Advantage plans should also be allowed to compete for this population, since they already have experience managing older patients effectively.

In all likelihood, well be facing divided government again in 2017. Creating a functional individual insurance market in the years ahead  without exploding costs for taxpayers  will require embracing commonsense solutions. Partisans on both sides hoping for a total reboot  either repealing and replacing the ACA, or embracing single payer  will be disappointed, but that doesnt mean we cant deliver targeted reforms that deliver what the vast majority of Americans want most: access to affordable routine care when they need it, with protection against financial ruin in the event of a serious illness.

The next president can thread the needle by throttling back on ACAs expensive regulations, and allowing companies to offer insurance protection Americans really want to buy at price they can afford. The alternative is years more of bitter partisan wrangling while health care costs spiral out of control.

Paul Howard is the director of health policy at the Manhattan Institute. Stephen T. Parente is Minnesota Insurance Industry Chair of Health Finance in Carlson School of Management and the Director of the Medical Industry Leadership Institute at the University of Minnesota.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
By Suhail Hassan Bhat

Sept 28 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stocks edged higher

on Wednesday, with the Philippine index gaining after three

sessions of losses while shares in Vietnam hit an

eight-and-a-half-year high.

Analysts said sentiment towards riskier assets improved

after data on Tuesday showed U.S. consumer confidence this month

hit its highest since 2007.

Philippine shares led other markets in the region,

driven by financials and industrials, with SM Prime Holdings

and JG Summit Holdings among the top

performers.

Vietnam shares rose for the eighth straight session

to record their longest streak of wins since March 2014, with

nearly every sector, including energy, ending in positive

territory.

Oil prices rose after sharp losses in the previous session,

as industry data showed a surprise draw in U.S. crude stocks,

although worries over a lack of agreement among producers to

curb output kept a lid on gains.

"The energy sector is still volatile as the oil oversupply

cut is yet to come," said Mikey Macainag, an analyst with

Manila-based Sunsecurities Inc.

Indonesian shares recouped early losses to post a

second session of gains, mainly driven by financial stocks.

Singapore shares were down 0.08 percent while

Malaysia closed flat.

Thailand posted a fourth straight session of

declines, with blue-chips Siam Commercial Bank,

Kasikornbank Pcl and Advanced Info Service

among the losers.

Asian shares spent much of the trading session in negative

territory, on investor concern about the state of the European

banking sector and oil prices.

For Asian Companies click;

SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

STOCK MARKETS

Change on day

Market Current Previous Pct Move

Close

Singapore 2858.01 2860.23 -0.08

Bangkok 1479.58 1489.39 -0.66

Manila 7586.96 7557.34 0.39

Jakarta 5425.337 5419.604 0.11

Kuala Lumpur 1664.96 1664.72 0.01

Ho Chi Minh 686.72 684.89 0.27

Change so far

this year

Market Current End 2015 Pct Move

Singapore 2858.01 2882.73 -0.86

Bangkok 1479.58 1288.02 14.87

Manila 7586.96 6952.08 9.13

Story continues

Jakarta 5425.337 4593.008 18.12

Kuala Lumpur 1664.96 1692.51 -1.63

Ho Chi Minh 686.72 579.03 18.60

(Reporting by Suhail Bhat; Editing by Sunil Nair)
By Suhail Hassan Bhat

Sept 28 (Reuters) - Vietnam shares hit an

eight-and-a-half-year high on Wednesday, led by commercial

banks, while Philippine stocks rose after three sessions of

falls with financials and industrials leading the gains.

Other Southeast Asian markets were sluggish, tracking

weakness in Asian stocks on concerns over the European banking

sector and as lower crude oil prices hurt investors' risk

appetite.

Oil fell about 3 percent on Tuesday after Saudi Arabia and

Iran dashed hopes of finding a compromise this week to help ease

a global glut, before rising in early trade on Wednesday as

industry data showed a surprise draw in U.S. crude stocks.

Markets are looking forward for next sign, and it is the

third-quarter corporate earnings, said Mikey Macainag, an

analyst with Manila-based Sunsecurities Inc.

"The energy sector is still volatile as the oil oversupply

cut is yet to come."

The Vietnam Stock Index was headed for an eighth

session of gains with Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for

Industry and Trade rising as much as 2.61 percent,

while steel conglomerate Hoa Phat Group Joint Stock Company

climbed 1.5 percent.

Singapore shares fell, weighed down by financials

such as Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp Ltd which dropped

0.58 percent.

Rig builder Keppel Corp and Sembcorp Industries

declined 0.76 percent and 0.39 percent, respectively.

Philippine shares were higher with BDO Unibank Inc

and International Container Terminal Services Inc

rising 1.45 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively.

Indonesian shares gave up the previous session's

gains, dragged down by financials and telecoms.

Bank Central Asia Tbk PT dropped 2.8 percent,

while Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Persero) was down 0.7

percent.

Thailand shares were headed for a fourth straight

session of declines, while Malaysia was up after two

days of falls.

For Asian Companies click;

SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

STOCK MARKETS

Change at 0344

GMT

Market Current Previous Pct Move

Close

Singapore 2853.64 2860.23 -0.23

Story continues

Bangkok 1487.11 1489.39 -0.15

Manila 7582.83 7557.34 0.34

Jakarta 5394.713 5419.604 -0.46

Kuala Lumpur 1666.17 1664.72 0.09

Ho Chi Minh 687.05 684.89 0.32

Change this

year

Market Current End 2015 Pct Move

Singapore 2853.64 2882.73 -1.01

Bangkok 1487.11 1288.02 15.46

Manila 7582.83 6952.08 9.07

Jakarta 5394.713 4593.008 17.45

Kuala Lumpur 1666.17 1692.51 -1.56

Ho Chi Minh 687.05 579.03 18.66

(Reporting by Suhail Bhat; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
By Sruthi Ramakrishnan

(Reuters) - Sears Holdings Corp is partnering with ride-services company Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] as the struggling retailer tries to make its rewards program more attractive to shoppers.

Sears is betting on its Shop Your Way loyalty plan, which offers points and tailored deals to members, as the company looks to revive sales. The program accounted for 75 percent of the company's sales through the first half of 2016.

Riders who link their Uber account to Sears' loyalty plan will receive up to $2 in loyalty points for every trip. The program, Rider Rewards, is currently available in Chicago and New York City, and will be rolled out nationally soon, the companies said.

While new drivers who sign up to drive with Uber through Shop Your Way will get up to $1,000 in points, existing Uber drivers in some cities including Chicago, New York City and San Francisco can also earn points by enrolling in the program.

Sears, which has not reported a profit in five years, has made the Shop Your Way program the focus of its revival strategy, even as it shrinks its store base to reduce costs.

"We are looking at more and more ways where we can reach out to top-tier brands and find more opportunities where our members can earn points," Leena Munjal, senior vice president of customer experience and integrated retail at Sears, told Reuters.

The company declined to disclose Shop Your Way's membership count, but said it is in "tens of millions".

Other Shop Your Way partners include daily deals website Groupon Inc, florist 1-800-FLOWERS.COM Inc and identity theft protection services provider LifeLock Inc.

Uber, founded in 2009, has grown in leaps and bounds to become the largest ride-hailing service in the United States.

Sears' 638 Auto Centers will also serve as one of Uber's preferred maintenance providers, offering exclusive discounts and points to Uber drivers, the companies said.

Sears' shares were down about 3 percent at $10.85 in morning trading. Up to Tuesday's close of $11.20, its shares had fallen 52 percent in the last 12 months.

(Reporting by Sruthi Ramakrishnan in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)
When most investors hear about insider trading charges being filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, they probably think of someone profiting from leaked merger news. They probably are not imagining that the insider trading was in Peru.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has now charged two lawyers and a brokerage firm manager in Peru with insider trading. Their alleged insider trading was prior to the merger of two mining companies.

Sometimes the real news is more entertaining than news you might think was otherwise made up. The SEC statement shows that this complaint seeks disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, as well as interest and penalties among other things.

ALSO READ: Why Credit Suisse Remains Cautious on Boeing

Andrew M. Calamari, Director of the SECs New York Regional Office, said:

As alleged in our complaint, Coppero breached his duty to his employer by tipping Castro and Carrion in advance of any public announcement about HudBays impending tender offer. Try as they might, overseas traders shouldnt presume they can cover their tracks to avoid detection and scrutiny from U.S. law enforcement when they violate insider trading laws.

Wednesday's SEC reporting said:

The SEC alleges that Nino Coppero del Valle, who worked at Canadian-based HudBay Minerals Inc., tipped his close friend and fellow attorney Julio Antonio Castro Roca with material nonpublic information about a tender offer his company submitted to acquire the shares of Arizona-based Augusta Resource Corp. Castro allegedly traded on the inside information through a brokerage account held by a shell company he set up in the British Virgin Islands in an attempt to avoid having the trades traced back to him and Coppero. According to the SECs complaint, Castro and Coppero made more than $112,000 in illicit profits from these unlawful trades.

ALSO READ: 6 Biotech and Biohealth Analyst Picks for 50% to 150% Upside

The SEC further alleges that Coppero tipped an acquaintance Ricardo Carrion when seeking his advice about making illegal trades untraceable. According to the SECs complaint, Carrion exploited the inside information and caused his brokerage firm to purchase Augusta Resource shares ahead of the tender offer announcement. Carrions firm obtained $73,000 in alleged profits.

Related Articles
The second trailer has now been released for the upcoming Gael Garcia Bernal movie "Desierto."

The directorial debut from Jonas Cuaron, son of "Gravity" director and Oscar-winner Alfonso Cuaron, the film tells the story of a group of Mexican migrants who are trying to cross the US border in search of a better life.

However the unarmed group, which includes Garcia Bernal as Moises, end up trapped in the desert as the terrifying vigilante Sam (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) hunts them down to stop them reaching the USA.

The film premiered at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival and won the international critics' FIPRESCI Prize.

It has already been released in select territories this year and is due to touch down in US theaters October 14.

The trailer can be viewed now on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4GLf4Ggbwc
A 39 year-old suspect being taken away in a police car after the hostage incident. (Yahoo Singapore photo: Safhras Khan)

Alia, 54, a resident of Block 462 Sembawang Drive, was terrified to leave home for work on Wednesday (28 September) morning as a hostage situation was ongoing just one floor below her flat. She had been locking herself in her flat since Tuesday evening.

Her sense of unease was heightened when she saw police officers positioning themselves at the corridor outside her flat. By then, she had already found out about a boy being held hostage in a flat on the fifth floor.

A 39-year-old man had been holding the two-year-old boy hostage for more than 17 hours. He was arrested at about 12 pm on Wednesday after police officers from the Special Operations Command stormed the flat.

The man will be charged with wrongful confinement and drug-related offences, the police said.

Yahoo Singapore understands that the boys mother, who was nearby when the hostage situation was taking place, was also arrested for drug-related offences and that police will be working together with the Ministry of Social and Family on the well-being of the child.

Unfolding hostage drama

Alia, who is staying with her mother and a 19-year-old daughter, decided not to leave her flat as she was concerned about her mother. On Wednesday morning, she contacted her supervisor who gave her the day off.

The single mother, who works as a packer, sensed that something was amiss on Tuesday evening as she noticed that the block of rented flats was cordoned off to the public while she was on her way home from work.

After being informed by a police officer about a hostage situation while she was just outside her flat, she quickly went back in and locked the door as she was afraid of the situation spilling over to her floor.

Speaking to Yahoo Singapore about an hour after the suspect was arrested, Alia said that the boys mother, whom she knows as Siti, is friendly. The neighbours often chatted for a while when they bumped into each other around the estate.

Story continues

She is very polite and I always see her with another man, whom I assumed was her husband, and a small boy. She will always talk to me, she added.

Officers from the Special Operations Command stormed their way into a fifth floor unit and arrested the suspect. (Yahoo Singapore photo: Safhras Khan)

Argument over the boy

Another witness, whose mother is staying two units away from the hostage scene, said that she was informed of the situation by her mother on Tuesday night.

The witness, who only identified herself by her surname Rosli, said she noticed that the block was cordoned off when she visited her mother at about 9 pm.

When I saw my mother, she told me that she heard the neighbouring couple arguing at about 5 pm and that the woman was chased out of the house. The woman then returned with an older woman and my mother heard the older woman screaming at the man in Malay to let the boy go as he is not your son.

I was concerned for my mother and decided to keep her company today, said the 36-year-old housewife, who is staying near the block.

Rosli has seen the couple a number of times. When asked to describe the couple, she said that the woman has dyed blonde hair and of medium height while the man is tanned and has tattoos all over his body.

Police vehicles at Block 462 Sembawang Drive on Wednesday afternoon. (Yahoo Singapore photo: Safhras Khan)

Azlamia Saini, a resident on the sixth floor, said that she heard some commotion from a unit below her flat on Tuesday evening. But the 54-year-old housewife did not bother to find out more as it was common for her to hear neighbouring families arguing.

Azlamia, who is staying with her husband and daughter, said she does not know the woman personally.

However, she was surprised to find out that the incident had escalated overnight and turned into a hostage situation when she spoke to police officers outside her flat on Wednesday morning.

They told me to remain indoors and not to worry as everything is under control. So I decided to stay in today and not even go to the market, said Azlamia.

According to Alia, she had seen the couple with a child at the nearby supermarket on a number of occasions.

They were very loving and I always see the three of them together. I never expected this to happen, she said.
By George Thande VICTORIA (Reuters) - The Seychelles vice president will complete the five-year term of resigning President James Michel, a statement from the state house said on Wednesday, despite a shake-up of national politics after the opposition won parliamentary elections this month. Michel, whose party has ruled Seychelles since 1977, announced his resignation on Tuesday but it was initially unclear whether new elections would be held. On Wednesday, State House issued a statement saying Vice-President Danny Faure would be sworn in on Oct 16 and finish Michel's term. "Vice-President Danny Faure will succeed me and finish my remaining four years," the statement quotes Michel as saying. Michel did not give a reason for his resignation, but it follows this month's victory for the opposition coalition Linyon Demokratik (LDS) in parliamentary elections amid growing public frustration over economic inequality. In the vote for a 33-seat parliament, the LDS secured 19 seats and Michel's Parti Lepep won 14, marking the first transfer of power within the legislature in the nation's history. In April, parliament unanimously voted to amend the constitution and limit presidential terms to two instead of the previous three. The tiny nation of 115 islands and 93,000 people mostly relies on tourism for revenues. But recently it has tried to promote itself as a financial services hub by offering a low-tax environment for companies registered on its territory. (Writing by Katharine Houreld; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)
Brussels (AFP) - Shareholders of brewing giants Anheuser-Busch InBev and rival SABMiller will vote on Wednesday on a blockbuster merger that would create the biggest beer company in the world.

Belgium-based AB InBev, the brewer of Budweiser and Stella Artois, is already the worldas top brewer and the SABMiller acquisition for $104 billion is in line to be the third largest merger in history.

The crunch vote by SABMiller shareholders to clinch the deal in London is set to be followed by a similar vote by shareholders at AB InBev in Belgium.

Early indications were that the deal would go forward, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. Most SABMiller investors voting by proxy supported the takeover in advance of Wednesdayas shareholder meeting, the news agency said.

SABMiller's biggest shareholders had split on the deal in July, throwing doubt on the success of the takeover.

AB InBev in July raised its offer for SABMiller to A45 a share, after sterling slumped following Britainas Brexit vote to leave the EU. The new offer values the London-headquartered SABMiller at about A79 billion.

Marlboro cigarette-maker Altria and Colombia's tycoon Santo Domingo family favoured the deal while the powerful Aberdeen Asset Management said it was against it.

In response to that spat, a UK court last month ordered a split of SABMiller's shareholder base, separating out its largest investors from the smaller ones.

- 5,500 jobs cut -

AB InBev agreed in November last year to buy SABMiller whose brands at the time included Foster's and Coors.

The deal is expected to boost AB InBev's prospects in developing markets in Africa and China, where a SABMiller joint venture produces Snow -- the world's best selling beer by volume.

AB InBev has already won all the regulatory clearance it needs, gaining backing from China in July and the EU in May.

To win that approval, AB InBev has agreed to a series of concession, including the sale of SABMiller's Peroni, Grolsch and Meantime brands to Japanese rival Asahi.

Story continues

The EU demanded the brewer also divest SABMiller's business in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

AB InBev has already indicated that it will cut around 5,500 jobs after it completes the takeover, slashing about three percent of its enlarged staff over three years following the tie-up.

SABMiller employs about 70,000 employees in more than 80 countries, while AB InBev has about 150,000 staff in 26 countries, according to company figures.

If successful, the companies will be officially combined on October 10.
The lifetime of Shimon Peres, who died Wednesday at age 93 after suffering a stroke on Sept. 13, spans the lifetime of the state of Israel. Born in Belarus, his family moved to Tel Aviv when he was 11, more than a decade before the country was founded. He lived on a kibbutz, when those communal settlements and a utopian, leftist ideology defined the nascent state. He also served in the pre-independence militia that became the Israeli Defense Forces, the institution that would ultimately define Israeli society. A hawk in the early decades of the countrys existence, Peres was a close aide and protege of David Ben-Gurion, the founding father and first prime minister of Israel, and confidant of Moshe Dayan, the commander of the Six-Day War that placed the mountainous West Bank of the Jordan River, and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, under Israeli military occupation. At the time, Peres encouraged the establishment of Jewish enclaves on that territory, famously calling settlements the roots and the eyes of Israel. Those enclaves grew into some 200 present-day settlements that stand as the major physical obstacle to the establishment of the Palestinian state that Peres later came to champion. In 1994, he shared a Nobel Peace Prize with Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli premier Yitzhak Rabin for negotiating the Oslo Accord, which aimed to finally resolve the contest for the land between the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea.

Read More: Exclusive: Shimon Peres on Peace, War and Israels Future

Israel continued to change  turning increasingly inward and pessimistic after the promise of Oslo crumbled amid the Palestinian suicide bombings and Israeli incursions that characterized the uprising known as the Second Intifada, which peaked in 2002. Peres, however, remained what he had become: Israels most prominent dove. The country that in its earliest decades had fought for its life at regular intervals  seven wars since 1948  had become the most powerful nation in the Middle East, its military pre-eminence guaranteed by its alliance with the United States, and military aid that, in a deal cemented the day Peres collapsed, will run to $38 billion over the next ten years. Peres, also regarded as the founder of Israels nuclear program, with an arsenal that has never been officially acknowledged, was among the minority of Jewish Israelis arguing that the country could afford to rise from a defensive crouch and enthusiastically pursue a negotiated peace. Polls consistently showed him in a minority  that most Israelis wanted a peace deal, but harbored scant faith one would work  but he persisted in arguing that negotiations were the only way to lasting security. To an outside world that persisted in viewing the conflict through the prism of peace talks, Peres continued prominence amounted to an article of faith, whatever grim new reality had taken hold on the ground.

Story continues

What people dont understand, you dont begin peace negotiations with a happy end, Peres told TIME in a February interview, at the seaside Peace Center named for him, overlooking a Jaffa beach long favored by Israelis of Palestinian descent, but where Jewish Israelis were arriving in greater numbers. Keep the happy end for the end. You have to begin from an obscure, complicated situation. And it takes time. You always have to find some new ways. Old ways are too known. They have too many objections.

Read More: Shimon Peres: Israel Will Be Stronger When She Achieves Peace

Peres served twice as prime minister, including a stint where he rotated into the position at two-year intervals with Yitzhak Shamir of the Likud, the right-wing party that, after the collapse of Oslo, dominated Israeli politics as thoroughly as Labor had in the nations first decades. Late in his electoral career, many Israelis dismissed Peres as a loser not only for falling short in repeated runs for premier, but for complaining about the nastiness of the opposition; his most humiliating defeat, in 1996, was by a one-point margin to Benjamin Netanyahu.

But Peres was never more popular than during the seven years he served as President of Israel from 2007, racking up approval ratings north of 80%. In Israels parliamentary system, the presidency is largely ceremonial. But as head of state, the office commands a high-mindedness that went well with the idealism that Peres ceaselessly invoked. Always attentive to the media, he gave interviews in the serene official residence in Jerusalems most exclusive district, which was a required stop for every prominent foreign visitor. When I found him there in 2011, he came across as both elegant and erudite, ranging from politics to more eternal questions. He spoke in awe about the output of Israeli cucumber farms (a thirty-fold harvest increase in six decades, he said, And half the water!) and quoted Mao as if repeating something the man had told him personally. He was a statesman if ever there was one, but what set Peres apart in his personal golden age was a relentless questing. His favorite topic was the human mind  he hosted an annual conference on the topic, and once proposed building a center at Hebrew University in the shape of a brain  but there was no more impressive example than his own as he entered his 10th decade of life. As others from Israels founding generation fell  Shamir in 2012 after living with Alzheimers, Ariel Sharon in 2014 after eight years in a vegetative state  Peres went on not only with life but with grace.

Leaders must go ahead even when moving ahead is controversial, Peres said that day, alluding to Netanyahu, who had just shut the door on peace talks. You must be ahead of time, because if you want to represent the status quo, what do you need leaders for? Most people anyway prefer to remember rather than to think. And even you dont have to remember: Ask the Internet; it remembers everything. You have to imagine and look ahead.
Shimon Peres, the Israeli leader who died Tuesday at 93, could  like so many of his colleagues  trace his own history alongside that of his country.

Born in 1923, he was a quarter-century older than the state of Israel. In his earliest appearance in the pages of TIME, when he was a young director of the Defense Ministry in 1957, he was worried when and whether Israel would reach a population of 5 million; that population is now over 8 million.

As the nation grew, so did his career, through a variety of ministry portfolios, several turns as Prime Minister and eventually the presidency.

In 1977, when he became leader of Israels Labor Party, TIME explained how he got there:

Born in Poland, Peres was taken to Palestine at eleven. While still in high school, he joined the Haganah, the famed underground Jewish self-defense organization. In his early 20s, he persuaded the Histadrut youth movement to support David Ben-Gurion. The statesman soon began to groom Peres for a political career. Wearying of desk jobs in the newly established Ministry of Defense, Peres took off for a brief vacation in the U.S. in 1950. He learned English in three months and took advanced courses in philosophy and economics at New York Citys New School for Social Research, New York University and Harvard. When Peres, at 29, returned to Israel in 1952, Premier Ben-Gurion appointed him to top posts in the Defense Ministry. For the next 13 years, he played the key role in organizing the Israeli Defense Forces, developed the nations arms industry and nuclear-research program. He traveled abroad constantly to purchase arms and conduct delicate military negotiations. Peres quickly acquired a reputation as a canny, effective and realistic bargainer. His great coup came in 1955, when he brought off the Franco-Israeli military alliance, involving more than $1 billion in arms purchases from France that made possible the Israeli victories in 1956 and 1967. Later elected to the Knesset under Ben-Gurions patronage, Peres built a political power base that reinforced his strong position among the military.

Story continues

Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter

But in the years that followed, he would come to believe that the world was changing faster than he was.

Though he was widely regarded as a hawk, the 1977 story noted, he was beginning to take a more moderate approach to the world. Decades later, in his most recent major interview with TIME, he took issue with that idea. That perception that he had gone from hawk to dove was a misconception, he said  I didnt change. I think the situation has changed  and he was dedicated to continuing to see Israelis evolution through for as long as he could, which he did until the end of his life.

The things that were done belong to the past, he said. Im mainly occupied with the things that can and should be done tomorrow.
Jerusalem (AFP) - Shimon Peres, who died Wednesday aged 93, was an Israeli elder statesman, Nobel laureate and two-time prime minister who spearheaded peace efforts with the Palestinians after breaking with his hawkish past.

He suffered a major stroke on September 13 and had been hospitalised near Tel Aviv since then.

Peres, who also served as president, was a towering figure in Israeli politics for decades and the last of the country's founding fathers.

Beyond his accomplishments in the public eye, he was seen as a driving force in the development of Israel's undeclared nuclear programme.

He was particularly lauded abroad, and his lavish 80th birthday party was attended by ex-presidents Bill Clinton and Mikhail Gorbachev. Film director Woody Allen sent greetings "from a bad Jew to a very great Jew."

He once confided that the secret to his longevity was daily exercise, eating little and drinking one or two glasses of good wine.

The highlight of his career came in 1994, when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with Yitzhak Rabin and the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for his role in negotiating the Oslo accords with the Palestinians.

The 1993 accords were hailed as historic, leading to the creation of the Palestinian Authority and parameters that were supposed to lead to peace in five years.

It was sealed with a symbolic handshake between Rabin and Arafat in Washington. Peres was foreign minister at the time and played a key role.

But more than two decades later, Israeli-Palestinian peace remains elusive and some are ready to bury the idea of a two-state solution.

Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish extremist opposed to the Oslo accords in 1995, while the bloody second Palestinian intifada broke out five years later.

As a new round of talks which later collapsed began in 2013, Peres however expressed his optimism.

He said the negotiations had "a clear purpose" to have "a Jewish state by the name of Israel and an Arab state by the name of Palestine not fighting each other but living together in friendship and cooperation".

Story continues

"There is no alternative to peace. There is no sense to go to war," he said.

"Terror doesn't have a message. Terror cannot bake bread and cannot offer fresh air to breathe. It's costly, it's useless, it doesn't produce anything."

- Hitchhike meeting -

Peres held nearly every major office in a career spanning five decades.

He was among those instrumental in establishing the state of Israel, alongside its first prime minister David Ben-Gurion and other iconic figures like Golda Meir and Moshe Dayan.

Born in Poland in 1923, Peres emigrated to what was then British mandatory Palestine when he was 11.

He joined the Zionist struggle in the 1940s and while hitchhiking met Ben-Gurion, who would become his mentor.

He was part of the Haganah, the predecessor to the Israeli military, and at only 29 became director general of the nascent defence ministry.

While in that position, he helped plan the 1956 Suez war, in which Israel was allied with France and Britain against Egypt.

Peres once hawkishly rejected any compromise with hostile Arab states, but said he was converted after 1977, when Egyptian president Anwar Sadat made a historic visit to Jerusalem, leading to the first Arab-Israeli peace treaty.

"I didn't change, I think the situation has changed," Peres told Time magazine in an interview published in February.

"As long as there was a danger to the existence of Israel, I was what you would call a hawk... The minute I felt the Arabs are open to negotiation, I said that's what we prefer too."

But his embrace of peace efforts extended only so far. He was prime minister in 1996 when more than 100 civilians were killed while sheltering at a UN peacekeepers' base in the Lebanese village of Qana fired upon by Israel.

- Political stumbles -

Despite his reputation as a statesman, he never managed to outright win a national election. Many in Israel opposed to the Oslo accords also blamed him for what they saw as their failure.

A member of parliament since 1959, Peres headed the Labour party from 1977.

He was prime minister between 1984 and 1986, then again from 1995-1996 after Rabin's assassination.

He would also serve as foreign, defence and finance minister.

In 2005 he left Labour to join the new centrist Kadima headed by Ariel Sharon.

The alliance ensured Israel withdrew troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip after 38 years of occupation, although hopes of subsequently reviving the peace process came to nothing.

In 2007, he was elected by parliament to the largely ceremonial post of Israeli president, a crowning triumph in a career whose fortunes appeared dead just two years before, when he lost the leadership of Labour and quit the party.

Before becoming president, he had dedicated much of his time to promoting peace between Israel, the Palestinians and the Arab world through his Peres Center for Peace.

He left office as president in 2014, but maintained an active schedule even after suffering heart trouble in January 2016.

And he never lost faith in the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"I think it's the only thing which is possible in order to bring an end to terror, violence and hatred," he said in the Time interview.

Peres, who spoke English and French as well as Hebrew, was married to Sonya, who died in 2011. The couple had three children and numerous grandchildren.
Jerusalem (AFP) - Shimon Peres, former Israeli president and Nobel Peace Prize winner, died on Wednesday aged 93. Here are key facts about him:

- Oslo accords -

Peres was one of the architects of the Oslo peace accords with the Palestinians, reached in 1993 and 1995. The agreements provided for limited Palestinian autonomy and were intended to lead to a final peace agreement.

Peres was foreign minister under his Labour party rival Yitzhak Rabin. Both men along with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize for their work on Oslo.

He was also involved in peace efforts with Egypt and Jordan, the only two Arab countries with peace treaties with Israel.

Peres never lost faith in the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"I think it's the only thing which is possible in order to bring an end to terror, violence and hatred," he said earlier this year in an interview with Time magazine.

- Hawk turned dove -

Peres was a hawk who later became a dove. He said he was converted after 1977, when Egyptian president Anwar Sadat made a historic visit to Jerusalem, leading to the first Arab-Israeli peace treaty.

"I didn't change, I think the situation has changed," Peres told Time magazine in an interview published in February.

"As long as there was a danger to the existence of Israel, I was what you would call a hawk... The minute I felt the Arabs are open to negotiation, I said that's what we prefer too."

- Founding father -

He was seen as Israel's last remaining founding father and held nearly every major office in a career spanning five decades.

He was prime minister between 1984 and 1986, then again from 1995-1996 after Rabin's assassination. He served as president, a mainly ceremonial role, from 2007-2014.

He also served as foreign, defence and finance minister.

- Nuclear efforts -

As director general of the defence ministry in the 1950s, he oversaw the development of Israel's nuclear programme with assistance from France.

Story continues

Israel is now considered the Middle East's sole nuclear power, but it has never declared it, maintaining a policy of ambiguity.

"Dimona (the site of Israel's nuclear reactor) helped us to achieve Oslo," he said in the Time interview.

"Because many Arabs, out of suspicion, came to the conclusion that it's very hard to destroy Israel because of it, because of their suspicion. Well if the result is Dimona, I think I was right. Anyway, weve never threatened anybody with nuclear bombs, and weve never tested it."

- Ben-Gurion as mentor -

Born in Poland in 1923, Peres emigrated to what was then British mandatory Palestine when he was 11.

He joined the Zionist struggle in the 1940s and met David Ben-Gurion, who would become Israel's first prime minister and Peres's mentor.

Elected to parliament in 1959, he served almost without interruption until becoming president in 2007.
Geneva (AFP) - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon hailed Shimon Peres's long efforts to forge a deal aimed at fostering peace in Israel and the Middle East, after the statesman's death earlier on Wednesday.

"He worked tirelessly for a two-state solution that would enable Israel to live securely and harmoniously with the Palestinians and the wider region," Ban said of the former Israeli leader who died at 93.

"Even in the most difficult hours, he remained an optimist about the prospects for reconciliation and peace," Ban added.

Peres, who shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, died in his sleep after suffering a stroke, drawing tributes from past and present world leaders.

Ban voiced hope that Peres's determination will "guide us as we work to ensure peace, security and dignity for Israelis, Palestinians and all the peoples of the region."
Sia reached into her bag of hits to support Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Tuesday night (Sept. 27) with a mash-up video praising the former Sec. of State's strength. Pivoting off of Republican candidate Donald Trump's claims during Monday night's (Sept. 26) first presidential debate that his White House rival lacks the "stamina" to be an effective leader.

Sia Drops 'The Greatest' Feat. Kendrick Lamar, Video Starring Maddie Ziegler

While Clinton came back with a list of her extensive political wins as Sec. of State and her endless congressional testimony on Benghazi, Sia went to the tape by posting a 33-second video with the candidates' comments overlaid with her song "The Greatest," which features the lyrics "Uh-oh, running out of breath but I/ Oh, I, I got stamina/."

#ImWithHer #Stamina #TheGreatest pic.twitter.com/8b1LHc0dN8

- sia (@Sia) September 27, 2016

As the "stamina" line repeats over and over, the video runs down Clinton's decades-long career in public life, showing her global travels, advocacy on behalf of women and children and meetings with heads of state and dignitaries. "As soon as he travels to 112 countries and negotiates a peace deal, a cease fire... he can talk to me about stamina," Clinton says in the video.

Madonna Gets Naked, Joins Katy Perry in Supporting Hillary Clinton

The clip ends with the #ImWithHer hash and the lyric "I'm free to be the greatest here tonight." Sia joins a rising chorus of stars pledging their vote for Clinton, which in recent days has included both Madonna and Katy Perry going naked in support of the former first lady.
Oil markets are on tenterhooks to see if major oil producers meeting in Algeria can come to any kind of deal over freezing oil production in order to support prices, but many doubt that such a deal  even if reached at the 11th hour  could hold anyway.

This week have been dominated by an informal meeting of major oil producers on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum in Algeria . There were hopes that OPEC, alongside other influential non-OPEC producers such as Russia, could agree to a possible production freeze deal that would support oil prices.

However, crude futures fell about 3 percent on Tuesday after Iran rejected an offer from Saudi Arabia to limit its oil output in exchange for Riyadh cutting supply, dashing hopes for a compromise.

Jim McCaughan, chief executive of Principal Global Investors told CNBC on Wednesday that he didn't think "a deal would hold" anyway.

"Even if they purport to have a deal in Algiers, I don't think it will hold for very long because there's so much incentive from various cash-strapped oil producers to produce more so even a formal deal would fall apart," McCaughan said.

"That puts a downward pressure on the oil price for the near-future even if there is a financial bounce on a purported deal."

Time is running out for a deal too with the forum due to end on Wednesday. Members of OPEC are expected to hold talks today at 15:00 London time.

McCaughan believed that oil markets needed to get used to lower oil prices due to increasing efficiency in the industry and that OPEC was "increasingly irrelevant."

OPEC producers  notably the so-called "fragile five" of Nigeria, Libya, Algeria, Venezuela and Iraq but also the larger members like Iran and Saudi Arabia  are feeling the pinch from sustained lower oil prices caused by a glut in supply and that would outweigh any bid to stabilize oil markets, McCaughan added.

"They will produce (oil on demand) because many of those oil producers need the cashLook at Russia, look at Iran, they need the cash and they're going to do what they need to do to get that cash."




Russia shot down airliner. A Dutch-led investigation to be released Wednesday has concluded that a Russian surface-to-air missile system shot down a Malaysia Airlines plane over Ukraine two years ago, killing all 298 on board. A team of prosecutors from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine found that the Buk missile system was shipped to Ukraine from Russia, and returned to Russia on the night of the tragedy

The report largely confirmed the already widely documented Russian government role not only in the deployment of the missile systembut the subsequent cover up, which continues to this day, the New York Times writes.

Russia has always denied involvement in the attack, instead heaping blame on the Ukrainian government. But after the attack, the European Union and Washington imposed sanctions on Russia in response. A Russian attempt to offer evidence to prove it had nothing to do with the strike fell flat earlier this week, after Moscow published radar images purporting to show that the missile could not have come from rebel-held areas. The claims were widely dismissed. On Tuesday, Russian officials again blamed Ukraine for the strike.

Aleppo crumbling. Syrian government forces have punched through to take a critical rebel-held neighborhood in Aleppo, but rebels there are promising to launch a counterattack to regain the territory. The government offensive, combined with a massive Russian and Syrian bombing campaign, appears to have shut the door on the abandoned ceasefire agreement between Moscow and Washington.

We will stay here until we die or we win, activist Ali Abo Al-Jod told NBC. I lost my whole family, I have nothing else to lose. I will not leave. I will stay here until I die. There are fewer than 30 doctors left in the eastern, rebel-held areas of the city to service an estimated 300,000 remaining residents, according to the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS). On Tuesday, the State Department said it has earmarked another $364 million worth of aid victims of the fighting in Syria. Of that, $205 million will be sent to organizations working inside the country.

Story continues

From Russia, with denial. Russian airstrikes helped scrap the cease-fire in Syria. Now, Russian foot-dragging threatens to derail another diplomatic effort by the United States and its allies: sanctioning Damascus for using chemical weapons against its own people, FPs Colum Lynch writes in a critically important new piece.

U.S. strike in Afghanistan under scrutiny. U.S. military officials are looking into the details of an American airstrike in Afghanistans Nangarhar province Wednesday that locals claim killed 18 people, including three civilians. Spokesman for the U.S. military command in Afghanistan, Brig. Gen. Charles Cleveland, told SitRep Wednesday that U.S. forces did conduct one counter-terrorism airstrike in Achin district, on Wednesday, and are aware of some claims of Afghan casualties, and are currently reviewing all materials related to this strike.

Watch what you say. The White House has told the Pentagon to knock it off about China. Or at least, wants military spokespeople to choose their words more carefully. The Navy Times gets the scoop on a National Security Council directive to Pentagon brass to stop using the phrase great power competition when referring to China, because the term inaccurately frames the U.S. and China as on a collision course, the Times David Larter writes. This needlessly muddies leaders efforts to explain the tough measures needed to contain Chinas rise, these critics say.

The Cyber. The FBIs investigation into hacking attempts against Democratic party officials and organizations has taken a new twist, according to a scoop from Reuters. Sources tell the wire service that they believe Russian hackers tried to break into the phones of an unspecified number of Democratic notables with FBI agents warning suspected targets that their phones might have been breached by Moscow. American intelligence officials also suspect Russian intelligence-linked hackers of breaking into systems owned by the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Meanwhile, a 26 year-old Russian living in the western reaches of Siberia, Vladimir M. Fomenko  who owns a server rental business identified by American cybersecurity company, ThreatConnect, as managing the servers linked to the attacks  appears willing and able to talk, according to the New York Times. But no American law enforcement agencies have reached out to him, he claims.

Good morning and as always, if you have any thoughts, announcements, tips, or national security-related events to share, please pass them along to SitRep HQ. Best way is to send them to: paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com or on Twitter: @paulmcleary or @arawnsley

Russia

Icelandic authorities are accusing Russia of flying its bombers a little too close for comfort near a civilian airliner. Icelandic officials say three Russian Tu-160 bombers flew beneath an Iceland-bound passenger plane with their transponders switched off. Icelands Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the close calls have been a repeat problem with the Russians. Russias Defense Ministry, however, says its bombers were flying safely far away with transponders on, countering that Icelands accusations are part of a plot to incite Russophobia in Europe.

Iraq

Contrary to early reports, shells fired at U.S. troops in Iraq by the Islamic State did not contain mustard agent. A spokesman for the anti-Islamic State operation tweeted that subsequent tests of the munitions show no mustard agent present. That assessment contradicts early tests in the field and testimony by Joint Chiefs Chairman, who told congress last week that the Pentagon believed it to be a sulfur-mustard blister agent. An anonymous official tells Stars and Stripes that Dunfords testimony drew on the early tests in the field, before lab tests discounted the presence of mustard agent.

Congress

Defense Secretary Ash Carter is lending his voice to the administrations campaign against a bill that would allow 9/11 victims to sue the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In a letter to Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Tx.), a supporter of the legislation, Carter wrote that hes worried the bill could create a precedent that would allow foreign plaintiffs to sue the U.S. military. In that case, Carter wrote, the Pentagon might be forced to choose between complying with a foreign courts discovery process and jeopardizing classified information or suffering a civil judgment.

Two congressional Democrats are looking to leverage doubts about Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps fitness for president in order to rein in the power of president to use nuclear weapon. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Ma.), the backers of the bill, argue that the presidents ability to order a nuclear strike represents an unconstitutional usurpation of congressional authority to declare war. Their bill would demand that the president receive approval from congress before using nuclear weapons. Lieu sent out a press release citing a Public Policy Polling survey showing that a majority of respondents dont trust Trump with nuclear weapons.

The few. The proud. The rebranded

The Marines may soon get rid of their nearly 40 year old slogan, The few. The proud. The Marines. Marine Corps Times reports that the Corps is in search of a new tagline. A spokesman for Marine Corps Recruiting Command told the paper that their new branding will seek to emphasize the elite, distinct nature of the Marines and frame everything that we do as a fight  a fight that we intend to win.

Cold, Cold War

Climate change is slowly melting away a classified underground compound built by the U.S. military in Greenland and powered by a mobile nuclear reactor, the Guardian reports. The network of tunnels and housing facilities, dubbed Project Iceworm, looked to create a secret nuclear missile launch site. The project effectively closed in 1964, though, after determining that the hidden ice-silo concept wouldnt work. Given the currently-projected temperature increases, however, the ice and snow around the compound will start to lay the facility bare, raising tricky questions about whether the U.S. or Denmark should take responsibility for the remnants.

Photo Credit: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images
Fuhais (Jordanie) (AFP) - Thousands of people attended the funeral of Jordanian writer Nahed Hattar on Wednesday amid tight security, three days after he was shot dead on the steps of an Amman court.

Wrapped in the national flag, his body was buried in his hometown, Fuhais, 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of the capital.

Hattar, a 56-year-old Christian, had been on trial for insulting Islam after he shared a cartoon on social media that mocked Islamists.

He was shot three times by a bearded assailant who was arrested at the scene.

Thousands of people -- members of his family and sympathisers -- attended the funeral, waving Jordanian flags and carrying signs saying "No to extremism, no to violence, no to killing".

After prayers at a church in the town, his body was buried in the presence of several dignitaries including former prime minister Abullah Nsour.

Dozens of police officers also attended the ceremony.

Hattar's family have accused the authorities of failing to protect Hattar despite their appeals after he was threatened.

They also called for the resignation of both Prime Minister Hani al-Malki and Interior Minister Salama Hammad.

A source close to the family said they had reached a deal with the authorities, who promised to arrest and place on trial everyone who had threatened the writer or called for his murder.

Hattar had been arrested on August 13 after posting a cartoon on Facebook under the title "God of Daesh" (the Islamic State jihadist group). He was later released on bail.

It showing a bearded man in bed smoking with two women lying on either side, and addressing God as a servant.

He explained on Facebook that the cartoon made fun of "terrorists and how they imagine God and heaven, and does not insult God in any way".

The leftist writer was known for his support of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

His suspected killer was charged with premeditated murder, terrorism and possession of an illegal firearm. If found guilty, the suspect could face capital punishment.
[September 27, 2016] FileMaker Launches FileMaker Cloud for Secure, Reliable Access to Custom Apps

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today FileMaker, Inc. announced the release of its cloud-based platform for managing and running custom apps, FileMaker Cloud. The offering provides the simplicity, performance and reliability of the FileMaker Platform without having to spend time and resources deploying and maintaining a server. FileMaker Cloud will provide organizations looking to develop and manage custom apps with minimal administrative overhead, speedy deployment, low up-front costs and instant scalability. Learn more about FileMaker Cloud. FileMaker enables businesses, both small and large, to quickly and easily deploy custom mobile apps that save time and money while creating efficiencies and better customer experiences. The company supports business transformation with innovative offerings such as the Idea to iPad Bundle and the free Service Business Toolkit. FileMaker Cloud is the next step in empowering organizations to streamline their operations and budget. FileMaker Cloud is currently only available in the United States and Canada. Customers can sign up to be notiied when FileMaker Cloud becomes available in other regions.



FileMaker Cloud provides secure, reliable access to custom apps using FileMaker Pro 15.0.2, FileMaker Go 15.0.2 and FileMaker WebDirect  all without administrative hassle. Data is managed by FileMaker Cloud and runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud. Features of FileMaker Cloud include: Speedy deployment: No need to set up hardware and install software; up and running in 20 minutes or less.

No need to set up hardware and install software; up and running in 20 minutes or less. Network security: Supports industry standard SSL/TLS level encryption; comes with a 90-day trial SSL certificate and automates certificate management.

Supports industry standard SSL/TLS level encryption; comes with a 90-day trial SSL certificate and automates certificate management. FileMaker Cloud Admin Console: Provides a dashboard view of system and custom app performance with a user-friendly design.

Provides a dashboard view of system and custom app performance with a user-friendly design. Separate data/configuration set up: Developers' FileMaker files are separated from their instance of FileMaker Cloud so that software upgrades, maintenance and service restart can be completed more quickly and easily. Ann Monroe, vice president of worldwide marketing, FileMaker, Inc., said: "With FileMaker Cloud, custom app developers no longer have to spend time and effort installing and configuring servers. Our cloud offering allows them to focus on creating apps for their specific business needs without worrying about upfront hardware expenditures and ongoing server maintenance. Our customers can use FileMaker Cloud knowing they'll have the security and reliability they've come to expect with the FileMaker Platform."

Barry Russell, General Manager of Global BD, AWS Marketplace and Catalog Services, Amazon Web Services (AWS), said: "The AWS Cloud is used by organizations around the world to power their key applications and we're excited to see FileMaker Cloud customers benefit from the scalability and performance of AWS. FileMaker Cloud will also be available through the AWS Marketplace, offering customers an easy, fast way to procure and deploy the powerful offering on top of AWS in minutes." About FileMaker, Inc.

FileMaker, Inc., an Apple subsidiary, delivers simply powerful software for easily creating custom apps that work seamlessly across iPad, iPhone, Windows, Mac, and the web. Business teams use the FileMaker Platform to streamline their operational processes, boosting overall productivity. www.filemaker.com  2016 FileMaker, Inc. All rights reserved. FileMaker, FileMaker Go and the file folder logo are registered trademarks of FileMaker, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. FileMaker WebDirect is a trademark of FileMaker, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Prices are listed in U.S. Dollars and subject to change without notice. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160927/412376LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/filemaker-launches-filemaker-cloud-for-secure-reliable-access-to-custom-apps-300335001.html SOURCE FileMaker, Inc.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
(Reuters) - Solar panel installer SolarCity Corp <SCTY.O>, which is in the process of being bought by Tesla Motors Inc <TSLA.O>, named Radford Small chief financial officer, replacing Tanguy Serra.

Small, SolarCity's executive vice president of global capital markets, joined the company in May 2015 from Goldman Sachs <GS.N> as senior vice president of business development and investor relations.

He took on the global capital markets role in January.

Serra will leave the company by the end of the year, following the anticipated completion of the $2.6 billion takeover, SolarCity said.

Elon Musk is chairman of SolarCity and chairman and chief executive of Tesla.

Tesla said last week that its proposed acquisition of SolarCity could be delayed because of shareholder lawsuits alleging board members had breached their fiduciary duty.

SolarCity also said last month that it was experiencing greater-than-usual delays in closing new project financing commitments due to the takeover talks.

The company also said on Wednesday that it had partnered with Citigroup <C.N> to create two funds to finance more than $347 million in solar projects.

Earlier this month, SolarCity raised $305 million by selling future cash flows from a portfolio of solar projects to a fund advised by billionaire investor George Soros's hedge fund.

Small has helped the company create about $3 billion in new financing for solar projects, SolarCity said.

SolarCity's shares were up 0.9 percent at $20.16 in early trading.

(Reporting by Arathy S Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Ted Kerr)
SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Wednesday that 13 automakers will recall some 110,000 vehicles equipped with Takata Corp's (7312.T) defective air bags, the latest development in a long-running safety crisis involving the Japanese company.

The United States in May announced a new round of recall of Takata's air bag inflators which have been linked to at least 14 deaths and more than 100 injuries and triggered the largest-ever auto recall. Since then, other countries have been announcing their own national recalls.

South Korea's transport ministry said a total of 221,870 vehicles made by 17 automakers have faulty Takata air bags. While 13 companies including Honda Motor , Toyota Motor , BMW (BMWG.DE) and Audi plan to recall some 110,000 of them, four others including General Motors (GM.N) and Mercedes-Benz have not decided on their global recall plans.

The ministry said those companies could face a fine or a 10-year prison sentence should they delay recalls.

In 2013, South Korea started recalls of some 50,000 vehicles with defective Takata airbags, with nearly 45 percent of the models having replacement airbags by June this year.

A number of global automakers are working to replace as many as 100 million defective air bag inflators worldwide. Takata airbag inflators can explode with too much force and spray metal shrapnel into vehicle passenger compartments.

(Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Additional reporting by Naomi Tajitsu in TOKYO; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
Nairobi (AFP) - The body of a South Sudanese journalist abducted almost four months ago was found on a farm this week, press freedom group Reporters Without Borders said Wednesday.

RSF urged South Sudan's authorities "to shed all possible light" on the murder of freelance reporter Isaac Vuni, who was kidnapped on June 4 along with his brother from the family's home in southern Kerepi, near the Ugandan border. Responsibility for the abduction was never claimed.

Vuni's relatives told the independent Sudan Tribune newspaper that his body was discovered on a farm outside Kerepi, RSF said in a statement. His brother has yet to be found.

It said that a witness had told the South Sudan Liberty News website at the time that the abductors wore the same military dress as the "Tiger Battalion", President Salva Kiir's bodyguards."We condemn Isaac Vuni's foul murder and call on the authorities to conduct an investigation to identify those responsible and bring them to justice," said Clea Kahn Sriber, the head of RSF's Africa desk.

Vuni, who often wrote for the Sudan Tribune, had been arrested in Juba in 2009 after reporting that members of the Sudan People's Liberation Army and the South Sudanese government were implicated in a financial scandal.

He was also detained for several weeks in 2011 during a crackdown on local journalists.

Seven journalists were killed in South Sudan last year, according to another media rights group, the Committee to Protect Journalists.

RSF said journalists have been regularly targeted since the civil war began in 2013, with many held incommunicado, including Radio Miraya's George Livio -- now held incommunicado for more than two years.

South Sudan was this year ranked 140th out of 180 countries in RSF's global press freedom index, 15 places lower than the previous year.
In July, former South Sudanese rebel leader and one-time vice president Riek Machar fled the capital city of Juba, saying he feared for his life if he remained. Fighting had broken out between Machars troops and those loyal to his longtime rival, President Salva Kiir.

Now, one of Machars former allies, who controversially replaced him as first vice president in South Sudans government, says Machar is perpetuating the countrys internecine conflict from afar. Taban Deng Gai, the chief opposition negotiator for the August 2015 peace deal, says that Machar and his associates are encouraging displaced people to stay in United Nations camps in South Sudan instead of returning home, where they could help rebuild the shattered state.

He is encouraging them to remain in those places, Deng told Foreign Policy in an interview at the Atlantic Council in Washington on Wednesday. Those people are not afraid to leave; they are told to stay. Deng suggested that a Riek Machar mafia is holding displaced people at the camps, which he said ends up prolonging the civil war that has plagued South Sudan since 2013.

In all, some 2 million South Sudanese are now displaced, including more than a million who have fled the country as refugees. Some 200,000 South Sudanese civilians are crowded into the U.N. camps across the country, which lack basic amenities including food, clean water, and health care. Civilians began flocking to the U.N. in late 2013, seeking protection as the infighting between Machar and Kiir escalated into full-fledged ethnic violence in the capital, then quickly spread across the country. Since then, more than 50,000 people have been killed, and violence raged on for months even after Kiir and Machar signed the peace deal in Ethiopia in 2015. The civil war followed a two-decade struggle with Sudan, which culminated with independence in 2011.

When Machar finally returned to the capital in April, Juba was relatively calm. But the tenuous unity government, a marriage of the president and a rebel, blew up in July as forces loyal to the two men clashed. Kiirs camp says Machar attempted a coup; Machars side claims Kiir tried to kill him. The result was an outburst of violence in the capital that killed hundreds of military personnel and civilians and drove many more to seek protection in the U.N. camps.

Story continues

Deng insists that the 40,000 people in the Juba camp should return home to help rebuild South Sudan, but that many of them are hesitant to do so because of a network of Machar supporters who he says are intimidating civilians from leaving.

The mafia can work in a prison, even in America, he said. Thats what is happening in those protection sites. The Riek Machar mafia is operational there.

Machars aides dismiss those charges and say theres a simple reason people remain in the camps. Par Koul, a Machar aide who is leading an opposition delegation to Washington this week, told FP Juba is the most dangerous place to live. He also dismissed reports that Machar called his troops to arms this weekend, saying that he only has called for defending themselves in the wake of attacks.

The raping, killing, and all the atrocities you have seen were committed by the government, he said. Our people took refuge in that camp to seek protection from the government. How do you go back to the government from whom youre being protected?

And Deng is truly part of that government, Kuol says, since he had already defected from the opposition by the time he assumed the vice presidency. He has crossed to the other side, Kuol said.

An American expert on South Sudan who participated in a closed-door meeting with Deng earlier in the day told FP that the claim civilians are staying in the camps for any reason other than protection is disingenuous.

All empirical evidence points to people being there as an option of last resort, he said.

Although both Machar and Kiirs troops have been accused of committing atrocities including looting, pillaging, mass rape, and murder, the government forces have been accused of carrying out those crimes on a much larger scale. In July, government troops stationed at a checkpoint in Juba fired at American diplomatic vehicles. In a separate incident, troops who witnesses say belonged to Kiirs presidential guard invaded an expatriate compound, singled out Americans, and raped and beat them for hours on end.

As vice president working alongside Kiir, Deng has to live with those atrocities. He said he wants to launch the hybrid court, as outlined in the peace agreement, to hold those accountable who have attacked civilians and carried out other war crimes.

U.S. officials have pressed for the speedy establishment of the court to hold accountable those responsible for atrocities. But Deng said the courts establishment is not urgent because it will just divide people more. First, he said, South Sudan needs a national healing and reconciliation effort.

The dust must settle, he said, adding that to remove political leaders from power and bring them to trial would disrupt the reunification process. Is it simple that you bring Salva Kiir to court today? Then how do you lead the country? Let Salva Kiir be given a chance, let him fix it.

But the American who attended the closed door meeting with Deng earlier in the day said that delaying the establishment of a hybrid court is just the governments latest demonstration that theyre not interested in implementing any aspect of the peace agreement in good faith.

Hes been completely co-opted by Kiir, and all we heard this morning was a complete denial of the security and humanitarian catastrophe that unfolded in South Sudan in large part due to the actions and policies of Kiir and his inner circle, he said.

For people close to Machar, Dengs transition from one-time ally to sidekick of the current president threatens to reignite the violence that has rocked the young country practically since independence. Government forces, Kuol said, bombed Machars camp in Juba in July, destroying his home and office and essentially chasing him away. The whole thing is a mockery, he said.

Deng denied defecting from the opposition and blamed Machar for the unrest. When the former rebel did join the unity government in April, Deng said, Machar refused to accept his subordinate role, and acted as a parallel president to Kiir, which he said is ultimately what destabilized the country.

Insisting that he has no presidential ambitions of his own, Deng said his goals are simple: to move on from the conflict and the controversy over Machars seat, to encourage reconciliation, to send displaced people home, and to jump-start the economy so that Juba can one day be the new Dubai.

If my working with the president can stop the killing, can stop the suffering, can stop the rapes, can stop the manslaughter, I think this will be the noble job I should do for my people and my country, he said.
Southern Power, a subsidiary of electric utility holding firm Southern Company SO and Recurrent Energy, a unit of Canadian Solar Inc. CSIQ, recently issued a joint statement to announce that their 200-megawatt (MW) Tranquility Solar Facility in central California has come online. Southern Company owns 51% stake in the project via its subsidiary. Canadian Solar, on the other hand, holds the remaining 49%.

Tranquility Solar Facility, which has been built on 1,900 acres of retired agricultural land in Fresno County, southeast of San Francisco, is expected to provide electricity to around 50,000 homes. Construction works on the facility started in mid-2015. This facility is expected to help Southern Power expand its solar energy portfolio and meet the ever increasing energy demand of customers. Moreover, the facility is operating under a 15-year power purchase agreement with Southern California Edison under which the electricity and associated renewable energy credits generated by the facility will be sold.

The facility is in line with Southern Power's strategy of growing its wholesale business through acquisition and construction of power generating assets that are covered by long-term contracts.

Southern Power owns 31 solar, wind and biomass projects, including 11 solar projects in California. Since 2012, the parent  Southern Company  has acquired more than 4,000 MW of renewable energy projects.

SOUTHERN CO Price

SOUTHERN CO Price | SOUTHERN CO Quote

Southern Company is one of the largest and best-managed electric utility holding companies in the U.S. The firm dominates the power business across the southeastern region.

Currently, the utility carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), which implies that the stock will outperform the broader U.S. equity market over the next one to three months.

Some other top-ranked players in the same sector include Spark Energy, Inc. SPKE and DTE Energy Company DTE. While Korea Electric Power and Spark Energy sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), DTE Energy carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

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In the last four quarters, DTE Energy posted an average positive earnings surprise of 6.94%.

Spark Energy, on the other hand, posted an average positive earnings surprise of 48.24% in the last four quarters.

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Updated

The Spanish producer of a time travel series claims in a federal copyright infringement lawsuit that NBCs upcoming Timeless is a ripoff of their show.

The series is set to debut on Oct. 3. A press screening of one of the episodes is scheduled on the Sony lot on Wednesday.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on Tuesday, claims that Onza Partners, producers of the Spanish series El Ministerio del Tiempo contend that their storyline was stolen for Timeless, in which a trio travels through time to try to stop a criminal trying to alter the course of history.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages as well as a preliminary and permanent injunction prohibiting the production and/or distribution (in any form or medium whatsoever) of any episodes of Timeless, including the pilot. But the producers are not filing a separate application for a temporary restraining order to immediately halt the series, a spokesman for their attorneys said.

Onza says that they contacted the Gersh Agencys Roy Ashton to put together an American version of the project. According to the lawsuit, that led them to writer-producers Eric Kripke and Ben Edlund. The lawsuit contends that Ashton discussed the series with Edlund, Kripke, and Sony, and allowed them to view the original series DVD.

Representatives working for Onza then began negotiating with Sony on a deal in July, 2015, according to the lawsuit, and even exchanged deal proposals. But on Aug. 26, 2015, Deadline published a release that Kripke and Shawn Ryan were producing a TV pilot titled Time, later retitled Timeless, for NBC. Also attached to the project was John Davis.

Oddly, at the moment of the August 26, 2015 publication of the Deadline [r]elease, Sony abruptly and without any warning terminated all negotiations relative to Onzas American version, the lawsuit claims.

The suit contends that its attorney, David Tenzer, contacted Sony attorneys, one of whom eventually responded that they didnt feel that our project violates your clients rights.

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Sony, Kripke, Ryan, Davis, and NBCUniversal are among those named as defendants in the lawsuit. The lawsuit claims copyright infringement and breach of implied contract. Sony had no comment on the suit.

The lawsuit claims numerous similarities between the two shows, including that the antagonist is a suspected double agent. It also points to the presence of a three person team of one woman and two men. In both, the woman has an academic background (with unorthodox elements) and knowledge of historical accuracy helpful  or crucial  to carrying out the given missions.

Onza is represented by Devin McRae and Michael Smarinsky of Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae.

Related stories

TV Review: 'Timeless'

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By Joshua Schneyer and M.B. Pell EAST CHICAGO, Indiana (Reuters) - In this industrial northwest Indiana city, hundreds of families who live in a gated public housing community with prim lawns and a new elementary school next door are searching for new homes. Their own places have been marked for demolition. The school, temporarily closed, has been taken over by the Environmental Protection Agency and health officials who offer free blood tests to check residents for lead poisoning. Long after the U.S. lead industry left East Chicago, a toxic legacy remains. Smokestacks at one smelter next door, shuttered 31 years ago, for decades polluted these grounds. Emissions from the now-defunct U.S. Smelter and Lead Refinery Inc, or USS Lead, left a potent hazard in the soil. By early this year, the EPA detected concentrations of the heavy metal so high in some yards that they could pose a serious health risk to families at the West Calumet Housing Complex. Children are told not to play outdoors. At the 44-year-old housing complex, all 1,100 residents are being forced to move out. Many are outraged about why the dangerous soils werent identified and removed earlier. One reason: Five years ago, a unit of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a 19-page report that all but ruled out the possibility of children here getting lead poisoning. (http://bit.ly/2dAYVOt) That CDC branch  the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, or ATSDR,  conducts public health assessments to examine potential contamination risks and point the way to next steps to be taken by EPA and others. In its January 2011 report, ATSDR said it reached 4 important conclusions. Among them: Breathing the air, drinking tap water or playing in soil in neighborhoods near the USS Lead Site is not expected to harm peoples health. ATSDRs report was built on flawed or incomplete data, a Reuters examination found: The assumption that residents werent at risk was wrong, and many of the reports key findings were unfounded or misleading. The report said nearly 100 percent of children were being tested for blood lead levels in the impacted area. State data reviewed by Reuters show the annual rate of blood lead testing among children in East Chicago ranged from 5 percent to 20 percent over the last 11 years. In the area, well known for its history of lead contamination, ATSDR reported that declining blood lead levels in small children appear to confirm that they are no longer exposed to lead from any source. Yet from 2005 to 2015, nearly 22 percent of children tested in the Indiana census tract that contains the West Calumet houses showed an elevated blood lead level - 160 such results in all. Children tested in this tract were more than twice as likely to have an elevated reading than in other areas of East Chicago, state data reviewed by Reuters shows. The CDCs conclusions help explain why many West Calumet residents didnt learn until recently that their yards were toxic, according to health experts, city administrators and data compiled by Reuters. GRAPHIC - A Neighborhood and Lead: http://tmsnrt.rs/2d0QCcM Carla Morgan, East Chicago's city attorney, believes the report contributed to a false sense of safety. In 2011, the ATSDR lacked data to make any conclusion about the potential health risks, she said. Contacted by reporters, the ATSDR initially said it would respond to detailed questions about its 2011 report. Over a period of weeks it said it was finalizing its responses. A spokeswoman, Susan McBreairty, told Reuters the answers were complicated. Reporters also sought comment from the two ATSDR scientists listed as authors of the 2011 report; neither responded. Ultimately, ATSDR didnt address the questions. Instead, it released a broad media statement Thursday saying it is evaluating new EPA data to determine if a human health hazard has developed since the Agencys 2011 public health assessment (PHA) of the USS Lead and Smelter site. A new analysis will come next year, ATSDR said in the statement, and will help determine if additional public health activities are warranted. BARRIER BETWEEN CHILDREN, SOIL The reports findings factored significantly into EPAs decision not to conduct more urgent soil testing or urge residents to relocate, said EPA Region Five Administrator Robert Kaplan. Believing residents werent at imminent risk, EPA focused on a multi-year plan to gradually test for and replace lead-tainted soil. Once EPA completed its soil-sampling this year, the scope of the danger for children was clear. The high levels of lead in many yards in East Chicago would require a barrier to be placed between children and the soil, to protect them, said Dr. Helen Binns, a pediatrician at Lurie Childrens Hospital in Chicago and professor at Northwestern Universitys medical school, who reviewed the testing data with Reuters. EPA's sampling found that 50 percent of the West Calumet homes tested had lead in their topsoil exceeding 1,200 parts per million, or three times the federal "hazard" level for residential areas. That level warrants time-critical removal action within six months to protect human health, EPA standards say. In the most polluted yard found, a top layer of soil had 45,000 parts per million of lead. Patrick MacRoy, a former head of the lead poisoning prevention program in Chicago, expressed shock after reviewing the ATSDR report. He found especially troubling its conclusion that children faced no threat of lead exposure. I cant believe anyone with any degree of training or familiarity with environmental health would ever make (that) statement, MacRoy said. I cant believe that no one reviewing that report internally, or even at EPA or the state, wouldnt have flagged that as grossly misstating the available evidence. I generally respect ATSDR, but that report is embarrassingly bad, he said. GRAPHIC - Industry and Housing: http://tmsnrt.rs/2d3MtIp In recent months, 10 children under age 7 at West Calumet houses or in nearby areas were confirmed to have elevated lead levels, or around 5 percent of those tested, according to Indianas State Department of Health. Following the notorious lead contamination of the drinking water supply in Flint, Michigan, around 4.9 percent of children tested there had high blood lead levels. In East Chicago, more monitoring is planned, and the recent results do not mean children are in the clear, experts said. Blood lead testing is usually indicated for children ages one and two. Ingesting lead-tainted soil, dust or paint chips is most common among infants and toddlers with hand-to-mouth behavior, said Dr. Bruce Lanphear, an expert on neurotoxins at Simon Fraser University. A child poisoned at age two will often later test within a normal range. But the earlier exposure may have already wrought irreversible damage, including lifelong cognitive impairments. WHAT ARE THEY DIGGING FOR? Today, outside the orderly brick houses in the community  due west of Gary, Indiana, and some 23 miles south of Chicago  moving vans are parked, and poster board signs warn residents not to play in the dirt. Some of the 92 EPA staffers on site go door to door to speak with residents, offering testing and clean-up for lead inside their homes. Contractors have placed mulch over exposed dirt areas. The forced exodus of tenants comes after East Chicagos mayor told them this summer that lead and arsenic contamination in the area made it unacceptably risky to live here, especially for the areas more than 600 children. I have lived here for five years and was never told anything about contamination until now, said Akendra Erving, a mother of five young children who is moving her family to Alabama. In May or June, I started to see these crews digging in peoples yards. What are they digging for? I thought. Now I know. Recently, Erving got more bad news. A test showed that her three-year-old son, King, had a blood lead level of 8 micrograms per deciliter. Her daughter Kelis, 4, tested at 9 micrograms per deciliter. CDC recommends a public health response for children who test at 5 or above. The lead crisis is the focus of several agencies, including ATSDR. EPA has taken a leading role, with Indianas State Department of Health, city officials, state environmental officials and federal and local housing agencies also involved. Tensions and finger-pointing among the parties has sometimes grown heated. In July, East Chicagos mayor wrote EPA a scathing letter, accusing the agency of withholding soil testing data that demonstrated grave health risks. EPAs Kaplan says the soil data was shared with the city as soon as the EPA could verify it, in May. Recently, a peacekeeper division of the U.S. Justice Department, its Community Relations Service, stepped in to de-escalate conflicts. ON TOP OF ANACONDA The West Calumet Housing complex stands near the center of a once humming U.S. industry hub. It was also a dirty one. In the early 1970s, the houses were erected atop the former Anaconda Lead and International Refining Company. For decades, the plant churned out white lead pigment for use in paint. In 1978, the United States outlawed the type of paint Anaconda produced for residential use. That and other measures brought a sharp drop in average U.S. blood lead levels in recent decades. No level of lead in the blood is safe for children. Next door was another smelter, USS Lead. From 1920 through 1985, the facility refined lead or lead products. Its blast furnaces pumped out soot that blanketed the land where the housing complex stands. Also nearby was a facility, formerly operated by chemicals giant DuPont, that produced lead arsenate from 1928-1949. Its main ingredients were lead and arsenic. The product was banned as an insecticide in 1988. Much of the waste was stockpiled within the citys industrial complexes. Sometimes it got spread over nearby marshland or dumped in the Calumet River. Back in 2009, this corner of East Chicago, a working class city of 29,000, was placed on the federal Superfunds National Priorities List, or NPL. Michael Berkoff, an EPA project manager who led a 2012 public hearing in East Chicago to inform residents about clean-up plans, described the NPL as EPAs nationwide list of the most contaminated sites in the country. Numbering more than 1,300 nationwide, the Superfund sites require clean-up to protect the environment and human health. In many cases, the companies that used to operate them folded years ago. At the hearing, Berkoff laid out EPAs long-term goal of removing contaminated soil from West Calumet yards and other polluted zones in East Chicago. Some of the contamination here is at higher levels than we would consider hazardous waste, he told the audience, according to a transcript. Years earlier, the EPA had already cleaned up several area yards where topsoil testing detected lead levels exceeding 1,200 parts per million, ppm. The next round of remediation EPA proposed would cost tens of millions of dollars and take a few years, Berkoff said. At West Calumet, wherever EPA found yards whose shallow soil exceeded 400 ppm of lead, it would excavate and replace the layer with clean soil. To fund the effort, EPA and the U.S. Department of Justice pursued what they called potential responsible parties for some of the areas contamination. In 2014, chemicals company DuPont and ARCO, a unit of oil giant BP, agreed to contribute $26 million to the East Chicago clean-up. Under a consent decree, the companies acknowledged no wrongdoing. ARCO said it had taken on certain liabilities after it acquired the Anaconda Company in the late 1970s, though it never operated the Anaconda lead plant itself. DuPont said it cooperated with EPA but its responsibilities under the consent decree were assumed by the Chemours Company, a former DuPont business now operating independently, a DuPont spokesman said. Chemours said it will cooperate with the EPA, a spokesman said. To date, the earth-moving envisaged in the plans EPAs Berkoff described in 2012 hasnt happened. Securing funds, soil testing, and issues that crept up with contractors all took time. West Calumet soil replacement would have started this summer, EPAs Kaplan said. Instead, the city plans to raze the houses. TROUBLED TRACT The CDCs role in ensuring the health of people near Superfund sites is enshrined in federal law. When an area is added to the National Priority List, the ATSDR conducts an independent public health assessment. ATSDRs role is advisory, but its reports can lead to strongly worded health bulletins or other actions, including condemnation of properties deemed unfit for human habitation. EPA commissioned the ATSDR report because we wanted to know, is it an emergency, time-critical response or something that needs a remedy but isnt necessarily as urgent? said Kaplan. The CDC branch concluded that results from childhood blood tests in the region suggested there was no risk. Other report statements appeared to support that finding: Virtually all children in the area were being tested for lead poisoning, the report said, seeming to reflect close monitoring. Kids living in the area had blood lead levels consistent with the national average, it said. Properties found to contain unsafe levels of lead in the soil had already been cleaned up by the EPA, the ATSDR said, and local health officials offered assurances there were no reports of health problems linked to lead. Citing Indiana Department of Health data from the 1990s through 2008, ATSDR said children in East Chicago had experienced a sharp decline in blood lead levels. Yet the report did not specifically cite the most recent blood testing data from residents at the West Calumet Housing Complex, or the census tract where it is located. Reuters obtained testing data from the Indiana census tract, labeled 303, from 2005 through 2015. The data compiled by Indiana shows that 21.8 percent of children aged up to 6 tested there had blood lead readings above CDCs current elevated threshold. Although only a portion of the areas children were being tested in the period, the 303 tract registered 160 elevated test results among small children. That was more than in any other tract in Lake County, where East Chicago is located, and more than in all but a dozen of Indianas 1,507 census tracts. As recently as 2014, 25 percent of the children tested in the 303 tract had elevated levels. During that same year, Indiana data shows, around 6.4 percent of kids tested across the state had elevated lead levels. CDC estimates show that, across the United States, the prevalence of children with elevated blood lead levels is around 2.5 percent. The ATSDR report credited Indianas state health department with excellent work in ensuring almost universal testing. State and county data reviewed by Reuters tell a different story. The annual rate of blood lead testing among children aged up to 6 in Indiana hovered around 7 percent in recent years. Although around 20 percent of children in East Chicago were tested each year between 2005 and 2010, the rate plummeted to 5 percent in 2014. As for the ATSDR reports claim that it had heard of no concerns from local health officials, City Attorney Morgan said the agency never consulted East Chicagos health department, which declined comment. The Indiana State Department of Health told Reuters it does not support the conclusions of that report, without elaborating. UPROOTED TO NEVADA Shantel Allen is a 28-year-old mother of five who has lived at West Calumet since 2011, the year of ATSDRs report. Allen is moving her family to southern Nevada next month. The housing voucher the family received wont cover the high costs of the move, she said. In July, around the time Allen was told her current home faces the wrecking ball, she received a letter from Indianas health department. It said her daughter, Samira, 2, had tested positive for lead poisoning with a level of 33 micrograms per deciliter, nearly seven times the elevated threshold. That result, the letter said, was from a test conducted 17 months earlier, around Samiras first birthday. I wanted to know how she was exposed to lead, when and where? Allen said. I wanted to know why I was only informed more than a year later. The state health department said privacy law does not allow it to comment on a specific patients case. However, it said local health departments have primary responsibility for conveying blood lead test results to family. Since July, Allen has had all her kids tested. Two had elevated levels, she said. Then, last month, Allen recalled an information packet shed received from the EPA, dated from late 2014. She didnt pay much attention to it back then, because she says she didnt understand its implications. It said the agency had conducted soil testing in her yard. Reading back the findings recently, she said EPA had detected lead at 4,510 parts per million in the top layer of her front yard, or more than 10 times the action level. Arsenic was found at nearly 13 times the action level. It was the yard her older kids had always played in, often tracking in dirt to the apartment, where Samira would crawl around on the floor. Another former West Calumet resident, Krystle Jackson, said she moved her family out in July after two of her children tested with elevated lead levels. Her son, Kavon, 1, had a level of 7. She relocated to her parents home in Cedar Lake, 40 minutes south, which is facing a potential bank foreclosure. Jackson worries shell be left homeless. The timing of Jacksons move, weeks before hundreds of other West Calumet residents learned the complex will be demolished, made her ineligible for a voucher others are getting to move into public housing. The housing authority told me there was nothing they could do for me, she said. "I just wanted to get out of the public housing because nobody could tell me why my kids were being exposed to lead. (Editing by Ronnie Greene)
From Popular Mechanics

In confirmation of what feels like an urban legend, researchers have been able to prove that riding on a roller coasters can help you pass a kidney stone.

David Wartinger, a professor emeritus in the Department of Osteopathic Surgical Specialties at Michigan State, led multiple studies based off anecdotal stories he had heard from patients. "Basically, I had patients telling me that after riding a particular roller coaster at Walt Disney World, they were able to pass their kidney stone," Wartinger said in a press release. "I even had one patient say he passed three different stones after riding multiple times."

Curious about the consistency of their testimony, Wartinger decided to test it out for himself. He stuffed a backpack with a synthetic 3D model of a kidney with three complete kidney stones and sent it on Big Thunder Mountain twenty times.

Forty-five feet tall, Big Thunder Mountain hits 30 MPH in its 3 minute 30 second ride. With a runaway mine cart theme, the coaster has three hills. Wartinger found that while his patients stories could be backed up, they came with specific caveats. First of all, the effectiveness of Big Thunder Mountain depended to a degree on where the backpack was sitting. "In the pilot study," Wartinger said, "sitting in the last car of the roller coaster showed about a 64 percent passage rate, while sitting in the first few cars only had a 16 percent success rate." Both of these rates rose in the secondary, expanded study, including reaching an 100 percent passage rate if the stones were located in the upper chamber of the kidney.

The second caveat is that the miracle cure only works on Big Thunder Mountain. Neither Space Mountain and Aerosmith's Rock 'n' Roller Coaster proved effective at helping people pass kidney stones. Those rides were too fast, with G-Force speeds that would pin the kidney stone down. "The ideal coaster," Wartinger says, "is rough and quick with some twists and turns, but no upside-down or inverted movements." So, presumably, none of the world's craziest coasters need apply.

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Source: MSU via Engadget

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SoundCloud, the Berlin-based streaming platform that has drawn over 175 million users worldwide, is reportedly in "advanced talks" around an acquisition by Spotify, the market leader in music streaming which recently announced it had drawn 40 million subscribers, according to the Financial Times' sources.

Spotify and SoundCloud refused to comment on the report. One well-placed source maintained to Billboard that the rumor was nothing more than that, and that it could perhaps be a solicitation tactic.

Whispers of SoundCloud's acquisition have percolated for years. While 2014's indication of a SoundCloud acquisition by Twitter eventually faded, the social media giant did invest $70 million into the music platform this past June, representing the largest chunk of a $100 million funding round. (This week, meanwhile, brought rumors of a Twitter acquisition, with Google and Disney leading that charge; consider it the circle of business life.)

An unnamed suitor was kicking SoundCloud's tires more recently, as it sat on a $1 billion valuation -- a price tag Spotify couldn't really afford. (It's also a valuation that some said was more an idea than a reality.) In January Spotify raised $1 billion in convertible debt, the terms of which all but require the company to issue an IPO within the next year, or suffer under the weight of unsustainable financial penalties. Its most recent financial filing, covering 2015, reported it as having 597.3 million in cash on hand. So, if it was working with the $700 million valuation that Twitter put on it, Spotify would have to spend 43 percent of its available funds to buy a company that, at least at first blush, seems a strange purchase. Spotfy will have plenty of cash after that initial offering, but until Daniel Ek rings that bell, his company may stay away from gigantic purchases like this.

Spotify and SoundCloud would, on the face of it, make both strange bedfellows and, possibly, a powerful pairing. The two platforms are very different, in significant ways -- Spotify, with its simple interface and focus on relatively casual listeners, and SoundCloud, with a elegant-but-dense set of features and a (truly) labyrinthine catalog of music, heavy on dance, uploaded by its creators. However, combining the two could carve a large, or larger, crater into the world of digital listening.
[September 27, 2016] RAID Inc., ClearPointe And Chelsio Unveil NVMe-Tuned Hyper-Converged Solution For Windows Server 2016 Storage Spaces Direct

ATLANTA, Sept. 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- RAID Inc., a high performance computing solutions company, ClearPointe, a Gold level Microsoft datacenter partner, and Chelsio Communications, a leading provider of high performance Ethernet adapters for storage networking, virtualized enterprise datacenters, cloud service installations, and cluster computing environments, today announced that they will demonstrate a hyper-converged infrastructure Microsoft Storage Spaces Direct architecture based on Windows Server 2016, at Microsoft Booth #MS34 and Lenovo Booth #1010 at the Microsoft Ignite Conference in Atlanta, Georgia from September 26 to September 30, 2016. The new 4-node cluster solution will be presented and managed by RAID Inc. and ClearPointe with the directive to validate the high performance computing capabilities achieved by partnering with storage at scale and Windows Server design experts. It integrates best-of-breed Chelsio 40GbE iWARP RDMA-enabled networking adapters that offload network stack processing from the CPU, to provide a proof point that higher performance networking enables faster data communication. RAID Inc. Ability HCI Series Overview

To take advantage of the rapidly growing demand for hyper-converged platforms and software-defined storage, RAID Inc. is making sizeable investments in architecting and the fine-tuning of Microsoft Storage Spaces Direct (S2D) hyper-converged solutions with the Ability HCI Series. By integrating best-of-breed Chelsio 40GbE iWARP RDMA adapters and NVMe technologies from HGST, RAID Inc. leverages its HPC pedigree to supercharge Lenovo-based S2D deployments, built upon in-house validating and real-world testing. The Ability HCI Series powered by Lenovo on display at Ignite this year demonstrates the S2D200 model with the latest NVMe flash storage technologies and is tuned to excel in running nearly all workload types, including Hyper-V virtualized and enterprise applications, SQL databases, Remote Desktop Services for virtualized desktops, Azure-ready hybrid clouds, and big data analytics, with improved efficiency and scalability. Additionally, Lenovo and RAID Inc. are planning significant actions in solution development as well as aggressive go-to-market initiatives. RAID Inc. Ability HCI Series S2D200 Ignite Demo Highlights: Lenovo System x3650 M5

2TB Memory

224 Cores

S2D-tuned NVMe Flash Cache Tier

20TB Usable Storage Capacity

Chelsio T5 40GbE iWARP RDMA Networking Performance Results: 1.4 Million IOPS at 70/30 4K Random Read/Write

Up to 17-22 GBps throughput Random Read/Write

Up to 80 Power User Compute VMs (4C + 16GB)

Under $500 per VM (300 VMs at 1C + 2GB) "As a founding Microsoft partner for Storage Spaces, RAID Inc. brings its cloud architecture and high performance computing prowess to the software defined data center (SDDC)," comments Trenton R. Baker, VP marketing, RAID Inc. "With the RAID Inc. Ability HCI Series powered by Lenovo for Storage Spaces Direct in Windows Server 2016, this hyper-converged appliance leverages the Chelsio 40GbE iWARP RDMA adapters to greatly improve S2D networking and dramatically reduce the IT infrastructure total cost of ownership." ClearPointe Management and Remediation for Storage Spaces Direct

ClearPointe provides a single source of management and remediation to ensure optimal performance for the life cycle of the Ability HCI Series powered by Lenovo. With echnologies changing at exponential rates, decision makers often have to consider timing when deploying technology - deciding on when to implement and when to wait for the next generation of something to arrive. By leveraging these cutting edge technologies, you receive the most value for your investment today and position your organization to transition to Azure Stack as it becomes available. The management and monitoring tools translate directly into a model that scales into Azure Stack, and therefore Azure, to create a harmonious hybrid ecosystem that can scale and work together across on premise and cloud environments, all while being monitored by ClearPointe.



"ClearPointe's life cycle management gives us the ability to deliver a holistic approach from design through installation and as you scale to match your demand," adds Daniel Weissenborn, Solution Architect at ClearPointe. "Complex systems will eventually exceed skill even for a company with infinite resources. The simplicity of this solution combined with the performance is what makes it ideal." Chelsio T5 iWARP RDMA for Windows Server 2016 Storage Spaces Direct

Chelsio's Terminator 5 ASIC offers a high performance, robust third generation implementation of RDMA (Remote Direct Memory Access) over 40Gb Ethernet - iWARP. T5 delivers end-to-end RDMA latency that is comparable to InfiniBand, using standard Ethernet infrastructure. Chelsio's iWARP is in production today in GPU applications, in storage applications as a fabric for clustered storage, for Lustre and other storage applications, for HPC applications, and for remote replication and disaster recovery.

Chelsio's line of Terminator 5 (T5) 10 and 40 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) iWARP (RDMA/TCP) enabled Unified Wire adapters have achieved "Certified for Windows Server 2016" hardware certification. The iWARP standard enables building very efficient, high performance, Microsoft Cloud deployments very quickly. iWARP works with any legacy Ethernet switch, thereby enabling incremental Windows Server 2016 installations without requiring a concurrent forklift upgrade of the switch infrastructure or the entire datacenter. This ability to work with any DCBX or non-DCBX switch, allows use of the most cost effective new or existing switch infrastructure with the least amount of support, while enabling an immediate plug-and-play deployment. In addition, Microsoft's support of iWARP protocol since Windows Server 2012-R2 release, has allowed for years of testing for a very robust, tested, deployment with iWARP. "The iWARP standard enables building very efficient, high performance, Microsoft Cloud deployments very quickly," said Kianoosh Naghshineh, CEO at Chelsio Communications. "This new offering validates how Storage Spaces Direct, combined with advanced flash-based storage connected by Chelsio's 40GbE iWARP networking solution, helps build faster, easy-to-scale and reliable storage for their private cloud deployments". Additional information regarding the demonstration is available in a Chelsio/ClearPointe Technical Brief. About RAID Inc.

RAID Inc. was founded in 1994 to deliver end-to-end performance-driven technical computing and storage solutions. The company has earned industry praise for providing platform agnostic technical guidance in high performance computing (HPC), big data, cloud and software-defined datacenters in the most efficient, reliable and cost effective manner. The world's leading research facilities, government, life science, financial, healthcare, energy, and cloud service providers can leverage the RAID Inc. team of engineers' extensive academic, research lab and commercial expertise that make RAID Inc. a trusted industry leader. For more information, visit www.RAIDinc.com, call +1 (800)330-7335 or comment via @RAIDinc. About ClearPointe

ClearPointe deploys the power of advanced technology to unleash and support human and organizational potential. Our promise to lead the industry in developing technologies that create clarity and are true assets for our clients is evident by our remarkable advancements in cloud based technologies. ClearPointe serves clients in every time zone around the world by delivering a comprehensive suite of solutions all with complete lifecycle management. Today, ClearPointe is a single point for digital transformations and an authority on private, hybrid and hyper-converged datacenters. About Chelsio Communications

Chelsio is a recognized leader in high performance (10Gb/25Gb/40Gb/50Gb/100Gb) Ethernet adapters for networking and storage within virtualized enterprise datacenters, public and private hyperscale clouds, and cluster computing environments. With a clear emphasis on performance and delivering the only robust offload solution, as opposed to simple speeds and feeds, Chelsio has set itself apart from the competition. The Chelsio Unified Wire fully offloads all protocol traffic, providing no-compromise performance with high packet processing capacity, sub-microsecond hardware latency and high bandwidth. Visit the company at www.chelsio.com, and follow the company on Twitter and Facebook. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130611/SF30203LOGO

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/raid-inc-clearpointe-and-chelsio-unveil-nvme-tuned-hyper-converged-solution-for-windows-server-2016-storage-spaces-direct-300334958.html SOURCE Chelsio Communications, Inc.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
By Lawrence White and Joel Schectman

LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Standard Chartered (STAN.L) has told "appropriate authorities" about alleged corruption at an Indonesian power plant company majority-owned by its private equity arm, the bank said.

The lender's comment came in response to a Wall Street Journal report that the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating whether Standard Chartered failed to stop possible bribery and other misconduct at MAXpower Group Pte Ltd, which builds and operates gas-fired power plants in Southeast Asia.

The allegations compound the legal woes of the bank, which is subject to a deferred-prosecution agreement with the Justice Department over alleged Iranian sanctions breaches and faces possible prosecution if found to have committed another federal crime.

"Standard Chartered takes very seriously allegations of impropriety in any of our private equity investments. We proactively referred this matter to the appropriate authorities and have conducted our own review," a spokesman for the bank said in an emailed statement on Tuesday.

Two people familiar with the matter said that the "appropriate authorities" included the U.S. Department of Justice. A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment.

In 2012, Standard Chartered admitted to breaking U.S. sanctions against Libya, Iran and Sudan. The bank signed a deferred-prosecution agreement, allowing the Justice Department to later bring criminal charges for the sanctions busting if the bank was caught committing another federal crime in the following two years.

But the Justice Department extended the bank's scrutiny through 2017, after authorities said they discovered other possible violations the bank had not revealed.

U.S. authorities could tear up the agreement entirely, and bring the earlier sanctions charges, if they determine that Standard Chartered has committed "egregious enough" misconduct, said William Jacobson, a white-collar defense attorney at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP.

Story continues

"What the government should weigh is the severity of the misconduct discovered, but that's in the eye of the beholder," Jacobson said.

The Indonesian company allegedly paid bribes to win contracts and smooth relations with Indonesian energy officials, the Wall Street Journal said, citing sources and legal reports it has reviewed.

An internal audit at MAXpower found evidence of bribery and other misconduct, the Journal said, saying those findings were echoed in a report from a law firm hired by MAXpower.

In response, MAXpower said the newspaper report gave a "one-sided and partial view of the operations and events at MAXpower and as such do not give a full, or true view."

"Since the restructuring of the company's shareholding and management in mid-2015 the company has implemented robust remedial actions including enhanced internal controls.

"We have engaged and continue to work with professional advisory firms to fully investigate issues and questions that have been raised. Accordingly, it would be inappropriate for the company to comment further at this stage," it said.

BANKER LEAVING

Standard Chartered's private equity arm first invested in MAXpower in 2012 and last year pumped in an additional $60 million to become the majority owner.

The bank has been reducing the size of its private equity business in recent years, axing jobs and selling investments as part of a wider restructuring of the bank.

Bloomberg reported earlier this month that Standard Chartered was considering spinning out its entire private equity business to its managers.

Two separate sources with knowledge of Standard Chartered's operations said that Benjamin Soemartopo, managing director and head of its Indonesia private equity business, is leaving the bank. Soemartopo is also listed as a director on the board of MAXpower.

One of the two sources said that Soemartopo's move to leave Standard Chartered was a result of restructuring of the lender's private equity business.

Standard Chartered declined to comment on the banker's move, and Soemartopo could not be reached for a comment. The sources did not want to be named because the information is not public.

(Reporting by Lawrence White; Additional reporting by Randy Fabi and Eveline Danubrata in Jakarta, Suzanne Barlyn in New York, Joel Schectman in Washington, Saeed Azhar in Singapore and Sumeet Chatterjee in Hong Kong; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Muralikumar Anantharaman)
By Lawrence White and Joel Schectman

LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Standard Chartered <STAN.L> has told "appropriate authorities" about alleged corruption at an Indonesian power plant company majority-owned by its private equity arm, the bank said.

The lender's comment came in response to a Wall Street Journal report that the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating whether Standard Chartered failed to stop possible bribery and other misconduct at MAXpower Group Pte Ltd, which builds and operates gas-fired power plants in Southeast Asia.

The allegations compound the legal woes of the bank, which is subject to a deferred-prosecution agreement with the Justice Department over alleged Iranian sanctions breaches and faces possible prosecution if found to have committed another federal crime.

"Standard Chartered takes very seriously allegations of impropriety in any of our private equity investments. We proactively referred this matter to the appropriate authorities and have conducted our own review," a spokesman for the bank said in an emailed statement on Tuesday.

Two people familiar with the matter said that the "appropriate authorities" included the U.S. Department of Justice. A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment.

In 2012, Standard Chartered admitted to breaking U.S. sanctions against Libya, Iran and Sudan. The bank signed a deferred-prosecution agreement, allowing the Justice Department to later bring criminal charges for the sanctions busting if the bank was caught committing another federal crime in the following two years.

But the Justice Department extended the bank's scrutiny through 2017, after authorities said they discovered other possible violations the bank had not revealed.

U.S. authorities could tear up the agreement entirely, and bring the earlier sanctions charges, if they determine that Standard Chartered has committed "egregious enough" misconduct, said William Jacobson, a white-collar defense attorney at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP.

Story continues

"What the government should weigh is the severity of the misconduct discovered, but that's in the eye of the beholder," Jacobson said.

The Indonesian company allegedly paid bribes to win contracts and smooth relations with Indonesian energy officials, the Wall Street Journal said, citing sources and legal reports it has reviewed.

An internal audit at MAXpower found evidence of bribery and other misconduct, the Journal said, saying those findings were echoed in a report from a law firm hired by MAXpower.

In response, MAXpower said the newspaper report gave a "one-sided and partial view of the operations and events at MAXpower and as such do not give a full, or true view."

"Since the restructuring of the company's shareholding and management in mid-2015 the company has implemented robust remedial actions including enhanced internal controls.

"We have engaged and continue to work with professional advisory firms to fully investigate issues and questions that have been raised. Accordingly, it would be inappropriate for the company to comment further at this stage," it said.

BANKER LEAVING

Standard Chartered's private equity arm first invested in MAXpower in 2012 and last year pumped in an additional $60 million to become the majority owner.

The bank has been reducing the size of its private equity business in recent years, axing jobs and selling investments as part of a wider restructuring of the bank.

Bloomberg reported earlier this month that Standard Chartered was considering spinning out its entire private equity business to its managers.

Two separate sources with knowledge of Standard Chartered's operations said that Benjamin Soemartopo, managing director and head of its Indonesia private equity business, is leaving the bank. Soemartopo is also listed as a director on the board of MAXpower.

One of the two sources said that Soemartopo's move to leave Standard Chartered was a result of restructuring of the lender's private equity business.

Standard Chartered declined to comment on the banker's move, and Soemartopo could not be reached for a comment. The sources did not want to be named because the information is not public.

(Reporting by Lawrence White; Additional reporting by Randy Fabi and Eveline Danubrata in Jakarta, Suzanne Barlyn in New York, Joel Schectman in Washington, Saeed Azhar in Singapore and Sumeet Chatterjee in Hong Kong; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Muralikumar Anantharaman)
Johannesburg (AFP) - Student protests in South Africa spread Wednesday with police firing rubber bullets at demonstrators on campuses in Johannesburg and Grahamstown as unrest over tuition fees roils universities across the country.

The University of Johannesburg's Doornfontein campus was hit by violent clashes between students and campus security guards as running battles erupted through the evening, AFP photographers witnessed.

Police in Grahamstown, in Eastern Cape province, arrested at least 11 Rhodes University students after they allegedly violated a court interdict which barred protests on the university grounds.

"Anyone who threatens or intimidates or prohibits lectures from taking place is breaking that interdict," police captain Luvuyo Mjekula told the News 24 website.

"Today the students were found to be disrupting lectures. That was basically threatening other people. Police had to respond."

Video footage showed police firing rubber bullets from behind a wall, shouting at students to disperse and dragging protesters into police vans.

Campuses including the University of Cape Town, Wits University in Johannesburg and the Durban University of Technology have been temporarily closed due to the protests.

Over the last ten days, riot police nationwide have regularly used stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse student protesters, who are demanding free university education.

The wave of protests was triggered by a government announcement that universities would set their own fee increases but that next year's hikes would be capped at eight percent.

"If the higher education sector does not return to teaching... we stand to lose a generation of students," Max Price, vice chancellor of the University of Cape Town, said on Wednesday.

"No matter what changes we wish to bring to society, we can't make those changes by destroying the higher education sector in South Africa."

Story continues

Unrest has hit many South African universities over the past year, as students have protested against the fee increases that they say force poorer, often black, pupils out of education.

Last year, students -- many of them so-called "born frees" who grew up after apartheid -- staged a series of major demonstrations which forced the government to abandon planned fee hikes for 2016.

Throughout this year, there has been sporadic unrest which has seen accommodation buildings and libraries set alight, and in May, an auditorium at Johannesburg University was firebombed.
Gigi Hadid's Milan Attacker Attempts to Kiss Kim Kardashian's Butt [Daily Mail]

One week after celebrity prankster/assaulter Vitalii Sediuk attacked Gigi Hadid in Milan, the 27-year-old was back at it again, this time at Paris Fashion Week, where he attempted to plant a kiss on Kim Kardashian's derriere. Sediuk slipped past Kardashian's security and appeared to make contact with the reality star, however her security team quickly intervened, pinning Sediuk to the ground. In an interesting twist, Sediuk actually pulled the same move two years ago at Paris Fashion Week.

Tom Hiddleston Covers Interview Mag [Interview]

Tom Hiddleston's had a whirlwind September. The Night Manager actor - who is perhaps best known for his roles as Loki in the Avengers franchise and as Taylor Swift's summer 2016 boyfriend - was not only nominated for an Emmy, but he also landed a Gucci campaign (with the glamorous fabulous canine co-stars) as well as the cover of Interview magazine, photographed by Steven Klein. However in his interview, conducted by Benedict Cumberbatch, both actors agreed not to breach the subject of Hiddleston's buzzy relationship, instead sticking to topics like acting, Chris Hemsworth and being British.

Mario Testino Launches New Website [Business of Fashion]

With the launch of his new website, Mira Mira, Mario Testino is giving the public a glimpse of his unpublished works, as well as exclusive interviews and travel diaries which he has accumulated over his career as one of fashion's most in-demand photographers. Testino will also post behind-the-scenes looks at his uber-popular Towel Series, including never-before-seen footage from Bella Hadid's shoot.

A photo posted by MARIO TESTINO (@mariotestino) on Sep 28, 2016 at 8:06am PDT

Vogue Recreates George Michael's "Freedom! '90" Video with NYFW Collections [Instagram]

Vogue picked a handful of A-list models (Anna Ewers, Adriana Lima, Joan Smalls, Imaan Hammam) to recreate George Michael's "Freedom! '90" music video (which starred supes like Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington-Burns) while wearing some of the hottest off-the-runway looks from this past New York Fashion Week. The models, whose lip-syncing abilities were put to the test, were filmed frolicking through the city in the latest from Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, Rodarte, Michael Kors and more.

A video posted by Vogue (@voguemagazine) on Sep 28, 2016 at 6:03am PDT
Stockholm (AFP) - Sweden said Wednesday it would reintroduce compulsory military service from 2018, eight years after it was abolished.

The Scandinavian nation, which has not seen armed conflict on its territory in two centuries, ended conscription in 2010 after it was deemed an unsatisfactory way of meeting the needs of a modern army.

"I hope that we are going to find a path to a more stable, robust and functional means of recruitment," Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist told a news conference.

The new policy will affect Swedes born after 1999, according to a report by a former member of parliament for the defence ministry.

The measure is expected to be adopted by parliament, subject to agreement between the leftist government and the centre right opposition.

Around 4,000 young Swedes, 18-year-olds of both sexes, are expected to be called up each year.

The move was "an intelligent proposal given that we have seen for a number of years now that volunteers are not sufficient to supply either the quality or quantity of soldiers" needed, Johan Osterberg, a researcher from the School for Advanced Defence Studies, told news agency TT.

Sweden is not a NATO member but has signed the body's Partnership for Peace programme launched in 1994 to develop military cooperation between NATO and non-member countries.
By Huw Jones

LONDON (Reuters) - The SIX Swiss Exchange said on Wednesday it was confident it can continue serving investors in the European Union without having to set up a new exchange after Britain exits the EU.

Switzerland is not part of the EU and currently serves customers in the bloc from a base in London. With Britain leaving the EU, it has to find another way of linking up with its continental European customers.

Chris Landis, chief executive of the SIX Swiss Exchange, said he was in talks with EU officials about serving customers under a system known as "equivalence".

This refers to a non-EU country accessing customers in the bloc by complying with rules similar to those in the EU.

The bloc's European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) will have to give a view on whether Swiss trading rules are similar. The bloc's executive European Commission would then decide whether equivalence can be granted.

Landis said he was in talks with these two EU bodies.

"The preferred route for us is clearly the equivalence route, but that does not exclude other routes," Landis told Reuters.

"Technically, we have no reason to believe we should not be deemed equivalent. I am confident."

An alternative would be to set up an exchange in the EU, but this would be onerous, and could create legal uncertainty for customers as to whose rules apply, he said.

Equivalence would be granted under an EU securities law known as MiFID II, which comes into effect in January 2018.

Switzerland has already put into law rules along the lines of MiFID II, and will need an equivalence decision from the EU by the 2018 start date for the EU law.

Top Swiss shares make up a fifth of the Stoxx50, a widely followed stock index, and trading in the EU would be disrupted if Swiss volumes were suddenly cut off, Landis said.

"European investors would be depending on haphazard price formation. That is not something that is desirable," Landis said.

This week saw more consolidation in the exchange sector when the CBOE said it was buying Bats for $3.2 billion. This follows the planned merger of the London Stock Exchange Group with Deutsche Boerse.

Story continues

"I don't think we want to get into bed with anybody at this point in time, but that does not preclude working together," Landis said.

The SIS Swiss Exchange group's settlement arm said last week it would collaborate with Deutsche Boerse's Clearstream unit.

(Reporting by Huw Jones; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian government forces battled rebel fighters on several fronts in ground attacks in Aleppo on Wednesday, rebel officials said, as the army and its allies pressed a Russian-backed offensive to take back the city. A senior rebel official said pro-government forces were also mobilizing in apparent preparation for more ground attacks in central areas of the city, which is divided into zones controlled separately by the rebels and government. "There have been clashes in al-Suweiqa from 5 a.m. until now. The army advanced a little bit, and the guys are now repelling it, God willing," a fighter in the rebel Levant Front group said in a voice recording sent to Reuters, referring to an area where there was also fighting on Tuesday. Another rebel official said government forces were also attacking the insurgent-held Handarat refugee camp a few kilometers to the north of Aleppo. (Reporting by Tom Perry; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Beirut (AFP) - Escalating violence in Syria, particularly against rebel-held Aleppo city, means a political solution to the conflict is "no longer a viable option," an opposition official said Wednesday.

Muwaffaq Nyrabia, vice-president of the key National Coalition movement, said the country's rebels were "considering all options to defend the Syrian people against the Russian aggression on Syria".

"A political solution is no longer a viable option in the current climate," he said, according to a statement issued by the National Coalition.

There was no official statement from the body as a whole, which is the leading political opposition group in exile.

The statement said the "armed and political opposition are working on closing ranks and arranging their priorities in light of the fierce military campaign waged by the regime and its allies" but gave no further details.

Syria's government and its ally Russia have pounded rebel-held parts of Aleppo since Thursday, when Damascus announced an operation to recapture all of the city.

The operation began after a truce deal negotiated between Moscow and Washington collapsed.

The deal had been touted as a possible path back to new negotiations on ending the conflict, which has killed more than 300,000 people since it began in March 2011.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A computer hacker sympathetic to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government pleaded guilty for his role as a middleman in an extortion scheme targeting U.S. media outlets and governments, the U.S. Department of Justice said on Wednesday.

It said in a statement that Peter Romar, 37, was a member of the Syrian Electronic Army hacking group and had joined an operation to infiltrate computers of Assad's "perceived detractors" in the media, U.S. government and other governments.

Romar's guilty plea was entered in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Romar, who was extradited from Germany in May, faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced, the statement said.

At the time of the indictment, Justice Department officials said the hackers used a tactic known as "spear-phishing," to target computers. CNN, National Public Radio, the Associated Press, Reuters, Microsoft Corp, Harvard University and Human Rights Watch were among the targets.

"If a victim could not make extortion payments to the conspiracys Syrian bank accounts due to sanctions targeting Syria, Romar acted as an intermediary in Germany to evade those sanctions," the Justice Department said in Wednesday's statement.

A co-defendant remains at large and is believed to be in Syria, where a 5-1/2 year civil war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and forced millions to flee.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey; editing by Grant McCool)
[September 27, 2016] Global Telecom Power Systems Market to Witness Growth Through 2020 Due to the Increased Deployment of Small Cell Power Systems for LTE Networks: Technavio

Technavio analysts forecast the global telecom power systems market to grow at a CAGR of more than 8% during the forecast period, according to their latest report. The research study covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the global telecom power systems market for 2016-2020. The report has taken into consideration the sales revenue obtained from telecom power system products, software and service functions. In addition, the report discusses the major drivers that influence the growth of the global telecom power systems market. It also outlines the challenges faced by vendors and the market at large, as well as the key emerging trends. Request a sample report: http://www.technavio.com/request-a-sample?report=52343 Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Technavio ICT analysts highlight the following four factors that are contributing to the growth of the global telecom power systems market: Increased deployment of telecom network infrastructure in emerging regions

Regulatory demand for reduced OPEX

Increased deployment of small cell power systems for LTE (News - Alert)

Increased use of ultra-high-capacity optical networks Increased deployment of telecom network infrastructure in emerging regions Almost 480 commercial long-term evolution (LTE) networks were deployed in 157 countries by January 2016. APAC and South Africa have become one of the growing markets demanding extensive network coverage to provide reliable and stable connectivity for an increased cellular subscriber base in remote areas. According to Abhishek Sharma, a lead analyst at Technavio for M2M and connected devices research, "There is an urgent need to transform the system from diesel usage to renewable energy sources, which not only helps in cost reduction but also saves on energy. On an average telecom towers and data centers together consume more than 70% of the energy in the entire telecom sector." Increasing deployment of small cells requires small size power backup. Cellect 600 from Alpha technologies integrates battery backup with an AC/DC power supply in a compact, sealed enclosure desiged to withstand harsh outdoor environments, which offers high-efficiency power conversion, advanced monitoring, and control. In order to improve efficiency and reliability of services, the telecom tower companies are increasingly depending on power systems, which reduces the overall costs drastically.



Regulatory demand for reduced OPEX (News - Alert) Telecom operators are under tremendous pressure due to government regulations on OPEX. Most of the off-grid telecom sites require high levels of fuel for their continuous and seamless operation to ensure reliability in service. These remote sites have to be continuously monitored and maintained for refueling that involves logistics cost. It is crucial to reduce the operational expenses by utilizing renewable energy sources, which can be used to meet the growing demand for efficient network connectivity.

Adoption of hybrid power systems reduces the need for fuel requirements by optimizing the usage of renewable energy resources like solar panels or wind turbines or reusable battery products. Apart from the reduction in the level of fuel consumption, carbon dioxide emissions also get reduced drastically. This results in lowering of the operational costs to about 65% on an average. Increased deployment of small cell power systems for LTE With the explosive growth of mobile data traffic, telecom operators are compelled to extend the network coverage area by rolling out numerous wireless telecom networks in both rural areas and high-density metropolitan cities. APAC is heading the global LTE scenario in terms of existing and expected customers. Countries like India, Thailand, and Indonesia are in the early stages of LTE adoption whereas Japan has advanced LTE technology and is planning to upgrade to 5G. The density of mobile devices is very high in the urban areas where operators are establishing more number of picocells and femtocells, which require DC power systems. (Pico and femtocells typically cover small areas like buildings, home and small business.) "With the rise in the deployment of small cell sites, the demand for power systems is increasing as they provide a cost-effective solution, with easy installation, and high operational efficiency," says Abhishek. Increased use of ultra-high-capacity optical networks The world is now virtually interconnected enabling efficient and easy communication that delivers better economic growth. Broadband connectivity across all regions is providing the channel for transfer of communication with higher speeds. Due to Internet of Everything (IoE), internet traffic is growing tremendously and has its implications on the telecom broadband infrastructure in fulfilling the capacity requirements. Telecom operators have to invest more in expanding effective and efficient high capacity fiber optic networks that cater to the increasing subscriber demand. Fiber to the home (FTTH) requires renewable power systems to deliver bandwidth to every household with broadband connectivity on a continuous basis. Most of the countries in the African region will expand the growth in the broadband market with the rise in economic conditions. Internet traffic in the developing nations will grow six-fold in the coming five years. Thus, the increasing deployment of the FTTH infrastructure is expected to harness the growth of the power systems industry. Browse Related Reports: Telecom Power System Market in North America 2015-2019

Telecom Power Systems Market in APAC: Research Analysis 2015-2019

Global Satellite Broadband Communication in Public Safety Market 2016-2020 Do you need a report on a market in a specific geographical cluster or country but can't find what you're looking for? Don't worry, Technavio also takes client requests. Please contact [email protected] with your requirements and our analysts will be happy to create a customized report just for you. About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies. Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160927005743/en/

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When one woman's wedding was headed for disaster, a Syrian refugee who arrived in the country just days before became the unlikely hero of the celebration.

Read: Boy, 6, Writes Obama About Syrian Ambulance Boy: 'Can You Please Go Get Him?'

Bride Jo Du from Ontario, Canada, was looking forward to what would be a flawless wedding until she tried on her wedding dress, and the zipper broke.

"I was really nervous," Du told InsideEdition.com.

Knowing it would be impossible to find a tailor in time, her bridesmaids suggested they ask the neighbors to borrow tools to fix the dress.

"I've got better than tools," replied David Hobson when he was approached. "I've got a master tailor."

Hobson told InsideEdition.com he had applied to be a host to a refugee family months ago, and only four days before Du's wedding, the Canadian government sent a family of five Syrians, a mom, dad and three children, to live in his home.

The Syrian family  who have not yet learned English  speak only Kurdish, Arabic and Turkish, but Hobson said the two families have been able to communicate with the help of another Syrian refugee who had been living in the neighborhood for more than two years.

Through the translator, Hobson learned Ibrahim Halil Dudu, the father of the family, was a master tailor and had owned a business in Aleppo for 28 years, until it was blown up in the war-torn region.

The wedding party eventually settled on borrowing a pair of pliers, but minutes later, Halil showed up on their doorstep anyway to provide his expertise.

"It was such a relief to see him come in the house to help us," Du said.

"He took one look at the zipper, and sort of mentioned, 'Let me work,'" said photographer Lindsay Coulter, who captured the entire scene on camera. "Everyone was so grateful."

Read: Bride Has Wedding in Hospital So Father, Who Died 2 Days Later, Could Witness Her Big Day

Halil and the wedding party scurried their separate ways after he finished sewing the dress back on the bride, but Coulter said the display of kindness was indicative of how well the refugees were settling into their community.

Story continues

"[The community] has jumped in to help, be it watching kids, offering meals," she told InsideEdition.com.

Halil's generosity to the Canadian family in their time of need was his way of reciprocating the deed.

Watch: 'Most Wanted' Fugitive in 2005 Murder Posts Wedding Photo on Social Media

Related Articles:
Photo: Lindsay Coulter Photography

A wedding in Canada became more than just a celebration of a bride and groom coming together  quite accidentally, it turned into a celebration of global unity as well. Bride Jo Du was getting ready for her big day in Guelph, Ontario, when the zipper of her gown broke. When no one in the wedding party could fix it, she was rescued by a Syrian refugee who had just moved in next door.

Photo: Lindsay Coulter Photography



The girls were all surprisingly calm but werent having much luck fixing the zipper, photographer Lindsay Coulter wrote about the day on Facebook. The neighbor living next door to the house they had rented for the wedding had his garage door open when I pulled up, so I suggested they run over and ask if he had pliers.

David Hobson was happy to lend them the tools but also offered something much better: Just four days earlier, Ibrahim Halil Dudu, along with his wife and three children, had moved into Hobsons home from Turkey. He happened to be a tailor with 28 years of experience. Dudu didnt speak English, but with the help of Google Translate, he was able to get right to work. He sewed Du into her dress as everyone looked on.

Photo: Lindsay Coulter Photography



I was so excited and so happy [to] help Canadian people like other people helped [me], Dudu told CTV News.

According to CTV, Du and her new husband, Earl Lee, went back to Hobsons house the next day to thank Dudu one more time. As immigrants themselves, they appreciated that Canada had welcomed this man and his family.

Everyones really realizing the worlds a small place, and you can really make a big difference by doing small things for individuals that are close to you, Hobson told CTV.

The significance of this gesture wasnt lost on Coulter, whose Facebook post has been shared more than 4,000 times and liked 10,000 times as of this writing.

Every weekend I take photos of people on the happiest days of their lives, and today one man who has seen some of the worst things our world has to offer came to the rescue, she wrote. I am so proud to live in Canada, a country who has opened our doors to refugees countless times. Im in awe of the families who have welcomed these strangers in to their homes and lives, and Im inspired by the resilience of the Syrian people.

Story continues

Photo: Lindsay Coulter Photography



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A sprawling brick-and-mortar bookstore may seem like a risky investment in one of the worlds most tightly censored nations. And yet in November 2015, the hugely popular Taiwanese bookstore chain Eslite opened its first flagship store in mainland China. Located in the southern city of Suzhous ritzy central business district, Eslite Suzhou appears to be anything but a bookstore: the four-floored, 56,000 square-meter multiplex, with its lofty stone staircase and glass windows, has more of the vibe of a museum, or perhaps an airport terminal. In addition to perusing more than 150,000 titles, a customer can sample organic oolong tea, meditate quietly in the yoga room, or watch an experimental theatre show in the attached performance hall.

Eslite is a bookstore chain with 43 branches across Taiwan and Hong Kong, with total sales at $118 million in the last year alone. Its become a cultural landmark: young Taiwanese consider the 24-hour Dunnan store in the capital of Taipei the cool place to be on a Saturday night, and it is one of the standard stops on the itinerary for mainland Chinese tourists in search of books banned back home. That reputation has helped bring it success on the mainland; even amid rigid censorship and a rapidly declining print book industry, Eslite Suzhou is thriving. More than 1 million visitors flocked to the store within 20 days of its opening, hoping to get a taste of the famous Eslite experience. Thats because the iconic store offers more than just books  its a hub of culture and bourgeois intellectualism, meeting an increasing demand among mainland consumers for the sophisticated and elegant lifestyle of Taiwanese yuppies.

Eslites success in undemocratic China may seem implausible. But while Taiwan may be a flourishing democracy now, when Taiwanese business mogul Robert Wu first opened Eslite in 1989 in Taipei, the self-governing island did not look all that different from China today.

At the time, Taiwan was still under the single-party rule of the Nationalist government, which then-President Lee Tung-hui had inherited from his predecessor Chiang Ching-kuo, son of Chiang Kai-shek, exiled leader of the Republic of China. Under Lees tenure, the government was only beginning to undergo democratic reform and relax its stringent laws of censorship. Wang Shouren, who founded the Taiwanese publishing company Yuan Liou Publishing Co 40 years ago, told Foreign Policy that the industry was tough then. Pro-Communist and anti-Nationalist texts were banned from circulation. Anything critical of the Chiang family could not be put on the shelves, Wang said, much like critiques of [Chinese president] Xi Jinpings family dynasty is banned on the mainland today.

Taiwan in the late 1980s was also undergoing rapid economic growth, as China is now. Publishing evolved to profit from the islands new consumerism. More Taiwanese wanted to buy houses, and to flaunt their new wealth, [they] would buy liquor cabinets to display imported Western wines, explained Wang. So we started selling large sets of glossy coffee table books, and created an advertisement at the time that had the slogan: replace your liquor shelves with bookshelves! Carrying a little black Eslite membership card quickly became an indication of status for the burgeoning middle class. When somebody asked about your day, you didnt just say that you hung out in a bookstore, said Sun Yaling, a Chinese language teacher. You said that you hung out at Eslite bookstore. As a young college student at the time, she was intimidated by the store, which sold mostly books on Western art and culture. For the burgeoning Taiwanese middle class, Eslite made reading cool.

Now, Eslite is using a similar strategy on the mainland. The bookstore is attracting customers who want to consume the lifestyle, the same way someone wouldve wanted to consume a Louis Vuitton bag, said Shelley Rigger, professor of East Asian politics at Davidson College in North Carolina and an expert in cross-Strait economic relations. But what do fancy people do now? They read. It is meeting a deeper hunger in China for a lifestyle grounded in simple values rather than raw consumption.

Fucha Heyan, a native of the large northeastern city of Shenyang who moved to Taiwan eight years ago to work for publishing company Eight Flags, believes that Eslites success comes from what he called its unique business model, one embodied by the slogan in big letters at the front of the stores entrance: Books and Everything in Between. Books are an increasingly unprofitable product both in China and around the world, and they comprise around 30 percent of Eslites sales. The rest  the secret to the companys survival  comes from the everything in between: items like food, kitchenware, art-house cinemas, reading clubs, and hotels. Through this jack-of-all-trades business model, Eslite provides young urban Chinese with the chance to live out an increasingly accepted idea of modern life: sitting in a coffee shop on weekends, savoring foreign literature over an iced tea latte, and scouting potential dates.

Lifestyle is one of the most successful Taiwanese cultural exports to mainland China, according to Rigger. She cites the successes of 85C, a Taiwan-based coffee chain, and Christine, a Taiwan-based bakery chain, as examples. These companies thrive off selling a more sophisticated and urbane way of living, said Rigger. You go in to these coffee shops and there are booths, long tables, dark interiors. You do business the Taiwanese way. You get rice with Taiwanese ribs, get pastries with coffee.

Eslite has been juggling its identity as a bookseller with corporate demands for the last 20 years, shrinking its emphasis on books and focusing on its lifestyle brand Eslite Spectrum, which helped to compensate for declining book sales. The company even boasts a real estate venture, Eslite Residence, which has had a hand in building two luxury residential buildings overlooking the tranquil scenery of Jinji Lake in Suzhou.

Such strategic diversification has the added benefit of making Eslites success as a company less vulnerable to censorship. Books are highly sensitive in mainland China, their production and sale intensely regulated by the Chinese government. All of the roughly 580 book publishers in the country are state-owned. In order to get their books to the Chinese reader, foreign publishers hoping to gain entry in the market must go through a convoluted set of rules and regulations set by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television. Although foreign retailers are legally permitted to engage in the sale of books, they are severely constrained in terms of what they can sell: inspection occurs at both the pre-and-post publication stages. Customers at Eslite Suzhou will, of course, not be sipping tea alongside a riveting read on Tibetan independence or the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. Visitors to the Suzhou store should not expect to find the breadth of publications that they would in the Taiwan branches, like speeches by ex Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian, whose staunch pro-independence policies are a nuisance to the Chinese government, or Taiwanese public intellectual Lung Ying-Tais Big River, Big Sea, a searing critique of the Communist Partys policies during the Chinese Civil War which ended in 1949. (Eslite declined to have a representative interviewed for this article.)

Publishers like Fucha and Fang are concerned that Eslites mainland operations may make its branches elsewhere vulnerable to pressure from Beijing. According to a June 2014 report in Hong Kong news outlet Apple Daily, Eslite pulled Tibet-related books off the shelves of its Hong Kong branch and allegedly issued an in-company document prohibiting its workers to make comments about the company on social media without approval.

Operating within the rigid constraints of the mainland ecosystem, Eslite could simply become another virtual China experience like the Internet: carefully manicured and controlled by higher authorities. Can Eslite, a bookstore cultivated in a free society, asked Fucha, be replanted on mainland Chinese soil? He was uncertain. All I know is that once Eslite enters the Mainland, it will no longer be Eslite as we know it.

Eslites now Suzhou bookstore may not provide as diverse a selection of books available on the island. But to mainland Chinese consumers, perhaps the aura of sophistication is enough  for now.

Top image: Eslite Bookstore Kaohsiung Chiayi Store. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons/Wing1990hk
(Reuters) - Japan's Takata Corp (7312.T) is in talks with the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve allegations of criminal wrongdoing related to its faulty air bags, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

Federal prosecutors have found evidence of unlawful conduct in Takata's handling of rupture-prone air bags and are waiting for the company's proposal on how to resolve an anticipated criminal case, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. (http://on.wsj.com/2cKtmjv)

The prosecutors are examining a charge of criminal wire fraud after determining the company likely made misleading statements and concealed information about air bags. They could pursue other kinds of criminal violations in the case, WSJ reported.

The DoJ investigators have held preliminary discussions with Takata that picked up steam in August and the company is expected to face a financial penalty as part of any settlement, according to the report.

Takata's air bag inflators, which contain ammonium nitrate, have been linked to at least 14 deaths and more than 150 injuries and resulted in the largest vehicle recall in history.

The air bags can explode with excessive force in hot, humid conditions. About 100 million Takata air bag inflators have been declared defective worldwide.

Takata and the DoJ were not immediately available for comment.

(Reporting by Arunima Banerjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Don Sebastian)
(Reuters) - Japan's Takata Corp <7312.T> is in talks with the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve allegations of criminal wrongdoing related to its faulty air bags, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

Federal prosecutors have found evidence of unlawful conduct in Takata's handling of rupture-prone air bags and are waiting for the company's proposal on how to resolve an anticipated criminal case, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. (http://on.wsj.com/2cKtmjv)

The prosecutors are examining a charge of criminal wire fraud after determining the company likely made misleading statements and concealed information about air bags. They could pursue other kinds of criminal violations in the case, WSJ reported.

The DoJ investigators have held preliminary discussions with Takata that picked up steam in August and the company is expected to face a financial penalty as part of any settlement, according to the report.

Takata's air bag inflators, which contain ammonium nitrate, have been linked to at least 14 deaths and more than 150 injuries and resulted in the largest vehicle recall in history.

The air bags can explode with excessive force in hot, humid conditions. About 100 million Takata air bag inflators have been declared defective worldwide.

Takata and the DoJ were not immediately available for comment.

(Reporting by Arunima Banerjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Don Sebastian)
By Fumbuka Ng'wanakilala DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - Tanzania has charged at least two senior public officials over allegations of embezzlement of earthquake relief funds, President John Magufuli said on Wednesday. The officials were sacked on Tuesday following allegations that they had set up a fake bank account to siphon off relief funds given in response to a 5.7 magnitude earthquake which killed at least 17 people and made thousands homeless. "A regional administrative secretary and a district executive director were charged in court today," Magufuli said in Tanzania's commercial capital Dar es Salaam. The president warned public officials that anyone who engages in corruption over the relief funds, which have poured in from foreign and domestic donors, will face swift punishment. "Our people are suffering as a result of this earthquake and require emergency relief assistance, yet these dishonest officials are trying to benefit financially from this tragedy," he said. Tanzania has appealed for international assistance to help rebuild thousands of homes after the quake, which struck the northwestern town of Kagera on Sept 10. The government has set up a special bank account for quake funds and has been collecting cash and material contributions for the relief effort. The two public officials are alleged to have set up a parallel bank account under the same name as the government's official relief fund to divert funds for their own personal use, said the president. Magufuli said Britain gave 2.3 million pounds on Wednesday. "We are receiving these donations from the United Kingdom and others because our development partners are now confident that their financial assistance will be well spent," he said. Since his election in October, reformist Magufuli has launched a far-reaching crackdown on corruption, which businesses have long highlighted as a major obstacle to investment in Tanzania. The country ranked 117 out of 168 countries in Transparency International's 2015 index of least corrupt countries. No.1 is deemed the least corrupt. Magufuli has already dismissed several senior officials, including the head of the government's anti-graft body, the country's top tax chief, a senior rail official and the head of the country's port authority. (Editing by Elias Biryabarema and Dominic Evans)
A black Texas teen who showed up to his high school "decades day" dressed as a slave Tuesday says he was asked to change or face possible suspension.

Brian Ibe, a senior at Ridge Point High School in Missouri City, wore chains and bloody clothes and carried a bag of cotton to the homecoming week celebration to make a statement about black American ancestors.

Read: Protests Erupt Outside San Diego After Cops Kill 'Mentally Ill' Black Man

Despite its historic inspiration, administrators were not pleased with the costume.

"I was inspired to dress as a slave for 'Decades Day' at my school to not only be different, but to remember important history that some of my very own ancestors went through," Ibe, 18, told InsideEdition.com. "Decades day is one of the dress up days for our homecoming spirit week. We have option to pick any decade we would like represent and should be able to do it freely."

Ibe said he begrudgingly changed out of his costume because he feared being suspended but that it was a shame because he wore it to educate fellow students about the history of blacks in America.

Read: Girl, 9, Tearfully Appeals for Peace Following Fatal Police Shooting: 'I Can't Stand How We're Treated'

However, he told Inside Edition that he wasn't causing a distraction and was even applauded by his classmates for his outfit.

"My classmates saw nothing wrong with my outfit and were confused on why I had to change. There was not one person who had negative thoughts about my outfit in fact there was many rants all over social media and in person. I was not making fun of slavery as I personally can relate to it so heavily," he said.

Ibe said his messaged is being censored.

"This is history and its so important. We can't just shut it out," he said.

Without addressing Ibe specifically, a spokesperson for the school district defended in a statement to KPRC the school's right to enforce its dress code, even during a costume day.

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"If a student is dressed inappropriately, and/or if their dress is considered a distraction to the learning environment, they will and have been asked to change clothes. In the last couple of days, less than a dozen students have been asked to change or modify their clothing.

"Ridge Point High School is encouraging students to express their school spirit this week, while adhering to the dress code. It is important that the campus maintain a distraction-free learning environment," the spokesperson said.

Watch: Family of Unarmed Man Fatally Shot by Police Demands Justice: 'It Feels Like a Nightmare'

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Bangkok (AFP) - Thai doctors are running tests to see whether Zika was the cause of microcephaly in two babies whose mothers are infected with the mosquito-borne virus, a health official said Wednesday.

Two other infants with the condition were cleared of a link to the virus.

If the remaining pair are found to be linked, they could be the first case of Zika-related microcephaly in Southeast Asia, according to the World Health Organisation.

"It is too early to conclude if (the other two) had Zika, we need more information," said Apichai Mongkol, director general of the Department of Medical Sciences.

Zika causes only mild symptoms in most, including fever, sore eyes and a rash. But pregnant women with the virus risk giving birth to babies with microcephaly -- a deformation that leads to abnormally small brains and heads.

Thai authorities have been monitoring 36 pregnant women infected with the virus.

Eight have now given birth and three of the babies have been born with microcephaly, while an ultrasound scan on another mother showed her child also has the condition, according to a ministry statement on Tuesday.

Between 200 to 300 Thai children are born with the condition each year, which can also be caused by Down syndrome and other infections during pregnancy such as German measles and chickenpox, the statement said.

"If a case of Zika-related microcephaly is confirmed then it would be the first confirmed case in the WHO Southeast Asia region," said Michael Vurens van Es, World Health Organization regional spokesman.

He said evidence suggested that Zika has been present in Southeast Asia for several years, adding that the number of confirmed cases has risen in conjunction with heightened surveillance.

Scientists this month warned that the world should prepare for a "global epidemic" of microcephaly as the Zika virus takes root in new countries.

Thai authorities have been at pains to reassure locals and the millions of foreign tourists who visit each year that they are fighting the spread of the mosquitos which carry the virus.

Experts say it will be years before a vaccine is developed to prevent infection from Zika.
[September 27, 2016] NSFOCUS Introduces STAR Partner Program

NSFOCUS, a global provider of intelligent hybrid security solutions, announced today the launch of its global partner program, the NSFOCUS STAR (News - Alert) Partner Program. The program encompasses partners at the regional and national levels including resellers, distributors, consulting partners, technology and solution providers, system integrators and managed security service providers. NSFOCUS is committed to providing win-win relationships that enables channel partners to develop new market opportunities through the STAR Partner Program. The STAR Partner Program provides NSFOCUS' global partners with a significant opportunity to grow their business through security solutions with proven track records. STAR partners will receive the sales enablement, technical guidance, Marketing Development Fund program, and aggressive financial rewards needed to be the expert consultants to their customers. NSFOCUS is committed to providing a strategic, qualitative approach to partnering with the channel, by not flooding the market with one-off partnerships and minimizing channel-conflicts through their deal registration platform. NSFOCUS understands the challenges associated with channel partnership and developed a program built upon three key principles to foster mutual growth and strong relationships among partners: strategy, trust, and responsiveness (STAR). Benefits for channel partners participating in the STAR Partner Program include: A dedicated channel team to assist partners through every stage of sales

A deal registration program to protect qualified opportunities

Higher margins that foster stronger positions for partners to win new business

Commitment to respond to deal registration within one business day "For years, organizations have followed the pattern of investing in several stand-alone solutions that each focus on a specific security problem, but the threat landscape is evolving and modern attacks are multi-faceted - originating from both the cloud and from inside the network," said Allan Thompson, COO of NSFOCUS. "Enterprises today need to implement an intelligent hybrid approach using actionable threat intelligence to get ahead of the modern attacks. Powered by unmatched threat intelligence, NSFOCUS offers partners access to an intelligent hybrid security model using both cloud and on-premise solutions, which will enable them to defend against advanced attacks that threaten their customers' networks." NSFOCUS has 17 years of experience workig with Fortune 500 companies, including the world's largest mobile provider and four of the world's largest financial institutions. With a proven track record of combatting the evolving cyber threat landscape, NSFOCUS is bringing this rich history of excellence to the channel. The company's intelligent hybrid security approach utilizes both cloud and on-premises security platforms, built on a foundation of real-time, actionable threat intelligence, to provide unified, multi-layer protection from advanced cyber threats. NSFOCUS' unique approach is powered by world-class threat intelligence that includes comprehensive analyses of the global threat landscape - including China - developed at NSFOCUS Security Labs - a renowned threat research organization.



"Hitachi Sunway Information is pleased to work with NSFOCUS to bring our joint customers a solution that provides both technology and security expertise," said Joshua Ong, CEO of Hitachi Sunway Information Systems. For more information on the NSFOCUS STAR Partner Program

To become a NSFOCUS Partner: http://marketing.nsfocusglobal.com/acton/form/17794/0016:d-0001/0/-/-/-/-/index.htm To learn more about NSFOCUS platforms: https://nsfocusglobal.com/platforms/overview-3/ About NSFOCUS IB NSFOCUS IB is a wholly owned subsidiary of NSFOCUS, an enterprise network security provider, with operations in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Japan. NSFOCUS IB has a proven track record of combatting the increasingly complex cyber threat landscape through the construction and implementation of multi-layered defense systems. The company's Intelligent Hybrid Security strategy utilizes both cloud and on-premises security platforms, built on a foundation of real-time global threat intelligence, to provide unified, multi-layer protection from advanced cyber threats. NSFOCUS has 17 years of success and experience working with Fortune 500 companies, including four of the world's five largest financial institutions, as well as organizations in insurance, retail, healthcare, critical infrastructure industries as well as government agencies. NSFOCUS IB has technology and channel partners in more than 60 countries, and is a winner of the Microsoft (News - Alert) Bug Bounty Program for 3 consecutive years, a member of the Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP), StopBadware.org, and the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA). Enterprise- and carrier-grade products undergo rigorous evaluation and testing to Veracode VL4 certification, delivering powerful and effective threat management combined with advanced data analytics and intrusion prevention and detection capabilities. A research arm, the NSFOCUS Security Labs, is a renowned technical research center that tracks and analyzes global intelligence while identifying new network vulnerabilities and security trends. Visit NSFOCUS: www.nsfocus.com Read the blog: http://nsfocusglobal.com/category/blog/ Follow on Twitter (News - Alert): https://twitter.com/NSFOCUS_Intl Follow on LinkedIn (News - Alert): https://www.linkedin.com/company/nsfocus Follow on Facebook (News - Alert): https://www.facebook.com/nsfocus/ NSFOCUS; NSFOCUS, INC. and NSFOCUS Anti-DDoS System (ADS) are trademarks or registered trademarks of NSFOCUS, Inc. All other names and trademarks are property of their respective firms. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160927006691/en/

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In 2006, two years before the crash that would destroy the livelihoods of millions of Americans, Donald J. Trump said he sort of hope[d] for that eventuality. He stood to make money.

Confronted by Hillary Clinton with that comment at Mondays debate, Trump did nothing to disavow it. To the contrary, he defended it: Thats called business, by the way, he condescended.

Together these remarks showcase a callous indifference to other peoples hardshipsan indifference that, my colleague Conor Friedersdorf writes, may matter little for a Manhattan mogul, but matters very much for someone asking to be entrusted with representing every American. No reasonable person who has followed along over these last few months could view such an attitude as an aberration. Rather, it fits in precisely with Trumps long and documented history of putting himself first, even when it means demolishing those who are in his way. Here is a person, a person who may very well become the next president of the United States, who is seemingly unable to imagine what its like to be someone else.

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But these comments represent another failure of the imagination as well, and that is a total deference to an idea of business to be obeyed as though it were handed down to Moses at Sinai. Business is not some eternal, naturally occurring phenomenon. It is socially constructed, guided by the laws and cultures of a given time and place, and the sort of business that Trump reveres is in fact very specific to America over the last four decades or so.

During the 20th century up until the 1980s, it was common for business leaders to see the purpose of their endeavors as including contributing to the public good. Corporate mission statements of this era often contained objectives such as providing good jobs for people and a responsibility to the communities in which we live and ... the world community as well, as Johnson & Johnsons did in 1943. It is only in recent years that corporations have pursued a singular aim above all else: to bring returns to shareholders, even when doing so comes at the expense of jobs or investing in research.

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Trump is emblematic of the values of this particular variety of capitalism, prizing profits over any social purpose. This has made him incredibly wealthy, he says. Lucky Donald. Now he has ridden that wave to the presidential debate stage, whatever the wreckage of human lives left in his wake. But all is justified under the mantle of business, in Trumps telling; greed and cruelty are finein his estimation, often brilliant, I suspectin the name of profit.

This is a contested view, to say the least. There are, in the pages of history and in the news, countless examples of business and political leaders who have sought to reform markets and the economy in service of some higher purpose. But Trump isnt interested, and dismissing his erstwhile hope for economic catastrophe with a quick thats called business line is to fail to engage in the question of what business is or what it could be, to assume that no other way is possible.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton shake hands at the presidential debate in Hempstead, N.Y., on Monday night. (Photo: David Goldman/AP)

In the four-dimensional chessboard on which the politics of gun control plays out, anything can happen  and for a brief moment in Monday nights presidential debate, it did, as Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton found themselves in agreement on at least one small aspect of it.

At issue was a ban on gun sales to people on the governments terror watch lists, a move that has taken on huge symbolic importance since Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., began pushing for it earlier this year in the wake of the deadly attack at an Orlando nightclub. Murphy made the hyperbolic but politically effective charge that Republicans who oppose the measure want to sell weapons to ISIS.

Murphy and his allies in the gun-control movement see this as a wedge issue that can break the National Rifle Associations stranglehold on gun-control legislation; the NRA, accordingly, has fought the proposal, at least while it was being pushed by Democrats. At the same time, the American Civil Liberties Union, generally allied with the left, has opposed most efforts to attach new gun restrictions to the watch lists, which it regards as inherently problematic for civil liberties.

On Monday, though, Trump threw the whole debate into confusion by saying he agreed with Clinton, who also supports the idea.

I think we have to look very strongly at no-fly lists and watch lists, Trump said. And when people are on there, even if they shouldnt be on there, well help them, well help them legally, well help them get off.

It wasnt his first time stating a position in favor of the ban, but hed never acknowledged a need to improve the process of getting off the list before.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., center, calls for gun control legislation just days after the mass shooting in June at an Orlando nightclub. Seen here on Capitol Hill, Murphy is joined by fellow senators and the Rev. Sharon Risher, front left, who lost three family members in a church shooting in Charleston, S.C., in 2015. (Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

On the face of it, this defies both the NRA  one of Trumps biggest backers  and the ACLU, which argues that Americans are being placed on the lists without being informed, without an explanation and with limited recourse for getting their names removed.

To Trumps critics on the right, his stance speaks to a lack of principles and an eagerness to sacrifice conservative beliefs for political gain. All of Trumps promises to conservatives  regarding the Supreme Court, religious liberty and economic policy  are subject to revocation if the political cost is too high, this behavior suggests.

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Jay Cost of the Weekly Standard wrote on Twitter after Trumps comments on the no-fly list: Look how he threw the NRA under the bus tonight. Think he wont do that with taxes and regulations? Of course, he will!

Trump allies see something different: a political savvy that avoids falling into Democratic traps while leaving their candidate wiggle room to do what he wants later. And while the NRA has vehemently criticized Democrats for backing the terrorist-list gun ban, NRA spokeswoman Jennifer Baker told Yahoo News that it might be worth considering if the idea comes from Trump.

Last night, Donald Trump echoed the NRAs concerns about denying innocent Americans wrongly on these lists their constitutional rights, Baker said.

Baker said that we all agree that terrorist and dangerous people should not have access to firearms or any weapon but that Clinton would use the Supreme Court to pave the way for extreme gun control at all levels of government, including the banning of entire classes of firearms.

Coupling support for the ban with a proposal to make the list fairer and more transparent was a shrewd move by Trump. The watch list has come under scrutiny since Omar Mateen shot and killed 49 people at the Pulse nightclub, wounding 53 others, with a Sig Sauer MCX semiautomatic rifle and a Glock pistol. Mateen, who pledged himself to Islamic radical group ISIS in a call to a 911 operator, was on a watch list at one point before being removed after two separate FBI investigations in 2013 and 2014 found no reason to arrest him.

Omar Mateen, who shot and killed 49 people in the Orlando nightclub attack, was on a watch list at one point before being removed after two separate FBI investigations in 2013 and 2014 found no reason to arrest him. (Photo: Omar Mateen via Myspace/Handout via Reuters)

But helping people get off the Terrorist Screening Database, which has 1 million names on it, and the no-fly list, which has 80,000 names on it, is easier said than done. The system for being removed, called the Department of Homeland Security Travelers Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP), is basically a black box, the ACLUs Hugh Handeyside told Yahoo News.

If an individual is repeatedly being given extra screening while traveling, or is routinely detained, they would submit a petition to DHS.

The government considers it. They dont tell you if youre on or ever were on a watch list. They say any necessary changes have been made. So you know nothing, he said.

As the DHS website itself states, Security procedures and legal concerns mandate that we can neither confirm nor deny any information about you that may be within federal watch lists.

Further, there is no process by which to find out if one is on the list, and for what reasons, and no venue in which to contest those reasons to a neutral arbiter.

The NRA said in August that a gun ban for people on the no-fly list is a guilty-until-proven-innocent standard that is completely incompatible with our American system of justice and will do nothing to keep us safe.

Due process protections must be put in place that allow law-abiding Americans who are wrongly put on a watch list to be removed from it, the NRA said. The organization supported an amendment offered by Texas Sen. John Cornyn that was intended to correct some of the problems with due process presented by the governments watch lists.

The ACLU officially opposed the Cornyn amendment because they view the government watch lists as flawed in principle. But Handeyside said that the Cornyn amendment would have done the most of any legislation offered last summer to offer some recourse for people placed on government watch lists.

The Cornyn proposal included a provision that would have allowed people to use whats called the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA) to try to gain some limited access to those reasons for being placed on a watch list, Handeyside said. It provides some greater access to the reasons, and because of that, people are better able to respond.

So there is an already established path for a president to do what Trump said, to make it easier for people on the list to get removed. But Democrats opposed the Cornyn measure while backing other measures that Handeyside said did nothing to resolve due process concerns. Democrats felt the Cornyn amendment did not give federal officials enough time  a mere three days  to persuade a judge to bar a person on the list from buying a gun.

Trump and Clinton remain worlds apart in most ways on guns. She favors much wider controls on gun purchases than does Trump, and their choices of Supreme Court nominees would have great import for future rulings on the issue. But Trumps position on the terrorist watch list is an example of how he sometimes defies party orthodoxy on a hot-button issue that might cost him politically.



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Photo via Instagram/dunkindonutseg

An Instagram post on Dunkin Donuts Egypts page left a bad taste in some peoples mouths.

The brand came under fire for posting this image of two donuts  one covered in white sugar and the other dipped in chocolate. Translated, the text on the picture says If darkness is half beauty, then whiteness is full beauty.

Puzzlingly, the caption below it reads, Because we are against racism, we will eat both of them, not only one. Which will you choose?

Although the post has since been deleted, social media users were quick to spot and call out Dunkin Donuts on their controversial ad.

Id love to see @DunkinDonuts justify this racist ad that describes a white donut = complete beauty & the black one = half beauty pic.twitter.com/JAhLpoFc4T  dana (@danas4827) September 23, 2016

Racist Dunkin Donuts ad in Egypt. White is full beauty, Brown is half beauty. Racism lies in the smallest things, sometimes. pic.twitter.com/JUtI81X4be  tam (@greysfinaIe) September 24, 2016

Congrats to @DunkinDonuts, for getting us to talk about something else besides how bad your donuts are.

Like, how youre hugely racist ???? https://t.co/1PaqlHkK3e  Mohamed El Dahshan (@eldahshan) September 24, 2016

Some people saw otherwise and thought the reaction to the ad was overblown:

@danas4827 @leavebeylonely its like that bc the chocolate is only covering half the donut are you serious. this is such a reach.  giraffeyonce (@beyonceswitness) September 25, 2016

@danas4827 Damn now doughnuts are racist? Next thing you know a piano is gonna be racist because theres more white keys than black smh  Catalina Gamble (@CatGambl3) September 27, 2016

@danas4827 @DunkinDonuts i dont think its supposed to be funny, its supposed to be a rejection of discriminating based on appearance  sol (@fire__exit) September 24, 2016

Id love to see @DunkinDonuts justify this racist ad that describes a white donut = complete beauty & the black one = half beauty pic.twitter.com/JAhLpoFc4T  dana (@danas4827) September 23, 2016

And some left a little food for thought, becausedonuts.

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Id love to see @DunkinDonuts justify this racist ad that describes a white donut = complete beauty & the black one = half beauty pic.twitter.com/JAhLpoFc4T  dana (@danas4827) September 23, 2016

But why are people comparing their skin to doughnuts?https://t.co/XnRibgmzDF  Zoe (@FarAwayMind) September 26, 2016

Dunkin Donuts has since removed the post and apologized, replying to tweets accusing the brand of being racist with a statement saying, As soon as we became aware of the social media post by our Egyptian franchise, we asked for it to be removed. Our franchisee immediately complied. We apologize for the offense this posting cause.

@nfm () As soon as we became aware of the social media post by our Egyptian franchisee, we asked for it to be removed  Dunkin Donuts (@DunkinDonuts) September 27, 2016

@nfm (2/2)  Our franchisee immediately complied. We apologize for the offense this posting caused.  Dunkin Donuts (@DunkinDonuts) September 27, 2016

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Miami (AFP) - A teenage gunman, who injured three people at a South Carolina elementary school before being arrested, carried out the attack after killing his father, local officials said.

The teen, whom the authorities did not identify, shot two boys -- one in the leg, the other in the foot -- as well as a teacher in the shoulder at Townville Elementary in the west of the southeastern US state, area officials told reporters.

The attack with a handgun, carried out mid-afternoon, appeared to have occurred on the playground, they said.

"The investigation is in initial stages... it's going to be a very slow, methodical and meticulous investigation," Captain Garland Major of the Anderson County Sheriff's Office said.

An active homicide investigation is underway into the death of Jeffrey DeWitt Osborne, 47, the father of the alleged shooter who lives around two miles (three kilometers) from the school, the Anderson County coroner's office said.

Authorities received a call from the victim's family reporting his death shortly after the school shooting, it said.

The teenage assailant was arrested without incident and has no apparent racial motivation or connections to terrorism, Major told reporters, adding that it was still unclear whether he suffers from mental illness.

The suspect is home-schooled, and does not attend any school in the Anderson County School District, police said.

A firefighter who was one of the first responders on scene contained the teenager, who was "apprehended within a matter of minutes," Joanne Avery, the Anderson County District Four Superintendent told the news conference.

"At approximately 1:45 this afternoon, an individual with a gun entered the premises of Townville Elementary School and injured two of our students and one of our teachers," she said.

- Praise for a hero -

Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator for the state, praised the heroism of the unarmed volunteer firefighter who stopped the gunman and could have saved lives.

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"Thank you to Jamie Brock, the volunteer firefighter who stopped the #Townville shooter. We truly admire and appreciate your service," Graham tweeted.

One of the injured students was airlifted to a local hospital and was undergoing surgery late Wednesday, local media reported, while an ambulance took the other boy and teacher for medical treatment.

One of the boys has since been released from hospital, officials said.

Live images from the school immediately after the shooting showed a large number of police officers and members of the Anderson County Sheriff's Office heavily armed, some wearing helmets and flak jackets.

Students were evacuated on school buses to a nearby church, local media reported.

"The quick response by teachers and staff has kept this from being much worse," superintendent Avery said.

"We are heartbroken about the senseless act of violence."

Fellow South Carolina Senator Tim Scott tweeted that his heart was "sick for Anderson&South Carolina.Praying initial reports of no loss of life remain true & for those injured and their families."

The school has almost 300 students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, local media reported. Classes were cancelled for the rest of the week.

School shootings have become a disturbing reality of American life and many facilities have reinforced security in recent years, especially in the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012, when 26 people -- including 20 young children -- were killed in Newtown, Connecticut.
Tony Stewart is currently outside the top 12 in the Chase standings (Getty).

Its no secret Tony Stewart isnt a fan of the evolution of the cars in the Sprint Cup Series. As front splitters have been added to cars and aerodynamic downforce has increased in importance, Stewart has lamented the equipment shift.

Sunday, Stewart was frustrated with his car and an inability to make a move through the field. He finished a lap down in 23rd and enters the final race of the first round of the Chase outside the top 12. If Stewart isnt one of the top 12 drivers in the standings after Sundays race at Dover, hes not moving on in the playoffs.

Stewart explained his frustration Wednesday. And no, the frustration doesnt simply stem from New Hampshire. From USA Today:

When we come off the truck, we fight the same thing for three days and theres nothing I can do to fix it, he said. And thats part of whats so frustrating for me as a driver and part of the reason Im ready to do something different. I cant make a difference anymore. I cant go out there and do different things with my feet or hands or run a different line and fix the problem. I used to be able to do that. You just get so frustrated, you cant see straight. So would Stewart like to lobby NASCAR for a change in the rules to help the situation? Ive been fighting that fight forever, he said. Its not something Im willing to go in depth on, but its another reason Im ready to exit. You can only beat the drum for so long and it can only fall on deaf ears for so long before you finally say, OK, the people who need to make it better cant make it better or arent going to make it better. 

Stewart, 45, announced last year that 2016 would be his last in the Sprint Cup Series. Hes being replaced in the No. 14 car in 2017 by Clint Bowyer.

Stewart made the Chase via his win at Sonoma in June. He got the lead by pitting right before a caution came out and passed Denny Hamlin on the final corner after Hamlin had passed him just a few corners before.

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And maybe Stewart is subconsciously airing his frustration this week to get a repeat of Sonoma. On the Friday before his first win since 2013, Stewart said that driving a Cup car does not make me happy right now.

The lower-downforce changes in the Cup Series have seemed to help Stewart to a degree. After just three top-10 finishes in 2015, Stewart has seven in 2016. Though his production has fallen off precipitously since 2012.

In 110 races since the 2012 season, Stewart has 25 top-10 finishes. In his previous 500 races, Stewart finished in the top 10 282 times; a rate of over 56 percent.

While Stewart has undoubtedly been affected by the injuries and circumstances hes faced (a broken back before the 2016 season and a broken leg in 2013 in addition to the mental toll of 2014), its fair to wonder just how much the introduction of NASCARs current Sprint Cup car has played a role in his performance. Stewart was a sprint car champion before he moved to NASCAR and excelled driving cars that had lots of horsepower and very little grip.

The Gen-6 car replaced the Car of Tomorrow in 2013 and NASCAR has constantly been making tweaks to it in an attempt to affect the racing. The sanctioning body reduced horsepower for the 2015 season and made in-season changes after near-unanimous complaints that it was too hard for drivers to pass. After chopping off downforce for the 2016 season, Cup cars will have even less downforce in 2017.

      

Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f226307%2fmuskspacexmars

SpaceX CEO and founder Elon Musk has never been shy about his ambitions to save humanity by making it a multiple planet species.

For more than 10 years, the billionaire has championed the idea that humanity's best hope for survival is by extending our reach into the solar system.

During a speech in Guadalaraja, Mexico on Tuesday, Musk finally laid out SpaceX's vision for getting people off Earth and establishing a city  filled with everything from pizza parlors to fueling stations  on Mars.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's SpaceX reveals its ambitious plan to settle Mars

"History is going to bifurcate along two directions. One path is we stay on Earth forever and then there will be some eventual extinction event," Musk said during the speech before the International Astronautical Congress (IAC).

"The alternative is to become a space-faring civilization and a multi-planet species which, I hope you would agree, that is the right way to go," he said.

Musk put forth a lot of information during his 1.5-hour-long presentation, but here are the five most important points about SpaceX's plan to get humans to Mars.

1. A ticket to Mars should cost the same as the median price of a house

Artist's illustration of people looking out on Mars.

Image: spacex

Musk knows that the cost of spaceflight needs to come down in order to get some kind of civilization living on Mars.

At the moment, it would cost about $10 billion per person to send humans to Mars. However, in an ideal world, Musk wants to see that number plummet to $200,000 or less per seat aboard a Mars-bound craft.

Musk doesn't expect tens of millions of people will want to decamp for Mars even if it is somewhat affordable, but bringing costs down will at least make it an attainable goal for someone without billions of dollars.

"Not everyone will want to go. In fact, I think a relatively small number of people from Earth would want to go, but enough would want to go and who could afford the trip that it would happen," Musk said.

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Musk said he hopes that his company will be able to reduce the cost of that trip by developing new technologies that will bring costs down.

2. The rockets must be reusable

One main piece of technology that could help reduce the cost of flying to space is reusable rocketry, according to Musk.

Today, most rockets are flown once and discarded into space, but SpaceX and other private spaceflight companies have started developing ways of bringing those rocket bodies back to Earth in the hopes of refurbishing them and flying again.

Rocket parts are extremely expensive, so being able to reuse them could greatly reduce the cost of flying something to orbit and beyond.

Both the rockets and the new spaceship SpaceX plans to build should be fully reusable in order to make the Mars outpost sustainable, Musk said.

"It's really difficult to achieve full reusability for even an orbital system, and that challenge becomes substantially greater for a system that has to go to another planet," he said.

SpaceX is already on its way to reusability, however.

The company has brought multiple rocket boosters back down to Earth after flying objects to orbit, and it plans to fly a recycled booster on another mission sometime in the next few months, according to Musk. This will mark the first true test of reusability for the company.

To get humans to Mars and beyond, SpaceX is also planning to develop new fuel types, build refueling stations orbiting in space, and construct machinery that would produce new propellant on Mars itself.

In particular, refueling spaceships in Earth's orbit could save a lot of money because companies won't need to launch a spacecraft loaded down with all that propellant into orbit. Instead, they could save money by launching two lighter payloads with reusable rockets that can be used for missions time and time again.

3. SpaceX wants to start flying to Mars soon... very soon

SpaceX's Interplanetary Transport System entering the atmosphere of a world.

Image: spacex

True to form for the company, SpaceX has an ambitious schedule for making all of this happen.

The company wants to start flying its first uncrewed mission to Mars by 2018, with more missions to follow every two years after that.

According to a very rough timeline provided by Musk during the speech, people would be able to start flying to the red planet with SpaceX by 2024. Eventually, the company hopes to have about 1,000 spaceships flying at least 100 people each between Earth and Mars, and Musk thinks it could take as little as 40 to 100 years to create a civilization on the rusty world.

But there are still a lot of questions to answer before SpaceX can send people to Mars.

Musk still hasn't addressed how people will live, work and eat on Mars and on the way there. Nor has the company addressed exactly how life support systems on the spaceship will work, since they will need to keep people alive on the 3-month trip to the red planet.

It's also important to remember that SpaceX has yet to fly humans to space at all, but that could change as soon as next year when the company is expected to fly astronauts to the International Space Station under a contract with NASA.

Musk's company also just experienced a serious setback when one of its Falcon 9 rockets blew up on its pad, destroying an expensive satellite payload in the process. Engineers are still trying to track down the exact source of the failure.

4. Musk wants to do more than settle Mars

The Interplanetary Transport System on Europa with Jupiter in the background.

Image: spacex

While Musk's ambitions have centered on settling Mars for some years, he isn't limiting SpaceX's capabilities to the red planet.

Musk explained that the company's Interplanetary Transport System could be used to visit other, farther parts of the solar system.

"By establishing a propellant depot in the asteroid belt or on one of the moons of Jupiter, you can make flights from Mars to Jupiter no problem," Musk said.

Musk mentioned that he's particularly interested in visiting Europa, an icy moon of Jupiter thought to harbor an ocean of liquid water beneath its crust. The small moon is one of the best places for potentially finding alien life somewhere far from our own planet.

5. The whole world should get involved

SpaceX's Multiplanetary Transport System above the Earth. (Artist's illustration.)

Image: spacex

Musk made it clear that his plan to go to Mars needs to be a global endeavor.

He hopes that his speech will inspire people, companies and nations around the world to get involved in efforts to go to Mars and beyond, even going so far as to say that he encourages "people to compete with SpaceX or potentially team up."

The more the better," Musk added.

Plus, he'll need a lot of people to make this dream a reality.

In total, Musk expects that we would need about 1 million people to move to Mars in order to create a long-term civilization on the red planet. A good number of those people may be from outside the United States.

SpaceX isn't the only organization aiming for Mars.

NASA also plans to launch crewed missions to the red planet in the coming decades. The U.S. space agency hopes to send people to Mars by the 2030s, assuming funding supports those efforts.

NASA and SpaceX are already teaming up on the 2018 Mars mission, with the agency providing some technical support to Musk's company in order to help it get there in the next couple years.




By Taiga Uranaka and Makiko Yamazaki

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Toshiba Corp expects to post a bigger first-half profit than it previously forecast, boosted by rising flash memory chip prices and strong chip demand from Chinese smartphone manufacturers.

The recovery in the global memory chip market is a much-needed boon to Toshiba, as the sprawling conglomerate is trying to turn itself into a leaner company focussing on NAND chips and nuclear energy following a $1.3 billion accounting scandal.

Toshiba said on Wednesday it now expects an operating profit of 70 billion yen (536.22 million pounds) for the April-September period, above an average forecast of 58.7 billion yen by five analysts. It had previously forecast a 30 billion yen profit.

A Toshiba spokesman said the upward revision mainly reflects growing demand from Chinese smartphone makers for its NAND memory chips with larger storage capacity as these manufacturers are upgrading features of their products.

Demand for high-capacity flash memory chips from Chinese phone makers as well as growing flash memory use for enterprise server applications, have helped the NAND flash memory market bottom out.

According to researcher TrendForce, combined global revenue of branded NAND flash suppliers increased 3.4 percent sequentially in April-June, signalling the end of revenue decline that persisted in the past two consecutive quarters.

"Toshiba is bound to benefit from strong demand from Chinese smartphone makers," said Satoru Oyama, senior principal analyst at researcher IHS.

Toshiba, with a near 30 percent share of the global NAND flash memory market, can supply chips to Chinese smartphone makers wary about being reliant on industry leader Samsung Electronics Co.

Yukihiko Shimada, analyst at SMBC Nikko Securities Inc, also noted that Toshiba's advanced flash memory with three-dimensional (3D) stacked cell structure could be introduced to a high-end model of Apple Inc's iPhone 7 - a move that could further boost the company's presence in the market.

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Toshiba said it has also been seeing strong demand for hard disk drives for personal computers and game consoles. Its results have been pushed up as the yen has traded weaker than its 100 yen per dollar assumption. A weaker yen boosts revenue and profits booked overseas when repatriated back home.

The company said it would announce its full-year forecast as soon as possible - it may revise it after considering first-half results and the outlook for foreign exchange and other market conditions in the second half.

Toshiba previously forecast a full-year operating profit of 120 billion yen, a turnaround from the 708.74 billion yen loss the previous year.

Shares of Toshiba finished up 4.9 percent on Wednesday, the highest in about 11 months.

(Additional reporting by Se Young Lee in SEOUL; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and Jacqueline Wong)
Sembalun (Indonesia) (AFP) - Hundreds of tourists have fled a volcanic eruption at a popular Indonesian hiking destination, an official said Wednesday, expressing fears some may have stayed behind to document the natural wonder.

Around 1,000 tourists, including about 600 foreigners, were believed to be in the area when Mount Barujari sent columns of ash and smoke shooting high into the sky over holiday island Lombok Tuesday, according to the official disaster agency.

Barujari is a small cone within the crater of Mount Rinjani, Indonesia's second-highest volcano and a major attraction for foreign tourists visiting the archipelago.

Most visitors were believed to have safely fled the area once authorities alerted them after Barujari sent a two-kilometre (1.2-mile) cloud of hot gas into the air, disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

Officials were dispatched to the national park surrounding Rinjani to ask people to leave and help evacuate them if necessary.

Nugroho said officials had so far confirmed about 260 tourists had left the national park.

But the majority of others were also believed to have left the area, although authorities were having difficulty counting them as they had flooded out through unofficial exits, he said.

Officials however had difficulty persuading some tourists to leave a three-kilometre safety zone established around the volcano as they wanted to get pictures of the eruption.

"The local disaster agency said that some tourists did not want to leave," Nugroho said.

"They wanted to record the eruption of Barujari and in some cases hid from officials. They knew it was dangerous but they still wanted to document the eruption."

Muhammad Rum, a local spokesman for the disaster agency, added the eruption was not major and he believed all the hikers had now left the area.

All those who had descended were "in good condition and healthy", he added.

"Many of them even videotaped the eruption while enjoying the beauty of the mountain," he added.

Story continues

The threat level of the volcano was raised Tuesday as Barujari erupted, but remains two steps below the highest level on a four-point scale.

Some flights to and from the nearby resort island of Bali were cancelled overnight Tuesday to Wednesday, but Lombok's international airport remains unaffected.

Flight disruptions due to drifting ash clouds are not uncommon in Indonesia, which sits on a belt of seismic activity known as the "Ring of Fire" and is home to around 130 active volcanoes.

An eruption at Rinjani last month forced the closure of Lombok airport and disrupted some flights to neighbouring Bali.
[September 27, 2016] The New Home Company Earns Multiple Honors for The Cannery, Including Master-Planned Community of the Year, at 2016 Northern California MAME Awards

It was a huge night of honors for The New Home Company at the 2016 Northern California MAME Awards, as the developer/homebuilder won a total of 14 awards for The Cannery, its innovative and thoughtfully designed community in Davis, Calif. NEW HOME and The Cannery were presented with three of the most prestigious MAME Awards: Master-Planned Community of the Year, Attached Community of the Year (Heirloom at The Cannery) and Community of the Year over $750,000 (Sage at The Cannery). The MAME Awards, presented by the North State Building Industry Association, were held on Friday, September 23, 2016 in Sacramento. In addition to the Community of the Year awards, NEW HOME and its team of consultants received top recognition in a variety of categories: Best Logo Design - The Cannery (Paolucci Salling & Martin Communication Arts)

Best Attached Architectural Design - Plan 3 at Heirloom (JZMK Partners)

Best Sign Program - The Cannery (Outdoor Dimensions)

Best Brochure - The Cannery (Paolucci Salling & Martin)

Best Attached Interior Design - Heirloom Plan 3 (Meridian Interiors)

Best Social Media Campaign - The Cannery (Paolucci Salling & Martin)

Best Direct Mail - Sage at The Cannery (Paolucci Salling & Martin)

Best Website for a Master Planned Community - The Cannery (Paolucci Salling & Martin Communication Arts)

Best Print Ad or Campaign - Heirloom at The Cannery (Paolucci Salling & Martin)

Best Sales Office/Pavilion - The Cannery (Jeffrey DeMure + Associates, Meridian Interiors, Focus 360 and Display Graphics)

Best Architectural Design $750,000+ - Sage Plan 1 (Woodley Architectural Group)



Cal Atlantic Homes also won for Best Architecture (JZMK Partners) and Community of the Year for its Beech neighborhood at The Cannery.

The spotlight will remain on The Cannery in the Sacramento region later this week. On Thursday, September 29, the Sacramento Business Journal will name the community one of its Best Real Estate Projects of the year. "We could not be more proud of The New Home Company team and all of our talented consultants that have made The Cannery a reality," said Kevin Carson, Northern California President for NEW HOME. "This community continues to be the gift that keeps giving in terms of awards and international recognition. It's a special place, one that hundreds of buyers will soon call their home." About The New Home Company NEW HOME is a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "NWHM." It is a new generation homebuilder focused on the design, construction and sale of innovative and consumer-driven homes in major metropolitan areas within select growth markets in California and Arizona, including coastal Southern California, the San Francisco Bay area, metro Sacramento and Phoenix. In 2013, 2014 and 2015, NEW HOME was the recipient of "The Eliant" for Best Overall Customer Experience in the Eliant Homebuyers' Choice Award's multi-divisional builder segment. In 2016, NEW HOME won a total of 23 Eliant Awards, including nine First Place Awards, the highest number earned by a homebuilder. Also in 2016, the National Association of Home Builders selected The Cannery as "Master-Planned Community of the Year," and The Cannery won a Grand Award for "Residential Community of the Year-Master Plan" at the 2016 Gold Nugget Awards presented during PCBC. NEW HOME earned top honors at the 2016 Bay Area Building Industry Association's Excellence in Home Building Awards, winning "Community of the Year" for its Woodbury neighborhood in downtown Lafayette, Calif., and "Best Builder of the Year." For two years in a row, NEW HOME has been named to the Inc. Magazine Founders 40 list, recognizing newly public companies that have maintained a strong entrepreneurial spirit. For more information about the company or its current new-home offerings, visit www.NWHM.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160927006752/en/

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Cosme burata

When the Obamas showed up for dinner at Cosme last Monday, it was a surprise to everyone, including the restaurant's maitre d', its waiters, and even its chef.

That's because when Barack and Michelle Obama go out to dinner, they make a reservation under a pseudonym and let the restaurant know they're coming only a few minutes in advance.

I know this because I dined at Cosme, a trendy Mexican restaurant in New York City's Flatiron District, the same night the Obamas were there. And on my way in, I got the chance to talk to the president's security detail as they searched my purse and frisked me.

The Secret Service officer I spoke to told me that this was protocol, and most restaurants don't know they're coming. Cosme declined to comment for this story.

During the meal at Cosme, Michelle Obama and the president were seated behind closed doors in a private dining room. We couldn't see them eating, but we did get a glimpse of them leaving at the end of the meal.

The Obamas entered through the restaurant's front entrance. Their armored limousine, nicknamed "The Beast," was parked outside the entire time, and the block was closed to cars. Secret Service agents swarmed the restaurant.

The Obamas ordered off the regular menu and got Cosme's famous duck carnitas, according to Grub Street.

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By Ernest Scheyder

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The chief executive of North Dakota's largest oil producer, Whiting Petroleum Corp , says the standoff over the $3.7 billion Dakota Access pipeline could be solved by giving economic opportunities, including supply and delivery contracts, to the Standing Rock Sioux and other Native Americans.

Thousands of protesters from all over the world have joined with the Sioux to oppose the pipeline, which would transport oil within half a mile of tribal land in North Dakota. Federal regulators temporarily blocked construction of the pipeline earlier this month under the Missouri River, mollifying opponents but irking the fossil fuel industry.

The Standing Rock Sioux say the pipeline's construction would destroy tribal burial sites. They also worry that any future leaks would pollute their water supply.

Jim Volker, Whiting's CEO, said those concerns would be best addressed through economic opportunities, including contracting with American Indian-owned firms for water hauling and other oilfield service needs across oil-producing regions.

"We as an industry like to see them provide those services," Volker said in an interview on the sidelines of the Independent Petroleum Association of America's OGIS conference in San Francisco.

"It does provide a better standard of living for them. It does provide a direct tie to the energy business and makes them and their tribal leaders more inclined to want to have more energy development."

When fully connected to existing lines, the 1,100-mile (1,770 km) pipeline would be the first to carry crude oil from the Bakken shale directly to the U.S. Gulf. The project is being built by the Dakota Access subsidiary of Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners LP.

Contracts between Native American-owned firms and oil and natural gas producers are not uncommon on reservations. Indeed, the MHA Nation, whose members live on a reservation in western North Dakota where about a third of the state's crude is pumped, requires oil producers operating on their land to contract with American Indian-owned businesses.

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But the requirement cannot apply outside the reservation's borders and many oil companies, Whiting included, do not have oilfield service and supply contracts with a large number of Indian-owned firms.

Dave Archambault II, chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux, said he appreciated the suggestion from Volker, but that his opposition to the pipeline has little to do with economics.

"It's going to be very difficult for us to allow this line to come through just because some indigenous-owned company may benefit," Archambault said in an interview. "If this pipeline goes through, we will be the first to pay the cost."

Dakota Access first contacted the Sioux about the pipeline in October 2014 and continued reaching out to the tribe through March 2016, according to a report from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Volker, who has worked at Whiting for more than 30 years, said he was sensitive to the tribe's concerns that construction of the Dakota Access pipeline would disturb ancestral burial sites and other historical areas.

"I wouldn't want necessarily a pipeline to go through the cemetery where all my relatives are buried," he said.

But he added that he expects the situation to be resolved by November. "I'm pretty sure there will be a pretty good resolution to this."

Volker called a move last week by the owners of the Dakota Access pipeline to buy more than 6,000 acres of land adjacent to the line's route a "pretty good move." Federal oil pipeline regulators do not have authority over private land and cannot block construction on it.

"It just increases the odds that things get done," he said.

The Dakota Access pipeline would, if finished, help North Dakota oil producers transport their product to refiners and other customers cheaper and faster.

Volker said he estimates the pipeline would cut the differential for North Dakota oil - that is, the extra cost needed to get the oil to market due to its distance - from about $8.50 per barrel to around $5.50.

Federal regulators are expected to rule soon on whether the pipeline's construction can proceed, though the Standing Rock Sioux and environmental groups have vowed to oppose it.

(Editing by Matthew Lewis)
donald trump

Donald Trump's campaign on Tuesday denounced Howard Dean's suggestion that the GOP nominee was on cocaine at the presidential debate against Hillary Clinton.

During the affair Monday night at Hofstra University, Trump could be heard sniffling throughout the night.

Speculation over whether the presidential candidate was sick ran rampant on social media.

Dean, the former governor of Vermont and a Clinton supporter, took the rumors one step further by suggesting Trump's sniffles were evidence of cocaine use.

Notice Trump sniffing all the time. Coke user?  Howard Dean (@GovHowardDean) September 27, 2016

"Governor Dean's comment was beyond the pale and has no place in our important political discussion," the Trump campaign said in a statement to NBC News on Tuesday night.

"On a night where millions of Americans were able to compare and contrast the policies of both candidates, Governor Dean went straight to the gutter and was nothing more than a sad distraction in a desperate attempt to stay relevant," the campaign added.

After the debate, Trump denied sniffling and blamed the sounds of breathing on a defective microphone that he claimed was tampered with.

In an interview with MSNBC Tuesday, Dean defended his original comment.

"Well, you can't make a diagnosis over the television, but [the sniffling] is a signature of people who use cocaine," Dean said. "I'm not suggesting that Trump does, but I'm suggesting we think about it, because here's the interesting constellation  he sniffs during the presentation, which is something that users do.

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via @sonnyandthesunsets (thnx @cantina_ ) A video posted by Chill Wildlife  (@chillwildlife) on Sep 26, 2016 at 9:46pm PDT

Im helping my colleague Jim Fallows with some housecleaning regarding the massive amount of reader email piling up over Donald Trump. One notes for the record:

I appreciate your Trump Time Capsule serial, but I think you all have missed one. Please correct me if I am wrong, but I am unaware of a presidential candidate ever releasing his (or her) testosterone level before? Since Trump has released so little other health information, the message it sends is  I cant find the words for it.

Speaking of the Time Capsule, this reader has an apt literary reference:

It seems this passage from Lewis Carroll fits your Time Capsule: Alice laughed/said, One cant believe impossible things. The Queen replied, I daresay you havent much practice. When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes Ive believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast. (Through the Looking-Glass, chapter 5)

This scene from Tim Burtons version of the Carroll classic has a certain resonance with last nights debate:

Recommended: Donald Trump's 'Miss Piggy' Comments Expose a Double Standard on Weight

This next email is a fascinating followup to the reader who saw a Trump-Pence bumper sticker on a car equipped with The Club and parked at a Hollywood studiothe kind of secure place where a security measure like The Club seems unnecessary at best:

In 1992, my most favorite car ever was stolen from the streets of New York City while protected by The Club. When I reported the theft to police and insurance, I learned that The Club is not a deterrent; it is actually an aid to car thieves. I didnt grasp the details at the time, but as I was reading your post about the Trump-Pence car, I remembered how my confidence in The Club was disappointed and found this paragraph on Freakonomics: A pro thief would carry a short piece of a hacksaw blade to cut through the plastic steering wheel in a couple seconds. They were then able to release The Club and use it to apply a huge amount of torque to the steering wheel and break the lock on the steering column (which most cars were already equipped with). The pro thieves actually sought out cars with The Club on them because they didnt want to carry a long pry bar that was too hard to conceal. So theres a pretty rich irony in this whole metaphor: a voter who is frightened by threats that arent real, or arent statistically significant, trusts a protector who will not provide any meaningful protection, who will, in addition, make the voter more vulnerable. Trump has cheated employees, lenders, stockholders, charities, customers, and now hes setting himself up to cheat his voters and supporters too.

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Another reader replies to the note from Fallows featuring the massive searchable database containing every tweet from Trump:

Thanks for sharing the link! This is awesome! In just two minutes, I was able to answer a question that long bedeviled me: on Planet Trump, what are all the failing media operations? The answer: The New York Times (the champion by far), CNN, New York Daily News, Glenn Beck/The Blaze, National Review, Manchester Union Leader, Politico, Daily Beast, Des Moines Register, Weekly Standard, The View, Vanity Fair, Bill Maher, Huffington Post, DC Examiner, New York Magazine Meanwhile the Washington Post only gets a one-time appellation of phony. Clearly, the Fahrenthold stories arent stinging too much.

Fallows covered the latest from Fahrenthold yesterday. Another reader takes a big step back to try to understand this moment in political history:

Maybe some part of the electorate has always been paranoid. But like your reader [who saw the Trump-Pence bumper sticker] points out, this year seems a watershed. I can see some reasons: 1. LGBT marriage equality: Came SO fast, I dont think people have processed it yet. As they are struggling to cope with this decidedly liberal agenda, the wedding cake mafia is not helping either. No one likes being held hostage to ideas in their own home/city/country.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
By Steve Holland MELBOURNE, Fla. (Reuters) - Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump got back on message on Tuesday after Democrat Hillary Clinton put him on the defensive at their first debate, and he cast her as "stuck in the past" and himself as a change agent. Trump's speech to thousands at a rally in a Florida airport hangar included some points that some supporters wished he had made before the record television audience of 84 million people for the debate on Monday in Hempstead, New York. One was Clinton's promise during her successful campaign to win a U.S. Senate seat in 2000 to create jobs in upstate New York. When Clinton pledged at Monday's debate that her economic plan would create millions of jobs, Trump did not use the opportunity to point out she oversold how many jobs she could create in upstate New York. Trump raised the issue on Tuesday in Melbourne, Florida, about 70 miles east of Orlando on Florida's Atlantic coast where several defense and technology companies have operations. "She pledged 200,000 jobs for upstate New York. It's so sad when you see what has happened to upstate New York. It's a disaster. She said she was going to do something about it... This is exactly what would happen if she ever won," he said. Trump's first campaign day after his debate performance, which received mixed reviews from voters, was aimed at taking advantage of polls showing him in a tight race in Florida with 41 days to go until the Nov. 8 election. "For 90 minutes, Secretary Clinton was stuck in the past. For 90 minutes, on issue after issue, Secretary Clinton defended the terrible status quo  while I laid out our plan to bring jobs, security and prosperity back to the American people," he said. Earlier, at a Cuban bakery in Miami's Little Havana area, Trump sipped coffee and ordered pastries and empanadas and heard cries of "Viva Trump" from some patrons there. Elsewhere in the neighborhood, Trump held a roundtable discussion with Latino supporters, an effort to bolster his support among Hispanic-American voters who worry about his hardline immigration policy. At that event, a Trump supporter, Irina Vilarino, a Cuban-American restaurant owner, told reporters that Trump needs to show improvement at his next debate on Oct. 9 in St. Louis. "He needs to take this debate and learn from his mistakes," she said. "And I think he needs to address the issues that are pertinent to everyday Americans on the street." (Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
Gerard Pique scored the winning goal for Barcelona in the 73rd minute. (Reuters)

Second-half goals from Arda Turan and Gerard Pique saw Barcelona maintain its perfect start in the Champions League as the Blaugrana came from a goal down to defeat Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-1 on Wednesday.

Gladbach had taken the lead in the first half when Thorgan Hazard, the less famous brother of Chelsea star Eden Hazard, opened the scoring in a brilliant counterattacking move by the home side.

Turan pulled Barca level midway through the second half, getting on the end of a ball from Neymar and driving home the equalizer. A few minutes later Pique converted what proved to be the match-winner from close range after a fumbled save from Gladbach keeper Yann Sommer.

With Lionel Messi still sidelined by an abductor injury, new signing Paco Alcacer lined up alongside Neymar and Luis Suarez in the Barcelona attack in his first Champions League start. The match also bore special significance for Barca keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who spent his entire career at Gladbach prior to joining the Spanish powerhouse two years ago.

Gladbach got off to a very positive start, enjoying good possession early on with Hazard in particular causing Barcelona problems with his marauding runs down the flank.

However, it would be the visitors who would enjoy the better chances early on with Jordi Alba squaring the ball nicely for Neymar inside the first 10 minutes. Unfortunately for the Brazilian, his shot went right into the waiting arms of Sommer.

Luis Suarez came close a few moments later, but the Uruguayan put his left-footed shot wide.

Gladbachs breakthrough came just past the half-hour mark when Raffael stripped the ball off Sergio Busquets, went charging up field and laid the ball on for Mahmoud Dahoud, who expertly crossed it into the path of Hazard. The charging Belgian side-footed a low shot past Ter Stegen for his first career Champions League goal.

Gladbach punish Barcelona on the counter as Dahoud serves up Hazard brilliantly for the game's first goal. #UCLonFOX https://t.co/9jDjm5MpMf  FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) September 28, 2016

Suarez came closest to finding a first-half equalizer for Barca, catching a ball from Ivan Rakitic on the volley and smashing it goal-ward, only to see his effort blocked by Sommer as the first half finished 1-0 in the home sides favor.

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Gladbach boss Andre Schubert was forced into a substitution early in the second half after Raffael, whod been one of Borussias best players on the night, received a knock and had to make way for U.S. international Fabian Johnson.

Barcelona boss Luis Enrique made a substitution of his own a few minutes later, bringing on Rafinha for Alcacer, who exited the pitch at Borussia Park still looking for his first goal in Barcelona colors.

The first chance of the second half fell to Barca with Rakitic testing the keeper from the center of the box after getting on the end of a ball from Suarez. Moments later, the Croatian was subbed off for Turan as Enrique continued to probe for a way to unlock the dogged Gladbach defense.

The substitution proved fortuitous as just a few minutes later Turan muscled his way onto a lofted ball from Neymar and fired the equalizer into the roof of the net from inside the six.

Arda Turan needs just 6 minutes after his substitution to get Barcelona back on level terms in Gladbach. #UCLonFOX https://t.co/vdgply16ls  FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) September 28, 2016

With just over 15 minutes remaining in regulation time, Barcelona was awarded a corner. Neymar floated the ball in for Suarez, whose blasted effort was kept out by Sommer but knocked into the path of a well-placed Pique. The Barca defender made no mistake in prodding it home from close range.

Yann Sommer with a ???? for Pique, who gladly accepts. #UCLonFOX https://t.co/BnjqouW5Mp  FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) September 28, 2016

Moments later, Turan nearly doubled his tally, connecting with a pass from Andres Iniesta and taking a crack from outside the box that forced Sommer into yet another save.

Hazard, the hero of the first half, was eventually subbed off to make way for Patrick Herrmann right on the 80th minute, by which point his opening goal had begun to seem like some time ago. A few minutes later Schubert took Lars Stindl off for Andre Hahn as the German tactician continued to look for a way back into the match.

But it was not to be for the Bundesliga side, which looks on track for a similarly disappointing conclusion to its participation in the group stage as it experienced last season, when it finished rock bottom of its group.

Might it have been easier for Barcelona had Messi been available? Almost undoubtedly.

But Enriques side has once again shown it has the ability to carry on winning without the Argentine maestro and now sits comfortably atop Group C, following Manchester Citys draw at Celtic.
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A Turkish court sentenced five men on Wednesday to three consecutive life sentences each for the murder of three Christians, including a German national, nearly a decade ago. In the 115th hearing in the trial, the court in the city of Malatya found the men guilty of premeditated murder when they cut the throats of the employees of a Bible publishing house on Easter Sunday in 2007, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Two military officers were also sentenced to around 14 years in prison for "violating secret communications and forging official documents", while 16 defendants were acquitted, Anadolu said. No further details were provided. The victims were employees of a Protestant publishing house in the eastern city of Malatya. Necati Aydin and Ugur Yuksel were Turkish converts from Islam, while Tilmann Geske was a German national. Turkey's population of 78 million people is officially more than 99 percent Muslim but also includes an estimated 100,000 Christians. The European Union, which Turkey aspires to join, has often criticized Ankara's record on protecting the rights of its religious and ethnic minorities, including Christians. In its progress report on Turkey's accession bid, the EU cited the slow-moving trial of the Protestants' killers to highlight its concerns about the quality of Turkish criminal investigations. The defendants were detained at the publishing house in the immediate aftermath of the crime. Their victims were found with their throats cut after they had been tortured. The suspects were released from prison in 2012 and kept under electronic surveillance during their trial. (Reporting by Ayla Jean Yackley; Editing by Ece Toksabay and Gareth Jones)
Much of southern Louisiana is still under flood water. Flint, Michigan residents still cant drink their citys lead-contaminated water. And members of Congress are so heavily conflicted over how and when to respond to those two disasters that they are risking a government shutdown by the end of the week.

Lawmakers at one time had high hopes of quickly tying up loose ends and then head for the door at the end of the week to return home to campaign. But Congresss legendary dysfunction was on full view on Tuesday, as Senate Republican leaders tried again and failed to pass a massive stop-gap spending bill to keep the government operating beyond the start of a new fiscal year October 1.

Related: Congress Flirts With Another Government Shutdown as Election Looms

After wasting a good part of the summer out of town on an extended recess without having passed a single appropriations bill or addressing the year-long Zika virus crisis in Florida and Puerto Rico, lawmakers returned to work last week determined to make short order of all outstanding business.

Yet now they find themselves ensnared in another financial crisis of their own making. This one has to do with when and how to finally approve critically need federal assistance to Louisiana, which is reeling from the worst natural disaster since Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and Flint, the economically depressed and largely black city struggling to function with no potable water and the terrible knowledge that 6,000 or more young children may have incurred serious health problems by drinking the water.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) are in no mood for another government shutdown so close to the November 8 election  one that would likely anger constituents and be blamed on the GOP leadership.

But irate Democrats led by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, have vowed to continue to block passage of a continuing resolution necessary to keep the government afloat unless it contains $220 million in emergency assistance to Flint and other communities with problems of contaminated drinking water.

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Republicans for months have dragged their feet on approving emergency funding for Flint for eight months, despite the national outrage over the EPA and Republican state officials gross mishandling and cover-up of the contaminated water system. Michigan Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, both Democrats, fought to get the money including in the continuing resolution, along with $500 million of emergency relief for bedraggled Louisiana residents and businessmen.

Related: The Senate Dithers Again as Zika Virus Continues to Spread

But Republicans have insisted on treating the Flint funding differently by including it in the 2016 Water Resources Development Act recently approved by the Senate, but that still awaits action in the House. While McConnell backed inclusion of the Flint funds in the Senate-passed version, Ryan and House conservatives are balking at including the money in their version of the water resources bill.

The House conservatives motivation in slow-walking emergency assistance for a Midwestern city poisoned by lead is anybodys guess.

But Senate and House Democratic leaders are determined to block action on the CR until they receive assurance that the Flint money will be approved this fall, one way or another. During a news conference on Tuesday, just prior to McConnells latest failed effort to win cloture on a stop-gap spending measure, Stabenow, Peters and a handful of other Michigan lawmakers warned they would risk provoking a fiscal crisis to get the Flint money approved.

Stabenow said that Flint residents have been consigned to unspeakable health problems and inconvenience, and that Congress has been jerking them around for months until the Senate finally overwhelmingly approved the funding last week as part of the water resources legislation.

At 95 to 3, we thought we were finally on our way, and the people of Flint were hopeful, she told reporters. The funding then ran into a brick wall in the House, she said. And at the same time, the disaster relief for Louisiana was added to the continuing resolution.

Now Im happy to support Louisiana, Stabenow said. Ive said that from the very beginning. I understand about flooding. We just ask that the Republicans in the House and the Senate understand lead poisoning in water  shutting down an entire citys water supply of 100,000 people who have waited too long . . .If in fact the people of Flint have to wait again, then the people of Louisiana can join them in that wait until the end of the year.

Related: How the Flint Drinking Water Crisis Became a Political Punching

Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI), a veteran legislator, warned that Were here to say, if the money is not provided before we leave this week, were not leaving. Peters added that The people of Flint need help.

McConnell is exploring a number of options to break the logjam in the Senate and House before Fridays deadline for a shutdown. One possibility is a Solomon-like maneuver of dropping both Flint and Louisiana from the continuing resolution through Dec. 9 and then trying to reach a final agreement on the emergency funding during the lame duck session after the election.

McConnell floated that idea at a news conference shortly before the latest procedural vote to bring up the continuing resolution failed, 45 to 55, according to Politico.

"We keep hearing that their position is no Flint, no floods," McConnell said. "That's certainly an option worth discussing." When told of McConnells comment, Reid, the Democratic leader who retires at the end of this year, said he wanted to see precisely what McConnell would do  and again said he wanted to see relief approved for both Louisiana and Flint.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
[September 28, 2016] Deltapath Introduces Deltapath Trio Connector, the Most Comprehensive Gateway for Polycom RealPresence Trio

SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Deltapath, Inc., the leading video focused unified communications solutions provider, today introduced the Deltapath Trio Connector - a communication gateway for Polycom RealPresence Trio with embedded high-definition audio conference bridge, supports wireless content sharing, mobile collaboration, and act as a gateway to business telephone system. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160927/412613LOGO Deltapath's Trio Connector is a solution that envisions the workplace as an ecosystem of equipment, devices, and other things that must seamlessly and collectively work together. Specifically, the Trio Connector allows all Polycom endpoints and infrastructure to connect to each other by extension number or room number. It is designed with a simplified approach that includes a firewall, Session Border Controller, audio conferencing bridge, SIP proxy, call routing engine, and endpoint-provisioning server all in a single device. The all-in-one architecture offers native support for Polycom devices in telephony, video, content sharing, mobile video conferencing and endpoint provisioning. A gateway for Polycom devices

"The Polycom RealPresence Trio is a lot more than just a conference phone, instead it's a multi-function collaboration solution. We see the potential of bringing the RealPresence Trio, using Deltapath Trio Connector, to collaborate with teams and customers on demand and in real-time, to drive up productivity, make decisions faster, and eventually build long lasting business relationships," said David Liu, Founder and CEO of Deltapath. Enterprises are seeking increased productivity and efficiency through the fast adoption of audio and video communications solutions that genuinely bring together multi-vendor communications environments. Deltapath's Trio Connector, through seamless integration with Polycom's broadest range of endpoints, enables business communications that extends across desktop, mobile devices, room-based settings, and traditional telephones. "We envision the Trio Connector as a gateway for Polycom equipment, in particularly the award-winning RealPresence Trio, to integrate with legacy third party telephone systems, unifying video and voice with a simple dial plan and offering access to Polycom room-based settings from any regular telephone," said Ashan Willy, Senior Vice President, Product Management & Worldwide Systms Engineering, Polycom.



Deltapath Trio Connector drives adoption and ROI

While many organizations have invested in room-based videoconference systems and made these systems their core collaboration tool, they are often challenged by the need to make videoconferencing available beyond their conference rooms. Trio Connector enables organizations to easily adopt the Polycom RealPresence Mobile software and Polycom RealPresence Desktop collaboration software across their mobile workforce to provide easy to use face-to-face collaboration for every conversation regardless of where they are. Open standards-based platform and native application interoperability promises network externality

Enterprises are seeking increased productivity and efficiency through the fast adoption of audio and video communications solutions that genuinely bring together multi-vendor communications environments. Deltapath's Trio Connector, through seamless integration with Polycom's broadest range of endpoints, enables business communications that extends across desktop, mobility, and room-based settings.

The unique open-standards approach of the Deltapath Trio Connector ensures integration with industry's leading audio and video communications endpoints and platforms, such as Cisco UC and Avaya Aura platform. HD Audio Conferencing Bridge and bridging Polycom endpoints with regular telephones

"Deltapath Trio Connector is a communication gateway with an embedded audio conferencing bridge that enables Polycom customers to host up to 32 concurrent participants on its own audio conferencing bridge in high definition taking full advantage of the RealPresence Trio's studio quality audio," said Andy Chan, Director of Solution Architecture and Professional Services at Deltapath. The audio conferencing bridge also comes with a suite of productivity tools such as host control, outbound dialing, meeting invites and one-time guest access codes for participants to join via PSTN, SIP or mobile apps. About Deltapath Trio Connector

Deltapath Trio Connector is a communication gateway designed for Polycom endpoints and infrastructure servers to integrate with third party telephony systems. The all-in-one architecture offers native support for a complete series of Polycom endpoints to offer video, voice, content sharing, as well as centralized management and provisioning. It has a design philosophy of making video as simple as a phone call, which people can utilize anytime, anywhere, from any device. For more details of Deltapath Trio Connector, please visit http://www.deltapath.com/trio-connector/ About Polycom

Polycom helps organizations unleash the power of human collaboration. More than 400,000 companies and institutions worldwide defy distance with secure video, voice and content solutions from Polycom to increase productivity, speed time to market, provide better customer service, expand education and save lives. Polycom and its global partner ecosystem provide flexible collaboration solutions for any environment that deliver the best user experience, the broadest multi-vendor interoperability and unmatched investment protection. Visit www.polycom.com or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to learn more. About Deltapath

Deltapath offers unified, intuitive communications solutions for enterprises and companies of all shapes and sizes. Our products transform distant impersonal services into personal interactions, offering lifelike telecommuting and video conferencing accessed anywhere, anytime, on any device. Healthcare providers, educational institutions, contact centers, serviced offices, business service providers, retailers and wholesalers, media and public institutions have deployed Deltapath solutions across 94 countries. For more information, visit www.deltapath.com. Polycom Contact

Cameron Craig

Polycom, Inc.

+1 408 586 3776 Deltapath Contact

Amanda Bok

Deltapath, Inc.

+1 408 582 0408 This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/deltapath-introduces-deltapath-trio-connector-the-most-comprehensive-gateway-for-polycom-realpresence-trio-300335643.html SOURCE Deltapath

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(The suspect being led to a police car. Safhras Khan/Yahoo Singapore)

A 39-year-old man has been arrested after a 17-hour standoff with the police.

Police broke into a flat at 462 Sembawang Drive at about 12pm. The man locked himself and a two-year-old boy inside the unit since Tuesday night.

The boy was rescued unharmed, and he is safe with the police. The man was arrested for wrongful confinement and drug-related offences. Yahoo Singapore understands that the boys mother has also been arrested for drug-related offences. Police investigations are ongoing.

The Singapore police force said preliminary investigations revealed that the man locked himself in the house with the boy following a dispute with the boys family members. Officers from Ang Mo Kio Division, Crisis Negotiation Unit and Special Operations Command were on the scene.





Member of Parliament for Sembawang GRC Lim Wee Kiak was on the scene on Wednesday morning. He told members of the media earlier in the morning, Weve been watching the situation closely. Police been here since last evening. Currently our concern is with the two individuals and the child. From what we understand its a family dispute. Police said the house is self-sufficient with enough food and water. The boy is the youngest of four siblings.



Members of the public watching the scene unfold had been advised to stay outside the police cordon while the negotiations took place.
Typhoon Megi smashed into the Chinese mainland Wednesday morning, killing one person, after leaving a trail of destruction and four people dead in Taiwan.

More than 500 people were hurt when the storm raked across the island, including eight Japanese tourists whose bus was blown over. One remains in a critical condition.

Megi hit China with winds of around 120 kilometres (75 miles) an hour, dumping heavy rain, dropping more than 300 mm of precipitation in several areas, according to the official Xinhua news service.

Local media reports from the coastal province of Fujian said one man died after a flash flood tore through his home.

Images on the state broadcaster CCTV showed parked cars on the streets of the coastal city of Xiamen submerged up to their windshields in floodwaters.

Schools were shuttered across the province and train services cancelled, Xinhua reported.

The main damage from the storm was in Taiwan, where schools and offices were shut for a second day after Megi left roads blocked by landslides and homes flooded.

The four deaths on the island included a man killed by falling scaffolding and a 17-year-old boy who drowned when his boat overturned.

Around 4,300 people remained in temporary shelters with more than 14,800 evacuated from their homes, according to Taiwan's Central Emergency Operation Centre.

At its peak, Megi knocked out power for close to 3.8 million households, the second worst on record after the outage caused by Typhoon Soudelor in August 2015.

A million households were still without power on Wednesday.

"Fallen trees and signboards brought down many power lines and electrical poles, leading to severe power outages across the island," Taiwan Power Company said.

Authorities were rushing to clear blocked roads Wednesday, including those leading to mountainous villages in the popular hot springs town of Wulai.

Wulai, one of the areas worst hit by Soudelor, had evacuated 200 residents ahead of the storm.

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"The river swelled and flooded the old street, damaging basements of some homes," Shen Hui-kang, a spokesman at Wulai's district office, told AFP.

Mountainous areas across Taiwan have been lashed by torrential rains, with some parts of northeast Yilan county getting 1.3 metres (51 inches) since Monday.

Nearly 300 flights were either cancelled or delayed Wednesday and trains were still halted. They are set to resume later in the day.

Megi hit as parts of the island were still recovering from Typhoon Meranti earlier this month, the strongest storm on the island for 21 years.

Meranti, which left one dead in Taiwan before killing another 28 as it moved to eastern China, was followed closely by the smaller Typhoon Malakas.
By Andrea Shalal

BERLIN (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday began notifying lawmakers that it has approved $7 billion in long-stalled sales of Boeing Co (BA.N) fighter jets to Kuwait and Qatar, and more than $1 billion in Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) jets to Bahrain, sources familiar with the decision said.

The sales had been pending for more than two years amid concerns raised by Israel, Washington's closest Middle East ally, that arms sold to Gulf Arab states could be used against it, and criticism of Qatar for alleged ties to armed Islamist groups.

U.S. officials began notifying lawmakers informally about the sale of 36 Boeing F-15 fighter jets to Qatar valued at around $4 billion, and 28 F/A- 18E/F Super Hornets, plus options for 12 more, to Kuwait for around $3 billion, the sources said.

They also told lawmakers about plans to sell 17 Lockheed F-16 fighter jets to Bahrain, plus upgrades of up to 20 additional aircraft.

The deals will be formally announced once the 40-day informal notification process has ended. Then lawmakers will have 30 days to block the sales, although such action is rare.

Reuters reported earlier this month that the U.S. government was poised to approve the long-delayed sales to Kuwait and Qatar.

The State Department said it could not comment on any ongoing government-to-government arms sales.

Delays in the process had caused frustration among U.S. defense officials and industry executives, who warned that Washingtons foot-dragging could cost them billions of dollars of business if buyers grew impatient and sought other suppliers.

The approval of the fighter jet sales comes as the White House tries to bolster relations with Gulf Arab allies who want to upgrade their military capabilities. They fear the United States is drawing closer to Iran, their arch-rival, after Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers last year.

Sources said officials at both the State Department and Pentagon had largely agreed to the deals some time ago, but had been awaiting final approval from the White House.

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Qatar, home to the largest U.S. air base in the Middle East, and Kuwait have ramped up military spending after uprisings across the Arab world and amid rising tensions between Sunni Muslim Gulf Arab states and Iran, the region's Shi'ite power.

Both Qatar and Kuwait are part of a 34-nation alliance announced by Saudi Arabia in December aimed at countering Islamic State and al Qaeda militants in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan.

The sales will boost fighter production for both companies.

Boeing's F-15 line is set to close in 2019 after Boeing completes work on a large order for Saudi Arabia, unless a follow-on order is approved.

As orders slow, Boeing is increasingly relying on technology upgrades and services sales to maintain its revenue stream from fighter jets, Shelley Lavender, president of Boeing's military aircraft division, said in an interview.

The company is adding new technology to the F-15 and F/A-18 and other aircraft, and is refurbishing them on the same assembly lines use to build new aircraft, she said.

When the current fighter jet lines end, that loss of revenue will be offset by upgrade efforts. "We're blurring the traditional lines of new aircraft builds and sustainment," Lavender said.

Boeing's broad portfolio from commercial derivatives rotocraft, autonomous vehicles, fighters and weapons "will allow us to remain healthy for the decades to come," she said.

Byron Callan with Capital Alpha Partner said he expected all three sales to be approved.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal in Berlin and Rachel Nielsen in Seattle; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Tom Brown)
BAMAKO (Reuters) - The U.S. ambassador to Mali has accused the government of maintaining relations with a militia widely blamed for rising tensions that risk undermining a fragile peace process in the country's desert north. His comments were the latest indication that key donors to the West African state are taking a harder line toward the government, which denies all ties to Gatia - a mostly Tuareg militia opposed to pro-independence fighters in the north. "The Malian government should put a stop to all ties both public and private with Gatia, a group of armed militia that is not contributing to peace in the north," Paul Folmsbee said in a post on the U.S. Embassy's Facebook page on Wednesday. "Mali needs to assume a greater responsibility for the peace deal's implementation," he said, urging the southern-based Bamako government to step up its presence throughout the sprawling country. A government spokesman declined to comment on the allegation of ties to Gatia. Folmsbee did not give details of whether the ties were financial or military. The United States has pledged more than $1 billion in aid to Mali since the election of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in 2013 after a period of instability. In a statement, Gatia did not directly deny any links to the Bamako government but said its mission was to protect an ethnic group within the Tuareg known as the Imghad, not to act as an arm of the authorities in northern Mali. "(Gatia) was created ... to protect the Imghad people and their allies who have been abandoned by the state in an area where there are armed groups that kill and humiliate with impunity," Gatia's deputy secretary-general Habala Hamzata said in the statement. Security has been deteriorating in Mali for months despite a peace deal signed in June 2015 between the government and a medley of mostly Tuareg secular armed groups based in the desert north. The deal was seen as an important precursor to striking at al Qaeda-linked militants based in the same region and who briefly seized key northern cities in 2012. Many of the rivalries between fighters from the Tuareg minority ethnic group date back centuries and are linked to control of desert trade routes. Up to 20 died in fighting in remote locations in July and there have been further clashes near the northern town of Kidal in recent weeks. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, made similar allegations against the Malian government last week during a session on Mali in New York. (Additional reporting by Adama Diarra; writing by Emma Farge; editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Gareth Jones)
By Nate Raymond

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday won approval of a settlement with failed Cayman Islands-based Caledonian Bank Ltd, despite criticism by a federal judge of the regulator's handling of the case and of the accord itself.

U.S. District Judge William Pauley in Manhattan questioned whether the SEC's $25 million settlement with Caledonian was in the public's interest, given that the regulator had turned that sum into a "phantom judgment" by waiving payment.

Pauley, who has previously scolded the SEC for blunders that triggered the bank's collapse in February 2015, said the settlement "raises many questions," including how victims would benefit from the non-monetary accord.

But Pauley noted the ability of judges to block regulatory settlements was narrowed in 2014, when an appeals court voided a judge's rejection of a $285 million accord between the SEC and Citigroup Inc.

"For better or worse, the public's interest in 'knowing the truth' behind a litigation is not to be considered to evaluate the decree," Pauley wrote.

Neither the SEC nor Caledonian's lawyer responded immediately to requests for comment.

The SEC in 2015 sued Caledonian and three broker-dealers in Belize and Panama, accusing them of offering and selling unregistered penny stocks to investors through several "pump-and-dump" schemes.

The SEC obtained an order freezing their assets, resulting in nearly $76.7 million in Caledonian's U.S.-based accounts being frozen.

Pauley said it later turned out Caledonian had received only $1.4 million in connection with the alleged schemes. The SEC discovered the disparity soon after getting the freeze order, but failed for months to tell the court, he said.

In the interim, a run on the bank occurred, and Cayman Island authorities placed it into liquidation.

The SEC and Caledonian's liquidators subsequently negotiated a settlement in which the defunct bank would be enjoined from future U.S. securities law violations and would forfeit $25 million, for which the regulator would waive payment.

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Pauley approved the deal despite calling that arrangement "seemingly illusory" and "somewhat of a legal fiction." He also said the proof the bank exercised control over the alleged pump-and-dump scheme was "relatively thin."

His ruling on Wednesday came after months of scrutiny by Pauley, who at one point in April questioned whether the $25 million would be included SEC's end-of-the-year statistics. The SEC later told Pauley it would not.

The case is Securities and Exchange Commission v. Caledonian Bank Ltd. et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 15-00894.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Alan Crosby)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military struck two targets in Yemen in the past week, killing four operatives of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in a continuing effort to degrade and defeat the group, the military command for U.S. troops in the area said on Wednesday. U.S. Central Command said in a statement that two al Qaeda operatives were killed in a strike in Marib province on Sept. 20, and another two were killed in a strike in the Baydah area on Sept. 22. (Reporting by Idrees Ali; Writing by David Alexander; Editing by Susan Heavey)
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday that those using "ever more destructive weapons" in Syria are committing war crimes and that the situation in the Syrian city of Aleppo is worse than a slaughterhouse. Russian or Syrian warplanes knocked a major Aleppo hospital out of service on Wednesday, hospital workers said, and ground forces intensified an assault on the city's besieged rebel sector, in a battle that has become a potentially decisive turning point in the civil war. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols)
From Popular Mechanics

The United States and its NATO allies are already looking to the next generation of fighter planes to ensure air superiority, according to the Wall Street Journal. The article cites new fifth-generation Russian and Chinese fighters as the impetus to develop a new round of combat aircraft due in the 2030s.

When we say fifth-gen warplanes, we're talking about aircraft designed to be stealthy, incorporate the latest active electronic scanning array radars, and cruise at supersonic speeds without the use of an afterburner. China's forthcoming Chengdu J-20 and the Russian T-50 (also known as PAK-FA) are expected to be formidable aerial adversaries for the United States and NATO.

The U.S. already fields fifth-generation planes in the form of the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. But three-fourths of U.S. planes are fourth-generation designs dating back to the 1970s. The Joint Strike Fighter will replace most of them, but some, such as the F-15E Strike Eagle and the F/A-18 Super Hornet, will need replacing in the 2030-2035 timeframe. So, in addition to the so-called "Penetrating Counter Air" fighter that the Air Force wants to accompany the B-21 Raider bomber deep into enemy territory, the service is already thinking about the next generation of fighter.

European countries, facing a resurgent and aggressive Russia, are also planning on a new generation of planes. After the end of the Cold War, many countries in Europe sought to replace their frontline fighter jets with a single, modern multirole design, such as the Eurofighter Typhoon, while allowing secondary fighter and attack jet fleets to age. Now the United Kingdom is buying the F-35 and working on joint research on future sixth-generation fighter designs with France. France, meanwhile, is planning to upgrade the Rafale fighter, and Germany wants to replace its Tornado IDS strike jets, which were purchased in the 1980s, with a manned or unmanned design.

Story continues

Nobody knows what feature set will define sixth-generation fighters. Laser weapons, aircraft skins that act as sensors and antennas, and a lack of a cockpit are two possibilities. But after the soaring costs and development lags that typified the fifth generation F-22 and F-35, affordability and simplicity would be welcome features, too.

Via The Wall Street Journal

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By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate's senior Democratic tax law writer says he will rip up a root of corporate tax avoidance if his party wins Senate control in November, targeting trillions of dollars in tax-deferred profits being held abroad by U.S. companies. In an interview with Reuters, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden said he wants to put an end to a Kennedy-era law that lets U.S. corporations indefinitely hold profits from active business operations offshore without paying U.S. tax on them. Corporate tax avoidance is under trans-Atlantic assault. The EU has slapped a $14.5 billion back-taxes bill on Apple Inc. Ten days ago, the Obama administration imposed another in a series of recent clamp-downs on tax avoidance. The idea of ending tax deferral of foreign profits has been kicked around for years. Wyden, 67, is a long-time proponent and might finally be able to do something about it, if voters support enough Senate Democrats in the Nov. 8 elections. "This is going to be front and center at the beginning of January," said Wyden, who is the top Democrat on the tax law-writing Senate Finance Committee. The panel and the full Senate are presently controlled by Republicans. Wyden said his first action, if he becomes chairman, will be to propose a funding package to upgrade U.S. infrastructure. It would require U.S. companies to bring home more than $2 trillion in foreign profits held offshore as part of an international tax reform package. A previous tax "holiday" for profits held offshore was tried in 2004 but was voluntary, not mandatory. Under that program, $360 billion in foreign profits was "repatriated" at a discounted tax rate of 5.25 percent, far below the statutory corporate income tax rate of 35 percent. Wyden has not specified a rate for his proposal. Six years later, with corporations pushing for another such holiday, a congressional committee said the 2004 program had little economic impact and cost the U.S. Treasury about $3.3 billion in lost revenue. The tax reforms Wyden envisions would also lower corporate tax rates and simplify the convoluted U.S. tax code to prevent tax planners from "gaming" the system. The code has not been thoroughly overhauled in 30 years. "The first bill out of the gate would be roads and bridges and transportation," Wyden told Reuters on Friday. "My sense is that there will be an interest among members in using a portion of the money derived from international reform for the roads and bridges and transportation systems." Most multinationals and many lawmakers, both Republicans and some Democrats, favor a foreign profit repatriation program, but not like the one Wyden wants. The United States has a "worldwide" corporate income tax system that taxes profits of U.S. companies no matter where they are made, with some exceptions. One is that earnings from active business operations, as opposed to passive income such as rent or royalties, can be left offshore on a tax-free basis under the Kennedy-era deferral rule. Passive income is taxed. In contrast, most large countries have "territorial" systems in which companies pay income tax only to the government of the country where the profits were made. Corporate America has been lobbying for many years for a territorial system that would make deferral obsolete. Wyden and other Democrats want to keep a worldwide system and eliminate deferral, a position singled out for criticism last week by House Speaker Paul Ryan. "The fear I have is the progressives who kind of control the Democratic Party don't think anything close to what looks like tax reform is a good thing," Ryan told the Economic Club of New York. "I hope that view changes." But Wyden says the public is unlikely to accept a system under which U.S. corporations do not pay taxes on foreign profits. "At a time when Americans are so angry about jobs being shipped overseas... I don't think it's going to go over very well," he said. "A competitive rate, no deferral and no gaming, Im going to argue gets you the benefit of territorial." Some Republicans also oppose tying tax reform to infrastructure. Wyden says failing to reform the tax code could strain U.S. relations with the European Union, if EU state aid probes continue to penalize U.S. companies, possibly resulting in U.S. action before the World Trade Organization. "To Democrats and Republicans, this feels more like the European Commission declaring open season on the American tax base than (them) joining us to fight tax dodgers," he said. "I could see members saying the United States should respond with a WTO case," Wyden added. "There's that kind of anger." (Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Dan Grebler)
By Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States clamped sanctions on a Democratic Republic of Congo general and a former senior police official on Wednesday in an apparent ratcheting up of pressure on President Joseph Kabila to hold an election for his successor in November. The U.S. Treasury Department action came a week after dozens of people died in clashes between Congolese security forces and protesters angered by what opposition groups charge are Kabila's plan to postpone the vote and retain power beyond his two-term limit. Kabila denies the allegation about planning to retain power. His government has said that the November election must be postponed because of logistical problems. Major General Gabriel Amisi Kumba and John Numbi, a former senior police official, were placed on a list of "specially designated nationals," said a Treasury Department announcement. Any financial assets they have in the United States are blocked and Americans are generally barred from engaging in financial transactions with them. The decision to sanction the pair followed "increasing indications that the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to suppress political opposition in the country, often through violent means," the Treasury said. Amisi oversees security forces in four provinces, including Kinshasa. Units under his command "reportedly have engaged in violent repression of political demonstrations," including January 2015 protests in which at least 42 people died, the announcement said. Numbi, the former national inspector of the country's police force, used "violent intimidation" to secure victories for pro-Kabila gubernatorial candidates in March 2016 provincial elections, it said. While no longer a government official, Numbi "is reportedly an influential adviser to Kabila," the announcement added. The United States imposed sanctions on Celestin Kanyama, police commissioner of the capital, Kinshasa, in June. Ida Sawyer, a senior researcher for Human Rights Watch, praised the sanctions decision and called on the United States, the European Union and the U.N. Security Council to impose sanctions on other senior Congolese government, security and intelligence officials. At the same time, the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa warned U.S. citizens of continued insecurity in Congo and said it could only offer very limited emergency services to them. The State Department ordered the departure of family members of U.S. personnel and also authorized voluntary departure of non-emergency government personnel, it said in an email. (Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Sandra Maler)
[September 28, 2016] ZeroFOX Named a Leader & Top-Ranked in Strategy Category for Digital Risk Monitoring by Independent Research Firm

ZeroFOX, the innovator of social media security, today announced that the company and its ZeroFOX Platform have been named both a Leader and Top-Ranked in the Strategy category in The Forrester (News - Alert) Wave: Digital Risk Monitoring (DRM), Q3 2016 report. Forrester gave ZeroFOX the top score in the corporate strategy & vision criterion and among the highest scores in risk monitoring & remediation and customer references criteria. To obtain a copy of the Forrester Digital Risk Monitoring Wave report click here. To join ZeroFOX and industry thought leader, Forrester's Nick Hayes, on October 27 at 11:00am ET for the webinar: "Why Digital Risk Monitoring Matters," click here. "ZeroFOX fuses superior social data coverage with fast-paced analytics," writes author Nick Hayes in the report. "ZeroFOX has innovated rapidly since its inception in 2013, offering a solution for customers to analyze and discover cyber and brand risks, predominantly via social media channels...S&R [security and risk] pros looking to improve the way they monitor and detect a plethora of cyber and brand risks should certainly consider ZeroFOX," the report states. Given the countless and continually expandng social and digital channels that attackers are leveraging, organizations are far more exposed to risk than even many veteran security and risk professionals realize. Whether it's a serious data leak, account compromise, brand impersonation, or targeted attack (phishing, social engineering, ransomware), rapid detection and remediation is the best hope to mitigate these risks before they turn into full-blown crises.



ZeroFOX, with a laser focus on social media security, provides risk management and security controls where it's needed most in today and tomorrow's digital world: social. The ZeroFOX team has pioneered a cloud-based platform to protect the modern organization from social media security threats and business risks. The ZeroFOX Platform continuously monitors across all social media channels including LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter (News - Alert), Instagram, Tumblr, Reddit and more - for security risks and business threats targeting employees, customers and organizations. Using intelligent data collection with an automated scriptable analysis engine, the ZeroFOX Platform automatically identifies and remediates fraudulent & impersonated accounts, phishing attacks, financial fraud, customer scams, exposed PII and more. The ZeroFOX Platform Spring 2016 release was identified as a leader in the space and has continued to advance through the Summer and now Fall releases since Forrester's evaluation - including expanded Open API, enhanced FoxScript functionality and new machine learning capabilities. "Social media is the future of business and personal digital communication. It forms the bedrock of successful revenue growth and customer retention strategies, yet security leaders today find themselves in an incredibly difficult position trying to balance the risks versus the rewards," says James C. Foster, CEO at ZeroFOX. "We commend Forrester for acknowledging the need for a DRM Wave that security leaders can turn to for thorough guidance on managing digital risk, and we are thrilled to be named a Leader and Top-Ranked for Strategy in the report. Our company's agile nature coupled with market-leading strategic vision, sets us up to best serve our customers over the long term, helping them attain visibility, governance and security against the massive digital risk vector of social media."

Guest speaker and thought leader, Forrester's Nick Hayes, will join ZeroFOX on Thursday, October 27 at 11:00am ET to speak at the webinar: "Why Digital Risk Monitoring Matters." For details and to register, please visit https://get.zerofox.com/2016-10-27-forrester-wave-webinar.html?utm_source=web&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=wavewebinar_102716 About ZeroFOX

ZeroFOX, the innovator of social media security, protects modern organizations from the dynamic risks of social media and digital channels. Each day, ZeroFOX's cloud-based, SaaS (News - Alert) platform processes millions of posts and accounts across the social landscape, spanning Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, YouTube and more. Using targeted data collection, intelligent analysis and automated remediation, ZeroFOX protects businesses and government agencies around the world against phishing attacks, information loss, account compromise, fraud, compliance violations, and financial loss. Led by a team of information security and high-growth start-up veterans, ZeroFOX has raised over $40M in funding from NEA, Highland Capital and others, and has collected top industry awards such as the SINET16 Champion, DarkReading's Top Security Startups to Watch, Tech Council of Maryland's Technology Company of the Year, and the Security Tech Trailblazer of the Year. To find out more information about ZeroFOX or to join our team, please visit: https://www.zerofox.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928006001/en/

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JALALABAD, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A suspected U.S. drone strike against Islamic State in Afghanistan killed at least 21 people on Wednesday, most of them militants but possibly including some civilians, Afghan officials said. Civilians casualties in U.S. air strikes have long been a source of friction between the Afghan government and Western allies fighting the Taliban-led insurgency since 2001. The strike in Nangarhar province, on the eastern border with Pakistan, killed 21 people, at least three of them civilians, and wounded another 11, according to Malem Mashooq, the governor of Achin district where the attack occurred. One of the wounded told Reuters that the attack struck a house where people were sleeping after a gathering to welcome a local elder who had recently returned from the Hajj pilgrimage. "I saw dead and wounded bodies everywhere, Raghon Shinwari said, lying on a hospital bed in Jalalabad city. Mohammed Ali, the Achin district police chief corroborated that account. "They were in a house to visit someone who had just come from the Hajj pilgrimage," he said. "A drone targeted the house and killed most of them." Provincial police spokesman Hazrat Hussain Mashriqiwal said several Islamic State leaders had been killed, but he denied there were any noncombatants among the victims. A spokesman for the U.S. military command in Kabul confirmed that U.S. forces conducted a "counter-terrorism" air strike in Achin, but would not discuss the details of the target. "U.S. Forces - Afghanistan takes all allegations of civilian casualties very seriously," said Brigadier General Charles Cleveland. "We are aware of some claims of Afghan casualties, and are currently reviewing all materials related to this strike. We are continuing to look into these allegations." Determining which victims were civilians and which were militants would not be possible until an investigation was complete, said Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the provincial governor. Islamic State has attracted hundreds, perhaps thousands, of fighters in Afghanistan and Pakistan to join its ranks, and it holds some territory in Nangarhar, and Achin was a stronghold for the group. But it has not been able to expand its influence in Afghanistan beyond a few districts and the Taliban remain the dominant militant force. Thousands of U.S. troops remain in Afghanistan, with many recent air strikes and special operations missions aimed at Islamic State in Nangarhar, but they have also been helping Afghan forces fight Taliban elsewhere in the country. Between January and August this year, American aircraft released more than 800 weapons and flew more than 3,500 close air support missions in Afghanistan, according to U.S. military reports. (Reporting by Rafiq Sherzad and Ahmad Sultan in Jalalabad, and Josh Smith in Kabul; Writing by Josh Smith; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
ANKARA (Reuters) - U.S. officials have told their Turkish counterparts they will respond within a couple of days to Turkey's demand to arrest Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, blamed for a bloody coup attempt, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Wednesday. Turkey wants the United States to extradite Gulen, who resides in Pennsylvania, and prosecute him on charges he masterminded the attempt to overthrow the government on July 15. The 75-year-old preacher denies any involvement. Bozdag was speaking to NTV channel in an interview broadcast live. Washington has said it is cooperating with Ankara on the matter and asked its NATO ally for patience as it processes the extradition request for Gulen to meet U.S. legal requirements. (Reporting by Tulay Karadeniz and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Writing by Ayla Jean Yackley; Editing by Daren Butler)
By Naomi Tajitsu

TOKYO (Reuters) - Uber Technologies on Wednesday said it will launch a food-delivery service in Japan as it looks for new ways to enter a potentially massive market where its ride-hailing service has been blocked by regulation and opposition from taxi drivers.

The U.S. technology firm is innovating in a bid to establish its brand in Japan, although it is tight-lipped about when it expects to be able to offer ride-hailing services in the country's major cities.

Japan is a key battleground in Uber's plans for Asia, after it pulled out of China two months ago and as it fends off challenges from ambitious regional rivals like four-year-old Singapore-based Grab and Indonesia's Go-Jek.

"Uber believes Japan is an important market, and if it can demonstrate success in Japan, it can go into other Asian countries with momentum," said Brian Solis, digital analyst at Altimeter Group in San Francisco.

The launch of food-delivery service UberEats in Japan will give Uber a slice of a market which almost doubled in 2014 to 1.9 trillion yen (14.6 billion pounds), according to Yano Research Institute.

Job listings on Uber and other recruiting sites suggest UberEats is planning to enter at least 22 new countries across the world in the near future, on top of the six countries where it already operates.

Its launch in Japan comes after the firm started two ride-hailing pilot services for elderly people in rural towns earlier this year. Japan's ageing population makes it an attractive prospect for ride-hailing companies.

But Uber is still a long way from expanding its ride-hailing services into big cities, thanks to regulations outlawing non-professional drivers from transporting paying customers, as well as opposition from the powerful taxi lobby.

In Tokyo, Uber operates as a travel agent, connecting users to established taxi company drivers.

IN THE MIX

Food delivery and the pilot ride-hailing projects would provide valuable information about customer preferences and traffic conditions as Uber looks to expand its logistics businesses in Japan.

Story continues

They are part of a broader strategy to offer more diverse services rather than focusing almost exclusively on ride-hailing, analysts said.

"Uber seems to be getting smarter about the mix of services they will offer in various parts of the world, in response to cultural differences, regulation, and competition," said Jan Dawson, chief analyst at Jackdaw Research in Utah.

"It seems to be less willing to simply barge into new markets while ignoring regulations or objections than in the past."

Uber Japan President Masami Takahashi said the company would like to "build on initiatives" like the pilot ride-hailing projects and UberEats, although he declined to say when Uber hoped to launch ride-hailing services in major cities.

(Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu and Maki Shiraki; Editing by Stephen Coates)
By Nqobile Dludla

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Uber Technologies starts its UberEats food-delivery service in South Africa on Thursday before expanding in the rest of the country and into the continent, it said on Wednesday.

It will begin delivering meals in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city, before moving across the Gauteng province and to Cape Town in 2017, Uber Operations and Logistics Manager Dave Kitley told reporters.

Uber is making an aggressive global drive into takeaway meal deliveries, gearing up with a big staff recruitment campaign to enter at least 22 more countries. UberEats already operates in six countries and will launch in Amsterdam on Thursday.

Uber launched its ride-hailing service in South Africa in 2013 and since then the service has grown to over 4,000 drivers in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth.

"Johannesburg was the first city in Africa to have Uber launch and based on the success of launching in Africa as well as the characteristics of Jo'burg and where we are right now in terms of our maturity it is really about testing the product and being the first city in Africa," Kitley said.

Kitley said Uber would look to expand UberEats into Africa "as quickly as we can, but right now no imminent plans for that".

(Reporting by Nqobile Dludla; editing by Susan Thomas)
By Eric Auchard AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Uber is making an aggressive drive into meal delivery, backed by a wave of staff recruitment, with the U.S. tech heavyweight gearing up to enter at least 22 new countries and take on local rivals. In a measure of rising ambition beyond its taxi business, Uber will begin delivering meals in Amsterdam on Thursday just as Dutch market leader Takeaway.com, begins trading on the city's stock market. And according to current job listings on Uber and other recruiting sites - for about 150 roles ranging from general managers and sales staff to bike couriers - UberEats is planning to enter at least 22 new countries across the world in the near future. That is on top of the six countries where it already operates. As recently as May, Uber executives were signalling that UberEats' international ambitions were a modest extension of its core business of transporting people. But its job hiring efforts over the last three months suggest something more ambitious is taking shape. "UberEats is one (business) we feel incredibly confident is resonating across the world and resonating across the footprint of the cities in which Uber operates the transport business," Jambu Palaniappan, recently named head of UberEats for Europe, Middle East and Africa, told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday. He named eight cities including Dubai and Johannesburg that UberEats plans to enter by the end of the year, but declined to spell out later targets. Europe is home base to many of the most active international players in the online food takeaway business. They are counting on their local ties, established customer bases and sprawling restaurant networks to insulate them from U.S. tech giants. The biggest international players - Britain's Just Eat, Germany's Delivery Hero and Takeaway.com - focus on advertising local takeaways and booking orders for nearby users, while leaving deliveries to the restaurants themselves. They have been raising fresh capital or swapping assets to bulk up in the expectation that Uber would ratchet up its challenge. Meanwhile, smaller players - Belgium's Take Eat Easy, delivering in 20 European cities, and London-based Pronto, which cooked meals as well as delivered them - have shut down in recent months, as the rush of funding that created dozens of start-ups modelled on Uber in recent years has dwindled. SUB-SCALE Investors have poured nearly $10 billion (8.9 billion euros) into 421 food delivery deals since the start of 2014, but funding dropped by more than half in the first six months of 2016, according to research from CBInsights. Overall, the global restaurant takeaway market is projected to grow by 10 percent between 2015 and 2020 to reach $93.4 billion, according to market research firm Euromonitor. Adding to pressures on existing food delivery players, Amazon launched its international expansion of Amazon Restaurants by entering the London market earlier this month, building on its existing 11-city base in the United States. "The problem for many of the remaining players is that they are sub-scale: They can't compete without superior logistics," said Neil Campling, head of global research for the tech industry at fund manager Northern Trust Capital Markets. To date, UberEats has launched in 33 cities in six countries, 27 of which are in the United States, where it first began testing food delivery two years ago. Since launching in London in June, Uber has promised to cut delivery times to within a 30-minute window, with no minimum order size or extra delivery fees. You can order a cupcake made in Kensington and have it driven across town to Whitechapel for the price of the cupcake in the shop. "When we launch in a city, one of the things we try to do very quickly is to get customer wait times down as low as possible," said Palaniappan, a Silicon Valley native who had run Uber's core business in the EMEA region and oversaw its move into India. By contrast, many rivals promise orders will take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, while requiring minimum orders and charging customer delivery fees. UberEats also benefits by being promoted through Uber's existing, very popular car hire app. STRONGHOLD Later this week, Takeaway plans to raise 350 million euros ($390 million) in an initial public offering that would give it a market value around 1 billion euros. Some newer entrants like Deliveroo of Britain and Foodora, a unit of Delivery Hero, have their own drivers - but few can rival Uber or Amazon's deep pockets and vast customer bases around the globe. To bolster their respective local and regional positions, Takeaway and Just Eat traded assets in August, with Takeaway exiting Just Eat's British stronghold in exchange for Just Eat's Benelux properties. London-listed Just Eat expects its revenue to rise around 50 percent this year and says its 66,000 restaurant partnerships can ensure its growth for years to come. Delivery Hero co-founder and CEO Niklas Oestberg says his firm has built a market-leading position in 28 countries around the world, signing up close to 300,000 restaurants - from Asia to Europe to Latin America - by acquiring local rivals, swapping assets and exiting tougher markets such as China and Russia. Dominance is not assured for Amazon and Uber, for whom meal delivery - a highly localised business that must be won city by city from local players - is but one of several big initiatives. A swing factor could prove to be how willing restaurants, such as pizza chains, are willing to allow big digital players to come between them and their customers - an issue Amazon has faced with brand-name retailers and Uber with taxi associations. Alexander Frolov, a London-based partner in venture capital firm Target Global, an investor in Delivery Hero and other food-themed start-ups, says Uber is a formidable challenger but local food delivery is far from a winner-take-all market. "It's not like Facebook. If all my friends are on UberEats, I don't really care; there will be other options," Frolov said in an interview. "That makes it more difficult for Uber to displace strong local players." (Additional reporting by Toby Sterling in Amsterdam and Byron Kaye in Sydney; Editing by Greg Mahlich and Pravin Char)
By Eric Auchard

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Uber Technologies [UBER.UL] is making an aggressive drive into takeaway meal deliveries, with the U.S. firm gearing up with a big staff recruitment campaign to enter at least 22 more countries.

Reflecting its fierce determination to expand beyond its core taxi-hailing business, Uber will launch its UberEats service in Amsterdam on Thursday, the first day of trading in the Dutch market leader Takeaway.com's <TKWY_w.AS> shares.

And according to current job listings on Uber and other recruiting websites, UberEats is advertising 150 roles ranging from general managers to sales staff and delivery couriers that show it plans to enter at least 22 new countries globally in the near future. The company already operates in six countries.

In addition to Amsterdam UberEats says it is also due to launch services in Dubai, Johannesburg and selected areas of Tokyo on Thursday and plans to be in Brussels, Stockholm, Hong Kong, Taipei, Jakarta, and Bangkok in the coming months.

"There's a lot of momentum in the organisation behind UberEats ... We definitely are investing in this space," said Simon Rossi, general manager at UberEats Asia Pacific at a launch event in Tokyo on Wednesday.

"I definitely feel it's one of the most important focuses in the (Uber) organisation," he said.

As recently as May, Uber executives were signaling that UberEats' international ambitions were a modest extension of its core business of transporting people. But staff recruitments, increased investments and more aggressive service offerings in recent months suggest something more ambitious is taking shape.

"UberEats is one (business) we feel incredibly confident is resonating across the world and resonating across the footprint of the cities in which Uber operates the transport business," Jambu Palaniappan, head of UberEats for Europe, Middle East and Africa, told Reuters on Tuesday.

Story continues

SUB-SCALE

Currently Europe is home to many of the most active international players in the online food takeaway business and they are counting on their local ties, established customer bases and extensive restaurant networks to fend off new competition from the likes of Uber and Amazon.

The biggest international players - Britain's Just Eat <JE.L>, Germany's Delivery Hero and Takeaway.com - focus on advertising local takeaways and booking orders for nearby users, while leaving deliveries to be made by the restaurants themselves.

But they have also been raising fresh capital and consolidating in preparation for Uber's arrival in their markets.

Meanwhile some smaller players have shut down as new funding has grown scarcer, such as Belgium's Take Eat Easy, which operated in 20 European cities, and London-based Pronto, which cooked meals as well as delivered them.

Investors have poured nearly $10 billion (8.9 billion euros) into 421 food delivery deals since the start of 2014, but funding dropped by more than half in the first six months of 2016, according to research from CBInsights.

Adding to pressures on existing food delivery players, Amazon launched its international expansion of Amazon Restaurants by entering the London market earlier this month, building on its existing 11-city base in the United States.

"The problem for many of the remaining players is that they are sub-scale: They can't compete without superior logistics," said Neil Campling, head of global research for the tech industry at fund manager Northern Trust Capital Markets.

Since launching in London in June, Uber has promised to cut delivery times to within a 30-minute window, with no minimum order size or extra delivery fees. You can order a cupcake made in Kensington and have it driven across town to Whitechapel for the price of the cupcake in the shop.

In contrast, many rivals promise orders will take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, while requiring minimum orders and charging customer delivery fees. UberEats also benefits by being promoted through Uber's existing, very popular car hire app.

STRONGHOLD

Later this week, Takeaway plans to raise 350 million euros ($390 million) in an initial public offering that would give it a market value of around 1 billion euros.

Some newer entrants like Deliveroo of Britain and Foodora, a unit of Delivery Hero, have their own drivers - but few can rival Uber or Amazon's deep pockets and vast customer bases around the globe.

To bolster their respective local and regional positions, Takeaway and Just Eat traded assets in August, with Takeaway exiting Just Eat's British stronghold in exchange for Just Eat's Benelux properties.

London-listed Just Eat expects its revenue to rise around 50 percent this year and says its 66,000 restaurant partnerships can ensure its growth for years to come.

Delivery Hero co-founder and CEO Niklas Oestberg says his firm has built a market-leading position in 28 countries around the world, signing up close to 300,000 restaurants - from Asia to Europe to Latin America - by acquiring local rivals, swapping assets and exiting tougher markets such as China and Russia.

Dominance is not assured for Amazon and Uber, for whom meal delivery - a highly localized business that must be won city by city from local players - is but one of several big initiatives.

A swing factor could prove to be how willing restaurants, such as pizza chains, are willing to allow the big e-commerce players to come between them and their customers - an issue Amazon has faced with brand-name retailers and Uber with taxi associations.

(Additional reporting by Naomi Tajitsu in Tokyo, Toby Sterling in Amsterdam and Byron Kaye in Sydney; Editing by Pravin Char, Greg Mahlich)
Andrea Orcel UBS

UBS has made a big hire in the US.

Bob Foresman will join the company as vice chairman of UBS Investment Bank on October 3, according to a memo seen by Business Insider. A spokeswoman confirmed the contents of the memo.

He will report directly to Andrea Orcel, president of the investment bank, and will be based in New York.

"He will bring his extensive relationships, political and geopolitical understanding and strategic experience, to add additional weight to, and strengthen, our client offering," Orcel wrote in the memo.

Foresman has spent much of his career in Russia, writing his Harvard thesis on voucher privatization in the country. He was most recently country head for Russia at Barclays, and before that was deputy chairman at Russian investment bank Renaissance Capital, which is now owned by billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov.

His appointment follows a shake-up in UBS's senior ranks back in June. As part of those changes, London-based William Vereker and New York-based Ros Stephenson were named global co-heads of corporate client solutions. Sam Kendall was named head of CCS in Asia Pacific.

"This appointment comes at an important time of our business, with the recent changes to the IBEC [Investment Bank Executive Committee] driven in part by the desire for us as a business to see greater convergence amongst our divisions," Orcel said in the memo.

His hire also follows on from earlier, senior hires. In New York, the bank hired Joseph Hershberger as vice chairman of the financial institutions group, while in London it hired Chris Gibson-Smith as vice chairman of corporate client solutions in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

UBS's investment bank generated 3.9 billion Swiss francs in revenue in the first six months of the year, down from 5 billion in the same period a year earlier. The unit delivered an adjusted profit before tax of 817 million Swiss francs, good for an adjusted return on equity of 21.2%.

Story continues

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London (AFP) - Secret files released in Britain Wednesday shed new light on how a Spaniard dubbed the greatest double agent of World War II tricked Germany with false intelligence about the D-Day Normandy landings.

Juan Pujol, codenamed Garbo, was one of British intelligence service MI5's most prized wartime assets, tricking Berlin with elaborate misinformation from a made-up network of sub-agents.

The Hitler regime never discovered Pujol's deception and even awarded him the Iron Cross for his services, while he was also honoured by Britain.

In perhaps his biggest success, he helped mislead the Germans about the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944.

Afterwards, he persuaded them that the Normandy landings were a diversion before a bigger operation in the Pas de Calais area of northern France, further along the coast.

Pujol told them "that the present attack was a large scale diversionary operation for the purpose of establishing a strong bridgehead in order to draw the maximum of German reserves to the area of operations and to retain them there in order to be able to strike a second blow with ensured success," his case officer Tomas Harris wrote in a secret memo dated June 13, 1944.

"He gave reasons as to why the second assault was likely to come in the Pas de Calais area," Harris added.

Pujol -- apparently motivated by a hatred of fascism and communism rooted in his Spanish Civil War experiences -- started his intelligence career feeding the Germans false information about Britain while living in Lisbon.

His information was based on sources like "a Blue Guide (tourist guide), a map of England, an out-of-date railway timetable," according to an MI5 memo dated July 12, 1943.

"Fortunately, he has a facile and lurid style, great ingenuity and a passionate and quixotic zeal for his task," the memo added.

- Even fooled his wife -

Despite an initial rejection by Britain, Pujol was eventually recruited to act as a double agent and smuggled to London in April 1942.

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However, his wife Araceli struggled to cope with their new life.

One incident showed how her husband was even prepared to put his ingenuity to work on her to protect his position.

On June 21, 1943, she telephoned Harris threatening to leave Pujol and go to the Spanish embassy in London to disclose her husband's work to the Franco regime unless she could go home.

The couple had rowed after he refused to take her to a dinner where there would be embassy staff.

The next day, after another call, an MI5 officer went to the family's north London home and found her "sitting in the kitchen with all the gas taps turned on".

Describing Araceli as a "highly emotional and neurotic woman", Harris described in a report six days later how Pujol hatched a plan to convince his wife that he had been arrested due to her behaviour.

This was designed to calm her down and prevent similar actions in future.

She was even taken to visit him in an interrogation camp before apologising two days later and vowing "never to perform any action which might compromise my husband's work" again.

"The extraordinary ingenuity with which he has conceived and carried through this plan has perhaps saved a situation which might otherwise have been intolerable," Harris wrote.

Pujol moved to Angola after the war, where his death was faked before he went on to build a new life in Venezuela. He died there in 1988.

Leading British historian Christopher Andrew, MI5's official biographer, described him as "the greatest double agent of the Second World War and possibly of the entire 20th century" in a new podcast released with the documents.

The information came from classified MI5 files made public by Britain's National Archives.
Liverpool (AFP) - British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wrapped up his party's annual conference Wednesday with a call to rebels to end the "trench warfare" that has raged since Britain's vote to leave the European Union.

In his closing speech to the party conference in Liverpool, northwest England, Corbyn called for unity but risked a fresh row by rejecting calls for EU immigration curbs, a key issue in the June referendum.

The opposition party has been plagued by in-fighting following a botched attempt by centrist MPs to unseat the 67-year-old leftist, blaming him for failing to campaign hard enough against Brexit.

His re-election by party members and supporters on Saturday has raised concern that the party could permanently split or at least be consigned to years in the political wilderness.

"I ask each and every one of you to accept the decision of the members, end the trench warfare and work together to take on the Tories," he said, referring to Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservatives.

But his refusal to promise curbs on immigration prompted a senior MP to accuse him of being "out of touch", while another warned of rising community tensions.

Corbyn said he would not offer "false promises" on cutting numbers of new arrivals, despite evidence that concern over the impact on public services and wages was a key driver of the June vote to leave the European Union.

Instead he said he would revive a multi-million-pound central government fund to help local communities deal with migration and tackle exploitation of migrant labour.

"This is the Labour way to tackle social tension -- investment and assistance, not racism and division," he said.

home affairs spokesman Andy Burnham earlier warned that voters disliked "unlimited, unfunded, unskilled migration which damages their own living standards".

"They have an even bigger problem with an out-of-touch elite who don't seem to care about it," said the MP, who also announced he was quitting Corbyn's team.

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Prominent moderate MP Rachel Reeves also addressed the issue of immigration.

"We have got to get this right because there are bubbling tensions in this country that I just think could explode."

- 'Jez we can' -

Corbyn's promise of a new politics based on traditional left-wing policies have swelled Labour party ranks to more than 600,000 in the past year, and he was greeted to a standing ovation as he entered the hall, and to chants of "Jez We Can".

But moderate MPs say his policies can never win a general election. The latest opinion poll put the Conservatives on 41 percent, and Labour on 26 percent.

Labour's rebel MPs have largely gone to ground since his re-election, which he secured with a larger mandate than before, but left-wingers and moderates continued power plays behind the scenes in Liverpool.

Divisions resurfaced over Britain's Trident nuclear deterrent, which lifelong pacificist Corbyn wants to scrap but which Labour officially supports.

Corbyn acknowledged the bitter battle for the party and said: "It's true there is an electoral mountain to climb."

He set out his vision for "socialism of the 21st century", promising to nationalise the railways, invest in infrastructure, health, education and scientific research.

Corbyn also pledged to protect environmental, employment and social protections as Britain withdraws from the EU.

The rebellion against him by 80 percent of his MPs was sparked by claims that he failed to campaign hard enough against Brexit, which he denies.

Corbyn said continued access to the European single market was one of his "red lines", and promised "a new relationship with Europe based on cooperation and internationalism".
Moscow (AFP) - Moscow on Wednesday described as "biased" and "politically motivated" the Dutch-led inquiry into the downing of Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine, which concluded the plane was shot down by a missile transported from Russia.

"Russia is disappointed that the situation around the investigation of the Boeing catastrophe is not changing," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

"The conclusions of Dutch prosecutors confirm that the investigation is biased and politically motivated," she said.

She accused the Joint Investigative Taskforce of "arbitrarily designating a guilty party and inventing the desired results."

The taskforce presented its findings on Wednesday after a two-year investigation into the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in conflict-torn eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board in July 2014.

The conclusion did not assign blame but said the Boeing 777 was shot down by a BUK missile system from an area in eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian separatists, and that the system was brought in from Russia and then taken back there.

The ministry statement said the taskforce "excluded Moscow from fully participating in the investigation process" while embracing Ukraine as a "full member of the JIT" and giving Kiev an opportunity to "falsify evidence and twist the case in its favour".

"Russia is practically the only (party) that sends true information and discloses more and more new data," the statement said.

Yet the "whole 'body of evidence' of the Dutch prosecutors was provided by Ukraine," it said.

The taskforce said Wednesday that Moscow had only provided part of the information that it had requested.

Russia's defence ministry on Monday released what it claimed were new radar images showing that there was no missile fired from rebel-held territory on that day, which contradicted some of its earlier declarations.

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Russia's Almaz-Antey missile maker, which produces BUK surface-to-air systems, said in a briefing Wednesday that the inquiry did not include its findings.

The state-controlled firm last October alleged the plane was downed from disputed territory by an outdated version of the BUK missile that is no longer in use by the Russian military.

Dutch prosecutors said they only received Almaz-Antey's data this month and did not find that it outweighed the probe's conclusions.
[September 28, 2016] Fitch Affirms Saint Anne's Retirement Community at 'BB+'; Outlook Revised to Stable

Fitch Ratings has affirmed the 'BB+' rating on the following Lancaster County Hospital Authority revenue bonds, issued on behalf of Saint Anne Retirement Community, PA (SARC): --$18.4 million series 2012. The Rating Outlook has been revised to Stable from Negative. SECURITY The bonds are secured by a gross revenue pledge, mortgage lien, and debt service reserve fund. KEY RATING DRIVERS STRENGTHENED PROFITABILITY: The Outlook revision to Stable is supported by stronger operating performance in fiscal 2016. Following several years of declining or flat revenue, SARC's service revenue grew 9% in fiscal 2016. Growth is due in large part to a successful memory support expansion, coupled with improved census across units. As a result, SARC produced a solid 10.6% net operating margin (NOM), and 2.0x coverage of maximum annual debt service (MADS) coverage by revenue only. Additionally, reliance on entrance fees and investment income is minimal. IMPROVED OCCUPANCY: Following mixed occupancy in 2015, census improved in 2016, averaging above 92% across all units at fiscal year-end. The opening and fill-up of its new memory support unit in fiscal 2016 was successful; the unit was 94.5% occupied at fiscal year-end. MODERATE LIQUIDITY: At fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, SARC had $8.8 million in unrestricted cash and investments, equating to 209 days cash on hand (DCOH), 48.1% cash to debt and a 5.4x cushion ratio in line with Fitch's respective 'BIG' medians of 227 DCOH, 37.3% and 5x. This level of liquidity is solid for a Type C fee-for-service facility at a 'BB+' rating level. ILU EXPANSION PLANS: SARC is moving forward on its planned ILU expansion, which is expected to progress in phases, with initial financing now anticipated within the next nine months. The project's final scope and financing remains in flux, but is expected to be funded in part with debt and with entrance fee proceeds. RATING SENSITIVITIES SUSTAINED CASH FLOW: SARC is expected to maintain solid operating profitability in line with the 'BB+' rating going forward. However, rating pressure is possible should SARC not maintain healthy cash flow in light of planned its capital outlays and likely increase in debt. EXPECTED DEBT ISSUANCE: Near-term capital plans will likely include additional debt, which could pressure SARC's financial profile and rating. Though delayed, SARC has continued moving forward on its ILU expansion plan, and Fitch anticipates final determination of size, phasing, and financing to now occur in early-to-mid 2017. CREDIT PROFILE Saint Anne's Retirement Community (SARC, a type C continuing care retirement community (CCRC), is located outside Columbia, PA in the township of West Hempfield, approximately 35 miles southwest of Harrisburg and 10 miles west of Lancaster. SARC is sponsored by the Religious Congregation of Sisters of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ, United States Region (ASC (News - Alert)), and operates a 61-unit skilled nursing facility (SNF), a 51-bed memory support unit (MSU), 51-personal care assisted living units (ALUs), and 71-rental and entrance fee independent living units (ILUs). Total reported revenues in fiscal 2016 (year-end June 30) were $16.7 million. OPERATING IMPROVEMENTS SARC exceeded its budgeted expectations in fiscal 2016, generating 2.2x MADS coverage and a healthy 10.6% NOM. Both compare favorably to Fitch's 'BIG' medians of 1.5x coverage and 6.6% NOM. Healthy occupancy coupled with a conservative staffing and expense approach were key factors. Further, SARC's fiscal 2017 budget remains conservative with regard to expenses, as occupancy targets are conservative compared to fiscal 2016 actual levels. SARC finished fiscal 2016 with 94.9% ILU, 93.5% ALU, 94.5% MSU, and 89.2% SNF occupancy. ILU PLANS As expected, SARC is moving forward with its campus expansion plans, which may add up to 106 ILUs (both apartments and cottages) when fully complete, likely to be accomplished in several phases over the next several years. Overall, the project is expected to be accretive; expanding SARC's revenue base and addressing its somewhat high 17.7 year average age of plant. It is likely that SARC will pursue additional debt financing within the next nine to 12 months as a source of funding for this project. While SARC has some capacity at the current rating for additional debt, rating pressure is possible depending on the final scope and cost of the project and analysis of SARC's pro forma credit profile. DEBT PROFILE At fiscal 2016 SARC had $18.4 million in total long term debt, all of which is fixed rate. Debt service is level, with MADS measured at $1.6 million. SARC has no derivative instruments, and no defined benefit pension obligation. SARC's current debt burden is currently manageable, evidenced by MADS equal to 9.2% of total revenue and 5.1x debt to net available. Of note, SARC's revenue-only coverage was a healthy 2x in fiscal 2016 and consistently well above Fitch's below-investment-grade (BIG) median of 0.8x. SARC generated 1.9x debt service coverage per its fiscal 2016 covenant calculation, ahead of its 1.2x requirement. DISCLOSURE SARC provides ongoing disclosure within 120 days of fiscal year and ithin 60 days of each fiscal quarter end via the Municipal Bondholders Rulemaking Board's EMMA system. Disclosure includes balance sheet, income statement, occupancy, budget, and covenant compliance.



Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'. Applicable Criteria

Revenue-Supported Rating Criteria (pub. 16 Jun 2014) https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/750012 U.S. Nonprofit Hospitals and Health Systems Rating Criteria (pub. 09 Jun 2015) https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/866807 Additional Disclosures Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/press_releases/content/ridf_frame.cfm?pr_id=1012315 Solicitation Status https://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=1012315 Endorsement Policy https://www.fitchratings.com/jsp/creditdesk/PolicyRegulation.faces?context=2&detail=31 ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTPS://WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON (News - Alert) THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEB SITE AT WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM. 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By Noor Zainab Hussain and Arno Schuetze

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank AG (DBKGn.DE) has sold its British insurance business Abbey Life to Phoenix Group Holdings (PHNX.L) as it sheds non-core assets and reduces its balance sheet in an effort to reassure anxious investors and meet regulators' demands.

Phoenix, Britain's largest owner of life insurance funds closed to new customers, is paying 935 million pounds ($1.2 billion) for Abbey Life, which manages assets worth 10 billion pounds and has 735,000 policyholders, the companies said.

Although the deal announced on Wednesday will result in a pre-tax loss of 800 million euros (690.32 million) in the first quarter, mainly from writedowns for Deutsche Bank, it will lift the German lender's capital ratio by 10 basis points.

The sale was a rare piece of good news for Deutsche Bank investors and the bank's shares had risen 1.2 percent by 1028 British time, recovering from a record low on Tuesday on persistent worries about the lender's health.

Chief Executive John Cryan told German daily Bild that he had not asked for state aid following a report that Deutsche had asked Berlin for help to deal with a $14 billion demand from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Germany's largest bank, which is in the midst of a deep overhaul, is trying to cut its balance sheet dramatically as it seeks to comply with stricter rules demanding lenders hold more capital against any assets.

Regulatory changes and rock bottom interest rates have ramped up pressure on banks to deal with their legacy books, leading many to consider putting them up for sale.

Deutsche Bank has been working since last year on the sale of Abbey Life, which it bought for 977 million pounds in 2007, sources had told Reuters.

Run-off specialist Phoenix said it would raise 735 million pounds via a rights issue and use 250 million pounds from a new bank facility to fund the purchase.

Phoenix's shares were up 3.16 percent at 864 pence at 0931 GMT on the London Stock Exchange.

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The company had told Reuters in August that it was scouting for acquisitions to help gain scale in a challenging, low interest rate environment.

"We are a UK closed life consolidator... and as such we are going to stick to the UK where we believe there is in excess of 300 billion pounds' worth of potential closed life business..." Phoenix Group's CEO Clive Bannister told Reuters by phone on Wednesday.

The Abbey Life deal follows Phoenix's acquisition of AXA's (AXAF.PA) UK investment and pensions business earlier this year for 375 million pounds, as the French insurer completed a well-flagged exit from a mature life assurance market to focus on faster-growing emerging economies.

Abbey Life, which operates on an outsourced model, has 45 employees, Bannister said, adding that Phoenix would place its management in senior positions in the acquired firm.

In March, Britain's Financial Conduct Authority launched an investigation into Abbey Life's treatment of long-time life insurance customers which could result in compensation payments to policyholders or fines for the British insurer.

Bannister said Phoenix had taken out an indemnification to ensure that its shareholders are protected against any financial downsides of the investigation.

HSBC (HSBA.L) and Morgan Stanley (MS.N) advised Phoenix on the deal.

(Editing by Alexander Smith and Susan Fenton)
Hundreds of students marched in a protest across the University of North Carolina Charlottes campus to show solidarity against racial injustice on Wednesday, September 28. It was the latest in the string of protests against police brutality and racial injustice since the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott more than a week ago.

Local news estimated the crowd at 400 and also said faculty members participated in the march.

At times students chanted for the release of all the video of the Scott shooting. Last weekend, police released two videos from the shooting  one from a dash camera and one from a body camera.

Police were on patrol for a suspect on an outstanding warrant when they came upon Scott on September 20. Police said Scott had marijuana, but it was a gun that drew their attention. The released video shows police surrounding Scotts vehicle, telling him to drop the weapon, before Scott exits the vehicle. Moments later he was shot several times. Scotts family has contended Scott did not have a gun. Credit: Instagram/kookieralph
prison stores

The underground economy in prison is way more sophisticated than you might think.

Inmates aren't allowed to carry cash. What they earn from prison jobs goes into commissary accounts, which allows prisoners to buy better food and other personal care items from the prison store.

There are other currencies, though.One of the most popular items is mackerel or "mack" in prison lingo  which costs about $1.47 a can at the commissary, according to Michael Smith Baker, an inmate at New York Department of Correction.

Baker was featured on Wall & Broadcast Wednesday, a podcast hosted by TABB Group COO Alex Tabb and Vested CEO Dan Simon.

"I've seen some of the craziest stuff used as currency," Baker said, citing stamps and potato chips in addition to mackerel. The highest value currency in prison is marijuana, Baker said.

"Let's say I have an ounce of marijuana. I am the man, do you understand. I am the man, and I put prices on my product ... I tell people, listen, I want all your phone calls for a week, or I want $50 in commissary," he said.

A joint might cost 3 cans of mack, or around $5.

"Nobody actually sits there does the math," Baker said. "Nobody's gonna say you owe me 37 cents, cause I'm gonna smoke that joint."

While Baker doesn't keep a ledger because he does transactions on a personal basis, gangs have a more structured approach.Typically, the gang leader appoints people who are responsible for education, economics, sacrifice ("the Kamikaze") and security.

The person who is in charge of economics will go out, distribute drugs, keep a loan book and report back to the leader. "If you don't know how to add before prison, you know how to add now," Baker said.

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By Abdi Sheikh MOGADISHU (Reuters) - An air strike in northern Somalia left as many as 22 soldiers dead overnight, local officials said on Wednesday, and one region said the United States had been duped into attacking its troops. Galmudug's Security Minister Osman Issa said 22 of his region's soldiers had been killed in the strike, adding that the rival neighbouring region of Puntland had requested it on the pretext that the men were al Shabaab Islamist militants. "Puntland misinformed the United States and thus our forces were bombed," he told Reuters. A U.S. Defense Department official told Reuters Washington had conducted "a self-defense air strike" against al Shabaab. "The air strike was called in after Somali troops faced fire from militants," the official said. No evidence had been seen that the attack killed civilians or anyone other than al Shabaab militants, the official added. A Puntland police officer said the attack had killed "more than a dozen" members of al Shabaab, which is waging an insurgency against Somalia's Western-backed government and regional authorities. Galmudug and Puntland regions have often clashed over territory. The United States has launched many air strikes in Somalia, usually against al Shabaab. Al Shabaab denied that it had any fighters in the area of the latest incident. "We neither have a base nor forces in Galkayo area," Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaabs military operations spokesman, told Reuters. Protesters in Galmudug's capital Galkayo burned U.S. flags and images of President Barack Obama in protest, witnesses said. Shops closed because of the demonstrations. Somalia is trying to rebuild after two decades of war. The conflict that began in 1991 left the Horn of Africa nation riven by clan rivalries and struggling with an Islamist insurgency. Rival regions still sometimes take up arms against each other. (Additional reporting by Idrees Ali in Washington D.C.; Writing by Katharine Houreld; Editing by Edmund Blair and Andrew Roche)
Washington (AFP) - The US Treasury placed two top allies of Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila on its sanctions blacklist Wednesday, tying both to rising political violence and human rights violations.

The Treasury said both were involved in violently putting down opposition to Kabila and undermining democratic forces in the country.

The Treasury said Major General Gabriel Amisi Kumba, a commander of the DR Congo armed forces, led units that have violently repressed political demonstrations in several provinces including Kinshasha.

"Increasing violations of the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly have been reported in the western provinces, particularly in Kinshasa," the Treasury said.

DRC soldiers "have used excessive force and lethal weapons during demonstrations and political rallies, particularly during demonstrations organized by opposition leaders and civil society actors in January 2015."

Also hit with sanctions was General John Numbi, a former national inspector in the DRC police and a close advisor of President Joseph Kabila, whom opponents fear is seeking to remain in power after his second term runs out despite a constitutional ban on a third one.

"During the March 2016 gubernatorial elections in the DRC's four ex-Katangan provinces, Numbi used violent intimidation to secure victories for candidates affiliated with President Kabila's MP coalition," the Treasury said.

"Numbi threatened to kill opposition candidates who did not voluntarily withdraw from the race, and on the same day these exchanges purportedly took place, three candidates withdrew."

The sanctions, which ban US individuals and businesses from dealings with the two men, came days after dozens of demonstrators were killed in anti-government protests in Kinshasha.

"In several areas of the country, defense and security forces have violently repressed demonstrations organized to oppose a new draft electoral law that many fear would allow President Kabila to run for a third term," the Treasury said.

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Kabila has been president since 2001 when he took the position after his father, president Laurent Kabila, was assassinated.

Under a new constitutional regime in 2006, he was elected to the position with a two-term limit, which should expire in December.

However, the government has not yet scheduled new elections, giving rise to fears that Kabila will not step down.

In a statement, Ida Sawyer of Human Rights Watch said the US action "sends a powerful message that there are real consequences for the government's violent repression of political demonstrations and other serious human rights violations."

"Taking strong action now could put further pressure on President Joseph Kabila to abide by the constitutional requirement to step down at the end of his term, and help prevent a broader crisis," she said.
London (AFP) - Royal Bank of Scotland on Wednesday said it had agreed a fine of $1.1 billion (982 million euros) with US authorities over the alleged mis-selling of mortgage securities ahead of the 2008 financial crisis.

It comes a week after US authorities said they would seek $14 billion from Deutsche Bank over similar allegations.

"The Royal Bank of Scotland Group has reached a final settlement with the National Credit Union Administration Board to resolve two outstanding civil lawsuits for $1.1 billion (846 million)," the British bank said in a statement.

RBS said the "settlement amount is substantially covered by existing provisions", although the bank noted it may need to set aside additional funds awaiting the outcome of other similar claims faced by the bank.

US authorities have accused major banks of misleading investors about the values and quality of complex mortgage-backed securities sold before the 2008 global financial crisis.

Much of the underlying lending was worthless or fraudulent, delivering billions of dollars in losses to holders of the mortgage bonds when the housing market collapsed, bringing down numerous banks.

The substantial fine for RBS is meanwhile the latest in a long line of financial blows for the lender since it was rescued with British state funds in the wake of the financial crisis.
drugs heroin

Heroin use in the US has spiked over the last few years, with the drug appearing in larger quantities throughout the nation and an increase in overdose deaths.

The Drug Enforcement Administration's National Drug Threat Survey has found a steady increase in the perceived threat of heroin among law-enforcement agencies, rising from 8% of respondents who saw it as the greatest threat in 2007 to 45% who said the same in 2016.

In 2014, there were 10,574 heroin overdose deaths in the US, triple the number in 2010, according to the DEA.

The 2015 National Drug Threat Assessment found that reports of high heroin availability were higher in 2015 than in 2008 for every region of the country. According to the DEA, the Northeast and parts of the Midwest have seen much of the increase in heroin-related overdoses, with many cities reporting that those overdoses are more common in the suburbs and other outlying areas.

Reasons for increased use and the rise in heroin-related deaths are many, the DEA notes, including increased supply, increased number of users, inexperienced users, varying purity levels, and the use of toxic additives like fentanyl.

Heroin availability in the US

"The heroin market in the United States has been historically divided along the Mississippi River, with western markets using Mexican black tar and brown powder heroin, and eastern markets using white powder (previously Southeast and Southwest Asian, but between 1997 and 2010 almost exclusively South American) heroin," the DEA noted in its 2016 Heroin Threat Assessment, released this summer.

Signs that Mexican producers are turning out white-powder heroin, as well as reports that Mexican traffickers have been gaining sway on East Coast, indicate that Mexican cartels are making a concerted effort to increase their control over the US heroin market.

Story continues

Origins of heroin in the US

In doing so, Mexican traffickers have increasingly displaced Colombian traffickers among East Coast drug suppliers.

A DEA spokesman told Insight Crime late last year that Colombians had pulled back from street-level sales.

This would mean Mexican traffickers had supplanted Colombians as the major suppliers of both heroin and cocaine  the flow of Colombian cocaine has increasingly been controlled by "El Chapo" Guzman's Sinaloa cartel.

As Mexican traffickers grow their share of the US heroin market, the southwest border has become an important transit area.

"More heroin is entering the United States through the Southwest Border; consequently, the western states roles as heroin transit areas are increasingly significant," the DEA reported in its heroin threat assessment. "DEA and local law enforcement reporting from several western states indicates heroin is transiting those areas in greater volumes and in larger shipment sizes."

In addition to increasing awareness of heroin use in the US, it has become more and more apparent that two of Mexico's biggest cartels  the Sinaloa cartel and the Jalisco New Generation cartel  are providing the supply and battling each other for the ability to do so.

Heroin trafficking at southern US border

In its 2015 National Drug Threat Assessment, the DEA recognized the Sinaloa cartel as "the most active supplier" of illicit drugs in the US of the nine major transnational criminal organizations operating in the country.

However, the DEA also noted that the CJNG "by virtue of its growing power continues to expand its trafficking operations to the United States, with law enforcement increasingly reporting CJNG members and associates as sources of supply for drugs in the United States."

The CJNG's growing presence has reportedly put it and the Sinaloa cartel  supposedly former allies  at odds. The Jalisco cartel "is pushing and at times has come into confrontation with the Sinaloa cartel," DEA spokesman Russell K. Baer told news agency EFE.

DEA Map cartel territory in Mexico

The Sinaloa cartel and CJNG have reportedly been involved in clashes over drug production and trafficking in Guerrero (a hotbed for heroin production in Mexico), Michoacan, Colima, and Baja California, and Baja California Sur.

These confrontations appear to extend to Jalisco state  the CJNG's home turf and close to the Sinaloa cartel's stomping grounds in Sinaloa state  where at least one of "El Chapo" Guzman's sons was kidnapped and later released by members of the CJNG.

The kidnapping was taken as a sign that "El Chapo" Guzman's control over his cartel was slipping  and that the CJNG was taking aim at the leadership of its only real rival left in Mexico.

"'El Chapo' may be in custody and may have been sacked from his leadership but his sons are very involved in the criminal activity of the cartel, " Baer told EFE.

NOW WATCH: America's heroin epidemic has produced a heartbreaking side effect





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[September 28, 2016] Fitch Affirms South Nassau Communities Hospital's (NY) Rating at 'A-'; Outlook Negative

Fitch Ratings has affirmed the 'A-' rating on approximately $84.2 million of series 2012 bonds issued by the Nassau County Local Economic Assistance and Financing Corporation on behalf of South Nassau Communities Hospital (South Nassau). The Rating Outlook is revised to Negative from Stable. SECURITY The bonds are secured by a pledge of gross receivables of the obligated group, and a mortgage on the main hospital facility. South Nassau is the only member of the obligated group. KEY RATING DRIVERS MODERATE LEVERAGE METRICS: The rating affirmation is primarily supported by South Nassau's manageable debt burden. Maximum annual debt service (MADS) coverage was 5.4x in fiscal 2015 and 4.4x through the six months of fiscal 2016 ended June 30. MADS represents a low 1.5% of revenues for the six months of fiscal 2016. INCREASING CAPITAL EXPENDITURES: The revision of the Outlook to Negative from Stable reflects an increased capital and programmatic investment agenda that has diluted South Nassau's cash position. Some of the upcoming capital projects may be funded by a new financing in the second half of fiscal 2017, which, when combined with the lower cash position, result in a more constrained balance sheet position in the near future. DECLINING and LOW LIQUIDITY CUSHION: Unrestricted cash and investments have declined significantly since the prior rating review primarily due to weak cash flow generation and increased capital and strategic investments. Unrestricted cash balances fell to $134.3 million in fiscal 2015, equating to 110 days cash on hand (DCOH) from $158.7 million in fiscal 2014 (143.4 DCOH). Liquidity of 105.6 days cash as of June 30, 2016 is significantly below the 215.5-day median for the 'A' rating category. WEAKER BREAK-EVEN OPERATING RESULTS: Profitability has decreased in fiscal 2015 and year-to-date fiscal 2016, yielding break-even operations and low operating EBITDA margins of 6.5% and 6.9%, respectively. These results compare unfavorably to the 10.3% median for this rating category. Financial results have been compressed by high medical claims in South Nassau's self-insured program, a low flu season in 2016 and increased competition for orthopedic volume. FEMA FUNDING EXPECTED FOR STRATEGIC IMPROVEMENTS: South Nassau is expected to receive approximately $171 million in FEMA funding as a result of having acquired the assets of Long Beach Medical Center (LBMC), which closed after incurring significant damage from superstorm Sandy. South Nassau proposes to expand its ambulatory campus in Long Beach (approximately $40 million) and use the remaining funds (approximately $130 million) for major upgrades at its main Oceanside campus, which also serves the Long Beach and other communities in the south shore of Long Island. RATING SENSITIVITIES CONTINUED MARGIN COMPRESSION: South Nassau Communities Hospital's (South Nassau) profitability will need to improve in order to generate increased cash flow to cover the elevated level of strategic investments. The increased spending, without a commensurate growth in cash flow, may result in negative rating pressure. BALANCE SHEET METRICS: The 'A-' rating may also be pressured if liquidity decreases further from the current position and/or if South Nassau incurs a significant amount of debt to fund the expected capital projects. CREDIT PROFILE South Nassau Communities Hospital (SN) is a 435-bed (358 operated) acute care hospital (plus a 20-bed Transitional Care Unit), located in Oceanside, on the south shore of Long Island. Its service area includes Nassau County and parts of eastern Queens County. Total operating revenue in fiscal 2015 (Dec. 31 year end) was $472.8 million. STRATEGIC INITIATIVES South Nassau operates in a service area that is competitive and fragmented, with two dozen hospitals, many of which are owned by two larger competitors: Catholic Health Services of Long Island (CHS) (rated 'BBB+'/Stable Outlook) and Northwell Health (rated 'A'/Stable Outlook). To remain competitive in its service area and to prepare for changes in the healthcare industry, South Nassau has been increasingly investing in its physicians, Trauma II designation, residency programs, capital projects, and population health initiatives. Over the past couple of years, South Nassau opened a new Transitional Care Unit and renovated the Critical Care and Intensive Care Units at its Oceanside campus. It also began the first phase of a renovation and eventual expansion of its Emergency Department (ED), which operates at almost twice its capacity (over 60,000 visits per year). Aside from doubling the ED, future capital plans at Oceanside include adding and renovating the surgical suites and the addition of critical care beds. Some of these projects will be funded from operations as well as a possible debt financing in the second half of fiscal 2017, while another portion (approximately $130 million) of projects at Oceanside are expected to be funded from FEMA funds. FEMA funding would be provided to South Nassau under a permitted alternate use plan at Oceanside. South Nassau purchased LBMC's assets during a bankruptcy proceeding in 2014, making South Nassau the designated recipient of these funds. LBMC was not rebuilt as an inpatient hospital, but South Nassau opened a new freestanding ED at that location in 2015. The Long Beach community is served by South Nassau's Oceanside campus, and therefore South Nassau expects approval from FEMA for the alternate use of funds for regional services. If awarded, the FEMA grant would be approximately $171 million and it would fund 90% of the FEMA-related projects, which include the $130 million in capital updates at Oceanside and $40 million for a Long Beach medical pavilion that expands the ambulatory presence and offerings at the current ED site in Long Beach. South Nassau is required to fund the other 10% of the FEMA funded projects. The FEMA-funded projects will not commence unless South Nassau receives final approval from FEMA. In addition, South Nassau is projecting to spend approximately $90 million in other capital expenditures between 2016 and 2019. To that end, the hospital may consider a financing in the second half of 2017. The amount, or timing, is uncertain but it may be up to $60 million.



WEAKER OPERATING RESULTS

The elevated capital and programmatic spending in 2015 and 2016 coincided with a period of compressed margins at South Nassau. Fiscal 2015 was affected by high medical expense claims in its employee self-insured program. The hospital incurred an additional cost of over $500,000 in 2016 to purchase stop-loss insurance, but the claim experience has not been as high in 2016. The hospital also increased its clinical staff in 2015 in response to a high flu season and increasing acuity at the hospital. However, the volume did not materialize as expected in 2016 and patient visits are below budget. South Nassau's profitability has also been affected by the increase in ambulatory competition from other hospital providers as well as private physician practices. Overall, South Nassau has incurred higher expenses related to physician recruitment and start-up costs, as growing the number of employed and aligned physicians is a key objective for management. The hospital has also formed an Independent Physician Association, New York Medical Partners (NYMP), to align its employed and voluntary staff. NYMP applied to Medicare to become an ACO in 2017. Given the competition and mature service area, Fitch expects that cash flow will continue to be tepid in the coming years, precluding any significant growth in liquidity, especially since cash flow is required to fund the elevated capital needs over the next three years. DISCLOSURE South Nassau covenants to provide annual audited financial statements 150 days after the fiscal year-end and quarterly unaudited financial statements 60 days after the quarter-end to EMMA. Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'. Applicable Criteria Not-for-Profit Hospitals Rating Criteria (pub. 04 Dec 2015) https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/874120 Revenue-Supported Rating Criteria (pub. 16 Jun 2014) https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/750012 Additional Disclosures Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/press_releases/content/ridf_frame.cfm?pr_id=1012314 Solicitation Status https://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=1012314 Endorsement Policy https://www.fitchratings.com/jsp/creditdesk/PolicyRegulation.faces?context=2&detail=31 ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTPS://WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON (News - Alert) THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEB SITE AT WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM. 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Albuquerque (United States) (AFP) - The United States will send about 600 extra troops to Iraq to train local forces for an offensive on the Islamic State group stronghold of Mosul, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Wednesday.

IS seized Mosul along with other areas in June 2014, but the country's forces have since regained significant ground from the jihadists and are readying for a drive to retake Iraq's second-largest city.

"These (US) forces will be primarily to enable Iraqi security forces, and also peshmerga, in the operations to isolate and collapse ISIL's control over Mosul," Carter told reporters on a work trip to New Mexico, using an IS acronym. Peshmerga are Kurdish fighters.

"Also to protect and expand Iraqi security forces' gains elsewhere in Iraq," he added.

The US forces will head to Qayyarah, a strategically vital air base 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Mosul that will help funnel supplies and troops toward the city, as well as to other locations including the joint Iraqi-US Al Asad air base.

They notably will beef up flight capabilities at Al Asad for night operations and operations in low visibility, such as poor weather.

A US-led coalition is carrying out air strikes against IS in Iraq, and Washington has already authorized the deployment of more than 4,600 military personnel to the country.

Most are in advisory or training roles, working with Iraqi and peshmerga forces, but some American troops have fought IS on the ground, and three members of the US military have been killed by the jihadists in Iraq.

Earlier Wednesday, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office indicated it had requested "a final increase in the number of American trainers and advisers" to support Iraqi troops in the northern city.

The statement from Abadi's office noted that US forces are helping Iraq in its battle against the jihadists. But their presence remains extremely politically sensitive due to the nine-year war the United States fought in the country.

Story continues

The statement said the number of trainers and advisers would start to be reduced as soon as Mosul is retaken from IS, and also asserted that no American troops had fought alongside Iraqi troops.

In reality, American special forces have fought IS alongside Iraqi Kurdish forces on several occasions that have been made public, and likely in other operations that have not come to light.

Carter said the additional US forces would be tasked with training Iraqis, gathering intelligence and providing logistical support for the Mosul push.

"But I need to make clear... American forces combating ISIL in Iraq are in harm's way... no one should be in any doubt about that," Carter said.

How long they will stay is up to the Iraqis, Carter insisted.

"We are certainly to continue to help the Iraqi security forces in whatever measure and manner they wish to consolidate the control over their country after they've recaptured this last major ISIL center," he said.

According to Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis, the new deployment is for 615 troops. That would bring total US forces in Iraq to 5,262.

The actual number would be higher than that because the tally does not include certain assignments.

The troops "will move very soon," Davis said.

- A million displaced? -

Carter expects the Mosul offensive to begin in the coming weeks, but stressed the decision was an Iraqi one.

IS has had two years to reinforce its defenses in Mosul, and observers are expecting a difficult fight amid a civilian population.

"We are prepared for whatever happens there," Carter said.

The United Nations warned that military operations there could cause as many as a million people to be displaced.

Last week, US President Barack Obama said US-backed Iraqi troops could be in a position "fairly rapidly" to liberate Mosul, though he warned "this is going to be hard, this is going to be challenging."

Separately, the US military concluded Tuesday that a rocket fired this month at the Qayyarah air base, which houses hundreds of US troops, contained no mustard agent, as initially suspected.

In neighboring Syria, hundreds of US forces are deployed alongside Kurdish and rebel fighters to battle IS, which is also facing air raids by the international coalition.

The Pentagon has expressed concern IS fighters could use mustard gas to defend Mosul.

Even after Mosul is retaken, the war against IS will be far from over.

The jihadists are likely to revert to insurgent tactics, such as bombings of civilians and hit-and-run attacks on security forces, following the demise of their so-called "state" in Iraq.
Washington (AFP) - The United States said Wednesday it conducted drone strikes against Al-Qaeda in Yemen last week, killing four members of the terror group.

The first attack occurred on September 20 in Marib province and left two Al-Qaeda operatives dead, the military's central command for the Middle East said in a statement.

The second attack, on September 22 in central Baida province, killed two Al-Qaeda members, it said.

The two drone strikes had been reported by Yemeni security officials but this was the first time the United States claimed them.

Washington has been involved in a years-long unmanned drone campaign in Yemen and considers Al-Qaeda's Yemen-based franchise -- Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) -- to be its most dangerous.

"These were Al-Qaeda operatives who continue to support their organization's destabilizing effects in Yemen," said Army Major Josh Jacques, US Central Command spokesman, in the statement.

"US Central Command continues to protect the US, its allies and partners from these threats by denying Yemen as a haven for AQAP."

AQAP and the Islamic State group have exploited a power vacuum created by the conflict between the government and Iran-backed Huthi rebels to expand their presence in the Arabian Peninsula country.

President Barack Obama has sought to make the moral case to the public about lethal drone strikes, which have multiplied under his nearly eight-year presidency.

He pledged that the United States would be more transparent about the deadly attacks, and would provide an annual toll of the number of people killed.

A third lethal drone strike last week was reported by Yemeni security officials. The attack happened Friday in Marib province and killed a local Al-Qaeda commander and four of his guards, they said.

The United States has not claimed that attack.

A Saudi-led Arab military coalition that backs the Yemeni government against the Huthis has also turned its sights on AQAP, targeting it with air strikes.

More than 6,600 people, including civilians, have been killed in the Yemeni conflict since the coalition began its air campaign in March 2015, the UN says.
Washington (AFP) - The US military has concluded that a rocket fired earlier this month at an Iraqi air base housing hundreds of US troops contained no mustard gas, as initially suspected.

Test results released Tuesday "determined there were no chemical warfare agents present in the munitions fired toward the Qayyarah-West Airfield, Iraq, Sept 20, 2016," according to the US military command in Baghdad.

No one was injured in the rocket attack and no one showed any immediate signs of exposure to the suspected mustard agent.

But a field test of residue from fragments recovered from an impact site had indicated the possible presence of mustard gas.

That prompted further tests by two separate laboratories, which confirmed that "no chemical warfare agent were present in the munitions," the statement said.

The Pentagon has expressed concern that Islamic State militants could use mustard gas to defend their stronghold at Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, against an Iraqi offensive.

Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis told reporters on Monday that jihadists have already used a rudimentary form of mustard gas at least a couple of dozen times.

Hundreds of US troops are based at Qayyarah-West, which is shaping up as a major logistics hub for the Mosul offensive.

A US official said Wednesday that Washington was prepared to send more troops to Iraq to train and advise Iraqis as planning intensifies for the Mosul offensive.

Mustard gas was first used by the German army in 1917. It causes large blisters on exposed skin and attacks the eyes and lungs. Its use was banned in 1925 under the Geneva Protocol and later by the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1993.
Istanbul (AFP) - Washington is making progress in addressing Turkey's concerns that the US plans to use Kurdish militia to help dislodge jihadists from Iraq and Syria, a senior US diplomat said in an interview broadcast Wednesday.

US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken told NTV that Washington had plans to help local forces push Islamic State (IS) jihadists out of their strongholds in Raqa and Dabiq in Syria and Mosul in Iraq.

But he vowed Washington would not undermine its NATO ally Turkey's security in any operation, amid concern in Ankara the United States planned to use Kurdish militia as its main allies.

US support for Kurdish militia forces in Syria is a source of friction in the two countries' relationship, as Ankara sees both the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its People's Protection Units (YPG) militia as terror groups.

Meanwhile, the paramilitary headquarters of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which has waged a three decade insurgency against the Turkish state is in northern Iraq.

"What we're doing now is working on the plans to take back Mosul, take back Dabiq, take back Raqa," Blinken said, saying that these cities were "all that's left" for IS.

He said the plan for the capture of Mosul took into account Turkish concerns and had been "got a very positive reaction" in the Ankara talks, according to an English transcript of his comments.

On taking Raqa and Dabiq in Syria, he said: "We're in the process of talking through what the most effective plan would be, who would be involved, how we would do it".

He acknowledged that the Syrian allies of the US on the ground in Syria contained a "Kurdish component" but said everything would be done in "full consultation" with Turkey.

"And we want to make sure that... Turkey's security is actually enhanced by these operations."

Blinken, along with US envoy for the coalition against IS, Brett McGurk, held two days of talks with Turkish officials.

Story continues

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said Turkey could only join a US-led operation in Syria to retake Raqa if Kurdish fighters were excluded.

Washington sees Kurdish groups are the most effective forces on the ground to fight the jihadists.

Turkey's army has launched an ambitious operation inside Syria to cleanse its border from IS group and Kurdish militia, with the support of Syrian rebels.

Blinken praised the operation saying "thanks to extraordinary work by Turkey" IS no longer has access to the Turkish-Syrian border.
Washington (AFP) - The US Congress voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to override Barack Obama's veto of a bill allowing 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia, the first such rebuke during his eight-year presidency.

The Senate overrode the veto in a 97-1 vote, followed a short time later by the House of Representatives, which knocked it down with a 348-77 vote.

The rare act of bipartisanship was a blow to Obama, who lobbied hard against the bill, known as the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA).

Obama called Wednesday's vote a "dangerous precedent."

"I understand why it happened," he said on CNN. "Obviously, all of us still carry the scars and trauma of 9/11."

But he said the decision would harm US national interests by undermining the principle of sovereign immunity, opening up the United States to private lawsuits over its military missions abroad.

"Our men and women in uniform around the world could potentially start seeing ourselves subject to reciprocal loss."

Some of the lawmakers who voted for the override didn't know what was in the bill, he said, calling the result "basically a political vote."

White House press secretary Josh Earnest earlier called the Senate vote "the single most embarrassing thing" the legislative body has done in decades.

"Ultimately these senators are going to have to answer their own conscience and their constituents as they account for their actions today," he told reporters traveling with Obama in Richmond, Virginia.

Coming in Obama's last months in office, the vote shows the White House to be much weakened.

Obama has issued 12 vetoes during his presidency. None have been overridden until now, a rare feat given Republicans' longstanding control of Congress.

His Republican predecessor George W. Bush also issued 12 vetoes, of which four were overridden. The last president to avoid an override was the legendary Democratic congressional dealmaker -- and former senator and congressman -- Lyndon Johnson.

Story continues

- 'Devastating consequences' -

In a letter to Republican and Democratic Senate leaders obtained by AFP, Obama had previously warned of "devastating" consequences for the Pentagon, service members, diplomats and the intelligence services.

The 9/11 measure would "neither protect Americans from terrorist attacks, nor improve the effectiveness of our response to such attacks," he warned.

"The United States relies on principles of immunity to prevent foreign litigants and foreign courts from second-guessing our counterterrorism operations and other actions that we take every day."

RNC chair Reince Priebus said Obama's veto "showed remarkable disregard for the families of 9/11 victims, and the Senate has done the right thing by overwhelmingly overriding his poor decision."

Meanwhile Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio said the override was "about holding anyone who supports terrorists accountable, and getting their victims the justice they deserve."

Families of 9/11 victims have campaigned for the law, convinced the Saudi government had a hand in the attacks that killed almost 3,000 people.

Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens, but no link to the government has been proven. The Saudi government denies any ties to the plotters.

Declassified documents showed US intelligence had multiple suspicions about links between the Saudi government and the attackers.

"While in the United States, some of the 9/11 hijackers were in contact with, and received support or assistance from, individuals who may be connected to the Saudi government," a finding read.

The bill's co-sponsor, New York Democrat Chuck Schumer, told senators it "would allow the victims of 9/11 to pursue some small measure of justice."

Behind the scenes, Riyadh lobbied furiously for the bill to be scrapped.

A senior Saudi prince reportedly threatened to pull billions of dollars out of US assets if it were to become law, although Saudi officials now distance themselves from that claim.

The US-Saudi relationship had already been strained by Obama's engagement with Saudi's Shia foe Iran and the July release of a secret report on Saudi involvement in the 9/11 attacks.
Aleppo (Syria) (AFP) - The United States threatened Wednesday to suspend its engagement with Russia over the conflict in Syria following escalating attacks on rebel-held parts of Aleppo city, including strikes on two hospitals.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon denounced the attacks -- which saw the two largest hospitals in Aleppo's opposition-controlled east hit with air strikes and artillery fire -- as "war crimes".

President Bashar al-Assad's forces and his ally Moscow have carried out a barrage of air strikes on eastern Aleppo since Syria's regime announced a bid last week to retake all of the divided city.

Russia's defence ministry said Moscow was prepared to relaunch talks with the United States on the crisis, but a Syrian opposition official said a political solution to the conflict was "no longer a viable option".

Dozens of civilians have been killed, residential buildings have been reduced to rubble and residents of east Aleppo -- already suffering under a government siege -- are facing severe shortages.

The latest bombardment has been some of the worst in Syria's five-year civil war, and comes after the failure of a short-lived ceasefire brokered by Russia and the United States this month.

Moscow and Washington have traded blame over the truce's collapse, with the US harshly criticising Russia's participation in the Aleppo offensive.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that Washington will end talks on the conflict unless Moscow halts the Aleppo assault.

Kerry said the burden was on Russia to stop the assault and ensure humanitarian aid access, his spokesman John Kirby said.

"The United States is making preparations to suspend US-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria... unless Russia takes immediate steps to end the assault on Aleppo and restore the cessation of hostilities," Kirby said.

- Solution 'no longer viable' -

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Russia's defence ministry said later Moscow was ready to relaunch talks with Washington.

"On orders of the Russian president, we are ready to continue joint work with our American partners on the Syrian issue," and to send experts to Geneva to "relaunch consultations," it said.

But a member of the key National Coalition opposition movement said the escalating violence, particularly against rebel-held Aleppo, meant a political solution was "no longer viable".

Coalition vice-president Muwaffaq Nyrabia said rebels were "considering all options to defend the Syrian people against the Russian aggression on Syria".

Wednesday's attacks saw the M10 and M2 hospitals hit before dawn, forcing both to shut temporarily, said Adham Sahloul of the Syrian American Medical Society, which supports both hospitals.

Doctors Without Borders -- a charity known by its French acronym MSF -- said the two attacks killed at least two patients, wounded two medics and left just two of east Aleppo's eight hospitals with surgical facilities.

It was unclear who had carried out the bombings, which UN chief Ban denounced before the Security Council.

"Those using ever more destructive weapons know exactly what they are doing. They know they are committing war crimes," he said.

Inside one of the hospitals, patients and medical staff cowered in fear.

"I am in the M2 hospital now. I was inside when the entrance to the emergency room was hit. Three of my colleagues were hurt," Aref al-Aref, a medical assistant, said.

"Everyone is terrified and scared today. We are afraid that we will be today's victims."

Sahloul warned the attacks could have devastating consequences.

"With these two hospitals gone, if today there is another offensive like Saturday or Sunday, this is signing the death warrant for hundreds of people," he said.

- 'Opportunity to escape' -

The UN children's agency UNICEF said at least 96 children have been killed and 223 wounded since Friday in the rebel-held sections of Aleppo where the health system was crumbling with only 30 doctors left.

More than 170 people have been killed in east Aleppo since Syria's army announced its operation to retake the city, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

On Wednesday, at least six civilians died in artillery fire near a bakery in the opposition-controlled Maadi district, the monitor said.

A hospital in the government-held west reported two people had been killed and 10 wounded in rebel fire on the Aziziyeh district.

Clashes also continued inside Aleppo's Old City, the Observatory said, after pro-government troops seized control of the Farafira district northwest of Aleppo's historic citadel on Tuesday.

Once Syria's commercial hub, Aleppo has been ravaged by fighting and divided since mid-2012.

An estimated 250,000 people still live in the east, which has been under devastating siege by government forces since early September.

The head of the White Helmets volunteer rescue force, which operates in opposition-held territory in northern Syria, said that under current conditions civilian facilities in eastern Aleppo would no longer be able to function within a month.

"The civilians there would seize any opportunity to escape, to go wherever they could go," Raed Saleh told AFP.

"But nothing is available to provide safety and protection for those civilians."
Washington (AFP) - The United States welcomed Wednesday the preliminary results of a criminal inquiry into the downing of flight MH17 over Ukraine, saying it supported Washington's suspicions of Russian involvement.

The United States was quick to blame Russian-backed separatists after the Malaysia Airlines jet was shot down in July 2014 with the loss of all 298 people on board, despite angry denials from Moscow.

Now, a Dutch-led criminal inquiry -- the flight took off from Amsterdam bound for Kuala Lumpur and most of the dead were from the Netherlands -- has uncovered evidence that supports that case.

US spokesman John Kirby said the inquiry leaves "no doubt that MH17 was shot down by a BUK surface-to-air missile fired from territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by Russian-backed separatists.

"We also note the joint investigation team's finding that the missile launcher was first brought into Ukraine from Russia and then moved out of Ukraine and back to Russia after the shoot-down."

The findings stop short of directly accusing Moscow of involvement in the tragedy in July 2014, but appear to support the Ukrainian and US allegation that pro-Russian rebels were to blame.
US and Russia Nuclear war doomsday missiles

On Thursday, President-elect Donald Trump tweeted that "The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes."

At the presidential debates, Trump said "Russia has been expanding their" nuclear weapons, adding that "they have a much newer capability than we do."

But according to Dr. Jeffrey Lewis, the founding publisher of Arms Control Wonk, although Russia may have updated its missiles and warheads more recently, the idea that Moscow has better capabilities is "almost certainly not true."

But fears that Russia has surpassed the US in nuclear ferocity are not completely unfounded. On paper, newer, more complicated, more fearsome weapons comprise Russia's nuclear arsenal.

Russia's RS-24 Yars Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), introduced in the mid 2000s, can strike anywhere in the US with what some report to be ten independently targetable nuclear warheads.

These ten warheads would reenter the earth's atmosphere at hypersonic speeds, around 5 miles a second. China has developed a similar platform, and the US simply has no way to defend against a salvo of such devastating nukes.

In comparison, the US's Minuteman III ICBM also reenters the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds, but carries just one warhead, and was introduced in the 1970s.

But the question of whose are better is more a philosophical one than a straight comparison of capabilities.

Lewis says that US Strategic Command leaders, who command the US's nuclear arsenal, have said for decades that given the choice between the US's nukes and Russia's they'd choose our own missiles every time.

In an interview with Business Insider, Lewis said that the US's arsenal, while it lacks the potential to devastate and lay waste to whole continents, much better fits the US's strategic needs.

Russia's arsenal vs. the US's

A Russian Yars RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missile system drives during the Victory Day parade, marking the 71st anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, at Red Square in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2016. REUTERS/Grigory Dukor

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"Russians made a really different design choice than we did," when it came to building ICBMs, said Lewis.

"Russia built nuclear weapons that are incremental improvements," or weapons that would need updating every decade or so.

On the other hand, Lewis said, "US nukes are like Ferraris: beautiful, intricate, and designed for high performance. Experts have said the plutonium pits will last for 100s of years." Indeed the US's stocks of Minuteman III ICBMS, despite their age, are "exquisite machinery, incredible things."

"Russia's nuclear weapons are newer, true, but they reflect the design philosophy that says No reason to make it super fancy because well just rebuild it in 10 years."

The philosophical differences don't end there.

"Russians love to put missiles on trucks," said Lewis, while the US prefer land-based silos, which present a reliable target and lack mobility. During the height of the Cold War, the US did at one point try a truck-launched ICBM, but US safety and durability requirements far exceeded that of the Russians rendering the platform unreasonable.

"If you look at the truck [the US] built for missiles, its ten times more expensive. It's radiation hardened and way less vulnerable," explained Lewis. "We gold plated the thing," he joked.

Minuteman III ICBM intercontinental ballistic missile

"[The US] cant do things the Russians did because were not going to put missiles on a crappy truck," said Lewis. Meanwhile, the Russian philosophy relies on sneakiness and achieving a threat without breaking the bank.

Good luck trying to find it, it doesnt have to be gold plated, Lewis said of the Russian's idea of missile trucks.

"[The US] like things that are reliable, things that can be maintained, things that you have to really train people to do," explained Lewis. This difference stems from the people who comprise the US military, and how they differ from the Russians.

"Non-Commissioned Officers are the core of [the US] military," said Lewis. "They've been around a long time. Thats why were way better than the Russians, who still have conscripts."

It's that professionalism at the core of the US military that makes America a different kind of world power. We prefer accuracy over destructive capability.

"We love accuracy." Lewis says the US's ideal nuke is "a tiny little nuclear weapon well fly right through the window and blow up the building." Meanwhile, the Russians would rather put 10 warheads on the building and level the whole city, civilians and all.

"You see it in Syria, thats how they show it off," Lewis said of Russia's air campaign in Syria, where Moscow has been accused of using cluster bombs, incendiary munitions, and indiscriminately bombing hospitals and refugee camps. This careless and brutal attitude is a defining trait of Russia's military.

For instance, Russia's leaked Status 6 nuclear "doomsday" weapon, a robotic mini-submarine that can make 100 knots with a range of 6,200 miles is a nuclear-armed dirty bomb. The bomb would not only nuke, but turn the waters around a harbor radioactive for years to come. The US never even considers this kind of devastation, and they don't want to.

Russian status 6 nuclear torpedo dirty bomb

Russia's nuclear ambitions, as shown in its nuclear arms, are "deeply deeply deeply immoral," says Lewis.

"Thats why [the US is] the good guys."

How the US deters Russia without "doomsday" devices

Lewis explained that the US really can't defend against Russia's most advanced, diabolical nuclear weapons as "the problem is just that the math never works."

A Russian nuclear ICBM would blast into orbit, turn around, break into individual reentry vehicles, and drive towards their individual targets at Mach 23. The US simply can't afford or design a system that would destroy ten nuclear warheads traveling at those mind-bending speed toward the the US.

"[The US has] never scaled a missile defense to the size of a Russian attack. It sounds like a really great idea on paper, but when youre looking at 1000 warheads"

Another possible solution would be to destroy the missiles before they exit the atmosphere, but that means shooting them down over Russia, which presents its own problems.

missile defense THAAD

Another possible solution would be to destroy the missiles from satellites in space, but according to Lewis, the US would have to increase their satellite launches 12 fold before they have enough space assets to protect the US.

Don't get even, get MAD

jfk john f kennedy cuban missile crisis

Instead of spending years of time, trillions of dollars, and escalating an arms race, the US relies on a doctrine known as mutually assured destruction (MAD).

Lewis explained that in the days of John F. Kennedy, the US puzzled over how to size its nuclear arsenal. The Kennedy administration decided to build enough nukes to destroy the Soviet Union if necessary. The administration named the doctrine "assured destruction," but critics pointed out that nuclear salvos would be traveling both ways, so the more apt name was "mutually assured destruction," intended as an insult to Kennedy's policy.

"There was no real theory of victory," said Lewis.

As Russian President Vladimir Putin once said, Russia could destroy the US in "half an hour or less," using its overblown doomsday devices. But the fact is that US Minutemen III rockets that would vaporize the Kremlin just seconds later.

Nuclear Triad

The US finds it most stabilizing to have a nuclear triad, or three varieties of nuclear weapons available at any time. Submarines, land-based silos, and bomber planes all hold nuclear missiles. No attack from Russia could simultaneously neutralize all three. Nothing could stop the US from retaliating, and nothing would.

The US's nuclear weapons are not doomsday devices that will almost certainly initiate the apocalypse.

Precise, professionally maintained, responsibly kept nuclear arms provide the US with a credible deterrent without needlessly endangering billions of lives.

NOW WATCH: EX-UNDERCOVER DEA AGENT: What I told my friends and family about my job





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[September 28, 2016] Fitch Rates Milwaukee, WI's $180MM School RANs 'F1+'

Fitch Ratings has assigned a short-term rating of 'F1+' to $180 million Milwaukee, Wisconsin school revenue anticipation notes (RANs) series 2016 M8. Fitch also affirms the 'F1+' rating on the city's $90 million RANs series 2016 R1. The RANs are expected to sell via competitive sale on October 6. Proceeds will be used for school cash flow purposes. SECURITY Note principal and interest repayment is secured by an irrevocable pledge of school state aid payments and all school operations fund revenues for the 2016-17 fiscal year that are due and not yet paid to the city or otherwise pledged or applied. Note interest repayment is also secured by a pledge of surplus revenues of the debt service fund of the city. KEY RATING DRIVERS RELATIONSHIP TO CITY RATING: While the notes are not general obligations of the city, Fitch believes the city's management of the Milwaukee Public Schools' (MPS) funds and provision of liquidity for MPS create a relationship that supports the highest long-term rating on the notes. MPS effectively functions as a department of the city (GOs rated 'AA') according to state statute. SUFFICIENT, TIMELY STATE AID: Although all available school operating revenue for fiscal 2017 is pledged to note repayment, the authorizing resolution directs city officials to segregate the June and July 2017 state aid payments for payment of the full amount of the notes. Fitch expects a satisfactory level of additional resources would be available to make the repayment in the event of reduced or delayed state aid. Interest on the RANs is additionally secured by surplus revenues of the city's debt service fund. The city historically has had adequate financial resources to cover note interest. REGIONAL ECONOMIC CENTER: Milwaukee serves as the economic engine for the surrounding region and has a fairly diverse economic and employment base, but residents exhibit below-average wealth and a relatively large proportion are below the poverty level. The local economy maintains a reduced but still above-average reliance upon manufacturing that in the past has created vulnerabilities to recessionary employment shifts. CITY LONG-TERM RATING: The 'AA' rating reflects the city's stable financial performance over time, strong gap-closing capacity, and moderate long-term liabilities level. A demonstrated capacity to cut spending and sufficient financial cushion offset Fitch's expectation for limited revenue growth. RATING SENSITIVITIES LONG-TERM RATING: The rating on the notes is sensitive to changes in the city's long-term credit fundamentals. A change in the city's GO rating could result in a downgrade of the note rating. The Stable Outlook on the city's GO rating reflects Fitch's expectation that such a change is unlikely. CHANGE IN SCHOOL FUNDING LANDSCAPE: Although not anticipated, a notable shift in the level or timing of state funding for school districts could affect the short-term rating. CREDIT PROFILE Milwaukee, the largest city in the state of Wisconsin, encompasses a 97-square mile area located adjacent to Lake Michigan, 90 miles north of Chicago. The city's population of nearly 600,000 has shown stability or marginal growth since the 2000 census, reversing a multi-decade trend of decline. The school system's service area is coterminous with the city. MPS functions effectively as a department of the city according to state statute, and the city acts as custodian of MPS's funds. It is governed by the Milwaukee Board of School Directors (MBSD), and the city levies and collects the taxes necessary to support the separately adopted MBSD budget. MPS independently provides elementary and secondary education and independently controls the budget but lacks authority to issue debt directly. The city issues on MPS's behalf, including short-term notes to help smooth MPS's cash flow throughout the year. The city also provides liquidity directly, when needed, for school operations. SUFFICIENT, TIMELY STATE AID FOR RAN REPAYMENT State equalization aid, which is primarily derived from state income taxes, is generally unrestricted financial assistance to school districts to fund a broad range of expenditures. The aid in any fiscal year is computed using the prior fiscal year's enrollment and equalized property valuations. The state distributes school aid five times a year based on an allocation formula and last year MPS received 15% of total state aid in September, 25% in December, 25% in March, 34% in June and 2% in July. Pursuant to a city resolution, the city treasurer will segregate the June state aid payment to pay principal of the RANs. Note repayment is due on Oct. 1, 2017. Projections show adequate coverage in the June segregation month with available cash balances covering note principal by 1.26x. The city has demonstrated willingness and ability to provide operating cash flow support to MPS at multiple points throughout the fiscal year. Fitch expects the city to continue to provide strong liquidity support to MPS in fiscal 2017 and beyond. NARROWLY BALANCED MPS FINANCES Similar to many urban school districts in the U.S., MPS is challenged in recent years to provide educational services to a largely disadvantaged student population in an environment of declining-to-stagnant state aid, waning enrollment, and a contracting tax base. Long-term conditions have improved somewhat in recent years, with relative stabilization evident in enrollment, state aid and the tax base. State equalization aid accounts for a high but declining proportion of MPS revenues. In fiscal year (FY) 2015, state aid amounted to 60% of general fund expenditures, down from 64% in FY2008. MPS operate in a tight financial environment, managing to a fairly narrow unreserved general fund balance reserve, equivalent to 4.1% of spending in fiscal 2015. Operations are generally structurally balanced each fiscal year with mild general fund net operating deficits after transfers attributable to deposits to the other post-employment benefits (OPEB) trust at the end of each fiscal year, for which the district receives favorable reimbursement from the state.



For more detail regarding the city's long-term general obligation rating, please see the release 'Fitch Rates Milwaukee, WI's GOs 'AA'; Outlook Stable' (May 2016), available at www.fitchratings.com. Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'.

In addition to the sources of information identified in the applicable criteria specified below, this action was informed by information from Lumesis. Applicable Criteria Rating U.S. Public Finance Short-Term Debt (pub. 17 Nov 2015) https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/873508 U.S. Tax-Supported Rating Criteria (pub. 18 Apr 2016) https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/879478 Additional Disclosures Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/press_releases/content/ridf_frame.cfm?pr_id=1012322 Solicitation Status https://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=1012322 Endorsement Policy https://www.fitchratings.com/jsp/creditdesk/PolicyRegulation.faces?context=2&detail=31 ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTPS://WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON (News - Alert) THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEB SITE AT WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA, AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE, AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE CODE OF CONDUCT SECTION OF THIS SITE. FITCH MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLE SERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THIS SERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTERED ENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCH WEBSITE. Copyright (c) 2016 by Fitch Ratings, Inc., Fitch Ratings Ltd. and its subsidiaries. 33 Whitehall Street, NY, NY 10004. Telephone: 1-800-753-4824, (212) 908-0500. Fax: (212) 480-4435. Reproduction or retransmission in whole or in part is prohibited except by permission. All rights reserved. In issuing and maintaining its ratings and in making other reports (including forecast information), Fitch relies on factual information it receives from issuers and underwriters and from other sources Fitch believes to be credible. Fitch conducts a reasonable investigation of the factual information relied upon by it in accordance with its ratings methodology, and obtains reasonable verification of that information from independent sources, to the extent such sources are available for a given security or in a given jurisdiction. The manner of Fitch's factual investigation and the scope of the third-party verification it obtains will vary depending on the nature of the rated security and its issuer, the requirements and practices in the jurisdiction in which the rated security is offered and sold and/or the issuer is located, the availability and nature of relevant public information, access to the management of the issuer and its advisers, the availability of pre-existing third-party verifications such as audit reports, agreed-upon procedures letters, appraisals, actuarial reports, engineering reports, legal opinions and other reports provided by third parties, the availability of independent and competent third- party verification sources with respect to the particular security or in the particular jurisdiction of the issuer, and a variety of other factors. Users of Fitch's ratings and reports should understand that neither an enhanced factual investigation nor any third-party verification can ensure that all of the information Fitch relies on in connection with a rating or a report will be accurate and complete. Ultimately, the issuer and its advisers are responsible for the accuracy of the information they provide to Fitch and to the market in offering documents and other reports. In issuing its ratings and its reports, Fitch must rely on the work of experts, including independent auditors with respect to financial statements and attorneys with respect to legal and tax matters. Further, ratings and forecasts of financial and other information are inherently forward-looking and embody assumptions and predictions about future events that by their nature cannot be verified as facts. As a result, despite any verification of current facts, ratings and forecasts can be affected by future events or conditions that were not anticipated at the time a rating or forecast was issued or affirmed. The information in this report is provided "as is" without any representation or warranty of any kind, and Fitch does not represent or warrant that the report or any of its contents will meet any of the requirements of a recipient of the report. A Fitch rating is an opinion as to the creditworthiness of a security. This opinion and reports made by Fitch are based on established criteria and methodologies that Fitch is continuously evaluating and updating. Therefore, ratings and reports are the collective work product of Fitch and no individual, or group of individuals, is solely responsible for a rating or a report. The rating does not address the risk of loss due to risks other than credit risk, unless such risk is specifically mentioned. 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Fitch receives fees from issuers, insurers, guarantors, other obligors, and underwriters for rating securities. Such fees generally vary from US$1,000 to US$750,000 (or the applicable currency equivalent) per issue. In certain cases, Fitch will rate all or a number of issues issued by a particular issuer, or insured or guaranteed by a particular insurer or guarantor, for a single annual fee. Such fees are expected to vary from US$10,000 to US$1,500,000 (or the applicable currency equivalent). The assignment, publication, or dissemination of a rating by Fitch shall not constitute a consent by Fitch to use its name as an expert in connection with any registration statement filed under the United States securities laws, the Financial Services and Markets Act of 2000 of the United Kingdom, or the securities laws of any particular jurisdiction. Due to the relative efficiency of electronic publishing and distribution, Fitch research may be available to electronic subscribers up to three days earlier than to print subscribers. For Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan and South Korea only: Fitch Australia Pty Ltd holds an Australian financial services license (AFS license no. 337123) which authorizes it to provide credit ratings to wholesale clients only. Credit ratings information published by Fitch is not intended to be used by persons who are retail clients within the meaning of the Corporations Act 2001. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928006436/en/

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A 37-year-old Utah man has been charged with allegedly holding his girlfriend's teenage daughter captive in a shed for weeks and sexually assaulting her in 2014 after the alleged victim went to the police for the first time last week, according to court records obtained by PEOPLE.



Jared Stephen Morgan, 37, allegedly forced the teen to eat rat excrement and drink her own urine during the six-week period, according to a probable cause statement filed Monday with the 8th District Court in Duchesne County in Utah.



He also forced her to perform sex acts in exchange for food and water, the court records allege.



Morgan was charged last week with aggravated human trafficking, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault, rape and forcible sodomy, all first-degree felonies. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.



Morgan was booked Friday at the Salt Lake County jail. He was held in lieu of $100,000 bail. It was not immediately clear whether he has entered a plea or retained an attorney.





Teen Allegedly Called Him 'Papa'





According to the probable cause statement, the teen met Morgan in 2013, when she was 17. Her mother had just gotten divorced; she met Morgan online began dating him that October, she told police.



As soon as her mother started dating Morgan, he allegedly told the teen to call him "Papa" and became the father figure in her life, according to the court records.



While teaching her how to do jujitsu, he would allegedly have her sit in a position known as "mounting"  straddling him while sitting on his lap  which is "not the usual beginning position," the court records state.



During this time, she and her mother and siblings would stay at his cabin in Duchesne County.



Once, while she was still 17, Morgan allegedly invited her to the cabin "to help him take care of puppies and get away from her life stress," the documents state.



During that trip, the teen allegedly got into a cot with Morgan because she had no other place to sleep, after which he "began to kiss her neck and rub her shoulders and hips," the records state.



She tried to pull away and Morgan said he was sorry, the documents allege. But the next night, after Morgan allegedly held the teen's hand and kissed her outside the cabin, he performed sex acts on her, the records allege.



The teen told authorities that she "was not comfortable with this but did not know how to respond," the record alleges.



 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.



A year later, when the teen was alone at the cabin with Morgan and they began fighting, she pushed him, and he allegedly "grabbed her and pulled her to the shed and locked her inside," the documents state.



She allegedly said she couldnat recall how many days she was in the shed before Morgan told her she had to eat rat excrement off the floor and drink his urine without vomiting, and that only then he would give her food, the documents allege.



The teen alleged that when she did as told, Morgan gave her a "small cup of water and a can of cold raviolis to eat," the documents state.



Morgan would allegedly come to the shed and tell her she would have to "perform a sexual act to get food and water," the documents state.



The teen "didnat dare tell him no as she was afraid he would not give her any food or water," the documents allege.



She further alleged that Morgan forced her to have sex while he was wearing "a firearm on his hip," according to the documents. He would also allegedly hold a stun gun in one hand and force her "to perform oral sex or rape her," the documents state.



The teen alleged she believes she was locked in the shed from the beginning of June 2014 until the middle of July.



The last time he allegedly forced her to have sex in the shed, she was bleeding, the records state. When he allegedly drove her to his parents' house to clean up, she said she was "so scared he was going to kill her," the records state.



After she showered, he allegedly grabbed her by the back of the head and told her, "If you tell her ... I will end you."



In August 2012, Morgan was charged in Salt Lake County with five first-degree felonies for allegedly sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl, for about eight years, starting in 2006. The case was dismissed about eight months later.



When asked why the case was dismissed, Jeffrey Hall, chief deputy for the Salt Lake County district attorney's office told The Salt Lake Tribune that "changes to the evidence subsequent to filing" caused prosecutors to believe they did not have a good chance at a conviction.
The following factors are likely to influence Malaysian palm oil futures and other vegetable oil markets.

FUNDAMENTALS * Malaysian palm oil futures slid on Tuesday evening from the previous session's five-month high to a one-week low, tracking weaker-performing rival oils and with low exports weighing on sentiment. * U.S. grain and oilseed futures were higher on Tuesday, with soybeans Sc1 rebounding from an earlier five-month low on support from investor short-covering ahead of a U.S. Department of Agriculture quarterly stocks report due on Friday. * Oil prices rose early on Wednesday, after sharp losses in the previous session, as industry data showed a surprise draw in U.S. crude stocks, although worries over a lack of agreement among producers to curb output kept a lid on gains.

MARKET NEWS * Asian stocks edged up early on Wednesday following an overnight rise for U.S. stocks, while reduced hopes that a meeting of major producers would reduce a oversupply weighed heavily on crude oil prices.

RELATED > U.S. farmer lawsuits over Syngenta GMO corn granted class status > Brazil eyes Asian middle class to expand food exports -minister > Low water still hampers Rhine and Danube shipping in Germany > Greenpeace block Malaysian palm oil company IOI at Rotterdam Port > Heavy rains expected to curb Australia wheat output

DATA/EVENTS > Cargo surveyor ITS releases Malaysia's Sept 1-30 palm oil export data on Sept 30. > Cargo surveyor SGS releases Malaysia's Sept 1-30 palm oil export data on Sept 30.

* For a table on Malaysian physical palm oil prices, including refined oil, Reuters Terminal users can double click on or type.

* To view freight rates from Peninsula Malaysia/Sumatra to China, India, Pakistan and Rotterdam, please key in and press enter, or double click between the brackets.

* Reuters Terminal users can see cash and futures edible oil prices by double clicking on the codes in the brackets: To go to the next page in the same chain, hit F12. To go back, hit F11. Vegetable oils -- Malaysian palm oil exports -- CBOT soyoil futures -- CBOT soybean futures -- Indian solvent -- Weekly Indian vegetable oils -- Dalian Commodity Exchange -- Dalian soyoil futures -- Dalian refined palm oil futures -- Zhengzhou rapeseed oil -- European edible oil prices/trades -- (Reporting by KL newsroom)
By Ilona Wissenbach

PARIS (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG <VOWG_p.DE> Chief Executive Matthias Mueller said on Wednesday he is hopeful the German automaker can reach agreement by the end of the year with the U.S. government on the size of a fine to settle a criminal investigation of the company's alleged violations of U.S. clean air laws.

Mueller, speaking on the sidelines of the Paris auto show, said he also sees good progress toward an agreement with U.S. regulators that could allow Volkswagen to repair certain 3.0 liter diesel engines that emit more pollutants than U.S. law allows.

Speculation that the U.S. Justice Department will demand a multibillion-dollar fine to settle a criminal investigation of the automaker's use of illegal software to deceive U.S. environmental regulators sent Volkswagen shares into a tailspin earlier this week.

Mueller told reporters "we have been in a constructive dialogue with authorities in Germany, in Europe and the U.S. for the past 12 months," and said he hopes to know the results of all the investigations "in the foreseeable future."

A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment. Reuters reported in August that Volkswagen and the U.S. Justice Department have held preliminary settlement talks about resolving a criminal probe into the automaker's diesel emissions scandal, citing two sources briefed on the matter. The talks have continued in recent weeks but it is not clear when a settlement will be reached.

Earlier this month, a Volkswagen engineer pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy in connection with the diesel emissions cheating case, and said he will cooperate with the Justice Department investigation.

VW in June agreed to pay up to $16.5 billion to resolve civil litigation related to the emissions cheating. The company agreed to buy back vehicles if they could not be repaired as required by U.S. and California regulators, and to fund projects such as expanded electric vehicle charging networks.

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Mueller said he is concerned about the size of potential additional fines. "The settlement that we have ... reached with the civil authorities isn't cheap," he said. "We have made provisions for everything that we believe we will have to face, including fines, environmental projects, compensation to the people ... We will have to see if that's enough or not."

Volkswagen has set aside 17.8 billion euros ($20 billion) to pay for costs related to the global emissions cheating scandal. The company faces civil litigation and potential fines from government regulators in the EU and other markets around the world.

Mueller said on Wednesday the company faces more than a financial toll. "We gambled away the trust people had in us and now we have to see how to get it back. That will definitely take longer than it took to lose it."

Mueller and Volkswagen global brand chief Herbert Diess said the company is not ready to abandon diesel technology, and could continue to offer diesel models for the U.S. market.

"At some point there will be a tipping point, where electric mobility will gain the upper hand. I don't know when this will be. Maybe 2030 or 2035," Mueller said.

Volkswagen executives are using the Paris auto show to tout its future electric vehicles, aiming at U.S. electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc <TSLA.O>. Mueller, however, objected to the comparison.

"How many cars do they sell per year? How many? Fifty thousand per year," he said. "Do you know how many Volkswagen sells? 10 million! Why do we then talk of competition?"

Tesla has targeted sales for 2016 of 80,000 to 90,000 vehicles.

($1 = 0.8915 euro)

(Additional reporting by Agnieszka Flak in Paris and David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Joseph White and Matthew Lewis)
W. Kamau Bell will return to CNN for a second season of his pointed but humorous travelogue series United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell, according to the Time Warner-owned cable-news outlet.

The second cycle of the series will consist of eight episodes and continue to follow the activist and comedian as he explores different communities in the U.S. and investigates race and other topics. The series, which was nominated for an Emmy and a TCA Award in its first season, will return to CNN in the Spring of 2017. Each hour-long episode attempts to depict a country that is built upon many different definitions of what its like to live in America. A memorable episode from the first cycle had the African-American comedian meeting up with members of the Ku Klux Klan.

I couldnt be more thrilled to work with CNN on more episodes of United Shades of America. CNN has been unbelievably supportive of me and what I am trying to do with the show. I have been amazed and at times overwhelmed to witness the effect the show has had on people, Bell said in a statement.  I travel a lot as stand-up comic, and everywhere I go, people ask me when well be back for season two. I think now, more than ever, people realize that we need more platforms that demonstrate how to have productive, respectful, enlightening, and funny conversations. Also hoping now that we have a second season, I can finally meet Anthony Bourdain.

CNN said the show ranked first among adults between 25 and 54  the demographic most coveted by sponsors of news programming  and attracted the youngest audience across cable news in its time period. CNN is part of Time Warners Turner Broadcasting unit.

We are beyond thrilled with the positive response United Shades of America received in its freshman season, said Amy Entelis, CNN Worldwides executive vice president of talent and content development, in a statement. Kamau has an unparalleled ability to use his natural curiosity and sense of humor to ignite necessary and sometimes tough conversations around race and society in this country.

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The series is produced by Objective Media Group/All3Media America with Bell, Jimmy Fox, Greg Lipstone and Layla Smith serving as executive producers.

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The executive overseeing Chinese developer Wanda Group's $1.2 billion tower, planned for a lot next to the Beverly Hilton, is hitting back at accusations that his firm is using foreign money to influence an American election with the goal of undermining a rival project.

"The Beverly Hilton and some of the proponents of Measure HH [see below] have resorted to xenophobic language in order to try to discredit us and the One Beverly Hills project," Rohan a'Beckett, deputy GM of Wanda Beverly Hills Properties, tells THR. "We are disappointed that such deplorable tactics are being utilized in a city that prides itself on its civility and openness."

On Sept. 22, Unite Here Local 11, which represents hotel workers at the Beverly Hilton, filed a complaint with the California Fair Political Practices Commission and the Federal Election Commission accusing Wanda of using foreign money in its campaign to defeat a Beverly Hills city ballot measure known as the Hilton Initiative, or HH. It's a proposal that would allow Beverly Hilton owner Beny Alagem (who also is building the Waldorf Astoria next door) to combine two previously approved towers - measuring eight and 18 stories - into a single 26-story tower directly adjacent to the Hilton; the proposal includes the creation of a 1.7-acre public park. Opponents of the plan, which include Wanda Group and Beverly Hills Mayor John Mirisch, have lambasted Alagem for a lack of transparency and the use of a ballot measure, which they see as an end run around the city's land-use approval process. The FEC filing - which Alagem had nothing to do with, according to company spokesperson Marie Garvey - is the latest salvo in a bare-knuckle political brawl that has pitted Alagem against Wanda, owned by Wang Jianlin, the world's 19th-richest person.
Learn more about the men and women who have run the ultimate political gauntlet in pursuit of the most powerful job on Earth by watching THE CONTENDERS: 16 FOR 16, a new TV series from OZY airing every Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST this fall on PBS.

Harvard-trained lawyers and successful governors of Massachusetts, Michael Dukakis and Mitt Romney were two of the most competent contenders ever to run for President. But both men found themselves utterly unprepared to combat the portraits their opponents painted of them and to define themselves successfully to the American public.

Following the Democratic convention in the summer of 1988, Dukakis was leading his Republican rival George H.W. Bush by 17 points and looked like he was on track to become the next president of the United States. The son of Greek immigrants, Dukakis had made a reputation for himself as an incorruptible leader and efficient administrator, one who had architected the Massachusetts Miracle in his home state over his three terms as its governor.

Despite not having the soaring oratory skills or blinding charisma of many successful presidential candidates, Dukakis and his well-organized campaign emerged from a crowded Democratic field in 1988 to win the nomination. In the fall of that year, after the convention though, Dukakis would bear the brunt of one of the dirtiest negative ad campaigns in presidential history, including the infamous Willie Horton spot. The governor did not help himself by declining to respond in kind to the attacks or to quit his day job in order to spend more time on the campaign trail and, as a result, would carry only 10 states and lose to Bush by around 7 million votes.

Despite having two parents involved in public service, Mitt Romney did not rush into public life himself until after a longstanding career in business. For much of that time, Romney worked for Bain and Co., a Boston-based consulting firm, later becoming the CEO of a spin-off private equity firm Bain Capital. After amassing a personal fortune estimated to be as high as $250 million at Bain, Romney entered the political realm in 1994 with a failed run against Sen. Ted Kennedy before winning the 2002 gubernatorial race in Massachusetts, where under his leadership, the state would become the first in the nation to enact a universal health care system.

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Romneys first run for the presidency came in 2008, when he would spend about $45 million of his own fortune toward the goal. He would win 11 primary contests but finish well behind the Republican partys ultimate nominee, Sen. John McCain of Arizona. In 2012, Romney would win the partys nomination, however, becoming the first Mormon ever selected as a major party nominee, before falling to Barack Obamas re-election campaign, which successfully painted him as a wealthy businessman out of touch with the lives of ordinary Americans.

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The trailer for Leonardo DiCaprios new documentary on climate change was released by National Geographic Channel on Tuesday.

I just want to know how far weve gone, and if theres anything we can do anything to stop it, said Hollywoods leading environmental activist in the trailer for Before the Flood.

Alongside DiCaprio, who produced and narrated the film, the production team lists several Hollywood hard-hitters including actor-director Fisher Stevens, who produced Oscar-winning documentary The Cove, and executive producer Martin Scorsese, who directed DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street, Vanity Fair reports.

The film also features appearances and interviews from big names including President Obama, Elon Musk and Pope Francis.

Climate change is the most critical and urgent problem facing our world today, and it must be a top issue for voters this Election Day, said DiCaprio according to the Hollywood Reporter. Fisher and I set out to make a film that not only educates people about the challenges we face if we fail to act, but one which also shows the solutions we can implement if we can find the political will to do so.

The actor has a history of putting his considerable clout behind worthwhile causes. In 2014, he teamed up with Netflix to release Virunga, a film about a gorilla preservations bloody battle against poachers in the Democratic Republic of Congos Virunga National Park. The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary in 2015.

Before its official release on Oct. 21st, Before the Flood will debut in a special screening at the White House on Oct. 3, following a discussion between Obama and DiCaprio.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren cut to the heart of the Wells Fargo scandal last week as she grilled CEO John Stumpf about the sham accounts that had been opened over the course of years by bank employees.

What have you done to hold yourself accountable? Warren asked Stumpf. Have you resigned as CEO or chairman of Wells Fargo? Have you returned one nickel of the millions of dollars that you were paid while this scam was going on?

Related: The Real Scandal at Wells Fargo: Execs Got Rich by Sandbagging Clients

The answer to that question changed Tuesday, as Wells Fargo announced that Stumpf will forfeit $41 million in unvested stock as punishment for scandalous account-opening practices. He will also forego his $2.8 million salary while Wells Fargo investigates the troubling sales practices that led to the bank being fined $185 million, and will get no bonus for 2016.

Carrie Tolstedt, the executive who led the Wells Fargo retail banking division where roughly 1.5 million unauthorized accounts were opened over several years, will forfeit unvested shares worth about $19 million. Tolsdtedt had been set to retire at the end of the year, but she has left the company and will get no severance or bonus.

For Wells Fargo and Stumpf, the question now is can they put a number on accountability  and is $41 million that number?

Analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, a boutique investment bank specializing in the financial services sector, note that the compensation being clawed back from the two executives, which could total more than $67 million when lost salary and bonuses are included, amounts to more than 24 times the fees Wells Fargo collected from customers who had accounts improperly opened in their names.

Related: What to Do If You Were Scammed by Wells Fargo

In our view, the monetary loss should be enough to quell the outrage of interested parties (senators, etc.) and should buy the CEO more time to deal with the ongoing scandal, analysts Brian Kleinhanzl and Michael Brown wrote.

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Warren was not quite as forgiving. This is a small step in the right direction, but nowhere near real accountability, she tweeted.

.@WellsFargo employees who failed to meet management's outrageous sales goals were fired.  Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) September 28, 2016

.@WellsFargo employees who tried to sound the alarm about the creation of fake accounts were fired. Their lives turned upside down.  Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) September 28, 2016

.@WellsFargo CEO Stumpf will be just fine: he keeps his job & most of the money he made while massive fraud went on under his nose.  Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) September 28, 2016

As I said last week: Mr. Stumpf should resign, return every nickel he made while this scam was ongoing, & face SEC & DOJ investigations.  Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) September 28, 2016

While Wells Fargo could still take further action and claw back more compensation, there may be limits to how much more money it can recoup in this way. As The New York Times reported, The banks clawback provisions are specific about the circumstances in which it can recoup money from executives  most hinge on misconduct that forces the company to significantly revise its financial results or pay that was received based on inaccurate financial information. Neither is the case here.

Related: Wells Fargos CEO -- The Buck Stops With My Workers

Even after giving up $41 million in unvested equity, Stumpf still holds a tremendous number of Wells Fargo shares. As of March, he owned stock and options due to vest within weeks that would be worth almost $250 million today based on Wells Fargos current share price. Moreover, Toldstedt could still leave the bank with stock and options worth $77 million. She was paid more than $36 million between 2012 and 2015. So the price theyre paying is arguably less painful to them than the penalties faced by employees who say they got fired or demoted for calling attention to ethical violations or falling short of the banks problematic sales goals.

Six former employees filed a class action lawsuit this week alleging such retribution and seeking at least $7.2 billion in damages. We disagree with the allegations in the complaint and will vigorously defend against the misrepresentations it contains, Wells Fargo said in a statement.

As the lawsuits mount, Stumpf is due to return to Washington for a hearing by the House Financial Services Committee on Thursday. We will get some sense then of whether the announced clawbacks turn down the heat at all. But dont bank on it.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
Optimistic about oil

-Oil prices edged higher Wednesday morning ahead of an OPEC meeting in Algiers. While hopes of reaching an agreement on production cuts or a freeze this time around have diminished, investors are optimistic that one will be reached at the next official meeting in Vienna on Nov. 30.

New suspicions surround Deutsche Bank

-The troubled German Bank saying Wednesday it had sold its Abbey Life insurance unit for $1.22 billion. This comes after speculation earlier in the week that Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB) will be forced to raise capital due to concerns over its financial health.

Speaking of troubled banks

-Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) CEO John Stumpf will forfeit much of his 2016 salary, including his $41 million bonus, amid a new investigation into alleged illegal sales practices launched by the companys independent directors. Carrie Tolstedt, the former head of the division charged with exercising the phony retail practices, will lose $19 million in pay along with her severance package.

The email scandal continues

-Hillary Clinton deleted more than 1,000 work-related emails between herself and General David Petraeus, during his time as U.S. Central Command Director. Most of these emails are not believed to be included among the 30K that the Democratic presidential candidate handed over to the State Department in 2014.

Risk & Reward will analyze the implications of this latest revelation with a panel of expert guests at 5 p.m. ET. You dont want to miss it!

Sorry President Obama

-The Senate will vote to override the Presidents veto on the 9/11 lawsuit bill, a piece of legislation that would allow lawsuits against foreign sponsors of terrorism. In particular, the families of 9/11 victims would be able to sue Saudi Arabia for their alleged role in the 2001 terror attacks. It appears there will be necessary majorities to override the veto in both houses of Congress.

At 2 p.m. ET, Trish Regan will cover the outcome of this historic vote on The Intelligence Report!

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Also on Capitol Hill today

-Fed Chair Janet Yellen will testify before the House Financial Services Committee on financial regulation. Some big issues that may come up include the alleged illegal retail practices employed by Wells Fargo and the problems with Deutsche Bank.

Cavuto: Coast to Coast will be monitoring the testimony, and will bring you the most important news as it breaks! Tune in at 12 p.m. ET.

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Barack Obama

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest on Wednesday called the Senate's override vote on legislation that would allow the families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia the "most embarrassing thing" the legislative body has done in decades.

It's "the single most embarrassing thing the United States Senate has done possibly since 1983," he told reporters after news broke of the Senate's 97-to-1 vote.

Earnest was answering a question about the size of the override, which was the largest margin since the Senate voted 95 to 0 in 1983 to override a veto by former President Ronald Reagan.

The House overturned the veto later Wednesday afternoon, which put the measure into law.

"I look forward to the opportunity for Congress to override the president's veto, provide these families with the chance to seek the justice they deserve, and send a clear message that we will not tolerate those who finance terrorism in the United States," Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas said in a statement Friday after President Barack Obama vetoed the bill.

The override marked the first time that Congress overruled one of Obama's vetoes.

"This is a decision I do not take lightly," said Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, one of the authors of the legislation. "This bill is near and dear to my heart as a New Yorker because it would allow the victims of 9/11 to pursue some small measure of justice, finally giving them a legal avenue to pursue foreign sponsors of the terrorist attack that took from them the lives of their loved ones."

The legislation amends a 1976 law that granted other countries immunity from US lawsuits. With the veto overturned, foreign countries could be sued in federal court if they are found to have played any role in terror attacks that killed Americans within the US.

Obama vetoed the legislation because he feared that foreign countries could then take similar actions against Americans overseas, such as members of the military.

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NOW WATCH: 'What in the hell is he talking about?'  Biden attacks Trump for saying not paying taxes is 'smart'





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BlackBerry Ltd. (BBRY) reported its fiscal second-quarter financial results before the markets opened on Wednesday. The company broke even in terms of earnings per share for this quarter, on $352 million in revenue. The Thomson Reuters consensus estimates had called for a net loss of $0.05 per share on revenue of $393.75 million. In the same period of last year, it posted a net loss of $0.13 per share and $491 million in revenue.

In terms of the revenue breakdown for the quarter, 44% consisted of software and services, 26% for service access fees (SAF) and 30% for mobility solutions. BlackBerry had around 3,000 enterprise customer wins in the quarter. Roughly 81% of the second quarter software and services revenue was recurring.

ALSO READ: Why Credit Suisse Remains Cautious on Boeing

During this quarter, the company went into a licensing agreement with telecom joint venture in Indonesia, BB Merah Putih, to manufacture, distribute and promote BlackBerry-branded devices running BlackBerry's secure Android software and applications. This partnership will accelerate BlackBerry's overall focus on driving software growth, specifically developing and licensing device software offerings, including security solutions and applications, through its Mobility Solutions business unit.

Also worth noting is that this joint venture was created in support of the Indonesian government's efforts to promote the development, manufacturing and creation of locally sourced products, while also increasing the number of value-added LTE smartphones available and sold in the country.

BlackBerry announced a change in senior leadership in a separate release from the earnings report. The company appointed of Steven Capelli as chief financial officer. Capelli brings 25 years of executive experience in the software and technology industry. Most recently, Capelli was president of Worldwide Field Operations at Sybase with responsibility for $1 billion in annual revenue. Capelli also led international operations at Sybase as General Manager with responsibility for sales, operations, finance, customer support, marketing and human resources.

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ALSO READ: 4 MLPs to Buy That Should Do Fine When Rates Inevitably Go Higher

John Chen, executive chairman and CEO of BlackBerry, commented on the outlook going forward:

We remain on track to deliver 30 percent revenue growth in software and services for the full fiscal year. We are revising upward our non-GAAP EPS outlook to a range of breakeven to a five cent loss, compared to the current consensus of a 15 cent loss. This reflects increased confidence based on improving margins and reduced interest expense from the recent refinancing of our debt, as well as planned investments in growth areas.

Consensus estimates for the fiscal year call for a net loss of $0.15 per share and $1.61 billion in revenue.

Shares of BlackBerry closed Tuesday at $7.88, with a consensus analyst price target of $7.42 and a 52-week trading range of $5.99 to $9.46. Following the release of the earnings report, the stock was up 4.6% at $8.24 in early trading indications Wednesday.

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Animal Medical Center Veterinarian vet veterinary surgery_11

Imagine your kid is sick.

An infection struck, rapidly killing off internal tissue and leaving them bedridden for weeks in the ICU. One day your child was healthy, the next, gravely ill. Medication dealt with the bacteria, but the damage was too severe for a body to heal on its own. One kidney went, and then the other. Without a transplant, they'll have to make regular trips to the hospital for dialysis and face all kinds of secondary medical problems.

You get tested, as do the rest of your family members who are eligible to donate. But no luck. Your child ends up on a waiting list thousands and thousands of names long. You wait for weeks or months without good news.

Of course, there are thousands of healthy people in your city, millions more in your country. Some of them must be eligible matches. You scrounge up your life savings, pull funds out of your retirement account, put an ad online offering $20,000 to anyone who donates a healthy kidney to your kid. Responses flood in, crowds of people willing to get tested to save your kid and earn some cash.

But the doctor tells you that none of those people can donate. In the United States, as in most of the rest of the world, it's illegal to buy and sell body parts like kidneys.

In a new paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, Nicola Lacetera lays out the key reasons for this rule:

If people got to buy organs, it would lead to an unequal system where wealthy people got access to body parts at the expense of people who couldn't pay for life-saving transplants.

Poor people might choose to sell body parts to meet pressing economic needs, leading to a situation where people are functionally coerced by the inequalities of capitalism into giving up organs.

Sick people might hide their sicknesses in order to profit from donating infected tissue.

Broadly speaking, we have a social aversion to morally "repugnant" transactions, often involving buying and selling bodily services. There is a deeply-ingrained intuition that transactions (like prostitution, or even slavery) that involve trade in human flesh degrade the moral character of a society.

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But it's also unquestionably true that a properly-orchestrated organ market could save lives.

In the US, 119,000 people are on the waiting list for a donation, and an average of 22 people die every day waiting for an organ. It's pretty clear that creating a financial incentive to donate would have an impact on those numbers. (Lacetera offers some specific evidence that people are more likely to donate tissues like blood plasma when there's money on the table.)

And there exist solutions to at least some of the moral problems. For example: A third party, like the government or insurance companies, could ensure that the list of people who need transplants remains ranked in order of need. Patients who need organs most would be first in line, and no one could pay to go to the front of the line. Paying someone who wants to sell a kidney to someone in need wouldn't throw all that off  the fresh kidney would just have to go to the highest-need person who is a match, not the highest bidder. That could increase supply without unequally pushing lifesaving organs (or bone marrow or other body parts) toward wealthy patients.

In a system like this, the government or insurance companies would pay for the organ, not the person who needs it. While that seems like an expensive prospect, it could actually save society money in the long-run. Lacetera writes that each kidney transplant would lead to about $200,000 in direct savings -- and as much as $1.1 million when you factor in indirect savings from increased health and life expectancy.

(There are also alternative solutions, like kidney exchanges, which Lacetera didn't address.)

On top of that, a form of delayed payment might prevent people from donating to resolve short-term debts.

Nurse Georgiana Stefan prepares a dialysis machine for a diabetes patient at Nicolae Paulescu National Institute for Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases in Bucharest, November 13, 2012. November 14 is World Diabetes Day. REUTERS/Radu Sigheti

Still, Lacetera acknowledges, it's hard to imagine a pay-for-donation system that didn't involve some exploitation or at least broad inequalities. The poor will always have more reason to go through the risk and pain of giving up kidneys, parts of livers, or bone marrow under a market economy. There's good reason to get squeamish when capitalism threatens to touch our most personal choices.

So Lacetera set up an experiment. Through Mechanical Turk, the Amazon system for massive psychological experiments (and other "micro-tasks"), he asked people their opinions on different paid donation schemes. He found that with no additional information, about 50% of respondents in a control group were on board with some form of paid donation.

When another group received evidence that payment could save lives, along with information on how it might be done equitably, about 70% said it was a good idea.

All of which is to say, if you can make a compelling enough lifesaving case, people are willing to leave aside their internal aversions.

So should we allow people to buy and sell organs? Expect your answer to change depending on the patient on the table.

NOW WATCH: A Vietnam vet needed a new kidney  so his old war buddy gave him one





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At-home beauty and wellness apps, which allow people to get everything from blowouts to massages right in their living room, are all the rage in cities across the nation. But one, Belle, based in Nashville, Tenn., has apparently so threatened some local salons and spas that the state cosmetology board is aiming to crush it.

Instead of welcoming innovation, the Tennessee State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners has threatened to fine and shut down the nascent startup, writes Nick Sibilla, a contributor to Forbes and a spokesperson for the Institute for Justice. The organization, based in Arlington, Va., fights cases on behalf of individuals, regarding employment, education, and property rights. Only one single complaint triggered the threat. In February, the owner of a brick-and-mortar nail salon wrote to state regulators about Belle: She found this type of competition highly disturbing. That tip was ultimately forwarded to the Board, which included that solitary complaint in its demand letter against Belle.

Belle, founded by Armand Lauzon, offers at-home services, including hair, nails, makeup, spray tans, massage, personal training, tailoring, and chiropractic sessions. It follows in the footsteps of other on-demand apps, such as Glamsquad, Blownaway, StyleBee, and Uber Beauty, all a part of the fast-growing trend that appeals to a range of clients, including stressed-out professionals, mobility-challenged seniors, and stay-at-home moms.

Having somebody come to you is the way celebrities do it, Glamsquad cofounder Victoria Eisner told the Wall Street Journal. Why cant the average woman have that as well?

They wont be able to in Nashville, if the state board has its way.

At this point, a consent order (which is an informal settlement agreement) has been presented to Project Belle, and their attorney has responded with a letter, a spokesperson for the Tennessee State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners tells Yahoo Beauty. No action has been initiated regarding this matter. Project Belle is slated to be discussed with the Board on Oct. 3, when they convene in Nashville. According to documents shared with Yahoo Beauty by the board, the board alleged that Belle was violating the states cosmetology laws, offering the company a deal to cease and desist or face worse punishment.

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Meanwhile, Lauzons attorney Daniel Horwitz is fighting the boards claims against Belle  including that the company was an unlicensed cosmetology salon.

As Horwitz told the Institute for Justice, regulating Project Belle under the Tennessee Cosmetology Act because it uses the Internet to connect cosmetologists with consumers would be akin to regulating the Yellow Pages under the Tennessee Health Care Liability Act because the phone book contains listings for medical professionals.

Lets keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Why talking to your partner about your exes can be a good thing

Why talking to your partner about your exes can be a good thing

I married my husband almost a year ago. Prior to our engagement, when our relationship was first becoming serious, we got a lot of advice from friends, books, and well-meaning strangers regarding how much we should tell each other about our past relationships.

The less they know the better, itll just hurt them.

Its in the past  why drag it back up?

They should know everything. Get it all out in the open.

Talking about your exes will make the other person feel insecure.

Dont talk about your exes EVER.

Some of that advice is definitely valid  but the reality is that every couple, even every individual, is different.

My husband and I had a bit of a whirlwind relationship. We were engaged after six months of dating, and we got married exactly one year after we first met.

And we had the confidence to do that because of the past relationships wed each had.

The Office

My husbands most significant relationship, prior to me, was partially long distance, and they struggled with communication. They didnt want to have hard talks over the phone, but they also didnt want to have those difficult discussions when they were together in person. When we started dating and he realized I wasnt afraid to talk things out, he immediately knew thats what had been missing in his past.

Our strong communication helped him to understand that I was the right partner for him  and when he talked to me about the struggles of his previous relationship, I was able to trust the depth of his feelings for me.

But thats also all I really wanted or needed to know about his ex. Understanding what he learned from his past relationships enriched our current relationship, but the details werent necessary.

Sometimes it can be good to talk about past relationships, or at least about certain aspects of your past relationships.

Sometimes you or your partner may need to understand certain details. Other times, its healthier just to remain in the dark. The key is to strive for conversation around things that will make your relationship deeper, stronger, and more loving  and avoid things that will distract you or make you feel uncomfortable (and arent really important).

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Some tips to help you walk that fine line:

Dont ask a question you dont want the answer to.

If knowing about each others sexual history is going to make you feel uncomfortable or insecure, dont talk about it. What happens between you two matters the most, so place value in your current intimacy.

Dont compare yourself to the exes.

In the world of social media, all you need is a persons name to discover what they look like, how they dress, where they went to school, etc. But none of that matters. Your partner is with you now because it didnt work out with their ex. Youre obviously more amazing than the ex is.

Turns out stalking your boyfriend's ex on fb isn't actually a good idea  Christi (@christigarratt) August 15, 2016

Preface your questions.

Sometimes, the question doesnt matter as much as why youre asking the question. Do you want to know about the past in order to get to know your significant other on another level, or are you looking for drama?

Be willing to have a safe space.

Not all relationships get the closure they need, and sometimes feelings from your past relationship can stay with you. I dont necessarily mean that you still have feelings for the person (thats another issue entirely), but maybe youre watching a movie that reminds you of something tough from your past relationship. You want to be able to safely and openly talk about it with your SO without making them feel insecure.

tmi

Be careful not to over-share.

While its good to let your current partner know what you experienced and learned in past relationships, its also very important to keep your focus on the present relationship. Thats your priority. Dont let yourself get caught up in the past wondering what could have been. Be present with your partner and intend to build what you have together.

There are definitely benefits to your current partner knowing some of your relationship history.

We have all learned lessons from our past relationships, and by talking about those lessons with your current SO, you can form a better, healthier foundation for your love.

The post Why talking to your partner about your exes can be a good thing appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf testifies before congress. Source: Xinhua News AgencyXinhua News Agency/Getty Images

There is no question that Wells Fargos (WFC) fraudulent creation of over 2 million accounts using personal information is bad for its business. Optics wise, its horrible, affecting consumers directly, leaving many of them with annoying messes to clean up.

But the mess does offer the bank a silver lining amidst all the scandalan excuse to to cull 5,300 employees from its payroll, something Wells Fargo likely would have done eventually either way.

Todays retail banking climate may paint a rosy picture with plenty of modern customer conveniences like mobile check deposit and shorter lines, as some bank branches direct customers to ATMs instead of tellers. But for the bank branch employees the apps and ATMs usurp, its shaping up to be a John Henry-esque tale of human versus machine that is sure to have a tragic ending.

In July, Bank of Americas (BAC) president of retail banking announced that the bank would likely lay off 8,400 workers, a response to the dwindling customer base that actually wanders into branches. According to the Financial Times, Bank of Americas president of retail banking laid out the trend in numbers showing how much the head count had fallen, from 108,000 employees in 2009 to 68,400, with the final personnell goals to be around the low 60,000s.

For other banks, JPMorgan Chase (JPM) made plans last year to ax one teller per branch by the end of 2016, around 5,000 total. Even banks on a slightly smaller level have suffered, with Comerica laying off 800 and closing 40 locations in July. The trend isnt even just in the US. In Germany, Deutsche Bank (DB) shuttered 188 branches in June, cutting 3,000 employees.

In this context, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warrens question of why the higher-ups remain while Wells Fargo has been dispatching so many lower-level employees over several years might gain an answer.

Theres no question that employees defrauding customers should be dealt with accordingly, with termination the minimum. But according to reports from CNN Money, Wells Fargo did not outline many options for success, retaliating against employees who called the ethics hotline (an employee confirmed this, but Wells Fargo itself did not comment on that matter). Bloombergs Matt Levine laid it out best, breaking down the paths down which the bank funneled its employees:

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1. Open fake accounts to meet sales goals: Maybe get fired. 2. Dont open fake accounts, miss sales goals: Probably get fired. 3. Tell executives about all the fake accounts: Definitely get fired really fast.

With all roads leading to the same outcome, its hard to not wonder whether Wells Fargo wasnt looking for a certain result, given how the bank itself paved those roads with its policies. If this was in fact engineered  at least in part  to conveniently fire 5,300 employees, perhaps Wells Fargo simply underestimated the amount of bad PR.

Or maybe they didnt. After all this scandal fades into the rear-view mirror, the bank may not emerge quite so battered as it seems. The $185 million fine from the CFPB, big as it sounds, wasnt that big as far as banking fines go, as a former director at the FTCs Bureau of Consumer Protection told CNN Money.

From the customer side of things, though Wells Fargo may not lure any new fans, several factors will keep consumers from leaving. Not only is it a huge pain to change banks, but people who discovered credit cards in their names may not want to close them, since that would actually hurt their credit. Eventually, everybody could just forget it all, accepting the scandal as just more bad behavior of banks theyve come to expect.

Shaking matters up further, Wells Fargos board used the pressure applied by Congressand the general publicto announce a clawback in executive pay on Tuesday for CEO John Stumpf and the head of community banking, Carrie Tolstedt, whose retirement was simultaneously announced. In addition to assuaging the publics lust for executive blood, this move keeps $60 million in stock under the companys ownership, around 32% of the fine. The bank also said it would consider further clawbacks as its independent inquiry goes forward. The stock rose in after-hours trading following the news but has since dropped back to Tuesday levels.

Wells Fargo may face more fallout over the scandal: The Labor Department announced it will investigate the companys workplace practices. And on Thursday, Congress once again hosts its top brass, and senators such as Elizabeth Warren have likely begun preheating the oven.

Ethan Wolff-Mann is a writer at Yahoo Finance focusing on consumerism, tech, and personal finance. Follow him on Twitter @ewolffmann.

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Johannesburg (AFP) - The shy, scale-covered pangolin is to receive the highest level of protection against illegal trade to try to save it from extinction, after a vote Wednesday by delegates at a global conference.

The reclusive, gentle mammal is prized as an edible delicacy and ingredient in traditional medicine, especially in China and Vietnam as well as across Africa.

Rocketing demand for their meat and body parts has fuelled a boom in illegal hunting with more than a million pangolins believed to have been poached from the wild in the past decade.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) meeting in Johannesburg voted overwhelmingly to ban trade in the endangered pangolin, the world's most heavily trafficked mammal.

CITES said in a statement that all eight species of pangolin would be moved into its "appendix 1", which outlaws all international trade in animals facing possible extinction.

"This is a huge win and rare piece of good news for some of the world's most trafficked and endangered animals," Ginette Hemley, of conservation group WWF, said in a statement.

"(It) eliminates any question about legality of trade, making it harder for criminals to traffic them.

- Sensitive to stress -

"The parties must move swiftly to enforce the decision. Illegal trade will continue to threaten pangolins as long as demand for their meat and scales persists."

Previously CITES allowed international trade in pangolins under strict conditions.

Pangolins, which have bad vision but a good sense of smell and hearing, are covered in tough, overlapping scales, and eat ants using pink, sticky tongues almost as long as their bodies.

When threatened or attacked by predators such as lions, they curl into defensive ball, making it easy for them to be picked up by human hunters and put into a sack.

About the size of a small dog, they are solitary, mostly nocturnal and cannot be easily farmed or kept in captivity due to suffering stress.

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"We are happy that the world has finally decided to pay attention to the plight of this little known and amazingly unique animal," said Jeff Flocken of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

"They are one of the most imperilled species on the planet and it is about time that we wake up and do something to save them."

In Chinese traditional medicine, pangolin scales are ground into a powder believed to cure conditions from headaches and menstrual cramps to nose bleeds and lack of virility.

Research published in the early 2000s estimated pangolin numbers in China have declined by up to 94 percent, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The scales are sometimes even used as guitar plectrums.

In traditional African culture, some people believe in keeping a scale in their pockets to ward off evil.

Zimbabweans used to present the mammals to President Robert Mugabe during his early years in office, but the practice has been discontinued.

Pangolin fat, blood and bones are also highly valued in African traditional medicine.

The CITES treaty, signed by 182 countries and the European Union, protects about 5,600 animal and 30,000 plant species from over-exploitation through commercial trade.

The 12-day conference, which started on Saturday, is sifting through 62 proposals to tighten or loosen trade restrictions on around 500 species.
Will Meyers move herald more paid leave for restaurant workers? (Photo: Getty Images)



Danny Meyers Union Square Hospitality Group has just announced that beginning next year it will offer full-time employees one of the most generous parental leave packages in the hospitality industry: four weeks at 100 percent of wages, plus another four weeks at 60 percent. While this is less than many office jobs give employees, and less than the 12 weeks presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is proposing, its considered quite generous for the restaurant industry.



According to Eater, the USHG policy would cover both mothers and fathers who have worked full-time for the company (whose properties include famous New York City restaurants Blue Smoke, the Modern, and Gramercy Tavern) for a year or more. Meyers Shake Shack chain is a separate company and would not be subject to these changes. Last year, Oregon restaurant chain the Laughing Planet Cafe also made headlines by offering 12 weeks of paid leave to full-time employees and a partially paid leave to part-time workers.

The move not only eases the financial burden for families taking time off, it also removes one of the obstacles preventing many women from staying in the industry and achieving higher positions if they also want to have a family.

Six percent of the most prominent chefs are women, and I dont think thats acceptable, Erin Moran, USGHs chief culture officer, told Eater earlier this year, when the company was still testing out the plan on its home office staff. We need to do more.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires employers to give new mothers in full-time jobs 12 weeks of unpaid leave with the guarantee that their position or an equivalent one will still be there when they return. Still, many feel that the culture of the restaurant industry punishes employees for taking time off. Which raises the question of whether things would truly change if yet another leave law were put in place.

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Male or female, the term that comes to the top of my head is machismo, Kevin, whos worked in restaurant management in Philadelphia and Orlando, told Yahoo Beauty. No one that I ever saw who had children was ever out. If the kids were sick, they had someone else take care of them. They were there working because they had to be. Especially in the kitchen, its that culture of You show up and you work hard.

Photo: Getty Images

A waitress from Florida who had a child recently told us that she had to return to work in order to make sure the managers continued to give her good shifts. [Y]our seniority goes away, she said. Youre not going to get the good sections. Youre not going to get the good tips.  A good shift and a good station is the difference between $40 and $200.

Related: I Was Pushed Out of My Job for Having a Baby



For chefs, taking leave means risking that your replacement could somehow damage your reputation. Everyones always in fear of a review, as social media and Yelp grow, and everybody is afraid of the feedback that theyll get if theyre not in the kitchen, Kevin said.

Then theres the complaint of the small business owners, who dont have the benefit of USHGs financial resources. As a small restaurant owner, I cant afford to provide paid maternity leave, chef Alexandra Raij told Open for Business. The margins are too small and the reliance on the human hand is too strong. It would sink the restaurant. You cant just disappear and not make food for three months.

In the absence of paid-leave laws, there are still plenty of parents who remain in hospitality, of course. They work in shifts, letting one parent work while the other stays home, if theres no family around to provide late-night childcare. They just make it work, as one waitress in Brooklyn put it to Yahoo Beauty, with a shrug.

The restaurant employees we spoke to made one thing clear: You need more than those first few weeks of time off to get any kind of work/life balance in this business.

For me, I wouldnt have left my baby to go back to the crazy, stressful hours of the hospitality business, Sarah, a former New York restaurant manager, told Yahoo. I worked 60 to 70 hours a week, a lot of those being very late hours. And there is no part-time option to being a general manager of a restaurant.

Lets keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.


Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f226508%2f7c7cd8b6fac34e1f9d6b40dc1898e2b8

If you're going to run a program that sends out automatic tweets, you might want to check it once in a while, lest it begin resembling an acid-induced bad dream.

Australian magazine Women's Weekly (think O Magazine but more suburban) were recently caught sending out tweets on their account without linking to anything. For days.

SEE ALSO: Get free burgers for life at this joint, if you get a tattoo of a burger that is

The error was picked up by an eagle-eyed Twitter user and radio presenter Ti Butler on Wednesday, but the best part is this: With no link or context, these tweets are unexpectedly absurd and definitely hilarious.

Nobody at the Women's Weekly has noticed that their automatic tweet program "Adobe Social" has stopped including links to their stories pic.twitter.com/Bf6cLg2f3o  Ti Butler (@tibutler) September 28, 2016

The tweets are kind of like hearing someone's inebriated ramblings: A touch sad, but you also can't stop giggling at it.

Sadly since Butler pointed it out, the folks at Women's Weekly have quietly deleted the tweets which had no links on them. However, screenshots are forever, so here they are in all their stream of conciousness glory.

Image: twitter/ti butler

Image: twitter

Image: TWITTER/TI BUTLER

Image: TWITTER/TI BUTLER

Image: TWITTER/TI BUTLER

Image: TWITTER/TI BUTLER

Image: TWITTER/TI BUTLER

Image: TWITTER/TI BUTLER

Image: TWITTER/TI BUTLER

Image: TWITTER/TI BUTLER

Image: TWITTER/TI BUTLER

Image: TWITTER/TI BUTLER
Washington (AFP) - The World Bank announced it will release $300 million in loans to help facilitate the labor market for Syrian refugees in Jordan.

The funds will be used to attract investors and create reforms that will help grant access to the Syrian labor force, the Bank said in a statement.

More Syrians will receive work permits and be able to "access formal jobs and decent labor conditions," the statement said.

"By creating the conditions for increased investment and jobs, and by allowing refugees, during their time in the country, to seek work and contribute to the economy, Jordan is shifting from a purely humanitarian approach to a forward looking development drive," said Ferid Belhaj, director of the Bank's Middle East Department.

In creating favorable economic conditions for Syrian refugees in the country, Jordan will help lead the way for the international community in what "still today are unchartered territories," he said.

Jordan says it currently hosts nearly 1.4 million refugees -- with more than 600,000 registered with the United Nations.

Amman regularly complains of a lack of international aid for the refugees it hosts, saying it has "reached its limits."

In early September the UN denounced the living conditions of some 70,000 Syrian refugees stranded at the border, where Jordan has blocked their entry and passage of aid after a suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group killed seven of its soldiers in the desert area.
Israels former President, Prime Minister and elder statesman, Shimon Peres, died on Tuesday after having suffered a stroke two weeks earlier. He was 93.

Peres standing in the world of international politics, and the impact he had during his decades of public service, was evidenced by the tributes and condolences expressed by several world leaders, past and present, following his death.

Shimon Peres was, above all, a man of peace. My deepest condolences to his loved ones and to the people of Israel on his passing.  Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) September 28, 2016

Lamento la partida del ex mandatario de Israel y Premio Nobel de la Paz, Shimon Peres. Nuestras condolencias a su familia y connacionales.  Enrique Pena Nieto (@EPN) September 28, 2016

A good and great man. Tireless advocate of peace between Israel and Palestine. An honour to have known him. Vale. https://t.co/lOIiOtbkR8  Kevin Rudd (@MrKRudd) September 28, 2016

In former President Shimon Peres, we lost a key world leader & a friend of India. Pained by his demise. Our condolences to people of Israel.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 28, 2016

RIP. A great stateman I admired when I was ambassador to Israel. Energy and vision. Francophile and Francophone. https://t.co/VXf3zWj5ZH  Gerard Araud (@GerardAraud) September 28, 2016

Laureen & I are saddened to learn of the passing of dear friend Shimon Peres. Our sincere condolences to his family & the people of Israel.  Stephen Harper (@stephenharper) September 28, 2016

In a statement, U.S. President Barack Obama mourned the passing of his dear friend Shimon Peres, hailing the Nobel Peace Prize winners unshakeable moral foundation and unflagging optimism.

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Obama statement on Peres pic.twitter.com/x061pTCnSu  Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) September 28, 2016

Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush also released heartfelt tributes. It was by his innate humanity, his decency, that Shimon inspired the world over and helped pave a path to peace, Bush said.

Statement by former President @GeorgeHWBush on the passing of former Israeli President Shimon Peres at age 93. pic.twitter.com/QTkAjjvt3b  Jim McGrath (@jgm41) September 28, 2016

Just in: Statement from Bill and Hillary Clinton on the passing of Shimon Peres, "a true and treasured friend" pic.twitter.com/b1CzpkgjQI  Monica Alba (@albamonica) September 28, 2016

American politicians on both sides of the aisle, including House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Democratic Party leader Nancy Pelosi, also expressed their condolences.

Shimon Peres spent his life building, defending and cultivating Israel as a beacon of hope for a troubled world. America mourns his passing.  Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) September 28, 2016

We mourn the loss of Shimon Peresa universally respected leader who leaves a towering legacy in service of peace. https://t.co/xf7Z2why5E  Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) September 28, 2016

Saddened to hear of the passing of one of the world's great leaders President Shimon Peres. I had the honor of meeting him. Will be missed.  Jason Chaffetz (@jasoninthehouse) September 28, 2016

Saddened by the news of Shimon Peres passing away at 93. A great champion of peace and of Israel. https://t.co/hv8rQYUFKj  (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) September 28, 2016

Read TIMEs exclusive interview with Peres on peace, war and Israels future here.
From Good Housekeeping

Once the "World's Loneliest Dog," Freya the Staffordshire bull terrier now has friends in high places, and more importantly, a forever family after spending six long years in a shelter.

Ever since she was a puppy, Freya lived at Freshfields Animal Rescue in England, where over 18,000 potential owners passed her by. "She has been here many years now and is constantly overlooked, which breaks our hearts as we adore her," Deputy Kennel Manager Kate Jones told Metro.co.uk this spring. "We do not understand why she has been overlooked for so long."

Her chances didn't improve when the pup developed epilepsy. Freya's condition requires special medication along with blood tests every three months, putting off potential adopters.

Luckily, the sad story caught the attention of the media, including famous filmmaker Michael Bay. The Transformers director cast the canine in the series' fifth film, and promised to find her a new home, even if it was his own.

Found this in the news last week in the UK. We gave the Loneliest Dog, a role in Transformers. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/u4NIBRmvPH - Michael Bay (@michaelbay) June 2, 2016

Freya, has epilepsy and has been in a shelter her whole 6 year life.We are also going to find her a home. (2/3) pic.twitter.com/JVLXnvRTU8 - Michael Bay (@michaelbay) June 2, 2016

If not she will come to my house. Welcome to the cast Freya! (3/3) #Transformers pic.twitter.com/x9YJoP9eq4 - Michael Bay (@michaelbay) June 2, 2016

Finally given a chance, Freya charmed not only costar Sir Anthony Hopkins, but also her two rescuers. The adoption became official this summer, and Freya's been enjoying her new A-list life ever since.

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There's no word yet on whether Freya will attend the premiere of Transformers: The Last Knight next spring, but her performance will undoubtedly be award-worthy.

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When you stop by for a quick lunch at a pizzeria in Rome, you expect to see Roman or Neapolitan chefs in front of brick ovens throwing pizzas in the air to give them that roundish shape. Today, though, the pizza makers you encounter are more likely to be Egyptian, Pakistani and Indian, who pizza-make with sublime artistry. In fact, according to Confcommercio, Italys food retail association, 2 out of 5 pizza makers in Italy are Egyptian or Moroccan.

But there are still arent enough hands to make dough into discs: The country that invented the worlds most heavenly flatbread, says Confcommercio, needs

6,000 pizza chefs.

Despite the more than 5 million pizzas that are made each day in more than 60,000 pizzerias and taverns scattered across the boot, job vacancies for pizza makers are rising. Thats because young Italian people are abandoning traditional jobs in search of more gratifying ones, says Marco Omizzoli, who runs a migrant center near Rome. Even for the unemployed  and some 43 percent of Italian youth are jobless, a record in Europe  making pizza is apparently not so gratifying. Some experts say thats because the pay is poor.

But its also a matter of losing passion and roots. Gone are the days when Italian pizza men raced to invent new twists of pizza, for centuries the only kind of street food a poor person could afford. Pizza margherita  the iconic tomato, buffalo mozzarella and basil version that recalls the colors of Italys flag  was created in the 1800s by a Neapolitan chef to honor the visit of Italys Queen Margherita of Savoy. Even when teenagers opt for a career in the food sector, they all want to become famous chefs and gourmet experts, looking for a spotlight on national and international stages. In the meantime, Egyptians are becoming more and more specialized in making pizza, says Enrico Stoppani, head of Confcommercio. Experts are calling for more pizza-making courses  and some way to make pizza sexier, instead of a simple behind-the-counter cooking role.

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But another reason for the supply crunch is that pizza demand is rising at an incredible rate, explains Stoppani. The protracted economic crisis has tightened food budgets,and more and more white collar clients opt for a quick take-away slice of pizza at the many stop-and-go pizza stands, rather than sitting down at pizzerias and restaurants. These pizza parlors, known as pizza al taglio (literally: pizza to slice) are cheaper to set up and run than ordinary taverns.

And 8 percent more Italians are now having pizza even for breakfast, not just for lunch or as an evening snack, savoring it especially during the summer while they suntan on beaches or walk along the shore. Maybe what Italy needs is  blasphemy!  a revolution in frozen pizza.

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By David Ewalt (Reuters) - In the fast-changing world of science and technology, if you're not innovating, you're falling behind. Thats one of the key findings of The Reuters 100: The Worlds Most Innovative Universities. Now in its second year, the list ranks the educational institutions doing the most to advance science, invent new technologies and help drive the global economy. Unlike other rankings that often rely entirely or in part on subjective surveys, Reuters relies exclusively on empirical data such as patent filings and research paper citations. Our 2016 results show that big breakthroughs  even just one highly influential paper or patent  can drive a university way up the list, but when that discovery fades into the past, so does its ranking. According to our findings, consistency is key, with truly innovative institutions putting out groundbreaking work year after year. No university does that better than Stanford University, which once again tops the Reuters 100. Decade after decade, Stanfords students and faculty consistently innovate. Companies founded by Stanford alumni  including Hewlett Packard and Google  have not only become household names, but have upended existing industries and been the cornerstone of entirely new economies. A 2012 study by the university estimated that all the companies formed by Stanford entrepreneurs generate $2.7 trillion in annual revenue, which would be equivalent to the 10th largest economy in the world. Stanford held fast to its first place ranking by consistently producing new patents and papers that influence researchers elsewhere in academia and in private industry. Those are key criteria in the ranking of the worlds most innovative universities, which was compiled with data from the Intellectual Property & Science division of Thomson Reuters. Its based on a methodology that focuses on academic papers (which indicate basic research performed at a university) and patent filings (which point to an institution's interest in commercializing its discoveries). The three highest-ranked universities on our list share Stanfords record of consistent innovation. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (ranked #2) were behind some of the most important innovations of the past century, including the development of digital computers and the completion of the Human Genome Project. Harvard University (ranked #3), is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and has produced 47 Nobel laureates over the course of its 380-year history. But look further down the list and its clear that innovation is a fickle thing. Take the case of Carnegie Mellon University, a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. When Reuters published its inaugural ranking of the worlds most innovative universities in September 2015, CMU ranked #56. But in 2016 the university fell out of the top 100. How did such a big change occur? The high quality of a Carnegie Mellon education hasnt changed: Its still regarded as one of the top universities in the United States, and its computer science program is often considered the best in the world. But in 2015 CMUs ranking got a big boost from a few blockbuster patents that are now more than a decade old. One such patent, which described new biocompatible polymers that can be used in human patients for applications such as wound repair, was frequently cited by outside researchers as prior art in their own patent applications. It received 27 citations in 2008, more than any other CMU patent that year. But in subsequent years its influence dropped. Since Reuters methodology only considers citations within a recent window of time, the 2016 ranking no longer includes this patent from 2008 and citations to it  and as a result CMUs big discovery doesnt have the same effect on its score. The university didnt do anything wrong to cause it to drop off the list, thats just the nature of innovation. One discovery can cause a sudden leap forward, and have an outsized impact on the world. Meanwhile, some universities saw significant movement in the other direction, including, most notably, the University of Chicago, which jumped from #71 last year to #47 in 2016. Other list-climbers include the Netherlands' Delft University of Technology (#73 to #44) and South Korea's Sungkyunkwan University (#66 to #46). While individual universities move up and down the ranking, the regional breakdown remains largely the same year over year. The United States continues to dominate the list, with 46 universities in the top 100; Japan is once again the second best performing country, with nine universities. France and South Korea are tied in third, each with eight. Germany has seven ranked universities; the United Kingdom has five; Switzerland, Belgium and Israel have three; Denmark, China and Canada have two; and the Netherlands and Singapore each have one. The highest ranked university outside the U.S. is the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology, or KAIST, ranked #6. (KAIST placed first on Reuters recently published list of Asia's Most Innovative Universities. Click here for details: (http://reut.rs/2doAoNP)). Established in 1971 by the Korean government, KAIST was modeled after engineering schools in the United States, and initially funded with a multimillion-dollar loan from the United States Agency for International Development. Most major courses are taught in English, and the university maintains strong links to the U.S. academic community. The most innovative university in Europe is KU Leuven, ranked #9, a Dutch-speaking school based in Belgium's Flanders region. Founded in 1425 by Pope Martin V, it is the worlds oldest Catholic university, but its modern mission is comprehensive and advanced scientific research, and it operates autonomously from the church. To compile its ranking of the worlds most innovative universities, the IP & Science division of Thomson Reuters began by identifying more than 600 global organizations  including educational institutions, nonprofit charities and government-funded labs  that publish the most academic research. Then they evaluated each candidate on 10 different metrics and ranked them based on their performance. (Click here(http://reut.rs/2dphIc7) for the full methodology.) Careful observers might note a few differences between how non-U.S. schools ranked on Reuters regional innovation lists, Asia's Most Innovative Universities and Europe's Most Innovative Universities (http://reut.rs/2d6nMc1), and how they rank on the global innovators list. An institutions relative ranking may change from list to list, since each ranking is dependent on summarizing 10 indicators and comparing that with others in a specific population; when that population changes, individual rankings might change as well. Furthermore, the global list is restricted to institutions that filed 70 or more patents with the World Intellectual Property Organization during the five-year period examined by Thomson Reuters. The cutoff for regional lists is just 50 patents, allowing a more in-depth view of the most active institutions within a limited geographic area. Of course, the relative ranking of any university  or whether it appears on the list at all  does not provide a complete picture of whether its researchers are doing important, innovative work. Since the ranking measures innovation on an institutional level, it may overlook particularly innovative departments or programs: a university might rank low for overall innovation but still operate one of the worlds best medical schools, for instance. And its important to remember that whether a university ranks at the top or the bottom of the list, its still within the top 100 on the planet. All of these universities produce original research, create useful technology and stimulate the global economy. (Editing by Arlyn Tobias Gajilan and Alessandra Rafferty)
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Terrelle Pryor runs the ball against the Miami Dolphins. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Every fantasy week is precious, critical, monumentally important. With that in mind, Andy Behrens and Scott Pianowski are here to give you a bushel of player ranks, ideas, and concepts. Its not just about the takeaways, its about the fantasy themes that you can apply to your benefit, this week and in future weeks.

[Play our $200K Baller | Free Yahoo Cup entry | Earn rewards points playing Daily]

Is Jordan Howard ready to run with the gig in Chicago? Is Kyle Rudolph in the Circle of Trust again? What do we make of Terrelle Pryor after his monster game? Is Jamison Crowder the real deal or fools gold? Will Matt Ryan keep producing now that Atlantas schedule begins to toughen up? What running back and wide receiver, widely unowned in Yahoo, make the Behrens look-ahead list for pickup today?

Were here to help. Spend an hour with the Yahoo Fantasy Freak Show.

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City on Tuesday agreed to pay $5.75 million to the mother of a mentally ill black man who died in 2013 after he was found in his cell naked and covered in feces at Rikers Island, court records show.

Bradley Ballard, 39, was locked in his cell at the problem-plagued New York City jail complex and deprived of running water and sufficient insulin for his diabetes for six days leading up to his death on Sept. 11, 2013.

A report issued by the state's Commission of Correction said his condition was also complicated by sepsis, which he developed from mutilating his genitals and not receiving necessary medical care, and listed the death as a homicide.

The report said the medical care, provided by a former contractor that no longer works with the city, as well as prison staff was, "so incompetent and inadequate as to shock the conscience."

New York City Department of Corrections Commissioner Joseph Ponte, whose tenure started after Ballard's death, said in a statement: "Bradley Ballard's death was a tragedy and our hearts go out to his family. We have zero tolerance for the mistreatment of any inmate,"

The city's law department said it did not renew the contract with the medical provider, Corizon Health Inc. Corizon could not be immediately reached for comment on Tuesday night.

The settlement said the city, the Department of Corrections and officials listed as defendants did not admit fault or liability in the case. The case was filed in federal court in Manhattan in September 2014 by Ballard's mother, Beverly Ann Griffin.

"I don't think anyone can recall a case where the abuse and mistreatment was more egregious. This was a total system failure, an astonishing display of inhuman treatment," Griffin's attorney, Jonathan Abady, said in a statement.

Abady said the settlement ranks as the largest such agreement in the city's history, but added: "That provides no consolation. There's no victory or happy ending here."

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The settlement came amid continued scrutiny of safety and security at Rikers Island, one of the largest U.S. jail complexes with around 10,000 prisoners daily.

Dozens of guards have been criminally charged in recent years for an array of offenses, including assaulting inmates and smuggling contraband. A guard pleaded guilty earlier this month to charges that he tried to cover up an assault by a fellow officer that led to an inmate's death in 2012.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Writing and additional reporting by Curtis Skinner; Editing by Bill Rigby)
Residents packed the Charlotte City Council meeting Monday night, September 26  the first meeting of the body since police killed Keith Scott, sparking days of protests  to talk about the killing. Young Zianna Oliphant, 9, delivered a tearful plea to the elected representatives of the city. Its a shame that our fathers and mothers are killed and we cant see them anymore, she said.

Its a shame that we have to go to their graveyard and bury them. And we have tears. We shouldnt have tears. We need our fathers and mothers to be by our side. Credit: Charlotte City Council
For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL  September 28, 2016  Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include General Electric (NYSE:GE-Free Report),GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK-Free Report) and McDonald (NYSE: MCD- Free Report).

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.

Here are highlights from Tuesdays Analyst Blog:

New Research Reports from General Electric, McDonalds and GlaxoSmithKline

We are featuring 16 research reports on major stocks in today's Research Daily, including General Electric (NYSE:GE-Free Report), GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK-Free Report) and McDonalds (NYSE:MCD- Free Report).

Buy rated General Electric shares have lagged the market this year on concerns about the conglomerate's order backlog and continued weakness in the energy end-market. This issue notwithstanding, the company has done an excellent job of its plan to reduce its exposure to finance and get back to its industrial and engineering roots. To that end, it is enjoying strong momentum in the power and aviation end markets, partly offset by continued weakness in the energy space. A track record of returning excess cash to shareholders through buybacks and dividends (dividend yields an attractive 3.1%) are some of the other positives in the GE story. (You can read the full research report on GE here>>)

GlaxoSmithKline shares have gained more than 7% year-to-date, outperforming many of its large-cap pharma peers. The buy rated stock is positioned to deliver strong core earnings growth on the back of performance momentum in its new products as well as those acquired from Novartis. These should help support revenues and ease the impact of the loss of Advair sales. Glaxos efforts to develop its pipeline are also encouraging. Moreover, steps to increase cost efficiency and its outlook for the next five years bode well. You can read the full research report on GlaxoSmithKline here>> )

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McDonalds shares have been weak lately on soft industry trends, macroeconomic concerns in various parts of the world along with negative currency translation issues. However, the analyst likes the manner in which McDonalds has turned itself around in the domestic market like menu innovation, introduction of value meals, efficient marketing and promotions, and improved service. (You can read the full research report on McDonalds here >>)

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Caterpillar (CAT) and Medtronic (MDT).

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.





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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL  September 28, 2016  Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses the Consumer Staples, part 1, including General Mills, Inc. (NYSE: GIS -Free Report ) and McCormick & Company, Inc. (NYSE: MKC -Free Report ).

Industry: Consumer Staples, part 1

Link: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/91652/consumer-staples-stock-outlook---september-2016

Will the Recovery in Consumer Staples Stocks Continue?

The consumer staples sector has managed to perform fairly well in the past few months, buoyed by rising consumer confidence and an improving economy.

Consumer Confidence Surges

Consumer confidence  a key determinant of the economys health  surged for the second consecutive month in September and is now at its highest level since before the Great Recession, indicating that the economy is on the recovery path. The consumer confidence index, which had increased to 101.8 in August, further improved in September and now stands at 104.1. Additionally, the expectations index improved from 86.1 in August to 87.8. The index surged as consumers expect a positive view of the labor market.

Fed Vice Chairman Stanley Fisher is also optimistic about the state of the economy and stated the labor market was extremely close to full employment levels. Given an improving labor market, we expect consumer spending to improve.

Buildup of Bullish Data

Housing data released in August was also encouraging, owing to favorable durable goods and industrial production. Though GDP growth of 1.1% registered in the second quarter of 2016 was a tad lower than the initial estimate of 1.2%, but still better than a 0.8% increase recorded in the first quarter. During the second quarter, personal consumption also increased on an annualized basis of 4.4%, higher than the rate of 4.2% estimated earlier.

Well, the above discussion raises optimism, but there are indicators that still cast a doubt over the health of the economy.

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Factors Raising Concern

The U.S. factory sector showed contraction in August, highlighting manufacturers struggles and a broader drag on the economy from weak business spending and an uncertain global outlook. The U.S. service-sector index also sank to its lowest level in August in more than six years.

Not only that, but the possibility of a Fed rate hike in December is also unnerving investors. While the possibility of a rate hike in September is now behind us, there are increased expectations for a rate hike in December, though the tussle is still on among the Fed members over when to go for a rate hike due to mixed economic indicators.

But currently, the big market mover is the U.S. Presidential election between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. A month ago, it looked like Hillary Clinton was leading easily in all the polls. However, recent polling data suggests the race is getting closer and the uncertainty of a winner can make markets jittery.

Though these uncertainties can negatively impact the economy, some indicators also hint that the above-mentioned worries are short-lived and the economic picture may improve in the third quarter.

Moreover, the recent rebound in oil prices, improving labor market, increase in consumer confidence and a gradual improvement in the housing market are signals that the economy is on a recovery mode, and undoubtedly the consumer staple sector presents itself as a lucrative investment hub.

Zacks Industry Rank

Consumer staples sector is one of the 16 broad Zacks sectors within the Zacks Industry classification. We rank all the 260-plus industries in the 16 Zacks sectors based on the earnings outlook and fundamental strength of the constituent companies in each industry. To learn more visit: About Zacks Industry Rank.

As a guideline, the outlook for industries in the top one-third of all Industry Ranks or a Zacks Industry Rank of #88 and lower is 'Positive,' the middle one-third or industries with Zacks Industry Rank between #89 and #176 is 'Neutral,' and the bottom one-third or Zacks Industry Rank of #177 and higher is 'Negative.'

The consumer staples sector is further sub-divided into the following industries at the expanded level (260 industry groups): Agricultural Operations, Beverages  Alcohol, Beverages  Soft, Consumer Products  Miscellaneous Staples, Cosmetics & Toiletries, Food  Miscellaneous/Diversified, Food  Meat Products, Food  Dairy Products, Food  Confectionary, Publishing  Newspapers, Publishing  Periodicals, Publishing  Books, Funeral Services & Related Business, Soaps & Cleaning Preparations, Textile  Apparel and Tobacco.

Quite a few sub-sectors are placed in the top one-third of the 260+ industry groups. Food  Meat Products and Food  Dairy Products are at Zacks Industry Rank #4 and #5, respectively. While Cosmetics & Toiletries holds a Zacks Industry Rank #24, Beverages  Alcohol holds a Zacks Industry Rank #47 and Agricultural Operations carries a Zacks Industry Rank #49. Consumer Products  Miscellaneous Staples and Soaps & Cleaning Preparations also fall in this category with Zacks Industry Rank of #64 and #76, respectively.

A number of them fall in the middle portion of that group, with Beverages  Soft holding a Zacks Industry Rank #92. It is followed by Food  Confectionary, Publishing  Newspapers, Publishing  Periodicals and Textile  Apparel, holding the same Zacks Industry Rank #103.

Quite a few also fall in the bottom portion of the group. While Food  Miscellaneous/Diversified carries a Zacks Industry Rank #177, Tobacco, Publishing  Books and Funeral Services & Related Business with Zacks Industry Rank #200, #214 and #227, respectively, comes in the bottom one-third.

Looking at the exact position of these industries, one could say that the general outlook for the consumer staples space is positive. Though the economic scenario is still uncertain, it seems most of the sub-sectors of the consumer staples sector have the potential to withstand headwinds owing to improving consumer confidence, strong labor market, and cheaper gasoline prices.

Earnings Trends

The stage is set for the third-quarter earnings season with investor anxiety at its peak on how the quarter will unfold amid mixed economic data. As of now, only 9 S&P 500 members have reported Q3 results, wherein total earnings are up 2.2% from the same period last year on +8% higher revenues. Earnings beat ratio is 66.7%, with revenue "beat ratio" of 55.6%.

Out of these 9 consumer staples stocks, General Mills, Inc. (NYSE: GIS -Free Report ) , with a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), reported first-quarter fiscal 2017 results on Sep 21. The companys earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.6% but sales were in line. McCormick & Company, Inc. (NYSE: MKC -Free Report ) is scheduled to report results on Sep 30, before the bell. The stock holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 (Strong Buy) Rank stocks here .

Total Q3 earnings for the consumer staples sector are currently expected to be up 1.7% compared to 1.4% growth in Q2. Revenues are expected to be up 1.7% for Q3, against a 1.1% decline reported in Q2.

For the S&P 500 index, earnings are currently expected to be down -3.1% from the same period last year on +1% higher revenues. In fact, the trend anticipates meaningful growth to resume from Q4, which is then expected to continue into 2017.

For more details about earnings for this sector and others, please read our  Earnings Trends report.

Bottom Line

Given the performance of the consumer staples sector in the last quarter, things are looking up at the moment. The positive growth trend is expected to continue going forward, owing to eased consumer spending and a strong job market.

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.



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Zacks Investment Research
LONDON (Reuters) - The $3 billion health initiative set up by Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan has hired one of AstraZeneca's non-executive directors to head up its science drive.

The British drugmaker said on Wednesday that Cornelia Bargmann would step down from its board next month to take up a new role as president of Chan Zuckerberg Science, part of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

Leif Johansson, AstraZeneca's chairman, said the board was sorry to see her leave but understood Bargmann's decision to focus on the new assignment.

Zuckerberg and Chan unveiled their new initiative last week, with a goal to "cure, prevent or manage all disease within our children's lifetime".

Their plan echoes the big global health ambitions of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, another philanthropic endeavor funded by tech industry money that has similarly tapped the pharmaceuticals sector in the past for key staff.

On the plus side, AstraZeneca also said it had hired Columbia University genetics expert David Goldstein to the consultative role chief adviser for genomics. Goldstein, who will continue his academic jobs, had previously served as chair of AstraZeneca's genomics advisory panel.

The company unveiled a 10-year plan in April for a massive gene hunt in the biggest bet yet by a drugmaker on the potential of genetic variations to unlock routes to new medicines.

(Reporting by Ben Hirschler; Editing by Adrian Croft)
CUPERTINO, California and NEW YORK  September 28, 2016  Apple and Deloitte today announced a partnership to help companies quickly and easily transform the way they work by maximizing the power, ease-of-use and security the iOS platform brings to the workplace through iPhone and iPad. As part of the joint effort, Deloitte is creating a first-of-its-kind Apple practice with over 5,000 strategic advisors who are solely focused on helping businesses change the way they work across their entire enterprise, from customer-facing functions such as retail, field services and recruiting, to R&D, inventory management and back-office systems.



Apple and Deloitte will also collaborate on the development of a new service offering from Deloitte Consulting called EnterpriseNext, designed to help clients fully take advantage of the iOS ecosystem of hardware, software and services in the workplace. The new offering will help customers discover the highest impact possibilities within their industries and quickly develop custom solutions through rapid prototyping.



We know that iOS is the best mobile platform for business because weve experienced the benefit ourselves with over 100,000 iOS devices in use by Deloittes workforce, running 75 custom apps, said Punit Renjen, CEO of Deloitte Global. Our dedicated Apple practice will give global businesses the expertise and resources they need to empower their mobile workforce to take advantage of the powerful ecosystem iOS, iPhone and iPad offer, and help them achieve their ambitions, while driving efficiency and productivity.



As the leader in digital transformation strategy, Deloitte is an ideal partner that brings a team of Apple-dedicated strategic advisors to help clients truly revolutionize how they work using iOS, iPhone and iPad, said Tim Cook, Apples CEO. iPhone and iPad are transforming how people everywhere get work done. And through this partnership, were able to help even more businesses tap into the incredible capabilities that only the Apple ecosystem can deliver.



EnterpriseNext from Deloitte Consulting will provide businesses with expertise spanning more than 20 industries, and offers customers:

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EnterpriseNext Value Maps for iOS to help them discover the highest impact possibilities for iPhone and iPad within their industries, align their mobile opportunities and prioritize digital resources;

EnterpriseNext Workshops for iOS to quickly take ideas from prototype to custom-built iOS solutions; and

iOS architects, designers and engineers  housed within Deloitte Digital Studios around the world  to help produce easily deployable, high-quality native apps that integrate seamlessly with existing business platforms including ERP, CRM, analytics and HR.



For more information regarding the Apple and Deloitte partnership, please visit: deloitte.com/apple/ or apple.com/ipad/business/.



Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Apples four software platforms  iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS  provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apples 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.



Deloitte is one of the largest professional services firms in the world and the leader in digital transformation strategy. Through a network of more than 244,000 professionals, industry specialists, and an ecosystem of alliances, Deloitte assists its clients in turning complex business issues into opportunities for growth and measurable impact. Our market-leading teams help organizations transform in the digital era. For more information, visit Deloittes US website at: www2.deloitte.com/us/en.html.



As used in this document, Deloitte means Deloitte Consulting LLP, a subsidiary of Deloitte LLP. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting.





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Apple is in the process of building a giant new "spaceship" HQ at its traditional location in Cupertino, California. But when it's finally done, it may not be the most striking building in the company's collection.

Earlier today, Apple announced that it will move into Battersea Power Station, a former coal-fired power station on the River Thames in London. It's the opposite of a modern building -- it's a hulking monument to heavy industry that's been sitting unused for decades. And it's the perfect place for Apple to open an office.

DON'T MISS: The best wireless headphones that money can buy

The company is leasing six floor in the main building, and hopes to end up with 1,400 staff located there. This isn't some major transition to having staff in London, but rather moving workers from a bunch of spread-out offices into one central location.

Battersea Power Station has a long and quite weird history. It sits in the west of London, right on the banks of the river. Back when it was built, it was industrial dead space, but it's now prime real estate very close to the center of London.

The all-brick building was built in the 1930s, designed by the same architect who designed London's iconic red phone booths. At the time, it was the biggest brick building in Europe, and remains one of the largest in the world today.

Since electricity generation was stopped in the 1980s, it's been sitting derelict, waiting for a new lease of life. Moving an Apple campus there actually makes a lot of sense. It has a long design heritage that should make Jony Ive proud, a great location, and high walls to help maintain Apple's famous need for secrecy.

Trending right now:

See the original version of this article on BGR.com
Blackberry phones took another step toward the consumer electronics dust bin. The company says that it will stop making the devices that used to be a status symbol for the Hollywood elite, electing instead to outsource manufacturing.

The new strategy will enable Blackberry to focus all of our efforts on where we can deliver differentiation in software and security which is aligned with where the market is going, CEO John Chen said as the company released Q2 earnings.

Sales fell short of Wall Street forecasts, but Blackberry shares rose 5.7% after the company raised its loss forecast for the fiscal year to at most five cents a share vs analyst expectations for 15 cents.

Some of the improvement is due to what Chen projects as reasonable savings from the move to license phone manufacturing to an Indonesian joint venture.

Blackberry was expected to ship 2.4 million phones this year, putting it far behind industry leaders Samsung (324.2 million), Apple (202.5 million), and LG (58.6 million), Macquarie Research projected in June.

In July, Blackberry said it would stop production of BlackBerry Classic, the last of the smartphones with a physical keyboard it has made since 2003.

Chen also disclosed that CFO James Yersh, who has been at the company since 2008, is leaving for personal reasons.

Blackberrys stock is down 10.2% in 2016, and more than 60% for the last five years.

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MATTOON -- Lake Land College will be offering free GED classes in several locations, with orientation beginning Oct. 10.

Classes will be available in Arthur, Effingham, Marshall, Mattoon, Pana, Paris and Shelbyville and will continue all semester.

The schedule for orientation is as follows:

Arthur- Arthur Public Library, 225 S. Walnut - Oct. 11, 4:30 p.m.

Effingham - Lake Land College Kluthe Center for Higher Education and Technology, 1204 Network Center Blvd. - Oct. 11, 4 p.m.

Marshall - Lake Land College Eastern Region Center, 224 S. 6th St. - Oct. 10, 4 p.m.

Mattoon - Lake Land College Workforce Development Center, 305 Richmond Ave. E. - Oct, 12, 8 a.m. & 4 p.m.

Pana - Lake Land College Western Region Center, 600 E. 1st St. - Oct. 13, 5 p.m.

Paris - First United Methodist Church, 324 W Court St. - Oct. 11, 4 p.m.

Shelbyville - Shelby Christian Church, 200 N. Hickory St. - Oct. 10, 5:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Adult Education at 217-238-8292 or email adulteducation@lakelandcollege.edu.
Figma CEO and co-founder Dylan Field dropped out of Brown University at age 20 to become a Thiel fellow before eventually launching Figma. Source: Figma

Four years ago, Dylan Field dropped out of Brown University on a whim to become a member of the Thiel Fellowship, a two-year program founded by billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel.

Twenty young men and women, including Field, were awarded $100,000 that year to drop out of (or take a leave of absence from) college to pursue and develop their idea.

Field knew exactly what he wanted to to do: take on Adobe (ADBE). After three years of development, his software interface design tool Figma launched on Wednesday for desktop and mobile.

Adobe, which runs a $6 billion business, has long dominated the design market as a veritable Goliath, with widely used software tools like Adobe Illustrator. But as Field and co-founder Evan Wallace saw it, there was very little innovation going on at Adobe.

While office tasks like word processing and spreadsheet creation have largely migrated to the cloud with products such as Google Docs, Office 365 and Quip, the Adobe Illustrators havent. Designers who wanted to create and collaborate on say, the graphic interfaces for apps, still had to save their work and share it with outside services like Dropbox or Box (BOX).

The way we work has changed, and designers havent seen that change yet, Field told Yahoo Finance. Tools are still offline and havent changed. We can definitely innovate more.

Figmas backers include Greylock Partners, LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner and White House US Chief Data Scientist DJ Patil.

Figma is going after a very developed space dominated by one player, namely Adobe, with a better way of working on the designs that users generate, explained Danny Rimer, a partner at Index Ventures, which also contributed to the $18 million in fundraising Figma has raised.

Figma launched for desktop and iOS on Wednesday. Source: Figma

The San Francisco-based startup with 20 employees promises a user interface inside its desktop and web browser app thats much easier to get around than Adobe Illustrator and features that arent buried beneath layers and layers of options to click through. As Field demonstrated, creating an icon of say, a simple mechanical cog, is accomplished in a fraction of the time with Figma versus Illustrator.

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Figmas standout feature is simply called Multiplayer. Because much of Figma, and the work designers do in Figma, is saved and crunched on remote servers  instead of traditionally, your computer  two designers are able to easily design things together on the fly, even if one user is in San Francisco and the other is in Dubai. Its a feature Google Docs users took for granted for years, but one designers havent yet enjoyed.

Field and Wallace hope that by offering designers a 3-month free trial  and letting student designers use Figma for free  theyll be able to build a solid following among the design community, one that still largely relies on tools like Adobe Illustrator. And while they havent landed on a pricing plan, Field said Figma would follow a Software as a Service (SaaS) business model, whereby software is licensed on a monthly or annual subscription basis.

Whether or not Figma gains the traction it needs to become a serious player in the design community, Rimer contends software design is ripe for innovation, and Figma has the goods to make a difference.

Design has become more integral, whether in the technological arena or any arena, which is why companies like Slack and Dropbox are doing so well, because within the enterprise, in order to garner adoption, you need to have a much more consumer-oriented presentation, added Rimer. Now designers for the first time will be able to design, share their designs and work collaboratively on the same design. Thats a new concept for the way people design things.



JP Mangalindan is a senior correspondent for Yahoo Finance covering the intersection of tech and business. Follow him on Twitter or Facebook.

More from JP Mangalindan:

I went a week without a headphone jack, and it was not good

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The FCC is poised to vote on a proposal Thursday designed to free consumers from renting cable and satellite set-top boxes, but questions remained on the final details of the plan.

The proposal would require that multichannel distributors, such as Comcast and Charter, offer a free app to subscribers that would allow them to access their programming on different devices and streaming services.

Hollywood studios and other content companies oppose the proposals call for the creation of a body that would be tasked with licensing the app. They fear that because the FCC would have oversight over the licensing, they would be forced to distribute content in ways with which they do not agree.

Earlier this month, FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel expressed reservations over the licensing aspect of the proposal, leading to speculation that the plan was in for changes before the vote. Given the partisan split of the commission, her vote would be crucial.

Representatives from the Walt Disney Co., CBS Corp., Scripps Networks Interactive, and Time Warner met with FCC officials and discussed an alternative to the licensing plan. Instead of FCC oversight, the agency would conduct a reevaluation of the marketplace in 2020.

This would provide time for apps to be deployed and for the app market to develop and function and, if necessary at the conclusion of that period, enable the Commission to assess whether any additional steps  consistent with its authority  should be taken, according to an exparte filing from the companies. In the interim, the FCC would decline to entertain any complaints regarding the terms of the license.

On Tuesday, several Capitol Hill lawmakers urged the FCC to pass the set-top box plan.

When we unlock the box, we unlock competition, we unlock choice, and we unlock innovation, Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) said in a conference call with reporters. He urged the commission to finalize these rules without delay, noting that the Telecommunications Act of 1996 mandated competition in the TV navigation marketplace.

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Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) said that the discussions with the programmers and FCC officials were a very important step forward.

She also downplayed a letter that 63 House Democrats sent to the FCC last week urging them to delay the vote because of the programmers copyright concerns.

I approached a few members who signed that letter, she said. I asked them why they had signed it. There was silence.

Robert Johnson, the founder of BET, and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) also joined them in the call supporting the proposal, along with representatives from Consumers Union, the Writers Guild of America West and Best Buy.

Related stories

FCC Chairman Says He's Open to Changes in Set-Top Box Proposal

FCC's App Proposal Would Do Away With Set-Top Boxes, But Big Cable Is Pushing Back

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Google is expected to unveil a new virtual reality headset October 4, 2016, due on sale shortly afterwards, reports the specialist website Cnet.

The headset, which could be called the "Daydream View," will accompany the launch of Google's Android-powered VR platform, announced in the springtime at the Google I/O conference. It's expected to work in conjunction with a smartphone, probably Google's own handsets first of all. Cnet also reports that the headset is being built by HTC and that it's due on sale soon after its unveiling, probably October 20 in the USA.

The device could allow wearers to explore augmented reality environments, in a similar fashion to Microsoft's Hololens glasses, currently available to developers. For that, Google can count on Magic Leap, a startup in which the Mountain View, California tech giant has already invested heavily. The firm is known to be developing spectacular augmented reality solutions that bring virtual content to real-world environments, any time, any place.

Tough competition

Google's new headset will be a direct rival for the HTC Vive, currently on sale for $799, as well as the Oculus Rift, out now priced $599. The Sony PlayStation VR is also set to land October 13, for just $399.

Google already offers a rudimentary virtual reality viewer that goes by the name of Cardboard. Users simply load a smartphone running YouTube and compatible applications into a build-it-yourself cardboard viewer. It sells for $15 and is compatible with most Android and iOS handsets with 4" to 6" screens.

Ahead of news on the headset and compatible smartphones, Google has already opened its virtual reality platform up to developers with a first "VR SDK" kit, still in beta.

A new smartphone and a hybrid PC in the pipeline

The October 4 conference is likely to see Google unveil a new smartphone line under its own brand name, replacing the Nexus range built in collaboration with third-party manufacturers. The handsets could be named "Pixel," following Google's Pixel C tablet and the Chromebook Pixel. The event could also see Google hit hard in the PC market with a high-end hybrid laptop.
The worlds largest software maker, Microsoft Corporation MSFT has partnered with Workday to bolster its cloud computing initiatives.

Workday is a provider of enterprise cloud applications for finance and human resources. The partnership will aim to integrate Microsofts Office 365 suite with Workdays cloud-based human resources (HR) and finance software.

The news comes a day after Microsoft announced its cloud deal with Adobe Systems. Microsoft and Adobe will integrate each others cloud computing products to offer advanced data-driven sales and marketing capabilities to clients.

MicrosoftWorkdayPartnership

Since Microsoft Office 365 tools will be integrated with Workdays HR and finance software, when any company adds a new employee to its team using Workdays HR software, automatic accounts will be created for various Office 365 applications. Also, if there is alteration in the employees position, the updates made in Workdays software will automatically be reflected in the Microsoft software.

This integration will equip organizations with advanced cloud-based technologies that optimize operations by improving resource allocation and other important metrics.

We believe that the partnership will prove mutually beneficial going forward. It will ensure tighter integration between Microsoft and Workday clouds, which will help customers to easily and securely move their data between the two platforms.

The CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella, said in a statement that the partnership will help companies to simplify daily tasks and actions. He added, the impact of this work goes even further, to infuse more intelligence into customers' organizations. Every company in every industry holds a wealth of information in the form of organizational data. Connecting Office 365 to Workday will provide customers with new knowledge and insights to understand how and when and with whom they're spending their time, and take action converting data into intelligence."

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MICROSOFT CORP PRICE

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Microsoft is leaving no stone unturned in progressing on CEO Nadellas cloud-first mobile-first strategy. Cloud computing is the fastest growing business within the company. In fact, management stated that the company is on track to deliver $20 billion in commercial cloud revenues by 2018.

Competition in the cloud computing market is intense, particularly since it includes players like Amazon AMZN, which is strongly entrenched and others like salesforce.com, inc. CRM and Alphabet Inc. GOOGL, which are determined to expand their share in the market.

The public cloud computing market, according to IDC, is expected to grow to more than $128.0 billion in 2018 representing a five-year compound annual growth rate of 22.8%. We believe that the latest efforts will help Microsoft as it pursues opportunities in the ever-growing cloud computing segment.

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SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Wednesday that 13 automakers will recall some 110,000 vehicles equipped with Takata Corp's <7312.T> defective air bags, the latest development in a long-running safety crisis involving the Japanese company. The United States in May announced a new round of recall of Takata's air bag inflators which have been linked to at least 14 deaths and more than 100 injuries and triggered the largest-ever auto recall. Since then, other countries have been announcing their own national recalls. South Korea's transport ministry said a total of 221,870 vehicles made by 17 automakers have faulty Takata air bags. While 13 companies including Honda Motor <7267.T>, Toyota Motor <7203.T>, BMW and Audi plan to recall some 110,000 of them, four others including General Motors and Mercedes-Benz have not decided on their global recall plans. The ministry said those companies could face a fine or a 10-year prison sentence should they delay recalls. In 2013, South Korea started recalls of some 50,000 vehicles with defective Takata airbags, with nearly 45 percent of the models having replacement airbags by June this year. A number of global automakers are working to replace as many as 100 million defective air bag inflators worldwide. Takata airbag inflators can explode with too much force and spray metal shrapnel into vehicle passenger compartments. (Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Additional reporting by Naomi Tajitsu in TOKYO; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
CASEY (JG-TC) -- The Illinois Department of Commerces Office of Tourism has announced that Casey's "Big Things in a Small Town" program is among the latest businesses that are being highlighted as part of the Illinois Made campaign.

Officials from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Office of Tourism, are scheduled to recognize "Big Things" founder Jim Bolin and give him an Illinois Made plaque during a presentation at 11 a.m. Friday at the East Main Multiplex, 101 E. Main St.

The Illinois Made press release reports that Bolin, a local businessman, was inspired by seeing unique things that other small towns were doing to attract visitors, so he developed the idea of creating world record large items and other "Big Things" to draw visitors to his small hometown of Casey.

"Jim went to work with his team, fashioning everything from 13-foot knitting needles to 55-foot wind chimes. For proof that Jim Bolin has big dreams for his small town, just look to one of his latest endeavors -- the worlds largest mailbox, equipped with its own address," the press release stated.

Launched in July, Illinois Made is an ongoing program that aims to recognize artisans, products and experiences that are unique to the state. Videos about these craftspeople are posted at www.EnjoyIllinois.com/Illinoismade, which also offer related travel ideas about other local businesses and nearby attractions.

Illinois Made is also highlighting Effingham's Firefly Grill & Restaurant, owned by Kristie and Niall Campbell. The press release reports that the Campbells "believe in the power of sustainability, a sense of community, and good tasting food." Firefly's menu focuses on natural food and the restaurant supports small family farms.
Pepe the frog, which first appeared online in 2005 as part of the "Boys Club" cartoons by artist Matt Furie, morphed over the years into a meme with endless versions (AFP Photo/Kena Betancur) (AFP/File)

Washington (AFP) - America's top Jewish activist group has classified recent variations of the popular internet meme Pepe the Frog -- including as Hitler or a KKK member -- as hate symbols.

The frog, which first appeared online in 2005 as part of the "Boys Club" cartoons by artist Matt Furie, morphed over the years into a meme with endless versions.

But in recent years images of the frog, depicted with a Hitler-style moustache, with a Jewish skull cap or a member of the Ku Klux Clan, have spread in hateful messages aimed at Jewish and other users on Twitter, the Anti-Defamation League said Tuesday.

Pepe reworkings have notably been adopted on social media by the white nationalist "alt-right" movement, which has formed a chunk of Donald Trump's support base in the race for the White House.

The frog made headlines this month after Hillary Clinton branded many of her Republican rival's supporters "a basket of deplorables."

Trump's son Donald Jr. then posted on Instagram a modified version of the movie poster of "The Expendables," which showed Pepe with Trump Sr. and other conservatives. They are all labeled "The Deplorables."

The Clinton campaign posted an explainer on what it called Trump's "horrifying" use of the frog meme, calling Pepe "a symbol associated with white supremacy."

On Tuesday Pepe joined the swastika and the "Blood Drop Cross" of the KKK as hate symbols designated by the Anti-Defamation League.

"Once again, racists and haters have taken a popular internet meme and twisted it for their own purposes of spreading bigotry and harassing users," said Jonathan Greenblatt, the league's CEO.

He added: "These anti-Semites have no shame. They are abusing the image of a cartoon character, one that might at first seem appealing, to harass and spread hatred on social media."

The ADL stressed in its database posting on the meme that "the mere fact of posting a Pepe meme does not mean that someone is racist or white supremacist."

"The majority of uses of Pepe the Frog have been, and continue to be, non-bigoted," it said.

However, "the number of 'alt-right' Pepe memes has grown, a tendency exacerbated by the controversial and contentious 2016 presidential election."
CHARLESTON -- Newly filed charges in a case accusing a rural Oakland man of sex acts with a girl mean a life prison sentence would be required if he's convicted.

The additional charges against Kevin D. Deckard also allege multiple sex acts with the girl during 2015 and this year.

Deckard, 59, for whom court records list an address of 18807 N. County Road 2800E, Oakland, was first charged on Sept. 7 with a single count of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child.

That charge accused him of touching the sex organ of a girl in August 2016, when she was 7 years old.

However, new charges filed in the case last week accuse Deckard of digital penetration as well as other sexual contact with the girl. They also include the allegation that he has a prior child sexual assault conviction from another county.

The sexual contact between Deckard and the girl allegedly took place while she was visiting his home near Oakland.

A conviction for predatory criminal sexual assault of a child requires a prison sentence of six to 60 years with one victim. However, convictions for the offense involving more than one victim mean a life sentence is required.

The new charges against Deckard reference a 1992 Piatt County case as his earlier conviction.

Piatt County court records show that a jury found Deckard guilty of four counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault in April 1993 and the following month he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The first Coles County charge against Deckard was filed in order to obtain an arrest warrant, according to Assistant State's Tom Bucher, who is prosecuting.

He said additional charges were planned once more details about the incidents involving Deckard and the girl were obtained.

Coles County Sheriff's Department investigators obtained police reports from the Piatt County case, leading to the allegation of the earlier conviction, Bucher also said.

Deckard's next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 17. He remains jailed with his bond set at a level that would require $25,000 to be posted for release.

Circuit Judge Teresa Righter ordered Deckard to stand trial during a hearing on Sept. 19, basing the ruling on police testimony about the investigation that led to his arrest.

Assistant Public Defender Lupita Thompson represents Deckard.
Mattoon fire

Firefighters were dispatched to two motor vehicle collisions on Sunday -- one at 12:17 a.m. at Interstate 57 milepost 190 and the other at 11:30 p.m. at I-57 milepost 183.

-- -- --

Firefighters conducted a smoke investigation at 11:22 a.m. Friday at 1804 S. Ninth St.

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Firefighters responded to a vehicle fire at 10:50 p.m. Sept. 22 at 821 Richmond Ave.

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Firefighters conducted a smoke odor investigation at 6:28 p.m. Sept. 22 at 2909 DeWitt Ave.

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Firefighters responded to a false alarm at 3:09 p.m. Sept. 21 at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center.

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Firefighters were dispatched to a motor vehicle collision at 7:57 p.m. Sept. 20 at County Road 1050 East 800N.

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Firefighters were dispatched to a motor vehicle collision at 1:37 Sept. 19 at Illinois Route 16 and Dole Road.

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The Mattoon Fire Department handled 51 medical calls from Sept. 19 to Sunday.
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Peres was hospitalized following a stroke two weeks ago and his condition had improved before a sudden deterioration on Tuesday, doctors said. In announcing his passing, family members said that he did not suffer pain, and as a last act after death, he donated his corneas for transplant, Reuters reports.

Dont forget to be daring and curious and to dream big, Peres urged first-graders at the start of the school year in a posting on his Facebook page earlier this month. The comment seemed to sum up his own credo.

In a career spanning nearly seven decades, Peres, once a shepherd on a kibbutz, or communal farm, served in a dozen cabinets and twice as Labour Party prime minister, but he never won a general election outright in five tries from 1977 to 1996.

I am a loser. I lost elections. But I am a winner  I served my people, Peres, who held the largely ceremonial post of president from 2007-2014, once said in a speech.

Peres won world acclaim and a Nobel prize as a symbol of hope in a region long plagued by war fueled by deep religious and political divisions.

He shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with Israels late prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for a 1993 accord that they and their successors failed to turn into a durable treaty.

When a far-right Jewish Israeli opposed to the peace deal assassinated Rabin in November 1995, the torch passed to Peres.

But Palestinian suicide bombings that killed dozens of Israelis and an aggressive campaign by Likud battered Peress rating and he lost the 1996 election to Benjamin Netanyahu by less than 30,000 votes.
One sip of this soup is like getting wrapped in your warmest, coziest sweater. Between the thick chunks of vegetables, tender cubes of potato, juicy shreds of chicken (take your pick of boneless breasts or thighs), and thick, creamy broth, it truly doesnt get more comforting than chicken potato soup.

As the temps begin to dip, this is a family-friendly soup to keep on repeat all through fall and winter.
A 23-year-old Guatemalan man detained by federal immigration authorities died at a Grand Island hospital Tuesday from an apparent heart attack.

Moises Tino-Lopez was pronounced dead at CHI St. Francis just after 4 p.m., U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said in a news release Wednesday.

ICE agents arrested Tino-Lopez last month for illegally re-entering the country in 2014. He was deported to Guatemala in 2012.

Tino-Lopez was being held at the Hall County jail. He was set to be deported on Sept. 12, but authorities took him off a removal flight after he showed signs of a possible seizure, the release said.

He was taken to a private medical facility for further evaluation and given a CT scan before being returned to detention once medical staff cleared him for release, ICE said in the news release.

Seven days later, Tino-Lopez suffered a seizure and was found unresponsive by staff at the jail. They tried to resuscitate him and took him to St. Francis, according to the news release.

Immigration officials have notified the Guatemalan consulate in Denver.

It was unclear whether Tino-Lopez had a previous medical condition, and autopsy results are pending, an ICE spokesman said Wednesday.

He was the 10th detainee to die in ICE's custody since last October and the first in Nebraska and the region that includes Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota during the past year.

ICE officials removed more than 235,000 undocumented immigrants in the past fiscal year, according to the agencys last annual report.

Of those, 33,000 are Guatemala citizens, which is second behind Mexico, the report said.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sonia Nazario proposed some pragmatic responses to America's immigration challenges Tuesday night, but hammered home a merciful, humanitarian message.

"If a child is in danger and knocking at our door, I believe we should open that door," Nazario declared in delivering the 21st annual Governor's Lecture in the Humanities at the Lied Center.

The United States should open its arms to those refugees who are fleeing danger and violence and "give more children a safe harbor," she said.

Nazario turned her prize-winning reporting on a Honduran boy's long and dangerous journey to the United States to find his mother into a best-selling book called "Enrique's Journey."

Her lecture was sponsored by Humanities Nebraska and incorporated as part of the E. N. Thompson Forum on World Issues.

Gov. Pete Ricketts introduced her to the audience.

Nazario said there are practical ways to help stem the flow of immigrants who are driven by economic factors, including targeted foreign aid assistance and family planning education.

Crime and violence also can be attacked with U.S. assistance, she said.

More drug treatment programs and wiser drug laws in the United States could help reduce the drug demand and traffic across borders that leads to violence and broken lives, Nazario said.

"I'm not an open borders guy," she said.

"But we should have a full-throated debate" on the immigration issue and recognize some of the factors that drive it, she said, including the fact that "Americans don't want to do (the work) required in meatpacking plants."

Nazario said she does not expect any substantial movement on the issue until perhaps 2020 when the next U.S. census will lead to reapportionment of legislative and U.S. House districts.

As the Latino population grows in the United States, she said, demographics are changing and that will impact how the country deals with immigration.

Enrique is one story in "an army of children" who risk death and danger to come to the United States illegally "to find their mom," Nazario said. Children as young as 7 years old make that journey alone, she said.

In Enrique's case, his mother left to find a better life in the United States when he was 5 years old. Eleven years later, he set out to find her.

"Why would any child make this journey?" Nazario asked.

Not only to find his mother, but to escape the danger that children face in Central America, she said.

"They are fleeing for their lives," she said.

"We have to address the root causes of what pushes these kids out of their countries," Nazario said.
Nancy Hicks Reporter Nancy Hicks reports on Lincoln city government, but shes been following the leaders of local and state government for more than 40 years. Follow Nancy Hicks Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

The Public Building Commission, which manages a number of local government buildings, has a door dilemma.

The members are looking at new doors for the garage used by city police in the basement of what is called the 605 Building (think old jail).

Right now there are no doors. In the past cruisers just zipped in and out of the garage, which holds 50 vehicles.

The building commission is looking at two types of doors. Two standard doors would cost about $17,000, and two very secure doors, which open and close rapidly, would cost $44,000.

Sprucing up the garage is part of the work being done as the commission transforms the 605 Building for use by a number of county agencies.

Commissioners may make a decision on the doors at their next meeting in October.

Fountain of youth for streets

The city is trying out a new product -- a special pavement sealer -- that helps rejuvenate older asphalt streets.

The Gilsonite Sealer Binder penetrates the pavement and becomes part of the asphalt surface to reduce weathering, said Miki Esposito, Public Works and Utilities director. It is supposed to keep the road in good shape for a longer period of time, she said.

The city applied the product -- with a tanker truck in a process similar to applying beet brine during the winter -- on a portion of Old Cheney Road, west of 14th Street, Tuesday morning.

The product restores vital oils and minerals that the original pavement has lost and helps the asphalt fight off moisture, said Tim Byrne, with the city's pavement management team. Theres also a bit of a UV blocker in the product, which helps prevent the sun from breaking down the pavement as quickly, he said.

The product is intended for asphalt streets in the middle of their lifespan, at about 5 years old, and delays the cost of a major repavement project, he said. It wont help old roads, 10 years and older.

The Department of the Navy has done extensive research on the product on its runways, and other communities have used it with good results, Byrne said.

It costs about $20,000 to apply the sealer over one-third of a mile of street surface, compared to about $125,000 for an asphalt overlay.

Council budget complaints not new

This year, some council members complained about their limited role in building the city budget. They dont get much budget information until spring and are not part of the budget building process in which department heads meet with the mayor and the budget director to look at details.

Apparently this is not a new complaint. In Lincolns very strong mayor form of government, the mayor has always controlled the budget process.

In February 1991, then-Councilman Ken Haar wrote an opinion column for the local newspaper complaining about the budget process and the councils late entry.

The council didnt get budget information until June and had to make decisions by August, he explained.

Involving the council only at the very end of the process and without access to department head recommendations will once again lead to dissension and antagonism between the mayor and council, Haar wrote.

That sounds very familiar to this year's complaints by the four Republican council members.

But back then this debate did not have a partisan edge. Both Haar and then-Mayor Bill Harris were Democrats.
BEATRICE -- Gage County gave two insurance providers notice in 2009 that a federal lawsuit had been filed against it after six people convicted of the 1985 rape and murder of a Beatrice woman were exonerated of the crime.

The notice was submitted by then-County Attorney Randy Ritnour and private practice attorney Patrick OBrien, and Gage County learned neither company would pay for the countys defense or for any judgment leveled against it in the upcoming civil suit.

The lack of coverage proved big when a federal jury awarded the so-called Beatrice 6 more than $28.1 million in damages this summer and said the county must pay their attorneys as well.

Attorneys for the county said Wednesday there's "little chance" insurance will cover the Beatrice 6 judgment.

The six were arrested during a cold-case investigation launched by sheriff's Deputy Burt Searcey four years after Helen Wilson was beaten to death in her downtown Beatrice apartment. One of the six, Joseph White, fought from his prison cell for DNA testing on evidence from the crime scene.

White eventually was successful, and DNA test results pinned the crime on a seventh person. All charges against White were dropped, and the other five people were pardoned.

Its not clear why the Nebraska Intergovernmental Risk Management Association, which has covered the county since 1997, or private insurer Employers Mutual Companies, which covered it until then, turned down the request to cover the lawsuit or pay the damages, said Joel Nelson, an attorney specializing in interpretation of insurance policies hired by Gage County.

We focused on those two, because we think if there was coverage, it was with them, Nelson told the Gage County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday. But we think, from what we know right now, that there is little chance of coverage.

Still, he said, supervisors could, on a good-faith basis, ask both the Risk Management Association and its prior insurance carrier to reconsider their refusals to pay the cost of defending the county in court and the judgment awarded by the federal jury.

If that doesnt work and neither wants to negotiate with the county, Nelson said, the county could file a lawsuit against either or both and ask a judge to determine whether coverage was in place.

Nelson declined to speculate on the odds of the county gaining coverage for events that happened nearly 30 years ago or how much any policy might cover.

The insurance issue -- like much of the rest of the Beatrice 6 saga -- is the first of its kind in Nebraska, said Nelson, who along with fellow attorney Joel Bacon has spent more than 100 hours investigating the case.

The county board hired the two in August and OK'd paying them to spend 40 hours diving into its insurance history, at $190 an hour.

Their focus broadened as the moving parts of the insurance policies of the traditional private insurer and the county pool insurance system got harder to nail down, and with little in the way of case law to guide them, Nelson said.

There is no guidance from our Nebraska Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals on some of the key legal questions, he said.

With the Risk Management Association, he said, it is possible the county purchased some retroactive policy when it joined 81 other counties in the group in 1997.

Based on what weve seen so far, it appears NIRMA did provide retroactive coverage called nose coverage, which serves a similar purpose to tail coverage, Nelson said. Instead of extending coverage out into the future at the end of a policy, (it provides) retroactive coverage at the beginning of a policy.

The retroactive date for the law enforcement coverage purchased by the county, Nelson said, was Aug. 2, 1989. All six defendants in the Wilson murder were sentenced in 1990.

Nelson and Bacon later spoke with supervisors and O'Brien, of the county's legal team, in a 94-minute closed session.

Earlier in the meeting, two former District 30 state senators spoke on behalf of the Gage County Democrats, who are lobbying state leaders to shoulder the $28.1 million judgment in an effort to protect county taxpayers from a significant property tax increase.

The group sent a petition of surety to the state Monday and presented it formally to the county board on Wednesday.

Former Sens. Bill Burrows of Adams and Norm Wallman of Cortland are among the group of Gage County residents petitioning Gov. Pete Ricketts to prepare and submit a budget with sufficient cash reserves of at least $33 million to protect the county from the potential financial obligations.

Burrows said Gage County acted on behalf of the state in prosecuting the six and that as chief law enforcement officer for Nebraska, the state attorney general is responsible for the oversight of competent prosecution.

The state could show its responsibility by awarding and providing sufficient funds to cover the cost awarded against our county, Burrows said.

Last year, Ricketts said property tax relief was his top priority, and Burrows said protecting Gage County residents from an increase falls in that category.

As a senator, Wallman said, he championed county issues, particularly in battles for revenue between the counties and the state.

The state government balanced its books on the back of counties, taking away revenues for jail reimbursements and things like that, he said. I think, also, the state is responsible for this.

Both former senators said they also believe Gage Countys plight should be considered by Nebraska voters on Nov. 8 when they decide whether to keep the death penalty.

Burrows said he used to support the death penalty but changed his stance in the wake of the Beatrice 6 decision and a Cass County case in which a man was exonerated after being convicted of killing a family near Murdock.

We have gotten the results of it being used in a prosecution, he said.

Gage County Chairman Myron Dorn said the board will listen to the group petitioning the state to cover Beatrice's costs in the case but does not plan to endorse or take any action on the letter.

Were still in litigation, and we dont want to do something that would jeopardize that process, Dorn said.
The mayor has no authority to veto a budget passed by a majority of the council, states a brief filed Tuesday on behalf of Republicans on the City Council.

The City Charter requires a budget to be passed by four votes of the council and does not specifically allow for a veto, the brief says.

The second of two briefs filed in the lawsuit over the city budget also argues that no one can require the council to pass a specific tax rate and contends the mayor has no standing to seek a writ of mandamus requiring the council to fulfill a specific duty.

The first brief, from attorney Rod Confer representing Mayor Chris Beutler, asked Lancaster County District Court Judge Robert Otte to declare Beutlers budget as official and require the City Council to approve a property tax rate that supports the Beutler budget.

A hearing before Otte is set for Wednesday afternoon.

The Republican majority on the City Council approved a smaller budget than proposed by Beutler. The mayor vetoed it, and when his veto was not overridden, city attorneys said the mayors proposed budget became the official financial blueprint.

But when the Republican majority then passed a city property tax rate that would support their budget but not the mayors more expensive plan, Beutler sought a writ of mandamus from the court requiring the City Council to pass a tax rate that supports his budget.

David Bargen, the attorney representing the council, says that the veto isnt valid.

The clear language of the charter provides that the council adopt a budget by four votes -- not five votes, thereby precluding a veto -- he argues in the brief submitted Tuesday.

Using a number of court decisions, Bergan argued that when the words of a statute are plain, direct and unambiguous, no interpretation is needed to ascertain their meaning.

The charter language specifically describes how the budget will be adopted. The council shall, by a vote of four of its members, adopt the biennial budget by resolution.

In addition the authors of the language in the City Charter did not say specifically that the biennial budget shall be subject to a veto or that the biennial budget resolution shall be subject to a veto, according to the brief.

The language is more general. It says any legislation "pertaining to the budget is subject to the veto rather than the budget is subject to a veto, according to the brief.

Even if the court does determines that the mayors budget is the legal budget, Bergan argues the council cannot be forced to approve the higher tax rate because passing a levy is not a ministerial act.

The Nebraska Supreme Court has held that the councils power to levy a general tax ... is purely legislative in character, according to the brief.

The council must use the budget as a starting point or guiding principle to set property tax rates, but it still has discretion to set the actual levy, Bergan argues.

If the council were required to set the levy at a rate to fund the mayors budget, that would result in an impermissible shift in authority from the legislative body to the executive, according to the brief.

If the mayor can forcibly legislate not only the citys budget into existence on his own, but also force the council to set the level of taxation he dictates, then a wholly unwarranted shift in basic separation of powers would occur from the legislative branch to the executive branch that has no foundation in the state constitution, the city charter or the principles on which our system of governments exist, the brief argues.

The brief says there is another remedy for resolving the tax rate question, thus precluding the writ of mandamus requested by Beutlers attorney.

A taxpayer can appeal the tax rate set by the county commissioners acting as the County Board of Equalization to the state Tax Equalization and Review Commission if the taxpayer believes the levy is for an unlawful or unnecessary purpose.
Nadia Murad took a deep breath and chose her words carefully before pleading to the Yazidi community living in Lincoln.

"I call on all the Yazidis to come together as a community and help each other out," she said Tuesday evening. "We only have each other and we must help each other rebuild."

The 23-year-old spoke to a couple hundred Yazidis inside the Lancaster Events Center.

Murad has done similar speaking engagements in 20 countries to raise awareness about the Yazidi genocide brought on by ISIS. She was nominated for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize and was recently named the Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of the Survivors of Human Trafficking for the United Nations.

On Aug. 3, 2014, Murad, then 19, was taken hostage by ISIS. Murad had just finished high school and had dreams of becoming a history teacher. She planned on learning make-up artistry as a hobby.

Instead, she witnessed and was subjected to unspeakable crimes. She lost 18 family members, including her mother, whose body was found in a mass grave with 80 other Yazidi women in Sinjar, Iraq.

Murad managed to escape and became a part of a special project in Germany along with 1,100 other survivors. They received therapy and medical attention. With the help of Yazda, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping Yazidi survivors, she began traveling to share her story.

In Lincoln, Murad spoke to an array of Yazidis ranging from newborns to grandparents. The older ones handed their cellphones to the younger generations to snap photos of Murad speaking.

No matter how often she speaks to groups, Murad said, talking to the Yazidi community is the hardest, because she is speechless at what everyone has gone through.

"When I first entered this hall, I met two women who lost family," she said. "Each one of us has been affected by these atrocities. I am not the only one."

She told the group she's proud of their community and of where she came from.

"People are always surprised by our strength," she said. "The Yazidi community, especially in Iraq, has been shattered. We ask ourselves, how are the Yazidi going to survive?"

Even with the work Yazda has done, Murad said, she has seen no effective steps taken to help the Yazidi who are still held captive or are living in refugree camps. There are still 3,500 Yadizi women held captive, she said.

"But we will never give up," she said. "We will keep fighting until we find an open door and someone to help us .... We have to work together to bring ISIS to justice, whose goal is to wipe out the Yazidi from existence."
The Certificate of Appreciation which Raad Mhmdah keeps as a cherished keepsake is dog-eared, bent but not creased, and has an American flag laminated on the reverse.

Formerly known as Bus Driver 911, Mhmdah spent two years and two months during Operation Iraqi Freedom shuttling troops between barracks and mess hall on a U.S. military base in Iraq.

It was a great job, he said Tuesday through an interpreter, a job he hoped to keep performing in service to American troops near the Kurdish territory of northern Iraq that Mhmdah and his family called home.

But Islamic militants in the region saw Mhmdah differently. After the Islamic State invaded the region, the bus driver was labeled an American spy and targeted for assassination.

Mhmdah learned his family was on a target list in a mosque frequented by Islamic fighters, so he and his wife, Fadheela, packed their five children and fled to Dohuk in the north, about 30 miles away.

Thats when they began the long process of obtaining refugee status to travel to the United States.

The process requires providing identifying documents and biometrics, attending interviews and undergoing background checks.

Less than 1 percent of the global refugee population is approved to move to the second step of the process, which assigns them for resettlement in places like Lincoln. Once the U.S. screening is complete, applicants undergo further checks by counterterrorism units and the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies.

Over the course of six months, Raad and Fadheela made multiple trips from Dohuk to Baghdad, the capital.

They flew, Raad said, because it was too dangerous to travel any other way.

Iraq wasnt livable anymore, Fadheela said.

The process, as slow and grinding as it was, was a ray of hope for the Mhmdahs, whose five children range in age from 3 to 13. Eventually, they were approved for resettlement and set to move to Lincoln.

Thats when three Lincoln women entered their lives.

* * *

Sara Gilliam went to Greece in January to distribute aid to refugees arriving in the Port of Athens on their way to Macedonia.

The experience left such a lasting impression that she returned in April but this time with friends Gillian Jenkins and Laurel Maslowski, delivering supplies to some 75,000 people in Greek refugee camps.

When we came back to Lincoln, we agreed we couldnt keep flying to Greece, but we wanted to get involved on this side of the refugee resettlement process, Gilliam said.

Back in the U.S., the three discussed how they might get involved, eventually settling on hosting a refugee family through Lutheran Family Services, Jenkins said. To do whatever was needed, Gilliam added.

They learned the Mhmdahs would be arriving in late September, just 7 of 129 refugees Lutheran Family Services has helped resettle in Lincoln this month alone.

Thats when the trio snapped into action.

The Facebook post Gilliam put out asking who had furniture, housewares and other essential items that could be donated to an Iraqi family received overwhelming support, she said.

I believe they deserve a beautiful home, she said. We wanted them to feel loved by their Lincoln community, feel comfortable, safe and happy in their new life.

Friends donated a barely used living-room set and brand new bunk beds, a dining-room table and a glass coffee table for the house. Others gave backpacks full of school supplies for all five kids, gift cards to local stores and cash.

Even decorative wall hangings, mirrored and twisting in modern designs, were donated and hung with care in the apartment in north Lincoln, and Jenkins' daughter helped pick out toys for the Mhmduhs two girls.

So many items were donated, in fact, that some were turned over to Lutheran Family Services, Jenkins said.

All of the items were placed in time for the Mhmdahs arrival in Lincoln on Monday evening.

* * *

Coming down the walkway, after flying 15 hours from Jordan to Chicago, Chicago to Denver, and Denver to Lincoln, was a relief.

Thirteen-year-old Alind, who will enroll as an eighth-grader at Lincoln Public Schools in a few weeks, is quiet and polite, mindful of his little brothers and sisters. Omeed, 12, a laid back preteen who enjoys shooting baskets and playing video games, shares a room with his older brother in the basement.

Upstairs, with brand new bunkbeds in the girls room, Eilaf, 8, and Inas, 5, accommodate their little brother Amad, 3, a showstopper with boundless energy.

The trip around the world drained them, and some of the children sleep in their parents' room in their first night in the new house.

Thats OK, Raad says. He hopes to find a new job as a bus driver in town, while Gilliam thinks she may have a job lead for him with a friends company.

These people will do nothing but enrich our community, Gilliam said. They are so eager to get to work and be productive members of the city. Its not a belief shared by everybody, but I believe immigration and resettlement of refugees is nothing but a blessing for a city like Lincoln.

Gilliam, Jenkins and Maslowski hope to bring the Mhmdahs into their social circle and allow their children to grow up together.

And they encourage others to get involved helping refugees find a new home in Lincoln.

Weve had nothing but fun and joy in sponsoring a family, she said.
OMAHA  A new national cemetery for veterans in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa opened Tuesday with a service for four men who had served in the military.

The ashes of the four veterans were buried with full military honors at the new Omaha National Cemetery. One deceased military member was chosen from each service branch.

They were Marine Cpl. John "Frank" Ernst of Omaha, Army Spc. Michael Brabec of Fremont, Air Force Sgt. James Edgell of Council Bluffs and Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Russell Rosberg of Omaha.

Cemetery Director Cindy Van Bibber said the headstones will represent the veterans' sacrifices.

"We celebrate the fact that the Omaha National Cemetery is here and its operating," said Bibber. "Long after we're gone, these headstones will still be here, representing the sacrifices these people made."

In the early 2000s, Bellevue businessmen Steve Johnson and John Richard Thompson started a group called Memorial Ridge of the Midlands to lobby federal, state and local officials for a cemetery in Sarpy County. The effort took longer than expected and also required legislation in Congress.

Bibber said the cemetery is expected to accommodate the burials of Nebraska and Iowa veterans and their spouses.

She said there is still work to be done which will include a permanent headquarters, maintenance and honor-guard buildings, a visitor's center and the first 5,500 sites for casketed and cremated remains.

Families have sent requests for more than 220 deceased veterans to be buried in the cemetery, according to Bibber. More burials are scheduled for Thursday and Friday. As many as five funerals can be held each day.
In an otherwise strong debate performance for Hillary Clinton on Monday night, she stumbled when it came to Iran. In the section of the presidential forum focused on national security issues, she played on a quip Donald Trump made earlier this month about the Iranian Navy's recent maneuvers in the Persian Gulf.

"The other day, I saw Donald saying there were some Iranian sailors on a ship and they were taunting American sailors. 'If they taunted our sailors, I would blow them out of the water' and start another war?," she asked.

The line of attack is understandable. It's part of the #dangerousdonald meme that Democrats and other Trump foes have used now for more than a year. The classic iteration is Clinton's applause line: "A man who can be provoked by a tweet should not have his fingers anywhere near the nuclear codes."

And on its surface it seems like a reasonable criticism. After all, no one wants a shooting war with Iran. And when she puts it like that, it seems like Trump has given yet another example of how he lacks the temperament to be commander in chief.

But Clinton's quip badly misunderstands what's going on right now in the Persian Gulf.

To start, taunting is not the right word for it. Iranian boats have been sailing dangerously close in recent months to U.S. ships that are in the Persian Gulf to secure one of the world's most important shipping lanes. In the first week in September there were three such incidents. In one case, a U.S. boat fired live ammunition to deter the Iranian sailors.

This isn't a hypothetical question either. In January, when two U.S. boats sailed accidentally into Iranian waters, they were boarded by Iran's Navy and crew members were humiliated in a brief incident right before President Barack Obama's final State of the Union speech.

These incidents have so alarmed Gen. Joseph Votel, the commander of U.S. Central Command, that he told reporters this month that he worried about a miscalculation. "If they continue to test us, we are going to respond, and we are going to protect ourselves and our partners."

Clinton presumably wasn't trying to diminish Gen. Votel and the risk he is seeing. A big part of Clinton's pitch to voters on national security is that she understands the world and how it works, whereas Trump is a dangerous amateur who doesn't grasp the basics about everything from the U.S. nuclear posture to our systems of alliances. It would behoove her to take Iran's aggression seriously, and to tell Trump that those are not mere "taunts."

The other problem with Clinton's line about the Persian Gulf incidents is that it undercuts her own pledge to get tougher on the Iranians for their support for terrorism and proxy wars against U.S. allies in the region. Her top national security aide, Jake Sullivan, in June put it like this: "We need to be raising the costs to Iran for its destabilizing behavior and we need to be raising the confidence of our Sunni partners."

One way to raise the costs to Iran is to send the clear message that its provocations in the Persian Gulf will have consequences. In this respect, Trump was correct to threaten Iran, but wrong to be so specific. The substance of his remarks is nonetheless very close to what Votel implied earlier this month. Clinton missed an opportunity to show that she too understood the importance of deterrence in the Persian Gulf.
Judged by the unusual standards of the 2016 presidential campaign, neither candidate landed a knockout punch during the first debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

Trump was at his strongest early in the debate when he blamed Clinton for trade policies that sent American jobs to other countries, and when he reminded the audience that he is running as an outsider who will change Washington.

Clinton seemed to get stronger as the 90-minute debate wore on. She was at her best in discussions of race and came across as the most stable and disciplined of the two contenders.

Most post-debate analysis gave an edge to Clinton. For example, a CBS News focus group of undecided voters in Pennsylvania interviewed by Republican pollster Frank Luntz gave the win to Clinton by a margin of 16-5. A CNN/ORC flash poll found that 62 percent of respondents said Clinton won, and 27 percent said Trump won.

Fox News, however, pointed out that some unscientific online surveys in which anyone can vote showed Trump the victor. Time.com, for example, attracted well over 1.7 million votes to a survey with Trump leading 55 percent to 45 percent. Experts say the unscientific surveys are a gauge of enthusiasm.

Perhaps the most disturbing moments in the debate were times when Trump once again made assertions that were proven false weeks ago. For example, Trump insisted that he opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning. But in 2002, talk show host Howard Stern asked Trump, Are you for invading Iraq? Trump replied, Yeah, I guess.

During the debate Trump protested that news media have not asked talk show host Sean Hannity to confirm Trumps position on the war. But Trump made no public declaration on Hannitys show or any other forum prior to the war. In any event Hannity is a fervent Trump supporter who even appeared in a Trump campaign video before Fox News objected.

I did not! I did not! I did not say that! Trump sputtered as Clinton referred to Trump calling climate change a hoax. He has done exactly that multiple times, such as this tweet from 2013: Global warming is a total, and very expensive, hoax!

In ordinary times such misstatements would have relegated a candidate to the sidelines. But Trump sails onward, buoyed by supporters so enthralled with his style that they, as Trump put it, would continue to support him if I stood in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shot someone.

Mondays debate didnt quite reach the Super Bowl-sized audience that some predicted. Nonetheless it set records, with early estimates at more than 60 million televisions tuned to the debate.

With the contenders surviving to fight again, American voters can look forward to the next debate, scheduled for Oct. 9, when the candidates will answer questions submitted online and from the studio audience. And the reality show election spins onward to the Nov. 8 finale.
Many men and women of all races have fought to defend the freedom of the United States of America since the very founding of this wonderful nation. Thousands have died and thousands have been wounded to ensure that we remain free. If anyone has a cause that they feel strongly about, find a way to support that cause other than disrespecting our flag and our country. This is the freedom you have been given. I do not support the three Huskers for kneeling during the National Anthem ("Why they knelt," Sept. 27!
The first general election ballots are headed to Nebraska voters overseas, and early voting begins in the state in less than a week, Secretary of State John Gale said Tuesday.

Ballots are mailed to military members and overseas voters 45 days prior to the election. Ballots will be mailed to in-state voters who previously requested an early voting ballot starting Monday.

On Oct. 10, in-person early voting will also be available at all county election offices. Some county offices may be closed that day in observance of Columbus Day, so voters may want to check in advance.

In the last presidential election, 26 percent of people voted early, by mail and in person, Gale said in a news release. Since then, many more counties have conducted special elections by mail, so it will be interesting to see if that translates to more voters casting a ballot by mail for the general election.

People who want to vote early are reminded:

* If you are registered, you have until Oct. 28 to ask that an early voting ballot be mailed to you.

* Mailed ballots must be returned to the county election office by the close of polls on Election Day, Nov. 8.

* Nov. 7 is the last day for in-person, early voting at county election offices.

Applications to receive an early ballot by mail are available through the Secretary of States website: www.sos.ne.gov. Look under Elections for the section labeled Voter Forms. Applications are available in English and Spanish. They should be mailed to the proper county election office for processing.

Also, on the front page of the Secretary of States website, voters can see sample ballots in both English and Spanish.
Tiny, troubled Whiteclay got its own cell tower earlier this month, a development some state officials hope will improve public safety and access to services in the unincorporated village and parts of the nearby Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Whiteclay has 12 residents and four liquor stores, which sold the equivalent of 3.5 million cans of beer and malt liquor last year despite alcohol being banned on the reservation right across the state line in South Dakota.

Bringing wireless broadband to the area is a step toward ending its "historic isolation," said state Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln, who unveiled the new service during a news conference in Whiteclay on Wednesday.

Pansing Brooks was joined by fellow state Sens. Roy Baker of Lincoln, and Brett Lindstrom and Tanya Cook of Omaha.

Paid for by Viaero Wireless, the new cell tower will give people access to remote health care services, distance learning and help during emergencies, and generally connect them with people in other communities and around the world, said Tim Schram, chairman of the Nebraska Public Service Commission. Its signal will carry more than 15 miles into Pine Ridge.

Wireless communication is "the way we conduct business," Schram said.

"That is why the availability of reliable, high-speed broadband service is so significant to Whiteclay and to our ability to help the people living in that area improve their lives."

Yet lawmakers made it clear they feel more must be done to address the ongoing public health crisis.

Pansing Brooks said senators who attended Wednesday's event have identified five strategies: adding the wireless service, establishing a more substantial presence in Whiteclay by the Nebraska State Patrol, condemning and removing abandoned buildings, establishing a drug and alcohol detox center there and expanding the area's economic development opportunities.

Activists believe the problem won't be fixed until Whiteclay's liquor stores are shut down, a move they say would cost less and be more effective than what lawmakers have proposed.

"Everybody across this state knows the answer," said Frank LaMere of Winnebago, arguing the "multi-faceted approach" favored by lawmakers is "code language for status quo."

Pansing Brooks' suggestions closely mirror those identified in June by a task force formed at the urging of Gov. Pete Ricketts.

"So there are many opportunities for us all to work to find common ground together to fix Whiteclay," Pansing Brooks said.

She called the area an "isolated outpost of misery and hopelessness."

On her first trip to Whiteclay, last May, she saw mattresses scattered alongside garbage and feces, abandoned buildings occupied by people crippled by alcohol addiction, empty beer cans "everywhere I looked" and clothes, including a tiny pair of baby shoes, littering the surrounding fields, Pansing Brooks said.

"I have been to Vietnam, Egypt and India, yet I have never seen the depth of poverty, degradation and inhumane treatment of a people as I saw in our beloved Nebraska at Whiteclay."

Late Wednesday in Lincoln, three dozen people prayed in the dark in front of the glowing red Budweiser sign outside Quality Brands beer distribution north of 70th Street and Cornhusker Highway.

LaMere said past prayers and activism had helped open lawmakers' ears, but proper action was still needed.

"I can see that light at the end of the tunnel," he said. "They will shut Whiteclay down."
RACINE  Defense attorneys for James Eaton, a Chicago-area man accused of killing Illinois runaway Amber Creek in 1997 and dumping her body in rural Racine County, will be allowed to present evidence they claim points to another suspect in the cold-case homicide.

Racine County Circuit Judge Eugene Gasiorkiewicz ruled Tuesday that evidence presented by the attorneys met the requirements of the Denny rule, a legal standard used by Wisconsin courts to determine whether a defendant can offer evidence that could implicate someone else for a crime.

The court does not believe this issue of the potential of a third party being either complicit in or involved in the strangulation death of Ms. (Amber) Creek is so peripheral to the issue in the case that it should not be allowed, Gasiorkiewicz said. The court will allow the third party evidence (in the upcoming jury trial).

Motion

Eaton, who is accused of killing 14-year-old Creek and leaving her beaten and sexually assaulted body in the Karcher Wildlife Area in the Town of Burlington, was arrested in April 2014 by Racine County sheriffs deputies. The arrest was reportedly made after DNA from cigarette butts he discarded were tested and found to match DNA from semen found on the teens body. The cigarette butt DNA was collected after new fingerprint comparison technology reportedly linked Eaton to fingerprints found on the bag covering Creeks head.

While that fingerprint and DNA evidence might implicate Eaton in Creeks death, his defense attorneys argued in a motion filed earlier this month that other evidence, including DNA evidence, points to a man with whom Creek reportedly had a sexual relationship.

According to the motion, the one-time suspect in the murder was questioned by police in 1997 and 2015, and in both interviews admitted to knowing Creek for about a year and a half prior to her death.

Choking and DNA

The man reportedly told police that he considered Creek a good friend, and stated that he had sex with the teen more than 10 times. The man also allegedly admitted to an officer in 1998 that he engaged in choking acts during sexual contact with Creek.

These choking acts are consistent with the cause of death and provide a reason for the abrasions around (Ambers) neck, Eatons attorneys, Katie Gutowski and Margaret Johnson, state in the motion.

Whats more, the attorneys note, is that the one-time suspect was found to be a contributor to the DNA mixture located on the victims underwear by the Wisconsin State Crime Lab. His DNA was also located at the crime scene, the motion states.

Creek died from asphyxiation after allegedly being choked and suffocated with a plastic bag, according to investigators. She also reportedly suffered blunt-force facial trauma and pattern cutting injuries on her face.

Timing

Assistant District Attorney Robert Repischak argued Tuesday that there was nothing to indicate when the other suspects DNA evidence may have been left on the victims underpants.

Gasiorkiewicz agreed that there was no way to know when Creek last wore the underpants, but he noted that the underpants were found on the girls deceased body.

All of these are close calls and the court concedes that, Gasiorkiewicz noted earlier of the arguments.

Eaton is charged with first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse in connection with the slaying. His jury trial is slated to begin on Nov. 28.

Eaton and Creek are both from Palatine, Ill., a northwest suburb of Chicago.

He remains in Racine County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
UNION GROVE  Village officials have targeted a Waukesha County developer to build an apartment and commercial complex downtown.

Members of the Union Grove Village Board, Community Development Agency and Plan Commission want Sawall Development of Sussex to present more details about the proposal at a meeting scheduled for Oct. 10.

Sawalls proposal was one of three developments village officials reviewed Sept. 12 for a four-acre downtown site. The land is located east of Main Street where Mill Avenue and State streets meet near the Canadian Pacific railroad tracks. The site once housed several buildings, including an old hotel, a landmark grain mill, co-op buildings and the former Village Hall.

Also putting forward proposals for the land along with Sawall were the Gerrard Companies of La Crosse and the Oak Ridge Care Center, a skilled, long term, rehabilitation care facility at 1400 8th Ave. in Union Grove.

Officials expressed broad support for Sawalls plan to construct 76 market-rate apartments spread over five buildings, with a 10-space garage and a commercial area. The complex would have 42 two-bedroom apartments, 34 one-bedroom units, high-end amenities and upscale construction.

Sawalls owner, Arthur Sawall, told officials he has been in discussions with a potential coffee shop owner interested in the commercial part of the development, which would front Main Street (Highway 45 south).

Construction would begin in July 2017 and the units completed between March and July 2018.

Board members agreed to invite Sawall to another joint meeting of the three boards at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 10, to discuss further infrastructure and finance issues.

That meeting is scheduled for the Union Grove Municipal Center, 925 15th Ave. in Union Grove.

A boost for downtown

Village officials said Sawalls plan could help build the community by attracting younger residents to Union Grove. Many of the officials also liked the commercial component of the proposal.

Gordon Svendsen, a member of the Village Board and the Plan Commission, said he looked at a Sawall development in Sussex and was impressed by the project. Svendsen said he liked that Sawall had an attitude of being all in with the proposed development.

Plan Commissioner Carolyn Preston said she liked Sawalls determination and honest dialect while discussing the project.

Sawall was born in a Russian labor camp and migrated to Milwaukee with his German parents in the late 1960s, according to news reports. After earning an engineering degree at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he started his own computer software company.

He sold the software firm in 2008 and started Sawall Development. The company has grown rapidly and has developed multi-family, single family and commercial projects in Sussex, Delavan, Darien, Glendale, Wauwatosa, and Brookfield.
Seems Gun Laws Don't Apply if

You Advocate For Gun Control

By Tony Oliva. September 23rd, 2016

Gun control is the only law that points to its abject failure as reason to have MORE gun control.

Not only does it do nothing to stop actual criminals, but the blatant disproportion to which it gets enforced is disgusting.

If you go through the archives of Bullets First searching for people being railroaded you will see numerous examples of otherwise law abiding citizens getting jammed up because of some asinine law that culminates in the gun controllers ultimate objective, to try and harass law abiding gun ownership out of existence.

On the other hand, if you are a supporter of gun control you need not worry about actually following the law because law enforcement will happily turn a blind eye to your criminal ways were as if you were a gun rights supporter they would try and find the nearest stake in which to burn you at.

One of the most notable and public displays of this hypocrisy is when NBC journalist David Gregory knowingly broke the law and had in his possession a "high capacity magazine" (anything over the arbitrary 10 rounds) while using it to try and browbeat NRA's Wayne LaPierre. There was no exemption in the law for journalists and as such Gregory should have been charged with a crime that carries a $1000 fine as well as a year in jail.

Outcome? Nothing happened. The District of Columbia ruled that its ok to break the law because David Gregory believes in gun control.

Something more recent just happened in Oregon and once again illustrates not only the idiocy of gun control but also the hypocritical way it is dispensed.

A pastor from suburban Portland hates guns so much he took $3000 out of the churches funds to buy lottery tickets for an AR-15, with the hopes of "keeping it off the streets." .......

When it comes to those who rabidly promote 'gun control' there seems no limit sometimes to their ability to avoid prosecution when they break the law. It is all too common to see "one law for them, and one law for everyone else". For the average Joe, even minor firearms violations can often be taken to extremes, manipulating low level misdemeanors into full blown felonies - and the excuse then to deprive them of their right to bear arms. This is the skewed 'justice' of 'gun control'.

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19 killed in Dhading bus accident

At least 19 people died and 20 others were injured, some critically, in a bus accident at Marpak-6 in Dhading district on Tuesday.
At least 20 Nepalis in UK jail

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Krishna Prasad Murder: Chitwan Dist Court completes hearing

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Morcha leaders bitter about PMs unkept promises

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NAC resumes flights to Pokhara, Bhairahawa and Simara

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Nepali Congress leaders call for CWC meet

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NFC starts airlifting food to drought-hit Humla

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Oli demands poll roadmap

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Lawmakers trade barbs over Tikapur incident at House committee

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PHSC concludes hearing of proposed ambassadors to India and China

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Physical assaults on lensmen condemned

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RPP-N, Madhesi parties against reviving Ilakas

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The Best Little Floorhouse in Texas Your choice for flooring in Central Texas! Your flooring is more than just the surface you walk on  it's an integral part of your home. With over 35 years of flooring experience, The Best Little Floorhouse in Texas has the resources and knowled
South Korea and Uzbekistan discussed ways to expand bilateral economic cooperation in the investment, infrastructure and energy development sectors Wednesday, the trade ministry in Sejong said.

Led by South Korea's Trade Minister Joo Hyung-hwan and Uzbek Finance Minister Rustam Azimov, the two countries held the eighth round of economic and trade talks in Seoul to bolster trade and help more South Korean firms participate in infrastructure projects in the Central Asian country, according to the ministry.

Uzbekistan is working on a number of energy developing projects, including a US$4 billion project to build olefin facilities in the country and a $1 billion one to construct 100 megawatt solar power plants.

The two sides also agreed to set up a trade consulting desk to help their exporters do business in each other's country in an easier way.

Uzbekistan is South Korea's biggest trade partner in the Central Asian region, with trade reaching $1.3 billion last year, down from $2.1 billion a year earlier.(Yonhap)
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WATERLOO  Co-owners of a Waterloo business have filed plea agreements in federal court at Fort Wayne, offering to plead guilty in a conspiracies involving more than $60 million.

Fred Witmer of rural Auburn, president and co-owner of Triton Energy LLC and Gen2 Renewable Diesel LLC, has offered to plead guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy.

Gary Jury, vice president and co-owner of Triton Energy, has offered a guilty plea to conspiracy to commit criminal offenses and making false statements to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

A federal indictment says the men falsely obtained federal tax credits on their companies fuel and that Witmer and sold illegitimate renewable fuel credits to private purchasers.

Federal authorities filed the charges Sept. 19 in U.S. District Court at Fort Wayne, and the men offered their guilty pleas on the same day.

If a federal magistrate judge accepts their guilty pleas, both men would receive sentences shorter than the maximum prison time for their admitted offenses.

Witmer would receive a sentence of 57 months, compared to a maximum of 25 years for his offenses. Jury would receive a 30-month sentence, down from a maximum of seven years for his crimes.

Both men also would be ordered to pay restitution. In Witmers case, full restitution could include $56 million to private victims and $8 million to U.S. Department of the Treasury, court documents say. Jury also would owe $8 million in restitution to the Department of the Treasury.

The men would be ordered to dissolve Triton Energy LLC and Gen2 Renewable Diesel LLC within 12 months. Witmer also would have to sell a coal mine Kentucky and use the money toward his restitution.

Based in the Waterloo Industrial Park at the towns west edge, Triton opened in 2007, with owners saying they would produce the next-generation of biodiesel fuels.

In recently years, Triton claimed to process animal fats and vegetable oils into renewable fuel by mixing it with alcohol and a proprietary catalyst to produce Gen2 Renewable Diesel, the federal indictment says.

Witmer took advantage of two federal programs, with Jury participating in a conspiracy to defraud one of those programs, their indictments say.

Petroleum refiners and importers must have a designated amount of renewable fuels in their product portfolios. They can meet the requirement by purchasing credits for renewable fuels produced by others.

From 2011 to 2015, Witmer sold Renewable Identification Numbers for fuel to private purchasers, mostly to one in Texas, for a combined $56 million. However, the government says, the Waterloo companies product did not qualify because it had not been used for eligible purposes.

To make the fuel appear to be eligible, Witmer worked with co-conspirators in other states to create a series of false sale documents, the indictments say.

Witmers indictment says that in one instance, the Waterloo companies sold processed corn oil for use as a lubricant in the production of wood pellets in Michigan and to a customer in Ohio for use in fire-starter logs. The conspirators allegedly created documents falsely indicating the fuel had been sold for use as heating oil and transportation fuel. The end users were not alleged to be part of the conspiracy.

The government also offers an Alternative Fuel Credit of 50 cents per gallon for fuel used in transportation. The indictment says Witmer and Jury obtained $7.3 million in Alternative Fuel Credits for fuel that was not used for eligible purposes.

The indictment says Witmer and Jury conspired with business owners in other states to create false documents that would make their fuel appear to be eligible for Alternative Fuel Credits. They agreed with the co-conspirators to divide the money from the credits.

In one instance, Tritons fuel was used in power plants and cement kilns instead of for transportation uses that qualified for federal fuel credits.

Activities described in Witmers indictment ranged from 2010 to March 2015. The actions mentioned in Jurys indictment stretch from 2012 to early 2015.

The men could withdraw their offers to plead guilty if Magistrate Judge Susan L. Collins does not accept the terms of their plea agreements.
CORYDON  The Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay kicked off in Corydon, Indianas first state capital.

The event will be aired live on the Indiana Office of Tourism Developments Facebook page: facebook.com/INTorchRelay/.

This project was developed by the Indiana Office of Tourism Development (IOTD), funding was secured by that office and the staff and resources are maintained by that office.

The relay is patterned after the Olympic Torch Relay and is designed to connect Hoosiers across the state and nation with their home state during this year of celebration.

The torch relay is a great opportunity to promote and unify the state by connecting people, communities and regions, said Mark Newman, IOTD executive director. The relay is also a symbolic occasion and an opportunity for current generations of Hoosiers to pass the torch to future generations.

Torch Relay Facts:

 3,200-mile journey across the state traveling through 92 counties.

 Started on Sept. 9 and ends Oct. 15.

 The Torch Relay will begin in Corydon, the states first capital, and culminate in Indianapolis on the Statehouse Grounds with a grand celebration called Hoosier Homecoming.

 The torch will travel 6 days per week (Mondays rest day) for five weeks/32 days.

 Torchbearers were chosen from nominations by each county in the state.

 Walkers, runners and torch bearers employing modes of transportation that are representative of Indiana culture and heritage including: a hovercraft on the Wabash River, an IndyCar at IMS, a Batmobile in Jackson County, a circus wagon in Miami County, ride a roller coaster at Holiday World, just to name a few.

 Relay will cover 260 cities and town; 17 state and national parks; 9 lakes and rivers; 27 national, state or local sites of historic significance; 22 colleges and universities.

 Indiana-made Subaru Outback is the official vehicle of the Bicentennial Torch Relay.

 The Torch Relay will conclude on the Statehouse Grounds with a grand celebration called Hoosier Homecoming.

The Torch:

 Specially designed by Purdue faculty and student engineers.

 Replica of Hadley torch on Indiana flag.

 Illuminated at outset of journey and will be used to light an everlasting flame that will be part of the new Bicentennial Plaza on the west side of the statehouse.

 Powered by Indiana bio-fuel.

 Technologically advanced  including a built in GPS, HD camera microprocessor and automatic shut-off for safety.

 Exterior shell is made by Alcoa (based in Indiana) of a light weight space age alloy material (aluminum lithium).

 Most advanced device of its kind in the world.

 Non-flame torch also developed.

Torchbearers

 Torchbearers were nominated by the public and selected by local committees on a county-by-county basis. More than 4,000 torchbearer nominations were received. Those selected are Hoosiers who demonstrate exceptional public service, excellence in their profession, acts of heroism or volunteer service to their neighborhood, community, region or state.

 Final Count  2,242.

 The uniforms were made possible by Indiana Farmers Mutual Insurance, who also showed its commitment to the relay by providing outfits to staff and local volunteers.

 The specially designed torch bearer uniform is comprised of a light-weight lined wind resistant jacket made of rip stop polyester fabric, 100 percent micro polyester moisture wicking T-shirt and a specially designed cap.

Judy OBannon will serve as our first torchbearer.

Closing Celebration

The relay will culminate in Indianapolis on the Statehouse campus where an Everlasting Light will be lit as a legacy to Indianas last 200 years and inspiration for generations of Hoosiers in the next 200 years.

The Everlasting Light for Indiana will be a permanent memorial that pays homage to the generations of Hoosiers that preceded us and serves as inspiration to the ones that follow. It will be resistant to harsh weather conditions, accessible to all and remain lit 365 days per year.

The Bicentennial Experience

The Bicentennial Experience was first conceptualized more than three years ago by IOTD as part of its Bicentennial Torch Relay planning. The following partners have since played an integral role in the design and construction of the unit: Waters Edge Consulting, Indy Racing Experience, Maribeth Smith & Associates, Inc., Sensory Technologies and Sport Graphics.

Inside The Bicentennial Experience are 6 different exhibit areas.

From Indianas stunning landscapes and waterways, to its most precious natural resources, visitors will encounter some of the states most prolific assets in Indiana Treasures. An interactive touchscreen invites them to dig deeper into Indianas environments.

Also, visitors can learn about the people who put Indiana on the map in the Indiana Leads exhibit.

Indiana Grows will bring to life Indianas unmatched agricultural heritage. It will also heighten every visitors sense of smell with a mystery scent station featuring Indiana products.

Hoosiers are born makers and doers. In Indiana Inspires, visitors will meet notable Hoosiers through a visual touch screen database.

Indiana Innovates is an artifact display case that shows items invented by Hoosiers, made by people from Indiana or built with Indiana products.

Indiana Unites is the finale. The last experience is a powerful video showcasing Indianas virtues and illustrating Hoosiers coming together during this time of celebration.

The App

Follow the flame through a new custom mobile app created by Bluebridge Tourism, LLC a partner of the Indiana Office of Tourism Development (Visit Indiana). Users will be able to get up-to-the-second information about the torchs whereabouts thanks to a GPS tracking device that has been built into the official Bicentennial Torch Relay torch.

Other content features of the Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay app include:

 Celebration Schedule - full list of bicentennial celebration dates, locations and times during the 92-county journey.

 Torchbearer List - list of over 2,200 people expected to carry the torch. Find the people carrying the torch in each county.

 Official Bicentennial Merchandise  Shop Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay and general bicentennial gear.

The bicentennial torch is also equipped with an HD camera and micro-processing unit, which will allow torchbearers to capture real-time images and video during their leg of the route. These images will be shared on the Torch Relay website and social media sites.

HD Video & Pictures: IndianaTorchRelay.com Username: torchmedia Password: torch6120

The Logo

The logo for the Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay draws inspiration from the states bicentennial logo as well as the Indiana state flag. The color palette is complementary to the state flag and the color scheme used by the bicentennial commission. The centerpiece of the torch relay logo, a torch, was inspired by the Indiana State Flag where it represents liberty and enlightenment. The use of the torch on this logo continues that symbolism while also representing the relays torch that will cover 3,200 miles across all 92 Indiana counties during the event. The years 1816-2016 are the first two hundred years of Indiana statehood. The star is also borrowed from the state flag and is a reference to Indiana as the nineteenth state. The ribbon denotes the unifying effect that the bicentennial torch relay will have throughout the state, symbolically tying Hoosiers together during this monumental year. It was also inspired by the use of ribbons at the start/finish of a race, signifying the conclusion of the torch relay  and the beginning of Indianas next 200 years. The typeset follows that of the Indiana Bicentennial Commission.
Dear Editor:

Sixty-six. Thats the number of children cited in Indianas recent child fatality report who died from abuse and neglect in a one-year period. Thats 66 children who are no longer with us. Thats 66 Hoosier children too many.

The report details how some of these children died. Many at the hands of their own parents. Many who suffered heartbreaking and prolonged injuries and unspeakable pain. And many, 50 percent, were under one year of age.

These were little ones, dependent solely on those around them to care for them, and keep them safe. But instead their cries and needs were met with abuse or neglect.

Child abuse and neglect is not singular to one community  its in every community. Its in every corner of our state, from the smallest burgs to the biggest metropolitan areas of Indiana. It crosses racial categories, geographies, nationalities, political-party affiliations and economic status.

And its something we can prevent.

Every one of us can do something to combat abuse and neglect before it happens  before another child becomes a number in Indianas next child-fatality report.

As a board member with the Kids First Trust Fund, I challenge every reader to do something in 2016 to help protect a child from abuse or neglect.

If you see something, say something. Abuse thrives off of silence  children need your voice. If you see or suspect a child is at risk of abuse or neglect, call (800) 800-5556. You could save a life, and possibly restore a family that is in crisis.

You can also get involved. Almost all abuse and neglect cases reveal stressors that put families in crisis  such as loss of a job, low income, a single parent feeling overwhelmed or social isolation. Be a listening ear for a neighbor, friend or relative. Know your community resources, such as employment services, food banks, child-care programs, and refer parents in need to those sources. You can also volunteer with a child-abuse prevention organization, or become a foster parent.

You can also invest in child-abuse prevention. Purchasing a Kids First license plate is a simple, yet very worthwhile way to promote child-abuse prevention everywhere you drive, and 100 percent of all license-plate sales go to support child-abuse and neglect prevention programs throughout Indiana. You can also make a donation at to the Kids First Trust Fund at kidsfirst.in.gov or call 317-232-0465.

Whatever you do, do something in 2016. You have 66 reasons to get started.

Together, we can prevent child abuse and neglect.

Sincerely,

Candes Shelton

 Editors Note:

Candes Shelton is the state chair of the Kids First Trust Fund, which is a fund established by the Indiana legislature. Shelted was appointed by Gov. Mike Pence.

Clerk encourages use of budget notice website

To the editor:

Taxpayers have the ability to view budget notices in one central online location at budgetnotices.in.gov. A new email subscription option is provided to taxpayers to stay informed of submissions by their local units.

Taxpayers will be able to view all local government units in Noble County, search by their address or use an interactive map tool. This website has been designed to promote the importance of budget notices and the role that they play in the daily lives of Indiana taxpayers.

Taxpayers who do not have internet access or have difficulties with the website may contact the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance at 888-739-9826 and request a paper copy of the notices for their local government units.

Carol Selby

Albion Clerk-Treasurer
NASHVILLE  A couple of decades ago, I had a chance to see and hear jazz great Dave Brubeck play the Elco Theater in downtown Elkhart. It was a mesmerizing concert.

At one point, Brubeck sat his piano in the spotlight and began a cadence, The Peace of Jerusalem, the Peace of Jerusalem, tapping his foot and clicking his fingers. His quartet picked up on the reponsorial and it sent great joy through the crowd.

After the concert, many of us crossed Main Street to Flytraps, a downtown restaurant, and as we sipped cocktails and awaited dinner, I could see an entourage cross the street. The door swung open, and there was Brubeck himself adorned in a great coat. There was a pregnant pause, one of almost disbelief, and this was followed by an emotional, rousing standing ovation. A great man was in our midst.

It was a spectacular display of the art of leadership: The broaching of a grand concept and then its articulation through a cultural media, hitting a chord with those who listened.

Politics is quite a different genre, I bring this up as Hoosiers and Americans prepare for one of the most fascinating, and potentially consequential two weeks in the early years of the 21st Century. On Monday, presidential nominees Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton met for the first of three debates, and the stakes were utterly epic. As Clinton put it earlier this week, The next 50 days will determine the next 50 years.

On a state level, gubernatorial candidates John Gregg, Eric Holcomb and Rex Bell will debate at 10:30 a.m. next Tuesday at Lawrence North High School, and then again on Oct. 3 at the University of Indianapolis. This is another race that could play a transformative role in where our state heads in the next four years. This comes after four controversial years under Gov. Mike Pence, who then dropped out of the race to join Trump on his ticket. In mid-stream, Holcomb went from being a U.S. Senate candidate, then the lieutenant governor for four months to the new nominee. He faces Gregg, the former Democratic House speaker who entered this race seeking a rematch with Pence.

In the gubernatorial race, both candidates are not widely known, with 31 percent in the Sept. 6-8 WTHR/Howey Politics Indiana Poll not knowing who Gregg is, and 44 percent who dont know Holcomb. In the horse race, Gregg had a 40-35 percent lead, with the Libertarian Bell coming in at 6 percent. That leaves 16 percent who have yet to make a decision, a hefty number as we head into the final six weeks of this campaign. Both will become better known as we are now being bombarded with TV ads, which are essentially propaganda and cliches.

We live in a state where the economy is shifting. Jobs from coal mining to branch banking are rapidly changing. In the span of a century, weve gone from an agrarian economy, to manufacturing, then service, and now logistics, information and advanced manufacturing. Without proper education and training, a wide swathe of our population could be left behind. Even those who are well educated could find themselves out of main job, working two or three.

On top of these challenges, Indiana is facing drug and public health crises. As if methamphetamine production here isnt bad enough, we are now faced with an even more sinister curve ball, cheap heroin mixed with carfentanil, with his filling emergency rooms from Columbus and Muncie to LaPorte and Martinsville. There were so many overdoses in Jennings County a few weeks ago that the state had to rush naloxone to public safety crews.

Hoosiers need good leaders. Many of us have a lot to learn about Gregg and Holcomb.

On the presidential level, Trumps clarion call has been to build a wall with Mexico. Clintons overall message has been less clear. Anyone who reads this column on a regular basis knows I am deeply skeptical about Trump and his leadership abilities, as well as Clinton. In our WTHR/Howey Politics Poll, many Hoosiers are tormented by this choice. While Trump led Clinton 43-36 percent, on the temperament question, 45 percent found him very poor and 24 percent mixed, compared to 30 percent who found Clintons very poor and 23 percent mixed.

I have many discussions  some arguments  with Trump supporters. There is no convincing most of them otherwise. They want to blow the system up.

Theres a yard sign on S.R. 229 north of Oldenburg which reads President Obama, worst president ever and a big liar. Next to it stands a Trump sign, though Politifact reports that almost three quarters of Trumps statements are false or pants on fire lies. But in this weeks NBC/Wall Street Journal Poll, 41 percent felt Clinton had a problem with the truth, compared to 31 percent for Trump.

So leadership is in the eye of the beholder. Mondays debate could be one of those events that sears a voters perception into a solid choice. It could change some minds.

It depends on how artful these potential leaders are.

 The columnist is publisher of Howey Politics Indiana at www.howeypolitics.com. Find him on Facebook and Twitter @hwypol.
KENDALLVILLE  Our prayers were answered. Shes cancer-free.

Before the start of Tuesdays annual Light the Night Walk in support of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Belinda Burton watched her daughter Allison pose for photos with fellow Oak Farm Montessori School students participating in the walk.

Allison Burton is an eighth-grader in the school east of Avilla.

Five years ago, she was diagnosed with leukemia, a blood cancer. She underwent treatment, and her family prayed.

There were a lot of prayers, said her mother.

In 2012, Allison Burton was selected as a Light the Night honored hero for fighting and winning her battle with cancer. Tuesday night, she participated in her fifth Light the Night.

She runs cross country and does gymnastics. Shes just a normal, active girl, Belinda Burton said.

Allison Burton and her mother joined about 300 other participants on the 1.25-mile walk that started at East Noble High School. The route took walkers west on Lisle Street, north on Main Street, east on Diamond Street and then south on Sherman Street back to the high school.

About 35 teams from businesses, clubs, school organizations and groups of friends participated in the walk, which now is in its 20th year. They carried illuminated red lanterns for someone battling cancer, white lanterns indicating survivors or gold lanterns in memory of someone.

Groups and individuals solicited sponsorships, with the proceeds going to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Among the groups were Lorenes Lights walking in memory of Lorene (Dekko) Salisbury, teams representing Campbell & Fetter Bank, Shepherds Chevrolet Buick GMC, Bollhoff Inc. and the East Noble football team.

Mayor Suzanne Handshoe, who recently underwent a stem cell transplant for bone marrow cancer, and her support group wore yellow shirts with the words: Im walking for someone I want in my life.

The East Noble Marching Knights led the walk, followed by past honored heroes Shari Onion, Rob Tomlinson, Lee Richards, Shaun Hagerty, Gavin Winebrenner, Ashley Ladig and Leisha Howell. Past honored hero Mick Newton was assisting police with the walk.

Before the event started, retired East Noble business teacher Mark Cockroft, one of the original walk organizers, read the names of cancer survivors participating and the names of those being remembered by participants.
FORT WAYNE  Technology use in schools is becoming more commonplace every day, including use of laptops and iPads regularly in the classroom.

A number of Indiana schools provide personal computers and devices to their students and are ahead of most of the country for laptop and iPad implementation, said Keith Madsen, director of technology for East Allen County Schools.

Many of the schools in and around Fort Wayne began the technology transition a few years ago. Most recently, Northwest Allen County Schools began its first year of laptop implementation at the middle and high school levels. Over the past four years, the school district discussed the possibility and took time to plan what one-to-one laptop implementation at the upper levels may look like.

NACS leaders are planning to train elementary school teachers and properly arrange finances so elementary students can receive iPads and laptops next school year. Kindergarten through second grade will receive iPads and third through fifth grade will have laptops, said Adela Dickey, director of technology at NACS.

NACSs implementation process is similar to how Southwest Allen County Schools began providing its students with one-to-one technology, or providing each student with a laptop or iPad for education. SACS middle school students first received laptops in 2011 and then the high school students the next school year. In 2014, the third through fifth grades also received laptops and the next school year, kindergarten through second-grade students received iPad Minis.

The transition has been a process. Im not sure youre ever done, but we like to think we are as close as weve ever been, said Donald Chase, SACS director of technology.

EACS also already has one-to-one technology at its schools but went a different route for its students than laptops, though its leaders did consider them extensively. They ultimately found that iPads better served the districts needs. The high school students were the first to receive iPad 3s and after four years of use they were handed down to students in preschool through sixth grade for this school year. The high school students were given new iPad Air 2s this fall.

Madsen says they are hopeful the new iPads at the high school will last three or four years and the younger students can still get three to four years on the older devices. The first round of hand-me-down iPads will be a test run to see how long the used iPads batteries, motherboards and other components can last to better plan for the future.

Fort Wayne Community Schools does not yet have a one-to-one technology program in place, though it does have computer labs available and iPad and laptop carts that can be requested for classroom use at every grade level, said Krista Stockman, spokeswoman for Fort Wayne Community Schools.

Keeping students safe and focused

One of the major components to a one-to-one program is keeping students off distracting or inappropriate sites. NACS, SACS and EACS all have internet filter systems called global proxy filters that block a myriad of websites while a student uses the laptop, whether they are at school or at home. This keeps students from improperly downloading games, software or visiting unsuitable websites while using school property even while they are away from campus.

EACS leaders also instigated a feature on its iPads that limits what applications students can download on their iPad. Currently, applications through Apple are split into four age categories. The younger students at EACS only have access to applications fit for their age, but even the high school students are not allowed access into the 12-plus or 17-plus age application categories, said Madsen. Instead, EACS pushes a large number of educational applications through the school portal that assist in practicing, studying and learning material.

All of the school systems require the students go through a learning process on how to best care for their new technology, including proper cleaning and safe transportation. Each EACS student signs an iPad pledge, one for kindergarten through sixth grade and one for seventh through twelfth grade students, and parents have to sign a user agreement as liability, Madsen said.

As with any major undertaking, there were some bumps in the road and more will likely come as technology use in schools becomes a more regular part of life.

I had a student put their laptop on top of their car and forget about it, and then they drove away, and it was fine; it turned back on and everything, said Chase.

Similar, but maybe less traumatizing, issues have been common at EACS, NACS and SACS, including dropping the laptops and iPads and forgetting them both around Fort Wayne and at home.

The laptops and iPads are great tools for learning accountability, which will hopefully come more easily as younger students grow up more used to having a device. All three of the school corporations technology directors believe the use of one-to-one technology is important in teaching its students how to be responsible, stay focused despite tempting distractions and use the internet for good.

Were big in digital citizenship  doing the right thing online without trying to put too many roadblocks up, said Chase.

Looking toward the future

For the most part, technology integration is a positive asset to the teachers and students and the districts will keep on seeking out and consider new systems and tools to enhance learning.

We will continue to evaluate new features and how it could be integrated into the curriculum  we want it to be meaningful and a tool, said Dickey.

EACS leaders are interested in BrightLink projectors, a new high-tech 3LCD projector, and electronic whiteboards. The school system currently has similar technological items in about 96 percent of its classrooms but wants to continually work to provide those resources to the remaining 4 percent, said Madsen.

CANVAS, a popular learning management system for schools using technology for teaching, is a game changer in better integrating technology into the classroom. However, technology can never fully replace all aspects of learning in the classroom, and understanding how to best utilize technology is a continual process teachers and students must learn. Using both technology and more traditional practices  blended learning  is a learning process in itself.

Technology is just a tool to implement those best educational practices. Blended learning is big  youre not just reading an article out of a book, but that is one piece of the learning process, said Chase.
Eight years ago, Jeff Ammon, now 55, began noticing a feeling of pressure in his ears every day after work.

Over the next months, when his symptoms progressed into a slight loss of hearing and sensitivity to noise, he became worried. Ammon, a construction worker for 32 years, eventually started wearing ear protection hoping this would address these complaints  but it was too late.

From that point on, sounds ranging from the hum of a lawnmower to normal tones of conversation caused a piercing, jabbing pain in his inner ear. He stopped working in 2011, when the pain became unbearable. He also hears ringing in his ears and experiences dizziness, both side effects of the auditory damage.

Its debilitating  completely, he said.

Ammon spent almost all of his working life surrounded by the loud noises of jackhammers, saws and air compressors. Now he avoids going outdoors, choosing instead to stay in his soundproof basement in Lebanon, Pa., and communicate with his doctor mostly through an online patient portal.

The medication to address pain has not been very successful at all.  Im also on some medication for stress, anxiety and depression, he said. It has isolated me from society.

Ammon is not alone in suffering from workplace-related hearing loss. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is the most common work-related injury with approximately 22 million workers exposed annually to hazardous levels of occupational noise. Workers in the mining sector, followed by those in construction and manufacturing, are most likely to suffer from hearing impairment. An estimated $242 million is spent on workers compensation annually for hearing loss disability, according to the Department of Labor.

In an effort to reduce these numbers, the Labor Department launched a challenge this summer called Hear and Now, in which it is soliciting pitches for innovative ideas and technology to better alert workers of hazardous noise levels.

But critics say that while these efforts might help, technology to reduce hearing injuries already exists. They contend that the maximum level of noise exposure allowed before employers are required to provide sound-protection equipment is too low, and the regulations developed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are outdated. For example, those regulations use sound level limits that dont factor in the noise exposures that occur beyond the workplace  at restaurants, concerts and sporting venues, for instance  that can add to workers cumulative risks of harm.

According to OSHA officials, the agency will issue a request for information later this year about current regulations at construction sites to figure out if more stringent protections are needed and how companies are complying. (The construction industry has often been held to separate noise-related rules and requirements than those in place for other industries.) The review may lead to an update to these rules, most of which date back to the 1970s. A similar call for information was issued in 2002, but no changes resulted from the action.

Employers may also have to shoulder the responsibility of instilling more awareness and education among their workers. For example, workers sometimes choose not to wear hearing protection at work sites because they are not aware of their risks  especially when they are not operating loud equipment.

Mark Cullen, a professor at Stanford University who explores workplace hazards, found in a study that the employees who suffer most from hearing loss were those who were working in jobs involving moderate noise levels instead of high-noise environments.

At very high noise exposures, people very faithfully wear hearing protection and at low noise situations, people dont, he said.

For general industry workers who are exposed to noise for eight hours a day at or above a time-weighted average of 85 decibels, OSHA requires employers to provide notification, audiometric testing and free hearing protectors. Employers also have to offer training programs for affected workers. The limit is 90 decibels for an eight-hour exposure for construction industry workers.

Meanwhile, the CDC, as part of its Buy Quiet campaign has an online database of power tools with information about sound levels of different tools to encourage businesses to invest in quieter tools and machinery.

Ammon worked for several small construction companies building houses. He said he was never told to wear ear protection. His colleagues didnt wear it either. No one talked about it and, even when he worked with loud equipment, he wasnt aware of the need for it.

It costs money. Thats my opinion on why its gotten as bad as it has, at least for small construction companies, Ammon said, and the rules are just not enforced.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is the most common work-related injury with approximately 22 million workers exposed annually to hazardous levels of occupational noise.
Not happy for all of those affected by the flooding of the Black River and other bodies of water. When you hear that a gate from the dam is gone or see videos of pontoons and boats getting sucked through the gates that make the news, its scary. Looking at aerial photos where you can see the curve of the earth made me dizzy. Hope things calm down sooner rather than later.

nnn

Well, hopefully the hubby will be in a better mood than last week with the Packers 34-27 win over the Lions this past Sunday. Otherwise, it would have seemed like forever with a bye week next week.

nnn

Isnt it amazing how something as small as a cold germ can knock someone completely flat and so quick to boot? It started off with what I thought was my usual allergy cough on Monday morning and by the end of the day had escalated into full blown  pardon the pun  misery.

With all my other health issues, getting a cold has not been one of them since I got a pneumonia shot several years ago, and quite frankly I didnt miss it.

Ive coughed so much that everything hurts and I am afraid to cough. I was so noodle-legged that I couldnt get enough strength to go to an already-scheduled doctor appointment. If I didnt feel so rotten, there has to be a joke somewhere about being too sick to even go to the doctor there.

To top it all off, being the generous soul that I am, I decided to share the experience with Hubby. Right away, he insists that, of course, his cold is much worse than mine, like its a competition. Suffice to say that his noise of a bugling elk when the hanky comes out, combined with my barking like a seal, makes for some interesting music around here. Me being under the weather makes for a poor me anyway, but when I am not able to get to a dinner gathering with high school friends or dont get to Cains for my yearly supply of goodies because I dont want to spread germs far and wide really put me down in the dumps. OK, pity party over, and on to the news.

nnn

At least when I was noodle kneed, something positive came out of it. In my never-ending battle to keep the top of my desk at least part way open, I found my note from the Hixton Area First Responders. Sounds like it has been a busy year for them, with gaining four licensed members and three more coming up and a refresher course for licensing  not to mention all the calls they respond to. Training and replacement of their AED lifesaving tool means that expenses have been higher than usual.

This is where friends and neighbors in the village of Hixton and towns of Northfield and Hixton and parts of the towns of Northfield and Curran in whose circle the Hixton First Responders serve can help by sending in donations to help support the efforts of this fine organization, which financially is not a part of the Hixton Volunteer Fire Department and does not receive tax dollars. You dont like to think of bad stuff happening to good people, but it is sure comforting to know that the First Responders are there to assist if it does. Please give generously.

nnn

I love it when I stumble on area news when I least expect it. Reading Jackson Electrics September issue, I see they made a couple of Hixton young people happy with purchases at the fair  Kyle Gilbertsons butcher hog and Samantha Huff with her dairy basket.

nnn

And in that same issue, I enjoyed the article on the Burlap and Bells wedding venue near Black River Falls and see that it was written by Brandi Shramek. Her first magazine writing experience and I know there will be lots more. Nice job, Brandi.

nnn

I was paging through an article in my newest OurWisconsin magazine and reading about VetsRoll, which is like the Freedom Flight except veterans travel to Washington via bus, and saw that there was a mention of Verne Brown taking part in 2010. So glad that he had had the opportunity.

nnn

A little bird told me that Roy LaBar celebrated a birthday recently. Hope it was happy, Roy.

nnn

Congratulations to Britny Daffinson and Joseph Tollefson who were married on Sept. 24, and best wishes as you begin your happily ever after.

nnn

The Toner Band will perform at the Black River Area Oktoberfest on Sept. 30 at 5 p.m. at Rock Springs Park in Black River Falls.

nnn

The first of October kind of snuck up on me this year. But that date of Saturday, Oct. 1 means that it is time for the annual fall steak feed at Taylor-Hixtons Hanson-Lien Post 368. Its happening from 5-8 p.m. and the cost is $16. You know you are in for a steak grilled to perfection and all the good stuff that goes with it.

nnn

Regarding Plow Day at Lien Implement on Oct. 1: What will the weather be like? Please, no snow like the one year.

nnn

It will be time for Gods Work, Our Hands on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 10 a.m. at Northfield Lutheran Church. After worship they will be sent out to serve their neighbors. All ages and abilities are needed. Projects will be cleaning up cemeteries, the Veterans Memorial and tying blankets.

nnn

The Taylor-Hixton Legion Auxiliary will be meeting at the home of Doris Oligney in Taylor on Monday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. Please note the change of date.

nnn

I put out the word and my question was answered. The long awaited Applefest will be held at the Hixton United Methodist Church on Oct. 11 from 5-7 p.m., featuring pulled-pork sandwiches, a huge salad bar, a wide variety of apple desserts for enjoying there and a bake sale for delicious goodies to take home. The meal has a freewill offering.

nnn

I have lost a very good friend with the passing of Nancy Olson on Sept. 24 at the age of 86. Ever since she began writing the Taylor News, we enjoyed a fun give and take between columns and when she passed the torch, which turned into occasional phone calls to keep in touch. Her take on life and sense of humor matched mine, and her love of her family and birds was the heart of her columns. I dont think there was one of her columns when I didnt smile as I read her stories. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29 at the Jack Funeral Home in Blair with funeral services held at 11 a.m. on Sept. 30 at the Upper Beaver Creek Lutheran Church. Hugs and sympathies to her family and friends for our loss. Heaven has gained a very special lady.

nnn

Words of Wisdom: My goal is to build a life I dont need a vacation from.

nnn

That aging thing: If things get better with age, I am approaching magnificent.

nnn

Ive Learned  Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go.

nnn

Word of the Week: adoze  napping, sleeping or dozing (which I have been doing plenty of this past week, darn it).

nnn

Natural High: The first handful of fall raspberries after Hubby finally brought some in the house.

nnn

Tip of the Week: When you have a cold, attach an empty tissue box to the full one and use it for used tissues. And there have been a ton.

nnn

Fun Facts of the Week: An electric eel can release a charge powerful enough to start 50 cars. A bolt of lightning is six times hotter than the sun.

nnn

For some reason I am in a cookie frame of mind this week.

Vanilla Walnut Crescents

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup cold butter, cubed

1 egg, separated

2/3 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup finely chopped walnuts

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk, sour cream and vanilla and add to crumb mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for four hours or overnight. Divide dough into thirds. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 10-inch circle.

Combine the walnuts, sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle 1/4 cup over each circle. Cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up each wedge from the wide end and place point side down 1 inch apart on greased baking sheets. Curve ends to form crescents. Whisk egg white until foamy and brush over crescents. Sprinkle with remaining nut mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container. Yields three dozen.

nnn

Jam Thumbprints

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1/2 Tsp. vanilla

1 cup flour

2/3 cup jam

1/4 Tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease cookie sheet(s). Cream butter or margarine, sugar and salt, add egg and vanilla. Slowly add flour mixing well. If dough is too soft, cover and put in fridge for an hour. Shape dough into balls a little smaller then ping pong ball and place on cookie sheet leaving a little room between each ball (for flattening later).

Bake for six minutes in 300-degree oven. Remove and use something (I use back of a tsp. measuring spoon) to press down leaving a thumbprint in center of cookie. Be careful not to go all the way through. Place jam in thumbprint being careful not to drop any on cookie sheet. Place back in oven and continue baking until a nice light golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes but watch. Remove to wire rack when done for cooling.

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Quote of the week: You can, you should, and if youre brave enough to start, you will.  Stephen King
John H. Leisgang, 79, of La Crosse died Monday, Sept. 26, 2016, in Mayo Health System, La Crosse.

He was born April 4, 1937, to Albert and Felicitas (Knothe) Leisgang.

John was involved in several capacities of the Boy Scouts of America. He held many positions within the organization, helping them to thrive for many years. John served our country in the U.S. Army during peacetime. He was also a proud member of the 4th Degree Bishop Schwebach Assembly #1195, and the Knights of Columbus La Crosse Council #839. He was a lifelong member of the St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral Catholic Church. John retired from UW-La Crosse in 1997, where he managed students in the computer labs. He was a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, cheering for his team through thick and thin!

John is survived by many cousins and other family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Sept, 30, in St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral, 530 Main St., La Crosse. Msgr. Charles Stoetzel will officiate with burial and military rites to be held in the Woodlawn Cemetery, La Crosse. Family and friends may call from 9:30 until the time of Mass Friday in the Cathedral.

Memorials are preferred to The Boy Scouts of America; St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral; or the Aquinas Foundation.

Online condolences may be made at www.blaschkeschneider.com.
La Crosse police and area campuses are hoping for a safe and enjoyable Oktoberfest weekend but remain vigilant.

The citys three colleges and universities are all-hands-on-deck for the celebrations, with extra staffing, and increased restrictions on guests at the residence halls. Police presence will also be beefed up downtown and around campuses for Oktoberfest with state troopers and out-of-town officers assisting.

The Third Street Aid Station returns for its 10th year in the Subway parking lot at Third and Pearl streets, La Crosse Police Department Capt. Jason Melby said. Fest-goers can use the spot to meet friends, charge cellphones and get medical aid and directions. It is open 7 p.m. Friday to 3 a.m. Saturday and 6 p.m. Saturday to 3 a.m. Sunday.

Police will document and notify colleges and universities of any student cited or arrested during the fest for increased accountability, Melby said. In 2014, officers cited or arrested 65 local and 42 visiting college and high school students. Those numbers increased to 93 local students and 68 visiting students during last years fest, according to police.

This years celebration will be the first monitored by a network of 32 surveillance cameras downtown and the La Crosse Center will be joined by the Aguilera apartment building at 1243 Badger St. as command posts. The cameras can help police make informed decisions on where to direct resources when fest-goers flood the streets or assist crime investigations if needed, Melby said.

Overnight guests will not be permitted Thursday, Friday or Saturday at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Viterbo University residence halls, and increased restrictions will be in place at Western Technical College. Both universities will also beef up staffing at the residence halls and UW-L will be one of the stops on the Oktoberfest shuttle bus.

This year marks the 10nth anniversary of Operation: River Watch, a volunteer organization of college students formed in 2006 after a decade that saw eight college student drowning deaths in La Crosse. Volunteers will be out Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at the aid station and other downtown locations as well as patrolling Riverside Park after it closes, reminding people the park is closed and providing help or directions to those in need.

There will be about 30 volunteers out on Thursday, River Watch Director and UW-L student Alex Mrotek said. There will 70 volunteers on Friday and Saturday, and the group is still looking for people to donate their time this weekend. Those interested can sign up online at www.uwlax.edu/riverwatch/volunteer-sign-up/.

On Wednesday afternoon, Western Student Government leadership braved the rain and chilly weather to hand out La Crosse Police door hangers, hundreds of which were distributed to all three campuses, reminding people of the rules to follow when hosting a party and listing the fines for violating certain liquor-related ordinances. Troy Englerth, Westerns student president, was one of the students handing out hangers at residences between the Western campus and West Avenue.

The handout included a to-do list reminding hosts to be respectful of neighbors and pick up trash as well as providing food and non-alcoholic beverages to guests. A list of citations included underage drinking offenses that start off at a $250 fine and escalate to $817 for a fifth offense.

UW-L Chancellor Joe Gow said he would send out a message to students and staff this week reminding them they are unofficial ambassadors of the university and that he hoped they would represent the campus well. Students at all three campuses will have alternative programming available to them, such as Rectoberfest at UW-Ls Eagle Recreation Center on Friday, which features laser tag, black light climbing and other unique activities and is open to students at all three campuses.

I hope people can act like adults and behave well, Gow said.
Prosecutors Wednesday charged the first two defendants in a drug trafficking conspiracy under investigation since early last year.

Douglas Owens, 33, and wife Juanita Owens, 37, each are charged in La Crosse County Circuit Court with seven drug crimes, including conspiracy to commit delivery of heroin and cocaine and maintaining a drug trafficking place. They are jailed on $100,000 and $50,000 cash bonds, respectively.

Five men involved in the case, including Douglas Owens, sold 18.4 grams of heroin and 5.6 grams of cocaine to police informants during 12 transactions in unspecified meeting spots between July 23, 2015 and Sept. 16, according to the complaint.

Up to 37 grams of heroin and 63 grams of cocaine were observed but not purchased during the transactions.

Informants reported buying up to 284 grams of heroin and 3.5 grams of cocaine multiple times from the Owens and dealers working for them in 2015 and this year, according to the complaint.

Local and state investigators witnessed 12 people  including the Owens  sell drugs 85 times between Aug. 1 and Friday in the parking lot of the couples apartment at 1206 S. West Ave., the complaint stated.

The complaint names the others involved in the case, but warrants have not yet been issued for their arrests.

Police from multiple agencies on Friday searched Douglas and Juanita Owens apartment, their candy shop at 1201 S. 10th Ave. and permanent residence at 854 S. 12th Ave. in Onalaska.

The couple was inside their apartment during the search. Douglas Owens, who is on probation for dealing crack cocaine, complied with police orders while his wife fled to a bedroom before an officer kicked open the door and discovered her hiding drugs in her pants.

At a hospital after police obtained a warrant to search her body, Juanita Owens retrieved from her underwear a sandwich bag containing 52.8 grams of crack cocaine, 31.4 grams of powder cocaine and 10.3 grams of heroin, according to the complaint.

Authorities recovered another $14,300 worth of drugs, including 34.5 grams of heroin, 556.7 grams of marijuana, Xanax pills, 3.9 grams of methamphetamine, Ecstasy and a stun gun during searches of their residences.
DE SOTO, Wis.  The rivers are receding, and the streams back in their banks, but the costs are mounting a week after record rains drenched western Wisconsin.

Damages to homes, businesses and public infrastructure from the torrential rains that fell Sept. 20-23 has surpassed $18.5 million, according to Wisconsin emergency management officials.

In an update Wednesday, the State Emergency Operations Center put the damage to homes and businesses at $6.4 million.

Damage to roads, bridges and trails has topped $12 million, including $3.4 million in Vernon County, where landslides and washouts closed roads, triggered a train derailment and devastated the community of Victory, and $1.5 million in Crawford County.

Two Vernon County residents were killed in the flooding: one whose home slid down a hillside in Victory, another who drowned when his truck jackknifed and he was trapped in rising waters.

A BNSF train derailed in Crawford County when water eroded the earth beneath the tracks. Crews continued repair work on Wednesday.

More than 500 homes and businesses in a dozen counties were damaged, including 28 in Vernon County that were destroyed.

Gregory Peterson said he watched from the road as a branch of Cooley Creek turned to a raging river overnight.

Its a wall of water, Peterson said. Its the most scary, intimidating thing youve ever seen.

The water came within inches of his home, filling his four acres of pasture with rocks, silt and downed trees, destroyed a neighbors shed and tossed a pickup truck onto its roof. Further downstream, the creek ate away embankments on Bohland Hollow Road, leaving chasms between bridge and road.

Road closures continued to mount even as repairs were underway.

A roadway embankment gave way Tuesday afternoon forcing the closure of state Hwy. 131 between Readstown and Viola, and the list of closures in Vernon County jumped to 57 on Wednesday as new problems surfaced.

These roads are undermined, said Linda Nederlo, Vernon County public information officer. Its pretty soft.

In the town of Wheatland, contractors were repairing two washed-out bridges while town road crews work to clear ditches and culverts before any more rain falls.

Theres no place for the water to go, town chairman Bob Streeter said.

Flood warnings remain in place along streams in several southwestern Wisconsin counties. The Mississippi River crested Monday morning in La Crosse at 0.04 feet above flood stage. Minor flooding continues in Genoa.

According to the National Weather Service, tropical air clashed with a stationary cold front last week, triggering a wave of storms that dumped more than 9 inches of rain in some locations. Rainfall of 3 to 7 inches was common between Tuesday night and Friday, falling on soil saturated in the last months of summer, which brought two to three times the normal amount of rain.
DE SOTO  The extensive flooding that caused two deaths and left millions in damages in its wake also dealt a severe blow to a retirement home of sorts for horses, wiping out pasture and sweeping away equipment.

It was devastating. A 15-foot wall of water swept away a round bale feeder and broke fences in one pasture where three horses were quartered in a 150-by-300-foot pen with a shelter, said Sue Wellman, who founded the American Standardbred Adoption Program on a farm near De Soto 23 years ago.

The shelter survived, but we cant find a water tank that also was sent bobbing down the swollen creek, Wellman said in a phone interview.

I had no idea it had happened until reaching the scene and finding the horses standing in 3 feet of water, she said, adding, We were crying and apologizing to the horses.

A sand-covered pasture was unreachable between the time the rain-spawned flooding occurred Thursday and Monday because, until then, we would sink up to our knees, said Wellman, who also is a special education teacher in Prairie du Chien, Wis.

Rebounding from the setback will include rebuilding fences, securing a water tank and bale feeder, as well as providing hay to tide the horses over, Wellman said.

I can smile today because everything survived, although the organization, operated by a small number of volunteers, needs hay and monetary donations, she said.

Wellman said she founded the program largely to provide a place for American Standardbred horses to be retired, fostered or placed for adoption after their racing days were done.

Standardbreds are known mostly for their speed and agility in harness racing, and ASAP is intended mainly as a place for owners to retire their steeds and get a tax write-off instead. Wellman prefers that to the alternative, in which owners sell them to vendors who prowl stables to find horses that cant win or whose winning days are over, Wellman said.

Such dealers pay about $500 for a horse, compared with a write-off of perhaps $3,500 if they donate the animal to the program, she said.

The dealers typically sell the horses  at three to four times that amount  to Amish people who use them to pull buggies because they already are trained to pull harness buggies at a trot or a pace, Wellman said.

Many owners never dream of their horses being Amish buggy horses, envisioning a more relaxing life when they turn them out to pasture, she said.

Weve got a horse that made over a million dollars and was famous in harness racing, she said. Hes an amazing animal. When he retired, they placed him with us because they loved him so much.

Harness racing once was popular in Illinois and was a good source of supply for ASAP, but the sport is on the wane there, although it remains common in other states such as Florida.

We get a lot of referrals from all over  California, Florida, the East Coast, and they take in other breeds besides Standardbreds, she said.

ASAP, which has 20 to 25 horses now, seeks people who will adopt and/or foster the horses and has placed about 1,000 since it began, Wellman said.

We also use horses for youths to learn to ride, either for pay or gratis, she said, noting that riding lessons are out of the question for many families in Vernon County.

If they bring a bag of feed, I will teach them to ride, she said.

ASAP also works with animal control and takes in rescue horses, she said, citing the example of a Crawford County woman who died in January 2013, leaving two older horses. Wellman initially was skittish when animal control contacted her about taking in the horses, as aging animals can be expensive to care for and people generally dont want to adopt them, she said.

Then animal control told me the womans sisters wanted to sponsor the horses, now 32 to 34, for the rest of their lives, she said. They have been fairly faithful.

Some ASAP ventures are steeped in tragedy, such as the horse whose Amish owner abandoned it because of a neck injury that prevented it from pulling a buggy, she said.

It was emaciated, so neglected that his ribs protruded from his body, she said, adding that the farrier who came to trim his hooves discovered that the hooves had grown around the shoes, Wellman said.

No attorneys, veterinarians or farriers volunteer their services, leaving the organization to cover such costs, she said.

We have become more of a sanctuary for some horses, especially for several in the 20- to 34-year-old range because they are virtually unadoptable, she said.

People dont want to adopt a horse they think might die, said Wellman, whose husband, Craig, also works on the farm doing everything from veterinary tasks to building fences and shelters to hauling horses, in addition to harvesting ginseng.

Thus, it takes a special breed to be involved in the field.

It has to be a passion, she said, adding that she was involved when Craig met her and he may not have been as enthusiastic as she is.

I think he believed in his heart he would change me, she said with a laugh, describing him as a saint.
ROCHESTER, Mass.  All is not well in cranberry country this harvesting season, the 200th anniversary of the worlds first known commercial cultivation.

In the birthplace of the industry, many Massachusetts growers whose families have tended bogs for generations are in dire straits, facing challenges that include rising production costs, decreasing crop values, changing consumer habits and increasing competition from other states and Canada, a recent task force report found.

In addition, one of the regions worst droughts in decades threatens to leave farms without enough water to flood bogs for harvest.

Its been a real losing proposition for a small grower such as myself, said Eugene Cobb, whose 25 acres in Carver are down from the 31 he took over from his father in 1980. He said he has had two good years in the past 16.

Cranberries grow on vines and are typically wet-harvested by farmers who flood the dry bogs with water. Revolutionary War veteran Henry Hall is credited with starting commercial cranberry production on Cape Cod in 1816. By then, cranberries already had a long history in a region where soil conditions and climate are just right for the tart little fruit to flourish.

Native Americans probably showed the Pilgrims how to use cranberries for food or dye. Evidence suggests an early recipe for cranberry sauce by the late 1600s. Barrels of the fruits, rich in vitamin C, traveled aboard whaling ships to help ward off scurvy.

Cranberries remain Massachusetts top food crop, supporting thousands of jobs and generating $1.4 billion in economic activity, according to the Massachusetts Cranberry Revitalization Task Force. The state is home to Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc., an 86-year-old grower-owned cooperative and the worlds largest cranberry processor.

But Wisconsin surpassed the state as the biggest producer in the mid-1990s. More recently, Massachusetts slipped to third place in North America behind Quebec, where growers have benefited from government subsidies.

Ocean Sprays 2016 crop forecast estimates Massachusetts will produce 2.1 million barrels, an output that could diminish if severe drought persists. Wisconsin is forecast to produce 5.8 million barrels and eastern Canada 2.6 million.

While cranberry sales remain strong, supply is exceeding demand.

You see demand of about 8 or 9 million barrels, and this year I think our industry is projected to produce 13 million barrels, said Matt Beaton, an Ivy League-educated, fifth-generation cranberry grower. The handwriting is on the wall. You dont have to be a math major to see whats going on.

Clouds spit a few morning sprinkles before giving way to hot sun on the first day of harvesting recently at Beatons 330-acre farm in Rochester. Two large, three-wheeled water harvesters appeared to glide along the flooded bog as they separated cranberries from the vines. The fruit floated to the surface, turning the bog a dark pink.

This bog produces one of several new varieties developed through cross-breeding in recent years. The plump berries are 2 to 2 times larger than their native ancestors, Beaton said, and are better suited for dried cranberry products  think Ocean Sprays Craisins  that are gaining market share while sales of juice and sauce have leveled off.

Thats whats driving our business, Beaton said.

Over the past eight years, he estimated, he spent $1 million of his own money and borrowing an additional $3 million to renovate his bogs so they could produce the larger berries. But smaller growers without such resources are fighting for survival.

Brian Wick, executive director of the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association, calls it a catch-22  farmers need to renovate their aging bogs to stay competitive, but lack the money to do so.

While 93 percent of cranberry bogs in Wisconsin have been retooled to handle the newer varieties, Wick said, the number is only about 50 percent in Massachusetts, which has the lowest yield per acre of any major growing state.

Growers who pay into the cooperative, like Beaton, receive a share of profits from Ocean Spray, and in general have fared better than independent growers in the region. The company is not currently accepting new members.

Tax credits and loan guarantees to encourage bog renovation are among recommendations from the task force, but recognizing that many growers will simply be forced to shut down in coming years, the group also outlined an exit strategy that would compensate farms for converting bogs into protected wetlands.

Its a thought every day whether I should exit or not, said Steve Ward, a cranberry grower. But my gut feeling is that if you take a bog out of production, its never coming back. I want to keep that bog for the next generation.
Wisconsin Natural Resources Board members on Wednesday questioned the wisdom of spending millions of dollars to move the state forestry headquarters out of Madison as conservation groups urged stronger clean water and wildlife programs.

The board unanimously approved a budget request prepared by Department of Natural Resources that calls for a 2.1 percent decrease from the department's current base.

In the last state budget, Gov. Scott Walker and the Legislature ordered the DNR to study moving forestry operations north.

Board member Frederick Prehn said the public may not understand how many DNR forestry employees are already working in field offices up north.

Out of 454 full-time equivalent positions total, 364 have regional responsibilities and they work outside of Madison, the DNR's study states. The remaining 90 have statewide supervisory duties and most of those are in Madison.

Prehn and board chairman Terry Hilgenberg questioned spending millions to build or lease a new headquarters in the north while other budget areas see no increases.

"I am perplexed about why we would even be thinking about this," Hilgenberg said. "We are very much under-budgeted in many areas."

DNR estimated first-year costs of $1.1 million to $6 million to lease or purchase a new headquarters in Wausau for 45 headquarters employees, with additional building-related expenses of between $9.4 million and $10.8 million over the next 20 years.

The study said costs would be similar in two other possible locations, Hayward or Rhinelander.

Meanwhile, conservation groups said the overall DNR budget proposal falls short.

The DNR hasn't increased spending on fishing and hunting in 10 years, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation executive director George Meyer told the board.

Federation members would support higher hunting and fishing license fees to improve DNR programs, Meyer said.

Meyer applauded DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp for proposing to move four positions from other areas into regulation of concentrated animal feeding operations, one area where the Legislative Audit Bureau said the DNR was falling short in its protection of water quality.

"Hopefully the governor and the legislature will significantly increase the number of water quality staff for DNR in order to meet the increasing signs of deteriorating water quality in Wisconsins lakes, streams and wetlands," Meyer said.

Other environmental groups that have reviewed budget didn't comment during the meeting but also offered criticism.

Bill Davis, president of the Wisconsin chapter of the Sierra Club said the proposal failed to seriously address concerns raised by the Legislative Audit Bureau in June.

Davis said the budget "is like a city fire department engaged in fighting a four alarm blaze and the city's response is the cut the water pressure."

Sarah Geers of Midwest Environmental Advocates said the budget could better address water quality problems raised in the audit if it increased fees paid by CAFOs to a level that covered the cost of adequate regulation. The current $95 fee doesn't come close to covering costs, she said.

"The taxpayers are picking up the difference because the legislature is unwilling to make industry pay the true cost of doing business," Geers said.

As a result of a petition filed by the public interest law firm and others, the federal Environmental Protection Agency will be in Madison next month to review DNR files on its water pollution control efforts.

The EPA issued a letter in 2011 listing 75 deficiencies in the state's enforcement of the Clean Water Act. A recent report indicated six of the deficiencies had been resolved, while the others were still being worked on.

Stepp's budget includes a two-year decrease of about $23.4 million from the current base budget amount. The reduction stems mostly from an adjustment that reflect spending authority the DNR had but failed to use in the current budget because it left employee positions vacant, DNR budget director Joe Polasek told the board. It also includes removal of one-time items that are in the current budget, he said.

The budget proposal reduces the department by the equivalent of 9.5 positions.

Any increases would be paid for by the Conservation Fund and would be used to maintain park and forest operations, Stepp wrote in her budget proposal.

Walker and the Legislature will make final decisions on the 2017-2019 budget next year.

This article will be updated.
Sue Weidemann is such a sociable sort that she could hold the title of Mrs. Gregarious, but many folks who know her call her Mother Christmas because of her year-round obsession with that season.

Now, theyll have to call the Holmen woman Mrs. Oktoberfest, the honorific bestowed upon her Tuesday evening during a reception at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Family and Christmas are my two favorite things  and volunteering, the North Side La Crosse native said during an interview.

That explains in part why one of her main volunteer causes over the years has been Oktoberfest. Family is the theme of her Mrs. Oktoberfest button, on which the dot on the i in Weidemann is a snowflake, completing the trio of symbols reflecting her interests.

The button  Christmas red, of course  features seven leaves, representing her four children, two stepchildren and daughter Heidi, who was full term but stillborn.

We call her our guardian angel, Weidemann said.

Weidemann, who made her own dirndl with a Christmas theme, and Oktoberfest go way back. How far back? To be exact  56 years, which meshes with her age of 56 and the fact that this is the 56th annual La Crosse Oktoberfest.

Ive been at every Oktoberfest, she said with a cheerful, guttural laugh that one would expect from Mother Christmas.

The Logan High School graduate pointed out an inadvertent coincidence with her joining the royal family Tuesday.

It was 88 days until Christmas, and 8s are snowmen, said Weidemann, who confesses to having more than 50 totes of Christmas decorations, including pictures, bedding, cupboard knobs, finials for lamps and other knickknacks galore.

She has a few Santas on display year-round and is a sucker for Christmas paraphernalia at garage sales, in thrift shops and on Craigslist.

She and Mike, her husband of 17 years, had the room at the back of their home built especially for Christmas, and the 14-foot ceiling can accommodate a Bunayanesque tree. The Weidemanns host an annual Christmas party the first weekend of December, an event that she said regularly draws more than 150 guests.

We dont think anything about it, she explained. Thats our life.

Cue the telephone, which emits a Christmas ringtone all year.

Weidemann credits her Oktoberfest genes and Christmas chromosomes to her parents, Ken and Pat Wing.

Wing like on a bird, Weidemann noted helpfully, adding, My dad was huge into Oktoberfest and Christmas.

Ken, who was a carpenter in the Coulee Region for 15 years and then taught carpentry at Western Technical College for 33 years, is such a community-minded volunteer that he even put in 40-hour weeks without pay to help build the Hmong Community and Cultural Center. He received the Honoring Excellence award from WWTC Foundation during the colleges 1999 graduation ceremonies.

Ken was the Torchlight Parade marshal in 2001 and elected president of the Oktoberfest Parade Marshals Association in 2007.

Weidemann recalls her youthful days, gathering with North Side schoolmates to watch the Torchlight and join other Oktoberfest events.

Back then, it was safe to be out, and we spent so much time there, she said. I couldnt wait to get to the carnival, with the ferris wheel, and I loved the tilt-a-whirl  and the zipper.

Weidemann is a longtime volunteer with the citys largest festival, including 15 years chairing the Senior Breakfast. She still regards the annual breakfast as one of her most memorable volunteer jobs.

Its so much fun to go around and talk to the people, she said. I loved seeing their happy faces and the joy it brought to the seniors.

The beer-tapping event was a blast, she said.

She spreads the credit for her being named Mrs. O, saying, This is not an honor you get alone. I have amazing family and friends. Their support and understanding  and the fact that many of them have been convinced to help on several occasions  are what makes this an honor for them all.

Weidemann has her own at-home marketing company, deriving its name, HERA, from the last letters of the names of her chldren, Kenneth, Jacqueline, Jennifer and Amanda  not in their order of birth. FYI, Hera also was queen of the ancient Greek gods, married to Zeus and goddess of marriage and the family.

My family is everything, she said.

Weideman has held a variety of other jobs, including business development vice president for illumin8 Marketing, executive director of the La Crosse Area Builders Association, sales representative for the La Crosse Radio Group, promotions coordinator for Festival Foods, sales manager for WKBH/Mississippi Valley Broadcasters and sales rep for WRJC and WKBH Radio, to name a few.

She also ran a consignment shop in West Salem but shed it in an effort to simplify her life, she said, adding with a laugh at the paradox, Now, with Mrs. O  so much for simplifying.

Weidemanns is a familiar face among regional nonprofits, having been a member of Valley View Rotary for 25 years, as well as being involved with Rotary Lights, Great Rivers United Way, the YWCA Taste of the Coulee Region, the Thunder Ride for Diabetes and the American Heart Association, for starters.

Weidemann views such endeavors as only fair, saying, We take so much out of this world, and we have such a great country, and we live in such a great area  its my job and honor to take care of it and give back.

As if to underscore the notion that you can take the girl out of the North Side, but you cant take the North Side out of the girl, Weidemann hazarded a guess that she either is related to or knows most North Siders and said she still worships at Trinity Lutheran Church there.

Crediting much of her optimistic attitude toward life to her ninth-grade art teacher, John Mettille, Weidemann said, He changed my life.

She was struggling with an art project one day when he stopped at her desk and said, Youre the artist. Nobody else knows whats on that paper, so you can do what you want, she recalled.

I have used that the rest of my life, Weidemann said. I try to get out of my comfort zone and encourage people. I dont make a difference until you make a difference.

Teachers make such a difference in just those little things, she said, shaking her head as in awe.
According to an article about immigration (Sept. 19 Tribune), [Republican Sen. Ron] Johnson has become a loud advocate for securing the border first and worrying about those already here later. And while the number of Mexicans crossing the border illegally continues to decline, Republican Donald Trump speaks at length about building a wall there. Is this border fixation the most effective response to illegal immigration? Can we trust Republicans to limit illegal immigration using the most efficient means possible?

We have continually strengthened border security since 2008 and should continue to do so. The Obama administration also has strengthened enforcement of laws against illegal immigration. According to the Cato Institute, the rate of deportations from the interior of the United States (in places like Wisconsin) has increased. In addition, the enforcement of immigration laws against employers has risen. Comparing Obamas administration to George W. Bushs, there have been more than 15 times as many fines and more than eight times as many arrests for employers in violation of immigration laws.

Republicans have not had the courage to admit that Obamas focus on enforcement is effective. Johnson, for example, talks tough but fails to discuss prosecution of employers who break immigration laws. Democrats and Republicans alike should look at Obamas enforcement policies and suggest cost-effective enhancements. With immigration issues in mind, I suggest voting for Democrats Hillary Clinton, Russ Feingold and Ron Kind. We can trust them to follow Obamas policies, which put teeth into curbing illegal immigration at the border and beyond.

Janis Hanson,

La Crosse
From wire services

Suspect in Dallas-area killing rampage arrested: GEORGETOWN, Texas  A man suspected in a pair of Dallas-area killings has been arrested at an apartment about 150 miles to the south near Austin. Police say Silvestre Franco-Luviano was arrested Tuesday afternoon after a standoff at an apartment in Georgetown, about 25 miles north of Austin. He had been sought in the shooting deaths late Sunday of Ruben Moreno in his car in southeastern Dallas and of Welton Betts at a gas station in the Dallas suburb of Cedar Hill. Dallas police had issued a murder warrant for Franco-Luviano in the Moreno killing, and Dallas police spokeswoman Melinda Gutierrez said he was suspected in the Betts death.

Navy investigates sailor who didnt salute national anthem: HONOLULU  The Navy has investigated the case of a sailor who didnt salute as the national anthem played during a recent morning flag-raising at Pearl Harbor. U.S. Pacific Fleet spokesman Senior Chief Petty Officer Joel Cesar said Tuesday its up to the sailors commander whether she faces any punishment for not saluting on Sept. 19. The sailor is Petty Officer 2nd Class Janaye Ervin, an intelligence specialist in the Navy Reserve. She was recently in Hawaii for about two weeks for an exercise. Erwin is assigned to the Navy Operational Support Center at North Island, California. The command didnt immediately return a call seeking comment. Erwin didnt respond to a message sent to a Facebook account in her name. A phone number for her was not listed.

Driver uses cardboard Trump head in carpool lane: SEATTLE  A cardboard cutout of a head in a passenger seat definitely caught the attention of a Washington State Patrol trooper Tuesday morning. Thats because it wasnt just any old cardboard head, but that of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. A trooper stopped the motorist who was driving with the cardboard likeness in a carpool lane south of Seattle on Highway 167. The stunt netted the driver a $136 ticket. Another trooper Tweeted a photo of the cardboard Trump head affixed to the passenger seat headrest. Washington State Patrol spokesman Rick Johnson says every now and then they get somebody trying to be funny and says theyve seen everything from teddy bears to mannequins all sitting beside drivers.

2 men charged in California killings: SANTA ANA, Calif.  An Army private and another young man were charged Tuesday with murder in the slayings of a California couple and family friend who were discovered after the couples 6-year-old daughter called police. Army Pfc. Joshua Acosta, 21, and Frank Felix, 25, were each charged with three counts of murder, and Acosta also faces possible sentencing enhancements for personal discharge of a firearm causing death, the Orange County district attorneys office said. Acosta and Felix were friends with the couples daughter and attended furry events where some participants dress up in colorful animal costumes, according to friends and their social media pages. Prosecutors allege that Acosta was the gunman in the killings of Jennifer Yost, 39, her husband, Christopher Yost, 34, and their friend Arthur Boucher, 28.

NYC reaches $5.75M settlement in Rikers inmate death: NEW YORK  New York City reached a $5.7 million settlement with the family of Bradley Ballard, a mentally ill Rikers Island inmate who died in 2013 after being locked in his cell for six days without care or medication. The agreement was announced on Tuesday by the Legal Aid Society Prisoners Rights Project and the familys lawyers, who said it was largest settlement ever paid by the city to settle a lawsuit over an inmate death in city custody. Ballard, a 39-year-old paranoid schizophrenic with diabetes, died shortly after a doctor finally went into his cell and found him naked, covered in feces and badly infected from a piece of cloth he tied tightly around his genitals. The city medical examiner later ruled Ballards death a homicide. A review by the New York State Commission of Correction, obtained by The Associated Press, said the lapses by the city and its medical provider, Corizon Health Inc., violated state law and were directly implicated in his death.

Man who returned 9/11 flag identified: EVERETT, Wash.  The man who turned in an American flag raised at ground zero on Sept. 11 to a Washington state courthouse has been identified. The Daily Herald reports Brian Browne had seen the coverage of the flags return to New York this month and contacted authorities. In 2014 he had turned the flag, which disappeared from ground zero, into a fire station in Everett. The flag is now at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Browne, a flag collector, spoke with Everett detectives this month. Browne said he got the flag in 2006 from a friend he believed got it from the wife of a former New York City employee. Browne, in a statement released Tuesday, said my motivation was to return what I thought was lost property and he was happy that it was now in a museum.

Advocates say hunts, slaughter threaten Yellowstone bison: HELENA, Mont.  Wildlife advocacy groups are suing to force the U.S. government to look again at whether the hunting and slaughter of bison that wander outside of Yellowstone National Park threaten the survival of one of the last genetically pure populations of the national mammal. Buffalo Field Campaign, Western Watersheds Project and Friends of Animals filed the lawsuit against the Interior Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Monday in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia. They are asking a judge to order federal wildlife officials to re-examine whether the Yellowstone bison should be listed as a threatened or endangered species. Bison, which Congress designated as the national mammal earlier this year, were hunted to near extinction in the late 19th century. The estimated 4,900 Yellowstone bison are one of the last remaining populations in the U.S. that dont have cattle genes in their DNA.
La Farge artist Susan Cushing will be the featured guest artist at VIVA Gallerys monthly First Thursday reception Oct. 6 from 5 to 7 p.m.

She will be exhibiting a series of paintings inspired by the time she resided in Canada and the remarkable beauty of the frozen landscape.

Cushing returned from Canada to Wisconsin in 1996, and spent time exploring different mediums, including pastels, colored pencil, and a bit of painting. During that period, she exhibited her art at VIVA Gallery until family and business obligations placed more demand on her time. But it was not long until she was abruptly brought back into the art world, by virtue of six weeks of forced inactivity due to a broken leg. She recognized an opportunity, picked up her brushes, and began to paint on a daily basis. The midwinter interlude sparked memories of the glaciers and mountains where she had spent much time on skis.

Her series of paintings captures a world of water, frozen on the ground and in the sky. It is a silent world, extremely cold, yet full of light. Weather changes quickly, and avalanches are a constant danger. For all its challenges, it is a place of spectacular beauty and Susan has shared that magnificence in her paintings. All the works depict scenes in the Canadian Rockies, and the Selkirk, Monashee and Purcell ranges of British Columbia.

Cushings paintings, along with the works of VIVAs member artists, will be featured at VIVAs First Thursday reception. The gallery is located at 217 S. Main St. in Viroqua. For more information about this and future First Thursday events, contact the gallery at 608-637-6918 or info@vivagallery.net.

The gallerys First Thursday reception will be followed by a 7 p.m. dinner next door at Rooted Spoon Kitchen Table. The Rooted Spoon cash bar will be open during the reception. Email rootedspoon@gmail.com or call 608-632-2120 to make reservations.
To protect both canine and human health in Wisconsin from the bacteria that causes canine brucellosis, Dr. Paul McGraw, state veterinarian at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), has issued a special order requiring that dogs that are not spayed or neutered, all non-neutered or spayed dogs and are bought or obtained at an auction outside the state cannot be imported without meeting new requirements.

Canine brucellosis is on the rise in Wisconsin threatening the health of both dogs and their owners, McGraw said. A significant source of infected dogs are out-of-state dog auctions, where the large-scale sale and movement of untested or known positive dogs often occurs.

The special order prohibits the importing of a sexually intact dog into Wisconsin that has been bought or obtained from an auction outside the state unless the dog has been issued an import permit from the department and has documented proof of a negative brucellosis test within 30 days before import.

Canine brucellosis is caused by a bacterium called Brucella canis. The bacteria cause reproductive failure in dogs, particularly those kept in kennels for breeding purposes, but can also cause a variety of other health problems that develop later in life. The disease is found worldwide, but in the United States is most frequently found in dogs from southern states.

Thousands of dogs are transported into Wisconsin from other states annually, in some cases bringing the bacteria into previously uninfected facilities, McGraw said. The disease is usually spread through contact with infected birthing tissues and fluids, but can also be transmitted by contaminated objects such as bedding, equipment, clothing or shoes. It can also be found in the milk, blood and semen of infected dogs.

Humans can become infected by direct contact or aerosol exposure to infected animals fluids. In humans, the symptoms of Brucella infection include fever, headache, weakness, chills and weight loss, and can result in significant health issues if not properly diagnosed and treated. Dog handlers who experience these symptoms should contact their healthcare provider.

Dog breeders and dealers are encouraged to work with a veterinarian to develop protocols for testing new animals and quarantining new animals added to their facility. Dog owners should monitor their dogs for signs of the disease and contact a veterinarian if present.

DATCP has developed a wide variety of information that is free and available at datcp.wi.gov.
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(3) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (3) Sep 13 (3) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (4) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (3) Sep 05 (3) Sep 04 (3) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (3) Aug 25 (4) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (5) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (3) Aug 20 (3) Aug 19 (3) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (3) Aug 12 (3) Aug 11 (4) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (3) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (3) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (5) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (3) Jul 24 (3) Jul 23 (4) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (3) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (4) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (3) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (5) Jul 11 (4) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (3) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (3) Jul 03 (4) Jul 02 (3) Jul 01 (6) Jun 30 (4) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (5) Jun 24 (4) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (4) Jun 19 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(3) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (4) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (3) Dec 06 (4) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (3) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (3) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (4) Nov 23 (6) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (5) Nov 20 (4) Nov 19 (4) Nov 18 (4) Nov 17 (4) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (2) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (2) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (2) Nov 05 (2) Nov 04 (3) Nov 03 (2) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (2) Oct 30 (6) Oct 29 (5) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (5) Oct 26 (3) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (5) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (4) Oct 18 (4) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (2) Oct 15 (3) Oct 14 (3) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (2) Oct 11 (2) Oct 10 (3) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (2) Oct 07 (2) Oct 06 (2) Oct 05 (3) Oct 04 (2) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (3) Sep 29 (4) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (2) Sep 26 (2) Sep 25 (2) Sep 24 (1) Sep 23 (1) Sep 22 (2) Sep 21 (2) Sep 20 (1) Sep 19 (1) Sep 18 (1) Sep 17 (2) Sep 16 (1) Sep 15 (2) Sep 14 (2) Sep 13 (1) Sep 12 (1) Sep 11 (2) Sep 10 (2) Sep 09 (1) Sep 08 (1) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (1) Sep 05 (1) Sep 04 (2) Sep 03 (1) Sep 02 (1) Sep 01 (1) Aug 31 (2) Aug 30 (1) Aug 29 (1) Aug 28 (1) Aug 27 (1) Aug 26 (1) Aug 25 (1) Aug 24 (1) Aug 23 (2) Aug 22 (1) Aug 21 (1) Aug 20 (2) Aug 19 (1) Aug 18 (1) Aug 17 (2) Aug 16 (2) Aug 15 (1) Aug 14 (1) Aug 12 (1) Aug 09 (1) Aug 08 (1) Aug 07 (1) Aug 05 (1) Aug 04 (1) Jul 31 (1) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (5) Jul 28 (2) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (3) Jul 24 (3) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (4) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (3) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (4) Jul 11 (3) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (4) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (4) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (4) Jul 02 (5) Jul 01 (3) Jun 30 (4) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (4) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (4) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (6) Jun 21 (3) Jun 20 (3) Jun 19 (6) Jun 18 (5) Jun 17 (5) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (4) Jun 14 (4) Jun 13 (5) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (4) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (3) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (5) Jun 03 (5) Jun 02 (4) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (4) May 30 (4) May 29 (4) May 28 (5) May 27 (5) May 26 (5) May 25 (4) May 24 (5) May 23 (4) May 22 (4) May 21 (3) May 20 (6) May 19 (4) May 18 (4) May 17 (4) May 16 (5) May 15 (3) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (3) May 11 (3) May 10 (3) May 09 (3) May 08 (3) May 07 (3) May 06 (3) May 05 (3) May 04 (3) May 03 (3) May 02 (3) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (4) Apr 29 (6) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (4) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (3) Apr 22 (3) Apr 21 (4) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (3) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (6) Apr 12 (4) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (5) Apr 09 (7) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (4) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (4) Apr 04 (6) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (4) Apr 01 (3) Mar 31 (4) Mar 30 (5) Mar 29 (5) Mar 28 (6) Mar 27 (5) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (4) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (5) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (4) Mar 17 (5) Mar 16 (5) Mar 15 (3) Mar 14 (6) Mar 13 (4) Mar 12 (4) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (7) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (4) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (4) Feb 28 (4) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (5) Feb 25 (4) Feb 24 (5) Feb 23 (5) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (3) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (7) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (5) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (8) Feb 10 (4) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (3) Feb 06 (6) Feb 05 (3) Feb 04 (6) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (3) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (6) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (6) Jan 26 (6) Jan 25 (4) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (5) Jan 22 (5) Jan 21 (5) Jan 20 (5) Jan 19 (5) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (5) Jan 13 (3) Jan 12 (4) Jan 11 (5) Jan 10 (3) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (5) Jan 05 (6) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (4) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (7) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (5) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (5) Dec 13 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(4) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (5) Sep 10 (3) Sep 09 (3) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (3) Sep 05 (6) Sep 04 (5) Sep 03 (4) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (4) Aug 31 (4) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (2) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (2) Aug 26 (3) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (2) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (3) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (2) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (4) Aug 12 (3) Aug 11 (4) Aug 10 (3) Aug 09 (3) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (6) Aug 06 (3) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (4) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (4) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (3) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (2) Jul 20 (3) Jul 19 (4) Jul 18 (3) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (3) Jul 15 (5) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (5) Jul 11 (4) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (8) Jul 08 (6) Jul 07 (4) Jul 06 (3) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (3) Jul 02 (4) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (3) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (3) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (3) Jun 24 (3) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (2) Jun 21 (1) Jun 20 (2) Jun 19 (2) Jun 18 (4) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (3) Jun 15 (7) Jun 14 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(4) Mar 14 (4) Mar 13 (2) Mar 12 (4) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (4) Mar 08 (4) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (4) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (4) Mar 01 (5) Feb 28 (4) Feb 27 (5) Feb 26 (6) Feb 25 (4) Feb 24 (5) Feb 23 (5) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (6) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (2) Feb 16 (4) Feb 15 (3) Feb 14 (4) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (4) Feb 11 (3) Feb 10 (4) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (2) Feb 06 (3) Feb 05 (3) Feb 04 (4) Feb 03 (3) Feb 02 (3) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (3) Jan 28 (5) Jan 27 (3) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (3) Jan 24 (4) Jan 23 (2) Jan 22 (3) Jan 21 (4) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (4) Jan 18 (3) Jan 17 (3) Jan 16 (2) Jan 15 (2) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (2) Jan 12 (3) Jan 11 (3) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (2) Jan 07 (2) Jan 06 (2) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (3) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (3) Jan 01 (1) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (2) Dec 29 (2) Dec 28 (2) Dec 27 (2) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (1) Dec 24 (2) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (3) Dec 21 (2) Dec 20 (1) Dec 19 (2) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (2) Dec 16 (2) Dec 15 (4) Dec 14 (2) Dec 13 (1) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (2) Dec 10 (2) Dec 09 (2) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (2) Dec 06 (1) Dec 05 (2) Dec 04 (1) Dec 03 (2) Dec 02 (2) Dec 01 (2) Nov 30 (2) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (2) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (1) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (1) Nov 23 (3) Nov 22 (1) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (2) Nov 18 (2) Nov 17 (1) Nov 16 (1) Nov 15 (1) Nov 14 (1) Nov 13 (2) Nov 12 (3) Nov 11 (2) Nov 10 (2) Nov 09 (1) Nov 08 (2) Nov 07 (1) Nov 06 (2) Nov 05 (2) Nov 04 (1) Nov 03 (1) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (2) Oct 31 (2) Oct 30 (2) Oct 29 (4) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (2) Oct 25 (2) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (2) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (3) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (1) Oct 18 (3) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (2) Oct 15 (1) Oct 14 (2) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (2) Oct 10 (2) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (2) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (1) Oct 03 (2) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (1) Sep 29 (2) Sep 28 (1) Sep 27 (3) Sep 26 (3) Sep 25 (2) Sep 24 (1) Sep 23 (2) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (1) Sep 20 (1) Sep 19 (2) Sep 17 (2) Sep 16 (2) Sep 15 (1) Sep 14 (1) Sep 13 (1) Sep 12 (3) Sep 11 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International investigators say a missile transported to Ukraine from Russia was responsible for shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17.

The Malaysian airplane crashed over eastern Ukraine in July 2014.

The investigators released their findings Wednesday. They confirm an earlier investigation by the Dutch Safety Board. It found that the plane was brought down by a Russian-made surface-to-air missile. Russia has denied the Dutch finding.

A year ago, the missiles manufacturer said it investigated the incident. It said the missile was an older model and no longer being used by the Russian military. The manufacturer also said the missile was launched from an area under Ukrainian government control.

On Wednesday, investigators said there is strong evidence that the territory from which the missile was fired was controlled by pro-Russian fighters.

The earlier investigation identified a 320-square kilometer area from which the rocket launch must have taken place. The investigators did not state clearly who fired the missile. But all of the land was under the control of separatists fighting Ukrainian forces.

Wednesday, Russia said information from its radars proved that no rocket was fired from within territory held by pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine.

Dmitry Peskov is a spokesman for the Russian government. In a telephone call with reporters, he said Russian radar had identified all flying objects over the rebel territory, and did not show a rocket had been fired.

The data are clear-cut...there is no rocket, he said. If there was a rocket, it could only have been fired from elsewhere.

All 298 people on the aircraft died after it broke apart while on a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The majority of passengers were Dutch. Many were scientists planning to attend an international AIDS conference in Australia. The plane was also carrying citizens of Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine.

Wednesday morning, before the announcement of the findings, officials met with family members of some of the people who died in the crash.

One of the family members -- Robby Oehlers -- told the Reuters news service the investigation had identified 100 people who could have launched the rocket. He said they found that it was launched from within rebel-held territory.

Im Jonathan Evans.

VOAs Joshua Fatzick and Wayne Lee reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it into Special English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

board  n. a group of people who have been chosen to learn information about something, to give advice, etc.

spokesman  n. someone who speaks for or represents a person, company, etc.

clear-cut  adj. free from doubt or uncertainty; very definite

aircraft  n. a machine (such as an airplane or a helicopter) that flies through the air
Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump set out sharply different ideas about Americas allies in Asia during their debate Monday night.

Clinton, a former United States Senator and Secretary of State, is the candidate of the Democratic Party. Trump, a businessman, is the Republican Partys choice for president.

In the debate, Clinton noted existing U.S. agreements to defend the Asian allies with conventional or nuclear weapons, if necessary. She sharply criticized Trumps earlier statements that suggested he might withdraw troops from Asia if elected.

He has said repeatedly that he didnt care if other nations got nuclear weapons  Japan, South Korea, even Saudi Arabia.

Trump reacted to her comment by saying that Clinton was misrepresenting his position. He repeated his call for the allies to pay a greater share of security costs.

All I said was they may have to defend themselves or they have to help us out.

Trump also said that he wanted to negotiate a better deal to get more support for defense efforts aiding both sides. One reason is the U.S. governments budget deficit.

We are a country that owes 20 trillion dollars, they have to help us out.

The two candidates did appear to agree on one thing. Both said that nuclear weapons were the biggest problem facing the world today.

The Republican nominee said the possibility that terrorists might gain a nuclear device is the single greatest threat facing the United States.

Clinton criticized the way Trump had spoken about nuclear weapons and the possibility that nations in Asia could acquire them.

His cavalier attitude about nuclear weapons is so deeply troubling. That is the number one threat we face in the world and it becomes particularly threatening if terrorists ever get their hands on any nuclear material.

U.S. nuclear policy has long been to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. Central to this effort is the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which first became effective in 1970.

Trump calls for greater defense cost-sharing

In the past, Trump has called Japan and South Korea free riders. The United States has 50,000 troops in Japan and about 28,000 troops in South Korea.

The U.S. forces are stationed there to help support peace and security in East Asia. However, Trump has said that these countries and others contribute too little to support the American troops.

Trump has argued that, because the U.S. has large budget deficits, it no longer has enough money to keep large numbers of troops in bases overseas.

It is estimated that Japan pays $1.6 billion toward the costs of U.S. troops there and South Korea pays $866 million.

On Tuesday, South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck said his country is closely watching the U.S. election. Officials there are considering how the vote might affect relations with the U.S. and the alliance with it.

Cho said, I can tell you that our government has been contributing and playing a role to maintain and strengthen Korea-U.S. joint defense capability and provide stable conditions for the USFK (U.S. Forces Korea) to be stationed.

On Monday, the United States and South Korea carried out joint naval exercises, one of several major exercises this year.

The commander of U.S. Naval Forces Korea, Brad Cooper, said the exercise was organized to show the unwavering strength and resolve of America and its military allies.

Some U.S. lawmakers have moved to restate the countrys longstanding guarantee of protection to its allies.

In July, two members of the U.S. Senate wrote a commentary together. In it, Republican John McCain and Democrat Robert Menendez said the U.S. will meet its mutual defense treaty obligations no matter who is the next president.

However, some lawmakers in South Koreas ruling Saenuri Party have expressed concern over the U.S. defense alliance. They are urging the South Korean government to develop its own nuclear weapons to defend against the growing North Korean threat.

Im Mario Ritter.

Brian Padden reported this story for VOANews.com. Mario Ritter adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

acquire  v. to get, to come to own something

cavalier  adj. without concern for something important or serious

station  v. to put in place, to assign a person or group to an area for a period of time

contribute  v. to give

unwavering  adj. to continue without decreasing

obligation  n. something that must be done

mutual  adj. shared by two or more people or groups

conventional  adj. common or not unusual; traditional
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Particularly during my sojourns in South Africa, it may not be possible for me to perform the moderation function speedily. I regret the necessity of moderation but it has been rendered inevitable by the behaviour of a particular commentator whose contributions will always and without exception be rejected.





No correspondence will be entered into regarding moderation decisions.

Readers are invited to comment on blog posts. All comments require to be pre-moderated by me, and I shall reject all (a) that are not related to the Lockerbie disaster or (b) that fail to meet my -- perhaps idiosyncratic -- standards of courtesy towards other contributors. Comments will not be rejected simply because I disagree with them or because I, or other contributors, find them irritating. But comments will be rejected if they distort or misrepresent the evidence; are defamatory; or if they risk embroiling me, as publisher, in defamation proceedings. I am perfectly relaxed about being sued in respect of material which I personally have posted -- but not in respect of material that others wish to post as comments and which, in any case, I often strongly disagree with.
Its official, Jennifer and Greg Gossard have adopted eight children from the same family.

On Tuesday, a Utah family adopted five kids from Tampa



The children are related to three children Jennifer and Greg Gossard already adopted

The forever home was finalized for five children via Skype Tuesday. The Gossards were in Utah and the proceedings were held in the a Hillsborough County courtroom.

The five children, ages 4 to 14, will now be raised by the same adoptive parents as their older siblings. The Gossards adopted the three older children about 20 years ago.

The Gossards have eight adoptive children and four biological children.

"Children are such a gift, they are innocent little beings that need love and to be cared for, said Jennifer. Its heart wrenching to me see a child that is uncared for."

Police say the Tampa home the kids were in was far from a caring one. Their biological mother, Jamie Hicks was arrested two years ago and charged with child abuse, shes currently in the Hillsborough County Jail.

"This was really horrific abuse, the kids had run away they were not going to school, the parents were not feeding them there was a lot of bizarre punishment and physical abuse," said Hillary Shaughnessy, senior director of operations with Eckerd Kids.

The Gossards want to make sure the past stays in the past and provide the children with a loving, fresh future in Utah.

They needed a home and we needed to love them, said Jennifer.
The Largo Police Department is going above and beyond the call of duty.

Rob Bachman, a tattoo artist at Legacy Blue Tattoo Studio in Tarpon Springs, agreed to tattoo his cousin and her husband after they tragically lost their 6-year-old son, Jakob.

NY parents traveled to Florida for handprint tattoos

Largo Police Sgt. Anna Starling helped retrieve the prints

The parents both got the tattoo, which reads 'your wings were ready, but my heart was not'

"She said, 'The only thing I have is this set of handprints he put on my mirror the morning he passed away,' Bachman recalled.

Bachmans family, who is from Buffalo, New York, drove down to Florida with the mirror in the car. But Bachman wasnt sure how to get the handprints off the mirror.

So he called Sgt. Ann Starling at the Largo Police Department.

"How can anyone say no? Starling, who works as a traffic homicide investigator, said. It was such a moving story and it was not exactly what I do now, but I still have the skills so how could I not do it for them?"

Starling met the family at the police station on a Saturday  her day off  and got to work. She was able to lift multiple copies of the handprints off the mirror.

"Cars, houses, windows, you name it, weve done it, Starling said. But this was probably the most important set of prints I have ever pulled in my entire life."

Bachman then used the prints for the tattoos. Jakobs dad got one handprint tattooed on his shoulder and his mom got the other on her leg. Both tattoos also say, Your wings were ready, but my heart was not.

"There would have been no way to be able to do that tattoo and make it perfect, realistic, there would have been no way to do it without those prints, Bachman said.

Jakobs parents say they appreciate Sgt. Starling and Bachman for making it all happen.
4:45 p.m. UPDATE: The boy has been located outside Jacksonville and is safe, and the Amber Alert has been canceled.

Norris Dail Jr., 26, and the vehicle described below are still being sought.

PREVIOUS STORY: A Florida Amber Alert has been issued for a missing child, and authorities are also investigating a woman's death.

Amber Alert for Norris Dail Jr.

Boy was last seen in Jacksonville

Anyone with information asked to call 911



The alert was issued Wednesday afternoon for Norris Dail Jr., a black/Hispanic boy who is 4 years old. He is 41 inches tall, weighs 32 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes.

Authorities said he was last seen in the 3800 block of University Blvd. South in Jacksonville.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office also posted on Facebook that a woman was found dead inside a Southside home. The cases are believed to be related.

The child may be in the company of Norris Dail Sr., 26. He is 6 feet tall, 210 pounds, with black hair, brown eyes and wearing a light gray shirt with black shorts.

Officials said they may be traveling in a 2000 silver Mitsubishi Galant with Maryland specialty tag number 1BK9546. The specialty tag is Baltimore Ravens.

There is also a Baltimore Ravens sticker on one of the windows.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of the child, call 911 or the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0513.
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was arrested Wednesday afternoon following an investigation into allegations that he inappropriately touched a woman during a traffic stop earlier this month, Lake County deputies said.

FHP trooper accused of touching 21-year-old woman during traffic stop

The traffic stop happened earlier September near VIA|Port Mall

A Snapchat conversation between the trooper, victim led to charges

Trooper David Gonzalez, 35, was charged with battery. He was booked into the Lake County Detention Center.

The victim, a 21-year-old woman, reported that she was pulled over by Gonzalez earlier this month for speeding along U.S. Highway 441 in the area of VIA|Port Mall, according to a news release. The woman stated Gonzalez had her move her vehicle down a side street after complimenting her on her looks. The victim also stated that she was asked to step out of her car, at which time Gonzalez took her phone and added himself to her Snapchat account and then had her take a selfie of the two of them.

According to the victim, Gonzalez then hugged her, kissed her and "groped her breast against her will," deputies said.

Detectives monitored a Snapchat conversation on Sept. 27 between the victim and Gonzalez. The trooper made statements that confirmed the victim's account of the traffic stop, deputies said.

A warrant was issued earlier Wednesday, and Gonzalez was taken into custody just after 1 p.m. at the jail. His bond was set at $10,000.
Lahore: Pakistan's film industry fears it may suffer a 70 per cent business loss if Indo-Pak ties worsen and Bollywood films are banned in the country.

The fear among the industry people has been growing as they feel if the situation does not improve there would be

calls to ban Indian films eventually.

"I don't want to sound pessimistic but the truth is there has only been a boom in the cinema industry in Pakistan in the last few years because of the release of latest Bollywood and Hollywood films," said Nadeem Mandviwalla, a known exhibitor, distributor and owner of the Atrium chain of cineplexes.

"I just hope the ties don't remain tense on long-term basis. Even if there is a temporary ban we can survive but if

there is any permanent ban you can expect lot of cinema houses and multiplexes to close down," he said.

Omair Alavi, a popular film critic, said that due to the increase in cinema screens and revenues there had also been a

resurgence of the Pakistani film industry.

"We have seen number of Pakistani films release and do well and others are also lined up for release. But for a

cinema industry to survive you need to produce at least 50 to 60 films in a year which we are not doing at present."

Mandviwalla said 70 per cent of the business comes from Bollywood and Hollywood.

"There is no alternative. If the ties worsen, it is going to affect everyone," he said.

He, however, said that previously when Indian films were banned in Pakistan, business flourished underground with the sale of pirated DVDs and other such materials.

"Now you have cable operators as well but I think if there is any ban it will also affect their programming," he said.

Saleem Khan, who has been in the business for years, thinks there would not be a ban but if this happens cinema

owners might have to completely wrap up their business or shut a few screens to cut costs.

"We don't produce enough films to sustain ourselves throughout the year. We need to produce at least over 50 films

annually," Khan said.

Former Sindh Board of Film Censors chairman Fakhr-e-Alam said any such ban would result in "going back to the days where our screens were shut down and converted into shopping malls or apartments because there weren't enough movies."

Alam feels there is only one hope for industry people in case of a ban on Bollywood films and that is the Pakistan

government must provide funds for production of films.

Cinepax Cinemas Assistant Marketing Manager Abid Ali Zaidi said if there was a "temporary" ban the cinema chains would manage for a while by screening old Pakistani films.

"We are already planning to do that from October as an alternative," Zaidi said.

Since Indian films were allowed to be imported and screened the cinema industry business has picked up rapidly in

Pakistan with some Bollywood blockbusters even grossing the 100-crore rupees mark in Pakistan.
As tensions between India and Pakistan escalated against the backdrop of the Uri attacks, comedian Tanmay Bhat  him of the All India Bakchod, Lata Mangeshkar-Sachin Tendulkar mimicking, Roast-ing fame  was among those who provided an unusual take on the cross-border hostilities.

In a series of tweets, Bhat 'analysed' the calls for India to go to war with Pakistan, and his pithy 140-character summation soon went viral.

Bhat began by describing an incident in school (our money's on it being apocryphal) when he was part of a debate competition, with the subject being 'Should India nuke Pakistan?'. Bhat described how he made an impassioned, well-argued and rational argument against the motion  only to be shown up by his opponent:

The kid got onto stage and began narrating an incident. Genius, begin with an anecdote. Should've thought of that myself. 1/9  Tanmay Bhat (@thetanmay) September 19, 2016

"When we were in PT period yesterday, I threw a stone into my dear friend Tanmay's pocket..." He said. (1/10)  Tanmay Bhat (@thetanmay) September 19, 2016

"The first time I did it, he got annoyed and shouted at me. So I did it again. This time again he shouted at me" He continued. (1/11)  Tanmay Bhat (@thetanmay) September 19, 2016

"I did it 4-5 times. He went and complained to the teacher. But even that didn't stop me.." (1/11)  Tanmay Bhat (@thetanmay) September 19, 2016

"Until the final time that I threw a stone in his pocket, he got up and pushed me.." Stunned silence in the audience right now. (1/12)  Tanmay Bhat (@thetanmay) September 19, 2016

"Now you tell me, if Tanmay can hit me back for doing something so small like throwing stones, WHY CAN'T WE ATTACK PAKISTAN!" (1/13)  Tanmay Bhat (@thetanmay) September 19, 2016

"And he toh is a friend! IF HE CAN DO IT, WHY CAN'T WE AS ENEMIES ATTACK THEM!" - I could see concentric circles forming in 8th grade eyes  Tanmay Bhat (@thetanmay) September 19, 2016

He ended his speech by yelling Bharat Mata Ki (no jokes) while 8th graders yelled JAIII officially giving their consent for violence. (1/15)  Tanmay Bhat (@thetanmay) September 19, 2016

The teachers watched in horror. They were the judges of course and I won't the debate. But none of the students thought I deserved to.  Tanmay Bhat (@thetanmay) September 19, 2016

I jokingly tell that friend today that if he wrote this anecdote on his resume, Times Now would hire him instantly.  Tanmay Bhat (@thetanmay) September 19, 2016

Now, a Pakistani comedian has also come up with a viral answer to why our two neighbouring nations shouldn't declare war.

In a post dated 22 September, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh offers several compelling reasons for why India and Pakistan should work out a peaceable solution to their longstanding tensions.

Among the reasons he puts forward are: Katrina Kaif (India has her, Pakistan doesn't), Fawad Khan having to return home (in which case the women of India will have to go back to swooning over, in his words, Suniel Shetty and Ajay Devgn!), greater ease of access for Sania Mirza between her 'maika' and 'sasuraal'. And of course, a chance for the foes-turned-friends to gossip about their other neighbours, like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Shaikh also offers an alternative to how the hostilities between the two countries can be put to rest with an epic contest (rather than war)  the highlight of which will be a singing showdown between Taher Shah (of 'Angel' fame) and Himesh Reshammiya.

We must say, that would be an evenly matched contest.

Read Shaikh's full post here:
Amsterdam: Uber is making an aggressive drive into meal delivery, backed by a wave of staff recruitment, with the U.S. tech heavyweight gearing up to enter at least 22 new countries and take on local rivals.

In a measure of rising ambition beyond its taxi business, Uber will begin delivering meals in Amsterdam on Thursday just as Dutch market leader Takeaway.com, begins trading on the city's stock market.

And according to current job listings on Uber and other recruiting sites - for about 150 roles ranging from general managers and sales staff to bike couriers - UberEats is planning to enter at least 22 new countries across the world in the near future. That is on top of the six countries where it already operates.

As recently as May, Uber executives were signalling that UberEats' international ambitions were a modest extension of its core business of transporting people. But its job hiring efforts over the last three months suggest something more ambitious is taking shape.

"UberEats is one (business) we feel incredibly confident is resonating across the world and resonating across the footprint of the cities in which Uber operates the transport business," Jambu Palaniappan, recently named head of UberEats for Europe, Middle East and Africa, told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.

He named eight cities including Dubai and Johannesburg that UberEats plans to enter by the end of the year, but declined to spell out later targets.

Europe is home base to many of the most active international players in the online food takeaway business. They are counting on their local ties, established customer bases and sprawling restaurant networks to insulate them from U.S. tech giants.

The biggest international players - Britain's Just Eat, Germany's Delivery Hero and Takeaway.com - focus on advertising local takeaways and booking orders for nearby users, while leaving deliveries to the restaurants themselves.

They have been raising fresh capital or swapping assets to bulk up in the expectation that Uber would ratchet up its challenge.

Meanwhile, smaller players - Belgium's Take Eat Easy, delivering in 20 European cities, and London-based Pronto, which cooked meals as well as delivered them - have shut down in recent months, as the rush of funding that created dozens of start-ups modelled on Uber in recent years has dwindled.

Sub-scale

Investors have poured nearly $10 billion (8.9 billion euros) into 421 food delivery deals since the start of 2014, but funding dropped by more than half in the first six months of 2016, according to research from CBInsights.

Overall, the global restaurant takeaway market is projected to grow by 10 percent between 2015 and 2020 to reach $93.4 billion, according to market research firm Euromonitor.

Adding to pressures on existing food delivery players, Amazon launched its international expansion of Amazon Restaurants by entering the London market earlier this month, building on its existing 11-city base in the United States.

"The problem for many of the remaining players is that they are sub-scale: They can't compete without superior logistics," said Neil Campling, head of global research for the tech industry at fund manager Northern Trust Capital Markets.

To date, UberEats has launched in 33 cities in six countries, 27 of which are in the United States, where it first began testing food delivery two years ago.

Since launching in London in June, Uber has promised to cut delivery times to within a 30-minute window, with no minimum order size or extra delivery fees. You can order a cupcake made in Kensington and have it driven across town to Whitechapel for the price of the cupcake in the shop.

"When we launch in a city, one of the things we try to do very quickly is to get customer wait times down as low as possible," said Palaniappan, a Silicon Valley native who had run Uber's core business in the EMEA region and oversaw its move into India.

By contrast, many rivals promise orders will take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, while requiring minimum orders and charging customer delivery fees. UberEats also benefits by being promoted through Uber's existing, very popular car hire app.

Stronghold

Later this week, Takeaway plans to raise 350 million euros ($390 million) in an initial public offering that would give it a market value around 1 billion euros.

Some newer entrants like Deliveroo of Britain and Foodora, a unit of Delivery Hero, have their own drivers - but few can rival Uber or Amazon's deep pockets and vast customer bases around the globe.

To bolster their respective local and regional positions, Takeaway and Just Eat traded assets in August, with Takeaway exiting Just Eat's British stronghold in exchange for Just Eat's Benelux properties.

London-listed Just Eat expects its revenue to rise around 50 percent this year and says its 66,000 restaurant partnerships can ensure its growth for years to come.

Delivery Hero co-founder and CEO Niklas Oestberg says his firm has built a market-leading position in 28 countries around the world, signing up close to 300,000 restaurants - from Asia to Europe to Latin America - by acquiring local rivals, swapping assets and exiting tougher markets such as China and Russia.

Dominance is not assured for Amazon and Uber, for whom meal delivery - a highly localised business that must be won city by city from local players - is but one of several big initiatives.

A swing factor could prove to be how willing restaurants, such as pizza chains, are willing to allow big digital players to come between them and their customers - an issue Amazon has faced with brand-name retailers and Uber with taxi associations.

Alexander Frolov, a London-based partner in venture capital firm Target Global, an investor in Delivery Hero and other food-themed start-ups, says Uber is a formidable challenger but local food delivery is far from a winner-take-all market.

"It's not like Facebook. If all my friends are on UberEats, I don't really care; there will be other options," Frolov said in an interview. "That makes it more difficult for Uber to displace strong local players."
Consumers will surely be the king this festive season. Not just online retailers, who have been using every advertising space, online and offline, with their big-bang plans but also their brick-and-mortar retail counterparts who are gung-ho about this season.

There is buoyancy all around. First, the monsoons have been good after two back-to-back drought which has lent positivity to the economy besides lifting the mood of the people. Even Latur in Maharashtra, which was dry until August 2016, experienced good rains in last few days and has been able to recoup with Manjiri river flowing to full capacity. The city has been able to fill two of its barrages to full capacity, according to this Indian Express report.

Secondly, more money will be jingling in the pockets of about 10 million government employees and pensioners with the implementation the 7th Pay Commission, which has increased their overall compensation by 23.55 percent. More importantly, the arrears from 1 January 2016 has already been paid in one instalment with August salary.

Although festive season usually constitutes a major chunk of the total sales for retailers and consumer goods firms due to higher consumer spends, the mood appears to be even more upbeat for them this time, say analysts.

An earlier report in The Economic Times said FMCG Indian companies are planning to spend about Rs 20,000 crore on advertising and marketing this season.

Some FMCG companies and brands have already announced their sales and discounts while some like Craftsvilla  an ethnic online store, for instance, have announced limited day offers. Manish Kalra, Chief Business Officer, Craftsvilla, says that it is celebrating Navratri and Diwali with grand sales.

We are offering two sales back to back  October 1 to 5, October 12 to 16  when traditional wear and accessories will be available at a minimum 50 percent, said Kalra.

Kapil Agarwal, VP  marketing, Whirlpool of India said the company is expecting a 'great' Diwali this year and has earmarked 40 percent of its annual budget to this festive season.

We are targeting a strong double digit growth, aiming to increase market share in all categories and regions, said Agarwal. The company has scheduled new launches in every category starting from a new range of steels in refrigerators, a new range of washer and new ranges in its microwave oven category, too.

Diwali is a festival when the white goods companies go all out to woo customers and offers freebies too. This is also the time when customers spend money to upgrade their Home appliances and also, consumer electronics. LG Electronics is upbeat about achieving 30 percent growth over last year. Niladri Datta, head, corporate marketing, LG India, says, customers can avail of value enhancer combo offers. Besides, the company will offers its latest E6 series featuring premium technologies.

Lenovo is offering additional warranty of up to two years and accident protection up to three years with its laptops priced Rs 50,000 and above, informed Rajesh Thadani, Head & Executive Director  Consumer, Online and E-commerce, Lenovo India. There are offers based on redemption like hard drives, power bank or gaming gear. For instance, a purchase of a Lenovo Y Gaming laptop priced at Rs 70,000, a customer can buy a gaming kit (inclusive of headset, mouse, mechanical keyboard and a backpack) for Rs 2,999 instead of over Rs 19,000, the price of the kit.

Vijay Sales, one of Indias leading electronic retailer expects sales to grow 15-20 percent this festive season. The over four-decade-old firm operates 67 stores across Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Delhi. Nilesh Gupta, Managing Director, said though the company is not active online, the advertising for online products and discounts offered by online marketplaces has helped offline tremendously.

We are expecting 15 to 20 percent growth which is slightly over than last festive season. We are expecting more customers to opt for our EMI scheme and exchange products for new at our stores. Gupta believes LED products will lead sales largely this season.

Godrej Appliances is expecting double growth this year from around 8 percent last year to 15 to 16 percent this festive season. The company is expecting a topline of Rs 4,000 crore (nationally), and a growth of 20 percent over last year. "We ended last year at around Rs 3,250 crore," says Kamal Nandi, Business Head and executive vice-president, Godrej Appliances, adding that the focus will remain on premium segment this year and this run across segments - not just the high ends. The company's festive offer starts from 1 October to 5 November and gives customers assured gifts worth up to Rs 18,100 on purchase of select models. The gifts include Godrej air purifiers, Portico bedsheets, dry irons among others.

Rating agency firm ICRA on Tuesday said its expects 10-12 percent growth for two-wheelers this fiscal with significant contribution of sales coming in during festive season.

"Besides pay revisions ... benefits from a favourable monsoon during the current year and expected healthy kharif output supporting rural cash flows are expected to be key factors leading the growth," ICRA said in its report.

According to a report in The Economic Times, both retail outlets and online shopping sites will be offering zero-cost EMIs (equated monthly instalments) on credit card spends to customers.

In order to comply with the Reserve Bank of India's regulations, these outlets and online retailers will offer discounts to consumers from the interest component payable to the banks under the zero-cost EMI scheme, the ET report said.

Both Flipkart and Future Group have tied up with SBI, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank etc among others to offer the current zero-cost EMI scheme, the report added.

If these projections by companies indeed realise, then it will be a huge boost for the consumption demand in the country, which will definitely help the economy too.
Washington: The board of the World Bank has unanimously agreed to name Jim Yong Kim to a second term as president, the global lender announced today.

Kim had been the only candidate in a process criticised by World Bank staff and campaigners as lacking in transparency and dominated by the United States.

In a statement announcing the decision, the Bank's board offered a strong endorsement of Kim's record, including setting the goal of eliminating extreme global poverty by 2030 and an internal re-organisation to promote better coordination which provoked staff dissent.

The board also said an effort under Kim to cut bank spending had reduced administrative costs by 400 million, money then reinvested to support the bank's goals.

"Chairs expressed satisfaction that this Expenditure Review is on track, allowing the organisation to increase its support for countries and focus on delivering results more quickly," the statement said.

Following an unwritten rule, the United States, the Bank's largest shareholder, has chosen all World Bank presidents since the institution's creation after the Second World War. But when he was nominated for a first term in 2012, Kim was the first US nominee to face a challenger when Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala entered the contest.

Kim received the US endorsement almost immediately after the window for nominations for the term beginning next July opened, perhaps warding off challengers and avoiding a repeat of 2012.

However, the Bank's staff association last month delivered a stinging broadside, citing high levels of disaffection among its 15,000 employees and asserting that the Bank faced a "crisis of leadership."
Mumbai: Lauding the progress achieved so far on GST implementation, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday exuded confidence that it is "reasonably possible" to meet the April 1 deadline to roll out the new indirect tax regime.

"There has hardly been an opportunity, in fact there has been none, where I've seen state finance ministers dividing themselves on party lines (as on GST). If this trend goes on, I am quite certain, it may be reasonably possible for us to meet the deadline. (April 1, 2017), however difficult it may be," Jaitley told SBI Economic Conclave.

Noting that states have realised the importance of competitiveness and attracting investments, Jaitley said getting the GST through was "troublesome" as it involved completely changing the powers of the Union and the states.

"It required consensus building so that we had shared sovereignty," he observed adding "GST progress showed that we have the stamina for reforms".

The GST Council has the mandate to look into issues of dual control and threshold rates with the states demanding that they be given the legal and administrative powers for imposing tax on entities with turnover of up to Rs 1.5 crore.

The GST Council is chaired by Jaitley and has his junior in charge of revenue and state finance ministers as members.

GST, which is considered as the biggest tax reform since the Independence, will subsume excise and service tax, and various other local levies including VAT and octroi.

The GST Council is likely to work out a consensus on all the key issues, including the GST rates, within two months so that those can be incorporated in the CGST and IGST laws.

The first meeting of the GST met on September 21-22 and decided on the many issues barring the rates, on which they will meet from October 17 and hope to finalise by November.

The government is planning to introduce GST legislations -- Central GST (CGST) and Integrated GST (IGST) -- in the Winter session begging later November.
New Delhi: Singapore-based fund management company Amansa Holding Pte has increased its stake in tyre major Ceat to over 5 percent by acquiring 1.17 percent stake through secondary market purchase.

Amansa has acquired 4,75,000 shares of the tyre maker constituting 1.17 percent stake, thereby taking its overall stake in the firm to 5.19 percent, Ceat said in a BSE filing.

Before acquiring the 1.17 percent stake on September 23, the fund management firm had 16,24,884 shares in Ceat, constituting a stake of 4.02 percent.

Ceat manufactures radial tyres for a range of vehicles including buses, trucks, cars, bikes and scooters among others.

The stock was trading 0.72 percent up at Rs 1,203.70 on BSE.
New Delhi: CBI was pulled up by a city court on Wednesday for delay in communication with Canada for help in tracing a witness of a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which Congress leader Jagdish Tytler was earlier given a clean chit.

The court expressed displeasure saying the agency had delayed in writing a letter to the Canadian Government seeking details of Narinder Singh, son of a prime witness against Tytler, which it did only on 8 September even though the order to do so was given on 11 July.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Shivali Sharma asked CBI's Superintendent of Police, who is supervising the probe, to appear before the court on 25 October to apprise it about the status of investigation. The court called the senior officer while observing that the position of the probe in the case was the same as it was on 11 July, the last date of hearing.

"After July 11 order, you have written letter to the Canadian Government on 8 September, it shows delay on your part," the court told CBI after perusing the probe report filed earlier in a sealed cover. "This position of investigation was same as on the last date of hearing also. What is new now," the court asked the CBI prosecutor and the investigating officer.

It also directed the agency to file its monthly probe report on 25 October, the next date of hearing. During the hearing, prosecutor NK Srivastava said they had contacted the Interpol authorities for tracing Narinder but they asked them to contact the Canadian government.

On CBI's reluctance in seeking the help of complainant and senior advocate HS Phoolka, who represents the riot victims, in tracing Narinder and other foreign based witnesses, the court asked "what is the harm in seeking their help if they can help in expediting the process?"

CBI, however, said its domestic probe was almost done and it would take some time to complete offshore investigation. "We have made all possible efforts to trace Narinder but he could not be contacted. We have tried his mobile number several times but nobody picks up the call," the prosecutor said, adding that CBI has also taken help of foreign agencies.
What the heck is wrong with Arvind Kejriwal? How can he possibly be so stupid as to tweet about Indias isolation from the world at a time when things are breaking in our favour?

Excellent article. On Uri, rather than Pak, India seems to be getting isolated internationally https://t.co/u6wKBE20fP  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) September 27, 2016

At least there is consternation on the other side. You can hate Modi, you can be anti-BJP, love Rahul Gandhi, adore the Congress, you can have wet dreams about hurting the Lt Governor whom you cannot stand and because you are the democratically-elected chief minister of Delhi we will suck it up, but when you put grubby fingerprints on India then it is time you heard from the capital and the country that you have crossed the white line and are now entering dangerous territory.

This is not honesty. This is not your JNU-leftist drama. This is not even opinion because opinion has to be based on facts. This is dangerous because you are in a position of power and you cannot see what is happening around you.

When you go against the flow with malice, you are then an enemy of the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a speech at Kozhikode which was ostensibly low key in action, but high in rhetoric to set the pace for Sushma Swaraj at the UN General Assembly. She then went to this podium and played hardball.

At the same moment, Modis brigade began to move on the Indus river treaty and pulled out of Saarc. This placed Pakistan on the back foot and forced Nawaz Sharifs Chief Advisor Sartaj Aziz to state publicly that if Modi messed with the waters it would be a sign of war. Thats how rattled they are.

Then we have four nations backing off the Saarc meet in November. No one is going to Islamabad and Muree, and Mr Sharif will dine alone.

Where was Arvind Kejriwal when all this was happening for the past four days?

I dont know if yoga has an 'asana' for stupidity, but if it does he better start practicing it.

Who has been isolated? Even the Chinese bogey was sidetracked as India and China engaged in talks this week, on guess what, Arvind... terrorism and how to stop it.

If you belong to the AAP and believe in your doctrine then nowhere does it say that your leader has the right to give comfort to the enemy. Democracy is not a protection and you are not above the flagpole. Tell him that, tell him he just fell off his rickety pedestal and will not be easily forgiven.

It is a matter of great shame that to settle his scores and bring to the fore his tedious, petty and personal battles which have already exhausted public patience that he would go to such lengths.

Of course, you have an opinion, but it must be rational. How can you say without a single shred of evidence that India is being isolated as it embarks on a hardcore isolationist policy against a country it has publicly called an exporter of terror.

Please chief minister it is time to quit before someone puts a PIL against you for tweeting tripe.
New Delhi: The opposition Congress on Wednesday demanded a court-monitored probe into the death of suspended Corporate Affairs Ministry officer BK Bansal and his family members.

Bansal, who was being probed in a corruption case by the CBI, and his 31-year-old son committed suicide by hanging themselves from ceiling fans in their apartment on Tuesday, police said.

The twin suicides came two months after Bansal's wife and daughter had ended their lives.

"Is the allegation of bribery of Rs 9 lakh so big a charge that all the family members had to commit suicide. There is something else behind the whole episode," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told media persons.

"This case should be investigated properly to find out if this was the only reason for committing suicide or there are some other angles to it. Did he (Bansal) know some facts for which pressure was built on him," he asked.

"We demand a court-monitored investigation in this case."

Taking on the Central Bureau of Investigation, which operates directly under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tewari said: "On 6 November, 2013, Gauhati High Court had held that CBI is an illegal organisation. The legitimacy of the CBI hangs by the thread of a Supreme Court order. Should the government not go and tell the Supreme Court that the legality of the CBI needs to be adjudicated."

"Till the time the legality of the CBI is not adjudicated and until the Supreme Court decides to agree or disagree with the Gauhati High Court's orders, the CBI should stop taking further cases," he added.
What should be the goal of an Indian military cross-border excursion? Many observers, myself among them, do not believe that India presently has the requisite military capability to carry out any strike into Pakistan that would hurt the Pakistani military or degrade the infrastructure of its jihadist allies, while simultaneously staying below Islamabad's nuclear threshold. There are yet others who argue that such options simply do not exist because any conceivable strike would either be of limited strategic use or would risk escalation of the crisis past the nuclear limit. Or both. However, it is important to be clear about the aims of a cross-border mission before we discuss utility or capability.

One kind of cross-border strike is a precise attack from the air. Presumably, stealth helicopters or fighter aircraft would slip into enemy airspace, unleash their deadly payload of precision-guided munitions, and return before anyone is any the wiser. Critics say that India lacks the material capability as well as training to carry out such missions. However, such high standards for these sorts of operations are achieved only in Hollywood or on games consoles: As ample examples illustrate, real life is a lot messier. In perhaps the most famous and significant case of an airstrike gone awry, in May 1999, the United States air force mistakenly bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade. More recently, according to the United Nations, over 1,250 civilians have been killed in Afghanistan in just the past seven years.

The possibility of collateral damage or a failed strike  when the targets have already fled  is always there. Faulty intelligence, bad data, or a fast-evolving situation on the ground is usually to blame. Robert Farley, a professor at the University of Kentucky who studies the American military, explains, "One of the core aspects of air power theory is this idea that with enough reconnaissance, with enough data with enough data crunching, we can paint an extremely hyper-accurate picture of the battlefield that is going to not only eliminate accidental strikes, but its going to make it so we can strike directly and precisely." The situational awareness in reality is never that good, admitted Scott F Murray, a retired US air force colonel who coordinated the US air campaign in West Asia and Afghanistan. While India needs to hone its skills in surgical airstrikes, the benchmark can never be an ideal that has rarely been achieved.

A second option is the targeted assassination or abduction of key figures. Although Israeli operations such as the the one bringing Adolf Eichmann to trial or the series of assassinations carried out in revenge for the massacre of the Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics in 1972 come to mind, there are also equally public and painful failures such as the botched job in Lillehammer in 1973 or the failed attempt on Khaled Meshaal in 1997. These operations require global assets and a long-term focus that the Indian political class has simply not been seen to possess.

Yet what is the long-term utility of being able to conduct such operations? As we have seen after every successful US or Israeli counter-terrorism mission, fallen leaders are quickly replaced. For a time, the organisation may lose steam; occasionally, a lack of agreement on a suitable successor may cause a group to splinter, but this makes it even more difficult to keep track of the various new factions. Rarely, if ever, have such operations succeeded in stopping terrorism and yet terror cell leaders constitute high value targets. The elimination of Hafiz Saeed, Dawood Ibrahim, or any other senior terrorist figure may be a national morale booster and morally satisfying but will scarcely dissuade Pakistan from conducting further acts of terrorism against India.

The value of a cross-border strike is not in its potential to resolve conflict  any such expectation is delusional. Rather, it is the assurance of a punitive response, even one that is held back to a time and place of Delhi's choosing. From a rationalist, state-level perspective, this cycle of strike and counter-strike seems insane. Yet India is not fighting a State but an idea: As Husain Haqqani has argued in his recent book, India vs Pakistan: Why Can't We Just Be Friends?, the root of the conflict between the two South Asian states is not nationalism but religion. Contrary to popular opinion, Islam did not enter the scene during the rule of Zia ul-Haq but as early as Ayub Khan, who used to pepper his anti-India speeches with Islamic references. Even before Independence, the Urdu poet Asghar Sodai coined the famous phrase (1944) that would go on to become a rallying cry for all sorts of groups in Pakistan to this day:       . Unlike states, ideas are more amorphous and resilient to force.

A model that is popularly looked up to in India is Israel. The swift, daring, and decisive actions of not just its intelligence services but also its military are the stuff of legend. However, the real lessons for India come from the pattern of fighting the Israeli Defence Forces have adopted over last 20 years and not its early days. Lieutenant-Colonel Ron Tira (res) of the Israeli Air Force describes the IDF's strategy in its last six major engagements as one of attrition in which the aim was to "cause the opponent more damage (quantitatively and qualitatively) than the opponent caused Israel in the same timespan." The fear of punitive retaliation would, it was hoped, delay the next conflict and restrain the enemy's ambitions.

The possibility of collateral damage or a failed strike  when the targets have already fled  is always there

This is exactly the strategy Israel previously avoided  against larger, better equipped, and better trained forces of nation-states, the tiny IDF would be no match in the long haul. Against asymmetric forces, however, this strategy allows for resource and risk management. The limited aims and slow tempo of such campaigns allows both sides time for diplomatic signalling and stock-taking. The strategy works, Tira explains, because "Israel faced weak sub-state enemies whose main capabilities lie in inflicting damage, but who do not threaten to defeat the IDF or to capture Israeli territory. In each campaign, the interests defended by the IDF were of secondary importance. In this context, Israel could afford to sustain damage from the opponent, knowing that the opponent at the same time was suffering more substantial damage, without removing the threat or substantially degrading the opponents ability to make war."

The South Asian situation is not identical: Pakistan actively cultivates terrorist networks in a far more direct manner than Arab support comes for the Palestinian disaffected. More importantly, Pakistan possesses nuclear weapons. Yet limited strikes by India, at times without even awaiting a provocation, will force Islamabad to distance itself from or publicly embrace its illegitimate children. It is feared that such action could well raise the heat on the border but the limited nature of these attacks would give Islamabad no credible reason to resort to nuclear blackmail. And why must nuclear anxiety be borne by one side alone and not shared?

Indian leaders must understand the nature of the threat they face and adopt a strategy that is more in tune with the demands of the situation. It may not be as satisfying as precise and decisive strikes or give closure but it is an old art of war.

The fantasy of a silver bullet serves no one.
Srinagar: Curfew was imposed in Koimoh town of south Kashmir's Kulgam district on Wednesday in view of the separatists call for a march, while restrictions on the assembly of people continued in the rest of the Valley.

A police official said the curbs in the town were imposed as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order in the wake of the separatists call for a march to the area.

The separatists, who are spearheading the current agitation in Kashmir, have asked people to march to various tehsil headquarters, including Koimoh, on Wednesday.

The official said while there was no curfew in any other areas in Kashmir, restrictions on the assembly of people under section 144 CrPc were in place in the rest of the Valley.

Meanwhile, normal life continued to remain affected in the Valley for the 82nd straight day today due to the separatist call for shut down but there was increased movement of private vehicles in the city, indicating mass fatigue among the populace due to the prolonged unrest.

Shops, petrol pumps and other business establishments remained closed. Schools, colleges and other educational institutions also remained closed across the Valley.

As many as 82 persons, including two cops, have been killed and thousands of others injured in the ongoing unrest that started after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir on 8 July.
A year after the Dadri lynching case, where a mob beat 50-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq to death for allegedly consuming cow meat (or rather over rumours that his family was in possession and had consumed beef at home), what has changed in the town?

For one, police say that they are yet to find any "credible evidence" of cow slaughter by Mohammed Akhlaq's family, while refuting claims that a closure report will be filed soon. Dadri's Circle Officer Anurag Singh said that the investigation will continue till the last moment and "whenever we'll get any evidence we will arrest the accused". He added that the closure report will be the last step to take if they obtain no evidence.

Dadri, lynching and after

On 28 September, 2015, at around 10.30 pm, Akhlaq and his family were preparing to go to bed, when a feverish mob wielding sticks and other weapons stormed into his house and accused the family of slaughtering a cow and eating the same, reported the BBC.

Akhlaq was lynched, his son Danish, 22, was brutally beaten up and some people also assaulted Danish's grandmother and molested her. The mob was reportedly acting on rumours that a calf had gone missing on 16 September and that its remains were found near Akhlaq's home, while Akhlaq was allegedly seen throwing a bag containing meat which villagers claimed was from the missing calf.

Immediately, an FIR was filed against 10 people  under IPC sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 458 (house-trespass or house-breaking), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace)  while six were arrested in connection with the case. Interestingly, the FIR made no mention of beef and reported recovery of beef from the premises of the deceased Mohammad Akhlaq that led to the ghastly incident. The police also claimed that cow slaughter was just an allegation by the assailants and sent the pieces of meat found for analysis.

Two days later, there was an "uneasy calm" in Bishara village where the incident took place, reported The Hindu adding that an "inconsolable" Asgari Begum (Akhlaqs mother) claimed that they didn't steal anything and that the meat in question was mutton. The Hindu report quoted Asgari Begum extensively as saying that "dozens of men broke into the house. It was a little after the isha ki namaaz, they broke all the lights and did not bother to check what kind of meat was in the fridge. They hit us with bricks and stones after breaking down the door."

Another report in The Hindu mentioned that a "riot-like situation" took over the village and Akhlaq's relatives were prohibited from taking part in the funeral procession. The UP government, on 30 September, 2015, announced an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 10 lakh to Akhlaq's family and Chief Minister Akhilseh Yadav also instructed the district magistrate and senior superintendent of police, Noida to provide full protection to his family.

On 23 December, 2015, the Uttar Pradesh police filed a chargesheet naming 15 people as accused, reported Scroll. Eighteen hearings have been held since the chargesheet was filed, reports The Indian Express, and of the 18 hearings, only five have seen any movement.

The final report on the meat (31 May, 2016) found in Akhlaq's house confirmed that it was from a cow, which was also confirmed by the Central Forensic and Scientific Lab in Mathura, although preliminary report had ruled out that it was cow meat and suggested that it was mutton.

A court on 14 July, 2016, ordered the registration of a case and further investigation against Akhlaq's family for alleged cow slaughter. Acting on the court order, police (on 15 July) lodged an FIR against the late Mohammad Akhlaq and six

family members for alleged cow slaughter, while the family decided to challenge the FIR in the Allahabad High Court seeking directions for its quashing.

There were also allegations that evidences had been tampered with. "The meat recovered was more than 150 metres away from Akhlaq's house," Maulana Amir Rahsadi Madni, the national president of Rashtriya Ulama Council, said. He also claimed that only two kg meat was sent to Dadri lab, but the report suggested the quantity of meat was four to five kg, implying that there was some amount of tampering somewhere.

On 26 August, the Allahabad High Court stayed the arrest of five family members of Akhlaq, while refusing to grant relief to Akhlaq's brother Jaan Mohammed, who was among the six people named in the FIR lodged against the family.

So far, 18 people have been arrested for Akhlaq's murder and two minors have got bail.

What did it bring about?

The incident brought about a debate on intolerance and religion  specifically, the tiding over of minorities such as Dalits and Muslims  with intellectuals (and actors alike) such as Nayantara Sahgal returning their prestigious awards in protest over the incident.

The ruling BJP government came under fire for not immediately condemning the murder of Akhlaq, reports The Times of India, while it naturally took on political echoes. On 12 October, 2015, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that some of the incidents were being blown "out of proportion" and that the Dadri lynching would actually damage the BJP and the NDA. "It also damages the cause or the vision that the prime minister has and therefore they cannot be in the interest of the BJP or the NDA or the country."

Modi eventually broke his silence in October, calling the incident "unfortunate and undesirable".

With inputs from PTI
Why does Pakistan resort to asymmetric war against India?

Its more cost-effective than conventional warfare.

Why would India be reluctant to launch headlong into a conventional war against Pakistan?

Again, its about costs.

The gains for India would not be worth the investment in such a war. In modern wars, the consideration of collateral damage is critical. This is particularly true of countries that are focussed on the well-being  economic and otherwise  of their people and nurture the vision of greatness. That is the reason Indias war against Pakistan, a rogue country by many descriptions, has to be war by other means; low-cost means, that is.

Diplomatic isolation and the international shaming of Pakistan is one way to go about it. But it is not likely to make much of a difference to a country that already has a poor reputation. Sanctions have not been of much consequence earlier. Perhaps a better option is to target its biggest source of strength  China, which has been Pakistans all-weather friend. This friendship gives the latter the delusion of strength, and invincibility when it comes to India. It would help us if we analyse the nature of the relationship between the two and leverage our economic equations with China to make Pakistan irrelevant.

Chinas interest in Pakistan is as much about its geostrategic requirements as its economic objectives.

The control over the deep sea port in Gwadar in Balochistan will allow it a strategic presence in the worlds most important oil trade and shipping routes besides connecting it to West Asia and South and Central Asian countries. Moreover, it brings in close proximity to the worlds biggest oil reserve. The Xinjiang-Gwadar economic corridor through Pakistan is more critical to Chinas economic interests than those of the former. That explains why it announced a massive investment of $46 billion in projects in Pakistan not long ago. The cost-benefit analysis works overwhelmingly in its favour.

Chinas economic involvement with India is not small either. The latter is among Indias biggest bilateral trade partners, the volume of transactions being worth more than $70 billion. In the case of Pakistan, it is a meagre $12 billion or thereabouts. However, the balance of trade is massively against India. According to information provided in Parliament, it stood at close to $45 billion in 2015-16 with Indias exports amounting to only around $8 billion.

The unequal trade means India provides a healthy market for China to export its goods while the reciprocation from the latters side has not been healthy. With the Chinese economy already on slow growth mode, India can hurt it more by limiting the market for it by setting up barriers to its exports. In any case, India has a valid reason to do so. Cheap Chinese goods such as toys, mobile phones, other electronic gadgets and clothes, produced at very low labour costs in China, make it difficult for Indian companies to compete. The governments 'Make in India' initiative wont be a success in these commodities if theres no restraint on Chinese goods.

Can India make it look like a punitive measure to China for its total support to Pakistan? It can. It can make it plain to China: Dont expect us to be charitable to your business if you keep hobnobbing with our enemy. Dont take access to our markets for granted. However, its difficult to gauge what the reaction would be like, given the ties between the two countries have been tenuous over the decades.

Chinas interest in Pakistan is as much about its geostrategic requirements as its economic objectives

A better option for India would be to deepen economic engagement with China. A lot of Chinese firms have invested big in India over the last decade. The latter can invite investments from China for its projects. The more the country stays invested in us, the lesser the possibility of it extending blanket support to Pakistan in case of a situation of war. Its more likely to play a neutral role to protect its interests in both countries. That would virtually mean Pakistan standing alone or on a much weaker footing than before vis-a-vis India.

In the final analysis, its the consideration of economy that could separate allies China and Pakistan just as it could bring them closer. Mature countries seek to maximise their economic self-interest, not get involved in wasteful engagements such as war.

India should give it a thought while dealing with China.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to pull out of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit in Islamabad in November marks his latest move to diplomatically isolate Pakistan in the aftermath of Uri. Firstpost was the first to report that Modi would not be travelling to Pakistan in an exclusive piece by Sunil Raman on 19 September.

By and large, Indias absence at Islamabad would effectively reduce the 19th Saarc summit as a boring tea party hosted by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for three countries  Maldives, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Bangladesh, Afganisthan and Bhutan too have chosen not to participate in the summit.

Without India, Saarc meet is a non-event in all sense. India constitutes more than two third of the Saarc region economically and geographically and it is the only country, which shares borders with all other member countries. Modi's absence at the summit, if it happens, will thus not go unnoticed. And particularly so, given the reason India has offered to Saarc Chair Nepal for not attending the meet: "The increasing cross border attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of member states by one country."

Broadly looking at it, this is the fourth major diplomatic offensive India has put up against Pakistan in the aftermath of the Uri terror attacks which killed 18 Indian Army soldiers on 18 September. The other three steps India has taken towards isolating Pakistan are  a re-look at the Indus Waters Treaty, reviewing Pakistan's Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status and launching a severe attack against Pakistan in the United Nations.

Saarc's future

Beyond the diplomatic offensive, if India ends up giving the summit a miss, it will also raise question on Saarc's future. It is unlikely that India and Pakistan will have an understanding in the foreseeable future as long as Pakistan lives in constant denial of the existence of terror elements on its soil which are targetting India. If this stand off continues, the next big question is what will happen to the regional economic cooperation?

Set up in 1985 to enhance cooperation among the south Asian nations, Saarc drew a lot of inspiration from the cooperation among European countries, but the fact of the matter is the organisation is already a weak regional body. It hasnt made any significant progress to boost trade and economic progress in the region. One of the reasons for this is, two of its bigger members  India and Pakistan  are perennially locked in conflicts. These developments at Saarc have been of much interest to other regional powers, such as China and Japan, which have observer status in Saarc.

India realised the losing clout of Saarc and its implications when Modi openly voiced his views on Saarc's failure during his 2014 speech at Kathmandu Saarc summit. "When we speak of Saarc, we usually hear two reactions  cynicism and scepticism as Saarc we have failed to move with the speed that our people expect and want.," Modi had said then.

"Today, less than 5 percent of the region's global trade takes place between us. Even at this modest level, less than 10 percent of the region's internal trade takes place under Saarc Free Trade Area. Indian companies are investing billions abroad, but less than 1percent flow into our region. It is still harder to travel within our region than to Bangkok or Singapore; and, more expensive to speak to each other. How much have we done in Saarc to turn our natural wealth into shared prosperity; or, our borders into bridgeheads to a shared future?" Modi had said.

In the context of continuing India-Pakistan face off, the big question is what will happen to the organisation which 31 years old . Majority of the eight Saarc nations, mainly Bangladesh, Afganisthan and Bhutan are India supporters, especially on the issues of fighting terrorism originating in Pakistan and its implications on the region. Even the other countries cannot afford to stand on the wrong side of India given its sheer size and influence in the region and the fact that all of them share geographical borders (land and maritime) with India and has significant trade, policy relations.

The point is India remains and will remain the corner stone of the regional power structure.

Once again, lets go back to Modis 2014 Saarc speech. "India and Bangladesh have deepened their links through rail, road, power and transit. India and Nepal have started a new era of cooperation in energy; and, India and Bhutan are making those ties stronger by the day. With Sri Lanka, we have transformed trade through a Free Trade Agreement. We will soon launch a new arrangement to meet Maldives' need for oil. Distance and difficulties have not held back India and Afghanistan. And, bus and train sustain contacts between people in India and Pakistan."

One can, of course, forget the Pakistan reference now, but what one shouldnt miss is the fact that Modi had made an indirect yet strong pitch on how India is better positioned to take a leadership role in the regional cooperation either within Saarc or through the formation of a new body, due to the economic and trade dependency of Saarc nations on India. India has given duty free access to majority of goods from South Asian partners and has provided more than $8 billion in a decade to these countries through various programmes.

The Uri attack and Pakistan offensive could act as a trigger for a radical change in Saarc equations. Indias tough diplomatic offensive with Pakistan and its decision to isolate that country economically and politically could also mean a new regional power structure emerging in South Asia, with India taking the lead, that if Modi government sticks to its stance on Pakistan and doesnt take a U-turn.

Also read: Let Saarc die the slow death it deserves; but long live Sasec
Islamabad: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said the Indus Water Treaty was a mutually agreed arrangement between India and Pakistan brokered by the World Bank and no one country can unilaterally separate itself from the treaty.

Sharif made the remarks at a high-level meeting here wherein he asserted that Pakistan was fully capable of meeting any internal or external security threat.

"The meeting expressed deep concern on the increase in systematic human rights violations in Kashmir and strongly condemned brutal use of force by Indian security forces," according to statement issued after the meeting.

Addressing the meeting, the prime minister said that the Indus Water Treaty was mutually agreed arrangement between India and Pakistan brokered by the World Bank in 1960 and no one country can unilaterally separate itself from the treaty.

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with officials to review provisions of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan.

In that meeting it was decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water-sharing pact.

Pakistan next day approached the World Bank, with senior its officials taking up the matter with the international lender which had mediated the water-sharing deal.

Sharif said the violence on Kashmiris for their right to self-determination, promised by UN resolutions, will never be tolerated and the "oppressed Kashmiris deserve not only Pakistan's support but also the support of the entire world".

He said that Pakistan will continue to extend its moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiris until the issue of Kashmir is resolved as per aspirations of Kashmiri people.

Sharif said that the world is a witness that Pakistan has given tremendous sacrifices for global peace.

He said Pakistan has shown unequalled and unprecedented restraint despite great provocation.

He said that Pakistan will continue to struggle for a peaceful South Asia with a view to enable its people to achieve progress and prosperity of the 21st century.

The meeting also reviewed other matters pertaining to national and regional security and expressed satisfaction over the preparedness of the armed forces to defend the territorial integrity of Pakistan.

Federal Ministers Nisar Ali and Ishaq Dar, army chief General Raheel Sharif, National Security Advisor Nasser Janjua, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry, Director General Military Operations and senior civil and military officials attended the meeting.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed Italian marine Massimiliano Latorre, accused of killing Indian fishermen, to remain in Italy till jurisdiction issue is decided.

His grant of stay in Italy is coming to an end on 30 September, and he has sought an extension on the basis of parity with Sergeant Salvatore Girone.

ANI also reported that till the disposal of both marines plea in the arbitration court, Girone will stay in Italy. The Supreme Court has also directed the Centre to submit reports every three months about the progress of the jurisdiction case at international tribunal.

Italian Marines matter: SC orders that till disposal of both marines' plea in arbitration court,Sergeant Salvatore Girone will stay in Italy  ANI (@ANI_news) September 28, 2016

In April, the Centre had told the court that international arbitration proceedings in the matter would be completed by December 2018.

"End of 2018 is when the award will come," Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar had told the bench, saying that India had not agreed for the conclusion of proceedings in 2019.

The bench, headed by Justice AR Dave, had sought the Centre's proper response by 28 September on Italy's plea in the apex court for modification of bail conditions of Latorre to enable him to stay in Italy till an international tribunal decides which country has the right to try the case, PTI reported.

The Centre was of the view that the same bail conditions be imposed on Latorre as was done by the apex court in relation to Girone.

Girone was allowed to go home by the Supreme Court in May, 2016 by the apex court. His request to leave India was supported by the government on "humanitarian grounds".

He was, however, asked to file an affidavit accepting and recognising that he remains and shall, even upon his departure from India, continue to remain under the authority of the Supreme Court of India.

There were four conditions imposed on him, which included reporting to a police station in Italy on first Wednesday of every month and the Italian authorities have to inform the Indian Embassy in Rome about it.

The second condition was that he will not tamper with any evidence, nor influence any witness in the case. The third condition was that Girone will give an undertaking that he will remain under the jurisdiction of Supreme Court and lastly, if found violating any of the conditions, his bail will be cancelled, the court had said.

Latorre and Girone are facing a trial in India for allegedly killing two fishermen off the coast of Kerala in February 2012. In their defence, Italy said that the marines were guarding an oil tanker and mistook the fishermen for pirates.

The complaint against the marines was lodged by Freddy, the owner of the fishing boat 'St Antony' in which the two Indian fishermen were killed when the marines opened fire on them allegedly under the misconception that they were pirates.

The Hindu reported that Latorre had told the court that he preferred to remain home till a final decision is made on which country has the jurisdiction to try him and Girone.

Latorre was allowed to return to Italy after suffering from a brain stroke on 31 August, 2014. Since then, the Supreme Court has allowed requests of extension of his stay.

With inputs from PTI.
Patna: As the row over his remarks on Bihar raged on, former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju has been booked on sedition charge following a complaint by a JD(U) MLC against his online post that Kashmir should be offered to Pakistan on the condition that it takes Bihar too.

Another complaint was also filed on Wednesday in the district court against Katju, who hit back at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his critical remarks and churned out more taunting posts.

Katju has been booked under 124-A (sedition) and other sections of IPC, according to SHO of Shashtrinagar police station Birendra Pratap. JD(U) MLC and its state spokesman Neeraj Kumar had last evening lodged a complaint in the police station here against Katju seeking his prosecution for alleged sedition.

Meanwhile, lawyer, Arvind Kumar, filed a petition in the court of Patna against Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Om Prakash against Katju. The complaint sought registration of a case under sections 124 (A) (sedition), 500 (Punishment for defemation), 501 (Printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory and 505 (Statements conducting to public mischief) of IPC.

The date for hearing the plea is yet to be decided. Katju's comments on Facebook about Bihar have drawn sharp criticism. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had ridiculed him for trying to become Mai-Baap (guardian) of the state. His comments had also invited the wrath of Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Prasad Yadav, former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and JD(U) leaders K C Tyagi and Shyam Rajak among others.

Though Katju had sought to backtrack on Tuesday after a barrage of protests by writing on his Facebook account "I was only joking about Bihar" but on Wednesday, he again continued with his jibes on social media. "I suggest Biharis should take their complaint against me to the UN.

"When cheer haran of Draupadi was being done, she appealed to Lord Krishna to save her honour," Katju wrote on his Facebook post on Wednesday. "Nitish Kumar says that I regard myself as the mai baap of Bihar. No Nitishji, I am not the mai baap of Biharis but their Shakuni Mama," he wrote in an another post.
An all-party meeting of the Karnataka government to deliberate and decide on the Supreme Court order to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu for three days starting Wednesday has begun, reported ANI.

Bangalore: All party meeting to discuss further step after SC order on #CauveryIssue begins pic.twitter.com/Y9jl18ChLY  ANI (@ANI_news) September 28, 2016

The meeting of floor leaders of both the Houses in Karnataka cabinet, MPs and legislators and district in-charge ministers from the Cauvery basin on Wednesday morning will discuss the Supreme Court directions and the future course of action, official sources said.

Reserving his reaction to the Supreme Court's fresh direction, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that he would consult legal experts and maintained that drinking water is a priority.

"I'm yet to speak to legal experts, I don't know about the order. I will speak to our advocates and react later," he told media in Bidar in north Karnataka.

To a question on Tamil Nadu's arguments against utilising Cauvery river water for Bengaluru, The Hindu quoted Siddaramaiah as saying, The priority is for drinking water according to our national water policy (2012). So when they [Supreme Court judges] say release water, it immediately does not become a law or an order.

The Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and UU Lalit on Tuesday directed Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs water to Tamil Nadu for three days, despite the resolution

passed by the state legislature last week to use the water only for drinking purpose.

The state legislature had signalled its inability to implement the court's earlier direction to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu from 21 September till on Wednesday.

A special session of the legislature had on Friday adopted a unanimous resolution to use the water only to meet drinking water needs and not to provide it for any other purpose.

Following the apex court's fresh directions, sporadic protests erupted in Mandya, Mysuru, and nearby areas.

Mandya Zilla Raitha Hitharakshana Samiti (MZRHS), at the forefront of Cauvery agitation, said there was no change in its stand that water should not be released to Tamil Nadu.

Samiti president Made Gowda said, "Water should not be released at any cost ... they (Tamil Nadu) have enough water for their crops, they are doing vendetta politics."

Police, as a precautionary measure, have made elaborate security arrangements in Cauvery basin areas, especially Mandya and Bengaluru.

Bengaluru city has been placed under prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC.

Calling the Supreme Court's direction to Karnataka to release 18,000 cusecs of water for three days as "grossly unfair" and "unfortunate", state BJP president BS Yeddyurappa said the party will stand by any decision taken by the Siddaramaiah government in the interest of the farmers and the people.

Alleging that the Congress leaders continue to indulge in "cheap politicking" on the issue by dragging the Centre in it, he said they have "misinterpreted" and "twisted" one of the comments of the judges.

"The apex court asked the Attorney General whether it is possible for the intervention of the Union government in this issue. The AG sought time to reply to this question. At no point in time, the apex court mentioned about the intervention of the Prime Minister," he added.
A lot of people got this one wrong. Sure, Saarc doesnt shake the world nor does it rank up there as the Everest of summits but when neighbours meet they do share common interests and find solutions to common promises. Thats a good thing.

So, lets not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Let Saarc survive and thrive but let the message go forth that this, once in roughly eighteen month get together in the region can and will chastise its own flock. By thinking of not going to Pakistan for the meet in November, the members are not so much siding with India as they agreeing that the export of terror has to stop.

There is a consensus of opinion and however much spin Islamabad gives to it that it does not matter, it is egg on the face when Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan have displayed reluctance to attend. With these nations opting out of attending the summit, it just leaves Maldives and Nepal and they are also likely to step back.

Look at it this way. Two days ago External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj asked for the isolation of our neighbour. In 48 hours, here is a perfectly valid example of exactly that. ISOLATION. Pretty awkward anyway you hack it if you give a dinner party and ready yourself to play host and everyone of your guests backs off. There you are. All preparations done and no one knocking on the door.

Pakistan can scoff and pretend it is no big deal and shut the protocol blue book for the event with a resounding thump but the rejection is a grim reminder that even those nations who do not have much love for India (and our neighbours by and large are not always sloshing with human kindness over Big Brother) all agree tacitly or covertly accept that this harbouring of terrorists has gotten out of hand and that the onus is on Nawaz Sharif and the two other prongs of power to get their house in order.

Imagine if we were the hosts instead and seven nations surrounding us said thanks but cant make it, bad tummy, flu, afraid of the dengue or whatever. It is deuced embarrassing and do not underestimate the rage that Pakistan must be feeling after Prime Minister Modi set the ball rolling in his diplomatic juggernaut by saying he would not attend.

As these actions nibble away at the credibility of our western neighbour. Even the common people are going to ask, "Whats going on, should we stop this Indian blame-game that we engage in to blinker everything else and look a little inwards and question what is going on?"

Like are we giving refuge to terrorists and seeing as how we are being attacked, too, why are we doing it?

In that lies the irony  to be blamed for exporting a product that also which explodes in your courtyard and kills your people. What percentage is there in that?
New Delhi: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday asked the Coast Guard to "bolster" coastal security mechanism by increasing patrolling to thwart any infiltration bid by anti-national elements through sea.

The coastal security should be strengthened considering the current security scenario, he said. Speaking at the 35th Coast Guard Commanders Conference, Parrikar also promised all assistance to the Coast Guard in enhancing its operational efficiency.

"Due to the current security scenario, he exhorted ICG to further bolster Coastal Security mechanism by increasing patrolling so as to avoid infiltration by anti-national elements through Sea," the Coast Guard said in a release. The Defence Minister also complimented efforts of the Coast Guard in augmenting Maritime and Coastal security not only by deployment of assets but also by efficient exploitation of Coastal Security Network (CSN).

A modern surveillance system comprising high-resolution cameras and sensors has been installed along the coastline under the first phase of the CSN project. Parrikar hoped that CSN Phase II would also be implemented on time. He also congratulated the force for their "protracted efforts" with Pakistan and Sri Lankan security agencies which resulted in reduced apprehension of Indian fishing boats.

"The Defence Minister promised all assistance of the Ministry for cases relating to the operational efficiency and those pertaining to the growth of the service, be it the manpower or new acquisitions," the release said. He also welcomed efforts by Coast Guard in realising the 'Make in India' policy by ordering indigenous ships to strengthen its fleet.

The conference was attended by senior officers of the Ministry of Defence and Indian Coast Guard (ICG). The three-day conference aims to carve out a futuristic vision for the service and to determine the modalities to overcome the challenges efficiently.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not talking of war even after the Uri attacks. Rather he is speaking his trademark jargons on growth, development and peace as eloquently as he used to. It might be because a thundering statement on war, threatening the neighbouring trouble monger may sound hollow at a time when internal security lapses stand at all-time high, due to apathy through decades.

The attack on a military camp at Uri by four terrorists is not the only exemplifier of Indias lacking in security. In fact, there are many.

The Uri incident was followed by the arrest of six Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh militants from Assam and West Bengal. Three out of six were Bangladeshi nationals camping in Indian territory and planning subversive attacks in northeast and south India.

On the very same day that these terrorists were arrested, Ulfa threatened an organisation in Assam for appealing the people to boycott Chinese products as a retaliation to Chinas support to Pakistan. It was certainly seen as a measure to appease China, the country that is presently hosting Paresh Baruah the commander-in-chief of Ulfa.

Paresh Baruah, once a close associate with ISI, now continues to run his terror business in the northeastern states of India from a secret base in Yunan province in China.

These are some examples, other than the Uri attacks, that point towards the security lapses and threats the country faces. Perhaps these lapses in Indias internal security, built through years of apathy, prevent the prime minister from speaking of a war.

Both JMB and Ulfa share close links with the Pakistani intelligence agency, ISI, and both have access to India through the porous international borders northeast that India shares with the nations adjacent to it.

Ghanashyam Murari Srivastava, IPS, who has served as a cop in Assam and Tripura for a considerable long period, says that presence of ISI-linked Islamic terrorists is not a new phenomenon in northeast India. They have been in prowl in Assam for more than a decade.

In the late nineties itself Assam Police made 13 Islamic militants surrender with their sophisticated weapons, he says. It would be naive to say that they never existed in Assam, he adds.

Northeast India has always been an easy target for Islamic terrorists given the region's porous border with neighbouring Bangladesh.

The international border that the northeastern region shares with Bangladesh stand as fenceless and as unmanned now, when recently JMB militants camped in various parts of India sneaking through it, as it did when the first set of Islamic militants entered the state in the nineties.

Sources in the Assam Police say that now terrorist groups have an even safer jungle route from Bangladesh to Guwahati in Assam through Garo hills in Meghalaya. This route that is now guarded by Garo Nationalist Liberation Army which stands unchecked by Indian security forces.

Similarly, the insurgency by Ulfa (Independent) heavily depends on the Indias inadequacy to deal with cross-border terrorism in India. A top cop in Assam police on condition of anonymity said that Paresh Baruah was based in Bangladesh before moving to China, but Indian government failed to nab him there.

Paresh Baruah has been playing hide and seek with the Government of India for a long time now. He shifted his base to Myanmar from Bangladesh when Indias relationship got better with Bangladesh. He again shifted to China as soon as Indias terms got better with Myanmar. But on every occasion it was the Indian government that failed to nab him, said the source.

Now Paresh Baruah threatens the Government of India with his hate speeches and terrorist activities from China.

All these anti-India elements can cumulatively turn enemies within and might try to fail India at the times of a war with a neighbouring country, says GM Srivastava.

No wonder with scores of such enemies within, those have been nurtured by decades of lapses in security measures, makes it difficult for the Prime Minister to talk about a war.
Chandigarh: Security agencies carried out a night-long search operation in Pathankot district of Punjab to look for some armed men seen by local residents, police said on Wednesday.

"We carried out search operation around Chakki river bank and nearby forest area. However, nothing has been found so far. The search operation was started on Tuesday and carried on through the night," Pathankot district police chief Rakesh Kaushal said.

An extensive search operation began in Pathankot on Tuesday following reports that some local residents had spotted four armed "suspicious men".

The area searched, lying close to the Punjab-Himachal Pradesh-Jammu and Kashmir border, is around 250 km from Chandigarh.

However, no arrests were made, police officials said.

Search operations have been carried out by security forces in Pathankot and Gurdaspur districts virtually every month after the 2 January attack this year.

Terrorists, suspected to be from Pakistan, had attacked the frontier Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Pathankot on 2 January, leaving seven security personnel dead.

The attack was preceded by a terror assault by Pakistani terrorists in Dinanagar town of neighbouring Gurdaspur district on 27 July last year.
A cartoon published in Shiv Sena's mouthpiece Saamana has drawn immense flak from senior Shiv Sena leaders, political parties and even ally BJP. The cartoon alludes to the 'silent march' being taken out by the Maratha community. Shiv Sena has largely kept mum on the ongoing agitation, but the cartoon puts party in the backfoot.

According to a report in DNA, following the publishing of the cartoon, Bhaskarrao Bhange from Marathwada, Ravi Raj (corporator) from Dhule and Ashok Khedkar from Buldhana have submitted their resignations to the Sena chief.

Enraged by the cartoon, the Saamana office in Navi Mumbai was stoned on Tuesday. A pro-Maratha social organisation, 'Sambhaji Brigade', later claimed responsibility for the attack. Three youths arrived in a vehicle at the Saamana printing press building located at Sanpada in Navi Mumbai at around 1.45 pm. They called the guard of the press and requested him to take a letter, the police told PTI.

Sanpada(Maha):Protesters agitated over cartoon related to Maratha protests,pelted stones at Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna office,earlier today pic.twitter.com/76OC9iAcsa  ANI (@ANI_news) September 27, 2016

As the guard was approaching their vehicle, the youths got down from the vehicle, rushed towards the press building and allegedly pelted it with stones and fled, they said. Two-three glasses on the building's outer wall were damaged in the attack, they added.

After getting information of the attack, police reached the spot and a complaint was lodged by the office-bearers at Sanpada police station. Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagarale confirmed the incident. Police said an offence has been registered against the culprits and appropriate action will be taken.

Condemning the cartoon, the organisation's spokesperson Shivanand Bhanuse told PTI, "We are condemning a cartoon which was published in Saamana. Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray and Saamana's executive editor Sanjay Raut must apologise to the women of Maharashtra."

"The attack was spontaneous and an expression of emotions of the Maratha community," he said. On Sunday, a cartoon on "silent march" was published in Saamana, which drew criticism from various political quarters.

The Marathas have been organising silent marches across the state following the Kopardi rape and murder incident, in which the victim was a member from the community. Some more such rallies are also planned in the state in the coming days.

With inputs from PTI
The NDA government has upped the ante on Prime Minister Narendra Modis declared intention to isolate Pakistan by examining the Indus Waters Treaty and boycotting the Saarc Summit due to be held in Pakistan in November. It is also considering taking action against Pakistan for its failure to accord the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) trading status to India. All these moves would hurt Pakistan and damage its image, but they may not be enough to force Pakistan to put an end to cross-border terrorism.

All three moves are among the non-military options that have been bandied about among the commentarati and avidly taken up by hawks demanding stern action against Pakistan. Each one of them has been loudly hailed for their anticipated effect on Islamabad. While each would have an impact on Pakistan, they also have other implications that would limit their use and impact.

Postponement of the Saarc Summit would be a blow for Pakistan, especially as three other Saarc members  Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan  have also conveyed their intention to stay away from the summit. Saarc summits have been postponed more than half a dozen times in the past. Some of the postponements have taken place as a result of strained ties between New Delhi and the host government. But this time Pakistan stands pilloried on the issue of terrorism as half the Saarc membership has declined to attend a summit. Summits require that leaders of all Saarc nations attend the annual gathering.

India conveyed to Nepal, the current Saarc chair, that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of member states by one country have created an atmosphere that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November 2016," according to the official statement. Bangladesh and Bhutan also cited the deterioration in regional peace and security due to terrorism for their absence. It has shaken the regional organisation as it is the first time that such an open rift has occurred within Saarc.

While the cancellation of the South Asian summit hurts Islamabads pride, the Indus Waters Treaty has a much greater impact on the Pakistani psyche. It impinges on Pakistans primordial fear of India cutting the supply of water in rivers flowing from India into Pakistan. The government has not talked of revoking the Indus Waters Treaty. Revocation of a treaty brokered by the World Bank and financially backed by six friendly countries has a host of implications.

The treaty was negotiated on the basis of a World Bank proposal for equitable division of the waters in the common rivers. The US, UK, Australia, West Germany, New Zealand and the World Bank provided the financial assistance for building dams and replacement canals in Pakistan and some irrigation works in India to divide the waters. Revoking a treaty would have legal consequences and would affect Indias image as a responsible emerging power. It would also send negative signals to Indias other neighbours regarding the sanctity of its bilateral agreements on sharing and utilising river waters. The government has instead set up an inter-ministerial task force to review its usage of water from the three western rivers that flow into Pakistan. It also put off the next meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission, a body comprising of India and Pakistani officials that reviews the implementation of the treaty.

Under the treaty, water from three western rivers were allocated to Pakistan while water from three eastern rivers were Indias share of the six common rivers. India was allowed water from the western rivers for limited amount for domestic and non-consumptive use, for hydropower and agriculture. However, India has not fully utilised its share of the western waters. Pakistan has raised objections to any Indian project on the western rivers even when the projects are either navigational or run-of-the river hydel plants that do not limit the water flow to Pakistan.

Pakistans agriculture-based economy is dependent on the waters of these three rivers. Some parts of Pakistan have faced water scarcity and Pakistani politicians and militant leaders have whipped up public opinion by accusing India of cutting down water flows. A Pakistani delegation is currently in Washington to talk to World Back officials on the Ratle and Kishanganga hydropower project on the Indian side of the Chenab and Jhelum rivers. If India picks up the pace to complete its river projects, it would reduce the water flowing into Pakistan. However, these projects are long gestation projects and there will not be an immediate impact on Pakistan except to raise public apprehensions.

On the economic front, revoking MNF status to Pakistan or enforcing economic sanctions would not have a significant effect on Pakistan. Indian exports would bear the brunt of the action as Indian exports to Pakistan far surpass Pakistani exports to India. Indian exports are US $2.2 billion while it imports $0.4 billion from Pakistan. The major part of trade between India and Pakistan is not direct trade, but is routed through third countries like Dubai. India gave MFN status to Pakistan in 1996 in accordance with the WTO rules, but Pakistan is still to reciprocate. India can approach the WTO dispute resolution mechanism on the issue. It would be another source of embarrassment for Islamabad.

Pakistan is a master of brinkmanship and can brush off minor embarrassments. The Indian government will need a much more sustained campaign to convince Islamabad that the damage being done to its image requires a change in its policies.
Panaji: Less than a week after British teen Scarlett Keeling's mother Fiona Mackeown blamed probe agencies and an inconsiderate system for acquitting two Goa beach shack workers in her daughter's 2008 rape-murder, a lawyer for accused Placido Carvalho wants the mother to be acted against for negligence.

Advocate Pravin Naik, who has represented Carvalho in course of the trial, has also said that action should be taken against Fiona, claiming her statement to the media on Friday (23 September), on the day Carvalho and fellow accused Samson D'Souza were acquitted, where she said that foreigners do not get justice in Goa, was blatantly incorrect.

"I will appeal to the state government that after going through the judgement and after going through the evidence on record, they should also take action against the mother of the deceased girl for being negligent towards her duty," Naik told reporters.

He also pointed out to the sequence of events before Scarlett's death, brought on record in course of the trial, where Fiona left her 15-year-old daughter in the care of one Julio Lobo, in Siolim village, before heading for Gokarna in the neighbouring state of Karnataka with her other children.

"So how she can keep the custody of a minor girl with a stranger, very well knowing the fact that the person with whom the custody was kept was used to alcohol. So there was complete negligence on part of the mother of the deceased to take care of the custody of the child and as far as the investigation is concerned. Based on the evidence on record, there is clear evidence that the mother of the deceased girl was negligent in taking care of the child," he said.

According to the Central Bureau of Investigation probe, Scarlett was allegedly sexually assaulted by D'Souza and Carvalho, in February 2008 after plying her with drugs and left to die on Anjuna beach. Eight years after the offence was registered, the Goa Children's Court acquitted the duo last week.

Following the order, Fiona as well as her lawyer Vikram Varma alleged that it was difficult for foreigners to get justice in Goa, especially when the crime is committed by locals.

Naik now wants the state government to take cognisance of Fiona's statement.

"My submission is, let the state government look into the matter and initiate action against the mother of the victim girl, because she has made a very blatant statement to media, that there is no justice for foreign tourists in India, without even knowing the judicial system in India," Naik said.

Naik also said that Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who on Friday said that the outcome of the trial was "unfortunate", should read the contents of the order, before making such statements.

"My appeal to the honourable Chief Minister is kindly look at the evidence on record," he said.
In another setback for Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan on Wednesday pulled out of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) Summit in Islamabad.

Bangladesh said it was unable to participate in the summit because of "growing interference in internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country".

News reports said that Bangladesh foreign ministry wrote to the current Saarc chair Nepal about the growing interference from Pakistan.

"Growing interference in internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created environment not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November 2016," ANI quoted sources from Bangladesh as saying.

"Bangladesh remains steadfast in its commitment to regional co-operation but believes this can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," the agency further quoted sources as saying.

Bhutan made a similar statement and said that it "expresses concern over recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which seriously compromises the environment for successful holding of the 19th Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November 2016," according to ANI.

"Bhutan shares concerns of some of the Saarc countries on deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism...Bhutan joins other Saarc countries in conveying inability to participate in the Saarc Summit under the current circumstances," ANI further quoted sources as saying.

NDTV reported sources told the news channel that Afghanistan cited similar reasons for pulling out of the summit.

This setback for Pakistan comes merely a day after India pulled out of the Saarc Summit. Firstpost was the first to report that Modi would not be travelling to Pakistan in an exclusive piece by Sunil Raman on 19 September.

Announcing the decision on Tuesday night, India said that "one country" has created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the Summit.

"India has conveyed to current Saarc chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of member States by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November 2016," the External Affairs Ministry had said in a statement.

"In the prevailing circumstances, the Government of India is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," it had said, adding, "We also understand that some other Saarc member states have also conveyed their reservation about attending the Islamabad Summit in November 2016."

In its communication to Nepal, India had said it remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in an atmosphere free of terror.

PTI also reported that according to sources, Afghanistan and Bhutan had also expressed their unwillingness to attend the summit.

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had termed India's announcement "unfortunate" and had stated that Pakistan remains committed to peace and regional cooperation and will continue to work to that end in the larger interest of people of the South Asian region.

Modi has also called a meeting on Thursday to review the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status accorded to Pakistan.

With inputs from PTI
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday came down heavily on Bihar government for not placing facts before the Patna High Court which granted bail to controversial RJD leader Mohd Shahabuddin in a murder case.

The counsel for Nitish Kumar government, which has RJD as its coalition partner in the state, faced searching questions in the apex court which rebuked it for not being serious in pursuing the case against Shahabuddin.

"Why have you approached the court only after his release? Were you in slumber till he got bail? This is a peculiar case. But the question is this peculiarity has been done at whose instance and who is behind this.

"Why you did not challenge bail granted to Shahabuddin in 45 cases? Why did you realise only when he came out of jail? If everything was fair, why would this case come to us," a bench comprising Justices P C Ghose and Amitava Roy said while clarifying that by peculiarity, it meant negligence.

The observations came after senior advocate Dinesh Dwivedi, appearing for Bihar, sought cancellation of Shahabuddin's bail and said the decision to enlarge the RJD leader was improper as the High Court had ignored the relevant material in the case.

He said the High Court could not have granted him bail unless there was any special reason or any medical urgency.

The senior lawyer admitted there were "anomalies" by the state government in the case.

To this, the bench said, "we can understand your difficulty and the only thing we can say is that we understand everything."

Dwivedi said "I admit the anomalies. I am not in any way justifying the actions of the state government. We were handicapped at that time. But my submission is that the relevant material has been ignored in the case."

The bench then asked him "Why should you be handicapped? You are the state. It was the duty of your lawyer to inform the High Court about the correct facts of the case. It was your duty to inform the High Court that a revision petition has been filed in the session court by Shahabuddin. Why didn't you tell the High Court at that point of time?

"We are just trying to find out what kind of person he is by looking at the background and circumstances of the case.

"How many cases are pending against him, who is a four time Member of Parliament and two times MLA. We are just thinking what is the common man's thought. There are so many cases against him and there are so many bail orders. You did challenge those bail orders," the bench said.

The hearing remained inconclusive and will continue on Thursday.

Dwivedi said Shahabuddin was first sent to jail in 2005 and since then he has been committing crimes from inside the prison. He said the RJD leader was acquitted in most of the cases as many witnesses refused to testify against him.

"Shahabuddin's remaining in jail has hardly made a difference as he has been committing crimes from inside the jail premises as well. And this is the reason that he was shifted to Bhagalpur from Siwan jail," he said.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for Siwan-based Chandrakeshwar Prasad whose three sons have been killed in two separate incidents, also sought cancellation of Shahabuddin's bail and said enlarging him on bail was "travesty of justice".

Bhushan said the High Court had erred in granting bail to a history-sheeter who has a criminal antecedents and termed him as a hardened criminal.

Senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, appearing for Shahabuddin, said his client has been suffering from media trial and said the state government has to be fair and cannot play with the liberty of an individual.

He said the state was "only cooking up stories" and causing prejudice to his client's case as he had attained "notoriety".

"It has become a trend in Bihar that if any crime takes place, then it must be Shahabuddin. This has been a fashion now," he said.

Shahabuddin, who was granted bail by the Patna High Court on 7 September, was released from Bhagalpur jail on 10 September. He was in jail for 11 years in connection with dozens of cases against him.

On 19 September, the apex court had sought a response from Shahabuddin on a separate plea filed by Siwan resident Chandrakeshwar Prasad, challenging the bail granted to him by Patna High Court, in the murder case of his third son.

The apex court is also hearing a separate plea filed by the widow of journalist Rajdev Ranjan, who was murdered in Siwan allegedly at the instance of Shahabuddin, seeking transfer of the case to Delhi.

Kalawati Devi, wife of Chandrakeshwar Prasad and the mother of three youths who were brutally killed by henchmen of the controversial politician, had also moved the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of bail granted to him in the case in which he has already been sentenced to life.
While some Kerala politicians seem to have stumbled upon the most barbaric way of dealing with the problem of stray dogs, global experts have said that culling does not help reduce the number of deaths from dog bites. In fact, it may prove detrimental in efforts to address the issue.

Politicians from Keralas Youth Front (Mani) killed 10 stray dogs and paraded their carcasses apparently as a reaction to the deaths of two women in recent days from canine bites and Union Minister Maneka Gandhis appeal to the state to save stray dogs. They also called Maneka Gandhi  one of the very few politicians to advocate against animal abuse in India  an agent of the vaccine lobby.

The 10th World Rabies Day observed on 28 September has as its theme  'Rabies: Educate, Vaccinate, Eliminate'. If the Kerala government takes this theme seriously it should know which people it needs to educate immediately  as an urgent public welfare measure (sending them for psychological counselling should greatly help matters too).

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) cannot emphasise enough the importance of vaccination and sterilisation, as the only proven and effective method for achieving zero-rabies deaths and controlling the stray population.

Research is showing that culling dogs may have very little impact and even have detrimental impact on rabies. Especially, if there are concurrent dog vaccination campaigns, removing dogs means removing the protective buffer of transmission as the vaccinated dogs that are culled are quickly replaced by new unvaccinated populations of puppies, said Bernadette Abela-Ridder, director of the Neglected Zoonotic Diseases at WHO.

The PLOS 2015 report Estimating the Global Burden of Endemic Canine Rabies also makes a similar conclusion: Fear of rabies transmission from dogs regularly prompts mass dog culling in many countries. This creates a territorial vacuum and encourages potentially rabid dogs to move into the area. Experts agree that indiscriminate dog culling does not stop rabies.

If you want to stop rabies, there is only one way to do it and that is you need what we call herd immunity. It means that you need to have 70 percent of your dog population vaccinated, Louis Nel, executive-director of GARC, said.

The blood of a vaccinated dog has all the antibodies to kill the virus. The blood of a vaccinated dog is a soldier. So that animal becomes a soldier in the fight against rabies  that is the simple message," he added.

Globally, the statistics of deaths from rabies are staggering. The numbers are even worse for India.

World-wide there is one death every 10 minutes from rabies which adds up to 160 deaths per day and 60,000 deaths annually. Sixty percent of the victims are children. Additionally, it is estimated that there are 3-5 million animal deaths per year from the dreaded viral disease.

Annual economic losses stand at around $8.6 billion (mostly due to premature deaths, but also because of the cost of human post-exposure vaccines, lost income for victims of animal bites, livestock losses, and other costs). There is, also, over 3.7 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs).

About a third of these global deaths  21,000 per year  are in India.

We have very, very poor data on this. We probably are underestimating the burden of disease because of under-reporting and also under-diagnosis of the disease, Abela-Ridder.

Every year, it is estimated that more than 29 million people receive post-bite treatment to prevent rabies at a direct cost of over $1.7 billion. India spends about $8.2 billion in first-exposure treatment. It is way cheaper for governments to engage in mass vaccination campaigns for dogs than to vaccinate or treat human beings after a bite.

To control this disease and to eliminate it, we have to cure the virus at its very source. So we simply have to vaccinate dogs. It makes obvious epidemiological sense, but also makes economical sense, said Nel.

The Indian dog population is as high as 25 million. But only 15 percent of the dogs are vaccinated in the country.

A concern to us is that it (death from rabies) is not notifiable in India, said Nel.

Rabies, caused by Lyssavirus (named after Lyssa, the Greek goddess of rage and madness), is 99.9 percent fatal (one of the highest fatality rate of any known disease) but 100 percent preventable. It affects the central nervous system by the transmission through the saliva and nervous tissue of an infected animal, causing symptoms such as delirium, aggression and hallucinations, hydrophobia (fear of water) and foaming at the mouth, paralysis, before killing the patient.

More than 99 percent of human rabies cases are canine-mediated though it can also be transmitted through bats, foxes and raccoons. Interestingly, according to the End Rabies Now campaign, domestic dogs cause over 99 percent of human rabies deaths.

But bat-rabies is something that will stay in the background, says the UN. Pre-exposure prophylaxis for a high-risk population as has been done for Indians in Peru is imperative.

For individuals bitten by a rabid dog, effective treatment, known as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)  a series of injections and sometimes along with rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) injection given on day 0 into the wound  can help save lives if received within a brief period of time after exposure, and before symptoms appear. But RIG is facing a critical shortage world-wide. In India only three vaccine producers with high manufacturing costs produce it. This translates into high costs of purchase for the poorer sections of the society who are the most vulnerable to the disease.

GAVI, the vaccine alliance, with WHO is gathering some data to understand the needs of the most affected countries, the at-risk population and the extent of unmet need for vaccine. It will shortlist candidate vaccines next year and finally decide in 2018 on what vaccines to fund for the next five years.

WHO considers rabies as one of the 15 neglected tropical diseases (NTD) and a zoonotic  a disease that is passed on from animals to humans  neglected disease. It is endemic to every part of the world except Antartica and some island territories. The disease has been wiped out from North America and western Europe. But the flip side to this is precisely because of this, there is very little funding from rich governments for research on diagnostics or vaccines when 95 percent of the cases of this miserable disease find home in Africa and Asia.

However, this does not mean that poorer countries with comparable problems as India have remained passive in addressing the problem. Some regions have achieved tremendous results by dint of their sheer political will. Latin America has reduced deaths from rabies by 90 percent and has 60 percent of its dogs vaccinated with an aggressive campaign for dog vaccination, coordination between the different ministries and inter-regional coordination for dog vaccination. Ditto for Philippines that is on its seventh round of dog vaccination campaign in Bali.

There are strategies to vaccinate stray animals. It is like that in many other parts of the world. It needs to be a priority, it needs to be recognised as an issue, said Nel.

Since dogs are not of any economic or cultural value unlike livestock such as cows, sheep or goat, they often fall through the cracks of welfare programmes by the animal husbandry and the agriculture departments. Diagnostics are extremely outdated and still involve scooping out from the brain of a dog. There is only one rabies diagnostic laboratory in Bengaluru in India.

Agricultural ministries tend to invest more in livestock. It is important to consider the one-health approach, says the UNs Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) whose mandate includes both food security and animal health.

If rabies is not controlled in dogs, then humans, livestock and other farm animals can become infected, with serious consequences for the lives and livelihoods especially of rural communities and farming families, said Juan Lubroth, chief of the animal health service of FAO.

For the world, Latin America has become a proof of concept that it is possible to reduce rabies transmission in dogs and bring down rabies deaths to zero, said Abela-Ridder.

Experts believe that the big impediments in India vis-a-vis rabies elimination are the lack of coordination between the various departments, lack of a national plan, lack of a regional approach (since India shares its borders with six countries that are rabies-endemic) and simply, a lack of political will to prioritise the issue.

The UN health agency has vowed to stamp out deaths from rabies by 2030. However, it may be a tall order if countries like India are not on board.

One of the solutions to reaching zero-rabies deaths by 2030 would be to improve access to health of these at-risk populations, meaning getting commodities like vaccines to people at need even those that are moving from one place to next, the UN official said.

India has the opportunity to be a leader in the fight against rabies as it has been in eliminating polio and yaws, maternal and neo-natal tetanus. India has all the elements in making rabies elimination a success skilled experts in the field of rabies, health services catering to patients, dogs and human vaccination and immunoglobulin production and growing capacity in awareness and dog vaccination campaigns, Abela-Ridder stated.
Dhule: As part of a series of protests in various districts of Maharashtra, lakhs of people of Maratha community on Wednesday took part in a silent march to press for their demands.

The 'Maratha kranti morcha' started from Shivaji statue on Prakasha Road and ended at the District Collector's office where a group of girls submitted a memorandum to the Collector Dilip Pasandharpatte.

As in other cities, the march was conducted in a disciplined manner and went off peacefully

The politically dominant Maratha community has been holding marches at various cities across the state for the last one month.

Their demands include stern action against the culprits of Kopardi rape and murder case, reservations for the community, and scrapping of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The silent marches began after the rape and murder of a Maratha girl at Kopardi in Ahmednagar district in July. The accused are from a different community.
Shahjahanpur: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making cow "an election stunt" and slammed the BJP and RSS for "doing politics" in the name of protection of cows. "During my ongoing Kisan Yatra from Deoria to Delhi, I have seen the plight of cows roaming on streets," he said during a roadshow.

The Congress Vice-President, who was addressing villagers during a Khaat Sabha at Puwaya last night, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made cows nothing but "an election stunt".

He said that cows have been roaming on the streets and dying unattended in different parts of the country as there was none to take care of these animals. "What is being done is just politics in the name of cow protection," he said.

His remarks came against the backdrop of rise in cases of atrocities against Dalits and members of minority communities by so-called cow protection groups. Rahul accused Modi of failing to fulfil the promises made before the Lok Sabha elections, particularly about providing jobs to youths and bringing back black money from abroad.

"It is only Congress that keeps its promise," he said and cited the farm loan waiver when Congress-led UPA was in power at the Centre. He said that the main purpose behind his yatra was to understand the problems faced by farmers and assured them that if his party came to power, the issues raised by them would be addressed effectively.
With the publication of a cartoon which mocks the Maratha silent morchas, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students and tries to raise the issue of spread of dengue using martyred soldiers as the butt of a sick joke, the Shiv Sena has really shot itself in the foot.

But before discussing the cartoon itself, let's be clear about a critical point. Shiv Sena's freedom of speech entitles the party to publish anything which does not incite violence, even if what is being published is utterly cheap.

Thus, as flawed as the party's cartoon might be, the attack on the Saamana (Shiv Sena's mouthpiece) office in Navi Mumbai by pro-Maratha social organisation 'Sambhaji Brigade' is downright wrong. Action should definitely be taken against the three youths responsible for the attack.

The correct response to a flawed opinion is criticism, not senseless violence.

Moreover, the cartoonist responsible for the toon has also apologised.

Having said that, let's take a look at how Saamana managed to make even Shiv Sena leaders angry.

The dig at the Maratha silent morchas

Maharashtra has been shaken by the silent marches which the Maratha community members have been taking out in various towns in the state over the last month.

These protests were sparked by the brutal gangrape and murder of a 15-year-old Maratha girl in Kopardi village in Ahmednagar. The heinous crime was allegedly committed by four Dalit youths.

The Marathas, through these silent marches, has been demanding death penalty for the accused, amendments in the Scheduled Castes and Schedules Tribes (Atrocities Prevention) Act and reservation for their community members in jobs and education.

It is perhaps the biggest irony in Maharashtra politics today that a party like Shiv Sena  known for its aggressive pro-Maratha ideology  has published a cartoon in its mouthpiece that mocks the Maratha agitation.

The cartoon at the bottom shows some protesters carrying a sign which says, "Massive kissing agitation" and two protesters kissing while other people shockingly stare at the kissing couple.

One of the people staring says, "The over-enthusiastic protesters seem to have misinterpreted their protest."

The bad joke is based on the Marathi word "muka", which means "to kiss". The Marathi morchas are also known as 'Muk' morchas.

This tells us two things about the Shiv Sena.

First off, the fact that Saamana decided that it was perfectly fine to try to crack a frivolous joke about protests based on a shocking crime of sexual assault shows its lack of sensitivity.

Moreover, it's not like the Maratha morchas have not faced criticism. For example, according to this article in The Indian Express, over 150 crimes against Dalits, including some brutal murders, were committed just in Ahmadnagar district (where the Kopardi gangrape took place) in the last four to five years. But we did not see any such massive protest against these crimes.

According to NDTV, Dalits and Adivasis make up 19 percent of Maharashtra's population but only one percent of the FIRs registered by the police were filed members of SC or ST. Out of those few FIRs, the Atrocities Act was applied in less than 40 percent of the cases.

The Maratha agitation is also being seen by some people as more about the longstanding reservation issue and a divide between Marathas and Dalits.

But instead of raising serious points to provide a constructive and logical counter, Shiv Sena's Saamana trivialised the protests and mocked and insulted all the members of a community.

Secondly, the fact that Shiv Sena chose the act of kissing to denote something which it considered to be inappropriate and worthy of judgement by the shocked onlookers in the cartoon shows its skewed sense of morals. Political parties like Shiv Sena have not been able to accept that there is absolutely nothing wrong with kissing.

Using martyred soldiers for a joke

"Something's amiss. This soldier died as a result of dengue and not a terror attack," says a character in the top-left side of the cartoon as a small crowd looks at the body of martyred soldier.

Yes, the menace of dengue needs to be taken seriously in India. According to an NDTV report, three people have died due to dengue in Maharashtra and 122 dengue cases have been recorded in Mumbai. The number of dengue and chikungunya cases are also rising in New Delhi.

But did the Shiv Sena really need to use the image of a martyred soldier to make this point? Saamana basically decided to raise the issue of deaths due to dengue by making a dark joke about deaths of soldiers due to terrorism, again showcasing its lack of sensitivity.

The irony is yet again visible because for all the chest-thumping nationalism which Shiv Sena resorts to, the anti-Pakistan rants after the Uri terror attack, the demand for Pakistani artists to leave India and the violent protests by its party members on the issue, Shiv Sena itself failed to show the most basic respect to martyred soldiers.

The drama around JNU students' 'morality'

Ever since the JNU row erupted since the controversial event on Afzal Guru in February, some right wing parties have tried everything in their power to defame its students.

One of the most hilarious attempts was when BJP MLA Gyandev Ahuja suggested that JNU was some land of vice when he had said, More than 10,000 butts of cigarettes and 4,000 pieces of beedis are found daily in the JNU campus. 50,000 big and small pieces of bones are left by those eating non-vegetarian food. They gorge on meat... these anti-nationals. 2,000 wrappers of chips and namkeen are found, as also 3,000 used condoms  the misdeeds they commit with our sisters and daughters there. And 500 used contraceptive injections are also found.

Similarly, on the top-right of the Saamana cartoon, a person wearing a T-shirt with 'JNU' written on it can be seen saying, "To condemn the Pakistan-led Uri attack, I will give up cigarettes, alcohol, cocaine and gutkha for two days."

Assuming that all the JNU students consume drugs makes as much sense as assuming that all right-wing party members are jingoistic. Generalisation has never done anyone any good.

And Shiv Sena's attempt at taking the moral high ground by trying to project smoking and drinking as shameful acts is laughable.

Perhaps the biggest evidence of the insensitivity of the cartoon is that a section of Shiv Sena leaders are themselves angry because of it. Bhaskarrao Bhange from Marathwada, Ravi Raj (corporator) from Dhule and Ashok Khedkar from Buldhana have submitted their resignations to Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Before preaching about values like nationalism and local pride to others, the party clearly needs to introspect.

With inputs from agencies
Thiruvananthapuram: Normal life was affected on Wednesday by a dawn-to-dusk hartal called in the district by opposition UDF protesting the police action against Youth Congress activists, agitating over the private medical college fees and admission issue.

Stray 'minor' incidents of violence such as stone pelting were reported in parts of the district, police said adding there was no casualty.

Police had on Tuesday made a lathicharge and burst teargas after a march taken out by the YC activists over the fees hike in private medical colleges turned violent.

Shops and business establishments remained closed and the public transport was hit. Functioning of the education institutions was also badly affected, while government offices here reported thin attendance.

Police said the protesters briefly blocked the official vehicle in which state Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac was travelling in the city. They were removed from the scene immediately.

Incidents of stone pelting by hartal supporters were reported in some parts of the district especially in Parassala and Kattakkada, police said.

There were also complaints that hartal supporters forcibly tried to shut down shops, leading to tension in certain pockets.

Youth Congress is on war path for the last one week with its President and Vice President-Dean Kuriakose and C R Mahesh-holding an indefinite fast in front of the state Secretariat.

The marches, taken out by the activists of YC and Kerala Students Union, turned violent in many parts of the state especially in the capital since the leaders began the stir.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's remarks in the Assembly that those who showed blackflags against him as part of the protest were not YC activists but somebody hired by TV channels had infuriated the protesters and they have stepped up the agitation.

The fasting YC leaders were shifted to the Medical College hospital here yesterday after they complained of uneasiness when a teargas shell hurled by police burst near their protest venue.

Congress demanded scrapping of the agreement, entered between CPI(M)-led LDF government and self financing private medical college managements, holding that it had resulted in exorbitant fees hike.
Bhubaneswar: With the Odisha government rejecting their proposal for a joint fight against construction on the upstream of river Mahanadi, the Congress Legislature Party on Tuesday said they will take the matter to the President.

"A delegation of Congress MLAs will meet the President and apprise him of the adverse impact of Chhattisgarh's project on river Mahanadi. We welcome all MLAs cutting across party lines to accompany us to the Raisina Hills," Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra said in the Assembly.

The agitating MLAs, who had paralysed the proceedings of the House for two days, however, cooperated with the government in the Assembly during the post-lunch session after the CLP took a decision to meet the President.

The CLP's decision in this regard came after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in his Saturday speech on the Mahanadi issue, blamed both the Congress-led UPA and the BJP-led NDA for "unilateral" construction activities on the upstream of river Mahanadi by the Chhattisgarh government.

He had also accused the Centre of taking Chattisgarh's side in the issue.

Terming Patnaik's statement as "politically motivated", Mishra said "We had offered support to the state government in its fight against Chhattisgarh's unilateral construction. But the Chief Minister chose to blame the opposition instead."

Mishra said his party MLAs have decided to take the matter to the President and request him to use his good office to resolve the Mahanadi water dispute.

"No one should have any doubt that the Chief Minister is doing politics over the Mahanadi issue. However, so far as meeting the President is concerned, we will only join them if they plan on an all-party delegation. We have no reason to join a Congress delegation otherwise," BJP Legislature Party leader in Odisha Assembly K V Singh Deo said.

The ruling BJD said the Chief Minister has already announced that the state government has been taking both administrative and legal actions for stopping the construction by Chhattisgarh government.

"We will take the shelter of law," BJD spokesman and MLA Samir Ranjan Dash said.
Florida, US: On a personal quest to settle Mars, SpaceX founder Elon Musk envisions 1,000 passenger ships flying en masse to the red planet well within the next century, "Battlestar Galactica" style.

Musk outlined his zealous plan Tuesday to establish a self-sustaining city on Mars, complete with iron foundries and even pizzerias. He wants to make humans a multi-planetary species, and says the best way to do that is to colonise the red planet.

"I think Earth will be a good place for a long time, but the probable lifespan of human civilisation will be much greater if we're a multiplanetary species," he said.

Musk, who also runs electric car maker Tesla Motors, received a wildly warm reception at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico. Many in the crowd were avid space buffs.

For now, the aerospace company he founded in 2002 is focusing on satellite deliveries, as well as space station cargo runs for NASA and a future crew capsule for US astronauts. Its Falcon rocket, though, is grounded for the second time in a year because of devastating accidents.

During his address, Musk did not mention the 1 September launch pad explosion that destroyed a Falcon rocket and its satellite.

Instead, he noted that SpaceX already has begun work on the Mars Colonial fleet, recently test-firing a powerful new rocket engine named Raptor. The system ultimately could take people to the moons of Jupiter and beyond, he said.

Musk said it would be a "super-exciting" adventure to Mars but also dangerous, at least for the first few trips. His goal is to get the price down so anyone could afford to go, with a ticket costing no more than a house on Earth. He's shooting for 1 million Martians.

Would he go, someone asked? Perhaps ultimately, but it would depend on whether he had a good succession plan in place. As for being the first Martian, the risk of fatalities will be high  "there's just no way around it"  and he wants to see his five young sons grow up.

"It would be basically, are you prepared to die? If that's OK, then you're a candidate for going," he told the audience.

In April, Musk announced plans to send an unmanned Dragon capsule to land on Mars as early as 2018. NASA is offering technical support, but no money. The space agency has its own programme to get astronauts to Mars in the 2030s, using its own hardware.

Musk invited industry to join the Mars effort, which will represent a $10 billion investment. SpaceX is currently spending a few tens of millions of dollars on the enterprise, and the amount will soon grow, he said.

Musk described in detail his plans to launch a monster-size rocket  larger than even NASA's Saturn V moon rocket  from the same launch pad at Kennedy Space Center from which the Apollo astronauts departed for the lunar surface in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The first-stage boosters would return to land vertically  just like his Falcon rocket boosters do now. Reusability, in fact, is essential to any plan for getting humans to Mars, as is refilling fuel tanks in Earth orbit and creating rocket fuel at Mars for return trips, he said.

The rocket would hoist a spaceship big enough to carry 100 to 200 people to Mars, a trip lasting several months, quicker with nuclear propulsion. Musk promised no one would be stuck there; spaceships would return regularly, and "you get a free return trip if you want."

"Ultimately what I'm trying to achieve here is to make Mars seem possible, make it seem as though it's something that we can do in our lifetimes," he said.
Washington: The US has called for "de-escalation of the political discourse" between India and Pakistan amid the war of words between the two nations after Uri terror attack that prompted New Delhi to pull out of the Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November.

The state department also said it would continue to put pressure on them to respond to those groups who are seeking safe haven on Pakistan's borders.

"What we have said it many times from the podium  is we want to see closer and normalisation of relationship between India and Pakistan," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said told reporters at his daily news conference.

"It would benefit the region. We want to see the de-escalation in the political discourse between the two countries and greater communication and coordination between them," Toner said.

At the same time, the State Department refrained from commenting on India's decision to pull out of the Saarc Summit.

"I would refer you to the Government of India to comment on their decision not to attend this meeting," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said.

He said it is not for the US to "offer a prescription" to de-escalate tension between the two South Asian neighbour.

"It is in mutual interest for both the countries to put aside tensions and establish more normal channels of communication," the deputy spokesperson said.

"While we have seen Pakistan make progress on some of the terrorist groups operating within its own borders and carrying out attacks within its borders, we continue to put pressure on them to respond to those groups who are seeking safe haven on Pakistan's borders," Toner added.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the US have continued to "encourage India and Pakistan to find ways to resolve their differences, not through violence, but through diplomacy."

"We have condemned violence, particularly terrorist attacks," he said.

He was responding to a question on India's decision not to attend the Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November citing continuous cross-border terrorism by Pakistan against India.
Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday claimed the World Bank has "committed" itself to "timely fulfilling its obligations" under the Indus Waters Treaty while remaining neutral as Islamabad approached the international lender amid reports that India may revoke the 56-year-old deal.

A Pakistani delegation led by the Attorney General for Pakistan, Ashtar Ausaf Ali, met with senior officials of the World Bank at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, to discuss matters relating to the Indus Waters Treaty that was brokered by the World Bank.

They discussed "the formation of Court of arbitration for resolving the matter of water disputes especially those related to construction of hydropower projects," Pakistan's Ministry of Water and Power said in a statement. "The World Bank will be deciding the issue in the next few days," it added.

"In the meeting with the Pakistani delegation, the World Bank committed itself to timely fulfilling its obligations under the treaty while remaining neutral," said a statement issued by the Pakistani Embassy in Washington. Under the treaty, which was signed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan in September 1960 and brokered by the World Bank, waters of six rivers - Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum  were to be shared between the two countries.

Its Article IX deals with arbitration of disputes between the parties concerning the interpretation or application of the treaty or the existence of any fact which, if established, might constitute a breach of the treaty. The treaty provides specific design criteria for any hydro-electric power plants to be built by India.

On 19 August, Pakistan had formally requested India for settlement of outstanding disputes pertaining to India's construction of Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants on rivers Neelum and Chenab respectively, by referring the matters to the Court of Arbitration as provided in Article IX of the Treaty.

Under the treaty, the World Bank has an important role in establishment of the Court of Arbitration by facilitating the process of appointment of three judges, called Umpires, to the Court, while each country appoints two arbitrators. The Pakistani officials met with senior officials of the World Bank to insist on early appointment of the judges and empanelment the court, it said.

Pakistan's Ambassador to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani and World Bank's Executive Director for Pakistan Nasir Khosa also participated in the talks.

The World Bank was represented by Senior Vice President Anne-Marie LeRoy; Vice President for South Asia Annette Dixon; Deputy General Counsel for Operations Alberto Ninio; Chief Counsel for South Asia Melinda Good; and Senior Counsel for International Waterways Victor Mosoti.

Earlier, Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs and Security, Sartaj Aziz said an attempt by India to block Pakistan's water could be seen as "an act of war."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with officials to review provisions of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan. In that meeting it was decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water-sharing pact.

The meeting came as India weighed its options to hit back at Pakistan in the aftermath of the Uri terror attack that left 18 soldiers dead, triggering demands that the government scrap the water-sharing deal to mount pressure on the country.
Nieuwegein: The missile that downed Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine was transported from Russia, a criminal inquiry revealed Wednesday, adding that more than 100 people were under investigation for the 2014 disaster.

The investigators also confirmed that the missile which slammed into the Malaysia Airlines plane was fired from a field in a part of eastern Ukraine under the control of pro-Russia separatists at the time.

But the Dutch-led investigation did not directly accuse Moscow of supplying the BUK missile and its transporter system  and the Russian government has repeatedly denied any involvement.

The Malaysia Airlines passenger jet was blown from the skies in July 2014 during a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, killing all 298 people on board including 196 Dutch citizens.

"Based on the criminal investigation, we have concluded that flight MH17... was downed by a BUK missile of the series 9M38, that came from the territory of the Russian Federation," said Wilbert Paulissen, the head of the Dutch police investigation.

Afterwards the missile launcher system "was taken back to Russia," he added.

Using photos, videos, witness statements and telephone conversations, the investigators have retraced the route taken by the convoy which brought the missile system into eastern Ukraine.

But to the frustration of relatives, the investigators did not name any suspects at their briefing in the central town of Nieuwegein, near Utrecht.

The BUK was fired from a field in Pervomaiskyi which at the time "was in the hands of the Russian separatists," said Paulissen.

The joint investigation "has identified approximately 100 people" believed to have had an "active role" in the transporting of the missile system used to bring down the routine flight, chief investigator Fred Westerbeke said.

The investigation has been headed by the Dutch prosecution service, but includes teams from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine.

They first met relatives of the victims on Wednesday to discuss the results.

"What is clear is that the BUK missile system came from Russia to Ukraine, was fired and taken back to Russia. That clearly suggests the involvement of the Russian Federation," Piet Ploeg, who lost three relatives in the disaster, told AFP.

Seeking answers

But so far no one has been charged in the investigations, and relatives of the victims are anxious for justice.

"Apart from wanting to know exactly what weapon was used and where it was fired from, we also want an answer as to where we go from here," said Evert van Zijtveld, chairman of the foundation that supports families of MH17 victims.

"We want to see the perpetrators caught and put on trial," he told AFP. Zijtveld lost his 18-year-old son Robert-Jan and daughter Frederique, 19, in the tragedy.

On Monday, Russia again sought to deflect the blame for the MH17 disaster, releasing what it said were radar images showing that no missile fired from rebel-held territory in the east could have hit the plane.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted Wednesday that Russia had provided "exhaustive information" which investigators should take into account.

"The data is unequivocal and on that data, there is no missile. Therefore if there was a missile it could have been launched only from a different territory," he said.

Ukraine and the West insist pro-Russian rebels blew the jet out of the sky with a Russian-made missile system likely supplied by Moscow.

The tragedy saw the European Union slap tougher sanctions on Russia  blamed by the West for being behind the rebellion. The punitive measures remain in place as the fighting drags on.

But Russia and the rebels have consistently denied any role in downing the plane, and have instead blamed Ukrainian government forces.
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump traded insults and sparred over temperament, stamina and judgement Monday, in a fiery US presidential debate that often saw the Republican on the back foot.

With six weeks until election day and polls showing a virtual dead heat, Clinton repeatedly questioned her rival's fitness to serve in the Oval Office.

Before an anticipated television audience of up to 100 million, Clinton painted the celebrity real estate mogul as fatally out of touch and willing to say "crazy things" to get elected.

"You live in your own reality" said the 68-year-old Democrat, accusing Trump of launching his political career on the "racist lie" that Barack Obama is not American.

As Clinton projected steady experience, Trump played the populist bruiser, pitching to frustrated blue-collar voters fed up with politicians.

"Let me tell you, Hillary has experience. But it's bad, bad experience," quipped the billionaire, accusing the former secretary of state, first lady and US senator of being a "typical politician. All talk, no action. Sounds good, doesn't work."

The 70-year-old Trump has faced tough questions about his temperament during a deeply polarizing 15-month campaign that has brought rightwing populism to the American political mainstream.

He began the keenly awaited debate at New York's Hofstra University with a restrained tone. But as the temperature rose, he brought out the verbal brickbats, repeatedly interrupting Clinton and even questioning her stamina after a bout of pneumonia.

Trump appeared to get increasingly irritated and riled, at one point rolling his eyes and emitting a frustrated "ugh."

Reactions

In a snap CNN poll of 521 voters, 62 percent judged that Clinton had won the debate against 27 percent for Trump.

John Hudak, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, told AFP that "hands down, Clinton looked better than Trump."

"You don't have to think that her performance was perfect, but the unique part of a presidential debate is that you don't have to excel, you just have to do better than the only other person on stage."

Howard Fineman, Global Editorial Director of The Huffington Post said, "Republican nominee Donald Trump turned in the worst  and I mean worst  debate performance in modern times. It was so bad that in a normal year, it would disqualify him from getting anywhere near the White House."

Franklin Foer of Slate wrote, "Monday night... his improvisational skills failed himand he slammed up against the limits of his political talents. He came into the debate with a reasonable strategy: Talk about trade and narrowcast his message to the three Rust Belt swing states that could snake him past 270. The script held for nearly 10 minutes, but he didnt have much of a strategy beyond that opening riff."

Michael Gerson wrote in The Washington Post, "Trump concluded his performance by praising himself for his own grace and restraint, during an evening that showed him to be nasty, witless and deceptive."

Thomas L Friedman wrote for The New York Times, "Trump promises change, but change that comes from someone who thinks people who pay taxes are suckers and who thinks he can show up before an audience of 100 million without preparation or real plans and talk about serious issues with no more sophistication than your crazy uncle  and expect to get away with it  is change the country cant afford."

Ezra Klein of Vox wrote, "He (Trump) was speaking on the issues where hes supposed to be strongest  his whole pitch is hes a businessman who knows how the economy really works and what is really needed to fix it  and he showed he didnt have any real idea what he was talking about."

Meanwhile, Trump gave himself an upbeat assessment of his debate outing, telling AFP: "I thought it went very well for me."

"We've been having an awfully good run and I think this continues it  according to all the online polls, you see what's happening there? Through the roof."

With inputs from AFP
Copenhagen: A Norwegian appeals court has dismissed a lawsuit seeking a legal guarantee to allow Edward Snowden to travel to Norway without risk of being extradited to the United States.

The Borgating court upheld on Wednesday a ruling by a lower district court saying it cannot issue such a guarantee for someone who isn't present in Norway.

An Oslo law firm filed the lawsuit in April on behalf of the former National Security Agency contractor and the Norwegian chapter of PEN that had invited Snowden to receive its Ossietzky Prize in November. The literary group had appealed the Oslo district court June ruling.

Snowden, who is currently in Russia, faces US charges that could land him in prison for up to 30 years for leaking details of a secret US eavesdropping programme.

Snowden was an National Security Agency contract employee when he took more than a million documents and leaked them to journalists who revealed massive domestic surveillance programs begun in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. The programs collected the telephone metadata records of millions of Americans and examined emails from overseas.

His revelations about the agency's bulk collection of millions of Americans' phone records set off a fierce debate that pitted civil libertarians concerned about privacy against more hawkish lawmakers fearful about losing tools to combat terrorism. Democrats and libertarian-leaning Republicans pushed through a reauthorisation of the USA Patriot Act last year that ended the programme.

Snowden then fled to Hong Kong, then Russia, to avoid prosecution. Human rights groups are seeking a presidential pardon, saying he helped his country by revealing secret domestic surveillance programs. The American Civil Liberties Union, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International are behind the campaign to pardon him.
Islamabad: Pakistan on Tuesday approached the World Bank amid reports that India could revoke the 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty, with senior Pakistani officials taking up the matter with the international lender which had mediated the water-sharing deal.

A delegation of the Government of Pakistan led by the Attorney General for Pakistan, Ashtar Ausaf Ali, met with senior officials of the World Bank at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington DC, to discuss matters relating to Pakistan's recent Request for Arbitration given to India pursuant to Article IX of the Indus Waters Treaty, 1960, Geo News reported.

The report also said Pakistan approached the International Court of Justice, but did not provide any details.

On 19 August, Pakistan had formally requested India for settlement of outstanding disputes pertaining to India's construction of Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants on rivers Neelum and Chenab respectively, by referring the matters to the Court of Arbitration as provided in Article IX of the Treaty.

Under the treaty, the World Bank has an important role in establishment of the Court of Arbitration by facilitating the process of appointment of three judges, called Umpires, to the Court, while each country appoints two arbitrators.

The Pakistani officials met with senior officials of the World Bank to insist on early appointment of the judges, it said.

The Pakistani delegation consisted of Attorney General for Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf Ali; Secretary, Ministry of Water & Power, Muhammad Younus Dagha; Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters, Mirza Asif Baig and others, it said.

Pakistan's Ambassador to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani and World Bank's Executive Director for Pakistan Nasir Khosa were also present.

In the meeting with the Pakistani delegation, the World Bank committed itself to timely fulfilling its obligations under the treaty while remaining neutral, the report said.

Under the treaty, which was signed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan in September 1960, waters of six rivers - Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum - were to be shared between the two countries.

The treaty provides specific design criteria for any hydro-electric power plants to be built by India. Pakistan has held the position the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants violate the design parameters of the treaty.

Earlier, Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs and Security, Sartaj Aziz said an attempt by India to block Pakistan's water could be seen as "an act of war."

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with officials to review provisions of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan.

In that meeting it was decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water-sharing pact.

The meeting came as India weighed its options to hit back at Pakistan in the aftermath of the Uri terror attack that left 18 soldiers dead, triggering demands that the government scrap the water-sharing deal to mount pressure on the country.
Los Angeles: Playboy magazine, once famous for bunnies and soft porn, for the first time is featuring a Muslim woman wearing a hijab, in a spread that is drawing both praise and criticism.

American journalist Noor Tagouri appears in the magazine's October "Renegades" edition, a series that focuses on men and women "who risked it all  even their lives  to do what they love."

It's here! I'm honored to share that @Playboy has named me a 2016 #Renegade and has featured me in their piece!! *LINK IN BIO* : @gokateshoot A photo posted by Noor Tagouri (@ntagouri) on Sep 22, 2016 at 6:55am PDT

The 22-year-old journalist who works as a reporter for Newsy, a video news network, is featured wearing a black leather jacket, jeans, sneakers and a hijab, or headscarf, in the publication that describes her as "a badass activist."

Tagouri, who is of Libyan descent and whose goal is to become the first "hijabi" anchor on commercial US television, says that her struggles as a Muslim woman growing up in the United States have helped her move ahead in her career.

"I know what it's like to have the narrative of our community be skewed and exploited in the media," she told Playboy, which did away with nudity earlier this year as it sought to appeal to a wider audience.

"I was like, 'Hey, I know what it's like to be misrepresented in the media. I won't do that to you. I want to tell your story because it's important and deserves justice.'"

Tagouri, who has a social media following of more than 100,000, first gained attention after launching the viral #LetNoorShine campaign in 2012.

Her appearance in the revamped Playboy is being hailed by many as a breakthrough, but others have hit out at the young woman.

"Playboy is synonymous with pornography," read an article in The Muslim Vibe, an online magazine.

"It has been at the forefront of the objectification, sexualisation and commodification of women for decades and just because they've softened their image, it doesn't mean we can begin to engage with the platform and jump on board."

Blogger Nishaat Ismail also questioned in an opinion column the wisdom of Tagouri associating with an institution "based on the objectification of women."

"Are the voices of women  and in particular Muslim women  buried so deep under the cries of those who claim to speak on our behalf that our only available response is (to) involve ourselves with Playboy, a magazine that has solely existed for the past 63 years for men to gawp at the bodies of half-naked women?" wrote Nishaat.

"Is this really how we reclaim our own narrative?"
The 19th Saarc Summit to be held in Pakistan in November has been postponed. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that it will be postponed since four nations have decided not to attend the summit in Islamabad, reported ANI.

SAARC Summit will be postponed since 4 nations have decided to not attend SAARC Summit in Islamabad, there's no other way: Vikas Swarup, MEA pic.twitter.com/ysCED6O48Q  ANI (@ANI_news) September 28, 2016

Vikas Swarup, spokesperson of MEA said that according to the rules of the Saarc summit, if even one head of state or government decides not to participate, it has to be postponed.

However, he said that a formal statement can only be made by Nepal. The announcement will be made later by the Kathmandu-based Saarc Secretariat, in accordance with and suggestions from Nepal, the current chair of the regional grouping.

However, a formal announcement can only be made by Nepal after they have done their internal consultation: Vikas Swarup, MEA  ANI (@ANI_news) September 28, 2016

Swarup also expressed his disappointment over Pakistan's insistence on pursuing the same path which led to this current decision. He said that India's commitment to Saarc remains intact.

Our commitment to SAARC, to regional connectivity, to regional contact and prosperity remains intact: Vikas Swarup, MEA pic.twitter.com/JDioAQWapa  ANI (@ANI_news) September 28, 2016

However, India cannot conceive of Saarc summit taking place when cross-border terrorism and cross interference in its internal affairs continues. Swarup said that it's time for Pakistan to introspect what kind of relationship it wants with Saarc.

Nepal, as current chair of Saarc, has received letters from India, Bhutan and Bangladesh where they have categorically expressed their inability to participate in the summit due to tension in a part of the region.

Diplomatic sources told IANS that another member, Afghanistan, has also expressed its inability to attend the summit but Nepal has not received a formal letter in this respect yet.

"We will make our position public soon," said a senior Nepal foreign ministry official, adding that as the Foreign Minister is travelling to the US to attend the UNGA, it will take some days for Nepal to come up with its position.

After India decided not to attend the summit in Pakistan, it is now Sri Lanka that is likely to host the summit.

With inputs from IANS.
New Delhi: The 19th Saarc Summit to be hosted by Pakistan in November is likely to be postponed with India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan  four of the eight members of the South Asian grouping  deciding to pull out, citing incitement of terrorism in the region.

Sources in Nepal, the current Chair of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, confirmed having received messages from the four countries conveying their inability to attend the summit due in Islamabad on 9-10 November.

The sources said that the Himalayan nation is yet to take a decision on calling off the summit, which is over a month away.

With the Saarc process based on consensus, even if one member does not attend the summit is automatically postponed or cancelled.

However, a final decision rests on the current Saarc Secretary General Arjun Bahadur Thapa, who is currently in New York and will return in two days.

With half of the eight-nation regional bloc deciding to skip the event, there is every possibility of the event being postponed, in a big diplomatic snub to Pakistan.

Sri Lanka has already said that the Saarc Summit would not be possible without India's participation.

India on Tuesday announced that it was pulling out of the Islamabad summit in the wake of the 18 September cross-border terror attack on an Indian Army base in Uri town of Jammu and Kashmir, which New Delhi has blamed on terrorists based in Pakistan.

The Uri attack came amid the dragging unrest and violence in Kashmir Valley that has left around 90 people dead since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani on 8 July.

In a statement on Tuesday, India said increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Saarc member-states "by one country" have created an environment that was not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th Saarc summit.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that India has conveyed to Nepal its decision not to attend the summit, for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to go.

"India remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in an atmosphere free of terror."

"In the prevailing circumstances, the Government of India is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad," he said in the statement.

Pakistan has termed the boycott decision as "unfortunate".

In its message to Nepal on Tuesday, Afghanistan said that because of "increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the summit".

In a similar message to Nepal, Bangladesh said: "The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the Saarc process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere," the message said.

"In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad."

Bhutan, in its message, cited "the recent escalation of terrorism in the region" as the reason for its non-participation.
Beijing: A massive typhoon made landfall in eastern China Wednesday, a day after carrying strong winds over Taiwan that felled trees and scattered debris, killing at least four people and injuring more than 260.

Typhoon Megi weakened to a tropical storm after hitting the coastal city of Quanzhou in Fujian province before dawn Wednesday, packing winds of up to 118 kilometers (74 miles) per hour, China's National Meteorological Center said. No injuries were immediately reported.

In Taiwan on Tuesday, the typhoon's bands of heavy rain and sustained winds of 162 kilometers (100 miles) per hour blanketed the island by mid-afternoon as the eye of the storm made landfall on the east coast. Authorities had raised alert levels for Taiwan, which is prone to landslides and flooding, said National Fire Agency Director-General Chen Wen-lung.

The 268 injuries included eight Japanese tourists traveling in a tour bus that turned on its side in central Taiwan. Three people suffered fatal falls and a fourth person died in a truck crash, said Lee Wei-sen, a spokesman for Taiwan's Central Emergency Operations Center. Many of the injuries were from falling and wind-blown objects.

Megi is 500 kilometers (310 miles) in diameter, and rainfall had topped 300 millimeters (12 inches) in the south and eastern mountains of Taiwan.

More than 8,000 people were evacuated, mostly from mountainous areas at risk of landslides or floods. About 2,800 went to shelters, Chen said.

More than 2.9 million households lost power, though 9,76,000 had been restored by late Tuesday, according to Taiwan's Central News Agency.

More than 121 flights were delayed and 253 canceled at Taoyuan International Airport, and seven were diverted to other Taiwanese airports. Authorities had closed schools, offices and most of Taiwan's railway system.

Megi is the fourth typhoon of the year to hit Taiwan.

On the Chinese coast, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Taiwan at its nearest point, fishing boats were ordered back to port, China's official Xinhua News Agency said.
Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asifs preposterous statement that the Uri attack was "a plan devised by India itself" is a familiar narrative that emanates from across the border after all major acts of terror. His rant falls into the larger pattern of global jihadists narrative they use to portray them as victims and not aggressors.

Asif flatly denied any Pakistans role in the Uri attack stating that there was no proof yet to implicate his country. And then taking to by now familiar rant he told Dawn newspaper, It was evident the attack was a plan devised by India itself.

Pakistan plays the victimhood card every time it carries out an act of terror against India. It resorts to lies every time its exposed and squeezed for its acts of terrorism.

After the Pathankot and the Mumbai attacks too, Pakistan used the same tactics to accuse India of staging the attack itself. The Pakistani government is not the only entity to shift the blame for the attack on India. The Pakistani army, all the jihadist groups or the so-called non-state actors, the media, as well as the civil society too, buy into the victim-as-aggressor syndrome. The whole country is seen to be on the same page on this issue.

Soon after the Uri attack on 18 September, the Pakistani media began singing the familiar tune as though on a cue. The News International quoted sources in the Pakistani security establishment to say that the Uri attack was "a Pathankot-like Indian-staged drama to trumpet its terrorism mantra against Pakistan." Other newspapers such as The Express Tribune and The Dawn too sang the same tune.

The narrative of calling the victim as an aggressor is based on the cult of victimhood and lies the global jihadists have mastered. The whole narrative stands on two legs: play a victim and weave lies to mask the terror crime, gain the sympathy of the people and the gullible intellectual class and justify and enhance the broader agenda of jihad.

Once the jihadists get traction in the propaganda to paint them as victims, the process to indoctrinate people for carrying out jihad becomes easy. This culture of victimhood is part of a much broader and calibrated strategy to mould impressionable minds and for recruiting volunteers for global jihad.

This is what happened after the 11 September 2001 attack on the World Trade Centre in New York. The global jihad industry accused the US of staging the attack to defame Islam with an aim to carrying out war against Muslims in Afghanistan and later Iraq.

Just a week before the Uri attack, the mother of Mohammed Atta, who piloted the hijacked plane to destroy the World Trade Centre said in an interview that her son was the victim of a US plot. She also believes that her son is still alive and that he is being held at US prison in Guantanamo Bay.

Bozaina Mohamed Mustafa Sheraqi, Attas mother, told AFP, The United States is hiding the truth. They are the ones who designed this attack to spread the idea that Islam is terrorism. She is not the only one who believes in the jihadist propaganda that the US staged 9/11 to defame Islam. A large number of gullible and common people do.

Attas late father too believed the US was not the victim but aggressor in the 9/11 attack. He claimed that his son had phoned him from an undisclosed location the day after the attack. One can understand the pain and loss of parents and empathise with them. However, Attas parents belief of painting the US as an aggressor in the Twin Tower attack and their son as a victim fits into the narrative of victimhood and lies theory used by jihadists to advance their cause.

The phenomena of victimhood and lies used by Pakistani against India are designed to gain moral high ground abroad and to maintain and continue the jihadists industry at home. The Pakistani government has to maintain the veneer of denial and lies to distinguish itself from the global jihadists, such as Al Qaeda and the Islamic State who own up their acts of terrorism, to maintain the States legitimacy.

Pakistan also gathers the sympathy of a vocal section of civil society and political class in India. The narrative of victimhood appeals to the whole grievance industry in India, which in turn helps in blunting the response of the government towards Pakistan.

Congress Digvijaya Singh almost fell into the trap with his tweet quoting the Pakistans Defence Minister and by choosing not to debunk Asifs lies.

Veteran journalist Chitra Subramanium slammed Digvijaya Singh on Twitter by asking him why he had not condemned Khawaja Asifs lies.

https://twitter.com/chitraSD/status/780697067865931776

The Pakistani government and its sponsored jihadists get emboldened by the conduct of the people like Digvijaya Singh who seems to be buying into the culture of victimhood propagated by them.
Abuja: Asserting that terrorism can only be defeated by organised global action, India on Wednesday called for restructuring the legal framework by adopting a comprehensive

convention on international terrorism.

In an address to officers of the National Defence College in the Nigerian capital, Vice President Hamid Ansari said societies that stand for peace and humanism have to increase their cooperation and strengthen efforts to prevent supply of arms to terrorists, disrupt terrorist movements, and curb and criminalise terror financing.

"We have to help each other by sharing intelligence, securing our cyber space, and minimising the use of Internet and social media for terrorist activities," he said while delivering his lecture on "Emerging Security Imperatives in the context of India-Nigeria relations".

Describing terrorism as one of the most egregious sources of human right violations and a major impediment to development, he said, "Your country, like my own, has suffered the horrors of this scourge of humanity. Terrorism today has global reach, no city remains safe. There is a new level of threat to pluralist and open societies.

"Use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy is to be unequivocally condemned. There can be no distinction between good and bad terrorists. A terrorist is a terrorist; one who commits crimes against humanity cannot have any religion, or be afforded any political sanctuary."

He said the long standing defence partnership between the two nations is symbolised by institutions such as the Nigerian Defence Academy at Kaduna; the Naval College at Port Harcourt and other elite military training establishments in Nigeria.

"Many illustrious Nigerian officers have been the flag bearers of our bilateral cooperation. Today, we have an Indian Army Officer present amongst you as a participant of the ongoing NDC Course. This augurs well for our cooperation in the future."

Considering the diverse security challenges of our times, stronger India-Nigeria relations would not only be mutually beneficial, but would also add to the regional and global security, he said.

"Together we stand as giants of Africa and Asia respectively and as we march ahead in our quest for economic and military security, collaborative efforts borne out of mutual trust can be leveraged effectively to achieve our strategic goals," the Vice President said.

He also said both the countries must find ways of using international opinion as a force multiplier.

"No country in the world, howsoever powerful, can counter the emergent threats unilaterally. This, therefore, makes diplomacy doubly important for developing economies such as ours. Effective diplomacy is an important alternative to excessive defence spending.

"Therefore, it is important to devise methods of effectively participating in international fora, in influencing world opinion," he said.

He said threats posed by religious fundamentalism, ethnic violence and economic disparities can no longer be ignored, particularly when globalisation and information technology can make changes "fast, furious and most unexpected".

The task of defining and implementing a security paradigm is far more challenging in democratic, pluralist, developing societies with heterogeneous populations having diversities of religion, ethnicity and languages, he said.

"For democratic societies, the measure of security is derived from the perspective of the lowest common denominator  the well-being of the citizen or the individual," he said.

"When we look at countries with such similarities, India and Nigeria come to the fore," he said, adding that both the nations are linked by common historical experiences of colonial rule and in the contemporary context, are united in the desire to work towards democratic pluralism, with the core values of liberty, equality and tolerance.

"Management of ethnic and communal conflicts and resolving them are important areas of governance, as are the identification of threats posed by religious fundamentalism, ethnic violence, economic disparities and deprivation. These challenges can no longer be ignored," Ansari said.

He noted that both Nigeria and India, face similar security challenges ranging from climate change and diverse societal needs, compounded by the spread of terror.

Invoking Kautilya, Ansari said the 3rd century BC strategic thinker dwelt on the subject of threats that states encounter and developed a typology  those of external origins and internal abetment; those of internal origins and external abetment; those of external origins and external abetment; and those of internal origins and internal abetment.

According to him, the decline in inter-state warfare in the first decade and a half of the present century has been coupled with an increase in lower intensity civil conflicts.

"Consequently, the idea of security has expanded beyond the traditional sphere of military security, which had primarily been concerned with defending the border of a country from invading enemy.

"There is growing recognition that security of any given society is also impacted by several non-military factors, including political, economic, environmental, social and human domains," he said.

He said that complex interactions between various security dimensions create the context for today's security agenda.

"The trends for the next 20 to 50 years point to a bleak picture  one where the worsening effects of climate change are likely to contribute to economic deprivation which in turn could lead to conflict and forced migrations."

He said many of the states have radiated insecurity towards their citizens and residents and thus destabilised their own societies and polities.

"This has led to state failures and implosions in the internal dimension and to regional and even global crises in the external dimension. One cannot escape the harsh conclusion that States have, quite often, been significant contributors to individual and systemic insecurity."

The ambit of discussion, according to Ansari, does not remain confined to maintenance of state sovereignty and territorial integrity and would often depend upon demonstrated good rather than its a priori acceptance.

"Both, together, necessitate a paradigm shift." he added.
In a first, a baby was born thanks to a controversial new technique employed by US scientists to include DNA from three parents in the embryo, said a report by AFP on Tuesday.

The baby boy was born five months ago in Mexico to Jordanian parents, and is healthy and doing well, said the report in New Scientist magazine. The boy's mother carried genes for a disorder known as Leigh Syndrome, a fatal nervous system disorder which she had passed on to her two previous children who both died of the disease. She had also suffered four miscarriages.

The genes for this disease are carried in the mitochondria, organelles that provide energy to the cell. Mitochondria carry exactly 37 genes passed down from the mother through the egg and are separate from the majority of our DNA that reside in the nucleus of the cell. Mutation in this mitochondrial DNA may not cause negative health effects for the mother but could cause mild or severe disorders for the child.

The woman, whose identity was withheld by the New Scientist, and her husband sought the help of John Zhang, a doctor from the New Hope Fertility Centre in New York City to have a baby that would be genetically related to them but would not carry the inherited disease. The United States has not approved any three-parent method for fertility purposes, so Dr Zhang went to Mexico where he was quoted by New Scientist as saying "there are no rules".

Dr Zhang has been working on a procedure to combat this disease, called the 'three-parent technique'.

One method that has been approved in the United Kingdom, called pronuclear transfer, was deemed unacceptable to the couple because it would involve the destruction of two embryos, said the report. Since the mother carried the genes for the disease in her mitochondria, or DNA that is passed down from the maternal side, Dr Zhang used her nuclear DNA and combined it with mitochondria from an egg donor, in a technique known as spindle nuclear transfer.

"He removed the nucleus from one of the mother's eggs and inserted it into a donor egg that had had its own nucleus removed," the report said.

"The resulting egg  with nuclear DNA from the mother and mitochondrial DNA from a donor  was then fertilized with the father's sperm."

Professor Sian Harding of London's Imperial College, who had reviewed the ethics of the pronuclear transfer method, said that Dr Zhang used an ethical approach by avoiding the destruction of embryos and by using a male embryo, so the child wouldn't pass on any inherited mitochondrial mutations, in the New Scientist exclusive.

Safety is still a concern as versions of the 'three-parent technique' applied earlier in the 1990s resulted in some of the babies wens on to develop genetic disorders and the technique was banned.

The problem may have arisen from the babies having mitochondria from two sources.

An abstract describing the research has been published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, but outside experts said much more remains to be understood about the research. Many are skeptical about the study and concerned about the health of the future health of the boy.

"As this technology is controversial and a world first, I think the investigators should have submitted a manuscript for full peer review instead of announcing these outcomes in this manner," said Justin St John, professor and Director of the Centre for Genetic Diseases at Monash University. Another outside expert, David Clancy, a lecturer at Lancaster University, recalled that experiments in monkeys have shown that maternal mitochondrial DNA can expand from low levels to significantly higher levels, "which would allow disease to again be transmitted, so we must expect the possibility in humans."

In a CNN report, an assistant professor at the University of Alberta School of Public Health, Lori P Knowles, called it 'reproductive tourism'- to go out of a system to create the safest and scientifically reproducible way forward. Another professor said that it is regrettable that it is taking place in countries that are distant to serious ethical and technical aspects of scientific procedures which mean it is going to be difficult to use the conclusions of this study in an organised data collection.

Further, she pointed out that the fact that four out of five embryos were nonviable, which itself suggests that the technique is not infallible.

"There's no guarantee the defective mutation might not accumulate within the baby boy and eventually lead to disease. "Which is the whole reason you're supposed to go slowly... and not jump right into creating babies", she said.

"We know that the procedure is not perfect," said Dr Clancy, who explained that in 2015, a published study showed "that tissue-specific expansion of mutated mitochondrial DNA during development can occur and so could cause disease if levels are high enough."

He suggested that a healthy baby might eventually develop a disease.

Zhang and his team are expected to describe their method at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, next month.

With inputs from AFP
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The first load of coffee from Angola, weighing 11 tonnes, has arrived in the United States, said this week in New York the ambassador of Angola in the United States speaking to Jornal de Angola.

Agostinho Tavares also said that coffee is the first Angolan product to be exported to the United States under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which allows sub-Saharan Africa countries to place a variety of products on the US market without paying customs duties or taxes.

The ambassador said that Angola, a country that for years has exported oil to the United States, in the next few days will send a second shipment of coffee, which is experiencing high demand.

The trade ministers of African countries benefiting from the Growth and Opportunities for Africa Act took part from 22 to 26 September in the 16th edition of the African Growth and Opportunity Act Forum, known as the AGOA Forum.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act, established in 2000 by the administration of former President George Bush, was renewed in 2015 by the current US administration to take effect for another period of 15 years. MDT/Macauhub
The capacity for the book collection of the planned new central library will be one million items including books, newspapers, as well as other references, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) revealed yesterday during a Cultural Advisory Committee meeting.

IC hopes that by the time the Central Library opens, 500,000 books will already be available to the public.

When questioned by several committee members regarding the book collection, Tang Mei Lin, director of the Department of Management of Public Libraries, said that multilingualism is a major aim of the department. Books in both simplified and traditional Chinese, in English, Portuguese, as well as in Filipino and Thai, are planned to be provided, informed Tang, adding that religious ancient books will also be part of the collection.

According to Tang, there will be specific sections for childrens books in the library, as well as communication corners which will allow library users to chat with each other.

A total of 10,000 Portuguese references will be listed, making it the richest Portuguese collection in Asia, announced Tang, adding: Portuguese newspapers with more than 100 years of history will also be available to the public.

Members of the committee raised questions about differences between the new library and the current one at the University of Macau (UM).

Tang replied that while the University of Macau Library offers a good source of information for scholars and students, the new library will be more useful to the mass public.

The old court building is the chosen location to the future library. A new 11-story building is expected to be built there, preserving only the facade and part of the interior structure of the olf building (pictured)  like its stairways.

In addition, the IC disclosed yesterday that the library based in the old court will be 53 meters above sea level. The height is similar to those of many buildings in the vicinity, as Tang observed.

Correspondingly, the president of IC, Ung Vai Meng, remarked: The location in the city center [is an advantage as the building] will also make more services available to citizens.

Tang Mei Lin said that the central library will commence its construction in 2019. Julie Zhu
After a half-century of combat that spilled blood across this South American nation, Colombians have embarked on a new, but difficult path to settle their political differences with the signing of a historic peace accord between the government and leftist rebels.

The first test after Mondays signing is a weekend referendum in which voters are being asked to ratify or reject the deal. If it passes, as expected, Colombia will move on to the thornier and still uncertain task of reconciliation.

President Juan Manuel Santos and Rodrigo Londono, top commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, formally signed the agreement before a crowd of 2,500 foreign dignitaries and special guests, including U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

Many in the audience, all dressed in white, had tears in their eyes as Santos removed from his lapel a pin shaped like a white dove that he has been wearing for years and handed it over to his former adversary, who fastened it to his own shirt.

It was one of many symbolic gestures during the 90-minute ceremony overlooking the colonial ramparts of Cartagena that filled Colombians with hope and optimism for the arduous work ahead implementing a 297-page accord that took four grueling years to negotiate.

If the accord is accepted by Colombian voters in Sundays referendum, as polls say it will, the FARCs estimated 7,000 fighters would have to turn over their weapons gradually to a team of United Nations-sponsored observers within six months.

A much tougher challenge will be reconciliation, a process that will require rebels and state actors who want to avoid jail to confess their war crimes committed during a 52-year conflict marred by brutalities on both sides.

In Brussels, the European Union announced Tuesday that it has suspended its sanctions against the FARC, which has been on the blocs terrorist list since 2002. The sanction have allowed the EU to freeze the assets of people, groups and entities linked to the FARC and stop Europeans making funds or economic resources available to it.

Longer term, the two sides have drafted an ambitious agenda to hasten the development of Colombias long-neglected countryside and rid it of illegal coca crops that starting in the 1980s strengthened the FARC  and some say morally corrupted it  while other insurgencies across Latin America fell to the wayside.

Londono, best known by his alias Timochenko, called Santos a courageous partner and proclaimed there was no turning back on the FARCs decision to abandon Colombias jungles.

Let no one doubt that we are going into politics without weapons, he said before ending his speech with a simple but loudly applauded appeal for forgiveness. I apologize for all the pain that we have caused, he said.

Santos, who for years was the FARCs top military opponent, was equally emphatic that he would honor his promise to promote pluralism and open up Colombias traditionally elite-driven political system.

As head of state of the fatherland we all love, I want to welcome you to democracy, he said. Earlier, he led the crowd in chants of No more war! No more war! No more war!

Across the country, Colombians celebrated with a host of activities, from peace concerts to a street party in the capital, Bogota, where the signing ceremony was broadcast live on a giant screen.

The signing was greeted with wild cheers followed by calls for Timochenko to be president from about 1,000 FARC rebels in the Yari Plains, a remote area of southern Colombia where the group recently concluded its last congress as a guerrilla army by endorsing the deal.

But there were also sporadic protests, including one in Cartagena led by conservative former President Alvaro Uribe, whose decade-long, U.S.-backed military offensive forced the FARC to the negotiating table. Shouting Santos is a coward, the few hundred Uribe supporters vowed that if they gain power when the presidents steps down in 2018 they will undo an accord they say is harbinger of a Cuba-style leftist dictatorship.

The stiff domestic opposition, which will make implementation even tougher, contrasts with almost universal acclaim abroad for the accord. On Monday, European Union foreign policy coordinator Federica Mogherini said that with the signing of the peace agreement, the EU would suspend the FARC from its list of terrorist organizations.

The U.S. has yet to follow suit but Kerry said he is open to reconsidering its status.

We clearly are ready to review and make judgments as the facts come in, he told reporters. We dont want to leave people on the list if they dont belong.

Colombians distrust of the FARC runs deep. Many families have been touched by rebel kidnappings and it will take years to heal the wounds from a conflict that claimed 220,000 lives and drove 8 million people from their homes.

The rebels are equally skeptical of the government on which they will now depend for protection, a fact underscored by Timochenkos startled look when a low flyover by three fighter jets unexpectedly interrupted his speech.

This time they came to salute peace instead of unload bombs, he joked upon resuming.

Timochenko took over as the FARCs commander in 2011 after an aerial attack killed his predecessor shortly after he authorized a secret backchannel dialogue with the government.

For all of the challenges ahead, though, many Colombians who thought peace would never come were carried away with emotion.

This is something I waited for my whole life  that I dreamed of every day, said Leon Valencia, a former guerrilla who is one of the most respected experts on Colombias conflict. Its like when youre waiting for a child that is finally born, or seeing an old lover or when your favorite team scores a goal. Joshua Goodman, Andrea Rodriguez, AP
Le French May 2016 ended with a record-breaking number of visitors and audience numbers according to organizer Association Culturelle France, as it registered some 200,000 spectators at screenings and performances and over 400,000 visitors at exhibitions and public events.

According to organizers, Claude Monet: The Spirit of Place  an exhibition held at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum  received overwhelming response from the public. It received around 250,000 visitors across its 69 exhibiting days, or about 4,000 visitors per day on average.

The festivals activities were spread between Hong Kong and Macau, and supported most prominently by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, which contributed HKD11.47 million.

The festival which just concluded was the 24th edition. This years festival had over 110 programs offered under the theme of Dreams and Wonders. The selection of programs ranged from classical music and opera like Mozart in Love and Romeo and Juliette, to jazz and electro music like Jazz Duet and Charles Baptiste: World Music Day Concert.

It also included neo-classical ballet dance performances like Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast, hip-hop Bliss and circus show Extremites, among other shows.

Heritage and contemporary art exhibitions were also held as part of the event, including the MGM-

hosted Edgar Degas: Figures in Motion and Paris Extended, in addition to a number of other public events and gastronomy programs which were organized.

The popularity of this French impressionists masterpieces among the Hong Kong community is very encouraging, said Andrew Yuen, chairman of the board of Le French May, commenting on the Monet exhibition. It shows how we are realizing our mission  to bring art to everywhere for everyone. We will definitely try to arrange more similar exhibitions in the future, bringing national masterpieces from France to Hong Kong for public viewing.

Xavier Garnier, the director of LAlliance Francaise de Macao, told the Times that Le French May plays an important part in the relationships that Hong Kong and Macau enjoy with France, helping to strengthen Sino-French relations using soft power, or diplomatic influence.

He also explained that the most prominent event on the Macau side of the event was the exhibition of French painter Auguste Borget, which showcases various sketches, watercolors, oil paintings and prints of the artists travels in Macau and Guangdong Province.

For us [in Macau], the main event was the inclusion of the Borget exhibition at the Macau Museum of Art, said Garnier. This year it was really a big event and will actually continue [to be open to the public] until October 9.

Established in 1993, Le French May is a cultural event held annually in Hong Kong and Macau. In 2008, the festival was awarded the Gold Award for Arts Promotion from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council and the patronage of the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau.

It is also announced that the program for Le French May 2017 will be released early next year.

We are very grateful for the support of our sponsors and partners [] in making this year a great success, said Julien-Loic Garin, CEO of Le French May. Stepping towards our 25th anniversary, Le French May will be bringing more excitement to town in 2017. DB
Dutch-led criminal investigators said yesterday they have solid evidence that a Malaysian jet was shot down by a Buk missile moved into eastern Ukraine from Russia.

Wilbert Paulissen, head of the Central Crime Investigation department of the Dutch National Police, said communications intercepts showed that pro-Moscow rebels had called for deployment of the mobile surface-to-air weapon, and reported its arrival in rebel-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine.

From that and other evidence collected by the Joint Investigation Team, it may be concluded MH17 was shot down by a 9M38 missile launched by a Buk, brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation, and that after launch was subsequently returned to the Russian Federation, Paulissen told a news conference.

The conclusions were billed as results of a two-year Dutch-led criminal probe of the disaster that claimed 298 lives.

A separate investigation by Dutch safety officials last year concluded that the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur flight was downed by a Buk missile fired from territory held by pro-Russian rebels.

Dutch police spokesman Thomas Aling said the joint investigation findings differ in that they are designed to be solid enough to be used as evidence in a criminal trial. Where and when a trial might take place is still to be determined, Aling said.

Russia has consistently denied allegations that pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine were responsible. On Monday, the Russian military said it has new radio-location data that show the missile that downed the Boeing 777 did not originate from rebel-controlled territory, and said it would turn the data over to investigators.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that assertion yesterday ahead of the Dutch report.

If there was a rocket it could only have been launched from a different area, he told reporters, referring to Russian radar data. You cant argue with it, it cant be discussed.

In the Joint Investigation Team, Dutch police and judicial officials have been working with counterparts from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine, seeking to gather the best possible evidence for use in prosecution of the perpetrators.

They have faced extraordinary challenges: the crime scene in Ukraines eastern Donetsk oblast where the plane crashed on July 17, 2014, killing all aboard, was located in an active war zone, and during the days following the crash pro-Kremlin militants limited access to the site.

Eleven containers crammed with debris from the jetliner were ultimately brought to the Netherlands. A research team took soil samples in eastern Ukraine and established the location of cellphone towers and the layout of the local telephone network.

Forensic samples were taken from passengers and crew members bodies and luggage, and satellite data and communications intercepts were scrutinized. The team also appealed for information from witnesses who may have seen the missile launch.

About two-thirds of the passengers aboard MH17 were Dutch nationals; the crew members were Malaysians. Malaysia proposed setting up an international tribunal to try those responsible for the planes destruction, but Russia vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution in favor of a tribunal. John-Thor Dahlburg, Nieuwegein, AP
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has used a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart to promote Japans Shinkansen bullet train technology for use in a planned high-speed railway linking Singapore and Malaysia.

Abe, serving as top salesman for Shinkansen trains, held talks yesterday with Lee Hsien Loong at the state guest house  a venue for top-level hospitality  instead of the usual Prime Ministers Office. Japan is bidding for a planned railway linking Singapore and the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.

Lee spoke highly of the Shinkansens safety record and reliability, saying it stands in good stead in the upcoming bidding.

The two leaders also agreed to cooperate in promptly putting the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal into effect. The two countries are part of the 12-nation effort. AP
Australias Lucapa Diamond Company has discovered at the Lulo concession in Angola yet another very large diamond, weighing 172.67 carats (35.534 grams), the company announced in a statement released on Monday.

The company specified that it is the fifth stone over 100 carats discovered at that concession in Angola and that it is nearly colorless and almost entirely without impurities.

Last February the Lucapa Diamond Company announced the discovery of the largest diamond ever found in Angola, weighing 404.2 carats or about 80 grams. It was later sold for USD16 million.

Early this September the company discovered a 38.6 carat pink diamond, the largest coloured gemstone found at the concession located 630 km east of Luanda.

The companys partners at the concession are the state-held Empresa Nacional de Diamantes de Angola (Endiama) and the private company Rosas & Petalas. MDT/Macauhub
A public lecture delivered by award-winning photojournalist Eduardo Leal, examined his approach to photography in news reporting and detailed some of his prior work. The lecture was held at the campus of the University of Saint Joseph on Tuesday night.

During the lecture, Leal guided the audience through his photographs of the recent Venezuelan Revolution, the legacy of the Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, and the photojournalists encounters with bullfighters in Portugal.

Currently living in South America, and having spent recent years traveling the continent, the Portuguese-born photojournalist also discussed the dangers of his job and the stress his family faces as they often worry about him. You have to also think about your family too, he said, this [profession] was my choice, but it wasnt theirs, concluding that he thought it might be a bit selfish to pursue such a career.

His adventures nevertheless fascinated the audience last night who studied each photograph loaded on the projector intently and fired question after question at Leal after (and during) his lecture.

The photojournalist will head back to Ecuador before the end of this week, to continue capturing stories which include the recurring aftershocks of a recent earthquake and another on the countrys transgender community.

However, he told the Times that he has already been contacted by Macau locals about returning to the city to deliver another lecture; something Leal said he would welcome. DB
The shipment of the 30 made-to-order Rolls-Royce Phantom series has arrived at the The 13 hotel in the region, Rolls-Royce informed in a statement earlier this week.

The manufacturer said following the handover of the first of the bespoke Rolls-

Royce Phantoms at the 2016 Geneva

International Motor Show in March this year, all 30 Phantoms commissioned by Stephen Hung, joint Chairman of The 13 Holdings Limited, have now been shipped from Goodwood, England to the final destination of Macau.

The vehicles will make up a 30-car fleet for The 13 hotel which is now slated to open in early 2017. The statement implies a new postponement to the opening date. The hotel was initially scheduled to open in early 2016.

The biggest ever order for Rolls-Royce cars has a high degree of personalization that was reportedly the product of collaboration between the companys chairman and Rolls-Royce.

Among the personalization details of the fleet are an extended wheelbase, special exterior color scheme and a livery of The 13 hotel. The fleet includes two gold colored Phantoms which will be reserved for selected guests and provides a higher degree of luxury, as it includes a gold Spirit of Ecstasy Pantheon grille, gold interior accents and diamond encrusted Rolls-Royce badge. The golden color exterior paint is also infused with fine particles of pure gold.
Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosario, said yesterday that the Light Railway Transit (LRT) will be completed in 2019 in response to journalists questions on the sidelines of the Carmo Post Office opening.

Earlier this week, the government outsourced the construction of a LRT depot to the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) through a contract valued at MOP1.07 billion.

According to the secretary, the construction of the depot has already started.

In order to dissolve the contract with the former contractors, MOP85 million was paid out to them.

Rosario noted that this payment cannot be seen as a compensation. It was made according to what was written in the contract. Every project features several points. If the contractor wants to leave, he should be paid according to the materials that are left behind or in case some payments were supposed to have been made earlier, explained Raimundo.

The secretary also pledged that land works of 9.3 kilometers and 11 stops in Taipa will be completed by the end of this year.

According to Rosario, for the next step the department will focus on the elements of the LRT associated with the Macau Peninsula and Coloane, including a stop at Barra and at some facilities in Coloane.

The secretary also revealed that, this time, the government invited the CSCEC to construct the LRT depot instead of launching public tenders for the project.

Ho Cheong Kei, interim coordinator of the Transportation Infrastructure Office, explained that the transport authority invited the Chinese state company due to the tight schedule.

The depot is the core of the LRT. We want to start its construction as soon as possible, said Ho.

The depot structure is one of five projects comprising the LRT Taipa section. It features a 130,000 square meter area which will serve as an operation control center, a factory and a maintenance building, in addition to another area for trains to be parked and cleaned, which includes a 600-meter train-testing track. JZ
Shanghai authorities are introducing a scheme to attract foreign talent that will allow high-level foreign professionals to apply for a Shanghai Residence Card. Under the scheme, some Hong Kong and Macau residents will be able to apply for the local hukou  permanent residence and citizenship, provided that they give up their Hong Kong and Macau ID cards in the two special administrative regions.

According to the Shanghai Daily, these foreign talents can apply for the Shanghai Residence Card B and are exempted from mandatory presentation of documents such as health certificates, employers business licenses and certificates of residence ownership or registration forms of temporary accommodation.

The Shanghai Residence Card B enables foreigners to enjoy certain benefits that applies to holders of Card A, who are necessarily Chinese citizens. Applicants need to be working or starting up private businesses in Shanghai and be holders of a bachelor or higher educational degrees.

Still according to Shanghai Daily, foreign investors have to submit an auditing report covering the previous fiscal year. The validity length of the Shanghai Residence Card B depends on credits the applicants can get based on their own background, such as education qualification, age, career and achievement.

Under the scheme, applicants with credits above 65 can get a Card B valid from one to 10 years  the higher the points, the longer the card is valid.

Benefits for expatriates with Shanghai Residence Card B will also be upgraded. Besides participating in local social security systems and education opportunities for their children, foreigners with Card B can apply for high-end talent certificates to enjoy simplified customs clearance service for their research, teaching and personal materials. For example, customs officials may not open packages held by Card B foreigners unless there are special circumstances.

Card B foreigners can also participate in the local housing provident fund to use it for buying or renting a residence and paying property management fees as local residents do. If they stop working in Shanghai, they can also have their deposits transferred to the fund operating in other cities where they move to.

With Card B, returning Chinese and special talent residents from Hong Kong and Macau can apply for subsidies from a special fund for their life and work needs in the city.

Foreigners who have a five-

year Shanghai Residence Card B but no permanent residence permits can apply for a working class residence permit for the same validity length and apply for a permanent residence permit after three years only if they have been recommended by their employers.

The scheme is an upgraded version of the previous Shanghais resident policies regarding overseas talented people. It is being implemented by the Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security Bureau (www.12333sh.gov.cn) and the Shanghai Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (www.shafea.gov.cn).

shanghai up-and-coming for finance

According to recent survey of finance professionals, Shanghai ranks as the top pick among the worlds international cities to develop into a global finance center in the near future. The city will be trailed into the period by Beijing, Shenzhen, Qingdao and Dalian, according to statistical data and a survey of finance professionals. The findings are based on an index that measures cities for their attractiveness to finance services professionals. It measures and a poll of finance. Eight of the top 15 cities expected to rise in the ranking are from the Asia-Pacific region, including the five aforementioned Chinese cities. Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo also ranked highly.
CHINA Authorities blamed illegal mining activities for a gas explosion at a coal mine that killed 18 miners left two others missing, Chinese state media reported yesterday. The explosion occurred at a small coal mine when 20 miners were working underground in the city of Shizuishan in the northwestern region of Ningxia.

PHILIPPINE officials say they have ordered the suspension of 20 more mines, mostly nickel producers, for environmental violations, threatening to tighten supply from the worlds top nickel ore exporter.

VIETNAM Hundreds of Vietnamese fishermen have filed claims seeking compensation from a Taiwanese steel company that acknowledged its toxic chemicals caused a massive fish kill, said a local priest helping the fishermen.

INDIA-PAKISTAN Pakistans defense minister says its nuclear-armed rival India will disintegrate when Kashmir gains independence. Khawaja Muhammad Asif said yesterday that Pakistan will continue to extend moral support to the people of the disputed Himalayan region, which is claimed in its entirety by both countries.

SYRIA Secretary of State John Kerry is threatening to cut off all contacts with Moscow over Syria, unless Russian and Syrian government attacks on Aleppo end. The State Department says Kerry issued the ultimatum in a telephone call yesterday to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

ISRAEL yesterday mourned the death of Shimon Peres, a former president and prime minister whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state.

LIBYA A powerful Libyan general whose forces recently captured several key oil facilities has rejected a U.N.-brokered government and said the country would be better served by a leader with high-level military experience.

SERBIA A government official says the Balkan country will seek more funds from the European Union for its efforts to curb the influx of migrants trying to reach the bloc.

EU nations pressed ahead with plans to boost military cooperation as Britain vowed to oppose the creation of an EU army or headquarters. With Britain leaving the EU, France and Germany have been spearheading moves to boost Europes capacity to run its own security operations.
Over the weekend I traveled to City of Rocks National Reserve for some rock climbing and hiking. Two of my childhood friends, Nick Potts and Kyle Rohleder, flew in from Chicago and Austin, Texas, to join me.

After a horrible first night of cold rain and high winds, we sat around the campfire on night two and gazed up at the stars. They stretched farther than I could see. As most photographers will attest to, we may be off the clock, but were never off the job. The sky was too beautiful for me not to bring out my camera.

I started simple, doing a couple of long exposures of the sky to show the number of stars. I was still in my relaxing mode and too lazy to set up my tripod, so these shots didnt turn out well. Even if you place the camera on your lap and try not to move, you cant shoot a 30-second exposure without some motion blur.

The possibilities of beautiful photos eventually got the better of me, and I brought out the tripod. If Im going to commit to doing something, I might as well do it right. I started by playing around with different exposures of the rock bluffs next to our campsite. The first image I shot used the glow of the campfire to illuminate the bluffs. This was shot at 10,000 ISO for 30 seconds at f/2.8. To see how it would look without the bright glow of the fire, I changed the f-stop to f/8 and shot another frame.

Just by adjusting the f-stop, I can change how much of an impact the rocks have on the image. In the first frame the viewers eye goes straight to the rocks, making the stars an afterthought. The second photo focuses more on the stars and draws less attention to the rocks. Both techniques work well for their intended purposes. What photographers have to ask themselves before they shoot is what they want the center of focus to be. Remember, the eye will almost always go to the brightest spot first, so think about that when composing your images.

After messing around with the stars and rock bluffs, I turned my attention to the fire. When shooting a campfire in the middle of the night, no matter what you do the fire will always be the center of focus. It is your only source of light and the brightest part of the frame. By playing with your shutter speed you can create different effects to enhance the scene. A fast shutter speed will help you avoid motion blur. This adds more emphasis to the people in the photo. With a longer shutter speed, the subjects become blurred, keeping the focus on the fire itself.

After watching me fiddle with my camera for a half-hour, Kyle and Nick decided to join in. We headed to a nearby field to play with some light painting. Thats when you take a long exposure and paint the subject with a flashlight to help illuminate it. This is typically used when you want to properly expose a dark background while adding detail to your foreground.

There are a few key elements required when light painting. First, we went to a field that was away from the glow of the campfire. Any unplanned light can ruin your exposure, which will be frustrating for both you and your subject. (On a side note, never leave a campfire unattended. We rotated who was in the photo so the other person could tend the fire.) The second requirement for light painting is a flashlight. We used a D-battery flashlight that was nearly dead. Even with this, I avoided using a direct burst of light because it overexposed the subject, as seen below. All of the lighting for the forward-facing portraits was done with the glow of the flashlight, not the light itself.

In the side-by-side photos below, you can see how a direct light and an indirect light can change your exposure. With Kyles photo, I shined the flashlight on him, creating a hot spot on his shoulder and chin. This overexposed his face. With the self portrait, I had Nick shine the flashlight above my head, creating a soft glow of light that evenly lit the foreground.

After finishing the standard portraits, I moved behind my subjects and started using the flashlight to create a glowing effect around them. As seen in one of these images, you have to be completely behind your subject or you will show up in the frame.

When back-lighting, I want that heavenly glow effect. To create this, I shined the light directly on them and held it there much longer than I would if I were lighting them from the front. By tracing their outlines and letting a little light shine past them toward the camera, Im able to highlight their features while maintaining the silhouette that Im going for.

Eventually it was time to pack up my gear and return to the warmth of the fire. As I was walking toward the car I noticed how the light of the fire danced off the trees and nearby rock bluffs. This was the last image I shot, and the strongest of the shoot. Always keep your eyes open, watch how the light moves and make it work to your advantage. With digital photography, theres no harm in experimenting. All you have to do is get out there and try.
TWIN FALLS  Dutch Bros Twin Falls will donate $1 from every drink sold Thursday to the Boys & Girls Club of Magic Valley.

All Dutch Bros locations in the seven states the company operates will donate $1 from every drink sold to local youth organizations.

Buck for Kids is an annual event that in the past has been held on the first Friday of December. This year, the company wanted to use National Coffee Day as a platform to positively impact communities.

Its National Coffee Day, and were super stoked to show our love and appreciation for kids, co-founder Travis Boersma said. This year we get to celebrate and thank our customers while supporting childrens organizations in our communities.

Funds raised on Buck for Kids Day at the 572 Pole Line Road store will support the club in mentoring and supporting local youths. Dutch Bros Twin Falls will also offer customers a nine-stamp loyalty card with every large drink purchased on Thursday.
December 23, 2001 - September 20, 2016

JUNIPER, Idaho  Matthew Austin Nelson was born Dec. 23, 2001, in Logan, Utah, to Jeremy and Tonya (Lawton) Nelson. He returned to his Heavenly Father on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016.

Matthew was the oldest of six children and took that responsibility seriously. He was a wonderful example, guardian, and protector. He always put his family first. He had an infectious smile that he shared with everyone he met. He was always earnestly striving to be his best at all times.

He had a special ability to love everyone and a gift to know who needed it the most. He had a great love for Jesus Christ and His gospel and enjoyed sharing his testimony with others. He loved the scriptures and knew them well. He had a deep appreciation for the truth he found in them.

Matthew had a great love for the Constitution and an understanding of the freedoms which it grants. He loved handing out pocket Constitutions to people and encouraging them to read it.

Matthew is survived by his parents, Jeremy and Tonya; two brothers and three sisters, Ryan, Aliza, Trevor, Katrina, and Rebecca; both sets of grandparents, Zeldon and Marylynne Nelson and Lyle and Sherlene Lawton; and many cousins, aunts and uncles who deeply loved him.

He was preceded in death by his uncle, Craig Allen Lawton.

The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, at the Malta LDS Church, 280 N. 1st Street W., in Malta, Idaho, with Bishop Richard Hall officiating. Burial will follow at 2:30 p.m. in the Logan City Cemetery, 1000 N. 1200 E., Logan, Utah.

The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 26, and from 8:30 until 9:45 a.m. Tuesday, both at the Malta LDS Church. Funeral Directors: Rasmussen Funeral Home of Burley, Idaho
GOODING  Goodings East Park was once home to a metal slide that would heat up like a cookie sheet in the summer sun.

Becca Pereira used to climb to the slides tall top and brave the scorching slide to the bottom as a child. So did her parents. Thats how long the metal slide, merry-go-round and monkey bars had been there.

They were toys that our parents played on, she said.

But soon, Pereiras children  and many other children who live in Gooding County  wont have to play on this ancient playground equipment anymore.

The Gooding Volunteer Group is planning a five-day community build from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 25 through Oct. 29. They will be installing the brand-new Gooding Community Park Playground from the ground up, and they need volunteers. Free childcare will be provided for children ages 2 and older during the five-day build in October. There will also be free food provided for volunteers. Pereira, the groups public relations coordinator and board member, said she is still looking for tool donations such as a backhoe with a front bucket, drills and hammers. The group is also seeking food donations from restaurants and still accepting financial donations.

The Gooding Volunteer Group formed in 2014 from two groups. One wanted to connect with volunteers and the other wanted to replace old playground equipment in the community. The following year, they began fundraising $150,000 for new park equipment at Goodings East Park. The Gooding Volunteer Group received $20,000 each from Ridleys Family Markets and Sliman and Butler Irrigation. Glanbia has pledged to be a lifetime supporter along with a $10,000 donation. The group has a nine-member board of directors and about 300 members.

It is a completely community-built project and we will need a lot of volunteers to get it done, Pereira said. There are multiple shifts available. You dont have to be skilled in construction.

On Tuesday, Pereira and other members of the board of directors walked through East Park. A red metal swing was the only piece of former playground equipment in the park. The slide, merry-go-round, monkey bars and a wooden teeter totter have already been removed.

The new park was custom designed, based on what the children of Gooding wanted in a park.

There will be a pirate ship, barn, tractor, cheese hidey hole, a dragon and cheetah slide. There is also a swing for children in wheelchairs. The park will be completely handicapped accessible. There will also be high barriers and a picket fence around the perimeter to keep children inside the playground. A recent survey based on information from Gooding County schools indicated there are more than 400 children with disabilities.

There are all kinds of things for children with abilities and disabilities, said Bonnie Koyle, board member. We have a lot of moms and grandmas who have children with special needs.

Koyle never went to a park when she was growing up. Thats because her mother didnt want her sister Mindi Sears, who has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair, to feel left out.

We never went to parks because it was unfair, Koyle said.

Now that Koyle is a mother of three, she still doesnt want her sister to be left out.

Koyle helps her father care for Sears, 26, when he is at work. She has helped care for her since their mother died nine years ago. As Koyle pushed Sears wheelchair through the park Tuesday, she said she was excited to take her sister on the parks pirate ship that sways back and forth.

We all like to play, Koyle said. Thats part of the reason we take our kids to the park.

Dallas Scoffield, another board member, said the park will help autistic children, like her 12-year-old son Wyatt, feel more comfortable playing with other children. It will feature a number of tunnels and places to hide. Scoffield said her son often becomes overwhelmed when there are a lot of people.

If they need a break, they can go to a closed-in house or tunnel, Scoffield said. Its a place to decompress and calm down their senses. It brings them back into themselves.

Scoffield said her son also loves to climb rocks, which inspired the City of Rocks-themed climbing area of the park and pays homage to the areas history and culture. In fact, area dairies sponsored the parks cheese hidey hole and tractor.

The women also said they hope the Gooding Community Park will help Gooding residents keep their business local.

We dont see a lot of traffic besides the others who live here, Pereira said. Everyone darts off to Twin. Its so easy to hop on the freeway and go to Twin. Stay here and make our community better.

The group has organized events such as movies in the park, Christmas lights shows and family 5K runs. They have also volunteered at community events such as Rotarys Cheese and Wine Fest and the third annual Cruisin for Caden fundraiser.

We want to better our community, said Amber Turner, a board member. One program at a time.

Gooding Volunteer Group has already replaced pieces of park equipment at the park on Main Street. They want to update equipment in Goodings West Park next.

We are looking to update old park equipment, Pereira said. We live in a small rural community where there isnt a lot of budget for that in the general fund.

Possible future plans have included a fitness trail around the park and additional pavilions. Artists have also offered to paint the concrete barriers that keep traffic from coming into the park.

Its invigorating to see an entire community coming together to improve an entire citys quality of life, Scoffield said.
On Tuesday, two students were arrested at Bridge Academy. One had brought to school a pellet gun that looked like a firearm, and a second student tried to help hide it, the city said in a statement. The statement says school resource officers were following up on an unrelated investigation and found the weapon after reviewing a surveillance video.
TWIN FALLS  An Amalgamated Sugar Company employee, burned by hot sugar syrup on Monday, has been released from the hospital, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration says its awaiting investigation findings from the sugar company to ensure a similar accident doesnt happen again.

We can confirm an employee was treated for burns resulting from hot sugar syrup that spilled from a sample container she was carrying, Amalgamated Sugar spokeswoman Jessica McAnally said Wednesday.

Emergency personnel responded about 2:45 p.m. to the companys Twin Falls factory, at 2320 Orchard Drive E., for the report of a 28-year-old woman with severe burns, Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office Spokeswoman Lori Stewart said. Later it was determined she might have suffered a medical incident before she was burned.

Air St. Lukes took the woman to University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City, Stewart said. The company spokeswoman didnt know which hospital the woman had gone to except that it was a burn-treatment unit in Salt Lake City.

We also understand she has been released and is now at home, McAnally said. And were thankful for the care and treatment she received.

McAnally said Amalgamated Sugar is investigating the incident, and an OSHA spokesman said the agency is awaiting those results.

We have given the facility five business days to provide their investigation findings to us for review, Department of Labor Public Affairs Official Leo Kay said. If we have questions about their findings or the information they provide, we will contact them to discuss it.

OSHA officials couldnt discuss the details of the incident because its an open investigation, but Kay provided a list of several factors theyll look for in Amalgamated Sugars investigation.

We want to know that employees are not continuing to be exposed to a hazard; that the hazard itself no longer exists; that the employer has identified the cause (or) problem, and that good, solid corrective actions were taken to ensure the hazard or something similar doesnt happen again.
GOODING  The Gooding Chamber of Commerce is short five board members, and faces the possibility of disbanding if it cant get volunteers.

The organization announced through a Facebook event that the board is considering disbanding the chamber due to lack of participation. At a meeting in September, however, several member organizations said they wanted to see the chamber continue.

Theres still hope for the chamber  if enough people sign on to help run it at its meeting next week.

Theres just not enough of us to keep it going, Treasurer George Yerion said. This meeting is going to be critical to the continuation of the Gooding Chamber of Commerce. Member attendance is highly recommended if they want to see the Gooding chamber continue.

According to its bylaws, the Gooding Chamber of Commerce must have eight members on its board. This summer, several left and others have not attended meetings  effectively resigning  Yerion said. The board now consists of a treasurer, secretary and a member-at-large, he said. Yerions term ends later this year.

Its unlikely Ill continue, he said. Ive got other interests.

The next meeting is noon Oct. 6 at Zeppes Pizza & Subs, 215 Main St. While the event is not generally open to the public, Yerion welcomed any chamber members or businesses prepared to sign on as a member.

Jim Schoettger of Coldwell-Banker Canyonside Realty said he believes a chamber of commerce is a necessary function of the community.

Schoettger planned to go to the board meeting to see what he could do to help out.

Ive been in business for over 35 years and dont want to see it go away, he said.
HEYBURN  Betty Roberts, of Heyburn, was recognized with the Region 5 Advocate for Recovery award by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

The award was presented at the monthly meeting of the South Central Regional Behavioral Health Board, which nominated her.

Ms. Roberts is well-known within the recovery community. This award recognizes her passionate service to that community, said Scott Rasmussen, Region V program manager with IDHW.

Roberts works as an office manager for Pro Active Behavioral Health in Burley, which offers behavioral health and substance abuse counseling and services.

I was really surprised when I heard I won the award because I didnt know they were doing anything like that, Roberts said.

Kim Dopson, former director of Pro Active Behavioral Health who has worked with Roberts said she cares so much about the people who come through our doors.

Dopson said Roberts always goes above her duties while performing her job.

Roberts has also been a national speaker for Alcoholics Anonymous.

She is incredibly special and after 29 years she is still active sharing the message of hope and recovery to everyone, Dopson said.

Roberts teaches jail inmates about substance abuse recovery.

She also sponsors a lot of people in the community and she gives of her own time, Dopson said.

Mary Christy, health board member wrote on the nomination form that One of my favorite memories of Betty is when I would have those moments in life where I just thought I was not going to get through a life challenge without totally losing it. Betty would listenShe would smile; nod her head and say, Its going to be alrightI learned from her that you can survive things if you just stay the course, no matter how many times you feel that things are hopeless.

They said some very kind words, Roberts said. They are all people Ive worked with in the past, not necessarily peers but supervisors, so it was really nice to be recognized by them.

Roberts said she felt humbled by the award because she does not expect to be rewarded for her kindness.

In the award letter, Ross Edmunds, administrator for the DWH Division of Behavioral Health said Idaho is fortunate to have an advocate such as you to bring hope, resiliency and recovery.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration defines recovery from mental disorders and substance abuse disorders as a process of change through which individual improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life and strive to reach their full potential.

Having support from peers and allies is one of the 12 Guiding Principles of Recovery.
Sen. Mike Crapo, seeking his third term in office, has found common ground in at least one area with his Democratic opponent, Jerry Sturgill. Although Crapo has been in the Senate for 18 years, he also is frustrated with the gridlock and dysfunction in Congress.

According to polls, only about 13 percent of the people give Congress a positive rating, Crapo says. If I were one of the people called in those polls, Id be expressing my concern with whats happening in Congress.

The federal budgeting process, marked with continuing resolutions to keep Washington running and threats of a government shutdown, is practically a lost cause. With a national debt of $19 trillion, and both political parties being responsible for the mess, its tough for anybody to claim to be conservative.

Crapo, who has been at the center of budget debates, is not blind to the problems or the political breast-beating that occurs on both sides of the aisle. But hed like to see Congress get a grip on spending before he leaves the Senate. We cannot quit, he says. We must deal with these issues. Failure to do so can tear down our ability to build the American dream.

Former Sen. Alan Simpson of Wyoming and North Carolina businessman Erskine Bowles were on the right track a few years ago, heading up a commission that came up with recommendations for trimming the deficit. Crapo was part of a bipartisan Gang of Six that seemed to be gaining traction. Then, partisan politics got in the way and everybody was back to Square 1  or, to be more precise, Square $19 trillion.

We know the kinds of things we need to do  reforming the entitlement system and budget laws, Crapo said. The frustration is getting the political will to move forward.

But for Crapo, work in the Senate is not all about budget battles and political standoffs. He has conducted his own war on gridlock in other way, working with Democrats on a variety of issues. He has joined with Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden in the effort to change the funding mechanism for wildfires and for the Secure Rural Schools program aimed at bolstering funding for schools in timber-dependent areas. Crapo was part of the Gang of Six with Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia and two other Democrats.

Dont hold your breath for Democrats to endorse Crapo in his race against Sturgill. But Crapo does not shy away from working with colleagues across the aisle on issues of common interest. Crapo bristles at Sturgills suggestion that Crapo is part of the problem with gridlock in Washington.

The record shows that I work hard to break that gridlock, he said.

Now he is working hard for to win re-election, with the help of a hefty war chest and a strong campaign organization. But its not all about political strategists. Crapo schedules himself with a full slate of town hall meetings, often visiting towns where few politicians roam.

We have a big map of Idaho, and a red dot on every incorporated town. Ive been to every one of them, he said.

The town halls are part of official business, but they have served as a good way for him to get himself and his message out about fiscal responsibility  and the folks in the small towns eat it up.

On the campaign side, he said, I dont take any race for granted. I know it is my responsibility to go to the people of Idaho and ask for their vote. Even if I did not have an announced opponent, I would be campaigning aggressively.

In this case, he has an opponent in Sturgill who says he has raised $600,000  including $240,000 of his own money. As Crapo describes in a fundraising letter, Hes a liberal attorney and investment banker certain to attract left-wing money from all over the country because the national Democrats desperately want to gain the extra seats they need to take back control of the U.S. Senate.

One would think that Crapos chances of winning are pretty good. But in todays anti-establishment environment, where the likes of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders can rise to the top tier of politics, there are no guarantees for longtime incumbents.

So, there is a legitimate senatorial race in Idaho. At least, thats how Crapo is playing it.
Secretary General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, has lashed out at Saudi Arabia claiming that Wahhabism is more evil than Israel, especially (in) that it seeks to destroy others and eliminate whatever thing that has to do with Islam and its history.

He distanced his recent criticisms from sectarianism as he called for support to pin Wahhabism down and deal a blow to it against what he dubbed a project launched in 2011.

Wahabbism is a type of Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia but critics have linked it to extremism claiming that it has inspired terrorism with the support of the authorities in Riyadh. The Islamic State and other Takfiri terror groups use the ideology to declare people of other faiths as infidels that deserve death.

Usually, Saudi Arabia does not reply to statements made by Nasrallah and considers his group a close ally of Iran.

Hezbollah used to call Israel its sworn enemy.

Hezbollah is a Lebanese based Shia politico-military group that strongly supports President Assad and the independence of Palestine. Nasrallah has lamented that the Palestinian Cause is only a cursory matter and a trivial matter for some Arab states while underlining that Riyadh is warming its ties with the Jewish State.

In July, he termed the developments between the two states as normalizing for free, without receiving anything in return from Tel Aviv. Secretary General Nasrallah accused Riyadh of having long-held clandestine ties with Israel, but was aghast at the change from secret channels to public channels.

The Hezbollah leader also lashed out at British Shiism saying it poses a bigger threat than Wahabbism and Zionism. He claimed that the groups religious figures are mercenaries of intelligence services.
Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar, who was not straightforward about his ambitions to serve as the countrys leader, has however stated in an interview, military people who were elected to lead their country achieved remarkable success.

Libya needs a leader with high-level military experience to govern it, He said giving examples of senior military leaders that have ruled Western nations. He also mentioned the most recent example in North Africa, that of President Sisi of Egypt.

but makes it clear that priority should be given to security, political and social stability.

Haftar has refused to recognize the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) and claimed that illegal migration to Europe from the Libyan shores highlights the absence of state authority in Tripoli.

He alleged that the Libyan capital has been hijacked by armed gangs and accused Islamist factions there of creating the disorder.

GNA Prime minister-designate is presently in Paris where he met President Francois Hollande. The French President renewed his governments support to the GNA in hunting down and neutralizing terrorist groups in Libya.

The Field Marshall is loyal to the Tobruk-based House of Parliament. His forces recently took over oil infrastructures and handed them over to the National Oil Corporation. Haftar claimed that the Libyan National Armys priorities are to protect the oil fields and ports of export.

Meanwhile, reports have emerged that Haftar has requested weapons from Moscow and an official, familiar with the dossier, said there was a meeting between Libyas Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Abdel Basset Badri, who also doubles as Haftars special representative, and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov.

The source stated that during the ambassadors one-day visit to Moscow on Tuesday, he discussed with Bogdanov the issue of lifting the embargo on arms supplies.

Libyans are asking us to send them small arms, but also equipment, including planes. Also, they asked Moscow to start an anti-Islamist military operation in Libya that is similar to the one in Syria, the source said. Haftar visited Russia in June and made similar requests during discussions with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Russias Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev.

The Libyan Field Marshall also wants the UN to lift the arms embargo on the country and to help it neutralize the huge quantities of mines left behind by the Islamic State in freed residential areas.
A senior Algerian government official under the condition of anonymity has revealed that authorities are preparing to invite foreign and private investors to acquire controlling stakes in state-run banks. There are six (6) state banks in the country and they dominate the market but the low oil prices are forcing the government to develop its financial market by listing them on the local stock exchange as part of its diversification strategy of the economy.

The official stated that reforms will move slowly but there will be no step backwards. The government is expected to reform its investment law, which states that state-owned companies should always have at least 51% of stakes in any joint partnership within the country.

The reforms are being dictated by the difficult times that oil-dependent economies are facing. The official claimed that the era of $100 a barrel is over before adding that we have no choice but to change our policy.

60% of Algerias budget is funded by the oil and gas revenues that accounts for 95% of its export. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is expecting the revenue from oil and gas to fall by almost 50% this year when compared to that of 2015. The Gross Domestic Product would also shrink by 3% according to the IMF.

Algerias economy has been largely based on a state-run and centralized system since its independence from France in 1962. It also has a vast welfare system but there have been tax reforms and subsidy cuts as part of efforts to limit public spending.

To increase the revenue generated from its hydrocarbon exports, state owned Sonatrach will be building a 10MW solar plant in partnership with Italian Eni. The energy will be destined for local consumption in order to increase oil and gas exportations.
Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank.
Tunisian home ministry Monday announced the arrest of a suspected terrorist near the Libyan border as he was attempting to join terrorist groups in splintered Libya, reports say.

Tunisia authorities have been on high alert at their borders with division-ridden Libya, as they fear free crossing into Tunisia of elements of the Islamic State group (IS) being crashed in Sirte.

The suspected terrorist, according to the home ministry, was flagged dangerous and wanted by security authorities for his involvement in terror acts at Gorjani; in Tunisia and for terror attacks against a police establishment at Midoun-Djerba; in the Medenine Governorate.

Thousands of Tunisians have reportedly left the country to join terrorist groups in hotbed conflict zones; mainly Iraq, Syria, and Libya. Authorities are worried the returnees will pose a threat to the countrys security.

Three terrorist attacks rocked the North African country last year, killing 71 people most of whom were foreign tourists. The attacks were perpetrated by young Tunisians believed trained in IS training camps in Libya.
The United States has donated over $41 million in additional humanitarian assistance to people affected by the Boko Haram insurgency across the Lake Chad region.

The announcement was made by US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power at a high-level event on the humanitarian crisis in the Lake Chad Basin.

The US diplomat said the new funding will go to the United Nations (UN) and NGOs working in the region to help displaced people receive critically needed humanitarian assistance, including food, water, shelter, and services to address acute hygiene, protection, and nutritional needs.

The new amount brings Washingtons financial contribution to $359 million since fiscal year 2015.

Humanitarian groups have continually called on the Nigerian government to turn its focus to the plights of persons displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency.

The worst affected states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa have Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. Some IDPs in Borno state recently returned to their homes after the Army retook their local government areas.

Some 1.5 million people have also sought safe haven in Maiduguri, more than doubling its population.

An estimated 4.5 million people need assistance with one million facing extreme malnutrition.

The area for aid intervention was first assessed by aid workers in April after Nigerias army successfully pushed back Boko Haram militants.
President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila on Monday met with Pope Francis II at the Vatican during a private audience.

Particular attention was paid to the serious challenges posed by the current political situation and the recent clashes that occurred in the country, the Vatican said in a statement.

The meeting touched on the need to restore civil coexistence to the countrys east, which has been plagued by rebel attacks in the recent past. The increased contribution of the Catholic Church in the areas of education, health and poverty reduction was also discussed.

Last week, the Catholic bishops have announced that they are backing away temporarily from the national dialogue on elections, as tensions mount in the troubled African country.

The Catholic bishops had originally supported the national dialogue, as a means of avoiding violence and conflicts over proposals for a new constitution, complaints of human-rights violations, and the push to re-elect President Joseph Kabila.

But Archbishop Marcel Utembi, the president of the Congo episcopal conference, told Vatican Radio that the bishops felt it appropriate to suspend their participation in the talks for an indefinite period, as they mourn the more than 50 people killed in violent confrontations in Kinshasa, the nations capital.

Congo is scheduled to hold elections in November, after which Kabila, in power since 2001, is supposed to step down, but the polls may be delayed because preparations are not on schedule. The church, a powerful force in the central African nation where more than 40 percent of the population is Catholic, has repeatedly called on Kabila to leave office at the end of his second term.
A former trainee teacher accused of damaging monuments in the name of Islam in the ancient Malian city of Timbuktu was convicted by an international panel of war crimes judges on Tuesday and sentenced to nine years in prison.

Mahdi oversaw the attacks on all 10 shrines and mosques in the UNESCO world heritage site, presiding judge Raul Pangalangan told the tribunal based in The Hague.

The chamber unanimously finds that Mr al-Mahdi is guilty of the crime of attacking protected sites as a war crime, he added, saying the crime had significant gravity.

Al Faqi Mahdi, aged about 40, became the first person to be sentenced for the offence since the ICC began its work. His trial, started in March this year, was closed last week after legal representatives of the victims and the defense presented their remarks before the judges.

At the opening of his trial for war crimes in The Hague, Al Faqi expressed his deep regret to the people of Timbuktu, to whom the monuments had been of great religious and cultural importance.

Founded between the fifth and the 12th centuries by Tuareg tribes, Timbuktus very name evokes centuries of history. It has been dubbed the city of 333 saints for the number of Muslim sages buried there.

Revered as a center of Islamic learning during its golden age in the 15th and 16th centuries Timbuktu, also known as the Pearl of the Desert, is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.
Pills. Credit: Public Domain

First generation cephalosporinsantibiotics introduced as a treatment against bacterial infections in 1963now show promise for tuberculosis (TB) therapy, according to new research published in Scientific Reports.

Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is the most deadly infectious disease in the world. Standard TB therapy takes at least six months and patients infected with multi-drug resistant (MDR) or extensively drug resistant (XDR) strains undergo treatments that are even longer (up to 24 months). Treatment is often associated with severe side effects. Studies indicate that the cost of developing a new drug has soared to $2.6 billion.

The in vitro study indicates cephalosporins work well on their own against bacteria that cause TB. But they are even more active when used in synergistic combinations with traditional and new TB therapies.

"Cephalosporins can be taken orally and have a good long-term safety record, but were never explored as a TB therapy," says University of British Columbia (UBC) microbiologist Santiago Ramon-Garcia, who led the study.

"While these are in vitro results, their potent anti-mycobacterial properties suggest cephalosporins could be used as part of new combinatorial TB therapies."

"Because cephalosporins are already clinically approved drugs, they could be readily tested in the clinic," says Prof. Charles Thompson from UBC who also led the work.

"New treatments are urgently needed to shorten the duration of the standard treatment and for MDR and XDR-TB therapy."

The study was performed in collaboration with the Diseases of the Developing World GlaxoSmithKline Centre under an agreement with the Tres Cantos Open Lab Foundation. Grand Challenges Canada, Canadian Institute of Health Research, and British Columbia Lung Association provided initial support for the project.

More information: Santiago Ramon-Garcia et al. Repurposing clinically approved cephalosporins for tuberculosis therapy, Scientific Reports (2016). Journal information: Scientific Reports Santiago Ramon-Garcia et al. Repurposing clinically approved cephalosporins for tuberculosis therapy,(2016). DOI: 10.1038/srep34293
Dr. Scott Langenecker, Dr. Olusola Ajilore and Lisanne Jenkins pose in front of an image of the brain in UICs Electronic Visualization Laboratory. Credit: Vibhu Rangavasan.

Researchers have long known that emotional disorders have a lot in common. Many often occur together, like depression and social anxiety disorder. Treatments also tend to work across multiple disorders, suggesting shared underlying elements. But perhaps the most common shared characteristic is that almost all emotional disorders involve persistent negative thinking.

In an analysis of existing studies that used MRI images to study the brain's white matter, researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago describe common brain abnormalities found in multiple emotional disorders. Their findings are published in the journal NeuroImage: Clinical.

"This study provides important insights into mechanisms shared across multiple emotional disorders, and could provide us with biomarkers that can be used to more rapidly diagnose these disorders," says Dr. Scott Langenecker, associate professor of psychiatry and psychology in the UIC College of Medicine and senior author of the paper. Those disorders, he said, can sometimes take many years to be diagnosed accurately.

The most common difference in white matter structure that Langenecker's group foundpresent in every emotional disorder they looked atwas disruption in a region of the brain that connects different parts of the "default-mode network," which is responsible for passive thoughts not focused on a particular task. That area is the left superior longitudinal fasciculus. The superior longitudinal fasciculus, or SLF, also connects the default-mode network and the cognitive control network, which is important in task-based thinking and planning and tends to work in alternation with the default-mode network.The constant negative thoughts or ruminations associated with most emotional disorders appear to be due to a hyperactive default-mode network, Langenecker said.

"If the part of the brain that helps rein in the default-mode network isn't as well-connected through the SLF, this could explain why people with emotional disorders have such a hard time modulating or gaining control of their negative thoughts," he said.

The researchers systematically searched the scientific literature for studies that performed whole-brain "diffusion tensor" imaging on adults with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or posttraumatic stress disorder, as well as healthy control participants. Thirty-seven studies met those criteria and included a combined 962 participants with emotional disorders and 892 healthy control subjects.

The researchers then performed a meta-analysis to determine which white-matter alterations may be common across multiple mood disorders and which are unique for a particular mood disorder. White matter includes the long nerve fibers called axons that transmit electrical signals.

Diffusion tensor imaging, or DTI, measures the degree to which water molecules move in one direction rather than randomly diffusing in all directions. It provides "an indirect measurement of the microstructure of white matter, and can give information about connectivity of different parts of the brain," said Lisanne Jenkins, postdoctoral research fellow in psychiatry in the UIC College of Medicine and first author on the paper.

"If you think of white matter as the highways of the brain, connecting all the different regions and networks," Jenkins said, an area with highly directional water movement "could be a major superhighway where all the cars are moving along quickly with little traffic." An area with less-directed water movement could be "a two-lane road, with several exits and stop signs, maybe even some potholes, which slow down traffic."

Brain regions connected by these slower pathways "may not communicate as well as they would in someone where this road looks more like a superhighway," said Dr. Olusola Ajilore, associate professor of psychiatry in the UIC College of Medicine and a co-author on the paper.

In the 37 studies the researchers looked at, participants with emotional disorders had less directed water movement in their white matter compared to participants who did not have emotional disorders.One of the most surprising findings to Langenecker was that people with obsessive-compulsive disorder shared the most brain abnormalities with people with other emotional disorders.

"We would have expected  OCD to look very different from other emotional disorders, because the symptoms are so unique and distinct," Langenecker said. "But this kind of flips how we see OCD, which clearly has more in common with other emotional disorders than we think."

The traditional diagnosis for OCD, he said, is repetitive thoughts about specific objects or tasksthoughts that pertain to the world outside the self. The thoughts can also be internally-directed.

"Other emotional disorders, like depression, social anxiety, and panic disorderthe repetitive thoughts are directed at the self," Ajilore said. "So our finding that OCD is more like the other emotional disorders makes sense, and we may now be able to further examine commonalities between these disorders that could improve our treatment of them individually."

The disorder that stood out and shared the fewest white-matter characteristics with the others was post-traumatic stress disorder.

PTSD is triggered by a traumatic event and involves being reminded of that event at unwelcome times, not unlike the repetitive negative thinking in other emotional disorders. But people with PTSD had several areas of low white-matter connectivity that weren't seen in the other emotional disorders, Langenecker said.

"While milder forms of trauma is common in other conditions, like major depression or generalized anxiety, it is possible that the brain regions we saw that were distinctly affected in PTSD participants are related to the experience of severe trauma or the re-experiencing of that trauma," he said.In bipolar disorder, characterized by periods of both depression and mania, the researchers saw generally decreased water-directionality in the right side of the brain, including the right SLF, the area that connects the default-mode network and the cognitive control network.

"All emotional disorders had disruptions more so in the left hemisphere, but for bipolar disorder, we saw disruptions in white matter in both the right and left sides of the brain," Langenecker said.

Older studies of stroke patients have shown that abnormalities in the right hemisphere are associated with externally-focused symptoms, like mania, while left hemisphere involvementwhich the current study found in most emotional disorderswas more often associated with inwardly-focused symptoms, like depression. Langenecker said the bilateral changes his team observed in bipolar disorder may reflect vulnerability to mania and to depression and anxiety.Alyssa Barba, Miranda Campbell, Melissa Lamar, Stewart Shankman and Dr. Alex Leow, all of UIC, are the remaining co-authors on the paper.

Explore further People with anger disorder have decreased connectivity between regions of the brain

More information: Shared white matter alterations across emotional disorders: A voxel-based meta-analysis of fractional anisotropy, www.sciencedirect.com/science/  ii/S2213158216301590 Journal information: NeuroImage: Clinical Shared white matter alterations across emotional disorders: A voxel-based meta-analysis of fractional anisotropy, dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2016.09.001
Transmission electron microscope image of negative-stained, Fortaleza-strain Zika virus (red), isolated from a microcephaly case in Brazil. The virus is associated with cellular membranes in the center. Credit: NIAID

The first Zika virus-related death in the continental U.S. occurred in June of this year, but even now, months later, two aspects of this case continue to puzzle health experts. First, why did this patient die? It is quite rare for a Zika infection to cause severe illness in adults, much less death. Second, how did another individual, who visited the first while in the hospital, become ill from Zika? This second patient did not do anything that was known at the time to put people at risk for contracting the virus.

Researchers at the University of Utah School of Medicine and ARUP Laboratories in Salt Lake City begin to unravel the mystery in a correspondence published online on Sept. 28 in The New England Journal of Medicine. Details from the two cases point to an unusually high concentration of virus in the first patient's blood as being responsible for his death. The phenomenon may also explain how the second patient may have contracted the virus through casual contact with the primary patient, the first such documented case.

"This rare case is helping us to understand the full spectrum of the disease, and the precautions we may need to take to avoid passing the virus from one person to another in specific situations," says corresponding author Sankar Swaminathan, M.D., Chief of Infectious Disease and Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Utah School of Medicine. He collaborated with coauthors Robert Schlaberg, M.D., M.P.H., Marc Couturier, Ph.D., and Kimberly Hanson, M.D., M.H.S. from ARUP Laboratories, and Julia Lewis, D.O. from the University of Utah School of Medicine. "This type of information could help us improve treatments for Zika as the virus continues to spread across the world and within our country."

From the letter in NEJM, a story unfolds. Last May, Patient 1, a 73-year-old man, traveled to southwest Mexico, a Zika-infected area. Eight days after returning, he started having abdominal pain and fever, and by the time he was admitted to the University of Utah hospital he also had inflamed, watery eyes, low blood pressure and a rapid heart rate. Despite the medical staff's best efforts to stabilize him, his condition declined rapidly. During this time, Patient 2 came to visit and reported wiping away Patient 1's tears and helping to reposition him in the hospital bed. It wasn't long before Patient 1 slipped into septic shock, and his kidneys, lungs and other organs started to shut down. He died shortly thereafter.

Even though it's well known that Zika can cause severe brain damage in unborn babies, symptoms are typically mild in adults. Only nine other Zika-related deaths have been reported worldwide, says Swaminathan. Despite the odds, tests performed after Patient 1's death revealed that he had Zika. Patient 1 was initially identified as being potentially infected with Zika virus during validation of a real time PCR test for Zika virus that is currently under development at ARUP Laboratories, and was subsequently confirmed as positive by both the Utah Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Further investigation using Taxonomer, a tool developed by scientists at University of Utah and ARUP Laboratories that rapidly analyzes all genetic material from infectious agents in a patient's sample, showed there were no other infections that explained his illness. It also found that the Zika virus that infected the patient was 99.8 percent identical to that carried by a mosquito collected from southwest Mexico, the same region that Patient 1 had visited a few weeks prior.

Seven days after Patient 1's death, Patient 2 was meeting with Swaminathan to talk about what had happened when the doctor noticed that his visitor had red, watery eyes, a common Zika symptom. Tests confirmed his suspicion, but in contrast to Patient 1 this patient only had mild symptoms that resolved within the following week.

Like Patient 1's death, Patient 2's diagnosis was unexpected. The species of mosquito that carries Zika had not been found in Utah and Patient 2 had not traveled to a Zika-infected area. A reconstruction of events ruled out other known means of catching the virus.

"This case expands our appreciation for how Zika virus can potentially spread from an infected patient to a non-infected patient without sexual contact or a mosquito vector," says Couturier. "This and any future cases will force the medical community to critically re-evaluate established triage processes for determining which patients receive Zika testing and which do not."

The authors believe that the reason behind the unusual nature of the case lies in yet another anomaly. Patient 1's blood had a very high concentration of virus, at 200 million particles per milliliter. "I couldn't believe it," says Swaminathan. "The viral load was 100,000 times higher than what had been reported in other Zika cases, and was an unusually high amount for any infection." The observation opens up the possibility that the extraordinary amount of virus overwhelmed the patient's system, and made him extremely infectious.

Still, what led to the unusually severe infection in the first place remains unknown. Was there something about Patient 1's biology or health history that made him particularly susceptible? There were small differences in the virus' genetic material compared to other samples of Zika virus, did they cause the virus to be exceptionally aggressive?

"We may never see another case like this one," says Swaminathan. "But one thing this case shows us is that we still have a lot to learn about Zika."

The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health and published as "Fatal Virus Infection with Secondary Nonsexual Transmission" in the New England Journal of Medicine on Sept. 28.

More information: Sankar Swaminathan et al. Fatal Zika Virus Infection with Secondary Nonsexual Transmission, New England Journal of Medicine (2016). Journal information: New England Journal of Medicine Sankar Swaminathan et al. Fatal Zika Virus Infection with Secondary Nonsexual Transmission,(2016). DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc1610613
Credit: Imperial College London

Depression in pregnancy increases the risk of behavioural and emotional problems in children, says a new review published in The Lancet Psychiatry.

The authors of the review, which focused mainly on low and middle income countries, call for urgent interventions for mothers and children.

Depression in pregnancy is thought to affect up to one in five women globally in the late stages of pregnancy and shortly after birth. It is characterised by low mood and feelings of hopelessness, and is brought on by a number of factors that can include life events such as bereavement, and changes in brain chemistry.

Previous work from a team at Imperial College London suggests depression during pregnancy may affect the development of the baby while in the womb, as well as affecting bonding between mother and child after birth.

Now, the same team have shown that depression or anxiety can reduce the enzyme in the placenta that breaks down the 'stress hormone' cortisol, possibly causing more foetal exposure to the hormone. The foetus may also undergo epigenetic changes under stress, where underlying DNA stays the same but expression of that DNA is altered, perhaps affecting mental health during childhood.

Until now, much of the research into depression during pregnancy has focused on high income countries. The team argue that the problem is more common in low- and middle-income countries, and hence more resources are now needed in these areas to help expectant and new mothers. Not only is more investment needed in research, but also the development of appropriate low cost interventions that are specific to these areas.

Professor Vivette Glover, co-author of the research from the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial, said: "Our review of available literature suggests that treating the depression itself is crucial in reducing the risk to the child, as well as for helping the mother. It shows targeting specific symptoms of depression by using cognitive behavioural therapy, for example, can be useful in reducing depression and therefore its effect on the child.

"However, there is a substantial lack of research specific to women in poorer countries, where interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapy may not be available."

Professor Glover added that in severely deprived regions where there are wars, political violence, food insecurity, and little help after natural disasters, healthcare workers have little time or resources to meet basic physical needs, let alone mental health ones like maternal depression.

The new review examined studies of mental health in children under five years old in low and middle income countries such as Bangladesh and Brazil. The report highlights the specific mental health requirements of mothers and children in poorer countries that are not necessarily relevant to high-income countries.

Depression in mothers in low- and middle-income countries is common during and just after pregnancy. Women are more likely than in richer countries to experience intimate partner violence and have little social support. Furthermore, unintended pregnancies are more common, as are malnourishment, infections, and crowded living conditions.

The risk factors are often more intense and more common than in high-income countries. These factors also intensify one another  for example, a malnourished mother or child may have too weak an immune system to fight an infection, exacerbating the mother's stress which then contributes to depression.

Maternal depression in these countries is also more likely to result in poor nutrition, increased substance use, inadequate antenatal care, pre-eclampsia, low birthweight, preterm delivery, and suicide.

The authors argue that because of the varying risk factors between different income countries, interventions for poorer countries should focus on the issues that affect these countries specifically.

They add that mitigating the global burden of maternal depression will require a multi-faceted approach that targets child development, poverty, education, health, and prevention of violence in low- and middle-income countries.

Last week in Melbourne, Professor Glover and colleagues launched a new organisation, "The Global Alliance for Maternal Mental Health", which aims to foster more knowledge about these issues, and to generate more resources to tackle them, around the world.

"Maternal depression and mental health in early childhood: an examination of underlying mechanisms in low-income and middle-income countries" by Prof Vivette Glover et al is published in The Lancet Psychiatry, 17 September 2016.

Explore further Research evaluates risk factors for postpartum depression in mothers of preterm infants

More information: Catherine M Herba et al. Maternal depression and mental health in early childhood: an examination of underlying mechanisms in low-income and middle-income countries, The Lancet Psychiatry (2016). Catherine M Herba et al. Maternal depression and mental health in early childhood: an examination of underlying mechanisms in low-income and middle-income countries,(2016). DOI: 10.1016/S2215-0366(16)30148-1
(HealthDay)A subsidized independent-living intervention appears to help homeless young people with mental illness get and keep a roof over their heads, a new Canadian study indicates.

Called Housing First, the program has previously been tested with homeless adults with mental illness, and has been found to improve housing stability and quality of life, the researchers said.

"Housing First is based on the concept of housing as a human right," said study lead author Dr. Nicole Kozloff.

"[It's] the idea that having a safe and stable place to live is critical to helping people improve their mental health and achieve their goals," she said.

Kozloff is a postdoctoral fellow with the Centre for Urban Health Solutions at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto.

Since it first was first introduced in the 1990s, studies have repeatedly found that Housing First can "improve housing and other outcomes for homeless adults with mental illness," she said.

Kozloff also suggested that the program is a financial winner, requiring less need for emergency shelters, hospitals and prisons.

"I think there has been a concern that youth, who become homeless before or during the critical age of transitioning from childhood to adulthood, wouldn't have the life skills to maintain housing," Kozloff said.

"But this study showed us that Housing First can work for youth with mental illness," she said.

Ten percent of the homeless population in the United States is between 18 and 24. And this group is twice as likely as their non-homeless peers to suffer from some form of mental disorder, the study authors said.

The new study focused on the experience of 156 homeless young people between 18 and 24 years old. They were drawn from a larger study open to homeless men and women of all ages in five Canadian cities: Moncton, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg.

All lacked a fixed place of residence for a minimum of seven nights, with no realistic prospect for permanent housing. Standardized psychological evaluations confirmed that all suffered from some form of mental illness, including depression, bipolar disorder, a psychotic disorder (such as schizophrenia), panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Of the group, 87 were enrolled in a Housing First project called "At Home." This gave the participants a choice of independent housing in the community at-large, as opposed to designated group housing.

Apart from a mandatory once-weekly visit from program staff, all other psychological and social support services were deemed nonessential, and supplied only upon request.

The remaining young people were offered "usual care," meaning access to their community's standard housing assistance. When available, care also included access to standard 24/7 "assertive community" mental health treatment for those considered to have "high needs." Those with moderate psychological needs were directed toward standard "intensive case management."

For two years, all of the study volunteers participated in twice yearly in-person interviews.

The result: Over the course of the study, those enrolled in the Housing First program were found to have been "stably housed" 65 percent of the time. This compared with just 31 percent among those getting usual care.

Kozloff and her team are now exploring how homeless young adults feel about the experience. They're also looking at what aspects of the Housing First program are most helpful, most cost-effective, and the most likely to promote housing stability over the long haul.

Kozloff pointed to a number of different North American organizations that could offer information on Housing First. Those include the Homeless Hub in Canada, and How Housing Matters and the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) in the United States.

Nan Roman, NAEH's president and CEO, described Kozloff's efforts as "essential for us to know what works, and what doesn't. We need it to solve the problem.

"Housing First is a proven method for ending homelessness," Roman added, "and has been shown to increase housing stability for a variety of populations, including those who are facing the greatest challenges, including mental illness.

"While it is, therefore, not a surprise that Housing First helps youth achieve housing stability, it is an affirmation that the intervention works for this population," she said.

The study was released online Sept. 28 in the journal Pediatrics.

More information: There's more information on resources for the homeless from the Journal information: Pediatrics There's more information on resources for the homeless from the National Alliance to End Homelessness

Copyright  2016 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
A woman's perception that she is experiencing a high number of nighttime hot flashes can trigger mild symptoms of depression during menopause, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Menopause occurs when a woman's ovaries stop producing estrogen and other hormones, and her menstrual periods stop, according to the Hormone Health Network. The transition takes place gradually, usually over four or five years. Among American women, the average age for menopause to occur is 51 years old. The Hormone Health Network's interactive Menopause Map helps women learn more about the stages of menopause and where they are in the journey.

Using a medication to simulate the decline in a woman's estrogen levels during menopause, the researchers found both interruption of sleep and greater frequency of perceived nighttime hot flashes were associated with mood disturbance.

"When women were awake long enough to later recall nighttime hot flashes, that perception contributed to mood disturbance in women whose estrogen levels had fallen," said the study's first author, Hadine Joffe, MD, MSc, of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. "The association was independent of sleep disruption that the women experienced."

Twenty-nine healthy, premenopausal women between the ages of 18 and 45 took part in the study. The women took a medication to suppress estrogen production in the ovaries for a four-week period, a treatment that mimics menopause and induces menopausal symptoms to varying degrees of intensity. Before and after the four-week timeframe, researchers monitored the participants' sleep and hormone levels. The participants completed mental health questionnaires at the beginning and end of the study.

The study found that women who reported experiencing frequent nighttime hot flashes were more likely to experience mild symptoms of depression than those who reported fewer or no nighttime hot flashes. Although researchers also monitored the women for physiologic signs of nighttime hot flashes during the sleep study, they found only the women's perception of hot flash frequencynot the measured number of hot flasheswas linked to changes in mood.

Women who experienced sleep interruption also were more likely to exhibit symptoms of depression than women who got more sleep. Daytime hot flashes had no effect on the participants' mood.

"The results of our research suggest menopausal women who report experiencing nighttime hot flashes and sleep disruption should be screened for mood disturbances," Joffe said. "Any treatment of mood symptoms in this population also should incorporate efforts to address sleep and nighttime hot flashes."

Explore further Acupuncture reduces hot flashes for half of women

More information: "Independent Contributions of Nocturnal Hot Flashes and Sleep Disturbance to Depression in Estrogen-deprived Women," Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, press.endocrine.org/doi/10.1210/jc.2016-2348 Journal information: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism "Independent Contributions of Nocturnal Hot Flashes and Sleep Disturbance to Depression in Estrogen-deprived Women,"
Georgia-Paraguay launch visa-free travel for diplomats, businessmen

Georgia and Paraguay are simplifying travel rules for diplomats and business people as a way to forge closer ties to support bilateral business, economic and trade development.Georgias Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced definitive steps were being taken to grow the bilateral relationship between Georgia and Paraguay.Yesterday at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Georgias Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze met Paraguays Minister for Foreign Affairs Eladio Ramon Loizaga Lezcano and told him about Georgias favourable business and investment potential.Lezcano was impressed with all the opportunities available in Georgia, and after the meeting, he decided a business delegation from the South American country will visit Georgias capital "in the near future.During the upcoming visit the foreign business men and women will explore Georgias investment and entrepreneurial potential, said Georgias Foreign Ministry.Yesterday in New York Janelidze and Lezcano confirmed their countries willingness to develop bilateral trade and economic relations.Also yesterday, representatives from Georgia and Paraguay signed an agreement to launch visa-free travel to holders of diplomatic and business passports issued to nationals of both countries.On another note, Georgias Foreign Minister sat down with Kuwaits Vice Prime Minister Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah during the UNGA summit. The purpose of the meeting was for Janelidze to promote Georgia and encourage Kuwaiti investors.Janelidze spoke about Georgias growing energy sector; he called on Kuwaiti investors to financing new hydro power plants in Georgia and increase their investments in Georgias tourism, manufacturing and agriculture industries.
Georgian police arrests two bank robbers

Police in Georgia arrested two men Monday who are suspected of robbing several banks and a convenience store in the Vazisubani district of Tbilisi two days earlier.One of the men was arrested on the Armenian border at Sadakhlo, while the other was apprehended in Shaumiani, near Marneuli.Their spree on Friday targeted two banks  one a Bank of Georgia branch and the other Liberty Bank  as well as a Smart convenience store.The two got away with a large amount of money, only part of which was recovered by police along with an apparently stolen getaway car.The suspected robbers now face up to 18 years in prison. The man arrested on the Armenian border had prior convictions.
One day without cars - Tbilisi joins World Car Free Day

By Messenger Staff

Some Tbilisi residents have decided to leave their vehicles at home and instead walk or take public transport as Georgias capital Tbilisi joins World Car Free Day for the first time on Thursday.World Car Free Day in Tbilisi was organised and led by the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy's (NIMD) Representative in the Eastern European Neighbourhood, Levan Tsutskiridze. He stressed the significance of citizens voicing their issues with their home city.The organizers believe that through participation in the initiative, Tbilisi residents will help their city attain a healthy environment for a day, and taking part in the event would also raise awareness of the somewhat polluted environment.World Car Free Day was introduced in 1997 by the World Car Free Network, an international hub promoting "alternatives to car dependence and automobile-based planning".Those who stood behind Georgias joining the event stressed that if each person covered 15km of their daily commute without a private vehicle, they would reduce CO2 emissions by 3,500 grams per person on average.They also asked Tbilisi City Hall and its staff to join the campaign.In response, Mayor David Narmania and his deputy Lasha Abashidze said they would walk to work.Georgia joining such events is a positive step, as pollution is a general problem in Tbilisi and affects all of the city's residents.Many people still do not understand what a negative influence the polluted environment has on their lives.The number of fatal diseases increases in Georgia from year to year, and the polluted environment is one of the key reasons for this.The Government, various organisations and every citizen should take action to raise public awareness of the issue.An informed population means a more responsible population.Meanwhile, the authorities must take measures to address the problem. Unfortunately, neither the previous nor the current government managed to encourage a breakthrough in tackling environmental issues.Tbilisi still remains as one of the most polluted cities in the world, and the selling of low quality fuel, the driving of outdate cars and the cutting of tress all contribute to this.
The News in Brief

CEC to Open 56 Overseas Polling Stations



The Central Election Commission (CEC) will open 56 precincts at Georgias diplomatic missions in 48 cities of 41 countries for the October 8 parliamentary elections.



The CEC has not yet released the number of registered overseas voters.



The largest number of polling stations in a single country will be in Greece  three in Athens and three others in the countrys second largest city of Thessaloniki.



There will be three polling stations in Turkey  Ankara, Istanbul and Trabzon; three in Ukraine  two in Kiev, and one in Odessa; three in the United States  two in New York and one in Washington; three in Azerbaijan  all in Baku; two in Germany  in Berlin and Frankfurt am Main; in addition, there will be two polling stations in Spain  Madrid and Barcelona.



There will be one polling station in each of the following cities of 34 countries: Vienna; Minsk; Brussels; Sofia; London; Dublin; Cairo; Tallinn; Tel Aviv; Rome; Ottawa; Nicosia; Vilnius; Riga; Chisinau; The Hague; Copenhagen; Warsaw; Lisbon; Paris; Bratislava; Yerevan; Tashkent; Budapest; Kuwait City; Astana; Stockholm; Bern; Prague; Doha; Oslo; Pretoria; Helsinki, and Beijing.



On top of these 56 overseas precincts, there will be two special polling stations in Afghanistan for the Georgian troops serving with the NATO-led Resolute Support mission  one at Bagram Airbase and another one at Camp Marmal in Mazar-i-Sharif.



The Central Election Commission was initially planning a precinct in Tokyo, but decided not to open the polling station there citing that number of registered overseas voters in the Japanese capital was less than 20, which is the required minimum for a precinct to be opened abroad.



No polling stations have been opened for Georgias elections in Russia since the two countries cut diplomatic relations after the 2008 war. (Civil.ge)







Georgias Constitutional Court has a new judge



Georgias Supreme Court has today named a person who will serve as Constitutional Court judge for the next 10 years.



The new judge is Teimuraz Tugushi, current head of the Department of Research and Legal Provision of the Constitutional Court.



The Plenum of the Supreme Court, which consists of 15 members, convened earlier today to either approve or dismiss Tugushis candidacy after he was nominated by chairperson of the Supreme Court Nino Gvenetadze.



Todays meeting was attended by 14 Plenum members and all of them voted in favour of Tugushi.



Tugushi will begin his role as Constitutional Court judge after he takes a special oath. This must happen no later than September 30.



September 30 is the date when the 10-year term of four current Constitutional Court judges will expire. Chairman of the Constitutional Court Giorgi Papuashvili is among those four judges.



Georgias Constitutional Court consists of nine judges. Of these three are appointed by the President, three are elected by Parliament and three are appointed by the Supreme Court.



Once nine judges are selected they must choose who will be Court Chairperson, two Vice Chairpersons and Secretary of the Constitutional Court.



On September 10 President Giorgi Margvelashvili appointed two Constitutional Court judges. The Supreme Court announced its first bid today. Parliament has not yet elected any judges to fill the Parliaments quota. (Agenda.ge)







Military police was full of video materials showing private lives - Irakli Alasania



When we started the de-politicization of the military police at the Ministry of Defence, we encountered a very bad situation there, the Free Democrats' leader Irakli Alasania said on TV Pirveli.



According to Alasania, video materials showing details of personal lives were stored at the Defense Ministry too, and they were immediately sent to the Prosecutor's Office. However, he said none of these cases have been investigated so far.



''When we started the de-politicization of the military police at the Ministry of Defence, we encountered a very bad situation there. The military police archives were full of video materials showing details of private lives. I immediately sent them to the Prosecutor's Office, but none of these cases has been investigated. I and the majority of the public are waiting to receive a response about who distributed these terrible recordings.



It is clear that the government is responsible for this, and certain individuals should be identified and punished in order to prevent similar things in the future, he said.



The Free Democrats' leader said he had not watched the videos, as he believes that he has no right to do so. (IPN)







Opposition journalist flees Russia, settles in Georgia



Russian opposition journalist published a video on Tuesday stating he has to leave Russia and settle in Georgia for some time.



Alexander Sasha Sotnik is a Russian journalist and blogger who runs a small independent media outlet, Sotnik TV. He has been harshly criticizing the Kremlin and the rule of President Vladimir Putin.



If you watch this video, it means that Ive left Russia, says Sasha Sotnik in a 2.5 minute-long video. This is not an emigration; this is forced evacuation for some time.



He says that an unknown person constantly haunts and threatens him with physical violence unless he leaves the country, and sees here an invisible hand of Gepukha, a moniker for the KGB by Soviet dissenters. He says this person warned him to leave Russia by October, otherwise 'there would be dire physical consequences'.



Many contemporary critics of Putins Russia use this term to refer to modern Russian intelligence agencies, such as the FSB or the GRU.



Ive left for Georgia and will live here for some time, Sotnik says. But, not so dear Gepukha, please dont rejoice, as my staff at Sotnik TV are staying (in Russia) and will carry on their activities. (df WATCH)




Courtesy of Walden Woods ProjectThe Eagles' Don Henley was in Concord, Massachusetts, on Tuesday to participate in the opening ceremony for a new Visitor Center at Walden Pond, the historic nature sanctuary immortalized by 19th century writer/philosopher Henry David Thoreau.

The center is an environmentally sustainable facility that will host informative exhibits for the half-million people who visit Walden Pond annually.

Henley is the founder of the Walden Woods Project, a conservation group that helps protect and preserve the land surrounding Walden Pond. At the ceremony, a new partnership between the project and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation was announced that will support the stewardship of Walden Pond.

Henley said in a statement that the collaboration also will "keep Thoreau's legacy alive for future generations." He explained that visitors to the new center will get to interact with interpretive exhibits; will be introduced to Thoreau's philosophy, which invites people "to consider what constitutes good citizenship and leading a purposeful life"; and will be offered "avenues to reflect on some of the most compelling issues of our time."

Joining Henley at the ceremony were a number of Massachusetts officials, including State Senator Michael Barrett, State Representative Cory Atkins, and Leo P. Roy, commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

In other news, Henley recently commented in an interview with the Montreal Gazette that he might one day consider an Eagles reunion if Glenn Frey's son, Deacon, would be agreeable to filling in for his late dad.

"Glenn has a son who can sing and play quite well. And one of the only things that would make sense to me is if it were his son," Henley told the newspaper. "But there have been no discussions along those lines, and we're still going through the healing process."

Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
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?

We need to shift our focus to evidence-based policies that have been shown to decrease crime rates, save taxpayer money, and make our communities safer. Montana's prison and jail populations are at an all-time high but the rate of crime is not decreasing. This shows that placing people in prison or jail, and building more prisons and jails to house more people, is not making Montana safer. Changes in statute and wise state funding are needed. We need to update our criminal sentences so that we are not only punishing people who commit crimes, but also provide the necessary rehabilitation.

Has the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission adequately guided the states hunting and 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 Legislature should be involved at the level it currently is but its involvement does not need to be increased. The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission is a commission that meets all year and has experts in fish and wildlife management provide scientific information upon which to base decisions. The Legislature is a political body made of citizen legislators that meets for 90 days every other year. The legislative body as a whole does not have the expertise in fish and wildlife management issues that the commission does.

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?

Montana should strive to invest in energy and the education workers and students need to advance in the energy field. However, workers in Montana in all industries, not just coal, oil, or natural gas, need help when large-scale plants close down. This is currently occurring in Colstrip but historically occurred in many other areas. For example, my hometown of Frenchtown was devastated when the mill closed there, taking away good-paying jobs for many in the community. The effects were far-reaching, not only for the workers, but for their families, the schools, and businesses.

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?

I am a proud product of the public education system of Montana, for both primary and secondary education. I strongly support making our schools as accessible as possible to Montana citizens. The decisions to decrease state funding for the Montana University System is made at the legislative level. As legislators we have a responsibility to help ensure that higher education is attainable to all Montana families who wish to seek it. This is especially true if we want a vibrant, growing economy. Having a well-educated workforce ready to work in successful jobs should be a goal of the Montana Legislature.

What do you regard as the most urgent problem facing Montana, and how do you propose dealing with it?

Montana faces multiple problems that need to be dealt with, such as keeping the corrupting influence of dark money out of our elections and ensuring we have a strong economy. One of the most urgent problems Montana is facing, however, is maintaining access to our public lands and ensuring that those public lands are well-maintained. Montana is a beautiful state. Most of us who choose to live here do so because we love the lands and waters, we love the outdoor recreational opportunities we have, and we love the freedom we have to access our public lands.
MISSOULA  The Montana Democratic Party expanded its attacks on Greg Gianfortes business record this week, saying the Republican candidate for governors claims about job creation are hollow.

For months the party directly, or through volunteer letter writers, has claimed that the Bozeman company Gianforte founded with his wife in 1997, RightNow Technologies, laid off Montanans and outsourced their jobs, even though Democrats had previously apologized to Sen. Steve Daines, a former VP, for similar attacks made during his 2012 campaign.

On Monday, the criticisms of Gianfortes business strategy grew as Democrats highlighted the companys application for 66 foreign worker visas over a 10-year period and as they revived questions about the companys ties to broader outsourcing trends nationally.

One of the candidates in this race is running really exclusively on his business record and the more and more we find out the more we learn his record is eliminating jobs, Steve Bullock's campaign manager Eric Hyers said. And when hes asked about this by Montanans, he misleads and distracts.

Gianforte has flatly denied the claims, calling them false or misleading, and said he stands by his companys record of adding hundreds of jobs in Bozeman and hundreds more around the world.

This furrow has been plowed before, he told the Billings Gazette editorial board on Tuesday. "In fact, I have an apology letter from the Democrats saying charges of outsourcing are not correct."

In 2012, the Montana Democratic Party claimed in campaign materials attacking Daines that RightNow had laid off Montana workers in order to outsource their jobs to India. Gianforte sued the Democrats for making false claims, which led the party to issue an apology letter that was obtained by the Bozeman Chronicle in 2013. At that point, the suit was dropped.

We said that employees at Right Now Technology were laid off in order to outsource Montana jobs to India. We now believe this is not correct, read the letter from then-Chairman Jim Elliott. We also said that money from government contracts was used to ship jobs overseas. We also now believe that is not correct. We regret any inconvenience this has may have caused you.

Hyers said the Democrats criticisms of Gianforte are different than they made in 2012.

In reviewing news releases from the party this cycle, the difference seems to be, at least in part, semantic. Rather than saying Gianfortes company laid off employees because it was going to outsource their jobs, the Democrats have not directly tied the two events. In a Monday news release, the party mentioned about 40 Bozeman layoffs several sentences before it discussed the companys outsourcing, but it did not expressly say one caused the other.

Susan Carstensen, who worked as chief financial officer or vice president at RightNow for 12 years, said that while the hiring of workers in Armenia and India were not tied to the layoffs, they still were deliberately outsourced jobs.

We did, at different points, outsource some jobs with an engineering team in Armenia and the strategy for that was a lower cost of labor. We did have contracts with an Indian outsourcing firm that provided more lower-cost labor for service work, she said, noting it affected probably less than 100 jobs.

Gianforte spokesman Aaron Flint declined multiple requests to discuss in detail the 2001 layoffs or the jobs Carstensen said were outsourced, but he did provide emailed statements on other questions.

Flint questioned Carstensens motives. She is a frequent contributor to Democratic campaigns, has worked with Bullock on some initiatives related to preschool and the gender-pay gap, and is a leader of OpenSourceMT, an independent political action committee supporting Bullocks re-election.

"RightNow served global companies all over the world, Flint wrote. Take Nikon for example. RightNow provided their Montana-made solutions to help them deliver better customer service in 50 countries and 33 different languages. Many RightNow clients had call centers all over the world because of the global nature of their businesses."

RightNow employed more than 1,000 at its peak, with about half of those workers based in Bozeman. Other offices were located in Texas, New York, California, England and Japan, among others. Financial disclosure filings to the Securities Exchange Commission note that almost a third of the companys business was with overseas clients. In 2012, Oracle bought Gianfortes company for $1.8 billion. Earlier this month, Oracle announced it would be laying off about 100 Bozeman workers and moving those jobs to Texas where they could reapply, according to the Bozeman Chronicle.

Hyers said the core difference between the 2012 attacks on Daines and those on Gianforte is that they are focused primarily on honesty.

The issue is he says one thing but his record says another, he said. His company was developed to help eliminate and outsource jobs.

Hyers cites several interviews with Gianforte in business publications over the years in which he discussed the connection between RightNow, which provided software platforms for customer service, and growing interest in outsourcing. For instance in the transcript of a 2005 earnings call by Fair Disclosure Wire, Gianforte attributed the companys growth to outsourcing and did not see voice-over IP technologies as competition.

I would say that the bigger drivers in our business have been the movement toward outsourcing, he said. Now, voice over IP is making it easier to deploy multi-location call centers. So, in that sense it is impacting our business, but it is indirect and positive.

The Gazette editorial board on Tuesday asked Gianforte how he could campaign on creating jobs when he had, in previous interviews with business media, repeatedly linked RightNows success to the growing number of companies that have outsourced American jobs.

For people to attack our record, honestly for me, Ive already put myself in the public square, I take the darts and arrows wherever they come because I love this state more than I love my reputation, he said, noting how many people the company employed in Bozeman. This is insulting, we did everything in our power to employ Montanans. We spent 15 years recruiting Montanans back to our town through our website, through our hiring practices, and the average wage in Bozeman was almost $90,000 a year.

I stand by our record, he said. Im proud of what weve accomplished.

Democrats also have released audio of a February campaign stop in Plentywood where Gianforte was asked whether computer science graduates needed to worry about competition from the H-1B visa program, which allows companies to hire foreign workers for specialized jobs. Recent media reports and nonprofit analyses have suggested that the tech industry in particular has used the visas to cut costs and depress wages of American employees.

We have spent 15 years recruiting people into Bozeman and our greatest success was getting Montanans to come back home, Gianforte responded in the 25-second audio clip. Thats where we focused our energy. Not getting foreign nationals to come.

Hyers said Gianfortes response is at best misleading.

On Monday, the Montana Democratic Party noted that RightNow Technologies applied for 66 H-1B visas between 2001 and 2011. A review of federal records confirms the count. The jobs, some of which were in other states, included openings for software developers and engineers as well as some management positions, with salaries ranging from $40,000 to $200,000. The granting of a visa does not necessarily mean someone was hired, and Gianfortes campaign didnt say how many employees were employed under the program.

Democrats drew connections between the visas and layoffs of about 40 people from RightNow in 2001 in April and in October. The summer between the two cuts, RightNow submitted two applications for H-1B visas. At the time of the second layoffs, Gianforte attributed the cuts to clients freezing spending after 9/11.

Carstensen disagreed somewhat with the Democratic Partys implicit characterization of the visas as linked to layoffs.

The visas from a strategy standpoint werent about lower-cost labor. That was seeking specialized talent that wasnt available, she said, noting that most of those visas were for workers who had applied to job openings and who they wanted to hire, not people they had actively recruited overseas.

She said she doesnt see anything inherently wrong with outsourcing from a business perspective, but thinks it becomes relevant to Gianfortes campaign because he has focused on his record as a job creator.

He did both, create jobs and eliminate jobs, she said. I think its a more balanced look at what hes done.

Flint declined to answer questions about the relevancy of RightNows business strategy to Gianfortes bid to become governor. Instead, he focused on Gianfortes work to bring Montanans home at RightNow and in other leadership roles.

He noted that Gianforte has previously said that half of the companys Bozeman employees were graduates of Montana colleges. In July 2015, a month before Gianforte formally announced his campaign, he paid for a brochure to be mailed to about 15,000 Montana State University graduates that urged them to return to the state but keep their jobs by talking to their bosses about telecommuting. Earlier this month, Gianforte spent campaign funds to air an audio ad in Denver and Seattle that urges Montanans to come home and consider telecommuting. He has said the Montana Department of Commerce should formalize and adopt both media strategies.

These desperate claims by the Bullock campaign are proof that Bullock will do anything to distract from the facts on the ground, Flint said.

Tomorrow: Gianforte accuses Bullock of mishandling emails.
It has become a mission for Yukio Shimomura.

The Utah man and his two brothers all served in the U.S. Armed Forces after spending 2 years of their youth in a concentration camp for Japanese during World War II.

Now 81, Shimomura was in Missoula on Tuesday for two days of talks about the stinging loss of freedom and other matters at Topaz Camp outside of Delta, Utah, when he was 7, 8 and 9 years old.

A couple of years ago a friend of Shimomura's at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, convinced the retired software engineer and human resources worker to share his memories of Topaz.

Shimomura spoke of being uprooted from a boys life in San Francisco and shipped by train with his family to barracks in a powder-dust, square-mile camp southwest of Salt Lake City. He told about towers of armed guards, and of the brittle winter cold that seeped through the California clothes of up to 9,000 other internees at Topaz.

Some people didnt go to the bathroom because they couldnt handle the non-privacy, Shimomura told a class of Sentinel High School juniors Tuesday.

When he'd finished the presentation at Weber State, his friend pressed him further.

He said, hey, youre one of the last guys who lived through it and still can present, said Shimomura. So what I did was I put it on my bucket list. Im committed to doing it as often as I can, until I physically and mentally cant do it any more or they take my car keys away.

Shimomura was brought to town by the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula and the University of Montana. Slide-show presentations to classes at Sentinel, Hellgate and Willard Alternative high schools and a couple of more at the University of Montana are being sandwiched around the prime event, Tuesday nights program on the University of Montana campus.

He has been to Missoula a number of times, drawn by the Kyiyo Pow Wow put on by UMs Native American Student Association each April. But hes also visited the fort museum, which has established itself as a national-class interpreter of the World War II alien detention camp at Fort Missoula.

Shimomura didnt live there in the 1940s, but the father of the woman he married did. Shimomura touched on that story Tuesday. His father-in-law was born in Japan and was drafted into the Japanese army in 1918 before immigrating to the United States. He owned a Mom and Pop grocery store on the West Coast and changed his surname to that of his wife because they wanted to keep the legacy of the wifes name going, Shimomura said.

The man was one of hundreds of Japanese-American men, most of them beyond middle age, who were sent to Fort Missoula from California, Oregon and Washington after the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. His future father-in-law was interrogated at the loyalty hearings courtroom on the second floor of the Fort's T-1 building.

They kept pounding on him: hey, why did you change your last name? What did you do in the Japanese Army? Shimomura said.

Like all others who appeared before the Fort Missoula tribunal, the man was deemed not to be a threat to national security and eventually rejoined his family at the Tule Lake internment camp in northern California.

Yukio is living history, said Matt Lautzenheiser, executive director of the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula. This period of time that were studying, learning about and trying to understand  he provides that first-hand account of it, which is just really powerful.

It fit well with Betty Bennetts English class at Sentinel, which is studying the effects of war on soldiers, families and the children like Shimomura who grew up in internment camps. Bennett said reading books like Thin Wood Walls and visiting the alien detention center exhibits at Fort Missoula are ways of connecting those stories with issues and lives today when dealing with immigration and "all the national rhetoric.

Shimomura winced as he read aloud the comments of Gen. John DeWitt, commander of the Western Defense Command for the U.S. Army as the nation plunged into World War II. DeWitt stressed the urgency of removing all Japanese living in California, Oregon and Washington from the West Coast.

A Jap is a Jap, DeWitt said. It makes no difference if he is an American citizen or not. Hes still Japanese ... I dont want any of them here. They are a dangerous element. There is no way to determine their loyalty.

In 1983, after two years of hearings, the Commission on Wartime Relocation acknowledged that interned Japanese-Americans suffered a "grave injustice ... conceived in haste and executed in an atmosphere of fear and anger at Japan." Their imprisonment, it reported, was not a military necessity but rather an act prompted by "race prejudice, war hysteria and a failure of political leadership."

Shiomomura's grandmother, parents and the two brothers who spent the war years in captivity are gone now. He's the only one left, and he pointed proudly to the service he and his brothers gave in the (United States) military after they left Topaz.

Loyalty has sort of a mystical tone to it, he said. You think that after all of us being put away like that thered be the bitterness, you know? But the loyalty is far greater than what we were put through.
One finalist for the associate provost for global century education position at the University of Montana is also the person who currently holds the post.

That unusual scenario reflects the sometimes tangled process of hiring and keeping foreign nationals in U.S. jobs.

Paulo Zagalo-Melo is one of two finalists for the job. He holds the position after being hired in 2013 as the director of international programs for UM, according to a spokesman for the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education.

That year, UM applied to hire a director of international programs on an H-1B visa, according to the U.S. Department of Labors Office of Foreign Labor Certifications disclosure database. (The database doesn't confirm hires; it confirms applications.)

Subsequently, UM merged the director post with an associate provost job, and it appointed Zagalo-Melo to fill it. The Montana Board of Regents approved the appointment in November 2014.

This summer, UM announced it was hiring for the same job  associate provost for global century education and director of the office of international programs, according to the role description.

A certified recruitment to verify that a U.S. worker could not do the job is a necessary step for an organization that wants to sponsor a foreign employee seeking a green card to work here.

That process can cost an employer at least $2,000, according to an immigration lawyer.

In this case, it is also taking place without an updated job description.

***

The associate provost oversees UM's global initiatives and office of international programs and is charged with leading activities and initiatives "that ensure that UM is on the leading edge nationally and internationally" in preparing students for the 21st century.

Zagalo-Melo's visa allows him to work in the position only until 2018, according to UM. He did not reply to an email or voicemail requesting comment. His online biography as a finalist for the job notes he worked and studied in Portugal before coming to the United States.

UM communications director Paula Short said the recruitment is taking place for two reasons.

She said the position had changed significantly since 2014, with additional job responsibilities, more supervision by the associate provost, and a different organizational structure.

UM also opened up the post because the incumbent's visa allows him to serve in the job only until 2018, Short said.

Once an H-1B visa expires, the person holding it has to leave the country unless approved for another legal status, such as permanent residency, according to an immigration lawyer.

Beata Leja, associate attorney with Minsky, McCormick & Hallagan, said organizations that want to sponsor employees who are seeking residency often must undertake a subsequent recruitment in order to certify with the U.S. Department of Labor that a U.S. citizen isn't "able, willing, available or qualified" to do the job.

She said an H-1B visa typically runs out after six years, and the expiration puts an employer in a difficult position.

"If they like the employee, they have to go through this onerous recruitment process because they want to keep the individual," said Leja, based in Chicago.

If the organization finds a U.S. worker qualified for the job, or if it opts out of the recruitment, the person in the post will need to leave the country or find another legal status to remain after the H-1B visa maxes out.

"We get creative in those situations," Leja said.

(Leja said professor jobs at universities undergo a unique recruitment process called "special handling," but the position narrative appears to describe mostly duties of an administrator, which would be subject to the standard labor certification process.)

The costs come in the recruitment itself and in the legal and filing fees, she said. An employer is not obligated to pay for all of the fees, and some of the fees may legally be paid by either the employer or employee, she said. However, she said the employer must pay for all fees associated with the labor certification process.

"At a minimum, I would say the employer is going to spend a couple thousand dollars on the cost of the recruitment and the legal fees," she said.

UM legal counsel Lucy France said the university does not have a policy on sponsoring employees for green cards.

"I believe it is up to the hiring department to determine whether they want to sponsor an employee," France said.

***

In this recruitment, the official role description remained the same despite the considerable modifications that, according to UM, have taken place since the 2014 appointment.

According to a human resources consultant, the lack of a current job description, even if it isn't far off from the old one, can pose problems for UM and even open it up to liability.

Lynda Brown, an HR expert based in Montana, said precise job descriptions are important for both legal and practical reasons. They protect the organization seeking an employee as well as applicants wanting to sell themselves, and they ensure a fair playing field for all candidates.

An accurate job description is particularly important when there is an incumbent, said Brown, who worked in HR at UM for a decade after leaving in 1987. Otherwise, if the person who holds the job isn't selected, he or she can claim the organization only wanted to get rid of him or her.

"They could file a wrongful termination claim if they don't get the job," Brown said.

Short, though, said UM has followed its standards and guidelines for filling a position, and it continues to do so as the recruitment progresses.

"Though there is not an updated role description (reflecting the changes to the work unit) finalized at this time, it's not uncommon for the university to proceed with a recruitment in such cases," Short said.

The other finalist for the job is W. James Jacob, associate professor of International Higher Education in the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh.

Both finalists made public presentations at UM last week, and UM will announce a final decision after the top candidates interview with the provost, and the search committee makes its recommendations, Short said.

***

At its November 2014 meeting, the Montana Board of Regents approved the initial hiring of the associate provost for global century education and director of the office of international programs, albeit with a request for explanation from President Royce Engstrom. A video of the meeting shows the president said the position was not new and would result in savings.

"This is actually a collapsing of two existing positions," Engstrom said.

The salary then was listed as $136,000, and the president said the consolidation saved $70,000. Zagalo-Melo had served as director of international programs, and he would step into the associate provost role, the president said.

UM did not recruit for the position in 2014.

Kevin McRae, deputy commissioner for communications in the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, said the reason UM did not recruit, as he recalls, is that Zagalo-Melo was already serving in the high-level post of director of international programs, and the modification was a title change. And he said he believes a recruitment took place for the director job in 2013.

McRae also said the president wanted give UM's global initiatives more visibility, so it elevated Zagalo-Melo's position to an associate provost level.
During their regular Monday night meeting, the Missoula City Council voted 8-4 to approve an ordinance that requires criminal background checks on private gun sales within city limits. The Missoulian's Facebook followers offered these comments:

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Anywhere outside yellow you're good to go. Business as usual.

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Steph Parsons: This proposal violates Montanas state preemption law, which prohibits local governments and municipalities from passing their own gun control laws that create a patchwork of complex and confusing gun laws throughout the state.

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Les Davis: Well you all voted them in, you knew what you were getting... vote them out, hold peaceful meetings telling that they work for the people, not just a few, turn them out, and get ones that you have vetted.

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Marc Reeves: They'll,get sued, the law will get tossed in court, end result is the city council just spent MORE tax money

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John Hill: The applicable statute is under Title 7. Local Government Chapter 1. General Provisions: 7-1-111. Powers denied. A local government unit with self-government powers is prohibited from exercising the following: (9) any power that applies to or affects the right to keep or bear arms, except that a local government has the power to regulate the carrying of concealed weapons;

Title 45 is Crimes. MCA 45-8-351 Subsection 1 states a crime the City Counsel would be committing if they enacted such an ordinance. Under Subsection 2, yes they can regulate sales to selected individuals. That would be done by enforcing the existing statute: U.S. Code Chapter 44  FIREARMS  922 - Unlawful acts (d).

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Ryan Hazen: Translation: Those businesses that sell guns within city limits just lost money. Those outside city limits just made some.

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Greg Worcester: Which is a tragedy, if you happen to believe that money is the only thing that is valuable.

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Tom Guschausky: Businesses that sell firearms already do background checks, so why would they be losing money?

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John McGrew: Here's the practical result. The money spent pointlessly defending other people's political vanity means my street goes unpaved for another year. Oh, and the lawyers will do well.

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Trent Pfaffinger: Gee, I bet everyone who agrees to sell a gun to their buddy will tell the city about it. LOL.

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Cole Armstrong: Anyone know any lawyers who would like to help me sue the City?
HELENA  Bryan Backeberg was appointed Lewis and Clark County coroner on Tuesday, filling the vacancy left by the death of M.E. Mickey Nelson.

Backeberg previously worked as the deputy coroner for Nelson, who died Sept. 11 from complications of cancer.

His appointment, which runs through 2018 when Nelsons term would have expired, came as Commissioner Susan Good Geise called for an audit of the office.

Anyone who succeeds an administration of more than 40 years deserves to assume his duties with a clean slate, and I believe there needs to be an audit of all functions of the Lewis and Clark County coroners office so that the new coroner will be held accountable only for activities and inventories for which he is responsible, she said.

The details, she added, can be addressed on another day.

Geise was appointed to the commission to fill an unexpired term of a county commissioner who resigned. Since she was not elected, she said she once felt that she did not have the public's trust, and she urged Backeberg not to feel that way.

Your legal status is the same as any other elected official. Never doubt that, she said before expressing her complete confidence in him.

Commissioner Andy Hunthausen said he was looking forward to working with Backeberg.

Backebergs family joined him as Commission Chairman Mike Murray administered the oath of office and friends took photographs and video from the audience.

County commissioners were unanimous in their support of Backeberg, 30, who will have to run for the office when the term expires in order to keep it.

When Mickey and I had discussed this, that was my goal, to run for office, he said after his appointment.

While saying he would see how the next two years go for him, he reaffirmed his interest in being the county coroner.

My plan is to, yes, run for re-election and keep the office going.

His goal for the office, he said, was to streamline its operation and better work together with other agencies. Implementation of a records management system for the office is part of that plan.

Nelson relied on paperwork to manage the office, but a computerized records management system will allow for searching and researching records and enable the office to better take care of people and property, he said.

When Nelson died, he had about 15 incomplete death certificates that listed the cause of death as pending. Perhaps five death certificates from this year have yet to be finalized, Backeberg said.

Death certificates are important to families to close out estates. The state had threatened to take the county to court earlier this year to force Nelson to complete 51 death certificates dating between 2011 and 2015.

The death certificates were completed within the 45 days allowed under the terms of the agreement.

Backeberg said he was born and raised in Helena.

Nelson required notification from hospitals and other facilities when a death was attended. Whether Backeberg will also require this is "still to be determined," he said.

The county is in the process of hiring a deputy coroner, and the application period closed on Monday for the job that pays $21.84 per hour. The annual wage for the coroner is $70,684.

There is a temporary, part-time deputy coroner now, as well as an administrative assistant staffing the office. Discussions with county officials will determine whether the office will have a three-person staff that includes Backeberg.

Discussion is also ongoing about whether the coroners office staff will move back to the Rodney Street office where they were located before staff members asked to be removed from that location.

Prior to being hired as a deputy coroner by Nelson, Backeberg worked in the dispatch center for local law enforcement for about 10 years.

During that time he joined volunteer fire departments and the Sheriffs Office reserve officer program, where he developed an interest in the coroners office.

Backeberg was appointed part-time deputy coroner in April 2014 by Nelson. He later left the office and was asked to return.

Much like being a volunteer fireman, he said, the office of coroner is a 24/7 job helping others in need.

The job, how I understand it and Mickey portrayed it, is caring for the deceased, investigating the cause and manner, he said.
HELENA  A Montana nonprofit organization that advocates for abused and neglected children faces an uncertain future due to a lack of funding, but its work will continue.

The board of directors for Court Appointed Special Advocates of Montana has voted to close its state office at the end of next month, said executive director Joyce Funda.

The statewide office provides training and assistance to local organizations and provides someone to speak on behalf of CASA.

CASA volunteers are appointed by District Court judges to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children. The 15 local CASA offices will remain open and that effort will continue, Funda said.

Sally Erny, chief program officer for the National CASA Association, said Monday the group is committed to keeping the Montana's state office open.

"We will be working to assure that there's adequate funding in Montana to continue operation of the state office," said Erny. She said national officials would meet with the local offices and assess what is needed. She expects they would provide some financial support in the interim while helping to build a sustainable funding source for the state organization.

CASA of Montana is in talks with the national organization and hopes there is a solution, but without a specific plan in place, the Montana office made a business decision to close, Funda said.

"This was the unfortunate conclusion that we came to," she said.

The CASA of Montana board has been working for nearly a year to try to find steady funding without success, Funda said.

Funda was a member of the Protect Montana Kids Commission appointed by Gov. Steve Bullock to investigate the Division of Child and Family Services and make recommendations for improvement.

Last year, 620 active volunteers served over 2,000 abused and neglected children in Montana, a 28 percent increase over 2014.

"We want to see every child in Montana have a highly trained volunteer advocate to speak for the child's best interests," Erny said.

There are local CASA offices in Anaconda, Billings, Bozeman, Conrad, Dillon, Great Falls, Hamilton, Havre, Helena, Kalispell, Livingston, Malta, Miles City, Missoula and Polson.
HELENA (AP)  A magistrate judge has concluded that a private prison in Shelby is not to blame for the death of a medical marijuana provider who was incarcerated there.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn Ostby on Wednesday recommended the dismissal of a negligence lawsuit filed by the wife of Richard Flor against Corrections Corporation of America.

U.S. District Judge Susan Watters must approve the recommendation.

The 68-year-old Flor died in custody in 2012 of colon cancer. He had previously pleaded guilty to running a medical marijuana operation in his Miles City home.

Sherry Flor says her husband was treated like "an abandoned dog" instead of being properly cared for at the prison.

Ostby agreed with attorneys for the prison who said Sherry Flor was unable to prove that her husband did not receive adequate medical care.
BUTTE  Firefighters scurried into action Tuesday night after a crew member aboard a Life Flight Network helicopter said they were having mechanical problems and might have to crash land in Butte.

Volunteer departments in the county also were on standby after the crew member called emergency dispatch at 10:53 p.m., said Bill Fisher, a battalion commander with the Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department.

The helicopter circled for at least 30 minutes before landing safely at Bert Mooney Airport and a patient on board was transported by ambulance to St. James Health Care, where the aircraft had initially intended to land, according to the fire department. Nobody on board was hurt.

Butte-Silver Bow fire officials, citing Life Flight personnel on the scene, said the helicopter had a malfunctioning gauge that was preventing it from throttling down its engine. It started circling in the air to burn off fuel.

According to Life Flight, based in Aurora, Oregon, the helicopter based in Butte responded to a nearby request for help at about 9:30 p.m. After picking up the patient and departing for St. James, the pilot noticed an engine gauge indicated a possible issue.

After troubleshooting, the pilot decided to fly to the airport instead. He circled for about 30 minutes while talking with aviation resources to further troubleshoot the issue and to ensure a safe landing. It landed at 11:13 p.m. The cause of the engine issue was under investigation.

Butte-Silver Bow sent two fire engines to the airport after getting the call and several volunteer departments  Race Track, Boulevard, Floral Park, Home Atherton and Terre Verde  were put on standby in case the helicopter crashed in their areas, Fisher said.

An airport firetruck was prepared to take the lead in a crash because it had 1,500 gallons of water and also foam. A1 Ambulance also had vehicles at the scene.

Some incident details were posted on the Butte-Silver Bow Fire departments website with a headline that said: Were you wondering why a helicopter was circling the airport last night?

Life Flight remains in service in Butte with a fixed-wing aircraft and in Missoula with a helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft. A backup helicopter was being re-positioned to Butte to help cover the area.

Life Flight Network has medical transport operations in Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Its helicopters typically operate within a 175-mile radius of its base but they can fly longer distances.

Each helicopter has medical equipment necessary to act as a mobile intensive care unit. Procedures and equipment in flight includes video laryngoscopes, CareFusion ventilators, and in some cases, blood products and portable blood analyzers for point-of-care testing.
New Yorkers get to see a lot of Shakespeare, but its usually not as out there as Julius Caesar. Spared Parts. Directed by Romeo Castellucci, this 45-minute performance boils down the play to three main scenes, and even they are almost unrecognizable. Mark Antonys funeral speech, for instance, is delivered in a barely decipherable rasp by an actor, Dalmazio Masini, who has had a tracheotomy.

Challenging an audience is par for the course for Mr. Castellucci, an Italian director whose show, part of the Crossing the Line Festival, is being staged from Friday through Sunday at Federal Hall in the financial district.

Mr. Castellucci, 56, is hailed for sophisticated visuals, often deafening soundscapes and daring directorial coups  as when he had a real tank roll onstage and aim at the audience in Strasbourg, France. You cant say in advance what its going to be, but you know its going to be done exquisitely, authentically, says Jedediah Wheeler, executive producer of Montclair State Universitys Peak Performances series, which has presented four of this directors shows since 2005.

Yet despite his international fame, Mr. Castellucci has never had his work seen in New York City until now, and Spared Parts has him working on a smaller scale. Joe Melillo from BAM once told me, I like your work, but its too heavy for my audience, Mr. Castellucci recalled, referring to the organizations executive producer. (Mr. Melillo on Wednesday said the sticking point at the time was that BAMs theaters couldnt accommodate the works physical requirements.)
Court records show Brett Bernard Lombardi, 35, is accused of operating an illicit business between December 2013 and July 2014 of providing illegal items including a cell phone, tobacco, alcohol and marijuana to inmates in exchange for money. He also faces a misdemeanor charge of official misconduct.

He could be sentenced to 10 years in prison on each of three counts of transfer of marijuana. The five charges of transfer of the other items carry a maximum penalty of up to 13 months in jail and $1,500 fine each. Official misconduct has a maximum of six months and up to $500 fine.
Town hall meeting Thursday in Anaconda

ANACONDA  A town hall meeting to discuss opportunities for and barriers to maximizing access to Department of Agriculture programs and services starts at 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at the Anaconda Local Development Corp., 118 E. Seventh St., Anaconda.

Montana leaders from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency, Rural Development, and Food and Nutrition Service will listen to concerns from local citizens and community leaders. This is one of 18 town hall meetings statewide.

In early 2016, 13 Montana counties were designated as StrikeForce counties, a rural growth and opportunity initiative launched by USDA in 2010 in economically challenged areas to improve USDA services by building partnerships to help challenged communities shape a future based on local assets and regional strengths.

Details: John George at jonathan.george@mt.usda.gov or 406-449-5000 ext. 101.

Port of Montana celebration Friday

The Montana Development Business Park will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Port of Montana during a noon event Friday at 119920 Rick Jones Way in Butte.

The port provides rail and highway distribution and marketing services at its 55-acre facility west of Butte. A ribbon-cutting will take place at Fridays event, and people can tour the facility.

Walk to End Alzheimers set Sunday

The Alzheimers Association Walk to End Alzheimers in Butte starts at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, at Father Sheehan Park along Blacktail Creek. Nearly 150 people from the area are expected at this years event to raise awareness and funds to fight Alzheimers disease.

Participants will complete a 2-mile wheelchair and stroller friendly walk and will learn about Alzheimer's disease, advocacy opportunities, clinical studies enrollment and support programs and services from the Alzheimers Association. Walk participants will also join in a tribute ceremony to honor those affected by Alzheimer's disease.

Thompson Park falls hours set

Thompson Park will change to fall hours on Saturday, Oct. 1. Gates will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Oct. 31 and then closed until May 1, 2017.

The public can still use the park area by parking at the entrance gates adjacent to Montana Highway 2 or at the end of Roosevelt Drive.

Details: Butte Ranger District, 406-494-2147 or Butte-Silver Bow Parks and Recreation, 406-497-6571.

Animal Control impounds listed

These are animals that have been picked up by Butte Animal Control. Details: Chelsea Bailey Butte-Silver Bow Animal Shelter at 406-497-6528 or stop by 699 Centennial Ave. from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Dog:

Two-year-old male husky cross, black and tan, neutered, picked up Sept. 22 on 800 block of Wyoming

Cat:

Adult long-haired, gray, picked up Tuesday on 800 block of Lexington

Smart Driver Class set for Oct. 13

An AARP Smart Driver Class begins at 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, at the Belmont Senior Center, 615 E. Mercury St. The class is four hours. Call the Belmont to reserve a seat at 406-723-7773.

Fire department to host social

The Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department will have a Fire Prevention Week Community Social from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9, at the Uptown Fire Station, 120 S. Idaho St. The event includes free ice cream and hot dogs.

The social will also include education stations featuring information on smoke alarm safety, Halloween safety and car seat safety. Firefighters will be on hand to answer questions and Montana Techs Charlie Oredigger will visit.

In addition, the fire department will showcase the new Engine 4 and the old refurbished 1948 Mack fire truck, a refurbishing project four years in the making.

Additional aspects will include visits to second grade classrooms at Butte Central and throughout the Butte School District.

Details: Butte-Silver Bow Fire Marshal Brian Doherty at (406) 497-6481 or bdoherty@bsb.mt.gov.

Homebuyers education classes Oct. 17-18

Headwaters RC&D Area Inc. holds a Homebuyers' Education Class from 5 to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 17-18, at the Thornton Building, 65 E. Broadway. The cost is $25 a person or $35 per couple.

Participants will learn about special affordable home financing options, including down payment and closing cost assistance programs for eligible home buyers. Homebuyer education classes are funded in part by the Montana Board of Housing, Montana Department of Commerce, NeighborWorks Montana and philanthropic donors.

Details: 406-533-6781. Registration deadline is noon Friday, Oct. 14.

Uptown Toasters announce winners

This weeks competition winners for the Uptown Toasters Toastmaster Club 9765 include Jodi Peretti, best speaker, and Rob McDowell and Bev York tied for best evaluator. The next meeting starts at noon on Tuesday, Oct. 4, at the Butte Archives. Details: 406-782-3280.
AURORA, Colo. -- Here on the High Plains, where the deer and the antelope once played, Denver's suburbs roam toward the Rockies' front range and the nature of today's polyglot politics is written in the local congressman's campaign schedule. One day last week, Republican Mike Coffman went from a Hispanic charter school in a strip mall, to another strip mall for lunch at an Ethiopian restaurant with leaders of the Ethiopian-American community, then to a meeting with the editor of the largest of two Korean-language newspapers serving more than 3,000 Korean-Americans in the metropolitan area.

Coffman was elected to Congress in 2008 with 61 percent of the vote, replacing Tom Tancredo, a firebrand who that year ineffectually ran for president as a scourge of illegal immigrants. Coffman's thinking was somewhat congruent with Tancredo's. Then, however, the political market -- aka democracy -- began to work, with an assist from Democrats, who inadvertently made Coffman a better politician and person.

After he was re-elected with 66 percent in 2010, his district was gerrymandered to make it more Democratic -- 20 percent Hispanic, with a generous salting of other minorities. He won in 2012 with just 48 percent of the vote. In 2014, national Democrats recruited a formidable opponent, a Yale graduate who had taught, in Spanish, in Central American schools. So, Coffman learned Spanish well enough to do an entire debate in the language, and today banters in Spanish with the children at Roca Fuerte Academy.

The pastor who founded it in 2008 says this charter school is anathema to, and underfunded by, the local school district, which is obedient to the teachers union, which dislikes charters that are not obedient to it. The district's schools have just a 61 percent graduation rate. Roca Fuerte Academy does better.

Some of the academy's pupils in their school uniforms are antecedents of the pronoun in Donald Trump's four-word immigration policy: "They have to go." They were brought here by illegal immigrants. Trump wants to send them "home" to countries they do not remember. Coffman has co-authored legislation that would provide legal status and a path to lawful permanent resident status to those who came before age 16, have lived here five consecutive years, and who have been accepted to a college or vocational school or have demonstrated an intent to enlist in the military, or have a valid work authorization.

At the Nile restaurant, Coffman's cowboy boots go beneath a table groaning under the weight of trays laden with Ethiopian food that is eaten without utensils, scooped up with bits torn from rolls of bread as thin and flexible as fabric. Coffman sits next to an Orthodox bishop who is wearing a cassock and a glittering pectoral cross. As guests arrive, several kiss a crucifix he holds. He speaks scant English but draws 1,500 to Sunday services. Many of those around the table have been in America for at least a decade and are citizens and small-business entrepreneurs. Ethiopians are Colorado's second-largest immigrant community and are grateful for Coffman's attempts to pressure Ethiopia's authoritarian government to stop using violence against protesters. Coffman attends the annual "Taste of Ethiopia" festival here in America's Mountain West and "Ethiopians for Coffman" might matter in November. As might the Korean-American community, which continues to honor those Americans who, like Coffman's father, fought in the Korean War.

Coffman, 61, enlisted in the Army before receiving his high school diploma, which he earned while serving. After leaving the Army and graduating from the University of Colorado, he went to Marine Corps officer training. When he left the Corps he became a state legislator until called back into uniform in 1991 for the Gulf War. In 2005, he resigned as state treasurer to serve a tour of duty with the Marines in Iraq. There he helped organize elections in a place where diversity is rather more problematic than in Colorado's 6th Congressional District.

His opponent this year, who dislikes charter schools and school choice, does not speak fluent Spanish and, unlike almost all candidates challenging incumbents, does not seem to want many debates -- she even declined the Denver Post's. Coffman thinks she does not want anything to distract from her theme, which is: Trump is a Republican and so is Coffman.

In early August, however, Coffman acted pre-emptively with a television ad that began: "People ask me, 'What do you think about Trump?' Honestly, I don't care for him much." Spoken like a Marine who does 10 sets of 50 pushups daily.

George Will's email address is georgewill@washpost.com.

(c) 2016, Washington Post Writers Group
State Senator Eric Moore, R-Miles City, blames fringe environmental groups for putting Colstrip out of business (Montana Standard, Sept 25). No! No! No! Mr. Moore. Man caused rapid climate change is the reason for Colstrips downsizing, not fringe environmental groups.

For those Republicans firmly embedded in their self-described trenches, it might be a good idea to come on out. Climb out of your ditch of denial. Go up and over the top and face the scientifically proven fact that coal is not clean. The faster we develop wind, and solar resources, the quicker the solution.
The Montana Democratic Party expanded its attacks on Greg Gianfortes business record this week, saying the Republican candidate for governors claims about job creation are hollow.

For months the party directly, or through volunteer letter writers, has claimed that the Bozeman company Gianforte founded with his wife in 1997, RightNow Technologies, laid off Montanans and outsourced their jobs, even though Democrats had previously apologized to Sen. Steve Daines, a former VP, for similar attacks made during his 2012 campaign.

On Monday, the criticisms of Gianfortes business strategy grew as Democrats highlighted the companys application for 66 foreign worker visas over a 10-year period and as they revived questions about the companys ties to broader outsourcing trends nationally.

One of the candidates in this race is running really exclusively on his business record and the more and more we find out the more we learn his record is eliminating jobs, Bullock Campaign Manager Eric Hyers said. And when hes asked about this by Montanans, he misleads and distracts.

Gianforte has flatly denied the claims, calling them false or misleading, and said he stands by his companys record of adding hundreds of jobs in Bozeman and hundreds more around the world.

This furrow has been plowed before, he told the Billings Gazette editorial board on Tuesday. "In fact, I have an apology letter from the Democrats saying charges of outsourcing are not correct."

In 2012, the Montana Democratic Party claimed in campaign materials attacking Steve Daines that RightNow had laid off Montana workers in order to outsource their jobs to India. Gianforte sued the Democrats for making false claims, which led the party to issue an apology letter that was obtained by the Bozeman Chronicle in 2013. At that point, the suit was dropped.

We said that employees at Right Now Technology were laid off in order to outsource Montana jobs to India. We now believe this is not correct, read the letter from then-Chairman Jim Elliott. We also said that money from government contracts was used to ship jobs overseas. We also now believe that is not correct. We regret any inconvenience this has may have caused you.

Hyers said the Democrats criticisms of Gianforte are different than those made in 2012.

In reviewing press releases from the party this cycle, the difference seems to be, at least in part, semantic. Rather than saying Gianfortes company laid off employees because it was going to outsource their jobs, the Democrats have not directly tied the two events. In a Monday press release, the party mentioned about 40 Bozeman layoffs several sentences before it discussed the companys outsourcing, but it did not expressly say one caused the other.

Susan Carstensen, who worked as chief financial officer or vice president at RightNow for 12 years, said that while the hiring of workers in Armenia and India were not tied to the layoffs, they still were deliberately outsourced jobs.

We did, at different points, outsource some jobs with an engineering team in Armenia and the strategy for that was a lower cost of labor. We did have contracts with an Indian outsourcing firm that provided more lower-cost labor for service work, she said, noting it affected probably less than 100 jobs.

Gianforte Spokesman Aaron Flint declined multiple requests to discuss in detail the 2001 layoffs or the jobs Carstensen said were outsourced, but he did provide emailed statements on other questions.

Flint questioned Carstensens motives. She is a frequent contributor to Democratic campaigns, has worked with Bullock on some initiatives related to preschool and the gender-pay gap, and is a leader of OpenSourceMT, an independent political action committee supporting Bullocks reelection.

"RightNow served global companies all over the world, Flint wrote. Take Nikon for example. RightNow provided their Montana-made solutions to help them deliver better customer service in 50 countries and 33 different languages. Many RightNow clients had call centers all over the world because of the global nature of their businesses."

RightNow employed more than 1,000 at its peak, with about half of those workers based in Bozeman. Other offices were located in Texas, New York, California, England and Japan, among others. Financial disclosure filings to the Securities Exchange Commission note that almost a third of the companys business was with overseas clients. In 2012, Oracle bought Gianfortes company for $1.8 billion. Earlier this month, Oracle announced it would be laying off about 100 Bozeman workers and moving those jobs to Texas where they could reapply, according to the Bozeman Chronicle.

Hyers said the core difference between the 2012 attacks on Daines and those on Gianforte is that they are focused primarily on honesty.

The issue is he says one thing but his record says another, he said. His company was developed to help eliminate and outsource jobs.

Hyers cites several interviews with Gianforte in business publications over the years in which he discussed the connection between RightNow, which provided software platforms for customer service, and growing interest in outsourcing. For instance in the transcript of a 2005 earnings call by Fair Disclosure Wire, Gianforte attributed the companys growth to outsourcing and did not see voice-over IP technologies as competition.

I would say that the bigger drivers in our business have been the movement toward outsourcing, he said. Now, voice over IP is making it easier to deploy multi-location call centers. So, in that sense it is impacting our business, but it is indirect and positive.

The Gazette editorial board on Tuesday asked Gianforte how he could campaign on creating jobs when he had, in previous interviews with business media, repeatedly linked RightNows success to the growing number of companies that have outsourced American jobs.

For people to attack our record, honestly for me, Ive already put myself in the public square, I take the darts and arrows wherever they come because I love this state more than I love my reputation, he said, noting how many people the company employed in Bozeman. This is insulting, we did everything in our power to employ Montanans. We spent 15 years recruiting Montanans back to our town through our website, through our hiring practices, and the average wage in Bozeman was almost $90,000 a year.

I stand by our record, he said. Im proud of what weve accomplished.

Democrats also have released audio of a February campaign stop in Plentywood where Gianforte was asked whether computer science graduates needed to worry about competition from the H-1B visa program, which allows companies to hire foreign workers for specialized jobs. Recent media reports and nonprofit analyses have suggested that the tech industry in particular has used the visas to cut costs and depress wages of American employees.

We have spent 15 years recruiting people into Bozeman and our greatest success was getting Montanans to come back home, Gianforte responded in the 25-second audio clip. Thats where we focused our energy. Not getting foreign nationals to come.

Hyers said Gianfortes response is at best misleading.

On Monday, the Montana Democratic Party noted that RightNow Technologies applied for 66 H-1B visas between 2001 and 2011. A review of federal records confirms the count. The jobs, some of which were in other states, included openings for software developers and engineers as well as some management positions, with salaries ranging from $40,000 to $200,000. The granting of a visa does not necessarily mean someone was hired, and Gianfortes campaign didnt say how many employees were employed under the program.

Democrats drew connections between the visas and layoffs of about 40 people from RightNow in 2001 in April and in October. The summer between the two cuts, RightNow submitted two applications for H-1B visas. At the time of the second layoffs, Gianforte attributed the cuts to clients freezing spending after 9/11.

Carstensen disagreed somewhat with the Democratic Partys implicit characterization of the visas as linked to layoffs.

The visas from a strategy standpoint werent about lower-cost labor. That was seeking specialized talent that wasnt available, she said, noting that most of those visas were for workers who had applied to job openings and who they wanted to hire, not people they had actively recruited overseas.

She said she doesnt see anything inherently wrong with outsourcing from a business perspective, but thinks it becomes relevant to Gianfortes campaign because he has focused on his record as a job creator.

He did both, create jobs and eliminate jobs, she said. I think its a more balanced look at what hes done.

Flint declined to answer questions about the relevancy of RightNows business strategy to Gianfortes bid to become governor. Instead, he focused on Gianfortes work to bring Montanans home at RightNow and in other leadership roles.

He noted that Gianforte has previously said that half of the companys Bozeman employees were graduates of Montana colleges. In July 2015, a month before Gianforte formally announced his campaign, he paid for a brochure to be mailed to about 15,000 Montana State University graduates that urged them to return to the state but keep their jobs by talking to their bosses about telecommuting. Earlier this month, Gianforte spent campaign funds to air an audio ad in Denver and Seattle that urges Montanans to come home and consider telecommuting. He has said the Montana Department of Commerce should formalize and adopt both media strategies.

These desperate claims by the Bullock campaign are proof that Bullock will do anything to distract from the facts on the ground, Flint said.

Tomorrow: Gianforte accuses Bullock of mishandling emails.
MV Residential Construction is requesting bids from all trades for Harrison Lofts. This is new construction of a 3-story, 52-unit multifamily project located in Muscatine. Construction is expected to begin in March 2017 with completion in 12 months. All bidders are required to hold pricing for the duration of the bid and construction process. This project is being bid at the same time as 4th Avenue Lofts in Clinton (see separate Bid Notice), but you do not have to bid both projects. Multiple project discounts are always appreciated and the bid forms have instructions for submitting your bid in that format if you choose to bid both.

Section 3 companies and Minority, Women, Veteran, and Small Business Enterprises are strongly encouraged to participate in the bid process.

The work to be performed on this project is subject to the requirements of Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended, 12 U.S.C. 1701u (Section 3). The purpose of Section 3 is to ensure that employment and other economic opportunities generated by HUD assistance or HUD-assisted projects covered by Section 3, shall, to the greatest extent feasible, be directed to low and very low-income persons, particularly persons who are recipients of HUD assistance for housing.

Plans & bid forms may be purchased from Rapids Reproductions - 515.251.3222. If you have the capability to view or print plans yourself, e-mail MVRCestimating@mvg.com to obtain login directions for our free planroom.

The bid deadline is Monday, October 10, 2016, at 3:00PM EDT. BIDS ARE REQUIRED TO BE ON OUR BID FORMS and can be e-mailed to MVRCestimating@mvg.com, or faxed to 1.855.845.8720, or mailed to MVRC Estimating / Harrison, 9349 WaterStone Blvd., Cincinnati, OH 45249. If you would like to verify we received your bid, or have other bid related questions, contact Estimating at 513.774.8400. We will analyze all bids and consequently award contracts for this project. The owner reserves the right to reject any, part of any, or all of said proposals, and to waive formalities in the bids.

Miller-Valentine Group

is an EEO/AA Employer.
COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa  The City of Columbus Junction will hold a bridge tour event on October 5 as part of the Healthiest State Initiatives annual walk. The tour will begin at the Civic Center, 232 Second St. at 11:00 am. Participants will be taken on a tour of bridges at three of the Citys recreation areasMonkey Run Park, The Swinging Bridge and Chautauqua Park. All three parks have been improved in recent years and the Parks and Recreation Commission is pleased to showcase these areas while participating in the statewide event.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  Brian Wegerer, P.E., has joined Stanley Consultants as a business development manager in the companys Muscatine office. He will provide business development, client relations, and project oversight to industrial and higher education clients throughout the Midwest. Stanley Consultants is a global consulting engineering firm headquartered in Muscatine, with Iowa offices in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Iowa City.

Wegerer has worked in the consulting engineering industry for over 20 years, starting as project engineer and working his way up through project manager, office manager, and principal at KJWW Engineering Consultants. He served most recently as office manager for the firms Phoenix office, securing multiple projects with new clients.

Brian has a very strong industrial background and understands the needs of clients in the Midwest, said Stanley Consultants Plant & Building Services Leader Tom Hickey. His experience and relationships will be a tremendous asset to both us and our clients.

Wegerer has an electrical engineering degree from Iowa State University and is a licensed professional engineer in Iowa, Illinois and Arizona. He is former Board Chair of the Black Hawk College Foundation Board, and a recipient of the Quad City Area Leader Under 40 Award.
Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi []
Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes []
MTN Nigeria is facing fresh allegations of misconduct with authorities accusing the operator of illegally moving $14 billion (R189.8 billion) out of the country.

Dino Melaye, the politician who made the motion, accused MTN of repatriating the money over a period of 10 years beginning in 2006, with the help of four different banks.

The reports refer to allegations made on the floor of the Senate that MTN had illegally repatriated $13.92 billion out of Nigeria over a period of 10 years in collusion with a number of commercial banks, MTN said in a press statement.

MTN Nigeria has strongly refuted allegations of improper repatriation of funds. The allegations made against MTN are completely unfounded and without any merit, said MTN Nigeria CEO, Ferdi Moolman.

More on MTN Nigeria

MTN Nigeria responds to sanction calls

Nigeria lifts MTN regulatory services suspension
The Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa (ASA) ruled that an MTN commercial advertising its 30GB free data promotion is misleading, because it does not clearly state the limitation of the offer.

An MTN radio commercial stated that you will get a free Samsung Gear VR plus 30Gigs of free data when you sign up for any Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge contract.

One consumer was unhappy about this claim, saying in his ASA complaint that the commercial was misleading as it did not specifically mention that the 30GB offered expires after one month.

While it is plausible that one could use 30GB of data in one month, this would not likely be the norm, he said.

Consumers are misled into expecting to be able to use the 30GB of data for the duration of the contract.

MTN responded, saying the radio commercial clearly states that terms and conditions apply at the end.

These terms and conditions are available on its website, specifically Clause 7.4, which reads The FREE 30GB LTE Data Bundle is valid for 30 days from date of activation, MTN said.

The ASA was not satisfied with MTNs explanation, saying the commercial provides no indication that the 30GB of data carries any restriction beyond the amount of data.

The stock-standard Ts and Cs apply does nothing to remedy this, and the actual terms and conditions serve only to contradict the initially unqualified offer, the ASA said.

The ASA ruled that the MTN advertisement is likely to mislead consumers, and should be withdrawn with immediately effect.

More on MTN

Our data prices have decreased 73% in 5 years: MTN

Government wants to take Vodacom and MTNs mobile spectrum back

I bought data bundles from Vodacom and MTN and tried to get a refund
The sales of smartphones are now outstripping sales of feature phones in South Africa, the director of integrated mobility at Samsung Electronics South Africa, Craige Fleischer, has said.

Smartphone penetration has passed the one-third mark in South Africa to top anywhere from 37%  45%, said Fleischer.

Once everyone uses a smartphone, the countrys mobile digital environment will be fully inclusive and consumers will have access to revolutionary ways to do business, transact, connect and be entertained.

The GSMAs mobile economy report states that Sub-Saharan Africa will add 400 million new smartphone connections by 2020, which will be a major driver of economic progress and welfare.

According to the report, the near ubiquity of high-speed broadband access and high levels of smartphone ownership in future will be the foundation of the new digital ecosystem.

Innovation will thrive as app developers and disruptive new business models emerge to take advantage of smartphone features like GPS, advanced stills and video cameras, near field communications payment and sharing ability, wearables integration and smart home integration, Fleischer said.

The Android ecosystem, as the dominant smartphone operating system worldwide, will lead innovation in the smartphone arena.

More on smartphones

Chrome for Android gets new Data Saver and offline viewing features

Most Galaxy Note 7 owners are swapping out, not getting refunds: Samsung

Apple iPhone 7 for sale in South Africa

Googles WhatsApp competitor launched in South Africa
When Canadian Prime Minister

added Maryam Monsef to his Cabinet last year, his government touted her as the countrys first Afghan-born member of Parliament. President Obama also singled out her story when he addressed the Canadian House of Commons in June.





Monsef herself made her Afghan roots a key part of her narrative when she ran for a seat in Parliament in 2015. She was born in Herat, Afghanistan, she said, and came to Canada as a refugee at age 11 with her widowed mother and two younger sisters





But last week, it emerged that the lawmaker was actually born in Iran, raising questions about the validity of Monsefs Canadian citizenship and ability to hold office. She is the minister of democratic institutions.





The Globe and Mail newspaper

Thursday saying that Monsef was born in Mashhad, an Iranian city with a large Afghan population about 124 miles from the Afghanistan border, and spent most of her early childhood there.

In a statement, Monsef said that she was shocked at the revelation, and that her mother, Soriya Basir, only told her that she was born in Iran after the newspaper contacted Monsef for the story.





Because I know my story has resonated with many Canadians, I wanted to take the time today to clear any misconceptions this may have unintentionally caused, Monsef said in the statement.





My sisters and I asked my mother why she never told us we were born in Iran. She told us she did not think it mattered. We were Afghan citizens, as we were born to Afghan parents, and under Iranian law, we would not be considered Iranian citizens despite being born in that country.





An estimated 3 million Afghans live as refugees in Iran, although approximately only 1 million are documented. The first waves of Afghans crossed into Iran during the Soviet occupation of their country in the 1980s, which unleashed an insurrection by Afghan rebels, financed by the United States and other Western powers to undermine the Soviet Union.





A biographical timeline provided by Monsefs office noted that a child born in Iran only gains citizenship if the father is Iranian.





If Basir told Canadian immigration officials that Monsef was born in Afghanistan, it could be grounds to revoke the ministers citizenship, said Ontario Conservative Member of Parliament Tony Clement, who is running for the leadership of the Official Opposition

of Canada.





The question is, should a Cabinet minister or an MP get more favorable treatment than the average citizen? Or should we revise the Citizenship Act? said Toronto immigration lawyer Guidy Mamann. Because when it applies to the average Joe whos made innocent mistakes on a citizenship application, it hurts them considerably and it ultimately results in them losing their citizenship.





The original asylum claim hasnt been made public, and it is not clear what country Basir listed as her daughters birthplace. Monsefs Canadian passport says that she was born in Herat, Afghanistan.





Jean-Bruno Villeneuve, Monsefs press secretary, said she would be correcting that information. He said that Monsef has been very forthcoming about her personal story based on the recent revelations from her mother. Villeneuve said Monsef was traveling and unavailable to comment.





There is disagreement about whether Monsefs Canadian citizenship could be in jeopardy, even if it turns out that her mother misrepresented her birthplace on the asylum claim. Whether or not she was born in Iran is irrelevant, Peter Showler, former chair of Canadas Immigration and Refugee Board,

. The only country for which she had citizenship was Afghanistan, and that is the country from which she feared persecution.

-




The Taliban may no longer control the airwaves, but young women in Afghanistan still face torture and death for performing music. Some brave women are pushing backby rapping, singing, even playing the cello.A young rapper named Sonita Alizadeh says her family considered selling her as a bride when she was 10 and again at 16. She left them and launched a career, recording a rap video (below) called  Daughters for Sale  in which she wears a wedding dress and, on her forehead, a barcode.
BOSTON  A 22-year-old man rescued from a life raft after a fishing trip that left his mother missing and presumed dead had been a suspect in the still-unsolved 2013 slaying of his rich grandfather, adding to the multitude of questions swirling around him and what happened at sea.

Nathan Carman was picked up by a freighter Sunday 100 miles off the Massachusetts coast after what he said was a week adrift that began when his 31-foot aluminum fishing boat inexplicably sank during a mother-and-son outing.

Coast Guard officials interviewed Carman, and police searched his home in Vermont as part of an investigation into the ill-fated trip. He has not been charged with anything.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, he said he had "absolutely nothing" to do with his grandfather's killing and did everything he could to find his mother, 54-year-old Linda Carman, of Middletown, Connecticut, as their boat went down. He said he blew a whistle and called out frantically for her for hours.

"I was yelling, 'Mom! Mom!'" Carman said. He added: "I loved my mother and my mother loved me."

According to court documents, Carman came under suspicion in the slaying three years ago of his maternal grandfather, 87-year-old John Chakalos, a wealthy real estate developer who was found shot to death in his Windsor, Connecticut, home.

A 2014 search warrant obtained by the AP said that Carman was the last person known to have seen Chakalos alive; that Carman had bought a rifle consistent with the one used in the crime; and that he discarded his hard drive and GPS unit used around the time of the shooting.

Carman was never charged. According to court papers, police submitted an arrest warrant to a prosecutor, but it was returned unsigned with a request for more information.

In his will, Chakalos left an estate worth more than $42 million to his four adult daughters, including Carman's mother.

Windsor police Capt. Thomas LePore said Wednesday that the case is still open and that Carman remains a "person of interest."

"My grandfather was like a father to me, and I was like a son to him," Carman told the AP. "He was the closest person in the world to me, and I loved him and he loved me, and I had absolutely nothing to do with his death."

In the course of investigating the killing, authorities said in court papers that they learned from family members that Carman had a history of violence as a child, including one incident in which he allegedly held another child "hostage" with a knife. The documents also said Carman had several alarming episodes while he was a high school student, although no details of those incidents were given.

Authorities would not discuss the investigation into the boating trip.

Mother and son set off from a marina in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, on Sept. 17, authorities said. Carman told the AP that their boat sank in a matter of minutes around noon the next day after he heard a "funny noise" in the engine compartment and saw water pouring in.

He said he saw his mother in the cockpit and then saw her pulling in the fishing lines. He said he grabbed three bags containing food, flares and life jackets. But when he looked back, his mother was no longer there, he said.

"One minute I was standing on the deck, the next minute I was in the water," he said.

Carman said the life raft self-inflated, and he swam to it, about 15 to 20 feet away, and began calling for his mother.

On Monday, authorities searched Carman's home in Vernon, Vermont, and seized a modem, a SIM card and a letter. Their search warrant indicated investigators think that Carman was handling some boat motor repairs himself and that the vessel might not have been seaworthy.

"The investigation has also revealed that Nathan had intended to go fishing further off-shore in a different location than what were his mother's intentions and understanding," the warrant said.

Family members have said Carman has Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism that can be characterized by social awkwardness and repetitive behavior. Experts say people with Asperger's are no more likely than others to commit violent crimes.

His attorney, Hubert Santos, said that Carman cooperated fully with the Coast Guard and that his mother's death was a "tragic accident."
Returning to its roots, Solage Calistoga is once again being managed by Auberge Resorts.

Auberge opened the resort  and until two years ago actually did manage it, said Philip Kendall, general manager of the property. We couldnt be more pleased to be back.

While Kendall said the switch back to Auberge from the Solage Hotels and Resorts group, which managed the property the last two years, should be seamless, the resort lost Brandon Sharp, the executive chef who maintained a Michelin star for the propertys restaurant, Solbar, for seven straight years.

Kendall denied that Sharps departure had anything to do with the management move saying that Sharp is taking over the role of executive chef at the Carolina Inn, a historic Chapel Hill, North Carolina hotel. Sharp is from North Carolina and wants to be closer to family there, Kendall said.

Sharp was vice president of culinary operations for Solage Hotels and Resorts, which owns and operates Evangeline. It is unclear if any changes are underway at Evangeline.

Richard Hill, who was Solages previous general manager and president of Solage Hotels and Resorts, is now president and chief operating officer for Mosaic Hotel Group, according to Hills LinkedIn profile.

Kendall said the move back to Auberge means nothing but positive things to the resort, and there are no major plans for the property other than upgrading the plantings and all the beds making sure all things are fresh.

There will be some updating to the pool area including landscaping, new furniture and umbrellas, adding some color and such, he said, aiming to make better use of the space for hotel guests and members.

Sharps signature event, Calistoga Food and Wine, will continue, Kendall said. The event held in April highlights locally produced food and wineries of Calistoga Winegrowers Association.

This is Kendalls return to Calistoga having been general manager of Calistoga Ranch, another Auberge property. He most recently served as vice president of resort operations for the Plumpjack Group and was responsible for daily operations at the Carneros Inn.
One winning bidder is sure to have a blast if their number is called at the Calistoga Rotarys annual Harvest Hoedown.

The unique opportunity to blow up a mountain at Mark West Quarry will go to the highest bidder at the event to be held in the Tucker Room at the Napa County Fairgrounds. (Tickets to the Hoedown are still available, and must be purchased in advance.)

(The winner) will be initiating the blast, said Dean Soiland, of Mark West Quarry, from about 500 feet away from the detonation.

The size of the explosion will depend on how much material the quarry needs at the time, which will take place sometime next spring, he said.

Paul Ingalls, a Rotary member, witnessed an explosion recently and said The explosion triggering process is interesting, and is something of a throwback to the old gunpowder-fuse days.

The modern approach is a fuse that consists of thin plastic tubing filled with an aluminum powder. The trigger is a spark device something like a .22 shell without the lead. Its rigged with an elastic band, which is pulled back and let go. That sparks the device and ignites the aluminum powder in the plastic tubing, he said.

Soiland said the quarry utilizes explosives on a weekly basis to liberate rocks from the mountain. The process they use now, which is technologically incorporated, is much safer than it used to be and more efficient, he said.

Its done very fast, in milliseconds. Essentially what releases the rock is an expansion of gasses that permeate through the rock, Soiland said.

The live auction lot  which will be among several live and silent auction items and experiences, will be auctioned during the Calistoga Rotarys annual Harvest Hoedown on Oct. 8  includes a gourmet catered lunch prepared by CalMart, and a tour of the quarry facility.

The winner and their nine guests will get to see the mining process and the equipment used, the formation of the quarry, the reclamation process and also learn about the marketing of the quarrys products that include such materials as concrete and asphalt.

Lunch will be served in the quarrys natural stone underground cave that is used as an equipment shop.

(The cave) goes about 130 feet into the mountain, Soiland said.

Soiland and his wife, Belinda (Bo) have operated the quarry as BoDean Company since April, 1989. The quarry has been in operation since 1910.

The dynamite quarry idea is credited to somebody thinking out of the box and going for it, said Peggy Berlin, chair of the auction committee.

Its just one of many new unique auction lot experiences offered this year, she said.

There is an oceanfront villa in Prince Edward Island, Canada, for four nights for four people and the owners of the private oceanfront home will provide a free lobster dinner and a breakfast.

For anybody who is planning a trip to the Canadian provinces, this would be a super highlight, Berlin said.

Another unusual experience is the opportunity to explore a privately owned Russian MiG 21 fighter jet that comes with a private tour of the Santa Maria Air Museum, a 30-minute flight in a Bonanza airplane, a two-night stay at the Santa Maria Radisson Resort, and a private tour of area wineries.

Calistoga artist Paul Youngman offers an original oil painting with the auction winner choosing their choice of any landscape or architecture subject on an 18-inch-by-24-inch canvas.

Youngmans paintings have won recognition among serious corporate and private collectors, include notables such a Leon Panetta, Mohammed Ali, Dole Pineapple Corporation, and the late composer Elmer Bernstein, according to the Rotarys website. Additionally, several of his paintings were featured in the 2007 movie production of Bottle Shock, the website said.

A winning bidder can take seven friends on a San Francisco Fire Department Fireboat ride that will leave Pier 22 and sail around the Bay past such landmarks as AT&T Park, Alcatraz, and Fishermans Wharf. A $200 gift card for lunch at Gotts Roadside at the Ferry Building rounds out the one-of-a-kind experience.

For another opportunity to spend a day on the Bay in a boat, skipper Tom Stimpert will sail four people around the San Francisco Bay starting in Sausalito in his 36-foot Catalina Sloop. The trip includes a stop at Angel Island where anchor will set so that a lunch prepared by Chef Georgie Kepner, paired with premium wines, can be enjoyed. Then the adventure continues sailing under the Bay Bridge to AT&T Park, around the San Francisco shoreline and under Golden Gate returning to Sausalito for onboard cocktails.

For those looking for a weekend getaway, there is a Santa Barbara trip for two for three nights in a guest cottage on a private Montecito private estate. The accommodations include an elegant living room, bedroom with queen bed, and a 40-foot deck with views. A sunset cruise follows lunch at the Santa Barbara Yacht Club.

Heading to South Lake Tahoe there is a three-night stay in a vacation home located in the exclusive gated community, Tahoe Meadows. It sleeps up to three families with a master bedroom and private bath, a second bedroom with double bed across from a hall bath, and third bedroom upstairs with double bed and bunk bed with a lower double bed. A gourmet kitchen with a deck offers an opportunity to cook meals at home and enjoying the developments private beach with enclosed swim area, pier, volleyball court and ping pong table. Tahoe Meadows is within walking distance to Heavenly Village and casinos.

Staying in Calistoga for a unique experience is an option, too. The auction lot called Cedar Street Crawl Via Cedro Passo Lento is an Italian evening for eight people who will stroll from one home to the next enjoying prepared gourmet food at the homes of the Henning, Maxfield, Beck and Pecota families.

A sporting outing of a clay shooting package for six people at Birds Landing Hunting Preserve in Rio Vista is appropriate for all experience levels from novice to seasoned shooters.

The package includes gun rental, ammo, 50 targets, eye and ear protection and professional instruction for each shooter. It also includes a home-cooked duck dinner in Calistoga. Transportation will be provided from Calistoga to Birds Landing and return to Calistoga for dinner.

If that isnt enough from which to choose, there are silent auction items such as bottles of wine  Berlin said there are plenty  art, restaurant gift cards, and a whole lot more.

Calistoga Rotary supports several local nonprofits and purposes such as Safe Grad Night, UpValley Family Centers, Rebuilding Calistoga, Boys & Girls Club, college scholarships, youth exchange and more.

Individual tickets to the Harvest Hoedown are $85 each and must be purchased in advance. They can be purchased at crc.ejoinme.org/harvesthoedown.
New speed limits and other local road changes may be coming to American Canyon.

The most important changes will occur on streets in Vintage Ranch, where residents have complained about moving and parking violations on a narrow private street, and about motorists exceeding the speed limit on a major thoroughfare.

On the western edge of Vintage Ranch, Corvina, which is known as both a way and a court, has been the source of numerous complaints by locals due to its unique status and configuration.

The private, one-way road snakes its way south and west through the subdivision, connecting to two public roads: Tapestry Lane and Tuscan Oak Trail.

One of the more troublesome aspects of Corvina is the presence of a gate just before its terminus with Tuscan Oak.

Motorists who dont live on Corvina can enter it from Tapestry Lane but then find themselves trapped at the gate, which requires a code to lift it. This situation has forced many drivers to turn around and go back the way they came  and drive the wrong way on the one-way road.

Its a problem, said Councilmember Joan Bennett, who drove down Corvina recently to see for herself. She, too, found herself stopped at the gate.

Its a very narrow street, she added during the Sept. 20 City Council meeting.

City Manager Dana Shigley explained Corvina was originally designed more like a driveway or drive-aisle in an apartment complex, and was meant to function less like a real street and more like a private access road, similar to those found in mobile home parks.

It was not envisioned to function like a city street, she said. The plan was that the residents would work together to maintain their private road.

But local management by homeowners didnt materialize.

Corvina suffers from a lack of street parking, which is only allowed on one side. This aspect has produced all kinds of troubles for people living there, including from those who have used the limited spaces to park inoperable vehicles.

A resident told the council something needs to be done.

We have people parking on the sidewalk, halfway up it, said the woman, who did not give her name. We have people going both directions frequently even though its one way.

Were screaming for help, she added. We used to be a community that had block parties and neighborhood barbecues. But now, Were at each others throats, complaining about whos parking where.

The council took a first step by considering an ordinance that gives the city and, more importantly, the American Canyon Police Department, authority to enforce the California Vehicle Code on Corvina.

Currently, police cannot give out tickets or take other enforcement actions due to the street being private.

Initially approved by the council, the ordinance will return at its Oct. 18 meeting for a final vote. It was proposed after Corvina residents submitted a petition to the city asking for help.

The ordinance would not change the status of Corvina as a private road.

The council also considered another measure that will lead to minor adjustments to speed limits on certain streets.

But the proposed changes nevertheless sparked an emotional response from some community members.

On Newell Drive, for instance, the city intends to increase the southbound speed limit from 30 to 35 mph along the stretch from Donaldson Way to American Canyon Road.

The uptick was suggested by consultants advising the Public Works Department as part of an annual traffic survey.

The speed limit for Newells northbound lanes, already at 35 mph, would stay the same.

Rene Kulich, who lives just off Newell on Granite Springs Way, told council members to think twice about the southbound 5 mph increase.

We already have an issue with people speeding on this street, said Kulich, who noted that Newell is heavily used by commuters and commercial vehicles, as well as by joggers and students attending American Canyon High School.

Please do whatever you can to not increase the speed, she said. Even though its only 5 miles [per hour], sometimes they take 10. Its very scary.

Kulichs remarks prompted council members to consider her concerns. They directed the Public Works Department to resurvey Newells traffic speeds.

In the meantime, the council approved the 2016 Engineering and Traffic Surveys Report, which not only called for changing Newells speed limit, but also changes to limits on two other roads.

On Donaldson Way East, between Highway 29 and Newell, the limit would go up from 25 to 30 mph.

On Eucalyptus Drive, which currently has no posted speed limit, 35 mph signs would be added.

The changes will be brought back for a second vote on Oct. 18.
The Napa Valley Film Festival has announced its line-up, special events and celebrity attendees. The five-day festival will take place in 13 screening venues in Napa, Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga, Nov. 9-13.

Were excited to welcome everyone back to Napa Valley for another year of outstanding cinematic storytelling, said Marc Lhormer, Co-Founder/Artistic Director. On top of another great batch of films, our team and partners have collaborated on a series of memorable and surprising special events, as well as an incredible array of food and wine experiences. We expect this to be an epic year.

Notable celebrities expected to attend include Jessica Biel, Ian Bohen, Josh Charles, Aaron Eckhart, Gordon Getty, Meredith Hagner, Katie Holmes, Sam Huntington, Sam Jaeger, Alex Karpovsky, Rose Leslie, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Joel David Moore, Matt Ross, Wyatt Russell, Madeline Zima and many more.

For a full lineup and ticket information, visit NVFF.ORG or 226-7500.

Highlights of this years festival include Red carpet events and special screenings:

Lion  A five-year old boy who gets lost of the streets of Calcutta, thousands of kilometers from home, and survives many challenges before being adopted by a couple in Australia; 25 years later, he sets out to find his lost family. Directed by Garth Davis and starring Dev Patel, Rooney Mara and Nicole Kidman. Dev Patel is expected to attend. (Nov. 9, 5:30 p.m., Uptown Theatre; encore screening on Nov.13, 8:15 p.m., Cameo Cinema)

Bleed for This  The inspirational story of World Champion Boxer Vinny Pazienza who, after a near fatal car crash, which left him not knowing if hed ever walk again, made one of sports most incredible comebacks. Director Ben Younger and Aaron Eckhart are expected to attend. (Nov. 11, 4:30 p.m., Lincoln Theater)

The Book of Love  Henry (Jason Sudeikis) is an introverted architect. After the death of his wife (Jessica Biel) in a car accident, he sets out to help Millie (Maisie Williams), a homeless teen, to build a raft to sail across the Atlantic. Jessica Biel is expected to attend. (Nov. 10, 8:30 p.m., Lincoln Theater; additional screenings on Nov. 9, 8:30 p.m., Cameo Cinema; Nov. 12, 5:15 p.m., the gliderport in Calistoga; Nov. 13, 8:30 p.m., Uptown Theatre).

Captain Fantastic  In the forests of the Pacific Northwest, a father devoted to raising his six kids with a rigorous physical and intellectual education is forced to leave his paradise and enter the world, challenging his idea of what it means to be a parent. Director Matt Ross and Viggo Mortensen are expected to attend. (Nov. 11, 5:00 p.m., Uptown Theatre)

Generosity of Eye  A women discovers how her fathers passion for art and for the kids of the Harlem Childrens zone meet in a single act of generosity. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is expected to attend. (Nov. 12, 1 p.m., Uptown Theatre; additional screenings on Nov. 9, 1:30 p.m., Cameo Cinema, and Nov. 10, 10 a.m., the gliderport in Calistoga)

Miss Sloane  Miss Sloane is the story of a ruthless lobbyist (Jessica Chastain) who is notorious for her unparalleled talent and her desire to win at all costs, even when it puts her own career at risk. Director John Madden, writer Jonathan Perera and producer Kris Thykier are expected to attend. (Nov. 13, 5:30 p.m., Lincoln Theater)

Pisco Punch  Pisco Punch tells the story of one of the worlds greatest forgotten spirits: Peruvian pisco. Director and writer Alan Kropf is expected to attend. (Nov. 13, 5:30 p.m. , Uptown Theatre)

Youth in Oregon  A man is tasked with driving his embittered 80-year-old father-in-law cross country to be legally euthanized in Oregon, while along the way helping him rediscover a reason for living. Starring Frank Langella, Christina Applegate and Billy Crudup. Director Joel David Moore is expected to attend. (Nov. 10, 5:30 p.m., Uptown Theatre; encore screenings Nov. 11, 8:30 p.m., Lincoln Theater and Nov. 13, 8:30 p.m., Native Sons)

Celebrity tributes

Napa Valley Film Festival Co-Founders/Directors Brenda and Marc Lhormer have announced this years line-up of celebrity tributes. Previously announced honorees include Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell, who will each receive the Chandon Rising Star Tribute and Chloe Grace Moretz, along with newly announced Dev Patel, who will each receive the Raymond Vineyards Trailblazer Tribute.

This years Spotlight Tribute recipient is Viggo Mortensen. The Charles Krug Legendary Filmmaker and Actor Tributes will be presented to acclaimed filmmaker Lee Daniels and actor Kurt Russell, respectively.

The Celebrity Tributes will take place on Thursday, Nov. 10 at the Lincoln Theater in Yountville and will include video highlight reels and intimate on-stage conversations with Access Hollywoods Natalie Morales and Kit Hoover.

Other film and

event highlights

New this year, the award ceremony will move from Sunday to Saturday evening, immediately prior to the biggest and most extravagant party, the festival gala. During the award ceremony, winners of the juried and audience awards will be revealed and each winner will be presented with a large format collectible bottle of wine from one of the festivals generous Vintner Circle partners. The winners of the Best Narrative Feature and Best Documentary Feature will each receive at $10,000 check courtesy of Meadowood Napa Valley.

The Festival Gala will feature cuisine from more than 30 of the Valleys local culinary stars and wines from more than 50 of Napa Valleys vintners and wineries. Many of the festivals attending filmmakers and celebrity guests are expected to attend.

The festival is proud to partner again this year with Lexus and The Weinstein Company with the return of Lexus Short Films (LSF). The four winning LSF filmmakers are presenting their new short films together for the first time. Filmmaker Lee Daniels (Precious, Lee Daniels The Butler, Empire, Star) will host a lively onstage conversation with the four talented directors following the screening of their short films.

Panel Discussions

Varietys 10 to Taste, presented by Food Network and Cooking Channel will be back again this year on Thursday, Nov. 10 at the NVFF Culinary Stage at the Napa Riverfront. At this foodie-favorite event, ten local student chefs cook and share dishes inspired by iconic food scenes in the movies. An esteemed panel of celebrities will taste and then sit down to discuss the creations, current culinary trends and the role of food in film. Chef Tyler Florence heads the panel, moderated by Varietys Carole Horst.

NVFFs annual Pitch Competition: The Pitch Competition connects new writers and filmmakers with the industrys best creative executives and producers to discover fresh ideas for the next blockbuster film or hit TV series. The Final Smackdown featuring ten finalists takes place at 9:30 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 13 at Copia Screening Room.
Police: Glare a factor in accident

A 13-year-old boy was injured Monday in a collision with a truck, police reported.

The incident occurred at 7:54 a.m. on American Canyon Road at Hummingbird Way.

Fidel Lopez, 35, was driving a City of American Canyon truck eastbound on American Canyon Road at 20 to 25 mph. The sun was in his eyes when he struck the teenager in the crosswalk, American Canyon police said.

The child was taken by ambulance to Queen of the Valley Medical Center, police said.

American Canyon Middle School alerted parents that the eighth grader was being X-rayed for possible injury.
NVUSD registration

and Open Enrollment

for 2017 starts Oct. 3

Napa Valley Unified School Districts online registration and enrollment process for the August 2017 to June 2018 school year will begin on Monday, Oct. 3, 2016, including kindergarten and transitional kindergarten registration and open enrollment.

Choice is important

Napa Valley Unified School District includes 19 elementary schools, five middle schools, five high schools, an independent studies program and the adult education program, from Yountville to American Canyon.

We are extremely proud of all of our schools and programs. All District schools share a vision and goal to prepare students for college and career readiness through inquiry-based learning opportunities. Our graduation rates are high and test scores have climbed over the past ten years. Suspension rates are low and discipline is consistent across all schools. While the District is national model in the use of technology and project-based learning, some schools provide unique theme-based programs for students eager to focus studies in a particular area. For those students and their parents, informed choice is important.

Registering for kindergarten and transitional kindergarten

Generally, students and parents are first introduced to NVUSD when they register for kindergarten or transitional kindergarten, when the student is 5 years old. Every incoming kindergarten student, depending on where he or she lives, is assigned to a neighborhood school.

To register your child for kindergarten, or for the first time in NVUSD if your student is older, stop by your neighborhood school to complete the registration paperwork. To find your neighborhood school, visit www.nvusd.org and use the school finder link.

Your student is eligible to attend transitional kindergarten in fall 2017 if he or she turns 5 on or between Sept. 2 and Dec. 2, 2016. The registration process is the same as for kindergarten, but not all elementary schools offer transitional kindergarten. If your neighborhood school does not offer transitional kindergarten, your student will be assigned to a school near your neighborhood school, on a first-come, first-served basis. Additionally, TK students can open enroll in a magnet school that offers a TK program, including Bel Aire Park, Napa Junction, Pueblo Vista and the newly consolidated Salvador/El Centro.

Parents may request TK placement at a magnet school by first registering the student at the neighborhood school and then completing an open enrollment application.

Most students choose to attend their neighborhood school. Its close to home, the other neighborhood children attend the same school, and, in Napa Valley Unified, the students receive a quality education.

Choosing a school through open enrollment

Families interested in a school other than their neighborhood school, such as a District charter school, magnet school or New Tech High School, must complete an open enrollment application.

Alta Heights Elementary Magnet (Math, Arts, Science and Technology)

Bel Aire Park Elementary Magnet (International World School)

Napa Junction Elementary Magnet (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)

Pueblo Vista Elementary Magnet (Environmental and Culinary Sciences/Dual Immersion of Spanish and English)

Harvest Middle School Magnet (International Baccalaureate World School/Dual Language Immersion)

Salvador Elementary Magnet/El Centro Elementary School (Arts/Technology Integration).

Napa Valley Language Academy Charter (Dual Immersion of Spanish and English)

River Charter Middle School (Arts)

Stone Bridge Charter (Waldorf program)

Although not a magnet school, Phillips Elementary focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math.

Enrollment at New Technology High School, River Charter Middle School and Napa Valley Language Academy Charter Elementary School is ONLY by open enrollment. Need more information? Attend our annual School Fair on Tuesday, Oct. 11, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the District Ed Center, 2425 Jefferson Street in Napa.

The process

Beginning Oct. 3, parents must ensure the child is registerd at the neighboorhood school, than parents can begin to complete the online application process by visiting www.nvusd.org and clicking on Open Enrollment account. Parents without Internet access at home can visit their neighborhood school to access the website and receive assistance to create an account and complete the process.

Open Enrollment closes Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016. Not every student who applies for Open Enrollment is successful; there must be adequate openings at the requested school, including enough space reserved for students who may move into the attendance area during the year. If the number of open enrollment requests exceeds the number of openings, selection will be made through a random, unbiased computerized lottery process.

Families of students selected into seats will be notified by user account e-mail, on Dec. 7, 2016. Parents must accept or decline the offer, using the online open enrollment tool, within 48 hours or the space will be offered to the next student on the waitlist. If a family accepts a seat, the student will be automatically removed from the other school choice and the next wait list student will receive an email to accept or decline the seat offer.

Any student is welcome to complete an open enrollment application, with equal access to the process. Many special education students will be placed at a particular school based on their IEP, without the need for the open enrollment process.

The NVUSD website includes a Frequently Asked Questions section in both English and Spanish, as well as links to information about magnet schools, charter schools, all District schools, and information about school tour nights at specific sites and the Oct. 11 All School Fair.
Two members of the Napa City Council face a challenge from a longtime community volunteer on the November ballot. On Tuesday, incumbents and challenger brought their promises and goals to voters.

Vice Mayor Mary Luros and Councilman Scott Sedgley made their cases for new four-year terms during a candidates forum at the Napa Senior Activity Center. The two incumbents were joined by Doris Gentry, a 2012 Napa council candidate seeking one of the two seats held by Sedgley and Luros.

The encounter in front of about 35 people was a polite affair, mostly covering the well-chronicled concerns of Napans over housing prices, parking and road maintenance in a city enriched  and crowded  by its booming tourist industry. But Gentry, who is making her second run at City Hall, promised a more energetic approach to satisfying the needs of residents.

I think its time to stop talking about all the things we should do and need to do, and make more things happen, said Gentry, a two-time Republican candidate for the state Assembly who placed third in a two-seat council race four years ago. We need to get things done  and Im a get-er-done person.

While current council members have prided themselves on collegiality, teamwork and years of civic experience, Gentry  a 27-year resident who formerly owned a Southern California employment agency  asked voters to look to newcomers to energize transportation and public works efforts she said have slowed and gone adrift.

I would love to see us take care of our roads and streets; we have 464 lane-miles of roads and Id love to see us just fix them, she said of a street network considered in below-average condition among Bay Area towns. I like that the city wants to fix 10 miles a year but at that rate, it would be 46 years before we got to the whole city. I would like more emphasis on the needs of the local residents and get our city fixed up.

(The citys project to rehabilitate 10 miles of roads annually, begun in 2009, covers 20 lane-miles when taking two-way traffic into account.)

Sedgley, who was elected to the council in 2012, and Luros, appointed in January 2015, pointed to their efforts to look after local residents  including by coping with Napas high rents and scarce housing stock.

Theres two ways to improve the housing situation: create more units, or get more money for affordable housing, said Luros. While Napa has raised developer fees to pay for more affordably priced rental housing, she added, the more important step is to build more units; the more we have, the less expensive they will be.

Sedgley also promised to attack the problem from the supply end, affirming his commitment to denser home construction on smaller footprints  even in the face of neighbors skepticism  as Napas open space dwindles.

We are building with higher densities and were going to build higher, he said. Thats the only solution, unless we move the (rural urban limit) out and go down south or east or west, which would be a battle. Its a new way of living; young (urban) professionals dont need the 3-and-2, the big backyard and the big front yard. They are accustomed to living in smaller units.

On other issues, the differences among council candidates were smaller.

Asked about how Napa should reform its services to its homeless community, all three candidates favored shifting the emphasis from nighttime and winter-season shelters to a housing-first model that focuses on rapidly re-housing vulnerable people.

Gentry  a longtime foster mother who described enduring an unstable childhood bouncing around numerous foster homes  embraced that approach with the most passion.

When a person is homeless, theres only three things that person thinks about every day: food, shelter and clothing. When you house a person and thats not the first thing on their brain every single day, they start thinking of better opportunities, other things in life. They step up, buck up and look for other things. Now when they wake up, they think, whats more? What else can I be?

The incumbents focused on overcoming the strife surrounding the existing outreach to homeless people  not only finding a place to build transitional housing for them, but deciding whether to overhaul or move the downtown Hope Activity Center, the daytime service hub whose homeowner neighbors have linked to constant theft, trespassing and petty crime in its vicinity.

Its doable, its within reach, said Luros about the prospect of creating housing for about 200 chronically homeless people in the city  although she added a developer partner would be needed.

Even as federal funding is increasingly steered away from emergency shelters and toward putting roofs over heads, Sedgley called on city and county officials to not neglect supportive care for substance abusers and the mentally ill  especially considering the opposition any new transitional housing would arouse from its neighbors.

One thing thats overlooked is mental health services, and thats what weve lacked, he said. If we can focus more on early intervention and provide those support services for drug addiction or clinical issues, that will help us reduce our homeless population.

The League of Women Voters of Napa County sponsored the City Council forum, one of three on Tuesday that also showcased county Supervisor Mark Luce, his challenger Ryan Gregory, and two of the three candidates for Napa Valley Colleges Napa-area trustee seat.
In the midst of a year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of its founding, Justin-Siena High School announced the loss of an early pioneer in school history.

Sister Carol Quinn, the founding principal of Siena High School and an integral figure in the merger of Justin and Siena high schools, died peacefully at Our Lady of Lourdes Convent in San Rafael on Tuesday, the school announced Wednesday.

Virginia Marie Quinn, who was a Dominican Sister of San Rafael for 62 years, was born in 1930 in Stockton and was educated by the Dominican Sisters from first grade through college. She graduated from Dominican College (now University) in San Rafael in 1952, earning an undergraduate degree majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry, and in 1964 she received a masters degree in biochemistry.

After entering the convent, Sister Carol completed her teaching credential.

For almost 50 years, she was a dedicated educator who taught science, math and religion to high school and college students in San Rafael, Monterey, Napa and Vallejo. Justin-Siena owes a debt of gratitude for her faith and vision in bringing the first Catholic high school to Napa, school officials said Wednesday.

In 1963, the Most Reverend Leo T. Maher, DD, the first Bishop of the Diocese of Santa Rosa, asked the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael to staff a girls high school while he charged the Christian Brothers with building a boys school on adjacent property.

Construction began in February 1966, and the schools opened for classes on Sept. 13 later that year, each school with only a freshman class of 49 students. The late Brother Bede Van Duran, FSC, served as founding principal of Justin High School and Sr. Carol Quinn, OP served as founding principal of Siena High School. In addition to her administrative duties, Sr. Carol taught math and science.

From a previous interview, Sister Carol recalled the warm welcome from the Napa community. What I enjoyed most were the people of the valleywe felt so welcome and felt so needed. We felt that we could make a difference in peoples lives.

Lucy Salazar Allen, Class of 72, said, Sr. Carol was a pioneer woman from the beginning, a unique presence in countless lives. Heaven has a new star!

Susan Ianziti Shifflett, Class of 72, said, Sr. Carol was exceptional as a principal. She had a great sense of humor, and was very real and fair. I think those qualities earned her a lot of respect from both students and peers.

I remember her on one knee with a pair of scissors, snipping the stitches of a non-regulatory length hem of a Siena students skirt  while the student was still in it, said Tammy Borges Blackseth, Class of 72.

But what was more remarkable was that she had the grace and wisdom to know when to look the other way. These traits make a strong leader, and I felt safe under that leadership. I never thanked her enough. Her life was a witness to an enduring and loving walk with God through Christ, Blackseth said.

Sr. Carol played a key role in the merger of Justin and Siena. Justin-Siena President Robert Jordan commended her courage and vision. The steadfast commitment to education shown by the Dominican Sisters for centuries is an inspiration to school leaders today and a heritage which we are proud to claim as part of our own.

A funeral Mass will take place on Tuesday at 10 a.m. in the Gathering Space at Dominican Sisters Center, 1520 Grand Ave., in San Rafael. Burial will follow at St. Dominic Cemetery in Benicia.

Memorial gifts in Sr. Carols honor may be made to any of the ministries at which she served. In memory of her service as the founding principal of Siena High School, gifts may be made to Justin-Siena online at http://www.justin-siena.org/memorial or sent to Justin-Siena Honor and Memorial Gifts, 4026 Maher St., Napa, CA 94558.
A care facility in Napa is being sued for negligent care just months after one of its employees was found with dozens of prescription medications, including narcotics, belonging to patients.

Joann Travella, 72, is suing the Golden LivingCenter on Trancas Street for elder abuse as well as negligent hiring and supervision for the care she received at the facility this spring.

Instead of providing the required care to address the very conditions for which Joann was admitted to Golden LivingCenterNapa, the facility neglected her conditions, directly leading to her injuries, said her attorney, Stephen Garcia of Garcia, Artigliere & Medby, a national elder abuse law firm with California offices in Long Beach.

Travella, who has a complex medical history, came to Golden LivingCenter in April to receive continued antibiotic treatment for a urinary tract infection, according to the suit.

Instead of providing the therapy, the facility failed to evaluate Travellas condition in a timely manner and failed to follow her doctors orders. As a result, Travella developed a preventable serious infection, the suit alleges.

Michelle Metzger, director of communications with Golden LivingCenters, said that the company does not comment on pending litigation.

After her stay with Golden LivingCenter, Travellas daughter was informed via voicemail that a male nurse had been arrested and authorities found some of her mothers prescriptions in his possession in his vehicle, the law firm said.

She also received a letter from the centers corporate office stating that Travellas private information had been removed from the facility by the male nurse, so she would need to contact credit bureaus, the law firm said.

The nurse, 25-year-old Ronald Mesia Moralde of Vallejo, was caught with medication taken from Golden LivingCenter when he was pulled over by a California Highway Patrol Officer for speeding on April 26.

When Moralde went to get his registration and insurance paperwork from the glove compartment, the officer spied several clear, labeled bags, each containing a single pill. When the officer asked what he was doing with the pills, Moralde admitted that the pills were from work, according to the probation officers report.

Ten more bags containing narcotics were found scattered on the backseat of the vehicle, each one with a different persons name on it. He was arrested, and the officer found 70 more bags of medication in a backpack that was in the vehicle, the CHP reported.

A search of Moraldes residence found prescription containers in boxes, shopping bags and a backpack.

The nurse said he had the medications due to laziness  that the medications were ones that patients had refused to take, which he held in his pockets and then left them in his car, according to the probation report. He had returned pills in the past, but most were stored in his car because he was afraid that returning them, especially all at once, would be really incriminating, according to the report.

Moralde said that he wasnt addicted to the pills, that he never consumed any of them nor did he try to sell them.

When the probation officer asked him how he would feel if he was elderly, suffering from dementia, in pain and being denied medication by a caretaker, he began to cry, the report said.

One victim complained that Moralde gave her her medication only when she requested it, but it would usually take hours for him to comply. The victim believed that someone was stealing her medication, the report said.

Another victim stated that she never refused to take her medications, but had to ask Moralde for them eight or nine times before he would administer them.

The nurse said he was often working double shifts up to 16 hours a day, sometimes eight to 10 days in a row, according to the probation report.

Moralde pleaded no contest to first degree burglary on Aug. 18. Drug charges and misdemeanor crimes against an elder adult were dropped.

He was sentenced to one year in jail and three years of probation on Sept. 22 in Napa County Superior Court. He is scheduled to be remanded into custody on Oct. 21.

The suit alleges that the facility knew they were understaffed and employees were insufficiently trained, which led to the inevitable withholding of medical and custodial services to residents.

The lawsuit says that the management of Golden LivingCenter did this on purpose in order to make money. This scheme has resulted in a lucrative business model, it said.

The 120-bed facility was fined $18,720 on March 23, according to Medicare.gov Nursing Home Compare, the official U.S. government site for Medicare. The facility, which is under the legal business name of Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Services, Inc., was given one out of five stars and an overall rating score of much below average based on health inspection, staffing and quality measures.

During a health inspection completed March 23, inspectors found that three out of 22 sampled residents were not cared for in a respectful manner or in an environment that maintained and enhanced their dignity.

According to the report, one resident was forced to repeatedly pee in her adult diaper because the certified nursing assistant either didnt respond to her call light in a timely manner or didnt return after saying they would.

Often the CNA would state they would be right back, but never returned, especially on the night shift, the report reads. The resident wouldnt even bother trying to call again because she knew it wouldnt do any good, according to the report.

I do not like going in my diaper, she said. I feel ignored.

Certain rooms and bathrooms had holes in the walls and places where plaster had fallen off. Some bathrooms and shower facilities were dirty and did not seem to be cleaned between uses as was the policy, according to the health inspection report.

In one instance, an unidentified substance was on the shower bench and inside the toilet bowel. The unidentified substance had the potential to spread an infection to a resident that had contact with it.

The report also says that the facility failed to ensure sufficient nursing staff to provide resident care.
As first responders, it makes sense that police officers should be able to perform some basic medical aid like CPR. But sometimes CPR isnt enough. In cases of sudden cardiac arrest, officers say it would be beneficial to have automated external defibrillators (AEDs) with them in the field.

Now they do.

Every marked Napa Police Department vehicle, and some unmarked ones, has been equipped with an AED and each officer has been trained on how to use them, according to Lt. Brian Campagna.

With the City of Napa being the first HeartSafe Community in Napa County, improving survival is a priority, Campagna said. The department received 35 AEDs  31 were purchased by the city of Napa and another four were donated by Richard Walton, a member of the Queen of the Valleys Heart Safe Program Steering Committee.

Sudden cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack. When someone has a cardiac arrest, they will become unconscious and collapse because the heart stops circulating blood, causing the brain to lose oxygen and shut down, according to distributor AED.com.

The faster the response, the better chance the sudden cardiac arrest patient has of survival.

Studies show a victims chance of survival decreases by 10 percent for every minute that defibrillation is delayed, Campagna said in a press release. The officers, who completed AED training on Monday, will now be able to respond to the scene, start resuscitation and, if needed, deliver the first shock, he said.

The AED can be used to shock the heart back to a stable rhythm  the longer this process is delayed, the risk of brain injury increases, according to AED.com.

Four to six minutes without oxygen and damage to the brain can be permanent, said Dr. Thomas Sprinkle, an Emergency Room physician at Queen of the Valley Medical Center.

If somebody goes down and youre not sure if they have a pulse, he said, youre never wrong to hook it up. The machine will know if a shock is required  if it is, it will inform you to step back, if it isnt, it may inform you to continue CPR, Sprinkle said.

More than 400,000 people suffer cardiac arrests outside of a hospital setting every year in the United States, and fewer than 10 percent survive, according to the American Heart Association.

The AEDS are safe and easy to use  the ones that the Napa Police have been issued even have visual and voice prompts to guide users through the process, officials said.

By having police and community AEDs, Sprinkle said, it just makes it easier to administer shock faster and possibly save somebodys life.
ISLAMABAD

Pakistan says India will disintegrate when Kashmir is free

Pakistans defense minister says its nuclear-armed rival India will disintegrate when Kashmir gains independence.

Khawaja Muhammad Asif said Wednesday that Pakistan will continue to extend moral support to the people of the disputed Himalayan region, which is split between Pakistani and Indian control but claimed in its entirety by both.

Asif said Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has tried to improve ties with India, but we did not get a positive response from them.

Tensions have been escalating between Pakistan and India, which blamed Pakistan-based militants for a recent attack on an army base in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir that killed 18 Indian soldiers.

HAVANA

Cuba rejects Trumps call for negotiations on human rights

A top Cuban diplomat is rejecting Donald Trumps threat to undo detente with Cuba unless the single-party government meets the Republican presidential candidates demands.

Trump said in Miami this month that he would reverse President Barack Obamas executive orders loosening the U.S. trade embargo on the island unless Cuba meets demands including religious and political freedom for the Cuban people and the freeing of political prisoners.

Gustavo Machin is Cubas deputy director of U.S. affairs. He said Wednesday that Cuba would never be pressured into making internal reforms, and called on the next U.S. president to respect Cubas right to self-determination. Machin urged Obama to issue a final round of orders loosening the embargo before the fifth and last major round of negotiations at the end of this year.

GENEVA

Non-nuclear states advance push for UN treaty to ban nukes

Despite arm-twisting and vocal opposition from nuclear powers like the United States, six non-nuclear countries are pressing forward with an effort to adopt a nuclear ban treaty through the United Nations.

The countries on Wednesday sent a draft text to world diplomats urging the U.N. General Assembly to convene a U.N. conference next year and work to negotiate a legally-binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons that would aim one day for their total elimination.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the text, to be considered at the U.N. in New York next month.

Austria, one of the six countries, expects a vote on the text by a U.N. committee around Nov. 1 that could send it to the assembly in December, said Austrias permanent representative in Geneva, Thomas Hajnoczi.

LONDON

Apple to create London HQ at Battersea Power station

Apple will be setting up its London headquarters in the boiler room of the Battersea Power Station, a London landmark that has long defined the skyline on the south bank of the River Thames.

The building with four towering chimneys part of a multibillion pound restoration effort for the area. Apple and its 1,400 employees will become the largest office tenant on the development site that will include homes, businesses and leisure facilities.

It is a further sign that London is open to the biggest brands in the world and the leading city for trade and investment, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said.

The station, which is the backdrop for the flying pig on Pink Floyds Animals album cover, has not produced power for decades.
PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Jim Andrews is in a medical office wearing just a hospital gown, staring at his doctor of 11 years, who is staring back at him through the sleek, metallic lens of Google Glass.

As the doctor examines Andrews, a new kind of medical scribe is watching the examination, transcribing everything he sees. The scribe, named Rahul, is thousands of miles away in India, and he is viewing the office visit live through the pint-size, WiFi-connected camera attached to the doctor's glasses.

"When was his last physical?" the doctor, Albert Chan, asks as he listens to Andrews' breathing and checks his reflexes. Rahul's nearly immediate answer pops up in a text bubble display in the right corner of the doctor's field of vision. "June 3, 2014!"

The entrepreneurs behind the technology - which could one day morph into something as tiny as a contact lens - say it is more than just a transcription tool: It's the first step to supercharging doctors with instantaneous information that transforms how medical decisions are made. Instead of human scribes taking down notes, they envision a world in which artificial intelligence software could transcribe the office visit in real-time, while immediately comparing the patient's medical issues with those of millions of others, then making predictions about what treatments would work best. Moreover, they say the technology is bringing health-care professionals back into the moment with their patients - returning a sense of humanity that has been lost as computers have become a fixture in the doctor's office.

Yet, like much new digital technology in health care, Google Glass has the potential to create more problems than it solves. Medical scribing is a tough job that requires a high level of accuracy - note takers in far off lands need to know terms such as "Eosinophilic esophagitis" - and getting a word wrong could have grave consequences.

Health systems are also far more vulnerable to cyberattacks than other industries, such as banking, a gap that hackers have aggressively exploited in recent years, said Avi Rubin, director of the Health and Medical Security Lab at Johns Hopkins University. In recent years, hundreds of hospitals have been victims of so-called ransomware attacks, in which outsiders block the hospital from accessing its own data until the hospital pays them money.

Rubin called hospitals prime targets because of a "perfect storm" of weak security systems, the increasing digitization of data, and the fact that medical records can be so time-sensitive and critical to making life-or-death decisions. A live-streaming video of a patient exam with a doctor could be most sensitive of all.

"You're taking something that was in the doctor's office and now you're streaming it across the world," Rubin said. "The whole health-care industry has lax security, and if you combine that with how private the information is and how it needs to be immediately available, that's where I have concerns."

Google Glass is partly a response to the last major technology introduced into the doctor's office: electronic health records have received billions in federal funding and been hailed as a major step forward for the medical field. Doctors now say they are turning to Google Glass so they can escape the burden of spending an entire patient visit - and several hours later that night - typing information into forms.

"I can look my patients in the eye again," said Teresa Nauenberg, a primary care physician who works with Chan at the hospital Palo Alto Medical Foundation and has been using the technology for two years.

Today, roughly 500 doctors in 27 states put on Google Glass. They wear them through the day, live-streaming their office visits to the virtual scribes, who look on and take detailed notes.

Ian Shakil, the 32-year-old chief executive of Augmedix, the San Francisco start-up that has partnered with search-engine giant Google to distribute the technology, hopes that in the near future, seeing a doctor wear Google Glass will feel as normal as seeing one wear a stethoscope. Augmedix has raised more than $36 million from venture capitalists and health systems, including Dignity and Sutter Health, which owns Palo Alto Medical Foundation. The start-up charges doctors between $1,500 and $4,000 per month for the service, which Sutter says saves doctors up to two hours a day.

Scribes receive about three months of training from Augmedix before they can do the work, which is performed in sealed-off rooms. The company's 200 scribes, divided between San Francisco and Bangalore, must leave pens, paper, smartphones, and all other belongings at the door.

For Shakil, accuracy is critical. Beyond extensive training of scribes, he says that doctors must ultimately review the notes to make sure all details were recorded accurately.

If Augmedix is successful, it would also be a huge coup for Google, which has had a troubled history with Glass and health data.

Glass emerged in 2012 as a pet project of Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Brin wanted to sell the $1,500-a-pair glasses as a high-end fashion item, and went so far as to partner with designer Diane Von Furstenberg. But the product fell flat.

Even in a society that is always recording, the glasses felt too much like a privacy violation - or just a gimmicky party trick. Google discontinued its limited consumer sales last year and retooled the devices. (Snap, the company behind Snapchat, last week launched sunglasses with an embedded camera that can create 10-second videos.)

Augmedix is now one of nine Google partners, which include start-ups using Glass to enhance museum tours, record surgeries, and train workers doing equipment repair.

In 2013, Google shuttered its personal health record platform, Google Health, because so few people were using it. Today, the search giant is competing with Amazon (whose chief executive, Jeffrey Bezos, owns The Washington Post), Microsoft and others for hospital customers to store data on its cloud servers. Many hospitals are wary of tech giants storing their data. Augmedix does not share any data with Google.

Google declined to comment.

Like many entrepreneurs, Augmedix's founders say they believe in the Silicon Valley vision of better technology liberating people from older technology's burdens. Yet in health, the record has not been so clear.

Electronic medical records were supposed to make the medical system more efficient - reducing errors and enabling doctors to track a patient's history. But their implementation has been rife with unintended consequences, said Robert Wachter, interim chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and the author of a 2015 book on the subject.

A 2014 study by the American Medical Association and RAND Corporation found that digital records were a major contributor to physician dissatisfaction. Another article, in the journal Health Affairs, found that two-thirds of a primary care physician's day was spent on clerical work. There's also some evidence that electronic health records have increased the practice of overbilling Medicare by stuffing digital data fields with unnecessary procedural codes.

"You see rates of physician burnout skyrocketing, and many blame it on the electronic record," said Wachter.

Augmedix's solution could usher in unintended consequences of its own.

The start-up takes extensive precautions in protecting data. The video, which is scrambled, is sent directly from Google Glass to the scribes. It doesn't pass through hospital servers, which are often the vulnerable point that hackers exploit. The video is deleted after each medical visit. But the company is exploring ways to expand its business to make the video available to doctors who want to review it later.

The latter is a riskier proposition, Rubin said. "Hackers look for the weakest link in the system."

Few patients seem concerned. "It's a conflict, there's no doubt about it," Chan's patient, Andrews, said of the privacy issues as he got ready to head back to work from his appointment. "How I've rationalized it is, if this can help my doctors provide me with better medical care at this stage of my life, I'm fine with it. If someone finds out I have an artificial knee, then so be it."

Andrews, who is 61, noted that Chan seemed "more relaxed" ever since he started wearing the device.

Chan says that in his two years wearing Google Glass, only a fraction of patients - just four percent - have asked him to remove it. Many forget it's even there, he said.

Augmedix says under 2 percent of patients ask their doctor to take off the lenses. Others doctors said they take their own measures to protect privacy - flipping the glasses over their foreheads, for example, when they are examining private parts.

Stuart Peterson, senior partner with the venture capital firm Artis Ventures, said he felt uncomfortable after his visit.

"You don't know who is on the other side of it. It's a scary thought," he said.

Augmedix's capacity to become a wider solution to entrenched problems in the health-care system will depend, for now, on the start-up's ability to find and train low-cost scribes.

For decades, physicians have dictated their notes into tape recorders; paid transcriptionists converted them into written reports. Today, the growing use of medical records has created a demand for human scribes, who largely tag along full-time with doctors. Shakil has spent the better part of the past several years refining the training process; Augmedix's San Francisco scribes - mostly 20-somethings looking to get start-up experience before medical school - are now trainers for people like Rahul.

Like many start-up founders, Shakil is planning for a future in which the work done by humans is outsourced to machine. In recent years, artificial intelligence software such as Apple's Siri have made big strides in understanding human speech. Medical transcription, however, presents far bigger challenges than asking Siri what the weather is. Still, he's confident it will happen.

"There's not enough scribes in all of South Asia to serve the nearly million doctors here," Shakil says. "Uber has driverless cars. One day, we'll have scribe-less scribing."
Its likely St. Helena water and wastewater rates will increase twice in 2017  once in February and once in November, and rates will be hiked each November for the next five years, until 2021.

These hikes are recommended by a water and wastewater rate study that the St. Helena City Council discussed Tuesday night.

Currently, peak season water rates for a single family home using 1,700 cubic feet is $110 per month. If approved, the new rate will be $144 per month in February and $169 in November. Rates will climb to $215, a 95 percent increase, by November 2021.

Off-peak season water bills for the same single family home are currently $59 per month. In February, rates will climb to $82 per month, a 38 percent increase. By November, 2021, rates will have climbed to $128 a month.

Current wastewater rates for a single-family home that uses 700 cubic feet are $75 per month. If the new rates are approved, in February rates will rise to $81, in November 2017 rates will be $93. In November 2021, rates will be $127 per month, a 69.3 percent increase.

Both water and wastewater rates have a base charge and then an additional charge for water use.

The last rate hike was in 2011. Before that, the rates had remained the same for 20 years. According to a water and wastewater rate study, discussed during the councils four-hour meeting, both funds have large capital improvement projects that need to be completed over the next 10 years.

Currently, the water fund is pulling from reserves for its general operations and the wastewater fund has no reserves and a negative fund balance.

The council voted unanimously to accept the study and set into motion a public hearing on the proposed increases. Before that public hearing, tentatively set for 6 p.m., Nov. 29, the city will mail out notices of the proposed rate hikes, which will include instructions on how to file protests.

According to the citys resolution, the city cannot impose the new rates if 50 percent plus one parcel owners submit a written protest. The city estimates there are approximately 2,700 connections for the citys water system. If a majority of parcel owners protest, the city council may place the matter on the ballot for voter approval. If there is no majority protest, the council can adopt the rates by ordinance.

State law strictly controls how water and wastewater rates are calculated. The city has to take the actual cost of providing the service and divide it by the number of connections. None of the proposed additional funds will fund the general operations of the city.

During the meeting, councilmembers Paul Dohring and Greg Pitts had questions about the rate study and the council's lack of information on how the citys Ad Hoc Revenue Source Task Force analyzed each issue presented and how it arrived at its policy recommendations after reviewing the data presented by Catherine Hansford and the Hansford Economic Consulting firm. The task force met during open session on both Aug. 4 and Sept. 13 to discuss the rate study data.

Jack Stuart, task force chairman, said the group did not make policy decisions. Instead, it worked with city staff and the consultants to create recommendations to the city council. We did not overstep our mandate, he said.

Also during the meeting, Vineyard Valley resident Pat Dell said the city needs to look at the rate hikes suggested for the mobile home park. Vineyard Valley takes care of its water and wastewater pipes, she said. We only have two meters, the city needs to read only two meters, only needs to send out two water bills, not 200 bills. I dont know where youre getting your data. Please give this further consideration.

Catherine Hansford, author of the rate study, said she received the data from the city, based on actual water use.

For the water fund, the planned capital projects include:

York Creek Upper Dam Removal/mitigation

Bell Canyon Intake Tower replacement

Replace water mains that are smaller than 6 inches with new 8-inch PVC mains

Bell Canyon Creek Flow measurement

 Tank 2 rehabilitation.

For the wastewater fund, the capital projects include:

Phase 1 and 2 of the wastewater treatment plant upgrades

Replace operations building and shop

Replace 1 percent of sewer mains annually

Crinella Pump station upgrades.

It is estimated to cost $24.6 million for these 10 projects.
Tasting wine is fun and possibly educational. But tasting wine while gazing on a backdrop of vine-covered hills rippling toward a blue horizon? That's a fairly unbeatable pairing.

Here are some California wineries with views that will have you pulling your nose out of that glass  the better to drink in the scenery.

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ARTESA

With its picturesque hilltop setting in the Carneros wine-growing region at the southern end of the Napa Valley, Artesa was one of the original wineries in the area, founded by the Spanish wine-making family Codorniu Raventos. Barcelona architect Domingo Triay designed the winery to blend into the highest hill of Artesa's 350-acre estate. A protective covering of natural grasses conceals the winery rooftop, accented by fountains and contemporary sculpture. On a clear day, you can see not forever but as far as the San Francisco Bay. Reservations required for parties of eight or more; advance booking for tours and tastings in general is recommended. Tastings begin at $25.

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CADE ESTATE WINERY

Howell Mountain at the northern tip of the Napa Valley gives CADE its amazing vantage point. From the wide terrace, at an elevation of 1,800 feet (550 meters) that is well above the fog line, you can look out over acres of vineyards and tree-covered hills. The winery was founded in 2005 by John Conover, Gavin Newsom (currently California's lieutenant governor) and billionaire Gordon Getty. It takes its name from Shakespeare, who used cade to refer to the wine casks used to ship wine from France to England in Elizabethan times. This is a good winery to visit when temperatures start to dip; the terrace includes comfy couches set around a large fire pit. Reservations required; tastings start at $40 per person.

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CASTELLO DI AMOROSA

As the Napa Valley's only 13th-century Tuscan castle (yes, it's a replica, but a very faithful one), the Castello offers sweeping views from the ramparts. But there are some indoor sights to take in as well, such as the armory, grand barrel room and a torture chamber (...though not currently in use). General admission starts at $25 and includes a tasting of five wines. Guided tours, which include tastings, start at $40. For $80, you can take a food-and-wine pairing that ends with a tasting in the elegantly decorated royal apartment. Reservations recommended for guided tours.

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CUVAISON ESTATE

If rolling hills are what you're looking for, Cuvaison's got them. This winery in the Carneros region was completed in 2009 and features a wood-and-steel structure embedded into a hilltop with wraparound terraces. Native grass landscaping complements other sustainable practices including rainwater collection and solar energy. Reservations recommended. Tastings start at $20.

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DOMAINE CARNEROS

If you've ever wanted to make like Cinderella, this is the winery to pick. Domaine Carneros features graceful flights of stone steps leading up to a terrace overlooking vine-covered hills where you can enjoy table service and order small plates to accompany your tasting. Wines may be tasted in flights or by the glass. Reservations are required for tastings and table service, and may be made up to 5 p.m. on the day of the visit, based on availability. Tours are available, must be booked in advance. Tastings start at $25.

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MUMM NAPA

The terrace at Mumm Napa is on a hillside off the Silverado Trail, the valley's lesser-traveled main thoroughfare, and has a commanding view of the Napa Valley. Open daily with three tasting experiences: outdoor patio, enclosed tasting salon or oak terrace. Tastings start at $20. Reservations required for terrace seating.

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SILVERADO VINEYARDS

There's something about drinking wine on a terrace. And the Napa Valley's generally good weather makes the experience all the more enjoyable. The terrace at Silverado Vineyards features 180-degree views of the renowned Stags' Leap Wine district, the better to taste by. Film buffs may be interested to know the winery was founded by Lillian Disney, widow of Walt, her daughter Diane Disney Miller and son-in-law Ron Miller. Open by appointment only. Tastings start at $30.

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STAGS' LEAP WINERY

The newly renovated, Victorian-era Manor House at Stags' Leap Winery has a grand wraparound porch for tastings with an expansive view of the vineyards. By appointment only; tastings start at $65.

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STERLING VINEYARDS

There's a reason Sterling Vineyards tends to make a lot of "best of" lists. The view from this hilltop winery on the northern end of the Napa Valley is remarkable. The vineyard is set 300 feet (91 meters) above the town of Calistoga. An aerial tram takes you up to the winery, set in a white stucco building modeled after the architectural style of the Greek island of Mykonos. From the south terrace you look straight down the Napa Valley. Reservations not required, although a good idea at peak times such as weekends. General admission and tasting starts at $29.

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AUBERGE DU SOLEIL

Not a winery, but a resort, Auberge du Soleil has two dining options, both with breathtaking views. If you're feeling flush, you can eat at the Michelin-starred restaurant with its terrace overlooking a green and verdant valley. Or, you can stop by the more casual bistro which has a wraparound deck, more than 40 wines by the glass and is a great spot for sunset watching.
Japan to establish new unified command to manage operations of land, sea and air forces

French Foreign Minister calls on Russia to reconsider its decision on grain deal

Ferrari unveils 499P hypercar with all-wheel drive

Russian Foreign Ministry hopes that Putin, Pashinyan and Aliyev meeting will help conclude peace treaty

Pashinyan to meet with Putin in Sochi, followed by trilateral meeting of Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani leaders

Reuters: Border Agency building set on fire in Britain

US recognized as most powerful country in world for seventh time

Iran accuses Israel of organizing terrorist attack in Shiraz

Reuters: NATO urged Russia to urgently resume grain deal

Guterres intends to achieve resumption of Russia's participation in grain deal

Resistance Movement calls rally on November 5

La Stampa: Italian farmers fear rising cereal prices due to disruption of grain deal

Beglaryan: About 33% of the entire population of Artsakh gathered at the Renaissance Square in Stepanakert

Sweden's new government is ready to supply Kiev with heavier weapons

Babayan: Any proposal in which Artsakh will be considered part of Azerbaijan will be rejected

Dozens of female students protest in Afghanistan

Biden confuses number of states in U.S.

Peskov: Russia cannot be someone's vassal

Minibus carrying party members overturns in Ankara

Dashnaktsutyun: Any document that will include Artsakh into Azerbaijan must be torn up

Speaker: We hope that no document ignoring the Artsakh issue will be signed in Sochi

Italian MFA comments on Russia's withdrawal from food deal

Economist: High inflation took Western countries by surprise, which were wrong in their forecasts

Artsakh National Assembly issues statement: Artsakh has never been and will never be part of independent Azerbaijan

Parliament of Republic of Artsakh unanimously adopts statements

NA holds extraordinary meeting in Artsakh: Big rally takes place on Renaissance Square (photos)

Lavrov confirms Putin's readiness for negotiations with Ukraine

La Repubblica: Italy supplied Kiev with 20-30 M109L artillery guns and PzH 2000 howitzers

Typhoon in Philippines affects more than 932,000 people

Source: Turkey conducts 'telephone diplomacy' on food deal

Television and partially radio broadcasts will be turned off in Armenia for two hours on October 31

Borrell: The EU urges Russia to revert its decision

Haiti PM Ariel Henry: The leader of a political party was murdered in the republic

Armenia MFA expresses condolences to South Korea over Seoul tragedy

Seoul receives more than 3,700 missing persons reports after crush

Armenian Defense Ministry: Private received fatal gunshot wound

Toivo Klaar: I emphasised the European Unions continued strong engagement in the peace process

Arrested for assaulting Speaker Pelosi's spouse faces charges

Major crush in Seoul: There are victims

Britain needs air defense in connection with war in Ukraine

France to plant 1 billion trees by 2030

Armenian FM meets participants of World Armenian Summit

The Swiss are going to set record for longest passenger train in the world

At least 146 people killed and 150 more injured in Seoul as they were crushed by crowd

Europeans frightened by growth of household appliances exports to Armenia, Kazakhstan

Russia requests UN Security Council meeting in connection with Ukraine's attack on Black Sea Fleet ships

Michel Aoun: Lebanon could slide into constitutional chaos

Zelensky intends to have Patriot SAMs, Abrams tanks and aircraft from US

President discusses latest foreign political developments around Artsakh

Azerbaijan officials considering opening embassy in Israel

Pashinyan receives Youri Djorkaeff

Thierry Breton talks Twitter purchase by Elon Musk: In Europe, the bird will fly by our rules

Armenia PM, EU Special Representative for South Caucasus discuss regional security and peace

Nikol Pashinyan, Garo Paylan exchange views on Armenia-Turkey normalization process

Quake hits Armenia-Turkey border zone

Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Garo Paylyan discuss prospects of normalizing Armenian-Turkish relations

Armenia ruling party adopting new vision regarding Karabakh conflict settlement

Russia MOD: Ukraine carried out terrorist attack on Black Sea Fleet ships, civilian ships in Sevastopol

Premier: CSTO should plan force operation, restore Armenias territorial integrity

BloombergNEF: Gas reserves from the U.S. will not be enough to fill the gaping hole left by Russia in Europe

Armenia PM: All countries consider Karabakh to be part of Azerbaijan

Armenias Pashinyan: CSTO does not exist

Kremlin responds to question on extending mandate of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh

Armenia premier: We need to know, ultimately, what Russian peacekeepers are doing in Nagorno-Karabakh

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Armenias Pashinyan: We are ready to delegate border guard service operation to Russian border guards

Finland, Sweden promise to join NATO together

European Parliament calls on Armenia to consider diversifying its security partnerships

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Karabakh President: Russia leaders statement inspires certain hopes

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US accuses Russia of disinformation regarding Washington intentions towards Armenia, Azerbaijan

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Swedish authorities offer to create united northern army

Lukashenko: Conflict issue between Armenia and Azerbaijan must be resolved now - with Ilham Aliyev

Lukashenko about situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border: Where are we racing horses, where are we rushing to?

Pashinyan: Armenia-Diaspora relations undergo profound substantive changes

Lukashenko to Pashinyan: Sit down with Aliyev and make a decision, if you don't make it today, it will be worse

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President of Karabakh: It is necessary to unite all national potential and efforts

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Gas prices in Europe remain high in coming years
YEREVAN.  Azerbaijan became one of the few countries where the age limit is reduced to a minimum for those wishing to hold public office.

Political scientist Aleksandr Markarov, who is Director of CIS Institute Armenian Branch, told the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am. He noted this reflecting on the results of Mondays referendum on constitutional amendments in Azerbaijan.

In the analysts view, formally, even school graduates can now hold high positions in Azerbaijan.

He added that, but actually, in all likelihood, this refers to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs handmade tactics of preparing the future heir of power in the country.

In fact, he legitimized the transfer of power through [familial] succession, said Markarov. His next replacement, in all probability, will be he[, or she] whom Aliyev will appoint to the office of Vice President.

The initiator of the abovementioned referendum was Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, and, according to preliminary results, it was adopted by a vast majority of votes.

Thirty amendments to the Constitution were put to the vote in this plebiscite. They included the extension of the presidential term of office from five to seven years, the introduction of the institution of vice presidents whom the President himself shall appoint, and the abolition of minimum age limits for presidents and MPs of Azerbaijan.
YEREVAN.  President Serzh Sargsyan of the Republic of Armenia (RA) on Tuesday appointed eleven ministers, all at once. Thus, solely the foreign and defense ministers are left to be appointed in order for the new government to be completely formed, according to Zhoghovurd newspaper.

The main intrigue of the new government is the matter of the prospective owner of these two very portfolios.

According to information received from the authorities circles, the office of the RA Defense Minister may be entrusted to Presidential Chief of Staff Vigen Sargsyan, until the parliamentary elections to be held on April 2, next year.

[But] it still remains unclear as to whom Serzh Sargsyan is going to entrust the office of Foreign Minister. It will become clear in the next four days as to whether he will give [serving FM] Edward Nalbandian the chance to be in [this] office for another six months, or he will tell him goodbye at this very phase.

Deadline for the [complete] formation of [the new] government is October 3, wrote Zhoghovurd.
The Acting Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, on Tuesday delivered a presentation at the prestigious University of California, Berkeley, in the US.

In his remarks, Nalbandian thoroughly presented the military aggression which Azerbaijan unleashed against Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), in early April, and the resultant situation.

The acting FM of Armenia noted that this adventurism by Baku has caused much harm to the talks toward resolving the Karabakh conflict, and seriously undermined the respective peace process.

He added, however, that the Armenian party to this conflict, together with co-chairs of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, are exerting efforts to surmount the consequences of this aggression.

Also, Edward Nalbandian responded to the questions posed by those in attendance.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Karen Mirzoyan met with the leadership of the EU-Armenia Friendship Group headed by the President of the group Eleni Theocharous during his visit to Belgium.

During the meeting on Tuesday, a range of issues related to Artsakh-Europe relations, settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict and regional processes were discussed.

On the same day Karen Mirzoyan met with the President of the Friendship group with Artsakh in the European Parliament Frank Engel and other members of the group. During the meeting, a number of issues related to the activity of the friendship group were discussed. The sides highlighted the importance of deepening ties with various European structures, including the European Parliament.

Later in the day, Karen Mirzoyan, as a keynote speaker, delivered a speech at a round-table organized by Frank Engel entitled Nagorno Karabakh Republic: 25 years of state-building in a volatile region at the premises of the European Parliament.

In his speech, the NKR Foreign Minister stated, in particular, that 25 years ago the people of Nagorno Karabakh voted for independence on a nation-wide referendum which became the logical continuation of Artsakh liberation struggle in response to decades of discrimination and oppression by Azerbaijan.

In spite of the peaceful and legitimate nature of the Karabakh movement, from the very beginning Azerbaijan rejected any dialogue and resorted to the language of threats and intimidation which led to a large-scale war against Nagorno Karabakh and its peaceful population, Karen Mirzoyan said.

The NKR Foreign Minister stressed that even today the people of Artsakh literally have to defend the young democracy in the conditions of constant attempts of Azerbaijan to return Nagorno Karabakh to the past. Karen Mirzoyan noted that the NKR had repeatedly spoken out publicly about Azerbaijan openly preparing for the resumption of war by, however, the international community did not react to these warnings. The impunity enjoyed by Azerbaijan led to the resumption of hostilities against Nagorno Karabakh on April 2, 2016.

Karen Mirzoyan stressed that the people of Artsakh cannot remain hostage to the destructive policy of Azerbaijan and will continue to develop even in the conditions of the unresolved Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict. In this regard the Foreign Minister mentioned that the NKR authorities attach great importance to the expansion and deepening of foreign relations of the NKR at all levels, its integration into the international processes.

Karen Mirzoyan expressed confidence that expansion of the international cooperation will be an important contribution to strengthening peace and security in the region.

We believe that the time has come for the international community to support our struggle. Its time to recognize and support the reality  existence and consistent development of the free and democratic Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Karen Mirzoyan concluded.

The NKR Foreign Minister answered questions of participants.

Members of the NKR National Assembly delegation, members of the European Parliament and experts attended the discussion.
YEREVAN.  The Freedom of Information Center announced for the 14th time the recipients of the Golden Key and Rusty Lock awards, on Wednesday in Armenias capital city of Yerevan. The award ceremony was devoted to the International Right to Know Day, and the 15th Anniversary of the FOICA.

Government Chief of Staff-Minister Davit Harutyunyan welcomed the guests on this occasion and stressed the importance of transparency and openness in the government system of Armenia.

Acting Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Armenia Dirk Lorenz mentioned in his welcoming speech: Freedom to seek, receive and impart information is a key component of democratic governance and development. People need to be fully informed to be able to form an opinion and participate in decision-making processes that affect their lives. Freedom of information also contributes to better governance as it enhances transparency in public affairs and can be used as a tool to make governments accountable for their actions, in particular when access to information results in the exposure of human rights violations or corruption practices.

The host of the event President of the Freedom of Information Centre of Armenia Liana Doydoyan welcomed the guests and announced the winners. The independent jury awarded the following institutions with Golden Keys, as a symbol of openness and transparency:

Positive Award for the state institution that best applied the Armenian Freedom of Information Law was presented to the Ministry of Health. The Golden Key was awarded by Acting Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Mr. Dirk LORENZ.

Award for the institution which has best implemented Open Government Partnership Commitments was awarded to Mr. Davit Harutyunyan, Minister-Chef of Government staff. The Golden Key was awarded by the Head of the Deborah Grieser, Mission Director, USAID/Armenia.

The best official web site in terms of access to information was recognized the web site of Vayots Dzor Regional Administration. The Golden Key to Deputy Governor of Vayots Dzor Mels Harutyunyan was awarded by Judith Farnworth, the UK's Ambassador to Armenia.

Award for NGO, which has contributed to the exercising of the right of access to information, was presented to Protection of Rights without Borders NGO. The Golden Key was awarded by the Suren Krmoyan, Deputy Minister of Justice to Haykuhi Harutyunyan, the president of Protection of Rights without Borders NGO.

Award for the outlet most actively covering FOI issues was presented to the Asparez daily newspaper.

Award for the journalist for most actively using FOI Law was awarded to Arman Suleymanyan, the journalist of CIVILNET. He was awarded by Loreta Vioiu, Deputy Head of Council of Europe office in Armenia.

Special Award was given to Artsrun Hovhannisyan, the Spokesman of Defense Ministry. The Golden Key was awarded by FOICA's president Liana Doydoyan.
STEPANAKERT.  The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic National Assembly (NKR/Artsakh NA) Chairman, Ashot Ghoulyan, on Tuesday received Baroness Caroline Cox, a member of the British House of Lords who has also set a well-established tradition of visits to the NKR.

Several Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART) members also have arrived in Artsakh together with Baroness Cox, the NKR NA informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Ghoulyan stressed that this 85th visit to NKR by the baroness is noteworthy, since it is taking place in the days of the 25th anniversary of independent statehood of Artsakh.

Artsakh becomes recognizable also with you because you bring a new group of friends to Artsakh, every time, noted the speaker of the NKR parliament. This fact is very important, since Azerbaijan constantly attempts to misinform international organizations [about Artsakh].

Baroness Cox, for her part, said she observes progress and infrastructure development during her each visit to the NKR, and that this inspires and motivates her.

The member of the British House of Lords noted that she is happy to work with Karabakh and the Armenian diaspora, stands ready to continue her professional and humanitarian assistance to the people of Artsakh, and get new people familiarized with the true history of Artsakh, during each visit.

Subsequently, the interlocutors discussed several topics.
After the authorities of Azerbaijan had reported that 91 percent of the population approved radical changes, including extension of the presidential office term, as a result of the constitutional referendum, the US Congress made the following statement:

It is clear that the package of constitutional changes put to a vote yesterday is designed to degrade checks on the power of the president. Regardless of the final tally, this referendum is the culmination of a process that lacks legitimacy.

The Azerbaijani government has taken such a significant changes in the Azerbaijani people deprived of their basic rights, which are necessary for the free discussion of the issues being examined. For weeks, authorities arrested and prosecuted journalists, political activists and stifling their voices that oppose the changes.

Only a year ago, Azerbaijan blocked OSCE election observation of its parliamentary elections, illustrating Bakus unwillingness to allow its citizens to cast ballots consistent with its OSCE commitments. I remain deeply concerned that this illegitimate process will further delay the democratic future Azerbaijanis desire and deserve. I renew my call for the Government of Azerbaijan to release all prisoners of conscience and drop charges and travel bans against them and their colleagues in civil society serving suspended sentences, says the statement.

As reported earlier, on September 8 Smith and other Congressmen wrote a letter to Aliev about suggested changes in the constitution. In December of 2015 Smith introduced a bill to the Congress, which implied sanctions against the Azeri government officials unless Baku releases political prisoners, ends harassment of the civil society, and holds free elections.
Emory's James Weldon Johnson Institute hosts Reflections on the Black Panther Party at 50: Elaine Brown with Beverly Guy-Sheftall on Thursday, Sept. 29, at 6:30pm in the Glenn Memorial Church Auditorium.

The dialogue will reflect on the Black Panther Partys legacy in ongoing struggles for racial justice and honor black womens leadership in the black power movement.

Featured guest Elaine Brown, legendary activist and former chairperson of the Black Panther Party, will be joined by prominent Spelman College professor Beverly Guy-Sheftall in this powerful one-on-one conversation. This event is free and open to the public.

This October marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panther Party in Oakland, California. In the late 1960s, the Party entered the national spotlight for its stand against police brutality in black communities; its "survival programs," included free breakfast for school children and free health clinics; its coalitions with other people of color; and its efforts to bring about a political vision for racial justice in America. The Black Panther Party also became a highly controversial symbol of armed resistance to racism.

Often in the popular historical recounting of The Partys evolution, the role of black womens leadership is diminished, notes Kali-Ahset Amen, assistant director of the James Weldon Johnson Institute (JWJI). It is our hope that this dialogue will serve at once as a commemoration of the Party, an examination of the continuing resonance of its platform for black empowerment, and crucially, as an unapologetic recognition of the central leadership of Elaine Brown, Kathleen Cleaver and a multitude of ordinary women doing extraordinary organizing work in communities on the ground.

Another goal of the event is to highlight Browns papers, recently contributed to the African American collections of Emory's Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library. Pellom McDaniels III, curator of African American collections for the Rose Library, will deliver opening remarks at the event.

Reflections on the Black Panther party at 50 is also the inaugural program of the JWJIs Public Dialogues in Race and Difference Series, which will be presented four times during the academic year at venues around Atlanta as well as on campus.

The dialogues are intended to reach broad audiences  to connect Emory with the wider Atlanta community through evidence-based discussions of timely topics on race in the Americas. In addition to the Black Panther Party at 50 dialogue, this years series will feature explorations of race in U.S. presidential politics, and the persistence of racial inequity in the city of Atlanta. The James Weldon Johnson Institute is pleased to have the Laney Legacy Program in Moral Leadership at Candler School of Theology as a major co-sponsor of the series.

Visit the JWJI Special Programs webpage more information. RSVP and add the Sept. 29 event to your calendar via Eventbrite.
Four hundred years after his death, William Shakespeare is the focus of a campus-wide celebration at Emory University, with exhibitions, events and performances that honor the genius of the world's most famous playwright.

The centerpiece of the celebration is the arrival of the First Folio, the first collected edition of Shakespeare's plays, published in 1623, just seven years after his death. The First Folio will be on view at Emory's Michael C. Carlos Museum from Nov. 5 through Dec. 11, the only display of the literary treasure in Georgia.

"The First Folio includes the first printing of many of Shakespeare's plays," explains Emory English professor Sheila Cavanagh, director of the World Shakespeare Project. "If his colleagues had not gathered Shakespeare's works and published them in this volume, we would not have many of the plays we associate most closely with Shakespeare."

Leading up to the arrival of the First Folio, the Second (1632), Third (1663) and Fourth Folios (1685) are currently on display in the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library. This special opportunity to view these folios within a broad context is made possible by a loan of the Second and Third Folios from Rose Library benefactor Stuart A. Rose.

The much-anticipated arrival of the First Folio provides the opportunity for Emory to share with the entire campus and community a more complete understanding of the literary and publishing worldview and to showcase some of our own rare holdings," says Rosemary M. Magee, director of the Rose Library. "Each of the Folios has a story to tell."

In addition to the Folios, the exhibit includes rare materials from the Rose Library collections by Saint Thomas Aquinas (c. 1470), the Caxton Polychronicon (published by Caxton, 1482), and The Workes of Benjamin Jonson (1616), along with other volumes through the 20th century that show both the influences on Shakespeares Folios and their enduring significance.

"To the Great Variety of Readers: Publishing Shakespeare" will be on view on the 10th floor of Woodruff Library through Oct. 28.

Building up to the First Folio's arrival

The Folger Shakespeare Library, in partnership with Cincinnati Museum Center and the American Library Association, is touring a First Folio in 2016 to all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

Emory was selected as the Georgia host for "First Folio! The Book That Gave Us Shakespeare" based on a proposal submitted by Magee and Cavanagh, along with others at the Rose Library and the Carlos Museum, that emphasized Emorys broad base of support and involvement that will speak to people of all ages and backgrounds.

"Emory successfully competed to be Georgia's site on the First Folio Tour, which allows us to share the remarkable resources of our libraries, museum, faculty, performers and students with visitors from across the state and the Southeast," Cavanagh says.

Shakespeare at Emory events began last spring and will continue through this academic year, with a variety of activities, presentations and exhibits hosted by the Carlos Museum, Emory Libraries and Theater Emory.

Last week, Theater Emory launched its 2016-17 season, "Shakespeare Through Many Lenses," with Rodgers and Hart's "The Boys from Syracuse," a musical adaptation of Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors. The first American musical comedy based on a Shakespeare play, the raucous farce runs through Oct. 2 in the Theater Lab of the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts.

Earlier this month, the Carlos Museum's Carlos Reads Book Club kicked off its fall series with "Titus Andronicus." Guided by Cavanagh, the book club will read and discuss all of Shakespeare's plays set in antiquity, continuing through Dec. 12; the program is filled to capacity.

In addition to the Folio exhibit, Emory Libraries has several other Shakespeare exhibits either on display or soon to open: "A Goodly Commodity: Shakespeare in Popular Culture" (through Feb. 26), "All the World's an eStage: Shakespeare Postcards in a Digital Age" (through May 15), "Othello: The Moor Speaks" (opening Oct. 20) and "Shakespeare Artists' Books" (opening Oct. 20).

The Rose Library also hosts a lecture on Oct. 24, "The Millionaire and the Bard," which provides context for the arrival of the First Folio exhibit. Author and economist Andrea Mays presents a lecture based on her book of the same name, tracing Henry Folgers obsession with Shakespeares First Folio and the creation of the largest First Folio collection in the world.

Other events that start before the First Folio's arrival include the following:

The University Chorus and Concert Choir presents "Music of Shakespeare" on Oct. 15

Emory Cinematheque presents four films based on Shakespeare's plays, screening Oct. 16 through Nov. 4;

The Carlos Museum presents "The Bard in Bollywood," screening Indian filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj's Shakespeare trilogy from Nov. 1 through Nov. 15; Deepika Bahri, of Emorys English Department, will introduce the film series, which opens with Maqbool, Bhardwajs interpretation of "Macbeth" set against the backdrop of Mumbais criminal underworld.

Theater Emory presents "Romeo and Juliet" from Nov. 3-13.

Celebrating the First Folio

Once the First Folio arrives on campus, Emory will host several key events celebrating and exploring its place among the world's most famous books.

Shakespeare at Emory's official opening event, set for Nov. 10, welcomes Ayanna Thompson and jazz musician Dwight Andrews, plus special guests, for a program called Will of the People: Shakespeares Folios and Their Meaning in Our World," accompanied by the music of Duke Ellington.

On Dec. 5, the official closing celebration, "The Bard and Song," features former U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey, Robert W. Woodruff Professor of English and Creative Writing, and award-winning poets and Emory professors Kevin Young and Jericho Brown.

In between, Emory will host a wide range of lectures, workshops and family-friendly activities.

Among the highlights:

On Nov. 11, Margaret Edson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "Wit" and survivor of 25 years of classroom teaching, presents a "stand-up essay" exploring the free-wheeling, slapdash world of Elizabethan theater and placing To Be or Not to Be smack dab in the middle of it.

The Carlos Museum hosts family-friendly events including "All the World's a Stage," a storytelling event on Nov. 12, and a bookmaking event on Nov. 20 where children will experiment with bookmaking techniques with Charlene Shikany of Red Wall Studios.

On Nov. 14, Magee hosts a Creativity Conversation with two Emory alumni, playwright Lauren Gunderson and antiquarian bookseller Daniel Wechsler, on their journeys into the world of Shakespeare.

On Dec. 5, prior to the closing celebration, Michael Witmore, director of the Folger Shakespeare Library, discusses the legacy of Shakespeare and the Folger Librarys extensive collection of the Bard in print.

For more details about these and other events, visit Shakespeare at Emory.



About Shakespeare at Emory

Shakespeare at Emory celebrates Emorys selection as a host site for the exhibit of First Folio: The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare with plays, readings, exhibits and other activities. Emorys exhibition will be distinctive with the display of all four folios together.

The exhibition in Atlanta has been made possible through support from the Robert W. Woodruff Library, Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, the Michael C. Carlos Museum, and the World Shakespeare Project.

About the First Folio

The First Folio is the first collected edition of Shakespeares plays, published in 1623, seven years after Shakespeares death. This year also marks the 400th anniversary of the Bards death.

First Folio! The Book That Gave Us Shakespeare has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor and by the generous support of Google.org, The Lord Browne of Madingley, Vinton and Sigrid Cerf, British Council, Stuart and Mimi Rose, Albert and Shirley Small, and other generous donors.
How do the experts wade through the spin and get to the truth during political campaigns? What can the average voter or informed citizen do to determine if political rhetoric is simply that? To shed light on these issues, Emory Libraries will host a panel discussion called Fact-checking the Political Spin: How the Experts Get at the Truth on Thursday, Oct. 13, at 6:30 p.m. in the Jones Room at Emory Universitys Robert W. Woodruff Library.

Moderated by Atlanta Business Chronicle broadcast editor Crystal Edmonson, the panel will feature:

Andra Gillespie, Emory associate professor of political science;

Nancy Leung, senior editor of CNNs Reality Check, and

Jim Tharpe, editor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitutions PolitFact Georgia.

A pre-event reception begins at 6:30 p.m., with the program at 7 p.m. and a post-reception at 8 p.m.

Admission is free, but attendees should register in advance. Parking is available in the Fishburne deck. For more information, please email libraryevents@emory.edu or call 404-727-2245.
15:04

It has been a matter of serious concern that there has been continuing and increasing infiltration by terrorists across Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. This is reflected, amongst others, in the terrorist attacks on 11 and 18 September 16 in Punch and Uri respectively. Almost 20 infiltration attempts have also been foiled by the Army at or close to the Line of Control during this year.







During these terrorist attacks and infiltration attempts, we have recovered various stores including GPS and items that clearly indicate their origins in Pakistan. Furthermore, captured terrorists hailing from Pakistan or Pakistan Occupied Kashmir have confessed to their training and arming in Pakistan or territory under its control. The matter had been taken up at highest diplomatic levels and through military channels. India has also offered consular access to these apprehended terrorists for Pakistan to verify their confessions. Furthermore, we had proposed that fingerprints and DNA samples of terrorists killed in Punch and Uri could be made available to Pakistan for investigation.





Despite our persistent urging that Pakistan respect its January 2004 commitment for not allowing its soil or territory under its control to be used for terrorism against India, there has been no let up in infiltration and terrorist actions from across the Line of Control. If damage was limited, this was primarily due to the efforts of our soldiers deployed in our multi-tiered counter-infiltration grid that has been effective in neutralizing infiltrating terrorists. The Indian Armed Forces have been extremely vigilant in the face of this continuing threat.





Based on receiving specific and credible inputs that some terrorist teams had positioned themselves at launch pads along Line of Control to carryout infiltration and conduct terrorist strikes inside Jammu and Kashmir and in various metros in other states, the Indian Army conducted surgical strikes at several of these launch pads to pre-empt infiltration by terrorists. The operations were focussed on ensuring that these terrorists do not succeed in their design to cause destruction and endanger the lives of our citizens.





During these counter terrorist operations significant casualties were caused to terrorists and those providing support to them. The operations aimed at neutralizing terrorists have since ceased. We do not have any plans for further continuation. However, the Indian Armed Forces are fully prepared for any contingency that may arise.





I have been in touch with Pakistan Army DGMO and have informed him of our actions. It is India's intention to maintain peace and tranquillity in the region. But we cannot allow the terrorists to operate across the Line of Control with impunity and attack citizens of our country at will. In line with Pakistan's commitment in January 2004 not to allow its soil or territory under its control to be used for attacks against India, we expect the Pakistani army to cooperate with us to erase the menace of terrorism from the region.
NEW DELHI: Tech giant Google today announced a bouquet of new products for the Indian market that are suited to work with low Internet speeds.

These include a new Wi-Fi platform called Google Station, a video app called 'YouTube Go' and an offline feature for Chrome web browser and faster loading in Google Play on 2G network.

Outlining the three key areas of focus -- access, products and platforms -- Google Vice President (Next Billion Users) Caesar Sengupta said that the US-based company is working to provide a better and more inclusive online experience for users in India.

"Our goal has not just been to help more Indians get online, but also to help Indians create the online experience they want. So, we have been thinking about how to build products and services for this wave of new users - products that work for any level of connectivity, in local Indian languages, and across the devices that are most frequently used in India," he added.

Following its partnership with RailTel and Indian Railways to provide Wi-Fi at Indian railway stations, Google has now launched a new platform called Google Station.

The new platform will work with partners like system integrators (SIs) and venue owners to roll out Wi-Fi hotspots, Sengupta said.

He added that this will provide more people in India and around the world fast, reliable, and secure Wi-Fi in places like malls, transit stations, and cafes.

Besides, users on a low-bandwidth connection will now be able to choose and install an app through their mobile network or install it when the phone next connects to Wi-Fi.

Google is also focusing on the next million of users who will come online in the coming years in regional languages other than English.

Its new messaging app 'Allo' will introduce support in Hindi for its Google Assistant later this year, Amit Fulay, Group Product Manager at Google, said.

Google has also announced a group of tailored features for Chrome, like automatic optimising of pages when 2G-like networks are detected. These simplified pages load up to 2X faster, saving more than 90 per cent of data usage. This data saver feature will now support videos as well, helping users save upto 67 per cent data.

Rajan Anandan, Vice-President, India and South East Asia said the company's vision is to makeIndia a global hub of innovation and produce high quality mobile developers who will build not just for India but for the world.

India is one of the fastest growing markets for Internet usage. The user base, driven primarily by booming smartphone adoption, is pegged to grow from 350 million to 650 million by 2020.

The smartphone base in the same period is poised to grow to 500 million from 300 million in 2016.

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BENGALURU: Reliance Jio sincerely requests that the TRAI take serious cognizance of this complaint and intervene by taking strict action against incumbent dominant operators under the relevant provisions of the mobile number portability regulations and the unified license, the Reliance Jio letter said, last week.

Reliance Jio has been experiencing high call drop rate by being incapable to interconnect with incumbent operators network and has raised eyebrows of the TRAI authorities. There are two much-predicted reasons with TRAI which is causing the congestion issues- a) incumbent operators are blocking calls from R-Jios network, and b) this is only because of PoI (point of interconnection) issue. Read below for complete take of TRAI on the issue.

 Its not a call drop but a call failure

The primary issue while connecting to the calls is that they never get connected at the first placecalled as call failure. The TRAI would take steps to prevent the violation of the norms for call failure rates, after assessing the data. The matter has little to do with the current fracas between operators over PoI. However, a call drop occurs when a continued telephonic conversation is cut off abruptly.

 TRAI prefer consumers easiness over operators

The ground for call failures can be multiple but, whatever said and done, the issue should not affect the normal lives of end users. If the connection is not happening on dialing a number, then that would be considered as a failure of service provider efforts. Currently, Jios call failure rate is unacceptable. According to the regulated norm, it should be equal to or less than 0.5 percent.

 Other telecoms will also be questioned

TRAI will be enquiring other service providers and has asked for an individual explanation, as of now. This is to make sure that none of the operators are violating service norms. Nevertheless, TRAI wont pass judgment on the operators based upon the number PoIs. TRAI may issue show-cause notices to the telecoms exceeding the norm.

 TRAI will practice hands-off approach to the issue

TRAI authority will only monitor the operators on violation norms, nothing more. The escalating fight would remain untouched by TRAI officials. TRAI has to ensure an appropriate regulatory framework fall into places. TRAIs will make points on the regulatory framework, which includes floating the consultation paper to determine the PoI charges. This process may take 6 months or longer.

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Samantha Wuest, a graduate student from Edwardsville majoring in animal science at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, with Cadbury, a colt born during foal watch, an educational, hands-on part of the equine science program. Students witness and record a live birth of a horse during the program, learning not only about horse reproduction and birth but also horse behavior and good practices under stress. (Photo by Russell Bailey)

Foal watch offers students hands-on experience

by Andrea Hahn

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Talk about a demanding class -- Animal Science 419 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale requires students to spend a few overnights in the barn. But the students love it.

Animal Science 419 is Stable Management. The nights spent in the barn are foal watch nights, and the purpose is for each student to witness a mare foaling, otherwise known as the birth of a baby horse.

Students learn the text book version of foaling before they begin their nighttime vigils in the barn. The students monitor the mares by video camera. A typical night is 10 p.m.-6 a.m. The students need to be awake and alert the entire time. Most mares foal during the night and things can happen quickly.

Stephanie Speiser, senior lecturer and the foal watch instructor, explained that mares have only about a half-hour after their water breaks in which to deliver a foal safely. Longer than that and the mare may develop problems than endanger the foals life as well as her own. The tension when a mare shows signs of foaling that night is nearly unbearable.

The mares on video are those whove shown physical signs a foal is coming soon. When the students observe a mares water break, they go to the mare to monitor her directly but with as little interference as possible. They record everything: when labor began, when it ended, how quickly the foal stands, how soon it begins nursing and other vital and behavioral signs. And always, the students notify barn manager Sheila Puckett, who is present at all the births. Puckett decides if the mare needs assistance and if so, if a veterinarian should be present.

One thing I can say after 12 years of foaling mares here, it never gets old, Puckett said. If I have reason to think a mare might foal, I cant sleep. When that phone call comes, all my energy is focused on getting the foal here safely and keeping mom in good health as it happens.

Michael Halpin, a senior from Dorchester, was present at four foalings during her foal watch nights. She spent about 20 nights total in the barn, staying there every fourth night during foal watch.

Every time I saw a mare going into labor, adrenaline would kick in, she said. After weeks of foal watch and staying up all night, the moment the water broke all thoughts of sleep vanished. I tried to stay out of the way and hope nothing went wrong. Waiting to see that new foal for the first time, watching them struggle to stand up and balance, and hearing the foal nicker for the first time is something I cannot put into words.

Watching foalings is like a box of mixed emotions, Samantha Wuest, a graduate student from Edwardsville and assistant barn manager, said. She was a teaching assistant for foal watch last spring. Your adrenaline is up, youre excited, nervous, hoping all goes ok, and overwhelmed with the job. It only takes about an hour for the foal to be born and then up and nursing, and then you are overwhelmed with exhaustion. I have spent more nights at the SIU Equine Center than I can count -- but I dont regret it.

Speiser said the whole experience is part of what she wants students to learn -- not just the biology. The class teaches not only foaling but also gives students the opportunity to build responsibility, to observe horse behavior for hours on end, and good practices under pressure.

Foal watch is actually one of the reasons I chose SIU for my animal science degree, Wuest said. I came to SIU specifically to have the breeding and foaling experience hands-on.

Shes been around the horse barns long enough to know some years and some births are more joyous than others. Speiser tells a story about a mare that took four hours to foal -- far too long to be safe. The foal was in the wrong position and the mare was suffering from fescue toxicosis, a grass-based poison to which pregnant mares are susceptible. The foaling crew had called a veterinarian, who was on the brink of euthanizing the mare when the mare fell down in shock. And a foals nose appeared!

We grabbed forelegs and jerked the foal out, thinking it might be dead, Speiser said. It fell to the ground, and blinked! Twenty students had gathered by now, and you should have heard everyone shout. I have a picture in my office. It was a happy ending  but Im glad we dont have dramatic stories like that very often.

The foal watch experience is intense, and gives students a real look at what a career in equine reproduction might mean. Halpin values her experience but is looking at other areas of the equine industry. Wuest is keeping her options open, and one day hopes to own her own breeding and foaling business.

SIU is the only public university in Illinois offering a bachelors degree in equine science.
SIU receives suicide prevention grant

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people ages 15-34 in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With that in mind, a Southern Illinois University Carbondale faculty member has secured a $306,000 grant and will work with campus and off-campus groups to enhance existing suicide prevention efforts and create new programs at SIU.

Dhrubodhi Mukherjee, associate professor and director of the School of Social Works Undergraduate Program, received a three-year Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant to fund the project, It Takes a Village: University-Community Partnership for Suicide Prevention.

There has been an increase in the suicide rates in the U.S. among what we call transitional youth, those ages 15-25, and four counties near SIU (Marion, Saline, Franklin and Williamson) have suicide rates among the highest 25 in the state, while Marion and Franklin are in the top five on the list, Mukherjee said. Those statistics dont even include attempted suicides or people with suicidal thoughts and treatable mental health issues such as depression and substance abuse. SIU student issues and incidents are similar to those college students across the country are experiencing but we are being proactive. We already have programs and initiatives in place but weve secured the federal grant to enable us to even better help our students.

The project, in keeping with the it takes a village approach, will incorporate the efforts of multiple people, offices and organizations. It will create a multi-layered infrastructure and the goal is that it will stay in place after the grant ends, he said. Those involved in the project include Mukherjee, the College of Education and Human Services School of Social Work, and Counseling and Psychological Services, working in conjunction with Veterans Services, the Student Health Services Wellness Center and Clinical Center, Non-Traditional Student Services, the Active Minds registered student organization, the Office of Diversity and Equity, the Department of Public Safety, Saluki Cares and Centerstone, a community-based behavioral care center in Carbondale.

Step one is evaluating what is already in place on campus to help students and establishing protocols to encourage campus and community collaborations and partnerships. A series of educational materials will be created for faculty, staff and students. There will also be workshops and training sessions, teaching people how to look out for one another and signs people are struggling, and what resources and types of assistance are available on campus and in the community. The project also includes creation of a one-stop information warehouse of campus suicide prevention resources and efforts to promote the national suicide hotline.

We want to make this a stigma-free campus and help everyone understand that its ok to seek help if youre having suicidal thoughts or struggling with other issues, Mukherjee said. We want to help people deal with problems and traumas that can lead to suicidal thoughts or mental health issues and create an environment where people are trained to recognize signs that other people may be troubled and encourage them to take advantage of the help that is available. We plan to provide comprehensive training across the board and ensure we reach groups that data indicates are more at risk, including veterans, non-traditional students and the LGBTQ community.

The training sessions themselves are sometimes therapeutic, Mukherjee said, as they provide participants with valuable information they can use to help themselves and others.

An advisory board will help oversee the program and surveys will be conducted to seek input to be used in adapting the program to achieve maximum results, he said.

We want this to be very comprehensive. The activities wont take place in isolation. Everyone will be working together and correlating efforts, Mukherjee said.

Mukherjee previously received a $1.18 million three-year Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training award from the Human Resources and Services Administration to assist students in studying trauma-focused behavioral health in children, adolescents and transitional youth. He said the work involved with the Trauma-Based Behavioral Health Fellowship: An Interdisciplinary Graduate Training for Social Work Students in Southern Illinois dovetails with the new grant project as both look at the ways trauma may cause mental illnesses or issues and then look for ways to treat those problems.
The powerful fumigant methyl bromide will be retired from Californias strawberry fields at the end of this year after more than 20 years of fierce debate over its effects and alternatives.

According to new research published by UC Santa Cruz professor and food studies expert Julie Guthman, these debates often pit the health and well-being of farm workers against the economic viability of growers while overlooking the constraints and availability of farm land.

Guthman has spent the past several years immersedliterally and figurativelyin the field to better understand the challenges the strawberry industry faces in a post-methyl bromide world.

California strawberry growers are in a position in which they have to change a pesticide regime that has served them well, Guthman writes in the Journal of Rural Studies. The article reports on part of a larger research project she has conducted with support from the National Science Foundation.

Methyl bromide's costs and benefits



Strawberry growers in California have long depended on methyl bromide, the most effective chemical to control soil-borne pathogens and weeds. Its widespread use has helped make strawberries one of Californias most lucrative crops. In 2014, annual sales totaled $2.5 billion.

But methyl bromide is also hazardous to humans and the environment. Because of its documented impact on the ozone layer, the Montreal Protocol mandated a global phase-out as part of its 1987 pact to reduce ozone-depleting substances. Despite U.S. promises to stop importing and producing the substance, California farmers have long continued its use thanks to whats known as a critical use exemption (CUE).

Lag in developing substitutes



Because of these exemptions, the California strawberry industry lagged in developing substitutes, Guthman says. Simply put, growers felt they did not need to find alternatives, she writes in a recent issue of California Agriculture that explores the future of the strawberry industry. CUEs gave growers hope that the exemptions would persist. As a result research into less toxic solutions slowed.

For example, one alternative was methyl iodide, a pre-plant fumigant that was developed as a substitute, but became even more controversial than the compound it was meant to replace. The California Department of Pesticide Regulation allowed it on the market despite findings of its own agency scientists that it could result in significant health risks to farm workers and the general population.

Opposition surged. How could the DPR register methyl iodide against its own internal recommendations, opponents charged. Earthjustice, an environmental law organization, and California Rural Legal Assistance sued the DPR for failing to follow environmental law and be transparent in their decision-making process. Just before a judge was to rule on the dispute, methyl iodides licensee Arystra LifeScience pulled it off the market saying it was no longer economically viable.

Guthman wanted to know why. She discovered that the main reason many farmers didnt touch the pesticide was fear of public backlash. In the run-up to the legal proceedings, more than 53,000 people submitted comments contesting the chemical. Farmers feared protesters in their fields and were worried that consumers would not buy berries linked to the pesticide.

Activism contributed to the withdrawal of methyl iodide; it scared many shippers and growers into non-adoption and made extension agents and pest-control advisors skeptical of promoting it, Guthman says.

Alternatives and community health

Other alternatives to methyl bromide still come at a human cost. Growers are continuing to use chloropicrin, another soil fumigant, which has long been used in combination with methyl bromide. However, both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state DPR have designated it a toxic air contaminant. As a result, DPR has recently mandated increased buffer zones, extended waiting periods for tarp removal, and increased monitoring requirements, all to mitigate environmental harm to the community.

However, as Guthman has argued, these mitigation efforts still fail to adequately protect the lives of farmworkers.

Buffer zones cannot meaningfully protect those who apply the fumigants, work in nearby fields, or work in treated fields post-fumigation, writes Guthman. Neighbors lives are privileged over workers, she argues.

What about organics?



With strawberry growers facing strict regulatory constraints, why not switch from conventional to organic growing practices?



Guthman says that many growers are experimenting with organics because of the high prices organic strawberries receive in the market. But it is still not an economic option for some.



Transitioning involves avoiding the application of disallowed substances for three years, while not receiving the price premium for organics, Guthman writes in her Journal of Rural Studies article.



Furthermore, agricultural land is costly and scarce, Guthman notes, especially on Californias central coast where growers compete with developers for prime real estate ideal for growing strawberries.

In short, Guthman finds the strawberry industry is in a real bind. Her next book will explore the historical origins of the predicament and will look at how the factors underwriting the industrys success have changed into threats.
BEIJING - Over 600 million Chinese tourists will travel abroad in the next five years, according to data from China National Tourism Administration (CNTA).

In the first half of the year, China's outbound tourists reached over 59 million, according to CNTA data.

Thanks to relaxed visa policies and rising disposable income, the number of China's outbound tourists has kept growing in the past decade.

China had the world's largest number of outbound tourists in 2015. About 120 million Chinese traveled overseas in 2015, up from 109 million the previous year, according to the CNTA.

This was an increase of 19.5 percent year on year and nearly 13 times the level in 1998, said the CNTA.

Meanwhile, China's booming domestic tourism market saw over 4 billion journeys in 2015, generating tourism revenue of over 4 trillion yuan ($620 billion).
India has invited the leaders of the seven-member Bimstec regional grouping, which includes immediate neighbours Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal, to the eighth BRICS Summit in Goa in October. India is to chair the BRICS Summit. Besides India, BRICS comprises Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec), since its establishment in 1997 has been successful in a number of areas, but it needs to realise its full potential, Preeti Saran, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, said at an event. "There is a great synergy between the BRICS and Bimstec countries and the BRICS Summit will help explore that," she added, according to an RIS statement on Wednesday. Bimstec comprises seven countries -- Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. Saran was speaking at a meeting on Bimstec-BRICS Engagement: The Way Forward, organised by the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) and Bimstec Secretariat. Talking about the challenges confronting the region, Saran said that terrorism is one of the biggest challenges and the whole world is grappling with it. She also talked about the enormous opportunities and advantages each Bimstec country has in number of areas like trade, blue economy, tourism especially cruise tourism and Buddhist tourism, and energy security, among many others. Sachin Chaturvedi, Director General, RIS, said the aim is to explore key issues that are important when BRICS and Bimstec come together, including bilateral and people-to-people connectivity and how global value chains can be strengthened. Sumith Nakandala, Secretary General of Bimstec, said the consultation held on Tuesday is important in terms of reactivating Bimstec Network of Policy Think Tanks. He expressed concern regarding lack of leadership in Bimstec. Alok A. Dimri, Joint Secretary (MER), Ministry of External Affairs, said there is need to converge the synergies of the two blocs. G. Seetharaman Reddy, Additional Director General, Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said that Bimstec does not get the attention it deserves. However, it has its own flavour; thus it should not be compared with any other regional organisations. --IANS rn/vt ( 363 Words) 2016-09-28-19:58:07 (IANS)
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], Sept.28 (ANI-Businesswire India): Konstrukt is a unique initiative by SRMB Steel which gives a competitive platform to bring the best of architecture, design and innovation to the limelight. It is the first initiative in eastern India to acknowledge innovation and achievements in the construction and design industry. In last few years with the engineering and construction sector in India hitting a new orbit where new thinking and innovation is rated above the generic features, every civil engineer and architect is silently redefining the industry. SRMB Konstrukt started its journey with Konstrukt 1.0 awards, which was a great success where over 600 civil engineers and architects demonstrated their work, Abin Design Studio emerged as the top winner for the design of the magnificent 'Nazrul Tirtha', Kolkata, a centre for culture and education. Due to great response in 1.0, SRMB Konstrukt 2.0 will be done at a new scale. Over 1500 entries are expected from all over West Bengal, one category which is innovation in construction, is made open for all India is expected to get few hundreds of entry across the nation, for this category. This year SRMB Steel has introduced a section called Conclave, involving few eminent speakers from the world of engineering architecture, theme topic is "Global Aspiration, Local Application." The event will also witness many technical sessions where global trends from the construction industry will be discussed. SRMB Steel, one of the pioneer manufacturers of TMT bars in eastern India, is known to organize many such events for architects and engineers. Konstrukt is something very innovative as a concept. The principle objective of Konstrukt is to provide a platform to both established and budding professionals and students to showcase their recent portfolio to the stalwarts from the industry and to society at large and recognize the talents Identify, celebrate and reward noteworthy achievements that will serve as icons of West Bengal. And most importantly knowledge sharing with the stalwarts of the fraternity of structural engineering and architecture. Eminent engineer Arunendu Banerjee expressed his thoughts on Konstrukt saying, "Konstrukt is trying to get back to the origin of our roots and going into the global platform - with a societal benefit with enriching the economy because it is not only going to create a better tomorrow, it is also going to create a very sustainable future." 15th September, on the eve of 'Engineers' Day', the technical sessions, Konstrukt Conclave journey took off officially with the inauguration of its first conclave at Kolkata, held at Royal Bengal Room, City Centre, Kolkata. Ar. Anjan Gupta, prof. Joydeep Dutta, Er. Arunendu Banerjee and Er. Snehasish Sinha gave their valuable insights on the theme topic. After successful consecutive events at Durgapur, Siliguri and Malda, the Conclave journey will continue with the final event on 29th September at Kharagpur, where the speakers for the day will be architect Anjan Gupta and Engineer Sanjeev Parekh. The main event of SRMB Konstrukt 2.0 will start from 7th Nov'16 and after a four months journey will end in March'17 thereby bringing out the 2nd Design Icon of West Bengal. (ANI-Businesswire India)
The MNS on Wednesday demanded the replacement of Pakistani actors Mahira Khan and Fawad Khan from their respective Bollywood projects "Raees" and "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil". At a press conference here, Amey Khopkar, President of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's film wing, said: "The day Pakistan will stop attacking our country, we will extend the hand of friendship. We do not have anything against art but the artistes who are employed in India, but remained mum on the terror attack in Uri. "We gave them an ultimatum of 48 hours to leave India. You can rest assured that they have left, but if we find any Pakistani artiste, we won't spare (them)." On Tuesday, MNS workers protested outside filmmaker Karan Johar's Dharma Productions office for casting Fawad in "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil". Talking about Karan, Khopkar said: "Karan Johar isn't bigger than the government. If Karan Johar and 'Raees' makers don't replace the actors, we will not allow 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' and 'Raees' to release." "Raees" marks Mahira's entry into Bollywood and features superstar Shah Rukh Khan in the lead, while "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" stars Fawad with Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Anushka Sharma. The party's General Secretary Shalini Thackeray said: "Fawad Khan is not the only target. We are against every Pakistani actor. We will not allow any Pakistani actor to work in Mumbai." The MNS directive came following the September attack in Jammu and Kashmir which killed 18 soldiers. It's ultimatum to Pakistani artistes to leave India, left Bollywood split, with some celebrities speaking in favour of it and some wondering how it would help in solving the issue of terrorism. Even Indian channel Zindagi has announced plans to stop beaming syndicated Pakistani shows -- which has been its USP since its launch in 2014. Essel Group's chairman Subhash Chandra said they made the move as "love can't be one-sided". --IANS iv/rb/bg ( 327 Words) 2016-09-28-19:02:36 (IANS)
Headquartered in Bengaluru, Dr Agarwal's Eye Hospital has over the past six years screened about 600,000 cases across 15 countries in Africa and conducted over 50,000 operations, its Managing Director, Sundaresan Rajagopalan, has said. "The cost of eye-care at our facility is just a fraction of the cost incurred by most Africans travelling abroad to receive care," Rajagopalan, who was here to open the hospital's 16th branch, told IANS. The first Dr Agarwal's eye clinic in Africa was opened in Mauritius in 2010 and, since then, it has opened hospitals in East and Southern Africa, with Ghana being the first in the West African region. Pointing to the demand and supply position, he said Mozambique, with a population of 15 million, has only eight doctors, while Ghana, with a population of 25 million, has only 80 eye specialists. "Agarwal Eye Hospital is just coming to provide a needed service that is lacking in these countries." In addition, Rajagopalan said, their presence in Africa is also to bring highly-skilled Indian specialists to associate with the local doctors and train them. "We are also sponsoring two doctors, one each from Zambia and Mozambique, for training in India." A part of the company's corporate social responsibility, he said, Agarwal Eye Hospital is offering to operate 100 cataract cases in Ghana and a similar number in other selected African countries. At the ceremony to inaugurate the facility here, Chairman Amar Agarwal said: "Our aim is to provide world-class eye-care services to Ghana and her neighbouring countries." He said advanced diagnostics and eye-care treatment with optical facility ensures comprehensive treatment and saves time, money and the stress of travelling to other countries for retinal treatment, hi-tech cataract surgeries, glaucoma management and paediatric eye care. Ghanian Health Minister Alex Segbefia said: "We are looking forward to many Indian hospitals to come with their manpower investment and their experience in running hospitals to establish their set-ups and treat our people." (Francis Kokutse can be contacted at fkokutse@ians.in) --IANS francis/vm/sac ( 349 Words) 2016-09-28-12:14:11 (IANS)
The Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear a plea filed by Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav challenging his jail sentence in connection with the mid-1990s fodder scam case. The fodder scam involved the embezzlement of about Rs. 9.4 billion from the government treasury of Bihar. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed a plea in the apex court against the dropping of a conspiracy charge against Yadav by the Jharkhand High Court in one of the fodder scam cases. The CBI then filed its latest appeal against the high court order upholding the agency's plea to continue proceedings in the trial court against Prasad under two sections, while dropping other charges on grounds that a person cannot be tried twice for the same offence. The high Court had ordered that proceedings against Yadav be continued under IPC Sections 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of an offence committed or giving false information) and 511 (attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or imprisonment, and in such attempt doing any act towards the commission of the offence). The charges are in connection with the case pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 96 lakh during the chief ministerial tenure of the RJD chief. The fodder scam relates to fraudulent withdrawal of around 1,000 crore rupees by the Animal Husbandry department from various districts when Lalu was the Bihar chief minister from 1990 to 1997. On October 3, 2013, Lalu was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in another case of fodder scam by a special CBI court, which had disqualified him from membership of Parliament and also rendered him ineligible for contesting elections for 11 years. Besides Lalu, six other politicians and four retired IAS officers were also sentenced to prison terms for fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.7 crore from Chaibasa treasury (now in Jharkhand) when Lalu was heading the Janta Dal government in the early 1990s in erstwhile Bihar. (ANI)
Holding former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi responsible for creating the 1991 economic crisis, ex-media advisor to former prime minister Manmohan Singh Sanjay Baru has said heavy external borrowing coupled with withdrawal of support to the Chandrasekhar-led government 'put the country to the brink of the crisis.' "There are two reasons for the crisis of 1991, the first reason was the economic policies we followed after 1985, Rajiv Gandhi borrowed internationally very heavily and the fiscal deficit went up, Balance of Trade deficit went up and external debt to the country went up. The fiscal management by Rajiv Gandhi was criticised by many economists, but then a second factor which contributed the crisis was that when the V P Singh government fell. R Venkat Raman agreed to swear in a minority government, led by Chandrashekar, on the condition that Rajiv Gandhi will allow the government to present a budget in parliament and to deal with the crisis. Rajiv Gandhi gave him the assurance that he will not withdraw the support to Chandrashekhar. Just one week before the budget, however, Gandhi took the decision to withdraw support and did not allow Chandrashekhar to pass the budget. That one decision really put the country on the brink of a crisis," Baru told ANI while discussing key points about his second book titled "1991: How P V Narasimha Rao Made History." He said the advent of P.V. Narasimha Rao as Prime Minister in 1991 completely changed the nation's image. "We were at the verge of defaulting, our Balance Of Payment was in trouble, our foreign exchange reserves were coming down and India was on the verge of defaulting, and if we had defaulted in 1991 our status would have been like many African and Latin American countries. Chandrashekhar's government did not have a majority in the parliament, elections were called, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated, there was a crisis in the country, the Soviet Union had collapsed. In a very difficult year, Narasimha Rao, who was a heart patient and about to retire, became Prime Minister, and within one month of the formation of his government, he presented one of the major budgets in industrial policy reform and completely changed the image of India," he said. He also said that the Congress Party mistreated Rao and added that the party denied him a Bharat Ratna, giving it instead to former Tamil nadu chief minister M.G. Ramachandran. "I think his party treated him terribly. For a man who was the Prime Minister for five years, he was elected president of the Congress party. The Congress for the first time, after 20 years, had elections in 1992. He ran a congress government for five years, and yet when he died, they did not allow his body to come into the party headquarters, they did not allow the funeral to be held in Delhi, the party completely erased him. The party gave M.G. Ramchandra a Bharat Ratna, but did not give him a Bharat Ratna (ANI)
In yet another snub to Pakistan on the issue of terrorism, Bangladesh has also announced it will not attend the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad in November. In a communication Bangladesh sent yesterday to the SAARC Chair Nepal on the SAARC Summit in Islamabad, the Shiekh Haseena Government said that the growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the SAARC Summit. "Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere," the communication said. More UNI MK AKC CJ ADG 0900 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0432-953663.Xml
India's campaign to isolate Pakistan in the wake of Uri terror attack received thumbs up in the South Asia region as Bangladesh and Bhutan have also announced their decision to boycott the SAARC summit being hosted by Islamabad in November. In identical letter written by Dhaka and Thimpu to the SAARC chair Nepal, both the countries have expressed their inability to attend the summit in Islamabad in view of the prevailing circumstances. Afghanistan has already given a call to boycott the SAARC summit in Islamabad to isolate Pakistan for harbouring and exporting terrorism. "Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere,"Bangladesh government said in a communication. "In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," it said. Taking a similar line Bhutan government said in its communication to the SAARC chair that Thimpu has strong commitment to the SAARC process and strengthening of regional cooperation, but it was concerned on the recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad in November. "Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC summit, under the current circumstances," the communication said. UNI MK AKC ADG 0933 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0432-953682.Xml
The Youth Congress organized a protest in front of Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar's official residence yesterday evening against his alleged of anti-India remark. The protesters raising slogans against Sarkar termed him agent of China and demanded his arrested immediately with the intervention of the Union Home Ministry. Youth Congress leader Baptu Chakraborty who lead the protest said, "In the conclave our Chief Minister had given anti-India statement in front of foreigners and held back the image of India. His remark is totally unconstitutional and we demand that the Home Ministry of India take step and immediately arrest the Chief Minister for his anti-India statement." The Chief Minister recently during a connectivity summit here in presence of a Bangladesh Minister and other foreign delegates had allegedly said that India is playing a big brotherly attitude with its neighouring nations. Last Friday, the opposition Trinamool Congress (TMC) walked out of the Tripura Assembly protested and demanded withdrawal of the alleged derogatory remark against the country by Sarkar. TMC lawmaker Sudip Roy Barman alleged that Sarkar is echoing the voice of Pakistan. Barman said that Sarkar's remark in present of an international delegation especially at such a volatile time, when India is raising it voice against Pakistan at the UN after the recent killing of the 18 troopers at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir, is not only detrimental to the interest of the nation but also unconstitutional on the part of a Chief Minister of a state. However, the Chief Minister made it clear that he shall stick to his remark and being an Indian, he has every right to suggest the government of India. (ANI)
Armed criminals stabbed to death four members of a family in Veer Savarkar colony in Izzatnagar area of the district. Police sources here today said that the criminals attacked the family when they were sleeping. In the attack the head of the family and LIC agent Naresh Sethi, his wife Shikha, who runs a beauty parlour, their son Shub, a student of class X and their daughter Astha , an eight standard student were killed. Surprisingly, the crime was done on Monday late night but police came to know about it this morning. Senior police officials including the IG, DIG and SSP have rushed to the spot. Police did not rule out involvement of Bawariaya gang in the crime. Police was investigating the incident.UNI XC-MB CJ ADG 1131 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-953744.Xml
Uttar Pradesh BJP has remarked that present CM Akhilesh Yadav has totally proved himself as an icon of corruption after he re-inducted the tainted ministers like Gayatri Prasad Prajapati in the state ministry and there is all possibility that these ministers could be given important departments so that they can continue what they were doing in the past. State BJP general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said here that it is unfortunate that the people of the state are suffering due to the failures and the immoral attitude of the Samajwadi Party government. " The SP government is totally involved in corruption through its ministers and in the remaining term of the government, they will try to mint as much money as they can," he told reporters here. Commenting on the ongoing dispute within the first family of the Samajwadi Party, he said when there is no coordination between the government and the party hence anarchy prevails every where.He also said the law and order situation have deteriorated while the development works have come to standstill when chief minister Akhilesh Yadav is in loggerheads with the party and his father Mulayam Singh Yadav, " The crime rate has gone up and even in Lucknow, the state capital, for the past three days, criminals were attacking people in a particular locality of Para but police is sleeping and doing nothing," he alleged while claiming that the crimes in Bareilly and other parts of the state have too gone up.UNI MB CJ 1204 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-953763.Xml
As Government has sought cooperation from the parents and students besides separatists to put on track educational system again in the Kashmir valley, a number of educational institutions however, remained under the occupation of security forces, rushed here from different parts of the country to maintain law and order. All the educational institutions, which were scheduled to reopen on July 17 after availing summer vacation from July Ist, remained closed following violence, that left 84 people dead and over 9500 others injured in security force action after the death of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Burhan Wani and two other militants on July 8. Meanwhile, local media reports that Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) has warned Minister for Education Naeem Akhtar not to force reopening of educational institutions in the valley, where present uprising is in favour of the demand of right to self determination. Mr Naeem has recently quoted the verses of Holy Quran about importance of education among the children. In an interview to a private television channel and Doordarshan recently, he has appealed people to allow resumption of classes in the valley, where the State Board of School Education (SBOSE) has announced 10th and 12th class examinations in second week of November. The examinations were scheduled to be held in October. Mr Naeem has said that even separatists are not against resumption of education which was necessary to help our children to complete in state and national level competitions. However, the decision of the SBOSE to conduct examinations evoked sharp reaction from students and parents alleging that in some educational institutions even 50 per cent syllabus has not been completed. Students in Bandipora and some other areas have already to boycott the examinations since they have not completed their syllabus yet. They demanded that examinations be held in March. However, Mr Naeem, who refused any concession in the syllabus said that to allow students prepare for competitive examinations next week, it was necessary that students appear in examinations in November to get enough time for preparation for medical and engineering examinations. He said that competition was necessary as it was seen that eight class students are not able to solve even 2nd class papers. However, the comment of the minister came under severe criticism as people said this situation is witnessed only in government schools only.MORE ABS YSS CJ 1354 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0433-953975.Xml
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday gave its approval to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field of Industrial Property Cooperation between Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), Ministry of Law, Government of Singapore. The MoU will be signed at the upcoming visit of Singapore's Prime Minister to India from 4-7 October. The MoU will enhance bilateral cooperation activities in the arena of Industrial Property Rights of Patents, Trademarks and Industrial Designs. It is intended to give a boost to innovation, creativity and technological advancement in both regions. The Priority initiatives under the MoU would be: -Exchange of best practices, experiences and knowledge on Intellectual Property awareness among the public, businesses and educational institutions of both countries. -Exchange of experts specialized in the field of intellectual property. -Exchange and dissemination of best practices, experiences and knowledge on IP with the industry, universities, R & D organizations and Small and Medium Enterprises. -Cooperation in the development of automation and implementation of modernization projects -Partnership in IP-related training for local IP and business communities. The MoU will enable India to exchange experiences in the innovation and IP ecosystems that will substantially benefit entrepreneurs, investor and businesses on both sides. The exchange of best practices between the two countries will lead to improved protection and awareness about India's range of Intellectual creations which are as diverse as its people. It will be a landmark step forward in India's journey towards becoming a major player in global innovation and will further the objectives of the National IPR Policy, 2016. (ANI)
The approval is in pursuance of the Regulation 1/10 of International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) for Seafarers, 1978, as amended.

The signing of the undertaking will pave the way for the recognition of maritime education and training, certificates of competency, endorsements, training documentary evidence and medical fitness certificates for seafarers issued by the government of the other country.

It is done in accordance with the provisions of regulation 1/10 of the STCW Convention, and cooperation between the two countries in the training, certification and management of seafarers.(ANI)
The Quality Council of India (QCI) has awarded open defecation free (ODF) certitifcates to 20 urban local bodies in Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. In a media release, the QCI said that it had conducted stringent inspections and that led to Ministry of Urban Development declaring the following urban local bodies to be open defecation free - Telangana (5 ULBs): Suryapet, Shadnagar, Siddipet, Achampet, Huzurnagar Andhra Pradesh (1 ULB): Vijaywada Gujarat (11 ULBs): Kadodra, Mandvi (Surat), Shahera, Vallabh Vidhyanagar, Bareja, Kadi, Mansa, Rapar, Mandvi (Kutch), Salaya, Vanthli Karnataka (3 ULBs): Mysore, Udupi, and Mangalore Keeping up with the celebrations of "Swachhta Saptah", the above mentioned urban local bodies have been awarded the Swachhata Certificates by QCI over the course of this week. Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman, Quality Council of India, said "Being open defecation free (ODF) is the first step towards making India Swachh. Swachhta certificates recognise the tremendous efforts by citizens and the civic authorities who worked tirelessly to achieve ODF status. Many ULBs had to be inspected several times before they met the rigorous standards. This is a huge morale booster for the citizens and the civic authorities and for India as a whole. The continuous evaluation nature of the Swachhta certificate ensures accountability and benchmarks the progress of all cities, pushing them to continuously improve and keep the spirit of the Swachh Bharat Mission alive." Dr. R P Singh, Secretary General at QCI, said "I want to congratulate all the cities who are being awarded the Swachhta certificate and those who are making steady progress in this direction. Quality Council of India adopts a robust, transparent process in declaring any city as Open Defecation Free. As a partner in Swachh Bharat Mission, QCI adopts an independent stance and ensures a fair assessment of the initiative's progress." For a city to declare itself as Open Defecation Free (ODF) and receive this prestigious Swachhata Certificate, a very robust process was adopted. A city has to adhere to all the necessary conditions on infrastructure and regulations. Along with the declaration from the ward councillors, a declaration from the head of every school is undertaken that the school has required infrastructure. The school also has to ensure that their staff and students along with their family members use a toilet at their home or a community toilet for defecation. Post the declarations by the ward councillors, head of every school, self-help groups, the same were sent to the Mayor or the Chairperson who then made a self-declaration. Thereon, a third party inspection by QCI was conducted. Based on the result of the assessment, QCI declared the city to be Open Defecation Free. Moreover, QCI conducted a two pronged validation for each city to access the ODF status. First, was the validation of documents wherein a senior surveyor visited the ULB office to check all the declarations that were obtained during the protocol. Apart from this, QCI also looked at construction of public/community toilets built during the last few years, action plan and result of any survey conducted for construction of toilets, and also campaigns run by the municipality for increasing the awareness about the Swachh Bharat Mission and about Open defecation in particular. Second is direct observation that included visit to select slums residential areas, schools, commercial areas, railway stations/ railway tracks/bus stands/water bodies randomly by one or two surveyors. In addition to taking photographs and videos of the sites with date and time stamp, the surveyors even interacted with the local population collect citizen feedback. The findings were then reviewed and assessed. Since, such a stringent process has been followed for assessing the cities on open defecation status, less than 70 percent of the cities assessed so far have been declared to be ODF. (ANI)
Armed criminals looted Rs 5.34 lakh from Bhadwa branch of Madhya Bihar Gramin Bank under Rafiganj police station area in the district today. Police said about six armed men barged into the bank and looted cash by holding the employees and customers at gun point. They escaped with the booty unchallenged. A manhunt had been launched and inter border districts sealed to nab the robbers after the cashier of the bank lodged an FIR with the Rafiganj police station in the district. UNI XC DH PL RSA AN1453 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0211-954018.Xml
As many as 732 farmers had committed suicide last month, that is, the number of suicide cases have shot by 71 as compared to last month, it said.

Following heavy rain this year, the standing crops on several lakh hectares have been damaged.

Of total 813 suicides in the region, 510 suicides cases were found eligible for compensation and it was provided in 500 cases by the respective district administrations in the region to the kin of victim farmers.

Claims of 213 were rejected by the respective district administrations following an inquiry, while in theremaining 90 cases inquiries are in progress on respective district level.

Beed district recorded the highest 181 deaths followed by 130 in Nanded district, 124 in Osmanabad district, 108 in Aurangabad 92 in Latur, 74 in Parbhani, 64 in Jalna district while the lowest 37 were registered in Hingoli, the report added.UNI VKB NV PY AN1450

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Maharashtra Navnirman Chitrapat Karmachari Sena, film wing of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, today made it clear that they will not allow release any film, that has Pakistani actor in it. President of Maharashtra Navnirman Chitrapat Karmachari Sena said, "As we had given 48 hours ultimatum to Pakistani artistes to leave India, today not a single Pakistani artiste is in the country, either they have gone back to Pakistan or Dubai. It is not a issue where they have gone, but they are not in India. "Our protests are not over yet. I respect Zee's Subhash Chandraji for stopping all Pakistani serials onZindagi channel. I also thank Pahlaj Nihalani for his support and Colors channel for agreeing not to take any Pakistani artistes in Comedy Nights Bachao and Bigg Boss." "The day Pakistan stops terrorist attacks then only we will extend our hand of friendship. After the attacks, none of these Pakistani actors condemned it. We are not protesting against art and cinema, we are protesting against Pakistani actors," he said. "We have no enmity with either Karan Johar or Shah Rukh Khan or any other, our issue is with Pakistani actors. When Paris attacks took place, Pakistani actors condemned and expressed sympathy. But, what about Uri attacks? " Mr Khopkar asked. Speaking on the occasion, Maharashtra Navnirman Chitrapat Karmachari Sena General Secretary Shalini Thackeray said, "We thank all people for supporting us, our agitation has not ended yet, we will not allow the screening of a film that has Pakistani actor."UNI ST NV SM RSA BD1635 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0169-954231.Xml
Union Minister of State for Finance Santosh Gangwar said today that after Fidayeen attack on military base at Uri sector of Jammu & Kashmir, India's successful diplomacy have exposed Pakistan as a 'terror exporter'. In a programme organised here Mr Gangwar said, "Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi is raising the terrorism activities sponsored by Pakistan inside and outside the country and at a suitable time he will counter Pakistan against its activities. Mr Gangwar said that all the parties are standing with ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the point of security of the nation. Praising BJP government, Mr Gangwar said in the fine leadership of the PM, India has made its place among top leading countries. He said BJP government has taken initiative to move towards developed India. Mr Gangwar said that Mr Modi's efforts of direct conversation with public are yielding good results.UNI XC-JDM MB SHS SB 1844 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0329-954683.Xml
Two people were killed on the spot and four others injured, two critically, when their car hit a tree, near Sector-I at Visakhapatnam Steel Plant(VSP) Township area in the city today. The deceased were identified as P Appalaraju (25), resident of Gajuwaka area in Vizag and U Datteswara Rao (20) a native of Srikakulam. Police said that over-speeding was the cause for the fatal accident. After the driver lost control over the vehicle, the car first hit a buffalo that was crossing the road and then hit a divider and came to a halt after smashing into a tree on roadside. The police said that the six people were returning to Gajuwaka after attending a local deity festival at Ramagiri area under Atchutapuram Mandal in the district. He said the critically injured were shifted to a corporate hospital in the city. A case has been registered and investigation is on, police said.UNI BSR SHS SB 1852 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0329-954730.Xml
National carrier Air India and Air Austral have signed a free flow code share agreement. This agreement will enable Air India to code share on Air Austral operated flights on the Chennai-Reunion-Chennai sector as well as beyond Reunion to/from Johannesburg, Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar. Reciprocally, Air Austral will put its marketing code on Air India operated flights beyond Chennai to/from Mumbai, Delhi and Kochi. Under the agreement, Air India, member of the prestigious Star Alliance, will offer its passengers flights departing from India to Saint-Denis de La Runion via Chennai with the Chennai/Saint-Denis flight operated by Air Austral. The passengers of Air India will be able to connect in Saint-Denis on flights beyond to/from Johannesburg, Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar operated by Air Austral. Similarly, Air Austral will offer its customers flights from Reunion to Chennai and beyond to/from Mumbai, New Delhi and Kochi on flights operated by Air India. Air Austral has been operating on the route Reunion Island-Chennai-Bangkok since 19th February 2013. From the beginning of November 2016, Bangkok will be discontinued, leaving all the capacity available to the Reunion Island Chennai service. The code share will initially be implemented on the Reunion-Chennai-Reunion sector from 16th September 2016. Code share on the other sectors is likely to be implemented subsequently.Commenting on the agreement, Seema Srivastava, Executive Director, Strategy and Planning, Air India said, "As a National Carrier and Star Alliance member carrier, Air India feels honoured to enter into this code-share agreement with Air Austral. This agreement will enable Air India to reach out to destinations in the Indian Ocean and Africa. We look forward to expand our relationship with Air Austral in future. Air India already has code share partnerships with 14 other prestigious airlines across the globe and Air Austral will be the 15th code share partner of Air India." From Air Austral, Jean-Marc Grazzini, Executive Vice-President Commercial Division said, "Air Austral is pleased with this partnership which offers new Indian Ocean development opportunities from Reunion's Roland Garros airport. It reflects our commitment to cooperate with airline partners in the region in order to enhance our customer offerings. With Air India, we will offer an increase of choice of destinations in India for our passengers and the connectivity of Reunion Island to the Indian Ocean will be greatly improved." UNI ADP RSA 1916 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0429-954830.Xml
The meeting is part of India's commitment to global efforts tocombat nuclear terrorism, Atomic Energy Commission Chairman SekharBasu told the 60th General Council meeting of IAEA at Vienna today.

His speech copy was made available here.

The meeting is of Implementation and Assessment Group of theGlobal Initiative to Combating Nuclear Terrorism.

Dr Basu said India had continued active engagement on nuclearsecurity issues through participation in the Nuclear Security Summitprocess, the Global Initiative to Combating Nuclear Terrorism, andthrough the activities of India's own Global Centre for NuclearEnergy Partnership. India believes that IAEA is the right globalplatform to discuss nuclear security issues.

He also announced a contribution of one million dollar to theIAEA's Nuclear Security Fund this year. This followed a similarcontribution made by India in 2013.

India would also be participating in IAEA's InternationalMinisterial Conference on Nuclear Security in December this year.UNI CNR RS CS 1821

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The United Kingdom's Department for International Development will support Madhya Pradesh's growth programmes especially in skill development and economical housing projects. "Numerous companies shall come to Madhya Pradesh as partners in progress," the UK's Secretary of State for International Development Priti Patel assured Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during his ongoing London visit, an official release said. Addressing members of the UK branch of the Friends of Madhya Pradesh, Mr Chouhan urged them to be in touch with the state so that their expertise and knowledge could be harnessed.The Chief Minister is visiting London to study smart city management strategies and explore possibilities of cooperation in skill development. During his sojourn, he met various investors and invited them to the state.The Chief Minister also held one-to-one dialogue with industrialists.UNI AC PS SB 1948 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0044-954902.Xml
Haryana Congress Legislature Party leader Kiran Choudhry today flayed the state BJP government for wasting crores of rupees of tax payer's money on holding the Happening Haryana Global Investors' Summit in Gurgaon and on foreign jaunts by ministers and officials, ostensibly to woo foreign investment. "Forget bringing FDI, facts reveal that investment and job creation in the state has dipped during the last two years. The BJP Government should stop fooling people with false and loud-mouthed claims," the former excise and taxation minister said in a statement here. She said the latest data made available by the state government shows that the BJP Government fared worse than the Congress regime from the standpoint of attracting investment and creation of jobs. While under the Congress rule between 2005-06 to 2013-14, as many as 407 projects were implemented involving investment of Rs 25,816.08 crore and 1,15,888 people got jobs, during the two-year BJP rule (2014-2016), only 18 units were set up at an estimated investment of Rs 670.13 crore and only 3,023 new jobs were created, she added.UNI DB SB RAI2116 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0292-955111.Xml
Maintaining that war is never an option to resolve the issues, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today pitched for amicable relations between India and Pakistan to fight the poverty and economic deprivation plaguing the region. She underlined the need of a bilateral dialogue to resolve the issues."The two nuclear armed neighbors must cooperate in the fields of social development, including eradication of poverty and with their growing economies and energy needs, and the need for newer, more diverse markets and trading opportunities, the future of the troubled region has to be defined by common economic interests instead of hostilities," the Chief Minister said while addressing a function here in connection with the launch of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).Under PMUY, 5 crore free LPG connections will be provided to BPL families across the country during the next three years. For Jammu and Kashmir, a target of 35 lakh connections has been set under PMUY out of which 1 lakh connections area to be provided during next 15 days."Instead of fighting wars with each other, the two countries should join hands to eradicate poverty and to address social problems plaguing the region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Pakistan with this message on behalf of people of J&K but the Pathankote incident shattered that process," she said.The Chief Minister said as in any violent situation, the womenfolk have suffered the most in the state. In Kashmir, women have become primary victims of the violent situation over the last three decades which hasn't led us anywhere. "Our party became the harbinger of peace when my father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, spoke of nursing the wounds of people when the memory of Kargil war was still afresh," she said."In times of war, Mufti Sahab urged India and Pakistan to get involved in talks and start a process of reconciliation. In 2002, we formed the government with Congress when NDA was ruling at the Centre. Atal Ji (Bihari Vajpayee) understood Mufti Sahab point of view and started CBMs which ushered the state in a new era of peace and prosperity," she added.The Chief Minister said her Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), of which she is the president, entered into an alliance with the BJP to take forward the mission of restoration of peace in Jammu and Kashmir. If the Centre walks one step towards the people of Kashmir, they will respond with 10 steps which is what made Atalji one of the most popular Indian leader among Kashmiris, she said.More UNI ABS ASM SB BD2029 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0433-954992.Xml
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi will arrive in this Assam city on Thursday to appear before a local court here in a defamation case, a party leader said. An RSS volunteer had filed a defamation suit against Gandhi last year and the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup after examining different witnesses asked Gandhi to appear before the court on September 29. A spokesman of Congress' state unit said that Gandhi will arrive in Guwahati around 9 a.m. and will appear before the court at around 10.30 am. Later he is also expected to address a meeting of party workers before returning to New Delhi the same evening. The case is regarding Gandhi's visit to the Barpeta Satra, a 16th century Vaishnavite monastery on December 12 last year. He was supposed to enter the Satra before taking part in a road show, organised nearby, but did not do so and instead hit the road show directly. Later in New Delhi, he told media persons that some RSS workers prevented him from entering the Satra. He also alleged that the RSS have incited the local women to prevent him from entering the Satra. An RSS volunteer filed the defamation suit against Gandhi not only denying the role of RSS into the incident but also alleging that Gandhi's statement to media in New Delhi had tarnished the image of Satra. --IANS ah/vd ( 242 Words) 2016-09-28-22:58:08 (IANS)
Acting on a tip-off, a team of Crime Branch unit number one laid a trap near the Central Bus Stand area of city and arrested two accused, Sachin Talpade and Ankush Gangurde, yesterday.

The police team also seized 20 motorcycles worth Rs 4.25 lakh from them, police said today.

During interrogation, police found out that Talpade, a resident of Soamthane village in Ahmednagar district, had stolen 16 motorcycles from Shahapur, Kalyan, Thane and parts of Nashik.

While, Gangurde, a resident of Pimpalgaon in Nashik, had stolen four motorcycles from Trimbakeshwar, Vani, Dindori and Pimpalgaon.

A case of robbery under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code has been registered against the duo, sources said, adding, further investigation is underway.UNI RDS SS SB 2316

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Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu today set the tone for restructuring the people-friendly health insurance scheme of the state government Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister's Universal Health Insurance Scheme (APCMUHIS) for the people of the state. Constituting a committee to be headed by Tezu legislator Dr Mahesh Chai as Chairman and Special Secretary Health Prince Dhawan with members from the state health department associated with APCMUHIS, he called for a comprehensive first-hand report with suggestions on restructuring the scheme by October 30. The Committee will study in detail if needed make field visits to empanelled hospitals the implementation process of the scheme at ground zero and suggest the state government ways and means to do away with the hurdles faced by beneficiaries in availing cashless treatment in empaneled hospitals. "This scheme is one of the most benevolent that provides direct benefit to the people, particularly the poor who cannot afford medical expenses. This must continue and we are committed to do away with all the issues confronting its smooth implementation at the ground level," Mr Khandu asserted while chairing a meeting here today with departmental officials, representatives of New India Assurance Company and Third Party Administrator (TPA). Insisting that the universal health insurance scheme should be 'seamless', the Chief Minister called for its restructuring so that beneficiaries can avail the scheme without any hurdle whenever in need. "We have learned many things in the past two years of its implementation. We need to now correct the process wherever there is any loophole and its benefits should flow to the needy seamlessly," he observed, official report said. Taking feedbacks from health officials, Mr Khandu categorically pointed that the scheme is picture-perfect at the policy level. However, he said corrective measures need to be adopted by the TPA (which deals with insurance claims directly with patients) and the insurance company at the implementation stage besides adopting a monitoring mechanism for empanelled hospitals, especially private hospitals outside the state. Attending the meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Principal Advisor to CM Kameng Dolo, Health Minister Jomde Kena and legislators P D Sona, Gabriel D Wangsu and Bamang Felix made several suggestions to streamline the scheme besides pointing out difficulties faced by the people while availing its benefits in hospitals. The suggestions made would be incorporated in the final report of the Committee. UNI PB BM SB 2221 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0214-955058.Xml
In an interview with TOLOnews, Habiburrahman maintained that his father will not attend the signing ceremony scheduled to take place at the Presidential Palace in Kabul, but will speak via a video link.

He said Hizb-e-Islami will not apologiSe for its role in the civil war and in the killing of innocent people.

He also said the international community has assured them that the restrictions on Hekmatyar will be lifted.

Responding to remarks by the human rights commission and families of victims that spoke out against Hizb-e-Islami, he said, "More than 80,000 disabled persons are registered in the Hizb-e-Islami council. Our goal is to give privileges to the families of victims of the jihad period."

Meanwhile, reports suggested that a number of Members of Parliament called on the Afghan government to hold up its side of the agreement with Hizb-e-Islami.

The draft peace agreement between the Afghan Government and Hezb-e-Islami party was signed last week.

Afghan National Security Adviser Mohammad Hanif Atmar signed the agreement on behalf of the government, while Mohammad Amin Karim signed the agreement on behalf of Hezb-e-Islami.

The agreement was signed after almost six months of continued negotiations between the two. (ANI)
During the meeting, the Madhesi parties expressed their concern over the agreement that three major parties - Nepali Congress, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) and Dahal's Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre - made on local restructuring, reports the Himalayan Times.

According to a statement issued by the Dahal's Secretariat, the Prime Minister in response said the local restructuring would be done taking into consideration concerns of all parties.

When the Madhesi leaders inquired about the proposal on amendment of the Constitution, Dahal told them that the homework was being done for the same, while advising them not to cast suspicion over the government. (ANI)
Advisor to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Tuesday warned India that if it revokes the Indus Water Treaty, Islamabad would treat it as "an act of war", adding that such a step would "provide China a justification to consider the suspension of waters of the Brahmaputra river". Speaking at the National Assembly, Aziz said the Indian act can be taken as a breach of international peace, which will give Islamabad a good reason to approach the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). "Its revocation can be taken as an act of war, or a hostile act against Pakistan. It is highly irresponsible on the part of India to even consider revocation of the Indus Water Treaty. Unilateral revocation of IWT can pose a threat to Pakistan and its economy. This Indian act can be taken as a breach of international peace, and hence, will give Pakistan a good reason to approach the UNSC," Aziz said. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met with officials to review provisions of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan. New Delhi ruled out cancelling the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan but is looking for ways of increasing its use of waters that flow from India but are controlled by Pakistan. This development comes as ties between India and Pakistan have hit a new low following the Uri attack in Kashmir in which 18 Indian soldiers were killed. Aziz maintained that statements and actions from the Indian leadership for considering unilateral revocation of the Indus Water Treaty are a blatant violation of International law, and also constitute a breach of the Indus Water Treaty. "The Treaty is of indefinite duration, and was never intended to be time-specific, or event-specific. The treaty is binding on both the states equally and offers no exit provision. There is an arbitration mechanism provided in the Indus Water Treaty to resolve the disputes related to the implementation of the Treaty only," he added. Asserting that according to international law and provisions of the Indus Water Treaty, India cannot unilaterally revoke IWT, the advisor said the move will not only undermine India's international standing but also pertains considerable risk of war and hostilities. "It will not only violate Indus Water Treaty but also set a regional state practice under which international law can serve as a precedent. It will provide China, for example, a justification to consider a suspension of waters of the Brahmaputra river. India has already damaged its credentials by even considering invoking IWT and disrupting water flows into Pakistan," he said. The treaty was inked in 1960 by the India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and then Pakistan President Ayub Khan, which allocates 80 percent of water to Pakistan from the six-river Indus Water System, including Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum that flows from India to Pakistan. The treaty, brokered by the World Bank, is often considered to be one-sided and there has been growing clamour to relook at it. The pact has survived wars and phases of frosty ties between India and Pakistan. According to reports, India currently generates about 3,000 megawatts of energy from hydropower plants along rivers in Kashmir, but believes the region has the potential to produce 18,000 megawatts. (ANI)
Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry on Tuesday said India's position on the Kashmir issue had been rejected by the world at the United Nations General Assembly, adding that New Delhi's claim regarding Kashmir is "a total lie". In an interview to PTV, Chaudhary said India has failed to divert the world attention from the Kashmir issue by talking about the Uri attack. He said the blame of an incident could be put on someone when even the investigation had not been started. He said Kashmir has been on the agenda of the UN Security Council with several resolutions on the issue, and India's claim regarding Kashmir is a total lie. The Pakistan Foreign Secretary said that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and the secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation also expressed their concern over the Kashmir issue, whereas Turkey demanded sending a fact finding mission to Kashmir. Reiterating Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's claim that Burhan Wani has emerged as the leader of the new intifada in Kashmir, Radio Pakistan reported Chaudhry as saying, "Islamabad would continue extending moral, diplomatic, and political support to the Kashmir." Talking about India and Pakistan dialogue, Chaudhary said, "Pakistan never denied any talks with India, and it is India that suspended or cancelled talks on one pretext or the other." (ANI)
Stooping low in their act, the website says, "Like majority of Pakistanis, the US-based tech giant considers India as a 'Namak Haram country'".

Reports suggest that the Pakistan media are trying to troll India; however, it could either be a glitch or handiwork of some hackers playing with the Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).

'Namak Haraam' is one of India's most famous Hindi movies which starring Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna in the lead.

The story is about a class war that divides two friends and considering it as a classic film in India, it still remains one of the finest movies of India.

So when, a person types the word country after the name of the movie, Google will show the flag and the map of the country where the movie was made. (ANI)
Economic Relations Secretary Amar Sinha has said one Mutual of Understanding (MOU) on Standards and four Letters Of Intent related to the health sector, transfer of prisoners, renewable energies and customs have been signed between India and Nigeria. "There was only one MOU signed, which was on standards between our Bureau of Standards and Nigerian Standard Organisation, but we did sign because there were number of MOUs that were at very advanced stages of consideration, but they could not be finalised in time because of certain difficulties like understanding procedural delays, or even interpretation. So, what we did is we signed letters of intent outlining four MOUs which we would work towards, one - Cooperation in health sector, two - Transfer of sentenced prisoners, three - Renewable energies and four - Customs cooperation," he said. Sinha said the meeting between Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari held on Tuesday, was focused upon range of issue covering Information and technology, agriculture, defence cooperation and civil use of nuclear energy. He said that Nigeria has expressed its interest in collaborating with Indian rice producers in the area of rice processing technology and was willing to produce more pulses for Indian markets. "Agriculture was a key focus for them, both in terms of supplier of pulses, they were encouraged by the fact that India has huge demand and they have land and they feel that they could produce pulses for Indian market. Besides, they would want to collaborate in rice production they now that they can grow rice but they need a rice processing technology and rice mills that was something they wanted to collaborate with Indian rice producers," Sinha said. Acknowledging Nigeria as the major power in Africa, the Economic Relations Secretary said that it has an important say in key areas like United Nations Security Council reforms. Sinha said that India, during the delegation-level talks, has offered assistance in the area of space technology and applications of remote sensing. He said that the Nigerian government is willing to send a team to look at facilities and applications on the civil use of nuclear energy. "We offered assistance, during the delegation-level talks, in the areas of space technology and applications and remote sensing. We have invited their delegation to see our capabilities and discover areas that they can collaborate with India. Similarly, on applications of nuclear energy, they could be sending a team to look at our various facilities and various applications that we have put in place," he said. He said that the talks were aimed at taking the strategic partnership established in 2007 forward and to the next level, and therefore, it was necessary to give 'more content' and increase the area of cooperation between both countries. Vice President Ansari is on a five-day official visit to Nigeria and Mali as part of efforts to bolster New Delhi's ties with both West African nations. The historic State visit to Nigeria by then prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in October 2007 after a gap of over forty five years elevated the strategic partnership. Nigeria is India's largest trading partner in Africa with the bilateral trade amounting to USD 12.6 billion in 2015-16. India is also the largest buyer of crude oil from Nigeria, and more than 100 Indian companies have a large presence there as well as both the countries have strong defence cooperation. On the second leg of his trip, the Vice President will reach Mali on September 29 for the first ever high-level visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Modibo Keita. (ANI)
India and Nigeria have held discussions on the perception, exchange of information or intelligence related to terrorism and have agreed, if at all, to evolve joint action to counter this ever looming threat. Briefing the media over delegation-level talks between Vice President M. Hamid Ansari and his Nigerian counterpart Yemi Osinbajo here on Tuesday, Secretary, Economic Relations (ER), Ministry of External Affairs, Amar Sinha said, "Terrorism, of course, was a common theme and, of course, with a difference that Nigeria has been lucky that it has got collaborations and cooperation from all its neighbours unlike ours, where one of our neighbours seems to become a source for a lot of terrorist activities that happen in India." "The discussion on terrorism took place around the perception, exchange of information or intelligence and, the joint action that could be taken, if at all," said Sinha. "Nigeria is acting together with its neighbours and they are quite effectively reducing the space that the Boko Haram had occupied here before," he added. On the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Sinha said, "India says Nigeria is a influential member of the OIC and its needs to speak up, like all other members need to speak up at the OIC, so that the entire agenda and discourse are not hijacked by the one interested party, and since it is through consensus, if even one of them spoke up, you would have more balanced statements coming out of the OIC, especially on Jammu and Kashmir." "And, of course, we also made the point that the OIC; we don't see that they have a locus standi in Jammu and Kashmir," he added. When asked about the mention of the Uri terror attack during the talks, he said, "We apprised them of the Uri terror attack; whereas soon after the attack, on September 19, they met the acting High Commissioner in Delhi. So, I think, on behalf of the government, they have already condemned it." Vice President Ansari is on a five-day official visit to Nigeria and Mali as part of efforts to bolster New Delhi's ties with both West African nations. The historic State visit to Nigeria by then prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in October 2007 after a gap of over forty five years elevated the strategic partnership. Nigeria is India's largest trading partner in Africa with the bilateral trade amounting to USD 12.6 billion in 2015-16. India is also the largest buyer of crude oil from Nigeria, and more than 100 Indian companies have a large presence there as well as both the countries have strong defence cooperation. On the second leg of his trip, the Vice President will reach Mali on September 29 for the first ever high-level visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Modibo Keita. (ANI)
After India said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be going to Islamabad to attend the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit, scheduled to take place in November, Afghanistan has also pulled out of the meet. Sources said Afghanistan has communicated its inability to attend to current SAARC chair Nepal, saying, "Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, H.E. the President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the Summit." Earlier, Bangladesh and Bhutan had also expressed their inability to participate in the meet. While confirming about its non-participation, the Bangladesh Government sources said, "The growing interference in the internal affairs of Dhaka by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016." "Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," the sources added. Bhutan sources have also cited similar reasons for pulling out of the summit. The SAARC summit cannot take place even if one of the eight members withdraws. India on Tuesday announced that it would not attend the summit conveying the current SAARC Chair Nepal that in the prevailing circumstances, the Government of India is unable to participate in the proposed Summit. (ANI)
The top United Nations official in Libya called today for countries to support the fledgling national unity government of the North African country and do more to halt banned arms shipments there.UN envoy Martin Kobler also cited "positive signs" of management of Libya's oil sector and in ensuring that revenues go into the central bank's coffers.But Libya remains plagued by corruption and an absence of the rule of law, marked by "abominable" state-run detention centres holding migrants trying to reach Europe, he said.The fall of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 brought chaos that splintered Libya into rival armed fiefdoms. A UN-backed Government of National Accord has been trying for months to extend its authority beyond its base in Tripoli in western Libya."It is very important that the international community maintains cohesion in order to bring the Government of National Accord to a stage where it can effectively combat the questions on the table," Kobler told reporters after addressing the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.General Khalifa Haftar, who has been waging a military campaign against Islamists and other opponents in Benghazi and the east, has been in a stand-off with the GNA for months, blocking a parliamentary vote to endorse the GNA and challenging the UN-mediated deal to unify Libya.Kobler said Libya had 26 million weapons and a population of 6 million. All UN member states must respect the arms embargo - with no guns going to either side, he said."My position here is very clear. These weapons do not fall from the sky, they come via the sea, they come via land."Neighbouring countries in particular had an interest in preventing any spillover of the conflict, he said."This is of course Europeans, but this is also Egypt, Algeria, in particular the south. There is a link between the terrorism in Libya and with Boko Haram in the south."But the fact that Libya had one national oil company and one central bank, with slowly rising oil production, was a positive sign.Libya's Arabian Gulf Oil Company (AGOCO), a subsidiary of the National Oil Corporation, has raised its production to 261,000 barrels per day - 50,000 bpd higher than its output last week, spokesman Omran al-Zwai said yesterday."This is the lifeline for the Libyan people, that more money comes into the coffers of the central bank in order to improve the imports and to finance salaries and other basic needs and services for the population," Kobler said.REUTERS SDR 0051 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-953616.Xml
The United States plans to speed up deployment of the THAAD anti-missile system to South Korea, given the pace of North Korea's missile tests, and it will be stationed there "as soon as possible," a senior US official said today.Daniel Russel, assistant secretary of state for East Asia, also told a congressional hearing the United States was in discussions with international partners, including the European Union, to deny North Korea access to the international banking infrastructure, after its recent nuclear and missile tests.Russel told the Asia Pacific sub-committee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee the exact timing of the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system was matter for the Pentagon, but added:"Given the accelerating pace of North Korea's missile tests, we intend to deploy on an accelerated basis - I would say as soon as possible."Asked if the deployment was a "done deal," Russel replied: "Yes, I do."Russel told Reuters last week THAAD deployment was not negotiable as part of efforts to agree new UN sanctions on North Korea after its fifth nuclear test on September 9.China, whose full backing is widely seen as crucial for sanctions on North Korea to be effective, is strongly opposed to THAAD deployment and some experts have argued it should be part of talks on new UN measures.Asked at the hearing if consideration was being given to restricting North Korea's access to banking transaction services such as the Swift system, as was done with Iran, Russel replied:"The Swift system is not a US system, and therefore not under our direct control. I believe it's an EU system ... ."We are in discussions with our partners, including the EU, about tightening the application of sanctions and pressure, including and particularly to deny North Korea access to the international banking infrastructure that it has abused and manipulated in furtherance of its illicit programs."Our hope is that we will in fact ultimately be able to reach an agreement that will further restrict North Korea's access."Russel said the US government looked at North Korean banking activity "with a view to shutting down anything that might contribute to illicit programs." REUTERS SDR 0149 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-953623.Xml
US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his campaign has complained that debate moderator Lester Holt had targeted him for unfair questioning while neglecting to ask his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton about any of her various scandals. "They were leaving all of her little goodies out. They didn't ask her about, you know, much," Trump had said to Fox News on Tuesday. "But I was asked about my tax returns, which I've told about 500 times. .. - I think I really did well when we were asked normal questions. ... , but those questions are not answerable in a positive light," politico.com reported. However, Trump was upbeat overall about the debate, which he said "went really well" despite "some hostile questions." The Manhattan billionaire gave Holt a C+ for his performance as moderator, praising him for his issue-based questions in the first 45 minutes of the debate but attacking him as biased for a series of more direct questions. Holt had grilled him about a housing discrimination lawsuit filed against Trump's real estate company in the 1970s, even though it was Clinton who had brought up the Justice Department lawsuit. "I didn't think he did a bad job. ... you watch the last four questions, he hit me on birther, he hit me on a housing deal from many years ago that I settled with no recourse and no guilt," Trump said. "Well, he didn't ask her about the emails at all. He didn't ask her about her scandals. He didn't ask her about the Benghazi deal that she destroyed," Trump complained. Trump said Holt did not question Hillary about a lot of things, including her foundation. Attacking Holt became a running theme from Trump's campaign on Tuesday, as both his running mate and campaign manager took to the morning shows on television to criticise the moderator. They said that they were "disappointed that Lester did not get into some of the issues that had been in so much of the forefront of Hillary Clinton's candidacy - the FBI investigation, pay to play, ... Benghazi and Libya ..," GOP vice presidential candidate Mike Pence said on Good Morning America. Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway took a similar line, saying on CNN that there were topics she wished Holt would have raised. "I just would have liked .. more about Benghazi or e-mails or the Clinton foundation since these are very clearly in the news," she said. She pointed out that one of the "guests last night was Mark Geist, ..a Benghazi hero and survivor. ... I think it's a good reminder to .. Americans of what her (Clinton) record is on that particular issue." --IANS in/vm ( 449 Words) 2016-09-28-11:24:11 (IANS)
Pakistan has sought intervention from the World Bank over the issue of the Indus Waters Treaty urging it to prevent India from making 'illegal constructions' on the Neelum and Chenab rivers that is likely to reduce the flow into its down stream areas. "In the meeting with the Pakistani delegation, the World Bank committed itself to timely fulfilling itsobligations under the treaty while remaining neutral", a report in daily 'Dawn' based on a statementfrom Pakistan embassy in Washington, said today. A Pakistani delegation, led by Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali, met senior World Bank officials at its headquarters in Washington yesterday to discuss Pakistan's recent request for an arbitrationunder Article IX of the Indus Waters Treaty(IWT)-1960. The IWT is a water-distribution agreement between India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank and was signed in Karachi on September 19, 1960 by the then President Ayub Khan and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The treaty gives India complete rights to waters of the Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Sutlej and Beas) and gives Pakistan the rights over the Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab) with limitedallowance for use of water by India from the western rivers for purposes of, among others, powergeneration, the statement by embassy said. Its Article IX deals with arbitration of disputes between the parties concerning the interpretationor application of the treaty or the existence of any fact which, if established, might constitute a breach of the treaty. The treaty provides specific design criteria for any hydroelectric power plants to be built by India.MORE UNI XC SS -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0089-953740.Xml
Thailand ruled out today Zika as the cause of two cases of microcephaly but is investigating two other cases that could be the first linked to Zika in Southeast Asia of the condition that results in babies being born with small heads.Microcephaly is a rare birth defect that has been linked, in Brazil in particular, to the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which is spreading in Southeast Asia.Thai health authorities said yesterday they were investigating four suspected cases of Zika-related microcephaly in three babies and a 36-week old unborn baby.But today, Apichai Mongkol, director-general of the ministry's Department of Medical Sciences, said Zika had been ruled out as the cause in two of the cases."The test results showed that two did not have the Zika virus but it is still unclear with the other two because we found three flavivirus which means it could be dengue, Zika or meningitis," Apichai told Reuters."To be sure which of the three they contracted we need to investigate further."There are no specific tests to determine if a baby will be born with microcephaly but ultrasound scans in the third trimester of pregnancy can identify the problem, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).It was not clear which of the four cases had been ruled out as having a link to Zika.Zika has been linked to more than 1,800 confirmed cases of microcephaly in Brazil but there have been no confirmed cases of Zika causing the condition in Southeast Asia, according to the WHO.Microcephaly has several potential causes including various infections, exposure to toxins and malnutrition, the WHO says.Health authorities in Southeast Asia have reported a rising number of Zika cases with Thailand confirming 349 since January, including 33 pregnant women. Singapore has recorded 393, including 16 pregnant women.The Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam have also reported Zika cases.Thailand's public health ministry said earlier the four suspected microcephaly cases were not in Bangkok but it declined to say where they were found.The Bangkok Metropolitan Authority said today officials had confirmed 26 Zika cases in the city this month.The director-general of the Disease Control Department, Amnuay Gajeena, said out of 33 cases of pregnant women with Zika, eight had given birth without complications.There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika. An estimated 80 percent of people infected have no symptoms, making it difficult for pregnant women to know whether they have been infected.Zika was first identified in Uganda in 1947 and was first isolated in Asia in the 1960s. It was unknown in the Americas until 2014.REUTERS VS NS1113 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0440-953735.Xml
Former Israeli president and elder statesman Shimon Peres, a joint winner of the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize, died in hospital today at 93, two weeks after suffering a massive stroke.A campaigner for Middle East peace who played a seminal role in Israeli politics for nearly 70 years, Peres was mourned by world leaders and praised for his tireless engagement. US President Barack Obama said: "A light has gone out"."There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves, Obama said in a statement. "My friend Shimon was one of those people." Despite many decades of rivalry with Peres, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a right-winger who defeated then-Labour Party leader Peres in a 1996 election, praised him as a stalwart of the centre-left and a visionary. "There were many things we agreed upon, and the number grew as the years passed. But we had disagreements, a natural part of democratic life," Netanyahu said after holding a minute''s silence at a specially convened cabinet meeting. "Shimon won international recognition that spanned the globe. World leaders wanted to be in his proximity and respected him. Along with us, many of them will accompany him on his last journey to eternal rest in the soil of Jerusalem." His funeral would take place on Friday at the Mount Herzl cemetery in a section dedicated to "Great Leaders of the Nation". Obama, French President Francois Hollande and Britain''s Prince Charles are among those expected to attend, Israeli radio reported, although Israel''s Foreign Ministry could not immediately confirm the attendance list. An official announcement of Peres''s death was made at the Tel Hashomer hospital near Tel Aviv by his son Chemi and son-in-law Rafi Walden."His life ended abruptly when he was still working on his great passion, strengthening the country and striving for peace. His legacy will remain with us all," Walden, who was also Peres''s personal physician, said. There was no immediate formal statement from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Peres''s death. Peres was part of almost every major political development in Israel since its founding in 1948. In a career spanning nearly seven decades, he served in a dozen cabinets and was twice a prime minister. He was first elected to Israel''s parliament, the Knesset, in 1959 and barring a brief interlude in early 2006, held his seat for 48 years, until he became president in 2007. In every role he undertook - from forging Israel''s defence strategy in the 1950s to running his eponymous peace foundation - Peres was known for his energy and enthusiasm, even recording jokey YouTube videos into his 90s. "Optimists and pessimists die the same way," he said in 2005. "They just live differently. I prefer to live as an optimist."He shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with the late former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for reaching an interim peace deal in 1993, the Oslo Accords, which never turned into a lasting treaty. Rabin was assassinated in 1995 by an Israeli ultra-nationalist who opposed the interim accords, and it was Peres who took over as prime minister after Rabin''s death. Peres is widely seen as having gained nuclear capabilities for Israel by procuring the Dimona reactor from France while defence ministry director-general in the 1950s. As defence minister, he oversaw the 1976 Israeli rescue of hijacked Israelis at Entebbe airport in Uganda. In the Arab world, his legacy is tainted by the 1996 shelling of a United Nations compound in the village of Qana in southern Lebanon during an Israeli offensive. More than 100 civilians sheltering there were killed. Peres was prime minister at the time, and Israel said its forces had been aiming at militants firing rockets nearby. Peres was also seen to have done little to rein in the expansion of Israeli settlements on land captured during the 1967 Middle East war, even if he was not an aggressive proponent of a policy that Obama has described as an obstacle to peace. Since 2007, when he was elected president at his second attempt, Peres has played more of a ceremonial role, trying to raise Israel''s profile internationally while advocating for peace through his foundation and on foreign travels. Despite the vast influence he has had on Israel''s political landscape, his death is not expected to have an impact on already dim prospects for a return to peace talks with the Palestinians that collapsed in 2014. Peres had begun to scale back his activities after several health scares in recent months, including a stay in hospital after a minor heart attack this year. In September, he was fitted with a pacemaker, but continued to work at a high tempo. REUTERS PS VN1533 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-954169.Xml
A riot broke out at a Philippine prison today, killing one inmate and wounding three, all of whom had been expected to testify at a congressional inquiry on alleged criminal activity by the president's biggest critic.Rolando Asuncion, chief of the Philippines' corrections bureau, said a drug trafficker was stabbed to death in the brawl, and one of the three wounded men, kidnapper Jaybee Sebastian, had been scheduled to give evidence next week.Dates had not yet been set for testimony from the rest.The inquiry, initiated by allies of President Rodrigo Duterte, will test allegations that his rival, Senator Leila de Lima, a former justice minister, was colluding with prison inmates and taking payments from them to fund her poll campaign.Asuncion dismissed a suggestion by House speaker Pantaleon Alvarez that the riot could have been an attempt to derail the inquiry, however."It's just a plain riot," he told reporters. "This is just a usual occurrence in prisons."Senators this month ousted De Lima from the leadership of a panel investigating a spate of nearly 3,000 killings during Duterte's three-month-old war on drugs, squashing a rare domestic challenge to his high-profile crackdown."We don't want him dead," Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre told reporters, referring to the wounded Sebastian."We're counting on him to spill the beans, he goes direct to De Lima."The killings have drawn widespread international criticism, including from the United Nations, drawing angry responses from Duterte.But De Lima's removal, and the subsequent inquiry, show how much clout Duterte has won during his short time in office.At a news conference, De Lima expressed anger at what she called the "mafia tactics" being used to get prisoners to cooperate in the case against her.Duterte, about to leave on a two-day visit to neighbouring Vietnam, urged his staunchest critic to take a rest."If she continues yakking there, she would have a nervous breakdown," he said. REUTERS PS NS1542 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-954225.Xml
ISPR Spokesman Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa tweeted, "The exercise brings value to both sides."

The update followed as the operations drills codenamed 'Druzhbha-2016', a Russian word meaning "friendship" got into full swing, reports Dawn.

Lieutenant General Hidayat-ur-Rehman, the Commander of Peshawar Corps visited the troops taking part in the exercise in Cherat and interacted with them.

The exercise is said to continue till October 10.

Army Chief General Raheel Sharif is expected to attend the concluding ceremony.

Pakistan and Russia have a defence cooperation agreement which was signed in November 2014, which provides for cooperation for promoting international security, intensification of counterterrorism efforts and arms control activities, strengthening collaboration in various military fields and sharing experiences. (ANI)
Pippa Middleton, younger sister of Britain's Duchess of Cambridge, won a court injunction today banning publication of 3,000 photos allegedly hacked from her iCloud account.No details of the photos have been made public but newspapers have speculated they include images of the Duchess, Kate Middleton, her husband Prince William and the couple's children Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who are currently touring Canada.The injunction obtained at the High Court by Pippa Middleton, 33, and her fiance James Matthews, 40, blocks publication of the photos."The evidence points towards its having been a flagrant and dishonest act which has caused the claimant some considerable distress," said Middleton's lawyer, Adam Wolanski.Neither Middleton nor Matthews were in court.Website designer Nathan Wyatt, 35, of Wellingborough, in the county of Northamptonshire in central England, has been arrested and bailed on suspicion of a Computer Misuse Act offence in connection with the case.He has been ordered to return to a south London police station in November.REUTERS PS VN1642 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-954372.Xml
Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said his country was yet to receive any official communication from India, and it came to know about New Delhi's decision only through External Affairs Ministry's tweet, according to Radio Pakistan.

Mr Zakaria said Pakistan was committed to regional peace and would continue its effort to make the regional initiative a success in the broader interest of the people.

Besides India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan have also announced their decision to boycott the Summit to be held in Pakistan in November, saying that the prevailing atmosphere was not conducive for holding the event.

India decided to boycott the regional event as part of a series of step to isolate Pakistan diplomatically following the Uri terror attack that left 18 Indian soldiers dead.UNI NAZ DS RSA 1729

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China today called on Pakistan and India to solve their differences over Kashmir, as tensions mount between the neighbours after an attack killed 18 Indian soldiers in an attack on Uri brigade headquarters in J&K.Beijing "hopes that Pakistan and India will strengthen channels for dialogue, appropriately handle any differences, improve bilateral relations and together protect the region's piece and stability", a deputy foreign minister told Pakistan's special envoys to China for Kashmir, according to the foreign ministry website.The deputy minister, Liu Zhenmin, also told the envoys that China values Pakistan's position on Kashmir.REUTERS PS-RP1840 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-954727.Xml
A summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation set for Islamabad in November may be called off, as several countries have decided not to attend amid rising tension between India and Pakistan, officials said today.India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan have expressed their "inability" to attend the summit, a senior foreign ministry official in Nepal said.India's foreign ministry yesterday announced its decision to skip the meeting, saying "increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of member states by one country" had created an environment that was not conducive.India has blamed Pakistan for a deadly assault this month on an army base in the Uri of Jammu & Kashmir that has heightened fears of a new conflict between the neighbours.Pakistan, which rejects the accusations, called India's move to pull out of the SAARC summit "unfortunate".A Bangladesh foreign ministry official said Dhaka had told Nepal it would not attend because of Pakistan's interference in its internal affairs.The two countries have been in a diplomatic spat over executions by Bangladesh of people convicted of crimes during its 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.Junior foreign affairs minister Mohammad Shahriar Alam said Dhaka had told Pakistan, which is chairing the meeting, of its "inability to attend the summit due to our engagements".Rishi Adhikari, the foreign affairs adviser to Nepal's prime minister Prachanda, said the Himalayan nation's government would discuss the matter with SAARC members so that there was "no long-term effect" on the regional grouping.REUTERS PS-RP1853 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-954793.Xml
In what is being seen as a snub to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, India and three other member countries have announced their decision to boycott the 19th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, sealing the fate of the annual regional event slated to be held in Islamabad in November. The decision is perceived as a diplomatic victory for India in its attempt to isolate Pakistan over cross border terrorism, especially the Uri attack. Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh have shared India's concern while announcing their boycott. Bangladesh has also accused Pakistan in interfering in its internal matters. Under the SAARC rules, if anyone of the member countries boycotts the summit, there is no option but to postpone the event, External Affairs Ministry sources said. ''India has communicated its official decision to Nepal, and it was now for that country to take a formal decision in consultation with Pakistan,'' they told UNI. One of the options was to persuade Pakistan to shift the venue of the summit to some other country, they said However, Pakistan, while describing the boycott decision as ''unfortunate'', said that it would go ahead with the summit.More UNI NAZ-MK RP1955 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0091-954962.Xml
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urged US Secretary of State John Kerry to make good on US pledges to separate Washington-oriented units of Syrian opposition from "terrorist groups", Russia's Foreign Ministry said today.Lavrov told Kerry in a telephone conversation that warlords from the Nusra Front had openly spoken about foreign support, including supplies of US weapons. The Nusra Front was recently renamed Jabhat Fatah al Sham.The two diplomacy chiefs also discussed possible ways of influencing the situation in the Syrian city of Aleppo based on the principles of a U.S.-Russian ceasefire plan, the ministry said.The US State Department said earlier today that Kerry had threatened during the call with Lavrov to halt joint work with Russia on Syria unless Russia moved to end the assault on Aleppo and to restore the defunct ceasefire. REUTERS RJ SB RAI2152 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0098-955234.Xml
The US Senate today overwhelmingly rejected President Barack Obama's veto of legislation allowing relatives of the victims of the September 11 attacks to sue Saudi Arabia, paving the way for the first veto override of his eight-year presidency.The final vote was 97-1 against the veto, a blow to Saudi Arabia, a frequent US partner in the Middle East recently subject to harsh criticism in the US Congress.Democratic Minority Leader Harry Reid was the only senator to side with Obama.Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, a vice presidential nominee, and Bernie Sanders, an independent and former Democratic White House contender, did not vote.The measure next goes to the House of Representatives, which is due to vote later on Wednesday.If two-thirds of House members also support the "Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act," known as JASTA, as expected, it would be the first veto override since Obama became president in 2009.Obama's 11 previous vetos were all sustained. But this time almost all of his strongest supporters in Congress opposed him in one of their last actions before leaving Washington to campaign for the November 8 election."Overriding a presidential veto is something we don't take lightly, but it was important in this case that the families of the victims of 9/11 be allowed to pursue justice, even if that pursuit causes some diplomatic discomforts," Senator Charles Schumer, the third-ranking Democrat in the Senate, said in a statement.Schumer represents New York, the site of the World Trade Center and home to many of the nearly 3,000 people killed in the 2001 attacks, attack survivors and families of victims.He led the fight for the legislation, with Senator John Cornyn, the No 2 Senate Republican. Kirsten Gillibrand, another New York Democrat, cast the 67th "no" vote, the number needed to override the veto in the Senate.Obama had argued that JASTA could expose US companies, troops and officials to lawsuits, and alienate important allies at a time of global unrest. He called Reid and wrote a personal letter to him explaining that he strongly believed enacting JASTA into law would be detrimental to U.S. interests.The Saudi government financed an extensive lobbying campaign against the legislation.Major US corporations including General Electric Co and Dow Chemical Co also opposed it, as did the European Union and other US allies.Secretary of Defence Ash Carter urged lawmakers to sustain the veto, and in an unusual move, CIA Director John Brennan said it had "grave implications" for national security.REUTERS RJ RAI2321 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0098-955294.Xml
KIEV, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- More than half of Ukrainians did not support severing relations between their country and Russia, a recent opinion poll showed Tuesday.

The poll, conducted by the Kiev-based Razumkov Center, found that 55 percent of the respondents opposed the possible break of diplomatic relations between Kiev and Moscow, while 24.8 percent thought the opposite.

At the same time, the survey indicated that 52.1 percent of those polled objected an introduction of visa regime between Ukraine and Russia, while the share of people, who supported this initiative, is only 29 percent.

The nation-wide survey was carried out among 2,018 people from Sept. 9 to 14 and its margin of error was within plus or minus 2.3 percent.

The row between Kiev and Moscow erupted two years ago over different views on the unrest in Crimea and Ukraine's eastern regions. The tensions escalated in August after Russia's Federal Security Service has accused Ukrainian authorities of masterminding an attempt to send a group of saboteurs to Crimea. Kiev denied the accusations.

Following the incident, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that Moscow could sever diplomatic ties with Ukraine.

Russia currently has no ambassador in Kiev after Mikhail Zurabov was relieved of his duties in July.
PARIS, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- "I ask to be judged on employment ...," French President Francois Hollande said during a recent prime-time interview, in response to growing critics and sliding popularity.

With his economic credibility already on the line, Hollande has set reversing jobless claims as condition to extend his stay at the Elysee Palace, betting on better business climate and various devices he implemented to encourage hiring.

Unfortunately, the end of gloom is not insight for the French top official.

The Labor Ministry's monthly report released on Monday showed that number of people out of work in France reached a record high in August to more than 3.556 million from a month earlier, the highest level since 2013.

The fresh labor data likely to pour cold water on his plan to fix the jobless headache and ignited critics over his failure to devote on pledges to bring down joblessness and promote national wealth as he promised five years ago.

"These are disastrous results which show the total failure of Francois Hollande's government. We need a radical change in economic policy," Alain Juppe, former foreign minister and also the favorite to win right-wing parties primary, wrote on his tweeter account.

To ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy who is seeking to revenge a failure in 2012 presidential race, "French economy is in a situation of extreme emergency," suggesting that a change in policies is the only alternative.

Most polls show that if Hollande runs as the left's candidate, he will come third to far-right Front National leader Marine Le Pen and whoever heads the main center-right campaign.

With up to 16 percent of the votes, the French president will be eliminated in the first round of election scheduled for April 23, an Elabe poll for the business daily Le Echos showed on Sept. 22.

"Francois Hollande will most likely improve his falling popularity by improving significantly the national economic situation and mainly by decreasing unemployment," Erwan Listrohan, director of studies at BVA pollster told Xinhua.

"People who are doubting about the efficiency of his policies will credit him only if they will notice a significant and lasting improvement in labor market," said Listrohan.

"A strong distrust towards President Hollande let us consider a very limited potential for re-election," he added.

Over the past four decades, the unemployment rate has been painting French political spectra.

In 1975, 1 million unemployed people forced Valey Giscard d'Estaing to quit the Elysee Palace. With 2 million jobseekers, socialist Francois Mitterrand accepted coalition with the right wing in 1986 to secure a second mandate. Defeated Edouard Balladur in 1995, Jacques Chirac left office as joblessness jumped in 2002.

"Unemployment figures are bad news for Francois Hollande as they weaken his eventual candidacy and strengthen the opposition," said Laurent Neumann, political analyst at news channel BFMTV.

"Given that his promise to lower joblessness seemed to be broken, Hollande now is seeking to hold other pledges such as maintaining activities at Alstom's Belfort site and dismantling Calais camp in order to set conditions for a candidacy," he added.

Hollande said he would announce by the end of 2016 if he will seek a second term.

However, he gave a clearest indication that he intends to re-elect next year during a meeting on "democracy and terrorism" held earlier this month in Paris.

He vowed to not "let the image of France, the influence of France deteriorate over the coming months or coming years."

Traditionally, the incumbent head of state represents his party in an election, without a contest. But prospects of a primary have been raised due to the head of state's record low approval ratings.
Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Song Aiguo (C) applauds with guests when cutting a cake at a reception celebrating the 67th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in Cairo, Egypt, on Sept. 27, 2016. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe)

CAIRO, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry Tarek Kabil said on Tuesday that the strong bilateral relations between the two nations will promote China-Egypt investment cooperation and his country is seeking more Chinese investments in his country.

"Egypt is a good investment hub and we expect more Chinese investments in the near future," Kabil told Xinhua.

His comments came during a reception event organized by the Chinese Embassy in Cairo to mark the 67th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

"Our ties are very strong... this should be used to increase Chinese projects in Egypt," he said.

The minister stressed that Egypt is ready to facilitate investment procedures for Chinese firms willing to investment in his country, adding that the Egyptian economy is growing and promising for foreign investments.

In 2015, the volume of trade between China and Egypt increased by over 10 percent, and China has continuously been Egypt's largest trade partner in recent years.

Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador Song Aiguo said in a speech during the event that the friendship between China and Egypt is time-honored and the momentum for the bilateral cooperation is strong and robust.

The ambassador said that China's initiative of Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, being highly compatible to Egypt's Suez Canal Axis development strategy and enjoying support from Egypt, serves as a perfect combination of traditional friendship and modern cooperation between the two countries and will definitely offer more space for cooperation.

"I am confident that the relationship between our two countries will certainly enjoy an even brighter future," he said.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday nominated Jeffrey DeLaurentis as the first U.S. Ambassador to Cuba in over 50 years.

"Today, I am proud to nominate Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis to be the first U.S. Ambassador to Cuba in more than 50 years," Obama said in a news release issued by the White House.

Obama praised DeLaurentis' vital "leadership" throughout the normalization of relations between the U.S. and Cuba, which were two former rivals.

"There is no public servant better suited to improve our ability to engage the Cuban people and advance U.S. interests in Cuba than Jeff," Obama said.

The president described DeLaurentis, a career diplomat, as having "extensive experience in Cuba and Latin America."

DeLaurentis has been working with Cuba on issues that advance U.S. national interests, such as law enforcement, counternarcotics, environmental protection, combating trafficking in persons, expanding commercial and agricultural opportunities, and cooperation in science and health, Obama said.

"Having an ambassador will make it easier to advocate for our interests, and will deepen our understanding even when we know that we will continue to have differences with the Cuban government," Obama said.

The U.S. and Cuba resumed diplomatic relations in July 2015, ending more than five decades of hostilities. Obama paid a historical visit to Cuba in March in the first such visit by a sitting U.S. president in nearly 90 years.

DeLaurentis has been the Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba, since 2015 after serving as Chief of Mission at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana from 2014 to 2015.

Prior to that, he served as Ambassador and Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations from 2011 to 2014. Before that, he was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.

Since beginning his State Department career in 1991, DeLaurentis has served in a number of overseas posts, including twice before in Havana, first as consular officer from 1991 to 1993, then as Political-Economic Section Chief from 1999 to 2002.

He also served as political counselors at the U.S. Mission to the UN in Geneva, and the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia.
MANAGUA, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Six healthy babies were born to mothers that had been exposed to the Zika virus during their pregnancies in Nicaragua, the Central American country's First Lady, Rosario Murillo, said on Tuesday.

The six mothers infected with the Zika virus during pregnancy and their six babies were all in a stable condition and were very well, Nicaragua's First Lady confirmed.

The Zika virus in pregnant women is associated with causing babies to be born with microcephaly and with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, according to investigations released on March 31 by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Nicaragua's health ministry said that up until Monday, 1,941 positive cases of Zika have been registered in the Central American country, out of which 1,041 have been pregnant women.

As Zika, dengue and chikungunya are all spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, Nicaragua's health ministry is pushing a national fumigation and abatization campaign to eradicate these illnesses.

Nicaragua's health authorities have been on high alert since a health emergency was declared in May to fight Zika, dengue and chikungunya in the Central American country.
ISLAMABAD, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will be a "magnet" to attract more investment, business opportunities and exchanges to Pakistan in the near future, said Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong on Tuesday.

The ambassador made the remarks during a reception commemorating the 67th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

He added that the CPEC have made significant progress as 16 out of a total of 30 early harvest projects have been completed or are under construction with an estimated investment of 14 billion U.S. dollars.

Sun said that the CPEC is an open and inclusive cooperation concept aiming at promoting people's livelihood, adding that under the initiative, tens of thousands of jobs for local people have been created.

The envoy also appreciated the Pakistani side over its emergency assistance of 10,000 tons of rice to China for severe flood in some Chinese southern provinces recently and efforts by the Pakistani military and law enforcement agencies to create a safe environment for Chinese nationals and institutions in the country.

For his part, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, hailed that Pak-China relations that are based on mutual respect, trust, peaceful co-existence and brotherly neighborhood form the "bedrock" of Pakistan's foreign policy.

He said the country's leadership and parliament attach great importance to the promotion of the CPEC as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has rightly called the project "a new concept in diplomacy," which will be the "game-changer" for prosperity of the entire region.

Sadiq also thanked China for helping the Pakistani parliament become the world's first to go completely green by converting to solar energy.

This year also marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Pakistan. The bilateral relations based on mutual understanding, trust and support have become a model of relations between countries.
COLOMBO, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- India is keen on bringing in investment to Sri Lanka amounting to at least 2 billion U.S. dollars in the next three to four years, a visiting Indian minister said here on Tuesday.

India's Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is in Sri Lanka with an Indian business delegation to expand trade ties between the two nations.

The minister told reporters after talks with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that India had not set a time frame for negotiating an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with Sri Lanka, although the Sri Lankan government wanted it by year end.

Sitharaman said that the ETCA will have to be negotiated in "great detail," addressing all issues of concern to all parties.

The ETCA agreement has been opposed by certain groups and political parties in Sri Lanka. Opponents have stated that the agreement will not benefit Sri Lanka.

However Sitharaman said that ETCA will not allow Mode 4 involving movement of natural persons across borders and added that India was open to discussing the matter fully with Sri Lanka.

No pact will be signed without the two parties agreeing to it wholeheartedly, she said.

So far two meetings on ETCA have been held between Sri Lanka and India. The next round of talks will take place in New Delhi during the visit of Sri Lanka's Minister of International Trade, Malik Samarawickrama, Sitharaman said.

Minister Samarawickrema told reporters that the ETCA was expected to open up a market of 1.25 billion people in India and Sri Lankan entrepreneurs were asking for the import of labor in sectors such as construction, ship building and IT services. The government will put in a system to regulate the use of imported labor, he added.

Samarawickrama further said that the island nation is interested in attracting Indian investment in construction, ship and harbor building, infrastructure development and energy.
YINCHUAN, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- An initial investigation showed that the deadly coal mine explosion in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on Tuesday was caused by illegal mining, according to a press conference held early Wednesday.

The explosion occurred at 7 a.m. Tuesday at a small coal mine, which belongs to Linli Coal Mining Co. Ltd. in Shizuishan City, when 20 miners were working under ground.

The people who are responsible for the company have been under police control, according to the conference.

So far, 18 miners have been confirmed dead while two others remain missing. Rescue work continues.

Wu Yuguo, vice mayor of Shizuishan, said at the conference excessive gas concentration and destroyed mine shaft have made the rescue more difficult. The government has set up a working group to deal with the aftermath and comfort the miners' families.

Gui Laibao, deputy chief of the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety, has arrived at the site of explosion to inspect rescue operations.

The mine's annual production capacity is 450,000 tonnes. Its certificate remains valid until September 2017.

Most of the miners were from the provinces of Sichuan and Gansu, as well as Ningxia.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Brazil regards Asia as a continent with high growth potential and a large consumer market, Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi said Tuesday after his Asian trip.

Maggi, accompanied by Brazilian businessmen and officials, visited China, India, South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand, where he discussed the increase of Brazilian exports of meat, milk byproducts and grains to Asian nations.

During the trip, the Brazilian delegation negotiated with Vietnam about the resumption of Brazilian meat sales. Several markets have suspended imports of Brazilian meat due to the fear of mad cow disease but are being progressively re-opened.

Representatives from Vietnam and Malaysia will soon travel to Brazil to inspect meatpacking facilities and slaughterhouses and to finalize future exports of Brazilian meat and poultry to those countries.

The Brazilian delegation also managed to get a deal to build an agricultural chemicals factory in India, with investments worth 1 billion reais (about 309 million U.S. dollars).

"The numbers are hard to measure, but we can say we managed to get 1.5-2 billion U.S. dollars in business deals (during the trip). We do not know, however, how many of those deals will become concrete. The governments create the environment, but the private sector signs the deals," Maggi said.
WELLINGTON, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand is to host next year's Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF), Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Jo Goodhew announced Wednesday.

Goodhew, who was a speaker at the annual forum in China's Hong Kong this month, said the forum was a global platform to share, learn and celebrate the success of social enterprises around the world.

"New Zealand's social enterprise sector is as innovative and fast growing as other countries, and is starting to bring real benefit to communities throughout the country," Goodhew said in a statement.

Next year's SEWF would be held in Christchurch from Sept. 27 to 29 under the theme "Ka koroki te manu creating our tomorrow."

The Maori phrase, derived from a prayer, translated as the first birdcall of the morning chorus, and a welcome to the challenges and glories of a new day.
YANGON, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities have seized 2.8 billion kyats (2.2 million U.S. dollars) worth of fake and expired drugs as well as materials used in producing the fake drugs in Yangon, official media reported Wednesday.

A total of 14 people were charged for the alleged involvement in the distribution of imitation drugs following police raid at 11 chemists and 22 warehouses during the first half of this month.

The authorities also confiscated counterfeit medicines when raiding two major markets, Bogyoke Market and Shwe Pyae Sone market.

The seized fake and expired drugs will be destroyed in the presence of the public.

The authorities vowed to eradicate the circulation of such medicines in the country.

According to Myanmar Pharmaceutical and Medical Equipment Entrepreneurs Association, the country imported about 85 percent of western medicines from its neighbors and other countries annually.

Over 50 percent of imports come from India that remains a main medicine exporter to Myanmar, followed by Thailand and China.

About 98 percent of medical equipment is also imported from the United States, European countries and Japan.
MELBOURNE, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Couples who get married on "special" days such as Valentine's Day are more likely to get divorced, an Australian study has found.

The University of Melbourne research found that weddings celebrated on Valentine's Day or "special-number-dates" such as Sept. 9, 1999 (9/9/99) or Feb. 1, 2003 (1/2/03) are up to 36 percent more likely to end in divorce.

The report,"Not Your Lucky Day: Romantically and Numerically Special Wedding Date Divorce Risks," said there was up to five times as many weddings on the special days than ordinary dates.

David Ribar, author of the study, said that of the 1 million weddings studied, 11 percent of Valentine's Day marriages, 10 percent of same-number-date marriages and 8 percent of ordinary date marriages had failed by their fifth anniversary.

However, by the ninth anniversary, 21 percent of Valentine's Day, 19 percent of same-number-date and 16 percent of ordinary date marriages had failed.

"People who got married on special dates were more likely to have been married before and more likely to have children already," Ribar said in a media release on Wednesday.

"We also found that spouses who married on special dates were less alike, in terms of education and ages, than spouses who married on ordinary dates," Jan Kabatek, Ribar's co-author, said.

"We also found that brides who married on Valentine's Day were more likely to be pregnant on their wedding day than those who married on ordinary dates."

Ribar said it is not the date that is responsible for increased marriage breakdowns but rather what the date choice reveals about the couple.

"Couples who marry on ordinary dates may be more strongly influenced by characteristics of their relationships and their compatibility than couple who marry on special dates," Ribar said.
YANGON, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- A total of 136 more detained Myanmar nationals in Malaysia have been repatriated to home, official media reported Wednesday.

Under the sponsorship of two private organizations, the 136 detained Myanmar nationals, who have been issued Certificate of Identity, returned to Yangon Tuesday by a chartered flight from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.

The return of the 136 has brought the total being repatriated to Myanmar to 1,235.

There were 2,294 Myanmar nationals reportedly detained for various reasons in 11 camps in Malaysia.

Myanmar Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population is cooperating with the Malaysian authorities to protect Myanmar migrant workers in Malaysia.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Senate on Tuesday failed to pass a stopgap funding bill proposed by Republicans, pushing the federal government to the edge of shutdown.

The federal government will suffer another shutdown if Congress fails to pass the bill to maintain current funding levels by Friday.

The funding bill to avoid a government shutdown was rejected twice by the Senate by 45-55 and 40-59. It needs 60 votes to pass.

Majority leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican senator from Kentucky, said that Democratic leaders rejected the bill for the sake of "election-year politics."

Democrats said they held the bill because they wanted to add money to help residents who have been affected by lead-tainted water in Flint, Michigan.

The bill has already included 1.1 billion U.S. dollars to fight Zika and millions to help flood victims in Louisiana, West Virginia and Maryland.

Affected by increasing brinkmanship within Washington politics in recent years, approving funding bills has become more and more difficult for the federal government. The federal government was forced to shut down from Oct. 1 to 16 in 2013 as Congress didn't pass the appropriating funds for the fiscal year 2014.
Democrat Hillary Clinton (R) and Republican Donald Trump attend their first presidential debate in Hempstead of New York, the United States, Sept. 26, 2016. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on Monday held their first presidential debate in Hempstead. (Xinhua/Qin Lang)

by Matthew Rusling

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Republican candidate Donald Trump needs to reestablish his momentum after being perceived to have lost Monday night's first presidential debate as he allowed rival Hillary Clinton to rattle his cage and get under his skin, U.S. experts have said.

That means the Republican nominee, whose temperament is thought by many as not fit for presidency, will have to fight hard in the coming weeks if he wants to clinch the White House, the experts said.

Clinton and Trump squared off on national TV on Monday night in their first-ever one-on-one debate. Trump missed a number of opportunities in the debate, such as talking about the economy, the No. 1 issue of concern for Americans and an area in which the billionaire businessman has an advantage.

"Trump repeatedly took the bait that Clinton laid out to make Trump seem less presidential as well as bringing up questions about Trump's leadership as both a businessman and as a candidate," Dan Mahaffee, an analyst with the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, told Xinhua.

With Clinton's better performance, Trump needs to reestablish the momentum that he had enjoyed as he began to appear more acceptable as a candidate, Mahaffee added.

"This won't break him, as he has opportunities in the subsequent debates and enjoys the support of the GOP populist base," he said.

Indeed, with two more debates to go until Election Day in November, Trump will have time to grill Clinton on a number of scandals that continue to dog the Democratic nominee.

Those include her perceived mishandling of the 2012 terrorist attack on a U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, which ended in the death of a U.S. ambassador. Scandals also include Clinton's use of a personal email account and server, instead of a government-issued account, while she was secretary of state. Critics said the move compromised U.S. national security.

Darrell West, vice president and director of governance studies at the Brookings Institution, told Xinhua that Clinton "won the debate by controlling the conversation and getting many more of her attack lines into the debate."

Trump barely mentioned Clinton's emails and made no mention of the Benghazi attack, West said.

"He got irritated easily and had many sighs and groans. He did not have a good answer on why he has not released his tax returns," he added.

Experts said Clinton was more polished and had better command of the facts, but Trump fans said he stuck it to Clinton a couple of times. One of those was when he said Clinton was a "typical politician," namely a good public speaker, but never delivering on her promises.

The line came at a time when Americans' trust in leaders in Washington is at a low point not seen in recent memory, and such statements are what helped Trump, a political outsider, win the Republican nomination.

Experts said more such rhetoric may have allowed Trump to avoid the perception of having lost the debate.

But despite the perception of a Clinton win, experts said Trump is not to be discounted, as he has managed to surprise the entire Washington political establishment by sparking enthusiasm in the Republican base perhaps not seen in decades, and he may still pull yet another surprise.

Some experts said Trump will have to really go on the offensive during the next two debates, bringing up the many scandals that have dogged Clinton and grilling her on the economic mess that Trump claims is the fault of her former boss, U.S. President Barack Obama.

Despite U.S. media's consensus that Clinton won the debate, the Trump campaign insists he won the debate. The real outcome of the debate will be known once the post-debate polls come out in the coming days.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The United States intends to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system in South Korea "as soon as possible," a senior U.S. official said Tuesday.

"Given the accelerating pace of North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)'s missile tests, we intend to deploy on an accelerated basis -- I would say as soon as possible," Daniel Russel, U.S. assistant secretary of state, told a hearing held by the Asia Pacific subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The senior official did not provide the timeline of the deployment, saying that "perhaps our colleagues in the Defense Department and the Republic of Korea" can comment on the timeline.

Russel also said that the THAAD system is "a defensive measure aimed not at China, but at North Korea (DPRK)."

In July, Seoul and Washington announced an agreement to install one THAAD battery in South Korea by the end of next year, claiming that it was aimed to deter ballistic missiles from the DPRK.

China and Russia have expressed strong opposition to the THAAD deployment on the Korean Peninsula as the system far exceeds South Korea's actual defense needs.

The deployment is not conducive to the denuclearization of the Peninsula nor to maintaining peace and stability, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in July.

It said the move goes against efforts to calm regional tension, and severely harms the security interests of countries in the area including China, as well as the "strategic balance" in the region.

China urged the United States and South Korea to terminate the deployment of THAAD, and not to take any action which may complicate the regional situation and harm China's interests.
SYDNEY, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- An Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi to Sydney with many Australians on board has been forced to conduct an emergency landing after it suffered a major engine fault on Tuesday.

News Corp reported on Wednesday that the three-year-old Boeing 777 departed to Sydney on schedule on Tuesday but was forced to return to its airport of origin just 32 minutes into the flight.

There were 329 passengers on board Flight EY450, including Australian student Emily Waterson, 19, who was returning to Sydney after spending a gap year as a summer camp counsellor in the United States.

She said the plane was forced to make the emergency landing after one of the plane's pilots told crew and passengers of the engine problem shortly after takeoff.

"Everyone was crying and screaming. Everyone was holding hands. The worst thing was the stewardess opposite me screaming and screaming," Waterson said.

"I spoke to her afterwards and she said she practises shouting Brace!' every month but this was the first time she'd had to do it for real," she said.

A passenger told NewsCorp that the plane's tyres were completely burnt out following the emergency high-speed landing, with the rims left touching the ground.

A spokesman for Etihad Airways confirmed an emergency landing had taken place but could not offer an explanation for the engine fault.

"Etihad Airways Flight EY450 from Abu Dhabi to Sydney on Tuesday 27 September returned to the airport due to a technical issue. As is standard practice, emergency response was activated at the airport. The Boeing 777 aircraft landed safely," he said.
PHNOM PENH, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn will lead a delegation to pay a working visit to Russia from Oct. 3 to 4, according to a foreign ministry statement on Wednesday.

Prak Sokhonn will meet with Russian Minister of Telecom and Mass Communications Nikolay Nikiforov to discuss their bilateral relations in trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation, the statement said.

Besides, he will hold a bilateral meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, it said.

"Both sides are expected to exchange views on bilateral cooperation as well as on regional and international issues of common concern," the statement said.
SYDNEY, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- A man wanted by the Australian police has been charged after flagging down a police car he had mistaken for a taxi on the New South Wales Central Coast while being on the run.

NSW police in a statement on Wednesday said they were called to a hotel in Kincumber just before 2130 local time (AEST) on Tuesday following reports a group had refused to leave the premises when told to do so.

Police say the group became aggressive to officers, who used pepper spray, before one of the group threw a rock at an officer.

Two men were arrested following that altercation but one man managed to escape the scene right after.

Less than an hour later, police spotted the escapee flagging them down for a ride as he had mistaken the police patrol vehicle for a taxi.

"The 29-year-old man, who police believe had been in a nearby waterway as he was dripping wet, was placed under arrest and taken to Gosford Police Station," NSW police said in a statement.

"He was charged with excluded person fail to leave premises when required, resist or hinder police officer in the execution of duty, throw missile at police officer executing duty, and assault officer in execution of duty."

The man has been refused bail and will appear at Gosford Local Court on Wednesday to face those charges.
HANOI, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Among some 50 corn varieties currently used in Vietnam, 16 are genetically modified, local media reported Wednesday.

The genetically modified corns have been approved by the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, daily newspaper Tuoi Tre Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh (Ho Chi Minh City Youth) reported.

To date, some 200 tons of genetically modified corns have been sold in the Vietnamese market, Tran Xuan Dinh, deputy head of the ministry's Cultivation Department, said, noting that Vietnam currently has over 1 million hectares of genetically modified corns.

According to Dinh, genetically modified corn's yield is 25 percent higher than ordinary corn. Besides, genetically modified corn can resist some kinds of pests.

However, it is difficult to expand genetically modified corn areas, because prices of genetically modified corn seeds are much higher than those of cross-bred corn seeds, while selling prices of genetically modified corn is low now, he said.
HANOI, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The International Experimental Theater Festival will be held in Hanoi on Nov. 12-19, with the participation of 23 countries, the Vietnam Stage Artists Association said Wednesday.

Dozens of art troupes from China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, India, the Philippines, Vietnam, France, Germany, Hungary, Greece, Macedonia and Panama will bring their new plays to the festival.

Experimental theatre is a term showing avant-garde nature of artistic movements aiming at theater innovation; and its purpose is to enrich theatrical art by renovating its form as well as its structure, says the association.

A total of 12 art troupes in Vietnam, including those specializing in its traditional "Cai Luong" (reformed theater) and puppetry, will present their fine plays at the festival.
By Matt Goss

MELBOURNE, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- A cell type native to the liver that could hold the key to defeating malaria in its earliest stage has been discovered, an Australian scientist told Xinhua on Wednesday.

The research, undertaken by the University of Melbourne, found a new type of immune memory T cell that protects the liver from malaria, preventing the infection from reaching the bloodstream.

Daniel Fernandez-Ruiz, a member of the research team from the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, said a vaccine the team had developed to boost the numbers of the memory cell had been successful in trials.

"So what happens is the (malaria) parasites go straight to the liver when they first infect people and it's just very hard to get protection against that infection because the parasites stay there for a short period of time," Fernandez-Ruiz told Xinhua.

"But we have found that there is an immune cell type that is able to kill those parasites in the liver," said Fernandez-Ruiz.

"Once we knew that those cells were able to protect against malaria, we decided to design a vaccination strategy to produce very high numbers of those memory cells," he added.

What happened was that vaccination strategy was trialed in mice against an infection. It was very effective, it protected all the mice that we challenged, he told Xinhua.

Fernandez-Ruiz said that while the immune cells that have been known to researchers for a long time circulate around the body the new cell remains in the liver, making it ideal to fight liver-stage malaria, the earliest stage of the lethal disease.

"Traditionally, memory T cells circulate so they're always patrolling in the gland, circulating around the body and patrolling looking for pathogens," he said.

"Our liver resident memory cells are different in that they don't circulate. They form in organs, in this case in the liver, and they stay there.

"Because malaria parasites only stay in the liver for a short period of time, these cells that are already there are in the right place to fight the parasites straight away whereas the traditionally known circulating memory cells need to be recruited to the liver and that takes time and that's why they're inefficient at protecting against malaria and that's why our vaccination works better."

While the trials with mice have been promising the real test of the new vaccination will be if it proves effective in people in an endemic area.

"Vaccines that seem to work in westerners don't work that well in people living in endemic areas because there are other things that are involved such as other infections," Ruiz-Fernandez said.

"It's much easier to get a good immune response in westerners."

The ramifications of the Melbourne research are potentially enormous. Malaria, a mosquito-borne virus prevalent in the tropics, killed approximately 438,000 people in 2015, down from 839,000 in 2000, a vast majority of which were in the poorest regions of Africa.
BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday that it will impose anti-subsidy duties on distiller's dried grain (DDG) from the United States by requiring importers to pay a cash deposit on purchases.

As of Friday, importers of the product must place deposits with Chinese customs ranging from 10-10.7 percent, according to the ministry.

The move comes after the ministry imposed anti-dumping duties on DDG from the United States last week. Starting last Friday, importers of DDG were required to set aside deposits at 33.8 percent of the import value.

The domestic industry has been "substantially" harmed by the dumping and subsidies of DDG, the ministry said in a preliminary ruling following an investigation launched earlier this year.

DDG is the nutrient rich byproduct of dry-milled ethanol production, which is used in animal feed. China is the world's biggest buyer of DDG, with most imports coming from the United States.
by Sylvia B. Zarate

CARTAGENA, Colombia, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- It has cost the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) 52 years to reach a permanent peace deal, offering the opportunity for new generations to grow up free of the threat of violence.

Past Colombian governments tried to ink the deal without success, but President Juan Manuel Santos will be remembered for leading the efforts to get the group to permanently lay down their arms and enter politics.

One such failed attempt came in 1984, under then President Belisario Betancur. At the time, the FARC, along with other similar groups, were legitimized as political actors and the Patriotic Union (UP) political party was founded.

The UP entered politics at all levels and gained victories in the 1986 elections, winning 350 local council seats, 23 regional deputies, nine seats in the lower house and six in the Senate.

However, disagreements soon arose with the government concerning demobilization and right-wing paramilitaries began targeting UP members. In a few years, up to 3,000 UP members were killed, including two presidential candidates and eight Congress members.

Violence resumed until 1998 when then President Andres Pastrana agreed to dedicate 42,000 square km of land to the FARC while dialogues were planned. These never happened due to poor planning and a lack of will from the guerrillas.

In 1999, FARC members killed three American indigenous rights activists, leading Washington to pressure Pastrana to crack down on the group.

During his successful election campaign of 2010, Santos promised to continue the security strategy of his predecessor, Alvaro Uribe, under whose administration he was defense minister.

However, shortly after his victory, Santos changed his course and decided to offer official peace talks to the FARC, which drew condemnation from Uribe, who continues to lead the opposition to the peace deal.

But despite losing the support of some of his voters, Santos' actions found broad support from many Colombians, weary of long-lasting war.

The first talks were held in October 2012, with Norway and Cuba acting as guarantors of the peace process.

Despite difficult moments when civilians, members of the army and police, and guerrilla fighters continued to be killed or hurt, the dialogue in Havana turned out to be a success.

The role of Norway and Cuba, as guarantors, and Venezuela and Chile, as accompanying countries, must be highlighted.

At various moments when the talks seemed to be stagnating due to rising tensions and acts of violence, these countries remained firm advocates for alleviating the tensions.

In August 2015, the peace process accelerated when the FARC extended a unilateral ceasefire first declared in December 2014. Then, in November of that year, Santos pardoned 30 jailed FARC guerrillas as a confidence-building measure.

The international community also reacted with the United Nations (UN) voting unanimously to create a Special Monitoring Mission to verify the ceasefire and the end of hostilities.

On Aug. 23, Colombia's Resource Center for Conflict Analysis announced that the previous 14 months had seen the lowest level of violence in the country in 52 years.

The country now eagerly awaits the Oct. 2 plebiscite in which the Colombian people will vote on whether they accept or reject the peace deal.

While the Yes camp has a clear lead in recent polling, the stakes are high.

If the No camp led by former President Uribe wins, the negotiations that inched forward for the last four years could be jeopardized.

Even if the vote passes, peace is not guaranteed. Talks have begun with the National Liberation Army (ELN), Colombia's largest remaining guerrilla group, but an agreement is not believed to be close.

Furthermore, a report by InSight Crime, a foundation dedicated to studying organized crime in Latin America, published in August stated that the ELN might receive an influx of soldiers from the FARC, who "opt to remain in the revolutionary struggle."
LUSAKA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Zambian President Edgar Lungu said Tuesday he would be creating four new ministries to help realign portfolios in order to enhance service delivery.

Lungu said he would soon announce the new ministries which will, however, be subject to ratification by the National Assembly.

While swearing in new ministers at the State House, Lungu said Zambia had abundant water resources and that water shortages should be addressed adequately, hence the need to create a ministry specifically for this purpose.

The Zambian leader further said housing will be realigned to infrastructure development to address the housing challenges the country was facing, adding that it was unfortunate that many people were still living in substandard houses 50 years after the country's independence.

Lungu, who was declared winner of last month's disputed election, has already angered some by creating a ministry for religious affairs, with critics saying there was no need for such a ministry when the country had adequate religious bodies.

Stakeholders believe that there was no need to create more ministries when the country was trying to embark on fiscal discipline and reduce expenditures.

The constitution allows the country's president to name 30 ministers, and so far he has announced 16.
HAVANA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Cuba's Ministry of Health said Tuesday night it will continue its medical program with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Brazil despite the recent political turmoil in the Southern American nation that led to the impeachment of former President Dilma Rousseff.

In an official press release, the health ministry said that over 4,000 Cuban doctors will continue to provide medical services as long as Brazil's political authorities continue to provide "guarantees."

"Cuba is committed to its solidarity principles that have always guided its cooperation all over the world and will continue to provide the Brazilian people with free medical attention," said the statement.

The agreement signed in 2013 between Havana and Brasilia was due to expire and a government envoy met in May with then President Rousseff and her predecessor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, about its continuity.

"Dilma (Rousseff) considered the medical program should continue because it had become a heritage of the people of Brazil," it said.

The former Brazilian head of state considered the program an "example" of the generosity of the Cuban government and its people.

"Lula, meanwhile, said the program was rooted in the culture of Brazil and should continue," added the statement.

At the request of Rousseff and with the participation of the PAHO, Cuba has cooperated with Brazil in this massive medical program since 2013.

During the last three years, over 11,000 Cuban doctors have participated in the program, reaching 3,356 municipalities in Brazil, around 83 percent of the population.

"Our doctors and nurses have been present in two thirds of that nation, benefiting around 40 million Brazilians, particularly those families with less income," said the statement.

Cuba currently has medical cooperation with 76 nations and over 38,000 doctors and nurses have participated in these programs.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday praised former Israeli President Shimon Peres, who has just passed away, as one of few people who change the course of human history.

Peres died at a hospital in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Wednesday following a major stroke two weeks ago. He was 93.

"There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves. My friend Shimon was one of those people," Obama said in a statement issued by the White House.

Obama said he, together with his wife Michelle, join people across Israel and the world in honoring Peres' extraordinary life as a founding father of Israel and a statesman "whose commitment to Israel's security and pursuit of peace was rooted in his own unshakable moral foundation and unflagging optimism."

Obama commended Peres for having worked with every U.S. president since John F. Kennedy "to build the alliance between our two countries-an unbreakable alliance that today is closer and stronger than it has ever been."

Obama said that Peres never gave up on the possibility of peace between Israelis, Palestinians and Israel' s neighbors-not even after the assassination of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

"Tonight, I can think of no greater tribute to his life than to renew our commitment to the peace that we know is possible," Obama said.

Peres, one of the architects of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, was Israel's elder statesman, with a career spanning nearly seven decades.

Peres twice served as prime minister and later as president from 2007 to 2014. He remained politically active through the non-governmental Peres Center for Peace which promotes coexistence between Arabs and Jews.

Peres shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with Rabin and late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for reaching the Oslo interim peace accords.
HANOI, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- As many as 81,451 enterprises have newly registered in Vietnam in the first nine months of 2016, up 19.2 percent year-on-year, government agency said Wednesday.

Those enterprises have a registered capital of 629.094 trillion Vietnamese dong (28.21 billion U.S. dollars), up 49.5 percent year-on-year, said Agency of Business Registration under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

On average, each newly-registered enterprise has capital of 7.7 billion Vietnamese dong (345,300 U.S. dollars), said the agency.

Those enterprises have created 928,700 new jobs, down 7.1 percent year-on-year.

Several sectors witness sharp year-on-year increases in number of newly-licensed firms including real estate business, healthcare and social assistance activities, education and training, consultation, design, advertisement and other expertise, among others.

Sectors that lure most laborers include industrial manufacturing and processing, wholesale, retail sale, auto and motorbike repairing, construction, transportation and logistics.

Meanwhile, a total of 8,365 companies have registered to dissolve in nine months, up 20.2 percent year-on-year while 16,294 others halt operation, up 31 percent year-on-year.
MEXICO CITY, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. presidential candidates failed to provide any policy specifics during the nationally televised debate although it drew a lot of attention, Mexican experts said Tuesday.

In an article co-authored by several researchers from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, Elizabeth Gutierrez Romero said that neither Democrat Hillary Clinton nor Republican Donald Trump has offered any policy specifics or solutions to issues.

Trump, she said, was "repetitive and strong-headed" while Clinton "used the chance to put Trump on the defensive which did not allow him to effectively counter her arguments."

Clinton and Trump squared off on Monday night in front of millions of television viewers for a 90-minute debate, lashing each other with critical remarks and even insults.

It was the first of three showdowns ahead of the Nov. 8 election. The remaining two debates are scheduled for Oct. 9 and Oct. 19.

Eduardo Rosales Herrera, an international relations expert from the university, said the debate went pretty much as expected.

"Diametrically opposed viewpoints were confronted and the positions expressed over the recent months of this campaign were maintained," he wrote.

As for the final result of the debate, Silvia Nunez Garcia, director of the Center for Research on North America (CISAN) of the university, pointed out that it was too early to say who will win the race to the White House even though Clinton is widely considered to have won the first debate.

"Polls show an overwhelming victory for the Democratic candidate but this data has little impact on electoral preferences," Garcia said, adding that Clinton's victory would only lead to some undecided voters changing their voting intentions.

She said a female candidate for the U.S. presidency comes at a time of deep divisions among Americans about the future of their country.
Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun (L) meets with Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, Sept. 27, 2016. (Xinhua/U Aung)

NAY PYI TAW, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun has called for efforts to build a high-level China-Myanmar comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Guo, who is on a visit to Myanmar to co-chair the 5th meeting of China-Myanmar Law Enforcement and Security Cooperation, made the call when he met with Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw in Nay Pyi Taw Tuesday.

Guo said the China-Myanmar "Paukphaw" (fraternal) friendship is long standing with neighborly friendship deepening.

He called on the two sides to seize the trend of China-Myanmar friendship and cooperation, focus on implementing the important consensus between leaders of the two countries, and make efforts to build a high-level China-Myanmar comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

The China-Myanmar cooperation in law enforcement and security has made steady progress, he said.

Guo said China is willing to work with Myanmar to take the opportunity of the meeting to deepen cooperation in various fields including anti-terrorism, anti-drug, security in major projects and border administration, among others.

Describing the Myanmar-China friendship as having a deep foundation, U Htin Kyaw said Myanmar will not forget the support and assistance rendered by the Chinese side in Myanmar's peace process, economic development and improvement of people's living standard.

He said Myanmar is ready to join hands with China to carry out closer high-level exchanges and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields, so that peoples from the two nations can better benefit from cooperation between the two sides.

He added that law enforcement and security cooperation is an indispensable part of the bilateral ties, expressing hope that positive achievements can be made in exchanges and cooperation in this field.
BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang returned to Beijing on Wednesday afternoon after attending the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly and official visits to Canada and Cuba.

Related:

Spotlight: Highlights from Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visits to UN headquarters, Canada, Cuba

BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is set to land in Beijing on Wednesday after a fruitful foreign trip, during which he attended the 71st session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly and paid official visits to Canada and Cuba.

The trip marked several "firsts," namely Li's first appearance at the UN General Assembly, the first held annual dialogue between a Chinese premier and a Canadian prime minister, and the first official visit to Cuba by a Chinese premier in 56 years since the two countries established diplomatic ties. Full Story




Former Israeli President Shimon Peres (Xinhua file photo)

by Keren Setton

JERUSALEM, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Former Israeli President Shimon Peres passed away early Wednesday after suffering a massive stroke.

The 93-year-old was the last remaining statesman from Israel's founding generation. The roles he played in his life came at major turning points for the Jewish state which was established in 1948. The story of his personal life is closely intertwined with Israel's development as a state.

Peres was born as Szymon Perski in 1923 in a Polish town now known as Vishnyeva in Belarus. In 1934, he and his family immigrated to Israel, then known as Palestine.

His nearly 70-year political career covered almost every role in the political arena, including president, two terms as prime minister, foreign minister, defense minister, finance minister, chairman of the Labor party, and leader of the opposition in the parliament.

His last political term ended two years ago when he stepped down as the president, a largely ceremonial role.

In 1994 he won a Nobel Peace Prize together with former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. They won the prize for the interim peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians.

Speaking after his stroke to Israeli Channel 10, Peres' biographer Professor Michael Bar Zohar said that Peres is "like a phoenix. He has fallen 20 times and each time got back up again and reinvented himself."

While his image is that of a dove who champions compromises toward the Palestinians in an effort to reach peace, his early years in Israel's Defense Ministry earned him the credit for building the country's military might.

Since winning the Nobel Peace Prize in the 1990's, Peres was very popular abroad. His ideas for regional peace were seen as groundbreaking and inspirational. But in Israel, he always struggled for popular recognition.

Throughout his career, he made many controversial political maneuvers which tainted his image in the eyes of the Israeli public.

Former colleague and member of the Israeli parliament, Colette Avital, told Israeli Channel 10 after Peres was hospitalized that Israelis "owe him a lot. He is one of the greatest statesmen of our generation."

For the Israeli public, losing Peres is the loss of a father figure that many looked up to. In recent years he provided a moderate voice that rose above the petty politics that once characterized the Israeli political discourse.
KATHMANDU, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Products that Nepal categorized as ones having the highest export potential, suffered continued decline in their exports over the last two years consecutively.

Nepal listed 12 products including cardamom, lentil, tea, medicinal herbs and essential oil, ginger, noodle, natural honey, iron and steel products, woolen and pashmina shawl, Nepalese handmade paper, woolen products and article of silver jewelry in 2010 as ones with the highest export potential.

Likewise, seven services including tourism, labor, information technology, health, education, engineering and hydropower have also been included in the list under the Nepal Trade Integration Strategy (NTIS) 2010.

The export of the products under the NTIS declined for the last two years, according to the data by Trade and Export Promotion Centre (TEPC), a government body engaged in export promotion under the Ministry of Commerce.

In the last fiscal year 2015-16 that concluded in mid-July, the combined exports of these products declined by 18 percent to 188 million U.S. dollars. The export of these products was worth 230 million U.S. dollars in fiscal year 2014-15 and 257 million U.S. dollars in fiscal year 2013-14.

Rabi Shankar Sainju, joint secretary at the Commerce Ministry told Xinhua that the decline was the reflection of overall poor records in exports in the recent years.

Nepal's overall export has been in decline in the past two years as export decreased by 18 percent in the last fiscal year and it saw a decline of 5.2 percent in the previous fiscal year, according to TEPC. The NTIS products covered 28 percent of Nepal's total exports in the last fiscal year.

Sainju said that most of the products listed under NTIS are agriculture products and they have been facing quarantine related problems for exports frequently due to the lack of sufficient quarantine infrastructure in the country.

Nepal exports most of the NTIS products to India, while China and other countries are also destinations for some of the products such as handicrafts.

"Because of the lack of mutual recognition agreement to the quality test conducted at the laboratories of either countries between Nepal and India, Nepal's agriculture products have been facing barriers from the southern neighbor on quality related issues," said Posh Raj Pandey, a trade expert.

Meanwhile, considering the poor performance of products under NTIS, the Nepalese government has decided to revise the list, by removing some poorly performing products from the list and adding a few new ones.

In the revised list, lentils, honey, noodles, handmade paper, silver jewellery and iron and steel products are out. Meanwhile, fabrics, textile and yarn, leather and footwear have been added to the list.
JERUSALEM, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday expressed "deep personal sorrow" over the passing of the country's former president and eldest statesman, Shimon Peres.

"My wife and I express deep personal sorrow over the passing of the nation's sweetheart, the former Israeli president, Shimon Peres," Netanyahu said in a statement.

The notice also said the cabinet will adjourn later Wednesday to hold a "special mourning meeting."

Two weeks ago, Peres was hospitalized at the Chaim Sheba Medical Center outside Tel Aviv. Tests showed he suffered a stroke and his condition quickly deteriorated. He was sedated and on a respirator during most of his hospitalization.

On Tuesday afternoon, local media reported that the veteran statesman was "fighting for his life" after a critical deterioration in his condition. Channel 10 TV news reported that he died in his sleep, surrounded by his family.

Peres, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and one of the most central figures in Israeli politics, died at the age of 93.

Peres was born as Szymon Perski in 1923 in a Polish town now known as Vishnyeva in Belarus. In 1934, he and his family immigrated to Israel, then known as Palestine.

His nearly 70-year political career covered almost every role in the political arena -- he served twice as prime minister. He also served as foreign minister, defense minister, finance minister, chairman of the Labor Party, and leader of the opposition in the parliament.

Peres won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 for his part in forging a peace accords with the Palestinians a year earlier.

Chairman of the opposition Labor Party Isaac Herzog said in a statement that Peres was "one of Israel's greatest leaders ... He was a mentor, a friend and a great leader who will be remembered forever in the history of Israel."

The White House released a statement from U.S. President Barack Obama, describing Peres as one of the few people "who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves."
BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson said Wednesday that the 1992 Consensus, which reflects the one-China principle, is in line with the development of cross-Strait relations in both a legal and practical sense.

"It is not an additional premise, but reached by the two sides through communication and consultation," said Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, at a routine press conference.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has long pursued "Taiwan independence" secessionist stand, damaging the political foundation for peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and severely impacting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and achievements since 2008, Ma said.

"We will continue to adhere to the political foundation of 1992 Consensus, firmly oppose 'Taiwan independence' and maintain the one-China principle, to expand communication between compatriots across the Strait, enhance exchange and cooperation in various fields and build a cross-Strait community of common destiny," Ma said.

If the DPP continues pursuing "Taiwan independence," no matter it is in a radical or soft fashion, it will be doomed to failure, Ma said.
LUSAKA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Zambia will seek guidance from regional bodies before imposing retaliatory measures against a recent trade ban by neighboring Zimbabwe, the country's top trade official said Tuesday.

In June, Zimbabwe restricted importation of some products from neighboring countries to protect local industries. For Zambia, items hit by the trade ban include margarine, peanut butter and juices.

Since the announcement of the trade ban, Zambian manufacturers have been asking the government to impose retaliatory measures against Zimbabwe's products.

The Zambian government would seek guidance from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) before imposing the ban, said Margaret Mwanakatwe, Zambia's trade minister.

The ban has negatively affected Zambian exporters and it is regrettable that the list of products banned has kept on increasing, she was quoted as saying by the Times of Zambia.

The minister asked the Zimbabwean authorities to look for other ways to support local industries instead of creating a trade barrier with its neighbors.

Zambia, she said, was equally under economic pressure but had not opted to restrict imports from other countries.
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday he is deeply saddened by the passing of Shimon Peres, Israel's former president.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, Peres passed away in a hospital outside Tel Aviv, two weeks after suffering a stroke.

While offering his condolences to the people of Israel, Ban said in a statement that Peres played a central role in Israel's founding, and served his country throughout his life.

"He worked tirelessly for a two-state solution that would enable Israel to live securely and harmoniously with the Palestinians and the wider region, a commitment duly recognized when he shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat," said the statement.

"May his spirit of determination guide us as we work to ensure peace, security and dignity for Israelis, Palestinians and all the peoples of the region," it added.

Peres was born as Szymon Perski in 1923 in a Polish town now known as Vishnyeva in Belarus. In 1934, he and his family immigrated to Israel, then known as Palestine.

His nearly 70-year political career covered almost every role in the political arena, including president, two terms as prime minister, foreign minister, defense minister, finance minister, chairman of the Labor party, and leader of the opposition in the parliament.
KUNMING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Shovels in hand, crowds of people in southwest China gathered in a street to dig for buried treasure in a scene that went viral after photos circulated online.

Tengchong City, which borders Myanmar, boasts 600 years of history in the jade industry. Over the years, leftover jade was discarded and buried underground in the city.

According to the city government, a road reconstruction project was carried out on Sept. 26, leaving some of this jade exposed. Some locals entered the construction site later in the evening, contrary to safety rules. Larger crowds gathered as onlookers were drawn to the scene.

Some jade was exposed in the roadbed, and people of different ages were digging using all kinds of tools, said local resident Wang Juncai.

"Some did dig out the jade, and even started setting up stalls to sell the pieces nearby," said a local jewelry seller surnamed Jian.

A government worker, who declined to be named, said similar incidents have occurred in the past during construction projects.

The city's publicity department released a notice on its official WeChat account Tuesday afternoon asking netizens not to exaggerate the amount of jade or its value to avoid drawing more people to the construction site.

The department also noted that there should not be much valuable jade left in the soil as the road has already undergone several construction projects.
TOKYO, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks closed lower Wednesday as a firm yen against the U.S. dollar dented investor sentiment compounded by financial sector issues taking a tumble and dragging the broader market down.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 218.53 points, or 1.31 percent, from Tuesday to end the day at 16,465.40.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, lost 18.45 points, or 1.37 percent, to close at 1,330.77.

Notable issues that lost ground by the close of play on Wednesday comprised securities house, insurance and banking-linked stocks and the day's turnover was 1,821.1 billion yen (18.10 billion U.S. dollars).
BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has called for more efforts to promote reforms on the global governance system and advance the cause of peace and development for mankind.

Xi made the remarks Tuesday at a group study attended by members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.
Shimon Peres, Israel's former president and its eldest statesman (Xinhua file photo)

JERUSALEM, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Former Israeli President Shimon Peres, one of the last living founding fathers of Israel, passed away at the age of 93 early Wednesday morning after suffering a major stroke more than two weeks ago.

Peres' body will lie in state at the Knesset (parliament) Thursday to allow the public to pay their respect and he will be laid to rest in Jerusalem Friday, according to Israeli media.

Many world leaders and dignitaries including U.S. President Barack Obama, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and former U.S. President Bill Clinton will attend the funeral, said the Israeli Foreign Ministry in a statement.

Doctors at the Chaim Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv, where Peres had been hospitalized since Sept. 13, said that the former president died in his sleep, surrounded by his family.

"Shimon Peres left us without suffering," his personal physician and son-in-law, Rafi Walden, told reporters at the hospital.

He said Peres was in good health and "working with full steam" until the day he sustained the stroke. "His life ended abruptly while he was still working on his great passion -- strengthening the state and striving for peace," he said.

Peres was under induced coma for most of his hospitalization to allow him to rest after a massive brain hemorrhage. A day after the stroke, the physicians said his condition was "serious but stable" and were optimistic about the prospects of his recovery.

However, on Tuesday afternoon, his conditions took a turn for the worse after he experienced a kidney failure and a respiratory failure.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara expressed "deep personal sorrow" over the passing of Peres, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office.

Netanyahu said he mourns the loss "together with all the citizens of Israel, the Jewish people, and many more throughout the world."

The Prime Minister's Office said the government will hold a special session to mourn Peres Wednesday morning.

Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, head of the ultra-right faction of Yisrael Beytenu, said Peres' death was "a sad day for the people of Israel."

A statement by the hawkish politician said that "despite we had political differences, we used to meet frequently and hold conversation about the future of the country... I will miss him as a person."

In a statement released by the White House, Obama said Peres was one of those people "who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves."

Israel Airports Authority announced that it was completing the preparations for the arrival of heads of states and international journalists at the Ben Gurion Airport.

"This morning, the Authority activated a special command to allow special operation by air traffic division and a general calling-up of all of the Authority's workers," the authority said in a statement.

Peres was born as Szymon Perski in 1923 in a Polish town now known as Vishnyeva in Belarus. In 1934, he and his family immigrated to Israel, then known as Palestine.

His nearly 70-year political career covered almost every role in the political arena -- he served twice as prime minister. He also served as foreign minister, defense minister, finance minister, chairman of the Labor Party, and leader of the opposition in the parliament.

He played a vital role in founding Israel's military and aviation industries and established paths for exporting Israeli weapons and security equipment throughout the world.

In 1994, he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his part in forming the short-lived peace accords with the Palestinians in 1993.
BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Group of 20 (G20) summit in Hangzhou is important for global economic coordination by focusing on the right topics, a European economic think tank chief has said.

"The Hangzhou summit was an important summit. It put rightly emphasis on both sides of the economy, supply side and demand side," Guntram Wolff, director of Bruegel, recently told Xinhua while commenting on the G20 summit held in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou earlier this month.

The world economy is facing new challenges eight years after the 2008 global financial crisis, with monetary policy everywhere basically at its limit, observed the head of the Brussels-based European and Global Economic Institute.

"We need significant structural reforms on the one hand, but on the other hand, we also need supportive macroeconomic policies that support demand," Wolff said. "That combination makes sense."

Among the key challenges, Wolff said inequality has become noticeably important for the whole world although there are different domestic troubles in every country among the G20 members.

This not only worries the developing and lower-income countries, but also troubles the advanced economies, including European countries and the United States.

Wages are "falling in many countries around the world, meaning that the percentage of national income that goes to ordinary working people has been falling," Wolff said in the Xinhua interview when attending a meeting here on the G20 and global economic coordination.

He thought that the popular backlash seen currently in some parts of the Western world is very much related to the feeling that globalization has failed to benefit all but the top few percent of people, especially in the Western world.

"In the developed countries, you do not have growth any more, and the productivity growth is very low. If you're of middle class in the United States, for example, you haven't seen income increase for 30 years, and then there are increased tensions," Wolff said.

In this regard, the G20 summit in Hangzhou set the right tone to address the inequality issue, including global coordination on corporate taxation around the world, he said.

Moreover, the summit emphasized inclusive growth, which is a "good concept," the economist said.

Wolff believed that inclusive growth means not only fairer distribution of social wealth, but also equal access to opportunity, education and new jobs, among others.

"The concept of inclusive growth is much broader, which covers many dimensions," he said.

Regarding global economic governance, "G20 is totally relevant and important," Wolff said, adding that "as a forum, G20 represents the changing world economy and China has been playing an increasingly important role in this process."

Wolff commended China for tackling the inequality challenge, saying "it has really lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, which is a huge achievement."

On China's economy, Wolff said that "China's growth rate is still quite high."

However, he believed that the phase of growth largely dependent on increasing investment has to end in China.

"Ultimately, the growth of China would come from progress in technology and total productivity, labor productivity, better education system," he said, while suggesting more balanced growth and a stronger service sector.

In his opinion, "there is a big transformation that China has to face and it can be managed."
ANKARA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said Wednesday that U.S. officials told Ankara that within a few days Washington would respond to Turkey's request to arrest Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of masterminding the July 15 coup attempt.

In an interview with local NTV channel broadcast live, Bozdag said that the evidence presented by Turkey indicates that Gulen, now residing in Pennsylvania, must immediately be arrested in the U.S.

On Aug. 4, an Istanbul court issued a warrant for Gulen on charges of leading the failed coup attempt.

Bozdag warned earlier that the relationship between Washington and Ankara would be negatively affected if Gulen is not extradited.

Tensions emerged after Ankara expressed its discontent over the perceived lack of support from the West in the wake of the coup bid.

Bozdag also said that 32,000 people have been formally arrested in the investigation into the coup attempt.
NEW DELHI, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- India has decided to boycott the upcoming regional meeting South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) summit in Pakistan, officials said.

The summit is scheduled to be held in Pakistan in November this year and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was supposed to travel to Islamabad to attend the regional summit.

India's foreign ministry said it has conveyed the SAARC chair its decision regarding not attending the summit.

"The Government of India is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad," a statement issued by foreign ministry said.

"India has conveyed to current SAARC chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of member states by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad in November 2016," the document said.

India's foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup on Tuesday night took to twitter saying New Dehi has pulled out of SAARC summit.

"Regional cooperation and terror don't go together. India pulls out of SAARC summit in Islamabad," Swarup said.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated due to the ongoing civilian protests in Indian-controlled Kashmir and a deadly attack last week on an Indian army base in frontier Uri town, about 109 km northwest of Srinagar.

New Delhi blames Islamabad for fanning Kashmir protests and accuses it of sending armed militants into Indian-controlled Kashmir.

However, the charges were angrily dismissed by Pakistan. Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria has said recently that India leveled allegations without investigations.

"It is now the habit of India to shift the blame of every terrorist incident towards Pakistan without any investigation," he said.
KABUL, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Five Afghan army soldiers have been killed throughout Afghanistan within the last 24 hours, the country's Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

"Five personnel of Afghan National Army (ANA) martyred during military operations against the enemies of Afghanistan and as a result of separate incidents over the past 24 hours," the ministry said in a statement.

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 statement also said that scores of insurgents, including 20 fighters of Islamic State (IS) militant group, were killed and 47 others were injured as the Afghan security forces waged offensives across the country over the same period.

The joint Afghan security forces also found and seized weapons and defused several roadside bombs and landmines during the security operations, the statement noted.
TOKYO, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Multiple passengers traveling on the Seibu Shinjuku Line at Tokyo's Takadanobaba Station complained of sore throats and coughing after smelling something they described as similar to paint thinner, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department said Wednesday.

As many as nine people so far have reported feeling ill this evening and police and the fire department officials are currently on the scene carrying out investigations, public broadcaster NHK reported.
Zhang Dejiang (L), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, meets with French President Francois Hollande in Paris, France, Sept. 26, 2016. At the invitation of French National Assembly Speaker Claude Bartolone and Senate President Gerard Larcher, Zhang Dejiang paid a four-day visit to France from Sept. 24 to 27. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

PARIS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Visiting top Chinese legislator Zhang Dejiang and French leaders have voiced their willingness to strengthen ties in a number of areas with China.

Zhang, chairman of China's top legislature the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), met with French President Francois Hollande, Prime Minister Manuel Valls, National Assembly Speaker Claude Bartolone, and Senate President Gerard Larcher during his four-day visit to France, which concluded Tuesday.

China-France relations have witnessed all-round progress in recent years and entered a new era in their comprehensive strategic partnership, Zhang told Hollande.

He spoke of the successful meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Hollande at the Group of 20 summit in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou earlier this month, saying it has infused fresh momentum into the development of bilateral ties.

Zhang said the two sides should actively carry out the agreements reached by the two heads of state, seek win-win cooperation and deepen friendly cooperation.

China is willing to cooperate with France on international issues and jointly boost the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change and the results of the Hangzhou Summit, Zhang added.

Hollande said France always pays great importance to the development of its relationship with China, and stands ready to further deepen practical cooperation in various ways.

He spoke highly of China's approval of the Paris Agreement and the positive results achieved by the Hangzhou Summit, saying his country is willing to join hands with China to cope with global challenges.

When meeting Valls, Zhang said China-France cooperation is built on a solid foundation and has huge potential and broad prospects.

The two sides should strengthen ties in such fields as nuclear energy, aviation, finance, third-party markets and sustainable development and create a sound environment for their respective enterprises to cooperate, he said.

Zhang stressed China's support for Europe's integration, saying his country will continue to deepen China-Europe practical relations.

He voiced his hope that France, as a core country in the European Union, will continue to play a constructive role in China-Europe relations.

Valls said bilateral relations are at their best in history and France is willing to strengthen trade with China.

During his respective meetings with Bartolone and Larcher, Zhang said exchanges and cooperation between the two countries' legislative bodies are an important part of the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership. He called for improving the legal environment for both countries to work together.

Bartolone and Larcher said the French National Assembly and Senate are ready to deepen ties with the NPC to contribute to the development of relations.

During his visit, Zhang also attended a series of events highlighting the ties between the two countries.

France is the last stop of Zhang's four-nation tour, which also took him to Israel, Palestine and Finland.

Related:

Top Chinese legislator makes first visit to Finland to enhance ties

HELSINKI, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Top legislator of China said on Saturday the Chinese-Finnish relationship is a model that two countries with different social systems can develop close cooperation which is beneficial for both sides.
CAPE TOWN, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Violent student protests against fee increases escalated on Wednesday in parts of South Africa, forcing the closure of several major universities.

The University of Limpopo became the latest hotspot where protesting students clashed with police.

Witnesses said police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades to disperse the students, injuring several of them.

Press reports indicated that there might be some fatalities. But police in Limpopo Province denied that there were fatalities at the University of Limpopo during the violent protest.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela said reports about fatalities were inaccurate, adding that the situation remained tense and police were monitoring the protest.

Meanwhile, academic activities at some universities, including the University of Cape Town and the Wits University in Johannesburg have been suspended due to student protests that erupted earlier this month after Minister of Higher Education and Traning, Blade Nzimande, announced that universities can raise fees, provided that it does not exceed eight percent.

Students have vowed to paralyze all institutions of higher learning if their demand for zero-percent fee increases is not met.

Also on Wednesday, the Parliamentarian Select Committee on Education and Recreation said it is alarmed by increasing incidents of student protests in various tertiary education institutions across the country.

"While the Committee accepts and supports the call for free tertiary education for the poor, achievement of this goal should not come at all cost, especially with regard to the future of the students," said the Committee Chairperson Lungelwa Zwane.

Vandalism and destruction of property does not assist in resolving the challenge but exacerbates the problem and reverses the gains already made, she said.

The silence by parents in this debate is also worrying as they remain an essential role player within the education sector, Zwane said, calling on parents, churches as well as all sectors of society to engage students to dissuade them from any destructive behaviour.

"It is only through collaborative efforts by society in general that will we overcome this challenge," she added.
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- An unarmed black man was shot dead Tuesday by police in El Cajon, a town about 50 km east of downtown San Diego, prompting protesters to gather at the scene.

Local police told a press conference on night that they were called to a parking lot at a shopping mall about 01:00 pm (2000 GMT) and found the black man was acting erratically. He failed to comply with police instructions to remove his concealed hand from his pocket, police said.

A picture released by local police showed at the moment right before the 30-year-old black man was killed, he encountered two police officers in a strange gesture, with two hands holding an object and aiming at one police.

Police said then an officer shot the man five times while the other fired a Taser. The black man was injured and died later in hospital.

El Cajon police chief Jeff Davis noted that police opened fire because they assumed they were facing a "shooting stance." However, he admitted at the press conference that no weapon was found on the man.

One witness identified as George told NBC 7 TV Station that he did not hear any command by police.

"I didn't hear any command 'halt', 'stop' or 'I'll shoot,' " said George. "I didn' t hear the man say anything. Next thing I see 'pow, pow, pow, pow, pow' , five shots."

One video posted to Twitter showed a woman, identified as the victim's sister, crying at the scene. She was heard saying, "I called you to help me but you killed my brother."

Witnesses at the scene of the shooting questioned the motive of the officers before protesters gathered and demanded an answer in the evening.

Another video shared on Twitter showed a black woman complaining about the police to reporters around her, saying "you didn' t say 'freeze', you didn' t say 'stop', you didn' t say anything, just shot this man five times, sending a message to us that what you can do is 'kill' here, you can do nothing but kill a black man now here."
People search for jades in an old part of Tengchong in Southwest China's Yunnan province. [Photo/VCG]

Tengchong in Southwest China's Yunnan province is known for its jade trade and processing industry. This time the city caught people's attention again due to jadeite, but in a quite different way.

People recently rushed to dig for jade in a street of an old part of the city in Tengchong undergoing reconstruction, which used to host many jewelry stores and workshops, according to Beijing Youth Daily.

It is reported that many jades had to be buried as foundations for constructions of roads and houses years ago in the area because the jewelry processing technique was not good as today.

So when the local government recently made an announcement to rebuild the older town, many saw it as an opportunity to get the jade out of the ground again.

A man surnamed Li told Beijing Youth Daily that he took a hoe to the area on Sunday evening to join the big "treasure hunt" team.

"There were people all over the place looking for jadeite and some of them even had the whole family out on the scene," he said.

There was even a self-founded small jade-trading market in the street where people were selling to others what they had found.

Jades are dug out and offered for sale in Tengchong. [Photo/VCG]

Luckily, Li finally scooped out over 20 small jades in two hours and he sold two pieces for 1,200 yuan ($180).

But not everyone was as lucky as Li. Another local woman surnamed Yu said the jades she dug out were too poor to be sold.

Du Maosheng, chairman of the Tengchong Jewelry and Jade Association, told Beijing Youth Daily that the majority of the jadeites buried under the ground were actually waste materials left in processing and it's impossible to expect some big treasure there.

There were even speculators who used the chance to bury jades before digging them out and offering them for sale.

The local government also issued a notice, warning that the "treasure hunt" violates the safety regulations and poses security threats.

Some deliberately hyped up the so-called buried jewelry in the area for their own interests and people should not believe in making great fortune overnight.
JAKARTA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Soldiers, police and other local authorities have evacuated over 100 foreign and domestic visitors, and are searching for hundreds others after a volcano erupts in West Nusa Tenggara province of central Indonesia, spokesman of disaster agency said on Wednesday.

At least 106 holiday makers, comprising 65 foreign tourists and 41 domestic visitors have been exited from dangerous zones, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of the national disaster agency told Xinhua via phone.

Still, he said the number of evacuated tourists may exceed the figure as some other visitors have also escaped the zone from another gate, which is not recorded.

Search for the visitors remaining in evacuated zone is underway, Sutopo said.

Mount Barujari, child of Mount Rinjani, spewed a column of massive ash by up to 2 km to the sky on Tuesday, the agency said.

A radius of 3-km from the crater has been declared as the dangerous zone, according to the spokesman.

A total of 1,023 foreign holiday makers and 56 domestic visitors were visiting the volcano when the eruption took place, Sutopo said.

On Sunday, a total of 1,113 tourists were forced to leave the zone, but some others rejected to escape the area, Sutopo added.

"Scores of holiday makers are reluctant to leave the zones. They knew it is dangerous but they insisted to stay as they wanted to film the eruption," he added.

Communities have been warned to be alert as the local authorities are preparing more than 300,000 masks, according to Sutopo.

Indonesia, an archipelago country home to over 17,500 islands, has 129 active volcanoes.
MOGADISHU, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Unidentified gunmen on Tuesday evening shot dead a radio journalist in Somali capital Mogadishu, officials said.

Abdiaziz Mohamed Ali Haji, who hosted a morning news program for privately-run Radio Shabelle, was killed by armed attackers at sunset in Yaqshid district, Mogadishu.

Somali Minister of Information Mohamed Abdi Hayer strongly condemned the murder, vowing that the perpetrators will not escape justice.

"I share the sadness with families and friends of the assassinated journalist; the government condemns the attack in the strongest terms. Security forces will pursue those behind the killing of the journalist and bring them to justice," Hayer said.

Somalia is considered to be one of the worst areas for journalists. Two months ago, a female reporter working for the state radio station was killed in Mogadishu.
BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson said Wednesday that the 1992 Consensus, which reflects the one-China principle, is in line with the development of cross-Strait relations in both a legal and practical sense.

"It is not an additional premise, but reached by the two sides through communication and consultation," said Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, at a routine press conference.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has long pursued the secessionist position of "Taiwan independence," damaging the political foundation for peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, and severely impacting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and achievements since 2008, Ma said.

"We will continue to adhere to the political foundation of the 1992 Consensus, firmly oppose 'Taiwan independence' and maintain the one-China principle, to expand communication between compatriots across the Strait, enhance exchange and cooperation in various fields and build a cross-Strait community of common destiny," Ma said.

If the DPP continues pursuing "Taiwan independence," no matter if it is in a radical or soft fashion, it will be doomed to failure, Ma said.

A delegation of county and city officials from Taiwan, who came to Beijing for a mainland visit earlier this month, expressed their continued adherence to the 1992 Consensus, which affirms that both sides of the Strait belong to one China, Ma said.

The mainland responded positively to their visit by announcing eight measures to promote exchange with the counties and city represented in the delegation, Ma said.

The delegation included officials from New Taipei City and the counties of Hsinchu, Hualien, Taitung, Kinmen, Lienchiang, Miaoli and Nantou.

Ma said the counties and city involved are planning to hold a farm produce and tourism promotion fair on the mainland within the year, and mainland companies were also planning to visit each of the areas to discuss purchase of their farm produce.

"We are positive toward any county or city in Taiwan as long as it recognizes the true nature of cross-Strait relations and county and city-level exchanges, and is willing to contribute to the wellbeing and kinship of compatriots on both sides of the Strait," he said.
NEW DELHI, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the main opposition Congress party's chief Sonia Gandhi Wednesday condoled the demise of former Israel President Shimon Peres, saying that the country lost a steadfast friend in him.

"In his passing, Israel has lost a statesman who made courageous efforts to achieve peace for his country and the region. The worldwide admiration and accolades he received for his work -- including the Noble Peace Prize, are a testimony to the values that he stood for," President Mukherjee said.

In his message to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, Mukherjee said that India remembers Peres as a steadfast friend of the country, "whose lasting contribution to strengthening of the close bilateral partnership between India and Israel will be long remembered".

On his part, Modi also condoled the death of the former Israeli leader and tweeted: "In former President Shimon Peres, we lost a key world leader and a friend of India. Pained by his demise. Our condolences to people of Israel."

Gandhi described him as a defining political figure. "Peres will be remembered as a steadfast pacifist and hopeful believer in peace and coexistence," she said, adding his tenure added strength and goodwill to the Indo-Israeli relationship.

Peres, who served twice as Israel's prime minister and once as president, died this morning at the age of 93 after his condition worsened Tuesday, following a stroke two weeks ago. He was one of the last of a generation of Israeli politicians present at the new nation's birth in 1948.
JINAN, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- A grand ceremony was held in Qufu City, hometown of Confucius, in east China's Shandong Province on Wednesday to celebrate the 2,567th anniversary of the birth of ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius.

More than 2,000 people recited classic quotes from "The Analects," a collection of Confucius' famous sayings, in front of the Confucius Temple.

The participants, including government officials, UNESCO officials, scholars, students and descendants of Confucius, from over 20 countries and regions, marched toward the Confucius Temple wearing yellow ribbons.

The ceremony started around 9:30 a.m. Dancers wearing Han Dynasty (202 B.C.-220 A.D.) costume staged a ritual dance. Representatives presented flower baskets in front of a statue of Confucius, and all participants bowed three times toward the statue.

The Qufu government organized experts to conduct research on the current name, time, venue, procedure, code of etiquette, sacrificial offerings and ritual dance of the ceremony, to ensure it was suitable occasion.

Ceremonies were held also in a number of Chinese cities throughout China on Wednesday.

In Changchun, about 20 descendants of Confucius participated in a ritual ceremony held at the city's Confucius Temple.

After the ceremony, Jin Haifeng, a professor with the college of Liberal Arts of Changchun University, gave a lecture on ancient Chinese civilization.

On Wednesday, a Confucianism museum opened to the public in Quzhou City in east China's Zhejiang Province. The museum displays ancient books and materials on Confucianism, and in the future will invite Confucianism experts from home and abroad.

The museum will serve as an education base for traditional Chinese culture and etiquette training.

Some foreigners also attended the ceremony in Quzhou. David Peter Maclellan, an advisor of the Confucius Institute at Saint Mary's University in Canada, said Confucianism is helpful for solving the basic problems of a country and a society.

Kong Xiangkai, a descendant of Confucius, told overseas students attending the ceremony that he hoped people around the world could strive to realize the peace and social harmony in Confucius' teachings.

Confucius (551-479 B.C.), an educator and philosopher, founded Confucianism, a school of thought that deeply influenced later generations. He was also the first Chinese person to set up private schools that enrolled students from all walks of life. He is believed to have been born on September 28.
AMMAN, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- King Abdullah II of Jordan on Wednesday approved a reshuffle in the cabinet of Prime Minister Hani Mulki, state-run Petra news agency reported.

Under the reshuffle, the finance, foreign and finance ministerial posts would remain unchanged.

Mulki, first appointed as prime minister in May, offered to resign earlier this week, but the king tasked him with forming a new government.
KUNMING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- China Eastern Airlines will launch flights connecting the Chinese cities of Kunming and Qingdao with San Francisco in the United States on Thursday, the company said Wednesday.

An Airbus 33H will fly the route three times a week.

It will depart from Kunming at 7:50 a.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and arrive at San Francisco International Airport at 9 a.m. via Qingdao, a port city in Shandong Province, according to a statement issued by the Yunnan branch of China Eastern Airlines.

The return flight is scheduled at 10:45 a.m. local time on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and will arrive in Kunming at 7:35 p.m. the next day, it said.

Kunming, capital of China's southwestern Yunnan Province, is known as Spring City for its mild climate and green environment. The city offers international transit passengers 72-hour visa-free stays.
CHENGDU, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Fasten your seat belt, because China's air industry is ready to take off!

The numbers of China's international air passengers and new international air routes both increased by more than 30 percent in 2015, according to statistics released at the World Route Development Forum, which concluded Tuesday in Chengdu, capital of the southwestern province of Sichuan.

At the four-day forum, Shuangliu International Airport of Chengdu inked deals to launch nine regular direct international flights, while the southern metropolis of Guangzhou had negotiations with more than 30 airline companies.

China's air market has picked up speed in recent years. Its air routes to Europe and North American have increased from a mere 15 in 2009 to 235 in 2016, linking 14 Chinese cities, many of which are second-tier, inland cities, according to Richard Evans, senior consultant at Flight Ascend Consultancy.

By the end of 2015, 20 Chinese airlines had flights linking China and 138 cities in other countries and regions, and 129 foreign entities operated flights from 126 cities overseas to 57 Chinese cities, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

"These (figures) show business insiders' great interest and growing confidence in the future of China's civil aviation industry," said CAAC deputy head Dong Zhiyi.

SKYROCKETING INDUSTRY

With China's air industry development gaining speed, aeronautical specialists say the sky is the limit for aviation in the world's most populous country.

China's outbound passengers stood at 120 million last year, allowing many foreign airlines to launch flights to China, said Zheng Lei, director of the center for aviation research at the University of Surrey in Britain.

"If the current trend continues, by 2034, there will be 14,000 more planes flying to Asia," Lei said.

Vinoop Goel, Asia-Pacific regional director of airport, passenger, cargo and security at the International Air Transport Association, said that China is one of the world's major five markets, and with such growth potentials it will likely surpass the United States.

The western inland is particularly a magnet for those looking to enter the Chinese market.

Take Sichuan for example. In 2015, the province's total economic output exceeded three trillion yuan (450 billion U.S. dollars), making it sixth nationwide. So far, 278 of the top 500 global companies and 70 percent of the world's most renowned brands have offices in the provincial capital Chengdu.

During the forum, Chongqing Airport Group, in neighboring Chongqing Municipality, spoke with more than 30 foreign airliners, while Yunnan Airport Group agreed to cooperate with multiple airline companies in South Asia and Southeast Asia, as well as reaching out to airlines from Europe, the United States and Japan.

"The economic growth rates posted by Chinese provinces and cities are amazing and we are very excited to enhance cooperation," said Khalil Lamrabet, director of Dubai airports aviation business development. "We expect to bring more tourists and more job opportunities [to Chongqing]."

But with the opportunities have emerged some challenges.

Vinoop said that the major obstacle was transporting capacity; the ability to carry increasing numbers of passengers.

"If transporting capacity is insufficient, the industry will suffer," he said. "To solve this problem, airports and airlines must enhance coordination."

Hou Wei, vice president of Hainan Airlines, said that it was necessary to coordinate air transportation policies, air traffic control and airport services, if the industry is to become stronger.

Meanwhile, aviation specialists say that airline companies, airports and tourism authorities should improved communication to address the problem of flight delays.

"In the past few years, we have had very close cooperation with airline companies and reduced flight delays," said Susan Kurland, deputy commissioner for air service development with Chicago Department of Aviation. "We also stepped up investment in the aviation industry, improved efficiency in terminals, and built many hotels near airports to meet the demand of our customers."
Wreckage of flight MH17 is seen after the presentation of the investigation report on the cause of its crash, at the Gilze-Rijen air base, the Netherlands, on Oct. 13, 2015. The crash of flight MH17 on 17 July last year was caused by the detonation of a 9N314M-type warhead launched from eastern Ukraine using a Buk missile system, said the investigation report published Tuesday by the Dutch Safety Board (DSB). (Xinhua/Sylvia Lederer)

THE HAGUE, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Buk missile that downed flight MH17 was brought from Russia and fired from a region in eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian rebels, according to the Joint Investigation Team's (JIT) report released Wednesday by the Netherlands Public Prosecutor's Office.

The Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 was shot down by a Buk missile which was brought from Russia to Ukraine. The weapon was fired from a field in the Ukrainian village Pervomajsk, which at the time of the disaster was in the hands of pro-Russian rebels. The launcher was then brought back to Russia, according to the JIT's initial probe.

The investigation team said they based their findings on information collected from radar images, thousands of pieces of wreckage, photos, videos, tapped phone calls and testimonials from people who have seen the Buk missile being driven.

MH17 crashed in eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014 while flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people on board died, most of them Dutch citizens.

The Dutch Safety Board carried out an investigation into the cause of the crash to draw safety lessons for future use. The criminal investigation is aimed at identifying the suspects and is conducted by the international investigation team, the so-called JIT.

In the JIT, the Netherlands Public Prosecutor's Office and the Dutch National Police work together with police and judicial authorities of Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine. The purpose of the criminal investigation is to establish the facts, identify those responsible for the crash and to collect evidence which can be used in court.

Western investigators and Kiev have been claiming that pro-independence insurgents in eastern Ukraine shot down the aircraft, while Moscow has been denying the allegations and retorting the plane was shot by a missile from the territory controlled by Ukrainian government troops.

On Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that Ukraine was hiding vital data on the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crash and was manipulating the investigation of the 2014 catastrophe.

The ministry also refuted conclusions contained in the Dutch Safety Board report about the possible presence of heavy air defense systems in Eastern Ukraine.
PARIS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- French President Francois Hollande on Wednesday mourned the passing of "Israel's most illustrious statesmen" Shimon Peres and paid tribute to him as an ardent defender of peace.

In a statement released by his office, Hollande said Peres was: "A visionary, he impressed his interlocutors by his ability to propose bold initiatives and new ideas to get to this ideal. He believed in sharing resources, technology, and the opening of communication channels for bringing people together".

Hollande called Peres a "man of peace" who defended the creation of a Palestinian state which he considered the only guarantee for Israel's security.

"I express, on this sad day, my sympathy to the Israeli people and my condolences to his (Peres) family," the French president said.

In a separate statement, French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault paid tribute to a man who "made history" via his culture of peace.

Peres, 93, died on Wednesday after suffering a major stroke more than two weeks ago.

During his nearly 70-year political career, he twice served as Israel's prime minister. He also served as foreign minister, defense minister, finance minister, chairman of the Labor Party, and leader of the opposition in the parliament.

In 1994, he shared the Nobel Peace Prize with the late former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for reaching an interim peace deal in 1993 which remained elusive.

Hollande will attend Peres' state funeral scheduled for Sept. 30.
NEW DELHI, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed and two others injured in a road mishap in the northeastern Indian state of Assam Wednesday, a senior police official said.

"The mishap took place when a car with all laborers on board rammed into a truck that had turned turtle on National Highway 37 at Dharatul in the state's Morigaon district," he said, on condition of anonymity.

As the injured laborers were trying to come out of the car, another speeding truck hit it, thus sandwiching the vehicle, the official said, adding the two injured have been admitted to a local hospital.

A probe has been ordered into the accident, which hauled up traffic in the area for over four hours, he said. "The driver of both the trucks fled the spot and efforts are on to nab them," the official added.

India has the highest rate of road accidents in the world, with over 130,000 people killed every year, according to official statistics.
NEW YORK, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Experts and voters alike saw Republican nominee Donald Trump as the perceived loser of the first presidential debate held Monday night.

During the debate held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, the political "outsider" Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton traded punches over the economy, taxes, race relations and personal temperaments.

But the candidates' performances may change few voters' minds, as the 90-minute exchange of jabs provided no new concrete information while reinforcing stereotypical images of the two, experts say.

ON THE DEFENSIVE

"In any debate, when you spend a lot of time explaining yourself or explaining why you didn't do something, ultimately you lose the debate," said Richard Himelfarb, Associate Professor of Political Science at Hofstra University. "He pretty clearly lost the debate."

Trump indeed had been on the defensive throughout in the most-watched presidential debate in American history, where a total of 84 million viewers tuned in across 13 of the TV channels that carried it live.

Himelfarb said the pivotal moment during the debate was when Hillary laid out why she thought Trump might be afraid to release his taxes.

"He made a mistake by spending a lot of time defending his unwillingness to release his tax returns and that became the focus," said Himelfarb.

"That is what people are going to ultimately remember most from this debate," he added.

Besides his tax returns, Trump also took the bait and spent considerable time defending his business records, his derogatory comment about a minority beauty pageant contestant, and his swinging stance on the Iraq war and whether U.S. president Barack Obama was born in America.

Trump's defensive tactics were also off-putting for many voters.

"Trump did a lot of talking over the moderator, interrupting and speaking out of turn, and I think it's not appropriate especially when you're going to be interacting with world leaders," said Kristin Bennet from New York City who watched the debate.

"You can't just talk over people and be disrespectful in that way," said Bennet.

Immediate after-debate poll results showed just that. A CNN/ORC poll showed 62 percent of Americans that watched the debate said Clinton won compared to 27 percent who said Trump won.

MILDER THAN EXPECTED

Although Trump wasn't able to gain an upper hand during the night, experts and voters observed that he had stayed on message as a challenger to the political establishment, which his supporters enjoyed, and was not too forward on issues most vulnerable to Clinton like her health, her husband's previous infidelities and the allegations of corruption at the Clinton Foundation.

To some voters, Trump seemed somewhat in control, did not continuously draw upon his previous controversial assertions, and did not insult his opponent directly as he usually does.

"The atmosphere was unexpectedly mild, and Trump's performance was not too bad for his first time," said Yumin Yin of Ohio.

The first half hour of the debate where the two candidates clashed on trade was Trump's strongest moments of the night, many noted. The New York Times even reported that "Donald Trump won the first 25 minutes of the first presidential debate."

He repeatedly bashed Clinton on North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Democratic administration's failure to prevent jobs from leaving the country, which was his usual argument that had courted many of his followers who were unsatisfied about their economic reality.

"I thought Trump was relatively articulate towards the beginning," said Peter Schultheis from Texas.

NOTHING NEW

"I don't think they give us anything particularly new in terms of issues," said Jingsi Wu, Assistant Professor of Journalism, Media Studies, and Public Relations at Hofstra University.

Voters were also disappointed at the lack of concrete policies and issues of the debate.

Bennet said she attended the first debate between Barack Obama and John McCain in 2008, and compared the two debates eight years apart as "night and day."

"Both parties' candidates in the other one were more articulate than what I saw today," said Bennet.

Experts said that the debate would not likely to change the mind of U.S. voters in a transformative manner, but just reinforce their existing opinions on both candidates.

"At this moment in the American media environment of political conversations, we've reached a point where media consumers and average citizens are so divided, so much so that they will only go to particular news outlets to support their own formed opinions," said Wu.

"They would not think that Trump necessarily lied or Clinton dodged certain questions, they did not see the candidates' statements in the same light," Wu added.

"I think most of Trump's supporters are going to basically stay with him. I think the race is going to settle back to what it spun for quite a while, which is Hillary being ahead by three or four points," said Himelfarb.
PHNOM PENH, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodian National Assembly's standing committee on Wednesday rejected a request from the justice ministry to strip two opposition lawmakers of their immunity following a prostitution case.

"The standing committee had refused the request from the Justice Ministry to lift the parliamentary immunity of two lawmakers," said a National Assembly's statement released after a standing committee's closed meeting.

The refusal to the request was made after the standing committee saw that the case of two Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) lawmakers Tok Vanchan and Pin Ratana was not an "in flagrante delicto" crime, the statement said.

Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana proposed the National Assembly on June 30 to strip the two lawmakers of their immunity so that they could face charges in a prostitution case involving CNRP deputy leader Kem Sokha.

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Sept. 9 sentenced, in absentia, Kem Sokha to five months in prison for "refusal to appear" in court over the prostitution case involving his alleged mistress.

He has been holed up at the CNRP's headquarters on the southern outskirts of Phnom Penh since May 26 in fear of arrest, as dozens of his loyalists have gathered at the party's ground-floor to protect him.

The accusation against Kem Sokha stems from leaked audio clips of telephone conversation between him and his alleged mistress in February. In the clips, they discussed sex, pregnancy and paying for an apartment.

Kem Sokha has not publicly commented on the veracity of the audio recordings, instead of advising his supporters not to respond to provocation.
MOSUL, Iraq, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Islamic State (IS) militants on Wednesday set fire to three oil wells near the town of Qayyara, which Iraqi forces freed from the IS late last month in south Mosul, a local official said.

"Daesh terrorist group (IS group) planted bombs in three oil wells of Najma oilfield, which is still under IS control, and blew them up in the early morning," Salih Hassan al-Jubouri, the mayor of Qayyara, some 55 km south of Mosul, told Xinhua.

The blasts ignited enormous fires in Najma oilfield, just north of the town of Qayyara, sending black smoke above the town and nearby villages, Jubouri said.

Earlier in the month, the Iraqi oil ministry said fires were put out at at six oil wells in and around Qayyara.

The fires were set by extremist militants before they fled Qayyara when security forces advanced on the town.

The ministry said several other oil wells were still on fire but they are outside the control of the security forces and will be extinguished as soon as the troops regain control.

On Aug. 25, Iraqi security forces freed Qayyara, a strategic town supposed to be used as a staging ground for a major offensive to liberate the last major IS stronghold in Mosul, some 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.

Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, has been under IS control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.
BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a condolence message to his Israeli counterpart, Reuven Rivlin, on Wednesday over the passing of former President Shimon Peres.

President Xi, on behalf of the Chinese government, the Chinese people and himself, extended his sincere condolences to Peres' relatives and the Israeli people.

As a senior statesman in Israel, Peres had dedicated himself to finding a political solution to the Middle East issue and was the founder and propellent of the Middle East peace process, which earned him deep respect from the Israeli people and international community, Xi said in the message.

Peres had visited China a number of times and made important contributions to the development of China-Israel ties. His passing is a loss of an old friend for China, said the Chinese president.

Xi also stressed that China attaches great importance to the development of China-Israel relations and is willing to work with Israel to continuously push forward the development of bilateral ties.
NAIROBI, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The UN will work with other partners to ensure that Kenya achieves gender parity in the mining sector, officials said on Wednesday.

UN Women Country Director Zebib Kavuma told Xinhua in Nairobi that women are currently underrepresented in the sector.

"This is largely because they lack access to knowledge and finance required to operate in the sector," Kavuma said on the sidelines of the Kenya Mining Forum.

The two-day event brought over 200 participants from the mining sector to review investment opportunities in Kenya's mining sector.

Kavuma noted that women in the sector are mainly concentrated in the small mining sector. Early this year, Kenya enacted a new mining law to replace the existing one which has been in place since 1940.

UN Women helped to develop the law that promotes inclusivity in the mining sector to ensure that the sector benefits the community hosting mines.

"The next step is to ensure that the law is implemented in such a way that it promotes gender parity," Kavuma said.

The country director said that the Kenya's mining sector will expand more rapidly if women are more involved in the sector.

"Women bring different experiences, aspects and concerns to the mining sector that are often overlooked," she said. The country director said that there are some women who have achieved success in the mining sector.

"We want to highlight their experiences so that they can serve as role models to encourage more women to enter into the sector," she added.

One of the ways the UN will help to empower women in the mining sector is through assisting women to form associations where they can pool resources together.
A person holds a dog that lives in the Glodsmith Museum, in Havana, Cuba, on March 21, 2015. (Xinhua/Joaquin Hernandez)

ARUSHA, Tanzania, Sept.28 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in northern Tanzania have raised a red flag over rabies, calling for the control of stray dogs in the east African nation.

Health experts and veterinarians want owners of the canine to take them for vaccination and exterminate those carrying the deadly disease.

The call came a day prior to the World Rabies Day on Wednesday. The day is celebrated annually to raise awareness about rabies prevention and to highlight progress in defeating the disease.

Rabies is a contagious and fatal viral disease of dogs and other mammals that causes madness and convulsions, transmissible through the saliva to humans.

Sabas Shange, a veterinary officer at the Arusha Regional Commissioner's office, said that Arusha is now home to 61,649 dogs.

"The number excludes stray dogs, but so far only 4,867 have been victims of rabies," said the veterinarian.

According to Dr. Shange, this is equivalent to 7.8 percent of all canine in the region.

The veterinary officer insists that rabies still pose great threat in the region, urging dog owners and animal welfare enthusiasts to castrate and control stray dogs.

In the past, district and regional authorities used to shoot and kill stray dogs, a move that made animal welfare enthusiasts in uproar against the action.

"That is no longer applicable; the viable option is to castrate to prevent them from multiplying and keep them under proper control," he observed.

Nyasebwa Malangu, an officer in charge with the zonal veterinary center, said places highly inhabited by the Maasai have the most cases of rabies because of the proximity to national parks.

According to Malangu, the vaccine-preventable viral disease had its origins from the dog families which included jackals, foxes and hyenas.

"Vaccinating dogs is the most cost-effective strategy for preventing rabies in people, their vaccination will drive down the deaths attributable to rabies," he opined.

Vones Uiso, Arusha Regional Health Officer, said the safari capital of Arusha had in the last six months recorded 107 cases of dog bites.

"Some canine diseases are very serious and can be fatal even with treatment. To prevent your dog from getting these diseases we recommend regular vaccination. The vaccinations we recommend are highly effective and have a very low rate of side effects."

Karatu District followed closely with 49 such cases, much to the concern of the health officer.

Longido and Monduli districts led the region with most cases of dog bites each, with 140 and 120 cases of dog bites respectively.

"The numbers speak volumes about the problem. Any dog, regardless of its breed, can cause fear and alarm, or even serious injury if it is allowed by it's owner to be 'out of control," she said.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), rabies occurs in more than 150 countries and territories.
BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday sent a message of condolence to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu over the passing of the country's former President Shimon Peres.

On behalf of Chinese government, the Chinese people and himself, Li expressed deep sorrow over the passing of the former president, and extended his sympathies to his family and the Israeli people.

Li said in the message that Peres was an elder statesman and active promoter of the Middle East peace process and enjoys a solid reputation internationally.

Peres has long sought to promote a friendly relationship between China and Israel and pushed forward cooperation between the two countries in a number of fields, Li said.

The China-Israel relationship is currently riding high, the premier said, adding that China is willing to work with Israel to maintain the sound development of bilateral ties and constantly deepen cooperation in various fields to benefit the two peoples.
RAMALLAH/GAZA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday that late former Israeli President Shimon Peres had exerted unremitting efforts to make peace until the last moment of his life.

"He (Peres) exerted unremitting efforts to reach a permanent peace since Oslo agreement was signed with Israel in 1993 until the last moment in his life," Abbas said in a condolence letter to Peres' family, carried by state news agency WAFA.

In his letter, Abbas expressed deep grief and sorrow for Peres' passing. "He was a partner in making the peace of the brave with late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin."

Earlier on Wednesday, Israel announced that Peres died in a hospital in the suburbs of Tel Aviv at the age of 93.

In Gaza, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said his Islamic movement is very happy about the news of Peres' death.

"We are so happy about the news of former Israeli president's death. It is not only us, but all the Palestinian people are happy about the news of Peres' death," he said. "This man committed crimes and shed the blood of our people."

Abu Zuhri, whose movement is classified as a terrorist group and rejects to recognize Israel and the peace process, said: "Peres was the last founder of this entity (Israel) and we believe it is a start of a new stage of the Israeli occupation's weakness."

Peres was born as Szymon Perski in 1923 in a Polish town now known as Vishnyeva in Belarus. In 1934, he and his family immigrated to Israel, then known as Palestine.

His nearly 70-year political career covered almost every role in the political arena -- he served twice as prime minister. He also served as foreign minister, defense minister, finance minister, chairman of the Labor Party, and leader of the opposition in the parliament.

He played a vital role in founding Israel's military and aviation industries and established paths for exporting Israeli weapons and security equipment throughout the world.

In 1994, he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his part in forming the short-lived peace accords with the Palestinians in 1993.
OSLO, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The first load of U.S. shale gas has arrived in Britain and would pose a threat to the gas industry in Norway, a local analyst said on Wednesday.

"This development can threaten the profitability of Norwegian gas projects," oil analyst Thina Saltvedt told the country's leading newspaper Aftenposten, commenting on the first ever shipment of U.S. shale gas that arrived in Scotland on Tuesday.

According to multinational chemicals company Ineos, the importer of the product, the U.S. shale gas will substitute "failing gas supply from the North Sea and ensure jobs in Britain."

The company is also established in Norway and has since March received weekly supplies of shale gas at their site in the Bamble municipality in Telemark county, Norway.

"Increasing import of shale gas to Europe will produce additional pressure on Norwegian gas producers to put down the expenses and remain competitive," Saltvedt said.

Britain is one of the most important markets for Norwegian gas and the gas is transported directly by the pipe from the North Sea.

Saltvedt pointed out that the volume of the import of shale gas to Britain and Europe in future will depend on the costs of production and transportation.

She also emphasized that Norway has high production expenses, but that the transportation via pipe from Norway is more affordable than ship transportation. According to Aftenposten, the American gas can be sold to Europe for 42 dollars per barrel of oil equivalent, which makes it competitive in relation to the Norwegian gas.

Ineos had earlier received all the gas from the North Sea. However, in the past three to four months the company has not received enough Norwegian gas in order to operate at full speed. It said import of American shale gas could ensure enough gas supply for low price in order to maintain plastic production and to compete on the current market.

Saltvedt said the increase in U.S. shale gas export, combined with the EU's wish to depend less on imported gas and cut climate gas emissions, will make the market tougher for Norwegian gas exporters in future.
KIEV, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- An historical exhibition entitled "The Road of Death" has recently opened in the Ukrainian capital to mark the 75th anniversary of the massacre of about 150,000 Nazi victims in Babi Yar.

The exhibition, which is held in the Museum of History of Ukraine in World War II, features more than 500 exhibits, including authentic photos and documents as well as personal belongings of the victims.

Furthermore, dozens of modern art installations revealing the brutality of the Babi Yar massacre are displayed at the exhibition.

Babi Yar, a ravine in Kiev, was a site of a series of massacres carried out by the Nazis during their campaign against the former Soviet Union during WWII.

The most notorious and best documented of these massacres took place on Sept. 29, 1941, wherein 33,771 Jews were killed in a single operation.

Nadiya Smolyarchuk, the head of the research department at the museum, said that the main aim of the exhibition is to provide a vivid picture of Kiev during WWII.

"For us, it is a major tragedy -- a tragedy for Kiev city, a tragedy for Ukraine. For Jewish people who live in Ukraine it is a tremendous source of heartbreak and pain even today," Smolyarchuk said.

The exhibition runs until Nov. 26.
French President Francois Hollande speaks at the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

PARIS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- "I ask to be judged on employment ...," French President Francois Hollande said during a recent prime-time interview, in response to growing critics and sliding popularity.

With his economic credibility already on the line, Hollande has set reversing jobless claims as condition to extend his stay at the Elysee Palace, betting on better business climate and various devices he implemented to encourage hiring.

Unfortunately, the end of gloom is not in sight for the French top official.

The Labor Ministry's monthly report released on Monday showed that number of people out of work in France reached a record high in August to more than 3.556 million from a month earlier, the highest level since 2013.

The fresh labor data likely to pour cold water on his plan to fix the jobless headache and ignited critics over his failure to devote on pledges to bring down joblessness and promote national wealth as he promised five years ago.

"These are disastrous results which show the total failure of Francois Hollande's government. We need a radical change in economic policy," Alain Juppe, former foreign minister and also the favorite to win right-wing parties primary, wrote on his tweeter account.

To ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy who is seeking to revenge a failure in 2012 presidential race, "French economy is in a situation of extreme emergency," suggesting that a change in policies is the only alternative.

Most polls show that if Hollande runs as the left's candidate, he will come third to far-right Front National leader Marine Le Pen and whoever heads the main center-right campaign.

With up to 16 percent of the votes, the French president will be eliminated in the first round of election scheduled for April 23, an Elabe poll for the business daily Le Echos showed on Sept. 22.

"Francois Hollande will most likely improve his falling popularity by improving significantly the national economic situation and mainly by decreasing unemployment," Erwan Listrohan, director of studies at BVA pollster told Xinhua.

"People who are doubting about the efficiency of his policies will credit him only if they will notice a significant and lasting improvement in labor market," said Listrohan.

"A strong distrust towards President Hollande let us consider a very limited potential for re-election," he added.

Over the past four decades, the unemployment rate has been painting French political spectra.

In 1975, 1 million unemployed people forced Valey Giscard d'Estaing to quit the Elysee Palace. With 2 million jobseekers, socialist Francois Mitterrand accepted coalition with the right wing in 1986 to secure a second mandate. Defeated Edouard Balladur in 1995, Jacques Chirac left office as jobless rate jumped in 2002.

"Unemployment figures are bad news for Francois Hollande as they weaken his eventual candidacy and strengthen the opposition," said Laurent Neumann, political analyst at news channel BFMTV.

"Given that his promise to lower joblessness seemed to be broken, Hollande now is seeking to hold other pledges such as maintaining activities at Alstom's Belfort site and dismantling Calais camp in order to set conditions for a candidacy," he added.

Hollande said he would announce by the end of 2016 if he will seek a second term.

However, he gave a clearest indication that he intends to re-elect next year during a meeting on "democracy and terrorism" held earlier this month in Paris.

He vowed to not "let the image of France, the influence of France deteriorate over the coming months or coming years."

Traditionally, the incumbent head of state represents his party in an election, without a contest. But prospects of a primary have been raised due to the head of state's record low approval ratings.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) holds a welcoming ceremony for Peru's President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski before their talks outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 13, 2016. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

LIMA, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski's recent visit to China helped lay the groundwork for expanding ties in trade, tourism and investment, a senior official has said.

His trip boosts trust between the two countries, and promotes Peru among China's business community, Peru's Minister of Foreign Commerce and Tourism Eduardo Ferreyros, who accompanied the president to Beijing, told reporters on Monday.

"The message we gave China and Chinese business leaders is that they come to Peru, which is an attractive country for investment," Ferreyros said.

Peru has a comprehensive strategic partnership with China, providing it with a privileged platform for deepening ties, the minister said.

Kuczynski paid his first foreign visit to China from Sept. 12 to Sept. 16. The visit shows the Peruvian people's admiration toward China for its achievements in independent development, Kuczynski said during the visit.

Kuczynski's first trip abroad since taking office also served to acknowledge China's importance as Peru's leading trade partner, and one of its biggest investors, especially in mining and energy.

In Beijing, Peru's trade chief met with his Chinese counterpart to discuss expanding a Customs Cooperation Agreement designed to prevent smuggling, and proposed holding a meeting in December on a free trade agreement.

The two also discussed Chinese investment in agriculture, agroindustry and tourism in Peru, and the possibility of expanding air links between the two countries to boost tourism.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with visiting Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 14, 2016. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)

"We are encouraging Chinese hotel chains to establish themselves in Peru, to invest in hotels that have the particular features to attend to their citizens," said Ferreyros.

"We are also going to focus and redirect certain events promoting Peru as a destination in Chinese cities, above all in Beijing, Shanghai and in Guangdong province, in order to promote flights from China to Peru," he added.

To attract more Chinese tourism, Peru has changed its visa restrictions to allow Chinese leisure and business travelers to stay in the country for up to 150 days, he said.

In trade, China Eastern Airlines will likely be the carrier in charge of transporting Peru's first shipment of cranberries and prawns destined for the Chinese market, as well as other non-traditional exports, said the minister.

In October, officials from both countries expect to conclude a phytosanitary agreement to be signed in November at an upcoming summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

In a bid to boost Peru's exports, Ferreyros said he is meeting in Lima with the heads of the 31 Export Trade Offices the country maintains around the world to put together an aggressive trade strategy in conjunction with the private sector.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Commander in Chief of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) Timoleon Jimenez attend the signing ceremony of the final peace agreement between the Colombian government and the FARC, in Cartagena, Colombia, Sept. 26, 2016.(Xinhua/Jhon Paz)

by Sylvia B. Zarate

CARTAGENA, Colombia, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- It has cost the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) 52 years to reach a permanent peace deal, offering the opportunity for new generations to grow up free of the threat of violence.

Past Colombian governments tried to ink the deal without success, but President Juan Manuel Santos will be remembered for leading the efforts to get the group to permanently lay down their arms and enter politics.

One such failed attempt came in 1984, under then President Belisario Betancur. At the time, the FARC, along with other similar groups, were legitimized as political actors and the Patriotic Union (UP) political party was founded.

The UP entered politics at all levels and gained victories in the 1986 elections, winning 350 local council seats, 23 regional deputies, nine seats in the lower house and six in the Senate.

However, disagreements soon arose with the government concerning demobilization and right-wing paramilitaries began targeting UP members. In a few years, up to 3,000 UP members were killed, including two presidential candidates and eight Congress members.

Violence resumed until 1998 when then President Andres Pastrana agreed to dedicate 42,000 square km of land to the FARC while dialogues were planned. These never happened due to poor planning and a lack of will from the guerrillas.

In 1999, FARC members killed three American indigenous rights activists, leading Washington to pressure Pastrana to crack down on the group.

During his successful election campaign of 2010, Santos promised to continue the security strategy of his predecessor, Alvaro Uribe, under whose administration he was defense minister.

However, shortly after his victory, Santos changed his course and decided to offer official peace talks to the FARC, which drew condemnation from Uribe, who continues to lead the opposition to the peace deal.

But despite losing the support of some of his voters, Santos' actions found broad support from many Colombians, weary of long-lasting war.

The first talks were held in October 2012, with Norway and Cuba acting as guarantors of the peace process.

Despite difficult moments when civilians, members of the army and police, and guerrilla fighters continued to be killed or hurt, the dialogue in Havana turned out to be a success.

The role of Norway and Cuba, as guarantors, and Venezuela and Chile, as accompanying countries, must be highlighted.

At various moments when the talks seemed to be stagnating due to rising tensions and acts of violence, these countries remained firm advocates for alleviating the tensions.

Local people celebrate the announcement of the final peace agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), at the Hippies' Park, in Bogota, capital of Colombia, on Aug. 24, 2016. (Xinhua/John Paz)

In August 2015, the peace process accelerated when the FARC extended a unilateral ceasefire first declared in December 2014. Then, in November of that year, Santos pardoned 30 jailed FARC guerrillas as a confidence-building measure.

The international community also reacted with the United Nations (UN) voting unanimously to create a Special Monitoring Mission to verify the ceasefire and the end of hostilities.

On Aug. 23, Colombia's Resource Center for Conflict Analysis announced that the previous 14 months had seen the lowest level of violence in the country in 52 years.

The country now eagerly awaits the Oct. 2 plebiscite in which the Colombian people will vote on whether they accept or reject the peace deal.

While the Yes camp has a clear lead in recent polling, the stakes are high.

If the No camp led by former President Uribe wins, the negotiations that inched forward for the last four years could be jeopardized.

Even if the vote passes, peace is not guaranteed. Talks have begun with the National Liberation Army (ELN), Colombia's largest remaining guerrilla group, but an agreement is not believed to be close.

Furthermore, a report by InSight Crime, a foundation dedicated to studying organized crime in Latin America, published in August stated that the ELN might receive an influx of soldiers from the FARC, who "opt to remain in the revolutionary struggle."
Poliana (L) holds her son Luiz Philipe (R), who was born with microcephaly, in their house in Marica, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, on March 9, 2016. (Xinhua/Estefan Radovicz/Agencia o Dia/AGENCIA ESTADO)

MANAGUA, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Six healthy babies were born to mothers that had been exposed to the Zika virus during their pregnancies in Nicaragua, the Central American country's First Lady, Rosario Murillo, said on Tuesday.

The six mothers infected with the Zika virus during pregnancy and their six babies were all in a stable condition and were very well, Nicaragua's First Lady confirmed.

The Zika virus in pregnant women is associated with causing babies to be born with microcephaly and with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, according to investigations released on March 31 by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Nicaragua's health ministry said that up until Monday, 1,941 positive cases of Zika have been registered in the Central American country, out of which 1,041 have been pregnant women.

As Zika, dengue and chikungunya are all spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, Nicaragua's health ministry is pushing a national fumigation and abatization campaign to eradicate these illnesses.

Nicaragua's health authorities have been on high alert since a health emergency was declared in May to fight Zika, dengue and chikungunya in the Central American country.
BAGHDAD, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Wednesday said the Iraqi government asked for more U.S. troops as trainers and advisers to help liberate the last major Islamic State (IS) stronghold in Mosul.

"U.S. President Barack Obama was consulted on a request by the Iraqi government for a final increase in the number of U.S. trainers and advisers under the umbrella of the international coalition in Iraq to provide support for the Iraqi security forces," Abadi said in a statement issued by his office.

However, Abadi stressed that the role of the trainers and advisers is not combating, and that those who will liberate the land are only Iraqi forces, the statement said, adding that the "number of trainers and advisers will be reduced immediately after the liberation of Mosul."

About 4,400 U.S. troops are currently in Iraq, a number expected to increase before the battles in Mosul, located some 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.

Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, has been under IS control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.
Photo taken on Aug. 27, 2016 shows the Xixing Bridge across the Qiantang River in Hangzhou City, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng)

BRUSSELS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- European Commission Vice-President Kristalina Georgieva has called China's hosting of the G20 Summit a "huge success", saying it has reflected China's enormous economic and social progress.

"China's hosting the G20 has delivered a clear message that it will do in the global arena what it has done at home," Georgieva said in a speech at the reception organized by the China mission to the European Union to celebrate the 67th National Day of the People's Republic of China, which falls on Oct. 1.

"It was impressive to see, on the eve of the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China's role in anchoring us all in the fight against climate change," she said.

Georgieva welcomed China's commitment in tackling climate change, saying China's steady resolve has reflected the country's determination to deal with severe global challenges.

"For me, this is an action that China has taken the lead in and it will be beneficial to our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren," said Georgieva.

Beside the environment, Georgieva said the G20 Hangzhou Summit focusing on the global economy regaining its vitality was welcomed by all participants.

In her speech, Georgieva highly praised China's economic development. "We have witnessed China's progress, rooted in the fastest sustained expansion by a major economy in history, which lifted more than 800 million people out of poverty. China reached all the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 and made a major contribution to the achievement of the MDGs globally."

She said that the way China brings economic vitality was an inspiration for the EU Fund for Strategic Investment, which the EU is considering to expand internally and externally.

"In this regard, our European External Investment Plan is a tool that can reinforce our mutual cooperation," notably with the Belt and Road Initiative, she said.

Talking about China's 13th Five-year Plan, Georgieva praised China's measures to restructure its economy, improving environmental quality and energy efficiency and continue to reduce poverty.

"This plan will carry out reforms, which we know are not easy, but it will enable us to do more together," she said.

Moreover, Georgieva recalled her experience as the EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs. "What I was most impressed with was the enthusiasm of my Chinese counterparts to put this expertise to the service of mankind and to work for humanity, prosperity and peace," she said.

Talking about China-EU ties, Georgieva concluded, "there is joint determination for economic development and prosperity, but more than anything else it is our shared humanity. This shared humanity reflects our joint goal to live in peace in our world."

Her views were echoed by Yang Yanyi, Chinese Ambassador to the EU, who also noted China's great progress and increasing contributions to the world.

Yang said the successful hosting of the G20 Hangzhou Summit has offered new solutions to improving global economic and financial governance and unlocking a new driving force for growing the global economy.

Thanks to reform, innovation, adjustment and transformation, the Chinese economy has maintained stability and performed within the appropriate range, Yang said.

"We have advanced the Belt and Road Initiative to build greater connectivity and provide strong impetus to regional development and integration," said Yang.

In terms of China-EU relations, Yang said that the 18th China-EU Summit demonstrated the shared vision to strengthen China-EU Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Looking ahead, Yang warned that the international environment remains complex and challenging and downward economic pressure is not to be underestimated.

"We have stood up to challenges," she said, stressing that China has the confidence and capability to achieve steady progress in pursuing the vision of innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development and achieve the main economic and social development targets set for this year.

The ambassador pledged that China will continue to shoulder its due international responsibility and make an even greater contribution to the happiness of peoples and world peace and prosperity.
THE HAGUE, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Buk missile that downed flight MH17 was brought from Russia and fired from a region in eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian rebels, according to the Joint Investigation Team's (JIT) report released Wednesday by the Netherlands Public Prosecutor's Office.

The report concluded the Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 was shot down by a Buk missile which was brought from Russia to Ukraine.

The weapon was fired from a field in the Ukrainian village Pervomaysk, which at the time of the disaster was in the hands of pro-Russian rebels, it said. The launcher was then brought back to Russia, according to the JIT's initial probe.

In a response to the report, Russia's Foreign Ministry said it was "disappointed" by the findings and the investigation was biased and politically motivated.

The investigation team said they based their findings on information collected from radar images, thousands of pieces of wreckage, photos, videos, tapped phone calls and testimonials from people who have seen the Buk missile being driven.

"Intercepted telephone conversations show that during the days prior to July 17, the pro-Russian fighters mentioned they needed better air defense systems to defend themselves against these air strikes. In this respect, a BUK was discussed explicitly. The fact is that a BUK has a higher range than the air defense systems in use by the separatists at that moment, such as the Strela and Igla," said the JIT report.

The BUK-TELAR that was used was brought into Eastern Ukraine from the territory of Russia. The investigation team presented a reconstruction of a large part of the route which was followed by the BUK-TELAR and accompanying vehicles.

The report added that this conclusion was supported by material which the investigation team recently obtained from the United States and the European Space Agency.

The JIT also announced they had identified approximately 100 people who, in one way or another, can be linked to the crash of flight MH17 or the transport of the BUK. These persons are not automatically suspects, but the JIT will continue its investigation to get a better picture of the chain of command with regard to the use of the weapon.

In the JIT, the Netherlands Public Prosecutor's Office and the Dutch National Police work together with police and judicial authorities of Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, and Ukraine. The purpose of the criminal investigation is to establish the facts, identify those responsible for the crash, and to collect evidence which can be used in court.

MH17 crashed in eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014 while flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people on board died, most of them Dutch citizens.

Western investigators and Kiev have been claiming that pro-independence insurgents in eastern Ukraine shot down the aircraft, while Moscow has been denying the allegations and retorting the plane was shot by a missile from the territory controlled by Ukrainian government troops.

On Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that Ukraine was hiding vital data on the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crash and was manipulating the investigation of the 2014 catastrophe.

The ministry also refuted conclusions contained in the Dutch Safety Board report about the possible presence of heavy air defense systems in Eastern Ukraine.
LUSAKA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government on Wednesday flagged off the export of 48, 000 tons of maize for humanitarian operations in neighboring countries under the World Food Program (WFP).

The maize will go towards humanitarian efforts in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe where people need food assistance due to poor harvests.

Patrick Kangwa, Coordinator of the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), who flagged off the export of last season's maize in Lusaka, the country's capital, said Zambia will continue to assist neighboring countries to mitigate the suffering caused by poor harvests.

He said assessments have shown that about 40 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance in the southern African region of which 23 million require urgent humanitarian assistance.

He however said the government has put in place adequate monitoring mechanisms to ensure that the country maintains enough food stocks for local consumption.

WFP Director in Zambia Simon Cammelbeeck commended Zambia for allowing his organization to export maize to neighboring countries for humanitarian operations.

He said the food was vital especially for vulnerable groups such as women and the children.

Last week, Zambia granted the WFP an exemption to export maize for use in its humanitarian operations in neighboring countries.

Zambia has banned the export of maize in order to ensure local food security.
CAIRO, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian court sentenced on Wednesday 40 people to 25 years in prison for belonging to the Islamic State (IS) militant group and inciting disorder and sectarian strife in Egypt, state-run Ahram Online reported.

The criminal court of Sharqiya province north of the capital city of Cairo convicted the 40 defendants of receiving training in Syria and Iraq to create mayhem back home.

Egypt has been facing a growing wave of terror attacks since the removal of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.

About 1,000 people have been killed and thousands more arrested in a massive security crackdown.

Anti-government attacks killed hundreds of police and military personnel over the past three years, with a Sinai-based militant group loyal to the IS claiming responsibility for most of them.

The Egyptian military killed and arrested several hundred of IS-affiliate extremists in the northern part of Sinai Peninsula as part of the country's war on terror.
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Mission to the United Nations will open a condolence book in memory of former President Shimon Peres, who passed away in Tev Aviv earlier Wednesday, the mission announced here.

Peres died at 93, two weeks after he suffered a stroke.

Leaders and diplomats in New York will be invited to express their condolences, the Israeli mission said in a press release.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday morning said he is deeply saddened by the passing of Peres.

Ban said in a statement issued here by his spokesman that Peres played a central role in Israel's founding, and served his country throughout his life.

"He worked tirelessly for a two-state solution that would enable Israel to live securely and harmoniously with the Palestinians and the wider region, a commitment duly recognized" when he shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with the then Israeli prime minister, Yitzhak Rabin, and Yasser Arafat, the chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said the statement.

The two-state solution, widely backed by the international community, means a secure Israel living in peace with an independent State of Palestine.

Also on Wednesday, Israeli UN ambassador, Danny Danon, expressed sorrow on the passing of the ninth president of Israel, saying that "Shimon Peres' life embodied the narrative of the modern State of Israel, from his youth in the diaspora and his emigration to Israel, to his integral fight for our independence and his tireless work on behalf of our country until his very last days."
A Syrian man walks past a bus set ablaze following a reported air strike in the rebel-held Salaheddin district of Aleppoon September 25, 2016. (AFP/Xinhua)

DAMASCUS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian military intensified its airstrikes on rebel positions in the northern city of Aleppo on Wednesday, a military source told Xinhua.

The air raids targeted rebel posts in Khan Touman, Miratah, Dar Ezzah, Qbaitan al-Jabal and other towns in Aleppo and its countryside, the source said on condition of anonymity.

Many rebels were killed and their military equipment destroyed, the source said without elaboration.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 23 people were killed Wednesday during airstrikes targeting rebel-held al-Shaar and al-Mashad, in the eastern part of Aleppo.

The London-based monitor group, which says it relies on a network of activists on the ground inside Syria, said the death toll will most likely rise as dozens of people are still trapped under rubble.

It said an entire building collapsed in al-Shaar following intensified airstrikes.

The escalation in attacks comes amid a large-scale military showdown in Aleppo, after the Syrian army, backed by Russian air force, captured the al-Farafira district in Aleppo's old quarter on Tuesday.

A recent two-week truce in Aleppo ended without extension as tension rose between Russia and the United States, which backs so-called moderate rebels fighting the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Earlier this week, the Syrian military announced a major offensive against rebel-held areas in Aleppo, with government officials and President Bashar al-Assad pledging to capture the whole city from rebel hands.

Aleppo, Syria's largest province near the Turkish border and its economic hub before the crisis, is strategically vital to the warring parties.
Heavy smoke rises from oil wells, sabotaged by the Islamic State (IS) group as they were leaving Qayyarah Town, some 50 kilometers south of Mosul, Iraq, Sept. 11, 2016. (Xinhua/Yaser Jawad)

BAGHDAD, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Wednesday said the Iraqi government asked for more U.S. troops as trainers and advisers to help liberate the last major Islamic State (IS) stronghold in Mosul.

"U.S. President Barack Obama was consulted on a request by the Iraqi government for a final increase in the number of U.S. trainers and advisers under the umbrella of the international coalition in Iraq to provide support for the Iraqi security forces," Abadi said in a statement issued by his office.

However, Abadi stressed that the role of the trainers and advisers is not combating, and that those who will liberate the land are only Iraqi forces, the statement said, adding that the "number of trainers and advisers will be reduced immediately after the liberation of Mosul."

About 4,400 U.S. troops are currently in Iraq, a number expected to increase before the battles in Mosul, located some 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.

Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, has been under IS control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.
NICOSIA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Cyprus and China have priorities for cooperation, mostly on infrastructure, according to an official statement released after talks here on Wednesday.

The talks were held between delegations of the two countries, respectively led by Deputy China International Trade Representative Zhang Xiangchen, and Cypriot Transport Communication and Works Minister Marios Demetriades, according to the statement.

After the meeting, which was held at the Ministry of Transport, Zhang said both sides identified several priorities for future cooperation, including infrastructure construction and services etc.

"We will encourage our companies to make the follow up work," he added.

The Chinese official said there has been a good cooperation this year between the two countries in the sectors of transport, communications and works.

He further expressed the appreciation of the government of China for the support by Cyprus of the Belt and Road Initiative. The Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road initiative proposed by China in 2013. The initiative brings together countries in Asia, Europe and even Africa via overland and maritime networks.

They also explored the possibility of direct flights between Cyprus and China by Cobalt Airlines, a new company registered in Cyprus.

Demetriades said that Cyprus can offer opportunities to Chinese companies and investors, mainly in the sector of infrastructure construction.

"China is a huge economy with a lot of capabilities," Demetriades said.

The Minister reiterated Cyprus's support to China's Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
Chinese PresidentXi Jinping(C, rear) attends a symposium to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Liu Huaqing, former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 28, 2016. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called for more efforts to promote the glorious tradition of revolutionary generation and learn from Liu Huaqing, the former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC).

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and CMC chairman, made the remarks at a symposium held in Beijing to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Liu, who died on Jan. 14, 2011 at age 95.

Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, also attended the symposium.

Xi spoke highly of Liu Huaqing's contribution to socialism with Chinese characteristics, saying Liu, as a member of the Party's third-generation central leadership, had been involved in major Party, state and military decisions.

Liu is an excellent representative of CPC members who have fought for the country's revolution, construction and reform drive, Xi said.

"His revolutionary spirit and strong morals are worth remembering," he added.

The president called on all Chinese to carry forward tradition, be true to the Party's mission, and uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics.

"This is the best way to remember the revolutionary generation," Xi said.

Liu was a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

He joined the CPC in 1935 and was raised to major general in 1955 and general in 1988.

Xi urged Party members to follow and practise communist ideology, despite the changes of the times and conditions.

"We must strengthen the consciousness of the ideology and spare no effort to accomplish missions designated by the Party," Xi said.

Xi stressed that reform is the key to China's future. "We must resolutely advance reform, dare to tackle chronic problems, address vested interests and remove up the bondage of outdated thoughts," Xi noted.

"We must clean up obstacles hindering development and combat capacity, to satisfy the Party and the people," according to Xi.

Xi went on to say that the task to build China into a moderately prosperous nation and to register major progresses in national defense and military development by 2020 is arduous, and that it needs down-to-earth and industrious work in all sectors.

The president stressed that development of the military and combat preparedness would guarantee the realization of the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation.

Noting that honesty and pragmatism are important characteristics of Party members, Xi called on CPC members to seek truth from practice and enrich Marxism with evolving practices. He urged Party members to face conflict head on.

Xi said that integrity is needed to ensure a clean political environment, and only by exercising self-discipline and staying away from corruption can officials have a good public image. "We must remember that power is bestowed upon us by the CPC and the people, and must be used to serve the people."

He asked officials to hold on to the correct values, lead by example and bring officials and the masses closer.

Officials from central agencies, the military, the police, Hubei province, and relatives, friends and co-workers of Liu, among others, attended the symposium.
Wreckage of flight MH17 is seen after the presentation of the investigation report on the cause of its crash, at the Gilze-Rijen air base, the Netherlands, on Oct. 13, 2015. The crash of flight MH17 on 17 July last year was caused by the detonation of a 9N314M-type warhead launched from eastern Ukraine using a Buk missile system, said the investigation report published Tuesday by the Dutch Safety Board (DSB). (Xinhua/Sylvia Lederer)

MOSCOW, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Russia is disappointed with the investigation of the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday after a Dutch-led team announced its findings about the ill-fated plane.

"The findings of the Dutch Prosecutor's Office confirm that the investigation is biased and politically motivated," the ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

The Boeing 777 crashed in eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014 while flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people on board died, most of them Dutch citizens.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), consisting of representatives of the Netherlands, Australia, Malaysia, Belgium and Ukraine, announced that the airplane had been hit by an anti-aircraft Buk missile from the territory controlled by pro-Russian insurgents.

The JIT said during an online press conference that it has managed to collect data, including tapped phone calls, pictures and video, proving that the Buk was brought to Ukraine from Russia and then transferred back after the missile launch.

The international team added that it had identified around 100 suspects involved in the incident, but it was not ready to make accusations, saying it would be done during the following stages of the investigation.

Zakharova said international investigators have suspended Moscow from full participation in the investigative process, while Ukraine was made a full member of the JIT, thus having an "opportunity to forge evidence and wrap the case in its own favor."

She said Moscow hoped that the JIT would change its opinion after receiving "indisputable evidence" from the Russian side.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday that it planned to provide Dutch investigators with objective radar observation data, which could help "determine the true causes of the crash."
LISBON, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa called for improving the country's import and export figures on Wednesday.

"Any progress is circumstantial or will be structural but in the very long term if there is no economic growth," Rebelo de Sousa said.

He added it was vital to attract more investors through long and medium-term strategies. This could be achieved by investing in information technology, in telecommunications and in the production of content for media, he pointed out.

The Portuguese national institute of statistics recently revealed that exports rose by 3.7 percent in 2015 compared to 2014, and imports grew 2.2 percent.

The International Monetary Fund has warned that the country is facing a slowdown and expects 1 percent GDP growth this year, as investor confidence remains affected by anti-austerity policies.
VIENTIANE, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Local villagers can help solve the ongoing locust outbreak in three northern provinces because these types of grasshoppers can be fried in oil and eaten as a calorie packed snack.

An official from Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, who asked not to be named, has advised villagers to catch these locusts to sell at the local markets to reduce their numbers in outbreak areas, Lao state-run online newspaper Vientiane Times reported on Wednesday.

"I have already eaten them, the young ones have a good taste but the old ones are not quite delicious because they are not soft to chew," he said.

Insect experts from China and Thailand are helping Lao authorities to wipe out the plague of locusts that is afflicting crops in northern Laos.

The locust outbreak is expected to continue to spread and is likely to affect seven provinces out of Laos' 18 provinces. So far about 3,710 hectares of crops have been ravaged in Luang Prabang, Huaphan and Phongsaly province in the north.

Lao authorities are using four-wheel drive vehicles and travelling on foot to spray pesticides to kill locusts in outbreak zones. Villagers are using nets to catch the insects in hopes of reducing the damage to upland rice, sweetcorn and other crops.

In May, 2016, millions of the pests spread into 14 districts in the three northern provinces. Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said that locusts have recently been found in one more district.
CHONGQING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's protection of ethnic minority rights won recognition from both domestic and overseas specialists at a China-Europe seminar on human rights, which opened Wednesday in the southwestern municipality of Chongqing.

Cui Yuying, deputy director of the State Council Information Office, said China's human rights cause has continued to improve following a slew of strategies rolled out since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2012.

She briefed the seminar on China's human rights cause and notable achievements in ethnic minority rights. China upholds the principle of equal treatment of all ethnic groups, she said, and members of all ethnic groups have participated in national affairs across constitutional, legal and institutional levels.

The country has also taken steps to ensure ethnic minorities have equal political, economic, cultural, language, customs and religious rights, Cui said.

Hopefully, specialists from China and Europe can make use of the seminar to improve communication, mutual trust, practical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, she said.

Pierre Bercis, chairman of the French New Human Rights Association, acknowledged China's promotion of exchanges and understanding between ethnic groups.

It is important to respect cultural and religious diversity when protecting the basic rights of ethnic minorities, he underscored. He also called on countries to reject hegemony in the cultural sphere.

Chang Jian, executive deputy director of the human rights center at Nankai University in Tianjin, said besides the traditional protection of political rights and equality, China has done more to support economic growth in regions inhabited by a large ethnic minority population.

In eight of these regions -- including Tibet, Xinjiang and Guizhou -- the number of people living under the poverty line has dropped sharply to 18.1 million in 2015 from 31.2 million in 2012, official data showed.

Moreover, China continues to improve the protection and teaching of minority languages.

Elizabeth Craig, a professor with Queen's University Belfast, reflected that many languages in Europe are dying and many people no longer use the language of their ethnic groups.

Liu Hainian, an advisor to China Society for Human Rights Studies, lauded bilingual education in China's ethnic minority regions.

"This not only helps promote exchanges between different nationalities, but also helps protect the language and culture of ethnic minorities," said Liu.

The seminar, sponsored by the China Society for Human Rights Studies and organized by the Institute of Human Rights of Southwest University of Political Science and Law, was attended by over 50 experts from China and Europe.
ABUJA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian parliament on Wednesday said it has suspended a national lawmaker who accused its leadership of tampering with the country's 2016 budget.

The parliament said Representative Abdulmumin Jibrin has been suspended for 180 legislative days, following a probe of his allegation.

His suspension is likely to last more than 12 months, since the Nigerian House of Representatives seats for only three days in a week.

The Nigerian parliament also ruled that the suspended member will not be given any privilege to hold a position of responsibility for the span of the current National Assembly.

Jibrin, a former chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, had accused the Nigerian parliament speaker, Yakubu Dogara and some principal officers of padding the 2016 national budget.

He also demanded that Dogara be made to resign, to allow investigations to be conducted into the matter.

The parliament described the lawmaker's allegation as "sundry act of misconduct" against the members and institution of the House of Representatives.

The House accused the suspended lawmaker of embarking on a campaign of calumny and denigration by making publications in the media and internet against the entire membership of the House of Representatives and the National Assembly as an institution.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 600 more U.S. troops will be dispatched to Iraq in coming weeks to reinforce Iraqi government forces to take back the city of Mosul from the extreme Islam State (the IS), Pentagon announced Wednesday.

Currently there are some 4,647 U.S. soldiers authorized to deploy in Iraq. The additional forces will enhance the authorized level to about 5,200.

These troops will not spearhead the attack, said Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook. Instead, they will provide logistics support, training and advice for the Iraqi forces.

The Iraqi governmental forces also got Apache attack helicopters and a HIMARS rocket system. Large amounts of funding were sent to the Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, local media reported, quoting Pentagon sources as saying that an offensive in Mosul might begin in October.

Earlier this month, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi met privately with U.S. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, seeking for more logistics support from Pentagon.
VIENTIANE, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Lao government will phase out tiger farms, Lao state-run online newspaper Vientiane Times reported Wednesday.

According to the report, a Lao official confirmed there are indeed some tiger farms in the country following recent international media reports about the controversial practice.

"Tigers are being bred by people on their own land," the official said.

A Lao delegation is currently attending a 12-day meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in South Africa. Laos has been a party to the convention since 2004.

Lao government official has made a statement at the opening ceremony of CITES promising the country would phase out the tiger farms.

However, the official source told Vientiane Times that it could not confirm a timeframe for the phasing out of the activity, saying it would take some time.

Many people are concerned about wild tiger numbers in forest areas around the country with only Huaphan province in the north reporting numerous sightings. However, Lao government and international agencies are helping each other to protect the remaining tiger population, said the report.

The tiger's main food sources have been protected for many years, such as the endemic barking deer or muntjac and wild pigs in an effort to preserve the large cat's population in Laos.

Lao officials are also conducting tiger conservation education and outreach activities in villages around the protected area to help raise public awareness about protecting Lao wildlife.

The 183 member countries of CITES have pledged to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
Chinese Ambassador to Laos Guan Huabing (2nd R) cuts the cake to celebrate the 67th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China at a reception, in Vientiane, Laos, Sept. 28, 2016. A reception was held to celebrate the 67th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in Vientiane on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Sha)

VIENTIANE, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- A reception was held to celebrate the 67th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in Lao capital Vientiane on Wednesday.

Guan Huabing, Chinese Ambassador to Laos, when addressing the reception, introduced the socio-economic achievement in China during recent years.

"Since the founding of the People's Republic of China 67 years ago, China has made remarkable achievements attracted worldwide attention," Guan said.

This year marks the beginning of the 13th Five-Year Plan for China's national economic and social development, Guan said, adding the Chinese government resolutely implements the development concept of "innovation, coordination, green, openness and sharing," and continues to accelerate industrial upgrading and structural adjustment.

Under the environment of weak international economic recovery, China's economy maintained a stable and progressive development, Guan said.

Guan said, China's development not only profoundly changed the fate of the Chinese people, but also made great contributions to world peace and prosperity.

The ambassador also congratulated Laos on the Lao People's Revolutionary Party's successful 10th Assembly, successfully fulfilling the ASEAN Presidency and successfully holding a series of meetings on East Asian cooperation, which has significantly enhanced its regional and international influence.

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Laos. Over the past 55 years, the China-Laos friendship have flourished and thrived and have been bearing fruitful results.

"The high degree of mutual trust, comprehensive economic cooperation and extensive cultural integration have not only brought tangible benefits to the people of the two countries, but also made positive contributions to safeguarding regional and world peace, stability and development," said Guan.

Guan said, "The frequent exchange of high-level visits between the two countries has injected a strong impetus into the development of China-Laos relations and pushed forward bilateral cooperation in various fields such as politics, diplomacy, economy and trade, security law enforcement and cultural exchanges to a new level."

"We believe that the good-neighborly friendship and the increasingly effective and pragmatic cooperation between the two sides will bring more tangible benefits to the two countries and peoples," said Guan.
JERUSALEM, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Israeli authorities on Wednesday are preparing for the arrival of dozens of world leaders for the funeral of former President Shimon Peres, who passed away overnight.

Peres, one of the nation's last founding fathers and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, died in a hospital near Tel Aviv early on Wednesday morning after spending two weeks in induced coma following a stroke.

Culture Minister Miri Regev, who was put in charge of the 93-year-old veteran statesman's funeral arrangements, regarded the service as an "unprecedented" event, with an extensive list of international dignitaries.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the list includes U.S. President Barack Obama, U.S. State Secretary John Kerry, French President Francois Hollande, Britain's Prince Charles, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove.

Contrary to an earlier statement by the ministry, the U.S. presidential candidate Hilary Clinton will not attend the event.

"We are preparing for a complicated event that will require unusual coordination between many elements," Regev said in a statement.

Ofer Lefler, a spokesman for the Israel airports authority, told Channel 2 TV news that about 100 airplanes are expected to arrive in Israel in the next two days.

In a notice sent to Xinhua, the airports authority said it was preparing new temporary parking slots for the airplanes at the international Ben Gurion Airport.

"This morning, the authority activated a special command to allow special operation by air traffic division and a general calling-up of all of the authority's workers," the statement read.

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the security arrengments for the events were "very complexed." She said "thousands" of policemen, border police, soldiers and Shin Bet security service officers will secure the events.

The ceremonies officially started on Wednesday afternoon in the Knesset (parliament,) where the Israeli flag was lowered at half-mast. Inside the Knesset building, Speaker of the Knesset Yuli-Yoel Edelstein lighted a memorial candle in commemoration of Peres and read a chapter of Psalms.

On Thursday morning, the coffin of Pere will lie at the central Knesset plaza to allow members of the public to pay their last respect.

The funeral will be held on Friday morning at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, a government notice said.

He will be buried next to the assassinated prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, who won the Nobel Prize for Peace together with Peres and the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. They won the prize for the short-lived peace accords signed in 1993.

Many world leaders eulogized Peres. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said in a letter to Peres' family that Peres had exerted unremitting efforts to make peace until the last moment of his life.

Abbas said Peres was a partner in making the peace of the brave with late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin offered his condolences to the State of Israel, saying he "admired his courage and patriotism."

Obama mourned Peres, calling him a friend whose moral imagination "changed the course of human history."

In a statement issued by the White House, Obama said Peres was "guided by a vision of the human dignity and progress that he knew people of goodwill could advance together."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said "the nation grieves the passing of our dear and beloved Shimon Peres." Netanyahu said Peres "devoted his life to our nation and to the pursuit of peace. He set his gaze on the future. He did so much to protect our people."

However, in Gaza, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said his Islamic movement is glad about the news of Peres' death.

"We are so happy about the news of former Israeli president's death. It is not only us, but all the Palestinian people are happy about the news of Peres' death," he said. "This man committed crimes and shed the blood of our people."

Abu Zuhri, whose movement is classified as a terrorist group and rejects to recognize Israel and the peace process, said: "Peres was the last founder of this entity (Israel) and we believe it is a start of a new stage of the Israeli occupation's weakness."

Peres was born as Szymon Perski in 1923 in a Polish town now known as Vishnyeva in Belarus. In 1934, he and his family immigrated to Israel, then known as Palestine.

His nearly 70-year political career covered almost every role in the political arena -- he served twice as prime minister. He also served as foreign minister, defense minister, finance minister, chairman of the Labor Party, and leader of the opposition in the parliament.

Peres served as Israel's ninth president between 2007 and 2014.

He played a vital role in establishing Israel's military and aviation industries and set paths for exporting Israeli weapons and security equipment throughout the world.
VIENNA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Former Austrian President Heinz Fischer on Wednesday described himself as being"deeply affected and saddened" by the passing of former Israeli President and personal friend Shimon Peres.

In a press release, Fischer described Peres as a "great statesman and a really good and trusted friend for decades."

He also said Peres' contribution toward building Israel had been "enormous," and wished both the family of Peres and the wider Israeli populace sincere condolences.

Peres had made a final visit to Austria toward the end of his term in office in 2014, in part to visit his friend.

Fischer quoted some lines from a letter Peres sent him at the end of his own presidential term in July, in which he noted that their friendship was "of great importance" to him, that the two shared the same fundamental values.
A Syrian man walks past a bus set ablaze following a reported air strike in the rebel-held Salaheddin district of Aleppoon September 25, 2016. (AFP/Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said here Wednesday that at least 96 children have been killed and 223 injured in eastern Aleppo, a city in north Syria, since last Friday.

"The children of Aleppo are trapped in a living nightmare," said UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Justin Forsyth. "There are no words left to describe the suffering they are experiencing."

The health system in Eastern Aleppo is crumbling with some 30 doctors left, hardly any equipment or emergency medicine to treat the injured, and an ever increasing number of trauma cases.

Doctors on the ground said that children with low chances of survival are too often left to die due to limited capacity and supplies, the UN agency said in a press release issued here.

"Nothing can justify such assaults on children and such total disregard for human life," Forsyth said. "The suffering -- and the shock among children -- is definitely the worst we have seen."

On Sunday, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, speaking at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Syria, strongly appealed to the 15 council members, particularly permanent members Russia and the United States, to rescue the recently collapsed cessation of hostilities, help end the bloodshed and enable urgent aid into the iconic city, where, overall, some 2 million people remain trapped under a de facto siege.
KIGALI, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- RwandAir, the national carrier of Rwanda, has achieved a remarkable feat, with the acquisition of East Africa's first brand new Airbus A330-200 that was nicknamed "Ubumwe" (unity).

The Rwanda aviation industry which has become one of the largest and most profitable airlines in East Africa has continued to spread wings across Africa and beyond.

The new Airbus A330-200 aircraft, worth 250 million U.S. dollars (about Rwf200 billion), on Wednesday landed at Kigali International Airport amid pomp and glamour at 11 a.m. (local time).

"The aircraft is the first of its kind in East Africa and will help boost RwandAir's capacity to expand its wings globally. Today is a proud day for RwandAir as well as the country as we are the first in the region to own and operate such an aircraft with this great new interior," said John Mirenge, chief executive, RwandAir at an event to receive the aircraft.

He noted that with the purchase of the new airplane, RwandAir will soon add Harare (Zimbabwe), Mumbai (India), and Guangzhou in China on its list of destinations before expanding to Western Europe.

The aircraft which is connected with wireless internet has the capacity to carry 244 passengers which would attract more people to fly with it compared to other smaller planes.

Mirenge said the new wide body aircraft is the biggest milestone for Africa's fastest growing airline and opens up opportunities in terms of expanding the airline's footprint.

According to James Musoni, Rwanda's minister of infrastructure, the new Airbus increases RwandAir's fleet to nine aircraft ready to connect to huge markets on the scene across the World.

"The airline has pursued an aggressive expansion strategy, which has quickly transformed the carrier into one of the East Africa's leading airlines, unrivalled in efficiency and operational success," he said.

Musoni stated that RwandAir has been growing at an average of 20 percent in the last six years and is currently positioning itself as the most efficient and reliable airline in the region.

Airbus 330-200 aircraft brings the airline's total fleet to nine with additional four planes expected to be delivered by end of February next year.

According to RwandAir, a second Airbus 330-300 is due for delivery in November this year.

In 2014, RwandAir and the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank, commonly known as PTA Bank, signed a financial line of credit, worth 160 million U.S. dollars, to support the purchase of the two airliners.

The national carrier successfully renewed its certificate for the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) for another two years to remain competitive.

IOSA program is an internationally recognized evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of airlines.

And there is hope that with two wide body aircraft, the airline's capacity could grow from the current 500,000 passengers annually to more than three million in the next five years.
Protesters and family members of 9/11 victims protest in front of the White House regarding President Barack Obama's threatened veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) in Washington, U.S., September 20, 2016. (REUTERS/Gary Cameron)

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted to override Preident Barack Obama's veto of a bill allowing the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks to sue Saudi Arabia.

Senators voted 97-1 to override Obama's veto. The only vote in favor of Obama's position came from Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.

The vote marked the first time during Obama's presidency that his veto is overridden by the Senate. The House of Representatives will take up the matter later on Wednesday.

House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters last week that he expected that there would be enough votes for an override, according to news website The Hill.

The bill, named Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), would remove the sovereign immunity in U.S. courts from Saudi government, which is not designated state sponsor of terrorism by the United States.

Obama vetoed the bill on Friday, arguing in a letter to the Senate that he made the decision because the bill "would be detrimental to U.S. national interests."

"Enacting JASTA into law, however, would neither protect Americans from terrorist attacks nor improve the effectiveness of our response to such attacks," Obama said.

Protesters and family members of 9/11 victims hold placards in front of the White House regarding President Barack Obama's threatened veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) in Washington, U.S., September 20, 2016. (REUTERS/Gary Cameron)

Families of the Sept. 11 victims have been trying to sue the Saudi royal family, Saudi banks and charities in U.S. courts, on ground that the Saudi government provided financial support for terrorism.

Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks which killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Washington D.C. area and Pennsylvania, was a wealthy Saudi national.

But the families' efforts have largely been stymied, in part because of a 1976 law that gives foreign nations some immunity from lawsuits in American courts.

The JASTA has already drawn strong criticism from the Saudi government, a close U.S. partner in fighting terrorism in the Middle East, which has denied any role in the plot of the 2001 terror attacks.

Saudi Arabia has also threatened to sell off hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of American assets held by the kingdom if the U.S. passes and enacts the bill.
BRUSSELS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is launching a new initiative to increase access to trade finance and advisory services for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).

The initiative, known as Trade Ready, aims to unleash the potential of SMEs for international trade.

It offers trade finance training for local banks as well as advisory services for companies alongside policy dialogue to engage in improvements in the regulatory environment.

"We know that small businesses need access to both finance and the right advice to develop and grow. With Trade Ready, the EBRD is supporting small businesses through a wide range of services to make them more competitive abroad and at home. To achieve inclusive trade, we need to address the fact that smaller businesses are often overlooked," said Charlotte Ruhe, EBRD director of advice for small businesses.

Under the new initiative, banks can expect to win new clients with the introduction of trade finance products, while businesses can benefit from better access to finance and the chance to expand to international markets.

The EBRD helps small and medium-sized businesses to access external advice, applying donor funding from the European Union and a wide range of bilateral and multilateral donors.
RIGA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua)-- Latvia supports the candidacy of European Commission vice president Kristalina Georgieva from Bulgaria for the post of the United Nations secretary-general, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said on Wednesday.

The minister stressed that Latvia's position has always been that the next secretary-general must come from Eastern Europe, and that gender equality at the UN must be not just words.

"Unfortunately, the past three votes show that none of the female candidates put forward from Eastern Europe have gained enough support," LETA news agency quoted Rinkevics as saying.

"We believe that fresh candidates should be put forward and in this situation Georgieva, who has worked at the World Bank and the European Commission, is the most suitable candidate," the Latvian foreign minister noted.

Bulgaria on Wednesday changed its candidate for the next head of the United Nations and is now putting forward Georgieva. The previous candidate from Bulgaria, UNESCO director general Irina Bokova, was only the sixth in the latest round of informal voting at the UN Security Council.

The Security Council has already held five rounds of informal voting. Portugal's former prime minister Antonio Guterres led in the fifth UN Security Council secret and informal straw poll.

The next informal ballot is scheduled for October 5.
VIENNA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Austrian customs authorities have struck a blow against an illegal cigarette manufacturing operation with multiple arrests and seizures of illegal products.

The Ministry of Finance stated in a press release on Wednesday that a raid action was taken at a cellar of a trucking company in Wiener Neustadt, just south of Vienna, on Wednesday of last week.

The authorities seized cigarettes of various brands equal to about 70,000 cartons, and made eight arrests.

The raid was part of a coordinated effort against the international ring, with the authorities in both Hungary and Slovakia also making a number of arrests, leading to a total 15 persons in custody, including the alleged ringleader in Hungary.

The authorities in Budapest also seized a production line while in Slovakia, a printing machine for the production of packaging and tax stamps was seized, the ministry stated.
ACCRA, Sept.28 (Xinhua) -- The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF)'s Ghana office, in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), on Wednesday premiered an art exhibition in Accra to address issues pertaining to open defecation.

The exhibition is the work of 21 artists using varied visual art forms to address open defecation under the "Let's talk sh*t" project, which aims at focusing attention on matters using informal words.

Various mediums of fine arts such as painting, sculpture, photography, installation, videography and theatre are being used to show how shitting outside designated toilets threaten public health and balloons government budget on dealing with poor sanitation.

The Minister of LGRD, Collins Dauda, said he was extremely happy to see how the creative artworks produced could significantly address the issues of open defecation in Ghana.

He said this initiative added value to the government's program on the elimination of open defecation.

Statistics indicate that about 5 million Ghanaians defecate in the open and 43 percent of schools are not equipped with proper sanitation facilities or do not even have water.

According to the education management information system, more than two in five basic schools in Ghana have no toilets.

According to the WHO, 3600 children under-five die annually in Ghana from diarrhea.

Susan Namondo Ngongi, Representative of UNICEF Ghana, which is spearheading the campaign in collaboration with the Alliance Francaise in Accra, said while the title of the program might sound shocking to some people, it was expected to generate attention and initiate a dialogue on the issue.

The Director of the Alliance Francaise, Frederic Dart, said the program would provide the artist community with a great opportunity to show that their role was not about "decoration" or beauty but about engaging on social issues.

"This collaboration demonstrates that visual art can contribute to arouse critical thinking and place this issue into the public sphere," said Dart.

In November, the artists will take the exhibition on tour to three selected communities practicing open defecation in Accra to generate a dialogue directly with the people.
BEIRUT, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Sigrid Kaag stressed on Wednesday the importance to elect a president for Lebanon, form a national unity government and hold the parliamentary elections in May 2017.

Kaag made the remarks after a meeting with Philippe Lazzarini, UNDP representative in Lebanon, at her office in Yarze.

She told media that they discussed the priorities and challenges facing Lebanon and the role of UN in this regard, adding that she would visit Iran and Saudi Arabia to seek help for Lebanon.

Lazzarini, for his part, said "since the start of the year, we were able to ensure 1.5 billion U.S. dollars in favor of the hosting societies and Syrian and Palestinian refugees."

He said UN would always seek to help Lebanon in light of the displaced Syrians, voicing support for a peaceful political solution in Syria.

Lebanon has been without a president since the end of the six-year term of former President Michel Suleiman in May 2014.
BEIRUT, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) is again providing healthy and nutritious school food for over 10,000 Lebanese and Syrian students attending public schools across Lebanon, the UN agency said in a statement Wednesday.

It said that at primary schools, students receive juice or milk and a nutritious locally-baked snack such as herb bread or a muffin fortified with vitamins and micro nutrients.

The program, running for its second year, provides the energy students need to concentrate on their lessons and acts as an incentive for parents to send their children to school, according to the statement.

"I am delighted that such a large number of Lebanese and Syrian students are back to schools and receiving delicious and healthy snacks," said Dominik Heinrich, WFP Country Director in Lebanon.

WFP school meals are fully funded by the Italian Development Corporation and supported locally by the Italian Embassy in Beirut.

"Italy and WFP's school meals initiative supports the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education with the aim of developing sound minds for Lebanese and Syrian children," said Massimo Marotti, Italian Ambassador to Lebanon.

Schools that participate in the program are located in the most vulnerable communities across Lebanon, identified by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

In Lebanon, WFP monthly assists almost 700,000 of the most vulnerable Syrian and Palestinian refugees and Lebanese through electronic food vouchers with which they can purchase food from local markets.

Since 2013, WFP's food voucher program has injected more than 700 million U.S. dollars into the Lebanese economy.
JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Southern African countries on Wednesday expressed displeasure about the way they are being treated at the ongoing world wildlife conference in Johannesburg.

This came at a press conference jointly hosted by Southern African countries representatives, during the 17th Conference of Parties (CoP 17) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Edna Molewa, South African Minister of Environmental Affairs, said Southern African countries are doing well in taking care of wildlife, the reason why they have the largest number of elephants in the world.

She said elephants and rhinos are close to the hearts of many South Africans. Molewa said Southern African countries know the sustainable way of preserving wildlife.

She said, "CITES should guard against just ban or closing domestic markets, it's not the role of this body. They are responsible for international trade. We know what to do as responsible governments and we will continue to do that. We are not in crisis."

Molewa said countries should deal with the issue of poaching elsewhere and not at CITES. She said it is not true that banning international trade will end poaching. She said, "Southern African countries have regulations that do not impart on the survival of our species."

Pohamba Shifeta, Namibia Minister of Environment and Tourism, said the communities who are co-existing with elephants have made lots of sacrifices. He said some have lost their lives, crops and some have surrendered their land for wildlife and need to be incentivized.

Shifeta said these communities need recognition and be given some benefits so that they will continue living with these elephants.

He said, "People are talking about up listing these elephants, I have a problem. They have to look at those who are doing well. We have an overpopulation of elephants."

Shifeta said they are willing to give these animals which are in abundance to other African countries if they have security and are able to take care of them. He said some countries and organization are exporting global problem of poaching to their countries.

The Zimbabwe Minister of Environment Oppah Muchinguri said they have been having a series of meetings as Southern African countries before CoP 17 and they came up with a common position.

Muchinguri said they have been explaining their position at the CoP 17 to some who have misconception about their position. She said, "It's not easy to invest in conservation programs and address the needs of the community."

The Zambia Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Arts, Stephen Mwansa also said other countries should get good practices from them. He said other countries should not come and prescribe to them what to do with their wildlife because they are managing it well.

On Tuesday, the Conference of the Parties (COP) rejected the proposal by mostly Southern African countries to set up a panel to consider allowing ivory sales to resume at some point in the future.

South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe also proposed for the unbanning of international trade in ivory at CoP 17. Namibia has also failed to remove the annotation which would allow them to sell ivory.
OPEC logo is pictured ahead of an informal meeting between members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Algiers, Algeria September 28, 2016. (Reuters photo)

ALGIERS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) reached an agreement to freeze oil output after an meeting held here on Wednesday.

The Head of OPEC Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada said at a press conference after the meeting, during which the cartel's members agreed to cap its oil output between 32.5 and 33 million barrels a day.

The OPEC official dubbed the meeting of Algiers "historical," thanking Algeria for offering such an opportunity to gather and decide on a crucial issue related to oil market.

Al-Sada noted that after a six-hour meeting, the 14 members agreed to reduce oil output, adding that a committee has been set up to consider the output share of each member nation.

A report should be drawn up by the committee, and then filed to the next OPEC meeting due in Vienna in November, the head of OPEC specified.

The official further indicated that the committee is also meant to coordinate a collective agreement between the cartel's members in a bid to accelerate the process of re-balancing the oil market "by sharing the burden of adjusting the output between both OPEC and non-OPEC producers."
ANKARA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish National Security Council on Wednesday proposed to extend the country's ongoing state of emergency which was declared after the July 15 coup attempt, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The National Security Council, which convened on Wednesday in Ankara under the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, made a number of statements on the coup attempt, Turkey's Syria policy and counter-terrorism.

The council advised to extend the state of emergency beyond its initial three-month period.

According to the Turkish constitution, a state of emergency can be declared for a maximum period of six months.

Following the initial declaration, opposition leaders expressed doubts about the decree laws being passed too rapidly.

The council meeting also declared July 15 as "Day of Democracy and Freedom."

The National Security Council insisted on a "terror-free zone" and a "no-fly zone" in the north of Syria.

Turkish army launched a cross-border Euphrates Shield operation on Aug. 24, along with the U.S.-led coalition in Syria's northern border town of Jarablus to clear the area of the Islamic State.
China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva said Wednesday that Beijing remains firmly dedicated to building a prosperous nation for all of its 1.3 billion citizens by the end of the decade.

"We are going to build a well-off society in an all-round way by 2020, laying the foundation for a prosperous, democratic, modern and harmonious socialist country that promises a better life for all Chinese citizens," Ma Zhaoxu said in a speech marking the 67th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 45th anniversary of the restoration of China's seat in the UN.

"The 1.3 billion people in China are striving for the realization of the Chinese dream. We are firmly committed to peaceful development, and will work with all the friends and partners in the world for our shared future," he added.

Since the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, Ma highlighted that much economic and social growth has been achieved, and that the country is now considered the world's second biggest economy.

The diplomat also reminded that since 1979, 700 million Chinese have been lifted out of poverty, with the remaining 57 million poor people in the country's rural areas set to do so by 2020.

The country has also maintained high GDP growth (6.7 percent in the first half of 2016) despite a sluggish global economy which is struggling to recover from the financial crisis of 2008.

Much as China has benefited over the years from international cooperation to reach these achievements, other developing nations also stand to gain from China's economic clout, Ma explained.

This can be achieved by supporting Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed "Belt and Road Initiative" as well as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank which will initially prioritize investment in energy, power generation, transportation, rural infrastructure, environmental protection and logistics in Asia.

As a dedicated and responsible member of the United Nations, Ma reminded that China has always upheld its aim to promote peace and development across the world.

The official said that China is the largest troop-contributing country among the five UN Security Council members for UN peacekeeping missions.

Furthermore, China wholly backs the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and is a ratifying state of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change reached in 2015, a year which also saw Beijing pledge to establish a 10-year, 1 billion U.S. dollar China-UN peace and development fund to further support the UN's mandate across the globe.

"As China grows, we will make even more contributions to the world," Ma concluded.
Gasparillo businessman murdered

Maharajs wife is now traumatised and relatives of the slain man are asking why he was killed even though bandits made away with over $ 40,000 in cash and jewellery.

How could someone watch another person and kill them in cold blood like that? lamented Maharajs sister-in-law. How could someone steal from someone who has worked so hard to get the things they have? These killers did not create life. Why do they think they have the right to take it? Now a child is going to be living without a father, and a wife will be living without a husband.

I wonder how they would feel if someone did that to them or their children? Newsday was told that at about 9 p.m. on Monday, two gunmen stormed the home and tied up Maharaj and his wife after assaulting them. The house was ransacked and jewellery and money was taken. While the couple pleaded for their lives, the gunmen demanded more money.

Maharaj was taken to his wifes business place, a spa located near their home, where more money was stolen. When they returned to the home, one of the gunmen shot Maharaj in the head before he and his accomplice escaped in a vehicle. Maharajs wife, who was still tied up, managed to free herself and telephoned her sister for help.

I was sleeping when I got the call, said the sister. When I answered the phone she just said quietly robbery. I immediately called the police and I got in my car and went to the house. Police were there within minutes but they still didnt get there in time. Relatives told Newsday at the Forensics Science Centre in St James yesterday, that Maharaj was a landscaping contractor and that his nine-year-old son was not yet told that his father is dead.

The murder toll for the year now stands at 339 as compared to 323 for the same period last year.
50-year-old man shot dead working PH taxi

This wasnt a robbery, because they did not take anything from the car, said one of Harrylals brothers who asked that he not be identified.

The man just put the gun to my brothers head and hit him one in his head and one in his neck. I just wish the police find the person who did this and bring them to justice. It is not right to snuff out someones life just so. Newsday was told that Harrylal picked up a man and three other passengers. The killer sat in the back seat along with two female passengers. As Harrlylal turned off Tunapuna Road and onto St Thomas Street, the man told Harrylal that he wanted to be dropped off. As the vehicle slowed down, the man drew a firearm and put it to the back of Harrylals head. He turned to the passengers, put his fingers on his lips and ordered them to be quiet.

The gunman then shot Harrylal in the head and in the neck. As the vehicle came to a stop, the man escaped through an open yard.

Harrylal died at the scene. Police officers were alerted and Cpl Bernard and Cpl Kassie responded.

Relatives described Harrylal as a family-oriented man who changed his life after recovering from a drug dependency more than seven years ago. He is the father of a 14-year-old girl and worked in the Forestry Division in addition to working as a PH driver. Relatives added that he had been a pan player for the Exodus Steel Orchestra and had travelled the world playing the national instrument.
Missing man found dead near oil well

Cousin Sarah Dookie, 25, asked yesterday, Who would want to kill Malcolm? He was such a nice and helpful person, liked by all.

Up to yesterday (Monday) when we got the news they had found his body we were still hoping that he would have come back home. Dookies body was discovered on Monday afternoon near an oil well in one of Petrotrins oilfield roads in Santa Flora by Sgt Ramsingh, Cpl Thompson, PCs Singh and Hosein, along with other officers of the Penal CID who, acting on information, went into the area.

Reports stated that the body was wrapped in the same tarpaulin Dookie used in his transport business. His killers, police said, placed a couch on his body while his hands were tied behind his back. He was still dressed in the work coverall he was wearing on the day he went missing. His van has not been found.

Yesterday family members appealed to loved ones leaving home to always leave behind a note stating their whereabouts.

We dont know who called him out or where he went. We heard he went to Morne Diablo to make a delivery but we are not sure and thats why you must always state where you and going and with who. On September 15, Dookie, of San Francique, Penal left home for work. He returned home later that morning to go out on, what relatives believe might have been a private job as he had his own transport company. He, however, never returned.

His aunt, Sherida Dookie asked, Why are these killers taking away peoples children from them? If they wanted his vehicle they could have taken it and left him. At 28, relatives said the young man had already built his own home, had his own business and vehicle and was looking forward to settling down one day and raising a family.

Dookie, relatives said, shared a close relationship with his mother Cynthia Dookie and that was why she felt something was wrong when she kept calling his phone and got no response.

An autopsy scheduled for yesterday at the Forensic Science Centre St James was put off for today.
Tears over body of man found in Valencia

After his body was identified yesterday, mother could not contain her grief while she was being escorted out of the building by one of her sons.

They killed my son! she cried.

He never hurt anybody! He never killed anybody! Newsday understands Durity, of Oropouche Road, Valencia, had been missing since September 17.

Relatives explained that he was last seen the day before as he went to a birthday party for one of his brothers.

The next day he called his sister, Jinelle Durity, to ask for directions to a location in Cumuto where he was supposed to meet a man to collect pigs. Jinelle explained that he did not bother to go but when they called his phone later that day, the calls went straight to voice mail.

Worried relatives made a missing persons report two days later on September 19. Exactly one week later, Valencia police officers called the family to inform them that the body of a man fitting his description was discovered.

Relatives said his face was unrecognisable as decomposition had already reached an advanced stage.

They, however, positively identified him through tattoos of his son which were placed on his neck and his chest. Relatives described Durity as a friendly, non-confrontational person.

He was never a bad person. He would never hurt a fly, said Jinelle to reporters yesterday. He would probably give you a little talk and so on but he was never a bad person.

He would not even leave Valencia to go out and lime. An autopsy is expected to be performed today to determine a cause of death.
Search continues for Ria

Today marks seven days since her husband, Mark Sookdeo, her children, her parents and other close relatives and friends have not seen or heard from her. On Sunday, investigators released an official police sketch of a man they believe could assist with their investigations.

So far that has not borne fruit although it is in circulation.

Three persons were detained over the weekend after investigators visited a house in Rochard Road, Penal. So far two of them have been released pending further investigations.

At about 8.15 a.m.

on Thursday last, Sookdeo was driving her red Nissan X-Trail vehicle and had just dropped off nine-year-old daughter, Elena, and fiveyear- old son, Toraz, to classes at the Picton Presbyterian School, Picton when she drove a short distance away to turn. It was the last time she was seen as a report stated that her path was blocked by a black Nissan X-Trail vehicle from which a man dressed in police uniform exited and snatched her before bungling her into the black vehicle and speeding off.

Surveillance cameras captured the image of the vehicle and a black X Trail has since been impounded.

And Oropouche East Member of Parliament, Dr Roodal Moonilal, yesterday called on the Ministries of Education and National Security to immediately install CCTV cameras outside all schools.

Kidnapping is a national issue that is above politics and we need to protect the children, parents and even officials at the school from violence, Moonilal said in a statement to the media.

Moonilal said while police investigators have been working diligently on the matter, there has been no meaningful breakthrough.

I urge law enforcement officers to redouble their efforts to resolve this serious crime. I feel the pain and anguish of the family, including their two children, even more intensely following my visit with them on Tuesday.

The Sookdeos are my constituents of Oropouche East. I also share similar deep concerns with relatives of other kidnap victims, he said.
Robbery suspects IDd

The two suspects, aged 18 and 23, were arrested last week at their homes by officers led by Insp Ken Lutchman and including Sgt Christopher Fuentes, Cpl Randolph Castillo, WPCs Walker and Clarke, and PCs Sookdeo and Gadhar.
PH driver jailed for robbing two women

The accused man, Eric Caton, 32, of Chaguanas told senior Magistrate Nannette Forde-John in the San Fernando First Magistrates Court that he robbed the women to obtain money to provide for his family, which includes a sixmonth- old baby.

The charges read to Caton alleged that on August 23, at Duncan Village, he robbed Sybil Ramsumair, 74, of a gold chain valued $2,000, two gold rings and a gold bracelet.

The second charge alleged that he robbed Jocelyn Garraway,62, of grocery items, cash and other items. Caton pleaded guilty to the charges laid by PC Markus Lange of the San Fernando CID.

Police court prosecutor Sgt Dianath Harricharan told the court that at about 1.55 p.m. on August 23, along Mucurapo Street, San Fernando, Ramsumair boarded a Nissan B15 vehicle to be taken to Duncan Village, San Fernando. Caton was the driver.

Harricharan said minutes later, Caton stopped the vehicle near an isolated area and announced a hold-up. Ramsumair was the only passenger in the vehicle. Caton ordered that the woman hand over her jewellery and cash. He then ordered the pensioner out of the vehicle and drove off.

Forde-John heard that on September 24, another woman identified as Jocelyn Garraway,62, boarded a vehicle near Cross Crossing, San Fernando.

Upon reaching Rushworth Street, San Fernando, Caton announced a hold-up. Garraway was also the only passenger in the vehicle.

Caton grabbed the womans hand and demanded that she hand over money. Garraway was robbed of a purse, glasses valued at $4,000, grocery items and $135. Caton then ordered the woman out of the vehicle and drove off.

Both women reported the incidents to the San Fernando Police Station where police constable Lange conducted investigations which led to Catons arrest. The stolen items were also recovered.

Yesterday, Caton, who was unrepresented by an attorney, told the magistrate he was sorry for the crimes he committed. I lost my work and I have a six-month-old baby at home. I am also the sole breadwinner of my family, I did not mean to rob those women, but I just wanted to bring home food in the house for my family.
Kamla: FATCA, presidential scandal all budget distractions

Remember when it was 1999 to become the year 2000 and they called it 2000K or something? So that the world will come to an end, the sky was falling down? She accused Attorney General, Faris Al Rawi, of inciting that kind of public panic earlier this year when trying to gain their support for the two-year extension of the Bail (Amendment) Act.

He told us that if the Opposition does not vote for the Bail Bill what will happen? Thousands of prisoners, convicts and bandits and so on will be free to come out of jail. Did it happen? The crowd answered with a resounding NO! So once again, the deadline is Friday the 30th of September, Persad-Bissessar continued, Sky fall down, 2000K all over again, end of the world for Trinidad and Tobago. Today I guarantee you - that will not happen. Persad-Bissessar said all the hullabaloo over FATCA was the governments way of making the public pressure her Opposition into supporting a totally dangerous and draconian Bill. She said that her opposition to the Bill was on the grounds that it gave unnecessary power to the Minister of Finance.

Persad-Bissessar then turned her attention to what she called the latest distraction. Last week, UWI lecturer and Facebook commentator, Rhoda Bharath, unleashed a slew of allegations against the President, namely that $1 million in wine was imported and re-bottled using the Presidents seal to be sold, that State funds were used to purchase jewellery for his wife, Reema Carmona, and that he receives a housing allowance of $28,000 per month despite being housed at the Presidents official residence.

But you dont get caught up in that foolishness, said the former Prime Minister, do not get distracted because they do not want you to focus on the high crime rate of the country, the unemployment, the job losses, and the bad health care, while we sit down asking whether who what why when where.
Estrada working with US Treasury and TT Govt on FATCA

Estradas response comes following a press conference yesterday by Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley, on Governments need for an extension for FATCA arrangements for the agreement to be put in place.

In an emailed response to members of the media as to whether or not the Government would be granted the extension its seeks, Estrada said, The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has submitted to the Treasury a detailed explanation and step-by step plan that Trinidad and Tobago intends to bring the FATCA agreement into force.

I will continue to work with Treasury representatives and Government of Trinidad and Tobago officials to assure that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago follows this plan and continue to work in good faith towards implementing the FATCA agreement. He added that he was confident that TT and the US would have an, increasing number of active and engaged partnerships, across a broad range of areas, to include regional security, economic development and trade and human rights. Estrada is currently in Washington, DC, US for a meeting with the Department of State, Congress and the White House.

Estrada added that he had hoped that the legislation would have been resolved before his trip.

He added that the concerns of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago were expressed to US Treasury representatives. The release, however, did not state specifically whether or not the country would be granted the extension.
Pedestrian restriction on PBR at Curepe Junction

In a release yesterday, the Ministry of Works and Transport announced that pedestrians are now restricted from crossing the PBR 100 metres west of the traffic signal at Curepe Junction. The ministry reported that on September 16, 2016 the Traffic Management Branch installed pedestrian signals, crosswalks and other road signage pertaining to this new restriction.

Managers of the Priority Mall Facility, operated by the Public Transport Service Corporation, also installed gates on September 24, 2016 (Republic Day) to assist with these restrictions.

The pedestrian restriction at Curepe Junction is expected to increase mobility and road safety, and reduce the number of incidents that occur and that are prone to occur at this location on a daily basis. The public is therefore advised to comply with the new restriction, by crossing the PBR safely at the traffic signals, following all traffic control devices in the area as indicated, the ministry explained.

The ministry expressed regret for any inconvenience caused and thanked the public for its continued cooperation.

For further information the ministry advised citizens to check the MOWT website and social media accounts.
Kamla threatens protest if childrens hospital not opened

Budget 2016/2017 is on Friday, we await to hear about the Couva Childrens hospital and if we do not hear about the opening of that hospital, I ask you to join me! We will walk, we will march, we will protest for the opening of the Couva Childrens Hospital. Persad-Bissessar decried the Minister of Health, Terrence Deyalsingh, for refusing to open the Couva Childrens Hospital despite being given a $6.09 billion allocation in last years budget.

The Hospital, built by Shanghai Construction Group, was handed over to UDeCOTT in August.

The government stated their intention to initiate a request for proposals from the private sector as the hospital would be a hybrid public-private partnership. In August, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said that the hospital should be opened before the years end.

$6.09 billion later, said Persad- Bissessar, they have refused to open the Couva Childrens Hospital, they have stopped the work at the Arima Hospital and the Point Fortin Hospital. Please open the childrens hospital. We repeat, please open the childrens hospital.
Garcia to meet with Board, school to be fixed

On Monday, dissatisfied parents held a demonstration in front the schools compound on the Eastern Main Road, Arouca, calling on the Ministry of Education to intervene and get the problems solved.

According to the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) several letters have been delivered to the Ministry of Education requesting help to restore the electrical work at the school.

PTA president Ornella Ramsook told Newsday an Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA) officer visited the school last week, and wrote to the Ministry asking for an improvement and an upgrade of the school.

We were told that by this Thursday the Ministry of Education will let us know something. Come Thursday and we do not get a response in some positive way, parents are going to be back out next week to do another demonstration, Ramsook said.

She said for the past three years they were experiencing electrical problems at the school, and indicated that a contractor was assigned to the school but stopped the work due to non-payment by Government.

Since 2013 we have been experiencing difficulties with the electrical system, different stuff has happened, such as shortages, the panel boxes have burnt, we have witnessed sparking of the wires. She continued, Earlier on this year the Ministry sent over a contractor via EFCL to us.They came into the school and put down a transformer and also ran some cables.Just as the work started, the work stopped. Yesterday, Education Minister Anthony Garcia lamented that he had absolutely no information from the Anglican Board of the need for any upgrade at that school and wants to enter into discussion with the Board to rectify the problem.

I was taken by surprise over the protest by parents. If it was brought to our attention to date, I would have made sure that the issue would have been attended to. We will dispatch a contractor but I will have discussion with the Anglican Board because since they own the school we cannot do anything unless we have an agreement with the Board, Garcia said.

When asked about payment to the assigned contractor, Garcia said, I am not aware of that, what I know is that situation did not come to my attention, and before we can do anything at the school we must have the agreement of the Board, Garcia said.

Meanwhile, the Arouca Government Primary School also had similar problems where a fire broke out on the schools compound and students had to be evacuated on September 14.

When asked if all repairs were completed at the Arouca Government Primary school, Garcia said, I am very surprised, and a little angry over the fact that we have recurrence of the problem, because the contractor was supposed to have done a good job. That school was not on the list for repairs because they got an electrical upgrade since December last year, and the information we got stated that everything was all right with the school. Garcia said the upgrade at the school lasted a few weeks because the children were out of the school for an extended period, a contractor was appointed and they did a total re-wiring of the school at a considerable cost.

He said they worked on 177 schools in which 210 projects were dealt with and the ministry worked diligently to ensure that all these schools were ready to open their doors when schools reopened on September 8.
Moses calls for global solidarity

Moses noted that this countrys national Vision 2030 is in alignment with the agenda for global transformation and called for improved opportunities for the vulnerable and disenfranchised.

On the issue of climate change he emphasised the importance of the Paris Agreement to which Trinidad and Tobago became a signatory in April of this year, and stated that Government has instituted incentives to encourage investment and job creation in renewable and clean technologies in the transportation and industrial sectors.

He conceded that illicit drugs, the arms trade and human trafficking will negatively impact economic and social development.

He said that violent extremism cannot be ignored and that steps must be taken to prevent young people from falling victim to recruitment.

He said TT is committed to building an effective global framework for strategic collective architecture that addresses the negative social, economic and psychological conditions that give rise to violent extremism.
PM Modi Speech on the Occasion of 63rd Birthday of Mata Amritanandamayi

New Delhi, Wed, 28 Sep 2016 NI Wire

Pranaam Amma

Respected Dignitaries on the Dais

Namaskaram!

On this pious and sacred occasion, I offer my deep regards to Amma. I also pray to the Almighty to give long life and good health to her. She is the guiding light for millions of devotees. Not only that, she has become the synonym of life for many devotees. Like a real Maa, she nurtures her devotees through direct and indirect acts; visible and invisible hands.

I am very fortunate to be among those who have been receiving Ammas blessings and unconditional love. Three years ago, I had the opportunity to be present at Amritapuri, to pay my respects on the occasion of Ammas 60th birthday celebrations. Today, though I am not so lucky as to be present at the celebrations in person, I am delighted to be able to greet her, through technology. I have just returned from Kerala, and I was touched by the love and affection showered on me by the people of Kerala.

India is the land of such saints who have seen God in everything that can be seen. Mankind is prominent among those things. That is why service to mankind has become their main motto. I am aware that even in her childhood Amma was fond of giving her own food to others. Serving the old and the aged, and helping the needy have been her childhood passions.

Also, she used to worship Lord Krishna in her childhood.

These two qualities have been her strength. Devotion to God and Dedication to the Poor is thus, the message which I have personally taken from my association with Amma. Millions of devotees from all over the world also believe in the same.

I am aware of the social and charitable works done by various institutions and programmes run by Amma. She is always keen to help the worlds poor in meeting their five basic needs: food, shelter, health care, education, and livelihood.

I would like to particularly mention the works done and donations made in the field of sanitation, water, housing, education and health. I understand that some of those beneficiaries will get their certificates today. Particularly, Ammas initiative on building toilets has been a great help in our Swachh Bharat Programme. Amma has pledged to contribute one hundred crore rupees towards sanitation efforts in Kerala. This pledge includes the construction of fifteen thousand toilets for the poor. Today, I am informed that throughout the State, Ammas ashram has already completed construction of two thousand toilets.

I know that this is just one example of various works being done in the fields of environmental conservation and sustainability. One year ago, Amma generously donated one hundred crore rupees to the Namami Gange programme. I am also aware of Ammas helping hands to mitigate the sufferings in the aftermath of natural disasters. It is also heartening to note that the Researchers at Amrita University are innovating new approaches to solve some of the worlds most pressing problems.

At the end, I would like to convey my sincere thanks for giving me the opportunity of joining the celebrations.

Once again I express my deep regards to Amma.

Source: PIB
India and Nigeria should harness the complementarities in attracting investments for a positive economic growth: Hamid Ansari

New Delhi, Wed, 28 Sep 2016 NI Wire

Addresses India-Nigeria Business Forum

The Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that India and Nigeria should harness their complementarities in attracting investments which is a key factor for positive economic growth, as they make an attempt to broad base their economy. He was addressing the India-Nigeria Business Forum in Abuja, Nigeria, yesterday. The Vice President of Nigeria, Mr. Yemi Osinbajo and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

The Vice President said that as Nigeria embarks with renewed vigour and determination in realizing greater prosperity for its people, India stands ready to join as a partner. The overall engagement between India and Nigeria remains vibrant and full of vitality and India has been the largest trading partner of Nigeria, and Nigeria is the largest trading partner of India in Africa, he pointed out. Nigeria is an important partner for our energy security requirement and there is significant potential for diversifying our engagement in oil and gas sector by enhancing our cooperation in both upstream and downstream domains, he added.

The Vice President said that over 100 Indian companies have made Nigeria their base and their investments have exceeded 10 billion US Dollars so far, and another 5 billion US dollars are committed in diverse sectors such as communications, power, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, automotive sector and oil, he pointed out. Decades of economic growth have strengthened Indias private sector and it is keen to expand its global operations, he pointed out.

The Vice President said that the innovative spirit of Indian industry, backed by strong government research and development push and a network of quality education institutions, make India and the Indian companies the most promising business partners yesterday. He further said that there was considerable potential for expanding trade in the areas of automotive components, automobiles, engineering products, IT, pharmaceuticals, bio-technology and healthcare sectors. India and Nigeria count on their business leaders to be the architects of this important change, he added.

Following is the text of Vice President's address:

"I thank you for your warm words of welcome. I wish to convey my deep appreciation to the Honble Vice President of Nigeria for his encouraging presence here yesterday.

I am very happy to be here yesterday at this gathering of captains of trade and industry from Nigeria and India, two of the most dynamic emerging economies of the world. I see from your agenda that you would be holding intensive deliberations on expanding our existing commercial relations as well as for identifying new sectors of economic cooperation.

I thank the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Nigerian National Chamber of Commerce together with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and ASSOCHAM India-Nigeria Business Council for partnering in holding this important Business Meet.

We are extremely happy to see the initiatives which Nigeria has launched under the sagacious leadership of His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari. As Nigeria embarks with renewed vigour and determination in realizing greater prosperity for its people, India stands ready to join as a partner.

The overall engagement between India and Nigeria remains vibrant and full of vitality. Economic and commercial cooperation occupies prominent position in our bilateral matrix. In my meetings with the Nigerian leadership, I found a strong desire to expand our commercial engagement.

It is a matter of satisfaction that for the last few years, India has been the largest trading partner of Nigeria, and Nigeria is the largest trading partner of India in Africa. Our bilateral trade has been growing steadily for the last one decade and touched US$16 billion in 2014-15. It is only because of the global decline in oil prices that our trade has slowed down in the past one year.

Nigeria is an important partner for our energy security requirement. About 12% of our crude requirement comes from Nigeria. Given India's current and expanding energy requirements, there is significant potential for diversifying our engagement in oil and gas sector by enhancing our cooperation in both upstream and downstream domains.

Over 100 Indian companies have made Nigeria their base to operation in West Africa, employing the largest number of Nigerians after the Federal Government, and covering diverse sectors of the economy. It is estimated that the Indian investments have exceeded 10 billion US Dollars so far, and another 5 billion US dollars are committed. Indian investments are in diverse sectors such as communications, power, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, automotive sector and oil, among others.

The market liberalization of India in the nineties followed by calibrated economic reforms in the past decade has led to sustainable economic growth and socio-economic development. India's economy registered a growth of 7% in the last quarter which is one of the highest rates globally. The fast rate of urbanization and the growth of a large, aspirational middle class in India, coupled with a youthful population makes India one of the most attractive markets in the world yesterday.

The last two decades of economic growth have also strengthened Indias private sector and it is keen to expand its global operations. The innovative spirit of Indian industry, backed by a strong government research and development push and a network of quality education institutions, make India and the Indian companies the most promising business partners yesterday.

As such, we need to synergize our efforts in the areas of economy and business. The vast consumer market, youthful and skilled human resources and expertise in the field of information technology of India coupled with Nigeria's natural resources, youthful population and strategic location would provide a platform for enhanced economic engagement.

As both India and Nigeria make an attempt to broad base their economy, they should harness the complementarities in attracting investments which is a key factor for a positive economic growth.

There is a considerable potential for expanding trade in the areas of automotive components, automobiles, engineering products, IT, pharmaceuticals, bio-technology and healthcare sectors.

Infrastructure development and energy security are key areas for cooperation for emerging economies like India and Nigeria. These sectors allow for both our countries to collaborate and benefit from each other's expertise. Infrastructure stimulation programmes launched by the Government of India, like the mission to develop 100 Smart Cities, upgrade infrastructure development in urban and rural areas and enhance nationwide connectivity through the 'Digital India' programme, have created massive opportunities for foreign partners in the Indian economy.

Our societies are still largely agrarian. Therefore, agricultural industry, food processing and related small and medium enterprises offer opportunities for trade and investment which could be explored by our business houses with the support from the governments. The Green Alternative Plan - a roadmap to make Nigeria not only self-sufficient in agriculture but also a major exporter of quality agricultural products, launched last month offers an opportunity for sharing of India's experience in agro-industry sector.

India's expertise and proven capabilities in production of pharmaceuticals, especially generic medicines at affordable cost, advancement in healthcare sectors and science & technology, high quality education at reasonable cost could also be potential areas of investments by both sides.

Indian private sector is keen to further engage with their Nigerian counterparts in diverse sectors of the economy. In June this year, ASSOCHAM established its Abuja Chapter. This is in addition to the existing Nigeria-India Chamber of Commerce & Industries (NICCI) that is based in Lagos.

We have the institutional mechanism to review progress made in the bilateral engagement including in trade and investments sectors. The next Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) will take stock of the ongoing cooperation in trade and investments.

In the backdrop of the current international economic and financial situation, there is an even greater need for us to join hands and synergise our growth strategies. India and Nigeria are well placed to convert this challenge into an opportunity. We count on you, the business leaders from Nigeria and India, to be the architects of this important change.

I wish the Business Meet great success in its deliberations yesterday.

Source: PIB
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Morocco has made a major leap in developing aviation-related industries with the signing of a deal with Boeing to establish an industrial ecosystem offering conditions propitious for attracting component suppliers.

The agreement was signed in the royal palace of Tangier by Moroccan trade and industry minister Moulay Hafid Elalamy and the chief executive of Boeings airplane business, Raymond Conner during a ceremony chaired by King Mohammed VI.

This industrial ecosystem will bring investments from around 120 of Boeings suppliers to help raise Moroccos aeronautics exports by 1 billion dollars and create 8700 jobs.

Speaking on this occasion, Moroccos trade and industry minister voiced satisfaction at the growth of the sector saying that the size of the aeronautics sector increased six fold during the last ten years.

He added that currently 121 companies operate in Moroccos aeronautics sector which ranks 15th worldwide in terms of attracting aviation industry investments.

Such an ecosystem is conducive to reinforcing the attractiveness of the aeronautics sector in Morocco and will add momentum to the national economy, said the minister.

Boeing already has a joint venture with Frances Safran in Casablanca to build wire bundles and harnesses for aircraft makers, including Boeing and Airbus.

The deal was signed at a time Morocco braces for legislative elections due on October 7. The timing of the agreement shows the confidence of international companies in Moroccos business climate and political stability, as the Kingdom managed to maintain the flow of foreign direct investments despite the unfavourable circumstances ensuing the Arab Spring.

Thanks to low labor costs and proximity to Europe, many companies see Morocco as an export base to supply components to manufacturers in Europe and the US. So far, 121 aeronautics companies operate in Morocco including aviation industry giants such as Bombardier, Alcoa and Stelia, a subsidiary of Airbus.

The industry currently employs 11,500 people and has generated in 2015 exports worth 1 billion dollars, posting an annual growth rate of 15%.

Part of a larger industrial acceleration strategy, Moroccos plan to develop the aeronautics industry aims at creating 23,000 jobs by 2020, increase exports to 1.6 billion dollars per year and bring to 35% the proportion of locally-produced components.

Training features prominently in Moroccos plan to boost its attractiveness for aviation industry investments. The IMA aeronautics institute (Institut des Metiers de lAeronautique), near Casablancas international airport, equips aerospace companies with skilled workforce to meet manufacturing requirements.
Mauritanias main stream private newspapers have chosen to go off on Wednesday in a move to denounce unbearable work conditions coupled with authorities tight grip on private media, reports say.

The Wednesday action is undertaken to protest against the situation of deep crisis that Mauritanian private newspapers are stranded in, said Sy Mamadou, Chief Editor of LEveil Hebdo.

It is also seeks to inform authorities, national and international public opinion, as well as Mauritanias development partners of the necessity to have a credible private press capable of accompanying democratic reforms and economic and social development of the country, the reporter further noted.

The countrys major private newspapers such as Calame, Authentique, Renovateur, Le Quotidien de Nouakchott as well as Points Chauds have decided to back the Wednesday blackout action.

Private newspapers in Mauritania are facing acute sponsorship problems with state grants to the media, estimated at 500,000, are shared by multitudes of private radio and television channels, let alone untold number of online media as well as tens of private newspapers.

Most publications are printed by the countrys publication house, which imposes high rates, making it difficult for the newspapers to work with very tight budgets.

Among demands filed by the Chief editors of the private media feature reduction of publication cost and lifting of the Mauritanian government ban on subscription to private newspapers by state companies.

The ban, says afrique.le360.ma, has crippled the medias source of revenue. Some private companies have also decided to respect the ban as they seek largess from the Mauritanian regime.
Moroccans can now pick Armani and Just Cavalli goods at Morocco Mall, Group AKSAL announced Tuesday as both Italian global fashion brands join list of other worldwide top brands selling in the North African country.

Armani, according to the Moroccan leader in luxury sector, will inaugurate its shop on September 30. The Italian brand will have as main collections, Armani Collezioni and Armani Jeans.

Cashmere knit jackets will be available on stalls priced 2,600 and woolen caps at 360.

Just Cavalli will launch its online stores in the course of the month of October and will exhibit sweater collections of 2016 Autumn-winter period. The collections sell at 350. The brand also proposes handbags at 940.

Group AKSAL partners with other prestigious brands such as Fendi, Gucci, Christian Dior, Ralph Lauren
Shimon Peres. Photo: NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Shimon Peres, a leading figure in Israeli politics for seven decades and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, died on Wednesday in a Tel Aviv hospital, two weeks after suffering a stroke. He was 93.



With tears we confirm the passing of former President, Prime Minister Shimon Peres. Israel has lost a founding father, a light for peace, the Israel News Agency wrote on Twitter.

Peres was born in Poland on August 16, 1923, and immigrated with his family to what was then the British Mandate of Palestine in 1934.



As a teenager, Peres helped found Kibbutz Alumot and got involved in politics, quickly rising up the ranks of what became Israels Labor Party. He served as a top aide to David Ben-Gurion, Israels founding prime minister, and was named director general of the Defense Ministry in 1951. In that position, he led the development of the nations aerospace and nuclear programs, though Israel has still not acknowledged the latter.



Peres was first elected to the Knesset in 1959 and went on to serve in Israels parliament for a record 48 years. He eventually held every major cabinet post and was prime minister twice. In 2007, the Knesset elected him to a seven-year term as president.



While Peres initially supported Jewish settlement of the West Bank and Gaza, he spent the later part of his career pushing for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In 1993, while serving as foreign minister, he developed a plan with the Palestine Liberation Organization for limited self-government in Gaza and part of the West Bank. Peres persuaded his longtime rival Yitzhak Rabin, who was then prime minister, to accept the agreement, which became known as the Oslo Accords. He famously shook Palestinian leader Yasir Arafats hand during a signing ceremony at the White House on September 13, 1993.



We are sincere, he told the Palestinians. We mean business. We do not seek to shape your lives or determine your destiny. Let all of us turn from bullets to ballots, from guns to shovels.

Peres, Rabin, and Arafat were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994, but the plan fell apart within the next two years as Rabin was assassinated, Hamas launched a number of suicide bombings, and Peres was defeated by Benjamin Netanyahu in his 1996 bid to be prime minister.



In 2000, Peres ran for president, which is a largely ceremonial position in Israel, but he lost in an upset to Likud candidate Moshe Katsav. He forged ahead, serving as Labor leader and then exiting the party in 2005 to join Kadima, the new centrist party formed by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.



At 91, when his term as president ended, Peres returned to the nonprofit that he established in 1996 and continued his efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.



Even so, Peres refused to quit. In 2001, at age 77, he took the post of foreign minister in the government of national unity set up by Ariel Sharon, serving for 20 months before Labor withdrew from the coalition.

We have to make peace with the Palestinians, he said in a video interview posted by the Peres Center for Peace in 2015. Theres no way to achieve it in my opinion without a two-state solution.

Many world leaders offered condolences and remembrances of Peres on Tuesday night. President Obama said:



A light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever. Shimon Peres was a soldier for Israel, for the Jewish people, for justice, for peace, and for the belief that we can be true to our best selves  to the very end of our time on Earth, and in the legacy that we leave to others. For the gift of his friendship and the example of his leadership, todah rabah, Shimon.

A light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever. @POTUS on the passing of Shimon Peres: https://t.co/kfiWabFROR pic.twitter.com/hC021MJlBD  White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) September 28, 2016
Photo: John Sciulli/Getty Images

Hillary Clintons newest surrogate is brushing aside reports, gleefully trumpeted by Trump supporters, that she was involved in an attempted murder in 1998 and subsequently threatened to kill a judge. You know, I have my past. Of course, everybody has a past. Im not a saint girl. But that is not the point now, Alicia Machado, the former Miss Universe whom Donald Trump called Miss Piggy and Miss Housekeeping, told Anderson Cooper Tuesday night.

Along with public humiliation at the hands of the GOPs presidential nominee, Machados past includes a 1998 incident in which she was accused of driving the getaway car after her boyfriend shot a man. Machado was working as a soap-opera actress at the time, and this story could have been ripped from the script. This is how The Economist described the case in an article at the time:

The male lead in this complex plot is Miss Machados rugged boyfriend, Juan Rafael Rodriguez Reggeti. He had a sister, who, eight months pregnant, jumped off a fifth-floor balcony. He, allegedly, blaming her husband for the suicide, sought revenge by firing two shots at him just after the funeral. The husband was hit but survived. Mr Rodriguez fled in a car driven, say the police, by Miss Machado.

The investigating judge, Maximiliano Fuenmayor, issued an arrest warrant for Mr Rodriguez. But Miss Machado, who claimed she was ill at home at the time, seemed to be in the clear, for the moment anyway. It was a short moment. Within hours, Mr Fuenmayor had a telephone call from her. He says she threatened to ruin his career and have him killed. She admits she rang, but says it was merely to thank him for his unbiased pursuit of justice. Mr Fuenmayor says she in fact threatened him with her powerful friends, fromsupposedlyPresident Rafael Caldera down.

While the judge said he would open up a new case about the threats, it doesnt appear to have led to any charges.

Despite her legal troubles 20 years ago, Machado was able to gain United States citizenship in August. In an August interview with Inside Edition, she said she sought out citizenship in part to vote against Trump. The United States is in a very important moment and we need to take the power to go and vote, she said.
Moynihan Train Hall, which youll have to convince yourself is the new Penn Station. Photo: SOM

The hellhole known as the Port Authority Bus Terminal just released proposals for its future makeover, and now its neighboring blight of a transportation hub, Penn Station, has a revealed its potential new look.

Moynihan Train Hall in the Farley Complex. Photo: SOM

Governor Andrew Cuomo presented a plan Tuesday to turn the historic James A. Farley Post Office, located across Eighth Avenue from Penn, into a 255,000-square-foot train hall that will accommodate both Amtrak and the Long Island Railroad. The complex  to be dubbed the Moynihan Train Hall  will be even bigger than Grand Central. The station will rise ten stories and incorporate the halls original trusses and skylight. The new station will be magnificent and will be world-class, and New York will not have seen anything like it in decades and decades, Cuomo said.

Nice, but not exactly Roses. Photo: SOM

The Penn Station overhaul has been almost a quarter-century in the making, but Cuomo declared earlier this year that a redesign was really happening. The governor reiterated that promise, saying the new Farley Complex would open in December 2020. The current Penn Station is also getting a face-lift, but maybe not as ambitious as once proposed  sorry, no grand entrance. Riders can still access the busy LIRR here (this will be the lines north concourse; Farley will be its west) and New Jersey Transit. Commuters will get a wider and brighter LIRR concourse at 33rd Street and raised ceilings which will have giant LED screens displaying blue skies and clouds to give commuters the sense that theyre still trapped in basement, but now with better televisions. Penns current Amtrak area will also be redeveloped, though the proposals are TBA. Finally, the MTA will redo the two subway stations  on the Seventh and Eighth Avenue lines  that link to the station. An underground pathway will connect the improved Penn to the Farley Complex to create one big mega-hub.

Updated LIRR concourse: Even more space for the stampede to the train once the track number is posted. Photo: MTA

The developers on the project are Related Companies, which is a huge player in Hudson Yards, located just one avenue-block west, along with Vornado Realty, and Skanska AB. Now for the price tag: The transit hubs renovation will cost about $1.6 billion. Those developers will pay $600 million. The Empire State Development Corporation, the states development agency, will pitch in $570 million. The remaining, approximately $425 million will come from public money from the federal government and from Amtrak, LIRR, and the Port Authority.

Here are a few more renderings, though spoiler alert, that 1,200-foot-tall roller coaster proposed by Brooklyn developers this summer doesnt appear to have made the cut.

LIRR area in the Farley Complex: Ah, but wheres the pan flute player? Photo: SOM
David Wildstein. Photo: Peter Foley/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Governor Chris Christie offered personal approval for a campaign of retribution against two New Jersey mayors who refused to cross party lines and endorse his reelection, the convicted mastermind of the George Washington Bridge lane closures testified in a federal trial today. After prosecutors displayed a montage of photos, showing Christie laughing and rolling his eyes during a conversation with former Port Authority officials Bill Baroni and David Wildstein before a September 11 memorial service at the World Trade Center, Wildstein  Christies self-described former enforcer at the agency  recounted a conversation in which they discussed ways to make life difficult for the two Democrats, Mayor Steven Fulop of Jersey City and Mayor Mark Sokolich of Fort Lee.

The testimony, the most dramatic moment so far in the trial of Baroni and Bridget Kelly, Christies former deputy chief of staff, placed the governor and several of his top advisers squarely within the circle of those with contemporaneous knowledge of the plot to visit revenge on Sokolich by starting a massive traffic jam. (Christie would later say he was blindsided by his aides actions.) Although the governors defenders have sought to describe Wildstein  a confessed liar with a fondness for the dark arts of politics  as a rogue actor, the prosecutions star witness offered a highly precise, even clinical account of his efforts to advance the governors interests by punishing the drivers of Fort Lee.

Prosecutors sought to place the bridge scheme within a broader culture of retaliation by showing how the Port Authority had previously taken similar  though far less extreme  actions against Fulop at the direction of Bill Stepien, Christies campaign manager. After Fulop declined to endorse Christie, Wildstein testified, the Port Authority ceased to deal with him on matters of importance to his town, refusing to even return his calls.

Radio silence, Stepien ordered Wildstein in July 2013, when Fulop wanted to set up a meeting. Continue to ice him, Stepien reiterated that August. When Fulop shortly afterward wrote to Baroni  his contact at the Port Authority  expressing annoyance, Stepien told Wildstein: Hes getting a little snippy. Good.

When the chairman of the Port Authoritys board, Christie appointee David Samson, wanted to have a peace talk with Fulop, the governors campaign manager quashed the idea. Per Stepien, Wildstein texted Baroni, no meetings with Fulop. 100% Order that Fulop be frozen out comes directly from gov, by which he meant Governor Christie, Wildstein explained. Gov wants nobody to meet with Fulop.

Though it is hardly uncommon for mayors and governors of opposing parties to have strained relations, Christies order to freeze out Fulop appears important in light of what else Wildstein was up to in August 2013: planning the Fort Lee traffic jam. Prosecutors made the connection explicit by citing a text exchange between Baroni and Wildstein. Wildstein had previously testified that Baroni had suggested that they time the Fort Lee traffic jam for the first day of school, to maximize the municipal chaos. On September 1  a week before the George Washington Bridge closures  Baroni asked Wildstein when Jersey City schoolchildren were scheduled to return to class.

Thursday, Wildstein replied, after checking the internet.

Anything we can do? Baroni asked.

Probably not, Wildstein texted back.

U fortunate, Baroni replied.

On the stand, Wildstein testified that, I understood that to be unfortunate. That is a word Mr. Baroni used frequently. The previously undisclosed communication was the first documentary evidence appearing to show that Baroni knew all along that Wildsteins cover story in Fort Lee  that he was conducting a traffic study  was a ruse.

The callousness that the alleged conspirators showed toward the intended victims of their actions  kids on their way to school, commuters heading to work  was occasionally shocking. Wildstein testified that when the mayor of Fort Lee tried to reach Baroni, saying that ambulances were unable to respond to emergency calls, he saw it solely as a political gambit. I told [Kelly] that I thought that was a smart political response from Mayor Sokolich to play the public-safety card, Wildstein said. He said Baroni mocked Mayor Sokolich for his desperation and confusion about who was mad at him. The prosecution displayed one now-infamous exchange of texts between Kelly and Wildstein in which she said she felt bad about the children stuck in school buses.

Ms. Kelly was feeling a little bit of empathy toward kids from Fort Lee who were having a little bit of trouble getting to school that morning, Wildstein said. He then read out his own response: They are children of Buono voters. (Barbara Buono was the sacrificial lamb the Democratic Party ran against Christie in 2013.)

Why did you feel comfortable saying that? asked prosecutor Lee M. Cortes Jr.

Its a hard question to answer, said Wildstein, who has grown children. I shouldnt have been comfortable saying it, it was a horrible thing to say.

But prosecutors are building a case that seems to demonstrate that by engaging in vengeful tactics, Wildstein and the defendants were following cues sent to them by the governor and his top advisers. Wildstein testified that Baroni  his close friend  had been a bit queasy, a bit nervous, second-guessing prior to the lane closures.

I told him not to be nervous, Wildstein said. This is what the governors office wanted. Wildstein has claimed that several political figures close to the governor were briefed on the lane closures before they happened, including Stepien  now a Donald Trump campaign aide  and a Port Authority board member from the Fort Lee area. Wildstein testified that shortly before the lane closures, Baroni also told the authoritys chairman, Samson, about what they were up to. (Samson has since pleaded guilty to an unrelated criminal charge related to using his power at the Port Authority to pressure United Airlines to schedule what was known as the chairmans flight, a special route from Newark to the airport nearest his vacation home in South Carolina.)

Finally, on September 11  the third day of the bridge toll lane closures  Wildstein and Baroni had a chance to inform the governor himself. Ms. Kelly had previously told me that the governor is going to love this, Wildstein testified. I remember the quote: The governor is going to love this. So he and Baroni were eager to share the news when they had a few minutes alone with Christie, on a dirt path running across what was then still the World Trade Center construction site.

Mr. Baroni said, Governor I have to tell you about something, Wildstein testified, saying that Baroni and Christie often adopted a very sarcastic tone when they were talking politics. Mr. Baroni said to Governor Christie, Governor, I can tell you theres a tremendous amount of traffic in Fort Lee this morning, major traffic jams, and Mayor Sokolich is very frustrated. He alleged that Baroni then added, youll be pleased to know that Mayor Sokolich is having trouble getting his telephone calls returned.

According to Wildstein, Christie replied with similar sarcasm, I imagine he wouldnt be getting his phone calls returned.

Wildstein had previously testified that at the Port Authority, he and Baroni operated according to what they called the one-constituent rule, meaning that everything they did was for the governors benefit. He and Christie had been acquainted since they attended high school together, and the governor was well aware of Wildsteins talent for Jersey-style political subterfuge, shown both as a small-time political operative and an influential anonymous blogger with a tendency to pursue obscure vendettas. The governor still called Wildstein by the pseudonym he used on the website, Wally Edge. So Christie surely understood the import of what Baroni allegedly told him next:

Mr. Baroni said to Governor Christie that I was monitoring the traffic, I was watching over everything, Wildstein testified. Governor Christie said in the sarcastic tone of the conversation, Well. Im sure Mr. Edge would not be involved in anything political.

Then, Wildstein said, he laughed.

After a few minutes, Wildstein testified, Samson also showed up, and brought up the proposed meeting with Mayor Fulop. Christie responded with a firm command: No communications. Governor Christie referred to Mayor Sokolich as well, Wildstein said, giving the order that the Port Authority wasnt going to talk to with either mayor.

In the end, it isnt clear whether the traffic jam succeeded, even in the narrowest terms, as a revenge plot. Wildstein testified that Sokolich seemed not to understand the message that was being sent to him. I remember being a little confused about him not necessarily understanding who is mad at him, Wildstein testified. But before long, everyone would know. Wildstein spent much of the afternoon describing, in painful detail, how the alleged conspiracy unraveled, ultimately destroying his career, along with those of his former friends Kelly and Baroni. Wildstein described how, in those moments at the World Trade Center, he had been bragging, reveling in his fleeting success.

This was our one constituent. I was pleasing my one constituent, Wildstein said. I was proud of it. I was happy that hes happy.

After the encounter with Christie, he added, Baroni never again expressed queasiness.
Photo: Getty Images

The 2016 election has stirred intense debates on a variety of topics  from email servers to Skittles to the exact percentage of Americans who are deplorable  but policy has not been at the forefront. The details of Hillary Clintons and Donald Trumps positions are wildly different, but they can be difficult to sort out. One candidate  we wont say who  has a web of lengthy policy proposals on their website, and the other has been known to take contradictory positions within the same sentence. In an effort to clarify the policy choice before voters in this election, weve compiled a guide  which will be updated  to each candidates stance on the top issues facing Americans.

The Economy

Minimum Wage

Clinton is in favor of a $12 federal minimum wage and supports local efforts to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. Shes said she would sign a $15 federal minimum-wage bill if it were phased in gradually and the effects in areas with lower costs of living were evaluated.

As catalogued by the Washington Post, Trump has taken every stance on the issue, from saying wages are too high to apparently backing the Fight for $15 to saying there shouldnt even be a federal minimum wage. In August, a campaign official said: Mr. Trump has voiced support for raising it to $10 at the federal level, but believes states should set the minimum wage as appropriate for their state.

Taxes

Much of Clintons policy agenda would be funded by raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans. Shes proposed a 4 percent fair share surcharge on those who make more than $5 million per year, to ensure that the richest Americans pay an effective rate higher than middle-class families. This would essentially raise the top marginal rate from 39.6 percent to nearly 44 percent. She would try to close various loopholes that benefit the affluent, and try to implement the Buffett Rule, which would prohibit those earning more than $1 million from paying less than a 30 percent tax rate.

In September, she increased the top rate in her plan for estate-tax reform. She initially wanted to increase the estate tax to 2009 rates, going from the current 40 percent back up to 45 percent. Now she says estates worth more than $500 million for an individual or $1 billion for a couple should be taxed at 65 percent.

Another large aspect of Clintons tax plan is to close loopholes to discourage U.S. businesses from relocating overseas. Her plan involves cracking down on inversions, in which U.S. companies merge with foreign firms to avoid U.S. taxes, by creating a 50 percent merger threshold and imposing an exit tax on untaxed overseas earnings. She would also offer new rewards and incentives for companies that invest and create jobs in the U.S.

Trumps plan offers a large tax cut for businesses and wealthy Americans. He says low- and middle-income families would get tax cuts as well, but thats disputed. He would cut the top income-tax rate from 39.6 percent to 33 percent, and reduce the number of income-tax brackets from seven to three. (Thirty-three percent for married couples making more than $225,000, 25 percent for couples making $75,000 to $225,000, and 12 percent for those making less than $75,000.) He would increase the standard deduction for joint filers to $30,000 from $12,600 and the standard deduction for single filers would be $15,000. Trump would eliminate the estate tax, the alternative minimum tax, and the marriage penalty.

Trump wants to cut the tax rate for corporations from 35 percent to 15 percent. He would also end the deferral of taxes on foreign profits and offer a repatriation holiday of 10 percent to encourage businesses to bring profits back to the U.S.

Trade

Clinton has been inconsistent on international trade deals over the course of her career. She was initially in favor of the North American Free Trade Agreement, which her husband signed in 1993, but called the agreement flawed during her first Senate campaign. She helped negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership when she was in the Obama administration, then disavowed it in October 2015, saying it did not meet her standards. Shes promised to stop any trade deal that kills jobs or holds down wages as president, and said of the TPP, I oppose it now, Ill oppose it after the election, and Ill oppose it as president. She said in August that when countries break the rules, we wont hesitate to impose targeted tariffs, though she did not give specifics.



Trump often rails against globalization and international trade agreements, saying theyve taken jobs from American workers. His anti-free-trade stance represented a huge break with the Republican Party (though he may be bringing the party to his side). Trump says he will either renegotiate or withdraw from NAFTA, and he called TPP a rape of our country. Its a harsh word, but thats what it is  rape of our country. Hes called for imposing tariffs as high as 45 percent on goods made in Mexico and China.





Education

K-12

Clinton supports collective bargaining rights for teachers unions, said shell push to forgive some teachers student loans, and proposed a campaign to elevate and modernize the teaching profession. She was endorsed by the National Education Association, but booed at the unions annual meeting in July when she expressed support for public charter schools (though she is against for-profit charter schools). Clinton has called for implementing universal pre-K for every 4-year-old in America in the next decade and dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline. While she does not discuss the issues frequently, she is in favor of Common Core and against school vouchers.

Trump has promised that, as your president, I will be the biggest cheerleader for school choice youve ever seen. He said his first budget will redirect $20 billion in federal funds for a block grant run by the states that would allow poor children to attend charter and private schools. Hes called Common Core standards a disaster and said, were gonna end it. Trump has suggested the Department of Education should either be cut back or eliminated entirely. Now, you maybe want to have a little bit of tentacles out there, make sure everything  but largely we can eliminate the Department of Education, he told Sean Hannity in April.

College Affordability

By 2021, Clinton wants tuition at in-state public colleges or universities to be free for families with an income of up to $125,000. (Initially, tuition would only be free for students from families making $85,000 or less). She also wants community colleges to offer free tuition.

Shes in favor of expanding repayment and deferment options for student loans and believes borrowers should not have to pay back more than 10 percent of their income, or carry student debt for more than 20 years. She would take immediate executive action to implement a three-month moratorium on student-loan repayments for those with federal loans to allow them to consolidate, refinance, or sign up for income-based repayment plans.

Trump does not support making tuition free at public colleges. Theres no such thing as free education, because you know that ultimately somebody else is going to be paying for that education. The taxpayers, he said in April. At a rally in late September, he blamed colleges for the rising cost of tuition and said hed work with Congress to link federal funding and tax breaks to schools making good-faith efforts to reduce tuition costs.

Hes suggested he would take the government out of the student-loan system and privatize it, but he has yet to release a comprehensive plan to make college more affordable  though, hes said hes working on a great plan on student-loan debt that will be released within the next month.

Entitlements

Social Security

Clinton has promised not to cut Social Security; in fact, she plans to expand payments to widows and those who take time off to act as caregivers to their children, aging parents, or ailing family members. She would fund this by increasing Social Security payroll taxes on those who earn more than $250,000. Clinton is against privatizing Social Security, raising the retirement age, and reducing annual cost-of-living adjustments (the Democratic Party platform calls for increasing annual cost-of-living adjustments, but Clinton has not commented on this).

Like Clinton, Trump says hes against cutting Social Security, raising the retirement age, or changing the way cost-of-living adjustments are calculated. However, in a letter to AARP, he alluded to examining what changes might be necessary for future generations. And in May, a top adviser said, After the administration has been in place, then we will start to take a look at all of the programs, including entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare.

When asked for specifics on how he would keep Social Security financially sound, Trump described his general economic plan. If we are able to grow the economy, increase the tax base, bring capital and jobs back to the United States and encourage foreign direct investment, we will shore up our entitlement programs for the time being, he told AARP.

Environment

Climate Change

Clinton believes climate change is an urgent threat to our economy, our national security, and our childrens health and futures. Shes vowed to make renewable energy the source of a third of the nations electricity by 2027, and to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by up to 30 percent by 2025 relative to 2005 levels. Clinton says she will deliver on the pledge President Obama made at the Paris climate conference  without relying on climate deniers in Congress to pass new legislation. In an effort to avoid a battle with congressional Republicans, her plan does not mention putting a tax on carbon emissions, though thats seen as one of the most effective ways to tackle climate change.

Trump has said climate change is a hoax that was created by and for the Chinese, though he acknowledged human activity may have a minor impact on global warming. He wants to cut funding to the Environmental Protection Agency and cancel the Paris climate deal, saying its bad for business and lets foreign bureaucrats control  how much energy we use.

Energy

Clinton wants to speed the United States transition to a clean-energy economy by installing half a billion solar panels during her term, cutting energy waste in American homes and offices by a third, and reducing American oil consumption by a third via cleaner fuels and more efficient cars, boilers, ships, and trucks. After much delay, Clinton said she opposed the Keystone XL pipeline.

Clinton supported fracking and promoted the industry around the world as secretary of State, but she modified her position while campaigning against Bernie Sanders, who is strongly against fracking. Now she supports allowing local bans on fracking, requiring chemical disclosures, and discontinuing fracking if the release of methane or contamination of water is present. She said at a debate in March, By the time we get through all of my conditions, I do not think there will be many places in America where fracking will continue to take place.

She remarked around the same time that she would put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business. The remark was seen as a gaffe, though in context she was talking about creating new economic opportunities for miners, and shes proposed spending $30 billion over ten years to bring new jobs and industries to coal country.

Trump said the U.S. should be energy independent, though he also supported the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have brought oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast. He favors lifting many regulations on the oil and gas industries and drilling more.

In July, he took a position on fracking similar to Clintons, saying local governments should be allowed to ban fracking. During a speech in September, he promised that under a Trump administration the shale energy revolution will unleash massive wealth for America, and the U.S. will end the war on coal and the war on miners. Expanding both the coal and natural-gas industries is a fundamentally incompatible concept, as the New York Times put it.

Equal Rights

LGBT Issues

Clinton did not support same-sex marriage in 2008, but, like many in her party, she evolved in the past eight years. During a 2011 speech in Switzerland, she declared, Gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights. She says that as president she will continue President Obamas push to ban discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation at the federal level. Shes also promised to ban gay conversion therapy, end discrimination against LGBT families in adoptions, and make it easier for transgender Americans to change their gender on official documents.

While Trump is more liberal than many Republicans, his stance on LGBT issues has not been consistent. In light of the Orlando massacre, he pledged in his convention speech to do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology. However, hes said hes against the Supreme Court decision that made same-sex marriage legal and would consider putting certain judges on the bench that I think maybe could change things.

Trump has said transgender people should be allowed to use whatever bathroom they choose, but also that the decision should be left to the states. In May, he told the Washington Post that he would repeal Obamas directives against transgender discrimination, but also said the government must act to protect all people.

Reproductive Rights

Clinton has been strongly in favor of abortion rights for many years. In a speech to NARAL Pro-Choice America as First Lady, she called a womans choice on whether or not to have a child a fundamental American value and freedom. Shes promised to stand with Planned Parenthood and stop Republicans from defunding the organization, and is in favor of repealing the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal money from being used for abortions.

In March, she said during a Fox News town hall that she supports some restrictions on late-term abortions. Her campaign said she recognizes that Roe v. Wade provides that restrictions are constitutional later in pregnancy so long as there are clear exceptions for the life and health of the woman.

Trump famously said in a 1999 interview that he was very pro-choice, but he revealed during the first Republican debate that he changed his position at some point between 1999 and 2011 because he had friends who considered abortion and that child today is a total superstar, a great, great child.

During an MSNBC town hall in March, he said there has to be some form of punishment for women who have abortions, but later he said he meant doctors should be punished.

In September, Trump sent a letter to anti-abortion leaders in which he said hes committed to nominating pro-life Supreme Court justices, banning abortion after 20 weeks, defunding Planned Parenthood, and making the Hyde Amendment permanent law.

Foreign Policy

China

Clinton has been a critic of Chinas human-rights records dating back to her 1995 womens rights are human rights speech in Beijing. Her website says the U.S. must work with China where it is in our interest, but also press China to play by the rules  including in cyberspace, on currency, human rights, trade, territorial disputes, and climate change. Shes seen in China as the architect of Obamas pivot to Asia and is expected to continue that strategy.

Trumps China policy calls for declaring the nation a currency manipulator, cracking down on intellectual-property theft, and bringing back jobs and manufacturing to the U.S. by renegotiating trade agreements  hes said hes in favor of a 45 percent tariff on Chinese exports to the United States. Hes frequently attacked China on the campaign trail, saying, [W]e cant continue to allow China to rape our country.

Iran

As secretary of State, Clinton helped lay the groundwork for the nuclear deal with Iran. Shes said her approach as president would be to distrust and verify, and under a Clinton administration the U.S. would not hesitate to take military action if Iran moves toward getting a nuclear weapon.

Trump has said that he would tear up the Iran nuclear deal, but an adviser said he would merely revise it. Its unclear how he would go about this or what terms he would seek. We should double up and triple up the sanctions and have them come to us, he told CNN. They are making an amazing deal.

Russia

While Secretary Clinton famously pressed a reset button in 2009, by the end of her time in office she had privately acknowledged that U.S.-Russian relations had deteriorated. She and Russian president Vladimir Putin have traded insults several times over the years, and shes promised to stand up to him as president. Her website says, Shell stand shoulder to shoulder with our European allies and push back on and deter Russian aggression in Europe and beyond, and increase the costs to Putin for his actions.

Trumps tone toward Russia is unprecedented in U.S. politics. Hes said hed consider a new alliance with Russia against ISIS, and his former campaign manager resigned after reports emerged detailing his work for Ukraines former pro-Russia political party. Trump has praised Putin for having strong control over his country and said hes far more than our presidents been a leader. Following the hack of Democratic officials emails, which was believed to be the work of Russian hackers, Trump called on the nation to meddle in the election, saying, Russia, if youre listening, I hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing.

Health

Family Leave and Child Care

Clinton wants to guarantee up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave, which would be available to anyone caring for a new child or a seriously ill family member, as well as 12 weeks of medical leave to recover from their own illness or injury. This would be funded through taxes on the wealthy.

Clinton wants to implement universal preschool for every 4-year-old in America and ensure that families do not spend more than 10 percent of their income on child care. Her website says shell accomplish this by increasing the federal governments investment in child care subsidies and providing tax relief for the cost of childcare to working families. When pressed for details, her campaign said it would release them later.

Trump would offer six weeks of paid maternity leave to mothers who have given birth, but not new fathers or adoptive parents. This would be funded by recapturing fraud and improper payments in the unemployment insurance program. He would also let parents deduct the average cost of child care in their state for up to four children, for individuals who make up to $250,000 and couples who make up to $500,000. Low-income families would get up to $1,200 in spending rebates via the earned income-tax credit.

Health Insurance

Clinton would defend and expand the Affordable Care Act. She intends to have a public option insurance plan offered in all states and to allow people 55 and older to buy into Medicaid. To bring down costs for people who buy insurance on the exchanges, she would increase premium subsidies so that families will not spend more than 8.5 percent of their income on premiums. Those on the exchanges would also get a tax credit of up to $5,000 per family to cover out-of-pocket and premium costs above 5 percent of their income. Clinton wants to require private insurers to waive the annual deductible for at least three sick visits and limit out-of-pocket prescription drug costs to $250 per month.

Trump says that, on the first day of his administration, he will ask Congress to immediately deliver a full repeal of Obamacare. (During a town hall, he said, I like the mandate, but he later clarified that he would get rid of the individual mandate as well.) He plans to work with Congress to replace the Affordable Care Act with a system that follows free market principles, such as allowing the sale of health insurance across state lines and letting people deduct health-insurance-premium payment from their tax returns. He would fund Medicaid through block grants to the states. To lower the cost of prescription drugs, he proposes removing the barrier to the importation of foreign drugs. Trumps website says he would allow individuals to use Health Savings Accounts, which Americans are already allowed to do.

Immigration

Immigration Reform

Clinton has pledged to introduce comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to full and equal citizenship within her first 100 days in office. Shes said that, despite legal challenges, she will defend President Obamas executive actions on immigration  Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parent Arrivals (DAPA)  and even expand the program to include the parents of DREAMers. In a break with the Obama administration, she says she will end family detention and close private immigrant detention centers. She believes undocumented immigrants should be allowed to purchase health care on the Obamacare exchanges, though for now they should not be eligible for subsidies.

Radically tough immigration policies are the centerpiece of Trumps campaign, but hes shifted on the specifics many times during his campaign. In fall 2015, Trump said he would have a deportation force remove the nations roughly 11 million undocumented immigrants. He estimated that the process would take about two years and said it would be done humanely. In August 2016, he said he may be softening on immigration; he toyed with offering otherwise law-abiding undocumented immigrants a path to legal status, only to declare in a major policy speech on August 31 that they must return home and apply for reentry like everybody else if they want to be legal U.S. residents. Five days later, Trump said he had yet to decide whether those who want legal status, but not citizenship, will be allowed to stay in the country.

Similarly, in December 2015, Trump called for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States. In May, he said that was just a suggestion, but a month later the ban was back on. In June, he said the ban would be on any country where there is a proven history of terrorism, but the plan for banning Muslims remains on his website.

In August, Trump proposed an ideological test for prospective immigrants that would screen for Those who do not believe in our Constitution, or who support bigotry and hatred. Since then, hes put more emphasis on this extreme vetting, but its unclear if thats replaced the Muslim ban.

According to Trumps website, those caught crossing the border illegally must be detained until they are sent home, there should be increased penalties for those who overstay their visas, and the U.S. should end birthright citizenship.

Border Security

Clintons plan says we need to protect our borders, but shes said shes more focused on immigration reform because, thanks to efforts to increase border security during the past 15 years, we have the most secure border we have ever had.

While there was some talk of a virtual wall from Trump surrogates, the candidate has never veered from his plan to build a physical wall across the southern border and make Mexico pay for it  though, the walls height has grown from 30 feet to 65 feet. Trump plans to collect the $5 billion to 10 billion to pay for the wall by threatening to freeze money transfers from the U.S. to Mexico. Its an easy decision for Mexico: make a one-time payment of $5-10 billion to ensure that $24 billion continues to flow into their country year after year, his campaign said. Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto said after meeting the candidate that his country will not pay for the wall.

National Security

Defeating ISIS

Clinton plans to defeat ISIS on the battlefield by intensifying coalition air strikes against the terror group in Iraq and Syria, increasing support for local Arab and Kurdish forces, and pursuing a diplomatic resolution to the Syrian civil war. Shes also proposed working with technology companies to disrupt the groups communications and recruitment efforts online.

Trump has said repeatedly that he has a foolproof plan to defeat ISIS, but he cant reveal it because he wants to be unpredictable to the enemy. During the primaries, he suggested he was open to sending up to 30,000 ground troops to combat ISIS in the Middle East, but more recently he said he would have very few troops on the ground.

In September, he said he would give the generals 30 days to submit a plan for defeating ISIS. When pushed on why he would do this  particularly after declaring, I know more about ISIS than the generals do  he said hed scrap or modify his secret plan if he prefers what they come up with.

Is Donald Trumps counterterrorism plan to ask for someone elses plan? #NBCNewsForum https://t.co/A5IN7J9S9l  MSNBC (@MSNBC) September 8, 2016

Gun Control

Clinton has called for reinstating a federal assault-weapons ban, saying in June, I believe weapons of war have no place on our streets. Shes called on Congress to strengthen background checks, including ending the Charleston loophole that allows gun sales to proceed if a background check is not completed within three days. Clinton said that as president she would take administrative action to close the gun-show and internet-sale loopholes if Congress fails to act. She is in favor of strengthening laws that keep guns from domestic abusers and the mentally ill, and wants to repeal the law that shields gun manufacturers from prosecution if crimes are committed with their products.

Trump is in favor of enforcing existing laws on background checks, but says on his website, What we dont need to do is expand a broken system. He believes concealed-carry permits should be valid in all 50 states, and he opposes gun and magazine bans because Law-abiding people should be allowed to own the firearm of their choice. Hes suggested that Americans will be safer if more people are armed, saying after the Orlando massacre, If people in that room had guns with the bullets flying in the opposite direction right at him  right at his head, you wouldnt have had the same tragedy that you ended up having. He wants to get rid of gun-free zones but has made contradictory remarks on what that would entail.
Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

We have so many things that we have to do better, Lester, and certainly cyber is one of them. That was Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump during last nights debate, speaking about the need for stronger cybersecurity measures. At least, I think thats what he was speaking about: The term cybersecurity never once left his lips  he just kept talking about cyber.

As far as the cyber, I agree to parts of what Secretary Clinton said, we should be better than anybody else, and perhaps were not  So we have to get very, very tough on cyber and cyber warfare. It is a, it is a huge problem. I have a son. Hes 10 years old. He has computers. He is so good with these computers, its unbelievable. The security aspect of cyber is very, very tough. And maybe its hardly doable.

And yet, as amusing as it was, this is how a considerable portion of the general population thinks about computer-security issues. Cyber is an inescapable part of our technological vocabulary. Its impossible to get the cyber-toothpaste back in the cyber-tube. The New York Times, our paper of record, has an unfortunate habit of affixing cyber to anything remotely related to digital warfare  cyberattack, cybertools, cyberstrike, cyberthreat, cyberoperations. Even Clintons more articulate answers  I think cybersecurity, cyberwarfare will be one of the biggest challenges facing the next president  did little to convey that she understood the specifics. A substantial cause for all of this cyber shorthand is the debate format. If you think discussing foreign policy and economics is difficult to do in two minutes, try and boil down end-to-end encryption. Cyberwarfare, though a bit more specific, is still just a type of warfare.

In a way, cyber has a distancing effect, signaling, I know this is an important issue, but I dont know enough to be more specific than that. Cut me some slack. The shrewd effect of Trumps repeated cyber is that cyber is so vague as to be meaningless. To talk about cyber is to signal that you know that computers exist, and not much else. The security aspect of cyber is very, very tough is a correct statement, if you take cyber as a stand-in for the entirety of digital technology.

Indeed, lexicographer Kory Stamper told ThinkProgress, the way Donald Trump uses the cyber, its not really clear what he means by it  Sometimes he means cyber security. Sometimes he means cyber warfare or cyber terrorism. Sometimes it seems like he just means computers. Trump brought up ISIS during his rambling answer, despite the fact that ISISs prolific, effective use of social media does not qualify as a cybersecurity threat.

The thing about vagueness is that, while it makes for unobjectionable rhetoric, it makes for terrible policies. Legislation lives and dies on its comprehensiveness, its specificity. In particular, computer legislation in the United States such as the CFAA is so outdated and vague (what is unauthorized access?) as to be dangerous to the people its meant to protect. Taking aim at the fog-covered world of cyber is not only ignorant, foolish, and futile, it poses significant risks for anyone who uses a computer. Thats pretty much everyone in this country.

While the literal meaning of the term is nearly useless, the feelings that cyber conjures up are particularly evocative, menacing even. More so than its functional equivalent, the word computers. Talking about computers is like talking about hammers  tools that only take on sinister purposes when wielded by sinister people. Cyber is something altogether different. Its inherently a word that evokes fear, seemingly out of human control. (Of course, language is continually in flux. To cyber is a decades-old verb that means something  well, if you have to ask, youre too young to know.)

The cyber prefix dates back to ancient Greece, where they coined the term cybernetics. Obviously, it was not applied to robots (Norbert Wiener did that in the mid20th century). Our modern understanding of cyber is most clearly attributable to science-fiction writer William Gibson, who created the word cyberspace and popularized the term in his 1984 novel Neuromancer.

Cyberspace  the idea of an infinite digital void within which people and programs are constantly connecting, communicating, fighting, arguing, and transacting  is a powerful fallback whenever one is at a loss to talk about technology. Its vagueness is no accident. Even Gibson admitted as much in the 2000 documentary No Maps for These Territories. A frequently cited quote:

All I really knew about the word cyberspace when I coined it was that it seemed like an effective buzzword. It seemed evocative and essentially meaningless. It was suggestive of something, but it had no real semantic meaning, even for me, as I saw it emerge on the page.

Gibson would be proven right again and again. In 2016, we are stuck in a transition period  one in which many of the people in power do not understand the intricacies of technology, and in which it is also unacceptable for politicians to not have a grasp on these things. (Not that our politicians need to be computer scientists, only that they need to, at the very least, give a shit.) As a tech-discussion panacea, cyber will stick around in our lexicon until people who believe that their 10-year-old sons Minecraft prowess is comparable to state-sponsored hacking operations die out. And that will take decades, if not centuries.
Ilyse Hogue at the Democratic National Convention. Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

Monday nights presidential debate had to cover a lot of ground, but many people were waiting for moderator Lester Holt to introduce the topic of reproductive rights  including Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. Her organization was behind the #AskAboutAbortion campaign during the primaries and has brought back the effort now that the general election is just weeks away. One recent afternoon, she talked to the Cut over crudite about how abortion will figure into the results in November.

Hogues name might sound familiar: She spoke candidly at the Democratic National Convention about having an abortion during grad school after her birth control failed, and shes appeared on Full Frontal With Samantha Bee. She thinks Trump will avoid this issue like the plague as we approach November because (a) anti-choice politicians typically dont discuss abortion in the general election, and (b) Trump has proven he doesnt know what hes talking about when it comes to reproductive rights. Recall when Trump said that, if abortion were illegal, there should be some kind of punishment for women who have one, before quickly backtracking to the conservative talking point that doctors, not women, should be reprimanded. No, women are the victims here, he says. On an issue this contentious, he has a lot to lose if he gets the details wrong.

That said, Hogue thinks Trump cant get away from discussing abortion entirely because of his choice for a running mate: Indiana governor Mike Pence. Arguably, the most important decision [Trump] has had to make so far in this election is who his vice-presidential candidate is, and he picked the most extreme politician in the country on issues of reproductive health and freedom, she said.

To us, the position that [Trump] holds on abortion is a natural offshoot from his view of womens place in the world, Hogue says. He wants to defund Planned Parenthood, appoint a pro-life justice to the Supreme Court, and ban abortions after 20 weeks, before many catastrophic health conditions can be detected.

Everything Trump has said he wants to do, Pence has actually done. That includes signing into legislation a bill that would send doctors to jail for performing abortions, she says. Thats why he is trying to distract with things like this bogus maternity-leave plan and putting Ivanka up there to try and make his image a little bit shinier. Both moves have backfired. His family-leave policy includes maternity leave only  nothing for men, even in same-sex couples  and his child-care proposal is to let people deduct the expense from their taxes. His prized daughter Ivanka tried to defend him and failed miserably.

None of this should be surprising. After all, Trump is a notoriously sexist person who thinks that pregnancy is an inconvenience to businesses and that letting women work at all is dangerous. He is the orange, shouting id of a movement that claims to support womens health and well-being but really wants them to stay home, shut up, and raise the children. This is why Hogue says its so crucial for debate moderators to ask Trump about abortion and help make those connections. I think its really important for voters to hear him having to defend his whole portfolio of comments and positions on [women].

Whether or not Trump actually is anti-choice himself, hes now being supported by anti-choice leaders, whose views do not mirror those of the majority of Americans. But the majority is largely silent, Hogue points out, and the pro-life movement has extremely vocal supporters who are ready to harass and intimidate anyone who so much as hits send on a pro-choice tweet or adds a banner to their avatar. This whole election  I see this as the zenith of the anti-choice momentum, and its grounded in a strategy that amounts to nothing more than bullying. Sound familiar?

While its unpleasant to be on the receiving end of such harassment, Hogue says this is the dialogue that needs to happen  and its something the anti-choice movement has swept under the rug. Its not about abortion, its about sexually empowered women. Its about the idea that women are allowed to have sex outside of procreation. But it has served the other side very well to make it about abortion.

No method of contraception is 100 percent effective, not even sterilization, and six in ten women seeking abortions already have kids. Its not as though there are bad girls who have abortions and good girls who have families, she says. So who are we talking about? Were talking about women who have sex. Pregnancy is sometimes an offshoot of sex. And women, by nature, pay the price for that.

Hogue says that most people have an idea of what they would do if faced with an unintended pregnancy, but that sometimes changes when a hypothetical situation becomes a real one. As an example, she referenced a recent survey on late-term abortion if a doctor suspects microcephaly from the Zika virus. Just 23 percent of people supported a womans ability to have an abortion after 24 weeks in general, versus 59 percent if Zika was a serious possibility. There are all kinds of catastrophic health conditions that might not be diagnosed until late in pregnancy, but those arent making national headlines.

Typically, the steepest dropoff for abortion support is around later-term abortion because people are sitting there thinking, Who the hell terminates a pregnancy at seven months? I cant imagine that. Zika has made people challenge their assumptions, she says. You may know what you want to do, but are you comfortable making that decision for someone else? The answer is almost always no.

And yet there are still people  some of them women  who want to impose their anti-choice views on others. I told Hogue that its hard for me to understand how women could be in favor of restrictions on their reproductive health. I think its really intense when youre raised surrounded by that mentality to challenge it, and we forget that, she says. Think about the Mormons who walk away from intense Mormonism. You have to be prepared to lose everything you know  your church, your family.

But again, she says, its not really about abortion. Its not about being pro-choice or pro-life. Its about patriarchy and a womans role in the family. Thats what the biblical teaching is. The abortion piece is what has allowed them to use stigma around sexualized women to keep people quiet about it. Its an ingenious strategy if you take a step back.

Equally ingenious (if evil): the unnecessary state regulations on abortion providers that led to the closure of dozens of facilities across the country. Yes, the Supreme Court struck down parts of Texas House Bill 2, and groups like NARAL and Planned Parenthood are now working to repeal other clinic-closure laws, but the damage is long-lasting. The leases are gone; the providers have found other jobs. Its not like we snap our fingers and those clinics are reopened. For them, its a win-win, she says.

Who loses in this context? Women first, then their families. Hogue underscores that NARAL doesnt just fight to keep abortion legal  the group advocates for the full range of reproductive freedoms. While abortion tends to take up most of the political oxygen, we are deeply invested and have done a lot of work around preventing unintended pregnancy, anti-pregnancy discrimination laws, paid parental leave, and prenatal care. The anti-choice crowd cannot say the same.

We never want women to terminate a pregnancy that they want because they dont think theyre going to get the resources they need to support a family, she says. We see our opponents not only voting to ban abortion or limit womens choices, but also cutting nutritional assistance for kids. When I look at our full mission, it maps really clearly on what I see as the hypocrisy of the other side.
Tom Hiddleston and Taylor Swift. Photo: Newspix/Getty Images

Tom Hiddleston is on the cover of the newest issue of Interview magazine, thanks to Taylor Swift. His brief relationship with the pop star shot him to new heights of fame, in part because the couple smiled for the paparazzi nearly every day for two months straight this summer. But does Hiddleston discuss Swift in the magazine? No, of course not  thats private.

The interview was conducted by Hiddlestons good friend Benedict Cumberbatch, and in the beginning of the discussion, Cumberbatch offered him the following:

 [T]heres another weight of us being in the public eye, which is this presumption that, because your work and your promotion work is very public, your private life should be, too. And, without getting into a huge debate, I just want to say that Im not going to ask questions about my friends personal life just because there are unsolicited photographs of him and a certain someone, in a relationship or together. Im not going to get into that. So that door is closed, dear reader.

In response, Hiddleston chuckled and said, Thank you.

Related Stories Heres Why Taylor Swift Let the Paparazzi Catch Her Kissing Tom Hiddleston

The benefit of doing interviews with a close friend is that he will promote the narrative that suits you best. Cumberbatchs assertion that the countless published photos of Swift and Hiddleston were unsolicited, however, is ridiculous. The first photos of Hiddleswift were almost certainly solicited by someone  paparazzi shot the pair making out on a private beach in Rhode Island. Do paparazzi normally hang out on private beaches in Rhode Island, hoping that someday, sometime, theyll see a celebrity? And lets not forget Swifts Fourth of July party  Taymerica  where Hiddleston was spotted proudly wearing an I <3 T.S. tank top for photographers.

When Swift and Hiddleston broke up earlier this month, Swift sources told Us Weekly that Hiddleston was the one pushing Swift to take the relationship public. Now Hiddlestons friend is asserting that the publicity was completely out of his control. Both Swift and Hiddleston will continue to blame each other and outside sources for the frenzy surrounding their relationship, but well always have their smiling faces in many, many paparazzi photos to show they enjoyed the publicity at the time.
Even Republican women werent wowed by Trump. Photo: Brian Blanco/Getty Images

By now its clear that Hillary Clinton was the (mostly) undisputed winner of Monday nights presidential debate. Thanks to a series of well-timed laughs, sick burns, and detailed policy proposals, she successfully fended off Donald Trump, who held it together for the first 15 minutes or so before coming unglued.

The debate drew a record-breaking audience, with at least 80.9 million viewers tuning in across 12 broadcast and cable networks. And although the candidates performances werent expected to sway devoted supporters, many speculated theyd be key to making up the minds of undecided voters.

So the New York Times dispatched a reporter to West Chester, Pennsylvania, where undecided women voters are expected to be integral to winning the swing state. And unfortunately for Trump, his debate performance did little to move them.

I truly want to like him, one 60-year-old woman said. I keep looking for something in him. But I cant have my children grow up and look at him as someone to respect.

Other critiques were more pointed:

The faces he made  he rolled his eyes! said Janet Melton, who bought a cake and doughnuts at Yoris Bakery, where a blackboard on the sidewalk advertised Pumpkin Everything. He doesnt come across as being very professional to me.

Id rather have almost anybody in there except Hillary, said Debbie Windle, a 63-year-old office administrator from Glenmoore. I didnt like her last night. I thought she was smug. She thought she was better and was putting him down. But I look at Donald Trump, and I think, oh, my God, hes rough, she added. He could cause us a lot of damage. Ms. Windle said she was considering not voting.

Kim Gray, a Trump supporter, said she had cringed when Mrs. Clinton accused him of calling a former Miss Universe Miss Piggy because she gained weight and Miss Housekeeping because she was Latina. That is embarrassing, Ms. Gray, an office manager, said as she parked outside the West Chester post office. I have a daughter. I have a son whod never speak like that.

Hillary, Im not a big fan of hers, [said Diana Martens, 51, of Jeffersonville, a Republican who works at a pharmaceutical company]. But she said many of Mr. Trumps answers lacked details or substance. I dont think he has the experience, she said. His behavior is unpresidential, unkind, un-everything.

But at least one woman  69-year-old Barb Haag, whos a retired teacher  thought Trumps demeanor was nothing to worry about. Kids interrupt you all the time if they have a point to make, she said.
The OECD Observer online archive takes you on a journey through half a century of public policy and world progress.

Since November 1962, the OECDs experts and leading guests offer insights on the questions facing our member countries with concise and authoritative analysis, and provide our audiences with an excellent opportunity to understand policy debates and consider solutions.

Each edition of the OECD Observer reports on a core theme of the OECDs on-going work, from economics and society through governance, finance, and the environment, and articles are bolstered by tables and graphs.
Album's titled A Seat at the Table and it features Lil Wayne, Sampha, Kelly Rowland and more.Track List:1. "Rise"2. "Weary" (Additional Vocals blessed by Tweet)3. "Interlude: The Glory Is In You"4. "Cranes In The Sky"5. "Interlude: Dad Was Mad"6. "Mad" Ft. Lil Wayne (Additional Vocals blessed by Moses Sumney and Tweet)7. "Don't You Wait"8. "Interlude: Tina Taught Me"9. "Don't Touch My Hair" Ft. Sampha10. "Interlude: This Moment" (Additional vocals Devonte Hynes of Houston Texas and Lu of Carolina)11. "Where Do We Go" (Additional vocals blessed by Sean Nicholas Savage)12. "Interlude: For Us By Us F.U.B.U." Ft. The Dream & BJ The Chicago Kid (Additional Vocals blessed by Tweet)13. "Borderline (An Ode To Self Care)" Ft. Q-Tip14. "Interlude: I Got So Much Magic, You Can Have It" Ft. Kelly Rowland & Nia Andrews15. "Junie"16. "Interlude: No Limits"17. "Don't Wish Me Well"18. "Interlude: Pedestals"19. "Scales" Ft. Kelela20. "Closing: The Chosen Ones"-----Eager! Interesting that Dev has vocals on an interlude. Did they finally bury the hatchet?
"

will lift the lid on the real stories of teen pregnancies and parenthood by following the lives of five lovable UK mums and is set to document the highs and lows of teen parenthood.

"It will show the girls taking on some of the biggest challenges and decisions in their life so far. From breakups and managing work/life balance, through to postnatal depression and juggling a social life with caring for a baby, no two teen parent experiences are the same."

The original US series itself originally developed as a spinoff of the popular

, and over the years has followed three separate generations of teen mums.

Teen Mom UK16 and PregnantSource: http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/news/a808575/teen-mom-is-finally-coming-to-the-uk/ Are you excited or excited ONTD????
Another show NBC forced me to hate with their constant commercials during the olympics

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Abigail Spencer is one of those actresses that just bugs me.

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I haaaaated her on "Mad Men" but loved her on "Rectify".

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ugh now i also get them when they air football WHEN WILL THIS STUPID SHOW PREMIERE ALREADY

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This was one of those shows they kept pushing in those pre-preview commercials at the movies. So yeah, I also hate it already and hope it gets cancelled. It looks like it costs a bunch to produce anyways.

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nbc's promotional department is the absolute worst of all the networks.

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I even get 5000 ads for it a day on spotify, it drives me crazy. and i feel like i could have liked it b/c i love time travel but got its annoying

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i miss dean pelton.

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Yesssss, this episode!

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Fringe & Lost!



Prisoner of Azkaban!



Outlander!

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excellent suggestions, ita!

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waaw waaw



i'm still bitter over nbc cancelling my faves so hah

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this show is gonna flop so hard. I wouldn't even bother!

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what time traveling shows do you enjoy?







12 Monkeys!! 12 Monkeys!!

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It got so good. The first season I was just meh, but the second season had me clinging to episode after episode.

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I felt the opposite. The first season twist especially had me!

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I enjoyed the first season but I did like the others better.

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This reminds me, I haven't watched season 2 yet. I should get on that.

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<3 <3 <3 this show!

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I wish ontd had a 12M fandom/live posts so we could all have our minds blown together but ontd is a flop abt this show

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I did not know this was a time travel show

am I mixing it up with the Magicians? the Librarians?

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And they're both the basically the same as that garbage tv movie with Casper van storm troopers "thrill seekers" that I'm ngl I remember enjoying because time travel and sci fi are two things that can be terrible and idgaf I will prob love it



Edited at 2016-09-28 02:46 am (UTC)

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what time traveling shows do you enjoy?







the flash ofc the flash ofc

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It's almost back! We're going to be reunited with our favs soon

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i'm sf excited , one week!! i never got to participate in the posts last season so i can't wait lol

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yeees so excited about season 3

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the flash?? did you mean LoT?

I don't think this counts. Barry going back 5 mins/to the same spot & messing with one big situation is hardly time travel. parallel universes is not really time travel. now LoT is a time travel show for sure. A time ship and everything.

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As far as time travel goes, I've always thought Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles did an excellent job

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I still can't believe 3 networks picked up time travelling shows in the same year.

NBC - Timeless

Fox - Making History

ABC - Time After Time

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Didn't know about the one on Fox. I will have to look that one up.

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And The CW has Frequency, that kinda counts!

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frequency like the movie? that would actually be a good concept for a tv show too



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I am looking forward to Time After Time if only for the aesthetically pleasing to the eye actors it employed.



Edited at 2016-09-28 12:12 pm (UTC)

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I finally go around to watching LoT and enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. I finally go around to watching LoT and enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would.

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i'm tossing up whether to watch this or not, i kind of want to just for cap. cold

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I think there's a decent amount of good Captain Cold stuff so it's probably worth it to watch it for him.

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well cap will still be around just not really in the same capacity. though Wentworth Miller is signed on to be around for all the CW DC shows so...

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watch it, it's fun. it's not quality writing but it's fun

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I really enjoy it as background tv that I end up actually watching from time to time.

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I hope they have Constantine join this show next season. They said they wanted him this upcoming season, but they have so much shit going on that it wasn't possible. Fingers crossed! I miss Matt Ryan on my tv.

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Omg. I used to watch that all the time on SoapNet. I loved that show.

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It can get pretty tedious, but it's cute. FYI she can't keep a man because all the actors leave the show.

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How do people not think something like this wouldn't be noticed? Especially if they got that far into negotiations.

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Right? It's not about the time travel concept, BUT the things that make "El Ministerio del Tiempo" unique are what they've copied and tried to made them their own. I can't wait for MdT's EP/chanel to win this so we can have more seasons, lmao.



And even more so now that Netflix Spain is interested in producing as well.



Edited at 2016-09-28 11:28 am (UTC)

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This'll be canceled after 3 episodes

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lmao did she really say that?





That's pretty circular tho cause Selena's career is def inspired by Brit

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I'm screaming at Britney thinking Selena Gomez is Spanish pic.twitter.com/WG1CmUbkDo  not lindsay lohan (@drugproblem) 2016928

this is the bit where she says it

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Spanish baby lmao. Spanish...girl

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I've heard a lot of east coast Caribbean Latinos identify as Spanish and I've always found it so odd.

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Weird. You're only spanish if you were born in spain afaik

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Because thats all that dumbasses will call us regardless of how many times we correct them?

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I live in the Midwest and a couple of the US Latinos I've met use Spanish from time to time. I'm like... Um, no. But I guess it's what they're used to, from the other ignorant US Americans.

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I've heard it was bc when the US invaded PR they tried to get everyone to speak English only but they refused and identified as Spanish to emphasize how that was tied to their identity.

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I always cringe when i hear east coast latinos describe latinos as spanish..

Sounds so ignorant

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well, she's latina so she probably has some Spanish heritage :p

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Oh wow, lifelong east coaster and had no idea Latinos elsewhere didn't sometimes use "Spanish" too. It's not the most common one I hear but it's often enough that it doesn't make me blink.



I've never heard a non-Latino use it to describe Latinos, tho. 100% only heard people use it to identify themselves/their family and friends.

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LMAO! This fucking white mess of a white woman!





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Stop Selena may be a mess but she is latina tbh. 

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I think she's referring to Britney lol

Selena identifies herself as Mexican-American not Spanish

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LMAO

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You're right, I need to go easy on the poor baby.

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tell ha

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Racistney strikes again! Ain't the first time and wont be the last.

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God Britney Spears is so embarrassing at times (and I say this as a huge fan) but for some reason it's also what's sweet/cute about her.



Reminds me of that relatively recently interview where she admitted that one of her favorite things to do is to paint topless in her art room lmao.





Edited at 2016-09-28 04:12 am (UTC)

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omg boob paintings

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It's sweet of her to call Selena Gomez "Spanish"?

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She should've referred to her as Latina, but seriously Britney is not the brightest crayon in the box. She probably just thinks if you speak spanish that makes you spanish.

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LMAO this place would've gone nutz if another white trash let say Katy Perry would have said that but since it's B is "cute"



Edited at 2016-09-28 06:37 am (UTC)

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"Sweet" means "a simpleton" bb. You'll also find it used in every single Courtney Stodden post.

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britney spears could drive over a family of 4, and people would be like, "she's so cute. she probably didn't know what crosswalks were."

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I can see that because Make Me is like Good For You's older sister, tbh.

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Lmaooo spanish baby - I love you Britney!

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In what world is that funny?

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"she's spanish and she's a baby so I was really inspired by her work"



I love Brit, but wtf does this even mean lmao



Edited at 2016-09-28 04:18 am (UTC)

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Right? That was a ride lol

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It really was! I get being inspired by actual, legit babies, but Selena is not an actual baby lmao

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That she didn't know Selena's ethnicity off the top of her head, panicked, and said the first thing that popped into her mind because that's what she always fucking does?





Or a half-assed plan to keep Trump from demanding Selena's long-form birth certificate?

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It means Britney is a racist pos. Hardly surprising coming from the woman who said latin men are the bad boys your father doesn't want you to date.

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I have no idea. like, what brit?

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yeah like besides being pretty ignorant (c'mon brit wtf?) it makes no sense to me? lmao

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welp, britney most likely has a high school sophomore education / comprehension, so, no surprise at this word vomit here





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it surprises me tbh because her mom was an english teacher. britney sounded smart back in 99, 2000 and she was eloquent.

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lmao this lie

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LOLLLLOL



This fan fiction right here bless

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because in 1999 she was like 16 and her level of eloquence matched that

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Airhead lol

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mte

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love her but yeah

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lol

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i can definitely hear her sing a few songs off of Revival. Selena definitely has been inspired by the queen of pop.

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I read that the other way and I was very confused, blaming the weed tbh. Anyway Glory shits on Revival even tho I was jamming to it last fall. The production is good but Selena doesn't have Britney's ~flair to pull off half those songs, lbr.

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Glory is superior without a doubt. Revival had me sleep

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Perfect would've been so much better had someone else with a voice/> personality sang it.



Edited at 2016-09-28 04:26 am (UTC)

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I think I'd really get on board with Selena if she had that flair. She sounds so vacant in her songs. She doesn't sell them. No charisma in her vocals and all of her songs just barely miss me cause they lack an oomph or confidence.

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Glory is a really good album imo

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selena as an artist is weak, but they gave her some good pop tracks on that alberm

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Glory is miles better than Revival. I'm over that album lol.

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I like revival a lot but agreed. britney's voice for pop music >>> selena's

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i love that they love and inspire each other.

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and bc we all know JBiebs raised Selena and was her entire career, this really means that JBiebs is currently Britney

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I always find comments like this odd because she didn't start dating him until around when her 3rd album came out, and her other two were successful.

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mte

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I think dating Justin made her more exposed to a larger demographic but yeah I don't think it ended up affecting her musical career at all.

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this bop



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I see you. Are you on her American payroll?

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I support your standing, but leave this talentless buffoon out of here please

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I hope she is paying U

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reported for spam

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do u sis

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I feel like your Lali posts are the new iconic Belinda Queen of Pop posts. Keep fighting the fight!

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she's gonna become the new Shakira and i'mma help promote ha!

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Stop trying to make fetch happen.

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She didn't lie.

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Goodness, Kelly Rutherford is SO AWFUL & I respect her ex keeping his side out of press because lord knows he's owed an interview. Bless him

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eh it's not so much that the UK system is superior but rather the US school system really is incredibly shitty

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that literally amounts to the same thing...

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A co-worker of mine came over from the UK to work in our office and when her kid got enrolled in school he was about 2 years ahead of the US kids, and that was in a good school district D:

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Also, shouldn't this have been something they talked about before having kids???

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All bets are off once you are no longer together tbh.

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according to her she "has a written consent/contract from him about her and the kid staying in the U.K.



So it looks like they did



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they probably didnt think they would get divorced lol

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Yea that's the thing, you can discuss stuff in detail but you're looking at it through the lens of you being a couple. Plans and priorities change when you're no longer together. Not to mention people can get petty as fuck lol

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Schooling is a very evolving topic. It's really hard to predict which school will be the best fit for your child before s/he has even been born. And it is downright impossible to predict the problems you might have with a school until your child is actually enrolled. Happily married parents change their kids schools all the time, as they seek the best fit for their child and their family. Divorced parents trying to do the same... can be an absolute mess.



Tbh, with her access to private schools, it is hard to buy that the US had no quality education options for their child. Especially since I wouldn't be surprised if she went private in the UK, which is also a middling public educator. It seems more like she was attached to the idea of her child being educated in British schools, in the British fashion. Growing up a British boy, essentially. And it is possible that this is something her ex agreed to when they were together, when he would have been a part of that, and agreed to even when they first split, as there was no animosity and it still seemed like a good plan. But as kids grow and you are suddenly confronted with the reality of "wait, my kid is going to school in the UK, so I'm only going to see him HOW often?!"... well, things change. There's a reason why people are encouraged to make these things official and legal. She would have more leverage to enforce their "agreement." But he would have also had more counseling and time to think before agreeing to something that he may not really want a few years down the line.

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eh, as an european i wouldn't want my kid to be educated in the US either tbh.

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As an American, I'm pretty upset my kids are getting a US education, so I feel ya.

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well i'm an american and i wish my eldest wasn't educated here. the shit i went through with her and helping her with homework was crazy, especially when they changed everything to common core in the 3rd grade. just confuse kids even more why don't you.



let's see how it goes with my son when he does go to school. maybe we'll move out of the country or something.

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Absolutely. The US schooling system is shit

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http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesmarshallcrotty/2014/09/29/if-massachusetts-were-a-country-its-students-would-rank-9th-in-the-world/#681b0c8e21b1 It can vary wildly by state. If Massachusetts was a country it would be around 9th in the world in education.

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As an American, if I had kids I wouldn't either.

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IDK but they don't have No Child Left Behind so >>>>

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tbh, as an American, the garbage schools here are one of the plethora of reasons I plan on ever having children

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As a Canadian who got moved to the US as a kid, I wish I'd never left.

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Yes, the US school system is shit, developing countries have better education without the resources the US has, it's embarrassing.

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it honestly is



us college came real easy for me lol. i felt like my junior and senior year of bolivian high school was way more challenging. i know u cant compare school with college but yeah i know what you mean bc i also discuss my college experience with my friends who stayed home and it's very different.



Edited at 2016-09-28 02:55 pm (UTC)

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Yeah, the education in Brasil is so advanced I sure as hell wouldn't pass the Vestibular (Brazilian SATs) at first try with what I learned in the US public school system.

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Yeah, I found my experience in college in the US to be easier than my university in Mexico.

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are you Bolivian? me too girl, high five!!

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MTE. Arizona is one of the lowest in the country, and it was like THE LOWEST when I was in school since everything got moved to help support the war or some shit. High school me was legit jealous of people in other states who were forced to read ~classics~ like catcher in the rye and Beowulf because we never got to study them in school. Instead we got Night, Of Mice and Men and lots of movies. I even graduated half a year early and I learned n o t h i n g

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A lot of my friends that come from back home get to skip a grade and the schools in my country are fairly awful.

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yeah, my friend went to the US for high school for 6 months and was so surprised. she was never good at math and there she was amazing. one of the best lol

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My husband went to jr.high/high school in Sri Lanka. I had a private school U.S. education. Other than him not having had any idea who Maya Angelou was, his education was miiiiiiiiiiiiiles above mine.

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the vestibular sounds awful tbh tho, but that's mostly due to the multiple days of testing lmao. idk if i'd have the fortitude for that, i was tired after one day of the SATs.



(ofc PISA standings aren't everything... Korea's way up there but i'd much rather be in the US system than Korea's. fuck only getting four hours of sleep a night, man. fuck hagwons. Finland's school system sounds amazing though.) tbh i'm kinda surprised to hear ppl talking up Brazil's education, the US is bad but Brazil did horribly (worse than the US) in the PISA standings too: http://www.oecd.org/pisa/keyfindings/pisa-2012-results-overview.pdf the vestibular sounds awful tbh tho, but that's mostly due to the multiple days of testing lmao. idk if i'd have the fortitude for that, i was tired after one day of the SATs.(ofc PISA standings aren't everything... Korea's way up there but i'd much rather be in the US system than Korea's. fuck only getting four hours of sleep a night, man. fuck hagwons. Finland's school system sounds amazing though.)

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Pretty sure she can hire a tutor or something. She's a mess with this.

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idk abt uk education tbh but the us one is shitty af lol

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She's totally right.

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Co-parenting can be such a nightmare, I admire parents who manage to do it well.

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The US school system has all sorts of problems, but not if you're rich.

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in terms of content i don't doubt it, but i suppose it's like sending your kids to private school wherever - an elitist, segregating & mostly white environment that will limit the kids' perspective accordingly. idk if that's an issue for her or not tho.

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i mean lbr what are the chances that she's not sending her kid to the equivalent of private school in the UK (public school?). either way her kid's probably gonna be segregated.

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Yeah, if you have access to the really good private schools, your kids probably aren't going to get a better education anywhere else.

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Yep. Even public schools aren't bad here...if you live in an expensive area.

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seriously

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mte the US has great schools if you're wealthy enough to afford them :/

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TMZ always choose the best pictures of celebs.. assholes

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The US school system is shit but if it's true he hasn't talked to his kids in two months that's cold.

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Celebs don't have kids in regular public school in LA, though. Most of them are in the lycee Francais or in some other posh private school. I remember Lourdes was fluent in French since she was a little girl because of it. Angelina's kids go to the same school because it's the same curriculum around the world. So....

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It's true, they do. My friend was a math teacher in Lycee Francais in Boston and then NYC, she taught to Madonna's son Rocco, John Malkovitch kid and one or maybe both of Rocky Martin twins.

She even met Madonna once (who told her about Rocco "he needs a good kick in the ass").

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not just celebs, but most white people will only send their kids to private schools like crossroads, wildwood, marlborough, harvard westlake, campbell hall, renaissance, etc. because they say their kids will get a great education there, but everyone knows why they really send their kids to those schools.

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come through with the receipts!

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I mean, maybe rich white people? Those schools are expensive and exclusive. Not that I don't doubt parent's ulterior motives, but they're not schools that have open enrollment.

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"most white people" haha what

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most? lol



you forgot rich

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do you know there are millions of poor white people in the US .....

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Its been a long time since my last post, which is primarily due to the fact that most of my free time over the summer was devoted to helping write a legal brief on whether the U.S. Federal Government, through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), can impose reasonable regulations for fracking on federal lands.

As a result, I lost track of how many U.S. LNG cargos were exported over the summer and wanted to catch up on that important development with this post. As it turns out, its a good time to reflect since Cheniere Energy, currently the only U.S. LNG exporter shipping LNG from the lower-48 states, has a planned outage during the month of September to address flare performance.

The Department of Energy (DOE) tracks imports and exports of LNG and posts a monthly report that lags the market by about a month. The U.S. DOE just posted an update on September 16, 2016, which shows all LNG exports from Chenieres Sabine Pass Liquefaction facility through July 2016.

(Click to enlarge)

As you can see, U.S. LNG has found its way across the world and ended up in some unexpected places, such as the UAE, Jordan and Kuwait. Although the Middle East region as whole holds much of the worlds proven natural gas reserves, the reserves are not evenly distributed. This results in an abundance of gas in some countries (such as Qatar, currently the worlds largest LNG producer with 77MTPA of production capacity), but a shortage of natural gas in other Middle Eastern countries.

Chenieres first commissioning cargo in February 2016 to Brazil was also somewhat unexpected since the rumor at the time was that the cargo would likely go to Lithuania. Folks at Cheniere advised me that the first few cargoes were hot, meaning they had a high ethane content and only certain import terminals could take them.

Notably absent from the list of export destinations is Asia, which was the intended target when Cheniere first proposed exports. As an example, back in March 2013, spot LNG prices in Japan were almost $20/MMBtu, making Japan and other Asian countries a prime target for U.S. LNG exporters hoping to capitalize on the price spreads between $3.00 Henry Hub and oil-indexed Asian LNG.

Fast forward to today with the price of LNG plummeting due to the collapse in oil prices coupled with a supply overhang from new LNG coming online from Australia and the United States. Although U.S. LNG exports will ultimately go to the highest paying market, based on the map below, the highest paying market looks nothing like it did just a few years ago!

(Click to enlarge)

At the moment, the market offering the best returns on a netback basis is South America. ICIS published a great article about this last week and I encourage you to check out the interactive graph they posted with the article. According to ICIS data, 26 cargoes (as of Sept. 6) have been delivered from Chenieres Sabine Pass with more than 57 percent of total exports going to South America. Chile is the single biggest recipient and absorbed 28 percent of the total volume. Related: The Presidential Debate: Clashing On Energy

Cargos to Chile are likely to increase over time with Cheniere noting in a recent presentation that it is participating in the development of a Chilean LNG to power solution and also plans to pursue similar LNG to power projects to stimulate new demand.

(Click to enlarge)

A recent development that should help U.S. LNG exporters going forward is the July 2016 opening of the expanded Panama Canal, which will accommodate 90 percent of the worlds LNG tankers. Only the Q-Flex and Q-Max ships will not be able to transit the expanded canal.

According to the U.S. EIA, the new locks will significantly reduce travel time and transportation costs for U.S. LNG shipments to key markets in Asia. For example, the voyage to Japan will be cut from 34 days via the southern tip of Africa (or 31 days via the Suez Canal) to 20 days. Exports from the U.S. Gulf Coast to South America will also be shortened from 20 days to 8-9 days to Chilean regasification terminals, and from 25 days to 5 days to prospective terminals in Colombia and Ecuador. The Panama Canal Authority also approved a new tolling structure for LNG carriers in 2015 with tolls based on cubic meters. Related: Oil Spikes After OPEC Reaches Deal On Output Cap

On July 25, 2016, the first LNG carrier transited the expanded canal with a cargo from Cheniere headed to China aboard Shells Maran Gas Apollonia.

While it remains to be seen where the bulk of U.S. LNG will eventually end up, one positive development for the LNG industry as a whole is that todays low prices are bringing out many new LNG buyers with a growing number of countries now considering LNG imports.

(Click to enlarge)

While Cheniere is currently the only U.S. LNG exporter shipping LNG from the lower-48 states, as shown on the following map from FERC, four more U.S. LNG export projects are under construction and more have been approved.

(Click to enlarge)

By the end of 2016, Chenieres Sabine Pass Trains 1 & 2 will be in operation. By 2017, another three trains from Cheniere and Dominions Cove Point Maryland terminal are expected to start up. By the end of 2018, five new trains could come online from Cameron, Freeport and Corpus Christi. Another four new trains are due online in 2019 from Freeport, Corpus Christi and Sabine Pass. In other words, U.S. LNG exports are only just beginning!

By Susan Sakmar

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The Canadian federal government has given the green light to the $8-billion Pacific NorthWest LNG project, proposed by Malaysias Petronas three years ago. The decision is highly controversial because it follows an assessment that found the project will produce significant amounts of CO2, which would go against PM Trudeaus stated commitment to take climate change seriously and work to slow it down.

The Pacific NorthWest LNG plant is designed to produce over 20.5 million tons of liquefied natural gas a year, in the process generating some 4.3 million tons of carbon dioxide, according to the assessment by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA).

The assessment also noted that the project was likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects, which is what reinforced the vigorous opposition of environmentalists and First Nations, even though Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, who authored the final version of the report, released on Monday, added that these effects appeared to be justified, as decided by the Governor in Council.

An earlier version of the report, which was released in February, had estimated the annual CO2 emissions from the Pacific NorthWest LNG plant at 5.3 million tons, plus another 6.5 million to 8.7 million tons from gas collection and transportation.

In the final decision, which was approved by the federal government, there are 190 conditions that Petronas, the author of the project, needs to meet. These include putting in place adequate mitigation measures for the expected adverse environmental effects, consultations with First Nations on any steps that may concern them, and regular reporting to the CEAA.

The First Nations in British Columbia are not happy with this decision and neither are environmentalists. But heres the ironic twist: Malaysias Petronas may eventually decide to shelve the project.

The company has waited three years for this approval. It tabled the project when LNG prices were going up and the future looked bright for this (relatively) new celebrity fuel. This celebrity status spurred a rush of LNG projects, many of them focused on the Asian market, which was developing much more quickly than the European one. Related: BP Faces Another Setback In Plans To Drill Pristine Australian Coast

Now, Asia is drowning in cheap LNG. While Petronas last year made a preliminary final investment decision on the Pacific NorthWest project, it probably didnt expect that the governments approval of the environmental implications of the project would be delayed for a year.

Thats why Petronas reaction to the news about the approval was somewhat guarded. "The announcement was just made ... We need time to look at the conditions and then we will have a review of the project," said CEO Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin, as quoted by Reuters.

Its not unthinkable that Trudeau just scored an auto-goal with this approval, antagonizing environmentalist groups that he courted before the elections, not to mention First Nations. Truth be told, a different decision would have antagonized a different set of groups; not just businesses, but regular voters in British Columbia. The Pacific NorthWest LNG saga has turned into a textbook demonstration of the impossibility of having your cake and eating it.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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The owner of Norways Det Norske Oljeselkap is looking for new acquisition opportunities, and money is apparently a non-issue. According to Bloomberg, billionaire investor Kjell Inge Roekke is ready to spend a billion if the right asset is put up for sale.

Roekke earlier this year forged a merger between Det Norske and the Norwegian operations of BP, in the latest sign that the time is as ripe as can be for sector consolidation in the country. That merger, which is expected to be completed by the end of this week, will result in a company called Aker BP, which will be 40-percent owned by Roekke via his investment vehicle, Aker ASA, and 30-percent owned by BP.

The merger will add to Det Norskes daily output of 120,000 barrels of oil equivalent daily, counting BPs contribution. Without it, the Norwegian buyer is slated to pump an average 62,000-65,000 boepd this year. This, by the way, is an upward revision on a previous guidance of 55,000-60,000 boepd.

Det Norskes chief executive Karl Johnny Hersvik told Bloomberg that Aker is looking for quality assets, it is not just ready to splash a billion dollars on anything. To pay $1 billion for an asset thats not attractive is of course a problem, but the amount itself is not necessarily a problem. That depends on the asset, he said.

Right now, Exxon and Total are looking to sell assets in Norway, which may qualify as good-quality for Aker, but Hersvik did not go into specific detail about potential acquisition targets in his interview with Bloomberg.

It seems Det Norskes strategy involves using acquisitions to not just expand its asset portfolio, but also to bring down production costs. As Hersvik said earlier this month, the company looked for assets that offered a breakeven level of US$35 per barrel, all-in. At the same time, Det Norske would continue to grow organically, the CEO said, aiming for a 50-percent cost cut in engineering expenses per platform, simultaneously reducing execution time by a quarter.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
An innovative downtown cocktail bar (and eventually restaurant) concept is taking shape and should be ready to host its first guests within the next few weeks.

The Phoenix Cocktail Club is slated to open in early to mid-October at 785 N. Jefferson St. in the former home of The Duplex.

The new venue  which will open first as a cocktail lounge and eventually add small plate offerings to the mix  is owned by Ryan Bonen and Bob King, who also manage Bad Genie.

Construction on the space began last September, with anticipated completion this past spring. But King says the project was waylaid when they found out theyd need to gut and reconstruct a large portion of the space.

"The original project was set to take three to six months," he notes. "But when we went to take out the bar, we opened up an entire can of worms. And because the building is a federal historic site, we were bound to the regulations regarding the original specs for the building."

Swank digs

The building is a Greek Revival style townhouse which was built in 1858. Known as the William A. Webber House, it was initially used as a residence before being transformed into a bar and restaurant. In recent years, it housed venues including Serum and Brio Trattoria.

And that's significant since the history of the space, as well as the neighborhood, will be woven into the Phoenix Cocktail Club concept, says King.

"The name was actually inspired by the Phoenix Club, a private Jewish fraternal organization on Jefferson Street which lasted from 1885 to 1910," he notes. "Its part of the history of this neighborhood, and we thought that was pretty cool. So were excited to incorporate it into the venue itself."

King says the goal is to create an eclectic, charming space thats consistent with the buildings history: a classic look thats a bit mysterious and yet somehow familiar.

"We took some inspiration from the Gold Room in the movie, The Shining," he notes. "It will have a really refined look about it, but it will be far from pretentious."

Features

The space is still being renovated. However, we got a glimpse at some of the key elements that hearken back to the days of yore. Cream paneling, which mimics the look of classic English pubs, showcases exposed Cream City brick wall.

Richly colored wooden floors are laid with the herringbone pattern that soared in popularity during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Similarly, the Phoenix Club's back bar, which was acquired at an estate sale, was built in mid-1800s.

Benches were gleaned from a church in Michigan that was built in 1910.

Cocktail tables will sport live-edge wooden tops with vintage bases.

Cocktails

The Phoenix Cocktail Club's ambitious collection of cocktail offerings will be overseen by beverage director Adam Sarkis, who most recently steered the beverage program at Braise Restaurant in Walker's Point along with longtime time bartender and national cocktail consultant Joey Houghtaling.

The two just came back from the annual Juniper Harvest event at Deaths Door Spirits. This years harvest festival was a celebration highlighting the connection between hospitality and agriculture. The event, organized by Lush Life, included bartenders from throughout the world including hotspots like the UK, Canada and New Orleans.

"It really offered perspective on sustainability in terms of the bar industry," notes Houghtaling, "Techniques like using local products and dehydrated fruit and finding alternatives for ice disposal, theyre all things we can put into play at Phoenix Cocktail Club."

The menu, which will be broken up into categories including Colors, Slushies and Mood Inspired cocktails, a concept galvanized by the Futurist Cocktail Movement, which gained traction in the 1930s.

"Futurist artists were working in bars," notes Sarkis. "And they started taking their ideas in art and applying them to cocktails. They were all about the element of surprise. For instance, they had a tendency to garnish their drinks with unusual ingredients. Most of the moods incited were libido-based."

Mood drinks like War in Bed will sit alongside classic cocktails and modern riffs influenced by places like New Orleans and Cuba.

"The goal is to make this a great cocktail bar thats innovative, exciting and classy," says Sarkis. "But we also want it to be a spot where people can relax and have a great time."
The opinions expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the opinions of OnMilwaukee.com, its advertisers or editorial staff.

I haven't been following the presidential campaign of Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson very closely, though he sometimes scores as high as 10 or 12 percent in four-way polls against Democrat Hillary Clinton, Republican Donald Trump and Green Jill Stein.

But Twitter's various algorithms combined to bring me a 30-second clip of Johnson on ABC's "This Week" where he said "the future of the human race is space exploration" and that, because of global climate change, we "have to inhabit other planets."

I wanted to give Johnson the benefit of the doubt. But the headline on the full ABC video is "Gary Johnson Calls For Space Colonization, Vows to Stay in Race."

Even after watching the full interview, I could think of nothing, given Johnson's history of marijuana use, other than the iconic pot-smoking scene from "Animal House." And I shot back at Twitter, "You mean the stoner candidate is the one who's all 'Didja ever think about other planets, man? In the stars?'"

Turns out, though, Johnson is pretty serious. Maybe not about the science fiction, but in terms of consequences for the election.

Both pre- and post-conventions, there is data to suggest that Johnson's presence in the race is a bigger threat to Clinton's numbers than to Trump's. This despite Johnson and Trump being much more ideologically aligned.

The effect Johnson is having, 538's Harry Enten wrote in July, is relatively small, and if Clinton's national lead is five or six points, it won't really matter. "The discrepancy could, however, become an issue if the race becomes tighter," he wrote  and it has, with most national polls putting the difference between Clinton and Trump at more like two points.

But presidential elections are not national elections; they're 50 different state elections, and the state level is where Johnson could have the biggest impact. Last week's Marquette Law School poll, the gold standard of Wisconsin polling, showed an even split  Johnson and Stein together pull the same number of voters from Trump and Clinton here. Even breaking down the data to just 18-29-year-old voters, Johnson's millennial base (he takes 14 percent of those voters), Clinton and Trump are tied in Wisconsin in both head-to-head and in the four-way matchup.

But that's not the case everywhere; Johnson's polling often cuts into Clinton's lead or widens Trump's. And in state after state, Johnson does best with the millennial age group, a diverse group that loves President Obama and ought to be Clinton's strongest demographic.

CBS News, with YouGov, has been routinely polling battleground states, and their most recent polls in Ohio, Colorado, Florida, Virginia and Pennsylvania show millennials voting for Johnson at an alarming rate. In Ohio, Johnson polls almost even with Trump among the 18-29 set, a remarkable feat for any third-party candidate in recent elections.

The reason may lie in what I joked about at the top of the column: Gary Johnson is a pro-legalization (former) pot smoker. As the probably somewhat biased website called marijuana.com noted last week, millennials of all stripes  conservative, independent and liberal  favor marijuana legalization far more than any other demographic group. Using polling data, they make the same case that I did, that Johnson is a threat to Clinton's chances, and their proposed remedy is to adopt Johnson's pro-pot stance.

Johnson is not making legalization the centerpiece of his campaign, but he has it in his platform and talks about it regularly while Trump and Clinton both are silent on the issue (to be inclusive, I will note that Stein also favors legalization, but she's not polling high enough  no pun intended  to make a difference).

I am not the first to notice the danger in millennials' abandoning Clinton for Johnson. In fact, Matt Welch at the website for Reason  the biggest Libertarian-leaning publication in the country  has thoughtfully rounded up a whole collection of people like me who think that maybe millennials are not thinking through this whole "Johnson's pro-pot so I'm pro-Johnson" thing. Click through his links and consider their arguments; they say a lot of this better than I can.

The fact remains, though, that on almost every issue that millennials care about  from gun control to student loan relief  Johnson is on the wrong side. Even on climate change, Johnson is willing to admit it's a thing, putting him ahead of Trump, but like most Libertarians, he wants solutions left to "the market." His "let's all live in space" answer on ABC Sunday kept spooling out to say nice things about the Environmental Protection Agency, but his own website trumpets free-market solutions rather than the strong government commitment millennials want on the environment.

Some of the millennial Johnson support may be a holdover from the Democratic primary. Almost all Bernie Sanders voters are happily behind Clinton at this point, but she never had strong support among the youngest voters. Millennials have no real memory of the 1990s and may not recognize that the "Crooked Hillary" Trump talks about  an image of corruption Sanders somewhat encouraged  is largely fiction and the invention of a 25-year media assault not limited to just FOX News.

So it is entirely possible that it's not just his pro-legalization platform, but also some false equivalence pulling young voters to Johnson. Clinton and Trump are equally bad, and so there's no reason not to vote third-party.

Because a millennial vote for Johnson is not, in fact, a vote for legalizing marijuana or for a smaller Department of Defense and military, Johnson will not win a single electoral vote. A vote for Johnson is a vote Clinton doesn't win in the demographic group that ought to be a slam-dunk for her. It is a vote that puts states like Colorado and Ohio into toss-up territory when Obama won them easily twice.

It is a vote for Donald Trump, who has pledged to massively increase military spending and militarize our borders. His likely Attorney General, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, has pledged to send federal law enforcement after legal recreational and even medicinal marijuana all across the country.

One more thing to consider: Across the board, non-white voters, including non-white millennials, heavily favor Clinton. Even in states like Ohio where Trump leads overall, Clinton wins over 90 percent of African American voters. The millennials supporting Johnson then are likely to be like those I wrote about previously, white voters privileged enough to think believe their own ability to access marijuana  or cast a protest vote without personal recrimination  outweighs a sense of responsibility to others.

A pro-pot vote for the pro-pot candidate is probably the worst thing a millennial worried about the effect the war on drugs has on non-white populations. We all know that for offenses like marijuana possession, non-whites receive far tougher sentences than whites. If racial equality and issues like Black Lives Matter really do have resonance with younger voters, they really need to rethink whatever impulse they have to vote for Gary Johnson.

Their generation, after all, is the one that has the longest to live with the consequences of a Trump administration.
The Milwaukee Public Library (MPL) has issued a Request for Proposal from qualified firms who want to partner on a mixed-use development of a new Martin Luther King branch library at 310 W. Locust St.

"We have been working to improve the library experience by removing barriers and changing the way people think about libraries and what they offer," said Library Director Paula Kiely. "This includes modernizing our spaces so we can advance our mission to help patrons read, learn and connect."

The library is seeking a catalytic development that not only provides a 21st century, technology-rich building for residents, but improves the economic vitality of the neighborhood. The proposal should feature the new library as the most visible component of a mixed-use project. The building should utilize creative place-making methods and architecture to engage library patrons, neighbors and pedestrians alike.

The non-library component (s) must be housing, retail, office or another commercial use as long as the use is appropriate for co-location with a public library and should strive to add to the tax base for the City of Milwaukee.

"Our plan for a mixed-used development for the Martin Luther King branch demonstrates my commitment to a comprehensive library replacement plan," said Mayor Tom Barrett. "I am looking forward to working with Milwaukee Public Library staff and private developers to bring educational resources, new job opportunities and innovative technology to children and families in the Harambee neighborhood."

This plan follows the successful replacement of the Villard Avenue and East Branch libraries with new, mixed-use buildings and the complete renovation of the Tippecanoe library. Mayor Tom Barrett, the Milwaukee Common Council and the Library Board of Trustees have identified $18 million for library redevelopment which has been allocated to the Forest Home, Mill Road, Capitol and Martin Luther King branches.

By 2020, it is expected that MPL will have replaced or updated the entire system with 21st century, technology-rich facilities.
Reprinted from Wallwritings

The moment on the debate stage which was most revealing was not one of Donald Trump's nervous deep breaths.

The most revealing moment came immediately after the debate ended. Hillary Clinton moved quickly down the steps to greet supporters who were rushing to shake her hand.

Donald Trump waited until his family and two aides joined him on the stage. He stood there briefly for photos. Then, the most uninformed and politically inexperienced nominee in the nation's history, left the stage.

On November 8, Donald Trump could receive full control of this nation's nuclear arsenal.

Dare we trust him with such awesome power? Dare we trust a man about whom we know virtually nothing other than what we have seen on television reality shows, or promoting beauty contests?

Who are his friends? Who whispers into his ear? Or, as they say in Chicago politics, "who sent you"?

Donald J. Trump claims to be a highly successful business corporate executive who builds buildings and makes huge sums of money.

How is he viewed among his fellow corporate executives? A study of campaign contributors by the Wall Street Journal discovered a revealing fact about Trump.

"No chief executive at the nation's 100 largest companies had donated to Republican Donald Trump 's presidential campaign through August, a sharp reversal from 2012, when nearly a third of the CEOs of Fortune 100 companies supported GOP nominee Mitt Romney."

This news will delight Trump's fervent anti-corporate fan base. But what does it say about Trump's standing in the business community?

In Monday's debate at Hofstra University, Trump demonstrated his personal "bluff and bluster" style when he reiterated his primary campaign's repeated display of ignorance of foreign policy issues.

Japan Times staff writer Ayako Mie reported an example. Of special concern to Ayako Mie is that Trump so flippantly disregarded decades of diplomatic understanding of a defense issue of deep interest to the Japanese. Mia wrote:

"Trump reiterated his position that U.S. allies -- including Japan -- must dole out more cash if they wish to continue being protected by the U.S. military, a stance the real estate mogul has maintained since his campaign's start and one that has deeply troubled America's partners. "'They do not pay us what they should be paying us because we are providing tremendous service and we're losing a fortune,' Trump said. 'We can't defend Japan ... they may have to defend themselves or they may have to help us out..."

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Why Bernie Sanders is the Most Important Thing to Happen in American Politics Since Ronald Reagan Bernie Sanders did more for progressive politics in this country than any could have imagined and he should be remembered for doing just that. Saturday, January 14, 2017Bernie Sanders did more for progressive politics in this country than any could have imagined and he should be remembered for doing just that.

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Why America Deserves Donald Trump as President Trump is "simply a political manifestation of all America has ever been: arrogant, belligerent, dishonest, and motivated by sheer avarice." The Democrats offer only "vapid identity politics" in which "Black, female, gay, and transgender comprador brothers and sisters of American empire drop bombs on Syrian children and protect police for snuffing out the lives of unarmed Black motorists." Wednesday, September 28, 2016Trump is "simply a political manifestation of all America has ever been: arrogant, belligerent, dishonest, and motivated by sheer avarice." The Democrats offer only "vapid identity politics" in which "Black, female, gay, and transgender comprador brothers and sisters of American empire drop bombs on Syrian children and protect police for snuffing out the lives of unarmed Black motorists."

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The Most Important Founding Father: Haiti's Jean-Jacques Dessalines America owes its current existence to the Haitian Revolution. Trump supporters should thank Haiti when thinking of pride in the homeland. Tuesday, July 26, 2016America owes its current existence to the Haitian Revolution. Trump supporters should thank Haiti when thinking of pride in the homeland.

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Black Eugenics: How the Black Mis-leadership Class of the Early 20th Century Supported Sterilization of the Black Poor In the early 20th century, college educated African Americans often supported Eugenics theories as a means of racial uplift and "purifying" the race. Forced and voluntary sterilization of the Black poor ensued regularly since it was the poor who were almost always deemed unfit Saturday, September 26, 2015In the early 20th century, college educated African Americans often supported Eugenics theories as a means of racial uplift and "purifying" the race. Forced and voluntary sterilization of the Black poor ensued regularly since it was the poor who were almost always deemed unfit

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Mario Cuomo: Governor of Mass Incarceration Mario Cuomo will lionized in the mainstream media as a champion of liberal causes. What most will ignore is his role as a Governor who built more prisons than any in New York State's history. Wednesday, January 7, 2015Mario Cuomo will lionized in the mainstream media as a champion of liberal causes. What most will ignore is his role as a Governor who built more prisons than any in New York State's history.
Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121

"Rob Kall shows us that the high-tech information revolution set the stage for a political and social evolution, the connectivity of which has the capacity to transform everything, everywhere. We have only to say 'yes' to tap [into] the power of this interconnection, participating in it from where we stand."



Dennis Kucinich, former U.S. Representative (D-OH) and 2004 and 2008 Democratic presidential primary candidate
Revocation of Indus Waters Treaty by India can be taken as an act of war against Pakistan: Sartaj Aziz

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Tuesday told the Senate that revocation of the Indus Waters Treaty by India "can be taken as an act of war" against Pakistan.



"The Indus Waters Treaty is quoted as perhaps the most successful water treaty ever conducted between the two countries. Its revocation can be taken as an act of war or a hostile act against Pakistan," Aziz told lawmakers.



"If India tries to interrupt water flow into Pakistan, it will not only violate the Indus Water Treaty, but also set a regional state practice under which international law can be serve as a precedent. It will provide China, for example, a justification to consider of suspension of waters of the Brahmaputra river," he said.



Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday decided to suspend Indus Water Commission talks until "Pakistan-sponsored terror" in India ends, according to Indian media reports.



Aziz's statements come amidst reports that India plans to accelerate building of new hydro-power plants along three rivers that flow into Pakistan. Modi told officials on Monday that India should use more of the rivers' resources, Reuters reported, quoting sources familiar with the plans.



Read more: India to speed up hydropower building on rivers flowing into Pakistan



According to our assessments, India is not following the option of revoking the treaty but it is trying to use provisions of the treaty to construct run of the river projects, Aziz said, adding that it was possible India would misuse these provisions by constructing structures which are not allowed under the treaty, according to Radio Pakistan.



Pakistan is identifying all the possible misuses and activities that India can undertake to interfere in the treaty as well as its implementation, he said.



Jamaat-i-Islami chief Siraj-ul-Haq in Senate said that India had been constructing dams on the Kabul river in collaboration with the Afghan government in order to make Pakistan's land barren.



Senator Sherry Rehman said that India has adopted a policy of water terrorism against Pakistan. The Indus Water Treaty is an international treaty that India cannot revoke unilaterally, she said. If it does so, it will be illegal and will set a precedence for China, being upper riparian, to divert waters of Brahmaputra, she added.



Earlier in the day, Aziz addressed the National Assembly saying that provocative statements and actions from the Indian leadership on the Indus Waters Treaty are a violation of international laws and breach of the treaty.



Pakistan will 'react befittingly' if India attempts to violate the Indus Waters Treaty, the adviser told the NA.



Pakistan will not accept any pressure from India and will continue to highlight human rights violations perpetrated by Indian forces in India-held Kashmir (IHK), Aziz said.



Pakistan is gaining the support of the international community on the issue, Aziz said, and is considering briefing the P5 countries  China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States  on the dangers of suspending the treaty.



There is no provision of suspension in the treaty, Aziz said, adding that India cannot revoke the treaty unilaterally.



The adviser pointed out that the treaty was not suspended even during wars between the two countries.



The NA passed a unanimous resolution moved by Syed Naveed Qamar condemning India's claim a day earlier in the United Nations General Assembly that "Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and will always remain so".



The resolution said Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in her speech at the UNGA ignored the fact that Jammu and Kashmir is still on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council, and that IHK is universally accepted as a disputed territory.



The resolution also said the Modi government has a history of threats and holds 'the misguided belief' that Pakistan will move away from extending support to Kashmiris.



The House believes that peace and progress are dependent upon good neighbourly relations and the only way forward is through constructive dialogue, not threats being issued by the Indian PM to unilaterally terminate the treaty, the resolution said.
From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As...
The more I think about the SCotUSs call for a response in Cooper, the better it looks to me for the stability of the IPR system. I should say that a premise of everything else I am about to say is that the SCotUS is either going to grant or deny Cooper and MCM as a package deal. In other words, they are not going to take one but not the other, even though Neds petition was much the better written. If you do not credit that premise, then you can ignore everything else I am about to say.

Why would the Court call for a response that has already been waived? It seems to me that it is because they have some number of justices who could add up to four, but at least some of whom are wavering. That is to say, they are half-way there to voting for cert, but not all the way, and they want more information to make up their minds.

But why would they be wavering? After all, voting for cert does not commit you to any particular outcome in the merits phase. When in doubt, vote for cert. After all, it is hardly as if their docket is overfull. By historical standards, they take embarrassing few cases lately.

Here is where I veer more into speculation, but I seems to me that the most plausible reason why you might have wavering cert voters is that they are counting noses, and they count four solid no votes. That is to say, I am envisioning a scenario where (for example) Justices Kagan, Roberts, Breyer, and Ginsberg are solidly convinced that IPRs are constitutional, but Alito, Thomas, and Sotomayor are willing to take the case, and Justice Kennedy is up in the air.

Kennedy can see that this would simply result in another one of those embarrassing 4/4 ties with a per curiam affirmance of the opinion below. He says to himself, if it is going to end with an affirmance one way or the other, either with a 5/3 majority voting to affirm or a 4/4 tie that results in an affirmance, why embarrass ourselves by taking the case. In other words, his heart wants to take the case, but his head says no.

One of the solid no votes sees this wavering and says to him Anthony, buddy, no need to decide right now. Lets hear more from the other side and then we can decide. Well, that is a terrific out from this dilemma. If you cannot make up your mind, there is nothing like studying the issue some more. That (in my guess) is why they are calling for a response that the respondent has already waived.

If that is the case, then it does not augur well for an eventual certiorari. After all, the response is only going to advance arguments for why the case should not be taken. It is unlikely, therefore, that the wavering justices will be any more inclined to swallow hard and vote for cert after the additional response than they are now. This play for time is just a prelude to an eventual no vote.
The mathematical (and other) thoughts of a (now retired) math teacher,
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Welsh Liberal Democrats Councillor for Cwmbwrla Ward, City and County of Swansea - Please buy my novels at Author Page
Credit: Texas A&M University

The Earth can only handle so many contaminants in excess water released into the environment by homes, businesses and industries before becoming overwhelmed. To prevent this daunting introduction of pollutants to the environment, wastewater must be treated adequately prior to being released.

Dr. Yongheng Huang, associate professor in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at Texas A&M University, is working to develop cost-effective water treatment technologies to meet industrial, agricultural and domestic needs.

"We focus on discovering and using iron chemistry to immobilize and secure heavy metals and to remove nutrients and other undesired impurities from various impaired liquid streams," Huang said. "We use these new understandings to develop innovative water technologies and solutions to help meet our society's needs in reducing water pollution, protecting our environment and safeguarding public health."

Huang's research led to the invention of the Activated Iron Technology that has been exclusively licensed by the Texas A&M University System and Texas A&M AgriLife Research to Evoqua Water Technologies, LLC.

"The new technology has been commercialized as a cornerstone for Evoqua for water and wastewater treatment, including electric power, mining, refinery and other industries as well as for environmental remediation and municipal drinking water applications," Huang said.

The invention was accomplished after a series of breakthroughs made by Huang in iron chemistry to help sustain iron corrosion reactivity. These breakthroughs have solved the issue related to the formation of passive iron oxide coatings on iron surface that could stop iron corrosion reaction, often referred to as iron passivation, which has troubled scientists and the industry for many years.

"The main chemical used by the Activated Iron Technology is metallic iron powder, which is inexpensive and widely available around the world." Huang said. "With the solving of the iron passivation issue, the technology could now use the full reactive power of iron for targeted contaminant treatment, thus greatly reducing the usage rate of the chemicals and generating less solid wastes.

The new technology is robust and versatile, capable of removing a broad spectrum of toxic materials from some of the most challenging and complex wastewaters. The materials removed include metals such as selenium, mercury, arsenic, chromium, cadmium, vanadium and lead.

Credit: Texas A&M University

If these metals were left untreated in the wastewater and discharged into the receiving water bodies, they could hurt the health of the environment, disrupting the ecosystem, and in many cases, pose an immediate or long-term threat to human health.

"Through this process, soluble and toxic heavy metals in wastewater are transformed and secured in non-toxic solid forms, mostly being incorporated into the iron rust produced from iron corrosion," Huang said.

The new technology is a solution for industry to be within the new United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Effluent Limitations Guidelines (ELGs).

"The activated iron technology is a cost-effective solution for the steam-electric power industry to comply with the new USEPA ELGs on mercury, arsenic and selenium discharge," Huang said. "With the success of the activated iron technology, a single treatment can now decrease selenium, arsenic and mercury simultaneously to below the ELG limits; particularly it can remove mercury to a much lower concentration than other technologies can achieve."

Effective in removing a broad spectrum of heavy metals and metalloids from many of the most challenging and complex water streams, the technology is gaining attention in various industries around the world.

"In North America alone, it is expected that nearly 200 coal-fired power plants will be required to install new wastewater treatment facilities at a total cost of billions of dollars in the next few years in order to comply with the new ELG regulation," Huang said. "The technology, being part of the clean coal solution, could contribute in a significant way to reduce pollution associated with coal industry. Similarly, the technology can be used in many industries troubled by heavy metals pollutions around the world."

Huang's team is aiming to refine and further improve the Activated Iron Technology and expand the application scope to cover more pollutants and impaired water sources. In addition, the team digs into the fundamental chemistry to further advance the understandings of the mechanisms and kinetics related to the interactions among metallic iron, iron oxides and contaminants.

"We believe there are numerous potentials in iron chemistry that have yet to be discovered and that may help solve some existing or emerging environmental problems," Huang said. "We will strive to advance the science of iron chemistry and fulfil its potential as a powerful tool for protecting our environment and human health."

Explore further Fading ability to taste iron raises health concerns for people over age 50
Baobab trees. Credit: Art Wolfe/www.artwolfe.com

As the three-year "Preserving Madagascar's Natural Resources Program" (SCAPES) comes to a close, the challenge now rests with the Malagasy people to leverage new capacity to combat illegal exploitation of the island's natural resources.

The SCAPES project, launched in 2013 with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has been implemented by a consortium of four Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Madagascar: World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Conservation International (CI) and TRAFFIC, in close collaboration with civil society and government. Activities have focused on addressing the trafficking of precious woods and reptiles from Madagascar's Atsinanana North humid forests as well as training key actors to monitor, raise awareness of, and combat timber and wildlife trafficking at the regional and national levels. This process has engaged diverse members of society, from community-based organizations to timber traders, journalists, rangers, law enforcement authorities, courts, and government Ministries.

Under the SCAPES project, WWF, WCS, CI and TRAFFIC have worked with partners to deliver training on timber and reptile identification, to develop legal frameworks and to provide Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and investigative journalists with the skills needed to report on illegal practices. As a result, a new National Coalition for Environmental Advocacy (CNPE), and three regional-level CSO coalitions (LAMPOGNO, COCAZ, TMTI) are now highly involved in identifying, monitoring and denouncing crimes. In one case, just three weeks after a training session, 45 planks declared to be palissander were seized by the government.

Community rangers and protected area staff have also been trained in the use of law enforcement monitoring techniques using SMART conservation software, so that information on infractions can be rapidly collected and transmitted to protected area managers for action. As a result, better trade monitoring and protected area monitoring techniques are to be adopted nationwide.

Madagascar in the illegal wildlife trade spotlight

Madagascar is in the illegal wildlife trade spotlight. At the next meeting of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) starting on the 24th of September in Johannesburg (South Africa), the CITES Secretariat will again be highlighting the need for Madagascar to commit to enforcing stricter control and legal sanctions against illegal trade, especially regarding the ebony and rosewood trade.

The SCAPES project has contributed to Madagascar's ability to meet its CITES commitments. With the support of SCAPES, a precious timber Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) was prepared and adopted by the Ministry of Environment, Ecology and Forests.

Government actions and engagement have been crucial to combating illegal exploitation. Civil society and economic operators also have crucial roles to play in combatting the problem. Raising awareness about the challenges facing Madagascar and the possible solutions to trafficking are vital to ensuring that natural resources remain for future generations.

Explore further New Madagascar leader declares war on illegal logging
Ocean engineers from MIT, the University of Minnesota at Duluth, and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have accurately simulated the motion of internal tides along a shelf break called the Middle Atlantic Bight  a region off the coast of the eastern U.S. that stretches from Cape Cod in Massachusetts to Cape Hatteras in North Carolina. Credit: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

In certain parts of the ocean, towering, slow-motion rollercoasters called internal tides trundle along for miles, rising and falling for hundreds of feet in the ocean's interior while making barely a ripple at the surface. These giant, hidden swells are responsible for alternately drawing warm surface waters down to the deep ocean and pulling marine nutrients up from the abyss.

Internal tides are generated in part by differences in water density, and created along continental shelf breaks, where a shallow seafloor suddenly drops off like a cliff, creating a setting where lighter water meets denser seas. In such regions, tides on the surface produce oscillating, vertical currents, which in turn generate waves below the surface, at the interface between warmer, shallow water, and colder, deeper water. These subsurface waves are called "internal tides," as they are "internal" to the ocean and travel at the same frequency as surface tides. Internal tides are largely calm in some regions but can become chaotic near shelf breaks, where scientists have been unable to predict their paths.

Now for the first time, ocean engineers and scientists from MIT, the University of Minnesota at Duluth (UMD), and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) have accurately simulated the motion of internal tides along a shelf break called the Middle Atlantic Bighta region off the coast of the eastern U.S. that stretches from Cape Cod in Massachusetts to Cape Hatteras in North Carolina. They found that the tides' chaotic patterns there could be explained by two oceanic "structures": the ocean front at the shelf break itself, and the Gulf Streama powerful Atlantic current that flows some 250 miles south of the shelf break.

From the simulations, the team observed that both the shelf break and the Gulf Stream can act as massive oceanic walls, between which internal tides ricochet at angles and speeds that the scientists can now predict.

The researchers have published their findings in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans and the Journal of Physical Oceanography. The team includes Samuel Kelly, an assistant professor at UMD who was a postdoc at MIT for this research; Pierre Lermusiaux, an associate professor of mechanical engineering and ocean science and engineering at MIT; Tim Duda, a senior scientist at WHOI; and Patrick Haley, a research scientist at MIT.

Lermusiaux says the team's simulations of internal tides could help to improve sonar communications and predict ecosystems and fishery populations, as well as protect offshore oil rigs and provide a better understanding of the ocean's role in a changing climate.

"Internal tides are a big chunk of energy that's input to the ocean's interior from the common [surface] tides," he explains. "If you know how that energy is dissipated and where it goes, you can provide better predictions and better understand the ocean and climate in general."

"Dead calm"

The effects of internal waves were first reported in the late 1800s, when Norwegian sailors, attempting to navigate a fjord, experienced a strange phenomenon: Even though the water's surface appeared calm, their ship seemed to strongly resist sailing forwarda phenomenon later dubbed "dead water."

"It would be dead calm in the water, and you'd turn your ship on but it wouldn't move," Lermusiaux says. "Why? Because the ship is generating internal waves because of the density difference between the light water on top and the salty water on the bottom in the fjord, that keep you in place."

Since then, scientists have found that surface tides, just like internal tides, are generated by the cyclical, gravitational pull of the sun and the moon, and travel between density-varying mediums. Surface waves travel at the boundary between the ocean and the air, while internal waves and internal tides flow between water layers of varying density.

"What people didn't really know was, why can those internal tides be so variable and intermittent?" Duda says.

Ocean engineers used this bottom-resting instrument system for their research. Internal tides are a big chunk of energy thats input to the ocean. If you know how that energy is dissipated and where it goes, you can explain climate and better understand short-term predictions and the ocean in general, says Pierre Lermusiaux, associate professor of mechanical engineering and ocean science and engineering at MIT. Credit: Tim Duda/WHOI

Following the tide

In the summer of 2006, oceanographers embarked on a large-scale scientific cruise, named "Shallow Water '06," to generate a detailed picture of how sound waves travel through complex coastal waters, specifically along part of the Middle Atlantic Bight region. The experiment confirmed that internal tides stemmed from the region's shelf break at predictable intervals. Puzzlingly, the experiment also showed that internal tides arrived back at the shelf break at unpredictable times and locations.

"One would think if they were all generated at the shelf break, they would be more or less uniform, in and out," Lermusiaux says.

To solve this puzzle, Lermusiaux, Haley, and their colleagues incorporated data from the 2006 cruise into hydrodynamic simulations to represent tides in a realistic ocean environment. These data-driven simulations included not only tides but also "background structures," such as density gradients, eddies, and currents such as the Gulf Stream, with which tides might interact.

After completing more than 2,500 simulations of the Middle Atlantic Bight region, they observed that internal tides generated close to the shelf break seemed to flow out toward the ocean, only to bounce back once they reached the Gulf Stream. As the Gulf Stream meandered, the exact direction and location of the internal tides became more variable.

"Looking at the initial plots from the simulations, it was obvious that some type of interaction was happening between the internal tide and Gulf Stream," Kelly says. "But the simulations could produce a huge number of complicated interactions and there are lots of theories for different types of interactions. So we started testing different theories."

Terms of agreement

The researchers sought to find mathematical equations that would describe the underlying fluid dynamics that they observed in their simulations. To do this, they started with an existing equation that characterizes the behavior of internal tides but involves an idealized scenario, with limited interactions with other features. The team added new "interaction terms," or factors, into the equations that described the dynamics of the Gulf Stream and the shelf break front, which they derived from their data-driven simulations.

"It was really exciting when we wrote down a set of slightly idealized equations and saw that the internal tides extracted from the complex simulations were obeying almost the exact same equations," Kelly says.

The match between their simulations and equations indicated to the researchers that the Gulf Stream and the shelf break front were indeed influencing the behavior of the internal tides. With this knowledge, they were able to accurately predict the speed and arrival times of internal waves at the shelf break, by first predicting the strength and position of the Gulf Stream over time. They also showed that the strength of the shelf break front alters the speed and arrival times of internal tides.

The team is currently applying their simulations to oceanic regions around Martha's Vineyard, the Pacific Islands, and Australia, where internal tides are highly variable and their behavior can have a large role in shaping marine ecosystems and mediating the effects of climate change.

"Our work shows that, with data-driven simulations, you can find and add missing terms, and really explain the ocean's interactions," Lermusiaux says. "If you look at ocean or atmospheric sciences today, understanding interactions of features is where big questions are."

Explore further Scientists track monster waves below the ocean surface

More information: Samuel M. Kelly et al. Internal-tide interactions with the Gulf Stream and Middle Atlantic Bight shelfbreak front, Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans (2016). Samuel M. Kelly et al. Internal-tide interactions with the Gulf Stream and Middle Atlantic Bight shelfbreak front,(2016). DOI: 10.1002/2016JC011639 Kelly, S.M., P.F.J. Lermusiaux, T. F. Duda, and P.J. Haley Jr., 2016. A Coupled-mode Shallow Water model for tidal analysis: Internal-tide reflection and refraction by the Gulf Stream. Journal of Physical Oceanography. mseas.mit.edu/?p=3868

This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching.
New tests show water quality improving in Flint, the Midwestern US city hit by a massive lead contamination scandal, officials said Wednesday, but it is not yet cleared of the toxin.

It has been more than two years since lead from aging pipes first began to leach into the drinking water of the hard-scrabble city, when officials switched the water source to a more corrosive one as a cost saving effort.

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder told a press conference that 95 percent of recent tests of the most problematic areas showed lead levels considered safe under federal guidelines. But he stopped short of declaring Flint's water safe to drink without lead filters, and would not offer a timeline of when it would be.

"Frankly, without filters, I don't think anyone in the US should trust water from a lead pipe," said Marc Edwards, a professor of environmental engineering at Virginia Tech university, who is assisting Michigan with the Flint response.

"This is a national lesson that we are learning and we have to think about," he said.

Snyder on Wednesday urged federal lawmakers to send long-delayed aid money to the embattled city.

"I highly encourage the federal government to move forward and to get the aid done for Flint," said the Republican governor.

Aid for the city has become a major bone of contention as the US Congress wrangles over a federal government funding bill, with lawmakers scrambling to stave off a shutdown at week's end.

Lawmakers settled on a compromise Wednesday, that would allocate $170 million for infrastructure funds for cities with water contamination.

State officials want to replace all the lead pipes in Flint and in Michigan, but that process could take years. City residents have complained about the slow pace of the recovery, and filed several lawsuits.

Officials in Michigan had initially denied that there was a problem with Flint's water. Those denials led to a criminal investigation, and charges against nine current and former state employees.

For its part, the state has sued two consulting firmsa French and a Texas company accusing them of negligence and fraud. Veolia North America and Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam of Texas have responded by saying their suggestions and concerns were ignored by the state.

 2016 AFP
French ivory carvers currently use tusks which are over 40 years old

Annick Colette-Fremond is the fifth generation of her family to practise the art of ivory carvingand she may be the last of her line, due to new rules in France.

She is one of just a handful of French ivory carvers left, plying a trade that conservationists say spurs the slaughter of elephants and rhinos.

Colette-Fremond and her fellow craftspeople work with ivory imported before a ban over four decades ago, but say their future will be doomed when a new decree takes effectand will not stop the killing.

"Sadly, this isn't going to save the elephants," said Colette-Fremond, 64, who operates a workshop in the Normandy port town of Dieppe, once a hub of the ivory trade.

"There's just a handful of us left," said the artist, who showcases sculptures of a crying child, a mother with a baby and a sheaf of wheat. "We are not dangerous."

Elephant slaughter

Defenders of elephants and rhinoceroses, though, say that behind a piece of artwork lies a darker truth.

Poaching over the past decade has sent the African elephant population on its worst plunge in 25 years, according to a report released Sunday at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) conference in Johannesburg.

Elephant numbers have dropped by around 111,000 in the past decade, putting the continent's total population at around 415,000.

The ivory trade in France has been tightly controlled since it joined the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in 1975

In France, the ivory business has been tightly controlled since it joined CITES, which now includes over 180 countries and bans import of the tusk.

In August, the French government tightened the screw, approving a decree that will ban "the making of objects using ivory... regardless of the age of the ivory used."

The French craftspeople say they are not at fault for the elephant slaughter, and complain their centuries-old art will be destroyed.

At present, they use ivory acquired before the treaty took effect in 1975.

"We work mainly with stock inherited from our forebears," said carver Benoit Migeon.

"We are audited by the authorities. We have a stock book, everything is marked," he said referring to his 250-kilo (550-pound) supply.

'Deadly decree'

The carvers have support from Dieppe town hall, which says ivory carving is an important part of its history.

"The decree from (Environment Minister Segolene) Royal is ineffective in protecting elephants, and quite deadly to the beautiful craft of ivory carving," said Mayor Sebastien Jumel.

An average of 30,000 elephants are poached every year in Africa

Conservationists disagree, saying the carverswhatever the age of their ivoryindirectly feed demand, and poachers and traffickers benefit.

"This is what drives illegal ivory trade, so the only way to reduce demand is to close domestic markets," said Celine Sissler-Bienvenu, France and francophone Africa director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

"Given the major crisis elephants are going through, there is no way we can continue to trade ivory," she told AFP at the CITES conference.

Internationally, there is a fierce debate over what to do with ivory stockpiles.

A coalition of 29 African countries is pressing for a total halt to the ivory trade to curb poaching of elephants, but others believe it would only fuel illegal trading.

Namibia and Zimbabwe have made a proposal seeking permission to sell off stockpiles of tusks to raise funds for local communities that co-exist with the animals.

France's new rules are the most stringent in Europe, although even activist groups doubt whether they will have much effect.

"France is not considered to be a major destination for newly poached ivory so it's rather difficult to understand how such a ban will help to save elephants," Richard Thomas, global spokesman for wildlife monitor TRAFFIC told AFP.

"Ivory carvers are currently a dying breed worldwide and that trend looks likely to continue," he added.

Kenya recently destroyed its stockpile of ivory and called for a total ban on the trade in elephant tusks and rhino horns

In the 16th century, Dieppea port whose connections stretched from Scandinavia to Madagascarwas along with Paris the major pole for ivory-carving in France.

The industry was extensive: in just one of the many workshops in Dieppe, 40 people were employed in the 19th century.

They had specific skills for carving, drilling or polishing the ivory, catering to demand from the aristocracy or the rising middle classes at a time when few, if any, thought of conservation.

Carvers worked in poor lightblindness was a risk of the tradeand often fell ill from breathing in ivory dust.

Today, fewer than half a dozen people in France make their living from carving tusk.

Colette-Fremond had hoped her daughter Julia would be able to continue the tradition into the sixth generation.

"Her plans are now in jeopardy," she said.

Explore further New York seizes $4.5 mn worth of elephant ivory items

 2016 AFP
The four-year long Kepler light curve of V1154 Cyg and a zoomed-in section. The light variations are dominated by the pulsation cycles of the Cepheid, all other effects are 2-3 orders of magnitude smaller. Credit: Derekas et al.

After four years of continuous monitoring, astronomers detected clear signs of convective cells in a giant pulsating star for the first time using the Kepler space telescope.

Cepheid variable stars are luminous pulsating stars that experience strong periodic variations both in size and brightness, typically on timescales ranging from days to weeks. Since they are very bright, they can easily be spotted in galaxies beyond the Milky Way. The light variations of Cepheids can be used to calculate the distances to those galaxies and to calibrate our distance measurements throughout the universe.

The original field-of-view of the Kepler space telescope contained a single Cepheid star named V1154 Cyg that was the target of intense scrutiny. After the original mission of Kepler ended, a team of Hungarian astronomers from the Gothard and Konkoly Observatories analysed the entire data set, which spanned 1460 days and contained more than 52 thousand measurements. The data led to multiple discoveries. The team found that the star experiences regular, long-term variations: The strength and length of the 4.9-day pulsation changes very slightly over a period of 159 days. The astronomers are still trying to figure out the physical origins of this phenomenon. "One of the long-standing mysteries of stellar pulsation are these modulations seen in some pulsating stars," says Aliz Derekas, a postdoctoral researcher at Gothard Astrophysical Obseratory, the lead author the study. "We don't know yet what causes it, but our spectroscopic measurements already ruled out the presence of a companion star around the Cepheid as a possible cause behind the 159-day cycle."

Illustration of a star with granulation that also pulsates (from 0:20). Credit: NASA/ESA/M. Kornmesser.

The most important discovery is the detection of the so-called granulation noise in the data. Granulation is the constant boiling of the stellar surface created by the convective motions of the stellar material as it transports energy outward, just like boiling water circulates in a heated pot. We can see these motions in action only on the sun, but we know that basically all cool-temperature stars exhibit convective granulation. That is because the constant "buzzing" of the convective cells, as they appear and disappear on the surface, adds a small, low-frequency noise to the light variations. Indeed, the Kepler space telescope has measured these granulation noise signals in thousands of sun-like stars and red giant stars. But none of those are as large and heavy as V1154 Cyg, and neither of them pulsates. Apart from a very weak, tentative signal in Polaris, no one has ever observed granulation in a Cepheid before.

The exquisite measurements of Kepler revealed that granules, the small individual convective cells, persist for three to four days on average until they run out of material and other granules replace them. This is much longer than the 10- to 20-minute lifetime of the granules seen on the sun, but agrees with what astronomers would expect from a star that is 45 times larger in diameter.

The researchers also expected to find solar-like oscillations, but were unable to make such detections. These are low-level, irregular brightness variations caused by sound waves traveling in the star, like in our sun. "Apparently, the presence of strong pulsation, when the layers of the star move back and forth in unison, prevent these incoherent oscillations from occurring in a Cepheid," Laszlo Molnar (Konkoly Observatory), co-author of the paper, explained.

The astronomers plan to compare their results to other Cepheids, but observations like this are difficult to come by. They require long, frequent, and uninterrupted measurements of brightness variations, something that few space telescopes can provide. As Emese Plachy, another co-author from Konkoly Observatory, said, "The next space mission, TESS, will observe a handful of Cepheids for almost one year, and we expect that at least one of them will be a good target for a similar study. But beyond that, we are left waiting and preparing for the European PLATO mission in the mid-20s."

Explore further A giant stellar void in the Milky Way

More information: Derekas A., et al.: The Kepler Cepheid V1154 Cyg revisited: light curve modulation and detection of granulation, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2016). dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stw2399, Journal information: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Derekas A., et al.: The Kepler Cepheid V1154 Cyg revisited: light curve modulation and detection of granulation,(2016). dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stw2399, arxiv.org/abs/1609.05398
I was talking to a friend who is a longtime hiker one day last week, and we were discussing how popular hiking has become in the Adirondacks. He relayed to me a story that a friend told him of smelling human waste at the top of a crowded High Peak earlier this summer.

So I was not surprised to see a similar anecdote included in this interesting front-page article in the Times-Union on Sunday. But the article raised a lot of issues that are being seen in the woods and mountain peaks these days, issues for which there are no easy solutions. It's great that more people are getting out and exercising. But all that use is coming with a price.

Personally, I seek out places where I won't run into many other people, and there are plenty of them around if you know where and how to look. I'm the same way when fishing. I go into the woods and onto the water for the peace, quiet and solitude.

So what's the solution? Should the state consider a recreational use pass similar to what is done in the White Mountain National Forest and other national forest areas?

Would that weed out a lot of the element that is causing problems in some areas? Many have advocated for such a fee for years, since hunters, anglers and trappers all pay to enjoy their hobbies, while hikers don't. Those trails don't maintain themselves, and the ever-busy forest rangers don't rescue people for the fun of it.

I wouldn't have a problem with a "recreation pass" similar to that which is paid to use the White Mountain forest, with pricetags that vary by use.

Speaking of forest rangers, here is this week's installment of their recent rescue calls.

-- Don Lehman

DEC Statewide Forest Ranger Search and Rescue Highlights

Forest Ranger Actions for 9/19 - 9/25/16

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents statewide. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people from the backcountry.

"Across New York, DEC's Forest Rangers' are on the front lines helping people safely enjoy the great outdoors," said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. "Their knowledge of first aid, land navigation and technical rescue techniques are critical to the success of their missions which take them from remote wilderness areas, with rugged mountainous peaks to white-water rivers, and throughout our vast forested areas statewide."

Recent missions carried out by DEC Forest Rangers include:

Essex County

Town of Keene

High Peaks Wilderness

Distressed hiker: On September 20, 2016 at 2:40 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiking party near the summit of Gothics reporting a 44-year-old man from Harbourton, NJ in medical distress. Dispatch advised the hiking party to stabilize the man and wait for New York State Police Aviation to arrive with DEC Forest Rangers. New York State Police Aviation transported Forest Rangers to Johns Brook Lodge landing zone, but winds prohibited a summit hoist operation. An Assistant Forest Ranger met the hiking party at the summit and helped them begin the descent into Johns Brook. At 9:15 p.m. the hiking party and Forest Rangers reached Johns Brook Lodge. The man declined further medical treatment. The incident concluded at 11:00 p.m.

Town of North Elba

High Peaks Wilderness

Injured hiker: On September 24, 2016 at 4:45 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from Essex County 911 requesting assistance for a 25-year-old woman from Montreal, QC, CA with a lower leg injury approximately one mile from the Marcy Dam outpost. The woman's hiking party carried her out to the Outpost where the Marcy Dam Outpost Caretaker assessed the injury. From there, a DEC Forest Ranger responded on utility terrain vehicle and transported the woman back to the trailhead. She said she would seek medical attention on her own. The incident concluded at 7:02 p.m.

Town of North Elba

High Peaks Wilderness

Injured hiker: On September 24, 2016 at 7:02 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a radio transmission from a DEC Forest Ranger reporting an injured 25-year-old man from Syracuse, NY. A DEC Forest Ranger responded on utility terrain vehicle and transported the man back to the trailhead. He said he would seek medical attention on his own. The incident concluded at 7:42 p.m.

Hamilton County

Town of Indian Lake

Blue Mountain Wild Forest

Overdue fisherman: On September 19, 2016 at 9:15 a.m., a concerned party contacted DEC Ray Brook Dispatch regarding a 50-year-old man from Bolton Landing, NY who did not return from a fishing trip in the Adirondacks the night before as expected. DEC Dispatch advised all field staff in the Adirondacks to be on lookout for the missing person's vehicle. At 11:27 a.m., Warren County 911 reported a ping on the man's cell phone hit the Blue Mountain Lake cell tower, narrowing the search area. At 12:10 p.m., crews located the vehicle on O'Neil Flowage Road in the Blue Mountain Wild Forest. After searching the adjacent pond without any results, additional DEC Forest Rangers and New York State Police Aviation responded to assist. At 2:30 p.m., a DEC Backcountry Steward located the man on Gooley Club Road in the town of Newcomb, approximately 12 miles from his vehicle, in good health.

Town of Indian Lake

Siamese Ponds Wilderness

Injured caver: On September 21, 2016 at 12:23 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a man reporting that his caving partner sustained a head injury while caving in Eagle Cave on Chimney Mountain. Eight DEC Forest Rangers responded to Chimney Mountain to retrieve the injured 24-year-old man from Waterville, NY. New York State Police Aviation and two Advanced Life Support (ALS) medics also responded from Lake Clear to a staged location in Indian Lake. The team rescued the man from the cave using technical rope system operations. Once removed from the cave, Forest Rangers and ALS medics evaluated the man and carried him out via litter to the NYSP Aviation pick up point. From there, the helicopter flew him to the University of Vermont Medical Hospital in Burlington, VT. The incident concluded at 8:02 p.m.

Town of Indian Lake

Blue Mountain Wild Forest

Lost hikers: On September 25, 2016 at 5:19 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from Hamilton County 911 reporting a family of five from the Bronx, lost on the Blue Mountain Lake Snowmobile Trail off the Rock Lake Trail. DEC Forest Rangers, a member of the Hamilton County Sherriff's Office and New York State Police responded. They located the family's vehicle at the Rock Lake Trailhead. Forest Rangers then utilized sirens to determine their location in the woods. Forest Rangers located the family at 8:57 p.m. and assisted them out to their vehicle. The incident concluded at 9:07 p.m.

Jefferson County

Town of Brownville

Perch River Wildlife Management Area

Lost hunter: On September 25, 2016 at 4:32 p.m., DEC Central Dispatch transferred a call to DEC Ray Brook Dispatch from a lost 36-year-old hunter from Watertown, NY. The man reported he was off Route 12 (Bradley Road) in Watertown. He was on his way out of the woods when he became turned around and did not have a map, compass or flashlight. A DEC Forest Ranger responded and used her siren to attempt to help the hunter out of the woods, but that did not work. The Forest Ranger then went into the woods, located the man at 5:56 p.m. and escorted him out. The incident concluded at 6:19 p.m.

Washington County

Town of Dresden

Lake George Wild Forest

Lost hiker: On September 25, 2016 at 4:36 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a 28-year-old man from Sherburne, NY lost on Black Mountain. A DEC Forest Ranger responded, located the man and escorted him out of the woods. He was provided with a courtesy ride via Ranger vehicle to the Hogtown Parking lot. The incident concluded at 6:25 p.m.

Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC's Hiking Safety web page and Adirondack Backcountry Information web page for more information.
Democratic congressional candidate Mike Derrick on Wednesday announced the Sierra Club, a national environmental organization, endorsed his candidacy.

Sierra Club has endorsed candidates in 15 New York House races, all Democrats, according to the group's web site.

Derrick, a retired Army colonel from Peru, in Clinton County, is running in the 21st Congressional District against U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, and Green Party candidate Matt Funiciello, a bread company owner and political activist from Hudson Falls.
U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, on Sept. 22, introduced a resolution "expressing the sense of Congress" that military who served off the coastal seas of Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam War should be eligible for federal benefits for veterans exposed to the chemical Agent Orange.

Stefanik said the proposed resolution dovetails with legislation Rep. Chris Gibson, R-Kinderhook, introduced, and she co-sponsored, to make so-called Blue Water veterans automatically eligible for benefits.

"This resolution continues the push by asking our elected representatives to go on record in support of these heroes," Stefanik said in a press release.

The resolution had six co-sponsors from four states, as of Tuesday -- three Republicans and three Democrats, according to the Library of Congress government information website.

Co-sponsors are:

Rep. Chris Gibson, R-Kinderhook;

Rep. Timothy Walz, D-Minn.;

Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif.;

Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif.;

Rep. Kathleen Rice, D-Nassau County;

Rep. Leonard Lance, R-N.J.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, introduced a companion resolution in the Senate.

Click here to read more about the issue.
GLENS FALLS  The Hyde Collection will offer a closing-day panel discussion on Sunday, designed to coincide with the final opportunity to view its summer exhibition, Durer & Rembrandt: Master Prints from the Collection of Dr. Dorrance Kelly.

The program begins at 2 p.m. in the museums Helen Froehlich Auditorium, and it will be immediately followed by a reception in the Art Studio, where the public can meet the experts and enjoy refreshments.

Moderated by The Hydes director, Erin Coe, the talk will feature Catherine Bindman, an editor and art critic specializing in prints; Armin Kunz, print expert and director of C.G. Boerner LLC in New York City; and Jonathan Canning, curator at The Hyde. The panel will discuss Rembrandt, Durer, the art market and issues associated with collecting Old Master prints.

Durer & Rembrandt attracted more than 6,000 visitors to The Hyde this summer. The exhibition features 29 engravings and woodcuts from Durer, 35 etchings by Rembrandt and 18 printed works by their contemporaries from Kellys private collection.

Admission to the panel discussion is $10 for museum members, and $20 for the general public (including daylong admission to the museum). Please RSVP by emailing adminassist@hydecollection.org.

The program begins at 2 p.m. in the museums Helen Froehlich Auditorium.
Mike Marsh decided to check his voter registration when he was on a political website making a donation earlier this month.

It was a good thing he did.

He was surprised to see it listed him as not registered in New York, even though he thought he had registered at the Warren County office of the state Department of Motor Vehicles when transferring registration of a vehicle and getting a new drivers license in April. The Queensbury resident had moved back to the region from Indiana.

When he contacted the Warren County Board of Elections about the issue, he was told that there appeared to have been issues with at least some of the voter registrations made through the DMV.

Marsh was concerned that others may not know, and the Board of Elections had not advised those who thought they registered of the possible issues.

Warren County Board of Elections Republican Commissioner Mary Beth Casey said her office was preparing a news release on the situation this week, which was forwarded Wednesday to a reporter who called about the matter. She said her office was contacted by a resident who learned their registration through DMV had not gone through.

Any person who applied to be registered to vote or did a change of address through NYS DMV should verify their voting information with their local Board of Elections Office to be sure that their information has been received and processed, the press release reads.

Casey said it was unclear what has been causing the issue. Its possible the box on the DMV form to register as a voter was not clicked, either by the person registering or by DMV staff.

I dont want to cast any aspersions on DMV. Sometimes its a voter error, sometimes its DMV, she said.

She said her office has been getting plenty of new registrations forwarded by the state agency in recent days, so at least some are getting through as they should.

We got 147 new registrations in on Monday that were dated Friday, Casey said.

How the snafu occurred could not be determined Wednesday.

Calls to the Warren County Clerks Office, which operates the DMV, were not returned Wednesday.

A spokesman for the state Department of Motor Vehicles, Rich Meddaugh, said the agency has not been made aware of any issues associated with voter registration applications in Warren County.

DMV forwards voter registration applications made through DMV to the local Board of Elections, where they are processed in accordance with their policies and practices, according to state DMV.

Those who want to vote in the Nov. 8 general election need to register by Oct. 14. Registration can be done through the local Board of Elections, or through the state DMV or Board of Elections websites.
When youre the governor and the man who was for years your closest adviser and friend has been charged with corruption in an investigation of your flagship project, the Buffalo Billion, you cannot get far enough away from the impact of that to avoid the splatter.

Andrew Cuomo has been wounded by the investigation of the Buffalo Billion and charging of his friend and adviser, Joe Percoco. The question is whether its a mortal blow.

For now, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara has not charged Cuomo.

For now, it looks like he could survive the scandal.

In New York, where voters are used to seeing politicians in handcuffs, you cannot count one of them out until he is actually behind bars, and sometimes not even then.

But Cuomo has been hurt, and its an open question whether he would be able to win another gubernatorial race, especially if a reform-minded candidate like Attorney General Eric Schneiderman or even Bharara himself decides to challenge him.

Percoco was by Cuomos side right up until January, and now he is charged with taking bribes to steer state construction contracts to certain companies. But its not just him. Eight others have been charged, including another former Cuomo aide, Todd Howe, who has already pleaded guilty.

Also charged is SUNY Polytechnic Institute President Alain Kaloyeros, a nanotech expert who led efforts by the Cuomo administration to develop upstate as a high-tech mecca. Kaloyeros, who earns more than $800,000 a year, is the states highest paid employee.

Bringing jobs upstate and revitalizing industrial regions fallen on hard times, like Buffalo, was Cuomos signature initiative  the effort he would be most likely to promote during any subsequent political campaign.

But how can he brag now? Buffalo Billion is tainted. The gleaming walls of SUNY Polytechnic are tainted. Because of Percoco, the style as well as the substance of the governors approach to running the state is tainted.

One thing, perhaps, could change the narrative for Cuomo, and that is leadership on ethics reform. Were the governor to push for and pass tough ethics legislation, restricting legislators outside work, closing the LLC loophole, making state agencies responsive to public requests for information, then he could claim to have reacted to this scandal in a constructive way.

But if we get more of the same from the governor  weak or nonexistent ethics reform, obfuscation of public information, promises to change the political culture while continuing to swim in the current of Albany corruption  then he deserves to be hurt by this scandal.

We dont know if Bharara will, in the course of time, come calling for the governor. But even if that doesnt happen, Cuomo must make changes to the corrupt culture he has at least tolerated, or he will be forever associated with it.
He said Ghana will suffer if dependence on oil continued in an interview with Citi FM Tuesday.

If you look at our GDP [Gross Domestic Product] growth, you will realise services is over 60 percent of GDP. Industry and agriculture then shared the rest," he said, adding: Over time, agriculture and industry have taken smaller share of our GDP while services expand.

He continued: Weve intended to rely on oil over the yearsGDP including oil declined whereas GDP of non-oil was slightly higher than oil.

What this tells us clear is that if we over-rely on oil, we may have challenges just like Nigeria.

His comments follow the publication of a report by the Institute of Statistical, Social and Research which said the countrys GDP growth declined last year.

The decline, the report said, continued the dwindling economic growth rate since 2011.

He said the economy of Nigeria slid into recession because of its reliance on oil.

If we dont learn from this experience we are likely to face economic recession in the immediate future, he added.

Moodys yesterday defined Ghanas economic outlook as positive, affirming it with a three B1 rating.

But Prof Quartey explained that Moodys rating is based on the IMF presence.

Ghana has signed onto a three-year aid package deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which is expected to end in 2017.

They are basically relying on the budget deficit. In 2012 if you will recall was over 12 percent of GDP, he said. Currently it has been reduced considerably. Base on that, that is how come they [Moodys] tell us that we have a stable outlook.

He said, that does not mean that key productive sectors of the economy are doing quite well or doing quite better.
The petition has seen people from various walks of life and different countries signing it and making some remarks in the comments section.

Academics at the University of Ghana are demanding a statue of "racist" Gandhi be pulled down.

Professor of African and Gender Studies at the University of Ghana, Akosua Adomako Ampofo, Dr Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua a senior lecturer at the University of Ghana, and Dr Obadele Kambon, a research fellow and Editor-in-Chief of the Ghana Journal of Linguistics wrote the petition.

READ ALSO: Pulling down statue could sever ties with India

Meanwhile, the University of Ghana has indicated that it will consider the petition being signed by some lecturers and students of the institution if they present it to the members of the University of Ghana Council.

Director of Public Affairs at the University Mrs Stella Amoa explained that the university is an academic community that encourages intellectual debates.

Amoa promised that the University authorities will not victimise any member of their community who signs the petition.

The statue was erected on June 14 this year at the recreational quadrangle; it was donated by India's president Pranab Mukherjee when he visited the campus.
The event, on Saturday, 24 September, 2016, brought together female students from age eight and above to listen and interact with accomplished women in the aviation sector.

Participants toured the air force base and learned about the different types of aircraft and what they are used for. They also had access to air traffic control simulators and took part in a networking session with female pilots and other women and men involved in the aviation industry.

GIAD is an international event instituted by Women in Aviation International (WAI). Chairing the programme, Mrs. Juliet Aboagye Wiafe, the President of WAI Ghana Chapter, spoke on the theme: Connect, Explore and Experience.

She said the WAI initiative was aimed at enabling girls to see exciting careers available to them as traffic controllers, marshallers, pilots, cabin attendants and engineers within the aviation community.

The programme was being held for the first time in Ghana, and was designed to give girls the opportunity to network with their female counterparts in aviation and explore careers in aviation and the aerospace industry.

Wisconsin student Brenda Ofosumehaa, said: Before, I had the interest to be a flight attendant but it drew my attention to other options. I now wish to be a pilot.

I got to learn that anyone, regardless of what course they studied, can take some courses in the aviation school and pursue a career in aviation.

The Level 400 Business Studies student praised the initiative and said more such programmes should be organised so that more females can get to know the kinds of things she learned.
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Since 2015, Moodys has rated the Ghanaian economy at B3/ negative.

The first is the countrys debt reduction and reforms. The second is reduction in government liquidity risk and the third is improved balance of payment dynamics and development in the countrys oil and gas sector.

It said the first is the "significant deficit reduction and institutional reform implementation over the past year under the umbrella of the three-year IMF programme which started in April 2015".

Second is the "Reduced government liquidity risk on the external side after the successful issuance of a recent $750 million Eurobond in earmarked to redeem the remaining $400 million October 2017 Eurobond maturity."

The third is improve payment dynamics and development in the countrys oil and gas sector which has attracted high foreign direct investment, reduced currency volatility and supporting buffer reserves.

Reacting to the report, Finance Minister Seth Terker said the government's home grown policies and the IMF programme are yielding results.

The factors that are leading to the upgrade are the IMF programme, the home grown policies and the general performance of the economy as a whole. What we have seen is the downgrade stopping, and we remaining at our ratings.
This is not the first time the hospital has had to suspend new cases over the shortage of food and medical supplies.

The hospital announced on August 3, 2016, that it had suspended admission of patients into the facility over a GHc4.1 million debt.

READ ALSO: Admission of patients suspended

The Ministry of Health subsequently intervened and released an amount of 1.5 million Ghana cedis to be shared equally among the three Psychiatric hospitals, namely Pantang, Ankaful and Accra, to offset some of the debt owed suppliers.

Emmanuel Febiri, a nurse and member of the Public Affairs directorate at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital has however told Pulse.com.gh that the amount is not enough, and hence the decision to suspend admission for new cases, as well as, operations at its Outpatient department.

The amount involved was 4.2 million Ghana cedis and out of that we were given only 521,000 Ghana cedis, and that money that was given too came with specific instructions that we should pay our suppliers. So the management paid the suppliers hoping that they will come back but they are also saying that the money is woefully inadequate and so not until the entire money is paid, they are not coming back to supply us with the logistics that we need, Febiri explained.

He added that calls on the government to intervene have proved futile and hence we are not admitting anyone except those who are on admission that we are taking care of.

As I speak to you, common things like pens, books, gloves, weve run out of them...there are no medications as well, he said.
He noted that the police have identified 5,000 flash points in the country, which according to Supt. Arthur are prone to issues such as murder, robbery, chieftaincy related conflicts among others.

READ ALSO:Police reassignment Police administration refutes political motives for reshuffles

Supt. Arthur believes that the country will come out of the elections safely if Ghanaians abide by the rules and regulations governing the country.

He therefore called on Ghanaians not to partake in activities which will compromise the peace the country is currently enjoying.

Our pepper sprays, tear gas, cannons and other accoutrements are ready to be unleashed on election wreckers who will steal ballot boxes, he said.

Citizens should channel all their grievances to the appropriate quarters than taking the law into their own hands, he advised.

DSP Cephas Arthur, who spoke on Kumasi-based Abusua FM, called on journalists to be circumspect in their reportage before, during and after the election.

He guaranteed that his outfit is poised to protect and maintain peace in the country during this electioneering season.
Peres was the ninth President of Israel, serving from 2007 to 2014.

Mr Peres won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 for his role in negotiating the Oslo peace accords with the Palestinians a year earlier, a prize he shared with Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

He died in a hospital near Tel Aviv early on Wednesday, September 28.

Some of the world's most powerful figures will be at the service in Jerusalem on Friday, including US President Barack Obama.

Mr Peres's condition had deteriorated after suffering a stroke some weeks ago.
Confirming the incident to Pulse.com.gh, the Accra Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Afia Tenge said the deceased person, identified only as Razak, is alleged to be among three armed men who attacked one Bismark Attoh over the piece of land.

She indicated that the said piece of land has been under litigation between Bismark Attoh and Ebenezer Ekow Agaim for years now.

One person who also sustained gunshot wounds has been admitted at the 37 Military Hospital receiving treatment.

READ ALSO: Nigerian stabbed to death over stolen tooth brush

The body of Razak been deposited at the Police Hospital for preservation.

Narrating the incident, ASP Afia Tenge said Ebenezer Ekow Agaim, one of the suspects in the case allegedly led the three armed men to the said piece of land on September 26, 2016 around 8 pm.

We had information from the complainant who is now a suspect in this case; it was in the evening around 8 that where he lives there is a portion of land between him and the neighbours house. Both of them have been fighting over the piece of land for some time until that unfortunate evening when he himself led three more men to that parcel of land. Apparently, they had brought a truck of stones to that piece of land. So they confronted Bismark, who is also an interested party in the land case. It happened that when they were coming they had armed themselves already knowing who Bismark was. They had armed themselves with knives. They overpowered him and brutalised him [Bismark], she said.

ASP Tenge said Bismark Attoh, immediately after being attacked, brought out a pump action gun and fired the weapon indiscriminately at them.

Razak, one of the three men, died from the gunshot wounds, with one other sustaining injuries, she said.

The one who allegedly shot Razak [Bismark] together with the building contractor who allegedly brought the three of them to confront Bismark are in the custody of the police, pending further investigations, ASP Tenge added.
READ ALSO: RTI Passage

The president said the Bill has been at the committee level, the committee decided to go around the country and consult on the Freedom of Information bill. Some say it is too liberal; some say it is too tight, and it should be made more liberal and so Parliament is still working on it. It was submitted to Parliament in the term of the last president, and it has continued in my term, and I believe that it is something that we should complete and make available so that people will have a legal basis for demanding information if there is a reluctance to give the information to them.

But Osei-Owusu, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Bekwai constituency, said Mahamas comments are only hypocritical.

When the president says he is frustrated, I know the president also knows that anytime the executive considers something a priority, it gets done so if it were their priority, it would have been done, he said on Accra-based Citi FM.

He said after this Bill, much more voluminous bills have been passed. It came, they did it day by day till late; new income tax amendment bill, new taxing Bill, they were all done, when a government places a priority on it, it gets done. He [President Mahama] knows that the people who determine the business of the house are people on his side so if he truly is frustrated he knows who to talk to.

The Right to Information Coalition on Monday expressed disappointment in government for failing to ensure the passage of the Bill.

READ ALSO: Right to Information Bill

According to the Coalition, President Mahama has not demonstrated a strong commitment to the passage of the RTI Bill, despite his partys promises in their 2008 and 2012 manifestos.

Parliament began the consideration of the Bill which has been before the House since 2013.
We continue to have issues, which mean that women are under-represented in party leadership and in primaries. Therefore, women are consequently underrepresented in parliament. We are currently below the UN level by far. We are looking at percentages of sometimes between 7-10 per cent. So what we are saying is that it is bad. Abantu has been too diplomatic but Im going to say it is bad, its awful and we need to do better because representation matters and the processes by which parties may ensure inclusion and ensure that women participate are very important because it is the parties that pick the leaders. So, at the party level, if we are not ensuring that a lot more women are included in party structures and party leadershipthen we are not going to get adequate representation of women, the daughter of the respected writer Ama Ata Aidoo stated.
He said Nana Akufo Addo is an ordinary human being and hence wonders why supporters of the NPP are scared to criticise their leader.

Mr Ayariga said: I made my first $1million at the age of 24 without working with any government. I have never been in a government position; I have never worked as a Minister for you to say I have stolen government money. I built my first house at the age of 22; at age 72, my senior and my father, Nana Akufo-Addo, is still living in his fathers house. At this age 72, I would have retired from politics and been advising young men of this country to move this country forward and not contest with them anymore.

His comments received condemnation from supporters of the NPP, with the MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, threatening to slap the APC leader.

READ ALSO:

But commenting on the matter, Hassan Ayariga said the supposed threats from the NPP will not stop him from attacking Nana Akufo Addo.

They think their Nana Addo is godlook, hes nobody, hes not god. I want the NPP to know that if Nana Addo was what they think he is, he would have won elections for them, hes nobody, hes an ordinary human being. Nana Addo is not an exception, he insults President Mahama everyday nobody says anything.
The two contestants in the elections, Nana Adum-hene and Nana Kofi Senya, were both asked to step down for a peaceful election, a plea they considered, paving way for new nominations to be made.

Out of the four new aspirants, one stepped down leaving Michael Adusei Bonsu, Abraham Boadi, and Poku Obeng, to contest the poll for a new presiding member.

After the elections, Boadi polled 65 votes with Bonsu and Obeng polling 59 and 2 votes respectively.

There are considerations that the contestant with the highest number of votes is allowed to stand for a yes or no vote.

READ ALSO: Exchange of blows at election of KMA Presiding Member

Earlier on Tuesday, the Assembly member for Ayigya electoral area in the Ashanti Region, Abdullah Muaza traded blows with and a known serial caller of the governing National Democratic Congress, Yakubu Tony Aidoo.

The brawl ensued after Tony Yakubu Aidoo allegedly accused the Assembly members of the metropolis of being corrupt.

Assembly elections are to be non-partisan as stipulated in the constitution, but political parties are usually involved in the elections behind the scenes.

The governing National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party have been blamed for the bloody fight for a new presiding member in the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly.
The worlds most populous country, China, has Huawei, Oppo and Vivo holding sway respectively in a market that has about the stiffest competition globally. But, how about in Africa? Data from recent research shows that TECNO Mobile has crawled its way up to dominate the African mobile space, doing remarkably well in its ten years of existence to emerge as the local king in Africas mobile industry.

Meet TECNO Mobile

TECNO Mobile needs no introduction, definitely not in Africa. The dynamic mobile multinational has definitely done well for itself in the African market. In 2006, TECNO entered the Africa mobile market sphere and its 10 years stay, has covered more than 35 countries while dominating major markets such as Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, Cameroon, Ghana and so on.

However, after the African mobile market dominance, TECNO aimed at expanding this feat to other parts of the world and it succeeded. Today, TECNO has extended its web to more than 48 countries around the world, across the Middle East, South East Asia and South America  this has made TECNO one of the mobile brands to reckon with, not just in Africa but also around the world.

Partnership with famous brands all over the world

As a company that thinks outside the box, TECNO strategically partnered with some top-ranking brands such as, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, MTN, Tigo, Airtel, Etisalat, Sony, Jumia, slot, Android, Mediatek etc. to continue keeping up with its maxim of giving its esteemed customers the best.

Why has TECNO been so successful in Africa?

Understanding the market is key to a brands success and TECNO brand has understood the need for African consumers. Year on year, the Asian multinational rolled out smartphone products targeted at different market segments and pegged at the right price. Quality is never compromised on TECNO products because at the core to the brands philosophy is innovation that is geared to keep product quality at par with global best as more mobile consumers embrace the brand.

In November 2007, TECNO released Africas first dual SIM phone the T780 to address the then problem of people carrying around several mobile phones due to poor Telecoms network infrastructure in the continent at the time.

Apart from the dual SIM cards, TECNOs smartphones are reliable and the average life span of every TECNO product could last for over three years. With this exploit, in 2010, TECNO was ranked among the top three brands in Africa also, according to a survey carried out in 2011, six out of every ten African use a TECNO dual SIM phone, this further increased TECNOs market share to more than 27% within its dominant markets.

Smartphone tailored for every need

Understanding that several mobile users have specific needs that regular smartphones cannot totally satisfy, TECNO has three mobile series that are tailored to satisfy a special need. They are:

BOOM series (music lovers): TECNO Boom smartphone series liaises with Boom Maxx to provide rich, crispy sound and allows users feel the perfect mega bass. The Boom player on the TECNO Boom smartphone comes with a free digital content (Music & Video) application that allows music lovers to access a huge catalogue of music and videos from their favorite African and International artistes. The Boom player is preinstalled with over 300,000 songs from over 4,000 signed artistes across Africa.

CAMON series (Photo lovers): TECNO Camon series provides the excellent capture experience. A lot of mobile users face the problem of capturing very high definition pictures in low light environment. Since the release of the TECNO CAMON Series, from the 5MP on the Camon C5, 8MP on the Camon C8 to the dual 13MP on the Camon C9, that limitation has been surpassed as TECNO had up to 500 professional engineers working for more than 285 days to produce the most suitable low-light camera on the Camon.

Phantom series (high-level business consumers): The TECNO Phantom Series, which is one of the best-reviewed annual flagships from the stable of TECNO, always drops with unconventional upgrades on mobile specifications. The TECNO Phantom brands have proven in five years of its official rollout, that the product line is as competitive and appealing as any other top smartphone brand in the African market. And much to the TECNO brands delight, consumers are taking a liking for TECNO Phantom products. In 2014, TECNO Phantom Z was rated the best smartphone in the Ghanaian mobile space; marking the second year in a roll for a Phantom to cart away the same award in Ghana. This years phantom edition, the TECNO Phantom 6, will be launched later this month and is said to be the slimmest smartphone with dual rear lens camera.

TECNO: A brand with the best after-sales service for AfricaFor the satisfaction of consumers, there is a special after-sales service center for every TECNO consumer. In the Nigerian market, there are 95 after-sales service centers in more than 60 cities in the country with over 400 local employees, that have been put on standby to attend to any after sale complaint whatsoever.

TECNO consumers who have an issue with their phone after just 3 days of purchase stand a chance of having their phone replaced and if the damage is not serious then, their device would be repaired within 12 hours.

TECNO: The most consumer-centric mobile brand in Africa

The community-centered business takes responsibility for society

As a brand that believes in giving back, TECNO does all it can to take care of its host communities. It takes its various CSR projects very seriously and imbibes the CSR culture in its business module across its markets. Through their various life-touching projects, TECNO has empowered several people. Some of such project is the Light Up Ikeja initiative; a CSR project executed in the first quarter of 2016 where TECNO installed Eighty plus (80+) solar-powered streetlights in the Ikeja electronic market (Popularly called Computer village) and its environs to help with the security challenges faced in the area. Other Corporate Social Responsibility projects executed by TECNO include: scholarships for pupils in public primary schools in Nigeria (Lagos), support of the Michael Essien Foundation in Ghana, amongst others.
Soft-sell magazine Encomium reported that he was actually arrested by security agents following a robbery and homicide case.

The publication reported that the actor was arrested by the security agents wielding guns arrested him at his home. It revealed that after his release that same day he told his neighbours,  that his personal assistant bought a stolen phone from Computer Village in Ikeja, and the thieves reportedly killed one of the victims of the robbery.

Today, September 28, 2016, Ikeagwu released a statement on Instagram about his arrest:

"Just to clear the air, I have this to say. I was literally abducted at gunpoint by earring wearing men purported to be policemen (they were five) in an unmarked Hiace bus with civilian number plates and fake identity cards.

"They first claimed to be working on an abduction Abuja case which changed to a robbery case, all while in transit. Even on getting to the police station I was not allowed to go into the premises but was held outside. I repeatedly asked to go into the station where I'd feel safer to ask whatever questions that were burning in my mind regarding my traumatic experience. It did not happen. Instead they told me a phone used for a kidnap was being sought for,later the story changed to robbery then back to kidnap.

"As I write this piece I have not written any police statement in any police station which strikes me as very odd. I'm still wondering why I was molested and kidnapped just because a purported phone no was supposedly tracked to phone.

"Why would they have to harass me when they already had details of the buyer and seller of the phone? In a legitimate situation,the seller of the stolen phone should be the key witness in this investigation, but in this case the police are till now very reluctant to meet the seller. I know there are mysteries I need to unravel in this case and I will try to get answers to them.

"It's so pathetic that one can get bad publicity from Nigerian media just because they're so much in a hurry to copy that they forget the importance of confirmation from all the parties involved.

"Publishing a story based solely on a neighbour's account isn't true journalism, that's pure gossip and slander. We need real facts from the media and we need protection from the police and not molestation".

He also shared a video on Instagram detailing what went down.

Ikeagwu recently got married to make-up artiste Ijeoma Eze on June 25, 2016 in Lagos.
No details of the photos have been made public but newspapers have speculated they include images of the Duchess, Kate Middleton, her husband Prince William and the couple's children Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who are currently touring Canada.

The injunction obtained at the High Court by Pippa Middleton, 33, and her fiance James Matthews, 40, blocks publication of the photos.

"The evidence points towards its having been a flagrant and dishonest act which has caused the claimant some considerable distress," said Middleton's lawyer, Adam Wolanski.

Neither Middleton nor Matthews were in court.

Website designer Nathan Wyatt, 35, of Wellingborough, in the county of Northamptonshire in central England, has been arrested and bailed on suspicion of a Computer Misuse Act offence in connection with the case.
Michael Jackson shot one of his most controversial music videos here. It is definitely a sight for sore eyes! I am proud to be on this great journey to sustainable CLEAN energy. We flew all the way to Rio to meet the entrepreneurs and experience their innovations firsthand! Physics and furthermaths formulas are not a waste after all #Favela #RIO #brazil.
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!
The organizers had facilitators who are budding fashion entrepreneurs, enthusiasts and from the creative industry include Adejoke Rukky Ladoja of Grey Projects, Adebayo Oke-Lawal of Orange Culture, Isoken Ogiemwonyi of Zazaii, Wana Udoabang a journalist, Ogwa Iweze of Dyzn, Halima Yunusa of 41Luxe, Akpos Okudu a designerand Chioma Nwuko of Juwal Collections in Lagos, Abuja, Calabar and Enugu who took participants through how to earn a living in the fashion industry.

The workshop kicked off on 15th through 24th September 2016 across selected states in Nigeria. The conversation featured presentations from the seven facilitators as well Londe Thompson of Style House Files and Jennifer Onochie of British Council who highlighted the painstaking business of creating a fashion label that is not often discussed widely.

Creativity is such a small part of building a fashion brand, said Adebayo Oke-Lawal took the participants through "The Value Chain of creating a brand" Adebayo hammered on the importance of marketing, quality production and good business acumen in the overall success of a fashion brand.

Another point, which was echoed by both Rukky of Grey and Adebayo of Orange Culture was the importance of knowing target demographic as a designer. Orange Culture, which caters to what the designer calls a creative class of men has created a niche market for itself, because of its distinct approach to menswear.

Similar to Orange Culture, Rukky Ladoja has also found a way to distinguish herself and her brand in the saturated world of womenswear by publicising Grey Projects as a brand that prioritizes both design and functionality I make clothes that a woman is able to live her life in Rukky revealed.

During the question and answer portion of the event, questions about the woes of being a Nigerian designer in the current economic ecosystem and the pitfalls of producing in bulk were posed to the panelists where they were told to be strategic and the economic situation will work for you, by Londe.

ALSO READ:5 fast rising fashion brands to look out for

For attendees who were not particularly interested in fashion designing, a lot of time was spent on the plethora of careers that are available in the fashion industry. Adebayo noted that he had tried his hand at almost every fashion career before permanently settling as a designer.

On the importance of public education events like the Fashion Focus x Creative Hustle series, Adebayo noted I think seminars like this are very beneficial because it gives designers the knowledge they need. A lot of young designers encounter foundational issues because they start a brand and dont know the rooting of the brand or other important things. Seminars like this give young designers an opportunity to learn and go back and correct their foundational mistakes.
Atebubu-Amantin Police Commander Chief Superintendent Joseph Atsu Dzinaku said his outfit received information that the suspect has been pestering the student to be his friend through social media.

READ ALSO: Sani Mohammed

He indicated that the teacher, who admitted that he has been an active homosexual since 2003, has been having anal sex with some unnamed students and indigenes.

Chief Supt. Joseph Atsu Dzinaku said after receiving the information, the police trailed him and arrested him.

The teacher has since been remanded into Police custody by the Atebubu Amantin court.
"I want to apologize to many people who are so sick about that statement. I am so sorry. It wasn't intentional. The way the questions was thrown to me I just said what was in my mind" said Bobrisky during his live interview with Pulse TV.

In the interview he said he is in support of the anti-gay law in Nigeria which angered popular Nigerian LGBT activist Bisi Alimi. After apologizing Bobrisky went on to say that it is still important to have kids irrespective of a person's sexual orientation.

"You can have fun from now to whenever you like. I think it is very, very important to have your own kids. You can do whatever you want but just make sure you have your own kids that will call you father. Always try and remember that when you are growing old, you would want your kids to bury you. And don't let the fun you are having overwhelm you" he said.

He went on to personally apologize to Bisi Alimi and also revealed he had earlier reached out to him via Instagram. In another clip Bobrisky told Pulse on why he bleached his skin and started wearing make up.
Narrating his ordeal to Punch Newspaper, Pastor Rockson said the hospital had also detained his wife, Chinasa, over the payment of N50,000, adding that efforts to clear the bill had been frustrated by the hospital.

It was gathered that 42-year-old Chinasa's journey to the affliction began after she was referred to the hospital on August 26, 2016, when the hospital where she had her antenatal care could not deliver her of her baby.

The hospital thereafter, began a caesarean section operation on the woman after her husband signed some documents to perfect the terms but hours into the operation, Pastor Rockson said he was called into the theater to sign another document, adding that nobody told him it was for the removal of his wifes womb.

They charged N200, 000 for the operation and we negotiated for N150,000. I paid a deposit of N30,000 and they started the operation.

They asked me to sign some papers, which I did. Some hours later, a surgeon said there had been complications and I would need to sign another document.

He didnt tell me what I was signing for or the implications. Because I was in a haste to get my wife saved, I signed the document.

After some time, they brought out my wife from the theater with a pipe attached to her bladder. We became worried when we discovered that a few days afterward, they didnt remove the pipe.

After a week, they said I should come and clear my bill of N50,000 so they could discharge her. I called a senior pastor, who presented them with a cheque.

But they said they would keep her for the two weeks that the cheque would be ready to be cashed.

The truth of the matter was exposed after the victim's sister-in-law visited her at the hospital and demanded to know from the management why the pipe had yet to be removed, with the hospital telling her that Chinansas womb had been removed and her bladder damaged.

Lawyer to the Rockson family, Chris Ogbedeneto, in a petition to the state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, called for a thorough investigation into the case.

Why should there be a second signing? They scared the husband with the sight of his wife in a pool of blood and did not let him know what he was signing for.

What is the relationship between the womb and the bladder and why does the hospitals director now want to discharge the woman when it is obvious that her life is in danger?

The doctors action can breach the peace of the community if urgent actions are not taken. Our client feels debased and suffers a mental and psychological trauma on realizing that the wifes womb has been cut off and the bladder affected without his consent and his wife cannot control her urine anymore, Ogbedeno said.

But the hospital has denied any wrongdoing in the matter, saying the woman was in a bad shape when she was rushed to the hospital and they did all they could to save her life.

A director at the hospital, Dr. Femi Obileyi, said the mother of four could have died but for the quick intervention of the hospital.

We are known for a standard in the area where we operate and that is why we enjoy a lot of patronages.

The woman in question had been mismanaged ab initio. She burst her womb in the first hospital where she registered. They pressed her womb to force the baby out and that action ruptured the womb.

When she was brought to us, she was bleeding because the labour had become obstructed. We discovered that to save her life, we would need to do a surgery. At surgery, we discovered that her uterus had burst, which had also affected her bladder.

We first stopped the bleeding and then made some repairs. It was after all these that we discovered she could not control her urine."

"When they came to us, they had issues with money, which we didnt allow to be a barrier. We admitted her and did everything possible to save her life. We cant imagine that after saving her life, the family will turn around to fight us.
ALSO READ: Robbery suspect says bank staff gives them information on customers

The sordid incident reportedly took place in Afghanistans embattled northern Kunduz province on Tuesday, September 27.

The spokesman for the ministry of defence, Gen. Dawlat Wazir, disclosed that investigation has been launched by the ministry into the incident.

He said, The two soldiers deserted the small base after killing their fellow troops in Zakhil area on the outskirts of Kunduz city, the capital of the province.

We have sent a team to the area to investigate the matter."

The Taliban have reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack, adding that the base was attacked by members of its troops and seized all their weapons.
The SAPS had declared Oba wanted in the murder which happened in an apartment in Cape Town and posted a picture of the suspect on its official website, urging anyone with useful information that could lead to his arrest to come forward.

But just a day later, it was reported that Oba was arrested in his hideout while he was planning to escape from the country.
ALSO READ: Four suspects arrested in connection with murdered catholic priest

Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday, September 28 in Nnewi, the Director of Communications at the Catholic Diocese, Rev. Fr. Hygi Aghaulor, said that Dim was kidnapped on September 26 by suspected Fulani herdsmen who were armed.

Aghaulor also said that the kidnap occurred at about 7 p.m. along the Nkpologwu-Nimbo road.

Appealing to the Federal Government and security agencies to assist with the priest's release, Aghaulor revealed that the Catholic Bishops Conference has given a directive that no ransom be paid.

According to him, two other priests who were also in the vehicle at the time of the attack, Rev. Fr. Jude Chukwuneke and Rev. Fr. Jude Ezeokana, managed to escape the scene with varying degrees of gunshot wounds.

The three catholic priests were on their way back from Nsukka to Onitsha and Nnewi following a condolence visit to Rev. Fr. Uchenna Ezeh of Nsukka Diocese who had just lost his mother.

ALSO READ: Kidnapped catholic priest regains freedom in Edo

Aghaulor added that Ezeokana, who is a lecturer in both Fr. Tansi Seminary and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, received some treatment in Nsukka but is now managing his wounds in Awka, while Chukwuneke, the Chaplain of St. Camilus de Lellis Chaplaincy at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi, who was shot in the head is currently receiving treatment at the institutions teaching hospital in Nnewi.

Aghaulor said, We call on people of goodwill to continue to pray for the immediate release of the Vincentian priest.
But it was not so good for one of the kidnappers, Aondolumum Nyimkaan, who was nabbed while others escaped from the scene.

According to eyewitnesses, Nyimkaan had gone into the premises of the St. Michaels Nursery and Primary School, Aliade, while his gang members waited outside the school.

After snatching the child, Nyimkaan allegedly tried to flee through the bush to meet his gang members when some members of the community saw him and raised an alarm which brought CJTF men who went after him and arrested him in the bush.
Read her pathetic story here:

"My name is Linda and I am a 32-year-old lady. I have been married to Jude, for seven years but it seems my marriage is heading for the rocks because of a co-worker who took advantage of my drunken state to sleep with me during our company's end of the year party.

The party was an all night event and we had a lot to eat and drink since our company had made a lot of profit last year and the directors decided to give us a great treat.

I invited my younger sister to take care of my three children with the idea that Jude will go with me to the party but at the last minute, something happened and he could not make it.

But he insisted I went to the party and if it is too late, should get a place to sleep. That is how much Jude trusts me because he knows I have never misbehaved since we got married.

We partied far into the night and I was a little bit tipsy by the time the party ended at around 2am and it was virtually impossible for me to get a cab home. My colleague, Desmond, offered to get a hotel for me to spend the night.

In my drunken state, I accepted it because Desmond has always been a nice guy and is a married man himself. Little did I know that he had a devilish plan in his mind.

He helped me into his car and within a short while, we were in the hotel and he paid for a room. By the time he managed to get me into the room, I was already very drunk and hardly aware of my environment.

Such was my surprise when I woke up the next morning to find Desmond naked beside me on the bed. I was also naked and sticky in my private parts. I quickly pulled the bedspread and covered myself before waking Desmond to ask him what he was doing on the bed naked.

He just smiled sheepishly and told me he was sure I enjoyed the sex. I screamed at him and vowed to report him to the management and the police but he leered at me, saying no one would believe me.

I managed to get home and did my best to hide the incident from my husband but since then, Desmond has not allowed me to have peace of mind. He keeps telling me he would love to continue to have sex with me or her would tell my husband.

When I called his bluff, he opened his phone gallery and showed me my naked photos, and some with him on top of me. To make matters worse, the pictures did not show that I was being raped as it seemed I was enjoying everything.

He has not stopped tormenting me and threatening to send the photos to my husband.

I am really fed up of the situation and do not know what to do.

Linda."

How Nigeria voted?

I will report him to the police - 4%

I will report him to the management - 5%

I will confess what happened to my husband - 82%

I will just resign from that office - 14%
Mr Dennis Mordi, the Communication Manager, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), announced this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the project aims at improving the diagnosis of HIV in babies and that both adults and babies who tested positive are promptly placed on treatment.

Mordi stated that the initiative would institutionalise structured process of using data, collected at health facilities, to facilitate informed decision-making at the national level for improved service delivery.

A standard operating procedure (SOP) to guide the implementation of the projects, will be unveiled during the meeting, he stated.

The statement quoted Mrs Chinenye Ugorji, the Project Director of the Nigerian Alliance for Health Systems Strengthening (NAHSS), as saying that the SOP will increase quick identification of service delivery gaps.

Ugorji noted that the initiatives would explore and improve early infant diagnosis and initiate anti-retroviral therapy among infants and adults exposed to HIV.

She also said that the SOP was developed by the Federal Ministry of Health with technical assistance from the University of Maryland, U.S.

It is also being implemented in collaboration with other U.S. Government-funded implementing partners.

NAHSS is being implemented by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention with a grant provided by the University of Maryland.

The centre is partnering with the Federal Ministry of Health to develop the NigeriaQual Programme, she was quoted as saying.

Ugorji added that states and health facilities committed to the implementation of the National Quality Management Programme (NigeriaQual) would be given award during the launching.

The award is the first of its kind and showcases the birth of a national reward system for recognising dedication to the delivery of high quality health services.
Jibrin said Let me say, I will never ever apologise to anybody in the house of representatives, I did not commit any offence, I did not abuse my office. I have said it repeatedly that in the five years that I have served in the house of representatives, I have never corruptedly enriched myself.

This is coming on the heels of the lawmakers suspension from the Green Chambers for 180 days.

Jibrin also said The most important thing is that Nigerians saw the entire process, how the motion was passed and what transpired at the level of the ethics committee and entirely the process was flawed and for me its a non-issue and complete nonsense and it is not going to stand anywhere in the world.

As you are aware the matter is a subject of litigation, I have instructed my lawyer, Femi Falana SAN to file charges of contempt against Speaker Dogara and of course the house of representatives and Im sure the matter will move over to the judiciary and decision will be taken. Im pretty sure it will be in my favour.
The ex-police boss died on Monday, September 26, 2016, according to a statement from the family.

Ambode, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, said Sir Inyang who rose from the rank of recruit to be Inspector General, was one of the best police chiefs this country has had over the years. Despite the high wave of crime that characterised the period he was in the saddle, he was dogged and consistent in his quest to bring the activities of a notorious armed robbery gang led by Lawrence Anini and his cohorts to a halt. Former IGP Etim Inyang Former IGP Etim Inyang.

Though his stint as the Inspector General of Police was short, he contributed his quota to the entrenchment of peace and security across the country. He succeeded in initiating the manhunt for Anini which eventually paid off under his successor.

On behalf of the good people of Lagos State, I wish to convey my deepest condolences to the family of the deceased, the Governor said.

ALSO READ: Lagos govt says Ambode is not in Edo state
In a statement issued by Col. Sani Usman, acting Director, Army Public Relations, said the troops had also wounded several others in the fight which lasted for about an hour.

The troops hand held radio was, however, badly damaged during the encounter, Usman said.

Usman said two AK-47 rifles, two hand grenades, one Improvised Explosive Device (IEDs), five jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit and nine motorcycles were recovered from the terrorists.
He was sentenced to four life terms plus 50 years without parole, and is currently at the Supermax federal prison in Colorado.

Oshiomhole made this allegation while speaking with the United States Consul General, Mr F John Bray, who paid him a courtesy visit.

The Governor said The foundation for credible election is the voters register. Once the voters register is manipulated, then you have problems.

Right now, we have evidence of two versions of voters register  the one they have officially distributed and the one that some elements within the ICT in INEC have also produced in Abuja.

And what they have done in the past, which we hear they want to re-enact again, is that whereas they will display one voters register which is reasonably accurate, there are still some flaws but let me say it is about 85 percent accurate, they also have a fake one which they intend to bring and spring a surprise in certain locations where they believe that they have no chance, and when the voters go there and you find a voters register different from the one that you know, there will be confusion in those voting centres.

At the end, you may end up having peoples voice level going up and one thing leading to the other, and you could have violence. We will show you those samples between the one that we know and the one we have gotten through our intelligence and I want to give a copy to the embassy, and so you can study it and see it. That, for me, is the only thing I am worried about.

Adding that If the INEC has two versions of voters register and they display one officially, then we have a problem. And the reason why this is extremely worrisome for me is that in my election in 2012, INEC tried to use this method to disenfranchise many of our supporters.

For example, I was shocked to find the portrait of Mr Abdulmutalab, and that will interest your Excellency, the young man who has been jailed in the US for a terrorist act. His portrait is in the fake voters register with a Benin name under it. I am sure if you look at the face, if we dont know the face, you the US officials know the face. And you find the name under it, that it is a Benin name in Ovia South West.

He said INEC has enlisted some members of the opposition as election observers.

Last night, in my local government, one of the PDP leaders, who incidentally is on the list of INEC observers, I can be very specific, one Tenebe. We have information that he got boys around and they were shooting but the police went to apprehend them; they engaged the police in a shooting.

The police had to go and reinforce. As we speak, I dont have information as to how that was settled. If you have people like this engaged in violence, then it poses a challenge.

Unfortunately, it takes more than one hand in this case to achieve a free and fair election. All the political parties must be committed to putting away this thing, Oshiomhole said.
The Comptroller, Mr Tinuoye Olumide, disclosed this during a visit by the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Olufumilayo Atilade, to the prison built in 1955.

There are so far 321 convicts and about 2,037 awaiting-trial inmates.

The capacity of the prison is 800, and about three weeks ago when I came into the prison at about 1.00 a.m, I saw the way the inmates were sleeping, and honestly, I felt pity for them, he said.

He, therefore, called for the upgrade of the four prisons in the state to enhance the living condition of inmates.

The News Agency 0f Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit is part of activities to mark the commencement of a new legal year in the state.

Olumide commended the chief judge for the routine visit to the prisons which, he said, had facilitated the release of many inmates.

He urged the judiciary to continue to work tirelessly in a bid to decongest the prisons.

I appreciate His lordship for this visit to the prison in this new legal year, and I believe that the year will yield more positive results for us all.

He added:The inmates are not kept in the prisons as punishment, but as a correctional centre.

If it is possible for the prisons to be upgraded, then, I honestly urge same.

Olumide also bemoaned the number of pending cases in courts, adding that it has posed serious problem for the prison authorities as the number had been on the increase.

Some of these cases end up pending for three to four years, and the prison authorities have little or nothing to do about it.

Olumide said the situation had led the prison authorities to set up the Three R club aimed at reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration.

When you go to the maximum prison, you find that some of the inmates on life imprisonment are not just graduates, but also undergoing their masters degree programmes.

This is the result of the reformation programme in the prisons, he said.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the accusation in a statement he issued on Wednesday in Abuja.

The statement is in response to a publication by the weekly magazine on Change Begins With Me campaign.

The minister said: Our attention has been drawn to a story by The Economist, datelined Lagos and featured in the papers print edition of Sept. 24, 2016 entitled: Nigerias war against indiscipline, Behave or be whipped.

Contrary to the newspapers self-professed belief in plain language, the article in question, from the headline to the body, is a master-piece of embellishment or dressed-up language.

It is loaded with innuendos and decidedly pejorative at best and downright racist at worst.

The minister faulted the conclusion in the publication that President Muhammadu Buhari wanted to tame Nigerians with the Change Begins With Me Campaign.

For those who are the owners of the English language, the use of that word is unpardonable.

The verb tame suggests that Nigerians are some kind of wild animals that must be domesticated, and the usage reveals the mindset of the authors of the article.

It is a deliberate put-down of a whole people under the guise of criticising a government policy, he said.

Mohammed said the author was wrong in insinuating that some 150,000 volunteers were being trained as enforcers of the Change Begins With Me Campaign.

He said the president, while launching the campaign, made it clear that moral suasion, the very antithesis of force, will be employed to achieve attitudinal change among Nigerians.

He said the President never said that moral police would be unleashedas reported by the newspaper.

In writing the story, the paper did not even deem it necessary to speak with any official of the government, thus breaching one of the codes of journalism, which is fairness, he said.

The minister clarified that the campaign was launched to help restore our value system and rekindle our nationalistic fervour.

He added that the campaign was not designed to shift any responsibility to Nigerians, as many had erroneously said but an all-inclusive campaign designed to start with the leadership.

Change Begins With Me was designed to start from the President, then trickle down to the Vice President, ministers, other top government officials and to all citizens.

The campaign is asking Nigerians to be the change they want to see in the society; for example, the motorists among us must obey traffic

rules, our aggrieved youth must stop destroying public property,

Patent medicine sellers must stop selling fake drugs; commercial vehicle drivers must stop taking alcoholic beverages before driving.

There is nothing extraordinary or over-burdening in all these, he said.
The former president made the comment on Tuesday, September 27, at the opening ceremony of the National Council on Finance and Economic Development Conference (NACOFED) in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

I reminded the government that we were spending more than we were earning. that very soon, the country would not be able to fund the budget Unfortunately, the government then refused to listen to my advice, Obasanjo said according to Daily Trust.

I was shocked when the ban on importation of toothpick which we imposed in 1977 was lifted four years ago. How can a nation seeking to rank among the best in the world continue like that?" he added.

The former president also gave three solutions to the current recession.

The three options are we have to spend less, we must endeavor to earn and then the last one is to borrow, and this if we must, we do it fast and now, he said.

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Obasanjo also blamed the crisis on the Goodluck Jonathan administration saying that the former president ignored his advice on curbing the countrys expenditure.

He made the comments on Tuesday, September 27, at the opening ceremony of the National Council on Finance and Economic Development Conference (NACOFED) in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

We must begin to do away with things that we can do without and if we must import them, let them attract very high duties, Obasanjo said according to Punch.

I do not see why 49 per cent of NNPC cannot be privatized. I think the problem is in the coinage selling of asset as if we want to throw out our inheritance. What we are actually doing by that is simply re-organizing.

It should however be done transparently and let it actually go public and not to cabals, relations and friends. This is always the fear of Nigerians when issues like this arise, he added.

ALSO READ: Pat Utomi blames Buhari administration for recession

Many Nigerians have criticized the planned sale and the Senate, also on Tuesday, rejected the governments proposal.
According to Obasanjo, the governors refused to allow him save excess oil funds during his tenure.

The former president made the comments on Tuesday, September 27, during the 2016 World Pension Summit in Abuja.

I remember when I was in government and I told, particularly, the governors, please let us save for the rainy days. They said no! Obasanjo said according to Vanguard.

There was no rain at that time, now that the rain has come; there is nothing we can fall back on to cushion us.

One of the things that makes me very happy in the pension scheme is that in the last five years, when almost everything goes, concerning public funds, pension funds remain sacrosanct. I believe that the pension funds are something we must preserve, no matter what we do, he added.

ALSO READ: Pat Utomi blames Buhari administration for recession
Kalu, his company, Slok Nigeria Limited and his former Commissioner for Finance, Jones Udeogo, were re-arraigned before Justice Anwuri Chikere of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Tuesday.

The defendants plea that the court should await the pending appeal by Slok before the Supreme Court failed.

Chikere had refused the defendants objection to their arraignment and ordered that the charge be read to them.

Kalu and others were, in the amended charge, accused of diverting about N3.2 billion from the Abia governments treasury during Kalus tenure as governor.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charges and Chikere allowed them on bail on the terms attached to the bail granted them on April 30, 2008.

They had, eight years earlier been arraigned before Justice Adamu Bello, who is now retired.
At a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, September 27, 2016, during the trial of Waripamo-owei Dudafa, a former Special Assistant to Goodluck Jonathan, the lawyers asked the court to reverse their pleas on the ground that the court lacked jurisdiction to take the pleas of the purported directors of the companies.

The companies; Pluto Property and Investment Development Company Limited, Seagate Property and Investment Development Company Limited, Transoceanic Property and Investment Development Company Limited, and Avalon Property and Investment Development Company Limited have through Amajuoyi Azubike Briggs, informed the trial judge, Justice Babs Kuewumi of various applications seeking to change the companies' guilt pleas.

Dudafa's lawyer, Gboyega Oyewole informed the court that his client's application is seeking the set aside of the companies directors guilty plea, on the ground that they had denied having any link with the said companies.

He said taking the guilty plea of the companies will amount to misguided, misleading and mischievous and consequently urged the court to enter non guilty plea for the companies.

ALSO READ: The drama continues as EFCC freezes another bank account

In the same vein, lawyer to the second accused person, Onyiuke informed the court that his client's application is predicated on the court's jurisdiction to take the plea of the purported directors of the companies, hence, urging the court to set aside the guilty plea of the purported directors of the companies.

However, EFCC prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, described the two applications as 'strange and serious violent abuse of court process'.

He said: "Though, the companies have right to change their pleas before ruling or judgment is delivered, but going by the documents from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), and the companies mandate forms from Skye Bank, the directors were the ones who were signatories to the companies."

Oyedepo stated that the applications were aimed at stalling the review of the matter against the four companies, which was the business of the court.

Consequently, the presiding judge, Justice Kuewumi adjourned the case till October 7, 2016 to rule on the two newly instituted applications by the defendants.
Also starring Ali Nuhu, Maryam Booth, Ibrahim Daddy, Isa Bello Ja, Rahama Sadau and Hadiza Soja, the film was shot in Kaduna and Lagos, Nigeria.

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Hakkunde produced and directed by Oluseyi is the directors first full length film. It was written by Oluseyi, Tomi Adesina and Gift Imafidon.

Synopsis

Hakkunde is an intriguing story of a young graduate who battles everything including love, family, discrimination, drug abuse, tradition and insecurity. It follows his journey to self-discovery and actualization.

The story is characterized by actions and reactions that defines the everyday Nigerian society, with its ups and downs and with a particular focus on the life of a job hunting graduate Akande who found himself in totality while searching for a job, and a better life.

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Anenih made the call after casting his vote at Uzenema Primary School, Urue-Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area at about 8.20 a.m.

He said that there was need for the people to maintain peace during and after the poll for the state to have full benefit of democracy.

The PDP chieftain expressed satisfaction with the timely arrival of electoral officials and materials as well as the peaceful conduct of the exercise in the area so far.

Meanwhile, Mr John Yakubu, deputy governorship candidate of the PDP in ongoing gubernatorial poll in Edo, has described the simultaneous accreditation and voting in the process as a perfect process.

Rather than doing accreditation and coming back later to cast your vote, you do everything the same time and this is very good.

I am alright with the whole process so far and I hope it continues that way, although I am hearing that there are pockets of violence in few areas around the senatorial district, he said.
Obaseki told newsmen after voting in his Unit 19, Ward 4, Benin, at about 10.30 a.m. that he was particularly impressed with the prompt commencement of the exercise across the state and the peaceful conduct of voters.

He expressed hope that the peace, large turnout of the electorate and adequate security that had characterized the exercise so far, would be sustained to ensure that it ended peacefully.

According to him, we pray that there will be no crisis and spilling of blood, so that at the end of the day, it will end peacefully.

Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr Osaze Ize-Iyamu, commended INEC and the electorate for the peaceful conduct of the poll.

Ize-Iyamu, who voted at 9.55 a.m. at Ighododo Primary School unit of Ward 5, Orhiomwon Local Government Area, however, urged PDPs supporters to be vigilant and cautious, and monitor the process adequately.

The PDP will more vigilant in the sorting and counting of the ballots, he said, adding, however, that so far, the exercise has been peaceful and I hope that it will be same across the state.

On his part, the Deputy Governor of the state, Dr Pius Odubu, voted at 11 a.m. at Iyobosa Primary School unit of Ward 7 in Orhiomwon Local Government Area.
eyewitness reporters on the ground have been sending in bits and pieces of events as they unfold. We've also been keeping an eye on social media.

Here's an overview of what you may have missed:

_______________________

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has cast his vote in Unit 1, Ward 10, Iyamho Primary School in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

While doing so, the Comrade Governor took time out to complain about stolen voter cards. He's been on the subject of stolen biometric cards and fraudulent voter register for a while now.

Said Oshiomhole: The people have accepted and are ready to celebrate democracy. There is no problem here in my area based on what I have seen now. But I have received information of stolen card readers and sporadic shooting to scare away voters in some areas.

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This Twitter user says it's raining punches over Naira and Kobo somewhere in Edo.

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Godwin Obaseki, governorship candidate on the bill of the APC, cast his vote moments ago. He looked rather civil as well

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Our eyewitness reporters say the turnout has been rather impressive for a vote holding in mid-week. This Twitter user reckons so too.

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There have been reports of vote buying on the ground. That is, politicians inducing voters with cash before the ballot is cast. But Pulse is in no position to affirm or deny those.

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APC chairman John Odigie-Oyegun cast his vote earlier too. He's been under fire lately after APC leader Bola Tinubu called for his resignation. He looks rather unflappable.

_________________________

Still on impressive voter turnout....

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Aside the thugs raining blows earlier, our reporters say the vote has been rather peaceful in several polling units. Are you on the ground? Hit us on our social media pages with pictures as well.

________________________

A quick numbers trivia here courtesy of Premium Times:

Edo State has a total of 1,925,105 registered voters; 192 Registration Areas (RAs); 2,627 Polling Units (Pus); and 4,011 Voting Points (VPs).

A total of 25,000 police officers were deployed across the state to ensure peace and security during the polls, while 44 observer groups were accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission as election monitors.

____________________

APC chairman Oyegun is visibly impressed. Said he:

I am very pleasantly surprised because this is the best turnout. Ive always voted here, this is the best turnout Ive ever experienced. It presumes that something good is about to happen, that people are keen to express their democratic options.

Its peaceful so far. Ive been watching on TV.

And so have we...

_____________________

PDP is really crying foul right now. Excerpts of their press statement sent to Pulse is reproduced below:

"We have become aware that senior members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in collusion with certain staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have started writing fake & fictitious results as part of their plan to manipulate the Edo State Gubernatorial Election which is taking place today.

"We are aware that these APC members are working in collusion with

"We are also aware that these officials have distributed millions of Naira to the Local Government Electoral Officers to get them to write false & fictitious results in favour of APC even before votes are cast".

Oh well......

_____________________

PDP candidate Ize-Iyamu isn't happy with the presence of certain Governors in the State.

We are also aware that the are also in Benin, he said.

This is worrisome. If the security agencies can declare restriction of movement even for those in the state, we are wondering why two governors not from Edo State will relocate to our state.

We think that their reasons cannot be genuine. We have gone through the period of campaigning and we expect Edo people will be left alone to vote.

_______________________

Governor Oshiomhole has however called Ize-Iyamu a fake pastor for saying the Governors are in Edo.

I have always said that Ize-Iyamu is not a pastor because one of the 10 commandments of God includes but the man claims to believe in Jesus Christ, lies effortlessly like a pathological liar, and he insists he must be addressed as a pastor, Oshiomhole said.

Governor Ambode is too busy in Lagos and he is not registered to vote in Edo. Governor Ambode is a golden fish, there is no hiding place for him so where did they find him? Let them produce the photograph.

It is because of the nature of our democracy people who have criminal records are not supposed to vote. I am sure Governor Ambode is in Lagos doing what he was voted to do and we dont need his help to come and vote for us because he didnt need my help to vote for him in Lagos.

El-Rufai is not here and if there is a place where the media is visible, I believe it is Edo state. Is it really in the mouth of a non-believer to parody the truth? You are the people who have the training/skill for what elsewhere is called investigative journalism, so it is for you to go round everywhere and find out whether any of these people are in town.

____________________

Steve Ayorinde, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State, has also said Ambode is no where near Edo:

Well, body doubles are still a thing.

_____________________

Errr, some people's heads in Irua

______________________

There's video evidence of sharp practices from the APC

_______________________

A female police officer has been caught collecting bribe. The female police officer was locked up at Ugbekun police station.

Talk about a police officer getting a dose of her own medicine.

_______________________

Were there incidents of underage voting? This twitter user reckons there were.

______________________

There's no need to go about raining blows and breaking heads, says Tony Anenih, former BoT chairman of the PDP and self acclaimed 'Mr Fix It'.

______________________

APC has again been accused of buying votes in Auchi

________________________

The candidate of the PDP, Ize-Iyamu has defeated APC candidate Godwin Obaseki in the polling unit of Oyegun.

Oyegun is the embattled chairman of the APC.

TheCable puts it this way:

Osagie Ize-Iyamu, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has defeated Godwin Obaseki, his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, at the polling unit of John Oyegun, national chairman of the APC.

While Ize-Iyamu polled 78 votes, Obaseki trailed him with 69 votes at Unit 1 Ward 002 of Oredo local government area.

_________________________
Justice Tanko Mohammed-led six other justices of the apex court to arrive at the decision.

Three motions brought by Dr Uche Ogah of PDP, All Progressives Grand Alliance and Alex Oti, were heard and decided.

Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Dr Alex Izinyon (SAN) and Chief Patrick Ikwueto (SAN) represented the governor, Ogah and Oti respectively.

On Otis motion for joinder, Mohammed held that the court required proper addresses to be filed by parties since the application had become contentious.

In the light of this, we would not be going on with the hearing of the substantive appeals.

The Counsel to Oti is given four days to file his written address to convince the court why his client should be joined in the matter.

The respondents counsel are given seven days to file their replies while the applicants counsel is given another extra two days to file his replies to the respondents arguments, he said.

Mohammed also held that a new hearing date would be communicated to the parties when all the processes were received by the court.

The Court of Appeal had on Aug.18 upheld Gov. Ikpeazus election as governor of Abia by nullifying an Abuja Federal High Court judgment which declared Ogah as governor of Abia.

Justice Okon Abang had on June 27 found Ikpeazu, guilty of tax offences and nullified his election as governor.
This followed a motion by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and supported by the Senate Leader Ali Ndume.

Ekweremadu expressed concerns that the rate of inconclusive elections in many states showed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was endangering the nations democracy.

He alleged that at least 20 states had no REC, adding that the development was contrary to the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

The developments after a few electoral exercises carried out so far by our electoral umpire have left much to be desired.

We are worried about the fate of the 2019 general elections in the face of the present state of inconclusive elections and postponements.

We are worried that the trend of inconclusive elections and whimsical postponement of elections are wrong signals and symptoms that cannot just be dismissed with the wave of hands, he said.

Ndume, on his part, said the lawmakers would be failing if they saw something wrong and failed to point it out.

It is better to take wrong decisions than not to take any decision at all, he said.

The Deputy Senate Leader Bala NaAllah said it was unfair that certain sections of Nigeria were not being represented in the National Assembly, saying it is contrary to the constitution.

Also contributing, Sen. Eyinnaya Abaribe declared that elections conducted so far by INEC were illegitimate as more than one-third of the INEC commissioners were yet to be appointed.

Adopting the prayers of the motion, the Senate called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately nominate suitably qualified persons to fill the vacant positions in INEC.

The Senate also called for the enhancement of the capacity of the electoral commission to conduct conclusive elections.

It further called on INEC to immediately conclude all pending elections.

It also mandated the Senate committee on INEC to hold a public hearing to review the performance of the commission in the last one year.

The public hearing, according to the red chamber, is to ascertain factors responsible for the challenges in the electoral system as witnessed.

INEC was further directed to conclude the delineation of additional constituencies across the country.

The decision of the Senate is expected to be forwarded to the president for compliance.
Justice Bode-Rhodes Vivour presided over the panel of six other justices that fixed the date in Abuja on Tuesday.

Alhaji Umaru Dahiru and Mr Aliyu Sanyinna who contested the primaries with Tambuwal had filed the joint appeal.

While adopting his written address, Awa Kalu (SAN), Counsel to Dahiru, urged the apex court to reverse the decision of the Court of Appeal.

The lower court had held that the suit had become academic exercise by virtue of the election of Tambuwal in the April 11, 2015 governorship poll.

According to Kalu, the partys primary is not conducted in line with the party guideline.

Kalu said the lower court erred in law by holding that their joint suit had no life to sustain it.

He argued that the April 11, 2015 general election could not have rendered the life of the appeal useless, adding that it evolved from a pre-election matter.

This appeal also cannot be a mere academic exercise because the suit was filed on January 27, 2015 long before the general election was conducted.

Several frivolous motions and applications filed by the respondents at the Federal High Court in Abuja delayed judgment delivery until the election was conducted.

My Lords, since all the delay tactics were at the instance of the respondents, the respondents should not be allowed to be beneficiaries of the unjust delays which made expeditious hearing practically impossible, he said.

He, therefore, asked the apex court to invoke Section 22 of the Supreme Court Act to resolve the issue to finality.

That provision empowers the apex court to even act as a court of first instance in the circumstances of the case, Kalu said.

Mr Sunday Ameh (SAN), Counsel to Tambuwal, said the reliefs sought by the appellants at the Federal High Court had been overtaken by the conduct of the general election.

My Lords the issue has been made status bar with the return and declaration of Tambuwal as winner of that election, Ameh said.

Ameh urged the court to dismiss the appeal on the ground that it had become academic.

Chief Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), Counsel to APC, aligned himself with the submissions canvassed by Ameh, adding that the appeal lacked substance.

The appellants had at the Federal High Court sued Tambuwal and asked the court to declare that the primaries of Dec. 4, 2014 which produced him was unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void.

They had prayed the trial court to hold that the exercise was inconsistent with the Electoral Act, 2010 and the APC guidelines.

They claimed that the list of accredited delegates was swapped at the election venue and that votes were arbitrarily allocated.

They also averred that the exercise was marred by manipulation, intimidation and threat from the then state government that had backed Tambuwal.

They had also asked the trial court to give an order restraining INEC from acting, publishing or recognising Tambuwal as APC gubernatorial candidate.

They also prayed for an order nullifying or withdrawing the nomination of Tambuwal and for a fresh primary election to be conducted.
Kumuyi gave the advice on Wednesday in Abuja while interacting with journalists ahead of a crusade titled Night of Supernatural Wonders scheduled to hold on Friday, Sept. 30 at the National Stadium.

He canvassed dialogue among stakeholders involved in the debate on the sale of national asset to avert crisis of any sort.

The cleric said that some countries across the world had been through such difficult times Nigeria is going through and they came out.

He said that Nigeria would equally come out victorious from the recession.

Very soon there will be a turning around and there will be change in our nation; individual and family problems will be solved.

The Government is doing a lot from the local, state and federal government. Looking at the nation generally, I will say we are going in the right direction.

Fighting corruption is in the right direction. I believe as we continue in that direction, we will be out of the tunnel.

Other countries have been into to similar situation and they came out; Nigeria will surely come out, he added.

Ahead of Nigerias 56th Independent Anniversary, Kumuyi urged Nigerians not to give up, but keep looking up to God for solution, adding that solution would surely come.

He said it was time for leaders and citizens to retrospect and correct areas where the nation had failed in the past in order to have better future, as the destiny of the country was in the hands of the people.
First was the whole NCCfine drama, then the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) filed a N16 billion copyright lawsuit against it, and now, the latest is that the Nigerian Senate is conducting an investigation into allegations of MTN illegally transferring $12 billion out of Nigeria over a 10-year period. Whew.

Popular playboy Senator Dino Melaye first made the allegation on Thursday last week at the senate, requesting permission to further pursue the matter.

In his words, MTN Nigeria paid a sum of $284.9 million on the 6th of February, 2001, to purchase their licence of operations in this country. Between 2006 and 2016, through four Nigerian Banks and a serving minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, MTN moved over $12 billion out of Nigeria. That is about half of our external reserves. If I get the nod of the Senate I will want to bring a substantive motion on the next legislative day with substantiated facts to buttress this position.

He further adds, All hands must be on deck to recover every loot in the country. We are in a precarious situation and now is the time to recover every stolen money in the country. Subsequently, Senate president Bukola Saraki gave the go-ahead.

MTN is not having it though. In a press statement, the telecom company said, The reports refer to allegations made on the floor of the Senate that MTN had illegally repatriated $13.92 billion out of Nigeria over a period of 10 years in collusion with a number of commercial banks.

CEO Ferdi Moolman also added his own two cents, saying, The allegations made against MTN are completely unfounded and without any merit.

This is not the first time MTN Nigeria will be accused of tax evasion in Nigeria. Back in 2015, Premium Times conducted an investigation concerning this same tax evasion matter and it concluded that it MTN was evading tax by using transfer pricing to move its profits offshore, and creating artificial operational costs.
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Alexander Shadrin is reported to have fallen 23 floors from a high-rise apartment balcony after his macho stunt to impress a girl went awfully wrong.

Thankfully, the teen was conscious as at the time the paramedics showed up at the scene of the incident.

Eyewitnesses told Siberian Times that Shadrin had climbed over the railing of the balcony at his home in Novosibirsk, Siberia in a desperate move to impress a female friend.

Unfortunately, Shadrin was unable to stay on the balcony and would have been smashed into a thousand pieces if not for the Renault Logan car parked below which ended up breaking his fall.

Although Shadrin suffered 'serious injuries,' he is stable and in intensive care.

Pictures from the scene will leave you chilled to your bones as the roof of the car can be seen smashed into itself.
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The couple were reminiscing over their holiday pictures when a photo showed the moment they were mugged by child thieves.

The Reddit user shared the photo with the caption: "Girlfriend in the progress of having her watch stolen."

The rather cute snap shows a woman smiling at the camera in between two young girls in traditional Thai dress in Chiangmai.

Admitting that his girlfriend was "a bit drunk" at the time the photo was taken only exaggerated how oblivious she was to the fact that the kids were robbing her.

Another had a lot to say about the technique that kept the young lady from suspecting the child thieves posing with her.

One said: "Notice how the thief is touching her hand in several places? It's a pickpocket technique so that the mark gets accustomed to being touched by the thief and stops registering all of the touches."

Another user concurred, saying:

"Spot on. A friend of mine is a professional magician who makes watches and wallets disappear as a trick.

"He told me once that his secret was exactly that, putting more pressure somewhere else so the "victim" won't feel other parts of the body."

Eventually, most users moved on from the fact that the kids were little thieves and proceeded to blame the parents for their predicament.
Soldiers in Puntland and Galmudug have clashed repeatedly over territory and political rivalries in recent years.

As well as fighting in a civil war that began in 1991, national forces, loyal to the Western-backed Mogadishu-based government, and regional militias are battling an Islamist insurgency.

The militias sometimes also attack each other.

"This [story of] killing militants is propaganda. Seventeen of our soldiers were killed and two of our military vehicles were destroyed by the air strike," Abdi Hussein, the deputy governor of Galkayo, the capital of the Galmudug region, told Reuters by phone.

Galkayo hospital confirmed it had received 17 dead and 15 wounded soldiers.

A Puntland police colonel insisted the raid killed militants.
"We have no other choice but dialogue and reconciliation," Sarraj told AFP in an interview in Paris on Tuesday.

"No one wants an escalation or a confrontation between Libyans," he added, less than two weeks after Haftar's forces seized control of the strife-ridden country's "oil crescent".

The Libyan leader pledged to "quickly" submit "the composition of a new government in which everyone will be represented in a balanced way."

Sarraj, who met with French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday, said: "We should be united to fight the terrorism that is spreading in Libya."

His fragile unity government, formed in March following a UN-backed deal in December 2015, is backed by the international community.

But the Government of National Accord (GNA) has struggled to impose its power across a country riven by violence since the fall of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

Libya has Africa's largest oil reserves, estimated at 48 billion barrels, but production and exports have slumped dramatically through years of crisis.

The parliament, which sits in the eastern city of Tobruk, is under Haftar's influence and refuses to recognise the Tripoli-based GNA, which runs day-to-day affairs.

Both governments depend on militias for their authority, and the parallel authority is backed by Haftar, who is in turn backed by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told a closed parliamentary hearing whose proceedings have just been released that he had asked the two countries to "suggest" to Haftar that he meet with Sarraj.

The parliament rejected the GNA in a confidence vote last month.

He said the GNA's conciliatory attitude following the offensive by Haftar's forces to seize the oil terminals showed its determination to avert civil war.

Sarraj said he has met with Haftar and still maintained "indirect contacts" with him in order to "unify the military institution and the security forces".

France was forced to admit that it has provided military assistance to Haftar after three French troops were killed in Libya during an intelligence-gathering mission in July.
The country has been ravaged by unrest since the fall and death in 2011 of dictator Moamer Kadhafi and has also seen the jihadist Islamic State group establish a foothold.

A Government of National Accord supported by the United Nations and Western powers was established in the capital Tripoli in March, but has been unable to assert its authority in the face of a rival administration in the east of the country.

"Unfortunately, we are now facing a political impasse," Kobler told a meeting of the UN's Human Rights Council in Switzerland.

"At the same time, Libya is witnessing the unfolding of dangerous military developments," he said, citing the takeover of key oil facilities by the forces of controversial Marshal Khalifa Haftar who does not recognise the GNA.

He also cited the fighting between forces loyal to the GNA against IS in Sirte, "with nearly 600 killed and thousands injured".

"The multiple armed conflicts raging in Libya continue to directly impact the lives of civilians," Kobler said, adding that between March 1 and August 31 the UN had "documented 287 civilian casualties, including 141 deaths and 146 injuries".

Among the victims were 30 children killed and 28 wounded.

He said that in Libya's second city Benghazi in the east, "more than 100 families are currently trapped in areas of fighting, facing constant bombing and shortages of food, medical care and electricity".

The economy has also been badly hit.

"The government is spending 93 percent of its total budget on subsidies and salaries, including those of members of armed groups that are not under the control of the government," Kobler said.

"Armed groups around the country continue to carry out grave human rights abuses with total impunity," he said, adding that this "must be addressed as a matter of urgency".

The UN envoy also highlighted "the horrific plight of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers" trying to reach Europe from Libya.

Many board rickety, makeshift vessels operated by people traffickers to head for Italy, but many also drown during the perilous journey.
Political rivalry between South Sudan's president, Salva Kiir, and former vice president, Riek Machar, sparked a civil war in 2013. Although the pair signed a shaky peace deal a year ago, fighting has continued and Machar fled the country in July. He is now in Khartoum in neighbouring Sudan.

Kiir's government on Tuesday asked Sudan and other states in the region not to let Machar launch a new rebellion, after he threatened a return to the battlefield unless his demands needed to revive a peace deal were met.

Major Dickson Gatluak, spokesman for Machar's opposition group the SPLM-In-Opposition (SPLM-IO), told Reuters that government forces had attacked a rebel garrison in Bentiu, the capital of Unity State, which lies near the border with Sudan to the north.

Bentiu was a flashpoint town in the war that broke out in 2013.

"The fighting started this morning at 6am (local time) and our forces managed to fight back the enemy this afternoon", Gatluak said.

"Our forces will be taking quick action against the regime in Juba," he said.

He said U.N. staff in the capital Juba should evacuate the area to avoid potentially being trapped in any fighting.

After talks in Khartoum involving senior commanders and officials of the SPLM-IO last week, Machar and his allies in a statement over the weekend ordered their forces to reorganise for "armed resistance" to Kiir's government.

"If the peace agreement can be revived then we can go back to Juba, but if not then armed resistance is an option," Machar's spokesman James Gatdet Dak told Reuters in Nairobi earlier on Tuesday.

The government, he added, must reappoint Machar, let more troops return to Juba with him, allow the swift deployment of a regional protection force and scrap decisions taken since July.

The regional grouping IGAD, which includes Sudan, has told both sides to halt the violence and aims to send a protection force to secure the peace, a move that has U.N. backing.

"We are appealing to all IGAD member state not to allow Riek Machar and his group to use their soil, including Sudan, to stage attacks and as a springboard for organising violence against the people and transitional government," deputy government spokesman Akol Paul Kordi said.
Army trucks and tankers joined Harare's regular municipal police in a drive against the hawkers, pursuing them through the streets of the capital while firing teargas and water canons.

The southern African nation's 80 percent unemployment rate has left thousands of people surviving by selling fruit and vegetables, mobile phone credit, trinkets and second hand clothes on sidewalks in the city centre.

Such vendors see the city streets as key markets and have over the years refused to be moved from the central business district.

As security officials moved in, some of the vendors fought back, hurling stones and bricks.

"The government has ruined the economy and here they are, trying to interfere with our only means of survival," said 28-year-old Gilbert Fodya, as he fled from the police.

"I have to run away because I can't afford to lose the little that I have," he added, clutching a bundle of belts.

Mugabe, 92, has been confronted with a series of protests in the last few months from a wide range of opponents who say Zimbabwe, once considered one of Africa's most promising economies, has slipped into irreversible decline under his rule.
Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told a cabinet meeting the gathering would bring together countries including Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey "to see how we can advance the cause of achieving the necessary unity in Libya", spokesman Stephane Le Foll said.

Sarraj told AFP in an interview that military strongman Khalifa Haftar, who controls the north African country's main oil ports, should be represented in a new, more inclusive government.

"We have no other choice but dialogue and reconciliation," Sarraj said.

"No one wants an escalation or a confrontation between Libyans," he added.

Haftar's forces this month seized control of Libya's so-called "oil crescent".

Sarraj's fragile unity government, formed in March following a UN-backed deal in December 2015, is backed by the international community.

But the Government of National Accord (GNA) has struggled to impose its power across a country riven by violence since the fall of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.
Turning the ship before it hits the iceberg
The first meeting of what became Redeemer Lutheran Church included about eight people and was held in 1966 at a hangar for the former Wallace Air Field in eastern Bettendorf.

The second meeting was at the Northwestern Bell Telephone office, blocks away.

The humble beginnings of the church, 1107 Tanglefoot Lane, Bettendorf, were celebrated recently by several original members, just a few weeks before its 50th anniversary event.

The congregation is preparing for the celebration, set for Oct. 9. Redeemer, according to its minister, the Rev. Richard Pokora, was the first "mission plant" of the Iowa Synod of the Lutheran Church in America, or LCA. In 1988, the LCA became part of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, or ELCA.

Pokora sees the anniversary event as a good way to bring the church community together. "Bettendorf is a transient community, but this is a neighborhood church, and we reflect the community around us.

"Bringing people together for an occasion like this reminds us of the dimensions and character of the church," he said.

The church has relied a great deal on volunteers from its very beginning. The close-knit group of original members bonded with each other and did work such as maintaining the building and teaching Sunday school.

Some of the longest-serving members are friends to this day, and include: Norma Smith, Bettendorf, Pamela Druger, Davenport, and her sister, Becky Keppy, Maysville, and their mother, Jeannette Druger, Davenport, Tom Brooks, Joyce (Fisher) Hoag, and Phyllis James, all of Bettendorf.

Smith is in charge of the anniversary event, and James, with help from Pokora, has put together a book for the occasion. "The Church on the Hill" refers to its geographical position at Utica Ridge Road and Tanglefoot Lane, "one of the highest spots in the county," Brooks said.

The original church members remember the humble beginnings of the now-impressive church, which includes a new sanctuary built in 1999, and an educational wing with a bustling preschool program:

 Brooks recalls being at the original meeting, headed by the Rev. Keith Pearson. He and about six others met in a hangar at the air field, not too far from today's church. At that time, a young man at the meeting volunteered the telephone office as a temporary location; his mother worked there.

 Brooks also found himself on the church's building committee in charge of erecting the original sanctuary in 1968. "I helped to lay the tile in here," he said.

 Men, including her father, would set up the chairs for every church meeting at the phone office, Pamela Druger said. Sunday school was in the furnace room, Hoag said.

The original church was not wealthy, Jeannette Druger said. She recalled one Easter, when Redeemer hosted a foot-washing event, cleaned out the pots and turned around to use them days later to boil Easter eggs.

Pamela Druger was confirmed in the church at the telephone office and was married in the original sanctuary.

The original 1968 sanctuary was erected at a cost of $80,000 with the help of the LCA, but Pearson, who served 1965-70, also was a mover-and-shaker in the effort. The minister knocked on doors on most, if not all, of the homes north of Middle Road to spur enthusiasm for Redeemer.

That activity also prompted memories from the group:

 "I remember when Rev. Pearson knocked on my door," Becky Keppy said. "I was home alone, and it was 15 minutes before our folks got home. I invited him in and served lemonade and said I was sure my folks would want to speak to him. Can you imagine me doing that today?"

 Smith was doing laundry and had it spread out over the living room when Pearson stopped by her home to lobby for the new church. "He came unannounced!"

The first baby baptized at Redeemer was Laura Pearson, the minister's daughter.

There was also drama in the early days. St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Davenport, had donated a cross, which still is located at the top of Redeemer's original sanctuary.

One summer night, that cross was hit by lightning. Pearson stopped by the church, looked up and noticed the peak ablaze. The fire department was called, but the minister had a hard time getting the firefighters to actually fight the fire, James said.

Redeemer's past ministers are expected at the anniversary event, including Pearson, who now lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, and the Rev. Ron Mohr, of Urbandale, Iowa. Mohr served Redeemer 1970-79, while Pokora, a native of Springfield, Illinois, has been in the position for 37 years.

Bishop Michael Burk is also set to attend; he is based in Iowa City with the Southeast Iowa Synod of the Lutheran church.

The 50th anniversary, Burk said in an email message reflects a lasting commitment of the congregation and of the whole Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to the Quad-Cities and beyond.

Together, with neighboring congregations, the members of Redeemer are determined to serve the neighbor nearby as well as people in need throughout the world, Burk said.

"That Redeemer 'hits 50' as we prepare to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation is a wonderful reminder that the church is still moving forward," he said.

The anniversary event is appreciated by Pokora. "It is always good to look at where we have come from to guide us on where we need to go in the future."
Shelby Thede, an 18-year-old college freshman from Davenport, planned last May to attend Western Illinois University in Moline.

Then, she considered Illinois budget impasse, which has left many students uncertain about the state's financial support for higher education.

As a result, Thede choose to attend Black Hawk College, Moline. The community college has seen an enrollment increase in 2016.

With some exceptions  primarily at the University of Illinois at Urbana and its campuses in Chicago and Springfield  enrollment is decreasing at the state's four-year public institutions.

Western Illinois University in Macomb and Moline, Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Eastern Illinois University in Charleston and Southern Illinois University in Carbondale all have lost students in the last year. Declining percentages ranged from 5.5 percent (Northern) to 13 percent (Eastern).

On the other hand, Iowas three regents universities  Iowa State University in Ames, University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls and the University of Iowa in Iowa City  have grown in the number of students who attend the schools. Many of those students come from Illinois.

Students from Illinois increased in Ames and Cedar Falls, while the percentage remains steady at about 30 percent in Iowa City.

While there is no sense of students streaming out of Illinois, some clearly are choosing to attend college in other states, said Charles McBarron, communications director at the Illinois Education Association, Springfield. "That certainly is disturbing," he said.

"Our higher-education institutions in Illinois are crucially important, yet for years now, there is a slow de-funding of higher education that is causing lasting damage to the state," McBarron said.

McBarron, a graduate of Southern Illinois, noted his alma maters enrollment is down 7.5 percent in 2016. The trend has been developing over 20 years.

In the Quad-Cities, enrollment numbers vary, but the trends are up at the private Augustana College in Rock Island and at the community-college level.

St. Ambrose University in Davenport, also a private institution, does not yet have 2016 numbers, but enrollment decreased there from 2014 to 2015. In addition, the percentage of Illinois students at SAU dropped from 47.92 percent in 2011 to 46.39 percent in 2015.

The Augustana College campus is built for about 2,500 students, Kent Barnds, vice president of enrollment, said. In the early part of the century, the enrollment was about 2,150 students, and the university built a residence hall and added staffing to accommodate the growth.

Barnds said the university worked to increase diversity on the campus, and now 25 percent of the student population is from an ethnic or racial minority group.

We are much more culturally diverse than before, he said.

Community colleges are up slightly or at steady levels for enrollment.

Black Hawk College president Bettie Truitt said community colleges across the country saw increases about five years ago, as a reflection of the country's recession.

"When unemployment numbers go high, our numbers increase," she said.

This year, Black Hawk is up 1.74 percent in enrollment, from 4,997 in 2015 to 5,084 in 2016. In 2011, during the recession, it was 5,834.

It was a similar experience for the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, with institutions in Bettendorf, Clinton, Davenport and Muscatine.

The past two years have been essentially flat in enrollment at about 8,000, but the district had 9,800 students in 2011, Erin Snyder, director of enrollment management, said.

"That was the peak," she said. "We did see a lot of those students finish out with a certificate or diploma, and a lot of them have gotten great jobs and improved the local economy."
WAPELLO, Iowa  U.S. 61 north of Wapello could be closed sometime Saturday if predictions of high water hold, Louisa County Engineer Larry Roehl warned the Louisa County Board of Supervisors during the boards regular weekly meeting Tuesday.

Roehl presented the bad news during the monthly gathering of department heads with the board.

According to Roehl, the highway is affected by flooding whenever the level of the Iowa River reaches 27.5 feet. The river is currently projected to reach 27.9 on Saturday.

Roehl said that would still be two feet below what it was in (July) 2014, which according to National Weather Service (NWS) information was the second highest recorded river level at Wapello. The highest recorded level on the Iowa River at Wapello was in June 2008 when the river reached 32.15 feet.

The high water this year is not expected to be prolonged and if the roadway is closed, it likely would only be for the weekend, Roehl said.

Roehl said he did not have information on the impact of flooding on Iowa Highway 92 at Columbus Junction, but said he was aware the city had moved flood barriers into place if needed.

According to the NWS, the Iowa River is expected to crest at over 26 feet on Friday at Columbus Junction, about seven feet over flood stage. The river would need to rise to 31 feet before it would encroach on the west approach of the Highway 92 bridge.

Roehl also said the high water would impact local roads that are normally affected whenever there is high water and local levee officials had started staging sandbags in anticipation of the high water.

Louisa County Conservation Board (LCCB) Executive Director Katie Hammond also reported the high water was impacting local parks and campgrounds. She said Flaming Prairie, which has been closed for most of the year, would remain closed because of the high water. She also said the Indian Slough Wildlife Area was closed because of the water and campers at Snivelys Access could be impacted depending on water and levee conditions.
Urban chickens have cleared the first hurdle in Davenport after the City Council directed staff to further research the subject.

The council's Tuesday work session began the preliminary discussion on whether the aldermen were interested in exploring an ordinance permitting the now-trendy fowl.

Community Development Director Bruce Berger said that under the current conditions, chickens are permitted only on parcels in Davenport zoned A-1 agricultural and legacy R-1 plots, which previously were zoned agricultural.

Alderman Kyle Gripp, at large, expressed interest in seeing an ordinance progress after many residents unexpectedly brought up the subject while he was on the campaign trail.

From what he learned speaking with people and groups such as Backyard Chickens-Scott County, Gripp said with Davenport being one of the few cities in the state to not permit chickens, it had the opportunity to look at other cities' ordinances to see what worked well.

"I know there are some groups that view this as some progressive idea, but as you can see, it's really not in the state of Iowa," Gripp said. "We're the biggest city to not have addressed it already. Most cities in Iowa have, and in some capacity, other cities in the Quad-Cities are addressing this issue and taking it on."

While Davenport is one of the last cities to tackle urban chickens, cities such as Ames, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Iowa City already permit them.

Within the Quad-Cities, interest in having backyard chickens has emerged, with Moline passing an ordinance two months ago and Rock Island bringing the subject to a vote soon.

Backyard Chickens-Scott County co-organizer Mike Angelos said his group has collected 525 signatures in Davenport in support of urban chickens. Co-organizer Julie Urban said those signatures were not just limited to individuals interested in owning chickens, but also residents having a neighbor with chickens.

Gripp said Backyard Chickens-Scott County already drafted a proposed ordinance based on other municipalities and said the city could use it as a baseline as it looks into what rules and regulations it would like to see.

Alderman Jeff Justin, 6th Ward, suggested the city contact Cedar Rapids about its ordinance because he had learned the city has not had any issues after allowing urban chickens.

While Gripp, Alderman Jason Gordon, at large, and Alderwoman Maria Dickmann, 2nd Ward, all appeared supportive of urban chickens, other aldermen requested more information and investigation before giving their blessing.

"I don't have a problem looking at something, but there's got to be some serious requirements on it," Alderman Mike Matson, 7th Ward, said. "I would only consider it if you we had a discussion with that. A whole list of numbers, fees, permits and setbacks all needs to be part of this."

Alderman Ray Ambrose, 4th Ward, was the only alderman to express direct disapproval of allowing urban chickens, citing concern over other pressing and unresolved issues.

"I've received several calls and at my ward meeting where almost 100 people were there, not one of them was interested in having chickens in their neighbor's yard," Ambrose said. "Everyday, we deal with pit bulls, barking dogs, feral cats, opossums and raccoons, and with people bringing in chickens, we can't deal with some of the issues we have now."
DES MOINES  Democratic challenger Patty Judge tried to sweeten the deal Wednesday for U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley to meet her in four face-to-face debates by playing on his fondness for ice cream and offering to hold the events in parking lots of Dairy Queens in Iowas largest media markets.

Judges camp said they issued the Dairy Queen debate series challenge after months of stonewalling and radio silence by the incumbent Republicans 2016 re-election campaign.

Chuck Grassley has been ducking debates and debate negotiations for months, so we decided to sweeten the deal and offer debates on his home turf at Dairy Queen, said Judge campaign spokesman Sam Roecker in a news release.

Hes at DQ all the time anyway, so he might as well use the opportunity to talk to Iowans while enjoying 'you know what, Roecker said. Well provide the Blizzards and sundaes if he shows up to explain to Iowans why his commitment to representing Iowa has melted in recent years.

In a video released Wednesday, Garrison Keillor, creator and former host of "A Prairie Home Companion" who campaigned with Judge in Iowa last week, offered to moderate a Dairy Queen debate between Judge and Grassley.

Officials with the Grassley campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Judge has called for four debates offered by media sponsors in Des Moines, Davenport, Sioux City, and Cedar Rapids, while the six-term GOP senator has accepted invitations for face-to-face debates from WHO Radio and Iowa Public Television  a lone televised debate that she noted wouldnt take place until the end of October after many Iowans have already cast their ballots with early voting commencing Thursday.
SPRINGFIELD  The group behind a proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution that would have changed the way legislative districts are drawn sent an email message to supporters Wednesday urging them to make redistricting reform an issue in this falls races for the General Assembly.

The proposal from the group Independent Maps, which would have taken lawmakers out of the once-a-decade process of redrawing district boundaries, was blocked from the Nov. 8 ballot last month when the Illinois Supreme Courts four Democratic justices ruled it unconstitutional. The courts three Republican justices dissented.

Independent Maps is encouraging its supporters to contact your local candidates for the Illinois House and Senate and ask them to commit to active support for a true redistricting reform bill.

Its a similar message to one Gov. Bruce Rauner and his fellow Republicans have been promoting across the state in the run-up to Election Day, but Independent Maps spokesman Jim Bray said its not a coordinated effort.

After the high court took away the opportunity for voters to have their say through a petition-driven referendum, convincing lawmakers to put the question on a future ballot is the quickest way for citizens to make their voices heard, Bray said.

The court ruled that the Independent Maps proposal, which would have created an independent redistricting commission, went beyond the scope allowed for petition initiatives. Those measures are limited to making structural and procedural changes to the General Assembly.

The group that challenged the proposal was represented in court by a lawyer with close ties to the state Democratic Party.

However, Bray noted that Independent Maps had bipartisan support for its plan, which also had the backing of nonpartisan good-government groups like the Better Government Association and the League of Women Voters.

The only way that legislators are going to pass this, if they ever would, is through citizen pressure and by knowing that citizens care, he said. Remaining silent isnt going to help move this forward.

Bray said Wednesdays message was sent out in response to emails and calls from supporters who wanted to know what to do next after the Supreme Court defeat.

You helped us start a statewide movement, reads the message from Dennis FitzSimons and Dave Mellet, Independent Maps chairman and campaign manager, respectively. And while the Illinois Supreme Court denied voters an opportunity to amend their own constitution, now its time to tell our elected representatives that the fight must go forward for redistricting reform.

The email also encourages supporters to continue writing letters to local newspaper, talking to family members and neighbors, and calling lawmakers after the election.

We are encouraging our coalition partners to take on the next phase of the battle for redistricting reform, the message says. We hope that you will continue to be an active supporter of these efforts. Additional information on these plans and opportunities for involvement will come your way soon.

The group formed to support this specific proposal, Bray said, and its board of directors will have to meet to chart its way forward.

Among the decisions the board faces is what to do with the money remaining in its campaign fund. The group had more than $1 million available at the end of June and has since reported raising nearly $500,000, according to state campaign finance records.

Sarah Brune, executive director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, which tracks campaign finances and supported the redistricting proposal, said Independent Maps could use that money to continue advocating on the issue.

If it does, it wont be the only group making that case to the public.

A campaign called Fix Illinois, which is funded by Rauner-backed super political action committee Turnaround Illinois Inc., has launched an online petition drive to support redistricting reform.

But unlike the Independent Maps petition drive, which collected more than half a million signatures in an effort to put the question to voters in November, Fix Illinois effort will have no practical effect.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  With rivers expected to reach above flood level across the state, Louisa and Muscatine Counties have been making preparations.

Staci Griffin, the emergency management director in Louisa County, said around 100 community members helped place sandbags in some low areas on the levee east of Wapello on Sunday.

"I feel like the community's really stepped up and they've done us a lot of good with sandbags and a lot of communication and volunteerism," Griffin said.

Griffin said she will be meeting with authorities in Columbus Junction on Wednesday to discuss possible efforts in the area.

"We're definitely mobile," Griffin said.

Although water level predictions may change, Griffin said levels are expected to peak sometime Thursday.

"We're definitely watching the weather," she said.

Louisa County Sheriff Brad Turner said plans have not been solidified, but Friday-Monday, Highway 92 east of Columbus Junction just east of Highway 70 may be closed due to high water.

Matt Shook, the emergency management director in Muscatine County, said while those along the Cedar River will be impacted, and the Mississippi River will be up a little, but he is not overly concerned about the impact in major areas.

Muscatine County Sheriff C.J. Ryan said Highway G28 may close if the Cedar River reaches the predicted 18.1 feet at Conesville, but he does not expect other major roadways to close, save smaller roads along the Cedar River.

"The people along the river are always very conscious of the water levels," Ryan said.

He said the Sheriff's Department will release updates if roads will need to be closed later in the week.

Iowa has had more moisture than usual this year, although State Climatologist Harry Hillaker said fall flooding has not been unheard-of in the state's history.

"As far as the state-wide average goes this has been our wettest September in 30 years, going back to 1986, although last year and the year before, both of them were a bit wetter in September," Hillaker said.

What was probably the biggest rain event in Iowa's history in 1926 occurred in the middle of September, and Hillaker said 1965 also boasted one of the state's wettest Septembers.

He also said just southwest of Muscatine, places have been dry this month and some have barely had an inch of rain, which is much less rainfall than usual.

But that lack of moisture in some areas of the state has been good for crops, especially corn and soybeans, allowing farmers to harvest.

"The only thing suffering at this time of year is pastureland, we may not get as much regrowth of pastures, but most farmers would vote for dry weather this time of year," Hillaker said.
Few have abused facts like Donald Trump. On Monday, truth got its revenge.

Monday's presidential debate was a reckoning of sorts for the Republican presidential nominee. Trump couldn't hide behind more than a dozen opponents like he did during the one-liner friendly forums before the Republican primaries. He's spent, in some cases, years as the unhinged conspiracy crowd's wealthy patron celebrity. His campaign has been, objectively, the least honest in modern history.

Trump tells falsehoods. Trump rejects science. Trump repudiates inconvenient facts. Trump lies.

And, with little effort, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, moderator Lester Holt and the facts themselves, made him pay.

Trump loves New York City's former policing policy of shaking down minorities with backpacks, dubbed stop and frisk. The policy was ruled unconstitutional in federal court, no matter what the Republican nominee says. Plus, his pitch to African Americans isn't exactly the best: Your life sucks; let's harass you even more.

Trump did tweet in 2012 that climate changes science was a Chinese conspiracy. He did support the Iraq War prior to the invasion.

Trump falsely says he can't release his tax returns because he's under an IRS audit.

Trump accused Clinton of battling the Islamic State for her entire life. The Islamic State has only existed for a few years.

Trump spent years heckling the first black American president about his birth certificate and legitimacy. It was treatment unlike anything ever lobbed at a white president.

These, Mr. Trump, are the facts.

Monday's debate isn't likely to flip hardcore stalwarts. It probably won't even weaken the resolve of Republican partisans, purely concerned with GOP power over all else. A statement by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad declaring Trump's alleged victory was the very first press release issued by the Trump campaign following the debate. Branstad, of all things, attacked Clinton's dishonesty while labeling Trump a "fresh new leader."

Again, Branstad is referring to a man who, in every objective sense, was exposed Monday as a tchotchke-shilling huckster.

Clinton wasn't without her flubs. Her description of her evolution on free trade agreements was less than forthright. Trump scored a few body blows during the trade portion, for sure. Clinton at least admitted her "mistakes" when the private email server came up. Trump, on the contrary, continued operating at a level of brash dishonesty that dwarfs anything before it.

One lie dulls the previous one. Fact-checkers can't keep up, too often confounding the media. The voting public gets buried in word salad and gibberish.

On Monday, though, the total and complete pipe dream that props up Trump's pro-segregationist nationalism was there for all to see. For instance, one can't justify his border wall unless assuming that migrants steal jobs and commit a disproportionate number of crimes. They don't.

Trump has no real plan. His spiel lives and dies with a desire among many for racial superiority and religious domination. It's about nostalgia for a mid-20th century utopia that never actually existed.

That's not policy. And the rest is either illegal, unworkable or downright unconstitutional. All of the bluster is built upon a foundation of untruths and brash over-generalizations.

Most observers expect Clinton to experience a small bump after her carefully researched performance. She thoroughly schooled her opponent over the final 45 minutes, precisely because she dealt in reality.

But facts and truth have been Trump's real victims. On Monday, they got some retribution.
Americas farmers produce the best beef, pork, corn and corn products in the world which are in high demand by the 95 percent of the global population living outside our countrys borders. Yet we are losing market share to competitors in the Asia-Pacific region, because we dont compete on a level playing field.

As a farmer in Scott County, I know how important it is to find new markets for the corn and livestock we grow. Thats why its so important to me that our leaders in Washington support trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

The TPP is a trade agreement between the United States and 11 Asia-Pacific countries: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. U.S. exports of corn and corn products to the TPP countries face tariffs as high as 40 percent. Under the TPP agreement, tariffs will be cut, offering new market access opportunities to U.S. producers and exporters.

America must support its homegrown industries including agriculture by tearing down trade barriers and addressing the foreign policies that threaten our businesses and our workers.

Iowa agriculture is already a success story, representing $112.2 billion of Iowas total economic output and more than 400, 000 jobs in our state. Lets remove trade barriers and expand our access to foreign markets. Please join me in telling U.S. Senator Grassley, U.S. Senator Ernest and U.S. Representative Loebsack to pass TPP in 2016.

Jerry Mohr

Eldridge
Ronald Reagan called the right to vote the crown jewel of American liberties. Franklin Delano Roosevelt said that the only way to deprive the American people of the right to vote was by Americans choosing not to vote. Winston Churchill told the House of Commons in 1944 that no amount of rhetoric or voluminous discussion can possibly diminish the overwhelming importance of the single vote.

As America gets ready for Election Day in a little more than a month, the importance of voting cannot be stressed enough.

September 27 is National Voter Registration Day. In our modern society, it seems every day is a National Something Day, but this one is different and very important. It is an important reminder that in order to vote on November 8, citizens must meet their states registration and ballot deadlines. And those deadlines are fast approaching.

There are more than 200 million eligible voters in the United States, but the number that participates is far lower. In a 2012 study, the Pew Center on the States found that one in four eligible citizens is not on the voter rolls.

Every state has different rules and deadlines. Most states have registration deadlines around the middle of October. And in many states, to register you have to mail in forms or appear in person. Only 31 states allow online registration.

Absentee ballots must be turned in before Election Day in all states. For instance, in Texas, they must be received by October 28 and in Rhode Island, the deadline is October 18.

The American Bar Association is dedicated to helping every citizen learn whats required to vote. Thats why the ABA has created a website at voteyourvoicenow.org that includes an interactive map of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five territories with information about registration deadlines, absentee ballot material and laws about identification needed at the polls.

The website also contains information about laws that provide time off to vote and accessibility for voters with disabilities. The site has resources for lawyers as well, encouraging them to get involved in their communities and get people to vote.

The American Bar Association, which represents more than 400,000 lawyers, judges and law students, believes that voting is an essential civic duty that forms the foundation of the rule of law. It is the chance for every Americans voice to be heard.

The American Bar Association remains completely nonpartisan. It does not endorse candidates or contribute to candidates or PACs. But the ABA believes that lawyers have a basic obligation to support voting, which is the cornerstone of our democracy.

The first step toward voting on November 8 is making sure you know all the rules and deadlines beforehand. Make sure you are registered and have what is required to cast your ballot on Election Day.

The turnout for the 2012 U.S. elections was only 58 percent of eligible voters. As a nation, we should do much better. We can do much better.

ABOUT THE WRITER

Linda A. Klein is president of the American Bar Association. She wrote this for InsideSources.com.
DES MOINES - A key Republican suggested Tuesday that Iowa promote health-care occupations for young people - similar to a focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields - to meet the challenges of Iowa's aging population and a shortfall of trained professionals to take care of them.

Rep. Dave Heaton, R-Mount Pleasant, co-leader of the Legislature's health and human services budget subcommittee, spoke to delegates to the Older Iowans Legislature (OIL). Heaton said the bubble of aging baby boomers coupled with Iowa's workforce shortage will make it increasingly difficult to meet the demand for health-care services, especially in home or community settings in rural areas.

"As Iowa's population continues to age, the need for more care providers continues to grow," Heaton said. "And getting our young people to consider a career in senior care is something this state needs to focus on."

"Without reaching out to the next generation and showing them that they could have a fulfilling career in providing care, we will face a significant difficulty in meeting the needs of our growing senior population in this state," he warned.

Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds have placed extra emphasis on attracting young people into STEM fields as the high-tech jobs of the future. But Heaton said a similar push is needed to make occupations and salaries in the health-care fields more attractive to high-school and college students as well.

STEM skills are needed to grow Iowa's economy, "but equally important is having people who provide the daily care activities that seniors need in their homes and communities," Heaton told OIL delegates who convened in the Iowa House chambers in the state Capitol this week.

"Health-care occupations are in such demand in this state we can't begin in the future to be ready to take care of the obligations that we're going to have as we address the needs of our seniors. We just don't have enough people in the workforce," he said.

"We just somehow need to introduce our young people with some first-hand experience to see whether or not they would like to get into health care rather than some other occupation out there," Heaton added. "We desperately need these people. We're just on the very edge of all of this need that I see on the horizon and we need to react to that."

OIL delegate John Hale said Heaton's message was "music to our ears," knowing there's a legislator in a key position to do something about the problem who "just gets it." Hale said senior advocates would be willing to sit down with legislators and Branstad to consider creating a STEM-like initiative focused on careers and support in health- and long-term care services.

"I think what it requires is just some leadership. Somebody to say this is a priority and we're going to deal with it," Hale said.

Shawn Zierke, of Homestead, Iowa, said one approach to reaching an "untapped workforce" would be to require Iowa community colleges or universities to have at least three credits of service learning for students in their curriculum programs that would enable them to get real-world experience and work references, along with specialized skills such as optional dementia training certification that Heaton indicated is badly needed.

"I believe there are many people who don't know they have a heart for it because they haven't been exposed," she said.

Helene Magee, of Dubuque, chairperson of OIL, which also heard speeches from Branstad, and Senate President Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, said the gathering usually draws 75 to 100 participants, but attendance was less than 50 this year because of flooding in Eastern Iowa.
China's ambassador to the United Kingdom, Liu Xiaoming, used an ancient Chinese phrase when praising the power of "cooperation and concerted efforts" between the two nations in a speech on Tuesday night.

Addressing all walks of people, ranging from senior British officials including Chancellor Philip Hammond and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to Chinese community representatives and businessmen, Liu made the speech at a reception to mark China's National Day in London.

It was the seventh National Day reception the ambassador has hosted in Britain's capital. Liu summed up the "remarkable achievements in China-UK relations."

At top leadership level, the "super State Visit" to the UK by President Xi Jinping last October marked a significant milestone, according to Liu.

The ambassador also said he was "pleased to see that Prime Minister May attended the G20 Summit in Hangzhou and had a successful bilateral meeting with President Xi."

At ministerial level, Hammond has so far made four visits to China this year, first as Foreign Secretary and latterly as Chancellor. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his UK counterpart

Boris Johnson held a meeting during the UN General Assembly in New York last week.

The ambassador reiterated the "golden era" of the two nations' relations, which remained unchanged after the Brexit vote and UK's cabinet reshuffle.

He particularly referred to the recent approval of Hinkley Point nuclear plant deal, in which China has a significant investment, as the example of UK's welcoming environment for Chinese businesses.

In reciprocal manner, Chinese businesses "cast their vote of confidence" with continuing investments and contracts here in the UK after the referendum on June 24, according to the ambassador.

Before analyzing the future of bilateral relations, the ambassador quoted an ancient Chinese saying:

"If two people are of the same mind, their strength can cut through metal, and their consensus-based argument is as appealing as the fragrance of orchid flowers."

A slate of high-level exchanges can be expected in the upcoming months, according to Liu, in a move to further increase political mutual trust between the two nations.

Hammond will co-host with Chinese Vice Premier Ma Kai the eighth China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue, while Hunt is heading to China as co-host of the fourth-meeting of the China-UK High Level People to People Dialogue.

Meanwhile Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi will come to London for a meeting with UK Foreign Secretary Johnson.

To contact the reporter: zhaosiyuan@chinadaily.com.cn
DEADWOOD | Two numismatists charged with analyzing more than 200 Chinese coins unearthed in archeological digs in this Northern Hills town took time Tuesday to examine other coins and tokens brought in by local collectors, and a few held pleasant surprises, they said.

Margie Akin and husband Kevin Akin, authors of the recently published field guide, Numismatic Archeology of North America, discussed their explorations of Chinatowns found throughout the American West, then took time to conduct their own Antiques Roadshow of sorts for nearly 20 attendees.

There were no huge surprises, but folks brought in some very interesting things, Kevin Akin said. Someone had found a Chinese coin in the Sturgis area, and we saw some unusual tokens from Deadwood and the 12th Cavalry that were found in Spearfish. We were able to identify a lot of interesting things.

Dave Huggins of Sturgis, who uncovered a Chinese coin while helping build a parking lot, brought the coin collection he acquired while serving in Vietnam in 1968 and 1969, which included a large token he learned was made specifically for GI souvenir collectors.

I just never knew anything about this Chinese coin and he (Akin) knew right away that it was worth about 500 wen, Huggins said. Now I know a little more about my coins.

Lifelong Deadwood resident David Akrop, who still lives in the house his parents bought in 1908, brought in a Chinese coin that had adorned his grandmothers sewing basket and may have even served the same purpose on his great-grandmothers sewing basket.

According to the expert, his coin likely was more than 300 years old.

I learned it dates to Kang Xi Reign of the Qing dynasty and was cast sometime between 1662 and 1722, Akrop said, obviously pleased. It doesnt sound like its worth much, but its a keepsake. Basically, I learned that they werent used for currency but were used for other purposes such as ornamentation or good luck tokens. Im glad I came because it was very interesting.
A state judge on Tuesday ruled that the money recovered from a man killed earlier this year by a sheriff's deputy can be claimed by his children rather than his former guardian.

Lois Roth, a Sturgis resident who raised Abraham Fryer, had asked the Seventh Circuit Court for the $3,408 found in Fryers vehicle to cover his final expenses. The cash was found along with methamphetamine and marijuana after a Pennington County sheriffs deputy fatally shot Fryer, 35, following a Rapid Valley traffic stop on Feb. 26, according to authorities.

Fryer has two children who are under the care of their mother and her husband.

The South Dakota Attorney Generals Office, which declared the shooting justified, has asked the court to forfeit the $3,408, saying it is connected to the illegal drug trade. The next hearing on the case has not yet been set.
BELLE FOURCHE | The state board that oversees water projects traveled 110 years into the past Thursday to see how a feat of agricultural engineering in the dry terrain of Butte County continues helping produce crops where they wouldnt grow otherwise.

The Belle Fourche irrigation district supplies water during tough times of the growing season to more than 57,000 acres of private farms and ranches.

The water comes from across the Indian Creek watershed, is collected at Orman Dam and, when needed, is turned loose through 450 miles of canals that deliver it to select spots to flood the land or, increasingly, be pumped through modern irrigation pivots.

For a century, the district employed ditch-riders  men on horseback and later using vehicles  to adjust dozens of gates numerous times each day to coordinate where and when the water flowed.

In the past 10 years, automation became the new method used to run the gates system and to collect data on water levels. The districts manager, Bill Anderson, whose farm is more than six miles away from the dam, or a consulting engineer can look at the numbers on a computer screen or a smart phone and make decisions and adjustments.

The seven ditch-riders now focus on checking with the districts customers to see whether theyre receiving the right amounts of water at the right times to make their operations successful.

The Belle Fourche project came together during a time when the U.S. government still thought almost anything possible of America. The federal Bureau of Reclamation set forth to build dams across the American west in an attempt to conserve water and make the land more attractive to settlement by farmers and ranchers.

Crews built many of the key pieces of Orman Dam, the Belle Fourche reservoir and the canal system prior to 1910, hauling supplies including heavy iron many miles across the prairie, mixing concrete in the field for the control structure, surveying the expanse on foot and erecting the huge wall of earth that still stands as the dam itself.

The missing piece in the plan was money to use in the future for removing the silt that would be washed into the reservoir and form berms of dirt dozens of feet high under water around the two intakes.

There also wasnt money set aside for other rehabilitation that would be necessary through the decades or for converting to a more effective method of distributing the water at its final destination than simply flooding a field at the high end and letting gravity carry the water to the opposite end.

Approximately 200 miles of drainage canals had to be constructed in about 1920, a decade after the project was running, to carry that leftover water away.

They ran like the Little Missouri River all summer long, Anderson told the tour group of state board members and their professional staff from the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Thats the pollution in the Belle Fourche watershed, he said.

In the past decade a variety of federal and state offices, participating landowners and others have invested nearly $30 million into a range of improvements and rehabilitation work.

The state board granted $2.5 million and loaned another $2.5 million to the irrigation district to build two new gatehouses atop the dam  the old ones were constructed in 1910  and to run modern pipes known as siphons through the base of the dam carrying the water from the intakes to the canals.

The money also went to replacing a third siphon that pipes water underground to cross the Belle Fourche River so the flow can reach one of the districts many remote areas.

The state assistance also helps pay for the dredging that is about to commence at one of the intakes.

About 36,000 cubic yards of silt is to be removed.

That silt washes into the reservoir in two ways. Much of it simply results from erosion at the ranches across the Indian Creek watershed during rains and snow.

The reservoir also sees another big charge of dirt come when a load of water is released from Keyhole Reservoir in Wyoming.

Approximately $24 million has been spent across the Indian Creek watershed to help ranchers adjust their operations through what are known as best management practices. This is everyday conservation on the ground.

Every shovel of dirt that doesnt wash off the land is one less shovel clogging the reservoir.

In the days of ditch-riders running the gates, water took three days to get from the dam to the farthest farms and ranches in the system. Now, with the automation, the water needs just one day and the losses of water are cut in half.

Jared Oswald is the projects consultant from the RESPEC engineering firm. He said theres now automation at some 60 spots along the canal network.

Combined with the increasing popularity of pivots to spread the water through the air across field, the system now is much more efficient, he said.

He told the story of a tough summer when the districts members wanted to draw the reservoir nearly dry. But they couldnt get the last 11 percent of the water out of the reservoir because of the berms of silt surrounding the intakes. The silt became an unintended dam blocking the water from getting to the intakes.

Amid all of the recent investments in restoring the system came serious interest from the state Game, Fish & Parks Department in making the reservoir a destination for people who enjoy the outdoors.

The state Parks and Recreation Division built campgrounds, installed a wide ramp for launching multiple boats simultaneously and now requires a daily fee or annual entrance sticker to visit whats called Rocky Point.

On the first evening of fall Thursday, camping trailers dotted the several grounds. No one appeared to be fishing or boating, but there is a grocery and bait business that caters to campers and anglers and provides storage for boats and camping vehicles at the corner of Fisherman Road and U.S. Highway 212.

The project went through many chapters during the past century, including service as CCC work camp during the Depression and a prisoner of war camp during World War II. There was a long stretch when the dominant crop was beets, but the processing factory is long gone from Belle Fourche.

More than 480 individual farmers get water from the district today. They mostly grow alfalfa with some corn, wheat and barley. The system allocates 20 inches of water annually for them in an area where natural precipitation averages 13 inches.

Near the dam is a historical display with a row of information panels attached to small boulders. The road across the top of the dam is closed to civilian traffic and the road gates are chain-locked shut.

But there is a road by which people can visit the bottom of the dam and the start of the canal system, where a sign warns of turbulent water when the releases are flowing from the reservoir.

The reservoirs popularity can also be seen in the fire rings that people have constructed on the beach on the reservoir side of the dam now that the water is low. During spring and early summer that stretch would be deep under water.

For many of the state board members, such as chairman Brad Johnson of Watertown, the visit Thursday marked their first time at the reservoir and irrigation system, even though its within a half-hour drive from Spearfish through Belle Fourche on main highways.

Its good for us to get out and see some of these projects, Johnson said.
The new supervisor of the Black Hills National Forest has added his voice to those opposing a proposed federal-state land swap involving Spearfish Canyon and Bismarck Lake.

Conceptually, were opposed to the land exchange as its proposed, said Mark Van Every, who took over the forests top job last month after the retirement of previous supervisor Craig Bobzien.

Van Every added some new figures to the debate. He said the Black Hills National Forest spent $835,000 on dredging, improvements to the campground and day-use facilities, and other projects at Bismarck Lake since 2006. Additionally, the Forest Service spent $350,000 on improvements in recent years to campgrounds, a picnic area and a viewing platform in Spearfish Canyon, although not all of those facilities are included in the proposed land exchange.

The Forest Services return on all of those investments would be diminished by the land exchange, Van Every said. The Forest Service would additionally lose about $12,000 in annual net receipts from three campgrounds that would be transferred to the state as part of the exchange.

South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard proposed the land exchange in his January State of the State speech. U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., have since introduced congressional legislation to carry out the plan.

The exchange would transfer 1,992 acres of the Black Hills National Forest to state ownership, and 1,954 acres of state-owned grasslands east of the Black Hills to federal ownership.

The state would receive land in Spearfish Canyon to enable the expansion of the state-owned Roughlock Falls Nature Area into a full-fledged state park, and the state would also receive land adjacent to Custer State Park (including Bismarck Lake) to add into that parks boundaries.

The federal government would receive several parcels of land to incorporate into the Buffalo Gap and Fort Pierre national grasslands.

Some critics have assailed the plan as an unfair deal for the federal government and a step toward over-development of Spearfish Canyon. The U.S. Forest Service was silent about the proposal until Thursday, when Leslie Weldon, deputy chief of the National Forest System, testified against Thunes bill and said in a written statement that the bill is unnecessary and contains provisions that raise concerns.

Van Every joined the debate in a subsequent interview with the Journal.

He said the Black Hills National Forest is not a willing party to the land swap and was not consulted about it. That contradicts a statement last last week by Daugaards chief of staff, Tony Venhuizen, who told the Journal, Weve discussed this with local Forest Service folks.

Van Every said he is concerned about the precedent that could be set by selecting very high-value recreation areas in a national forest and turning them over to a state government. The recreational opportunities that the state wants to create in Spearfish Canyon and at Bismarck Lake already exist, Van Every said, and there is no need for a land exchange to improve those opportunities or better connect them to neighboring state recreation sites.

State development plans for Spearfish Canyon, Van Every added, could diminish the diversity of experiences offered in the Black Hills. There is currently only a minimal amount of development in the canyon, which some recreational users and nature lovers appreciate.

The states plan includes adding camping sites, paving some gravel roads and introducing other new amenities. A fee would also likely be introduced to enter the portion of the canyon that would be converted to a state park, although a state official has said it would remain free for motorists to drive through on the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway.

Beyond his opposition to the land exchange, Van Every has additional concerns about how the exchange might be carried out if approved by Congress. The legislation calls for an equal-value exchange based on agricultural appraisals, which Van Every said makes no sense and would diminish the real value of the land in Spearfish Canyon and at Bismarck Lake.

If I were to appraise a piece of property in downtown Rapid City, I wouldnt probably appraise it as ag land, Van Every said. Likewise, if I was appraising two very highly used, very popular recreation areas as ag land, Im probably not going to get the best value for the property economically.

Additional opposition to the land exchange arose recently from the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and the Great Plains Tribal Chairmens Association, each of which has drafted formal statements against the exchange. Their opposition is based on the desire of various Sioux tribes to regain Black Hills land that was taken from them in the 1800s.

Van Every said another group with concerns about the exchange is Forest Recreation Management Inc., the private concessionaire that operates Black Hills National Forest campgrounds on behalf of the Forest Service.

The Spearfish Canyon Foundation, meanwhile, has come out in favor of the land exchange.

The proposed land exchange between the state of South Dakota and the U.S. Forest Service will improve public use and enjoyment of our natural environment, preserve the scenic properties of Spearfish Canyon and serve the best interests of the general public, the foundation wrote in a recent letter to the Senate committee that is considering Thune's land-exchange legislation.
Methamphetamine use has reached unprecedented levels across South Dakota, and the addictive nature of the drug has led to a spike in crime across the state.

In response, the mayors of the state's two largest cities are seeking ways to combat the crisis.

Mayors Steve Allender of Rapid City and Mike Huether of Sioux Falls held a joint press conference by computer link on Tuesday to highlight the problem and offer some ideas for solutions.

Both leaders said meth use has become the biggest threat to South Dakota communities and residents.

Allender said law enforcement and other government agencies are not equipped to deal with the increase in meth use and the violent crimes that often result.

"Police officers, prosecutors and corrections are not equipped to deal with half a dozen or a dozen meth addicts being arrested in one night," Allender said. "To drive past a convenience store and seeing a drug transaction taking place, pulling over a car and finding everyone in that car under the influence of methamphetamine."

Allender said the drug that has devastated communities across America, both in big cities and small towns, is showing its devastating effects now in South Dakota.

"It is a drug that is so encapsulating, so addictive that it changes one's life," Allender said. "So today you're working and having normal life by most standards and now you become addicted to meth and in days, weeks, months, you're robbing convenience stores, selling your property, selling your neighbor's property and doing everything you can to supply your methamphetamine habit. It becomes the number one priority in your life."

Huether said he learned during an August meeting of mayors from across the state that the issue is rooted in rural areas and larger municipalities.

"It's not just Sioux Falls and Rapid City and Aberdeen that are dealing with this," Huether said. "What we found in that meeting is that every mayor, every city, every town is being impacted and the resources to combat it are really being impacted as well."

He said meth addicts have a tendency to commit whatever crime possible to get the money or drugs they need.

"It could be a home break in, a car break in, some of these assaults that just seem ridiculous," Huether said. "They're happening because of this crazy drug, this very addictive drug called meth."

Allender said that approaches traditionally used by government to deal with alcohol and other drug problems are not effective in the war against meth.

The latest measure to keep nonviolent drug offenders out of jails, South Dakota Senate Bill 70, was not meant to deal with meth users and addicts, Allender said. The single-mindedness of meth addicts is undermining the ideals under which those reform measures were crafted.

"The concept used was to keep nonviolent drug offenders out of prison," Allender said, adding that the measure was intended more to keep marijuana users out of prisons. "I dont think it was created with the hardcore junkie in mind."

He said even though meth has been on the radar for law enforcement in South Dakota for years, it has never been as big of a problem as it is now. And as far as looking to solutions, Allender said it has to go beyond law enforcement and the criminal justice system.

"Our police departments across the state are very good, but we can not keep up with a societal problem such as drug addiction," Allender said. "There has got to be some resources available for treatment more readily available than they are today. That, to me, is the missing link in todays society."

Rapid City Police Chief Karl Jegeris and Sioux Falls Police Chief Matt Burns plan to hold their own joint press conference on the matter today at 9:30 a.m. at the city-school administration center at 300 Sixth St.
Paige McPherson, who competed in her second Olympics in Rio De Janeiro a month ago, has returned home to the Black Hills and was warmly welcomed by family and friends at a party honoring her in her hometown of Sturgis last week.

But time and support from locals haven't dampened her disappointment at failing to medal in taekwondo at the 2016 Summer Games in Brazil.

Competing at 67 kilograms, the No. 7-seeded McPherson couldnt hold an early lead and lost 6-5 to No. 10-seeded Farida Azizova of Azerbaijan. Azizova rallied from a 4-2 deficit, keyed by a late three-point offensive kick.

McPherson says the match still haunts her.

"Every time I go to sleep I think about it," she said. "It's not necessarily because I lost, but the way I lost."

The 2012 bronze medalist says she knows in her heart that she was better, faster, stronger and more flexible than her competitor on that day.

"I was winning the whole fight and then one little exchange just changed it all," she said. "Whenever I look back on that moment I can only understand that it was God's will. But right now I just keep asking 'why?' "

For the first few days after the loss, McPherson said she didn't sleep much thinking about the match.

"I've fought all those girls before and beaten them," she said. "I just can't believe it's over. It went by so slow, yet so fast."

She says she has no regrets, knowing that she "gave it her all" in preparing for her moment on the biggest stage of all.

"I trained so many hours. I cross-trained with one of the best teams in taekwondo right now, the Great Britain team. I also worked with a new visual stimulus system," she said. "I was definitely ready  mentally, physically, everything."

A fellow athlete shared with McPherson the characterization that the Olympics is its own monster.

"Nothing really happens that is supposed to happen at the Olympics. You see so many upsets," she said.

And in taekwondo, a sport in which there are so many variables and so many elements, if athletes were given a second chance to face the same competitor, the results likely wouldn't be the same, McPherson says.

"There were so many upsets in our sport. People who had been dominating for four years got there and lost their first fight. It just shows the complexity of our sport," she said.

Talking about her Olympic experience is bittersweet, says the 25-year-old McPherson, who sipped coffee at a downtown Sturgis cafe this week.

"Yes, it's the pinnacle of every sportsperson's career, but at the same time it wasn't what I wanted," she said.

The emotions of losing in the first round are still close to the surface for McPherson.

"It's hard as an athlete to stay positive after that," she said. "It's our livelihood. It's what we've sacrificed for four years. To be done in less than six minutes is hard."

At this point, McPherson isn't sure about working toward qualifying for a third Olympics.

She recalls after winning bronze in London that someone asked her about competing in Rio.

"Honestly, I didn't expect to be sitting here talking about my second Olympics. It's been a fulfilling yet difficult four years," she said.

Some Olympians told McPherson her second Olympics would be easier than the first.

"I definitely have to say it is not," she said. "It just gets harder and harder."

Qualifying for the Olympics in taekwondo has become much more difficult than when McPherson began in the sport. Because of the politics associated with choosing athletes to represent a certain country, the governing board has made qualifying more points-based.

"In some countries, they would take someone who wasn't necessarily the best," she said. "This new system was a way to guarantee that regardless of what your country says, the top six in the country are able to go to the Olympics."

McPherson, a devout Christian, says she has seen God's hand in her journey to Rio. She said there were many instances when it looked as if she wouldn't make the Olympic team.

She remembers back to 2012 and 2013 when she couldn't win a fight. "I was losing to girls, who, in my mind, I should have beaten," she said.

In 2013, she says she hit rock bottom in her career. "I asked myself, 'What am I doing?' " she said.

McPherson trained harder, putting in extra hours and trusting that she had made the right decision. In 2014 and 2015, she said she had the best years of her career.

Training or making a decision about what lies ahead are on hold while McPherson is in what she terms "tourist mode" while home in the Black Hills.

She is accompanied on this trip by her boyfriend, Vince Leple, who Paige says has fallen in love with her home state.

"He loves South Dakota. It's the complete opposite of Paris, France, where he's from," she said.

The two met through friends in Miami. He was on vacation there and began hanging out with Paige and her friends.

"We hit it off. That was six years ago. We've talked about marriage, but that's up to him," she said.

Coming home to South Dakota is a different mindset for McPherson.

"Not everybody is in a rush. Vince was walking around exploring the town and he came back with a big smile on his face. He told me he had been walking around the block and everyone was saying, 'Hi' to him and waving. He said that type of behavior was 'unreal.' "

McPherson's brother, Graham, lives in Sturgis and is co-owner of the family business, McPherson Propane.

In addition to her family, friends and classmates from around the Black Hills turned out for a welcome home celebration for McPherson Friday at the Loud American Roadhouse in Sturgis.

It comes as no surprise that one of McPherson's favorite moments of being in Rio for the Olympics was the opportunity to see Christ the Redeemer, Portuguese artist Cristo Redentor's colossal statue of Jesus Christ at the summit of Mount Corcovado.

"It is one of the wonders of the world," she said. "It was so inspiring."

Also while in the Black Hills, McPherson was asked to speak with youth in the juvenile detention center in Rapid City. She said her message was simple.

"I want them to know that not everybody's story is perfect," she said. "One thing I love about the Olympics is that there are so many athletes that come from different backgrounds and have faced adversity along the way."
PIERRE | The contested case on issuing a new version of South Dakotas general permit for concentrated animal feeding operations began Tuesday with an attempt to delay the start.

Kelsea Sutton, the lawyer representing Dakota Rural Action, said the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources didnt provide copies of revised drafts.

The agency did this wrong and messed up the process, Sutton said.

She noted the permit has expired and was last considered 13 years ago. We have to do this right, she said.

One of the revised drafts, she pointed out, never was made available to the parties in the case and Dakota Rural Action never received another revised draft.

Steve Pirner, state secretary of environment and natural resources, listened to the arguments and will make the decision on the final version of the permit after the three-day hearing this week.

Ellie Bailey, the lawyer for the states feedlot program, said the department issued the proper public notices. She said the departments exhibit No. 6 contains revisions suggested by various commenters.

She said the different versions were working drafts used inside the department and were the logical outgrowths of the public comment period.

Two lawyers representing dairy, livestock and poultry businesses opposed Dakota Rural Actions argument as well.

State hearing officer Catherine Duenwald said the sides have been working off the original proposed version of the permit. Duenwald denied Suttons motion.

Pirner didnt comment or ask any questions during the opening exchange.

Kent Woodmansey, a member of the DENR staff, said the permit is intended as a roadmap for environmental compliance.

The federal and state governments require manure discharges to be regulated so that surface water and underground aquifers arent polluted.

South Dakota has 426 concentrated animal feeding operations covered by the general permit that is being revised, according to Woodmansey. He said three operations have individual permits.

CAFO locations must file diagrams of their operations and data about their animal numbers and manure capacity. The general use for the manure is application as a nutrient to crop fields.

More than 1.1 million acres are in nutrient-management plans across South Dakota, he said.

The states drinking water program isnt aware of any public water supply systems in South Dakota approaching the clean drinking water limit for nitrate of 10 milligrams per liter, according to Woodmansey.

He said that from 1996 to 2010 results from the statewide ground water quality monitoring network showed that 30 percent in 2006 to 17 percent in 2010 of the monitoring sites had nitrates greater than or equal to 10 milligram standard.

None of these monitoring sites are located near known point sources of pollution, Woodmansey said. He pointed out that non-point sources of pollution are not regulated.

CAFOs located over a shallow aquifer are required to get a ground water discharge permit or to conduct ground water monitoring, he said.

Woodmansey said federal authority was granted to South Dakota in 1993 to issue a general permit. In 1996 the swine industry requested a permit. The department issued a permit in 1997.

In 1997 the state Department of Agriculture asked for a permit for other animal types. That was issued in 1998.

A revised permit reflecting federal changes was issued in 2002.

The Legislature in 2007 adopted a law, SB 9, requiring concentrated animal feeding operations to obtain either an individual permit or operate under the general permit.

A legal fight ensued in 2008 at the national level. In 2013 EPA and Iowa reached agreement on CAFO permitting. That led South Dakota to consider revising its general permit, Woodmansey said.

In 2015, from April to August, Woodmansey and his staff gathered opinions from a wide variety of government organizations and producer groups.

His office mailed notices to 931 interested parties. Twenty-seven parties filed comments. Eleven parties petitioned to participate in a contested case hearing.

DRA requested a delay on Dec. 8. On Dec. 11 Pirner issued an order for continuance. The department issued a new public notice on Aug. 2.

Among the proposed permit changes are:

Any discharge is a violation except in instances of extreme weather events;

Producers need to verify theyve attended training in the past three years. Woodmansey said some producers havent gone to training since the original permit 20 years ago;

Owners with shares of at least 10 percent must be identified so bad actors cant hide, Woodmansey said; and bankruptcy notification.

Sutton, the lawyer for Dakota Rural Action, tried to lay a record showing Woodmansey met with producer groups but didnt meet with any citizen groups. She asked why.

They asked. Nobody else did, Woodmansey replied.
Voting against Amendment S ("Marsy's Law") on November's ballot isn't a vote against crime victims' rights so much as it is a vote against a giant can of worms. This thing is loaded with unintended consequences, so much so that the South Dakota Bar Association unequivocally said "no" to it at its business meeting last June.

Officially called "An Amendment To The SD Constitution To Expand Rights For Crime Victims," the proposal would expand, codify and place those rights into our state Constitution. Identical measures, all of them bankrolled by California software billionaire Harry T. Nicholas, whose sister was murdered in 1983, will appear on Montana and North Dakota ballots this year.

Nicholas has had some success with this endeavor, Marsy's Law having been adopted by voters in California and Illinois. A 19-item list of the rights proposed by the amendment here in S.D. can be viewed by visiting the Secretary of State's website.

In general, the list guarantees that crime victims can be more involved in the criminal-justice process applied to their alleged assailants. On the surface that seems like a good thing to me, but the details make for complications that I don't think we need here in South Dakota.

I've asked Jason Glodt, the Pierre lawyer who heads up the amendment's campaign, to provide me with some specifics on how existing victims' rights protections have fallen short in our state, but I haven't heard back from him as I write this. When he replies, I'll make note in my blog and provide RCJ editors with the information.

Meantime, former S.D. Attorney General Mark Meierhenry has said that "this is truly an idea chasing a problem that we don't have here in our state." Minnehaha State's Attorney Aaron McGowan adds that Marsy's Law would require state's attorneys and victims' advocates to "spend more time with victims of petty crimes" at the expense of "those affected by more serious crimes."

North Dakota attorney Chad Nodland calls attention to one of the potential fiascos created by the law's requirement that the victim be present (or given the opportunity to be present) at all proceedings involving the accused's disposition after the alleged crime.

Considering that a property crime can be committed while the victim is away, that means the accused has to wait in jail for the victim to be identified, located and physically brought to the proceeding that will release the accused.

Short of specifics, I can't say whether victims' rights in South Dakota need shoring up, but I'm doubtful. The S.D. Bar Association's opposition to this notes that existing statutes already cover victims' rights. Given the phalanx of professionals who oppose this amendment along with my general reluctance to embed our Constitution with a law that has as wide a net as this one, I'm dubious about Marsy's Law and will vote against Amendment S.
Investigation into murder of prominent Russian journalist Tsilikin complete

ST. PETERSBURG, September 28 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov)  The Investigative Committees St. Petersburg Directorate has completed investigation into the criminal case over murder of prominent Russian journalist, Dmitry Tsilikin, RAPSI learned from the Committee on Wednesday.

The criminal case against student Sergey Kosyrev, who is accused of murder, has been transferred to a prosecutors office.

According to investigators, Tsilikin met Kosyrev online on one of the social networks. On March 27, Kosyrev visited the journalist with whom he had befriended online. Investigators allege that the student killed Tsilikin during a quarrel, stole his laptop, mobile phone, money and fled the scene.

Kosyrev was arrested on April 7 after investigators had examined Tsilikins conversations on one of social networks.

The body of the 54-year old journalist was found in his apartment on the night of March 31. According to preliminary findings, he died from multiple knife wounds.

Dmitriy Tsilikin was an editor of Culture and society section in the Chas Pik (Peak Hour) newspaper. He was also an author and host of multiple TV- and radio-shows, his works were published in numerous newspapers and magazines.
Russian government supports bill on baby boxes ban

MOSCOW, September 28 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko)  Russian government has supported a bill prohibiting baby boxes, or incubators for parents who want to leave their newborn babies anonymously, official website of the bills author Elena Mizulina reads on Wednesday.

Mizulina noted that Russian government deemed such ban necessary because of Russian obligations under Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is noted that baby boxes violate Articles 6-9 and 19 of this international treaty. Therefore, Russian government supports the bill on condition that it will be improved based on feedback.

The bill introduces administrative liability for legal entities that establish baby boxes. This violation may result in a fine from one million rubles to five million ($15,300  $77,000) or halt of activity for 90 days.

In September 2015, Liberal Democratic Party member Vitaly Zolochevsky suggested a ban on baby boxes in Russia.

Irina Chirkova, a member of the State Duma Committee for Issues of Family, Women and Children, on the contrary, claimed that baby boxes must be legal in Russia so parents wont give up their children illegally, Izvestia newspaper reported earlier.

Since 2012, baby boxes have come into use at hospitals and religious organizations in the Krasnodar, Perm, Kamchatka, and Stavropol Territories as well as in the Kaliningrad, Kursk, Leningrad, Moscow, Pskov and Sverdlovsk Regions.
Russia to lift import restrictions on Egyptian products

MOSCOW, September 28 (RAPSI) - Rosselkhoznadzor, the Russian agricultural watchdog, will lift import restrictions, earlier imposed on high pest risk production from Egypt, on October 1, according to the regulators statement.

The decision was made following negotiations conducted between representatives of the watchdog and Egypt's government, Rosselkhoznadzor said.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation of the Arab Republic of Egypt guarantees that breach of phytosanitary requirements would not be committed during delivery of plant products to Russia, the statement reads.

Import restrictions were imposed on Egyptian products on September 22. According to the regulator, Rosselkhoznadzor repeatedly informed Egypts authorities about systematic violations of international and Russian phytosanitary requirements while supplying quarantineable products. However, Egypt continued breaching Russian phytosanitary requirements.
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?

Years back, Gov. Racicot provided good leadership and we dialed in on corrections, built more capacity stop the revolving door of lawbreakers. It has worked! First, lets look at the reasons people end up in jail. Many times our fellow citizen with idle time on their hands can lead to drug use that leads to violence and then jail. Seems like the best way to keep people out of jail is a good-paying job.

***

Has the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission adequately guided the states hunting and 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?

Strange question! There will always be differences of issue between a FWP board appointed by a liberal governor and an elected conservative Legislature. Being in the Legislature, yes, the FWP commission needs our guidance and counsel on many matters before it. We are directly elected by the public and our constituents expect us to represent them in these matters!

***

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?

We should start by supporting these extraction industry jobs! If there is a natural change due to solid economic influence to move from coal to solar or wind electricity, then fine, the consumers of electricity whom this industry is to support call the shots and the change happens. What we have today, though, is an out of touch-reality federal government, by President Obama, that is dictating the closure of our coal and other extraction industries in Montana by fiat! He is using bad science, bad government policy, and Montana workers and consumers are the victims of this socialistic federal government!

***

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?

Costs of higher education make it very difficult for many Montanans to attend! Lets remember that there is a plethora of help on the lower-income end to help many Montana kids afford a university or vo-tech degree. The high-end income families do not need our help; it is the medium-income families we need to try to help as much as possible. The best way to start this process would be for the university system to examine and find cost reductions in all sectors first, get the cost down for all, then lets look at more net funding.

***

What do you regard as the most urgent problem facing Montana, and how do you propose dealing with it?

This is the most important question you asked and should be first. Our most urgent problem in Montana is declining state revenue due to major hits to our coal, timber, gas, natural gas and extraction industries. These revenue sources are down, under our expected revenue, and affect other major revenue sources of corporate and individual revenue. These declining revenues will affect state-funded programs, our local schools, human services, local government and university system. We need vibrant, strong leadership in the governors office to make sure these extraction industries recover and that our state revenues recover as well.
The 37th annual fundraising banquet for the Bitterroot Chapter of Montana Trout Unlimited will be held beginning at 5 p.m. on Oct. 14 in the Bitterroot River Inn in Hamilton. Dinner will be catered by Riversong Gourmet, The Edge will provide a cash bar featuring brews from Bitter Root Brewing Company and fine wines, and there will be live and silent auctions, door prizes, drawings and awards.

Trout Unlimited member Marshall Bloom said the event is a tradition.

This is the time of year each Fall when aficionados of trout and clean water get together to recognize what a great resource we have in the Bitterroot River, Bloom said. Well have a terrific time telling stories about this past season and people will be making plans for their expeditions and outings for the next year.

Bloom said the Bitterroot Trout Unlimited is an entirely volunteer organization and this is their only fundraising event. The proceeds will go for a number of projects including their 20-year-old Bitterroot Buggers kids program.

We have been teaching young people how to tie flies, how to fly-cast, how to identify native fish and why having trout is important, Bloom said.

President Greg Chester said Trout Unlimited also supports a wide variety of projects including: restoring habitat along the Bitterroot river and its tributaries, hosting a fishing clinic for adults and the Hamilton High School Classroom Without Walls program.

Bloom said they support other important groups in the valley such as Teller Wildlife Refuge, the Bitter Root Water Forum and the Bitter Root Land Trust.

He said the Bitterroot Chapter of Montana Trout Unlimited has their eye on the future.

This last year Greg Chester recognized the importance of reaching out in a substantive way to the anglers and conservationists of tomorrow and as a result, we now have two local high school students as active board members, Bloom said. These two exceptional women, Minica Casbara and Shelby Harness, have attended our board meetings and brought new energy and perspective. We are thrilled to have a couple of local high school students on our board.

The banquet will have a number of outstanding premiums available.

Two showcase items are: Match the Hatch in 14-Karat, four iconic Bitterroot dry flies tied by John Foust, on 14 karat-gold hooks with a small sapphire at the point crafted by master jeweler Cindy Mikesell. Each fly can be worn as a pin or a tie tack. The second is a hand-built fly-tying desk made of exotic Brazilian hardwood by woodworking artist Dale Roos.

Other prizes include original artwork and photographs by Michelle Kapor, Mike Stidham, Susan Connell, Barbara Michelman and Merle Loman. A special limited edition lithograph by Monte Dolack, Solitude on the Missouri will also be available. There are accommodations and fishing at the Complete Flyfisher in Wise River, the Big Hole Lodge and the Rock Creek Lodge. A number of guided float trips on local waters are offered from Jack Mauer, Scott Nicolarsen and Rick Thomas. Tackle includes Loomis and Sage rods, Orvis reels, full dress Atlantic salmon flies and more. There are several gourmet dinner packages, one with banjo music and another with piano jazz.

In other words, there is something that will appeal to everyone, Bloom said.

In addition to having a lot of fun this is our annual effort to raise funds to support projects to ensure that our trout fisheries, Bitterroot River and water quality are maintained at the highest possible levels.

Tickets to the 37th annual fundraising banquet for the Bitterroot Chapter of Montana Trout Unlimited cost $50 and are available at Freestone Fly Shop, Chuck Stranahans Fly Shop and Anglers Roost in Hamilton and at the Freestone Fly Shop and Bitterroot Fly Company in Darby. For more information, contact Marshall Bloom at drtrout@mtbloom.net or Greg Chester at 406-363-0033.
PHILADELPHIA -- The brick estate where Grace Kelly spent her childhood years and where she received a royal marriage proposal has been sold, about three months after the home in the city's East Falls section first came on the market.

The price for the six-bedroom home was chopped twice after initially listing for $1 million in June, first by $150,000 in July and then by another $100,000 in August. The 4,000-square-foot property sold for $754,000, according to real estate agent John O'Connell of Elfant Wissahickon Realtors.

Kelly's father, three-time Olympic gold medalist John B. Kelly, built the home, which is still said to have a door etched with the heights of the Kelly children.

Beyond being the childhood home of an Oscar-winning actress and future princess, the Henry Avenue estate is also where Prince Rainier of Monaco proposed to Kelly with a 10.5-carat diamond ring. She said yes and the couple married in Monaco three months later.

Described as a "diamond waiting to be polished," the home attracted media attention in 2013 when authorities found more than a dozen animals, including a dead cat, in the home. The listing agent previously told Curbed Philly that the home had since been repaired but still needed some work.

NOTE: This story has been updated to reflect the home sold for $754,000, not $775,000.

Erin O'Neill may be reached at eoneill@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LedgerErin. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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You must have previous service to the organization, natch. There are four positions open: Directors-at-Large (three openings) and Vice...
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte promised an end to military exercises with longtime ally the United States today. Speaking from Hanoi, Vietnam, Duterte said that he was serving notice now to the Americans that an upcoming drill will be the last military exercise. Thats likely to come as a shock to U.S. officials, who have routinely insisted that, behind Dutertes rhetoric, U.S.-Philippine cooperation is progressing as normal.

Earlier this month, Duterte ordered U.S. Special Forces assisting Philippine troops in counterinsurgency operations in Mindanao to leave. He later walked back those comments , explaining, I didnt say [U.S. forces] have to leave immediately I never said, Get out of the Philippines, for after all, we need them there in the [South] China Sea.

That last part is especially interesting, as Duterte has given little indication that he wants U.S. help in the Philippines maritime disputes with China. In his remarks in Hanoi, in fact, Duterte made it clear that he is not interested in conducting joint patrols with Washington in the South China Sea. Whereas his predecessor, Benigno Aquino, cleaved close to the United States in the face of increasingly assertive Chinese behavior in waters also claimed by Manila, Duterte dismissed the idea of a Philippine-Chinese conflict as imaginary.

Instead, Duterte has actively courted China, downplaying the territorial disputes in the face of economic potential. Earlier this week, Duterte vowed to open alliances with China and Russia, saying the Philippines under his leadership would increase ties with the other side of the ideological barrier. He added that he was ready to not really break ties with Washington, but also said that the U.S.-Philippine relation was at the point of no return.

China, unsurprisingly, has welcomed Dutertes overtures. Huge differences or not, as long as China and the Philippines maintain the political willingness to resolve problems, there will be no insurmountable obstacles in the development of bilateral relations, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang told reporters on September 23.

Yet concrete progress on ties has been slow, perhaps because Duterte himself seems unsure of what he wants when it comes to foreign policy.

As an example, even as Duterte talked up relations with Beijing, his special envoy to China, former President Fidel Ramos, canceled a planned trip this week. Ramos, who was tasked with smoothing China-Philippine ties after an arbitral tribunal ruled in Manilas favor on its South China Sea case, previously took an unofficial, ice-breaking trip to Hong Kong

The Philippine embassy in China posted a notice on its website on September 26, inviting the Filipino community to a gathering on September 28 with Ramos, who would be in Beijing for an official visit. The very next day, however, the embassy posted another notice , saying the event had been called off. The trip to China of former President and Special Envoy Ramos has been canceled, the embassy said, without providing any explanation as to why.

Reuters, citing an unnamed aide to Ramos, said the special envoy would still visit China at the proper time. Another source told Reuters that Ramos visit was canceled because it would conflict with Dutertes own trip to Vietnam this week. The same source said that Dutertes visit to a number of Asian countries is being arranged.

Whether his itinerary will include China remains to be seen. Japanese media have reported that the Philippine president will pay separate visits to both China and Japan in October, but neither Manila nor Beijing has confirmed the reports. Its general diplomatic protocol for another official  in this case, likely Ramos  to visit a foreign country first, to pave the way for a presidential visit. If and when Ramos does go to China, it will be a good indication to watch for Dutertes own trip.

In a press conference on Tuesday , Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang declined to confirm a presidential visit, but told reporters, We have expressed our welcome to President Dutertes visit on many occasions. We hope that he can make this trip as soon as possible. He added that China and the Philippines are in close communication on this.

If Duterte does make a trip to China next month, that could very well mean he will have a formal meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, before holding a formal sit-down with U.S. President Barack Obama. A scheduled meeting between Duterte and Obama on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Laos was canceled after Duterte made disparaging remarks about the U.S. leader. Meeting Xi first would be another splash of cold water on the U.S.-Philippines alliance.
A Struer morning

The sun was shining again this morning and we walked into town from the marina before we left. We have seen a number of really nice towns in Denmark, and Struer was another with a cobbled pedestrian only centre that makes for a relaxing meander. Picked up a gift for a friends new baby in New Zealand and the lady was so helpful, wrapping it for me, putting it in an envelope and then pointing me in the direction of the Post Office. The shops really showcase the Danish eye for design with their simple lines and subtle understated use of colour. Perhaps it is a good thing that I cant fit much in our bags to take home!

Walked back to the van via another part of the marina where there were a number of classic boats including a three masted sailing ship, all with details about their history, which we couldnt really read although could see their dates which were from the early 1900s.

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay in this town. We continued on our southerly drive, heading to the Vejers Strand (beach in Danish) where Conny and Gerhart had spent a couple of days. It was just over a two hours drive, but it took us much of the day as we ambled down the coast. Part of the road was a very narrow strip between the North Sea and more fjords or inland waterways. The view of the ocean was blocked by huge high sand dunes which in fact we were very grateful for as the wind had got up and was really blowing from the west. This is a prime area for wind and kite surfing and there were so many out on the water enjoying the wind.

We saw many thatched roof houses and barns, which used the reeds that were growing in abundance around the water areas. No doubt years ago this was a readily available product for building and has continued to be used, even with new houses.

Stopped at the port town of Hvide Sande for a late lunch, parked beside the wharf. In the 1930s a canal was built here to give access to the inland port of Ringkobing as the strong winds caused much sand migration, often closing this access. Now Hvide Sande has a big fishing fleet and fish factories and its very busy. We wandered off after lunch to check out the boats and the town and hadnt gone far when we stopped to watch a fishing boat pull in. Had a chat to them about what they were catching and found out that the skipper and owner, Jens Fredrichsen had spent much of his working life on oil rigs, including time in Perth, and spoke great English. His father was Norwegian and mother Scottish. We had a long chat and heard all about the fishing industry here. He catches crabs and lobsters using this smaller boat for day trips along with a 20 metre boat that he takes out for 3 or 4 days at a time. Ian went on board and he showed him around, and delighted when he gave us a very fresh lobster for dinner, still twitching! Although it was still sunny and warm, he said that there was a big storm with high winds coming in.

Finally arrived at Vejers Strand late afternoon and found Conny and Gerhart out on the beach in their camper where there were many cars and campers parked, but the wind had picked up here and the sand was swirling around so we all headed back to the campground for shelter. I didnt take any photos on the beachdidnt want sand in my camera!

Had another great evening catching up on where we had both been over the last week, and thoroughly enjoyed an entree of lobster which we cooked up outside in a pot on the barbecue. (Big Ed, didnt get my toes in the North Sea, but have now had a Scandinavian lobster!)

Some "yarn bombing" in Struer

This sculpture made me laugh...very clever face plant

The wonderful old sailing ship in the harbour at Struer

Some of the thatch roofed houses along the coast, the reeds they use are in the foreground.

Had a great chat with Jens...and a lobster!

Jen's larger boat, presently getting some work done on it,

Tonight's entree




OSP Seeking Public's Assistance With Elk Poaching Case

Turn-in-Poachers (TIP) hotline at 1-800-452-7888.



A reward of $2000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.

Photo: ODFW



(HOOD RIVER, Ore.) - The OSP Fish & Wildlife Division is asking for the public's help to identify whomever responsible for the unlawful killing of a trophy bull elk in Hood River County.

On September 15th 2016, OSP was notified of a 6x7 bull elk that was found dead on private property on the west side on Hood River Valley off of Rhiordan Hill Rd.

An OSP Trooper responded and found the 6x7 bull elk dead and left to waste in a cherry orchard. Investigation revealed the cause of death is most likely by a gunshot wound during the 2016 archery season.

A reward of $2000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case. ($500 from the Oregon Hunters Association Turn-In-Poacher program and $1500 from the landowner.)

Anyone with the information regarding the case is asked to contact OSP Senior Trooper Justin Frazier through the Turn-in-Poachers (TIP) hotline at 1-800-452-7888. Information may be kept anonymous.

_________________________________________
Set in 1999, 11 years after the events of Stardust Crusaders, Jotaro Kujo tracks down Josuke Higashikata, the illegitimate son of Joseph Joestar, to help him in seeking out a magical bow and arrow that grants people Stand powers. Along the way, Josuke and his friends discover that a Stand-using serial killer is on the loose in their hometown of Morioh and only they can stop him. Source - Wikipedia
The hosting provider OVH continues to face massive DDoS attacks launched by a botnet composed at least of 150000 IoT devices.

Last week, the hosting provider OVH faced 1Tbps DDoS attack, likely the largest one ever seen. The OVH founder and CTO Octave Klaba reported the 1Tbps DDoS attack on Twitter sharing an image that lists the multiple sources of the attack. Last days, we got lot of huge DDoS. Here, the list of bigger that 100Gbps only. You can see the simultaneous DDoS are close to 1Tbps ! said Klaba. Klaba explained that the servers of its company were hit by multiple attacks exceeding 100 Gbps simultaneously concurring at 1 Tbps DDoS attack. One of the attacks documented by the OVH reached 93 MMps and 799 Gbps.

Klaba speculated the attackers used an IoT botnet composed also of compromised CCTV cameras. Now we have more information on the

Now Klaba added further information on the powerful DDoS attacks, the CTO of the OVH claimed that the botnet used by attackers is powered by more than 150,000 Internet of Things (IoT) devices, including cameras and DVRs.

The overall botnet is capable of launching attacks that exceed 1.5 Tbps.

This botnet with 145607 cameras/dvr (1-30Mbps per IP) is able to send >1.5Tbps DDoS. Type: tcp/ack, tcp/ack+psh, tcp/syn.  Octave Klaba / Oles (@olesovhcom) 23 settembre 2016

The bad news for the OVH company is that attacks are still ongoing and the size of the botnet is increasing.

+6857 new cameras participated in the DDoS last 48H. added Klaba.

The company was targeted by various types of traffic, including Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) traffic, a novelty in the DDoS landscape.

Unfortunately, such kind of DDoS attacks will be even more frequent, it is too easy for hackers gain control of poorly configured, or vulnerable, IoT devices.

Last week experts observed another massive DDoS that targeted the website of the popular cyber security expert Brian Krebs. Krebsonsecurity was targeted by a DDoS attack of 665 Gbps.

The attacks against OVH and Krebsonsecurity are the largest ones reported so far.

Pierluigi Paganini

(Security Affairs  1 Tbps DDoS attack, IoT)

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Dede Wilsey's "personal fiefdom" managing the deYoung Museum and Legion of Honor shall apparently continue with only a few small changes, at least according to reports from special sessions of the museums' board held Tuesday to amend their bylaws. The Chronicle's Matier & Ross, who have clearly been trying to get Wilsey to comment directly to them on the scandal for the past year, now report via inside sources that Wilsey is very much remaining at the helm, if not technically as the sole president of the board or the museums' CEO.

Her PR person Nathan Ballard, who might have been recently hired, tells the paper, "Mrs. Wilsey remains firmly in place as the leader of the Fine Arts Museums board, and she has no intention of stepping down. That much is not in question."

Wilsey's troubles began last fall and continued into this year as it came to light via a whistleblower  who was subsequently let go  that Wilsey had ordered a large check issued to a museum staffer with whom she had a close relationship, without approval from the board. The whistleblower scandal led to a state's attorney general's office audit (still incomplete) and the resignation of several prominent board members of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, including former city attorney Louise Renne. The whistleblower suit, involving former museums CFO Michelle Gutierrez, was subsequently settled this summer to the tune of $2 million, at which point a spokesperson for the museums made the public announcement that Wilsey "believes it will serve the museums better for her to now focus on other areas where her skills and expertise will have a positive impact," i.e. in a lesser position on the board. The amount of the circumspect check, reportedly $457,000, was reportedly reimbursed to the museum by anonymous donors, one of whom may or may not have been Wilsey herself.

A New York Times piece followed, essentially decrying Wilsey's behavior and quoting several critics and detractors, including a San Diego museum director, Hugh Davies, who declared in no uncertain terms, "If they allow Dede Wilsey to play any leadership role within the museum, that would be beyond derelict."

Hell no I won't go, said Wilsey, ultimately waiting until this past Sunday to declare via a vaguely unflattering New York Times portrait that was intended to be her PR salvo back at her enemies "You cant beat me, and "You will look like a bunch of idiots," and "You will see me prevail" all apparently while stroking one of her pet Malteses.

She told the Times that moving forward "she will share more management responsibility with six other trustees," but she will remain in charge of politics and fundraising. Though she has served as both board president and CEO for several years, the CEO title will move to newly hired museums director Max Hollein  who will hopefully stick around longer than the last one.

Per the Chronicle and one board insider, there simply aren't enough votes on the board to oust Wilsey, and the new bylaw changes will mean that board heads will have three year terms, instead of Wilsey's previous lifetime appointment. And not only that, she's been a generous donor to CA attorney general and US Senate candidate Kamala Harris. Accordingly, even though Harris's office will still have to sign off on the museums' bylaw changes, "Were told that probably wont happen until after [Harris]... goes before the voters Nov. 8 in her race for U.S. Senate."

The 43-person board will now have to ratify the changes at their meeting in October.

Previously: Highlights From The New York Times' Portrait Of Dede Wilsey, 'Defiant Socialite'
Good news for fans of the goat-headed Baphomet! The children of at least one Portland, Oregon elementary school will now have a few more options in their after-school programming choices with The Oregonian reporting that The After School Satan Club just won approval to begin indoctrinating Beaver State children with messages of "science and rational thinking."

Sacramento Elementary School  a 420-student public school in the Parkrose Heights neighborhood of Portland  will be the first to welcome the Satanists in, with the promise that they will "focus on free inquiry and rationalism, the scientific basis for which we know what we know about the world around us." They add, "We prefer to give children an appreciation of the natural wonders surrounding them, not a fear of everlasting other-worldly horrors.

Finn Rezz, one of the chapter heads, told the Oregonian that the club will focus on promoting "benevolence and empathy for everybody," and will gather once a month on the same day that The Good News Club meets in the school. The Good News Club, for those who don't know, bills itself as "a Bible-centered organization composed of born-again believers whose purpose is to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to establish (disciple) them in the Word of God and in a local church for Christian living."

After School Satan was thus formed as a counter measure for the anti-religious, and they note in their FAQ that they're allowed to do so because Satanism is a recognized religion, and a 2001 Supreme Court Case, Good News Club v. Milford Central School, allows such after-school clubs as "limited public forums." It's trying to balance out the evangelicals, you see, not about devil worship, per se, but it's likely to spark some lively debate about the issue of evangelizing in schools.

If the Satanic Temple has their way, Sacramento Elementary School will just be the first of many. "School districts across the nation are now receiving letters from The Satanic Temple explaining that we will be offering our clubs in their schools this coming school year, and parents in those schools can expect to be presented with a permission slip from their children in the first weeks of the Fall semester," explained Satanic Temple spokesperson Lucien Greaves. "All of the districts weve approached are nearby to local chapters of The Satanic Temple, and each school district has hosted, or is now hosting, Good News Clubs in their schools. This being the case, we are sure that the school districts weve approached are well aware that they are not at liberty to deny us use of their facilities, nor are they at liberty to deny us any level of representation in the schools that they afford to other school clubs  such as fliers, tables, brochures, and school-wide announcements."

Below, the group's catchy little teaser video.

Related: 666  The Taxi of the Beast
Italian Americans helped build this city, and it's Mexican, Chinese, and Italian cuisines that inform most of the dishes we'd consider San Francisco classics. And while North Beach isn't totally where it's at anymore when it comes to finding great Italian food here (with a couple exceptions), San Francisco remains possibly the country's greatest city for sampling the regional differences of Italy, with restaurants like Perbacco, La Ciccia, and Locanda dedicated specifically to Piedmontese, Sardinian, and Roman cuisines, respectively, just to name three. With that in mind, below we bring you what we think are the best of the best for sampling the most divine pastas SF has to offer, with a few recommendations for what to order.  Jay Barmann





Acquerello

Chef Suzette Gresham's 27-year-old institution is still going strong having just garnered its second Michelin star in 2015. Along with Quince and SPQR, this is where Italian food lovers should head for a truly excellent, fine-dining experience, albeit it in a highly formal, windowless setting in what was once a mortuary. Gresham was famed for her decadent foie gras rigatoni, which doesn't always make reappearances, but some recent, delicious sounding options on the prix fixe menu include potato ravioli with caciottina di capra, smoked guanciale, and charred spring onions; and red wine-short rib saccottini with salsa rossa, glazed turnips, and lovage.  Jay Barmann

1722 Sacramento Street at Polk







Barzotto

Fresh, handmade pasta is the first thing you'll see upon entering the classy yet casual Barzotto, opened just this August by Marko Sotto, an ex-operations director for restaurateur Adriano Paganini. The goods are in the case at the front, around the corner from the counter where diners order. Chef Michelle Minori's bucatini is fat and al dente, and her baked pastas like strozzapreti  literally "priest stranglers"  are not to be missed. Yes, you can grab fresh or dried pasta to go, which is definitely what you'll want to do after you taste it. Caleb Pershan

1270 Valencia Street at 24th Street





Photo via Yelp.

Delfina

Delfina, which absolutely doesn't sell pizza like the adjacent Pizzeria Delfina, has some of the best pasta in the city. Both the wild nettle tagliatelle and the chitarra integrale are excellent, and, they're most famous for their meat sugos, usually either pork or duck, served with pappardelle. With the reasonably priced menu, you'll also probably want to try some of their other excellent items. And if you're looking for something more traditional, the simple spaghetti with plum tomatoes is a definite win.  Jack Morse

3611 18th Street, between Guerrero and Oakwood Street





Spaghetti with meatballs at Emmy's

Emmys Spaghetti Shack

With its wackadoo hand-drawn menus and hefty portions, Emmy's is a family-friendly and informal affair, especially early in the evening, while later you'll notice that orders of PBR tall boys have become popular. Emily Kaplan's humble pasta restaurant grew up a bit when it moved up the street to a larger space in 2014. I'm happy to report the good vibes and delicious meatballs made the trip, too. Caleb Pershan

3230 Mission Street between Valencia and 29th Streets





A campanelle pasta dish at Flour + Water with braised oxtail, squash, and pistachio. Photo: Facebook

Flour + Water

As noted recently in our pizza list, Flour + Water is almost better known for their pasta than for their pizza, and chef Thomas McNaughton's flagship remains a solid place to sample the Roman classic spaghetti caccio e pepe, and agnolotti dal plin. The menu changes weekly and based on seasonal ingredients, and they offer a pasta tasting menu for $75 per person, with both omnivore and vegetarian menu options, and featuring special items not on the regular menu like, right now, duck tortellini en brodo with pickled hibiscus.  Jay Barmann

2401 Harrison Street at 20th





La Ciccia

Since 2006, native Sardinian Massimiliano Conti has been doling out some of SF's most beloved pasta at La Ciccia, the Noe Valley restaurant he co-owns with his wife, Lorella. A decade later, the place remains a hit, with their signature dish of toasted fregola (small pearls) topped with tomato, sea urchin, and grated tuna heart making "must eat" lists year after year. But just as remarkable, in my opinion, is the Spaghittusu cun Allu Ollu e Bottariga (homemade spaghetti, garlic, olive oil, and roe) and the Pasta Longa cun su Nieddu de Seppia (fresh linguine with seafood and lemon zest). Don't come here expecting Fettuccine Alfredo  here the flavors are bright and sharp, never heavy. This is comfort food that won't leave you feeling greasy or gloppy.  Eve Batey

291 30th Street between Church and Chenery Streets





Lamb Ragu at Locanda. Photo:Darin L. via Yelp

Locanda

As close as it comes to Rome on Valencia Street, Locanda has been turning out excellent pastas since 2011, among other dishes. This summer, Chronicle critic Michael Bauer updated his appraisal of outgoing chef Anthony Strong, writing that "hes taken his skill to a new level." Sadly, the restaurant  owned along with Deflina by Craig and Annie Stoll  will lose Strong's talent in the kitchen, as he announced he'd be striking out on his own last month. Still, staples like the bucatini all'Amatriciana and preparations like radiatori (above) with lamb ragout are sure to remain, along with new additions like Thursday's gnocchi night.Caleb Pershan

557 Valencia Street between 16th and 17th Streets





Cotogna's Tortelli di zucca with brown butter and sage. Photo: Anthony N/Yelp

Quince and Cotogna

Placed next to each other on a FiDi stretch of Pacific Avenue, sister restaurants Quince and Cotogna share a chef and a kitchen, and some menu items, but have very different vibes. Quince is buttoned-up and fancier, Cotogna's more free-wheeling and casual, both are great. Current pasta standouts at Quince include their tagliolini with Monterey Bay squid, geoduck, and melon and a tortelli with corn, nasturtium, and fava beans that my mom termed one of her favorite things she's ever eaten. Cotogna, which is presently serving more pasta dishes than its sibling, boasts a handmade rainbow chard tortelloni and a taglierini with Dungeness crab that I could eat right now. Both places' menus are seasonal, so if you're reading this well after the publication date you'll likely have other options, all of which I'm sure will be similarly fantastic.  Eve Batey

Quince: 470 Pacific Avenue. Cotogna: 490 Pacific Avenue, both between Montgomery and Sansome Streets





Carbonara with Bacon at Red Hill Station. Photo: Novalina N. via Yelp

Red Hill Station

Opened in 2014 and already a quintessential Cortland Avenue neighborhood restaurant. I'd argue it's the linguine, with several excellent preparations, that keep Cortlanders coming back. Chef Taylor Pedersen's menu is best known for its well-sourced seafood, so definitely consider the classic Manila clams linguine with andouille sausage. The white wine and garlic broth is to die for. Caleb Pershan

803 Cortland Avenue between Gates and Ellsworth Streets





Rose Pistola's Parppadelle al Amatriciana. Photo: Al L./Yelp

Rose Pistola

Rose Pistola has had a lot of ups and downs since its opening in 1996. Under then-superstar chef Reed Hearon it snagged the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in America in 1997, but after his departure in the early '00s, things took a turn for the, shall we say, touristy flavor of North Beach. But in 2015 the restaurant made its first outside executive chef hire in Steve Walker, and they've been a player in the pasta game ever since, with the addition of "elevated" (ugh, I sneer at that term too, but it's accurate in this case) versions of the Italian joint's signature dishes. I guess what I'm saying is that if you went there and had a bad meal before Walker arrived, it's worth a second look. It may seem like an overly safe choice, but their version of wild mushroom risotto is a comforting treat, and their tagliatelle with figs, chili, lemon, and cream sauce is really something special.  Eve Batey

532 Columbus Avenue between Green and Union Streets





The smoked fettuccini with urchin at SPQR. Photo: Owie N./Yelp

SPQR

I always try to explain to people that SPQR isn't aiming to be classic in its approach to Northern Italian flavors and pastas, but it's more like sitting down in a contemporary restaurant in modern-day Milan and seeing what a talented young chef has come up with that week. The ever-changing menu at this Michelin-starred, Pacific Heights spot, led by chef Matthew Accarrino, has been known to offer a pasta tasting menu (though that's not currently shown on the website), and always highlights unusual flavor combinations and seasonal ingredients. Two favorites that often remain: smoked fettuccini with sea urchin, smoked bacon, and a soft quail egg; and bludnudlen with Tuscan blood sausage ragu, and pigs foot pan grattato.  Jay Barmann

1911 Fillmore Street at Bush





Tosca's bucatini with tomato and guanciale. Photo: Cara Waters/Instagram

Tosca Cafe

The 2013 revamp of Tosca Cafe at the hands of New Yorkers Ken Friedman and chef April Bloomfield has only gotten better with time. In addition to a divine red-sauce special they now offer (which includes a braised pork with sausage and meatballs, pasta, and garlic knots, all served family style), the expanded pasta selection now includes things like trompetti with paprika sausage and broccoli di ciccio; and linguini with chanterelles, corn, cured egg yolk, and tomato vinaigrette.  Jay Barmann

242 Columbus Avenue near Broadway





Photo via Yelp.

Uva Enoteca

The excellent boar bolognese lasagna, pasta pomodoro, and pasta fusilli are just some of the standout options available at this date-friendly, brick-walled Lower Haight spot. In addition to a good and reasonably priced wine selection and some solid starters, Uva Enoteca also now does delivery through Caviar and other services, which may come in handy for you. As we've noted in the past, the restaurant also has a great happy hour deal on both drink and food  so feel free to go wild.  Jack Morse

568 Haight Street, between Fillmore and Steiner Street



Honorable Mentions

A16 (for Southern Italian-style delicacies including squid ink calamarata [calamari-shaped pasta] with calamari)

Da Flora (for the restaurant's famed Venetian-style sweet potato gnocchi)

Farina (for the house-made, Ligurian-style handkerchief pasta with pesto, if you don't mind that it's $26)

Firenze By Night (for their gnocchi)

Panta Rei (for their ravioli, or their spinach tagliolini with prosciutto, pancetta, peas, and cream)

Perbacco (for excellent, soulful tajarin with pork sugo)
Botswana Bitcoin & Blockchain Summit to train Developers to build apps

Bitcoin continues to make inroads in Africa. One particular African country pushing the penetration of the digital currency is Botswana.

The Satoshi Centre in collaboration with GDG Gaborone and Partners are putting together the first ever Botswana Bitcoin & Blockchain Summit. It is scheduled from 25-26 November, 2016, at the Botswana University in Gaborone.

With the theme Bitcoin & Blockchain: The Only Chance for Africa to Empower her People, the summit will host 150 people from across Botswana and Africa. Participation is free.

Rationale behind summit

Coin Telegraph spoke to Alakanani Motherpky Itireleng, Director of Satoshi Centre on the raison d'etre behind the summit. She revealed that it is basically about reaching out to more people with the benefits and usefulness of Bitcoin and Blockchain Technology.

There is something about Bitcoin and the Blockchain technology that makes me push for people to take a deeper look into it, at least not to miss the greatest invention of all times. At first, when I started my journey with Bitcoin I was ignorant about what it was all about. As I continued the journey to research for my small meet ups in Botswana and attend Bitcoin conferences, my knowledge on the technology kept on growing and so was the desire to take the technology to the people, especially business institutions, students, farmers, the un-banked etc. I felt the technology will matter in the future. The rationale therefore can be summarized as reaching all with this technology with the hope that we will see amazing developments coming up as a result of this summit.

Speakers

There is an excellent line up of speakers that include Prof. Charles Evans (USA), Adella Toulon Foerster (USA), Tim Tayshun (USA), Andrew Tudhope (South Africa), John Karanga (Kenya), Philip Akonfem Asare & Narigamba Mwinsuubo of Ghana.

Blockchain Academy

26 November the Summit with collaboration of the Blockchain Academy in South Africa will run a training course for developers at the Botswana University. The course is intended to provide developers with hands-on experience to develop applications using the Bitcoin Protocol. It also aims to illustrate to developers the languages and tools can be used to build decentralized applications.

Participants are required to have basic object-oriented programming experience combined with basic understanding of JavaScript and Node.J.

Sponsorship & Exhibition

The Summit is sponsored by HardBTC (Gold) and Playbetr (Silver). According to Alakanani, they are yet to get sponsors locally but they are working closely with the support of the University of Botswana Google Developer Group.

We are still reaching for more corporate entities to support this initiative. It is the beginning of the growth of Bitcoin and Blockchain innovations, not only in Botswana but the rest of Africa. As a result we are offering sponsorship and advertising opportunities for businesses and individuals to market their products and services right here in Botswana. Participating in the introduction of Bitcoin and Blockchain technologies in this summit will help open the opportunities for this technology not only in Botswana but also, the rest of Africa.

www.cointelegraph.com


Bob Aldridge and Ihope that our opera has particular relevance for our times, when the divisionbetween the haves and the have-nots of the country has come to seemparticularly stark, and when American mores governing the meanings and thepurposes of wealth have largely eroded. So writes Herschel Garfein, librettistof the new American opera, Sister Carrieawork receiving its world premiere as the Florentine Opera Companys firstproduction of its 83rd season.

Aldridge andGarfeins opera is set in the U.S. of the 1890s, when the burgeoning IndustrialRevolution was bringing unprecedented wealth to a few menwhile millions toiledaway in filthy factories in filthy cities for paltry pay. Then as now, the gapbetween rich and poor was enormous and, for the vast majority, unbridgeable.For a woman of the era, life offered little beyond marriage and motherhood;those are fine life choices to be sure, but they ought to be just thatchoices. They werent really viewed asmerely optional back then, however. Only about 19% of women over 16 wereemployed in 1900; of these, fully half were in domestic or farm work. Thereality was that women could only achieve status-stability orstatus-advancement through the agency of men, Garfein explains. This is theworld that Dreiser unflinchingly depicts in SisterCarrie.

Herschel Garfeinsreference in that quote is to Theodore Dreiser, author of the original 1900novel in which we find our main character, 18-year-old Caroline Meeber, leavingher rural Wisconsin home for the big city and, presumably, greater things. Shefully understands the mans world she inhabits and thus is no babe in thewoods upon arrival in Chicago. But, as an aspiring actress, shes certainlyoutside the societal norm. Her story todaythat of a young, attractive womanstriving to achieve her dreams without dependence on anyone elseis a familiarone. In Carolines world, however, its fairly well scandalous.

Much of thenotoriety of the book stemmed from Dreisers refusal to criticize or judge herfor this, Garfein observes. The notoriety he mentions refers to the factthat Dreisers novel, described in its day variously as sordid and vulgar,was not well received by the public, unaccustomed as they would have been totales of wayward women not receiving just punishment for their sinfulbehavior. She begins as a lowly factory worker in Chicago and eventually shecarves out a place for herself as a singing star on Broadway, Garfeinexplains, and in rising up the social ladder, Carrie fights battles that allwomen still fight.

If the names Aldridgeand Garfein sound somewhat familiar, theres good reason. RobertAldridge is an American composer of not only opera, but also orchestral,chamber, musical theater and dance works. Hes currently director of music atRutgers University, but higher education began for him with a bachelors degreein English literature from UW-Madison. Herschel Garfein is a composer,librettist and stage director whos a faculty member at New York UniversitysSteinhardt School of Music. Sister Carrieis not Aldridge and Garfeins first collaborative effortnot at all. In 2007,they completed the fine opera ElmerGantry. Based upon Sinclair Lewis Nobel Prize-winning novel of 1927, Gantry went on to win Grammy Awards forBest Engineered Classical Album and Best Contemporary Classical Composition.They have also co-written the oratorio Parables(2010), a commission of the Topeka Symphony.

The Florentine Operawill give Sister Carrie a lavishlaunch. Mezzo-soprano Adriana Zabala will create the title role, and lyricbaritone Keith Phares will portray Carries paramour George Hurstwoodacharacter who certainly has the potential to become one of the greatest tragiclovers of all opera. A large supporting cast is headed by tenor Matt Morgan andsoprano Alissa Jordheim. William Boggs conducts the orchestra, and periodcostumes are designed by Rachel Laritz (in her company debut).

We are grateful forthe community support that has driven this company to create and present newopera as a part of popular repertory, Florentine General Director (andstage director for this production) William Florescu states, and to be able todo so on a level that supports the production of this world premiere and therecording and worldwide release of this new work.

Sister Carrie will be presented at 7:30 p.m. on Friday,Oct. 7 and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 9 in of the Marcus Center for thePerforming Arts Uihlein Hall, 929 N. Ninth St. For tickets and moreinformation, visit sister-carrie.com or call414-291-5700 ext. 224.
Ive advocated for Milwaukee my entire life, says Fred Gillich, founder of Too Much Metal For One Hand and the designer of some of the most recognizable Milwaukee-themed clothing and gear available today. Gillich got his start designing shirts and posters for local acts like Citizen King and Willie Porter. In 2000, he founded Too Much Metal, and his double-fisted metal horns design became a regular sight at Summerfest and local shows. He has since introduced an entire series of Milwaukee shirts and designs, including one that has become an unofficial-official city flag. Gillich recently talked with Off the Cuff about Milwaukee gear, feeling at home and the drive for a new official city flag.

It seems like in the past decade or so Milwaukee-branded clothes and accessories have really blown up. Why is that?

Because I was the ship that made the biggest wave. Everybody wanted a piece of this shit. At the time [a decade ago], Pride of Milwaukee, the Grand Avenue Mall kiosk, did a great job but Kevin [Callahan] shut it down and moved to Alterra, and now hes the graphic designer there. The other competitor was Brew City. As a student, I ran into this Harley-Davidson cafe in Vienna and I thought, shit, if Milwaukee can make it here and were recognizable, I want people to travel and look cool. So, my design esthetic purpose has always been that if you travel somewhere around the world, you gotta wear something thats cool about Milwaukee and not just something that says beer, cheese or some, I dont know, some stereotype.

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Why has the 414 design, which uses the distinctive Milwaukee house address tile font to spell out the area code, done so well?

Because its a real thing and it comes from a real place. When you try to create something on purpose for an effect it wont work. But with the area code and house tile numbers, its the most meaningful thing that symbolizes Milwaukee. Weve all seen those tiles growing up. Everybody knows what they are. It feels like home. Theres other things like that, too. The Brew City guys did one with the green garbage cans that said, Help Keep Milwaukee Clean. Its the same thing. It comes from a real place.

You also use the 414 design on flags. In the context of all the discussion of the city flag recently, how do you want people to see your 414 flag?

I think its the official-unofficial flag. Im not a big fan of the new one. I think its meaningless. It doesnt say anything about the city. Where, with the 414, its clear the house tile thing, its an address to your home, visually and symbolically. So, when people see that, it automatically registers. I dont mind the old one. And if someone outside of the city tells us we have an ugly-lookin flagI take huge fuckin issue with people from outside of my community giving me talking points. As if were inept, as if were helpless here. Were in the middle of the country, we dont know anything, we dont travel, we dont experience. So, when did that happen, man? When is it OK for other places to come up with the best ideas and then, somehow, we have to reduce ours to conform to theirs? Fuck that. Thats nonsense.

To buy Gillichs Milwaukee gear, visit toomuchmetal.com.

To view Make Milwaukee Rad, Gillichs video blog on Milwaukee, visit here.
We may never be able to stop Gov. Scott Walker and Republican legislators from lying about their attempt to sabotage democracy by destroying voting rights, but it warms our hearts to see its costing them millions of dollars. Thats the real reason behind a bizarre proposal from the states Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to try to decrease the value of the free state IDs Wisconsin is now required to provide to voters.

Before Walker took office, state IDs were a tidy, little, multimillion-dollar business for Wisconsin. In fiscal 2010, sales of state IDs brought in $3.2 million in revenue. Anyone without a drivers license or other official identification had to pay $28 for an ID card to get into bars, open a bank account or cash a check. Then, in 2011, Walker and Republicans passed a strict voter photo ID law, claiming it was necessary to prevent voter fraud.

That was a lie and Republicans knew it.

Out of more than a billion votes cast nationally over 15 years beginning in 2000, a study found an infinitesimal 31 credible instances of voter impersonation. But 300,000 Wisconsin voters could be disenfranchised for not having the proper ID, according to court testimony.

The major result so far of that unnecessary, undemocratic law was that revenue from selling state IDs plummeted. By fiscal 2015, sales were down 86% to $437,000. Thats because Wisconsin is now required to provide free IDs for voting. Its unconstitutional for states to require voters to pay to vote.

IDs Worthless for Actual Identification

Theres nothing Republicans hate more than giving free stuff to poor people and working class people who are just going to vote Democratic anyway. Its not like passing out millions to the wealthy who reward you with some really nice financial kickbacks. But if Republicans want to sabotage democracy by preventing those who support the other party from voting, its gonna cost them.

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Thats why Republicans long for America the way it used to bewhen racists could make blacks pay to vote. After the 15th Amendment gave African Americans the right to vote in 1870, many Southern states passed racist Jim Crow poll taxes. The tax applied to those voting after 1870 but exempted anyone whod had the right to vote previously, so only blacks had to pay. Those were the days.

The U.S. Supreme Court finally outlawed those brazenly racist laws as unconstitutional in 1937.

So, when Walker and other Republicans around the country revived the idea of preventing racial minorities from voting by requiring a photo ID many didnt possess, states had to provide free IDs to anyone who needed them for voting.

All Republicans really wanted to do was disenfranchise constituencies that voted strongly Democraticracial minorities, the poor, students and the elderly. But all that did was make those groups mad and more determined than ever to vote. And now theyre getting free IDs. Thats pretty funny.

Even funnier is the ridiculous proposal from Walkers DMV to try to discourage citizens from getting a free ID instead of paying $28 to buy one. They want to stop citizens from using the free one to buy a beer or cash a check.

The first suggestion was to stamp across the front of the states free ID: VOTING PURPOSES ONLY. But what does that mean? Youre the person the card says you are when youre voting for president, governor or some other politician to represent you, but the states not really sure who you are the rest of the time?

If thats true, the warning really should be much stronger; perhaps more like: WORTHLESS FOR ACTUAL IDENTIFICATION. But, of course, if that were true, why in the world would the state want such an ID to be used for voting? Voter fraud isnt a problem now, but it could become one if the state starts churning out worthless photo IDs.

Believe it or not, the DMV has actually come up with a way to make that free ID completely worthless. To cut the cost of the free IDs, the DMV is not only proposing to print them on cheaper stock, but, get ready for this, remove some of the fraud protections!

If the state wants its premium, deluxe, top-of-the-line, $28, gallery-quality photo ID to be the go-to identification card for leading U.S. financial institutions and conveyers of alcoholic beverages, it has to make the free voter ID totally unacceptable as a form of identification. And nothing is more effective in frightening profit-making businesses and institutions out of accepting ID cards as legitimate than removing fraud protections.

But then how could the states free ID card ever prevent voter fraud in elections? Oh, I forgot. Voter fraud isnt really a problem in elections. Voters dont want to risk going to prison to cast a meaningless extra vote. That was just a lie Republicans made up.
The urge to escape runs deep in human nature. We evade the stresses of workaday life with drugs, alcohol and Netflix. Advertisers hock products promising escape from our insecurities and imperfections. The John Michael Kohler Arts Center (JMKAC) has been hosting an ongoing exhibition series that explores this impulse to escape in the work of contemporary artists. The series comprises six original exhibitions of photography, sculpture, video, painting and drawing, each of which approaches the escape theme from a different angle.

The penultimate installment of Escape Routes opens on Sunday, Oct. 2. Twenty artists from around the world working with diverse media are represented. Some of the artists paint fantastical possible worlds or sketch DIY flying machines. Others confine themselves to this world with photographs of grizzled outsiders living off the grid.

Another show currently on display is Gregory Van Maanen: A World We Cannot See. The exhibition (on display through Sunday, Nov. 6) concerns psychological escape from past trauma. Upon returning in 1969 from a tour of duty in Vietnam, Van Maanen found much-needed peace in making art. Nevertheless, his paintings represent the turmoil that it was so necessary for Van Maanen to externalize. Skulls and other anxious imagery are counterbalanced by Van Maanens personal vocabulary of protective symbols and good magic.

On Saturday, Oct. 1 from 7:30-10:30 p.m., JMKAC hosts Escape Party. The one-night event celebrates escapism with an art heist-themed escape room, virtual reality environments and the transporting tunes of local indie rockers, Space Raft. Escape Party is free for JMKAC members, $18 for adults and $12 for students.

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Dan Friedman: Radical Modernist

MIADs Frederick Layton Gallery

273 E. Erie St.

Dan Friedman (1945-1995) was a graphic designer whose posters, packaging and experimental furniture were unified by his unique aesthetic philosophy that he named Radical Modernism. As Friedmans reaffirmation of the idealistic roots of our modernity, adjusted to include more of our diverse cultures, history, research and fantasy, viewers will find Radical Modernism to be playful, colorful and germane to a broad range of interests. The Milwaukee Institute of Art and Designs Dan Friedman: Radical Modernist collects furniture and wall pieces that will leave you feeling more modern and radical.
Timothy Cobb Fine Arts latest exhibition, Who Amongst Us?, is simultaneously a study in compassion for the human condition and a Buddhist call for the surrender of ego. Cobbs curatorial statement asks, Who amongst us has fully averted our human instinct, no matter how subtle, to supplicate in some way? Supplication, he explains, is our egos endeavor to attract what we want and repel that which we dont wantour attempt to heal separation. The irony, of course, is that Buddhism teaches that only complete surrender of our egoic attraction/aversion mindset will allow us to achieve true oneness with the universe.

The sculptures of James Matson and oil paintings of Peter Schassler present us with transcendent human struggles, emotions and situations in surrealist forms that make them all the more fascinating. Who Among Us? is an exhibition that challenges viewers to examine their own stories.

Matson comes from a venerable teaching background and his mid-size multi-media sculptures testify to the decade he spent working as a potter: Most include numerous individually fabricated bricks used as the building blocks for the larger subject. He describes his process as storytellingthe distillation of personal history and experiences into visual elements that yield universal truths.

In Meditation, for instance, we find a small human figure made of tiny bricks sitting in front of a window with cross-shaped bars. Matson shares that this work was prompted by his own reflection on when praying for an end to tragedies such as mass shootings becomes an insufficient response without direct action. He notes, however, that such a work could just as easily be interpreted differentlythe open-endedness of his sculpture is intentional and effective. In another work, Sisyphus, we observe the tragic figure of Greek mythology endlessly rolling his boulder up the hill in Hades, but here the character takes a modern slant. A Sisyphus for our greed-stricken times, his body is covered in dollar bills and his boulder is made of gold.

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Asked about the connection he sees between his own work and Schasslers, Matson points to the shared penchant for motifs of scorn, angst and the macabre, musing that, for him personally, the extreme realms of human experiencesuch as euphoria and despairhelp define our little space.

Schasslers large-scale oil paintings certainly capture this ethos as well. Revelation is a jarring image of a man standing, very much alive, with a gaping hole in his midsection. His entrails have been removed and he bears an expression of shock and bewilderment. Schassler shares that this image came to him as a metaphor for a difficult breakup, but again, the arresting vision could just as easily carry a different story of human suffering and attachment.

Wear and Tear gives us the striking image of a detachable pregnancy belly and breasts hanging from a rack against a black ground. Here the artists painterly technique and impasto are especially visceral in bringing forward the texture of the unusual garment and the story behind it begs to be told. Schassler calls the work his stab at all the personal augmentation that people go through, and the relationship between beauty thats real and man-made.

Psychologically and humanistically poignant, Schasslers paintings likewise benefit from master craftsmanship. A carpenter throughout his artistic career, the artist makes his own exotic wood frames, noting, I try to give the frame lumber the same reverence I ask it to give to the paintings.

Provocative and masterfully executed, Matson and Schasslers works are sure to leave viewers with a sense of wonder at both their own humanity and others.

Through Oct. 7 at Timothy Cobb Fine Arts, 207 E. Buffalo St., lobby.
If it sometimes feels like you dont recognize Wisconsin anymore, you may be right.

Two longtime political observers say that some of the change is fueled by small-town Wisconsinites resentment of elites, including Milwaukeeans, thats exploited by politicians.

This rural consciousness is a combination of strong rural or small-town identity, a sense that decision-makers in Madison arent listening to them or representing them, and the belief that theyre not getting their fair share of resources, according to UW-Madison Professor Katherine Cramer, author of The Politics of Resentment: Rural Consciousness in Wisconsin and the Rise of Scott Walker.

In short, rural residents feel they are the have nots, while urban and suburban Wisconsinites are the haves.

The intensity of the resentment toward Madison and Milwaukee really surprised me, Cramer said at a Marquette University Law School forum hosted by Mike Gousha on Sept. 21.

Cramer began her listening tour of 27 small towns in 2007 to learn more about Wisconsins rural communities, a project that took on extra urgency after the Great Recession and the election of Gov. Scott Walker in 2010.

Cramer said Walker spoke to rural resentment when he halted planned high-speed rail from Milwaukee to Madison while campaigning and then attacked public employee unions after he introduced Act 10 in 2011.

Rural Wisconsinites saw high-speed rail as only benefiting Madison and Milwaukee, and public employees were seen as havesworkers with good jobs, health care and pensionsunlike the rural residents, who were struggling to get by in low-paid, physically demanding jobs without benefits.

Cramer said those she interviewed said its about time that a politician took on those elite interests. She said distrust of government ran deep.

What I heard was people saying, Look around at our community. Whatever government is doing is not working for us. Why would we want more of it? Cramer told Gousha.

And instead of viewing education as a means to a better career, Cramer said rural Wisconsinites see a college education as being unaffordable and view local K-12 schools as being worse off than schools in wealthy suburban or urban communities.

A common refrain was, we just dont have the advantages those people in the cities do, Cramer said.

Walker, Trump and Sanders

Cramer said what was most troubling was the sense of resentment and feeling of injustice felt by those in rural communities.

They would tell me, Im working so hard to make ends meet and my money is going to people who dont deserve it, who arent working as hard as I do, Cramer said.

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She said rural Wisconsinites feel they arent seeing their taxpayer dollars invested in their communities, although her research shows that on a per capita basis, rural communities receive as much or more than urban centers. She said the economies of scale, more specifically, the density of the population, help cities utilize their tax dollars more efficiently than smaller towns and rural areas. She added that conversations about using government to help achieve economic justice dont resonate in small-town Wisconsin, since these discussions are tied up in race and go nowhere.

She said Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has been adept at exploiting the politics of rural resentment by very bluntly telling small town residents that they are getting screwed and can find someone to blame for it. Trump won the rural parts of the state in the spring Republican primary, while Texas Sen. Ted Cruz won the cities and suburbs and ultimately carried the state.

Mike McCabe, former executive director of Wisconsin Democracy Campaign and author of Blue Jeans in High Places: The Coming Makeover of American Politics, agreed that Trump and Walker tapped into rural resentmentbut so did Bernie Sanders, who won all of the Wisconsin counties except for Milwaukee County in the April Democratic primary. He said Sanders emphasis on free college and a $15 minimum wage resonated with rural voters who feel that higher education and better paying jobs are out of their reach.

The problem, McCabe said, is that the Democratic establishment belittled Sanders policies as being unrealistic and in doing so may have turned off small-town Wisconsinites.

I believe that if Bernie Sanders had been the candidate he would have had a better chance of cutting into Donald Trumps support in rural areas, McCabe said.

He said the presidential election was a tossup, and includes paths to victory for both Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin.

People are really frustrated, McCabe said.

McCabe said Democrats would have an advantage in rural areas if they would be more explicitly class conscious and provide tangible solutions for small-town residents, such as bringing high-speed Internet to every doorstep or increasing funding for local roads.

Democrats could make people a better offer in small towns and rural areas, McCabe said.
EducationQuest Foundation provides free services and resources to help Nebraska students get on the path to college. To get started, check out these tools at EducationQuest.org:

 College Profiles provides information about colleges in Nebraska and across the country.

 ScholarshipQuest has over 2,000 local and state scholarships.

 Activities Resume tracks your extracurricular activities and part-time jobs.

 FAFSA Tools simplify the financial aid application process.

 College Funding Estimator estimates the results of your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

 Videos guide you through the college planning and financial aid processes.

For free personal help, contact the EducationQuest location nearest you: Omaha  888-357-6300, Lincoln  800-303-3745, Kearney  800-666-3721, or Scottsbluff  800-303-3745, ext. 6654.
Start narrowing your college choices during your junior year. This will give you more time to determine which school is the best fit, and to meet admission and financial aid deadlines.

Answer these questions to get started:

What do you want to study?

If you know what you want to study, research schools that offer degree programs in that area. If you dont know what to study, its okay. Many students begin college undeclared and some start at a community college and then transfer to a four-year school.

What kind of school do you want to attend?

Do you prefer a large university or a small college? Are you interested in a community college? What kind of student/teacher ratio do you want?

What can you afford?

Consider the overall cost of college: tuition, room and board, books, transportation costs, and personal expenses. Determine what you and your parents can afford to pay out-of-pocket and plan to apply for financial aid to make up the difference. Calculate the loan debt your family may need to incur for your college education.

Where do you want to go to college?

Do you want to live close to home and commute? Do you want to be in a large city or a small town? How big of a factor is out-of-state or private college tuition? If you want to go out of state, investigate reciprocity programs such as the Midwest Student Exchange Program.

Avoid these college search mistakes:

Dont limit your search to familiar institutions. Just because your parents or siblings went to a certain college doesnt mean its right for you.

Dont limit your search to colleges you think you can afford. The more expensive the school, the more financial aid you may be eligible to receive. Do some financial aid-related research (using net price calculators, talking to an EducationQuest specialist, or a representative from the college) before crossing these schools off your list.

Dont choose a college just because its near your boyfriend or girlfriend. The school may not be a good match for you  and he or she may not be either!

Dont insist on an out-of-state school just because you want to get away. Even if you attend college in your hometown, you can still get away by staying on campus most weekends.
LOS ANGELES | Minnie Driver was warned she might not come off as the most likeable mother on television if she took the leading role in ABCs Speechless.

Her reaction? Dont be ridiculous, she remembers saying. Let me see that.

Wildly aggressive when it comes to helping her disabled son get equal opportunities, the character bulldozes her way through most situations. Shes pretty awful sometimes, Driver says, but also fantastic. Shes dropping the ball with her other two kids, so shes failing miserably as well as succeeding.

In the comedy, Drivers Maya DiMeo battles with parents, teachers and children if she thinks theyre getting in her way.

In her own life, Driver is much more passive with son Henry and errs on the side of discretion. When I was growing up wed go out on our bikes and my mum would shut the door and, through the letter box say, Come back when its dark.

Now, she says, parents have probably swung too far the other way. This obsession with our children and curating their every moment doesnt help the kid.

When he was 3, Henry tried to say hello to a baby in a coffee shop and the babys father pushed him away. Driver, in a display of anger, pounced into action and let the dad have it.

The father was acting in a protective way, Driver admits. But I get very articulate when I get angry. He was French and I did it in French.

When she can, Driver teaches improvisation at Henrys school and gets super involved. At a recent field day, I was the only parent who participated in every single event there was. Because no other parents were competing, I won. She smiles.

In the brief time that Speechless has aired, Driver has gotten emails from parents in similar situations thanking the show for telling their story. Thats rewarding, but when youre speaking for a group of people who, previously, had not had a voice on television, you want it to be good.

Drivers last series, About a Boy, was critically acclaimed and seemed like it had the ability to last. When it was canceled, she wasnt sure she would get over it. I didnt think I could ever love anything again. As a result, she made several films, worked on her music and figured it would have to take something special to get her back to television.

When the Speechless folks couldnt find the right actress to play their role, they wondered if Driver might reconsider her stance.

She did and everything happened so quickly, she didnt have time to bond with Micah Fowler, who plays son J.J., or any of the other cast members.

I worry that I might seem too abrasive, the 46-year-old says. But I trust the director.

Determined to stay put while her son is in school (shooting movies in Bulgaria was all right in my 20s), Driver marvels that shes still in the business 25 years after making her debut.

Its very difficult to maintain a career in this industry, the Oscar nominee says. Im proud that Im still having the opportunities.

That diverse resume she boasts  from Good Will Hunting to The Riches  didnt come from careful planning but perseverance.

Mostly, its just taking the best thing that was offered, Driver says. There are great big lean moments which no one knows about. Maybe you dont work for a year or two. But thats what makes up the patchwork quilt of a career in this business.
ALBATON, Iowa | Steve Nelson turned his John Deere combine into the sun late Monday afternoon. Granddaughter, Halle Newman, 5, shielded her eyes while leaning right, on grandpa's side.

"She's ridden with me since 1 o'clock today," Nelson said. "She loves being out here. We just chat away about the day."

Chris Newman, Halle's dad, pulled the grain wagon up to the combine, allowing Nelson to unload soybeans. He climbed down to provide his early harvest returns.

"The monitor says the beans in this field are anywhere from 70 bushels and more down to 55 bushels (per acre)," Nelson said, glancing east as his son-in-law and granddaughter started another pass through the field. "There's a real sandy strip out there where it just got too dry."

Nelson estimated his yields will vary with soil type. He replanted 20 acres of beans last spring, necessitated by an abundance of rain. He also replanted 160 acres of corn on a farm near Onawa, Iowa, south of the tiny town of Albaton.

Nelson, who started the bean harvest a couple of days ago, will use this week's sunshine to churn through a sizeable portion of his soybean crop. He'll then switch to corn, noting some varieties, at 19 percent moisture content on Monday, should be ready by then.

"I have some later planted beans that we won't get to this week," he said. "They're just not ready."

That statement mirrors what's found through much of Siouxland, which won't see harvest starting in earnest until week's end, according to Paul Kassel, an ISU Extension crops specialist based in Spencer, Iowa.

"There were areas around Spencer and parts of Kossuth and Hancock counties east of here that got 8-10 inches of rain in September, which is rare," Kassel said. "It came down soft and a lot of it soaked in."

Kassel said farmers may start the harvest, wary that storms could deliver a knockout punch to beans that have filled.

"I think it will be a very good soybean crop," said Joel DeJong, an ISU Extension crops specialist based in Le Mars, Iowa. "Everything I've heard is that yields are very good. This year, we have a lot of three-bean pods in the terminal (last) cluster. When you have those beans all filling out, you're taking advantage of a lot of your potential."

DeJong figures there will be farmers who go back and forth between corn and soybeans this season, harvesting beans that are ready before attacking the corn crop.

Nelson examined his soybeans, which had a little tilt, the result of a wind storm on Aug. 23 that damaged crops in a strip from Albaton to Sloan to Hornick to Climbing Hill.

"They leaned and then straightened up," he said. "But we also have lots of green beans around. An early frost would do some damage."

Like any farmer, Nelson keeps one eye trained on his fields and another on the sky, a sky that broke open Saturday with eight-tenths of an inch of rain at Albaton. This week, thankfully, should remain dry, with high temperatures in the 70s and lows in the 40s.

As his son-in-law and granddaughter motored west toward the end of the field, Nelson talked about his family's presence on this land. He laughed, saying he was 12 when he ran a combine here for the first time, likely during the fall of 1973.

"We had a three-row corn head and a five-row bean head," he said. "Things are different now."

Yes, things are different, especially this year, the first year Nelson's father, Larry L. Nelson, hasn't been part of this harvest crew. The elder Nelson died from complications due to cancer on March 11, three days after his 81st birthday, a lifelong farmer who passed the love of harvest to his son.

"Dad ran the grain cart a bit last year," Steve Nelson said. "He loved being out here."

Steve still passes daily harvest updates on to his mother, Carolyn. He and wife Pam reside in the house his great-grandparents built 97 years ago. The family's Century Farm designation, then, can't be too far off.

"I'll have to check the papers, but I imagine it would be about then (in 2019)," he said.

Granddaughter Halle will be 8 by that time. Chances are, she'll still have her seat in the combine next to grandpa, shielding her eyes on a late afternoon, chatting for hours about her day.
SIOUX CITY | Woodbury County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeremy Taylor on Tuesday quickly shut down the latest attempt by Supervisor Jackie Smith to get the county to investigate the concept of raising the hourly minimum wage paid to workers.

Smith since mid-2016 has talked about the option of raising the minimum wage in the county. She wants to have a county committee created to dig into statistics and bring back a recommendation to the supervisors.

The supervisors voted 3-2 in June to defeat that committee-creation proposal, and several members of the public came to a supervisors meeting in August to ask the board members to reconsider.

Smith raised the topic again Tuesday. On the very next agenda item, under the leadership of Taylor, the supervisors passed a resolution that bypassed the concept of setting a county minimum wage, while affirming a focus "on entrepreneurial conditions" that will contribute to higher wages.

That resolution passed on a 3-2 vote, like in June. Supervisors Taylor, Mark Monson and Matthew Ung voted affirmatively and Smith and Larry Clausen voted against it.

The resolution concluded, "Be it resolved that the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors champions economic growth and higher living wages for all residents, in keeping with the best tradition of improving quality of life and the pursuit of economic and individual prosperity."

"Let's do it through economic development ...and free-market principles," Taylor added.

Clausen criticized the measure passed as limited in details.

"It is a feel-good resolution," Clausen said.

Monson, Taylor and Ung also voted against Smith's proposed amendment to add creating a minimum wage committee as the last sentence of the resolution that passed.

"Minimum wage is not a county function," Monson said.

Monson said there was a "political" calculation to Smith continuing to raise the proposal. Those two are both seeking re-election in 2016, although in two separate districts, so they do not face each other on the ballot.

Smith shared a Sept. 14 opinion piece from the Iowa Policy Project think tank with a headline, "Is it time for Sioux City to join the party?"

"This week, two more counties in Iowa  Linn and Wapello  joined Johnson County in setting a countywide minimum wage. In Linn County, the wage will rise to $10.25 by January 2019, while Wapello County followed Johnson Countys lead in raising the wage to $10.10 in three installments. Polk County is expected to take up a proposal soon to raise the wage there to $10.75 by 2019," the IPP piece read.

Taylor said the Iowa Policy Project is "left-leaning" in policy proposals, while Smith said it is a non-partisan entity that does well in summarizing U.S. Census data in vetting proposals.

Smith said that if census data is extrapolated to Woodbury County, about 10,000 of the existing 51,000 people employed overall would benefit from a higher minimum wage of $10. She said roughly 80 percent of those people would be over age 20, so it would not be the stereotype of "teenager(s) sacking groceries."

Taylor said people should not misrepresent the county as "not caring" for failing to study a minimum wage hike.
Is Charles Grassley just too tired after some 40 years spent as a Washington insider? Is that why hes forgotten that here in Iowa we expect our politicians to meet the people and debate the issues? It seems incredible that our senator has a campaign schedule that has been kept largely hidden from Iowans by a staff that seems overly worried he might accidentally mess things up by going off-message.

Grassleys decline saddens me. After I moved to Iowa in 1996, I voted for him. Although I didnt agree with everything he stood for, I saw him at the time as a man of principle and action and some independence. This past decade, though, Grassley has transformed himself into a dependable toady to his partys far right wing - witness his stubborn refusal to do the job for which he was elected and allow President Obamas Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, even the courtesy of a hearing.

Grassleys campaign manager wants to protect his candidate by agreeing to only a single debate on TV and one on radio. Given his experience, whats he so afraid of? It must be Patty Judge. Patty Judge believes every Iowan should have the opportunity to hear candidates for office discuss and debate important issues multiple times before the election. Isnt such dialog the bedrock of democracy?

Perhaps its time for new, fresh, independent leadership. Perhaps its time for Patty Judge for U.S. Senate. - Greg Guelcher, Sioux City
Having taught and helped at a series of workshop over the past few months Tom Kelly, PhD Candidate in Genetics at the University of Otago, wrote up some of his reflections on the issues related to workshop attendance. This spurred further discussion via email among the New Zealand instructors. We decided to put these thoughts together in hope that this could help other sites struggling with the attendance problems.

Please note that these are the authors views and thus they should not be treated as representative for their home institutions.

Tom based his opinions after having taught at various workshops in Australia and in New Zealand, including Research Bazaar 2015 at the University of Melbourne, Research Bazzar 2016 at the University of Otago, University of Otago, University of Canterbury, and NeSI. There have been several other workshops in New Zealand facilitated by NeSI, in Auckland, Wellington, and Palmerston North over the past year.

Main point

Over the course of several workshops weve had relatively minor problems with no-shows (people signing up and not attending) or drop-offs (people not returning for future days or sessions). However, in the case of the oversubscribed workshops it was still somewhat frustrating. This has led to discussions about how we may address the issues related to the attendance to ensure that others who would have attended for the entire workshop, but ended up on the waiting list, do not miss out on places.

Issue 1: No-shows

At our most recent workshop in the University of Otago we had 21/25 attendees who signed up attending. At previous workshops this had also been a bit of an issue, being as high as 25% of no-shows in Christchurch in February 2015. I know that this issue is not specific to these sites or to New Zealand itself. Shortly after I got involved in Software Carpentry, I had a chance to talk to Bill Mills who was visiting from Canada to help boot-up the workshops and train some instructors. Bill did say that they usually have 25-30% no show in US/Canada so our attendance figures are not too bad compared to other free Software Carpentry events.

Issue 2: Departures over time

A larger concern to me is the number of participants who attend for the beginning of a multi-day workshop and do not return for the final sessions. Some participants may be leaving midway because it just doesnt work for them (thankfully, this is rare). Some will be interested only in a particular session, such as biologists who may attend only for the R module, even if we are encouraging them to attend the full course.

With others it may be difficult to address, particularly if they dont leave any feedback on reasons why they left. Though, we can assume that some participants may have to leave early due to other committments such as running lab experiments or childcare responsibilities. So at our recent workshop at the University of Otago we tried splitting it into 3 shorter days, rather than 2 full ones.

Approach 1: Registration Fee

We discussed further no-shows with Bill Mills when we were doing ResBaz/SWC in Melbourne and Christchurch. He mentioned a solution suggested by Software Carpentry of applying a small registration fee to make sure those who register actually attend or cancel giving the organisers some notice. Based on the experiences of several hosts accross this usually results in no-show numbers dropping to below 5%.

Whilst this is certainly an option to consider, in many local contexts this would not be possible. There are complications with the university local regulations. Some universities charge venue fees unless the event is free, run at cost, or for the benefit of staff and students. Another problem with charged events (even with a small fee) is that it may create disparity between research groups where some are funded from the lab and others need to foot the bill themselves due to financial or adminstrative constraints. Eventbrite makes it easier for the hosts in terms of handling payments and registrations but within the University system it would create issues for labs that want to pay (through Eventbrite) for their members to attend - not insurmountable, but just extra hassle.

There are also some cultural aspects. For example, New Zealand may differ to other places where ticketed events have been tried. We dont have a tipping culture, one of the largest home-supplies supermarket chains has the slogan Where Everyone Gets a Bargain, and another grocery supermarket chain proudly announces that it has NZs lowest prices. These stores are widely successful. It can be said that many of us see this as a good deal rather than appearing cheap, particularly among the university student population. Many people here view a bargain or freebie positively, so I dont think the event is under-valued being free. However, it would be interesting to see if any other NZ sites have tried a paid ticketed event to boost attendance rates and how this compares to other countries.

Approach 2: Catering

Another suggestion to raise numbers is providing catering to boost numbers (possibly registration fees can be used for that) which we tried at Dunedin Research Bazaar last February. However, we had issues with overcatering for those did not stay for lunch and we still had dwindling numbers by the last day. I think the come back for day 3 rate was higher in our most recent Otago workshop due to combined Git+Bash sessions on days 1 and 3. Unfortunately some participants did still give the impression of only wanting to attend the R session (or Python) but most seemed to give the rest a shot. And even the catering was not enough of an attraction.

Dwindling numbers seems to be a bigger problem with longer (3 day) events but there are higher costs for catering an event this long. Reducing the length of each day was another approach weve tried as discussed here.

Approach 3: Blacklist

Another approach could be the hosts checking the actual attendance and keeping a record of people who habitually dont show up without giving notice. They are then only able to sign up if there are places left right before the event.

At the recent University of Otago workshops no one missed out due to no shows. Generally, we manage to let most of our waiting list in with cancellations anyway. It would be interesting to know if particular people (groups, or institutions) are signing up and not coming recurrently, but a blacklist (as some SWC sites have done) may be overreacting.

This appears to be a rather drastic solution and thus needs to be treated with care. There are many other understandable reasons why a participant may not be able to attend at the last minute which would be difficult to monitor, such as illness or bereavement. There may be students who choose (or feel pressured) to prioritise their experimental research over the workshop on the day. Its likely preaching to the choir to even mention how counterproductive this lack of training can be in the long-run. However, a punitive approach such as a blacklist is not an appropriate way to encourage engagement in our workshops over research activities.

We consider a blacklist a last resort over the current first-come-first-served sign up system to consider only if people are repetively missing out. Perhaps a whitelist of people who missed out last time would be less punitive? We could either bump them up to the top of the waiting list or email them about the workshop in advance of public announcement. This would give potential participants more incentive to sign up even if the current workshop is full and may give a better indication of how much interest there would be in a future workshop.

Approach 4: Overbooking

This approach is notoriously used by some airlines. Many of you might have experienced a frustrating time at the gate when it has turned out that you actually dont have a seat even though you do have the ticket. Then it gets to an exciting action when the airline tries to bribe the passengers with the allocated seat to give it up (for cash) and take one of the subsequent flight (possibly next day). Neither Software nor Data Carpentry are aiming to go that way but it may be tempting for hosts to allow for a high number of sign ups (say 45) with an assumption that there will be 20-30% no-show rate, particularly if a larger venue and additional helpers are available.

In larger (parallel session) events, such as ResBaz, feedback has been overwhelmingly positive for the inclusion of helpers. They can somewhat mitigate issues with a larger group offering one-on-one assitance when needed and getting participants back on track so they can follow along after falling behind of technical problems. We encourage helpers to be proactive at larger events, or those covering more advanced content, checking on participants when they get withdrawn or quiet rather than waiting for the sticky notes. The larger a group, the wider the range of pace and learning styles will be there. If participants have raced ahead of the content this is also a good opportunity to encourage them to work with their neighbours, try out extension challenge questions, or discuss how the tools involved could be applied to their work.

However, one problem that Wolfgang Hayek, NZ Instructor based at NIWA and NeSI, has seen, is that venues get very crowded if turnout is large, with attendees complaining accordingly in their feedback. Sticking to the recommended number of attendees is definitely a good idea. For example, in Wolfgangs experience, the Wellington Victoria University ResBaz was a very relaxed event, at least partly due to its lower attendance. The Git session that Wolfgang has taught there was a lot more interactive than sessions that he had taught at other events, which made it quite enjoyable for everyone (many questions were asked and issues discussed, attendees participated more in the hands-on sections). While it is clear that we want to maximise efficiency of these events, there is also a positive side of having lower attendance, too.

Approach 5: Establishing rapport with the participants

Another alternative to the carrot and the stick is trying to establish close communication with the participants. Mik Black of the University of Otago said that him being a very hands-on person also helped with attendance numbers: particularly when co-ordinating the larger ResBaz event with parallel sessions. He sent repeated emails to registrants with reminders to tell the hosts if they couldnt come as there was a waiting list. That was somewhat effective but there were still had no-shows (plus drop-offs after the first day). It also worked at the time because Mik needed to email about other ResBaz details at the same time (venue, schedule, laptop setup, etc) - he wasnt just spamming them with are you still coming? every two days.

Sung Bae of the University of Canterbury (and previously NeSI) who has hosted and taught at a number of workshops across New Zealand developed a habit of going around the participants with the guest list and making them a name tag on the spot (and checking the attendance at the same time). Sung found it was helpful to build up personal connections with them (that helped him to remember their names too) and he also produced attendance lists from events he led. It possibly could help mitigate the number of drop-offs on the subsequent days of the workshop.

We recognise that there is no silver bullet to help us sort out the attendance issues. However, there may be various ways these problems can be mitigated. The experiences from Software and Data Carpentry workshops can also possibly translate to other training that many members of this community run.
WASHINGTON

(Sept. 27, 2016)The U.S. Department of Defense recently announced the following contract awards that pertain to local Navy activities., is being awarded acost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for providing research, development, technical, and test support in the performance of tactical and non-tactical systems associated with homeland security, anti-terrorism, mission assurance, force protection, unmanned systems, and other related programs. This effort will support the Weapons Control and Integration Department. Work will be performed in San Antonio, Texas, and is expected to be completed by September 2021. Fiscal 2015 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); fiscal 2016 operations and maintenance (Navy); and fiscal 2016 aircraft procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $75,000 will be obligated at time of award. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The, is the contracting activity (N00178-16-R-2008)., is being awardedfor modification P00006 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-15-C-0123) to exercise an option for the conversion of AGM-88B High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles into 19 full-rate production Lot 5 Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile all-up-rounds, including related supplies and services necessary for manufacture, sparing, and fleet deployment of the missiles for the government of Italy. Work will be performed in Northridge, California (90 percent); and Ridgecrest, California (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2018. International partner funds in the amount of $14,726,588 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity., is being awardedfor fixed-price incentive (firm target) modification P00009 to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-15-C-0002) for the procurement three low-rate initial production Lot 1 MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft, one main operation control station and one forward operation control station, training courseware, and tooling. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (30 percent); Baltimore, Maryland (12.6 percent); Palmdale, California (10.6 percent); Salt Lake City, Utah (10 percent); Red Oak, Texas (8 percent); Moss Point, Mississippi (3.9 percent); Indianapolis, Indiana (3.8 percent); San Diego, California (3.6 percent); Bridgeport, West Virginia (3 percent); Santa Clarita, California (1.6 percent); Montreal, Quebec, Canada (0.6 percent); Vandalia, Ohio (0.6 percent); Medford, New York (0.5 percent); and various locations within the U.S. (11.2 percent), and is expected to be completed in August 2020. Fiscal 2016 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $255,256,728 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity., is being awardedfor firm-fixed-price order 0044 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-15-G-0026) for interim spares in support of the MQ-4C Triton system's initial deployment. Work will be performed in Baltimore, Maryland (51.1 percent); Salt Lake City, Utah (18.5 percent); San Diego, California (9.5 percent); Indianapolis, Indiana (7.8 percent); Santa Clarita, California (3.4 percent); San Diego, California (1.7 percent); Vandalia, Ohio (1.3 percent); Medford, New York (0.9 percent); Montreal, Quebec, Canada (0.3 percent); Bridgeport, West Virginia (0.1 percent), and various locations within the U.S. (5.4 percent), and is expected to be completed in August 2020. Fiscal 2016 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $94,992,084 are being obligated at time of award; none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity., is being awardedfor modification P00004 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery requirements contract (N00019-14-D-0016) to provide intermediate, depot level maintenance and related logistics support for approximately 223 in-service T-45 F405-RR-401 Adour engines. Work will be performed at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian, Mississippi (47 percent); NAS Kingsville, Texas (46 percent); NAS Pensacola, Florida (6 percent); and NAS Patuxent River, Maryland (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2017. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual delivery orders as they are issued. The, is the contracting activity., is being awarded aindefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the production of, and support engineering for, production prototype test articles/commercially equivalent equipment for display and processing hardware and test bed simulators used for Ship Self Defense System development. Work will be performed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is expected to be completed in September 2021. Fiscal 2016 other procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2016 research, development, testing, and evaluation funding in the amount of $1,440,073 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The, is the contracting activity (N00178-16-D-3000)., is being awardedfor modification P00004 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-16-D-1003) to exercise an option for the fiscal 2017 depot-level maintenance support and sustainment of up to 13 F/A-18A/B/C/D aircraft. Services to be provided include performance of high-flight-hour (HFH) inspections, HFH recurring inspections, additional inspections, modifications and liaison engineering. Work will be performed in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada (80 percent); and Waco, Texas (20 percent), and is expected to be completed in June 2019. No funds are being obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual delivery orders as they are issued. The, is the contracting activity., is being awardedfor firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee order 0014 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-15-G-0026) to fabricate, assemble, integrate and install 17 Dual Satellite Communication kits on E-2D AHE aircraft. Additionally, this order provides for the verification of associated technical directives (one airframe change, three avionic changes) and an operational checkout of the capabilities. Work will be performed in Melbourne, Florida (23.2 percent); Menlo Park, California (18.4 percent); Boulder, Colorado (16.3 percent); Herndon, Virginia (16.3 percent); St. Augustine, Florida (11.6 percent); Ronkonkoma, New York (8.7 percent); Rolling Meadows, Illinois (1.8 percent), and various location throughout the continental U.S. (3.7 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2020. Fiscal 2015 and 2016 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,559,992 are being obligated at time of award; none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity., is being awarded amodification to a previously awarded, firm-price incentive (firm target) contract (N00019-12-C-0112), for incorporation of change proposal for electronic warfare self-protection 6th sensor addition into 16 P-8A Lot 5, full-rate production one, P-8A Multi-mission Maritime aircraft. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida (80 percent); and Seattle, Washington (20 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2018. Fiscal 2014 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $13,321,400 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity., is being awardedfor cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order 0504 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-15-G-0026). This order is for the procurement of non-recurring engineering, platform installation and integration support, and test and evaluation support for the AN/AAQ-24 Department of Navy Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures systems. All AN/AAQ-24 integrated operating systems (A-kit and B-kit) will be integrated into KC-130J aircraft. The tasks include engineering integration, software development in support of systems integration, and test and evaluation. Work will be performed in Rolling Meadows, Illinois (50 percent); Ogden, Utah (25 percent); and Warner Robins, Georgia (25 percent); and is expected to be completed in September 2018. Fiscal 2016 aircraft procurement (Navy and Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $8,895,648 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity.
LEONARDTOWN, Md.

(Sept. 28, 2016)The St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office released the following incident reports.MULTIPLE VANDALISMS TO MOTOR VEHICLES: St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office patrol deputies responded to eleven calls for service involving the slashing of motor vehicle tires in the following neighborhoods: Southampton, Pembrooke, Greenview West, Barefoot Acres, Wildewood, Essex South, Town Creek, Abberly Crest, Cal Acres and Essex South, in the Lexington Park and California areas. The vandalisms occurred on Sept. 17 and Sept. 18, 2016. The Criminal Investigations Division is continuing the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Cpl. David Alexander at 301-475-4200, ext. *1954 or by email at David.Alexander@stmarysmd.com.BURGLARY: Between 9/18 and 9/20, unknown suspect(s) attempted to force entry into a residence in the 29000 block of Dogwood Circle in Mechanicsville. Dep. J. Bare is investigating the case. CASE# 49017-16ATTEMPTED THEFT: Unknown suspect(s) attempted to steal tires from a vehicle parked at Fitzgerald Auto Mall in Lexington Park. Cpl. B. Foor is investigating the case. CASE# 49077-16BURGLARY: Unknown suspect(s) entered a residence and stole property in the 44000 block of Louisdale Road in California. Dep. B. Gaskill is investigating the case. CASE# 49084-16BREAKING AND ENTERING TO A MOTOR VEHICLE: Unknown suspect(s) entered a motor vehicle and stole property in the 38000 block of Van Ward Road in Abell. Cpl. M. Rogers is investigating the case. CASE# 49105-16BURGLARY: During the overnight hours, unknown suspect(s) forced entry into a residence and stole property in the 45000 block of Stoney Run Drive in Great Mills. DFC L. Johnson is investigating the case. CASE# 49533-16BURGLARY: Between 9/19 and 9/24, unknown suspect(s) entered a vacant residence and stole property in the 23000 block of Starry Way in California. Deputy D. Holdsworth is investigating the case. CASE# 49579-16INDECENT EXPOSURE: The SO received complaints of a male suspect who exposed himself to citizens along the Three Notch Trail near Laurel Grove Road in Mechanicsville during the evening of Sept. 22. The suspect is described as a white male in his 20's, shoulder length hair, wearing dark colored clothing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Scott Ruest at (301) 475-4200, ext. *2297, or by email at Scott.Ruest@stmarysmd.com. CASE# 49607-16VANDALISM: Unknown suspect(s) damaged paint on the walls at the teen center in Chancellor Run Regional Park. DFC. L. Johnson is investigating the case. CASE# 49780-16BURGLARY: Between 9/19 and 9/14, unknown suspect(s) forced entry into a residence and stole property in the 28000 block of Flora Corner Road in Mechanicsville. Dep. B. Fennessey is investigating the case. CASE# 49792-16PROPERTY DESTRUCTION: Unknown suspect(s) damaged property in a yard in the 23000 block of Colton Point Road in Clements. Deputy S. Shelko is investigating the case. CASE# 50160-16BURGLARY: Unknown suspect(s) entered a residence and stole property in the 23000 block of Hurry Road in Clements. Deputy R. Roszell is investigating the case. CASE# 50117-16BURGLARY: Unknown suspect(s) entered a shed and stole property in the 41000 block of Medley's Neck Road in Leonardtown. DFC A. Schultz is investigating the case. CASE# 50113-16
The College of Southern Maryland Foundation received a $45,000 Higher Educational Partnership Grant from the Dominion Foundation to upgrade equipment in CSM's electronics laboratories that CSM hopes will help the college attract more students into its engineering, engineering technology, nuclear engineering technology and computer science programs. From left are Dr. Brad Gottfried, CSM president; Dr. Tracy Harris, vice president and dean of CSM's Leonardtown Campus; Bernice Brezina, interim chair of CSM's Business and Technology Division; and Mike Frederick, vice president of LNG operations at Dominion Cove Point LNG.

LA PLATA, Md.

(Sept. 28, 2016)The College of Southern Maryland Foundation has received a $45,000 grant from the Dominion Foundation to upgrade equipment in CSM's electronics laboratories. The college believes the new additions to the labs will help attract more students into its engineering, engineering technology, nuclear engineering technology and computer science programs.Dominion Foundation's Higher Educational Partnership Grant was presented Sept. 12 at CSM's Leonardtown Campus.The foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dominion, is dedicated to improving the well-being of the communities served by Dominion companies. This year the foundation expects to award $1 million in grants to schools and educational institutions in 11 states. Last year, the educational partnership program awarded 40 college and post-secondary schools up to $50,000 each to underwrite projects in energy, environmental studies, engineering and workforce development."This year's grants will support a variety of innovative programs encouraging young people to learn the essential skills needed to tackle real-world issues," said Hunter A. Applewhite, president of the Dominion Foundation. "They will help students gain knowledge and experience with technologies that are leading the way to a greener future."Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, and it operates Dominion Cove Point LNG in Calvert County. Since 2002, the Dominion Foundation has provided nearly $2.3 million in grants within the state of Maryland."Education shapes the future of America by preparing students to meet the changing needs of the workplace," said Mike Frederick, vice president of LNG operations at Dominion Cove Point LNG. "This grant will help the College of Southern Maryland acquire the computer equipment that is vital to the educational programs provided by the college."The Dominion Foundation grant will fund the necessary materials needed for the electronics program. These materials include electronic test equipment such as digital oscilloscopes, sweep generators, digital multi-meters and spectrum analyzers, breadboards for building electronic circuits, soldering equipment, programmable logic controllers (PLC), work benches, and consumables to include electronic components, soldering supplies and kits, components to build PLC circuits and other miscellaneous materials. The new equipment the college will purchase is expected to enhance current programs."CSM's engineering and computer science programs are designed to bring together partner resources, technical expertise and diverse initiatives into a regional approach to address local workforce needs. Through this partnership with the Dominion Foundation, CSM will now be able to fund state-of-the-art equipment for our electronics program that will allow us to better prepare students for employment in a high-technology industrial environment," said CSM President Dr. Brad Gottfried.The college will upgrade the electronic labs on all three campuses with the majority of the upgrades taking place at the Leonardtown Campus.The upgraded labs will be used for engineering, engineering technology, nuclear engineering technology and computer science but also would give an opportunity for the general physics and engineering physics classes to get some hands-on experience using general test equipment and other electronic lab equipment."CSM hopes to increase the number of students who enroll in these programs; increase student retention by enhancing support services to address the unique and social needs of the students; and increase engagement of the region's employers in recruiting, retaining and hiring our graduates," said Bernice Brezina, interim chair of CSM's Business and Technology Division.She said she receives frequent requests from area employers looking for drafting students and, recently, robotics technicians."Some employers already have made offers to our students," Brezina said. "These students are on track for jobs that pay $55,000 to start, and this is before they have earned their degrees. Employers want workers with certain skills, and they know that when students leave CSM they have the desired training. We're teaching the skills the employers want them to have."CSM students are getting more than a degree; they are getting a head start in their career field, Brezina said.For information on the Business and Technology Division and its course offerings, visit www.csmd.edu/programs-courses/credit/academic-divisions/bat/ . For more information, contact Brezina at 301-934-7556 or BerniceB@csmd.edu.
Check out the latest in bisexual and transgender news!

AfterEllen Publishers Deny Shutdown, Fire Editor after Advertiser Backlash

(SFGN) Trish Bendix, editor in chief of lesbian and bisexual womens media site AfterEllen, announced in a blog post that the site would be shutting down. In the backlash since the post, publishers have denied the shutdown and have fired Bendix, revoking her severance pay. Bendix said she was given permission by the publishers to announce the shutdown on social media. However, once fallout began with the sites advertisers, publishers denied the news and fired Bendix two days early via email, reports LGBTQNation (http://bit.ly/2cSKQuL).

In the email, Emrah Kovacoglu, General Manager of TotallyHer Media, writes, I told you that I was open to you continuing to work for us as a freelancer, if you were open to it, but I dont know if that is possible now. Im hoping we can work through it but the company is going to have to evaluate what kind of damage this has caused before they decide what to doI also wanted to let you know that the company has decided today will be your last day rather than Friday and you will no longer be receiving a severance.

White House Hosts Third Bisexual Community Briefing

(SFGN) In honor of the last day of #BiWeek on Monday, the White House hosted more than 100 leaders and advocates for a community briefing on bisexual issues. The event was live streamed at www.whitehouse.gov/live/white-house-bisexual-community-briefing.

The briefing focused on policy and cultural issues of significance for the American bisexual community. It featured panel discussions on bisexual policy priorities, steps the administration has taken to support bisexual people, personal narratives and stories from bisexual Americans, and current challenges that the community faces. The 2016 briefing is the third time that the White House has invited bisexual community members to meet with the administration. This is the first time one of those meetings is on the record.

A number of individuals across the movement spoke at the briefing, including Faith Cheltenham of BiNet USA, author and activist Loraine Hutchins, Ellyn Ruthstrom of SpeakOUT Boston, Heron Greenesmith of MAP, Eliel Cruz of Faith in America, Alexandra Bolles of GLAAD, and Kayley Whalen of the National LGBTQ Task Force.

Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore Releases Songs Supporting Chelsea Manning

(EDGE) Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore released a new single to support a campaign that aims to free transgender soldier Chelsea Manning, who was sentenced to 30 years in military prison for leaking classified information to WikiLeaks.



Manning also made headlines for coming out as trans, and more recently went on a hunger strike so she could receive medical treatment for her gender dysphoria, which the Army approved.



Moore's new single is called "Chelsea's Kiss" and is backed with the track "Sad Saturday." The songs will be released on Oct. 8 as part of Cassette Store Day, Pitchfork reports. Partial proceeds will go to the Chelsea Manning Support Network.



You can now listen to the songs on Soundcloud. Pitchfork writes, "In the song, Moore refers to 'orders too gruesome to carry out.' In the final verse, he sings: 'Security breacher, angel baby/Punk princess, take reign on me/The queen, king, first transgender ruler/The royal highness of my majesty ... Cure for evilness, Chelsea's Kiss.'"



There will be a release party on Oct. 8 at Lion Coffee + Records in London.

Listen to the track at http://bit.ly/2cxjJBD.
UPDATE: Multi Media Platforms Sued In Boston Court; Restraining Order Issued, Assets Seized

Bobby Blairs dream to build an international media enterprise has apparently come crashing to a halt this week.

SFGN has received information that the staff of Multimedia Platforms, which includes the Florida Agenda and Next Magazine in New York, has been let go, and there will be no print editions this week. Frontiers in LA, purchased by MMPW last year, is also impacted.

Earlier today, the local publisher of the Agenda, Richard Hack acknowledged the news. Other staffers were told by Bobby Blair, the founder and CEO of MMPW, that the company was in suspension.

As news leaked out, Blair himself issued a brief press release indicating that a court order had been issued seizing the assets of his company, and a restraining order has been issued prohibiting the company from distributing any cash or any other assets of the company. Lenders in the State of Massachusetts apparently filed the action.

In an effort to explain the companys present difficulties, Blair told SFGN for the record, I was re-appointed CEO last week as I became informed all this was happening by management. The last 4 months I have not been involved or included in any day-to-day business or involved in this now disputed credit facility.

Blair indicated in private emails to colleagues, which are being circulated in social media, that he has retained counsel to fight the seizure but has refused, as of this time, to name the lawyers or the court where the action is proceeding. His representation to one party was that new management signed a horrible deal that I have now to fix.

But for now all local and national operations have been shut down. There will be no papers or magazines this week.

According to the companys last SEC-8 quarterly filing, MMPW had received another infusion of capital in July in excess of one million dollars. But at that time Blair was removed as CEO, and named Chairman of the Board.

However, within 60 days, the new investment team pulled out.

On Sept. 8, Peter Frank was removed from his position as a member of the board of directors and his role as Chief Financial Officer of the Company to Senior Vice President of Finance and Strategic Development. On Sept. 13, Mark Friedman resigned from the board. On Sept. 16, Robert Weiss resigned as Chief Executive Officer, President and a member of the board. On the same date, C. Lawrence Rutstein resigned from the board as well.

With the new operatives gone, MMPW reverted back to Blairs control in the past two weeks. Then he and MMPW were the target of a lawsuit and apparently, as a result of the same, Blair acknowledged today a Massachusetts court froze all his remaining cash and assets, which led to his notice that the paper would not be publishing this week, and the employees had been let go.

It would appear that a credit and loan agreement consummated in July has fallen apart and led to the litigation. MMPW borrowed the money this past summer to stay afloat.

The company has been inhibited financially for quite some time though Its own 10-K SEC filing on June 30, had acknowledged that during the six months ended June 30, 2016, the Company recognized net revenue of $1,459,168 and a net loss of $4,698,798 and had negative working capital of $5,518,237.

Its own advisory to investors was, In view of these conditions, the ability of the Company to continueis in doubt and dependent upon achieving a profitable level of operations and on the ability of the Company to obtain necessary financing to fund ongoing operations.

Earlier in the year, MMPW had secured bridge notes to overcome financial hurdles, and was trying to promote its over the counter penny stock. However, that revenue source collapsed as well, trading earlier this week at less than one half of one cent. Even a few months ago, it was precarious, moving from 3 to 4 cents a share.

Many local businessmen who invested in MMPW are holding shares of these stocks, including Alan Beck, whose sale of Fun Maps was secured with MMPWs public offerings.

SFGN will update this report periodically as soon as we can authenticate the facts.
The cast of "Will & Grace" has reunited to get voters to the polls in a way only they could.

Debra Messing, Eric McCormack, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally all appear in the video posted Monday, which is presented as a new scene from their hit NBC show.

It takes place in present day and centers on their characters discussing the presidential election. (Warning: The video contains some adult language.)

In the scene, Karen (Mullally) walks in on Will (McCormack) and Grace (Messing) discussing the election and stuns them when she declares she's voting for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. He's one of her "oldest friends," she says -- she even helped him "pick out Melania," referring to the candidate's wife.

Will and Grace's attempts to sway their notoriously difficult and booze-loving friend go unheard.

When Jack (Hayes) arrives and reveals he's an undecided voter, Karen, a character famous for her off-color remarks, attempts to win him over in her own special way.

"Honey, if you don't vote for Trumpy, there will be wars and monsoons and locusts and hordes of brown people pouring over our borders from every direction. I mean, it's one thing if you're sitting in the audience at 'Hamilton,' but do you really want to see those people everywhere?" she says.

When told to vote for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Jack responds, "Yeah, but I don't like that she wears pants."

Will gets the final word by revealing to Jack that Katy Perry is voting for Hillary.

Jack then points to Will and says, "I'm with her." The video ends with a plea for viewers to #votehoney.

Shelly Morrison, who played Karen's housekeeper Rosario, also makes a short cameo.

All four cast members had hinted at a collaboration over the weekend via social media. Messing tweeted out a photo of the four of them with the caption, "Only smiling because of where Eric's hand is!"

McCormack, meanwhile, shared a photo of himself holding a script. The picture was captioned, "I used to be able to do this without glasses..."

And on Monday, the quintet simultaneously released a video teaser that read: "A band of heroes WILL assemble to protect the world from aliens & destruction. Only an act of GRACE can save them in their battle for what IS right. Only they can bring America BACK from the brink."

The emphasized letters spelled out the message "Will & Grace is back," stirring fans of the sitcom into a frenzy.

The video ended with Mullally, using the high-pitched voice of her character, saying "Make America bueno again."

"Will & Grace" aired for eight seasons on NBC from 1998-2006. It won 16 Emmy Awards and numerous GLAAD media awards.

The show, which was among the first broadcast shows to feature gay leading characters, was even credited by Vice President Joe Biden for educating the public on LGBT issues.

The cast's reunion comes as Hollywood flexes its political muscles leading up to the November election.

Last week director Joss Whedon assembled some of the Avengers to take some shots at Donald Trump. And over the weekend, the cast of NBC's "West Wing" came together to stump for Clinton in Ohio.

The "Will & Grace" cast -- sans Messing -- last reunited earlier this year for an NBC special honoring TV director James Burrows.
Check out the latest news from around the world!

Politics - Emilys List Backs Lesbian Minn. Congressional Candidate

(SFGN) Angie Craig, a Democrat from Minnesota, is running for Congress. Craig is a married, out lesbian -- a fact which Craigs political opponents are attempting to use against her, according to political action committee, Emilys List.

The PAC, which supports the election of pro-choice, Democratic female candidates, released a statement on Wednesday calling out the homophobic opposition campaign being waged by Republican leaders in Minnesota.

Last week a local Republican leader put out a fundraiser invitation for Angie's opponent with a photo of Angie, her wife, and their four children alongside family photos of four Republicans who are running for office. The caption below the photo said, "She's a liberal and this is her family. She and her female marriage partner and their 4 teenage sons," as if Angie's family was a problem, the statement reads.

Craigs opponent is former right-wing radio show host Jason Lewis, who has been quoted as saying that allowing transgender students to use the school restroom of their choice is an abomination.

In 2012 he said, "You've got a vast majority of young single women who couldn't explain to you what GDP means. You know what they care about? They care about abortion. They care about abortion and gay marriage. They care about 'The View.' They are non-thinking."

The PAC is asking for donations of $3 to help get Craig elected over Lewis. Donations can be made at

https://secure.emilyslist.org/Help-Angie-Now. If elected, Craig would be the first openly gay person to represent Minnesota in Congress.

International - Pope Backs Opposition to Mexico Gay-Marriage Proposal

(AP) Pope Francis has voiced support for Mexican bishops and citizens opposing the government's push to legalize same-sex marriage.



At his weekly Sunday blessing, Francis said he willingly joined their protest "in favor of family and life, which in these times require special pastoral and cultural attention around the world."



Tens of thousands of people marched through Mexico City on Saturday to protest President Enrique Pena Nieto's proposal on marriage. Wearing white, they held banners warning against same-sex marriage and demanding parents' right to control sex education in schools.



Francis has opposed gay marriage and has railed against "gender ideology," particularly as taught in schools. But he rarely intervenes publicly in national debates, preferring to let local bishops take the lead.



Francis visited the overwhelmingly Roman Catholic Mexico in February.

International -- Uganda: Police Stop Gay Pride Parade Deemed Illegal

(AP) Ugandan police on Saturday prevented organizers from holding a gay pride parade on the orders of a government minister who said such an event is illegal.



Police blocked organizers from staging the event at two locations outside the Ugandan capital, Kampala, said Frank Mugisha, a gay rights leader in Uganda.



More than 100 LGBT people turned up for the event Saturday at a beach on Lake Victoria. Most were later ordered into minibuses and escorted by police to Kampala, apparently for questioning, the reason one young man jumped off a moving minibus and injured himself, Mugisha said.



"They are traumatized," he said.



The LGBT people who had traveled in the mini-buses were later set free, he said.



Homosexuality is a crime in Uganda, as in many African countries. A colonial-era law proscribes homosexual sex acts "against the order of nature." Gay rights leaders say the LGBT community faces discrimination, violence and extortion.



In August, Ugandan police briefly arrested about 20 people attending a gay pride event at a nightclub in Kampala. Following that raid, Mugisha and his colleagues decided to postpone the pride parade until September.



On Wednesday, Simon Lokodo, the Ugandan minister in charge of ethics and integrity, issued a strong statement condemning public activities of homosexuals and urged police to arrest them if they went ahead with the parade.



In 2009, a Ugandan lawmaker introduced a bill that prescribed the death penalty for some homosexual acts, saying he wanted to protect Ugandan children. The proposed bill prompted international condemnation. A less severe version of the bill passed by lawmakers was rejected by a Ugandan court as unconstitutional.

National - Chelsea Manning Punished with 2 Week Solitary Confinement for Attempting Suicide

(AP) Transgender solider Chelsea Manning has been punished by prison officials with two weeks in solitary confinement after she tried to take her life in July, the Guardian reports.



Manning is serving a 35-year prison sentence in a Fort Leavenworth prison in Kansas for leaking classified government documents to Wikileaks.



Seven days of the punishment have been suspended indefinitely, "in effect reserved in case prison officials feel Manning poses further disciplinary problems. Manning did not indicate whether she intends to appeal against the punishment," the Guardian writes.



Manning also gave a statement.



"The term for this status is 'disciplinary segregation'," she told Fight for the Future, an advocacy group supporting Manning's behalf. "There is no set date set for this to start. After I receive the formal board results in writing, I have 15 days to appeal. I expect to get them in the next few days.



"I am feeling hurt. I am feeling lonely. I am embarrassed by the decision. I don't know how to explain it," Manning added.



Manning recently made headlines for going on a hunger strike earlier this month to protest the government's refusal to treat her gender dysphoria disorder. After five days, the government approved Manning to undergo gender transition surgery.

National - After Being Blocked from Bringing Date to Dance, Gay Student Sues Catholic School for $1M

(EDGE) An openly gay student at an all-boys Catholic school in Memphis, Tennessee tried to bring a date to his homecoming dance last year but school officials blocked him from doing so. The teen is now suing the school under Title IX, arguing he was discriminated against because of his sexual orientation, NBC News reports.



Lance Sanderson, 19, made headlines in 2015 after administers at Christian Brothers High School refused to let him to take a male date to the homecoming dance. Even though he earned online support via a Change.org petition, he was still not allowed to bring his date and Sanderson decided to skip the event all together.



He was suspended from school days later and when he returned, Sanderson says students used derogatory language towards him. Sanderson finished his senior year at home and did coursework online, missing his graduation.



"I was very active at school," he told NBC News. "It was a big part of my life, and it was all of a sudden gone. I was alone 24/7."



Sanderson filed a lawsuit Tuesday in Circuit Court and is seeking up to $1 million in damages from the school on a number of several state and federal claims, including breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent training and a violation under Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments, according to NBC News.





National - Scrotox Boom? Requests for Scrotal Botox are On the Rise

(EDGE) Is scrotox actually a thing?



The Sun for Fox News reports that the number of men requesting Botox to decrease lines and increase the appearance of their scrotum is on the rise.



Inquiries about the procedure (dubbed "scrotox") which can cost about $3,100 and involves injecting Botox into the scrotum, have doubled in the past year, according to experts.



In addition to having smoother balls, a scrotox procedure can also ease sweating and makes the proverbial coin purse look bigger by helping the muscles relax.



"Over the past year, requests for scrotum Botox have doubled at Transform [clinic], showing the huge demand and interest for this procedure," said Mark Norfolk, clinical director of the UK national clinic.



And although scrotox is a quick fix for getting wrinkles out of your yam bag, Norfolk insists that only way to get rid of excessive wrinkles and loose skin on a man's scrotum is to have surgery to remove the excess skin.



"As the vaginal rejuvenation market is skyrocketing, men are seeking their own type of rejuvenation," wrote Dr. Jason Emer, a Beverly Hills surgeon in Cosmetic Surgery Times.



Surprising, the procedure isn't just for older guys.



"I have many younger male patients who are interested in this," Emer wrote.



"Who wouldn't want to be a little bit longer, thicker, or have more sensitivity and a better sex life?"

National - University Adopts Nickname Policy for Students, Workers

(EDGE) A university in Pennsylvania is allowing students and workers to use nicknames on some campus records, including student identification cards and emails, in an effort to better allow them to express their identities.



The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Clarion University says it's the first of the state's 14 state-owned universities to implement such a policy. It became effective this fall.



Officials say anyone can use a preferred first name once they apply. The policy aims to support some international and transgender individuals, among others.



The university can reject or revoke names that it deems inappropriate, including situations involving fraud, obscene language or avoidance of a legal obligation.



Nicknames also can be used on class and grade rosters, university press releases and social media sites.

Workplace - Ex-Employee Sues Whole Foods for $75K for Anti-Gay Harassment, Discrimination

(EDGE) A former employee for Whole Foods in Boulder, Colo., is suing the supermarket company for anti-gay harassment and discrimination she said she endured, and is seeking $75,000 in damages, the Denver Post reports.



Jennifer Johnston, who is lesbian, claims her boss frequently asked her if she thought other people in the market were gay. She says her boss said that she would know who was gay because Johnston, who is married to a woman, could use her "gaydar," a federal employment discrimination lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Denver, which was obtained by the Post.



In the suit, Johnston claims she experienced similar type of discriminatory harassment on a daily basis at the Whole Foods location, which she called a "hostile and abusive" work environment. She said it led to her "constructive" resignation, according to the court papers.



Johnston worked at the Boulder Whole Foods after transferring there from a Pennsylvania location on Dec. 5, 2014. She resigned on July 22, 2015 and said most of the abuse started in February 2015 and came from her supervisor Tawny Duckworth, who no longer works at Whole Foods, according to the Post.



Johnston says she asked her boss to stop asking offensive questions that focused on her gender and sexual orientation. After filing a discrimination complaint with the store's general manager on July 2, 2015, she received an apology and an offer to work a different shift to avoid Duckworth. But another coworker had issues with Johnston and she later resigned from Whole Foods.



"Said resignation constituted an involuntary termination," the suit reads, according to the Post.



Johnston is looking for $75,000 in damages for emotional distress, which includes mental anguish, according to the court docs. She's also seeking future and past pay, as well as punitive damages.

Politics - NOW Protests Against Trump Modeling Agency

(EDGE) NOW and The Feminist Majority are calling on Donald Trump to shut down Trump Model Management until disturbing allegations that the Republican presidential candidate's modeling agency engaged in labor exploitation of girls and young women have been thoroughly investigated.



This protest will kick off the #WomenWant2Know campaign to raise questions that need to be answered by Donald Trump -- because women's lives and well-being are at stake.



Members of NOW and Feminist Majority protest labor exploitation at Trump Model Management, and demand immediate shutdown of the modeling agency.



Featured guests inlcude Terry O'Neill, NOW President; Eleanor Smeal, Feminist Majority President; and Sonia Ossorio, NOW New York President.



NOW and Feminist Majority demand that Donald Trump suspend all operations at Trump Model Management until the allegations of exploitation of girls and women have been thoroughly investigated. The demonstration will mark the launch of the #WomenWant2Know social media campaign, which will highlight ways that Trump's treatment of women has been sidelined from the national conversation.
Artist's conception Robin Dienel

When a star is young, it is often still surrounded by a primordial rotating disk of gas and dust, from which planets can form.

Astronomers like to find such disks because they might be able to catch the star partway through the planet-formation process, but its highly unusual to find such disks around brown dwarfs or stars with very low masses. New work from a team led by Anne Boucher of Universite de Montreal, and including Carnegies Jonathan Gagne and Jacqueline Faherty, has discovered four new low-mass objects surrounded by disks. The results will be published by The Astrophysical Journal.

Three of the four objects discovered by these researchers are quite small, somewhere between only 13 and 18 times the mass of Jupiter. The fourth has about 120 times Jupiters mass. (For comparison the Sun is just over 1,000 times more massive than Jupiter.)

Finding disks in low-mass systems is really interesting to us, because objects that exist at the lower limit of what defines a star and that still have disks that indicate planet formation can tell us a lot about both stellar and planetary evolution, said first author Boucher, who works at her universitys Institute for Research on Exoplanets (iREx).

In a planet-forming disk, the dust grains collide and aggregate to form pebbles, which grow into boulders, and so on, increasing in size through planetesimals, planetary embryos, and finally rocky terrestrial planets (some of which then become the cores for gas giant planets). Astronomers are able to identify these types of planet-birthing disks, because the star heats up the surrounding dust, which affects the way it looks using a telescope with an infrared camera.

However, some disks indicate that planet formation isnt ongoing, but has already finished. These disks are made up of the debris left behind by all the collisions during planet formation and by subsequent collisions of the newly formed planets. Eventually these dusty remains are swept away. But until that happens, a cooler, thinner ring of dust surrounds the star.

Some disks even represent an intermediate stage between the planet-forming and dusty remnant phases.

Its important for astronomers to try to distinguish between these different types of disks, because then they can better chart the way planetary systems, including our own solar system, are born and change over time.

The research team was able to determine that the disks surrounding their four newly discovered low-mass objects were all likely in a phase of planet forming. None were in the dusty aftermath phase.

Even more interesting, two of the objects are possibly between 42 and 45 million years old. This would make them the oldest objects surrounded by active disk systems ever found.

There is still so much to learn about disks around low-mass objects such as these four, concluded Gagne, who is also a iREx collaborator. Hopefully, we can conduct further research on them and be able to narrow down what kind of activity is happening in them and whether or not they would be good targets for future planet hunters.

Reference: BANYAN. VIII. New Low-Mass Stars and Brown Dwarfs with Candidate Circumstellar Disks, Anne Boucher et al., 2016, to appear in the Astrophysical Journal [http://apj.aas.org, preprint: https://arxiv.org/abs/1608.08259]. The other co-authors are David Lafreniere and Rene Doyon of Universite de Montreal, and Lison Malo of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope.

This work made use of the data products from: The Two Micron All Sky Survey, which is a joint project of the University of Massachusetts and the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (IPAC)/California Institute of Technology (Caltech), funded by NASA and the National Science Foundation; the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, which is a joint project of the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)/Caltech, funded by NASA; and the DENIS I-band catalog. This research also made use of the SIMBAD database and VizieR catalogue access tool, operated at Centre de Donnees astronomiques de Strasbourg, France; as well as the NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive, which is operated by the JPL, Caltech, under contract with NASA. This paper is based on observations obtained at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) which is operated by the National Research Council of Canada, the Institut National des Sciences de lUnivers of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientique of France, and the University of Hawaii. It also includes data gathered with the 6.5 meter Magellan Telescopes located at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile, using the FIRE instrument.

The Carnegie Institution for Science (http://carnegiescience.edu) is a private, nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with six research departments throughout the U.S. Since its founding in 1902, the Carnegie Institution has been a pioneering force in basic scientific research. Carnegie scientists are leaders in plant biology, developmental biology, astronomy, materials science, global ecology, and Earth and planetary science.

The Institute for research on exoplanets (iREx, http://www.exoplanetes.umontreal.ca) brings together top researchers and their students who work to gain the most from current and upcoming major observational projects, with the ultimate goal of finding life elsewhere in the universe. The Institute is devoted to exploring new worlds and seeking life on other planets.
Mars KSU

Researcher Don Hood from LSU and colleagues from collaborating universities studied an unusual region on Mars  an area with high elevation called Thaumasia Planum.

They analyzed the geography and mineralogy of this area they termed Greater Thaumasia, which is about the size of North America. They also studied the chemistry of this area based on gamma-ray spectrometer data collected by the Mars Odyssey orbiter, which was launched in 2001. What they found was the mountain ridge that outlines Greater Thaumasia was most likely created by a chain of volcanoes. The results were published recently in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets.

The chemical changes we see moving northwestward through the region is consistent with the mantle evolving on Mars. Our research supports that this whole area was built as a volcanic construct, said Don Hood, LSU Department of Geology and Geophysics doctoral candidate and lead author of the paper.

The chemical composition changes throughout the region. Silica and H20 increase and potassium decreases from southeast to northwest.

The chemical composition shifting is the key progression that tells us that this environment was most likely shaped by a series of volcanic events that continually erupted from a changing mantle composition, Hood said.

Hood and colleagues from Stony Brook University, University of Tokyo and Lehigh University ruled out another hypothesis that the abundance of H20 and potassium was caused by water interacting in rock.

We looked for evidence of aqueous alteration through other geochemical means and didnt find it, he said.

The geography of the region has many shield volcanoes that are similar to the ones found in Hawaii. However from geochemical analyses, the researchers found that the sulfur that is present was most likely deposited as a volcanic ash. Volcanic ash from various areas could be evidence of explosive volcanism on Mars, which would be an important clue for piecing together the history of Mars. It is significant because explosive eruptions emit a lot of gas that can stay in the atmosphere and can cause global cooling and warming events.

Whether there was explosive volcanism on Mars and how much of it there was is an important question in terms of finding out what the past climate was like, Hood said.

Reference: Assessing the Geologic Evolution of Greater Thaumasia, Mars, Don R. Hood et al., 2016 Sept. 21, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2016JE005046/full].

Video:

How did Greater Thaumasia, an oddly high elevation region of Mars, form? Don Hood talks Martian geology: https://vimeo.com/184017977
Thu, 27.10.22 - 11:04

The temperatures will fall in the Murcia Region but the weekend still promises to be warm and sunny Autumn has ye...


Paquebot Cafe burst rather suddenly onto Montreals coffee scene in July 2015, notable at the time for being the first in the city to offer nitro cold brew. Since then, the Paquebot team, led by owners Samuel Perreault, Simon-Louis Brosseau, and Jimmy Ledoux, has steadily built up a repertoire of the fizzy, chilled, and caffeinated.

The commitment to cold resonates well with Paquebots nautical, deserted-island vibe. The name itself translates to ocean liner in English and the cafe space is replete with subtle flourishes like captains hats, coconuts, and a vintage record player thats spinning some vintage luau music as I walk in. Meanwhile, the menu lists items like Thug Boat (combined order of an espresso shot and a latte) and Titonic (cold brew with tonic water).

Relative newcomers to the coffee scene, but claiming decades of combined experience in the restaurant industry, Perreault, Brosseau, and Ledoux first began thinking of opening a cafe in 2014.

We always loved coffee, says Perreault, but never worked in it. Even Simon, who is our head of coffee, hed worked with lots of coffee over time but never as a job.

Perreault and Ledouxalready co-owners of Les Folies restaurantused the need for a new production kitchen as an opportunity to find a space that could accommodate a cafe. The hunt for the new location landed them a spot on Belanger Street, in the citys Rosemont borough.

Once theyd completed the six-months work of overhauling the space themselves, they started developing their coffee program in earnest. A trip to Stumptown Coffee Roasters in New York got them thinking about nitro cold brew, but it was after swapping ideas with Torontos Pilot Coffee Roasters that they really decided to pursue the concept.

[Pilot] were starting to try to do their own nitro cold brew, but it looked really complicated to do, says Perreault. We looked at their setup, they explained it a bit to me. We came back here on Monday and by Wednesday, it was good to go.

By the end of the week, Perreault was sending photos of his creamy-headed cold brew to Pilot.

A freshly poured, icy glass lands in front of me, this batch made from Pilots Ethiopia Ana Sora. Its thick and creamy all right and sparkles with a bright, almost strawberry tanginess. Through rounds and rounds of tests, using a range of varieties and origins, theyve found washed Ethiopian coffees best hit that refreshing note they want.

But Perreault and Brosseau werent satisfied to stop thereone tap last summer has grown to four now, featuring other drinks like carbon-injected Coffee Lemonade and a Green Tea Fizz alongside their second most successful creation, the draft lattewhich they believe lays claim to being the first of its kind in Canada.

Though theyd seen La Colombe Torrefactions canned draft lattes, their own version emerged from a cold-brew cocktail called The Empress of Belanger. Using Pilots Heritage blend as a cold-brew base, they add only simple syrup, Quebec milk, and a dash of chocolate bitters to keep it as natural as possible.

The au naturel approach seems to pay offcold brew may be all the rage in the coffee world, but at Paquebot, its the draft latte thats flying through the lines. Were seeing now that its more popular than the cold brew, we sell two times as much of that now, says Perreault.

Earlier in the heat of Montreal summer, Paquebot took to the streets, striking out aboard a newly christened cold-brew bike. Fitted with two taps and enough space for two kegs, the bike cruises Rosemont or casts anchor at private events, dishing out nitro cold brew and draft lattes. It seems like a lot of activity for a cafe fresh off its first anniversary, but theres a list as long as my arm of still-to-come concoctions.

Were always experimenting, says Perreault with a smile. If not, I get bored.

Brendan Adams is a freelance journalist writing for Vice Canada, Metatron, Hazlitt and more. This is Brendan Adams first feature on Sprudge.
Copenhagen (Denmark) Sept 28, 2016 (SPS) - Polisario Front's Representative to Denmark, Mr. Abba Malainin, was received Wednesday by Mrs. Julia Winding, head of Section in the Department of North Africa and the Middle East (MENA) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.

The Saharawi Representative briefed his interlocutor about various issues related to the latest developments in Western Sahara, the current impasse of the UN peace process due to Moroccos obstruction to the UN-sponsored referendum on self-determination for the Saharawi people, the Moroccan government recent provocation, escalation, ceasefire violation and troops build-up in the area of Al Guargarat in Western Sahara and its consequences on peace and security in the region.

The discussions also tackled the conclusions of the latest legal opinion of the Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union which highlighted that EU-Morocco agreements should not include Western Sahara, because Western Sahara is not part of Morocco.

The Danish Diplomat with regard to the issue of Al Guargarat said: The Danish government supports the UN's efforts to de-escalate the heightened tension between Morocco and the Polisario as a result of the incident of August 11, 2016, including the decision to initiate an investigation into the incident.

The government also supports the UN Secretary General's call on the parties to withdraw all armed elements back and respect the ceasefire of 1991 in order to avoid further escalation.SPS

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Trot Insider has learned that horseman George Durand of Brantford, Ont. passed away on Saturday, September 24 at the age of 76.

Durand passed away after a short stay in a hospice in Brantford.

Durand was a great friend of Standardbred horsepeople for many years with his transport or their racehorses.

McCleister Funeral Home in Brantford is handling the arrangements.

An obituary for Durand appears below.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of George Durand.

The family of George Durand, sadly announces his passing at the Stedman Community Hospice, on Saturday, September 24, 2016 in his 77th year.

Beloved husband of Sheila (Black), loving father of Scott (Jayne Butcher) and Tracey (David Festeryga). Dear brother of Ronald (Dorothy), James (the late Eileen), Marie Lindeman (David). Best friend and dear Grandpa to Spencer and Hayley. He will be greatly missed by his sisters and brothers in-law and his many nieces and nephews.

George farmed in Brant County for 50 years and had a passion for business, flying and horses. He bred and raced Standardbred horses for many years. Thank you to Dr. McNeil and staff, the staff of Stedman Hospice and Erin of Bayshore Nursing. Special thanks to the many family members who provided support to George and Sheila.

Friends may call to pay their respects at a memorial reception at the McCLEISTER FUNERAL HOME, 495 Park Road North, Brantford on Saturday, October 8, 2016 from 2:00  4:00 p.m. Cremation has taken place.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Pancreatic Cancer Canada directly (or here) or to a charity of your choice.
On Tuesday, September 27, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario announced that it will be hosting a series of targeted, in-person stakeholder roundtables this fall. The roundtables will to further discuss proposals for reform and implementation details for the future of the regulation of horse racing in Ontario.

If you are interested in participating in a roundtable discussion, please respond directly to [email protected] by Tuesday, October 11, 2016. Include your name, email address or phone number, and industry affiliation (e.g. trainer  Standardbred, owner  Quarter Horse, breeder  Thoroughbred, driver, jockey, veterinarian, equine welfare representative, farrier).

In its release  the contents of which appear below  the AGCO has stated that it will aim to accommodate all requests for participation at the roundtables and will aspire to ensure a variety of voices are represented.

AGCO Consultation - Moving Ahead: Horse Racing Regulation in Ontario

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) would like to extend a thank you to members of the horse racing industry who dedicated their time, effort and energy to submit a response to the AGCOs consultation paper, Moving Ahead: Horse Racing Regulation in Ontario.

The Moving Ahead: Horse Racing Regulation in Ontario consultation paper asked for ideas on steps the AGCO and industry can take to:

Ensure fairness, safety and integrity in Ontarios horse racing industry;

Reduce the administrative burden and remove unnecessary barriers;

Support economic development and industry innovation; and,

Modernize the AGCOs regulatory framework.

Over a six-week period, representatives from the AGCO visited eight different racetracks to answer questions about the initiative and encourage members of the industry to participate in the consultation. The AGCO visited Ajax Downs, Clinton Raceway, Fort Erie Race Track, Georgian Downs, Grand River Raceway, Mohawk Raceway, Rideau Carleton Raceway and Woodbine Racetrack. The response has been strong and the AGCO received over 60 comprehensive submissions, as well as 20 written comments. Verbal comments from in-person interactions were also recorded. The AGCO is carefully analyzing all of the written consultation feedback and ideas received from across the industry.

Next Steps

This fall, the AGCO will host a series of targeted in-person stakeholder roundtables, to further discuss proposals for reform and implementation details on a more in-depth basis. If you are interested in participating in a roundtable discussion please respond directly to [email protected] by Tuesday, October 11, 2016. Include your name, e-mail address or phone number, and industry affiliation (e.g. trainer- Standardbred, owner- Quarter Horse, breeder- Thoroughbred, driver, jockey, veterinarian, equine welfare representative, farrier). The AGCO will aim to accommodate all requests for participation at the roundtables and will aspire to ensure a variety of voices are represented.

Please note: It was brought to our attention that there were technical difficulties with the AGCO fax line during the submission period. If you attempted to send in a submission via fax that did not go through, please consider resending your submission to the AGCOs main fax line: 416-326-5555. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

With thanks,

AGCO
Joe Bellino could not personally attend the second edition of the Buckeye Classic Sale conducted in Springfield, Ohio, on Tuesday (Sept. 27), but that did not impede him from purchasing the most sought-after yearling at the event.

I was watching it on Facebook Live and I kept thinking, When is the gavel going to drop? he said. It was like he said $90,000 for each $1,000 that was bid on him, but we were bringing him home no matter what the price was. My wife is very excited and so I am about this colt. His videos are fantastic and we cannot wait to get him to the farm and see him.

Raised and consigned by Cornerstone Stock Farm, Brangus is by Bellinos world champion stallion Pet Rock and out of the Grinfromeartoear mare Cant Quit Smiling. No other yearling that stepped through the ring commanded that type of attention or price tag, bringing $90,000. The second-highest-priced individual was Bounding Dragon, a bay colt by Dragon Again out of Bound To Rock, consigned by Emerald Highlands Farm and purchased by Mike Roth of Anderson, Ind., for $50,000.

Brangus is the fourth foal out of his dam and is a half-sibling to the Rockin Image filly Cant Touch Her. She has collected $147,934 from her time on the track and was very competitive on the lucrative Indiana Sire Stakes circuit.

His granddam, Day After, by No Nukes and out of Beckys Love by Albatross produced Crisis Situation (Walton Hanover, $235,704), Keep Your Pans Off (Abercrombie, $298,411) and Lookinforasign (Life Sign, $159,849).

The people from Cornerstone starting sending me pictures and videos of him when he was very young, Bellino said. They said he was always the one that led the rest of the horses from the time he first left his mother. He was always the one to eat first and lead the rest of them. They also said he was very intelligent and one of the best horses they had raised. I have to give them credit because even in the sales ring with everything going on around him, nothing seemed to bother him.

He will go to Tony OSullivan; he won this Metro this year, and does a great job with two-year-olds. He did not know about him at first and now that he saw his videos he is really excited as well. Ive received numerous messages about this colt because people were so impressed with him. We all are really looking forward to his future.

This years sale posted an increase over last years results with yearling prices checking in 11.4 percent higher than in 2015. With 242 horses being sold versus 179 last year for an average of $7,055, those involved with the event were pleased with the results.

It was definitely a team effort from everyone that participated and their efforts are much appreciated, said Steve Cross, sales manager. This is an exceptional facility that is well laid out and with the Ohio program exploding in recent years, that addition, as well as the blend of horses from Indiana, Pennsylvania and Illinois, certainly made the sale very attractive for our buyers and consignors.

I would like to thank those buyers and consignors that made this sale such a success. The entire team is very happy with the quality of horses that were allowed to be sold and look forward to the future.

For more information on the Buckeye Classic Sale as well as comprehensive sale results please click the following link: 2016 Buckeye Classic Sale Results.

(with files from USTA)
National Space Society Space Settlement Campaign Supports Elon Musk's Mars Settlement Plans

Contact: Lynne Zielinski, 202-429-1600, Media2016@nss.org; www.nss.org



WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2016 /Standard Newswire/ -- At today's meeting of the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Guadalajara, Mexico, Elon Musk, CEO of Space X, announced his bold plan to build a city on Mars. For over 40 years the National Space Society has led advocacy for space settlement.

According to Mark Hopkins, economist and Chair of the Executive Committee of the National Space Society, "The vast majority of the resources of our solar system lie in space rather than on the Earth. By settling Mars and other locations in space we can overcome the resource limits of Earth leading to a hopeful, prosperous future for all of humanity."

During the talk Musk detailed the Interplanetary Transport System (ITS) for the first time. The first stage of the ITS towers 77.5 meters with a diameter of 12 meters and uses 42 Raptor engines to provide a total of 28-million lbs of thrust. The second stage is 49.5 meters long, 17 m in diameter, uses 9 Raptor engines, and comes in both a crew/cargo model and a tanker model.

Musk's plans are based on four key approaches: full reusability of all components, refueling in orbit around Earth, refueling on Mars with locally produced propellant, and using a rocket fuel (methane/oxygen) that can be easily manufactured on Mars. The ITS will tower over the Saturn V and launch up to 380 tons to Low Earth Orbit, greatly exceeding the capacity of the Saturn V. Musk envisions that the eventual cost of a ticket to Mars will be in the $100K-$200K U.S. dollars range, allowing ordinary people to eventually travel to Mars.

What has been a bold vision of the future for humanity is now becoming reality. Humanity has begun the first concrete steps towards space settlement. The next decade will be one of the most pivotal in human history. Today we are beginning the journey to becoming a multiplanetary species.



In recognition of these momentous developments taking place the National Space Society is convening the first "Space Settlement Summit" in January to bring together leading people, companies and organizations that are making space settlement a reality. Participation in this event will be by invitation only and limited to entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, venture capitalists, and thought leaders deeply involved in making space settlement a reality.

The objective of the event will be to show the synergistic in-space ecosystem that is emerging; to facilitate a convergence of interests and opportunities among the key players; and to identify critical issues along the path to space settlement. We are at the dawn of a new era for humanity and the National Space Society is continuing its role as the leading voice for space settlement.

Musk's reveal of his Mars colonization plan follows the announcement September 12th of the Blue Origin "New Glenn" heavy-lift vehicle by Jeff Bezos. The New Glenn is 7 meters in diameter and comes in both a two stage and a three stage version. The reusable first stage is powered by seven BE-4 engines fueled by liquid natural gas and liquid oxygen, providing 3.85 million pounds of thrust. The second stage uses a single BE-4 engine, and the optional third stage a single liquid hydrogen-oxygen BE-3 engine, the same engine used in the flight proven reusable New Shepard sub-orbital vehicle.



"The New Glenn is a major step forward for commercial space," said Dale Skran, NSS Executive Vice President. "With the SpaceX ITS and Falcon Heavy, the United Launch Alliance Vulcan, and the Blue Origin New Glenn operational, the U.S. will have four domestic options for commercial medium to heavy lift. This will allow NASA to make use of commercial heavy lift services with greater confidence than if only a single operator existed."

The U.S National Space Policy of 2010 states "To promote a robust domestic commercial space industry, departments and agencies shall: Purchase and use commercial space capabilities and services to the maximum practical extent when such capabilities and services are available in the marketplace and meet United States Government requirements."



"NASA ought to welcome the usage of the ITS, Vulcan, the New Glenn and the Falcon Heavy in future NASA planning," said Skran. "NASA can only benefit from the existence of multiple commercial medium to heavy lift providers with re-usable first stages that offer the possibility of significant cost reductions."

MILESTONE 2 on the NSS Space Settlement Roadmap is titled "Higher Commercial Launch Rates and Lower Cost to Orbit" (www.nss.org/settlement/roadmap/RoadmapPart2.html). Future NASA usage of commercially available partially or fully re-usable medium to heavy lift vehicles will be critical to achieving this milestone.

"Competition like that seen between Blue Origin and SpaceX is key to rapid progress in space," said Bruce Pittman, NSS Senior Vice President. "Elon just presented a plan for settling the solar system in this century that is realistic and affordable. In my paper, 'A Pathway to a Thriving Commercial Space Economy' at IAC, I also laid out a path forward to a growing economy in space that produces new opportunities for all."

Musk's plan's address MILESTONES 15 ("Logistics System"), 16 ("Base"), and 17 ("A True Martian Settlement) in the evolving NSS Space Settlement Roadmap (see www.nss.org/settlement/roadmap). NSS supports the exploration, development, and settlement of space, including free space, the Moon, asteroids, and other locations in addition to Mars.

NSS has been pushing hard via legislative outreach in cooperation with the Alliance for Space Development to make space development and settlement part of the objectives that guide NASA. In March 2016 Rep. Dana Rohrabacher introduced H.R.4752 the "Space Exploration, Development, and Settlement Act (see www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/4752/text ) to make development and settlement of space part of the fundamental law governing NASA.

More recently, on September 21, 2016, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee marked up S.3346, the NASA Transition Act of 2016. This bi-partisan Bill, co-sponsored by Senators Cruz, Nelson, Rubio, Peters, Wicker, and Udall, contains the following ground-breaking statement:

Section 202(a) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 18312(a)) is amended to read as follows:

''(a) LONG-TERM GOALS-The long-term goals of the human space flight and exploration efforts of NASA shall be-

''(1) to expand permanent human presence beyond low-Earth orbit and to do so, where practical, in a manner involving international, academic, and industry partners; and

''(2) the peaceful settlement of a location in space or on another celestial body and a thriving space economy in the 21st century.''

The entire S.3346 "NASA Transition Act of 2016" can be found at: www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/3346/text . NSS applauds the Senate for taking this forward-looking position in favor of space development and settlement, but much remains to be done to make space development and settlement a reality. Citizens can join NSS in the fight for a better future at www.nss.org.

A permanent link to this press release can be found here.

blog.nss.org/national-space-society-space-settlement-campaign-supports-elon-musks-mars-settlement-plans/



About the National Space Society (NSS): NSS is an independent nonprofit educational membership organization dedicated to the creation of a spacefaring civilization. NSS is widely acknowledged as the preeminent citizen's voice on space, with over 50 chapters in the United States and around the world. The Society publishes Ad Astra magazine, an award-winning periodical chronicling the most important developments in space. NSS thanks their ISDC 2016 Galaxy Sponsor, the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust. To learn more, visit www.nss.org. Biographies for the quotes can be found at www.nss.org/about/bios/hopkins.html, www.nss.org/about/bios/skran.html and www.nss.org/about/bios/pittman.html.
'The Defense Never Rests' - Southern Evangelical Seminary's 23rd Annual National Conference on Christian Apologetics Set for Oct. 13-15

Contact: Jen Retallick, 610-584-1096, ext 100



CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 28, 2016 /Standard Newswire/ -- In less than six weeks, the faithful will have a chance to discuss some of the same issues that have made headlines for months. Along with hundreds of others, they will gather in Charlotte, N.C., for the 23rd annual National Conference on Christian Apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary (SES, www.ses.edu).



Hosted by Calvary Church, 5801 Pineville-Matthews Road in Charlotte, one of the most premier apologetics events in the nation is set for Oct. 13-15.



SES has an impressive lineup of nationally known speakers who will tackle the many tough topics that have been debated both in society and on the campaign trail. A women's pre-conference is also set for Oct. 13.



"Southern Evangelical Seminary's National Conference on Christian Apologetics is always a time to focus on the issues that are affecting every American, especially the faithful," said SES President and Evangelical leader Dr. Richard Land, who will also serve as a speaker. "But perhaps this year more than any other, our nation has become a platform for debate, with polarizing sides evident on a multitude of issues."



The theme of the conference, "The Defense Never Rests," focuses on the charge to Christians to defend their beliefs rationally, intelligently and lovingly. Speakers include:

Dr. Norman Geisler: Author, professor, speaker, lecturer, philosopher, apologist, evangelist, theologian and co-founder of SES.



Richard Howe: Debater and speaker who has taught courses in philosophy at several universities.



Josh McDowell: Since 1961, has spoken to more than 10 million students through 24,000 talks in 118 countries.



Sean McDowell: Assistant professor in Christian apologetics at Biola University, author and speaker at schools, churches and conferences.



Dr. Hugh Ross: Founder and president of Reasons to Believe, which researches and communicates how the Bible harmonizes with nature.



Jay Sekulow: Chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, Supreme Court advocate, religious liberty expert and author of "Rise of ISIS."



Lee Strobel: Atheist-turned-apologist, professor of Christian thought at Houston Baptist University and author of "The Case for Christ."



Dr. Frank Turek: Dynamic speaker, award-winning author and leader of CrossExamined.org.



J. Warner Wallace: Cold-case homicide detective, professor and author of the popular book, "Cold-Case Christianity."

SES is a leader in apologetics educationteaching students to defend their faith and talk intelligently, passionately and rationally about what they believe and why they believe it. For more info, visit www.ses.edu.
Er is iets heel griezeligs aan de gang in Nederland. Dat wij geleidelijk aan in een totalitaire 'democratie' wegzinken wordt steeds ...
U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler and challenger state Rep. Jim Moeller have secured debate dates.

The two candidates for Southwest Washingtons 3rd Congressional District will face off from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 10 at Camas High School and from noon to 1 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Oak Tree Restaurant in Woodland.

Herrera Beutler has participated in both events since she first ran for Congress in 2010.

They offer an opportunity for a constructive back-and-forth to compare and contrast both candidates stance on issues like business climate, health care costs, taxes, the environment and others, Herrera Beutler previously told The Columbian.

Moeller, who is giving up his seat in the 49th Legislative District to run for Congress, has said hes looking forward to debating the minimum wage and affordable health care.

The liberal Democrat said he was inspired to run for the seat because he believes the 3rd Congressional District is being shortchanged by Herrera Beutler, R-Camas.

Moeller has criticized Herrera Beutler for her efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and for not hosting traditional town hall meetings.

Moeller served eight years on the Vancouver City Council before being elected in 2002 to a 49th Legislative District seat in the House. As speaker pro tempore, Moeller holds a powerful position, often presiding over the House.

The congresswoman is completing her third term. She believes the Affordable Care Act is hurting people more than its helping. Herrera Beutlers office countered Moellers claim that she hasnt held enough town halls, a common criticism of the congresswoman, saying shes met with thousands of constituents in every possible format.
It could be back to the drawing board for Longviews school districts facilities committee.

Longview School Board members took turns Monday picking out what they liked and disliked from among seven building options presented to them a week earlier. They didnt endorse any of the options, which have price tags exceeding $200 million and which project building needs three decades from now.

I could easily see if you wanted us to come back with three plans, they wouldnt look like anything youve seen so far, said committee co-chairman Gary Walker.

At one point board president C.J. Nickerson expressed interest in limiting facilities plans to a 10-year window. Concepts 1 and 2 call for a 30-year project, implemented in phases.

It would dramatically change the proposals we would bring to you, said Steve Powell, a committee member who worked on Concept 1. Im not saying dont limit to 10 (years), but Im just saying be cognizant of that. It would be back to the drawing board big time if this did not go beyond 10 years.

By the end of Mondays meeting, Nickerson summed up several things the board agreed on.

Elementary buildings will remain a priority, as well as ensuring a lunchroom for every elementary school. The board also wants more information about the effect state matching funds would have on project costs.

Despite board member Richard Lords comment that he thought the one high school option is promising, board members decided to postpone any decisions regarding the high schools until a later date.

Board Jennifer Leach also emphasized that the discontinuation of portable classroom use across the district was something the board wanted to see reflected in future concepts.

Despite the lack of consensus on larger issues, district officials were pleased with Mondays discussion.

Superintendent Dan Zorn said he was worried that the board would come with a list of constraints that would narrow the facility committees scope too much. But the board left room for creativity in the planning process, he said.

The board also requested additional information to determine if district property can accommodate the larger footprint of some of the proposed buildings, including that of one large high school.

We should see that data for each of the proposed schools that were planning on modernizing and expanding in any way, Lord said. (And make sure) that the footprint is capable of handling that.

Zorn expects the facilities committee will be able to make a presentation again to the board within a month. The plans will include answers to the questions asked Monday and at the study session, but they wont make the decision for the board.

Walker warned the board that the districts current building maintenance budget would not be able to maintain 14 or more school buildings, which several of the concepts call for.

Thats your guys challenge, Walker told the board. I dont think thats our committee at this point. Make sure you can maintain the buildings, whatever you decide.
The impact of natural disasters has been troubling humanity since time immemorial. Cyclones, Hurricanes, and volcanic eruptions have caused ample damage to human life and property. A recent case of such natural disaster has been reported in Indonesia as the Mount Barujari has exploded on Tuesday. The government has taken appropriate measures to protect the residents of the area through evacuation and reports suggest that 400 tourists have been evacuated off the precinct in the uncertain explosion.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Volcano, which is also known as the Child of Rinjani due to its position within the Mount Rinjani caldera, blew up without any previous caveat which caused several damages and delaying the flights that were scheduled to take off from the airports on the islands of Lombok and Bali.

As per the reports provided by Indonesia Government, the column of ash went up to 6, 560 feet or 2,000 meters after the eruption. The authorities of Indonesian have already started the search mission for locating the thousands of tourists who have been evacuated after the eruption of Mount Barujari on Lombok Island. The reports published by Indonesia disaster management agency also states that the sudden eruption of Mount Barujari caused a gigantic line of ash into the sky and had relinquished more than 1,100 people.

If sources are to be believed, it is one of the most uncertain eruptions of Mount that created not only extensive damage to the properties of Indonesia but also has evacuated thousands of people including 400 tourists. According to the reports of the spokesperson of Disaster Mitigation Agency, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, around 400 overseas and local visitors had been listed to go up the mountains on Sunday, and registered to left the Sembalun monitoring post which is about 7 miles far from the crater of the volcano.

As per the official reports, the volcano in Indonesia has banged without forewarning and has evacuated thousands of people and tourists on Lombok Island. Mount Barujari  the exploded mountain spewed a giant and large column of ash 2,000 meters into the air, and more than 1,100 tourists are still now listed to be evacuated in the explosion.

According to the Indonesian government, the search team is on for finding the source of the evacuated tourists and locals and if the reports are to be believed, till now, around 389 foreign tourists are evacuated. The Indonesian government and disaster agency are working hard on finding the conditions of those tourists out and abandon them to another place immediately.

The sudden eruption of Mount Barujari also delayed the take-off of flights for several hours at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, which is located around 135km from the explosion spot, and Selaparang airport in Mataram, which is the capital of West Nusa Tenggara province, located on Lombok Island.

However, the government has confirmed that the nearby villages and cities are now out of danger.
It is practically sure now that the going-to-be-official Paris Agreement Protocol on climate change, which was signed a year ago in the French capital, would go into power in India on 2nd October. However, the complete operation is expected to take place by the end of the second week of November. While the entire Paris Climate Change protocol is intended to minimize the production of greenhouse gasses and lessen the mounting rate of global warming, another rule is approaching in global level to push the control and mitigate the outflows of greenhouse gasses.

Nations are going to hold an assembly in Kigali, Rwanda in the upcoming month to conclude a choice on the eliminating of an arrangement of chemicals called HFCs, or hydrofluorocarbons, which have possessed hazardous global warming possibilities. The new rule will come to the authority through the current mechanism of the Montreal Protocol, which went into power in 1989.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday finalized to bring new modifications in global warming regulations and has decided to ban two chemicals used in refrigerators and air conditioners, for lessening the potentials. EPA during the meeting also unveiled that the new rules will implement next month before the arrangements of Montreal Protocol meeting. The new law seems to be a part of the policies of White House to publish hard and fast rules to show other countries that the U.S. is taking serious action against the global warming.

EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy addressed to the media with her statement  These two rules shows the continuous leadership of United States in shielding the ecology and public health. With the new rule, the US is actively moving towards the reduction of global warming potentials and has decided to ban the HFCs that are harmful to the climate system.

HFCs or hydrofluorocarbon is generally used as a part of the refrigerator and ventilating industry, and they are quantitatively inconsequential in comparison to other regular carbon-based greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide or methane. Apart from this quality, HFCs are proved to be much more intense as they possess the highest possibility of Global Warming Potentials (GWP). Some of them are hundreds or thousand times stronger than the global warming potentials the carbon dioxide has. As per the survey, till now, HFCs have contributed to less than 5% of global greenhouse gasses production, and still, their intense rate is mounting over time. And if this process continues, then according to the report, it will encompass almost 20% of emissions by 2050 in the business-as-usual circumstances.

After signing the pact of Paris climate change for reducing the production of greenhouse gasses and global warming, India seems to become more rigid on creating flexible options for discouraging global warming potentials. In November 2015, around 200 countries approved the new regulations of banning HFCs and were gearing up to meet again in October Assembly to make further discussion of the correct execution of the planning.
tech2 News Staff

Samsung seems to be in deeper trouble than it already was. A report from China indicates that a new, 'safe' Samsung Galaxy Note 7 caught fire and burnt the owners MacBook and fingers.

Samsungs Galaxy Note 7 devices have been blowing up with disturbing regularity, forcing the company to issue a worldwide recall of the device. China was left out of that recall, however. Samsung noted that the Chinese model Note 7s used a battery from a different manufacturer and Samsung considered those batteries to be safe.

CNNMoney reports that Hui Renjie, a 25-year old Chinese tech worker, bought the device from JD.com, a Chinese e-commerce website, and that the device was not included in the recall, as verified by the IMEI number. Just to be clear, the device in question was brand new, but not part of the replacement batch of Note 7s that is to be sent out to customers affected by the official recall.

Renjie claims to have left the phone charging overnight, only to wake up in the morning to smoke coming from the device. It then suddenly burst into flames, damaging his MacBook Pro and burning two of his fingers.

A Samsung representative apparently went to Renjie to inquire after the device and to collect it for evaluation, but Renjie did not give the device to the representative, stating that he expected Samsung to hush up the situation and that he wanted to go public with the evidence.

There have been at least 4 reports of exploding Note 7s in China, but Samsung has rubbished two of those claims on grounds that the battery wasnt responsible for the explosion.

Even in this case, some members of Android Centrals forums suspect the cable and/or a faulty charger to be responsible for the explosion. This is just speculation at present.

Regardless, the latest explosion has put Samsung in a tight spot. Their worldwide recall only recently started gathering steam and the bad press was slowly dying out.
hidden

Former Indy Racing League driver Sam Schmidt has done a lot in the 16 years since an accident left him paralysed from the neck down. He runs a racing team and a foundation. He's raced a sailboat using his chin. But the man who raced in the Indianapolis 500 hasn't been able to drive around his neighborhood  until now.

On Wednesday, Schmidt is set to receive the first license restricted to an autonomous vehicle in the US. The license allows him to drive on Nevada roads in his specially modified Corvette, which requires no hands on its steering wheel or feet on its pedals. Schmidt uses head motions to control the car's direction.

Fully driverless cars  several steps beyond the car that Schmitt is driving  are expected to reach US roads in the next five to ten years, and the disabled community is eager for their arrival. More than 4 million people in the US need assistance with daily tasks like eating or leaving home, according to the US Census Bureau. Others have less severe disabilities but are still unable to drive.

Disabled people are less likely than the non-disabled to be employed and are more likely to experience poverty, the bureau says. But that could change with the arrival of self-driving cars.

"It's coming. We're looking for something to help us get that level of independence," Schmidt told The Associated Press.

Schmidt is the bridge to that future. His car isn't fully autonomous; it uses four cameras to monitor his head and transmit his movements to the tires. He breathes into a tube to accelerate and sucks the air out when he wants to brake.

The car isn't practical for most people. Centennial, Colorado-based Arrow Electronics bought and modified Schmidt's $80,000 2016 Corvette Z06. It spent an additional six figures on cameras, sensors and computers and even more to add a steering wheel and brake pedals on the passenger side.

Schmidt's license requires that a licensed driver accompany him in the passenger seat to take over in case of emergency. When he drives, Schmidt must follow a pilot car. He can't drive in ice or snow. Those restrictions could eventually be eased, Nevada officials say.

Some in the disabled community would like to move directly to fully self-driving cars which wouldn't require licenses at all, says Henry Claypool, policy director of the Community Living Policy Center at the University of California, San Francisco.

"There are some people who are just so isolated that it really compromises their ability to enjoy their basic civil rights," Claypool said.

But Claypool says it's important to be patient and work with the industry now so when autonomous vehicles do arrive, they're accessible.

"There are real barriers to transportation and we need to be clear about what those are and make sure we leverage the technology to address them," said Claypool, who is wheelchair-bound but drives a $62,000 modified minivan.

Many companies are thinking inclusively. Google has worked closely with the blind while developing its self-driving cars. Tesla Motors has said it's working on an urban transport vehicle that would accommodate wheelchairs. Arrow is working on other projects, including a modified bicycle for a paraplegic athlete.

"Sam is our astronaut," said Joe Verrengia, Arrow's global director of social responsibility.

Arrow is making its design and software freely available in the hope that other companies will build on what it has done. Over the next 18 months, Schmidt hopes to modify a more advanced, semi-autonomous car that could drive itself for short stretches and could help him override potential mistakes. Right now, for example, he could accidentally turn the car if he looks to the side when he means to go straight. A car that was watching the road ahead could correct that.

But for now, the license means an end to 16 years in the passenger seat of a conversion van for trips around town.

"My wife hates driving that van. It makes us look like we're 75 and retired," said Schmidt, 52.

Schmidt is thrilled by the pace of improvement in technology. Within the first year of his partnership with Arrow, in an earlier version of his Corvette, Schmidt completed qualifying laps at the 2014 Indianapolis 500. Earlier this year, he raced to the summit of Pike's Peak.

"Me driving is a lifetime-old problem and these people came together and solved it in seven months," he said. "When you have the right people and the right resources and everyone concentrates on the goal, it gets done."

Schmidt, who co-owns the racing team Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and is chairman of the Conquer Paralysis Now foundation, can hardly narrow the list when asked where he wants to drive first. One stop is the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where he won a race in 1999. He'd also like to cruise down the Las Vegas strip.

And one simple pleasure: A trip to the drive-thru at In-N-Out Burger.

"It might be kind of fun just to sit there in line with 15 other people," he said.

Associated Press
Naina Khedekar

Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg is in troubled waters, yet again. This time over the WhatsApp Privacy policy that it had once vowed to keep intact. When Facebook bought WhatsApp for a whopping $19 billion, the company had 'promised' to protect the privacy of its users' personal information. Similar promises came from WhatsApp's founders.

However, recently WhatsApp announced in a blogpost that it will begin sharing select data with the parent company, allowing users to interact with businesses that matter to them the most. Today, two years later, Facebook plans to cash in on the investment, with the other alternative to simply stop using WhatsApp.

The updated content policy drew public ire across the world. Some have already voiced their decision to quit WhatsApp and try other services like Telegram.

In India, the Delhi High court issued a notice to the Centre Government to respond to the new privacy policy updated by WhatsApp. According to a petition filed by Karmanya Singh Sareen and Shreya Sethi the new privacy policy threatens the privacy of WhatsApp users. They further alleged that WhatsApp, Facebook Inc and Facebook India Online Pvt Ltd compromise the rights of its users. The ruling is explained in detail here.

Likewise, UK and US privacy regulators also raised concerns. UK's data privacy regulator also said it will monitor the app to know how and what WhatsApp shares with Facebook after the privacy policy update. The US Federal Trade Commission was said to be reviewing a joint complaint from two consumer privacy groups filed claiming Facebooks move violates federal law banning unfair and deceptive practices, according to Bloomberg.

With phone numbers of WhatsApp users being shared with Facebook, would only mean more targeted ads, and this will include phone numbers of users who aren't necessarily on Facebook. While no one really has the right to block the move, it does have to follow certain laws and guidelines.

Germany has ordered Facebook to stop collecting WhatsApp data, and also delete the information it has already collected. "Facebook has to ask for their permission in advance. This has not happened," said Commissioner Johannes Caspar.

Facebook could possibly upload users' WhatsApp contacts to Facebook, even if they're not on the social network, and this violates German laws. Facebook also plans to appeal to court against the order. European nations are known to have strong privacy laws and have been seen clashing with Google, Facebook and others on several occasions. Germany had also fought Facebook asking the social giant that its users could use pseudo names.

If you remember, back in 2014, privacy advocates had asked US regulators to halt Facebook Incs $19 billion acquisition of messaging service until there was a clearer understanding of how the company intends to use the personal data of WhatsApps then 450 million users, a number which has quickly risen to 1 billion users today.

WhatsApp had a longstanding commitment (back then) to not collect user data for advertising purposes. However, it was very well known there would be no guarantee that the commitment would hold true once the service becomes part of Facebook, explained the filing to the Federal Trade Commission by the Electronic Privacy Information Center and the Center for Digital Democracy, both non-profit groups.

That's exactly what's happening today, as most of the fears come true. And, this isn't first time that Zuckerberg and Facebook have been in troubled waters. Interestingly, it hasn't learnt from past mistakes aka Free Basics or Internet.org or what we call violating the principles of net neutrality. The packaging and repackaging of Internet.org as Free Basics, hordes of advertising, fooling users into signing petitions in support of Free Basics, and an attempt to introduce Internet as Facebook, Marc Andreessens colonialism remark and several other unpleasant instances left us with a bitter sour taste. Then on, the company has tried to put forth some great initiatives, but the past made us skeptical. However, it did work to some extent. And, now with the policy change, it gets clearer why there is a trust deficit with Facebook.

In the bid to make more bucks and continue on another profitable quarter, its WhatsApp data harvesting plan may go wrong with the users. It wasn't too long ago, that Facebook's Free Basics was booted out of India, and also other countries. It is to be seen if public ire could make Facebook change its mind over the privacy policy. WhatsApp is among the most preferred messaging services used in India. It waits to be seen if that will remain the case once Facebook goes ahead with its plan regarding WhatsApp data usage.
tech2 News Staff

Google has deployed the Google Neural Machine Translation (GNMT) system in Google Translate for Chinese to English translation. The system handles 18 million requests every day. Chinese to English is a particularly hard language pair for machines to handle, and the system is expected to be rolled out to more language pairs. Google Translate supports translation for over ten thousand language pairs. All the translations served by Google Translate, on both mobile and web, from Chinese to English are handled by the new GNMT system.

The earlier system used Phrase-Based Machine Translation (PBMT). This approach broke down the sentences to be translated into phrases and words for translation. Neural Machine Translation (NMT) by contrast, considers the entire sentence as an input. The NMT approach has a key advantage of requiring fewer engineering decisions. However, when it was first tested, NMT results were as good as PBMT results. Google engineers improved the accuracy of the NMT system by making it identify and treat rare and obscure words separately. These included bilingual humans to continuously rate the results of the NMT.

Eventually, the Google engineers came up with a solution that was good enough to be deployed on Google Translate, to quickly and accurately handle the large volume of requests. The production deployment was possible because of the TensorFlow, an open source frame work for machine learning. The custom Tensor Processing Units, the secret to Google AI power, provide the computation necessary to deliver the translations rapidly. Parsey McParseface, one of the most powerful natural language parser, is also based on the TensorFlow framework.
tech2 News Staff

Google Play Music, the online music store service powered by Google seems to have arrived in India. Users can visit Google Play Music to buy latest music tracks and albums legally while supporting the artists behind the music. Google also provides Google Play Music subscriptions where users can stream and listen to virtually unlimited (more than 35 million) number of music tracks by paying a monthly fee, is not included in the launch.

The general pricing per each song seems to be fixed at Rs 15 while the cost per album ranges from Rs 75 to Rs 150. The music selection seems intact without any geo-locked content in the limited amount where we tested the service.

Play Music offers an excellent range of music with the main screen segregating the music collection into different sections. The main screen offers sections like Top Songs, New Releases, Top Albums, Best of Bollywood, Devotional & Spiritual, Indian Pop Hits, Recommended for You, International Music, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi Pop, Ghazals & Sufi, Indian Classical and For the Kids.

The music buying experience is similar to the experience offered by Google Play Store where you tap the Buy button to buy the selected track, confirm and authenticate the purchase. Soon after the authentication, Google Play Music offers you the option to listen to the music track and adds a notification in your notifications area.

Users had long demanded the launch of Google Play Music in India to enable them to buy music using the convenience of their Google Play powered Android device. This is in favour of users who are not using Apple Music and want to buy music from the major technology ecosystem providers like Apple, Google or Microsoft with multi-platform support. Currently, the service is available on Android, iOS and web browsers.
tech2 News Staff

OnePlus held a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) session with the title "September Software Edition". The AMA lasted well over two hours with the team members responding the questions of Redditors. OnePlus staff Brian, Aaron, Omega, Carl and Bradon responsible for ROM, technical, ROM development, global operations and community and marketing respectively, took time to answer questions related to OnePlus software and upcoming plans.

Doing an AMA about OxygenOS on /r/Android right now, come join us!  https://t.co/NFNsvzf7Bd  Carl Pei (@getpeid) September 27, 2016

The company announced that the Marshmallow update for OnePlus X would start rollout next week. The OnePlus Camera team was still discussing the possibility and port the Stock camera experience to the community to improve the camera experience in custom ROMs for OnePlus 3. Carl, the co-founder of the company, clarified that OnePlus would not be releasing the unprotected source code for the camera/hal sources. Hal is hardware abstraction layer which helps proper implementation of software. Carl also revealed that the company would not be releasing a 5-inch device on the hardware side because "It's too hard to fit a big enough battery into a 5" device."

Carl went into detail on explaining the cropped tempered glass screen protectors and clarified that Dash Charge is technology is safe because of 5 levels of security checks in addition to the less time spent in charging. He explained that the OnePlus team takes quality and feedback seriously, and the feedback collection is not limited to the forums. The company monitors customer support, Reddit, emails and other social media platforms in addition to forums to collect the feedback. After the collection, there are weekly meetings to discuss the issues, and if the problem is significant enough then the company blocks the software rollout and hardware shipment till the issue is resolved.

Bradon explained that the company is working on some major overhaul to make the bug reporting experience better for consumers. The company detailed on merging OxygenOS and HydrogenOS to increase the rollout of software updates. They have combined OxygenOS and HydrogenOS on Android level in addition to the existing common code base on framework and kernel level. The company has kept the application layer as separate to deliver the global users with Oxygen experience and Hydrogen experience to the users in China. The company clarified that the experience would retain Stock like experience and the final update will carry Oxygen branding. Carl announced that the next community build for OnePlus 3 will be arriving this week and that the company is adopting a "show, don't tell strategy". He emphasised on the fact that there is no fixed number of Community builds before the final release and everything works on the bugs in the software.

Carl explained that the company has no plan for OnePlus smartwatch. On being asked about going back to Cyanogen for software with OnePlus 4, he told that it is better for a company to have complete control on hardware as well as software to provide optimal user experience. Brian, the head of ROM product hinted that the company has been working on Nougat update for OnePlus 3 in a closed beta group as well as a separate internal testing group. Both these test groups are different from the community build. The company, however, refused to commit to a fixed timeline for the rollout.

OnePlus confirmed that OnePlus 2 would receive Android Nougat 7.0 while confirming that the update will first arrive as a community build for customer feedback. One surprising thing that the company talked about was the lack of focus on cheap pricing for the company. Bradon, head of community and marketing explained that the company never focused on the pricing while deciding the features of the product and the competitive pricing was only possible because of the streamlined operations by the company.
tech2 News Staff

Looks like a lot of US software companies are going to bear the brunt in Russia. According to a report in Bloomberg, Moscow is doing away with Microsoft's services. Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked state officials and local companies to reduce their reliance on foreign technologies.

According to the report, email systems developed by state-run carrier Rostelecom PJSC will be replacing Microsoft Exchange and Outlook on 6000 computers. Moscow is also considering replacing Microsoft Windows and Office services on nearly 600,000 devices with software developed by Russia's New Cloud Technologies.

Putin has called for state entities and local companies to start relying less on foreign services after some US companies shut down paid services in Crimea after Russia's 2014 annexation.

This plan will affect companies such as Microsoft, SAP SE and Oracle Corp in Russia's $3bn software market says Bloomberg.

In addition to this, Putin's internet head German Klimenko wants to increase taxes on US technology companies to ensure advantage for Russian companies such as Yandex NV and Mail.ru Group Ltd. These taxes go as high as 18 percent on app store purchases on Apple and Google play stores.

"We want the money of taxpayers and state-run firms to be primarily spent on local software," communications minister Nikolay Nikiforov has told reporters. According to him, Russia spends around $295 mn on foreign software every year. He has come up with a list of around 2000 Russian software alternatives that are expected to be used by state-run services instead of ones from global vendors.

Even Cisco Systems Inc's technology for city surveillance cameras in Moscow has been replaced with a local software, said head of IT for Moscow Artem Yermolaev.
Aditya Madanapalle

Elon Musk just announced one of the most ambitious plans for a private organisation. SpaceX is developing the Interplanetary Transport System, made up of rocket boosters, spaceships and refueling tankers that hopes to send 1,000,000 people to Mars at the cost of $200,000 (Roughly Rs 1.3 crore) or less per person.

His other efforts are equally ambitious. A Hyperloop test track is being constructed in Texas so companies and students can test out pods. These pods aim to provide high speed low cost transport in pneumatic tubes. SolarCity is the world's first vertically integrated sustainable energy company after the integration with Tesla, a move that is said to be ahead of its time. Tesla makes electric vehicles that are partially automated. Here is a closer look at what Elon Musk is doing, why it needs to be done and how he is managing it.

Capitalism is a Ladder

For Elon Musk, capitalism is a ladder. He rerouted the earnings of his previous ventures into his subsequent ventures. Zip2 and PayPal helped fund Tesla and SpaceX. This approach is used within the workings of each company as well. For example, as outlined in the Tesla Master Plan Part Deux, Tesla cars will go from high cost, low volume vehicles to low cost, high volume vehicles, with each stage generating the funds for the next.

Create a low volume car, which would necessarily be expensive Use that money to develop a medium volume car at a lower price Use that money to create an affordable, high volume car

The approach is used for the Interplanetary Transport System as well. Initially, the cost of manufacturing and launching will be astronomically high. The components in the system, including the rocket boosters, the colonial ships, the refueling tankers are all re-usable, and can function with low cost servicing. Some rockets in the SpaceX lineup even now can be used with no refurbishment. This means that over time, the cost of each mission will come down. Taken on average, all the missions together will have a low cost.

The mad genius of Elon Musk

The brilliance of Musk is in working out the economics of juggling revenues to accelerate technology. There have been failures and close calls in the past. Earlier this month, a Falcon 9 rocket blew up on the launchpad. The payload of the rocket was a Facebook satellite to provide internet access to underserved areas in Africa. His plans for SpaceX almost bankrupted Tesla, according to a report in Bloomberg. The competition, such as the New Glenn reusable rockets by the Jeff Bezos owned Blue Horizon, may reduce the earnings for SpaceX.

Capitalism and capitalists, especially in the tech sector, are assumed to be building monopolies and being greedy when successful. This perception is not entirely true, as a number of tech company founders have pledged most of their wealth to philanthropy. Although Musk himself has pledged his wealth as well, his companies are accelerating technological progress in the fields that do make the world a better place. These include environmentally friendly vehicles, sustainable electricity sources, and making human life interplanetary.

Google has a list of approaches that guides the functioning of the company. Called "10 things we know to be true", one of the main tenets is "You can make money without doing evil". This seems to be the guide for Musk as well.

Larry Page, one of the co-founders of Google, is not exactly known for his philanthropy. Page has said, in the event of his death, he would have all his wealth go to Elon Musk instead of a charity, according to a report in Business Insider. Musk, in his presentation for the Interplanetary Transport System, stated that the only reason he is accumulating assets, is to realise the dream of making humans an interplanetary species.

Aim for the Stars

The SpaceX plans for establishing a permanent human settlement on Mars requires at least 5,000 ships with 200 people on board. Anything less than a million people in a colony, is not a viable colony. This is not an easy plan to undertake, especially as SpaceX only got founded in 2002. A private spaceflight company plans to go from satellite rocket launches to pathfinder missions on Mars in a period of less than sixteen years.

There are very few launch windows over the period of time, and SpaceX wants to use every one of those launch windows. Musk hopes funding will pour in as interest rises, and eventually the program will gather momentum. This is a plan that can easily fail, but Musk had the guts to take the risk. He is willing to use any and all means necessary to start human colonies, including a Kickstarter project and stealing underpants.

However, ambitions of SpaceX does not end at Mars. The moons of the gas giants, Jupiter and Saturn are also attractive targets for the SpaceX colony ships. Tesla renamed the Mars Colonial Transporter to the Interplanetary Transport System, to reflect these ambitions.

The SolarCity acquisition by Tesla also has big goals for mankind. The eventual aim is to provide energy requirements for humans through renewable sources only. A single call is needed to install solar panels from SolarCity and batteries from Tesla to take a home off grid. There is only one service contract, and one app for the whole process. The Gigafactory being constructed in Nevada, will be the largest battery factory in the world. The factory itself is a net zero energy factory, powered entirely by wind and solar energy. By 2020, it will produce over 50 gigawatt hours of lithium-ion batteries every year, to make batteries for electric cars and sustainable homes.

If Musk has his way, by the time this century turns, humans will be living in a science fiction novel. There will be a permanent human settlement on at least one planet in the outer solar system. This will be in a sustainable city with over a million people. There will be regular spaceflights on reusable vehicles. Convoys of spacecraft in orbit will be refuelled in orbit itself. On the surface of the earth, and on human settlements, there will be a reduced dependence on fossil fuels. Fleets of self driving cars and pods in pneumatic tubes will provide mobility.

All these plans converge in a vision for a technofuturistic utopia for mankind.
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Saarc Summit finally postponed

The 19th Saarc Summit, scheduled to be held in Islamabad in November, has finally been postponed after Bangladesh and India on Tuesday announced its inability to join it apparently amid regional tensions.



The summit is automatically postponed or cancelled if one member-country skips the event, Kathmandu Post reported on Wednesday.



State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam is likely to talk to the press on the latest development at the Foreign Ministry this afternoon.



Earlier on Tuesday, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi decided to refrain from joining the Summit.



Bhutan and Afghanistan will also skip the summit, diplomatic sources in Dhaka and New Delhi told UNB.



State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam told the news agency on Tuesday night that the Foreign Ministry has written to the Saarc Secretariat and current Saarc chair conveying the message that Bangladesh cannot attend the Saarc Summit due to domestic engagements. The decision was conveyed on Tuesday, he added.



However, talking to UNB, a senior official here said the Prime Minister has decided to skip the summit following Pakistan's 'repeated and shameless' interference in Bangladesh's internal affairs over the trial of war criminals.



The Ministry of External Affairs, India on Tuesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not travel to Islamabad to participate in the Saarc summit in November as the atmosphere is "not conducive to a successful summit".



India has conveyed to current Saarc Chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Member States by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.



"In the prevailing circumstances, the government of India is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," it said.



Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to have a bilateral meeting with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Goa on October 16, where they are likely to discuss the future steps on regional cooperation.



Bangladesh Finance Minister AMA Muhith and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan skipped the two Saarc ministerial-level meetings in Islamabad citing domestic compulsion.



On September 19, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh 'firmly stands' beside India at this difficult hour and expressed deep shock at the terrorist attack on the army base at Uri, Kashmir.



'In line with its 'zero tolerance' policy against terrorism and violent extremism, Bangladesh firmly stands beside India at this difficult hour,' she wrote to her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.



Bangladesh officials said Bangladesh and India will continue to work together in their 'common endeavour' to eradicate the menace of cross-border terrorism from this region and beyond and both the leaders will further discuss it the Goa event.



Diplomatic sources said four countries - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal have progressed much with BBIN initiative leaving Pakistan and these countries along with Afghanistan and Sri Lnaka are exploring options how to precede further without Pakistan. - Dhaka, Sept 28 (UNB)
Israeli ex-president and Nobel laureate Peres dies

AP, Jerusalem :

Shimon Peres, a former Israeli president and prime minister, whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated around the world as a Nobel Prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace, died early Wednesday. He was 93.

News of Peres' death was met with an outpouring of tributes from around the world, with leaders praising him as a statesman committed to peace. Israel's Foreign Ministry announced that an array of global leaders and dignitaries, including President Barack Obama and Bill and Hillary Clinton, would attend the funeral on Friday.

Peres suffered a debilitating stroke on Sept. 13 and had remained hospitalized since then. His son, Chemi, confirmed his death Wednesday morning to reporters gathered at the hospital where Peres had been treated. Peres was sedated and on a respirator during most of his hospitalization.

"Our father's legacy has always been to look to tomorrow," he said. "We were privileged to be part of his private family, but today we sense that the entire nation of Israel and the global community share this great loss. We share this pain together." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Peres as a "man of vision" and convened his Cabinet for a special meeting.

"As a man of security, he fortified Israel's strength in many ways, some of which even today are still unknown," he said. "As a man of peace, he worked until his final days toward reconciling with our neighbors for a better future for our children."

Officials said that Peres' body would lie in state at the Knesset, or parliament, on Thursday to allow the public to pay final respects. His funeral was set for Friday at Mount Herzl, the country's national cemetery in Jerusalem. Yona Bartal, a former personal aide to Peres, said the arrangements were in line with his wishes.

Israel's Foreign Ministry said Obama, the Clintons, Britain's Prince Charles, French President Francois Hollande and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were among those who were expected. Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said the list was expected to grow.

Obama, who awarded Peres the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012, eulogized Peres as a man who represented "the essence of Israel itself."

"There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves. My friend Shimon was one of those people," he said.

Shimon Peres' son-in-law, Dr. Rafi Walden, said the family had spoken to Obama overnight and was "very moved." Walden, who was also Peres' personal physician, said he died overnight "without suffering."




ICAB President at WSS Confce, UK

Campus Report :

A two-member delegation led by Kamrul Abedin FCA, President-ICAB left for UK to attend World Standard-Setters (WSS) Conference scheduled on 26-27 September 2016 in London. The other member of the delegation is Mahbub Ahmed Siddique FCA Director (Technical), ICAB.

The ICAB delegates will hold Meeting with IFRS Foundation during the conference. The ICAB delegates will also meet Hilary Lindsay, President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and Vernon Soare, Chief Operation Officer & Executive Director of ICAEW on 28 September 2016 for discussion on Mutual Professional development particularly capacity building of ICAB. ICAB delegation will hold another meeting with Rob Whileman, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance Accountancy (CIPFA) on 29 September 2016.
US Presidential election 1916: Focus on Presidential debate

Dr. Md. Shairul Mashreque :

US Presidential election is drawing near. The election not only concerns the American. The whole world evinces a keen interest in it. For a number of reasons US Presidential elections bear global significance. US with its strong arm like Pentagon has turned out to be the most dominant super power dictitating terms and conditions after the end of cold war. It holds the key position in military might and international market in a seemingly unipolar world. Even the countries termed as big power are in the leading strings of USA. Against this background the study of US Presidential election is so significant

'State and local governments run the primary elections, while caucuses are private events that are directly run by the political parties themselves. A state's primary election or caucus is usually an indirect election instead of voters directly selecting a particular person running for President, they determine the number of delegates each party's national convention will receive from their respective state. These delegates then in turn select their party's presidential nominee. Each party determines how many delegates it allocates to each state. Along with those "pledged" delegates chosen during the primaries and caucuses, state delegations to both the Democratic and Republican conventions also include unpleaged delegates who have a vote. For Republicans, they consist of the three top party officials who serve At Large from each state and territory. Democrats have a more expansive group of unpledged delegates called "super delegates ", who are party leaders and elected officials (PLEO). If no single candidate has secured an absolute majority of delegates (including both pledged and unpledged), then a " brokered convention occurs: all pledged delegates are "released" after the first round of voting and are able to switch their allegiance to a different candidate, and then additional rounds take place until there is a winner with an absolute majority. The staggered nature of the presidential primary season allows candidates to concentrate their resources in each area of the country one at a time instead of campaigning in every state simultaneously. In some of the less populous states, this allows campaigning to take place on a much more personal scale. However, the overall results of the primary season may not be representative of the U.S. electorate as a whole: voters in Iowa, New Hampshire and other less populous states which traditionally hold their primaries and caucuses in late-January/February usually have a major impact on the races, while voters in California and other large states which traditionally hold their primaries in June generally end up having no say because the races are usually over by then. As a result, more states vie for earlier primaries, known as "front-loading", to claim a greater influence in the process. The national parties have used penalties and awarded bonus delegates in efforts to stagger the system over broadly a 90-day window. Where state legislatures set the primary or caucus date, sometimes the out-party in that state has endured penalties in the number of delegates it can send to the national convention.'

State of New York: Democrat Hillary Clinton and her Republican rival Donald Trump took the stage on for their crucial first presidential debate, in what could be the most watched US political event in years.

According to latest news,

"Sparring over plans for US economy, Clinton accused Trump of peddling "trumped up trickle down" economics in the opening minutes of their first presidential debate, setting a combative tone as the candidates clashed over how to increase US jobs.

Trump gave a classic answer about China and Mexico stealing American business and jobs. He also had his first point of agreement, his unexpected (for the GOP) child leave plan: "I think Hillary and I agree on that, we probably disagree a little bit as it relates to numbers and amounts," he said.

"We have to stop our jobs from being stolen from us, we have to stop companies from leaving the United States," he added.

As the pair tangled over trade, taxes and government regulations in the opening salvos of the 90-minute debate Clinton said, "I know you live in your own reality, but those are not the facts."

Clinton and Donald Trump traded blows on the debate stage Monday over the Democrat`s use of a private email server as secretary of state, and the Republican billionaire`s refusal to release his tax history.

"I will release my tax returns against my lawyer`s wishes when she releases her 33,000 e-mails that have been deleted," Trump said when pressed on the issue during their crucial first White House debate.

"I have no reason to believe that he`s ever going to release his tax returns, because there`s something he`s hiding," Clinton fired back.

Clinton accused her Republican White House rival of launching his political career by supporting a "racist" theory that questioned Barack Obama`s citizenship.

"He tried to put the whole racist `birther` lie to bed," adding, ""But it can`t be dismissed that easily. He has really started his political activity based on this racist lie that our first black president was not an American citizen," the Democrat said. Trump went on to blame Clinton for the the rise of the Islamic State by noting the Democrat had laid out some of her plans on her website.

"You're telling the enemy everything you want to do," Trump said as Clinton shook her head in amusement. "No wonder you've been fighting IS your entire adult life."

Trump said the country needed law and order. "African Americans and Hispanics are living in hell because it's so dangerous. You walk down the street you get shot," he added.

Clinton has called for restricted gun control in the US, saying "We've got too many military-style weapons on the streets. In a lot of places, our police are outgunned  we need to keep guns out of the hands of those who'd do harm."

Hillary Clinton was declared winner in public debate which may fetch a long way to influence the voters including the votes in the Electoral College and popular votes.



Dr. Mashreque teachers Public administration in Chittagong Uiversity
Create more jobs to save our youths

AS younger people, mostly from the rural areas are desperately trying to find a job to help the family and themselves, human traffickers are taking advantage of their helplessness and forcing them to fall into trap in the name of providing them job abroad and within the country. News report on Wednesday said RAB detained nine people who deceived 130 people in the name of giving jobs. The cheating has become endemic, as agents of human traffickers are moving around the countryside to lure unemployed youths to send them abroad and then holding them captive even within the country to pay for freedom.



It is heinous crimes and though law enforcers are occasionally arresting the cheaters, much of the tragedy is going unnoticed. Recently some human traffickers collected five young people from some Sylhet villages promising to send them to Libya on good job offer although it is a dangerous place where civil war has totally destroyed the country and warring factions are in control in absence of functional public institutions. They promised the boys to send them to Turkey first from Dhaka airport through Dubai but as per disclosure they later tried to take the boys to Chittagong saying they will take the flight from India. One boy slipped out from their grip and the whereabouts of four others is not clear. We know Cox's Bazar and Tekhnaf were landing spot of traffickers for so-called job seekers in Malaysia two years back and thousands of ill-fated voyagers perished on the way. Traffickers may be reviving this route again or putting young people to Middle East and Africa with a promise of reaching them to Europe. We are afraid when the law enforcers are too much busy to nab militants and government critics, human traffickers may be using the lull to run the slave trade dodging security vigilance.



Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel this time detained nine people who were holding 130 young men in their Mirpur office on Monday to give jobs. They were using a fake office and realized Tk 20,000 to one lakhs as security money for the salesman job and such other skill. But they did not giving them appointment and wasting time in false promises. Insiders said these people have also engaged agents all over the country who collect young people for commission and later disappear.



This is how our younger people are cheated hoping for a job while our government attention is not much focused on new job creation and income generation activities. Politics is making few wealthy but the younger people are falling into trap instead of finding way of a decent livelihood. Tall talks are thickening the air when human traffickers are destroying the future of our young people. We must say vigilance must increase and government activities must focus on how to create more jobs.
Body of Hannan Shah brought home

UNB, Dhaka :

The body of BNP standing committee member ASM Hannan Shah, who died on Tuesday in Singapore, was brought home on Wednesday.

His mortal remains arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 6:08pm by a flight of Bangladesh Airlines, said BNP chairperson's media wing member Sayrul Kabir Khan. BNP senior leaders, including secrteray geranral Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee

member Mirza Abbas, vice chairman Abdullah Al Noman and joint secretary general Khairul Kabir Khokan, along with Hannan Shah's relatives received the body. From the airport, the BNP leader's body was taken to his Mohakhali DOHS residence.

Later, his body was kept at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) mortuary. It will be there overnight on Wednesday. Hannan Shah, a military officer-turned politician, died at Raffles Heart Centre in Singapore early Tuesday at the age of 77. On September 11, he was flown to Singapore for better treatment of his cardiovascular disease.

The BNP leader's first namaz-e-janaza was held at a mosque in Singapore at 8:30pm (Singapore time) on Tuesday. His second janaza will be held at Mohakhali DOHS mosque at about 10am today (Thursday), while the third one at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad around 11am and the fourth one in front of BNP's Nayapaltan central office after Zohr prayers.

Hannan Shah's body will be taken to Gazipur on Friday where his three janazas-one at Joydebpur Rajbari ground at 9am, another at Kapasia Pilot High Scholl ground around 10am and the last one at Gram Chala Bazar High School ground after Jumma prayers-will be held, and then be buried at his family graveyard in Kapasia. He was born in Kapasia's Ghagtia in 1939. His father Fakir Abdul Mannan was a minister of the Pakistan government from 1965-68. After his retirement from Bangladesh Army, Hannan Shah joined BNP in 1983 and was made Dhaka city unit BNP's joint convener, and inducted into the cabinet when BNP came to power in 1991. He had also been elected MP twice from Gazipur-4 constituency.
First African sustainable development award recipient meets Bahrain premier

The recipient of this year's 'His Royal Highness H.R.H Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa Award for Sustainable Development former UN Habitat director Prof. Anna Tibaijuka has met Prime Minister of Bahrain who has lauded her efforts in her past role of sustainable urban development.

The premier of Bahrain His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa also reiceived a copy of the book from Prof. Tibaijuka dubbed

"Building Prosperity: Housing and Economic Development". The book tackles the crucial importance of housing in the field economic development, and highlights the best practices in this regard.

HRH Premier lauded the efforts exerted by Anna Tibaijuka in compiling her book that embodies the rich experience she had gained through her leadership of the UN-Habitat and academic career.

HRH the Prime Minister expressed admiration for the book that includes valuable information that can be useful in enhancing international action in the field of sustainable urban development. Anna Tibaijuka expressed sincere thanks and appreciation to HRH the Prime Minister for his unwavering support to all efforts aimed at achieving sustainable development goals.

She also valued highly the Prime Minister's interest in appreciating every effort aiming to benefit the entire humanity.

www.houseofkhalifa.com
Syed Haq laid to rest in Kurigram

Mass tribute at Shaheed Minar

MASS TRIBUTE: Thousands of people of all walks of life turned up at the Central Shaheed Minar to pay their last respects to literary genius Syed Shamsul Haq on Wednesday.

Staff Reporter :

Celebrated writer and poet Syed Shamsul Haq was laid to eternal rest beside a mosque at the Kurigram Government College campus on Wednesday afternoon.

After his third namaz-e-janaza held on the college ground in Kurigram Sadar upazila, he was buried beside the mosque at about 4:40pm yesterday.

Syed Shamsul Haq, most eminent of contemporary Bangla poets, died on Tuesday at the age of 81 after long been fighting with deadly cancer at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of United Hospital in capital Dhaka where he was undergoing treatment for lung cancer after returning from London.

Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor, Awami League leader Jahangir Kabir Nanak were, among others, present during his burial. Haq's body was taken to his birthplace, Kurigram, after the namaz-e-janaja earlier at the Dhaka University Central Mosque at 1.35pm.

Deputy Commissioner of Kurigram district said Syed Shamsul Haq expressed his desire to be buried on a land adjacent to Kurigram Government College when he attended a programme of the college as the chief guest this year.

Earlier, the body of Shamsul Haq was taken to Channel-i office, where his first namaj-e-janaza was held. After the namaz-ejanaza, his body was brought to Bangla Academy premises where, many eminent and promising writers, distinguished personalities and well-washers paid their last tribute to him.

His body was then taken to the Central Shahid Minar, where people of all levels paid their tributes turning the area as place of mass grief. Another janaza was held on the Dhaka University mosque premises from where his body was flown to his home district Kurigram.

Later his body was kept on the ground of Kurigram Government College, where local people paid their last homage to Syed Shamsul Haq.

In city's Central Shaheed Minar area, thousands of people from all walks of life paid their last tribute to the celebrated poet and versatile writer and playwright.

Besides, fans, colleagues, relatives, political leaders, high officials and well-wishers thronged the Central Shaheed Minar premises to pay their last tribute to Shamsul Haq.

President Abdul Hamid paid last respect to Syed Shamsul Haq by placing wreath on his coffin kept at the Central Shaheed Minar. Later, he talked to Shamsul's wife Anwara Syed Haq, son Ditio Syed-Haq and daughter Bidita Sadi and conveyed his deep sympathy to the bereaved family members.

Floral wreath was placed on behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as mark of her last tribute to the celebrated litterateur, poet and dramatist.

On behalf of the Prime Minister, a team led by PM's Military Secretary Major General Mia Mohammad Zainul Abedin and Special Assistant Mahbubul Hoque Shakil placed wreath on the coffin of Syed Shamsul Haq at the Central Shahid Minar.

Sheikh Hasina is now in Washington in the last leg of her visit to USA in connection with UN General Assembly.

Born in Kurigram on 27 December, 1935 to father Syed Siddique Husain and mother Halima Khatun, Syed Shamsul Haq, commanded contemporary Bangla literature for over six decades as a literary giant.

Syed Shamsul Haq, popularly known as Syed Haq, wrote innumerable poetry, fiction, plays (mostly in verse), and essays. He wrote several film scripts and penned many patriotic songs. His literary works were included in the curriculum of school level, secondary, higher secondary and graduation level Bengali literature. A strong writer against the fundamentalism Haque received the Bangla Academy Award in 1966, Ekushey Padak in 1984 and Swadhinata Padak Award in 2000 for his contributions to Bangla literature.

Among his numerous literary works are: Ekoda Ek Rajje (Once upon a time in a kingdom, 1961),Boishekhe Rochito Ponktimala (Verses of Boishakh, 1969), Birotihin Utsob (The ceaseless festival, 1969), Protidhonigon (The echos, 1976), Opor Purush (The other man, 1978), Kobita Samagra (Collected Poems) in 3 Volumes (2007), Ek Ascharja Sangamer Smriti, Ek Mahilar Chhobi (Portrait of a Woman, 1959), Anupam Din (Best Days, 1962), Simana Chhariye (Beyond the Bounds, 1964), Neel Dangshon (The Blue Sting, 1981), Smritimedh (Massacre of Memory, 1986), Mrigayay Kalakshep (Spending Time in Deer Hunting, 1986), Payer Awaj Paoa Jay (We hear the footsteps), Nuruldiner Sara Jibon (The entire life of Nurul Din), Ekhane Ekhon (Here, now) and Ganonayaka (The public hero).

Earlier on April 9, he went to London for treatment of his ailing lungs, where tests detected cancer.

As doctors in London find no hope for cancer-stricken Syed Haq, he returned home.

He returned home on September 2 after four months of medical treatment at Royal Marsden Hospital in London. He had been undergoing treatment at the United Hospital since his return from London.


9 lakh Yaba seized in Teknaf

UNB, Cox`s Bazar :

Members of Bangladesh Coast Guard seized nine lakh pieces of Yaba tablets worth around Tk 27 crore from Shahparir Dwip on the Bay of Bengal in Teknaf upazila on Tuesday evening.

Coast Guard sources said a patrol team of the Coast Guard's Teknaf station, led by Lieutenant Nafiur Rahman, commander of Teknaf Station, challenged a boat in Shahparir Dwip area at around 7:30 pm.

Sensing presence of the law enforcers, the suspected smugglers fled the scene leaving the boat on the coast.

Searching the boat, the coast guards recovered 9,00,000 pieces of Yaba tablets.
JS probe demanded

Staff Reporter :

Demanding an extensive investigation into the murder of Awami League leader and Freedom Fighter Faruk Ahmed, local people of Tangail submitted a letter to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Ministry on Wednesday.

The letter signed by Abu Taher on behalf of Tangail AL said that Faruk Ahmed was killed in a pre-planned way with an intention to 'harass and mar opponent group' in the area.

"In accordance with the plan, two local AL activists Anisul Islam Raza and Mohammad Ali were caught by police. Later, they were compelled to give statements under 164 CrPC following severe torture in custody, and being threatened to kill in crossfire," the letter said.

"And based on their statements, the police pressed charge sheet indicting Amanur Rahman Khan Rana [MP of Tangail-3] and his three brothers on February 3. Whereas, two times elected lawmaker Rana was very close to Faruk Ahmed. His [Faruk's] initiatives also helped Rana to win election last time with a margin of 60,000 votes" the letter noted.

Accusing former minister and AL leader Abdul Latif Siddiqui for this conspiracy, the letter said: "To save two members of Siddiqui's family -- Murad Siddiqui and Azad Siddiqui and another BNP leader Ali Imam Tapan -- who were accused in murdering MP Rana's brother Aminur Rahman Khan Bappi and NGO worker Motiur Rahman Matin, the 'Joj Mia' drama has been staged with the help of DB Police."

"The accused Anisul Islam Raza and Mohammad Ali have already lodged complaint to the court by submitting a written application that they were subjected to inhuman torture in the police custody for long 15 days to give the false statement. At that time, police hanged them from the ceiling fan and sprayed hot water on their faces. Besides, police threatened to kill taking them to an unknown place. Both of them also said that their bodies bore several marks of injuries of police torture," it said.

In this situation, the local people in the letter urged the JS body to initiate a fresh probe into the incident.

Parliament Secretariat officials said that the letter has been submitted to chairman's office and the matter would be discussed in the next meeting of JS body. If the committee members want, there would be an investigation into the incident.

Meanwhile, a Tangail court on September 26 rejected the bail plea of MP Amanur Rahman Khan, who is detained in jail pending trial of the murder of Faruk Ahmed.

Court Inspector of Police Anwarul Islam said MP Rana had appealed for bail to attend the ongoing session in Parliament on Sunday. But first Additional District and Sessions Judge Abul Mansur Mia dismissed his petition.

Earlier on September 18, the court sent him to jail rejecting his bail prayer after he surrendered before the court.

The same court on September 24 sent two more accused in the murder case to jail rejecting their bail prayers. The accused are Nasir Uddin Nuru and former Councilor of Tangail Municipality Masudur Rahman Masud.

Of the 14 charge-sheeted accused, seven, including Rana, are now behind the bars while the rest seven are on the run. Among the arrestees, Aminul Islam Raja and Mohammad Ali made their confessional statements to police.

Those absconding are Rana's brothers Sahidur Rahman Khan Mukti, former mayor of Tangail municipality, and Jahidur Rahman Khan Kakon, a business leader of Tangail, and Saniyat Khan Bappa, former vice-president of Bangladesh Chhatra League [BCL], Kabir Hossain, close aide of MP Rana, gatekeeper Babu alias Datvanga Babu, and former two Jubo League men -- Alamgir Hossain Chan and Sanwar Hossain Sanu.

A court issued a warrant for the arrest of the 10 accused in the murder case on April 6, after accepting the charge sheet submitted on February 3 by Inspector Golam Mahfizur Rahman.

On Jan 18, 2013, AL senior leader Faruk's bullet-riddled body was found in front of his home at College Para in Tangail. His wife Nahar Ahmed filed the murder case with Tangail Model Police Station three days later.
Deadly air strikes hit two Aleppo hospitals

Al Jazeera News :

Six people were killed in air strikes on two hospitals in rebel-controlled Aleppo as a deadly Syrian government onslaught continued and the civilian death toll climbed.

A medical association said there were only six hospitals now remaining in the besieged city that has been been pounded by massive aerial bombardment and artillery attacks since a US-Russia implemented ceasefire collapsed last week. "The attack happened at 4am local time [0100 GMT]. One warplane targeted both [hospitals] directly," Adham Sahloul of the Syrian American Medical Society, which supports the hospitals, said on Wednesday. "There are only six hospitals currently operational now that the M2 and M10 have been temporarily taken out of service," he said.

Both hospitals had been targeted in previous aerial attacks, according to Sahloul, who described the bombings as "deliberate". Wednesday's attacks were the latest in the Syrian government's major push to recapture the key northern city that has seen the most intense bombardment of the five-year war in recent days. Artillery shells also hit the al-Maadi neighbourhood near a bread distribution facility, killing six people, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of sources on the ground for its information.

It said dozens were wounded and the number of dead was likely to rise because of the severity of injuries.

It was unclear if the air strikes were executed by Syrian forces or their Russian ally, both of which are carrying out the biggest assault yet in a new campaign aimed at wiping out rebel forces and retaking a city that's key to ending the five-year war. The Syrian forces have been accused of using barrel and bunker-buster bombs with more than two dozen strikes since last night. More than 250,000 civilians are thought to be besieged in the rebel-held sector of Aleppo, where intensive bombing by government forces and their allies has killed hundreds of people. Three employees were injured at the second hospital, among them an ambulance driver, a nurse and an accountant. Rights groups have accused Syrian and Russian forces of deliberately targeting medical facilities, with Amnesty International earlier this year alleging the allies were "wiping out hospitals ... [as] part of their military strategy".

On Wednesday, Syrian government forces battled rebel fighters on several fronts in ground attacks in Aleppo, rebel officers said.

A senior rebel official told Reuters news agency that pro-government forces were mobilising in apparent preparation for more ground attacks in central areas of the divided city.

Another rebel official said government forces were also attacking the rebel-held Handarat refugee camp a few kilometres to the north of Aleppo.

Human Rights Watch, meanwhile, accused the Syrian government of using toxic chemicals in two recent attacks in Aleppo, and urged United Nations Security Council to take action.

Phone interviews with local residents, medical personnel, and first responders, as well as reviews of photographs and video footage, indicated that Syrian government helicopters dropped barrel bombs with toxic chemicals on two residential neighbourhoods in opposition-controlled areas on August 10 and on September 6, the group said in a statement on Wednesday.

It asked the UN Security Council to respond immediately to the reports, impose individual sanctions, and refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court.

"Even after the UN confirmed the Syrian government's responsibility for chemical attacks on Syrian civilians, Damascus hasn't stopped its criminal behaviour," said Ole Solvang, deputy emergencies director at Human Rights Watch. "The Security Council could deter future atrocities by ensuring that the Syrian government faces real consequences for ignoring Security Council resolutions."
Bus-covered van collision kills 2 in Tangail

UNB, Tangail :

A bus driver and his helper were killed in a head-on collision between their vehicle and a covered van at Dullamansur in Mirzapur upazila on Wednesday morning.

The deceased could not be identified immediately. Gorai highway police officer-in-charge Khalilur Rahman Patwari said a Dhaka-bound bus collided head-on with a covered van coming from the opposite direction in the area around 7:30am, leaving one dead on the spot and another injured.

Later, the injured was rushed to Mirzapur Hospital where doctors declared him dead.
Global level achieved in anti-terror financing, money-laundering

Staff Reporter :

Bangladesh has achieved global standard in combating money laundering and terror financing.



The Asia Pacific Group (APG) on money laundering gave the recognition after assessing Bangladesh's efforts against money laundering and terror financing.



The APG came up with the recognition at its 19th annual general meeting held recently in the US.



Abu Hena Md Razi Hasan, Deputy Governor of Bnagladesh Bank (BB) disclosed the development through a media briefing at the BB's headquarters in the capital on Wednesday.



Earlier, the APG sent a draft assessment of the country's efforts against money laundering and terror financing based on 40 recommendations under the existing legal and institutional framework.



The latest assessment rated Bangladesh's performance compliant in six areas, largely in 20 areas and partially in 14 areas.



While assessing 11 immediate outcome factors, it also gave Bangladesh the substantial rating in three areas, moderate in four areas and low to other four areas. Such ratings help Bangladesh to stand ahead to Norway, Sri Lanka, Fiji and Australia.



The APG meet praised Bangladesh's drive against money laundering and combating terror financing, welcomed its progress in improving Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regime and noted that Bangladesh has established the legal and regulatory framework to meet its commitments in action plan regarding the strategic deficiencies that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) had identified in October 2010.



"The meeting presented a report lauding the rule of the present government for its strong commitments and effective initiatives in formulating rules and regulations and drive to fight against money laundering and terror financing," said Razi Hasan.



Among the rules and regulations are: Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012, Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters Act 2012 and amendment to Anti-Terrorism Act 2009 to make it align with international standard.



The government also formed a national coordination committee to make policies and directive on anti-money laundering and combat financing of terrorism and established Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to facilitate exchange of information and intelligence to this end.



An agreement has also been signed with 16 FIUs besides obtaining the membership of the Egmont Group, a group of FIUs that meet regularly to collaborate in information exchange, training and expertise sharing.
As they are top bosses!

EBL's CEO gets highest salary

Kazi Zahidul Haasn :

Commercial banks listed with capital market are paying their top executives exorbitant salary and allowances breaching the central bank rules.



An analysis of the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Managing Directors (MDs) salaries, disclosed by the 30 listed banks recently, shows that they paid Tk17.66 crore as remuneration to their top executives in the first half of the current calendar year.



They had paid Tk15.56 crore to their top executives during the same period of the previous year.



This disclosure was made in their half-yearly financial (January-June) statements.



"Average CEO salary at listed banking companies soared during the first half of the current calendar year, pushing up their expenditure to the heads of salary and remuneration," a company secretary of a private bank told The New Nation on Wednesday, asking not to be named.



He said, pay across the banks under the purpose look high, given the generally low return on their equity, value of their assets, market exposure and rankings.



"Even, banks are paying their top executives exorbitantly violating rules," he added.



According to the disclosure, CEOs of the banks were paid an average monthly remuneration of Tk 5.88 lakh, which includes salary, commissions, allowances, value of all perquisites and other perks.



It shows, Eastern Bank Limited's (EBL) CEO and MD Mr Ali Reza Iftekhar got Tk 95.46 lakh as salaries during the said period whereas he received Tk 88.78 lakh during the same period a year ago, making him the highest paid top executive in the banking sector.



The bank paid him an average Tk 15.91 lakh as salary per month. EBL is ranked 26th among the banks in the country, but it is paying highest salary to its CEO violating the central bank guidelines.



City Bank Limited's Sohail RK Hussain got Tk 86.56 lakh, making him the second higest paid top executive in the banking sector.



He was followed by Bank Asia CEO who got Tk 78.20 lakh, Exim Bank CEO Tk 75.64 lakh, IFIC CEO Tk 75.60 lakh and Shahjalal Islami Bank CEO Tk 72.40 lakh, according to the disclosure.



CEOs and MDs of the country's leading banks having huge market exposure, capital, deposit and business are eligible to draw big salaries as per the central bank rules. But in many cases, CEOs of smaller banks are drawing bigger salaries than the top executives of big banks ignoring the rules of Bangladesh Bank, Dr Khondoker Ibrahim Khaled, former central bank Deputy Governor told The New Nation.



He said top bankers at the private commercial banks have the tendency to draw big salaries although their performance is not satisfactory and even banks are in bad shape.



"The central bank should take appropriate steps to curb exorbitant executive pay by banks," he said.



"We have already issued guidelines regarding the salary and remuneration of banks' chief executives. A department is also looking into the matter. If banks found breaching the rules, we would take action accordingly," a BB official told The New Nation yesterday.


SAARC Summit postponed

Dhaka decides to boycott: Delhi, Thimpu and Kabul also decline to join

Staff Reporter :

The 19th SAARC Summit scheduled to be held in Islamabad in November has been postponed after India on Tuesday announced its inability to take part in it "in the prevailing circumstances" Kathmandu Post, a Nepal based national daily, reported on Wednesday.



India has already communicated its decision to Nepal, the SAARC chair, India's Ministry of External Affairs said. The summit is automatically postponed or cancelled if one member country skips the event.



Tensions between India and Pakistan are growing after suspected Pakistan militants stormed an Indian Army base in Uri violating border on September 18, killing 18 soldiers.



This became inevitable after Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan also declined to join the forthcoming SAARC Summit.



All three of India's neighbours separately conveyed their inability to attend the summit to Nepal, the current chair of SAARC.



Nepal, with backing from Sri Lanka and the Maldives, is trying to save the summit by postponing it rather than cancelling.



Meanwhile, Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam on Wednesday clarified that the decision to boycott SAARC summit at Islamabad is purely Bangladesh's own decision.



"It (Bangladesh decision) has no relation to other countries' decisions. It's our own decision," he told journalists at his office at the foreign ministry yesterday.



Without mentioning any name, Shahriar said a particular country's repeated attempts to interfere in Bangladesh's internal affairs has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful holding of SAARC summit.



"We've conveyed it to current SAARC chairman (Nepal and SAARC secretariat) yesterday that Bangladesh is not attending the Summit," he said. Bangladesh, as the initiator of SAARC process, the state minister said, beliefs in regional cooperation and connectivity which was also conveyed to the SAARC chair and SAARC Secretariat.



"When time and scope will be available, Bangladesh will attend such events," he added.



The relations between Bangladesh-Pakistan have deteriorated sharply in recent years after Pakistan's repeated interference in Bangladesh's internal affairs following the trial and execution of war criminals in Bangladesh.



The State Minister said Bangladesh will never compromise, and never compromised in the past either, in terms of issues related to the trial of war criminals and execution of Bangabandhu's killers.



Dhaka strongly protested Islamabad's meddling in its internal affairs and last year Bangladesh expelled a Pakistani diplomat for alleged funding of Islamist extremists.



However, an official in Dhaka said they are yet to receive any message of the postponement from the SAARC Chair Nepal.



Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi yesterday decided to refrain from joining the Summit.



Bhutan and Afghanistan will also skip the summit, according to diplomatic sources.



The Ministry of External Affairs, India on Tuesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not travel to Islamabad to participate in the SAARC summit in November as the atmosphere is "not conducive to a successful summit".



India has conveyed to current SAARC Chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Member States by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.

"In the prevailing circumstances, the government of India is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," it said.



Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to have a bilateral meeting with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Goa on October 16, where they are likely to discuss the future steps on regional cooperation.



Bangladesh Finance Minister AMA Muhith and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan skipped the two SAARC ministerial-level meetings in Islamabad citing domestic compulsion.



On September 19, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh 'firmly stands' beside India at this difficult hour and expressed deep shock at the terrorist attack on the army base at Uri, Kashmir.



'In line with its 'zero tolerance' policy against terrorism and violent extremism, Bangladesh firmly stands beside India at this difficult hour,' she wrote to her Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi.



Bangladesh officials said Bangladesh and India will continue to work together to eradicate the menace of cross-border terrorism from this region and beyond and both the leaders will further discuss it the Goa event.

Diplomatic sources said four countries--- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal have progressed much with BBIN initiative leaving Pakistan and these countries along with Afghanistan and Sri Lnaka are exploring options how to proceed further without Pakistan.
32,000 jailed for links to group 'behind' Turkey coup

Al Jazeera News :

Turkish courts have placed 32,000 suspects under arrest on charges of links to a group run by US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is blamed for the July 15 coup, the justice minister said.

Bekir Bozdag told Turkey's NTV television on Wednesday that 70,000 people had been investigated after the coup and of them 32,000 remanded in custody.

"This process is continuing," he said. The numbers of those arrested marks an

increase of more than 10,000 from those previously given by the government.

Bozdag said that there could be new arrests, while some of those currently arrested could still be freed under judicial control or freed entirely. Some 10 weeks after the coup attempt aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan led to an unprecedented crackdown, there is still no indication as to when trials might start.

The trials of tens of thousands will be the biggest legal process in Turkey's history and are set to put the system under immense pressure. "It is not entirely clear how the trials will be carried out," Bozdag acknowledged. He said trials would take place in cities across the country and not in one single venue.

Bozdag said there was no need to create a special trial venue in Istanbul as capacity was sufficient. But he said one was needed in Ankara and work is taking place for a trial venue at Sincan outside the capital.

"People are not going to be put on trial in just one place but trials will take place in all of Turkey," he said.

US officials will respond to Turkey's demand to arrest Gulen within a couple of days, the justice minister added. Turkey wants the US to extradite Gulen, who has lived in Pennsylvania since 1999, and prosecute him for masterminding the attempt to overthrow the government on July 15. The 75-year-old preacher denies any involvement. Washington has previously said it is cooperating with Ankara and asked its NATO ally for patience as it processes the extradition request to meet US legal requirements.
Lafayette City Marshal Brian Pope and his criminal defense attorney, Kevin Stockstill, leaving district court earlier this year after a hearing in his ongoing public records battle with The IND.

Photo by Robin May

Lafayette City Marshal Brian Pope, who was indicted on five felony counts by a Lafayette Parish grand jury in August and may be facing additional counts as the grand jury continues its investigation, was dealt another blow by the Third Court of Appeal this week in his nearly year-long civil battle with The Independent over public records from his office.

The public records sought by the paper proved that the marshal colluded with the campaign of Scott Police Chief Chad Leger last year, using the resources of his office to benefit Legers unsuccessful bid for Lafayette Parish sheriff. Mark Garber, the target of what amounted to a smear job by Pope and Leger's campaign manager, Joe Castille, went on to win the election and was sworn into office in July.

Those public records are also at the center of the felony charges the marshal now faces  two for perjury, three for abuse of office, and perhaps more charges to come following allegations that Pope and his attorney used public money to pry into Garbers divorce.

This week a three-judge panel of the appellate court  Judges Elizabeth A. Pickett, Billy Howard Ezell and Phyllis M. Keaty  affirmed 15th Judicial District Court Judge Jules Edwards January ruling that found the marshal arbitrary and capricious in his responses to two public records requests filed by The Independent, awarding the paper statutory penalties and attorney fees.

Popes primary appeal argument was that the states public records law requires that a person, in this case the two individuals filing the public records requests on behalf of the newspaper, Staff Writer Christiaan Mader and IND attorney Gary McGoffin, be plaintiffs in the civil action against him. He was sued in November by the papers parent legal entity, The Independent Weekly.

The Third Circuit disagreed and denied Popes No Right of Action exception, finding that The Independent is a person with an enforceable right to obtain public records. [A] corporation can only inspect a document through its representatives, Judge Pickett wrote in the decision.

In late June, the same appellate court denied a writ filed by Pope seeking a review of Edwards March 24 ruling holding the marshal in criminal contempt of court for refusing to turn over the documents The IND was seeking. Edwards sentenced Pope to serve seven days of home confinement, 173 hours of community service and nearly five years probation and ordered him to pay the newspaper roughly $100,000 in attorneys fees and penalties. Pope now has a writ application pending with the Louisiana Supreme Court to review the March 24 contempt judgment of imprisonment and public service. He did not appeal the civil aspects of the contempt ruling, including the amount of penalties, attorney fees and costs.

The IND expects Pope to seek a review of the most recent Third Circuit decision from the state Supreme Court.

Also in this weeks ruling, the Third Circuit granted Popes motion to strike references to hearings in the case that took place after the Jan. 4 judgment, a decision that has no effect on the appeal itself.

Additionally, the Third Circuit found Pope to be liable in solido with the Marshals Office because Pope did not rely upon the advice of counsel in his responses to the papers public records requests. That counsel is Lafayette attorney Chuck Middleton, who is no longer representing the marshal and may himself soon have legal problems of his own. At last count, Pope is now up to a dozen attorneys who have counseled him in the civil and criminal cases against him, a figure that includes five attorneys from the law firm of Borne, Wilkes & Rabalais.

The public records act provides that Brian Pope and the marshals office are both liable for the penalties, attorney fees and costs since Pope was arbitrary and capricious in failing to provide the public records. If his office pays the judgment, the office can seek to recoup all or part of the payments from Brian Pope individually. However, because the city marshal is the only person who can make the decision to pursue reimbursement from Pope personally, that decision may fall to his successor.

In other words, if the decision holding Pope liable in solido with his office survives further legal challenge, creditors like The IND and its legal counsel can choose to pursue either or both of them in collecting on their judgments.

Thus far, the marshal has bled the public coffer for his civil and criminal defense to the tune of approximately $312,000.

Pickett writes:
Super PACs, which are a specific class of political action committees that can raise unlimited dollars, are starting to show up on television screens in Louisianas U.S. Senate race.

Warrior PAC, which is supporting retired Air Force Col. Rob Maness, is the most recent to air a commercial. It placed $200,000 behind its TV buy, which features a 30-second biography spot for Maness.

ESAFund, which is advocating on behalf of state Treasurer John Kennedy, was the first to go statewide with a television commercial two weeks ago.

Directed on the state level by consultant Kyle Ruckert, ESAFund dumped six figures into the commercial, which is another positive biography spot, this time for Kennedy.

With the treasurer personally going on the attack against Congressman Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, recently, the spots soften the candidates hard edges that are showing up in media coverage right now.

How much longer both super PAC stays positive, though, is the real question.
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.
Kenyan markets warm up to pastoralists communal grazing model

Over 30 pastoralists in Mau Narok area of Kenya are accessing structured markets for their livestock while taming human wildlife conflict in the fragile Mara ecosystem, in a classic model that has also transformed them into commercial livestock producers.

Traditionally, the communities battled dwindling pasture occasioned by long dry rain spells which would see them loose up to 50 cows a year. Despite owning large tracks of land, individual members could not keep more than 20 cattle as grass was quickly exhausted. The searing drought would lead to death of wild animals that shared the grass with the cows. Predators would then move in and attack the pastoralists herds. Until they had enough of it.

With support from Mau Mara Serengeti Sustainable Water Initiative, MaMaSe a not for profit organization working on improving water safety and security in the Mara River Basin by tracking human activities, the community members operating in the Enonkishu conservancy on the edge of Maasai Mara, came up with a concept that would not only spare the pastoralists livestock but point them to the right markets. The idea was to get the pastoralists to form one large collective grazing zone that would allow them manage the limited grass.

Each member contributed 100 acres to setting up the communal pasture land. Cows are bulked and allowed to feed in one block before moving to another. The 3,000acre communal land is sub divided into 12 blocks. On average the cows graze for 10 days in each block. This structured movement allows grass in the previous blocks to regenerate. It has also allowed peaceful coexistence with the wild animals because pasture is now in abundance.

25 year old Daniel Nampaso is one of the members of the conservancy who has benefitted from the rangeland management. It was a tough life before. Scrambling for pasture not only led to death of our cattle but also never ending conflict. A lot has changed, he said.

Evelyn Nambaso a mother of four and a fellow member agrees. We rarely have conflict with the wild animals now. Pasture is in plenty. And this idea has gone ahead to open more doors for us. She is referring to two models, commercial and breeding that the community has adopted to rear their cattle and access markets.

The breeding concept, which they have been working together with partners like development organization SNV Netherlands, involves cross breeding the weak and low quality Zebu breeds with the hardy Boran to produce breeds that are weighty enough to attract high premium in the markets. A traditional Zebu weighs on average 300kgs with a cross breed weighing up to 450kgs.

The commercial model which has become the communitys cash cow involves buying poor yielding, emaciated breeds from local markets and fattening them at the conservancy with a view to earning extra from them. We buy what we call grade two cows from the local markets, the weak ones, rear them in the conservancy where there is ample pasture, tend to them ensure they are free of diseases then sell them off say after six months. On average a cow that we pick at the market at $300 we are able to sell it for $600. It has really paid off, said Nampaso.

One of the markets they have found through this model is Mara Beef, a company that also specializes in rearing its own cattle and working with the pastoral communities around Mara. On average the company slaughters 400 cows a month and is looking to expand as markets express insatiable appetite for its products.

These products, which include beef cubes, mince and cuts, find their way into major supermarkets in the capital Nairobi hundreds of miles away, bearing the tag wholesome grass fed beef. Tarquin Wood the Managing Director is a religious stickler of quality and perfection. We deal with members of Enonkishu conservancy a lot because we felt we needed to do something to contribute to the conservancy. We are however very strict on the quality of cows we buy. So we invest a lot in training these pastoralists on issues like animal husbandry because that affects the quality of the cow they sell to us. We only sell cows with potential to fatten or ready cow for slaughter. So far our relationship with them has been incredible. Our wish is to turn the livestock owners here into commercial livestock producers, said Mr. Wood.

Such success stories in market access among pastoral communities has been replicated to four other groups in Mau Narok by MaMaSe . The idea is to train the livestock producers good animal husbandry practices to prepare their livestock for the markets while training them market dynamics to ensure they are well equipped when making sales.

And with more than 80 per cent of the beef consumed in Kenya being produced by pastoralists according to a 2011 study by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Livestock Policy Initiative (LPI) it matters that these livestock producers see value for their money. It is a very chaotic and disorganized sector in Kenya. Producers rearing their livestock without knowing what the markets want, and then going to the markets with no price information and certain buyers riding on this lack of information to exploit producers. At MaMaSe what we are doing with these pastoralists is coordinating the entire value chain so that as they become commercial producers they know from get go what to do to attract top dollar for their livestock, said Fridah Gacheri the livestock value chain market access advisor at MaMaSe , based at SNV.

www.mamase.org
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.

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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.

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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.

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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.
Nashville is a cut-throat town.

Long before Johnny Cash arrived on the scene, songwriters were stealing material from each other and record company executives were bankrupting artists with exorbitant fees lodged against album sales. More than a half century later, the waters of Music City are still shark infested.

Much like the alliances made popular by television's Survivor series, those aspiring for success in the country music business today have found safety in numbers.

Small clusters of artists with compatible personalities and goals evolve into a tight nucleus that bond like siblings. Jerrod Niemann and Lee Brice are perfect examples. They have been close friends for years and now are like brothers. Randy Houser and Jamey Johnson are also part of the crew.

Back in 2012, it was Brice that alerted Niemann that his bus was on fire, allowing him and his band to escape without injury. Brice called with better news earlier this year. He had found a perfect summer anthem and he wanted Niemann to be his A Little More Love duet partner.

The tune was released as a single in April and peaked at No. 28 on the Billboard singles chart. Each member of the duo has impressive songwriting credentials, but this particular gem was crafted by all-star lyricists Ross Copperman, Natalie Hemby and Shane McAnally. The basic premise is that the best things in life have no price tag and you can be happy without being rich.

It's easy to want everything you see on TV, but some of the best times in our lives are spent fishing, camping, just riding around with the windows down, laughing, Niemann said, in Rolling Stone magazine. And that stuff is free!

With a left-of-center sound infused with addictive rhythmic instrumentation, Niemann has methodically compiled an impressive hit list that includes: What Do You Want, One More Drinkin' Song, Shinin' On Me, crowd favorite Donkey and a pair of No. 1s, Lover, Lover and Drink To That All Night.

Niemann will be in concert Oct. 8 at Black Diamond Harley-Davidson in Marion. Doors open at 6 p.m. and music begins at 6:15 p.m. Opening acts include Reckless, South of 70 and The Eli Tellor Band.

Tickets are $25 for general admission and $32 for the pit. This is a standing room only event and will be held in the warehouse behind the business. For more information, contact the dealership at 618-997-4577.

The show is a fundraiser for Caritas Family Solutions, a not-for-profit social service agency that provides assistance to needy individuals and families in the southernmost 42 counties of Illinois.

It is truly an honor to be able to host this concert, said Black Diamond co-owner Shad Zimbro. Jerrod has been cranking out great music for a long time and he has a bunch of loyal fans in the area. The bonus is that by attending the show, you will be providing financial assistant to an organization that has been helping needy folks around here for a long time.

Formed in 1947, Caritas Solutions provides continuous service to more than 4,000 individuals a year in programs ranging from adoption, foster care and employment training, in addition to providing therapy for juvenile offenders and care for low-income seniors and individual living for adults with developmental disabilities.

Niemann unearthed a hidden treasurer in 2010 when he took act-breaking single Lover, Lover to the top of the charts. The tune was a breath of fresh air in a genre that was starting to duplicate itself with cookie-cutter consistency.

The new song was very familiar to music enthusiasts on the other side of the globe. In 1992, the Chicago-based soul group Sonia Dada took You Don't Treat Me No Good to the top of the pop charts in Australia. The only thing Niemann changed was the title.

The 37-year-old Niemann is a Kansas native. His early influences include Keith Whitley, George Strait and Lefty Frizzell. He learned to play guitar on an instrument his mom won in a contest at a Tracy Lawrence concert.

Niemann started his professional music career in the historic Texas road houses while he was attending South Plains College in Levelland. He released his first album, "Long Hard Road," on an independent label in 1999. The following year, he migrated to Nashville.

His reputation as a songwriting spread quickly. Soon after arriving in town, he was co-writing with legends like Whitey Shafer, Dean Dillon and Paul Overstreet.

In 2001, Garth Brooks  the four-time Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year that had sold more records than The Beatles  contacted him to schedule writing sessions. The unknown and the superstar collaborated to pen Brooks single That Girl Is A Cowboy and Chris LeDoux tribute Good Ride Cowboy.

Niemann has released six studio albums. In the fall of 2015, he left Arista Records. He is now signed to Curb Records and is schedule to released a new album before the end of the year.
SPRINGFIELD  Illinois voters who arent quite sure what to make of the current election season arent alone.

They have good company in former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar, whos no stranger to political campaigns, having been first elected to the Illinois House in 1976 before going on to win four statewide races for secretary of state and governor.

But whether its the race for the White House or races for the Statehouse, there are factors at play this year that havent been seen in anyones lifetime, Edgar said Tuesday during a luncheon discussion in Springfield hosted by the nonpartisan Better Government Association. The event, which also featured Christopher Kennedy, a former chairman of the University of Illinois board of trustees whos been mentioned as a potential 2018 Democratic candidate for governor, was titled Elections 2016: Candidates, Chaos and Consequences.

I wish we could have this after the election; I would sound much more intelligent about how the election was going to go, Edgar said, drawing a laugh from the crowd in a downtown hotel banquet room.

On the presidential level, Republican candidate Donald Trump, whom Edgar said wont receive his vote, has thrown out the rules of political decorum in his campaign against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, the former governor said.

In Illinois, Edgar added, current Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner has changed the political landscape by pumping more than $20 million into the state GOP. And that total is likely to grow, with contribution limits now lifted in the comptrollers race thanks to a $260,000 loan from the husband of Rauner appointee Leslie Munger to her campaign.

Munger faces Democratic Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza.

Gov. Rauner has provided more money than Ive ever dreamed would be in Illinois politics, Edgar said. Now the Democrats, (Illinois House Speaker Michael) Madigans always been pretty good with raising money. Nothing compared to what Rauners injecting into this election. And what impact thats going to have, I dont think we know yet.

Edgar said the money his party is spending to defeat downstate Democrats might not be money well spent, noting that Republicans have tried for years, unsuccessfully, to use Madigans unpopularity against them.

For his part, Kennedy agreed with that assessment.

I think people like (state Sen.) Gary Forby (D-Benton) and (state Rep.) Brandon Phelps (D-Harrisburg) are so well known there, Kennedy said. They have a personal relationship with voters. (Its) really difficult to move on that.

Forby is facing Harrisburg Mayor Dale Fowler, and Phelps is up against Jason Kasiar of Eldorado.

With voters more likely to cast straight party ballots than in the past, Edgar and Kennedy also agreed that having Trump at the top of the ticket could hurt Republicans chances of winning the support of women in the Chicago suburbs, whose votes would be crucial to the GOP picking up legislative seats in that area.

If voters do split their tickets, however, Rauners money may provide a boost to Republican candidates for state House and Senate seats in the suburbs, where Rauner is more popular than he is downstate, Edgar said.

Its going to be kind of Rauners money versus Rauners record, he said.

Without a full state budget in place nearly two years into Rauners term, neither Edgar nor Kennedy had much positive to say about his record.

As he has for the past year, Edgar criticized Rauner for not making balancing the state budget his top priority and instead tying budget discussions to changes in workers compensation laws, term limits for elected officials, redistricting reform and other items on his turnaround agenda.

The most important thing facing the state of Illinois is to get a balanced budget, Edgar said. Everything else pales compared to that.

The governors office did not respond to a request for comment. In response to similar comments in the past, Rauner has said hes focused on the future and reforming the state, not critiques from former officeholders.

While Rauner talks of the need for reforms to give businesses confidence to invest in the state, Kennedy said hes seen the ongoing budget turmoil have the opposite effect.

Hes overseeing his familys development of a piece of land along the Chicago River known as Wolf Point.

Investors often ask, Why should we invest in the only state that doesnt have a budget? Kennedy said.

Its rattling people, he said. Its taking a state budget problem  and turning it into a statewide economic crisis.

As for his own political ambitions, Kennedy said its too early to talk about 2018. He said hes focused on helping Democrats win across the state this year.
Numerous residents told HUD they didnt want to move. Dont do this. Its wrong, man, one resident told them. You dont know what were going through because you're not from here, said another, noting he has lived in Cairo since the 1950s and doesnt intend to live elsewhere. Stop moving our people out of town. Build something new here.
The people who run toward danger instead of away were given a special meal and prayer Tuesday in a show of appreciation for their service.

The Rev. Billy Williams of Orangeburg's Memorial Church of the Nazarene offered a prayer for safety and thanksgiving for the first responders and law enforcement at the event.

"May God be with you and keep you safe," Williams prayed.

Williams said law enforcement service hits close to home for him. About 12 years ago, his son and a partner were shot as they responded to a nightclub shooting. They have since recovered.

"Law enforcement has a special place in my heart," he said.

William Kuck, manager of The Kuckery Restaurant & Catering in Orangeburg, and other sponsors hosted the special buffet dinner/drop-in at the restaurant in honor of first responders, fire department members, law enforcement, Highway Patrol officers and game wardens.

Police are not getting the respect they should in the country anymore," Kuck said. "Anybody carrying a gun, their life is on the line every day. They are here to protect us and your everyday citizen does not realize what they go through."

Other sponsors are American Wood Champs, Dempsey Wood Products, Dr. Dion Franga, Eastern Lumber Company and Prime Engineered Wood Products.

South Carolina Highway Patrol Sgt. Mike Tomson said the appreciation hits home to a lot of us.

"The way the climate is now and with everything going on across the country, for somebody to step up and really show appreciation and thanks for what we do really means a lot to us," Tomson said. "We really take that to heart."

Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office Sexual Offender Unit Administrator Saundra Shuler described the dinner as wonderful and phenomenal.

"Law enforcement is not an easy job. It is a tough job," Shuler said. "It is oftentimes underappreciated."

Orangeburg Department of Public Safety Chief Mike Adams, who has been with the department for 30 years, says the meal was appreciated.

"I think it shows the level of sincerity of the people in our community and their support for people like us and other first responders," Adams said. "Our job is very tough given the national climate and a lot of the things going on. We see some things going on that we really can't explain ourselves."

Adams said the department strives to take a family approach in policing.

"Our mission is first and foremost to be peacekeepers in our community," Adams said. "We are fortunate enough to live in a community small enough where we know most of the people."

"If I don't know you or if somebody else does not know you, we know your aunts or your uncles," Adams continued.

He said, We take this approach in everything we do and it works for us. I think it is evident in how the community treats us. It is very humbling to me and appreciated."

Those who attended received a token of appreciation for their service as well as a copy of an inspirational poem lauding the work of law enforcement.

Kuck wants to make the appreciation dinner an annual event.

Another dinner is planned at the Kuckery for all of Orangeburg Countys volunteer firefighters on Tuesday, Oct. 25. The dinner drop-in will most likely be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Kuck and his cousin, who was also a sponsor and wants to remain anonymous, are encouraging other companies and businesses in the county to do something to show their appreciation for first responders as well.

Kuck says a news story about the appreciation dinner has already prompted several of his customers to personally give him money to go toward the support of first responders and law enforcement. He said there are also a couple of companies already stepping up to the plate to help and churches are also offering their youth to serve the meals.

"We had people today give us a $100 bill and a $50 bill saying, 'William, use this for whatever you think," Kuck said.

Kuck's cousin said he always has a heart for law enforcement, noting the first event that really hurt him was the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut almost four years ago.

"The next thing you know, it started going to movie theaters and killing people," he said. "There are crazy people out there and who has to deal with them when they do that? First responders."

About 200 individuals attended the dinner.
Local middle school students will be learning using hands-on experiences and real-life applications.

Orangeburg Consolidated School District Five has partnered with Pitsco Education to open a new, state-of-the-art STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) lab at Robert E. Howard Middle School. The lab was shown to the public Tuesday.

I think its a great program, OCSD5 Superintendent Dr. Jesse Washington said.

Washington believes students will learn the skills that are needed in todays society.

The lab will provide an opportunity for students to learn how to work in the community, how to talk and discuss, how to analyze (and) how to problem solve, he said.

Howard Middle is one of only three schools in the state to partner with Pitsco for such a lab. The $50,000 joint effort was developed with the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee.

Students will go to the STEM lab three times a week.

Pairs of students work together at one of 12 computer stations, learning about subjects such as light and lasers, flight technology, rocket science and more.

Like a traditional classroom setting, the classes are led by a teacher. The learning in these labs is done independently by the students through videos and information slides. This allows up to 12 different lessons to be taught at once.

The students are encouraged to use critical thinking and work with one another.

They are given multiple-choice quizzes on the computers throughout the lessons to see what theyve learned. They are encouraged to defend their answers and work together to find the correct solution, with the aim of preparing them for future work environments.

After the lessons, the students are given a test. They are then rotated to work with another student at a new station.

The students also research careers in the fields they study. The students learn what the jobs pay, what the work environments are like and even what education would be required for a career in that field.

Tammie Jenkins, OCSD5 STEM project coordinator, said the lab time is provided in addition to the students normal science classes and will be held in conjunction with the current courses.

One hundred percent of our seventh- and eighth-graders will experience the STEM lab, she said.

The STEM lab is offered in a semester-long class, with seventh-graders using it this fall semester and eighth-graders coming in the spring.

Sen. John Matthews, D-Bowman, encouraged the students to take advantage of the opportunity.

STEM gives us the opportunity to build long-term knowledge, Matthews said. If youre looking for a career path that is secure and has opportunities in the future, then STEM is the way to go.

He added, If you can make the children better off, theyll make their children better off and thats what education is about.

The students say they enjoy the lab.

Its fun! students Keondre Dickson and Emeril Watson said enthusiastically.

They are currently working through a lesson on sustainable agriculture.

Its like working together as a team, Watson said.

The two are in the orientation phase of the lesson but said when they get to the hands-on section, they will be working with soil and observing plant growth.

Not only will it help them in the world of work, but also its going to help them think like scientists, Assistant Principal Dr. Derrick James said.
Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell plans to update the community on last years shooting that left four people dead and a child injured.

A press conference is planned for noon Thursday in the deaths of Jerome Butler, 50; Krystal Hutto, 28; and half-sisters Shamekia Tyjuana Sanders, 17 and Tamara Alexis Perry, 14.

Dreamzz Nelson, 8, was also shot. He survived.

Each of the victims was shot execution-style at 7050 Old State Road in Holly Hill on the steamy morning of July 15, 2015.

During an interview this past July, Ravenell said that deputies and investigators spent more than 20,000 man-hours on the case and conducted at least 200 interviews.

To date, no one has been charged with murder in the case.
South Carolina has spent years debating the condition of the highway system. From the governor and lawmakers to residents and tourists, everyone knows improvements are essential  and made more so by the damage from the flooding of October 2015.

This past legislative session, more than a year after state leaders declared money for road repairs a top priority, lawmakers and the governor reached an agreement that included new money and some changes in S.C. Department of Transportation governance. Nearly everyone agrees there is much work to be done in the way of a continuing flow of dollars to roads and bridges, with debate again expected in the coming legislative session on an increase in the states lowest-in-the-nation gasoline tax.

Against that backdrop, it may come as a surprise that the Reason Foundations 22nd Annual Highway Report concludes that South Carolina has the nations top-performing, most cost-effective highways, with the state ranked No. 1 ahead of South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska and Maine.

The Reason Foundation is a non-profit, libertarian think tank. It tracked the performance of state-owned highway systems in 11 categories, including highway spending, pavement and bridge condition, traffic congestion and fatality rates. Its study is based on spending and performance data that state highway agencies submitted to the federal government for 2013, the most recent year with complete data available.

The rankings mean the much-maligned SCDOT  whose harshest critics, ironically, are those with libertarian leanings who contend the department is inefficient, wasteful and even corrupt -- has been rated as the top overall state transportation agency in the nation.

Specifically, the Reason Foundation ranked SCDOT No. 1 in overall highway performance and cost-effectiveness. SCDOT spends the lowest amount of maintenance dollars per mile on highways and bridges. In addition, the ranking for the lowest administrative costs for SCDOT is No. 5. Combined, this means the agency is ranked as the best state DOT in terms of putting as much of its funding into the maintenance of the highway system as possible.

There is large variance in the amount of money states spend on their highways. South Carolina and West Virginia spent less than $37,000 per state-controlled mile. By contrast, according to data the state submitted to the Federal Highway Administration, New Jersey spent $2,186,447 per mile in 2013 on state highways, far more than the next-highest state  Florida, which spent $741,292 per mile.

In other categories, SCDOT was ranked:

 47th in fatality rates.

 24th in deficient bridges.

 9th in rural interstate pavement condition.

 11th in urban interstate pavement condition.

 17th in urbanized area congestion.

S.C. Secretary of Transportation Christy Hall has reason to crow about the rankings in the face of all the negatives cast at the agency, saying the report is clear evidence of SCDOT being a national leader in doing more with less.

But she appropriately added perspective regarding the situation in the state with the fourth largest state-maintained highway system in the country: We should recognize that spending the least per mile in the nation means that some needs are unmet and deferred maintenance is accumulating rapidly.

Additionally, being ranked among the worst in the nation on fatalities is not something to be proud of and its a trend we must reverse. SCDOT will be calling on our policy makers to help implement a Rural Highway Safety Program aimed at reducing fatalities on roads where high death rates occur.

We concur in the need for emphasis on eliminating highway fatalities and urge the governor and lawmakers to join in the effort with as much vigor as they seek reform of SCDOT based in the questionable priority of turning more control over to the states chief executive.

The leaders should move forward in 2017 with designating a recurring source of money for road improvements in South Carolina that likely will mean surrendering SCDOTs No. 1 national ranking in future years.
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By Azernews





By Gunay Hasanova

Azerbaijan was ranked the 37th in the Global Competitiveness Report 2016-2017 developed by the World Economic Forum. The research covered 138 countries.

Azerbaijan ranked the 40th among 140 countries in the previous report.

As in the previous report, Azerbaijan holds the highest position among the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries. The country is followed by Russia (43rd place) and Kazakhstan (53rd place).

Azerbaijans global competitiveness index is 4.6 out of maximum 7 scores, according to the report posted on the WEF website.

Despite headwinds from the drop in oil prices that impact the macroeconomic environment, Azerbaijan and Russia improve their performance, mainly driven by better and more widespread education and reforms to improve the business environment and goods market efficiency, says the report.

Azerbaijan ranked 3rd for the number of procedures required to start a business, 9th  for time to start a business, 18th  for the level of womens participation in the labor force, 39th  for macroeconomic environment, 36th  for the strength of investor protection, 33rd  for the number of internet users, 44th  for innovations, 41st  for the government debt and etc.

As for the other post-Soviet countries, Georgia ranked 59th in the ranking, Tajikistan  77th, Armenia  79th, Ukraine  85th, Moldova  100th , Kyrgyzstan  111st.

Switzerland, Singapore, the US, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, the UK, Japan, Hong Kong, Finland are leaders of the ranking. Chad, Mauritania and Yemen are the last three countries in the ranking.

Earlier, Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev stressed that the country is able to neutralize negative effects of the external factors on its economy, therefore, it is not going to reconsider the state budget forecasts for 2016.

Public budget revenues in 2016 are expected to reach 16.822 billion manats ($11.202 billion), while the rate of expenditures will amount to 18.495 billion manats ($12.316 billion).

The budget deficit is expected to be at the level of 1.673 million manats ($1.109 million) which stands for 2.9 percent of the GDP. The forecast is based on an average oil price which amounts to $25 a barrel.

In March 12016, Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev signed an order on the preparation of the draft economic development strategy and the action plan for 2016-2020, the draft long-term review for the period until 2025 and the draft review of objectives for the period after 2025.

A working group, which is headed by the Azerbaijani presidents aide on economic reforms Natig Amirov, has been created to improve development plans in accordance with the Main Directions of Strategic Roadmap on National Economy and Major Sectors of Economy.

The new reforms will mainly cover four directions: the creation of a sustainable macroeconomic environment in the country, reducing transaction costs of business, ensure wide access to investment and financial services, the creation of a flexible and effective legal reform.
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

The 8th Uzeyir Hajibayli International Music Festival wrapped up in Baku.

The festival provided excellent opportunity to enjoy the beauty of classical pieces, virtuoso skills of national and foreign musicians.

The festival full of music, sounds and colors brought together talented musicians from Azerbaijan, Russia, USA, Israel, Germany, Turkey and Georgia.

The clothing ceremony heard the performance of Azerbaijan State Symphony Orchestra named after U. Hajibeyli conducted by people's artist, conductor Fakhraddin Kerimov.

The orchestra performed fragments from Dmitri Shostakovich's suite "The Hamlet".

Violinist Umuda Abbasov performed "Concerto for violin and orchestra No. 1 (in four movements) by Dmitry Shostakovich. The performance was greeted with much acclaim.

The gala concert continued with the performances of Azerbaijan State Choral Chapel, the "Youth choir" of Tbilisi State Conservatoire, honored artists Farida Mammadova (soprano), Sabina Asadova (mezzo-soprano), Farid Aliyev (tenor) and Anton Verstand (baritone).

Gioachino Rossini's "Stabat Mater sounded at State Philharmonic Hall for the very first time. The festival gave a lot of pleasant memories to all music lovers.
By Azertac





President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today received participants of a meeting of the Council of Heads of the CIS Security and Intelligence Agencies held in Baku.





President Ilham Aliyev made a speech at the event.
By Azernews





By Amina Nazarli

The prestigious international defense exhibition in the region -- ADEX  is underway in Azerbaijans capital Baku.

Bringing together 216 companies from 34 countries, as well as 25 official delegations from 19 countries, the exhibition opens the way to new approaches that meet modern security challenges in defense industry.

Sophisticated weapons and vehicles are demonstrated in pavilions. Being held for the second time, ADEX 2016 is a good platform for the participants to determine new areas of cooperation.

The Azerbaijani pavilion at the exhibition is presenting over 260 kinds of defense products and special-purpose weapons and ammunition. The high-explosive air bomb QFAB-100SAB is one of the main ammunitions attracting attention to Azerbaijans pavilion.

These bombs, produced by the enterprises of Azerbaijans Defense Industry Ministry, are designed to destroy enemys armored vehicles and manpower.

Speaking at the exhibition, Defense Industry Minister Yavar Jamalov gave information about Azerbaijans growing military power.

Jamalov said that the country is in talks on bringing technology of ballistic missiles with a range of 280 km to Azerbaijan. Today, negotiations are underway with several leading manufacturers of military equipment on acquisition of various missile technologies, he said.

The minister noted that the priority projects of the Defense Industry Ministry covers 125 items of military production, which are under the development work. Moreover, the work also covers "ground-to-air", "air-air", and "ground-to-ground" missiles.

The minister also spoke about the recently presented unmanned aerial vehicles Zarba. Zarba became the specter of death for Armenian army, Jamalov said during the event.



He further emphasized that negotiations are underway with the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry and hundreds of drones have already been ordered.

As part of the exhibition, Jamalov and Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov signed a memorandum of supplying Azerbaijani Armed Forces with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) of the local production.

The minister also expressed his attitude towards the demonstration of Iskander missile complexes at a military parade in Yerevan. He noted that since Armenia is not an independent state, then holding of a parade in Yerevan has no meaning.

Armenia did not obtain Iskander M missiles, which are able to bring down the target at a distance of 500 km., but Iskander E sighting range of which are 280 km. The service life of these ballistic missiles had already expired, Jamalov said.

ADEX 2016 will last for four days, wrapping up on September 30.

Strong Armed Forces are the important factor for restoring Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty by peaceful means, and settle the Nagorno Karabakh conflict on the basis of international law. Baku is keen to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through peace negotiations, but reserves the right to liberate its occupied territories.
New Health Care Model Launches in Nigeria to Improve Women and Childrens Health

Each of Nigerias 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory has received $1.5 million apiece to improve maternal, child, and nutrition health services for women and children throughout the country.

The investment was made possible through Saving One Million Lives (SOML), a government-led initiative supported by a $500 million World Bank International Development Association credit.

This is the first check you will receive, and it may very well be the last if you do not perform well, announced Nigerias Minister of Health Professor Isaac F. Adewole during the official launch ceremony.

The World Banks support for SOML will use the Program for Results (PforR) instrument to encourage greater focus on results, increase accountability, improve measurements, strengthen management, and foster innovation. PforR rewards states with untied fiscal transfers from the federal government when they achieve improvements in the coverage and quality of key maternal and child health (MCH) services as measured by independent household and health facility surveys. It will be implemented over four years.

The ceremony signals the changing ethos within the health sector where the focus is gradually shifting from funding inputs such as drugs, commodities, hiring more health workers, and reimbursing activity costs only, to paying for results and improved health outcomes for beneficiaries, said Benjamin Loevinsohn, World Bank Lead Health Specialist.

Despite huge investments in health, Nigerias health system underperforms relative to countries that spend less on health. Maternal and under-five mortality rates remain high, with about 900,000 women and children dying each year, largely from preventable causes. With a maternal mortality of 576 per 100,000 livebirths, and under five mortality of 128 per 1,000 live births, Nigeria accounts for 14% of global maternal mortality.

Though progress has been made in the last decade, the country did not achieve its Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets on these indicators. It is in recognition of this that the PforR seeks to shift the focus to key MCH outcomes and increase access to high impact, cost effective, reproductive, maternal, child health, and nutrition interventions that save lives.

The SOML program involves:

re-orienting the discussion of service delivery to results rather than just inputs;

articulating strategic priorities for the Government of Nigeria and the rest of the health sector and strengthening the long term commitment to improving the delivery of these high impact interventions;

establishing a limited set of clear and measurable indicators by which to track success;

strengthening data collection so that these indicators can be measured more frequently and more robustly;

bolstering accountability so that managers and health workers at all levels are engaged, encouraged, and incentivized to achieve better results; and

fostering innovations that increase the focus on results and include greater openness to working with the private sector.

Building on experience from the World Bank-supported Nigerian States Health Investment Project, the PforR tracks performance on several maternal and child health indicators, rewarding states for improvements in skilled birth attendance, immunization coverage, insecticide treated net usage in children, vitamin A supplementation, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV services, contraceptive prevalence and quality of care; while strengthening the governance and management of primary health care (PHC) systems to perform better.

To improve transparency in management and budgeting for primary healthcare, the PforR also rewards states and the federal government for publishing annual budget execution reports for PHC. This will make tracking government health expenditures at state and local government levels, currently an arduous task, easier.

An Innovation Fund, promoting innovation and private sector participation, will provide grants for the development and deployment of techniques, technologies, and large scale service delivery innovations targeted at improving maternal and child health.

The PforR will help change the trajectory of preventable maternal and child deaths by increasing the coverage and utilization of life saving health interventions across PHCs in the country, said Dr Ibrahim Kana, National Program Manager for SOML PforR. It is a venture that comes with enormous rewards. Hopefully for the states, and ultimately for Nigerian mothers and children, this will be the first of many more performance checks to come.

www.worldbank.org
By Azernews





By Rashid Shirinov

Australia supports the efforts of Azerbaijan for a peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, head of Azerbaijani-Australian parliamentary friendship group Christoph John said.

Christoph John made the remark during the meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Khalaf Khalafov in Baku.

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. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia still controls fifth part of Azerbaijan's territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

The official went on to say that there is a wide potential for cooperation both in political and economic spheres between Australia and Azerbaijan

In particular there is good potential for cooperation in the agricultural sector and in tourism, John said.

In turn, Khalafov noted the importance of development of political dialogue between the two countries, stressing that the expected visit of the Australian Foreign Minister to Azerbaijan, which will discuss specific projects and the increase in the volume of bilateral trade, may contribute to bilateral cooperation.

The Deputy Minister also expressed interest of the Azerbaijani side in attracting Australian companies to cooperate in energy, transport and tourism sectors.
Architecture start-up BMA Studio said it has won recognition for four of its UAE projects at the Africa and Arabia Property Awards 2016 held in Dubai recently.



An ambitious multi-disciplinary firm based in the UAE emirate, BMA Studio offers comprehensive services in architecture, interior design and landscape design for residential, commercial, and institutional clients.



In the region, the company has till date completed projects in Dubai and Sharjah (UAE) besides Morocco, and is now looking to expand its international capability.



BMA Studio's work was named among the most innovative, exceptional, and ambitious projects of 2016, representing its country on a national stage at the Dubai awards ceremony held at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel.



These include The Al Barsha Residence (a multiple residence architectural project located in Dubai), The Jumeirah Bay Island Beach House and The Atrium & Farm House (both single residences in Dubai and Sharjah respectively) and The Sharjah Showroom for its retail unit located in Sharjah, UAE, it awaits to collect its award later in the year.



The Emirati firm maintains a diversified practice and has developed expertise in mixed-use apartment buildings as well as innovative single-use architectural design concepts.



BMA Studio, which has its registered offices at Gold & Diamond Business Park, Dubai was founded in 2014 by Emirati entrepreneur Khalifa Al Suwaidi and managing partner, Iranian-born Leila Mohammadi Asl, who graduated from Architectural Association School of Architecture, London.



Asl, who also holds the creative director position, was the brain behind the award-winning project design.



On the big win, Al Suwaidi said: "As a young architectural firm, we share the same vision and have set our sights firmly on proving our creative strengths on a global stage."



"We have worked hard through our start-up phase and faced many challenges, so it gives us immense pride to be recipient of four prestigious awards. We believe this will be the first of many more awards to come," he added.



In her comments, Asl said: "We do not just design buildings, we propose ways of living in a given culture, creating iconic buildings that stand out in their simplicity, functionality and sophisticated aesthetic appeal."



"Through our work, we aim to enhance quality of life without compromising the design. Every project is a unique challenge and winning this prize shows us that we are on the right path, and that our architecture matters," she added.-TradeArabia News Service
Studio Bruno Guelaff, a UAE-based boutique design studio, has won the Outstanding use of American Hardwood in the Middle East award for its Unique Properties offices project at the Commercial Interior Design (CID) Awards 2016 ceremony held in Dubai.



The award, sponsored by the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), the leading international trade association for the American hardwood industry for the sixth year running, was presented by Roderick Wiles, Ahec regional director, to Bruno Guelaff, the executive director of Studio Bruno Guelaff at the event held at the Joharah Ballroom, Madinat Jumeirah.



Studio Bruno Guelaff won lot of praise from the jury for its "committed and inventive use of American white oak that defines the space and sets the material rhythm."



"The award was given mainly for a dynamic and playful use of wood demonstrated in all aspects of the project from bottom to top," said the members.



The judges were impressed with the fact that the concept is entirely wrapped around the material with wood being used in furniture, lighting and paneling.



Highly commended in the category were MMAC for their work on JBR Guest room. Other nominations for the award included the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry Renovation (AMBB); House of Handsome (Korus Interiors); Pallavi Dean Interiors Design Studio (Pallavi Dean Interiors); and Sisters Beauty Lounge, The Dubai Mall (Brand Creative).



On the Unique Properties project, Guelaff said its owners wanted not only a space that would satisfy their logistical needs but more importantly a space that would make a bold design statement all the while creating a modern urban environment for their employees.



A wall of American white oak spanning 7 meters with a 2.5 meter high company logo cutout greets visitors at the entrance of the office.



Angled wood cladding in white oak in front of all glass partitions help render a treehouse effect whilst also providing privacy in a unique way.



In addition, all the work surfaces are made of American ash finished in a matte sealer protecting its light colors. The ash brings a great natural feel to the work space and the light color goes hand in hand with the sap from the oak.



"Our design exercise always starts with a study of a company brief to understand the requirements for the project. As such, materials selection was the first and main focus on this project as we wanted to approach the wall cladding in a different manner," explained Guelaff.



"American white oak was our first choice for the base as we appreciated its creamy color as well as its lines of sap, which we incorporated into every wall panel," he stated.



"This project was truly a work of passion. Every portion of the project was custom designed besides computers and task chairs. The wood in this project is the real star and drives the organic energy in the office; therefore it is only heartwarming to win the Ahec award for the project as so much of our hard work focused on the very thing the award celebrates," he added.



Commercial Interior Design magazine once again paid tribute to the projects, interior design firms and designers making their mark on the regions interior design industry.



Now in its 10th edition, this years CID Awards ceremony hosted more than 750 influential members of the Middle Easts design community.



Spanning 17 categories, the awards covered the whole spectrum of commercial interiors, from hospitality to retail and public sector to office.



They also focused on recognising the people who shaped the projects, with categories such as Behind the Scenes, Young Interior Designer of the Year and Interior Designer of the Year.



On the win, Guelaff said: "The CID Awards have proved, time and again, to be an extremely popular, enjoyable and high profile event, attracting all the leading lights of the UAEs design industry."



"For a once-a-year opportunity to get in front of the regions specifying community, we couldnt ask for anything better. Our category received a record number of nominations this year," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
UAE hotels have unequal energy and water performance with high potential for significant savings using viable and affordable existing technologies, a new report has revealed.



The 'Energy and Water Benchmarking for UAE Hotels' report by Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), an independent forum aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices, draws on information gathered from 46 voluntarily participating hotels across the country on their propertys general, physical and operational characteristics as well as annual energy and water consumption data.



The report studied energy and water consumption data over a three-year period (2013-2015) for the comprehensive study.



The key findings correlate with a recent report that Dubais five-star hotels consume up to 225 per cent more energy compared to their counterparts in Europe.



There is a strong need to replace old fixtures and ensure maintenance of water systems, with laundry services and landscaping contributing heavily to water use intensities. The study also finds that poor performing hotels consume three times the amount of energy and 7.4 times the water compared to the best performing hotels.



More recently built hotels were found to benefit from newer technologies and efficient design as well as stringent codes & regulations, underlining need for older properties to consider retrofit as a solution to reduce their carbon footprint.



Saeed Al Abbar, chairman of EmiratesGBC, unveiled the key findings of the report at an event attended by industry stakeholders. At the event, Faisal Ali Hassan Rashid, director  Demand Side Management of Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE), delivered a keynote on the importance of the benchmarking for the UAE hospitality sector to achieve the goals of the Council and to support the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050.



Al Abbar said: The benchmarking report is a first of its kind study in the UAE aimed at establishing quantitative data on the energy and water efficiency of buildings within a key sector of the economy. The study aligns with the UAEs two-pronged goal of driving best practice and growth in the hospitality and tourism sector as well as being a global leader in sustainable development. The findings will serve as a strong indicator that will enable the hospitality sector to reduce its carbon footprint by improving water and energy performances. We are thankful to the participating hotels for their commitment and resolve to enhance their energy and water use efficiency standards.



The comprehensive study will enable the hospitality sector to observe best practices in energy and water efficiency, which also make business sense in the long-term with an increasing number of travelers being highly discerning about the sustainability standards of the hotels. Driving energy and water use efficiency standards in hotels will help differentiate them in the marketplace and also make them active partners in achieving the sustainability vision of the government, he added.



An ongoing initiative



The initiative is part of EmiratesGBCs ongoing efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of the UAEs hospitality sector, and is based on feedback received from hoteliers on the high cost of retrofitting existing properties, lack of benchmarking tools and lack of relevant indicators to compare properties against each other. EmiratesGBC also reached out to tourism bodies in the UAE and hosted workshops on green hospitality.



An expert team at EmiratesGBC analysed the energy use intensity (EUI) and water use intensity (WUI) of the participating properties to understand their performance. They also compiled correlation factors to identify the key indicators that may influence the consumption patterns of the hotels vis-a-vis their individual characteristics. These will serve as the benchmark for the specialised hospitality training modules to be launched by EmiratesGBC later this year.



All participating hotels have been provided with individually tailored benchmarking scorecards that will help them to make enhancements to their energy and water use protocols, and will help support them in their strategic initiatives  both technical (involving retrofits or audits) and behavioural (education and training).



The report and the training programme to be unveiled build on EmiratesGBCs credentials as the official operator of the Green Key eco-label programme in the UAE. Recognised by the World Tourism Organisation and United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Green Key is a non-profit and independent programme, and is the largest global eco-label relating to accommodation.



Globally, tourism contributes to 5 per cent of the total world carbon dioxide emissions. The United Nations has now declared 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. The benchmarking exercise and follow-up action by EmiratesGBC is just in time to support the global focus on promoting best green practices in the tourism and hospitality sector. EmiratesGBC will update, fine-tune and repeat the benchmarking study on an annual basis.



The EmiratesGBC working team included Majd Fayyad, technical officer; Marie-Helene Westholm-Knebel, senior technical officer; Lora Shrake, operations director; and Sheena Khan, Education and Awareness officer, with the support of all participating hotels, Taka Solutions, M.A.H.Y Khoory & Co., Ajman Tourism Development Department and Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Authority. - TradeArabia News Service
Dubai-based airline Emirates Group is the most popular employer for fresh university graduates in the UAE, followed by international consumer goods company Unilever, according to the latest research by online recruitment firm GulfTalent.



The findings are based on GulfTalents survey of over 300 recent graduates and final-year students at UAEs prestigious American University of Sharjah (AUS), which hosts a mix of both expatriate and local students from all Emirates.



According to the survey results, construction and finance are the most popular sectors for graduates, followed by consumer goods.



The survey found a sharp divide in preferences by nationality. Among expatriate graduates an overwhelming 91 per cent majority favour working for multinationals. By contrast, 63 per cent of Emirati graduates opt for government-owned organisations.



Local UAE private sector firms appear to be the least desired option for both nationals and expatriates, the survey found.



ADNOC, Mubadala and Etisalat were voted the most popular employers among UAE national graduates.



Top 10 Most Popular Employers for Emirati Graduates



1 ADNOC

2 Mubadala

3 Etisalat

4 Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA)

5 Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA)

6 Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA)

7 Emaar

8 Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC)

9 United Nations

10 Masdar



Key attraction factors



GulfTalents survey asked graduates about the factors that drove them to choose their preferred employer. The top three factors mentioned were the opportunity to do interesting and challenging work, the quality of the training and development programme, and the companys brand and reputation.



Interestingly, salary and benefits only ranked fourth in the key attraction factors.



However, the survey did find a significant gap in the expectations of graduates for their starting salary  with salary expectations of Emirati graduate averaging Dh27,000 ($7,350) per month, compared with Dh9,000 for expatriate graduates.



Overseas experience is also highly valued by graduates. One in two graduates expressed interest in gaining experience working outside the UAE and were drawn to the employers that offered this opportunity. According to the survey, the most popular country overall for graduates in the UAE to live and work in is the USA, followed by the UK and Canada  among both local and expatriate graduates.





Employment success



About 33 per cent of Emirati graduates surveyed reported already having a job offer prior to graduation, compared with 18 per cent of expats.



When asked what they thought were the key factors for employers selecting graduates, the most important factor cited was work experience. Expatriate graduates, in particular, reported finding it very challenging to land an entry-level job without already holding 1-2 years of experience.



In relative terms, Emirati graduates considered command of English language to contribute far more to their chances of finding employment, compared with expatriates who did not consider it a big factor for employers.



When asked about their ideal next steps after graduation, 67 per cent of respondents said they wished to start a job, followed by 27 per cent who wanted to continue further study, 2 per cent who planned to join their family business and 4 per cent who aim to start up on their own.



Employer reactions



Commenting on GulfTalents survey findings, several of the countrys leading employers pointed to similar factors as key to their success. Unilevers vice president of Human Resources for the Mena region, Assaf Al-Quraishi, attributed his companys popularity to having a fulfilling, inclusive and dynamic work environment which young graduates find supportive of their development and progress.



Wassim Eid, chief human resources officer of the Chalhoub Group, which also ranked in the top-10, cited his firms extensive investment in nurturing young talent, including development of retail academies, university partnerships and active interaction with graduates through job fairs.



Explaining Etisalats popularity among Emirati graduates, Younis Abdul Aziz Al Nimr, Etisalat UAEs Chief Human Resources Officer, attributed the companys success in attracting young nationals to offering them a platform for developing their talent and building their future careers including training them with the latest technology, tools and processes that help them grow into future leaders.



None of the employers cited salary and benefits as their key differentiator in attracting top graduate talent, consistent with the findings of the survey.  TradeArabia News Service
Foton Motor Group, together with members of the China Intelligent Connected Super Truck Alliance (CICSA), has launched its Super Trucks at the IAA 2016 in Hannover, Germany.



The CICSA members included Daimler, Cummins, ZF and Continental AG.



The global launch of Foton Super Trucks included Aumanest heavy-duty truck and Aumarks medium and light-duty truck.



As global environmental problems have become increasingly prominent, efficient and clean professional logistics have become particularly important. Foton Super Trucks are environmentally-friendly, high-efficiency, energy-conserving, safe and secure super trucks built by Foton in association with Daimler and Cummins with the global wisdom of CICSA.



In the future, fuel consumption will be reduced by 30 per cent (or fuel will be replaced by electricity), carbon emission will be reduced by 30 per cent (or to zero) and freight efficiency will be improved by 70 per cent. Foton Auman Est will target punctual, high-efficiency, long-distance and high-added-value freight logistics customers across the world, while Foton Aumark Series will target the global high-end urban logistics market.



In June 2016, Foton Motor Group built an intelligent connected super truck alliance comprising world-famous enterprises like Foton, ZF, Cummins, Cosco Logistics, Ceva Logistics, Faurecia, Wabco, Continental Electronics and TUV Rheinland, covering fields such as automotive manufacturing, power system, logistics transportation, electronics and electrical appliances, smart logistics and Internet.



Compared to the previous combination of Foton, Benz Daimler and Cummins, the alliance further extended in depth and width by absorbing more Internet and smart logistics enterprises, Foton said.



CICSA's representative Michael J Ruf, president of Commercial Vehicles, Continental, said: "As a member of CISCA, Continental has provided professional wisdom for the R&D of Foton Super Trucks in Europe over the past four years in such aspects as safety electronic equipment, intelligent communication equipment, EBS, braking system, chassis system and body electronic system."



"Foton Super Trucks project is a project of great significance. We are pleased to join world-famous enterprises in contributing our wisdom to this important product. We will deliver professional drivelines and chassis technology to Foton Super Trucks to reduce their fuel consumption and carbon emission," said Joachim Holzner, senior VP of Commercial Vehicles, ZF.



"Foton is an important partner of Cummins in the world and Cummins is a major member of the US Super Truck Program. We provided leading engine technology support for Foton Super Trucks, which will be a huge advantage of Foton Motor Group," said Brett Merritt, executive director of on-highway business, Cummins.



The launch of Foton Super Trucks indicates that Foton has made a valuable commitment to "delivering Intelligent connected logistics solutions to global customers". This will speed up the advent of the global era of super trucks, it said. - TradeArabia News Service


The Avaya solutions are helping Talabat.com to increase customer lifetime value and revenue, while also enhancing agent efficiency.



Avaya and Metco delivered a full turnkey project including supply, installation, testing, acceptance, and support services. With the improved customer engagement capabilities provided by Avaya Contact Center Select, Talabat.com offers its customers omni-channel communication.



The portal helps Talabat.com anticipate, automate and accelerate customer interactions, providing them with a more positive experience that helps increase customer lifetime value and revenue. The solution quickly scales to meet growing customer loads while customers can be directed to the agent most appropriate for their needs, allowing resources to be used more efficiently.



Chasan Mochament, Talabat.com chief operations officer, said: Avaya and Metco have been on board with us since the inception of this project as trusted partners, and from the beginning they worked closely with us to understand our business and technology needs. We required a scalable solution that would unify our operations across all six GCC countries, deliver a streamlined service that would meet customers enhanced expectations, and cement our position as the regions leading online food ordering and delivery portal. I am delighted to say that we have achieved all of these goals, while boosting operational efficiency.



Mohammed Areff, vice president, Middle East, Africa and Turkey, Avaya, said: Businesses of all sizes need to evolve digitally and deliver the seamless customer experience todays tech-savvy consumers require. Businesses like Talabat.com compete on the quality of their digital customer service, and Avaya is proud to have played a key role in helping Talabat.com deliver on its customer promise and provide the perfect digital experience.  TradeArabia News Service
Agility, a leading global logistics provider, has signed an agreement with Maersk Line, the worlds largest container ship operator, to cut CO2 emissions by 15 per cent per container transported on Agility shipments by 2020.



The agreement is part of Maersks Carbon Pact Challenge, an initiative under which the ocean carrier and its customers work together to drive down harmful emissions and reduce the environmental impact of shipping, said an Agility statement.



As part of the agreement, Agility and Maersk will look for ways to cut emissions by shipping cargo on more fuel efficient ships, optimising shipping networks and routes, and taking other alternative steps to reduce CO2 emissions such as investigating how to integrate CO2 emission indicators into the regular business information flow and procurement of ocean shipping.



Responsible companies are looking for innovative, commercially viable ways to reduce the impact of their business on the environment, said Cas Pouderoyen, Agility senior vice president for global ocean freight. In Maersk, we have one of the most creative and committed partners in the shipping industry. Our Carbon Pact partnership with them will benefit Agility customers and the planet.



The International Maritime Organization says ocean shipping accounts for 10 per cent of global CO2 emissions for transportation. Road traffic (73 per cent) and air transportation (12 per cent) are the leading sources of CO2.

Agility and Maersk are both members of the Clean Cargo Working Group, an international coalition of logistics providers, ocean carriers and retailers committed to improving the environmental performance of marine container transport.



Agility works closely with its customers to measure and improve the environmental performance of their supply chain activities. It also is committed to reducing its own environmental impact, it said.  TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Aramco continues to look at several overseas exchanges including New York, Hong Kong and London for a listing in 2018 of a part of the state-owned oil company, CEO Amin Nasser said.

"This thing will happen in 2018," he told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Dubai.

He added that the company was working with Chinese partners to look at locations for oil storage, and wanted to boost its oil recovery rate to 70 per cent from 50 to 55 per cent currently.

Although the oil market has recovered it is still weak and will remain volatile in the near future, Amin Nasser, CEO of Saudi Aramco, told a conference in Dubai on Monday.



The market has proven that companies with strong downstream operations are in a better position, he added.



Meanwhile, crude prices rebounded on Monday after Algeria's energy minister said the day before that all options were possible for an oil output cut or freeze at this week's informal meeting of Opec producers.



That came after prices tumbled 4 per cent on Friday amid signs Saudi Arabia and Iran were making little progress in achieving preliminary agreement to freeze production.



Members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries will meet on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum in Algeria from September 26-28, where they will discuss a possible output-limiting deal.



"We will not come out of the meeting empty-handed," Algerian energy minister Noureddine Bouterfa said in Algiers on Sunday.



US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures had climbed 42 cents to $44.90 a barrel as of 0914 GMT after falling $1.84, or 4 per cent, in the previous session. US crude gained 3 per cent last week.



Brent crude futures advanced 42 cents to $46.31 after settling down $1.76, or 3.7 per cent, at the previous close. The benchmark rose 0.3 per cent last week.



"The fact countries like Algeria are still talking about a deal means it's still on the table regardless of others' views about what might be happening," said Jonathan Barratt, chief investment officer at Sydney's Ayers Alliance.



"I expect Algeria and Venezuela to keep pushing for a deal - it's imperative for them to keep the price up," Barratt said. - Reuters
Iran rejected on Tuesday an offer from Saudi Arabia to limit its oil output in exchange for Riyadh cutting supply, dashing market hopes the two major Opec producers would find a compromise this week to help ease a global glut of crude.



"The gap (in views) between Opec countries is narrowing. I don't expect that an agreement will come out of the consultations tomorrow," Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told reporters.



Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said earlier: "It is not the time for decision-making." Referring to the next formal Opec meeting in Vienna on Nov. 30, he added: "We will try to reach agreement for November."



The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries will hold informal talks at 1400 GMT on Wednesday. Its members are also meeting non-Opec producers on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum, which groups producers and consumers.



Oil prices have more than halved from 2014 levels due to oversupply, prompting Opec producers and rival Russia to seek a market rebalancing that would boost revenues from oil exports and help their crippled budgets.



The predominant idea since early 2016 among producers has been to agree to freeze output levels, although market watchers have said such a move would fail to reduce unwanted barrels.



A deal has also been complicated by acute political rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which are fighting several proxy-wars in the Middle East, including in Syria and Yemen.



Sources told Reuters last week that Saudi Arabia had offered to reduce its output if Iran agreed to freeze production, a shift in Riyadh's position as the kingdom had previously refused to discuss output cuts.



WHAT IRAN WANTS



On Tuesday, several Opec delegates said the positions of Saudi Arabia and Iran remained too far apart. Oil prices were down more than 3 percent by 1802 GMT.



"There is a move forward, but they (Opec) haven't got to the finish," Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said after meeting Falih and Zanganeh. Novak and Falih said a deal was still possible later this year.



Three Opec sources said Iran, whose production has stagnated at 3.6 million barrels per day, insisted on having the right to ramp up to around 4.1-4.2 million bpd, while Opec Gulf members wanted its output to be frozen below 4 million.



Several Opec sources said Iran effectively rejected the offer despite last-minute attempts by Russia, Algeria and Qatar to rescue a deal.



The Saudi and Iranian economies depend heavily on oil, but Iran is seeing the pressure easing as it emerges from years of sanctions. Riyadh, on the other hand, faces a second year of record budget deficits and is being forced to cut the salaries of government employees.



BLAME GAME



Iranian oil sources said Tehran wanted Opec to allow it to produce 12.7 percent of the group's output, equal to what it was extracting before 2012, when the European Union imposed additional sanctions on the country for its nuclear activities.



Sanctions were eased in January 2016.



Between 2012 and 2016, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Opec members have raised output to compete for market share with higher-cost producers such as the United States.



As a result, Iran believes its fair production share in Opec should be higher than its current output, which it says should rise once Tehran agrees new investments with international oil companies. Saudi output has risen to 10.7 million bpd from 10.2 million in recent months due to local needs for summer cooling.



Gary Ross, a veteran Opec watcher and founder of U.S.-based think tank PIRA, said Saudi output had risen too steeply in recent months and even if it were cut to pre-summer levels, Iran would see an offer to freeze its own output as unfair.



"It is a carefully calculated offer because Saudi Arabia knows it will not be acceptable to Iran ... Saudi Arabia wants to put the blame of Opec inaction in Algiers on Iran," he said.



Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodities analyst at SEB Markets, said: "We cannot see how Iran could possibly accept the Saudi offer. It would be like asking a long-time prisoner who was finally released from prison to go back again."



He said the lack of a deal in Algeria would result in further downside pressure on oil as Saudi Arabia would maintain elevated output levels while Iran boosted supply too.



Falih said he saw no need for significant output cuts as the market was rebalancing itself. He added that Saudi Arabia was investing in additional spare capacity and could withstand the current trend in oil prices.  Reuters
The chief executive of Vitol, the world's largest oil trader, said on Wednesday he did not see the global oil market tightening before 2018.



Ian Taylor also expressed scepticism over the significance of a potential OPEC deal on freezing production.



"If you freeze production at a level that is clearly above demand ... is that bullish?" Taylor asked a Bloomberg conference in London.



Investors were closely watching an OPEC meeting in Algiers this week anticipating that the cartel would finally agree a plan to tackle a global crude surplus that sent oil prices tumbling in 2014. But so far, the talks have remained just that.



Taylor said it would be difficult for the market to rebalance with underwhelming global economic growth meeting slightly better-than-expected production.



He expects oil demand growth this year at 1.2 million-1.3 million barrels per day and that the liquefied natural gas market would remain long until 2022.-Reuters
The Box Appeal, a month-long annual charity campaign organised by Rezidors Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson hotels, launched its ninth edition with the aim to deliver 18,000 boxes of essential items to the underprivileged workers.



Eleven Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson hotels in the UAE, Bahrain and Lebanon will take part in the Box Appeal programme which is part of Rezidors Responsible Business Action Month.



The campaign will run until October 15, and will be followed by distributing the boxes to the designated charity Dubai Municipality. The boxes will be filled with necessities, including T-shirt, shaving cream, deodorant, toothpaste, towel, comb, disposable razor, shampoo, tooth brush and paste, to labourers.



Bob Busman, Rezidors regional responsible business coordinator in the Middle East, said: At Rezidor, we are pleased to make meaningful contributions to the communities we operate in.



He continued: Since 2008, Rezidors Box Appeal annual campaigns managed to reach and make a difference to the lives of over 108,000 people from all over the Middle East.



Sponsors of The Box Appeal include Coca Cola, Herbert Smith Freehills, McLaren and Accenture. The charity campaign will also attract contributions from schools, universities, charities, media partners and volunteers. - TradeArabia News Service


So when they butt-stroked me to the head from an AK-47 and I was bleeding down the side of my face and they threw me back in the cell I could
Free depression screening at expo

Central Wyoming Counseling Center offers information about depression and other mood disorders during the month of October from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, in its main lobby, 1430 Wilkins Circle.

Central Wyoming Counseling Center will also provide free, private and confidential depression screenings at the Wyoming Womens Expo from 4 to 8:30 p.m., on Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., on Saturday at the Casper Events Center.

What is a depression screening like? Guests will learn about depression and complete a confidential written screening. Finally, each participant will discuss the results of their screening with one of CWCCs mental health professionals. Attendees will receive educational materials on depression and other mood disorders.

UU sets events

The public is invited to attend the Unitarian Universalist Community of Casper services and other events at 1040 West 15th Street, just north of the CY Avenue Albertsons. UU Casper is a welcoming, doctrine-free church that fosters individual spiritual growth, ethical living, and inclusive fellowship. UUs are people of many beliefs and backgrounds, but are aligned in the desire to make a difference for the good. Whoever you are, wherever you are on lifes journey, you are welcome here.

Services are held Sundays at 10 a.m. On Oct. 2, Rev. Leslie Kee will present Why These Words: in this day and age of literacy, democracy, and progress why does the 2nd UU principle of justice, equity, and compassion even need to be affirmed? On Oct. 9, guest speak Rebecca Hunt will present Let the Women Vote! The True Story of UU Activism in the Womens Suffrage Fight. On Oct. 16, Jim Brown and Karen Anfang will present Baltic Delights: A Voyage to Seven Countries, and on Oct. 23, the program will be Compassion and Forgiveness, with Melody Haler as the service leader. On Oct. 30, guest speaker Andi Noakes will speak about her 28-day winter walk to raise money for a Laramie soup kitchen, and how that experience changed her perspective on life. Child care and a youth religious exploration program are available, and refreshments and conversation follow each service.

The UU weekly coffee talk is held Tuesdays at 10 a.m., and the weekly meditation group meets Sundays at 4 p.m.

The next Care N Share potluck, benefitting the children of the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, will be held Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 6 p.m. The potluck will feature a round-table discussion on the monthly worship theme of justice, equity, and compassion.

For more information about these events or about Unitarian Universalism, visit uucasper.org, email news@uucasper.org, visit us on Facebook, or call Laura at 259-4469.

Auxiliary president visits Sunday

Sonja Wright, 2016-17 American Legion Auxiliary Department of Wyoming president from Gillette, will be visiting the George W. Vroman Unit 2 of Casper on Sunday.

She is a member of Crook County Unit 45 Sundance and is eligible for membership through her husband, Bob, a Vietnam veteran and a member of Campbell County Post 42 in Gillette. He served in the United States Marines and is currently serving as the American Legion national executive committeeman.

She has chosen Saddle Up for Our Veterans, with the saddle as her symbol. Her special project is helping keep the department budget balanced.

For more information, call Linda Feezer at 234-0246.

Learn Windows 10

The Natrona County Library will offer a Windows 10 class at 10 a.m., on Monday, Oct. 3. Learn how to navigate Windows 10, including the updated Start menu, Action Center, and more. Feel free to bring your Windows 10 device with you to follow along. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

Tween Monday: Cookies

The Natrona County Library will host a National Cookie Month celebration for students in grades 4-6 at 4 p.m., on Monday, Oct. 3. Tweens will play a variety of Oreo games, including making phases of the moon. All supplies provided. Call 577-READ ext. 5 for more information.

Launching Little Learners: Tiny Tots

The Natrona County Librarys Launching Little Learners: Tiny Tots program for babies and toddlers is held each Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at both the Main Library and Mills Branch. In addition to being fun, free outings for children and families, Tiny Tots instills the joy of reading at a young age and helps prepare children for school. Call 577-READ ext. 5 for more information.

Reading the West: Cowboys and East

Indians

The Natrona County Library and Fort Caspar Museum will host a book discussion series celebrating all things Western, from rugged heroes and horses to books that ride off into the sunset. Please join us at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 4, at Fort Caspar to discuss Cowboys and East Indians: Stories by Nina McConigley. The discussion is free and open to the public. To participate, pick up your copy of Cowboys and East Indians at the librarys second floor Reference Desk. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

Wednesday Writers

Would you like to leave a legacy by sharing your memories with the world? Practice writing, share your work and receive constructive feedback from fellow writers at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 5 on the main floor of the Natrona County Library. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

Launching Little Learners

The Natrona County Librarys Launching Little Learners program for children ages 3-5 is held each Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at the Natrona County Library. In addition to being fun, free outings for children and families, Launching Little Learners instills the joy of reading at a young age and helps prepare children for school. Call 577-READ ext. 5 for more information.

Introduction to finding grants

The Library will offer an Introduction to Finding Grants seminar at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 5. The seminar will begin with a live webinar from the Foundation Center. Topics include who funds nonprofits and their motivations, what do funders really want to know about the organizations they are interested in funding, and how do you identify potential funders and make the first approach. Following the webinar, Library staff will provide an introduction to the Foundation Directory Online, a comprehensive subscription database of foundations and grants available at the Library. Attendees will learn how to create customized searches to develop lists of prospective donors that will match their organizations funding needs. The seminar is free and open to the public. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

After School at the Library

The Natrona County Library will host a building challenge for elementary-age students at 4 p.m., on Wednesday, Oct. 5. Student groups will compete to build the tallest structure using everyday materials. All supplies provided. Call 577-READ ext. 5 for more information.

Super Smash Bros. melee tourney

The library will host its first retro video game tournament featuring Super Smash Bros. Melee for all ages. From 76 to 8:30 p.m., on Wednesday, Oct. 5, gamers will battle while working their way through a double-elimination bracket. Winners will receive a voucher entitling them and up to three guests to an hour of virtual reality game play with the HTC Vive. Snacks will be provided by the Friends of the Library. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

Learn Twitter

The Natrona County Library will offer a Twitter computer class at 2 p.m., on Thursday, Oct. 6. Come learn about the basics of using Twitter including @replies, direct messages, hashtags, and retweets. Well also explain how to find people to follow and search for information about your interests. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

Casper Art Walk craft

Stop by the Natrona County Library anytime between 5 and 8 p.m. during the Art Walk on Thursday, Oct. 6 to make mini jack-o-lanterns using ping pong balls and LED tealights. Call 577-READ ext. 5 for more information.

Adult Coloring Club

Drop by the Natrona County Library anytime between 2 and 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 7 for Adult Coloring Club. Coloring books and pages will be available for you to turn into works of art. Colored pencils, crayons, and markers also will be provided. Just bring yourself and your friends, and enjoy the afternoon. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

Virtual reality demo

Dont miss the chance to immerse yourself in an entirely new world when the library hosts a virtual reality demo from 1 to 5 p.m., on Saturday, Oct. 8. Choose from over 40 of the best virtual reality games and apps while being taken through a guided experience. Free and open to the public. Spots are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Stop by anytime between 1 and 5 p.m. to play for approximately 10 minutes. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

Cookie time for veterans

The local unit of the American Legion Auxiliary, Unit 2, will be baking and collecting homemade cookies for veterans who are inpatients or outpatients of the VA in Sheridan and veterans who reside in the Veterans Home in Buffalo.

They will collect and bake through October. Any donations are appreciated  either of cookies or cash to assist with baking expenses. Cash donations may be sent to American Legion Auxiliary, Unit 2, P.O. Box 50504, Casper, 82605.

Baked cookies will be collected at the First United Methodist Church, 332 E. Second St., in the Son Rise Room from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., on Saturday, Oct. 8, and Saturday, Oct. 22. We would prefer cookies that freeze well once baked. Cookies such as ginger snaps, sugar, shortbreads and cookies with chips in them are best. We prefer that they do not have nuts, but if they do, please make sure they are labeled to include the word nuts. Please do not frost the cookies, or donate cookies that contain zucchini or fresh fruit.

If you have questions, please call Linda at 234-0246 for more information. All donations, whether cookies or cash, will be acknowledged.

Story time in the patch starts Oct. 10

The First Christian Church Pumpkin Patch is scheduled to open on October 5 and we are excited to again offer Story times in the Patch for early childhood and elementary aged children in our community. Story times are available from October 10 to 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. by appointment only and are free of charge. Children are treated to stories and information about pumpkins and fall and have the opportunity to explore the patch, take pictures and enjoy the playground. Pumpkins can also be purchased at this time. For more information, please call the FCC church office at 234.8964.

Stop stressing, start living

Come experience some easy ways of lowering your stress and creating a happier life from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., on Saturday, Oct. 8, at United Church of Christ, 1511 S. Melrose. Yoga, acupuncture, meditation, nutrition, breathing exercises and more. Please RSVP for lunch. Free will donations are appreciated. For more information, contact Dee Lundberg at 406-930-1099.

Parkinsons support Oct. 11

Join us on the second Tuesday of each month. This support group is open to anyone with Parkinsons or caring for someone with Parkinsons. Coffee and lemonade will be served and different topics will be discussed each month. We will be meeting on the following dates: Oct. 11, Nov. 8, and Dec. 13. Meetings are held at Rocky Mountain Therapy, 2546 East 2nd Street, Building #500, Casper, WY at 5:30 p.m. To RSVP call 577-5204 and ask for Jerri or Shannon.

To find out more about Rocky Mountain Therapy please visit our website at www.rockymountaintherapy.org.

Caregiver support Oct. 13

Are you caring for a loved one with a debilitating condition? Confusing and conflicting feelings are likely to come up-anger, sadness, hopelessness, resentment and guilt for having those feelings. Please join us on the second Thursday of the each month to talk about your feelings and learn effective ways to release difficult emotions by joining a support group. Meetings will be held at Rocky Mountain Therapy, 2546 East 2nd Street #500, at 5:30 p.m. Different topics will be discussed each month. Coffee and lemonade will be served. We will be meeting on the following dates: Oct. 13, Nov. 10 and Dec. 15. To RSVP please call 577-5204 and ask for Jerri or Shannon.

HOG sponsors Cajun Cook-off

Harley Owners Group (HOG) is sponsoring its first Ragin Cajun Cook-off from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., on Saturday, Nov. 5, at Oil City Harley Davidson, 831 N. Glen Rd. Admission is $5 and the public is welcome. Come try the best Cajun food Casper has to offer.
A Casper man who threatened his family with a gun and fled from police, causing seven schools to lock their doors last October, was sentenced Wednesday to a maximum of seven years in prison.

Dakota Hawkins pleaded guilty in June to felony counts of aggravated assault and possession of a deadly weapon with intent to threaten the life of another, as well as two misdemeanor counts of child endangerment.

His attorney, Kurt Infanger, asked District Judge Daniel Forgey to sentence Hawkins to probation because he had no previous felony charges and had taken anger management classes since he was released on bond. Prosecutor Trevor Schenk argued that though Hawkins never shot the gun, he showed he could be violent and did not care for the safety of others, including his children.

Hawkins admitted that he made a mistake, though he denied pointing the gun at anybody.

I know I messed up, he said. I am trying to better myself.

Hawkins allegedly pointed a gun at his former girlfriend who was driving a car with their two children and her mother in October, court documents state. Hawkins demanded that the woman give him their children because he had not seen them for weeks. When the woman drove away from the incident at the intersection of 12th and Elm streets, Hawkins chased after the car with the gun in his hand.

The woman then called police and reported that she feared Hawkins would kill her or their children, according to the documents.

Casper police believed that Hawkins fled toward Dean Morgan Junior High School and issued a warning to the Natrona County School District. Dean Morgan and five other schools went on lockout, though classes continued. Casper College was placed on high alert.

Hawkins, who was homeless at the time, eluded police for two days. He posted about the situation on a Facebook page called Casper Soapbox, where others encouraged him to turn himself into the police, the court documents state.

Hawkins called Casper police officer Tiffany Elhart two days after the incident and asked what police wanted to know about him, according to the documents. He told Elhart he was in Louisiana, though he was in the Casper area, Elhart said in court Wednesday. He told Elhart on the phone that he did freak out that day, according to the documents.

Hawkins turned himself in the next day.

During the sentencing hearing, state attorney Trevor Schenk played a video that Hawkins had sent to his former girlfriend the day before the incident. The video shows Hawkins driving a car. He tells the former girlfriend that he loves her and their children but appears distressed. He says that life is pointless and then pulls out a handgun and racks the slide. He tells the camera, I hope you like what this comes to.

Schenk argued that the video was meant to scare the woman but Infanger said Hawkins was suicidal and not a threat.

Hawkins mother, Michelle Hawkins, told the judge that her son had told her multiple times before the incident that he wanted to kill himself.

I saw him go downhill before all of this transpired, she said.

She said she has seen a big change in his attitude since hes been living with her after being released on bond. She asked that the judge give him probation so he could be there for his third childs birth in March.

After his sentence was read, Hawkins turned and whispered I love you to his family crying in the back of the courtroom.
Former Casper police Chief Chris Walsh aided then-City Manager John Patterson in his fight against a sitting council member, newly filed court documents allege.

Attorneys for Craig Hedquist accuse Walsh of improperly using a law enforcement database to turn up information about Hedquist that could be used to sabotage his political career.

Hedquist was on the Casper City Council at the time. He sued Patterson in February 2014, alleging Patterson secretly worked to ensure Hedquist was not reelected.

Last week, Hedquists attorneys filed documents in U.S. District Court for Wyoming that detailed Walshs involvement in the alleged effort to keep Hedquist from winning another term on the council.

Ive got some ideas that might be helpful, Walsh told then-city manager Patterson, in the transcript of a phone call included in court documents Thursday. Ive got everything from past and present house, land purchases, associations, all that kind of stuff.

Walsh, who is currently running for city council in Ward 3, said he did nothing improper. The database he used to research Hedquist, called TLO, requires a subscription but is not restricted to law enforcement, Walsh noted.

Thats a public database, Walsh said. Its just an effective means of searching public records.

Walsh said that Patterson had asked him to verify whether Hedquist lived in the ward he was elected to represent on city council.

I was not a conspirator with Patterson, Walsh said. My involvement with him wasnt what it appears.

Walsh won 50.3 percent of the vote in his primary race, besting incumbent Steve Cathey. The two will face off in the November election.

In his lawsuit, Hedquist claims Patterson baited him into a confrontation with city engineer Andrew Beamer in which Hedquist was recorded swearing at Beamer. Hedquist, who resigned from the council last year, also alleges that Patterson blocked Hedquists construction company from winning bids for city business in retaliation for Hedquist raising questions about city spending.

Walsh said the feud between Patterson and Hedquist was a distraction during his time as police chief.

I dont care for either one of them, Walsh said. I tried to keep my distance.

Walsh served as police chief for two and a half years, resigning in 2014 for reasons he said were not related to any scandal.

Although its nice to look for a scandal or something like that in the closet, that does not exist, Walsh said at the time.

Patterson, who stepped down last year, said he was very shocked and saddened to hear that Walsh was stepping down.

Hes been a great chief, Patterson said.

Patterson also requested assistance from current police chief Jim Wetzel, Walshs replacement. A Star-Tribune public records request in 2014 showed that Patterson asked Wetzel whether it was possible to determine if a vehicle license plate belonged to Hedquist.

Wetzel told the city manager that the juice would not be worth the squeeze and Patterson agreed not to pursue the license plate search.

A trial date for the Hedquist lawsuit will be set Tuesday at a scheduling conference. Hedquist attorney John Robinson declined to comment. John Masterson, the attorney representing the city, did not respond to an email seeking comment.
About half of Wyoming residents know someone who has attempted or completed suicide. Their stories of loss prompted Gov. Matt Mead to hold his first symposium on suicide prevention.

School counselors, mental health professionals, government workers and members of the military and law enforcement discussed suicide and shared solutions Tuesday at the first Governors Symposium on Suicide Prevention in Casper.

In Wyoming we celebrate many things we do well on, Mead said. But its time to recognize we arent doing well with this.

Wyoming had the fourth-highest rate of deaths by suicide in the country in 2014, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suicide is the sixth most common cause of death in the state, and it has killed more than 3,500 residents since 1980, Mead said.

If you havent been impacted by this, you will, Mead said. Its coming.

Part of the problem is the states culture of independence and self-determination, Mead said. While those are qualities to be proud of, he said, people shouldnt see seeking help for mental illnesses as weakness.

One of the solutions discussed Tuesday was having more school and hospital staff members trained to recognize the warning signs of suicide. West Park Hospital in Cody is one of several hospitals that has recently required all staff to complete suicide prevention training.

Two health care providers from Cheyenne introduced the Zero Suicide Initiative, a nationwide program that aims to expand prevention and care until suicide ends.

If we say our goal is zero, then we set our sights on doing everything possible to eliminate this horrible experience from the lives of people, said Linda Goodman, the chief clinical officer at Peak Wellness, a nonprofit clinic for people with mental illness or addiction in Cheyenne.

But Mead said it will take more than the work of mental health professionals to address suicide in Wyoming.

Every citizen needs to get involved in this and be able to talk about it, he said. And not in hushed whispers.

The symposium preceded the two-day Wyoming Suicide Prevention Conference, which will run Wednesday and Thursday at the Ramkota Hotel.
In an effort to encourage more young people to vote, the Wyoming Secretary of States Office is hosting its first-ever Youth Voter Summit in Laramie next week.

The event is meant to encourage youth participation in the upcoming general election.

By casting a vote, our youth have the opportunity to determine their future, as well as the future of Wyoming and our nation, Secretary of State Ed Murray said in a prepared statement. Ive heard it said that our youth are the future. I believe thats true, but I also believe that Wyomings youth are the now.

Throughout the day Oct. 4, two panels are scheduled, along with remarks from Gov. Matt Mead and former Olympic wrestler Rulon Gardner, a Wyoming native.

One panel will focus on the relationship between civic education, civic participation and youth participation in the political process; and the other will be a discussion of how the changing media landscape affects youth perceptions of politics.

Chancey Williams and the Younger Brothers Band, a Wyoming group, will perform in the evening.

All events will take place at the Marian Rochelle Gateway Center at the University of Wyoming.

The days events will be live streamed to Casper College and Laramie County Community College.

The stream at LCCC is available to the public and will be at the student lounge in the College Community Center, LCCC spokesman Ty Stockton said.

Young voter turnout has been lower than other demographics in recent elections.

Only 10.6 percent of youth aged 18-24 chose to vote in the 2014 general election, Murray said. This is unacceptable.

In Laramie County, young voters aged 18-24 make up about 4.5 percent of all registered voters as of Sept. 20, though 18- to 24-year-olds constitute 12.6 percent of the countys voting age population, according to 2015 U.S. Census estimates.

Those aged 25 to 34 make up almost 10 percent of total registered voters, but 25- to 34-year-olds comprise about 19 percent of Laramie Countys voting-age population, according to the Census.

The summit is free to all who attend, and lunch will be provided at UW. Preregistration is encouraged, but not required.

We are thrilled to be holding this summit for youth from across Wyoming, thanks to our sponsors, State Elections Director Kai Schon said in a news release. This event is funded by our generous partners, who agree that low youth voter participation is a serious issue.
Self-bonding for mine reclamation poses real risks  to Wyomings landscape, corporations and individuals who pay taxes here, and even to the state itself.

In good times, the practice of allowing mining companies to back up their pledge to cover reclamation costs with their financial muscle made sense. No one doubted that they could afford to pay for reclamation  filling the massive holes with dirt and planting grass and vegetation to return the land to its pre-mining use. In fact, the process has typically been ongoing, as the companies began a rolling reclamation process behind the mining operations.

Regulators at both the Wyoming and federal level have allowed mining companies to operate without acquiring surety bonds on their full reclamation responsibilities for years. Now, the state is holding an estimated $2 billion in unsecured cleanup costs  more than any other state in the nation.

That might be acceptable if the coal landscape was as profitable as it used to be. But for this struggling sector, very little looks like it once did. Changing markets and other factors have repainted the financial picture for these producers, and they are struggling to navigate their new reality.

The companies, for their part, contend their past reclamation efforts in the state have been above-board and successful. This is true. Just as relevant, however, is that those actions took place in an entirely different chapter of Wyoming mining history.

Wyoming must base todays choices on todays conditions, and the present conditions are, unfortunately, this: The three largest coal companies operating in the state have used bankruptcy as a tool to reorganize themselves in the last year. Over the last five years, coal production has been down at least 25 percent, and experts are worried the sector will not rebound.

We hope very much that these companies will recover, and soon. But the times are simply too uncertain to bank on that, especially since most of the factors involved are well beyond Wyomings control.

We in the Cowboy State find ourselves in a time of transformation in the energy market. Consumers in other states and nations are looking for renewable energy. California, for one, has pledged to reduce carbon emissions and invest in renewable markets. It has also prevented state money from being spent on ports that would export coal, further complicating Wyoming coals journey to Asia and other markets.

Even natural gas is applying pressure to coal. Low prices for that commodity have shut coal out of some markets.

Bankruptcy courts have taken these factors into consideration. Arch Coal will emerge from bankruptcy using traditional insurance to ensure that $400 million in cleanup ultimately happens at its Wyoming facilities. Alpha Natural Resources exited bankruptcy this summer with its newly formed company, Contura Energy, promising to replace $411 million in unsecured reclamation costs with traditional insurance.

These judges are acknowledging the changing markets and new hurdles that coal companies face. No one should be honestly surprised that industry reclamation obligations are evolving because, in fact, the industries themselves are undergoing dramatic changes as they adapt to new market realities across the board.

There has been no judgment yet in the Peabody Energy bankruptcy, or for the long-term future of self-bonding. But those decisions will be made in the near future, and we think the bankruptcy judges have it right. It may not be a choice we like, but its time for Wyoming to stop the practice of self-bonding for reclamation.
Editor:

I am an American citizen by choice, not birth. I consciously decided to become a citizen of this nation ... under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all because I believe and strive to uphold these values.

It is disheartening and alarming to hear people, who claim to be proud Americans, express indifference or disdain for our laboriously attained right to vote by saying they wont vote on Nov. 8.

At the signing of our Constitution (1776), the only people allowed to vote were white, Protestant, adult male landowners. Only 6 percent of the population elected President Washington!

By 1887, Native Americans were still not considered citizens unless they renounced tribal affiliation. Not until 1890 did the Indian Naturalization Act grant citizenship to Native Americans. American-born Blacks, Chinese, Japanese and Mexicans were still not allowed to vote. Wyoming granted voting rights to women in 1890, but most American women could not vote until 1920. Many states used a literacy test and poll taxes to prevent minorities from voting. In 1965, President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act forbidding states from imposing discriminatory restrictions on eligible voters (Act ratified by Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan and the U.S. Congress).

Our right to vote is not a God-given right; it is a hard-fought-for right.

Thinking and deciding are God-given rights.

We should use both.

On Nov. 8, voters decide who, among public office candidates, better stands for our concept of community and nation. Voters decide who represents our values and who has the ability to guard and promote them. We cannot abstain from this civic, moral and ethical responsibility. By not voting, we fail our children, our childrens children, our community and our nation.

Voting is a citizen responsibility and an act of dignity!
Call-center operator C3/CustomerContactChannels is looking to hire more than 1,100 workers in Tucson, nearly doubling its local workforce.

C3  the fastest growing employer in Southern Arizona last year  says it plans to hire nearly 4,000 people companywide to meet the demands of new clients and new assignments from existing clients, including health care providers ramping up for fall insurance enrollments.

In Tucson, the company plans to add 1,132 jobs. C3 operates a call center at 1150 W. Drexel Road and another one in Foothills Mall at 7325 N. La Cholla Blvd.

Job-seekers can fill out an application at jobs.c3connect.com.

The new jobs pay $9.50 to $10.50 an hour plus performance incentives on some programs. C3 offers health care and 401(k) retirement plans and other benefits.

In 2015, the median hourly wage for customer-service representatives was $12.35, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As part of its incentive program, C3 said it is raffling off a new car, a 2016 Nissan Versa, to one worker at each of its U.S. locations who hits certain performance milestones.

C3 already doubled its Tucson workforce to nearly 1,400 workers in 2015, making it the regions fastest-growing employer last year. It ranked 36th in the 2016 Star 200 survey of the regions biggest employers, reporting 1,388 full-time equivalent employees at start of 2016.

Besides Tucson, C3 operates contact centers in Idaho, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah, as well as internationally in the Philippines, Bulgaria and Guatemala.
CHANDLER  Gov. Doug Ducey says hes preparing a list of state regulations and state agencies he wants to kill.

Speaking Tuesday at a conference of small business advocates, Ducey cited legislation he championed since taking office in early 2015 to eliminate restrictions, and his executive orders freezing new rules. He said more are on the way when lawmakers convene in January.

We want to shrink the 220 boards and commissions that exist and are standing in the way of job creation, the Republican governor said, calling for accountability from agencies that want to justify their existence just by creation of more taxes or spending in regulation.

The governor was not ready, however, to provide specifics.

Im not going to give you a preview of the State of the State (speech) in September, he said when questioned after his address. He insisted nothing is off limits, however.

Were going to look at any regulation that gets in the way of job creation that isnt beneficial, doesnt help the state protect the citizen or protect the consumer, Ducey said.

The promise of more deregulation comes on the heels of the Legislature scrapping requirements for some professions to be licensed. Ducey cited in particular the elimination of state oversight of vegetable packers and yoga instructors. We want freedom for our yoga instructors, he quipped.

In response to a question from the audience, Ducey acknowledged that some U.S. firms have moved their manufacturing operations offshore. But the governor, questioned afterwards, was not jumping on the proposal by GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump at Mondays debate to put a tax on goods imported from those countries.

I believe in free trade, Ducey said.

He did say it might be appropriate to discuss what is free, and fair, trade. But Ducey said thats not really the answer to disappearing manufacturing jobs.

Were doing a lot of things at the federal level where youre actually pushing a company out, Ducey said.  ... Are there things we can do at the state level and at the federal level, like getting rid of regulations, like lowering taxes, like allowing people to bring their dollars back into this country at a reasonable tax rate?

As to companies being able to pay their workers much less elsewhere, Ducey said, Well, we always want to have our workers paid well here with ever-increasing wages.

While the cost of labor may be the most important part of a firms decision to move offshore, Ducey said taxes and regulations can weigh in the computation. And thats something that governors and governments can deal with, he said.

In speaking to the Job Creators Network, Ducey also touted the fact that Arizona has recovered all the jobs it lost in the recession.
In 2010, Bassam Mahmood fled Iraq with his wife and son.

As an interpreter, translator and cultural advisor working with the U.S. military, Mahmood became a target for al-Qaida His family came to Tucson through the Special Immigrant Visa program.

He knows what it feels like to leave behind a life.

This week, Mahmood is far from home  not Iraq, but Tucson.

He joined refugee delegates from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. in the nations capitol for the Refugee Congress, an advocacy organization dedicated to giving refugees and asylum-seekers a voice.

This is the third Refugee Congress.

Since Monday, the delegates have shared their ideas and experiences as refugees, asylum-seekers and people with no state. Some of the topics have included the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the U.S. and the one-year filing deadline for asylum-seekers, Mahmood said.

The three-day gathering concluded Wednesday when delegates met with senators and representatives from their respective states, said Christopher Boian, a spokesman for the UN Refugee Agency, or UNHCR, a supporter of the independent Refugee Congress.

Of meeting an Arizona legislator, Mahmood said, laughing, Youre gonna meet the big guys.

Delegate goals include supporting legislation that aids refugees, immigrants and asylum-seekers, Mahmood said.

Our goal is also to explain who are immigrants and refugees and asylum-seekers, he added. In my opinion, this is the most important thing, to clarify the picture and idea of who we are.

Mahmood, 40, is a father of three. His eldest is 9, his daughter  his princess  is 5, and the youngest is almost 1.

Mahmood also works with kids through his job as a community liaison at Secrist Middle School. Soon, he will begin teaching Arabic at Doolen Middle School.

The refugee students he interacts with have wonderful ideas about America  but the thing is we have to train them and try to guide them how to mingle and blend with the new society because they have a different cultural background, he said.

Since coming to Tucson, he has continued his work as a translator and interpreter, often working with local resettlement agencies to help new-to-Tucson refugees adjust.

Mahmood came to Tucson with a bachelors degree in English literature and dreamed of a getting his masters degree.

He did it, earning a degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix.

His is also an American citizen.

Now he speaks for families like his own.

Its vitally important that people ranging from policy makers in Washington to educators to all of the people who work in refugee assistance to the general public hear from refugees themselves, Boian said. Hear their experience. Hear their gratitude.

Helping others transition has become a personal mission for Mahmood  and a passion that unites him with others at Refugee Congress whose own stories hail from around the world.
In the 126 years since the Arizona Republic began publishing, the newspaper has never endorsed a Democrat for president. Until yesterday.

Yesterday the Republic endorsed Hillary Clinton for president.

What is your opinion on the endorsement? Was this the right move or should the Republic have withheld any endorsement rather than endorse a Democrat? Would any newspaper endorsement affect your decision?
Chiricahua National Monument southeast of Willcox would be redesignated as Chiricahua National Park under legislation introduced Tuesday by U.S. Rep. Martha McSally.

The monument, a preserve of 11,985 acres, is known for its spectacular rock formations, scenic overlooks and trails. The redesignation would bring no significant changes other than a name change, according to park officials.

Having had the opportunity to hike Chiricahua and even fly over it in an A-10 many times during training, I know first-hand what a national treasure it is, said McSally, a Republican and former Air Force pilot who represents Congressional District 2. Redesignating this area as a national park would boost tourism, grow our economy, and add more jobs in Southern Arizona.

McSally said in a news release that a campaign to earn national park status has been a true grassroots effort that began from the ground up, and Im grateful to the many local officials who helped build support for it, in particular Bob Gent at the Sierra Vista Tourism Commission for his vision and dedicated advocacy.

Gent has described the monument as a geologic wonder of the world that is worthy of national park status.

McSally said that during (this years) 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, I can think of no better way to recognize Chiricahuas unique, historic landscapes, and Ill continue to work to pass this legislation into law.
Walk into this marijuana grow operation on Tucsons south side, and the first thing you get is not so much a glimpse of the future.

Its the smell of the future we may choose.

If youve ever tasted or smelled India Pale Ale, you can imagine it  its like the most pungent, hoppy beer youve ever smelled. Times two. This remodeled warehouse near the rodeo grounds is where Aari Rubens Desert Bloom dispensary grows and produces its marijuana products. Its the first outdoor grow operation in an Arizona metro area, he said.

Inside, where employees are trimming buds and cooking up resin products, the herby odor is strong. Outside, where the first harvest is happening now, you dont smell much, but you see our possible future: About three-quarters of an acre of cannabis, each plant in its own cloth planter.

The 2,000 plants will produce about 1,000 pounds, Ruben said. And if we pass Prop. 205, the initiative to legalize marijuana, the potential for existing dispensary owners like him is much greater.

We stand to be very busy and have a large demand for our products, he said. If it fails, he said, we turn the gas off on the development. If it passes, well look for property near here.

This is a part of the future were pondering as we consider our votes on Prop. 205, the initiative that would allow anyone over age 21 to buy marijuana for whatever reason. There could be grow operations in cities, and there may well be bigger grows along I-10 between Tucson and Phoenix. Additional marijuana stores wherever cities will allow them.

It sounds ominous, but the atmosphere at this grow location is casual. At least a dozen employees were working inside and outside, harvesting buds, trimming them, separating out useless leaves, leaves with resin, and the main product.

Mario Moraga, who was cutting branches off the plants outside, was a bit amazed at the job hed come into.

I grew up right here on the south side, he said. I never thought Id be doing this.

Ruben said between the dispensary, 8060 E. 22nd Street, and this cultivation site, the business employs almost 50 people, most of them full time. The starting wage, he said, is $12 an hour.

As my colleague, Fred Araiza, took photos and I asked questions, none of the employees were bashful or afraid to be named. The idea that this business is normal and nothing to hide seems to have permeated the workplace.

In fact, even the main opponent of legalizing marijuana is not emphasizing arguments about the health effects of marijuana, the dangers to children, or that sort of thing. Those arguments are legitimate, I think, but Adam Deguire, campaign manager for the anti-205 effort, pointed to flaws in the text of the initiative as the main reason to vote against it.

One is that the initiative would ban using THC metabolites in your blood as the only reason to charge someone with a DUI. This would make it harder on police to charge people with DUI for driving after consuming cannabis products. Since there is not a reliable way to detect how recently a person used marijuana from a blood test, there is reason for this.

Also, Deguire noted, cities and counties cant opt out of having marijuana dispensaries, as they can in Colorado under its legalization scheme. Indeed, I read the entire initiative for the first time this week, and can confirm that it would grandfather in all existing dispensaries. Cities could, however, prohibit additional ones.

This leads to the broadest complaint about this initiatives wording  that it so clearly benefits the existing dispensary owners to the detriment of others who might want to enter the business. Not only will they escape any attempts by cities and counties to ban them, but they also are given priority for licenses until September 2021.

And if voters pass the initiative but the state fails to implements it, the existing dispensaries may sell to anyone 21 or over on Sept. 1, 2018.

Its crony capitalism at its finest, Deguire said. Very clearly it will give a leg up to those already in the medical marijuana industry.

It would, and thats one of the reasons Im still puzzling over the initiative myself, even though Im conceptually a supporter of legalization.

Ruben acknowledged that the initiative is certainly heavily in favor of the current operators.

Its not fair to the other people who would like to be in the industry necessarily, he went on. But those hundred or so organizations stuck their necks out at a time when laws were uncertain and made investments that were risky.

All you had to do was look around at this cultivation operation to get this point. Ten-foot walls surround the place, as required. There are special vacuum ovens to create cannabis concentrates. Grow lamps inside. Massive air conditioners and dehumidifiers.

The existing growers and sellers deserve some consideration. But then again, theyre already doing quite well. Ruben put the business revenues at about $7.5 million between the growing and retail operations.

And our existing medical marijuana scheme doesnt put many obstacles in the way of people who might want to use cannabis for recreational reasons. When I yawned during the tour Tuesday and mentioned a sleepless night, Ruben asked if I had my medical marijuana card yet, then recommended a doctor who could help me get one.

Functionally, weve got recreational marijuana already. Its a matter of whether we want to confirm that in law and expand businesses like this bustling grow operation in the heart of the city.
Sanda Schuldmann was ready to retire after spending more than 40 years performing as a pianist.

Retirement gave Schuldmann time to pursue other passions, things that allowed her to help others.

I was looking for something to do that impacts peoples lives, she said. When you perform for people it touches the audience and that was always important to me to make a difference.

She was inspired by the story of 29-year-old Brittany Maynard as she bravely fought brain cancer before choosing to end her life on her terms in late 2014 under Oregons Death With Dignity Act.

Schuldmann joined the Tucson chapter of Compassion and Choices, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping terminally ill patients with their end-of-life choices, including those seeking physician aid in ending their lives at their choosing.

One of their top goals locally is to convince the Arizona Legislature to pass medical-aid-in-dying laws similar to what has been passed in Oregon, Washington and California. Vermont and Montana also have aid-in-dying laws or court rulings.

The group, along with Tucson City Councilman Steve Kozachik, is hosting a public forum at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, to discuss the issue in the DuVal Auditorium at Banner-University Medical Center.

Panelist include: Dr. Alan Molk, a clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Arizona; Dr. Jim Nicolai, the associate medical director at Casa de la Luz Hospice; Dr. Peter Brown, the medical director of Carondelet Hospice & Palliative Medicine; and Kelly Davis, a freelance journalist in San Diego whose sister was one of the first patients to achieve a peaceful death through the recently-enacted California End of Life Options Act.

The event is to be moderated by Dr. Richard Carmona, the former surgeon general of the United States.

The forum is free, although those wishing to attend should RSVP by sending an email to sandaschuldmann@gmail.com
If theres any chance of the current 3-2 board of supervisors Democratic majority swinging Republican, its in the District 3 race. In the race, Democratic incumbent Sharon Bronson, who was first elected to the board in 1996, faces Republican challenger Kim DeMarco.

Bronson has incumbency on her side, as well as a district that has far more registered Democrats than Republicans  nearly 40 percent of voters just 32 percent respectively, according to recent tallies.

She has also raised nearly $170,000 and had nearly $140,000 on hand at the end of the most recent campaign finance reporting period, the second largest war chest after District 4 Republican candidate Steve Christy. DeMarco has raised less than a third of that and had nearly $27,000 remaining at the end of the same period, according to the most current reports.

Caterpillars move to Pima County, along with several other developments, has been pointed to as evidence that the countys economic landscape is improving. However, some have criticized the taxpayer-funded incentives and other means used to attract businesses to the area. What are your thoughts on the countys recent role in economic development? Would you push for a different approach?

Bronson: I understand that private sector jobs are created by the private sector. However, I believe it is appropriate for the county to play a supportive role in helping the private sector create those jobs. Before I support incentives, I want to be sure the investment we make will provide an economic return to taxpayers. Creating more jobs provides both direct and indirect economic benefits throughout the county.

Recent news reports indicate that the county job initiatives I support are realizing success and that we are third in the nation in job growth. We need to keep moving forward with those initiatives while also simplifying the regulatory and permitting process for new business.

We will continue to invest in key infrastructure that makes Pima County a place where employers will want to stay or relocate.

DeMarco: I think that it is fantastic that new businesses are coming to the county. However, some businesses are receiving taxpayer-funded incentives. These incentives are not sustainable and they are providing millions of dollars in the furtherance of private corporations.

We need to focus on what will bring not only large businesses, but sustain the existing small businesses in Pima County, as they are the backbone of our community. We need to fix our roads and infrastructure, streamline our permitting process and reduce fees and property taxes, to encourage businesses, large and small. By taking care of the countys primary responsibilities and prioritize our spending it will ensure a positive business atmosphere.

Roads, and their often poor condition, are a perennial source of complaints in Pima County. What do you think is the best approach to improve the condition of county roads in coming years?

Bronson: Our roads and how we are going to pay for repairs is among the most significant challenges facing the county. In the last five years the county has spent almost $500 million in repairing, improving and building new roads. The county has undertaken pavement preservation on 225 miles of road, repaired over 800,000 potholes, and has built or will build 45 miles of new roads.

We must continue to focus on road maintenance. I will work to eliminate the state shifts of Highway User Revenue Funds that divert funds from Pima County, move to a more equitable distribution and increase resources for road repairs. Taxpayer dollars should be used to improve the roads in the county. We must also continue our investment in key infrastructure.

DeMarco: First we need to put road repair into the budget as a recurring expense. We need to use the Highway User Revenue Funds monies for road repairs as they were meant to be used. We have received $688 million over the last nine years for road repair, yet our roads are crumbling. The money is not being used for road repair. We need to look at a regional plan using the Regional Transportation Authority that will be a win-win situation for the county as well as the municipalities within Pima County.

My opponent is urging another tax increase. Tax increases are not the answer. We must cut expenses and prioritize spending. Our roads can be fixed and it is my number one priority.

Beyond the issues raised in the previous questions, what is the most significant problem or issue facing your district, and what would you do to address it?

Bronson: Reducing the property-tax burden on homeowners and businesses. Many in District 3 live on fixed incomes and own their home. As a result, property taxes have a particularly significant impact. In Pima County our property tax supports the many functions of county government including our jail and county hospital.

Other Arizona counties can generate revenue from a sales tax, which our voters have rejected four previous times. Also, these other counties, particularly Maricopa, have created separate, special taxing districts for their jail and hospital that generates revenue through separate property tax assessments.

As a result, Maricopa County taxpayers pay higher taxes when all of these other districts are included. Nonetheless, just as we did this year, I remain committed to cutting property taxes.

DeMarco: Beyond the countys poor economic development and disintegrating roads, we face a serious crisis with our sheriffs and corrections departments.

A large part of District 3 is very rural and depends heavily on our great deputies. However, our deputies and corrections officers have not received their step- pay increases as promised in 8 years. Because of this we are losing our experienced deputies and corrections officers to other departments. This loss of experience can be devastating to the safety of our community and can directly affect our ability to draw new business to the area.

This is an issue that needs to be dealt with quickly. We can do this by addressing the nonessential spending in the budget and direct those monies to compensate these men and women as they were promised.

What is the most significant problem or issue facing the county as a whole, and what would you do to address it?

Bronson: Illegal cost shifts by the Arizona Legislature  I will continue to challenge the illegal cost shifts forced on Pima County residents and businesses by the Phoenix politicians in the Arizona legislature. Recently, I voted to sue these Phoenix politicians and the courts ruled in our favor. These efforts resulted in $32 million being returned to Pima County taxpayers thus enabling us to cut taxes in this years budget. I will continue to fight these illegal cost shifts.

DeMarco: By far the roads are the biggest issue countywide. Here, I would like to address an issue that is just as important: the mistrust of our county government as evidenced in the 2015 bond proposals failing to pass. It is imperative for the Board of Supervisors to operate in a transparent manner. It is important for the board to listen to the people of Pima County and hear what they are saying.

There is an enormous amount of knowledge among the residents in this county including environmental, education and business knowledge, just to name a few areas of expertise. I will change how the board conducts business. Business transactions and decisions will be done in a transparent, honest and fair manner.

Why should voters pick you over your opponent?

Bronson: I am proud to have called District 3 home for over 30 years. We have strong communities, effective partnerships and a strong embrace of innovation. Pima County is a great place to live, work and recreate. Some politicians and radio talk show hosts think they are able to advance their political and economic interests by tearing down our community. I do not. I am committed to making a difference for the residents of District 3. We will continue to build on our record of creating jobs, strong fiscal discipline, conserving our desert landscape and protecting our water resources that contributes significantly to our current and future economic prosperity. My track record demonstrates that I am committed to making a difference.

DeMarco: My opponent has been in office for 20 years and during that time the countys debt has doubled to over $1.4 billion. Economic growth remains stagnant while other counties in Arizona are flourishing and our roads and infrastructure have been neglected for years. These serious issues directly affect county residents  and the responsibility falls directly on my opponents shoulders. My diverse background as a U.S. Marine, police officer and local business woman has given me the experience, knowledge and leadership skills to find solutions to these problems and take action. My experience in contract negotiation, grant acquisition and budgeting will be invaluable on the board. I will be transparent and honest in my actions and will work hard for the people.
Jill Jorden Spitz has been named editor at the Arizona Daily Star.

Jorden Spitz joined the Star in 1998 as a reporter and also has served as business editor, assistant managing editor and was most recently a senior editor.

Most of her time at the Star has been focused on watchdog and investigative reporting; projects she directed and edited have won 15 Lee Enterprises Presidents Awards or other national honors.

She is active in state and national journalism organizations including Associated Press Media Editors and is past president and a longtime board member of both the Society of American Business Editors and Writers and the Arizona Press Club.

Jills connection to the community and the institutional knowledge shes developed over the years of being a leader in the newsroom is invaluable, said Mark Henschen, the Stars president and publisher.

Henschen said he looks forward to Jorden Spitz enhancing the Stars commitment to strong enterprise and investigative reporting. He cited her leadership in a project this spring in which a team of journalists traveled the southern border to talk with people who live and work along the international line about Donald Trumps plans for a "great, great wall" between the United States and Mexico that resulted in a 28-page investigative series.

Henschen also said Jorden Spitz has worked to put the newsroom in an excellent position to succeed in an era where digital storytelling is becoming increasingly important.

He noted her leadership in the development of #ThisIsTucson, a digital product that connects young moms with stuff to do in Tucson through a free app, website and on Facebook and Instagram. It was created after several months of research and conversations with Tucson women.

A native Tucsonan, Jorden Spitz, 50, graduated from Canyon del Oro High School and the University of Arizona, where she earned bachelors degrees in journalism and economics.

She began her career as a reporter for the Reno Gazette-Journal and then moved to the Orlando Sentinel, where she wrote about Walt Disney World and Universal Studios.

Jorden Spitz is active in many Tucson groups, including Women at the Top, and serves on the board of the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center and the school board of the Tucson Chinese School.

She also volunteers for Nourish, a Tucson nonprofit that provides scholarships for feeding therapy for children who do not develop the muscles needed to suck, swallow, chew and eventually talk.

She and her husband, Tom, a commercial photographer, have a 9-year-old son.
Patty McClure and Doris Riley lived rather quiet lives when they were both 12 years old, residing in small, rural towns.

One lived just outside of Pittsburgh, the other in a mining town near Sherwood Forest in England. Both girls had few luxuries in the years following World War II.

But a single letter changed both of their lives when Riley picked out McClures name off a list for a pen-pal program her school offered. The letters would soon fuel their imaginations as they learned how their unseen friend lived, forging a friendship that has lasted for 67 years.

As adults, the women took their relationship beyond pen and paper into regular visits like the one they have enjoyed in Tucson this week. Sitting in McClures den in northwest Tucson, Riley lists the trips she has made here over the years. The Grand Canyon. Tombstone. Nogales.

The list goes on and on.

The pen-pal program was designed to teach students how to write letters and practice their penmanship.

McClure still has the first letter Riley wrote her.

Most of the early ones focused on family and school life.

We used to swap little bits of information, Riley says. McClures favorite tidbit: Riley lived next to the fabled forest home to Robin Hood.

Riley, meanwhile, was fascinated about the United States, especially its sheer size.

Her hometown near Nottinghamshire was tiny by comparison, with about 800 people. Outside of a single movie house, there wasnt much to do.

We got by. Father went down the mine and mother stayed home when we went to school, Riley remembers.

When McClure planned a move to New York City in 1964 to live with a friend, she decided to first visit Riley in England.

The two spent two weeks together, walking everywhere. With no refrigerator, they would walk into town every day for groceries.

I wore out a pair of shoes, McClure remembers.

She even ventured down into one of the coal mines, something Riley refused to do.

That trip was the first of many.

This one, now that both women are 79, wasnt as easy as some  Rileys travels included a long layover in Texas that caused her to miss her flight.

This will be my last one, she said. I had a disaster at Dallas airport.

But even if air travel keeps them apart, theyll always have their letters. And those havent changed  yet.

Riley has avoided getting a computer for decades, but after seeing how her daughter had sent McClure vacation photos from a beach on Cypress by e-mail, the 79-year-old is changing her tune.

Or maybe it was the video chat she had on Pattys computer with her grandson in New Zealand.

I am buying one when I get home, Riley says proudly.

No more waiting an entire week to get a letter from an old friend.
The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, Tucson Monastery, through the years.

In 1935, the Benedictine Sisters purchased the Steinfeld Mansion in downtown Tucson and established second branch of the American Benedictine Order. Seeking a chapel and sanctuary, they sought to expand the Steinfeld site with help of architect Josias Josler. Instead, they purchased the property on N. Country Club Road and hired renowned Tucson architect Roy Place who designed the monastery in his Spanish Revival style, using Josler's concept as a base.

The monastery opened in December, 1940. It was adorned with ornamental iron from Tucson Iron Works and surrounded by trees from Reids Rancho Palos Verdes Nurseries on Orange Grove at Oracle Road.

The Benedictine Sisters sold the property in 2017 and the monastery closed in 2018.
A driver whose car was stuck in running water in Sahuarita was helped to safety by firefighters Tuesday evening after it rained in the area.

No one was injured in the incident, said Battalion Chief Jay Karlik of Rural/Metro Fire Department.

Shortly before 6 p.m., a crew responded to a report of a vehicle stuck in running water on Sahuarita Road, west of Wilmot Road, said Karlik.

When a crew arrived, they found the disabled vehicle in the road with water rushing through the low-lying area, and helped the driver to safety.

Karlik said motorists need to avoid low-lying areas and washes when the possibility of flooding exists.

Mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms is the forecast for Tucson and the surrounding areas through Tuesday night, according to the National Weather Service.

On Wednesday, there is a slight chance of rain in the morning with possible showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon, said the weather service. The high is expected to be between 85 to 91 degrees.
OPINION: "Well, I finished by telling this person I knew his grandparents were huge Franklin Delano Roosevelt supporters. After being asked what point I was trying to make, I responded with something the late president once said: 'Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves. And the only way they could do this is by not voting,'" writes Tucsonan Mary Stanik.
Help India!

By Nishat Ara for TwoCircles.net

Mohammed Munna has known no life apart from that of a constant struggle, but believes that life is never meant to be easy, anyway. It is the things you fight for the struggle with before earning that have the greatest worth. When somethings difficult to come by, youll do that much more to make it even harder-or impossible to lose, says the 38-year-old from Baliasar, Odisha.

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These words, and the thought behind it, may owe its origins in some philosophers book, but they remain etched in the memory of Munna, a butcher who spoke and shared all his experiences with this correspondent: stories of hard work, struggle, and achievements: the success in providing food to his family in these challenging times.

Munna started working at the age of 8 to support his family. He took up all the responsibility of the elder brother in his family after his fathers death at a very early age.

The butchers profession has been carried in his family for generations, and all his four younger brothers also perform the same job: although with small differences. While one brother specialises in chicken, the other two brothers deal with cows. Munna, with the help of younger brother, specialises and sticks to goat (mutton).

Munna adds that being a butcher was not so much of a choice but a compulsion: one, it was his family business and the other being the lack of education, which prevented him and his brothers from doing other well defined jobs.

However, it was never an easy way for Munna. Initially in his native town, he struggled a lot in order to lift up his family members expectation. During his bad phase in life, when he earned less, he along with his family even slept without eating for days. There were times when he even resorted to working as a part time-labourer to fulfil his needs.

But with determination, Munna has managed to improve his familys condition. His meat is supplied by the quintal to different places and for different occasions, be it wedding, get togethers or small functions in the society. Earlier, his meat was also supplied to Odishas jail, where every weekend the prisoners were allowed to have chicken or mutton once a day. But suddenly, it was stopped because the prisoners were gaining weight after consuming it.

Also, during the festive season, mainly Hindu festivals like Janmashtami, Mahalaya, Ganesh Chaturti, etc, Hindus prohibit the consumption of meat, which indirectly affects his business and his family. But according to Munna, he somehow manages that stressful period of time with his savings.

In recent years, butchers across the country, especially in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh have been harassed by cow vigilantes, which has ended up affecting their jobs to a great extent. Since Munna deals with mutton, he has never had to face such harassment. In order to stay in this competitive market, he, along with other mutton butchers most often help these cow vigilantes, whom they commonly called Bajrang Dal or people from the RSS party. In return they stand to benefit a handsome amount of around Rs 1 lakh if they are able to stop at least one truck carrying cows.

According to Munna, In Odisha the situation is stable compared to these states because the population there is mainly Hindu, so the demand for cow meat is less. This somehow has also meant that Munnas business of mutton remains profitable, because whether it is Hindu, Muslim or Christian all prefer consuming mutton. But one setback there is that the pay for these butchers is low compared to metropolitans, so in order to earn more income they move for jobs to the bigger cities.

Munna has some relatives and trustworthy people living in Kolkata, who every year summon him during festive seasons like wedding, and especially on Eid-ul-Adha, where he can earn in line with his expectations. To him the market in Odisha is very demanding and prospering. People are inclined towards mutton, but this is the normal scenario of the year. During Eid the market is high in Kolkata than in Odisha, so Munna visits Kolkata in order to earn some good amount of money. The pay in Kolkata to butchers is like icing on the cake, which satisfy their needs and prospers them than in Orissa.

Munnas income in a day varies: he cuts around 15 to 18 goats per day and for every goat, he earns about Rs 300. But during days of Eid, the number rises 30 to 35 per day. To ensure that he can handle so much pressure in his work, he divides the people into small groups of 3-5 members. They work as a team consisting of 15-20 people and each individual has their own job to perform.

There are of course, a number of dangers involved, given that they have to deal with different weapons like sharp knives, choppers, cutters, etc. So, they always use some basic precautions while doing their job. They always keep a distance of one and a half foot while cutting meat; they use cotton clothes to wipe their hands so that the weapon do not slip from their hands. They frequently wipe their sharp knife to remove rust and bluntness. Even if they get injured or get unwell, they take medicines and thus continue to work because this is their first priority than his life.

To Munna, in the past five years the demand for mutton has increased substantially because every section of the society whether Muslims or Non-Muslims prefer mutton over cow meat, which is banned in quite a few cities of the country. This has, in some ways, indirectly helped the growth for mutton.

Hence, having three shops and working in Orissa, along with maintaining good relations with people in the other states have managed to lift up all his expectations. Munna is highly satisfied with his gradual progress and he prays that things remain smooth like this in future.

(The author is currently pursuing her MA in Journalism and Mass Communication at Aliah University, Kolkata)
The Obama administration has deployed another 600 US troops to his Iraqi war, bringing the total US combat troops in Iraq to 4,647, which doesnt include temporary deployments. The latest deployment follows 200 troops sent in April supposedly to advise Iraqi government forces and about 600 more in July. The term advisers harkens back to Vietnam where the Lyndon Baines Johnson administration deployed over 450,000 American troops. More than 58,000 of them were killed in action.

Obama created 2011 vacuum that led to ISIS

Mr. Obama withdrew all American troops from Iraq in 2011 only to see the quick rise of ISISwhich today occupies over 35 countries and has been involved in hundreds of terrorist acts in the United States and across Europe.

Now, with only a few months left in his term, Obama is quietly building American troop strength in Iraq in preparation for a war that will be left to others to manage upon his exit in January. The new Iraqi deployment of U.S. combat troops will complement Iraqi forces that lost Mosul - the second largest city in Iraq - to ISIS in addition to many other Iraqi cities during Obamas term.

Obama sends more U.S. weapons to warring factions

Mr. Obama, who recently gave Iranian ayatollahs $1.7 billion in unmarked bills, is also sending Apache attack helicopters and HI Mars rocket system components to Iraq along with $415 million for Kurdish Peshmerga fighters. The administration dispatched Defense Secretary Ash Carter earlier this year to play down the administrations U.S.

troop deployments to the Iraqi war. "The Iraqis are still in the lead. That doesn't change," Carter told Nightly News anchor Lester Holt earlier this year. "Americans are at risk today every single day here. As secretary of defense, I take that more seriously than anything else.

I want our troops to be effective, but I want them also to be as safe as possible consistent with that."

Opponents say Obama doesn't know what he's doing

Opponents argue that there is nothing safe about war, especially in the Middle East. Pundits, generals and just about the entire Republican Party stridently warned the Obama administration about pulling all troops out in 2011 but their pleas fell on deaf ears.

Now, ISIS has become a household word as that terrorist organization carries out horrific jihadist events around the world. Experts are skeptical that Obamas pinprick airstrikes and too-little-too late deployments are sufficient to destroy ISIS. The notion that Iraq still hasnt taken its second largest city back from ISIS is fueling such criticism.

In any case, Mr. Obama will be out of office and the entire debacle will be handed off to the next administration to solve. Hillary Clinton - who as senator voted for the original Iraqi war and as Secretary of State presided over the rise of ISIS - and Donald Trump, who says he will end the new Iraqi war successfully for the United States, are the two top-tier candidates in the upcoming 2016 presidential election.
Richard Wallang, Member of Parliament for the Menchum South Constituency has attacked and brutalized a reporter of "The Guardian Post" daily.Mua Patrick says the lawmaker of the ruling Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement, CPDM, rained punches on him and kicked him with the help of his thugs, shortly before the opening of a political get-together in the Wum Town Hall on September 24, 2016.

The incident has raisednationwide concerns similar to those which were sparked by allegations that theUK Premier, David Cameron inserted his penis into a hog in a bizarre initiation ceremony.The reporter who doubles as a staff delegate for the lone English language daily newspaper in Cameroon, says the MP who was accompanied by bodyguards, accused him of writing critical articles to his disfavor.

He once threatened my mother

The MP, he said, is of the opinion that the reporter only writes about his shortcomings and ignores the good things he has been doing for his constituency.But Mua says he is always objective and fair in his reporting and always double-checks his facts for accuracy and respects all the canons and ethics of his profession which he "holds so much dear.

It is not the first time he is doing this. He once threatened my mother in the village, asking her to call her son (Mua Patrick) to order. But he has not been able to say in which article I tarnished his image, Mua says.The Member of Parliamentfor his part, says he acted out of anger.He noted that it was just a small issue that is being magnified.

Wallang holds that some boys in the neighborhood who were on the scene were prepared to beat up the reporter, but he stopped them. He nonetheless added that Mua is a small boy he watched grow up. If I want to beat him, I will get a whip and thrash him well like a child, Wallang told Blasting News on phone earlier today.

Colleagues align battered reporter

Ngah Christian,Publisher of "The Guardian Post" andVice President of Cameroon Publishers' Association, told Blasting NewsIt is an attack on the press and if this is not given ample attention, other unruly people will emulate the MP's action. Simon Lyonga, President of Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists,CAMASEJ, has called on pressmen not to go haywire,.while the association prepares for a reasonable reaction to the incident.

The Association of Combined Action to Protect & Empower Journalists, ACAPEJ has equally condemned the incident.We call on Hon. Wallang Richard to immediately tender an apology to the assaulted journalist as well as cover all medical expenses and damages the journalist must have incurred from the MPs action. Authorities in Cameroon should also insure that the excesses of MPs who have immunity should be checked, read a statement from ACAPEJ.

Lucas Teneng, Senior Journalist at "Hot News" says the MP is a contractor who has demonstrated mediocrity in execution of construction projects.Teneng gave to understanding that the MP has nothing to be moaning about if a media report is critical of him.

"He won the contract to construct part of the Ndop road but it was later taken away from him because he could not deliver.Look at the(poorly constructed) bridge over the Mezam to Wum, down the Bafut,"Teneng pointed out.

Not an isolated case

The Cameroonian MP is however, not the first politician to lose his temper and publicly attack an individual. Former French President has attacked a Reuters journalist in the past, while US Republican Presidential candidate, Donald Trump recently went haywire trying to defend comments he made about assassinating Hilary Clinton.
China bank IPOs not as profitable as in 'golden era' Updated: 2016-09-28 08:11 (China Daily)

Jamie Dimon and Sergio Ermotti starred in the roadshow promoting Postal Savings Bank of China Co's share sale. Yet the executives' participation in this year's biggest initial public offering also serves as a reminder that investing in Chinese banks isn't what it used to be.

When China's fifth-largest bank priced its $7.4 billion share sale last week, UBS and JPMorgan snared 5 percent paper gains on investments made nine months earlier. The shares will start trading in Hong Kong on Wednesday after being priced near the bottom of a marketed range.

Bank of America Corp and Goldman Sachs Group Inc more than doubled their money with China Construction Bank Corp and Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd stakes respectively in 2005 and 2006 before those firms' shares started trading. History is failing to repeat itself as investors fret at the risks weighing down Chinese lenders.

JPMorgan's first purchase of a stake in one of the biggest Chinese lenders came a decade after a wave of bank IPOs in China generated multibillion-dollar windfalls for foreign banks. Goldman and Bank of America bought in before the global financial crisis when the Chinese economy was booming and sold after post-crisis banking rules made it more expensive to hold minority stakes.

In a video played at roadshow briefings in Hong Kong and London, Dimon, 60, and Ermotti, 56, highlighted "strategic" tie-ups with Postal Savings Bank. JPMorgan will provide advice for the Chinese lender's retail finance business and help it to bolster trade finance capabilities, while UBS will aid efforts to provide wealth management services, according to the share sale prospectus.

Spokesmen for JPMorgan, which is among joint sponsors of the IPO, and UBS, the sole financial adviser to the offering, declined last week to comment further.

Ten strategic investors put 45.1 billion yuan ($6.8 billion) into the bank in December. UBS accounted for the largest share at 13.3 billion yuan, while JPMorgan took a 2.5 billion yuan stake. UBS could syndicate a significant portion of its stock to other investors, people familiar with the matter said ahead of the purchase.

Bloomberg
Belarus park called key Silk Road hub Updated: 2016-09-28 09:31 By Wang Qingyun(China Daily)

Kiryl Rudy, Belarusian ambassador to China. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The China-Belarus Industrial Park, jointly developed by the two countries, is an important project that will contribute to the Belt and Road Initiative, said Kiryl Rudy, Belarusian ambassador to China.

The park has attracted Chinese companies such as Huawei, ZTE, Zoomlion and China Merchants Group, Rudy said via email before Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's visit to China, which starts on Wednesday.

The ambassador called the project the "most promising area of Belarus-China cooperation" and said it "is bound to become the core" of bilateral economic and investment cooperation.

"Chinese investors have already been building a large regional center here, which will serve the flow of goods from Asia to Europe and in the opposite direction along the New Silk Road," he said.

The aim is for the 90-square-kilometer park, which is 25 km away from the Belarusian capital of Minsk, to become not only a logistics hub but also an industrial and high-tech base, Rudy said.

In a statement the two countries issued in May last year to deepen their comprehensive strategic partnership, China and Belarus said the park "is a strategic project in line with both countries' developmental interests".

According to the statement, China will support competent Chinese manufacturers and high-tech companies to conduct business in the park, while Belarus will offer preferential policies and a good environment for the businesses.

In addition to being an opportunity for Belarus to attract Chinese and other foreign investment as well as up-to-date technologies, the park will serve as an industrial base for China with access to the market of the Eurasian Economic Community and the European Union, said Rudy.

"The realization of all the projects ... signifies a solid contribution of our country toward the Belt and Road Initiative on one hand, and makes Belarus an important transportation, logistics and communication hub on the New Silk Road," Rudy said.

Besides economic and investment cooperation, political ties are also a vital aspect for developing bilateral relations, the ambassador said.

"Over the past 25 years of diplomatic ties with China, the Republic of Belarus has gone a distance which could have taken centuries for other countries," he said. "Therefore, it is important to keep up this level of confidential, unconditioned relations."
New Tianjin road cuts transportation time, cost to Mongolia, Russia Updated: 2016-09-28 09:47 By Zhang Min For traders and(chinadaily.com.cn)

For traders and buyers in Russia or Mongolia who order fresh food from China will see soon the transit time reduced by two-thirds to three days, as the China-Mongolia-Russia international road freight route was launched in Tianjin last month, which aims to shorten cargo transportation time between Tianjin, Mongolia and Russia.

It usually took more than 10 days for goods to reach Mongolia and Russia from Tianjin by rail before the international road freight route was established, and the options were limited as mostly storage-tolerance goods could be transported to maintain the quality of the goods.

Now the situation has changed as Tianjin is accelerating the construction of China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor by eliminating the traffic bottleneck of road transport.

So far, Tianjin has been connected to two kinds of transport routes, namely rail transport and road transport, which both directly go to Ulan Bator of Mongolia and Ulan-Ude of Russia.

"Not only the transport time but also the cost will drop significantly," said Guo Xin, general manager of Nanning Xin Jin Hang Materials Co Ltd.

Starting from Guangxi, trucks can exit to Mongolia or Russia through Tianjin port whereas previously they needed to drive extra 1,000 kilometers via Sui Fenhe port, he added." At least 10 percent cost is reduced."

"Shortly, our company will import fish produced in Lake Baikal and Russian beer that are popular with Chinese, shortening the transport time will also lead to reduction in sales price."

Jia Kefu, secretary of party branch of Tanggu dangerous goods carriage yard of Tianjin Transportation Group Binhai Co Ltd, said: "Freight can directly reach Mongolia or Russia without a double transfer." His company used to trade goods to Mongolia, and goods must be transferred to local trucks.

"Special cross-border pass and frontier office will be set up on the China-Mongolia-Russia international road freight route to save clearance time," said Zheng Ping, vice-director of Tianjin Municipal Transportation Commission.

The three regions - Tianjin, Mongolia and Russia - are forging closer economic ties as cargo transport lines are continuously being improved.

"We plan to set up a logistics park located in Tianjin to promote the trade between Tianjin and Mongolia, and design of the logistics park has already begun," said Bart Kiki G, minister-counselor of the Mongolian embassy in Beijing.

"More vegetables and fruits from Tianjin will be exported to Mongolia with a good cold-chain logistics system to form," he added.
Beijing rebuffs US charges for Chinese firm Updated: 2016-09-28 03:47 By ZHANG YUNBI(China Daily)

China protested on Tuesday after the United States lodged criminal charges and sanctions on Monday against a Chinese firm it accuses of being connected to Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.

The Foreign Ministry said China objects to any country attempting to exercise jurisdiction over a Chinese entity or individual based on its domestic laws.

The company targeted by the US, the Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Development Co, is already being investigated by the public security authority, Chinese officials announced. The cross-border trading company is registered near the China-DPRK border.

A US Treasury release issued Monday said authorities there were sanctioning the company and four of its executives, including company head Ma Xiaohong.

The US accused them of violating US laws against supporting "weapons of mass destruction proliferators", and engaging in money laundering in the US and elsewhere in support of Pyongyang. Reuters reported that the US Department of Justice said it had filed criminal charges against the firm and executives.

In response, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said: "Any enterprise or individual found in breach of the regulations will be treated seriously.

"In this process, if necessary, we would like to embark on cooperation with the relevant country on the basis of mutual respect and equality." Geng said.

This month, the Public Security Department of Liaoning province confirmed that the company and the executives concerned are "suspected of serious economic crimes" and under investigation with "due evidence in place".

Geng reaffirmed Beijing's opposition to Pyongyang's developing nuclear weapons and its commitment to Korean Peninsula denuclearization.

"However, I want to stress that we oppose any country enacting so-called long-arm jurisdiction, using its own domestic laws against a Chinese entity or individual," Geng said. "We have already communicated this position to the US side."

Zhang Liangui, an expert on Korean studies at the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, said Washington's latest sanctions partly aim to "add pressure to the Chinese government". It expects Beijing to step up sanctions.

"As China has jurisdiction over the case, there is no liability for the Chinese government to respond to an improper request, if there is any, by the US government," Zhang said.

"The US, in the meantime, knows clearly that the existing sanctions against the DPRK will not be a success without China's cooperation, so it is navigating the case issue cautiously to avoid angering Beijing," Zhang added.
Mainland tourists shunning Taiwan Updated: 2016-09-28 07:23 By LUO WANGSHU(China Daily)

Taiwan is expected to see fewer mainland tourists during the upcoming National Day holiday, as cross-Straits relations remain in stalemate.

Bookings for trips to Taiwan during the holiday from Oct 1 to Oct 7, also known as the Golden Week, dropped by 20 to 30 percent from last year, according to the China Youth Travel Service, a major tourism operator in China.

Meanwhile, Taiwan tourism professionals are predicting that the number of mainland travelers may drop by 44 percent year-on-year in 2016, according to media reports.

"The decline is mainly from group tourists, up to a 30 to 40 percent drop," said Li Zhi, general manager of the Taiwan center of China Youth Travel Service, adding that the number of tourists traveling independently has risen, but the rate of increase has slowed compared with previous years.

About 1,000 clients booked through the service for the Golden Week holiday, including group trips, hotels and document preparation.

Since 2008, when the island opened up to mainland travelers, the number of independent tourists had increased by at least 15 to 20 percent. But this year, the rise is only about 10 to 15 percent, Li said.

He added that seats usually are sold out before September, but this year seats have remained untaken right before the holiday at month's end.

Ctrip, a major online travel services provider, also has seen the change. The company reported that reservations to Taiwan have dropped. It also predicted that Taiwan's tourism-dependent businesses may have their "coldest" Golden Week during this National Day holiday.

"The preparation time needed to visit Taiwan has been reduced, mainly because there are no lines for the entry pass. Previously, customers during Golden Week in October booked six to eight weeks in advance, but now they can book four weeks before," said Sun Yu, head of the Taiwan region for Ctrip.

A travel advisory from the company called Taiwan "a good choice for tourists who want to avoid popular destinations and seek peace and quiet."

Taiwan's China Times newspaper reported this month that the island saw 30,771 mainland visitors during the National Day holiday in 2014 and 35,891 visitors last year. However, Taiwan tourism professionals have predicted that the number may drop below 20,000 this year, 44.3 percent less than last year.

Mainland tourism industry officials said the decline is mainly due to difficult cross-Straits relations and a number of negative incidents since May 20, such as a fatal bus fire and the erroneous launch of a missile that hit a fishing boat, killing the captain and injuring three of the crew.

"Group tourists who are mainly above 40 years old are affected mostly. They are more sensitive to politics. Comparatively, young travelers are less keen on politics, but the negative information in some ways also affects them," Li from the China Youth Travel Service said.

The number of mainland visitors to the island has plummeted since Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen took office in May. According to Taiwan authorities, mainland tourists in group tours declined by about 30 percent year-on-year in the period from May through July.

Liu Xiangping, head of the Institute of Taiwan Studies at Nanjing University, said the island's authority has contributed to an atmosphere that has "convinced" residents that visitors from the mainland are not well-behaved tourists.

"The attitude makes mainland travelers feel unwelcome and lose interest in Taiwan," he said.

For example, Liu said, the Taiwan government poorly handled the recent bus fire incident that killed 24 tourists from the mainland. "Especially, Tsai treated the victims from Taiwan and the mainland differently, which hurt mainlanders' feelings."

Tsai sent a condolence inscription to the memorial service of Cheng Kun-wen, the Taiwan tour guide killed in the incident, yet failed to do so for the 24 mainland tourists. Taiwan officials claimed they didn't receive such requests. Investigators concluded that the driver, who also died, intentionally caused the deadly incident.

The decline of mainland tourists has moved those in the Taiwan tourism industry to action.

In mid-September, more than 15,000 hospitality and tourism workers in Taiwan took to the streets in downtown Taipei, demanding the island's authorities do something about the weakness in the industry.

"The government has refused to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus since taking office in May. This has damaged all the hard work toward peaceful relations across the Taiwan Straits," said Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, in an earlier statement. "Whoever started the trouble should end it."
Japan should heed call of reason from China Updated: 2016-09-28 07:20 (China Daily)

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks to reporters at Abe's official residence in Tokyo, Japan, January 28, 2016.[Photo/Agencies]

The significance of smooth Sino-Japanese relations cannot be overstated, for they not only serve the interests of the world's second- and third-largest economies, but also strengthen peace and stability in the region and beyond. Yet this vital relationship has reached a new low, to the dismay of people in both countries.

According to a joint survey conducted before the 12th Beijing-Tokyo Forum that began in Tokyo on Tuesday, over 78 percent of the Chinese respondents said the two countries have a "poor" relationship, an opinion shared by 71.9 percent of Japanese.

Many factors, including historical issues and the two sides' competing maritime claims in the East China Sea, have forced the relationship into this gloom.

Japan's aggressive stance against China on the South China Sea issue, even though it has no claims in those waters, has further damaged bilateral ties. Worse, Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada said recently that Japan would intensify its engagement with the United States in the South China Sea with "joint training cruises", which risks infringing upon China's maritime sovereignty.

Ironically, however, Japan has persistently portrayed China as the troublemaker. In its defense white paper issued in July, it hyped up the "China threat" theory by accusing Beijing of "high-handed" activities to alter "the status quo by force".

What Japan has done runs counter to the principles enshrined in the four political documents signed between the two countries in the 1970s, which are the foundation of China-Japan relations.

China has sought to improve bilateral ties in the spirit of "using history as a mirror and looking to the future" and strived to build an Asian community of shared destiny. But the lack of political trust between the leaders of the two countries makes turning a new chapter in bilateral ties an uphill task.

This is worrying, because "not marching forward means sliding backward" for the fragile relationship, as President Xi Jinping put it. And Japan is taking steps that are not conducive to rebuilding relations on whatever political trust is left between the two sides.

As Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is pushing ahead with his efforts to revise the country's pacifist Constitution, especially the war-renouncing Article 9, he has raised eyebrows in countries that fell victim to Japanese aggression before and during World War II.

Despite its effort, China alone cannot improve relations with Japan. We do not expect Japan to always meet China halfway to maintain stable ties. But it should at least learn to watch its words and actions on sensitive issues to prevent bilateral disputes from spiraling out of control.
Duterte treads the right track Updated: 2016-09-28 07:25 (China Daily)

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte attends the 115th Police Service Anniversary at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Quezon city, metro Manila, Philippines August 17, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

Following reports that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is likely to visit China in late October, Beijing has welcomed the move. Duterte is known for his bold remarks. But since assuming office, he has pursued a normal diplomatic policy toward China and tried to correct his predecessor Benigno Aquino III's foreign policy of antagonizing China and seeking other countries' intervention in the South China Sea issue.

Duterte hopes to resolve the maritime disputes with China through bilateral talks and has refused to be part of the "joint patrols" with the United States in the sea. He has even talked of expelling US troops from the Philippines.

But if Duterte is trying to change any policy, he has the interests of the Philippines in mind. For the Philippines, China is a neighbor while the US is a non-regional country. Only stable political ties can help Beijing and Manila to build and advance their economic and trade ties.

China is the world's economic locomotive and the Philippines' economic development is inseparable from its enormous market.

With the world economy still struggling, the Philippines needs closer economic and trade links, not conflicts, with China, as well as China's support for its infrastructure construction.

As an astute politician, Duterte knows what his country needs. He understands that the easing of tensions and improvement in relations with Beijing will create more opportunities for the Philippines to benefit from China's development.

Compared with the US, China's policy of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs could also be a reason behind Duterte's stance, especially because Aquino III's policy of allowing Washington to use Manila as a chess piece in its "pivot to Asia" strategy has created a sense of insecurity in the Philippines.

It is thus natural for Duterte to change Manila's policy toward Beijing and put bilateral ties back on track.--China.org.cn
China, Japan must eye shared destiny Updated: 2016-09-28 07:49 By Tang Jiaxuan(China Daily)

Tang Jiaxuan, president of China-Japan Friendship Association,meets with Japanese official during the opening ceremony of the two-day 12th Beijing-Tokyo Forum which began in Tokyo on Tuesday.[Photo/IC]

Editor's note: Tang Jiaxuan, president of China-Japan Friendship Association, delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the two-day 12th Beijing-Tokyo Forum which began in Tokyo on Tuesday. Excerpts translated from the Chinese version of the speech follow:

I am greatly pleased to attend the 12th Beijing-Tokyo Forum. And I am very glad to meet old friends here in Tokyo. Under the planning of both countries, the forum has entered its second decade of new development.

The theme of this forum is "Sino-Japanese Cooperation for Asian and Global Peace and Development", a theme that carries profound connotations. As two important countries in Asia and the world, the warming and cooling of Sino-Japanese relations are related to regional and global peace and development. A long-term, healthy and stable Sino-Japanese relationship is in the interest of both countries and their peoples, and meets the expectation of the international community. China and Japan should overcome the existing difficulties as soon as possible and cooperate to pursue a mutually beneficial and win-win future of common development, prosperity and stability in Asia and the world.

The international situation is undergoing profound changes, with deepening globalization, evolving international pattern and order, booming regional cooperation in Asia and continuing advancement of interconnectivity efforts worldwide. The world economy, too, is undergoing changes, and geopolitical crises have broken out frequently, as reflected by the intense economic and social contradictions in some countries, raging turbulences and conflicts in some regions, and uncertainties over how to ensure sustainable development, fight terrorism, secure energy, combat climate change and deal with the refugee crisis. Given these facts, China and Japan should shoulder more responsibilities to maintain world peace and development.

In recent years, Sino-Japanese relations have suffered one setback after another because of certain factors. This has affected an otherwise good bilateral cooperation tradition, as well as hampered the efforts to integrate East Asian economies, and maintain regional peace and stability. China and Japan will benefit from reconciliation and suffer from conflicts. The influence of certain negative developments in Sino-Japanese ties have gone beyond the bilateral scope and perhaps spread to the whole region and the rest of the world. Various circles in both countries should develop better awareness of each other's concerns. Here, I want to share with you some of my opinions on how to develop Sino-Japanese relations based on my years of experience of working in this field.

To develop bilateral ties, China and Japan should abide by the consensuses reached between them to maintain the political foundation of bilateral ties. There are both historical feuds and current conflicts of interests and disputes between China and Japan, and their settlement remains particularly sensitive. So the two countries should try to reach agreements, focus on the fundamental interests of their countries and peoples, and steer the development of bilateral ties in a peaceful and cooperative direction. China and Japan have signed four political documents, which have helped formulate the "rules" for the development of ties. We should deal with each other according to these "rules" to ensure bilateral ties do not derail.
Shandong promotes its foods to the world Updated: 2016-09-28 10:55 By Hong Xiao in New York(China Daily USA)

Chinese and US enterprises have one-on-one matchmaking meetings during the America-Shandong Agricultural Trade Counterparts Conference at Westin Hotel in New York on Tuesday. Hong Xiao / China Daily

Li Jing has found something new on her first visit to the US.

She had no idea that there is a huge demand for Chinese sauce and dressing from Chinese/Asian markets in the US until she came to New York. And she has found potential American business partners.

Li, president of Shandong Jingrong Foodstuff Co Ltd, is a member of a delegation of about 80 professionals from over 40 agricultural-products import and export businesses, as well as retail firms and cross-border electric business enterprises in East Chinas Shandong province.

The group visited the US this week to promote agricultural trade.

At the America-Shandong Agricultural Trade Counterparts Conference in New York on Tuesday, business people like Li had opportunities to talk to their American counterparts.

Todays talk is very efficient, several US companies showed interests to our products, said Li.

Yuqin (Shirley) Xu, international sales manager of Roland Foods LLC in New York, looks for food-product suppliers for five-star hotels with importing rights at the event.

I talked with some matching companies, and Im interested in some of them. I hope there could be more events like this in the future, Xu said.

Besides connecting Chinese and American businesses, the delegation also wants the US market to know Shandong provinces progress in building food safety system.

As one of Chinas most important agricultural producers, exporters and consumer provinces, Shandong is the first province to set up agricultural product security demonstration sites.

A food-safety system has been considered a vital component to promoting the development of international agriculture trade, which has been the focus of the provincial government since 2007, according to Lyu Wei, deputy director general of the Department of Commerce.

The number of exportation agricultural-product security-demonstration sites in Shandong has reached 92, almost over all counties, districts and cities in the province, and the products produced in the demonstration sites account for 99 percent of total exported agricultural products, Lyu said at conference.

We hope that the US side can get to know the efforts of not only the Chinese government but also all walks of life for foods safety, Zhou Shanqing, commercial counselor of the Chinese Consulate General in New York.

We are confident about it.

Shandong is the largest trade volume of agricultural products in China. In 2015, its gross agricultural imports and exports reached $31.37 billion, accounting for 16.9 percent of the national agricultural trades and ranking first in China.

For the first seven months of this year, the total volume of Chinas agriculture-product imports and exports reached $102.3 billion, of which export was $39.8 billion, and import was $62.4 billion, according to Yu Lu, deputy director of China Chamber of Commerce of Foodstuffs and Native Produce in Beijing.

Basically, China has a surplus in the overall trade between China and US, but has a deficit in agriculture product trade, she said.

Zhou said that according to the US Department of Agriculture, China is the third-largest agriculture product-trading nation of the US.

Last year, the annual export of agricultural products from the US to China reached a high of $25.86 billion, with imports hitting $4.53 billion.

On Sept 21, Premier Li Keqiang said he would soon allow imports of US beef at the banquet held jointly by the Economic Club of New York and the National Committee on United States-China Relations (NCUSCR) and the National Council for US-China Trade.

That means American beef will be appearing on the dinner tables of Chinese family soon, Zhou said.

xiaohong@chinadailyusa.com
Graphic novelist wins 'genius' grant, just getting started Updated: 2016-09-28 11:22 By Chris Davis(chinadaily.com.cn)

A funny thing happened to graphic novelist Gene Luen Yang, 43, on his way to work the other day the office, for him, being actually a table at a Panera Bread shop near his San Jose, California, house.

"I used to have a studio at home but I have four children  one boy and three girls  and the oldest girl got sick of sharing a room with her sister, so to keep the peace in our house, I gave up the studio," he said.

As he was backing out of the driveway, his phone rang. It was the MacArthur Foundation on the line. Congratulations, he was told, he had just won a "genius" grant for $650,000.

"I pulled back in my driveway," he said. "That was kind of the end of my workday right there. I spent the rest of the day in a daze."

Yang is no stranger to accolades for his work in comic book-style literature, which has steadily been gaining respect from the literary establishment in recent years. His hit graphic novels (graphic novels are basically 200-to-400-page comic books)  American Born Chinese (2006) and Boxers & Saints (2013) were both nominated for National Book Awards, with the former being the first work of the genre to ever make it to the finals.

In American Born Chinese, Yang draws on Chinese folk lore and modern comic book style to tell a coming-of-age story about a young Chinese adolescent trying to assimilate into American culture with the mythological Monkey King as a guide.

"As a Chinese American I grew up in between cultures," he said. "A Chinese culture at home and an American culture at school, with two names, one at home and one at school. It took me a while throughout my childhood to figure out who I was and how I fit in the world. I think that is reflected in the work I'm doing."

Boxers & Saints tells the story of the Boxer Rebellion through the eyes of a boy who joins the rebels and a girl who is under the influence of Western missionaries. The MacArthur citation called it "an illustration of how consideration of multiple perspectives enriches understanding of historical events."

Yang has done most of his work while working fulltime as a high school computer science teacher for the last 17 years, which has given him ideas as well. One of his several current projects is called Secret Coders, a six-volume series about a group of middle school kids who discover a secret school where they learn the fundamentals of computer science.

"I'm basically taking what I used to do in my classroom and putting into a graphic novel," he said. "I'm really hoping that kids read this book and become interested in coding."

The big project he's working on right now is New Super-Man for DC Comics. For those who may not realize it, in the DC Universe, Clark Kent (and Superman) died a while back (long story) and has been replaced by a bunch of different characters, one being a Clark Kent from a different dimension.

The replacement Yang is working on  New Super-Man is a 17-year-old boy in Shanghai named Kenan Kong, who inherits some of Superman's powers (long story) and then tries to figure out how to best put them to use.

"It wasn't my idea to do a Chinese Superman and when they first brought it to me I was kind of scared to do it," Yang said. "It's a tricky political and cultural landscape to navigate. Superman's about truth, justice and the American way. What do those things mean in the context of modern China?

"The China that exists today is different from the China that existed for most of Clark Kent's history, right? So we wanted to play with some of those dynamics."

Yang said most of his work is about "how people form identities using disparate sources."

And culture, to him, is "a living thing, it changes and when a family moves from one culture into another and they try to preserve a culture, what they're preserving is like a culture frozen in time.

"So the Chinese culture that I experienced is like the Chinese culture from the 1960s," he said, "because that's what my parents knew."

"A lot of Americans, when they think of China, the China that they have in their imaginations isn't the China of today," he said. "The China of today is very forward thinking, really about the future, and I think a lot of Americans don't understand that."

The MacArthur Foundation cited Yang for "leading the way in bringing diverse characters to children's and young adult literature and confirming comics' place as an important creative and imaginative force within literature and art."

Yang said he's still in shock over receiving $650,000 and is not sure what he's going to do with it, but he does imagine a good chunk of it will go toward putting the kids through college.

Contact the writer at chrisdavis@chinadailyusa.com.
Washington lures China tourists Updated: 2016-09-28 11:22 By CHINA DAILY in Washington(chinadaily.com.cn)

Washington is about to get more China friendly.

Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination DC, gave the opening remarks of the 2016 Global Marketplace conference themed Welcome China Tuesday morning in Washington. With a rapid growth of the Chinese visitors who travel to DC, the Welcome China program aims at preparing DC businesses for Chinese visitors. YUAN YUAN / FOR CHINA DAILY

Representatives from hotels, restaurants, museums, airports and other tourism-related industries across the greater DC area each got a checklist of things they could do to help make their operations more Chinese friendly, as they gathered at this year's Destination DC Global Marketplace conference Welcome China, on Tuesday in Washington.

For the first time, Destination DC has hosted a conference focusing on the Chinese tourist market. The gathering was also part of the Welcome China program initiated by Destination DC recently to help Washington better accommodate Chinese visitors.

With record arrivals of around 300,000 visitors from China last year, Washington has witnessed a 635 percent growth in Chinese visitors over the past 10 years, according to Scott Johnson, president of Travel Marketing Insights.

"One out of every nine Chinese visitors that comes to the United States actually comes to Washington," said Elliott Ferguson, president of Destination DC. "So not only are we trying to grow the number of Chinese coming to Washington but also the number coming to the United States."

Those numbers are still growing substantially.

"Clearly, China is going to outpace all other markets in the next five years," Johnson said, showing a graphic predicting Chinese arrivals increasing 96 percent for the next five years compared to India, ranking the second, with about a 30 percent increase.

"We're always asked what we're doing as a destination not only to make those Chinese visiting us feel more welcomed but to become more of an international destination," Ferguson said. "Sometimes it's as simple as offering hot water with green tea."

Through the program, they want to offer the tourism industry a way to learn about Chinese culture, incorporate Chinese customs into their offerings and effectively communicate with Chinese visitors, Ferguson said.

"This is our first entrance into a certification program, so we're going to do a lot to promote the program out to the customers," said Theresa Belpulsi, vice-president of tourism and visitors services at Destination DC.

To earn Welcome China certification, the business must offer a at least three of a list of 12 requirements, such as having Chinese social media accounts, providing Chinese subtitles on videos and audio tours in Chinese.

Belpulsi said they were working to build content and spread word about the quality of their products, "not just about the museums that are here but all the other cultural experiences that they can have."

The goal is to attract about 500,000 Chinese visitors by 2020, she said.

Mavis Zhang, vice-president of SinoMedia, and Eagle Yi, director of business development of WeChat, made a presentation on how to market to the Chinese tourist.

Zhang analyzed Chinese visitors for age range, preferences and purpose of visit and pointed out a trend to an increase in younger travelers, repeat travelers and free independent travelers.

During the Q&A session, she suggested businesses incorporate Chinese Union Pay, hire Chinese-speaking salespersons and prepare Chinese language materials.

Yi introduced WeChat, one of the most widely used messaging services, to the audiences who were then invited to download the WeChat app, explore its multiple functions and join a group chat.

"WeChat has been a phenomenon," Yi said. "It's kind of a combination of Google, Facebook, Yelp, Instagram and PayPal. It makes the whole process smooth."

With 806 million active users, WeChat on average uses 35 percent of the total time mobile users spend on their devices, Yi said.

Yuan Yuan in Washington contributed to the story
First Trump-Clinton debate has yet to convince undecided voters Updated: 2016-09-28 16:07 (Xinhua)

Republican US presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic US presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speak at their first presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, US, September 26, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

NEW YORK -- US presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton traded barbs in unusually personal terms during their first presidential debate, with Clinton blasting Trump for dodging taxes and being sexist and racist, and Trump accusing Clinton of lacking stamina for the presidency.

Their performance in the relentlessly derogatory showdown Monday night may help appease some voter concerns about their respective physical and mental fitness for presidency, but is far from building enough trust among undecided voters to chart a path to win the decisive 270 electoral votes for the Oval Office, US experts said.

TEMPERAMENT VS. STAMINA

In the 90-minute showdown widely expected to have been one of the most-watched presidential debates in US history, Clinton, the Democratic candidate, forced her Republican rival Trump onto the defensive over his temperament, refusal to release his federal taxes and his past sexist comments about women and the "birther" conspiracy regarding President Barack Obama.

Trump, in the meantime, accused Clinton of lacking judgment regarding her use of a private email server and said the first female candidate nominated by a major political party lacked "a presidential look" and "stamina" for the White House.

Clinton "got more under his skin than he under hers," Robert Shapiro, a professor and former chair of the Department of Political Science at New York-based Columbia University, told Xinhua. "She shows she was unflappable compared to Trump."

"Her best moments were at the outset in which she looked and sounded healthy and firm in stature, putting to rest any issues about her health. She had great moments criticizing Trump on his taxes and claims about Obama not being a citizen," Shapiro said.

Clinton's pneumonia diagnosis last month has raised voter concerns about the health of both Trump, 70, and Clinton, 68, forcing them to release their medical records.

"She got under Trump's skin at times and maintained control of most of the debate. These were Trump's worst moments," he added.

One of Trump's best moments was when he talked about trade and jobs,Shapiro said. "Also when Clinton made personal attacks on his behavior toward women, Trump did not opt to do the same by attacking her in the context of Bill Clinton's behavior with women."
US visa holders required to update information online for entry Updated: 2016-09-28 16:12 By Chen Liubing(chinadaily.com.cn)

US Customs & Border Protection Attache Kent Krul (L) and US Embassy Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs Julie Kavanagh (R) clarify details of EVUS enrollment in the US Embassy, Beijing, on September 28, 2016. [Photo by Chen Liubing/chinadaily.com.cn]

From November 29, 2016, all China passport holders carrying a 10-year visa will be required to have a valid Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) enrollment when traveling to the United States, otherwise they will not be able to get their boarding passes, said the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Wednesday.

The enrollments are valid for two years or until the traveler obtains a new passport or visa, whichever comes first. CBP will announce once the EVUS site is open for public enrollments, anticipated in mid-October.

EVUS is the online system used by nationals of the People's Republic of China holding a 10-year B1/B2, B1 or B2 (visitor) visa (visas for general business and tourist travel to the United States) to update basic biographic information to facilitate their travel to the United States.

In November 2014, the governments of the People's Republic of China and the United States entered into a reciprocal agreement to issue visitor and business travel visas (B1/B2, B1 and B2) with 10-year validity. That same agreement recognized that travelers would be required to periodically complete an online form updating their information. This requirement is new, and is similar to requirements that nationals from 38 countries currently must follow before traveling to the United States. The US government expects that the EVUS program will apply to additional countries in the future.

"Travelers of all ages must enroll, including those under 14 and older than 80, and it is highly recommended that you enroll at least 72 hours before your plane leave for US, said Krul.

"The enrollment process will take 10-15 minutes, but some can take up to 72 hours."

Each EVUS enrollment will require the traveler to provide his or her name, birth date, emergency contact, passport information, and biographical and employment information. Travelers will also answer questions related to travel eligibility.

A friend, relative, travel industry professional, or another third party may submit the required information to EVUS on a traveler's behalf. A third party may also pay the EVUS fee on behalf of the traveler. The traveler is responsible for the truthfulness and accuracy of all information submitted on his or her behalf.

CBP has been working to ensure that the enrollment process will be fast, easy and mobile phone-friendly. "No picture or fingerprint is required for the enrollment," added the attache.

The fee to enroll in the system will be $8, or about 53 RMB.All payments for EVUS enrollments must be made by credit card, debit card or through PayPal. Union Pay, Master Card, VISA, JCB, American Express, Diner Club, and Discover Card are all acceptable cards.

Krul also mentioned that "third parties countries that accept US visas will have their own policies."

"The aims of EVUS is to expand and facilitate to make it easier for Chinese travelers to US and US travelers to China," said Minister Counselor Kavanagh.
Asian viewers give nod to Clinton Updated: 2016-09-28 10:55 By Agencies(China Daily USA)

Hillary Clinton put Donald Trump on the defensive and showed a better grasp of foreign policy issues, according to a sampling of people across Asia who watched the fiery first US presidential debate.

In China, the debate was streamed live on the country's Twitter-like Weibo service and attracted thousands of comments.

Some called Trump "a loose cannon", while others thought that as a businessman he was best qualified to lead the world's largest economy.

Trump raised eyebrows among a packed crowd watching the debate at The American Club in Singapore when he lashed out against China.

"Look at what China is doing to our country," Trump said not long after the debate began. "They are devaluing their currency and we have nobody in our government to fight them ... They are using our country as a piggy bank to rebuild China, and many other countries are doing the same thing."

Landy Eng, a former employee of the California state government who has been living in Singapore in the past 20 years, said he was an undecided voter. "But Trump's China-bashing is something I'm not particularly in favor of," he said.

Eng said he does like the "disruptive" factor of Trump's campaign and thinks it is making Clinton a better candidate.

Aloysius Lee, a 65-year-old retiree from Hong Kong, said that Trump was too unpredictable.

"Hillary is the kind of person you can do business with, at least from my point of view," Lee said. With Trump, "you don't know what's going to happen next, you don't know what he's going to say next".

William Hua, a Chinese lawyer who watched the debate in Beijing, said he thought Clinton came out on top. "Donald Trump says Japan and South Korea can develop nuclear weapons? It seems absolutely ridiculous," Hua said.

Trump said in an interview with The New York Times in March he would consider letting Japan and South Korea build their own nuclear weapons, rather than rely on America for protection against North Korea.

A CNN poll released after the event found 62 percent of debate viewers felt Clinton won compared to 27 percent for Trump.

In a sign that investors also saw Clinton as the winner, US S&P 500 stock futures rose as did Asian shares. "Markets started to call the debate for Hillary within the first 15 minutes or so, with the Mexican peso surging in what is probably its busiest Asian session in years," said Sean Callow, a senior currency analyst at Westpac in Sydney.

The Mexican currency has fluctuated, depending on poll numbers for Trump, who has vowed to take trade protectionist measure against the US' southern neighbor and build a wall across the border to stem illegal immigration.

South Koreans, watching the debate on TV screens in the lobby of Seoul's central train station, said they were with Clinton on the issues.

"Trump has ideas of withdrawing US forces from our country, and in terms of national security, Trump is a threatening figure," said Lee Hyo-jin, 26. "So I support Hillary," she said.

Trump during the debate again said if US allies like Japan and South Korea "don't pay their fair share, they may have to defend themselves or help us out".

Asked about Trump's comment, Japan's Defense Minister Tomomi Inada told a regularly scheduled news conference on Tuesday the US-Japan military alliance does not just benefit Japan "but is also in the interests of the United States".

(China Daily USA 09/28/2016 page1)
British International School of Washington Encourages Students To Build Planes Updated: 2016-09-29 03:11 By China Daily in Washington(chinadaily.com.cn)

BISW students are working with Lucia Mencia, pilot air race pilot and architect, in class. Provided to China Daily

Most students in America are involved in extracurricular activities  from newspaper club to chess club, the majority of schools support student engagement of activities outside of the classroom. However, the British International School of Washington (BISW), part of Hong Kong-based Nord Anglia Education (NAE), is one school that goes a step beyond.

BISW has joined forces with aeronautical nonprofit Build A Plane to create the after-school activity of the year  assembling an actual, life-size airplane, Cessna 172  four-seats aircraft. This hands-on project will support BISWs upcoming collaboration with Massachusetts Institution of Technology (MIT), aiming to enhance learning in science, technology, engineering, visual arts and mathematics (STEAM),

Led by Melinda Viteri, primary teacher and board member of the Royal Aeronautical Society, the Build A Plane experience allows for a group of students to sign up and work on building an airplane in one years time, on a weekly basis. Actually Build A Plane is the only aeronautical project in Washington. DC that involves youth at such young ages and on regular basis. This exceptional opportunity for our students to Build A Plane compliments the reflection of MITs philosophy of Mens et Manus, mind and hand, which calls for a hands-on approach to problem solving. Theres going to be a huge shortage of pilots and aviation professionals, Viteri says. So its our job as a whole to work on each and every student and build the job market. Students work with engineers and aviation professionals on site to assemble the parts and collaborate together. They also deal with a great amount of responsibility to handle the business aspect, in which they reach out to companies, create business strategies, and coordinating so the parts get in.

Although the Build A Plane experience at BISW is still in its early stages, its concept fits in seamlessly with BISWs academic mission, which consists of being ambitious, particularly in an international context. BISWs students take part in the International Baccalaureate (IB), a rigorous academic program of study that incorporates theory, practice, and creativity, keeping a global outlook through all six subjects. According to the head of the IB program at BISW, Gareth Hall, The world is interconnected, and with that level of interconnectivity, we need students to navigate their way through a variety of cultures  having an understanding of their place in the global society, particularly with the view of being a worker in that society.

Build A Plane is another avenue in which students at BISW can personalize their education. I think we can compare it to standardized education, where theres this assumption that everyone needs to learn the same thing at the same time, and over time they become disenfranchised with their own learning, says BISW principal, Ian Piper. With personalized learning, you understand that different kids learn differently. For BISW, what makes the Build A Plane experience so rewarding is the fact that it is hands-on  students become deeply engaged in the process and will feel excited to see what theyve made and reflect upon it. BISW encourages students to be unafraid of failure, or rather in terms of Hall, fail upwardly, in which failure is a tool utilized to better understand how to succeed in the future.

The actual process of building this type of hands-on project is transferrable, Piper says. Important skills such as collaboration and communication are applicable to other parts of the students lives. Sam Zimmerman, one of the Build A Plane students, is an example how the interdisciplinatry skills he learns in Build A Plane transfers to other parts of his life. Zimmerman, who actually wants to go into music, says, I think one of the most challenging parts was working together. Theres about twelve of us, a lot of younger kids, and one of them main problems was how we arrange parts of the plane together. Ultimately, a holistic approach to learning creatively, particularly in non-traditional subjects, is important for BISW to provide for their students.

Sophia Wu in Washington contributed to the story
Fall is a great time to appreciate Georgia's beautiful nature, visit a historical inn or a cozy bed and breakfast. Spend a night at a famous mansion that inspired the movie set in "Gone with the Wind", stay in a beautiful Savannah inn near a diverse selection of attractions and restaurants, or escape to the peaceful and romantic Tybee Island.

We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times.

1. Perry Lane Hotel  Perry Lane Hotel

Perry Lane Hotel is a new upscale hotel in Savannah's Historic District, conveniently located near top attractions such as Colonial Park, the Owens-Thomas Museum, and the Telfair Museums. The hotel, which was constructed in 2018 and is operated as a Luxury Collection Hotel, offers 167 elegantly-designed guest rooms and suites, which offer amenities such as flat screen televisions, mini bars, and free wireless internet. Upgraded rooms offer private living and dining areas, with room service available throughout the day for all guests. Delicious dining options include the all-day Emporium Kitchen and Wine Market, the rooftop Peregrin bar, and complimentary coffee for all guests at the hotel's Bowerbird Cafe. Cooking and art classes are offered for guests, along with architecture tours and periodic lectures. 256 E Perry St, Savannah, GA 31401, Phone: 912-415-9000

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2. Beechwood Inn  Beechwood Inn

The Beechwood Inn gives guests easy access to wine country, fine dining and Southern hospitality. Each of the ten guest rooms has luxury linens, air conditioning, a stereo CD player with alarm clock, fluffy robes, luxury spa amenities and soaps, irons and hair dryers. The majority also have fireplaces and either private patios or balconies. The property features century old terraced gardens with gorgeous views of Black Rock Mountain. The inn has wireless Internet, a private game and television room, a VCR and DVD player, a music room with instruments, board games and a sitting room/library. Each day, guests are welcome to enjoy "Wine-Thirty" and soft drinks and bottled water are available during the day along with fresh fruit and home-baked cookies. A two-course gourmet breakfast for two is included with each room and features honey, fruits, vegetables and eggs. Every Saturday, there is also a dinner menu available with the Farm to Table Dinners. P.O Box 429, Clayton, GA, Phone: 706-782-5485

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3. The Alida Hotel  The Alida Hotel

The Alida Hotel is a charming hotel located along the Savannah River, within walking distance of some of the Savannah Historic District's most popular attractions, including the Telfair Museums and more than 70 boutiques and restaurants within the River Street district. The hotel, which is named in honor of famed historic Savannah entrepreneur Alida Harper Folkes, offers 173 individually-designed guest rooms and suites, which offer unique art design elements provided by the Savannah College of Art and Design and top amenities such as flat screen televisions, cozy bay windows with private seating, and free wireless internet. Upgraded corner studio suites offer a minibar stocked with local artisanal food and beverages, while a sprawling penthouse suite is home to a wraparound balcony with views of the Savannah River. Rooftop seating is also offered at the Lost Square Bar, while fine Southern dishes are served up at Rhett, helmed by executive chef Will Quinn. 412 Williamson St, Savannah, GA 31401, Phone: 912-715-7000



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4. Planters Inn  Planters Inn



The Planters Inn is a romantic boutique hotel with elegant rooms, a historic location, and extravagant amenities. Options like the Balcony Parkview Room or Deluxe Fireplace Room are perfect for a weekend of romance or relaxation. Every guest room receives turndown service nightly and a daily newspaper. Other room amenities include terry bathrobes, Gilchrest & Soames bath amenities, wireless Internet, satellite and digital cable TV, hair dryers, clock radios, irons with ironing boards, in-room safe with room for a laptop, and coffee makers. You can also get a rollaway bed or refrigerator for your room. The hotel also offers a complimentary wine and cheese social on Monday through Saturday, room service from the Olde Pink House Restaurant, dry cleaning service, on-site catering, and more. An expanded continental breakfast is included and delivered right to your guest room. 29 Abercorn Street, Savannah, GA, Phone: 800-544-1187

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5. Georgia Weekend Getaway: Horse Stamp Inn  Horse Stamp Inn



The Horse Stamp Inn provides guests with a luxury bed and breakfast and is also a popular spot for weddings. Each of the five rooms is oversized with rural country views. The king beds have feather tops, piles of pillows and luxe 600-count linens. You will also enjoy overhead heaters, fluffy towels and an extensive range of bath products in the bathroom. The sitting area has a ceiling fan, iron, hair dryer, flat-screen TV, oversized dresser and closets, and high-speed wireless Internet. The inn's secluded property is covered with trees and features numerous areas to explore, including the green fields, the fresh water pond with trout, brim, and bass and the rustic horse barn. There is also a pool to enjoy and all the supplies needed to set up a bonfire at night. Those traveling with a horse can take advantage of the horse-friendly stable. You can even arrange a trip on the inn's boat. The fresh farm breakfast is made with local ingredients whenever possible. 2418 Horsestamp Church Rd, Waverly, GA, Phone: 912-882-6280

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6. Georgia Getaways: Americus Garden Inn  Americus Garden Inn



The Americus Garden Inn was built in 1847 and is located on Rees Park, giving guests gorgeous views. The seven spacious rooms have air conditioning, private en-suite baths, hair dryers, bath amenities, king or queen beds, an alarm clock, a cable TV with VCR, an iron and ironing boards along with wireless Internet. Guests have access to a collection of games, books and movies. Guests can also explore the 1.5 acres of grounds, including the gazebo with swing, mini-waterfall and koi pond. There are plenty places to relax on the back porch or veranda, and the upstairs balcony offers beautiful views of the park. The breakfast and dining room is open 24/7 and has soft drinks, snacks, fruit, tea, cocoa, coffee and more. The full breakfast is hot and made from scratch every day and includes full-bodied fair trade organic coffee. Coffee is followed with a fresh baked item, one of six juices, fruit and the hot entree with pancakes of the day. 504 Rees Park, Americus, GA, Phone: 229-931-0122

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7. Romantic Getaways in Georgia: Surf Song Bed & Breakfast  Surf Song Bed & Breakfast

Surf Song Bed & Breakfast is a 110 year old Victorian home that was renovated in 2013 and now hosts guests in luxurious suites. Just a block from the beach, it features five guest rooms. Many rooms have original coal fireplaces which are now decorative. Room amenities vary but they may have private entrances, armoires, antique loveseats, flat-screen TVs, sleigh beds, king or queen beds, en-suite baths, antique bath tubs or amazing views. The bed and breakfast also features a private swimming pool and a wrap-around porch for guests to people watch or just enjoy the outdoors. Inside, you can relax in the parlor and the downstairs features one-piece tin ceilings, one of the only examples of this in the area. You will also notice original maple hardwood floors and pocket doors. The eat-in kitchen has counter stools or you can eat breakfast in the dining room or outside. The southern-style breakfast features grits, which are their specialty, but the bed and breakfast can also accommodate dietary restrictions with notice. 21 Officers Row, Tybee Island, GA, Phone: 912-472-1040



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8. Sugar Magnolia Bed & Breakfast  Sugar Magnolia Bed & Breakfast

Sugar Magnolia Bed & Breakfast is a 1892 Queen Anne Victorian home. Surrounded by charm and antiquity, guests are transported back in time as soon as they step foot in the lovingly restored home. Each of the four rooms are slightly different, but you will find features such as gas fireplaces, living areas, dining areas, open-loft bedrooms, galley kitchens, cable TVs, skylights, vaulted ceilings, double whirlpool tubs, sitting areas, king or queen size beds, private balconies, roof-top decks and/or a unique seven-sided room. Throughout the guest rooms and common areas, you will find a three-story turret, grand staircase, hand-painted plasterwork, six fireplaces, and oval beveled windows in addition to a gorgeous crystal chandelier. Guests can enjoy the porches and outdoor areas or relax in the living room, where they can occasionally hear one of the innkeepers play blues or jazz on the piano. If you wish, you can also book an in-room massage at a special discount. The full breakfast is served in the dining room every morning. Next read: Romantic Weekend Getaways from Atlanta 804 Edgewood Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA, Phone: 404-222-0226



9. Weekend Getaways in Georgia: Glen-Ella Springs  Glen-Ella Springs

This bed and breakfast is in a tranquil and historic location among the Georgia Mountains by the Blue Ridge Mountain foothills. For more than a century, this bed and breakfast has been providing a getaway in one of 16 exquisite guest rooms. Every room has a private bath and combines period antiques and local furniture with modern amenities and luxury linens. King or queen rooms feature custom-milled bath products, robes, gourmet coffeemakers, wireless Internet, private entrances, spa sound machines, and covered porches with rocking chairs. The Three-Room Suites and Penthouse Suites add even more amenities like gas fireplaces and mini-fridges. Glen-Ella Springs is on17 acres surrounded by the Chattahoochee National Forest and its own perennial herb and flower garden. There is also a fine-dining restaurant on-site that serves the public as well as inn guests and it is one of the best ranked in the area. The complimentary breakfast has hot entrees, seasonal fruit, fresh bread, assorted tea, freshly ground gourmet coffee, and juice. 1789 Bear Gap Rd, Clarkesville, GA, Phone: 706-754-7295

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10. Georgia Vacations: Open Gates Bed and Breakfast  Open Gates Bed and Breakfast

Located in the Golden Isles, the Open Gates Bed and Breakfast sits in a charming 1876 building. Each of the five rooms is unique with features such as a full private or shared bath, four-poster bed, dressing area, sitting area, twin day beds, queen or king beds, winged-back chairs, private entrances and/or sitting porches. The cypress library is spacious and perfect for an evening of relaxing with a book, and can be rented out for special events. Enjoy the nice weather in the spacious backyard or cool off in the pool. The pool offers plenty of shade since it is surrounded by magnolia, live oaks and palm trees. On cooler nights, you can enjoy the fire pit or just relax on the patio. Breakfast is prepared by Chef Zach, who has many years of experience cooking around the world. 301 Franklin Street, Darien, GA, Phone: 912-437-6985

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11. Romantic Weekend Getaways in Georgia: Village Inn and Pub  Village Inn and Pub

The Village Inn and Pub is located among live oak trees and conveniently situated between the historic oceanfront village and the parks. This property is a restored 1930 beach cottage with modern amenities and environmental touches. Each of the 28 rooms has its own unique floor plan and is named after a historic figure that impacted St. Simons Island. They all feature custom-built armoires with 27-inch TVs, desks, high-speed wireless Internet, ironing boards and irons, hair dryers and robes. Rooms have a queen, a king, or two double beds and most also have balconies with surrounding views. Guests are welcome to sit in one of the common areas or enjoy an evening in the bar. The bar features happy hour daily and trivia or live music on certain days of the week. When you enter the Beach Cottage, you will notice the antique English Pub of solid mahogany plus the original stone fireplace. The pub's sun porch is where you will find breakfast in the morning. 500 Mallery Street, Saint Simons Island, GA, Phone: 912-634-6056



12. Georgia Vacation Spots: The James Madison Inn  The James Madison Inn

Guests at the James Madison Inn enjoy excellent southern hospitality in a convenient location which lends to exploring the Madison Historic District. The king-sized beds are covered in down feather pillows, duvets and fine Egyptian cotton sheets. Rooms also feature fireplaces, flat-screen TVs, oversized rain showers with stools, high-speed internet, free domestic long distance phone calls, clock radios that have MP3 and CD players, hair dryers, in-room safes and individual climate control. There are 17 rooms and two suites to choose from, each with a collection of books by local authors. The outdoor porch has a ceiling fan and plenty of furniture and most rooms feature direct access to it. Guests can also enjoy concierge services, the media room and the exercise room. The complimentary continental breakfast is served as a buffet in the Oak Room, which is inspired by a European pub. You will find freshly ground coffee, sausages, bacon, toasted bread, fresh waffles, fresh fruit, yogurt, pastries, quiches and juice. The Spa is right next to the inn and part of it, meaning you can opt for a spa package to save money on your stay. 260 W. Washington Street, Madison, GA, Phone: 706-342-7040



13. Weekend Getaways in Georgia for Couples: Stonehurst Place  Stonehurst Place



Stonehurst Place hosts guests in a 19thcentury mansion filled with beautiful art in midtown Atlanta. The luxury bed and breakfast has modern amenities and contemporary furnishings mixed with original details. There are six rooms, each with their own decor and a cable TV with premium channels, free wireless, a recharging station for mobile devices, an alarm clock, an iPod docking station, luxury linens, a desk and work chair, plush bath robes, natural bath amenities, and individual temperature controls. There is also a carafe with purified water in every room. Some rooms also have lighted make-up mirrors, heated bathroom floors, marble floors and vanities, spa tubs and walk-in showers. Guests can schedule an in-room massage or ask to use the guest laptop. Upon arrival, guests receive a welcome beverage and complimentary refreshments are available throughout the day. The day begins with a gourmet breakfast. 923 Piedmont Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA, Phone: 404-881-0722

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14. Weekend Getaways Near Me: 17 Hundred 90 Inn & Restaurant  17 Hundred 90 Inn & Restaurant



17 Hundred 90 Inn & Restaurant is one of the oldest inns in the city and is named after the year that it was built. The building has been an inn for more than a century and is just a few blocks from many famous Savannah attractions. There are 14 rooms in the inn and each of them has a private bath and either a queen or king bed. The rooms also have antiques and the collection is always growing. The inn has seen some stories of haunting, making it a perfect location for those who are curious about ghosts but don't want anything too intimidating or scary. If you know where to look in the building you will see original wood shingles. The on-site restaurant sits up to 100 people and is known for its professional service, elegant setting and delicious food for brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert. The restaurant has been in operation for over a century and has built up quite a reputation. The inn and restaurant also has a lounge perfect for relaxation and a few drinks. 307 E. President Street, Savannah, GA, Phone: 912-236-7122



15. Weekend Trips from Georgia: Kehoe House  Kehoe House



The Kehoe House is designed to give guests a truly luxurious experience in an 1892 Renaissance Revival mansion which has been restored and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 13 guest rooms are decorated with antiques and elegant furnishings. All rooms have complimentary wireless Internet, charging stations for electronics, turndown service, two robes, a flat-screen TV, private-label toiletries, an in-room safe that fits a laptop, and an in-room coffeemaker as well as bottled water. Two rooms also have private balconies and are great for romantic getaways. Guests can also opt for one of the numerous romantic packages, including those for proposals, honeymoons, and anniversaries or just add a romantic extra like chocolate-covered strawberries. The day begins with a gourmet breakfast; the afternoon features a hors d'oeuvres and wine reception with piano music on Fridays; and there is a coffee service and homemade biscotti following dinner. Fresh cookies are delivered as part of the turn down service. The breakfast is made-to-order and features an extensive menu. 123 Habersham St, Savannah, GA, Phone: 912-232-1020

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16. Georgia Destinations: Armstrong Inns Bed and Breakfast  Armstrong Inns Bed and Breakfast



The Armstrong Inns are actually a collection of four bed and breakfasts around historic downtown, each of which is designed to provide relaxation. The Carriage House is ideal for a romantic getaway with two fireplaces, a kitchen that is fully stocked, and a plush bed. The Garden Suite has impressive privacy, a large fireplace, a garden and a plush bed. The Chatham Suite is also perfect for romance while the Jenkins House and Tatnall House each have two bedrooms. Other amenities include daily housekeeping, in-room robes and wireless Internet. Some accommodations offer a Victorian bathroom, multiple TVs with VCRs and DVD players, a CD player, telephones, private terraces or courtyards, walk-in closets, tubs and laundry areas. There is free parking and full concierge services. Guests receive an in-room gourmet breakfast each morning and will find a bottle of wine in their suite on arrival. The rates also include snacks, cream sherry and desserts. 210 W Wayne Street, Savannah, GA, Phone: 912-232-9175



17. Places to Relax near Me: 1842 Inn  1842 Inn



As the name implies, the 1842 Inn is an antebellum-style mansion built in 1842. Extensive updates were made in the early 1900s and the Cottage was added in 1983. Today, you will find 19 guest rooms along with service facilities and hospitality parlors. Every guestroom has fine linens, a private bath, a telephone with data port, plush bathrobes and towels, cable TVs, wireless Internet and fresh flowers. The property of the 1842 Inn covers nearly two acres, providing plenty of grounds to explore. Guests can also sit on the porch or relax in the courtyard or library. There are a total of four parlors, one of which has a grand piano. The evening hospitality hour features complimentary hors d'oeuvres and there is a cash bar. You will find homemade cookies in the parlor and guests receive a complimentary breakfast. 353 College Street, Macon, GA, hone: 877-452-6599



18. Roussell's Garden  Roussell's Garden This Queen Anne-style building dates back to 1888 and today serves as a bed and breakfast. Guests can stay in one of the three guest rooms on the second floor or the guest room on the first floor. Each room is slightly different, but you will find features like over-sized mattresses, bay windows, decorative fireplaces, Internet access, flat screen TVs, chandeliers, 12-foot ceilings, claw-foot tubs, make-up mirrors, double showerheads and/or private entrances. Go back in time by touring the servant's quarters or just sit on the side porch to people watch and enjoy a nice breeze. You can spend hours sitting in the garden by the flowers, relaxing under the trees, or looking at the fountains. The curved wooden banister catches the eye as you go up or down the stairs. Every room includes a full complimentary breakfast for guests to start their day. 208 E. Henry Street, Savannah, GA, Phone: 912-239-1415



19. Romantic Hotels in Georgia: Saint Simons Inn By The Lighthouse  Saint Simons Inn By The Lighthouse Saint Simons Island is the biggest one of Georgia's Golden Isles" and has been a vacation destination for centuries. This inn has 34 rooms, each of which has its own unique decorations. Some rooms are pet-friendly and there is the choice of a Deluxe Room, one of the two Junior Suites, or the Penthouse. Suites add large flat-screen TVs and leather sofas while the Penthouse has two TVs, a terrace, a wine chiller, a full wet bar and the best views. All rooms have private bathrooms and Deluxe Rooms include amenities such as desks and chairs, mini-fridges, coffeemakers, armoires and comfortable chairs. Staying at this inn gives you a discount for sightseeing tours. Guests have access to complimentary infused water or coffee at any time of the day and continental breakfast each morning. 609 Beachview Drive, St. Simons Island, GA, Phone: 912-638-1101



20. Couples Getaway Georgia: The Social Goat Bed and Breakfast  The Social Goat Bed and Breakfast The Social Goat is just a block from Grant Park, the oldest park within the city, and was built in the style of a Queen Anne Victorian in 1900. All rooms have wireless Internet and cable TVs; some also have premium channels. Guests can stay in the Hog Heaven House with its two bedrooms and separate living areas, The Carriage House with one bedroom and one bath, one of two rooms, or two suites in the main house. Room and suite amenities may include soaking tubs, sleigh beds, stained glass windows, sitting areas and shared or private baths. Today, the property has a miniature barnyard and 3/4 of an acre of land. You will find goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks and cats along with koi and goldfish in a water feature. Complimentary coffee and tea is available all day in the parlor. Breakfast is served in the dining room and typically includes farm-fresh eggs from the inn's chickens, something sweet and a meat along with bread, fruit, juice, tea or coffee. 548 Robinson Avenue, Atlanta, GA, Phone: 404-626-4830



20 Best Romantic Getaways in Georgia

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Romantic Getaways Near Me: Tybee Beachview Bed & Breakfast

Tybee Beachview Bed & Breakfast is located right by the beach so guests can enjoy gorgeous views and easy access to all their favorite outdoor activities in a historic property. The eight rooms have private porches, fireplaces, luxurious linens, and air conditioning. There is also a private cottage with one bedroom available for more privacy, making it perfect for romantic vacations.

Guests can spend some time in the fragrant gardens before or after a trip to the beach. The day begins with a farm-to-table breakfast and there is a complimentary dessert every evening. You can also always find cookies in the kitchen, and cold beverages, homemade snacks and fresh coffee in Ophelia's Lounge at any time of the day. As the only commercial Bed and Breakfast in Tybee, guests can buy wine and beer on-site.

1701 Butler Avenue, Tybee Island, GA, Phone: 912-786-5500

Resorts in Georgia: The Twelve Oaks

The Twelve Oaks home actually inspired the famous mansion in Gone with the Wind and gives guests the chance to visit and tour the building or spend a night. The antebellum home has almost 12,000 square feet and was built in 1836 with meticulous renovations. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and features elegant rooms with private luxury bathrooms, flat panel TVs, wireless Internet and remote control fireplaces. Some rooms also have spa tubs and grand suites feature original ribcage showers. Rooms also include Egyptian cotton sheets and soft Turkish robes. You can choose from one of four guest rooms with queen beds and three with king beds, one of which can also feature double beds.

In the morning, guests can enjoy a home-cooked southern breakfast made with local ingredients. The complimentary turndown service features cold water and chocolate truffles. The evening also features a Southern Sippin' and Nibblin' Hour with snacks, cheese and drinks.

2176 Monticello Street SW, Covington, GA, Phone: 770-385-4005

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Venue Spotlight: Stonehurst Place

Set in an art-filled 19th-century mansion in Midtown Atlanta, Stonehurst Place is an award-winning boutique hotel and one of the most luxurious retreats in the city. Locate in the heart of the historic Atlanta neighborhood and bustling business district; the hotel is ideally placed for exploring the city, as well as hosting special events and offers a unique combination of grace and charm from a bygone era and modern amenities. The hotel features luxurious accommodations, modern amenities and upscale facilities, acclaimed dining, and gracious hospitality and service.

Stonehurst Place features six exquisitely appointed guest rooms and suites with comfortable furnishings, elegant decor and museum quality art, en-suite bathrooms, and stylish amenities. A delicious gourmet breakfast is served every morning, and an airport shuttle is available for guests. The hotel also specializes in intimate weddings, special celebrations, and elopements, with beautiful indoor spaces, and pristinely manicured gardens and grounds for outdoor ceremonies and receptions.

Stonehurst Place offers a variety of elopement packages that include a private ceremony, a cake cutting and toast and gracious accommodations for the bridal party and guests. For larger occasions, wedding packages offer additional services such as music and entertainment, while general packages include accommodations for the wedding couple, bridal bouquet of roses and boutonniere, non-denominational ceremony with an officiant, a Stonehurst Place signature wedding cake, a pair of Stonehurst Place keepsake champagne flutes, Stonehurst Place keepsake gown hangers, and music of choice.

Amenities & Services

Amenities and facilities available with the rental of the venue include a dressing room for the bride and the groom, a gourmet catering kitchen, state-of-the-art audiovisual and sound systems and lighting, dance floor, tables, chairs, linens, silverware, and glassware, and security for the duration of the event. A wedding coordinator is available to take care of all the details on the day, and the set-up and clean-up of the venue are included, as well as a complimentary suite for the bride. The venue also offers high-speed wireless Internet, liability insurance, and ample parking for guests at the site in a large parking lot.

Bespoke amenities include approved and vetted caterers, photographers, and florists, a Mason & Hamlin Grand Piano, iPod docking stations and a house music system, guest laptops, and onsite parking.

General Information

Stonehurst Place is located at 4108, 923 Piedmont Avenue NE in Atlanta, is wheelchair accessible, and offers ample parking for guests.

Atlanta is packed with things to see and do, such as the Georgia Aquarium. The Georgia Aquarium is the world's largest aquarium and is home to more than 500 species from around the globe that live in more than 10 million gallons of fresh and marine water. Situated in downtown Atlanta near Centennial Olympic Park and World of Coca-Cola, this magical aquarium promises an experience like no other.

The aquarium is spread out across six large galleries, with more than 70 incredible habitats, ranging from freshwater river scenes and brightly colored coral reefs to penguin colonies and deep-sea tanks. Home to thousands of marine animals, including whale sharks, beluga whales, sea otters and exotic fish, the aquarium aims to support, preserve and educate visitors about the incredible biodiversity of the ocean system.

The aquarium has live shows, such as the spectacular AT&T Dolphin Tales Show, which highlights the connection between animals and humans, and the animated Deepos Undersea 3D Wondershow, which focuses on the importance of conservation and protection of marine animals. Special encounter programs allow visitors to get up close and personal with some of the animals, like dolphins, sea otters, and penguins and brave guests can dive with whale sharks and manta rays in the Ocean Voyager, the world's largest aquarium habitat.

4108, 923 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30309, Phone: 404-881-0722

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Venue Spotlight: The Biltmore Ballrooms

Built in 1924, The Biltmore Hotel is a beautiful landmark and historic hotel in Atlanta that offers luxurious accommodations, fine dining, and upscale amenities. Designed by the architecture firm Schultze and Weaver, the hotel recently underwent a total renovation to restore the retreat to its former glory when it was known as The Souths Supreme Hotel and once again boasts originally handcrafted plaster relief ceilings and elegant crystal chandeliers, grand Palladian windows and Tennessee marble floors. The Biltmore Ballrooms offer a spectacular venue for romantic weddings and other special celebrations, with two exquisite locations to choose from, namely the Georgian and Imperial Ballrooms. The magnificent Georgian and Imperial Ballrooms are connected by a suite of the lobby and pre-function spaces and can accommodate parties of up to 1500 guests in a variety of layouts and room combinations.

The Georgian and Imperial ballrooms are spectacular European-style ballrooms with hardwood floors, handcrafted plaster ceilings, stately columns, sparkling crystal chandeliers and Palladian windows. Each ballroom has its salon area, private catering kitchen, separate entrance, and restrooms, offering guests an elegant environment with regal charm. The Biltmore also features convenient parking, a beautiful courtyard, and room for up to 1,500 guests.

Amenities & Services

The Biltmore Ballrooms uses exclusive catering company Novare Events, which provides full catering and beverage services, including barware, glassware, and professional staffing from the preferred caterer and event decor company, Bold American Events.

Other amenities and services available with the rental of the venue include a dressing room for the bride and the groom, a gourmet catering kitchen, state-of-the-art audiovisual and sound systems and lighting, dance floor, tables, chairs, linens, silverware, and glassware, and security for the duration of the event. A wedding coordinator is available to take care of all the details on the day, and the set-up and clean-up of the venue are included, as well as a complimentary suite for the bride. The venue also offers high-speed wireless Internet, liability insurance, and ample parking for guests at the site in a large parking lot.

General Information

The Biltmore Ballrooms is located at 817 W Peachtree Street NW #400 in Atlanta is wheelchair accessible and offers ample parking for guests.

Atlanta offers an array of exciting attractions, activities, and things to see and do, including fantastic tours and excursions around the city. See the best of Atlanta on a traditional Peachtree Trolley Tour, which takes you to all the major attractions and the must-see sights of the city.

Leaving from the Hilton Garden Inn at Centennial Olympic Park, the tour takes around 90 minutes and is fully narrated, explaining the history, stories, and legends of all the major sights. Visit the world-renowned Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, the Oakland Cemetery, and The Fabulous Fox Theater, amongst others.

Trolleys are traditionally designed to take you on a journey back in time to the early 20th Century, with enclosed sides, park bench seating, and a clanging bell, however, are fully climate-controlled with heat and air. Tours run every day except Mondays and tickets can be purchased online or once on board.

817 W Peachtree St NW #400, Atlanta, GA 30308, Phone: 404-962-8700

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RwandAir becomes first East African airline to acquire modern Airbus

RwandAir has acquired an Airbus 330-200 becoming the first country in East Africa, as it looks to expanding its wings globally.

Nicknamed Ubumwe, or unity, the aircraft with a capacity of 244 passengers has been touted as a key milestone in the rapidly growing African airline sector which has been pivotal in opening up opportunities in the continent.

We are now set to compete globally, said John Mirenge, the airlines chief executive Mirenge adding that the airline has been growing at an average of 20 per cent in the last six years and is currently positioning itself as the most efficient and reliable airline in the region

The new aircraft, worth about $250 million brings the airlines total fleet to nine with additional four planes expected to be delivered by end of February next year.

The aircraft is expected to be deployed on the Dubai route.

And, a second Airbus 330-300 is due for delivery in November and, according to aviation experts, the acquisition of these two wide-body aircraft will significantly increase RwandAirs capacity to effectively meet growing demand and provide exceptional service quality for the ever-growing Asia-China and European passenger markets.

RwandAir will soon add Harare (Zimbabwe), Mumbai (India), and Guangzhou in China on its list of destinations before expanding to Western Europe.

The A330 type of aircraft has an operational reliability of 99.4 per cent and boasts efficiency for all market segments, thus making it a perfect match for RwandAir, Corrin Higgs, the Airbus interior marketing director, said.

The new aircraft means the airline can now expand its flight coverage to both Europe and East Asia in the near future.

Hadi Akoum, Airbuss executive vice-president in charge of sales for Africa, Europe and Asia Pacific, commended RwandAirs commitment to continue taking the lead in developing the continents aviation industry

We are proud of the visionary leadership of the Government of Rwanda and RwandAirs efforts to contribute to the continents aviation industry, he said.

The new aircraft reaffirms the confidence between RwandAir and Airbus and we will continue to stand side by side with the airline to ensure it realises its full potential, he added.

Akoum said the manufacturer will equally assist in the training of the airlines technical engineers and pilots to ensure efficiency and safety.

Jacques Kabale, Rwandas ambassador to France, said the aircraft means more efficiency in terms of movement, which will increase connectivity and will link Rwanda to the rest of the rest of the world.

In 2014, RwandAir and the Eastern and Southern Africa Bank (PTA Bank) signed a financial line of credit, worth $160 million, to support the purchase of the two airliners.

The national carrier successfully renewed its certificate for the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) for another two years to remain competitive.

IOSA programme is an internationally recognised evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of airlines.

And there is hope that with two wide body aircraft, the airlines capacity could grow from the current 500,000 passengers annually to more than three million in the next five years.

www.rwandair.com
Only residents being Vietnamese citizens could make savings deposits in Vietnam dong and foreign currencies__Photo: Internet

The State Bank of Vietnam has recently released a draft circular guiding transactions related to savings deposits which allows only residents being Vietnamese citizens to make savings deposits in Vietnam dong and foreign currencies.This means that if the draft is approved, foreigners residing in the country would no longer be permitted to make savings deposits in the local currency.The draft contains a transitional provision saying that credit institutions may not extend the terms of Vietnam-dong savings deposits of residents being foreigners but may only maintain these deposits until their maturity.



The draft, which came out two years after the central bank issued a regulation asking local credit institutions to stop receiving foreign-currency savings deposits from foreigners, stirred up worry in the financial and banking sector.



Expressing regret about the draft, financial expert Nguyen Tri Hieu said there is no reason to disallow foreigners to make savings deposits in Vietnam dong while the opening of payment accounts is permitted. "In the term of risk management, payment accounts are likely to carry more risks than savings deposit accounts," he explained.



Foreigners working permanently in Vietnam should be encouraged to make savings deposits from their salaries, wages and investments earned in the country, Hieu said, adding that it is also a source of capital for Vietnam.



Nguyen Duy Hung, Director of IPIC GROUP law firm, said if approved, the draft circular is a step backward in management of savings deposits in general and management of savings deposit accounts of foreigners in particular.



"It would be a waste of capital." he said, noting that if not allowed to make savings deposits in Vietnam, foreigners would transfer their lawful incomes abroad for reinvestment.

According to experts, although the current Ordinance on Foreign Exchange and its guiding documents have no provisions saying that foreigners are allowed to make savings deposits in Vietnam dong, this does not mean that they should be banned to do so.



In order to create a favorable environment for foreigners to live and work in the country, why we refuse this source of capital but not revise current regulations to suit practical conditions, experts said.- (VLLF)



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Viet Nam News spoke to Dharmendra N. Choudhary, who is counsel to CS Wind Vietnam, about the recent victory by the company in its appeal before the US Court of Appeals for Federal Circuit (CAFC). Choudhary is a widely acclaimed surrogate value expert. Excerpts from the interview.

How significant is the recent CAFC Opinion issued in case of CS Wind, Vietnam v. United States?

In its August 12, 2016 ruling, the CAFC disposed of all three issues appealed by CS Wind Vietnam, against the lower Courts decision. Two points need to be noted here. First, CAFC ruled in favor of CS Wind on the issue of weight adjustments. As a result, CS Winds Anti-dumping duties dropped from 17.02% to low single digits. Second, CAFC vacated the lower Courts order on the issue of how to value financial ratios (from Indian wind tower producers) and remanded the issue to the Department of Commerce (DOC) for a re-determination. If CS Wind succeeds on the remanded issue, the AD duty rate should drop below 2% and, consequently, DOCs antidumping Order on CS Wind will be revoked. As a result, CS Wind will emerge as an attractive supplier of wind towers for US buyers, who understandably prefer sourcing from exporters with low or zero antidumping duty exposure.

Please tell us in brief about the challenges faced beginning from the DOCs proceedings through the proceedings before the trial and superior Courts.

As you are aware, CS Wind was initially awarded a prohibitively high AD duty of 51.50% by the DOC. Let me underscore that even this result, which appears prohibitively high, was obtained only on account of winning several critical issues, such as separate rate eligibility and the choice of financial statements to value factory overhead. GDLSK Attorneys, led by their Trade Practice Chair, Bruce M. Mitchell, dutifully and diligently provided timely responses to all of the questionnaires issued by the DOC and followed it up with detailed legal briefs and rebuttal briefs. In total, GDLSK submitted several thousand pages of responses before the DOC. We also made a detailed oral presentation before DOC officials at hearings in Washington D.C. We also assisted DOC during the on-site verifications in South Korea and Vietnam, where the GDLSK team led by veteran Hong Kong based Partner, Andrew Schroth, successfully verified all of the written responses with CS Winds records.

Later, during appellate proceedings before the trial and superior Courts, GDLSK filed extensive briefs and reply briefs before the two Courts. New York based Partner, Ned Marshak, very ably argued the cases before the two Courts, persuasively answering all of the probing queries from the judges.

Surrogate value issues were the most contentious in this proceeding. I did extensive field research in India and helped compile a robust record on price data for several material and non-material inputs.

Where does CS Wind go from here ? What benefits accrue to CS Wind from this victory ?

The appeals court, CAFC, has directed the lower court, CIT, to remand the financial ratio computation issue back to the DOC. After the CIT remands the matter, the DOC will reconsider the issue in light of guidelines contained in the CAFC opinion and will issue a draft re-determination for comments by all interested parties. Thereafter, Commerce will submit its final re-determination before the CIT and ultimately, Commerces re-determination will be reviewed by the CAFC. In the course of the remand proceedings, we will vigorously present our case through written and oral arguments. We remain quite positive about our chances of success.

CS Winds success portends very well for the company in general and its US exports in particular. As we know, there is a global push towards production and utilization of renewable sources of energy. Of all the known sources of renewable energy, wind energy is the most rapidly expanding sector. Today, the U.S. wind industry is growing rapidly, driven by sustained production tax credits (PTCs) and rising concerns about climate change. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data shows that wind energy accounted for 4.7% of total energy production in the USA in 2015. Over the past decade, there has been a vigorous push to promote wind energy production. As per a report published by the US Department of Energy entitled, 20% Wind Energy by 2030, wind energy has been projected to supply 10% of the countrys electricity in 2020, 20% in 2030, and 35% in 2050. The recent spurt in wind energy production and consumption suggests that this target is achievable. Accordingly, the sector will demand an exponential growth in the supply of wind energy equipment including wind towers. With little or no AD duty exposure, CS Wind would be a competitive player in the US wind energy market.

Are there any useful lessons to be drawn by other Vietnamese exporters from CS Winds success before the Commerce and Courts?

There are several takeaways from this case.

First, by aggressively pursuing litigation over the past four years, CS Wind has demonstrated the value of patience and perseverance in the face of adversity. Other Vietnamese exporters should learn not to despair quickly upon obtaining a bad result at the DOC, but rather to fight it out in the Courts. The courts proceed in a very fair and transparent manner and critically analyze the DOCs determinations.

Second, CS Wind has wisely invested its resources on surrogate value research, which ultimately turned the case in its favor. Surrogate value issues are pivotal in other Vietnamese antidumping cases as well. As such, Vietnamese exporters would similarly benefit by focusing on surrogate value issues.

Third, CS Winds record keeping is excellent and the company has further strengthened its accounts through pre-review audits under the watchful oversight of its legal counsel. Notably, in the first administrative review (following the AD Investigation), the audit helped CS Wind obtain a 0.00% AD duty, i.e. CS Wind was found not to have dumped wind towers in the US market. Such pre-review audits will be very helpful to other exporters also.- VNS
Vietnamese firms were once again urged to pay special attention to improving product quality to utilise opportunities under the free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU).  VNA/VNS Photo

HA NOI  Vietnamese firms were once again urged to pay special attention to improving product quality to utilise opportunities under the free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU).

Tran Ngoc Quan, deputy director of the EU Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said at a conference held yesterday by the Viet Nam Trade Promotion Agency in Ha Noi that the Viet Nam-EU FTA was expected to increase Viet Nams exports to this market by 4-6 per cent each year.

The FTA was an opportunity to increase the export of Viet Nams products, such as garments and textiles, footwear and seafood, to one of the most demanding markets in the world, which would help extend the reach of Vietnamese products globally, Quan said.

Transparency and protection of consumer rights were of great importance when exporting to the EU. Products of firms which do not pay adequate attention to social responsibility and environment will hardly stand a chance in the EU market, Quan said.

In order to utilise opportunities due to the liberalisation of 90 per cent of tariff lines, Quan said firms should promote trade promotion activities along with improving their product quality.

According to Trinh Thi Thu Hien from the Viet Nam Trade Promotion Agency, a certificate of origin (C/O) was necessary for firms to enjoy preferential tariffs.

It was important that firms actively study C/O requirements of the FTA and take action accordingly, Hien said.

Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, director of WTO and the Integration Centre, said opportunities were available but firms awareness about integration remained low. If no improvements are made, firms could make use of only 30 per cent of the opportunities, Trang said.

The EU is the biggest importer of Vietnamese goods and the second largest trade partner of Viet Nam.

In the first half of this year, bilateral trade between Viet Nam and the EU reached US$212 billion, rising by 9.35 per cent over the same period last year.

Viet Nams exports to the EU were $162 billion in the period, up 9.5 per cent.  VNS
HA NOI  An increasing number of Japanese firms are interested in investing in Viet Nam, particularly in the agriculture sector, Tanoi Masahiko of Japans Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said at a meeting on Tuesday.

He said the increased number of businesses participating in the third Viet Nam-Japan Agricultural Co-operation Dialogue held in Ha Noi proved their interest.

The first such dialogue in 2014 drew only 11 Japanese companies. At the second one last year 20 came. There are 50 businesses this year.

Japanese business want Viet Nam to keep improving its business climate, offering favourable conditions to investors and addressing problems relating to intellectual property rights, transparency and taxes, he said.

Tran Kim Long, head of the International Co-operation Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said Viet Nam was restructuring its agriculture sector with a focus on increasing value added and sustainable production.

The private sector, particularly foreign investors, are expected to join the, he said, adding that the Government was offering incentives to attract more investors to the sector.

By the end of 2014, Japanese business conducted 34 projects with an investment of US$230 million in the agriculture sector in Viet Nam.

Yamada Hideya, counsellor at the Overseas Investment and Co-operation Division, International Affairs Department, said that the two countries were implementing the Medium and Long-term vision on Agriculture Co-operation that they signed last year.

A key content of that agreement was that Japan would help Viet Nam to develop its value chain to better manage food as well as provide consumers with safe food.

The food value chain was expected to address shortcomings of Viet Nams agricultural sector, including modest productivity and quality and the lack of proper cold storage facilities and frozen food distribution system, Yamada said.

According to this vision of co-operation, the two governments and their business work together on agriculture projects.

They selected certain localities in Viet Nam to conduct pilot programmes addressing specific shortcomings.

For example, the central Nghe An Province has been assisted to increase productivity and added value to farming products. The Central Highlands province of Lam ong is being helped in developing key products and food processing. The outskirts districts of Ha Noi and HCM City are being helped to improve cold storage and frozen food distribution system, while the Mekong Delta provinces are being aided in adapting their farming to the impacts of climate change.
Viet Nam's economic growth is expected to rise in the second half of the year, buoyed by further increase in foreign direct investment and exports, domestic credit growth, a slight recovery in agriculture and accelerating disbursements of capital expenditure on national infrastructure programmes. Photo vnep.org.vn

HA NOI  As a result of contractions in the agriculture and mining sectors in the first half of the year, the Asian Development Outlook Update 2016 forecast a downward revision in Viet Nams economic growth to six per cent in 2016 and 6.3 per cent in 2017, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said in a flagship report released yesterday.

"Drought in the Mekong and Central Highlands regions and low global commodity prices eased economic growth in the first half of the year, but other sectors have grown strongly", Eric Sidgwick, ADB country director for Viet Nam, said.

"Manufacturing expanded by double-digits as new foreign-invested factories ramped up production, while services picked up as a result of rising domestic trade, growing bank lending and a 25 per cent jump in tourism arrivals," he added.

Viet Nams economic growth is expected to rise in the second half of the year, buoyed by further increase in foreign direct investment and exports, domestic credit growth, a slight recovery in agriculture and accelerating disbursements of capital expenditure on national infrastructure programmes.

The report stressed that while Viet Nams economy was performing reasonably well against a challenging backdrop, a number of issues needed to be addressed to ensure growth remains sustainable.

A recent surge in bank lending has increased the importance of efforts to tighten regulations to prevent a rise in financial sector risks. These efforts will be supported by the gradual introduction of more stringent Basel II regulatory standards over the next 12-18 months.

Further, to ease public debt pressures growth-friendly fiscal consolidation is needed, including a rationalisation of recurrent expenditure and tightening of the public sector wage bill.

Administration costs as part of total state budget spending have risen from an average of eight per cent between 2007 and 2009 to 11 per cent between 2013 and 2016.

The report noted that trade performance remained a bright spot in Viet Nams economy. In the first six months of 2016, the country produced a large merchandise trade surplus, equal to an estimated 8.2 per cent of GDP. This outcome was a big improvement on 2015 and reflects continued growth in exports while import demand has eased.

"Though the countrys strong trade performance is expected to continue, it may be exposed to further slowdown in major industrial economies or unexpectedly low growth in the Peoples Republic of China, an increasingly important trading partner," Sidgwick said.  VNS
THANH HOA  Tests on water and dead fish have showed that mass fish deaths in the northern province of Thanh Hoa were not related to diseases, said an official.

Le Van Son, deputy head of Thanh Hoa Provinces Veterinary Bureau, said tests performed by the National Centre for Veterinary Diagnostics indicated ammonia levels and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in water.

Water samples from the coast of Tinh Hai, where there was a lot of fish dead, had COD up to five times higher than allowed level while water samples at Nghi Son island commune had COD four times than the accepted level and ammonia between 11 and 33 times the allowed level.

Samples of wild fish and fish in floating cages in the two areas were negative for the virus that causes nerve necrosis in sea fish.

Earlier, local authorities blamed the blooming of algae for mass fish deaths.

In early September, locals found about 300kg of dead fish washed ashore near Nghi Son Oil Refinery and Petrochemical complex and coastal area near Bac Yen Hamlet of Hai Yen Commune in Tinh Gia District.

Nearly 50 tonnes of fish bred in cages on Nghi Son island commune of the same district also died.

An investigation by local authorities showed that seawater samples near the complex and around floating cages of Nghi Son Commune were a reddish brown colour. Tests revealed a type of alga named Hairoi-Creratium furca had bloomed.

The provincial Peoples Committee proposed Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc order the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development send scientists to investigate and to instruct the locality to deal on incident.  VNS
HA NOI  A clay and sculpture workshop entitled Tao Ra Voi, Cuu Roi Voi (Make an Elephant  Save an Elephant), created and organised by Bulgarian artist George Burchett, has been held from September 26 to 30 at Heritage Space, My inh 2 Ward, Tu Liem District, Ha Noi.

The workshop is part of the programme Month of Arts Practice 2016, established by Heritage Space to promote interactive exchanges between the artist and the public.

Taking part in the workshop, participants are introduced to basic clay modeling and make a simple elephant with clay in order to raise awareness from public in respecting and protecting the elephants of Viet Nam which are in danger of becoming extinction.

All clay products will then be exhibited at the end of the project.

Burchett said his current concern, as an artist and a citizen of the world, is how to protect our natural environment. By natural, I dont mean only nature. I also mean traditional cultures, national customs, all things that make people and an individual unique. Every Vietnamese, old and young, is familiar with the image of the elephant as part of the history, legends, the spiritual and cultural identity of Viet Nam.

However, not many people are aware the elephants of Viet Nam are on the brink of extinction. Their disappearance will not only be an ecological disaster  for Viet Nam and the world  but also a tragic and irreversible loss to Viet Nams culture. Elephants played an important role in the countrys long and heroic history of defending the country against invaders. Now, it is the right time to repay the elephants by treating them with the same respect we have given to our war heroes and veterans, he said.
NEW YORK  Bob Dylan is releasing a 36-CD box-set of his 1966 world tour, a landmark yet controversial series of concerts that followed the folk greats shock decision to go electric.

Bob Dylan: The 1966 Live Recordings, the latest massive historical work by the 75-year-old music legend, will come out on November 11 ahead of the holiday shopping season, his label announced on Tuesday.

The collection features restored recordings of concerts by Dylan in the United States and Australia but mostly his extensive tour of Europe, where he played before packed venues but often met a hostile reception.

A year earlier Dylan had switched to an electric guitar and amplifiers when playing the Newport Folk Festival, a seminal moment in music history that symbolised the triumph of rock.

A number of European critics accused Dylan -- who had just enjoyed a two-year burst of creativity in which he put out the classic albums Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde -- of betraying folk.

The box-set includes his May 1966 concerts at the Olympia in Paris, where he clashed verbally with a jeering audience.

On the sidelines in Paris, Dylan held a news conference where he brought a puppet, to which he would sarcastically put his ear as if seeking counsel to reporters questions.

Dylan mocked journalists with his succinct answers. When one asked if he wanted to express anything through his singing, he simply replied, "No."

Adam Block, the president of Sony Musics Legacy Recordings, said the idea of the box-set came during research for the collection released last year of outtakes from Dylans 1965-1966 recordings.

"The intensity of Bobs live performances and his fantastic delivery of these songs in concert add another insightful component in understanding and appreciating the musical revolution Bob Dylan ignited some 50 years ago," Block said in a statement.

Dylan remains active. In May he released a 37th studio album, Fallen Angels, made up mostly of pop standards popularised by Frank Sinatra. AFP
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan meets Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith in Laos.  VNA/VNS Photo Pham Kien

VIENTIANE  Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith said he has a plan to meet with Vietnamese investors in Laos to seek to tackle obstacles hindering their operations.

He was talking to National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan in Vientiane yesterday after listening to the guests suggestion on the two Governments continuous co-ordination to work for the efficiency of Vietnamese-invested projects in Laos.

The Vietnamese legislator spoke highly of the Lao leaders contributions to bilateral ties, especially in politics, the economy, trade and investment.

She informed her host of the outcome of talk with NA Chairwoman Pany Yathotou, noting agreements reached on action plans and cooperation orientations between the two legislatures in the coming time.

She also talked about a workshop where Vietnamese and Lao lawmakers exchanged experience in public debt management.

The legislator highlighted co-operation outcomes between the two countries ministries, agencies and localities over the years under the supervision of the two legislative bodies.

The host praised Viet Nams contributions to Laos successful organisation of the 49th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and related meetings in July 2016.

Co-operation between fronts

Earlier yesterday, Ngan had a meeting with the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) Central Committee Chairman Saysomphone Phomvihane during which she said the National Assembly (NA) supported co-operation between the Viet Nam Fatherland Front (VFF) and the LFNC.

The top legislator appreciated the two fronts collaboration over the recent past, highlighting that their co-operation agreement for 2016-2020 will contribute to consolidating and developing the traditional solidarity, friendship and special co-operation between the two countries.

Briefing her host on the outcome of the talks with her Lao counterpart Pany Yathotou, Chairwoman Ngan said the two sides agreed upon action plans and co-operation orientations between the two countries as well as their legislative bodies in the time ahead.

For his part, Saysomphone Phomvihane stressed the need for Viet Nam and Lao to continue preserving and promoting their fruitful long-standing friendship, fostered day-by-day by generations of both countries leaders.

He acknowledged the great contributions of Viet Nam, especially its legislature, to Laos successful organisation of the 49th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, the ASEAN Summit and related meetings.

The two fronts were unanimous on activities popularising Viet Nam-Laos solidarity and the friendship among the two countries youth in order to mark the 55th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and 40 years since the signing of the Viet Nam-Laos Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation in 2017, he noted.

The LFNC would invite VFF leaders to visit Laos in late October to discuss the establishment of five advisory boards of the Lao front, he said.

Co-ordination mechanisms between the Vietnamese and Lao NAs, Governments and fronts would be established to help them perform their supervision and social criticism tasks, he added.

On the same day, the Vietnamese leader visited Sisavath Keobounphanh, former LFNC Central Committee Chairman.

Later the same day, NA Chairwoman Ngan and her entourage left Laos for Phnom Penh, Cambodia, the second leg of her tour of ASEAN countries.  VNS
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc receives ex-President of the Senate of Malaysia Michael Cheng Wing Sum in Ha Noi yesterday.  Photo vov.vn

HA NOI  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met ex-President of the Senate of Malaysia Michael Cheng Wing Sum in Ha Noi yesterday, saying that Viet Nam defined the promotion of economic and trade ties with ASEAN member states, including Malaysia , as a priority.

Viet Nam always gave priority and support to Malaysian firms doing business in the country, he assured.

The PM expressed his delight to see Malaysia as one of the major trade and investment partners of Viet Nam .

A number of Malaysian projects have benefited each countrys socio-economic development, notably the a Nang Industrial Park and Phuc Loc Vien Residential Area in a Nangs Son Tra District  a joint-venture project between Malaysia s Massada Land and the citys development investment fund.

As Viet Nam is accelerating banking restructuring, the PM wished for support in both capital and technology from Malaysia , and believed that the CIMB bank, which has recently been licensed to operate in Viet Nam , will run effectively and bring benefits to both sides.

He also welcomed other Malaysia banks to the country.

Cheng Wing Sum, for his part, wished the Vietnamese government to continue providing support for Malaysian businesses in Viet Nam .

Speaking highly of a Nangs economic prospects, Cheng Wing Sum expressed keen interests in launching urban development projects in the city and becoming a partner of Viet Nam and a Nang in particular.  VNS
Minister of National Defence General Ngo Xuan Lich

HA NOI  Minister of National Defence General Ngo Xuan Lich will attend an informal meeting of ASEAN-US defence ministers in Hawaii from September 29 to October 1 at the invitation of the US Secretary of Defence.

The participation is meant to display Viet Nam s pro-activeness and responsibility in ASEANs activities.

The trip is also aimed at promoting bilateral defence relations through talks and meetings to be held on the sidelines of the meeting, as well as showing support for Laos , the Chair of ASEAN 2016, which coordinates the meeting.  VNS
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan meets with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen in Phnom Penh yesterday. VNA/VNS Photo Trong uc

PHNOM PENH  National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan reiterated Viet Nams consistent policy of giving priority to strengthening its traditional friendship and multi-dimensional cooperation with Cambodia during a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen in Phnom Penh yesterday.

Ngan said Viet Nam sincerely wished to work together with Cambodia to continue developing their relations in a sustainable manner to bring visible benefits to their people.

She said agreements reached by the countries leaders have been carried out quickly across fields, bringing positive results, especially in trade and investment.

She stated that the Vietnamese NA would do its best to work with the Cambodian Upper House and legislature to continue sharing information and experience in law-making, supervision, and deciding on key country issues, as well as increase joint work to monitor the implementation of signed agreements.

On the occasion, she expressed the wish that the Cambodian PM would continue offering support to Vietnamese nationals living in the country.

Hun Sen, for his part, suggested the two countries should further educate the public about the tradition of friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, especially among youngsters.

He expressed thanks to Viet Nam for providing health check-ups and treatment to residents living in border areas.

The host took the occasion to urge Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian border localities to increase exchanges to contribute to their socio-economic development.  VNS
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan meets Cambodian NA Chairman Heng Samrin in Cambodia yesterday.  VNA/VNS Photo Trong uc

PHNOM PENH  National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan has affirmed Viet Nams consistency in attaching importance and top priority for the consolidation and strengthening of good neighbourliness, traditional friendship and comprehensive co-operation with Cambodia.

Speaking to her counterpart during her official visit to Cambodia in Phnom Penh yesterday, Ngan asked the National Assembly and parliamentarians of Cambodia to continue fostering the friendship and comprehensive co-operation between the two countries.

She thanked the National Assembly (NA) and the Government of Cambodia for facilitating the Vietnamese community in Cambodia.

She stressed that this was her first official trip as the head of Viet Nams National Assembly with a desire to share the spirit of solidarity, friendship and co-operation between Viet Nam and Cambodia.

The Cambodian NA Chairman Heng Samrin warmly welcomed his Vietnamese counterpart and stressed that the visit had important significance as it proved strengthened solidarity and friendship between the two countries, two parliaments and the two peoples.

He congratulated Ngan for being elected as the head of Viet Nams National Assembly.

He noted that during the last four NA terms, the friendly relations and co-operation between the two sides had been continuously consolidated and developed, and he expressed his trust that the relationship would be further developed.

The Cambodia NA Chairman suggested the two sides continue co-operating and sharing experience among trade unions and parliamentarians.

He thanked the Vietnamese NA for actively supporting and assisting in the training of human resources, providing equipment and many other types of help in order to improve the efficiency of the Cambodian NAs operations.

Two NA heads briefed each other on the economic situation and social activities of each country. They agreed that, in the context of the more complicated situation in the world and the region, the two countries should unite to continue strengthening and developing their traditional relationship.

The two leaders expressed their satisfaction over the economic co-operation, trade and investment between the two countries at all levels.

So far, Vietnamese enterprises have invested in 182 projects in Cambodia with a total registered capital of US$2.85 billion.

They agreed to continue promoting the role of supervising the implementation of agreements reached between the two governments and continue to share, support and consult with each other on international issues of mutual interest as well as to enhance close co-operation in inter-parliamentary forums and regional parliaments that both countries are members of.  VNS
HA GIANG  Police in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang busted a people-smuggling syndicate, which allegedly sold two teenagers to China, and arrested three suspects.

Those arrested are Luu Di Te, Vang Mi Pha and Thao Mi Sinh, from ong Van and Bac Me districts of Ha Giang.

The suspects told the police that they persuaded young girls from ethnic minorities to go to China for high-paid jobs, later selling them for money.

Through social networking sites, they became acquainted with two ethnic girls hailing from Muong Phang Commune in northern ien Bien Provinces ien Bien District.

Early in September, the three suspects lured the two girls visiting Ha Giang Province and then sold them for 14,000 Renminbi (US$2,000) each.

However, one of the two victims managed to escape and returned to Viet Nam. She informed the police about the incident on her return.

Police in Ha Giang Province have been coordinating with relevant agencies and their Chinese counterparts to rescue the other victim.

Nguyen Ngoc Chau, from the Border Guard Command of Ha Giang Province, said the command had unearthed 17 cases of human trafficking in the first nine months of this year and arrested 13 suspects. Eleven women and three children were rescued and returned to their families.  VNS
HA NOI - Traffic congestion is not a foreign sight for residents of narrow Vu Trong Phung Street in Ha Nois Thanh Xuan District. On the one-km street, there are several apartment buildingshome to hundreds of residentscreating burden on infrastructure and traffic.

In Ha Noi, there are more and more residential structures nestled in small alleys with populations equal to those of wards.

Khuong Trung Street in Thanh Xuan District is only 3m wide, with rough surface in many parts of the road. An apartment building with hundreds of households is located here. Soon, the street will be expected to bear the burden of about 250 other households which will move in to live at a 25-floor building near completion.

Local authorities of the Thanh Xuan Trung ward said that the wards population has increased sharply, with nearly ten high-rises opened in recent years.

In five years, the wards population has quintupled, reaching over 20,000 residents. The population is forecasted to rise to 80,000 households by next year.

Residents on Truong Chinh street in ong a District have also suffered from the same situation for many years. Despite great street expansions, more serious traffic jams still occur with surging number of high-rises in small alleys.

Similarly, Fodacon, a river, Guom lake plaza, Hattoco apartment buildingsonly a few hundreds of meters next to each otherone by one have grown on Tran Phu Street in Ha ong District.

Apartment buyers have been lured by high-rise projects attractive advertising schemes. These developments are often pitched as conveniently near big shopping malls, universities and the city centre. In fact, infrastructure of densely-populated residential quarters has yet to meet dwellers demand.

However, many residents worry about the high risk of fire without escape.

A local named Hai, from an apartment building in Thanh Xuan District, said I feel worried living here. The road is too narrow for such a high density of dwellers. I dont know what Ill do when trouble arises.

Meanwhile many real estate companies keep looking for small pieces of land inside the city for new developments.

A business director at a real estate firm said these kinds of projects get built because investors do not care about building new infrastructure, only taking advantage of current infrastructure.

ang Hung Vo, former Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, called it very difficult for ambulances and fire engines to approach these buildings. This fact shows lack of consideration in planning and ineffective management in project approval.

Many projects have not been invested properly without community houses while old schools and unprompted markets surround buildings. There are even no places for waste disposal, causing pollution, Tran Ngoc Hung, chairman of the Viet Nam Construction Association said.

Regarding project planning, Tran Ngoc Chinh, president of the Viet Nam Urban Development and Planning Association, opposes building high apartment buildings in confined areas downtown because they will create pressure on urban infrastructure.

Only smaller, shorter buildings must be built in small roads; building high rises on small roads shows a lack of planning, he said.

Why does this situation continue? The reason is profits. Therefore, nothing will change unless local authorities take responsibility, Chinh said. - VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam has targeted 90 per cent of children with special circumstances being integrated into the community and having access to development opportunities by 2020.

The target also aims reducing the percentage of child abuse.

Nguyen Thi Nga, deputy director of the Department of Child Protection and Care under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs, revealed this at a press conference held by the Ministry of Information and Communications this morning.

The child protection programme also includes plans to monitor all children with special circumstances and to assist those at high risk of being abused.

Viet Nam has more than 26 million children. Of these, over 1.5 million are children with special circumstances and over 2 million are at risk of falling into special circumstances.

Reducing the percentage of children in special circumstance to 5.5 per cent and providing support to 86 per cent of those with special circumstance were two of the targets set for this year, she said.

Other targets involve producing 104 television programmes for children and social security.

To realise the goals, Nga said provinces and cities have added child protection targets into their development plans and education campaigns have been implemented to raise awareness of local authorities and people of the importance of protecting children.

Viet Nam has about 31 social protection centres including seven for children, 158 consultation offices at district level, 1,539 consultations at public places and 2,765 child protection consultation stations at schools.  VNS
HA NOI  President Tran ai Quang praised support for World Vision International inViet Nam, especially for its social welfare and children care programmes launched over the past few years.

World Vision programmes have greatly contributed to eliminating poverty in Viet Nam, Quang said at a meeting with organisation CEO Kevin Jenkins in Ha Noi today.

Quang also suggested that World Vision International continue to help Viet Nam tackle challenges in rural and health infrastructure development, education for rural people, disaster prevention, emergency aid and rehabilitation.

Jenkins expressed his appreciation for the governments consistent support for World Visions work in Viet Nam since it launched humanitarian relief operations in 1988.

From World Visions experience in the community, including undertaking humanitarian relief operations, to our national level policy work, the governments proactive and close involvement at every step of our journey has made it possible for communities with whom we work to achieve notable gains, especially for young children, he said.

At an earlier event, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organisations Chairman Vu Xuan Hong awarded Jenkins the Presidential Friendship Medal, a recognition awarded to foreign individuals and organisations that have made significant contributions towards establishing and strengthening Viet Nams ties with other nations.

Jenkins is visiting Tien Lu District, Hung Yen Province, where World Vision has partnered with the local community in development projects over the past seven years.

World Vision has invested nearly US$300 million in emergency and development funds for Viet Nam for the past 30 years.

Jenkins commended the government and community partners for their relentless focus on improving development statistics.

"Viet Nam is proof that a government which cares about its people and works with partners in an open and transparent manner can achieve huge amounts of change in a generation."

World Vision works in 15 of the countrys 63 cities and provinces, with more than 400 staff members living in and working alongside members of the community daily. It provided statistics from Child Well-Beings report to support claims of improved quality of education, healthcare, nutritional health, child protection and child participation.  VNS
By Nguyen Hang

The recent death of Tran Minh Hoang, a nine-year-old boy whose neck was slashed by a long, sharp roofing steel plate loaded onto a makeshift behicle has sparked sorrow and anger - not only from the victims relatives but also from many residents of the capital.

It happened last Friday afternoon while the boy riding his bike along Tan Mai Street and suddenly crashed into a stopped cyclo (called xich lo in Vietnamese) carrying roofing steel plates. According to witnesses, the boy was talking with his friends and did not see the cyclo. He died of severe blood loss after being taken to Bach Mai Hospital. Local police remanded the cyclo driver in custody for further investigation.

After the heart-breaking story was widely reported by local media and shared by social networking sites, thousands of city-dwellers said their thoughts were with the boys relatives.

However, many others also called authorised agencies to consider leniency for the cyclo-driver, who indirectly caused the boys death by stopping his cyclo with no warning and violating regulations that ban three-wheeled vehicles as well as cyclos transporting bulky goods in Ha Noi. They explained that the cyclo driver was a poor man living in a rented room and was the breadwinner for his three-member family.

The call reflected sympathy with the indigent cyclo driver and stirred up a debate about whether attenuated charges might not encourage other poor people to continue life-threatening transportation of bulky loads.

Will our law be consistently enforced? How many innocent children will be cut to death by sharp steel plates? How many parents willl have to suffer the loss of their children?

In an article for the VTC online newspaper, Senior Lt. Col. Nguyen Van Quy, a former Ha Noi Police Department officer, said no one could use poverty as an excuse to break the law and in this case the violator should be strictly punished.

Quy said in the long term, local agencies should consider offering the man another job to help him earn a living by other means than dangerous transportation of goods.

Bui Quang Nghiem, deputy head of HCM Citys Bar Association, told Tuoi tre (Youth) newspaper that although the poor cyclo driver did not directly cause the boys death, he still had to take responsibility.

Ha Minh Nguyet, a 29-year-old civil servant in Ha Noi, said, Being poor does not mean you can do something risking the lives of others. Its unacceptable and unpardonable, she added.

She said she was always fearful when driving on streets with three-wheel vehicles and cyclos carrying roofing steel plates, big sharp glass plates or long steel bars.

The man should get the punishment he deserved without attenuation, she said.

Since 2013, the city administration has banned three-wheel vehicles and cyclos transporting bulky goods city-wide. However, violations are still recorded.

Statistics from the capitals transport department show that during the first nine months of this year, traffic police have dealt with over 570 violations related to three-wheel vehicles and cyclos.

Under article 6 of a government decree issued in 2013, a three-wheel vehicle or cyclo transporting bulky goods will receive a fine of VN200,000-400,000 ($9-18).

Vu Van Hoai, head of the traffic accident investigation team of the Ha Noi Police Department said the current sanction seems too light to deter violators.

According to Quy, authorised agencies must require all shops selling roofing steel plates to commit to safe transportation of their goods by trucks during specific hours set by the city administration.

Following the boys tragic death, police have informed the city administration that they would crack down and impound the three-wheel vehicles or cyclo drivers who violate regulations.

Until a long-term solution is implemented, strict punishment of the cyclo driver is a must, if only to deter others. Personally, I also sympathize with the poor, but I would prefer a well-organised society where law is consistently enforced to avoid painful outcomes such as the death of a nine-year-old boy whose only sin was riding his bicycle. VNS
MOSCOW  Forest fires have hit two million hectares of Siberian forest, where global warming has caused an "exceptional drought", environmental Group Greenpeace said Tuesday.

The Russian federal forestries agency confirmed the problem while giving a much lower estimate of the land affected, putting the figure at 125,000 hectares.

Greenpeace Russia spokesman Alexey Yaroshenko said the situation was "an unprecedented catastrophe in Siberia," which he said was due to "the ineffectiveness of the authorities" but, above all, global warming.

The fires peaked last Thursday, around the Siberian cities of Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk near Lake Baikal where nearly five million people live and some schools had to be closed.

The area was covered by thick smoke, said Yaroshenko.

Since then much-needed rain has shrunk the affected area but "around 900,000 hectares are still on fire today", he added.

On Sunday Russias minister of emergency situations, Vladimir Puchkov, called for additional measures to protect residents in the affected areas and spoke of "the inability to truly evaluate the area" of the fire-affected regions.

Satellite surveillance remains hampered by the cloud of smoke, he added.

Fires destroy huge areas in Russia each summer, mainly in the eastern region of Siberia, leaving poorly funded government agencies struggling to contain them.

Particularly devastating fires struck in 2010, including around Moscow.  AFP
DAMASCUS  Syrias army took control of a rebel-held district in central Aleppo on Tuesday, after days of heavy air strikes that have killed dozens and sparked allegations of war crimes.

In the first advance since announcing plans last week to retake all of the divided city, pro-government troops seized the Farafira district northwest of Aleppos historic citadel, a military source said.

"After neutralising many terrorists... units are now demining the area," the source said.

The push follows several days of Syrian and Russian air strikes on rebel-held Aleppo neighbourhoods - some of the fiercest bombardment of the five-year conflict so far - after a ceasefire deal brokered by Moscow and Washington collapsed last week.

The Aleppo maelstrom prompted Western powers to accuse Russia of committing possible war crimes, charges the Kremlin condemned as "unacceptable".

In the latest broadside, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also condemned the air campaign.

"The appalling attacks on Aleppo have shaken all of us, and the violence and the attacks we have seen... is morally totally unacceptable and is a blatant violation of international law," Stoltenberg told a news conference in Bratislava.

On the ground in eastern Aleppo, an AFP correspondent said air strikes struck several neighbourhoods simultaneously, including in Al-Shaar, where a five-storey building was levelled with a family stuck inside.

One young girl, her body encased in rubble, was among the dead. Her father, in shock as rescue workers picked up her lifeless body, collapsed beside her, saying: "Shes just sleeping. Shes just used to sleeping."

As well as the intensified violence, residents have been left reeling from food shortages and skyrocketing prices.

The World Health Organization warned that medical facilities in east Aleppo were on the verge of "complete destruction".

"Over the last weekend alone, more than 200 people were injured and taken to understaffed health facilities in east Aleppo," a spokeswoman said in Geneva.

The UN body called for "an immediate establishment of humanitarian routes to evacuate sick and wounded from the eastern part of the city."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said that there were "significantly fewer" strikes on Aleppo on Tuesday than in recent days, but confirmed the advance by pro-government forces into Farafira.

Aleppo has been roughly divided between government control in the west and rebel control in the east since mid-2012, and the frontline has remained largely static despite continuous violence.

Earlier this month, a ceasefire went into effect across Syria, brokered after exhaustive talks between US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

It was dubbed by Kerry as the "last chance" to end more than five years of devastating conflict.

But it fell apart within a week, with each side blaming the other for the latest failure in a war that has cost more than 300,000 lives since March 2011.  AFP
WASHINGTON  The United States has tapped Jeffrey DeLaurentis, Americas top diplomat in Havana, to become the first official ambassador to Cuba in five decades.

"The appointment of an ambassador is a commonsense step forward toward a more normal and productive relationship between our two countries," President Barack Obama said in a statement.

Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced a thaw in relations in December 2014. The two countries restored full diplomatic relations in July 2015.

Since then, Washington and Havana have taken once-unthinkable steps to mend ties after more than half a century of enmity.

Obama has visited Cuba and relaxed portions of the US embargo imposed since 1962.

Flights have resumed and cruise ships can now sail from Miami to Havana.

US companies like Airbnb and Netflix now operate in Cuba and hotel group Starwood, acquired last week by Marriott International, opened a Sheraton in Havana last June.

DeLaurentis is already in Havana and previously worked in Bogota and at the United Nations.

But his nomination, which requires Senate confirmation, is likely to face stiff opposition in Congress, where Cuban-American lawmakers have sought to garner local support by opposing Obamas policies.

Any senator could place an anonymous hold on the nomination.  AFP
Spiceworks , the professional network for IT, today announced the results of its 2017 State of IT report, a study examining the technology budget and adoption trends of IT professionals in North America and Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). According to the results, IT budgets in 2017 are expected to remain relatively flat across North America and EMEA, but in the United Kingdom specifically, budgets are expected to decrease by five percent as IT professionals grapple with the political and economic uncertainty driven by "Brexit". Additionally, 64 percent of respondents anticipate IT headcount remaining flat in 2017 despite an expectation that company revenues will increase.

The results show nearly 30 percent of IT professionals say global political and economic uncertainty directly affects their organization's willingness to purchase IT products and services. Forty-seven percent also agree that economic and political uncertainty causes their organization to reconsider what countries they store corporate data in, and 37 percent say it causes their organization to reconsider what countries they purchase technology products and services from.



"A confluence of global events, such as political instability, slow economic growth, and unexpected affairs like the UK's pending exit from the European Union have left IT professionals with more questions than answers as they relate to both short term and long term effects on their organization," said Sanjay Castelino, vice president of Marketing at Spiceworks. "IT departments to take a more cautious, conservative approach to their investments in 2017 as they manage new regulations, fluctuating exchange rates, and other seen and unforeseen challenges."



Cloud and hosted services become bigger priorities; Small budget declines expected across hardware, software and managed services



As in previous years, IT professionals plan to spend a majority of their 2017 IT budgets on hardware and software, yet the budget allocated for these projects is expected to slightly decrease by two percentage points year over year to 35 and 29 percent respectively. IT budget allocations for managed service projects will also slightly decrease by one percentage point to 12 percent. However, 17 percent of IT budgets will be spent on hosted/cloud-based service projects in 2017, a three point increase in budget year over year. Thirty-eight percent of IT professionals also said cloud and hosted services are very or extremely important to their current business practices compared to 29 percent last year.



Budget highlights within each category include:

In hardware, budget allocations for desktops and laptops are nearing a tie at 18 and 16 percent respectively as desktop spending decreases by three percentage points and laptop spending remains flat. Seventeen percent of hardware budgets will be spent on servers.

Fifteen percent of software budgets will be spent on virtualization, 13 percent will be spent on productivity software, and 13 percent will be spent on operating systems, such as Windows 10 upgrades.

Nineteen percent of hosted/cloud-based services budgets in 2017 will be spent on email hosting and 14 percent will be spent on online backup and recovery. Web hosting fell to third on the list after slightly decreasing three percentage points to 11 percent.

In managed services, 17 percent of budgets will be spent on IT service providers, 15 percent on consulting, and 14 percent on storage, backup, and archiving services.



Technology end-of-life is number one driver of IT investments



When IT professionals were asked what's driving investments in new hardware, software, and services in 2017, 70 percent cited technology end-of-life (EOL) as the number one purchase driver, followed by additional needs due to company growth at 63 percent, and technology upgrade and refresh cycles at 59 percent. However, technology upgrades can be delayed due to budget and time constraints.



Looking ahead to 2017, both Microsoft Office 2007 and Windows Vista will reach their end of support dates next year. However, Spiceworks' network data shows Office 2007 is still installed in 51 percent of businesses across the globe in Spiceworks. While Windows Vista is only running in 10 percent of businesses in Spiceworks, Windows XP is still running in 56 percent, despite reaching its EOL in 2014. Spiceworks data also shows Windows Server 2003 is running in 52 percent of businesses despite its EOL in 2015.



IT professionals select Google, Amazon, and Microsoft as "top brands to watch" in 2017



For the first time in the State of IT, IT professionals were asked in a Spiceworks social poll about what brands they're most excited about in terms of bringing innovative technology to the workplace in 2017. Google topped the list with 49 percent of IT professionals saying it's an innovative tech company to watch next year. Amazon ranked second at 34 percent and Microsoft came in third at 21 percent. The top 10 list of the most innovative companies to watch in 2017 also included Apple, Nvidia, Samsung, VMware, Intel, Cisco, and Ubiquiti.



For more information and a complete list of survey results, visit www.spiceworks.com/marketing/state-of-it/report/
Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE), the incubation centre at IIT Bombay, is looking to expand its operations as it sees steep rise in number of student-start-ups vying for space.
LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices slid on Tuesday as Saudi Arabia and Iran dashed hopes that producer nations would reach a deal to curb crude output during informal meetings in Algiers.

A helicopter crashed en route to a Chevron oil platform in Angola, killing at least four. Sources said there was not expected to be an impact on production or cargo loadings.

NIGERIA

* Shell has not declared force majeure on Bonny Light crude loadings despite the closure of the Trans Niger Pipeline due to a fire. It has not yet issued revised loading programmes.

* A cargo of end-October loading Akpo was set to sail for India after Shell won a mini tender to supply refiner IOC.

* A November Akpo programme showed four cargoes set to load.

* Qua Iboe loadings were expected to start this week, though the grade, along with Forcados, was still under force majeure.

* The Ottoman Nobility, the South Sea and the Aspen Spirit suezmax tankers were all en route to the Qua Iboe terminal.

* While some buyers were put off by the unpredictability of Qua loadings, India's HPCL has booked the Desh Vibhor to load Qua Iboe at the end of October.

ANGOLA

* Several cargoes of Angolan oil traded, including Total selling cargoes of Girassol and Dalia, Sonangol selling Dalia and Chevron selling Cabinda.

* A U.S. buyer took BP's cargo of CLOV to an unnamed buyer, which sold a day earlier.

* State oil company Sonangol was still offering three November-loading cargoes, including Saturno, Girassol and Nemba.

TENDERS

* Shell won a tender to supply India's IOC with one million barrels of Akpo.

* BPCL is expected by Wednesday to award a tender to buy crude for November loading.

* Indonesia's Pertamina was also looking to buy crude oil via tender, traders said.

(Reporting By Libby George; Editing by Susan Fenton)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
00:34 Lula da Silva wins Brazilian election The leftist former president Lula da Silva narrowly beat incumbent right-winger Jair Bolsonaro in the second-round run-off of the Brazilian presidential...

00:23 Tributes laid for Seoul stampede victims Tributes are being laid on a street in South Korea in memory of the 153 people who died when a Halloween event turned fatal on Saturday.

00:40 Newspoll finds budget unpopular with voters Half of Australian voters feel they will be worse off in the next 12 months due to Labor's first budget.

00:43 NAPLAN results show boys literacy rates plummeting Literacy rates among year nine boys have fallen to the lowest level since testing began, according to new NAPLAN data.

00:25 At least 68 dead after suspension bridge collapses in India At least 68 people are dead after a suspension bridge collapsed in India's northwest.
WATERLOO -- The Black Hawk County Emergency Management Agency is urging homeowners, renters and landlords to call 2-1-1 to report flood damage.

Damages from flooding, sewer backup or groundwater seepage are of particular interest, along with other personal property damage.

Information to report includes homeowner's or residents name, address, telephone number, age of oldest resident in household, type of damage with general overview of items damaged, and whether the homeowner has insurance coverage. Also indicate if assistance with any cleanup is needed.

From a landline telephone, dial 2-1-1 rom 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday. If calling from a cell phone, dial (866) 469-2211. Information also can be emailed to the 2-1-1 call center at 211information@hacap.org

This information will be used by Black Hawk County and cities to assist residents in recovery efforts. To volunteer to assist with cleanup, register at www.vccv.org.

Also, in other flood-related matters:

Cleanup kits with items like bleach and mops are available at The Living Water Church of the Nazarene, 1210 West Lone Tree Road in Cedar Falls, and at Fire Station No. 1, 425 E. 3rd St., Waterloo.

Those needing Red Cross assistance can call (515) 243-7681.

Special disaster recovery assistance is available through the State Historical Society of Iowa for damaged historic document collections and museums. Contact Kristen Vander Molen at kristen.vandermolen@iowa.gov or 515-281-4228.
DES MOINES  Fresh from their first nationally televised debate, presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are making return engagements to Iowa this week.

Trump, the Republican nominee, will hold a rally Wednesday at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs where the campaign will launch Iowa Christian Conservatives for Trump and encourage supporters to cast their ballots when Iowa begins early voting Thursday.

Speakers at the Council Bluffs rally will include Tamara Scott and Steve Scheffler, both co-chairs of Iowa Christian Conservatives for Trump and members of the Republican National Committee, as well as Trump Iowa Coalitions Director Rev. Jamie Johnson and Senior Advisor Tana Goertz. Trumps campaign originally scheduled the event in Ottumwa but moved it to Council Bluffs on Tuesday.

On day after Trumps Iowa visit, Clinton -- the Democratic nominee -- will hold a campaign event in downtown Des Moines on Thursday to coincide with the first day of early voting in Iowa. Campaign officials say Clinton will lay out the stakes of November's election and urge Iowans to vote early and support her vision for America for the next four years.
DES MOINES  Two Northeast Iowa schools are being recognized for academic excellence.

Helen A. Hansen Elementary in the Cedar Falls School District and West Union Elementary in the North Fayette School District have been named 2016 National Blue Ribbon Schools. They are among 329 schools across the country named Wednesday by U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr.

The U.S. Department of Education will formally honor the 279 public and 50 private schools at an awards ceremony Nov. 7 and 8 in Washington, D.C.

Also recognized were Westside Junior-Senior High in the Ar-We-Va School District in Westside in western Iowa, Franklin Elementary in the Le Mars School District and Indian Creek Elementary in the Linn-Mar School District in Marion.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students achieve very high learning standards or are making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap. All of the Iowa honorees were named exemplary high performing schools.

We are thrilled to be recognized as a Blue Ribbon School, Tara Estep, Hansen principal, said in a news release. This award solidifies the work we do each day to provide our students with exceptional learning opportunities.

She added that it is shared with each school in our district as it confirms the exceptional work we have done to become a true Professional Learning Community. Hansen Elementary will continue to achieve our vision of providing high levels of learning for each and every student.

Pam Zeigler, Cedar Falls director of elementary education, said, The Hansen school community can be very proud of this well-deserved award. The staff, parents and students have done a great job of setting a school-wide vision. Through collaborative efforts, a multi-tiered system of supports has been put into place to ensure high levels of learning for all students.

Schools are nominated for the award by the state Department of Education and then complete a comprehensive application about school practices.

This award is recognition for the excellent staff at West Union Elementary and all their hard work on behalf of the students, North Fayette Superintendent Duane Willhite said in a news release.

It is an honor to work with such a dedicated staff that focus on student achievement and their successes every minute of the school day, added Travis Elliott, West Union principal.

Since 1982, fewer than 8,500 schools have received the coveted award.
CHARLES CITY  Tina Slinger doesnt live anywhere near the Cedar River, but the Charles City resident spent Monday morning pulling flood-damaged debris out of her basement.

Water started coming into her basement on E Street Wednesday night. It was bubbling up through the drains Thursday, some six inches deep, and more groundwater seeped in Friday.

I took out a bunch of stuff last night. I have more to get out today, said Slinger, whose street was dotted with piles of flood debris pushed to the curb. Its gonna be a tremendous project for many people for several days.

Officials estimated 100 to 150 homes in the citys north and north-central neighborhoods were swamped Friday by flash flooding on Hyers Creek.

At Slingers home, last weeks disaster was worse than the record flooding in 2008.

Flooding was less severe than expected along the Cedar River, which crested at 21 feet at 11:45 p.m. Friday. That was three feet less than originally anticipated. The river dropped below the 10-foot mark by Monday evening.

The highest level ever recorded was 25.33 feet on June 9, 2008.

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds met with city and county officials Monday and toured Charles Citys now-repaired wastewater treatment plant.

The plant was knocked offline Friday when a valve malfunctioned, allowing water to flood and short-out four large motors that move water through the facility.

Im very proud of the way that people here have responded, Branstad said Monday at Charles City Hall.

Residents and visitors were strongly urged not to flush or pour water down the drains until the three motors could be repaired and returned, which meant no showers, doing laundry or doing dishes.

City officials said people complied with their plea to not flush water, greatly reducing inflows to the Shaw Street facility until the restrictions were eased Sunday afternoon. They were lifted completely Sunday night.
DES MOINES  Monica Speaks wants answers about her fathers death 30 years ago.

But like dozens of other Iowans this year, she was shut down by the Iowa Department of Public Safety.

The reason is a controversial and relatively recent interpretation of a 45-year-old Iowa law in which the department claims any document created or collected as part of an investigation can be considered confidential forever.

That includes records involving the apparent 1986 suicide in Oskaloosa of Rick Lynne Davis, Speaks father.

Davis was found shot to death in a car. Speaks believes its possible the death was related to her fathers involvement in the drug trade.

The agency gave Speaks a synopsis of its work but refused her access to the records.

Its impossible. Its literally impossible to know without the records what was reviewed or investigated, Speaks said. Im not looking to arrest anybody. I just want to know what happened with my dad.

The Department of Public Safety denied all or parts of 40 out of 59 record requests it received during the first six months of 2016, a Des Moines Register investigation found. And of the 40 denials, 28 were based on the investigative file exemption  regardless of whether the case is closed, remains under investigation or went cold three decades ago.

A spot check showed local law enforcement agencies rarely use the same exemption. Des Moines police had no record of any requests it has denied citing that exemption in the first six months of 2016. The Polk County sheriff had two.

Des Moines Police Sgt. Paul Parizek said the department generally views most records as public once a case has closed.

I know that school of thought exists, Parizek said in reference to agencies that have decided to keep most investigative records off-limits to the public even when cases are closed. But we tend to take an approach in favor of transparency.

Some of the other records DPS has denied:

A national group focused on privacy issues sought records showing how Iowa uses facial recognition technology. In that case, the state wouldnt even acknowledge whether it has written policies or manuals about the matter.

An attorney said a denied records request prevented him from checking what, if anything, the state agency reviewed before clearing a local police chief accused of unlawfully entering a residence.

A journalist was denied access to case numbers assigned to criminal cases.

Public Safety Commissioner Roxann Ryan declined multiple requests for interviews about the records issues, initially referring questions to the Iowa Attorney Generals office. DPS spokesman Alex Murphy ultimately answered the questions, saying the departments general policy is to withhold information related to investigations unless it fits the immediate facts and circumstances of a case, which Iowa law generally requires to be released.

Murphy also defended the agencys decisions to release additional information in some cases but not others. He said those decisions are largely strategic and intended to help law enforcement investigate crimes.

For each request, we review the specific facts and circumstances of the case to determine what, if anything, can be released, Murphy wrote.

New interpretation





The idea a public record reviewed or collected by an Iowa investigator can be considered forever confidential is a relatively new interpretation of the law, and one that some say is contrary to the intent and spirit of Iowas public records law.

That exemption is intended to only be applicable if it is part of an ongoing investigation, said Arthur Bonfield, a retired University of Iowa law professor who was the principal architect behind the states open meetings law in 1978 and has helped legislators write or modify numerous other public transparency measures. It seems to me that once the investigation is no longer ongoing, that exemption is functionally terminated.

Some of the first notable examples of that interpretation arose in 2014, when the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation refused to release records in several cases in which people died after officers shocked them with 50,000-volt electrical weapons known as Tasers.

In another case that same year, Polk County District Court Judge Robert Blink ruled the placement of a comma in the states open records law means records that were once part of a law enforcement agencys investigative files may remain confidential even after the investigation is concluded.

That ruling was prompted by Timothy Wayne Allens effort to review records pertaining to four Iowa homicides from the 1970s involving young women. Three of the four remain unsolved.

Allen, of Ankeny, argued routine public records may be released if they are not part of an ongoing investigation, which he said had been a longtime practice under Iowas open records law.

But Blink said the commas placement in the statutes wording means only electronic mail and telephone billing records of law enforcement agencies must be released following the conclusion of an investigation.

The initial phrase before the first comma, peace officers investigative reports, is unqualified; thus, investigative reports are confidential without condition, Blink ruled.

Allen, a former New Orleans homicide detective, said the FBI provided him dozens of documents on the Iowa cases after he filed a similar records request with that agency.

If the FBI can provide me with responsive documents, Allen said, why cant the DCI? The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is part of the Department of Public Safety. Theres something clearly fundamentally wrong in the way they are applying this exemption.

Court scrutiny





Public record watchdogs are closely monitoring a case that involves the quest for records involving Autumn Steele, a 34-year-old mother accidentally shot and killed in front of her toddler by Burlington Police Officer Jesse Hill.

Hill was cleared of wrongdoing and returned to work about two months after the incident.

The family and the Burlington Hawk Eye newspaper have sought 911 call transcripts, emails and footage from police body and dashboard cameras.

The local agencies involved  including the Burlington police and the Des Moines County Attorneys office  claim they turned all their records over to the state, and therefore have no documents in their possession.

And the Division of Criminal Investigation claims those records are part of its investigation and not among the immediate facts and circumstances required to be released under Iowa law.

All three agencies were charged with public record violations in a case being prosecuted by a public information board appointed by Gov. Terry Branstad. An administrative law judge is set to hear the case against the county attorney in October.

Police tell a story and just expect the public to take their word for it. Its unbelievable, said Gina Colbert, Autumn Steeles mother. How does this happen in America?
DES MOINES  U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley applauds eastern Iowas response to heavy flooding and promises to press federal agencies to prioritize more flood-prevention projects in high-risk areas like Cedar Rapids.

Grassley on Wednesday discussed the flooding in eastern Iowa and the federal governments role in flood prevention during his weekly conference call with Iowa reporters.

Its a great relief to the people of eastern Iowa and Cedar Rapids in particular that the flooding wasnt as severe as it could have been, said Grassley. Tremendous credit goes to the people in each community who worked so hard to put up barriers and evacuate homes as needed.

Grassley said he will continue to urge federal agencies, in particular the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to prioritize flood mitigation projects for Cedar Rapids, which was devastated by flooding in 2008 and is experiencing heavy flooding again this week.

Im working to fix that, he said.

In a speech on the Senate floor and in a letter to the Corps, Grassley this week asked why the Corps has not proceeded with $73 million in flood mitigation projects approved by Congress in 2014, and pressed the Corps to reconsider how it prioritizes flood prevention projects. The Corps uses a system that assesses the value of protecting an area at risk of flooding by considering public safety, environmental damage and land value.

I have heard from Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, and several other places in Iowa regarding their concerns about how the Corps calculates the benefit of structures, and that mitigation and future savings is not a strong factor in the determination of flood risk management, Grassley said Monday during his floor speech. I recognize that this is a complex issue and that the Corps rarely gets enough funding to operate and maintain what it owns, let alone start numerous construction projects. I also recognize the need to have a rationale on how to prioritize projects when there are scarce resources, and I have been supportive of these efforts.

However, A one-size-fits-all approach doesnt work when dealing with flood protection. It is a necessity to more accurately quantify future benefits and the protection of citizens when making benefit-cost ratios. We also need to find a way to expedite these flood projects so it doesnt take 20 to 40 years to study, design, build, and complete.

Grassley on Wednesday also pledged to help communities and farmers who will qualify for disaster relief as a result of the flooding.
DES MOINES  Democratic challenger Patty Judge tried to sweeten the deal Wednesday for U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley to meet her in four face-to-face debates by playing on his fondness for ice cream and offering to hold the events in parking lots of Dairy Queens in Iowas largest media markets.

Judges camp said they issued the Dairy Queen debate series challenge after months of stonewalling and radio silence by the incumbent Republicans 2016 re-election campaign.

Chuck Grassley has been ducking debates and debate negotiations for months, so we decided to sweeten the deal and offer debates on his home turf at Dairy Queen, said Judge campaign spokesman Sam Roecker in a news release.

Hes at DQ all the time anyway, so he might as well use the opportunity to talk to Iowans while enjoying 'you know what, Roecker said. Well provide the Blizzards and sundaes if he shows up to explain to Iowans why his commitment to representing Iowa has melted in recent years.

In a video released Wednesday, Garrison Keillor -- creator and former host of A Prairie Home Companion who campaigned with Judge in Iowa last week -- offered to moderate a Dairy Queen debate between Judge and Grassley.

Officials with the Grassley campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Judge has called for four debates offered by media sponsors in Des Moines, Davenport, Sioux City, and Cedar Rapids, while the six-term GOP senator has accepted invitations for face-to-face debates from WHO Radio and Iowa Public Television  a lone televised debate that she noted wouldnt take place until the end of October after many Iowans have already cast their ballots with early voting commencing Thursday.
DUBUQUE  A new poll from Loras College shows Republican incumbent Rod Blum, a Republican, leading his Democratic opponent Monica Vernon in his bid for a second term to represent Iowas 1st District in the U.S. House.

Even in this remarkable and unique election year, it appears that incumbency remains an important advantage, said Christopher Budzisz, associate professor of politics and director of the Loras College Poll.

The poll shows Blum with 45 percent to Vernons 38 percent, with 16 percent of voters in the 1st District undecided. The margin of error for the full sample in the 1st District is plus or minus 5.1 percent.

More voters have a favorable opinion of Blum, 43 percent to Vernons 35 percent. Both have an unfavorable rate of 27 percent. More voters have no opinion or had not heard of Vernon, a former Cedar Rapids City Council woman and small businesswoman.

The live-caller survey was conducted between Sept. 20 and 22, including landline and cellular phones, with 368 likely voters in Iowas 1st District, which covers 20 counties in Northeast Iowa. More information is available at www.loras.edu/poll.

The poll is the second available for the 1st District. The Polling Company released a poll conducted on behalf of Blums campaign in August that also showed the Dubuque businessman ahead in the 1st District contest, 50 percent to 43 percent.

Vernons campaign manager Michelle Gajewski said in a statement voters are just starting to learn about Blum.

While we keep hearing about plants across Northeast Iowa closing  more Iowans losing their jobs  all we get from Congressman Blum is more tea party political talk instead of real results for the middle class, Gajewski said. As more voters learn about Blums tea party priorities, they wont be voting to send him back to Congress.

Blum spokesman Daniel Sunne said the poll shows Washington, D.C., pundits are getting the race wrong, and proving that voters arent buying Mrs. Vernons negative campaign. Several outlets consider the 1st District race one of the most-watched in the country, and several list Blum as one of the most vulnerable incumbents.

Congressman Blum will take absolutely nothing for granted and will continue working hard to win in November, Sunne said.

Budzisz said it is still early in the congressional contests  the poll also looked at voters in the 3rd District  but voters are still focusing most of their attention on the race for the White House.

We also find large numbers of undecided in both of these closely-watched congressional races, Budzisz said. The next six weeks will be very interesting here in Iowa as the battle for Congress concludes.

The survey also showed the 1st District choosing Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton over Republican nominee Donald Trump by a margin of 42 percent to 33 percent. Polls of the state have mostly shown Trump leading throughout September, though the Loras Poll shows the candidates tied.

Across the country, it has become more and more unusual to see House and Senate elections go in a different direction than the choice for president. Right now, Congressmen Blum and (3rd District Republican David) Young are bucking this trend, Budzisz said.
WATERLOO  The citys police chief this week outlined initiatives he hopes will rebuild trust between his officers and minority residents.

Safety Services Director Dan Trelka addressed the Waterloo City Council on Monday about community policing efforts a week after he and his department came under fire from African-American residents about several use of force incidents and a perceived bias against them by officers.

Those critical of the department were outnumbered at last weeks meeting by those strongly supporting Trelka, who reportedly had told some officers he was being asked to resign.

Were seeing a lot of passion in this community right now, and we want to strike the iron while its hot, Trelka said. We want to bottle that passion and do what we need to do with it to move this city forward.

Speaking frankly but optimistically  always supporting the successes his officers have achieved in reducing crime  Trelka said hes working on ways to change the mindset of some officers.

I just told my command staff I will be delegating more to them, and I have higher expectations from them in regard to our community policing efforts, he said. Our command staff gets it, but forcing it down to the lower levels sometimes can be challenging and takes time.

Our African-American residents dont want to be policed. They want to be protected, and we need to remember that.

Stopping people for burned-out license plates in one area of town  doing six or seven of those a night  is fishing with a net, he added. We need to be wiser. We need to be smarter. We need to fish with a pole, and we realize that.

But Trelka emphasized the department was still going to be pursuing justice against the worst of the worst who are perpetuating violence in the community.

Were not saying were going soft on crime, he said. Thats not true at all. We need to hold people accountable.

Trelka said the department leadership will continue to push the idea every citizen contact should be an effort to engage in a community policing initiative.

He plans to increase officer accountability by being as open as employment laws allow about discipline meted out for officers who violate protocols.

I can do better as the chief of police to talk about the discipline  to the officers, he said. (But) weve got 123 cops that are doing a darned good job, and in the past year Ive only had to discipline five or six of them.

Other plans include increased partnerships with community organizations; decentralizing command authority to give officers more power to make good decisions at the street level; changing hiring procedures to encourage more minority officers to apply for police jobs; and doing a better job of educating the public about police practices and public responsibilities during encounters.

Hes also working to start a police foundation to provide funds for officers to use in community policing efforts. For example, an officer could buy pizza for a sit-down with youths at risk of joining a gang.

The department also wants to have officers more involved in diversion programs offered through Juvenile Court Services.

Councilman Tom Lind asked whether the police department had utilized any recommendations from a U.S. Department of Justice report issued one year ago. Trelka and former Mayor Buck Clark had sought the departments assistance.

We did a lot of it, Trelka said. Some we couldnt afford to do, and others were still tackling.

The Justice Department report called for additional community policing efforts; staffing studies; more training; providing a better process for residents to file complaints; and reviewing the departments use-of-force policy.

Trelka said he intends to engage a community group, including those critical of his department, to review the departments policies.

While Trelka said he was not making any excuses, he noted the WPD has a high call volume at 220 calls per day, covers a larger geographic area than many more populous cities and has a lower per-capita staffing level  both patrol and civilian  than national averages.

But he said the department has seen success over the past six years.

From 2009 to 2015, use of force incidents are down 60 percent; complaints against officers are down 43 percent; juvenile arrests are down 44 percent; all arrests are down 23 percent; and the overall crime rate is down 22 percent.

Councilman Steve Schmitt asked why any changes are necessary given those statistics.

Im a little bit perplexed, Schmitt said. It sounds like were doing the right thing, but youre telling me were going to change what were doing.

Trelka noted the city still had an uptick in shootings and a needs to improve community relationships.

Were going in the right direction, he said. But we need to adjust.

Mayor Quentin Hart pulled Trelka off his dual role overseeing both police and Waterloo Fire Rescue last week to have him focus exclusively on police issues for the next year.

This is just a first conversation of many conversations were going to have as a council, Hart said. Weve already had a couple  as a community.
DENVER  Traveling about 15 miles per day, a Montana native made his way back to Iowa this week in an ongoing odyssey through the United States by horse-drawn covered wagon.

We are doing a big arc. Im going south through Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and then Alaska. It should be fun, said Lee Crafton, who goes by Lee the Horse Logger.

Crafton has been living in the wagon for more than 10 years, hitting the road in August 2006.

My family sold the ranch, and I decided to never own a vehicle again, Crafton said. He doesnt like being tied down with gas, insurance and maintenance costs that come with automobile ownership.

I started in Montana, next Boston. Then back down to Denver, then to Seattle, Crafton said, then paused as he lashed a few hay bales to the side of his wagon  he goes through about 180 pounds a day. He spread out one of the bundles as breakfast for his Suffolk Punch horses  Dink, Fey and Alice.

He continues to rattle off states. A banner on the wagon outlines his past routes.

For years, he followed logging jobs around the country. Horse logging involves using a team of horses to haul freshly cut timber. Sometimes hed stay in one place for weeks at a time.

No more logging jobs as Im traveling. I just dont have the time to dink with it. I dont have enough time to do what I want to do anyway, Crafton said.

Crafton last passed through Iowa in 2008, which by coincidence, was the last time the area had record flooding.

This time, he came south from Minnesota.

Iowa has been spectacular. I didnt see anybody for three days except where I was camping.  It was kind of like being out there in your own lonesome. And then that saddle club caught up with me, and things all changed, and its been an absolute pleasure to have help to keep this rolling, he said.

Richard Nelson of Cedar Falls, a member of the Plum Creek Saddle Club in New Hampton, said members have been pitching in, finding provisions, routes and camping spots.

After Crafton made camp in a gravel lot on the west end of Main Street in Denver on Monday, Nelson drove him to nearby a Amish community where Crafton had some harnesses repaired and struck up a horse conversation with an old timer.

They were speaking a language I couldnt understand, Nelson said.

Crafton planned to travel to Waterloo today, on his way to Hudson.
CEDAR FALLS -- Iowa House District 50 Rep. Pat Grassley will be the guest speaker at Republican Women of Black Hawk Countys luncheon and meeting Oct. 7 at the Clarion Inn, 5826 University Ave.

The event is set for 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reservations are required by calling 268-0547 or 296-2363 by Oct. 4. Lunch is $12, payable at the door.
WASHINGTON, D.C.  Garry Dufel of Hudson and his twin brother, Larry, both signed up for two years in the Navy at the height of the Vietnam War.

Both brothers were assigned to the same aircraft carrier  the USS Coral Sea  and both helped run separate boilers in the belly of the ship. But they didnt know the other was aboard for a few days.

I was walking down to the chow hall and ran into him, Garry Dufel said. There were over 5,000 of us.

The twin Dufels didnt have that problem Tuesday, sitting just a few rows apart from each other on a Waterloo Honor Flight with 94 other veterans.

Most of those 96 served in Vietnam during the 1960s. Five were veterans of the Korean Conflict in the 1950s, and one  Frederick Huting, 92  was a veteran of World War II.

Huting knew all about Honor Flights, which provide all-inclusive trips for war veterans to visit the memorials dedicated to them in Washington, D.C. He just wasnt sure if he was up to traveling.

I had people tell me, Youve got to go on this thing, Huting said. I was always skeptical because of my age.

His son, Waterloo Leisure Services Director Paul Huting, finally told his father hed be going as a sponsor  so he might as well sponsor his own dad.

Here I am, said Frederick Huting, standing in the middle of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. And Im very happy to be here.

Huting said although he was stationed stateside, in California, during the war, and knew no one who was killed, his brother, Dale, was stationed at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed. Dale and his wife, both in the Navy, are now buried at Arlington National Cemetery, which Huting also was able to visit Tuesday.

Nonetheless, Huting found himself in the middle of water fountains and etched white stone, getting emotional.

I didnt realize I would get these feelings, but I did, he said.

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst also was on hand to talk with the veterans at the memorial, climbing onto each bus to thank them for their service.

These memorials are for you, she said.

And you! a voice shouted from the back of the bus, recognizing Ernsts military background.

Like many, Army veteran David Redenius of rural Cedar Falls was looking forward to seeing the changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery. A self-described history buff, Redenius relayed the true story that the cemetery includes the front yard of Gen. Robert E. Lee, who led the Confederacy.

Union soldiers buried Union dead in Lees front yard, Redenius said, smiling at the irony.

Redenius, who served in France and Germany during the Vietnam conflict from 1963 to 1965, was a combat engineer at the largest depot in Europe. He vividly recalled hearing about President Kennedys assassination while playing pool on a Saturday morning.

Everybody was worried it was a mass conspiracy  with Russia and the Warsaw Pact, he said. So we were all on red alert for a couple days.

Ron Russell of Evandale, a 1970-1971 veteran of the Vietnam War with the Army 1st Calvary Division, figured hed get emotional. A couple of his friends names are on the Vietnam Memorial Wall, which he shaded over with pencil and paper to get the etching of the names to take back home.

Russells name could have easily been up on that wall too. During his time overseas, he and his unit went on search-and-destroy missions for 15 days at a time, pausing only to return and secure their firebase.

It was a long year, and Im glad I came home, Russell said.

His son, James Russell, was born while he was away. Tuesday, James accompanied his father on the Honor Flight.

Its very moving, emotionally, Ron Russell said of the memorial. You kind of come to terms with how many people were killed.

Bob Bonorden of Cedar Falls also was coming to terms with that at the Korean War Memorial, the war he was in from 1953 to 1957. When he enlisted, however, he only romanticized the Navy sailors hat.

Even though the only action the communications specialist saw was guys coming aboard all lit up when they returned to his ship, the USS Lexington, he appreciated the Korean Memorial.

I think those people do a super job, he said, tearing up. There are just not enough words to say.
Anti-Hillary

LARRY WYCKOFF

CEDAR FALLS  For the last two weeks, I tried to get my guest editorial published by the liberal Courier. Amazingly, they said I didnt have enough facts to support my content. Please, let me know on Facebook, if I lied, anywhere close to Hillary?

President Obama is the worst president ever. Hes the first, two-term president with a less than 3 percent GDP average-fact. Hillary, who wants his job, with the same agenda, continues to be protected by the DOJ, after itemizing all her reckless activities. Like Colin Kaepernick said, the normal citizen would be in jail for the same activities. The double standard treatment of Clinton is unacceptable to common sense and constitutional citizens.

If Hillary cant defend Benghazi, why would anyone vote her to protect our 50 states? Hillary lied to 330,000,000 U.S. citizens (but told the truth to Chelsea) and four men died. If Hillary is so smart, after 30 years of being a lawyer (fired in Little Rock for lying) and a career politician, why didnt she understand that a standalone C stood for classified and not Clinton?

Films have come out how not to trust Hillary. Where are her supporting films?

The liberal news covered up her pneumonia Sept. 9, but, finally reported by a citizen cam, when she nearly fell to the ground, on 9/11. Why does the liberal press keep covering for her and why would card carrying Americans ever vote for anyone that continues to lie and hide her activities?

Shes deleted 30,000-plus emails, used hammers and Bleach Bit to conceal her email activity. If she is honest and trustworthy, why on Gods green earth is she using these tools?

She says 50 percent of all Trump supporters are racist, sexist and a basket of deplorables. These comments are not how you get to be president, of all the people. Deplorable lives matter, too.

I have African-Americans, Democrats and UAW folks tell me they are not voting the Liberal party line, because they are sick and tired of working hard, only to see illegal aliens and undocumented immigrants get free hand outs. That means (Jeff) Danielson, (Patty) Judge, (Monica) Vernon and (Bob) Kressig arent getting their vote either, because for one, Obamacare isnt saving people money and isnt affordable, under any definition. Remember, it was 100 percent voted by the Democrats, and now 100 percent of the lies they saddled us hard working American citizens with is backfiring on them.
If you have opinions about the subject matter of posts on this blog please share them. Do you have a story about how the system affects you at work school or home, or just in general? This is a place to share it.
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Grace Farms, a new cultural and community center with five programmatic initiatives in New Canaan, Connecticut, now celebrates its 1st anniversary with special programme between October 8-15, 2016. Owned and operated by Grace Farms Foundation and designed by Japanese architecture practice SANAA, the new cultural and community center dedicated to nature, arts, justice, community, and faith offers a wide range of activities for the celebration of Grace Farms' anniversary titled Possibilities Are Endless, - will include a public artwork opening and Foundation benefit, highlighting the breadth of Grace Farms programming over the past year.

Grace Farms, the River building. Image  Dean Kaufman

On October 8, Grace Farms will offer a free public unveiling of Moon Love Dreaming, a site-specific permanent artwork from renowned Brazilian artist, Beatriz Milhazes that extends the length of Grace Farms West Barn hallway (108 ft long).

A commemorative event at 4 pm will feature a performance by Wendy Whelan, former principal dancer of New York City Ballet, and a reading by Li-Young Lee, winner of Lamont Poetry Selection from the Academy of American Poets.

Grace Farms, Community Day. Image  Dean Kaufman

Milhazes will also join Grace Farms Foundations curatorial advisor, Yuko Hasegawa, artistic director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, to discuss the inspiration for her piece. The program will be followed by a champagne reception in the West Barn Hall.

Milhazes mural is one of several site-specific art commissions and permanent art installations at Grace Farms, including works by Thomas Demand, Teresita Fernandez, Olafur Eliasson, and Susan Philipsz.

Grace Farms, the River building. Image  Dean Kaufman

The anniversary programming will culminate with a benefit celebration on October 15, co-hosted with Grace Farms architects, Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, of the Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese firm, SANAA. From 47:30 pm, Grace Farms Foundation will present in-and-outdoor experiences highlighting Grace Farms inaugural year and offering guests the opportunity to appreciate the expansive fall vistas.

Grace Farms, the River building, Commons. Image  Dean Kaufman

At 5 pm, attendees will hear from SANAA, renowned photographer Iwan Baan, and Grace Farms Foundation President, Sharon Prince, about architecture for social good, followed by a performance of Practicing Awe, a new work created at Grace Farms featuring Gallim Dance, Cindertalk, and countertenor Daniel Moody.

Timed to coincide with the sunset from 67:30 pm, attendees can observe falconers flying hawks, enjoy jazz music and savor fine wine with a tasting led by Master of Wine, Christy Canterbury, and participate in artist Molly Gochmans Red Sand Project to take action against human trafficking and exploitation.

Grace Farms Foundation has awarded space grants to 47 not-for-profit organizations. Grants of space are offered within the River building volumes, West Barn and 80-acre grounds. Image  Dean Kaufman

Throughout the anniversary week from October 1114, and coinciding with the peak of Connecticuts storied fall foliage, Grace Farms will offer special nature walks around the 80 acres of preserved meadows and woodlands and of the River building.

Grace Farms, Community Day. Image  Dean Kaufman

Grace Farms opened to the public on October 9, 2015. The 7,700 square meters (83,000 sf) multi-use building with its covered walkways is known as the River because of the way it meanders through the rolling terrain. With pre-existing structuresa residence, paddocks, and barnthe total built area at Grace Farms covers 7,150 square meters (77,000 sf).

Grace Farms, the River Building, Library and Sanctuary. Image  Dean Kaufman

Enclosed space of the River is over 5,200 square meters (56,000 sf) and the covered exterior pathway is nearly 2,370 square meters (25,500 sf). The River is approximately 45,72 m (150 ft) wide at maximum, 8 m (25 ft) wide at minimum and varies in height from 3 m (10 ft) to 4 m (14 ft). The building is approximately 427 m (1,400 ft) long, but because of its switchbacks it sits on an expanse of land that is approximately 213 m (700 ft) long.

Grace Farms, Aerial View of the River building, Barns and pond. Image  Iwan Baan

SANAAs design approach was to make the architecture become part of the landscape with- out drawing attention to itself, or even feeling like a building, with the hope that those who are on the property will have a greater enjoyment of the beautiful environment and changing seasons through the spaces and experience created by the River.

Grace Farms, the River building, Pavilion. Image  Iwan Baan

Structurally, the building of glass, concrete, steel, and wood has a single long roof, which appears to float above the ground as it twists and turns across the landscape. The walkways, courtyards, and transparent glass-wrapped volumes invite people to engage with the natural surroundings, and the exclusion of a front door makes visitors feel more welcome.

Grace Farms, the River building, Commons. Image  Iwan Baan

Grace Farms, the River building, perspective from meadows. Image  Iwan Baan

Grace Farms, the River building, Sanctuary, featuring Olafur Eliassons Mat for multidimensional prayers (2014). Image  Iwan Baan

Grace Farms, the River building, Court. Image  Iwan Baan

Grace Farms, the River building, Sanctuary. Image  Iwan Baan

Grace Farms, the River building, Library, featuring Thomas Demands Farm 56 (2015). Image  Iwan Baan

Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA at Grace Farms. Image  Dean Kaufman

Top image: Grace Farms, the River building. Image  Dean Kaufman

> via Grace Farms
DENVER, CO, September 28, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Confluent Medical Technologies ("Confluent Medical") is partnering with the Colorado School of Mines ("Mines") and the Alliance for the Development of Additive Processing Technologies ("ADAPT") program to advance additive manufacturing methods.



Confluent Medical Technologies has established the Confluent Medical Postdoctoral Fellowship at Mines toward developing these technologies via an initial $100,000 gift. The ADAPT team has hired a postdoctoral researcher to work on the project full time.



Confluent Medical is a market-leading contract manufacturer of Nitinol-based medical devices. Innovations in the manufacturing and processing of Nitinol -- a nickel-titanium alloy that exhibits the unique properties of shape memory and superelasticity -- have led to a great expansion of Nitinol-based medical devices in a variety of therapeutic areas.



ADAPT is a new R&D consortium dedicated to developing next-generation data informatics and advanced characterization technologies for additive manufacturing. Headed by Aaron Stebner, a leader in additive manufacturing technologies, ADAPT is focusing its efforts on improving nickel-based and titanium-based alloy 3D printing. The organization is supported by a consortium of private companies and the state of Colorado -- although members do not have to be from Colorado.



By leveraging public/private partnerships -- like the one with Confluent Medical -- ADAPT aims to develop groundbreaking new technologies in additive manufacturing, which is the industrial version of 3D printing. The tools developed by the consortium will be used to help industry and government qualify, standardize, assess, and optimize advanced manufacturing processes and parts.



"Over the next few years, we expect additive manufacturing technologies to have a profound effect on the medical device industry," said Tom Duerig, Founder and CTO of Confluent Medical. "The primary thrust of this specific program will be to optimize the superelastic properties of Nitinol synthesized by these methods."



ABOUT CONFLUENT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES



Improving lives by delivering world-class medical devices through innovative materials science, engineering, and manufacturing. Confluent Medical Technologies is the largest and market-leading contract manufacturer of specialized medical devices. Its portfolio of services includes Nitinol components, biomedical textiles, balloon expandable stents & balloon catheters, delivery systems, access kits, and guidewires. With manufacturing facilities in Fremont, California, Sunnyvale, California, Laguna Niguel, California, Warwick, Rhode Island, and San Jose, Costa Rica, Confluent Medical Technologies has a proven 20-year track record of partnering with the medical device community and delivering high-quality medical devices. confluentmedical.com



ABOUT COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES



Colorado School of Mines is a public teaching and research university in Golden, Colorado devoted to engineering and applied science, with special expertise in the development and stewardship of the Earth's natural resources. mines.edu



ABOUT ADAPT



The Alliance for the Development of Additive Processing Technologies (ADAPT) is an R&D organization dedicated to the development of next-generation data informatics and advanced characterization technologies for additive manufacturing technologies. The consortium, which is supported by private companies and the state of Colorado, uses these tools to help industry and government qualify, standardize, assess, and optimize advanced manufacturing processes and parts. http://inside.mines.edu/ADAPT-Home



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Uganda mulls border export zones targeting regional markets

The Ugandan government is planning to construct border export zones with a view to improving regional markets which have become big consumers of Ugandan exports.

The border export zones will act as one-stop-markets where traders from neighbouring countries will pick the goods without going through a lot of bureaucracy.

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) and Uganda Export Promotions Board will oversee the construction of the border export zones.

The Comesa support will be channeled through the Regional Integration Support Mechanism (RISM) - a European Union Development Fund that supports member states to implement regional integration programmes.

Comesa Secretary General Sindiso Ngwenya, said: Border export zones will result in reduced cost of doing business. This project has very high potential to generate increased revenue for the country and the region.

However, he said there is need for the project to find other means of sustaining itself when the RISM funding ends in December this year. Comesa has so far approved 3.9 million for Uganda.

In his submission, Mr Elly Twineyo, Uepb executive director, said: At least 60 per cent of Ugandas exports go to the regional markets Comesa inclusive. Most of the people who trade are small and medium enterprises (SMEs), a fact we cannot afford to ignore.

He said once the border export zones are implemented, they will serve as a one-stop shop with all essential amenities including warehouses, banks, hotels and food courts.

We believe these border export zones will increase Ugandas exports into the region, Mr Twineyo added.

Last year Ugandas exports to Comesa stood at $1.2 billion to the EAC $771.6million according to the Ministry of Trade.

www.ugandaexports.go.ug
Sep 28, 2016 | By Alec

Is baldness the number one enemy of the shampoo industry? Youd be tempted to think so, as French beauty product developer LOreal has just signed an exclusive research partnership with French biotechnology startup Poietis. Together, they will be applying bioprinting and hair biology breakthroughs to explore possibilities in the 3D bioprinting of hair follicles  the small organs that produce hairs.

LOreal, the 105-year-old French beauty brand has been investing in a wide variety of research and innovation projects for decades. Its an integral part of cosmetics development. Right now, their R&D department employs 3,870 people, and tissue engineering has been on their agenda for more than thirty years.

This new collaboration with French startup Poietis will doubtlessly fuel their tissue engineering efforts, as that company is completely dedicated to biological tissue development for the growing field of regenerative medicine. Founded in Pessac, France, in 2014, Poietis mostly works with various cosmetic and pharmaceutical partners to evaluable the toxicity and efficacy of various drugs and beauty products, and heavily relies on 3D bioprinting technology.

At the core of this new partnership is Poietiss custom laser-assisted 3D bioprinting technology, which patterns bioinks and scans them with laser beams for additional accuracy. While tissue engineering technologies are, broadly speaking, quite limited in the level of complexity with which they can create cell patterns, this French 3D printing platform can achieve a cellular resolution of down to ten microns. Their cellular viability numbers are up to 95 percent as well. Upon 3D printing, it usually takes up to three weeks of maturing before tissue testing can take place.

Fabien Guillemot, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer at Poietis

That technology is now going to be combined with LOreals expertise in hair biology, and the French collaboration hopes to achieve the production of functional follicles that can autonomously create hair  a systematic solution for baldness. Our partnership with L'Oreal should lead to the development of innovative applications in terms of tissue engineering, Poietis General Manager and Chief Business Officer Bruno Brisson argued.

This multi-year research partnership is expected to yield numerous other hair engineering breakthroughs as well, says Jose Cotovio, the director of LOreals Predictive Methods and Models department (part of L'Oreal Recherche & Innovation). For L'Oreal, the combination of our respective areas of expertise opens up the possibility of previously unheard of achievements in the field of hair. This research partnership is very stimulating for the Advanced Research teams, he said.

Jose Cotovio, Director of Predictive Methods and Models department, L'Oreal Recherche & Innovation and hair biology expert Bruno Bernard

Posted in 3D Printer Company

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Sep 28, 2016 | By Alec

The industrial 3D printing revolution is often talked about, especially as something that is going to be huge in the near future. And the numbers certainly dont lie; Gartner polls have shown that 65 percent of supply chain professionals intend to invest in 3D printing within the next five years. But industrial 3D printing can refer to anything from prototypes for car interiors to surgical implants and actual spacecraft components, and its very difficult to see how the industrial 3D printing revolution is doing at this very moment  new technological breakthroughs or one-off surgical solutions cant speak for entire multi-billion dollar sectors.

Fortunately, the European Union has been studying this very issue itself, and just released one of the most comprehensive reports on industrial 3D printing so far. Entitled Identifying current and future application areas, existing industrial value chains and missing competences in the EU, in the area of additive manufacturing (3D printing), it has been compiled by a gargantuan team of EU specialists and looks at the entirety of industrial 3D printing within the European Union. While more than 450 pages long, 3ders.org takes a closer look at the 3D printing obstacles, pitfalls and possibilities the EU found in its industrial circles, as well as at their observations about the current state of what could be the fourth industrial revolution.

But for starters, you could be thinking: why does the EU care about 3D printing? The short answer would be that the European Commission  the EUs executive platform  is very strongly interested in job creation and economic growth. Unfortunately, more than 3.5 million industrial jobs disappeared within the EU in the wake of the economic crisis. Reindustrialization and economic modernization have since become key targets, and the EU Research and Innovation program Horizon 2020 has a budget of nearly 80 billion to support those efforts over the coming years. Besides Horizon 2020, other instruments such as the European Structural and Investment Funds and the European Fund for Strategic Investments are also supporting investments in innovation and the real economy to foster growth and jobs. It is in that context that the Commission sought to comprehensively map 3D printing in Europe. Dr. Pierre Padilla (IDEA Consult), the main contributor to the report, calls the result a unique piece of work which should support the development of new collaborations across European regions and players in the future.

The Commission's focus on Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) highlights multiple advanced technologies and 3D printing is one of them. As part of the Digitising European Industry initiative, the EU is already planning to invest 500 million in a pan-EU network of digital innovation hubs. And with the benefits of 3D printing for key European industries such as engineering, automotive, healthcare and pharmaceuticals becoming more and more visible, the EU is very interested in keeping a close eye on the exact state of industrial 3D printing  and to provide support where necessary.

So what did the report prepared for the European Commission find? The EU seems to have a very healthy 3D printing climate, when it comes to patenting, research, 3D printing services and major companies investing in the technology. But it also became apparent that 3D printing is mainly limited to Western Europe, something which was also seen in funding analyses. While the state of regional 3D printing development differs per specific application and industry, the study found that countries such as Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Sweden have emerged as global leaders in several fields. Among the key players, German Research and Technology organizations (RTOs) and Printer Manufacturers (and to some extent service providers) occupy a central position. This is particularly the case in the field of metal 3D printing which is seen as a main strength of the European economy, the report says.

Whats more, these countries stand in stark contrast to those from Eastern Europe. With the exception of Poland, countries such as Slovenia, Croatia, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic are only starting to develop capabilities in the research sector. Investments are being made by manufacturers of printers to enter Eastern European market but the state of play remains at a very early stage, the experts say.

In particular, the researchers saw very positive developments in the healthcare, powder-based and wire technology fields, with especially metal 3D printing being a global competitive strength for Europe. Companies and RTOs are indeed proactively developing this area, making use of metal powders and wires to print molds, structural components in the aeronautic industry, but also a broad range of tools in most sectors, they say. But even in those leading European nations, the impact of 3D printing should not be overestimated. The experts identified ten areas that are said to be close-to-market (subject to the commercialization of new products and services with a horizon of about 5 years), all of which were analyzed from a value chain perspective. Overall, none of these ten value chains was disrupted yet because of the deployment of 3D printing on a paradigm shifting-scale.

The mature 3D printing sectors

Of those ten sectors, the most matured industrial applications are 3D printed surgical planning tools, hard and inert implants, injection molds and structural aircraft parts. These entered or are entering the market as they could benefit from the comparative advantages of AM regarding short series production (mainly product optimization and customization), the report argues. While thus starting to affect products, their impact is still quite limited so far. However, specific components are making their way to the market, even in complex settings such as in the aerospace industry where structural components are even flying. Even traditional sectors see new moves in their ecosystems with injection molds being printed by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) or titanium blades being printed for large gas turbines.

But even in these industries, significant barriers can be seen. 3D printed surgical planning applications, for instance, suffer from a lack of training, digital skills, and even awareness of what 3D printing can do. The closely related 3D printed implant sector, meanwhile, suffers from additional certification and regulation barriers that have resulted in low adoption rates. Metal airplane components and 3D printed molds, meanwhile, are also facing regulatory, certification and knowledge barriers, poor quality and surface finishing, and the context of under-developed detection and monitoring processes. The lack of high quality 3D printable metal powders, including of aluminum, magnesium and titanium, is also a key problem which according to Dr. Padilla relates to the efficiency of current 3D printing processes; companies transforming high-end metals are looking forward to 3D-Printers printing faster and in higher quantities to ease market growth.

But there are plenty of opportunities as well. Especially multidisciplinary collaboration is needed, which needs to bring together material and service providers, as well as surgeons, hospitals and researchers. Such opportunities can concretize at all levels along the value chain and locally between mold makers and RTOs or AM expert companies, cross-regionally between mold makers and OEMs, they say.

For 3D printed airplane components in particular, an EU level collaboration platform that links key OEMs and integrators with services and clients from other value chains could make the technology much more attractive and speed up its diffusion across industry. If combined with extensive process and material research as well as increased powder availability, the EU researchers see significant short term production possibilities. An important aspect is here the development of specific capabilities such as surface finishing: granularity is particularly crucial to components that are foreseen to play a mechanical role. This relates to the overall reflection on how 3D printing can combine better to other technologies, including software, explains Dr. Padilla.

Intermediary sectors

Several other of the ten main categories have been placed in the intermediary area, including the 3D printing of car components (both for structural and non-structural applications) and food 3D printing. These have reached the prototyping and tooling stages and a definite market and interested consumers are visible, though the applications are by no means ready for production of something more than short series.

Especially automotive 3D printing is limited by efficiency, surface quality and the small build volumes. 3D printed interiors remain more expensive than conventionally produced alternatives, while post-processing continues to be problematic. The automotive sector goes very fast, and produces in numbers that are by far larger than the aeronautic sector. At this point of time, 3D printing is not ready for full-scale production. But new developments are taking place that can make us optimistic about the further inclusion of 3D printing in automotive, such as new prototypes like URBEE 2, Dr. Padilla explained. In addition a lack of knowledge and manufacturing conservatism prevent large-scale adoption as well. 3D printed food, meanwhile, still needs to be extensively studied to properly account for food safety, consumption habits and the effects 3D printing has on the food itself. Whats more, no specific food regulations exist yet. But again, the experts believe that collaboration is key to making these applications full-fledged production options, especially between research centers and OEMs for automotive applications.

Less mature and emerging areas

The same cannot be said for the remaining industrial 3D printing applications analyzed in the report. Especially textile 3D printing (including for the footwear industry), 3D printed home accessories, the production of spare machine parts and construction 3D printing are considered to be in their infancy. It is expected to take years before they reach a mature production phase that should also be associated to new business models, most likely to be platform-based.

This inclusion of spare part production for machines, which could benefit from aviation and automotive successes, is especially surprising. However, the researchers found that distribution networks are completely absent. All the value chain is currently at an early stage of development: no clear supply chain could be identified beyond specific (and/or isolated) cases, they noticed. Moreover, the availability of designs and warranties are problematic areas, while the replicability of many parts can be questioned. And even then, you have to wonder if 3D printed metal parts are currently up to par with existing spare parts. An industrial machine is very costly, and the printing of a spare part could lead to a loss of the associated guarantee; but potential remains as these machines can be used over a long time span and have an important leverage effect like in the packaging and automotive sectors. There is however still a long way to go. says Dr. Padilla.

The other applications suffer from equally problematic barriers. Construction 3D printing is faced with robotic limitations, material and regulatory challenges, and a very conservative and risk-avoiding culture that lacks awareness about 3D printing possibilities. The textile and footwear sectors are seen as lacking the necessary knowledge, including on materials and CAD software, while textile 3D printing is also unproven. While home decoration through 3D printing (including lighting) is a field that already has grassroots backing through the desktop user movement, that market is seen as too small  faced with too high prices and with technical and material production limitations.

So what needs to happen? Frankly, a lot. The spare part case is probably the most illustrative of the long road toward 3D printing success as it simply requires a lot of work, including extensive research collaborations across the supply chain that include subtractive and additive specialists. The same can be said for the textile applications, which also need extensive software and hardware development to cope with the unique demands of this sector. The housing sector could benefit from extensive cross-value chain collaboration, but financial strategies need to change as well. Furthermore even and especially in countries that are active in the field there seems to be a need for bridging people that understand robotics, software and the construction sector as to make development projects more successful, they add.

Finally, 3D printed home accessories are expected to continue to develop without or with little exterior interference, though Fab Labs could play a huge role in increasing the market. Could we regular users develop a market for ourselves? Time will tell.

Barriers

When lined up like this, it certainly seems as though industrial 3D printing is nowhere near ready for the spotlight in Europe, and in many ways thats true. A lot still simply needs to be done, including by the EU, lawmakers, researchers and companies, before the added value of 3D printing can be realized.

Specifically, the lack of knowledge (both about materials and about 3D printing processes) among industrial players is one of the most recurrent barriers. This translates into a lack of 3D printing skills and an inability to bring the technology to where it is needed. While that does nothing to promote 3D printing, the technology, its costs and post-processing solutions still need to improve considerably as well. [These problems] come together with difficulties to overcome traditional ways of manufacturing and cultural barriers in private organizations. Barriers to the uptake and deployment of AM [Additive Manufacturing or 3D printing, ed] along the selected value chains are also strongly linked to the structure of the market and composition of the chain (including underlying mechanisms such as the bargaining power or demand), the researchers conclude.

But it cannot be denied that materials (especially metal powders) are standing in the way of the 3D printing revolution as well. The three most critical high-end metals for Europe that were touched upon in the value chain analyses in this report are aluminum, titanium and magnesium, and those are hardly manufactured within Europe. In fact, much is imported from China, and most powders are in no way optimized for 3D printing purposes. This creates significant manufacturing, quality and finishing challenges. The development of specialized 3D printing powders could make industrial 3D printing far more viable, the researchers argue.

Opportunities and target areas

But the report is also quite optimistic about what the technology can do for the European economy and industries, and provides an extensive list of target areas and challenges that need to be tackled. Perhaps the biggest and overreaching conclusion is that the successful implementation of industrial 3D printing in production requires extensive collaboration  which also became apparent from the ten emerging area reviews. Collaborations can take place between specific actors acting in a same (regional) ecosystem as one can observe in the field of AM for injection molding; or across European value chain segments (whether across or along value chains), they write. Depending on their format, collaborations can involve 3D-printer manufacturers, services providers and OEMs or integrators. They can also involve RTOs players when a need to address particular technological issues is identified. Such collaborations can also do a lot to sync up Western and European regions, supply and demand, and research and businesses.

Human Resources is also a field that needs to adopt 3D printing. Skills and the availability of appropriate and multi-disciplinary curricula form a crucial issue to be addressed. This was identified as a key barrier to be overcome in all case studies. Training should be made available which would deal with 3D printing and its particular aspects (such as CAD, materials, management, etc.), the report advises. That could be coordinated at an EU level, or at a member state level. At the same time, much more awareness on all value chain levels needs to be generated.

But a lot can be done at a technology level as well. R&D is still in its infancy and a competitive market position will require the combination of subtractive and additive production methods, the writers argue. This also means developing new material solutions, as became apparent above. More importantly, 3D printing manufacturing requires extensive standardization and certification efforts  something in which the EU can play an important legislative role as well. This also requires another look at Intellectual Property Rights standards.

On the business side of the equation, new business models will need to be developed that properly accommodate 3D printing  with Local Motors being touted as an excellent example. This also means supporting new cross-regional pilot programs and technology demonstration activities that bring the 3D printing closer to the actual market. This would allow a better connection between supply and demand as well as to flow knowledge and network towards Eastern European regions, they add.

Finally, the success of industrial 3D printing hinges on generating successful demand as well. Whether emanating from users or consumers, demand is key to most AM value chains under the scope. There is an opportunity to stimulate demand in an appropriate way across the value chains under the scope, they say. On a B-2-B field, co-investment programs could do a lot to overcome price concerns, while even private user platforms can be subsidized to make 3D printing more appealing. Setting up a common repository and providing streamlined information will do wonders too.

Industrial 3D printing, in short, is nowhere near ready to take over entire industries in the EU. But the positive signs are certainly there, and an encouraging EU climate will certainly help to transform proven lab technologies into real commercial production opportunities. The full report can be found here.

The report has been compiled by IDEA Consult in consortium with VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology and CECIMO and was prepared for the European Commission.

Posted in 3D Printing Technology

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I.AM.Magic wrote at 9/29/2016 9:08:06 AM:But, but the media says you just "press a button" and you have your parts! Have I been lied to :(




Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza. ~Dave Barry





DOSA Hosts a Cocktail Class

DOSA's cocktail class series, The Art of the Spice-Route Cocktail, continues this Saturday with a hands-on workshop at the South Indian eatery's Fillmore Street location. Over the course of 90 minutes, students will learn from DOSA lead bar manager Chris Lukens how to make two of the restaurant's signature spice route cocktails: the Shere Khan and a Mezcal Manhattan. Lukens will be joined by Reza Esmaili of Casa Noble tequila and Jackie Patterson-Brenner of Black Bar Project, a US importer of mezcal and other spirits. The class begins at 11:30 am and includes instruction and practice, a history lesson on tequila, cocktail and tequila tastings, and South Indian snacks. Tickets are available online for $65 per person. // 1700 Fillmore (NoPa), dosasf.com





Happy Hour at Mezcalito

The former Reverb Kitchen & Bar has been converted into a mezcal mecca, and happy hour is the perfect time to pay your respects. Every Tuesday through Saturday from 5pm to 6pm, the lively cocktail bar serves a handful of cocktails and wines by the glass for $7, shot and beer combos for $8, and a couple of mezcal and tequila specialty cocktails for $8 and $9. Be sure to order a side or two of Oaxacan snacks, such as the confit pork belly taco or the octopus tostada. // 2323 Polk St. (Russian Hill), mezcalitosf.com





Roka Akor Celebrates National Sake Day

October 1 is National Sake Day, and Roka Akor is celebrating by offering 40 percent off sake bottles, all day long. If you find you want to know more about the fermented rice beverage than you can read on the label, schedule a cocktail class for you and your crew. For $60 per person, guests will taste 6 to 8 sakes from Roka Akor's extensive list, learn to home in on personal preferences, and build confidence in ordering sake. Classes can be scheduled any day of the week for 9 or more people, with at least 48 hours notice. To schedule a sake tasting experience, contact Jessica Kostecky at jkostecky@rokaakor.com or (415) 362-8887. // 801 Montgomery St. (Financial District), rokaakor.com/san-francisco





Toast Willie Wonka with a Mr. Charlie Chocolate Stout

If the mere thought of Gene Wilder as Willie Wonka brings a smile to your lips, a taste of Mr. Charlie Chocolate Stout will bring ecstasy to your entire being. The collaborative chocolate stout conceived by Magnolia Brewing's Dave McLean and Alpine Beer Company's Patrick McIlhenney is now available at both Magnolia's Dogpatch and Haight Street locations for $8 per 20-ounce glass. The cocoa-infused brew features a special combination of Michael Recchiuti's signature chocolate syrup and burnt caramel syrup, alongside roasted Madagascar cacao beans. // 1398 Haight St. (Haight) and 665 22nd St. (Dogpatch), magnoliabrewing.com





Try Four New Brews at Thirsty Bear
Your guide to the tastiest foodie happenings going down this week. Bon appetit!





The Morris Opens



Seasoned sommelier Paul Einbund (Coi, Frances) and chef Gavin Schmidt (Fifth Floor, Coi) are opening The Morris next Monday, October 3rd, in the old Slow Club location. The restaurant will focus on California produce with a commitment to whole animal cooking; menu highlights include fried pork cracklins with honey and Aleppo, rout crudo with plum and radishes, and smoked Muscovy duck with pomme rosti. Yum. // Open daily, 2501 Mariposa St. (Mission), themorris-sf.com





Kouig Amann at Le Marais Bakery.

Le Marais' to Open a Third Location in the Castro

The sweet empire is expanding with a third location in the former Samovar Tea Lounge space in the Castro set to open later this month. Fans of the French bakery can expect the traditional cafe fare such as croque monsieur and madams, boudin blanc, shakshouka, salads, sandwiches and more as well as a brunch menu and the full bakery line. New to the Castro location, though, is ice cream and more dinner-oriented dishes. In the meantime, you can satisfy your sweet tooth with the new fall line of pastries (we love the goat cheese + fig tart!) at the bakery's Marina and Ghirardelli Square locations. // 498 Sanchez St. (Castro), lemaraisbakery.com







Automat Pop-up at Woods Island Club



On Saturday, Woods Island Club welcomes chef Matt Kirk (former sous chef at Lazy Bear) and the Automat pop-up to Treasure Island for an Octoberfest-inspired menu. Think bagel-spiced ribs, fried Brussels "kraut" and grilled potato salad with bread and butter pickle dressing. // Saturday, Oct. 1, 12:30pm-6pm, 422 Clipper Cove Way (Treasure Island), theautomatrestaurant.com





EatGordaEat Puerto Rican Pop-up

First generation Puerto Rican and classically trained pastry chef Illyanna Maisonet is hosting a four-course pop-up every Sunday in October. The menu will include codfish fritters, empanadas with ground meat and olives, braised pork in tomato sauce, and more. // Sundays in October, 5pm-9pm, 4826 Mission St. (Mission), Get tickets here.









SQIRL X CAMINO



Chef Jessica Koslow of SQIRL in Los Angeles will be cooking dinner at Camino in Oakland in celebration of her upcoming book Everything I Want To Eat: Sqirl and The New California Cooking. Koslow has successfully made grain bowls a thing at her Silverlake hotspot, and now you can nosh on her Instagrammable dishes without leaving the Bay Area. She'll be signing books, followed by a family-style dinner cooked in the Camino fireplace. // $100, Thursday Oct. 6, 6pm-10pm, 3917 Grand Ave (Oakland), Get tickets here.
This year's Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF) promises plenty of celeb sightings as well as a strong lineup of films that will resonate with Bay Area residents.







The 39th annual MVFF (October 6-16) brings a lineup of seriously must-see films and major Hollywood stars: Nicole Kidman will receive a special tribute for her work in Garth Davis' Lionthe story of a five-year-old Indian boy who gets lost on the streets of Calcutta before being adopted by an Australian couplewhileEwan McGregor (American Pastoral), Gael Garcia Bernal (Neruda), and Aaron Eckhart(Bleed For This) will star both on the big screen and on the red carpet. The much-anticipated La La Land, starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, and Arrival, starring Amy Adams, will open the festival.





But MVFF programmers are also keeping things close to home, as this year's festival has an awesome lineup of movies that have an association to the Bay Area. Nearly a dozen films on the docket are relevant to SF in some way, whether they are created by local talent, telling the stories of local people, or actually shot in locations you might recognize, from the Richmond to Bernal Heights.





Here's a list of MVFF's must-see films for the Bay Area proud:

Borrowed Time (Courtesy of MVFF)

BORROWED TIME



Ever seen an animated Western short? Well, you should! Borrowed Time, from Dolores Heights and Alameda-based directors Andrew Coats and Lou Hamou-Lhadj, is the tale of a time-tested sheriff who returns to the scene of a terrible accident from his past, haunted by its memory after a lifetime spent trying to forget. Coats and Hamou-Lhadj both studied film at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, and have since each been involved in the animation of a number of Pixar hits, such as Inside Out, WALL-E, and Toy Story 3.Borrowed Time co-writer Mark C. Harris is also a local; he earned his degree at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and has taught classes at Cal Arts, Academy of Art University, and The Animation Collaborative in Emeryville. // Showings: Rafael 3, Oct. 7, 5pm, Rafael 3, Oct. 14, 9pm; Running time: 7 min; Buy tickets.





SOAR



This animated short channels The Little Prince in the story of a little girl who designs a plane and tries to make it fly when she meets a tiny pilot who falls from the sky. Director Alyce Tzue created SOAR as her thesis at the Academy of Art University, and went on to win Gold at the Student Academy Awards. This year, Tzue presented at the Academy Awards and was featured in Variety Magazine's Top 10 Animators To Watch. She currently travels the world directing music videos and has plans to direct a feature-length animated film. // Showings: Sequoia 1, Oct. 8, 11am, Rafael 1, Oct. 10 10:15am, Lark Theatre, Oct. 15, 2pm; Running time: 6 min; Buy tickets.





LOVE TWICE

In Love Twice, Luz and Ken are star-crossed lovers whose desire overtakes screenwriter Sal's script and shapes a movie of their own design. Risking his sanity to save the screenplay, Sal struggles to regain control of his characters and satisfy the demands of his producer, Lester. Love Twice editor Daniel Kremer lives in Bernal Heights. Kremer is well known for directing/editing A Trip to Swadades (2008), The Idiotmaker's Gravity Tour (2011), Raise Your Kids on Seltzer (2016), Ezer Kenegdo (2016), and A Collection of Chemicals (2009), along with many other credits. // Showing: Rafael 2, Oct. 6, 7:15pm; Running time: 115 min; Buy tickets.





THE SECRET STORY: HOW MEDICAL CANNABIS WAS RE-LEGALIZED IN THE U.S.



San Francisco cannabis activists and enthusiasts will want to catch this documentary short that chronicles the critical role the city has played in legalizing medical cannabis. In early 2015, young filmmaker Brian Applegarth got involved in the cannabis world, crossing paths with famed and respected human rights and cannabis activist Dennis Peron. Applegarth spent time with Peron "absorbing stories of activism that are layered with passion, battles for human rights and political strategy," that informed his creation of The Secret Story. // Showings: Sweetwater Music Hall, Oct. 8, 1:30pm, Rafael, Oct. 13, 9pm; Running time: 16 min; Buy tickets.





Circus Kid (Courtesy of MVFF)

CIRCUS KID

Director/producer Lorenzo Pisoni's documentary offers an intimate portrait of SF's famed Pickle Family Circus and of its driven yet temperamental founder (and Pisoni's father), Larry Pisoni. Lorenzo Pisoni grew up in Potrero Hill in The Pickle Family Circus, which was a local institution from the mid-1970s through the mid-1990s. The Pickles played a pivotal role in the foundation of the New American Circus Movement and paved the way for Cirque Du Soleil and many other successful companies. The film provides an inside look at the complexities and dynamics of growing up in a circus family, particularly the unconventional father/son relationship of Larry and Lorenzo. // Showings: Lark Theatre, Oct. 9, 8pm, Century Larkspur, Oct. 10, 5:45pm, Rafael 1, Oct. 11, 10am; Running time: 68 min; Buy tickets.





THE NINE

Katy Grannan's documentary explores the ravaged lives of Modesto's South Ninth Street, where the denizens struggle with tragedies and addictions, and dead bodies sometimes surface in the Tuolumne River. Grannan zeroes in on the clinging and childlike Kiki, who lives in a motel and escapes through her imagination, her only glimpse at an alternate life. Grannan is best known her photography work, and this is her first feature film. Film producer Mark Smolowitz also lives in Hayes Valley. // Showing: Sequoia 2, Oct. 11, 9pm, Lark Theatre, Oct. 12, 2:30pm; Running time: 94 min; Buy tickets.





CALIFORNIA TYPEWRITER

Typewriter aficionados finally have a documentary to write home about. California Typewriter celebrates the creative virtues and tactile joys of the typewriter by weaving together three storiesBerkeley repair business, a Canadian collector, and a Bay Area artistalong with interviews with famous connoisseurs including Tom Hanks, Sam Shepard, and David McCullough. Subject Silvi Alcivar, a poet/artist and a large proponent of the typewriter, is based in the Mission District. Alcivar has written and sold thousands of poems and she has performed her work on stage and radio throughout the Bay Area, where she's been living since 2007. // Showings: Sequoia 2, Oct. 7, 3pm, Rafael 2, Oct. 10, 8pm; Running time: 103 min; Buy tickets.





SHE STARTED IT

Director and Mission resident Nora Poggi's documentary profiles five young female entrepreneurs who are striving to make their marks in the tech industry. The film examines the challenges they face in the ruthless world of start-ups, where females account for less than 10 percent of all company founders. The women featured in this film come from the US, France, and Vietnam. Poggi is a French journalist/filmmaker, making her film directing debut with She Started It. She has interviewed key players in Silicon Valley for the past four years for publications including Examiner.com & Usine Nouvelle. // Showings: Sequoia 1 Oct. 8, 1:30pm, Rafael 2, Oct. 9, 12pm, Rafael 1, Oct. 12, 10am; Running time: 84 min; Buy tickets.





SPLOTCH

Noe Valleybased director, animator, and visual artist Dan McHale explores the many morphing forms of coffee in this animated short, which was also selected for the 2016 San Francisco International Film Festival. // Showings: Rafael 3, Oct. 7, 5pm, Rafael 3, Oct. 14, 9pm; Running time: 3 min; Buy tickets.





ODDBALL

Directed by Joshua Moore of Potrero Hill, Oddball is a creative profile of Stephen Parr, the avant-garde producer and entrepreneur behind SF's Oddball Films. Oddball is a source for archival and contemporary imagery, providing footage for projects across the globe, from Silicon Valley to Paris and from television to feature films. Parr, who has a long history of "presenting and archiving the unusual," is known for promoting outrageous local theater, videotaping and producing live performances of 70s musicians, and screening his signature pop culture montages in venues across the US and Europe in the 80s. Parr has an "uncanny ability to translate artistic concepts into specific visual images" and brings "a unique perspective to the realm of stock footage." Director Joshua Moore is a founding member of Full Metal Cinema, an emerging pop up film series, and curates film and new media for the Jewish Film Institute. // Showings: Rafael 3, Oct. 9, 9:15pm, Sequoia 1, Oct. 10, 5pm; Running time: 5 min; Buy tickets.





BANG! THE BERT BERNS STORY

Listen up, music lovers. This documentary, edited and co-directed by Richmond-based Bob Sarles, takes viewers for a lyrical ride through the 1960s in the story of Bert Berns, the prolific songwriter and staff producer at Atlantic Records in the 1960s behind such hits as "Twist & Shout," "Piece of My Heart," and "Brown-Eyed Girl." The movie includes interviews with Paul McCartney, Keith Richards, Solomon Burke, Van Morrison, and more. The California premiere will be accompanied by a live performance by musicians Betty Harris, Matt Jaffe, and Shana Morrison as part of MVFF Music at Sweetwater Music Hall. Sarles has been a San Francisco-based filmmaker since 1980. // Showings: Sequoia 2, Oct. 11, 6:15pm, Century Larkspur, Oct. 13, 8:45pm; Running time: 95 min; Buy tickets.





// The Mill Valley Film Festival runs Oct. 6-16 with screenings at various venues in Marin. General admission tickets are $15; tickets for 5@5 short films are $9. For more information, visit mvff.com.
Business roundup: Dunn Bros. to open in November, E Glass's big pitch

In business news, an Aberdeen entrepreneur is making a nationwide pitch, car wash coverts to Tunnel of Terror, Dunn Brothers to open in November.
Grand View Research, Inc.  Market Research And Consulting.

According to the report published by Grand View Research, global Autonomous Cars/Driverless Cars Market demand is expected to reach 138,089 units by 2024, growing acceptance of semi-autonomous technologies, such as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), automatic parking, and forward collision avoidance, is anticipated to pave the way for the adoption of driverless automobiles over the next seven years.

The global autonomous cars market is expected to reach 138,089 units by 2024, according to a new study by Grand View Research, Inc. The growing acceptance of semi-autonomous technologies, such as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), automatic parking, and forward collision avoidance, is anticipated to pave the way for the adoption of driverless automobiles over the next seven years. An upsurge in the demand for increased comfort and convenience, particularly in countries with an aging population, is expected to propel the driverless vehicles demand over the forecast period.

Features offered by the driverless cars primarily include a considerable decline in the frequency of road accidents caused due to human errors and easy commute. The self-driving technology exhibits a huge potential, owing to its capability to improve on-road safety, lower the energy consumption, and reduce congestion. Autonomous cars offer enhanced safety and efficiency over the conventional automobiles. Furthermore, driverless cars are anticipated to substantially impact the energy usage and reduce pollution. Autonomous vehicles can improve the fuel economy by accelerating & decelerating more effortlessly as compared to human drivers.

On the other hand, the high price of driverless vehicles may act as a hindrance for the market growth. The emotional implication of giving over personal safety and accountability to a machine may result in volatile public responses toward errors. The liability in case of accidents poses a key challenge for the government to address in advance to the adoption of autonomous cars. In addition to this, the penetration of driverless vehicles in taxis and other private point-to-point traveling industries is expected to increase the unemployment rate of drivers. Thus, the driverless vehicles are anticipated to witness mixed views. However, the increasing government support across the developed countries is expected to encourage the adoption of autonomous cars during the forecast period.

Full research report on autonomous cars/driverless cars market analysis:

http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/driverless-cars-market

Further key findings from the study suggest:

North America is anticipated to dominate the market with over 40% of the volume share in 2017.The region is further anticipated to witness a considerable growth over the next seven years. This growth is primarily attributed to the growing acceptance of the self-driving cars on the public roads of the U.S. Alphabet Inc. is the first company to demonstrate the prototype in the U.S. and has been testing its automobiles in different weather conditions since 2009. Furthermore, the growing government support in amending the current policy to accommodate the driverless feature in automobiles is expected to clear gateway for its adoption.

Asia Pacific is expected to witness a sluggish growth as compared to North America and Europe. However, it is anticipated to grow substantially in the later phase of the forecast period due to the growing adoption of technologically advanced cars in China. In addition, the Japanese government has specifically laid down a plan for the successful self-driving vehicle deployment and is expected to catapult the product demand over the forecast period.

For the initial adoption, the manufacturers are anticipated to target countries which have a lower population, including Singapore, the Netherlands, and Sweden, to better analyze the response toward the acceptance of the technology before deploying it in countries with a larger potential. This is ascribed to be a key factor for the considerable growth in the aforementioned countries. Furthermore, the Singaporean government has also proposed to build separate roads for driverless automobiles to accelerate the adoption.

Europe is a key region for the deployment of self-driving vehicles, owing to the high consumer preference for technologically advanced products. This region is estimated to hold more than 35% of the volume share in 2017. This is attributed to the presence of players such as Volvo, Volkswagen, PSA Peugeot Citroen, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in Germany and the UK. The European countries also focus on reducing pollution.

The prominent industry participants include Apple Inc., Baidu Inc., Alphabet Inc., Tesla Motors, Inc., The Volvo Group, and Nissan Motor Company Ltd. The system developers focus on collaborating with the Body in White (BIW) providers to reduce the additional cost.

View more reports of this category by Grand View Research at: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry/automotive-and-transportation

Grand View Research has segmented the global autonomous cars/driverless cars market on the basis of region:

Autonomous Cars Regional Outlook (Units; 2017  2024)

North America U.S. Canada

Europe Germany UK France Netherlands Sweden

Asia PacificLatin America China Japan Australia Singapore



Middle East & Africa

Access press release of this research report by Grand View Research: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-driverless-cars-market

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.

For More Information: www.grandviewresearch.com

Media Contact

Company Name: Grand View Research, Inc.

Contact Person: Sherry James, Corporate Sales Specialist  U.S.A.

Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com

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Address:28 2nd Street, Suite 3036

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Website: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/driverless-cars-market
According to the report, global demand for food safety testing market was valued at USD 4.8 billion in 2015, is expected to reach USD 8.04 billion in 2021 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% between 2016 and 2021.

Zion Market Research has published a new report titled Food safety testing Market (traditional and rapid) by Technology, (pathogens, toxins, GMOs, pesticides and others) by contaminant, (meat & poultry, dairy, process food, fruit & vegetables and others) by Application  Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast, 2015  2021. According to the report, global demand for food safety testing market was valued at USD 4.8 billion in 2015, is expected to reach USD 8.04 billion in 2021 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% between 2016 and 2021.

A procedure of food product authentication in order to ensure safety and decrease threat of contamination causing food borne illness is food safety testing. Food safety testing is an essential process for maintaining food quality and safety. Governments around the world have hugely extended their emphasis on food safety. The development of the worldwide food industry is dependent on food testing mechanism; improper food testing mechanism can increase the risk of food borne diseases.

Get a copy of Sample Report @ https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/food-safety-testing-market

The worldwide food safety testing market is gaining importance owing to the occurrence of food borne diseases globally. The major driving factor of the global food safety testing market is the increase in microbial contamination of food. Furthermore, growing global food opportunities, rising food mislabeling cases, strict government rules and regulation on food testing mechanism can fuel the food safety testing market. Lack of awareness about food safety in various developed as well as developing countries and inadequate government regulations is likely to hinder the growth of this market.

Food safety testing market is segmented based on technology, contaminant, application, and by region. On the basis of the technology, market is classified into traditional and rapid technology. Rapid technologies are dominating the food safety testing market because traditional techniques are labor demanding and time-consuming. Rapid technologies accounted for the significant share in food testing market. Contaminant segments of food testing market are pathogens, toxins, GMOs, pesticides and others. Among all contaminant, segment pathogens are led to increasing in food borne illness than another contaminant. Meat & poultry, dairy, process food, fruit & vegetables and others are application segment of food safety testing market. Meat & poultry segment accounted for the largest share in the market owing to the fact that highest number of sicknesses have been due to meat & poultry products. The growing utilization of processed food in both developing and developed countries is generating more opportunity for processed food testing market.

Inquire more about this report @ https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/inquiry/food-safety-testing-market

Geographically, the market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa, further bifurcation of the region on the country level, which includes U.S., Germany, UK, France, China, Japan and India. North America was leading segment of food safety testing market followed by Europe. In North America Canada is the largest revenue contributor for global food safety testing market due to extremely stringent regulations on food testing. Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness significant growth in upcoming years. The Middle East and Africa are emerging market for food safety testing market due to awareness in consumers and outbreaks of food poisoning in this region.

Browse detail report with in-depth TOC @ https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/food-safety-testing-market

Some of the key players in the global food safety products market and food safety testing market are Biocontrol Systems Incorporated, 3M Company, Roka Bioscience, Bio-Rad Laboratories Incorporated, Agilent Technologies Incorporated, Douglas Scientific, IDDEX Laboratories INC, and Ecolab Incorporated.

The report segments the global food safety testing market as:

Food Safety Testing Market: Technology Segment Analysis

Traditional

Rapid

Food Safety Testing Market: Contaminate Segment Analysis

Pathogens

Toxins

GMOs

Pesticides

Others

Food Safety Testing Market: Application Segment Analysis

Meat & poultry

Dairy

Process food

Fruit & vegetables

Others

Food Safety Testing Market: Regional Segment Analysis

North America U.S.

Europe UK France Germany

Asia Pacific China Japan India

Latin America Brazil

The Middle East & Africa

Purchase a direct copy of report with TOC @ https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/buynow/su/baby-food-market

About Us

Zion Market Research is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations. Zion Market Research is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air. We have market research reports from number of leading industry and update our collection daily to provide our clients with the instant online access to our database. With access to this database, our clients will be able to benefit from expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends.

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Website: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/food-safety-testing-market


Interview with Richard Seville

Brisbane, Sep 28, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Orocobre Limited ( ASX:ORE ) ( TSE:ORL ) ( OROCF:OTCMKTS ) ("Orocobre" or "the Company") is pleased to provide shareholders with an update on the Company and its projects, future direction and goals, the lithium market and current and future pricing.



To view the video online please copy and paste the URL below into your web browser:

http://www.abnnewswire.net/lnk/61CO6204



Transcript for the update with Orocobre MD and CEO, Richard Seville



Orocobre Limited MD and CEO, Richard Seville, discusses the company's latest results and provides an update on its Olaroz lithium facility in Argentina.



Orocobre is an ASX and TSX listed company. We've just entered the ASX 200 index, which is a very proud moment for us. Since we floated in December 2007, we've been absolutely focused on exploring and developing the Olaroz lithium project in Northern Argentina. We started production early last year and now we're coming to the end of our ramp up process.



The highlight is that we achieved profitability, so now we've established ourselves as a producer. The EBITDAX for the Olaroz project was $7.8 million in the last two months of the year, those two months since we established commercial production. We did 6,900 tonnes of production and our ramp up continues, and we're in a good position to start FY17. The company's very proud of achieving a number of things. We've taken this project from exploration, through development and into production. And into profitability now, that's taken a lot of effort, a big team approach. Financing a challenge, working in Argentina a challenge, 4,000 metres a challenge. Now we're established as a profitable low cost producer and that's a great opportunity for the future.



The stage II expansion is under scoping study process at the moment. It would be very simple just to look at doubling capacity, go from 17,500 tonnes design capacity to 35,000 tonnes. But there's the opportunity there to do things a little bit different. The lithium hydroxide market is a market that's growing strongly. So as part of the scoping studies, we're contemplating whether we should be including that in our product mix, or whether we should just be sticking with lithium carbonate. The end result of that study, or the end of that process is the end of September and then we can make a decision, how we should advance into the feasibility studies. And all being well, we could be looking at commissioning an expanded project at the backend of 2018, with meaningful production in 2019.



The priority from an operational point of view is to optimise our production processes. So we have now a plant that we can operate and produce at a low cost. So it's all about developing optimum operating practises, improved recovery, reduced operating costs and achieving design throughput. There is a project that we have to achieve to get the design throughput in the purification circuit, that's adding a cyclone bank. That should be done in November and that allows us full capacity through the thickener. But that's the only mechanical thing that needs to be done; otherwise it's all about developing a well-versed practise at operating levels.



We've had a strong lithium price over the last year, year and a half. It's grown from around long-term average of about $5,000/$5,500 a tonne, currently more than double that. And we're seeing peak pricing in China on the so-called spot market, of closer to $20,000 a tonne, back in the first half of this year. That strong price is driven by strong demand. And if we look back over recent years, we're seeing a strong demand for batteries and consumer electronics, computers, mobile phones, iPads and then into portable power tools, and the like. More recently, we're seeing strong demand through the EV sector and that's going to drive demand going forward, as well as the use of batteries in renewables and power grid storage.



Now that's one side of the equation. The second side of the equation is the supply side and the supply side has been muted. So in the past, people expecting SQM ( NYSE:SQM ) and Rockwood Holdings Inc. ( NYSE:ROC ), now Albemarle Corporation ( NYSE:ALB ) to provide the lithium for the future. Their supply response has been muted, it's created a squeeze in supply and hence we've seen the high prices. But we see that supply squeeze continuing. The ramp up from other projects, the project pipeline, it always takes longer. So we see an undersupply situation in coming years and firm pricing in years to come.



In a year's time, I expect Orocobre to be in a very strong position. We have a low cost business, we're producing increasing amounts of product and we'll have strong cash flows through this year. So our balance sheet will improve. There's about $100 million worth of shareholders funds that have been put in, in terms of short-term funding to the subsidiary company. That money will all flow back to our Orocobre in the next two years. And at the backend of next year, we should be in a position whereby we'll be building our expanded projects, with the aim of having production kicking off at the backend of 2018, and ramping up into 2019. So in the past years, we've had our trials and tribulations, we're in a strong position now and we'll have a good year I'm sure.



To view the video, please visit:

http://www.abnnewswire.net/lnk/61CO6204





About Orocobre Limited





Orocobre Limited is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange ( ASX:ORE) ( TSE:ORL) (OTCMKTS:OROCF), and is building a substantial Argentine based industrial chemicals company through its portfolio of lithium, potash and boron assets. In partnership with Toyota Tsusho Corporation (TTC) and JEMSE, Orocobre has built and is now operating the world's first commercial, brine-based lithium operation constructed in approximately 20 years.

In 2018 Orocobre announced the Stage 2 Expansion of its flagship Olaroz Lithium Facility in Argentina. The Stage 2 Expansion will add 25,000 tpa of lithium carbonate production capacity, taking full production and capacity to 42,500 tpa of lithium carbonate for sale to industrial, technical and battery markets, positioning Orocobre as one of the world's largest and lowest cost lithium chemicals producers.

Additionally, Orocobre and Toyota Tsusho Corporation have commenced construction of the 10,000 tpa lithium hydroxide plant in Naraha, Japan. The construction of the Naraha Lithium Hydroxide Plant will further cement Orocobre's position as a global lithium chemicals producer operating at the bottom quartile of the lithium cost curve. This new hydroxide plant will be the first of its kind in Japan and will provide Orocobre product diversification suitable for different battery technologies and the potential for significant margin growth on our primary lithium carbonate being converted to battery grade lithium hydroxide.
Companies are beginning to revamp their financial reports to incorporate sustainability disclosures in response to demand from investors.

Elisse Walter, a former chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission and a current director on the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, spoke Monday at a Financial Executives International and Ernst & Young conference on financial reporting at Pace University in New York about SASBs standards.

What SASB is doing is trying to establish possible metrics for each one of these standards as you go from industry to industry, sector to sector, and trying to use metrics that are already out there, to have it be cost effective and not have to reinvent the wheel, she said. We are at a critical juncture where we will be moving from the provisional to the final standards and we really want to hear from the community what their reaction is to the standards so that we can effectively move into the next phase.

SASB has found, as the SEC has, that some of the most valuable input comes during working group meetings rather than the public comment period.

What has always been my experience at the SEC, and I was a rule writer for a long time, is that the public comment process can be extraordinarily helpful but often isnt, she said. The people who are commenting have at their disposal the information that you need to make really informed decisions and certainly to inform a cost/benefit analysis. But its not necessarily in their self-interest to give you that information, and frequently they dont when its not in their self-interest. It makes things much more difficult for the rule writer. SASB found, much to its great chagrin, that the public comment process was somewhat helpful but not nearly as helpful as what happened in the working groups where there actually was a dialogue back and forth of people giving their views.

Walter acknowledged that investors are clamoring for more sustainability information. They are very dissatisfied with the quality of the information, and they are doing things like issuing an increasing number of shareholder proposals, which I dont think is the most cost-effective way to do this, she said.

Walter noted that SASB is now in the process of forming an Investor Advisory Committee.

Former Financial Accounting Standards Board chair Leslie Seidman, who is now executive director of the Center for Excellence in Financial Reporting at Pace Universitys Lubin School of Business, moderated a panel that included Walter, along with FASB vice chair James Kroeker and SEC director of corporation finance Keith Higgins. She asked Kroeker about some of FASBs recent attempts to change the standards for a new definition of materiality.

It turned out to be a lot more controversial than I ever thought it was going to be, Seidman said.

Kroeker acknowledged that the proposals had encountered some unexpected resistance after FASB tried to align the concept of materiality with Supreme Court interpretations of the definition of materiality under the securities laws. We are, because of the reaction, taking a step back and thinking about what are we missing here, he said. The objective wasnt to get rid of important material things to an investor. I guess the concern would be if used irresponsibly it could foster that notion, but I think we have protections in the system through auditing, through boards of directors, through enforcement, to provide that counterbalance.

Kroeker said FASB plans to host a roundtable later this year to bring together investors, preparers, auditors and others interested in the matter to have a dialogue and make sure the system works.

Higgins discussed the SECs recent guidance in May warning about the use of non-GAAP measures. We had been concerned that non-GAAP measures appeared to be becoming less and less supplemental to an understanding of a companys financial position and results of operations and instead supplanting GAAP, he said. We have a lot of investment in GAAP. We would have had to take a write-down on that. Non-GAAP measures increasingly became the headline, the number to go to, as opposed to whats in the adjustments, what isnt GAAP doing, and what does that mean about your business. Instead people were focused on the numbers. You saw press reports with no mention of GAAP or non-GAAP and the comparability across them. Were very focused on it and youll be seeing that in comment letters. Were trying to restore the balance and have non-GAAP be supplemental analytical information as opposed to just the shiny object that needs to be attained.

Seidman encouraged the audience members to take a look at the SEC guidance. Its very practical, with lots of Q&As and specific examples of whats acceptable and whats not acceptable, she said. I thought it was very helpful guidance.

Later in the conference, Seidman pointed to new research from the Financial Executives Research Foundation and EY on Disclosure Effectiveness in Action: Companies Make Great Strides, a report that provides before and after examples of changes that companies are making to improve their disclosure effectiveness.

One company making such a change is General Electric. GE senior vice president and CFO Jeffrey Bornstein gave a keynote speech describing how he revamped the companys annual report to make it more dynamic and understandable for investors, including hiring English majors to go through the footnotes and help rewrite them. He wanted to make the report more forward-looking and easier to grasp by retail investors. That effort started in 2008 with a rewrite of the proxy statement.

We made a lot of progress on the proxy, trying to make it more user-friendly and readable and to put the most relevant information earlier in the document, allowing people to navigate through those things that investors told us were the most important, said Bornstein. But when I took the job of CFO and I went through the first cycle of putting together our annual report 10-K, it took me two months to get myself prepared to issue the 10-K.

He gathered the teams together at GE and worked on making the 10-K more forward looking and less of a pure compliance document, with more graphs, while also keeping the SEC and FASB in the loop about what the company was doing. There was some pushback internally about revamping the report, but GE succeeded in overhauling it, though Bornstein would still like to see more improvements and less redundancy in the Management Discussion and Analysis part of the report.

The revamped 10-K has been popular with investors. Before the changes, in 2014 the 10-K was downloaded less than 100 times. But in 2015 the revamped 10-K had 2,700 downloads and 8,700 this year.

GE also issued an integrated report uniting both the financial report and its corporate sustainability report, and it had 15,000 to 16,000 downloads. Bornstein anticipates more companies will be following GEs lead and issuing integrated reports in the U.S.

Based on the various inquiries weve gotten over the course of this year, I think you can see a lot more companies doing some form of an integrated report, he said in answer to a question from Accounting Today. We received so many calls from so many companies, how we organized around it, why we included what we did, how did we think about it, how did we inform the SEC what we were doing, what input did we get from other regulatory agencies or accounting bodies, what role did the external auditors play, in my case KPMG. My guess is you will see more of it, hopefully. If theres real value, investors will start asking for it. If the investors see value in it, theyll start pushing the other companies that theyre invested in for something similar.

Seidman presented Bornstein and his colleagues at GE with a special award for Pacesetter in Financial Reporting for 2016.

In another panel session, Timothy Flynn, the former chairman and CEO of KPMG and currently chairman of the audit committee at Walmart, discussed how the retail giant is getting ready for FASBs new lease accounting standards. From the audit committee perspective, we had a review of the new rules around that and were in the process of developing a comprehensive work plan, he said. We have some 9,000 locations around the world. Theres a lot of real estate leases involved in those. It will be a very extensive process for a real estate intensive organization.
Grant Thornton LLP achieved record revenues of $1.65 billion in the fiscal year ending July 31, 2016, up 11.4 percent from fiscal year 2015, driven most by growth in the Chicago-based firms advisory practice.

Advisory revenues were up 17.9 percent, followed by tax, which grew 9.4 percent, and then audit services, up 6.3 percent.

In FY 2016, we made great progress in delivering excellence for our clients, producing strong financial results and investing for sustainable, long-term success, said Grant Thornton CEO Mike McGuire in a statement Tuesday. We made a number of key hires and promotions, including naming Jim Brady as our chief operating officer. And we retained more of our talented professionals than ever beforewith a focus on building a healthy, collaborative, high-performance culture. Most importantly, we continued to increase our investments in quality, the foundation of all we do.

Among the factors driving revenues this year in the firms advisory practice was the acquisition in April of the business consulting firm Arryve (see Grant Thornton Acquires Arryve).

The firm also announced Tuesday that it is expanding its offices in Omaha.
The Kentucky Court of Appeals has affirmed in part a decision by the Kentucky Circuit Court finding Grant Thornton liable for fraudulent misrepresentation in its selling of a tax shelter.

The Court of Appeals upheld the trial courts award of nearly $20 million in compensatory damages, but reduced punitive damages from $80 million to $20 million in the case of Grant Thornton, LLP v. Yung.

The shelter, a variant of the son-of-BOSS shelter, was a product developed by Grant Thornton called the Leveraged Distribution 301, or Lev301, involving a foreign corporation borrowing money to purchase Treasury Notes, encumbered for their full amount to secure the debt incurred by the foreign corporation to purchase the notes.

The fully encumbered notes would then be transferred to corporate shareholders in the U.S. Since the notes were fully encumbered, they had no taxable value and would not be reported as income. When the foreign corporations repaid the loans, the loan repayment would not result in reportable income to the shareholders because they were not co-obligors on the loans.

The court said that Grant Thornton, by encouraging the Yungs to proceed with the Lev301 transactions even after the IRS issued notices rejecting similar transactions, committed fraudulent misrepresentation. Punitive damages were appropriate, according to the court, because Grant Thorntons fraudulent conduct was carried out over an extended period of time and toward multiple customers. However, the amount of the punitive damages, in a 4:1 ratio of punitive to compensatory damages, exceeded the bounds of constitutional due process. Therefore, it remanded for a new judgment of punitive damages equal to the amount of compensatory damages.
To create cognizance and highlight the importance of water for both urban and rural India, Aquaguard & Network18 recently launched a national awareness campaign  Jal Daan. The campaign is envisioned to sensitize viewers towards the importance of clean drinking water and the challenges the nation is facing on account of its scarcity.

The first episode of the Jal Daan campaign will be telecast on Saturday, 24th September at 7:30 PM. The episode will introduce the viewers to the idea behind the campaign and reveal how every Indian can be a part of it. A panel of eminent personalities such Dr. Shriram Nene (Medical Expert from Mumbai), Dr. Thuppil Venkatesh (Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Biochemistry & Biophysics, St. Johns Medical College), Rohini Nilekani (Founder & Chairperson, Arghyam from Bangalore), Parameswaran Iyer (Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation) and V K Madhavan, Chief Executive, WaterAid India will discuss the agenda behind the campaign, while deliberating on various aspects related to safe drinking water, reasons for its shortage and implementable solutions to eradicate this nationwide problem. The episode will also feature individuals and associations that have done exemplary work to make clean drinking water accessible to the unserved and underprivileged in the society.

The initiative calls out to the entire nation to join the Jal Daan movement, by taking the pledge to donate five litres of healthy drinking water every day, to those who have limited or no access to it. For every pledge taken, Rs. 10 will be contributed towards building a corpus for the installation of 100 community water purification plants in urban and rural slums. The campaign intends to eradicate this nation-wide problem and make clean drinking water accessible to all.

Watch the launch episode on Sat, 24th Sept at 7:30 PM, followed by a repeat on Sun, 25th Sept at 4:30 PM, exclusively on CNN-News18.

Log on to Jaldaan.org now and take the pledge to donate 5 litres of healthy drinking water every day.
hindware, the leading brand in the bathroom space, launched their pioneering initiative - the hindware DreamBath visualization App and coffee table book. Brand ambassador of hindware, superstar Shah Rukh Khan, announced the initiative at a glittering function in Mumbai recently.

The initiative aims to provide consumers and dealers with easy access to over 24 bathroom themes & styles and is totally in sync with hindwares value proposition of building admiring bathrooms.

On the eve of the launch, Mr. Sandip Somany (VCMD, HSIL) said, Over the last five decades, we have established and upheld the threshold of being a brand of choice in the bathroom space with innovative product offerings. It is an exciting time for us as we launch the WORLDs first bathroom visualization Dream Bath App and book to assist varied Indian consumers to decide a bathroom theme of their choice along with styling their bathroom using hindware products before they actually go buy the products. I am confident this effort will excite the consumers as a ready design reckoner as well as help the dealers in optimizing the last mile connectivity on-ground.

Mr. Manish Bhatia (President, BPD business, HSIL) added, We have carefully studied the changing consumer needs over the last 56 years and basis of this, all our innovations bring out something meaningful every time. Today the consumer is looking at creating my bathroom as his or her most personalized space. He further added that, It is a fact that the biggest challenge consumers face today is visualizing their bathrooms even before buying it so that they are confident of their choices. We are the only brand that understood this need to handhold the consumers through the entire process of bathroom redesigning. Dream Bath is the worlds first augmented reality app for the bathroom industry which will augment our exhaustive range of products on any surface making the design choice easier for the consumers.

I am delighted to be a part of hindwares continuous commitment towards revolutionizing the bathroom space in India, said brand ambassador Shah Rukh Khan. And, this new initiative further asserts their commitment towards charting an inclusive growth journey, which is creative, thoughtful and modern addressing both the end consumer and their brand partners, he added.

The Dream Bath app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Android Play Store. It showcases the 24 bathroom themes, the entire product gallery ofhindware and further enables the user to visualize, through augmented reality, how certain products will look in his or her bathroom space prior to purchase. The App also has a GPS enabled dealer locator to help consumers to reach the nearest authorized dealers in a jiffy.
With the Government of Indias focus on resurgence of design, innovation and creativity led entrepreneurship (D.I.C.E), the last year witnessed a clear increase in the emphasis laid on design and creativity in businesses across the country. This rise of design-led thinking and the incorporation of design approaches into business and strategic problem-solving is having a positive impact on the careers of creatives in India.

Adobes 2016 Creative Pulse survey of more than 1,700 creatives across Asia Pacific (APAC)  including graphic designers, web designers, artists, web designers and more  discovered that 98 per cent creative professionals in India believe that creativity and design thinking are more important to business in the country, which is higher than the APAC average of 89 per cent. The report also found that Indian creatives have a higher desire to learn (83 per cent) and feel motivated to finding new solutions to design led challenges (61 per cent), which is higher (by 11 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively) than their peers in APAC region.

Overall, the findings of Adobes 2016 Creative Pulse survey highlight that creatives in India are today driving a bigger impact within their organisations. The study provides insights into the beliefs, difficulties and ambitions of the regions creative vanguard, including graphic designers, UX/UI designers, web designers, photographers and film makers.

Adobe has always been at the forefront of the changing creative environment, and it is encouraging for us to see how changing market dynamics and the Government of Indias DICE agenda are together furthering the progress of creative professionals in the country. Today, we are seeing businesses in India increasingly acknowledge the value of creativity in driving business results, and find several companies taking steps to involve creatives in their strategic plans as well as boardroom discussions. Going ahead, we expect more and more businesses in India embrace a design-led approach to problem solving and leverage creativity to deliver standout customer experiences. The results of Adobes 2016 Creative Pulse survey are a testament to this fast emerging trend and also provide an apt view into sentiment of creative professionals in India today, said Kulmeet Bawa, Managing Director  South Asia, Adobe.

Given that using design as a tool has now become a business mandate to stand apart and reach out to consumers, creatives are no longer relying on their present achievements. To fulfil this mandate, creatives know they must automate the creative process with new skills, new tools and new digital technology. They believe that proficiency in technology and access to best-in-class tools, combined with intuitive creative excellence will be the deal breaker  with 96 per cent of Indian respondents agreeing to this. Creatives in India cite that the most important skills over the next year would be to acquire UX/UI design (37 per cent) and app development (20 per cent).

Despite their increasing importance to business, creatives in India still stay up at night with uncertainties, just like the rest of the workforce. One of their main concerns is the fear they will lose inspiration and motivation (37 per cent). Employers need to take note of this, especially since most creatives mentioned that they are very reliant on desktops (73 per cent) for work. This suggests that a lot of creatives are still deskbound, despite the popular belief that creative ideastypically come from mobility and change. While the increased pace of business is putting pressure on creatives to churn out more creative ideas and content faster than ever (49 per cent), 43 per cent of creatives feel that they are not being sufficiently trained in new skills.

The rapid growth of mobile devices and emergence of technologies such as Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality are challenging creatives world over to create content faster than ever before. Today, businesses expect creatives to adapt to the market dynamics by helping designing for multiple platforms and a broader set of customers, create on-the-go, collaborate with team members across different devices and geographies, and measure the impact of their work on business results. We certainly see this as a big opportunity for creatives to contribute more and make a real impact to the business, said Kulmeet Bawa.

Adobes 2016 Creative Pulse report included 12 per cent of respondents from India and reached out to some of the biggest names creative professionals in the country, of which, 18 per cent are film makers and 13 per cent are UX/UI designers.
Nitin Karkara comes on board as Head of Digital at Havas Media Group India. His key responsibility will be to promote and drive growth for the 360-degree digital offering of Havas Media in India for existing and new clients. Karkara previously was General Manager and Head of Digital (HHP Division) at Cheil Worldwide and prior Digital Marketing Lead - India & South West Asia at The Coca-Cola Company.

Having graduated from University of British Columbia, Canada, Karkara brings to the agency an experience of 16+ years in business development, brand strategy, product marketing, mobile and e-commerce. He started his career with Samsung and since then has been associated with companies like Sapient India, Microsoft in Wunderman, IBM, ITC Hotels, Manipal Education and Vodafone in OgilvyOne, Fritolays, GSK, Readers Digest and Tetrapak in ISHIR Digital.

Speaking about the new addition to the team, Anita Nayyar, CEO, Havas Media Group India and South Asia, said, Nitin is an accomplished and seasoned professional. He has the rare mix of leading from the front, both from the client and agency side. Weve had tremendous organic digital expansion. Although, digital cum mobile has been a core part of every new business win, Havas Media today is a firmly established fully integrated media company providing both online and offline solutions. Collaboration is the cornerstone of our unified operating model, allowing us to deliver 100 per cent accountability and ideas that flourish without boundaries. Havas Media has the team, the capabilities and is well positioned to be a data driven partner to Indian brands across sectors driving their overall marketing and goal strategy.

Mohit Joshi, Managing Director, Havas Media Group India, added here, Our Digital at the core and Meaningful Connections Planning philosophy has always impressed clients. Nitin will only add more value and strengthen our philosophy by nailing the clients challenges in the context of Digital & Mobile Marketing.

Speaking on his new role, Nitin Karkara said, Havas Media Group is one of the pioneers in bringing their integrated media and creative offerings with specialised proprietary global tools for developing strategy, planning, media buying, analytics, and reporting. This is a huge opportunity for me to demonstrate these proven global specialised tools and frameworks in the Indian market and create value for existing and new clients. This will also help us further integrate client businesses and successfully partner withthem in their overall marketing stories.
Since entering the Peruvian market ten years ago, Chinese auto maker JAC (Shanghai Stock Exchange: 600418) has achieved a number of notable successes. The company has become the top-selling Chinese light-duty truck manufacturer in the country, with a market share of over 20% and sales of 10,000 units. To celebrate, JAC will hold a series of activities, including large discounts on its light-duty truck models.

Over the past 10 years, JAC has grown from a manufacturer of economic light-duty trucks, to now providing a full range of low, mid and high-end light-duty truck models. The company has achieved a considerable boost in recent years with orders from a number of Peruvian commercial fleet operators. Since 2015, logistics and food giant Grupo Gimenez has purchased 70 HFC 1040K and HFC 1028KL models. Company owner Walter Gimenez has expressed his satisfaction with the quality of JACs light-duty trucks, along with the mobile service and 24-hour helpline provided by MUSAC SA, JACs distributor in the country.

La Calera, a household name and the biggest egg producer in Peru, has also praised JACs light-duty truck models. After testing JACs HFC 1061KN model in late 2015, the company went on to purchase 10 of these trucks, and after one year they upgraded to the HFC 1083KN model. They currently have 15 JAC light-duty trucks, with plans to purchase more in the future. Following such positive feedback, JAC intends to continue optimising its services to support large commercial clients.

More and more group customers have begun to test and put their faith in JACs products. Industry experts put JACs success in Peru down to the quality and durability of its vehicles and emphasis on top-quality customer service. In addition, every year JAC presents a service month for the owners of its vehicles to enjoy a free vehicle check-up and maintenance from the companys technical and service experts.

About JAC Motors

JAC Motors is an automaker that develops full-line independent brand vehicles including light, medium and heavy trucks, sedans, MPV, SRV, buses, chassis, engineering machinery, engines, and gearboxes. Based in Hefei, China, the companys research and development center drives its innovation. JAC also founded Chinas first overseas research and development center in Turin Italy, and a second in Tokyo, Japan.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005574/en/

JAC Motors

Crystal Feng, +86-551-62296885

jacmotors@jac.com.cn

http://jacen.jac.com.cn/showroom/s5.html

http://goal.jac.com.cn/
Chinese auto maker JAC (Shanghai Stock Exchange: 600418) is proud to announce that it has received praise across the Middle East and Africa for its top-quality customer care and after-service. Over the last month, JAC has rolled out its Egyptian Service Month. From September 1-October 15, JAC passenger vehicle customers in the country will receive free services and advice to enhance their driving experience. So far JAC has welcomed 200 customers, and predicts a further 600 will benefit from the campaign.

This years Egyptian service month targets owners of the S3, S2, J2, J3 and J5 models, who are being invited to visit JAC outlets for three complementary filter changes, free vehicle check-up, and maintenance advice during the campaigns. JACs VIP customers can also receive a free home visit and one-to-one consultation through the companys mobile service. JAC plans to use customer feedback to continually improve its products and services, and enhance customer satisfaction.

The company has sold 2,500 passenger vehicles in the Egyptian market since 2007. JACs compact SUV sales champion, the S3, has performed particularly well in the country since it was released there last year. The S3 has achieved a monthly sales breakthrough of 100 units and has won much praise from customers. Similarly, the S2 has begun to win the hearts of customers across Egypt since its release in March this year.

JACs service philosophy is accurate information, fast response, effective solution, high satisfaction, and the company has a great reputation for effectively solving customers problems quickly and efficiently. JAC holds a service month every year across key regional markets such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Algeria and the UAE, with the key aim of ensuring customer satisfaction. The company has also dispatched a number of technical and customer service experts to these markets in order to train its distributors and provide assistance to customers. JAC will launch its next service month in Algeria, the companies top light-duty truck export market, and continue pursuing its aim of ensuring customer satisfaction across the region.

About JAC Motors

JAC Motors is an automaker that develops full-line independent brand vehicles including light, medium and heavy trucks, sedans, MPV, SRV, buses, chassis, engineering machinery, engines, and gearboxes. Based in Hefei, China, the companys research and development center drives its innovation. JAC also founded Chinas first overseas research and development center in Turin Italy, and a second in Tokyo, Japan.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160927006804/en/

JAC Motors

Crystal Feng, +86-551-62296885

jacmotors@jac.com.cn

http://jacen.jac.com.cn/showroom/s5.html

http://goal.jac.com.cn/
ATLANTA, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- PT Solutions, a physical therapy practice offering a comprehensive suite of therapeutic services, announces the opening of locations in Alpharetta, Canton, Kennesaw, Brookhaven and West Atlanta and expansions to its Acworth East, Hiram and Douglasville clinics.

These locations represent an increase of 17,149 square feet of retail space and give PT Solutions 27 locations in Georgia. The clinics join a growing network of more than 100 points of service in seven other states including Alabama, Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, Kentucky, Louisiana and Tennessee. All new clinics, along with the Hiram and Douglasville expansions, are official PT Solutions Concussion Centers.

"Physical therapy and our evidence-based research will create better outcomes for our patients," said PT Solutions CEO Dale M. Yake, PT, DPT, OCS, ATC. "With more clinics in our home state of Georgia, we will be able to deliver on that mission on an even greater scale."

PT Solutions' new locations are as follows:

PT Solutions of Alpharetta is located at 735 North Main Street, Suite 1300. Taryn Cappadona, PT, DPT, will serve as clinic director. To request an appointment, call 770-580-8575.

PT Solutions of Kennesaw is located at 1615 Ridenour Boulevard, NW, Suite 204. DaRonne Jenkins, PT, DPT, MS, CSCS will lead that location. To request an appointment, call 770-580-8070.

PT Solutions of Canton is located at 1810 Cumming Highway, Suite 1360. Laura Miller, PT, MSPT, will serve as clinic director. Miller oversees PT Solutions' partnership with the Georgia Ballet. To request an appointment, call 678-885-9965.

PT Solutions of West Atlanta will open at 999 Brady Avenue, Suite 11. Mollie Archer, PT, DPT, OCS, will serve as clinic director when the clinic opens late this year.

PT Solutions will also open a clinic in Brookhaven before the end of 2016, led by Kyle Payne, PT, DPT. This clinic represents PT Solutions' third location to open inside I-285.

Cappadona, Jenkins, Payne and Archer are graduates of the PT Solutions Orthopaedic Residency Program. To learn more about services offered or to request an appointment, visit PTSolutions.com.

PT Solutions operates a unique model, including outpatient physical therapy clinics and hospital management services contracts. PT Solutions' therapists specialize in advanced, research-driven clinical treatment that is customized to each individual and condition.

Known for its therapist-centric model and quality of care, PT Solutions has grown by 144 percent over the past three years, moving up this year to No. 2,489 in Inc. magazine's 5000, as one of the country's fastest-growing private companies.

PT Solutions is a therapist-owned physical therapy practice with treatment locations across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina and Tennessee  including in metropolitan areas like Atlanta, Chicago, New Orleans and Tampa-St. Petersburg. The PT Solutions team uses research-driven physical therapy treatments to provide patients relief and restoration of their normal lives. To learn more, visit PTSolutions.com, connect with PT Solutions Physical Therapy on Facebook and follow @PT_Solutions on Twitter and Instagram.

Interviews available upon request.

Contact: John Manasso | Lenz, Inc.

404.373.2021

jmanasso@lenzmarketing.com

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SOURCE PT Solutions
LEXINGTON, Massachusetts, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Sekisui Diagnostics announces the launch of its new SEKURE TPLA and RPR assays for Syphilis testing. The SEKURE TPLA and RPR reagents are fully automated, quantitative latex immunoturbidimetric assays that may be used as an aid in the screening and treatment monitoring of Syphilis. The ability to automate both these assays on a chemistry system provides a highly differentiated option for laboratories looking for both automation and efficiency. These tests are an exciting addition to the broad range of clinical chemistry products that Sekisui Diagnostics offers under the SEKURE brand.

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Syphilis is a chronic infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum, which can be transmitted both congenitally and by sexual contact. It is estimated there are 10 million new cases of syphilis every year on a global basis. A reportable disease in many countries, syphilis diagnosis requires both screening and confirmatory testing, along with clinical signs and assessment. The SEKURE TPLA and RPR assays are both fully automated making them ideal for screening purposes. Various testing algorithms are used in different countries, and the SEKURE assays can be helpful in managing the process flow through these algorithms.

"Consistent with our commitment to continuous development of tests that can help improve patient care, the new SEKURE Syphilis tests offer the potential to streamline testing and help reduce the need for labor intensive, manual testing," says Lee Lipski, Vice President Global Sales and Marketing. "We believe that the availability of these new tests will benefit both laboratories and patients worldwide."

The SEKURE TPLA and RPR assays can be run on the same clinical chemistry platform, including the SK 500 Chemistry System (as well as some other platforms), allowing for rapid reflex testing of multiple test samples. The tests are convenient and efficient with a 10 minute turnaround time and results that correlate with traditional methods (TPHA/ RPR Card test). In addition, the RPR test is standardized to the WHO International Standard for Syphilitic Human Serum,* which will aid in standardizing results. The RPR results are quantitative, providing a tool to aid physicians in treating syphilis and monitoring therapy.

About Sekisui Diagnostics

Sekisui Diagnostics is a global diagnostics company committed to improving patient lives by providing innovative medical diagnostic products to physicians and laboratories, as well as diagnostics manufacturers through a global distribution network. Product lines include clinical chemistry and coagulation systems and reagents, infectious disease testing, point-of-care immunoassay systems and rapid test kits, as well as enzymes and specialty bio-chemicals.

Visit Sekisui Diagnostics at www.sekisuidiagnostics.com for more information on products and services.

*WHO International Standard. The International Standard for Syphilitic Human Serum (1st international standard preparation), established in 1958

The word SEKURE and the SEKURE logo are registered trademarks of Sekisui Diagnostics, LLC.

The letters SK and the SK logo are trademarks of Sekisui Diagnostics, LLC
DUBLIN, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SKY Aviation Leasing International Limited ("SKY Leasing"), a full-service aircraft leasing company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, today announced the closing of a $750 million warehouse debt financing facility (the "Facility").

Approximately half of the Facility is expected to be drawn to finance aircraft currently owned or under firm commitment to be acquired by SKY Leasing. These aircraft have a weighted average age of less than two years and a weighted average remaining lease term greater than nine years. The Facility's remaining commitment is available to finance additional aircraft acquisitions. The Facility was oversubscribed and its syndicate included seven banks with extensive experience in aviation finance.

"The successful completion of this Facility will support our aircraft acquisition program through the end of 2017. It will also increase our ability to fund airline sale and leaseback transactions and large portfolio acquisitions efficiently," said Rich Wiley, CEO of SKY Leasing affiliate SKY Aviation Leasing US LLC. "We are delighted to work with such a strong syndicate of leading aviation lenders, which is an important validation of our platform and business model."

Deutsche Bank AG acted as sole structuring agent, joint syndication agent and joint lead arranger. Bank of America Merrill Lynch acted as joint syndication agent and joint lead arranger. Credit Agricole acted as joint lead arranger.

About SKY Leasing

SKY Leasing and its affiliates are a premier aircraft leasing group with headquarters in Dublin, Ireland and a regional office in San Francisco, California. A full-service leasing platform, SKY Leasing leverages its deep experience, global networks, industry insights and managerial talent to acquire and lease young mid-life aircraft. The group's team of industry professionals, led by Rich Wiley, has developed extensive relationships in the international airline community by leasing aircraft to over 200 airline customers globally and executing more than 600 aircraft transactions valued at over $20 billion.

SKY Leasing is owned by ATL Partners, PSP Investments and members of management who have partnered to support SKY Leasing in its corporate mission of being a leading capital provider to commercial airlines and to the secondary market globally.

For more information, visit www.skyleasing.com.

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SOURCE SKY Leasing
The Air Force is looking for qualified civilian aircraft maintainers to fill vital positions within the Air Force Civilian Service.Unique skills such as installation, modification, testing, repair and other critical areas are integral to ensuring the safety of Airmen around the world and the continued dominance of the Air Force in the global theater.At locations across the country, aircraft maintainers work alongside uniformed maintainers on the most advanced fleet of aircraft in the world. They overhaul, repair, inspect and modify a variety of aircraft using some of the worlds most advanced technology.There are civilian opportunities in the highly technical aerospace field, open to mechanics interested in the airframe, engine, electronic and fabrication fields and other aircraft-related specialties. The Air Force team also offers civilian opportunities for experienced supervisors in the field. Air Force civilians receive competitive pay, ongoing education and training, opportunities to advance and work-life balance.For more information about applying for civilian aircraft maintenance positions with the Air Force, go to the Air Force Civilian Careers website Air Force civilian job opportunities can by found by clicking here
Property owners in Nairobi are struggling to fill vacancies, putting investors money at risk.

Property owners in Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda are struggling to fill-up vacancies, with few companies seeking new office space.

In Kigali, at least 50,000 square metres of office space has been added to the capital's business district in the past four months, according to the East African publication. An additional 95,320 square metres will be built starting this month.

Kenya-based MML Development and Project Management, forecasts that 260,128 million square metres will be available in Nairobi by the end of 2016.

While the current office space in Kampala could not be established, property owners say the city is edging towards an oversupply, as the properties are concentrated in a few places.

Also Read: South Africa's Murray & Roberts plans grand exit in Construction business

Knight Frank estimates 60,000 square metres of office space was made available in 2015, but uptake was slow due to "delays in the oil sector, a weakening Uganda shilling and feared risks associated with the recent general election."

Kampala's tallest buildings, including one belonging to the Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority on Clement Hill in Kololo and DFCU are not fully occupied.

In Kigali, landlords are struggling to let out space in Peace Plaza (MPP) and Ubumwe Grande in the central business district.

Also Read: Rwandas Property market indicates a bubble is about to burst

The MMP Plaza was completed in mid-2015, but only 8,092 square metres out of over 20,000 square metres of office space has been rented out so far.

It is estimated that between 2010 and 2015, at least $200 million was invested in building high-end office properties in Kigali. The buildings that include the 20-storey Kigali City Tower, 18-storey Grande Pensions Plaza, 15-Storey MMP Plaza and Ubumwe Grandewere were constructed using loans.

The January-June 2016 National Bank of Rwanda Monetary Policy and Financial Stability Statement, shows a slight increase in bad debt in the market.

Bad loans increased from 5.9 per cent registered in June 2015 to seven per cent by end of June this year, an increase that was partly contributed to by debts of property developers.

Also Read: Top 10 Most Attractive Investment Destinations In Africa

The low occupancy rates have interrupted the revenue flows from the properties exposing some banks to liquidity concerns.

"The low occupancy rate will negatively affect the financial sector. Developers will find it difficulty to service their loans and this will contribute to loan delinquencies," said Maurice Toroitich chairman of the Rwanda Banking Association.

KCB Rwanda, Bank of Kigali, Equity Bank, and I&M Bank have grown their loan books to finance real estate projects in Kigali.

With the high end office space supply picking, property developers are advised to diversify into retail where the supply in Rwanda is still low.

Kefa Agwenyi, an architect and property developer in Kigali said retail accommodation premises have the highest rental yields of 11 per cent and 12 per cent.

Residential houses for middle-income earners as well as apartments are still in demand in Kigali.

"If you are seeking returns in the medium-term, apartments are the way to go in the Rwandan market," said Mr Angwenyi. The current return on investment for apartments is projected at 14 per cent.

Units that cost between $5,700 and $7,600 will recover between 40 per cent and 100 per cent of the capital they invested within a five-year period.

Another factor that is slowing the uptake of office space in Kigali, according to Charles Haba managing director of Century Real Estate, is the concentration of the properties in the middle of the central business district, which discourages many tenants.

More property developers are being urged to build on the outskirts of Kigali as those areas have impressive booking rates.

For instance, the $40 million Kigali Heights mixed use complex -- being jointly developed by Kenya's Fusion Capital and local Rwandan investors -- has a 50 per cent booking rate.

"There are many inquiries for office space in Kacyiru, Kimihurura, Nyarutarama and Kagugu," said Mr Haba, adding that several residential houses in those areas have even been turned into offices.
Namibias economy shrunk by 1.2 percent in the second quarter of 2016. File Photo: Windhoek, the capital of Namibia.

WINDHOEK  Namibias economy shrunk by 1.2 percent in the second quarter of 2016 compared with a revised 3.4 percent expansion in the first three months of the year, data on the statistics agencys website showed on Tuesday.

Construction, hospitality and mining sectors were the largest contributors to the decline, contracting 19.9 percent, 15.5 percent and 13.2 percent respectively in the quarter.

Fitch Ratings announced early this month that it had downgraded Namibia's economic outlook from stable to negative, as the government debt leaped from 23.2 percent in 2014 and to a forecasted 39 percent of GDP by the end of 2016.

The rating agency also revised the outlook for state firms Telecom Namibia, Namport, NamWater and NamPower from stable to negative.

It also cited falling Southern African Customs Union revenue and the 10-year 750 million Eurobond Namibia got in 2015, and the dwindling foreign reserves.

Namibia's high deficit, the projections of national debt growing above and beyond the accepted threshold, as well as the high likelihood of government not being able to narrow the deficit in the coming financial years, are said to be the main reasons behind the downgrade. Other reasons given are weak economic growth and the likely impact of the recently announced New Equitable Economic Empowerment Framework (NEEEF),which Fitch says, "could slow down foreign investment in manufacturing and services."

The proposed New Equitable Economic Empowerment Framework that would entail that companies give 25 percent shares to previously disadvantaged Namibians



Fitch said although the proposed economic law lacks details, it is likely that parliament will approve it thereby causing some unease in the business community and could slow down foreign investment in manufacturing and services.



Eloise du Plessis, an analyst and equity strategist at PSG Namibia said the decision by Fitch, stoked fears that a downgrade may now be imminent.

Finance Minister Calle Schlettwein appealed for calm after Fitch's announcement.

We need to be careful in handling cases in our economy, such as wage negotiations, he said, adding that the whole world is facing an economic slowdown, and Namibia being a small open economy, is not spared that.



We cannot put up with all demands. Some demands are too much, and we cannot run our economy like that, he said.


Arsene Wenger has challenged Arsenal to aim for top spot in their Champions League group as they prepare to face Basel on Wednesday.

Wenger`s side have made it through the group stage for the past 16 years but have failed to get beyond the last 16 in the previous six attempts.

The Gunners` main problem has been their inability to finish in top spot in their group, leaving them open to face some of Europe`s superpowers in the first knockout round.

But, after fighting to a draw at Paris Saint-Germain in their opening Group A game and drubbing Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday, Wenger hopes Arsenal can stay in good enough form to win the group and avoid Europe`s elite.

It`s our target but the truth is on the pitch, he said on Tuesday. We had a good game on Saturday but let`s show that we can go from good game to good game and put the effort in, in every single game.

That`s what it is about, as you said in recent years we came always out of the group stage.

Arsenal did not help themselves last season by losing their first home game in the competition against Olympiakos.

Last year, let`s say it was difficulties because we made it difficult for ourselves and we have learned as well that in the group stage it`s not only important to qualify but, if possibly, qualify as top of the group, Wenger added.

It gives you many more chances after to go through.

While PSG will be considered to be the main rivals to Wenger`s ambitions of winning the group, the 66-year-old acknowledges Basel can cause an upset.

They are a team who are used to playing in the Champions League, he said.

It`s not a newcomer or a beginner in the Champions League, they have huge experience in the competition.

This experience goes through the generations and this is why they`re not intimidated. I don`t expect them to be intimidated at all.

On the other hand, they have nothing to lose. That`s always dangerous.
A day after an office of Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana was stoned over a cartoon it carried alluding to the ongoing Maratha rallies, the cartoonist today expressed regret over his work, which has triggered sharp reaction from across the political spectrum in Maharashtra.

The sentiments of Maratha community were hurt by my cartoon. But, there was never an intention to hurt anybody. Yet, I express regret if sentiments were hurt unintentionally, cartoonist Shrinivas Prabhudesai said in a statement carried on the front page of Saamana.

He, however, alleged that the issue was politicised and the Sena and Saamana were unnecessarily dragged into the controversy.

The cartoon has come at a time when the Maratha community has been organising rallies all around the state to express outrage over the rape and murder of a girl from the community at Kopardi and press their various demands including quota in education and job.

The rallies have evoked huge response, compelling all political parties to take note the grievances of the community, a dominent force in the state.

The controversy over the cartoon was unnecessary. I am an artist and not a political cartoonist. In a busy life, my intention is to put a smile on peoples face and thus I make cartoons, he stated.

As the controversy around a cartoon published in Shiv Senas mouthpiece Saamana gathered dust, advocate Vishnu Navale filed an FIR against Shiv Sena chief and editor of Saamana Uddhav Thackeray, executive editor Sanjay Raut, cartoonist Ravindra Prabhudesai and printer and publisher Rajendra Bhagwat, reported Firstpost.

The case was filed in Nanal peth police station, Parbhani, Marathwada region, under IPC Sections 153 A, 292, 505, 500, and 109, sources told Firstpost.

Condemning the cartoon, the organisations spokesperson Shivanand Bhanuse told PTI, We are condemning a cartoon which was published in Saamana. Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray and Saamanas executive editor Sanjay Raut must apologise to the women of Maharashtra.

The attack was spontaneous and an expression of emotions of the Maratha community, he said.

Source: Agencies
The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed Sahara chief Subrata Roy and two other company directors to remain on interim bail till October 24 on payment of Rs. 200 crore.

The court also asked Roys lawyer to give a roadmap on how will they pay approx Rs. 12,000 crore to SEBI.

After spending over two years in jail, Subrata Roy has been out since May when his mother passed away. Later the court kept extending his parole on the condition of depositing Rs. 500 crore with Sebi for refunding investors by August first week.

The apex court earlier on September 23 ordered that Roy should be taken into custody till October 3, but in a reprieve stayed his arrest till September 30.

A two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur passed the order after hearing an application filed by Kapil Sibal, who was appearing for Roy. Sibal sought a reprieve for Roy on the ground that he would follow all rules and regulations.

In a dramatic turn of events in the Supreme Court on last Friday morning, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) TS Thakur had cancelled an interim bail given to Roy, and the two directors of Sahara, after an altercation with senior advocate Dr Rajeev Dhawan who was representing Roy.

Sahara immediately withdrew him and apologised through senior advocate Narendra Hooda.

Later, the SC agreed to reconsider the bail plea of Subrata Roy and gave him time to surrender.

The apex court had asked Sahara India to reveal the source of the Rs 18,000 crore it had claimed to have paid back to the investors.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2016 - Bayer CropScience has decided to drop any further attempts to challenge cancellation of its registration for the insecticide flubendiamide, which it had sold under the trade name Belt.

The company made the announcement today, the deadline for filing an appeal in federal court of an EPA Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) decision in July, which upheld a previous ruling by an agency administrative law judge (ALJ).

Bayer also said it would not pursue a new, full registration for flubendiamide, which could have taken years.

Appealing in federal court or applying for registration may have given us an opportunity to be heard on the science, (but) that opportunity was far from certain, Bayer said.

Additionally, growers would not have access to the products as the process played out, potentially over several years time. Perhaps more importantly, both options carried a fair amount of risk, including the potential that some of the gains we made with the EAB decision would be lost.

Bayer said it would accept the gains from the EAB ruling. The EAB modified the ALJs decision by allowing sales of existing stocks of the product to growers by distributors and retailers.

Belt was registered in 2008 and has been used on over 200 crops, including soybeans, almonds, tobacco, peanuts, cotton, lettuce, alfalfa, tomatoes, watermelon, and bell peppers.

Bayer noted it had taken the unprecedented step of challenging the terms of Belts approval, which required Bayer to voluntarily cancel the registration if EPA found that flubendiamide caused unreasonable adverse effects on the environment. The agency said its tests showed that the product posed risks to aquatic invertebrates that are important to the health of aquatic environments, a conclusion disputed by Bayer.

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In refusing to voluntarily cancel the registration, Bayer said it was driven by the belief that EPA had acted unlawfully and without scientific justification. Specifically, we believed that EPA should not be permitted to force a cancellation through a streamlined process devoid of a public discussion of scientific findings and benefits of the product, and that EPAs conduct presented a dangerous precedent for the industry.

The company said it had hoped that the litigation would focus on the science. Unfortunately, it did not and the final ruling focused on process and procedure arguments.

#30

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2016 - Hundreds of thousands of corn growers may participate in a class-action lawsuit against Syngenta for selling genetically modified seed with a trait that had not been approved by China, a federal judge has ruled.

The plaintiffs, who did not use the GMO corn known as Agrisure Viptera and Duracade, claim that because of Chinas November 2013 decision to block imports of U.S. corn, they suffered losses of between $5 billion and $7 billion. China allowed imports of corn containing the MIR162 trait in December 2014.

In his Sept. 26 ruling, U.S. District Judge John Lungstrum in Kansas City, Kansas, rejected Syngentas arguments against class certification. The company had argued that some of the proposed class definitions  about how to place a value on the corn, for example  were too vague.

The proposed class definitions are properly based on objective criteria and are not impermissibly vague, Lungstrum said in his 34-page order.

Tens of thousands of putative class members have not brought individual actions, and the great efficiencies that may be achieved make class actions superior to individual actions, despite the fact that so many individual actions have been filed, Lungstrum said in his ruling. In addition, any class member who does desire to control the litigation of its own claims may opt out of the class action and pursue its own suit.

The courts ruling will make it easier and less expensive for farmers to pursue their claims against Syngenta, said Scott Powell, who was appointed by the court to represent the class, along with attorneys Don Downing, William Chaney and Patrick Stueve.

Instead of having to retain and pay individual counsel, file their own lawsuit, produce voluminous farm records, sit for a deposition and appear at trial, the court found that all class members may attempt to prove their claims through a limited number of class representatives, Powell said. If those class representatives win, all class members win. No individual farmer has to file a lawsuit to seek a recovery.

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In a statement, Syngenta called Lungstrums order a procedural decision and that it respectfully disagrees with this ruling, particularly given the widely varying ways in which farmers grow and sell corn in different markets across the U.S. The court did not rule that plaintiffs claims actually have merit.

Syngenta is considering its appellate options, the company said. Syngenta firmly believes that the Viptera China lawsuits should be rejected and that Agrisure Viptera was commercialized in full compliance with regulatory and legal requirements. We will continue to defend the rights of American farmers to have access to safe, effective, U.S.-approved agricultural technologies like Agrisure Viptera.

One of the attorneys representing the class participants, William Chaney, said that now that a class is certified, the court will authorize mailing of a notice to corn producers within the class describing the benefits and consequences of remaining in the class. I urge any farmer considering whether to retain an individual lawyer to wait for the courts notice before making a decision.

The court has not set a deadline for farmers to decide whether they want to be excluded from the class.

#30

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Iraqi Monk Serving Christians Who Fled ISIS: 'God Needs Me To Be Here'

Raeed at his church near Erbil: 'a welcome face among people whose lives have been turned upside down', Nov 2015. ( World Watch Monitor) First he was run over by a US tank, then an invading Islamic State militia forced him to abandon his monastery in northern Iraq. Raeed, a monk from Qaraqosh -- Iraq's largest Christian town -- had to flee and set up a temporary monastery in a displacement camp in Erbil. But his inspiration to help those less fortunate had been formed earlier, during the Iraq Allied invasion of 2003. In 2001, Raeed had felt spiritually called to become a monk; he joined four others in a small monastery. But his life was soon shaken up. [During the occupation of Iraq by a US-led coalition] Raeed, on his way to Baghdad, was talking with a fellow monk - in a taxi shared with others. Out of nowhere came a crash and the sound of crunching metal. The taxi had collided with a US tank, which had driven over part of the car. The accident killed his friend and left Raeed in a coma. He woke from the coma to realise he was the only survivor from the car. This challenged his faith like nothing before. He could not understand why, after choosing to commit his life to serve God, such a thing could happen. "But what happened [in the end] deepened my faith. It brought me back to my calling. I'd promised to obey Jesus, and He said 'Whoever follows Jesus should not look back.'" It wasn't the only challenge to Raeed's faith. Tragedy struck again ten years later, when he found himself caught up in the invasion by Islamic State. He recalls the day he fled his city: "The sound of honking car horns disturbed the silence of our prayer room. Beyond the street noise, there was the sound of explosions." Looking out of the window, he saw cars lining up to leave the city. What he feared for months had come true: IS was approaching. Fearing for his safety, Raeed grabbed his things and prepared to leave. Assyrian Catholics attend mass led by Raeed at his church in Kasnazan, Erbil, Feb 2016. ( World Watch Monitor) With the other monks he joined the slow-moving traffic as people fled in panic. The drive to Erbil, normally just two hours by car, took all night. Over the next few months Erbil became the safe haven for thousands of others fleeing IS, including many Christians fearful for their lives. Raeed found a purpose in this chaos, remembering his calling to "Follow Jesus no matter what": he helped set up a monastery in the middle of a refugee camp for Christians, on the outskirts of Erbil. The church he serves in - a portacabin in the camp -- is now so busy that people have to stand in the doorway during a service. He says he never expected a refugee camp to be his place of service but he accepts it as his calling. He works in the camp alongside a group of nuns, even conducting services in the place of absent priests. He is just as you imagine a monk: his gestures are calm and silence seems to be his natural habit. His is a welcome face among people whose lives have been turned upside down and who face many challenges ahead. "But I don't have to be anything supernatural," he says, "I just have to be here with the people in the church because God needs me to be here...It is all about Jesus. Jesus is the core, He is the Rock we build on. And whatever might happen, our Rock will never disappear. He will always be here."
Assyrian Christians Live In War-Torn Limbo, Praying Against Genocide

Amman, Jordan -- On June 10, 2014, Batool* was in her classroom in Mosul, Iraq, preparing for the school week when she received word: Bad people--barbarians looking for Christians to kill--were coming. Batool immediately went home to pack up her life. As she prepared to leave her house, her career, and her education--she was midway through a PhD in biology--she knew she was likely saying a permanent farewell to the only home she had ever known. She is an Assyrian Christian, which means the Islamic State (ISIS) and many other Iraqi Muslims perceived her as a non-believer and an ally of the West. Being Christian in Iraq means being a primary target of ISIS terrorism. That night, her house was marked with an "N" for "Nazarene" (? in Arabic), signifying that she follows Jesus of Nazareth. It's not dissimilar from the Star of David Jews were obligated to wear in 1930s Germany. The next day, ISIS sent Batool's sister a threatening note telling her convert to Islam, pay the "jizya"--a tax on non-Muslims-- or be executed. It was time for them to leave. Assyrian Christians Flee Their Homes in Droves Batool's home city of Mosul stands on the ruins of the ancient city of Nineveh. Many will recall the biblical story of Jonah, whom God called to preach to the Assyrians in Nineveh. The ancient city was the capital of the Assyrian Empire, one of the great empires of biblical times, alongside the Egyptians and Babylonians. Since Assyria was Christianized in the first century AD, Mosul has been home to thousands of Assyrian Christians. Assyrian Christians have long endured persecution for both their ethnicity and their faith: the Iraqi Assyrian population, for example, has dropped from 1.5 million in 2003 to approximately 200,000 today. From 1910 to 2016, the proportion of people in the Middle East identifying as Assyrian Christian dropped from 14 percent to 4 percent. Today the Assyrian diaspora exceeds 4 million. Recent events have exacerbated the persecution, and Assyrian Christians continue to flee the Middle East in droves. ISIS occupied Mosul in June 2014, prompting a mass Assyrian exodus. By July, ISIS declared the city was Christian-free. For the first time in its Christian history, mass would not be celebrated in Mosul. How should America respond to this humanitarian crisis? Secretary of State John Kerry recently condemned Sunni jihadist groups' persecution of Christians, as well as the slaughter of Yazidis and Shiite Muslims in Iraq and Syria, as genocide. But while this official declaration carried great symbolic significance, few practical changes to U.S. foreign policy have followed. Even if American foreign policy were to change, it is not clear what its object should be, particularly for Assyrian Christians. Although all Assyrians yearn for a homeland in the Nineveh Plain, many differ in their vision of their families' and peoples' future. Some Assyrians dream to return to the Nineveh Plains and have a restored, unified, and peaceful homeland. "I would love to return to the land of my mother and grandmother. I would love to raise my daughters and granddaughters in the place my people have lived for thousands of years," muses Janna, a young Assyrian mother to three girls and a refugee living in Jordan. Others Assyrians, scarred by the betrayal from many of their Muslim neighbors and the trauma of persecution in their homeland, instead hope for safety and security abroad. "I wish to return home, but it is not possible. Please pray for us," asked Taghee, a woman who barely escaped Mosul the day ISIS attacked. "But also help us. We must leave (Amman, Jordan). Fast. We are not safe in Iraq while Daesh (ISIS) is in control. We have no future, no work, no belongings. Pray for us and help our applications for resettlement." Batool and her sister's hope for the future is less concrete: "I want to live in peace. What we have endured, no one should have to endure." Not Everyone Ignores this Humanitarian Disaster Many Americans are convinced they have a duty to prevent Christianity from being extinguished in the Middle East, the cradle of its conception. Earlier this September, the Washington DC-based nonprofit In Defense of Christians (IDC) hosted its National Leadership Convention to "mobilize America for the Christians in the Middle East." IDC seeks to preserve Christianity and Christian culture in the Middle East through grassroots mobilization, coalition-building, awareness-raising, and congressional resolutions. Other organizations, such as the Iraqi Christian Relief Council, raise funds to provide emergency humanitarian aid, prayers, and advocacy for Assyrian Christians in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East. Other organizations encourage the United States play a more active role in preserving Assyrian Christians. One recent proposal advocates U.S. support for creating a new semi-independent Iraqi province on the Nineveh Plain to protect and resettle Assyrian Christians and other ethnic and religious minorities ISIS has recently displaced. A proposed congressional resolution aims to "support the Republic of Iraq and its people to recognize a province in the Nineveh Plain region, consistent with lawful expressions of self-determination by its indigenous peoples." Such efforts encourage Assyrian Christians like Batool. While there are inevitable challenges in helping Christians--and Yazidis and Shiites--who are vulnerable to persecution, these initiatives show that many in the West care about the plight of Batool and her people. Batool, at least, is hopeful: "Some days we are angry. Others we are at peace. Pray for our patience. God is in control."

*Some names in this piece have been changed for privacy and security.
Oman Airs chief executive, Paul Gregorowitsch, this week laid out his plans for the airlines growth in coming years, as well as reporting on important progress (achieved) over the last two years.

He pointed to the fact that the Muscat-based carrier is delivering an ambitious and dynamic programme of fleet and network expansion.

This has seen the company take delivery of outstanding new aircraft, introduce a range of exciting new destinations and launch new products and services.

Oman Airs fleet expansion programme has certainly made progress. The first of a raft of new aircraft ordered began to be received in the last quarter of 2014, and the Oman Air fleet reached a total of 35 aircraft by January 2015.

By January 2016, the inventory had increased in size to 41 aircraft and, today, Oman Airs fleet of 45 aircraft consists of four Boeing 787 Dreamliners, six Airbus 330-300s, four A330-200s, five B737-900s, 21 B737-800s, one B737-700 and four Embraer 175s.

At least two more B737s are expected to be delivered before the end of the year, and four more B787s are due for delivery over the course of the next two years.

Oman Airs network has grown in parallel with its fleet expansion. New international destinations recently added to the airlines network have included Manila, Jakarta, Singapore, Goa, Dhaka and Mashhad.

Guangzhou will be added to the network on December 9, while Manchester, the carriers second destination in the UK, will feature in Oman Airs summer 2017 schedule for the first time.

The airline has benefited from a number of strategic collaborative arrangements. We remain committed to the partnerships we have successfully developed within our business, Gregorowitsch confirmed.

These include our work with Cargolux, moving freight between Europe, East Africa, the Middle East and India; with freight handling specialists SATS; and with Menzies Aviation, for ground handling in Oman.

Gregorowitsch did sound a warning note. He expressed his concern as to the existing infrastructure at Muscat Airport, which he said is affecting the growth of the national airline.

In particular, Gregorowitsch identified the need to have a second runway available as soon as the new passenger terminal is inaugurated to cater for planned growth.

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Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, has become the latest city on the expanding network of Doha-based Qatar Airways.

The carrier is going to fly the route to its first Namibian connection from its hub at Doha with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner four times a week.

Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar Al Baker commented: Africa remains one of our key target areas for growth and we have identified Namibia as an important African nation to include in our expansion plans.

Export businesses in Namibia are set to benefit from the launch of the new route, the carrier noted, given that Qatar Airways Cargo will offer 92 tonnes of bellyhold capacity each week on the B787 connection.

This will offer Namibian businesses a prime opportunity to distribute goods across the airlines network of more than 150 destinations, a Qatar Airways statement pointed out.

Despite the challenges of the global airfreight market of recent times, Qatar Airways Cargo and other big freight carriers in the Middle East, such as Emirates SkyCargo and Etihad Cargo, are showing no sign of letting up in terms of their investment in new routes and new aircraft acquisitions.

They are also benefiting from the expanding networks of their parent passenger carriers.

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September 28, 2016

Khaled Juma, a poet from the Gaza Strip and culture editor for WAFA, the Palestinian news agency, has written more than 30 books, including poetry, children's literature and plays. A Sept. 18 book-signing event in Ramallah celebrated In the War, Far from the War, Juma's latest collection of poems, the first he has produced while living in the West Bank. The collection revolves around his experience in the summer 2014 war with Israel from a distance. Juma had lived in Gaza during the previous Israeli wars on Gaza, in 2008-2009 and 2012.

Juma is only one of a notable group of writers and intellectuals who have left the Gaza Strip in recent years, heading for Europe, Turkey, Egypt and the West Bank, given the lack of horizons in Gaza to develop their talent and other obstacles.

I moved to Ramallah in 2013 by sheer chance after I got permission to go to the West Bank, Juma told Al-Monitor. His main reason for moving to Ramallah was to spend more time writing. It took me two years to write album lyrics for artist Reem Talhami and composer Said Murad due to power cuts and interrupted Skype meetings, he said.

Juma stressed, however, that not a day goes by when he doesn't think or write about Gaza. I keep in my refrigerator a kilo and a half of Gazan coffee, he said.

Writer Ahmed Baalousha also made the move to Ramallah. A satirist, Baalousha told Al-Monitor that he left because he began to feel he was wasting his years in Gaza. I was losing a part of my life in an area susceptible to a lot of escalating crises, he said.

Baalousha spoke of the other creative young people who have left Gaza in the fields of literature, community work and science. They know very well that opportunities await them overseas and that Gaza does not have the time to appreciate any of them. Indeed, the work of Gaza's cultural and other innovators generally fails to find a receptive local audience given that it is often critical of the economic, social and political situation in Gaza since Hamas seized control in June 2007.

Baalousha often wishes he could return to Gaza, remarking, It's where we lived and established our identities and achieved our fame, but what Gaza is going through now is a cause for despair and departure.

Baalousha stressed that life in Gaza gives satirists material for a panoply of stories. Although he was never arrested by Hamas or its apparatus, Baalousha said the Gaza Strip deprives people like him of any glimmer of hope. Nonetheless, he stated, I still write about Gaza, about every detail related to it, about its daily events and its successive crises.

In addition to stifled creativity, life for young Palestinians is difficult in other ways. Unemployment among graduates stood at 51% in the first quarter of 2016, according to data published by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics on World Youth Day, Aug. 12. A statement accompanying the figures noted that an average of around 63% of Palestinians between the ages of 15 and 29  73% in the West Bank and 56% in the Gaza Strip  want to emigrate, although not permanently.

Ayman al-Aloul, a journalist, was arrested at his home in Gaza on Jan. 3 by Hamas-controlled security forces. Now based in Egypt, he is finding it difficult to decide whether to return to Gaza and live under threat or to remain in Egypt and be separated from his family.

Aloul told Al-Monitor, I decided to leave after I learned that the security services in Gaza had informed all of the media offices not to deal with me and prevented me from practicing the job that I love, being a field correspondent, their argument being that I was an abstaining employee appointed by the Palestinian Authority. Aloul said he receives threats on a regular basis on his social networking accounts.

On Feb. 11, 2010, Fathi Hammad, the interior minister for the Hamas government, had issued Decision No. 17, prohibiting abstaining employees from working with charities and nongovernmental organizations or holding paid or unpaid jobs.

Poet Fatena Al Ghorra, who has lived in Belgium since 2008, has her own take on the relationship between Gaza and its intellectuals. It is not Gaza that repels the elite. It is quite the opposite, as Gaza is probably the place that most generates intellectuals, she told Al-Monitor. The city, however, is helpless, as it is under siege and under economic, psychological, social and religious constraints that prevent it from keeping its elite. The relationship is very debatable and hard to analyze. At a time when Gaza made us who we are today, we punished it for something it did not do.

Ghorra shared her personal experience, saying, I found myself increasingly suffocating, and I could not take it anymore. We did not leave the city. We left those who are in control of it and those who managed to censure us from within. This cannot be tolerated by innovators to whom freedom is a must.

In Gaza, what comes from freedom is often interpreted as decay, Ghorra said, adding, The lack of horizon, the suppression of freedom and the censorship imposed on the people are the reasons that lead innovators to leave.

Ghorra was well-known in Gazas cultural circles, but she could no longer handle the prospect of living in a city ruled by one thought and one vision. She added, I was exposed to multiple pressures and direct threats at times, all of which were factors that led me to leave before I lost my mind or my life.

For now, Juma, Baalousha, Aloul and Ghorra communicate with their families and followers through social media. They plan to return to Gaza one day, but no one knows when that day will come.
September 27, 2016

BEIRUT  As fierce fighting and bombardments continue across Syria since a fragile pause in hostilities shattered, a resolution has arguably never been further off. And in neighboring Lebanon, the Syrian refugee issue is becoming more and more a source of multiple tensions between communities, politicians and countries.

Clearly, frustrations are growing. Last week, some Lebanese ministers and politicians called for repatriation of Syrian refugees. While the proposal is being heavily criticized and shows little chance of succeeding, it reflects increasing vexation over the presence in Lebanon of an estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees.

Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil drew early fire for saying Sept. 17 that Syrians and Palestinians who marry Lebanese women should not be conferred Lebanese nationality and adding that Syrians are threatening our Lebanon." Then-Labor Minister Sejaan Azzi announced a controversial plan to ship refugees back to Syria over a two-year period starting in January.

Speaking at a Sept. 19 press conference, Azzi said his plan would place refugees into one of four groups  pro-President Bashar al-Assad, anti-Assad, neutral and migrant  before returning them to a relatively safe space back in Syria.

There are safe zones, Azzi claimed, just no political decision or will to maintain the cease-fire.

Syrians classed as migrants, estimated at around 250,000 people, would be the first to go, Azzi said, with a total of 1.2 million Syrians targeted for repatriation under the proposals.

The same day, Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam offered up a similar plan at the United Nations Summit on Refugees and Migrants in New York, saying the huge and sudden influx of refugees beginning in 2011 now poses dangerous risks to our stability, security, economy and public services.

Salam suggested a system allowing for the safe return of Syrians, but later clarified that refugees would not be forcibly deported.

According to Azzis repatriation plan, Syrians with legal residency in Lebanon would not be targeted for return. But theres a catch. Based on estimates from Human Rights Watch, some 70% of Syrians do not have residency, often because the $200 per-person renewal fees are beyond reach for a diaspora increasingly defined by poverty.

UN High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson Lisa Abu Khaled said the agency closely watches "developments in countries of origin to see when such returns would be possible  as this is the solution refugees dream of." However, "current conditions in Syria are not appropriate," she added.

Recent events  including a deadly attack on a humanitarian aid convoy in Urum al-Kubra [west of Aleppo]  unfortunately demonstrate on a daily basis that the situation in Syria remains extremely unsafe and volatile at the moment, Abu Khaled told Al-Monitor, adding that UNHCR will be ready to provide repatriation support when refugees can return safely.

Rights groups and researchers, meanwhile, criticized the plans.

Lebanon has taken on a real burden in hosting more than a million Syrian refugees, but there is currently no area in Syria that would be safe for them to return to, said Bassam Khawaja, a Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch. Any involuntary returns to Syria would constitute refoulement and would be illegal under international law.

Nasser Yassin, research director at the Issam Fares Institute at the American University of Beirut, told Al-Monitor the plans are unrealistic and reflective of populist talk  being said to gain more support among the constituency of those politicians.

Yassin argued that while involuntary returns are illegal and so wont receive the support of UNHCR, the situation in Syria also requires realistic policy proposals.

First, from a protection perspective, this cannot happen; second, this isnt realistic. Youre going to put them on a bus and send them back to the borders? he asked. I dont think anyone in the international community or from human rights organizations would facilitate any of this.

Some areas of Syria might be safer than others, "but there is a lot of competition now for resources and theres overcrowding in these areas" caused by the mass movement of more than 6.5 million internally displaced persons within Syria itself, he said.

Official participation in incitement against refugees and migrants in Lebanon appears to be getting worse, some say, which creates a second tier of discrimination on top of scattered outbursts of violence such as those seen on the outskirts of Beirut last week. Several people were wounded after Lebanese residents and Syrian refugees exchanged gunfire in Dohat Aramoun, some 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Beirut, on the night of Sept. 20. According to the state-run National News Agency, the Lebanese army intervened after heavy and intense exchange of machine-gun fire.

While world leaders came together to pledge support for refugees and migration projects at two UN summits last week, the European Union is working with the Lebanese government to assist Syrian refugees.

The EU has already designated Lebanon as one of six priority countries for migration management and development projects. An initiative, part of the Partnership Framework endorsed in June, puts curbing migration at the top of the EU's foreign policy priorities and offers incentives such as trade deals and development aid for compliant partner countries.

Negotiations on detailed EU-Lebanese projects planned under the Partnership Framework are said to be ongoing, although a framework communication does mention improving infrastructure and services  including waste management, water, education and health  as well as economic opportunities for the most vulnerable Lebanese communities.

In return, the Partnership Framework asks that the Lebanese government make efforts on the social and economic inclusion of Syrian refugees in order to improve their living conditions and legal residence status.

The presence of well over 1 million Syrian refugees has had an impact on Lebanon's society, economy and national politics that is not hard to divine.

While debate around repatriation is likely to continue in Lebanon, last weeks plans and statements reveal more deep-seated issues with refugee policy  both in Lebanon and Europe.

The refugee issue [in Lebanon] has become now, like many other places in the world, a subject for political contention, and some politicians use it to gain more votes and show that they are protecting the benefits of their populace. Unfortunately, this is where we are, Yassin told Al-Monitor.

However, he added, Europe cant just ask Lebanon to keep all those [refugees]  and just send in money.

Europe needs to show this part of the world, in addition to the money and support and concessions and so on  the goodwill and solid actions to resolve the war in Syria, he said.
September 26, 2016

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  In 1965, the PLO established the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU), an independent labor organization with the mission of defending the interests of the Palestinian working class against potential violations by their employers or the ruling authorities and ensuring workers' rights in accordance with Palestinian Labor Law.

There are approximately 70,000 members in the PGFTU, which consists of 12 unions for workers in the following sectors: hotels, restaurants and tourism; agriculture and industry; petrochemicals; construction; health; municipalities; banking and insurance; public services; transportation; communications and information technology; weaving; and fishing.

Al-Monitor interviewed PGFTU head Sami al-Amasi in his Gaza City office to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip, where poverty and unemployment rates are growing. He highlighted violations committed by employers against their workers and addressed the federation's main suggested solutions in light of rising unemployment rates.

There are 360,000 Palestinians over age 15, male and female, who work or have worked in the private sector in the Gaza Strip, where the total population is estimated at 1.88 million. The Israeli siege on Gaza since 2007 has negatively affected all aspects of life there. As a result, 220,000 of those 360,000 workers are unemployed, and the unemployment rate for both men and women of working age in the private sector reached 61%. The overall unemployment rate in Gaza, which includes private sector workers, government workers and college graduates, has reached 41%.

The text of the interview follows.

Al-Monitor: What is the exact number of unemployed people in the Gaza Strip? What efforts is the PGFTU making to alleviate their suffering?

Amasi: There are 220,000 unemployed people out of 360,000 Palestinians of working age in the Gaza Strip [excluding those employed by state institutions], which means that the unemployment rate among in Gaza has reached 61%. The PGFTU has to accomplish a lot of tasks in order to alleviate the suffering. But the situation of the Palestinian unions is quite hard in light of the Palestinian division that erupted in 2007 and made them unable to provide good services for all Gazans of working age. This division resulted in several governments operating at the same time in Palestine; such is the case with Hamas rule in the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian Authoritys rule in the West Bank. This is why we do not know who to deal with or who to approach to convey our demands; each party claims the other is responsible.

However, this does not mean that the PGFTU does not provide services to workers. One of the most notable services that this population needs is health insurance, which allows them to receive free treatment in all government health institutions in exchange for paying only 20 shekels a year [$5], which is a very small amount. For their part, workers in government institutions must pay 600 shekels a year [$160] to receive the same service.

Al-Monitor: Have the reconstruction projects in Gaza, after its destruction in the 2014 Israeli war, not provided hundreds of jobs? How many workers got jobs through these projects? How much is the average wage? Who is funding these projects?

Amasi: Reconstruction projects are funded by several international bodies and Arab governments in accordance with what was agreed upon at the [Cairo] donor conference for the reconstruction of Gaza, held in October 2014. These bodies include the United Nations and the European Union, while Arab countries such as Kuwait and Qatar provide regular financial grants to support the reconstruction of destroyed houses.

These projects have created jobs for about 30,000 workers, but that number is constantly decreasing due to Israel's failure to allow the entry of enough cement into Gaza; Israel only allows 3,000 tons of cement per day, and this constitutes 15% of Gazas daily requirement of cement for reconstruction to proceed at a normal pace. Thus, the continuation of reconstruction works depends on the entry of raw materials, particularly cement.

We have a true problem when it comes to the average worker's wages. The minimum [monthly] wage in the West Bank was set at 1,450 shekels [$386], but in the Gaza Strip, there is no such thing as a minimum wage in light of the deteriorating economic situation and absence of jobs. This is why the local construction companies offer low wages for workers, at 600 shekels a month [$160].  Unfortunately, there is no authority in Gaza to control this dire situation.

Al-Monitor: In light of the difficult conditions the unemployed face in Gaza, what effort is the government making to create jobs and develop the skills of unemployed Gazans?

Amasi: The national consensus government  is not making any real efforts to create jobs in Gaza or to improve the workers living conditions. On March 24, the government approved the social security law for workers, but it does not resemble any social security law in any country in the world: There is no health insurance, no old-age insurance, no disability, death and work injury insurance and no maternity insurance, and it does not guarantee any financial provisions for the unemployed.

The government does not spend donor funds to employ those who need jobs. For instance, in March 2015, the government received a grant worth 20 million euros [$22.4 million] provided by the Italian government to find jobs for the unemployed, and the grant was enough to provide temporary jobs for about 100,000 workers. All the unemployed in Gaza were quite happy about this news, but to our shock, the government announced in February 2016 it was providing job opportunities for only 2,500 university graduates. One might wonder where the rest of the grant was spent, although it was originally allocated to provide jobs for the unemployed.

Al-Monitor: It has been two years since the 2014 Israeli war. What is the status of the efforts aimed at rebuilding industrial facilities that were destroyed during the war?

Amasi: The war left devastating partial and complete damage of 860 industrial facilities. Their reconstruction process has not begun yet because the citizens houses are still being repaired and they are more of a priority. I think that reconstructing the facilities is still far off.

Al-Monitor: Economic experts in Gaza agree that sending some [unemployed] Palestinians to work abroad is one of the most effective solutions to curb unemployment. Are efforts being deployed in this context? What is impeding exporting Palestinian labor abroad? Are there imminent plans to resolve the unemployment crisis?

Amasi: Unemployment cannot be solved without exporting labor abroad. The Gaza Strip cannot employ 360,000 people. There were governmental efforts in 2015 to send hundreds of unemployed people from the Gaza Strip abroad, especially to Qatar and Kuwait. But, unfortunately, nobody was sent due to the political division between Gaza and the West Bank. With the current division, there are no prospects of sending [this population] abroad.

Al-Monitor: Locally, those employed in the private sector are accusing employers of committing harsh violations against them and making their lives tragic. Tell us about these violations. What is the role of the PGFTU in protecting these workers from violations?

Amasi: There are huge violations from employers against their employees. For instance, employers refuse to sign any contract with the employee to deprive them of their end-of-service rights such as financial dues. Moreover, wages are low, and workers arent paid overtime. For instance, workers in bakeries work for 12 continuous hours daily for 30 shekels [$8] a day. This is aginst the Palestinian Labor Law.

But the PGFTU is also facing problems in ensuring the rights of employees, as the employee is afraid of filing a complaint against his boss for fear of being fired and not finding another job. Moreover, trial procedures in Gaza take a long time and could last up to five years to issue a final verdict in a certain case. All this time, the employee must pay his lawyers, and this is costly. Under this tough situation and in the absence of a judicial body, the PGFTU can only do so much. We often resort to friendly solutions between the employees and employers to grant the employee part of their rights and financial payment on condition of forgetting the other rights. In 2015, the PGFTU helped resolve around 160 cases between bosses and employees amicably.

Al-Monitor: Do you think laws in the Gaza Strip guarantee the rights of workers and protect their families when they lose their job or are injured during work hours? What can be improved?

Amasi: The real problem with these laws is that they are mere talk and are not effectively implemented. If a worker files a lawsuit before the court against his employer, it takes ages to be examined due to the long trial procedures. For instance, if a worker dies after being injured at work, the law guarantees his family the salary of 3,650 days, which means around $40,000-$45,000 that is paid by the employer of the deceased worker, as per the Labor Law. But, nobody abides by this law, with the long procedures in the states courts. We need a law to establish special labor courts to decide on labor issues, expedite trial proceedings and guarantee all workers their rights. We have been calling on the Palestinian Legislative Council to issue this law, but it has not responded.

Al-Monitor: You have been heading the PGFTU since 2010. No syndical elections have taken place ever since. Why is that? Are you thinking of running in the elections if they are held? Are there any plans to hold such elections?

Amasi: The division between Gaza and the West Bank has impeded the syndical elections since 2010. But internal elections for the unions were held in June 2016. I believe holding unified elections to vote for a new union board requires a political decision that all Palestinian factions agree on. About my candidacy, if the elections take place, it is too soon to tell. I have not provided my stance yet because the situation and the problems with labor have weakened my enthusiasm for another round of elections. But I will provide a clear stance when the elections are approved.
September 28, 2016

WASHINGTON  In what would mark a dramatic shift of policy from the international diplomatic effort it has pursued the past year, the United States warned Russia Sept. 28 that it will suspend US-Russian engagement on Syria if Russia does not take immediate steps to halt a Russian-backed Syrian regime assault on rebel-held eastern Aleppo that has killed 96 children since Sept. 23, according to United Nations agencies.

The warning, made in a phone call by Secretary of State John Kerry to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov Sept. 28, comes as the State Department said nondiplomatic options are being discussed for dealing with the mounting loss of life in the Russian and Syrian air assaults on Aleppo. But US officials stressed they still consider a diplomatic solution that would restore the Syria cease-fire deal and get the Syrian parties into political talks in Geneva their preferred option.

Moscow has a decision to make, State Department spokesman John Kirby told journalists at the State Department press briefing Sept. 28.

Given what we have seen in the ground and in the air, around Aleppo, unless something dramatically changes very, very soon  we are going to have to take those steps to suspend our bilateral engagement on Syria, Kirby said. That is not an insignificant move for us.

For the first time since 2013, the Obama administration is coming under pressure to consider coercive/military options in Syria to stop the indiscriminate assault on besieged eastern Aleppo and to give leverage to stalled cease-fire diplomacy with Russia. The administration is worried that even limited action, such as cruise missile strikes on regime aircraft that violate the cessation or bomb UN aid convoys, could lead to a possible escalation with Russia, so they are proceeding cautiously. They also are still hoping the Russians will come back to them with ideas for how to revive the cease-fire. But the intense regime/Russian bombing of eastern Aleppo and large-scale loss of life  and the prospect of more  is putting the administration under the most serious pressure since the 2013 chemical weapons attacks to consider coercive/limited force options to restrain regime atrocities and try to get the cease-fire agreement back on track.

If Russia does not take significant steps in the coming days to ground the Syrian air force over Aleppo, the United States will likely pull its technical teams in Geneva home, among other steps, while it considers how to adjust its policy, Kirby said. Washington may announce it is recalling its teams to Geneva and Amman involved in overseeing a March US-Russia Syria cessation of hostilities agreement as early as Sept. 29.

There are other options that dont revolve around diplomacy that the interagency talked about and those discussions are ongoing. Other options that are outside diplomacy, Kirby said.

At the very least, you can see how the international community is becoming more galvanized, he said. Clearly, what is happening in Aleppo has the worlds attention.

Kirby declined to elaborate on possible coercive action the United States might consider if the loss of life in Aleppo continues to mount. But he warned that Russia would face ugly blowback from the widening war in Syria if the cease-fire deal fell through.

The consequences are that the civil war will continue in Syria, that  extremist groups will continue to  expand their operations, that will include attacks on Russian interests, perhaps even Russian cities. And Russia will continue to send troops home in body bags, Kirby said.

And they will continue to lose resources, perhaps even more aircraft, he continued, perhaps alluding to reports citing anonymous US officials that the United States may not be able to halt Gulf nations supplying rebel groups with more sophisticated weaponry to try to defend themselves, including shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles. The stability they claim they seek in Syria will be ever more elusive.

The US ultimatum to Russia comes as international humanitarian workers issued increasingly desperate pleas about the calamity faced by some 250,000 people in besieged eastern Aleppo in Syrian and Russian air assaults, including the use of bunker-busting munitions that kill people sheltering in underground bomb shelters. Airstrikes targeted two hospitals in Aleppo overnight on Sept. 28, killing doctors, nurses and patients.

Today [the] 2 main hospitals of #Aleppo were bombarded, Peter Maurer, the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, wrote on Twitter Sept. 28. Patients were killed. Doctors and nurses injured. Wars have rules. Don't attack hospitals!

At least 96 children have been killed and 223 have been injured in eastern Aleppo since Friday, the United Nations childrens fund UNICEF said in a statement Sept. 28.

The children of Aleppo are trapped in a living nightmare, said UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Justin Forsyth. There are no words left to describe the suffering they are experiencing.

Some 1,000 civilians in eastern Aleppo have been killed or injured in over 1,700 airstrikes the past eight days, Raed al-Saleh, the head of the Syrian Civil Defense group known as the White Helmets, said at the Atlantic Council in Washington Sept. 27.

We fear that  Aleppos destiny will be the complete displacement of all of its people, Saleh, speaking through a translator, said. Our demand is to stop the killing itself so that we dont have to continue this awful job  pulling out corpses from underneath the rubble.

The White House recognizes that the situation in Aleppo is much more than a humanitarian catastrophe, it is a political disaster, former State and Defense Department official Frederic Hof said at the Atlantic Council forum with the White Helmets Sept. 27.

Asked what the United States should do, Hof said President Barack Obama needs to task his secretary of defense with developing options for limited punitive military action, short of a regime change, to raise the cost for the Syrian regimes assault on civilians in Aleppo.

I would be content for President Obama to pull in [Secretary of Defense] Ash Carter  and say, Mr. Secretary, what is happening in Aleppo  is simply unacceptable. We are not going to invade this country. We are not going to occupy this country. We are not even going to engage in a campaign of violent regime change. But Mr. Secretary, I want to see some options that will exact a price of people who are currently conducting these civilian-centric terror campaigns with absolute impunity and immunity. Confront them with a price, Hof said.

What is required is for the president of the United States to give an affirmative statement of presidential intent to his secretary of defense, then look at the options, weigh the risks, Hof continued. But we need to move quickly here. Because there is hell to pay here.

But Hof said he would not bet on Obama doing that. Is there a prospect? Sure. I imagine Kerry and [US Ambassador to the UN Samantha] Power are pushing hard, Hof told Al-Monitor by email Sept. 27. And maybe the sheer enormity of what's happening to the people of Aleppo will spur POTUS [president of the United States] into action. But I would not bet on it.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in New York Sept. 28 that those bombing Aleppo know they are committing war crimes, and he compared conditions in Aleppo to a slaughterhouse.

Those using ever more destructive weapons know exactly what they are doing. They know they are committing war crimes, Ban said. Imagine the destruction. People with their limbs blown off, children in terrible pain with no relief.  Imagine a slaughterhouse. This is worse. Even a slaughterhouse is more humane.
Elon Musk

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk speaking to an international space conference in Mexico on Sept. 27, 2016 with a large image of Mars behind him.

Elon Musk showed again Tuesday why he's inspiring millions about space travel as he detailed his plan to colonize Mars using spaceships built by his company SpaceX.

Speaking to a wildly enthusiastic international space conference in Mexico, Musk alternated between technical details and a vision reminiscent of Wernher von Braun. He spoke of 1,000-spaceship fleets leaving for Mars and said at one point, "It'll be, like, really fun to go. You'll have a lot of fun."

"Why go anywhere?" As he typically does, Musk started with that question.

One possible future has humans "staying on Earth forever" until some "extinction event" destroys humanity, Musk said. Another path has us becoming "a spacefaring people" with a colony on Mars.

Musk told why he favors Mars and said his aim is lowering the cost and the time to get there. His initial goal is a $200,000 passage, Musk said, and his ultimate goal is under $100,000.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk almost appears to be looking into the future as he discusses his dream of Mars colonies at a space conference Sept. 27, 2016. (SpaceX)

Showing slide after slide of numbers, charts and illustrations, Musk said the SpaceX plan meets four critical challenges: "full reusability, refilling, propellant production on Mars, and the right propellant."

Musk wants to launch and park big transport ships made of "advanced carbon fiber" in orbit while their boosters return to Earth and then come back loaded with fuel for the Mars transit. Early launches will be from Cape Canaveral, Fla., and later ones likely from the Texas coast.

These new boosters will be powered by 42 of his company's new Raptor engines, one of which was recently test-fired. Musk expects no big problems with the Raptor, saying it is basically a "scaled up" Falcon 9 engine fueled by methane.

Built in the Gulf states?

Asked where these new spaceships - too large to truck overland - will be built, Musk said SpaceX is looking "at the Gulf states," including NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans.

Musk also spoke about the serious risks to the early travelers. He said the test for the first astronauts will be, "Are you prepared to die? You're a candidate for going."

"It's a huge amount of risk, and it will cost a lot," he said of the implications for SpaceX. "There's a good chance we won't succeed, but we're going to do our best."

Without the entry of new, dedicated players, Musk said, space travel appeared almost dead after Apollo and the space shuttle. "The trajectory was zero," he said. He built SpaceX to help change that trajectory, Musk said, but Mars will need a public-private partnership.

"We do expect to generate a pretty decent net cash flow from launching lots of satellites and servicing the space station for NASA ...," he said of SpaceX. "There's a lot of people in the private sector interested in helping fund a base on Mars and perhaps there'll be interest on the public sector as well."

'This dream is real'

"Right now, we're just trying to make as much progress as we can with the resources that we have available and keep everything moving forward," Musk said. "I think as we show this is possible, that this dream is real, not just a dream but something that can be made real, I think the support will snowball over time.

"The main reason I'm personally accumulating assets is to fund this," Musk said. "I really don't have any other reason for accumulating personal assets except to be able to make the biggest contribution I can to making life multi-planetary."
As usual, The Boss didn't have to work this hard.

Bruce Springsteen could have put out a collection of recipes in Esperanto, cribbed from Campbell soup cans, and it would still be an international bestseller. He could have hired a ghostwriter, as so many celebrities with multi-million-dollar book deals do.

Typically, he went the distance. And the result is nothing short of magnificent.

As a true fan -- does Springsteen have any other kind? -- I can chart my life by his records. My devotion reaches back over 40 years, listening to him on a clock radio. A desperate attempt to see him when I was 16 involved walking along I-95, hours of mass transit, and not being able to get into The Stone Pony despite my fake ID, where he wasn't even playing. (I wound up grounded for life.)

Since then, I've seen him many times, and though often without a dollar in my wallet, I'm never without a stub from a Springsteen concert. So bias advertised: I adore Springsteen.

Yet when it comes to books, a book must be great for me to recommend it. The talent must be on the page.

In this case, I wish I could buy everyone a copy.

Springsteen is justifiably revered at concerts -- especially in New Jersey, where his shows take on revival-meeting fervor -- but in this volume, he is a man. Sure, a ridiculously talented and committed man, one who searches, creates, sobs and loves. And, along the way, matures, learns, breaks and endures.

But a man, nonetheless.

The autobiography is chronologically divided into three sections: "Growin' Up," "Born to Run" and "Living Proof." In the first, Springsteen recalls his hardscrabble childhood, growing up in houses without hot water. He acknowledges he was a despotic toddler, coddled by a grandmother who lavished on him the pent-up love she couldn't give a daughter who died at 5.

"In this house, due to order of birth and circumstance," he writes, "I was lord, king and the messiah all rolled into one."

The nuns at Freehold's St. Rose of Lima, however, held him in somewhat lower regard. By the time Springsteen graduated from eighth grade, he thought he had renounced the church. "However, as I grew older, there were certain things about the way I thought, reacted, behaved," he writes. "I came to ruefully and bemusedly understand that once you're a Catholic, you're always a Catholic."

From left, Nils Lofgren, Bruce Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt, of the E Street Band, performing Aug. 28, at the United Center in Chicago, Ill.

That childhood came to an abrupt end when, at 19, his parents left for California. Decades of therapy -- he reveals he has long suffered from depression -- have stripped Springsteen of pretense. Nothing came easy and because of that he takes nothing for granted. When Springsteen finally reaches a loving understanding with his father, you want to weep.

Through it all, though, his mom always loved music and believed in her son. Born in 1949, he was the perfect age for the music revolution, even if his neighbors didn't yet appreciate it.

"In 1964, Freehold was redneck ugly and there was no shortage of guys who were willing to make their rejection of your fashion choices a physical affair."

As the book goes on, Springsteen talks honestly about his Italian/Irish family, and his tortured relationship with his father, who was eventually found to be manic-depressive. Gossip hounds, however, will be disappointed. He has only lovely things to say about his first marriage to Julianne Phillips, while crediting wife Patti Scialfa with being the partner he needs and cherishes.

Considerably more time is spent on the making of the albums and the tours. He discloses his inner anguish, but never divulges his family's private lives. Sure, he mentions his daughter the champion equestrian; his son the firefighter, and his son in the music business. Springsteen is a proud papa but also a careful one.

Fans likely know the history of his bands - Steel Mill, The Castiles, The Merchants, among others. What's fascinating is how he became The Boss.

"I was leading the band, playing, singing and writing everything we did," he writes. "If I was going to carry the workload and the responsibility, I might as well assume the power. I didn't want to get into any more decision-making squabbles or have any confusion about who set the creative direction of my music. I wanted the freedom to follow my 'muse' without unnecessary argument. From now on, the buck would stop here, if I could make one."

Of course he does -- and then details how not caring about business eventually cost him, big time. There were shows where after playing all night each band member took home $3. (That is not a typo.)

Through it all, he shares great yarns. Springsteen and Steve Van Zandt getting kicked out of Disneyland -- for a ridiculous reason -- is hilarious. Springsteen learning to drive is classic. (When better to start than on treacherous roads in an ancient truck with a standard transmission?) For years, California beckoned and he couldn't resist. After a particularly tough trip, Springsteen reassesses.

"I had to get back to where I was, who I was, a son of New Jersey, gunslinger, bar band king, small-town local hero, big fish in a little pond and breadwinner."

His fiefdom was hardly regal. He couch surfed and flopped in fleabag motels. Still, he was living the life he wanted. "I was twenty-three and I was making a living playing music! Friend, there's a reason they don't call it 'working.' It's called PLAYING!"

Yet he approached it with a zealous discipline that was more like a mission. He listened to himself and like all great artists, had faith in himself. And he had faith in the people he took along for the ride, like Clarence Clemons, "the Big Man," for whom he has an abiding love.

Springsteen's memoir, published by Simon & Schuster, will be available in bookstores on Tuesday. (Simon & Schuster)

When Clemons suffered a massive stroke, Springsteen and Patti cut short a Paris vacation and raced back to join Clemons' family, Max Weinberg and Garry Tallent at his deathbed.

"I strummed my guitar gently to 'Land of Hope and Dreams' and then something inexplicable happened. Something great and timeless and beautiful and confounding just disappeared. Something was gone ... gone for good."

Clemons' final wishes called for his ashes to be "scattered in Hawaii, in the presence of his wife and all of the other 'special' women in his life. Only Clarence, alive or dead, could pull this off."

Throughout the book, Springsteen reaches deep and shows us the artist we love -- an easygoing guy who wants to make music, spur people to dance and have fun. But roiling under that layer is a tortured soul who can't help but dwell in the darkest shadows. "

So yes, the thread throughout this book is one of honesty. While that allows for often-painful truths, it also -- like any Springsteen show -- makes room for funny recollections, including this about his most iconic album.

"The 'Born in the USA' tour was notable for the sartorial horror sweeping E Street nation. The band has never looked and dressed so bad. I'd grown weary of being a wardrobe Nazi, coordinating the men into what was supposed to look like an effortless, unified front. In '84, I abandoned everyone to their own worst instincts and they came through glowingly."

This isn't just a book for Bruce fans, but for anyone who loves rock 'n' roll, the Shore or the last 40 years of Jersey pop-culture history. It's as epic as his recent four-hour concerts. And just as satisfying. I read non-stop for three days, and when it was over, I just wanted to light a cigarette (though I haven't smoked in 21 years) and bask in its afterglow.

Born to Run

By Bruce Springsteen

(Simon & Schuster, 528 pp, $32.50)

In stores Tuesday
WARNING: Because the subject of the accompanying photo gallery is death, some may find a few of the photos disturbing.

Despite the fact that he was lauded by Stephen King as "the finest writer of paperback originals in America," relatively few people know the name Michael McDowell, or his connection to the iconic film "Beetlejuice." Even fewer know he was born in Enterprise, Ala.

"I like to describe Michael McDowell as kind of like the Alabama version of Stephen King," according to Benn Joseph, head of archival processing at Northwestern University, which purchased the collection after McDowell's death in 1999 at the age of 49.

McDowell was the author of more than 25 horror books, including the "Blackwater" series and "The Elementals," and numerous screenplays. In addition to penning "Beetlejuice" for director Tim Burton, McDowell wrote scripts for "Tales from the Darkside: The Movie," "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "Thinner," based on a Stephen King novel, as well as several television shows. When McDowell died, King's wife, novelist Tabitha King, was asked to complete the manuscript he was writing at the time. The finished product was published as "Candles Burning" in 2006.

Perhaps McDowell's occupation as a horror writer offers some explanation for his fascination with death. Joseph said McDowell wrote the dissertation for his PhD in English from Brandeis University on the ways society deals with death and mourning. He began collecting items associated with death customs at that time, in the late 1970s, Joseph said.

The collection can be viewed in its current storage boxes at Chicago's Northwestern University and may someday go on display, Joseph said. "We've struggled with how to exhibit the more sensitive materials," he said of the collection, which includes postmortem photographs, often of children, made in the Victorian era when photography was available but still something of a luxury. Because many families did not have images of younger members, they would have a photo made when the child died as a remembrance, sometimes posing the child to look as if he were still living.

The McDowell collection also includes pieces of jewelry woven from the hair of the deceased, funeral memorabilia and an 1868 planchette used with a "spirit board" to communicate with the dead, and spirit photos, another fad of the Victorian era in which photographers created prints purporting to show people with the spirits of dead loved ones.

One of the most famous examples of "spirit" photography, taken by William H. Mumler, shows Mary Todd Lincoln with what was purported to be the spirit of Abraham Lincoln looking over her. (Public Domain)

"There are quite a few spirit photos, most with no information on them," Joseph said. "But a few are by well-known spirit photographers, like Georgiana Houghton, a medium who would conduct seances and have photographs taken of her interacting with spirits." The interaction shown in the photos was rare, he said. Typically, spirit photos showed a faded figure standing near the subject of the photo, with the most famous example being one that purports to show the figure of Abraham Lincoln standing behind Mary Todd Lincoln after his death.

Joseph said he is often asked why the university purchased the macabre collection after McDowell's death. "These materials will be useful for anyone researching American death and mourning practices, particularly the funeral industry, spiritualism, practices of ritual, emotion, or sentimentality involving death and dying, the evolution of memorial cards and funeral announcements during the 19th century," he said.

Join al.com reporter Kelly Kazek on her weekly journey through Alabama to record the region's quirky history, strange roadside attractions and tales of colorful characters. Find her on Facebook or follow her Odd Travels and Real Alabama boards on Pinterest.
Thousands of students across Alabama gathered at flagpoles in front of their schools to pray this morning for "See You at the Pole," a national day of prayer for students.

Student-led groups organized the prayer on public school campuses before classes began for the day.

More than 30 students gathered at the flagpole in front of Leeds High School, where student Zane Duke, 16, played guitar and tapped out a rhythm with his foot on a drum as he led the group in singing "Wake," contemporary praise music by Hillsong.

"We've done this as long as I can remember, since middle school," Duke said. "There are a lot of kids who go to church and do good things for God. We want to bring other people to faith in Christ. We want to pray for whatever situation they're in, whatever struggles anyone is going through. I encourage them to pray for other people. I just love to pray for the less fortunate."

The rallies at many schools kick off weekly meetings of First Priority, which gathers before classes in the morning. First Priority has about 200 student-led prayer groups at schools across the region.

First Priority helps students stay focused on God and a higher purpose, Duke said. "No matter what happens, God's got our backs," he said. "We want to help get our school to know God."

The Rev. David Hodges, college pastor of The Church of the Highlands and son of Pastor Chris Hodges, who founded Alabama's largest church, spoke to the students at Leeds High School before classes began and led a prayer for the school, the principal and other staff and students, and for the state and nation.

"We need the Lord now more than ever," said Hodges, 22, who graduated from Briarwood Christian School in 2012 and then from Highlands College, a ministry school run by the Church of the Highlands.

The ''See You at the Pole'' event, which began at a Texas school in 1990, usually lasts from 7:15 a.m. to 8 a.m. before students go to class. More than 2 million students are estimated to take part each year.

The movement toward religious clubs meeting on campus and organizing prayer rallies before school gained steam after the 1984 Equal Access Act granted student-led religious clubs the same right to meet on campus as other clubs. The law was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1990.
Ugandan insurance regulator okays banks to offer insurance services

Following the publication of regulations that will guide banks intending to offer insurance services by the Ugandan insurance regulator, banks have expressed appetite in offering insurance, a move industry players hails as a win to the customers but one that could affect insurance companies.

According to the Bank of Uganda deputy director of commercial banking, Godfrey Yiga Masajja, the move is meant to increase the services that can be provided by [commercial] banks.

The idea of bringing commercial banks on board, according to Insurance Regulatory Authority, targets to increase insurance penetration, which is currently at 0.86 per cent. It contributes less than one per cent to the countrys Gross Domestic Product.

However, some insurance brokers and agents expressed fear that they might run out of business as banks might take up all the available opportunities. Bancassurance is an arrangement between a financial institution and an insurance company under which the financial institution distributes to its customers an insurance product on its behalf.

According to the Insurance Agents Association chairman, Joshua Kisami, agents dealing with a single bank might further make business hard.

Will it still be possible that insurance agents will only be [restricted to] selling to one bank? he wondered.

In response to staff raiding by commercial banks, Ibrahim Kaddunabbi, the chief executive officer at IRA, said insurance companies might have to revise their workers terms of employment.

Regarding losing staff, those in HR know that if you train, you must also have a retention policy, Kiddunabbi said. If you have trained your staff and they are good, make sure you retain them because labour movement is free.

Some insurance companies are already associated with some commercial banks. Gold Star is associated with Crane bank and Jubilee is associated with Diamond Trust bank.

Yiga said that allowing banks to be insurance brokers not only means more options for customers but also better products offerings.

In the draft Insurance (Bancassurance) Regulations, 2016 issued by the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA), banks will be required to hire Bancassurance principal officers and other people responsible for marketing and procuring insurance business for the banks.

The regulations are part of the process to operationalise the amendments to the Financial Institutions Act, 2016 that allows commercial banks to start selling insurance products.

The required experience, according to the regulations, is eight years in insurance-related business for principal officers. Insurance companies are concerned that banks will raid insurance companies for their staff.

The proposal, which was suggested by some insurers, was that there be a transition process of up to three years that sets restrictions on the movement of the human resource from the insurance companies.

Insurance brokerage firms are also at risk of losing key experienced people to banks that are selling insurance products.

The IRA has, however, played down the possibility of placing restrictions on labour mobility.

www.ira.go.ug
While the European Commission congratulates itself on a job well done six months after the EU-Turkey Deal, infrastructure designed to support the tens of thousands of asylum seekers in Greece is still significantly lacking.

More than six months since the EU-Turkey Deal to control refugee flows across the Aegean was signed, the European Commission is congratulating itself on a steady delivery of results.

According to its third report on the implementation of the deal released on Wednesday, daily arrivals of refugees and migrants on Greek islands have averaged 81 since June, compared with 2,900 daily arrivals during the same period a year ago.

The progress, according to the Commission, demonstrates that the business model of smugglers can be broken.

But the drop in arrivals comes hand-in-hand with significant problems.

Under the Statement, Turkey agreed to take back all those who dont qualify for asylum in Europe. So far, though, only 578 people have been returned. This means that the islands of the east Aegean are gradually turning into vast internment camps because the agreement confines newly arriving refugees to Lesbos, Samos, Chios, Leros and Kos.

They are no longer allowed to travel to mainland Greece, from where they might more easily smuggle themselves deeper into Europe.

When the EU-Turkey deal went into effect, there was no infrastructure that could support the sequestration of people on the islands, says Chios Mayor Manolis Vournous.

READ MORE: Refugees in Greece  We are living in a prison here

Vial overflowed with new arrivals within four to five days, he said, referring to a disused aluminium plant the municipality spent 710,000 euros buying and refurbishing as a refugee camp.

The spillover from Vial created two tent cities in Chios, and the refugees, frustrated with waiting, have sometimes turned to petty crime.

Ethnic tensions and the fear of deportation have also led to riots, like the one that sparked a fire around the Moria camp on Lesbos earlier this month.

The government has offered to build a new housing facility on Chios, but people are now increasingly sceptical.

Many people now want these people simply to leave. They ask, why are you making more space for these people? Just get rid of them, said Vournous.

We are not a danger, believe me, we are in danger here, said Bushra Asheh, a Syrian woman who has been on Chios for three months and is worried about the anti-immigrant demonstrations that have recently started taking place there.

I wish to go to another country, another safe country. I need safety, she says.

In theory, asylum case workers would process people off the islands faster than they would arrive, but Greek asylum authorities never received the level of staff support needed to achieve this from other member states, a problem the report readily admits.

Relocation is the only other way for refugees to get off the islands  a scheme whereby willing European Union member states agreed to relieve Greece and Italy of 160,000 asylum cases.

A year into the scheme, only 5,651 of Greeces nearly 70,000 asylum seekers have so far been relocated, according to the report.

The relocation programme has taken time to reach cruising speed, the report admits, but points out that there is improvement: 1,202 relocations took place in September, the highest monthly figure so far.
A photographic journey with the fighters of the FARCs 62nd front as they contemplate life after war.

The Yari Savannas, Colombia  After 52 years of war and displacement, the FARC and the Colombian government have signed a peace accord in the city of Cartagena that will begin the armed groups transition into civilian life as a political party.

Often intractable negotiations between President Juan Manuel Santos delegation and the FARCs secretariat in Cuba have borne fruit after four years. The treaty, sponsored by the guarantor states of Cuba, Chile, Venezuela and Norway, addresses issues ranging from the FARCs long-standing land reform grievances to the prosecution of possible crimes against humanity.

Everything now hinges on a referendum scheduled for October 2 that will ask Colombians whether they want the Havana accords implemented.

But while the country witnesses the historic signing and the debate on the referendum sweeps the cities, thousands of FARC fighters remain in waiting across jungle encampments all over Colombia.

The fighters of the 62nd

The 62nd of the Oriental Bloc have claimed the Yari Savannas in the department of Caqueta as their turf since their arrival in the 1960s.

READ MORE: Colombia  The endgame

Here, pockets of vertical jungle dot a vast sea of yellow wind-swept grass, connected by pontoon bridges and slick clay roads built by the FARC during the decades in which it has controlled the area.

The members of the 62nd are no longer patrolling for stalking enemies or sowing mines. In fact, they have spent the better part of two years averting combat as they cautiously awaited the outcome of the negotiations in Havana.

But they have maintained their discipline. Time once allotted to monitoring the savannas, launching surprise attacks, or advancing on the militarys far flung forward operating bases is now spent studying the accords and preparing for the transition. The manual A New Day for Peace is a staple in the fighters tents. Their only measureable victory is peace, it reads.

From her tent in one of the 62nds camps, Judi explains that the manual was sent to each unit to prepare the rebels for this very moment: the peaceful end to the worlds longest running conflict.

From victims, to fighters to civilians

The fighters of the 62nd have a formidable reputation, having confronted the Colombian military many times over the past decade, but the truth is that many of them were victims before they were combatants: children orphaned by the conflict or those forcibly displaced by it.

Pablo comes from the conflict-stricken town of Jamundi, near Cali. As the oldest of four, Pablo was the head of his household while his parents migrated for work in the nearby cities. But although the family tried their hardest to avoid the war, the conflict came to them regardless when a neighbour told a paramilitary group that they had collaborated with the FARC. It wasnt true, but that didnt matter. One day after harvesting coffee in the hills of the Cauca Valley, Pablo came home to the scene of a massacre.

His house had been burned down; his three siblings killed.

Pablo fled and enlisted with the rebels some months later. His story is the norm, not the exception among the fighters of the 62nd.

Some say that they joined the FARC to seek revenge against those who had inflicted violence upon them and their families; others say they were drawn by its call to end the grinding inequality experienced by Colombias rural poor. They all say they were welcomed as though family.

Aurelio is a veteran unit commander of 20 years. He describes the FARC as more than just an army. In it, he and his comrades have learned how to read, write and do basic maths, he says.

READ MORE: Colombia ceasefire ends half-century-long war

They have also learned about Colombian history; about the murder of politician and populist movement leader Jorge Eliecer Gaitan in 1948, about the birth of the FARC in the mountains of central Colombia and about the many failed peace talks that preceded this one.

Between issuing orders to the younger fighters, Aurelio also recalls the decades of daily lessons in jungle warfare that ensured they were ready for combat in this regions difficult terrain. With a smile, he explains that his fighters epitomised the FARCs ideal of an ideologically-driven mobile guerrilla unit: the 62nd moved freely between the hinterlands of three departments  Caqueta, Meta and Guaviare  and was always ready to fight, he says.

But now, as his fighters wait to be demobilised after decades of conflict, many questions remain unanswered: how will they return to civilian life; can they be protected from the paramilitary groups that have long opposed them; what of those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD; and will the electorate embrace the FARCs political successor? There is an air of uncertainty but also optimism among the 62nd as they wait in the jungle, primed not for battle but for the final call for peace.

Here, they discuss the lives they are preparing to leave behind and their hopes for the future, the relief and fear that comes with letting go of their rifles and the feelings of guilt at having lived to see the end of the war.

The waning days of the FARC reveal a disarmingly mundane life of sport, study and contemplation for men and women who have been ready to sacrifice all for a revolution that never came to fruition. The 62nds last march through the plains that once rang with the clangor of combat will end with the quieting of their rifles.

Olga heads out to patrol the encampment  quite possibly for the last time.

An announcement from her commanders in Havana had just declared that the peace accords were nearly finalised. The government and the rebels had agreed to all terms to end hostilities.

Commander Arnulfo, who joined the FARC aged 13, is now 40.

The state failed me and my family, he says.

We were surrounded by the conflict, so I enlisted. My hope is that for the good of our people, the rural class of this country, that this is the end of the war between Colombians.

Weve always wanted peace; we arent monsters or bandits. Our struggle will go on through elections.

Yoli, a pregnant fighter, reads El Tiempo in dismay: [Former President] Uribe wants to go back to war, says Santos.

The front page is splashed with the word Peace in bold red letters, referring to the public debate over whether to sign the accords.

Regarding the opposition to the peace deal, Yoli sighs and says: I dont think they understand that ending the war isnt a victory for us  its a victory for all of Colombia.

Different squad commanders from the 62nd front plan the next days activities.

The Yari Savannas have been under FARC control since the 1960s. Incursions made by armed drug traffickers, paramilitaries and the Colombian military failed to wrest control of the area.

The front and the rest of the organisation considered the sweeping flatlands and the surrounding mountains to be the FARCs heartland.

Jessica gets ready in her tent before heading out to meet her squad.

She joined early due to family ties to the FARC and rose quickly through the ranks after FARC patriarch, Jorge Briceno, singled her out as a natural leader.

She led her troops into combat across Meta and Caqueta, fighting as fiercely as anyone ever did.

She welcomes the peace process and the coming return to civilian life because this war, says Jessica, wilts everything.

Carlos extends to intercept the ball during a volleyball match with civilians just outside the fronts encampment.

The fighters of Yari were seamlessly integrated with local communities; many of the fighters were born in nearby villages.

The families of Yari lived under the laws of the FARC and shared the burden of cohabiting in the remote Savannas alongside the group.

Jayme combs her hair at the end of the day.

The picture on the back of her mirror is of Beatriz, a comrade who was killed in a military bombing. Looking over the image of her dead friend, Jayme says: She was my mentor. Beatriz took me under her wing when I joined the fighters. Its hard for me to know that she wont be here for when peace comes. Thats why I carry her with me everywhere I go.

Pablo shaves at the stream that runs through the camp. He explains why so many Colombians rose up in insurrection.

The truth is most of us are victims one way or another. Racism, sexism, massacres, dispossession, displacement  all destroyed our lives, he says.

What the FARC did was empower us: Pick up a rifle, stop being a victim and fight back.

Patricia, 19, in full kit, brandishes her customised AK-47. After demobilising, she hopes to move somewhere with her squad mate, Chary; she cant imagine splitting up with the comrade she loves like a sister.

Patricia wants to start her formal education and, when the time comes, visit the biological family she abandoned when she joined the FARC.

Two 18-year-old fighters take a break in between studies to play chess in the camps classroom. With the conflict coming to an end, the rebels spend their time studying the accords, learning their rights and thinking about what they will do once the war is over.

The plan many are set on is earning a formal education and supporting the FARCs political ambitions. Most have no intention, however, of dropping their identities as members of the FARC after demobilisation.

Estefany joined the FARC when she was 10 after the conflict swept through her village and left her orphaned. She believes that joining the rebels saved her life

At 15, a bullet tore through her shoulder during combat. With tears in her eyes, Estefany remembers how she tattooed herself with a twin heart in memory of the comrades who were lost in that encounter.

This is not a surrender. We never gave up ground to the enemy. Our structure is merely changing our weapon from rifles to elections. Our political project will persevere, says Commander Raul. But his speech is interrupted by one of the fighters: What if we dont win any elections and the struggle just ends in shambles?

Raul presses his hands on the desk, draws a cautious breath and looks straight into the crowd of 70 or so fully uniformed combatants. Then we respect the will of the people, he says.
On Friday, January 28, the Egyptian revolution arrived at the doors of Al-Ahram newspaper, where veteran journalist and war correspondent Yehia Ghanem addressed demonstrators who were demanding that members of the editorial board be delivered to them. After persuading them to leave peacefully, he joined them as they marched towards Tahrir Square. But when the police began firing at the crowd, he had no choice but to retreat to the Al-Ahram offices with the injured. Read earlier instalments in his series, Caged, here.

It was more than an hour later, at almost 5pm on Friday, January 28  a day branded Angry Friday  when the police stopped shooting at the demonstrators who were gathered outside the offices of Egypts Al-Ahram newspaper.

On the third floor of the building was a well-equipped clinic for Al-Ahrams staff. I asked the buildings security guards to allow me and my colleague, Ibrahim Sengab, to take the injured demonstrators there for treatment. They refused.

So, I ran to the office of one of the top editorial managers and asked him to instruct them to allow us passage to the clinic.

You must have gone crazy, he said, panic-stricken. Do you know what will become of you once this turmoil ends?

I didnt have to wait for him to tell me.

You are going to be crucified for acting like this, he said.

I persevered, asking him again if he would tell the security guards to let us use the clinic.

Yehia, it seems you dont understand the gravity of the situation, he answered.

I realise the consequences, I told him. I dont care if Im going to be crucified tomorrow; there are people dying out there right now and they must be saved.

I warned him that if they didnt receive immediate treatment, I would go straight to the international media to let them know what was going on.

Im going to hold you responsible for this, he said, poking his finger into my chest but agreeing to my demands.

READ MORE: Stopping a massacre at a newspaper

When I arrived at the clinic, the injured were already being admitted.

I returned to the street to find that the police had disappeared. So, I marched with the demonstrators towards Tahrir Square and away from Al-Ahram, lest the police return and endanger the buildings occupants.

On the route into the Square, I saw two dead bodies and dozens of wounded. But the scene at Tahrir was even worse. It was in total disarray. There were many wounded. Civilian and police cars had been set on fire; some demonstrators were trying to put out the flames.

But there were no police to be seen.

I later learned that the Minister of Interior General Habib el-Adly had ordered his troops to disperse, yielding the way for the army to take over. From that moment until President Hosni Mubarak stepped down on February 11, 2011, the police were not seen. In fact, it wasnt until President Mohamed Morsi was toppled on July 3, 2013, that they returned to their normal duties. Many speculated that the removal of the police was intended to punish the Egyptian people and to make them feel as though freedom and democracy were synonymous with chaos and insecurity.

In the Square, I moved from one group of demonstrators to another, as they tried to anticipate the governments next move.

Military helicopters hovered overhead, sprinkling red liquid upon those below. At first there was panic, as people feared it was some kind of chemical weapon. But we later concluded that it was just intended as a way of marking the demonstrators.

Long live the army

By around 8pm we could make out the sound of heavy vehicles heading towards the Square. Some of those standing close to me grew scared, afraid that the police were returning with reinforcements and tanks. I explained that the sound was not that of tanks but of Armoured Personnel Carriers or APCs, which were used by the army not the police. During years as a war correspondent, Id learned the difference.

Do you think the army will turn against us? the demonstrators asked one another. But no one had an answer.

In the several minutes it took for the vanguard of the convoy to appear, a near total silence descended upon the Square.

As the military Jeeps and APCs approached, I was able to make out the insignia of the Presidential Republican Guard on them. My fears deepened.

While the Presidential Republican Guards are recruited from the army, their chain of command is different. The army takes its directives from the Ministry of Defence, which in turn translate into orders from the army chief of staff. But the Presidential Republican Guards receive their orders directly from the president. Few of those in the Square knew the difference.

Suddenly, one of the demonstrators shouted: Long live our great army. Then thousands of others joined in, chanting those words over and over again.

The Jeeps slowed. Dozens of hopeful demonstrators ran towards them.

I still cant understand what happened next. Perhaps the driver panicked. Or maybe it was intentional. But I watched as one of the Jeeps drove into a number of the demonstrators. Then the driver reversed, hitting another demonstrator in the process, smashing his body against the iron fence surrounding the Egyptian Museum located at the heart of the Square.

Within seconds, demonstrators had jumped on to the Jeep, pullng the driver and three other soldiers from it. They began to beat them. The convoy turned around and left.

A fire at a museum

An hour later, I saw several men break into the main gate of the museum and set the northern section of the building on fire. I ran towards three fire brigade cars parked nearby and drew their attention to the fire that was threatening to consume the museum, even though it must have been obvious to them anyway. They looked at me straight faced and didnt respond.

When I began to shout, one of them responded: We dont have orders to move.

Do you need an order to put out a fire a few yards away from you? Do you need orders to stop a fire that is endangering our museum and human heritage the world has entrusted to us? I asked.

He shrugged his shoulders.

Desperate, I ran to Al-Ahrams headquarters eight blocks away to tell one of the senior editorial managers. He made a number of calls and by the time I returned to the Square, the fire fighters had begun to put the fire out.

It was past midnight when many of us began to notice some suspicious looking people gathering. It is an open secret in Egypt that the security apparatus hire groups of bullies to do the dirty work theyd rather not be seen doing. Dirty work like dispersing peaceful demonstrators. Of course, we used to call them what they were: bullies. But they were suddenly being rebranded by the state-owned and government-aligned media. Honourable citizens, they called them. But there was nothing honourable about what they were about to do.

Chronicle of a Caged Journalist is a series of excerpts from an upcoming book.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Syrian government forces and their allies began a major ground offensive to retake the opposition-held east of Aleppo on Tuesday, the biggest ground assault yet in a massive new campaign that has destroyed a US-backed ceasefire.

More than 275,000 civilians are believed to be trapped inside the besieged rebel-held sector of Aleppo, where intensive bombing over the past week has killed hundreds of people, many trapped under buildings brought down by bunker-busting bombs.

Only about 30 doctors are left in rebel-held Aleppo, coping with hundreds of wounded each day who are being treated on the floors of hospitals that are bereft of supplies.

The World Health Organization called for the immediate establishment of humanitarian routes to evacuate sick and wounded from the besieged eastern part of the city.
Saving the region from descending into a total chaos can only come through embracing a radical new thinking.

This summer has been among the bloodiest over the past few years in Kashmir.

There are no celebrations throughout this fabled valley, just atrocities carried out, justice denied and the laments of a cold, uncaring world.

The occupying Indian armed forces enforced a curfew during Eid al-Adha. On a day that Prophet Abraham is believed to have been willing to sacrifice what he loved most, Kashmiris remember the sacrifices they make for freedom  azadi.

Kashmir was cast into despair as news spread of two deaths on Eid al-Adh. Nasir Shafi, aged 11, was killed, while walking home from Friday prayers.

What crime did my son commit? wailed his distraught father, as tens of thousands attended the funeral. Nasirs death came 70 days after the start of an uprising that has claimed 82 lives so far, fuelled by the killing of the now lionised Burhan Wani.

Losing touch with reality



India continues to claim that those killed are marginal troublemakers, in a total denial of what reality portrays.

New Delhi has sent military reinforcements to Kashmir to confront this so-called meagre threat three times already. The truth is that the valley is out of control, and the Indian government remains out of touch  both with the Kashmiris and the reality on the ground.

India, a country with tremendous people and power, harms itself by refusing to acknowledge what everyone else already knows: The need for Kashmiri self-determination.

Importantly, the creme de la creme of Indian society are courageously questioning their governments logic.

The Indian scholar Pankaj Mishra wrote in 2010: Once known for its extraordinary beauty, the valley of Kashmir now hosts the biggest, bloodiest and also the most obscure military occupation in the world. With more than 80,000 people dead in an anti-India insurgency backed by Pakistan, the killings fields of Kashmir dwarf those of Palestine and Tibet.

New Delhi's response to unrest is grotesque, including mass rapes, forced disappearances and more than 2,700 unidentified bodies in mass graves, documented by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. by

Recently, in a stunning admission, senior Indian Congress Party member Jyotiraditya Scindia said that there should be plebiscite in Kashmir.

Furthermore, Arundhati Roy, renowned Indian Booker Prize winner, said in 2010 that Kashmir has never been an integral part of India. In addition, leading Indian columnists and intellectuals Swaminathan Aiyar and Gautam Navlakha, Angana Chatterji and Vir Sanghvi  and a host of others  are saying it is time for India to allow a referendum in Kashmir.

Between a rock and a hard place



Kashmirs cry for freedom existed before the British transferred the control of Kashmir in 1846. Political machinations managed to placate or channel this inevitable revolutionary process of self-determination, but never exert a total control over it.

The collective social feelings of Kashmiris is keeping this process in motion, although its intensity varies. The chronic resurfacing and unpredictability of explosive Kashmiri protest is what bewilders New Delhi.

OPINION: The ghosts of Kashmirs past

Essentially, what the reputable Indian intelligentsia appreciate  perhaps better than their government  is that Kashmir is about its people, not land. And, the Kashmiri social consciousness is intensely aware of its arrested civilisation, of liberties denied and injustices perpetrated.

This is what has and continues to fuel agitation, even before the hanging of the Kashmiri icon Maqbool Butt in 1984.

New Delhis response to unrest has been grotesque, including mass rapes, forced disappearances and more than 2,700 unidentified bodies in mass graves, documented by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.

OPINION: Kashmir and Palestine  The story of two occupations

Certainly, whether recognisable or not, India is between a rock and a hard place. Yet if it seized the opportunity, it could achieve an advantageous outcome, something that could even serve its interests.

By including Pakistan and the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), India can secure the moral high ground. Otherwise the situation will worsen, as the recent killing of 17 Indian soldiers attests.

Indias military advantages are also increasingly irrelevant, as thousands of Kashmiri villagers have expelled all remnants of the Indian state from their lands.

India a s a geographical term

Unfortunately, saner voices are drowned out by fanatics, who believe in short-sighted violence. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Raad al-Hussein, speaking in Geneva, called for unconditional access in divided Kashmir. Pakistan later agreed a conditional access, but India flatly rejected the idea.

Hussein said: Human rights violations will not disappear if a government blocks access to international observers and then invests in a public relations campaign to offset any unwanted publicity.

Perversely, Indias ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government is doubling-down by construing a narrative portraying resistance to India as foreign and refusing to accept UN intervention.

Of course, this is understandable. After all, Winston Churchill said India is a geographical term  no more a united nation than the equator. And, the fear-mongering of Hindutva extremists revolve around this nightmare disintegration possibility, especially if alternative identities perpetuate.

The dangers posed by ignoring the Kashmiri dispute go without saying. The conflict has led to three wars between India and Pakistan and nearly led to a catastrophic fourth, nuclear, war.

In order to save the region from descending into the chaos, brave decisions must be made. This can only come through embracing a radical new thinking in regards to identity.

Now, more than ever, round-table talks including Pakistan, India and the legitimate representatives of the Kashmiri people under the auspices of the UN should commence.

Farhan Mujahid Chak is an associate professor of international affairs at Qatar University. His latest publication, Islam and Pakistans Political Culture was published by Routledge in October 2014.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
During his long career, he was involved in the good, the bad and the ugly of Israels politics.

John Bell is Director of the Middle East Programme at the Toledo International Centre for Peace in Madrid. He is a former UN and Canadian diplomat, and served as Political Adviser to the Personal Representative of the UN Secretary-General for southern Lebanon and adviser to the Canadian government.

Shimon Peres has passed away, but his era passed away before him. During his long career, the former Israeli president was involved in the good, the bad and the ugly of his countrys politics. He represented key moments in the establishment and expansion of Israel, from the development of its nuclear option to the Oslo accords.

He is a man with the inevitable contradictions of a long political career. As one example, he spread settlements everywhere, and then helped ensure the recognition of the PLO. Some see only sleight of the hand, and self-aggrandisement in such paradoxes.

Indeed, Peres was not Yitzhak Rabin (although we will never know who Rabin really was). Peres was not perceived as the committed peacemaker as much as a man of words and slogans, and he was not the architectonic statesman that his mentor Ben-Gurion was.





Instead what was more at play was the simple opportunism of politics, a man who pursued the art of the possible whenever and wherever he found it, reflecting his times as they played out.

Bygone era

The larger point, however, is that Peres era may well now be gone. It ended with the failure of the Camp David talks, the second Intifada, and the passing of Yasser Arafat. The dynamics changed after all that, and both peoples reverted to type.

Palestinians turned back to steadfastness and their pemanent presence on the land, no matter the politics. Israelis to the innovation and inventiveness of Tel Aviv, the source of both cash and creativity, to a more ardent expansion into the West Bank and Jerusalem, the original Zionist project compounded, or simply to make a living.

Shimon Peres obituary: Peacemaker or war criminal?

It had taken a long time for Israelis to come to terms with having to deal with the Palestinians as a fellow people, and Shimon Peres played a role in that regard. But, they have since gone in the other direction  the wall is the symbol of what Israelis think of the Palestinians today.

In the longer run, his role in the development of the nuclear programme may be even more defining. Because of the Iran deal, the Middle East is at relative rest from obsessing about the deadly combination of geopolitics and weapons of mass destruction, or WMD.

However, that deal has an end point, and before the 10 to 15 years are up, Israel and some Arab states will begin to wonder about Irans future intentions. There is room to diminish distrust before that time, but the shadow of nuclear and WMD proliferation in the region looms large.

Indeed, the undoing of much of Peres work, contradictions and all, may be what we are seeing today. The Oslo deal was not enough to create peace with the Palestinians. The settlement project won over peace by a country mile.

Similarly, the nuclear programme that has given Israel an unstated edge in the region may not provide that forever. Some countries already wonder why only Israel, what about us?, and others may add, if Iran, what about us? That is a dangerous cascade.

Peres' mastery of the possible and of the 'day' may ... mark him as an important figure, because his country has also been defined, until now, by the possible and the practical. by

Mastery of the possible

The answers lie in the development of regional security arranements including a Middle East free of WMD. But, for that, Israel needs to be freer of its ghosts, of its eternal pessimism, as Shlomo Ben-Ami, former Israeli foreign minister, described it. It has to be ready to imagine a brighter future, a tall order in todays Middle East.

Peres mastery of the possible and of the day may however mark him as an important figure, because his country has also been defined, until now, by the possible and the practical.

He moved with the tides, adjusting as needed, including, for example, by supporting Ariel Sharon as prime minister.

He over-reached late in life in his hope that the Middle East would one day be like the European Union, driven by economic integration, but those may be the musings of an older man rather than the practical moves of an active politician.

However, the era reflected in his actions may now be gone, as Israel moves away from the possible through its continued rule over the Palestinians. Even if it appears feasible today, the rule over another people and over a grand totem like Jerusalem, may not be so for long. Israels current honeymoon with the Gulf states, a reaction to Irans regional impulse, may also be a house built on shifting sands.

These politics are defined by new kinds of leaders, whether master tacticians such as Benjamin Netanyahu or those who clearly define their intentions, such as Naftali Bennett. It is however not an era of major or minor statesmen, like Ben-Gurion, Rabin or Peres.

Looking at his career, the easy conclusion may be to say that it has all been about Shimon Peres, that the many shifts in his career express no long-term vision nor principle, but only a self-serving parade of grasped opportunities.

However, he may have been more than that. He may have been the reflection of Israel at any one point in time  nuclear option, settlements, Oslo, Sharon and his wall.

And so, his death also reflects the moment and heralds a new era, one that may be more impossible and impracticable for Israel than the one that he had contributed to.

Look to tomorrow, he taught us, said Chemi Peres, Peres son.

Look to tomorrow, indeed.

John Bell is director of the Middle East programme at the Toledo International Centre for Peace in Madrid. He is a former UN and Canadian diplomat, and served as political adviser to the personal representative of the UN secretary-general for southern Lebanon and adviser to the Canadian government.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
End of an era as the last significant figure of Israels founding fathers dies after suffering a massive stroke.

The death of Shimon Peres at the age of 93 marks the departure of the last major figure in Israels founding generation.

He died on Wednesday in a hospital after suffering a major stroke, the Israeli news website Ynet reported, after his condition worsened following a stroke two weeks ago.

Peres  one of the disciples of David Ben-Gurion, Israels first prime minister  spent his long political career in the public spotlight, but his greatest successes were engineered in the shadows, noted Yaron Ezrahi, a politics professor at Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Peres most important task, to which he was entrusted by Ben-Gurion, was developing in secret  and over United States opposition  Israels nuclear weapons programme through the 1950s and 60s. To that end, he recruited the assistance of France, Britain and Norway.

READ: Israel  new president has big shoes to fill

Peres, like his mentor, believed an Israeli bomb was the key to guaranteeing Israels status  both in Washington DC and among the Arab states  as an unassailable Middle East power.

The testing of the first warhead in the late 1960s was probably at least as responsible for ensuring rock-solid US patronage in subsequent decades as Israels rapid victory against neighbouring Arab states in the Six-Day War.

Peres later diplomatic skills in negotiating peace agreements with Jordan and the Palestinians were exercised largely out of view, too, though he was keen to take the credit afterwards.





His pivotal role in realising the Oslo Accords through a back channel in the early 1990s earned him  after frantic lobbying on his own behalf  the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994, alongside Israels prime minister of the time, Yitzhak Rabin, and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

These agreements, as well as his vision of economic and technological cooperation between Israel and Arab states in a New Middle East, made him a beloved figure in western capitals, where he was feted as Israels peacemaker-in-chief.

At home, among both Israelis and Palestinians, he was viewed far less favourably.

Born Szymon Perski, Peres emigrated to Palestine from Poland with his family in 1934, aged 11. Raised on a kibbutz and inculcated in the values of Labour Zionism espoused by Israels East European elite, he was quickly identified as a rising star by Ben-Gurion, a fellow Pole.

During the 1948 war, Ben-Gurion kept Peres in a backroom job, far from the fighting, where he was responsible for acquiring weapons, often illicitly, for the new Israeli army.

His diplomatic skills were relied on throughout the states tricky early years in the defence ministry. Despite his lack of an army background, he was instrumental in developing Israels large state-run military industries.

In the same role, he also developed alliances with key western states, especially France and Britain, that would eventually help Israel establish the Dimona nuclear reactor and build a bomb.

In return, Peres plotted with these two fading colonial powers an attack on Egypt in 1956 that triggered the Suez Crisis . Israel invaded Sinai to create the pretext for an Anglo-French intervention and seizure of the Suez Canal. All three soon had to withdraw under pressure from the United States and Soviet Union.

Peres was elected to the Israeli parliament in 1959, the start of a 48-year career as an MP, the longest in Israels history. There were few senior ministerial posts he did not hold at some point.

READ: Israeli colonisation is at the root of the violence

But popularity eluded him. He led Ben-Gurions Labour party to its first-ever defeat in the 1977 election against Menachem Begin. It would be the first of many electoral disappointments.

Peres lack of appeal to the Israeli public mirrored the gradual decline in support for the Ashkenazi (European Jewish) elite that had founded Israel and structured the new Jewish state to preserve its privileges.

As waves of new immigrants arrived, many of them Jews from Arab countries who were treated with disdain, men such as Peres came to look like an anachronism. Peres could not even boast, as Rabin could, a glorious record in the battles that established Israel.

Famously in the late 1990s, Peres made the mistake of asking a Labour party convention whether he was a loser. The delegates roared back: Yes.

Over two decades, Peres lost five elections in which he stood for prime minister.





Although he served in the top job on two occasions, he never won a popular mandate.

He briefly took over from Rabin after the latter was felled in 1995 by an assassins bullet. He was also prime minister in an unusual rotation agreement with his Likud rival Yitzhak Shamir after neither secured a parliamentary majority in the 1984 election.

Unlike Rabin and Ariel Sharon, two figures of his generation who enjoyed greater political acclaim, Peres suffered in part because he had not first made a name for himself in the Israeli army, Ezrahi observed.

READ ALSO: Israels Peres urges return to peace talk

He was seen as more uninspiring technocrat than earthy warrior.

Even on Israels left, said Roni Ben Efrat, an Israeli political analyst and editor of the website Challenge, he was viewed as an opportunist.

His real obsession was with his own celebrity and prestige, she said. What he lacked was political principle. There was an air about him of plotting behind everyones backs. He was certainly no Nelson Mandela.

Rabin, who tussled regularly with Peres for leadership of the Labour party, called him an inveterate schemer.

With Rabins victory in 1992, Peres was appointed number two and returned to what he did best: backroom deals, in this case a peace track in Norway that led to the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993.

When Rabin was assassinated two years later, it was assumed that Peres would romp home in the general election a short time later, riding a wave of sympathy over Rabins death.

Instead he lost to Likuds Benjamin Netanyahu, who profited from the rights campaign to discredit the peace process and its architects as Oslo criminals.

Peres would see out much of his remaining time in frontline politics providing a veneer of international respectability to right-wing Sharon governments through the second Intifada as they crushed the Palestinian leadership and built a steel and concrete barrier through the West Bank.

In 2005, Peres deserted the Labour Party and joined Sharons new centre-right Kadima party  an act of betrayal many allies on the left found hard to forgive.



Nakba anniversary: 68 years since Palestinian exodus

Late in life, with his appointment as president in 2007, Peres finally found the chance to reinvent himself with the wider Israeli public.

In a largely ceremonial role, he had almost no influence on government policy. But his strenuous efforts repairing Israels damaged image abroad and nursing its strained strategic alliances, as Israel shifted ever further rightwards, were widely appreciated.

Over the next seven years, Peres gradually came to be viewed as a national treasure.

Among Palestinians, it was harder to rehabilitate his image. He is best remembered as part of a Labour Zionist elite responsible for the creation of a Jewish state in 1948 on the ruins of the Palestinian homeland.

Despite his later reputation, Peres held hawkish positions for much of his political career, noted Asad Ghanem, a politics professor at Haifa University.

Following the 1967 war, he championed the cause of the settlers, and used his role as defence minister in the 1970s to establish the first settlements in the northern West Bank. His slogan was Settlements everywhere.

With the Oslo process, Peres helped engineer Israels recognition of Arafats Palestine Liberation Organisation as the representative of the Palestinian people.

But in every other way, said Ghanem, the accords soon proved disastrous for the Palestinians, helping the settlements expand as the newly created Palestinian Authority looked on, confined to small enclaves of the occupied territories.

Pope and Middle East leaders pray for peace

Peres larger vision  embodied in the work of his Peres Center for Peace  was the creation of a New Middle East.

He hoped to transform the region through technological and economic cooperation between Israel and neighbouring Arab states. A Middle East modelled on the European Union, with Israel playing the role of Germany.

It was a colonial view of the region, said Ben Efrat, driven by the goal of creating economic gains for Israel.

In Ghanems view, Peres path to realising his New Middle East was paved by Israels peace agreement with Egypt in 1979.

The Arab states were removed from the conflict with Israel before a just peace was secured for the Palestinians, he said. Peres hope was to continue normalising relations with the Arab world while denying Palestinians their rights.

Oslo fitted neatly with this vision, observed Ben Efrat. The Palestinians were to be caged into ghettoes, while Israel established industrial zones close by in which they could be exploited as a low-paid, low-tech workforce.

Or as Peres once explained his idea , a young Palestinian student who finds a job wont go and make bombs.

Much of Peres political legacy  as heir to Ben-Gurion  is currently being discarded by Netanyahu and the Israeli right. They prefer the politics of confrontation  at home and abroad  over the back-slapping niceties of the diplomacy Peres excelled in.

But Peres industrial zones are slowly being realised in an initiative called the Valley of Peace. The largest is due to open shortly next to the Palestinian city of Jenin, in the northern West Bank, supported by Turkey and Germany.

For Netanyahu, these zones accord with his policy of economic peace: pacifying the Palestinians through economic incentives while depriving them of political rights.

Peres gave every indication he approved.
ISIL fighters were the target of an air raid that allegedly killed at least 13 civilians in Achin district.

At least 13 civilians have been killed in a US air strike targeting ISIL that hit a residential house in eastern Nangarhar province, an Afghan official says.

Esmatullah Shinwari, a Nangarhar politician, said on Wednesday that a crowd had gathered at the house in Achin district to welcome home a tribal leader returning from the Hajj.

He said at least six fighters loyal to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) were killed in the incident. According to Shinwari, 12 more people were wounded, including the tribal leader.

Mohammad Ali, the police chief of Achin, gave a different death toll to the AFP news agency, saying three civilians and 15 fighters were killed in the attack.

Hazrat Hussain Mashreqiwal, spokesman for the provincial police chief, said ISIL loyalists were the target. Afghan forces backed by the US military have battled ISIL fighters in Achin for months.

READ MORE  Afghanistan: Who controls what

The spokesman for the US military in Afghanistan, Brigadier General Charles Cleveland, confirmed a counterterrorism air strike in Achin district early on Wednesday.

He said allegations of civilian casualties were being investigated.

We  are currently reviewing all materials related to this strike, said Cleveland in a statement. US Forces-Afghanistan takes all allegations of civilian casualties very seriously.

There was no information on whether it was an attack by a drone or a piloted aircraft.





ISIL first emerged in Afghanistan in late 2014 and has since violently challenged the much larger Afghan Taliban group in parts of the countrys east.

But the fighters have steadily lost territory in recent months because of stepped-up US air strikes and a ground campaign by Afghan forces in Nangarhar.

They are confined to two or three districts including Achin, according to Afghan and US officials.

Civilian and military casualties caused by NATO forces have been one of the most contentious issues in the 15-year campaign against armed groups, prompting harsh public and government criticism.

A US air strike killed eight Afghan policemen earlier this month in southern province of Uruzgan in the first apparent friendly fire incident since American forces were given greater powers to strike rebel fighters in June.
Syrian forces continue onslaught to retake key city from rebels as medical facilities again targeted in the air war.

At least six people were killed in air strikes on two hospitals in rebel-controlled Aleppo as a Syrian government onslaught continued and the civilian death toll climbed.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon warned on Wednesday that attacks on medical facilities were war crimes.

A medical association said there were only six hospitals now remaining in the besieged city that has been been pounded by massive aerial bombardment and artillery attacks since a US-Russia implemented ceasefire collapsed last week.





The attack happened at 4am local time [0100 GMT]. One warplane targeted both [hospitals] directly, Adham Sahloul of the Syrian American Medical Society, which supports the hospitals, said on Wednesday.

There are only six hospitals currently operational now that the M2 and M10 have been temporarily taken out of service, he said.

Both hospitals had been targeted in previous aerial attacks, according to Sahloul, who described the bombings as deliberate.

Wednesdays attacks were the latest in a major push by the Syrian government to recapture the key northern city that has seen the most intense bombardment of the five-year war in recent days.

Syrian troops launch major ground assault for Aleppo

Artillery shells also hit the al-Maadi neighbourhood near a bread distribution facility, killing six people, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of sources on the ground for its information.

It said dozens were wounded and the number of dead was likely to rise because of the severity of injuries.

It was unclear if the air strikes were executed by Syrian forces or their Russian ally, both of which are carrying out the biggest assault yet in a new campaign aimed at wiping out rebel forces and retaking a city thats key to ending the five-year war.

Syrian forces were accused of using barrel and bunker-buster bombs with more than two dozen strikes since Tuesday night.

Al Jazeeras diplomatic editor, James Bays, asked Syrias UN Ambassador Bashar Jaafari if his country had bombed the two hospitals. Jaafari walked away laughing without an answer.

Its not clear why he was laughing considering his country is being accused of war crimes in Aleppo, Bays said.

Syria's ambassador to the UN, Bashar Al Jaafari, laughs when asked about hospital bombings in Aleppo by @baysontheroad. pic.twitter.com/jGq9QlOwey  Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) September 28, 2016

More than 250,000 civilians are thought to be besieged in the rebel-held eastern sector of Aleppo, where intensive bombing by government forces and allies has killed about 400 people and wounded 1,700 others since last week.

Three employees were injured at the second hospital, among them an ambulance driver, a nurse and an accountant.





Speaking at the United Nations, Secretary-General Ban said: This is a war against Syrias health workers. Deliberate attacks on hospitals are war crimes. Denying people access to essential health care violates international humanitarian law.

Even a slaughterhouse is more humane.

Citing the Physicians for Human Rights group, Ban said 95 percent of medical workers in Aleppo before the war have been killed, detained, or fled the fighting.

Kieran Dwyer, Syria spokesman for UNICEF, said there were only 30 doctors left in eastern Aleppo for a population of 250,000  100,000 of those children. Medical supplies have run out.

There are so many injured children and other civilians from these attacks that they cannot treat the most severely wounded anymore, Dwyer told Al Jazeera. They are  left to die.

US Secretary of State John Kerry threatened on Wednesday to halt its joint work with Russia on Syria unless the assault on Aleppo is ended and the defunct ceasefire restored.

On Wednesday, Syrian government forces battled rebel fighters on several fronts in ground attacks in Aleppo, rebel officers said.

A senior rebel official told Reuters news agency that pro-government forces were mobilising in apparent preparation for more ground attacks in central areas of the divided city.

Another rebel officer said government forces were also attacking the rebel-held Handarat refugee camp a few kilometres to the north of Aleppo.
Unarmed African-American tasered and shot dead by police after his sister called officers for help.

A police officer in the Californian city of San Diego shot and killed a mentally ill black man who was unarmed after his sister called authorities for assistance when he began acting strangely.

Police from the El Cajon suburb released a statement late on Tuesday night, several hours after the shooting outside the Broadway Village shopping centre, confirming the man died in a hospital. His family identified him as Alfred Olango.

Police were called by Olangos sister who said he was acting strangely and not himself. The aftermath of the fatal shooting was filmed by a bystander who posted the clip on Facebook. That video has been viewed about 40,000 times.

Why couldnt you tase him? I told you he is sick  and you guys shot him! Olangos sister can be heard telling officers in the video. I called police to help him, not to kill him.

Jeff Davis, the El Cajon police chief, said the man was not armed, adding Olango ignored calls to remove his hands from his pockets and pulled out an object.

Davis said one officer used a stun-gun against him while another fired his weapon because they felt threatened.

At one point, the subject rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together and extended them rapidly toward the officer taking up what appeared to be a shooting stance, Davis said in a statement.

At this time, the officer with the electronic control device discharged his weapon. Simultaneously the officer with the firearm discharged his weapon several times, striking the subject.

Witnesses said they heard five shots as police confronted Olango.

Davis said the two officers involved in the shooting, each with more than 20 years of service, had been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.

Local news agency CBS8 reported that several witnesses alleged that the officers were unduly quick to open fire and suggested that their actions had been influenced by the fact that they were dealing with a black man, one they described as mentally challenged.

One man angrily told reporters at the news conference that the victim was suffering a seizure prior to the shooting, and another described seeing him with his hands raised at the moment the shots sounded, CBS8 said.

The shooting spurred protests at the scene for several hours, alleging police racism. Demonstrations were also later held outside the police department.

It released a photo taken from a mobile phone of the moment. Police said an object had been recovered from the scene, but did not say what that object was.

According to Mapping Police Violence , Olango became the 217th black American to be killed by police so far this year.

The deaths of black men at the hands of police have spurred protests across the US, most recently last week in the North Carolina city of Charlotte.

The fatal shooting of Keith Lamont Scott, 43, triggered days of unrest, forcing the governor to declare a state of emergency and deploy the National Guard.
Families of 9/11 victims are now able to sue Saudi Arabia for allegedly backing attackers after law is passed.

The US Congress has passed into law a controversial bill that allows family members of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia for its alleged backing of the attackers.

Both the Senate and House voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday in favour of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, or JASTA, despite warnings from Obama and top Pentagon officials that the move could put American troops and interests at risk.

The White House and the executive branch [are] far more interested in diplomatic considerations, said Senator Chuck Schumer, a sponsor of the bill. Were more interested in the families and in justice.

The vote was a blow to Obama and to Saudi Arabia  one of the US oldest allies in the Arab world.



Former senator speaks about 9/11 report

Obama, who vetoed the measure last week, said in a letter to Senate leaders on Tuesday that other countries could use JASTA to justify similar immunity exceptions to target US policies and activities that they oppose.

If any of these litigants were to win judgments  based on foreign domestic laws as applied by foreign courts  they would begin to look to the assets of the US government held abroad to satisfy those judgments, with potentially serious financial consequences for the United States, Obama said at the time.

Obamas veto was overturned in Wednesdays congressional vote.

Fifteen of the 19 men who carried out the 2001 attacks were Saudi nationals. Families of the victims spent years lobbying politicians for the right to sue the kingdom in US courts for any role elements of Saudi Arabias government may have played.

Saudi Arabia has long denied any involvement in the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. Riyadh strongly objected to the bill.

Al Jazeera requested comment from the Saudi embassy in Washington but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

READ MORE: President Barack Obama vetoes 9/11 bill

Speaking after the Senate vote, Obama said he believed Congress override of his veto was a mistake and basically a political vote.

Its a dangerous precedent, and its an example of why sometimes you have to do whats hard, he told a townhall forum of military veterans.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest called the move the single most embarrassing thing the United States Senate has done possibly since 1983 and an abdication of their basic responsibilities as elected representatives of the American people.

Stephen Kinzer, a senior fellow at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University, said the eight-decade-long US-Saudi relationship was entering into a new phase.





Other analysts warned that Saudi Arabia could, in response to the law, pull billions of dollars from the US economy and persuade close allies in the Gulf Cooperation Council to scale back counterterrorism cooperation, investment, and US access to important regional military bases.

This should be clear to America and to the rest of the world: When one GCC state is targeted unfairly, the others stand around it, said Abdulkhaleq Abdullah, an Emirati Gulf specialist and professor of political science at United Arab Emirates University.

All the states will stand by Saudi Arabia in every way possible.

Chas Freeman, former US assistant secretary of defence and ambassador to Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm, said the Saudis could respond to the law in ways that risk US strategic interests, such as permissive rules for overflight between Europe and Asia, and the Qatari airbase from which US military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria are directed and supported.

The souring of relations and curtailing of official contacts that this legislation would inevitably produce could also jeopardise Saudi cooperation against anti-American terrorism, he said.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told reporters in June that the US had the most to lose if JASTA was enacted.

Joseph Gagnon, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said estimates put the figure of official Saudi assets in the US at between $500bn and $1 trillion, when considering potential foreign bank deposits and offshore accounts.
Egyptian authorities at the notorious al-Aqrab (Scorpion) prison in Cairo have been abusing inmates in ways that may have led to their death, a new Human Rights Watch report said.

The 80-page report, released on Wednesday, is based on interviews with 20 of the prisoners relatives, lawyers, a former prisoner and other medical files and photographs.

It is estimated that thousands are being held in the prison, mainly political prisoners and critics of the regime.

Staff at Scorpion Prison beat inmates severely, isolate them in cramped discipline cells, cut off access to families and lawyers, and interfere with medical treatment, the report says, adding testimonies of cruel and inhuman treatment by officers of Egypts Interior Ministry that probably amounts to torture in some cases and violates basic international norms for the treatment of prisoners.

Inmates of al-Aqrab, which has been dubbed Egypts Guantanamo by activists, are reportedly held in cells without beds, access to basic hygiene and adequate medical treatment.

Q&A: 50 days in Egypts notorious Tora Prison

I know first-hand what the conditions are, and no matter how thorough the research is and how well articulated the conditions are, words can never fully describe the horror of that place. by Mohamed Soltan, former prisoner

At least six inmates have died in captivity according to the report, three of whom died after being refused treatment for diseases such as cancer and diabetes, according to their families.

Essam Derbala, one of the prisoners who was a member of the Islamic Group (al-Gamaa al-Islamiyya), died after authorities refused to provide him with his prescription diabetes medicine despite appearing in court shaking, semi-conscious and unable to control his bladder, according to Derbalas brother and lawyer.

The conditions at al-Aqrab, also known as Tora prison, have been found to be more systematic and severe than other prisons because it is the site where political opponents of the government are concentrated, Joe Stork, HRWs deputy Middle East and North Africa director, told Al Jazeera.

It seems reasonable to assume that this abuse is systematic  which does not necessarily mean that every prisoner gets the same treatment, but that a great number do, Stork told Al Jazeera.

HRW said it had sent the Egyptian government a letter detailing the reported abuses a month ago but had not yet received a response.

Mohamed Soltan, an Egyptian-American human rights advocate who spent close to two years in Egyptian prisons, said the findings of the HRW report do not come as a surprise.

I know first-hand what the conditions are, and no matter how thorough the research is and how well articulated the conditions are, words can never fully describe the horror of that place, Soltan told Al Jazeera.

I can attest to a little part of your soul dying every day you wake up to that darkness.





In March 2016, at least 32 prisoners held at al-Aqrab went on a mass hunger strike to highlight the alleged abuses. Those being held there reportedly include the Muslim Brotherhood movements top leadership, alleged members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group and various critics of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisis government, including journalists and doctors.

Sisi, who led the takeover of Mohamed Morsis Muslim Brotherhood government in July 2013, has been accused of sanctioning the arrest of thousands of activists and members affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood since he became president in June 2014.

The former military chief launched an extensive crackdown and declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organisation, with thousands of Muslim Brotherhood members facing death sentences or life imprisonment.

Between Morsis overthrow in July 2013 and May 2014, Egyptian authorities arrested or charged at least 41,000 people, according to HRW. The Egyptian authorities have engaged in one of the widest arrest campaigns in the countrys modern history, targeting a broad spectrum of political opponents, the report said.

I have even come across folk who were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, but the common factor among the thousands of prisoners was the basic principles of the revolution  freedom, bread, and social justice, said Soltan, who was imprisoned between August 2013 and May 2015.





The number of prisons in the country has also reportedly increased since the overthrow of the Muslim Brotherhood, according to a recent study by the Arab Network for Human Rights Information.

Activists and analysts say that while such reported oppression existed even during Hosni Mubaraks rule (1981-2011), the serious deterioration began when Sisi took over.

The greatest atrocities began right at the time when he [Sisi] came to power. This state sponsored-violence started with the greatest number of arrests in the summer of 2013, and they have continued on that path, Mohamed Elmasry, a political and media analyst, told Al Jazeera.

They have been working very hard in the past three years to eliminate all forms of dissent, Elmasry added.





While there have been numerous reports over the past three years calling on Egypt to alter its conduct towards critics of the regime, activists are not hopeful of any change occurring any time soon.

Egypt will not only continue to ignore calls to improve its human rights record in general and prison conditions in particular, but it will continue to escalate in its repression so long as it continues to get away with these violations, with no notable consequences from the international community, said Soltan.

Still, HRW believes it is in Egypts interest to change course, as the officials directly responsible for overseeing or carrying out such abuses may be held criminally liable for offences that violate Egyptian as well as international law, according to Stork.
Large funeral turnout for murdered writer who was killed outside the court where he faced charges of insulting Islam.

Murdered Jordanian writer and journalist Nahed Hattar was buried on Wednesday after he was shot dead outside a court on his way to face charges of insulting Islam.

Hundreds of people attended Hattars funeral in his hometown of Fuheis, 20km northwest Amman, including supporters, intellectuals, and current and former government officials.

Hattar, a Christian, was shot dead on Monday by an attacker who fired three rounds from a pistol into his head and chest, killing him instantly.

The writer faced charges after sharing a cartoon drawn by an unknown person on his Facebook page last August.

The caricature was a depiction of God conversing with an ISIL fighter who is lying in bed with two women. It is prohibited in Islam to show images of any revered religious figures.

Hattar, 56, had been a controversial figure in Jordan and had angered many with his unconventional views, including his support for the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad.

The alleged gunman was identified by Jordanian authorities as 49-year-old Riyad Ismail Abdullah.

Abdullah was known as an ultra-conservative in the Yadoudah area east of Amman.

Abdullah travelled and fought in Syria against the Assad regime in the early years of the civil war that broke out in 2011, sources told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity.

It was very easy back then for Jordanians to travel to Syria, said one source familiar with the situation.

After spending more than a year in Syria, Abdullah returned to Jordan.

The Jordanian press reported that he was a critic of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. He also reportedly challenged the Jordanian governments pro-western policies, which resulted in him being fired from a job as a government-appointed imam of a mosque.

Jordan: Nahed Hattar shot dead before cartoon trial

Hattars family members blamed the Jordanian government for its negligence in failing to provide protection for Hattar. His brother Khaled said that Hattar had received more than 200 death threats.

We demand the resignation of Prime Minister Hani al-Mulki because of his governments negligence to protect my brother, he said.

The Jordanian government condemned the killing and vowed to punish his killer, who faces a death sentence if convicted.

Jordans Minister of Information Mohammad al-Momani said in a statement that his government will use all legal measures against those who spread extremism and hatred in Jordan.

Hattars former lawyer and friend Faisal al-Batayneh described him as a national and an Arab hero.

His murder is a loss not only to Jordan but to the entire Arab nation, he said.

Follow Ali Younes on Twitter: @ali_reports
World leaders pay tribute after former Israeli leader and Nobel laureate dies in his sleep following stroke.

Israeli ex-president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Shimon Peres died on Wednesday, some two weeks after suffering a major stroke.

The 93-year-old died in his sleep at around 3:00am (0000 GMT), Peres doctor Rafi Walden, who is also Peress son-in-law, told AFP news agency. Israeli media also confirmed the former Israeli presidents death.

Our fathers legacy has always been the future. Look to tomorrow, he taught us, said Chemi Peres, Peres son, in a press conference.

Today, we sense that the entire nation of Israel and the global community mourns this great loss, he added. We share this pain together.

Officials said that Peres body would lie in state at the Knesset, or parliament, on Thursday to allow the public to pay final respects.

His funeral was set for Friday at Mount Herzl, the countrys national cemetery in Jerusalem. Yona Bartal, a former personal aide to Peres, said the arrangements were in line with his wishes.

The Israeli foreign ministry said that US President Barack Obama, former US President Bill Clinton and his wife and current presidential hopeful Hillary, the pope and the UKs Prince Charles are among those who will attend Peres funeral.

Obituary: Shimon Peres 1923  2016

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his deep personal grief in a statement in which he called Peres the beloved of the nation. Netanyahu is expected to deliver a personal message later on Wednesday, and the Israeli cabinet will convene for a special mourning session.





Obama was quick to pay his respects, remembering Peres as our dear friend and the essence of Israel itself.

There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves. My friend Shimon was one of those people, a White House statement said.

Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: Shimon Peres was, above all, a man of peace. My deepest condolences to his loved ones and to the people of Israel on his passing.

However, Al Jazeeras Middle East analyst Yehia Ghanem said that many would remember Peres as a war criminal, especially in light of the 1996 Qana massacre. In that Israeli attack on a southern Lebanese village, at least 106 people were killed. Peres was then prime minister.

People who are praising him [Peres] supported Israel and all of its crimes throughout its history, Ghanem said. The fact he ordered this massacre in Qana was and still is considered a war crime.

Speaking of Peres legacy, Diana Buttu, a former Palestinian peace negotiator, told Al Jazeera: This is a man who, from the very beginning, was a war criminal.

Buttu added: Hes somebody who believed in the ethnic cleansing of Palestine, somebody who when he had positions of power made sure that Palestinian land that was occupied  not captured  was then turned over and made into Jewish Israeli settlements, which are war crimes under international law.

Last remaining founding father

Peres had been in hospital near Tel Aviv since September 13, when he was admitted feeling unwell and suffered the stroke with internal bleeding.

Israel has been on edge over the health of its last remaining founding father, who had been under sedation and respiratory support in intensive care.

Peres held nearly every major office in the country, serving twice as prime minister and also as president, a mostly ceremonial role, from 2007 to 2014.

Shimon Peres: Self-victimising Palestinians

He won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for his role in negotiating the Oslo Accords, which envisioned an independent Palestinian state.

After suffering the stroke, he received an outpouring of support from across the world, including from Pope Francis, US President Obama, the Clinton family, Donald Trump, Britains former Prime Minister Tony Blair and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called him tireless in seeking peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

There had been signs of improvement last week.

On September 18, Peres office said doctors planned to gradually reduce his sedation and respiratory support to judge his response.

His personal physician Walden had said at the time that Peres had seen very slow, moderate improvement.

But on Tuesday, a source close to Peres said his condition had taken a downturn and he was fighting for his life.

In January, Peres was treated in hospital twice because of heart trouble.

In the first case, the hospital said he had suffered a mild cardiac event and underwent catheterisation to widen an artery.

READ MORE: New IsraeI president has big shoes to fill

He was rushed to hospital a second time only days later with chest pains and an irregular heartbeat.

Peres had sought to maintain an active schedule despite his age, particularly through events related to his Peres Center for Peace.

When leaving hospital on January 19, Peres said that he was keen to get back to work.

Im so happy to return to work, that was the whole purpose of this operation, he said.

Born in Poland in 1923, Peres emigrated to what was then British-mandated Palestine when he was 11. He joined the Zionist movement and met David Ben-Gurion, who would become his mentor and Israels first prime minister.

Peres became director general of the nascent defence ministry at just 29. He was also seen as a driving force in the development of Israels undeclared nuclear programme.
Third party candidate says Trump victory would be horrific, but Clintons policies are not at all reassuring.

US Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein has said that her supporters should absolutely not vote for Hillary Clinton to stop a Donald Trump presidency, even in a swing state.

In an interview with Mehdi Hasan, host of Al Jazeeras Upfront, Stein said that Clinton is not different enough from the New York real estate businessman, to enable her or the Democratic Party to save your job, save your life, or save the planet.

We have two ways to commit suicide here and I say no thank you to them both.

US election 2016: Third parties are voiceless

Asked whether her campaign will by default lead to a Trump presidency, Stein said she has no illusions that the Democratic or Republican parties are going to fix major problems in the country, such as environmental degradation, unemployment and the outsized influence of corporations.

Stein is currently polling around 3 or 4 percent. Due to her low numbers, she has been shut out of the presidential debates along with Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson.

Given her low likelihood of winning, Stein was asked who she would prefer to see as president, Clinton or Trump.





Its not a matter of not liking them, she said, declining to choose either candidate. Its that in this election, were not just deciding what kind of a future we will have, but whether we will have a future at all.

Asked how comfortable she would be knowing that a vote for her might help tip the scales in Trumps favour, she said: It will be horrific if Trump wins, but I am not at all reassured by the policies of Hillary Clinton.

Confronted about her visit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which drew the anger of Russian environmentalists, Stein said she made the visit to criticise Vladimir Putin for his extremely ineffective war policy which I would put together with that of the US.

She accused the US government of collaborating with Russia in the bombing campaign, while urging the two rival powers to work on a weapons embargo against the funding of terrorist enterprises.
Prosecutors say evidence shows Malaysian jet brought down from area controlled by Ukraine rebels supported by Moscow.

A Malaysian airliner shot down in eastern Ukraine was hit by a missile launched from an area controlled by Russia-backed rebels and the delivery system then retreated back into Russian territory, investigators said on Wednesday.

The findings challenge Russias suggestion that Malaysia Airlines flight 17  en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur in July 2014  was brought down by the Ukrainian military. All 298 people on board, most of them Dutch citizens, were killed.

The prosecutors cannot file charges but victims relatives have been seeking details of who shot the plane down in the hope it might lead eventually to prosecutions. The incident led to a sharp rise in East-West tensions.





The investigators made it very clear that what theyve made public to us is really only the tip of the iceberg, because they need to keep a lot of this material in reserve for what they hope will be a criminal investigation.

Possibly they will bring charges of murder  and possibly even charges of war crimes, said Al Jazeeras Neave Barker, reporting from the Dutch city of Nieuwegein where the report was released.

Russia responded by denouncing the international investigation as biased and politically motivated.

It has become the norm for our western colleagues to arbitrarily designate a guilty party and invent the desired results, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

The Buk missile system used to shoot down the plane fired one missile from the Ukraine village of Pervomaysk and later returned to Russian territory, said the prosecutors from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine.

It was not clear whether an order had been given for fighters to launch the missile, or whether they had acted independently, prosecutors said.

They told a news conference in Nieuwegein the investigative team had identified 100 people who were described as being of interest to them, but had not yet been formally identified as suspects.

Based on results of the criminal investigation it may be concluded that MH17 was shot down on July 17, 2014 by a 9M38 series missile launched by a Buk system, which was brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation and, after the launch, was subsequently returned to the Russian Federation territory, said Wilbert Paulissen, lead detective with the Dutch police.

READ MORE: Calls grow to prosecute those who shot down MH17

A civilian investigation by the Dutch Safety Board also concluded last year that MH17 was hit by a Buk missile fired from eastern Ukraine, but Moscow denied that pro-Russian rebels were responsible.

Repeating those denials on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: First-hand radar data identified all flying objects which could have been launched or were in the air over the territory controlled by rebels at that moment.

The data are clear-cut  there is no rocket. If there was a rocket, it could only have been fired from elsewhere, he said.

Investigators said they had not had access to the new radar images on which Moscow was basing its latest statements.

Relatives demand justice

Victims families were informed of the findings shortly before the prosecutors news conference.

At the time of the incident on July 17, 2014, pro-Russian separatists were fighting Ukrainian government forces in the region.

The Boeing 777 broke apart in midair, flinging wreckage over several kilometres of fields in rebel-held territory.

Speaking before the news conference, Silene Fredriksz  whose 23-year-old son Bryce was on the plane with his girlfriend Daisy Oehlers  said the victims families want justice.





As a family we are impatient. We want to know what happened, how it happened and why? We want those responsible to face justice, she said.

The downing of the airliner played a significant part in a decision by the European Union and United States to impose sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine conflict.

Ukrainian and western officials, citing intelligence intercepts, have blamed pro-Russian rebels for the incident. Russia has always denied direct involvement in the Ukraine conflict and rejects responsibility for the destruction of MH17.

Prosecutors have sought legal assistance from Moscow since October 2014, and visited in person for a week in July.

Russian authorities have offered information in the past, but have not answered all questions, they said in a statement at the time.
Philippine leader tells Filipinos in Vietnam that military drill with US in October will be the last during his term.

President Rodrigo Duterte has announced that the military exercises between the Philippines and the United States scheduled for October will be the last under his administration.

Duterte made the announcement on Wednesday during his official visit to Vietnam, signalling a shift away from an alliance that is one of the oldest in Asia.

You [US] are scheduled to hold war games, which China does not want. I will serve notice to you now that this will be the last military exercise. Jointly, Philippines [and] the US? Last one, Duterte said in a speech to the Filipino community in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi.

US and Philippines to launch war games amid China row

The amphibious landing exercise involving 500 Filipino troops and 1,400 US forces is scheduled to take place from October 4 to 12, and is the first to be held under his administration.

The drill is separate from the annual joint military exercises that involve a larger contingent of US troops held every April.

I will maintain the military alliance, the RP-US pact which our countries signed in the early 50s. But I will establish new alliances for trade and commerce, Duterte said.

In a statement to Al Jazeera, the US State Department said it will continue to focus on our broad relationship with the Philippines.

Our alliance is one of our most enduring and important relationships in the Asia Pacific region. It has been a cornerstone of stability for over 70 years. It is built on shared sacrifices for democracy and human rights and strong people-to-people and societal ties, Julia Mason, a state department spokesman, said.

Mason said the US will continue to work together in the many areas of mutual interest, including counterterrorism, to improve the livelihoods of the Philippine people and uphold our shared democratic values.

In recent weeks Duterte has repeatedly declared that he wants to pursue an independent foreign policy, adding that he wants to open alliances with US rivals China and Russia.

Currency manipulation

On Tuesday, he accused the US of manipulating the currency market to weaken the Philippine peso.

Two days ago, he was also quoted as saying that he was about to cross the Rubicon between me and the United States, adding that the country was at the point of no return in its relations with its former coloniser.

Since he took office in June, Duterte has repeatedly expressed his disdain towards the US policy in the Philippines.





He had also expressed profanities at the US ambassador to the Philippines, calling him a gay son of a whore.

Following the bombing in his hometown of Davao in early September, Duterte said he wants all US special forces based in Mindanao to leave.

During his first foreign trip as president, Duterte caused a diplomatic uproar when he reportedly uttered profanities towards US President Barack Obama, prompting the latter to cancel scheduled bilateral talks on the sideline of the ASEAN summit in Laos.

Duterte also said that the Philippines will no longer join any patrol led by the US in the South China Sea.

The Philippines recently won a case against China in the international court over disputed islands in the South China Sea, but Duterte said he was willing to set aside the ruling in exchange for Chinese investments.

The US and the Philippines signed the Mutual Defence Treaty in 1951, declaring that both nations would support each other if either country was attacked by an external party.

The Philippines hosted two of the largest US military facilities outside of the US up until 1992, when a volcanic eruption and a Philippine senate vote forced the closure of these bases.

In 1998, US troops returned through a visiting forces agreement, and in April 2014, during the visit of President Barack Obama, the agreement was expanded to allow more troops into the country for an extended duration.
US defence chief says the military advisers will train Iraqi soldiers for the coming battle with ISIL for major city.

The United States will send about 600 more American soldiers to Iraq to prepare local forces for the upcoming battle to retake Mosul from ISIL fighters.

US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced on Wednesday that the US troops will advise Iraqi soldiers and provide logistics support and intelligence for the operation to recapture the countrys second-largest city from ISIL  also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIS.

American President Barack Obama was consulted on a request from the Iraqi government for a final increase in the number of trainers and advisers under the umbrella of the international coalition in Iraq, Iraqs Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said in a statement.

READ MORE: US to send another 560 troops to Iraq

Last week, Abadi met Obama and Vice President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, though it was not clear whether the deal was sealed there.

No boots on the ground

US Army General Joseph Votel, who oversees US forces in the Middle East, told Reuters in July that the US military expected to seek additional troops in Iraq

There are at least 4,400 US troops in Iraq as part of a US-led coalition providing extensive air support, training and advice to the Iraqi military, which collapsed in 2014 in the face of ISILs advance towards capital Baghdad.





Iraqi forces, including Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and mostly Iranian-backed Shia militias, have retaken about half of that territory over the past two years.

But Mosul, the largest city under ISILs control, is likely to be the biggest battle yet.

US and Iraqi commanders have said that the push to retake the city could begin by the second half of October.

Current US troop levels in Iraq are still a fraction of the 170,000 deployed at the height of the nine-year occupation that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003, sparking an al-Qaeda-backed insurgency and throwing the country into a sectarian civil war.

Following the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, Obama insisted that there would be no American boots on the ground.

While coalition troops were initially confined to a few military bases, Americans have inched closer to the action as the campaign progresses
Security official says Americans were misinformed in a request that came from regional rival to hit al-Shabab.

An American air strike in northern Somalia killed as many as 22 soldiers, an official from the region alleged, suggesting that the United States had been duped into attacking Somali troops.

The Galmudug regions Security Minister Osman Issa said 22 of his soldiers had been killed in the strike early Wednesday, adding that the rival region of Puntland had requested air support on the pretext that the men were al-Shabab fighters.

Puntland misinformed the United States and thus our forces were bombed, Issa told Reuters news agency.

In Washington, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters that the United States had carried out a self-defence air strike after Somali troops took fire from fighters as they tried to stop an improvised explosive device making network.

Davis said nine al-Shabab cadres were killed in the strike, but the Pentagon was looking into reports that it could have killed others.

We will look at the reports to see if they are credible, and if they are credible well investigate them, Davis said.

UN: 40 percent of Somalis dont have enough food to eat

A Puntland police officer said the attack had killed more than a dozen members of al-Shabab, which is waging an insurgency against Somalias western-backed government and regional authorities.

Galmudug and Puntland regions have often clashed over territory.

The United States has launched many air strikes in Somalia against al-Shabab.

The armed group denied that it had any fighters in the area of the latest incident. We neither have a base nor forces in Galkayo area, Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, al-Shababs military operations spokesman, told Reuters.

Protesters in Galmudugs capital Galkayo burned US flags and images of President Barack Obama in protest, witnesses said. Shops closed because of the demonstrations.

Somalia is trying to rebuild after two decades of war. The conflict that began in 1991 left the Horn of Africa nation riven by clan rivalries and struggling with an insurgency.

Rival regions still sometimes take up arms against each other.
Amnesty International in its report documents 74 cases of torture at the hands of Thai soldiers and police.

International human rights group Amnesty International has accused Thailands military government of allowing a culture of torture to flourish since the army seized power in a 2014 coup.

The report, Make Him Speak by Tomorrow: Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Thailand, which was published on Wednesday, documents 74 alleged cases of torture and other ill-treatment at the hands of soldiers and the police.

The report listed beatings, suffocation by plastic bags, strangling by hand or rope, waterboarding, electric shocks to the genitals and other forms of humiliation as methods of torture.

The Junta government has rejected accusations of torture and rights violations.

Our investigations into such allegations have shown no indication of torture, I have seen no indication of torture and the Thai people have seen no indication of torture, General Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesman in the Prime Ministers Office, told Reuters.

READ MORE: One year of Thai military rule passes with a whisper

A scheduled news conference in the capital Bangkok to release the report was cancelled after local authorities allegedly threatened to arrest the speakers.

Two Amnesty International staff were scheduled to speak on Wednesday at the launch of the report.

But the pressure group was told that speaking at the event would be cause for legal action, Amnesty spokesman Omar Waraich told AFP news agency.

The authorities said to us that  if any representatives from Amnesty International spoke at the event they would be in violation of Thailands labour laws, he said.

They did not specify further, he added.





The government did not respond to requests for comment, but the concierge of the Four Wings hotel in Bangkok, where the launch was scheduled to take place, confirmed to the DPA news agency that representatives from the Labour Ministry had made a visit to the hotel to prevent the event from happening.

The military took power in Southeast Asias second-biggest economy after months of street protests against a populist government, saying it had to step in to prevent violence and restore order.

Since the coup, dozens of government critics have been held in military detention, although the exact number has not been released.

Amnesty International said in its report that post-coup decrees had allowed authorities to detain people incommunicado.

Empowered by laws of their own making, Thailands military rulers have allowed a culture of torture to flourish, where there is no accountability for the perpetrators and no justice for the victims, said Rafendi Djamin, Amnesty Internationals director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

READ MORE: Analysis  Thailand shields tourist trade after blasts

In March, the government gave soldiers powers of arrest and detention saying there were not enough police to tackle crime.

Amnesty said torture tactics were encouraged by legal incentives, including martial law, which the military ditched in 2015 and replaced with Article 44 of an interim constitution which gives the military similar powers to those it had during martial law, and which critics have dubbed a dictator law.



Talk to Al Jazeera: Thaksin  Let Thailand return to democracy

Thailands security forces have used torture and other ill-treatment against a wide range of people including refugees, suspected drug users, members of ethnic minorities, and others, Amnesty said in the report.

In August, Thailand voted to accept a military-backed constitution, despite claims by opponents that it will entrench the militarys power and deepen divisions.

The vote paved the way for a general election promised by the military government in 2017, but the newly adopted constitution requires future governments to rule on the militarys terms.

Junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha, who is also prime minister, has frequently defended the 2014 coup in the past, saying it was necessary to bring order back after years of on-off political unrest.
Justice minister confirms arrests of almost half of the 70,000 people investigated following Julys failed coup attempt.

Turkish courts have placed 32,000 suspects under arrest on charges of links to a group run by US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is blamed for the July 15 coup, the justice minister said.

Bekir Bozdag told Turkeys NTV television on Wednesday that 70,000 people had been investigated after the coup and of them 32,000 remanded in custody.

This process is continuing, he said. The numbers of those arrested marks an increase of more than 10,000 from those previously given by the government.

READ MORE: Turkey frees prisoners to make room for coup detainees

Bozdag said that there could be new arrests, while some of those currently arrested could still be freed under judicial control or freed entirely.





Some 10 weeks after the coup attempt aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan led to an unprecedented crackdown, there is still no indication as to when trials might start.

The trials of tens of thousands will be the biggest legal process in Turkeys history and are set to put the system under immense pressure.

It is not entirely clear how the trials will be carried out, Bozdag acknowledged.

He said trials would take place in cities across the country and not in one single venue.

OPINION: Turkish coup, Muslim democracy and Western bad faith

Bozdag said there was no need to create a special trial venue in Istanbul as capacity was sufficient. But he said one was needed in Ankara and work is taking place for a trial venue at Sincan outside the capital.

People are not going to be put on trial in just one place but trials will take place in all of Turkey, he said.

US officials will respond to Turkeys demand to arrest Gulen within a couple of days, the justice minister added.

Turkey wants the US to extradite Gulen, who has lived in Pennsylvania since 1999, and prosecute him for masterminding the attempt to overthrow the government on July 15. The 75-year-old preacher denies any involvement.

Washington has previously said it is cooperating with Ankara and asked its NATO ally for patience as it processes the extradition request to meet US legal requirements.
Kiev accuses pro-Russian separatists of shooting down MiG-29 fighter jet in contested Luhansk region.

A Ukrainian fighter jet has been shot down while flying over rebel-held territory in the restive east, as Kiev accused Moscow of supplying rebels with a convoy of rocket launchers.

Ukraines military blamed pro-Russian separatists of shooting down the MiG-29 jet on Sunday morning, close to the Russian border.

Military spokesman Oleksiy Dmytrashkivsky told Al Jazeera the aircraft was downed around the city of Luhansk after carrying out an attack on rebels.

The military said the pilot had ejected and had been found alive and well after a search.

Hours later, Ukraines military spokesman said a convoy of rocket launchers had crossed over from Russia in the past 24 hours.

Andriy Lysenko accused Russia of sending over three Grad missile systems, and Russian drones of violating Ukrainian air space on 10 occasions.

He also said on Sunday that the government forces fought separatists in a neighbourhood of Luhansk city on Saturday and took control of the Zhovtneviy neighbourhood police station.

They raised the state flag over it, Lysenko told a news briefing.

Al Jazeeras Emma Hayward, reporting from the Ukrainian town of Novotroyitske, said that despite Ukrainian forces making several advances into rebel-held territory, it looked like the separatists still held considerable fire-power.

The flashpoint Luhansk is encircled by Ukrainian forces and is reportedly suffering from severe electrical outages and shortages of food and medicine.

Fleeing residents told Human Rights Watch there was no gas and mobile phone coverage in the city, and it was difficult finding drinking water and food.

Donetsk, the largest rebel-held city, is also suffering frequent fighting including shelling.

The citys mayor said at least 10 civilians were killed and eight injured during heavy artillery shelling on Saturday.

The foreign ministers of Ukraine and Russia are to meet in Berlin on Sunday to resume diplomatic talks on a political solution to the crisis in eastern Ukraine.

Fighting in Ukraine has escalated since the insurgency arose in April, with government troops steadily taking back rebel-held territory in the east.

Russian aid convoy

The latest fighting comes as a Russian aid convoy waiting on the Ukrainian border began edging closer to Ukraine.

The delay followed fears from Kiev and the West that the convoy could be a pretext to help the rebels in eastern Ukraine, or provide Moscow with an excuse to send in the 20,000 troops that NATO says it has massed on the border.

Russia insists the trucks are carrying water, food and medicine to suffering civilians in the region.

However, in a video reportedly posted online this weekend, the leader of the self-proclaimed rebel government in the Donetsk region, Alexander Zakharchenko, said new military equipment was on its way from Russia.

He said the shipment included tanks and about 1,200 fighters who have undergone training in Russia.

Ukraines president, Petro Poroshenko, said Ukraine had destroyed a large number of military vehicles that had recently crossed from Russia.

Russia has consistently denied allegations that it is supporting the rebels with equipment or training.

The UN says more than 285,000 people have fled fighting in Ukraines east.
Shimon peres was on a visit

to the Qatari capital, Doha

David Foster: You met Mahmoud Abbas at the world Economic forum, he said we have a road map for peace, we need to start negotiations, is there room for compromise on both sides?

Shimon Peres: Yes and I think it is possible and I think we are near it. I think today the problem is rather the spirit among the Palestinians and the conflict between them and us. And once they will unite and establish a government, and even before, we are ready to negotiate with Abbas right away.

On your website, you quote Nelson Mandela as saying if you want to make peace with your enemy you have to work with your enemy. Does that mean you would work with Hamas if they were in a unity government with Fatah?

We are not the enemy of Hamas, Hamas is refusing to participate in the peace process. They do not want to talk with us, they do not want to recognise Israel, they do not want to respect the signed agreements, and they said even if we give back every inch of land they wont make peace. So if Hamas will change its policies why not? But if they dont what can we do?

It makes for a very difficult position if there is then, a unity government with Hamas in it, from Mahmoud Abbas point of view. Does he go for a unity government which may well solve his internal problems but may then exacerbate the problems he might have with dealing with Israel?

We see eye to eye with Abbas, because he is really for peace, we respect his position and he is negotiating with Hamas. He too understands that you cannot have a unity government without agreeing on the union, what is the unity government for? You can have two governments if you want and call it one government, if you two have policies you dont have one government. Now if Hamas will turn in the direction of peace they have nothing against our name or persons.

Now on current form when Tzipi Livni says compromising with extremists will not mend anything, this is in the course of meetings in Davos, is that a warning to Mr Abbas not to form a unity government?

Lets escape a little bit from the world of formulas, and return to the ground as it is. Israel gave back completely Gaza, we dismantled the settlements by force, so Gaza is already in the hands of the Palestinians completely and fully. In the West Bank, Mr Olmert suggested as an opening position, to give back to the Palestinians almost 90 percent of the land and about the rest to have a swap, and he says also it will be down as contiguityit wont be sliced as pieces.

I mean the differences are minor and I think we can move ahead and I think what prevents moving ahead is really the division among the Palestinians because right now Hamas has turned with its face to Iran rather that with its face to peace. Thats the problem.

But I return to my question, was Tzipi Livni actually warning, have you said to Mahmoud Abbas there is a danger of forming a unity government, that it would be better for you perhaps to hold out for early elections rather than get into bed with Hamas at this point?

I think we are very careful not to intervene in the business of the Palestinians, and not to appear as we are intervening. We are listening and watching the positions of Mr Abbas and we fully respect it and support it. We dont have to put our own conditions.

Lets turn now to last summer and the war in Lebanon. Israel has received criticism for its use of cluster munitions and the number of civilian deaths that there were in Lebanon and it is believed by some researchers that uranium-tipped devices were used.

Uranium-tipped devices were not used, this just a fantasy, totally unfounded. About the cluster bombs, to be short and clear we committed a mistake, regrettably. Apparently it was done without the knowledge even of the chief of staff. You know it so happens that in war there are many mistakes, so the greatest mistake is war itself. And the best way to prevent mistakes of war is to not have the mistake of war.

I think Hezbollah provoked an unnecessary war, they suffered, they made Lebanon suffer, they made Israel suffer, they didnt achieve anything. Today Lebanon is more divided than ever, theyre a foreign body within Lebanese politics, an army within an army, a state within a state, representing Iranian interests more than Lebanese unity. Who needs them, what for? What are they serving? They want to pray to the god they dont need guns, and even not missiles. So for us it is very hard to understand what is this intervention of Hezbollah necessary at all. Whom do they serve? What do they serve? What is there destiny?

But their support on the streets of Beirut, and I have been there in the last six weeks to see what it is like, has certainly grown since the war in the summer. So in that sense they are strengthening.

It is tragic when the streets are running the state. The state has to run the streets. And you cannot have winds and wildness prevail, and it is tragic. And the majority of the Lebanese, without being there, are supporting Siniora. He is being supported by the rest of the world, a couple of days ago he got 7.5billion dollars. Everybody wants to reconstruct Lebanon, who prevents it again? Hezbollah. They want to topple down Siniora, what for? Why? He was properly elected. The Hezbollah does not claim to be the majority, they are a minority and the only way for a minority to govern is to use force, that way they use force.

So when you look about it from a general point of view in a war there are mistakes and it costs lives and it brings tragedies which I regret very much.

And indeed the suggestion is that Israel carried out the war so badly it has hurt you within the country domestically too.

I dont know, you know in a democracy you are being criticised and you dont hide and you have the right to voice criticism. In Hezbollah nobody criticizes, everything there is Ok. But Nasrallah himself says that he admires Israel, that we are airing out our mistakes openly, publicly and try to correct them. He tries to hide them and to continue to make them, thats the difference. Nobody says that a democracy is perfection, a democracy is a freedom, in a freedom you unfortunately make mistakes, admit them and correct them.

Israel has a history of feeling threatened by its neighbours and some of those disputes have been resolved, but right now the biggest headlines seem to come out with Israels relationship, or relationship it doesnt have with Iran. Where do you go from now?

Not with Iran, with Ahmadinejad. You know first of all Iran is not a homogenous country, the Persians are not more than 50 percent, and Ahmadinejad represent a Persian ambition to govern the Middle East religiously. Most of the people in the Middle East are against it, then again he puts all the emphasis on the prestige of the nuclear capacity but the economy in Iran is tragic, it is poor.

They have added 40 million people to in the last 15 years to Iran. In 1990 there were not more than 30 million Iranians, now there are 70 million. Many of them do not have food to eat, you know 40percent of oil support goes to supply food. Unemployment, drugs, people are not happy and I am not so sure Ahmadinejad will hold on forever, he does not answer the needs of the people.

And ironically I can say he did a good job for the west Ahmadinejad, nobody would unite the west but Ahmadinejad. He so crazy, he is so extreme, he is so exaggerated, that it brings many parties together and if he will continue it will continue.

How much do you feel threatened by what he is saying?

We have to take it seriously as it happened to us once already in our history so we do not have the luxury to take it with a smile and we do not have the wish to take it a s verdict of heaven, no, we think it can be prevented but we have to take it seriously and we do not want to monopolise the problems of Iran, we dont want to make it an Israeli-Iranian conflict, it is not. Iran is a problem for the world and Israel is not the leader of the world, and we do not have the ambition to become the leader of the world.

But Israel has often in the past in the face of public opinion and world opinion taken unilateral action, would you consider that against Iran?

When the threat was unilateral not this time, its universal and we dont want to monopolise it, nothing whatsoever. We think it is a problem the world has to solve not for us.

But it is a unilateral problem in a sense when Ahmadinejad says Israel should be wiped off the map, that is a very personal one-on-one problem.

We watch it very carefully, and we make it public and we criticize it and we watch what he is doing yes, and we are careful and we are alert. But we do not take it as the overall position of the Iranians and the permanent position of the Persians, not a bit of it. He wont hold on dont forget.

One of the suggestions has been to him, with regard to Irans nuclear ambitions, that he allow in with proper inspection rights, members of the UN body, the IAEA. Im sure that is something you believe he should do to inspect what is going on, would it not be a step in the right direction if Israel also allowed in UN atomic agency inspectors?

Israel never announced an ambition to produce bombs, Israel said we shall never be the first to introduce a nuclear bomb in the Middle East. Israel does not refer to the nuclear position as such, but as a psychological deterrent. We know that Israel is being suspected of having such an option, and we say suspicion is enough.

If you have suspicion which means you have a deterrent, and you dont need more and let me say Ahmadinejad and the Iranians are saying they are not interested in nuclear bombs, they just want to enrich uranium I dont know exactly what for. But then they are producing missiles of long-range, what for? If they are not going to have bombs what do they need the missiles for. It is like believing in Allah but not believing in Muhammad.

So I think the west should develop a campaign against them producing and collecting long-range missiles. There was even an agreement between the Russians and the Americans to limit the range of the missiles. So I mean the story is not yet unfolded completely. And I think the problem with the Geneva institution is they couldnt have prevented the dispersion of nuclear production, how are they going to control the use of nuclear weapons.

It is becoming very serious and I dont even believe Putin who helped build a nuclear reactor, under control, in Iran, would like the idea that the nuclear bomb can arrive to Chechnya. And I dont that Great Britain will agree that with 500-700 terrorists on her land that are ready to bring down with planes with passengers, or Paris or Spain, nobody is. And I think every responsible is trembling at the idea that terrorists may get hold of a nuclear capacity. For that reason I say it is just not an Israeli problem.

But there also other people that are concerned by the fact, as you say, that there is a suspicion that Israel does have a nuclear device, is it not time to just own up and say we do have a bomb?

Why should we do it? We dont have an ambition to have a bomb. Look our ambition is to see the Middle East free from wars and free from bombs not the other way round. Till now it has served a purpose, why should we go further than that.

You know Amr Moussa yesterday, the secretary-general of the Arab league, used to be the foreign minister of Egypt  we were rather friendly and he came over to me in reception and says Were such good friends Why wont you take me to Dimona and show me what you are doing there? and I say Amr are you crazy, Dimona I will take you there and you will see that there is nothing there and you will stop being suspicious and stop being worried about war and I will be out of my job. I dont mind that you are suspicious. And that is it we never went further than that, Israel never for example tried a bomb, never tried to test a bomb, the minute we reached the limit, or the purpose of having a deterrent we stopped.

You have a second portfolio, as well as the deputy prime ministers one, and that is the minister for the development of the Negev and Galilee, and looking back a couple of years to the original aims of this it said by the year 2010 one third of Israels population could be living in these areas, is this still a realistic ambition? And if it, is it not provocative to the Arab population?

No we made it clear that it will go hand in hand with the promoting of the standard of living of the Israeli-Arab citizens. Now we have a budget for Galilee, in Galilee there are half and half, half Jewish, half Arab. We decided that a third of the budget will go to promote the Arab economy, a third the Jewish, and a third common, so we are very clear in our ambition to respect an Arab citizen like an Israeli one, and you know what? there is a silent revolution taking place, it has not been reported in the press so much, among the Arab citizens of Israel who are 1.4 out of seven million people. They have already 50000 academicians, every year there is a registration of 19000 young Palestinians to the universities, most of them women, which is another indication. Now many of them are doctors and nurses in the Israeli hospitals

(Cuts in) But there is a feeling of discrimination nevertheless no matter what you say. Just a few hours before we sat down for this conversation, Arab properties in east Jerusalem were demolished allegedly because there was no panning permission but the catch 22 is they cannot get planning permission, so they feel like theres one law for the Israelis and one law for them, how can you promote equality on that basis?

No, in the Galilee and Negev, you are talking about Galilee and the Negev  Jerusalem is a different story  why not? First of all, you know maybe they have less land but more income because Israel economy is a very sophisticated one. You know we have increased the yield of our agriculture 18 times in 27 years, so if you have an eighteenth part of the land possess you have more income and they are excellent farmers. But you cannot live on the land anyway because agriculture went down from 60percent in the world economy to one or two percent. What we are now trying to do, in order to achieve real equality is to build industrial parks, high-tech parks, in Arab vicinities jointly or separately.

But you continue to build settlements against international law

We stopped it and we look for a solution. When I said Mr Olmert has suggested 90 percent of the land and the rest is to concentrate all the settlements in the West Bank in three locations, to limit the settlements elsewhere and to compensate the Palestinians with other land. You know this conflict started before there was one Jewish settlement in the West Bank, what really brought the Jewish settlements was the ongoing attacks. When you are being attacked your consideration is security.

But again I want to repeat clearly there will not be the slightest discrimination of an Arab citizen in the Negev or Galilee, not because we are afraid of the Arabs but afraid of ourselves. We were not born in our concept to be the masters or controllers of another people it stands against everything that we stand for you must understand it. If you take away the moral foundation of the Jewish existence you dont have a Jewish existence, and do not take it lightly. We dont like what we were forced to do, we never looked to become a military force.

We never wanted to have military victories, but we were forced because otherwise we would disappear as a people. But if we have a choice and for us to bring equality is in accordance with a basic Jewish obligation to respect every human being as though he was born in the image of the Lord. We are not masters, we are not the lords.

Are these the words of a man who wants to be Israels next president?

Well if you challenge me like that 80 percent supports me, I think because of my views. I am not in a beauty contest and I do not hide my views, which means that a better majority, a lion majority of Israelis, think what I am saying makes sense and know exactly that I represent something that is deep and profound.
A look at the poignant stories of two Armenian women in Turkey, trying to support their families far from home.

Filmmaker: Ahmet Seven

As the Armenian economy continues to struggle, so do its people. Around a third of the countrys population lives below the poverty line and the price of everyday items is often too high for many people.

Over the years, hundreds of thousands of Armenians have emigrated in search of work and a decent living. There is tension between Armenia and Turkey and the border with Turkey has been closed since 1993. But this doesnt stop many Armenians, often women, making the journey via Georgia, either to live long-term or making regular trips, buying cheaper goods in Turkey to sell back home.

This film tells the poignant story of two Armenian women unable to survive at home and who leave their families to join the many economic migrants, hoping to find jobs to enable them to support themselves and their dependents.

Getting old doesn't mean dying... I'll live as long as it takes to reach my goal of helping my children. by Anahit Tonoyan

Anahit Tonoyan first lost her husband when he was only 50  and then 30 family members in the Armenian earthquake in 1988. She moved to Istanbul and did a series of manual jobs to survive.

I worked in a factory and at a restaurant. I cleaned hallways at night. I took care of babies. I would steam corn and sell it by the sea. Then I was a housekeeper. All kinds of work. Im not ashamed because I was providing for my children, says 73 year-old Anahit.

Now, too old for physical work, she makes a living selling Armenian food products to other immigrants in Turkey, out of a suitcase on the streets of Istanbul.

She has lived and worked in Turkey for more than 18 years, managed to avoid trouble with the authorities  and still tries to find a little bit extra to send back to her family in Armenia and Russia.

Ive been setting up a stall and selling my goods here for five years. No ones ever asked me what I was doing here. Never. Everyones fond of me and Im fond of them.

Karine Galstyan is also Armenian and came to Turkey looking for work in 2004. After marrying a Turkish man, her residency and work status are a lot more stable, allowing her easier transit between Turkey and Armenia.

It was very difficult for me. I would lie in bed at night and my mind was in Armenia with my children. But, as a mother, I suffered to make sure my children were taken care of, she remembers.

Karine buys cheap clothes in Istanbul and takes them in a suitcase to sell in Armenia a couple of times a month, earning around $300 a trip. With shoes costing over $20 in Armenia but as little as $2 in Istanbul, Karine has seized the business opportunity, buying in one place to trade up in the other.

Despite the distance from their families and the tough existence theyre forced to lead to make ends meet, the two women are driven by the need to support the ones they love. Their desire to provide and care trumps their separation from their families.

I love Istanbul. People love a place if they have a good life and are making a good living, says Galstyan.
In an exclusive interview with Sir David Frost, Shimon Peres, the Israeli president, questions the Israeli governments position on settlements, pours scorn on accusations of a plot to kill Yasser Arafat, the late leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), and opens his heart about the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, the former Israeli prime minister.



Peres, who is now 89, describes his familys fate during World War II (many were burned alive by the Nazis in Poland in 1942). He talks about Israels victory in the Six-Day war in 1967 and the settlement policy which followed it. And he explains how Israels settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories ran out of control in the late 1970s.

The problem with the settlements started when they went into great numbers, you know  100,000, 200,000, 300,000, he says.

You know, they talk about an 'Arab Spring'. All over the world they're a new generation. They don't want to listen to us. The future belongs to the young. by Shimon Peres, Israeli president

Challenged by Sir David about the recent announcement of 3,000 new homes in Jerusalem, Peres questions the messages coming from the Israeli government.

The prime minister announced that he permitted to plan the 3,000 settlers, not to implement. For the last 13 years it is not the first time that such a permission was announced but nothing was built, says the Israeli leader.

Peres admits that the Israeli military could have killed Arafat at any time they wished and then make it out to be an accident, but he says, there were clear orders not to do so and we wouldnt do it. He also denies complicity in the former PLO leaders subsequent death, which is currently under investigation.



He goes on to discuss in detail why he and Rabin entered negotiations with the PLO in the early 1990s and describes, with obvious emotion, the night the former Israeli prime minister was assassinated.



Moving on to current issues Peres talks about his relationship with Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, also known as Abu Mazen, and Israelis widespread disillusionment following the relocation of settlers from Gaza.

Gaza became a base to shoot at us  we hoped [it] would be a solution. Instead it became an obstacle, he says.

And he pulls no punches with his views on Palestinians. Challenged by Sir David that the Palestinians appear to be the victims and Israel, the bullies, Peres says: They are self-victimising. They victimise themselves. They are a victim of their own mistakes unnecessarily.



The regions senior statesman finally looks to the future and says: You know, they talk about an Arab Spring. All over the world theyre a new generation. They dont want to listen to us. The future belongs to the young.
Long-serving Israeli politician leaves a mixed legacy after winning a Nobel Peace Prize, but also accused of war crimes.

On Friday, leaders from around the world will attend the funeral of one of Israels founding fathers.

Shimon Peres died on Wednesday at the age of 93. He was a former president and prime minister and also defence minister.

Peres shared the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords with Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat. But some see him as a war criminal.

He was behind a 1996 attack on a village in southern Lebanon that killed more than 100 people. He was also widely considered the architect of Israels secretive nuclear weapons programme.

In later years, Peres was instrumental in pushing for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

What is the legacy of Shimon Peres?

Presenter: Jane Dutton

Guests:

Mitchell Barak  political analyst and former spokesman for Shimon Peres

Mustafa Barghouti  secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative

Ian Black  London School of Economics
The case against Assange is as political as it is legal; where does it go from here? Plus, Kenyas election influencers.
The UF debate team and a pro-gun student group faced off Tuesday, arguing about whether students and faculty should be allowed to discretely carry weapons on campus.

At a debate sponsored by Students for Concealed Carry at UF and the UF Speech and Debate Team, some argued that allowing guns at UF would threaten campus safety, while others said guns would enhance safety.

The campus carry question first entered the public eye when Florida House Bill 0163, which would allow licensed gun owners to carry weapons on university campuses, was filed in Sept. 2015. The bill eventually failed.

Gloria Li, a 19-year-old UF environmental science sophomore, said she would be uncomfortable walking through campus knowing someone could be carrying a weapon.

It doesnt take an Omar Mateen to wreak havoc with a gun, she said. It takes any disgruntled student with a temper.

But in contrast, Bridget Sullivan, a UF nutritional sciences freshman, said a lack of training or protection can turn students into victims.

As a female college student facing the threat of sexual assault or robbery, the 18-year-old would feel safer if she were allowed to carry a weapon, she said.

I should not have to be fearful when walking after dusk, Sullivan said. I should not have to place my safety in the hands of a bottle of pepper spray, a whistle or another device which would provide me with a false sense of protection.

Dennis Callaghan, 19, who judged the debate, voted in favor of the pro-carry side, partially because some of their members arguments could not be effectively rebutted.

One such argument pointed out Florida already allows concealed carry in public areas. Because it is usual for students to feel uncomfortable off campus, legalizing campus carry should have no bearing on their perceived safety, he said.

It was a fairly good argument since most of the negative points centered around comfort, the UF mathematics sophomore said. (But) no one walks off campus and feels the weight of concealed carry.

From left: Bridget Sullivan, an 18-year-old UF nutritional sciences freshman, defends concealed carry on campus as Gloria Li, a 19-year-old UF environmental science sophomore, cross-examines. The Campus Carry Debate event was hosted by Students for Concealed Carry at UF and the UF Speech and Debate Team.

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A multimillion dollar grant to UFs College of Education will help researchers detect and help students with emotional disorders.

The Institute of Education Sciences granted UF $3.5 million to conduct a trial of Social-Emotional Learning Foundations, which is a curriculum designed to help kindergarten and first-grade students learn about and express their emotions. The program will start this year and run through 2020, said Ann Daunic, a primary investigator.

During the first three years of the study, 60 schools, 360 teachers and classrooms with about 1,440 children at risk for emotional-behavior disorders will be recruited in Florida, she said.

This year, researchers will be working with students in counties throughout the state, including Marion, Levi, Putnam, Bradford and Baker, she said.

The research will take place during the academic year, she said. She hopes teaching elementary schoolers to express and manage their emotions will help future academic performance.

We are hoping to find out whether our approach and curriculum are helping kids in their social development, Daunic said.

The curriculum is built around picture books, chosen by the researchers, to discuss emotions and feelings students may experience, said Stephen Smith, an investigator. Teachers will go through the books with students they think may be at risk of emotional-behavior disorders.

Teachers delivering the curriculum will learn about it through a two-day intensive orientation, he said.

What we are trying to do is give them a vocabulary where they can start to identify those feelings, Smith said, which can lead to hopefully some self-regulations as it relates to social conflict that we all have.

Rachel Johnson, a 21-year-old UF elementary education senior, said SELF will give the kids an activity upon which to build social skills.

She said it is important to understand childrens behavior and expects SELF will help.

I think itll benefit them greatly to catch it early in kids who display such character, and as teachers, itll help us reach it early, Johnson said.

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The months-long search for a missing Gainesville woman may be over.

About eight months since Hannah Brim, then 23, was reported missing on Jan. 19 and later presumed dead, Gainesville Police announced Tuesday that law enforcement discovered what are believed to be Brims remains in a creek just east of Gainesville.

At about 11 a.m. Tuesday, members of the Alachua County Sheriffs Office Dive Team found the bones about three miles from the Orange Heights neighborhood in Alachua County, GPD spokesman Officer Ben Tobias said at a press conference held Tuesday.

Confirmation of the bones identity is pending further testing by the District 8 Medical Examiners Office and UFs C.A. Pound Human Identification Laboratory, Tobias said.

Brim was believed to be five months pregnant when she went missing, according to Alligator archives. Her former boyfriend, Nelson Armas, is considered to be the last person who saw her.

Armas, who was indicted on a first-degree murder charge Sept. 14, is currently at the Alachua

County Jail without bond, according to archives.

Tobias said it was Armas indictment that led police to the swampy area where the bones were found. He would not disclose what information led police to the area, citing Armas ongoing prosecution by the state attorneys office.

Based on the information, search teams composed of members of the GPD SWAT team, the sheriffs office, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the medical examiners office and the C.A. Pound laboratory searched different areas near Orange Heights, Tobias said.

During the press conference, he described the moment he and his colleagues learned of the discovery  and that the most exhaustive missing-persons search local law enforcement has conducted in about four years may have ended.

Once word reached the search area and the command post that Brim had been discovered, there was officers that knelt in prayer and in thanks that we finally have located (her), he said. This has been a very personal case for a lot of us.

Brims family was notified of the discovery at about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday and offered thanks to those involved in the search, Tobias said.

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Theyre thankful for everyone that theyve met under these circumstances, he said. They wish it was different circumstances obviously, but theyre very thankful for the job that anyone associated with this investigation has done.

Since February, when a multi-agency search was conducted in the Orange Heights area, Tobias said GPD and the sheriffs office headed multiple searches in Gainesville and eastern Alachua County to find Brims remains.

Lt. Brandon Kutner, a sheriffs office spokesman, said members of the offices Marine Operations and Underwater Recovery Team were still on the scene looking for more remains and other pieces of evidence.

Although its a sad day, were happy to know that we can at least bring some sort of closure to the family, Kutner said.
The Florida state fire marshal is investigating the death of a Jonesville, Florida, woman who died Monday after her apartment caught fire.

At about 5:30 p.m. Monday, Alachua County Sheriffs Office deputies responded to the fire in the 300 block of SW 145th Drive after a neighbor noticed the flames and dialed 911, said Harold Theus, the deputy chief with the Alachua County Fire Rescue.

Arriving minutes before ACFR, sheriffs deputies found 62-year-old Dawn Stephens Mendoza unresponsive in a hallway near the back of her single-story apartment, he said.

They pulled Mendoza out and performed CPR on her for several minutes until ACFR arrived, Theus said. She was then taken to North Florida Regional Medical Center, where she later died from her injuries.

Its unknown how long the fire burned, he said. During the blaze, a hot-water heater ruptured, extinguishing the bottom of the fire, which kept the flame from spreading.

Here you had a fire that just sort of sat in the smoldering phase for a long time, Theus said.

The fire marshals office is now investigating the cause of the fire, he said.
Not My System made an appearance one day before Fall Student Government election results are announced.

Sabrina Philipp, 22, who led the Not My System movement this past Spring, hosted a live stream Tuesday night on Facebook from her home in Bali to address questions from viewers. Philipp gave documents to the Tab, an online publication that will release a series of stories about The System, she said.

One thing I really want everyone to ask themselves is, What would you do if you werent afraid? she said.

Philipp, who previously accused Impact Party of being a rebranding of Swamp Party, repeated that sentiment during the live stream.

They just put on a cute new logo and a new name, she said.

Philipp also claimed the existence of three blocs within SG, which are coalitions of Greek sorority and fraternity houses and student organizations. She said System parties, like Impact, seek out minority students to make their parties seem more diverse.

Philipp also accused UF Student Body President Susan Webster of preventing three students from becoming members of the Reitz Union Board of Managers because of their affiliation with Access Party.

Impact President Janae Moodie denied all claims Philipp made, including the existence of The System within SG.

I think that Sabrinas allegations are false, Moodie said.

Moodie denied knowledge of the existence of blocs and said Impact does not scout out members of certain demographics or affiliations. She said the accusations against Webster are false, but that the knowledge falls outside her role as Impacts president.

I have never heard those allegations in my life, and I do not know how that would be possible, she said.

Sabrina Philipp takes questions during the Not My System town hall meeting at Turlington Hall on Feb. 16, 2016. On Tuesday, she hosted an online Q&A.

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There is a massive philosophical question surrounding the use of stem cells in medical research. Part of this question exists because the communication of scientific information in this country is crap. The myths oftentimes are inseparable from the facts. This is why, embarrassingly enough for us, only 70 percent of Americans believe in climate change, while an overwhelming 97 percent of scientists accept it as valid.

But this editorial is not about the truth of stem cell research, which, for the record, does not employ Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom organ-harvesting practices. It is simply about an actual miracle that recently happened as a direct result of stem cell research.

Kristopher Boesen of Bakersfield, California was involved in a horrific car accident several months ago. On March 6, he was driving on a wet road and crashed his car into a telephone pole, resulting in an injury to his spine that left him paralyzed from the neck down.

Two months later, Boesen began a clinical trial in which stem cells were injected into the damaged part of the spine. Roughly two weeks after this surgery, Boesen began to show faint signs of motor function. Today, Boesen is able to feed himself, hold his cellphone up to his face, hug his parents and write his name. This man went from being unable to move to being able to brush his teeth. Have you ever tried brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand? It feels disgusting.

Now, dear reader, listen carefully. There is no promise of Boesens long-term success. The doctors involved in ihis case study are rightfully apprehensive to comment on his future. Although things are looking up right now, experts in this field are, well, experts, not psychics. It would be irresponsible and simply unfounded for them to make predictions.

Regardless, a wall has been torn down in the scientific world with this study. Boesen has proven there is something serious to investigate in the ability for undeveloped and undifferentiated cells to repair even the most tragic destructions of the human body.

This moral question is therefore required: How do we generate such stem cells? The most controversial and popular answer is embryos. Although we fully support a womans right to do what she wants with her body, we recognize quite obviously that seeds arent trees. Even if you accidentally planted a seed in your living room, or as awful as it is, someone planted a seed in your living room without your consent, youre allowed to claim your living room back. Were just not getting into that. Nope.

There is a way to avoid all that controversy. In 2007, it was discovered that two human by-products could be converted into stem cells: skin cells and menstrual blood. When you read that, you might have wrinkled your nose, squinted your eyes and felt gross. Get over it. Such a by-product is incredibly easy to collect, subverts the traditional problems found in tissue rejection and completely steers away from that moral question embryos carry. It may seem icky on the surface, but do you really think someone in Boesens case gives a hoot that period blood donations helped him regain control of his body? Of his life?

If, for some reason, you stand against the scientific exploration of stem cells, despite knowing full well embryos are not a necessary component to this research, you really ought to reconsider how much value you truly put on human life. Such research made a difference in Boesens life. And Boesen could be any one of us.

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English News Chinese proposals inject confidence into implementation of G20 Summit agenda

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 28 Septembre 2016



Under Chinas initiative, the G20 Hangzhou Summit has, for the first time, drafted an action plan on implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Sergey Karataev, Source: People's daily The world economy has been growing at a roughly 3 percent rate in recent years, a significant step-back compared with previous years. The growth rate of developed countries has been under 2 percent over the last few years with no clear indication of improvement, while that of the developing countries is slowing down as well.



The World Bank and the IMF have downgraded the world economic outlook. Against such global economic uncertainties and the complexities within the G20 itself, China assumed the responsibility and hosted a successful G20 Hangzhou Summit during its presidency.



The crux of the current sluggish world economic growth, on the one hand, lies in the absence of determination among all of the countries to maintain sustained growth and on the other hand, the low efficiency of the measures that some countries have adopted.



In the meantime, growth slowdown in global trade, less active investment and lasting instability in the financial markets also aggravated the world economic recovery. The risks of another global or regional financial crisis still exist.



The G20 Summit played a major role in coping with international financial crisis when it was first established. However, as the world economy gradually recovers, the execution of the G20 was considerably undermined due to disputes in interests among member states.



Though many documents were formulated within the G20 framework, many countries failed to comply with them. For example, the G20 has put forward multiple constructive suggestions on opposing global trade protectionism, but some developed countries have even doubled their protectionist measures.



Under such complex background, China has proposed a series of initiatives on boosting the vitality of the G20 and restoring its global economic governance function with a primary purpose to maintain sustainable growth and reduce current risks.



Even though it is not the first time for the G20 to call on reforming international financial institutions, stimulating investment and advancing structural reform, Chinese proposals enable effective cooperation among major economies.



While focusing on economic agendas, China also called for compromises on disputes. It urged all G20 members to find solutions for current challenges, rather than fixing their attention on the reasons. Instead of joining in the arguments over the effects of adopted monetary stimulus policies, China asked all members to focus on how to boost economic growth through structural reform, taxation policies and fiscal polices.



China also did extensive and in-depth research on supervising outcome implementation and management improvement and gave more saying to developed countries. Under Chinas initiative, the G20 Hangzhou Summit has, for the first time, drafted an action plan on implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, agreed to advance an early ratification of the Paris Agreement and launched the G20 Initiative on Supporting Industrialization of Africa and Least Developed Countries as well as the Global Infrastructure Connectivity Alliance Initiative, delivering tangible benefits to the people of developing countries.



Now that the Hangzhou Summit has drawn the curtain, time will prove the effectiveness of Chinas proposals. Given the experience and results China has accumulated in several multilateral frameworks, people are quite confident of the implementation of the suggestions at the G20 Hangzhou Summit.



(The author is Head of Sector of Foreign Countries Economy of Russian Institute for Strategic Studies.)



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USAA is a famously fast adopter of new technology, but that also means it must constantly tune up past investments to meet customer demand.

Such is the case for its "direct command" digital assistant, which was previously offered only in the USAA mobile app. Earlier this month, USAA added virtual assistance to its website.

The assistant can handle more than 120 commands, including activating cards, changing PINs, setting travel notifications and reporting lost or stolen cards. The major benefit is executing these consumer requests instantly and without navigation. Natural language and voice are available on mobile, while natural language and voice to text software can be used on the web.

"USAA is a branchless institution by nature, so everything is digital," said Prianka Advani, assistant vice president of bank daily experiences at USAA, who said about 70% of all interactions between USAA and its members happen via the institution's mobile app.

"Banking can be a little behind  you can order an Uber car with a voice command, and we want to get there," Advani said. With the updated digital assistant, typically complex tasks "can be done in about five seconds when you don't want to make a phone call," Advani said.

The San Antonio-based bank's focus on a digital assistant that responds to spoken commands puts it in league with the country's biggest technology makers. Amazon recently updated the products that work with its Alexa voice assistant, Google is planning a similar product called Google Home, and Apple is rumored to be planning a similar system based on its Siri assistant.

USAA has been keeping pace with its voice-controlled banking and payment services. It has added features such as voice-guided mobile check deposit and, more recently, a system that allows users to notify the institution when they are traveling or planning a large purchase.

USAA's consumer base is typically more concerned about budgeting and security than customers of other card issuers are, since USAA's members can be reassigned or deployed with little or no notice, making a typical change of address difficult if not impossible due to spotty internet access, Advani said.

"Life changes can come rapidly for our members, who can quickly find themselves on a base or a ship with limited availability," Advani said.

USAA also wants to extend voice-executed card management tasks and other financial services. The institution has been experimenting with voice recognition technology for years, dating to a time when the concept was largely unproven. Voice-based technology has been slow to develop for payments, though there has been some recent deployments, including a Berlin-based technology company called N26.

While the institution did not provide details on a timeline for enabling contactless mobile payments via voice commands, USAA is usually eager to adopt any new technology that has the potential to reduce its members' reliance on phone calls or complex web navigation. The institution currently enables voice and natural-language initiation of mobile payments, but the transaction must be completed through the mobile app's visual interface.

"We want to be the pioneers for voice transactions," Advani said. "Voice technology has taken off by storm, and the members are starting to rely on voice enablement to perform certain functions."

While voice recognition technology is advancing, the technology still has challenges to overcome, according to Nicole Sturgill, executive adviser at CEB.

"Siri and Alexa have taught us that virtual assistants are no longer limited to simply providing information," Sturgill said, adding that completion of tasks is now possible and USAA is at the forefront of adding that service. "But as we've also learned, these virtual assistants can sometimes misunderstand or do something the user didn't mean to do. Constant testing, learning and refining will be necessary to ensure that virtual assistants make the transition from short-term fad to long-term delivery channel."
Goldman Sachs is betting that its image as a temple of high finance will have broad appeal among the U.S. middle class.

The firm's soon-to-be-launched consumer lending business will be called "Marcus by Goldman Sachs," a top executive at the company said Tuesday.

It has been previously reported that the company's long-awaited online-lending platform will take the first name of Marcus Goldman, who founded the Wall Street titan in 1869. But the company made clear Tuesday that the Goldman Sachs brand is also a big part of its strategy with mainstream consumers.

Stephen Scherr, the firm's chief strategy officer, said Tuesday that Goldman Sachs put considerable work into deciding how to brand its new online-loan product before eventually deciding to use the Goldman name. His comments came during an interview at American Banker's Marketplace Lending + Investing conference in New York.

"What we have found," Scherr said, "is that there's an element of 'Goldman Sachs,' as there is [with] any other sort of well-known institutional brand, in terms of the confidence that people have placing confidential information with that organization."

Scherr pointed to a specific reason to think that the Goldman name has value in the retail banking arena. He noted that since April, when Goldman Sachs completed its purchase of an online-deposit platform from General Electric, deposits have been growing at a faster rate than they were previously, even though Goldman changed nothing but the platform's branding.

The New York-based firm has not revealed when exactly it plans to launch Marcus by Goldman Sachs but says the move is imminent. On Tuesday, Scherr was tight-lipped about certain details, but he did reveal some new information about the product's design and Goldman's strategy in online consumer lending.

Goldman's loans will be customizable.

Scherr said that Goldman will allow borrowers to make a host of decisions about their loans, including the length of the loan term, the frequency of the payment, and when payments will be due. He suggested that this element of control will provide the company a leg up in the market for unsecured personal loans.

"Are you offering a product which is a take it or leave it?" he asked, referring to the offerings of some competitors. "Or are you  and we believe we are  in a position to offer a very flexible product, which is one that can be designed by the consumer?"

Goldman believes it has competitive advantages over both the big credit card issuers and the upstart online lenders.

He said that big banks have "an extraordinary business" in credit cards, but they are unlikely to disintermediate that lucrative revenue stream anytime soon. On the other hand, fintech startups do not have the advantages that come with a bank charter. "And the challenge that they would have is one of funding, which is not a challenge that we find ourselves in," Scherr said.

Goldman Sachs decided to build its own online-lending platform, rather than buying one or partnering with an existing online lender, largely because it is focused on controlling risks.

"For us, it made sense to build this. It's probably taken a little more time, but I think what we have is a digital platform that will resonate well with the target customer base, and equally conform to what we want in terms of our own risk management and what we think the regulators are looking for," Scherr said.

Goldman's online-lending platform was built largely by a team of new employees with deep experience in consumer credit, led by Harit Talwar, a former executive at Discover Financial Services.

Goldman's regulators  the Federal Reserve Board, the New York State Department of Financial Services and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau  have all taken an interest in the firm's foray into consumer lending.

"We've taken counsel and input from all of them, but none of them  presume to hand you the instruction booklet as to how this is all going to get done," Scherr said.

Cross-selling will not be Goldman's mantra in retail banking.

Scherr said that the firm is not assuming that its online depositors will be interested in getting a personal loan. "And so there's no intention to sort of cross-market, if you will, between the two populations. I think they'll each be distinct in the way in which they go," he said.
WASHINGTON  Following industry objections to how the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. defines brokered deposits, a House panel heard testimony Tuesday on a series of bills that would amend the definition.

The FDIC raises premiums for banks with a high level of brokered deposits, reflecting the agency's view that such funds are less "sticky" than a traditional deposit account and could fuel overly risky growth. Yet some banks have protested recent FDIC's revisions to the brokered classification, which they say expand the definition to those that do not deserve it. Those affected include prepaid card accounts and reciprocal deposits.

"Inevitably this leads to an increase in costs and less choices for consumers as banks commit additional resources to compliance rather than their customers," Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Colo., said of classifying certain prepaid accounts as brokered at the hearing of the Housing Financial Services Committee. He has authored a bill to exempt prepaid card funds deposited at a bank from the brokered definition.

In 2014, the FDIC released a Frequently Asked Questions document clarifying its position on which deposits are brokered, but the industry claimed that in some cases the guidance revised the definition and in effect penalized certain forms of funding that are actually stable. Some banks, such as MetaBank  a subsidiary of Meta Financial Group headquartered in Sioux Falls, S.D.  with a large prepaid card operation reported having to reclassify deposits as brokered.

Banks have also criticized the FDIC's recent treatment of reciprocal deposits. Reciprocal deposit services such as Promontory Interfinancial Network allow banks to insure deposits greater than the FDIC's $250,000 maximum by participating in a network in which funds are placed in smaller increments at participating institutions.

"The bank gets the benefit of obtaining a large deposit from a local customer, funds that can be put to work in its community," said Ronald Paul, chairman and chief executive of the $6.4 billion-asset EagleBank headquartered in Bethesda, Md., in his prepared remarks on behalf of the Independent Community Bankers of America. "These funds might otherwise go to a large bank outside the community or to a money market fund."

One bill that has gained traction would provide a limited exemption for reciprocal deposits from the brokered definition. The legislation, introduced by Reps. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., and Tom Emmer, R-Minn., has strong bipartisan support, including from the top Democrat on the committee, Rep. Maxine Waters of California.

Yet Norbert Michel, a research fellow in financial regulations at Heritage Foundation, said he objects to the bill. "The bill essentially provides a regulatory carve-out for a type of brokered deposit," he said.

"Markets have evolved such that deposit brokers now use FDIC insurance to back wholesale funding for banks. This sort of operation was clearly not the original intent behind FDIC insurance and perpetuating it suggests that we should federally back all sources of funds for banks simply for the purposes of supplying credit," said Michel.

Meanwhile, Tipton said in a statement that his bill on prepaid card accounts "keeps prepaid products available by excluding the funds from regulations that would make it too expensive for banks to offer the products to consumers."

Brad Fauss, president and CEO of the Network Branded Prepaid Card Association, called the bill "a proactive solution to the improper treatment of prepaid cards by the FDIC."

"We look forward to working with Rep. Tipton and other members of Congress to see this important bill become law," Fauss added.

The hearing also included discussion of a bill introduced in July by Moore and Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, that would benefit Kasasa, an Austin, Texas, company that connects customers to community banks. The bill would exempt certain retail deposits from the brokered deposit definition if the customer has another account with the bank.

"This common-sense bill provides a simple clarification that enables community banks to offer advanced banking services and innovative financial products via third-party service providers without the fear of increased regulation or having those customer deposits be deemed brokered," Williams said during the hearing.
First Tennessee Bank in Memphis announced Wednesday that it will commit $1 million to Operation Hope's new HOPE Fund to offer free financial literacy education in low-income communities.

The $25 billion-asset unit of First Horizon National will partner with Operation HOPE, a nonprofit dedicated to provide financial literacy empowerment for the underserved and middle class, to found the First Tennessee Financial Education and Empowerment Program.

As part of the initiative, First Tennessee plans to open 10 more Operation Hope-run financial literacy centers inside its branches. The bank already has five so-called Hope Inside centers up and running in Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville and it plans to open three more this year and seven in 2017. Operation Hope counselors will provide financial educational training to youths, small businesses and individuals in these Hope Inside offices.

"First Tennessee is committed to providing financial literacy education, tools and support to help our customers and communities reach their financial goals," Bryan Jordan, First Horizon's chairman, president and chief executive, said in a news release. "We are committed to making our communities stronger, because we know that when our communities succeed, First Tennessee can succeed."

Operation Hope has opened more than 40 Hope Inside offices within bank branches since 2014 and has plans to open dozens more in the coming years. Other bank partners include SunTrust Banks in Atlanta, Regions Financial in Birmingham, Ala., Synovus Financial in Columbus, Ga., and Mutual of Omaha Bank in Nebraska.

First Tennessee said that roughly 2,400 Operation Hope clients have received credit counseling within its branches since 2014.
JPMorgan Chase's Thasunda Duckett has been named chief executive officer of consumer banking as part of one of the bank's periodic management reshufflings.

Duckett, who was previously CEO of the bank's auto finance arm, is succeeding Barry Sommers, who was named a co-CEO of JPMorgan Wealth Management and Investment Solutions, a newly created unit serving the firms clients across the wealth spectrum, according to an internal memo shared with American Banker on Tuesday.

Duckett had led auto finance since 2013, managing a portfolio of more than $60 billion in assets and relationships with 75% of U.S. franchised automotive dealers. Before that, she led national sales for mortgage banking. She was named one of American Banker's 25 Women to Watch in 2015 and 2016.

In her new role she will oversee a banking network with more than $807 billion in deposits and investments, 5,300 branches and more than 47,000 employees, including 3,000 financial advisers. The bank will name her successor "shortly," Gordon Smith, CEO of consumer and community banking, said in the memo, and in the interim the auto finance leadership team will report to him.

Sommers joined the consumer and community banking side of JPMorgan from asset management six years ago. In his new role he will oversee the client business  including JPMorgan Private Bank, JPMorgan Securities and Chase Wealth Management  with Brian Carlin. As the co-CEO in charge of investment and banking solutions, Carlin will be responsible for wealth management platforms and oversee the digital wealth management and institutional wealth management businesses.

Carlin worked in asset management for 15 years, serving as chief financial officer for the last three. Before that he ran products and investments in JPMorgan's private bank.

The reshuffling is the latest example of the company's strategic approach to ensuring its executives are well versed in all the company's businesses and fully understand the breadth of the organization.

Earlier this year, Eileen Serra, then chief executive of the Chase Card Services unit, stepped down to advise the company on growth initiatives. Kevin Watters, who was previously CEO of mortgage banking, took her place.
State Street on Wednesday appointed a new chief financial officer.

The Boston custody bank hired Eric Aboaf for the role. He will join the company in December from Citizens Financial Group in Providence, R.I., and will officially take over as CFO in March.

Aboaf will also hold the title of executive vice president. He will succeed Mike Bell, who announced his retirement earlier this year, and will report directly to Jay Hooley, chairman and chief executive.

State Street has $27.8 trillion in assets under custody and administration, according to the company.

Aboaf has served as CFO of the $145 billion-asset Citizens since April 2015. He previously worked at Citigroup for 12 years in a number of senior roles, including global treasurer.

Separately, Citizens named retired executive John Fawcett as interim CFO. Fawcett will take over when Aboaf leaves in December.

Fawcett was CFO at Citizens for seven years until he retired in April 2015.

In a press release, Citizens CEO Bruce Van Saun praised Aboaf for his service, and noted that he has an opportunity to "substantially increase his compensation" and gain new experiences at a large, global company.
Here's an overlooked piece of collateral damage from the Wells Fargo cross-selling fiasco: It may have thrown the company's succession plan for a loop.

The handoff from Chief Executive John Stumpf to longtime insider Tim Sloan had been scripted to occur within a couple of years, when Stumpf, 63, would reach the company's mandatory retirement age of 65. Yet now investors and analysts have begun to raise the question whether Wells should consider an outside candidate for its next chief  regardless of whether the vacancy comes sooner or later.

The second-guessing creeped up after Stumpf's testimony last week at a Senate Banking Committee hearing to examine allegations that Wells employees created roughly 2 million fake accounts to meet aggressive sales goals and win bonuses. His remarks exposed a management culture where problems were allowed to fester  and senior executives were taken to task too late, some observers say.

It's one of the few cultures that Sloan  a 29-year veteran of the company who is described as low key and well liked  has ever known.

"That's the problem with Wells Fargo  they have a culture of 'We'll get through it, we'll be fine. Let's not talk about the bad things with our family,'" said Paul Miller, an analyst with FBR Capital Markets.

The embattled Stumpf said twice during the hearing that Sloan was in charge of telling former retail executive Carrie Tolstedt that she should resign because the problems occurred in the part of the company she oversaw. Tolstedt began reporting to Sloan once he became president late last year; she had previously reported directly to Stumpf.

It is unclear whether Sloan at that point was sweeping in to correct a problem or just trying to control the damage. Either way, Miller said he began to support the idea of bringing in an outsider as CEO after Stumpf's testimony. Miller noted that regulators are "embarrassed" and irked by the scandal, and that the timing may be right for a leadership change.

"[Wells Fargo is] dragging their feet, and the longer they wait, the worse it's going to get," Miller said.

Others have gone so far as to float the names of external candidates. In an interview last week with CNBC, Rafferty Capital Markets analyst Dick Bove said that JPMorgan Chase executives Gordon Smith and Daniel Pinto would be good fits for the job. A JPMorgan spokesman declined to comment on the speculation.

The debate over succession planning comes as calls intensify for Stumpf to resign, as the once-marquee company faces a bruising reputational battle. Wells said Tuesday that it would claw back $41 million of Stumpf's pay and certain unvested stock due to Tolstedt; whether those moves are enough to satisfy critics will become clearer when Stumpf appears before the House Financial Services Committee on Thursday.

Wells Fargo earlier this month agreed to pay about $190 million to settle a regulatory probe of the matter. While the size of the fine was relatively small by industry standards, the settlement sparked a public relations firestorm.

Wells Fargo appeared to underestimate the fallout from the outset. It made several missteps, including waiting more than a week after the settlement to formally apologize to its customers.

In the meantime, policymakers such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., have called on Stumpf to step down. Even some of his strongest advocates among equity analysts have begun to hedge their approval.

"We were shocked by the poor performance [of Stumpf] in front of the Senate Banking Committee," said Mike Mayo, a bank analyst with CLSA.

Mayo has supported the idea of keeping Stumpf on as CEO, citing the "superior" financial performance of the company over the past few years. He also says Sloan is still the clear heir apparent.

But he said that some investors have begun to support an executive shake-up. And if Stumpf stumbles again in defending the company on Thursday before the House panel, the company may have to abandon Sloan as a possible successor.

"If you can't make the case that the overall culture is not broken, then you might have to consider a CEO from the outside," Mayo said.

While the chatter about an external CEO search has gained traction, appointing an outsider to run a megabank would be unusual. The current leaders of the nation's biggest banks have been groomed internally  or at least came to power through acquisitions.

For instance, Citigroup's Michael Corbat was elevated to the CEO role, after Vikram Pandit was forced out after clashing with the board on a range of performance issues.

Jamie Dimon was named CEO of JPMorgan Chase in 2005, after its acquisition of Bank One, where he also served as CEO. Brian Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America, has been with the company for two decades and was brought in to replace Ken Lewis in the wake of crisis-era controversies.

Sloan, 56, has followed a similarly well-trodden path toward the corner office. He was named president and chief operating officer of Wells in November. The promotion was widely viewed as his steppingstone to a CEO role given that Stumpf's retirement was in sight.

Sloan has held a number of senior-level roles during his three decades at the company, including chief financial officer.

His fate may be influenced by how investors, directors and others perceive his role in the scandal. Was he primarily from a different part of the company and new to the situation, or is he tainted by association with a corporate culture now under the microscope?

In 2013, then-CFO Sloan defended the company in a Los Angeles Times article detailing employees' complaints that had begun to surface about the pressure put on them to meet the company's sales targets.

"I'm not aware of any overbearing sales culture," Sloan was quoted as saying.

Yet he played a role in pushing out Tolstedt this summer, according to Stumpf.

"We said we want to go in a different direction," Stumpf told Senate Banking. "There were a number of things [Sloan] was thinking about doing different in the business."

The remarks were a boon for Sloan, burnishing his image as a quiet fixer and showing that he is already making changes behind the scenes, according to Joe Morford, an analyst with RBC Capital Markets.

A number of analysts also noted that Sloan's experience on the wholesale side of the business is a sign that his hands are clean in the cross-selling fiasco.

Wholesale banking  which includes units such as commercial real estate and capital markets  does not have the same focus on sales quotas as the retail side, observers said.

Notably, during an interview with American Banker this summer, the company also played up Sloan's wholesale experience.

If the board of directors decides to look externally for a successor, it could name a temporary CEO to take charge until the company recovers and reassesses its succession plan.

One possibility for that role would be Richard Kovacevich, 72, who retired as the CEO of Wells Fargo in 2007 but remains chairman emeritus.

The company declined to make both Sloan and Kovacevich available for an interview.

Whoever takes over the top spot, whenever Stumpf steps down, will have a large and likely legacy-defining task.

Not only does Wells face the problem of a tarnished reputation, but, like its rivals, it also has to contend with persistently low rates and prospects for slower economic growth.

"I'm not sure who would necessarily want this job," Morford said. "It's a lot to manage, and it's not a fun time to be a banker."
The air cargo markets deceleration this year had a greater impact on third-quarter cargo revenues at American Airlines than its primary rivals, Delta and United Airlines. But the best revenue quarter in company history and a $483 million profit painted a positive financial picture that could be replicated in the final quarter thanks to resilient []
Long ago in 1976, Bill Clinton was elected Arkansas attorney general, launching his political career and that of his ambitious wife. One year earlier, The Eagles released their hit song Lyin Eyes. Little did Don Henley and Glenn Frey know that their popular song and Hillary Clinton would have a synchronous moment 40 years later during her presidential campaign.

The lyrics, You cant hide your lyin eyes at one level, fits Mrs. Clintons life story and political history quite accurately and at another level provides a glimpse into her current health and suitability to serve as president. From the early days in the White House, Mrs. Clinton told lies about Whitewater, missing Rose Law Firm billing records, the White House travel office, and her husbands trysts. She continued in later years with a second round of lies about being dead broke when leaving the White House, landing under Bosnian sniper fire, being named after Sir Edmund Hillary, and being turned down by the Marines. Round three of her lies are more recent, including Benghazi, her emails, and now her health.

The last issue, her health, has become a major campaign issue. Over the past few weeks, videos have surfaced of Mrs. Clintons bizarre eye movements and their health implications. Despite all of her previous lies, this time she wont be able to hide her Lyin eyes.

Her uncoordinated eye movements are just the latest of a string of medical concerns. Facial tics and spasms, needing assistance going up a short flight of steps, four-minute coughing fits, and her famous 9/11 collapse. This collapse was blamed on pneumonia which Mrs. Clinton miraculously recovered from a few hours later. Her personal physician, Dr. Lisa Bardack, assures an apprehensive electorate, She continues to remain healthy and fit to serve as President of the United States."

What about Mrs. Clintons eye gyrations, reminiscent of Regan from The Exorcist? This started in 2012 when she fell, suffered a concussion and brain hemorrhage, treated with Coumadin, a powerful blood thinner. Not just a bump on the head, but instead a terrible concussion that required six months of very serious work to get over according to her husband former president Bill Clinton.

Her blood clot was actually a cerebral venous thrombosis, a blood clot in one of the sinuses that collects blood draining from the brain. Potentially life threatening, this can occur following trauma or due to an increased blood clotting tendency in the body, hence her continued use of Coumadin.

Long-term complications include seizures, visual deficits, muscle weakness, spasticity, and memory deficits. These are all complications that may be inferred through watching recent videos of Mrs. Clinton.

Her crossed eyes were first evident during her Congressional testimony about Benghazi. Photos show her wearing Fresnel prisms in her eyeglasses, used to correct eye misalignment and double vision. That was four years ago. What about her recent crossed eyes?

Each eye has six muscles attached, controlling eye movement up, down, diagonally, and rotationally. These muscles are innervated by three cranial nerves which originate in the brain stem, which lies between the brain and spinal cord, and then travel upward to the eyes. These nerves are easily damaged by trauma or compression from brain swelling or hemorrhage.

Cerebral venous thrombosis may damage cranial nerves. Not only those controlling eye movement, but also facial muscles, inner ear balance, throat muscles affecting speech, swallowing, and coughing. Remember some of Mrs. Clintons facial tics and prolonged coughing episodes?

After damage, the nerves try to heal themselves. Sometimes successfully, sometimes not. Synkinesis describes the latter situation. Rather than the injured nerves reconnecting properly, they may get mixed up and reestablish the wrong connections. Meaning that when the brain tells one eye to look left, it may look right instead. Or up. Or down.

Other nerves may also be rewire incorrectly. Suppose the facial nerve, controlling smiling, chewing, and facial expressions, mistakenly shares nerve fibers with the nerves controlling eye movement. Speaking to an audience using facial expressions may cause the eyes to move in unintended directions.

This is speculation. As an ophthalmologist and physician, I can observe, think, and make deductions. But not as Mrs. Clintons doctor, who would have the benefit of her complete medical history and a detailed ocular and neurologic examination.

Abnormal eye movements are not uncommon. Called strabismus, many people have a crossed eye due to a previous eye injury, surgery, or a childhood lazy eye. Some elderly individuals, particularly diabetics, have small strokes of the nerves controlling eye movement, leading to a strabismus.

Mrs. Clinton, however, has more than a crossed eye. She has a complicated medical history including severe concussion, blood clot, chronic Coumadin therapy, and a host of other concerning signs such as possible seizures, balance issues, collapsing, and her coughing fits.

Im not rendering a definitive diagnosis. Apart from what I described above, other possibilities have been put forth including Parkinsons disease and brain cancer. Regardless of the actual diagnosis, it doesnt take a physician to realize that something is wrong with her health.

Are these legitimate concerns regarding a potential president? CNN is fretting over Donald Trump being overweight with a high cholesterol reading. Big whoop. Over a third of Americans are obese according to the CDC. Im quite certain that if Mr. Trump collapsed, needed help up a few steps, had a four-minute coughing fit, or had intermittent crossed eyes, the media would be hyperventilating and talking about nothing else.

Eight years ago, John McCains health was much discussed by the media with regard to his age and history of melanoma. Was he too old? Could his cancer return? Only four years older when he was seeking the nomination than Mrs. Clinton is now, one thought the grim reaper was sitting atop his shoulder.

Yet those questioning Mrs. Clintons health are conspiracy kooks, part of the vast right wing conspiracy, card-carrying members of The Deplorables, called healthers as the new birthers. Mrs. Clinton is not running for Chappaqua town council, but for commander in chief of the United States. Her health is a legitimate concern. Despite her Lyin Eyes.

Brian C Joondeph, MD, MPS, is a Denver based retina surgeon, radio personality, and writer. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
In a recent article, Jonathan Tobin tells the reader that the present excess use of Russian force in Syria was because of "the conceit of the administration's policy  that a rapprochement with Iran would end the nuclear threat and help beat back the rise of Islamists in Iraq and Syria." That is why, he tells us, "Kerry is left to vainly cry for cease-fires that do no good[.]" And as a secondary consequence of our foolishness, he writes, "[i]t's also why the Iranians are literally parading their contempt for the United States."

Thus, he paints a picture of a frustrated John Kerry whose unwise policies of rapprochement with Iran have led to these consequences. The reader is left with the image of John Kerry "vainly crying."

But this scenario of unwise policy leading to unplanned consequences is not what really happened. Kerry isn't "vainly crying." He is play-acting, feigning frustration and disappointment. Remember Macbeth: "All the world's a stage, and we poor players who strut and fret our hour upon the stage and then are heard no more." Secretary Kerry is the personification of Shakespeare's observation.

Kerry lives in the world of appearances. Since the Vietnam days when he appeared before Congress with his lies and ex-vet grandstanding, he lives to appear to be on some kind of moral high ground. Yet to the informed, it is an immoral low ground. He is advancing the reset with Russia, and he settled the heinous Iran "deal." Like his mentor/boss in the White House, he is in favor of expanding the refugee influx into the U.S.

In John Kerry, pomposity allies itself with self-righteous, egotistical verbal preening. The jutting jaw, the crisply parted and thick head of hair, the upper-class (but unmistakably Massachusetts) accent all combine to create an ambiance of authority and stately grandeur, a grandeur of person and of ideological positioning.

However, the posturing-posing-as-purpose is all to no avail. He remains since the 1960s an enemy of American exceptionalism. Once we realize that his goal is to promote America on the world stage as just another country working in the family of countries (rather than as a superpower leader of the family of nations), we may realize that his "vain crying," so called, is really made up of crocodile tears. He has no intention of bringing about a ceasefire in Syria or anywhere else. Rather, all our policies are intended to strengthen the hands of the bad actors on the world stage. To the perverse leftist mindset, a weakened America is a more just America.

So now we are complaining about Russian airstrikes in Syria. However, the Russians as part of P5 were on board with the Iranian deal, and we were on board with a reset allowing Russia to take over part of Crimea (remember: there was a war fought against Russia in the 1850s for attacking Crimea). Then, in Syria, Obama withdrew his "red line" once Russia said it would intervene to assure the destruction of Assad's chemical weapons. It was we who took missiles and their support system out of Poland and the Czech Republic. It was President Obama, Hillary, Kerry, and the "reset" that allowed this weakened posture.

The "reactions" by Kerry and BHO are not reactions at all, but a form of play-acting on the world stage. It's pretend from beginning to end to satisfy a waiting world that they really care and they really don't want the bad guys to be so bad. But the truth is that they are themselves the bad guys. They have built up and encouraged the bad guys. They want the bad guys to come out ahead but at the same time to be seen as good guys themselves and not blamed. They are the occupants of the Trojan horse, and have leaped out of the horse called "the Democratic Party," which has gradually morphed into an anti-American fifth column.

What Tobin portrays as our policy deficiencies are actually the fulfillment of our policies, which were intended as destructive of our interests from day one. The Arab Spring was a purposeful, deceptive misnomer to allow a narrative that would cover over our support for the Islamist agenda. Why else would we kill Gaddafi? Support the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt by the Muslim Brotherhood and Mohamed Morsi? Or remain cold to Pres. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt, a true moderate? Ignore the Iranian influence in Yemen? And, of course, why did we allow ISIS to become entrenched in Iraq?

These were not a series of miscues, but the enacting of a pro-Islamist agenda.

And why think Secretary Kerry is vainly crying because the Iranians are "parading their contempt for the USA"? Is it not more true to say that the Iranian contempt for the USA has been encouraged and developed by BHO and Kerry? The Iranians would not be "parading" at all if the USA had not given them the banners, the bands, and the musicians. The banners are billions of dollars, the bands are the sounds of reactors humming toward their goal of nuclear warhead production, and the musicians are the criminals like President Hassan Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who sing their songs of death and trumpet their trumpets of medieval Islamic hatred in the streets and on the corners of Tehran.

An image from ancient Greece might be helpful. Remember Hydra? It was "a [mythological] gigantic water-snake-like monster with nine heads (the number varies), one of which was immortal. Anyone who attempted to behead the Hydra found that as soon as one head was cut off, two more heads would emerge from the fresh wound." The manifold centers of violence that have been escalating throughout the world can be likened to that snake-monster, with the various centers of violence as the snake-monster's "heads." The destructive path of the Russians, the Iranians, of ISIS in Iraq and Syria as well as the USA, France, and Great Britain, of

al-Qaeda in Libya and Iran in Yemen, of Boko Haram in Nigeria, of Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines, of the Saudis (everywhere), of Hamas, the PLO, and Hezb'allah attacks on Israel, and the insanely evil North Koreans may be seen as a direct result of U.S. downsizing of the military, multilateralism as a keynote of foreign policy rather than national self-interest, and a move to diminish American influence seen by our leftist politicians as a manifestation of our capitalist/imperialist ambitions.

The monster's heads have multiplied until we have dysfunction, death, and destruction rampant as terrorism proliferates in countries around the globe. This political Hydra came in under the guise of progressive politics  of hope, of change, of equality, of unity  and has promoted instead the most destructive agenda in the history of the United States of America. The leaders of our Executive Politburo are not vainly crying, but are gloating with satisfaction at their incredible success in promoting the further destabilization of our world.
Perhaps Sen. Harry Reid should sue Hillary Clinton for copyright infringement. The former Secretary of State went after Donald Trump for failing to release his tax returns, suggesting that it could be because he is not as charitable as he claims or maybe he didnt pay any taxes on his fortune. it was eerily reminiscent of the lie Harry Reid admitted telling in 2012 about Mitt Romney:

One of the strangest incidents of the 2012 presidential campaign was when then-Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid accused then-Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney of having not paid any taxes over the past decade. That Reid made that allegation from the floor of the Senate made it even odder. The problem with Reid's allegation? It's just not true. We know that, at least in 2011 and 2010, Romney did pay taxes. How do we know that? Because Romney released his tax returns for those years. In 2011, Romney paid $1.9 million in taxes; in 2010, he paid slightly more than $3 million in taxes. Our own Fact Checker gave Reid Four Pinocchios for his "no taxes" claim. PolitiFact gave the claim a "Pants on Fire" rating. Yet Reid (D-Nev.) not only refuses to retract the allegation but also seems to take great pride in it. When pressed by CNN's Dana Bash last year about continuing to defend a statement that is not true, Reid responded, "Romney didn't win, did he?"

Hillary Clinton is hoping her innuendo about Trumps tax returns will have the same effect. Trumps response that hell release them against the wishes of his lawyers if she releases her 33,000 deleted emails was weak. If he paid no taxes and did so legally, he should release his returns. But the challenge to Hillary should have been that hell release his returns if she explains how the Clintons amassed a not-so-small fortune while engaged in public service and agree to an audit of the Clinton Foundation.

How is it, Madam Secretary, that your husbands speaking fees doubled after you became Secretary of State? Did your husband suddenly become more articulate and experienced? Or did they know that the way to your heart might be through your husbands wallet? Was the reason you deleted those 33,000 emails that they contained evidence of why you really set up your own unsecured private server  the pay-for play contributions by donors to the Clinton Foundation seeking favors and access?

How is it, Secretary Clinton, that the Clinton Foundation accepted donations from countries and individuals that support the execution of homosexuals, throwing them off buildings and who support Sharia Law and state-sponsored suppression and abuse of women and their rights?

As Investors Business Daily editorialized, donations to the Clinton Foundation even played a factor in the refusal of Hillary Clintons State Department to designate Nigerias Boko Haram as a terrorist organization for two years:

Hillary's emails may be only the tip of an iceberg that could include Clinton Foundation donations to shield Boko Haram from being designated a terrorist group and her brother's involvement in a Haitian gold mine Last month, the Washington Post reported on another deal involving Rodham that could prove politically embarrassing and damaging for his sister. It seems that he sits on the board of a company that got a coveted gold-mining contract from the government of Haiti after the Clinton Foundation sponsored relief work in Haiti. In interviews with the Post, both Rodham and the chief executive of Delaware-based VCS Mining said they were introduced at a meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, which seems more and more to be an unseemly mix of charitable work with the political and business interests of Clinton Foundation donors. And then there's Hillary's strange dealings regarding the Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram, which just recently pledged its allegiance to the ever-expanding Islamic State -- dubbed the "JV team" by President Obama, who has yet to make good on his pledge to degrade and destroy them. Last May, we wondered why for two years on Hillary Clinton's watch the State Department refused to designate a Nigerian Islamist group as a terrorist organization. This group has murdered thousands as it wages a real war on women. As Josh Rogin at the Daily Beast reports, the Clinton State Department "refused to place Boko Haram on the list of foreign terrorist organizations in 2011" after the group bombed the United Nations headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry last week asking for all of Hillary's records relating to Boko Haram and her reluctance to designate it a foreign terrorist organization. Vitter also requested all of Hillary's communications with Gilbert Chagoury, a Nigerian construction tycoon who has donated millions to the Clinton Foundation. Vitter noted that Chagoury had a financial interest in the potential impact of designating Boko Haram a terrorist group How many of the more than 30,000 "personal" emails that Hillary deleted from her private account relate to these matters? Is that why she needed a private email server? We need to see that server. It might provide, er, a veritable gold mine of information.

Yet, for some reason, the slush fund that is the Clinton Foundation never came up in the debate nor did Donald Trump bring it up. Corruption has been a Clinton hallmark. The Clintons have made a career of making a fortune on the dime of a public they intentionally deceive and defraud, using their positions of power to enrich themselves at the publics expense. Before there was pay for play at the Clinton Foundation, perhaps the real reason for the private server and the deletion of 30,000 emails, William Safire wrote of Hillarys amazing 10,000 percent profit in commodities trading which Hillary credited ro astute reading of the Wall Street Journal:

We now know that was a lie told to turn aside accusations that as the Governor's wife she profited corruptly, her account being run by a lawyer for state poultry interests through a disreputable broker.

The Clinton Foundation scandal does indeed remind one of the days when the Clintons were renting out the Lincoln Bedroom and Johnny Chung famously observed that the White House was like a subway turnstile, saying you had to put money in to gain access.

Trump should release his tax returns, Hillary, when you agree to an audit of the Clinton Foundation.

Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investors Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications.
On the debate stage Monday night, Hillary Clinton smugly repeated the big lie that Democrats have been telling with something close to impunity since 2008.

We had the worst financial crisis, the Great Recession, the worst since the 1930s, said Hillary. That was in large part because of tax policies that slashed taxes on the wealthy, failed to invest in the middle class, took their eyes off of Wall Street, and created a perfect storm.

In fact, tax policies had almost nothing to do with the recession of 2008. What caused the market crash was the collapse of the subprime market. If that collapse had an architect-in-chief, his name was Bill Clinton. This is not a speculation. It is an easily documented fact.

When Bill Clinton was inaugurated in 1993, the homeownership rate was lower than it had been when Richard Nixon was inaugurated in 1969. Despite increasing prosperity, despite the growth in the condominium market, the numbers were declining.

The Clintons wanted to push those numbers up. If they had been inclined to look, the explanation for the decline was simple enough: the collapse of the two-parent family. From 1970 to 2000, single-parent households, disproportionately black, increased 60 percent. In that same period, married couples with their own children fell from 40 percent of all households to just 24 percent.

The Clintons and their media allies refused to acknowledge family breakdown as a problem -- remember Murphy Brown -- let alone as an explanation for the disparity in home-ownership rates. Their preferred explanation for just about everything unpleasant, then as now, was the inevitable racism. This they could and would freely impute to less enlightened Americans, the deplorables as they would come to be known.

The Clintons found the confirmation they were looking for in a 1991 study by the Federal Reserve. According to the study, 61 percent of blacks had been approved in their quest for government-backed home loans as compared to 77 percent for whites. Bingo!

To make the racism story line work, the Clintons had to ignore another significant set of data, namely, default rates. A comprehensive HUD study of FHA loans for the years 1992-1999 found that blacks were defaulting more than twice as frequently as whites, and Hispanics were defaulting three times more frequently. If minorities had been held to a higher standard, their default rates should have been lower than whites, not higher. This was obvious.

No matter. As early as 1993, HUD began to bring legal action against those mortgage bankers who declined a higher percentage of minorities than whites. In 1995, the Clinton administration put teeth in Jimmy Carters 1977 Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), which had merely encouraged financial institutions to help meet the credit needs of local communities. Under Clinton, regulators moved from encouraging to strong-arming.

The regulators were backed by the street-level bullyboy tactics of the late and unlamented ACORN, shorthand for Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. Historically, banks had been reluctant to offer home loans to people who might not pay them back, and so ACORN set out to embarrass bankers into overcoming that reluctance.

A sympathetic media romanticized ACORN and turned what might have been a nuisance for the banks into a public-relations nightmare. As the New York Times reported approvingly, The nations largest banks have come to the negotiating table just to silence objections that could derail or create costly delays to a merger.

To make ACORNs task easier, the Clinton administration demanded that banks quantify the progress they were making in giving loans to LMIs -- people of low and moderate income. The administration encouraged banks to use innovative or flexible lending practices to reach their LMI numbers.

Meanwhile HUD, which Congress had made the regulator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 1992, began to pressure these agencies to set numerical goals for affordable housing, even if that meant buying subprime mortgages. The media cheered the agencies on. A September 1999 Times article commended Fannie Mae for prodding banks to provide mortgages to those whose credit was not good enough to qualify for conventional loans.

With a gun to their head, the lenders turned to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to relieve them of the imprudent loans they were now being forced to make. Before the 1990s, Fannie and Freddie had sufficiently tough lending standards that default was not much of an issue. That would change.

In 1999, the Clintons newly appointed CEO, Franklin Delano Raines, was boasting of the changes Fannie Mae had already made and the changes to come. As he told the Times, Fannie Mae had lowered the down payment requirements for a home and now planned to extend credit to borrowers a notch below its traditional standards. That notch was spelled subprime.

Given the greater risk, subprime prospects typically have had to pay more interest to secure a loan. For investors, high interest translated into high yield. In October 1997, the investment banks Bear Stearns and First Union Capital Markets underwrote the first securitization of subprime loans for a total of $385 million.

The back-patting press release announcing the launch hit all the bubble-era hot buttons: these affordable and flexible mortgages offered the possibility of credit for low and moderate income families in traditionally underserved markets.

These securities proved enormously popular. They promised a 7.5 percent yield in a low-interest environment and, if that were not enough, a chance to cleanse ones venal Wall Street soul by doing what appeared to be a social good.

To rally the base a week before the 2000 election, the Clinton administration announced historic new regulations that would put a further squeeze on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These new regulations will greatly enhance access to affordable housing for minorities, urban residents, new immigrants and others left behind, giving millions of families the opportunity to buy homes, said HUD Secretary, now New York State governor, Andrew Cuomo.

The regs upped Fannie and Freddies affordable housing quota from 42 to 50 percent. We have not been a major presence in the subprime market, boasted CEO Raines, but you can bet that under these goals, we will be.

Raines deflected criticism by focusing on Fannie Maes success at social engineering. We have met or exceeded our affordable housing goals, even as they have increased, he told the Congressional Finance Committee in late 2003. He also shared the companys voluntary goal, namely, to lead the market in serving minority families.

When President Bush expressed concern about the precarious state of Fannie and Freddie in June 2004, he triggered seventy-six Democrats in Congress to sign a letter warning that an exclusive focus on safety and soundness is likely to come, in practice, at the expense of affordable housing.

Despite early signs of impending disaster, Congress kept the pressure on. On June 27, 2005, Barney Frank, the ranking Democrat on House Financial Services Committee, took to the House floor to chide those who worried about a housing bubble.

You are not going to see the collapse that you see when people talk about a bubble, he lectured his colleagues. So those on our committee in particular are going to continue to push for homeownership.

And push they did. Subprime credit had become, what one wag called, the mad cow disease of structured finance. With a clean bill of health from the media and the Democrats, and a shockingly ignorant assist from Wall Street, the infected product was allowed to poison the entire economy.

No sweat for Hillary. The final convulsion -- Phew! -- occurred on George Bushs watch.
When Maryam Monsef was installed as Canadas minister of democratic institutions last November, she was the poster child for refugee advocates.

President Barack Obama even spoke of her in favorable terms during his address to the Canadian House of Commons in June of this year:

The girl who fled Afghanistan by donkey and camel and jet plane and who remembers being greeted in this country by helping hands and the sound of robins singing, and today, she serves in this chamber and in the cabinet because Canada is her home.

All was fine and dandy in this little fairy tale until Robert Fife of the Globe and Mail committed journalism on September 22 by publishing an earth-shaking article that revealed how Monsefs story about being born in Afghanistan was inaccurate. She was actually born in Iran:

Democratic Reform Minister Maryam Monsef, whom the Liberals have championed as this countrys first Afghan-born MP, says she was actually born and lived most of her early life in Iran before arriving with her mother and two younger sisters in Canada as refugees. This revelation contradicts a key narrative that Ms. Monsef has built ever since she entered public life as a local politician in Peterborough, Ont., and when she ran for Parliament in the 2015 election.

As if that wasnt bad enough, [t]he Prime Ministers Office said it had no idea that such a fundamental feature of Ms. Monsefs life story was wrong. Officials scrambled to put together a detailed timeline of her familys life in Iran and Afghanistan and the journey to Canada.

Scramble to put together a detailed timeline of a key governmental minister? What could possible go wrong? The national security failure on the part of the Trudeau government was breathtaking:

When asked why security vetting for cabinet posts didnt uncover this error, an official said we learned of this information about Maryam Monsefs place of birth when it was brought to us recently by the The Globe and Mail.

In other words, the government of Canadas leadership only learned that their Minister of Democratic Institutions was born in the Islamofascist authoritarian nation of Iran through reporting in a national newspaper nearly one year after Monsefs appointment.

According to Monsef, the blame for this misrepresentation lies entirely with her mother: For years, Ms. Monsefs mother allowed her daughter to misrepresent her birthplace as she built a political base in Peterborough, including a failed run for mayor in 2014 and her successful win in last years general election.

Except that as the days goes by, more and more questions about Monsefs past arise, both for her and her family. At present, no national security investigations appear to have been publicly released on her and her familys past, meaning that it is apparently unverified  potentially even unverifiable.

According to Monsef, it was apparently Fifes recent reporting in the Globe and Mail that alerted Monsef to her own erroneous life story:

In the last few days, my neat and tidy refugee story has proven to be a bit more complicated than I originally thought. [The Globes] inquiry led me to have a conversation with my mom and I have since found, while I am still an Afghan citizen, I was born in a hospital in Iran, she said.

But in a June interview with the same journalist, Monsef said the following:

In June, Robert Fife, then host of CTVs Question Period, asked Monsef in an interview if she was born in Afghanistan. I believe I was, Monsef replied.

I believe I was? Monsef was not sure at that time? When did her uncertainty as to her real birthplace arise? More questions, and even fewer answers. Nothing more than uncritical softballs lobbed at her from Canadas journalism establishment.

According to Monsef, she now knows she was born at a hospital in Mashhad, Iran, in an area with a large Afghan population. She says her mother never told her she was born in Iran because she didn't think it was important.

Didnt think it was important? Misrepresenting the place of birth on an immigration application is a very serious offense and renders the application false and subject to a variety of remedies, including citizenship revocation and deportation. Monsef herself went so far as to justify her mothers apparently false statements to immigration authorities, which in itself renders her unfit for holding a ministerial position.

Follow-up reporting by Fife and Michelle Zilio on September 22 made the situation even more problematic:

Ms. Monsef also corrected her birthday on her parliamentary website, which had been listed as November, 1985, to a year earlier.

Other than Fifes original investigations, the only journalist who has been seriously probing Monsefs past is Lt. Col. (ret.) Jonathan Halevi, co-founder and editor of CIJnews and a senior researcher of the Middle East and radical Islam at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. On September 23, Halevi published two screencaptures from the Parliament of Canada website showing how Monsefs birthplace and birth date had recently changed from November 1985 in Herat, Afghanistan to November 7, 1984 in Iran.

But here is the problem. This suggests that up until very recently, Monsef believed  based on the story her mother apparently told her  that she was born in November 1985. And yet, in her maiden speech to the House of Commons on January 25, 2016, Monsef states the following at about 1m:15s in reference to herself: Where the concept of a 31 year old parliamentarian and cabinet minister was unthinkable.

Thirty-one years old as of January 25, 2016? If Monsef believed she was born in November 1985 as of this date, she would be only 30 years and two months old, not 31. Leaving aside the utterly bizarre situation where we have a minister of democratic institutions in a major Western nation changing both her birthplace and birth date well after holding office, the information at hand suggests that Monsef may not have believed she was born in November 1985 much earlier than media reports otherwise suggest. Monsefs Wikipedia page history also shows birth date changes going back and forth over the past year, which seems most odd.

Next we have the questions about Monsefs memories. According to the Globe and Mail:

The Prime Ministers Office also provided a detailed timeline of Ms. Monsefs life that showed she was born and lived until age 9 in Iran. The family moved to her mothers family home in Herat, Afghanistan in 1993 and then fled the Taliban in 1996, ending up in Canada where they claimed refugee status.

In interviews, Monsef has claimed that she has very warm memories of growing up as an Afghan in an Afghani community.

Monsefs own Twitter feed, and that of others discussing her, adds to the questions surrounding national security. A tweet about Monsef in March 2016 refers to Monsef speaking about how her (attempted) trip to Iran in 2004 fuelled her passion. In June 2014, Monsef retweeted that she was talking about her recent trip to Iran. On June 15, 2013, she indicated that the Nikah ceremony is a great symbol of that whole matrimonial practice/process. Sharia fascinates me :).

According to separate media reports in the National Post, the Toronto Sun, and even the Los Angeles Times, knowledge that Monsef was actually born in Iran was widespread in her electoral district for at least several years, claims that contradict Monsefs original and revised narrative.

Monsefs supporters in the media and academic circles are working feverishly to protect her from what is most needed: a full, public national security investigation conducted by the RCMP (Canadas national police force) and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, working in concert with security agencies in the USA, the U.K., and Israel as needed for additional resources and objectivity.

Aisha Ahmad, an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Toronto and the director of the Islam and Politics Initiative at the Munk School of Global Affairs, wrote an article attempting to dismiss any concerns over Monsefs apparently unverifiable and controversial history while claiming there are a few ignorant people out there who are saying she's not a real Afghan, also tweeting that shes [s]uper proud of @MaryamMonsef - got your back, girl.

Got your back? Objective, critical investigations are needed, not a defense network that includes other academics incorrectly referring to those with concerns regarding Monsefs background as an unfortunate crop of Canadian birthers.

The supposed birther claim, which seems to have originated from Toronto Star columnist Heather Mallick, that other academics are also spewing forth seems to conveniently overlook there is no birther controversy in this case: Monsef herself has admitted her original birthplace story was incorrect. At VICE Canada, serious questions about Monsef are potentially just a racist witch hunt.

On the contrary, if the backgrounds of elected officials cannot be verified, they should not be allowed to hold office. This applies to individuals born within the nation, as well as immigrants, and especially applies to immigrants with family ties back through problematic regimes, which includes not just Iran, but China, Russia, and so forth. Race is irrelevant, unless you are a race-baiter or members of the mainstream media attempting to dampen further investigations.

The Liberal Party of Canada will try to bury this scandal. The left-of-center New Democratic Party wont touch it because it has long defended mass migration, and its position on national security is nonexistent (which helps explain why its public support is nearing single digits). That leaves the Conservative Party of Canada, which has, unfortunately, been neutered on issues of this type after succumbing to the ceaseless bullying by liberals in the media and academia.

An objective and rigorous investigation is required. One that isnt tainted by the screamers who have a hysterical fit every time basic questions of national security are raised. And once that investigation is complete, then Canada can decide what  if any  steps are needed. But sweeping an issue of this magnitude under the carpet is a non-starter.
Lester Holt's blatant bias against Donald Trump Monday night held to Hunter S. Thompson's brutal description of journalists and journalism:

Journalism is not a profession or a trade; it is a cheap catch-all for f---offs and misfits  a false doorway to the backside of life.

Holt just proved to tens of millions of Americans that absolute media power corrupts absolutely. If trust and confidence in the media have fallen to the lowest in history, as recently reported, Holt, in his total abandonment of any semblance of objectivity, has lowered both even more.

This bootlicking cog, beholden to his pro-Hillary media masters, didn't bring up Benghazi, the email scandals, the Clinton Foundation slush fund, Huma Abedin's ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, or Clinton's connections to the biggest female oppressors on the planet. With no pushback at all, Holt allowed Hillary to reference an irrelevant 1996 beauty pageant winner as an example of Trump's so-called misogyny.

The vile leftist, Hillary Clinton, was enraged that Donald Trump said a former Miss Universe put on a massive amount of weight. This from a woman who takes money from countries where males marry children, treat women as property, and forbid women to engage in normal activities like going to school and driving. What about Hillary laughing that she got a client off after he brutally raped a 12-year-old girl? And where is Hillary's outrage over Michelle Obama fat-shaming the nation's children and her own daughters?

Then, of course, no debate with Holt moderating would have been complete without the yawn-inducing race issue. Holt asked Clinton if she believes that police are implicitly biased against black people. Hillary answered that she thinks we're all racist.

Oh, great. If Hillary wins, you can bet that any challenge to her redistribution-of-wealth policies will be met with charges of racism. In a nation where citizens are already suffering from chronic race fatigue syndrome, being called "racist" for the next four years could be a real game-changer.

Another possible game-changer from Monday night is having to look at Hillary's Mao-inspired pantsuits until 2020 without gouging our eyes out. At least with a Trump victory, we have a stunning, regal, elegant, and dignified Melania, a lady who can rock the classic little black dress like nobody else.

Meanwhile, a day after Holt sold his soul to the devil, and ahead of Trump's rally in Melbourne, Florida, a prayer leader called on God to "condemn journalistic malpractice." Amen.
The Pentagon announced that seven students from Afghanistan undergoing military training in the U.S. have gone AWOL. This is not the first such incident. In December of last year, two Afghan military students went missing from Moody Air Force Base in Georgia. And in 2014, students went AWOL from training in Massachusetts.

But what concerns authorities here is that the seven students disappeared around the time of the bombing in New York City and New Jersey by Afghan-born Ahmad Rahami, leading to speculation that the students could have connections to terrorism.

Washington Free Beacon:

During the month of September, seven Afghan students were considered absent without leave (AWOL) during international military student programs, Pentagon spokesman Cmdr. Patrick L. Evans said. Three of the Afghan military trainees fled from a Pentagon training program two weekends ago during the bombing spree in New York and New Jersey by Afghan-born bombing suspect Ahmad Rahami, raising concerns among security officials that the missing Afghan students may be linked to terrorism or plans for attacks in the United States. The disappearance of the Afghans comes amid heightened fears of increasing Islamist terror attacks around the country. The attacks have included the New York area bombings and attempted bombings, a knife attack at a Minnesota mall by a Somali jihadist, and other regional shootings. Two of the missing Afghans had been training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and one was training at Fort Gordon, Georgia. An Army source said the Afghans who left the weekend of the New York area bombings appeared to be part of a coordinated effort. The three men are being probed for possible connections to Rahami. Initial assessment is that there is not relation and the timing is coincidental, the source said. Evans declined to comment on whether the Pentagon has security concerns about the missing Afghans. Sarah Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement service, said authorities are pursuing the Afghans. ICE Homeland Security Investigations is aware of the situation, and is actively working to locate these individuals in coordination with the State Department and the Department of Defense, she said, declining specifics because of the ongoing investigation. However, the service, which tracks illegal aliens, was notified of the missing Afghans. Four other Afghan military trainees fled over the Labor Day weekend, two from Fort Benning, Georgia, one from Fort Lee, Virginia, and one from an Army facility in Little Rock, Arkansas.

A "coordinated" escape by at least three of the students from different locations is extremely disturbing. If true, it would mean there was planning before the students even arrived in the U.S. A logical question to ask would be just what else they may be planning.

Previous incidents of military students from Afghanistan going AWOL turned out to be harmless, with the two Massachusetts students getting caught at the Canadian border looking for asylum.

But there is a different feel to this incident and a more worried reaction from authorities. You would hope that ICE is devoting sufficient resources to tracking them down and taking them into custody before we get a nasty surprise about their true motivations.
President Obama has nominated Jeffrey DeLaurentis, our top diplomat in Havana, to be the first U.S. ambassador to Cuba since the Cold War began.

The nomination will almost certainly not be considered in the Republican-controlled Senate, where both Marco Rubio and Lindsey Graham have vowed to block any name the president sends up to represent U.S. interests in Cuba.

The Hill:

There is no public servant better suited to improve our ability to engage the Cuban people and advance U.S. interests in Cuba than Jeff, Obama said in a statement. The president said that having an ambassador would make it easier for the U.S. to advance its interests in Cuba and convey objections over its differences with the Cuban government. He is exactly the type of person we want to represent the United States in Cuba, and we only hurt ourselves by not being represented by an ambassador, Obama said. Its unlikely the GOP-controlled Senate will confirm DeLaurentis before Obama leaves office in January. Republicans, such as Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Lindsey Graham (S.C.), have vowed to block anyone Obama nominates as ambassador. Its an effort to rebuke Obamas decision to reopen ties with Cuba, a move they believe rewards the communist island nation, which still commits human-rights abuses against its citizens. A U.S. ambassador is not going to influence the Cuban government, which is a dictatorial, closed regime, Rubio, a Cuban-American, said in a July interview. Deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes disagreed in an interview with Yahoo News, which first reported the nomination. To us, the concept that its a reward for a country to have an ambassador makes no sense, Rhodes said. On the contrary, having an ambassador gives you a higher profile, a higher-ranked advocate for what America cares about. But Rhodes admitted that it will be hard to confirm DeLaurentis. Its unclear whether the Senate would even consider his nomination during the lame-duck session of Congress, when it will likely have to pass a government spending bill and handle other pressing issues. DeLaurentis, a career diplomat, has served as the chief of mission at the U.S. embassy in Havana since 2015, when Obama formally reestablished diplomatic ties with Cuba. Before he began his service in Cuba a year earlier, he served in posts at the U.S. mission to the United Nations and the State Department.

Since the "opening" to Cuba was initiated, the Castro regime has, if anything, increased its oppression of democracy advocates and cracked down even heavier on dissent. Naming an ambassador would validate these policies and make the U.S. complicit in Castro's despotism and the persecution of the Cuban people.

But this isn't as important to the Obama administration as his personal "legacy," achieved by throwing away five decades of bipartisan U.S. policy, to "make history." All the U.S. has succeeded in doing by enabling the Castro regime is cut the legs from underneath democracy advocates and make it easier for Castro to suppress them.

That's the real impact of Obama's Cuban legacy.
Democrats have been massively resistant to any changes proposed by Republicans to Obamacare. But the failure of so many Obamacare co-ops has left tens of thousands of citizens without an insurance option, which could lead to a fine by the IRS if they don't get coverage. In response, Republicans proposed eliminating the individual mandate for those consumers who lost coverage when the co-ops went belly up.

Yesterday, about 25% of Senate Democrats broke with their party and supported the Republican bill.

Washington Examiner:

House Republicans voted Tuesday to exempt former Obamacare enrollees from the individual mandate if they lose insurance due to the collapse of one of the federally-backed markets. And while President Obama threatened to veto the bill if it reaches his desk, 16 Democrats joined with Republicans to pass the bill, which passed 258-165. Most Democrats argued that the exemption was unnecessary, and said some markets are closing because Republicans have blocked federal subsidies to the insurance companies. But Republicans embraced the opportunity to highlight an unpopular provision of the law. "This is a short, simple bill with a basic premise  if you are a consumer who complied with the ACA's individual mandate by purchasing health insurance through one of the Consumer Oriented and Operated Plans, or CO-OPs, created under the law, and your plan was terminated mid-year by the failure of that CO-OP, you shouldn't be liable for the individual mandate for the remainder of that calendar year," Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., the original sponsor of the bill, said during a Ways and Means Committee hearing earlier this month. Seventeen of the 23 Obamacare co-ops have failed, despite receiving $1.7 billion in taxpayer funding. But the GOP legislation left Democrats crying foul. "If they would cooperate, if they would refine, if they would try and solve problems rather than creating new ones we could make it work even better," Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., said on the House floor. House Republicans touted the bill as a simple way to shelter people from the penalties imposed by the individual mandate. "It's bad enough people are left without insurance because of the failures of Obamacare, but why should we have the IRS punish them on top of that," Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., asked during the floor debate.

The eternal complaint from Democrats when it comes to GOP opposition to Obamacare: You're not letting us throw enough money at the problem!

With more state exchanges likely closing this year as a result of insurers fleeing the red ink generated by Obamacare, the suspension of the mandate will probably be broadened to include those consumers who don't have any options at all for insurance.

Is this the beginning of the end of the individual mandate? Given President Obama's threat to veto this commonsense legislation, it almost certainly does herald the downfall of one of the more odious provisions in a flawed and wasteful program.
The movement to get America out of the United Nations and into an alliance of democracies instead just got a big boost. The United Nations is a vehicle for the some of the worst regimes on the planet to puff their chests and strut their stuff. Ishaan Tharoor of the Washington Post writes:

The history of slavery in the United States justifies reparations for African Americans, argues a recent report by a U.N.-affiliated group based in Geneva. This conclusion was part of a study by the United Nations' Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, a body that reports to the international organization's High Commissioner on Human Rights. The group of experts, which includes leading human rights lawyers from around the world, presented its findings to the United Nations Human Rights Council on Monday, pointing to the continuing link between present injustices and the dark chapters of American history. "In particular, the legacy of colonial history, enslavement, racial subordination and segregation, racial terrorism and racial inequality in the United States remains a serious challenge, as there has been no real commitment to reparations and to truth and reconciliation for people of African descent," the report stated. "Contemporary police killings and the trauma that they create are reminiscent of the past racial terror of lynching."

This is serious leftist claptrap, right out of Soros-funded BLM. Whites are guilty of having racial privilege and continue to oppress black people violently. We owe.

But at least these foreigners grant us guilty white Americans a break, because they are willing to consider a wide range of reparations.

The reparations could come in a variety of forms, according to the panel, including "a formal apology, health initiatives, educational opportunities ... psychological rehabilitation, technology transfer and financial support, and debt cancellation."

That last item is quite interesting. College debt, consumer debt, even mortgages. Lenders are always politically unpopular.

But one thing is certain. White Americans are guilty, and all Americans (presumably excepting blacks) should pony up tax money and know their place at the bottom of the hierarchy of virtue.
Legendary investor Wilbur Ross and University of California-Irvine professor Peter Navarro have released a must-read scoring and analysis of Trumps economic plan.

One of the most shocking takeaways is the assault on the idea that high union wages alone have killed American manufacturing. In what would be music to a union workers ears, Ross and Navarro unravel some of the knot of global taxation. They cite the World Trade Organization, which began overseeing trade in 1995  circa NAFTA  in which all 164 nations have but one vote. Guess whom they gang up on. Layer on their explanation of the hidden tariffs at the core of Value Added Taxes (VAT), and its no wonder weve had lost decades.

Under WTO rules, any foreign company that manufactures domestically and exports goods to America (or elsewhere) receives a rebate on the VAT it has paid. This turns the VAT into an implicit export subsidy. At the same time, the VAT is imposed on all goods that are imported and consumed domestically so that a product exported by the U.S. to a VAT country is subject to the VAT. This turns the VAT into an implicit tariff on American exporters over and above the corporate income taxes they must pay. Thus, under the WTO system, American corporations suffer a triple-whammy: foreign exports into the U.S. market get VAT relief, U.S. exports into foreign markets must pay the VAT, and U.S. exporters get no relief on any income taxes paid. The practical effect of the WTOs unequal treatment of Americas income tax system is to give our major trading partners a 15% to 25% unfair tax advantage in international transactions. (While in principle, exchange rates should adjust over time to offset border adjustment, in the near term, exchange rate manipulation leads to major effects on trade flows.)

Fascinating that the Clintons find themselves at the epicenter of these global deals.

Next, add in the effects of unnecessary rules and regulations that are often designed more by bureaucrats than legislators. Ross and Navarro see big savings here from commonsense reform.

We assume that the Trump plan seeks to reduce the current regulatory burden by a minimum of 10%, or $200 billion annually. It proposes a temporary pause on new regulations not compelled by Congress or public safety and a review of previous regulations to see which need to be scrapped. Each federal agency will prepare a list of all of the regulations it imposes on American business, and the least critical regulations to health and safety will receive priority consideration for repeal.

As for busting the budget, not so, says Wilbur Ross.

Wilbur Ross said: "When evaluated as a single integrated whole, the Trump plan is revenue neutral and fiscally conservative. It grows the economy much faster than Hillary Clinton's plan to raise taxes, increase regulation, stifle our energy sector, and perpetuate chronic trade deficits."

The full text is anathema to globalists. And thus the widespread, top-to-bottom, across the media, big-money elitist opposition to Trump.
A former employee of Verizon has recently pleaded guilty to selling customer data by way of accessing an unauthorized computer during his time of employment with the wireless service provider. Over a five year period from 2009 to 2014, the employee known as Daniel Traeger is said to have received approximately $10,000 for selling customer data whilst he worked for Verizon in Birmingham, Alabama. The buyer of the data has not yet been named but is said to be a private investigator.

This report is yet another example of customer data being leaked and its also not the first time it has occurred at Verizon. This new report will only add to the growing concern over data privacy. Traeger gained access to one computer that he was unauthorized to use in order to access the relevant data about customer calls. In addition to that, he used a Verizon system called the Real Time Tool to identify location data about customers, which he is said to have then recorded into a spreadsheet and sold to the same buyer. It is not confirmed how many or which Verizon customers are affected, or how the data may have been used.

It is reported that Traeger was initially receiving $50 per month for the data he was providing, but that it increased over time to $750 per month by 2013. He pleaded guilty to the charge of accessing an unauthorized computer as part of a plea deal. He could face up to 5 years in prison for the offense but could be significantly less due to cooperating with authorities. This issue further highlights the current difficulties facing both individuals and companies in safeguarding personal data. Sufficient safeguards need to be in place, but customer data is also extremely valuable to service providers as well as to third parties. It isnt clear in this case whether the data was anonymized in any way, but that might be a best-case scenario. To speculate, it may be that the buyer of the data was even intent on the information for a specific individual. Whatever the motive or purpose, this wont be the last case of customer data being leaked to unintended recipients.
Android Pay has been catching on worldwide as more and more services jump on board and adoption increases. While it may be the only option for non-Samsung Android owners as far as mobile payment goes, the large number of banks and retailers that took a while to come around and the requirement to have a fairly current, non-rooted Android device have historically kept adoption a bit lower than Google would hope. In the UK, Android Pay is finally hitting its stride, and Mastercard is lending a hand. During a promotional period, customers who use the London Metro on certain Mondays will be reimbursed if they pay with a Mastercard linked to Android Pay, and customers all through the UK, including Scotland, England and Wales, can stop by any Caffe Nero location and grab a free coffee.

The London Transit offers caveats are a bit complex, but the offer is definitely going to still tickle the fancy of more than a few travelers who happen to have Android Pay and Mastercard in their pockets. For starters, the offer can only be used on October 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th. The list of transit services that are on board is quite long, and includes most of the more popular options for getting around London. Customers boarding a bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail, Emirates Air Line, Thames Clippers River Bus, Gatwick Express and most National Rail services in London and following the conditions of the promotion will find their trip comped. On most buses and trams, your Android device with a Mastercard loaded on via Android Pay must be tapped at the start of your journey. On most other options, you will find yellow terminals at the start and end that must be tapped. Following directions will net customers a refund within 28 working days, up to 30.50 per day.

As for the free coffee, unlike the transit, you wont need to have the funds to cover your java on hand, and you wont have to wait to be reimbursed; simply show the barista at Caffe Nero your Android Pay device with a Mastercard on it, and youll be good for a selection of standard drinks and lattes. Customers can get one free coffee per promotional day. The offer does not cover any extras, such as different syrups and specialty drinks, and cold drinks. Anybody buying something of that sort along with their free beverage must use the Mastercard on their Android Pay device, or they will be denied the free coffee. If employees have any reason to think that youre breaking the terms of the deal, they can deny you the free coffee.
Back in the golden age of unlimited data, AT&T sold such plans to everybody, not just DIRECTV customers. While AT&T customers, for the most part, were left to believe that they had truly unlimited data available to them, they were quite surprised to find themselves being throttled to near-unusable, dial-up-esque speeds. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) was not fond of the throttling, and took AT&T to court over the matter. The battle raged on until last month, when a decision by an appeals court gave AT&T immunity to punishment by the FTC on this. The FTC, as it turns out, is not taking that lying down.

Unlike the FCC, who is pursuing a fine for the throttling that would simply end up in the United States Treasury, the FTC is pushing for customers who had been throttled on unlimited plans to get refunds. While punishing AT&T for the practice is a primary goal of the FTCs efforts, chairwoman Edith Ramirez has said that stakes are a bit higher; a total loss here, letting AT&T get off without any sort of consequence, could seriously hurt the agencys ability to litigate and enforce relevant laws in similar cases in the future. The complication was that AT&T was considered a common carrier for voice service, which they argued gave them a status exempt from the FTCs jurisdiction. The FTC, meanwhile, argued that they could still go after AT&T for things that didnt fall under the business interest that had earned them the common carrier label in the first place.

The FTC plans to appeal the decision and go after AT&T anew by entering into an entirely new appeals process in front of the Ninth Circuit, the court that had declared AT&T immune before. Since common carriers have now been redefined to also include internet providers, the FTC has an uphill battle here, but is arguing that they should be allowed to execute oversight of entities whose status as a common carrier is either questionable or only part of their identity, and this case could be the deciding factor in whether they have that jurisdictional power going forward.
For BlackBerry, it has been a rough five years or so, as the iPhone and Android took off with new features that BlackBerry just couldnt keep up with, and given the companys stubborn attitude in the past to stick with their own platforms, the firms offerings did not compete well with the iPhone and Galaxy S devices well at all. After some restructuring however, including a change of leadership at the top, BlackBerry has definitely relented on their stubborn ways, adopting Android in last years BlackBerry PRIV, and again this year with the more affordable DTEK50. Speaking of which, the DTEK50  which is apparently to be followed up by the DTEK60, soon  was the first device to be marketed as a BlackBerry device that was not 100% designed by the firm themselves. Rumors have been swirling for weeks now that the Canadian firm would give up on their internal hardware entirely, and today these rumors became fact in a press release from BlackBerry themselves.

The press release was focused on Q2 fiscal 2016 results, but it also had the following statement from John Chen, CEO of BlackBerry; The company plans to end all internal hardware development and will outsource that function to partners. There are a number of reasons why anyone would go down this route, and one which Chen himself confirms as he says that This allows us to reduce capital requirements and enhance return on invested capital. As to just what BlackBerry will be doing to remain in business now that they will no longer design or manufacture their own hardware, Chen said that we are focusing on software development, including security and applications. Weve already seen a number of BlackBerry apps for Android hit the Play Store for all Android users, and under this new focus, we could end up seeing more of them.

This move shouldnt come as a surprise to many, but it is an important step that further marks the decline of a once-great name in the world of mobile. BlackBerry might have been beaten by the Android and iOS platforms, but the firm continued to hang on for as long as they could, and when they eventually turned to Android, it might have perhaps been too late. Regardless, the BlackBerry name will live on, and new devices are likely to be released, but the days of the Canadian firm introducing their own designs and hardware features seem to have finally come to an end.
When the Huawei Watch was first unveiled during Mobile World Congress 2015, it was praised as one of the best-looking smartwatches to have ever been shown off. During 2015 it might have taken Huawei until the Fall to get the Huawei Watch on shelves, it has been one of, if not the best, Android Wear smartwatch available on shelves. With a gorgeous 1.4-inch 400 x 400 AMOLED display, and a great stainless steel build it looked more like a traditional watch than anything else manufacturers had come up with. Available in a number of different finishes and strap options, Huawei gave users the sort of choice that they expect from a high-end, premium watch. Huawei had partnered with Google to use Android Wear on the their first smartwatch, but according to a new report, that might not be the case the next time around.

The Korea Herald is quoting an unnamed Samsung exec as saying that Huawei was looking for an OS other than Googles Android as the US firm had not been very collaborative. This is likely a reflection on the fact that Google does not allow manufacturers to customize Android Wear when they put it on to their hardware in any way, leaving the likes of Motorola, LG and Huawei to compete on nothing but design and price alone. As such, it appears as though Huawei might be looking to Tizen, an operating system that is managed in a manner similar to the Linux kernel, and sees Samsung making the most of it in their Gear S3 line of wearables for 2016. While the report claims that Huawei is looking to use Tizen in a Huawei Watch follow-up, Samsung have said that they have heard nothing from Huawei to suggest as much.

For Huawei, their Watch was a way in which to get the Huawei brand noticed in different sectors beyond just smartphones for those on a budget, and for a lot of people, it has done just that. Along with the Nexus 6P from 2015 as well, Huawei has furthered their brand presence in the West dramatically. Foregoing Android Wear for Tizen might be something of a mistake, or it could allow the Chinese firm to create similar hardware with software features to match as well as stand out from the rest of the crowd.
Meizu had introduced a number of smartphones this year, including their Meizu PRO 6 flagship. This smartphone was announced back in April, and as many of you know, the companys PRO 7 flagship phablet has been leaking for a long time now. The Meizu PRO 6 is fueled by the Helio X25 64-bit deca-core SoC, and the rumored Meizu PRO 7 was expected to ship with the Exynos 8890. That being said, the companys VP, Li Nan, said a while back that the Meizu PRO 7 will not launch this year, he said that we can expect that smartphone next year, and that created a lot of confusion, read on.

Samsungs Exynos 8890 64-bit octa-core processor is currently one of the most powerful SoCs out in the market, but it wont be that hot next year, which is why consumers were a bit worried that the Meizu PRO 7 might ship with that SoC sometime next year. Well, it is possible that the Meizu PRO 7 might ship with the next-gen Exynos SoC considering that the Meizu PRO 6s rumor surfaced a while back, and according to that rumor, this might be the companys upcoming Exynos 8890-powered flagship. Now, this could end up being the companys leaked smartphone with a curved display, though we cannot confirm that at the moment. That being said, a new piece of info just surfaced in China, and it brings different info our way. According to the new info, Meizu might be preparing two PRO 6 devices, the Meizu PRO 6s and PRO 6 Plus. These two smartphones are rumored to launch at the end of October, and become available in November. According to the provided info, the Meizu PRO 6s will be fueled by the Helio P20 64-bit octa-core SoC, which is MediaTeks new mid-range processor. The Meizu PRO 6 Plus, on the other hand, could be fueled by the Exynos 8890, if this info is accurate.

There you have it, presuming this info is legit, Meizu is preparing two compelling smartphones to push our way next month. The Meizu PRO 6s will, presumably, launch with a 5.2-inch fullHD display, while the Meizu PRO 6 Plus will probably ship with a 5.7-inch fullHD or QHD panel, while you can also expect this handset to sport a curved display, much like the Vivo XPlay 5 and Galaxy S7 Edge. Well let you know as soon as we get more info, stay tuned.
BlackBerry was once one of the largest companies in the mobile space. Their handsets were quite popular, very capable and quite expensive, to say the least. BlackBerry had failed to adapt to the new era in the mobile world though, and their device more or less faded away after a while. The company had tried to regain market share be releasing a new version of their own OS, and have failed at that, and then they turned to Android. The BlackBerry Priv, their first ever Android-powered smartphone, was well received, but didnt exactly sell all that well. BlackBerry had decided to stick with Android, and it seems they intend to launch a new smartphone really soon, read on.

The BlackBerry DTEK60 had paid a visit to the FCC a while back, and the phone had leaked several times now. Well, a number of new images just popped up, and you can check them out in the gallery down below. Now, do keep in mind that this handset will be manufactured by TCL, a company which had manufactured the BlackBerry DTEK50, and also manufactures Alcatels devices. In any case, this smartphones edges are slightly curved, and were looking at a high-end device here. According to the available info, the BlackBerry DTEK60 will sport a 5.5-inch QHD (2560 x 1440) display, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. Qualcomms Snapdragon 820 64-bit quad-core SoC will fuel this smartphone, and a 3,000mAh battery will be available here as well. The 21-megapixel snapper will be placed on the back of this device, and below it the company plans to include a fingerprint scanner, as you can see in the provided images. An 8-megapixel snapper will be included here for your selfie and video call needs, and chances are this handset will ship with Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box.

The BlackBerry DTEK60 will launch in Canada on October 11th, for those of you who are wondering, and it will cost $530 ($699 CAD) if the leaked info is accurate. Now, we still dont know when will this handset land in the US, but it is possible that the company plans to launch it in both Canada and the US at the same time, well see.
(ANSA) - Beijing, September 27 - A network of 57 restaurants in China has joined a Slow Food fundraising campaign for the victims of a devastating August 24 earthquake in central Italy.

The restaurants - of which 15 in Beijing and 12 in Shanghai - will donate money from every dish of "pasta all'amatriciana" served until November 24.

Amatrice, a village in the Apennine mountains in the Lazio region that was largely flattened by the quake, is also the birthplace of the world-famous "amatriciana" pasta sauce based on cured pork cheek, pecorino cheese, and tomato.

The 'A Future for Amatrice' campaign - launched by Slow Food in agreement with Amatrice Mayor Sergio Pirozzi on August 25, the day following the earthquake that killed hundreds - calls on restaurants around the world to put pasta all'amatriciana on their menu for a year, with two euros from every dish served to go to the quake relief fund.

The campaign in China is supported by the Italian embassy and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in China. Many Chinese businesses and individuals have made donations for quake relief in Italy since August, and the Chinese embassy in Rome donated 100,000 euros to the Italian Red Cross for quake relief, Italian Ambassador Ettore Sequi remarked.

"We want to contribute and to avoid the risk of the initial generous impetus and attention wearing off after a couple of weeks," said Slow Food founder and chief, Claudio Petrini, on the day of the launch.

"Amatriciana pasta is a humble dish, symbolic of a farming culture that is based on solidarity".

The donations - with one euro coming from the restaurateur and one euro from the client for every "amatriciana" dish served - go to benefit the City of Amatrice, whose International Bank Account Number (IBAN) is IT28M0832773470000000006000.


Boeing chooses Tangier for specialized aeronautics hub Signed memorandum of understanding with Morocco

(ANSAmed) - RABAT, SEPTEMBER 28 - Boeing has signed an agreement with Morocco to build a platform involving 120 of its suppliers, which it said it will create more than 8,000 new jobs.



The industrial zone of Tangier was chosen to become the specialised hub that aims to increase sector exports up to one billion dollars (about 890 million euros).



Boeing production has been in Morocco since 2001 and was initially located in the area west of Casablanca.



The memorandum of understanding was signed in Tangier by Moroccan Industry Minister Moulay Hafid Elalamy and Boeing President Raymond Conner, on the sidelines of a Council of Ministers convened by King Mohammed VI.



The aeronautics industry is an important sector in the Moroccan economy, ranking 15th worldwide for investments.(ANSAmed).




Italians alarmed by Garibaldi house sale in Tangier Former Dante Alighieri school complex safe

(ANSAmed) - RABAT, SEPTEMBER 28 - A consular bulletin announcing of the sale part of an Italian property in the city of Tangier has provoked protest letters and worry by Italians there, worried that their cultural heritage could end up at auction.



The complex for sale is Italian state property in Tangier and is located in a neighbourhood generically known as "Casa Italia" from the name of a famous restaurant housed there.



Included there is also the palace of former Sultan Moulay Hafid, considered a jewel of Moorish architecture.



The former Italian school also houses a library with great cultural value and an archive, where letters from Mussolini are among the documents.



For sale, however, are two palazzi and two smaller buildings that, although important from a historical perspective, don't compare to the architectural spaces and green areas that host city events, open-air concerts and shows, and were once the headquarters of the Dante Alighieri School, the Italian hospital, and the church named for St. Francis and the Franciscan order of nuns: that part of the property is still a piece of Italy and its history in Tangier and Morocco.



The Italian State is proposing another sector for sale, which faces rue Assad Ibn Al Forat, which until recent years was known as rue Garibaldi, because it was in one of the houses there that the 'Hero of Two Worlds' stayed for a few months in the mid-1800s.



Giuseppe Garibaldi spent a long time in Tangier before sailing for England.



Another building for sale housed the former Italian vice consulate.



The four buildings offered to the highest bidder are surrounded by an immense park and take up a surface area of more than 7,000 square metres with a view of the Mediterranean in the Marchan district, one of the most fashionable areas of the city.



This piece of Italian history could certainly draw attention from real estate speculators, but it's definitely not the most precious jewel in Italy's Moroccan treasure chest.(ANSAmed).




Ambassador wants probe on Palestinian death in Israeli jail Palestinian Yasser Hamdouni died September 25

(ANSAmed) - ROME, SEPTEMBER 28 - Palestinian Ambassador to Italy Mai Alkaila has released a statement calling for an international commission to investigate the death of 40-year-old Palestinian Yasser Hamdouni in an Israeli prison on September 25, to "publicly clarify the reasons for his death".



"There are about 7,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, while in the past year 6,730 have been arrested," Alkaila said.



In a press conference in Rome on Wednesday, Alkaila said Hamdouni came from Yaabad in the West Bank near Jenin.



"He was arrested and underwent a serious beating by Israeli prison guards in 2003. Since then he's never fully recovered," Alkaila said.



She said he was given a life sentence in 2003 and spent 14 years in prison.



"We're asking the international community, humanitarian organisations and all democrats and free in the world to react, to induce Israel to respect and put into practice international law and human rights," Alkaila said.



Alkaila's statement said Israeli human rights organisation B'Tselem has called for an investigation into 739 cases of death and torture in Israeli prisons since 2000.(ANSAmed).




Authorities deny Al-Qaeda link in Italians' kidnapping Seized in Libyan city of Ghat two weeks ago

(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, SEPTEMBER 28 - Search operations are ongoing to locate the two Italians and one Canadian worker kidnapped in the Libyan city of Ghat two weeks ago, and the kidnapping was not the work of Al-Qaeda, according to a Facebook post by the city of Ghat's special nucleus for search operations.



The statement said "a small group of outlaws" was responsible for the kidnapping of Bruno Cacace, Danilo Calonego and their Canadian colleague.



In recent days Colonel Ahmed al Mismari, spokesman for the Libyan Armed Forces under the command of General Khalifa Haftar, said the men were kidnapped by a criminal gang backed by Al-Qaeda.(ANSAmed).




- BRUSSELS - September was a record month for migrant relocations from Greece, with more than 1,000 relocated out of a monthly total of 1,202 migrants reported for both of the beneficiary countries, Italy and Greece, according to a report by the European Commission released Wednesday.



Since the time of the EU decisionin July 2015 to relocate 160,000 migrants by September 2017, a total of 5,651 refugees have been transferred out of the two countries: 4,455 from Greece and 1,196 from Italy.



Countries that have made the most efforts towards Italy are: Finland (260), France (231), Portugal (183), The Netherlands (178) and Switzerland (112).



EU member states including Bulgaria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, and Slovakia haven't taken any refugees from Italy.



Other countries have taken less than 30 refugees each: Germany (20), Luxembourg (20), and Belgium (29).



Since the July 2015 agreement, a total of 10,695 people have been resettled from refugee camps, out of the 22,504 initially agreed upon.



 There have been 1,614 migrants resettled so far as part of the EU-Turkey migrant accord.
CAIRO - Fayez Al-Sarraj, the chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya and prime minister of the country's Government of National Accord, told France 24 that he isn't in a disagreement with General Khalifa Haftar and that building stability is what unites the two.



"In the reconciliation process no one is excluded; we're trying to bring together all the Libyan identities and their currents," Sarraj said.



"There is some disagreement, but we want to build a united military institution, placed under leadership and political will".



Sarraj said a new government will be presented in the coming weeks.



Once formed, it will undergo a confidence vote in the Tobruk Parliament. Sarraj said he hopes that what happened two weeks ago in the oil crescent, when Haftar's generals' seized control of the ports, doesn't turn into a civil war, asking that the protection of the installations depend on the national unity government.



He said there hasn't been any delay in the battle in Sirte, adding: "thanks to the courage of our fighters and the young people, many things have been done and there is little left still to do".



In an interview with another newspaper, Saudi Arabian daily Asharq Al-Awsat, Sarraj said he won't put forth any veto against anyone in the formation of the new government.



"The door is open to all," he said.



"We're making this appeal to all parties and all the military present on the (Libyan) scene".
Two hospitals bombed in Aleppo, 17 dead Al-Jazeera reports, citing activist sources

(ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, SEPTEMBER 28 - At least 17 people were killed on Wednesday in government airstrikes on insurgent-controlled east Aleppo, in which two hospitals were also bombed, Al-Jazeera reported, citing activist sources.



In one of the hospitals, two patients were killed and three staff members were wounded, according to media sources cited by Al-Jazeera.



It said activist sources reported six civilians were killed when a bomb struck a queue of people waiting at a bakery in the Al Maadi neighbourhood.(ANSAmed).




(ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, SEPTEMBER 28 - European Union member states that don't accept migrant relocations could face infractions, said European Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos on Wednesday.



"We're here to convince. The majority of member states relocate and some are doing it in a substantial way. If the political will shown in September continues, relocations will improve," he said.



He said that EU member states are required to accept migrant relocations.



"EU law isn't optional: what member states decided on together must be applied".



Avramopoulos praised Germany on relocation for "welcoming 500 people a month".



"Belgium is also praise-worthy for having committed to 100 a month," he said.



"It's a policy that works. States commit themselves".

September was a record month for migrant relocations from Greece, with more than 1,000 relocated out of a monthly total of 1,202 migrants reported for both of the beneficiary countries, Italy and Greece, according to a report by the European Commission released Wednesday.

Since the time of the EU decisionin July 2015 to relocate 160,000 migrants by September 2017, a total of 5,651 refugees have been transferred out of the two countries: 4,455 from Greece and 1,196 from Italy.

Countries that have made the most efforts towards Italy are: Finland (260), France (231), Portugal (183), The Netherlands (178) and Switzerland (112).

EU member states including Bulgaria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, and Slovakia haven't taken any refugees from Italy.

Other countries have taken less than 30 refugees each: Germany (20), Luxembourg (20), and Belgium (29).

Since the July 2015 agreement, a total of 10,695 people have been resettled from refugee camps, out of the 22,504 initially agreed upon.

 There have been 1,614 migrants resettled so far as part of the EU-Turkey migrant accord.

(ANSAmed).
ROME - Italian Premier Matteo Renzi said that ''on immigration we have created hotspots, guarded borders but have had no reallocations, with a few exceptions, from the EU''.



''Europe is seriously indebted with Italy on the issues of immigration'', Renzi told a press conference at Palazzo Chigi.


Turkey: Ankara, 32,000 arrested over coup Justice minister, US decision soon on Gulen's arrest

(ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, SEPTEMBER 28 - Some 32,000 people have been arrested in Turkey over ties with the network of Fethullah Gulen allegedly involved in the failed coup, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said in an interview with Ntv television. He added that a total of some 70,000 are under investigation in connection with the coup and that ''other arrests'' could take place.



Speaking about a future large trial on the coup, Bozdag said ''work is ongoing'' to build a new wing of the tribunal in order to host thousands of defendants in the Sincan district of the capital Ankara, while Istanbul already has the structures that are potentially needed.



Meanwhile the United States informed Turkey that they will reply in a few days to a dossier presented by Ankara to demand the arrest of Fethullah Gulen, a magnate and imam accused of being behind the July 15 failed coup, the minister announced.



Gulen has been living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999. Along with the arrest demanded to avoid the ''risk of flight'', Ankara has also asked the US to extradite Gulen.



(ANSAmed).




Cruise ships return to Tunisia in October, says ministry Stopped in March 2015 following Bardo attack

(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, SEPTEMBER 28 - Cruise ships will once again arrive and depart from Tunisian ports beginning in October, said Tunisian Tourism Minister Salma Elloumi Rekik.



Cruise ship companies had interrupted their service to Tunisia following the March 2015 attack on the Bardo Museum in Tunis. Rekik said the 2016 tourist season has seen an improvement, especially in the second half of the year.(ANSAmed).




Since the beginning of the year, passenger traffic has grown 6.2% from the same period last year, with 16,422,763 passengers between January 1 and August 31.

 Total arrivals numbered 1,119,616, signifying a 2.3% increase.



 Passenger traffic to India grew 14.3% on 2015, maintaining its position as the top destination, with 378,675 passengers throughout August.



 Passengers to the UK totaled 153,208, representing a 4.2% increase compared to August 2015.



 Saudi Arabia rose to become the fourth busiest destination, with traffic to and from the country increasing by 12.3%, largely due to the high volume of pilgrims traveling for Hajj.



 Passenger traffic to and from Egypt rose 26.6%, impacted by Etihads introduction of thrice-daily flights, and Egypt Airs increased service of 13 flights per week.


The widebody order includes fifteen 777-300ER (extended range) jets and thirteen 787 Dreamliners as part of a sweeping fleet modernisation and expansion.

Sulaiman Alhamdan, Saudi Arabia's transportation minister and the airline's chairman, announced the country's aircraft purchases saying the shopping spree aims to upgrade the airline's operational efficiency and effectiveness while improving its " total customer experience."

The Saudi airline said its aircraft purchases will help grow its fleet from 119 to to 200 aircraft by 2020 and move 45 million passengers a year on 1,000 daily flights around the world.

The airine will be taking 30 aircraft deliveries in 2017, the biggest in its 71 year history.

According to Saleh Aljasser, Saudi Arabian Airline's director general of engineering, both OEMs had committed to introducing a training programme for Saudi engineers to prepare for the MRO requirements of the aircraft at the airlines home bases.

The Saudi Arabia Ministry of Education will be providing 5,000 scholarships to send Saudi students to study aviation and aircraft maintenance in Europe and the USA.




For many airports, the investment focus has shifted to security in the wake of heightened regional tensions, some of which directly target air travel. While investment in passenger processing technology still ranks the number one priority for airports, it has dropped from 73% in 2015 to 59% this year as security rises in priority.



The survey shows that self-service and mobile dominate the airport landscape. This year for the first time SITAs research indicates the majority of airports worldwide provide self-service check-in for both passengers and bags. Looking ahead self-service will continue to dominate with two-thirds of airports planning major IT investments in this area. The growing influence of mobile is also evident with nearly every airport worldwide (90%) undertaking either a major program or a trial project related to mobile services and 74% trialing or piloting context-aware and location-based technology in the next five years.



Matthys Serfontein, SITA Vice President, Airport Solutions, said: The technology trends at airports reflect the changing world. Investments to support passenger and airport security are up while the increasing demands of the connected traveler for self-service and mobile services are also being met.



This year we see a shift where airports are also looking to technology to generate non-aeronautical revenue. By 2019, 84% hope to make money by enabling the purchase of airport services through their mobile app. And there is also a clear trend to provide hybrid public Wi-Fi services that combine the convenience of limited free Wi-Fi with commercial offerings. Over the next three years the proportion of airports planning to offer unrestricted free Wi-Fi will drop from 74% to 54%. This change is mainly driven by airports in North America and the Middle East.



Using kiosks for services beyond check-in and bag drop to generate revenue will also appear at the worlds airports. Today a very small number of airports have kiosks that allow passengers to download digital content, such as the latest films, before they board the flight but by 2019, 30% plan to do so. By that time 42% also expect to have kiosks that enable sales transactions.



SITAs research takes a look further into the airports digital transformation exploring areas such as wearables, biometrics, robotics and context-aware services and how airports plan to use these innovative technologies over the next five to ten years. In the light of the increased focus on security it is not surprising that interest in biometric technology, which supports fast and secure passenger processing, is high. More than one third of airports will invest in single biometric travel token projects in the next five years jumping to the majority (52%) within the decade.



These findings are from the 13th annual SITA Airport IT Trends and reflect the views of more than 225 airports who together manage 36% of the global traffic or 2.3 billion passengers. This year 50% of survey respondents came from airports within the Top 100 in terms of revenue.


The forums are to be led by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) in preparation for the UNISPACE+50 conference in 2018.



The first forum, titled Space as a driver for sustainable economic and social development, is being organised by UNOOSA and will be held between the 20th and 24th of November, 2016. The event will gather more than 120 high-level actors from national and regional bodies, international public and private sector organizations, and policy-makers from government agencies. It will also feature experts from UN agencies, the business community and academic institutions, as well as individuals from global centers of excellence, researchers in outer space fields and civil society leaders. Participants will discuss the role of space science and technology in cultivating global growth.



The date of the second forum is yet to be announced, but is expected to be revealed at the Dubai Declaration. This latter forum will outline recommendations for strengthening the role of space activities in their function as a driver for innovative and sustainable social and economic development.



The forums will focus on four main areas: the economics of space, the space community, access to space and space diplomacy. The events seek to provide a platform for exchanging expertise and expanding knowledge of current space-related activities and technological applications, in addition to discussing space sector contributions to economic, social and diplomatic spheres.



The forums also aim to produce recommendations surrounding innovative uses of space activities. They will also highlight possibilities for governments, international organisations, research and development institutions and other stakeholders to further utilize the space sector as a driver for economic and social development.

Dr Khalifa Al Romaithi, chairman of the UAE Space Agency, said: The organization of these high-level forums falls within the strategic vision and mission of the United Arab Emirates to establish significant international cooperation and knowledge exchange with the rest of the world, including the most important elements of the space sector. Our approach recognises the importance of international cooperation in the peaceful exploration of outer space for the benefit of humankind.

He added: The forums will shed light on the UAEs contributions to the global space sector and strengthen its international standing in the field, having entered the race to explore outer space two years ago, when the UAE Space Agency was founded. In a timely manner, the forums will attract global attention to the ambitious national space programs, including the exploration Mars.



Dr Mohammed Al Ahbabi, director general of the UAE Space Agency, said: There is a global boom in a variety of space activities that reap huge benefits for local, regional and international economies. The forums highlight the roles of such activities with regards to both social development and international cooperation.



Al Ahbabi added: By hosting these forums, the UAE is adding to its attractive positioning for key stakeholders in the global space industry and its capacity to organise the worlds foremost satellite events. This is thanks to the UAEs solid foundations concerning the growth and development of its space sector, which will lead to a prominent international role in the field.



Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani, director general of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, said: It is a great source of pride for Dubai to host such distinguished global forums. Taking place every fifteen years, they provide a unique opportunity to gather senior space sector leaders and policy makers from all over the world.



Al Shaibani added: The UNISPACE conference highlights the global efforts to raise awareness about the importance of cooperation in space sector development and making enhancing its sustainability in order to serve humanity as a whole. The pivotal role played by the sector in economic development and effective contribution to global economic activity is particularly noteworthy.



He continued: We have a great respect for the United Arab Emirates world-class infrastructure and excellent human resources, in addition to the states various space contributions. Among other efforts, we place a particular importance on the Emirates Mars mission and the KhalifaSat, Dubai-1 and Dubai-2 projects.



Al Shaibani added: The centre is fully committed to the development of a national space sector that is characterised by high standards, in order for the UAE to achieve advanced and competitive rankings in the world in the field of industry, technology and space research
Some 10,854 unruly passenger incidents were reported to IATA by airlines worldwide last year. This equates to one incident for every 1,205 flights, an increase from the 9,316 incidents reported in 2014 (or one incident for every 1,282 flights).

The majority of incidents involved verbal abuse, failure to follow lawful crew instructions and other forms of anti-social behavior. A significant proportion (11%) of reports indicated physical aggression towards passengers or crew or damage to the aircraft. Alcohol or drug intoxication was identified as a factor in 23% of cases, though in the vast majority of instances these were consumed prior to boarding or from personal supply without knowledge of the crew.

"Unruly and disruptive behavior is simply not acceptable. The anti-social behaviour of a tiny minority of customers can have unpleasant consequences for the safety and comfort of all on board. The increase in reported incidents tells us that more effective deterrents are needed. Airlines and airports are guided by core principles developed in 2014 to help prevent and manage such incidents. Be we cannot do it alone. Thats why we are encouraging more governments to ratify the Montreal Protocol 2014," said Alexandre de Juniac, IATAs director general and CEO.

The Tokyo Convention was modernized with the Montreal Protocol 2014, closing gaps in the international legal framework dealing with unruly passengers. To date, six states have ratified the Protocol. "More are needed in order to have a consistent global approach to this issue," said de Juniac

Also in 2014 the airline industry set out core principles for a balanced, multi-stakeholder strategy for tackling unruly behavior, based around enhancing the international deterrent and more effective prevention and management of incidents.

In some countries there has been a focus on the role of alcohol as a trigger for disruptive behavior. Airlines already have strong guidelines and crew training on the responsible provision of alcohol. IATA is supporting initiatives, such as the code of practice pioneered in the UK, which includes a focus on prevention of intoxication and excessive drinking prior to boarding.

Staff in airport bars and duty-free shops must be trained to serve alcohol responsibly and there is a need to avoid offers that encourage so-called binge drinking. Evidence from an initiative by Monarch Airlines at Londons Gatwick Airport has shown instances of disruptive behavior can be cut 50% with this pro-active approach before passengers board. The industry believes that adopting this cooperative voluntary approach is preferable to heavy-handed regulation and licensing.

"There is no easy answer to stem the rise in reported unruly behavior. We need a balanced solution in which all stakeholders can collaborate. The industrys core principles can help to manage the small percentage of passengers who abuse alcohol. And it must be balanced with efforts by governments taking advantage of all their deterrence mechanisms, including those provided through the Montreal Protocol 14," said de Juniac.


The $40 contract from the RJAF calls for a family of training systems which includes a comprehensive suite of full mission trainers and combat tactics trainers that can be networked together, aligning technologies to deliver advanced training while meeting affordability goals.

Our solution builds on our proven fifth-generation training system with hardware and software tailored for the F-16, said Sandy Samuel, vice president of Lockheed Martins Training and Simulation Solutions. By fielding a family of training systems, we can help the Royal Jordanian Air Force reserve higher fidelity devices for more advanced training scenarios and optimize their pilot throughput in training.

Under this contract, Lockheed Martin will deliver the suite of simulators in 2018, also providing contractor logistics support services. The technology can be networked together to enable multiple pilots to train together on advanced scenarios.

RJAFs F-16 training environment includes the Lockheed Martin-developed Scalable Advanced Graphics Engine (SAGE) image generator. SAGE blends the companys expertise in military simulation with advanced gaming technology to provide richly detailed images and motion for increased realism in flight simulation.


The joint business will benefit customers by offering a wider choice of flights, an enhanced network, greater choice of fares and superior benefits for members of their frequent flyer programmes.

Crucially, the partnership between Qatar Airways and British Airways will allow the carriers to provide passengers with better links and an even more seamless travel experience between the UK, Asia, Middle East and Africa. The joint business will see the two airlines code-sharing on all non-stop flights between the UK and Doha, to offer customers a combined route network which will serve more than 70 destinations. Between the airlines hubs of London and Doha the new partnership will offer seven daily non-stop services in both directions.

Qatar Airways Group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: "British Airways is an airline steeped in history and prestige and we are proud to be partnering with them to offer our passengers an even greater choice of global destinations. This partnership brings together two world-class airlines to provide an enhanced operation for our passengers with increased daily flights between London and Doha, greater choice of flight schedules, wider range of fares and improved members benefits.

Todays announcement reinforces our already established relationship with IAG and we look forward to welcoming British Airways direct flights to our hub, Hamad International Airport, where we can provide passengers with seamless access to our global network of more than 150 destinations.

Willie Walsh, IAGs chief executive, said: We are delighted to announce this joint business with Qatar Airways which is one of the world's premier airlines. This agreement will benefit customers by giving them access to more destinations through Qatar Airways extensive network. It will also allow us to provide easier journeys with better aligned schedules, more frequencies and improved flight transfers. This partnership follows the commercial agreement with IAG Cargo signed two years ago and enhances our relationship with Qatar Airways further.
Abu Dhabi Airports confirmed that at 12.06 pm Etihad flight EY450 bound for Sydney, returned to Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) due to a technical issue.

The ADAC statement said: As is standard practice, the airport activated its emergency response teams, and the aircraft landed safely. Operations were stopped for a short time while the southern runway was inspected for debris, resulting in one flight being diverted to Sharjah Airport and one to Al Bateen Executive Airport. Operations resumed at 12.50pm.

Etihad Airways said flight EY450 returned to Abu Dhabi shortly after take-off following the failure of one of the aircrafts engines.



The pilots and cabin crew carried out the emergency procedures before landing which they practice regularly during their routine training details. The crew are to be commended for their calm professionalism which ensured a safe outcome for all our guests, said an airline statement.



"The aircraft is undergoing corrective maintenance action and an alternative aircraft operated the new service. Local hotel accommodation was arranged for the 329 passengers who were re-booked onto later flights to Australia.



Meanwhile Dubai International Airport (DXB), one of the worlds busiest airports, was forced to ground flights for half an hour due to a drone flying in the area. Airspace around the airport was reportedly closed just after 0800 local time (0400 GMT), arrivals resumed at 0835, with full operations restarting by 0907.

A Dubai Airports statement said the operator was working closely with its stakeholders to minimise customer inconvenience. Safety is our top priority and Dubai Airports reminds all UAV operators that any and all activities are not permitted unless authorised by regulatory authorities and are strictly prohibited in restricted areas including within 5 kilometres of any airport or landing area.

On June 12 a similar incident saw DXB close for 69 minutes.

Drone owners have to register with the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and avoid drone no-fly zones, which they can track via a new GCAA mobile App. DXB is one of four drone no-fly zones in the emirate set up by the GCCA in April after an incident last year, when a drone caused a 55-minute shutdown estimated to have cost the emirates economy Dh3.7 million a minute. The others are Al Maktoum International, Al Minhad air base and the Palm Jumeirah around Skydive Dubai.

Earlier this week Mohammed Al Dossari, the GCAAs Director, Air Navigation & Aerodrome Department told the Second Drone Middle East conference that most drone incursions are caused by uninformed private individuals. He said his department is co-operating with the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology on a framework for a draft Federal law for the UAE which will cover the import, performance requirements and selling of drones throughout the Emirates.


World Routes brings together leading airlines, airports and their stakeholders to discuss future global air services. This year's event culminated with the incumbent host, Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, passing the World Routes mantle to the Government of Catalonia and Barcelona City Council.

Barcelona's tourism industry has developed rapidly since hosting the Olympic Games in 1992. Antoni Gaudi's architecture, the medieval Gothic Quarter, museums, restaurants, tapas bars and the local beaches attracted 7.8 million visitors last year, an increase of 6.1 million since 1990.

As the capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia, Barcelona is the centre of one of Spain's wealthiest areas. Last year Catalan exports grew by 6.1% to a record-breaking 63.8 billion (25.5% of total Spanish exports) and foreign investment increased by 58% to 4.8 billion.

The city's success has led to high demand for air services. During the last ten years Barcelona's international departure capacity has risen from 9.6 million seats to 19 million seats, buoyed by the growth of low-cost carriers such as easyJet, Norwegian, Ryanair and local carrier Vueling. The airport is now the 10th busiest in Europe, handling a record-breaking 39.7 million passengers in 2015 (5.7% more than 2014).

During the same ten-year period the Spanish international market almost doubled in size with capacity increasing by an average annual rate of 6.9%. Based on published flight schedules this year, international capacity is forecast to grow to over 90 million one-way seats, a 15.9% rise on 2015 and the fastest rate of growth since 2007. Spain is now linked directly to 336 different airports, up from 217 in 2006.

World Routes 2017 is expected to draw more than 3,000 aviation professionals from 300 airlines, 700 airports and 130 tourism authorities who will see for themselves what Barcelona has to offer.

Adrian Newton, group director at UBM EMEA (the organiser of World Routes events) said: "Hosting World Routes will help the Government of Catalonia and Barcelona City Council to win new air services which will stimulate the local economy and tourism. World Routes will also support Barcelona's quest to become the main aviation hub for southern Europe.

"Barcelona's international popularity makes it a highly attractive market for the aviation industry and our delegates will find a great deal of value in the event."


Client: Hortonworks I http://hortonworks.com

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Interior Design: GASPARBONTA

Lead designer: Gaspar Bonta

Assistant designer: Orsolya Lorincz

Photography: Balint Jaksa Photography I www.balintjaksa.com

HORTONWORKS is a business computer software company based in Santa Clara, California. The company focuses on the development and support of Apache Hadoop, a framework that allows for the distributed processing of large data sets across clusters of computers (via Wikipedia).

After designing an office in 2015 for Sequence IQ, a Budapest-based development firm acquired by Hortonworks, we had the chance to continue the cooperation with the firm this year, in their recent expansion in Budapest. The new office is located in the same building, just three floors below the first one, with the same geometrical possibilities.

We went on with our original concept, to create an open, playful, welcoming environment for all employees, something like an 'adult playground', just like last year, only with different tools. We use simple colors on big surfaces, red, green, blue - the same colors our monitors use to generate every color. The ceiling in the open spaces is covered with a unique wallpaper we designed specifically for this project, a cloud made up from small dots. Just as the actual clouds are made up from tiny drops of water and the clouds we use in computing, which are made up from tiny bits of data. Lots of wooden surfaces - floors, dividers and furniture - and dark, painted surfaces were used to create warm, cozy moods in certain areas. There are many different types of seating all over the place, to offer people multiple choices to find the best place for them. There are over a hundred plants installed in the office, to generate nice, living, big green surfaces which are essential in the everyday city life to keep our balance. Best of all (besides the visible server in the IDF room), there is a breakout space in the middle of the open office spaces, with a comfortable carpet, some beanbags and lots of plants - something like the contemporary equivalent of an arbor. Add that and the reflection of the tiles with 3D patterns on both ends of the office on the large colored glass surfaces - like the phone room called 'Hotline Bling' - to vivid colors, open spaces and green surfaces. This is our vision of a contemporary office, the 'adult playground'.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial will be discussed in the Upper House (Senate) of the French Parliament during the first week of October, Co-Chairman of the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France Murad Papazian told Armenpress.

He said according to the preliminary data it will be discussed on October 7.

As you know, after the vote of the bill in summer, a special committee was formed which must have presented the MPs proposals. There were some MPs who said the provision on criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial must be removed from the bill, but we have carried out works and reached to the point in order to submit the option which has been adopted in summer and included the criminalization of the Armenian Genocide denial to the Senates discussion. The political forces also agreed to submit that option to the Senates discussion, he said.

He expressed hope the Senate will adopt the option of the bill which has been passed in the Parliament in June.

We work in order the required number of MPs to vote for the bill. You know the Turks are not indifferent, they also work, do everything in order that option not to be adopted, Murad Papazian said.

He also recalled that the Socialists have promised to vote in favor of the bill.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Ministry of Nagorno Karabakh says Azerbaijan made over 40 ceasefire violations across the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijani line of contact.

The Ministrys announcement reads: Overnight September 27-28 the Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime over 40 times by firing more than 450 shots from various caliber weapons at the Armenian positions in Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact.

The Azerbaijani forces also fired DShK heavy machine gun (40 shots) at the military positions located in the eastern direction of the Defense Army.

The Defense Army forces continue confidently fulfilling their military tasks and take counter measures only in case of strict necessity.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Canadian First Nations have a long and deep connection with the British monarchy, dating back more than 250 years, reports BBC.

Now, with the relationship between aboriginals and the federal Liberal government showing signs of strain, some First Nations leaders are leveraging a historic relationship - and the visit by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Canada - to shine a spotlight on their frustrations.

Among them is Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, who pulled out at the 11th hour from a ceremony involving the royal couple meant to symbolize reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous people.

Mr Phillip, with the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, which represents 115 of the provinces' 203 First Nations, told the BBC he "didn't feel entirely comfortable with the invitation given the reality on the ground".

"I've witnessed countless grandiose, well-intentioned ceremonies that at the end of the day represented nothing more, nothing less than a photo-op that would suggest there was peace, harmony, and prosperity between First Nations peoples and the Crown."

He pointed to statistics showing that half of First Nations children live in poverty.

Grand Chief Phillip also expressed frustration that the government has failed to quickly rectify funding disparities for the delivery of on-reserve child welfare services, despite a scathing ruling by a human rights tribunal.

He noted concern, too, at the high suicide rates in First Nations and Inuit communities.

Grand Chief Edward John, with the First Nations Summit, an organisation that represents treaty interests, did attend the Black Rod ceremony on Monday.

There, Prince William added a ring representing indigenous peoples and their connection to BC and the Crown to a ceremonial staff crafted by an indigenous artist for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Grand Chief John decided to use the platform to express concerns he shared with Grand Chief Phillip, including the impact of often brutal past assimilationist policies on the current generation.

"I have two minutes to speak to 150 years of why we need reconciliation," he said. "I will take that time."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came to power last October on a promise to usher in a new and respectful relationship with Canada's First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities.

He launched an inquiry looking into why more than 1,000 indigenous women have been murdered or gone missing since the 1980s. He also committed billions of dollars in new funds.

Nearly a year later, there's a sense of frustration that those commitments are unravelling, from a failure to see progress on social issues to a growing anger over hints the government will push ahead with controversial BC energy projects that are opposed by a number of First Nations.

First Nations are not unified in their opposition to oil and gas extraction and infrastructure. Some also rely on the economic boost offered by the energy sector.

The tour, packed with 30 engagements, offers the Cambridges many chances to witness the impact of the fractured relationship with aboriginal people.

Their visit included a trip to Sheway, a programme assisting pregnant women struggling with addiction, many of whom are indigenous.

The royals also toured the Great Bear Rainforest, where indigenous community leaders gave statements on the need to protect the region's environment.

The couple are in Canada with their children Prince George, three, and Princess Charlotte, 16 months, for an eight-day tour of the province of British Columbia and the Yukon.

Like the Cambridges, the Queen and other members of the royal family regularly meet with First Nations on their Canadian visits.

The enduring and close relationship dates back to the Royal Proclamation of 1763, issued by King George III in the wake of the Seven Year War, which protected aboriginal land rights and cultural practices under then-British territory.

Many treaties were also concluded with the British Crown before Canada received legislative independence in 1931.

That long history has forged a unique bond between the monarchy and First Nations, of which there are over 600 across Canada. Indigenous Canadians make up some 4.3% of the population.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The remand decision against Surik Petrosyan and Mher Mazmanyan, who were charged over supporting the gunmen who seized the Police station on July 17, has been changed.

They have been released on signature bond taking into account that the necessity of keeping them in custody has been eliminated, press service of the Prosecution of Armenia informed Armenpress.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The legal procedures over the issues of the Armenian Genocide are brought to a new level, Chairman of the Board of the Armenian Legal Center for Justice & Human Rights (ALC) Kenneth Hachikian said, reports Armenpress.

The Armenian Legal Center for Justice & Human Rights is opened. It is a legal institute which will operate in the public interest and is dedicated to advancing sustainable solutions to the ongoing global, national, community, and individual costs and consequences of the Armenian Genocide.

Today, when Turkey denies religious and human rights to the indigenous Armenians of present-day Turkey and attempts to silence the Diaspora communities around the world, the lack of accountability for the Genocide continues to grossly impact the human rights of Armenians, Kenneth Hachikian said.

ALC Board member Kiro Manoyan said the Center will seek to coordinate the claims of victims of human rights abuses, identify potential claimants, investigate abuses, and gather the necessary evidence.

The works carried out by the Armenian National Committees are more of political nature. This center as a legal institute firstly collected the existing research, it will conduct new research as well to clarify what legal actions can be initiated. The works of the Center will be based on the examinations in order to see at what direction to move these legal acts, Kiro Manoyan said.

He said there are various lawsuits both in the US and other states. The Center will follow also that procedures. He said the studies done so far show that the international law is not so perfect when it comes to correcting the past injustices.

Currently we must concentrate on the courts of various states, including Turkey to see what can be initiated. There are precedents when Armenians have filed lawsuits in the Turkish courts and their right has been restored to some extent, Manoyan said.

The ALC looks forward to working in concert with all quarters of the worldwide Armenian community. Parallel to its international and national level legal activity, the Center will focus on justice-based solutions to the vast array of collective properties and other assets stolen or confiscated during the Genocide, including those involving churches, religious sites, foundations, schools, museums, artwork, artifacts, books, and other resources.

Kate Nahapetian, an attorney with experience litigating class actions, who has advocated for Armenian Americans in Washington, DC for over ten years, will be ALCs Executive Director. Ms. Nahapetian has worked previously for the Armenian National Committee of America, U.S. Department of Justice, then Senator Joseph Biden, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She received a J.D. with a focus on international and human rights law from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law, which was partly funded through the prestigious Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. ALC Board members are both from Armenia and the Armenian communities of Diaspora.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Russian President Vladimir Putin may visit Turkey in October, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, reports TASS.

"We do not rule out such possibility," he said. "When all the preparations are completed, we will make a relevant announcement," Peskov added.

Earlier on Wednesday, the President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey Rifat Hisarciklioglu said at a meeting with Russias First Deputy Minister of Economic Development Alexey Likhachyov that Turkish government was expecting the official visit by the Russian President to take place in the beginning of October.

"It is a great pleasure for us and we are looking forward to Russian President Vladimir Putins official visit to our country, anticipated for the beginning of October. We expect that during this visit, major projects such as the Turkish Stream and a decision on lifting some restrictions imposed on Turkish businessmen in Russia, will be discussed" Hisarciklioglu said.

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Over ambient sound came the disembodied voice of the Canberra musician Reuben Ingall. There are plain-clothed police officers patrolling every floor. Youll be watched on camera for the whole trip and Australian federal police officers are armed with SR16 semi-automatic assault rifles, he said. When you head through security, act as normal as possible. How does a normal person act? Be like that.'
Changes to how Joan of Arc and other touchstone historical figures are taught in elementary school, as well as changes to how French, Latin and Greek are introduced, have sparked fierce arguments between right-leaning politicians and intellectuals, who believe schools should foster national pride, and the Socialist education minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem and her defenders, who argue that the curriculum should reflect changes in society.
An Introduction to Doing Business in Singapore 2022 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in Singapore, compiled by the professionals at Dezan...
by Sumon Corraya

Syed Shamsul Haq, who died aged 81, was one of the countrys most prolific and brilliant writers. He had been suffering from lung cancer for some time. He was the youngest recipient of the Bangla Academy Award, Bangladeshs highest literary award. Christians remember him as "a teacher and guide."

Dhaka (AsiaNews)  The famous writer Syed Shamsul Haq died last night at age 81 at a hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, after a long bout with lung cancer.

Despite his illness, he continued to raise his voice against the countrys growing Islamic fundamentalism.

After the massacre of foreigners on 1 July at a Dhaka coffee shop that left 20 people dead, he told reporters in an interview, We achieved a Bangladesh by a bloody way for a secular country where Hindu, Christian, Buddhist and Muslim will live together, but some religious fundamentalists are trying to destroy this harmony. We wanted a fanaticism-free country.

Syed Shamsul Haq was loved and respected by everyone, regardless of religion. Some Christian writers expressed their deep grief to AsiaNews today.

One of them, Catholic novelist Khakon Corraya said, "He was our teacher, our guide. I learnt about writing style by reading his stories and novels. He could pick up peoples feelings in his writing. I am grateful to him. We are all pained. He will remain in our hearts forever. I pray for his soul."

Haq was born on 27 December 1935. He was one of the countrys greatest wordsmiths, a poet of undisputed talent.

In 1966, at age 31, he was the youngest recipient of the Bangla Academy Award, the countrys highest literary award. In 1984, he won the Ekushey Padak, the highest civilian award, and in 2000, he was honoured with the Independence Day Award.

In his long career as a writer, journalist, poet, essayist, and screenwriter, he also translated into Bengali some great classics of Western literature like William Shakespeares Macbeth, The Tempest and Troilus and Cressidra, as well as Peer Gynt by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and President Abdul Hamid sent messages of condolence.

The president said his death was an irreparable loss for Bangla literature. The strong writing of Syed Shamsul Haq, a soldier of pro-liberation forces, will show path to the nation forever, Mr Hamid said.

Shamsul Haqs body lay in state at the Central Shaheed Minar* in Dhaka with thousands flocking for a final farewell.

An Islamic funeral prayer (Salat al-Janazah) was performed in the mosque of the University of Dhaka. Afterwards, the body was taken by helicopter to his birthplace, the village of Kurigram, in northern Bangladesh, where the family will fulfill his last wish: to be buried at the local public university.

* The Shaheed Minar (Martyrs Monument) commemorates those killed during the Bengali Language Movement demonstrations.
The Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro and local authorities plan to work together on a programme to help prevent and treat drug abuse. Although the Church does not have the facilities for scientific rehabilitation, said Archbishop Ledesma, it can provide spiritual healing, adding we cannot solve a crime by committing another crime.

Cagayan de Oro (AsiaNews/CBCP)  The Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, southern Philippines, has joined local authorities to support a programme for the rehabilitation for addicts.

For Mgr Antonio Ledesma, the local archbishop, the Church can provide spiritual support even though it is not equipped for this sort of activity. At the same time, he condemned the summary executions of drug dealers and addicts since one crime cannot be countered by another.

The reference is to the "zero tolerance" policy against drug trafficking promised by President Duterte in the recent election campaign that has turned into a bloodbath for suspected criminals after his victory at the polls.

More than 3,000 people are known to have died. Some civil society groups say the number is twice as high. No investigations have been launched against police or vigilantes who often fire on unarmed people.

The national police chief has even urged addicts to set fire to the homes of drug lords, saying that they would have impunity. In his view, they are victims who should not be punished.

Archbishop Ledesma said the Coalition for a Drug-free Society was formed with the City of Cagayan de Oro, the Department of Health, and various civil society groups in order to raise awareness of the harm drugs cause and to rehabilitate those who use them.

The prelate said the coalitions advocacy has three main components, namely prevention, intervention, and community support. The Church can do its part in this area.

The Church will [take part in] the community support because we do not have the facilities for scientific rehabilitation, Mgr Ledesma explained.

In fact, we can give community support in terms of counseling, spiritual healing, and also making available our parish halls and educational centers.

Referring to the crackdown, the archbishop also noted that We cannot solve a crime by committing another crime.

Mgr Socrates Villegas, president of the Catholic Bishops' conference of the Philippines and archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop, also spoke out against this, appealing to the humanity of law enforcement in a prayer he made public in order to heal the wounds of society".

Other Catholic leaders spoke out in the matter as well, including Cardinal Tagle. Manilas archbishop said that the Church would open its facilities to drug users, inviting them to break free from drugs.

He also slammed drug dealers. For him, Selling illegal substances and pushing young people into the habit is another form of murder. You kill their dreams, minds and social and family relationships".

However, when dealing with offenders, "we must make an effort so that they can have a new life and stand again on their own two feet."
Beijing (AsiaNews) - The Sixth Plenum of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party will be held October 24 to 27 next. This was announced by Xinhua, the official press agency of the national government. The CCP plenum is top brass of the Party base and is considered one of the most important political events in China. Although held behind closed doors, several power battles have taken place on the sidelines of the meeting. The Sixth Plenum of this year, writes the Xinhua, will focus on two themes: the national law and party management.



Prime minister, Li Keqiang, was absent from the Politburo meeting that decided on the Plenum as he was returning from a trip to the United States, Canada and Cuba. According to some sources, quoted by the international press, this is a sign of the growing distance between the prime minister and the president Xi Jinping. The latter has decided to maintain "economic" charges and commercial planning required by his reforms, while in common practice these come under the prime ministers portfolio.



The "party management" should be focused on overcoming the traditional mold decided by the second president of China Deng Xiaoping. Alternating, the roles of power and exchange of charges between the various "souls" of the CCP are considered unnecessary by Xi, who intends to break another taboo by remaining in office for five years longer than usually expected for his office.

This years Plenum also falls at a time of major shifts at the top of the provinces and major cities, ahead of the XIX Party Congress scheduled for 2017. The most recent case is that of the dismissal of the head of the Tianjin Party , Huang Xingguo, accused of corruption in mid-September and replaced after only a few days by Li Hongzhong, until then "political leader" of the inland province of Hubei.



New appointments include the head of the Communist Party in Xinjiang, the turbulent northwestern autonomous region of China: Chen Quanguo, who took over from Zhang Chunxian, and is now vying to enter the Party Politburo, expanded the committee to 25 members. A promotion is also anticipated for Li Xiaopeng, son of former Prime Minister Li Peng also known as "the butcher of Tiananmen" for his role in the repression of the democratic movement of 1989. His son, governor of Shanxi today, is reportedly set to be appointed as Transport Minister at the next Congress.
by Nguyen Hung

Government authorises plant to dump effluent into Quyen River, which provides a livelihood to tens of thousands of people. For days, residents have demonstrated in a peaceful manner to stop the decision. Redemptorist Fr ang Huu Nam has taken thousands of families, Catholic and non-Catholics, to sign a petition against the plant.

Hanoi (AsiaNews)  Thousands of residents in Ky Anh district (Ha Tinh province) have been peacefully demonstrating against the government and its decision not to close a steel plant owned by the Formosa Plastics Group.

The plant has polluted coastal waters of Vietnams central provinces over several months. A few days ago, it received authorisation to dump effluent into the Quyen River, causing panic among local residents.

In April 70 tonnes of fish died because of pollution caused by the Taiwanese-owned plant, which released its waste into the sea. More than 200,000 people in the provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Hue have been affected.

The government has not compensated 40,000 fishermen affected nor the other thousands of people working in the fishing industry.

The Church and civil society groups have continued to criticise the government in Hanoi, which they blame for delaying the investigation, failing to protect the health of residents and cracking down with violence against peaceful protests.

The 20 km-long Quyen river runs through some villages in Ky Anh district. Tens of thousands of residents earn their living from the waterway, from fishing and farming, and wonder why the government has done what it has done.

By way of justification, the authorities said that the river water would be purified before it reaches the sea; however, health officials warn that this would not protect the health of those who live along the river.

On Monday, after the Sunday Mass, worshippers from Phu Yen parish marched to protest against this situation demanding an end to the pollution.

In Nghe An province, Fr ang Huu Nam, vicar of the parish of Phu Yen, led thousands of families, Catholic and non-Catholic, to the district courthouse. They signed a petition demanding transparency from the government.

"Vietnamese law does not allow mass petitions, said the Redemptorist priest. Everyone has to present their signature at the local government office."

Fr ang Huu Nam spent the last few days helping every family to fill out the papers. For now, 506 have signed.

Mgr Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet, archbishop emeritus of Hanoi, travelled to the province to show his support for the protesters.

"Upholding justice, he said, is everyones duty. It is also our duty to ensure the survival of the Vietnamese people."
by Giorgi Menabde

The two governments signed an agreement in record time that virtually eliminates duties and import and export tariffs and are preparing, again in record time, to enact it. Big benefits for the small Georgian export market, especially for the wine makers, and little risk of "invasion" by Chinese goods. Beijings aim is to garner Georgian support and block Russian access to routes of New Silk Road. Courtesy of the Jamestown Foundation.

Tbilisi (AsiaNews) - On September 13, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Georgian government and Minister of the Economy and Sustainable Development Dimitry Kumsishvili stated at a press conference that Tbilisi and Beijing had finalized a free trade agreement between their two countries. Chinas Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng plans to visit Tbilisi to sign a memorandum of understanding, Kumsishvili said. The agreement will be signed in December and come into force in the middle of 2017, he added. The deputy prime minister emphasized that Georgia concluded its free trade negotiations with China in record timeonly seven months. It took other countries from five to ten years, he declared (Civil Georgia, September 13).

The Georgian deputy prime minister noted that Beijing agreed to remove customs tariffs on 95.5 percent of all Georgian goods, including agricultural products, wine and mineral water. These exports will enter China completely tariff free without a significant transition period, within several months after the agreement is signed. This is another unprecedented move, since, with other countries, Beijing normally introduces a lengthy transition period, the Georgian official said (Civil Georgia, September 13).

Minister Kumsishvili especially highlighted wine as one of the main sources of export revenues for Georgia. In 2015, we sold 2.6 million bottles of wine on Chinas market. In 2016, the number will grow to 5 million bottles. This is despite the fact that our exporters pay a 40 percent customs duty. After the removal of such customs duties, Georgian wine will become one of the most competitive wines on the Chinese market, he declared (Bpi.ge, September 13).

It is noteworthy that in 2016, China became the second largest importer of Georgian wine, having overtaken Ukraine. Between January and August of this year, China imported 3,368,361 bottles of Georgian wine, while Ukraine purchased 3,042,192 bottles. Russia remains the largest importer of Georgian wine, with 14,664,610 bottles this year, as of August (Kvira.ge, September 13). Georgian authorities are hoping that after China lifts its customs barriers to Georgia, exports will increase even further, thus reducing the importance of the Russian market to Georgian winemakers. Then, Moscow will lose its ability to easily damage the Georgian winemaking industry in case of the resumption of a trade embargo, as happened in 20062012 (Agenda.ge, August 5).

At the same time, Georgian Minister of Agriculture Levan Davitashvili stressed that the free trade agreement with China also removes customs duties on Georgias mineral water, which could transform exports of this product to China into one of the countrys most important sources of revenue. So far, no country has removed customs duties on Georgian mineral water (Vestnik Kavkaza, September 14).

In 2014, Georgian signed a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) with the European Union. However, unlike the agreement with China, the DCFTA allows the EU to restrict many types of agricultural imports from Georgia, and it introduces stringent norms for Georgian produce. The agreement with China has no such restrictions, which makes it more comfortable for the Georgian exporters to Chinas market (Vestnik Kavkaza, September 14).

Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, in his turn, called the free trade agreement with China historic. The head of the Georgian government said, It is a great achievement that can positively affect the development of the Great Silk Road during the new era (On.ge, September 14). In referencing the Silk Road, Prime Minister Kvirikashvili was alluding to overland transportation links being constructed across the Eurasian landmass that will allow goods to travel from Chinas Pacific coast to Europe, via the Central Asian states. From Central Asia, one planned route envisions goods traveling via the Caspian Sea, Georgia, and Turkey to the EU, thus entirely bypassing Russia. The first train demonstrating the viability of this Great Silk Road transit corridor from Asia to Europe arrived in Tbilisi on December 13, 2015 (Apsny.ge, December 13, 2015).

The government in Tbilisi had meticulously assessed the risks of a free trade agreement with China for the Georgian economy and its domestic market. In 2015, the Georgian government asked an independent company, PMCG, to assess the consequences of the agreement with China. According to PMCG, after the free trade agreement is implemented, exports from Georgia to China will increase by 9 percent, while imports from this East Asian giant will grow by only 2 percent (Tabula.ge, July 24, 2015).

That conclusion became an important argument for the Georgian government to fight off alarmist warnings of some experts who said that removing customs duties on Chinese imports would destroy the Georgian market. In fact, according to the president of the New School of Economics, Paata Sheshelidze, Georgia already removed all customs duties on Chinese goods several years ago. Therefore, there will be no rapid increase in Chinese exports to Georgia. At the same time, Georgia will not only obtain access to the Chinese market, which is considered relatively liberal in the sense of its demands for agricultural products, but also Georgia will win access to the markets of Chinas neighborsSingapore, Thailand, Vietnam and so on, the expert argued (Authors interview, September 17).

During JanuaryAugust 2016, the entirety of Georgian exports comprised .312 billion. Exports to China reached 7.682 million. Even before the free trade agreement was signed, China nearly outpaced Russia as the second-largest trade partner of Georgia. Currently, Turkey remains the largest recipient of Georgian goods with 4.405 million of Georgian exports, with Russia in second place at 8.187 million (Geostat.ge, accessed September 21).

The newly signed free trade agreement notwithstanding, Chinese businesses are already among global leaders of investment into the Georgian economy. In 2015, China was the fourth-largest investor after Azerbaijan, the Netherlands and Luxemburg (Geostat.ge, accessed September 21). The Hualin Group is the biggest Chinese investor in Georgia. Hualin owns 90 percent of the Georgian bank Basisbank, which has operated since 1993. In 20132015 Hualin Group invested 0 million into the construction of a 65,000-square-meter International Economic Zone in Tbilisis Basisubani district (see EDM, March 25, 2015).

The rector of the Free University in Tbilisi, Vato Lezhava, told this author that the Georgia-China free trade agreement would further increase Chinese direct investments. This is logical, because, on its own, the Georgian market is too little for the enormous China; but Georgia might become a vehicle for Chinese manufacturers exports to the EU since Georgia signed a DCFTA with the latter, Lezhava noted (Authors interview, September 17). Thus China may help Georgia to more permanently diversify its economy away from its heavy reliance on Russia.
The recent decision grants the Italian marine, already in Italy for health reasons, the same conditions as Salvatore Girone who returned to Italy after four years.

New Delhi (AsiaNews)  The Indian Supreme Court ruled that Massimiliano Latorre can stay in Italy until the end of the international arbitration.

Latorre and Salvatore Girone are accused in connection of the homicide of two Indian fishermen off the coast of Kerala. He is already in Italy for medical reasons.

For Indias highest court, there is no reason to deny Latorre the same conditions previously agreed for Girone who returned to Italy after four years confinement.

The judges granted the request presented by Latorres lawyers, who stressed that the arbitration process could last until 2020.

The ruling imposes strict conditions on the Italian marine. He has to remain under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India, he has to report to an Italian police station every Wednesday, he cannot tamper with the evidence, and he cannot influence witnesses. If any of these conditions are breached, his furlough would be revoked.

For years, the case of has pitted Indian and Italian courts in a tug of war.

The affair broke out on 15 February 2012 when the marines from the San Marco Battalion operating as a security detail on Italian oil tanker MV Enrica Lexie opened fire on a fishing boat, thinking it was pirate vessel, killing Indian fishermen Valentine Jelastine and Ajesh Binki.

Although the affair might still be relevant for politicians, for the victims families it is a closed chapter.

When Girone was released on "humanitarian grounds", Dora Jelastine, the widow of one of the two fisherman, said, I am not opposed to their release and do not insist that they be condemned and punished.
After the announcement of the Indian prime minister, also Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan have decided not to participate. The 19th conference on regional cooperation was to be held in November, but postponement likely. Tension between Delhi and Islamabad, after weeks of mutual weeks accusations.

New Delhi (AsiaNews) - Pakistan is likely to remain increasingly isolated after the decision of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to boycott the SAARC summit (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), next November in Islamabad.

According to the prime minister, after separatist militant attacks in Kashmir which he believes orchestrated by Pakistan, the atmosphere "would not lead to a successful summit." Also yesterday the regional governments of Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan withdrew their participation.

The leaders of the Indian Church have launched a new appeal for peace through Faridabad Archbishop Msgr. Kuriakose Bharanikulangara, who called on the government and the radical groups to "abandon any quest for revenge."



The 19th SAARC meeting for cooperation among the South Asian countries was to be held in Islamabad, but many have already rumored that it will be postponed. For weeks, tensions have been high between Delhi and Islamabad on the Kashmir issue and alleged Pakistani interference in India's internal affairs.



The two countries have also harshly confronted each other in front of the delegates of the 71st United Nations General Assembly in New York, where Modi accused neighboring Pakistan of sponsoring international terrorism.



The situation seemed on the verge of falling when on 18 September, an armed militant group broke into Kashmir and killed 18 soldiers, at the Indian army base in Uri, before being "neutralized."

According to Msgr. Bharanikulangara any retaliatory action would only lead to "exacerbating the situation only leads to war with disastrous consequences for India."
by Joshua Lapide

He was 93 years of age. In his youth he was a "hawk". He was responsible for the supplies of arms to Israel from the USSR, France, the United States. He was the first proponent of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories. Twice prime minister, president for seven years. With Rabin and Arafat, he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994. He has participated as a "dove" at the meeting of prayer for peace in the Vatican in 2014. Gideon Levy: Peres was a man of "almost".

Tel Aviv (AsiaNews) - Shimon Peres, twice prime minister and once president of Israel, died last night at 3am (local time) at the age of 93. His death was announced by his son Chemi who described him a "one of the founding fathers of the State of Israel", who "worked tirelessly" for it.

Peres had been hospitalized two weeks ago for a brain hemorrhage and remained in a coma until yesterday when his condition worsened.



Peres is considered by many a man of peace in the world, but also a man of war. An Arab-Israeli MP, Basel Ghattas, of the United Arab List, posted on his Facebook profile that Peres "is covered in Palestinian blood", "from head to toe. Ghattas continued that he managed "to masquerade as a dove of peace to the point of obtaining the Nobel Prize." In fact, he "is directly responsible for crimes and war crimes against us", "one of the most ancient pillars, most critical, cruel, extremist of the Zionist colonialist project".



In 1934 he arrived in Israel (then Palestine under British Mandate) and lived in a kibbutz in Galilee where he also shaped his political consciousness in the socialism of the new settlers.



With the proclamation of the State of Israel in 1948 and the outbreak of war with the Arab countries, he was put in charge of the Haganah underground army. In this period Shimon Peres (he took this Hebrew name, leaving his original surname, Persky) cooperated with the founding fathers Ben Gurion and Yitzhak Rabin, being responsible for the procurement of weapons for the Israeli army, Tsahal. He negotiated contracts for the sale of weapons by the USSR, then France, then the United States. Thanks to the help of France the Israeli military nuclear program was born and the Dimona nuclear plant built, whose existence was never publicly admitted by Israel.



In the early 1970s Peres was considered a "hawk". He supported the operation in Entebbe (Uganda) for the release of Israeli hostages in the hands of Palestinian airplane hijackers; approved plans for Goush Emunim, which launched the first colonization of the Palestinian territories.



Despite a series of electoral defeats (in Israel he was known as the eternal loser"), he managed to twice be elected prime minister (1984-86; 1995-96), and over 50 years in public life, has held roles in charge of defense, foreign affairs and finance.



The brightest moment of his career was when he and Rabin, launched the dialogue with the Palestinians until the Oslo Accords (1993), which provided for the progressive autonomy for Palestinians until the proclamation of a State.



Thanks to this commitment, in 1994 along with Yasser Arafat and Rabin, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.



But in 1995 Rabin was killed by a fundamentalist Jew, while Israeli society began to slide toward more aggressive positions and further away from the Labour Party.



Amid these ups and downs Peres changed parties, to form an alliance with Ariel Sharon (leaders of the Lebanon invasion in 1982), approving the withdrawal from Gaza and achieving election to the presidency in 2007. At 84 years of age he was a respected figure, a " dove ", with pragmatic aspects, however unable to stop the drift of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.



He left the presidency in 2014 and the same year attended the ceremony of peace in the Vatican, with Pope Francis, Mahmoud Abbas, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.



Gideon Levy, a columnist for Haaretz, described him as a man of the "almost": almost a "dove", but unable to go against the warring majority; "Almost" a national hero; "Almost" a memorable statesman.



And this, while dialogue and peace with the Palestinians, which he supported until his dying breath, remain a distant dream.
The vicar general approves the choice of the Free Patriotic Movement leader to end stalemate over election of head of state. According to Msgr. Sayyah he "enjoys the support of the majority of Christians." The election of the president will favor to an agreement on a new electoral law. But possibility Franjieh remains open.

Beirut (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Maronite Patriarchate supports the election of Michel Aoun to the presidency of Lebanon, to end nearly two and a half years of stalemate and a half of political impasse that led to the charge holiday.

Msgr. Boulos Sayyah, vicar general of the Maronite Patriarchate and right hand man to Card. Bechara Rai, emphasizes that it is "quite normal" to promote the candidature of Aoun because he "enjoys the support of the majority of Christians."



Speaking to the Lebanese newspaper al-Joumhouria, the prelate said that the Maronite Patriarch would be satisfied if the choice should rest with the leader and founder of the Free Patriotic Movement.



Msgr. Sayyah noted : he latest political developments at the presidential level are promising after (ex-PM Saad) Hariri gave momentum to the file. Patriarch al-Rahi rejoices for the election of Aoun and he has echoed that several times.



The vicar general also pointed to support "the election of Aoun, but this does not mean that we prefer one candidate over another." The reference is to Suleiman Franjieh, a leader of the Marada Movement, also vying for the highest state chair.



Msgr. Sayyah reiterated several times that the patriarchy will support the president who will be elected. It is normal that Aoun becomes a president because he has the support of the majority of Christians, now that the Lebanese Forces back him too. "



"The election of a head of state - the bishop concludes - will also facilitate agreement on other outstanding issues, including a new electoral law."



In recent days, the issue was addressed the same Patriarch Rai, who recalled once more that the failure of the political class and leadership in electing the President of Lebanon opens its doors to the influence of foreign powers, who end up deciding on internal fate of the country.



Since May 2014, the end of Michel Suleimans mandate, the Land of the Cedars has been without a president. In recent months, the Free Patriotic Movement, Hezbollah and its allies have repeatedly boycotted the vote for the renewal of the office, by denying a quorum.

An open opposition between two rival fronts is to blame: March 8 (Hezbollah Shiites, close to Iran) and the March 14 block (headed by Saad Hariri and backed by Saudi Arabia).



The two main camps in the country are divided between supporting Franjieh Suleiman and Michel Aoun. So far they have failed to reach an agreement to unlock the situation.
Photo caption: 'No to Marcos, Never Again' (Philippine Canadian News.com photo)

By Ted Alcuitas,

Special to The Post

A small but determined group of Filipinos showed their opposition to the impending burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos remains at the countrys Heros Cemetery or Libingan ng mga Bayani.

The Vancouver rally at the World Trade Centre, is one of many similar rallies in San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Vancouver, New York, Guam and Saipan.

Marcos died in Hawaii on September 28, 1989 where he was in exile three years after being toppled in a People Power Revolution. His remains were allowed to be returned to the Philippines and has since been kept in a refrigerated crypt in his hometown of Batac,Ilocos Norte.

One of those who showed up at the rally was former Winnipegger, Marcelino Principe who stood up against Marcos more than 30 years ago at a protest rally in front of the Philippine Consulate offices in Winnipeg, Manitoba immediately following the assassination of Senator Benigno Ninoy Aquino on August 21, 1983.

Papaano si Marcos kalaban natin noong araw, sinundan ni Gloria Arroyongayong si Duterte. Hindi maganda..lalong lalo na ang mga bata pinapatay. May pagasa naman sana marehab gaya nang ginagawa sa ibang bansa he said when asked why he was still around. (Because Marcos was our enemy before, then Arroyo and now Duterte. Its not good what he is doing..killing even children. They could still be rehabilatated just like what is done in other countries).

Bing Orense of the Committee for Domestic Workers and Caregivers Right (CDWCR) said she was not afraid to be in the rally. Bakit aka matatakot, may freedom of expression naman tayo dito.

Another protestor, Rose Mendoza, said she was on her way to the consulate offices and saw the rally and joined in.

I believe in what theyre doing, she said.

Burying Ferdinand E.maros alongside our nations heroes who fought for our freedom is an affront to the thousands of lives tortured and murdered during his reign,  says the open letter to Presient Duterte distributed at the rally.

Treenee Lopez, Chair and Founder of Global Pinoy Diaspora Canada who organized the rally, said the letter will be handed to the Philippine Consulate.

Among the protesters was the couple Lenore and Jose Didi Lim of New York, formerly Vancouver residents but now divides their time between the two cities.

Didi was the leading voice of the anti-Marcos movement in Vancouver in the 80s.

Extended

Yesterday (Sept. 7) the Philippine Supreme Court extended until Oct. 18 its order temporarily stopping the burial of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City that was supposedly set on Sept. 18.

SC spokesman Theodore Te announced at the conclusion of the two-session oral arguments on petitions against the Marcos burial by martial law victims that the status quo ante order, which was supposed to expire on Monday, was extended to allow the justices to resolve the case on merits.

The high tribunal initially issued the order last Aug. 23, effective for 20 days, to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Ricardo Visaya as the military had started preparations for the burial.

This piece was originally appeared in Philippine Canadian News (www.philippinecanadiannews.com).

See http://www.philippinecanadiannews.com/canada/vancouver-joins-protest-against-marcos-burial/
CNN Says It Takes More Training To Be A Barber Than A Cop

Trending News: Does It Really Take More Training To Be A Barber Than A Cop?

Why Is This Important?

Because training is a tentpole subject as we apply more scrutiny to police shootings.

Long Story Short

While covering the recent protests in Charlotte, NC, CNN interviewed a man who said he had to go through more training to become a barber than a cop. CNN decided to look into the claim and found out that, in many states, the man was right.

Long Story

According to CNN, it takes many more hours of training to be become a licensed barber in North Carolina than it does to become a police officer. Like, almost 1,000 more hours. The states minimum police training requirement is 620 hours to become a cop. But would-be barbers have to work 1,528 hours before they get their license.

Thats just one example the news organization found of jobs that dont require workers to carry firearms and interact with societys most dangerous, unhinged and often armed elements.

Here are some other comparisons:

 In California, the state minimum is 664 hours to become a cop. To become a licensed cosmetologist, you need 1,600 hours of training, because cosmetology is demanding.

 Cops in Florida have to go through 770 hours of training before they can strap on the gun and the badge. Interior designers need 1,760 hours before they can match drapes and carpets.

 In Massachusetts, an officer needs 900 hours of training. A fridge tech needs 1,000.

 You need 594 hours of training if you want to be a cop in Michigan, but a whopping 4,000 hours if you want to work on electrical signs.

 And in Louisiana, which has one of the lowest minimum training requirements in the country, you only need 360 hours training to become a police officer. But you need 500 to become a manicurist.

CNN notes that many individual forces have their own requirements that may exceed the states minimum.

Look, we all know that being a cop is one of the hardest, often most thankless jobs out there. But its a critically important one, and cops operate under conditions that would reduce most of us to quivering puddles of anxiety. But as more and more questions are being raised about how cops are being trained, now is not a bad time to ask whether potential officers are getting log the hours they need before they report for their first shift.

Own The Conversation

Ask The Big Question

Does police training in the US need to change?

Disrupt Your Feed

The fact that policing is such a tough, dangerous job just underscores how insufficient these training minimums are.

Drop This Fact

According to the Washington Post, 715 people have been shot and killed by police in 2016.
Coca-Cola South Pacific launches Glaceau Fruitdropwater





Coca-Cola South Pacific has launched a new Glaceau branded water exclusively for the Australian market.

Glaceau Fruitdropwater is a low-kilojoule flavoured sparkling spring water available in three flavour options  raspberry apple, pomegranate pear and cranberry lime.

The new Glaceau drink comes only a few months after Coca-Cola South Pacific first made Glaceau Smartwater available in Australia.

Glaceau Fruitdropwater contains a 4 per cent mixture of fruit juice, sugar and natural flavour. The beverage is aimed at health conscious females aged 30 and above. Its launch will be supported by a media campaign with a strong out-of-home presence along with in store promotion.

Gloria Young, Brand Manager of Glaceau, said the fruitdrop beverage is an exciting new product specifically designed for an Australian audience.

Research tells us that female water drinkers look for refreshing alternatives when it comes to their drinking repertoire and we have found low kilojoule products resonate well with this audience, she said.

Glaceau fruitdropwater was designed with this in mind and we are confident it will be well received with the aim of driving category growth.

Glaceau Fruitdropwater will be sold in 500ml and 1.25 litre varieties available from IGA and 7-Eleven stores.
FoodLegal announces Food Import/Export Symposium





FoodLegal has announced its latest symposium, Food Import/Exports  Promises and Pitfalls.

The symposium, to be held in Sydney on Tuesday 22 November 2016, will cover a number of importing and exporting topics presented by food industry leaders.

Amongst the speakers is Sara Cheng, Senior Manager of the China Practice at Australian Business Solution Group. Sara is a China food expert who has assisted in excess of 300 Australian businesses manage their China business arrangements. Her topic is How to succeed as an Australian exporter of food products: Success stories and lessons learnt.

Other speakers include:

Rod Arenas  Food Innovation Australia, and Federal Department of Industry Innovation and Science Senior Market Development Manager. Topic: E-commerce and selling online foods from Australia into other countries

 Food Innovation Australia, and Federal Department of Industry Innovation and Science Senior Market Development Manager. Topic: E-commerce and selling online foods from Australia into other countries Sally Phillips  Austrade Strategic Engagement Manager of Australias Free Trade Agreement Program. Topic: Opportunities in the food sector created by Australias Free Trade Agreements with Korea, Japan and China

 Austrade Strategic Engagement Manager of Australias Free Trade Agreement Program. Topic: Opportunities in the food sector created by Australias Free Trade Agreements with Korea, Japan and China Stuart Grant  Department of Agriculture and Water Resources Assistant Director of the Imported Foods Section. Topic: Import Controls, latest developments and possible regulatory changes

 Department of Agriculture and Water Resources Assistant Director of the Imported Foods Section. Topic: Import Controls, latest developments and possible regulatory changes Margaret Balfour  Integrity Compliance Solutions, Food Auditors for major retailers and food groups in Asia and Australia Managing Director. Topic: Importance of Supply Chain Integrity for Australian Imports and Exports in Asia, avoiding the risks of food contamination and food fraud

 Integrity Compliance Solutions, Food Auditors for major retailers and food groups in Asia and Australia Managing Director. Topic: Importance of Supply Chain Integrity for Australian Imports and Exports in Asia, avoiding the risks of food contamination and food fraud Marcel Sieira  GS1 Australia Head of Customer Engagement and Business Development. Topic: New database portal technology to facilitate international trade for Australian companies

 GS1 Australia Head of Customer Engagement and Business Development. Topic: New database portal technology to facilitate international trade for Australian companies Robert Crabtree  Kognition (Australian Imports and Customs Regulatory Compliance Consultants Director. Topic: Tariff classification imports and exports and the supposed global harmonised system

 Kognition (Australian Imports and Customs Regulatory Compliance Consultants Director. Topic: Tariff classification imports and exports and the supposed global harmonised system Charles Fisher FoodLegal Principal Topic: New food compliance channels and other regulatory opportunities for food imports in Australia

Early bird tickets for $495 AUD including GST are available now until 14 October 2016. Morning tea and lunch will be provided during the symposium which will run from 9am  3:30pm.

Limited seats are available, pre-bookings are required. Click HERE to purchase tickets.
Funding cuts amid an expected rise of requests for assistance and increasing case resolution lengths has pushed Western Australias Legal Aid into crisis, the Legal Aid board has warned.According to The West Australian, the legal aid board outlined problems of the system in its 2016 annual report.In the report, Legal Aid board chairman Stuart Shepherd noted that the expected decrease in funding meant that representation for traffic matters is unlikely to be restored in the future.The category was excluded from matters that people can request assistance from legal aid for in the hopes of reducing the burden on the system, but since the change, demand for services has fallen just over a percent, the report noted.Shepherd also highlighted that it is expected that Legal Aid faces a major strategic challenge as funding decreases and arrests for serious crime is expected to keep increasing.Meanwhile, Legal Aid WA director George Mitchell said that legal aid is being overwhelmed because aside from dealing with funding cuts, community legal centres are also being funded less which increases need for Legal Aid.More people will present to Legal Aid WA for assistance, or choose not to resolve their legal problem. Either outcome is problematic, Mitchell said in the report.The publication also noted that case resolution in Western Australia courts are increasing in length with the Attorney-Generals latest annual report indicating time-to-trial in criminal cases before the Supreme Court was 36 weeks or eight weeks over the 2015-16 target.A senior judge recently noted that delays in criminal cases being handled by District Courts are unlikely to ease until the next half of 2017 West Australias Legal Aid crisis is not an isolated case, however, with other programs in other states facing the same problems.This has prompted the Australian Bar Association to recently suggest augmenting legal assistance funds from sin levies on the alcohol and gambling industries We know Australias legal assistance services such as legal aid and community legal centres throughout the country are in crisis and everyday Australians are being denied access to justice as a result, said ABA President Patrick OSullivan QC.OSullivan said, however, that the Bar Association also knows that governments are working with increasingly strained resources.Saying theyre not encouraging less funding, the organisation said that other sources of funding should be considered.The issue of legal aid funding cuts were also recently highlighted because of the Northern Territory youth justice scandal.
A lawyer is the suspected gunman who injured at least nine people in Houston, Texas before being shot dead by police.Although authorities have yet to officially name the suspect, media sources report that he was a local lawyer Nathan DeSai, whose black Porsche was searched by police following the incident.ABC13 News reports that the lawyers behaviour was said by his landlord to have become increasingly erratic in recent months and Reuters says that the law firm that he had started with a partner closed six months ago. He was believed to be working from his apartment since then.The shooting, which took place from the Porsche, involved two guns and 2,600 rounds of ammunition. The suspect was wearing a military uniform emblazoned with a swastika.Haig Oghigian F.C.IArb. has been hired by Squire Patton Boggs to lead its international arbitration team in Tokyo, joining from K&L Gates where he headed its Tokyo disputes practice.The firm says that Oghigians expertise in the arbitration field will help with the increasing emphasis on Asia in arbitration matters and will assist with the firms drive to grow its practice in the region.Highly-regarded taxation lawyer Mark Payne has joined Corrs Chambers Westgarth as a partner in Sydney. He was previously at HWL Ebsworth and is a former director with Goldman Sachs JBWere.Paynes practice includes extensive experience of providing strategic and solution-based tax advice to domestic and multinational businesses and private groups in a variety of industries.Hogan Lovells has launched a new portal to enable clients keep up with cybersecurity laws across multiple jurisdictions. The dedicated website called Ready Set Respond includes a diagnostic tool enabling clients to assess their preparedness for a cyber attack.
Australia has lost its attempt to quash Timor-Lestes maritime boundary complaint after the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) announced it was competent to handle the conciliation and that the matter will proceed.In a decision made on Monday, 19 September but published only this week , the ad hoc Commission under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) said that it is competent with respect to the compulsory conciliation set out in Timor-Lestes request.There are no issues of admissibility or comity that preclude the Commission from continuing these proceedings, the decision read.Last month, Timor-Leste urged the commission to mediate the dispute claiming bilateral negotiations have been futile.Australia maintained that the Commission had no jurisdiction because it had signed a treaty with its neighbours government barring any court recourse. It also refuses to negotiate a permanent border until 2056 at the earliest.The arbitration could decide which territory covers large oil and gas deposits estimated to be worth $40b.Just as we fought so hard and suffered so much for our independence, Timor-Leste will not rest until we have our sovereign rights over both land and sea, Xanana Gusmao, the countrys former prime minister, said in a statement after the PCAs decision.Australia accepts the commission's decision and will continue to engage in good faith as we move to the next phase of the conciliation process, Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said.We are committed to working together to strengthen our relationship and overcome our differences in the Timor sea, she added.In 12 months, the Commission will report any agreements reach and, failing agreement, its conclusions on all questions of fact or law relevant to the matter in dispute including recommendations which may be appropriate for an amicable settlement.The report will be coursed through the UN Secretary-General and transmitted to the parties in dispute.
Working holiday makers in Australia will start paying tax on their earnings from January 2017, but at a lower rate than originally planned, it has been confirmed.The Australian Government's announcement of tax for those in the country with a working holiday makers visa was dubbed 'the backpacker' tax and met with a barrage of criticism from employers and tourism operators and officials. The policy to make backpackers pay tax of 32.5% was criticised by all kinds of groups. They said it would put off young people from coming to Australia as the level was too high. In particular employers in the agricultural industry said it would leave them short staffed over the vital harvest season as backpackers would choose other countries with lower tax levels.Now the Government has backed down and said that the tax will still be introduced, but a much lower level of 19%. However, there will be no tax free threshold so they will pay tax on everything they earn.Treasurer Scott Morrison confirmed that the tax will be introduced from 01 January 2017 and he also said that the age limit for working holiday visas will be increased from 30 to 35. The Government will also take 95 cents from every dollar of superannuation earned by a foreign working holiday maker.'The Government recognises that working holiday makers are an important part of Australia's $43.4 billion tourism industry and a key source of labour, particularly in the agriculture, horticulture, tourism and hospitality sectors,' said Morrison.'We also recognise, as do stakeholders, that working holiday makers should pay fair tax on their earnings,' he added.So from January working holiday makers will pay tax of 19% on earnings up to $37,000, rather than the 32.5% announced in the 2015/2016 Budget, with ordinary marginal tax rates applying after that.The Government will also reduce the application charge for working holiday maker visas by $50 to $390. Morrison said that these changes will lower the cost of coming to Australia for working holiday makers and leave them with more money in their pockets to spend while in the country.'We will also seek to boost the arrivals of working holiday makers, which have been in decline since 2012 as a consequence of factors including exchange rate variations and changed economic conditions in source countries. We will introduce more flexible arrangements to benefit working holiday makers and industry,' Morrison explained.That will mean that an employer with premises in different regions will be able to employ a working holiday maker for 12 months, with the WHM working up to six months in each region.Morrison has also asked Tourism Australia to promote Australia to potential working holiday makers through a $10 million global youth targeted advertising campaign.Also, to generate more accurate data and boost integrity of the scheme by preventing exploitation of working holiday makers, their employers will be required to undertake a one off registration with the Australian Taxation Office [ATO]. 'This simple and easy registration process will help provide valuable data on the employment of working holiday makers. Employers who do not register will be required to withhold tax at the 32.5% rate,' Morrison added.He confirmed that the Government will increase the tax on working holiday makers' superannuation payments when they leave Australia to 95%. 'This is consistent with the objective of superannuation, which is to support Australians in their retirement, not to provide additional funds for working holiday makers when they leave Australia. There will also be a one off increase to the Passenger Movement Charge of $5 from 01 July 2017,' Morrison said.However, the agricultural industry says there has already been a drop off in backpackers who did not know what was going to happen from the start of 2017. According to Tania Chapman, a citrus farmer in Victoria and chairwoman of lobby group Voice of Horticulture, the reputation of Australia as a backpacker destination has already been damaged.'We have got such bad publicity out there at the moment about this backpacker tax, a lesser rate would have maybe made it more attractive to people who have already booked their flights to New Zealand or to Canada,' she said.AusVeg, the national body representing vegetable growers which campaigned against the tax, welcomed the news but is also concerned about the damage already done, especially for harvest times in early 2017.'The decision to reduce the tax rate from 32.5% is a welcome relief for our industry and we are pleased to see a tax more in line with the rate that backpackers pay in New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom,' said chief executive officer Simon Bolles.'It remains to be seen what impact the revised tax rate will have on the number of backpackers coming to Australia, but we are thankful to the government for coming to a compromise position significantly lower than what was initially proposed. We will monitor backpacker numbers under the revised rate to see if backpacker numbers falter and whether further intervention is required,' he added.
I think most people now are advised to wait until they are requested to undergo their medicals. Just because the processing times are so long that you would hate to do it once and then wait and wait and find out you've got to do it all over again.
The new SWM SuperDual has more than just a passing resemblance to the 2012 Husqvarna TE630.

Underneath the new bodywork is the same water-cooled and fuel-injected 600cc DOHC single pumping out roughly 50 horsepower, with a wide-ratio 6-speed to match  the same motor to be used in the new AJP PR7. The SWM SuperDual runs on Marzochi front forks and Sachs rear shock, providing 8.3 inches (210mm) of suspension travel in the front and 10.6 inches (270 mm) in the rear.

SWM has confirmed that the SuperDual will first become available in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, then in the second half of 2016 it will arrive in the USA.
HP

As we explained time and time again, the third-gen Discovery is a unibody due to the Land Rover PLA platform. Shared with the Range Rover Sport, the Premium Lightweight Architecture isnt just lighter than the ladder-frame chassis of the Discovery 3 and 4 . It also translates to better handling.Under the hood, the next-generation four-wheel-drive system of the Discovery 5 will be aided by an automatic transmission from ZF and an engine lineup that will include four- and six-cylinder units. A 2.0-liter Ingenium turbo diesel will be the starting point, churning out a meaty 240 PS (237).As reported by CarAdvice , the adjacent pics are, in fact, stills from a video that was temporarily live on the Land Rover Australia website. From a design standpoint, the Discovery is heavily inspired by the Discovery Sport . But as compared to its brother, the Discovery doesnt have a pedestrian airbag.Slated to take on the likes of the brilliant Volvo XC90 and the slightly uninspiring Acura MDX, the third-gen Discovery will probably arrive in the U.S. for the model year 2018. Creature comforts will include as many as nine USB ports, Intelligent Seat Technology, and up to seven seats. Despite it going soft, the Discovery will definitely hold its own off the beaten path.Other than the jacked-up ride height, adjustable air suspension, and intelligent four-wheel-drive system, rumors suggest that a laser system will scan the terrain in front of the car, then adjust the Discovery's suspension, transmission, and 4x4 system accordingly. Another addition is rumored to come in the form of a projecting system that gives the impression of a transparent hood, thus helping the driver see whats beneath the car.
Presented at the prestigious Monaco Yacht Show, the so-called Aston Martin AM37 is more than meets the eye. Co-developed by Quintessence Yachts and penned by naval architect Mulder Design and Aston Martins design team, the AM37 is a 37-foot (11.27-meter) long day-cruiser with adequate firepower.The AM37 is available in two configurations: two Mercury-developed diesel engines with 370 horsepower on tap or two Mercury engines that run on high-octane jungle juice and put out 430 horsepower a pop. For those who want to crack the magical figure of 1,000 horsepower, the AM37S boasts twin Mercury units with 520 horsepower each. In the latters case, the maximum velocity is rated at 50 knots, translating roughly 57.5 mph or 92.6 km/h).From a visual standpoint, Aston Martin highlights that its all-new powerboat came to life thanks to experienced craftsmen who worked on million-dollar machines such as the One-77 hypercar and Vulcan track monster . And from the looks of it, AM37 and the more powerful AM37S perfectly reinterpret the core values of the British car manufacturer: power, beauty, and soul.Katia Bassi, the vice president of Aston Martin Lagonda and managing director of AM Brands, commented: We are so proud to present the AM37, an exclusive powerboat for the yachting world. With this project Aston Martin, the icon of style and technological innovation, confirms its place as a top luxury brand. The Aston Martin Art of Living is a way of life that captures the very essence of the Aston Martin brand, and AM37 is a fine example of this philosophy." Unfortunately, there's no word on pricing, sorry.
Twitter user Willenski (@ericdub) has a rather interesting story to tell. His motorcycle got stolen just recently, but he managed to recover it in the same day thanks to two strangers that offered to help him out.There are few things in life worse than gearing up in the morning, heading up to the place you parked your motorcycle only to discover it has been stolen. The same thing happened to Willenski just the other day, but luckily the was able to track down his machine and eventually take it back.As soon as he discovered his bike missing, he filed a police report and sorted out the first steps with the insurance company to get his compensation. Later that day, he got a random call from a dude claiming to be from the LoJack Corp. ( a company specialized in tracking down stolen vehicles) and claiming that the stolen bike is somewhere in a warehouse park in Maspeth.It seemed sketchy, considering he didnt install a LoJack monitoring system on his bike, but after a couple calls, he realized the guy on the phone was legit, and the first owner of the bike had in fact installed such a system.So, our guy gets a cab and heads down the warehouse park and actually sees his bike and some dudes around. Not exactly professional thieves, but some low-life scums that took it for a joyride.At the sight of the scene, the cab driver, an older but very streetwise Muslim man, said he would help the man get his bike back. Of course, they first called the police several times, but no patrol car showed up in an hour and a half, so they had to take the matter into their own hands.They thieves saw them from the beginning but didnt have anything else to do but take off the hotwire harness from the bike and leave the area, scared by the thought that the owner called the police.The two approached the bike but couldnt start it. Thats when the LoJack man made his entry with a van. Willenski said he looked almost exactly like Mike Ehrmantraut of Breaking Bad.All three decided its no use to wait for the cops anymore so decide to load the bike in the van and go home. Before leaving, the police finally arrived in a stereotypical cops-arrive-last-at-the-scene Hollywood scenario.The three explained the law forces what happened, and all went home, with Willenski promising he will take care of the two samaritans soon for their cooperation.You can find the full story here on Twitter.
Sure, there are tons of ways in which such comparisons can be carried out, but, if we are to chose the most differentiated models, the LP610-4 Spyder and the LP580-2 Coupe are the obvious choices.Auto Express has recently pitted the two against each other and we're here to talk about one particular aspect of the battle, which has to do with the aural side of the Sant'Agata Bolognese The said test involves a part where the Lambos' voices are recorded and the conclusion is surprising - the 580 is louder than the Spyder.The British journos measured the dB fest delivered by the pair of supercars at full throttle, in both second and fifth gear. The differences are the kind that only appeals to pedants, but still, they're real. For instance, the second gear adventure saw the rear-wheel-drive coupe delivering 109 decibels, while the Spyder produced 108 decibels.This comes as a bit of a surprise, since we're used to open-top models that are slightly louder than their fixed-roof counterparts, all in the name of augmenting the wind-in-your-hair moments.Plus or minus a few decibels, the Huracan is one of the best-sounding supercars you can currently buy in a showroom and there are two reasons for this. First of all, Lamborghini remains the only major supercar builder that's 100 percent committed to natural aspiration.Secondly, the specific tune of the Huracan exhaust means that the full sprinting soundtrack and what happens when you take your foot off the gas are two similarly enjoyable audio adventures.Italian engineers have tweaked the exhaust in a way that makes the engine overrun phase seem like a machine gun episode, as we found out during our Huracan LP610-4 review
Photo courtesy of Ford.

Ford Motor Co. is recalling 64,038 2013- to 2017-model year Ford Focus and Ford Focus RS vehicles with manual transmissions and rear hatchbacks, so dealers in the U.S. can update the hatchback interior release software, the automaker said.

In these vehicles, the rear hatchback can be unlocked and unlatched with a single press of the interior latch release when the vehicle is traveling under 4 mph. The latch release button is located on the left side of the steering column. Federal safety standards require two separate actions to unlock the door and operate the interior latch release control mechanism.

Ford, however, said it isnt aware of any accidents or injuries associated with this issue. This is a safety compliance recall.

The affected vehicles with manual transmissions include 2013-17 Ford Focus vehicles built at Michigan Assembly Plant from Feb. 12, 2012, to Aug. 26, 2016 as well as 2016-17 Ford Focus RS vehicles built at Saarlouis Assembly Plant from Aug. 3, 2015, to Aug. 26, 2016.

In addition to the 64,038 vehicles recalled in the U.S., another 9,877 will be recalled in Canada.

Dealers will reprogram the body control module with updated software at no cost to the vehicle owner.
Everyone wears fine suits in Washington, even in 80% humidity and faulty air conditioning, and they stride everywhere with purpose, and theyre all so engaging and very smart. Walking past the Supreme Court from the Cannon House building to the Hart, onto our next round of meetings alongside a hundred similar groups, I chafed at the notion that our political system is broken. Id say our system works quite well, thank you.



Of course, this was my first time participating in the American Car Rental Associations (ACRA) day of meetings on Capitol Hill with members of both the House and Senate and their staffers. Perhaps after a few more of these days, Id get just a bit jaded. But as an American  participating in the very process we learn about in school  its hard not to be in awe and a little bit humbled.



We had 32 participants split into five groups. Our purpose was to, as ACRAs lobbyist Greg Scott puts it, Build relationships and make friends before you need them. We were plain folks looking to convey how certain issues would affect our business lives. We learned. We made our points. It was a successful day.



And they listened. Certainly, its their job to listen, but they made a point to express the importance of this forum. I give you my card for a reason, said Nancy Pelosis tax adviser. We dont like to vote with our eyes closed.



You have to let us know the specifics on these issues, U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) said. Orrin Hatchs adviser echoed these points. We have limited bandwidth. Its useful to talk to you, he said.

Our talking points on this day centered on peer-to-peer issues, car rental excise taxes, and like-kind exchanges (LKE).



Our delegation visited the offices of U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah). Chaffetz explained the importance of face-to-face interaction to understand the issues. He said peer-to-peer issues would likely be taken up by the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

Regarding peer-to-peer, I felt like we were treading new ground in terms of education on the model itself, which would set the stage for later policy decisions regarding an even playing field regarding regulation for all players.



We explained the undue burden that excise taxes place on car rental customers and how Congress has the right to regulate excise taxes as interstate commerce. We looked to gain momentum and more co-sponsors on bipartisan legislation in both the House and Senate.



Discussions on LKE  at least the ones in our group  took on greater detail.



There is no eminent legislation affecting LKE, which allows companies to swap an investment asset (i.e. a rental car) with another and defer the tax on the proceeds until the property is sold for cash. However, LKE is becoming part of the larger conversation on tax reform, which started with the 2014 Camp Tax Reform Act that purported to make the tax code simpler and lower the corporate tax rate to 25%.



The plan was dead on arrival, as Paul Ryans policy adviser put it, but it got the conversation started.

In getting to a 25% corporate rate, a lot of tax provisions that benefit a limited number of taxpayers (or loopholes in the minds of some reformers) would be on the table. While we see LKE not as a loophole but as an engine for business reinvestment, it still has a dollar sign attached to it when trying to balance a budget. Ive been in rooms late at night when youre trying to pay for something and everything is on the menu, said Pelosis adviser.



Our counter was to look at LKE through dynamic scoring, not static. While getting rid of LKE may trim $48 billion on the way to compensate for lowering the corporate tax rate, we believe it would also have a more sizable negative impact on GDP  potentially 3% to 4%  because it would restrain a companys cash flow and its ability to reinvest in the business.



Within this argument, we made sure to state that the car rental industry buys 1.2 million cars a year, or 1 in every 10 sold. We brought up a study by Avis Budget Group on how a repeal of LKE would essentially prevent it from investing in new fleet moving forward. These statements reached their targets in a few conference rooms. However, the real impact came twofold: First, Sharky Laguana, owner of van renter Bandago, explained how his small company (and thousands like him) wouldnt benefit from a 25% corporate tax rate anyway.



Then K.C. Baack, a member of the Budget Atlanta franchise, chimed in. He said that after the company owners bought the franchise, they were able to grow the fleet by close to four times in just a few years. We simply could not have done that without the benefit of LKE, Baack said.



These statements, delivered in person by constituents running small businesses, magnify the power of the Avis study tenfold. This is the democratic process. This is why we do this. We (lobbyists) are not the important ones in these situations, Scott told us in between meetings. You are.

Originally posted on Business Fleet
Last week, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk promised that his plan to colonize Mars would be, if nothing else, entertaining. The man has a flair for understatement.

As our news story reports today, Musk unveiled his Mars ambitions at the Astronautical Congress meeting in Guadalajara, Mexico. Ambitious hardly does it justice for if anyone other than Musk had announced this plan, they would likely have been removed in a straightjacket.

Musk thinks earthlings need to be a multi-planetary species because sooner or later, well trash the home world beyond redemption or some natural calamity will do it for us. If youve read Jared Diamonds Collapse, youll get the picture. Whats startling about Musks proposal is that hes not thinking about, oh, say, a century from now, but closer to next week. He wants to start sending humans to Mars in about 10 years.

Ultimately, he envisions massive booster systemsreusable, of coursecarrying 100 to 200 people on Martian journeys for a cost of about $200,000 or about what Virgin Galactic proposes to charge passengers for a short sub-orbital lob. If that doesnt send your eyes into gimbal lock, this will: He imagines an entire Martian economy composed of millions of inhabitants, sustained by a regular shuttle service from Earth.

The urge to lampoon this as a dingbat project is almost irresistible, but Ill restrain myself. Rare is the visionary who hasnt been seen as a crackpot at some point. I do have one overarching question: What propels it? The great explorations of the past have generally been animated for three reasons, or a combination: attempts to expand commercial markets beyond the horizon, political and military expansionism and, occasionally, pure science. The Apollo program put bootprints in the moons regolith as a version of political expansionism. It was a PR race with the Soviets. When the race was won, Apollo dried up like a plum in the desert. The U.S. space program never really recovered.

SpaceXs remarkable success as an upstart launch provider has been driven by commercial imperatives, mainly the commercial satellite market and ISS contract business from NASA. At its peak in 1966, NASAs budget was 4.4 percent of the total federal budget. Now it struggles to remain at 0.5 percent, the point being theres not much money there and certainly not enough to fund a Mars program that envisions colonization.

Musk said as much in Guadalajara and was vague about where the money will come from. If Mars has commercially viable resources to exploit, its not clear to me they would return on the staggering investment it would take to just get there, much less establish vibrant, sustainable industry. Or are we talking about an interplanetary Club Med here? Remember Elton Johns Rocket Man? Mars aint the kind of place to raise your kid. In fact, its cold as hell.

If a Mars project is pitched as a sort of celestial lifeboat, a place to run when the Earth is totally spent, well good luck with that. The Earths current population cant even make meaningful agreements about the real environmental threats it faces. Planning far enough ahead and spending vast resources for a contingency is not our forte.

So, maybe Musk will figure this out. But the more interesting question is this: If that $200,000 flight to Mars were available, would you buy a seat? I put up a rare midweek poll so you can tell us what you think.

The foregoing is opinion and commentary based on disclosed facts.AVwebwelcomes other points of view, including guest blogs.
The National Assembly began on Wednesday a final debate on Armenias controversial Tax Code which has been amended by the government after being strongly criticized by opposition lawmakers and business associations.

The government-drafted code passed by the parliament in the first reading in June will replace all other Armenian tax laws. It is supposed to streamline taxation procedures and complicate tax evasion in the country.

The initial version of the nearly 800-page legislation called for higher taxes on fuel, alcohol and tobacco and a lower income ceiling for small businesses paying a single turnover tax.

These provisions were criticized not only by opposition but also some pro-government lawmakers. Several Armenian business associations added their voice to the criticism, saying that higher taxes would seriously hurt many businesses.

By contrast, the International Monetary Fund defended the new tax rates sought by the government.

Nevertheless, the government amended the code later in the summer in an effort to address concerns voiced by the opposition and business leaders. Eduard Sharmazanov, a deputy parliament speaker affiliated with the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, hailed the changes as tremendous and fundamental.

This is the result of joint efforts by all of us as well as the business community and non-governmental organizations, Sharmazanov said during Mondays debate on the parliament floor.

The proposed amendments to the draft code failed to satisfy the parliamentary opposition, however. One of the opposition deputies, Khachatur Kokobelian, said the government simply turned the code from worst to bad.

Another opposition lawmaker, Hrant Bagratian, accused the government of neglecting key opposition proposals. I am deeply convinced that for countries at our level of development with GDP per capita of $3,000-$4,000, the average corporate profit and personal income tax rates must be the same, said the former prime minister.

Another parliamentarian, Tevan Poghosian, demanded government guarantees that Armenias tax legislation will not undergo major changes for the next 10 years. He said such stability is essential for Armenian entrepreneurs.
28 September 2016 11:02 (UTC+04:00)

The Armenian armed units shattered ceasefire with Azerbaijan a total of 11 times throughout the day, Azerbaijan`s Defense Ministry reported on September 28.

The Armenian armed forces, stationed in Armenia`s Vazashen village in Ijevan region, subjected to fire the positions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces located in nameless hills in Gazakh region.

The ceasefire was also violated in Goyarkh village in Tartar region, Kuropatkino village in Khojavand region, as well as nameless hills in Goranboy region.

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.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
28 September 2016 11:30 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The United Nations Human Rights Council has completed its general debate on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance on September 27.

The general debate started on September 26, during which Azerbaijani speakers spoke about the tolerance in Azerbaijan, stressing that the country is a unique place where the west and east intersect and cultures harmoniously complement each other.

The speakers said also that because of Armenias military aggression, a part of Azerbaijans territory remains under occupation, and about one million Azerbaijanis remain in the status of refugees and internally displaced persons.

Azerbaijan called on Armenia to end the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh, said Azerbaijani speakers during the debate. As for the allegations of discrimination, Azerbaijanis were expelled from Nagorno-Karabakh, whereas Armenians continue to live in Azerbaijan.

Armenia continues also to glorify terrorists and use terrorist organizations for subversive actions against Azerbaijan, noted the speakers. If Armenia does not end its policy of aggression, the consequences for that country will be terrible.

Instead of protecting its citizens, the Armenian leadership continues to incite war and aggression and propagate dangerous ideas of hatred not only against Azerbaijan, but also to other countries of the region, the Azerbaijani speakers stressed.

Racial superiority and hatred is Armenias state policy, they added.

Armenia broke out a lengthy war against Azerbaijan laying territorial claims on its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

Due to the ethnic cleansing policy carried out by Armenia and the Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions of Azerbaijan, the number of refugees and internally displaced persons hit more than 1.2 million.

With a population of over 9.6 million, Azerbaijan is among the countries carrying the highest IDP caseload in the world in per capita terms.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
28 September 2016 12:35 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijan will receive the first AZ8A freight electric locomotives in summer 2017, Bernard Peille, managing director of the French company Alstoms South CIS Cluster, told Trend.

The locomotives are manufactured by the company at the production site of the Elektrovoz Kurastyru Zauyty (EKZ) joint venture in Kazakhstan.

Peille said the assembly process of electric locomotives has well advanced.

We have fully completed the designing stage and started assembling the first locomotive, he said, adding that two sections are already at the production site. Assembly of the casing is fully completed, its painting is underway, and the stage of equipment installation is starting as well.

Our goal is to complete the assembly of the first locomotive in April-May 2017, and we are moving in accordance with the schedule, Peille said.

After completion of the locomotives assembly, different commissioning tests of equipment will be carried out, he added.

There will be two types of tests: static and dynamic. Static tests will be conducted at the companys facility in Astana, and the dynamic tests will be carried out at various parts of the railway just before sending the locomotive to Azerbaijan.

The first locomotive is expected to be delivered to Azerbaijan in summer 2017, Peille noted. The main purpose is to provide the customer with the product by late 2017. The second electric locomotive will be delivered right after the first one and it is planned to complete the whole process in 2019.

Peille said that the customer will make the payments within the contract in several tranches. Noting that the first payments have already been made, he said he cant share exact figures, as it is a trade secret.

The payments are made in accordance with the plan, contractual commitments are fulfilled and there are no problems. We have good relations with Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, Peille stressed.

The contract to supply 50 locomotives, including 40 freight and 10 passenger locomotives, for Azerbaijan Railways was signed in 2014. The final agreement was inked in May 2015.

The AZ8A electric locomotives with asynchronous traction drive are built specifically for Azerbaijan, and they will be one of the most powerful locomotives in the world. They are capable of hauling up to 9,000 tons at a speed of 120 kilometers per hour. Assembly of the locomotives supplied under this contract is carried out at EKZ joint venture  a production site located in Astana (Kazakhstan).

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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28 September 2016 14:25 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

World oil prices turned to a growth on September 28, supported by an unexpectedly sharp drop in U.S. crude reserves.

Brent crude rose by 24 cents to trade at $46.21per barrel, while WTI crude recorded an increase of 11 cents to stand at $44.79 a barrel, Reuters reported. Azeri Light crude faced a drop of 13 cents and stood at $48.08.

American Petroleum Institutes (API) weekly crude stocks data, revealed a surprising fall of 752,000 barrels down to 506.4 million barrels in the week, which ended on September 23. Traders will now keep an eye on the U.S. Energy Information Administrations (EIA) official storage data, which is to be released in the short run.

Meanwhile, all eyes turned to the Algeria meeting. The ways to strengthen prices that have been depressed since 2014 amid a supply glut, as well as the possibility of output freeze, are to be discussed on the sidelines of the running Algeria forum.

The deal is still far, as a number of producers said the meeting would have a consultative character.

Crude futures fell about 3 percent on September 27 after Iran rejected an offer from Saudi Arabia to limit its oil output in exchange for Riyadhs cutting supply, dashing market hopes the two major OPEC producers would find a compromise to help ease a global glut of crude.

Irans Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh earlier said the country is not ready to agree to oil output freeze. "It's not on our agenda to reach an agreement in two days. We need time for more consultation," he said, adding that Iran was investing to increase its output to pre-sanctions levels.

Venezuelas Oil Minister Eulogio del Pino, whose country largely depends on oil revenues, warned that if oil exporting countries are unable to reach an agreement during the meeting in Algeria, prices could collapse to less than $20 per barrel.

OPECs Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo, however, made a more optimistic forecast, saying there is evidence to suggest that the oil market is now gradually realigning itself.

He said non-OPEC supply is expected to contract by 0.6 million barrels a day this year and oil demand growth is set to be 1.2 million barrels a day. The OPEC chief also said demand is set to increase by around 17 million barrels a day between now and 2040 to reach the volume close to 110 million barrels a day.

The market is now pinning its hopes on OPEC's formal policy meeting scheduled for November 30 in Vienna, while Algeria discussions could provide the groundwork for an agreement.

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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

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28 September 2016 15:50 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

The Sumgait Technologies Park (STP), a complex of plants qualified in different industries, is planning to launch a production of fiber optic cables jointly with Japanese and Chinese companies.

The sides have already held relevant talks, while foreign companies expressed their readiness to cooperate with the Park through the joint production with the further export of final production to the foreign market, a source in the STP told Trend.

Being produced by the leading U.S. and Japanese companies, optical fiber used in the STP in the process of cable production is in full conformity with world standards. Moreover, locating of the production in Azerbaijan makes local output more advantageous and profitable from the point of view of its net and final cost.

The STP launched manufacturing line of optic fiber in late 2015. Production capacity of the cable enterprise is estimated at 100,000 kilometers of optical cable per year, while it has a potential to be increased in case of necessity.

The production, which fully meets domestic demand, is partially realized in the foreign market (the output was exported to Georgia). Manufacturing processes are realized with up-to-date equipment purchased from the foremost European companies. More than 7,650 kinds of wires and cables are currently produced in the enterprise.

The STP is a unique project, capable to satisfy the requirements of domestic and foreign market. The industrial center is expected to boost economic development of Azerbaijan, and restore historical traditions of Sumgait as an industrial center in the Caucasus.

Some 4,500 people are currently employed in the production and construction-installation fields of the organization. More than 10,000 new working places will be created after the launch of all planned plants.

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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

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28 September 2016 17:55 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The State Copyright Agency of Azerbaijan has started a project on labeling of products of intellectual property, the Agency told Trend on September 28.

Labeling of products of intellectual property will significantly reduce the level of piracy, the Agency assures.

Publishing houses of Azerbaijan will be the first to start applying control marks. To this end, on the basis of obtained permit from the Education Ministry of Azerbaijan, control marks are already issued by such publishers as Sharg-Garb, Tahsil Nashriyyat-Poligrafiya, Radius, Aspoligraf Ltd. and Altun-Kitab.

Earlier, the Agency stated that audiovisual works, phonograms, computer programs and data collections will also be marked with control stamps.

Regulation of issuance of control marks to copyright objects will be implemented by the Center for Intellectual Property Rights under the State Copyright Agency.

The price of one mark for the whole labeling production of intellectual property will be 0.15 manat ($0.09).

Products distributed without these holograms will be considered pirated; and, in accordance with the Code of Administrative Offences of Azerbaijan, individuals, officials and legal entities will be punished by penalties in the amount of 50, 100 and 150 manats ($30, 61, 92) respectively.

The intentional destruction, falsification, illegal production, use and sale of control marks will be fined in the amount of 1,000 manats ($611) to individuals, 2,000 manats ($1,222) to officials, and 3,000 manats ($1,834) to legal persons.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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28 September 2016 17:18 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

The 8th Uzeyir Hajibayli International Music Festival wrapped up in Baku.

The festival provided excellent opportunity to enjoy the beauty of classical pieces, virtuoso skills of national and foreign musicians.

The festival full of music, sounds and colors brought together talented musicians from Azerbaijan, Russia, USA, Israel, Germany, Turkey and Georgia.

The clothing ceremony heard the performance of Azerbaijan State Symphony Orchestra named after U. Hajibeyli conducted by people's artist, conductor Fakhraddin Kerimov.

The orchestra performed fragments from Dmitri Shostakovich's suite "The Hamlet".

Violinist Umuda Abbasov performed "Concerto for violin and orchestra No. 1 (in four movements) by Dmitry Shostakovich. The performance was greeted with much acclaim.

The gala concert continued with the performances of Azerbaijan State Choral Chapel, the "Youth choir" of Tbilisi State Conservatoire, honored artists Farida Mammadova (soprano), Sabina Asadova (mezzo-soprano), Farid Aliyev (tenor) and Anton Verstand (baritone).

Gioachino Rossini's "Stabat Mater sounded at State Philharmonic Hall for the very first time. The festival gave a lot of pleasant memories to all music lovers.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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28 September 2016 11:53 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov met with a delegation headed by Pakistans Federal Minister of Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain on September 27, Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry told Trend.

At the meeting, Rana Tanveer Hussain expressed satisfaction with his visit to the country to participate in the second Azerbaijan International Defence Industry Exhibition ADEX 2016, and stressed that the exhibition is organized at a high level.

The minister noted that Pakistan strongly supports Azerbaijan's fair position in the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

In turn, Mammadyarov said that he highly appreciates this position of Pakistan, and noted that the soon visit of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to Azerbaijan will make an important contribution to the development of bilateral ties.

The sides stressed the high-level development of bilateral political relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan, noted the existence of opportunities for expansion of cooperation in the defense sector and the military industry.

They also noted the importance of expanding cooperation in the private sector, pharmacology, agriculture and other spheres, as well as increase joint efforts of trade between the two countries.

Azerbaijan and Armenia for over two decades have been locked in conflict, which emerged over Armenian territorial claims. Since the 1990s war, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal, but they have not been enforced to this day.

Pakistan supported Azerbaijan during and after the war over Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia. Relations between these two states dates back to 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed and Azerbaijan gained its independence. Pakistan was among the first countries that recognized Azerbaijan.

Overall, Pakistan has been one the closest allies and strategic partners of Azerbaijan in the Asian continent in various fields such as political, economic and military spheres for a long time.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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28 September 2016 09:47 (UTC+04:00)

Russian small missile ship Uglich under the leadership of Commander of the Caspian flotilla, Rear Admiral Sergey Pinchuk has today arrived in Baku, Azertac reported.

The delegation first visited the Alley of Honors to lay a wreath at the tomb of national leader, founder and architect of modern Azerbaijani state Heydar Aliyev.

They also put flowers at the grave of prominent ophthalmologist, academician Zarifa Aliyeva.

The Russian delegation then visited the Alley of Martyrs to commemorate Azerbaijani martyrs who gave their lives for the country's independence and territorial integrity and laid a wreath at the Eternal Flame monument.

A delegation led by Commander of the Caspian flotilla, Rear Admiral Sergey Pinchuk then met with acting Command of the Naval Forces of Azerbaijan, Captain 1st rank Hijran Rustamzade.

The Russian delegation is also expected to attend the ADEX-2016 Azerbaijan International Defense Industry Exhibition.

The visit will last till September 30.

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28 September 2016 12:27 (UTC+04:00)

By Gunay Hasanova

The September 26 referendum on constitutional amendments was held transparently and successfully without any incidents, said MP Aydin Mirzazade.

He stressed that all necessary conditions for holding the free and transparent expression of the will were created during the referendum, Day.Az reported.

Mirzazade noted that electoral list lacked any problems, adding that there were many international observers, who expressed satisfaction regarding the organization of the referendum and said that the voting process took place without any violations.

The MP went on to say that according to the Exit poll results, the vast majority of people in the referendum expressed their support for the changes and amendments to the Constitution.

All of these changes and amendments are necessary, said the parliamentarian, adding that Azerbaijan as a part of its development process is moving from one stage to another and thats why each new stage has its own demands.

The MP reminded that Azerbaijan's population was 7 million people and the budget revenues -$200-$300 million in 1991. At that time the international community did not recognize us. Currently, the population of our country is 10 million people. Azerbaijan is an authoritative and recognized member of the international community. In addition, the state budget revenues and foreign exchange reserves of the country have increased significantly, he said.

Mirzazade further mentioned that repeatedly there were stated that 2016 will be a year of changes.

"Hence, it happened this year, we have witnessed many reforms, reforms aimed at the improvement of the socio-economic state of the country. This process will continue after referendum as well and we will witness large-scale reforms, said the MP.

Azerbaijan held a nationwide vote on amending the country's founding law  the Constitution on September 26. The citizens of Azerbaijan were asked to express their will by repealing or accepting particular changes and proposals through a direct vote.

As many as 117 international observers  MPs from over 30 countries as well as observers from various international organizations, including the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)  were accredited by Azerbaijans CEC to observe the referendum.

Observers fixed high activity of the population, while no serious breach of law was registered. The number of polling stations in the referendum was 5,600 and there were about 10 observers in each polling station.

Final results of the nationwide vote will be announced until October 21.

Previously, referendums were also held in Azerbaijan in 1995, 2002. The last time changes to the Constitution were made seven years ago, following Constitutional referendum held in 2009.

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28 September 2016 13:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

The Chinese Embassy has arranged an official reception to mark the national holiday , the 67th anniversary of establishment of the Peoples Republic of China, on September 27, Azertac reported.

Ambassador Wei Jinghua spoke of the development of China, his countrys great progress in economy and culture.

He said Azerbaijan and China were reliable partners and friends, stressing that, China praises Azerbaijan`s mutually beneficial cooperation and friendship.

Wei Jinghua also expressed his confidence in further development of relations between the two countries.

Transport Minister Ziya Mammadov, on behalf of Azerbaijani government, wished the Chinese people peace and tranquility.

The minister said China was one of the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan`s independence, stressing steadily developing bilateral cooperation in various fields. Azerbaijan and China permanently support each other on international organizations.

The minister thanked China for support in settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the principles and norms of international law.

Officials of state and government, MPs, public representatives attended the event.

China is a huge opportunity and a priority market for Azerbaijan. The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $288.4 million in the first six months of 2015, some $259.3 million of which were accounted for Azerbaijan's import operations.

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28 September 2016 15:01 (UTC+04:00)

By Gunay Hasanova

The September 26 referendum on amendments to the Constitution of Azerbaijan was rated very highly by international observers.

The people of Azerbaijan have voted overwhelmingly for the amendments to the countrys Constitution, an article on EU Reporter said, citing a free observer from Belgium Tony Mallet, who observed the vote process in Baku.

European Peoples Party (EPP) vice-president Mario David said that as an experienced election observer, he can testify that their observation of the opening of the ballots and referendum procedures were according to the international standards.

In total, he said, there were 117 international observers from 18 international organizations, including PACE (the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe).

There were no military or police present in the polling stations, he added.

Twenty-nine different votes on constitutional amendments give more room for maneuver, said Emmanouil Kefalogiannis, an EPP member and a Greek member of the European Parliament.

Azerbaijanis are changing their system to adjust it to Western standards and I find the referendum democratic, he noted.

An Azerbaijani voter Nefir Mammadov told EU Reporter after casting his votes in central Baku that it was a transparent procedure.

We received the information with regards to the proposed changes one month in advance. I thought it gave me the flexibility and I had the freedom to answer no to some of the questions, he said.

I think the referendum was totally free and in line with international standards, added Mammadov.

Earlier, Luke Simpkins, a member of the Australian Parliament and observation mission also said that the referendum was conducted in accordance with the legislation, adding that the mission hadnt observed any cases of violation of law during the referendum.

The voter turnout throughout the country stood at 69.7 percent or 3,671,707 people.

As many as 117 international observers  MPs from around 35 countries as well as observers from various international organizations, including the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)  had been accredited by Azerbaijans Central Election Commission (CEC) to observe the referendum.

PACE mission consisting of seven people will present its final report regarding the observation of the referendum within one or two months.

Final results of the nationwide vote will be announced until October 21.

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28 September 2016 17:36 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Only through joint efforts and coordination, exchange of experience and information concerning counteraction to modern challenges and threats, such as terrorism and extremism, aggressive separatism and organized crime, it is possible to achieve effective results in ensuring stability and security of states.

Chairman of Azerbaijan State Security Service Madat Guliyev made this statement at the 41st meeting of the Council of Heads of Security Agencies and Special Services of the CIS countries in Baku.

It has taken a relatively short time since our meeting in Minsk, and the 15th meeting of Heads of Special Services, Security Agencies and Law Enforcement Agencies of foreign states in St. Petersburg this July. During this time, the world and our countries experienced events that have had a definite impact on the nature of the operating environment. New threats and challenges have been identified, that require joint discussion and development of common approaches to address them, he said.

The subject of today's meeting, the chairman said, will cover a wide spectrum of security issues in the CIS, including the fight against terrorism and religious extremism, and transnational organized crime.

Speaking at the event, Fuad Alasgarov, Head of the Department for Law Enforcement Bodies at the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan, said that for almost 20 years, meetings in this format are one of the most effective international platforms for discussing critical issues.

He noted that despite the international community's efforts, the level of these threats is not reduced, and the situation remains complicated.

Alasgaro mentioned that particularly, the area of distribution of the so-called jihadist ideology, associated with the activities of Islamic State terrorist group, increased and this threats the world security.

The growing threat of spread of radical religious ideology and formation of Islamic State terrorist organizations in the CIS makes it necessary to strengthen the cooperation of all partners.

In recent years, Azerbaijan has gained considerable experience in combating terrorism, religious extremism and other threats to national security, Alasgarov said, adding that the country is constantly improving the legislation.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli



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28 September 2016 11:14 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

Azerbaijans state energy giant SOCAR has agreed to extend a term of a letter of guarantee under the tender on the acquisition of a share in the Greek gas network operator DESFA. The term was extended till October 31, 2016. The document was due to expire on September 23.

Head of SOCAR, Rovnag Abdullayev met with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras where the sides discussed the issue.

Greek PM, addressing the meeting, which took place in a positive atmosphere, said that his country is ready to take all necessary measures to allow SOCAR to enter the Greek market, mentioning that Azerbaijan is a strategic partner of Greece, while SOCAR is a strategic investor-company.

SOCAR took a decision to create a working group for the privatization of DESFA with a view to find a solution to a crisis.

The working group will be headed by SOCARs Vice President Elshad Nasirov and Dmitrios Liakos, the economic adviser to the Greek PM.

Moreover, the working group will also closely cooperate with Italys Snam and European Commission and will look for a way to privatize DESFA within a month.

SOCAR had previously said it would only go ahead with the deal should the cost was cut significantly given that a number of obstacles had emerged since it first agreed to buy DESFA in 2013.

Italian gas grid operator Snam is still interested in buying the 17 percent DESFA stake that SOCAR has to sell to satisfy EU conditions.

SOCAR won a tender in 2013 on the purchase of a 66-percent stake in DESFA for 400 million euros ($446.3 million) but the acquisition was stalled, when SOCAR faced EUs anti-trust concerns and was ordered to sell 17 percent of DESFA to a third party, so that its stake drops to 49 percent and satisfy EU competition authorities. Greece passed a law in July which raised DESFA's gas tariffs, further complicating the sale.

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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

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28 September 2016 12:57 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Rashid Alimov, secretary general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), spoke about the SCO observation missions upcoming participation in the Uzbek presidential election.

In an interview with the Russian TASS news agency, Alimov said that the SCO secretariat has already started monitoring the Uzbek and foreign media outlets.

"It is clear that the upcoming election will be competitive, he said. There is no doubt that the results of the upcoming election will reflect the interests of the Uzbek people and become a brilliant example of the consolidation of society for the sake of Uzbekistans development and prosperity."

"The Uzbek presidential election is of great importance, especially for the friendly Uzbek people, as well as the whole region," he added.

"Uzbekistan has made and continues to make a significant contribution to the SCO establishment and development, he said. This was clearly demonstrated during Uzbekistans successful chairmanship in the SCO.

The decisions made at the Tashkent SCO summit are of historical importance to the organization, but the summit has become a major event of international importance," he said.

Alimov expressed the hope that Uzbekistan will continue to actively participate in the organization and make greater contributions to the development of multilateral cooperation.

The SCO was established in 2001. The SCO members now are China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Afghanistan, Iran, Mongolia and Belarus are the SCO observer-countries, while Turkey, Azerbaijan, Sri Lanka, Armenia, Cambodia and Nepal are dialogue partners.

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28 September 2016 15:10 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The decision to temporarily detain Fethullah Gulen in the US will be adopted in coming days, Haberturk newspaper quoted Turkeys Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag as saying on September 28.

Fethullah Gulen is accused of being involved in the military coup attempt in Turkey.

On July 15 evening, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country. Meanwhile, a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them.

However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed.

Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said the death toll as a result of the military coup attempt stood at 246 people, excluding the coup plotters, and over 2,000 people were wounded.

He also declared a three-month state of emergency in Turkey on July 20.

Bozdag said that Turkish government has provided all objective facts and evidence about Gulens involvement in the military coup attempt and has demanded the US law enforcement agencies to temporarily detain or extradite him.

The minister pointed out that to date, 32,000 members of Gulen movement have been arrested.

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Organizers of a cultural festival in Haiti celebrating the Afro-Caribbean LGBT community said Tuesday that it has been called off due to numerous threats of violence and a subsequent prohibition by a government commissioner.

The four-day Massimadi film, art and performance event was supposed to start Tuesday in the capital, Port-au-Prince, but organizers it had to be postponed as a prominent Haitian cultural institution known as FOKAL and other co-hosts were threatened with arson and other attacks.

The Massimadi festival was first launched in 2009 in Montreal by a group called African Rainbow. It has also been held without any problems in Belgium. This was the first year it was scheduled to take place in Haiti.

FOKAL has been receiving threats of outrageous violence, said Lorraine Mangones, executive director of the nonprofit Knowledge & Freedom Foundation.

Jeudy Charlot of the gay rights group Kouraj, the main organizer of the event, said he is determined that the arts festival by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Haitians and their supporters will be held at a later date.

There are very homophobic people who are against it, and the government official who is responsible for the jurisdiction of Port-au-Prince has also taken a decision to prevent the festival for now, said Charlot. But we still plan on holding Massimadi in the future.

Capital Commissioner Jean Danton Leger confirmed that he issued an order to block the festival, telling a local radio station it was in part to protect Haitis moral and social values.

Leger had received a complaint in recent days from Sen. Jean Renel Senatus, who considers the event an affront to traditional families.

Haitis LGBTQ community has long remained largely underground because of social stigma, although there are no laws criminalizing homosexual relations as there are in a number of English-speaking Caribbean islands. Unfortunately the situation is getting more and more dramatic, said Anthony Manuel Plagnes Paya, festival spokesman in Montreal. Kouraj members are threatened (with) death and are scared to go out.

Staff and volunteers at Kourajs headquarters in Port-au-Prince said they were determined not to be intimidated and believe tolerance is expanding in Haiti.

More LGBT people are coming out and accepting themselves more these days, Charlot said. They walk on the streets very proud.

Same-sex sexual activity between consenting adults in private has been legal since 1986 in Haiti. While technically legal, other criminal laws have sometimes been used to jail, fine or otherwise harass LGBT people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Article 227 of the criminal code prohibits vagrancy, with a specific mention in the code for transvestites.

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Love, Cookie relies on dedicated repeat customers and a strong regional following to sell its gourmet treats.

Walk down the cookie and cracker aisle of any grocery store in the US, and you will see a lot of familiar names. Boxes of Oreos, Cheez-Its, Chips Ahoy! cookies and Triscuits are certain to be there for your perusing pleasure, both in classic and limited-edition varieties. Theres only so much space on the shelf, however. Despite the wide selection present in these aisles, they might not be the best place for up-and-coming manufacturers to showcase their wares. To make an impact, bakers are turning to the periphery.

Thats part of their strategy for not getting lost on the shelves, said David Van Laar, president, the Biscuit & Cracker Manufacturers Association (B&CMA). The newer startups that were seeing, thats where theyre getting put for several reasons. Theres no space on the shelf now.

According to Nielsen research, cookies sold in the perimeter of stores consist of $1.2 billion annual sales. This is up 7% in dollars and 4% in volume over the last year. Similarly, crackers sold in the perimeter are up 7% in dollars, 6% in volume and made up 74% of deli snack dollars spent in the same time period.

The perimeter of the store is where growth is happening, whereas center aisles may be stagnant or may be overloaded with a bunch of brands, said Sarah Schmansky, director, business operations, Nielsen. To break out and be in that perimeter and hopefully ride the wave of some of that growth would be a main factor that would prompt cookie or cracker manufacturers to go beyond the center store.

This kind of opportunity is what drove Greg Sorensen, brand manager, Love, Cookie, New Orleans, to market his companys cookies in the grocery store perimeter.

I think people just really want something new, Mr. Sorensen said. If you walk down the cookie aisle, its dominated by Nabisco, Keebler and Pepperidge Farm. Thats all you get.

Love, Cookie bakes indulgent cookies with flavors like Almond Toffee Crunch, Dark Chocolate Orange and Lemon Cooler. Its Dark Chocolate Mint is also a best seller. According to Mr. Sorensen, Love, Cookie products stand out from middle-store offerings by being marketed to adults who want something to savor with a glass of red wine after a full day of work.

You want to be able to say, This is good; this is really tasty,  Mr. Sorensen said. Maybe it costs a dollar more, but its awesome.

Know your audience

For brands considering marketing their products outside of the center aisles, it helps to know who is shopping there and what they expect to find. As far as the bakery department is concerned, it seems like everyone ends up there at some point.

Almost every US household purchases from the in-store bakery annually (99% of households purchase bakery items), but some demographics overspend in the department, Ms. Schmansky said. The key spending demographics include affluent, larger families (annual income over $100,000) and older bustling families with households of five or more members and children between ages 13 and 17.

Busier lifestyles and an increase of families with all parents working outside the home have contributed to consumers looking for prepared meals during their trips to the grocery store perimeter. In fact, the Food Marketing Institutes 2015 Grocery Shopper Trend Study shows that 34% of survey respondents consider premade grocery store meals an easier alternative to eating out at a restaurant, opening up a world of opportunity for both cracker and cookie manufacturers. La Panzanella Artisanal Foods, Seattle, has had great success in selling crackers to these consumers in the deli department.

Theyre looking for grocery retailers to help them out in terms of preparing a meal ahead of time, said Steve Lorenz, director of marketing, La Panzanella. When theyre in the deli looking for prepared foods if theres a way to enhance a meal  whether its for their own family or for guests  by adding in fancy cheese and crackers, then theyre going to look to our products.

La Panzanella recently launched a line of seasoned crackers called Croccantini Bites, targeting younger consumers with active lifestyles. Available in Italian Herb, Spicy Olive and Sundried Tomato Basil varieties, these crackers are packaged in brightly colored, resealable bags for eye-catching visibility and easy on-the-go snacking.

Our core line tends to be for more mature audiences, and the younger generation  millennials  are more on-the-go, more likely to snack, Mr. Lorenz said. The average American is eating at least two snacks a day in between meals. Millennials snack four to five times a day. This is really more keeping with that trend.

Increased snacking isnt just for millennials, though. According to a recent study by the NPD Group tracking US consumers daily snacking habits, baby boomers actually eat ready-to-eat snack food 20% more often than millennials do. An estimated 90.4 billion snacks are consumed annually by boomers in the US compared to 83.1 billion by millennials. Since this demographic is also a big spender in the grocery perimeter, cookie and cracker producers shouldnt count the older generations out when marketing their products.

La Panzanellas Croccantini Bites are aimed at young, on-the-go consumers looking for bold flavors and artisanal quality.

Keep it local

The perceived size of a company can also play into a consumers willingness to purchase a product. Increasingly, shoppers have a big is bad mentality. A 2015 study published by the Center for Food Integrity revealed that whether comparing local food companies to national food companies or small farms to large farms, the results are the same: a significant percentage of the public (in some cases a majority) feel smaller companies and farms are more likely to share their values.

The grocery store perimeter is the perfect place for local and regional cookie and cracker makers to connect with consumers looking for a brand they consider to be approachable and trustworthy.

Theres a lot of regional traction to these things, Mr. Van Laar said. The name may be known in an area, and do well there, but in another area there is no brand recognition at all. Its almost a boutique business.

The team at Love, Cookie took this into consideration when marketing their product to grocery store chains in and around New Orleans and the larger Gulf South region.

Were good with being more or less a local/regional player right now because that appeals to people more, Mr. Sorensen said. Somebody in Portland might not want to buy something from New Orleans if they can get something from Portland.

La Panzanella got a similar start when it moved from being a family bread bakery to a grocery retailer.

We started locally, and the crackers were kind of a happenstance, Mr. Lorenz said. According to company legend, the head of sales at the time, Antonio Galati, was making a sales call to the Four Seasons hotel in Seattle, where the buyer mentioned his frustrations with the hotels current cracker supplier. Mr. Galatis mother was visiting and had developed a flatbread cracker while playing around in the kitchen. He asked if he could come back the following day with some samples, and the Four Seasons ended up being La Panzanellas first account for crackers.

Stories like this help brands  even national ones  tap into consumers desire to support smaller, more personable companies.

Fitter, happier

Another major force driving consumers to the periphery of the store is a concern for health and wellness. Nielsen research shows that this is an opportunity still largely untapped by in-store bakeries.

Of all in-store bakery sales, about 95% of items have no declared health benefit attached to them, Ms. Schmansky said. But when you also take a look at the demographics that are buying bakery goods, older consumers have special interest in health and wellness and better-for-you products. Theres a real opportunity to capture those consumers and provide products that are relevant for their changing demographic needs.

Though the bakery section has a lot of room for growth in regard to health and wellness, items toting niche health benefits such as vegan and gluten- and dairy-free routinely find spots in unconventional areas of the store where a specific consumer base might find them.

Sugar-free, for instance, is over in the health and beauty care area, Mr. Van Laar said. He added that many stores remain resistant to moving cookies and crackers proven to sell well out of the way in center aisles to make room for these specialty products.

Until those trends or fads or whatever they turn out to be mature, theyre certainly not going to carve out a large spot on the shelf, he said.

Within in-store bakeries, private label and unbranded cookies are often the go-to for perimeter shoppers wanting to feel healthier. A study commissioned by the Private Label Manufacturers Association and conducted by SurveyLab showed that nearly one-third of consumers favor items baked on-site in grocery stores, and the same number of shoppers seek products containing less fructose, sugar, corn syrup and bad fats.

In-store bakery is in the best position to communicate freshness, naturalness and a lesser dependence on the preservatives needed to make products more shelf-stable, Ms. Schmansky said. Unbranded products can convey more of a fresh-out-of-the-oven sense to consumers. She also shared that unbranded and private-label sales hold the largest share of in-store bakery sales and continue to grow, up 6% and 12%, respectively. Unique local brands are also showing strong growth, she added.

Unbranded and private label products hold the lions share of in-store bakery profits.

Big to small

The success that smaller cookie and cracker manufacturers are having in the periphery is prompting larger corporations to try getting in on the action. Many times, that involves buying smaller brands that are showing growth potential.

It used to be, 10 years ago, the big push for us was to bring the big names new products and help them develop and get them out there, but they couldnt get them on the shelf, Mr. Van Laar said. So what were seeing is almost the opposite. Somebody else is developing some space and then selling the brand to them, and then they execute it better and grow it.

He added that many companies build their entire business model around capturing the attention of potential buyers.

Well get 10 people that start a halfway decent production, one of them will flourish, theyll get big enough to get recognition, and somebody will buy them, he explained. Thats their strategy.

According to Mr. Sorensen, this business model has a few potential drawbacks  the biggest of which being product quality.

Some new brands rely too much on marketing and the product isnt quite up to snuff, he said. I feel like once someone tries our stuff, we have a repeat customer because its really good. Its where we have an edge.

The main innovation legwork for larger companies is often accomplished by smaller boutique brands seeking a larger consumer base, according to Mr. Van Laar.

They want to be marketing companies, and theyre using many contract manufacturers to come up with the products for them, he said. They want to innovate, but the easiest way for them to do that is for them to buy something.

An abundance of brands

Foodie culture is another big contributor to increased grocery perimeter sales. Consumers looking for higher quality or more adventurous and indulgent flavors often scan the outer edge of stores to satisfy their cravings, and they will find no shortage of new brands vying for their attention.

Gourmetization of products is taking place more frequently in the in-store bakery, Ms. Schmansky said. Perimeter shoppers have more disposable income, and so the goal for bakery is to really turn that shopping behavior into a destination by carrying more gourmet, premium products.

The tough reality for cookie and cracker manufacturers selling in grocery stores is that they are up against hundreds of other like-minded companies. And theres only so much space in the shopping cart.

There are so many cool, interesting new brands, and you have a lot of competition, Mr. Sorensen said. People might try one or two new things when they go to the grocery store, best case scenario. In my opinion, youre competing with every SKU in the store.

Even more seasoned brands like La Panzanella are being forced to develop new products to keep pace with up-and-comers in the deli department.

It used to be, maybe five years ago, youd go into the deli and see cheese and charcuterie and some artisanal crackers like ours, Mr. Lorenz said. But over the past several years, youve seen things that are also alternatives to potato and corn chips, things like pita chips or pretzel thins. Those have come into the deli space where we operate and have started compete for shalf presence.

For the in-store bakery segment, 2015 saw a significant increase in number of brands. However, that doesnt mean that every brand turned a significant profit.

Although more than 1,000 brands were sold last year across the country in in-store bakeries, only four had sales greater than $100 million, Ms. Schmansky said. Unbranded and private label still hold the largest share within in-store bakery. They definitely still resonate with consumers, even though there isnt as a trusted brand name attached to them.

The challenge for cookie and cracker brands selling in the perimeter is to connect with shoppers by offering high-quality, unique products that inspire consumer trust and appeal to their desire for a well-balanced, healthy life. And if they taste good, even better.
President Barack Obama on Wednesday declared a major disaster in the state of Florida and ordered federal aid to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Hermine.

Grants available for home repairs

Federal funding also made available

Hermine made landfall Sept. 1 in Florida

Hermine  the first hurricane to make landfall in Florida since Wilma in 2005  dumped several inches of rain on Florida and caused major flooding issues.

The president's action makes federal funding available to affected people in Citrus, Dixie, Hernando, Hillsborough, Leon, Levy, Pasco and Pinellas counties.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help residents and business owners recover.

"Hurricane Hermine was the first hurricane to hit our state in over a decade and following the storm, I met with many businesses and families who were severely impacted," said Gov. Rick Scott. "While the state immediately stepped in to provide resources and assistance to families, this funding will help our local communities rebuild."

Federal funding also is available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofits on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities. That's in place for Citrus, Dixie, Franklin, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Pasco, Pinellas, Suwannee, Taylor and Wakulla counties.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance Thursday by registering online or calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing- or speech-impaired.

The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.
Over the weekend, more than 700 people picked up almost 15 tons of trash from 35 miles of Southeast Texas beaches during the Texas General Land Office's fall Adopt-A-Beach Cleanup.

The biannual event calls on Texas residents to dedicate their morning to picking up trash off beaches along the Gulf Coast. Texas GLO hosted volunteers in Chambers County, the Bolivar Peninsula, McFaddin Beach and Sea Rim State Park.
A day after an attorney shot up a neighborhood in southwest Houston, bits and pieces about his life have started to trickle out.

What is known about Nathan Desai 24 hours after his rampage and death isn't much, but a picture is starting to take shape.

Desai had no police record, no issues with law enforcement and no pending complaints with the Texas Bar. Neighbors and even his former law partner didn't know him well.

READ MORE: Cops kill shooter in Houston

A neighbor, Jennifer Molleda, described Desai as keeping to himself.

"He's very secluded, we've seen him take out the trash a few times," Molleda said. "You normally say hi to neighbors, but when neighbors don't say hi back, you tend to mind your own business."

Desai had some of the trappings of success - a black convertible Porsche - parked near his West University-area home. He also had multiple firearms, including a Thompson submachine gun and 2,600 rounds of ammunition in his car at the time of the shootings Monday morning.

READ MORE: Suspect charged in shooting four people at east Houston park

He may have also had career problems.

DeSai, who held a bachelor's in psychology from the University of Houston and a law degree from the University of Tulsa, specialized in criminal, business and family law.

But, a 12-year law partnership dissolved earlier this year.

READ MORE: Man arrested in 2001 shooting death in SW Houston

"We couldn't afford to operate as a partnership anymore," former law partner Kenneth McDaniel said.

The night before he died, DeSai went by his parents' Houston home. He was in a hurry and took his dinner to go, recalled his father Prakash DeSai, a retired geologist.

He said his son had been upset for months over troubles at his work, chiefly trying to attract clients.

READ MORE: Police ID victims killed in robbery gone bad

"We are not getting any business," he recalled his son saying. "Who wouldn't be worried?"

Desai apparently had an interest in military history. Police described what could be Nazi emblems on his clothing and old Nazi emblems among his personal effects.

Officials would not say specifically what type of uniform he was wearing. Photographs of his body show DeSai apparently wearing military-style spats strapped over his boots. And, the medical examiner's office formally identified Desai on Tuesday.

READ MORE: Houston gunman had 2 weapons, thousands of rounds of ammunition

"To what extent that played ... I don't know, because there was also other, what I would refer to as historic or vintage military stuff in the apartment, going back to the Civil War," Houston Police Capt. Dwayne Ready said.

Acting Houston Police Chief Martha Montalvo said at a news conference Monday afternoon police did not yet know exactly what caused DeSai to snap. The FBI has been brought in to assist.

"At this point we are very open-minded in terms of motive," Montalvo said.
A 33-foot-long anaconda encountered earlier this year by a group of construction workers in Brazil could be the longest snake ever found.

Earlier this year, a 26.2-foot-long python photographed in Malaysia was hailed as the world's longest snake. The snake was longer than Medusa, a snake captured in Kansas City that's identified in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Banned Books Week, when the American Library Association draws attention to books that are prohibited in different institutions, starts Sunday.

While children and schools are usually associated with the week-long celebration of challenged books, it also highlights books that are banned in prison.

READ MORE: Historic photos of Texas prisons show riots, rodeos and chain gangs

A 2011 report by the Texas Civil Rights Commission states the Texas Department of Criminal Justice "arbitrarily censors books and magazines sent to Texas prisoners," banning books by "award-winning authors, literary classics, and books about civil rights and prison conditions."

The newest book to be added to the banned book list for Texas prisoners is Dan Slater's non-fiction book "Wolf Boys: Two American Teenagers and Mexico's most dangerous drug cartel." It depicts the lives of Mexican-American boys in Laredo who agree to work for the Mexican cartels in order to escape poverty, according to publisher Simon & Schuster.

READ MORE: Woman marks a first as Houston's most wanted gang fugitive

In a piece for the online news site Slate, Slater wrote that books like "Friday Night Lights" and certain works by renowned authors like Noam Chomsky and Langston Hughes are banned from Texas prisoners. Ironically, Texas allows prisoners to read Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf" and David Duke's "My Awakening," which Slater called some "of the most racist books ever written."

According to the state rights commission, Texas prisons ban books if they have contraband, have information about making drugs, weapons or explosives; are "detrimental to offenders' rehabilitation because they would encourage deviant sexual behavior;" have sexually explicit images, or instructions on how to conduct criminal activity.

READ MORE: Jails, prisons still trying to meet federal anti-rape rules

The Guardian newspaper reports some of Leonardo DaVinci's sketches and some of Shakespeare's sonnets are also banished due to sexual content. Paul Wright, executive director of the Human Rights Defense Center, told the Guardian that TDCJ has banned about 15,000 books and that the list is growing.

"It's like we're living in the dark ages," Slater told the Guardian. "The system is so aggressive and arbitrary."

The Texas Civil Rights Commission wrote in its report that it encourages allowing prisoners to read more books since reading "enhances the ability to learn new skills, improves memory, and diminishes the effects of age on the brain."
Xerox State Healthcare and the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services have settled complaints concerning the management of Medicaid claims, the Alaska Dispatch News reports.

Here's what you should know.

1. The state filed a complaint in 2014 against Xerox claiming it had failed to issue timely and accurate payments to the state provider.

2. In the settlement, the state will continue to pay Xerox millions of dollars, but the company will provide several hours of free work "to drop some prior charges."

The company will perform performance reports and provide hardware system upgrades as part of the settlement.

3. State Deputy Commissioner Joe Sherwood said the claim will create the "efficient, accurate system," the state desired.

4. The state was originally seeking $46.7 million in damages. Xerox filed a counterclaim alleging the state owed it money.

The state paid the $26 million it owed, and through the settlement, the state will not have to pay for nearly 100,000 hours of work from Xerox.

5. In total, Alaska as paid $112 million for Xerox's Medicaid system.

The health department expects to pay Xerox the original contracted amount of $124.7 million. The contract also has three one-year extension options for $15 million each.

6. Xerox claims it has received federal certification for 32 state Medicaid programs, but has had large-scale issues in Texas, Montana and California.

Texas terminated its contract with Xerox, and Xerox ended its development of programs for Montana and California.

7. Xerox's Alaska system has 167 defects. 69 of them affect payments.

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The 2016 presidential nominees battled it out during the first debate on Sept. 26, at one point touching on healthcare and cybersecurity, according to Healthcare IT News.

Here are six takeaways:

1. Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, advocated for paid family leave, earned sick days and affordable childcare.

2. Republican candidate Donald Trump agreed with Ms. Clinton about childcare, but said they may disagree on the numbers.

3. The cybersecurity discussion revolved around ISIS and terrorism threats.

4. Hillary Clinton argued the United States has to do "everything we can do [to] vacuum up intelligence from Europe, from the Middle East."

5. Donald Trump cut in, claiming the former Secretary of State had been fighting ISIS "her entire adult life." His plan involves recruiting NATO to go into the Middle East with the United States to "knock the hell out of ISIS," fast.

6. Mr. Trump also gave the Democratic National Convention email hack a mention, noting it could have been Russia, China or "someone sitting on their bed who weighs 400 pounds."

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Health Affairs published a study of the top 50 American hospitals with the highest cost markups in 2015. This year, University of Miami researchers questioned 20 Florida-based hospitals that made the list to find how negative publicity affected their chargemasters.

Last year, researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore and Washington and LeeUniversity in Lexington, Va., used Medicare data from 2012 to rank the 50 hospitals in the country that charge commercial insurers the greatest markups above Medicare rates. The study generated negative media attention on hospital pricing practices.

This year, University if Miami researchers compared total charges in the 20 Florida hospitals before and after Health Affairs published its list, and compared that to trends in total charges at other state hospitals. The study was published in the Journal of Health Care Finance.

Researchers found no evidence hospitals responded to public scrutiny and negative media attention with any meaningful reduction in charges.

"We assume [cost transparency tools] perhaps steer patients to comparison-shop when it comes to [medical] services," lead author and researcher Karoline Mortensen, PhD, told WRLN. "But that probably won't have an effect on the hospitals actually considering what to charge particular patients. They're already taking that into account when they set their chargemasters. They're looking around at what other hospitals are charging so they know what their competition is doing."
Healthcare providers in New Mexico are bracing for potential Medicaid cuts ahead of a special state legislative session, according to a Portales News-Tribune report.

According to an article by the Public News Service, healthcare providers and advocates for children and low-income families are concerned about any future Medicaid cuts.

"The state is losing $265 million just in federal funds and then state funding was around $67 million short," New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty Staff Attorney Abuko Estrada said in the Public News Service article. "That's over $330 million lost to the healthcare system and economy."

This has prompted Roosevelt General Hospital in Portales, N.M., to look out for how to accommodate for potential cuts, Public Relations Director Greg McFarland told the Portales News-Tribune.

La Casa Family Health Center, which has a number of New Mexico locations, also spoke to the publication, saying although the center doesn't expect Medicaid cuts, since it is a federally qualified health center, they are receiving cuts of $107,000 from the Rural Primary Health Care Act.

According to the report, the center plans to accommodate budget cuts by looking into how to increase their market share and number of patients.
The top three vendors hospitals use to attest to the meaningful use program are Cerner, MEDITECH and Epic, according to June 2016 ONC data.

Here are 21 hospitals and health systems that posted job listings seeking EHR and IT expertise for these systems in the past two weeks.

Note: This is not an exhaustive list. Job listings were compiled from job seeker websites.

Cerner

1. Grace Cottage Hospital (Townshend, Vt.): Seeks a manager of clinical informatics

2. Wellington (Fla.) Regional Medical Center: Seeks a clinical systems analyst

3. Sherman Hospital (Elgin, Ill.): Seeks an analyst

4. Desert Regional Medical Center (Palm Springs, Calif.): Seeks a clinical informaticist

5. IASIS Healthcare (Franklin, Tenn.): Seeks an ambulatory systems reporting analyst

6. Crittenton Hospital Medical Center (Rochester, Mich.): Seeks a health information management analyst

7. Bayfront Health St. Petersburg (Fla.): Seeks a systems analyst

MEDITECH

1. Mission (Texas) Regional Medical Center: Seeks a clinical applications analyst

2. Cass Regional Medical Center (Harrisonville, Mo.): Seeks a clinical analyst

3. Anderson Regional Medical Center (Meridian, Miss.): Seeks a clinical analyst

4. Christus Health (Irving, Texas): Seeks an application analyst

5. Meadowview Regional Hospital (Maysville, Ky.): Seeks a centralized scheduler

6. Southern Regional Health (Riverdale, Ga.): Seeks a clinical systems analyst

7. Saratoga Hospital (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.): Seeks an applications analyst

Epic

1. Novant Health (Charlotte, N.C.): Seeks a patient services coordinator

2. Loma Linda (Calif.) University Health Services: Seeks an EHR application specialist

3. Children's Health (Dallas): Seeks an analyst

4. Norton Healthcare (Louisville, Ky.): Seeks a clinical application systems analyst

5. Enloe Medical Center (Chico, Calif.): Seeks an interface analyst

6. Main Line Health (Malvern, Pa.): Seeks an interface analyst

7. ProMedica (Toledo, Ohio): Seeks an analyst

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Chan Zuckerberg Science, part of the $3 billion Chan Zuckerberg Health Initiative created by Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, MD, has named an AstraZeneca director as its new president, according to Fortune.

Cornelia Bargmann will step down from drugmaker AstraZeneca's board next month to serve as president of Chan Zuckerberg Science.

Mr. Zuckerberg and Dr. Chan presented their new $3 billion initiative last week, with the goal of accelerating scientific research to cure infectious diseases by the end of the century.

Their plan follows suit with the health ambitions of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a philanthropic effort funded out of the tech industry that has also recruited pharmaceutical leaders in the past for staff, according to Fortune.
To address the evolving needs of the U.S. healthcare system, Steven Lipstein, president and CEO of St. Louis-based BJC HealthCare, and Arthur Kellermann, MD, dean of the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., published a paper in JAMA outlining the recommendations for restructuring healthcare to support more efficient, targeted healthcare delivery.

The paper, called "Workforce for 21st Century Health and Health Care," summarizes the recommendations of a National Academy of Medicine writing team comprised of healthcare leaders and chaired by Mr. Lipstein and Dr. Kellermann.

"Today, the healthcare system is transitioning from the traditional fee-for-service approach toward value-based models of care delivery," the authors wrote. "Within these models, care delivery and management are intended to be more patient- and person-centric and made more efficient by keeping people healthy and reducing duplicative or unnecessary services." For a successful transition, Mr. Lipstein and Dr. Kellermann point to the need for seamless coordination between healthcare providers, integrated approaches to care and segmenting the population by health conditions.

Here are five recommendations for improving U.S. healthcare delivery, according to the article.

1. Encourage front-line healthcare providers to act as stewards of population health. According to Mr. Lipstein and Dr. Kellermann, expanding the healthy population could have significant trickle-down effects on healthcare spending in the U.S., as healthy people utilize far fewer healthcare services than those who are seriously ill or injured. Strong population health management initiatives will require a diverse and multidisciplinary workforce comprised of physicians, physician assistants, registered nurses, social workers, nutritionists, exercise physiologists, public health professionals and other healthcare workers.

2. Utilize telehealth. "Various examples of telehealth services have demonstrated that patients do not need to travel long distances to realize optimal primary care outcomes," the authors wrote. "With appropriate training and access for health professionals and the people they serve, many patients will no longer be limited to receiving needed services at fixed sites of practice." The best candidates for telehealth include patients who incur minor episodes of illness or injury and who do not need a clinical procedure or diagnostic tests.

3. Reduce costs by better targeting services. Caring for patients who experience major episodes of illness or injury often requires expensive technology, medicine and prolonged periods of treatment and recovery, according to the report. By regionalizing and better targeting these services, healthcare providers can achieve greater efficiency and lower spending. "Abundant evidence exists indicating that there is demonstrable value associated with quickly and efficiently bringing patients to the right place at the right time for the right reason, particularly when treating patients with malignancies, stroke, and cardiac conditions," wrote Mr. Lipstein and Dr. Kellermann.

4. Better train the healthcare workforce to treat patients with chronic conditions. The challenges healthcare providers face when treating patients with chronic conditions become more complicated when those conditions are combined with obesity, substance abuse, mental health disorders or physical disability. "Chronic care management and individual life circumstances are inextricably linked," the authors wrote. "To better serve patients effectively and to achieve optimal health outcomes, the workforce must have the education, skills and capacity to help patients live with their chronic conditions."

5. Invest in better end-of-life care. Nearly 3 million Americans die each year. Many of those people's healthcare services at the end of their lives are provided by clinicians that are primarily there to care for patients with advanced illness. According to Mr. Lipstein and Dr. Kellerman, investing in and training more palliative and hospice care professionals would lessen the dependence on healthcare providers whose skills are best suited to care for individuals with chronic disease or other acute conditions.
Some employers are helping their workers improve their mental, physical and fiscal fitness, according to Baltimore Business Journal.

Personal financial issues can cause significant stress and detract from a person's professional performance. Stress, inability to focus, absenteeism, low morale and declining physical health are cited as the top five ways financial concerns impact the workplace, according to the article.

Some companies are offering workers financial support, education and planning services to address financial wellbeing. Programs include free one-on-one consultation services with financial experts, voluntary workshops of budget management and financial and retirement planning services. Companies are also teaching employees to use popular spending management apps to increase transparency into their finances.

Employer's focus on financial health is a recent phenomenon, according to the article. One-third of employers who offer financial wellness programs started within the past five years. Some industry experts expect the trend to grow.
Former Turing Pharmaceutical CEO Martin Shkreli has started a bidding war on Twitter to win the chance to sock one to the industry's notorious Pharma Boy, reports San Francisco Gate.

Mr. Shkreli published a Twitter message Monday that reads, "I will auction one slap/punch in the face to benefit my friend Mike who passed away & leaves behind a young son who survived cancer."

Mr. Shkreli reported the highest bids were $25,000 and $78,000, as of Sept. 26.

Interested parties are encouraged to submit bids to Mr. Shkreli in a direct message on his Twitter page.
Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas will lay off 108 employees and eliminate 200 more unfilled jobs, according to The Dallas Morning News.

The cuts affect about 2.4 percent of Parkland's workforce, and about 87 percent of the cutbacks involve non-clinical workers, hospital officials told The Dallas Morning News.

The cuts come as the hospital faces a significant reduction in federal reimbursement in the coming fiscal year. Parkland expects a $40 million loss next year from Medicare, Medicaid and programs for the uninsured. The hospital will see Medicaid payments shrink significantly, as Texas is one of the states that chose not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

Parkland Memorial will also receive less property tax revenue next year, as Dallas County Commissioners recently voted to reduce the amount area property owners pay per $100 valuation for Parkland Memorial, according to the report.

Despite its financial troubles, Parkland Memorial's board unanimously approved a $1.5 billion budget for 2017. Hospital officials predict Parkland will have a $52 million budget shortfall in the coming year.

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Minneapolis-based Allina Health and its striking nurses agreed Tuesday to adjourn for the night and continue discussions Wednesday morning, reports the Star Tribune.

Tuesday's bargaining session, prompted by a federal mediator, is the first time the two sides have negotiated since the nurses began their second strike of the summer on Labor Day, according to the article. A key sticking point has been the nurses' health plans.

Both sides ultimately agreed to continue discussions Wednesday.

Also on Tuesday, striking Allina nurses rallied outside the Radisson Blu Hotel in downtown Minneapolis during the annual shareholders meeting of General Mills, which has an executive serving on Allina's board, reports the Star Tribune. The Minnesota Nurses Association, which represents Allina nurses, told the publication it sought to query General Mills Executive Vice President John Church, who is the latest General Mills executive to serve on the health system's board.

The protest disrupted traffic for more than an hour, and nurses ultimately returned to the Minnesota hospitals where they have been picketing, the report states.

According to the report, some nurses were able to attend the shareholders meeting.

General Mills spokeswoman Bridget Christenson told the Star Tribune the nurses "asked a few questions unrelated to General Mills, and we didn't have anything to add."

This is the fourth week of the strike. Facilities affected by the strike are Abbott Northwestern Hospital and Phillips Eye Institute in Minneapolis, United Hospital in St. Paul, Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids and Unity Hospital in Fridley.

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A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that a proposed merger between Penn State Hershey (Pa.) Medical Center and Harrisburg, Pa.-based PinnacleHealth System should be halted.

Penn State Hershey Medical Center and PinnacleHealth announced their merger plan last June. In December, the Federal Trade Commission and Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane objected to the proposed integration of the two organizations.

In the complaint opposing the transaction, the FTC and the attorney general said the merged entity would control approximately 64 percent of the hospital market in Dauphin, Cumberland, Perry and Lebanon counties, which would likely lead to increased healthcare costs and reduced quality of care for local residents.

During a week-long trial in April, Pinnacle and Hershey argued the deal is about attaining efficiencies and fending off encroachment from systems outside the immediate area. Antitrust regulators argued the combined entity would have a monopoly and insurers would be forced to meet Hershey-Pinnacle's requests for higher reimbursements if the merger goes through.

In May, Judge John E. Jones III issued a 26-page ruling, denying the FTC's motion for a preliminary injunction. The judge found that the FTC failed to meet its burden to show it was likely to ultimately succeed on the merits of its antitrust claim. The FTC appealed the ruling.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued a decision that reversed Judge Jones' ruling. Under the decision issued by the three-judge appeals panel, the lower court will issue an injunction preventing the Pinnacle-Hershey merger from moving forward pending the outcome of an administrative hearing on the transaction.

The FTC's Bureau of Competition Director Debbie Feinstein said the FTC is pleased with the ruling from the appeals court. "We look forward to proving our case," she said.

Pinnacle and Hershey issued a joint statement saying they are disappointed with the ruling and are considering their next course of action.

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Calif. Governor Jerry Brown (D) signed a bill into law Tuesday that will require physicians to check an online database of prescription narcotics before writing prescriptions for addictive drugs as part of an effort to stem opioid abuse, according to the Miami Herald.

The legislation seeks to make it more difficult for patients to "shop" for physicians, a practice in which people seeking prescriptions for addictive narcotics visit numerous physicians to obtain the drugs.

Physicians have lobbied for the past 20 years to block efforts that would mandate prescribers to review patients' prescription histories before writing scripts for narcotics. That changed this year after California legislators moved to provide additional funding to modernize the drug monitoring program, according to the report.

The new law, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Ricardo Lara, requires physicians and nurses to check the database for signs of drug abuse when prescribing narcotic painkillers such as OxyContin, Vicodin and Percocet, as well as steroids, sleep aids and psychiatric medications. The healthcare providers are also responsible for checking the database every four months for as long as the drug regimen extends, according to the report.
Amid the shift to value-based reimbursement and an increasingly stringent regulatory environment, more hospitals and health system leaders have installed in-house legal teams to support compliance and transactions with other systems. As healthcare organizations increasingly seek lawyers to serve in roles beyond general counsel, many are even recruiting attorneys into the C-suite, recognizing the strategic value of chief legal officers and other senior executives with legal backgrounds.

"Gone are the days where CEOs could afford to say, 'I hate lawyers,' or, 'I don't want to deal with lawyers,'" says Werner Boel, principal and practice leader of legal services at executive search firm Witt/Kieffer.

The current healthcare era is characterized by rapid consolidation, as rising standards for quality and value under the Affordable Care Act have spurred many hospitals and health systems to pursue mergers and acquisitions to maintain a competitive advantage and remain financially viable. At the same time, heightened vigilance by regulators in detecting privacy breaches and violations of Stark Law, Anti-Kickback Statute and other laws, has created a more challenging environment to operate in as a healthcare executive.

In particular, it is imperative for senior executives to re-evaluate the important role of compliance as it pertains to the hospital's business. "If [senior leadership] can tell us what their goals are, we can provide them a legal structure to get there," says Mr. Boel. "There is enhanced screening right now from regulatory bodies, including the OIG, FTC and CMS. [Legal counsel] can help them navigate that level of oversight."

Building a strong in-house legal team

While smaller, critical access hospitals may not have the financial resources to invest in an in-house legal department, many larger healthcare systems already have high-functioning legal teams, according to Mr. Boel. As organizations continue to evolve under the ACA, more hospitals and health systems that did not traditionally have legal teams will begin building them from the ground up.

In today's complex healthcare environment, hospitals' in-house legal teams can no longer be a one-man show, according to Mr. Boel. To really be a valuable asset, legal teams must emphasize the "team" element and include diverse players, especially those who specialize in transactional and regulatory law.

"Every organization faces unique challenges," says Mr. Boel. "The more creative and broad-minded the legal counsel team, the more effective they can be helping CEOs and governing boards navigate uncharted healthcare waters."

In addition to recruiting lawyers to serve on the hospital's legal team, it is important to ensure senior leadership is receptive to the legal team's ideas, concerns and assessment of the organization's needs.

"We have seen an evolution, from the time when legal counsel got called in after the fact to now, when leaders with legal backgrounds are brought in early in any discussion," says Mr. Boel. By engaging the legal team early on in setting the organization's strategy, executives have the ability to incorporate a legal perspective and address any compliance or regulatory concerns from the start, opposed to identifying them later and at a greater cost.

Seeking executives with solid legal backgrounds

Understanding the regulations that shape healthcare organizations' strategies is critical to success. While business acumen will always be a primary competency in the hospital C-suite, adding individuals with legal background to the senior executive team can be extremely valuable.

"Legal experience is no longer limited to a general counsel role. Instead, organizations are looking to members of the C-suite to have the legal background to deal with the current healthcare environment's steady stream of new regulations, consolidations and joint ventures," says Mr. Boel. "As health systems and senior leaders begin to embrace legal counsel, the future of senior leadership is going to look dramatically different."

While many organizations are establishing law offices in house, others seek to elevate attorneys to serve as compliance officers or even CEOs.

Legal training and business acumen are two distinct skill sets, but those who demonstrate strong ability in both are uniquely positioned to lead healthcare organizations through this complex period of change. Many chief legal officers, recognizing the potential to emerge as more strategic leaders, are beginning to pursue MBAs or take on more operational roles in the health system, according to Mr. Boel.

Whether or not a hospital is prepared to invest in its own in-house legal department or promote an attorney to CEO, the reality is hospitals and health systems must be privy to the ever-changing rules and regulations enforced by federal and state agencies. Embracing attorneys as strategic partners can be a determinant for thriving under healthcare reform.
Victoria Martin, a former patient at University of Washington Medical Center, served the Seattle-based hospital with a damages claim Tuesday after she contracted Legionnaires' disease after undergoing a heart transplant at the hospital last month.

Ms. Martin had to remain in the hospital for several weeks to recover from the illness, a serious form of pneumonia, according to a statement from her law firm.

She is one of five UW Medical Center patients who recently contracted Legionnaires' disease while hospitalized at the hospital's Cascade Tower. Two of those five patients have died.

An investigation found sinks and ice machines in the hospital's Cascade Tower tested positive for Legionella bacteria, which can cause Legionnaires' disease. Additionally, heater-cooler devices used during cardiac surgery also tested positive for the bacteria.

The damages claim launches a 60-day waiting period before Ms. Martin can file a lawsuit against the hospital, which is a public institution. The waiting period allows for more investigation into the case, according to Luvera Law Firm's statement.

"We are working to uncover the truth  whether a medical device was involved, whether UW Medicine followed protocol for sterilization and cleaning, and whether the device manufacturer was aware of the issue," Ralph Brindley with Luvera Law Firm said in the statement.

Currently, there have been no confirmed reports of Legionella transmission from heater-cooler devices, according to a statement from UW Medicine.

In an emailed comment about the damages claim, UW Medical Center said it could not comment on the case because of the potential pending litigation. "We wish Ms. Martin the best in her continued recovery," the statement reads.
The mother of a former patient at San Diego-based Rady Children's Hospital is suing the institution, alleging that hospital staff broke the law by addressing her 14-year-old transgender son as "her," according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

According to a lawsuit filed by Katharine Prescott, her son Kyler Prescott was extremely distressed after being treated as a female patient. His condition led Mr. Prescott's psychiatrist to request that he be released after only 24 hours during a 72-hour suicide hold at the hospital.

Mr. Prescott committed suicide roughly 41 days after his discharge from the hospital.

While the lawsuit does not claim the children's hospital is responsible for her son's death, Ms. Prescott claims the hospital misrepresented the capabilities and sensitivity promised by its gender management clinic, according to the article. Ms. Prescott seeks unspecified damages from the hospital.

Ms. Prescott said she requested the hospital staff refrain from referring to Mr. Prescott as a girl. She claims that instead of handling the complaint, the charge nurse blocked her phone number, according to the article.

A representative from Rady Children's Hospital said in a statement the hospital plans to investigate the situation, according to the article.
In the midst of the investigation into the Legionnaires' disease outbreak at University of Washington Medical Center, the Seattle-based hospital said last week three heater-cooler devices tested positive for Legionella bacteria. Now, the hospital says all nine of the devices at the hospital tested positive for the bacteria.

Here are six things to know about the outbreak, heater-cooler devices and their potential role in spreading Legionella bacteria.

1. Five patients in the hospital's Cascade Tower have contracted Legionella infections. Two of those patients have died.

2. After the first four infections were detected, the hospital tested the environment and found an ice machine and two sinks in the Cascade Tower tested positive for the bacteria. Then, on Sept. 16, three heater-cooler devices, which are used to warm and cool patients' blood during some heart surgeries, also tested positive for Legionella.

3. On Tuesday, UW Medical Center said further tests detected Legionella in not just three, but all nine of its heater-cooler devices.

4. Despite the presence of the bacteria in all of the devices, UW Medicine does not believe they are the source of the human infections, instead blaming the sinks and ice machine. The system listed the following reasons for that belief:

Heater-cooler devices were used on two of the five affected patients

The timing of the onset of the infections in those two patients was outside of the typical Legionella incubation period for one patient and at the end of the period in the other

There is no past history for Legionella infecting humans from the machines

Water in the units does not come into contact with the patient at any time  it circulates in the device itself

Breathing machines used on patients in the operating room pull air from a protected supply that is separated from other OR air, including where the heater-cooler devices are

5. Even though the hospital does not believe the devices spread Legionella to patients, it is enhancing the cleaning of the devices to protect patients. Those steps include:

Draining, cleaning and flushing the machines after each use with a chlorine solution, even though manufacturers recommend cleaning them just once a quarter

Using sterile water in the units

Using ice made with filtered water in the units' cooler components

6. Heater-cooler machines have been in the news recently separate from this Legionnaires' disease outbreak. The devices, used by hospitals across the country during some heart surgeries, have been pointed out as the cause of nontuberculous mycobacterial infections in patients at several hospitals. The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about the devices' safety, as has the CDC.
A patient at Overlake Hospital Medical Center in Bellevue, Wash., has Legionnaires' disease, according to county public health officials.

Overlake is located about eight miles from University of Washington Medical Center, which is dealing with its own Legionnaires' disease outbreak, in which five patients have been infected, and two of them have died.

However, Public Health-Seattle & King County say "there is no evidence to suggest any link between the Legionella case at Overlake and the recent Legionella cases at the University of Washington Medical Center" at this time.

Overlake is working with public health officials on an investigation to find a potential source for the infection and to determine if any other patients are also infected. As of Monday, no other cases had been found.

Legionella bacteria can cause Legionnaires' disease, a potentially deadly form of pneumonia. They live naturally in water but can cause illness when aspirated by people with weakened immune systems.

The CDC offers a toolkit for hospitals to develop a Legionella water management program. Find that resource here.
Certain areas of the U.S. have been bombarded by various infectious diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites. Five recent and ongoing disease outbreaks in the U.S. are highlighted below.

1. Cryptosporidosis

Three counties in Ohio have been dealing with an outbreak of cryptosporidosis, a diarrheal disease caused by parasites, since July. As of Sept. 23, 729 people in the state have come down with the illness commonly known as Crypto.

Crypto is difficult to contain because the parasites have a strong outer shell, making them difficult to kill, and an infected person can spread the illness for two weeks after symptoms subside. However, public health officials are hopeful the outbreak has reached a plateau and will decline soon.

2. Hand, foot and mouth disease

More than a dozen students at Florida State University in Tallahassee came down with hand, food and mouth disease earlier this month. The viral infection is more typically seen in daycares with young children, but it is very contagious. Hand, foot and mouth disease is spread via person-to-person contact and through contact with contaminated objects. University officials urged students to sanitize living spaces and proprietors to disinfect restaurants and bars.

3. Legionnaires' disease

Several areas of the country are currently struggling with Legionnaires' disease, a form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria.

For instance, two hospitals in the Seattle area have reported Legionnaires' disease cases in the last month. Five patients at University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle have contracted Legionella infections, and two of them have died. Additionally, one patient at Overlake Hospital Medical Center in Bellevue, Wash., contracted Legionnaires' disease, the hospital confirmed Sept. 23.

In addition to those hospital-related cases, one town in Minnesota is dealing with a community-onset Legionnaires' disease outbreak, with at least 14 infected and one individual dead. The source of that outbreak is still unknown.

There are also five cases of Legionnaires' disease in Memphis, Tenn., linked to a La Quinta Inn hotel.

4. Mumps

Two states  Arkansas and Oklahoma  are currently experiencing mumps outbreaks. As of Sept. 23, 322 people across 30 schools in three school districts in Arkansas were diagnosed with mumps. Oklahoma's outbreak is smaller, as the state health department reported four confirmed cases and 34 suspected cases as of Sept. 14 in one county. Most of those cases were middle and high school students.

According to the CDC, 1,897 mumps cases have been reported to the agency this year as of Sept. 10.

5. Zika

This outbreak spans the entire country and even U.S. territories, as 3,358 people in the states and 19,777 people in U.S. territories have contracted the Zika virus as of Sept. 21. The virus can cause birth defects like microcephaly in infants if a pregnant woman is infected and is spread via mosquitoes, sexual contact, blood transfusions and potentially bodily fluids saliva, urine or stool.

Hospitals are in the midst of implementing Zika treatment and prevention plans, but the federal government has yet to provide funding for nationwide, comprehensive prevention and research efforts. However, the U.S. Senate recently agreed to include $1.1 billion in Zika research in a stopgap spending bill.
Researchers at the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom are examining the use of the nanopore MinION device, which can speed up detection of infections, including urinary tract infections.

Typically, standard culture methods take two days to three days to characterize bacteria and test their antimicrobial resistances from a urine sample. Early on in the study, university researchers found the nanopore MinION device could do the same in just 12 hours from a urine sample. Now, that time has been shortened to four hours. While UTI's are usually mild, serious cases can lead to hospitalization.

The study, published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, involved removing human cells from patients' urine samples. MinION then sequenced the bacteria and their DNA. Researchers analyzed the sequences and compared the results with standard culture and antibiotic susceptibility testing.

"Both the type of bacteria and the acquired resistance genes were identified reliably, agreeing with conventional laboratory testing. Challenges remain, though. The approach is currently best suited to difficult cases, but improving hospitals' antibiotic stewardship requires new diagnostics to be deployed widely," said Dr Justin O'Grady of UEA's Norwich Medical School.
Raleigh (N.C.) Orthopaedic Clinic agreed to pay a $750,000 settlement regarding an alleged HIPAA violation, according to the HHS.

Here are five things to know:

1. The clinic handed over protected health information for around 17,300 patients to a potential business partner without entering into a business associate agreement.

2. According to the HHS' Office for Civil Rights, the clinic handed over X-ray films and related protected health information of the patients to the business partner. The business partner planned to "transfer images to electronic media in exchange for harvesting the silver from the X-ray films."

3. HIPAA-covered entities cannot disclose protected health information to unauthorized persons.

4. Raleigh Orthopaedic Clinic is required to revise its policies and procedures related to this incident in addition to paying the $750,000 settlement.

5. Raleigh Orthopaedic Clinic includes four locations in North Carolina.
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COLOGNE-WPP Group hasnt wasted any time incubating GroupM Connect, its digital agency platform specializing in real-time and biddable media. In two years its grown to more than 2,000 people and made a number of acquisitions because We firmly believe that anything that can be bought programmatically going forward will be, said Ruud Wanck, Worldwide CEO of GroupM Connect.

GroupM Connects raison detre is to the drive the transition of GroupM into the real-time media investment management space, Wanck explained in an interview with Beet.TV at the annual DMEXCO conference and exposition in September.

We wanted to create one unifier where were putting all the company specialists in a single place and environment to really drive that transition from regular media investment management to real-time media investment management, Wanck said.

Asked for his view of the continuing rise of advertising that is bought programmatically, Wanck acknowledged a lot of fuzz around programmatic but boiled it down to a simple Wall Street analogy.

Go back to the stock exchanges with people running around with ticker tapes. Those people now have different roles, Wanck said.

GroupM Connect has developed its own technology layer and acquired other capabilities. Upon deciding it didnt want to be dependent upon digital pipes created by publishers, it acquired The Exchange Lab primarily for its Proteus programmatic technology. Similarly, GroupM Connect scooped up Greenhouse Group in The Netherlands. Greenhouse is now the companys digital and real-time services layer in Benelux.

Wanck clears away any confusion about programmatic advertising by pointing out that its not a new channel or medium being created.

Its much more an underlying development thats changing all of these media, the way they are being bought and how consumers see them, Wanck said. We see programmatic in that sense much more as a foundational layer.

This interview was taped at DMEXCO 16. It is part of a video series of industry leaders. The series is sponsored by Videology. For more Beet.TV coverage of DMEXCO, please visit this page.
 Flash

The 12th Beijing-Tokyo Forum is held from Sept. 27 - 28 in Tokyo. [Photo/people.cn]

The 12th Beijing-Tokyo Forum was held from Sept. 27 - 28 in Tokyo. During the forum, the delegations from two countries had in-depth communication about the issues facing the two countries and exchanged ideas regarding how to carry on cooperation with regards to politics, economy, security assurance and media, and then reached a series of agreements, as listed below:

Both sides stressed that the two countries have already started discussing how to initiate cooperation in various areas based on the consensus reached by leaders from the two countries at the G20 summit in Hangzhou.

Both sides agreed that the civil dialogue outside the government channel will have significant effects. Therefore, for the future of Asia and the world, China and Japan should uphold the principle of peaceful and cooperative development and further promote broad exchanges at the civil level.

To achieve these goals, both sides discussed the contents below:

First, both sides realized that there is great change happening in the international environment and that the Sino-Japanese relationship is at a historic crossroad to overcoming barriers. It is very important to enhance the dialogue and exchange for the future of two countries and for the regional peace.

Second, both sides realized that their economies are now in the period of structural adjustment. To solidify and develop the economic and trade cooperation between the two countries is the anchor of the Sino-Japanese relationship. Enterprises from both sides should shift cooperation concepts, innovate their cooperation models, enlarge cooperation areas and actively push forward the enterprise-to-enterprise direct contact and close cooperation.

Third, both sides believe that the two countries should correctly deal with the conflicts in the military security area and strengthen communication and dialogue in multiple channels. Both sides suggest the maritime and air liaison mechanism between two countries should be launched as early as possible, which will increase the mutual trust.

Fourth, both sides believe that the media and press have significant influence on national emotion and that media organizations should commit themselves to objective reporting so as to improve national emotions toward each other. Particularly, the new media loved by young people should be used more and made more effective.

Fifth, both sides noted that difficulties in national emotions will harm both countries' citizens' communication. To avoid such a situation, both sides agree to push forward civil communication, especially communication and dialogue between young people from two countries. In addition, both sides will push forward communication and cooperation in tourism, overseas study and employment.

Both sides acknowledge that the two countries have differences, but are resolved to keep on having dialogues in order to push forward peaceful and cooperative development. Next year will be the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China and Japan's diplomatic relationship, while the year after will mark the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the People's Republic of China and Japan.

China International Publishing Group (CIPG)

Japan's Genron NPO

Sept 28, 2016
Esmond Birnie is joining the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre from PwC

Economist and former Ulster Unionist Party MLA Esmond Birnie is on the move from business advisory firm PwC, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal.

Mr Birnie is joining the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre as a senior economist after six years as PwC's chief economist.

He is the latest expert in his field to move jobs after Danske Bank chief economist Angela McGowan announced she was joining the CBI as regional director.

Cambridge graduate Mr Birnie was elected to the Assembly in 1998, serving as an MLA until 2007.

He then joined the Department for Employment and Learning as a special adviser to Sir Reg Empey and moved to PwC three years later.

PwC regional chairman Paul Terrington said Mr Birnie - also a regular Belfast Telegraph contributor - would be missed as a colleague and commentator.

"Esmond was one of the UK's most recognised and quoted economic commentators and he has helped widen both the understanding of economics and the debate around Northern Ireland's economic performance and prospects," Mr Terrington explained.

"His view have been regularly sought by both the UK and Irish governments and by the private and third sectors.

"We all wish him well as he joins Ulster University and their Economic Policy Centre."

Professor Neil Gibson, director of the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre, said the university would benefit from Mr Birnie's knowledge and experience.

"Esmond has made a great contribution to the debate around rebalancing the economy and I'm confident that his experience and expertise will continue to influence public policy," he added.

A successor to Angela McGowan as Danske Bank chief economist is to be unveiled next month.
Ireland's central bank Governor Professor Philip Lane has said he will be able to boost staff at the regulator to deal with any increased demand as a result of the UK vote to pull out of the EU

Ireland's central bank Governor Professor Philip Lane has said he will be able to boost staff at the regulator to deal with any increased demand as a result of the UK vote to pull out of the EU.

Prof Lane said banks were already holding discussions in Dublin about the future, but it was too early to say to what degree Ireland would benefit.

The governor also told Bloomberg TV that there would be some level of relocation of companies "depending on how the (Brexit) negotiations go".

"Of course it will be a challenge, but if new business comes along, we will be able to staff up to deal with it.

"A certain amount of enquiries come to us (at the bank), but probably more of the action at this point is vis-a-vis law firms and other types of consultants who are helping global firms understand the pros and cons of Dublin versus other locations."

Conor O'Kelly, head of Ireland's National Treasury Management Agency, added that if the UK continued to "isolate itself", Ireland could benefit.
Online retailer Boohoo.com has reported a surge in profits for the first half of the year after strong demand for its plus-size and petite clothing helped sales soar.

The fast-fashion firm said pre-tax profits rocketed 129% to 14.3 million in the six months to August 31, while sales rose 40% to 127.3 million.

Boohoo said its performance was driven by its core womenswear ranges, plus-size and petite clothing and a standalone menswear website, where sales have doubled.

Boohoo saw growth in every geography, with revenue rising 38% in the UK, 41% in Europe and 93% in the US.

The company said the collapse of sterling against the US dollar has "not significantly" affected its results because it has hedged against currency fluctuations.

However, it added that a weaker pound "does provide the opportunity to use promotional activity to generate incremental international sales", adding: "It remains to be seen what the longer term effect of continued sterling weakness might be in the supply chain."

The firm's joint chief executives, Mahmud Kamani and Carol Kane, said that, as a result of the strong results, they now expect revenue growth for the full year of between 30% and 35%.

They added: "Through our constant focus on what matters to our customers, together with our investment in technology and operational improvements, we will continue to deliver profitable growth."
The workers prepare food but do not work on trains

Contract workers who provide catering for Virgin Rail's West Coast route are to be balloted for industrial action in a dispute over pay.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union employed by the DHL Group will vote in the coming weeks on whether to launch a campaign of action.

The union said the workers, who prepare food but do not work on trains, have been offered a pay rise of 1.75%, but only for those who did not receive any increase when the national living wage came into effect earlier this year.

Virgin said in a statement: "This dispute is between the RMT and DHL.

"None of the people who will be balloted are employees of Virgin Trains and they do not work on-board our trains."

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "This union will not tolerate a grinding down of pay rates to poverty thresholds on Britain's railways at a time when the political focus is all on lifting wages to decent, living levels.

"DHL's offer does nothing to assist the overwhelming majority of their staff, who are based at Euston, to secure the London living wage.

"These catering staff are part of the team on the inter-city West Coast routes who slog their guts out supplying passengers, often in difficult conditions, with our rammed-out and delayed trains.

"The very least that they deserve is pay justice."

A DHL spokesman said: "We are disappointed that the RMT has decided to ballot its members on industrial action.

"However, we are optimistic that a satisfactory outcome for both parties can be reached."
Ryanair is launching a new route to Girona in Spain.

The new link will bring Ryanair's routes from Belfast to a dozen. The route to Girona will fly twice a week.

The low-cost airline announced its return to Belfast earlier this year. It now flies from Belfast International Airport to a range of locations, including London Gatwick, Malaga, Berlin and Milan.

Ryanairs head of communications, Robin Kiely said:

We are pleased to further extend our Belfast summer 2017 schedule, with a new route to Barcelona Girona, in addition to our 10 new summer routes and our four times daily service to London Gatwick, which will deliver 1.1m customers pa and support over 800 jobs at Belfast International Airport.

To celebrate our new Belfast-Girona route, we are releasing seats for sale from just 24.99 for travel in March and April, which are available for booking until Thursday.

Uel Hoey, Belfast International business development director, said:

Barcelona Girona is further proof of Ryanairs commitment to creating choice for Northern Ireland passengers and delivering pretty impressive growth from its new Belfast base. Once again, we will see more airline and airport-related jobs being created at no cost to the taxpayer.

During a visit to Belfast last week, Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary said Stormont is "throwing good money after bad" by bailing out Northern Ireland's direct flight to New York.

The Executive is part-funding a 9m package to keep United Airlines' Belfast to Newark flight - Northern Ireland's only transatlantic route.

And Mr O'Leary also warned Ryanair is likely to eventually pull out of City of Derry airport entirely, taking out its remaining Liverpool and Glasgow routes.

Mr O'Leary said the scrapping of APD would be "huge" and could double the number of passengers flying in to Belfast through Ryanair.
Shareholders of beer giant SABMiller have given the green light to the firm's 79 billion takeover by Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev, paving the way for the biggest deal in UK corporate history.

SABMiller said investors backed AB InBev's 45-a-share offer, which was upped from 44-a-share in July following the collapse in the value of the pound after the Brexit vote.

The record-breaking deal - dubbed "megabrew" - is now set to complete on October 10, creating a brewing giant with a raft of some of the world's biggest beer brands.

SABMiller said 95.5% of minority investors approved the deal.

AB InBev needed at least 75% to clinch the takeover.

The two largest shareholders in SABMiller - cigarette maker Altria Group and the wealthy Santo Domingo family of Colombia, which together control around 40% of shares - were excluded from the vote, but had already pledged their support for the deal.

Investors in Belgium-based AB InBev also approved the takeover at a meeting in Brussels earlier on Wednesday.

AB InBev said it welcomed the shareholder backing.

Carlos Brito, chief executive of AB InBev, who will also lead the merged group, said the deal will combine the two firms' "teams, strong heritage and passion for brewing".

"We are committed to driving long-term growth and creating value for all our stakeholders," he added.

AB InBev also confirmed the combined group will be called AB InBev after the merger.

The SABMiller vote comes despite opposition from a number of investors, while the vote had also been complicated by the decision last month to separate SAB's shareholders into two groups.

A UK court last month ordered a split of SABMiller's shareholder base, separating Altria and the Santo Domingo family from the wider investors.

There have also been concerns raised by a string of investors, such as Aberdeen Asset Management, while i nvestment firm Ash Park Capital also reportedly wrote to other SAB investors in August urging them to join it in voting against the deal.

But most hedge funds were unable to have their say on the deal due to how they hold SABMiller shares, with only 72% of minority investors eligible to vote.

AB InBev is already the world's largest brewer, but will sell one in four beers after the SABMiller takeover.

It has lined up 16.5 billion US dollars' (12.7 billion) worth of sales to sec ure regulatory approval worldwide, including offloading SABMiller's Peroni, Grolsch and Meantime brands to Japanese firm Asahi.

SAB employs around 69,000 people in more than 80 countries and has global annual sales of more than 26 billion US dollars (20 billion).

But around 5,500 jobs are expected to be axed as a result of the merger.

According to documents released last month, the combined group will slash around 3% of its global workforce.
AB InBev has moved to sell SABMiller's Peroni, Grolsch and Meantime brands to Japanese firm Asahi

Shareholders of beer giant SABMiller will have their say on the firm's 79 billion mega-merger with Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev on Wednesday in a crunch vote on the deal

If given the green light, the deal will become the biggest in UK corporate history and create a brewing giant with a raft of some of the world's biggest beer brands.

But it is understood the deal could face opposition from a number of investors, while the vote has been complicated by the decision last month to split SAB's shareholders into two groups.

The vote comes after Belgium-based AB InBev upped its all-cash offer for SAB to 45 a share in July, up from its earlier price of 44, following the collapse in the value of the pound after the Brexit vote.

A UK court last month ordered a split of SABMiller's shareholder base, separating out its largest investors - tobacco group Altria and the wealthy Colombian Santo Domingo family, who together own around 40% - from the wider investors.

This means AB InBev needs the support of 75% of the remaining investors to clinch the deal.

While it is thought AB InBev is likely to win the approval it needs, there have been concerns raised by a string of investors, such as Aberdeen Asset Management.

Investment firm Ash Park Capital also reportedly wrote to other SAB investors in August urging them to join it in voting against the deal, with Swiss firm Vontobel also thought to be planning to shun AB InBev's offer.

AB InBev has already secured the regulatory clearance it needs, gaining backing from China in July, meaning it has now been approved in 23 jurisdictions worldwide, satisfying all pre-conditions of the deal.

AB InBev, the world's largest brewer, has moved to sell SABMiller's Peroni, Grolsch and Meantime brands to Japanese firm Asahi as part of efforts to appease regulators.

It has also signalled its intent to sell SABMiller's businesses in central and eastern Europe.

SAB employs around 69,000 people in more than 80 countries and has global annual sales of more than 26 billion US dollars (19.6 billion).

But more than five thousand jobs are expected to be axed as a result of the merger, while bankers, lawyers and PR firms are set to celebrate a 735 million US dollars (556 million) fee bonanza.

According to documents released last month, the combined entity will slash approximately 3% of its global workforce, amounting to around 5,500 jobs.
Sprucefield remains the only viable location for a John Lewis store in Northern Ireland, it has been claimed.

Lagan Valley DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson spoke as a report claimed retail in Belfast would lose out on 47m in investment and 5,000 jobs without another high-end project.

The research, by retail consultants Javelin and commissioned by Belfast City Council, said that Belfast would lose its capacity to attract high-spenders without a multimillion-pound injection from a high-end department store such as John Lewis or the upmarket Harvey Nichols.

And it called John Lewis setting up in Sprucefield the "worse case scenario" for the city.

However, Sir Jeffrey, who has been a major supporter of John Lewis setting up in the area, claimed that Sprucefield was still the only viable location for a retailer of its size.

"John Lewis itself has indicated it needs a catchment area capable of pulling in 2 million visitors - and only Sprucefield, which is located along the Belfast to Dublin corridor, is capable of doing that," he said.

Shopping centre giant INTU, which owns Sprucefield Park - the proposed site for the department store - said: "We have always said that we want to invest to re-shape the park and make it a destination of pride for Lisburn and also the wider area as a flourishing place to shop, eat and relax.

"It is too early to say what those plans may be until more certainty is provided through planning policy."

John Lewis said it would not be commenting on the report.

Javelin's research - revealed in the Irish News yesterday - also placed Belfast at number 16 in the top 19 of best-performing shopping UK cities for retail.

But it added that a more "aspirational" retailer such as John Lewis offer would attract crucial higher-spending consumers.

Earlier this year, Sir Jeffrey called for restrictions on development at Sprucefield Park to be lifted.

An earlier plan for development had restricted expansion of Sprucefield to bulky goods only.

A spokeswoman for Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council said yesterday: "The addition of any major retail development would be welcomed by any town or city across Northern Ireland.

"Ultimately, investors will make their own business decisions based on the strategic and financial viability of any potential investment site."

Belfast City Council refused to comment on the contents of the report, which is set to be put before councillors next week.

Three years ago, John Lewis rejected setting up in a proposed Royal Exchange development in Belfast, saying it did not offer "sufficient sales potential".
Actor Brad Pitt has said he will miss a premiere he was due to attend on Wednesday because he is focused on his "family situation".

Angelina Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt last week, citing irreconcilable differences, and she has asked for physical custody of the couple's six children.

Pitt has narrated the new documentary Voyage Of Time from director Terrence Malick, which will have its premiere at the California Science Centre Imax Theatre in Los Angeles.

In a statement, Pitt said: " Terrence's Voyage of Time is an incredibly beautiful and unique experiential Imax film for children and families chronicling the birth of time.

"I'm very grateful to be part of such a fascinating and educational project, but I'm currently focused on my family situation and don't want to distract attention away from this extraordinary film, which I encourage everyone to see."

Pitt, who previously starred in Malick's 2011 film Tree Of Life, narrates a 40-minute Imax version of Voyage Of Time, which examines the origins of the universe. Actress Cate Blanchett has narrated another feature-length version of the film.

The FBI said last week it was considering an investigation into an alleged altercation between Pitt and one of his children on a private plane.

Several media outlets, using anonymous sources, reported that the Ocean's Eleven star was under investigation by a child welfare agency after allegedly clashing with his 15-year-old adopted son Maddox.

The FBI said it was "continuing to gather facts and will evaluate whether an investigation at the federal level will be pursued".

Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services said it could not confirm or deny whether it was investigating Pitt.

Meanwhile, The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said it was not handling any reports or allegations into child abuse against Pitt. A spokesman for the force later said that a report of an incident on a plane involving Pitt been passed to the FBI, but refused to confirm any details about the allegations.

Jolie, 41, and Pitt, 52, known collectively as Brangelina, married in 2014 after 10 years together.

Jolie's lawyer Robert Offer said the actress had filed for the dissolution of the marriage "for the health of the family".

In legal documents filed with the Los Angeles Superior Court, the Maleficent star asked for physical custody of the couple's children - Maddox, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10 and eight-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne. She also filed for Pitt to be granted child visitation rights and to share legal custody of the children.

Jolie is being represented by divorce lawyer Laura Wasser, who helped in her divorce from Billy Bob Thornton and has represented Johnny Depp in his divorce from Amber Heard.

In a statement following news of the divorce, Pitt said he was "very saddened" and "what matters most now is the well-being of our kids".

The couple first met when they played married spies in the film Mr And Mrs Smith, when Pitt was still married to Friends star Jennifer Aniston.

Jolie was previously married to Thornton and British actor Jonny Lee Miller.
Colin Farrell as Graves and Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander in Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them (Warner Bros Entertainment Inc/PA)

Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander in Harry Potter prequel Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them (Warner Bros Entertainment Inc/PA)

The final trailer for JK Rowling's Harry Potter prequel spin-off Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them has dropped less than two months before the film is set to arrive in cinemas.

The full clip shows Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne in full throttle as the movie's protagonist Newt Scamander - an employee at the British Ministry of Magic - as he arrives in 1920s New York for a meeting.

But chaos ensues as magical creatures manage to escape from his suitcase and are seen by a non-magic person, known as a "no-maj" or a Muggle, threatening the fine line between the magic and non-magic populations.

From there, a conflict begins between the British and American wizarding worlds as Newt goes on a quest to recapture the monsters before it is too late.

He is helped along the way by a witch by the name of Porpentina "Tina" Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) while being tracked by the militant Percival Graves (Colin Farrell), the Director of Magical Security for Magical Congress of the United States of America.

The film also stars Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler, Jon Voight, Ron Perlman and Samantha Morton.

Fantastic Beasts marks Rowling's debut as a screenwriter, after creating a script based on her 2001 book of the same name.

It is directed by David Yates, who worked on the final four Harry Potter movies.

David Heyman took on the role of producer after previously producing every single one of the eight Harry Potter films.

Rowling previously confirmed Fantastic Beasts will be the first in a new trilogy of films based on the magical world she created.

:: Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them arrives in UK cinemas on November 18.
The Queens team beaten in the first round of the BBC2 quiz University Challengebrows

Queen's University has crashed out of University Challenge following a bruising defeat by Birmingham University.

The team included Patrick Regan from Belfast and Caitlin Newby from Los Angeles, who are both studying for PhDs in Poetry.

They were partnered by team captain Stuart Mathieson from Belfast, who is studying for a Phd in Modern History, and finance student Enda Doherty from Strabane.

Initially, things looked good as QUB took the lead against their Birmingham opponents.

Their giant broccoli mascot became one of the talking points of the show on Twitter, with others also referring to the Queen's team as a 21st century version of the friends from the classic movie The Breakfast Club.

As host Jeremy Paxman asked the first question, Patrick came up trumps, naming the Scottish National Party from a cryptic description after a Birmingham contestant had wrongly guessed it was the UK Communist Party.

Queen's went on to get two out of three of their puzzling bonus round questions on "vandalism and the arts" correct.

Caitlin had another early triumph for the team when she identified a cockroach from a description, and the team scored two out of three in their bonus round on international awards giving them a 40-5 lead.

However, in the second half the tide started to turn and Birmingham took the lead.

Paxman himself raised eyebrows over claims he pronounced David Bowie's name incorrectly as the Belfast team attempted to name the albums three of his songs came from.

Queen's ended up losing by 105 points to 165, and did not automatically qualify for the second round of the competition. However, they may still have a chance if they are one of the highest scoring losing teams.

Patrick told the Belfast Telegraph the team was just delighted to get on the show after passing the tough selection of interviews and tests which hundreds of universities enter.

As for the broccoli mascot, Patrick revealed it was picked because most of the team are vegetarians.

Last year, a team from Queen's was defeated in the second round, while in 2013 the team reached the quarter-finals.

Queen's won the competition in 1981 when they defeated the University of Edinburgh.
Sound of Belfast 2015 attracted over 8,000 participants and organisers are confident they will surpass that this year.

Ash will be recognised for their contribution to music at a special awards ceremony in Belfast

Sound Of Belfast, a showcase for local artists, music industry activity and community programming, has been announced.

The highlight of this years programme is the Northern Ireland Music Prize and the presentation of an Oh Yeah Legend Award to the band Ash on November 11.

Sound of Belfast 2015 attracted over 8,000 participants and organisers are confident they will surpass that this year.

There are 31 events across the 10 days in 8 venues.

The schedule also involves performances from the likes of Ports, Ryan Vail, The Bonnevilles, Robyn G Shiels, Girls Names, Hot Cops and Jealous Of The Birds.

There will be a premiere for the Malojian film, This Is Nowhere, which follows the band to Electrical Audio Studios, Chicago, to record with Steve Albini (Nirvana, The Pixies, Plant and Page, PJ Harvey). This takes place at the MAC on November 5.

The Breaking Into Music Youth Conference, returns for a second year on November 8, showing pathways into music and featuring input from UK and local professionals.

Events are taking place at the Mandela Hall, Laverys, Voodoo, The Elmwood Hall, The Empire, the MAC and The Eglantine Bar.

The programme is coordinated by the Oh Yeah Music Centre - Belfasts dedicated music hub, where much of the activity will take place.

Charlotte Dryden, the new CEO of Oh Yeah said: Sound of Belfast is our way of celebrating all that is great about local music. From showcasing new talent to celebrating legends in venues across the city. What is really special is the opportunity for people to participate in some of our youth and older people events.

"It's also great that we are able to keep talking and discussing opportunities and solutions for our industry, musicians and audiences through events like The Music Cities Afternoon and the Breaking Into Music Conference.

There will be contributions from music industry organisations such as UK Music, The BPI, Musicians Union, PRS for Music, The Cato Academy and PPL.

There is additional support from Creative & Cultural Skills and the British Council.

This year, Help Musicians UK will also use the occasion to announce their ambitious plans for Northern Ireland. This leading charity for musicians of all genres are set to open a dedicated office and will start to deliver health and welfare support (including Music and Depression and #hearformusicians) plus new creative funding schemes.

A Music Cities afternoon will examine how Belfast can strengthen its cultural tourism status with relation to cities such as Berlin. On November 12, the Belfast Music Bus Tour will plot the stories and the soundscapes of a wonderful musical city.

Sound of Belfast includes a community event, Urban Affinity on November 9. Delivered with the support of Belfast Harbour and the Halifax Foundation, this reaches out to young people from disadvantaged areas with musical taster sessions.

Five acts from Oh Yeahs talent development programme will launch a CD of their work with a special gig on November 10. The acts are: Bosco Ramos, Emer Maguire, Petty Youth, Search Party and Vokxen

Supporters and partners of Sound of Belfast include the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, the PRS for Music Foundation, Help Musicians UK, The Spectrum Festival, Shizznigh Promotions, The Over The Hill collective and Love Music Hate Racism.

Blue Moon craft beer is set to become the first ever Live Music Sponsor of Sound of Belfast, a development that has allowed the programme to deepen and expand.

For more information visit the online programme here
Margaret was embarrassed to go out because of her swollen stomach

Margaret McMahons doctor had told her she had to lose weight

A mother has said she felt like she was going through "a never-ending pregnancy" after enduring an undiagnosed tumour for three years.

Margaret McMahon (48), from north Belfast, first went to her GP in 2013 suffering from stomach pains, but she was told she had irritable bowel syndrome and needed to lose weight.

However, for three years her stomach continued to swell.

"It was like a never-ending pregnancy - everything was put on hold, I felt ridiculous and was too embarrassed to go out," she told the Belfast Telegraph. "I imagined that everyone was looking at me. I was wearing maternity clothes and I just couldn't hide it."

"I didn't know what sleep was. I had constant pain in my hip and back, I was light-headed and eating made me feel sick."

Last year, Margaret started suffering from stabbing pains in her stomach and was taken to A&E by her daughter, Emma.

"I was told I had a mass in my stomach, but I didn't know what that meant," she explained.

The mother decided to pay for a private scan and was told she had an 18cm tumour the size of a watermelon in her abdomen.

Unaware if it was cancerous or not, she went through the "worst week of her life".

"I thought, 'You are actually going to die'," Margaret said. "I remember my daughter having to stop the car because I felt so sick. I had to tell my parents and sister."

Days later, doctors explained she had a non-cancerous fibroid tumour.

"I just felt this weight of relief - it was as if somebody had lifted me," Margaret said. "I was shaking from head to toe."

Her daughter Emma McMahon (24) added: "That was the scariest week of her life and also for me and my brother Matthew (16). We only have our mum."

Margaret chose to have a hysterectomy to remove the tumour, but she said her "life was put on hold" because she faced a nine-month waiting list.

After a successful procedure in March this year, Margaret is recovering well and looking forward to returning to work as a teaching assistant.

"Seeing her now, it's like two completely different people - we feel like we've got our mum back," said Emma."She was going to the hospital for nearly three years. I felt that the doctors weren't listening to her and I got really angry. I saw her every day and I knew what she was going through."

Margaret added: "I think there should be more information out there on fibroid tumours, so people don't have to worry like I did. You can't even pick up a leaflet in your GP surgery.

"I also hope my experience gives other women hope that if they do go down the road of a hysterectomy, there is light at the end of the tunnel and things will get better."
The Orange Order has protested over the restriction for three years.

The Parades Commission has given the green light for this Saturday's Ardoyne Orange Order march.

A ground-breaking deal was agreed last week after talks between the Crumlin Ardoyne Residents Association (CARA) and the three lodges concerned.

It was agreed that there would be a parade this Saturday and the lodges would not apply for future return parades until local agreement could be established.

The application for the march was made on Monday and it considered on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the Parades Commission said: The agreement between the Orange Order and CARA presents an opportunity for resolution of the decades-long parading disputes at the Crumlin Road.

The Commissions assessment is that there is evidence of support within the local north Belfast communities to achieve the agreements desired aims.

The initiative raises expectations for improved community relations in local north Belfast communities and may address the severe disruption to the life of the local community caused by parades and protests.

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The Commission reflected fully in its decision concerns about the sustainability of the agreement, the consultation process around it, and the objections to the proposed 1 October parade as part of the agreement.

The Commission has considered that the agreement represents new information and evidence sufficient to vary, for the proposed parade on 1 October 2016, its longstanding legal response to the parading dispute on the Crumlin Road.

The Commission has determined that the proposed morning parade on 1 October 2016 as part of a wider parading agreement may proceed under specific conditions along its notified route of the Crumlin Road.

The Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) said it plans to hold two protests against the parade and has called for nationalist residents to take to the streets to oppose the deal.

Since 2013 the Parades Commission has prevented the annual Twelfth return parade past the Ardoyne shop fronts.

In response the three Ligoniel lodges involved established a camp at Twaddell Avenue and held nightly protests over the determination.

The flashpoint has previously witnessed serious loyalist and republican rioting when tensions boiled over.

Dissident republicans had also used the nightly gathering of police in the area to target officers.

The bill for policing the standoff was in excess of 21m.
one of the abscesses the little girl suffers. Pic BBC

A six-year-old girl has been left in constant pain while she waits for vital dental treatment.

Belfast girl Connla Quinn has been placed on an eight month waiting list to have severe mouth abscesses removed, the Stephen Nolan BBC Radio Ulster show reported.

The little girl has suffered the condition for a year and her mum Maria has to drain the abscesses on a daily basis.

Nolan revealed that there were 350 other children in similar circumstances in desperate need of treatment.

"I'm aching and not good at all," Connla told the BBC.

"I can't do work properly [in school] because I am that tired and I can't sleep at night.

"I'm really really sore I would just like them to put me to sleep to get my teeth out.

"I'd be happy because my abscesses would be away and there would be nothing wrong with me anymore."

Her mum says because she is so sore the little girl can not sleep and is always tired which is having a detrimental affect on her schooling.

The mother-of-two said they were both exhausted.

"You just have to get on with it," she said.

"To leave children in pain like that for so long. I don't know how someone can justify that."

The Belfast Trust apologised for any distress caused.

A spokeswoman said: "We appreciate that this can be a very difficult time for parents of children with dental problems and would like to apologise for any distress that has been caused to Connla and her parents whilst she is waiting for treatment.

"Although we are not able to discuss the full medical history of any patient we can advise that Connla has been placed on the emergency cancellation list by the Community Dental Service following her appointment earlier today.

"The demand for dental care under General Anaesthetic (GA) for children is high in Belfast Trust. Senior Dental Officers of the Belfast Trust run GA Assessment Clinics in Beech Hall and Carlisle Dental Clinics for patients requiring dental care under GA who are added to the appropriate waiting list for care in the Mater Hospital."

The spokeswoman added: "Currently the number of children being added to this waiting list exceeds capacity which influences the length of the waiting time. The Belfast Trust monitors this waiting list carefully to ensure that it is administered equitably and fairly for all patients.

"The Trust is making every effort to shorten the current waiting time for routine dental extractions under GA for children at the Mater Hospital from its current expected waiting time of 12 months.

"Dental services are reviewing theatre utilisation, patient cancellation rates, DNA rates and complexity of case mix to maximise throughput on theatre lists in the Mater Hospital. Urgent dental cases are treated within approximately 6  8 weeks. The Belfast Trust are meeting with the Health and Social Care Board commissioning team in relation to demand and capacity in all dental services and the ability to meet service budget agreements and waiting time targets.

Health Minister Michelle ONeill added: I wish to reiterate that tackling excessive waiting times is high on my agenda for delivering improvements in the health service. I want to assure patients and their families again that long waiting times are completely unacceptable to me and I that understand the worry and stress that people feel when they are waiting to hear when they will be seen.

To be able to deliver sustainable improvements in waiting times, we must take action that addresses the root causes of the problem. Short-term measures to address immediate pressures will, on their own, not be enough. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix and the reality is that the capacity within the system remains stretched despite bests efforts.

Reform is required across our services if we really want to achieve improved outcomes and I will need time and new investment to deliver the radical change necessary to deliver sustained, long-term improvement. My policy will be to adopt a balanced approach to taking further short-term action when funding is available, combined with longer-term change.

I am considering the expert panel's report, which makes very clear the need for change. I look forward to setting out my vision for Health and Social Care over the next number of weeks. The health service here will continue to do its utmost within the resources it has available to ensure that the clinical needs of patients are met, patient safety is maintained and patients do not wait any longer than they have to.
Seeing the work being done in the kitchen

Reporter Rebecca Black talks to Sue McAllister, director general of the Northern Ireland Prison Service, and Marie-Therese McGivern, principal and chief executive, Belfast Metropolitan College

Hydebank prison has been transformed into one of the UK's first secure colleges.

Inmates - or students as they are called at the jail, which handles women and young offenders - include Hazel Stewart, who helped murder her husband and her lover Colin Howell's wife, Karen Walsh, who battered her elderly neighbour to death with a crucifix, and Jacqueline Crymble, who killed her husband Paul.

Outgoing Prison Service director Sue McAllister, who leaves her post in a month, said turning the facility around was one of her proudest achievements.

The Belfast Telegraph gained exclusive access to Hydebank, where some gates, bars and turnstiles have been removed to create a "more open welcoming environment, where you don't typically hear gates clanging".

Prisoners can roam freely around the complex for most of the day and are given access to education courses that are often beyond the reach of many outside the prison walls.

Killers can be seen flicking casually through the pages of fashion magazines like Cosmo, or puffing on a cigarette.

Upon admission every inmate is assessed for their risks, needs and strengths in terms of addiction issues, health and education, after which they receive an education plan and are encouraged to attend classes run by Belfast Met.

Maghaberry Prison has a similar programme run in partnership with Belfast Met, and Magilligan has a partnership with the North West College.

"At the college - Hydebank - all of the regime is built around learning and skills," Ms McAllister said.

"There is a presumption that every day people will attend learning and skills (classes), but they are all over 18 so you can't physically shoe-horn someone into a maths class and make them sit there.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Jacqueline Crymble was jailed for a minimum 20 years Double murderer Hazel Stewart Karen Walsh was jailed for the murder of Maire Rankin Maire Rankin / Facebook

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Whatsapp Jacqueline Crymble was jailed for a minimum 20 years

"But what we have done is design a curriculum that doesn't expect people to sit for three hours in a class because these are people who have been turned off education and could no more sit in a class and pay attention for three hours than they could fly.

"So we actually design something that is more short bursts and also often embed that literacy and numeracy into other classes... more vocational things.

"You can do cookery, crafts, motor-based courses, painting and decorating and actually do some element of numeracy and literacy at the same time.

"You can get vocational qualifications as well, which can help you get a job on release.

"With the adult population in Maghaberry, for example, education would be oversubscribed. People actively want to do to classes because they recognise it's a way to engage in activity and not be stuck in your cell all day. But also it is genuinely doing quality stuff.

"If you consider it is not easy for people in the community often to access these courses, people genuinely see an opportunity to improve their skills and get themselves to a stage where they can look for jobs on their release.

"Once people start to get a certificate, even at a basic level, it is amazing what that does for self-esteem and self-worth."

There is a 90% attendance of classes at Hydebank and even waiting lists for some of the catering and art courses.

From September 2015 to July 2016, there were 418 student registrations and 177 full qualifications awarded at Hydebank, and 751 registrations and 558 accreditations at Maghaberry.

Ms McAllister said she set out on a prison reform programme on the back of a major report that made 40 recommendations to transform the Prison Service into one that had rehabilitation at its core.

"This was about our contribution to building a safer Northern Ireland through reducing re-offending," she added.

Belfast Met principal Marie-Therese McGivern said Hydebank was a "very different place" to when she first visited in 2013.

"We felt there was huge things that could be done, certainly in terms of education," she added, although she admitted there had been some reluctance initially within the college.

"It ticked the boxes of what we stand for," she explained. "Belfast Met is open to everyone, we provide a wide range of courses and we believe fundamentally that work takes people out of disadvantage."
A Belfast socialite has appeared in court where he admitted carrying out a sexual assault on man.

Peter Gilroy was due to stand trial on Wednesday, September 28, on a single charge of sexually assaulting another man last October.

However, defence barrister Mark Farrell asked that his client be re-arraigned, and when the charge was put to the 47-year old at Belfast Crown Court, he replied 'guilty.'

Although no details of the offence emerged during today's brief hearing, Gilroy admitted that he committed the offence on October 21 last year.

From Cherryville Street in Belfast, Gilroy admitted 'intentionally touching' the complainant, that the touching was sexual and that the complainant did not consent to the touching.

Mr Farrell confirmed to Judge Geoffrey Miller QC that the male complainant is over 18, and also revealed that Gilroy came before the court with no criminal record.

Judge Miller ordered that pre-sentence reports be compiled ahead of sentencing, which is due to take place in November.

The Judge told Gilroy: "It is in your interests to co-operate fully with the Probation Service and any other agencies that your solicitor deems necessary."

Before releasing the defendant on continuing bail, he was also told by Judge Miller: "The question of what sentence will ultimately be passed will be determined once I have the full facts."
Margaret McGuckin has called on the government to 'get something sorted' in relation to compensation for child abuse victims

The government has been accused of dragging its feet over compensation for victims of historical child abuse.

Campaigners claim political leaders have "shied away" from the issue of financial redress and reiterated appeals for urgent action.

Margaret McGuckin said: "We are asking and pleading to our government, please come off the fence, stop these excuses and get something sorted.

"How many more of us are going to be dead and gone?"

The plea was made as members of an expert panel examining potential compensation schemes briefed MLAs on the Executive scrutiny committee at Stormont.

Ms McGuckin, a high-profile member of the panel, added: " What people want is to be compensated so that for the remainder of their life they can live in some sort of peace and tranquillity, and to afford some comfort.

"Our people were unemployable; the majority of them have had no life because of the many years spent in these institutions and the damage it has done, whether physically, emotionally or mentally."

One suggestion includes a common recognition payment for all victims which could be further supplemented on further analysis of individual experiences.

Jon McCourt said: "For many survivors there is nothing historic about the abuse they suffered.

"While no amount of money can reduce the harm caused, a compensation payment could ease the pressure and help to make life a little more comfortable for survivors in older age.

"Importantly, compensation can have a significant vindicating effect on survivors. It is an acknowledgement of the failure of the state to protect vulnerable children."

Also giving evidence was Professor Patricia Lundy, who slammed the lack of consultation with government ministers and officials.

The Ulster University academic claimed victims had been left feeling "distressed" because the issue of redress was not being dealt with.

She also claimed correspondence with the DUP's junior minister had not been acknowledged.

Public hearings of the public inquiry into child abuse at residential homes ended in July after two-and-a-half years.

Hundreds of vulnerable former residents provided deeply personal and harrowing claims of sexual, physical and emotional suffering over many decades in care homes run by the church, state and the Barnardo's children's charity.

The inquiry's chairman, retired High Court judge Sir Anthony Hart, is set to present his report to Stormont ministers in three months' time and is expected to recommend financial compensation be paid.

Sinn Fein MLA Sean Lynch pledged support for the victims of institutional abuse, adding : "Some will argue there will be no excuses once Judge Hart reports."

The DUP's Christopher Stalford said action was required.

The South Belfast MLA said: "It is obviously important that the government is not only seen to act but does act."

In a statement issued after the committee hearing, the Executive Office said it would be inappropriate to pre-empt the findings of the Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) Inquiry.

A spokesman said: "Ministers remain sensitive to the views of all those who have suffered abuse and are mindful of the destructive impact it has had on many people.

"The Executive Office has not engaged in consultation on this matter as it would be inappropriate to pre-empt the Sir Anthony Hart inquiry findings.

"The inquiry will be making its recommendations, including a fully formed recommendation with regard to redress, in its report to the Executive in January 2017.

"The nature or level of any potential redress, as stipulated in the inquiry's terms of reference, is a matter the Executive will discuss and agree following receipt of the inquiry's report."

The spokesman also said officials continue to engage on a regular basis with all victims of historical institutional abuse.
The British Medical Association Northern Ireland is asking GPs to consider submitting undated resignation letters to the Department of Health in an effort to force the department to take urgent action on an escalating crisis facing general practice.

The decision follows a motion taken at the Local Medical Committee Meeting (LMC) in March to seek undated resignations if the government failed to negotiate a rescue package within six months.

The BMA will now organise a series of roadshows for members in order to gather opinion and gain consensus on action.

Individual GPs will be asked to consider signing an undated resignation letter and submitting it to the doctors union on the understanding that when there is a critical mass of members, the BMA will move forward to mass resignations of practices from their contracts.

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Speaking about the move, Dr Tom Black, Chair of the BMAs Northern Ireland General Practitioners Committee has said urgent action needs to be taken to save general practice.

There is an escalating crisis facing general practice in Northern Ireland; an ever increasing workload, a diminishing workforce, reduced funding and a failing and unsafe Out of Hours service (OHH), Dr Black commented.

We, as a group, have worked hard on behalf of all GPs to persuade the Department of Health to make general practice a priority for investment.

However the urgent action we believe that needs to be taken by the Department to save general practice, for example by increasing the number of GP training places to 111 and increasing the funding for general practice, has just not happened.

He continued: The situation in Northern Ireland is much worse than the rest of the UK. In England, for example, the General Practice Forward View has pledged significant additional funding, we have not had the same level of commitment from the government here.

Expand Close Dr Tom Black, Chair of the BMAs Northern Ireland General Practitioners Committee, says there is an escalating crisis facing general practice in Northern Ireland. / Facebook

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Whatsapp Dr Tom Black, Chair of the BMAs Northern Ireland General Practitioners Committee, says there is an escalating crisis facing general practice in Northern Ireland.

Without these changes, general practice will collapse. We have therefore no choice but to take drastic action.

The Northern Ireland General Practitioners Committee is calling for a rescue plan for collapsing practices, in-hours and Out of Hours services.

It is also calling for the immediate implementation of recommendations of the working group of the GP-led Primary Care Services in Northern Ireland and a full commitment to transforming the NHS in Northern Ireland into the service the public needs.
Men are more likely than women to complain about adverts, research reveals

Men complain about ads more than women and consumers in Greater London and the South East are the most likely to raise their concerns, figures show.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said 56% of complaints came from men compared with 41% of women with the remainder coming from organisations.

Almost two thirds of men who contacted the ASA complained about ads being misleading compared with 41% of women, but 59% of women complained about ads being harmful or offensive compared with 35% of men.

The figures also show that people in England complained twice as much about ads than those in Northern Ireland.

Consumers from Greater London and the South East of England were found to be the most likely to contact the ASA with their concerns.

ASA chief executive Guy Parker said: "It can only take a single complaint to stop an irresponsible ad. And it doesn't matter who or where it comes from.

"Complaints are just one way of helping us gauge public feeling. We also conduct extensive research, speaking direct to people across the UK about their experience of advertising.

"That's led us to spend more time on the issues that make the biggest difference to people, such as tackling misleading broadband pricing and exploring gender stereotyping in ads."
The Coastguard has released footage of a night-time clifftop rescue of a climber during a force nine gale.

The helicopter video captured the efforts of two Coastguard teams as they helped a climber stuck on a rocky crag on a cliff face at Fair Head, near Ballycastle, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday night.

Ballycastle and Coleraine Coastguard rescue teams and Red Bay RNLI's all-weather lifeboat attended the scene along with the UK Coastguard search and rescue helicopter based at Prestwick.

Daniel McAuley, station officer for Ballycastle Coastguard Rescue Team, said: "Two climbers had started climbing the cliff at around 5pm and when the winds started to pick up, the position of the ropes they were using for support moved.

"Luckily, one of the climbers managed to get to the top and raise the alarm at a local farmhouse nearby.

"The occupants of the farmhouse quickly alerted one of the local Coastguard team members who called the job in to the Belfast Coastguard Operations Centre.

"A combination of working in darkness, the instability of the cliff edge and the 44 knot winds meant that we had to set up 30 metres away from the edge of the cliff to make sure the equipment was secure.

"We were very grateful to the Belfast Coastguard Operations Centre for co-ordinating the response and for the Coastguard helicopter and the RNLI lifeboat, who shone their lights on the climber and our operations so we could work safely.

"Without their vital support, our jobs would have been made all the more difficult.

"This is a great example of how these teams worked brilliantly together under challenging circumstances to rescue the climber.

"Thankfully, he did not require any medical attention or treatment after being rescued.

"The climbers did the right thing by calling the Coastguard as soon as they got into difficulty.

"Unfortunately, they just got caught out by the change in the wind conditions - we're just glad they're safe and well now."
The Parades Commission has endorsed the proposed Orange Order march along the Crumlin Road past the nationalist Ardoyne

A loyal order parade central to a deal aimed at resolving Northern Ireland's bitterest marching dispute has been granted official permission.

The Parades Commission - the Government-appointed adjudication panel for controversial processions and protests - has endorsed the proposed Orange Order march along the Crumlin Road past the nationalist Ardoyne in north Belfast early on Saturday morning.

The expected green light from the commission follows the historic agreement between Orangemen and a nationalist residents' group on the long-standing impasse.

A Parades Commission spokesman said: "The Commission has determined that the proposed morning parade on 1 October 2016 as part of a wider parading agreement may proceed under specific conditions along its notified route of the Crumlin Road."

The Twaddell/Ardoyne flashpoint has previously witnessed serious loyalist and republican rioting when tensions linked to the contentious Orange march boiled over on the main date in the loyal order parading calendar - the "Twelfth of July".

A 24/7 loyalist protest camp was set up at the sectarian interface in 2013 when the Parades Commission prevented Orangemen belonging to three Orange lodges passing the nationalist Ardoyne as they returned from traditional "Twelfth" commemorations.

Nightly protests were held in the nearby unionist Woodvale/Twaddell area in the years since, with a protest parade every Saturday.

The policing operation at the site has cost in excess of 20 million over the past three years.

After protracted negotiations, mediated by cleric Reverend Harold Good and businessman Jim Roddy, an accord between the three lodges and the main nationalist residents group - the Crumlin Ardoyne Residents Association (Cara) - was announced last week.

It envisaged the Orangemen completing the outstanding leg of their 2013 parade on Saturday morning at 8.30am.

It was agreed that the Orangemen's accompanying bands will only play hymns as the parade passes the disputed stretch of the Crumlin Road while the lodges will limit the number of banners they display.

In return, Cara did not apply to the Parades Commission to protest at the parade.

Once the parade is completed the loyalist camp at the interface will be dismantled and all associated protests will end.

Going forward, the lodges have agreed not to apply for any more return parades on the Twelfth until a wider agreement on the issue is reached. Cara will not protest at the lodges' already permitted outward parade on the morning of the Twelfth.

A local community forum including representatives of Cara and the loyal orders will also be convened with the aim of improving community relations in the area.

A more hard-line residents group in the Ardoyne - the Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (Garc) - has opposed the agreement and claimed there was insufficient consultation with nationalists in the area.

Garc intends to hold a rally on Friday night to voice it opposition and also stage a protest as the parade passes on Saturday.

The Parades Commission spokesman said: "The agreement between the Orange Order and Cara presents an opportunity for resolution of the decades-long parading disputes at the Crumlin Road.

"The Commission's assessment is that there is evidence of support within the local north Belfast communities to achieve the agreement's desired aims.

"The initiative raises expectations for improved community relations in local north Belfast communities and may address the severe disruption to the life of the local community caused by parades and protests.

"The Commission reflected fully in its decision concerns about the sustainability of the agreement, the consultation process around it, and the objections to the proposed 1 October parade as part of the agreement.

"The Commission has considered that the agreement represents new information and evidence sufficient to vary, for the proposed parade on 1 October 2016, its long-standing legal response to the parading dispute on the Crumlin Road."
Police are investigating a possible link and are appealing for the public's help.

Police are appealing for the public's help following a series of attempted hi-jackings and an attempted robbery in west Belfast.

The incidents happened in the Falls Road and the Donegall Road areas between 10pm and 11.40pm on Tuesday September 27.

Police received a report just after 10pm of an attempted hi-jacking of a red BMW 1 Series car which had stopped at traffic lights at the junction of the Falls Road and Donegal Road.

A male with a hood over his head, who was armed with a knife, approached the driver, who was able to drive away to safety and contact police.

The driver was left shaken but unharmed

Half an hour later at 10.30pm police received a report of another attempted hi-jacking of a red Citroen C4 Picasso parked on the Falls Road.

Three males approached the car, one armed with a hammer - but the drive managed to drive to safety and contact police.

He too was left shaken but unharmed.

Just over an hour later police received a call about an attempted robbery at a restaurant on the Falls Road, police attended and one male was arrested and is currently helping police with enquriies.

Detective Inspector Paul Rowland said: "While we are investigating potential links between each of these incidents, I am appealing for anyone who may have witnessed any of these incidents, or indeed any other incidents which may not have been reported to police, or any suspicious activity in the area to contact detectives on 101 quoting reference number 1371 of 27 September 2016.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to provide information without giving your details you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers and speak to them anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Police are dealing with a terrorist bomb alert every week, shocking figures have revealed.

So far this year, police and Army bomb disposal teams have been called out to alerts more than 40 times.

The Police Federation for Northern Ireland, which represents rank and file officers, warned that the combination of rising crime rates and persistent terrorist threats was placing "an extreme burden on an under-strength police force."

Policing Board member Ross Hussey claimed there was a "blaseness" about bomb scares and said he was concerned another life could soon be lost.

Just last year, a booby-trap bomb killed prison officer Adrian Ismay.

According to the latest police statistics obtained by the Belfast Telegraph, from January to August, police were called out to 39 bombing incidents.

Out of those call-outs, 19 (49%) were classified as "credible threats". The remainder were hoax calls.

Last year, 51% of the incidents were classed as "viable devices", compared to 39% in 2014.

UUP MLA Ross Hussey MLA warned that as terrorists became more adept at making bombs, the possibility that one would kill continued to increase.

He explained: "There is a blaseness about bomb scares today. People are just not as security conscious as they once were.

"You have groups that still think they're going to bomb their way to a united Ireland, and it's just not going to happen. Loyalist or nationalist, both need to get off the back of the people."

Mark Lindsay, chairman of the Police Federation in Northern Ireland, said that the figures revealed the reality of the security situation here.

"Our threat level is severe in Northern Ireland and these worrying figures, not only of viable but of hoax devices, bear this out," he added.

"Thirty-seven viable devices last year shouts of the distance we have still to travel in Northern Ireland before we can truly say we have achieved genuine peace and a normal society.

"The reality is that viable and hoax devices show the determination of some people to disrupt daily life and, wore still, attempt to murder."

Mr Lindsay also said the imminent risk of any potential bomb threat meant that officers did not have "the luxury of being immediately able to determine which are viable and which are hoax devices".

He added: "The PSNI budget has been subjected to savage cuts with the likelihood of more on the way.

"The necessary police response to any incident takes away from resources needed for frontline policing."

Mr Lindsay had previously said that the combination of rising crime rates and persistent terrorist threats were placing an extreme burden on an under-strength police force.

He added: "We're currently 600 below the minimum peacetime number recommended by Patten.

"We have to prevent the migration of dissident republican activity to the mainland, and to do that we need more officers on the ground.

"People involved in this type of activity are disconnected from reality and society.

"Our officers have achieved notable successes against the terrorist groupings, but there can be no let-up in that effort until terrorists come to the realisation that they are relics of a bygone era and that Northern Ireland has left them behind."

Police officers have previously spoken to the Belfast Telegraph of their concerns about being under-resourced.

One of them said: "The pressure we are under is immense. Several potentially deadly attacks have been stopped, but, unfortunately, it's only a matter of time before someone else is killed."
An embarrassing rift over the legacy of Seamus Heaney has emerged involving his alma mater Queen's University and a new visitors' centre built with the blessing of his family.

The 4m HomePlace is due to open in the late poet's native Bellaghy tomorrow.

But it has raised tensions with Queen's, where the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry is already well established.

A source said: "This has raised tensions over the Heaney legacy and opened what is a highly embarrassing rift between his alma mater and the centre, which of course has the support of the Heaney family."

Plans to drive a multi-million dual carriageway through 'Heaney country' have attracted controversy for the past decade.

The campaign to re-route the road is supported by many important cultural voices such as Edna and Michael Longley, Bernard O'Donoghue, Colm Toibin, Roy Foster and Stephen Rea.

In a recent interview Professor Fran Brearton, Director of the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry at Queen's University, said that "it is an imperative now, even more so than it was when (Heaney) himself protested against this development, to protect a legacy that exists, beautifully, both in physical form, and in the landscape of the poems that bring international visitors to this area."

"It is to do with legacy and protecting a priority landscape, but unfortunately that's something that is very hard to legislate for," she added.

"It seems to me rather short-sighted. You are not putting one little road through, you are putting a massive dual carriageway through."

Adding to the tension is a planned protest against a new road which threatens to lay waste to swathes of Heaney country.

The A6 upgrade involves a new stretch of dual carriageway close to Heaney's former home.

But campaigners have claimed that it will devastate land that inspired the Nobel Prize-winning poet to write some of his most famous works.

A protest is due to take place tomorrow - on the very day the Seamus Heaney HomePlace is opened.

It appears to be supported by a number of Queen's students. A bus taking supporters to the protest is due to leave the gates of the university.

The source added: "The timing of this protest against the road is ugly, embarrassing and no coincidence.

"One wonders what Seamus Heaney would have made of it all."

Queen's did not respond to requests for comment.

A number of academics from the Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen's are also understood to be behind an online fundraising campaign challenging the A6.

The crowdfunding drive to meet legal and campaign fees to "save" Heaney country and reroute the A6 has generated just over 2,000 of its 7,000 target.

The page claims the new road is "a devastating act of institutionalised vandalism."

Earlier this month the Belfast Telegraph visited the stretch of countryside at the centre of the road row and found opinion divided.

Caroline Evans said: "I don't want this road. It's going to take away a lot of my property."

However, another local, Thomas Farrell, was more positive.

"Anything that does away with the congestion has to be welcomed," he added.

The new Heaney visitors' centre is dedicated to his life and work and aims to attract 35,000 visitors a year.

It is built on the site of a former police station in Bellaghy.

The poet, who died in August 2013, grew up and is buried in the village. HomePlace is being run by Mid-Ulster District Council.

The centre's manager Brian McCormick is Seamus Heaney's nephew. Earlier this year, Mr McCormick said that he believed it would draw in the crowds.

"We've set ourselves a target of 35,000 visitors per year," he added. "While it's a rural area we're obviously positioned almost halfway between Belfast and Derry.

"Actually, in recent discussions with Fr Dolan, who is the parish priest, he has indicated that people already travel to visit Seamus Heaney's grave and sign the visitors book there."

In 2007 during the first public inquiry into the road, local Heaney expert and tour guide Eugene Kielt succeeded in rerouting the road away from the port's childhood homestead - a campaign in which he appeared to be a lone voice.

A more recent inquiry considered environmental factors and Chris Hazzard, Infrastructure Minister, gave the go-ahead in August.
Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Ardoyne Parade Outward Pictured is Twaddell residents at the Orange order parade and its associated protests as it makes its way past the flashpoint of the Ardoyne Shopfront in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Ardoyne Parade Outward Please note this image has been rotated 90 degrees counter clockwise see image _16 for correct positioning Pictured is a protester lying on his back at police lines at the Orange order parade and its associated protests as it makes its way past the flashpoint of the Ardoyne Shopfront in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Ardoyne Parade Outward Pictured is the Orange order parade and its associated protests as it makes its way past the flashpoint of the Ardoyne Shopfront in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast PSNI officers on duty as members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast PSNI officers on duty as members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast PSNI officers on duty as members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast PSNI officers on duty as members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast PSNI officers on duty as members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast PSNI officers on duty as members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast Members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast Members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast PSNI officers on duty as members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast PSNI officers on duty as members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast PSNI officers on duty as members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast PSNI officers on duty as members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast PSNI officers on duty as members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly speaks to the media as members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast PSNI officers on duty as members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast PSNI officers on duty as members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast PSNI officers on duty as members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast PSNI officers on duty as members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly speaks to the media as members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast PSNI officers on duty as members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast Members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast Members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast Members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast Members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast Members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast Members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast Members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Ardoyne Parade Outward Pictured is a protester at the Orange order parade and its associated protests as it makes its way past the flashpoint of the Ardoyne Shopfront in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Ardoyne Parade Outward Pictured is a protester lying on his back at police lines at the Orange order parade and its associated protests as it makes its way past the flashpoint of the Ardoyne Shopfront in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Ardoyne Parade Outward Pictured is Police officers escorting members of the Ardoyne community to Brompton park at the Orange order parade and its associated protests as it makes its way past the flashpoint of the Ardoyne Shopfront in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Ardoyne Parade Outward Pictured is a protester sheltering from the rain at the Orange order parade and its associated protests as it makes its way past the flashpoint of the Ardoyne Shopfront in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Ardoyne Parade Outward Pictured is the Orange order parade and its associated protests as it makes its way past the flashpoint of the Ardoyne Shopfront in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Ardoyne Parade Outward Pictured is Nigel Dodds at the Orange order parade and its associated protests as it makes its way past the flashpoint of the Ardoyne Shopfront in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Ardoyne Parade Outward Pictured is the Orange order parade and its associated protests as it makes its way past the flashpoint of the Ardoyne Shopfront in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Ardoyne Parade Outward Pictured is a police office asleep in the back of a jeep at the Orange order parade and its associated protests as it makes its way past the flashpoint of the Ardoyne Shopfront in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Ardoyne Parade Outward Pictured is the Orange order parade and its associated protests as it makes its way past the flashpoint of the Ardoyne Shopfront in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Ardoyne Parade Outward Pictured is the Orange order parade and its associated protests as it makes its way past the flashpoint of the Ardoyne Shopfront in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Ardoyne Parade Outward Pictured is Nelson McCausland at the Orange order parade and its associated protests as it makes its way past the flashpoint of the Ardoyne Shopfront in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Ardoyne Parade Outward Pictured is the Orange order parade and its associated protests as it makes its way past the flashpoint of the Ardoyne Shopfront in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Ardoyne Parade Outward Pictured is the Orange order parade and its associated protests as it makes its way past the flashpoint of the Ardoyne Shopfront in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast Members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast Members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Press Eye Photography - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Orange parade at Ardoyne, North Belfast Members of the Orange Order and marchers parade along the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne shops in North Belfast as protestors and members of Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) protest against the parade. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Ardoyne Parade Outward Pictured is the Orange order parade and its associated protests as it makes its way past the flashpoint of the Ardoyne Shopfront in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Nationalist protest and heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Nationalist protest and heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Nationalist protest and heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Nationalist protest and heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Nationalist protest and heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Nationalist protest and heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Nationalist protest and heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Nationalist protest and heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Nationalist protest and heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Nationalist protest and heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Republican Dee Fennell(centre) at the protest. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Nationalist protest and heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Nationalist protest and heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Nationalist protest and heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Nationalist protest and heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Nationalist protest and heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Nationalist protest and heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Republican Dee Fennell(centre) at the protest. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Nationalist protest and heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Republican Dee Fennell(centre) at the protest. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Woodvale Parade Pictured is police riot officers dealing with violence at the Orange order parade as it reaches its stopping point on the Woodvale road in North Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Woodvale Parade Pictured is police riot officers dealing with violence at the Orange order parade as it reaches its stopping point on the Woodvale road in North Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Woodvale Parade Pictured is police riot officers dealing with violence at the Orange order parade as it reaches its stopping point on the Woodvale road in North Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Woodvale Parade Pictured is police riot officers dealing with violence at the Orange order parade as it reaches its stopping point on the Woodvale road in North Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Woodvale Parade Pictured is police riot officers dealing with violence at the Orange order parade as it reaches its stopping point on the Woodvale road in North Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Woodvale Parade Pictured is police riot officers dealing with violence at the Orange order parade as it reaches its stopping point on the Woodvale road in North Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Woodvale Parade Pictured is police riot officers dealing with violence at the Orange order parade as it reaches its stopping point on the Woodvale road in North Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Woodvale Parade Pictured is police riot officers dealing with violence at the Orange order parade as it reaches its stopping point on the Woodvale road in North Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Woodvale Parade Pictured is police riot officers dealing with violence at the Orange order parade as it reaches its stopping point on the Woodvale road in North Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Woodvale Parade Pictured is police riot officers dealing with violence at the Orange order parade as it reaches its stopping point on the Woodvale road in North Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Protestors gather ahead of a parade on Woodvale Road, north Belfast as part of the annual Twelfth of July celebrations, marking the victory of King William III's victory over James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday July 13, 2015. See PA story ULSTER Twelfh. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Orange Order members by barricades ahead of a parade on Woodvale Road, north Belfast as part of the annual Twelfth of July celebrations, marking the victory of King William III's victory over James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday July 13, 2015. See PA story ULSTER Twelfh. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Protestors gather ahead of a parade on Woodvale Road, north Belfast as part of the annual Twelfth of July celebrations, marking the victory of King William III's victory over James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday July 13, 2015. See PA story ULSTER Twelfh. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Protestors gather ahead of a parade on Woodvale Road, north Belfast as part of the annual Twelfth of July celebrations, marking the victory of King William III's victory over James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday July 13, 2015. See PA story ULSTER Twelfh. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Protestors gather ahead of a parade on Woodvale Road, north Belfast as part of the annual Twelfth of July celebrations, marking the victory of King William III's victory over James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday July 13, 2015. See PA story ULSTER Twelfh. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/07/2015 Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road this evening. Bottles and bricks have been thrown at police lines when marchers were prevented from returning along the Ardoyne/Crumlin road this evening.

PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/07/2015 Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road this evening. Bottles and bricks have been thrown at police lines when marchers were prevented from returning along the Ardoyne/Crumlin road this evening.

PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/07/2015 Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road this evening. Bottles and bricks have been thrown at police lines when marchers were prevented from returning along the Ardoyne/Crumlin road this evening.

PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/07/2015 Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road this evening. Bottles and bricks have been thrown at police lines when marchers were prevented from returning along the Ardoyne/Crumlin road this evening.

PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/07/2015 Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road this evening. Bottles and bricks have been thrown at police lines when marchers were prevented from returning along the Ardoyne/Crumlin road this evening.

PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/07/2015 Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road this evening. Bottles and bricks have been thrown at police lines when marchers were prevented from returning along the Ardoyne/Crumlin road this evening.

Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road on the 'Twelfth' Night 2015. Photo Arthur Allison/Pacemaker

PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/07/2015 Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road this evening. Bottles and bricks have been thrown at police lines when marchers were prevented from returning along the Ardoyne/Crumlin road this evening.

PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/07/2015 Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road this evening. Bottles and bricks have been thrown at police lines when marchers were prevented from returning along the Ardoyne/Crumlin road this evening.

PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/07/2015 Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road this evening. Bottles and bricks have been thrown at police lines when marchers were prevented from returning along the Ardoyne/Crumlin road this evening.

PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/07/2015 Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road this evening. Bottles and bricks have been thrown at police lines when marchers were prevented from returning along the Ardoyne/Crumlin road this evening.

PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/07/2015 Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road this evening. Bottles and bricks have been thrown at police lines when marchers were prevented from returning along the Ardoyne/Crumlin road this evening. Photo Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road on the evening of the Twelfth 2015 in Belfast Photo Arthur Allison/Pacemaker

PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/07/2015 Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road this evening. Bottles and bricks have been thrown at police lines when marchers were prevented from returning along the Ardoyne/Crumlin road this evening. Photo Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/07/2015 Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road this evening. Bottles and bricks have been thrown at police lines when marchers were prevented from returning along the Ardoyne/Crumlin road this evening. Photo Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/07/2015 Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road this evening. Bottles and bricks have been thrown at police lines when marchers were prevented from returning along the Ardoyne/Crumlin road this evening.

PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/07/2015 Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road this evening. Bottles and bricks have been thrown at police lines when marchers were prevented from returning along the Ardoyne/Crumlin road this evening.

PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/07/2015 Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road this evening. Bottles and bricks have been thrown at police lines when marchers were prevented from returning along the Ardoyne/Crumlin road this evening. Photo Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/07/2015 Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road this evening. Bottles and bricks have been thrown at police lines when marchers were prevented from returning along the Ardoyne/Crumlin road this evening. Photo Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

PACEMAKER BELFAST 13/07/2015 Loyalist bandsmen and their supporters clash with PSNI riot police at the top of the Woodvale Road this evening. Bottles and bricks have been thrown at police lines when marchers were prevented from returning along the Ardoyne/Crumlin road this evening. Photo Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Trouble flares on Woodvale Road as a north Belfast Orange Order feeder parade is stopped from continuing their parade past the Ardoyne shops. The Parades Commission put the restriction on the parade a number of years ago. A young girl lies injured on the ground after a car drove into the crowd in front of the Ardoyne shops in north Belfast. PSNI officers had to tip the car to get to her. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Trouble flares on Woodvale Road as a north Belfast Orange Order feeder parade is stopped from continuing their parade past the Ardoyne shops. The Parades Commission put the restriction on the parade a number of years ago. A young girl lies injured on the ground after a car drove into the crowd in front of the Ardoyne shops in north Belfast. PSNI officers had to tip the car to get to her. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Pictured is police riot officers dealing with violence at the Orange order parade as it reaches its stopping point on the Woodvale road in North Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Woodvale Parade Pictured is police riot officers dealing with violence at the Orange order parade as it reaches its stopping point on the Woodvale road in North Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Woodvale Parade DUB Councillor Brian Kinston tries to restore order as police riot officers dealing with violence at the Orange order parade as it reaches its stopping point on the Woodvale road in North Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Trouble flares on Woodvale Road as a north Belfast Orange Order feeder parade is stopped from continuing their parade past the Ardoyne shops. The Parades Commission put the restriction on the parade a number of years ago. Loyalists break down barriers put down by the PSNI on Woodvale Road and throw missiles at the police. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Trouble flares on Woodvale Road as a north Belfast Orange Order feeder parade is stopped from continuing their parade past the Ardoyne shops. The Parades Commission put the restriction on the parade a number of years ago. Loyalists break down barriers put down by the PSNI on Woodvale Road and throw missiles at the police.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Trouble flares on Woodvale Road as a north Belfast Orange Order feeder parade is stopped from continuing their parade past the Ardoyne shops. The Parades Commission put the restriction on the parade a number of years ago. Loyalists break down barriers put down by the PSNI on Woodvale Road and throw missiles at the police. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Trouble flares on Woodvale Road as a north Belfast Orange Order feeder parade is stopped from continuing their parade past the Ardoyne shops. The Parades Commission put the restriction on the parade a number of years ago. Residents board up their houses after loyalists break down barriers put down by the PSNI on Woodvale Road and throw missiles at the police. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Trouble flares on Woodvale Road as a north Belfast Orange Order feeder parade is stopped from continuing their parade past the Ardoyne shops. The Parades Commission put the restriction on the parade a number of years ago. Loyalists break down barriers put down by the PSNI on Woodvale Road and throw missiles at the police. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Trouble flares on Woodvale Road as a north Belfast Orange Order feeder parade is stopped from continuing their parade past the Ardoyne shops. The Parades Commission put the restriction on the parade a number of years ago. Loyalists at barriers put down by the PSNI on Woodvale Road.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Trouble flares on Woodvale Road as a north Belfast Orange Order feeder parade is stopped from continuing their parade past the Ardoyne shops. The Parades Commission put the restriction on the parade a number of years ago. Loyalists at barriers put down by the PSNI on Woodvale Road.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Trouble flares on Woodvale Road as a north Belfast Orange Order feeder parade is stopped from continuing their parade past the Ardoyne shops. The Parades Commission put the restriction on the parade a number of years ago. A loyalist dances on top of PSNI land droves after they broke through the barriers which had be put in place. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 13: Nationalists jostle with police officers after an alleged loyalist car drove over a young girl trapping her underneath as it reveresed at high speed on the return journey towards the controversial Ardoyne flashpoint the Twelfth of July parade on July 13, 2015 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Twelfth is an Ulster Protestant celebration held annually. It celebrates the victory of Protestant king William of Orange over Catholic king James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, which helped ensure Protestant supremacy in Ireland at that time. This year the Twelfth takes place on the thirteenth of July due to the original date falling on a Sunday. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 13: Loyalists break through a police barrier as they are prevented from progressing on the return journey towards the controversial Ardoyne flashpoint the Twelfth of July parade on July 13, 2015 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Twelfth is an Ulster Protestant celebration held annually. It celebrates the victory of Protestant king William of Orange over Catholic king James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, which helped ensure Protestant supremacy in Ireland at that time. This year the Twelfth takes place on the thirteenth of July due to the original date falling on a Sunday. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 13: A Loyalist breaks through a police barrier and taunts police officers as Orangemen are prevented from progressing on the return journey towards the controversial Ardoyne flashpoint the Twelfth of July parade on July 13, 2015 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 13: A Loyalist breaks through a police barrier and throws a set of step ladders at police officers as Orangemen are prevented from progressing on the return journey towards the controversial Ardoyne flashpoint the Twelfth of July parade on July 13, 2015 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Twelfth is an Ulster Protestant celebration held annually. It celebrates the victory of Protestant king William of Orange over Catholic king James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, which helped ensure Protestant supremacy in Ireland at that time. This year the Twelfth takes place on the thirteenth of July due to the original date falling on a Sunday. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 13: Loyalists break through a police barrier as they are prevented from progressing on the return journey towards the controversial Ardoyne flashpoint the Twelfth of July parade on July 13, 2015 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Twelfth is an Ulster Protestant celebration held annually. It celebrates the victory of Protestant king William of Orange over Catholic king James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, which helped ensure Protestant supremacy in Ireland at that time. This year the Twelfth takes place on the thirteenth of July due to the original date falling on a Sunday. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Belfast - Northern Ireland - Monday 13th July 2015 - Woodvale Parade Pictured is police riot officers dealing with violence at the Orange order parade as it reaches its stopping point on the Woodvale road in North Belfast, Northern Ireland. Picture by Kevin Scott / Presseye.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th July 2015 Trouble flares on Woodvale Road as a north Belfast Orange Order feeder parade is stopped from continuing their parade past the Ardoyne shops. The Parades Commission put the restriction on the parade a number of years ago. A young girl lies injured on the ground after a car drove into the crowd in front of the Ardoyne shops in north Belfast. PSNI officers had to tip the car to get to her. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

Pictured is police riot officers dealing with violence at the Orange order parade as it reaches its stopping point on the Woodvale road in North Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Police riot officers dealing with violence at the Orange order parade as it reaches its stopping point on the Woodvale road in North Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Police clash with bystanders after a car is driven into a crowd outside Ardoyne shops, trapping a girl underneath the car in north Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 13, 2015.

Flashback - July 13, 2015 - A young girl lies injured on the ground after a car drove into the crowd in front of the Ardoyne shops in north Belfast. PSNI officers had to tip the car to get to her.

A senior police officer was hit by a lump of masonry that "effectively severed his ear" as trouble flared on Woodvale Road, north Belfast. Pic Bill Smyth

A republican residents group is to protest against a ground-breaking agreed Orange Order parade in a north Belfast flashpoint on Saturday.

The Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) said it plans to hold two protests against the parade and has called for nationalist residents to take to the streets to oppose the deal.

DUP Assembly member Nelson McCausland last night said: Once again, we see the utter intolerance and intransigence of GARC who always seem intent on creating divisions and heightening tensions.

GARC is holding a rally in the area on Friday night.

It will today apply to the Parades Commission for permission for residents to gather at Estoril Park at 7pm and march to Ardoyne Library.

It has called on nationalists from other parts of Northern Ireland to attend to show solidarity with the people of Ardoyne.

On Saturday, GARC will hold a protest as the Orange Order parade is due down the Crumlin Road at 8.30am.

A ground-breaking deal was agreed last week after talks between the more moderate nationalist residents group, the Crumlin Ardoyne Residents Association (CARA) and the lodges.

The agreement allows for the completion of the 2013 Twelfth of July parade.

After the march on Saturday morning, the protest camp at Twaddell Avenue will be dismantled.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton, right, with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. E Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th July 2016 - Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. / Facebook

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Whatsapp Members of the Orange Order and Nationalist protestors along with a heavy police presence at the Ardoyne Shops on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast as an Orange Order feeder parade makes its way to the City Centre for the main 12th of July parade. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.

The deal has been welcomed by Sinn Fein, unionists, and clerics on both sides of the divide.

However, Dee Fennell of GARC said: Saturdays parade is being forced on the people of Ardoyne by loyalists and Sinn Fein. There was no comprehensive consultation with residents.

More than 8,000 people live in Ardoyne, and CARA claim that 80 were present at the meeting which agreed this deal  less than 1% of the population.

GARC will lodge its applications for both protests with the Parades Commission today when the commission will also announce its decision on Saturdays one-off Orange parade.

Around 250 marchers and two bands are due to take part in it.

After the march, the lodges wont apply for any more return Twelfth parades along the route until a comprehensive local agreement has been reached.
Relatives carry the coffin adorned with white blooms after mass at Corpus Christi Church

Mum Lisa Carlisle holds Logan as he touches the coffin

Hundreds of mourners have attended the funeral of an 11-year-old Belfast boy who died suddenly.

Leon Carlisle's family and friends gathered at Corpus Christi Church in the Ballymurphy area of west Belfast yesterday.

The young pupil was found dead in his west Belfast home last Wednesday night.

A white horse-drawn carriage carried the small white coffin as it made its way from the youngster's home to the church for Requiem Mass.

His devastated parents and younger brothers followed closely behind the hearse before they said their final goodbye to Leon, who they said "loved life".

Leon had recently started at St Mary's Christian Brothers' Grammar School and was a past pupil of Holy Trinity Primary School.

Hundreds of messages of support have been left for his family since his tragic death.

The young boy's relatives paid tribute to him online, saying that he "loved life" and that he had "loads of friends".

The youngster's school also paid tribute to the popular student. It said: "It is with great sadness that the St Mary's CBGS community has learnt of the sudden death of Year 8 student Leon Carlisle following a tragic accident at his home.

"Leon was a popular Year 8 student and his loss will be sorely felt throughout the whole school and wider community.

"The thoughts and prayers of the St Mary's community are with his family at this sad time."

Friends and family described Leon as a "brilliant kid".

The tragic schoolboy is survived by his parents John McNaughton and Lisa Carlisle and brothers Sean and Logan.
A murder trial has heard how a woman accused of killing a man whose body was dumped in a wheelie bin rang a friend and told her she had "gone mad and jumped on his head and stomach" following an argument.

Stephen Thomas Hughes (29) and Shauneen Boyle (25) are jointly charged with Owen Creaney's murder over two years ago at a house in Lurgan, and blame each other for the attack.

The trial at Belfast Crown Court previously heard that Mr Creaney was subjected to a "deliberate and frenzied attack" then "unceremoniously dumped" in a green wheelie bin after it took two days for him to die from his injuries.

A state pathologist concluded that Mr Creaney died as a result of blunt force trauma to his chest and head. His injuries included 15 broken ribs and a fractured breastbone as well as bleeding of and tearing to the brain.

The court was told the 40-year-old victim was cleaned, showered and put on a sofa in an upstairs bedroom of a house where two young children were living at the time.

Yesterday, on the second day of the trial, a lifelong friend of Shauneen Boyle gave a statement to the jury about the events of July 4 and 5 in 2014.

Mairead McGuigan said that while at work she got a text message from Shauneen Boyle on July 4, 2015, which said: "I am in trouble."

The witness said that she later phoned Boyle. "She said she was in Craigavon, she was drinking and she had got into a fight with a fella," she explained.

"She said his name was Owen, but I didn't know who she was talking about. She said she got into a fight with Owen, she had went mad, she had beat a fella up after getting into an argument and she jumped on his stomach and his head. She might have said that he was in a bad way.

"She said there was blood all over his face. She said his face was busted open."

Ms McGuigan said Boyle phoned her around 9pm and asked her to call round to Stephen Hughes' house after work.

"She asked me to bring round my Hoover and my carpet cleaner as she said there was a stain on the white carpet," she added.

The witness said she called at Hughes' house at Moyraverty Court, Craigavon, at 9.35pm and sat on a sofa next to Boyle while Hughes stood in front of them. Boyle's one-year-old son was in a pram facing the sofa.

Asked what Boyle and Hughes were doing, Ms McGuigan replied: "They were drinking. Shauneen said, 'I got into a fight with Owen Creaney over my dad'.

"Stephen said nothing. I asked him why he didn't break it up. He said he was afraid and said he had got his blinds broken. I was about to leave when I heard noises and realised Owen Creaney was up the stairs.

"Shauneen said he had been sleeping for 28 hours. She said he had been drinking and was drunk. I went to see where he was. Shauneen pushed open the bedroom door and I could see Owen Creaney lying on the sofa.

"He was making funny breathing noises, like heavy breathing. Shauneen said he was sleeping. He was like bruised with yellow bruising. There was foam coming out of his mouth.

"The smell in the room was disgusting. It nearly made me sick. His trousers were all wet. I said, 'There is something not right. He has a broken rib. You need to get him an ambulance'.

"But they wouldn't listen. They wouldn't do it. They wouldn't phone for an ambulance. I told them, 'Get the police, this man has a broken rib'. Shauneen said Stephen was afraid of police coming to the house."

The witness told the jury the pair had told her that after the fight they showered Mr Creaney "to try and bring him round". "They said they changed him and washed his clothes," she added.

Ms McGuigan went for a drive with a male friend and told him what had happened.

The witness said she and Boyle were in contact by phone the following morning, July 5, 2014. In one text message, she claimed Boyle asked her if she had any petrol. She replied her car was diesel, to which Boyle texted back: "Does it burn?"

Ms McGuigan said she asked about Owen Creaney and Boyle replied: "He is dead."

She said that during the phone call, she overheard a conversation between Boyle and Hughes about an empty wheelie bin.

The witness said that after the phone call ended, she contacted her father, adding: "After that I went to the police."

Defence counsel Johh Kearney QC told the witness that Boyle did not dispute that she had told her that she had "assaulted this man Owen".

"Can you confirm Stephen Hughes was by her side when you were in the house?," she was asked. Ms McGuigan replied: "Yes".

Mr Kearney QC said: "He was pretty much there by her side in the living, downstairs, upstairs and downstairs. Is that right?"

Ms McGuigan replied: "Yes."

The defence QC said: "I suggest to you that a text she sent to you made it clear that at the time she had not done it... she was making it clear to you that she had nothing in fact to do with it."

In answer, the witness said: "I can't remember that. All I was told was that the man was dead."

Both Hughes, whose address was given as HMP Maghaberry, and Boyle, from Edenderry Park, Banbridge, Co Down were remanded back into custody.

At hearing.
The DUP and Sinn Fein have been accused of government secrecy to rival the Stasi amid a row over a previously unseen file examining the impact of Brexit.

The document lists more than 20 ways leaving the EU could damage Northern Ireland.

It was produced by civil servants in a unit of the former Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister, but does not appear to have been made public.

It is dated May 2015 - 13 months before the historic vote to leave Europe.

UUP leader Mike Nesbitt, who described the document's emergence as "explosive", said he was given the clear impression that no planning took place.

He suggested its non-publication could have breached the ministerial code on openness.

SDLP MLA Sinead Bradley said Stormont had the most secretive government in the history of devolution. "Burying a Civil Service report on Brexit until after the referendum was a clandestine attempt to skew the public debate and should never have happened," she added.

The paper, obtained by The Detail website, lists a series of ways in which a UK decision to leave the EU could hit Northern Ireland.

These include:

Damaging the NI economy;

Impacting on business and trade;

Reducing foreign direct investment

Hitting employment

Creating political difficulties.

Ms Bradley, the SDLP's economy spokeswoman, said the secrecy of Stormont was on a par with the Stasi - the state security service of the former East Germany. It has been described as one of the most repressive and secret intelligence and police agencies.

Ms Bradley added: "Their fresh start has been tainted by an arrogance and deceit that the Stasi would be proud of. What we now have is perhaps the most secretive government in the history of devolution."

Earlier, Mr Nesbitt asked Speaker Robin Newton to examine the Assembly record to confirm that it "has not in any way been misled on contingency planning by the Executive for a Brexit vote".

He also asked Mr Newton to consider whether not publishing the document represented a breach of the ministerial code on openness.

He added: "I suggest that it was in the public interest for this document to be published."

But Mr Newton said the sharing of Executive information was not a matter for the Speaker.

The 15-page analysis, obtained by The Detail, devoted three pages to listing "Potential areas of conflict for Northern Ireland in the event of Brexit". The document warns: "Although the UK is a net contributor to the EU, NI is a net beneficiary, so the immediate financial impact to NI is likely to be negative."

It goes on to describe how Northern Ireland could lose access to billions of pounds in funding. The document cites 862m in structural funds and European Social Fund from 2014 to 2020, 2.5bn in Common Agricultural Policy funding covering the same period, and competitive EU funding which in the period 2011/12 to 2013/14 had amounted to 72.7m.

It examined how leaving the EU could affect Northern Ireland's ability to attract Foreign Direct Investment - a crucial aspect of Stormont's job creation plans.

A spokesperson for The Executive Office said: "Officials prepare a range of papers on a regular basis, many of which are working papers and do not form submissions sent to ministers. This analysis paper was not sent to ministers for consideration following its completion."

It added that "the document contains well rehearsed arguments which were openly being aired during the referendum campaign and would have added nothing to the wider debate".
One of the most instantly-recognisable voices in Northern Ireland broadcasting has been silenced with the death of veteran BBC presenter and reporter Paddy O'Flaherty, who was also a popular country and western musician.

And the breadth of Paddy's prodigious talents has been underlined by the wide range of glowing tributes paid to him by fellow journalists, political leaders and country stars.

Paddy, who was from the Ballyhackamore area of east Belfast, died after a short illness, which it's understood had only been diagnosed a few days ago.

News of his passing was broken on Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme, where he'd been a renowned cornerstone of their award-winning output for decades.

Noel Thompson announced Paddy's death near the end of yesterday's GMU.

He told listeners that he was saddened to have to share the news of the death of Paddy, whom he described as a very esteemed colleague whose extraordinary enthusiasm could make the most tedious story sound like an exciting one.

Co-host Karen Patterson was clearly distressed and said there was no one like him. She said he was revered as a journalist of the highest calibre, but she added: "What I remember most is his decency and his kindness to a new reporter in the news and current affairs stable here in the BBC. He showed me the ropes and brought out the sheer enjoyment of the job."

Paddy was 73, but he was still broadcasting on GMU until recently and, indeed, his passion for the job was illustrated by his contribution last week to a discussion about telephone boxes, which have become almost redundant in Northern Ireland thanks to the mobile phone revolution.

Karen Patterson said Paddy had regaled listeners with stories of blossoming romances and community tales that began in the old telephone boxes.

She added: "He'd even gone to his home area and checked out what boxes were still in existence."

It was to be Paddy's last-ever item on GMU, but his distinctive voice resonated across the Radio Ulster airwaves yesterday as excerpts of his broadcasts were played throughout the day.

Talkback presenter William Crawley said the shock in the BBC newsroom about Paddy's death yesterday morning was palpable. "I saw him a week ago and he was in fit form," said William.

Paddy was described as a "legend" by BBC reporter Mervyn Jess, who's also an official in the National Union of Journalists and who said it had been a privilege to have worked with him during his decades in the broadcasting industry.

The editor of BBC Northern Ireland radio current affairs and digital news, Adam Smyth, said: "Paddy was one of the best radio broadcasters these islands have ever produced, a tremendous character and a man whose name was synonymous with BBC Radio Ulster."

Paddy started his career as a newspaper reporter with the Irish News, where UTV presenter Paul Clark worked alongside him as a novice journalist.

He said: "As a rookie, Paddy took me under his wing. I am really saddened to hear about his death."

Paul recalled how Paddy had played a lament to his late wife at her funeral. "There wasn't a dry eye in the church," he added.

Former UTV broadcaster Mike Nesbitt, who's now the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and who was a one-time colleague of Paddy O'Flaherty, tweeted: "Great voice. Great journalist. Great man."

Tributes to Paddy came from other political leaders as well. First Minister Arlene Foster said he was "a gentle person" and her DUP colleague Ian Paisley MP said he was one of the most courteous and decent people he'd ever had the honour to meet.

SDLP MP Mark Durkan said Paddy was an engaging broadcaster and a gentleman.

Political journalist Gareth Gordon said he enjoyed nothing more than being on a late shift with Paddy "in storytelling mode", adding: "He could make the phone book sound lyrical".

The head of BBC News NI, Kathleen Carragher, called Paddy a "fantastic radio broadcaster", who could bring the listener to the heart of any story.

Paddy was acknowledged as a journalist who could add a warmth and lightness of touch to the softer side of news across Northern Ireland, but it was as a reporter throughout the Troubles that he stamped his undoubted authority.

One of Paddy's former news editors at the BBC, Michael Cairns, said he was one of the reporters of the Troubles era in Northern Ireland, adding "To be a good Troubles' reporter, you needed courage, empathy and storytelling ability. And Paddy had everything."

He said that Paddy's reports in January 1992 from Larry's Bar in Belfast after bomb attacks in the area helped win Good Morning Ulster a Sony Gold award.

He also revealed that, after the IRA dumped the bodies of three men - Gregory Burns, John Dignam and Aidan Starrs - they had shot as informers in south Armagh in July 1992, Paddy went on his own to the border area late at night and actually discovered one of the corpses.

"The Army and police wouldn't go near it," said Michael, "but Paddy produced this piece which was heartbreaking, but professional, describing what he saw. That was Paddy to a tee. He was one of the great chroniclers of that time of madness we all went through."

Another ex-colleague, Wendy Austin, concurred. She tweeted: "Very sad that my lovely colleague Paddy O'Flaherty has passed away. One of nature's gentlemen, wonderful voice, great reporter. We'll miss him."

Fellow broadcaster John Bennett said Paddy O'Flaherty's voice was unforgettable and unmistakeable. "It started about his ankles somewhere and it had marinated itself as it came up and when it came out through those tonsils you could believe anything that Paddy had said to you. His was the voice of authority."

He said that Paddy was a "complete professional".

He recalled how Paddy was clearly feeling unwell during one live early morning broadcast after "a bad curry" the night before, but used the time during a 35-second promotional break to sort out his problems. "He reached under the table and lifted a wastepaper basket to 'call for Hughie' and went on with the next link. The listeners didn't know anything had happened."

But, away from the bombs and bullets, Paddy O'Flaherty was also an accomplished musician, playing the country fiddle with a bravura that earned him plaudits from his peers.

He also hosted country music programmes on Downtown Radio and later moved to the BBC with a radio show called Country Club and the TV production Make Mine Country.

International stars like Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Loretta Lynn regularly appeared on his programmes.

Hugo Duncan said Paddy loved playing country music and knew everything about it, adding: "He was a real entertainer. We were lucky that Paddy came up with us for an outside broadcast on Radio Ulster from the Royal Victoria Hospital on Christmas Eve and his fiddle-playing brought the house down.

"He was great craic. I couldn't believe it when I heard the awful news this morning."

Paddy was also a fanatical angler and even became the fishing correspondent of the Saturday morning Radio Ulster programme Your Place and Mine.

The former editor of the Press Association in Ireland, Deric Henderson, said: "Paddy was a very solid journalist, who could make even the most apparently trivial story sound fascinating.

"I used to marvel at the scope of stories that he covered on Good Morning Ulster. One minute he would be talking about a farming controversy and the next he would be reporting on the latest business news."
The Central Statistics Office said the country could not have "full confidence" in the crime figures

Almost a fifth of all crime reported to the Garda is still not recorded on its own system, official analysis has found.

And the force's success rate in solving crimes is probably 10% lower than actually claimed, a State agency has warned.

Despite widely-publicised concerns being flagged several years ago on reported crime figures, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) has again cast doubt over official numbers.

The latest caution was sounded as figures were released claiming the number of burglaries had plunged 26%, thefts were down 12% and sexual offences were up 13% in the year to June.

But the CSO said the country could not have "full confidence" in the figures until outstanding issues with how the force recorded crime were resolved.

Tim Linehan, of the CSO, said the scale of crime still not being recorded on the official Garda database Pulse had only fallen "very slightly" over the last year.

"Around 17% of crime reported to An Garda Siochana in 2015 was not recorded on Pulse," he said.

Last year, it was reported that 20% - or one in five - of all reported crimes never made it onto the system.

In a follow-up inquiry into last year's official records, the State agency again portrayed confusion and huge differences in how crimes were recorded in Garda stations across the country.

Some stations used technology and paper, some used only one or the other.

The CSO said where stations did not keep matching paper records it was "ultimately impossible to measure" how much crime was not being properly recorded.

Doubts were further cast on the classification of around 5% of major crimes.

Some 3% of crimes - including burglaries and thefts - were found to be recorded in the wrong category. Another 2% of records did not have enough information to tell whether or not they were correctly classified.

The CSO said 18% of crimes marked as detected - or solved - had no charge or summons sheet attached to prove it.

Removing these would reduce the Garda's overall claimed crime detection rate by 10%, it said.

"The CSO is continuing to work with An Garda Siochana to improve the reliability of the data and will continue this analysis at regular intervals to monitor data quality," Mr Linehan said.

Three years ago, former Garda chief Martin Callinan dismissed as "simply not true" allegations by the Garda Representative Association (GRA) that some crimes were not being recorded while official figures were easily massaged.

A year later,the CSO launched an investigation after the Garda Inspectorate exposed massive errors on the Pulse system, including poor classification of incidents and under-reporting, throwing doubt over the country's true crime rates.

Tanaiste and Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said there has been significant progress on inadequate recording of crime but more needs to be done.

"I welcome the fact that the CSO conclude that the estimated impact of these issues on recorded crime is substantially less than was the case for the first review," she said.

"I am determined that a strong focus remain on the need for improvements in this area."

Ms Fitzgerald said i t will take time for the full effect of the upgrading Garda systems to be reflected in the statistics.

And she claimed: "The need for improvements in this area should not detract from the comparative assessment of statistics which shows a real and significant reduction under a number of headings."

Sinn Fein justice spokesman Jonathan O'Brien called on Garda management to explain why crime is being under-recorded.

"It important that An Garda Siochana outlines the reasons for these issues so that the public can have confidence in the published crime figures. It is also important because these figures will have an influence when it comes to the allocation of resources," he said.

"We will be calling on the Minister for Justice to request that Garda Siochana address this matter as soon as possible."

In a statement, the Garda said it accepted more work had to be done on recording crime.

"Data quality is an issue for all police services and we are determined to ensure we have the highest quality data," the force said.

"We have made some progress in this area, but we recognise we have more work to do."

The Garda said many issues around the recording of crime would be addressed by investment in technology that will automate the recording of crime and more civilian staff in the Garda Information Services Centre and the appointment of a data quality manager.
Enda Kenny will host all-Ireland talks on the impact of Brexit within weeks, but the DUP will not be there.

The Republic's Taoiseach said the "all-island, all-Ireland conversation" in November would involve businesspeople, political representatives and more.

Details of the gathering will be revealed in the "near future", he told the Irish parliament yesterday.

Mr Kenny also warned that the process of Britain leaving the EU could take much longer than expected.

"I fear that this will run for quite some time," he said. "It might not be as straightforward as many people think."

The DUP has signalled that it will not take part in any all-island forum. First Minister Arlene Foster rejected suggestions of an all-island Brexit forum at the last North-South Ministerial Council meeting at Dublin Castle in July.

A party spokesman said there was no need for new structures and that cross-border talks could be carried out within the existing arrangements.

He added: "With reports that Article 50 may be triggered early in 2017, ensuring that Northern Ireland's voice is at the heart of Brexit negotiations is vital.

"We have already had an assurance from the Secretary of State for Leaving the EU that this will be the case."

But under questioning from Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams in the Dail, Mr Kenny confirmed that he was pressing ahead with the talks.

"It is my intention to convene an all-island, all-Ireland conversation about this, obviously to which businesspeople, members of civic society and political parties will be invited," the Taoiseach said.

Mr Kenny added that the outcome of June's referendum had sparked a great deal of confusion and uncertainty and was a matter of the utmost seriousness and concern to Ireland's interests.

Mr Adams claimed the entire post-Good Friday Agreement architecture was under threat because of the "British government's insistence on dragging the people of the North out of the EU against their wishes".

A majority of voters in Northern Ireland backed remaining within the bloc.

"It is very important that we send a very clear message that the vote of the people of the North must be respected," Mr Adams said.
Benjamin Stimson's next appearance will be at the Old Bailey

A British man has appeared in court charged with terrorism offences linked to the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Benjamin Stimson is thought to be the first Briton charged under terror legislation for alleged involvement in the civil war in the eastern European country.

The 41-year-old from Oldham, Greater Manchester appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on Wednesday morning, court officials confirmed.

He is accused of two offences, one involving "the intention of committing acts of terrorism and engaging in conduct in preparation for giving effect to his intention", and the second "the intention of committing acts of terrorism and assisting acts of terrorism".

Stimson was interviewed by the BBC while he was with a pro-Russian separatist militia group in eastern Ukraine in October 2015.

He was filmed saying he would be prepared to kill if his life was threatened and he would see it as an act of war.

However, in a video posted on YouTube last month, he claimed the journalists had told him to handle a gun.

He said: "They told me to pick a weapon up."

Stimson also denied any involvement in military action, saying he had gone to the country to drive ambulances and at the time of the interview was trying to get away from the militia.

Court staff said Stimson was remanded in custody to appear next at the Old Bailey on October 7.
The widow of a Falklands war veteran has won a High Court declaration that gives her a "last chance" to have her late husband's child.

Samantha Jefferies, 42, from East Sussex, was forced to go to court after the shock discovery that the 10-year period for storing the frozen embryos the couple had created had been inexplicably amended to just two years and had since expired.

Mrs Jefferies and husband Clive had been undergoing fertility treatment when he died suddenly, aged 51, of a brain haemorrhage.

A judge has now declared that the amendment to the storage period was "not valid" and the embryos, instead of being allowed to perish, can still lawfully be stored and used.

The declaration was made by Sir James Munby, president of the Family Division of the High Court, who said he would give his reasons later in writing.

With tears in her eyes, Mrs Jefferies said the judge's decision was "overwhelmingly fantastic - just brilliant, amazing".

Mrs Jefferies, an occupational therapist, said she did not have a plan for using the embryos soon but added: "I would love to be a mum."

She thanked the judge for Googling the history of her hero husband, who served in the Royal Army Medical Corps and was on board the transport ship Sir Galahad when it was bombed in the Falklands in 1982, killing 48 men.

She told the court her husband was "a wonderful man", adding: "I want my husband's child."

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) had supported her application on the grounds that the amendment to the MT form - used to record consent for embryo storage - had not been signed by Mr Jefferies.

BMI Healthcare Ltd, which runs the Sussex Downs Fertility Centre, where the couple received treatment, also supported Mrs Jefferies and funded her legal costs. The judge said BMI seemed to have acted "with sensitivity and compasssion".

Mrs Jefferies paid tribute to all those who had supported her "common sense" application and said: "It has given me faith in the law."

In court, Jenni Richards QC told the judge: "Samantha has brought this case because the embryos she is seeking to preserve represent her last chance of having the child of her husband they had both so dearly wanted."

Three embryos were created from Mrs Jefferies' eggs and her late husband's sperm, with consent for them to be stored for 10 years from August 11 2013. Her husband also consented to their posthumous use.

The couple met in 1999 and married in December 2006 and always wanted to have children, the court heard.

After trying naturally for many years, they were referred in 2013 for NHS-funded IVF treatment, said Ms Richards.

A number of amendments were made to Mr Jefferies' consent form, including one specifying a reduction in the storage period from 10 years to two.

Most of the amendments were countersigned by Mr Jefferies, but the change to the storage period was not, said Ms Richards.

Mrs Jefferies did not know who made the amendment and it came as a shock when she discovered it.

Ms Richards said it was likely the amendment was made to reflect the clinic's policy at the time, which was to only offer storage for the period for which the NHS would provide funding.

There was evidence that the clinic had asked couples to amend their forms to two years if they had chosen a longer period of storage.

Granting Mrs Jefferies a declaration that storage and use was lawful until August 11 2023, the judge said: "I am just so sorry that people like you should have no idea that this can end up in court because of mistakes made by other people who should have known better."
You normally have to be 100 years old to get a special birthday greeting from the Queen, but Her Majesty has made an exception for Northern Ireland woman Jean Cannon.

Belfast-born Jean turned 90 years old - the same age as the Queen - earlier this week, and has already received a congratulatory message from the monarch.

It was a surprise organised by Mrs Cannon's niece, Julie Cassidy, after US-based Jean, a native of Ottawa Street just off the Shankill, told Julie she would love "a piece of home" for her landmark birthday.

Julie wrote to Buckingham Palace outlining her aunt's circumstances and, to her shock, got a reply, along with an official missive for Mrs Cannon thanking her for her ongoing support for the royal family and wishing her a happy 90th birthday.

"It was special, a real surprise", widow Jean (nee Moore) told the Belfast Telegraph from her home in Chesapeake, Virginia.

"Julie knew how much this would mean to me. I think Julie might have said my health wasn't great, but I told her I'm far from dead yet."

Indeed, sprightly Jean is up and about again after being bedridden for a several weeks.

"I broke my right foot on the way home from church - I lost my balance and tripped over a stone," she said. "Funnily enough, my birthday on Monday marked the first day I could start moving around again."

Jean met the love of her life, and her future husband - Murry Cannon, an American soldier - in wartime Belfast when she was just 15 years old, but the path of true love did not run smooth for the smitten young couple.

"When I turned 16, I asked my dad if I could marry him, but he said no, I was too young," she recalled. "Then Murray was sent to fight in the Battle of the Bulge (the last major German offensive campaign of the Second World War). He was reported missing for a while, but made it back home in 1945.

"He sent me the money to fly over to America, and not long after that I boarded the big plane and we were married for 56 years."

The couple had three sons - Bob (now 67), Mike (61) and Alan (56) - and a daughter, Margaret, who died 28 years ago.

Murray passed away in 2002 and since then Jean has been living on her own. Her recent health issues wrecked any chances of making it back to Belfast for her 90th birthday and a reunion with her one remaining sibling Bobby (83).

Two other brothers, Sammy (Julie's father) and Joe, and sister Julia, have all passed away.

The disappointment at Jean not making it back prompted Portaferry-based dance teacher Julie (59) to contact Buckingham Palace in the faint hope that the Queen would respond.

"I got a lot of cards, but receiving something from Her Majesty was extra special" said Jean - who plans to be around for the royal telegram in 10 years' time.

"Everybody tells me I don't look 90 years old, and one of my nieces said I'd pass for 70," said Jean.

"I don't drink or smoke but, unfortunately, I'm not able to dance any more like I did when I was young. I loved dancing."
Junior doctors have complained that Jeremy Hunt wrongly imposed the contract on NHS employers

Doctors' leaders have been urged to stop threatening industrial action in the wake of a High Court judge's ruling on an NHS contract dispute.

A campaign group complained that Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt wrongly imposed the contract on NHS employers.

Justice for Health, a group founded by five doctors, said Mr Hunt acted beyond the scope of his powers by compelling NHS employers to adopt the new deal.

But Mr Justice Green has dismissed the claim, after a High Court hearing in London,.

Ministers say the British Medical Association (BMA), which represents doctors, should now remove the threat of further action.

The litigation followed opposition to Mr Hunt's plans for seven-day NHS services in England.

Junior doctors began strikes, the longest of which has lasted two days, in January.

BMA bosses have suspended strikes planned for October, November and December because of patient safety concerns.

But the doctors' union says it still opposes the new contract and plans "a range of other actions".

"We must now move on from this dispute to the crucial job of making sure patients get the same high standards of urgent and emergency care every day of the week, which involves more than the junior doctors' contract," said a Department of Health spokeswoman.

"We urge the BMA to remove all threat of further industrial action so we can work constructively with junior doctors to address their wider concerns and better recognise their vital importance to the NHS."

Dr Ellen McCourt, who chairs the BMA's junior doctor committee, said the judge's decision should not be seen as a Government "win".

"This ruling will do nothing to address the fact that morale amongst junior doctors is at an all-time low," she said.

"Nor will it quell junior doctors' concerns about the imminent introduction of a flawed contract they have rejected or the deep sense of anger and mistrust that has built up towards the Government over the last year."

She added: "Faced with a demotivated and frustrated workforce, the Government must prioritise rebuilding the trust that has been lost."

A BMA spokeswoman said that no decision has been made regarding the prospect of further action.
The decision to call five-day doctor strikes - which were then abandoned - was not a mistake, the head of the junior doctors' committee has said.

Dr Ellen McCourt told the Press Association that junior doctors still had "a range of options" open to them to oppose the new contract, which is being introduced for medics from October 5.

She said each trainee would have to make their own decision on whether to sign the contract from next week, and warned that patient safety may be put at risk due to its terms.

It came as Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt won a High Court fight with campaign group Justice for Health.

The group said Mr Hunt acted beyond the scope of his powers by compelling NHS employers to adopt the new deal.

But Mr Hunt said the complaint was without substance and Mr Justice Green agreed that the minister had approved the contract but had not compelled employers to adopt it.

The British Medical Association's junior doctors' committee called off its series of five-day strikes planned for the run-up to Christmas after NHS England said the health service would not be able to cope with the scale of the industrial action.

Dr McCourt refused to be drawn on what action the BMA would now take, but insisted medics remain united "on the issues". Some have suggested that doctors may work to rule.

Dr McCourt said: "The BMA has not accepted the contract, we remain in dispute around the contract. There are still several outstanding concerns.

"We are looking at a variety of other options - we have not yet released those to our members - but what we need to do is find ways of challenging this at a more local level and using a variety of different methods. We're still looking into them."

She added: "I think there's a variety of ways of getting the contract changed. By suspending industrial action, we are pursuing other avenues. Moving forward, it's likely there will be people working under the contract and even more light will be shed on some of the concerns that we have. The way in which we are resisting the contract has changed, but our problems with the contract remain the same."

She said doctors had to make up their own minds whether to work under the contract from next week.

"If doctors are going to work, they will be working under the imposed contract. However, that does not mean they have consented to that contract, they haven't accepted it. Junior doctors will face that choice (over whether to sign it) on October 5.

"We will not be abandoning our trainees who are moving to work under the imposed contract which they have not accepted. However, it is up to every individual trainee whether they choose to go to work on October 5."

Some junior doctors have vented their fury on social media about the BMA's handling of the contract and strikes, resulting in the rise of several splinter groups.

Asked if she was concerned about splits within the BMA, Dr McCourt said: "I think throughout the last year there have been lots of groups joining together to achieve different aims.

"The Junior Doctors' Alliance are a group that want to spread some of the messages that have come out of the contractual dispute. There are groups of junior doctors who wanted to take industrial action, but we took on board views fro m junior doctors across England and the overwhelming feedback was that they didn't support taking industrial action because of the impact it was likely to have on patient care."

She said the BMA undertook a wide range of research to check junior doctors' views before calling off the strikes.

"The overwhelming feedback was that they still opposed the contract," she said. "But they didn't feel that - given the response we had from our pre-existing safety mechanisms who told us that, given how fragile the NHS is at the moment, it would be unable to cope with five days of industrial action - trainees didn't feel able to take part. Patient safety is at the front of everything we do.

"We believe that the contract moving forward will be damaging to the workforce - and the consequences may well be that care is damaged for patients - but we didn't want to cause any harm to patients at the moment and so we took the difficult decision to suspend industrial action."

She added: "I wouldn't say it was a mistake (to call the strikes).

"The artificial timeline the Government gave us means that trainees are moving on October 5. We had to escalate the industrial action from where we were previously.

"However, when we had feedback from NHS England ... they told us 'Actually this is very unlikely to be safe'.
Jet2.com last month banned the sale of alcohol before 8am on its flights as part of a commitment to tackle disruptive and abusive behaviour

Incidents of disruptive behaviour by airline passengers around the world rose 17% last year, new figures show.

Some 10,854 cases were reported in 2015 compared to 9,316 during the previous year, according to a viation industry body IATA.

Alcohol or drug use was identified in a lmost one in four (23%) incidents and 11% featured physical aggression or damage to the aircraft.

Recent police statistics showed hundreds of passengers were arrested in the UK on suspicion of being drunk on a plane or at an airport in the last two years.

Figures obtained by the Press Association showed at least 442 people were held between March 2014 and March 2016.

Last month b udget airline Jet2.com banned the sale of alcohol before 8am on its flights as part of a commitment to tackle disruptive and abusive behaviour.

IATA chief executive Alexandre de Juniac said: " Unruly and disruptive behaviour is simply not acceptable.

"The anti-social behaviour of a tiny minority of customers can have unpleasant consequences for the safety and comfort of all on board.

"The increase in reported incidents tells us that more effective deterrents are needed."
The vote for Brexit will have repercussions on growth for years, experts said

Britain will suffer a slowdown in economic growth for "several years" following its decision to break free of the European Union, according to a report.

The credit ratings agency Standard & Poor's said the Brexit vote will shave 2.1 percentage points off UK gross domestic product (GDP) by the end of 2018, but will not force the economy into recession.

Sterling's drop in value in the wake of the referendum result will boost GDP by around 1.2% in the middle of 2018 and drive a 7% rise in exports, the report said.

But it added that the the plunge in the pound would also take its toll on the economy, hampering purchasing power and consumption.

Jean-Michel Six, chief EMEA economist for S&P Global Ratings, said monetary policy, the property market and exports were key factors driving the direction of the UK economy.

"W e expect the housing market to experience a soft landing in the coming 12 months, thanks to still very favourable financing conditions.

"A steeper fall would undoubtedly be associated with a sharper contraction in consumer demand and residential investment."

He added that the Bank of England's willingness to take action in the wake of the referendum result had appeased the gilt markets and prevented a steepening in the yield curve.

S&P has pencilled in UK GDP to grow by 1.8% this year, 1% next year and 1.1% in 2018. It said the UK economy would have grown by 1.9% in 2016, 2.1% in 2017, and 2% the year after if Britain had not voted to leave the EU.

It said the impact of the Brexit vote on the eurozone economy would be milder, trimming 0.7 percentage points off GDP between 2017 and 2018.

Speaking about the eurozone, he added: "Brexit occurred when the eurozone was struggling to find a second wind, now that the boost from very oil prices on spending power is vanishing, while investment remains hesitant and the effects of monetary policy are taking time to materialise."

Mr Six said: "In short, the sky hasn't fallen on either side of the Channel, contrary to concerns that the UK would soon fall into recession, precipitating a marked slowdown in the rest of the European Monetary Union."
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge taste the local food during a visit to the Mission Hill winery in Kelowna

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge meet young chefs during a visit to the Mission Hill winery in Kelowna

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have signed a virtual visitors' book - with their first joint tweet.

William and Kate's foray into the world of social media had a twist as they used old technology - in the form of a morse code telegraph machine - to send their virtual message.

Their brief words - effectively an electronic signature - were transmitted to the world during a visit to a Canadian museum telling the story of the Yukon, famed as the home of the Klondike gold rush.

Radio operator Doug Bell tapped out the Cambridges' tweet when their tour of the visitor attraction in Whitehorse - known as the Wilderness City - brought them to the settlement's old telegraph office, now a preserved exhibit.

As Mr Bell, who last sent a telegram in 1947, was sending the dots and dashes, William joked: ''Ah, there's a spelling mistake.''

The royal couple both held the lever down to send the tweet, posted under the Twitter account Telegraph to Tweet, which said: ''The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, September 2016, Whitehorse Yukon.''

The telegraph machine operated by Mr Bell, a former commissioner of Yukon, was wired up to a micro control unit, which converted the electrical signal into letters and was connected to a PC.

Mr Bell went on to tell the couple about the time he chatted to William's parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, when they visited Ottawa in 1981.

The 90-year-old said: ''I met your parents'' and the Duke replied: ''It seems pretty much everyone has met my family here.''

Mr Bell added: ''I asked your father if he'd been to Yukon and he said no, and I said we ought to do something about that so I called the governor general and we made arrangements. Then I got a call saying 'They can't go, the princess is pregnant'.''

''Wow, that must have been me or Harry,'' said William.

Kate, who wore a red Carolina Herrera coat, was impressed with the telegraph office, visited by the Queen in 1959 and one of the few surviving historic buildings in Whitehorse.

As the Duchess looked around the building, she said: ''Wow, that's amazing."
Ahmad Khan Rahami has been accused of detonating a pipe bomb in a New Jersey town and a pressure cooker bomb in New York City on September 17

The sister of a man charged with setting off bombs in New Jersey and New York told police in 2014 that he was getting ready to hit her with a dumbbell and stabbed another brother in the leg when he tried to help her, police reports show.

Zobydha Rahami told investigators that Ahmad Khan Rahami was preparing to pray when he began throwing things at her in their family's home above their fried chicken restaurant in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

She said he then punched and slapped her in the face, hit her and her mother with a phone charger wire and grabbed the dumbbell.

She said an ensuing fight between Ahmad Rahami and two of his brothers led to brother Nasim Rahami placing him in a chokehold before Ahmad Rahami grabbed a knife from a coffee table and stabbed him in the leg.

She said the fight continued as Nasim Rahami, another brother and Ahmad Rahami's wife tried to get the knife away from him and then Ahmad Rahami threw a pan at him and went to his room with his wife.

Zobydha Rahami told police that she feared for her brothers' lives but the police were not called that night because the siblings "did not want to get our brother in trouble".

The next day, Ahmad Rahami got into an argument with his father, who then wanted the police to arrest him, she said, according to a statement police took from her on August 22 2014.

Zobydha Rahami and Nasim Rahami were treated at hospital for minor injuries and were released.

Ahmad Rahami, an Afghan-born US citizen, spent more than a month in jail before his sister and brother told investigators they did not want to pursue charges, and a grand jury then declined to indict him.

It was after that incident that the Rahami siblings' father, Mohammad Rahami, said he told the FBI about Ahmad Rahami's apparent Muslim radicalisation and said he had "become bad".

He said his son visited Afghanistan and Pakistan the year before and was a changed person.

A senior FBI official pushed back against Mr Rahami's claim to have warned agents about his son.

FBI agents interviewed the father after the arrest because he had expressed concern to someone following that episode over his son's internet use and some of his associates, the official said.

But in interviews with agents, Mr Rahami "at no time" discussed his son's radicalisation or potential interest in al Qaida, the Taliban or their propaganda, said the FBI official.

Ahmad Rahami has been in hospital since he was caught following a shootout with police in Linden last week, days after the bombings.

Officials said he remained unconscious on Tuesday.

He has not made an initial court appearance and his American Civil Liberties Union lawyers declined to comment.

Rahami has been accused of detonating a pipe bomb in a New Jersey town and a pressure cooker bomb in New York City on September 17.

No-one was injured in the New Jersey blast and 31 people were injured in the New York blast. A second pressure cooker bomb did not explode.

AP
After half a century of bloodshed, Colombians have embarked on a new path to settle their political differences with the signing of a historic peace accord between the government and leftist rebels.

President Juan Manuel Santos and Rodrigo Londono, top commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), formally signed the agreement before a crowd of 2,500 foreign dignitaries and special guests, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and US secretary of state John Kerry.

Many in the audience, all dressed in white, had tears in their eyes as Mr Santos removed from his lapel a pin shaped like a white dove which he has been wearing for years and handed it over to his former adversary, who fastened it to his own shirt.

It was one of many symbolic gestures during the 90-minute ceremony overlooking the colonial ramparts of Cartagena that filled Colombians with hope and optimism for the work ahead to implement a 297-page accord that took four years to negotiate.

The deal's first test will be a weekend referendum in which voters are being asked to ratify or reject the deal.

If it passes, as expected, Colombia will move on to the thornier and still uncertain task of reconciliation.

If the accord is accepted by Colombian voters in Sunday's referendum, as polls say it will, the FARC's estimated 7,000 fighters would have to turn over their weapons to a team of United Nations-sponsored observers within six months.

A much tougher challenge will be reconciliation, a process that will require rebels and state agents who want to avoid jail to confess to war crimes committed during a 52-year conflict marred by brutalities on both sides.

The European Union announced it has suspended its sanctions against the FARC, which has been on the bloc's "terrorist list" since 2002. The sanctions have allowed the EU to freeze the assets of people, groups and entities linked to the FARC and to stop Europeans making funds or economic resources available to it. The US has yet to follow suit, although Mr Kerry said he was open to reconsidering the group's status.

In the longer term, the two sides have drafted an ambitious agenda to hasten the development of Colombia's long-neglected countryside and rid it of illegal coca crops that starting in the 1980s strengthened the FARC - and some say morally corrupted it - while other insurgencies across Latin America fell to the wayside.

Mr Londono, best known by his alias Timochenko, called Mr Santos "a courageous partner" and proclaimed there was no turning back on the FARC's decision to abandon Colombia's jungles.

"Let no-one doubt that we are going into politics without weapons," he said, before ending his speech with a simple but loudly applauded appeal for forgiveness.

"I apologise for all the pain that we have caused," he said.

Mr Santos, who for years was the FARC's top military opponent, was equally emphatic that he would honour his promise to promote pluralism and open up Colombia's traditionally elite-driven political system.

"As head of state of the fatherland we all love, I want to welcome you to democracy," he said. Earlier, he led the crowd in chants of "no more war".

Across the country, Colombians celebrated with a host of activities, from peace concerts to a street party in the capital, Bogota, where the signing ceremony was broadcast live on a giant screen.

AP
Drones have previously disrupted flights into Dubai airport, which is the base of long-haul carrier Emirates (AP)

Dubai International Airport had to close for half an hour after a drone flew by its airspace.

Airport officials said flight operations were halted just after 8am local time on Wednesday over "unauthorised drone activity".

It said a number of take-offs and landings were delayed by the incident.

It added on Twitter: "Safety is our top priority and we remind all (drone) operations that activities are not permitted within 5 kilometers (3.11 miles) of any airport or landing area."

Drones have previously disrupted flights into the airport, which is the base of long-haul carrier Emirates.

Since February, drone owners have been required to register with the United Arab Emirates' General Civil Aviation Authority. Authorities also ban hobbyists from putting cameras or lasers on their drones and flying in certain areas.

AP
A woman struggles with her umbrella against powerful gusts of wind generated by Typhoon Megi across Taiwan (AP)

A massive typhoon has left one person dead in eastern China, a day after killing four and injuring more than 600 in Taiwan, where authorities remained on alert for the possibility of a landslide.

Typhoon Megi caused more than 10 million US dollars in damage as it swept across Taiwan before weakening into a tropical storm after hitting the coastal city of Quanzhou in China's Fujian province before dawn on Wednesday, Taiwan's weather service said.

At its height, it was packing winds of up to 74mph (118kph), China's National Meteorological Centre said.

One person died after several structures collapsed in Quanzhou, the official China News Service reported. Schools were closed and dozens of flights were cancelled.

In Fuzhou, Fujian's capital, state television showed people wading through knee-deep water which had swamped major roads. Rescue workers were seen pulling stranded residents through the streets on inflatable boats.

The storm was forecast to move north-west on Wednesday and gradually fade away.

In Taiwan, nearly four million homes lost power and 10 provincial highways remained closed on Wednesday, a day after heavy rain and sustained winds of 100mph (160kph) blanketed the island, Taiwan's official Central News Agency reported. More than 4,800 people remained in emergency shelters on Wednesday afternoon.

Taiwan's Central Emergency Operations Centre reported that the 625 injured included eight Japanese tourists travelling in a tour bus which overturned in central Taiwan. Three people suffered fatal falls and a fourth person died in a truck crash, the centre said.

Many of the injuries were caused by falling and wind-blown objects. Three state utility workers were injured when their truck tumbled into a valley while they were trying to restore power in a mountainous area, the Central News Agency reported.

A spokesman for the centre said emergency officials were closely monitoring Taiwan's mountain regions for possible landslides. They were also working to restore power and water.

Megi was 310 miles (500km) in diameter at its largest, and rainfall had topped 12in (300mm) in the south and eastern mountains of Taiwan.

More than 8,000 people were evacuated, mostly from mountainous areas at risk of landslides or floods. The weather forced the cancellation of 224 flights at Taiwan's Taoyuan International Airport. Authorities closed schools, offices and most of Taiwan's railway system on Tuesday.

Megi was the fourth typhoon of the year to hit Taiwan and third in the last two weeks.

On the Chinese coast, about 100 miles (160km) from Taiwan at its nearest point, fishing boats were ordered back to port, China's official Xinhua News Agency said.

AP
Secretary of State John Kerry is threatening to cut off all contact with Moscow over Syria, unless Russian and Syrian government attacks on Aleppo end

The Russian military has said it is ready to resume contacts with its US counterparts over the situation in Syria.

The announcement came as US Secretary of State John Kerry threatened to cut all co-operation with Moscow on Syria unless an onslaught on Aleppo ends.

Lieutenant General Viktor Poznikhir of the military's General Staff said on Wednesday that Russian experts are ready to travel to Geneva to restart consultations with the US to "search for possible ways of normalising the situation in Aleppo".

A US-Russian truce in Syria has collapsed and the Syrian government forces backed by Russian war planes have launched an attempt to take control of the rebel-held neighbourhoods of Aleppo.

Mr Kerry said on Wednesday that the US is preparing to "suspend US-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria", including talks on a possible counter-extremist partnership, unless Russian and Syrian government attacks on Aleppo end.

More than 250 people are believed to have been killed in the besieged city in the last week.

Mr Poznikhir did not make any reference to Mr Kerry's statement, saying only that Russia was ready to continue discussions.

"It's expected that Russian experts will be sent to Geneva shortly to resume consultations with the American side," he said.

"We hope that American partners are also ready for joint work."

The US-Russian deal brokered on September 9 envisaged co-operation between the two militaries against the Islamic State group and al Qaida's branch in Syria if the declared ceasefire held, but it collapsed amid renewed fighting and mutual acrimony.

The US blamed Russia for an attack on a humanitarian convoy outside Aleppo, accusations Moscow has denied.

Mr Poznikhir said the Russian military received new information about Syrian rebels' involvement in the attack on the convoy, but he did not offer any details.

Like other Russian officials before him, he has blamed the rebels for the collapse of the truce, adding that an increasing number of Syrian opposition units have integrated with al Qaida's affiliate in Syria.

He also alleged that the militants are preparing to strike sections of Aleppo with chemical weapons to heap the blame on the government.

"It has become known to us that terrorist groups are preparing to strike Syrian army positions and residential quarters in the eastern part of Aleppo with projectiles loaded with toxic agents as a provocation, in order to put the blame on the government forces," he said.

AP
The shooting was reported at Townville Elementary School in Anderson County on Wednesday afternoon

A teenager opened fire at a South Carolina primary school, wounding two students and a teacher before the suspect was taken into custody, authorities have said.

Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore told the Anderson Independent Mail that authorities were responding to a death "believed to be related" to the school shooting about one-and-a-half miles away.

Mr Shore said the students do not appear to have life-threatening injuries.

Anderson County emergency services director Taylor Jones told reporters that all other students at Townville Elementary School were safe following the shooting.

The students were taken by bus to a nearby church and reunited with their parents.

Jamie Meredith, a student's mother, said some of the children went into the toilets during the shooting.

"I don't know how they knew to go in the bathroom, but I know her teacher was shaken up. I know all the kids were scared. There was a bunch of kids crying. She didn't talk for about five minutes when I got her," she told WYFF.

Television images showed officers swarming the school.

Some were on top of the roof while others were walking around the building.

Students were driven away on buses accompanied by police officers.

All of the roads to the school have been blocked off.

The school is in a very rural part of the state and surrounded by working farms.

Townville Elementary had about 300 students last year, according to its annual report last spring.

The rural town is located about 110 miles north east of Atlanta along Interstate 85 near the Georgia-South Carolina state line.

AP
Pharmaceutical chief Martin Shkreli came under fire over a decision to raise the price of lifesaving medicine (AP)

Embattled pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli is giving some people what they want - a chance to punch him in the face.

Mr Shkreli came under fire last year for raising the price of a lifesaving malaria medication by 5,000%. He has also pleaded not guilty to federal charges of defrauding potential investors.

Mr Shkreli said on Twitter this week that he would offer the chance to hit him to the highest bidder on eBay.

After the eBay listing was removed, he said those donating to a fundraiser would be entered into a raffle to punch him. Mr Shkreli says he is also open to getting dinner with the winner instead.

Mr Shkreli says the money raised will go to the son of his PR consultant, Mike Kulich, who died following a battle with cancer.

AP
President Obama's remarks to the United Nations General Assembly "that the forces of globalisation have exposed deep faultlines across the globe" should be a timely warning to those who still do not take seriously the global rise of the xenophobic nationalist far-Right.

Large swathes of a polarised Western voting demographic have embraced the inflammatory and anti-immigration rhetoric of the AdF (Germany), Front National (France), Ukip and, of course, the racist mantra of Donal Trump - less than eight years after electing the first African-American president.

These sentiments are not just populist garbage and they cannot be simply dismissed by apologists for the far-Right who suggest they are merely rhetorical hyperbole spoken in the heat of a confrontational immigration discourse and should not be taken literally.

On this basis, Trump's 'Mexican Wall' is only a grandiose metaphor designed to highlight illegal immigrants from south of the Rio Grande; it is not, it is a deliberate targeting of 'illegals' that do not fit the template of the white Anglo-Saxon Protestant that is the bedrock of Trump's success.

This is the core tenet of Trump's xenophobic electoral framework. He represents the anti-Islamist, misogynistic and anti-other xenophobia that still appeals to a broad mass of conservative voters who are becoming increasingly militant at the dilution of America's historical homogeneous Christian, Caucasian national character.

This conservative cohort is retrenching into almost a separate demographic with a ghetto-like mentality primed, as Trump understands perfectly well, to accept his outrageously racist rhetoric.

And, sadly, this polarisation of 'us' and 'them' seems set to dominate politics for the foreseeable future - no matter November's election outcome.

DR KEVIN McCARTHY

Kinsale, Co Cork
On Sunday, January 4, 1976, three masked men entered the home of the Reaveys, a Catholic family living at Whitecross in Co Armagh.

The gunmen opened fire with sub-machine-guns and killed John and Brian Reavey outright. Anthony, another brother, was seriously wounded, but, after the gunmen left, he managed to crawl to a neighbour's house to get help. Although he survived the immediate attack, he died on January 30.

Fortunately for the rest of the Reavey family, their mother had taken them to visit an aunt and they, therefore, escaped the murderous assault on their home. The purpose of the attack by loyalists was to strike terror into the Catholic community in that part of Co Armagh.

To reinforce that terror, on that same evening another murderous attack took place on another Catholic family, the O'Dowds, at Ballydougan - again in Co Armagh. Three of the O'Dowds were shot dead in cold blood.

These two sets of sectarian murders of innocent Catholics were carried out by the so-called Glenanne Gang. This was a hybrid loyalist paramilitary gang, made up of UVF men, RUC officers and British soldiers.

These murders were not simply mindless expressions of sectarian hatred, but were calculated to intimidate the Catholic community through brute terror and to hopefully provoke the Provisional IRA into some form of violent revenge in order to break their ongoing ceasefire with the Government.

The ceasefire had commenced in February 1975 and was still extant in January 1976, although it ended the next month.

The Reavey family immediately appealed for no retaliation. However, on the following day, January 5, 1976, gunmen murdered 10 innocent Protestant workmen at Kingsmills.

There is little doubt that the gunmen were from the Provisional IRA, although they used a cover-name to admit this appalling sectarian atrocity.

The idea that the Kingsmills attack was a revenge attack for the murders of the Reaveys and O'Dowds is not probable, given the fact that the operation would have required greater preparation than overnight planning.

It was much more likely that the Provisional IRA were conscious that their prolonged negotiations with the Government were coming to an unsuccessful end and that they were prepared to stage a spectacular outrage to demonstrate their ruthless firepower to the British and to teach the UVF a lesson that they could meet their sectarian attacks with even worse sectarian attacks on the Protestant community.

Kingsmills was, therefore, probably planned well in advance of the Reavey and O'Dowd murders, although those murders were presented as a "justification" for the Kingsmills attack.

The murder of the Reavey brothers was a heavy cross for the Reavey family to bear and, while they suffered grief, they also had to bear harassment and intimidation by the RUC, the UDR and the Army in the aftermath of the murders. They bore all of this with great patience and dignity.

Their suffering at the hands of the police and security forces was belatedly recognised in 2007, when the PSNI publicly apologised for their harassment at the hands of the security forces.

But perhaps the greatest of injustices was the naming by the Rev Ian Paisley in parliament in 1999, under the absolute protection of parliamentary privilege, of Eugene Reavey as having "set up the Kingsmills massacre".

Eugene Reavey demanded the withdrawal of this most serious and dangerous slur on his name. Despite his demand - and the public contradiction of this falsehood by the-then Chief Constable, Ronnie Flanagan - Ian Paisley refused to withdraw his claim.

This outrageous slander not only destroyed Eugene's character in the eyes of many who were inclined to believe what Paisley said as gospel, but it also seriously damaged his agricultural business and led to many years of vilification of Eugene and his family.

Given the magnitude of what happened to Eugene Reavey, is it any wonder that last week's last-minute refusal by the Rev Kyle Paisley to meet with Eugene Reavey was most disappointing?

Although Eugene Reavey clearly deserves an apology from the Paisley family, he has not sought one. It is still unclear and puzzling why Kyle Paisley, sadly, declined to meet Eugene.

Rev Kyle Paisley is a dedicated pastor and has shown himself to be compassionate and caring about other matters in the past. Therefore, it is a pity that the proposed meeting between him and Eugene Reavey has not taken place, because it could do a lot of good to repair some of the deep hurt and pain caused to the long-suffering Eugene Reavey and his family.

I do not think it is too late for such a meeting to quietly take place in the near future.

It would be much to Kyle Paisley's credit to reconsider and to allow such a potentially beneficial meeting to take place soon.
Michaella McCollum, right, and Melissa Reid, left, were jailed in Peru last year after they admitted trying to smuggle cocaine worth 1.5 million pounds from Peru to Spain (AP)

Belfast solicitor Peter Madden said Michaella McCollum and co-accused Melissa Reid have been well treated by the authorities

Lawyer Peter Madden, who represents Michaella McCollum, has claimed his client has suffered from a lack of food.

Michaella McCollum, centre, and Melissa Reid leave the court after being sentenced in Peru.

CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Michaella and Melissa caught on CCTV loading bags into a car in Peru

Michaella McCollum Connolly with rugby star Tommy Bowe while doing promotional work at an official Ulster Rugby event

Michaella McCollum Connolly (left) and friend Melissa Reid in the airport after they were arrested

Michaella McCollum, left, and Melissa Reid listen to a translator during a hearing at court in Callao, Peru (AP)

Michaella McCollum Connolly, handcuffed, arrives for a court hearing in Lima, Peru, clutching the book 'Secrets About Life Every Woman Should Know: Ten principles for spiritual and emotional fulfillment' (AP Photo/Karel Navarro)

Michaella McCollum Connolly pictured during an interview with RTE in 2016 after being released on parole from a Peruvian prison

Michaella McCollum Connolly in one of the Ibiza clubs where she worked as a dancer

Peruvian police have revealed for the first time how Dungannon drugs mule Michaella McCollum has finally admitted she DID smuggle cocaine for cash, after being left broke and homeless on the party island of Ibiza.

Explosive new details reveal how the 20-year-old from Co Tyrone, willingly offered up her services to a South American drugs gang for 5,000 after she met them in a San Antonio bar.

The encounter came as her dreams of becoming a nightclub dancer were left shattered, after bar owners told her she did not have enough experience to work on the sunshine isle.

It left cash-strapped McCollum, whose sensational kidnap story was nothing more than a pack of lies, sleeping on the floor of an apartment belonging to someone she barely knew.

She was introduced to the drug cartel through a low level drug dealer in The Amsterdam bar, who had been asked to find two women willing to traffick the 1.5m stash of drugs for cash.

The model was then flown to Majorca to meet Scot Melissa Reid, who cops say had a close relationship with the drug lords they claimed kidnapped and held them at gunpoint. The nightclub hostess made the dramatic confession to prosecutors last year, after being told she and Reid would spend the next 15 years behind bars  unless they told the truth.

In a signed statement on October 1, the Peru 2, who received six years behind bars after confessing, not only revealed the entire details of their international drugs escapade, but also named members of the Colombian drug cartel behind the plot, who are now being hunted by police.

They changed their story around by 360 degrees. Without doubt, they accepted that neither they nor their families were ever threatened to force them to commit this crime, Peruvian prosecutor Juan Mendoza tells an RTE documentary on the case tomorrow night.

They were interested in the chance to make easy money. The organisation didnt pay them they gave them an advance, but they were not paid their fee which, I remember was to be approximately 5,000.

Top Peruvian police chief Colonel Tito Perez added: They were recruited by a Colombian citizen, known as Enrique and it was this person who made contact here in Peru with the drug supplier. I believe hes called Lucho.

Maybe Melissa was somehow connected, thats not to say she was directly involved in the trafficking, maybe she had connections.

I think that it was Melissa who directed her (Michaella) to come to Peru, but on the orders of the drug traffickers.

The shocking revelations come just months after Sunday Lifes world exclusive interview with the drugs mule, who publicly was still keeping up the facade that she had been kidnapped to carry out the cocaine run.

Expand Close Juan Mendoza - Peruvian State Prosecutor / Facebook

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This newspaper also revealed how police at Perus top drugs unit said they knew the pair did the drugs run for cash.

New information on the case will be aired by Belfast film company Below The Radar on RTEs Michaella, Peru And The Drugs Run show tomorrow night.

The programme will also follow Michaellas mother Norah and sister Samantha, who protested her innocence, as they visit her in jail for the first time.

They gave an emotional account of how they didnt want the 20-year-old, who had never been on a plane before, to leave for the Spanish island last June.

And they also told how mum Norah had been paying for Michaellas upkeep in a Spanish hostel and sending her over cash, as she struggled to find work.

They also said that in one of Michaellas last text messages, she told of plans to go to South America on a holiday.

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The documentary, which also shows never-seen-before pictures of the pair in Peru, reveal how police knew from the moment they were arrested at Jorge Chavez International airport last August of their part in the huge drug trafficking operation. Police, who seized their phones straight away, found text messages between the two plotting the smuggling trip.

That included texts from Michaella, who travelled to Peru a day after Melissa, about how she was helping the gang book her flights at a travel agents.

When Michaella touched down in Lima, Melissa was waiting at the airport to pick her up. As Michaella cleared customs, the two again were still exchanging text messages.

They were picked up and transported. Everything was arranged, said Mr Mendoza. They were instructed that if anyone questioned them at the airport, they would tell a story that would be a plausible reason for them being in the country.

The Public Prosecutor explained to them that this version of their story was not believable, that under Peruvian law this was a case of drug muling at an international level.

The prosecutor added: It became a family drama, because the family as always dont believe that their children are involved in these types of activities. They accepted responsibility in the international trafficking of drugs.

Michaellas sister Samantha said that even if the 20-year-old did smuggle the Class A drugs for cash, she would never judge her.

Michaella has never spoken to me saying that she has done it for money. I think that Michaella, was naively lured into something, but there was no mention of money.

Mum Norah added: I never thought in a million years that I would even know someone in a situation like this, let alone my own child. I was worried about her going to Ibiza, but I never thought anything like this would have happened.

Michaella, Peru And The Drugs Run, is on RTE One tomorrow at 9.35pm.

Michaella is expert in lies and self-pity

REVELATIONS that Michaella McCollum did in fact smuggle cocaine for cash will come as a shock to no-one  least of all, me.

I visited the drugs mule inside Virgen de Fatima prison last December, and her tear-filled account of how Colombian drug lords had held a gun to her head and forced her on a plane was as unconvincing in person as it was hearing it on the news.

Expand Close Michaella McCollum's mother Norah McCollum and sister Samantha McCollum vist the Peru prison / Facebook

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Whatsapp Michaella McCollum's mother Norah McCollum and sister Samantha McCollum vist the Peru prison

Now we know the young nightclub dancer for what she really is, a self-pitying liar who thought she could pull the wool over everyones eyes.

She thought that by playing the victim, with a fantastical account of how a criminal gang threatened to kill her and track down her family, would in some way excuse the despicable deal she and Melissa Reid willingly went into. How wrong she was.

Unknown to me, by the time I met Michaella last year, she had already secretly confessed to Peruvian prosecutors the real story of the Peru 2.

They were not kidnapped, they were not threatened and they were not forced. They did it for the cold, hard cash.

And in those three-and-a-half hours I spent with her under a prison yard parasol in the Peruvian sun, she told lie, after lie after lie.

I keep thinking, what if? What if I hadnt stayed late after work, or stayed for those last few drinks? I was working in Ushuaia dancing and I met a few people who I had been hanging out with since June, she told me, insincerely, as she looked to the floor.

We went to a house party and one of the guys that I had been partying with had just come back from Barcelona with his girlfriend.

They said they were going back to Barcelona tomorrow, and asked me did I want to go. My passport was taken off me and I was told I was going to Majorca, not Barcelona.

Lies.

Then we were taken to a house, they were all in their 40s and looked like gangsters. The Colombian... kept touching my face and calling me princess. All of them kept saying to us that we had to go and do a job for them and there was no turning back now.

More lies.

One of the men showed me pictures of my sister and brother. I knew then they got the pictures off Facebook, but that scared me because you can get so much from Facebook.

Even more lies.

And finally: We were too scared to tell anyone. Lies, lies, lies.

Though an initial admission of guilt may not have garnered much more sympathy, holding their hands up, and saying, We made a mistake would have been much more admirable than the stream of lies which they thought would not only fool police, but their friends, their family, and even us.

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Pairs text messages revealed

POLICE in Peru have released a series of secret text messages between cocaine smugglers Michaella McCollum and Melissa Reid during their smuggling trip to the South American country.

And far from the scared, vulnerable young women they portrayed themselves to be to police, prosecutors and the public, the messages tell a different story.

Police found the incriminating texts, after seizing their phones at Jorge Chavez International Airport in August.

They reveal how Melissa, said to have led' Michaella in the drugs trip, flew to Lima a day before her dancer pal.

She texted Michaella, as the Dungannon woman arrived at a travel agents in Palma to book her flights to Peru. With her, was a member of the drugs gang, who paid for the trip.

Melissa, who comes from Lenzie near Glasgow, wrote: Flight is actually 12 hours, prepare yourself. I just arrived xxx

Michaella replied: You ave just arrived wow! We are in travel agents now xxx

After booking the flights, Michaella sent another text, a few minutes later.

It said: My flight is this evening at 6.50, leaving to go to airport at 5.

Melissa: OK sweetcheeks xxx

In another text on the same day, Melissa said: Buzzing to see you girland only been separated for like 2 days.

Michaella wrote back: I know I cant wait to see ya.

When Michaella touched down in Lima, Melissa was waiting at the airport to pick her up.

As Michaella cleared customs, the two again exchanged text messages. Neither of them were impressed by Peru.

Michaella (after going through customs in Peru) texted: I hate this place and people already.

Melissa replied: Lima is sh*t.

The pair, who both had travel |itineraries, had flown from Palma de Mallorca to Madrid to Lima.

They then travelled together to Perus Inca Country and The Sacred Valley, where they posed as tourists, before returning to Lima to pick up the haul of cocaine worth more than 1.5m.

I sacked her after just one night

THE owner of the notorious Ibizan bar at the centre of the Peru 2 drug scandal claims he sacked Michaella McCollum after just one night.

Andreas Garcia (pictured right) said the waitress failed to bring in money when she was asked to sell shots to customers.

He made the claims in the RTE documentary, airing tomorrow night, which alleges the 20-year-old dancer first met the drugs gang in his bar.

The drugs mule, from Dungannon, worked in the bar last July, just weeks before her arrest for trying to smuggle 11 kilos of cocaine out of Peru.

He said: What happened was she asked me for some work selling shots, and I said yeah. I said please start, and I gave her a bottle of Jagermeister.

She thought maybe her job was to sit here and wait for the boys to come and ask for a shot and I said no, no, you must go to the table and ask do the boys want a shot.

And at the end of the night, I see half a bottle, and I said Give me the money.She was drinking it. I said, Im sorry, no more.

It has since transpired that McCollums only real job on the island was in the West End bar, after she lied about dancing in a popular nightclub.

The nightspot claims it does not allow any illegal substance to be taken or sold on its premises.

If I see anyone sell it, I sack, Mr Garcia said.

Another bar owner on the Spanish island, Englishman Nathan Viva, said news of Michaellas disappearance left many fearing the worst.

However, when news broke of her arrest in Peru, he said sympathy immediately waned for her.

He said: You have this concern and now youre going, I dont care. And not just I dont care but actually, I cant believe she has done this to us. I feel as if Ive been duped into having these feelings.

What were we wasting time on this girl for?
Members of forces loyal to Libyas U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) guard a lookout point in the coastal city of Sirte during a military operation to clear the area of Islamic State militants, Sept. 19, 2016.

Indian academic T. Gopikrishna says the bad dreams about his 414-day ordeal as a hostage still haunt him after his rescue from Islamic State (IS) captivity in Libya earlier this month.

It was a very difficult period. I never thought I would be able to see my family again. And though I am fully aware I am now safe at home, I still have trouble sleeping soundly. The nightmares of my time in captivity jolt me awake almost every night, Gopikrishna told BenarNews in a phone interview from his home city of Hyderabad in southern India, where he returned on Sept. 24.

A former computer science and engineering professor at Sirte University in Libya, he and his Indian colleague C. Balaramkishan, an English professor at the campus, were kidnapped by suspected IS militants on July 29, 2015, while traveling to Tripoli airport to catch a flight home from their annual vacation.

The Libyan army rescued the pair in a military operation on Sept. 14, the details of which were not made public.

The two men were among four Indians abducted together by IS militants. The two other hostages, Laxmikant Ramakrishna and Vijay Kumar, fellow colleagues at the university in Sirte, were released after two days in captivity.

Recalling the day of their abduction, Gopikrishna said he and Balaramkishan were chatting about their respective families and their holiday plans, when masked men with guns stopped their cab about 50 km (31 miles) from Sirte.

The men spoke to our driver for a few minutes, after which the driver left the vehicle. And before we could even understand what was happening, our faces were covered with sacks. Both of us were pleading to be let off. But we were told to stay quiet, he said.

T. Gopikrishna is shown at his home in Hyderabad, India, Sept. 28, 2016. [Courtesy of T. Gopikrishna]

14 months in a pigeonhole

The professors were shoved in the back of a car and driven a short distance away  not more than a 20-minute drive or may be a bit longer, said Gopikrishna, adding they were then offloaded and pushed into a small, dingy room, where the sacks over the heads were removed.

There was no light in the room, but for the bit coming through from a tiny opening high up on one of the walls. There was almost zero ventilation. There were two mattresses on the floor. I thought Id suffocate before they could kill me, he said.

Little did the professors know that the pigeonhole would become their home for the next 14 months.

For days on end we wouldnt see our abductors. Twice a day someone would slip in our food  most of time it was bread and vegetables. We were never physically tortured, but not knowing who had kidnapped us or why, or what was going to be our fate was enough of a mental torture, Gopikrishna said.

We had nothing to do aside from eating and sleeping. But Balaramkishan and I would chat about our families and how we might never see them again. We would cry together and sometimes laugh at jokes we told each other to keep our sanity, he said.

We thought this was it

During their captivity, the two hostages often heard gunshots, Gopikrishna recalled.

At times we hoped that the army was around to rescue us, and at other times that wed be killed so that at least the endless wait would be over, he added.

Then one day, after another round of gunshots, the professors heard banging on the door to their room.

We thought this was it. Theyre going to kill us. But when the door opened it was the army. They said they were there to rescue us. We didnt know how to react. We could not believe it, Gopikrishna said.

Back home with his family in Hyderabad, Gopikrishna said he regretted moving to Libya in 2007 for the extra money he was offered.

I am just very lucky to be alive and back home. I cant thank the Libyan army and the Indian government enough for giving me a second go at life, he said.

His wife, Kalyani, told BenarNews that she wouldnt let him leave again even if he wanted to.

I have waited for so long [for his return]. [I am] very happy he is back, and cant express my joy in words. I wont let him go again, she said.

All efforts to contact Balaramkishan, also from Hyderabad, failed. His wife, Sridevi, told BenarNews that he was not interested in talking to the press.

Our entire family is overjoyed he is back safe. For 14 months we were living in tension, surviving solely on the hope that he will one day return home, she said.

More captives

According to Indias Ministry of External Affairs, while the government had facilitated the return of about 700 Indians back home from Libya, about 800 Indians are employed in different parts of Libya, which is one of the strongholds of IS.

Ministry spokesman Y.S. Kataria did not rule out the possibility of more Indians being held captive by suspected IS members in Libya.

We know 39 [Indian] people are in [IS] captivity in Iraq. The number of captives in Libya is still being assessed through our consulate there, he told BenarNews.

All diplomatic channels are being adopted for their safe release. The embassy officials are in constant touch with the respective authorities, and where there is no government, with whoever is in control of the area, he said.
Indonesias counterterrorism force Densus 88 has arrested a man suspected of sending Indonesian citizens to Syria to join the Islamic State (IS) group.

He was arrested at 8 oclock this morning in Bekasi, West Java, National Police spokesman Boy Rafli Amar told journalists in Jakarta on Wednesday. He gave the initials of the suspect, A.R., and an alias, Abu Fauzan.

Fauzan four times sent Indonesian nationals to join IS in Syria, Boy said. Three of the departures took place from October-November 2015. The fourth was in January 2016.

His expertise is in preparing, motivating and provisioning people who want to go, and teaching them techniques for lying if they are caught, Boy said.

Fauzan was captured thanks to a failed attempt to send seven other Indonesians to Syria via Jakartas Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Sept. 22, Boy explained.

Three of the seven were arrested and have been named as suspects while the other four are being classified as witnesses. Fauzis role was uncovered during interrogation of the three suspects.

"They said they were getting orders from Abu Fauzan," Boy said.

Fauzan and the three other suspects were charged under Law No. 15, 2003 on Combatting Criminal Acts of Terrorism. Convictions under the law carry sentences of up to 15 years.

Linked to Bahrun Naim?

Police said they were still investigating whether Fauzan was working for Bahrun Naim or for Bahrumsyah, two Indonesian IS figures based in Syria who are jockeying for influence within the group, analysts believe.

Al Chaidar, a terrorism expert from Malikussaleh University in Lhokseumawe, Aceh, said Fauzan was likely a follower of Bahrun Naim, who is suspected of having masterminded an attack in Jakarta in Jan. 2016 that left eight people dead.

Theyve known each other for a long time. From when there were both in Poso, Chaidar told BenarNews, referring to a regency in Central Sulawesi where the militant group Eastern Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT) is based.

MITs numbers have dwindled to less than a dozen after its leader, Santoso, was killed in July following a months-long military operation there.

Prevention

According to the Coordinating Ministry of Political, Legal and Security Affairs, some 800 Indonesian citizens had joined IS by the end of 2015. The National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) puts the number at around 500.

The data discrepancy is not surprising, according to BNPT spokesman Irfan Idris. People who go to Syria do so via illegal routes, and their numbers are therefore hard to know exactly.

People are still joining IS in Syria due to its propaganda, circulated in books, websites and social media, he added.

Indonesia law currently allows people to be arrested only after they carry out acts of terrorism. So we are asking for a revision of Law No. 15, 2003, so that it can be used for prevention Irfan said.

If that happens, people suspected of spreading radical ideology can be sanctioned. The dissemination can be stopped.

But in Chaidars view, economic inequality is also driving people toward IS.

Interest in joining the IS is not solely triggered by ideology, but also the lure of a salary, he said.

"Economic recovery is the key" to removing that motivation, he said.
Members of a joint investigation team in Nieuwegein, the Netherlands, announce that a Russian missile fired in July 2014 from Ukraine brought down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, Sept. 28, 2016.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak called for justice after an international criminal investigation team concluded Wednesday that an antiaircraft missile transported from Russia shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in eastern Ukraine two years ago.

Netherlands chief prosecutor Fred Westerbeke, who heads a joint investigation team (JIT), said the probe had ruled out all other possible explanations for the crash of MH17, BenarNews sister entity Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported. The airliner was shot down on July 17, 2014, over Ukrainian airspace while flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, killing all 298 passengers and crew on board.

Based on the findings, Malaysia wants firm action to be taken. We have promised that those who were responsible for the downing of the aircraft will be brought to justice, Najib told Malaysian media, according to state news agency Bernama.

We owe it to the families. The families want justice. So we will pursue this, Najib said.

Malaysia would call for a meeting with the other countries that lost their citizens, namely the Netherlands and Australia, the prime minister added.

Relatives of Malaysian victims of the disaster welcomed the report.

For more than two years, the victims family members have wondered who was responsible for the downing of the Boeing 777, said Noorlin Mohd Noor, the sister of passenger Norahimah Mohd Noor.

If it is true as revealed, another mystery now needs to be unlocked  why MH17 was shot down? Noorlin told BenarNews.

The latest developments give relatives of MH17 victims hope that justice can be served, said Munirah Mustafa, whose sister, Mastura, was a passenger on the doomed flight.

"At last, we have answers that we sought for so long," she told BenarNews. "I hope they take appropriate action and the government of Malaysia does not forget the fate of victims' family members."

Criminal investigation goes on

Speaking at a press conference in Nieuwegein, the Netherlands, Westerbeke said the JIT could not reveal all of its findings for fear of hampering its criminal investigations.

He said the investigation had identified about 100 people who are being looked at further. Westerbeke stressed that a clear impression of the chain of command must be established before it could be determined if they were culpable, reported Voice of America (VOA), a sister entity of BenarNews.

Investigators determined that a Russian surface-to-air Buk missile system was brought into Ukraine shortly before the tragedy, and then smuggled back to Russia shortly afterward.

Australian Assistant Police Commissioner Ian McCartney (from left), Malaysian Public Prosecutor Mohamad Hanafia bin Zakaria, Malaysian Police Inspector-General Khalid Abu Bakar and Dutch Chief Prosecutor Fred Westerbeke present preliminary results of the MH17 investigation. [AFP]

The JIT showed a 10-minute animation interlaced with photographs and videos taken in July 2014 that showed the Buk system being brought into Ukraine and arriving near the town of Snizhne, RFE/RL reported. It also presented audio and photographic evidence that a missile was launched and the same Buk unit, with only three missiles, was traced moving by night through the Ukrainian city of Luhansk and into Russia.

The JIT includes representatives of the countries most affected by the tragedy  Malaysia, the Netherlands, Australia and Belgium working in cooperation with Ukraine to gather evidence that could be used in criminal prosecutions in any of those countries.

Dutch police said the latest findings along with those from an earlier investigation could be solid enough to be used in a criminal trial, VOA reported. Prosecutors cannot file charges at this time because international investigators have not agreed in which court to hold a trial.

Previously, the Dutch Safety Board concluded that MH17 was downed by a Buk missile fired from rebel-controlled territory in Ukraine.

Russia: No radar data

Reacting to JITs interim report, Russian officials on Wednesday said radar data proved that no rocket was fired from within territory held by pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine, VOA reported.

On a conference call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian radar had identified all flying objects over the rebel territory.

The data are clear-cut  there is no rocket, he said. If there was a rocket, it could only have been fired from elsewhere.

In July 2015, Russia used its U.N. Security Council veto to block a resolution aimed at creating an international MH17 tribunal, saying that doing so would be counterproductive.

A JIT official said Russia had not provided its radar data to its investigators and it had not been evaluated. Westerbeke said the JIT had made several requests for information from the Russian government during its two-year investigation and had received partial answers to some of them.

The JIT has been working with the British-based open-source research group Bellingcat, which has used social media posts to track the movement of a Buk missile unit from near the Russian city of Kursk to the Ukrainian village of Snizhne in the days before the MH17 downing and to track the same units return to Russia immediately afterward.

Obviously, the Russians are doing everything they can to undermine this press conference, Bellingcat founder and director Eliot Higgins told RFE/RL on Wednesday. They released this radar data. You know, it was ridiculous really because they managed to prove that their previous press conference was a lie.

In the first press conference, [the Russians] said there was a jet three to five km (1.8 to 3.1 miles) away, and in the recent one they said there was nothing anyway near it. So, you know, the Russians are going to try very hard to not to admit responsibility for this.

A. Ariffin in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report.
A Malaysian court Wednesday convicted senior opposition leader Chua Tian Chang for uttering words deemed as seditious during a speech that criticized the government in 2013, and sentenced him to three months in prison.

The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court also fined Chua, a lawmaker and vice president of the Peoples Justice Party (PKR) 1,800 ringgit (U.S. $435), for speaking words to the extent of encouraging people to change the current government through an illegal method.

The accused used words such as bangkit (rise), turun ke jalan (take to the streets), which were uttered soon after the results of the 13th general election were announced, Judge Zulqarnain Hassan ruled in finding Chua guilty of sedition. I am very satisfied with the fact that the remark made by the accused had inclination toward being seditious.

Chua is one seven MPs and two assemblymen from opposition parties who have been charged under Malaysias 68-year-old Sedition Act since 2013, according to reports. The government of Prime Minister Najib Razak, which has faced allegations of corruption, in recent years has also charged or detained scores of political activists and critics under the law.

Chua had faced a potential maximum sentence of three years and/or a fine of 5,000 ringgit (U.S. $1,208), but the judge stayed the three-month sentence that he handed down, pending a possible appeal.

Chuas lawyer, N. Surendran  an MP who himself has been charged with sedition  said his client would appeal.

Shock, anger over verdict

Chua was convicted for comments made during public forums at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Halls on May 29, 2013.

His words did not result in any violent or untoward incidents, Surendran said in arguing for a lighter sentence on his clients behalf. Five others, an MP and four social activists, face similar charges for comments at the same forum and will be tried separately.

Melissa Sasidaran, an official with Lawyers for Liberty, expressed shock at the verdict that went against Chua. All he did was to call on people to protest against the outcome of the 2013 general election  which is not against the law, Sasidaran told BenarNews.

Chuas conviction represents a setback in the ongoing fight for freedom of expression in the country, Shamini Darshni, the head of the Malaysia chapter of Amnesty International, said in a statement.

She called on authorities to cease prosecuting people under the Sedition Act.

We also urge for all charges of sedition against activists, politicians and dissenting voices, including the cartoonist Zunar, lawyer Eric Paulsen, activist Khalid Ismath and opposition MP N. Surendran, be dropped, Darshni said.

Lawyer: Judge erred

Lim Chee Wee, a former chairman of the Malaysian Bar, said the trial judge may have erred in finding that the words bangkit and turun ke jalan amounted to sedition.

Because those words are more likely to mean protest as opposed to calling for change of government, he told BenarNews.

Lim, who serves as a member of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Operations Review Panel, said that Najib should fulfill his promise to repeal the Sedition Act and replace it with harmony laws drafted by the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC).

Najib had promised in 2012 to repeal the act, but reversed his decision and instead strengthened it.

The Sedition Act, enacted by British colonial rulers in 1948 to combat communists, was amended by Malaysia following race riots in 1969. The law defines sedition broadly and places many limits on free speech, particularly over sensitive political issues, according to a report by Center of Independent Journalism Malaysia.

In June, human rights organization Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) said it had documented 220 cases in 2015 brought under the Sedition Act. Most of those cases involved human rights defenders and opposition politicians, according to a report claiming that those detainees were subjected to lengthy incarceration, denial of bail and torture.
Amnesty International (AI) on Wednesday canceled a Bangkok news conference where it was to unveil a report about torture carried out by Thailands military, after Thai officials threatened legal action against its representatives, a lawyer for the rights watchdog said.

The official release of the report that documents 74 cases of alleged torture under Thailands two-year-old junta was disrupted because officials from the Ministry of Labor came to conference venue and warned the human rights group that its panelists could be arrested for lacking work permits, AI legal counsel Yuval Ginbar told reporters.

I am personally based in London. I have a business visa for the whole year. Im allowed to be [here] until December for the purpose of business. Human rights is [the focus of] my business and they know that. I dont see why I shouldnt do my business here, said Ginbar, who was scheduled to appear on the panel. He spoke at a Bangkok hotel where the reports launch was to have taken place.

The authorities said to us that  if any representatives from Amnesty International spoke at the event they would be in violation of Thailands labor laws, Agence France-Presse quoted him as saying.

Actions speak louder than words

Amnestys report, titled Make Him Speak by Tomorrow: Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Thailand, details allegations of torture carried out by the military against suspected separatist insurgents from the countrys Deep South as well as suspected drug users, members of ethnic minorities, migrants and others.

According to the report that documents allegations of beatings of prisoners, suffocation with plastic bags, water boarding, electric shocks of the genitals and other forms of torture, such abuses have increased since the military toppled a civilian-led government in May 2014.

Thailand may claim to be tough on torture, but actions speak louder than words. Empowered by laws of their own making, Thailands military rulers have allowed a culture of torture to flourish, where there is no accountability for the perpetrators and no justice for the victims, Rafendi Djamin, AIs director for South East Asia and the Pacific, said in a statement issued earlier on Wednesday.

Since seizing power the National Council of Peace and Order (NCPO)  the formal name for the junta  has drawn international criticism for clamping down on human rights by arresting people under Thailands strict royal defamation law and, among others, activists who have spoken out against a controversial draft charter being pushed by the military.

Earlier this month, as Thailand prepared to undergo a periodic review of its climate for rights before the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, the junta announced that it would not prosecute new cases of civilians being tried before military courts on charges related to national security.

The cancellation of Wednesdays news conference in Bangkok raises serious questions about the ability of international organizations to stage public events in Thailand, said Laurent Meillan, the acting regional representative for the U.N. Human Rights Office for Southeast Asia, according to the Associated Press.

This incident is another striking illustration of a new pattern of harassment of human rights defenders documenting torture in Thailand, Meillan told AP.

Within the legal framework

NCPO spokesman Col. Piyapong Klinpan said he was not aware of Wednesdays cancellation.

Based on the factual information since the NPCO took over the power to administer the country, the NCPO has been cautious in using power in every aspect, he told BenarNews, saying that the regime had to impose martial law early on to maintain order.

[A]fter the situation got better, we eased all enforcement, he said, adding, To do anything outside of legal framework, we cannot do so. Every single official exercises their power within legal framework.
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We all struggle with vocation, calling, and purpose. Life is confusing and often dissatisfying. Clarity is our desire. But what if were making all this far too complicated?

INTENSIVE THINKING IS ONLY A PARTIAL SOLUTION

Overthinking can unnecessarily complicate life. But a lack of focus on our inner life can also oversimplify life.

We should be serious about questioning the meaning of our existence. Its only in being so that the great innovators and philosophers have had significant breakthroughs. We must look inside ourselves to examine whats lacking, whats working, and where were failing. We should desire more out of life and ourselvesalways.

Yet, if we spend too long staring inward we will lose sight of what is right outside our door. There is beauty and truth in nature itself (compare Romans 1:20). By staring inward, we can miss that entirely. And many epiphanies come through conversation, so we also cannot sell short the value of other people in our lives.

This reminds me of the psalmist who says, Behold, you [God] delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart (Psalm 51:1 ESV). Yet, there is a Proverb that says, Reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge (Proverbs 19:25). The Bible envisions us learning from others, but also having a diligent and serious inner, spiritual life. God teaches us in secret and in public.

EARNEST PRAYER PROFOUNDLY ALTERS OUR PERSPECTIVE

We cannot change the world without first being changed ourselves. As someone who spends a great deal of my time trying to alleviate extreme poverty a huge problem to tacklethe scope of the work often overwhelms me. The problem is so big that I often lose perspective and begin to despair.

But prayer has a powerful way of keeping everything in check. I find that if my prayer life is in checkmeaning it is consistent and driving my daily decisionsthat everything else falls into place.

When we look up to God, and then look back down here at what he is doing, we remember. We remember what everything is aboutwhy we do what we do, and who we really are. We can then lean on Jesus. This is why the Apostle Paul told us to prayin all things, all the time (Philippians 4:6; Ephesians 6:18).

THE GLORY OF GOD SIMPLIFIES EVERYTHING

The South African pastor Andrew Murray (18281917) once profoundly said:

It is a duty, for the glory of God, to live and pray so that our prayer can be answered. For the sake of Gods glory, let us learn to pray well (With Christ in the School of Prayer, page 126).

It is for Gods glory that we are to live and pray. And it glorifies God when we have much to pray about. The answer isnt to run away from the problems of the world. We should care for the hurting around usdeeplybut do so through prayer. We should tackle the problems of poverty, but to do so through much prayer.

Gods glory is manifest in the answering of our prayers, for the sake of our world.

CALLING, PURPOSE, AND VOCATIONA SIMPLER SOLUTION

I think we overcomplicate purpose, calling, and vocation. When it comes down to it, the glory of God is what everything is about.

I regularly have to remind myself of several things. Gods glory is what alleviating poverty is about. Gods glory is what bringing the gospel to the ends of the earth is about. Gods glory is seen in the slice of bread given to the poor beggar and the cup of clean water given to the impoverished child (Matthew 25:3146). Gods glory is what were aiming to show to othersall the time.

Gods glory is seen when we live our lives like we actually believe Gods promises. Gods glory brings perspective to our vocations, callings, and purposes. What are they if they do not glorify him? So questionplease. Thinkplease. Look inwardlyplease. But dont forget the reason. May our prayer today be, O, my soul, please never forget the reasonfor all of it, for everything! Gods glory!

Our chief aim in life should be the glory of God. Period. Full stop.
Von: HAMZA JRJNZ UND JULIAN ROPCKE

Who is killing the people of Aleppo?

 Combat aircraft drop bombs on the Syrian city every day. The local coordination committees have counted that 323 civilians have been killed and 1,600 injured since last Friday.

Even dictator Assad has not managed to cause such a massacre in his four years of barrel bomb attacks on the city. Now his helicopters have cleared the sky for an even more deadly threat.

For almost one week now, videos have been documenting that there are only Russian combat aircraft left over the city. BILD talked to a number of inhabitants of the city and was sent photos of the ammunition.*

The photos document Russias arsenal of death that is currently being used against those areas of the city where enemies of the Assad regime are living.

Bunker Busters, Cluster Munition, Incendiary Bombs

Journalist Haisham Halap  who is in the entrapped part of the city  told BILD that Russia is mainly dropping three types of bombs on Aleppo in order to maximize the number of victims. He picked up and photographed bombs that did not explode or were left behind.

Auch interessant

 BUNKER BUSTERS  The quivering bombs are the most destructive. They have been used for four days now. After an attack of this type, it is impossible to pull survivors out of the debris. They cause extreme harm and turn the buildings that are hit into rubble and dust, explained Halap.

After we see and hear the Russian jet, it takes about 20 seconds until the bomb hits the ground or a building. It then takes another 20 to 30 seconds for the bomb to explode, for instance in a cellar, and the whole house collapses.

 CLUSTER MUNITION  The second type is cluster munition. These are big bombs that carry many small bomb balls. Each of the small bombs contains metal balls that kill and hurt everyone at a distance of 200 metres, explains Halap.

 INCENDIARY BOMBS  The third type is just as dangerous, since these bombs contain napalm or phosphorus. They are so hot that they can even penetrate concrete walls. The photos show what I mean. Everything that is in contact with these bombs will burn, reports the journalist.

Doctor Says: Death Rate Is Rapidly Rising Due to Bunker Busters

BILD talked to Dr Hamza al-Khatib, one of the last remaining doctors in the besieged east of Aleppo. He commented on the impact of the bunker buster attacks: Usually, after an air strike, we have about 50 injured and three dead people. Ever since Russia has been employing the earthquake bombs, we have 50 injured plus 20 dead people.

Dr. al-Khatib has no doubt: Of course it is Russian planes that drop these bombs. First, the Assad regime does not have any airplanes that could drop these bombs and, second, it could not afford these expensive bombs.

Activist Says: Suddenly, the Ground Started to Shake

Syrian activist Ahmad  who is currently a few kilometres outside of Aleppo  told BILD of a phone call to his aunt on Sunday evening. She described to him the use of a Russian bunker buster bomb that was equipped with a delay fuse.

Ahmad: My aunt heard the sound of a falling bomb, followed by the bang of its impact nearby. It took almost one minute before she could see anything through the dust. Then an earthquake started that did incredible damage to all of the houses in the neighbourhood. Some of them collapsed.

The activist also talked to a friend of his on the phone about the impact of the Russian bunker buster: He could not understand what was happening there. His house stood 15 metres away from the explosion. It still collapsed due to the tremor. His aunt and uncle were buried under the debris.

What these photos and reports show

Witnesses, photos, and videos confirm the reports about the arsenal of Russian weapons that, of late, has been causing death and destruction in Syria. The air force of Russian President Putin seems to be doing anything the Assad regime wants  including killing as many civilians as possible in Aleppo.

Michael Horowitz, leading analyst at risk consultancy Prime Source, told BILD that bunker busters like the Russian BETAB-500 are quite expensive weapons. Usually, they are only used against valuable targets.

Horowitz to BILD: In Aleppo, these valuable targets seem to be civil facilities that were built underground in order to protect them from the daily air strikes.

As Michael Horowitz summarised: The aim is to make the oppositions areas of Aleppo uninhabitable.

* Some of the pictures are available exclusively to BILD. Others were shared in social networks by Syrian activists in Aleppo.




First up, Joe Biden is thinking about dropping tariffs against China. But theres a spy in prison this morning that helps us understand why he shouldnt. Ill explain.





Your second brief, If youre looking for a good paying job, you might consider being a CEO for a health insurance company. One executive made $142M dollars last year. Let's talk about that.





And as always, Im keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put this one on your radar. Mexican cartels are grooming American kids online and paying them cash to traffic illegals or run drugs across the border. Ill share details.





If you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief, remember to subscribe and listen daily at podfollow.com/pdb.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For Immediate Release, September 28, 2016

Contact: Tierra Curry, (928) 522-3681, tcurry@biologicaldiversity.org

Four Florida Plants Protected Under Endangered Species Act

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. In accordance with a landmark 2011 settlement agreement that required protection decisions for 757 species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced Endangered Species Act protection for four imperiled plants found only in South Florida: the sand flax, Big Pine partridge pea, Blodgetts silverbush and wedge spurge. The plants have all lost significant pine rocklands habitat due to urban and agricultural development and are now threatened by sea-level rise; all four have been waiting for protection for more than 40 years.

Its sad to see that so much of South Floridas rare and unique landscapes have been gobbled up by poorly planned development, said Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director at the Center. But its reassuring to know that with Endangered Species Act protections, these plants have a much better chance of surviving and recovering.

The sand flax is a perennial herb with silver, wiry stems and delicate, small yellow flowers. It is found only on seven sites in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties in pine rocklands and marl prairies.

The Big Pine partridge pea is a shrub with a woody base and large, buttercup-like petals. It is found only on pine rocklands in Monroe County keys.

The Blodgetts silverbush is a woody shrub with small, green flowers. It grows in the pine rocklands of Monroe and Miami-Dade counties.

The wedge spurge is a small, perennial herb with slender, silver stems. It is found in pine rocklands and roadsides on Big Pine Key.

To date 156 plants and animals have received protection as a result of the Centers 2011 agreement, and another 40 are proposed for protection. Read more about the Centers 757 agreement and sea-level rise campaign.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.1 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.


For Immediate Release, September 28, 2016 Contact: Sarah Uhlemann, +1 (206) 327-2344, suhlemann@biologicaldiversity.org Pangolins Receive Much-needed International Protections Nations Ban Commercial Trade in Worlds Most Trafficked Mammal JOHANNESBURG, South Africa Nations around the world today voted to formally ban international trade in pangolins, the small, scaly anteaters that once inhabited vast stretches of Asia and Africa but are now threatened with extinction. A shocking 1 million pangolins have been removed from the wild in the past decade, making them the worlds most trafficked mammal. Photo Courtesy Tikki Hywood Trust. Photos are available for media use. Pangolins are in great danger of vanishing from the planet and desperately need the strictest protection, said Sarah Uhlemann, international program director at the Center for Biological Diversity, who is in South Africa advocating for protections. By banning the pangolin trade, the world may have just saved pangolins from extinction. Todays decision was made at the 17th meeting of the parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), a treaty ratified by 182 nations. In listing all eight species of pangolins on Appendix I of the treaty, the CITES agreement officially banned all international, commercial trade in pangolin products, including whole scales, powdered scales and meat. Import and export for scientific purposes will still be allowed. Pangolins are small, ant-eating mammals covered from tip to tail with large, geometric scales. But one of their most appealing behaviors  pangolins roll up into near-perfect balls when threatened  makes them easy for poachers to bag. Unfortunately pangolins are in high demand. Their meat is considered a delicacy, and their scales are erroneously believed to have curative properties by some practitioners of Asian medicine. Roughly 100,000 pangolins have been removed from the wild each year to meet this growing demand, causing dramatic declines in their populations worldwide. Without CITES protections, pangolins might have been poached to extinction in the coming decades. Pangolins are such amazing and odd creatures  like little tanks with tails  but they need our help to survive, said Uhlemann. Todays decision will help preserve a future for these extraordinary creatures. In 2014 the Center and its partners formally petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect pangolins as endangered under the countrys Endangered Species Act. Although most illegally sourced pangolins are destined for markets in China and Vietnam, there is demand for pangolins in the United States, where at least 26,000 imports of pangolin products were seized between 2004 and 2013. The United States was a strong proponent of todays international protections. While todays vote still requires a final vote of approval next week, the decision is unlikely to change. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.1 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.
WILEX AG, announced that its subsidiary Heidelberg Pharma, has signed an agreement with Celonic AG, Basel, Switzerland, a specialist in the development and manufacturing of biologics (CDMO). This agreement includes cell line development and the production of non-GMP and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) batches of antibody material to be used in the manufacture of clinical material of Heidelberg Pharmas first ATAC (Antibody Targeted Amanitin Conjugate) candidate HDP-101 to treat multiple myeloma.

HDP-101, an antibody drug conjugate, combines a BCMA antibody that specifically recognizes a highly expressed target on malignant plasma cells with a linker and the chemically coupled toxic payload Amanitin for the potential treatment of multiple myeloma. BCMA antibodies were originally developed by the Max Delbruck Center in Berlin and then adapted for the proprietary ATAC technology of Heidelberg Pharma. Based on promising preclinical data, Heidelberg Pharma has decided to further advance HDP-101 into IND-enabling studies. Multiple myeloma is the third most common and often incurable hematologic malignancy with a significant unmet medical need for this patient population.

Professor Andreas Pahl, Head of Research & Development and member of the Management Board of WILEX and Heidelberg Pharma, commented: With this contract, Heidelberg Pharma starts the cooperation with different partners involved in developing and manufacturing ATACs towards clinical application. We are pleased to work with Celonic, which offers cell lines that are proven to be particularly robust and efficient and are also suited to GMP processes.

Vikalp Mohan, Vice President Global Commercial Operations at Celonic mentioned: Celonic is excited to partner with Heidelberg Pharma as it prepares for the clinical development of its first ATAC candidate. The development and production of this antibody requires an excellent development platform, process efficiency and proven manufacturing expertise. This is exactly what Celonic stands for. We are committed to supporting Wilex AG in achieving its project objectives.
RABAT, Morocco - Well-known Moroccan cartoonist Khalid Geddar has asked for police protection after being threatened for reposting a drawing that led to the murder of a Jordanian writer, he said on Monday.

Image by 123RF

Geddar, who runs the satirical magazine Baboubi, reposted on Facebook on Sunday, as a posthumous tribute, a cartoon previously posted by Nahed Hattar who was shot dead outside an Amman courthouse earlier that day.

Hattar had been facing charges over the illustration he posted on Facebook under the title "God of Daesh" (the Islamic State group) showing a bearded man in bed smoking with two women lying on either side, and addressing God as a servant.

Any depiction of God is prohibited under Islam.

Hattar was hit by three bullets before the alleged assassin was arrested at the scene. Geddar said he received several threatening messages and comments, including: "Your fate is death and slaughter - you are the enemy of God."

"I consider this comment to be a direct threat, a call to kill me just because I republished the drawing that led to the death of the Jordanian writer," he told AFP.

He called on the authorities in Morocco to protect him, saying: "The police must investigate and cannot leave unpunished such calls for hatred, violence and death."

Geddar republished the illustration accompanied by a quote from French cartoonist Charb, who was killed along with 11 others in the attack on satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo in January 2015 in Paris.

Source: AFP.
For many people, especially in remote areas, pharmacies are the first point of contact for primary healthcare. However in many instances, poor business skills or lack of capital can keep them from meeting the needs of the local community.

So the public and private sector have put their heads together to come up with a financing model that will strengthen independent, community pharmacies in under-served areas, and provide access to quality, life-saving medicines to those who need it most.

Lulama is a comprehensive and sustainable community pharmacy development project that combines the skills, systems and processes of the private sector, with the development support of the public sector. It is supported by Absa Bank, Aspen Pharmacare, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Imperial Health Sciences, Pfizer and the US Agency for International Development (USAID)

A pilot project for Lulama was launched in South Africa in September with 30 pharmacies shortlisted to participate in the initial phase.

"Ensuring access to quality medicines in under-served areas has been one of the most difficult bottlenecks to overcome in global health, says Ariel Pablos-Mendez, assistant administrator for Global Health at USAID. This innovative financing partnership offers us the chance to overcome this barrier using a sustainable, market-based approach, and demonstrate that the public and private sectors can effectively work together to achieve social impact."

By providing pharmacies with working capital, access to an affordable product bundle of high quality medicines and consumer goods, as well as training in business and logistics management, Lulama will encourage the development and improve the sustainability of small pharmacies in under-served areas to improve health outcomes.
BERLIN - German data protection authorities on Tuesday said they had blocked Facebook from collecting subscriber data from its subsidiary WhatsApp, citing privacy concerns.

Facebook and WhatsApp promised in the wake of the Silicon Valley giant's 2014 acquisition of the messaging app that they would not share data, Hamburg's Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information Johannes Caspar said in a statement.

He added that Facebook would be required to delete any data already received from WhatsApp in Germany.

"It has to be (the users') decision whether they want to connect their account with Facebook," Caspar said. "Facebook has to ask for their permission in advance."

WhatsApp announced in August that it would begin sharing data with Facebook, in a bid to allow better targeted advertising and to fight spam on the platform.

Currently, users of the instant messenger must opt out of sending information to Facebook through WhatsApp's settings on their smartphone.

Caspar said that he had acted to protect the privacy of 35 million WhatsApp users in Germany -- a fraction of some one billion worldwide -- and that of people saved in their address books, whose details might also be forwarded under the data-sharing arrangement.

Facebook's activities in German-speaking regions are managed through its subsidiary in Hamburg, placing the firm under the jurisdiction of the regulator in the northern port city.

In a response, Facebook said it was ready to cooperate with the German authorities.

"Facebook complies with EU data protection law. We are open to working with the Hamburg DPA in an effort to address their questions and resolve any concerns," a spokeswoman for the company told AFP.

WhatsApp's announcement that it would share information with Facebook came just four months after the service introduced end-to-end encryption by default, saying that the content of messages would become unreadable for anyone except the sender and receiver.

In mid-September, the European Commission recommended tighter privacy and security requirements for services including WhatsApp and Microsoft-owned video calling service Skype, saying they should be regulated more like traditional telecoms.

Subjecting the internet firms to such rules could force them to offer emergency calling services and to obey stricter privacy rules.

Source: AFP
Promoting your small business or start-up can be a daunting task for many business owners and entrepreneurs. The good news is that the internet has made marketing your business a lot easier and more affordable.

There are many ways to promote a business online: social media marketing, email marketing, pay-per-click advertising, display advertising and search engine optimisation all have their advantages and disadvantages, depending on your business market focus.

One problem for small business owners and entrepreneurs is that of budget. Im the first to recommend that any start-up business seeks the professional advice and services of a good digital marketing agency. The investment in a good agency is worth every penny, but sometimes there is just no budget for professional marketing efforts when a business is in its infancy.

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the online marketing tactic I recommend to small businesses and start-ups. Why? The basics of SEO can be learned and implemented in-house, reducing costs and empowering the business owner. SEO also yields a good ROI and is considered by many to be the best long-term online marketing strategy.

In this article Ill be sharing seven tips that any small business owner or entrepreneur can implement to positively affect their websites visibility in organic search results, resulting in more traffic, leads and sales.

1. If you are a local business, focus your SEO efforts on ranking locally

Traffic from local visitors is intentful and often more likely to convert  so it should not be overlooked. Also, the good news is that youll often find it much easier to dominate the organic SERPs (search engine results page) for local search queries (plumbers in Durban) than you will do for broad, non-geotargeted queries. Google estimates that over 20% of all search has a local intent, so its worth pouncing on the opportunity.

To start ranking in your local area, setup a Google My Business profile making sure your business name, address and phone number is accurate and exactly the same on your website and any local directory business listings.

2. From an SEO perspective, many claim that 2016 is the year of the influencer

Partnering with persons, organisations or companies that are somehow related to your field (but not a competitor) is a great way of boosting visibility and leveraging another person or brands audience to help promote your business. Reach out and think of ways that you can collaborate to utilise each others networks constructively. This can prove a successful way of increasing reach, strengthening brand awareness and building wider audiences.

In 2015, Jellyfish ran an influencer marketing campaign as part of our SEO activity for a key e-commerce client. In doing so, we partnered with influencers to produce and promote high-quality and unique niche content across relevant audiences and networks. The enhanced brand reach and engagement for our client had an exceptional impact on performance, with record breaking growth for the business, both in terms of search performance and sales.

Results across the year included:

 28% uplift in keyword visibility across high-value search query portfolios in 9 months  72% YoY increase in SEO traffic  103% YoY growth in organic product revenue

Snapshot of SEO Visibility over time. Searchmetrics

Snapshot of organic traffic over time. Google Analytics

3. Know the size of the opportunity

A basic task within a good SEO strategy is that of keyword research; a keyword is what search query is typed into Google. A common mistake with SEO is not doing the research needed to understand what potential keywords may be optimised to increase search visibility and website traffic opportunities. Defining a list of well researched keywords is essential to setting realistic expectations, goals and KPIs.

Tools such as Googles Keyword Planner and Google Trends are good starting points for ascertaining the size of the market that you are targeting and will give you invaluable insights into your markets trends, demands and seasonality.

4. Keep an eye on your competitors

Take notice of what your competitors are up to online. In understanding their strategies, wins and losses, youll be in a far better position to fine-tune your own approach to SEO. Some great tools that will be able to monitor your competitors visibility are Moz, SearchMetrics and SEM Rush.

5. Boast!

Dont be afraid to tell others about the great things you are doing by encouraging happy customers to leave their positive feedback on review platforms such as Google and Facebook. Share testimonials on your website and social media profiles/pages. A great way to get positive sentiment in the SERPs is to utilise Schema mark-up on your business web pages, for example make use of Rich Snippets that allow visitors to be able to leave a star rating on your product pages or blog posts. This will give new prospects the confidence that they need to invest in your brand and increasing your natural click-through rate from search engines. SEO is increasingly being used as a trust building and reputation management channel.

6. Googles Search Console is an SEO essential for a business of any size

It allows you to monitor the well-being of your website easily and effectively, ensuring that technical problems that might affect your SEO visibility are brought to your attention and can be dealt with before becoming harmful. And, the good news is that its free!

Sign up for Google Search Console.

Add your website to GSC.

7. No one-trick ponies

In most scenarios, success in SEO is dependent on addressing a wide variety of factors which cumulatively produce positive results. It is unusual for a campaigns success to be determined by one single factor; an SEO specialist will typically be required to undertake technical, content and syndication tasks to drive success in the organic search results. So be varied in your approach, keep your ideas fresh and always ask yourself whether your work is likely to add value to a users experience on the web. If the answer is yes, youre probably heading in the right direction!

SEO is a process of continued optimisation; you rarely get things 100% right the first time around and, in most cases, there is no distinct finishing line. Learn from your mistakes, be patient, persist and set realistic goals. At Jellyfish we use the methodology test, analyse, refine, repeat.
As part of ongoing efforts by member states to improve intra-BRICS trade, South Africa has been granted an opportunity to export pigeon peas also known as Cajanus Cajan, pork, mango, and persimmons to India. India for its part has expressed an interest to import pickled sheep skins from South Africa.

Meditations via pixabay

This emerged at the recent 6th Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) meeting of Agriculture Ministers in New Delhi, India, which was attended by Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Senzeni Zokwana.

Pigeon peas

The seeds of pigeon peas are a common food grain in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Pigeon pea crop which is one of the drought tolerant legume crops is consumed on a large scale mainly in South Asia and is a major source of protein for the population of that subcontinent.

India is a big consumer as well as a net importer of pigeon peas with the Free on Board (FOB) prices documented at the range from $450/ton to $ 900/ton with the average price recorded as $600 in 2015.

The Department Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries on Tuesday said the pigeon peas can be imported into India free of duty. This tariff dispensation, the department said, is a key enabler for those willing to take advantage of this trade opportunity.

"It is anticipated that South Africa will have market access opportunity to export 1,000 tonnes of pigeon peas per annum once the Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries on pigeon peas trade has been concluded, possibly in 2018," the department said.

Pork meat

India has also seen an increase in the import of pork meat. Data shows that between 2010 and 2015, Indian imports of pig meat increased by an average of 11% driven mainly by demands from the hotels, restaurants, institutional sector as well as high-end retailers. The range of imported pork based products included pork belly, chops, loins, tenderloin, neck, spare ribs, bacon, ham, salami, and sausage.

It is estimated that the FOB price for processed pork is above $4.00/kg.

The department forecasted that if South Africa were to export a minimum of 100 tons from 2017 onwards, the value of pork exports will easily reach $400,000. The Custom Base Duty for processed pig meat is 30%.

Mango

With regards to mango, the department says prices during peak season can range between $12.05 and $14.55 per 20kg cartoon on average, while custom based duty for the importation of mangoes is 45%.

The department added that it will "continue to work hard to open markets for South African produce in the world and making use of relations we have in BRICS to further grow the agriculture industry in our country".
Google's latest app YouTube Go, aims to make it easier for those with limited connectivity to watch videos offline.

YouTube Go will initially launch in India, and according to the company, its team has travelled the country to better understand its peoples requirements.

But while the app will head to the Asian subcontinent first, the advantages for Africa and other data-stretched lands are clear to see.

YouTube Go will allow users to save videos for offline viewing, while allowing them to choose the video quality and file size. It effectively means that YouTube is now a portable, offline video repository...

Click through to the full article on Memeburn.
A free smartphone app to help traditional fishers monitor their catches has burgeoned into a suite of products for use along the country's small-scale fisheries value chain.

Octagon via Wikimedia Commons - Fishermen selling their catch of the day at the beach of Paternoster, Western Cape

Abalobi - named for the isiXhosa phrase abalobi bentlanzi meaning "fishers" - initially aimed to empower traditional fishers with data about their catches. The application has been produced by academics at the University of Cape Town, a unit in the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in conjunction with the fishers.

The importance of small-scale fisheries

Historically, the government refused to acknowledge the existence of the small-scale fisheries sector, with dire implications for about 30,000 traditional fishers along SA's bountiful coastline. Living marine resources are allocated through permits, but traditionally, only three groups were recognised: commercial, recreational and subsistence fishers.

Traditional or artisanal fishers straddle commercial and subsistence fishing: they make their living from marine resources, but are not big business. Because of this, they were not allocated fishing rights.

A 2007 Equality Court judgment found that both the apartheid-era and democratic governments had marginalised these fishers, and ordered the government to include them in its rights allocations. It has taken nine years for the government to begin rolling out its small-scale fisheries policy.

The importance of small-scale fisheries "cannot be overemphasised", says the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. "While no definitive statistics exist, it is thought that the sector employs 50 million of the world's 51-million fishers - mostly from developing countries - producing nearly half of world fish production and supplying most of the fish consumed in the developing world," it says.

Catch-data monitoring

Abalobi will be the information management system for the small-scale fisheries industry, says Craig Smith, director of the small-scale fisheries management unit in the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. "Abalobi has been successfully piloted in five communities as a catch-data monitoring app," Smith says.

In addition, the unit used an extension of the app to verify the number of active traditional fishers. "The fishers have also given some useful input to make it even more attractive to their needs, which in turn has caused the popularity of the app to go up," he says.

With the data collected, fishers can prove that they make their living from the sea, says Nico Waldeck, a traditional fisher who recently joined the Abalobi project team.

Originally designed for desktop computers with R180,000 in seed funding from the Vodacom Foundation in 2014, researchers developed it into an open-source app. A National Research Foundation grant of about R100,000 supplemented this in 2015.

Multiple platforms

Dr Serge Raemaekers, a University of Cape Town academic who has been a crucial figure in driving the project, says that Abalobi Fisher, as the individual catch-management app has been renamed, will be just one of the Abalobi offerings.

Abalobi Fisher lets fishers log their catches. They can note what they caught, when, where, using what method and for how much they sold the fish. It spawned Abalobi Monitor, which is to be used by officials who monitor fishers' catches when they return to shore; Abalobi Analytics, which shows real-time catch data for captains or cooperative managers; Abalobi Co-operative, an accounting and analytics package for cooperatives; and Abalobi Marketplace, a platform for fishers and retailers.

The accounting and marketplace platforms are funded by the Technology Innovation Agency, a government agency tasked with bridging the gap between innovative ideas and marketable products. Restaurants and retailers can liaise with individual fishers or cooperatives on Abalobi Marketplace, Raemaekers says. This will "make it possible for them to have a direct relationship" and connect thousands of traditional fishers with markets, he says.

Proving the government wrong

Struisbaai fisher Hendrik Bantom wants to use his Abalobi Fisher data to show that the government's stock assessments are incorrect. The government has refused to allocate fishing rights for mullet on parts of the West Coast, saying that stocks of the 30cm silverfish are too low for fishing. "They are our life source in the long winter months when it is too dangerous to line-fish far out at sea," Bantom says.

He says that in his 15 years of fishing in Struisbaai, he has never seen a Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries scientist looking at mullet stocks. "We can now use the fish catch data on Abalobi phones to show the department that there is enough mullet here to feed the community on a sustainable basis," he says.

David Shoshola, a traditional fisher in Lamberts Bay, says scientists come once a year to do a stock assessment. He says they do not include information from traditional fishers' catches. "The government has no way of knowing what the catch per unit effort is of these fishers because they have very little data," Raemaekers says. "They have a little information from the monitors, but that's a small percentage of what's actually going on out there."

Improved data collection

Kim Prochazka, head of the government's fisheries resource research, says: "We are hopeful that Abalobi will not only provide data that can be used in stock assessments but that this will result in an improvement in current data collection models." However, this depends on the data being of sufficient quantity and quality, which will take time.

But a lynchpin in the Abalobi project is that fishers retain their own data. "What's critical is that the fishers own their data and then they decide who they want to share it with. It's sort of the development of a trust-building, relationship-building exercise," Raemaekers says.

Source: Business Day
At a CITES side event, INTERPOL and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) will announce their cooperation on IFAW's tenBoma initiative in Kenya

The project represents an important expansion of their longstanding collaboration combating global wildlife trafficking.

INTERPOL applauds IFAW and the Kenya Wildlife Service for piloting the tenBoma counter-poaching initiative in Kenya. They have shown unprecedented willingness to share information, learn from each other, and collaborate on developing intelligence-led enforcement strategies that are appropriate and have been effective against poaching and trafficking hotspots, said David Higgins, head of INTERPOLs Environmental Security Sub-Directorate. INTERPOL is delighted to help expand this initiative and enhance its impact across national borders.

Event speakers

In addition to David Higgins who will speak at the event, Professor Judi Wakhungu, cabinet secretary of Kenya, will provide a keynote speech. Other speakers will include Kitili Mbathi, director general, Kenya Wildlife Service, and for IFAW speakers will include president and CEO Azzedine Downes; James Isiche, regional director, Eastern Africa; Steve Njumbi, head of programs Eastern Africa; and Faye Cuevas, chief of staff and tenBoma project lead.

Cuevas, Mbathi, and Higgins will also participate in a panel discussion including special guests Dickson Ole Kaelo, Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA) and Mohamed Koikai Oloitiptip, Olgulului Olalarashi Group Ranch (OOGR).

I cannot say enough about the commitment of local communities and KWS intelligence, operations, and front line units who embraced our initial pilot program and worked with us to develop it further, says Cuevas. Just last month, an integrated tenBoma/KWS team collaborated on operations that captured suspected poachers just before they reached their rhino targets. The animals were saved and we have gathered actionable intelligence that will continue to yield results into the future.

Predict, interdict poaching

IFAWs tenBoma initiative connects an existing African community security philosophy with criminal network targeting principles to form a network of eyes, ears, and enforcement that can predict and interdict poaching of iconic species.

tenBoma includes new technology used by both rangers in the field and intelligence and operations officers in Nairobi, but an important differentiator from other technology-focused approaches is that tenBoma technology provides an open wildlife security enforcement ecosystem framework. Training, mentoring and collaboration among the people using the system is more important than any specific technological component.

tenBoma can take in information from multiple sources - from community tips, ranger reports, conservation partners and publically available geospatial data, and enforcement databases. Trained analysts review this data and provide targeted up-to-the-minute reports to operations on the ground.

The open and inclusive nature of the tenBoma initiative enables everyone who cares about wildlife and security to collaborate and enhance their impact, from small community groups to national and international law enforcement, IFAW president and CEO, Azzedine Downes emphasised. We welcome new partners and look forward to working with them to continuously evolve this enforcement network to work for all partners. Together, we will be stronger and more effective in destroying criminal trafficking networks than any of us could have been alone.
Free higher education is a myth. There is no such thing anywhere in the world, even in wealthy states like Germany, Finland, Norway and Sweden, which insist that their tertiary education systems are "free". In fact, higher education in those countries is predominantly paid for by taxpayers. They can afford it. They are rich, socially and economically equitable societies.

Higher education is a resource intensive enterprise. It cannot effectively function without a massive injection of resources in a sustained and escalated way. Professor Bruce Johnstone, a leading US expert in the financing of higher education, has pointed out that:

Higher education cost tends to rise at rates considerably in excess of the corresponding rates of increase of available revenues  especially those revenues that are dependent on taxation.

His description applies well to South Africas economic situation and the reality of financial pressures on its higher education sector.

The recent wave of protests at South Africas universities has been driven by students unrealistic expectations about free higher education. The crisis has been deepened by a web of unsustainable solutions posited by the state and tertiary institutions.

Students would do well to look around their own continent to see how unequal free education really is.

African lessons

Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. It offers free higher education in the form of a fully funded government scholarship with absurdly nominal fees.

Research conducted at the University of Malawi, the countrys largest and most prestigious institution, found that most students come from upper and upper middle class families. Around 90% of those at the university could easily afford to pay their own way, but instead are receiving government funding.

That funding is drawn from public funds  so the countrys struggling poor and middle class effectively end up bank rolling the education of those who dont need the support.

Malawi is an extreme example. But its typical across Africa  and for that matter the world  that the majority of university students come from well-off families. This is especially true at the continents flagship universities and in its most competitive programmes of study. In many countries, their presence is funded by taxpayers money. The poor and middle class are paying for the rich to study. How is that free or, indeed, fair?

Sustainability

Interestingly, many African countries that have previously claimed to provide free higher education have changed their policies in recent years. Enrolments are rising across the continent. Countries have realised that student growth is outstripping what the economic base can generate in tax revenue. Too many students; too few taxpayers.

In Funding Higher Education in sub-Saharan Africa Professor Philip G. Altbach one of the worlds foremost higher education experts, noted that

Without a stable funding base, neither access nor excellence can be achieved. One thing is clear: the common African pattern of full state funding to a small number of universities no longer works  if in fact it ever did.

Altbach went on to say that free university education is simply unsustainable.

South Africa is no different from its peers on the continent. Its student population is growing. The cost of running the system is only going to rise, making free education even more of a burden.

So what are the alternatives?

The trend

The trend in higher education funding is moving towards cost-sharing where students, parents or guardians, governments and other stakeholders collectively contribute. Uganda, for instance, has seen one of the most dramatic changes in higher education funding. In less than a decade its flagship university, Makerere, shifted the landscape to greatly increase the number of fee-paying students.

Other African countries, among them Kenya and Ethiopia, are consolidating cost-sharing through, among other things, setting up student loan systems, though this has been beset with problems. They have realised that they cannot continue to provide free education to their citizens  even the needy ones.

South Africas free education lobby seems to ignore these realities. Protests at universities are becoming increasingly violent with serious destruction of properties. Elsewhere in Africa, governments manage student unrest by shutting universities down indefinitely. In some cases, such as in Nigeria and Kenya, universities have been closed for months at a time.

Can such a situation be avoided in South Africa? Probably not if students continue to harbour such unreasonable expectations.

A regressive call

It is imperative that universities resource bases are both diversified and consolidated. Resources from the government need to be augmented with contributions from businesses, development partners, trusts and foundations, parents and students. They must be supplemented through effective use of resources and cutting back on wasteful spending.

The call for free higher education for all in any deeply unequal society is not just meaningless. It is also regressive and self-defeating. Some pundits and even those in the sector seem to believe that free higher education is possible in the long term. In light of a massifying university system, demographic realities and tightening national budgets, they are dead wrong.


The cyber attack on Yahoo.com's email servers in 2014 put at least 500m of their users' personal information at risk, and highlights the liability companies face in keeping this kind of information safe.

Under South Africas fairly new Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI), companies could in similar circumstances, face up to a R10m fine or 10 years imprisonment for a company director.

R6trn lost in global cybercrime

Cyber security is a big concern for businesses and individuals. South Africas GDP is estimated to lose about R5,8bn annually to cybercrime, according to a recent McAfee Global Cost of Cybercrime report. Internationally the report places that number is closer to $445bn (R6trn). Cybercrime is increasing globally and steadily becoming quite a phenomenon in the business industry, Gillian Wolman, head of litigation at Risk Benefit Solutions.

One of the growing trends in cybercrime is the application of ransomware, which encrypts all of the information on a companys servers, she says. Criminals often use this type of attack to extort money from businesses, promising to decrypt the companys files for a fee.

Usually the programmes only encrypt company information, and no data is actually taken off the servers. Still there is no way to be sure that the criminals did not get access to the information and companies are still under obligation to report it to their clients and authorities. They also face the same possible penalties and loss of business, Wolman notes.

No covered by traditional insurance

While the business sector is becoming aware of the issue, Wolman says that companies need to start adapting to this emerging threat more rapidly. In terms of risk management, more businesses need to start putting processes in place, that are properly managed and having a transfer mechanism in the form of an insurance policy in place, are paramount. The liability that companies face if they do not have these, could easily send them into liquidation.

Wolman points out that cyber claims are not covered under traditional insurance policies. Policies such as general liability, business interruption and computer all risks only cover claims where there is physical damage, while professional indemnity provides limited cover for third-party data loss, but generally only in relation to the provision of professional service.

As a result, businesses require dedicated cyber policies that cover first-party expenses, loss of business income notification expenses, crisis management expenses as well as the associated regulatory fines, says Wolman.

Also keep in mind that any insurance policy will have its terms and conditions, and companies are only adequately covered if their risk management procedures are up to standard. Therefore, up-to-date security software, proper password protection and the right data security procedures are all the companys own responsibility, she adds.

Being hacked is inevitable

More business owners have fortunately started to realise how costly the effects of cyber attacks can be, and are therefore putting these measures in place to protect themselves financially.

Cybercrime is fast becoming one of the biggest threats facing organisations. It is no longer sufficient for businesses simply to guard the network perimeter with a firewall and install antivirus software on endpoints. Companies need to continually monitor the evolving threat landscape, and understand that being hacked is no longer a risk, it is an inevitability, concludes Wolman.
The latest iteration of King guidelines - to be released on 1 November - is nothing more than the next evolutionary step for corporate governance to remain relevant, assesses where we are, and point the way forward.

Corporate governance specialist, Richard Foster, who serves as an independent non-executive director in various South African and foreign companies, said King IV would directly assist in driving growth in the current economic climate.

King IV sets out simple parameters by which entities such as companies including SMEs, NPOs, parastatals, retirement funds and municipalities can improve their governance practices and reap better outcomes via exceeding investor and other stakeholder expectations, said Foster.

The guidelines provide a qualitative application tool through which anyone can analyse and measure the value gained by responsible governance. Its not a question of paying lip service to an ideal  you can actually see what lies beneath. For corporate entities, full disclosure will be aspirational.

Foster stressed that King IV would work hand in hand with the Code for Responsible Investing in SA (CRISA), a voluntary code that applies to institutional investors. Furthermore, King IV should ideally be seen as a conduit into more formal regulation and legislation. As such, board members of retirement funds would do well to familiarise themselves with the King IV guidelines  particularly as the code pertains to their accountability, and to that of investment entities under their watch.

An important step forward for King IV is that it encompasses not just JSE-listed companies, but all legally incorporated entities including SMEs, retirements funds, parastatals, NPOs and municipalities. It is an extension that is especially relevant considering the furore around the decision by some asset managers to withhold investment into certain parastatals on the grounds of concerns about their corporate governance and its potential impact on investor returns.

King IV provides fiduciaries with the basis for an informed assessment of value creation  all the way from strategy and risk management policies, to reporting practices, to performance evaluation and prospects for future and sustainable returns, said Foster.

Central to King IV is a focus on outcomes  how the application of good practice leads to better results as well as cost benefits.

Foster said the new King code would continue to focus on key issues addressed in the previous three iterations, but had moved ahead to remove the tendency for some corporates to indulge in box-ticking.

King IV should not be seen as grudge compliance, said Foster. It is qualitative, not quantitative  it shows how mindful application and leadership in corporate governance can add value for stakeholders.

The key issues for governance remain, said Foster. These would include fostering good corporate citizenship in terms of board composition, diversity, remuneration and independence; sustainable development; outsourcing and conflicts of interest; responsible investment; delegation to committees and management; and inclusivity of stakeholder interests.

Proper governance makes sense because it enables businesses to drive forward, said Foster. Ethics, trust, reputation and legitimacy are the effective cornerstones of good stakeholder relations. King IV addresses these principles in a less prescriptive and more transparent way.
After internships and work opportunities at prominent architecture and social good firms like MASS Design Group, Rwanda and UrbanAfrica, MIT Master's student Billy Ndengeyingoma believes that well-designed housing can empower people and improve their lives. Born in Kigali, Rwanda, Ndengeyingoma realised that as an urban planner he is in a position to offer solutions to some of Africa's housing problems.

Photo by Jake Belcher

Housing has a huge value in securing people's right to a city and making sure that they feel dignified by living where they live and that their housing has a clear connection to their already established social networks, and also to the broader city itself, Ndengeyingoma told MIT news.

Initially, an engineering student, Ndengeyingomas academic journey led him to the housing crisis in Africa. Inspired by MASS Design group, an architecture practice focused on human-centred design, Ndengeyingoma completed his undergrad degree and decided to view his own city through the lens of urban planning. He developed a photo series that looked at Nyamirambo, a neighbourhood of small stores that are brightly painted to attract customers.

It's just a rainbow of colours and it's really lively, says Ndengeyingoma. I realised that I hadn't made enough critical observations of my own city and my own living environment.

And I thought a great medium to do that and start to explore my own city was through photography.

Since the exhibition at MIT, Ndengeyingoma has continued to work toward solutions for urban problems.
Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's office will take legal action against the SABC board if it is found due process was not followed in Hlaudi Motsoeneng's reappointment in top structures, this time as group executive of corporate affairs.

Madonsela said her office would also make sure Motsoeneng's appointment, announced on Tuesday, 27 September 2016, met all the requirements for the post and that the post had been vacant.

If it was found that the reappointment was improper, Madonsela said she would hold both Communications Minister Faith Muthambi and the SABC board liable for the costs of the court matter in their personal capacity.

"That is not just disrespectful of the public protector's [office] but it is disrespectful of the courts of SA," she said.

In 2014, Madonsela, in her report 'When Governance and Ethics Fail', found that Motsoeneng had fabricated his matric qualification and increased his salary irregularly from R1.5m to R2.4m in one year. In her remedial action she called on the SABC board to take disciplinary action against Motsoeneng. He faced disciplinary action but was cleared of any wrongdoing by the broadcaster.

He lost his position as SABC chief operating officer last week after the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed his application for leave to appeal against a Cape Town High Court judgment that had set aside his permanent appointment.

The SABC announced Motsoeneng's appointment to group executive of corporate affairs, replacing Bessie Tugwana, who was appointed to the position only in August 2016.

SABC acting CEO James Aguma said Tugwana would now work in his office.

Clarity

Madonsela on Tuesday said her office would be writing to the SABC and Muthambi asking for clarity on what the requirements were for the post, when it was advertised, on what basis Motsoeneng was appointed and what procedure was followed. She also said her office would look into what the appointment would mean for the investigation it was conducting on allegations that Motsoeneng had been involved in various forms of improper conduct.

Aguma said the appointment of group executives was done at the "preserve" of the executive directors - himself and the chief financial officer.

"It has nothing to do with whether the board approves or not; it is at management's discretion."

Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution executive secretary Lawson Naidoo said it did not matter who had the power to make appointments, they still had to follow due process.

"Any power anybody has, especially if it's public power, has to be exercised in accordance with the law," he said.

Naidoo said there were grounds to challenge Motsoeneng's new appointment in court. "It's exactly what they have done before."

Madonsela could take legal action based on her report, saying it was binding unless it was set aside by a court.

The Broadcasting, Electronic, Media and Allied Workers Union (Bemawu) said it was seeking legal advice on obtaining an urgent application to stop Motsoeneng's new appointment because due process had not been followed.

Bemawu president Hannes du Buisson said the SABC was doing the exact same thing it had done when it appointed Motsoeneng as chief operating officer.

SABC board chairman Mbulayeni Maguvhe said the position of chief operating officer would be advertised in due course and that Motsoeneng would be allowed to apply. Motsoeneng was adamant that he would apply for it.

Du Buisson asked why the SABC was advertising the position of chief operating officer, but had not done so for the group executive position.

Source: Business Day
NMMU and Rhodes University could be facing a lawsuit from hundreds of angry parents whose children have been affected by fee-related protests.

Both institutions have been shut since Monday, with lectures suspended until further notice.

The parents, led by prominent Port Elizabeth advocate Terry Price, are threatening to open a case of mandamus (which would force a person or institution to perform a public or statutory duty) as they believe the universities have failed to honour the rights of non-protesting students.

The protests were sparked by Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande's controversial decision to hand the issue of fee increases back to the universities, saying the increases were up to each institution but should be capped at 8%.

Price, who said he was acting in his capacity as a concerned parent, said the parents would give the universities until next week Friday to resume lectures.

Failing that, they would open a case.

"Parents have sacrificed immensely to find the money to send their kids to school," he said.

"A vast majority of students who have been studying hard are being held ransom by a tiny minority of no more than 100 to 120, many of whom are not even students."

Price said the universities had a contractual obligation to keep their doors open as they had been paid.

"The universities are running scared and are not doing anything to protect the law-abiding, hardworking students.

"They are simply [accommodating] the thugs."

Wheeldon, Rushmere and Cole senior director Brin Brody, who is willing to take on the case, said he could not comment until he had consulted with the parents.

NMMU acting vice-chancellor Dr Sibongile Muthwa said university management acknowledged that financial sacrifices had been made by parents.

"It is unfortunate there are these rumblings from parents, but they need to understand this is not a numbers game," she said.

"It's been said that a small group of protesting students are preventing the majority from studying.

"We have thought about this very carefully and it is not a numerical game."

Muthwa said the university's primary concern was the safety of students and "delivering on our contractual obligation".

"If the shutdown continues for the next two weeks [to 10 October], the university will be left with no other option but to cancel the 2016 academic programme," she said.

Rhodes spokeswoman Catherine Deiner said the university had not received notification of any possible legal action. She said classes would resume today.

Source: Herald
The average South African rental for Q2 2016 was R6,570.50, a 6.4% increase from the same period in 2015, according to the quarterly PayProp Rental Index . PayProp Group CEO Louw Liebenberg says that the figures show a welcome return to stability after a 1% point drop from the 7.4% measured in Q4 2015.

PayProp Group CEO Louw Liebenberg

This has been an extremely interesting quarter to watch  one in which weve dug deeper into tenancy dynamics than ever before, resulting in our view that the average tenant is far more financially vulnerable than previously thought.

In the period under review, tenants who earn below R10,000 per month used up more of their available credit than other tenants. But from this point onward the trend line flattens out until the R40,000 pay bracket  which is not as one would expect. The data shows that in-the-middle consumers are all equally indebted  and that tenants use of available credit only really dips when earning above R60,000 per month.

Considering that tenants earning between R20,000 and R40,000 typically rent for R6,000 to R10,000 per month, and that 89% of all rentals are for less than R10,000 per month, the sweet spot of the rental market is where the problem of over-indebtedness occurs.

Measuring tenants' over-extension

Liebenberg says that another way to measure tenants' over-extension is the proportion of debt repayments relative to disposable income.

Currently, tenants owe on average 40% of their pre-tax income to credit providers. That is up from 33% in March 2015  a dismal worsening of matters over time. In addition, the average South African tenant has by now used up 70% of all credit available to them. This leaves an extremely small manoeuvring space for tenants to absorb life shocks that may come at them  potentially causing defaults.

Liebenberg says that the index has also produced data in support of the theory that Gauteng residents are migrating to the Western Cape. Rental growth in Gauteng has been declining for some time  and corresponding increases are evident in the Cape. In economic terms, this indicates a decline in demand in Gauteng, relating with an increase in demand in the Western Cape.

The index shows that rentals above R10,000 are growing at a significantly faster rate in the Western Cape than in Gauteng. Liebenberg says that assuming that there is indeed an underlying migration from Gauteng to the Western Cape, this would seem to be driven by high-value rentals.

Liebenberg says that the stabilisation of rental values gives no indication of the underlying movements between the provinces, including the migration to the south, a faltering economy in the Northern Cape, and possible industrial resurgence in Limpopo.

PayProp has published the PayProp Rental Index since December 2011 tracking residential letting trends.
MyCiTi commuters travelling between Mitchells Plain, Khayelitsha and Cape Town will have access to real-time updates on bus departures. MyCiTi, as part of a pilot phase, will communicate real-time information about the next bus to depart on the D01, D02, D03 and D04 routes on electronic signboards or passenger information displays (PIDs) at the MyCiTi stations in the Town Centre in Mitchells Plain and the Civic Centre station in Cape Town.

"This is a great addition to the MyCiTi service which we are now testing during a pilot on the N2 Express service. The pilot phase allows Transport for Cape Town, the Citys transport authority, to communicate crucial and useful information to our passengers. Thus, in addition to the standard MyCiTi departures schedule, commuters at the Town Centre or Civic Centre stations can now see the real-time departures of the MyCiTi buses displayed on the PID at the platform. What is meant by real-time is that the PID indicates to commuters in how many minutes the next bus on a particular route is to depart from that particular platform," said the Citys Mayoral Committee Member: Transport for Cape Town, councillor Brett Herron.

On-the-bus announcements

Another addition to the N2 Express service during the pilot phase is on-the-bus announcements about the next stop. The announcements will be gradually implemented on the whole fleet operating along the D01, D02, D03 and D04 routes over the coming weeks.

"Some commuters who have travelled on the N2 Express service may have heard announcements on the bus indicating the name of the next stop along the route. These announcements are useful for those who are not paying attention to the route itself, commuters who are not familiar with the routes and stops, or commuters with partial sight or no sight at all who have to rely on their hearing or others for assistance, said Herron.

Constant voice contact from bus drivers

Importantly, all of the approximately 550 bus drivers who are currently employed by the MyCiTi vehicle operating companies are being trained to operate the bus communications system which allows them to be in constant voice contact with the MyCiTi Control Centre in Goodwood.

"The bus drivers who operate the buses along the N2 Express routes in Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha completed their training last week. They are now able to communicate with the Control Centre from their seats as and when needed  for example, in case of an emergency or to ask for assistance with route deviations due to an unexpected incident. The introduction of this communication system also enables the system controllers in the Control Centre to monitor the buses operating on the N2 Express routes. The system controllers assist the bus drivers with schedule adherence, and can warn bus drivers in advance of accidents or suspicious activities that may pose a danger to the driver and the passengers," said Herron.

Completing the APTMS

These advances will be rolled out on all of the MyCiTi routes over the next six months and upon the successful completion of the pilot phase on the N2 Express service. This forms part of the completion the MyCiTi Control Centre hardware, software and related systems, collectively known as the Advanced Public Transport Management System or APTMS.

"Once the APTMS is fully completed and we are satisfied with the outcome of the pilot phases, the MyCiTi Control Centre will be tracking each and every bus on all of the MyCiTi routes across the city. We will, therefore, know the exact location of every bus at any given point in time. This will enable us to keep track of delays and we will be able to inform commuters about the departure time of every bus on every route on the PIDs at all of the MyCiTi stations. We are looking forward to the day when the APTMS will be fully operational as this will assist us in improving the service and communicating real-time information to our passengers," said Herron.
Trade between Uganda and Kenya is projected to increase as the construction of a new and shorter route from Mbale to the Lwakaka border post in eastern Uganda kicks off.

The state minister for trade, Michael Kafabusa Werikhe, said when this road is complete, the quantity of exports and imports through Kenya is set to increase.

Warikhe was speaking at a contract-signing ceremony between Uganda National Roads Authority and Chinese contractor, China State Construction Engineering Corporation, recently. "With the construction of this road, we are going to see improved quantity of trade in this area and this is especially with Kenya and South Sudan," he said.

The 44.5-kilometer road will be constructed using a Shs 140bn loan from the African Development Bank and it will be completed within two years. Allen Kagina, the Unra executive director, was adamant that because of the productivity of the area, the road will benefit both Kenya and Uganda.

"Kenyans have over time told us that this is a shorter route, can you make this road for us," Kagina said.

"This is a very productive area for feeding both Uganda and Kenya and we expect production to go up. We also expect tourism to increase."
On Thursday 29 September, Gauteng's first 4DX cinema will open its doors to the public at the newly revamped Nu Metro Hyde Park. This news follows the introduction of Africa's first ever 4DX cinemas at Nu Metro V&A Waterfront (CT) and The Pavilion (Dbn).

Nu Metro Hyde Park will be relaunched to VIP and media guests at an invite-only event this evening (Wednesday 28 September). Apart from 4DX, all cinemas at Hyde Park now also have premium Scene VIP-status including recliner-seating, personalised service, bars, lounges and more.

4DX offers viewers a multi-sensory experience through 3D visuals on-screen, Dolby 7.1 surround sound as well as effects such as wind, water, smells, moving seats and lightning effects. This transports the viewer to get as close to experiencing the action on-screen as possible.

 Anton Robert. Photo courtesy of Nu Metro Cinemas

Films to look out for

All the popular 4DX hits from Nu Metros 4DX cinemas in Cape Town and Durban will be screened daily until 6 October. Titles include Ice Age: Collision Course, The Jungle Book, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Suicide Squad.

How it works

The films screened in 4DX are projected in HD/2D and Digital 3D on a silver curved wall-to-wall screen. Its audio system is being upgraded to a Dolby CP750 with 7.1 full surround sound. The Barco projector used in the cinema will now also use an upgraded lamp for brighter picture in both 2D and 3D.

We had to install a complete new steel floor structure in the 4DX cinema to be able to handle the 0.3G-force the unit moves with; as well as water, air and scent lines. The complete system uses 24 computers (1 in each of the 21 seats, motion PC, monitor PC and screen server). The force utilises Servo motors and transducers, and not hydraulics, making the movement much smoother and more active. Following Cape Town and Durban, Johannesburg is now also in for a total new way of watching movies! explains Johan van Staden, Nu Metro Cinemas: head of technical.

Find out more about Gautengs 4DX cinema and South Africas first 4DX advertising campaign here.

For more cinema info and to book tickets, call 0861-CINEMA (246362) or go to numetro.co.za
The 2017 Bookmark Awards, an IAB SA initiative, are now open for entries. South Africa's most sought-after awards recognising all-things-digital, continue to evolve with the rapidly changing digital landscape. Entrants to the Bookmarks can expect a fresh new crop of categories that recognise the full scope of interactive excellence.

Josephine Buys, the CEO of IAB SA says, The Bookmark Awards have always set the benchmark for tech, digital and leading edge innovation. As the IAB, we are mindful of how technology is converging and the powerful impact that interactive technology has on the marketing mix.

The Bookmarks play an important role in shaping trends within the industry. Now in its ninth year, we have seen how award-winning work inspires and educates the industry about the power to build brands through creative and high impact digital executions that deliver measurable results, she adds.

New categories span Gaming, Virtual Reality, Digital Installations and Activations, Internet of Things, Customer Experience Design and Dedicated Internet Streaming Services.

Entries close on 11 November 2016, which leaves less than two months to compile and submit your best work. The finalists will be announced after judging in the new year, and the awards ceremony will take place on 2 March 2017 at the brand new space in Sandton, Kramerville  The Galleria.

Visit thebookmarks.co.za to submit your entries! Read the full descriptions of the new entry categories below:

Games Original digital games designed for phone, web or console. Includes games developed for informational or commercial purposes. Think FarmVille, Call of Duty or Pokemon Go. Email, direct & inbound marketing Use of email, SMS, direct digital marketing and other inbound techniques to achieve campaign success. Winners will show exceptional return on investment. Think Obama 2008. Digital Installations and Activations Use of digital technology to engage audiences typically in an out-of-home or events setting. Think BA's #lookup billboard. Customer Experience Design Excellence in the digital customer experience, including point of sale or online service channels. Think Amazon.com's service offering. VR Use of Virtual Reality (VR) to promote a product or brand. Chat, messaging and Dark Social Use of chat, chat bots and messaging platforms (dark social) to achieve a marketing or communication result. Think Facebook Messenger. Internet of Things Use of atypical internet devices (i.e. not phone or computer) to achieve a marketing or communication goal. Think Apple Watch or Apple TV. Online Photography Use of online video by a publisher for news or editorial purposes. Think Daily Mail. Streaming Services Dedicated internet streaming service (video or audio). Think Netflix or CliffCentral. Craft: Excellence In Software, Coding & Tech. Innovation Individual or team award for demonstrable excellence and innovation in coding or use of technology in an online campaign or platform. The engineering will be judged by a team of software experts. The work and not the individuals will be judged but the winner will be an individual or team of up to 3 people. Best Digital Student Best student studying a digital course at an institution, including marketing and related disciplines such as UX. Think top students at AAA or UJ. Best Digital Youngster Best person under 28 who has made a significant contribution to digital this year through their work - can be agency, publisher or other. Brand of the Year Company most supportive or innovative in the digital marketing space. Best Marketer Individual in a brand who most supports, encourages and succeeds using digital channels. Best CTO Individual in a brand who most supports, encourages and succeeds using digital channels. Best Contribution to Transformation in the Digital Industry Organisation who has made the most convincing contribution to growing diversity in the digital industry in line with overall goals for an integrated South Africa. This could be through any meaningful mechanism ranging from ownership to participation. Pixel for Purpose Awarded to a piece of work (site, app, publication or any other digital piece) that made a significant positive social impact. The winner will have conclusively proven that the idea worked.

View all the categories in more detail here.

About the IAB South Africa:

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) South Africa, formerly the DMMA, is an independent, voluntary, non-profit association focused on growing and sustaining a vibrant and profitable digital industry in South Africa. The IAB South Africa represents the digital industry across all sectors including the media, the marketing community, government, and the public, and also acts as the channel through which international bodies can enter the South African digital market. The IAB South Africa currently represents over 200 members including online publishers, creative, media and digital agencies, brands, and educators, between them accounting for more that 43 million local unique browsers, and 1 267 802 page views. The IAB South Africa strives to provide members with a platform through which they can engage, interact, and address digital issues of common interest, thereby stimulating learning and commerce within the South African digital space. To find out more about the IAB South Africa, visit its website, like its Facebook page and follow @iab_sa on Twitter.




The final qualifying entries for the 2015/2016 AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation have been announced.

After an intensive inspection process at each location (in-loco), 22 qualifying projects out of 47 entries have been identified by the adjudication panel including three in KwaZulu-Natal.

The KZN final qualifying entries include:

Gorgeous Green House, a client-driven poster child for sustainable green living by Sagnelli Associate Architects.

Liv Village - Designworkshop

Government House in Pietermaritzburg by Robert JW Brusse Architects is a heritage restoration project of a beautiful 1845 Edwardian styled house for UNISA.

Gorgeous Green House - Sagnelli Associate Architects

LIV Village by Designworkshop:SA is a village for orphaned and vulnerable children that includes a community clinic, open-air hall, educational facilities, as well as accommodation.

Government House Pietermaritzburg - Robert JW Brusse Architect

The 22 qualifying projects in the award span all four categories - Sustainable Architecture and Research in Sustainability, as well as the two new categories Sustainable Products and Technology, and Sustainable Social Programmes. These reflect a growing national engagement with design, innovation and sustainability, with representation from many different regions of South and southern Africa.

The award assessed by the project responds to the criteria of harmonisation, people upliftment, evolutionary paradigm and placemaking performance, comments KZN-based architect Richard Stretton, member of the adjudication team.

Unsuccessful projects

Successful projects not only respond to these criteria but also use the criteria as design generating tools. Unsuccessful projects make tokenistic gestures to sustainability without demonstrating the understanding that the criteria of sustainability are as important as user function and aesthetic beauty. The building must have a clear function and be in use.

Stretton, a previous winner and eminent architect and furniture designer, conducted the site visits with other members of the six-person adjudicating team - Kevin Bingham (VP of SAIA), Daniel Irurah (sustainable architecture academic), Llewellyn van Wyk (principal researcher at Building Science and Technology), Sebasti Badenhorst (AfriSam representative) and Eric Noir (Africa region director of the International Union of Architects work programme, Architecture for a Sustainable Future).

The bi-annual AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation is dedicated to acknowledging best practice and innovation in sustainable architecture in South Africa. Its aim is to promote and increase learning and understanding of sustainability within the context of the human built environment. The awards takes place on 27 October in Cape Town.

Full list of final qualifying entries:

Category A: Sustainable Architecture

1. African School for Excellence - Local Studio

2. Barn House - Strey Architects

3. BMW Head Office Building - Boogertman+Partners Architects

4. Dea Building - Boogertman+Partners Architects

5. Gorgeous Green House - Sagnelli Associate Architects

6. Government House Pietermaritzburg - Robert JW Brusse Architect

7. Icat Eco Factory - Earthworld Architects

8. Liv Village - Designworkshop

9. Maboneng Precinct - Daffonchio & Associate Architects

10. New Business School for NMMU - The Workplace Architects With Gapp

11. Oudebosch Camp Kogelberg - Architecture Coop

12. Outreach Foundation Community Centre - Local Studio

13. Wits Rural Facility - Kate Otten Architects

14. WWF SA Braamfontein - Alive Architecture

Category B: Research in Sustainability

15. Designing Hope for Pathways To Regenerative Sustainability - Chrisna du Plessis

Category C: Sustainable Product / Technology

16. Otto Cottage - Paul Marais

17. Pod Idladla - Collaborate

18. Solar Turtle - Ugesi Gold

19. Vodafone Site Solution Innovation Centre - Grosskopff Lombard Huyberechts & Associates

Category D: Sustainable Social Programme

20. Bridgingmzamba - Buildcollectivenpo With Carinthia University of Applied Science

21. Malawi School - Architecture for a Change

22. Ultimum Refugium - Ntsika Architects

The bi-annual AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture was first introduced in 2009 and recognises outstanding achievement in sustainable architecture as well as creating public awareness and debate on architectural issues.

For more info, go to www.sustainabledesign.co.za.
On the next Biz Takeouts Marketing & Media radio show on Thursday, 29 September 2016, from 9-10am, show host Warren Harding chats to Busi Sizani, Uber for Business program manager for sub-Saharan Africa.

We take a closer look at Uber for Business, a ride management platform built for companies big and small, that makes travel management easy for company admins, allowing visibility and control over your companys Uber usage. Uber for Business is built for the business traveller, it's one app for safe, reliable, and easy to expense rides globally.

See when, where, and how your employees are riding. The dashboard, monthly reports, ride data and CSV download makes expensing, client billing, and audits easy and customisable for your team's needs.

Tune into Biz Takeouts every Thursday from 9am-10am live from the 2oceansVibe Radio studio in Cape Town as we discuss the topics that matter in Marketing & Media.

How to listen

Comments or questions

Podcast

A podcast of the show will be available in the Biz Takeouts special section on Biz later during the week.
Agriculture has long been both the strength and weakness of Morocco's economy - a strength in that it has been a driver of growth, a weakness because of its high volatility. The sector's average growth rate fell from 10.6% between 1985 and 1991, to 0.27% between 1991 and 2004. The volatility of the agriculture sector (deviations of output relative to its average) during this period, grew to become eight times higher than that of the Middle East and North Africa region ().

Morocco has two key agricultural segments. The first is mainly concentrated in the irrigated areas that occupy 20% of the agricultural land used. The second is livestock, which employs the majority of the agricultural workforce and occupies 80% of farming land used. Moroccos food-processing industry is relatively important and benefits from a strong agricultural base. With a population of 32 million and growing, the country is a major market for the regions agricultural produce.

The Moroccan government has made the development of its agricultural sector a priority. Since the introduction of the Green Morocco plan in 2008, agricultural productivity per worker has risen at a fast pace. Over the last five years, the agricultural growth rate has reached an average of 9.3%. Productivity per hectare has also grown, due to an increase in irrigated plots.

The Green Morocco plan has led to nearly 100 billion dirhams of investments in drainage systems over the last seven years and generated an additional GDP of 43 billion dirhams. Growth in the sector has improved significantly over the last seven years and the governments goal of doubling agricultural GDP by 2020, therefore, seems achievable. Average annual growth of agricultural GDP reached 7.7% in 2015, exceeding 118 billion dirhams  compared to 75 billion in 2008.

Trade and investment

According to a study carried out by lOffice des Changes, food industry production and exports doubled in the period 2000-2013 (Etude sur lindustrie alimentaire au Maroc, 2015, Departement des Statistiques des Echanges Exterieurs du Maroc). The share of food exports in total exports increased from 9.1% in 2011 to 11.2% in 2014. The EU accounts for 51.4% of Moroccan trade and its leading trading partners, Spain and France, account

for over 55% of total trade with the EU.

Growth in the agribusiness has attracted more foreign investors to Morocco. Foreign direct investments rose to DH 10.2 billion in 2013, up from 531 million dirhams in 2010. The food sectors share of FDI receipts in total foreign direct investment jumped from 1.5% in 2010 to 26.2% in 2013.

The structure of Moroccos food exports has been relatively stable over the last 10 years. In 2014, 50% of food exports related to the fishing industry, 14% were fruit and vegetables and 8% meat. Based on the growth in agribusiness, supported by the government, the country has introduced new products such as meat processing and preparation, chocolate and confectionery products.

Further developments

Optimism in the sector has been bolstered by the government-initiated Green Morocco Plan, which also aims to reduce the industry's weather-related production risks by 2020. A further programme, to update logistical frameworks, was initiated in 2010.

This programme should result in reduced transport costs and improved management and traceability of stocks. The sector itself is also working on developments and, between 2007 and 2012, climbed up 44 places in the Logistics Performance Index listing (LPI)3. The governments twin strategies of producing high-yield, market-related agriculture, as well as improving the existing water conservation programme, could produce good results in the medium-to-long-term.

The biggest challenges and obstacles

The biggest challenge relates to the sectors failure to bring added value. The development of agribusiness has been slow and accounts for only 5% of Moroccan GDP, compared to 15% for agriculture. Nevertheless, the sector has huge growth potential, as the demand for processed goods has been rising in line with the progressive transformation of consumption patterns over the last twenty years. In fact, the demand for agribusiness products has been growing at an average annual rate of 4% since 2004 (the same as the growth rate seen in household demand for agricultural products).

On the investment side, the use of production factors remains low. The use of fertiliser per hectare in Morocco is four times lower than in France, while mechanisation is eleven times lower than in Spain. In addition, farmers have little access to banking systems and only 18% are able to obtain bank loans which mean that project financing for agribusiness is limited.

Drought and irregular rainfall are among the sectors most important obstacles to development, resulting in huge volatility in terms of agricultural output. The government is introducing measures to address this problem. A major public investment programme should make it possible to increase the amount of irrigated land and productivity per hectare, while crop conversion should enable the production of higher added value goods.

If current global economic conditions and depressed food prices continue, private investors will have little incentive to risk entering seemingly unprofitable businesses. A prolonged global economic downturn could harm the growth performance of countries in the region, reducing the revenues available for agricultural investment and development.

Government incentives and funding crucial

Government incentives are crucial for the development of Moroccos agricultural activities. The Green Morocco Plan aims to mobilise 10 billion dirhams annually for the agricultural sector, by 2020. In this way, the lack of access to banking loans for farmers is partly compensated for by government incentives. Under the Green Morocco Plan, 70% to 80% of the funding for projects within Pillar II, will be supported by domestic or international investors. The remainder will be largely taken in charge by the agricultural development fund (FDA). The state provides financial aid for Pillar I projects, in the form of grants and bonuses, through the FDA.

Overall, despite some obstacles, Moroccos agribusiness shows very promising perspectives. Serious efforts by the government to address some of the issues could lead to a more fully integrated and efficient domestic supply chain. In addition, the countrys rising population and expanding GDP should lead to increased consumer demand for higher added value agricultural goods, further sustaining the agribusiness sector.
This week, we find out what's really going on behind the selfie with Chris Rawlinson, ex-Ogilvy/WPP, now creator of 42courses.com, a learning platform for the creative industries.

Take that Ellen, my crack team is going to change the world!

1. Where do you live, work and play?

Rawlinson: Cape Town, WWW, Europe.

2. Whats your claim to fame?

Rawlinson: I once sold so much wine to the tech world that the brand became known as the official wine of Silicon Valley.

3. Describe your career so far.

Rawlinson: Varied could be a fair description. Ive designed intelligent homes; flown commercial airplanes; helped build wine farms; helped build the geek community in Cape Town; taught digital marketing at universities, despite never having attended one myself; helped run innovation with Ogilvy & Mather, and now I run an edtech company.

4. Tell us a few of your favourite things.

Rawlinson: Travel, music, my team and new technology.

5. What do you love about your industry?

Rawlinson: I loved adland, its tough but never boring. My old boss Gavin Levinsohn once said that any other job in your life will seem pedestrian after working in advertising and I agree. As for the edtech world love is a strong word at the moment, I got into it because I believe theres hard work to be done and a revolution to win. Education needs to work much better for the digital world we live in and if I can help shape that, it would be an honour.

6. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists.

Rawlinson: Up around 9am, emails and admin in the morning, anything requiring deeper thought after lunch as Im not a morning person, and any long tasks that need no distractions after 10pm till around 2am.

7. What are the tools of your trade?

Rawlinson: Pen, paper, Macbook Pro, iPhone, internet and an insatiable curiosity.

8. Who is getting it right in your industry?

Rawlinson: I love Khan Academy for adding a playful side to learning and any talk by Ken Robinson.

9. List a few pain points the industry can improve on.

Rawlinson: Online learning is generally long, way too academic and boring. Its not enjoyable to look at, has slow feedback loops (i.e. did I get that right?) and is often just a digital version of what is taught in textbooks.

10. What are you working on right now?

Rawlinson: Designing some courses on Startups, Fintech, Design, Digital Marketing, Advertising, IoT and Innovation with some interesting global brands that have to remain a secret for now...

11. Tell us some of the buzzwords floating around in your industry at the moment, and some of the catchphrases you utter yourself.

Rawlinson: The buzzwords I would love to be going around are gamification and behavioural economics. The phrase most repeated in our group is: The best design and creative work is normally a process of reduction, not addition.

12. Where and when do you have your best ideas?

Rawlinson: Around 12am-2am.

13. Whats your secret talent/party trick?

Rawlinson: Networking and introducing marvellous people to other marvellous people.

14. Are you a technophobe or a technophile?

Rawlinson: Safe to say Im a technophile.

15. What would we find if we scrolled through your phone?

Rawlinson: No dead bodies.

16. What advice would you give to newbies hoping to crack into the industry?

Rawlinson: There are only three rules to advertising:

Nobody cares about advertising. In order to be successful you must get noticed. If youre the same as everyone else, you will pass like a ship in the night. If you want to be successful for a long time, you need to add value.

So for adland, stand out, be proactive and add value.

Simple as that. Connect with Rawlinson on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, email him at moc.sesruoc24@sirhc and visit the 42courses website for more.

*Interviewed by Leigh Andrews.
He made the comments at the departments annual meeting held from 20 to 21 September in Lay Kay Kaw Myothit in Hlaingbwe Township.

He said to KIC News: I gave a little warning to follow the rules and regulations set down [by the KNU] and to work systematically as issues often arise between [mining companies and] the public and the NGOs [non-governmental organisations] over mining.

Padoh Saw Kae Le also said that civil society oranisations (CSOs) have already spoken out about the impact caused by gold, alloy and coal mining in KNU areas being carried out by private companies with the permission of the Burmese government or the KNU.

He said: There are rules and regulations, but the heads of [the district-level mining] departments themselves are weak. Experts have not given enough awareness training. We are weak in all areas [of expertise]. We will consult with people who are experts in addressing these [types of] weaknesses.

Mining expanded after the KNU and government signed a ceasefire in 2012. Most of the gold mining is in the districts of Thaton, Taungoo, Nyaunglaybin, and Hpa-pun. In Dooplaya District alloy is mined and in Mergui-Tavoy District coal is mined.

Local residents have previously protested against the loss of their farmlands and the environmental harm and damage caused to rivers and streams by mining. This caused the KNU to object to the reckless manner in which some companies were carrying out their mining in the districts of Nyaunglaybin, Doopalaya, and Hpa-pun. The KNU then withdrew those companies mining licences.

Saw Thar Boe, a rivers and mining activist said: There must be transparency. The mother organisatio [the KNU] must work out where the money is going. There must be responsibility and accountability. Some of the coal [mining] shouldnt be carried out because its dangerous. [The KNU] needs to clearly ask local residents [their opinions]. There should be no mining if they [the local residents] dont allow it.

The KNU said that as part of its basic policies to help members of the public it has made rules, regulations and laws to ensure that mining does not harm the public or the natural environment.

Reporting by SPhan Shaung for KIC News

Translated by Thida Linn

Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
Family members say they have not been in contact with 13 Arakanese from Haigyi Island in Ayeyarwady Region for more than a month, after they were...
Mahalaya 2021: Significance of This Day (Invoking Goddess Durga) Festivals lekhaka-Staff

Autumn arrives in India with an array of festivals, and Durga Puja is one of the most important festivals that is celebrated by the Indians. September and October are regarded as the festive months, as this is the time when festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi, Viswakarma Puja, and most importantly, Durga Puja fall in.

When Bengalis, all over the world, celebrate Durga Puja with pomp and vigour, the other parts of India worship Goddess Durga with the Navratri Puja.

Durga Puja starts with the end of 'Pitru Paksha'. The day when 'Pitru Paksha' ends and 'Devi Paksha' begins, it is known as the Mahalaya. Mahalaya is an auspicious day before the seven-day celebration of Durga Puja. This year it falls on 6 October.

Also Read: 9 Rituals Associated With Durga Puja

People wait for Durga Puja throughout the year, but these seven days, they eagerly wait and prepare themselves to welcome Goddess Durga, the daughter of the family.

To Bengalis, Mahalaya is equal to the eternal invocation mantra, 'Jago Durga...Jago Tumi Jago'. But, throughout India, Mahalaya Amavasya has a very specific significance.

Myths and beliefs are associated with this festival. Every year, people perform 'Tarpan' and other rituals on this auspicious day. Have you ever thought about why they do so? Have a look below to know about the exact significance of Mahalaya Amavasya.

1. Your Ancestors Will Be Free: Mahalaya falls on the new moon day, which is also known as the 'Mahalaya Amavasya'. It is believed that if you offer oblations to the souls of your ancestors on this day, they get free from worldly sin.

2. The Story of Mahabharata: According to the Mahabharata legend, after the death of Karna, he went to heaven. There, his soul was offered jewels as food. He was surprised to see this. Then, Indra clarified that during Karna's lifetime; he never offered anything to his ancestors. Karna replied, he didn't know about them and wanted a chance to do the due. He came back on earth for sixteen days and he offered food and other belongings to his ancestors and returned to heaven.

3. Beginning of 'Akal Bodhan': This means worshipping before time. According to mythology, King Suratha worshipped Devi Durga during the spring. But, Lord Ram worshipped Goddess Durga during the autumn season, as he needed her blessings to kill Ravana. This day signifies the awakening of Devi Durga.

4. The Story of War: It is said that when Devatas got irritated with the demon, Mahishasura, and went to the Trinity for a solution; they got so angry that their anger took the form of Devi Durga. On Mahalaya, Devi is dressed up with lethal weapons and she is said to have killed Mahishasura. This day is signified as the victory of virtue over vice.

5. Importance to the Bengalis: Finally, Mahalaya is most important to the Bengalis, as this is the day when they remember their forefathers. They also get ready to welcome their daughter, 'Uma', for the five days and forget all their miseries. They are renewed to a new life with the festival and prepare to welcome life again with all its ups and downs.

When talking about Mahalaya and its connection to Bengalis, you can't forget about the eternal 'Mahishasur-Mardini' programme on the radio by Birendra Krishna Vadra.

For generations, the shlokas and chants are so attached to the Bengali's culture that each year the dawn of Mahalaya appears with new hope with this eternal programme.


A Chinese missile system. File photo

BEIJING (PTI): Chinese President Xi Jinping has said the newly-formed Rocket Force of the PLA which handles the country's growing arsenal of missiles has played an "irreplaceable" role in helping Beijing to become a "major power" by warding off war threats.



Inspecting the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Rocket Force Monday, Xi, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and also chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), described the force as a "core of strategic deterrence, a strategic buttress to the country's position as a major power, and a cornerstone on which to build national security."



The PLA Rocket Force was established last year, part of a wider military structural reform drive in the 22,85,000 strong PLA, the world's largest standing army.



Xi, who is also the head of the military, had conferred the military flag on the Rocket Force at its inauguration ceremony held in Beijing on December 31, 2015.



Amid the changing international situation and major challenges to national security, the Rocket Force has played an "irreplaceable" role in containing war threats, ensuring a secure and favourable strategic posture for China, as well as maintaining global strategic balance and stability, Xi was quoted as saying by the state-run China Daily.



He asked the Rocket Force to increase its sense of crisis and strengthen its strategic ability so as to provide a safe and strategic security environment to the nation.



Last year, China has during a parade showcased a whole range of long, medium and short range missiles, including its Dongfeng-21D missile and the anti-ship ballistic missile described as the "carrier killer".



It had caused concern among US defence officials as it could blow up aircraft carriers from a distance of about 1,500 km to 1,700 km.



"New breakthroughs should be made in enhancing the troop's strategic containment capacity, combat preparedness and application of strategy," Xi said and asked the Rocket Force to follow the Party's absolute leadership, maintain a high degree of consistency with the CPC Central Committee.



Xi's comments came amid growing tensions with the US and Japan over the South China Sea, disputed islands in the East China Sea and efforts by North Korea to ramp up its nuclear capability despite international sanctions.



In South China Sea, China is on the back foot after an international tribunal quashed its historic claims over the whole area.



The US has waded into the region in a big way, extending military backing to Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan which counter Beijing's claims.



Amid growing tensions, China on Monday flew its biggest contingent of war planes to west Pacific, close to Japanese Okinawa coast to conduct its biggest air exercises.



China is also opposed to the US move to deploy Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) missile defence system in South Korea to ward off missile threats from North Korea.






MUMBAI (PTI): Private-run Reliance Defence and Engineering is looking to export defence equipment to other countries besides exploring opportunities in India.



"While we are pursuing several opportunities in India on the naval side, we are also pursuing foreign military sales which is effectively selling defence naval equipment to other governments, other countries outside India," Anil Ambani told shareholders at the AGM of RInfra in Mumbai on Tuesday.



"Our teams are engaged in multiple opportunities which we hope will materialise in the next few years," he added.



Reliance Defence, a wholly owned subsidiary of RInfra, is looking at an integrated play in defence sector across all verticals of the Army, Navy and Air Force, Ambani said, adding "the sector is new and it is taking baby steps in moving forward".



In January, RInfra took complete control over the management of Pipavav Defence & Offshore Engineering Co (PDOC), now called Reliance Defence and Engineering.



"The Pipavav Shipyard will be the center of excellence for everything to do with naval operations. There are only two companies accepted by the government to build submarines, warships, to refit existing warships and existing submarines and we are one of them," he said.



Ambani also said experts from Germany, Russia and France came and surveyed the Pipavav Shipyard and have certified it as a world-class facility.



All of them have expressed their desire and actually signed MoUs with RInfra to come and work with it in India and transfer technology, train the employees and also provide capital, the chairman added.



"So the capital is the constraint in the defence sector. It is not as capital intensive as most people think as capital is provided by the customer and in this case it is ministry of defence. It is a medium to light capital intensive business," he said.



The chairman also said the company is in the process of signing a contract with the Indian Coast Guard for the first defence order for 14 fast patrol vessels, estimated at a cost of about Rs 1,000 crore.



"The navy has recently sent 3 of their ships for refit at Pipavav and there are bids there, and shortly, tenders would be opened for projects on the naval side worth of over Rs 10,000 crore. So, we are deeply engaged and involved and committed to the defence sector," Ambani said.



He further said the company was also pursuing the submarines programme of the government in which the Defence Ministry is expected to place an order for six new submarines worth over Rs 60,000 crore.



"There are 5 public sector shipyards owned by the ministry carrying out projects worth Rs 200,000 crore but which are, on an average, running 10 years late on all programmes. So, now there is opportunity for the private sector to come in and work with the public sector and government," he said.



"We have similar initiatives on the Army side and also on the aerospace side. We have partnered with two Israel firms  Rafael, for making missiles in India for the armed forces and, Elbit, which focuses on home land security and border management," Ambani said.



"We have recently bid for border security force for creating border fencing," added the Chairman.


Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/09/2016 (2223 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With Manitobas Progressive Conservative government reviewing a variety of funding promised by the outgoing NDP government, one of Brandons two post-secondary institutions is preparing for the possibility of having to look elsewhere for project funds.

Certainly one of the broader signals from the government is that everythings under review, said Assiniboine Community College president Mark Frison. Weve been encouraged by our deputy minister that we should be thinking about what other options there might be if the province needs to retract on its current commitment.

ACC was promised funding to develop the Centre for Health, Energy and Environment in the Parkland Building on the colleges North Hill campus, according to a press release issued by the province in January.

Colin Corneau/The Brandon Sun The main administrative building at Assiniboine Community Colleges North Hill campus is framed by culinary arts students leaving classes on Monday afternoon.

The Centre for Health, Energy and Environment is one of two main priorities for ACCs 50-year plan for the development of the North Hill campus announced last September, along with the construction of on-campus student housing.

The NDP government planned to provide up to two-thirds of the total cost of the project, an estimated to be $94.1 million, subject to project approval by the federal government.

The college still has active applications for both the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Infrastructure Fund as well as the New Building Canada Fund, a federal and provincial infrastructure fund, Frison said.

We dont have any formal indication either way from the province or the federal government  the only formal indication was the commitment that the government made in January 2016, Frison said.

Without support from the provincial level, funding from the federal government would also be jeopardized, Frison said.

Weve been determined to be a provincial priority and we will remain in that application pool, Frison said. We certainly think that post-secondary should be a priority from an economic point of view. As the province looks to get out of their fiscal quagmire, part of the solution there will be economic growth, and we have the kind of programs that all align well with what the economy needs and where the labour market demands more employees.

A spokesperson or minister from the Manitoba government did not return requests for comments from The Brandon Sun before deadline on when funding decisions would be made. However, Premier Brian Pallister recently told the CBC that the review will merge with pre-budget consultations and should be completed by the end of the year.

Were not blind to what the general case is, obviously the Province of Manitoba is feeling that it has a severe financial challenge and have indicated that everything is under review, and were not immune from that, Frison said.

Brandon University is also waiting funding promises, including a new housing complex for students that has been in the works since 2011.

A BU spokesperson said they havent heard any updates on where their funding stands.

The NDP government promised $12 million toward the new housing project in January, BU president Gervan Fearon told The Brandon Sun in August. Construction for the project was supposed to start this summer, but was put on hold due to the lack of confirmation of provincial dollars.

 edebooy@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @erindebooy
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A 24-year-old male from Sioux Valley Dakota Nation faces life-threatening injuries after he suffered a gunshot wound Tuesday night while hunting.

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The Manitoba Craft Council exhibition Play, Precarity and Survival will open at Brandon Universitys Glen P. Sutherland Gallery of Art on Thursday.

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Local journalism needs your support!

As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.

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The Brandon Police Service made two arrests on Monday for two separate instances of suspected shoplifting.

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As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.

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Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/09/2016 (2223 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Brandon University School of Musics Out of Bounds Lecture Series returns for its fifth season with an examination of the relationship between lyrics and music that gives songs their meaning.

On Thursday, composer-theorist Evan Ware will look at the songs Comme dhabitude (As Usual) and My Way in his lecture Whose Way Anyway? Similar Music, Different Lyrics, New Songs.

Paul Anka took the music from Comme dhabitude and wrote new lyrics, converting French pop star Claude Francois tale of heartbreak into Frank Sinatras celebration of individualistic triumph. Ware will illustrate how Ankas lyrics changed the context of the music as My Way became a prime example of a category of song that is neither entirely new, nor a cover.

The lecture will run from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., in the R.D. Bell Hall, located in the Queen Elizabeth II Music Building at BU. Following the event, audience members will have a chance to chat with Ware over refreshments at a reception in the music schools faculty lounge.

The Out of Bounds Lecture Series, curated by faculty members Colette Simonot, Jon-Tomas Godin and Sheelagh Chadwick, has become an important and popular addition to the School of Musics lineup.

Earlier this year, BU professors Eric Platz, Ben Davis and Derek Brown blended music, visual art and philosophy for the highly successful You Cant See Through White presentation, which drew an audience of more than 80 and has earned them invitations to present in England and France.

Music and research are being combined like never before at Brandon University, said music dean Greg Gatien. This year, we launched the Institute for Research in Music and Community to facilitate this exchange of knowledge and ideas. Through the study of music, we learn more about ourselves as people and as a society.

The Out of Bounds Lecture Series has consistently extended our notions of music with its interdisciplinary approach, and I look forward to seeing what new understandings we can gain from these presentations.

Each December, the Out of Bounds Lecture Series features presentations of the best papers by graduate music students. The lecture series will take a break in the winter term to allow for three lectures on multiculturalism in Canadian arts policy by Stanley Knowles Visiting Professor, Dr. Parmela Attariwala.

 Submitted
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/09/2016 (2223 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG  The Winnipeg Free Press editorial Climate Right For Privatization Talk (Sept. 23) draws some parallels between my work analyzing the privatization of the Alberta Liquor Control Board (ALCB) in the mid-1990s and the current climate in Manitoba and the new mandate of Brian Pallisters Progressive Conservative government and concluded it might be the right time to eliminate Manitobas state liquor board, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries (MLL).

While ostensibly there are a few congruencies between the two periods  high provincial deficits, a desire to reduce public expenditures and the need from all public employees to show their value  drawing a direct comparison is problematic.

The decision of Ralph Kleins government to eliminate the ALCB was a policy shift dependent on specific factors during a specific period; that is largely why it was, and still is, the only provincial government to fully eliminate its provincial liquor board. The Klein government opted to eliminate the ALCB largely because it was very keen to differentiate itself from previous Conservative governments and to show this was a new era in the governing of the province.

They were able to eliminate it largely because a comprehensive blueprint to privatize the board had been in the works for some three years prior to their arrival, and upon their election, the elimination of the ALCB and the creation of a new market run by private firms was largely already set to go.

This policy, then, was rolled out largely because of the ease of its implementation, as well as the overwhelming political need it served to this new government  to look and appear different from previous incarnations of the Tory brand. This was not a move motivated by some sort of neoliberal ideology as many observers have claimed. If this were true, why then did the same Klein government not only retain the public ownership of a government-owned bank, ATB Financial, but also initiate a series of institutional reforms that marked the fundamental modernization of this publicly owned and operated financial institution?

There should be little concern the government of Brian Pallister will privatize or eliminate the publicly owned MLL  unless, of course, it wants some major additional political problems to deal with.

Opposition to liquor board privatization is most vehement from private-sector firms that supply the boards with most of their products, as they like the lower costs associated with doing business with one firm and the fact its limited shelf space keeps competitors out. Strenuous opposition would come from the politically significant owners of beer off-sales as well, mostly in the hotel sector.

Opposition would also arise from the public health sector and its very valid arguments regarding the causative relationship between the availability of alcohol and the negative social and health consequences associated with it  a point made eloquently in a recent Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives report by Greg Flanagan.

Further, the prices of alcoholic products most likely would rise with privatization, as happened in Alberta, as the higher costs of a private market mechanism would have to be passed onto consumers  and it is unlikely the government would (or should) reduce its take of taxes from alcoholic products.

If the government were to eliminate the MLL, it would then have to devise a new retailing system and figure out an equitable way to distribute the licences to retail alcohol and decide on new store locations and restrictions, in addition to having to figure out what to do with the current MLL retail stores, among just a few of the policy headaches such a scheme would create.

Finally, it would have to rationalize to Manitobas citizenry why this is required. Most Manitobans, myself included, quite like the service they receive at the MLLs retail stores and from their staff members. They may make more than your average retail employee, but they are, for the most part, friendly, hard-working and knowledgeable regarding the products they carry. Why would a government extend so much energy to deal with a problem most Manitobans didnt know they had with their liquor distribution system?

Contrary to popular belief, Conservative governments are good for government-owned firms, as they tend to put emphasis on the business and commercial orientation of their operations, over other policy goals that are often foisted by their public owners onto the management of these Crown corporations. It was, after all, the Conservative government of Mike Harris in Ontario that kicked the modernization of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario into high gear in the mid-1990s, increasing its capital allotments and eliminating the last vestiges of problematic political interference in its operations.

The Pallister government, from early indications, is following this course of action with its plan to stop the development of a new head office for the MLL in downtown Winnipeg. However laudable the previous NDP governments goals were in moving the headquarters, property ownership and redeveloping an old heritage building is far outside the expertise of the MLL and its executives.

They quite rightly ought to focus their energies on selling alcohol in a socially responsible manner, earning revenues for the government and providing high value to their citizen customers.

 Malcolm G. Bird is an associate professor of political science at the University of Winnipeg. His column was also recently published by the Winnipeg Free Press.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/09/2016 (2223 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Certainly one of the broader signals from the government is that everythings under review and weve been encouraged by our deputy minister that we should be thinking about if the province needs to retract on its current commitment what other options might there be.

 Assiniboine Community College president Mark Frison

One of the last major announcements made by the former NDP government of Greg Selinger  just prior to the provincial election blackout period this past spring  was a decision to help fund the major redevelopment of the Parkland Building at Assiniboine Community Colleges North Hill campus.

For more than a decade, ACC has been slowly renovating the former mental health facility into one of the prettiest little trades college campuses in the country. But it has come with a massive price tag.

The revamp of the 103-year-old Parkland Building itself is estimated to cost about $98.1 million. So when the NDP announced that it would pony up two-thirds of that price tag  or $65.4 million  it was no small announcement. But this decision was contingent upon ACCs application into the federal governments New Building Canada Fund for the remainder.

That little bit of pre-election circumstance came at the end of a flurry of provincial funding promises in Brandon in the weeks leading up to the blackout deadline, including an announcement of a $12-million contribution to Brandon Universitys affordable housing complex project.

Yet ever since funds were announced, ACC and Brandon University have been stuck in a holding pattern as they await word from the new Progressive Conservative government on whether these projects will remain on the provinces priority list.

Construction was slated to begin on BUs 42-unit, $13.5-million project this past summer, but without confirmation of the provincial dollars, there has been no shovels in the ground. The project dates back as far as 2011 when BU, the City of Brandon and landowner Kirk Brugger signed on to develop 2.2 acres of land near the former Fleming School building. Construction was originally supposed to start in September 2015.

And before the federal government can commit dollars to ACCs third phase project, it has to have the go-ahead from the provincial government.

No one should be under any illusion that the succession of NDP funding announcements were election foils for a faltering government that was rightly afraid of losing the April election. But that doesnt change the fact that these local projects are of utmost importance to our growing city, especially as we look to find solutions through education for ways to improve our local economy.

We dont doubt that our new provincial government understands this as well. If our two Tory MLAs for Brandon are doing their jobs properly, they will have been arguing in favour of both the ACC North Hill renovation and the BU affordable housing complex to their political masters. And its not as if weve been quiet on the issue.

At the same time, however, clearly Manitobans elected the Tories to clean up after the NDPs fiscal mess, which they have been doing with considerable gusto. And after witnessing the millions of dollars in spending and mismanagement that has come to light through government reports into the East Side Road Authority and Manitoba Hydro, there is good reason to be concerned about the governments ability to spend on any new projects.

As ACC president Mark Frison told the Sun yesterday, there seems to be a very real chance that the Tories may withdraw provincial support for the Parkland Building project. With more than $30 million in potential federal dollars at stake as the Liberal government looks to hike education infrastructure spending across the country, it would be a shame to waste such a good opportunity.

And we can only assume, that with all provincial spending on the table, BUs complex is also in danger of the fiscal axe.

To date, the provincial Tories have shown prudence in their funding choices, as they havent blindly cut project funding merely because it was brought about by the NDP. Thus far, the Pallister government has based its decisions on merit, much to its own credit, and has not been blinded by its distaste for the New Democrats.

As we believe in the need for these two infrastructure projects, we remain hopeful the Tories will see the long-term benefits of their completion  sooner rather than later.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/09/2016 (2223 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Speed up just to slow down again

Does this happen to you too? When you go north on Highway 10 to Minnedosa or Clear Lake, there are those new passing lanes on the highway. When you are following someone who is doing 90 or 95 km/h and then when they get to the passing lane, they seem to speed up to 110 km/h when you decide to go by them. And then you have to go 120 km/h to get by them and then if you happen to encounter an RCMP officer, you get a ticket. I have run into this a lot of times. Seems a lot of people do this. I wish you would cut it out.

Where is your self-respect?

I do look forward to reading The Brandon Sun each day hoping for good news. Have the women of this generation no respect for themselves, their families or anyone else? Driving while drunk? Sure keeps the cops busy. I feel the liquor bars should not serve when they see people are impaired. When problems arise, it seems men and women just get drunk and drive and cause accidents for innocent people. Jail or probation is too good for them. Put them to work  get out in the bush and cut wood. Mothers, what kind of life are you showing your children? Then the kids go to school hungry and kind-hearted people have to feed them.

Kudos to Students for Life

Congratulations to Students for Life, a pro-life group, in their persistence to be reinstated as an official student group within the Brandon University Students Union. It took great courage and determination to defend their right to free speech. As The Brandon Sun so aptly put it in its recent editorial, Universities must be institutions that uphold our basic rights and freedoms, even when opinions clash  especially when opinions clash.

That cash should have had a better use

Wow, $100,000 to move from Toronto to Ottawa must be a mistake. Must be they bought all brand new furniture, because its only 450 km to go there. If our government is that rich, we pensioners should also get something to help us stay alive.

Not enough punishment for taking innocence

My heart goes out to that young boy and others like him. Hes kidnapped, sexually abused by a repeat offender, and the sentence is seven years and he can apply for parole after one-third of it is served. For our judicial system out there, you are failing miserably. A little slap on the wrist and guess who is out walking our streets, and you call this justice.

Landlord wont fix bedbug problem

I live in an awful bedbug-invested apartment. The landlord gets in a cheap company to try to fix the problem  it does not work. He needs to get in a licensed exterminator to get rid of them for good, but he wont because he would have to pay. Now what?
The Irish Coast Guard rescued a kayaker off Howth in Dublin earlier.

The female kayaker was not wearing a lifejacket and was struggling to get back to shore.

She had not checked the weather which was unsuitable for the craft she was in.

A member of the public alerted the Coast Guard shortly before 11am and the woman was brought back to shore on a lifeboat.
Ryanair flight to Dublin declared an emergency status today en route from Edinburgh. The plane later landed safely.

Flight FR-817 was operating between Edinburgh in Dublin when the crew declared an emergency over the Irish Sea at around 2.40pm.

There were 145 passengers and a crew of six on board the Boeing 737-800 jet which was east of Belfast when the issue arose.

The flight was descending towards Dublin when the crew reported a technical problem.

It is understood that the crew received an oil temperature indication.

Ryanair #FR817 Edinburgh-Dublin (737 EI-EPC) just into DUB squawking 7700 Gen. Emergency, w/ overheating tech problem. 151 SOB. (ATC) pic.twitter.com/FGkViiJ3tm  Airport Webcams (@AirportWebcams) September 28, 2016

Airport fire crews were alerted and standing by for the flight when it landed at 3.05pm.

The aircraft made a normal landing and was able to taxi to the terminal accompanied by emergency vehicles.

Engineers were also standing by to investigate the issue.

Update 5.30pm: Ryanair later issued a statement about the incident.

The crew of this flight from Edinburgh to Dublin today contacted local ATC (in line with procedures) after a cockpit warning light indicated a possible minor technical issue prior to landing," the company stated.

"The aircraft landed normally and customers disembarked.

"The aircraft is currently being inspected by Ryanair engineers and will be returned to service shortly."
A 29-year-old man charged with unlawful possession of a handgun in connection with the murder of Gareth Hutch in Dublin, has been further remanded in custody.

Father-of-one Gareth Hutch (aged 35), a nephew of Gerry the Monk Hutch, was shot dead as he was getting into his car outside Avondale House flats where he lived on North Cumberland Street in inner city Dublin, on the morning of May 24.

His death was one of a series of killings in a feud between the rival Kinahan and Hutch gangs.

Thomas Fox, who has an address at Rutland Court, in north inner city Dublin, is charged with unlawful possession of of a Makarov 9mm handgun at Avondale House on May 23, a day before the shooting.

The charge is contrary to section 27A of the Firearms Act which can carry a sentence of up to 14 years.

He had been initially refused bail by Dublin District Court on June 1 and was remanded in custody.

He faced his eighth hearing on Wednesday when he appeared before Judge Victor Blake via video-link at Cloverhill District Court.

Judge Blake heard that the State was seeking an adjournment for as long as possible to allow time for the DPP's directions to be obtained. He was told the case is extremely complex and that about 300 statements have been taken, but progress is being made.

Judge Blake said that the case has been before the court since June and he appreciated it was serious and complex. However, he warned that it has to be moved along.

The accused has been in custody since June 1 on the one charge before the court. Mr Fox was further remanded in custody to appear again in two weeks.

The court has also heard that the investigation involved the examination of 5,000 hours of CCTV.

He is one of two people before the courts charged in connection with the shooting.

Mary McDonnell (43) with an address at Avondale House, North Cumberland Street has also been charged and is accused of withholding information from gardai investigating Gareth Hutch's murder.

She is accused of failing without reasonable excuse to disclose information to the gardai, as soon as was practicable, information she knew or believed might be of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of any other person for a serious offence.

The charge is under Section 9 of the Offences Against the State Act and the offence is alleged to have happened at an address at Avondale House on May 24 last.

Mary McDonnell is on bail and is due back in court in November. She has not yet entered a plea.
Irish man Ibrahim Halawa, who has been imprisoned in Egypt for more than three years, is now refusing visits.

The Dubliner feels the more visits he receives behind bars, the longer he will remain there.

Ibrahim has been in jail since 2013 after being arrested taking pictures of a Muslim Brotherhood protest in Cairo.

On October 2, the 20-year-old faces his 15th rescheduled trial with 493 other people.

His sister Somaia says that Ibrahim has entered deep depression and refusing to see anyone.

She said: "On Monday, my mother headed to visit Ibrahim, however as it was time to be called for the visit she got the news that Ibrahim is refusing visits from now on and will also refuse the embassy visit that might take place at the end of this week.

"The reason given is that Ibrahim has entered deep depression and is refusing to see anyone.

"Ibrahim feels that there is not much effort nor pressure being done after three years of his imprisonment and that our government is still waiting for a judiciary system that has set his next trial date on October 2 which is a national holiday in Egypt, and therefore there will be another deferral already."
Update 11am: Katherine Zappone says reports of a rift at Cabinet do not reflect what is really going on.

Reports say Fine Gael TDs are concerned that her plans for childcare will only benefit low income families and not middle earners.

Katherine Zappone said they are still negotiating, saying: "The story doesn't reflect the reailty of what is going on in terms of Budget negotiations. I am in very intense and serious negotiations with Mr Donohoe, I don't know where these phantom sources are coming from.

"It doesn't reflect at all what is going on, the negotiations have been amicable, firm.

"I think with both of us sharing our own commitment to do something significant."

Earlier: There is a reported Cabinet rift over childcare costs.

The Irish Times says Children's Minister Katherine Zappone was left out of Budget discussions after she unveiled a plan to subsidise care for low-income families.

However, the plan was criticised for neglecting the so-called "squeezed middle" and Minister Zappone was not consulted about alternatives.

Noirin Hayes, a visiting Professor in the School of Education at Trinity College Dublin, said: "I think part of the problem is the effort to polarise the parents and the services in this way.

"I dont think it's forcing parents to do anything, but what I think it is reflecting is the ad hoc nature of the development of the supports that we have for families with children."
A drug smuggler, who fraudulently claimed almost 30,000 in benefits for three years when he was living in Lanzarote, has been given a suspended sentence.

Gary Mulvany (aged 37), who now resides at an apartment in Summerhill, in Dublin 1, has been convicted of benefit fraud in a prosecution brought by the Department of Social Protection.

The offence can result in a fine of up to 2,500 and or a six-month sentence.

Dublin District Court heard he failed to tell the social welfare authorities that from July 2008 until May 2011 he was not living in the country while he continued claiming disability allowance.

Judge John O'Neill was told his fraud came to light after Mulvany was stopped as he stepped off a flight at Knock Airport.

Customs officers carried out a search and recovered drugs.

That resulted in him getting a three-year suspended sentence at Castlebar Circuit Court for possessing the drugs for the purpose of supply.

As a consequence of that arrest, social welfare authorities became aware of his time in Lanzarote, said prosecution solicitor Joseph Maguire.

The court heard he unlawfully received 29,520, has repaid 4,596 leaving 24,924 outstanding.

Some 28 a week is now being taken from his disability allowance to pay back the social welfare authorities and at the current rate it will take 17 years.

Defence counsel Matthew Holmes asked the court to note that Mulvany has not come to further adverse attention and that a positive probation report had been furnished to the court.

He had been staying in Lanzarote to get away from his problems and is now drug free, counsel said.

The court heard the only reason he was not suitable for community service because he has a serious medical condition.

Mr Holmes pleaded with the court to be as lenient as possible.

Judge O'Neill said a substantial amount of money is still owed.

Finalising the case, he imposed a three-month sentence but suspended it on condition Mulvany keeps the peace and is of good behaviour for the next 12 months.

At an earlier stage the judge was furnished with pre-sentence reports on him and said Mulvany had a childhood that no youngster should have gone through.

The court had also heard earlier that the accused had a long history of offending going back 15 years but he has turned his life around.

The court heard had previously been a heroin addict but has detoxed and he has a serious illness.

Mulvany was apologetic for his behaviour.

He had contested the charge but was found guilty following a trial.
Michelle Obama has told a diverse and enthusiastic crowd in Philadelphia that candidates do not change once they become president and that America "needs an adult in the White House".

The First Lady never mentioned Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump during the rally at LaSalle University.

However, there was no question that she was warning voters that candidate Trump would be the same as President Trump.

"The presidency doesn't change who you are, it reveals who you are," she told the cheering crowd.

She referred to several comments Mr Trump made during and after Monday's debate, including his apparent acknowledgement that he has paid no taxes in some years.

Mr Trump said that makes him "smart".

"If a candidate is erratic and threatening, if a candidate traffics in prejudice, fear and lies on the campaign trail, if a candidate thinks not paying taxes makes you smart, or that it's good business when people lose their homes; if a candidate regularly and flippantly makes cruel and insulting comments about women, about how we look, how we act - well, sadly, that's who that candidate really is," she said.

"That is the kind of president they will be."

She said the country needs a leader who is steady and measured because when making war-or-peace decisions, "the president can't just pop off or lash out irrationally. No, we need an adult in the White House, I guarantee you."

She cast Hillary Clinton as a tough, compassionate fighter who does not back down and who loves her country.

"Experience matters, preparation matters, temperament matters," she said.

"Hillary Clinton has it all. She's the real deal."

Mrs Obama was heading to Pittsburgh for another rally for the Democratic presidential nominee later on Wednesday.

Mr Trump's campaign reacted to Mrs Obama's speech with a statement saying Mrs Clinton is in "panic mode" in Pennsylvania because polls show the Republican presidential nominee surging in the battleground state.
Five people suspected of forming a cell that spread propaganda and sought to recruit militants for Islamic State (IS) have been arrested by police in Spain, Belgium and Germany, officials said.

The Spanish Interior Ministry said the cell, made up of four Spaniards and one Moroccan, posed "a grave, concrete and continued threat to security in Europe".

A ministry statement said the five worked for IS by spreading information on several internet sites, among them a Facebook page called "Islam en Espanol" (Islam in Spanish).

The site, allegedly managed by two suspects arrested in Belgium and Germany, had 32,500 followers and was growing rapidly, the ministry added.

The statement said one suspect was arrested in Brussels and another in Wuppertal, Germany.

Two arrests took place in the Spanish city of Barcelona and one in the north African Spanish

enclave city of Melilla.

The ministry said the group praised and encouraged IS attacks and sought recruits.

It added that the cell directed its activities towards young Muslims of north-west African background.

The ministry said 113 suspected pro-jihad activists have been arrested in Spain since 2015 while Spanish police had helped arrest 30 more in other countries.

The European Union's anti-terrorism co-ordinator, Gilles de Kerchove, said the new arrests show just how much intelligence-sharing is improving.

"The security services and the law-enforcement agencies are sharing much more information than they were before," he said, on the sidelines of a conference on countering extremism by the Club de Madrid think-tank in Brussels.

"It's impressive to see the number of plots which have been foiled in recent weeks, the number of people who have been arrested."

In Germany, the state interior ministry of North Rhine-Westphalia released a statement saying police had detained a 20-year-old Spanish citizen with Moroccan ancestry who "allegedly spread videos with cruelties on social media mostly in Spain".

It said police also confiscated hard drives, laptops and mobile phones.
Shimon Peres, the Israeli politician who won the Nobel Peace Prize during his unprecedented seven-decade career, has died aged 93.

Mr Peres suffered a major stroke two weeks ago that led to bleeding in his brain. He was sedated and on a respirator during most of his time in hospital, as his condition.

He was the elder statesman of Israeli politics, a former president and prime minister who was one of the country's most admired leaders and the last surviving link to its founding fathers.

Mr Peres was credited with leading the country through some of its most defining moments, from creating its nuclear arsenal in the 1950s, to withdrawing its troops from Lebanon and guiding a sceptical nation into peace talks with the Palestinians in the 1990s.

A protege of Israel's founding father David Ben-Gurion, he led the defence ministry in his 20s and spearheaded the development of Israel's nuclear programme.

He was first elected to parliament in 1959 and later held every major cabinet post - including defence, finance and foreign affairs - and served three brief stints as prime minister.

His key role in the first Israeli-Palestinian peace accord earned him a Nobel Peace Prize and revered status as Israel's most recognisable figure abroad.

And yet, for much of his political career he could not transfer his international prestige into success in Israeli politics, where he was branded by many as both a utopian dreamer and political schemer.

His smart appearance and swept-back grey hair seemed to separate him from his more informal countrymen, and he suffered a string of electoral defeats - competing in five general elections seeking to be prime minister, he lost four and tied one.

He finally secured the public adoration that had long eluded him when he was chosen by parliament for a seven-year term as Israel's ceremonial president in 2007, taking the role of elder statesman.

Mr Peres was celebrated by doves and vilified by hawks for advocating far-reaching Israeli compromises for peace even before he negotiated the first interim accord with the Palestinians in 1993 that set into motion a partition plan that gave them limited self-rule.

That was followed by a peace deal with neighbouring Jordan. But after a fateful six-month period in 1995-96 that included Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination, a spate of Palestinian suicide bombings and his own election loss to the more conservative Benjamin Netanyahu, the prospects for peace began to evaporate.

Relegated to the political wilderness, he created the Peres Centre for Peace to raise funds for co-operation and development projects involving Israel, the Palestinians and Arab nations. He returned to it aged 91 when he completed his term as president.

Shimon Perski was born on August 2 1923, in Vishneva, then part of Poland. He moved to pre-state Palestine in 1934 with his immediate family. Her grandfather and other relatives stayed behind and perished in the Holocaust.

Rising quickly through Labor Party ranks, he became a senior aide to Mr Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister and a man Mr Peres once called "the greatest Jew of our time".

At 29, he was the youngest person to serve as director of Israel's defence ministry, and is credited with arming Israel's military almost from scratch. Yet throughout his political career, he suffered from the fact that he never wore an army uniform or fought in a war.

Despite continued waves of violence that pushed the Israeli political map to the right, the concept of a Palestinian state next to Israel became mainstream Israeli policy many years after Mr Peres advocated it.

Shunted aside during the 1999 election campaign, won by party colleague Ehud Barak, Mr Peres rejected advice to retire, assuming the newly created and loosely defined cabinet post of minister for regional co-operation.

In 2000, Mr Peres absorbed another resounding political setback, losing an election in the parliament for the post of president to Likud Party backbencher Moshe Katsav, who was later convicted and imprisoned for rape.

Even so, Mr Peres refused to quit. In 2001, aged 77, he took the post of foreign minister in the government of national unity set up by Ariel Sharon, serving for 20 months before Labor withdrew from the coalition.

Then he followed Mr Sharon into a new party, Kadima, serving as vice-premier under Mr Sharon and his successor, Ehud Olmert, before assuming the presidency.
US Secretary of State John Kerry is threatening to cut off all contact with Moscow over Syria, unless Russian and Syrian government attacks on Aleppo end.

The State Department said Mr Kerry issued the ultimatum in a Wednesday telephone call to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Mr Kerry's spokesman, John Kirby, said he expressed grave concern over Russian and Syrian government attacks on hospitals, water supplies and other civilian infrastructure in Aleppo.

He said Mr Kerry told Mr Lavrov that the US holds Russia responsible for the use of incendiary and bunker-buster bombs in an urban area.

Mr Kerry told Mr Lavrov the US was preparing to "suspend US-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria", including on a proposed counter-terrorism partnership, "unless Russia takes immediate steps to end the assault on Aleppo" and restore a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, UN chief Ban Ki-moon says the situation in rebel-held parts of Aleppo is worse than a "slaughterhouse" and implicitly accused Syria and Russia of committing war crimes.

He spoke to a UN Security Council meeting Wednesday on health care in armed conflict as two more hospitals were struck in the city's besieged east.

Without naming countries, Mr Ban said "those using ever more destructive weapons know exactly what they are doing - they know they are committing war crimes".

The Syrian government announced the offensive to retake rebel-held eastern Aleppo, and the only countries carrying out airstrikes are Syria and Russia.

Mr Ban said: "Hospitals, clinics, ambulances and medical staff in Aleppo are under attack around the clock."

He said there must be "action," and "accountability", adding: "International law is clear. Medical workers, facilities and transport must be protected. The wounded and sick, civilians and fighters alike, must be spared. Deliberate attacks on hospitals are war crimes."
Police in Germany have shot dead a man who attacked another resident with a knife in a refugee shelter.

German news agency dpa reported that the 29-year-old was angry at a younger man who he believed had abused his daughter.
No air defence missile systems have ever been sent from Russia to Ukraine, Moscow military officials insist - contrary to the findings of the Dutch-led investigation into the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.

Defence Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov argued that the investigators' conclusions raise doubts, claiming they were based on information from the internet and Ukrainian special services.
Update 9.20pm: A teenager opened fire at a South Carolina primary school on Wednesday, wounding two students and a teacher before the suspect was taken into custody, a law enforcement officer said.

Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore told the Anderson Independent Mail that authorities were responding to a death "believed to be related" to the school shooting about one-and-a-half miles away.

Mr Shore also said the students do not appear to have life-threatening injuries.

The unidentified officer who spoke to reporters on live television said all other students at the Townville Elementary School were safe following the shooting and that parents are being told to pick up their children at a nearby church.

Television images showed officers swarming the school. Some were on top of the roof while others were walking around the building. Students were driven away on buses accompanied by police officers.

All of the roads to the school have been blocked off.

The school is in a rural area near Lake Hartwell, which is located near Interstate 85 and the Georgia state line.

Update 8.20pm: Two students and a teacher have been wounded and flown to hospitals after a shooting at a South Carolina primary school, according to a law enforcement officer.

Speaking on live television, the unidentified officer said all other students at Townville Elementary School were safe following the shooting.

The officer added that parents are being told to pick up their children at a nearby church.

Update 8.10pm: Two students and a teacher have been wounded in a shooting at a South Carolina primary school, and a teenage suspect is in custody, an official said.

UPDATE: Teenage shooter in custody, one adult and two children injured in South Carolina school shooting - police. https://t.co/QDNFvLCnEf  Reuters (@Reuters) September 28, 2016

Earlier: Officers are responding to a reported shooting at a primary school in South Carolina.

News media outlets quote Anderson County Sheriff's Office Lieutenant Sheila Cole as saying the shooting was reported at Townville Elementary School in Anderson County on Wednesday afternoon.

WYFF TV reports that helicopters landed by the school and students were taken to a nearby church.

The school is located near the Georgia state line.
Up to 32,000 people have been arrested in Turkey after a failed military coup.

The country's Justice Minister has made the claim in an interview with a Kenyan TV station.
The US Senate has acted to override President Barack Obama's veto of September 11 legislation which would allow the families of victims to sue Saudi Arabia for allegedly backing the terrorists involved in the tragedy.

Five weeks before elections, officials refused to oppose a measure backed by 9/11 families who say they are still seeking justice 15 years after the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.

The bill permits them to sue the government of Saudi Arabia for the kingdom's alleged backing of the 19 hijackers who carried out the plot. Saudi Arabia is staunchly opposed to the measure.

Senators voted 97-1 to override President Obama's veto. The lone "no" vote was Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.

A House vote on President Obama's veto was expected later. If the House also overrides, the bill becomes law.

During his nearly two terms in office, President Obama has never had a veto overridden by Congress.

Despite reversing the president's decision, several senators said defects in the bill could open a legal Pandora's box, triggering lawsuits from people in other countries seeking redress for injuries or deaths caused by military actions in which the US may have had a role.

In a letter delivered to Senate leaders, President Obama said the bill would erode sovereign immunity principles that prevent foreign litigants "from second-guessing our counter-terrorism operations and other actions that we take every day".

But one of the bill's leading proponents, Sen John Cornyn, dismissed President Obama's concerns as "unpersuasive".

Sen Cornyn and other supporters said the bill is narrowly tailored and applies only to acts of terrorism that occur on US soil.

"This bill is about respecting the voices and rights of American victims," Sen Cornyn said.

Families of the victims and their lawyers disputed concerns over the legislation as "fear-mongering" aimed at derailing the legislation that they have long urged Congress to pass.

Sen Ben Cardin of Maryland, one of the Democrats who broke with President Obama and voted to override, said "the risks of shielding the perpetrators of terrorism from justice are greater than the risks this legislation may pose to America's presence around the world".

The legislation gives victims' families the right to sue in US court for any role that elements of the Saudi government may have played in the 2001 attacks.

Fifteen of the 19 September 11 hijackers were Saudi nationals. Courts would be permitted to waive a claim of foreign sovereign immunity when an act of terrorism occurs inside US borders, according to the terms of the bill.

Still, a group of national-security minded legislators pledged to discuss how to repair problem areas during the upcoming lame-duck session of Congress.

But the fact that legislation could pass both chambers of Congress without closer scrutiny left at least a few senators chiding themselves for not examining more closely the bill's potential ramifications.

The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, or Jasta, moved to the floor of the Senate in May and passed by voice vote. The bill cleared the House earlier this month, also by voice vote.

"We didn't pay much attention to this," said Sen Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee. "And boy is that ever a lesson learned."

President Obama vetoed the measure last week, telling lawmakers the bill would make the US vulnerable to retaliatory litigation.

In his letter to Sen Reid, the president said other countries could attempt to use Jasta to justify similar immunity exceptions to target US policies and activities that they oppose.

"As a result, our nation and its armed forces, State Department, intelligence officials and others may find themselves subject to lawsuits in foreign courts," President Obama wrote.

As an example, US troops, including those involved in counter-terrorism operations, "would be vulnerable to accusations that their activities contributed to acts that allegedly violated foreign laws," the president said.

In a separate letter sent on Monday to a senior House member, Defence Secretary Ash Carter described the potential for foreign litigants to seek classified intelligence data and analysis and sensitive operational information to establish their cases in what could be an "intrusive discovery process".
A nine-year-old girl's tearful speech in Charlotte, North Carolina, has gone viral.

Keith Scott died after being fired at by police in the city - they say it is because he was carrying a gun - but his wife, who filmed it, insists he was not.

It has sparked violent protests there.

Zianna Oliphant called for race equality in the US, following the fatal shooting of Mr Scott, at a Charlotte City Council meeting last night.

She said: "It's a shame that our fathers and mothers are killed and we can't see them anymore.

"It's a shame that we have to go to their graveyard and bury them. And we have tears.

"We shouldn't have tears. We need our fathers and mothers to be by our side."
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Mother. By Daniel Keene. Directed by Matt Scholten. If Theatre and Regional Arts Victoria. Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre. Until October 1. Bookings: 62856290 or theq.net.au.

Daniel Keene's intensely moving and profoundly thought-provoking play Mother has been specifically written as a one-woman show for leading Australian actor Noni Hazlehurst.

Noni Hazlehurst is the homeless Christie in Mother.

What Keene has written in a few short weeks is an ode on motherhood. Superbly crafted, not as a poem, but as a poetic monologue, lyrical in tone, intense in emotion and deeply personal, Mother offers a searing insight into the desolate predicament of Christie, an elderly, homeless woman, forlorn, forsaken and cast out to survive in the lonely lanes of Melbourne .

Hazlehurst is magnificent in the role. Amidst the litter and debris of Kat Chan's set design and clothed in the worn remnants of penury, Christie emerges from the dim shadows of Tom Willis'lighting as the sounds of voracious seagulls rent the air with hungry, scavenging cries. Here in a landscape of grim misfortune, Christie relates the tragic episodes of her unfortunate life. In one episode, Keene describes the innocent love between Christie and her husband, Lenny, entwined in each other's arms and surrounded by white blossoms upon the ground. It is the loss of such innocence and the destruction of their love that makes for tragic consequences, arousing pity and fear.
The Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize 2016. National Archives of Australia, Queen Victoria Terrace, Parkes. Until November 13.

In 2014, there was a widely held perception that The Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize had run out of steam. The decision was taken to suspend the award for a year, conduct a review and then relaunch it in 2016.

Julia deVille's Neapolitan Bonbonaparte won $30,000 in The Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize 2016.

The review was held and the main changes were to beef up the panel of judges, simplify the prize structure and make it non-acquisitive with an Open Prize Award of $30,000, an Emerging Artist Award of $10,000 and People's Choice and Scientists' Choice awards, each of $5000. In short: the prize purse has been halved; photography, inexplicably, is still excluded; and the popular categories of painting, works on paper and three-dimensional work, which formerly attracted a prize of $12,000 each, have been scrapped.

Sadly, artists have voted with their feet and this is the most woeful Waterhouse exhibition since the prize was initiated in 2002. The winning entry is a bit of a damp squib made by a New Zealand-born, Melbourne-based jeweller and taxidermist, Julia deVille. The piece is titled Neapolitan Bonbonaparte and consists of an antique sterling silver ladle in which sit three taxidermied chicks whose feathers have been dyed strawberry, chocolate and vanilla, the colours of Neapolitan ice cream. The message is that people who buy free-range eggs often do not realise that cage eggs are frequently used in the manufacture of ice cream, mayonnaise, cakes and breads and there is no compulsion on manufacturers to disclose this.
Queensland's rescue chopper pilots have been saved expensive training overseas with the opening of a $10 million training centre at Brisbane Airport.

The centrepiece of the Aviation Australia facility was Australia's first Augusta Westland 139 helicopter simulator, a high-tech piece of equipment built by international aviation company Thales.

Training Minister Yvette D'Ath inspects the Thales helicopter simulator. Credit:Darren Thomas

Thales Australia chief executive Chris Jenkins said the simulator was incredibly lifelike and would test pilots in all sorts of adverse weather conditions with no risk of physical harm.

"If you think about flying helicopters on a normal day that can be exciting enough, but when you go out in a really serious bad storm, or bad weather conditions, you need to have the training that has adequately prepared you for those conditions.
Surf life saving is facing one of its biggest crises with the departure of a third of the NSW organisation's top ranks and ongoing recrimination over its former general manager's admission to defrauding the charity of more than $3 million.

The chief executive officer of Surf Life Saving NSW Phil Vanny is the latest to leave after 16 years in the role that came with a Jaguar.

Retiring: Phil Vanny will leave his role as chief executive of Surf Life Saving NSW in four to six weeks. Credit:Phil Hearne

The NSW Supreme Court heard earlier this month former general manager Matthew Hanks had admitted to defrauding the organisation in his resignation letter on July 13.

Justice James Stevenson said Surf Life Saving NSW is still investigating how much Hanks stole, but its estimate exceeded $3 million.
Have you ever thought about what you would do if part of your suburb was under threat from your own government in the name of progress? I hadn't until last May.

That was when I discovered that yet another stand of 150-year-old Moreton Bay fig trees on Anzac Parade were to be cut down for the light rail. They stood majestically at the end of my street and were a valuable part of the remarkable green canopy that forms part of our city's lungs.

Already, seven grand old Moreton Bay figs further up the road had fallen victim to the chainsaws to allow for the temporary road diversion of Anzac Parade.

The removal of the trees at the end of my street wasn't part of the construction plan as initially advertised. They were added in a last-minute amendment submitted just three days before they were cut down. There was no consultation with the City of Sydney, and no warning to local residents that would have given us time to express our disapproval. Indeed, we were informed by letterbox drop about the "imminent works" only after the trees had been destroyed. I don't object to the light rail outright, but I do object to concerned residents being bullied and disregarded when they have legitimate concerns about their neighbourhood.
The "war on women" started as a Democratic talking point intended to delegitimise Republican positions on abortion, rape and domestic violence. But over the past couple of days, we haven't even needed a policy debate or a slightly hyperbolic political slogan for a number of Republicans to do a truly impressive job of demonstrating just how much they personally hate women.

First, Donald Trump created a pre-debate stir by suggesting that he would invite Gennifer Flowers, who claims she had an affair with Bill Clinton, to attend his first contest with Hillary Clinton.

Trump's suggestion was a response to Clinton's decision to give tickets to Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks and a businessman who has consistently questioned whether Trump's business successes and claims of charitable giving are real.

By the standards of this presidential campaign, nothing is shocking anymore, but Trump's jibe suggested that raising Bill Clinton's failures as a husband was in some way a response to criticisms of Trump's professional and philanthropic life. If Trump wanted to raise questions about whether Hillary Clinton has consistently supported women who report sexual harassment or rape, he could have suggested that he might invite Juanita Broaddrick or Paula Jones.
The touch of rescuers is usually a huge relief for someone in danger, but it wasn't the case for one Cowra motorist who tried to drive through flood water last week.

Swift-water rescuer Michael Plumb is one of 10 Queanbeyan SES workers who have been helping with heavy flooding in Central West NSW, while their ACT counterparts remain on standby to assist if needed.

The Queanbeyan SES are helping with floods at Central West NSW and are also preparing for Thursday's wet weather in the ACT region. SES swift-water technician Michael Plumb. Credit:Jamila Toderas

He said the six-hour stand-off involving emergency services and police was the most challenging rescue he's ever undertaken, because the man stuck on top of his car did not want to be rescued.

"He was in the middle of the causeway and was going to try to walk out because he didn't want to put anyone else in danger by rescuing him," Mr Plumb said.
Floriade was cancelled and the ACT's emergency workers kept busy on Thursday morning as a severe weather warning for damaging winds and heavy rain was put in place before the weather eased in the afternoon.

The Bureau of Meteorology forecast up to 40 millimetres of rain to fall, mostly in the morning, but by 6pm about 18 millimetres were recorded in the city and only about 25 millimetres had been recorded, although those totals were expected to rise with late showers forecast that night.

ACT SES at a home in Downer after repairing a leaking roof on Thursday. Credit:Rohan Thomson

A few light showers were expected late in the afternoon, but the early rain was enough to cause Floriade to close for the day and Nightfest to be cancelled on Thursday night.

The bureau issued the warning for the ACT and surrounding areas after forecasting winds averaging 50 to 70 kilometres an hour with peak gusts of more than 90 km/h for Thursday morning, coming from the far west of New South Wales.
"This looks like another shocking example," Mr Dreyfus told Fairfax Media. "Having a lobbyist for a property developer write speeches for Mr Robert to give in Parliament shows an unacceptable level of influence. It's as good as the developer giving the speech himself. "To find donations from this same property developer have subsequently been made to the LNP suggests this was a 'cash for comment' deal. "This is as dodgy as it gets." But Sunland says all its donations are "transparent" and detailed in the Electoral Commission of Queensland website.

"The group denies any assertions that it has gained any benefit through donations to the Labor and Liberal parties," a spokesperson said. Information regarding any employee's attendance at events or fundraisers is a private matter and not for Sunland to provide commentary on, she said. "Our employees and management are well within their rights to attend community events and fundraisers held by their local representatives and this is done so without any expectation of favour or benefit." Sunland - established 33 years ago and publicly listed for the last 20 years - said it would not comment on matters currently before the court or on the conduct of "third parties". The Sunland donations come in addition to the $114,000 donated by Ms Holzafpel - who used to work as a staffer to former prime minister Tony Abbott - in the lead-up to the 2013 election.



The Gold Coast-based head of SHAC Communications, Ms Holzafpel says the money came from her own pocket and has rejected suggestions she channelled it from any of her clients.

Much of Ms Holzapfel's money was donated directly to Mr Robert's fundraising vehicle, the Fadden Forum. The Fadden Forum is now being examined as part of a Queensland corruption inquiry after it was revealed it was used to secretly bankroll two candidates in the Gold Coast City Council elections. Kristyn Boulton and Felicity Stevenson - who both worked for Mr Robert - were given $30,000 each to run at the March poll but their LNP links were not disclosed until months later. They both ran as independents. Ms Boulton was elected to the council while Ms Stevenson returned to Mr Robert's employ. The revelations came as the council considered a controversial development application by Sunland.

The company this week temporarily withdrew the proposal for a 44-storey complex at the Spit amid community opposition - two days after a Fairfax Media investigation into the saga. But Mr Robert supports the Sunland proposal and has urged councillors to approve it. In a speech to Parliament in October 2012, Mr Robert praised Sunland as a "great Queensland company" and their directors as "fine, upstanding men" and "pillars of the community". "I know the Sunland directors well and their integrity is beyond reproach," he said. Fairfax Media is not alleging any wrongdoing on the part of Mr Abedian. He has in the past also donated to the Labor Party.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Mr Robert's conduct "absolutely stinks". "Mr Turnbull needs to show some leadership. He needs to front the Australian people and say whether or not he thinks it is acceptable." Mr Robert was asked about the speech by a Nine Network TV crew when he emerged from a committee in Parliament House on Wednesday. He repeatedly said he had "no comment to make". Treasurer Scott Morrison was asked on Wednesday about Fairfax Media's report on Mr Robert's speech but declined to comment. "I am not aware of the matters you are referring to so it would be inappropriate for me to offer any sort of response," he said.

Mr Robert's November speech is one of two contentious speeches he made about the dispute between Sunland and Marcus Lee. Mr Lee is an accountant and property executive who was arrested on fraud charges in Dubai in 2009 after a land deal between Sunland and his company Nakheel went bad. He spent nine months in jail and then a further four years under house arrest. He was fully acquitted in 2013 and returned home to Australia in 2014. He is now attempting to sue Sunland over the saga. John Sneddon, lawyer for Mr Lee, said Mr Robert's speech had endangered his client and had been a "bizarre thing to do". "If the lobbyist is representing a third party and that third party's interests are being advanced in that way in the Australian Parliament then I think that's something the government should be concerned about," he said. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's office has declined to comment. Sunland has been approached for comment.

But senior LNP sources are furious over the latest revelations. "How could he be so stupid?" said one. "It's just so blatant. And it has come back to bite."



Mr Robert has also refused to comment. But asked if Sunland had donated to Mr Robert's campaign or the Fadden Forum this year, a spokesman for Mr Robert said: "No." Labor's Terri Butler described Mr Robert as a "corporate mouthpiece". Government MP Andrew Laming said it was not unusual for companies to have some influence over speeches - but those influences had to be sourced and referenced. "And if there's an element of donation you'd have to make it very clear," he said.
Last week Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, along with Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, used the UN refugee summit as an occasion to tout Australia's asylum seeker policy as an inspiration for the world.

Both men emphasised "secure borders" and supposed "extraordinary challenges to our sovereignty" to defend a policy that the UN itself has already deemed to be contrary to human rights.

This rhetoric of framing desperate people who try to enter Australia by boat as threats who divert humanitarian assistance away from "those who need it most", which I presume is a euphemism for "real refugees", is how successive governments from both major parties have managed to gain the support of a significant portion of the Australian population for the increasingly untenable treatment of people in our detention centres.

Language is powerful. Indeed, as the British science writer Richard Doyle has said, "Language is such a powerful lens for shaping reality that we frequently forget it is a tool at all, and take it for reality."
A man has been charged over the death of a woman who took the drug MDMA at a DJ event in Sydney's inner west.

More than three months after the 21-year-old's death, her boyfriend on Wednesday was charged with supplying her the drug.

The boyfriend of a woman who died after taking drugs has been charged by police. Credit:Viki Yemettas

Police say the woman and her 19-year-old partner went to a DJ event together at the Petersham Inn on the night of June 4.

The man allegedly purchased three to four capsules of MDMA and gave some to his girlfriend.
The NSW government is looking at whether it needs to intervene in the state branch of the RSL's financial management after the veterans' organisation revealed it would launch a forensic audit amid concerns of possible fraud.

Veterans Affairs Minister David Elliott told Fairfax Media on Wednesday that he is seeking legal advice on whether the government is obliged to step in. The NSW branch of the RSL is, unlike other state branches, incorporated by an Act of Parliament.

The NSW RSL is under scrutiny over the state of its finances. Credit:Getty Images

Mr Elliott's comments followed a report by Fairfax Media that the NSW branch is preparing to launch a forensic audit of the past seven years' spending by its senior leadership.

"I am aware of the allegations reported today regarding the financial management of the NSW RSL and have sought legal advice to determine the state's obligations pursuant to the Returned and Services League of Australia (New South Wales Branch) Incorporation Act 1935 and associated Acts," he said.
Motorists heading south on the M1 are in for some lengthy delays after a truck spilled its load over three lanes.

The incident happened just after 2.30pm on Wednesday, with up to six vehicles suffering minor damage after the truck lost its load of gravel.

A truck has lost its load of gravel causing traffic delays on the Pacific Motorway.

The spill covered three lanes of the four-lane motorway at Helensvale with police called in to assist with traffic diversions.

Dave Andrews of the Australian Traffic Network said traffic was banked up for 13 kilometres, almost to Ormeau.
A Queensland council slammed for removing fluoride from its water supply says councillors never should have had the power to make the decision in the first place.

Mackay mayor Greg Williamson joined a chorus of calls for the state government to take back control of water fluoridation, hours after voting on Wednesday to remove it.

Mackay's council has voted to remove fluoridation from the city's water supply, joining the more than 20 other Queensland councils to do so.

The Australian Medical Association Queensland and the Australian Dental Association both decried the north Queensland council's decision.

"I think it's a very sad decision," AMAQ chairman Dr Shaun Rudd said.
A man in his 20s has been rushed to hospital after a near drowning at Noosa Heads.

The man was pulled unconscious from the water in the Noosa National Park, where bystanders started performing CPR.

A swimmer was revived by paramedics after being pulled unconscious from the water at Noosa Heads. Credit:Rob Homer

Paramedics rushed to the scene and continued CPR and were able to revive him.

He was then transported in a serious condition to Noosa Hospital but it is understood a helicopter had been sent to the hospital to transfer him to Brisbane.
The Queensland government has asked UNESCO to give it "more time" to implement land-clearing laws, with the listing of the Great Barrier Reef as in danger hanging in the balance.

The Queensland and federal governments have released the first Reef 2050 Plan annual report, showing the lack of tree-clearing reform in Queensland was the only promise listed as "significantly delayed".

Labor's tree-clearing legislation has been listed as a "significantly delayed" promise in the latest Reef 2050 Plan annual report. Credit:Getty Images

The Reef 2050 Plan report states there was a major global coral bleaching event in 2016, with initial monitoring indicating that 22 per cent of the coral on the Great Barrier Reef had died, with 85 per cent of the mortality occurring in a 600-kilometre stretch in the far north.

The Palaszczuk government failed to pass its tree-clearing laws in August by two votes after failing to win enough support from the crossbenchers.
The business is turning over average annual revenue of $3 million, in 2015 this figure was $2.2 million and next year forecasted revenue is $3.8 million. "We had a plan of having five centres in five years. We'll have five when we open the next one in February," says Kareena. Further growth is also on the cards: just last week the Gales were offered three centres in 24 hours, two of which they will seriously consider. However, buying businesses that are not performing and turning them around is a huge risk and the Gales have had to achieve a level of comfort with that. Being able to turnaround and sell the Box Hill centre played a big part in attaining the confidence required to take a risk on buying other centres. When they bought the Box Hill centre it had just 11 kids enrolled, when they sold there were 74. Says Kareena: "Box Hill was hard because it was in the middle of nowhere. There were no residential developments around it but when we sold it there were houses everywhere. It took 18 months to turn around the business." We go above and beyond what the government requires. That's how we run all our centres,

Financing the future The turnaround process involved substantial marketing, as well ensuring the centre met regulatory requirements. "We go above and beyond what the government requires. That's how we run all our centres," she says. Kareena notes having a great relationship her financiers has been essential. "We have a beautiful relationship with our bank. The other fortunate thing is we entered childcare when it wasn't that glossy. Now, there are lots of investors out there. That means our businesses are worth a lot more than when we first started." The fact the value of the business has increased substantially has given the Gales the ability to borrow against the existing businesses to invest in new ventures. But they had to totally financially expose themselves to get to this position. "We had to put our home  really everything  on the line to get to where we are today," says Kareena.

Industry figures demonstrate the opportunity in the childcare game: IBISWorld figures show annual revenue for the sector is $12 billion, with 14.3 per cent annual growth predicted until 2017. This incredible number is being driven by government incentives, which have helped buoy the industry over the past five years, and will do the same into the future. Avoiding another ABC Learning The industry is also fragmented: IBISWorld says there are 10400 businesses operating. So there's a huge consolidation opportunity. Although the ABC Learning debacle remains fresh in investors' minds. After going on a global childcare centre buying spree, the group was liquidated in 2008 and sold in 2009 to Goodstart Learning, a consortium of not-for-profit businesses. The Gales have much more modest ambitions. They hope to have 10 centres within five years. "By then we'll have a much bigger head office support staff. I think we will be one of Sydney's leading childcare businesses. We do things quite differently at Spunky Monkeys." When it comes to taking risks, her advice for other business owners is just do it. "The worst thing that can happen is you fail. And it's really not that bad if you do. You just pick yourself back up again and off you go. If you are an entrepreneur there's risk in everything so, jump on and take the ride. You never know where it's going to end up."
The RSPCA is investigating an act of horrific animal cruelty after a dog was stuffed into a suitcase and dumped in a garbage bin room at an apartment tower in Melbourne's CBD.

Residents at the Upper West Side apartment building on Lonsdale Street were recently told that the body of a husky dog had been found dumped in the bin room.

Part of the notice sent out to residents after an animal cruelty incident.

The one-year-old dog was believed to have been knocked over the head and then stuffed into a silver suitcase, where it suffocated and died.

The company in charge of the building, Australian Property Management, sent out an email last week to residents asking them to help find the dog's owners.
The City of Stirling is working to punish - and publicly brand - residents who vandalise its new street tree plantings, even as residents petition the council to do more to save mature trees on private development sites.

About 200 of the 4500 street trees planted last year have reportedly been removed or damaged, and the city is now placing tree-sized signs at the sites of suspected vandalism.

"For repeat offenders we would put a sign out the front of your house to say someone has vandalised a tree on this particular property," Stirling Mayor Giovanni Italiano told Radio 6PR on Wednesday.

"If someone has lopped a tree purely and simply to get views of the city it is quite obvious it's the owner of the property.
Charges laid against a 27-year-old man in relation to a 'coward-punch' attack at a Mandurah pub last week may be upgraded after the victim died in hospital on Tuesday night.

Jason Goodwin, 27, had been in an induced coma at Royal Perth Hospital with a fractured skull and brain hemorrhaging since the incident on September 20.

Jason Goodwin has died in hospital seven days after being the victim of a coward punch.

According to witnesses, Mr Goodwin was playing pool at Silver Sands Tavern around 4.30pm, and had his hands in his pockets, when another man punched him in the face, causing him to fall back and hit his head on the corner of a wall.

Paramedics found him unconscious a short time later.
How many times have you felt like you pay too much for parking? Probably a lot but it's rare that you've been right.

But Two Perth women saved themselves a bundle after uncovering a City of Perth parking ruse after noticing an error on their ticket on Monday's public holiday.

City of Perth ticket machines don't recognise cheaper public holiday parking rates. Credit:Max Mason Hubers

Patricia Chapman and daughter Elizabeth Edwards spent the last day of their long weekend shopping in the city and parked their car at the Citiplace carkpark on Roe Street.

The mother-daughter duo shopped for three hours before returning to their car, where they were shocked to be charged $16.40.
Police on Wednesday continued their search for fisherman Norman Bale, who went missing five days ago while mud-crabbing off the Pilbara coast.

A recreational fisherman found Mr Bale's dinghy on Tuesday, half-submerged on the west side of Dixon Island.

Two Army zodiac vessels will continue to search the shoreline from Nickol River north east towards Cape Lambert.

When tides allow, two State Emergency Service teams will search mangroves to the east of the island.
Washington: The Saudis might have been spared if this was not an election year in the US, but it was inevitable that Congress would side with the families of the September 11 victims - and that, when push came to shove, it was Riyadh and President Barack Obama that were thrown under the bus.

In remarkable votes in the Senate and the House - 97-1 and 348-77 respectively - on Wednesday, Mr Obama's veto of a bill that allows the 9/11 families to sue Saudi Arabia for any part it might have played in the attacks was overridden. It is the first veto override of his presidency.

In a gridlocked Congress, huge bipartisan support for thumbing a collective nose at the White House was a surprisingly bloodless affair. Some voted admitting they had not read or did not fully support the bill, any committee consideration and debate was cursory, and the inevitability of defeat seemed to deflate the administration's campaign against the original bill and then against the veto.

In a letter to congress, Obama had warned: "[This law] could be devastating to the Department of Defence and its service members and there is no doubt that the consequences could be equally significant for our foreign affairs and intelligence communities."
"Relax! Sit down," Israel's most beloved public figure commanded, gesturing with his hands for his guests to resume their seats and a long conversation about life and hope and dreams.

"If your dreams exceed the number of your achievements, you're young," said Shimon Peres, then 93, with the optimism and wide-eyed wonder of a child.

Israel's former president Shimon Peres died on Wednesday in Israel. Credit:AP/File

It was July 27 and I was among a group of Australian journalists on the final stop of a week-long study tour. Our time would be short, his minder told us, suggesting maybe one or two questions might be possible, but no more.

But Peres, who died on Wednesday in Israel, two weeks after suffering a stroke, was in no mood to be rushed. Three times, he waved the minder away and invited us to stay and keep probing. "Peace is not perfect," he quipped. "It's perfect when you compare it to war."
New York: A cartoon frog tied to anti-Semitism and racism that has become an unofficial mascot of the alt-right has been added to the Anti-Defamation League's list of hate symbols, joining the ranks of the swastika and the Confederate battle flag, the group said on Tuesday.

The frog, known as Pepe the Frog, did not originally have anti-Semitic connotations, the league said in a news release, and was still used in many non-bigoted ways. The meme proliferated in outlets such as 4chan, an anonymous online message board, and the social media site Reddit, and morphed into a symbol associated with anti-Jewish and bigoted ideas, the release said.

The image of Donald Trump as Pepe retweeted by the candidate. Credit:Donald Trump Twitter

The alt-right, a movement of extremists that uses white-supremacist iconography and mixes it with pop culture, co-opted the frog cartoon to appear with a Hitler-like moustache, wearing a skullcap or a Ku Klux Klan hood, the league said, adding that the images were used "in hateful messages aimed at Jewish and other users on Twitter."

"Once again, racists and haters have taken a popular internet meme and twisted it for their own purposes of spreading bigotry and harassing users," Jonathan Greenblatt, the league's chief executive, said in the release.
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Theres coming to America, and then theres becoming an American.

The Park Slope Y held a special event for newly minted citizens on Sept. 21, throwing a party to honor the neighborhoods diversity that attendees said was a blast for everyone.

It was very nice, said Slope resident Rafael Vera, who moved from Mexico in 1989. It was a good time.

Attendees of the Ys New American Welcome Center  where new immigrants can get help learning English, adjusting to American culture, and preparing for the citizenship test  shared their experiences of immigrating to the U.S. and overcoming challenges to become citizens. Vera said his wife studied to take the exam at the center.

Participants shared dishes from their homeland and explained how to prepare them, and busted out dance moves straight out of the old countries while a live band played.

The event was one of several throughout the city as part of the YMCAs Welcoming Week, an annual series of events designed to celebrate the contributions of immigrants and refugees to their local communities.

Reach reporter Colin Mixson at cmixs on@cn gloca l.com or by calling (718) 260-4505.
College In Colorado, a division of the Colorado Department of Higher Education, will again host College Application Month during the month of October. The goal of College Application Month is to encourage every graduating high school senior to apply to college with the help of the resources available on CollegeInColorado.org.

While College Application Month focuses primarily on students who are the first in their family to go to college and students who may not otherwise apply, participating high schools are encouraged to create a school wide college-going culture by organizing activities for freshmen, sophomores and juniors, and seniors who have already applied to college.

This year were kicking off the month early so students can be ready when the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) window opens on Oct. 1, said Dawn Taylor Owens, executive director of College In Colorado. We have broken down the application process, using the tools and resources available on CollegeInColorado.org, so students and parents can prepare and participate in daily activities from Sept. 26 through Nov. 6. Our hope is that once they sit down at the computer to apply at the end of October, they will have all the necessary elements to do so successfully.

To help prepare schools for the event, College In Colorado provides students and educators with a calendar, timeline, checklist and more. As an incentive for students participating in College Application Month, College In Colorado is giving away weekly prizes that include laptops, $500 scholarships and College Go Packs with first year college essentials for seniors. Educators are also encouraged to get involved in College Application Month for their own chance to win a $250 IKEA gift card.

To learn more about College Application Month, visit http://www.ciccollegeappmonth.org/.

College In Colorado was initiated by the Department of Higher Education, which serves the citizens of the state of Colorado by promoting access to, affordability of, and success in higher education for all students. College In Colorado is charged with helping all Coloradans explore career and education pathways, break down barriers to postsecondary attainment, and create a plan for their postsecondary and workforce success. A cornerstone of the campaign, www.CollegeInColorado.org, offers a one-stop resource to help students and parents plan, apply and pay for college.
In this episode of Scream Queens, Warts and All, Chanels ex returns, complicating her relationship with Dr. Brock, Number Five falls for a deformed patient, and Zayday and Chamberlain research the hospitals history.

Number Five survived her run-in with the killer and is questioned by a female detective who promises to be as incompetent as the authorities in season 1. Catherines head remains at the crime scene, but her body is missing. Number Five insists that Catherine was killed by someone dressed as a large plant and attempted to murder her before she passed out. The detective, lacking any other leads, considers Five a suspect, even though she was locked in the hydrotherapy tub.

Premiere Recap: What Does Munsch Have Planned for the Former Kappas? >>>





The Greenie isnt the Only Meanie

The other two Chanels are convinced that Number Five is the killer, and her motive is jealousy. While they were on dates with handsome doctors, Number Five hasnt been touched in months. (The closest shes come to sex is when a bookshelf fell on her.) Decapitating a poor, defenseless, hairless creature was her way of sabotaging her friends love lives.

The detective concludes that theres not enough evidence to actually determine what happened and warns Number Five to stop making up stories that just arent that scary.

Toad-Boy Tyler

In spite of their first patient being murdered, its business as usual at the C.U.R.E. Institute. They have another patient, Tyler (Colton Haynes), with a genetic disorder. Tyler is covered in tumors, leading to a lot of toad comments and insults from the Chanels.

There is a treatment for Tylers condition, but it involves a huge, super-expensive machine that the hospital doesnt have. Tyler is desperate. Hes doesnt make much money writing Encyclopedia Brown fan fiction, and hes got nowhere else to go.

Zayday Questions Munschs Motives

Zayday is suspicious of Dean Munsch, and she goes to Chamberlain to express her concerns. Why would Dean Munsch want to run a hospital, especially one that caters to only a handful of people with really obscure diseases? Also, why would Munsch hire herself and the Chanels? She doesnt like Zayday, and the Chanels are idiots.

Also, Dean Munschs whereabouts on the night of the murder are suspect. Number Five claims that the swamp monster killed Catherine before Chamberlain arrived and scared it off. Dean Munsch says she was in her office the whole time after hours. (She arrived on the scene not long after Chamberlain, claiming to be using the hospital Wi-Fi since hers was out at home.)

Yet, Chamberlain said Munsch said goodnight to him and Number Five long before Catherines murder. Zayday thinks Munsch has to be involved in the murder because shes out for revenge; shes gathered all the Chanels together so she can kill them one by one. Zayday wants Chamberlain to help her figure out what is really going on.

Love is in the Air

Chanel Number One and Dr. Brock finally go out on their date, and it would appear that Dr. Brocks hand has a mind of its own. Chanel is smitten and admits that shed never thought she would find love again after Chad Radwell.

Number Five might be making a love connection of her own with Tyler. She confides in him that her love life has been a disappointment since her imaginary boyfriend broke up with her in high school. The other Chanels already have hot doctor boyfriends, and shes the odd woman out.

Tyler hasnt had a lot of luck with girls given his condition. He shows Number Five a picture of himself before his disease, and it turns out he was a regulation hottie. If only there was a way he could come up with the money for the laser treatments. Number Five promises to help him find it.

Number One is alone and working the night shift. She hears a man screaming and is confronted by someone dressed as the Red Devil. The whole scene shouts dream sequence, but in actuality, the Red Devil peels off his mask to reveal Chad Radwell, Chanels ex-boyfriend. This isnt the first time Chad has pulled this prank on Chanel. He did the same thing once during Chanels stay at the insane asylum. Chanel doesnt find it amusing, but Chad thinks its funny  not Happy Gilmore funny but on par with Big Daddy.

The screaming continues, and Chad tells Chanel that its his friend Randal whos in need of medical attention. Chad and Randal were on a trip with an elite secret society of hunters. Other members include Ted Danson, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Liz Cheney, who Randal accidentally shot in the face.

Dr. Brock confirms that Randal has the Jumping Frenchmen of Maine disease. Sufferers of the disease have an exaggerated startle reflex. Brock deduces that shooting Cheney in the face set it off. There is no known cure, but Dean Munsch promises to help Randal.

Chad figures out that theres something going on between Dr. Brock and Chanel but remains unimpressed when he learns that Dr. Brock has only gotten to second base (and that was accidental due to his bizarre hand affliction). Chad wants Chanel back, even more so now that hes got competition for her affections.

Number Five makes a fundraising video to try and help Tyler, but when the other Chanels see it, they abuse her accordingly. Number One knows that Number Five is hoping that Tyler will get hot again and date her, but she makes it clear that if Tyler regains his former looks, hell have no interest in her lovesick minion. Number Three says Number Fives only hope is if Tyler stays all warty. But if Number Five sticks with him while hes hideous, then hell feel obligated to date her if and when he becomes hot again.

The Halloween Hospital Massacre

Zayday and Chamberlain do some research on the hospitals history. A chunk of the online files were scrubbed, so they have to go back using microfiche. On November 1, 1986, the entire hospital staff was murdered. A flashback shows the Greenie Meanie taking out everyone with a machete. Dr. Steve and his nurse recognize the costume from the previous Halloween, but they didnt tell anyone what they did to poor Mr. Bill. The murderer was never caught.

Chamberlain and Zayday encounter Nurse Hoffel wandering the hallways. Hoffel wants Zayday to provide her with information about the Chanels schedules  where they are at certain times of the day and when theyre most likely to be alone. Zayday questions why Hoffel wants to know, and her reasoning is that she can make sure they can handle the workload theyre given because theyre idiots.

Zayday doesnt buy the story and has a problem with helping Hoffel gather intel on the Chanels, so Hoffel is going to have to find someone else.

A Totally Hot and Homoerotic Shower Scene

At last, its time for the much buzzed about locker room scene with Chad and Dr. Brock. Theres a whole lot of toned, wet and sudsy torsos going around. Chad wants Dr. Brock to know that his penis was the last climber to summit Mt. Chanel, and how is he supposed to compete with that? But Dr. Brock argues that on the eligible guy checklist, he can check off two boxes: handsome and rich.

But when it comes to boxes, hes the only one who will check Chanel. He challenges Dr. Brock to a game of squash, an ancient Radwell tradition. The winner gets the girl. Its hard to focus on dialogue with two hot guys in the shower together, but thats the gist.

The Beauty and Number Five

Number Five and Tyler are on a date of sorts. Shes still upset that nobody believes her story about being attacked and not killing Catherine. Tyler promises to help her find proof. Shes also decided to take the Chanels advice and try to prove her devotion by kicking the crap out of two guys who insult Tyler  the word hemorrhoid is bandied about.

Quiz: Which Scream Queens Character Are You? >>>

Whats Wrong with Dean Munsch?

Zayday hasnt built much of a case, but she and Chamberlain confront Munsch anyway about the massacre in 1986. The only evidence left behind was green slime, the same green slime left behind when Chanel Number Five was attacked.

Zayday accuses Munsch of attacking Number Five or of having someone else do it. Zayday figures that herself and the Chanels are Munschs loose ends, and shes gotten them all together in one place to knock them off one by one.

Munsch takes Zayday and Chamberlain into her confidence. Shes not trying to murder anyone; shes trying to save herself. She claims to be suffering from headaches, night sweats and neurological abnormalities. Shes gone to many specialists, but nobody can tell her whats wrong. In fact, they dont think anything is wrong. Munsch is convinced that shes dying and that she doesnt have much time left. She started the hospital to find out what this mystery disease is before it kills her. She begs Zayday to help her find a cure. They dont notice Nurse Hoffel eavesdropping outside the door.

Quid Pro WTF?!

Later that night, Munsch encounters the Greenie Meanie and fights him off and knocks him out. Just as shes about to pull off his mask, Dr. Cassidy and Number Three arrive. While Munsch explains that Number Threes story actually checks out, the killer escapes.

Munsch calls in Special Agent Denise Hemphill to help prove that shes not the murderer. Denise is convinced that the only way to catch a killer is to get inside the mind of a killer. So Munsch, Hemphill and the Chanels go to see Hester, who is being kept in a Silence of the Lambs-type facility. But instead of semen being flung around, Number One gets a giant wad of birthday cake frosting in her hair. Hey, I dont write this stuff.

Hester has embraced the Hannibal Lecter persona, and she knows the identity of the killer. Of course, shes not going to give them anything without something in return. Hester wants to be transferred to the institute, and wants a room with a view and some high-end beauty products.

Two Cocks, One Hen

Dr. Brock and Dr. Cassidy are trying to cure Randal by putting him in an environment that minimizes sensory stimulation. Hes still jumpy, but youve got to break a few eggs to make that omelet.

Chad may be fairly clueless, but he has noticed that something is off about Dr. Brocks hand. While the two play squash, Chad tries to find out who Brocks hand belonged to, but all the doc will say is it was an anonymous donor.

Dr. Brock warns Chad to back off both himself and Chanel. He threatens that his hand is capable of a lot more than playing squash.

True Love is Blind

Sparks are flying between Tyler and Number Five, but her happiness may be short-lived. The Chanels announce that they were testing Tyler to see if he could prove that looks dont matter. As a reward, theyre purchasing the laser machine for him. Number One got Chad to cut a check by promising that the money was for a pube laser that would give her an eternally stubble-free box.

Dr. Brocks Big Secret

Chad hires a private investigator to dig in to Dr. Brocks mystery hand. It belonged to a world-champion squash player named Marshall Winthrop. Marshall wasnt content to just beat his opponents; he hated them for losing and killed them  over 600, to be exact.

Winthrop was caught and executed but not before he became a full-body organ donor. Dr. Brock Holt has the hand of one of the worlds most notorious serial killers.

Chad cant wait to confront Dr. Holt about his secret, and when Holt questions just what Chad plans to do about it, Chad will only say, Youll find out.

A Case of Bad Brains

Zayday has a hard time reconciling Munschs many symptoms. Most point to an autoimmune disorder, but the Deans complaint of her gait being off doesnt fit. But a restaurant specializing in cuisine from New Guinea provides Zayday with a very House moment.

Zayday learns that Munsch traveled to New Guinea for a book tour (instead of New Jersey). Munsch has kuru, a disease that cannibals get after they eat people. Munsch consumed some bad brains during her stay. The really bad news is there is no cure, and shes only got a year to live.

Munsch swears Zayday and Chamberlain to secrecy. If the board finds out, they wont think shes fit to run the hospital. But Nurse Hoffel knows since she planted a recording device in Munschs office.

Happily Never After, Number Five

Tyler and Number Five enjoy some FaceTime (pun totally intended), and he swears hell love her even after his surgery. Tyler also went on an Encyclopedia Brown message board to try and solve the case of the Green Meanie who attacked her. He found something that was a game changer. Suddenly, Tyler says hes being wheeled into surgery.

The Chanels confirm that both Dr. Brock and Dr. Cassidy had gone home for the night to have a handsome contest. The Green Meanie strikes again, eviscerating Tyler with a laser. The Chanels rush to the hospital, but when they arrive, its too late.

What is Nurse Hoffel up to? Is Munsch innocent now that we know shes got kuru? Why would the killer be targeting patients? Have we already seen the killer?

Scream Queens season 2 airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on FOX. Want more news? Like our Facebook page.

(Image courtesy of FOX)
Study: Confusion on end-of-life forms can cause elderly patients to receive more emergency care than they may have wanted

The majority of end-of-life forms for elderly patients in the study were incomplete

We want to do what the patient wants, but if you dont tell us what you want, were forced to assume you want everything done. 

BUFFALO, N.Y.  In recent years, Physicians Orders for Life Sustaining Treatments (POLST) forms have been seen as an important way to honor the end-of-life wishes of frail elderly or terminally ill patients who cannot speak for themselves.

But while the goal of filling out POLST forms is to let providers know patients preferences regarding life-sustaining treatments, the information they contain is often ambiguous, a new University at Buffalo study has found.

Published online yesterday in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, the study is called Decisions by Default: Incomplete and Contradictory POLST in Emergency Care.

We called it Decisions by Default to make patients aware that if they dont make a decision about a specific life-sustaining treatment, then in an emergency, they will most likely get the most aggressive treatment available, said Brian Clemency, DO, associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB and first author on the paper. He also is a physician with UBMD Emergency Medicine.

Deborah P. Waldrop, PhD, professor in the UB School of Social Work and a nationally- recognized expert on palliative care, is senior author.

The study was conducted in the busy Emergency Department of Erie County Medical Center (ECMC), a partner hospital of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, where Clemency is an emergency medicine attending physician.

In emergency medicine, we are trained to do everything we can to prolong life, Clemency said. The goal of this paper is to help us as emergency medicine physicians honor our patients wishes as much as possible.

Strictly speaking, the studys focus was not on the patients themselves, but on the forms that had been completed before their emergency. In New York State, the forms are called Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment or MOLST forms.

One hundred MOLST forms were collected from patients arriving at the emergency department. Items included on the form cover whether or not patients requested cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), do not resuscitate (DNR) orders, intubation, hospitalization, intravenous fluids, feeding tubes and antibiotics.

Incomplete forms

Of the 100 forms collected, 69 percent were incomplete with at least one section left blank. That may compel emergency medicine providers to perform interventions the patient would not have wanted.

We want to do what the patient wants, explained Clemency, but if you dont tell us what you want, were forced to assume you want everything done.

Waldrop, who has spent her career working to provide families dealing with end-of-life issues with better options, says that the research demonstrates a need for greater training among primary care providers.

Primary care providers are having these difficult conversations with their patients, said Waldrop. More education and training are needed to help them be comfortable guiding people with serious illnesses to effectively communicate their wishes about life-sustaining treatment.

That means going over any inconsistencies in the patients responses, Clemency said. For example, if a patient says they dont want any life-saving interventions but they do want a breathing tube inserted, Clemency said that that discrepancy may reflect a lack of understanding on the part of the patient and should be questioned by the physician.

I think the doctors job is to guide the patient through it and ask them about the implications of their decisions, said Clemency.

Waldrop noted that the forms about life-sustaining treatment and the conversations about them are a major step toward improving end-of-life care for patients, but there is room for improvement.

This research shows that to be effective in reflecting patients wishes, these forms need to be filled out completely and without contradictory orders after an informed conversation between a primary care provider and the patient, she said.

Improving communication

Our hope is that this paper will improve communication between patients and providers, better informing the end-users, the emergency medicine doctors who typically meet these patients when they arrive at the emergency department at 3 a.m., Clemency added.

And it isnt only the emergency physicians who need more clarity, he noted. Families need it too.

You already have many stressors when an elderly parent is ill, Clemency said, but if the parents wishes arent clearly articulated, you might have multiple children, all of whom have the best of intentions, each of whom has a different understanding of what that parent wanted.

Patients and their families can only benefit when the patients wishes are clearly articulated.

UB co-authors are Jeanne M. Basior, MD, associate professor and Heather A. Lindstrom, PhD, assistant professor, both in the Department of Emergency Medicine. Colleen Clemency Cordes, PhD, of Arizona State University also is a co-author.
A look back: The ghost stories that once gripped New Jersey

In the Victorian period, even New Jersey's newspapers took ghost sightings seriously. On occasion, paranormal investigations went the extra mile.
Former army officer and Burnham-On-Sea MP James Heappey has this week revealed how his troops killed four innocent civilians in Afghanistan.

It comes as he supports a brand new campaign to end the witch hunt against British soldiers.

Mr Heappey said the decision made on that day in 2005 was necessary to protect troops as he urged for the controversial Iraq Historical Allegations Team (IHAT) to be shut down.

He claims it is now only a matter of time before a soldier is killed through hesitating in battle because of ambulance-chasing lawyers who are hounding soldiers with spurious claims at the taxpayers expense.

No matter how much judgemental training is done and no matter how much commanders encourage their troops to trust their instincts; it will not be long before an 18 year old soldier hesitates over pulling the trigger because a future run in with Leigh Day crosses his mind at that instant. His enemy will not hesitate and the outcome could be fatal, he said in a national newspaper interview this week.

The former officer revealed how his unit opened fire on a car that was speeding towards their position as they were trying to secure the area after two suicide bombers drove into German, Greek and Nato convoys.

Mr Heappey nearly died himself afterwards because the Taliban placed bombs in the area they knew that troops would retreat back to  but it was detected by a sniffer dog.

It was later revealed that the people killed in the car were four civilians who were high on drugs and panicked when they saw military vehicles in the area and wanted to speed away.

But Mr Heappey argues that in the context of training and the events of that day, it was reasonably to perceive the threat as real and that not making that split-second decision could have led to the death of dozens of troops.

He added: In the cold light of day, we killed some innocent civilians that afternoon in Kabul. But in the context of the training exercises wed done when vehicle borne IEDs were driven at cordon positions; in the context of the ignored calls for them to stop the car; in the context of the two suicide bombings that had gone immediately before; the threat was perceived to be real, immediate and lethal.

The revelation comes as the bill for the controversial inquiry, set up to investigate claims of wrongdoing on the battlefield, rises to nearly 60million  the wage bill for around four infantry battalions, according to Mr Heappey.

It is expected to last until 2019 and taxpayers have been footing the bill as lawyers from controversial firms such as Leigh Day have made a fortune pursuing soldiers for alleged human rights abuses.

Generals and former soldiers alike have condemned the inquiry, which led to Sergeant Alexander Blackman being jailed for killing a dying Taliban insurgent.

Talking of his training, Mr Heappey added: It was supposed to empower us to defend ourselves and achieve our mission rather than to constrain us and make us worry about the ambulance chasing lawyers at Leigh Day.

Three former generals and war hero Lord Bramall this week called for the inquiry to be wrapped up and warned the long-term impact of relentless probes would be disastrous.

Their damning verdicts follow a campaign to end a witch-hunt which has seen hundreds of soldiers quizzed over their actions a decade ago and dragged through repeated probes on one incident alone.

Speaking publicly on the issue for the first time, General Sir Michael Rose, one of Britains most respected generals and a former SAS commander, told one national newspaper this week: We should bring a halt to these historic investigations. This includes those relating to the counter-terrorist war fought against the IRA. I therefore applaud the Mails campaign.

Lord Bramall, 92, one of the UKs most decorated military heroes  who was cleared of baseless paedophile allegations  also hit out at the witch-hunt.

The field marshal said: This witch-hunt culture is terribly bad for the morale of the forces who have had to do their duty under difficult circumstances.

The Iraq Historical Allegations Team (Ihat) is investigating 1,668 claims of wrongdoing in a 57million probe expected to last until the end of 2019. As well, Operation Northmoor, set up in March 2014, is investigating more than 550 historic allegations of war crimes in Afghanistan.

No 10 has refused to rule out that soldiers fighting in future wars could be hounded in the same way  and suggested Operation Northmoor could roll on for years.

Three former generals and war hero Lord Bramall have called for an end to the witch-hunt against British troops.

Asked about future theatres of conflict and guarantees troops wouldnt be treated in the same way, a spokesman for Theresa May said: I cant predict what is going to happen in the future. I am not going to be drawn on what we would be doing in the future on battlefield cases.
We already knew it was great, but a new study has found that the New Zealand honey could be seriously powerful

Manuka honey has long been recognised as a remedy healing food, or as the hipsters call it, a superfood. For centuries, it's been praised for its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that have helped heal skin issues, the common cold, wounds and ulcers. But after a recent discovery, the native New Zealand honey could be more powerful than we think.

A study conducted at the University of Southampton in the UK, found cleansing medical equipment with the honey can reduce the risk of deadly bacteria growing on the surface by more than 75 per cent. In particularly, resulting in a lower chance of patients catching urinary-tract infections.

The Telegraph reports, one-in-four hospital patients who used a catheter will suffer from a UTI each year, making it the most common hospital infection. Dr Bashir Lwaleed, associate professor at the University of Southampton, explained: "Catheter infection rates can account for a large proportion of hospital acquired infections. It is an area of clinical practice that needs addressing."

There's been no formal announcement if the honey will start to be used in hospitals, but it never hurts to stock up on the Manuka magic on your next shopping trip, anyway.
INDIA AT THE GLOBAL HIGH TABLE

The Quest for Regional Primacy and Strategic Autonomy

H B Schaffer and T C Schaffer

Harper Collins

384 pages; Rs 599



The husband-wife duo of Teresita and Howard Schaffer has the right credentials to explore the various drivers of India's foreign policy. In their long careers as US diplomats, they had several stints in India and in neighbouring South Asian countries, accumulating, as they went along, a more nuanced and perceptive understanding of sub-continental politics. But this book is not a memoir. It is an exposition of India's world view, its historical and cultural roots. The authors get their history wrong by placing Ashoka a century before Chandragupta in referring to the Mauryan empire.
(India) on Wednesday said it has bagged order worth Rs 151.39 crore from Bharat Electronics.

"The company has received a new order aggregating Rs 151.39 crore work awarded from Bharat Electronics," said in a BSE filing.

The total order inflow during the current financial year stands at Rs 1,360.98 crore.

The stock was trading 1.47 per cent higher at Rs 304.40 on BSE.
Auto portal has found a new line of business to drive its future growth. Spotting a need gap in the area of technological solutions, including customer service systems, CRM tools, dealership and virtual reality solutions, CarDekho is focussing on tying up with autom manufacturers and dealers to offer such solutions.
In a novel initiative by the ministry of coal, power, new & renewable and petroleum and natural gas, the departments and their respective public sector undertakings (PSUs), have tried to bring down their cost by placing bulk orders for various goods and services.
Singapore government's sovereign fund GIC and Canada's pension fund manager Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) have bid for 50 per cent stake in Phoenix Mills-owned mixed-use project Marketcity in Bengaluru, said a source in the know.
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on Tuesday said it has administered the severance contract with its former chief financial officer Rajiv Bansal "strictly in line with rights and obligations" of both parties, after reports suggested that the IT firm stopped the remaining installments of the dues.

In an emailed statement, said the severance agreement with Bansal includes rights and obligations of the parties that is usual for such type of agreement.

"The agreement is being administered strictly in line with such rights and obligations. The board reiterates that there are no extraneous considerations in the administration of the contract," the IT major said in an emailed statement.

It, however, did not share the specific details of the agreement.

Earlier, some reports had claimed that stopped the remaining installments of the severance payment of Rs 17.38 crore promised to Bansal after some of the company's founders expressed their unhappiness with the decision. Infosys is believed to have already paid two of the 10 installments.

Infosys, however, dismissed allegations that the board had interfered in the matter.

"The board dismisses any suggestion of interference from shareholders in the matter of administering this agreement," it said.

In October last year, Bansal had resigned from Infosys. He later joined transportation app Ola in January this year. Bansal took home a salary of over Rs 10 crore in FY2015-16.
The race to buy 40 per cent stake in DLF's rental arm, Cyber City Developers (DCCDL), could turn out be a close fight between Blackstone and GIC - two of the biggest investors in the Indian real estate market.
Tata Steel's Kalinganagar facility that has commenced commercial production is eyeing South East Asian countries for exporting steel products manufactured at the unit.

"Our Kalinganagar plant has already started exports of Ferroshots and hot rolled coils. Tata Steel's Jamshedpur plant is exporting to South East Asian countries. The Kalinganagar unit will also export products to South East Asian countries", said T V Narendran, managing director (India & South East Asia), .
Tech Mahindra, the fifth largest IT services provider, unveiled a new strategy for its network services business, this not only reiterated the firms bet on the telecom vertical but also hints towards growth getting back into the telecom sector. For Tech Mahindra, telecom contributes 49 per cent of its revenue.

Manish Vyas, CEO-Network Services and president communication business, said that the company has created a three-pronged strategy--Run better, Change faster and Grow greater-which also forms its Comms 3.0 plan.
Walmart Stores is in advanced discussions to invest as much as $1 billion (Rs 6,647 crore) into Flipkart Online Services, as the two companies battle Amazon in the e-commerce space, according to a person familiar with the matter. Walmart, the world's largest retailer, would take a minority stake in Flipkart under the proposed agreement, the person said, asking not to be identified because the matter is private. Final terms of the deal have not been worked out and negotiations are still underway, the person said. Flipkart's most recent valuation was about $16 billion (Rs 1.06 lakh ...
The got full opportunity to argue against the recommendations made by the Supreme Court appointed Lodha committee, said the panel chief Justice (Retd) R M Lodha after seeking removal of the Board's top brass in a status report to the apex court.

Lodha said the verdict of the Supreme Court is supreme, after the panel filed its status report which has called for the removal of President Anurag Thakur and Secretary Ajay Shirke for non-compliance of the apex court directions.

The had filed a review petition challenging the sweeping reforms proposed by the Lodha panel, also seeking recuse of the Chief Justice of India from the five-judge bench which will review the Supreme Verdict.

"Every recommendation which was not acceptable to the BCCI was opposed and they had full opportunity to argue. After hearing them, the Supreme Court has accepted nobody undermines their capacity, capability, we all bow to the Supreme Court," said Lodha.

Asked if he is open to a dialogue with the BCCI to further discuss the recommendations, Lodha said: "We are no party to the litigation, there is no question of the dialogue. We are simply to implement the Supreme Court's judgement now."



"We held a meeting on 9th August (with the BCCI officials) and three weeks before that meeting, intimation was sent to Mr Anurag Thakur and Mr Ajay Shirke. We wanted to discuss. We invited them on our own, we sent communication to them. One of them came (Shirke), the other (Thakur) didn't," he said.

Lodha said the panel has not specifically asked for the removal of Thakur and Shirke but the entire set of office-bearers.

"We are not concerned with names, we are only concerned with whether existing office-bearers be superseded and panel of arbitrators be put in their place. The persons who are incharge of the affairs in the BCCI should be superseded."



It remains to be seen what BCCI does at its Special General Meeting on September 30, the day it faces a first set of the deadlines set by the Lodha panel.

The panel submitted the status report after observing violation of Supreme Court directives in the BCCI AGM held earlier in the month.

"I am nobody to examine their mood (in BCCI), we have only examined the decisions taken by them in their AGM, we had already clarified to them that AGM can go ahead and they can discuss routine measures for the year 2015-16. No decision should be taken concerning 2016-17."



"Certain decisions have been taken which are direct in conflict with what we directed BCCI to do. Therefore it was necessary for us to bring it to the notice of the Supreme Court that these are the violations," added Lodha.
The Union Cabinet has cleared the red lines for the Indian delegation that shall negotiate the global deal on greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation sector, starting September 27 in Montreal, Canada.
The Opposition in Karnataka on Wednesday asked the state government at an all party meeting here not to release till Thursday 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu as per the Supreme Court's fresh order.

The state cabinet which would meet later in the day would take a final decision on the matter, Parliamentary Affairs and Law Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters after the meeting called by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the wake of the situation arising out of the apex court's order on Wednesday.

Though the Minister declined to divulge the views expressed by the Opposition leaders, they later told the media that they have opposed release of water.

"The Opposition  the BJP, JDS and Raitha Sangha  have expressed their views and we have heard them fully. Ultimately the cabinet will sit and take a decision," he said.

Floor leaders of both the Houses, MPs and legislators and district in charge ministers from the Cauvery basin attended the meeting to take stock of the fresh development.

The Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and U U Lalit had directed Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs water to Tamil Nadu till September 30, despite a resolution passed by the state legislature last week to use the water only for drinking purpose.

The Centre has also called a meeting of the two warring riparian states in New Delhi on Thursday to thrash out a solution to the raging row over release of water.

Asked if any suggestions were made advising the government to defer release of water till Thursday, Jayachandra said he would not like to into the details for now.

"No, I don't want to go into the details. We have considered and we have heard them (The opposition and the legal experts). We will take a final decision in the cabinet," Jayachandra said.

Asked to react to the Opposition BJP Leader Jagadish Shettar's suggestion not to release water today, Jayachandra said, "I wouldn't like to comment on it now, but would do so after the cabinet meeting."

On whether it would amount to contempt of court if Karnataka defers releasing water to Tamil Nadu, Jayachandra said, "At this point of time I do not want to react to it."

Earlier, Shettar said BJP has suggested that the government should honour the September 23 legislature resolution signalling Karnataka's inability to implement the court's earlier direction to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu from September 21 till September 27.

"Our party has placed our suggestion before the government to honour its decision taken during the special legislature session," he said.

The legislature at its session on September 23 had adopted a unanimous resolution to use the water only to meet drinking water needs and not to provide it for any other purpose.

BJP also advised government not to release water, not before the chief ministers' meeting to be chaired by Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati in Delhi on Thursday, Shettar said.

JDS spokesperson Y S V Datta said the government should not release water today as it would not matter much because the flow of water, anyhow, has increased after a few spells of rainfall in downstream areas of Cauvery basin.

He also said the government should not go back on its decision taken in the assembly.
An Anti-Terrorism Court in Pakistan has ordered that a judicial commission would visit Karachi to inspect a boat which was allegedly used in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

An ATC judge on Tuesday heard the Mumbai attack case and accepted a request filed by the Federal Investigation Agency to inspect the boat "Alfoz" in the port city. The FIA had requested the court to send a judicial commission to examine the boat as it was difficult to produce it before the court, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

India's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup had on September 15 said that Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar had written to his Pakistani counterpart to speed up the trial, which has been pending for almost eight years.

In his letter, Jaishankar suggested several ways in which Pakistan could bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice, including cooperation through legal channels.

Over 166 people, including foreigners, were killed and over 300 wounded when gunmen attacked landmarks in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, triggering three days of gunfights.
In the first concrete fallout of the increasing tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of the September 18, Uri terror attack, the 19th Summit, scheduled to be hosted in Islamabad in November, is all set to be postponed.

Nepal, the current chair of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), is mulling recommending either a change in venue to salvage the summit or a postponement of the summit after four of the eight member states  India, Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh decided to pull out.

TENSION ESCALATES India, Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh decided to pull out of the event

The Charter states that the conference is postponed should any member state decline to participate

Nepal, the current chair of SAARC, is mulling recommending either a change in venue or a postponement of the summit

According to a report by Pakistan's Geo TV, Pakistan said that the secretariat has not yet said anything officially about postponement of the conference

An official announcement to confirm the postponement is likely in the days to come. The Saarc Charter states that the conference will be postponed should any member state decline to participate.

According to a report by Pakistans Geo TV, Sartaj Aziz, the advisor on foreign affairs to the Pakistan prime minister, said that the Saarc secretariat has not yet informed officially about postponement of the conference. He, however, said chances are that Saarc Summit will be postponed. Aziz, according to the report, said that whenever the conference takes place, it will be held in Pakistan. He said it was not the first time India is not attending the regional summit and that it had earlier also caused the summit to be postponed four times.

The summit was scheduled for November 9 and 10. The cancelling of the Summit comes in the wake of bitter relations between India and Pakistan, which are likely to further nosedive if India decides to scrap its 20-year-old unilateral decision of granting the Most Favoured Nation status to its neighbour. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to chair a meeting on Thursday to discuss the same. On Tuesday, India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan conveyed to Nepal their inability to attend the Summit in Islamabad in prevailing circumstances. While Indias Ministry of External Affairs made public its intent to boycott the Islamabad Summit on Tuesday, the other three member states confirmed on Wednesday that they will not participate in the Summit.

Apart from Pakistan, the remaining three member states  the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Nepal  havent taken any decision to not attend the Summit.

The Saarc held its first Summit meeting in Dhaka in 1985. There have been instances in the past of the Summit being postponed or its venue shifted, but its unprecedented for as many four members to have pulled out.

In their communications to the Saarc chair, the four who have pulled out didnt refer to Pakistan by name but said the growing interference in their internal affairs by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad.

In New Delhi, government sources pointed that the Saarc Charter mandates member states to not interfere in the internal affairs of other members. Article 1 of the Saarc Charter demands from member states to respect principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, independence, non-use of force and non-interference in the internal affairs of other states and peaceful settlement of all disputes.

In its communication, Bangladesh said: the growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th Saarc Summit in Islamabad. Dhaka said it believes regional cooperation can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere.



Bhutan blamed the recent escalation of terrorism in the region to have seriously compromised the environment for the holding of the summit. It said that it shared the concerns of some of the member countries on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism.

Afghanistan said: Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of terrorism imposed on Afghanistan, the President Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander-in-Chief will be fully engaged, and will not able to attend the Summit.



In Washington, the US asked India and Pakistan to resolve their differences through diplomacy and not through violence. On New Delhis decision to not attend the Saarc Summit, the White House spokesperson said: "It would benefit the region. We want to see de-escalation in the political discourse between the two countries and greater communication and coordination between them."



The spokesperson said the US is not going to give a prescription to the two South Asian neighbours on how to deescalate, but that it was in their mutual interest to put aside tensions and establish more normal channels of communication.
Spending a night in a cell is a novel idea for adventure. Four techies, a truck driver, and three other persons have paid Rs 500 each for the last 20 days to get lodged in a cell in of the 200-year-old Sangareddy District Central Jail in Medak, reports The Indian Express.
It was revealed on Tuesday that the government is looking to reassess the (MFN) status accorded to neighbouring Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called a meeting of top officials from Commerce and External Affairs Ministries on Thursday to discuss ways to counter Pakistan through an economic offencive.
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave its nod to a consortium of Indian Oil Corporation, Oil India and Bharat PetroResources for acquiring stakes in two Russian oilfields for around $3.24 billion.



The consortium will acquire 23.9 per cent stake in Vankorneft and 29.9 per cent stake in Taas-Yuryakh fields from . operates Vankor and Taas-Yuryakh oilfields.



The acquisition of stake in Vankorneft will provide 6.56 million metric tonne of oil equivalent (MMtoe) and 29.9 per cent stake in Taas-Yuryakh will provide 0.5 MMtoe initially and 1.5 MMtoe by 2019.



The purchase is in line with Indias objective of adding high quality international assets to its exploration and production portfolio, thereby augmenting the countrys energy security.


The central government, on September 28, approved the release of Rs.1269 crores, as assistance, for the drought-hit coastal state of Maharashtra.

The approval for the central assistance package was given by the Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, during a meeting in New Delhi.

A high level committee examined the proposal, based on the report prepared by a central team that had visited Maharashtra earlier.

The committee approved the assistance of Rs 1,269 crore, out of which Rs.589.47 crore would be provided as supplementary assistance for the damaged Kharif crop, and another Rs 679.54 crore for the damaged Rabi crops.

Several union ministers inlcuding the Agriculture Minister, Radha Mohan Singh, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, Union Home Secretary, Rajiv Mehrishi, attended the meeting along with other senior officers from their ministries.
Even as the telecom industry finds itself in a tariff war following the entry of a major industry player, an Assocham-KPMG paper has pointed towards the operators grappling with a huge debt of Rs 3.80 lakh crore, reinforcing a case for rationalisation of taxes and other levies along with spectrum charges.

Telecom operators have an accumulated debt of around Rs 3.8 lakh crore. An additional customs duty of 10 percent will increase the cumulative duty to 29.44 percent, revealed the joint study.

"Even though consumers are having the last laugh, with competitive offers from major players, the service providers need to penetrate further into the fast expanding data market and create a volume that would make their cash flow running," said Secretary General, D S Rawat.

Simplification and rationalisation of tax regime will provide the required financial stability to the Indian telecom industry. Presently, multiple charges and taxes are levied on operators in the sector apart. In addition to this, charges are paid by other industries (such as corporate tax, VAT, etc.) as well. Spectrum Usage Charges (SUC) in India are comparatively higher than other economies, noted ASSOCHAM-KPMG joint study.

Telecom sector is expected to become the country's largest contributor to GDP by offering Rs 14 lakh crore and accounting for 8.2 percent of the total gross domestic product by 2020.

The telecom regulator, TRAI, has recommended a 2% reduction in the license fee and universal service obligation fund to rest at 6% and 3% respectively.

Citing another study conducted by the Cellular OPerators Association of India (COAI), the report further said that a one percent reduction in the spectrum usage charges (SUC) can increase GDP by Rs 1.76 lakh crore.

The Telecommunication Industry is committed to realize the government's vision of Digital India. A quick resolution on issues, facilitating ease in doing business, will accelerate project.

"We are confident that the government, which has set a fast pace of policy and execution, will support this endeavour," said P.Balaji, Chairman National council on Telecommunications and Director-Regulatory, External Affairs and CSR, Vodafone India.

Telecom industry, due to its dynamic nature, witnesses continuous changes in business and technology environment. In the recent past, India has witnessed a surge in data usage. Mobile data traffic grew by 50% in 2015.

Such tremendous growth is associated with a mature network, device and content eco-system. In the current environment, Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) and Over the-Top (OTT) service providers have leveraged on their synergies to work towards fulfilling the 'Digital India' vision.

OTT service providers are playing a significant role in driving data consumption and transforming consumer behaviour. A major contributor to the increased data traffic is the growing customer demand for video that is expected to experience a further boost with the advent of 4G services.

Telecom service providers make huge investments in deployment of networks as well as in acquisition of spectrum. However, isssues faced in electromagnetic interference result in poor quality of services leading to customer dissatisfaction, losses to the TSPs and the exchequer, despite the huge investments made.

Among the major sources of interference are air-waves from nearby international borders and out-of-band emissions by institutions deploying links in free Wi-Fi band or from illegal repeaters, boosters, jammers.

Non-coordinated use of frequencies is the primary cause of interference from telecom service providers in neighboring countries. Usage of frequencies should be regionally coordinated and globally harmonized to overcome this issue.

There is a need to engage actively with the neighboring countries for specific regions, where the TSPs are facing interference issues. Alternatively, the Department of Telecommunications should allocate the TSPs with spectrum in alternate frequency bands, wherever such issues cannot be resolved with the neighboring countries, noted the study.
Flagging severe talent crunch at the top in public sector (PSBs), Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor S S Mundra on Wednesday pressed for the need to focus on human resource management. He said there cannot be a leaderless bank even if autonomous vehicles edge closer to reality.
189TH gunners day on 28 Sep 2016

Regiment of Artillery, the second largest Arm of the Indian Army celebrated 189th Gunners Day on 28 September 2016. Wreath Laying Ceremony was held at Amar Jawan Jyoti by Lt Gen PR Shankar, Director General of Artillery and Senior Colonel Commandant, decorated war veterans, senior veteran officers and serving officers.

The day has a special significance in the annals of the history of the Regiment of Artillery as the first Indian Artillery Unit, 5 (Bombay) Mountain Battery equipped with 2.5 inch Guns, was raised on this momentous day in 1827.

The Regiment proved its mettle during the operations of 1947-48, 1962, 1965, 1971 Wars. More recently, the role of Artillery, in the victory of Kargil Conflict, is well etched in the Indian Military History. The regiment of Artillery has also undertaken major steps towards modernisation, both in terms of equipment and support systems under Make in India" initiative of the Government of India.

On the occasion of the 189th Gunners Day, all ranks of Regiment of Artillery resolved to re-dedicate themselves to the service of the Army and the Nation.

MTAPRO (ARMY)
MoS (Home) Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir to inaugurate the 5th National Conference of Heads of Prisons of States and UTs on Prison Reforms tomorrow

The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir will inaugurate the 5th National Conference of Heads of Prisons of States and UTs on Prison Reforms, here tomorrow. The two-day conference is being organized by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D).

This conference would provide a platform to the stakeholders viz. the correctional administrators in states/UTs to exchange ideas and learn from each others experience. It would also provide them an opportunity to showcase their best practices and innovations. The deliberations among the leading Prison Administrators of the country will present some policy imperatives and suggest measures in improving the quality of correctional services.

The conference will be attended by senior officers heading the Prison departments of States and Union Territories. For the first time, the Superintendents of Jails from Central Jails and District Jails have also been invited to share their views and experiences. The representatives from leading Universities, NGOs, and students of Law and Criminology Departments will be attending the conference for the first time. As such it is expected that more than 125 delegates viz. Senior Prison Officers, Jail Superintendents, NGOs, Academicians, Students etc. will participate in the conference. Their presence would further enrich the deliberations. Their participation will bring in fresh perspective to understand the requirements of the present prison population and their families in terms of humane prison services, reformation and rehabilitation measures and adherence to human rights.

The conference will have important sessions on Rehabilitation / Reintegration of prisoners, Technology for Prisons, Security in Prisons and Best Practices in prisons with special reference to agriculture and industry. This would be followed by Open House discussion in which ideas from the states and new challenges would be discussed and recommendations of the conference shall be finalized.

Leading practitioners, subject experts, academicians, representatives from NGOs will address the delegates on the above issues. A large number of NGOs working in various aspects of Prison Reforms and in prisoners rehabilitation / reintegration will participate in the conference.

Representatives from the Departments of Criminology in many universities have also been invited to participate in the conference.

On September 30, 2016, Ms. Lalitha Kumaramangalam, Chairperson, National Commission of Women (NCW) will deliver the valedictory address. Later in the afternoon, the delegates will visit the Tihar Jail which is the largest prison complex in the country to see the Best Practices and Systems in use there.

On this occasion, a compendium is also being brought out. Best Practices in Prison Management in various States and UTs have been documented in this compendium. Their sharing and recognition will help to motivate the correctional administrators of all ranks. Some of the seminal orders and judgments of the Supreme Court and research studies sponsored by BPR&D have also been compiled to provide a roadmap for improving the correctional services.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has assigned the work related to correctional administration to BPR&D. The charter of functions includes the study of problems affecting prison administration and promotion of research and training in this field. BPR&D has conducted several research and training programmes through State Governments and academic Institutions. It has also undertaken in-house research projects on issues deserving priority attention from the point of view of public policy.

In the field of Correctional Services, BPR&D has organized five All India Prison Duty Meets so far. In the last ten years, BPR&D has sponsored several seminars and conferences and organized 184 courses to train prison officers of various ranks.

In pursuance to this charter of functions, the first All India Conference of Heads of Prison Department was organized in New Delhi in March, 2004 to discuss relevant issues concerning Prison Reforms in the changing scenario and to identify problems being faced by the Correctional Administrators in different parts of the country. The conference was organized with a view to obtain professional feedback from the States on the problems being faced by the Correctional Administrators in managing their prisons and suggest measures for improving the Prison Administration in the country. Since then, three more National Conferences have been organized by the BPR&D and MHA in 2008, 2010, 2013 with these objectives. The conference provides a platform to the functionaries of Prison Administration throughout the country to interact with each other on various issues being faced by them on operational levels and identify priority areas for Prison Reforms.

In the last four conferences, the broad topics that have been discussed include augmentation of Prison Training, Prison Modernization, status of adoption of Model Prison Manual prepared by BPR&D, recommendations of the Draft National Policy on Prisons, prison overcrowding, reducing the number of undertrial prisoners in India, professional development and well-being of prison staff, enactment of Prison Act, public-private partnerships in prisons, human resource management in prisons, classification of prisons and prisoners and research and development in Prison Management.
NDMA observes its 12th Formation Day

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) celebrated its 12th Formation Day at a function here today to reaffirm its commitment to make India disaster resilient.

Delivering the keynote address, Dr. P. K. Mishra, Additional Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, emphasized upon the need to work towards stopping the creation of new risks, reducing existing risks, and strengthening the response and recovery capacities to manage disasters holistically.

Dr. Mishra said disasters may strike with greater intensity in the future owing to various reasons such as climate change. He said that mainstreaming Disaster Management activities in governance projects will determine how well are we able to respond to disasters in future. Dr. Mishra said positive results in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) can only be achieved when particularly the state, district and local governments and community-based organizations come together. He commended the role of NDMA and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in the area of Disaster Management.

Various States shared their experiences in terms of best practices and innovative technologies for disaster preparedness. Lt. Gen. N. C. Marwah (Retd.), Member, NDMA, invited the States to share initiatives so that other States may also benefit from the same.

Assam, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh talked about their Flood Early Warning System and how they deal with this recurring disaster. For dealing with flood-like situations in Yamunanagar district, Haryana has created Whatsapp and SMS groups with all stakeholders and reviews forecast database every day. Maharashtra has developed GIS applications for mapping disasters and advocated the use of technology in mitigating the impact of disasters.

In the wake of excellent post-disaster work done by Gujarat after the 2001 Bhuj earthquake, a memorial - the Smriti Van Memorial - which will be a visual manifestation of hope and courage is also being constructed. Nagaland is one of the first States to form Disaster Management Authorities at the village level.

Rajasthan's Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan is a step forward towards a solution to the water crisis in the arid State. Sikkim shared the mitigation measures that it took to contain the possibility of a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood at the South Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim.

Uttar Pradesh highlighted the implementation of a massive capacity building programme right up to the panchayat level. West Bengal has created a mobile application to monitor the progress of Multi-Purpose Cyclone Shelters, being constructed under NDMA's flagship National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project.

Earlier, the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, inaugurated the event.

Appreciating the work done by NDMA in its efforts to mainstream DRR in the country, Shri Ahir reiterated that the Government was committed to the vision of a safer, stronger and resilient India. India's geographical diversity makes it highly vulnerable to all kinds of disasters. While we have been able to contain the losses and respond swiftly, it is important to work even more diligently towards mitigating the impact of disasters, he said.

The Minister also called upon the States and all the stakeholders to make the forthcoming Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) 2016 a success. We must leverage this opportunity to showcase India's capability in DRR and its resolve to take the region along towards improved disaster resilience, he said.

India is hosting the AMCDRR, a regional mechanism that has been instrumental in strengthening the DRR agenda at all levels of governance, on November 3-5, 2016 in New Delhi.

In his welcome address, Shri R. K. Jain, Member, NDMA, recounted the achievements of NDMA during the last one year. He spoke about India's first National Disaster Management Plan, released by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in June this year. India also hosted the first South Asian Annual Disaster Management Exercise (SAADMEx) for disaster managers and leaders from SAARC countries in 2015. The second BRICS Conference on Disaster Management, which led to the Udaipur Declaration and the roadmap to a Joint Action Plan, was held at Udaipur, Rajasthan in August this year.

NDMA has released Guidelines on School Safety, Hospital Safety and Minimum Standards for Shelter, Food, Water, Sanitation and Medical Cover in Relief Camps. The Authority worked closely with the States in mitigating the impact of Heat Wave and the number of casualties came down drastically in 2016. NDMA is also working on developing an Earthquake Disaster Risk Index for 50 identified vulnerable cities. A Home Owners' Guide, which will help the common man make informed decisions when buying a property, is also being prepared. A failsafe communication system with advanced technology and equipment is also being developed. The National Disaster Management Services, which will connect all the State Headquarters and another 80 vulnerable districts in its first phase, will keep the communication lines open even during a disaster.

Shri Jain also underlined the risk of urban floods, as was evident in the case of Chennai floods last year. He informed that while the Authority has already shared the short-term measures and advisories with the States, it is working towards developing long-term mitigation measures for urban floods.

A special issue of NDMA's newsletter 'Samvad' was also released on the occasion. Senior officials of MHA, NDMA and NDRF as well as representatives from various States, Non Governmental Organisations and academic institutions were also present during the function. India is aiming to shape its governance narrative by weaving DRR into its agenda. The upcoming AMCDRR will bring issues related to DRR into focus. This increased focus will mean better preparedness and reduced vulnerabilities across regions and sectors.
Raksha Mantri Inaugurates 35th Coast Guard Commanders Conference

Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar, inaugurated the 35th Coast Guard Commanders Conference at Coast Guard Headquarters here today. Speaking on the occasion, the Defence Minister appreciated the efforts of the ICG in augmenting Maritime and Coastal security not only by deployment of assets but also by efficient exploitation of Coastal Security Network Phase I and expressed hope that CSN Phase II would also be implemented on time. Due to current security scenario, he exhorted ICG to further bolster Coastal Security mechanism by increasing patrolling so as to avoid infiltration by anti-national elements through Sea.

While complimenting the officers and men of the Indian Coast Guard for displaying utmost dedication and professionalism in discharging their duties to endow credible maritime safety and security, the Honble RM stated that the Coast Guard since inception has rendered yeoman service to the sea farers by ensuring their safety and security.

He also congratulated the ICG on their protracted efforts with Pakistan and Sri Lankan security agencies which resulted in reduced apprehension of Indian fishing boats. He was also glad to know that no Indian fishermen is under detention at Sri Lanka and requested ICG to also negotiate release of detained Indian fishing boats.

The Defence Minister promised all assistance of the Ministry of Defence for cases relating to the operational efficiency and those pertaining to the growth of the service, be it the manpower or new acquisitions.

He welcomed the endeavour of the ICG to promote inclusiveness of all ranks by way of conduct of the Sub-ordinate officers Conference and efforts at realising the Make in India" policy of the Govt. of India by ordering indigenous ships to strengthen the fleet. He wished the Coast Guard Commanders Conference a grand success and meaningful deliberations.

The conference was attended by senior officers of the Ministry of Defence and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) which included the Director General Rajendra Singh, Additional Director Generals and Coast Guard Regional Commanders. The conference is held annually, where all regional commanders put forth the roadmap for future; discuss various policy and strategic issues. The three-days conference aims to carve out a futuristic vision for the service and to determine the modalities to overcome the challenges efficiently.

DM/RAJ
approved a massive $27 billion (Canadian $36 billion) project by Malaysia's Petronas to build a liquefied natural gas pipeline along its Pacific Northwest coast, targeting Asian markets.

The project is the first deal by Canada's year-old Liberal government that goes against environmentalists in the name of the country's economic interests. Environmental activists and indigenous groups have opposed the plans.

"The government approved the Pacific Northwest LNG project," said Environment Minister Catherine McKenna.

"As the prime minister has emphasised, the only way to get resources to market in the 21st century is if it is done sustainably and responsibly. Today's announcement reflects this commitment," she said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has repeatedly said that the economy and environment should be pursued in parallel, without sacrificing one for the other.

The project includes a pipeline and two Petronas terminals to ship gas to Asia.

The gas terminals are to be built on Lelu Island, near Prince Rupert on the Pacific coast. Each will have a capacity of six million tons per year, with the possibility of adding a third down the road.

The pipeline built by the operator TransCanada must cross 900 kilometers of British Columbia between Hudson's Hope (about 400 kilometers or 250 miles north of Prince George), ending at Lelu Island.

The pipeline deal comes after Petronas in late 2012 snapped up Canada's Progress Energy Resources gas producer for $5.2 billion.

Environmental groups worry the pollution created will worsen global warming.

"How can Prime Minister Trudeau claim to be a climate leader on the stage, while approving this new project that will become the single largest source of climate pollution in the country," said Karen Mahon, national director of Stand.

"Honestly we expected better," she said. "This government cannot make decisions like this while honouring their promises on climate change."

Meanwhile, many members of Canada's First Nations  indigenous people whose ancestors lived off the land gently for thousands of years  are concerned about potential sullying of fishing waters.

The deal means heavy LNG traffic through a maze of islands where salmon is a vital resource.

However, were upbeat about job opportunities.

The green light for the pipeline project comes a few weeks after a key meeting between federal and provincial governments to define the necessary steps to reduce carbon emissions under last year's Paris climate agreement.
presented an "extraordinary contrast" during the first presidential debate against Hillary Clinton and came out with candour, his running mate Mike Pence claimed today after the Republican nominee was declared struggling against the Democrat by the US media.

" came out with candour, with forcefulness. He took command of that stage. He answered the questions. That in the contrast of kind of an avalanche of personal insults from Hillary Clinton that must have been designed to elicit something from that they believed to be there but just simply isn't," Pence, the Indiana Governor, told CNN.

Refuting the general impression of the mainstream media that Clinton emerged as the winner during the debate, Pence said Trump showed that he's got the leadership qualities and the temperament to be a great president of the United States.

"I think the American people saw in Donald Trump the kind of leadership and the kind of clarity and candour that's created the tremendous momentum in this campaign," he said.

The 90-minute clash, watched by an expected television audience of up to 100 million, saw the 68-year-old former secretary of state and the 70-year-old billionaire taking the stage together for the first time ahead of November 8 polls.

According to him, Trump presented an "extraordinary contrast" against Clinton.

"I wholly agree with Donald Trump's view about TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership)," he said.

"Now, (Clinton) has changed her view of that. But Donald Trump and I both believe what we ought to do is, let's expand trade in the Asian Pacific rim, but let's do it one at a time with one country at a time so we can hold them accountable to the promises that they make," Pence said.

Pence also refuted allegations against Trump on climate change. "What Donald Trump said was a hoax is that bureaucrats in Washington DC can control the climate of the Earth. And the reality is that this climate change agenda that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton continue to expand is killing jobs in this country," he said.

"There's no question that the activities that take place in this country and in countries around the world have some impact on the environment and some impact on climate. But Donald Trump and I say, let's follow the science, but for heaven's sakes, let's not go rushing into the kind of restrictions on our economy that are putting Americans out of work, and frankly are driving jobs out of this country," Pence said.
India and Nigeria have held discussions on the perception, exchange of information or intelligence related to terrorism and have agreed, if at all, to evolve joint action to counter this ever looming threat.

Briefing the media over delegation-level talks between Vice President M Hamid Ansari and his Nigerian counterpart Yemi Osinbajo here on Tuesday, Secretary, Economic Relations (ER), Ministry of External Affairs, Amar Sinha said, "Terrorism, of course, was a common theme and, of course, with a difference that Nigeria has been lucky that it has got collaborations and cooperation from all its neighbours unlike ours, where one of our neighbours seems to become a source for a lot of terrorist activities that happen in India."

"The discussion on terrorism took place around the perception, exchange of information or intelligence and, the joint action that could be taken, if at all," said Sinha.

"Nigeria is acting together with its neighbours and they are quite effectively reducing the space that the Boko Haram had occupied here before," he added.

On the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Sinha said, "India says Nigeria is an influential member of the OIC and its needs to speak up, like all other members need to speak up at the OIC, so that the entire agenda and discourse are not hijacked by the one interested party, and since it is through consensus, if even one of them spoke up, you would have more balanced statements coming out of the OIC, especially on Jammu and Kashmir."

"And, of course, we also made the point that the OIC; we don't see that they have a locus standi in Jammu and Kashmir," he added.

When asked about the mention of the Uri terror attack during the talks, he said, "We apprised them of the Uri terror attack; whereas soon after the attack, on September 19, they met the acting High Commissioner in Delhi. So, I think, on behalf of the government, they have already condemned it."

Vice President Ansari is on a five-day official visit to Nigeria and Mali as part of efforts to bolster New Delhi's ties with both West African nations.

The historic State visit to Nigeria by then prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh in October 2007 after a gap of over forty five years elevated the strategic partnership.

Nigeria is India's largest trading partner in Africa with the bilateral trade amounting to $12.6 billion in 2015-16.

India is also the largest buyer of crude oil from Nigeria, and more than 100 Indian companies have a large presence there as well as both the countries have strong defence cooperation.

On the second leg of his trip, the Vice President will reach Mali on September 29 for the first ever high-level visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Modibo Keita.
With speculations rife of India abrogating the Indus Water Treaty (1960) with Pakistan, Islamabad has taken its case to the World Bank, urging it to stop New Delhi from making illegal constructions on the Neelum and Chenab rivers.

According to the Dawn, an official statement issued by the Embassy in Washington on Tuesday said, "In the meeting with the Pakistani delegation, the World Bank committed itself to timely fulfilling its obligations under the treaty while remaining neutral."

Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali-led Pakistani delegation met senior World Bank officials at its headquarters in Washington to discuss Pakistan's recent request for arbitration under Article IX of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), 1960.

The Article IX of the treaty deals with arbitration of disputes between the parties concerning the interpretation or application of the treaty or the existence of any fact which, if established, might constitute a breach of the treaty.

The World Bank was also reminded by that the treaty gives the bank an important role in establishing a court of arbitration by facilitating the process of appointment of three judges, called Umpires, to the Court. Both the countries can appoint two arbitrators.

The Pakistani delegation, in its meetings with World Bank officials, insisted on early appointment of the judges and setting up the court.

The Pakistani delegation consisted, besides the attorney general, of Water and Power secretary Muhammad Younus Dagha; Pakistan's Commissioner for Indus Water Mirza Asif Baig; and Joint Secretary (Water) Ahmad Irfan Aslam and Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Jalil Abbas Jilani and World Bank's Executive Director for Nasir Khosa.

The officials representing the World Bank were Senior Vice President Anne-Marie LeRoy, Vice President for South Asia Annette Dixon, Deputy General Counsel for Operations Alberto Ninio, Chief Counsel for South Asia Melinda Good and Senior Counsel for Waterways Victor Mosoti.

Meanwhile, Adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has warned India that if it revokes the Indus Water Treaty, Islamabad would treat it as "an act of war", adding that such a step would "provide China a justification to consider the suspension of waters of the Brahmaputra River".

Speaking at the National Assembly, Aziz on Tuesday said the Indian act can be taken as a breach of peace, which will give Islamabad a good reason to approach the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

"Its revocation can be taken as an act of war, or a hostile act against Pakistan. It is highly irresponsible on the part of India to even consider revocation of the Indus Water Treaty. Unilateral revocation of IWT can pose a threat to Pakistan and its economy. This Indian act can be taken as a breach of peace, and hence, will give Pakistan a good reason to approach the UNSC," Aziz said.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met with officials to review provisions of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan.

New Delhi ruled out cancelling the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan but is looking for ways of increasing its use of waters that flow from India but are controlled by Pakistan.

The treaty was inked in 1960 by the India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and then Pakistan President Ayub Khan, which allocates 80 per cent of water to Pakistan from the six-river Indus Water System, including Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum that flows from India to Pakistan.

The treaty, brokered by the World Bank, is often considered to be one-sided and there has been growing clamour to relook at it. The pact has survived wars and phases of frosty ties between India and Pakistan.

According to reports, India currently generates about 3,000 megawatts of energy from hydropower plants along rivers in Kashmir, but believes the region has the potential to produce 18,000 megawatts.
Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan have pulled out of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (Saarc) Summit to be hosted by Islamabad in November.
Mourning the death of former Israeli president Shimon Peres, US President Barack Obama on Wednesday called him "the essence of Israel itself" and said a light has gone out, but the hope he gave will burn forever.

"I will always be grateful that I was able to call Shimon my friend," Obama said in a statement.

"A light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever. was a soldier for Israel, for the Jewish people, for justice, for peace, and for the belief that we can be true to our best selves - to the very end of our time on Earth, and in the legacy that we leave to others," Obama said.

"There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves. My friend Shimon was one of those people," he said.

Peres, 93, died early on Wednesday in his sleep after suffering a massive stroke on September 14.

"He brought young people from around the world together because he knew they could carry us closer to our ideals of justice and equality," Obama said.

"Shimon was the essence of Israel itself - the courage of Israel's fight for independence, the optimism he shared with his wife Sonya as they helped make the desert bloom, and the perseverance that led him to serve his nation in virtually every position in government across the entire life of the State of Israel," he said.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said Peres a founding father of Israel was one of the world's greatest statesmen and peacemakers.

"President was a universally respected leader, a courageous visionary, and a true hero who leaves a towering legacy in service of justice and peace," she said.

Peres was a visionary who helped create a home for his people, said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

"The world has lost a true legend and statesman. was a gift to the country he helped establish and lead, and a persistent voice for the cause of peace," said the House Speaker, Paul Ryan.

In a statement, American Israel Public Affairs Committee said Peres was a visionary Israeli patriot and beloved statesman who came to symbolise the reborn Jewish state.

"He sought to realise the ancient Jewish yearning for peace where there was strife and pursued reconciliation amidst discord. As an indefatigable advocate for justice and human progress, he earned the respect and appreciation of his fellow leaders and the global community," it said.
Unlike the previous years when large-caps were ruling the roost, the last 12-15 months have not been great going for blue chips. The S&P BSE Sensex for the 12-month period ending June 2016 eroded shareholder wealth as it fell 3.6 per cent. While the performance across market caps were volatile, falling in the first eight months of the period and registering a sharp recovery thereon, small and mid-caps outperformed their larger peers. For 12 months ending June 2016, the BSE mid and small-caps indices made investors richer by 5 and 8 per cent, respectively, as compared to the negative returns of the large-caps. The outperformance continued even after the market rally from the end of February. The Sensex fell 18 per cent from June last year to February this year while the small caps were down 15 per cent during this period.
Ever since the capital market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) introduced direct plans for mutual fund investments, there has been a substantial uptick in transactions through this route, given the cost savings.
created history on Wednesday by being the first publicly held private company to touch Rs 50,000 a share on the bourses. At Wednesdays closing price of Rs 49,734.45 on the BSE, one share of was worth 16 g of gold (priced around Rs 31,135 per 10 g).
Political risk is now taking front stage as the US elections draw closer. Going by global market movements, Hillary Clinton is seen as the preferred candidate. In addition to Trump Vs Clinton, Indian investors are focussed on several local macro-economic events and data.
Starting October 1, the price of administered will fall from $3.06 per mmBtu (million British thermal unit) to an estimated $2.5 to $2.7, benefitting companies such as Indraprastha Gas and Mahanagar Gas as well as gas consumers. Internationally, too, gas prices have been running low, benefitting importers such as India. Prices are likely to remain soft, at least for the near future.
Actor turned entrepreneur Suniel Shetty backed men's grooming brand Beardo raises seed funding of USD 500k from Venture Catalysts.

The investment round was led by Raj Vazirani - RHV enterprise, Siddharth Somaiya of Godavari Biorefineries and Somaiya Group, Rohit Parakh - Diector, Touchstone Services, CA Anuj Golecha and Dr Apoorv Ranjan Sharma Co-Founders, Venture Catalysts and many other experts from the FMCG space.

Ahmedabad headquartered Beardo was founded in October 2015 by Ashutosh Valani and Priyank Shah.

Today men's grooming industry targets over 25 million users with a market size worth almost '6000 crore. Understanding this need to introduce products that specially cater to taking care of one's beard, body and looks, Beardo was born after eight months of extensive research and founder's experience.

Beardo, men's personal care and grooming brand began with just beard oils and today their range includes beard washes, beard balm, beard and hair growth oil, serum, face washes, beard and hair wax, soaps, beard combs and many more.

Beardo's provides wide personal hair and body care offerings. They market product under two category Beardo and Beardo Lite (Premium brand). It is currently top selling brand in men's grooming category on India's top e-commerce sites: Flipkart, Amazon, Snapdeal and Nykaa.

They are clocking around 500 orders per day.

It has also forayed its presence in 200 salons across Ahmedabad, Pune, Mumbai, Surat and Delhi. In just the 10 months of its operations, it has crossed the GMV of Rs. 120 lakh per month. Source of revenue generation mainly comes from online and distributors, online sales and salon sales.

The company has also successfully roped in Suniel Shetty, a veteran actor as a brand ambassador. The experience of an actor in the growth of this will certainly contribute extensively.

"Raising funds from Venture Catalysts will certainly help our to expand our reach offline and upgrade logistics and infrastructural needs. Besides infusing funds, VCats have been tremendously co-operative in providing mentorship, quick evaluation and super quick decisions," said Co-founder Beardo, Ashutosh Valani.

"We feel Beardo is tapping the highly emerging Indian men's grooming space. This space has recently created lot of buzz in the industry. Talented and experienced founders of Beardo are building awesome while keeping in mind the product's quality, margins, distribution and expansion reach," said Co-founder Venture Catalysts, Dr. Apoorv Sharma.

When asked Suneil Shetty, what enticed him to associate with the brand he added, "I personally prefer to associate with brands that I can vouch for and Beardo is one such brand. The men's grooming industry is currently booming and I am extremely thrilled to play an active role in influencing this revolution.

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As tensions mount between India and Pakistan following the recent terrorist attack in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir in which 18 Indian soldiers were killed, China on Wednesday called on both the arch-rivals to solve their differences over Kashmir.

"[China] hopes that Pakistan and India will strengthen channels for dialogue, appropriately handle any differences, improve bilateral relations and together protect the region's peace and stability", the Dawn quoted China's deputy foreign minister, Liu Zhenmin as saying.

Liu made the remarks to Pakistan's special envoys to China for Kashmir and said that Beijing values Islamabad's position on Kashmir.

Beijing has long been a strong diplomatic, military and economic supporter of Pakistan and their relationship is also touted as "all-weather friends".

Tensions between India and Pakistan rose after New Delhi cancelled its attendance to the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit, scheduled to take place in November in Islamabad.

Adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz had yesterday told the Senate that revocation of the Indus Waters Treaty by India "can be taken as an act of war" again Islamabad.

China had earlier assured in unequivocal terms its support in case of any foreign aggression and said that it supports Pakistan's stance on the Kashmir issue.

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An international criminal investigation on Wednesday said that the Buk missile which shot down the MH17 aircraft, was brought into Ukraine from Russia and fired from a village under the control of pro-Russian rebels.

The Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT) at a press conference in Nieuwegein, Netherlands said there was "irrefutable evidence" that a Buk 9M38 missile downed Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 in which all 298 people on board were killed, reports the Guardian.

The findings were immediately dismissed by Russia.

Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's press spokesman said, "Whole story is unfortunately surrounded by a huge amount of speculation and unqualified, unprofessional information."

However, the investigators - who include representatives from Australia, Malaysia, Ukraine, and Belgium - said their conclusions were based on a wealth of supporting evidence which included forensic examinations, witness statements, satellite images, radar data, and intercepted telephone calls.

The investigation found that the missile was fired from an arable field 6km south of the town of Snizhne. The area was under the control of pro-Russian fighters.

The investigation also found that the Buk came from Russian territory into eastern Ukraine and was later transported on a white Volvo truck and around 100 people have been identified who can be linked to the downing of MH17.

The investigators are now examining who gave the order to smuggle the Buk system into Ukraine and who ordered to shoot down MH17.

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The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday gave its approval to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field of Industrial Property Cooperation between Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), Ministry of Law, Government of Singapore.

The MoU will be signed at the upcoming visit of Singapore's Prime Minister to India from 4-7 October.

The MoU will enhance bilateral cooperation activities in the arena of Industrial Property Rights of Patents, Trademarks and Industrial Designs. It is intended to give a boost to innovation, creativity and technological advancement in both regions. The Priority initiatives under the MoU would be:

-Exchange of best practices, experiences and knowledge on Intellectual Property awareness among the public, businesses and educational institutions of both countries.

-Exchange of experts specialized in the field of intellectual property.

-Exchange and dissemination of best practices, experiences and knowledge on IP with the industry, universities, R & D organizations and Small and Medium Enterprises.

-Cooperation in the development of automation and implementation of modernization projects

-Partnership in IP-related training for local IP and business communities.

The MoU will enable India to exchange experiences in the innovation and IP ecosystems that will substantially benefit entrepreneurs, investor and businesses on both sides.

The exchange of best practices between the two countries will lead to improved protection and awareness about India's range of Intellectual creations which are as diverse as its people.

It will be a landmark step forward in India's journey towards becoming a major player in global innovation and will further the objectives of the IPR Policy, 2016.

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The Youth Congress organized a protest in front of Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar's official residence yesterday evening against his alleged of anti-India remark.

The protesters raising slogans against Sarkar termed him agent of China and demanded his arrested immediately with the intervention of the Union Home Ministry.

Youth Congress leader Baptu Chakraborty who lead the protest said, "In the conclave our Chief Minister had given anti-India statement in front of foreigners and held back the image of India. His remark is totally unconstitutional and we demand that the Home Ministry of India take step and immediately arrest the Chief Minister for his anti-India statement."

The Chief Minister recently during a connectivity summit here in presence of a Bangladesh Minister and other foreign delegates had allegedly said that India is playing a big brotherly attitude with its neighouring nations.

Last Friday, the opposition Trinamool Congress (TMC) walked out of the Tripura Assembly protested and demanded withdrawal of the alleged derogatory remark against the country by Sarkar.

TMC lawmaker Sudip Roy Barman alleged that Sarkar is echoing the voice of Pakistan.

Barman said that Sarkar's remark in present of an international delegation especially at such a volatile time, when India is raising it voice against Pakistan at the UN after the recent killing of the 18 troopers at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir, is not only detrimental to the interest of the nation but also unconstitutional on the part of a Chief Minister of a state.

However, the Chief Minister made it clear that he shall stick to his remark and being an Indian, he has every right to suggest the government of India.

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Retorting to the ultimatum issued by Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) that it would push out Pakistani actors if they do not leave on their own, Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan on Wednesday downplayed the challenge thrown by the former and said that film industry is open for world's talent.

Khan said that it for the government to decide who should be allowed to work or not.

"The film industry is open for the world's talent, especially across borders. The government has to decide these things. We are artists, so we will talk about love and peace but the government should make laws and decide who is allowed to work and who isn't," said Khan.

Days after 18 soldiers were martyred in the terror strike at Uri, the MNS had issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Pakistani actors and artistes to leave India by September 25 or else they would be "pushed out".

Post the threats, Fawad Khan, who is currently in Pakistan attending to his wife Sadaf who is pregnant with their second child, is unlikely to return to India anytime soon following the threats by the MNS.

Veteran actor Anupam Kher has also urged for condemnation from the side of Pakistani actors and said that it is important for them to castigate the Uri attack.

Kher said that it is important for them to say, "I condemn the unfortunate massacre of Indian soldiers".

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HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company, India's leading non-life insurer, organized a novel quiz competition, the HDFC ERGO Insurance Awareness Award Junior - Quiz, for the school students of Mumbai.

The quiz, conducted on the 14th Foundation Day of HDFC ERGO, is a first-of-its-kind, which witnessed G. D. Somani Memorial School emerge as the winner to bag the prize with Rs. 150,000 and Smt. Sulochanadevi Singhania School claiming the title of first runner ups to take home prizes worth Rs. 75,000.

TheHDFC ERGO Insurance Awareness Award Junior - Quiz is a learning initiative to develop the skillset of insurance among the school students and prepare them with the responsibility to manage the unforeseen risks of the future.

The penetration of general insurance in India is about 0.7 percent only, as against the world average of 2.77 percent. Given the low penetration, in any catastrophic event, the insurance losses are only in the range of approximately seven percent of the total economic losses.

This low penetration causes major hardship in any rehabilitation effort. This is largely due to the very low awareness about insurance and insurance products. Therefore, taking a step forward, we have reached out to the young minds, who are the future of India, through the HDFC ERGO Insurance Awareness Award Junior - Quiz.

The idea of the quiz is to build the awareness on insurance in the form of a challenge that would make it fun and easy for the students to understand.

The quiz was structured in two rounds - the semi-final elimination round, wherein 18 schools participated, and the grand finale.

Fighting their way through the semi-final round, 4 teams paved their way to the finals to claim the title of the first edition of the HDFC ERGO Insurance Awareness Award Junior - Quiz 2016.

Talking about the HDFC ERGO Insurance Awareness Award Junior - Quiz, Mr. Deepak Parekh, Chairman, HDFC Ltd. & HDFC ERGO General Insurance said, "Given that today's generation is inquisitive and open to explore complex concepts, we believe knowledge of insurance can be imbibed by school students of standard 8th& 9th. The HDFC ERGO Insurance Awareness Award Junior - Quiz is an innovative initiative, designed to help students understand the concept of risks and insurance in an exciting and engaging manner at an early stage in life. It was an overwhelming experience to witness this battle of wits amongst the young and bright minds."

Speaking at the Grand Finale of the HDFC ERGO Insurance Awareness Award Junior - Quiz, Mr. Ritesh Kumar, Managing Director & CEO, HDFC ERGO General Insurance said, "It is our constant endeavor to be a knowledge centric organization and contribute in the "Insurance Awareness Drive". Hence, we took a step forward and reached out to the young minds in renowned schools of Mumbai through our new initiative "HDFC ERGO Insurance Awareness Award Junior - Quiz". We aspire to inculcate the insurance knowledge amongst the young generation. We are glad to receive an overwhelming response from schools and this has encouraged us to scale up the ambit of this initiative to pan India for next year."

The quiz was held in phases; wherein the best schools in Mumbai were invited to nominate a team of three students for the preliminary rounds in the first phase. As part of this phase, Insurance Awareness townhalls were conducted by HDFC ERGO representatives, at the participating schools, explaining the concept of Insurance. The students were also provided booklets on Insurance to help them understand the topic in greater detail, during the townhalls. After a rigorous screening process, 18 schools were qualified for the semi-finals. These 18 schools had to slug it out in an exciting semi-final round, held on 18th September 2016 at the company's headquarters, of which four schools (Smt. Sulochanadevi Singhania School; Villa Theresa High School; G.D Somani Memorial School; S.I.E.S. High School) made it to the finals.

The grand finale was hosted on 27th September 2016, commemorating the Foundation Day of HDFC ERGO. The grand finale was full of action with three engaging, entertaining and nail-biting rounds of quizzing, which included straight question rounds and the buzzer rounds. Each team put up a whole hearted effort but G. D. Somani Memorial School won the first prize with a reward of Rs.1,50,000 as prize money, with each participating student claiming Rs. 50,000 and the school receiving a sum of Rs 50,000 in donation as token of goodwill from HDFC ERGO. Smt. Sulochanadevi Singhania School, took the title of first runners up by a close margin to take home the reward of Rs 75,000, with each participant claiming Rs 25,000 and a sum of Rs 25,000 as donation for the school.

While the winning team & runner up teams were rewarded with prize money and huge recognition, the winning moment was the fact that this initiative was a huge success!

Enthused with the overwhelming response to the first ever HDFC ERGO Insurance Awareness Award Junior amongst schools in Mumbai, HDFC ERGO is geared up to take this "PAN INDIA" in the next year.

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Former foreign secretary Lalit Mansingh on Wednesday said that India withdrawing Most Favored Nation (MFN) from Pakistan will be a very big humiliation for Islamabad.

Singh said by repealing MFN status, India is trying to pressurize Pakistan.

"This is part of India's effort to put pressure on Pakistan through political diplomatic means. It doesn't make any difference to India-Pakistan trade, because the trade is so limited, but symbolically, it means that Pakistan being one of the few countries with MFN from India, and its withdrawal, that in itself will be a big humiliation for Pakistan," Singh told ANI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting on Thursday in which the 'Most Favoured Nation' status granted to Pakistan will be reviewed. Post Uri terror attack, India will now decide whether to withdraw the status to that country.

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Salwan Media Ventures announces its sixth edition of the One Globe Forum to be hosted on February 10 and 11, 2017 at New Delhi's iconic Imperial Hotel.

With a vision to transform India and South Asia into a 21st century knowledge economy, the Forum will focus on the progress made in Digital India, Make in India, Smart Cities, Entrepreneurship and Skill India initiatives by the Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.

Since 2012, the One Globe Forum has brought together more than 1400 global thought leaders from over 25 countries. These include senior government ministers and bureaucrats, decision makers from the corporate sector, multilateral organizations, private equity, industry associations, entrepreneurs, NGOs, educators and academia.

With a mix of fast-paced keynote sessions, panel discussions, spotlight sessions and fireside chats, the Forum brings out actionable insights and shared learning's to help replicate success mantras from within India and globally to create a knowledge economy.

The Forum will also feature the One Globe Awards to recognize and honour individuals as well as domestic and international companies for their contributions and endeavors in building a 21st century knowledge economy through their initiatives in digital economy, research and development, smart cities, entrepreneurship and social impact.

BrainGain Magazine, the leading online study abroad magazine in India and South Asia, will also host a breakfast roundtable for school principals and an education fair for foreign universities to directly engage with students from top schools in Delhi NCR, their parents and young professionals wanting to study abroad.

"The One Globe Forum holistically views education, skills, technology, innovation, smart cities, entrepreneurship, healthcare and security as some of the key elements for building a true knowledge economy. Data from the UN and World Bank highlight that India and South Asia still rank far behind in addressing issues such as human development, poverty and adult literacy," said Founder and CEO Salwan Media Ventures, Harjiv Singh.

"One Globe Forum brings together thought leaders to share the best practices and experiences from around the world and debate on how we can address these issues and also tap into the South Asian region's phenomenal potential that will be realized in this century," added Singh.

The corporate world speakers include Adobe, Air Asia, Archie Comics Publications, Cambridge Technology Inc., Cisco, Coursera, Ericsson, DataWind, Facebook, Fortis Healthcare, IGATE, McKinsey, Microsoft, MLS Chase, Oracle amongst others.

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Smokeless Tobacco Federation of India which is an association established in order to promote and protect the trade, commerce and industries in India connected with tobacco and allied products have contradicted the report in some newspaper which suggested that the Supreme Court vide its order dated 23.09.2016 has banned chewing tobacco in all forms.

Since the last two days, the Association and its members have been encountering various newspaper reports with respect to the order passed by the Supreme Court of India, dated 23.09.2016, clamming ban of all kinds of 'Chewing Tobacco'. This is to clarify that the said reports, misinterpreting the Hon'ble Supreme Court's order, are blatantly erroneous and misleading and does not give the true picture.

Supreme Court vide its order dated 23.09.2016 has stated the following;

"In view of the above, the concerned statutory authorities are directed to comply with the above mandate of law. We also direct the Secretaries, Health Department of all the States and Union Territories to file their affidavits before the next date of hearing on the issue of total compliance of the ban imposed on manufacturing and sale of Gutkha and Pan Masala with tobacco and/or nicotine."

From the above, it is amply clear that the Hon'ble Court has repeated its earlier directions dated 03.04.2013 directing the Secretaries, Health Department of all States & Union Territories to file their affidavits before next date of hearing (09.11.2016) on the issue of total compliance of the ban imposed on manufacturing and sale of Gutkha which is Pan Masala containing Tobacco and/or Nicotine.

There is no ban on Chewing Tobacco, Cigarette or Beedi by Supreme Court. A copy of the order, which is available on the website of the Supreme Court of India is also enclosed for your kind reference. In view of the above, the Association feels that all such misleading statements/reports should be withdrawn immediately and there is no further misapplication and misinterpretation of the Supreme Court's order.

According to a Global Adult Tobacco Survey conducted by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently, it is estimated that out of 10 lacs tobacco attributable deaths 9.30 lacs deaths are due to smoking. Further, 25 percent of TB deaths in India is attributed to smoking and Smoking undoubtedly is a major cause of Oral and Lung Cancer. Additionally, 60000 people die annually due to passive smoking in India.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tribute to Shaheed Bhagat Singh on his 109th birth anniversary.

"I bow to the courageous Shaheed Bhagat Singh on his birth anniversary. He has left an indelible mark on India's history through his bravery", the Prime Minister said.

Bhagat Singh was an Indian socialist involved in revolutionary activities against the British Raj. He studied European revolutionary movements as a teenager and was attracted to anarchist and Marxist ideologies. He worked with several revolutionary organisations and became prominent in the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA), which changed its name to the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) in 1928.

Seeking revenge for the death of freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai, Singh assassinated John Saunders, a British police officer.

He eluded efforts by the police to capture him. Soon after, he and Batukeshwar Dutt threw two bombs and leaflets inside the Central Legislative Assembly, and offered themselves for arrest.

Held in jail on a charge of murder, he gained widespread support when he undertook an 116-day hunger strike demanding equal rights for European prisoners, and those Indians imprisoned for what he believed were political reasons.

During this period, sufficient evidence was brought against him for a conviction in the Saunders case after trial by Special Tribunal, and an appeal to the Privy Council in England.

He was convicted and hanged in Lahore at the age of 23.

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With four of the eight South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations deciding to boycott the November summit in Islamabad, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem on Wednesday said the prevailing situation was not conducive for holding a successful meeting, especially after the Uri terror attack.

Muazzem told ANI, "Even before the Uri attack, Bangladesh did not take part at the ministerial level in both home and finance minister's conference. So, it was almost a fore grown conclusion that our Prime Minister may not attend the SAARC summit in Pakistan. But, we still have kept our options open. But after the Uri attack, the situation as it prevails in the region, we believe is not conducive towards holding a successful SAARC summit. We have to defer the SAARC summit for a better time when peace and tranquillity will be restored in the region."

Asserting that Bangladesh did not take part in SAARC Home Ministers and Finance Ministers conference, Muazzem said they had merely tried to indicate that Pakistan has been interfering in all internal affairs of its neighbours.

"Pakistan has interfered in terms of our judicial decisions as well as the executive order those relating to the trail of war communists. Pakistani envoy was regularly called to our ministry and we had expressed that they should not meddle, but they have continued. Bangladesh also believes that Pakistan has continued to assist and aide the home-grown terrorists, who from time to tie create problems. Pakistan has been asked time and again to desist from doing such an act, but I believe we still continue to differ from this," he added.

Holding Pakistan responsible for creating an un-conducive situation for holding the summit at this stage, Muazzem said, "SAARC basically tries to promote regional cooperation and we can promote cooperation when we are at peace with each other. Bangladesh has never harboured terrorists."

Muazzem said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took a very firm decision on this and she had promised that Bangladeshi territory would never be used for launching any attack against any of the neighbouring countries, adding that she had been very steadfast in the implementation of this.

Asserting that Bangladesh would like to continue with the SAARC process, Muazzem expressed hope that there would be a change in the Pakistani mindset and they would come back to the path of cooperation, instead of confrontation.

"We want the same pledge from other member countries. Pakistan has continued to interfere in the internal affairs. I didn't see the interference from any other member countries. Basically, I don't want to jump to a final conclusion at this stage, but as you know, we have tried to side by side promoted sub-regional cooperation...Bangladesh, India, Bhutan and Nepal, so far our sub-region is concerned," he added.

Dubbing the non-participation of four SAARC members from the summit as a 'setback', Muazzem said Bangladesh would like to include Pakistan in order to promote regional harmony and cooperation.

"We would also like them to follow the path of peace and tranquillity. We have communicated this to the SAARC chairman, who will take the final decision. As per the charter of the SAARC, it requests the presence of all heads of states and government to be present at the SAARC summit because all decisions are taken on the basis of unanimity. So, when four-member countries are not going to take part in the SAARC summit, obviously the SAARCS summit cannot take place in Pakistan," he added.

While pointing out that there had been postponement of the SAARC in the past as well, the Bangladesh High Commissioner to India said on each occasion, SAARC has decided to restore the situation and then it was possible to hold the summit.

"So, we are hopeful that we will be able to restore peace in our region and we will be able to hold the SAARC summit soon," he said.

Reacting on Pakistan's interference in the judicial matters of Bangladesh and supporting the home-grown terrorists, Muazzem said, "The war criminals who were tried in the Bangladeshi courts...we had a war crime tribunal and they were given the full opportunity to defend themselves. The tribunals also had the provision for an appeal by the normal Supreme Court review committee. Then it went through the process of clemency and eventually their execution."

He said the war crimes tribunal process was transparent in accordance with its own Constitution.

"Pakistan has continued to question the trial procedure as well as the impartiality of the tribunal, which we construe as nothing but interference in our internal affairs, because courts are completely free and independent of an executive or any other branch.Basically we have seen during 2013 and 2014 that a lot of home-grown terrorists who were throwing these cocktail bombs, we have reasons to believe they have got supply routes from Pakistan," he added.

After India said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be going to Islamabad to attend the 19th SAARC Summit, scheduled to take place in November, Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh have also pulled out of the meet.

The SAARC summit cannot take place even if one of the eight members withdraws.

India yesterday announced that it would not attend the summit conveying the current SAARC Chair Nepal that in the prevailing circumstances, the Government of India is unable to participate in the proposed Summit.

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President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday condoled the passing away of former president of Israel Shimon Peres.

In a message to His Excellency Reuven Rivlin, the President of State of Israel, President Mukherjee said, "I was deeply saddened to learn of the demise of Mr. Shimon Peres, former President of the State of Israel. Please accept my heartfelt condolences.

The President said in his passing, Israel has lost a statesman who made courageous efforts to achieve peace for his country and the region.

"The worldwide admiration and accolades that he received for his work - including the Noble Peace Prize, are a testimony to the values that he stood for. Mr. Peres was a visionary who strongly believed in the power of knowledge, innovation and technology. We, in India, remember Mr. Peres as a steadfast friend of our country, whose lasting contribution to the strengthening of the close bilateral partnership between India and Israel will be long remembered," he added.

President Mukherjee recalled his last meeting with Peres in October, 2015, during his recent visit to Israel.

"I would request you, Excellency, to kindly convey my deepest sympathies to his bereaved family. May the Almighty give them the strength to bear this loss," he added.

Peres, who shared a Nobel Prize for forging a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians, died at the age of 93.

He had suffered a stroke two weeks ago, reports the Guardian.

Peres had twice served as prime minister of Israel and later as the country's ninth president. Peres, Israel's most eminent elder statesman, was part of almost every major development from the country's founding in 1948.

In a career spanning nearly 70 years, he served in a dozen cabinets and was twice a Labour Prime Minister.

He shared the Nobel Peace Prize with the late former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for reaching, in 1993, an interim peace deal which never hardened into a lasting treaty.

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A gang of armed robbers allegedly barged into a house, assaulted the family and gang raped their 12-year-old daughter in a nearby field on the outskirts of Lucknow on Tuesday night.

The father said he was asleep with his wife, daughter and two sons in their one-room house when the robbers knocked on the door around 1 a.m. When he did not open the door, the men broke the latch and forced their way in. "Five persons came to my door and asked to open the door. They abused and asked to open the door...They beat me, my wife and children and looted clothes, utensils and jewellery," the father said.

Police came after half an hour. The father added that his family had no dispute with anyone or personal enmity with anyone. "I was neither involved in gambling nor had enmity with anyone," he said.

The parents managed to escape after a while, followed by their sons. The robbers allegedly carried the girl to a field a few meters away and gangraped her. The girl was found there after the police reached the area and searched for her.

The girl and her father, a carpenter, were both taken to a city hospital for medical examination and treatment.

A relative, Poonam Sharma said, "Three men entered Asaram Sharma's house. Two of them held the father down and the third hit him on the head. They pulled the wife outside and took away the daughter. The brother followed them but they kicked him. Then they did wrong things with her and left her after one or one and half hour."

"There were 12 people in total. They stood near the village. The girl was around 11 years old. She has been admitted in the hospital and I am not aware of her condition right now. They have taken jewellery and machines used for drilling," she added.

The eight year old son, Dipankar said, "They asked us to open the door and when we did not open, they forcefully broke down the door. Then they took mother outside and beat her up, after which they took father outside and hit him on his head. Father ran away and then three of us were left. Then they took my elder sister away. We tried to follow, but they beat us and kicked us."

Lucknow Senior Superintendent of Police, Manzil Saini said "This is an incident from last night under police station Para area. There is this village Seelampur where at around 1-2 am at night, some 6-7 criminals entered the house. The house is small and not many items were stolen. But, there was a 12 year old child who was abducted and they did wrong things with the child after taking her 500-600 meters away in a field. I have inspected the crime area and have talked to the victim. She is under medical treatment and is fine now."

The family also complained that the robbers had taken Rs 2,000 cash and some jewellery and utensils. An FIR under Sections 376D (gangrape), 395 (dacoity) and 397 (dacoity with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) of the IPC, and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) has been lodged at Para police station.

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The Supreme Court will on Wednesday hear a plea for the cancellation of bail of former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Member of Parliament Mohammad Shahabuddin

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan had earlier on Monday told the apex court that there were 45 cases against Shahabuddin, out of which nine are related to murder and ten are related to convictions.

Bhushan told a division bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh, that Shahbuddin is a serious threat to society if his bail is not cancelled. Shahabuddin's lawyer asked for more time to respond.

The top court was hearing the petitions challenging a Patna High Court order to grant bail to earlier this month.

The top court had on September 19 issued a notice to while hearing pleas of the Bihar government and Chandrakeshwar Prasad against the bail granted to him.

The Bihar government had earlier filed an appeal before the apex court, challenging the Patna High Court's order of granting bail to .

The petition has been filed by Bhushan on behalf of the victim's family, which was upset to see Shahabuddin walk free.

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.

Shahabuddin's release from jail evoked widespread criticism of the grand alliance in the state with the opposition accusing the government of paving way for his release by not opposing the bail strongly in the court.
The Supreme Court deferred the hearing of a plea demanding the cancellation of bail of former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Member of Parliament, Mohammad Shahabuddin, on September 28.

During an earlier hearing, lawyer Prashant Bhushan had argued at the apex court that granting bail to Shahabuddin would endanger the lives of the witnesses involved in the multiple cases laoged against him.

On September 26, Bhushan brought it to the apex court's notice that there are 45 cases against Shahabuddin, out of which nine are murder cases and ten such cases where he has been convicted.

Bhushan asked a division bench, headed by Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh, to cancel the bail plea calling Shahabuddin is a serious threat to society, to which the defense lawyer responded by asking for more time.

The top court was hearing several petitions challenging a Patna High Court order that granted bail to Shahabuddin on September 7, in connection with the murder of a man who witnessed the killing of two brothers in Siwan.

A petition was filed by Bhushan as well on behalf of the victim's family, who were upset to see Shahabuddin walk free.

Shahabuddin's release from jail evoked widespread criticism of the grand alliance in the state, with the opposition accusing the government for paving the way for Shabuddin's release.
The Supreme Court will on Wednesday hear Sahara Group chief Subrata Roy's plea for extension of his interim parole.

The apex court earlier on September 23 ordered that Roy should be taken into custody till October 3, but in a reprieve stayed his arrest till September 30.

A two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur passed the order after hearing an application filed by Kapil Sibal, the lawyer appearing for Roy. Sibal sought a reprieve for Roy on the ground that he would follow all rules and regulations.

Sibal had tendered an unconditional apology to the apex court and urged it to cancel its order on Roy's parole delivered in the morning, following which the court agreed to hear the matter.

Roy had been out on parole since May after serving a two-year term in Delhi's Tihar Jail to hold the last rites of his mother, who passed away after a prolonged illness.

In one of the last hearings, his bail was extended till September 16 on the condition that the Sahara Group deposit Rs 300 crores with the apex court.

The apex court had asked Sahara India to reveal the source of the Rs 18,000 crore it had claimed to have paid back to the investors.
Workers of youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Wednesday staged protest at Techno India NJR Institute of Technology after some Kashmiri students allegedly raised 'anti-national' slogans.

The protestors denounced Pakistan and chanted pro-India slogans.

According to protestors, few Kashmir students raised 'anti-India' slogans and spoke ill about the Uri brave hearts.

"Few Kashmiri in this hostel were raising anti-India slogans. This is not the first time that this has happened. We tried to sort things out but they are adamant," said a protestor.

"Few students raised pro Pakistan and Anti-India slogans, we tried to stop them but they did not. Moreover they said that 17 was a less number more of your army men should have died. This is why we are now protesting," said another protestor.

18 soldiers were killed in a militant attack in Uri area of Baramulla district earlier this month on 18 September. It has been reported as "the deadliest attack on security forces in Kashmir in two decade

Militants stormed an Army camp in Uri near the Line of Control (LoC) and carried out the attack.

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The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved 'Project SAKSHAM', a new Indirect Tax Network (Systems Integration) of the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC).

The total project cost involved is Rs.2256 crore which will be incurred over a period of seven years.

The project will help in implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST), extension of the Indian Customs Single Window Interface for Facilitating Trade (SWIFT) and other taxpayer-friendly initiatives under Digital India and Ease of Doing Business of Central Board of Excise and Customs.

The implementation strategy for the project will be to ensure readiness of CBEC's IT systems by April, 1, 2017, when the GST is to be introduced.

The upgrade of the IT systems will be carried out while keeping the existing Tax-payer services running.

All taxpayers, importers, exporters, dealers under various indirect tax laws administered by CBEC- presently about 36 lakhs, are likely to go up to over 65 lakhs after introduction of GST.

CBEC's IT systems need to integrate with the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) for processing of registration, payment and returns data sent by GSTN systems to CBEC, as well as act as a front-end for other modules like Audit, Appeal, Investigation.

There is no overlap in the GST-related systems of CBEC and GSTN.

This IT infrastructure will also help in the continuation of CBEC's e-Services in Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax, implementation of taxpayer services such as scanned document upload facility, extension of Indian Customs Single Window Interface for Facilitating Trade (SWIFT) initiative and integration with Government initiatives such as E-Nivesh, E-Taal, e-Sign.

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The United States State Department has said that New York wants to see "de-escalation in the political discourse, greater communication and coordination" between India and Pakistan as it would benefit the entire region.

Replying to a poser at the daily press briefing, Mark C. Toner, deputy spokesperson for the US State Department, said, "We want to see closer relations and a normalization of relations, frankly, between India and Pakistan. It would be the - to the benefit of the region. And we want to see de-escalation in the political discourse between the two countries and greater communication and coordination between them."

When asked about US's prescription for de-escalation of tension between the two Asian neighbours, Toner said, "It's not for us, necessarily, to offer a prescription. I mean, I think we would - and we've said, again, many times that we want to see a de-escalation and that's, obviously, facts on the ground or actions on the ground, but also within - with - that applies to the rhetoric that's flying back and forth as well."

The Deputy spokesperson further insisted that it is in mutual interest of both the countries to put aside tensions, work towards putting aside tensions and de-escalating tensions, and establish more normal channels of communication.

He, however, refused to comment on India's decision of not participating in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit, which is scheduled to take place in Islamabad in November.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated after the Uri terror attack in which 18 Indian soldiers lost their lives.

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India's Vice President Mohammed Hamid Ansari on Wednesday arrived in Lagos from capital city Abuja on the second leg of his four-day official visit to Nigeria.

During his stay in Abuja, Vice President Ansari called on the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, at the State House.

He also met his Nigerian counterpart, Yemi Osinbajo at the State House.

Vice President Ansari inaugurated the High Commission of India Chancery complex in Abuja and interacted with the members of the Indian community.

Earlier in the day, the Vice President inspected the guard of honour at the National Defence College in Abuja, Nigeria.

Commandant of the National Defence Academy, Nigeria, Rear Admiral Samuel Alade was also seen at the event.

Asserting that the biggest threat to international peace and to the sovereignty of states today is terrorism, Vice President Ansari said that terrorism can only be defeated by organized international action, adding we need to restructure the international legal framework such as by adopting a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT).

He also addressed the India - Nigeria Business Forum in Abuja, where he said that, "It is a matter of satisfaction that for the last few years, India has been the largest trading partner of Nigeria, and Nigeria is the largest trading partner of India in Africa."

"Considering the diverse security challenges of our times, stronger India-Nigeria relations would not only be mutually beneficial, but would also add to the regional and global security," he added.

Vice President Ansari on Monday left on a five-day official visit to Nigeria and Mali as part of efforts to bolster New Delhi's ties with both West African nations.

The historic State visit to Nigeria by then prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in October 2007 after a gap of over forty five years elevated the strategic partnership.

Nigeria is India's largest trading partner in Africa with the bilateral trade amounting to USD 12.6 billion in 2015-16.

India is also the largest buyer of crude oil from Nigeria, and more than 100 Indian companies have a large presence there as well as both the countries have strong defence cooperation.

On the second leg of his trip, the Vice President will reach Mali on September 29 for the first ever high-level visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Modibo Keita.

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Ahluwalia Contracts (India) rose 1.17% to Rs 303.50 at 10:55 IST on BSE after the company said it received new order aggregating Rs 151.39 crore work awarded from Bharat Electronics.

The announcement was made during market hours today, 28 September 2016.

Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was up 3.26 points, or 0.01%, to 28,226.96.

On BSE, so far 8,040 shares were traded in the counter, compared with average daily volume of 10,905 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 312.05 and a low of Rs 295 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 336.20 on 6 September 2016. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 210 on 25 February 2016. The stock had underperformed the market over the past 30 days till 27 September 2016, falling 3.09% compared with 1.15% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had, however, outperformed the market in past one quarter, rising 8.30% as against Sensex's 5.55% rise.

The small-cap company has equity capital of Rs 13.40 crore. Face value per share is Rs 2.

Ahluwalia Contracts (India) said that the total order inflow during the financial year ending March 2017 (FY 2017) stands at Rs 1360.98 crore.

Meanwhile, Ahluwalia Contracts (India) announced after market hours yesterday, 27 September 2016, that is received letter from Executive Engineer, Construction Division-2, Building Construction Department (B.C.D.) Patna, to stop construction of International Convention Centre (ICC) and Police Headquarter Bhawan, Patna as per order of National Green Tribunal (NGT), Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata. The NGT has directed that Patna Master Plan was not yet approved and the approval of the master plan is mandatory requirement under the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) Notification in respect of constructions with built-up area of 20000 square meters or more. The said order shall be applicable to all construction activities in Patna and its adjacent areas where the city is proposed to be expanded. The company said it expects the matter to be resolved soon by the State Government.

Net profit of Ahluwalia Contracts (India) rose 14.46% to Rs 21.53 crore on 15.84% rise in net sales to Rs 305.80 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015.

Ahluwalia Contracts (India) is one of the leading civil contractors in India.

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Key benchmark indices continued to trade near the flat in early afternoon trade in lackluster session of trade so far during the day. At 12:20 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 29.31 points or 0.1% at 28,253.01. The gains for the Nifty 50 index were higher than the Sensex's gains in percentage terms. The Nifty was up 17.20 points or 0.2% at 8,723.60. The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was strong. On BSE, 1,510 shares rose and 799 shares fell. A total of 190 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index was currently up 0.74%. The BSE Small-Cap index was currently up 0.78%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.

In overseas stock markets, Asian stocks dropped with European banking sector concerns and lower crude oil prices dulling investors' appetite for riskier assets. Japan's Nikkei Average settled 1.31% lower. US stocks rose yesterday, 27 September 2016 after the first presidential debate between Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican contender Donald Trump and a number of stronger-than-expected economic reports. Stocks are rising on the prospect of a Clinton presidency because the Democrat is viewed as a known quantity while some view Trump as being more unpredictable, a bad thing for stock investors. Additionally, US consumer confidence rose to 104.1 in September, the highest level since August 2007. The Case-Shiller home price index rose 5% for the year in July, while house prices rose 0.6%. The Markit flash services purchasing managers index for September rose to 51.9 in September from 51 in August.

Bharti Airtel rose 1.16% after the company announced the launch of its new International Roaming (IR) packs that redefine the value proposition for customers traveling abroad. With the new IR packs, customers will have the convenience of carrying their India mobile number wherever they go and stay connected 24x7 without having to worry about high call and data charges. The packs will be available to both postpaid and prepaid customers. The announcement was made during market hours today, 28 September 2016. The IR packs, which are available for all popular global destinations, come with validity of one day and 30 days, giving customers greater flexibility to plan their communication budgets when traveling overseas.

Airtel's new IR packs offer free incoming calls, free texts to India and ample data benefits along with free India calling minutes across all popular destinations. Charges for calls to India and local in-country calls have been reduced to as low as Rs 3 per minute across popular destinations. Airtel also announced that post the exhaustion of pack data benefits, international roaming data will now be charged at just Rs 3 per megabyte (MB), a reduction of 99% from Rs 650 per MB, so that customers can enjoy uninterrupted data usage without having to worry about bill charges.

Auto stocks gained. Ashok Leyland (up 0.55%), Maruti Suzuki India (up 0.39%), Eicher Motors (up 0.92%), Bajaj Auto (up 1.08%), Hero MotoCorp (up 0.33%), Tata Motors (up 1.51%) and TVS Motor Company (up 0.83%) gained.

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) gained 0.43% after the company said that it has agreed to acquire 1.49 crore shares or 100% of the share capital of Mahindra Two Wheelers Europe Holdings S.ar.l. from Mahindra Two Wheelers, a subsidiary of the company for Euro 26.3 million. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 27 September 2016. The indicative time period for completion of the acquisition is 30 days. MTWL-Europe is a special purpose vehicle to hold the investment in Peugeot Motorcycles S.A.S.

Separately, M&M said that Merakisan (MKPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Mahindra Univeg (MUPL), a subsidiary of Mahindra Agri Solutions (MASL), which in turn is a wholly owned subsidiary of M&M, allotted equity shares on preferential basis to Prashanth Patil. As a result of this allotment, the holding of MUPL in MKPL has reduced from 100% to 33.17%. Hence, MKPL has ceased to be a subsidiary of MUPL and as such of MASL and in turn of M&M. MUPL, a 60:40 joint venture between MAPL and Univeg announced a minority shareholding in MKPL. Prasanth Patil from the founding family of Merakisan is now the majority stakeholder of Merakisan and will be the CEO of the company. Merakisan shall operate in sourcing fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products directly from farmers ad sell to customers. The announcement was made during market hours today, 28 September 2016.

Metal & mining stocks also gained. JSW Steel (up 0.05%), Bhushan Steel (up 1.34%), Hindustan Copper (up 0.77%), Vedanta (up 2.52%), Hindalco Industries (up 0.63%), Hindustan Zinc (up 0.7%), Jindal Steel & Power (up 1.49%), Tata Steel (up 1.1%), Steel Authority of India (Sail) (up 1.48%), National Aluminum Company (up 0.66%) and NMDC (up 1.03%) gained.

High Grade Copper for December 2016 delivery was currently up 0.09% at $2.173 per pound on the COMEX.

Jindal Stainless rose 3.43% after the company said it received approval from Orissa Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) vide its letter dated 24 September 2016 conveying its no objection for effecting the transfer or right to use of the land on which the hot strip mill and the coke plant of the company are located, to Jindal United Steel (JUSL) and Jindal Coke (JCL), respectively. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 27 September 2016. Last year, JSL demerged its operations into three separate entities -- listed Jindal Stainless (Hisar) (JSHL) as well as private companies JUSL and JCL.

Vivimed Labs jumped 10.28% to Rs 113.20 after High-net-worth individual (HNI) investor Ashish Kacholia bought 13.73 lakh shares of the company at Rs 90.50 per share in a bulk deal. Shares of Vivimed Labs had gained by its maximum permissible daily limit of 20% to settle at Rs 102.65 yesterday, 27 September 2016.

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The Telecom Minister Shri Manoj Sinha today gave a stern message to BSNL that he will not tolerate any delay and the Telecom PSU should connect one lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) through Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) to set up a network infrastructure to serve the rural masses. He said, all are working with zeal to achieve the target of connecting 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats with Broadband Network within stipulated timeframe, which is the vision of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for Digital India. Speaking at an award ceremony function of BSNL here, Shri Sinha said, those who are working with zeal should be rewarded and those should take VRS from where reports of negative growth is coming on a continuous basis.

The Minister urged the BSNL to find new invention, new research and new technology and to give World Class products for achieving Prime Minister's vision of Transforming India through Digital Revolution. He said that there is need for innovation as India cannot afford to emulate the Developed Economies due to limited resources. He said, if India will lag in catching up with emerging technologies, the very existence of the country will be at stake. He exhorted the officials and other stakeholders to Walk the Talk and underlined that it is our bounden duty to digitally empower the huge chunk of population particularly in rural areas who are still deprived of IT revolution.

Shri Sinha asked BSNL officers and employees to set an ambitious target of 15 percent Telecom penetration within a time frame from the existing 10.4 percent and asked the PSU to any competition head on and compete with other big Telecom Operators as BSNL is now equipped with new technology, dedicated work force, equipment and financial resources. He also expressed concern that despite the worldwide trend, the number of land line connections in India is decreasing every day and BSNL should think seriously about this issue.

He said, unless the BSNL will not improve its service quality, Plan-49 or Plan-II-49 will not succeed to have connection at Rs 49. BSNL through the above two plans have made call free on Sunday and from 9.00 pm to 7 am each day and the Telco PSU is also providing Broadband connectivity at cheaper rates.

He also asked BSNL to resolve all the complaints promptly and any reluctance on this front will not be tolerated.

Shri Sinha said that the Country is on the verge of Data Revolution, and if India will lag behind on this front, history will not forgive us. He said, it is easy to befool through jugglery of data and facts, but ultimately work should be seen to have been done.

Speaking on the occasion, Secretary, Telecom Shri J. S. Deepak said that it is a matter of pride that since April, 2015, BSNL has come to operating profit it is gaining market share on a regular basis but it should work hard to become the global giant. Referring to connectivity initiatives in North East, Left Wing Extremist areas, where 2200 towers were installed for better connectivity for the security forces and for the rural masses living in the remotest areas, Shri Deepak said that in the 2nd phase 2,000 additional towers will be installed in the naxal-hit areas. He also called for performance audit of the PSU from time to time.

In his address, the CMD of BSNL Shri Anupam Srivastav said that the revenue of BSNL IN 2015-16 was Rs 28,450 crore, which is 4.4 percent more than the revenue in the year 2014-15. He assured the Minister that BSNL is ready to compete tariff to tariff with any Telecom Operator and also called for collaborative efforts where the country's interest is involved.

Shri Srivastav said that due to paucity of instruments and equipment from 2006-2012, BSNL missed the voice bus, but in the last two years several initiatives were taken and BSNL is ready for any challenge. He informed that in the last two years 26,000 mobile towers were installed and in this financial year 20,000 additional towers will be installed.

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The Union Cabinet under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for signing of an Undertaking between India and Korea on Mutual Recognition of Certificates.

It is in pursuance of the Regulation 1/10 of International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) for Seafarers, 1978, as amended.

Signing of the Undertaking will pave way for recognition of maritime education and training, certificates of competency, endorsements, training documentary evidence and medical fitness certificates for seafarers issued by the Government of the other country. It is done in accordance with the provisions of regulation 1/10 of the STCW Convention, and cooperation between the two countries in the training, certification and management of seafarers.

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The Union Cabinet under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for closure of Hindustan Cables (HCL), Kolkata as per the provisions of the Companies Act, 1956/2013, Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 and other relevant Acts. The employees will be offered attractive VRS/ VSS Package at notional 2007 pay scales and other employees' related liabilities including payment of salary and wages from April 2015 till they are separated from the Company on VRS/VSS will be settled as well. The disposal of assets of company will be in terms of the guidelines of Department of Public Enterprises on time bound closure of sick/loss making Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and disposal of movable and immovable assets.

Total cash infusion for closure of company will be Rs. 1309.90 crore and non-cash infusion of Rs. 3467.15 crore in the form of conversion into equity of Government of India's loan (including interest) outstanding as on 30.09.2016.

Secured creditors of HCL, Kolkata, led by SBI as consortium lenders to the company, have been generous in their support. The One Time Settlement (OTS) terms include complete waiver of interest and settle on principal amount of Rs. 305.63 crore in settlement of all pari-passu collateral held by them.

There is no production activity in the company since January 2003. The employees of the company are in 1997 pay scales. Due to non-payment of salary & wages, it is very difficult for the employees to survive and meet their immediate financial obligations. With the VRS/VSS package and clearance of other outstanding liabilities, the employees will come out of their present financial crisis. It will also help the employees in their post retirement rehabilitation. With the present time bound closure of the company, the valuable assets of the company will be available for other optimum utilization.

Background:-

HCL was established in the year 1952. It had four manufacturing units at Rupnarainpur (West Bengal), Hyderabad (Telengana), Naini (U. P.) and Narendrapur (West Bengal).

Registered office of HCL is located at Kolkata. The company was set up to cater to the needs of Government-owned telecom companies BSNL and MTNL for manufacture of telecom cables. Due to rapid change in telecommunication technology (wire-line to wireless), the demand for telecom cables has been drastically reduced. Several attempts were made by Department of Heavy Industries for revival of the company but failed. Attempts to transfer HCL units to Ministry of Defence/Department of Defence Production also did not yield results. The proposal for closure of the company has been made as per the recommendations of BIFR, BRPSE and the Roadmap approved by CCEA on 29.12.2014 for phasing out non-plan budgetary support to sick CPSEs.

The company is a BIFR referred company since 2002. Government of India's decision for closure of the company will be conveyed to BIFR for seeking their approval. The employees of the Company will be offered attractive VRS/VSS. Retrenchment process will also be followed as per Industrial Disputes Act 1947. OTS with secured creditors will be made to free the land assets of the Company. The other liabilities of the company including statutory liabilities arising during the process of closure of company will be taken care of as per the provisions of law and the aforesaid guidelines of Department of Public Enterprises.

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Announces change in directorate

Lycos Internet announced:

1. The Company has sought extension of time from the Registrar of Companies, Hyderabad, Telangana for convening the Annual General Meeting of the Company on or before 31 December 2016, and Company have received a copy of approval letter dated 26 September 2016 from Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Office of Registrar of Companies, Hyderabad, Telangana granting approval for the same.

The Company will conduct the 17th Annual General Meeting of the members of the Company on 22 December 2016. The time and venue of the same will be intimated in due course of time.

2. Michael Loren Mauldin has completed one year term as an Independent Director. He is unable to be physically present at a board meeting at least once in a period of 12 months from his appointed date as required under the provisions of Companies Act, 2013. Both parties have chosen to let his term expire w.e.f. 27 September 2016 and look for a replacement on the Board of the Company within the statutory time limit.

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Key benchmark indices extended gains and hit fresh intraday high in mid-afternoon trade as firmness in European stocks boosted sentiment. At 14:20 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 111.34 points or 0.39% at 28,335.04. The gains for the Nifty 50 index were higher than the Sensex's gains in percentage terms. The Nifty was up 45.30 points or 0.52% at 8,751.70.

The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was strong. On BSE, 1,638 shares rose and 886 shares fell. A total of 215 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index was currently up 0.96%. The BSE Small-Cap index was currently up 1.03%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.

The Sensex gained 127.30 points or 0.45% at the day's high of 28,351 in mid-afternoon trade. The barometer index fell 25.40 points or 0.08% at the day's low of 28,198.3 in mid-morning trade. The Nifty gained 45.45 points or 0.52% at the day's high of 8,755.80 in mid-afternoon trade. The index shed 3.25 points or 0.03% at the day's low of 8,703.15 in mid-morning trade.

In overseas stock markets, European stocks rose with investor sentiment buoyed by a rally in the banking sector. Investors track developments ahead of a meeting of members and non-members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) today, 28 September 2016. Most Asian stocks dropped led by losses in Japanese stocks. Japan's Nikkei Average settled 1.31% lower.

US stocks rose yesterday, 27 September 2016 after the first presidential debate between Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican contender Donald Trump and a number of stronger-than-expected economic reports. Stocks are rising on the prospect of a Clinton presidency because the Democrat is viewed as a known quantity while some view Trump as being more unpredictable, a bad thing for stock investors. Additionally, US consumer confidence rose to 104.1 in September, the highest level since August 2007. The Case-Shiller home price index rose 5% for the year in July, while house prices rose 0.6%. The Markit flash services purchasing managers index for September rose to 51.9 in September from 51 in August.

Most pharma stocks gained. Aurobindo Pharma (up 1.61%), Lupin (up 0.76%), Wockhardt (up 0.58%), Dr Reddy's Laboratories (up 0.92%), Glenmark Pharmaceuticals (up 1.19%) and Cadila Healthcare (up 0.08%) gained. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (down 0.57%), Cipla (down 0.49%), and Divi's Laboratories (down 0.41%) declined.

Shares of power generation and power distribution companies gained. NTPC (up 0.66%), NHPC (up 0.01%), Tata Power Company (up 0.87%), Adani Power (up 0.37%), Power Grid Corporation of India (up 1.22%), Reliance Infrastructure (up 0.79%) and Reliance Power (up 0.39%) gained. Torrent Power declined 0.11%.

Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilisers rose 7.64% after the company said its shareholders rejected the proposed transaction with Zuari Agro Chemicals. Shareholders, however, approved appointment of Suresh Krishnan as managing director of Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilisers. Zuari Fertilisers and Chemicals, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Zuari Agro Chemicals, held 53.03% stake in Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilisers as of 30 June 2016. Its shareholding increased from 16.47% to 53.03% in 2015 after acquisition of shares through open offer.

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Even before the construction of Multi-Modal terminal at Haldia in West Bengal kicks off, it has received a commitment of 5.92 million tons (MT) per annum of cargo volume by the year 2018 from the Industry, indicating huge cargo potential of the proposed terminal. Fly ash is expected to be the major cargo with a commitment of 3.8 MT followed by vegetable oil (0.63 MT), cement (0.36 MT), among others.

In a series of consultations with Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) held at Haldia last month, various industries, firms, shipping lines, cargo operators, shippers, and manufacturers committed transportation of cargo like Fly ash, Edible oil, Vegetable oil, Gypsum etc. by 2018, the year Haldia terminal is ready for operation.

Earlier, a workshop on issues pertaining to the opportunities and prospects of inland waterways-cargo potential for IWT terminal at Haldia was held in March, 2015 in which various shippers, freight forwarders, vessel operators etc. participated.

The participants had indicated that the immediate demand for transportation was about 1.8 MT per annum for Fly Ash and 1.7 MT per annum for Edible oil, if Haldia Multi-Modal Terminal was constructed.

In June, 2016, M/s HPC & Uniconsult, Germany (Consultants engaged for IWT Sector development strategy and business development study for the Jal Marg Vikas Project) forecasted a cargo potential of 7.95 MT for the year 2020.

Haldia terminal is one of the three Multi-Modal terminals being constructed under the World Bank assisted Jal Marg Vikas Project, being implemented by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), Ministry of Shipping, Government of India for the capacity augmentation of National Waterway-1 i.e. on River Ganga from Haldia-Varanasi for navigation.

Government is developing National Waterway-1 (NW-1) under the Jal Marg Vikas Project, with assistance from the World Bank at an estimated cost of Rs. 4,200 crore. The project would enable commercial navigation of vessels with capacity of 1500-2,000 DWT Tonnage.

Earlier tender for Phase-I of the terminal was published on 3rd March,2016. Six firms submitted their technical and financial proposals, and the evaluation is in progress.

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The 19th Saarc Summit to be held in Pakistan in November has been postponed.

With India's decision to pull out from the summit on Tuesday followed by Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan, the November 9-10 summit automatically stands postponed or cancelled.

The formal announcement of the postponement will be made later by the Kathmandu-based Saarc Secretariat, in accordance with and suggestions from Nepal, the current chair of the regional grouping.

Nepal, as current chair of Saarc, has received letters from India, Bhutan and Bangladesh where they have categorically expressed their inability to participate in the summit due to tension in a part of the region.

Diplomatic sources told IANS that another member, Afghanistan, has also expressed its inability to attend the summit but Nepal has not received a formal letter in this respect yet.

"We will make our position public soon," said a senior Nepal foreign ministry official, adding that as the Foreign Minister is travelling to the US to attend the UNGA, it will take some days for Nepal to come up with its position.

After India decided not to attend the summit in Pakistan, it is now Sri Lanka that is likely to host the summit.

--IANS

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Around 32,000 people suspected of involvement in the July 16 coup attempt in Turkey remain in police custody, Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Wednesday.

Bozdag, in an interview, detailed the figures of those currently going through judicial processes in Turkey as part of a government purge following the failed coup bid, Efe news agency reported.

"Action has been taken against some 70,000 people. Of these, about 32,000 remain in custody, with the process ongoing," Bozdag said.

The minister said the figure would vary due to possible new arrests, as well as detainees being provisionally released under judge's orders.

Furthermore, the minister admitted that it was yet unknown how many of the detainees would eventually be found guilty and be sentenced to prison.

Bozdag said authorities took calculated measures against prisoners escaping immediately after the failed coup.

Such measures included the suspension of around 1,500 prison staff with suspected links to the exiled Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen who has been held responsible by Ankara for orchestrating the revolt.

Turkey has petitioned the United States, where Gulen has been living in exile for 17 years, for the extradition of the prominent Islamic cleric.

The minister said US Vice-President Joe Biden had told him that experts had started to collate evidence implicating Gulen in the coup.

He added that once the data had been analysed, Turkey would be notified of the final extradition decision in "one or two days".

On July 15, an attempted coup d'etat against state institutions and the government, left about 300 persons dead and 2,100 others injured. Mass arrests of judges and soldiers and suspension of teachers and other education staff, suspected to have been involved in the coup bid, followed.

--IANS

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Following the diplomatic blitzkrieg launched by New Delhi, Pakistan is virtually getting isolated in the region with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan joining India in boycotting the annual Saarc Summit scheduled to be hosted by Islamabad in November.

"Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the summit," sources quoted Kabul as saying in a message to Saarc chair Nepal on Tuesday.

In a similar message to Nepal, Bangladesh on Tuesday said: "The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th Saarc (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the Saarc process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere," the message said.

"In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad."

In its message to Nepal, Bhutan, while reaffirming its strong commitment to the Saarc process and strengthening of regional cooperation, noted that "the concern of the Royal Government of Bhutan on the recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016", it is learned.

"Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of Saarc on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the Saarc Summit, under the current circumstances," the message from Thimpu on Tuesday said.

Sri Lanka, it is learned, has said that the event would not be possible without India's participation.

India on Tuesday announced that it was pulling out of the Islamabad summit after the September 18 cross-border terror attack on an Indian Army base in Uri town of Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of 18 soldiers.

The attack came amid large-scale violence in Kashmir Valley that left around 90 people dead in the wake of the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani on July 8.

In a statement on Tuesday, India said increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Saarc member-states "by one country" have created an environment that was not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th Saarc summit.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that India has conveyed to current Saarc chair Nepal its decision not to attend the summit, for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to go.

"India remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in an atmosphere free of terror.

"In the prevailing circumstances, the Government of India is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad," he said in the statement.

Pakistan has termed the boycott decision as "unfortunate".

The US has also said that it was pressurising Pakistan to act against terror safe havens within its borders.

"Well, I mean, clearly we've talked about that before is, while we've seen Pakistan make progress on some of the terrorist groups operating within its own borders and carrying out attacks within Pakistan's borders, that we continue to put pressure on Pakistan to respond to those groups who are, quote/unquote, 'seeking safe haven on Pakistan's borders', that - who are intent on carrying out attacks elsewhere in the region," US State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said in the daily press briefing in Washington on Tuesday.

The US is one of the nine observer members of Saarc, the others being Australia, China, the European Union, Iran, Japan, Mauritius, Myanmar and South Korea.

New Delhi has blamed the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror outfit for the Uri as well as January 2 Pathankot air base attack.

On Tuesday, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar summoned Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit and made a demarche that proved Islamabad's links to the attack.

Prime Minister Modi has said that India would revisit the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty that calls for sharing of the waters of the six rivers of the Indus basin with Pakistan while indicating that the most favoured nation (MFN) trade status granted to the neighbour in 1996 might be revoked.

--IANS

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Of the four South Asian nations that have pulled out of the Saarc Summit scheduled to be held in Pakistan in November, the message from Afghanistan citing its reasons was a stinging, if indirect, indictment of the Pakistan state's backing of terror.

The rather curt official message sent to the Saarc Chair Nepal on Tuesday, spoke of the "imposed terrorism" in Afghanistan, leaving little doubt that the reference was to Pakistan.

It explained that Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani would not be able to attend the summit as he would be "fully engaged" in combating the "increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan", according to sources who quoted the letter.

Islamabad is scheduled to host the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) Summit on November 9-10.

Afghanistan's decision came after India announced that it was pulling out of the Islamabad summit in the wake of the September 18 cross-border terror attack on an Indian Army camp in Uri town of Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of 18 soldiers.

New Delhi has blamed the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror outfit for the Uri as well as the January 2 Pathankot airbase attack.

Afghanistan's decision also comes less than a week after its Vice President Sarwar Danesh, addressing the UN General Assembly, accused Pakistan of backing terrorists waging a "full-scale war".

Vice President Danesh also warned that Kabul reserves the right to do "whatever is necessary for the defence and protection" of its people and urged the international community to eliminate terrorism safe havens.

In a harsh indictment of its neighbour, Sarwar Danesh told the General Assembly summit, "We have repeatedly asked our neighbouring country Pakistan to destroy the known terrorist safe havens, but we unfortunately are yet to witness any change in the situation."

Turning to the world leaders in the Assembly chamber, Danesh asked, "Where were the previous leaders of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda residing, and where were they killed? At this very moment, where are the leaders of the Taliban and Haqqani network located? From where and how are terrorists being trained, equipped and financed during a full-scale war?"

Afghan envoy to India, Shaida Mohammad Abdali, has also said that Pakistan should be singled out by the South Asian countries because it jeopardizes regional unity and peace.

Following the diplomatic blitzkrieg launched by New Delhi, Pakistan is virtually getting isolated in the region with Bangladesh and Bhutan joining India and Afghanistan in pulling out of the annual Saarc Summit citing incitement of terrorism in the region as the reason.

Afghanistan's stance comes following President Ghani's visit to India earlier this month during which the two countries issued a joint statement expressing grave concern over terrorism in the region.

According to the statement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ghani "discussed the regional situation and expressed grave concern at continued use of terrorism and violence in the region for achieving political objectives".

"They agreed that this phenomenon presented the single-biggest threat to peace, stability and progress in the region and beyond," the statement said.

"Stressing that elimination of all forms of terrorism, without any discrimination, is essential, they called upon the concerned to put an end to all sponsorship, support, safe havens and sanctuaries to terrorists, including for those who target Afghanistan and India," it said.

Also, during a trilateral meeting on September 21 between India, the US and Afghanistan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York, the security situation and the challenges posed by terrorism in the region were discussed.

--IANS

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Vatican City, Sep 28 (IANS/AKI) Pope Francis on Wednesday deplored the bombings of the northwest Syrian city of Aleppo and urged all sides to protect civilians, warning those responsible for civilian deaths will have to "answer to God".

Addressing pilgrims in St Peter's Square at a weekly public audience, Francis urged all sides in the Syrian conflict to "commit themselves with all their strength to protect civilians".

"This is an imperative and urgent obligation. I appeal to the consciences of those responsible for the bombings, who will one day will have to account to God," he said.

He called Aleppo "an already martyred city, where everybody is dying, children, old people, sick people, young people."

The pontiff's comments came after what doctors called 'catastrophic' airstrikes overnight and on Wednesday morning that hit a bakery and put the two largest hospitals in besieged rebel-held eastern Aleppo out of service. The air raids were the latest bombings in a devastating week-long campaign that has claimed hundreds of lives.

Russian-backed Syrian government forces have stepped up air attacks on rebel-held parts of Aleppo since a brief ceasefire negotiated by Washington and Moscow collapsed last week in mutual recrimination

Residents have said it is worst airstrike campaign since the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011.

Forces loyal to the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have begun the early stages of a ground offensive aimed at reclaiming eastern Aleppo, which has been under opposition control since 2012.

More than 250,000 civilians are thought to be besieged in Aleppo since pro-Assad forces severed the rebels' last route into the east earlier this month.

Aleppo, once Syria's largest city and the country's commercial and industrial hub, has been divided roughly in two since 2012, with Assad's forces controlling the west and rebel factions the east.

--IANS/AKI

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A high level committee on Wednesday approved central assistance of Rs 1,269 crore to drought affected Maharashtra, an official said.

Out of Rs 1,269 crore, Rs 589.47 crore is supplementary assistance for damage to kharif crop and Rs 679.54 crore for damage to rabi crop, an official statement said.

The committee, at its meeting chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, examined the aid proposal to Maharashtra based on the report of the central team which visited the state.

--IANS

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Following persistent demand from the Assam government, the central government is likely to grant extension to 64 foreigners' tribunals in the state with retrospective effect, state government sources said on Wednesday.

The assurance was given to Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal here on Tuesday as he called on Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

"During the meeting, the Chief Minister urged the Home Minister for immediate extension of the term of foreigners' tribunals, which expired on February 9 this year. We are assured that the matter would be looked into favourably," the source told IANS.

At present, 100 foreigners' tribunals are functioning in Assam, of which 64 were created in 2014, in line with a Supreme Court directive, for a period of two years.

In February 2014, the Assam government had established additional 36 foreigners' tribunals for a period of two years.

These 36 tribunals, aimed at disposing off cases related to "foreigners" and "illegal immigrants" in Assam, were opened in key hubs like Dhubri, Barpeta, Nagaon, Goalpara, Sonitpur, Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup (Rural), Cachar, Nalbari, Morigaon, Darrang and Dhemaji.

During his meeting with Rajnath Singh, the first-ever BJP Chief Minister of the northeastern state, Sonowal described the exercise to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam as a "historic process".

The Chief Minister said that the state Government had already submitted a revised proposal of Rs 882 crore to the Union government in view of the enormity of the NRC work.

"Issues like Indo-Bangladesh border fencing also figured at the meeting," the source said.

The Home Minister is believed to have assured the Chief Minister that his request to hand over the supervision of the border fencing to the army, as is the case with the Indo-Pak border in Jammu & Kashmir, would be considered.

Sonowal also renewed his demand for additional central paramilitary forces, as the currently deployed forces are being withdrawn by the Centre on completion of the poll process in the state.

At least 75 companies of central forces were withdrawn from Assam after the May elections. The state government had last month told the Centre that such a move would adversely impact the law and order situation in the state.

The state government also evinced interest in the idea of raising an exclusive Indian Reserved Battalion in the state, the source added.

--IANS

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Declining a plea by manufacturers of compact fluorescent lamps/lights (CFL) for the postponement of enforcement of e-waste management rules, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed such companies to comply with the same.

The petitioner-manufacturers contended that the rules mandating them to "collect, treat and dispose of fluorescent and other mercury containing lamps when they are intended to be discarded by the user is impossible to perform". The rules will come into force from October 1

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal, hearing a plea by these companies for postponement of the implementation of the rules, said: "Fluorescent and other mercury containing bulbs form a part of electrical equipment, the disposal of which without processing in an environmentally sound manner would affect human health and environment."

The bench said it is the social responsibility of the petitioners -- CFL producers such as Philips Lighting, Havells, Surya and Electric Lamp and Component Manufacturers' Association -- to find a feasible solution for the disposal of e-waste without affecting human health and environment.

Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain told the court that manufacturers have to file an application with authorities for 'Extended Producer Responsibility - Authorisation' within 90 days from the date of coming into force of the rules.

It will then be cleared by the Central Pollution Control Board within 120 days.

Jain said there is no likelihood of prosecuting the manufacturers immediately after the enforcement of the rules.

The court, following the submission made by the ASG, directed the manufacturers to apply for the 'Extended Producer Responsibility - Authorisation' and posted their main petition challenging the new e-waste rules for further hearing on December 8.

--IANS

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Actor Saif Ali Khan believes cultural exchange should be encouraged and artistes may talk about love and peace, but ultimately, the onus lies on the government to decide who can or cannot work in the country.

Saif's comment comes in the wake of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) directive that Pakistani artistes must not work in India.

"It (cultural exchange) should definitely be encouraged. The world is open to our film industry and our film industry is open to the world talents, especially from cross-border. However, the government has to decide these things," Saif Ali Khan said.

"We are artistes who talk about love and peace. However, the government must make decisions about law and order and who is allowed to work and who isn't," Saif said on the sidelines of the GQ Men of the Awards event on Tuesday night here.

On Tuesday afternoon, MNS workers protested outside filmmaker Karan Johar's office here over Pakistani actor Fawad Khan's presence in the upcoming film "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil". Last week, the party gave Pakistani artistes 48 hours to leave India.

--IANS

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The government on Wednesday said it will not agree to the proposed Global Market-based Measure (MBM) of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to limit civil aviation sector's carbon emissions.

The announcement was made by Union Minister Prakash Javadekar after the Union Cabinet met here.

The minister said the Union Cabinet has approved India's position on ICAO's draft MBM and that the government will not join the proposed scheme.

"There is an attempt to cap emissions in civil aviation by 2020," Javadekar said at a media briefing after the Union Cabinet's meeting.

"We have said that for the developing world, the proposal is unfair. A cap by 2020 will be injustice."

Currently, the proposed scheme is being discussed at the ICAO's 39th assembly in Montreal.

According to a government spokesperson: "Cabinet approval will enable finalisation of negotiation strategy in 39th Assembly of ICAO."

"This will help India to bargain for the possible flexibility out of the proposed Global Market Based Measures scheme."

--IANS

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A gang of armed men attacked two fishing vessels and kidnapped one captain in two strikes in sea off Sabah, Malaysia, the police confirmed on Wednesday.

The Sabah police at a press conference in capital city Kota Kinabalu said that a gang of six used a white speedboat with green and yellow stripes to mount the attack, Efe news agency reported.

The attackers boarded a fishing vessel with a crew of 27, snatched their mobile phones, personal documents and other belongings, and abducted the ship's captain.

The group then attacked the other fishing boat, with 19 people onboard off the coast of Lahad Datu, and stole whatever they found, including two engines, mobile phones, walkie-talkies, money, rice and cooking oil, Police Commissioner Abdul Rashid Harun said.

"We are still investigating who these criminals are and so far we have not received any calls for ransom," Rashid added.

On September 11, three Filipino fishermen were captured by gunmen who stormed a fishing vessel docked between Pulau Bodgaya and Pulau Boheydulang off Semporna.

Philippine Islamist Group Abu Sayyaf, who pledges allegiance to the Islamic State, has abducted several Malaysian fishermen in Sabah's waters this year and is presently holding hostage five Malaysians, five Indonesians and a Japanese in southern Philippines.

--IANS

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On the back of improved monetary policy and recent reforms towards opening up the economy, India has jumped 16 places in the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) to 39th spot, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has said.

"India climbs, for the second year in a row, to 39th. Its 16-place improvement is the largest this year, thanks to improved monetary and fiscal policies as well as lower oil prices," the WEF said in its Global Competitiveness Report 2016-17 published on Wednesday.

The Indian economy has stabilised and now boasts of the highest growth among the G-20 countries, the report underlined.

"Recent reform efforts have concentrated on improving public institutions, opening the economy to foreign investors and international trade, and increasing transparency in the financial system," it stated.

The report also highlighted that India happens to be the second-most competitive economy among the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries, with China ahead at 28th spot.

Switzerland, Singapore and the United States remained the world's most competitive economies in the report that assesses the competitiveness landscape of 138 economies, providing insight into the drivers of their productivity and prosperity.

The report emphasised that updated business practices and investment in innovation are now as important as infrastructure, skills and efficient markets.

Crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for undertaking reforms, the report said, "India's competitiveness score stagnated between 2007 and 2014, and the economy slipped down the GCI rankings. Since the new government took office in 2014, India climbed up the rankings to 39th in this edition of the report."

Improvement in infrastructure was small and faltering, but picked up after 2014, when the government increased public investment and sped up approval procedures to attract private resources, it said.

"The institutional environment deteriorated until 2014, as mounting governance scandals and seemingly unmanageable inefficiencies saw businesses lose trust in government and public administration, but this trend was also reversed after 2014," it added.

But still a lot needs to be done in the manufacturing sector, which has millions of unprotected and informal workers, the report stated.

--IANS

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Indian leaders, including President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, paid rich tributes to former Israeli President Shimon Peres who died in a Tel Avid hospital on Wednesday.

"Israel has lost a statesman who made courageous efforts to achieve peace for his country and the region," said Mukherjee in his condolence message to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.

"Peres was a visionary who strongly believed in the power of knowledge, innovation and technology," said Mukherjee.

The President said Peres would be remembered as a steadfast friend of India and his lasting contribution to the strengthening of bilateral partnership between the two countries would be long remembered.

"In former President Shimon Peres, we lost a key world leader and a friend of India," tweeted Modi, expressing his grief.

Mourning the Israeli leader's death, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said Peres gave strength and goodwill to Indo-Israeli relationship.

Describing him as a defining political figure, Gandhi said Peres would be remembered as a steadfast pacifist and a believer in peace and coexistence.

Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani called the Israeli leader a "warrior for peace".

"He was Israel's warrior for peace," said Advani and noted that Peres held several diplomatic and military positions during and after Israel's war for independence.

"I had the privilege of meeting him personally on a couple of occasions and found him to be a man of very broad vision," added Advani.

Peres, 93, a Nobel Peace laureate and one of Israel's founding fathers, died on Wednesday at a hospital in Tel Aviv. He was in the hospital for two weeks following a major stroke.

An admirer of India who supported India for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, Peres visited India twice, in August 2000 and January 2001 as Minister for Regional Cooperation. He visited India the third time in January 2002 as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

--IANS

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The 19th to be hosted by Pakistan in November is likely to be postponed with India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan - four of the eight members of the South Asian grouping - deciding to pull out, citing incitement of terrorism in the region.

Sources in Nepal, the current Chair of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, confirmed having received messages from the four countries conveying their inability to attend the summit due in Islamabad on November 9-10.

The sources said that the Himalayan nation is yet to take a decision on calling off the summit, which is over a month away.

With the Saarc process based on consensus, even if one member does not attend the summit is automatically postponed or cancelled.

However, a final decision rests on the current Saarc Secretary General Arjun Bahadur Thapa, who is currently in New York and will return in two days.

With half of the eight-nation regional bloc deciding to skip the event, there is every possibility of the event being postponed, in a big diplomatic snub to Pakistan.

Sri Lanka has already said that the would not be possible without India's participation.

India on Tuesday announced that it was pulling out of the Islamabad summit in the wake of the September 18 cross-border terror attack on an Indian Army base in Uri town of Jammu and Kashmir, which New Delhi has blamed on terrorists based in Pakistan.

The Uri attack came amid the dragging unrest and violence in Kashmir Valley that has left around 90 people dead since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani on July 8.

In a statement on Tuesday, India said increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Saarc member-states "by one country" have created an environment that was not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th .

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that India has conveyed to Nepal its decision not to attend the summit, for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to go.

"India remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in an atmosphere free of terror. In the prevailing circumstances, the Government of India is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad," he said in the statement.

Pakistan has termed the boycott decision as "unfortunate".

In its message to Nepal on Tuesday, Afghanistan said that because of "increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the summit".

In a similar message to Nepal, Bangladesh said: "The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the Saarc process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere," the message said.

"In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad."

Bhutan, in its message, cited "the recent escalation of terrorism in the region" as the reason for its non-participation.
The government on Wednesday said the Inland Water Authority of India (IWAI) has entered into three separate memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to develop the National Waterways (NW) in a time-bound and effective manner.

According to the Ministry of Shipping, IWAI has inked MoUs with the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI), Paradip Port Trust (PPT) and Mormugao Port Trust (MPT).

"These MoUs are meant to make use of the synergies, strengths and expertise of the Ports and Dredging sectors to enable IWAI to accelerate the development of the Inland Water Transport (IWT) sector," the ministry said in a statement.

--IANS

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Jharkhand government doctors began a three-days strike on Wednesday pressing for various demands, including implementation of the Medical Protection Act.

The strike was called by the Jharkhand Health Services Association (JHASA), which is supported by the Indian Medical Association (IMA). The IMA Jharkhand chapter will join the strike on September 30, along with private doctors.

"We have started boycotting work from Wednesday to press for our demands. The emergency services were excluded from the strike," JHASA's Secretary Vimlesh Kumar told IANS.

The strike has affected the Out-Patient Department services here, with patients facing a tough time as doctors refuse to treat them.

Besides demanding implementation of the Medical Protection Act, the striking doctors have opposed the state government's move to ban private practice without giving a non-practicing allowance.

The doctors have demanded that their working hours should be fixed and have opposed a biometric attendance system.

"If our demands are not taken care of then we will opt for mass resignation. All the doctors will submit their resignation by October 2 and it would be handed over to the Chief Minister on October 15." said Vimlesh Kumar.

According to the World Health Organisation norms Jharkhand should have 7,500 doctors, but there are only 1,100.

Jharkhand Health Minister Ramchanra Vansi has appealed to the doctors to rejoin work.

--IANS

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Customs officials in Goa on Wednesday arrested one person from Kerala for carrying with him foreign currency worth Rs 25.6 lakh, a statement from the central government agency's Goa unit said.

Anwar Rahiman, from Kasargode district in Kerala, was arrested by the Air Intelligence Unit of the Customs while he was boarding an Air Arabia flight for Dubai.

The currencies seized from the man included US dollars, Dirhams and Qatari Riyals valued at Rs 25.6 lakh, according to Wednesday's foreign exchange rates.

--IANS

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Former union minister Milind Deora said he was happy to meet American fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger, who shared his love for Indian fashion, especially the work of designer duo Gauri and Nainika.

"Was a pleasure to see you again Tommy Hilfiger and to discover just how much you respect Indian fashion, especially my pals Gauri and Nainika," tweeted Deora, with a photograph featuring him and Hilfiger.

Hilfiger, who has spent 30 years in the fashion industry dealing with new techniques and creating news, during one of his past visits to India, had told IANS how his heart lies in Indian wear and that he often uses "block prints and colours that are seen only in Jaipur" in his creations.

Way back in the 1985, Hilfiger introduced his first signature collection by modernising button-down shirts, chinos, and other time-honoured classics with updated fits and details. Since then his business has grown from a single menswear collection to a global lifestyle brand.

It has a wide presence in India too.

--IANS

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President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday described former Israeli President Shimon Peres as a "statesman who made courageous efforts to achieve peace for his country and the region".

Peres, 93, a Nobel laureate and one of Israel's founding fathers, died on Wednesday.

Mukherjee expressed his condolence to his Israeli counterpart Reuven Rivlin.

"I was deeply saddened to learn of the demise of Shimon Peres... Please accept my heartfelt condolences.

"Israel has lost a statesman who made courageous efforts to achieve peace for his country and the region.

"The worldwide admiration and accolades that he received for his work - including the Noble Peace Prize, are a testimony to the values that he stood for.

"Peres was a visionary who strongly believed in the power of knowledge, innovation and technology," Mukherjee said.

He said Peres would be remembered as a steadfast friend of India and his lasting contribution to the strengthening of bilateral partnership between the two countries would be long remembered.

"I warmly recall my last meeting with him in October 2015 (in) Israel," Mukherjee added.

--IANS

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Less than a week after British teen Scarlett Keeling's mother Fiona Mackeown blamed probe agencies and an inconsiderate system for acquitting two Goa beach shack workers in her daughter's 2008 rape-murder, a lawyer for accused Placido Carvalho wants the mother to be acted against for negligence.

Advocate Pravin Naik, who has represented Carvalho in course of the trial, has also said that action should be taken against Fiona, claiming her statement to the media on Friday (September 23), on the day Carvalho and fellow accused Samson D'Souza were acquitted, where she said that foreigners do not get justice in Goa, was blatantly incorrect.

"I will appeal to the state government that after going through the judgement and after going through the evidence on record, they should also take action against the mother of the deceased girl for being negligent towards her duty," Naik told reporters here.

He also pointed out to the sequence of events before Scarlett's death, brought on record in course of the trial, where Fiona left her 15-year-old daughter in the care of one Julio Lobo, in Siolim village, before heading for Gokarna in the neighbouring state of Karnataka with her other children.

"So how she can keep the custody of a minor girl with a stranger, very well knowing the fact that the person with whom the custody was kept was used to alcohol. So there was complete negligence on part of the mother of the deceased to take care of the custody of the child and as far as the investigation is concerned. Based on the evidence on record, there is clear evidence that the mother of the deceased girl was negligent in taking care of the child," he said.

According to the Central Bureau of Investigation probe, Scarlett was allegedly sexually assaulted by D'Souza and Carvalho, in February 2008 after plying her with drugs and left to die on Anjuna beach. Eight years after the offence was registered, the Goa Children's Court acquitted the duo last week.

Following the order, Fiona as well as her lawyer Vikram Varma alleged that it was difficult for foreigners to get justice in Goa, especially when the crime is committed by locals.

Naik now wants the state government to take cognisance of Fiona's statement.

"My submission is, let the state government look into the matter and initiate action against the mother of the victim girl, because she has made a very blatant statement to media, that there is no justice for foreign tourists in India, without even knowing the judicial system in India," Naik said.

Naik also said that Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who on Friday said that the outcome of the trial was "unfortunate", should read the contents of the order, before making such statements.

"My appeal to the honourable Chief Minister is kindly look at the evidence on record," he said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Taking a dig at the recent power struggle between Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party unit chief Shivpal Yadav, BJP President Amit Shah attacked the state's ruling party on Wednesday for doing nothing tangible for the people.

The 'chacha-bhatija' (Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Yadav), were incapable of taking UP to the heights it deserves to be at, he said at an event to commemorate the birth centenary of Jan Sangh ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyaya in Mathura.

He also said that while the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was rolling out a scheme for poor and the deprived every fortnight, the state government was hobbled by a power struggle.

Amit Shah also assured the gathering that if the BJP was voted to power in the forthcoming state assembly elections in 2017, the government would be of the poor people and will work in their interest.

--IANS

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Actress Jennifer Aniston's husband Justin Theroux has criticised the media for thrusting his wife's name into the divorce of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. He calls it "nonsense".

"As a child of divorce, all I can say is that's terrible news for those children and that's all you can really say," Theroux said on the Brangelina split to Business Insider, reports aceshowbiz.com.

"It's boring to sort of comment on anything else. People are having a bad time, that's horrible," he added.

He went on to say: "There's an endless appetite for trash, apparently, though everyone would say that they don't have that appetite."

"But I think a lot of people do because people buy it. But there are bigger things to b**** about. It's shocking how much bandwidth things can take up when there are far more important things going on in the world," he added.

Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt last week after the couple stayed together for 12 years.

--IANS

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A day after the first televised debate with his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump met here on Tuesday with more than 100 Hispanic leaders amid protests by other members of the Latino community.

Finally, after two cancelled attempts in July, the billionaire managed to hold a meeting with the Hispanic community at the Koubek Centre, part of Miami Dade College, where he arrived shortly before the scheduled time amid protests from dozens of Latino activists, union members and students, EFE news reported.

"Every time he comes to Miami we're going to denounce his racism and the xenophobe that he is," Maria Asuncion Bilbao, an undocumented Argentine citizen with the United Families organisation told EFE, calling the magnate a "bad person" and a "danger" to the United States.

Trump is a candidate "who wants to divide" the middle class, the poor, African Americans, said Elbert Garcia, the director of Florida's Voice, an affiliate of the national America's Voice organisation, adding that his vision of America is "limited and very small, (and) isn't going to be enough" to win the election,

Inside the Koubek Centre, Trump met for half an hour with members of the Hispanic community, including some who are local Republican leaders such as Republican Party Latino spokesperson Helen Aguirre Ferre, along with businessmen and members of the local religious community.

Trump's campaign team had scheduled two smaller meetings with Miami Hispanics earlier this summer, but both of those events had to be cancelled.

One of those attending the meeting on Tuesday, Mario Bramnick, the President of the Hispanic Israeli Leadership Coalition, told EFE that Trump is the only candidate who can change the US course at this "critical moment", and -- he added -- those problems are partly due to the Democratic Party.

"We're worried, those of us who came from Cuba or Venezuela are seeing a lot of similarities with what the (Fidel) Castro and (Hugo) Chavez governments started," he said.

On his first day of campaigning after the debate on Monday evening, the real estate magnate said at his meeting with Hispanics, many of them Cuban-Americans, that re-establishing relations between Washington and Havana in July 2015 should have been done in accord with "principles", Bramnick said.

The most recent voter surveys show a very tight race between Clinton and Trump in the key state of Florida, although the former First Lady has a wide advantage over the mogul among Hispanics.

Clinton is scheduled to visit Miami on Friday.

--IANS

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Two children and a teacher were shot by a gunman at an elementary school in Townville, South Carolina, a spokesman for Anderson County Emergency Management told reporters on Wednesday afternoon.

The students were sent to a local trauma centre, CNN quoted Taylor Jones as saying.

One child was taken to Greenville Health System emergency trauma centre by helicopter, spokeswoman Sandy Dees said.

The teacher was also hospitalised.

The severity of the injuries is not known.

The suspected shooter, a teenager, is in custody, Jones said.

--IANS

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Washington would respond within a few days to Ankara's request to arrest Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of masterminding the July 15 coup attempt, authorities here said on Wednesday.

Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag quoted American officials as saying that the evidence presented by Turkey indicates that Gulen, a Muslim cleric now residing in Pennsylvania, will soon be arrested in the US, Xinhua news agency reported.

On August 4, an Istanbul court issued a warrant for Gulen on charges of leading the failed coup attempt.

Bozdag warned earlier that the relationship between the US and Turkey would be negatively affected if Gulen is not extradited.

Tensions emerged after Ankara expressed its discontent over the perceived lack of support from the West in the wake of the coup bid.

Bozdag also said that 32,000 people have been arrested in the investigation into the coup attempt.

--IANS

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Rattled by growing resistance across its restive Balochistan province, the Pakistan Army has intensified its crackdown in recent weeks, especially targeting women and children, and leaving several dead and many missing, say Baloch activists.

According to well-informed local sources, the death toll and abduction cases are over 43 and 185, respectively, as of September 27. About 30 of the dead are women and children, activists in Balochistan told IANS in phone conversations, e-mail exchanges and via video conferencing.

The latest case of abductions, the activists said, was on Tuesday evening, when 30 members of a wedding celebration -- including the groom -- were picked up the Pakistan Army in the Tajabin area of the province's Kech district.

The fresh crackdown comes after what the activists described as a "bloody August", which saw at least 67 dead and over 150 reported missing. August is traditionally a month for crackdowns as the Baloch seek to celebrate their own I-Day on August 11, and protest Pakistan's on August 14.

The September crackdown, these activists say, appears to be systematically targeting women and children -- many of them related to those suspected to be involved in the armed struggle for Baloch freedom. It is being seen as a bid to demoralise the resistance.

"Thirteen women and 17 children are among the dead. One Sah Bibi, 72 years old from Bolan district, has become the first woman in months to be killed in custody. Her body was dumped at the roadside in Kohlu district," Omar Jan Baloch, a local activist-journalist working underground told IANS.

The activists said 21 Baloch women belonging to the Marri tribe were abducted on September 9 from villages in Kohlu and Bolan districts. Of those, 20 were released with signs of torture. Three women had gone on record and given testimonies, they added.

One of them, Bibi Gul, who was allegedly abducted from Sanjwal village of Bolan district, said in her testimony, a copy of which is with IANS: "At dawn they took me and other women to Mach jail (Bolan). They beat one women to death, tortured some, pulled the teeth of three women and made us watch this. This continued for several days and then released us, asking us to tell everyone what they did to us."

Bibi Gul was released along with 19 other women on September 21. She added that the army set ablaze the houses and crops in the area.

"Army had been targeting women and children, but not as a strategy or at this scale before. Now they are specially targeting women by either harassing, shooting or abducting them," Omar said.

According to Zamuran Baloch, another underground journalist-activist, this is pushing more youth into the armed struggle. All these activists have adopted "pen names" as over 33 journalists have been killed in Balochistan so far.

"They are doing this to develop pressure and scare the young Baloch, but more youth are now gearing themselves to fight back," Zamuran told IANS.

Activists alleged that women and children were targeted in Jalari, Sangan, Garbuk and Kahan in Kohlu and Sibi districts and operations using gunship helicopters were conducted in Bolan, Kohlu and Dera Bugti.

"Army had abducted all the male members of our tribe and is now targeting us. We have nothing to eat, our children are sick, but army has stopped food and medical supplies in the area," said a women from Sumalani tribe from a remote region of Bolan in a video message.

According to the activists, on September 9, bodies of three Baloch children, of whom two had gone missing from Quetta on June 25, and a third, the seven-year-old Shahdab Baloch, the brother of poet Sarwar Faraz, who was abducted from the Tasp area of Punjgor, were recovered by locals.

"The same day, 12 women -- Zenna Bugti, Meher Bibi, Patoli Bugti, Mukhi Fareed, Zemmi Marshalla, Khan Bibi, Sammi Bugti, Sadoori, Bakhti Bugti, Noori Bugti, Guddi and Nasreen -- were abducted by Pakistani forces during operations in different areas of Dera Bugti like Sui, Shari Darbar, Asreli and Dilbar Mat," Omar said.

The activists alleged that five women and five children were killed in operations held between September 11 and 13 at the town of Rajanpur and Gyandari in Punjab near Dera Bugti.

"Pakistani forces camped at Gyandari and continued the operation in Rajanpur using helicopters. After the three-day operation, they abducted many women. Those killed include Shabana Bugti, Laalen Bugti, Razia Bugti, Haani Bugti and Shaani Bugti," Hafsa Baloch, another activist, said.

Activist Banu Hooran Baloch, who spoke of human rights violations in a video message that went viral, said she is now barred from entering Quetta Press Club.

"I am also facing atrocities of the Pakistan Army now. I was attacked before Eid. Army personnel had rented a house next to mine and they consistently follow me and threaten my family regularly," Hooran told IANS.

(Ashish Mishra can be reached at ashish.m@ians.in and Kushagra at kushagra.d@ians.in)

--IANS

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Subrata Roy and Vijay Mallya were partners in the Formula One team Sahara Force India, before the latter sold out. On Wednesday, Roy's lawyer Kapil Sibal indirectly suggested that his client was better than his former partner.
The questioned the legal validity of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and said the Centre should urge the Supreme Court (SC) to clear the air in the matter.
The Narendra Modi government will on Thursday launch Progress Panchayat, a campaign to reach out to the minorities, particularly Muslims, to create awareness in these communities about the governments policies and programmes and remove fears and misconceptions about the government.
A day after an office of Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' was stoned over a cartoon it carried alluding to the ongoing Maratha rallies, the cartoonist on Wednesday expressed regret over his work, which has triggered sharp reaction from across the political spectrum in Maharashtra.

"The sentiments of Maratha community were hurt by my cartoon. But, there was never an intention to hurt anybody. Yet, I express regret if sentiments were hurt unintentionally," cartoonist Shrinivas Prabhudesai said in a statement carried on the front page of .

"The controversy over the cartoon was unnecessary. I am an artist and not a political cartoonist. In a busy life, my intention is to put a smile on people's face and thus I make cartoons," he stated.

He, however, alleged that the issue was politicised and the Sena and were unnecessarily dragged into the controversy.

The cartoon has come at a time when the Maratha community has been organising rallies all around the state to express outrage over the rape and murder of a girl from the community at Kopardi and press their various demands including quota in education and job.

The rallies have evoked huge response, compelling all political parties to take note the grievances of the community, a dominant force in the state.

However, dissatisfied with the cartoonist's explanation, the Congress said mere "apology" by cartoonist is not enough, and demanded that the newspaper's editor (Sena MP) Sanjay Raut be booked.

"The editor has hurt the religious sentiments of the Maratha community. The cartoon could not have been published without his consent. This means it was deliberately published to mock Maratha community," Congress leader Nitesh Rane said.

"There are various IPC sections which deal with such cases. The chief minister should give a free hand to the police to book Sanjay Raut and pacify the Marathas," he said.

The office of in Navi Mumbai was stoned yesterday, allegedly over the cartoon, which alluded to the "silent marches" being taken out by Maratha community.

A pro-Maratha outfit, 'Sambhaji Brigade', immediately claimed the responsibility for the attack.

While the Sena termed the attack as a "deliberate mischief" by some people to create rift, its ally BJP took objection to the cartoon and demanded public apology from the newspaper.

The opposition Congress and NCP sought government action against the Sena mouthpiece for "hurting sentiments" of the community.

Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant said Saamana is the mouthpiece of the Shiv Sena and the party has to apologise and not just the cartoonist.

"Not owning up mistake is not a wise thing. Such a cartoon could get published because of the anti-Maratha and anti-women mindset of the party," he charged.

Sawant said Shiv Sena cannot wash its hands off the controversy by getting only the cartoonist apologise.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said a cartoonist can draw anything but those who publish it are equally responsible.
The opposition Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are mounting pressure on the Shiv Sena to clear its stance on providing quota to the Maratha community, which constitutes 32 per cent of the population in Maharashtra. A pro-Maratha social organisation, 'Sambhaji Brigade', has also cornered the Sena on the quota issue. The trigger is cartoon mocking the Maratha 'silent rally', carried in Sunday's edition of the Shiv Sena's mouthpiece, Saamna.
At least 11 people were killed, including two policemen, in separate incidents in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province today while more than 300 suspected militants have been arrested in counter-terror raids ahead of Muharram.

A policemen guarding a Imambargah in Kohat district was shot dead by unidentified bike-borne assailants, police said.

The attackers managed to escape after the attack.

In the provincial capital Peshawar, a policeman was killed when unknown gunmen opened fire at a patrol team in Hindko Daman area. The patrol team was conducting the raid after receiving information about presence of militants in the area.

One person was killed and another sustained injuries in an explosion inside a shop on Jaman Road in Bannu district. The injured has been shifted to the district headquarter hospital.

Three women died and a child was injured when the roof of their house collapsed in Nowshera district. The injured have been admitted to a district hospital.

In another incident, five people were killed and three others seriously injured when their vehicle plunged into a ravine Abbottabad district.

Meanwhile in Mardan district, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested a terrorist linked to the banned Jamaat-ul Ahrar outfit, according to a statement by the CTD.

Ammunition, including two hand-grenades and a pistol, was seized from him. The suspect has been moved to an undisclosed location for further investigation.

More than 300 people, including Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan illegally, were arrested during combing operations in different areas of Peshawar to maintain law and order during Muharram.

Cache of arms and drugs were also seized from several of them. Authorities have decided to continue search operations in Peshawar to avoid any untoward incident during Muharram.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 15-year-old girl was allegedly raped by two men, police said today.

The girl was allegedly raped by Yunus (40) and Anis (35) last night. While Anis managed to escape, Yunus was caught by villagers after she raised an alarm, said SSP Bablu Kumar said.

"Yunus was brutally thrashed by villagers before being handed over to police," he said, adding the victim's family lodged a case at Maghora police station.

The girl has been hospitalised, he added.

Villagers staged a protest last night demanding immediate arrest of Anis and were dispersed early this morning, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
CBI was pulled up by a city court today for delaying in communicating to Canada for help in tracing a witness of a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which Congress leader Jagdish Tytler was earlier given a clean chit.

The court expressed displeasure saying the agency had delayed in writing a letter to the Canadian Government seeking details of Narinder Singh, son of a prime witness against Tytler, which it did only on September 8 even though the order to do so was given on July 11.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Shivali Sharma asked CBI's Superintendent of Police, who is supervising the probe, to appear before the court on October 25 to apprise it about the status of investigation.

The court called the senior officer while observing that the position of the probe in the case was the same as it was on July 11, the last date of hearing.

"After July 11 order, you have written letter to the Canadian Government on September 8, it shows delay on your part," the court told CBI after perusing the probe report filed earlier in a sealed cover.

"This position of investigation was same as on the last date of hearing also. What is new now," the court asked the CBI prosecutor and the investigating officer.

It also directed the agency to file its monthly probe report on October 25, the next date of hearing.

During the hearing, prosecutor N K Srivastava said they had contacted the Interpol authorities for tracing Narinder but they asked them to contact the Canadian government.

On CBI's reluctance in seeking the help of complainant and senior advocate H S Phoolka, who represents the riot victims, in tracing Narinder and other foreign based witnesses, the court asked "what is the harm in seeking their help if they can help in expediting the process?"



CBI, however, said its domestic probe was almost done and it would take some time to complete offshore investigation.

"We have made all possible efforts to trace Narinder but he could not be contacted. We have tried his mobile number several times but nobody picks up the call," the prosecutor said, adding that CBI has also taken help of foreign agencies.

The prosecutor also said that the CBI has sent a



communication to the Canadian authorities to verify the address of Narinder in Canada and the reply was awaited.

During the hearing, Phoolka vehemently opposed CBI's plea seeking three months to complete the probe on the ground that Canada's reply was awaited.

"It's a total eye wash. Narinder's relatives are here in India and his number was also working till some time back. He had also come to India recently. We are ready to help them (CBI) but it appears there is no will," he argued.

The court had earlier given a last chance to CBI to complete its further probe in two months, observing that "justice delayed amounted to justice denied".

After the court's earlier direction, CBI had recently questioned Tytler in connection with the case on September 9 when he had answered questions put by investigating officers.

The court had earlier pulled up the agency for not taking proper steps to complete the probe and had made it clear that if no fruitful results are shown in two months, CBI's SP would have to explain. It had also directed the CBI to write to the Canadian High Commission for information regarding the case.

The case pertains to the riots at Gurudwara Pulbangash in North Delhi where three people were killed on November 1, 1984, a day after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The court had said it would monitor the probe every two months so that no aspect of the matter is left uninvestigated.

CBI had re-investigated the case of killing of Badal Singh, Thakur Singh and Gurcharan Singh near the gurudwara after a court had in December 2007 refused to accept the closure report. CBI had filed three closure reports in it. Tytler has denied any role in the riots.
Three Kashmiri students studying in Desh Bhagat University at Amloh campus have alleged that they were harassed by some unidentified persons on September 25 night, a charge denied by the police and varsity authorities.

The three are among the 100 students from Kashmir enrolled in the university under different courses through the Prime Minister's Scholarship Programme for Jammu and Kashmir.

Danish Ahmad, one of the three students, alleged that some people gathered outside their hostel rooms and abused them.

"They knocked at the door and told us to come out while we were sleeping on Sunday night following which we informed the police and our parents in Kashmir," he said.

When contacted, Amloh SHO Dalbir Singh said after receiving information on Sunday night around 1 PM, a police team reached there and thoroughly investigated the matter but found it to be a rumour.

"Police thoroughly investigated the matter and found that it was only a rumour," he said.

"We inquired from other students living in the hostel about the incident but they said nothing of this sort has happened in the university," the SHO said.

Amloh DSP Purshotam Singh Bal visited the university yesterday and reviewed security arrangements there.

The SHO said they have asked the university authorities to install CCTV cameras at all places in the hostels and deploy additional guards.

Meanwhile, Vice-Chancellor Varinder Singh denied reports of the incident.

Former IPS Simranjit Singh Mann led Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) demanded inquiry in the case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Unidentified gunmen driving a car opened fire on a private vehicle today, killing four persons including three policemen in Egypt's restive North Sinai.

The incident took place in el-Masaaed district in the restive Al-Arish city of North Sinai, security officials said.

Unidentified gunmen driving a car opened fire on the private vehicle which was carrying the policemen, they said.

The civilian driver of the vehicle was also killed.

Since the 2011 revolution that toppled then president Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's North Sinai, which is the base of a number of outlaw groups, became the centre stage of many violent attacks by gunmen.

The attacks targeting police and military personnel have increased after the ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 following massive protests against his rule.

Over 700 security personnel have been reported killed since then.

The military has launched security campaigns in the area, arrested suspects and demolished houses that belong to terrorists, including those facilitating tunnels leading to the Gaza Strip.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Several ABVP activists were detained today by the police after they tried to break a barricade at M G Road area during their march to Calcutta University campus protesting against the prevailing situation in the universities.

The RSS affiliated ABVP today had organized a march from Shyambazar to Calcutta University College Street campus protesting against the prevailing situation and establishing proper educational atmosphere in colleges under Calcutta University.

They also had a charter of demands which they planned to submit to the University Vice Chancellor.

The police had set up a barricade at M G Road and asked the activists not to cross, but several ABVP activists tried to force their way ahead and were detained.

"The present atmosphere is colleges and universities is not at all congenial for proper education. We wanted to present a charter of demands to the University VC. But, we were stopped by the police at M G road crossing. Some of our leaders and supporters have been detained by the police," ABVP state president Subir Haldar said.

Haldar also said that the ABVP would continue to hit the streets in the coming days till their demands were met.

The ABVP Bengal unit has been in the for the past few months for its agitation and protest marches at Jadavpur University campus over alleged anti-national slogans being raised there.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Apart from India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan have also pulled out of the SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November, indirectly blaming Pakistan for creating an environment which is not right for the successful holding of the meet, resulting in its collapse.

Amidst heightened tension with Pakistan over Uri terror attack in which 18 jawans were killed, India had announced its decision of pulling out of the Summit late last night citing increased "cross-border" attacks.

While Bangladesh has categorically said that "the growing interference" in its internal affairs by one country has "created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the SAARC Summit", Afghanistan pulled out citing "terrorism in the region" for its abstention.

"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," it said.

Afghanistan has also conveyed to SAARC Chair Nepal that President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani would not be able to attend the Summit, sources said.

"Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan", President Ghani "with his responsibilities as the Commander-in-Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the Summit", a communication by the country said.

Bhutan said while it is committed to the SAARC process and strengthening of regional cooperation, it is concerned over the "recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."



"Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances."



The decision by India and three countries of the eight- member grouping not to attend the summit would lead to its collapse since as per the SAARC charter the Summit can not be held even in the absence of one head of the government.

The Uri attack has triggered a strong response from India which has reviewed the 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty (IWT), and decided to reconsider the MFN status granted by it, unilaterally, to Pakistan.

The Foreign Secretary had also issued a demarche yesterday to Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit over the attack while confronting him with the proof of "cross-border origins" of the terror strike.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With Treasury Bench members disrupting the pre-lunch session of the Odisha Assembly over the Polavaram issue, Opposition Congress today blamed the earlier governments in the state for the controversial dam project in Andhra Pradesh.

The issue was raised as soon as the House reassembled at 3 PM after an adjournment due to ruckus by the Treasury Bench members, Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra said ruling BJD could be the lone political party in the country which disrupted proceedings of the House repeatedly.

"I do not know any party in power which stops Assembly and runs away from discussion in the House. Earlier, two days (September 21 and 22) of the Monsoon Session were washed away due to pandemonium by the Treasury Bench members over the Mahanadi issue. Today also they disrupted the proceeding," Mishra said, asking BJD members to come forward for a discussion over the Polavaram issue.

While ruling party members accused both the UPA and the NDA governments of supporting the Andhra Pradesh government to construct the Indira Sagar project, also called Polavaram project, Mishra on his part held the then Odisha government headed by a non-Congress party in 1978 responsible for the project.

The Odisha government through an agreement had agreed to allow construction of Polavaram project in 1978. The then state government had accepted the possible displacement and inundation to be caused by the project, he pointed out.

Rejecting BJD government's charge that the UPA government accorded environment clearance to the Polavaram project despite objections from the Odisha government, Mishra said, "While the Odisha government in 1978 had agreed to displacement and inundation due to Polavaram project, UPA government's environment minister Jairam Ramesh had accorded conditional clearance. The condition was that not an inch of land in Odisha will be submerged nor any one will be displaced."



Mishra defended the Centre's allocation of funds for construction of the Polavaram project.

"Government of India is there to fund projects under the ambit of the Constitution. It is part of their duty to fund certain projects. Even Odisha projects are getting central funding," the Congress leader said.

In response, state industries minister Debi Prasad Mishra said, "We are ready for a discussion over the Polavaram project. We are not doing politics over it. But, we cannot stop raising people's problems in the House.

He asked how the NDA government's environment minister Prakash Javadekar extended environment clearance to Polavaram project despite an order of the National Green Tribunal.

"Both the UPA and the NDA governments have supported the causes of Andhra Pradesh at the cost of Odisha's interest," he said, adding BJD has no reasons to keep away from discussion.

BJP legislature party leader K V Singhdeo said his party was also ready for a discussion on the issue.

He suggested the state government to set up an all-party committee to put forth Odisha's objection at the Centre.

Singhdeo alleged the ruling party does not want any other party to protest and demanded a white paper on both Polavaram and Mahanadi issues.

Odisha's food supplies and consumer welfare minister Sanjay Dasburma alleged that Andhra Pradesh violated the Godavari Water Dispute Tribunal order by modifying the design of the dam and raising height of the reservoir.

He wondered how the Centre allocated funds to a project which was opposed by Odisha, Telangana and Chhattisgarh.

Dasburma said the ruling party has no objection to a discussion if the government chief whip moved a motion for debate tomorrow.

The BJD members' act of disrupting the pre-lunch session came a day after a statement of Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Earth Science Y S Chowdary that NABARD has in principle agreed to fund the entire Polavaram project.
Air India has inked a code share agreement with Air Austral which will help the national carrier to connect with destinations in the Indian Ocean and Africa.

The pact would enable Air India to code share on the French airline's flights on the Chennai-Reunion-Chennai sector as well as on routes including Reunion to Johannesburg, Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar.

"Reciprocally, Air Austral will put its marketing code on Air India operated flights beyond Chennai to/from Mumbai, Delhi and Kochi," Air India said in a release today.

Both airlines have signed a "free flow code share agreement".

Code sharing allows an airline to book its passengers on its partner carriers and provide seamless transport to destinations where it has no presence.

Reunion is an island in the Indian Ocean and part of France.

According to the release, the domestic carrier would offer its passengers flights departing from India to Saint- Denis de La Reunion with the Chennai/Saint-Denis flight operated by Air Austral.

"This agreement will enable Air India to reach out to destinations in the Indian Ocean and Africa. We look forward to expand our relationship with Air Austral in future," Air India's Executive Director (Strategy and Planning) Seema Srivastava said.

It would be the 15th code share partner for the national airline, she added.

Air Austral's Executive Vice President (Commercial Division) Jean-Marc Grazzini said the pact would help greatly improve the connectivity of Reunion Island to the Indian Ocean.

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Pope Francis today said those behind the bombing of Aleppo, where Syrian and Russian forces have conducted days of deadly airstrikes, will have to "answer before God."



"I appeal to the conscience of those responsible for the bombardment, who will have to answer before God," the pope said at his weekly address in St Peter's square, without naming Syria or Russia.

He spoke of his "deep pain and serious concern about the events" in Aleppo, where air strikes by Syrian and Russian forces on eastern rebel positions have sparked international condemnation.

The Pope referred to Aleppo as a "battered city where children, the elderly, the sick, the young, the old are dying... So many people."



He also repeated his call for "everyone to commit themselves with all their power to the protection of civilians," adding that this was "an imperative and urgent obligation."



The recent airstrikes have been some of the fiercest since the start of the five-year conflict in Syria.

They followed last week's collapse of a ceasefire deal brokered by Washington and Moscow.

The pope's comments come two days after the US accused Moscow of "barbarism" over the carnage in Aleppo, where France said Tuesday that "war crimes" were being committed.

Some 140 people, nearly all civilians, have been killed in the Syrian and Russian raids since late Thursday.

The city is facing worsening food and medical shortages.

Yesterday, the Syrian army took control of a rebel-held district in the centre of the city, its first advance since Damascus announced last week it would retake the whole of the divided city.

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Drones will be used extensively for various purposes but private persons or entities would not get the permission to use them in the state, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said here today.

"Drones can be used for dropping bombs and causing destruction. So no private persons or firms will be given permission to use drones. Even the government of India is following the same policy," he said at the ongoing conference of district collectors here.

"We will use closed-circuit television cameras and drones in a big way for various purposes. Drones can be used even to spray pesticides on crops. At the same time, they can also be used to drop bombs," Naidu remarked.

If required, the government would import drones, he added.

AP government had deployed 18 drones during the Krishna Pushkaram festival here in August for crowd monitoring.

Drones were also used to monitor ongoing works at various project sites, including the Polavaram, and the Chief Minister has been using the technology to conduct virtual inspections.

The government is also installing CCTV cameras extensively for traffic management and security purposes, particularly in urban areas.

"I will give you any number of CCTV cameras. Thousand, ten thousand or one lakh, I will give you. You can sit at home and monitor the cleaning of roads. That makes people happy," the Chief Minister said.

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He is one of the most noted filmmakers today, but director Anurag Kashayp initially had no plans of entering Bollywood and instead wanted to be a scientist.

Kashyap studied Zoology from Delhi with the dream of winning a Nobel prize, but eventually gave it up when he "discovered" cinema.

At the ongoing Jagran film festival, when the director was asked if he studied Zoology by accident or choice, Kashyap said "By choice. It was my childhood fantasy to win Nobel prize. I studied to be a scientist because I wanted to do something like that but then I gave up on that."



The filmmaker said though he studied the course, it had no impact on the kind of realistic cinema he is associated with today.

"Till I finished my third year, I had no idea I would come into films. I did not discover cinema until I finished my college," he said.

The 44-year-old director got his breakthrough as a co-writer in Ram Gopal Varma's "Satya" and revealed that he was so passionate about writing that he used to write for films and daily soaps, without getting paid or given credit.

"I used to get work but not money. It was easy because they knew I would ask neither money nor name. I asked for nothing. I knew someone will come who will say he should get his rightful credit," he said.

"I got my first credit by Hansal Mehta for 'Jayate' and RGV for 'Satya'. Before that I worked a lot. May be the industry knew me because I wrote many blockbusters where my name is not there," he said.

The filmmaker, however, won't reveal names of those films



and says most of them were copied from other Hollywood movies, so he was "ashamed" to take credits for story writing.

"I will never take the names (of films) nor reveal in an interview. But people know for whom I've written. That time, 90 per cent films were copy so I used to not like putting my name anyway. It helped me both ways," Anurag said.

"Then I decided at one point when I got so conscious of it- that most of the films are copied - even when I wrote (them), I used to take only dialogue credits. I stopped taking story credits. I was very ashamed of taking that," he said.

Kashyap said the films that he wrote were based on somebody else's ideas and were never his own, hence he did not have a problem of letting his name go by in the credits.

"The ideas never came from me. It was always of some other person who wanted someone to execute it. The ideas weren't even something which made me want to include my name. I just wanted to write. But if something has come from within me, I won't let it go (without credits)," he said.

The filmmaker also revealed that "out of the 13-14 films I've made, I've got fees only for three films. Rest of them have been made for free.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today said his government would work to make the state "100 per cent mosquito-free" in the next two years.

"It is possible. We have recently launched a war on mosquitoes. We have to work on this daily and in two years make AP mosquito-free," the Chief Minister said, inaugurating the two-day conference of District Collectors here today.

Sri Lanka has achieved the distinction of being a mosquito-free nation and the World Health Organisation has also declared it so, he pointed out.

Andhra Pradesh would also reach a milestone on October 2 when all 110 municipalities and another 1,000 villages would be declared open defecation-free (ODF).

"We will be the first state in the country where all municipalities are ODF. By the end of 2018, all the remaining villages should also be made ODF," the Chief Minister said.

Chandrababu claimed that his government put in place a system to overcome drought in the Rayalaseema region.

"Use of rain guns and water sprinkler systems proved effective in tackling drought and saving crops in lakh of acres in Rayalaseema this year. Our ultimate objective is to make the state drought-free," he said.

"But there is no way we can avoid cyclones or floods, which the state is prone to. For this, preparedness is required. We have to regularly conduct mock drills so that we can prevent damage to properties and lives during calamities," the Chief Minister said.

Deputy Chief Ministers N China Rajappa (Home), K E Krishna Murthy (Revenue), Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Chief Secretary Satya Prakash Tucker, Chief Commissioner of Land Administration Anil Chandra Punetha and other bureaucrats attended the conference.

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Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, today announced the launch of 'Heart Failure Clinic', a dedicated Heart Failure Clinic at the hospital on the eve of World Heart Day.

According to doctors at Apollo Hospital, the reasons of heart failure could be damage to the heart muscle caused by coronary artery disease or too much strain on the heart because of years of untreated high blood pressure or an abnormal heart valve.

The typical symptoms of a heart failure are difficulty in breathing, chronic cough, swollen ankles, legs and abdomen, weight gain, frequent urination during night, loss of appetite, fatigue, weakness, rapid or irregular heartbeats, patients often experience a pounding sensation in the chest.

"The alarming rise in the incidence of heart failure especially amongst the younger population of our country needs to be curbed, as the overall consequences of it can be catastrophic. Educating the populace on the necessary lifestyle modifications is the way forward," Dr A G K Gokhale, Consultant Cardiothoracic and Transplant Surgeon, told reporters.

India has to do a lot to reduce the burden of heart failure and also provide curative and rehabilitative services to these patients, which is a huge challenge, he said.

According to Dr Jayakeerthi Y Rao, consultant Heart Failure Specialist, "The estimated prevalence of heart failure in India is 4.85 million with five lakh patients adding on every year to this number."



A dedicated heart failure clinic is the need of the hour to monitor and manage the condition effectively.

Apollo's repository of knowledge in treating a large base heart failure patients and the tried and tested protocols in place, aid in reassuring the patients and improving their quality of life, Dr Jayakeerthi added.

The epidemics of diabetes, hypertension and Ischemic heart disease is giving rise to a steady increase in incidence of heart failures, he pointed out.

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With the Syrian city of Aleppo facing a new regime onslaught and Washington's diplomacy under criticism for failing to halt the carnage, the United States announced a new aid package.

The State Department said it would release a further USD 364 million to UN aid agencies and NGOs working to help vulnerable Syrian civilians inside and outside the war-torn country.

The latest slice of funding brings the total amount that the United States -- the effort's biggest single donor -- has spent since the war started more than five years ago to USD 5.9 billion.

But the assistant secretary of state for population, refugees and migration Anne Richard confirmed it would come from funds already allocated by Congress and does not represent new US spending.

"And this is probably... Our last announcement of the fiscal year," she told reporters at a briefing to announce the measure three days before the end of the 2016 government spending period.

The civil war in Syria erupted in early 2011, when dictator Bashar al-Assad unleashed a brutal clampdown on anti-government protests, and has since killed more than 300,000 people.

Millions have fled their homes, with many living in makeshift camps inside Syria or its neighbors Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon, reliant on UN agencies funded by major UN members.

The United States and Russia, which back the opposition and regime, respectively, announced a ceasefire on September 9. It lasted barely a week.

As the deal collapsed, Assad's regime launched a major offensive against the rebel-held east of Syria's commercial hub, Aleppo, backed by waves of Russian bombers.

The diplomatic initiative's failure has exposed President Barack Obama's White House to criticism that, having no back-up plan, it has effectively ceded the initiative to Russia.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest insisted yesterday that Obama "and his team are always looking carefully at the situation to determine if there is something different that we can do."



But the violence in Aleppo is such that air-dropping aid would be too risky, he said, while arming the rebels would "only further militarise a situation that doesn't have a military solution.

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BJP today submitted a memorandum to the Himachal Pradesh Governor urging him to ask government not to shift Medium Irrigation Projects Division from Bassi to Matiana.

Led by state BJP vice-president and Nainadevi MLA Randhir Sharma, the delegation met Governor Acharya Dev Vrat and told him that a notification was issued on August 10 regarding the shifting of the division from Bassi to Matiana, the constituency of Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes, and urged him to direct the government to restore the status quo.

The delegation said the people of the area are agitated over the decision as the Rs 100-crore project was catering to 35 villages of nine panchayats.

They threatened to intensify the agitation if their demand was not met by the government.

Meanwhile, former chief minister and leader of the Opposition in Assembly P K Dhumal today alleged that the government was not serious in developing better infrastructure in the state.

He said the Congress government had promised to construct 7500 km roads in the election manifesto but only 1475 km roads have been constructed in last 45 months.

The Union government has sanctioned 56 new national highways to the state but the government was not serious about their execution and even the detailed project reports (DPRs) of these projects have not been sent to the Centre, Dhumal said.

Due to the corruption and red-tapism, Nalagarh-Swarghat, Theog-Hatkoti and some other highways have not been completed, he alleged.

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Foreign currencies with a face value of Rs 25.6 lakh were seized from a passenger while he was about to fly to Dubai from the Dabolim airport in Goa today, Customs officials said.

"The Air Intelligence Unit of Goa Customs this morning seized assorted foreign currencies, including Saudi and Qatar Riyals, Dirhams and US Dollars worth Rs 25.6 lakh," Customs spokesman said in a statement.

The currencies were recovered from Anwar Sadiq Bappaithotty Abdul Rahiman, a native of Kasaragod in Kerala, who was planning to board an Air Arabia flight from here going to Dubai via Sharjah.

The passenger had concealed the currencies in his hand baggage, the spokesman said.

He was being questioned in the matter, the Customs added.

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The Madhya Pradesh government today suspended Balaghat Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), who among other policemen was charged with attempting to murder an RSS worker there.

Balaghat ASP Rajesh Sharma, who was booked and charged with section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC in connection with beating of RSS parcharak Suresh Yadav on September 25 evening, has been suspended, state Home Minister Bhupendra Singh told PTI over phone.

He said a special team will leave for Balaghat from Bhopal to oversee the investigation into the incident.

Singh had yesterday met Yadav, who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Jabalpur.

Earlier, two police officers attached to Baihar police station in Balaghat were suspended for allegedly beating up Yadav, who was arrested for posting objectionable comments on AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

The police, after receiving a complaint that Yadav had posted some comments about Owaisi on WhatsApp, brought him to Baihar police station on the evening of September 25.

Yadav escaped and hid in the nearby house of Swami Prasad Asati. However, police caught him and brought him back to the station. They booked him under IPC section 295 (a) (outraging religious feeling). And he was allegedly beaten up brutally in police custody.

Meanwhile, the RSS has called for a bandh in Balaghat tomorrow to protest the alleged custodial assault on its pracharak.

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A seven-member Belgian business delegation met industry representatives here to explore the potential of smart technologies during its two-day visit to the city.

The delegation, as part of Urbanisation Series 2016 Mission, focused on exchange of innovative ideas and solution to tackle challenges in the area of urban development.

Belgian representative held one-on-one meetings with industry captains organised by local chapter of CII, the chamber said in a release.

The B2B meetings provided a platform to understand strategic benefits and assessed synergies towards partnership, besides other collaborative opportunities in the areas of technology driven governance, infrastructure and software development etc, between both the nations, the release said.

With Coimbatore being selected as one among the first set of Smart Cities in the country, Indian and Belgian companies can collaboratively work together on their common strengths on various smart initiatives, it added.

The chamber claimed that the meetings offered an opportunity for local companies to partner and enhance value by providing implementation, localization and customization services.

With many of the Belgian companies having their presence in India already, it was an advantage for domestic companies to easily collaborate with them, CII said.

Organisations part of this delegation include Credendo Group (Export Credit Agency), Famoco (Android based NFC devices), Macq (Electronic and Computing-Processing Solutions), Real Impact Analytics (Smart City Analytics Applications), among others.

Representatives from KGiSL Ltd, Salzer Electronics, MindSpark Technologies, Angler Technologies, Kondass Automation, Nizan Robotics were among those who interacted with the delegation members, the release said.

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Madhya Pradesh BJP has suspended the convener of its cultural cell Rajesh Bhadoria following his statement that the party should apologise to the people of the state for the Vyapam scam, a massive admission and recruitment racket.

"I have come to know that the state BJP leadership has suspended me from the party yesterday after I told a section of press in Bhopal that the party should apologise to the public for the Vyapam scam that has ruined the future of young generation," Bhadoria told PTI.

He said he had asked the party to take up two resolutions -- one apologising to the people for Vyapam scam and another to make a Dalit the chief minister of MP after the next assembly elections -- for discussion at the two-day state executive meeting of BJP which began at Gwalior today.

"Dictatorship is prevailing in MP BJP," Bhadoria said, adding that it was shameful that the party was not apologising to the people for the scam.

State BJP president Nandkumar Chauhan said Bhadoria had been suspended from the primary membership of the party for his irresponsible statement.

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Government bonds (G-Secs) gained following bouts of demand from corporates and banks and the interbank call rates also turned higher owing to good demand from borrowing banks amid tight liquidity in the banking system.

The 7.59 per cent government security maturing in 2026 rose to Rs 104.51 as compared to Rs 104.43 previously, while its yield inched down to 6.92 per cent from 6.93 per cent.

The 7.59 per cent government security maturing in 2029 went-up to Rs 105.14 from Rs 104.9750, while its yield edged down to 6.97 per cent from 6.99 per cent.

The 7.88 per cent government security maturing in 2030 spurts to Rs 107.54 from Rs 107.40, while, its yield softened to 7.01 per cent from 7.02 per cent.

The 7.61 percent government security maturing in 2030, the 7.68 per cent government security maturing in 2023 and the 6.97 per cent government security maturing in 2026 were also quoted higher at Rs 105.9650, Rs 104.41 and Rs 101.3350 respectively.

The overnight call money rates finished higher at 6.40 per cent from Tuesday's level 6.20 per cent. Its moved in a range of 6.55 per cent and 6.25 per cent.

Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF), purchased securities worth Rs 79.10 billion in 8-bids at the overnight repo auction at a fixed rate of 6.50 per cent as on today, while its sold securities worth Rs 107.51 billion from 28-bids at the overnight reverse repo auction at a fixed rate of 6.00 per cent as on September 27.

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Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar today said hosting the BRICS Summit next month is a big opportunity for the coastal state to showcase itself on the global stage.

"Goa has got a wonderful opportunity of hosting BRICS. We can use this to our advantage and showcase the best that Goa is known for to the entire world," Parsekar told reporters after chairing a high-level meeting here.

Annual summit of BRICS -- group of emerging economies Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- would be held in Goa on October 15 and 16.

"Goa was selected because of its scenic beauty and the harmony among the people. We decided to convert the challenge of hosting a summit of such importance into an opportunity because it will take Goa to greater heights," he said.

He added that the event would be a milestone in the growth of Goa.

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Indian-origin businessmanSanjeev Guptaled Liberty House Group todayreopened steelworks it had acquired in Scotland from Tata Steel earlier this year.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon officially marked the restart of the Dalzell plant at Motherwell near Glasgow, which was rescued by Gupta's firm in April following its closure in December 2015 amid a worldwide steel industry crisis.

"This is a fantastic day for Dalzell workers, for Motherwell and for Scotland's steel industry. Restarting steel production has only been possible thanks to the tremendous team effort of everyone involved in the steel taskforce to find a viable future for this site, meaning workers here in Lanarkshire can once again produce world-class products," Sturgeon said at the launch ceremony.

"Liberty House are seizing an exciting opportunity and the Scottish government and its agencies will continue to work with Sanjeev Gupta and his team to ensure a successful future in Scotland," she added.

Liberty has spent the last five months rebuilding the workforce and recommissioning equipment at the huge site, which includes the UK's largest and most versatile plate mill.

Dalzell is the last major steelworks in Scotland and, over several generations, has provided Britain with the tough steel plate used in industries such as shipbuilding, construction, mining, oil production and heavy vehicle manufacture.

Gupta, executive chairman of Liberty House, described the re-opening as a first step for the group in Scotland, adding that he aims to expand his company's investment there in pursuit of its GreenSteel strategy for a competitive, low- carbon and sustainable steel industry.

"We promised we would get this important plant open again by the autumn and today we are proud to be fulfilling that promise," he said.

He also disclosed that the neighbouring Clydebridge works at Cambuslang in Scotland would come back on stream in due course as market conditions allowed.

Liberty has already recruited around 120 staff for Dalzell, comprising many former employees who have returned, as well as those new to the industry. It is hoped employment will increase to over 200 within 18 months, as production rises in response to market demand.

The reopened plant will be targeting Britain's 700,000 tonne-a-year market for plate steel, which is estimated to be growing at the rate of 3 per cent a year.

The plant has a full production capacity of between 400,000 and 500,000 tonnes a year.

At a local level it is estimated the restart of Dalzell will be worth roughly 15 million pounds a year to the economy around Motherwell, both in wages and supply contracts awarded to local businesses.

Jon Bolton, chief executive of Liberty Steel UK Plates & UK Steel Development, said: "Restarting this mill only nine months after production was halted has been a tremendous achievement. We now intend to ramp production up as quickly as the market will allow."



Liberty is part of the global GFG Alliance, an association between businesses owned by Sanjeev Gupta and Parduman Gupta.

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Bulgaria switched today its support from UNESCO chief Irina Bokova to European Commission Vice President Kristalina Georgieva as its candidate for UN secretary-general, potentially shaking up the race.

"We think it will be a more successful candidacy," Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said ahead of a government meeting.

Bokova failed to make a strong showing in an informal vote by the 15-member council this week, placing only sixth in the fifth straw poll.

Georgieva is seen as potentially having better chances to succeed South Korea's Ban Ki-moon when he steps down on December 31 as the world's top diplomat.

"Bokova has deployed a lot of efforts. We gave her a final chance for the latest vote... She fell even further and was overtaken by several other countries and other female candidates," said Borisov.

The announcement came after rumours had been swirling for days that Bulgaria would drop its support for Bokova.

On Tuesday evening, Bokova had still insisted she would not quit her candidacy.

"If (Bulgaria) presented another candidate at this stage, it would be a serious political error," she told Bulgarian media.

Portugal's former prime minister Antonio Guterres is currently in the lead to win the race.

None of the other eight candidates picked up the minimum nine votes required to become the Security Council's nominee for the top post in Monday's straw poll.

The next informal ballot is scheduled for October 5 but the five veto-wielding powers will be using coloured ballots in that round to indicate whether they would block a candidacy.

Russia has said it would prefer a candidate from Eastern Europe to become the next UN chief, but it remains unclear if it will use its veto to block a contender from another region.

Council members are hoping to agree on a nominee in the coming weeks and present that candidate to the General Assembly for approval.

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Three women Naxals, including a commander rank cadre, were today killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, police said.

The face-off took place in the afternoon between a joint team of security personnel and ultras in the forests of Gadiras police station area, Sukma Superintendent of Police Indira Kalyan Elesela told PTI.

"We had specific inputs about presence of anarmed group of Maoists near village Bade Satti in Gadiras area. So, along with CRPF's 195th battalion and CoBRA's 206th battalion, a team of local police led by SHO Gadiras police station Mohsin Khan besides two assistant commandants of paramilitaries launched a search operation in the area," he said.

Gadiras is located around 400 kms away from here.

The security forces were approaching the interior village, when it came under heavy fire from a squad of the Maoists.

The police retaliated, killing the three extremists while the others fled following an hour long skirmish, Elesela said.

During the search, bodies of the three women Naxals along with one muzzle loading gun, one country made revolver, pipe bombs, detonators and several other items were recovered from the spot, he added.

"One of the killed ultras has been identified as Bade Satti LOS (local organisation squad) Commander Anju while the identity of the others is being ascertained," the SP said.

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Centre today approved Rs 4,777.05 crore package for closure of state-run Hindustan Cables Ltd, which would be used for paying wages, offering early retirement schemes and converting government loan into equity.

"Union Cabinet under chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for closure of Hindustan Cables Limited (HCL), Kolkata as per the provisions of the Companies Act, 1956/2013, Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 and other relevant Acts," a statement said.

According to the statement, the employees will be offered attractive VRS/VSS package at notional 2007 pay scales.

The disposal of assets of the company, it added, will be as per the Department of Public Enterprises guidelines with regard to time-bound closure of sick/loss making Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).

There will be cash infusion of Rs 1,309.90 crore and non-cash infusion of Rs 3,467.15 crore in the company. The non-cash portion will be used for conversion into equity of centre's outstanding loan (including interest) as on September 30, 2016.

Secured creditors of HCL, led by SBI as consortium lenders had gone in for One Time Settlement (OTS) of dues which include complete waiver of interest and settlement of principal amount of Rs 305.63 crore.

There is no production activity in the company since January 2003. The employees of the company are in 1997 pay scales.

HCL was established in 1952. It had four manufacturing units at Rupnarainpur and Narendrapur (West Bengal), Hyderabad (Telangana) and Naini (UP).

It was set up to cater to the needs of government-owned telecom companies BSNL and MTNL for manufacture of telecom cables. Due to rapid change in telecommunication technology (wire-line to wireless), the demand for telecom cables has been drastically reduced.

Several attempts were made by Department of Heavy Industries for revival of the company but failed. Attempts to transfer HCL units to Ministry of Defence/Department of Defence Production also did not yield results.

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has approved a USD 27 billion liquefied natural gas project on British Columbia's northwest coast in a decision that's considered a litmus test for a government that has vowed to do more for the environment.

It is Trudeau's first decision on a major energy project.

It comes ahead of some important pipeline decisions that will cause him problems from either industry or environmentalists and aboriginals.

"Helping to get Canada's resources to market is a key responsibility," Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr said, announcing the decision alongside two other cabinet ministers in Richmond, British Columbia. "At the same time we said that economic prosperity must go hand in hand with environmental responsibility."



The proposed liquefied natural gas processing plant by Petronas and other partners near Prince Rupert, British Columbia, would ship 19 million tons a year of frozen, liquefied natural gas to markets in Asia.

But the project has drawn criticism both for the carbon emissions it would cause and for the possible impact that the export terminal would have on the wild salmon habitat in the Skeena River estuary.

Trudeau still faces decisions on Enbridge's controversial Northern Gateway pipeline proposal that would bring oil to the Pacific Coast for shipment to Asia as well as Kinder Morgan's TransMountain pipeline expansion from Alberta to British Columbia.

The government put in 190 conditions on the massive Pacific NorthWest LNG project, including environmental and fish protection.

The conditional approval doesn't mean the massive project will be built. An increasing supply of natural gas has depressed international prices for LNG, making the economics of the project less certain than they were when it was first announced in 2013.

A spokesman for Pacific NorthWest LNG said Monday that any decision to begin construction would still have to go to the company's shareholders if the Canadian government approved the plan.

"It sure would be a great boost for the country if we can get these projects going," British Columbia Premier Christy Clark said. "I don't know when the market conditions might improve enough for these projects to go ahead but I do know that in China, India and Japan people are really hungry for a cleaner alternative to coal."



The project has drawn criticism both for the carbon emissions it would cause and for the possible impact that the export terminal would have on the wild salmon habitat in the Skeena River estuary.

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The probe into the murder of a Hindu outfit activist in Coimbatore was today transferred to CB-CID police even as several BJP workers and leaders were detained here for trying to stage a protest over the killing.

Police said the investigation into the September 22 murder of 36-year-old Hindu Munnani functionary C Sasikumar has been transferred to the Crime-Branch CID wing.

BJP's Tamil Nadu unit President Tamilisai Sounderrajan and National Secretary H Raja were among those detained here for trying to stage a protest without permission over the killing, police said.

The party leaders with their supporters tried to stage the protest in Egmore area against the killing of Sasikumar, who was hacked to death by unknown assailants, without taking permission from authorities concerned and were later detained, they said.

The murder had triggered violent protests in Coimbatore, while several BJP senior leaders had condemned the incident, saying that of late Hindu outfit leaders were being targeted in the state.

Calling the murder of Sasikumar as "undoubtedly a terrorist activity", Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan had asked police to probe whether the assailants had any link to terrorists in Pakistan.

Raja had yesterday slammed the police for their "failure" to nab the culprits and sought a CBI probe into the murder.

(REOPENS MDS3)



Meanwhile, the ashes of the slain Hindu Munnani functionary were immersed in the River Noyyal at Chadivayal on the outskirts of Coimbatore today.

Unlike the funeral procession, which witnessed violence and arson, the ceremony was a low-key affair confined to only relatives and a handful leaders of Hindu outfits, with the police keeping strict vigil.

BJP, which had announced state-wide protests against the killing, decided to not to stage any demonstration in and around the city.

CB-CID ADGP Karan Singh inspected the scene of the crime on the outskirts of Coimbatore.

He also held discussions with senior police officials, police said.
CBSE chairman Rajesh Chaturvedi today visited Super 30, a programme of mathematician Anand Kumar for mentoring students from underprivileged sections of the society for IIT and interacted with the students.

"I wanted to come here to see for myself how it (Super 30) functions so that similar models could be replicated elsewhere for tapping maximum talent," Chaturvedi said in a short speech at the academy.

Exhorting the students to strive for real knowledge, the CBSE chief said today's education was becoming more elite-centric, though there was immense real talent in rural areas and they needed to be nurtured.

"This is the reason I am here at Super 30 today," he said.

Welcoming, the CBSE chairman, Anand Kumar said Chaturvedi's visit at the academy would boost students' confidence.

"He had wished to visit here and during my interaction with him, I was quite impressed with his passion, deep knowledge and a desire to do something for the millions of students from rural areas," he said.

Since its inception in 2002, Super 30 has helped more than 350 students hailing from poor sections of the society crack IITs.

The academy, which provides free fooding, lodging and education to 30 select students from underprivileged sections, has drawn praise within the country and abroad.

Recently, five students of Super 30 were chosen under a programme of Japan's Human Resources Development Ministry to visit that country for a week in November.

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Two days before his retirement, the Centre today approved an extension of three months for Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police K Rajendra Kumar on the recommendation of the state government.

Kumar's name, a 1984-batch IPS officer, was cleared for extension by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) today.

According to the order, the ACC approved the proposal sent by the Union Home Ministry for granting the extension to Kumar in view of the prevailing law and order situation in the state.

Kashmir Valley has seen widespread violent protests since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with the security forces. 82 people, including two policemen, have been killed in the violence.

The proposal for extension was moved by the state government to the Union Home Ministry on September 8 after the Mehbooba Mufti-led Cabinet took a decision to this effect.

The Cabinet at the same time put S P Vaid, who is tipped to succeed Kumar, as Director General in-charge of Law and Order and Coordination.

Kumar was appointed chief of the state police in May 2014 and was due to retire at end of this month.

This is for the first time that a police chief has been given an extension by the state government since the beginning of militancy in 1990.

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Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today asked the Coast Guard to "bolster" coastal security mechanism by increasing patrolling to thwart any infiltration bid by anti-national elements through sea.

The coastal security should be strengthened considering the current security scenario, he said.

Speaking at the 35th Coast Guard Commanders Conference here, Parrikar also promised all assistance to the Coast Guard in enhancing its operational efficiency.

"Due to current security scenario, he exhorted ICG to further bolster Coastal Security mechanism by increasing patrolling so as to avoid infiltration by anti-national elements through Sea," the Coast Guard said in a release.

The Defence Minister also complimented efforts of the Coast Guard in augmenting Maritime and Coastal security not only by deployment of assets but also by efficient exploitation of Coastal Security Network (CSN).

A modern surveillance system comprising high-resolution cameras and sensors has been installed along the coastline under the first phase of the CSN project. Parrikar hoped that CSN Phase II would also be implemented on time.

He also congratulated the force for their "protracted efforts" with Pakistan and Sri Lankan security agencies which resulted in reduced apprehension of Indian fishing boats.

"The Defence Minister promised all assistance of the Ministry for cases relating to the operational efficiency and those pertaining to the growth of the service, be it the manpower or new acquisitions," the release said.

He also welcomed efforts by Coast Guard in realising the 'Make in India' policy by ordering indigenous ships to strengthen its fleet.

The conference was attended by senior officers of the Ministry of Defence and Indian Coast Guard (ICG). The three-day conference aims to carve out a futuristic vision for the service and to determine the modalities to overcome the challenges efficiently.

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China today said it "attaches importance" to Pakistan's stand on Kashmir but hoped that New Delhi and Islamabad resolve the issue through dialogue and consultation to "safeguard" peace and stability in the region.

China's Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said China wants "relevant parties" to resolve the issue through consultation.

Liu said this during an interaction with a special Pakistani delegation on Kashmir here.

A brief statement posted on the Foreign Ministry's website in Mandarin said Liu "listened" to the briefing by the special envoys on Pakistan's position on the Kashmir situation.

Liu "emphasised that China pays attention to the recent situation in Kashmir and attaches importance to Pakistan's relevant position", the statement said.

"China believes that Kashmir issue is an issue left over from history and should be resolved by relevant parties through dialogue and consultation. China hopes that India and Pakistan can strengthen their communication and dialogue, properly handle differences, improve relations and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the region," it said.

The delegation was reportedly part of a move by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to send special envoys to brief foreign countries on the situation in Kashmir.

Significantly, the delegation had to meet the Chinese vice minister and not the Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Liu's comments follow earlier remarks by Foreign Ministry officials here urging India and Pakistan to peacefully resolve their differences, declining to back reports from Islamabad about Beijing expressing its support to Pakistan.

On September 26, China had snubbed Pakistan by declining to back the well-publicised reports in Islamabad that claimed Beijing's support in the event of any aggression and for its stand on Kashmir.

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China today celebrated the 2,567th birth anniversary of its ancient philosopher Confucius by organising a grand cultural festival at his hometown in Shandong province and across the country.

More than 2,000 people recited classic quotes from 'The Analects', a collection of Confucius' famous sayings, in front of the Confucius temple in Qufu.

The participants, including government and UNESCO officials, scholars, students and descendants of Confucius, from over 20 countries and regions, marched towards the temple wearing yellow ribbons.

For thousands of years, Confucius has been regarded as a symbol of China's traditional culture, as well as the country's intellectuals.

He was venerated as a great sage in ancient China, but despised as a regressive pedant during the decade-long Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), headed by Mao Zedong the founder of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC).

The Party is now resurrecting Confucius in a big way as part of restoration of Chinese culture to rediscover its roots. Dancers wearing Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) costume staged a ritual dance.

Representatives presented flower baskets in front of a statue of Confucius, and all participants bowed three times toward the statue.

The Qufu government organised experts to conduct research on the current name, time, venue, procedure, code of etiquette, sacrificial offerings and ritual dance of the ceremony, to ensure it was suitable occasion.

Ceremonies were held throughout China today, state-run Xinhua agency reported.

Some foreigners also attended the ceremony in Quzhou.

David Peter Maclellan, an advisor of the Confucius Institute at Saint Mary's University in Canada, said Confucianism is helpful for solving the basic problems of a country and a society.

Confucius (551-479 BC), an educator and philosopher, founded Confucianism, a school of thought that deeply influenced later generations.

He was also the first Chinese person to set up private schools that enrolled students from all walks of life. He is believed to have born on September 28.

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India will not commit to reducing emissions in the civil aviation sector by 2020 as such a move will be doing "injustice" to the country's growing economy, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said today.

Asserting that the government is committed to reduce emissions in the sector over a longer period of time, Javadekar made it clear that India would not be part of the proposed Global Market-Based Measures (GMBM) which are being discussed at the ongoing ICAO assembly in Montreal.

GMBM, mooted by UN body International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), seeks to reduce carbon emission in the aviation sector.

"There is an attempt to bring a cap on emissions in civil aviation (sector) by 2020. That is the proposal and we said that for the developing world, the proposal is unfair... When it (economy) is growing, you cannot cap our emissions from aviation... A cap by 2020 will be injustice," he said.

Speaking to reporters after the Union Cabinet meeting which also discussed the GMBM issue, the Minister said the government wants to have "less and less (civil) aviation emissions".

However, Javadekar said such a thing cannot be put in place within a short period of time for countries where manufacturing has to improve and more fuel efficiency has to be brought in.

"There are more scientific ways to deal with it. We have not reached the stage of the developed world... We cannot put a stop to our growth and therefore we have decided to put India's viewpoints very strongly," the HRD Minister said.

A government spokesperson said today's Cabinet approval of India's position on GMBM would enable finalisation of the negotiation strategy in the 39th Assembly of ICAO, which is underway in Montreal, Canada.

"This will help India to bargain for the possible flexibility out of the proposed GMBM scheme," the spokesperson said in a series of tweets.

Javadekar, who earlier headed the Environment Ministry, said the government would have sectoral targets, including for civil aviation, up to 2030.

"We are okay with reducing emissions, using modern technologies but it cannot be forced on BASIC countries and India is at a growing stage," he noted.

Earlier this year, India along with other members of BASIC grouping had expressed their opposition to GMBM. Brazil, South Africa and China are also members of this group.

"As you all know, when BASIC Ministers met in Delhi, we opposed the global market-based mechanism as far as aviation is concerned because we are growing economy, we are emerging economy and our aviation (sector) is growing," Javadekar said.

In September 2013, ICAO took a decision to develop a GMBM scheme to limit CO2 emissions in the aviation sector. It is to be implemented by way of participants offsetting their CO2 emissions above an agreed level by carbon emission trading.

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A special court today took cognisance of a charge sheet filed by CBI against a private firm and three persons in a coal block scam case relating to alleged irregularities in allocation of North Dhadhu coal block in Jharkhand.

Special Judge Bharat Parashar issued summons against M/s Pawanjay Steel and Power Limited (PSPL), its two directors -- Gyanchand Prasad Agarwal and Umesh Prasad Agarwal -- and S K Kanungo, Chief Manager (Marketing) of M/s Hari Machines Ltd (HML), for alleged offences under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC, saying "prima facie there were sufficient incriminating evidence on record warranting summoning of accused."



"In the overall facts and circumstances of the case, I take cognizance of the offences under section 120-B/420 IPC against accused company PSPL, its two directors and Chief Manager (Marketing), HML.

"As against company PSPL and its director Umesh Prasad Agarwal, I also take cognizance of the offence under section 420 IPC," the judge said while asking the accused to appear before it on November 9.

CBI had registered the case for the alleged offences of criminal conspiracy and cheating under the IPC and under section of the Prevention of Corruption Act against PSPL, its officials, Kanungo and other unknown persons.

However, CBI said that charge sheet against some other officials and public servants against whom it had initiated the investigation, could not be filed as sufficient evidence could not be brought on record. It added that it may file supplementary charge sheet in the case.

The charge sheet said "PSPL and its two directors along with Kanungo, hatched a criminal conspiracy with a view to deceive Ministry of Coal (MoC) so as to induce it to allocate a captive coal block in favour of the accused firm".

"During the processing of their application, they also furnished wrong information supported with false documents to Ministry of Steel (MoS) so as to deceive them and thereby inducing them to make a recommendation in favour of PSPL to MoC for allotment of a coal block.

"It was also found during the course of investigation that PSPL had also submitted wrong information about the land actually acquired by them at the proposed project site in Jharkhand," the charge sheet said.

"It was also found that the accused had furnished false information to Government of Jharkhand also so as to deceive them and thereby inducing them to make recommendation in favour of PSPL to MoC for allotment of a captive coal block," it said.

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Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today said his party has all the capabilities and competency to pull the nation out of the grip of communalism, poverty, lawlessness and free the farmers from their debt burden.

Rahul, who is undertaking Deoria to Delhi Yatra, reached Rampur for 'Khaat Sabha' after addressing public gatherings at Bilaspur, Kameri and Chamrawa villages in the district.

"Congress party has all the capabilities and competency to pull the nation out of the grip of communalism, poverty, lawlessness," he said at the Sabha here.

Taking a jibe at BJP for criticising Congress over charpoys being taken away by the people soon after his 'Khaat Sabha' was over in Deoria, he said "They (the BJP), remained tight lipped when business tycoon Vijay Mallya managed to flee without repaying his debts."



Rahul said farm loans will be waived of within 10 days of Congress coming to power.

"Our assurances will be different from those of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's. This government is a dispensation of capitalists, but Congress' government would be of farmers," he claimed.

Terming India as a "mismanaged" country, he said, but this would change if Congress comes to power. "People will see and appreciate our government because of our ability to delivery and our competency to ensure good governance".

Attacking BSP supremo Mayawati and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, he said, "Why do they not cry against the mismanagement of the present government in the Lok Sabha.

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The controversy over appointment of Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) secretaries was "put to rest" today after a meeting between Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and state party president Sukhvinder Singh Sukkhu here.

The controversy erupted after the CM, at a recent public gathering, said more than 100 HPCC secretaries had been appointed without consulting him, his ministers and members of district and block-level Congress committees.

Two secretaries -- Pradeep Verma and Kusum Verma -- had tendered their resignation in protest and five others expressed their anguish in a letter to Sukkhu recently.

The controversy was due to "lack of communication" and issues have been resolved, said Chairman of HPCC Media department Naresh Chauhan.

Resignation of the secretaries were also rejected, he said.

The government and the party will work in unison to take their achievements to the people and ensure victory in the 2017 Assembly polls, Chauhan said.

The party is united and there was no bitterness on the issue after talks between them, he said.

Whether the HPCC secretaries appointed by Sukkhu will continue in their position, remains uncertain, party sources said.

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India has identified infrastructure development and energy security as the key areas for cooperation with Nigeria and said these sectors would allow both countries to collaborate and benefit from each other's expertise.

"Infrastructure stimulation programmes launched by the government of India, like the mission to develop 100 smart cities, upgrade infrastructure development in urban and rural areas and enhance nationwide connectivity through the 'Digital India' programme, have created massive opportunities for foreign partners in the Indian economy," Vice-President said at the Nigeria-India Business Forum here on Tuesday.

"Infrastructure development and energy security are key areas for cooperation for emerging economies like India and Nigeria," he told the members of Nigerian and Indian industry.

"These sectors allow for both our countries to collaborate and benefit from each others expertise," said Ansari, who is on a five-day visit to Nigeria and Mali.

He also said given India's current and expanding energy requirements, there is significant potential for "diversifying our engagement in oil and gas sector by enhancing our cooperation in both upstream and downstream domains".

Nigeria is an important partner for India's energy security requirement. About 12 per cent of India's crude requirement comes from Nigeria.

"Over 100 Indian companies have made Nigeria their base to operate in West Africa, employing the largest number of Nigerians after the federal government, and covering diverse sectors of the economy.

"It is estimated that the Indian investments have exceeded $10 billion so far, and another $5 billion are committed. Indian investments are in diverse sectors such as communications, power, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, automotive sector and oil, among others," he said.

Ansari also underscored the need to synergise its growth strategies with Nigeria in the backdrop of the current global financial situation, saying economic cooperation occupies a prominent position in the bilateral matrix.

"India and Nigeria are well placed to convert this challenge into an opportunity. We count on you, the business leaders from Nigeria and India, to be the architects of this important change," he said.

His counterpart Yemi Osinbajo and several top business leaders from both the countries were present at the event.

He thanked the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Nigerian

National Chamber of Commerce together with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and ASSOCHAM India-Nigeria Business Council for partnering in holding this business meet.

"We are extremely happy to see the initiatives which Nigeria has launched under the sagacious leadership of His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari. As Nigeria embarks with renewed vigour and determination in realising greater prosperity for its people, India stands ready to join as a partner," he said.

Noting that the overall engagement between India and Nigeria remains vibrant and full of vitality, Ansari said economic and commercial cooperation occupies prominent position in "our bilateral matrix."

"In my meetings with the Nigerian leadership, I found a strong desire to expand our commercial engagement."

He said it is a matter of satisfaction that for past few years, India has been the largest trading partner of Nigeria, and Nigeria is the largest trading partner of India in Africa.

"Our bilateral trade has been growing steadily for the last one decade and touched $16 billion in 2014-15. It is only because of the global decline in oil prices that our trade has slowed down in the past one year."

According to the vice-president, the vast consumer market, youthful and skilled human resources and expertise in the field of information technology of India coupled with Nigeria's natural resources, youthful population and strategic location would provide a platform for enhanced economic engagement.

"As both India and Nigeria make an attempt to broad base their economy, they should harness the complementaries in attracting investments which is a key factor for a positive economic growth."

He said there is a considerable potential for expanding trade in the areas of automotive components, automobiles, engineering products, IT, pharmaceuticals, bio-technology and healthcare sectors.

"Our societies are still largely agrarian. Therefore, agricultural industry, food processing and related small and medium enterprises offer opportunities for trade and investment which could be explored by our business houses with the support from the governments.

"The Green Alternative Plan - a roadmap to make Nigeria not only self-sufficient in agriculture but also a major exporter of quality agricultural products, launched last month offers an opportunity for sharing of India's experience in agro-industry sector," he said.

India's expertise and proven capabilities in production of pharmaceuticals, especially generic medicines at affordable cost, advancement in healthcare sectors and science and technology, high quality education at reasonable cost could also be potential areas of investments by both sides, he said.

He added that Indian private sector is keen to further engage with their Nigerian counterparts in diverse sectors of the economy.
A Delhi court today extended till October 18 the judicial custody of three suspected members of terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, arrested for allegedly planning an attack in the national capital.

Additional Sessions Judge Reetesh Singh also allowed prosecution plea to grant them more time to complete their investigation in the case.

The court allowed prosecution's plea and sent the accused persons -- Mohd Sajid, Shakir and Sameer -- for further jail term after they were produced before the court.

The court had earlier sent the accused to police custody on the prosecution's plea that their custodial interrogation was required to crack their Delhi module.

Delhi Police had detained around 10 others suspected to be linked with a terror outfit for planning an attack in the city and allegedly recovered explosives from their possession after a series of overnight raids in the national capital and neighbouring states. However, they were let off later after questioning.

Special Cell teams had conducted the raids in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in a joint operation of Delhi Police and a central intelligence agency.

All the three accused were suspected to be members of a sleeper unit of the terror outfit, police alleged.

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The Puducherry unit of Communist Party of India (CPI) today called upon the Pondicherry University to ensure 25 percent quota for students belonging to the Union Territory, in admission to its various disciplines.

Secretary of Puducherry unit of CPI, R Viswanathan in a release here said, the University should earmark 25 percent quota for Puducherry students, to various disciplines in the university.

The institution should also provide reservation for SC, ST and candidates of Other Backward Classes in keeping with the Centre's policy to establish social justice, he added.

Viswanathan further said, the varsity should not delay the implementation of reservations lest a massive agitation should be launched by the party.

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Nepal today "strongly urged" that a conducive environment be created to ensure participation of all members in the next SAARC Summit in Pakistan, after four countries of the regional grouping pulled out of the summit indirectly blaming Islamabad.

Nepal said it "has received communications" from four member-states - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and India - in which they conveyed their inability to participate in the 19th SAARC summit on November 9-10 stating that the current regional environment is "not conducive" for the successful holding of the Summit.

"We have taken this development seriously," it said in a statment posted on its Foreign Ministry's website.

Nepal "strongly urges that a conducive environment be created soon to ensure the participation of all member states in the 19th SAARC summit in line with the spirit of the SAARC Charter," the statment said.

Under the SAARC charter, the summit is automatically postponed or cancelled even if one member country skips the event.

The four countries have pulled out of the summit, indirectly blaming Pakistan for "creating an environment which is not right for the successful holding" of the meet.

That development came after tensions ran high between India and Pakistan after militants stormed an Indian Army base in Uri on September 18, killing 18 soldiers. The militants belonged to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist group.

Founded in 1985, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) currently has Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as its members.

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Clearing the confusion over admission to deemed universities in Maharashtra, the Supreme Court today ordered centralised counselling for all unfilled medical seats in the state.

The apex court directed that second or third counselling for the MBBS/BDS courses would be conducted as a joint exercise by a committee comprising officials from Maharashtra government and representatives of the deemed universities.

"Insofaras second or third counselling is concerned, that shall be a joint exercise which means that it shall be done by the Committee of the State Government which shall include one representative each from these universities. The respondent universities shall nominate their respective representatives forthwith," a bench comprising Justices A K Sikri and L Nageswara Rao said.

The court clarified that it will be a centralised for all the deemed universities counselling and not university-wise counselling and the students will be enrolled by taking into account the combined list of those who got themselves registered with the State Government as well as universities.

"This shall ensure admission of those who are more meritorious but left out, but are interested in taking admission in the respondent universities," the bench said.

The apex court, however, clarified that the admissions which have already been made to various colleges and universities would not be affected.

It directed that all the records pertaining to admissions with the universities shall be handed over to the committee of the state government for counselling purposes.

The court, however, extended the time limit for completion of the admission process till October 7 from September 30 and directed Maharashtra and the universities to ensure that all medical seats are filled within the stipulated time.

The apex court vacated the stay order by the High Court allowing deemed universities to conduct admissions to medical courses and said it "shall not continue for future years".

"This, however, will not disturb the admissions already made by the respondent universities. This direction is given keeping in view that respondents are deemed universities...

"Insofar as admission process of subsequent years is concerned, it shall depend upon the outcome of the central issue raised in the writ petitions," the bench said.

The high court had on August 30 stayed the Maharashtra



government's decision mandating centralised counselling for the students who appeared for the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) this year for medical and dental courses.

It had allowed the deemed universities in Maharashtra to hold their own counselling sessions for the admissions.

Private deemed universities running medical and dental colleges, had moved the HC against a government resolution which provides for centralised counselling for admissions.

The HC had stayed the mandatory common counselling, but made it clear that the deemed universities shall admit students strictly on the basis of the ranking in NEET.
Union Minister of State for Defence Subhash Ramrao Bharke today said all defence related issues in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh would be reviewed at the earliest.

Bharke, accompanied by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju, was addressing Army and para military personnel, government officials and people's representatives at a meeting in Tawang bordering China.

The visit of two union ministers to the state bears significance after the reported incursion of Chinese Army into the state's territory earlier this month.

Terming Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India, Bharke reiterated the commitment of the Centre towards the state, officials said from Tawang.

Bharke, however, expressed disappointment over the bad road condition from Dirang to Tawang.

Rijiju, an MP from Arunachal Pradesh, introspected on the need of policy changes with regard to road construction.

Regarding to the traffic movement Rijiju requested the agencies concerned to act in coordination so as to ensure convenience to the people.

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Delhi government today said the ban on retrofitting of CNG kits in 'in-use' cars will be revoked soon as the transport department is coming up with a software that will keep records of the sold kits.

Members of the Association for CNG kit manufacturers, Distributors and Retro-fitment Centres staged protest outside Delhi Secretariat here demanding immediate revocation of ban on retrofitting of these kits in 'in-use' cars as it has affected their livelihood for the last three months.

"Government will revoke its ban on retrofitting of CNG kits (in-use cars) in next few days. An online system is being created for retrofitting CNG kits," Jain told reporters here.

Transport department is currently working on a software under which CNG kit importers, distributors and retro-fitment centres will be required to upload details of sold kits.

"For the last three months, there is no work of retrofitting of CNG kits which is affecting our livelihood. People doing this business have the fundamental rights to earn their livelihood, and government cannot snatch the fundamental right by issuing such order," Association spokesperson Yousuf Kareem said.

In June, the Transport Department had imposed a blanket ban on retrofitment of CNG kits in all cars. However, in August, the department had lifted the ban on registration of new CNG kit-fitted cars.

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A 32-year-old man was killed after his motorcycle was today hit by a water tanker of Delhi Jal Board in outer Delhi's Kirari area.

The biker, Tuntun Roy, was hit by the tanker at the Ration Office Chowk on the Kirari Mubarakpur road this morning and he died on the spot, said a senior police officer.

The tanker's driver, Vinod Kumar (34), fled from the spot, but was later arrested from the area.

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A District Reserve Group (DRG) jawan was killed and two others were injured today in an IED blast triggered by naxals in insurgency-hit Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh.

The incident took place around 8 AM when a Road Opening Party (ROP) of DRG was crossing the Karel Valley in Narayanpur police station area, a senior police official told PTI.

The patrolling was being conducted to ensure security in the region ahead of a public grievances redressal camp to be held at Akabeda village fall in Abhujmad area today.

The camp, scheduled as per the demand of villagers, was to be attended by Narayanpur Collector and Superintendent of Police to hear the grievances of villagers, the official said.

The security personnel proceeded for the operation from Narayanpur district headquarters and when they reached the Karel Valley close, Maoists triggered the blast following which an exchange of fire broke out, he said, adding that rebels soon fled into dense forest.

"Assistant Constable Puran Potai was killed in the blast while two others sustained minor injuries," he added.

Soon after, reinforcement was rushed to the spot and injured were taken to a local hospital for treatment, he said.

An intense combing operation has been launched in the region to trace the assailants.

Another police officer said Maoist had been opposing the public grievances redressal camp.

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A man accused by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte of being the nation's top drug trafficker was injured and a gang member killed during jailhouse knife attacks today, authorities said.

Two other high-profile inmates were injured in the violence at Manila's notorious Bilibid National Penitentiary, from where Duterte has said much of the nation's illegal drug trade is run.

"It appears there was a knife fight," Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre said.

Duterte won the presidential election in a landslide in May after promising to kill 100,000 criminals as part of a campaign against illegal drugs.

More than 3,700 people have been killed in the less than three months he has been in office, prompting widespread criticism from Western governments and rights groups about a breakdown in the rule of law.

Duterte has railed against the criticism, vowing to do whatever is necessary to stop the Philippines from becoming a narco state.

He had targeted Bilibid prison as one of the hotspots for the drug trade and accused Peter Co, one of the men injured on Wednesday, as being the biggest drug trafficker.

On July 8 Duterte said Co ran a drug empire from inside his prison cell, supplying Manila and the main island of Luzon, with the help of corrupt officials in the previous government.

"So my appeal to them is, since they are beyond redemption, they can stop and commit suicide, because I will not allow these idiots to run their show. Not during my watch," Duterte told reporters.

Prison officials said the six men involved in Wednesday's violence were all top gang leaders who attacked each other at a maximum-security wing of the jail, where they had been segregated as a security measure.

They did not explain how the weapons got into the jail.

The man killed was Tony Co, no relation to Peter Co but a member of the same prison gang and also a convicted drug trafficker.

Senator Leila de Lima, one of Duterte's most outspoken critics over the killings in the war on crime, accused the government of organising the knife attacks.

"It makes this government an assassin state," de Lima told reporters.

Both Duterte and Aguirre denied de Lima's allegation.

Duterte has in turn accused de Lima of being involved in the prison drugs trade when she was justice secretary in the previous government, allegations she denies.

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Idols of deity 'Durga' were vandalised in northeastern Bangladesh by some unidentified persons ahead of a Hindu festival in the Muslim-majority nation, police said today.

The incident took place late last night at a site of worship in Futarmati village under Nabiganj upazila of Habiganj district, nearly 170 kms from the Bangladeshi capital.

Police, following initial investigations, said some local youths started a fight over a minor issue with the artisans who were making idols in the area, Dhaka Tribune reported.

In the scuffle, some persons vandalised the idols.

Police have arrested two persons on charge of vandalising the idols. No case was registered.

Idols of goddess 'Durga' are worshiped during Vijayadashami (also known as Dussehra), which is a major Hindu festival celebrated for the victory of good over evil in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and parts of Bangladesh and Pakistan.

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An Egyptian court has sentenced 40 people to life in prison over alleged ties to the Islamic State group and for helping recruit youth to join the extremists in Syria and Iraq.

The Criminal Court of Zagazig issued its verdict today against the alleged militants, who were also convicted of plotting attacks against the police and Christians. Twenty of the suspects were sentenced in absentia.

Prosecutors say the group's alleged ringleaders were arrested at Cairo international airport on their way to Syria through Turkey, and later gave detailed confessions.

Rights groups have accused the Egyptian authorities of using torture and physical abuse to extract confessions.

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Procurement of electronic warefare systems for Jammu and Kashmir at a cost of Rs 330 crore was among Rs 1900 crore worth of proposals cleared by Defence Ministry's top acquisition body today.

The decision by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister manohar Parrikar, assumes significance as it came 10 days after the audacious terror attack on army camp in Uri.

The equipment like jammers and other security systems are being procured for army to deal with low intensity conflict in the Jammu and Kashmir.

The DAC also approved a proposal to procure anti-tank guided munitions for training purposes for army at a cost of Rs 405 crore.

Another proposal to set up a repair facility exclusively for for Scorpene submarines at Naval Dockyard in Mumbai was given go ahead. The project will cost Rs 725 crore, Defence Ministry sources said.

India had signed a USD 3.5-billion contract with French firm DCNS in October 2005 to jointly develop six Scorpene submarines. Under Project 75 of the Indian Navy, the submarines are being built at the MDL dockyard in Mumbai under license from DCNS.

A separate proposal to have a weapons repair facility for ships based in Port Blair and those which visit frontline base at a cost of rs 450 crore was also cleared by the DAC.

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The father of Ahmed Mohamed, the teenager arrested in the US last year when he brought a homemade clock to school, has filed a defamation suit against media outlets and commentators for fanning Islamophobia.

Mohamed Mohamed filed the lawsuit against multiple media outlets and conservative political commentators, including TV host Glenn Beck and his television network, TheBlaze. He also sued FOX Television Stations and Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne.

Mohamed sued on behalf of himself and his 14-year-old son, arguing that commentators and media outlets were responsible for libelous statements after his son's arrest in 2015, The Dallas Morning reported.

"The Mohamed family are peaceful Muslims who have been falsely accused of being terrorists and engaging in a jihad," the suit states.

"The correction must also be made that the arrest and suspension of Ahmed Mohamed was not a stunt and it was not pre-planned, staged or engineered by anyone, including (his father)," it said.

The lawsuit comes a month after the Mohamed family announced a federal lawsuit against Texas' city of Irving and its school district, alleging that the boy's rights were violated after Irving police mistook his homemade clock for a bomb.

The boy had met President Barack Obama in last October.

Mohamed Mohamed took issue with comments Beck made during a show that aired on TheBlaze. The suit says the host offered the theory that the clock bomb story was part of a larger conspiracy, possibly to "turn Texas blue" politically.

Jim Hanson of the Center for Security Policy, who was also sued, agreed with him, according to the suit. "I don't think there's any question that this latest event was a PR stunt," he said, adding that Ahmed Mohamed may have been a "pawn" of his father.

The suit also accuses political commentators Ben Shapiro and Ben Ferguson of making similar libelous statements on FOX channels.

"The public has been misled into believing that the Mohameds are terrorists who plotted to have the Irving police wrongfully arrest a teenage boy for bringing an alarm clock to school. These broadcasts irresponsibly fan the flames of fear and anger toward Muslims and immigrants," the lawsuit added.

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A first information report has been lodged against the Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, social activist Amrish Patel and others for allegedly damaging the public property and holding a rally here on Monday without police permission.

Mevani and others had led a rally of sanitation workers employed by the city civic body on contract basis and bus conductors of the civic bus service, on Monday, over demands such as permanent jobs.

The rally had been called by Jan Sangharsh Manch and Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch. During the rally, hundreds of workers were detained.

Police said today the agitators assembled outside the Municipal corporation's headquarters without police permission, blocked the road and shouted anti-government slogans.

They also tried to stop the traffic at a busy intersection during a peak hour, police said in a release.

When the agitators were detained by the police, they damaged a police vehicle by breaking glass panes, vandalising seats and also beat up the driver, police said.

An FIR was filed in Navrangpura police station under various sections of IPC including 143 (unlawful assembly), 146 (rioting), 332 (hurting public servant), 341 (wrongful restraint), etc, as well as under Prevention of Damage to the Public Property Act.

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A fire today broke out at a plastic factory in outer Delhi's Narela industrial area after which the building collapsed injuring four civilians and two firefighters, police said.

A fire call was received at 4.45 PM and 20 fire tenders were rushed to the spot, said a fire department official.

Later five more fire tenders were rushed to control the blaze that had started in the three-storeyed factory, he said.

While the operations were on, the top floor of the building collapsed and six people, including two fire department officers, were trapped under the debris, police said.

Four of the injured people have been evacuated and rushed to a hospital. Efforts were on to rescue two others trapped under the debris, a senior police officer said.

The cooling operations are still going on, he added.

The cause of the fire is suspected to be an electric short-circuit, police said.

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October 15, 2022, Saturday

US President Joe Biden has said Pakistan is one of the most dangerous nations in the world as it has nuclear weapons without ...
The government today approved signing an MoU with Singapore to give boost to innovation, creativity and technological advancement in both countries.

"The MoU will enhance bilateral cooperation activities in the arena of industrial property rights of patents, trademarks and industrial designs," an official statement said.

It is intended to give a boost to innovation, creativity and technological advancement in both regions, it said.

"The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given approval to the MoU in the field of industrial property cooperation between DIPP and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore," it said.

The MoU will be signed at the upcoming visit of Singapore's Prime Minister to India from October 4-7.

The priority initiatives under the pact would be exchange of best practices, experiences and knowledge on intellectual property awareness among the public, businesses and educational institutions of both countries.

Both sides would also exchange experts in the field of intellectual property; dissemination of best practices, experiences and knowledge on IP with the industry and universities.

The MoU will enable India to exchange experiences in the innovation and IP ecosystems that will substantially benefit entrepreneurs, investors and businesses on both sides.

"The exchange of best practices between the two countries will lead to improved protection and awareness about India's range of Intellectual creations," it added.

It will be a landmark step forward in India's journey towards becoming a major player in global innovation and will further the objectives of the National IPR Policy, it said.

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The government today approved the proposal for ratification of the "historic" Paris climate deal which will be formalised on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, making India one of the key countries to bring the pact into force.

The nod by the Union Cabinet comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the decision which is expected to give momentum to implementation of measures at international level to control global warming.

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said, with this, India will be one of the key countries which will be instrumental in bringing the Paris Agreement into force.

"Today the Union Cabinet approved the ratification of Paris Agreement which is a historic decision. With the ratification, India will be one of the key countries instrumental in bringing the Paris Agreement into force," Javadekar told reporters here.

The decision will further underline India's responsive leadership, which is committed to global cause of environment protection and climate justice, he said.

Javadekar said the pact will come into force after it has been ratified by at least 55 countries which account for 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

So far, 61 countries have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval accounting in total for 47.79 per cent of the total global greenhouse gas emissions.

India's decision to ratify the Agreement will take the number of cumulative level of emission of countries that have ratified the Agreement so far to 51.89 per cent as its total emissions is 4.1 per cent of the global emissions.

"Because of India's push, now the world will ratify the deal soon. It will become irreversible course of action for humankind. It is a common resolve to keep temperature rise below two degrees Celsius. Now that target is achievable," Javadekar said.

The Minister had earlier told reporters that the cumulative emissions of 61 countries put together was 51.89 per cent and India's ratification will help bridge the remaining 3 per cent to fulfil the second condition.

Though the UN secretariat is closed on weekends, it will remain open specifically to allow India ratify the deal, Javadekar said.

Paris Agreement was adopted by 185 nations last year on December 12 and India signed it in New York on April 22 this year.

A total of 191 countries have signed the Paris Agreement so far.

With the momentum gathering and willingness expressed by



several other countries to ratify the agreement before the end of this year, it is expected that the deal will enter into force soon and give a thrust to the global actions to address climate change, an official statement said.

Noting that the four-year period between 2016-2020 is also important, Javadekar said that India has played its part and now will remind the world community that their pre-2020 actions are also important.

During the recent BJP's National Council meet in Kozhikode, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said," There is one work left in the CoP21 (Conference of Parties).

"Ratification is yet to be done and India too is yet to do it. Today on the birth anniversary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay, I announce that India will ratify the decisions on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi."



China and the US - responsible for around 40 per cent of the world's carbon emissions - have already jointly ratified the Paris climate change deal that aims to significantly reduce global emissions, giving hope that the landmark accord may come into effect by the end of this year.

"While agreeing to ratify the Paris Agreement, the Cabinet has also decided that India should declare that it will treat its national laws, its development agenda, availability of means of implementation,... Its assessment of global commitment to combating climate change, and predictable and affordable access to cleaner source of energy as the context in which the Agreement is being ratified," the official statement said.

Given the critical role that India played in securing international consensus on Paris Agreement, the decision to ratify will further underline New Delhi's responsive leadership in the comity of nations committed to global cause of environmental protection and climate justice.
Paving the way for bringing the historic Paris agreement into force, the government today approved its ratification which will be formalised on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

The nod by the Union Cabinet comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the move which is expected to give momentum to implementation of measures at international level to control global warming.

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said that with this India will be one of the key countries instrumental in bringing the historic Paris agreement into force.

"Today the Union Cabinet approved the ratification of Paris agreement which is a historic decision. With the ratification, India will be one of the key countries instrumental in bringing the Paris agreement into force," Javadekar told reporters here.

The decision will further underline India's responsive leadership, committed to global cause of environment protection and climate justice.

Javadekar said that there were two conditions for the Paris deal to come into force.

The pact will come into force after it is ratified by at least 55 countries that account for 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, he said.

He said that although 61 countries have ratified the agreement till now, India's move to ratify it will bring the total emissions to 51.89 per cent.

"Because of India's push, now the world will ratify the deal soon. It will become irreversible course of action for humankind. It is a common resolve to keep temperature rise below two degrees Celsius. Now that target is achievable," Javadekar said.

Noting that the four-year period between 2016-2020 is also important, Javadekar said that India has played its part and now will remind the world community that their pre-2020 actions are also important.

During the recent BJP's National Council meet in Kozhikode, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said," There is one work left in the CoP21 (Conference of Parties).

"Ratification is yet to be done and India too is yet to do it. Today on the birth anniversary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay, I announce that India will ratify the decisions on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi."



China and the US - responsible for around 40 per cent of the world's carbon emissions - have already jointly ratified the Paris climate change deal that aims to significantly reduce global emissions, giving hopes that the landmark accord may come into effect by the end of this year.

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Government today gave nod for a pact between India and Korea that would pave the way for recognition of each other's certificates on maritime education and training for seafarers.

The decision was taken by Union Cabinet at its meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It gave "approval for signing of an Undertaking between India and Korea on Mutual Recognition of Certificates. It is in pursuance of the Regulation 1/10 of International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) for Seafarers, 1978, as amended," Ministry of Shipping said in a statement.

Signing of the Undertaking will pave way for recognition of maritime education and training, certificates of competency, endorsements, training documentary evidence and medical fitness certificates for seafarers issued by the Government of the other country, it said.

It is done in accordance with the provisions of regulations and cooperation between the two countries in the training, certification and management of seafarers, it added.

India is in talks with South Korea, known for its maritime technology prowess, for long-term partnership to develop its rivers to drive economic growth.

Last week Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari has said, "We are in talks with a Korean government company to develop our rivers."



Earlier this year, Parliament enacted a legislation to convert 111 rivers across the country into National Waterways to boost movement of goods and passengers via rivers and reduce transportation cost substantially.

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Government today fixed an export quota of 10,000 tonnes of white sugar to the European Union under a certain provision for the one-year period from October 2016 till September 2017.

The Director General of Foreign Trade said that it has allocated "a quantity of 10,000 tonnes of white sugar under CXL concessions to European Union (EU) for the period October, 2016 to September, 2017".

As per a provision of European Union Regulation, release for free circulation for the quotas of CXL concession sugar shall be subject to the presentation of a Certificate of Origin issued by the competent authority of the third country concerned.

"The quantity of sugar to be exported to EU under CXL Quota upto 30.09.2017 has been notified," it said in a public notice.

Availing the CXL concessions on export to the EU, traders can export sugar at relatively low or zero tariff.

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To provide succour to minorities belonging to neighbouring countries, the government is planning to amend the Citizenship Act to grant Indian nationality to those who face persecution in their homeland within six years of their arrival in India.

As per the present law, a foreigner can obtain Indian citizenship by naturalisation only after 12 years of his or her arrival in India.

The proposed move will allow Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and Christians from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to take Indian nationality within six years of their arrival in India, official sources said.

Ever since the NDA government came to power at the Centre, it has offered several special benefits to the minorities belonging to the neighbouring countries who have been living as refugees in India.

Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians staying on long term visa (LTV) in India have already been allowed to submit an affidavit in place of a renunciation certificate, granted LTV for five years instead of two years and facilities for education and employment.

In order to provide them fair opportunities for a more comfortable living and hassle-free movement and pursuit of economic activities in India, the government has extend additional facilities to this class of LTV holders.

The additional facilities include permission to open bank account, permission for purchase of property for self occupation and suitable accommodation for carrying out self-employment, permission to take self-employment, issuance of driving licence, PAN card and Aadhaar number.

Allowing free movement within the state/UT where they are staying, transfer of LTV papers from one state to other, reduction of penalty amount to Rs 100, Rs 200 and Rs 500 instead of existing amount of USD 30, USD 130, USD 230 on non-extension of short-term visa/LTV.

The refugees are also allowed to apply for LTV from the place of present residence when the applicants have changed place without permission.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the Lok Sabha poll campaigning in 2014, had made a distinction between Hindu and Muslim refugees from Bangladesh, arguing that the former should be accommodated.

"We have a responsibility towards Hindus who are harassed and suffer in other countries. India is the only place for them. We will have to accommodate them here," he had said.

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Apprehending protracted unrest in Kashmir Valley, the Centre has started preparation for providing winter logistics to central paramilitary forces deployed in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Home Ministry has already approached the Army and supplying agencies to provide winter boots, socks, jackets, snow gloves and other warm clothing which would be required by around 70,000 paramilitary forces deployed in the state.

A top Home Ministry official is personally monitoring the procurement process and trying to ensure that all required items are delivered before the onset of the "harsh winter" ahead.

"We are really worried about the boys on the ground. We have to get all winter logistics well before the time as Kashmir is expected to have a harsh winter," a senior official said.

Unrest in Kashmir continues ever since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8 leading to deployment of paramilitary forces across the Kashmir Valley.

"We have to be prepared in case the turmoil continues for a longer period, especially during winter," the official said.

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Government will from tomorrow offload 7 per cent of its stake in Hindustan Copper Ltd, through which it aims to raise about Rs 400 crore.

The President of India (acting through and represented by the Mines Ministry), promoter of Hindustan Copper, submitted a copy of notice of offer for sale of up to 6,47,65,260 equity shares of the company, the firm said in a regulatory filing.

Government holds 89.95 per cent stake in Hindustan Copper.

The firm has invited non-retail investors for the share sale on September 29, 2016. On September 30, retail investors can participate in the share sale, it added.

The shares represent 7 per cent of the total paid up equity share capital of Hindustan Copper, it said.

"The floor price for the offer shall be Rs 62 per equity share," it added.

SBICAP Securities, ICICI Securities, Edelweiss Securities and Deutsche Equities India are acting as brokers for the sale.

The sale is part of government's disinvestment plan, wherein it aims to raise Rs 56,500 crore in 2016-17.

It is also being done to meet the guidelines for having minimum 25 per cent public shareholding in listed state-owned firms.

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Congress today sought to pick holes in the Narendra Modi government's strategy to isolate Islamabad in the wake of Uri terror attack, saying instead of boycotting the SAARC summit it should have striven for a summit of the regional grouping minus Pakistan.

"Is scrapping the SAARC summit the answer? Could India not have a summit minus Pakistan?" party spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters, noting that South Asia was the "least integrated" region in the world.

Claiming that the Modi government was "deluding" itself by believing that its steps were helping cornering Islamabad, he said that a summit minus Pakistan could have been better for the isolation of the neighbouring country.

He said that though it has been 10 days since the dastardly attack in Uri, the Modi government is still "scrambling" for a coherent response. "Government responses in the past ten days have oscillated from the incoherent to ridiculous".

Congress' reaction came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a snub to Pakistan, decided not to attend the SAARC Summit in Islamabad to be held in November, leading to its collapse as the grouping works on the basis of consensus. Three more countries--Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan--have also decided to pull out of the Summit.

He also wondered if India's withdrawal of MFN status would change the behaviour of Pakistan. "What effect will removing the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status have on the state of Pakistan?" he asked.

Similarly, he also questioned the Modi government's review of the Indus Water Treaty. "What does that even mean? It would take 5-10 years to build hydel projects. Is this the kind of response that the people are looking for? Will the RSS and BJP workers make a human dam to deny Pakistan water?"



Targeting the Prime Minister, he said national security and diplomacy is "too serious an issue to be left to tweets and empty rhetoric".

Tewari said the government needs to really take a hard look because one day you hear the drums of war being beaten, the other day you will hear this is war by other means, third day you hear this is war by economic means.

"So, when there is no coherence of policy, you send out a signal to your interlocutors that they are dealing with a bunch of amateurs and that hurts India. They are charged with the remit of looking after India's National security at least for the next 27-odd months," he said.

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A fast track court today sentenced a man and his sister to life imprisonment for killing his wife in 2014 over dowry.

Judge Rajesh Bharadwaj convicted Ayub for killing his wife by setting her afire with the help of his sister Shehnaz over dowry at Masawi village on November 16, 2014.

According to government counsel Inam Tyagi, an FIR was registered against Ayub and Shehnaz at Thana Bhawan police station.

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A 30-year-old man was forced to do a sit-in outside a police station here holding a placard to clarify that he is not a terrorist, after rumours were allegedly spread on a mobile app branding him a terrorist.

Saeed Ali Khan yesterday lodged a complaint regarding purported messages and photos posted on WhatsApp branding him a terrorist, an official at Virar police station said today.

The matter is being looked into and further action will be taken after through investigation, police said.

Khan claimed that police initially refused to take his complaint, following which he, along with his family members, staged a protest in front of the police station.

During the protest, Khan and his family members held placards with message 'My name is Saeed Sher Ali Khan. I am not terrorist'.

Khan, who also submitted the photos and messages along with his complaint, said the problem started after he refused to pay extra maintenance as sought by his landlord.

A resident of Gopchadpada in Virar, Khan alleged that a man, claiming to be the landlord of the building where he resides, demanded Rs 2,000 as maintenance.

"After I refused, he threatened me and also set my tempo on fire," he alleged.

"The man then posted a photo of mine on WhatsApp with a message that I am a terrorist. If anyone finds me they should catch me and hand over to police," Khan alleged.

"Now, I face problems while venturing out as locals look at me suspiciously," he rued.

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South Korea, the current chair of NSG, should reach out to the member countries, to help India get early membership of the grouping, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said today as she met her counterpart here.

Mahajan, who is leading Parliamentary delegation to South Korea, also discussed issues related to terrorism and other matters during her meeting with Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea Chung Sye-Kyun here.

She thanked South Korea for its support to India's candidature for the membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

As Korea is the current chair of NSG, Mahajan sought greater support from the country in reaching out to the Participating Governments (PGs) in the NSG to lead to an early membership for India, said a statement issued by the Lok Sabha secretariat.

She noted that the two countries have been working together in regional and multilateral fora on this issue and other key issues including disarmament, climate change and sustainable development.

Mahajan said that India and South Korea share common concerns in fight against international terrorism.

Mentioning that during Prime Minister Modi's successful visit in May 2015 Indo-South Korean ties had upgraded to 'Special Strategic Partnership', Mahajan observed that 'Special Strategic Partnership' had deepened.

She further said that India looks forward to forging new partnerships with Korea in areas of common interest.

She invited investors and entrepreneurs from Korea to join Indian counterparts in the "Make in India" initiative and said that Korea could be valuable partner in India's programmes for skill development, Digital India, Smart Cities, etc.

She felt that India's highly skilled young manpower, huge market and strength in IT software combined with Korean technology, industrial experience and capital was a winning combination.

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Asserting that terrorism can only be defeated by organised global action, India today called for restructuring the legal framework by adopting a comprehensive convention on international terrorism.

In an address to officers of the National Defence College here in the Nigerian capital, Vice President Hamid Ansari said societies that stand for peace and humanism have to increase their cooperation and strengthen efforts to prevent supply of arms to terrorists, disrupt terrorist movements, and curb and criminalise terror financing.

"We have to help each other by sharing intelligence, securing our cyber space, and minimising the use of Internet and social media for terrorist activities," he said while delivering his lecture on "Emerging Security Imperatives in the context of India-Nigeria relations".

Describing terrorism as one of the most egregious sources of human right violations and a major impediment to development, he said, "Your country, like my own, has suffered the horrors of this scourge of humanity. Terrorism today has global reach, no city remains safe. There is a new level of threat to pluralist and open societies.

"Use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy is to be unequivocally condemned. There can be no distinction between good and bad terrorists. A terrorist is a terrorist; one who commits crimes against humanity cannot have any religion, or be afforded any political sanctuary."



He said the long standing defence partnership between the two nations is symbolised by institutions such as the Nigerian Defence Academy at Kaduna; the Naval College at Port Harcourt and other elite military training establishments in Nigeria.

"Many illustrious Nigerian officers have been the flag bearers of our bilateral cooperation. Today, we have an Indian Army Officer present amongst you as a participant of the ongoing NDC Course. This augurs well for our cooperation in the future."



Considering the diverse security challenges of our times, stronger India-Nigeria relations would not only be mutually beneficial, but would also add to the regional and global security, he said.

"Together we stand as giants of Africa and Asia respectively and as we march ahead in our quest for economic and military security, collaborative efforts borne out of mutual trust can be leveraged effectively to achieve our strategic goals," the Vice President said.

He also said both the countries must find ways of using international opinion as a force multiplier.

"No country in the world, howsoever powerful, can counter the emergent threats unilaterally. This, therefore, makes diplomacy doubly important for developing economies such as ours. Effective diplomacy is an important alternative to excessive defence spending.

"Therefore, it is important to devise methods of effectively participating in international fora, in influencing world opinion," he said.

He said threats posed by religious fundamentalism, ethnic violence and economic disparities can no longer be ignored, particularly when globalisation and information technology can make changes "fast, furious and most unexpected".

(Reopens FGN 19)



The task of defining and implementing a security paradigm is far more challenging in democratic, pluralist, developing societies with heterogeneous populations having diversities of religion, ethnicity and languages, he said.

"For democratic societies, the measure of security is derived from the perspective of the lowest common denominator - the well-being of the citizen or the individual," he said.

"When we look at countries with such similarities, India and Nigeria come to the fore," he said, adding both the nations are linked by common historical experiences of colonial rule and in the contemporary context, are united in the desire to work towards democratic pluralism, with the core values of liberty, equality and tolerance.

"Management of ethnic and communal conflicts and resolving them are important areas of governance, as are the identification of threats posed by religious fundamentalism, ethnic violence, economic disparities and deprivation. These challenges can no longer be ignored," Ansari said.

He noted that both Nigeria and India, face similar security challenges ranging from climate change and diverse societal needs, compounded by the spread of terror.

Invoking Kautilya, Ansari said the 3rd century BC strategic thinker dwelt on the subject of threats that states encounter and developed a typology - those of external origins and internal abetment; those of internal origins and external abetment; those of external origins and external abetment; and those of internal origins and internal abetment.

According to him, the decline in inter-state warfare in the first decade and a half of the present century has been coupled with an increase in lower intensity civil conflicts.

"Consequently, the idea of security has expanded beyond the traditional sphere of military security, which had primarily been concerned with defending the border of a country from invading enemy.

"There is growing recognition that security of any given society is also impacted by several non-military factors, including political, economic, environmental, social and human domains," he said.

He said that complex interactions between various security dimensions create the context for today's security agenda.

"The trends for the next 20 to 50 years point to a bleak picture - one where the worsening effects of climate change are likely to contribute to economic deprivation which in turn could lead to conflict and forced migrations."



He said many of the states have radiated insecurity towards their citizens and residents and thus destabilised their own societies and polities.

"This has led to state failures and implosions in the internal dimension and to regional and even global crises in the external dimension. One cannot escape the harsh conclusion that States have, quite often, been significant contributors to individual and systemic insecurity."



The ambit of discussion, according to Ansari, does not remain confined to maintenance of state sovereignty and territorial integrity and would often depend upon demonstrated good rather than its a priori acceptance.

"Both, together, necessitate a paradigm shift." he added.
India, Iran and Afghanistan are keen on expediting the tripartite transit agreement on Chabahar port which will open a new gateway for their development and connectivity, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said today.

"We are keen on expanding scope of cooperation to cover development of entire Chabahar Port...This port is going to open a new gateway not only for the development of India but at the same time development of Afghanistan and Iran. This is a win win situation," Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Minister Gadkari told PTI.

He was speaking after holding a meeting with delegations from Iran and Afghanistan. The delegation from Iran was led by its Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi, while the Afghan team was led by the country's Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamadullah Batash.

Gadkari said India is committed to developing the Chabahar port in Iran and the work would commence soon after the completion of the tender process.

Today's meeting was held barely a fortnight after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, during their talks here, had stressed that expediting the trilateral pact would augment connectivity among the three nations.

Gadkari added, "We will try to complete the project within the time schedule. We are also finding out what are the new things for which we will have opportunity for development and investment. The Iranian Minister has given lots of innovative suggestions regarding the development of business.

"We are in the process and our Prime Minister is very keen on the project...The distance between Kandla to Chabahar is less than the distance between Delhi to Mumbai. So there are lots of opportunities. Gas and petroleum products in Iran are available. We will get the market of Afghanistan also and the material from Afghanistan to Chabahar will be accessible to India."



He said the problems in the project have been sorted out and the nations are looking on building up on this friendship and creating more business opportunities.

A "milestone" pact on the strategic Chabahar port in southern Iran, which will give India access to Afghanistan and Europe bypassing Pakistan, was inked by India and Iran in May this year after detailed discussions between Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

Besides the bilateral pact to develop the Chabahar port, for which India will invest USD 500 million, a trilateral Agreement on Transport and Transit Corridor was also signed by India, Afghanistan and Iran, which Prime Minister Modi has said could "alter the course of the history of the region".

Gadkari and the visiting Ministers today reviewed the latest situation on contract between Iran and India on the project, as well as procurement of equipment and financing.

They also stressed on the need for expanding scope of cooperation to cover development of entire Chabahar port, projects for funding by EXIM Bank of India and reviewing participation of India in the Chabahar-Zahedan rail construction project.

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India is a promising market for initial public offerings with two of its premier stock exchanges, BSE and NSE, registering the maximum number of IPOs in the Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA) region worth USD 1.8 billion, says an EY report.

According to the quarterly EY Global IPO Trends: 2016, the surge in IPO activity was largely being driven by higher investor confidence in the Indian economy and continuing regulatory reforms.

"Year-to-date, India's Bombay and National stock exchanges have been the most active in the EMEIA region by volume with 56 IPOs raising USD 1.8 billion," the report said.

The report further noted that the country's Bombay Main Market and SME Board were the most active exchanges by deal number within EMEIA in the July-September quarter of this year with a combined total of 15 IPOs, ahead of the London Main Market and AIM with seven.

According to EY, the re-emergence of larger listings, those with an average size touching the USD 100 million mark, could help India reach the expected target of USD 5 billion in proceeds by the end of this year.

"India has seen strong IPO activity during 2016 on the strength of robust economic fundamentals and the continuing regulatory reforms introduced mainly by SEBI & MCA," said Pankaj Chadha, Partner with an Indian member firm of EY Global.

Chadha further noted that various other avenues of fund raising like Green bonds, Masala bonds, InVits etc are also introduced and likely to fuel further increase in the IPO activity in the coming quarters, Chadha added.

IPO activity in India is expected to see a strong end to the year, with a record number of PE exits expected.

Globally, the IPO activity registered muted growth. At USD 79.4 billion, the January-September global IPO proceeds were 39 per cent lower than in the same period in 2015 and number of deals at 704 were down by 23 per cent.

IPO activity in emerging markets continues to gather pace as alternative financing options are more limited and the appeal of public markets is strong.

China is set to see a higher level of IPO activity and India is anticipating robust activity on the back of stronger economic fundamentals and a pro-business political regime, the report said.

"While a return to the record levels of activity in 2014 may be a stretch, the IPO activity for 2017 is expected to surpass 2015," it added.

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In a veiled attack on Pakistan, India today condemned the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy, describing the menace as the biggest threat to international peace and to the sovereignty of states as well as pluralist and open societies.

"Your country, like my own, has suffered the horrors of this scourge of humanity. Terrorism today has global reach, no city remains safe. There is a new level of threat to pluralist and open societies," Vice President Hamid Ansari said in his address to officers of the National Defence College here in the Nigerian capital.

"Today, the biggest threat to international peace, and to the sovereignty of States, is Terrorism. Kautilya called it 'secret war'," he said while speaking on 'Emerging Security Imperatives in the context of India-Nigeria relations'.

"No cause justifies the indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians as a means to achieve a political goal or change of policies," he said, adding that terrorism is one of the most egregious sources of human right violations, and it has become a major impediment to development.

Nigeria has witnessed multiple attacks by Boko Haram, which opposes western education and wants to set up an Islamic caliphate in Africa's most populous country.

In 2013, the US designated it a terrorist outfit, amid fears that it had developed links with other groups such as al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb to wage a global jihad.

In one of the major attacks, the Boko Haram militants captured approximately 300 girls - between the ages of 16 and 18 - from a boarding school in Nigeria's Borno state in 2014.

"Nigeria, like India, has suffered the horrors of this scourge of humanity and use of terrorism as an instrument of State policy is to be unequivocally condemned," he said, without directly naming Pakistan.

"There can be no distinction between good and bad terrorists. A terrorist is a terrorist; one who commits crimes against humanity cannot have any religion, or be afforded any political sanctuary," he said, referring to Pakistan's policy of diving the Taliban militants into good and bad categories.

India accuses Pakistan of training, funding and arming terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohamad who carry out deadly attacks in the country. In most recent attack, Pakistan-based terrorists killed 18 Indian soldiers during an attack on an army camp in Uri town in Kashmir.

"We have to help each other by sharing intelligence, securing our cyber space, and minimising the use of Internet and social media for terrorist activities," Asnari told the Nigerian officers, asserting that terrorism can only be defeated by organised global action.

He called for restructuring the legal framework by adopting a comprehensive convention on international terrorism. "No country in the world, howsoever powerful, can counter the emergent threats unilaterally. This, therefore, makes diplomacy doubly important for developing economies such as ours," he said.

"Together we stand as giants of Africa and Asia respectively and as we march ahead in our quest for economic and military security, collaborative efforts borne out of mutual trust can be leveraged effectively to achieve our strategic goals," the Vice President said.

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In the backdrop of Uri attack, India will tomorrow take a relook at the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status granted to Pakistan including options like withdrawing it or filing a case in WTO against them.

The decision to review the MFN by Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes in the wake of the Uri attack over which India is weighing options to respond.

The meeting, according to sources, may deliberate upon the option of dragging Pakistan in the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism for not according similar status to India.

India granted the MFN status to Pakistan in 1996 but Pakistan is yet to reciprocate to that. The neighbouring country has missed its own deadline of December 2012 for this.

Under MFN, a WTO member country is obliged to treat other trading nation in a non-discriminatory manner, especially with regard to customs duty and other levies.

According to experts, withdrawal of the MFN status by India is likely to hurt Pakistani industries as it might stop flow of raw materials at competitive prices.

In 2015-16, India's exports to Pakistan stood at USD 2.17 billion, while imports were USD 441 million.

As per the WTO rules, India can roll back the MFN status from Pakistan.

This meeting comes after the Prime Minister chaired a review meeting of 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty during which it was decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water sharing pact.

India's main exports to Pakistan include sugar, cotton, man-made filaments, chemicals, carpets, furniture fresh fruits and vegetables while its imports comprise mineral fuels, precious stones, wooden handicrafts among others.

Among others, officials from commerce and External Affairs ministries are expected to attend the meeting, which was convened by the Prime Minister.

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Indian variety of rice and pulses may soon be grown in Nigeria, a substantial importer of food grains, as it aims to make agriculture the biggest alternative to oil and gas business to diversify its economy.

The issue came up for discussion during bilateral talks Vice-President Hamid Ansari held with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and his counterpart Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday.

" is a substantial importer of food grains. There are lot of land in the country which can be used for the purpose of growing Indian variety of rice and pulses. This was one of the key areas identified during the talks," Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs Amar Sinha said.

also expressed keen interest in cooperation in the field of rice processing and emulate India's agricultural model and capacity.

In July, the Nigerian government had approved a policy named 'The Green Alternative' to make agriculture the biggest alternative to oil and gas business in its bid to diversify its economy.

Under this policy, the government aims to do everything that is needed to achieve self-sufficiency in agriculture and also become a major exporter of agricultural products.

During yesterday's talks, the two sides held discussions on a range of issues including cooperation in the field of security, defence, ICT, culture, oil and gas, concessional credits, bilateral air services agreements, power, IT, telecom, infrastructure and fight against terrorism, Sinha said.

A memorandum of understanding was signed on standards between the Bureau of Indian Standards and Standard Organisation of .

Besides a letter of intent on agreements on health, customs, transfer of sentenced persons, and new and renewable energy was signed, he said.

Ansari handed over President Pranab Mukherjee's invitation to Buhari to visit India which is likely to take place next year. It may be mentioned here that Buhari underwent military training in 1973 at Defence Services Staff College.

On terrorism, issues like perception, exchange of information and what joint action can be taken were discussed, Sinha said.

Ansari told the Nigerian leadership that the ties between the two countries were solid and there was little disagreement.

The two sides decided to increase the area of cooperation and strategic partnership on defence issues.

India offered to extend help in Nigeria in several fields including space technology, nuclear applications, ICT and science and technology.

Ansari also complimented Nigeria for democracy taking its roots in the country and lauded the efforts of its defence forces in securing the release of Dubai-owned MT Maximus which was hijacked by pirates.

Describing Nigeria as a great energy talent, he also stressed on the need for diversifying and creating more balanced use of energy.
Advocating a multi-stakeholder model, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today emphasised that internet governance must reflect the views of all and be "open and inclusive".

"We have articulated a multi-stakeholder model...The growth of internet is because of governments, academia and business...And therefore after much deliberation, we consciously took a decision that we shall support the multi-stakeholder model in a very big way," the minister said while addressing cyber conference 'CyFy 2016'.

The minister further said that governance of internet must reflect the "views of all", be inclusive and more open.

With over 3 billion users globally and more than a billion websites, there is growing concern towards creating some internationally-accepted mechanism for governing the internet. Many governments have supported the multi-stakeholder model to handle key features of internet governance, that will represent views of individuals, corporates and public interest groups.

"This world has to be an equal world...This world has to be a world where voice of everyone is heard and the architecture of internet governance must emerge from that point....You must take views of all countries, particularly countries of Asia and India," he said.

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Serial entrepreneur Bhavin Turakhia today said telecom operators in the country are "reluctant" in driving innovation and their demand of only service providers being allowed to offer internet telephony is "anti-competitive".

Turakhia, who is co-founder of the USD 1.4-billion Directi Group, claimed that internet telephony in India is "under threat from major telecom players".

"Incumbent providers like Vodafone, Airtel, Idea, etc are reluctant to reduce costs and drive innovation. Allegedly, incumbent operators are claiming that only the telecom carrier that provides a data connection to a subscriber should be allowed to offer internet telephony to that subscriber over their internet connection," he said in a statement.

Internet telephony allows users to make calls to any phone number over the web.

"Internet telephony enables customers to make calls at 1/3rd the current calling rates and provides numerous benefits such as the ability to make calls over Wi-Fi in bad signal areas, 90 per cent cheaper international calling, HD voice, and innovations like simultaneous data transmission, video calls, and many more," he said.

He added that the comments made by incumbents in response to a TRAI paper "make inaccurate claims and representations".

Turakhia, along with iSPIRIT, have launched a 'Free Your Voice' campaign to counter the stand of telecom operators in their response to TRAI's consultation paper on internet telephony dated June 22, 2016.

The paper intends to introduce prospective policies, recommendations and clarifications concerning Internet telephony in India.

Sudhir Singh from iSPIRT said the government should remove all "shackles".

"Leaving internet telephony only to the incumbent large telcos will not be in the interest of consumer. Regulator should fit in the entry of number of small and medium size players, also. This will help innovation, micro and small businesses and availability of variety of niche services," he added.

In his first brush with the telcos last year, Turakhia had launched a service -- Ringo -- which allowed users to make domestic calls at 19 paise a minute.

This was almost 90 per cent cheaper than then prevalent charges as it used conference system over landlines.

The service was then suspended after Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Mittal commented that apps like Ringo were "gaming the system" to hurt operators.

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Israeli archeologists have discovered a stone toilet while excavating a Jewish shrine at an ancient city gate, they said today, in evidence a biblical king tried to stamp out worship there.

King Hezekiah deliberately defiled the eighth centry BC shrine at the door to the ancient city of Lachish, as part of a campaign to centralise Jewish ritual in Jerusalem, the Israel Antiquities Authority said.

"A toilet was installed in the holy of holies as the ultimate desecration of that place," the IAA said in a statement.

"A stone fashioned in the shape of a chair with a hole in its centre was found in the corner of the room."



The authority said it was the first time an archeological find confirmed the practice of installing a toilet to discourage worship, which is referred to in the biblical Book of Kings in an account of King Jehu's fight against worshippers of the pagan deity Baal.

"And they demolished the pillar of Baal, and demolished the house of Baal, and made it a latrine to this day," the statement quoted the Bible as saying.

But laboratory tests suggest the stone toilet at the Lachish gate was never used, the IAA said.

This showed its placement was "symbolic, after which the holy of holies was sealed until the site was destroyed".

Lachish, about 40 kilometres southwest of Jerusalem, was conquered by the invading Assyrians under King Sennacherib in 701 BC.

The city gate was first located "decades ago", the IAA said, but was only fully exposed in early 2016.

"The excavation revealed destruction layers in the wake of the defeat, including arrowheads and sling stones, indicative of the hand-to-hand combat that occurred in the city's gatehouse," it said.

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In a bid to expedite inland water transport projects, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) today inked three separate pacts with Paradip Port, Mormugao Port and Dredging Corporation.

These memorandum of understandings (MoUs) are meant to make use of the synergies, strengths and expertise of the port and dredging sectors to enable the IWAI to accelerate the development of the Inland Water Transport (IWT) sector as an alternative, viable and environment friendly mode of transport.

"The development of Inland Water Transport is a priority of the Ministry of Shipping... To ensure the development of the National Waterways in a time-bound and effective manner, the IWAI in the presence of Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Shipping, has signed three separate MoUs with Dredging Corporation of India (DCI), Paradip Port Trust (PPT) and Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) on Wednesday, September 26, 2016," the Shipping Ministry said in a statement.

After the declaration of 106 new National Waterways, in addition to the existing five, under the National Waterways Act, 2016, the responsibilities of IWAI have increased manifold, it said.

While the MoU with DCI will enable IWAI to maintain navigable depth in National Waterways, the pacts with PPT and MPT will help in developing National Waterway-5 in Odisha and various others in Goa, respectively.

The statement said under the MoU, DCI will supplement the asset base of IWAI by purchasing/leasing shallow depth dredgers and operating them in National Waterways. DCI will also prepare cost estimates and determine the duration of the dredging projects.

The MoU between IWAI and MPT will assist IWAI in the development of National Waterways like Mandovi river (NW-68), Zuari river (NW-111), Chapora river (NW-25), Cumbharjua canal (NW-27), Mapusa river (NW-71), and Sal river (NW-88) in Goa.

"IWAI and MPT will jointly work to achieve fairway development of the 182-Km stretch in Goa which includes dredging, river training works, bank protection, navigation aids, Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) etc. MPT will also provide project management supervision services related to the infrastructure works in the NWs," the statement said.

The MoU between IWAI and PPT will result in a collaboration between IWAI and PPT to develop a viable navigation system on NW-5 in Odisha for Phase-1 (Pankapal-Paradip/Dhamra-212 Km on the Brahmaniand Mahanadi river system) to facilitate the movement of cargo vessels of economical size and viable capacity, it said.

The development activities in Phase-I of NW-5 will include fairway development of 212 Km stretch which includes dredging, river training works, bank protection works; terminal construction with cargo handling facilities, off shore structures and related activities; and navigational aids including DGPS, RIS (River Information System).

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on Wednesday announced bonus to the tune of Rs 476.71 crore to the employees of various state public sector undertaking companies, in view of forthcoming festive season.

About 3.67 lakh eligible employees would receive bonus of a minimum Rs 8,400 up to Rs 16,800 per month for the period 2015-16, a press release from Chief Minister's Office said.

Jayalalithaa said a bonus of 20 per cent, including 8.33 per cent of bonus and 11.67 per cent ex-gratia would be given to the employees of those PSUs which have reported profits.

For those employees of PSUs which have reported losses, she said, "They will get a bonus of 10 per cent including, 8.33 per cent bonus plus 1.67 per cent ex-gratia."

Employees of the State Electricity Board, Transport Corporations, Civil Supplies Corporation will receive a hike of 20 per cent including 8.33 per cent bonus and 11.67 per cent ex-gratia, she added.

Tamil Nadu Housing Board, Chennai Metrowater Supply and Sewerage Board 'C' and 'D' section employees will receive 10 per cent hike including 8.33 per cent bonus and 1.67 per cent ex-gratia, she said.

Besides announcing the bonus to eligible staff of PSUs, Jayalalithaa said a bonus of Rs 4,000 will be given to contract employees of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, Rs 3,000 to temporary workers of Civil Supplies Corporation and those employees of Co-operative Societies which do not come under the bonus scheme.

"The eligible permanent employees of the PSUs will receive a minimum hike of Rs 8,400 to a maximum of Rs 16,800 per month. The 3.67 lakh employees of various public sector companies will receive a total of Rs 476.71 crore as bonus," she said.
CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami today said the former MP Tariq Hameed Karra should have raised the Kashmir issue in Parliament instead of resigning from his Lok Sabha membership.

Karra, who quit PDP and Lok Sabha recently, "has the right to take a decision. However, I would not lose any opportunity or platform to raise my voice," Tarigami told reporters when asked whether he agreed with the step taken by Karra.

"Karra should have spoken about the situation in Kashmir in the Parliament," Tarigami said.

Talking about the tension between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Uri attack, he said it should not be an "excuse" for confrontation as dialogue among all stakeholders is the only way to settle the Kashmir issue amicably.

"There is no alternative to talking and the recent unfortunate incident at Uri should not be an excuse for confrontations and hostilities between the two neighbouring countries of the region," Tarigami said.

"India and Pakistan should not treat Kashmir as a chess board and must shun the rigidities for paving a way for lasting solution of the vexed Kashmir problem," Tarigami said.

The MLA from Kulgam assembly segment said the dialogue should not be through interlocutors but with the involvement of the Parliament by constituting a committee of senior Parliamentarians.

"A purposeful and logical dialogue demands constitution of a committee of parliamentarians across the political spectrum assisted by experts and mandated with an initiation of serious and unconditional political dialogue for resolution of Kashmir issue," he added.

Tarigami termed it as s "political unrest" and demanded that laws like Disturbed Areas Act, Public Safety Act and Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) should be revoked.

He also called for withdrawal of armed forces from civilian areas of the state.

The MLA also demanded setting up of a judicial commission headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to probe the civilian deaths in the unrest and a ban on use of pellet guns.

Seeking adequate compensation for the families of victims, he demanded rehabilitation of the affected.

"The horticulture and transport sectors have been affected and must be compensated by waiving of interest on the loans," he said.

In response to a question, Tarigami said he did not support the demand for holding plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir under the UN auspices.

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A resident of Kerala was held while he was roaming around under suspicious circumstances in Katra, the base camp of Vaishnodevi shrine, in Reai district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said today.

"One person was detained and brought to the police while he was roaming in Katra last night", a police officer said.

He was identified as Ali of Kerala, police said, adding upon verification he was found to be mentally unstable.

According to some media reports, he had raised some "objectionable slogans" at a bus stand in Katra.

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With increase in attacks by wild animals on farmers in the forest fringe areas of the state, Kerala government has planned to constitute Vigilant committees at panchayat levels to check this menace, State Minister for Forest K Raju informed the assembly today.

In a reply during question hour, Raju said solar fence, anti-elephant trenches, protection wall and fencingwere some of the measures to be adopted by the government to prevent wild animals from straying into human settlements.

He also said that the order issued by the government in 2013 for killing wild boars expired early this year. The LDF government would re-issue the order with relaxation in the condition for killing wild boars that attack farmers.

Efforts are also on to set up rain water harvesting pools inside the forest to ensure that wild animals do not come out of the forest, he said.

However, to a question, he said government has not thought of sterilisation of monkeys to reduce its population.

"But effort would be made to catch and release the 'team leader of monkey groups' in deep forest, with the help of tribals, who can identify them." he said.

An SMS alert system has also been put in place in Waynad forest area to alert local people whenever wild animals stray into human settlements, he said adding this would be extended to other places if found successful.

State Excise Minister T P Ramakrishnan informed the house that the LDF government's liquor policy was not total prohibition but "liquor abstinence".

Government is planing to change the present liquor policy, he said during the question hour.

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A liver transplant precedure using laparoscopic method would be beamed live from a hospital in South Korea during the four-day Silver Jubilee National Conference of Indian Association of Surgical Gastroenterologists, beginning here on October 6.

Claimed to be first of its kind, the transplant in laparoscopic method would benefit nearly 1,500 surgeons from India and Abroad, attending the conference, its organising chairman Dr C Palanivelu told reporters here today.

The conference would feature liver surgeries, international summit and updates on cancer treatment of the gastrointestinal tract, which is the main theme, he said.

Besides the liver transplant, various other laparoscopic cancer surgeries will be telecast live from GEM Hospital to the venue in the latest 4K and 3D format on the first day, he said.

Also, 30 experts would deliberate about the standard of care for pancreatic cancer, he said.

The 2nd Asia Pacific expert committee meeting will be held on laparoscopic liver resection on October 8 during the event, with an aim to popularise the procedure in the Asia Pacific region, Dr P Senthilnathan, a committee member representing India in the forum, said.

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In a veiled attack at police over several AAP legislators being booked under various charges, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today said "lodging FIRs is their dharma" but the government will keep doing its job.

He was speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a yoga training session for teachers of Delhi government schools.

To a question on several AAP MLAs being booked in different cases, Sisodia said "lodging FIRs is their dharma, but we will keep doing our job ('FIR karna unka dharm hai, hum apna kaam karte rahenge')".

Fifteen AAP legislators have been booked so far by Delhi Police under various charges, even as the party has been crying "political vendetta" behind these actions.

The yoga session was held in partnership with yoga guru Ramdev's Patanjali Yogpeeth.

"16 lakh students in Delhi government schools will now be able to get better yoga education," Sisodia said.

Ramdev said the initiative is "praiseworthy" and other state governments should take inspiration from it.

Yoga is a scientific way of physical, mental, intellectual, and spiritual growth. It is a secular lifestyle and channelises the internal energy. I thank Arvind Kejriwal for letting the teachers, and physical education teachers to be trained in yoga, so that they can train the children, Ramdev said.

Echoing the yoga guru's sentiments, Sisodia said, "I hope other state governments would understand the importance of yoga in children's lifestyle and take inspiration.

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German carrier Lufthansa today said it would buy the 55 per cent of Brussels Airlines it does not already own, completing a long-mooted takeover and stepping up its battle against low-cost rivals.

Shareholders in Brussels Airlines must still agree to the deal, the statement said, adding that managers expect to complete the transaction by early 2017.

Lufthansa has owned 45 per cent of Brussels Airlines owner SN Airholding since 2009 and kept an option to buy the rest from around 30 remaining shareholders.

The companies did not reveal the price Lufthansa would pay for the remaining stake.

The Belgian carrier returned to profitability for the first time in years in 2015.

Lufthansa has previously said that it would add Brussels' 49-strong fleet to its own Eurowings low-cost offering, as chief executive Carsten Spohr builds the brand up for a Europe-wide battle with rivals Ryanair and Easyjet.

A deadline for the German giant's final decision, originally set for June this year at the latest, was pushed back to September after Brussels airport was hit by twin suicide bombings on March 22.

Members of Lufthansa's supervisory board were also set to discuss a possible takeover of parts of deeply indebted Air Berlin, Germany's second-largest airline, German media reported yesterday.

A deal with Air Berlin could see 40 further aircraft added to the Eurowings roster -- currently at 90 jets.

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today said the state government will provide body cameras to traffic police personnel for their safety, besides announcing other measures for the welfare of the force.

The move comes in the wake of police constable Vilas Shinde's death. Shinde died after being hit on his head with a wooden plank by a biker in Mumbai.

Shinde, attached to Mumbai Police, was battling for his life for more than a week at a hospital here before he passed away on August 23.

While the 13th day rituals marking Shinde's death was still underway, the Mumbai Police constable's mother also passed away.

"We are working for better healthcare for our policemen. I appeal to all the other institutes to come forward and join hands with the government. The state government has also decided to provide police body cameras to our traffic cops to gather evidence and punish the guilty at earliest," Fadnavis said.

The Chief Minister was addressing a gathering here after launching a health check up and awareness program by Asian Heart Institute in association with the Maharashtra government and Mumbai Police.

He also announced a 'smart township' in suburban Ghatkopar, which will provide quality living standards to 8,000 policemen.

"We are also working for police housing in a way that they can own their own house," he said and announced inclusion of families of retired police personnel below ASI-rank in the 'Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Janarogya Yojna'.

"The state government will deposit the premium for police officers," he said.

He said Mumbai CCTV network will go live from October 2 and give a major boost for smart policing.

"The state government will undertake a skill training for the families of policemen to generate employment opportunities for them," Fadnavis added.

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The Maharashtra government is planning a weekly farmers' fruit market in Mumbai, allowing the people to get a fresh fruits by the farmers from different parts of the state.

The plan of the marketing department is to set up the market in the parking lot of Hutatma Chowk in south Mumbai.

"The government feels the weekly fruit market will attract the tourists, who come to visit the Gateway of India and other such places in south Mumbai on Sundays," an official of the marketing department said.

The department wants to set up a farmers' fruit market, which will provide a fresh and quality fruits to people at a reasonable rate on each Sunday, the official added.

The purpose behind the proposed move is to increase the profits of fruit cultivators in Maharashtra.

According to the official, the department sought permission from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for the weekly market at Hutatma Chowk and the latter has given its nod.

The department is now preparing a chart, which will have fruits that can lure the tourists.

"The schedule of the fruit market is yet to be finalised, as it will depend on the response received by the tourists and Mumbaikars," he said.

Maharashtra is one of the largest fruit producing states in the country.

Officials said the farmers will bring fresh bananas, grapes, guavas, pomegranates, figs, orange, sapodilla (chiku), papayas, strawberry and custard apple (sitaphal) in the first weekly fruit market. In future, they will supply as per the sale and season of the fruits.

The official said the fruit market will boost the tourism in Mumbai. The state is already running farmers' vegetables weekly market at the parking lot of Vidhan Bhavan (state legislative assembly building) from August 2016.

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In the wake of deaths of children allegedly due to malnutrition, Maharashtra government has roped in private hospitals to check such instances, specially in Palghar district, state Health Minister Deepak Sawant said today.

Under the move, private hospitals and teams of experts from Mumbai and Thane will visit the hospitals in neighbouring Palghar that reported deaths of infants and children recently due to malnutrition, Sawant told PTI.

Such hospitals have been finalised, while those in other tribal-dominated regions like Amravati and other parts of Vidarbha are being discussed at ministerial level, he added.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had last week issued a notice to Maharashtra government, giving it four weeks time to submit a report on deaths of children allegedly due to malnutrition in Palghar.

The NHRC had taken suo motu cognisance of media reports which stated that 600 children have died allegedly due to malnutrition in Palghar this year.

The deaths triggered outcry with state Tribal Development Minister Vishnu Savara receiving flak for his reported insensitive remarks over some deaths of children recently.

Meanwhile, Sawant said the team from private hospitals will visit the identified villages twice a week to and conduct thorough check ups, while guiding pregnant women and malnourished children about food habits and other preventive measures.

"At present, hospitals from Mumbai and Thane have been selected and details of malnutrition-hit tehsils are shared with the hospital management. The government will bear expenses of medicines and ensure food grain supply," he said.

"Hospitals from across the state are yet to be finalised as we have specific requirement for malnourished children and women. We need expert staff with sufficient experience to be sent to remote villages for routine check-ups," the minister said.

A gynaecologist and a paediatrician will visit the villages, where state machinery through its network will identify pregnant women and malnourished children. After check up, they will prescribe medicines, sensitise people about food habits and required changes in their lifestyle, he said.

Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children, Jaslok



hospital, Global hospitals, Surya Mother and Child care and P D Hinduja National hospital and Medical Centre are some of the hospitals that have been roped in for Palghar, Sawant said.

Mumbai's KEM Hospital is already working on the same issue in Palghar district.

Tehsils like Mokhada, Wada, Vikramgad, Javhar, Talasari and Dahanu in Palghar will be brought under the private hospital scheme, he said, adding that allocation of tehsils to particular hospital will be done in a couple of days.

After Palghar, teams from private hospital will also be sent to the identified hospitals in other districts, specially in the tribal dominated ones, he said.

"Most of the children who died in Palghar came from very poor families. Adults worked as labourers, while some even migrate to other districts as contract labour, who generally does not get work orders during monsoon season. It reduces their income and the direct impact is on the pregnant woman who could not afford full meal require. Hence, many babies bear malnourishment," Sawant said.

He said the authorities concerned have been directed to initiate fresh survey for issuance of new ration cards to families who do not have one.
Civil Service Commission (CSC) of Maldives today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) to get short term capacity development training programmes for its officials.

Maldives' CSC President Aly Shameem and ASCI's Director General Prof Paramita Dasgupta inked the pact in the presence of ASCI Chairman, K Padmanabhaiah here.

"ASCI shall assist CSC to develop training programmes and materials required by CSC and help its curriculum developers/trainers to develop new programmes and materials or adapt ASCI programmes and materials for CSC use," according to the MoU.

Prof Paramita said ASCI shall assist in organising exchange of experts and consultancy service as needed by Maldives Civil Service apart from sharing information, research publication and experiences generated by the institution.

"For being our historic friend, closest neighbour, and great development partner, Maldives always admires India. ASCI is observed as an ideal learning laboratory and encyclopedia for civil or public servants of Maldives," Shameem was quoted as saying in an ASCI statement.

"For, ASCI offers multiple scopes for talent and skill development as well as enhancement of knowledge and real-time experiences," Shameen added.

"We will also like to seek the assistance of ASCI, a rich resource centre, in locating experts and consultants in running reform and developmental projects towards modernising, strengthening and economising Maldives Civil Services," he added.

The Director of the Civil Service Training Institute, Maldives, Fathimath Habeeba, ASCI Deans --Prof Nirmalya Bagchi (Dean of Research Studies) and Prof Usha Ramachandra (Dean of Training Programmes) -- were also present.

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Delhi Police has arrested a man who was allegedly trying to kidnap a child from outside his school in southeast Delhi's New Friends Colony area by posing as an acquaintance.

The accused, identified as 35-year-old Mukesh, had lured the Class II student of a public school in New Friends Colony by telling him that he is known to his parents and had brought chocolates for him yesterday morning, said a senior police officer.

"When the man was taking the child with him, a woman who knew the child's parents saw them and suspected something was amiss and raised an alarm," said Rajeev Ranjan, additional DCP-I (Southeast).

The school authorities informed the police and the man was detained till the child's father arrived in the school, said the officer.

A case under section 363 IPC (punishment for kidnapping) has been registered and Mukesh has been arrested, he said.

Mukesh is being questioned about his motive behind taking the child with him. He has been claiming that he was just taking the child for a walk but it is being suspected that he was kidnapping the child with an intention to sexually assault him, police said.

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As part of a series of protests in various districts of Maharashtra, lakhs of people of Maratha community today took part in a silent march here to press for their demands.

The 'Maratha kranti morcha' started from Shivaji statue on Prakasha Road and ended at the District Collector's office where a group of girls submitted a memorandum to the Collector Dilip Pasandharpatte.

As in other cities, the march was conducted in a disciplined manner and went off peacefully



The politically dominant Maratha community has been holding marches at various cities across the state for the last one month.

Their demands include stern action against the culprits of Kopardi rape and murder case, reservations for the community, and scrapping of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The silent marches began after the rape and murder of a Maratha girl at Kopardi in Ahmednagar district in July. The accused are from a different community.

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today justified Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision of not attending the SAARC Summit in Pakistan, suggesting he could not travel there under the present circumstances.

"SAARC was to happen in Pakistan and I had hopes that our PM will get an opportunity to go there but how will he go? Under what circumstances will he go there," she said.

India, along with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan, have decided not to attend the 8-nation Summit because of unabated cross-border terrorism from Pakistan, the venue.

"The Prime Minister went to Pakistan as an uninvited guest (in December last year). Why did he need to go there? He went there for us (people of J and K). He understood that till both the countries do not live together, the people of J&K will continue to face miseries.

"He walked a step but unfortunately there was an attack in Pathankot. But immediately afterwards, the statement of (NSA) Ajit Doval came and he did not blame anyone, which was good. Instead a team from Pakistan came and they were shown the evidence. Pakistan only registered an FIR against one person but unfortunately nothing happened afterwards," she said.

The Chief Minister advocated joint use of resources of all SAARC countries.

"SAARC countries have so many resources - Nepal has its own, Bangladesh and Pakistan have their own, Afghanistan and our country have their own and then Bhutan has its own. We could have used these resources together but it has not happened unfortunately," Mehbooba said.

Maintaining that war is never an option to resolve the issues, Mehbooba pitched for amicable relations between India and Pakistan to fight the poverty and economic deprivation plaguing the region while underlining the need of a bilateral dialogue to resolve the issues.

"The two nuclear-armed neighbours must cooperate in the fields of social development, including eradication of poverty and with their growing economies and energy needs, and the need for newer, more diverse markets and trading opportunities, the future of the troubled region has to be defined by common economic interests instead of hostilities," she said.

The chief minister said instead of fighting wars with each other, India and Pakistan should join hands to eradicate poverty and to address social problems plaguing the region.

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The missile that downed flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine was transported from Russia, a criminal inquiry revealed today, as it announced that about 100 people were being investigated for playing "an active role" in the disaster.

Saying they had "irrefutable evidence" that the BUK missile system was used to blow the Malaysia Airlines plane out of the sky, investigators also for the first time pinpointed that the device was fired from a field in a part of eastern Ukraine then controlled by pro-Russia separatists.

The findings of the Dutch-led probe stopped short of directly accusing Moscow of involvement in the tragedy in July 2014, and both the rebels and Russia issued fresh statements denying any responsibility.

But the new details appeared to back up accusations from Ukraine and the West that pro-Russian rebels were to blame using a missile which may have been provided by Moscow.

The Boeing 777 was ripped apart mid-air during a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur over Ukraine, where a war pitting separatists allegedly armed by Russia against the Kiev government erupted in April 2014.

All 298 people on board the plane including 196 Dutch citizens were killed.

Despite two official international investigations, the burning question of who gave the orders and who pulled the trigger remain unresolved.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko hailed the inquiry's initial findings saying: "We have solid proof of who is to blame for this dreadful crime and who bears full responsibility for the terrorist attack."



A "BUK missile from the 9M38-series" was used that "came from the territory of the Russian Federation," said Wilbert Paulissen, the head of the Dutch police investigation.

When it reached Ukraine it was transferred onto a white Volvo truck and escorted by armed men in uniform. Afterwards the missile launcher system "was taken back to Russia," Paulissen said.

Over the past two years, up to 200 investigators have studied half a million photos, videos, some 200 witness statements and 150,000 tapped telephone conversations.

They have also assessed five billion internet pages to painstakingly retrace the route taken by the convoy which brought the missile system into eastern Ukraine.

In one chilling wiretapped phone conversation from July 16, 2014 played to reporters on Wednesday, one man believed to be a Russian-speaking military commander asks another if he can "receive a BUK in the morning" saying his forces are under pressure from air strikes and he doesn't know if "they can hold on."



The 700-kilogramme BUK, a complex radar-guided ground-to-air anti-aircraft weapon, was fired from a field in Pervomaiskyi which at the time "was in the hands of the Russian separatists," said Paulissen.

The joint investigation "has identified approximately 100 people" believed to have had an "active role" in transporting the missile system, added chief investigator Fred Westerbeke.

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Noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has opened another window of opportunity for Pakistan by calling for a joint war against poverty, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today asked the neighbouring country to understand that such opportunities do not come daily.

"The call of Modiji to Pakistan and its people for war against poverty has no answers (from them). Pakistan, its people and its leadership should understand its meaning," Mehbooba told a gathering here tonight.

"There is no answer to his remarks... Despite Pathankot, Modiji went to Lahore for peace but Uri happened," she said.

Mehbooba said Pakistan should understand that Modi has given them another window of opportunity fot friendly relations, peace and normalcy in the region.

"Despite this (Uri) and huge pressure, Modiji as a statesman gave another window (of opportunity) to Pakistan... If Pakistan will not even today understand this, it will not get such opportunities daily," she said.

"Recently there was a cry for war and attack on Pakistan -- do this and do this kind of environment. But the reply came from our the PM. It was more than hydrogen or atom bomb when he (PM) declared a war against poverty," she said.

The Chief Minister said had it been former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in such a situation, he would have said the same thing.

"I am hopeful that the strike, PM called for against Pakistan will definitely have results. Our biggest problem is poverty. If problems of conflicts and smaller problem would have not been faced by India, our country would much more developed and prosperous," she said.

Referring to the ongoing unrest in Kashmir, she said, "We are passing through trying times and a test. The situation is slowly improving in Kashmir."



Maintaining that war is never an option to resolve the issues, Mehbooba pitched for amicable relations between India and Pakistan to fight the poverty and economic deprivation plaguing the region while underlining the need of a bilateral dialogue to resolve the issues.

"The two nuclear armed neighbors must cooperate in the fields of social development, including eradication of poverty and with their growing economies and energy needs, and the need for newer, more diverse markets and trading opportunities, the future of the troubled region has to be defined by common economic interests instead of hostilities," she said.

"Instead of fighting wars with each other, the two countries should join hands to eradicate poverty and to address social problems plaguing the region... Modi went to Pakistan with this message on behalf of people of J&K but the Pathankote incident shattered that process," she said.

The Chief Minister said as in any violent situation, the women have suffered the most in Jammu and Kashmir.

"In Kashmir, women have become primary victims of the violent situation over the last three decades which hasn't led us anywhere. Our party became the harbinger of peace when my father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, spoke of nursing the wounds of people when the memory of Kargil war was still afresh," she said.

(REOPENS DES70)



"In times of war, Mufti Sahab urged India and Pakistan to get involved in talks and start a process of reconciliation. In 2002, we formed the government with Congress when NDA was ruling at the Centre. Atalji understood Mufti Sahab's point of view and started CBMs which ushered in a new era of peace and prosperity," Mehbooba said.

The Chief Minister said her Peoples Democratic Party, of which she is the president, entered into the alliance with the BJP to take forward the mission of restoration of peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

"If the Centre walks one step towards the people of Kashmir, they will respond with 10 steps which is what made Atalji one of the most popular Indian leader among Kashmiris," she said.

Hitting out at the opposition for targeting the coalition government over petty issues, the Chief Minister said the same parties, who want to keep the pot boiling in Kashmir, sold their mandate in the past purely in order to remain in power.

"Those speaking against us used to talk in the language of war when they were in power. Mufti Sahab knew that PM Modi has the mandate of the entire country which was why we shook hands with BJP. We have lost count of widows and orphans. How long are we going to fight with each other?" she asked.
Madhya Pradesh can offer UK investors a "win-win partnership" which will benefit the state as well as Britain, the state's Chief Minister has said here as he sought investment from the country's businesses.

Chouhan said a number of UK investors across different sectors had expressed interest in investing in the state during his two-day visit, which concluded yesterday.

"This visit was mainly about presenting Madhya Pradesh's attractiveness as an investment destination and how it can prove a win-win partnership for the state as well as UK investors. We received a lot of positive interest across different sectors," Chouhan said on the sidelines of the "Opportunities in Madhya Pradesh" summit organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and UK India Business Council (UKIBC) yesterday.

He said the Indian-origin businessman and founder of the Purico Group in the UK, Nat Purie, had expressed interest in setting up a not-for-profit vocational training and skill development centre in the state.

A consortium of pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, Medicity, plans to take a delegation from the UK to Madhya Pradesh in early October to explore setting up of an Indo-UK Institute of Health in MP.

"Madhya Pradesh is India's heartland. At one time, it was counted among the country's backward states but it has seen unprecedented development with double digit growth rates in the last eight years," Chouhan said.

"Beyond single-window clearance, our ease of doing business success is around a single table concept where I sit down with my ministers every Monday to solve problems right away. I am not just the Chief Minister but the CEO of MP and I will not let you down," he said in an impassioned speech.

Chouhan, who was accompanied by his minister for commerce, industry & and employment Rajendra Shukla and principal secretary of MP's industrial department Mohammed Suleman, said the central aim of his UK visit was to invite investors to the biennial 'Global Investors Summit' in Indore to be held on October 22 and 23.

He was in London on the invitation of Priti Patel, UK minister for international development, and besides a bilateral meeting with her also made some site visits around London to develop a broader "vision and perspective" for his state.

His team highlighted that the state offered a strategic location in the central part of India as well as great connectivity to major Indian cities and ports, an industrial land bank, progressive business policies, and a state that is ranked 5th in the World Bank's 'Ease of Doing Business" rankings.

The key sectors for investment avenues promoted in the UK included areagri-business and food processing, automobile and engineering, defence, IT/ITeS, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, textile, tourism and urban development.

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Putting up a brave face after a cartoon in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' provoked a strong reaction from a section of Maratha community and led to attack on the newspaper's office, its editor Sanjay Raut today said there was no reason for him to tender an apology.

Describing cartoonist Shrinivas Prabhudesai as "non-political and innocent", Raut said Prabhudesai had already tendered apology for the cartoon which alluded to the silent marches being taken out by the Maratha community across the state.

Raut, a Rajya Sabha member, also denied media reports about Sena legislators from the Maratha community handing over resignation to the party leadership over the issue.

"The cartoon has not caused any kind of dent or electoral damage to the party. We are neither hurt nor have we suffered any loss. The Sena does not believe in caste and I do not see any reason for tendering an apology," he said.

"The Sena has seen many storms in its fifty years of existence and weathered them, we shall come out of this also," he said, reiterating the party's support for the silent marches of the Maratha community for demands such as reservation.

Without naming Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar and others who have lashed out at Sena over the controversial cartoon, Raut said, "Those who envy us and want to play politics are speaking against us."



"During the days of Babri (demolition), 140 cases were filed against me, who is afraid of such cases? Sena does not believe in caste. Marathi is the only caste for us. There is a ploy to divide the Marathi community along caste lines," he said.

Raut further said that Sena knew who were behind this caste politics and would soon expose them.

Opposition Congress and Nationalist Congress Party leaders were pulling the strings from behind the scenes, he alleged.

"The morchas (marches) are being taken out to target the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis," he said.

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The number of foreign tourists to Odisha is showing a decline though the rate of domestic tourists visiting the state has marginally increased, state Tourism and Culture minister Ashok Chandra Panda said today.

Panda informed the Assembly today that Odisha's share in the total number of foreign tourists visiting India was only 0.83 per cent in 2015 while the rate was 0.93 per cent in 2014.

Panda said though 80,27,133 foreign tourists visited India in 2015, only 66,971 of them came to Odisha.

The statistics placed by the minister said 66, 675 visitors from abroad toured various places in Odisha in 2013.

The following year, 71,426 foreign nationals came to the state and 66,971 in 2015. The visit of foreign tourists to the state dropped by 4455 in the particular year.

Interestingly, only 3,000 foreign tourists visited Odisha during Nabakalebara festival of Lord Jagannath last year, sources said.

The domestic visitors' inflow has however, increased by 9-10 per cent a year.

As per statistics, 98 lakh domestic tourists visited the state in 2013 followed by 1.07 crore in 2014, amounting to an increase of 9 per cent annually. In 2015, the figure was 1.17 crore.

The minister informed the House that the state government has been taking several steps to woo the foreign tourists to Odisha.

A number festivals, clean beaches, road shows, dance and music festivals are being organised to attract the foreign tourists, he said.

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Oil prices posted marginal gains in Asia today as an industry report showing a decline in US stockpiles was offset by worries about the chances of this week's key producers meeting ending with a deal to limit output.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) said yesterday that US supplies fell by 752,000 barrels last week, fuelling hopes official figures Wednesday will also show lower inventories in the world's top economy and oil consumer.

However, there are fears a deal between Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia this week will not be struck when they meet in Algeria to discuss a global supply glut and overproduction that has hammered prices for two years.

On the eve of the gathering Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh told reporters: "It's not in our agenda to reach an agreement in two days. We need time for more consultation."



Tehran's position means other participants -- particularly regional rival and OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia -- are unlikely to join in any concerted plan to limit output.

At around 0335 GMT, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for delivery in November was up one cent at $44.68 and Brent crude for November added 21 cents at $46.18 a barrel.

"It's the API data that's driving the bounceback in Asia," Angus Nicholson, a Melbourne-based analyst with IG Markets, told AFP.

"In general, expectations are now pretty low for a deal to come out of the Algiers meeting."



However, he added: "At the same time, the groundwork is also being laid for some sort of supply deal over the next month or two. Many analysts are expecting a deal to come at the November 30 OPEC meeting".

OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia has so far refused to curb its output at a time when Iran is ramping up production following the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions in January.

Iran wants to increase its daily output to pre-sanctions levels of four million barrels, from the current estimated level of up to 3.8 million, according to Zanganeh.

"The Saudis still have the olive branch out but the Iranians, relatively fresh back from sanctions, are still saying that they won't be cutting production," Greg McKenna, chief market analyst at forex firm AxiTrader.

But there were some tentative signs of a narrowing of differences in Algiers.

Zanganeh signalled that an agreement to stabilise oil prices could be struck at OPEC's November 30 meeting in Vienna.

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Over 400 Terrapins, a rare breed of turtles, have been seized and four persons arrested in this regard in Tuticorin district, DRI officials said today.

Acting on a tip-off that 477 turtles, all alive, were allegedly being smuggled to Sri Lanka from a coastal village in Tuticorin district, DRI officials searched a car in a village and seized 23 bags containing the turtles recently.

"A total of 477 turtles, all alive, were found to be stuffed in 23 bags loaded in the vehicle," a DRI release said.

Terrapins are small turtles, classified under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 as an endangered species. They live in fresh water.

These turtles are smuggled for the meat and some fetch a "very high price" in the international market, DRI officials said.

Forest officials identified the turtles to be of 'Spotted Black' and 'Eastern Hill' varieties.

Thameem Ansari, M Mani, Abdul Rahman and Keyton Kumar, all from Chennai, were arrested and remanded to judicial custody, the release said.

The seized turtles were handed over to Forest officials for releasing them in their natural habitat, it added.

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Haryana government has alloted 13 districts to the Administrative Secretaries of different departments for inspection of mandis where paddy arrives and procured.

The procurement of paddy during kharif season 2016-17 has begun in the state.

A proposal to this effect has been approved by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here, an official spokesperson said here.

He said mandis have already been allotted among the procurement agencies for the kharif procurement season.

While Principal Secretary, Tourism, Abhilaksh Likhi has been allocated district Ambala, Principal Secretary, Employment and Mines and Geology, A K Singh would inspect mandis in district Karnal.

Similarly, Principal Secretary, Environment, Shrikant Walgad has been allocated district Kaithal, Principal Secretary, Technical Education, Anil Malik will inspect mandis in district Kurukshetra, Principal Secretary, Science and Technology, Ashok Khemka would inspect mandis in district Jind.

He said Principal Secretary Power, Anurag Rastogi has been allocated district Fatehabad, Principal Secretary, Housing and Cultural Affairs, Sumita Misra would inspect mandis in district Yamunanagar.

Principal Secretary, Higher Education, Mahavir Singh has been allocated district Sirsa, Principal Secretary, Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes, Anil Kumar would inspect mandis in district Sonepat and Principal Secretary Fisheries S N Roy in district Palwal.

Besides, Principal Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment, Amit Jha has been alloted Panchkula, Additional Chief Secretary, Forests and Wild Life R R Jowel (Hisar) and Additional Chief Secretary Cooperation, Alok Nigam would inspect procurement in mandis of Rohtak.

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Pakistan cannot take India's policy of strategic restraint for granted for too long and if Islamabad rejects Prime Minister Narendra Modi's offer of cooperation, it will become part of a case for making the country a "pariah nation", a US daily has claimed.

"Modi is practicing restraint for now, but Islamabad can't rely on that continuing. Modi's offer of cooperation, if rejected, will become part of a case for making Pakistan even more of a pariah nation than it already is," The Wall Street Journal said in an opinion piece yesterday.

"If the (Pakistani) military continues to send arms and fighters across the border, the Indian Prime Minister will have a strong justification to take action," it warned.

The Wall Street Journal said India has always enjoyed the moral high ground on the terrorism issue, but past Congress and BJP governments lacked the courage to assert it forthrightly.

That led to a policy of "strategic restraint", which meant that Pakistan would never be held accountable for its terrorist proxies, no matter how heinous their attacks, it noted.

Praising Modi for deciding against taking any military action, the daily said even as he walked back threats of military action, he replaced them with a pledge to isolate Pakistan internationally if the military doesn't stop supporting terrorist groups.

He is considering the cancellation of the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, which protects Pakistan's rights to the Indus River's water.

He could also withdraw most-favoured-nation trading status, granted in 1996, that Pakistan has never reciprocated, the daily said.

In an op-ed published in Foreign Affairs, Sameer Lalwani, Deputy Director of the Stimson Center's South Asia program, said in the wake of the Uri attack, the understandable anger and frustration of Indian policymakers and strategies is building momentum for major military action.

"But the arguments for such action are highly debatable, if not incorrect.

A major militarised response might satisfy a desire for revenge, but it is not clear that it would serve the Indian government's political, credibility, prestige, or coercive interests," Lalwani said.



"The 2009 elections and recent polling data suggest that Indian prime ministers have thus far suffered no real political costs for opting against military actions in retribution for major attacks.

"Further, the country could actually weaken its credibility if it embarked on a militarily disastrous adventure that exposes gaps in capabilities," he said.

"Finally, although India has fulminated over its lack of options to punish its enemies, it has invested little in the comparatively easier approach of denying its enemies their goals.

"With new considerations of costs and benefits, Indian strategists might turn their conversations toward security through meaningful capabilities and political engagements and away from risky, punitive gambits," Lalwani wrote.

George Perkovich from the Carnegie Endowment for Peace said beyond small-scale tit-for-tat action against targets in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, India's best recourse is to persuade the rest of the world to exert sufficient political and economic pressure to punish Pakistan for its toleration-if not outright support-of violence against India.

"To do that, however, New Delhi must recognise the largely indigenous cause of the Kashmir uprising and end its refusal to negotiate with relevant parties, including, maddeningly, Pakistan," he said.

Perkovich said India could, and probably will, increase the intensity of covert operations to foment disorder in Pakistan, particularly in the restive province of Balochistan.

"Such activities would certainly harm the interests of the Pakistani military.

"But they would also bolster Pakistan's effort to portray India as morally and politically equivalent to Pakistan in the use of terrorism, a label India has long sought to avoid," he wrote in his op-ed.

"India will also justifiably seek to mobilise the world against Pakistan as a state-sponsor of terrorism, which is increasingly difficult to deny," he said.
Unfazed by India and three other SAARC nations deciding to pull out from the summit here, Pakistan today said it will still hold the meet in November as scheduled which flies in the face of the SAARC charter under which even if one head of government skips the event, it gets automatically postponed or cancelled.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said Pakistan will host the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit in November, Radio Pakistan reported today.

Zakaria was quoted as saying that it was learnt from the Indian External Affairs Ministry's tweet that India is not going to participate in the SAARC Summit, a decision he called "unfortunate".

"While we have not received any official communication in this regard, the Indian announcement is unfortunate," he said.

The spokesperson also said Pakistan is committed to regional peace and will continue working for the broader interest of the people of the region, according to the report.

Separately, Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said India is making propaganda to foil the conference that was scheduled to be held in November, according to Pakistan Today newspaper.

Besides India, three other SAARC members - Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan - have pulled out of the summit, indirectly blaming Pakistan for "creating an environment which is not right for the successful holding" of the meet.

Under the SAARC charter, the summit is automatically postponed or cancelled even if one member country skips the event.

Tensions between India and Pakistan are growing after militants stormed an Indian Army base in Uri on September 18, killing 18 soldiers.

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Meanwhile, Geo TV quoting official sources said Pakistan has been forced to postpone the summit due to India's refusal to participate in it.

The TV channel quoted Aziz as saying that SAARC secretariat has not yet informed officially about postponement of the conference.

He said chances are that SAARC Summit will be postponed, according to the report.

The foreign adviser added that whenever the conference takes place, it will be held in Pakistan.

Aziz said that it is not the first time India is not attending the regional summit and that it had earlier also caused the summit to be postponed four times.

He added that even if one of the member pulls out, the conference cannot go on as per schedule.

The conference was previously scheduled for November 9 and 10.

There were also reports that Nepal, the current chair of the SAARC, is trying to move the conference out of Pakistan in an effort to salvage the summit.
In yet another ceasefire violation after the Uri terror attack, Pakistani troops on Wednesday targeted Indian positions with small firearms along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.

However, there was no loss of life or injury to anyone in the firing, a police officer said.

"Pakistani troops resorted to firing by small arms along the LoC in Sabzian area of Poonch district this evening," a police officer said.

Earlier on September 20, two days after the terror attack in Uri, Pakistani troops violated the border ceasefire in the same sector of Kashmir, targeting Indian army positions with small firearms.

On September 6, Pakistani Army pounded Indian positions with 120 mm mortar bombs and firing along the LoC in Poonch district.

On September 2, Pakistani troops had resorted to ceasefire violation by firing on forward army posts along the LoC in Akhnoor sector in Jammu district.
Pakistan's defence minister today said India will "disintegrate" when Kashmir gains independence, in a sign of mounting tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals.

Khawaja Muhammad Asif told The Associated Press that Pakistan will continue to extend moral support to the people of the disputed Himalayan region, which is split between Pakistani and Indian control but claimed in its entirety by both.

"When the freedom movement in Kashmir succeeds, it will be beginning of the end of India," he said. Asif said the sacrifices of Kashmiri people will not be in vain and that "India will disintegrate and it will not remain united" when Kashmir gains independence.

He said Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has tried to improve ties with India, but "we did not get a positive response from them."



Sharif attended a high-level security meeting today in which he expressed concern over human rights violations in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

India blamed Pakistan-based militants for a recent attack on an army base in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir that killed 18 Indian soldiers. Since then, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he will work to isolate Pakistan internationally.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Four Pakistani minors have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping a 16-year-old boy in a Greek migrant camp, police have said.

"The four minors, aged 16 to 17, will appear before a prosecutor today," a police source told AFP on yesterday. The victim is also Pakistani.

The incident occurred on Sunday in the camp of Moria on the island of Lesbos.

Greece is accommodating over 60,000 refugees and migrants stuck in the country after a succession of Balkan and EU states shut their borders earlier this year.

Many of the camps are grossly overpopulated, and rights groups have repeatedly warned that minors must be accommodated separately for their safety.

There are also regular fights amongst refugees and migrants, who are forced to wait for months for their asylum applications to be processed.

Some 5,000 people had to be evacuated from the Moria camp last week after a fire broke out after another brawl.

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The Telangana and Andhra Pradesh State Minorities Commission today made a suggestion to Hyderabad Police to set up an Special Investigation Team (SIT) to receive complaints and probe matters pertaining to black-magicians.

Sixteen people, were allegedly indulged in sorcery, from different parts of the Old City here yesterday.

In the wake of the arrests the Commission, took up the issue suo-moto and called for a detailed report from the city police. However, it appreciated the prompt action taken by Deputy Commissioner of Police (South Zone) V Satyanarayana.

The panel suggested formation of an SIT to receive complaints in such cases and to nab those involved them.

Police said the black magicians were extracting money from innocent people by claiming to possess extraordinary powers.

South Zone Police here yesterday arrested 16 people, including Anwarullah Khan alias Disco Baba, a self-proclaimed unani doctor, who had collected Rs 35 lakh from his victim stating that there was a treasure hidden in his house, and one tantrik Faiyaz Mehmood Ansari, who had abducted one boy and wrongfully confined and allegedly attempted to kill him.

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A Nepalese parliamentary committee today held a hearing for the proposed appointment of the country's new Ambassadors to India and China before formally nominating them to their respective positions.

Deep Kumar Upadhyay, former Nepalese Ambassador to India, whose name was also recommended for new envoy to India by the cabinet last month, and Leela Mani Paudyal, who has been recommended for Ambassador to China, responded to queries raised by the members during the Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee (PHSC) meeting.

Upadhyay was unceremoniously recalled by Nepal as Ambassador to India in May over charges of "non-cooperation" and indulging in "anti- government activities" when he had confronted the then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli regarding the cancellation of President Bidya Devi Bhandari's scheduled visit to India.

Bhandari was scheduled to visit India in May during the height of Madhesi agitation for which Oli had often blamed India.

As per the constitutional provision, candidates recommended for Ambassadors and heads of constitutional bodies are required to pass through the Parliamentary hearing, before the government formally appointments them to the respected positions.

Presenting the agendas in course of the hearing, the nominees expressed their commitment to further strengthen and expand the bilateral relations between Nepal and the host countries and taking the ties to a new height.

They also pledged to keep national interest in mind while performing their duties as envoys, according to sources in the Parliament.

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Shimon Peres, former Israeli President who died today, was an ardent admirer of India and its leaders and always supported the country for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.

The 93-year-old statesman, who enjoyed worldwide acceptance but was seen as a polarising figure at home during a major part of his political career, was inspired by Indian greats - Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.

He often described Gandhi as a "prophet" and Nehru a "king" and said that "India was fortunate to be blessed with two great and unforgettable leaders".

Peres often mentioned how fascinating it was to read Gandhi's autobiography and Nehru's Discovery of India which were also translated to Hebrew in the 40s.

"For us India is first of all a culture. Then it is for us the greatest democracy on earth and then the unbelievable achievement of overcoming poverty without becoming poor in freedom," the Nobel laureate had told the then Foreign Minister S M Krishna in 2012.

"I wish that India would become a permanent member of the Security Council," Peres had emphasised while serving as the President of Israel.

He reiterated the same belief several times on different occasions, but it is not necessarily a position that the Israeli political establishment backs given India's traditional voting pattern at the UN which favours resolutions in favour of the Palestinians.

"We are following India with great care and interest, not just in the political sense but being a citizen of the world," he had said.

The Israeli President also often appreciated India's model of pluralism and co-existence calling upon the world to learn from the Indian experience.

"India has grown consistently with its commitment to democracy and cultural values. The rest of the world could take pride in the history of pluralism and tolerance in India," he once remarked.

"India is a unique example of a nation that has achieved high economic growth consistent with its cultural values", Peres had emphasised.

The Israeli leader would also often mention "the ethical and moral standing" India enjoyed in the world community while talking about strengthening ties between the two countries.

Peres dies this morning in his sleep after suffering a massive stroke two weeks ago.

Peres as Minister for Regional Cooperation had visited India twice, in August 2000 and January 2001. He visited India for the third time in January, 2002 as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

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Pippa Middleton, younger sister of Duchess of Cambridge, was today granted an injunction banning publishing of 3,000 private photos allegedly hacked from her iCloud account.

Pippa, 33, had launched civil court action after her account was said to have been hacked and Scotland Yard arrested a 35-year-old man on suspicion of a 'Computer Misuse Act' offence on Saturday.

The injunction obtained at the High Court by Pippa and her fiance James Matthews, 40, blocks publication of the photos.

The allegations emerged after private pictures were reportedly offered to 'The Sun' via encrypted messaging service WhatsApp.

The photos included images of the Duchess Kate Middleton, her husband Prince William and the couple's children Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

Middleton has taken legal action in the Queen's Bench Division of the UK high court, where judges analyse claims relating to issues including libel, personal injury, negligence and privacy.

Around 3,000 private photographs are believed to have been stolen and 'The Sun' said it had been approached by someone using a pseudonym and asking for 50,000 pounds within 48 hours.

Pippawas maid of honour when her sister Kate married Prince William in 2011.

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DMK today accused Union Water Resource Minister Uma Bharti of backing Karnataka in the Cauvery issue and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should chair the proposed meeting of Chief Ministers to break the impasse on water release to Tamil Nadu.

In a statement here, DMK President M Karunanidhi said reports in a section of media opined that Bhart should chair the meeting of Chief Ministers of the two states, being convened by the Centre as per a Supreme Court suggestion.

He said Bharti had recently aired views "fully supporting" Karnataka over the impasse on release of Cauvery water by that state to Tamil Nadu and doubts would arise about the outcome of the meeting if she chaired the deliberations.

"Instead of the participation of the Union Minister, the meet should be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself so that an amicable solution arises from it," he said recalling the reported remarks of Bharti.

The apex court had yesterday asked Karnataka to discharge 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu till Friday despite its assembly resolution, but called for a political solution to the impasse by convening of a meeting of Chief Ministers of the two states and the Centre.

Karunanidhi said water was required for irrigation till January 28 for the samba crop, but the present storage in Mettur dam would suffice only till November 5.

Karnataka had released only 52 TMC so far as against 123 tmc mandated by the tribunal for June-September, he said adding only if Karnataka releases the remaining quantum, water can be released from Mettur Dam for samba crops fully.

With Karnataka refusing to release water, crops already cultivated would be affected and farmers would suffer huge losses, he said.

On the discussions held by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa yesterday with officials in a hospital here, where she is undergoing treatment for fever and dehydration, after the apex court order, Karunanidhi sought to know why neither the PWD Minister nor his Secretary attended the meeting.

Jayalalithaa had nominated PWD Minister Edappadi S Palanisamy and a team of officials to represent the state in the CMs' meeting to be held in Delhi.

Meanwhile, People's Welfare Front Co-ordinator and MDMK Chief Vaiko said Tamil Nadu's participation in the Chief Minister's Meeting would be "detrimental" to the state and demanded that the Centre constitute the Cauvery Water Management Board and regulation committee without any delay.

"Centre should take steps in such a way that Karnataka obeys the Supreme Court order. Centre has the responsibility to ensure Karnataka follows the rule of law", he said in a statement.

"Holding discussions between the two states will be detrimental to the rights of Tamil Nadu on Cauvery river", he claimed.

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today launched the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) in the state to provide free LPG connections to BPL households.

Apart from Mufti, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan and Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh gave away free LPG connections to 11 women from BPL households.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the initiative, in line with creating smokeless villages across the country, has come as a moment of pride for the women in BPL households for getting LPG connection as an identity of their own and to lead a smoke-free, less polluted, convenient and healthy life.

PMUY was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May, 2016. Under PMUY, five crore LPG connections will be provided to BPL families across the country during the next three years.

For Jammu and Kashmir, a target of 35 lakh connections has been set under PMUY out of which one lakh connections are to be provided during next 15 days.

Under the scheme, the enrolment of the BPL families have been made constituency wise all over the state and the deserving people shall be given free LPG connections along with a gas stove and a regulator.

Highlighting that such schemes are designed keeping in mind the welfare of the poor, the Chief Minister said that PMUY will benefit the poor, especially the women.

Providing LPG connections to BPL households will ensure universal coverage of cooking gas, Mufti said, adding that this measure will empower women and protect their health by reducing the labour and time spent on cooking.

Pradhan said the LPG would be made available to everyone in the state.

He said in next two years no home in Jammu and Kashmir would be without LPG connection. He also announced that a new LPG bottling plant would be started in Kargil, while gas production would be increased in Leh.

(Reopens NRG 41)



Pradhan credited Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali, and CM Mufti for making the Union Government extend the scheme to J&K.

Ali visited New Delhi number of times and held various meetings making everyone understand that mountainous regions should also be considered for PMUY, he said.

"It was after these meetings that the Union Government decided to extend the scheme to J&K and North East," said Pradhan.

Speaking at the function, Jitendra Singh stressed on the need to focus on development of the state.

"The present dispensation, both at state as well as at the Centre, are committed for the overall development of J&K. Whatever the situation be, people should never get distracted from the path of development," he said.
President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of other leaders today condoled the passing away of former Israel President Shimon Peres, saying he made courageous efforts to achieve peace for his country and the region.

In a message to Israel's President Reuven Rivlin, Mukherjee conveyed his heartfelt condolences and said he was deeply saddened to learn about the demise of Peres.

"In his passing, Israel has lost a statesman who made courageous efforts to achieve peace for his country and the region. The worldwide admiration and accolades that he received for his work - including the Noble Peace Prize, are a testimony to the values that he stood for.

"Peres was a visionary who strongly believed in the power of knowledge, innovation and technology," he said in a statement.

Mukherjee said India remembers Peres as a steadfast friend of the country, whose lasting contribution to strengthening of the close bilateral partnership between India and Israel will be long remembered.

"I would request you, Excellency, to kindly convey my deepest sympathies to his bereaved family. May the Almighty give them the strength to bear this loss," he said.

The President also warmly recalled his last meeting with Peres in October, 2015, during a visit to Israel.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet said, "In former President Shimon Peres, we lost a key world leader and a friend of India. Pained by his demise. Our condolences to people of Israel."



Congress president Sonia Gandhi described him as a defining political figure.

"Peres will be remembered as a steadfast pacifist and hopeful believer in peace and coexistence," she said in a statement.

Underlining that his tenure added strength and goodwill to the Indo-Israeli relationship, Gandhi hoped that his family, friends and admirers find peace and strength in this hour of grief.

Chairman of the Committee on Ethics of Lok Sabha, L K Advani said he was deeply grieved to learn about the demise of Peres, who represented many political parties in the Knesset.

"He was Israel's warrior for peace. At a very young age, Mr Shimon Peres was elected to the Working and Studying youth national secretariat.

"He held several diplomatic and military positions during and directly after Israel's war of independence. He founded a non-partisan and non-governmental organisation "Peres Centre for Peace" dedicated to the promotion of peace in the Middle East," he said, adding that he had the privilege of meeting Peres personally on a couple of occasions and found him to be a man of a very broad vision.

"I offer my heartfelt condolences to the family of Shimon Peres. May the departed soul rest in peace," he said.

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The member-activists of the newly launched political party Vidarbha Rajya Aghadi (ViRA), today set on fire copies of 'Nagpur Pact' at the RBI square here.

In absence of its chief promoter, former Advocate General of Maharashtra, Shrihari Aney, who was in Mumbai, activists led by advocates Mukesh Samarth, Ravi Sanyal, Neeraj Khandewale, Sandesh Singalkar and Dinesh Naidu, Ahmad Kader shouted pro-Vidarbha slogans and made a bonfire of the copies of 'Nagpur Pact'.

The copies were burnt today as it was on this day, 63 years ago, the Nagpur Agreement (pact) was signed to pave the way for creation of a Marathi-speaking Maharashtra state, merging with it, the region of Vidarbha, the then Central Province and Berar (C P & Berar).

The pact, which had 11 clauses, was signed despite strong opposition from leaders like Bapuji Aney, Brijlal Biyani who spearheaded the movement for a separate Vidarbha.

ViRA leaders Samarth and Khandewale said the symbolic protest was organised to highlight how the pact was violated in letter and spirit by rulers of Maharashtra.

"One of the signatories of the pact and then Chief Minister Yashwantrao Chavan who had stated on the floor of the new State Legislature that 'jhukta maap' (tilted scales) approach will be adopted in favour of Vidarbha region and all care will be taken to address the developmental aspirations of its people, mostly Hindi speaking in those days".

"But what happened was exactly the opposite, the region was treated as a colony and given step-motherly treatment while its precious resources were exploited," alleged Khandewale.

Leaving the first four that delineated the composition of the state, ViRA claims all the other clauses were "flagrantly violated".

For instance, the party says the clause which stated 'In the matter of employment in government and all enterprises under its control, it will be done in proportion to population of the region. But Vidarbha, which has 23 per cent population of the state barely got 3 per cent of such jobs".

"Similarly, clause 6 on fair and proportionate admissions in educational institutions was never followed," ViRA claimed.

"Clause 4 spoke of balanced and all-round development. But over the years, Vidarbha region was neglected creating a developmental backlog, which in monetary terms has now grown to 250,000 crore. Clause 10 concerning holding the legislative session in Nagpur was done only as a formality with no tangible benefits from it to the region," claimed Samarth.

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As part of Centre's efforts to reach out to Jammu and Kashmir, Home Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Leh and Kargil early next month and interact with a cross section of people there.

Singh will visit Leh and Kargil on October 3 and 4 and interact with representatives of political parties, social organisations and individuals to seek their views on the present unrest in the Kashmir Valley, official sources said.

The Home Minister has already visited Srinagar twice--the first time with officials and later along with an all-party delegation--since the turmoil in Kashmir Valley erupted following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8.

Singh had visited Jammu while leading the all-party delegation.

Since the Ladakh region was left out of those trips, the Home Minister will undertake this separate visit for Leh and Kargil to meet locals there, the sources said.

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Observing that there was no public interest involved in individual matters, the Bombay High Court today disposed of a batch of PILs alleging that self-styled godwoman Sukhvinder Kaur alias Radhe Maa was impersonating as Goddess Durga and cheating devotees by taking money from them.

"We are of the view that petitions against the respondent number 2 (Radhe Maa) cannot be said to be PILs as they are not concerned about public interest but are individual matters," a bench headed by Justice V M Kanade said.

The high court, however, ruled that private complaints can be filed with police or in a magistrate's court against the self-styled godwoman and investigations can proceed in accordance with law.

A bench also allowed another PIL against Radhe Maa to be withdrawn after petitioner Ramesh Joshi informed the court that police had accepted his prayer and filed an FIR against her for carrying trident in an aircraft from Aurangabad to Mumbai last year.

According to this PIL, carrying weapons is banned under laws for security reasons. Although the PIL prayed the high court to monitor investigation, the bench said, "We are afraid that we cannot do this. Such a prayer cannot be made in a PIL."



Other PILs were filed by advocate Falguni Bhrambhat and others. All PILs sought action against the self-styled godwoman for allegedly luring devotees and taking money from them. Some of the petitions even sought transfer of the probe from Borivali police to the crime branch or a higher authority in police department.

The allegations made against Radhe Maa are based on newspaper reports and the police have not been able to find any illegality in these matters, the bench observed while adding that such imputations cannot be made in a PIL.

The judges said that the high court has never entertained any individual petitions as PIL and on this ground alone, all the PILs against Radhe Maa are being disposed of.

"We find that large number of private cases are filed for



various reasons and the courts are required to hear them and give orders. A lot of time is wasted and a huge pendency of cases remains," the judges said.

"Currently, more than 3 crore cases are pending in India and it might take five to ten years to hear them and decide. The apprehensions raised by the petitioners that we



Courts) are not concerned about them is misconceived," the bench said.

"Police have a right to hear these complaints and take preliminary action against the accused and if no case is made out against him or her they can also refuse to entertain such matters any further," it remarked.

In August last year, the high court had granted interim pre-arrest bail to Radhe Maa in a dowry harassment case after a Borivali Magistrate had asked police to probe allegations against her made by a housewife.
The US has asked India and Pakistan to resolve their differences through diplomacy and not through violence.

"We have continued to encourage India and Pakistan to find ways to resolve their differences, not through violence, but through diplomacy," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily news conference.

"We have condemned violence, particularly terrorist attacks," he said.

He was responding to a question on India's decision not to attend the SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November citing continuous cross border terrorism by Pakistan against India.

The State Department too refrained to make any comment on India's decision in this regard and said it is for the New Delhi to comment.

"I would refer you to the Government of India to comment on their decision not to attend this meeting," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said.

"What we have said it many times from the podium - is we want to see closer and normalisation of relationship between India and Pakistan," he told reporters at his daily news conference.

"It would benefit the region. We want to see de-escalation in the political discourse between the two countries and greater communication and coordination between them," Toner said.

He said it is not for the US to "offer a perscription" to de-escalate tension between the two South Asian neighbour.

"It is in mutual interest for both the countries to put aside tensions and establish more normal channels of communication," the deputy spokesperson said.

He also insisted that the US continues to push Pakistan for taking strong action against groups engaged in terrorist activities in the neighbourhood.

"While we have seen Pakistan make progress on some of the terrorist groups operating within its own borders and carrying out attacks within its borders, we continue to put pressure on them to respond to those groups who are seeking safe haven on Pakistan's borders," Tony added.
The Centre today approved an assistance of Rs 1,269 crore to Maharashtra for crop damaged due to drought.

This was approved at a meeting of a high-level committee meeting for central assistance headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

The assistance of Rs 1,269 crore was approved by the committee, out of which Rs 589.47 crore is the supplementary assistance for damage to kharif crops and Rs 679.54 crore for damage to rabi crops, an official statement said.

The committee examined the proposal based on the report of the Central team which visited Maharashtra.

Union Minister for Agriculture Radha Mohan Singh, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and senior officials of the Home, Finance and Agriculture ministries attended the meeting.

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The Russian military said today it's ready to resume contacts with its US counterparts over the situation in Syria, even as US Secretary of State John Kerry threatened to cut all cooperation with Moscow on Syria unless an onslaught on ends.

Lt Gen Viktor Poznikhir of the military's General Staff said today that Russian experts are ready to travel to Geneva to restart consultations with the US to "search for possible ways of normalising the situation in ."

A US-Russian truce in Syria has collapsed and the Syrian government forces backed by Russian warplanes have launched an attempt to take control of the rebel-held neighborhoods of .

Kerry said Wednesday the US is preparing to "suspend US-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria," including talks on a possible counter-extremist partnership, unless Russian and Syrian government attacks on Aleppo end.

More than 250 people are believed to have been killed in the besieged city in the last week. Poznikhir didn't make any reference to Kerry's statement, saying only that Russia was ready to continue discussions.

"It's expected that Russian experts will be sent to Geneva shortly to resume consultations with the American side," he said. "We hope that American partners are also ready for joint work."

The US-Russian deal brokered September 9 envisaged cooperation between the two militaries against the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda's branch in Syria if the declared cease-fire held, but it collapsed amid renewed fighting and mutual acrimony.

The US blamed Russia for an attack on a humanitarian convoy outside Aleppo, accusations Moscow has denied. Poznikhir said the Russian military got new information about Syrian rebels' involvement in the attack on the convoy, but he didn't offer any details.

Like other Russian officials before him, he has blamed the rebels for the collapse of the truce, adding that an increasing number of Syrian opposition units have integrated with al-Qaida's affiliate in Syria.

He also alleged that the militants are preparing to strike sections of Aleppo with chemical weapons to heap the blame on the government.

"It has become known to us that terrorist groups are preparing to strike Syrian army positions and residential quarters in the eastern part of Aleppo with projectiles loaded with toxic agents as a provocation, in order to put the blame on the government forces," he said.
The next SAARC Summit, which was scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan in November, has been postponed after India pulled out of the event "in the prevailing circumstances", Nepalese media reported today.

"The 19th SAARC Summit has been postponed after India yesterday announced its inability to take part in it "in the prevailing circumstances"," the Kathmandu Post reported.

Reports emanating from Nepalese media are significant as Nepal is the Chair of the eight-member grouping.

India has already communicated its decision to Nepal.

The summit is automatically postponed or cancelled even if one member country skips the event.

Tensions between India and Pakistan are growing after militants stormed an Indian Army base in Uri on September 18, killing 18 soldiers.

Besides India, three other SAARC members - Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan - have pulled out of the summit, indirectly blaming Pakistan for "creating an environment which is not right for the successful holding" of the meet.

Founded in 1985, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) currently has Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as its members.

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In its efforts to promote Ghandhian values, city-based trust, Mumbai Sarvodaya Mandal will sell over 200 books written by Mahatma Gandhi and Acharya Vinoba on low prices from October 2 onwards at the Gandhi Book Centre here.

"On the occasion of 147th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, about 200 titles on and by the Gandhiji, Vinobaji and Sarvodaya will be sold at up to 50 per cent discount by Mumbai Sarvodaya Mandal," managing trustee of the mandal, Tulsidas Somaiya said.

The books would be on sale from October 3 to 11 (except on Sunday) at Gandhi Book Centre in Nana Chowk.

Top-selling book, 'An Autobiography' of Mahatma Gandhi will be available at Rs 40, while 'The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi' (encyclopedia of Mahatma Gandhi) of 589 pages will be available at Rs 50.

About 200 books on Gita, prayer, politics, religion, economics, education, constructive work, peace, non-violence, conflict resolution and social change will also be available in various regional languages for the book lovers.

Besides, the mandal will also conduct the Gandhi Peace Exam across prisons of Maharashtra.

"In a bid to evoke the sense of remorse through inculcation of moral values in minds of under-trials and make them realise the power of truth and non-violence, we regularly conduct Gandhi Peace Exam in the jails. It will be held this year in jails at Byculla (Mumbai), Chandrapur, Akola, Nagpur, Bhandara prisons," he said.

] Set up in 1952 during the Bhudan Andolan (land gift movement) of Acharya Vinoba Bhave, the trust has been engaged in programmes to spread message of Gandhi by holding seminars, workshops, meetings, youth camps etc.

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The future of the tourism business is 'ethical' and that is the way for Kerala to stay ahead of the curve, a senior bureaucrat said here today.

Speakingat Kerala Tourism Mart's Responsible Tourism seminar, Suman Billa, Joint Secretary, India Tourism, said "Kerala has done so well because it can create experiences that are close to the earth."



Billa, who was instrumental in promoting the Responsible Tourism initiative in Kerala as the state's then tourism secretary, said, "as a destination, the way forward is to develop unique experiences by staying on the agenda of Responsible Tourism."



In the first phase, it was started in Kumarakom, Thekkady, Vythiri and Kovalam, and later Ambalavayal, Bekal and Kumbalangi.

Permissions are now in place to extend the programme to other destinations.

Commending the state for its award-winning Responsible Tourism initiatives, Billa said, "The tourism sector can only move forward by including the local people and empowering local communities."



"We did a study on local purchases in Kumarakom and after eight years of starting the Responsible Tourism initiative, Rs 1.5 crore per annum in purchase orders were made in vegetables, dairy, eggs and other things," said Rupesh, State Coordinator, Responsible Tourism.

"We are generating Rs four crore income through responsible tourism initiatives in the seven destinations, and though it does not seem like much, it directly benefits the local community," he said.

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The Supreme Court today came down heavily on Bihar government for not placing facts before the Patna High Court which granted bail to controversial RJD leader Mohd Shahabuddin in a murder case.

The counsel for Nitish Kumar government, which has RJD as its coalition partner in the state, faced searching questions in the apex court which rebuked it for not being serious in pursuing the case against Shahabuddin.

"Why have you approached the court only after his release? Were you in slumber till he got bail? This is a peculiar case. But the question is this peculiarity has been done at whose instance and who is behind this.

"Why you did not challenge bail granted to Shahabuddin in 45 cases? Why did you realise only when he came out of jail? If everything was fair, why would this case come to us," a bench comprising Justices P C Ghose and Amitava Roy said while clarifying that by peculiarity, it meant negligence.

The observations came after senior advocate Dinesh Dwivedi, appearing for Bihar, sought cancellation of Shahabuddin's bail and said the decision to enlarge the RJD leader was improper as the High Court had ignored the relevant material in the case.

He said the High Court could not have granted him bail unless there was any special reason or any medical urgency. The senior lawyer admitted there were "anomalies" by the state government in the case.

To this, the bench said, "we can understand your difficulty and the only thing we can say is that we understand everything."



Dwivedi said "I admit the anomalies. I am not in any way justifying the actions of the state government. We were handicapped at that time. But my submission is that the relevant material has been ignored in the case."



The bench then asked him "Why should you be handicapped? You are the state. It was the duty of your lawyer to inform the High Court about the correct facts of the case. It was your duty to inform the High Court that a revision petition has been filed in the session court by Shahabuddin. Why didn't you tell the High Court at that point of time?



"We are just trying to find out what kind of person he is by looking at the background and circumstances of the case.

"How many cases are pending against him, who is a four time Member of Parliament and two times MLA. We are just thinking what is the common man's thought. There are so many cases against him and there are so many bail orders. You did challenge those bail orders," the bench said.

The hearing remained inconclusive and will continue tomorrow.

Dwivedi said Shahabuddin was first sent to jail in 2005



and since then he has been committing crimes from inside the prison. He said the RJD leader was acquitted in most of the cases as many witnesses refused to testify against him.

"Shahabuddin's remaining in jail has hardly made a difference as he has been committing crimes from inside the jail premises as well. And this is the reason that he was shifted to Bhagalpur from Siwan jail," he said.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for Siwan-based Chandrakeshwar Prasad whose three sons have been killed in two separate incidents, also sought cancellation of Shahabuddin's bail and said enlarging him on bail was "travesty of justice".

Bhushan said the High Court had erred in granting bail to a history-sheeter who has a criminal antecedents and termed him as a hardened criminal.

Senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, appearing for Shahabuddin, said his client has been suffering from media trial and said the state government has to be fair and cannot play with the liberty of an individual.

He said the state was "only cooking up stories" and causing prejudice to his client's case as he had attained "notoriety".

"It has become a trend in Bihar that if any crime takes place, then it must be Shahabuddin. This has been a fashion now," he said.

Shahabuddin, who was granted bail by the Patna High Court on September 7, was released from Bhagalpur jail on September 10. He was in jail for 11 years in connection with dozens of cases against him.

On September 19, the apex court had sought a response from Shahabuddin on a separate plea filed by Siwan resident Chandrakeshwar Prasad, challenging the bail granted to him by Patna High Court, in the murder case of his third son.

The apex court is also hearing a separate plea filed by the widow of journalist Rajdev Ranjan, who was murdered in Siwan allegedly at the instance of Shahabuddin, seeking transfer of the case to Delhi.

Kalawati Devi, wife of Chandrakeshwar Prasad and the mother of three youths who were brutally killed by henchmen of the controversial politician, had also moved the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of bail granted to him in the case in which he has already been sentenced to life.
Rights activist Irom Sharmila today advocated adopting non-violent methods to fight for any cause saying "nothing can be changed when politics remains impure and violence continues in the system."



Sharmila was interacting with reporters here on the sidelines of the 11th Global Youth Peace Festival, an event organised by an NGO here which was attended by delegates from many countries, including the US, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

When asked whether she continues to favour repeal of the contentious Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Sharmila said: "In this regard, those from the government side, (those) from the (rights) activists (side) or what you call the terrorists' side, for any cause it needs to be based on non-violence...Why should we depend on violence in governance."



"We all people are humans with valuable minds, everything is valuable. With a bit (of) kindness, every problem can be solved just like family matters," she said.

"Society is the extension of every family...Real need is intervention in the administrative system which is governed by the democratic representative in the society. We can't remain negligent about the systems in the society. Any problem (solution to problem) which has to be solved, would come from political arena," Sharmila said.

"Nothing can be changed when politics remains impure and violence continues in the system. Real need is to have the power of people in governance," she said.

Replying to a question, she said, one will always support people who protest for "right thing" and do it with dedication and sincerity.

When asked how can youth bring about the change which world actually needs, she said: "We really need to know ourselves, who I am?, why?, how?. Self realisation, self consciousness should be there."



Sharmila who had expressed her desire to contest Manipur Assembly election next year, on Monday met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi and sought his advice on how to defeat "major political parties" in Manipur.

On August 9, the 44-year-old 'Iron Lady' broke her 16-year-old hunger strike, the world's longest such campaign, and declared that she wants to become the chief minister of Manipur so that she could press for repeal of the contentious Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

Sharmila has already announced that she would soon float a new regional party under the banner of which she will contest the polls.

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The tenth edition of SiGNS festival, organised by Federation of Film Society of India (FFSI) Kerala in association with the Kochi Biennale Foundation, saw an increased delegate participation and enthusiasm from film goers in the city.

Around three hundred people registered as delegates on the opening day of SiGNS 2016, which according to the officials is a record turn out after the festival has been shifted to Kochi.

"Increased number of delegates is a mark of progress this festival is making," said C S Venkiteswaran, Artistic Director, SiGNS.

Students from various colleges have come in numbers to attend the short film and documentary festival. A few foreigners also attended the festival on the opening day, organisers said.

Other than the delegates, around 160 film makers will also attend the festival.

Open Forums and Seminars will be organised from the second day which will be platform for delegates to interact with directors. Around 200 short films and documentaries will be screened during the five day festival at Ernakulam Town Hall till October 2.

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Turkish courts have placed 32,000 suspects under arrest ahead of trial on charges of links to a group run by US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen who is blamed for the July 15 coup, the justice minister said.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag yesterday told NTV television that 70,000 people had been investigated after the coup and of them 32,000 remanded in custody.

"This process is continuing," he said. The numbers of those arrested marks an increase of more than 10,000 from those previously given by the government.

Bozdag said that there could be new arrests, while some of those currently arrested could still be freed under judicial control or freed entirely.

Some two-and-a-half months after the coup attempt aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan led to a crackdown unprecedented in Turkey's modern history, there is still no indication as to when trials might start.

The trials of tens of thousands will be the biggest legal process in Turkey's history and are set to put the system under unprecedented pressure.

"It is not entirely clear how the trials will be carried out," Bozdag acknowledged.

He said trials would take place in cities across the country and not in one single venue.

Bozdag said there was no need to create a special trial venue in Istanbul as capacity was sufficient. But he said one was needed in Ankara and work is taking place for a trial venue at Sincan outside the capital.

"People are not going to be put on trial in just one place but trials will take place in all of Turkey," he said.

Turkey's Western allies have expressed concern over the magnitude of the crackdown, but Ankara has insisted that the rule of law is being observed.

Gulen, who has lived in self-exile in the United States since 1999, has denied that he was linked to the coup in any way.

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Some British Indian men are among a broader South Asian group in the UK who are guilty of mistreating and abandoning their wives in their countries of origin, a new report by a UK University has found.

Lincoln University's 'Disposable Women: Abuse, Violence and Abandonment in Transnational Marriages' described the practice as an emerging form of violence against women, "especially in the context spanning the UK and the Indian sub- continent".

"Abandonment of wives by non-resident Indian (NRI) men in transnational marriages has become a widespread phenomenon. Although the focus of this report is on the specific experience of abandoned women in India experience shows that their appalling accounts of abuse and abandonment are also echoed by women from Pakistan, Bangladesh and elsewhere," the report said.

"Ongoing demands for dowry, and escalating violence where such demands could not be met, were significant contexts for abuse for the majority of the women. Inability to meet dowry demands eventually triggered abandonment for most of the women left with their in-laws," it added.

The academics behind the report are now calling on the UK government to recognise the abuse of these so-called "disposable women" to be treated as domestic violence.

As part of its recommendations, the report concluded: "Women who once resided in the UK (no matter how briefly) should be treated in all respects as domestic violence victims Transnationally abandoned women should be issued with temporary visas to avail the UK's Domestic Violence Rule.

"At the point of their visa application, British embassies abroad should give women a leaflet setting out their rights and entitlements under the UK immigration and family law."



As most women tend to hide the fact that they have been abandoned by NRI husbands based in the UK, the academics spent more than a year finding 57 women in India who had experienced the phenomenon and were willing to share their stories.

Sundari Anitha, from the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Lincoln, spoke to women personally affected on a number of trips to Punjab, Delhi and Gujarat.

"The stigma is massive and it even has an impact on other people in the family. So a woman's sister will find it harder to get married. She will find it harder to get a job, she faces financial insecurity and she's seen as damaged goods - primarily because the assumption that she had sex," she said.

Pragna Patel, director of UK-based women's rights group Southall Black Sisters, also worked on the report.

She said abandonment can be prosecuted under existing laws, but "few, if any, perpetrators face any consequences".

A UK Home Office spokesperson said: "This government will not tolerate abuse through marriage or other relationships. We will look carefully at any evidence of where further action might help to prevent abuse or support victims".

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There is a need for "introspection" and strengthening internal security measures to prevent terror attacks like Uri, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi today said and stressed for consistency in India's policy towards Pakistan.

"Whatever happened in Uri, it is known to all that the terrorists came from neighbouring country. Our army camp was attacked there. The question that arises is, introspection has also to be done on how it happened and who is responsible and what action government will take," he told reporters here.

The government needs to strengthen internal security as the terror attack on the army camp at Uri was preceded by attacks at Udhampur, Poonch and Pathankot among others, the Hyderabad MP said.

"Because Udhampur, Poonch, Gurdaspur, Pathankot and now Uri happened, we have to strengthen our internal systems also. There is a need to work with caution, why these people are able to penetrate. It has become a habit with our neighbouring country to interfere in our affairs. But, we need to make our installations strong," Owaisi said.

Voicing support to the government's move to stay away from the SAARC Summit scheduled to take place in Pakistan, Owaisi, however, stressed for a consistent policy towards the neighbouring country.

"Alright, you are not going for SAARC meeting because the government in Pakistan doesn't control terrorist organisations there like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. The trial of 26/11 has been going for years now. We gave evidence on Pathankot but no action was taken (by Pakistan). So the government has taken this policy. We have no objection to that. But keep a consistent policy," he said.

The foreign policy towards Pakistan should be consistent, he said, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise stopover at Lahore last year while returning from Afghanistan.

"What will be our policy towards our neighbouring country. Foreign policy doesn't run like we will go if there is a wedding at somebody's house. There is need for consistent approach," Owaisi said.

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The Congress today alleged that the suicide by a tainted top government official and his son, who had accused CBI officials of torture, raises doubts over the working of the investigating agency and demanded a court-monitored probe into its affairs.

Congress spokesman Manish Tewari also made a strong pitch for the CBI to stop taking up further cases till its legality is adjudicated. He said that the Gauhati High Court through an order on November 6, 2016 had declared CBI as an illegal organisation.

Noting that the CBI comes under the administrative control of a department under the Prime Minister, he said that the suicide of B K Bansal and his son needed to be probed to reveal whether they were privy to some deep secrets.

He said that the suicides have raised questions over the investigative and interrogative techniques of the premier investigative agency.

In suicide notes purportedly written by the former Corporate Affairs Director General and his son, it was alleged that a CBI DIG, two women officers and a "fat" Havaldar of the agency had tortured the tainted official's wife and daughter after which both had committed suicide in July.

In the wake of the allegations against its officials, CBI today constituted an internal inquiry to look into them.

Noting that the legitimacy of the CBI hangs by the thread of a Supreme Court Order, he wanted the Government to approach the Supreme Court to adjudicate over the issue of legality of the CBI.

"And till the time the legality of the CBI is not adjudicated, in existence until the Supreme Court decides to agree or disagree with the Gauhati High Court's orders, the CBI should stop taking further cases," he said.

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Reflecting wider coverage of the recently launched Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana (PMFBY), the total sum insured for the kharif 2016 crops has increased by over 70 per cent to Rs 1.18 lakh crore.

In the 2015 kharif season (summer), total sum insured was only Rs 69,360 crore under the previous crop insurance scheme.

As per the official data, as many as 3.15 crore farmers took advantage of the PMFBY in the just completed 2016-17 kharif season, against 3.09 crore farmers in the same season last year.

"So far, 3.15 crore farmers have taken the policy in kharif 2016. Banks are yet to submit the final data on the coverage of farmers. What is interesting is that the sum insured has jumped by 71 per cent to Rs 1,18,426 crore," Joint Secretary in the Agriculture Ministry Ashish Bhutani told PTI.

Earlier, crops were underinsured, but this scenario is changing. More farmers are taking advantage of the new crop insurance scheme, under which premiums are kept low and farmers will get claims for full sum insured, he said.

Good progress has been achieved in the implementation of the PMFBY in the 2016 kharif season even though several states delayed notification of the scheme. About 22 states and union territories have rolled out the scheme, he added.

Under PMFBY, farmers' premium has been kept lower between 1.5-2 per cent for foodgrains and oilseed crops and up to 5 per cent for horticultural and cotton crops. There is no cap on the premium and 25 per cent of the likely claim will be settled directly in farmers' accounts.

Going forward, Bhutani said, "The coverage of farmers in the coming rabi season is expected to increase as the initial hiccups have been addressed at all levels. Even banks are aggressively promoting the scheme."



In fact, the number of farmers to take up the crop insurance scheme in the 2016 rabi season is likely to surpass the last year's level of 80 lakh, he noted.

Under the PMFBY, the number of kharif crops insured vary from the state to state. In Bihar, only paddy and maize are covered, while in some states about 40 crops.

PMFBY replaces the existing two schemes National Agricultural Insurance Scheme and Modified NAIS, which have had some inherent drawbacks.

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In the wake of the Income Tax (IT) Department summoning him in connection with a tax evasion probe, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain today termed the development as a "conspiracy", saying it will be "exposed".

The IT department has asked the AAP minister to appear before it on October 4 in connection with a tax evasion probe against certain Kolkata-based firms and furnish personal financial details along with income tax returns for the last four years.

Jain had yesterday claimed he has severed ties with the companies which are under the IT scanner, in July 2013 before contesting the polls for the first time and added that the summons was just a reassessment and he was ready to face the probe.

Replying to questions, he said, "Everyone knows this is a conspiracy, what is the big deal in it. After two days, the chief minister will expose a very big conspiracy." However, he did not give any detail.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said yesterday that his government will convene a special one-day session of Delhi Assembly on Friday to expose a "very big conspiracy" behind registration of "false" cases against AAP MLAs, ministers and himself.

Talking to reporters, Jain expressed surprise as to how the media was seized of the details of the events which are about to happen.

"I am surprised who is leaking the information to the media. Even I, who has been summoned as a witness in the case, don't know what they (IT department) will ask me during my appearance, but the media has already reported what questions they will ask me. Is the Income Tax department briefing media about it?



"What is the source of information? Who is monitoring it," Jain said.

On being asked about the three companies having residential address, he said that as per his knowledge, these firms exist and there is no rule prohibiting a company's registration on residential address.

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A Swiss army helicopter crashed in a high alpine pass today, killing two aviators and leaving a third person injured, the Swiss army said.

No cause for the crash was provided by army spokesman Aldo Schellenberg, who described it as an "accident" that occurred shortly after takeoff.

Four visiting French military officers had disembarked just before the incident and were unharmed, Schellenberg said.

The accident happened around midday (1000 GMT) in the remote Gotthard Pass in the Ticino canton near a hospice that stands at an altitude of 2,100 metres (6,900 feet).

"The two pilots did not survive the accident," the army spokesman said, identifying the injured person as a "flight assistant", who was taken to a hospital.

The helicopter involved was an Airbus-made Super Puma.

The Swiss army has grounded all Super Pumas until the causes of the accident have been identified, Schellenberg said.

At the end of August, a Swiss pilot died after crashing his F/A-18 in the Hinter-Tierberg region, apparently after flight controllers gave him incorrect altitude instructions.

That accident was the latest in a string of crashes to befall the Swiss air force.

In June, two Swiss Tiger F-5E fighter jets collided in the Netherlands in June during a training flight for an air show.

And during another training exercise in October last year, an F/A-18 crashed in an uninhabited part of France's eastern Doubs region.

No one was hurt on the ground and the pilot was only slightly injured after ejecting from the plane.

The last similar helicopter crash for the army came in March of 2011 in central Switzerland's Uri canton.

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The Calcutta High Court today said it will hear anticipatory bail prayers of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung and 23 others in connection with the Madan Tamang murder case, in which all of them are accused.

Rejecting CBI's contention that the high court cannot hear the anticipatory bail pleas as the investigation is being monitored by the Supreme Court, a division bench comprising Justices Ashim Kumar Roy and M M Banerjee said that it will hear the petitions on October 3.

The bench said since the charge sheet in the case was filed by CBI before a Kolkata court and arrest warrants were also issued by it against the accused persons, the high court has the jurisdiction to hear the anticipatory bail petitions.

It had earlier granted relief to Gurung and the other accused persons by directing CBI not to arrest them before disposal of their anticipatory bail prayers.

CBI had on May 29, 2015 filed a charge sheet against the GJM leaders under IPC sections for murder and criminal conspiracy in the Tamang case.

The investigating agency had filed the final supplementary charge sheet before the court against Gurung, who is also the chief of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) in Darjeeling, his wife Asha, former GJM leader Harkabahadur Chettri, GJM Assistant General Secretary Binoy Tamang, Pradeep Pradhan, Deputy Chief Executive of GTA Col Ramesh Allay and 17 others for criminal conspiracy, murder and other charges.

Prime accused in the case Nickol Tamang had, however, disappeared mysteriously from Pintail village near Siliguri, in August 2010 where he was being held by the state CID for interrogation following his arrest.

Pema Tamang, wife of Nickol Tamang, had moved a habeas corpus petition before the Calcutta High Court praying that her husband be traced.

The high court had then directed CBI to take up the Madan Tamang murder case and the Nickol Tamang disappearance case.

All India Gorkha League leader Madan Tamang had been hacked to death in Darjeeling town on May 21, 2010 when he was overseeing preparations for a public meeting.

Tamang's widow Bharati had moved the Supreme Court seeking early completion of investigation and arrest of the accused persons.

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With the entry of Reliance Jio setting off a price war, Airtel today said its customers can enjoy free unlimited incoming calls on international roaming while travelling to popular destinations like the US, Canada, the UK and Singapore.

That apart, Airtel's new international roaming packs will also offer free text messages to India and "ample data benefits" along with free India calling minutes across popular destinations, the company said in a statement.

Charges for calls to India -- beyond the free usage limit -- and local in-country calls have been reduced to Rs 3 per minute across these places.

The company has launched the roaming packs with 30-day and 1-day validity for Rs 4,999 and Rs 649 rentals, respectively, for the US, Canada and the UK. With the holiday season round the corner, Airtel plans to launch a 10-day validity pack by mid-October for USD 45 (about Rs 2,990).

The 30-day pack for the US, Canada, and the UK offers 3 GB data, unlimited incoming calls, 400 minutes of calls to India and unlimited texts to India.

The one-day pack for the US, Canada and the UK comes with 300 MB data, unlimited incoming calls, 100 minutes of India calling and unlimited texts to India.

Post exhaustion of data benefits, international roaming data will be charged at Rs 3 per MB, a reduction of 99 per cent from Rs 650 per MB.

Airtel has launched similar plans for the Singapore market where the roaming rental is priced at Rs 2,499 and Rs 499 for 30-day and 1-day validity, respectively. For the UAE market, the rental is Rs 3,999 and Rs 649.

"The number of Indians travelling overseas for leisure and business is growing rapidly and our new packs ensure customers get no bill shocks and have the convenience of always keeping their phones switched on, wherever they are," said Ajai Puri, Director, Operations (India and South Asia), Bharti Airtel.

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Three medical college students were killed, while another was injured when the car they were travelling in collided with a tanker lorry near here early today, police said.

All the four students pursuing medicine in a private medical college in Kirumambakkam near here, were proceeding to Chennai when a tanker lorry coming in the opposite direction collided with their car near Bommayarpalayam in the small hours today, resulting in the death of Thangakumaran from Kanyakumari, Arvind and Hariprasad from Chennai.

However, Balakrishnan sustained critical injuries and was rushed to the Puducherry government general hospital, police said.

The lorry driver fled the scene, they said adding a case had been registered and further investigation is on.

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Acting tough against Tamil Nadu and Kerala who are yet to implement Food Law, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved supply of foodgrain at the minimum support price (MSP) for distribution to above poverty line families via ration shops.

Barring these two states, 34 states and Union Territories have rolled out the National Food Security Act (NFSA), passed by the Parliament in September 2013 during the UPA regime, either partially or fully.

The NFSA aims to abolish the above poverty line (APL) and below poverty line (BPL) criteria and uniformly provides 5 kg of wheat or rice to all beneficiaries every month at a subsidised rate of Rs 1-3 per kg.

"The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a proposal to provide foodgrains to APL category to Tamil Nadu and Kerala at MSP instead of APL rate," Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan told PTI after the meeting.

Wheat will be supplied at the MSP of Rs 15.25 per kg and rice at Rs 22.54 per kg to these two states. Earlier, wheat and rice were given to them at APL rate of Rs 6.10 per kg and Rs 8.30 per kg respectively, he said.

Normally, the Central government supplies 1.40 lakh tonnes foodgrain to Tamil Nadu and 47,800 tonnes to Kerala every month for distribution to APL families.

However, the foodgrain supplies to these two states for distribution to BPL families and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) would continue at old rates, Paswan added.

According to the officail data, Tamil Nadu has a total of 195.85 ration card holders, out of which BPL and APL are 170.20 lakh while the remaining are under AAY category. There is no distinction made between BPL and APL in the state as it follows universal public distribution system.

In Kerala, there are 82.31 lakh ration cards holders, of which APL families comprise 61.54 lakh.

Earlier this month, Paswan had warned these two states that foodgrains for distribution to APL families would be provided at a higher rate if they fail to implement NFSA at the earliest.

Kerala has informed the Centre that it would roll out the NFSA by December, while TN has not given any date.
With delay in arrival of chartered flight from Russia, Goa's new tourism season is now to begin from October 15.

Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) today confirmed that the first chartered flight that was supposed to be arrive in the coastal state from Dubai got cancelled due to some issues.

"Passengers from Moscow (Russia) were supposed to fly to Dubai in a chartered flight and from there they were to arrive by another chartered flight - Fly Dubai - in Goa on October 2," TTAG President Savio Messias told PTI today.

Messias said before October 15, a couple of chartered flights are likely to arrive but the actual flow of the (chartered) flights will begin only from October 15 onwards.

Meanwhile, state Tourism Department today approved the three-year-long Policy which will regulate the shack business between 2016-19.

"The policy will be placed for final approval before Goa cabinet on coming Friday," Goa Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar said.

The shacks on different beach stretches would be allotted by October 15, he said.

From 2013 onwards, tourism department had adopted the three-year policy under which the licence to run a shack was given for three years as against the earlier practice of allotting the licences on annual basis.

Parulekar said the 2013-16 shack policy expired on March 31 this year, following which a new policy for 2016-19 has been approved by the department.

"Terms and conditions of the policy are same. There are no major changes in the new policy," he said.

The shack policy which was approved in 2013 had made installation of cameras compulsory for the shacks, the minister said, adding that this time too the shack owners will have to install CCTV cameras.

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Rescuers in Indonesia were dispatched Wednesday to evacuate nearly 400 tourists, most of them foreigners, after a volcano erupted at one of the country's most popular hiking destinations, an official said.

Mount Barujani began erupting yesterday, sending columns of ash and smoke shooting 2 kilometres into the sky over Lombok island, a tourist hotspot to the immediate east of Bali.

Nearly 400 people were recorded as hiking near Barujani -- a smaller cone within the crater of Mount Rinjani -- when it began erupting, prompting plans for their immediate evacuation, said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

"A rescue team has been sent to Mount Rinjani to evacuate the tourists. They set off on Wednesday morning," he said.

Hikers have been told to keep at least 3 kilometres from the smouldering volcano, a key attraction on the multi-day trek to the summit of Mount Rinjani made by thousands of tourists every year.

Nugroho said 389 hikers were recorded as having entered the national park since Sunday, the overwhelming majority of them foreigners.

While most would have taken the official route to the summit, rescue teams suspected some hikers may have gone off-piste, Nugroho added.

The threat level of the volcano was upgraded Tuesday as Barujani sent plumes of smoke and hot ash into the atmosphere, but remains two steps from the highest-risk category.

There were no flight disturbances recorded on Wednesday due to the ash clouds, transport ministry spokesman Hemi Pramuraharjo told AFP.

Some flights to and from the nearby resort island of Bali were cancelled overnight, but Lombok's international airport remains unaffected.

Flight disruptions due to drifting ash clouds are not uncommon in Indonesia, which sits on a belt of seismic activity known as the Pacific Ring of Fire and is home to 130 active volcanoes.

An eruption at Mount Rinjani last month forced the closure of Lombok airport and disrupted some flights to neighbouring Bali.

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A trader was today robbed of Rs 5 lakh at gunpoint by three men on a motorcycle, in Masuri town here, police said.

The incident took place when Vineet, a wholesaler of groceries, was returning on his scooty after collecting money from retailers at around 4 PM, they said.

"When Vineet reached near IMS institute, three bikers waylaid him. The robbers snatched his bag containing Rs 5 lakh at gunpoint," said Assistant Superintendent of Police Ashish Srivastav.

"An FIR has been registered against unknown persons and a manhunt has been launched to nab the robbers," he added.

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A top pro-Russian separatist commander in eastern Ukraine today denied Dutch findings blaming the downing of Flight MH17 on a Russian missile fired from rebel-held territory.

"The forces of the People's Republic of Donetsk could not have fired at the plane from a BUK system because we have no such sort of weapons," general Eduard Basurin of the self-proclaimed republic told AFP.

A criminal inquiry in the Netherlands found today that the missile that shot the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 out of the sky was snuck out of and back into Russia.

The investigators also confirmed that the missile that slammed into the plane was fired from a field in a part of eastern Ukraine under the control of the separatists at the time.

But the Dutch-led investigation did not directly accuse Moscow of supplying the BUK missile and its transporter system -- and the Russian government has repeatedly denied any involvement.

The passenger jet was shot down in July 2014 on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

The incident came at the most heated point in the war, straining tensions between the West and Moscow even further.

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The UN today inaugurated its second voluntary repatriation centre in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to facilitate safe return of up to 10,000 refugees daily.

The new centre in the province would enable United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to facilitate the return of refugees through the Torkham border crossing, a key border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The centre is situated at Azakhel in Nowshera district, some 40 kilometers east of Peshawar.

UNHCR Representative in Pakistan Indrika Ratwatte said, "The extension is an important decision by Pakistan which recognises the importance of policies to manage the legal stay of registered Afghans in Pakistan".

"Pakistan has ensured that the repatriation remains voluntary and that returns are conducted in safety and dignity," Chief Commissioner for Afghan Refugees Imran Zeb Khan said.

Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal asked Afghan refugees to return to their homeland "despite the challenges and to join the nation-building process".

Zakhilwal said "the repatriation remains voluntary and the fact that Afghan refugees are returning of their free will demonstrates confidence in the efforts of the national unity government".

Since 2002, UNHCR's voluntary repatriation programme has helped nearly 3.9 million Afghans return home from Pakistan.

Around 167,228 registered Afghan refugees have returned home from Pakistan so far this year.

UNHCR now has three voluntary repatriation centres in Pakistan -- two in Chamkani and Azakhel and one in Baleli, Quetta in Balochistan.

Since July, there has been an increase in the number of Afghans voluntarily repatriating to Afghanistan.

The spike in returns coincides with the introduction of tighter border management controls at the Torkham border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Afghans now need valid passports and visas in order to enter Pakistan.

The increase in UNHCR's voluntary repatriation and reintegration cash grant has significantly contributed to the increase in number of people opting to return. The cash grant was doubled from USD 200 to USD 400 per individual in June, which is approximately USD 2,800 for a family of seven.

Pakistan claims to be the second largest refugee hosting country with some 1.4 million Afghans. It says another 600,000 Afghans reside in the country irregularly.

On September 9, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif extended the stay of registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan until March 31 next year.

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The on Climate Change appears likely to enter into force with India announcing that it has ratified the agreement and the European Union (EU) signalling it may ratify within the next few days, officials said.

The two ratifications would mean countries accounting for nearly 65 per cent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions will have approved the accord, which is set to take effect 30 days after 55 countries accounting for 55 per cent of emissions deposit their ratification instruments with the UN. Currently, 61 countries accounting for nearly 48 per cent of emissions have joined the accord.

"We've heard that the European Union may deposit its ratification instruments with us much sooner than we had expected, which would be tremendous news because that would put us over the top in terms of the percentage of emissions, because we're already there in terms of the number of countries needed," UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said yesterday.

If that were to happen before October 7, the next UN conference on climate change set to take place in Marrakech would begin on November 7 with the agreement already in force, something Dujarric said "would send a very strong signal to the rest of the world".

Indian officials, who declined to be identified because they were not authorised to speak with the press, said India, accounting for about 4.5 per cent of emissions, ratified the agreement on Wednesday and planned to deposit the ratification instruments with the UN on October 2, the anniversary of Mahatma Ghandi's birth.

Germany ratified the accord on September 23 but EU rules require European countries, responsible for around 12 per cent of emissions, to deposit their ratifications as a bloc when all 28 members have approved the deal.

Diplomats and media reports said the EU hoped to speed up the process at a meeting later this week and finalise approval by October 7.

The asks both rich and poor countries to take action to curb the rise in global temperatures that is melting glaciers, raising sea levels and shifting rainfall patterns. It requires governments to present national plans to reduce emissions to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius.
A UNESCO team today started its five-day visit to the monuments here to evaluate if the city deserves a world heritage status.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) had submitted an application in UNESCO for granting of world heritage city tag.

A team headed by Adel Farhangi Shabesstari, a south Asia expert of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) is here on a "tentative nomination technical evaluation mission" for the city's demand for the heritage city tag, a government release said.

Shabesstari and his team visited some monuments in the city and will continue his evaluation tomorrow, wherein he will be joined by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) experts, AMC officer on special duty (heritage), Dilip Gaur said.

Shabesstari also met Chief Minister Vijay Rupani during which he was acquainted with the "home stay" and transferable development rights (TDR) policies of the state government, the release said.

"Glad to have received experts from ICOMOS who are on five days visit to the city of Ahmedabad," Rupani tweeted.

"The city of Ahmedabad is in race of getting UNESCO world heritage city status and if it succeeds, it will be first city in India to get such honour," the Chief Minister said in another tweet.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US has called for "de-escalation of the political discourse" between India and Pakistan amid the war of words between the two nations after Uri terror attack that prompted New Delhi to pull out of the SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November.

The State Department also said it would continue to put pressure on them to respond to those groups who are seeking safe haven on Pakistan's borders.

"What we have said it many times from the podium - is we want to see closer and normalisation of relationship between India and Pakistan," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said told reporters at his daily conference.

"It would benefit the region. We want to see de-escalation in the political discourse between the two countries and greater communication and coordination between them," Toner said.

At the same time, the State Department refrained from commenting on India's decision to pull out of the SAARC Summit.

"I would refer you to the Government of India to comment on their decision not to attend this meeting," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said.

He said it is not for the US to "offer a prescription" to de-escalate tension between the two South Asian neighbour.

"It is in mutual interest for both the countries to put aside tensions and establish more normal channels of communication," the deputy spokesperson said.

"While we have seen Pakistan make progress on some of the terrorist groups operating within its own borders and carrying out attacks within its borders, we continue to put pressure on them to respond to those groups who are seeking safe haven on Pakistan's borders," Toner added.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the US have continued to "encourage India and Pakistan to find ways to resolve their differences, not through violence, but through diplomacy."



"We have condemned violence, particularly terrorist attacks," he said.

He was responding to a question on India's decision not to attend the SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November citing continuous cross border terrorism by Pakistan against India.

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Lester Holt, who moderated the first US presidential debate, gave a restrained performance that earned him both critics for his hands-off style, and praise for letting the candidates battle it out.

NBC's widely respected evening anchor earned a "C, C+" grade from the Republican candidate Donald Trump, who judged he had been asked "unfair" questions.

"I thought he was fine," Trump told on Fox yesterday. "I mean nothing outstanding. He gave me very unfair questions at the end."



The billionaire real estate mogul went on to complain bitterly that Holt had been too easy on his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

"He didn't ask her about the emails, he didn't ask her about the scandals, he didn't ask her about the Benghazi deal."



Holt's role had been the subject of widespread debate ahead of the event following an avalanche of criticism that fell on fellow NBC anchor Matt Lauer, whose job moderating a forum with both candidates earlier this month was lambasted for being unfair toward Clinton and easy on Trump.

Trump himself had praised the 57-year-old journalist as "a very good man" before the highly anticipated debate, watched by over 80 million people according to estimates cited by US media.

Was Holt's role to factcheck and call out lies, as many Democrats urged, or let the candidates prove their mettle by fighting their own fights?



"I'm honoured to have this role, but the evening belongs to the candidates," he said, introducing himself at the start of the debate at Long Island's Hofstra University near New York.

Early on, Holt began letting the candidates speak beyond their allotted times, allowing the rivals to interrupt him or remaining silent for minutes at a time, leaving the opponents to go at each other.

He also failed to challenge several false assertions.

"CNN Launches Manhunt After Lester Holt Vanishes From Debate," The New Yorker magazine quipped in a parody piece during the debate.

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Royal Bank of Scotland today said it had agreed a fine of USD 1.1 billion (982 million euros) with US authorities over the alleged mis-selling of mortgage securities ahead of the 2008 financial crisis.

It comes a week after US authorities said they would seek USD 14 billion from Deutsche Bank over similar allegations.

"The Royal Bank of Scotland Group has reached a final settlement with the National Credit Union Administration Board to resolve two outstanding civil lawsuits for USD 1.1 billion (846 million pounds)," the British bank said in a statement.

RBS said the "settlement amount is substantially covered by existing provisions", although the bank noted it may need to set aside additional funds awaiting the outcome of other similar claims faced by the bank.

US authorities have accused major banks of misleading investors about the values and quality of complex mortgage-backed securities sold before the 2008 global financial crisis.

Much of the underlying lending was worthless or fraudulent, delivering billions of dollars in losses to holders of the mortgage bonds when the housing market collapsed, bringing down numerous banks.

The substantial fine for RBS is meanwhile the latest in a long line of financial blows for the lender since it was rescued with British state funds in the wake of the financial crisis.

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The US intends to deploy a missile defense system in South Korea "as soon as possible" to counter the threat from North Korea despite opposition from China, the top US diplomat for East Asia has said.

Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel said yesterday he believes South Korea is firmly committed to the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD system.

He told a congressional hearing the system is purely defensive and is not aimed at China but at North Korea. The plans have complicated South Korea's efforts to foster warmer ties with China, which traditionally has had closer ties with North Korea, and have added to tensions between Washington and Beijing as well. Beijing says the system's radar could reach into Chinese territory.

Seoul and Washington began formal talks on THAAD earlier this year. Russel did not specify when the deployment would happen, but said "given the accelerated pace of North Korea's missile tests, we intend to deploy on an accelerated basis, I would say, as soon as possible."



North Korea has conducted two nuclear test explosions this year, and the latest one, on September 9, was its largest to date, deepening worries that it is honing a capability to miniaturise a nuclear warhead. It has also conducted 22 ballistic missile test launches this year, the US says.

Yesterday's hearing of a House panel overseeing foreign policy toward Asia examined the state of cooperation South Korea and Japan close US allies that face a mutual threat from neighbouring North Korea but sharp historical differences.

Lawmakers welcomed signs of improved relations between them. But Republican Representative Mo Brooks of Alabama said that the US is heavily burdened by debt, and pressed Russel on whether a reduction in the billions that it spends on defending Japan and South Korea might compel them to be more self-sufficient and spend more on their own defense.

Russel conceded "it might have that effect," but argued it would have a very destructive impact on regional stability and would open the door to China asserting itself more.

The US has a total of nearly 80,000 troops based in Japan and South Korea, the backbone of its military presence in Asia. The Obama administration has sought to strengthen these and other alliances, in part to counter the rise of China in a region of growing economic importance.

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The United States is negotiating at the UN Security Council to address a provision in UN sanctions that allows China to import coal and iron ore from North Korea, Obama administration officials said today.

Senators at a hearing questioned the effectiveness of US efforts to get China the North's main trading partner to use its economic leverage against the North.

North Korea has stepped up its missile tests, and this month conducted its largest nuclear test explosion in spite of tough UN and US penalties imposed in March. That's fueling worries that North Korea is moving closer to its goal of a nuclear-armed missile that could one day strike the US mainland.

"All the work we are doing on sanctions, globally, is being compromised dramatically because of China's economic relationship with North Korea," said Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee that oversees US policy toward Asia.

Administration officials testified that North Korea's coal exports, mostly to China, generate more than USD 1 billion in revenue for the North annually and account for about one-third of all export income.

Coal and iron exports are allowed under UN sanctions if the exports are determined to be for "livelihood purposes," and not for generating revenue for weapons programs. That provision is intended to prevent sanctions from hurting ordinary North Koreans; China is suspected of trying to exploit it.

"We share the concern that China's purchases of coal and other economic activities create a lifeline that reduces the impact of global sanctions," said Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel, the top US diplomat for East Asia. He added that China's cooperation on sanctions enforcement was improving.

In a new sign of US willingness to target companies in other countries that deal with North Korea, the Justice Department on Monday charged China-based Hongxiang Industrial Development Company and four executives with conspiring to evade penalties for providing financial services to a North Korean bank under sanctions.

A South Korean think tank, the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said in a report last month that Hongxiang supplied aluminum oxide and other materials that can be used in processing nuclear bomb fuel.

Hongxiang is one of the biggest traders with North Korea and carried out imports and exports worth a total of USD 532 million in 2011-15, said the report, co-written by the US-based research group C4ADS.

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The US Senate voted overwhelmingly today to override Barack Obama's veto of a bill allowing 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia, the first such rebuke of his eight-year presidency.

In a landmark 97-1 vote backing the override, only outgoing Obama ally, Nevada Democrat Harry Reid, voted against it, teeing up a similar vote in the House of Representatives later today.

The rare act of bipartisanship is a severe blow to Obama, who lobbied hard against the bill, known as the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA).

The rebuke marks Obama's last months in office and shows the White House to be much weakened.

Obama has issued 12 vetoes during his presidency. Until now none have been overridden, a rare feat given Republicans' longstanding control of Congress.

His Republican predecessor George W Bush also issued 12 vetoes and four were overriden. The last president to avoid an override was legendary Democratic congressional dealmaker -- and former senator and congressman -- Lyndon Johnson.

The White House argued the 9/11 bill would undermine the principle of sovereign immunity and open up the United States itself to lawsuits.

In a letter to Republican and Democratic Senate leaders obtained by AFP, Obama said: "I strongly believe that enacting JASTA into law would be detrimental to US national interests."



Obama warned of "devastating" consequences for the Pentagon, service members, diplomats and the intelligence services.

It would "neither protect Americans from terrorist attacks, nor improve the effectiveness of our response to such attacks," he warned.

"The United States relies on principles of immunity to prevent foreign litigants and foreign courts from second-guessing our counterterrorism operations and other actions that we take every day."



Families of 9/11 victims have campaigned for the law -- convinced that the Saudi government had a hand in the attacks that killed almost 3,000 people.

Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens, but no link to the government has been proven. The Saudi government denies any links to the plotters.

Declassified documents showed US intelligence had multiple suspicions about links between the Saudi government and the attackers.

"While in the United States, some of the 9/11 hijackers were in contact with, and received support or assistance from, individuals who may be connected to the Saudi government," a finding read.

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The United States is ready to send around 600 troops to Iraq to train local forces for an upcoming offensive on the Islamic State group stronghold of Mosul, US officials said today.

IS seized Mosul along with other areas in June 2014, but the country's forces have since regained significant ground from the jihadists and are readying for a drive to retake Iraq's second city.

Speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of a formal announcement, the officials said the troops would mainly be deployed to Qayyarah, a strategically vital air base south of Mosul that will help funnel supplies and troops toward the city.

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter was due to make an announcement later today while on a work trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

"In consultation with the government of Iraq, the United States is prepared to provide additional US military personnel to train and advise the Iraqis as the planning for the Mosul campaign intensifies," another US official said, again speaking on condition of anonymity.

A US-led coalition is carrying out air strikes against IS in Iraq, and Washington has authorized the deployment of more than 4,600 military personnel to the country.

Most are in advisory or training roles, working with Iraqi and Kurdish peshmerga forces, but some American troops have fought IS on the ground, and three members of the US military have been killed by the jihadists in Iraq.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office indicated it has requested "a final increase in the number of American trainers and advisers" to support Iraqi troops in the northern city.

The statement from Abadi's office noted that American forces are helping Iraq in its battle against the jihadists, but their presence remains extremely politically sensitive due to the nine-year war the United States fought in the country.

The statement said the number of trainers and advisers would start to be reduced as soon as Mosul is retaken from IS, and also asserted that no American troops had fought alongside Iraqi troops.

In reality, American special forces have fought IS alongside Iraqi Kurdish forces on several occasions that have been made public, and likely in other operations that have not come to light.

Speaking in New Mexico yesterday, Carter said he expected the Mosul offensive to begin in the coming weeks, but stressed the decision was an Iraqi one.

"The plan is quite elaborate," he said. "All of this is under the command of Prime Minister Abadi.

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Taking umbrage at the alleged beating of an worker by police in Madhya Pradesh's Balaghat district, BJP National General Secretary Kailash Vijaywargiya has questioned how the bureaucracy got so bold and termed the assault as an "unpardonable" act.

The has, meanwhile, called for a bandh in Balaghat district on Thursday in protest against the incident.

"Naukarshahi ki itni himmat???Balaghat me karyalay me zila pracharak ji ke sath maarpeet akshamya hai," (how did the bureaucracy get so bold? Entering an RSS office and beating a pracharak is an unpardonable act), Vijaywargiya tweeted last evening on the incident.

Earlier, two police officers attached to Baihar police station in Balaghat district were suspended for allegedly beating up RSS pracharak Suresh Yadav (28), who was arrested for posting objectionable comments on AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

The police, after receiving a complaint that Yadav had posted some comments about Owaisi on WhatsApp, brought him to Baihar police station on the evening of September 25.

Yadav escaped and hid in the nearby house of Swami Prasad Asati. However, police caught him and brought back to the station. After grilling him, they booked him under IPC section 295 (a) (outraging religious feelings).

He was allegedly beaten up brutally in police custody.

State Home Minister Bhupendra Singh and Agriculture Minister Gaurishanker Bisen yesterday met Yadav in hospital.

Meanwhile, the RSS has given a bandh call in Balaghat district tomorrow in protest against the incident.
The White House today lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement that India would ratify the Paris agreement on climate change on October 2, saying this is another example of his courageous leadership.

"We welcome the actions from the Indian government. It is just another example of the courageous leadership that Prime Minister Modi has shown on this issue. And that's to his credit," the White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily conference yesterday.

"He (Modi) recognises how important it is for India to be a leader in the international community on this issue. And he's making good on that priority, and he deserves a lot of credit for that.

"And I know that the President, when he met with Prime Minister Modi earlier this month in Laos, had an opportunity to thank him for his leadership on this issue," Earnest said.

The US President Barack Obama met the Prime Minister in Laos early this month on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit.

India's ratification of the Paris agreement on climate change is expected to bring the agreement closer to be being enforced.

It can take effect only once 55 countries, representing 55 per cent of the world's greenhouse-gas emissions, ratify it.

So far, 60 countries have done so, including the largest emitters, the US and China, fulfilling the first condition.

India's ratification would bring it closer to 52 per cent, World Resources Institute said.

"We have not put a firm deadline for ratification of the climate agreement, other than to say we expect the agreement to enter into force by the end of this calendar year.

I don't know if it will be done by the first week in November," he said when asked about the upcoming UN meet on climate change in Morocco in the first week of November.

"However, as important as the Paris climate agreement is, and how significant it is that this agreement is going into effect within a year's time, it's only a starting point.

"And the President is hopeful that the significance of this agreement is not that it solves the problem of carbon pollution once and for all, but rather it serves as a template to mobilise the international community to take coordinated, substantial steps to addressing this problem," he said.

"It sets up a mechanism whereby every five years' countries consider the commitments that they can make to further fight carbon pollution.

And the impact of this agreement is one that is likely to be seen only after it's been in place for a substantial period of time.

And we've been able to see the progress the country, that the world, that the planet makes in confronting this challenge, and as the world continues to more effectively cooperate to confront this shared threat," Earnest said.

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A youth was today arrested for blackmailing a minor girl after befriending her pretending to be a girl over a popular web based friendship site from the southern part of the city.

Sarfaraz Ali (21) was arrested from his Palm Avenue residence by the cyber section of Kolkata Police for threatening to put some "private" photographs of the minor after he befriended her posing as a girl of same age and creating a fake account on the friendship site, the police said.

Based on an FIR lodged by the mother of the minor, a student of a reputed school in the city, in April this year, the police started looking for the accused and arrested the youth today.

"In this case a fake account was created by the accused, which took us a few months time to locate him detecting the IP address from which he was chatting with the minor. Two mobile phones, one micro SD card, and a birth certificate have been seized from him," the officer said.

The youth, it was learnt, did not know the minor girl, a resident of Naktala area in the southern part of the city, and created a fake account using some other girl's photo, he said.

"Then a few photographs were exchanged between them and the youth started threatening the girl to post them online. It was then when the minor's parents lodged an FIR," he said.

The youth has been charged under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) 2012 and IT Act, besides several other sections of the Indian Penal Code, he said.

When produced at a court, he was sent for police remand till October 5.

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A youth was arrested today for allegedly circulating objectionable photographs related to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and in support of Pakistan on WhatsApp.

Sohail Ansari was arrested from Salaiyadeeh in Vindhamganj area on a complaint by a BJP worker, police said.

It was alleged that he circulated objectionable pictures of Modi and one in support of Pakistan on the social media, they said.

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ABUJA (Reuters) - India plans to buy more crude oil from Nigeria, Nigeria's presidency on Tuesday quoted India's vice president as saying during a visit to Abuja.

"His country, which is the leading buyer of Nigeria's crude oil, will increase its purchase of the commodity in addition to natural gas," India's Vice President Hamid Ansari told Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, according to the presidency.

Separately, the upper house, the Senate, rejected a call by its president to sell oil assets to help plug a budget deficit and boost the country's foreign reserves hammered by a fall in oil revenues.

Last week, Senate President Bukola Saraki said Nigeria should sell stakes in oil and gas joint ventures with oil majors and other state assets to raise funds in hard currency and help fund the 2016 budget.

"The Senate should reject the sale of our national assets," said a motion filed by one senator, which was accepted by the upper house.

The Senate also urged the government to launch a stimulus to drag the country out of recession.

Nigeria's 2016 budget was the largest in the nation's history, but an oil price drop and militant attacks on oil pipelines in the Niger Delta have left the government scrambling for funds.

(Reporting by Felix Onuah and Camillus Eboh; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Andrew Roche and David Gregorio)

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By Alastair Sharp

WATERLOO, Ontario (Reuters) - BlackBerry Ltd's decision to outsource the development of its smartphones helps it avoid the risks of a competitive market and focus on its more lucrative businesses of software and managing rival devices, its chief executive said on Wednesday.

The company's shares rose 5 percent as investors welcomed a further shift away the money-losing handset business, in which BlackBerry had gone from being a market leader to trailing far behind rivals like Apple Inc .

In a model for how it plans to keep BlackBerry-branded handsets in the market, the company said it had signed a deal with Indonesia's BB Merah Putih to manufacture, distribute and promote new devices in that country, its largest handset market.

BlackBerry said it was in late-stage discussions for a similar deal in China and working on several India initiatives.

"What we did was cut off the entire chain, and I'll take a royalty," Chen told reporters, noting it could now avoid inventory and supply chain costs. "I'm still in the handset business, but I'm in it in a profitable way."

Chen said less than 100 jobs would be lost from its latest move away from making hardware.

The change would likely weigh on overall revenue for two more quarters before software revenue growth makes up for the decline, he said.

Revenue fell to $334 million in the fiscal second quarter ended Aug. 31 from $490 million in the year-ago period, missing analysts' estimates of $393.75 million.

"This is an entirely sensible decision and probably an overdue one," said IDC technology analyst John Jackson. "Software revenue and the margin profile associated with that is where the focus should have been, and now can be."

BlackBerry said revenue from software and services was $156 million in its second quarter, down from $166 million in the first quarter. The device business accounted for $105 million in revenue.

BlackBerry also said Chief Financial Officer James Yersh would leave as of Oct. 1 for personal reasons, and be replaced by former Sybase executive Steven Capelli.

Excluding large one-time costs, the company said it broke even in its second quarter. On that basis, analysts had on average expected a loss of 5 cents a share, according to Thomson I/B/E/S.

BlackBerry raised its full-year earnings outlook to a range of breakeven to a loss of 5 cents a share, excluding special items. It had previously expected a loss of 15 cents a share.

(Reporting by Alastair Sharp in Waterloo; Additional reporting by Allison Martell in Toronto; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Richard Chang)

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& Co said on Tuesday that Chief Executive John Stumpf will forfeit unvested equity awards worth about $41 million and will not get a salary during an independent investigation into the bank's sales practices.

Former retail banking head Carrie Tolstedt has left the company, will get no severance and has forfeited unvested equity awards worth about $19 million, the bank said.

Stumpf and Tolstedt will also not receive bonuses for 2016.

Wells Fargo, the United States' third-largest bank by assets, agreed to pay $190 million earlier this month to settle regulatory charges that some of its employees opened as many as 2 million accounts without customers' knowledge, in order to meet sales targets.

Stumpf, a member of the board, has recused himself from the investigation, the bank said.

Lawmakers on the US Senate Banking Committee grilled Stumpf about the accounts last week, with some calling on him to resign and forfeit his earnings and hold other senior executives accountable.

Stumpf is scheduled to testify at a congressional hearing on Thursday.

The San Francisco-based bank has fired 5,300 people over the matter and had said it would eliminate sales goals in its retail banking on January 1, 2017.

However, the Wall Street Journal reported earlier on Tuesday that the firm was planning to eliminate the goals on October 1, citing Stumpf's prepared remarks for delivery at the hearing. has hired law firm Shearman & Sterling LLP to assist in the investigation.

Up to Tuesday's close, shares of the company have fallen nearly 10 per cent since September 8 when it reached a settlement with regulators, wiping off about $24 billion of market capitalisation.
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Europe's biggest software maker SAP has earmarked 2 billion euros ($2.2 bln) for investments in products that help companies to connect everything from washing machines to cars to the Internet.

The German company said it would invest that amount by the end of 2020, targeting what it estimates to be a 250 billion-euro market in the so-called Internet of Things (IoT), in which regular objects are connected to networks to send and receive data.

Such functions are increasingly used in manufacturing and areas such as logistics, digital farming, drones or 3D printing.

SAP sealed a deal last week to work with German car parts maker Robert Bosch to connect everything from screwdrivers to cars to the Internet, and more deals could follow.

The company will launch a new product line, dubbed SAP IoT, which will combine large amounts of data from things connected to the Internet with machine learning and SAP's real-time database S/4 HANA.

"It is a big and growing market and we think we can be a significant part of it," said Tanja Rueckert, SAP's executive vice president in charge of digital assets and Internet of Things.

"While business and public sector entities have unprecedented access to more information and real-time feeds, they still have difficulty tying it all together," SAP said.

By 2020, 21 billion IoT devices will be in use worldwide, up from fewer than 5 billion last year, research firm Gartner has estimated.

Rueckert said part of the 2 billion euro investment plan would be reserved for targeted acquisitions, typically small bolt-on deals that fit in SAP's IoT portfolio.

SAP said on Wednesday it had bought Italy's PLAT.ONE and Fedem Technology from Norway for an undisclosed amount. Both acquisitions will be integrated into SAP IoT.

"We cooperate with Siemens, Dell, Intel, T-Systems and Vodafone among others. We talk to other partners as well. That is the direction we will continue to look at. To work with others in partnerships," Rueckert said.
Russia is preparing to sign a joint venture agreement to build multi-task Kamov-226 helicopters in India soon, the state-owned manufacturer Russian Helicopter told Reuters.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to India in October for a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Russian Helicopters and state-owned arms exporter Rosoboronexport have been working with Indian state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for months to establish a joint venture to build the helicopters in India, the company said in emailed comments to Reuters.

"From our side, we are ready to sign the agreement in the near future," Russian Helicopters said. The company, which is a part of Russian state conglomerate Rostec, would not comment on the details or timings of the deal.

"It is a very important project for us, as we offer to our partners not only licensed assembly, but also unique technology transfer in the helicopter-building industry."

The Kamov-226 helicopters can be put to military and civilian use. The agreement will also allow Russia and India to create new aviation equipment for export to other countries, Russian Helicopters said.

HAL did not respond to a request for comment. Rostec and Rosoboronexport declined to comment in response to Reuters questions about which deals would be signed during Putin's trip to India.

A source close to the negotiations said there were currently no concrete plans to sign any weapon agreements in India in October.

Delhi and Moscow announced plans to build Kamov helicopters in India a year ago. India would produce 140 of the helicopters and Russia the remaining 60, sources said.


Pakistan has come last among South Asian countries in the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) 2016.

Pakistan which advanced four ranks to the 122 position compared to the previous year was still behind India (39), Sri Lanka (71), Bhutan (97) and Nepal (98).

"Pakistan is also the only economy that fails to improve its macroeconomic environment and health and primary education levels, falling behind other South Asian economies," the report said.

The WEF cited "the climate of instability" which has "weighed down the country's economic development" as the main reason for Pakistan's poor performance.

The GCI report also pointed out the "deteriorating situation" in Pakistan as the primary cause for the growing gap between the "best- and worst performing economies in the region (South Asia)".

The report said that Pakistan is the only country in South Asia that failed to improve on "its macroeconomic environment and health and primary education levels".

Comparatively, "the quality of infrastructure has improved significantly (although from low levels) in India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, while it stalls in Nepal," the report said.

"Financial market development remains poor across the entire region, as does technological readiness; this last area improves significantly only in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, which overtook India to become the best performer in this pillar in the region," the report added.

India, meanwhile, climbed 16 spots to reach 39the position in the list. "Thanks to improved monetary and fiscal policies as well as lower oil prices, the Indian economy has stabilised and now boasts of the highest growth among G20 countries," according to WEF's Global Competitiveness Report 2016-17.
Ahead of the festive season, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday gave its approval to pay Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) equivalent to 78 days wages to eligible non-gazetted railway employees (excluding RPF/RPSF personnel) for the financial year 2015-16.

The approval entails a financial implication of approximately Rs 2090.96 crore.

Payment of PLB would result in motivating a large number of railway employees to improve the performance of the Railways and enhance the productivity levels further besides maintaining industrial peace.

The payment of this Bonus to eligible Railway Employees will be made before Dussehra/Puja holidays, the press release said.

Payment of PLB would result in motivating a large number of railway employees to improve the performance of the Railways and enhance the productivity levels further besides maintaining industrial peace.

In 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 also, 78-day wages were also given as PLB to railway employees.

"We have demanded 78-day wages as productivity-linked bonus (PLB) for railway employee this year. We are happy that government has agreed to our proposals," National Federation of Indian Railwaymen General Secretary M Raghavaiah told PTI.

Raghavaiah said the 78-day wage is expected to be around Rs 18,000 per employee.

Welcoming the decision, All-India Railwaymen's Federation General Secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra said the bonus will motivate the employees to improve the financial position of the public transporter.

Mishra said, "Since the PLB ceiling has been revised to Rs 7000 from Rs 3500, we expect each employee will get double the amount as against the last year's bonus."

Last year, the minimum bonus paid was Rs 8,975 per employee.

PLB covers all non-gazetted railway employees (excluding RPF/RPSF personnel) spread over the entire country.

(with inputs from PTI)


The Cabinet on Wednesday gave approval to ratify the Paris Agreement (on Climate Change) on October 2 2016, the day of Gandhi Jayanti.

India signed the Paris Agreement in New York on April 22, 2016.

Paris Agreement was adopted by 185 nations on December 12, 2015. A total of 191 countries have signed the Paris Agreement so far.

As per the provisions of the Paris Agreement, the treaty will come into force as and when 55 countries contributing to 55 per cent of total global emission ratify the agreement.

So far, 61 countries have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval accounting in total for 47.79% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions.

India's decision to ratify the agreement will take the number of cumulative level of emission of countries that have ratified the agreement so far to 51.89 per cent.

The agreement is expected to enter into force soon and give a thrust to the global actions to address climate change.

With its decision to ratify the Agreement, India will be one of the key countries that will be instrumental in bringing the Paris Agreement into force.

Paris Agreement pertains to post-2020 climate actions. In the pre-2020 period, developed countries are to act as per Kyoto Protocol and some developing countries have taken voluntary pledges.


It was announced today that Business in the Community Irelands EPIC programme has assisted over 2,600 people from 101 countries to find employment or enter further education and training.



The EPIC programme which is run by business network, Business in the Community Ireland, brings government, business, state agencies and NGOs together to assist immigrants to gain employment by providing training and support.

Over 100 of the latest participants graduated today at an event in Bank of Ireland, College Green, Dublin and David Stanton T.D., Minister of State for Justice with special responsibility for Equality, Immigration and Integration was present to congratulate the graduates.



EPIC has had participants from 101 different countries including Nigeria, Brazil, Romania, Poland, Spain and Lithuania. A number of top businesses support the programme by providing training, interview skills or work experience placements.



Todays event featured a panel session of business leaders discussing the issue of diversity and why engaging with the EPIC programme was important not only for the graduates but also for their own employees.

The panel featured Chief Executive Officer at Cpl Resources- Anne Heraty, Managing Director at BT Ireland - Shay Walsh and Group Human Resource Manager at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Leslee OLoughlin. Supports provided by these companies and many more include mock interviews, CV writing workshops, IT skills, work placements and much more. For example, BT has provided IT training to 1,137 EPIC participants with CPL hosting 1029 mock interviews to date. Enterprise Rent-a-Car have provided interview skills workshops and work placements.



Other companies who have supported the programme include Accenture, Abbot, Allianz, An Post, Bank of Ireland, Boots, Career-fit.ie, Comfort Keepers, Davy, Dawn Farms, Debenhams, ebay, Educogym, Encendo, Ericsson, Executive Connections, Google, Graphic Mint, Harvey Nash, Indeed, Irish Aviation Authority, KPMG, Lionbridge, Manpower, Matheson, Oracle, PCHR Consulting, RTE, Sigmar, Sodexo, The PALS Programme, Urban Outfitters, Veolia and Workday.



CEO of Business in the Community, Tina Roche commented, "The support of businesses in Ireland for our EPIC programme has been amazing. Through a wide range of supports from companies, our EPIC clients are armed with the right skills for the Irish job market. Without a doubt, employment is the best way for people to integrate into a society and the continued success of the EPIC programme is testament to that."

Source: www.businessworld.ie

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Influential London-based business leaders attended an inaugural London Dinner hosted by Cork Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, September 27th in the Bloomsbury Hotel, London where they discovered the unique and exciting opportunities that the Cork region offers investors and their employees.



This invitation-only event being hosted as part of the Connecting Cork initiative, saw 150 guests, the majority of whom are London-based decision makers, with select representatives of business, local government and education from Cork, come together to discuss the opportunities that exist in the Cork region.



At the event, President of Cork Chamber, Barrie OConnell outlined what makes Cork a strong investment proposition and why it is already home to so many Global brands.

The event was also an important opportunity for attendees to learn from Cork diaspora, based in London and the UK, about the areas they need to focus to improve their overall investment offering and to better understand what they are looking for when expanding business operations internationally.



President of Cork Chamber, Barrie OConnell commented, "The aim of this event is to increase awareness of Cork with potential investors, particularly the Cork diaspora in London. It provides a platform to promote the region to major decision makers and influencers  kick start conversations and beneficial relationships which will continue long after the event."

He added, "In an increasingly competitive global marketplace, Cork must be proactive in promoting the Cork region on an international stage, and where better than with our nearest neighbours in the UK? With a series of major new high-end office developments now complete and others on the way, this is the opportune time to showcase Cork as a location of choice for global investment."

Source: www.businessworld.ie

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It was announced today that over 110 BT employees will take over nine Irish Cancer Society charity shops in Dublin, Galway and Cork as part of BT Shop for Change on October 13.

The staff will be using their time and talents to fill the shops with high-quality stock, attract customers and raise crucial funds for cancer research and care.

Simultaneously, BT colleagues in Northern Ireland will take over Marie Curie shops as part of the all-island campaign, which has raised in excess of 300,000 for Irish Cancer Society and Marie Curie NI over the last five years.



The money raised will help the Society fund innovative cancer research projects and provide support for patients and their families. Just 60 provides one-to-one consultations for three people affected by cancer on the Societys Freephone Cancer Nurseline, 1800 200 700, while 350 covers the cost of one night of Night Nursing for a seriously ill cancer patient, allowing them to be cared for in the comfort of their own home, surrounded by loved ones.



New research reveals that 49% of people surveyed in Ireland wear just half of the clothes in their wardrobe on a regular basis, 28% wear just a quarter regularly, while 25% have six or more items in their wardrobe that they have never worn once, according to a survey commissioned by communications company BT Ireland to launch BT Shop for Change in aid of the Irish Cancer Society.



However, in todays circular economy, the survey revealed that the nation still loves the catharsis of a good clear-out. Sixty per cent of Irish de-clutter at least twice a year, while 89% claim a clear-out makes them feel either good or brilliant. Charity shops are benefiting, with 80% of people donating their unwanted items to charity.

However, only 8% shop once per month or more in charity shops, with clothes and books the most popular items to purchase.



Director of Sales of BT Ireland, Mark Hopkins said, "We are proud to launch BT Shop for Change for the fifth year, and to give our employees and their local communities the opportunity to contribute to the vital work of the Irish Cancer Society."

She added, "One in three people in Ireland will develop cancer in their lifetime. By donating your preloved clothes and accessories, and picking up a bargain at your local store on October 13, you can help us deliver real change for local people suffering from cancer."

Source: www.businessworld.ie

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Comtrade has today announced that its Digital Services division has received ISO certification as a developer of medical software solutions.



Comtrade believe the certification will help their Irish business achieve 25% year-on-year growth between 2016 and 2020.



Comtrade Digital Services is part of Comtrade Group, operating in Ireland, the UK, Europe and North America. It can now play an increased and major part in the continued growth of Irelands MedTech sector by developing medical software solutions with the ISO 13485 stamp of approval  an international industry standard.



The certification will allow Comtrade Digital Services to disrupt the medical market with software that will accelerate innovation and facilitate the digital transformation of the industry.

Comtrades Irish team of engineers is currently developing software that will benefit advanced wearables and in vitro diagnostics  two of the fastest-growing subsectors in Irelands medical device industry  as well as laparoscopic surgery and pacemaker technology.



Irelands MedTech industry is growing at an exponential rate. Figures from the IDA show that the countrys medical devices and diagnostic products export market is worth 12.6 billion annually  representing 8% of Ireland's total merchandise exports.

Comtrade Digital Services will seek to support 240 of the 300-plus companies currently developing medical devices in Ireland with its software solutions.



Business Director (Ireland & UK) at Comtrade Digital Services, Dejan Cusic said, "Irelands healthcare industry is ready for disruption. Ireland is a leading global exporter of medical devices, but innovation and time to market are key to holding that position and advancing further. The ISO 13485 confirms that Comtrade Digital Services software for medical devices is best in class and we look forward to seeing our footprint engrained in the success of the industry."

Source: www.businessworld.ie

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Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc will pay $1.1 billion to resolve claims that it sold toxic mortgage-backed securities to credit unions that later failed, the U.S. National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) said.

The resolution comes as RBS prepares to settle a number of U.S. cases where it is accused of mis-selling mortgage-backed bonds and brings the U.S. regulator's recoveries against various banks to $4.3 billion over their sales of such securities before the 2008 financial crisis.

NCUA Board Chairman Rick Metsger said the regulator plans to continue "to pursue recoveries against financial firms that we maintain contributed to the corporate crisis."

This case is included in the around $5 billion RBS has set aside to settle historic misconduct charges, but some analysts estimate the total claims will be much larger.

The settlement on Tuesday resolves lawsuits filed in federal courts in California and Kansas in the NCUA's role as the liquidating agent for Western Corporate Federal Credit Union and U.S. Central Federal Credit Union.

Under the settlement, RBS does not admit fault, the NCUA said in a statement. The settlement comes on top of a prior deal in 2015 in which RBS agreed to pay $129.6 million to resolve a similar federal lawsuit the NCUA filed in New York.

RBS shares were up 0.4% at 175.3 pence at 0934 GMT on Wednesday following the announcement on Tuesday.

Gary Greenwood, an analyst a Shore Capital, said the latest settlement is largely provisioned for and will not have a material impact on profit estimates.

However, he said future settlements with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Housing Finance Agency could be substantially larger and these disputes will need to be resolved before the bank can resume dividend payments.

RBS in total still faces about 13 other civil litigation cases for alleged mis-selling of asset-backed securities, according to a source at the bank.

RBS in January said it had set aside 3.8 billion pounds to resolve civil lawsuits over mortgage-backed securities, investment products packaged and sold before the U.S. housing meltdown and financial crisis in 2008.

RBS had said that provision did not cover ongoing investigations by the Department of Justice or various state attorneys general.

The bank also faces a multi-billion dollar lawsuit by the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency, which has acted as the conservator for mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac since their government takeover in 2008.

An RBS spokesman pointed to comments that RBS CEO Ross McEwan made at a conference in London on Tuesday, in which he said the bank was working toward resolving various mortgage bond claims over the remainder of this year and next.

The NCUA said it continues to litigate against other banks, including Credit Suisse and UBS, over what it says was their sale of faulty mortgage-backed securities to corporate credit unions. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie

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LOGAN  The preliminary hearing for a 25-year-old Smithfield man accused of killing his father, has been cancelled. Shane Hallstrom waived his right to the hearing Tuesday morning in 1st District Court, as attorneys said they are working toward a plea agreement that would prevent the man from going to trial.

Hallstrom showed no emotion and spoke only a couple times, telling Judge Kevin Allen he understood what was taking place. He has been in the Cache County Jail since being arrested outside his Smithfield home, April 28. He is charged with 1st degree murder.

Outside the courtroom, Hallstroms public defender Bryan Galloway said he and prosecutors are working out a possible plea agreement, but would not give specifics until a scheduled plea hearing October 13. He explained that the agreement is taking into consideration his clients possible mental illness, even though a judge has already ruled that he is competent to stand trial.

Now we are going to go one step further and try to determine if he in fact has a mental illness, and to what degree that mental illness has an effect on him at this particular time, said Galloway. Also, if he does have a mental illness, if there is some treatment options available for him, obviously all within the criminal justice system which we are limited in our resources there.

Hallstrom was arrested outside his Smithfield home after officers said he stabbed Calvin L. Hallstrom in the neck with a kitchen knife. Calvin was found lying at the entrance of the driveway, unconscious and bleeding heavily from the neck when officers and deputies arrived. Shane was found kneeling near Calvins body. He was subdued and unwilling to speak to investigators. Officers later searched the home and found a three-inch long paring knife believed to be the murder weapon.

Galloway said Hallstrom will not speak much about what happened, and stays isolated at the Cache County Jail.

He is aware of what took place. He acknowledges that it took place and I dont know how a person is supposed to necessarily react on looking back on something like that. I guess he does as good as anybody could. I think it is difficult for him to talk about.

During Tuesdays hearing Judge Kevin Allen said he would contact the Utah State Mental Hospital and discuss possible treatment options, before the scheduled plea hearing in October.

<hr /><p style=text-align: center;>will@cvradio.com
There is a teacher shortage in the state of Utah and its not necessarily because Utah has trouble attracting new teachers. Utah has trouble keeping them. That topic, along with how education is funded in the state, was discussed at a Legislative Town Hall event at Ridgeline High School on Thursday, Sept. 22.

Cache County School Superintendent Dr. Steve Norton said his district isnt necessarily having a problem retaining teachers because Cache Valley is a destination location for teachers. But he recognizes that other places around the state arent as desirable, and that creates problems in the classroom.

There are lots of places in this state that are not as ideal places to live. They are struggling, said Norton. When they struggle we are putting people in the classroom, who are very fine people, but they are substitutes, and they dont have the training or the knowledge.

We are going, sometimes, a full year with a substitute in the classroom and that is just not fair to those kids in that situation.

A method the State of Utah is exploring to help fill some of those gaps is to find people outside of the education industry to teach classes based on their own expertise.

Terryl Warner is a member of the State School Board representing District 1. She also participated on the panel discussion about education and she said 96% of educators go through a traditional route of becoming teachers, by attending higher education and obtaining a degree.

But for that other 4% there are alternate routes, including the Alternate Path to Teaching, also known as APT.

So lets say, for example, I have a Bachelors degree in Language Arts and Ive decided I want to be a Language Arts teacher, or I have a degree in English, Warner explained. I could go to (Logan City School) Superintendent (Frank) Schofield and say, If you would hire me, would you please tell me what courses you want me to take?

Its the same program as the Alternate Route to Licensure, its just that were allowing local districts and local boards of education to determine what coursework you need.

The Alternate Route to Licensure is an avenue a non-educator can currently take to become qualified as a teacher. If he or she wanted to become a teacher, or were recruited by a local school board to become a teacher, he or she would first need to have a degree in the designated field. It would then require that they take additional coursework that can last two to three years and anywhere between $5,000-$15,000. The APT route trims both the time and money needed to become qualified to teach in the classroom.

Dr. Ben Lignugaris-Kraft, interim head of the School of Teacher Education and Leadership at Utah State University, said the problem with APT in its current state does not respect the profession of teaching.

Who in their right minds would ask somebody to be a doctor when theyve never had time practicing as a doctor before they had to practice on real patients? he asked. I dont think anyone would.

Lignugaris-Kraft said it puts students at a disadvantage and threatens the current process of training professional teachers.

Does it make sense for a teacher who knows history to go into the classroom presuming that the teacher knows how to teach, Lignugaris-Kraft continued, has the methodology to teach, knows how to engage students, knows how to do all the things that those of you who are teachers here as professional teachers understand about teaching?

Understanding the content is not the same thing as teaching.

He said there is no current requirement for these people to take additional classes, only that a potential teacher be paired with a mentor teacher for a year and pass a Praxis exam.

Warner said there have only been eight or nine cases throughout the state where APT has been utilized.

Its not like Superintendent Schofield is going to say, Hey, guy thats been working at McDonalds who has a bachelors degree in philosophy from 20 years ago, were going to hire you over someone coming out of USU with a degree in Physics to teach Physics. We want to put it back into the local control.

The next Legislative Town Hall meeting, which will be held in October, will also discuss numerous topics relating to education. The date and location of that meeting has yet to be announced.

To listen to the entire Legislative Town Hall meeting on Education Funding, <a href=http://610kvnu.com/assets/podcaster/324/2016_09_23_324_49552_2867.mp3 target=_blank>click here</a>.
CSPL SPV, COSCO SHIPPING Ports Limiteds wholly-owned subsidiary, will have the controlling stake in the joint venture company that will operate the new Khalifa Port Container Terminal 2.



COSCO SHIPPING Ports Limiteds wholly-owned subsidiary, CSPL SPV, entered into a concession agreement with Abu Dhabi Ports Company Wednesday, the companies jointly announced.

CSPL SPV and Abu Dhabi Ports are creating a joint venture company this year to operate the new Khalifa Port Container Terminal 2.

The joint venture company, which CSPL SPV will have the controlling stake in, will be entitled concession rights of Khalifa Port Container Terminal 2 (KPCT2) for 35 years, with a renewable period of five additional years.

KPCT2 will have a draft depth of 18 meters with 1,200 meters of quay wall adjacent to the land.

The first 800 meters of quay length (and the corresponding concession area) is expected to commence operations in the first half of 2018, while the later 400 meters (and the corresponding expanded concession area) is anticipated to commence operations in 2020.

The concession area will then span to about 70 hectares with three berths, adding 2.4 million TEUs a year to the ports existing capacity of 2.5 million TEUs.

In addition, the agreement includes the option for a further 600 meters of quay length, which would boost nominal annual handling capacity at the terminal to 3.5 million TEUs, creating a new overall annual handling capacity at the port up to 6 million TEUs.

The signing of the concession agreement between Abu Dhabi Ports Company and COSCO Shipping Ports Limited will significantly expand trade between China, the United Arab Emirates and the broader region, said H.H. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Ports. The new volume will greatly enhance the UAE and Abu Dhabis role as a key logistics and trading hub, between East and West.

In addition to Khalifa Port, COSCO SHIPPING Ports Limited operates 46 terminals and 169 berths across mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Belgium and the United States.
Cafebabel is recruiting! Polish Editorial Liaison for a network of journalists

Published on September 28, 2016

Story by cafebabel pl Translation by: cafebabel DE

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It's been a while since this position has been vacant, and now we're looking for a young, energetic and creative native Polish speaker to fill it. Apply before 9 October 2016 if you think you have what it takes.

Cafebabel is Europe's first online participatory media, now over 15 years old. Its publication is maintained by a highly motivated network of around 1,500 volunteers from all over Europe and boasts a professional editorial team based in Paris. The goal of the magazine is to offer a platform for civic expression to young Europeans and to promote the development of a European public opinion.

Cafebabel is a project run by Babel International, a not-for-profit organisation. Babel International organises debates, training sessions and reporting excursions all over Europe, runs cafebabel and supports a team of volunteers throughout the continent.

We are hiring one native Polish speaker (mandatory) to the role of Editorial Liaison for a "civic service" contract over a period of 10 months.

What does it mean to do a "civic service" placement with Cafebabel?

"Civic service" is a programme run by the French government, which is one step up from an internship. 18- to 25-year-olds can work with an organisation to carry out a mission in the public interest. Cafebabels mission is to promote European citizenship, and to offer a platform for young Europeans to express themselves through participatory journalism.

This non-renewable, 10-month contract is open to all candidates, regardless of education or experience. The only pre-requisite is that you must be a native Polish speaker.

In order to be eligible for a civic service contract, you must be younger than 26 (born after 24th October 1990) and hold European citizenship and/or have a French titre de sejour allowing you to complete a "civic service" contract. It is preferred that you also speak good English, as well as any of our other publication languages (French, Italian, Spanish, German).

Your profile

You are interested in news and different forms of online expression, you have strong connections with young people on different social networks, and you are interested in engaging with the first European online participatory media that lets young people across the continent speak their minds.

Under the supervision of the Editorial Coordinator, your tasks will include:

- Raising awareness of active citizenship and European issues: You will suggest articles aimed at a European youth audience, alongside encouraging young people to spontaneously pitch articles with a European perspective.

- Supporting the writing of our volunteer authors: You will support our young authors in their written work, proofreading their contributions, proposing improvements (such as sources and photos), and suggesting European angles for their pieces.

- Encouraging contributions from youth: You will publish the best articles on the cafebabel home page, while mobilising our network of translators to translate articles. You will promote published articles on social media platforms.

- Informing youth about news in Europe: You will contribute articles on themes related to youth and European citizenship. If the opportunity presents itself, you will participate in our reporting projects across Europe.

- Actively participating in the life of the network: You will actively participate in the organisation's activities (training sessions, events, debates, etc.).

Your contract and benefits

The position consists of a civic service contract lasting 10 months, 35 hours per week beginning on October 24th 2016 in our Paris office.

Monthly salary and benefits: 1091.04 net.

467.34 net contributed by the French state.

450 as a housing supplement for volunteers living outside of Paris and Ile de France (with proof of address).

100.70 in the form of 19 restaurant tickets per month.

73 in travel expenses (Passe Navigo, covering all zones).

There is also a possibility of 100 per month for those with proof of "RSA" (minimum benefits provided by the French state)

Address: 226 rue Saint Denis, 75002, Paris, France

Interested? Apply Now!

Send your application (CV and cover letter in English or French) before October 9th 2016 (midnight) to service-civique@cafebabel.com.

Story by cafebabel pl

Translated from Cafebabel rekrutuje: poszukujemy koordynatora/koordynatorki wersji polskiej
Murphy Givens Columnist SHARE St. Patrick's Cathedral was damaged when a fire broke out in the church's south tower on Nov. 28, 1938. A fund drive for a new cathedral was started the next day and ground was broken on the site of the new cathedral on March 1, 1939. St. Patrick's was dismantled in 1951.

St. Patrick's Cathedral on Carancahua was damaged when a fire broke out in the church's south tower on Nov. 28, 1938. St. Patrick's, the second Catholic Church of the same name in Corpus Christi, was built in 1882 at a cost of $18,000.

The building was designed by Charles Carroll, father of Mary Carroll, a longtime teacher who became superintendent of the Corpus Christi school system. A story in the Caller-Times said Carroll went to New Orleans to select the lumber for the new church. When the structure was completed, Carroll climbed the church tower to place a gold cross atop the steeple.

Leading contributors to the new church were Mifflin Kenedy, who donated money, murals and pews, and his wife Petra, who gave bells, pipe organ, and windows for the sanctuary. Mayor J.B. Murphy and wife donated the side altars and statues.

On Nov. 28, 1938, fire broke out in the south belfry and spread to the north belfry. The fire damaged both towers, the choir loft, and smoke blackened the interior.

A fund drive for a new cathedral was started and the John G. Kenedy family donated land on North Broadway for the site. Ground was broken for the new cathedral in March 1939 and the building was finished the following year. The change of name from St. Patrick's to Corpus Christi Cathedral was not well-received, even though it came about from a suggestion by Pope Pius XII.

St. Patrick's, the splendid old church (no longer a cathedral), was pulled down in 1951. The material was salvaged and used as a framework for Our Lady Star of the Sea on North Beach.

More on John B. Murphy

John B. Murphy, mentioned as a main contributor when St. Patrick's was built, was elected mayor in 1880 and 1882. One of his problems was the condition of downtown streets, which were so damaged by heavy wagons and ox-carts that they turned into an almost impassable quagmire after every rain.

Mayor Murphy, with little money in the treasury and citizens unwilling to pay more in taxes, put city prisoners to work improving the streets and digging drainage ditches to the bay.

Mary Sutherland in "The Story of Corpus Christi" said that Murphy was known for his honesty and practical methods. "He drained our streets by cutting ditches. He worked city prisoners on the streets and if the prisoner worked he was given three good meals a day; if not, he was idle on bread and water." When he died during his second term, Sutherland related, the city had "not one cent of debt and a cash balance of $12,000. Taxes were small and our streets were clean."

Cheap labor

John B. Murphy wasn't the only mayor to turn to creative manpower to repair streets. When Roy Miller was mayor, Camp Scurry was established south of the city, beginning in September 1916. Some 3,500 federalized National Guard troops were stationed at the camp. Miller asked John Hulen, commander of the camp, to divert soldiers from military training to repair UpRiver Road. He was told to go through channels.

Miller wrote Gen. Frederick Funston, commander of the Army's Southern Division. Miller had once taken Funston duck hunting on King Ranch. Orders came through authorizing the project. Charles Duff, a soldier at Camp Scurry, remembered how they shoveled truckloads of shell on a long dusty road.

"We ran trucks to the beach between two rows of about 30 men. Each man threw two shovels of shell on the flatbed trucks. By the time the trucks reached the end of the row they were loaded. Other men scooped the shell out on to the roadway as far as Calallen."

For a long time, UpRiver Road was known as Shell Road.

Tito P. Rivera

Tito P. Rivera was an exotic in Corpus Christi in the 1880s and early 1890s, not because he was a successful Hispanic businessman or because he was the first Hispanic elected to the City Council. He was an exotic because he had been captured and held by the Comanches as a youngster.

Rivera's story was told in the Record of Southwest Texas, published in 1894, and repeated by the late Frank Wagner, a Corpus Christi researcher who furnished material for the Handbook of Texas.

Based on that story, Rivera was born on the Pacific Coast of Mexico in 1843, the son of Julian and Josefa Rivera. His father was a wealthy owner of silver mines. When Rivera was nine, in 1852, his father sent him over the mountains with a party to procure food for the miners. The pack train was attacked by Comanches and the boy was taken captive. The Comanches returned to their home on the Brazos (near today's Mineral Wells), quite a long journey for the 9-year-old captive.

When the chief of the tribe learned Rivera could read and write, he had him write the Indian Agency at Camp Cooper. In one letter Rivera, who had not lost the sense of his own identity, explained that he had been captured. Robert S. Neighbors, superintendent of Indian Affairs, paid the Comanche tribe $125 to release the boy, who had been a captive for three years.

Once liberated, Rivera did not return to Mexico; his father had died and his mother remarried. He lived with Neighbors until Neighbors died in 1859. In 1861, he enlisted in the Confederate Army. After the war he worked as a clerk in Victoria, married Mollie Holloway, then moved to Corpus Christi to work as a cashier for the Doddridge & Davis Bank.

Rivera owned a book, stationery and office supply store and was elected to the City Council in the early 1880s. He was one of the original investors of the Corpus Christi Caller in 1883 and he built a large two-story home on Chaparral in 1885. Rivera, Dr. A.G. Heaney and John Stayton established the Corpus Christi Electric Light Company and the city's first telephone system. Rivera, his wife and children were all active in the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd.

The last journey of Tito Rivera was not a long one. He died at his home on Chaparral, on Dec. 13, 1894, and was buried a few blocks away in Old Bayview Cemetery.
SHARE Caller-Times file photo Harbor Bridge

By Chris Ramirez of the Caller-Times

The cable-stayed span that will replace the Harbor Bridge will be bigger, taller and safer for drivers.

But to hear James Bass tell the story, its appeal won't stop there.

It also will play a crucial role shoring up the entire state's economy.

Speaking in Corpus Christi on Tuesday, Bass, the executive director for the Texas Department of Transportation, said the $930 million bridge replacement project is a top priority for the agency.

That's because the state's massive growth isn't expected to let up; its population now sits at 27.5 million, but is projected to add between 7 million and 17 million people by 2030, according to a report by the Texas State Demographer.

That means more cars, trucks and other vehicles, all of which puts more pressure and wear on the state's nation-leading 675,000 miles of roads.

"The demands coming into this state ... will be great," Bass said. "It will aid economic expansion and opportunity, not just in Corpus Christi, but all over the state."

Bass' comments came during "Transportation Tuesday" at Del Mar College's Center for Economic Development.

The one-day event, organized by the Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority, brought together local leaders and area legislators with representatives of the transportation industry. The new bridge will be pivotal to moving people to and from work, as well as materials needed in construction, energy and other industries, Bass said.

Built during the late 1950s, the Harbor Bridge connects the tourist attractions of North Beach with Corpus Christi's Northside. It has a vertical clearance of 138 feet above the Corpus Christi Ship Channel.

Ground breaking for the project to build its replacement was Aug. 8.

Bass said the lowest point of the new span will stretch above the highest point of the current bridge, Bass said.

Transportation officials want to replace it with a six-lane cable-stayed span with a minimum 205-foot vertical clearance.

That will be a big relief for officials at the Port of Corpus Christi, who have long discussed improvements for the Corpus Christi Ship Channel to complement the higher clearance.

Recent expansion of the Panama Canal and massive growth in Mexico's economy have hastened plans to both widen and deepen the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, port authority Chairman Charles Zahn said. Port officials want to widen the channel to 530 feet from Port Aransas to the Harbor Bridge, and deepen it to 52 feet from 45 feet.

Last week, the port commission approved a string of consultant contracts, totaling $1.8 million. The contracts are tied to the channel improvement plan, which is expected to costs $350 million.

"That's our No. 1 priority right now," Zahn said. "The port hadn't built a new dock for 30 years. Now we've got 10" in various stages of construction.

"Transportation plays a key role in our success."

Twitter: @Caller_ChrisRam

By the numbers

$930 million: Estimated construction costs

60,000: Vehicles that travel the bridge each day

1,655: Distance, in feet, across the new bridge at its main span

538: Height, in feet, of the new bridge's two main towers

138: Clearance height, in feet, of Harbor Bridge

205: Clearance height, in feet, of new span

PROJECT TIMELINE

Aug. 8: Ground breaking, construction of Interstate 37 interchange gets underway

2016-2020: Construction continues

Early spring 2020: Construction of Crosstown Expressway/I-37 starts

Late spring 2020: Construction of new bridge complete, demolition of old Harbor Bridge begins

Spring 2021: Demolition of old Harbor Bridge complete

Source: Flatiron/Dragados
Strickland's trial in the death of Mollie Judith Olgin is scheduled to start Oct. 27.

SHARE Molli Olgin Mary Kristene Chapa KRISTA TORRALVA/CALLER-TIMES David Strickland walks outside the San Patricio Courthouse where he is being tried on capital murder and other charges. COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Megan Olgin (left), the sister of Mollie Judith Olgin, and Mary Kristene Chapa, who was badly wounded in the same attack that left Mollie Judith Olgin dead, speak to the media after a San Patricio County jury returned a guilty verdict for David Malcom Strickland on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, at the San Patricio County Courthouse in Sinton. David Malcom Strickland was convicted of capital murder in the 2012 shooting that killed Mollie Judith Olgin and seriously injured Mary Kristene Chapa at a Portland park.

By Krista M. Torralva of the Caller-Times

SINTON  David Malcom Strickland took away Mary Kristene Chapa's mobility.

He took her sight. Her hearing. Her sense of security.

"I could go on and on all day but most of all you took Mollie away from me," Chapa told the man convicted of killing 19-year-old Mollie Judith Olgin and seriously injuring Chapa in a 2012 shooting at a Portland park.

Strickland didn't look at her.

Chapa, now 22, and Olgin's sister, Megan Olgin, spoke to Strickland shortly after a San Patricio County jury convicted him of capital murder. He was automatically sentenced to life in prison without parole because prosecutors waved the death penalty.

From Mollie, Strickland took her goals and dreams, her sister Megan Olgin said.

"My little sister didn't get to live a full life," Megan Olgin said to him.

Strickland, 30, adamantly denied raping and shooting the girls execution style in their heads at Violet Andrews Park. His lawyers argued throughout the week-and-a-half trial that the attacker was a Nevada man who Portland police suspected for two years.

Investigators shifted their focus to Strickland in 2014 after learning about a letter addressed to Chapa's father from the perspective of a hit man. The letter contained details that hadn't been released to the media.

The letter framed an Army soldier living in Utah, with whom Strickland had once been friends.

Law enforcement were led to Strickland after they interviewed the Utah man. A draft of the letter was found on Strickland's laptop.

Defense lawyers suggested Strickland wrote the letter to get revenge on the Utah man for an earlier dispute, but is not the killer.

The real killer, his lawyers say, is a Nevada man who lived in Portland that summer while he awaited sentencing for a home invasion he'd pleaded guilty to. That man's DNA was on several items found at the park, including cigarette butts and an energy drink can. Several people in the park that night said they saw that man there, but the times were off from when residents along the park said they heard gunshots.

Chapa was unable to identify her attacker.

Though witnesses didn't see Strickland and his DNA wasn't found at the crime scene, bullet casings found under the girls were likely a match to his .45 Glock handgun, a firearms expert with the Texas Department of Public Safety testified.

That was a major deciding factor, a juror told the Caller-Times outside the courtroom. She asked to not be named. Secondly was the letter found on his laptop, the juror said.

After deliberating about three hours, jurors sent a note to the judge that said they were disputing what the firearms expert said about the match and asked to have portions of the testimony read back to them.

"They never could get the gun out of his hands," Prosecutor Sam Smith said after the verdict.

Defense lawyers knew that wasn't good for them, John Gilmore of Corpus Christi said.

"That turned the case," Gilmore said.

Strickland's family watched as investigators and court officials hugged Chapa afterward and several told her they could call them anytime.

Chapa wrapped an arm around Megan Olgin as they spoke to media afterward. The case drew national attention and Chapa is writing a book with a Connecticut author. NBC's "Dateline" is working on an episode.

"I'm just happy justice is finally served. (The jury) went by the evidence," Chapa said.

Defense lawyers dispute the evidence and will file an appeal of Strickland's conviction, Gilmore said.

"I'm glad they feel closure but there's a guy walking around out there who actually did this and I just hope nobody else goes through this," Gilmore said.

Twitter: @CallerKMT
SHARE Contributed photo Andres Marquez Barrera Contributed photo Andres Marquez Barrera

By Natalia Contreras of the Caller-Times

The San Antonio Police Department identified the remains of a man found Sunday at Padre Island National Seashore and are investigating the incident as a homicide.

A visitor to the seashore found Andres Marquez Barrera's remains near the dunes in the northern area of the seashore and reported it to authorities, officials said.

Marquez Barrera, 46, was reported missing in San Antonio and was last seen Sept. 1, according to a San Antonio Police report.

"He hasn't been to work and he never misses work," the report states. Marquez Barrera's pickup was found at his residence at the time the missing person's report was made.

The skeletal remains were taken to the Nueces County Medical Examiner's Office on Monday and a positive identification by the San Antonio Police Department was made Wednesday, Mendoza said.

The Kleberg County Sheriff's Office along with the Padre Island National Seashore Park Rangers, FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety Ranger Ryan Kindle, Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab and the Corpus Christi Police Department assisted with the investigation.

Staff writer Fares Sabawi contributed to this report. Twitter: @CallerNatalia
Gabina VOA is designed to be an infotainment youth radio show broadcasting to Ethiopia and Eritrea in the Amharic language. The show brings varied perspectives on issues concerning young people in the Horn of Africa region. Gabina in the Amharic language is a front row taxi ridesymbolic of the shows content as a fun ride that takes audiences from point A to point B. Gabina VOAs main goal is Enlightening young people, introducing them to cutting-edge technological innovations, exposing them to new processes and ideas so they can be productive, informed and self-governing citizens.
When is hurricane season? Here's what you need to know in South Texas
COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Christina Morales puts on a sticker Tuesday after being registered to vote by the League of Women's Voters at Del Mar College.

SHARE COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Members of the League of Women's Voters register Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi students to vote Tuesday during National Voter Registration Day. COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Lois Huff from the League of Women's Voters helps Juanita Rodarte register to vote Tuesday at City Hall. COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES A member of the League of Women's Voters hands out a National Voter Registration Day sticker Tuesday at Del Mar College.

By Julie Garcia of the Caller-Times

Juanita Rodarte had questions when registering to vote for the first time.

Where is her polling location? What does she need to bring when she votes? What date is the general election?

There are six weeks left before Rodarte could vote in her first presidential election and she wants to be ready.

"I feel great ... " Rodarte said. "I wanted to try to help with my vote."

Rodarte was registered at City Hall by the League of Women Voters and the Corpus Christi Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, which also had booths at Del Mar College and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi for National Voter Registration Day.

By 1 p.m., the group had registered more than 25 new or previously registered voters at City Hall. Peggy Banales said most of them were enthusiastic and opinionated, which is exactly what the group promotes.

The volunteer groups feel the pressure to find unregistered voters and encourage them to exercise their civic duty before the Oct. 11 registration deadline.

Of more than 14 million registered Texas voters, about 3 million people voted in the Republican primary and 1.4 million voted in the Democratic primary last March, according to the Texas Secretary of State. This accounts for about 21.5 percent of residents aged 18 and older in the state.

Texas had the second lowest voting age participation rate in the primaries behind Louisiana, according to the Texas Tribune.

At Del Mar, Mary K. Fant registered student voters, many of whom will be voting in their first presidential election. Fant became a deputy registrar at a league meeting in August along with about 14 others.

.@DelMarCollege student Sabrina McKenzie registered to vote for the first time today. #NationalVoterRegistrationDay pic.twitter.com/qewHE1809j  Julie Garcia (@Caller_Jules) September 27, 2016

After an hourlong training, which included a presentation and filling out paperwork, the volunteers were certified to register potential voters. The certification is valid for two years. Registrars have five days to turn in the registration forms; any longer and they'll become invalid.

"Oh, I'm bringing them down here today," Fant said, as she signed up another student.

A graduate-level public administration class at A&M-Corpus Christi has made promoting democratic engagement and student voter registration on campus its semester project. The class is among 170 college campuses in 34 states participating in the "All In Campus Democracy Challenge," which seeks to give students a sense of civic responsibility after they graduate.

The group's kickoff event Tuesday at the Hector P. Garcia Plaza coincided with voter registration day. Local candidates set up informational booths and attempted to engage students from the voter's registration table to the free pizza line.

22-year-old Melanie Moroney, @IslandCampus student, say now is the time for her generation to voice their opinion #GoVoteTx pic.twitter.com/n4fkLTvx9I  Julie Garcia (@Caller_Jules) September 27, 2016

Brian West, a 23-year-old from Fort Worth, did not vote in 2012 even though he could. This year, it's more than about participating in democracy considering the candidates, he said.

Twitter: @Caller_Jules

GET REGISTERED

Nueces County Voter Registrar's Office

Where: 901 Leopard St., Suite 102, Corpus Christi

Information: 361-888-0404 or visit http://www.votetexas.gov/ for an application.

ELECTION KEY DATES

Last Day to Register to Vote

Oct. 11 (First business day after Columbus Day).

Early Voting

7 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 24 - Nov. 4

Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail

Oct. 28 (Received, not Postmarked)

Last Day to Receive Ballot by Mail

7 p.m. Nov. 8 (election day; unless overseas deadline applies)

Election Day

Nov. 8

NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE?

To vote in Texas, you must be registered. You are eligible to register to vote if:

You are a United States citizen;

You are a resident of the county where you submit the application;

You will be at least 18 years old on Election Day;

You are not a convicted felon (you may be eligible to vote if you have completed your sentence, probation, and parole); and

You have not been declared by a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be either totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.

Source: Texas Secretary of State
The iconic ceiling of the Houston Astrodome is still seen Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014, in Houston. County officials approved a $105 million plan for the redevelopment of the Houston Astrodome. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

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By The Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP)  Initial funding has been approved for a $105 million redevelopment of the Houston Astrodome that would include raising the two bottom floors to accommodate about 1,400 parking spaces.

Harris County commissioners voted Tuesday to spend $10.5 million on the project's initial design.

Plans call for the bottom floors of the county-owned Astrodome to be raised for parking so that it can be used for festivals, conferences and commercial uses across more than 550,000 square feet of air-conditioned space.

Parking revenue, hotel occupancy taxes and county general funds are expected to cover the cost of the redevelopment.

The Astrodome opened in 1965 but has been vacant for 17 years, falling into disrepair and declared unfit for occupancy in 2009. Voters in 2013 rejected a $217 million bond for renovations.
JOHN MORITZ/CALLER-TIMES State Rep. John Otto (left), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, confers Public Education Committee Chairman Jimmie Don Aycock.

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By John C. Moritz, USA Today Austin Bureau

AUSTIN  Changing the way Texas funds its public schools would have huge ripple effects through the state's economy because the tax structure can affect where people live and how business is conducted, experts told a panel of lawmakers.

The discussion before a joint hearing Wednesday of the House Public Education and Appropriations committees opened what could be a major push by state leaders to tackle complicated finance system. But, because the Texas Supreme Court this summer ruled that the current system passes constitutional muster, they could also choose to leave the system as it is.

"Now that the court case is over, we have free range to do what we think is best," said state Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, a Killeen Republican who chairs the education panel.

His remark drew some chuckles in the hearing room because both he and Appropriations Chairman John Otto, R-Dayton, are retiring after the November elections, meaning they won't be around for any political battle on the subject.

But the impetus to address school finance is fueled by the fact that the high court also cited the need for "transformational, top-to-bottom reforms" to ensure that all Texas school children have access to an equitable K-12 education. The two committees are expected to make some sort of school finance recommendation to the full Legislature when the 2017 session starts in January.

But the process carries political risks because of the the amount of tax money needed to pay for schools.

Dale Craymer, president of an Austin think-tank called the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, said the local property tax that pays for roughly half the state's education-related expenses, generates about $30 billion a year from homeowners and businesses.

"The property tax is the most harmful tax to economic development and homeownership," Craymer told the lawmakers.

But significant changes could be just as bad, he added.

If the local school property tax was abolished, it would probably require a doubling of the sales rate, Craymer said. But that would likely transform the shopping habits of ordinary Texas, he added. And no elected leader has seriously floated the idea of a state income tax in a generation because of the expected voter backlash.

The current system has no shortage of critics, both in the Legislature and in local communities. Because property wealth varies from school district to school district, the state skims revenues from rich regions and transfers it to those less well off.

Then there's the complicating factor that a district might be property rich because heavy industry or oil and gas resources, but most of its school children come from families of modest means, Otto pointed out.

"When you start looking at changes, there's winners and losers," he said. "And the losers aren't going to voter for it."

Twitter: JohnnieMo

The history of Texas school finance

For a short course in Texas' ongoing effort to craft a system to finance public schools in a manner mandated by the state Constitution, there's a report published Tuesday by the Texas House Research Organization. Find it at www.hro.state.tx.us.
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Sections of public footpaths in Ely have been closed unlawfully  sparking anger from a campaign group.

Network Rail has apologised for not following the "correct processes" before shutting footpaths 17 and 57, which cross the railway line on either side of the River Lark to the east of Ely.

Ely footpath 50, which connects to the Bishops Way circular route between Ely, Chettisham and Little Downham, also has a misleading notice stating that it is closed.

Network Rail says it has closed the paths where they cross the railway line because they had "significant safety concerns", but the Open Spaces Society, Britain's oldest national conservation body, is furious.

The society's local correspondent, Alysoun Hodges, said: "We deplore Network Rail's pre-emptive action in closing public footpaths before any decision has been made about them.

"These paths are highways in law and should be reopened forthwith.

"We understand that Network Rail is applying retrospectively for a traffic regulation order to close footpaths 17 and 57, but of course it should have applied for this first.

"We have urged the county council, which is responsible for keeping paths clear of obstruction, to take swift action to ensure that everyone can use and enjoy these paths."

Network Rail is currently carrying out a consultation on the potential closure of path crossings over railways lines in East Anglia, but the public inquiry is not due to be held for another year.

As a result, all paths are still highways in law.

A Network Rail spokesman said: "Following an inspection, we had significant safety concerns with insufficient sighting at these crossings and closed them straight away.

"Whilst we recognise in this instance the correct process wasn't followed, we felt that the safety concerns warranted an immediate closure."

A county council spokesman said: "Maintaining Rights of Way are important to us and our communities.

"We have contacted Network Rail to have the paths either reinstated or as in some cases where they have been closed for safety reasons more suitable alternatives put in place as soon as possible."
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Black alert status at a Cambridge hospital has become almost the norm as the number of times staff cannot cope with the amount of patients rockets.

Addenbrooke's Hospital was thrown into a black alert status hundreds of times and the number has increased over the past five years, data released using freedom of information laws has revealed.

Health bosses have blamed an increase in patients turning up and accident and emergency and delays in transferring patients.

The Cambridge University Hospitals Trust was put on the highest alert level, which means staff cannot cope with the number of patients, 108 times in 2011/12 but that leapt to a staggering 245 times in 2014/15 and 176 times in 2015/16.

A Cambridge University Hospitals spokesman said: The Trust's status is reviewed throughout the day and moves to black when there's extreme pressure on our services.

Like all acute hospitals, we are seeing increasing numbers of people attending our emergency department year-on-year and face challenges with delayed transfers of care.

To cope with this increased pressure we are constantly looking at ways to safely improve the flow of patients through the hospital."
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Cambridge has been revealed as the most sleep-deprived city in the UK, according to new research.

Based on UK Google search data, interiors brand Curtains.com. investigated which cities were the most sleep-deprived by using the search engine to analyse the number of queries for terms related to sleep deprivation such as 'can't sleep, help to sleep, beat insomnia'.

And Cambridge, followed by Brighton, Manchester and Newcastle came out on top when it comes to people getting the least amount of shut eye.

The company said of the research: "A good night's sleep is a modern day luxury. Stressful daily routines, lack of 'me' time, and numerous social pressures have a significant impact on our ability to rest.

"Consequently, staring aimlessly into darkness unable to relax a tired mind is the reality for more and more of us.

"Insomnia doesn't discriminate but, those of us who are most likely to suffer from sleep disorders usually dwell in big cities.

"We therefore undertook some research using Google search data to reveal the UK's most sleepiest cities revealing top searches for terms such as 'can't sleep', 'help to sleep' and 'beat insomnia' across the nation.

(Image: Andrey Popov)

Surprisingly, the bustling city of London did not feature in the top 10, featuring at number 12 in the list followed by Sheffield, Birmingham and Leeds.

A spokesperson for Curtains.com, said: "Sleep is an element of our lives that is really important to us all, so we wanted to find out which cities were getting the most sleep, and those getting the least, based on real-time search data from over the past year.

"It's been regularly documented that Londoners get the least sleep out of all UK cities, however, based on our research, they don't seem to find it hard to actually fall asleep once they get in to bed. "Surprisingly, it's actually Cambridge which tops the list, with the seaside town of Brighton following, searching for sleep advice the most out of all the other cities."

Ian Smith, Consultant Chest Physician at Papworth Hospital, said: "This is an interesting finding and one without an obvious single explanation though it is possible to speculate on possible causes.

"The population of Cambridge is in many ways a healthy one and quite long lived. Insomnia is a problem that increases with age. In the mix at the other end of the age range is the large student population and the disruption of routine, moving away from home can initiate sleep problems.

"Lastly Cambridge has, on average, a population that has a higher level of education than most of the UK and it may be that they are more motivated to learn more about their sleep problems and seek their own solutions. "

Here is the list of the top 15 cities, from the most sleep-deprived, to the least:

1.Cambridge

2.Brighton

3.Manchester

4.Newcastle

5.Cardiff

6.Leicester

7.Belfast

8.Bristol

9.Liverpool

10.Edinburgh

11.Glasgow

12.London

13.Sheffield

14.Birmingham

15.Leeds
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Cambridge is a wonderful place to visit - but just how good is it to actually live here?

On Tuesday we reported how a new national study had slammed the city as a place to earn a decent living, putting us behind Wigan, Barnsley, Mansfield Derby and Peterborough.

Online credit comparison site TotallyMoney.com ranked Cambridge 41st out of 57 UK towns and cities from a financial perspective, taking into account employment rates, average wages, housing costs and the cost of living.

The story seemed to strike a chord online, with readers lining up to agree with the study's findings.

On Facebook Haidee Halsey was one of many who said wages in Cambridge don't match the cost of living.

She wrote: It's as expensive as London but as a teacher, the wages don't reflect this even though teachers in London get paid more.....

Cambridge is over priced and over rated."

Jo Robinson said: I left cambridge to work in London NINE years ago, the wages in Cambridge for the industry I'm in hasn't risen at all!"

Graham Squires said he was keen to relocate to somewhere more affordable.

He said: Cannot wait to move away from Cambridge, born and bred here sad to see what's going on.

Family in full time jobs with no chance of buying in the area."

The study says the median monthly take-home salary in Cambridge is 2,022  but the average monthly mortgage repayment is 2,177.

In terms of the cost of living, it ranks as 55th out of 57.

Jobs-wise, unemployment is running at just 3.7 per cent, and the city's 'job market health rank' is sixth out of 57.

On our website 'StopTheRot11' described the study as a a bit of reaility (sic) that reflects the situation for the real people of Cambridge", and suggested the real people who live and work in Cambridge" were being distanced from the key decision-makers.

'Habbiner' agreed, saying: Cambridge is full of braniacs, except when it comes to politics", while 'asdfghjklhfd' was event more succinct.

Cambridge might be lovely if it was not so filthy, expensive and crowded, it is average at best," they said.
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The News launched its Celebrate Cambridge campaign earlier this month to look at all that the city is doing to continue its spectacular growth. We feel there is so much to celebrate in Cambridge and so much to look forward to.

This week, were focusing on business, and today the spotlight falls on the life sciences firms coming up with new blockbuster drugs.

During our four-week campaign, weve already focused on transport, and will be looking at education, lifestyle and whats being done to ease the housing problems that can make Cambridge a difficult place to find a home.

Not so very long ago tech in Cambridge automatically equated with high, but biotech or life sciences steal the limelight these days.

When I became business editor at the News, back in the last century, there was a fledgling organisation called, rather clunkily, The Eastern Region Biotechnology Initiative, or ERBI, run part time by one man and his dog.

ERBI became One Nucleus, and in turn this took over the London version of ERBI. Today, One Nucleus, headed by former Foreign Office high flyer Harriet Fear, has hundreds of member companies in a sector which employs 15,000 people in 750 businesses.

Twenty or more years ago, luminaries of the sector, such as Sir Chris Evans (nothing to do with Top Gear  although he used to have half a dozen red Ferraris after he made his biotech fortune), were working in huts at Babraham; today, with many millions invested in a collection of magnificient new buildings, Babraham is considered to be the UKs leading campus to support early-stage bioscience businesses.

The London Stansted Cambridge Corridor, a fairly new gathering intent on making the most of what is in it, says: It is hard to over-emphasise the growing strength in life sciences in this corridor, with AstraZenecas global HQ moving to Cambridge and the 700 million investment in the Francis Crick Institute at Kings Cross.

Overall, there are 37 world class life sciences research institutes in the London-Stansted-Cambridge region, 1,400 life science businesses, accounting for 43,200 jobs and 19.6 per cent of all national (England) employment in this sector.

More than 14,000 new jobs could be generated in the life sciences sector along the corridor alone before 2023, according to new research, which also predicts total life sciences employment could rise to 54,600 jobs by 2023 in the corridor between London, Essex, Hertfordshire and Cambridge.

There again, Brexit, as yet an unknown quantity, could put a serious dampner of things, given that so much of what is commercialised comes out of Cambridge laboratories which have done well in the past out of EU funds.

One of the biggest early success stories came from Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT), which was a spin-off from the Medical Research Council in the city. CAT came up with the first biotech blockbuster, Humira, a revolutionary treatment for arthitis.

CAT, which was co-founded by Sir Greg Winter, now Master of Trinity and involved in more Cambridge-based biotech successes, was bought and became part of MedImmune, which was among the early biotechs to set up at Granta Park.

MedImmune, owned by AstraZeneca, brings the story full circle, with the giant pharma company now setting up its headquarters in Cambridge, next door to Addenbrookes Hospital.

But small is beautiful too. Sareum, based at Pampisford, is a specialist cancer drug discovery and development company, now poised to realise its potential. Only yesterday Sareum announced that its co-investment partner, the CRT Pioneer Fund, has licensed exclusive and worldwide rights for one of its drug candidates.

Sareums share price rose 150 per cent on the news, and the company said: This is the big news we have been waiting for. Founded just before it listed on the stock market, Sareum has been working towards this for well over a decade.

The drug candidate creating all the excitement sounds like the Holy Grail for cancer treatment, in that it stops cancer cells from multiplying. And all this has been achieved by what is termed a virtual company, with hardly anybody to be seen, but a team of brilliant scientists somewhere in the ether.
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Cambridge's MP has urged residents to bin racist" stickers telling refugees they are not welcome" after they were put up in a Cambridge park.

The stickers were posted in Romsey recreation ground next to Vinery Road. They say Bring your families home" and Destination Africa".

Cambridgeshire police, who have been investigating an increase in hate crime since the vote to leave the EU, condemned the stickers and have appealed for information.

One sticker has already had the word 'not' stripped away from the 'not welcome' message.

It appears the sticker is a twisted take on a Refugees Welcome" sticker that became popular in the USA.

Daniel Zeichner, Cambridge's MP, told the News: We do not want any of that kind of racist filth in Cambridge."

Speaking from the Labour Party conference, he said: The people of Cambridge have sent a very strong message to the world that we are an open, tolerant and welcoming city.

The people of Romsey will find this totally offensive. I would say take the stickers off and put them in the bin if you see them."

A 71-year-old man, who lives off Vinery Road next to the park, said: Everyone has got a right to an opinion. A lot of people feel threatened and they are expressing it this way, although it's not the way I would do it.

I can understand it, especially among the older people who feel threatened. But everybody who moves to this area knows there are a lot of foreigners here so they have a choice of whether or not they want to live here."

George Williams, 29, of Needingworth, was visiting the city park and feared the stickers could fuel hate crimes.

He said: I believe we should help refugees as much as possible but I also think there does need to be the support in place when they do come here.

I really don't think putting up these stickers is a very nice thing to do. It is only going to fuel even more hatred and is meant to be incendiary."

Stefan Haselswimmer, founder of the Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign, set up to offer local homes to refugees, dismissed the stickers.

He said: It is not representative at all of people in Cambridge who are keen to help refugees."

A police spokesman said: Stickers of this nature are not welcome in Cambridge. We welcome any information from members of the public who may know who is responsible. Please call 101."
Following the launch of the Parents and Teachers for Excellence campaign, Cottenham Village College head Stuart Lock explains why he believes excellence needs to start in the classroom.

The education debate has for too long been focused around so-called "structures" - for example debating academies and free-schools, rather than what actually takes place in schools. As a result, what happens in schools is a debate that has often passed parents by. I believe we need to re-engage parents in the crucial conversation about what it is that their children are learning in school - and how they're learning.

That's why I am proud to be part of the new campaign Parents and Teachers for Excellence. This new campaign - which I encourage parents and teachers across Cambridgeshire to join - has been formed to help parents to understand what makes for a great school, and to encourage teachers to learn more about the methods of the top-performing schools across the world. All of us involved in teaching need to learn from others to raise standards.

So where do the best schools start? Very often, it is through the curriculum. We at Cottenham Village College (CVC) believe wholeheartedly in what is known as a "knowledge-based" curriculum. This may sound odd  surely all schools teach children knowledge? They do, but there is a major gulf in different schools' commitment to that approach.

Many schools put a particular emphasis on teaching "skills" - which is often about teaching children how to learn or how to scrutinise the reliability of what they are being taught. This has its place, but it is wholly secondary to the importance of teaching knowledge - vital information like facts, figures, data and crucial theories. How can children apply what they know, or think critically about its reliability, unless they know lots? We hence believe students should be entitled to access, in Matthew Arnold's famous phrase the best that has been thought and said".

By teaching such in-depth knowledge, we help children to learn more and more about academic subjects - which improves their ability to read at a high level and enables them to make all sorts of links between other subjects they are learning. It helps them to form webs of knowledge in their minds, understanding connections between knowledge they have mastered.

Along with knowledge, the best performing schools also test children regularly. I recognise that I might not be making many friends here, but we need more testing in schools, not less. Testing helps teachers and parents to measure the progress of students so that teaching can be adapted to help children do better. But testing also helps children learn more - because of the practice that goes into preparing for tests. Rigorous internal testing should also be used to guide teachers to teach better.

Of course, it is our job as headteachers and teachers to make sure that children do not become over-burdened with stress. After all, only a small number of tests really matter to children's lives - GCSEs and A-levels, for example. I agree with the recent moves to ensure more rigour and increased content in the new GCSEs so they represent real achievements for students who pass them.

Many of the best schools also run longer school days. This means time spent after school promoting sport and extra-curricular activities. Health and fitness is obviously a key part of any child's well-being, but we are particularly proud of our wide range of extra-curricular activities, such as music theory, sign language and Latin, that help introduce high culture and new ideas to students that may not otherwise experience them.

These are complemented by school trips to places such as Yorkshire, the Lake District, Iceland and Germany that help expand their world-view. All our students are entitled to attend a week-long residential trip annually. Research from the Sutton Trust suggests that these things can directly help GCSE results, but as important as that is the way in which they help our students grow as people as well as students.

Finally, the best schools put an emphasis on high standards of behaviour. We know this is a major concern for parents - children cannot learn if they are not in orderly environments. Schools must have clear, transparent and consistent policies that above all make it clear at the outset what is expected of children and how their parents can support them, and what will happen if their behaviour falls short of those expectations. "Low level disruptive behaviour" is misnamed - it is not low level - it is stealing other students' curriculum time and schools should not stand for it.

It is great that schools in Cambridgeshire are improving. Just as Cambridge is known for its wonderful higher education facilities, I would love to be part of a movement that helps make Cambridgeshire known for its world class schools too. The longer I have been a Headteacher, the more I realise that this cannot be delivered by well-meaning politicians, nor cannot it be done purely by Headteachers. Raising standards demands that the entire community surrounding a school needs to be heavily involved.

I look forward to working with parents and teachers across the county to do just that.

Stuart Lock is Headteacher at Cottenham Village College and a Member of Parents and Teachers for Excellence's Advisory Council ( www.parentsandteachers.org.uk )
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A homeless man smashed up glass items in Cambridges popular Galleria Restaurant before verbally abusing staff, a court was told.

Paul Rockett, 60 of no fixed abode, was due to face trial at Cambridge Magistrates Court today (Wednesday) for criminal damage and using threatening behaviour to cause alarm or distress.

However on the day of trial Rockett pleaded guilty to both offences.

Sally Rose, prosecuting, said both incidents took place on August 12 this year.

She added: The defendant went to the Galleria Restaurant and began swinging his fists around.

He was then verbally abusive to staff and was swearing and smashing glasses.

The defendant smashed glass jugs and glasses to the value of 100 belonging to the restaurant, and also used threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour towards staff at the restaurant, the court was told.

Ms Rose said: The prosecution will also be highlighting an application for a restraining order, with conditions not to go to the restaurant and not to contact the staff member involved in the incident.

This is due to the fact that the defendant also went to the restaurant a few days before this incident and there was some discussion about him not paying a bill.

There is clearly repeated offending here.

Speaking to the magistrates, Rockett, who was not represented during his sentencing, said he would be leaving Cambridge upon his release from custody and hoped to go to London.

He told them: I first came to Cambridge 20 years ago.

Ive been thinking more how I should just call it a day and leave the city.

Magistrates handed Rockett an eight week prison sentence for the offences, and also granted the restraining order for a period of two years.

They said the nature of Rocketts offending in the incidents warranted a custodial sentence.
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People living in Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, Bedfordshire have the highest cancer awareness out of any region in England, according to new findings.

As study published in the British Journal of Cancer today, shows in regions where cancer survival is poorer, people on average have lower awareness of cancer symptoms.

This is the first study in England to look at whether regional variation in cancer survival might be linked to regional variation in cancer symptom awareness and barriers to seeing the GP.

On average, each additional cancer symptom recognised was associated with about a 1.6 per cent increase in one year overall cancer survival for patients in that region.

In this study, only breast cancer survival was associated with perceived barriers to seeing the doctor - such as embarrassment and difficulties getting transport to the doctor's surgery.

According to the results, East London had the lowest awareness of cancer symptoms and highest average number of barriers to seeking medical help among the region's residents.

Dr Maja Niksic, lead author at the London School of Hygiene & Hygiene Tropical Medicine, said: A range of things can influence cancer survival.

Stage of disease at diagnosis is one of them, and if we can ensure more people know what to look out for and see their GP if they notice any unusual or persistent changes, we may be able to reduce the numbers of patients who are diagnosed with advanced disease, where curative treatment is not often an option.

"Based on our research we think that health campaigns should focus on helping people to recognise cancer symptoms early and seek medical advice about these  especially in socio-economically deprived areas, where cancer survival is generally lower."

Jessica Kirby, senior health information manager at Cancer Research UK, added: It's important the public are informed about getting to know their body and what's normal for them, and spotting potential cancer signs and symptoms.

And we need to ensure people feel they can go and see their GP if they notice any unusual changes." The study was funded by the Policy Research Unit in Cancer Awareness, Screening, and Early Diagnosis.
Government encourages security forces and urges greater collaboration with population.

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Cameroons government spokesman and Communication Minister, Issa Tchiroma Bakary has once more congratulated security forces and vigilante groups for their successes in the ongoing war against the Boko Haram terrorist group in the Far North Region.



Talking to Cameroon Tribune in his Yaounde officeon December 14, Issa Tchiroma said two female suicide bombers were killed in Kolofata on Monday, December 14 in the morning as they tried to get access to the Mosque in the town. He said the leader of a local vigilante group intercepted the two suspects and asked them to identify themselves. The suspected suicide bombers, all girls, started escaping. The vigilante group leader threw an arrow that struck one of them. She detonated the explosive she had on her belt that killed her alone. The second girl discovering danger, ran and hid herself behind a tree. Members of the security forces who had been alerted, pursued her and asked her to surrender. They succeeded to kill her. The suicide bomber died without detonating her explosive. The security forces took away the explosives-laden belt she wore.



Issa Tchiroma on behalf of President Paul Biya hailed the vigilance, courage and commitment of the security forces and vigilante groups. Thanks to their vigilance and determination, carnage was avoided. They were urged to keep on. Governments spokesman said the work of the army and vigilante groups is irreplaceable for they are fighting an invisible and unpredictable enemy. As such, the only way to win Boko Haram is to solicit the contribution of vigilante groups that work in synergy with security forces.



Due to the nature of the war against Boko Haram, the Minister calls for more vigilance on the part of the entire population in order to confront the scourge. He said local authorities have put in place an inclusive combat strategy. Family heads on their part, he said, have to heighten vigilance by considering unknown persons within their milieu as suspects. He reiterated President Paul Biyas determination to eradicate Boko Haram, stating that victory in the war was just a matter of time. This was because of the heightened offensive of the Cameroonian forces, the gradual coming into force of the Lake Chad Basin Multinational Joint Task Force and the collaboration of the Nigerian forces.

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| BY Ricki Green |

By Alex Wadelton, executive creative director/partner, ZOO group

In a lot of big agencies, there seems to be almost a competition to see who can stay the latest at work, who can work the most weekends, and who can be at their desk working earliest every morning. Some of it has to do with the fact that everyone is overworked, but a lot of it has to do with trying to give the appearance of being a hard worker.

Does it make the quality of work better? Id say no.

Mostly it makes people resentful of the fact that they are just at work, stuck inside on a sunny weekend while all their non-advertising friends are out and about.

So, let me tell you a story about why you should leave the office as often as professionally possible.

A few years ago, I was wandering around an exhibition with my young son.

The details are a bit hazy- it might have been Scienceworks, it may have been ACMI but there is was one thing that is crystal clear in my minds eye.

Hidden, almost Zoltar-like in a dark corner of this exhibition, were a couple of grotesque photographs of a mental asylum patient being tested upon in the 1860s by a French scientist with the incredible handle of Guillaume-Benjamin-Amand Duchenne (de Boulogne).

What the bloody hell was he up to?

In short, he was applying electrodes to peoples faces to try and recreate the six basic human emotions of anger, happiness, fear, sadness, disgust, and surprise.

Some of them worked, others were bizarrely contorted, but all were impossible to look away from.

And it got me thinking. Why wasnt there more study on this area? What was it all about? And how quickly could I shoo my son away from looking at a lunatic electrocuting people in the name of science?

I went home and read up about him, and its fair to say if hed tried to do it now, hed be locked up in an insane asylum himself.

Duchenne was intrigued to try and understand the physiology of the human face and how it works. From there its only a hop, skip, and a jump in logic to progress straight to feeding electrical currents into the facial muscles of lunatic asylum inmates just to see what happens.

Shits and giggles and all that.

But in the 19th century, there were no laws to protect against such barbaric pseudo-scientific study.

And that was that.

Just another useless piece of information to be stored in my brain never to be thought about again, swimming around with all the pointless sport stats I know, the encyclopaedic knowledge of drum n bass that hardly anyone else apart from me cares about (big ups to Etherwood!), and all of the horrendous dad jokes that cause nothing but groans from all and sundry.

Or so I thought.

Because last year whilst I was working at McCann Melbourne a brief for the Melbourne International Film Festival from Danish Chan lobbed on the desk of my then art director partner Andy Jones and me.

It was all about the emotions that you feel at the festival. How no matter what language you speak, we all share the same feelings.

They wanted a cinema ad, and a poster. Sure, we could do that, no problem!

Or we could go three and half million steps further and construct an archaic movie chair contraption that replicated what Duchenne was doing 150 years earlier by applying electrodes to peoples faces to stimulate their facial muscles in order to re-enact the emotions you felt whilst watching all the films that were playing at the 65th anniversary of MIFF.

No, really.

Getting a client to agree to this frankly insane idea was no small feat, for which Caroline Macmillan deserves an inordinate amount of praise.

Lauren Zoric at MIFF supported the idea from Day One, shepherding it through with elan.

Idea, somehow miraculously approved, we then had to figure out the small task it if was, you know, even possible.

Thats where Australias own mad pseudo-scientist for the 21st century, Steven Nicholson from Airbag stepped in to frame. He and his team, supported by Robert Stock, Eliza DSouza, and the inimitable Adrian Bosich were able to pull several hundred cats out of a bag along the way to make it happen.

Back at Rancho McCann Victoria Conners, Patrick Jennings, and Afrim Mehmed produced the bejesus out of the idea with the support of Adrian Mills and Pat Baron.

The best bit about working in this industry is getting to do crazy stuff that makes it sound like you are more interesting than you are when someone delivers your eulogy.

So, when at the Festival launch at Melbournes iconic Forum, the person tasked with being the test subject for The Emotion Simulator freaked out at the size of the 800-person strong crowd (and the fact that they were going to have electrodes placed all over their face, whatevs) there was only one idiot willing to step into the breach.

Being on stage as Steve manipulated my face for ten minutes is the most surreal experience of my life. Plus, Im sure it was a bit of payback for Steve to inflict a modicum of pain on me for all the pain Id caused him.

And it just goes to prove, once again, that its important to have a life outside of work. To be curious. To know a little bit about a lot of things. Because you never know what youll see in life that you can bring back to work.

So, go home on time. Dont work on the weekend. Turn your computer off. Put that phone away. Wander about with your mind open.

Youll not only enjoy your life more; you just might get to electrocute people for fun.
| BY Ricki Green |

Sunbeam, the makers of the original Mixmaster, has partnered with Adriano Zumbo to release a Limited Edition Range of kitchen appliances, co-designed by the dessert master himself.

Supporting the launch is a new campaign created by The Conversion Group, which centres on the idea that the new Sunbeam Zumbo Limited Edition Range helps you to Mix like the Master. By communicating a little of the Adriano Zumbo magic, the campaign aims to appeal to bakers and home cooks across the country with the vision that they can soon be mixing like the master himself.

The range will hit the stores in October and includes three Sunbeam Zumbo Limited Edition Mixmasters, a Limited Edition Food Processor, and a Limited Edition Stick Mixer. Each of the products features a selection of Adrianos signature colours and designs.

Says Elena Pintado, market activation manager for Sunbeam: Adriano is an amazing partner for Sunbeam and has been fantastic throughout the development of the products and the supporting campaign. When it comes to baking, he has inspired many people around the country. One of the most important parts of any launch is the response of the retailers, and it has been incredibly positive.

Says Zumbo: Sunbeam was a natural fit to partner with as the products have been a part of my kitchen for years and, importantly, the products are amazing. Its been a joy to help design my own range of appliances, as its something Ive wanted to do for many years.

The Sunbeam Zumbo Limited Edition Range will be supported through digital media channels, PR, social media as well as in-store point of sale.

Says Michael Cromer, managing director, The Conversion Group: Were thrilled to be involved with this launch. Our vibrant campaign harnesses Sunbeams heritage while complementing Zumbos personality and expertise. The campaign speaks to consumers about how this range will help transform their baking and cooking while exciting retail partners as well.

Sunbeam Australia

Head of Marketing Activation: Elena Pintado

Head of Product Marketing: Tim Anderson

Product Manager: Lisa Buscomb

Digital Marketing Manager: Isaac OLeary

Marketing Assistant: Elizabeth La Cava

The Conversion Group

Managing Director: Michael Cromer

Creative Director: Tim Rozea

Art Director: Sally Gordon

Account Director: Jessica Charles

Account Manager: Cheree Kwan
| BY Ricki Green |

UnLtd has announced a record $6.5 million total industry contribution to social impact for FY16 as part of its annual results, released today.

Unprecedented growth in industry participation and social investment led to a 71% year-on-year increase in the total value of funds, services, inventory and time donated by the media and marketing sector.

CEO Paul Fisher said that UnLtd had connected 88 companies with 42 different charities working with at-risk young people.

Says Fisher: What our industry united to achieve over the past year, through UnLtd, is something to be incredibly proud of.

UnLtd operates on behalf of our industry, for our industry and together, with our industry. Together, were creating social impact by delivering funds, services, media exposure and volunteered time to the youth not-for-profit sector.

Highlights from the FY16 industry social impact report included:

 Media inventory donated and negotiated was up by 196% year-on-year

 Volunteers donated more than 8785 hours of their time  from unskilled volunteering including working bees preparing food for homeless teens, to providing strategic advice on marketing briefs for charities (skilled volunteering)

 In-kind professional services including video production, Community Service Announcements, creative assets and talent totalled more than $475,000

 Funds raised through events and payroll giving doubled

The foundations annual social impact report also detailed case studies of UnLtd charities seeing impact where it matters most; positively impacting more young lives.

 500 more foster kids were matched with a Pyjama Angel thanks to the support of Network Ten and Bauer Media Australia. The exposure and fundraising efforts by these media owners has seen; community volunteer registrations doubled, monthly donations tripled and this previously Queensland-based charity has gone national

 Another 2000 families suffering from the effects of childhood heart disease are now being supported with peer-to-peer or in hospital services. This is thanks to the added value secured by Initiative, who negotiated $750,000 of free media space for this charitys annual fundraising campaign resulting in a 100% increase in donations year-on-year

UnLtd thanked the industry partners, sponsors and individuals who contributed funds, services, time and inventory to reach this incredible social impact tally.

Says Fisher: To those 88 companies and the countless individuals who have contributed in the past year, we say unlimited thanks. Thanks for believing in our industrys unlimited potential to change young lives, and thanks for your role in helping us support Australian youth charities doing vital work.
Tuesday, September 27, 2016 at 10:31PM

Google is adding a bit more security or assurance for its iOS users with the latest update for its app. If you are doing private searches within the Google app, Google can lock these searches behind Touch ID, which means if someone else uses your iPhone or iPad, they wont be able to snoop over what youve been searching. For convenience, Google will not close these private searches when you leave the app. You will have to do that yourself. A friendly reminder, though. Going incognito doesnt mean youre completely private. It doesnt hide your browsing from your employer, your internet service provider, or the websites you visit. The Google app wont hide your searches from Google, either, but it wont tie them to your account. One other feature added to the Google app on iOS is allowing you to watch YouTube videos directly in the app.
Answers Africa is one of a kind platform created for Africans both locally and in the diaspora and those seeking for more in-depth information about Africa. We have always focused on creating the highest quality informational contents right from the beginning. We share the most relevant information on the latest and trending news, events, people, and places in Africa.

We produce contents across various categories including Politics, People, Love and Romance, Nature, Entertainment, Technology and pretty much everything else that Africans may find relevant.

We aim to answer the most relevant questions about Africa in areas of entertainment, famous people, emerging technologies while we also engage with various distribution capabilities to connect with Africans in need of information who rely on our website to keep in touch with the world that is changing so fast.

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Millie Weaver  Age, Husband & Infowars Career Millie Weaver is an American model, journalist, political activist, and social commentator. The young and beautiful journalist rose to fame working as a reporter for a controversial right-wing website InfoWars.com. Also known as Millennial Millie, Weaver is a social media influencer with over 100,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel and over 35,000 followers on Twitter. Who Is Millie Weaver and What Is ...

Is Jessica Tarlov Married? What Are Her Height & Weight? Jessica Tarlov is an American political consultant, strategist, and analyst whose influential and regular TV presence has made a popular figure. A good example of beauty with brains, Tarlov has appeared on various TV networks, mostly the FOX News Network where she is known for her liberal views on political analysis and insights. She is also the senior director ...

Who Is Kelly Rebecca Nichols  Alex Jones Ex-Wife? Kelly Rebecca Nichols is the ex-wife of controversial American radio show host, Alex Jones. She got nationwide attention following her divorce and subsequent custody battle with her estranged husband. Nichols, who worked with PETAs public relations department, was herself no stranger to controversies as she was involved in several publicity stunts of the non-profit animal rights ...

Who Is Bree Morgan  Cole Sprouse Ex-Girlfriend And What Is She Up To Now? Although Bree Morgan became famous through the Instagram, she also sapped some dose of popularity from Disneys sweetheart, Cole Sprouse of the Sprouse brothers. She is not only an Instagram star but also a YouTube vlogger whose popularity has long exceeded the ordinary level. Bree is conspicuously prominent on the internet and has her digital savviness ...

Does Vanna White Have Husband or Children, What Is Her Net Worth / Salary? For over three decades, Vanna White has been a household name, famous as the co-host and letter turner of the iconic NBC game show Wheel of Fortune. The talented and beautiful television personality is also an actress with several TV series and films to her credit. Since making her Wheel of Fortune debut in 1982, she has become one ...

Liz Wheeler  Biography, Husband & Net Worth Liz Wheeler is the kind of girl who sets the room on fire whenever she comes around. In this situation, however, she sets our screens on fire each time she appears as the host of One America News Tipping Point. She is, therefore, a presenter, publisher, consultant and a member of the Board of Zoning ...

Betty White  Net Worth, Children & Husband The entertainment industry will remain indebted to personalities like Betty White who brought something extra to the table and kept the world entertained for donkey years. The comedienne, actress, and writer graced the big screens in the early 50s as a show host and has been a delight since then. She is the queen of ...

Is Bill Nye (The Science Guy) Dead or Alive, What Are His Net Worth & Education? Everyone will always remember Bill Nye as the Science Guy. Besides his TV show Bill Nye the Science Guy, he is well-known for his Netflix show Bill Nye Saves the World which started airing in 2017 as well as his appearances in many famous media projects as a science educator. The star studied mechanical engineering ...

Is Cesar Millan Dead, Who Is The Wife & What Is His Net Worth? Cesar Millan is the famous dog whisperer who often stirs up mixed emotions. The Mexican-American is precisely speaking, a dog behaviorist; he has been in the game for over 25 years. His Emmy-nominated television series, Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan further pushed his method and tactics into the limelight. The series was produced from 2004 ...

Is Thomas Sanders Gay and Does He Have A Boyfriend? By the time Vine was shut down in January 2017, Thomas Sanders was already popular within and beyond the internet community for his heavy involvements on the online video hosting platform. After the tragic shutdown of Vine impacted on the growing career of the multi-talented personality, he immediately switched over to YouTube where he continued to upload ...

Is Shepard Smith Gay, Who Is The Boyfriend & What Is His Net Worth? There are only a few media personalities who are as bold and confident as Shepard Smith. Apart from his impressive stint at Fox News Channel which includes but not limited to his classic news delivery, upfront stance on virtually every issue and much more; he loves his job as much as he loves his personality. Smith ...

Is Milo Yiannopoulos Gay? His Husband and Net Worth Milo Yiannopoulos is a popular writer, journalist, polemicist, public speaker, and political commentator who is also known as the founder of The Kernel, an online blog. He has been said to be among the list of 100 weird and influential people in the United Kingdom. He appeared on this list as a result of personal beliefs and ...

Does Ryan Seacrest Have A Wife Or Girlfriend, What Is His Net Worth? From radio to television, Ryan Seacrest is a household name and a force to be reckoned with in showbiz. The radio personality, television host, and producer is best recognized as the host of the popular TV talent search contest American Idol. Heres how the media personality who always knew what his lifes ambition was and diligently pursued ...

Is Anderson Cooper Gay, Who is The Boyfriend or Husband? For many, the thought of becoming a millionaire by writing and talking about other people appears unachievable but this is the reality of the prominent American journalist Anderson Cooper who gathered millions of dollars for conducting accurate political analysis and other vital reports on TV. He is the main anchor of the CNN news show Anderson ...

Is David Muir Gay or Does He Have A Wife, What Is His Salary? David Muir is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who works for the ABC broadcast-television network and anchors the ABC World News Tonight with David Muir program while also co-anchoring the magazine program 20/20. The Ithaca College graduate, whose show has become the most-watched newscast in America, has covered stories from all across America and the world; reporting ...

Joel Osteen  Divorce Rumors, Net Worth & Family Members Joel Osteen is an American Televangelist, Senior Pastor of Lakewood Church based in Houston, Texas, a husband and a father of two. He is an author of many books, seven of which are New York Times Best Sellers and his televised sermons capture more than 7 million viewers per week and 20 million every month ...

Who Is Todd Chrisley? What To Know About His Children, Gay Rumors & Net Worth Premiered on the USA network in 2014, Chrisley Knows Best is one of the most watched family reality TV shows in the U.S. The series which is currently in its sixth season is centered around U.S real estate mogul Todd Chrisley and his family. The show reveals Todd the patriarch of the Chrisley family as a strict dad who rules ...

Who Is Shannon Bream Of Fox News? Her Husband, Children & Net Worth Shannon Bream who hosts the iconic primetime program started her journalism career in the late 1990s debuting as the evening and late-night news reporter for the CBS affiliate, WBTV. The beauty from America currently works for the Fox News Channel and she is best known for anchoring the primetime program. She also hosts Americas News ...

Is Troye Sivan Gay, Who Is His Boyfriend and What Is His Net Worth? Troye Sivan is an Australian singer and songwriter best known for songs like Happy Little Pill, Youth, Heaven (with Betty Who) and The Boyfriend Tag (with Tyler Oakley) which have all garnered him different awards and ranked on the Billboard Charts. Sivan, who was born in South Africa but now resides in the United States, is ...

Did iDubbbz Have Cancer, Is He Gay and Who Is His Girlfriend Now? iDubbbz is one YouTuber who has made a career out of courting controversy. Renowned for his absurdist channels and comedy video series, the Los Angeles based personality is the owner of two channels, iDubbzTV, and iDubbzTV2, as well as the brains behind comedy video series such as Content Cop, Kickstarter Crap, Gaming News Crap, and ...

Inside Greg Gutfelds Love Story With Wife Elena Moussa and Why Fans Thought He Was Gay Greg Gutfeld is a seasoned American television producer whose career in the media industry has spanned over a decade. He is a man of many talents who makes extra income through comedy, journalism, and editorial works. Gutfeld regularly appears on Fox News Channel as a panellist and co-host of the political talk show The Five ...

Works That Made Bo Burnham A Household Name and How Much He Is Worth Now One of YouTubes first viral stars and the worlds most exciting young comedian, Bo Burnham, has always amazed critics and comedy aficionados alike. Often regarded as the Justin Bieber of comedy, thanks to his fresh looks, floppy blond hair and hoodies, he has a multi-faceted career bigger than many comedians twice his age. It wouldnt ...

Is Louie Anderson Gay And What Is His Net Worth? Louie Anderson has one of the most abstract faces in the industry and equally knows how to use it to his advantage. He is not only a stand-up comedian but also an actor and television host who is known for his distinctive comic wits. Some of his notable projects include Family Feud, where he was ...

Is Don Lemon of CNN Gay, Who is His Partner and What Is His Salary? Don Lemon has risen to become one of the most recognizable faces on CNN over the past few years. The fiery journalist, who anchors CNN Tonight with Don Lemon, is liked and somewhat disliked for his strong and candid opinions on a variety of matters that do not just include politics but also race, significantly, matters that ...

Is Rachel Maddow Gay, Who is the Wife and How Much Does She Earn in Salary? Rachel Maddow is an award-winning American journalist, political commentator, and television news anchor. She is best known for hosting the popular nightly TV show The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. Prior to this, she hosted a talk radio program on Air America Radio from 2005 to 2010. As of now, the TV sensation co-anchors MSNBCs ...

Demystifying Pokimane  Her Real Name, Ethnicity & Boyfriend Like most social media celebrities in this digital era, Pokimane Thicc is one of those stars who took advantage of the internet to make a name for herself. Given the unlimited potentials which the social media space offers, many people have been instantly propelled to fame just by posting creative online contents. Not only has ...

A Breakdown of Kris Jenners Net Worth, Sources Of Income and Relationships Over The Years Standing outside and looking in, Kris Jenner looks like the oil that greases the wheels of the entire Kardashian/Jenner machine. She has been dubbed a momager and rightfully so because she seems to have had a part to play in the trajectory of each and every one of her daughters individually and the Kardashian brand ...

Pursuits That Brought Liza Koshys Fame To its Zenith and Her Love Life Since David Dobrik Liza Koshy is an American actress who has leveraged YouTube as a platform to promote her comedy while also serving as a television host on occasions. She is talented and funny and has gathered a lot of fans from around the world. Koshy started on Vine in high school and was able to get millions of ...

Alex Aiono Biography  Inside The Life Of The American Singer Not everyone who started from the streets has attained the heights where Alex Aiono is currently. His story could be referred to as the perfect definition of rising from Grass to Grace. He came into the limelight after he started out as a YouTuber, singer, and producer. One fascinating thing about the young YouTuber is ...

Virginia Vallejo Biography And Her Love Story With Pablo Escobar Virginia Vallejo can be referred to as one of the oldest whistleblowers in history after her involvement with Pablo Escobar which made her famous. Over the years, many questions have been raised about her relationship with the drug lord and why she endangered her life to be with him despite his notorious acts. The death ...

Princess Love Bio  Ethnicity, Real Name & Parents For many people, Princess Love is simply Ray Js wife but there is so much more to this feisty lady than meets the eye. She is a star in her own right and has many feathers on her cap. Princess Love is a reality TV star, a model, video vixen, and fashion designer. She and her ...

Who is Papa Franku Also Known As Filthy Frank or Joji, Where is He Now? The social media as we all know today has given people the opportunity to be creative and innovative and at the same time, make something of themselves. YouTube is one of the known social platforms we have today that makes it possible for people to express their God-given talents and post videos they created to ...

Who Is Molly Qerim, How Did She Become a Famous Sports Anchor and Who Is Her Husband? Molly Qerim is an American sports anchor popularly known for moderating First Take, a highly rated sports talk show, on ESPN. Prior to joining ESPN, Qerim hosted Fantasy Live and NFL AM on NFL Network. It is quite obvious that the widely acclaimed television personality is in a class of her own when it comes ...

Safiya Nygaard  Height, Parents & Net Worth Safiya Nygaard is an American YouTuber, writer, content producer, and director who is popular for posting makeup, beauty and fashion videos on YouTube. Her videos regularly top at least one million views, thanks to her lively character as well as her willingness to experiment with outrageous outfits and different beauty products. Here are the things to ...

The Rigors of Sunlen Serfatys Career Journey Until CNN and Fun Facts About Her Personal Life CNN correspondent, Sunlen Serfaty is an Emmy Award-winning journalist known for covering a broad range of breaking news stories, national news, and Washington politics. She has been able to garner widespread recognition for herself which even goes beyond the sphere of her work. Her profile also increased with the extensive work she did in covering ...

Demystifying Jazz Jennings Real Name, Boyfriend & Family Of One The Youngest Transgenders Jazz Jennings is an unusual personality who became famous as a transgender activist and was recorded as the youngest documented public figure to be seen as transgender. She is also a YouTube personality and spokesmodel for brands, her fans, and other transgenders. She fought for acceptance in her high school with her super supportive family for over ...

Inside Fred Armisens Life  Ethnicity, Romantic Relationships and Gay Rumors Fred Armisen is an award-winning American comedian, he is also a writer, an actor as well as a musician. He was a cast member of the legendary comedy show, Saturday Night Live for 13 years and also one of the brains behind the successful satirical show Portlandia. Find out more about this incredibly talented guy ...

Ed and Lorraine Warren Biography: Cases, Kids, and Family Life Have you ever woken up with fear you could not explain, or felt a strange presence that made the hair at your nape rise or even experienced strange occurrences around you? Well, these were some of the promptings that made the well-known paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren delve into trying to explain the ideas ...

Truth About Tony Romos Wife, Kids and Life Since His NFL Retirement Tony Romo grew from the field as a quarterback to the screens as an American Football Analyst. He was a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the richest football league in the world (NFL) before retiring. As a junior, he was honored as an All-Ohio Conference Member, an Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year and ...

Who is Brittany Venti, The Controversial Game Streamer and YouTuber? In recent times, many people live stream themselves playing video games. This has become a popular pastime on the internet and many highly skilled gamers have become internet celebrities through this means. However, some of them rather than becoming renowned for their gaming skills and great commentary, have become controversial and infamous. A good example ...

Rob Dyrdeks Family: His Kids And Relationship With Wife Bryiana Noelle Flores A multi-talented star and an elite pro skateboarder, Rob Dyrdeks success story began at a remarkably young age. Yet another proof that schooling doesnt always correlate with success, Rob has established himself not just as a phenomenal sportsman but also as a successful entrepreneur. Besides perfecting his skill as a natural talent on the board, ...

xChocobars  Biography and Everything You Should Know About Her Having distinguished herself and recorded massive successes in an industry notably dominated by men, it is very safe to say that Xchocobars deserves all the attention and cash she makes from her career. A household name on Twitch (a smart live streaming video platform), the online-gamer is popularly known for streaming classic games such as Stardew ...

Everything To Know About Mary Padian, Her Boyfriend and Net Worth Mary Padian is a famous American television reality personality best known for her involvements on the Reality show Storage Wars. She also has her own shop called Mary finds where she displays her antique collections. Since her childhood, Padian has been a creative learner. At the time, she used to create new items out of reusable ones and ...

Betsy Woodruffs Family Life: Is She Married or Related To Bob Woodruff? An old name in the world of journalism, Betsy Woodruff has warmed her way into the hearts of many with her impressive talents. Through hard work, Woodruff has carved a niche for herself in a very competitive field. Betsy has strong family and work values and is also an advocate for equal opportunities for everyone ...

Matpat (Matthew Patrick)  Wife, Height & Net Worth As far as internet business is concerned, Matpat remains one of the most dynamic and seasoned figures. He boasts a wealth of experience that has helped him in growing his business from one level of greatness to another. Like most successful people, MatPat started out small but today, he makes millions of dollars from his ...

Facts About Ricegum  His Girlfriend, Real Name & Net Worth Ricegum is an online gamer and YouTube sensation who ditched college; took advantage of the digital era, and made a name for himself on the internet. Though he began as a gaming YouTuber, Ricegum soon gained recognition as a controversial internet star following his many diss tracks. Here is everything you need to know about the youngster ...

Joy Taylor Once Married MLBs Richard Giannotti  Inside Look At Her Love Life and Family The erosion of the sexist idea that women have no business in sports broadcasting created a host of women celebrities who attained fame outside of modeling and acting. One of them, Joy Taylor, a radio personality and TV host for Fox Sports 1, has been in the industry since 2009, becoming one of the most ...

What To Know About Conan OBriens Wife, Kids & Family Today The name Conan OBrien is one that jumps right at you almost immediately you start talking about the most popular television hosts in the USA and this is no surprise because the man behind that name has risen to become one of the most admired men in the business. Known for hosting the late-night talk ...

David Letterman  Net Worth, Wife & Son In all of American, one man whose face has been seen frequently by late night TV talk show lovers is none but David Letterman. The comedian and TV show veteran has been hosting late night talk shows for more than three decades. His Late Night with David Letterman show began on February 1st, 1982 aired ...

Demystifying Sssniperwolfs Family Background And The Boyfriends Shes Had Since she launched her eponymously named channel in 2013, Sssniperwolf has been on the rise when it comes to video game influencers. She is one of the biggest names in the online gaming subgenre of YouTube videos. Real name Lia Shelesh, she started with Call of Duty: Black Ops II but has diversified with other ...

Lester Holt  Wife, Family & Net Worth Lester Holt is a multiple award-winning journalist, newscaster, reporter, and actor who has worked for notable media houses like WCBS TV, CBS, MSNBC and among others. His remarkable feat in journalism has endeared him to the hearts of many and earned him some awards and recognitions. Read on to get acquainted with his biography, ethnicity, ...

What Is Louis C.K. Doing Now, Where Are His Family And How Much Is His Net Worth? It is not easy to make it in comedy. It takes more than a funny bone and the ability to elicit a few giggles from a listening audience. For all the complexities that go into making a successful career in comedy, Louis C.K, the Washington D.C-born comedian, did it. For years, he was at the ...

The Progression of Hoda Kotbs Career, Her Ancestry and Family Life Hoda Kotb gained fame as a television host and news anchor for NBC. She anchors the shows signature show Today, and it has been an excellent vehicle for her skills in front of a camera. Kotb has won several awards, including Daytime Emmys and Peabody Awards. Simply put, she is one of the most successful ...

Jerry Seinfelds Family: All About The Amazing Comedians Wife and Kids Apparently one of the highly important entertainers in America, Jerry Seinfeld is a man of many talents. A very funny man, he is considered to be one of the most successful comedians in the USA who has been in the business as a professional rib-cracker for more than 40 years. As an actor, he has ...

The Rigors Of Sarah Silvermans Rise To Prominence And Rundown Of The Men She Has Dated A comedian, writer, and actress, Sarah Silvermans art and craft is as unique as you would ever find. Her poignant use of comedy to discuss social issues such as race, sexism, politics, and religion has gained her an impressive following. As unorthodox as her style is, so is her life experiences. She previously suffered from epiglottitis ...

Who Is Hannibal Buress, Does He Have A Wife or Girlfriend & Why Was He Arrested? Making people laugh when they are tense or not in the mood is a tough order and to ply the trade, it must indeed take some guts and expertise, this is what the humor maker, Hannibal Buress has been able to achieve and sustain after his inital teething process. The African-American is a screen writer, stand-up ...

The Success of John Mulaneys Career Efforts Since His Work On Saturday Night Live and Facts About His Wife John Mulaney had been working as a professional comedian for years before Saturday Night Live changed his status for life and like many who are now his fans, you probably did not know of him then. However, that changed when he joined the sketch comedy show in 2008. Since then, he has been one of ...

Jeff Dunham  Wife, Children and Net Worth Ventriloquism is a very subtle method of making an inanimate object (like a puppet, doll or dummy) appear to be saying words which are actually coming from the person (holding the inanimate object). In effect, the individual throws his/her voice to the puppet and can even appear to be having a conversation with it. Not ...

Ellen DeGeneres  Net Worth, Wife  Portia de Rossi & Parents Ellen DeGeneres is an American female standup comedian who has proven that whatever a man can do, a woman can also do. Since her journey as a standup comedian started in 1981, she has held swirl as one of the finest comedians America and the world at large has seen. She is often referred to ...

Revisiting Joan Rivers Death  The Daughter, Husband & Net Worth She Left Behind Joan Rivers was a renowned American comedian, TV host, writer, and actress. Her brand of comedy consisted of scathing one-liners and no individual or topic is spared. She hosted her own talk shows in the 80s and 90s and was a pioneer for women in stand up comedy. She was the first woman to host a late night ...

The Struggles of Margaret Chos Childhood, How It Influenced Her Career Growth and Love Life Margaret Cho is best described as a comic star who knows how to maneuver everything related to life into a rib-cracking joke. She is also known to criticize every social and political problem, especially those involving race and sexuality. Apart from her talents as a comic actress, she does amazingly well as a singer and ...

Where Is Eric Bolling Today? Who Is His Son & What Is His Net Worth? Eric Bolling who was once a notable figure on Fox News, is an American TV personality, an author, and versatile Journalist. As a political and financial analyst/commentator, he anchored discussions bothering on finance for Fox Business Channel. Here is everything there is to know about his career, family, and allegations that led to his exit ...

Who Is Chelsea Handler and Does She Have A Husband or Boyfriend? Chelsea Handler is one of Americas top female comedians. She is also an actress, writer, television host, producer, and activist. She is known to be very outspoken even with things that are very personal. In separate interviews with The New York Times, Handler revealed that she had an abortion twice when she was 16. She has authored five books ...

How Did Laura Lee Achieve Fame, How Much is She Worth and Who is Her Husband? Laura Lee is a popular American YouTuber, make-up artist and beauty blogger. From posting videos of her makeup routines on Instagram, Lee has transformed into a beauty influencer and a YouTube sensation. Today, her YouTube Channel has over 630 million views and 4.5 million subscribers. Asides having millions of followers across all social media platforms, ...

Madison Gesiotto Bio  Ethnicity, Parents & Measurements Madison Gesiotto is no ordinary woman; although she excelled in quite a number of pageants and competitions while she was in school, it is her views on politics and issues in America that has made her name known to most people. She possesses beauty and intelligence in a seemingly equal measure and has been able ...

Who Is Lil Tay? Parents, Brother, Sister, Age, Net Worth, Ethnicity Child stardom is nothing new in the entertainment world. With the advent of social media, we have seen more stars made from the internet than ever before, and Lil Tay is one of them. Her uploaded rap videos trademark is cursing, swearing, cash-throwing, and use of obscene languages. Her fame went wild after she dropped ...

What To Know About Tig Notaros Wife, Kids and Family Today Tig Notaro is an American stand-up comic star, writer, actress, and radio analyst. Since she started her career in 2001, she has become one of Americas best comedians, particularly when it comes to observational comedy. One prominent aspect of her routine involves her family, which includes a wife and two children. Interestingly, Tig Notaro is part ...

Who Is Chantel Jeffries? What To Know About Her Age, Ethnicity & Net Worth Chantel Jeffries is a lady of many talents. Beyond being celebrated as a DJ, she has fared well as a model, an actress, musician, and as an artist. She first rose to fame on Instagram where she has a large following. However, in recent times, she has hit the spotlight for her rumored relationships with some ...

Is Ellen DeGeneres Married, Who Is The Brother  Vance DeGeneres and Family Members? Ellen DeGeneres is one of a kind celebrity in todays world as she has used her wealth for the greater good for many people. She has served a host of famous awards shows like the Grammy, Primetime Emmy and Academy Awards. Moreso, she is probably one of the most decorated entertainment personalities around the world and ...

Carli Bybel Bio  Height, Boyfriend & Net Worth Video blogging is now on the rise and YouTube is the place where most of it happens. If you are a lady who cares about her looks or a guy who likes to help his woman out with her looks, then one person whose name rings a bell when it comes to giving beauty tips ...

Who Is Lexy Panterra? What To Know About Her Ethnicity, Boyfriend & Net Worth Lexy Panterra is one of the YouTube personalities whose breakout came through the Twerk dance videos she posted on her social media handles and YouTube which has so far generated over 13 million views for her. From there on, she created her LexTwerkOut workout program in 2014. She is sure very talented as she as moved ...

Who Is AnneMunition? What Is Her Ethnicity & Does She Have A Girlfriend or Boyfriend? AnneMunition is a professional gamer and content creator of American origin. She is one of the most sought-after streamers on Twitch  a popular online platform for watching and streaming videos, especially video games. AnneMunition has almost half a million followers on Twitch and her channel has accumulated at least 13 million views. Her favorite games ...

Norm MacDonald  Former Wife, Son & Net Worth Recently, 59-year-old former Saturday Night Live stand-up comic Norm MacDonald caused a not-so-funny stir when he expressed his personal opinion about the #MeToo movement speaking in defense of Louis CK and Roseanne Barr. Following the backlash of his actions, he is diligently doing damage control for his questionable opinion by posting a public apology on ...

Inside Iliza Shlesingers Life With Husband and How Much She is Worth Now Witty, spontaneous, and truly humorous, Iliza Shlesinger is an American comedian who is clearly proving that the stereotypical claim that women are not really funny is not only incredibly wrong but completely outrageous. Having been in the game for more than 10 years, Shlesinger has grown bigger with each step, stunning fans with her incredible ...

Who Is Nessa Diab? Details of her Parents, Ethnicity & Relationship With Colin Kaepernick Nessa Diab has gained more fame as the girlfriend of different footballers than in her career. She is currently with the popular National Football League (NFL) player, Colin Kaepernick, and has stood by his side during his most trying times. Also known for her mononym, Nessa, she recently engaged in a tweet battle with the ...

Samantha Bee  Inside the Life of Full Frontal Comedian and Presenter We have over the decades seen various brands of humor and personalities who have walked the ropes. One of the formidable forces in the world of comedy is no other than the iconic Samantha Bee of the Daily Show who now runs her own television show on TBS channel. She is a Canadian-American political commentator, ...

What Happened To Jessica Williamss Boyfriend And Which Are Her Best Works? Jessica Williams is a woman who has a lot of feathers in her cap  and keeps acquiring more. The former senior political correspondent of the comic Daily Show, who is also a comedian and actress whose recent movie appearance include starring as a playwright just recovering from a recent split with her boyfriend, Damon, and ...

Who is Nicole Byer? Here are 5 Facts You Need To Know About The Comedian Nicole Byer, an American comedian, actress, and writer, made a name for herself after she played supporting roles on MTVs prank show Ladylike and the reality show Girl Code. The latter was a series that featured comedians who analyzed in minute details, all the issues that young women deal with daily, from period to dating, to weird friendship dynamics and questions about sex. Currently, ...

A Closer Look At Bart Kwans Ethnicity, Height & Personal Life Bart Kwan is one of few Asians who is known for being successful in the comic industry at an international level. His fame broke out after the YouTube channel which he created with his close pal Joe Jo garnered up massive followings. The talented duo has been running the channel since 2007 and their success ...

Heres How VanossGaming Achieved Fame Online, His Worth and Other Facts About The Gamer For many years, the decision to drop out of college to pursue an online career was considered to be foolish and self-destructive by conventional wisdom. It was no different when Evan Fong, popularly known as VanossGaming, dropped out of college to pursue a YouTube career. However, that radical move paid off, and he stands shoulder to ...

Desi Perkins  Ethnicity, Net Worth & Husband YouTube is littered with videos of makeup tutorials by different people but if you are interested in learning how to do your makeup like a pro, there is just one person on that platform who you must follow. She is none other than Desi Perkins! She is a popular make-up artist, Instagram star, and vlogger. Desi, ...

The Phases of Casey Neistats Pursuits and His Love Story With Candice Pool YouTuber, vlogger, filmmaker, and creator extraordinaire; these are just a few hats that Casey Neistat wears and the story of how he got here is incredible. A native of Connecticut, Neistat started out by making refreshingly-authentic short films and videos that featured content that was based on everyday life and called attention to serious issues. He ...

Connor Franta  Inside The Life of American YouTuber YouTube has produced a lot of young celebrities in modern times and Connor Franta happens to be one of them. Apart from being a YouTuber, the young American is also an entrepreneur, entertainer, and writer. His journey to fame began almost a decade ago when he started a self-named YouTube channel where he uploads content ranging ...

Rhett and Link  Bio, Who are Their Wives, Net Worth and Family Facts Rhett and Link refer to an American comedy duo who are very popular on YouTube. They are known for their comic songs, viral commercials, skits and the daily show, Good Mythical Morning. Good Mythical Morning is the most watched daily show online, averaging 100 million views in a month. The show has featured guests such ...

A Walk Through The Maze of Ryan Higas Career Pursuits And Relationship With Arden Cho Ryan Higa is not only celebrated as a YouTube star, but he is also famed for appearing on television screens as an actor and comedian. Nigahiga, his Youtube channel, has gathered over 20 million subscribers and billions of views with his different comic acts, short films, and music videos uploads. With the rise in his career, ...

What to Know About The Shows That Made Craig Ferguson a Star and His Family Ties Rising to the top of your profession can sometimes be a hard and difficult process. It requires days and nights of working consistently hard to be better than what you were yesterday. It requires not giving up when all of your experiences seem to be pushing you to quit. It is because of these challenges ...

David Dobrik Married Liza Koshy for One Month  Inside His Family and Relationships David Dobrik is a YouTube sensation who has garnered fame not just for his vlogs but his love life too. Given his career as a YouTuber, his channel is one place where he shares his romantic escapades. With a cute boyish look like his, this Slovakian young man is definitely a good catch, and not ...

Merrell Twins Bio  Ethnicity, Parents & Boyfriend One of the beautiful things about modern life is social media. As rudimentary as it might seem, it could turn out to be the greatest thing that would be invented in the next 50 years because of its impact on human life. Very few tools have revolutionized human behavior and culture as much as social ...

Who Is Bunny Meyer, Is She Married & What Is Her Net Worth? Bunny Meyer is a YouTube celebrity who has amassed over 8.8 million subscribers with 1.5 million viewers on her channel. She is popularly known as Grav3yardgirl and is one of the highest-paid YouTubers in the world. She initially started out as a fashion designer and later chose the path of a YouTuber. Grav3yardgirl has used her knowledge on fashion, makeup, ...

Ninja  Inside The Life of The American YouTuber and Internet Personality Ninja is a talented video game player known for his mastery of Fortnite and other seemingly difficult games he plays with ease. The video gamer made a career out of what is ordinarily the hobby of many people and has since then amassed a huge online following. Find out about him here, including the controversies that ...

What Is Eva Gutowskis True Sexuality and How Did She Rise So Fast As an Influencer? Ever since Eva Gutowski joined YouTube in 2011, it has been an interesting journey for her, moving from one milestone to the other. Backed by an army of young women and teenage girl fans known as Evanators, she has risen to become one of the most-talked-about personalities in the digital stratosphere. She has also leveraged ...

Emma Chamberlain Biography  Age, Height & Net Worth Before now, people in the entertainment industry could only achieve popularity after many years of dedication and hard work but since social media came into the scene, massive success and overnight popularity became possible. That is the story of Emma Chamberlain who encountered fame as a fifteen-year-old. Emma is one of the many young people who became ...

Anna Akana  Ethnicity, Boyfriend & Net Worth There is a new crop of YouTubers known by their different contents with a very strong uniqueness that stands every one of them out, some upload video games, some fashion while some others have comedy video contents to showcase on their channels. Anna Akana has used her platform to showcase her comedy contents to the ...

Revealing Truths About Lilly Singhs Ethnic Background, Family and Her Relationship With Yousef Erakat Lilly Singh is an Indian-Canadian YouTube personality, actress, and comedian also known as Superwoman. She kicked off her YouTube career in 2010 with the launch of her channel IISuperwomanII and followed it up with a vlog channel in 2011. This paved the way for her fame and success which led to a world tour. The ...

Who Is Andrea Constand, Is She Married and What Is Her Connection With Bill Cosby? Many people got sexually molested but could not voice out due to the stigma victims suffer and what will become of them thereafter. Very few of the victims danm every consequence to seek justice and bring the perpetrator to the book, like Andrea Constand. She never got any media buzz, not until her friend cum molester; ...

Who Is Lazarbeam (Lannan Eacott)? Here Are Facts You Need To Know Lannan Eacott became a person of interest after his YouTube channel, LazarBeam pulled him to the limelight. Initially, he started with uploads of Madden Challenge videos before deciding to build his own channel in January 2015. Within the space of three years, his YouTube channel had gathered over 7 million loyal subscribers. Today, he has not ...

Puzzling Facts About Wengies YouTube Success and More About Her Fiance Among the many YouTubers who have succeeded in winning the hearts of millions of people is Wengie. She is a Chinese-Australian YouTube personality, vlogger, singer, and voice actress. Wengie is famous for a lot of things, from her simple life hacks, DIYs, craft ideas to fun experiments, tricks and pranks. Her content portfolio also includes hair tutorials, diet & fitness tips, lookbooks, ...

Is Jeffree Star A Billionaire and How Much Does He Make On YouTube? If looks can be deceptive then theres no other person who proves this maxim better than Jeffree Star. A quick look at Stars pictures would likely leave you wondering whether or not to tag him a male or female. But who says being controversial has to be a curse? For Star, his looks have caught ...

The Place of Rosanna Pansinos Career Hats In Her Rise To Fame and Facts About Her Personal Life There are a few phrases that could summarize Rosanna Pansinos rise to fame. None of them can do it better than the famous axiom, no knowledge is lost. Her popularity YouTube comes out of her foray into other professions, specifically acting. Although acting now occupies one of the major professional hats in Rosannas resume, it was ...

Muselk (Elliott Watkins) Biography  Age, Girlfriend and Net Worth The new and best in-thing in terms of career is video gaming and we have over time seen young men and women make massive income from an activity that was purportedly designed to serve as a hobby or a relaxation activity. One of such individuals is the Australian-born YouTube Celebrity and Twitch streamer, Muselk, whose ...

PopularMMOs Biography: 5 Interesting Facts You Need To Know We have over the years seen social media millionaires, especially on the YouTube social platform. These celebrities cum millionaires have made names for themselves after carving out niches on the internet, and a typical example of one of such exciting media personality on the YouTube is American Minecraft gamer and YouTube star, PopularMMOs whose channel ...

Jason Nash Once Married Marney Hochman  What To Know About His Ex-Wife and Kids The now-defunct video-sharing app Vine was the path that led Jason Nash to fame. With it, he built an audience of over two million followers, which he parlayed into a significant YouTube career. That move has seen him become one of the most popular personalities on the internet, with the cash income to go with ...

Where Does Dantdm Live? What Do We Know About His Net Worth, Wife and Brother? Most parents buy video games for their kids to occupy their time leisure, while other parents frown at their kids when they play video games. Despite the disparity, every parent would be proud of their child if he/she eventually turns a celebrity or millionaire through playing video games like Dantdm. Biography of Dantdm Dantdm was born Daniel ...

LaurDIY  Biography: 5 Facts You Need To Know About The YouTuber LaurDIY is the YouTube channel of Lauren Riihimaki which she created on December 1, 2011, when she was still a college undergrad with the sole aim of giving Do It Yourself (DIY) as well as practical fashion and beauty tips to her followers. She has used the channel to establish herself as a YouTube personality ...

Lachlan Ross Power  Bio And Family Life Of Australian The YouTube Star It is amazing the varied sources of income that the internet has made possible in this day and age. Internet fame can get its holder a whole lot of monetary and social benefits, but it must be noted that it does not come easy or cheap. For those who desire fame, content is the sacrifice ...

Alfie Deyes  Bio and Net Worth: Everything You Need To Know Alfie Deyes is one internet personality you definitely would like to know about. He boasts of over 10 million subscribers on three of his YouTube channels and has three bestseller books to his name. He is probably the most renowned young personality on YouTube today and his vlogging empire continues to grow by the day. ...

Colleen Ballingers Love Story With Husband Erik Stocklin and How Much She Is Worth Now Colleen Ballinger is an American comedian and YouTuber who is a very funny, adventurous, and highly talented woman. She is also an actress, singer, and writer. Collen is widely known for her work on YouTube where she posts content on her channel, Miranda Sings. The comedian has gained many subscribers over the years and has ...

Who Are The Dude Perfect Members and How Much Are They Worth? Entertainment in the 21st century can be digested in many forms and with platforms like YouTube, the creators and purveyors of entertainment have been democratized. Today, one of the most popular platforms to exhibit ones creative talents is YouTube, even though there are other platforms like Twitter, Facebook, who suffer in comparison to YouTube because ...

Who Is Rudy Mancuso, What Is His Earning Power and What Do We Know About His Girlfriend? Rudy Mancuso started his internet journey on Vine. He would later transition to YouTube where he solidified his place among the internets most beloved comedic creators. He is now regarded as one of the renowned internet personalities in the world, with a presence in mainstream TV and film projects like Comedy Centrals Drunk History and ...

Vsauce (Michael Stevens) Biography and Net Worth: All You Need To Know The advent of YouTube and the internet as a whole revolutionized how human beings consume information. With each passing year, the percentage of learning that is done in a traditional classroom decrease as a seismic shift to internet-based learning happens in our education industry. From open courses online to YouTube classes and videos, there are ...

How did Jake Paul Make His YouTube Big Break and Who is His Wife? One of the most interesting Social Media personalities of the 21st century is the young and popular Jake Paul whose elder brother is the famed Vine star, Logan Paul. Jake has utilized the power of the internet to bring himself to the limelight with a channel named JakePaulProductions that has amassed up to six billion ...

5 Facts You Need To Know About Reaction Time (Tal Fishman)  The American YouTuber Before 2015, the leading meaning of reaction time was the amount of time it takes to respond to a stimulus, until Tal Fishman started his channel, Reaction Time on YouTube and the dominant meaning changed. Today, a google search of Reaction Time would deliver Tal Fishmans videos and YouTube channel link with a few physics ...

Grace Helbig  Net Worth, Boyfriend and Family Life of The YouTuber Grace Helbig is an American internet personality, comedian, actress, and writer. She became popular due to her daily vlog series, DailyGrace, which ran on My Damn Channel from 2008 to 2013. Helbig is also popular for her own indie series on YouTube, ItsGrace, which she launched in 2014. Her vlogs which feature random stuff such as ...

Mark Wiens Bio  Ethnicity, Wife and Parents Food is a great way to connect with people. We all love to eat, if not for the pleasure of food, the satisfaction of quenching hunger, and the very process of providing and sharing that food is part of the strongest bonds that bind humanity together. Maybe it is our historical connection to food, where ...

Is Filthy Frank Dead, What Happened To Him and How Much Is He Worth? As George Kusunoki Miller, he was a nobody. However, as Filthy Frank, George was one of the most famous internet personalities on the planet. The Filthy Frank Show, a sketch series on his YouTube channel, TVFilthyFrank, was one of the platforms most influential creations. He is the reason a crazy dance song, Harlem Shake, made it ...

CaptainSparklez Bio  Net Worth, House and Cars of The Famous YouTuber Sometimes, what society wants from its citizens is quite different from what the citizens want for themselves. This is evident in the life and career of video blogger and American YouTube personality, Jordan Maron famous for his YouTube channel CaptainSparklez. He dropped out of school after discovering his talent in playing an online game called Minecraft. ...

Who is Simply Nailogical (Cristine Rotenberg)? Here are Facts You Must Know Canadian Youtube personality, Simply Nailogical (Cristine Rotenberg) originally started out polishing and designing nails even before it became a trendy culture in the social media. Simply Nailogica started out her showbiz career in her early days as a child actress, acting in commercials for game and toy companies. Aside from acting, she is blogger, vlogger, specializing ...

5 Interesting Facts You Need To Know About Huda Beauty In the world of entrepreneurship, it is interesting when an individual has a mentor who he/she looks up to, this yield more productivity on the part of the individual. The iconic and rich American beautician and makeup artist Huda Kattan nicknamed Heida is the founder of the Huda Beauty blog which is number one Instagram beauty blog ...

Is Dino MasterChef Gay? Details About His Ethnicity, Girlfriend, Where He Is Now Food, for the better part of the early years of human life, was nothing more than what we needed for survival. There was no artistry or curation to the method of cooking. The scarcity of food left no room for artistic expression until we figured out agriculture and we could make as much as we ...

Who Is Gabbie Hanna And How Did She Become Famous? As the world shifts to digital media and depends more and more on streaming services for its news and entertainment content, YouTubers have become one of the leading creators in the new media world. Their understanding of the online audience: how to create, maintain, and increase followers, are all handy skills that have primed them ...

Jacksepticeye  Height, Girlfriend & Net Worth Jacksepticeye is a YouTuber and actor who gained popularity with a series of gaming videos he uploads on his channel to the delight of millions of his subscribers. He is Known primarily for his comic video game series titled Lets Play and his vlogs. His channel was formerly ranked 46th in the list of most subscribed ...

Chris Heria Personal Details: About His Wife, Height & Ethnicity Background In this generation, keeping fit has become one of the major criteria for being hale and hearty. In fact, most occupations these days are majorly concerned with ones body mass, weight and looks. Unlike the past where most people have to register in a gym to keep fit, social media has made it quite easy ...

Everything You Need To Know About Game Grumps Gaming is becoming incredibly popular on YouTube these days with game vloggers make millions of dollars out of them yearly. One of the most popular up-coming gaming YouTube channels is Game Grumps. The Lets Play series was created in 2012 and celebrated its fifth anniversary on July 18th, 2017. In six years of its existence, the ...

Daithi De Nogla Biography, Girlfriend and Net Worth YouTube has created an avenue for many to make wealth and become famous from the comfort of their homes while having fun. Many have built a career out of the platform, uploading numerous videos that have earned them the admiration of viewers across the globe. For Daithi De Nogla, he is loved for his humorous commentary on ...

Does Phoebe Robinson Have A Boyfriend or Husband and What Do We Know About Her Family? Phoebe Robinson is a New York-based comedian, writer, and actress. She is best known as the co-creator and co-host of the WNYC Studios podcast 2 Dope Queens. Just like some other female comedians, she never had any original plans of becoming a stand-up comedian even though, according to her, she took a class on a whim at Carolines on Broadway. After ...

Who Are Lex and Alana from Listed Sisters? What Is Their Ethnicity & Is the Show Cancelled? America is a country built on diversity. Everywhere you look all over the country, a countless number of immigrants or children of immigrants have become an integral part of the fabric of the country. From entertainment to business, immigrants are creating a niche for themselves and climbing to the summit of their respective professions. One ...

Riveting Facts About Danielle Lombard And What She Is Best Known For The American entertainment industry is one that provides many avenues for aspiring hopefuls to express their talents and become famous. From films to television shows and game shows, there is no shortage of ways for men and women who desire fame to pursue and earn it in the United States of America. Another tested medium ...

Unearthing New Details About The YouTube Success And Personal Life of Alex Burriss of Wassabi Productions Wildly hilarious and truly audacious, Alex Wassabi is an American YouTuber who has become a very popular face on the video-sharing platform after having garnered millions of subscribers over the years by keeping people glued to his channel with his witty parody video releases. If you have always loved parody videos, there is every chance ...

Everything You Need To Know About H2O Delirious H2O Delirious whose full birth name is reported to be Jonathan Gormon Dennis has successfully kept himself mystified by hiding his face behind the masks leaving his loyal fans speculating who he really is for many years. The American YouTube star is easily identified by the Jason Mask Style with make-up which he wears on his ...

Who Is HolaSoyGerman and What Happened To Him? German Garmendia has certainly seen it all when it comes to internet success. His channels, HolaSoyGerman and JuegaGerman are in the top twenty most subscribed channel on YouTube. The Chilean YouTuber found a way to tap into one of the worlds greatest inventions and make a living from it. He has been able to build ...

Who Are Glenn Becks Family, What Is His Net Worth And What Happened To Him? The American political commentary space is filled with different personalities. A few of them, through their rhetoric, charisma, and resources have been able to build a large following of men and women who listen to them for insight and direction for various political and social issues in the United States. For Conservatives, the story is ...

Following Charissa Thompsons Rise Through The Ranks Of Sports Casting and All About Her Boyfriend Superstar TV host and sportscaster, Charissa Thompson, has been hailed as one of the highest-profile women journalists in America, and the reason is there for all to see. She has worked for popular establishments such as Versus, Yahoo! Sports, ESPN, GSN, and Big Ten Network. She currently hosts the popular pre-game show, Fox NFL Kickoff, ...

Is Chris Kattan Gay or Does He Have A Wife? What Is His Net Worth? Chris Kattan is a popular American comedian and actor. He has appeared in several comic movies and TV series such as The Middle, A Night at the Roxbury and Bunnicula. Kattan is, however, most popular for his six-year stint as a cast member of Saturday Night Live. During his time on the legendary show, he ...

Everything You Should Know About the Rise of Insta Star Claire Abbott and Why She Gave It All Up A lot of young Americans have shot into the limelight for uploading different kinds of videos on YouTube. Some of these young stars include Connor Franta, Desi Perkins, Emma Chamberlain, the Dolan Twins (Ethan and Grayson), and Claire Abbott. The latter became a social media celebrity for uploading sexy bikini pictures of herself on social media. Apart from ...

5 Facts You Need To Know About The YouTube Channel  h3h3Productions H3h3Productions is a YouTube channel that specializes on Comic responses or reactions of other contents or trendy stories. The celebrity couple that created the channel has over time racked up sizable views for their commentaries and contents. Even though they had their own fair share of copyright cases, thankfully they scored an unprecedented victory in all ...

Lilypichu Bio  Height, Brother and Love Story With Albert SleightlyMusical Chang Like most popular internet celebrities, Lilypichu is one of those Twitch streamers who spend their lives on camera. From daydreaming about the possibility of becoming a full-time professional streamer, she grew to live out her dreams on the popular live streaming platform where people play games, make crafts, and showcase their day-to-day activities. Given the rise of ...

KSI  What To Know About His Girlfriend, Brother  Deji Olatunji & Net Worth Assuredly, when Internet inventors Vint Cerf and Bob Khan created the technological masterpiece, they probably did not know how massive the creation will be harnessed by many for different purposes including as a platform for earning money through content creation. One of such person who smiles to the bank regularly today for spending time creating ...

The Interesting Progression and Highlights of Carrie Keagans Career as a Host and Actress Carrie Keagan has garnered huge fame through her various stints on television. She is not just your regular TV host but one with a difference. Keagan has hosted several high profile events and TV shows, including VH1s Big Morning Buzz Live and Fox News Channels Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld. However, not many know she ...

The Gist On Elise Jordans Marriages And Her Rise To Prominence Political commentaries tend to be boring when it is handled by someone who does not have a knack for it. However, when you see the likes of Elise Jordan run the same commentary, you will have a lot of reasons to look forward to watching her again as the journalist is well-versed in the field ...

What Is Timmy Thick Best Known For and How Successful Is The Star? Thanks to the internet, many people whose talents would have ordinarily gone unnoticed have become famous. A very good example of this modern-day internet celebrity is Timmy Thick, an American social media star. He became popular on Instagram due to his penchant for posting raunchy pictures of himself. He also often posted videos of himself ...

What Does Heather Storm Do For a Living and Who Is She Dating? Reality Television is a great way to make a name for oneself as well as amass a fortune. Heather Storm can attest to this as she is one of those who have made a name and earned a lot from reality TV. She made her name appearing on shows like Car Fanatics, Awesome Autos, and, ...

Matt Carriker Biography  Net Worth, Wife & Height Unlike your regular veterinary doctor next door, Matt Carriker chose to spice up his noble profession with the unusual. Though he is known to many as a medical practitioner, Carriker is better renowned as a YouTube star and an animal lover. Having recorded huge successes on his various YouTube channels, the vet doctors name and ...

Jillian Mele of Fox News Career Achievements, Husband & Measurements There are quite a good number of presenters on radio and television who listeners and viewers may never wish to miss any of their shows because of their sensational golden voice, beauty or the special way or artistry they anchor their shows. Jillian Mele is one of such. She has been at the top of ...

Who is Gillian Turner of Fox News? Her Fiance or Husband and Net Worth Gillian Turner is well-known as a news correspondent for Fox News Channel but before she became a TV personality, she built an intimidating resume working for different institutions, including the American government. She served in different capacities at the White House National Security Council during the administration of former US Presidents  George W. Bush and Barack Obama. ...

Gloria Govan Bio  Age, Ethnicity & Height Even as Gloria Govan is famous as an American actress, author, a TV host, and reality television star, shes more popular as the wife of the former NBA player, Matt Barnes. She became known after appearing on the Florida version of the reality television series, Basketball Wives and later, Basketball Wives: LA  after Matt was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Sadly, ...

Michael Fishmans Interesting Start as an Actor and Why He Divorced His Wife of Many Years When one door closes, another one opens. As silly as that axiom may seem, it is the story of the resurgence of Michael Fishman, who plays D.J Conner on the popular show, Roseanne. Having played the character for several years as a child actor into his teenage years; when the show originally ended, Michael did ...

Who Is October Gonzalez  Tony Gonzalezs Wife? All You Need To Know October Gonzalez is a popular American TV host and media personality. Additionally, she is also a model. Gonzalez has hosted several TV shows such as Beat Shazam, Entertainment Tonight, and Rachel Ray. She has also featured in several reality TV shows. Gonzalezs fame is not just due to her profession but also because of her ...

Who Is Tony Berlin  Harris Faulkners Husband: His Children and Family Facts Tony Berlin is a popular American media guru. He has variously worked as a reporter, anchor, and producer for some of the biggest TV networks in America. They include CNN, CBS, NBC, and ABC (where he hosted the popular Good Morning America). Berlin has now diversified into public relations and owns his own PR firm. ...

The Progression of Gianna Tobonis Journalism Career and Details About Her Marriage to Kyle Buckley Gianna Toboni may not be your ideal newscaster but her unusual reporting is what made her a household name. The American journalist is renowned for her hard-hitting and authentic reportage. A motivator and activist for total press freedom, Gianna loves to explore pervasive cultural issues. Not only does this unique and ambitious journalist call for all ...

Dog The Bounty Hunters Family Including Details of His Late Wife and Kids Popularly known as Dog, a name which he got from the television series, Dog The Bounty Hunter, Duane Chapman, an American bounty hunter, and one-time bail bondsman, went from being convicted for a felony to being a reality TV star. He was brought to the limelight following the capture of the convicted criminal, Andrew Luster in 2003 and this eventually made ...

Vicky Karayiannis, Chris Cornells Wifes Bio, Children and Family The world of showbiz is made up of different people who serve different roles, and function in a variety of capacities, and one of the most important people are those in the background. Publicists are undoubtedly one of these background people yet they are vital to the life and fame of most of our favorite ...

Joe Rogan Has A Step-Daughter and 2 Other Kids With Wife Jessica Ditzel  Meet His Family Joe Rogan is a popular American stand-up comedian and TV host. His journey to stardom began in the late 80s and has seen him host several shows, the most popular is the game show titled Fear Factor. The exciting show dares contestants to face some of their greatest fears and embark on challenging stunts. The ...

Josh Gates and Wife Hallie Gnatovich Have 2 Kids But Who Has the Higher Net Worth? Best known for his explorations and adventures, Josh Gates, is a television presenter with a voracious appetite for seeing the world and the beauties in it. Some of that beauty, however, is in his home, in the form of two children he shares with his wife, Hallie Gnatovich. Not excluded is their marriage which has lasted ...

Holly Sonders Wiki, Plastic Surgery & Why She Divorced Her Husband  Erik Kuselias After trying everything within her capacity to have a low key wedding, Holly Sonders was drawn to the public because of her husbands controversy at his workplace. Well, the two are rumored to be divorced but the article below will give more light on how true these rumors are. Meanwhile, Holly Sonders is yet to ...

Nadeska Alexis Bio  Age, Boyfriend & Net Worth Journalism is one diverse profession that allows the practitioners to choose their area of specialty, build a career on it by reporting the truth and facts which in the long run will distinguish them as deserving commendation and recognition among their peers. Some choose to specialize in political journalism, while to others it is sports ...

Media Platforms Charlamagne Tha God Has Explored and All The Controversies He Has Courted Charlamagne Tha God is an American on-air personality, radio presenter, and more recently, author. He is popularly known as a co-host on New York radios nationally syndicated show, The Breakfast Club, a program he has been hosting alongside DJ Envy and Angela Yee since 2010. However, his early years had no connection to his current career ...

A Look At Jimmy Fallons Net Worth and Family Including His Wife & Kids Sometimes, a childs passion for something is a pointer to what he/she would become in the future. As a child, Jimmy Fallon was literally obsessed with watching the late-night comedy program, Saturday Night Live (SNL). Then, his parents would tape the clean parts for him to watch and later, he and his sister would re-enact sketches from the ...

Kay Adams Biography  Does The Sportscaster Have A Husband or Boyfriend? When you hear the phrase sports enthusiast, women are hardly the first group that comes to mind. Well, thats changing pretty fast. Especially with the rise of female sports analysts and broadcasters like Kay Adams who is famed for knowing more about sports than most men do. And why not, shes paid handsomely for it ...

Ben Shapiros Family  Meet His Wife, Kids and Sister Who is Popular for the Wrong Reasons A multi-talented man, Ben Shapiro is a man of controversial nature, an attribute that has made him an unusual public figure. An intellectual whose career path was clearly defined even before he became a man, the Jewish conservative commentator has always had his way with words. He became popular by sharing his critical and often ...

QVC Shawn Killinger Bio  Husband, Net Worth & Facts To Know Shawn Killinger is a prominent TV personality who has worked her way to the top. Though not initially a journalist by training, she defied the odds and today has established herself as a household name, as well as, worked alongside some industry legends. More than just being a reporter, newscaster, and anchor, heres all you ...

Liv Lo  Dissecting the Ethnicity, Parents and Personal Life of Henry Goldings Wife While many are aware that Liv Lo is the better half to Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding, only a few understand why his beautiful wife appears increasingly endearing to fans. A former model turned TV personality, and fitness star, Liv has an impressive resume which when combined with that of her statuesque spouse is considered a perfect ...

Stpeach Age, Husband and Other Facts About The Twitch Streamer Lisa Vannatta, famously known by her online alias, STPeach is a Canadian video game streamer cum vlogger who has garnered fame through her appearances on different video-sharing/social networking platforms such as Youtube, Instagram, Twitch, Reddit, and Twitter. The beautiful lady got her career to a start in August 2015 when she joined the live streaming video platform, Twitch. She rose to ...

Insights into Seth Meyers Wife, Family and What His Net Worth Is Celebrities are mostly remembered and known for the work they do. For Seth Meyers, his career as a comedian, writer, actor, TV host, and producer is his biggest identifier. He was on Saturday Night Live SNL show as a head writer and cast member for more than ten years during which he built a reputation ...

Who Is Jessica Gadsden  Age, Net Worth & All About Charlamagne tha Gods Wife Jessica Gadsden is an American fitness coach as well as a personal trainer. She is better known as the spouse of popular American media personality, Charlamagne Tha God. Charlamange Tha God is a well-known TV and radio personality in the U.S. He has featured in several shows (both on the radio and TV) and is ...

Who Is Collins Tuohy  Michael Ohers sister ? Her Wedding, Husband & Net Worth Collins Tuohy is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, blogger, and social media personality. She is also better known as the adoptive sister of NFL player, Michael Oher, whose life story inspired the Hollywood blockbuster The Blind Side. The Blind Side tells the true life story of Oher who grew up in an impoverished background consisting of a ...

Eye-Popping Facts About The Personal Life And Career Success Of Sportscaster Heidi Watney Heidi Watney is a media personality who has created a niche for herself as a sportscaster. Starting out as a radio presenter, the brilliant young lady has gone on to work for several prominent sports networks, and currently, she is with the MLB. The sportscaster is also known to have been an avid sports lady right ...

Marty Lagina Bio  Siblings (Martina and Rick Lagina), Net Worth and Wife Marty Lagina is an American engineer and businessman who has risen to fame as a reality TV star. This is thanks to his involvement in the adventure TV series, The Curse of Oak Island. The Curse of Oak Island is a long-running TV series which airs on the history channel. The show aims to solve ...

Is Jordan Schlansky Just A Character or a Real Life Person and What Does He Do? The world of late-night television is an interesting one. Shows during that time are geared towards giving viewers comedic relief from a long day at work through interviews and comedy sketches. The often charismatic host of this show requires the balancing talent of a producer whose primary job is to deliver great episodes. It is ...

Heres How Wealthy Jimmy Kimmel Is From All The Phases of His Career, Marriages and Sons Health Jimmy Kimmel is a renowned late-night talk show host known for his charm, wit, and the A-list guests he features on his show. As the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! On ABC, Jimmy has been serving comedy to television viewers for years which played a pivotal role in launching him into mainstream fame and enabled ...

Natasha Bertrand Biography  Is She Married? Who Is the Husband & What Is Her Age? Natasha Bertrand is not just a young prominent journalist but a first-rate investigative reporter. With her natural beauty and smile, Natashas sharp, insightful political commentary also makes her a thorough reporter. Her sound political perspective and coverage in the country have made her a force to be reckoned with in the profession. Renowned for her ...

What Happened to Shane Kilcher? His Injury Update, Net Worth and More Shane Kilcher is well-known thanks to the Discovery Channel series Alaska: The Last Frontier. It is a show that documents the daily lives of the extended Kilcher family, people who live without plumbing or modern heating. The episodes follow their routines as they rely on hunting and farming for their nutritional needs as well as ...

Is Stephanie Gosk Gay or Lesbian, Who is the Wife or Partner  Jenna Wolfe? In August 2013, NBCs Today viewers were greeted with two shocking news. Today weekend anchor, Jenna Wolfe, announced that she was as a lesbian, introducing her partner as NBC News correspondent Stephanie Gosk, and said the two are expecting their first child. A long time has passed since then and certainly, a lot of things ...

Nikki Mudarris  Bio and Net Worth: 5 Interesting Facts You Need to Know Nikki Mudarris, also known as Miss Nikki Baby, is a reality television star, model and fashionista. Shes best known for VH1s reality TV series Love & Hip-Hop: Hollywood. Her entrepreneurial skills enable her to create and run a successful lingerie line Nude by Nikki. Not only that, but Nikki has also successfully run the Las ...

5 Interesting Things You Need To Know About Kelly Nash Ever heard of the lady who gained national prominence for taking a selfie with a dangerous ball just a few inches away from hitting her? Its no other person than Kelly Nash, an American sports broadcaster currently working as host of The Rundown show which airs on MLB Network every weekday at 2 pm ET. ...

Understanding The Height of Fame John Oliver Achieved With The Daily Show and How He Met His Wife Without knowledge of who he is and his exemplary career, John Oliver cuts an unassuming figure of a regular man but he is one of the most influential personalities in America, especially on television. Since he began his career in 1998, he has been a loud and unapologetic agent of change, using his wit and ...

Why Did Big Chief Leave Street Outlaws, Where Is He Now And Why Did He Divorce His Wife? Justin Shearer, otherwise known by his professional name Big Chief is a famous street racer and television personality. He is famously known for being one of the main characters on the racing reality television series, Street Outlaws. Justin, who had been a significant part of the show since its premiere in 2013, appeared in a ...

Who is Josina Anderson of ESPN? Her Husband and Family Facts There has been a gradual paradigm shift in the world of sports which has today produced the likes of Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, and other female athletes that are pulling great feats in different sporting fields. Their achievements have also been followed by the emergence of female sports journalists such as Jillian Mele, Eboni Williams, ...

Is Brittany Wagner Married, Who Is The Husband, How Old Is She? Brittany Wagner has been an inspiration to a lot of sports youngster. She has won the hearts of many athletic students with her role as a life coach and an academic counselor. She is well groomed in her career and has worked over a decade for The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and The National ...

Tati Westbrook Bio  Age, Husband & Net Worth With five videos dished out every week, alongside running her own brand, beauty guru, and YouTube superstar Tati Westbrook has proved to the world that theres utterly no impossibility or limit to whatever one is passionate about. Tati is best known for being the owner and manager of the worlds most-viewed beauty and lifestyle YouTube channel, ...

Cathy Areus Long Road to Becoming a Freelance Journalist and What to Know About Her Kids An American freelance journalist, news analyst, and author, Cathy Areu has built a lasting reputation for herself on cable television. Popular for her skillful and sassy presentation of professional views on varying topics including cultural and feminist issues, Cathy is an inspiration to many women across the globe. In addition to being a journalist, she ...

Tucker Carlsons Love Story With Wife Susan Andrews, their Children and Net Worth Today On the TV screens, Tucker Carlson is that fiery fellow who passionately dishes out his conservative and often controversial views on issues of national importance. Such brazenness has fetched him many enemies, especially on the left-wing, but it has also helped him cement a reputation as one of the foremost broadcast journalists in America. His ...

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The Progression of Howard Sterns Career As A Media Personality And Why He Divorced His First Wife Howard Stern is a legendary American radio host, who has also done some notable work as an actor, producer, author, as well as photographer. The radio personality achieved worldwide fame as a result of his self-titled radio program, The Howard Stern Show. As a professional radio personality, he has worked in different radio stations. Since 2006, ...

Lisa Joyners Biography  Ethnicity, Net Worth and Other Key Facts Lisa Joyner is an American Journalist, TV talk show host, and actress. Some of her well-known works are her correspondences for the Los Angeles based TV KCBS, inFANity show, Find My Family Show including her film and television appearances in Brimstone, American Sweetheart, The Bold and The Beautiful among others. Lisas passion for reconnecting people with their biological families ...

Amanda Balionis Rise Through the Ranks of Sportscasting and the Identity of Her Boyfriend Amanda Balionis is an American sportscaster currently working as a golf broadcaster for CBS Sports. Among so many of her works in the field of sports reporting, Amandas PGA Tour coverage seems to be the most popular so far. She covered the Super Bowl working with CBS Sports social media team in Atlanta, where she ...

Dissecting Charles Paynes Sexual Allegations, Its After Effects and More About His Wife Charles Payne had a respectable career as an analyst on Wall Street before he made the transition to television and became a contributor and later a host on Fox. In that time, his expertise has come under scrutiny, and he has been at the center of at least one major controversy. The major controversy in question ...

Erik Asla And Tryra Banks Split: Everything You Need To Know Tyra Banks and Erik Asla have called it quits! The couple, who began dating in 2013 and have a son named York Banks Asla, has decided to end what everybody taught was the perfect relationship. Neither person has come out to give a reason for the breakup, but what is obvious right now is that ...

What to Note About Dr Terry Dubrows Qualifications, TV Works and Marriage to Heather Kent In the realm of people that we expect to see regularly on our screens, medical doctors are closer to the bottom of the list. Aside from the fact that their work has little correlation with TV, they are presumably too busy to pursue life as TV personalities. Yet, a few of them have usurped this ...

Jessica Goch  Bio: 5 Things You Didnt Know About Ninjas Wife Jessica Goch is the Schofield-born American Social Media Influencer who has worked as a model but is now better known as a host and interviewer of prominent Electronic sports celebrities at popular gaming events/tournaments. The screen queen also serves as the manager of her famous husband Ninja aka Tyler Blevins whose exploits on Twitch and Fortnite has ...

CNNs Chris Cuomo Biography  Wife, Family & Net worth Chris Cuomo needs no elaborate introduction as he has starred graced many prominent Television cable networks and his voice has been heard through acknowledged radio shows. He is a television journalist and Lawyer who has previously worked for ABC News as Chief law and justice correspondent as well as a co-anchor on 20/20. If you still ...

Neil deGrasse Tyson  Family, Religion & Net Worth Neil deGrasse Tyson is a distinguished American astrophysicist and author who has been able to achieve so much after falling in love with astronomy at the age of 9. He has since attended and become an alumnus of prestigious universities such as Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia, and also recorded numerous achievements in his field of ...

Is Simon Cowell Gay? Does He Have A Wife or Girlfriend and Why is He Famous? Simon Cowell is a well-known talent show judge, TV producer, entrepreneur and one of the most popular TV personalities that Britain has ever produced. In conjunction with his company, Syco, Cowell is the brain behind hugely successful talent hunt shows such as The X-Factor UK, The X-Factor US, Britains Got Talent, Americas Got Talent and ...

Everything To Know About Joanna Gaines Life With Chip Gaines, Their Business Pursuits and Kids Joanna Gaines and her husband Chip Gaines became celebrities after their television show Fixer Upper began airing back in 2013. The show which was about home renovation and decoration ran for about 6 seasons with a total of 79 episodes before the couple bade farewell to it in April 2018. Apart from their appearances on ...

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Inside Guy Fieris Family With Wife, Kids and Sister Who Died of Cancer Over the years we have seen men dominate the kitchen and churn out amazing delicacies from it. Some do it way better than their female counterparts and one of such men is Guy Ramsay Fieri  an American TV host, celebrity chef, restaurant owner, bestselling author of four culinary books, and game show host. His ...

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"It is an open secret that the works were selected by the prime minister's chief art advisor  his wife Lucy Turnbull  on her several trips to the National Gallery, who of course is the niece of the famous Australian art critic, Robert Hughes.
"In cases of urgent and temporary appointments it may be justified as a requirement in order to get the work done, but it is not clear from the job descriptions given that many were genuinely urgent and temporary," he said.
ZTE will replace infrastructure installed in 2003 with dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) equipment. The deal will be funded through a vendor finance agreement and the network will be operated by the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company (UETCL).

The first networks to be worked on will be in the Kampala, Jinja and Tororo regions as well as Malaba on the Kenyan border.

According to Frank Tumwebaze, minister of information technology and communications in the Ugandan government, a second phased will be built in the regions of Soroti, Lira, Masaka and the Fort Portal-Hoima area. These will be connected to Rwanda via the Mirama border post.

Tumwebaze was delivering the keynote speech at the Capacity Africa conference in Kampala, Uganda.

Erias Kiyemba, managing director of UETCL, said: Local consumers will eventually benefit from lower user costs charged on data products. We expect this venture to yield strong returns after three-to-five years of operation.

The new backbone  which will be a major capacity boost for ISPs and wholesale carriers  is expected to increase the uptake of internet services in rural areas. Neighbouring countries will also benefit from the venture.

According to UETCL, the original fibre network was installed in 2003 on the companys pylons, in order to support a reliable, safe and efficient power supply. The company leased excess capacity to telecoms providers.

With the development of the mobile technology and booming electronic multimedia applications in Uganda, there has been a high demand of the fibre, said UETCL. The data infrastructure will provide a high speed internet connection in Uganda and the East African region.

The new backbone will connect Uganda to Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, and to subsea cables serving east Africa.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Edward Nalbandian on September 27 delivered a speech at the Berkeley University of California, press service of the MFA informed Armenpress.

In his speech the acting Minister presented in-detail the Azerbaijani aggression unleashed against Nagorno Karabakh in April and the situation created as a result of it.

In April Azerbaijan, grossly violating 19940-1995 ceasefire agreements, unleashed a planned large-scale aggression against Nagorno Karabakh by applying offensive arms such as air force, heavy artillery, multiple rocket launchers, tanks. This attack was accompanied by gross violations of the international humanitarian law. Bakus this adventure greatly impacted the negotiations and had a serious effect on the peaceful process, Edward Nalbandian said.

We together with the Co-Chairs are making efforts to overcome the consequences of the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan. In this context, it is necessary to restore the trust towards the peaceful settlement of the conflict, which we see on the creation of conditions preventing the use of force and contributing to moving forward the peaceful process. This was the major goal of the summits held in Vienna in May and St. Petersburg in June. First of all, the agreements reached at the summits must be implemented which are the followings: full respect and implementation of 1994-1995 trilateral termless ceasefire agreements, installation of investigative mechanisms for ceasefire violations, and expansion of capabilities of the office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, the acting Minister highlighted.

Responding to the participants question, Edward Nalbandian talked about the Syrian crisis, the steps aimed at solving the issues of Syrian Armenians, Armenias relations with neighboring states, Armenias approaches on a number of regional issues, the works of the UN General Assemblys 71st session, his meetings during the visit in the US and their results.
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YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The Bulgarian government on Wednesday nominated European Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva to stand for the United Nations Secretary-General post after another candidate, Irina Bokova, dropped in the ranking in the fifth U.N. Security Council secret ballot, Reuters reported.

The nomination of Georgieva, a powerful deputy president of the European Commission responsible for the bloc's budget, increases the chances of Bulgarian taking over at the head of the global organization, Prime Minister Boiko Borisov told a government meeting.

"We consider that this will be a more successful nomination," Borisov told his ministers.
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Bengaluru, September 28, 2016: Registrations for the Common Admission Test (CAT) to Indian Institutes of Management and other leading B-schools have shot up to a 7-year high, with 2,32,434 applications received by the Office of the Convenor of CAT 2016 on September 27, 2016, the registration deadline. There were 2, 18,664 registrations for the test last year.

"From the period CAT 2010 to CAT 2016, this is the highest number of applicants," said Professor Rajendra K. Bandi, Convenor, CAT 2016. "While we still have a majority of male candidates (67%), the percentage of female candidates has marginally increased by 1% compared to last year, which is a good sign, but not good enough," he observed. [Also read: CAT 2016 Registrations End, Records 7-year High]

"However, if we look at the total increase in the applications compared to last year, which is close to 14,000, almost half of these additional applications have come from female candidates. This is a positive sign. That means, the increase of female candidates is more than the increase of male candidates," he explained.

The number of PWD (Persons with Disability) applicants has increased from 901 to 938. "In this category, the percentage of male candidates is very high (more than 80%), which is something to think about. Our social systems need to encourage female PWD students. However, on the positive side, the percentage of female PWD candidates has increased from 14.76% to 17.48%. Small positive steps, but miles to go on this," Prof. Bandi added.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The Emergency Situations Coordination Council session of the CSTO will take place in Yerevan on September 29, the CSTO website reported.

The Emergency Situations Coordinating Council session of CSTO member states will take place on September 29 in Yerevan, which will be chaired by Armenias Emergency Situations Minister Armen Yeritsyan. Deputy Secretary General of CSTO Valery Semerikov will take part and deliver a speech, the statement reads.

The CSTO response to emergency situations will be discussed during the session. Issues related to expanding cooperation with international organization during the delivery of aid to victims of emergency situations will also be discussed.

The creation of an Armenian-Russian humanitarian response center in the territory of Armenia will be discussed, as well as the chairmanship of the Councils session in 2017 and the schedule of the 2017 exercises.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The Investigation Department of the State Revenue Committee (SRC)revealed that sole proprietor Gohar Vlasyans intentional creation of features of insolvency and tax evasion caused the state a damage of about 60 million drams, according to preliminary calculation. During preliminary examination conducted within the framework of a criminal case initiated under Articles 205 and 193 of Armenian Criminal Code, it was revealed that the accused also owned limited liability companies Hagtrans, Gohlil, Khachtrans, Vlasgoh, as well as a sole proprietorship by the name of her father Razmik Vlasyan. All the mentioned companies and the SP carried out entreprenural activity: particularly, various items were imported or transported to Armenia from EAEU countries and no taxes were paid. On May 27, 2016 Gohar Vlasyan was charged with an accusation under Article 193 of Armenian Criminal Code, Armenpress was informed from the press service of the SRC.

A preliminary investigation showed that SRC worker Tigran Mkhitaryan had been providing guiding information to Vlasyan using his official duties and based on questioning results. Head of Information and Analysis Division of Artashat Territorial Tax Inspectorate T. Mkhitaryan undertook against a money reward to do the accounting of the companies owned by Vlasyan. Being informed that Vlasyan hadnt filed to the tax inspectorate the returns of the companies activity, he did not fulfill his duties. After hearing about the criminal proceeding, Mkhitaryan pledged Vlasyan to file the returns he compiled, which however didnt reflect the actual image of taxes payable. Mkhitaryans office and apartment were searched and accounting documents related to various businesses activity were found: he conducted the accounting of other companies also.

Taking into account the fact that Tigran Mkhitaryan used his office against the interests of the service, a criminal case was initiated by the facts of part 1 of Article 308 of RA Criminal Code and was sent to Special Investigation Service of Armenia for preliminary investigation.

Inspector of Special Cases of SRCs Inspection Department Tigran Harutyunyan points out that there is a trend of noncompliance with regulations in importing goods from EAEU countries: Invoices are being forged on the territory of Russia - including the description and value of items - so that the given business has less tax liabilities after importing items to Armenia. However, Harutyunyan assures that SRC detected all the facts and found out about the Russian companies. He calls for business entities to refrain from similar illicit activities and stresses that the goods being imported from EAEU countries are under tightened control.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. PM Karen Karapetyan has met the representatives of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia (UMBA) on September 28.

Karapetyan said he expects to hear from the entrepreneurs obstacles for the development of business and concerns and simultaneously proposed to present steps which are expected from the government, which will create favorable conditions for the business environment.

On behalf of the union, UMBA President Arsen Ghazaryan congratulated Karen Karapetyan on assuming the post of PM and wished effective work. He presented several issues which were raised during a discussion with businessmen, aimed at positive changes of the business environment and the current economic situation. In this context Mr. Ghazaryan welcomed the Governments initiative on making structural changes. In particular, he stressed the importance of renaming the Economy ministry to Ministry of Economic Development and Investments, which will make the ministrys work more targeted.

In response PM Karapetyan said the Ministry of Economic Development and Investments will be a bridge for the government and entrepreneurs and will support in all matters. We have raised the following issue  change the principle attitude towards businessmen. We will try by all means to show that we are your partner. We are ready to regularly respond to all raised issues and we will do everything in order for the joint work to be maximally transparent. In his words, the first and foremost issue of the government is to create an environment where the businessman operating in the white field will feel comfortable, and the businessmen operating in the shadow to realize that first and foremost he needs to become a diligent tax payer. During the discussion, the strategy of macroeconomic development was discussed, formation of equal competitive field, Tax Code draft and other issues.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The European Commission signed two direct grants worth 600 million on September 28 to support Syrian refugees and host communities in Turkey in the areas of education and health, "Armenpress" reports, citing the official website of the European Commission.

Since March this year, the EU has mobilised more than 2 billion out of its total budget of 3 billion under the Facility for Refugees in Turkey. The Facility supports the implementation of both the EU-Turkey Joint Action Plan and the EU-Turkey Statement and is designed to address the most critical needs of Syrian refugees and host communities living in Turkey today.

Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations said: "With the two direct grants signed today, almost half a million Syrian children will gain access to compulsory education. EU assistance will also provide the Syrian refugees with access to much needed health care services. This confirms the European Union's continuous commitment to improving the conditions of refugees living in Turkey. We will work hard to continue delivery and should sign further contracts in the areas of education, health, municipal infrastructure and socio-economic support to refugees in Turkey over the months to come."

The 600 million grants - 300 million for education and 300 million for health - are funded under the 1.415 billion Special Measure that was adopted by the Commission at the end of July. They help the Turkish authorities cover operational costs and access to compulsory education and healthcare services for Syrian refugees and their children.

The grants will serve to reimburse the Ministries of Education and Health for costs incurred in their efforts to integrate Syrian pupils and students into the Turkish education system, and to ensure Syrian refugees in Turkey have access to health care. The direct grant for education should enable around 500,000 Syrian students to receive education in the Turkish language. The direct grant in the area of health should ensure the provision of comprehensive health care for refugees in Turkey.
This years Paris Auto Show is set to be a big one for Jeep as the company celebrates its 75th anniversary and brings with it a selection of updated models.



Headlining Jeeps presence at the show will be the 2017 Grand Cherokee. Adorned with a host of restyled components, the new Grand Cherokee will start to arrive in dealerships from December. The new model is now available with the Trailhawk trim level, similar to the Cherokee and Renegade Trailhawk models. The vehicle will also be offered in the Summit trim level when it hits showroom floors.

Also at Paris, Jeep will display two special edition models, dubbed the Renegade Desert Hawk and Cherokee Night Eagle II. The first of these models has a more rugged appearance thanks to custom decals, a matte black front grille, 17-inch black aluminum wheels and a rear tow hook. The interior of the model is then adorned in black leather and cloth seats complete with white stitching.

The Jeep Cherokee Night Eagle II on the other hand gives the firms mid-size SUV a more sporty and aggressive look. This comes thanks to the selection of black styling cues, 18-inch wheels and black leather interior. Jeep will also bring along a Wrangler and Renegade model upgraded by Mopar.

Paris will also mark the introduction of the companys new Dual Dry-Clutch six-speed automatic transmission mated to its 1.6-liter Multijet II engine. This gearbox was previously only coupled to the 1.4-liter engine and promises seamless shifts without any loss in torque.

Beyond its vehicular display, Jeep will also offer attendees the chance to experience what Jeep is all about thanks to Oculus virtual reality technology and a number of interactive, 360-degree videos.

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A host of the worlds largest and most advanced automakers are approaching three Austrian brothers who claim to be making electric powertrains better than those of Tesla.



Kreisel Electric GmbH, formed by Johann, Markus and Philipp, is already producing battery packs and electric motors, builds electric prototypes for numerous car makers and designs lithium-ion battery production lines for OEMs, reports Automotive News.

The trio claim that every day, they receive up to 20 inquiries from different companies, including BMW, McLaren and Volkswagen, looking for help in development their respective fleet of electric vehicles.

According to the brothers, their thermal-cooling techniques and patented laser-welding allows their lithium-ion cells to preserve full power better than the batteries currently used by Tesla.

The whole industry is searching, and we actually have the solution. ompanies come out and offer us projects. We have no real competitors in terms of the way we do business, says Markus Kreisel.

While the company currently operates out of a three-car garage, it recently broke ground on the countrys first lithium-ion battery assembly plant. It is hoped that battery production will start at the facility next year, allowing Kreisel to fulfil a contract it recently made with an undisclosed automaker that will build 100,000 cars over the next two years.

The 68,000 square foot factor will be large enough for Kreisel to sell 50 million cells in 2017, equating to around 6,000 battery packs.

Recently, Kreisel received an order of up to 2,000 electric powertrains and battery packs to the VDL Groep for a fleet of electric Mercedes-Benz Sprinters in the Netherlands.

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There have been 17 Formula 1 races at Sepang since 1999 and in total, the Malaysian Grand Prix has seen 9 different winners throughout the years.



This might prove to be good news for anybody hoping that Mercedes will have their hands full this weekend with either Red Bull or Ferrari, though it was the Scuderia that claimed victory last year with Sebastian Vettel crossing the finish line first, beating Lewis Hamilton by 8.5 seconds.

Vettel also holds the all-time record for most laps led at Sepang with 175, having passed Fernando Alonso when he claimed victory last year.

Malaysia has also been the place where Max Verstappen (with Toro Rosso last year) became Formula 1s youngest points scorer after finishing 7th in 2015. He was just 17 years, 5 months and 27 days old and was already able to drive the wheels off that Renault-powered STR10, as youre about to see in the video below.

As he frequently does, former F1 star David Coulthard provides the narration as he analyzes not just the track, but also the way Max carries himself through the corners.

What sets the Sepang track apart from other F1 venues is the number of high speed corners. The scary chicane near the end of the lap is one obvious highlight that requires drivers to approach it flat out in order to not lose time.

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YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on September 28 that Washington would send more U.S. troops to help local forces in the battle to retake Mosul from Islamic State expected later this year, Armenpress reports, citing Reuters.

"American President Barack Obama was consulted on a request from the Iraqi government for a final increase in the number of trainers and advisers under the umbrella of the international coalition in Iraq," he said in a statement.

In Washington, a U.S. official confirmed the United States was "prepared to provide additional U.S. military personnel to train and advise the Iraqis as the planning for the Mosul campaign intensifies." The official did not elaborate.

Abadi met Obama and Vice President Joe Biden last week on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, though it was not clear whether the deal was sealed there.

U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, who oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East, told Reuters in July the U.S. military expected to seek additional troops in Iraq.

The United States has at least 4,400 troops in Iraq as part of a U.S.-led coalition providing extensive air support, training and advice to the Iraqi military, which collapsed in 2014 in the face of Islamic State's lightning advance toward Baghdad.

Iraqi forces, including Kurdish peshmerga forces and mostly Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias, have retaken around half of that territory over the past two years but Mosul, the largest city under the ultra-hardline group's control anywhere across their self-proclaimed caliphate, is likely to be the biggest battle yet.

U.S. and Iraqi commanders say the push on the city could begin by the second half of October.

Current U.S. troop levels in Iraq are still a fraction of the 170,000 deployed at the height of the nine-year occupation that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003, sparking an al Qaeda-backed insurgency and throwing the country into a sectarian civil war.

Loath to become mired in another conflict overseas, the White House has insisted there would be no American "boots on the ground" and while coalition troops were initially confined to a few military bases, Americans have inched closer to the action as the campaign progresses.
According to a Fiat-Chrysler Automobile (FCA) spokesperson, Sergio Marchionne wont attend this years Paris Auto Show for reasons currently unknown.



The FCA CEO, whos also in charge of luxury supercar manufacturer Ferrari, was scheduled to meet with journalists in Paris on Thursday, though that seems to no longer be the case.

The media availability with Sergio Marchionne on Sept. 29 at the Paris Motor Show has been cancelled, said the FCA in an official statement, followed by a spokesperson adding that the CEO will not be attending the show at all.

This is also not the first time Marchionne has cancelled his appearance at an auto show, having previously done so a year ago in Frankfurt after FCA was picked as the target company in labor talks in the US, as reported by Autonews.

Now, Unifor, the union representing Canadian auto workers, has targeted FCA as its next negotiating brand after workers agreed to a new contract with General Motors.

Theres also a tentative strike deadline for these talks, set for Oct.10th, stated Unifor on Sunday.
Designed to negotiate queues on behalf of its occupant, Nissans ProPilot Autonomous Chair promises to spare users the hassle of standing in line.



Named after the brands autonomous driving technology, which has been available on the Serena in Japan since August, it works in a similar way, by detecting and automatically following chairs in front of it, and maintaining a fixed distance while travelling along a set path.

The ProPilot Chair appeals to anyone who has queued for hours outside a crowded restaurant: it eliminates the tedium and physical strain of standing in line. The same user-friendly philosophy underpins Nissans ProPilot autonomous driving technology, which was designed to ease driver workload by assisting with the most tiring and repetitive aspects of driving in heavy highway traffic, the automaker writes.

Before making it available for consumers, Nissan is making sure that the chair gets a fair share of real-world testing, and for that, it allows restaurants across the Land of the Rising Sun to apply for the use of chairs until December 27, by tweeting their name, webpage and the hastags #NissanProPilotChair #Wanted.

Selected restaurants will receive a batch of chairs in 2017, but until then, those interested in the technology can visit the public gallery at the companys Global Headquarters in Yokohama, from September 29 through October 2, where five of the chairs will be exhibited.

This isnt, however, Nissans first attempt at making clever chairs, as it follows the Intelligent Parking Chair concept, inspired by the park assist technology that allows drivers to easily park their vehicles using automatic steering, which was unveiled earlier this year.

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A day is what separates enthusiasts from catching a first glimpse into the 2016 Paris Auto Show, and Renault is working hard to make sure that everything is ready for the big reveal.



Taking center stage at the French automakers stand will be a new concept car, called Trezor, which is described as a worthy successor to the DeZir concept, presented back in 2010. The study, whose shape remains unknown at the time, is said to mark the beginning of a brand new design cycle for Renault.

Trezor kicks off a new chapter in the history of Renault styling, while the name of the new concept car conjures up the image of a prized, multifaceted object to be discovered and explored. The letter Z refers to its electric Z.E. powertrain, the automaker writes in the short statement that accompanies the teaser image.

Before Renault will be ready to pull the covers off their most recent study, we will remind you that the companys stand in Paris will include the facelifted Clio, Scenic Edition 1, Koleos Initiale Paris, and the new Alaskan pickup truck. The new models could also be joined by the Clio RS 16, Megane Sedan and facelifted Zoe as well.

The manufacturers press conference will commence on Thursday, September 29, in Hall 1, at 9:15 am CET (3.15 am EST) and will be led by Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn and SVT Corporate Design Laurens van den Acker.

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Rolls-Royce is accustomed to catering towards customers for whom price is no object. So despite the enormous costs involved in importing new cars into Japan, the luxury automaker is steadily expanding its footprint in the insular island nation.



Japan stands as Rolls-Royces fourth largest individual market in the world, but prior to this year it had only three dealerships there: one in Tokyo, another in Yokohama, and (from 2013) a third in Osaka. The past few months, however, have seen two more showrooms open in Nagoya and Fukuoka. And in the first half of next year, therell be a sixth opening in Hiroshima.

Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos announced the expansion while visiting the country, touring the five existing showrooms. After the companys sales in the critical Chinese market dropped by over 50 percent last year, its success in Japan has been critical to its overall growth in the Asia Pacific region.

The Wraith stands as the companys most popular model in Japan as the current Phantom winds down its lifecycle before the next-generation model arrives in 2018. Partially because of the markup margin inherent in such high-end automobiles, Rolls-Royce is able to partially offset the cost of importation to Japan. Where the Wraith costs approximately $300,000 in the US, it costs 34.9 million yen in Japan, or the approximate equivalent of $346,000. Meanwhile the Cadillac CT6s sticker price nearly doubles by the time it crosses the Pacific.

The Japanese showrooms represent less than five percent of the total number of Rolls-Royce dealers around the world, but then Japan only represents 1.7 percent of the worlds population. The automaker currently supplies some 130 dealers in fewer than 50 countries, making its network roughly the same size as Lamborghinis.

36 of those dealers are located in the United States, with seven of those in California alone and another six in Florida. The United Arab Emirates, by comparison, only has three Rolls-Royce dealers, although one of them regularly ranks as the brands largest and most successful in the world.

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The creators of South Park have taken to the streets to promote the recent premier of its 20th season. And as you might have expected, theyre ticking off some people who dont appreciate their particular brand of humor.



The publicity campaign saw Comedy Central (the network on which the show runs) sending out a small fleet of trucks to select locations with customized billboards depicting relevant scenes from episodes past.

The trucks were photographed in front of Casa Bonita, PF Changs, KFC, and Hooters restaurants in Colorado and Los Angeles; the White House and Lincoln Memorial in DC; the head offices of the Scientology and Mormon churches in LA and Salt Lake City; both the Trump and Clinton presidential campaigns headquarters in New York; Facebooks offices in Silicon Valley; the Canadian border in Buffalo; and a Whole Foods in California. They even sent one to the actual city of South Park, CO.

Weve been there, reads the caption on the truckside billboards, but some apparently wished they werent. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the trucks were asked to leave from in front of the White House, Lincoln Memorial, and Church of Scientology.

Walter Levitt, chief marketing officer for Comedy Central, said: We knew some locations might not be pleased to have us out there, but we thought this is a perfect way to celebrate everything the series has covered in its 19 seasons.

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The BMW M3 has turned 30 years old, and over the course of three decades, it not only became one of the biggest household names in the performance world, but also gave birth to some really special versions that never saw the light of the production line.



With the fifth generation currently on sale, the Bavarian high-performance sedan has been considered the default choice in the segment, at least for most of its life, and undoubtedly rightly so.

BMW never rested on a recipe for its mid-sized warrior, switching ingredients and its approach to what a drivers car should be with every new generation and that is reflected when you think of all the M3s that hit the road in the last three decades.

But its the most unusual derivatives we are going to talk about here, the versions that never came close to production, the ones that were created just for the fun of it. Lets start then.



The 1986 E30 M3 Pickup

The pickup version of the E30 M3 wasnt created for BMW to see if people wanted one. Instead, this weird but wonderful creation was built as the perfect vehicle to transport work equipment and parts around the premises of the BMW M Division.

BMW M used the body of a E30 Convertible to serve as the basis of their M3 Pickup, thanks to its additional built-in bracing that made it ideal for a pickup conversion. The original M3 Pickup started its life without the characteristic flared wings as it was instead wearing a regular narrow body. The engine also came from the so-called Italian M3, the 320iS that employed a destroked version of the S14 engine, measuring 2.0 liters in capacity. Later though, a 200hp 2.3-litre S14 engine found its way under the bonnet.

The car went on and offered its services reliably around the factory for over 26 years before it was finally retired four years ago.

The 1996 E36 M3 Compact

In a way, this M3 Compact is the predecessor of the 1-Series M Coupe and the M2 Coupe models as the idea behind it is the same: to give younger customers an entry point into the BMW M world. If BMW had decided to put it into production, it would most likely feature a detuned version of the E36 M3s 3.2-litre inline-six engine.

But the prototype itself though featured the same engine with the E36 M3 in a lighter body, meaning 321hp in a car that tips the scales at just 1,300kg (2,866 lbs). The hot-hatch world would have never been the same if it had came to production.

The 2000 E46 M3 Touring

Just look at it and weep. The E46 generation of the M3 is widely considered one of the most successful designs in the models course and combining the wide flares with the beautiful wagon body just makes us even sadder that this prototype never came to a production line.

BMW showed that it was possible to integrate a Touring derivative into the M3 production with little difficulty, even with the flared rear arches that demanded the rear doors to be reworked.

The 2011 BMW E90 M3 Pickup

When the original E30 M3 Pickup started to show the first serious signs of wear, the folks over at BMW M decided it was time for a successor. This time though, they thought to have a bit of fun as well as April 1 was just around the corner.

The E90 generation of the M3 Pickup served as one of the companys best April Fools jokes, even testing the car on the Nurburgring, resulting to many spy shots and strong rumors emerging from every corner of the media universe.

The car itself followed the same recipe with its predecessor; BMW M engineers used a 3-Series Convertible body due to its existing strengthening elements, with power coming from a thunderous 4.0-litre V8 engine with 414hp. And unlike its predecessor, this thing is fully road-legal.

PHOTO GALLERY

BMW E30 M3 PICKUP

BMW E36 M3 COMPACT

BMW E46 M3 TOURING

BMW E90 M3 PICKUP

BONUS: THE MIGHTY M3 CSL
As you may know, the original Shelby Cobra was actually an Ac Ace on steroids, after Carrol Shelby dropped a massive V8 under its bonnet, but AC constructed much rarer cars. Like this Aceca model.



Introduced at the 1954 London Motor Show, the Aceca was based on ACs two-seater, but it was more than an Ace with a roof.

The Aceca was manufactured to be a sophisticated, elegant Gran Tourer, focusing on passenger comfort with various improvements over its al fresco sibling. It utilized sound-absorbing fiberglass and had rubber bushings on the chassis-mounted rear differential.

Hand-built from aluminum on a tube frame chassis, the model was initially powered by an in-house 2.0-litre inline-six, developing 90 hp. However, from 1956 AC began offering an Aceca-Bristol variant  powered by pre-war BMW-inspired, 2.0-litre Bristol engines that were available in both 105 and 120 HP tune.

Only 151 regular models have been hand-built between 1954 and 1963, and another 196 Aceca-Bristols from 1956 to 1963. In total, the company manufactured 328 models, 8 of which were sold as the Aceca 2.6 and were animated by 2553 cc tuned Ford Zephyr engines.

The example in Matt Farahs latest video is a truly outstanding gem, but its governed by some interesting discrepancies. According to the owner, the 1958 model still has the original paint, and its the last car AC painted before going out of business. Petrol crises and world events led to the bankruptcy of AC in the late seventies.

Moreover, its said that the engine in the car  which develops 150 hp  comes from a pre-war BMW 328, but thats a stretch, especially considering its actually a Bristol-built copy of BMWs variant. It also says its a Bristol on the badge. And no, its definitely not a swap, considering that an original 328 goes for double the price (or even more) of an Aceca.

But youll find more about the model in the video down below from a person that uses it as a daily driver.

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YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The annual bilateral negotiations on the military cooperation between Armnenia and Germany took place on September 28 at the Defense Ministry of Armenia, attended by Head of Department of International Cooperation of the German Federal Ministry of Defense, Colonel Christian Schmidt. The results and achievements of the cooperation in 2016 were summarized and the military cooperation plan 2017 was elaborated at the meeting.

As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, First Deputy Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan received the German delegation to sum up the negotiations. The sides highly appreciated the results of the talks, the level of Armenian-German military cooperation, the joint participation in the mission to ensure stability in Afghanistan, and stated their mutual readiness to further develop the cooperation.
Photo: RDCO

Open burning season returns in the Central Okanagan this weekend.

Burning will be allowed as of Saturday, Oct. 1, when air quality and venting conditions are good  provided property owners obtain a permit from their local fire authority.

All burning must be completed by April 30, though the spring end to burning season could change, depending on the fire hazard.

Property owners must call the toll-free Outdoor Burning Hotline: 1-855-262-2876 (BURN) to determine if open burning is allowed on a particular day. Both venting and air quality must be good for burning to occur.

This information will also be available each day after 8 a.m. at regionaldistrict.com/airquality.

Nuisance smoke is not allowed, and yard waste such as leaves, pine needles, grass clippings and weeds are not allowed to be burned.

Residents are encouraged to use clean-air options including curbside yard waste pickup and the year-round free yard waste drop off program at the Glenmore landfill.

Agricultural burning is allowed under Provincial Right to Farm legislation and accounts for most of the burning permits issued in the Central Okanagan.

Those who would prefer to use the agricultural chipping program should call 250-469-8408 or email [email protected]

Call the following jurisdictions for burning permits:
Photo: Contributed

A 28-year-old man pleaded guilty Tuesday in the shooting of his girlfriend in their West Kelowna home on the evening of July 4.

Evan Anthony Swite pleaded guilty to criminal negligence causing bodily harm and two counts of possessing a firearm contrary to an order.

Swite has been in custody since he was arrested the night he shot his girlfriend during an altercation. The shooting took place in a home on the 700 block of Spland Road.

A neighbour said a man showed up at his home around midnight, covered in blood, and asked to use his cellphone to call 911.

A 31-year-old woman was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, but she survived.

Swite was originally charged with aggravated assault, but that charge had been downgraded to criminal negligence causing bodily harm.

Swite will remain in custody until Nov. 18, when the judge will hear the results of Swite's pre-sentence report.

The pre-sentence report will include interviews with Swite, his family members, and others who may know him. It's used by the sentencing judge as an aid to determining an appropriate sentence.
Photo: Tourism Regina

Voters won't even need to get out of their vehicles to cast a ballot in Regina's civic election next month.

The city is offering a drive-thru advance polling station in the hope it might encourage a higher voter turnout.

Four years ago, only 33 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot; in 2009, the turnout was even lower at 21 per cent.

Chief returning officer Jim Nicol says the idea is to make it as easy and straightforward as possible.

An advance drive-thru booth will be set up on the same block as city hall between Oct. 19 and Oct. 21.

Drivers will be able to drive up to a booth, show their ID and voter registration card and get a ballot in return.

"The person at the booth will review your form with your identification and then will hand you a ballot to fill out in the privacy of your vehicle," Nicol explains.

"The official never sees anything that you have marked on there. It is all very private and confidential."

Nicol says there really isn't any reason for people to say it is too difficult to vote.

"We know how popular drive-thru restaurants and coffee shops are. Why not get in on that?"

The civic election is Oct. 26.
Photo: Darren Handschuh

A measure of relief is at hand for people in need of affordable housing.

Barbara Levesque, executive director of the John Howard Society of the North Okanagan/Kootenay Region, said units at the Blair Apartments are ready for tenants.

In fact, several have already moved in.

Affordable housing has been a major issue in the city for years, as it is in many communities.

Formerly the Journey Inn Motel, the hotel rooms were renovated and upgraded into apartments that feature 37 bachelor units and two one-bedroom units.

Renos include new carpet, paint, some plumbing and electrical work and a new rail which had to be installed on the upper level to bring the building up to code.

B.C. Housing owns the building and is taking care of the renovations, while the JHS board finds the tenants.

Levesque said the society received some 200 applications for the 39 units. The bachelor suites will rent for $475 a month, while the one-bedroom units will go for $525.

Levesque said that includes all utilities, basic cable and access to laundry facilities.

People are moving in every week as the units are completed, said Levesque. There are some really happy people. I think we are going to see an immediate impact.

The apartments are for adults and include a blend of seniors, students and people on disability.

It's a really mixed community, she said.

Because the apartments do not have cooking facilities  they each have a microwave and a fridge  a communal kitchen has been built where people can cook food in groups and divide the portions, or people can select a time and cook for themselves.

Levesque anticipates the residents will form a tight community. She said often people who do not feel welcome in a facility tend to isolate themselves, but she hopes the communal aspect of the facility will bring people together.

A green space where the pool used to be is also planned.
Photo: The Canadian Press

First Nations leaders have urged the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to encourage the British Columbia and federal governments to take their issues seriously, marking the second straight day of the royal tour that aboriginal leaders expressed frustration.

Chief John Kruger of the Penticton Indian Band spoke directly to Prince William and Kate during an event at the University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus on Tuesday, urging them to advocate for reconciliation for Aboriginal Peoples.

"True reconciliation involves the honour of the Crown, the federal government, provincial government and the indigenous people of this land."

Kruger was standing in for Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, who has boycotted royal events. His members, which represents more than half of the 203 First Nations in the province, voted that he should not attend reconciliation events with the royals.

Grand Chief Ed John of the First Nation Summit filled in for Phillip at the Black Rod Ceremony in Victoria on Monday and used his time at the podium to make an even stronger plea.

John said the status quo hasn't served indigenous peoples well as he noted the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has determined there was cultural genocide against his people.

"The current Crown approaches of deny and delay cannot continue. We cannot hope that our future means more litigation or protests on the land, as we see now."
Photo: buildahead.com

A cardboard cutout of a head in a passenger seat definitely caught the attention of a Washington State Patrol trooper Tuesday morning.

That's because it wasn't just any old cardboard head, but that of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

A trooper stopped the motorist who was driving with the cardboard likeness in a carpool lane south of Seattle on Highway 167. The stunt netted the driver a $136 ticket.

Another trooper Tweeted a photo of the cardboard Trump head affixed to the passenger seat headrest.

Washington State Patrol spokesman Rick Johnson says every now and then they get somebody trying to be funny and says they've seen everything from teddy bears to mannequins all sitting beside drivers.

But Trump's head? That was, to borrow a catchphrase -- huge.
5 stabbed in under an hour Vancouver - 3:55 pm
Photo: Contributed

People will have a spot in the shade at Paddlewheel Park, thanks to the efforts of several groups and businesses.

The picnic pavilion at the Okanagan Landing park is officially open and organizers said the open design is particularly useful in accommodating visitors from local seniors residents who require wheelchair access.

The structure was designed to mimic the original 1892 CPR baggage shelter which was once attached to the west end of the Stationhouse.

Val Heuman, project manager for the initiative, said she is proud to be part of the project and praised the community for coming together to make it happen.
The energy was palpable at UBC Okanagan today as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived on campus.

Their Royal Highnesses pulled up via motorcade and wound their way through the crowd shaking hands, sharing pleasantries and taking time to accept gifts and flowers before making their way to a stage for an official ceremony.

UBCO deputy vice-chancellor Deborah Buszard hosted the event, welcoming the royals to campus, which prompted a loud cheer from the crowd.

This is an extraordinary day, said Buszard. Extraordinary to have the Duke and Duchess with us as we dedicate the wonderful sculpture to my left. Commissioned by UBC and the Okanagan Nation to mark the university's centennial and the 10th anniversary of this campus.

Penticton Indian Band Chief Jonathan Kruger welcomed the royals on behalf of the Okanagan Nation.

This is our beautiful land and I am so happy you are all here, said Kruger. Please enjoy this beautiful land with your beautiful family and create beautiful memories on our lands here in B.C.

As Kruger walked to the podium he could be seen talking to the royals and pointed out an Okanagan elder in the front row. After the formal ceremony ended Prince William and Kate made a special trip down to spend a few moments with Valerie Baptiste.

I let them know my grandfather and grandmother met the Queen on May 6, 1971, in Penticton, Baptiste told Castanet.

They said they were honoured to meet me and that they knew the Queen had met my grandparents. They said they would be back again and they were glad they met me. When they were shaking my hand, my knees were shaking. I told the Duchess she was so beautiful.

Among the crowd, many told Castanet they were excited to have seen the royal family.

It was absolutely wonderful, said one fan. I love them. My mother always talked about the queen mother and this was the first time I had ever seen any of them in person and it could be the last time  I am getting older.

It was neat, it was nice to see, said the sister of sculpture artist Les Louis. We say in our family there is a connection, our great, great grandfather Chief Basil David went to England in the early 1900s to see the King, so now our family is still getting a chance to meet with them.

I shook both of their hands; it was very exciting, said a self-proclaimed royalist. She said 'Hello, how are you?' and that was it! It was so fast. I am a royalist, I love them.

It was amazing, said another duo wearing fascinators. They are the ultimate celebrities, there is nothing higher than royalty.

The crowd cheered and ran to follow them as they were whisked away to the next event at the gymnasium were they were greeted outside by a few student athletes and the UBC Okanagan Heat mascot, Scorch.

The royals shook the mascot's hand and spoke briefly with Amarat Sandhu inside, who said William asked if it was hot inside the costume.

"I told him it was," said Sandhu.

The duke told Sandhu his three-year-old son, Prince George, would be delighted to meet Scorch.

The royal couple also watched the women's volleyball team in the gym and received commemorative Okanagan Heat jerseys with "Cambridge" emblazoned on the back, as well as teddy bears for Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

They asked me about my trip to Rio and competing in the Paralympics, said Jennifer Oaks, UBCO Heat athlete and paralympian. They told me they were impressed I got back on court so quickly after my accident. They were so kind.

The royals jumped back in the motorcade and headed over the lake to Mission Hill Winery where Prince William sampled a watermelon salad at a winery overlooking Okanagan Lake as he basked in the good weather.

 with files from The Canadian Press.
Photo: Satanic Temple

The Portland chapter of The Satanic Temple has succeeded in its efforts to bring an after-school program to a Portland elementary school.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the organization has been approved to begin a program on Oct. 19 at Sacramento Elementary School.

Finn Rezz, one of the group's leaders, says their program focuses "on science and rational thinking," and it will promote "benevolence and empathy for everybody."

The Satanic Temple has been targeting schools that have a Good News Club.

That club is put on by the Child Evangelism Fellowship, "a Bible-centred organization composed of born-again believers whose purpose is to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to establish (disciple) them in the Word of God and in a local church for Christian living."
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. If any nation has ever had the right to self-determination, than Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh have the same right and no Azerbaijani official can deny this universal right, head of International Organizations Department of MFA Armenia Vahram Kazhoyan said during a discussion held in the sidelines of the 71st UN General Assembly. He also referred to a number of other issues such as the Azerbaijani disinformation regarding the events of Khojaly, and the fact that the League of Nations had accepted Armenias and Georgias requests for the admission to the organization, while denying the Azerbaijani request. Kazhoyan also drew parallels between the situation of religious and ethnic minorities in the two countries. Armenpress presents the full speech of Vahram Kazhoyan.

Thank you, Madame Chairperson and sorry for taking the floor once again. When somebody says it is an established truth I definitely and certainly want to hear who it is established by, where and what are the proofs. Otherwise, there is nothing established until something is proven and established and you can prove it.

Speaking about Khojaly, it is strange that Azerbaijani delegation is speaking about Khojaly, because again I mentioned about the short memory. If one would be able to read the newspapers of Azerbaijan of the time, it would be perfectly clear who committed the Khojaly killings. It was then leadership of Azerbaijan and it was all over the newspapers of the country. I definitely do agree about the ISIL pattern which was created in Khojaly, but that pattern was created by the Azerbaijani troops who were killing their own civilian population. Armenian troops, were, on the contrary, opening free peace corridor for the civilian population to withdraw from the scene of fighting.

Coming back to the issue of self-determination, the current negotiations, as it was well-mentioned, headed by the Minsk group Co-chairs, carried out under three basic principles: self-determination of nations, territorial integrity and non-use of force and threat of use of force. So, how can someone not talk about self-determination? Self-determination resulted in 193 member-states of the current United Nations. If any nation has had the right to be self-determined, then Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh have the same right to and no Azerbaijani official can deny this universal human right to them.

It is interesting also to talk about the situation of 1918-1920. What is interesting, the League of Nations has accepted Armenias and Georgias request for the admission to the League of Nations. League of Nations refused Azerbaijans request to get to the League of Nations because of the territorial problems and unresolved issues with its neighbours.

Speaking about the glorification or remembering about the terrorism, Azerbaijan is the first country who harbours criminals, terrorists by granting them the status of a hero. Well, everybody remembers the story when the Azerbaijani officer murdered with an axe sleeping Armenian officer during NATO exercises in Hungary, in Budapest. The Hungarian court got a sentence of life imprisonment for this axe-murderer, but then he was transferred to Azerbaijan to continue his sentence in Azerbaijan. The moment his plane landed in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani president pardoned him, granted him all of the possible heroization and glorification, and he became a national hero of Azerbaijan. I cannot believe, if a nations hero is someone like Safarov, and someone who is a hero just because of the fact that he has killed an Armenian, what is the future of this nation?

Armenia is a home to 12 national and religious minorities, some of them, Yazidis, Assyrians not having a state and they are very happy living in Armenia guaranteed all of their rights. Azerbaijani people were also living in Armenia, with their rights guaranteed. But with the outburst of massacres in Azerbaijan, where every single Armenian was massacred; there out of about half a million Armenian population in Azerbaijan not a single Armenian remains today in Azerbaijan despite the fact that the Azerbaijani authorities again quote some falsified numbers about this. So who is more tolerant and who is not? I would leave this rhetorical question to you. Thank you.
Photo: Jakarta Times

Indonesian authorities are searching for several hundred tourists after Mount Barujari on Lombok island spewed a massive column of ash into the atmosphere and have evacuated more than 1,100 others, the country's disaster agency said Wednesday.

The volcano, also known as the Child of Rinjani because it sits within the Mount Rinjani caldera, erupted without warning on Tuesday afternoon, delaying flights from airports in Lombok and nearby Bali. The ash column reached 2,000 metres.

Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said that nearly 400 foreign and local tourists had been registered since Sunday to climb the mountain, leaving from Sembalun monitoring post, about 11 kilometres from the crater.

"We are still searching for about 389 other tourists, mostly foreign tourists, to find out their condition and to evacuate them immediately," Nugroho said.

There have been no reports of injuries from the eruption.

The eruption interrupted flights for several hours at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, about 135 kilometres from Lombok, and Selaparang airport in Mataram, the capital of West Nusa Tenggara province, located on Lombok Island.

Farms and trees around the 3,726-meter-high volcano were coated in a thin layer of grey ash, but nearby towns and villages were not in danger, Nugroho said.

Rinjani is among about 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia. The archipelago is prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes because of its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire."
Photo: The Canadian Press

Shimon Peres, a former Israeli president and prime minister, whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated around the world as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace, died early Wednesday. He was 93.

His son, Chemi, confirmed his death Wednesday morning to reporters gathered at the hospital where Shimon Peres had been treated for the past two weeks.

Peres' condition worsened following a major stroke two weeks ago that led to bleeding in his brain. He was sedated and on a respirator during most of his hospitalization.

"Today with deep sorrow we bid farewell to our beloved father, the ninth president of Israel," Chemi Peres said.

"Our father's legacy has always been to look to tomorrow. We were privileged to be part of his private family, but today we sense that the entire nation of Israel and the global community share this great loss. We share this pain together."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement mourning the passing of Peres. He said he will convene his Cabinet for a special session later in the day. After that, a special committee was to meet to prepare arrangements for a funeral that many international dignitaries and world leaders are expected to attend.

As word of Peres' death spread, reaction started pouring in from around the globe.

"Shimon Peres was, above all, a man of peace and a man dedicated to the well-being of the Jewish people," said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a statement late Tuesday night.

"Over the course of his long and distinguished life, Mr. Peres made enormous contributions to the founding and building of the State of Israel. He was devoted to promoting understanding between his country and its neighbours, and shared a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to create peace in the Middle East."

Trudeau added that Peres was a "great friend to Canada" who visited often and "helped build relations that remain strong to this day."

Gov. Gen. David Johnston said in a statement that Peres "meant so much to Israel, to Jewish people in Canada and around the world."

"He will be missed and remembered by all those whose lives he has touched."

Former prime minister Stephen Harper posted a message on Twitter saying he and his wife, Laureen, "are saddened to learn of the passing of dear friend Shimon Peres." Harper offered "sincere condolences to the Peres family and to the people of Israel.
Photo: Contributed

About 265 homes in Vernon's Canadian Lake View Estates and Adventure Bay are without power tonight.

BC Hydro crews are on site and working to determine the cause of the outage, which happened just before 9:30 p.m.

It's estimated power will be back on by 12:30 a.m.

For a detailed outage map, of to Bc Hydro's website.
Photo: The Canadian Press

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Kelowna and West Kelowna on Tuesday for a tour of that included a visit to a local university campus and a chance to sample British Columbia's culinary scene. Here's a look at some of the scenes from Tuesday's events:

WELL-WISHERS LINE UP FOR BRUSH WITH ROYALTY

Brittany Campbell, 26, stood with her nearly two-year-old son Rowen Campbell perched on her shoulders for a glimpse of the royals.

"We've been following her since she came into the limelight. She's such a great role model for women," said Campbell, who came about 90 minutes before the royal arrival. "I'm very much a believer in fairy tales and she's like a modern-day fairy tale come true. She's really inspiring."

Brittany Forte held her sleeping daughter, Ayla, who is 2 1/2 months old.

"As you can see, she can't contain her excitement," Forte joked.

"They're these figurative people that you see on TV, you see them in pictures and now to see them in real life is really cool."

Ray Folland and his 13-year-old daughter Sarah drove from nearby Lumby to see the royal couple. Both said they wanted to see the man who would one day be king.

"Hopefully, in my lifetime he will be king  and it would be nice to see him before that," said Folland, 61.

MASCOT MEETS PRINCE WILLIAM

On a walk through of the University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus, the Duke and Duchess met Scorch, the flame-costumed mascot of the school's Okanagan Heat.

The royals shook the mascot's hand and spoke briefly with Amarat Sandhu, who said William asked if it was hot inside the costume. "I told him it was," said Sandhu.

The Prince told Sandhu his three-year-old son Prince George would be delighted to meet Scorch.

Sophie Wang, an 18-year-old psychology student, said the royal visit was everything she had hoped for, although she didn't get a coveted photo.

"That's as close as we're ever going to get to royalty," she said.

SUNNY SKIES HELP B.C. PRODUCE SHINE

Prince William sampled a watermelon salad at a winery overlooking Okanagan Lake as he basked in the good weather, Tuesday.

"Weather, food, wine: what more could you want," said the Duke of Cambridge, who attended the Taste of British Columbia Festival.

Chef David Hawksworth said William complimented him on the flavours and aromas in the Yuzu Koshu Shuswap Watermelon salad, which included B.C. Dungeness crab and locally grown mint.

Chef Vikram Vij said both William and Kate sampled a lamb dish he made and the prince asked about spices, while Kate complimented him on the dish.

NORTHERN GREETING

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived in Whitehorse Tuesday evening, where they were met by dozens of Yukon residents.

Canadian Rangers stood on the tarmac, wearing red parkas and holding rifles. About two dozen Junior Canadian Rangers, wearing long, green parkas, were also on hand to greet the couple. William and his brother, Prince Harry, were made honorary members of the reserve unit in 2009.

The royals also took in a night of local music, dance and storytelling at the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre, located near the banks of the Yukon River.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A massive typhoon left one person dead in eastern China on Wednesday, a day after killing four and injuring 260 in Taiwan.

Typhoon Megi weakened to a tropical storm after hitting the coastal city of Quanzhou in Fujian province before dawn, packing winds of up to 118 km/h, China's National Meteorological Center said.

One person died after several structures collapsed in Quanzhou, state-approved news media reported. In Fuzhou, Fujian's provincial capital, people were shown on state television walking through knee-deep waters that had swamped major roads. Schools were closed and dozens of flights were cancelled.

The storm was forecast to move northwest Wednesday and fade gradually.

In Taiwan on Tuesday, the typhoon's bands of heavy rain and sustained winds of 162 km/h blanketed the island by midafternoon as the eye of the storm made landfall on the east coast. Authorities had raised alert levels for Taiwan, which is prone to landslides and flooding, said National Fire Agency Director-General Chen Wen-lung.

The 268 injured included eight Japanese tourists travelling in a tour bus that turned on its side in central Taiwan. Three people suffered fatal falls and a fourth person died in a truck crash, said Lee Wei-sen, a spokesman for Taiwan's Central Emergency Operations Center. Many of the injuries were from falling and wind-blown objects.

Megi was 500 kilometres in diameter at its largets, and rainfall had topped 300 millimeters in the south and eastern mountains of Taiwan.

More than 8,000 people were evacuated, mostly from mountainous areas at risk of landslides or floods. About 2,800 went to shelters, Chen said. Approximately 2.9 million households lost power overnight.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A black man reportedly acting erratically at a strip mall in suburban San Diego was shot and killed by police after pulling an object from his pocket, pointing it at officers and assuming a "shooting stance," authorities said.

One of the officers tried and failed to subdue the unidentified man with a stun gun before the other officer fired several times, El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis said at a late night news conference. Davis would not say what the object was, but acknowledged it was not a weapon.

Before police announced the death, dozens of protesters gathered at the shooting scene, with some claiming the man was shot with his hands raised. Police disputed that and produced a frame from cellphone video taken by a witness that appeared to show the man in the "shooting stance" as two officers approached with weapons drawn.

The fatal shooting comes just weeks after black men were shot and killed by police in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and in Charlotte, North Carolina, where violent protests broke out.

The El Cajon protest was angry but peaceful. Several dozen people, most of them black, gathered and some cursed at officers guarding the scene. They chanted "black lives matter!" and "hands up, don't shoot!"

Davis urged the community to remain calm and said the investigation will be thorough.

"This will be transparent," he said. "This will be looked at by multiple sets of eyes, and not just ours."

The district attorney was on scene and also will investigate.

Police said they were called to the mall shortly after 2 p.m. by the sister of a man in his 30s who said he was "not acting like himself" and walking in traffic. They say the man refused "multiple" orders to take his hand from his pocket, then was shot after pulling out the object.
Photo: The Canadian Press Anthony Lopez harvests marijuana plants as the Loma fire burns around his home near Morgan Hill, Calif.

A grass fire along a Northern California highway spread to parched trees, and flying embers landed on nearby homes, setting at least eight homes on fire, authorities said.

The fire started on vegetation and quickly spread to a row of Eucalyptus trees lining Highway 101 in Petaluma, California, Petaluma fire Battalion Chief Jeff Holden said.

The flames apparently damaged gas service valves on multiple homes, and "flames shot like a torch in the attic," Holden told the Press Democrat.

At least two homes were gutted, but authorities had yet to assess the extent of the damage on the other six homes.

Flames lit up the mountainside above a roller coaster at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and a residence was reduced to rubble, though its hot tub still stood. The fire consumed a large home sitting on a hilltop plot and poured out thick, black smoke, while another house sat unscathed below.

The blaze broke out Monday during a statewide heat wave, and crews prepared for another day of witheringly low humidity and temperatures in the upper 90s.

"This fire is a good reminder that even though we are approaching October, this time of year is historically when we experience the largest and most damaging wildfires," Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said.
Photo: Getty Images

A former British royal official has been sentenced to five years in prison for taking more than 100,000 pounds ($130,000) in bribes to award contracts for work at Buckingham Palace and other royal residences.

For more than a decade, Ronald Harper was deputy property manager for palaces in London and for Windsor Castle, west of the city. Prosecutors said Harper took gifts or money from the directors of companies that were then given contracts for taxpayer-funded work on the buildings.

He was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to make corrupt payments after trials at London's Southwark Crown Court in June and August.

While passing sentence Wednesday, Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith told Harper that "your betrayal of your colleagues' trust and your lack of remorse at what you did are both remarkable."
Photo: Stevens family

Tourism Kelowna is hoping to get as much mileage as it can from Tuesday's visit by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

While the visit by Prince William and Kate lasted a little more than three hours, Tourism Kelowna is hoping the worldwide push it gets from media covering the event and other articles about the region will prompt tourists to plan a trip for themselves.

Ahead of the visit, fact sheets, images and photos were sent to media and travellers through Destination Canada's international media and travel websites.

It included an article, 'A quick guide to Kelowna ahead of the royal visit.'

Tourism Kelowna also generated and shared content and images to try and inspire travel to the Okanagan Valley.

It also worked with travel media around the world by researching, planning and delivering itineraries.

These resulted in several significant articles over the past number of days.

'How to Experience the Okanagan Valley like the royal couple,' ran Monday in the Globe and Mail.

'Quirky charm in Canadian wine country,' ran Tuesday on CNN.com.

'Explore the wild and desolate beauty of the north of Canada,' ran over the weekend in the UK Times.

Other stories ran in Vogue and The Sunday Times, using the royal tour as a backdrop.

Tourism Kelowna regularly hosts travel media and writers as part of its global marketing strategy.

In 2014, Tourism Kelowna hosted 102 international travel journalists. They produced 129 articles with a circulation of more than 25 million.

That space would have cost more than $2 million to purchase.
Photo: Facebook - VPD

If you notice a lot of police activity around Vancouver today, don't panic.

The Vancouver Police Department has announced it will be conducting emergency response scenarios at multiple locations in the city today.

The public is asked to steer clear.
STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 28, ARTSAKHPRESS: The Ministrys announcement reads: Overnight September 27-28 the Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime over 40 times by firing more than 450 shots from various caliber weapons at the Armenian positions in Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact.

The Azerbaijani forces also fired DShK heavy machine gun (40 shots) at the military positions located in the eastern direction of the Defense Army.

The Defense Army forces continue confidently fulfilling their military tasks and take counter measures only in case of strict necessity.
Wildlife encounters in the Okanagan are nothing unusual, varying from crossing paths with backyard bears to raccoons rummaging in your garbage.

But for Kelowna resident Cindy Rodgers, her animal encounter was anything but scary. In fact, it was adorable.

Her cat Maverick came face to face with a herd of deer in her backyard and the outcome was pretty cute.

Have your animal videos featured on Castanet by emailing [email protected]
Photo: The Canadian Press

Dutch-led criminal investigators said Wednesday they have solid evidence that a Malaysian jet was shot down in 2014 by a Buk missile that was moved into eastern Ukraine from Russia.

Wilbert Paulissen, head of the Central Crime Investigation department of the Dutch National Police, said communications intercepts showed that pro-Moscow rebels had called for deployment of the mobile surface-to-air weapon and reported its arrival on July 17, 2014, in rebel-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine.

The deadly surface-to-air weapon that blasted Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 out of the sky that same day at 33,000 feet, killing all 298 people aboard, was launched from farmland in the rebel-held area of Pervomaiskiy, five kilometres from the eastern Ukrainian town of Snizhne, the investigation found.

Witnesses there reported an explosion and a whistling sound and a patch of field was set on fire.

From that and other evidence collected by the Joint Investigation Team, "it may be concluded MH17 was shot down by a 9M38 missile launched by a Buk, brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation, and that after launch was subsequently returned to the Russian Federation," Paulissen told a news conference Wednesday in the Dutch town of Nieuwegein.

The conclusions of the investigative unit  which includes police and prosecutors from the Netherlands, Ukraine, Belgium, Australia and Malaysia  were consistent with previous reporting by The Associated Press, which established soon after MH17's destruction that a tracked Buk M-1 launcher with four SA-11 surface-to-air missiles had been sighted the same day in the rebel-controlled town of Snizhne near Pervomaiskiy.

A separate investigation by Dutch safety officials last year concluded that the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur flight was downed by a Buk missile fired from territory in Ukraine held by pro-Russian rebels.

Dutch police spokesman Thomas Aling said the joint investigation findings differ in that they are designed to be solid enough to be used as evidence in a criminal trial. Where and when a trial might take place is still to be determined, Aling said.

"The next question, of course, is who was responsible for this," Dutch chief prosecutor Fred Westerbeke said. He said investigators have identified 100 people they want to speak to who are believed to have been involved in the transport of the Buk launcher or its use.

Moscow officials have consistently denied allegations that pro-Kremlin rebels in eastern Ukraine were responsible for downing the passenger plane. The Russian Foreign Ministry reacted quickly to the release of the international investigation's findings, calling the probe "biased and politically motivated."
Photo: CTV

A former notary who ran a Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors of more than $100 million has been sentenced to six years in prison.

Provincial court Judge Gregory Rideout says Rashida Samji knew what she was doing and went forward with the scheme with her eyes wide open.

The court heard that Samji collected investments ranging from $50,000 to $12 million from the investors over a nine-year period.

The Crown had called for a sentence of up to eight years, while her defence lawyer said a four- to five-year sentence would be appropriate.

The B.C. Securities Commission found in an earlier hearing that Samji and two companies she controlled committed over $100 million in fraud, and she was fined $33 million.
Photo: Contributed

The Trans-Canada Highway is closed near Golden because of a vehicle incident.

DriveBC says lane closures are in effect about 30 kilometres west of Golden.

Traffic is backing up.

There is no estimate yet on the time of reopening.


Photo: Google Street View

Lake Country politicians brought their wish list to Victoria this week  and it includes a pedestrian overpass.

Councillors lobbied Minister of Transportation Todd Stone to improve safety at the busy Highway 97 and Oceola Road intersection during this week's Union of B.C. Municipalities meeting.

The district says the 70 km/h speed limit makes it "dangerous and troubling" for cyclists, pedestrians and wheelchair users to cross.

"At todays meeting, council asked the ministry to build a pedestrian overpass at Highway 97 and Oceola, which, based on current road design, is the best solution to provide a safe pedestrian crossing," said the district in a statement.

When council members met with Stone this week they also brought up the regular lengthy traffic backups at Highway 97 and Glenmore Road.

About a decade ago, the district and the province completed planning work for the intersection. The assessment confirmed moving it south of its current location would provide a long-term solution by improving capacity, safety and the flow of traffic.

At the UBCM meeting, council asked the province to begin construction of the intersection improvement.
Photo: Instagram - calfire

A growing and destructive wildfire moved toward remote California homes in the Santa Cruz Mountains on Wednesday as it scorched its way through bone-dry brush and trees.

It was among three blazes burning in Northern California during a time of year when the drought-stricken state sees its largest and most damaging wildfires, state forestry officials said.

The fire in steep mountain terrain south of San Francisco expanded to more than 3 1/2 square miles and was partially contained. It gutted at least one home and threatened 300 buildings, though it was not clear how many were homes or smaller structures.

Authorities ordered residents of several canyons and other rugged areas to evacuate.

The area is dotted with marijuana growing operations, though the number of plants at risk is unclear. When Anthony Lopez returned to check on his home, which was still under an evacuation order, he was overjoyed to find dozens of his marijuana plants intact Tuesday.

Though the vast majority of California's marijuana is planted north of San Francisco, growers still find remote, densely forested land popular places to cultivate pot.

This summer, firefighters in nearby Monterey County rescued several pot farmers trapped for three days by a fast-moving wildfire. The growers said 900 plants were destroyed. No arrests were made after police said the evidence went up in smoke.

This week, cooler temperatures and calmer winds were expected to help more than 1,000 firefighters battling the flames that flourished over days of withering heat, said Capt. Nick Wallingford of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

"The cooling trend is very good news, but there's still a big threat," he said Wednesday. "Today, we're really going on the offensive in fighting this fire."

It started Monday during a heat wave that brought low humidity and temperatures in the upper 90s to much of California. The heat began easing, but fire risk remained extreme.

Norman Noble, 75, left the mountain home where he's lived for a quarter-century as flames approached and fire trucks rolled in.

"I evacuated ... because I didn't want to get in anyone's way," he told the San Jose Mercury News, adding that he had no idea when he might be able to go back.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A British Columbia Supreme Court jury in Nanaimo has found a man guilty of two counts each of first-degree murder and attempted murder in a shooting at a Vancouver Island sawmill two years ago.

Kevin Addison used a sawed-off shotgun to kill two former co-workers and injure two others at the Western Forest Products facility on April 30, 2014.

Over the three-week trial, the Crown argued revenge motivated Addison to carry out the attack against Western Forest Products after he was laid off in 2008 and not rehired two years later.

Mill employees Michael Lunn and Fred McEachern died in the shooting, while Tony Sudar and Earl Kelly were shot but survived.

The trial heard that Lunn was shot in the back of his right arm shortly after arriving in the mill's parking lot at 7 a.m.

Crown lawyer Nic Barber told the court Addison then entered the company office and fired the gun at Sudar's face before shooting McEachern and Kelly in the back.

McEachern used a chair to hit Addison over the head before dying from his gunshot wound, Barber said.

Addison's defence lawyer John Gustafson told the jury that there was little doubt his client fired the gun that killed Michael Lunn and Fred McEachern, but that the attack wasn't premeditated or intentional and therefore didn't qualify as first-degree murder.

He urged the jury to find his client guilty of manslaughter instead.

Gustafson said Addison's violent behaviour was out of character and the result of the severe depression he had been diagnosed with three months before the shooting.

Addison testified that he never intended to kill anyone, only to intimidate and cause injury, Baird summarized for the jurors.
On September 27, in the framework of the working visit to Belgium Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Karen Mirzoyan met with the leadership of the EU-Armenia Friendship Group headed by the President of the group Eleni Theocharous, press service of the NKR MFA informed.

September 28, 2016, 09:53 Karen Mirzoyan met with the leadership of the EU-Armenia Friendship Group

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 28, ARTSAKHPRESS: During the meeting, a range of issues related to Artsakh-Europe relations, settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict and regional processes were discussed.

On the same day Karen Mirzoyan met with the President of the Friendship group with Artsakh in the European Parliament Frank Engel and other members of the group. During the meeting, a number of issues related to the activity of the friendship group were discussed. The sides highlighted the importance of deepening ties with various European structures, including the European Parliament.

Later in the day, Karen Mirzoyan, as a keynote speaker, delivered a speech at a round-table organized by Frank Engel entitled "Nagorno Karabakh Republic: 25 years of state-building in a volatile region" at the premises of the European Parliament.





In his speech, the NKR Foreign Minister stated, in particular, that 25 years ago the people of Nagorno Karabakh voted for independence on a nation-wide referendum which became the logical continuation of Artsakh liberation struggle in response to decades of discrimination and oppression by Azerbaijan.

"In spite of the peaceful and legitimate nature of the Karabakh movement, from the very beginning Azerbaijan rejected any dialogue and resorted to the language of threats and intimidation which led to a large-scale war against Nagorno Karabakh and its peaceful population", Karen Mirzoyan said.

The NKR Foreign Minister stressed that even today the people of Artsakh literally have to defend the young democracy in the conditions of constant attempts of Azerbaijan to return Nagorno Karabakh to the past. Karen Mirzoyan noted that the NKR had repeatedly spoken out publicly about Azerbaijan openly preparing for the resumption of war by, however, the international community did not react to these warnings. The impunity enjoyed by Azerbaijan led to the resumption of hostilities against Nagorno Karabakh on April 2, 2016.

Karen Mirzoyan stressed that the people of Artsakh cannot remain hostage to the destructive policy of Azerbaijan and will continue to develop even in the conditions of the unresolved Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict. In this regard the Foreign Minister mentioned that the NKR authorities attach great importance to the expansion and deepening of foreign relations of the NKR at all levels, its integration into the international processes.

Karen Mirzoyan expressed confidence that expansion of the international cooperation will be an important contribution to strengthening peace and security in the region.

"We believe that the time has come for the international community to support our struggle. It's time to recognize and support the reality  existence and consistent development of the free and democratic Nagorno Karabakh Republic", Karen Mirzoyan concluded.

The NKR Foreign Minister answered questions of participants.

Members of the NKR National Assembly delegation, members of the European Parliament and experts attended the discussion.
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STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 28, ARTSAKHPRESS: The Emergency Situations Coordinating Council session of CSTO member states will take place on September 29 in Yerevan, which will be chaired by Armenias Emergency Situations Minister Armen Yeritsyan. Deputy Secretary General of CSTO Valery Semerikov will take part and deliver a speech, the statement reads.

The CSTO response to emergency situations will be discussed during the session. Issues related to expanding cooperation with international organization during the delivery of aid to victims of emergency situations will also be discussed.

The creation of an Armenian-Russian humanitarian response center in the territory of Armenia will be discussed, as well as the chairmanship of the Councils session in 2017 and the schedule of the 2017 exercises.
On September 28, the Member of Parliament of the Republic of France, Member of France-Armenia Friendship Group Francois Rochebloine accompanied by the Head of the RA NA Armenia-France Friendship Group Ara Babloyan visited Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex, press service of the Parliament informed.

September 28, 2016, 16:25 French Parliamentary Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 28, ARTSAKHPRESS: The guests laid flowers bowing at the eternal fire and paid tribute in silence to the memory of the holy martyrs. Afterwards they attended the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute and got acquainted with the exhibits.

Francois Rochebloine left a note in the Book of Memorable Guests and planted a fir-tree in the Memory Alley.

Every time visiting Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex I get excited. I would like especially to stress that this tree is planted not only on my behalf, but also on behalf of all the French MPs who voted for the bill on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, Mr Rochebloine said and highlighted the condemnation of the Armenian Genocide and all genocides in general.
Philippines: competition commission probes cement industry

ICR Newsroom By 28 September 2016

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has warned cement companies of the repercussions should it violate antitrust laws. PCC Commissioner, El Cid Butuyan, said, "We intend to exercise our enforcement powers in a way that is envisioned under the law, which is a muscular agency, not a paper-pushing, rubber-stamping agency."

The agency has decided to investigate the countrys cement industry after a private citizen filed a case. Mr Butuyan said the person in question was a former public official who felt there was a possible abuse of dominant position amongst cement players in the country.

The Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (CeMAP) denies any such claims that competition laws have been violated. CeMAP President Ernesto Ordonez said, "We believe competition motivates manufacturers to give the best they can offer, as well as benefits the consumers by giving them the opportunity to get what best serves their needs We follow very strictly the competition law and are very confident we can answer any allegations to the contrary.

The preliminary investigation will span 30 days, after which a decision will be made regarding whether a full probe is required. Results of the investigation should be released before the end of the year.

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Branson, MO, United States

There's plenty to see and do in Branson, Missouri, from state parks and amusement parks to theaters and shopping. Here are some of the most popular places to visit: Silver Dollar City is a theme park with rides, shows, and craftsmen demonstrations. is a theme park with rides, shows, and craftsmen demonstrations. The Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Theatre puts on a variety of shows, including "The Legend of the Shepherd of the Hills" and "The Catfish Fry." puts on a variety of shows, including "The Legend of the Shepherd of the Hills" and "The Catfish Fry." Table Rock State Park has fishing, swimming, and hiking trails, as well as a nature center. has fishing, swimming, and hiking trails, as well as a nature center. The Titanic Museum features a half-sized replica of the ship, along with exhibits about the history of the Titanic. features a half-sized replica of the ship, along with exhibits about the history of the Titanic. Branson Landing is a shopping and entertainment complex on the waterfront. There's something for everyone in Branson, Missouri  come visit and see for yourself!.

Branson Luxury Hotels

Panama City Beach, FL, United States

The white sand beaches and emerald waters of Panama City Beach, Florida, are a popular tourist destination. The city is home to numerous hotels, resorts, and restaurants, as well as amusement and water parks. Visitors can also enjoy fishing, kayaking, and surfing.

Panama City Beach Luxury Hotels

Panama City Beach Luxury Resorts

Monterey, CA, United States

Monterey is a coastal city in Monterey County, California, United States. It stands at the southern end of Monterey Bay, on the Pacific coast. The city is also the home of the Naval Postgraduate School. Monterey is the largest city in the Central Coast region of California. The main attractions in Monterey are the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Fisherman's Wharf, Cannery Row, and the downtown area.

Monterey Luxury Hotels

Norfolk, VA, United States

Norfolk, Virginia is a great place to visit for its historical places and military bases. Some places to visit in Norfolk are the Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk Botanical Garden, and the Norfolk Naval Station.

Norfolk Luxury Hotels

Palm Springs, CA, United States

Palm Springs is a vibrant city located in the Coachella Valley and is known for its year-round sunshine, resort atmosphere and Mid-Century Modern architecture. Top places to visit include the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, Palm Springs Art Museum, Indian Canyons and Moorten Botanical Garden. For a truly unique experience, be sure to check out the Palm Springs Modernism Show & Sale  the worlds largest vintage furniture and design event.

Palm Springs Luxury Hotels

Palm Springs Luxury Resorts

Palm Springs Luxury Villas

Rochester, NY, United States

Rochester is a city in western New York State and is the county seat of Monroe County. Rochester is known for its annual festivals, including the Rochester International Jazz Festival, the Rochester Fringe Festival, and the Holiday Folk Fair International. Places to visit in Rochester include the George Eastman Museum, the Strong National Museum of Play, the Rochester Museum and Science Center, and the Seneca Park Zoo.

Rochester Luxury Hotels

Pigeon Forge, TN, United States

Visit the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge for a unique experience. This museum is dedicated to the Titanic, one of the most infamous ships in history. Tour the ship and learn about the passengers and crew who were on board. You can even see the actual artifacts recovered from the shipwreck. If you're looking for a little more excitement, head to Dollywood. This amusement park is home to roller coasters, a water park, and plenty of other rides and attractions. Plus, the park is themed around the life and music of Dolly Parton. No trip to Pigeon Forge is complete without a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains. These mountains offer a variety of activities, including hiking, fishing, and horseback riding. Plus, the natural beauty of the area is simply breathtaking.

Pigeon Forge Luxury Hotels

Jacksonville, FL, United States

Jacksonville is less than an hour's drive from the beaches of Amelia Island and St. Augustine, and a little more than two hours from Orlando. The city has a lot to offer visitors, including a riverwalk, museums, and a vibrant arts scene. Jacksonville is also home to the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL team.

Jacksonville Luxury Hotels

Minsk, Belarus

Minsk, the capital of Belarus, is a city that has something for everyone. If you're looking for a little history, Minsk has plenty of it, with churches and monuments dating back to the 12th century. If you're looking for a lively nightlife, Minsk has that, too, with plenty of bars, clubs, and restaurants. And if you're looking for a little nature, Minsk has parks and gardens to enjoy. Here are just a few of the places you can visit in Minsk: The Holy Spirit Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in Minsk, is a must-visit for history buffs. The National Library of Belarus is a huge library with more than 18 million items in its collection. The Opera and Ballet Theatre is a beautiful building that hosts performances of both opera and ballet. The Victory Park is a large park with a war memorial, a children's playground, and a lake. And for a little bit of nature in the heart of the city, the Botanical Garden is a great place to relax and take a break from the hustle and bustle of Minsk.

Minsk Luxury Hotels

Jaipur, India

Jaipur is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. It is the capital of the state of Rajasthan and is known for its palaces, forts and temples. Some of the places to visit in Jaipur include the Amber Fort, the City Palace, the Jantar Mantar Observatory and the Hawa Mahal. Jaipur is also a great place to shop for traditional Indian handicrafts.

Jaipur Luxury Hotels

Chicago, IL, United States

Chicago is a city full of culture and history. There are plenty of places to visit, such as the Willis Tower, Buckingham Fountain, and the Lincoln Park Zoo. Chicago is also home to many restaurants and bars, so there is something for everyone.

Chicago Luxury Hotels

Auckland, New Zealand

Auckland is a beautiful city located on the north island of New Zealand. There are many places to visit in Auckland, including the Sky Tower, the Auckland War Memorial Museum, and the Auckland Domain. The beaches in Auckland are also worth visiting, especially Karekare and Piha. Auckland is a great place to visit, and I highly recommend it!.

Auckland Luxury Hotels

Auckland Luxury Villas

Amsterdam, Netherlands

If you're looking for a city that's got it all, Amsterdam should be your go-to destination. From the city's lively and vibrant nightlife to its charming and quiet neighborhoods, Amsterdam has something for everyone. Be sure to check out the Anne Frank Huis, the Rijksmuseum, and the Van Gogh Museum, as these are some of the most popular attractions in the city. And if you're looking for a little bit of nature, be sure to take a walk or bike ride through Amsterdam's many parks.

Amsterdam Luxury Hotels

Berlin, Germany

There are so many great places to visit in Berlin that it can be hard to know where to start. From the iconic Brandenburg Gate to the fascinating Reichstag Building, there's something for everyone in this vibrant city. If you're looking for a bit of history, make sure to check out the Berlin Wall Memorial or the DDR Museum. And for those looking for a bit more fun, there's always the Alexanderplatz Christmas Market or the Zoologischer Garten. No matter what your interests, Berlin is a city you won't want to miss.

Berlin Luxury Hotels

Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok is a city of contrasts with its gleaming temples and skyscrapers, chaotic markets and tranquil canals. While it's a popular tourist destination, Bangkok is a city that can be enjoyed by visitors of all ages. Some of the top places to visit in Bangkok include the Grand Palace, Wat Arun, the floating markets and the Chatuchak Weekend Market.

Bangkok Luxury Hotels

Bangkok Luxury Resorts

Bangkok Luxury Villas

Bruges, Belgium

Bruges is a city in Belgium that is worth visiting. It is full of medieval charm and there are a lot of things to see and do. Some of the places to visit include the Markt, the Belfry, and the Begijnhof.

Bruges Luxury Hotels

Brussels, Belgium

Brussels is a city in Belgium that is best known for its chocolate, waffles, and beer. But there is much more to see and do in Brussels than just indulge in the local cuisine. There are a number of interesting historical landmarks to visit, such as the Grand Place and the Atomium, as well as a variety of parks and gardens. And, of course, Brussels is also a great city to explore on foot.

Brussels Luxury Hotels

Budapest, Hungary

Budapest, Hungary's capital, is a city of thermal baths and medival, baroque and art nouveau architecture. Crowded with tourists, the city is bisected by the Danube River into the hilly Buda and the more developed and flat Pest. Among the main places of interest are the neo-Gothic Parliament, the Chain Bridge linking Buda and Pest, the Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion on the Buda bank, and the State Opera House and Heroes' Square on the Pest side.

Budapest Luxury Hotels

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Home to some of the best beaches in Mexico, Playa del Carmen is a favorite tourist destination for visitors from all over the world. With its lively nightlife, gorgeous coastline and ample shopping opportunities, there's something for everyone in this tropical paradise. Don't miss the opportunity to visit some of the area's most popular attractions, such as the ancient Mayan ruins of Tulum and Coba, or the eco-friendly Turtle Beach. With its friendly people, delicious food and stunning scenery, Playa del Carmen is a place you'll never want to leave.

Playa del Carmen Luxury Hotels

Playa del Carmen Luxury Resorts

Playa del Carmen Luxury Villas

Denver, CO, United States

Denver is a great city for visitors. There are so many places to see and things to do. Some of the top places to visit include the 16th Street Mall, the Denver Botanic Gardens, the Denver Art Museum, and the Colorado State Capitol. There are also plenty of great restaurants and shops to explore. Denver is definitely a city worth visiting!.

Denver Luxury Hotels

Dublin, Ireland

Dublin is a city located in Ireland. It's a city full of culture, with plenty of places to visit. Some popular tourist spots are the Guinness Storehouse, Trinity College, and the Dublin Castle. There are also plenty of pubs and restaurants to discover.

Dublin Luxury Hotels

Dusseldorf, Germany

Dusseldorf, Germany is a city with many different places to visit. The city has a mix of old and new buildings, and a variety of activities to do. The best places to visit in Dusseldorf are the Konigsallee, the Rhine Tower, and the Oktoberfest. The Konigsallee is an open-air shopping mall that has many high-end stores. The Rhine Tower is the tallest building in the city and offers great views of Dusseldorf. The Oktoberfest is a week-long festival that celebrates German culture and food.

Dusseldorf Luxury Hotels

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Edinburgh, Scotland is a beautiful city to visit. The architecture is very old and unique, and there are plenty of historical places to visit, like Edinburgh Castle. There are also plenty of parks and gardens, and lots of shops and restaurants.

Edinburgh Luxury Hotels

Rome, Italy

Rome is a city rich in history and filled with beautiful places to visit. Make sure to stop by the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Pantheon. Also be sure to visit St. Peters Basilica and the Sistine Chapel while in Rome. If youre looking for a little more nature in your trip, head to the Villa Borghese gardens or the Janiculum Hill for some wonderful views of the city. And of course, no trip to Rome is complete without a gelato!.

Rome Luxury Hotels

Rome Luxury Villas

New York, NY, United States

There are many amazing places to visit in New York State. Some of my favorites are the Niagara Falls, the Adirondack Mountains, and the Finger Lakes. If you're looking for a city break, New York City is definitely worth a visit. There's endless things to see and do, from touring the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island to visiting world-famous museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History. No matter what your interests are, you'll be able to find something to enjoy in New York State.

New York Luxury Hotels

New York Luxury Villas

London, United Kingdom

London is a city rich in history and full of amazing places to visit. Some of my favorite places are Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and the Tower of London. There is so much to see and do in London, you could spend weeks here and never run out of things to do. If you're looking for a city full of culture and history, London is the place for you.

London Luxury Hotels

London Luxury Cottages

Madrid, Spain

Madrid is one of the most beautiful and culturally rich cities in the world. From the Royal Palace to the Prado Museum, theres plenty to see and do in Madrid. If youre looking for a little bit of nature, Madrid has plenty of parks, like the Buen Retiro Park, to relax in. And dont forget to try some of the delicious tapas and wine while youre in town.

Madrid Luxury Hotels

Memphis, TN, United States

The birthplace of rock 'n' roll, Memphis is a city rich in history and culture. From Graceland to Beale Street, there are plenty of places to visit in Memphis. Be sure to check out Sun Studio, where rock 'n' roll was born, and the National Civil Rights Museum, which tells the story of the African-American civil rights movement. Memphis is also home to some amazing food, so be sure to try some of the city's famous barbecue and soul food.

Memphis Luxury Hotels

Miami Beach, FL, United States

There is much to explore in Miami Beach, from the famous Art Deco district to the vast beaches and crystal-clear waters. Outdoor enthusiasts will love the opportunities for fishing, kayaking, and paddleboarding, while history buffs can explore the ancient burial mounds at Miami Beach. Shoppers and foodies will find plenty to keep them busy, with vibrant neighborhoods like Lincoln Road and Ocean Drive offering unique boutiques and award-winning restaurants. And of course, no trip to Miami Beach is complete without a visit to world-famous South Beach.

Miami Beach Luxury Hotels

Miami Beach Luxury Resorts

New Orleans, LA, United States

You can't visit New Orleans without trying some of the local food. Beignets, Po' Boys, and gumbo are just a few of the must-try dishes. While you're in town, be sure to check out the French Quarter, Jackson Square, and St. Louis Cathedral. If you're looking for some nightlife, Bourbon Street is the place to be. And, of course, no trip to New Orleans is complete without a visit to Mardi Gras!.

New Orleans Luxury Hotels

Milan, Italy

Milan is a city located in the Lombardy region of Italy. It is a popular tourist destination because of its historical and artistic heritage. Some of the places you should visit while in Milan are the Duomo, La Scala, and Castello Sforzesco.

Milan Luxury Hotels

Naples, Italy

Naples is one of the most beautiful and historic cities in Italy. There are countless places to visit, such as the Royal Palace, the Museum of San Martino, and the Church of Gesu Nuovo. Naples is also home to excellent shopping and dining options. Be sure to enjoy a cup of coffee at one of the city's many cafes and take a stroll through the picturesque streets.

Naples Luxury Hotels

Paris, France

Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. It's home to iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum, as well as a thriving nightlife and restaurant scene. If you're looking to explore all that Paris has to offer, here are some of the top places to visit: The Eiffel Tower: This iconic landmark is a must-see in Paris. Climb to the top for stunning views of the city, or take a ride on the elevator to the bottom for a closer look at the structure. The Louvre Museum: This world-famous museum is home to some of the most famous works of art in the world, including the Mona Lisa. The Notre Dame Cathedral: This beautiful cathedral is one of the most famous landmarks in Paris. Make sure to climb to the top for some amazing views of the city. The Champs-Elysees: This famous avenue is a popular destination for shopping and dining. Be sure to wander down the street and take in all the sights and sounds. The Arc de Triomphe: This towering arch is another iconic landmark in Paris. Climb to the top for some amazing views of the city.

Paris Luxury Hotels

Paris Luxury Villas

Prague, Czech Republic

Prague is a city rich in history and culture. There are plenty of places to visit, including the Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge, and the Old Town Square. There are also plenty of restaurants and bars to enjoy, and the nightlife is vibrant. Prague is a truly unique city and a must-visit for anyone traveling to the Czech Republic.

Prague Luxury Hotels

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Located on the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana is known for its beautiful beaches and turquoise waters. This paradise is a favorite destination for travelers looking for a Caribbean getaway. Punta Cana is home to a wide variety of resorts and activities, from enjoying the sand and surf to golfing, spas, and shopping. Nature lovers can also explore the areas jungles, caves, and waterfalls.

Punta Cana Luxury Hotels

Punta Cana Luxury Resorts

Punta Cana Luxury Villas

Marbella, Spain

If you're looking for an idyllic and luxurious Spanish escape, look no further than Marbella. Located on the country's Costa del Sol, Marbella is home to stunning beaches, top-notch resorts, world-class golfing, and much more. A visit to Marbella is the perfect way to experience all that Spain has to offer.

Marbella Luxury Hotels

Marbella Luxury Villas

Marrakesh, Morocco

Marrakesh is a city in Morocco that is full of culture and history. There are several places to visit in Marrakesh, including the Palace of the Bahia, the Ben Youssef Madrasa, and the Saadian Tombs. The souks (markets) are also a must-see, where you can find everything from souvenirs to spices to traditional clothing. Be sure to enjoy a meal in one of the many restaurants or cafes in Marrakesh; the food is delicious and the atmosphere is always lively. Marrakesh is a wonderful city to explore and definitely worth a visit!.

Marrakesh Luxury Hotels

San Francisco, CA, United States

San Francisco is a popular tourist destination, and for good reason. There are plenty of things to see and do in this vibrant city. Here are some of the top places to visit: 1. Fisherman's Wharf: This neighborhood is home to a variety of shops and restaurants, as well as a popular pier where you can enjoy views of the bay. 2. The Golden Gate Bridge: This iconic bridge is a must-see for any visitor to San Francisco. 3. Alcatraz Island: This former federal prison is now a popular tourist attraction. It's a must-see for fans of history and crime dramas. 4. Chinatown: This colorful neighborhood is home to some of the best food in San Francisco. Be sure to check out the Dragon Gate entrance. 5. The Mission District: This trendy neighborhood is home to hip restaurants, bars, and art galleries.

San Francisco Luxury Hotels

Moscow, Russia

Moscow, Russia is a beautiful city with plenty of places to visit. Some of the most popular tourist attractions are the Kremlin, Red Square, and Saint Basil's Cathedral. Other great places to see include the Bolshoi Theatre, Gorky Park, and the Tretyakov Gallery. There are also many churches and other historical buildings to explore. Moscow is a lively city with a lot of culture and nightlife. There is something for everyone to enjoy in Moscow.

Moscow Luxury Hotels

Venice, Italy

Venice is one of the most beautiful places on earth. The city is built on a lagoon in northeast Italy and is known for its canals and gondolas. There are many places to visit in Venice, including the Grand Canal, St. Marks Square, and the Rialto Bridge. Venice is also home to many museums, including the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.

Venice Luxury Hotels

Vienna, Austria

Vienna, Austria is a city with a long and rich history. There are many places to visit in Vienna, including the Hofburg Palace, the Ringstrasse, and St. Stephen's Cathedral. Vienna is also home to some of the world's best shopping, including the Karntner Strasse and the Graben. Finally, no visit to Vienna is complete without experiencing the city's world-famous nightlife.

Vienna Luxury Hotels

Zurich, Switzerland

Zurich is a marvelous city located in the heart of Switzerland. It is a city that has something to offer for everyone. From amazing restaurants and beautiful architecture to exciting nightlife and gorgeous parks, Zurich has something for everyone. Some of the most popular places to visit in Zurich include the Bahnhofstrasse, which is the city's most famous shopping street, the Lindenhof, which is a beautiful park with amazing views of the city, and Grossmunster, which is a stunning Romanesque church. Zurich is also home to some of the best museums in the world, including the famed Museum of Art and the Swiss National Museum. With its mix of old-world charm and modern amenities, Zurich is a city that is definitely worth exploring.

Zurich Luxury Hotels

Acapulco, Mexico

If you're looking for a Mexican vacation spot with plenty of history and culture to explore, Acapulco is a great option. From the archeological wonders of the ancient city to the stunning coastal views, there's something for everyone in Acapulco. Plus, with its temperate climate, it's a great escape from colder winter weather.

Acapulco Luxury Hotels

Acapulco Luxury Resorts

Acapulco Luxury Villas

Nashville, TN, United States

One of the United States' most interesting places to visit is Nashville, Tennessee. There's plenty to see and do there, from the Grand Ole Opry to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Music is a big part of the city's history and culture, so be sure to catch a show while you're in town. Other popular attractions include the Ryman Auditorium, the Parthenon, and the Jack Daniel's Distillery. Nashville is also a great place to eat, with a wide variety of restaurants serving up everything from barbecue to Mexican food. So if you're looking for an exciting and diverse city to visit, be sure to add Nashville to your list.

Nashville Luxury Hotels

Nashville Luxury Villas

Atlanta, GA, United States

What's not to love about Atlanta? From the iconic Georgia Aquarium to the World of Coke, from the Fox Theatre to Centennial Olympic Park, Atlanta offers a wealth of destinations for tourists. Sports fans will want to check out the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and history buffs will enjoy the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. Braves fans can take a tour of SunTrust Park, and shoppers will enjoy the many boutiques and malls in the city. There's also a great restaurant scene in Atlanta, and music lovers will want to check out the many venues offering live music. Whether you're looking for a fun family vacation spot or a place to explore on your own, Atlanta is a great choice!.

Atlanta Luxury Hotels

Miami, FL, United States

The Magic City is a top tourist destination for a reasonthere are endless things to do in Miami! From exploring the trendy neighborhoods and dazzling beaches to soaking up the Latin culture and nightlife, Miami is jam-packed with amazing places to visit. Here are a few of our favorites: 1. Wynwood Walls: This outdoor art exhibit is a must-see for any art lover. The colorful murals are awe-inspiring and definitely Instagram-worthy. 2. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens: This estate is dripping with luxury and opulence, from the grandiose architecture to the expansive gardens. It's the perfect place for a day of relaxation. 3. South Beach: This world-famous beach is a must-visit for any sun-seeker. The crystal-clear water and soft sand make for the perfect day-long beach getaway. 4. Little Havana: Experience Cuban culture at its best in Little Havana. From delicious food to lively music and dance, there's something for everyone in this vibrant district. 5. Art Deco District: This district is home to Miami's most iconic architecture. Take a stroll down the charming streets and admire the colorful buildings that make Miami so unique.

Miami Luxury Hotels

Miami Luxury Villas

Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo is a must-see destination in Japan. There are endless places to explore in this city - temples, shrines, gardens, and more. The Shinjuku district is a great place to start, with its neon-lit streets and myriad shops and restaurants. For a taste of traditional Japan, visit the Sensoji Temple in Asakusa or the Imperial Palace. Nature lovers will enjoy the Hamarikyu Gardens or the Hama-rikyu Teien Garden. And for a unique experience, take a trip to Mount Fuji.

Tokyo Luxury Hotels

Tokyo Luxury Villas

Buenos Aires, Argentina

There are plenty of places to visit in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Some popular tourist destinations include the obelisk, the Casa Rosada, and the Puerto Madero district. Every barrio (neighborhood) has its own unique culture and flavor. San Telmo, La Boca, and Palermo are some of the most popular barrios. There are also many parks and plazas, such as Plaza de Mayo and Plaza de la Republica, that are worth checking out.

Buenos Aires Luxury Hotels

Hamburg, Germany

One of the most popular tourist destinations in Germany is Hamburg. From the lively and colorful harbor district to the grandiose City Hall, there is plenty to see and do in Hamburg. Some of the other popular places to visit include the Reeperbahn district with its pubs and nightlife, the Planten un Blomen botanical gardens, and the architecturally stunning Rathausmarkt square.

Hamburg Luxury Hotels

Lisbon, Portugal

The capital of Portugal, Lisbon is a city of fascinating contrasts. From its coastal location, visitors can enjoy stunning ocean views, while its hilly, narrow streets are home to a maze of charming traditional homes and lively nightlife. A city of 7 hills, Lisbon is a bustling metropolis with something for everyone. Here are some of the top places to visit: The Belem Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of Lisbons most iconic landmarks. This 16th-century fortress and lighthouse is a must-see for visitors. The Alfama district, with its winding streets and tile-roofed homes, is the oldest district in Lisbon. This is the perfect place to get lost and explore the citys history. The Lisbon Zoo is a great place to enjoy a day out with the family, with over 2,000 animals from around the world. The Christ the King statue, located atop a hill in the suburb of Almada, offers impressive views of Lisbon and the river Tagus. The Lisbon Oceanarium, located in the Parque das Nacoes district, is home to more than 12,000 marine creatures and is one of the largest aquariums in Europe.

Lisbon Luxury Hotels

Lisbon Luxury Villas

Malaga, Spain

Malaga is an attractive seaside city in southern Spain with a long history. There are many places to visit in Malaga, including the Gibralfaro Castle, the Alcazaba fortress, and the Malaga Cathedral. Malaga is also home to a variety of museums, including the Picasso Museum. The city is well known for its beaches, and there are many delightful places to relax and enjoy the sun and the sea.

Malaga Luxury Hotels

Malaga Luxury Villas

Munich, Germany

When planning a vacation to Munich, Germany, be sure to include these top places to visit: The Marienplatz is a must-see square in the city center, featuring a beautiful Glockenspiel show and the Old and New Town Halls. The Englisher Garten, Europes largest city park, is a great place for a relaxing stroll or a picnic. OlympiaPark is home to the famous 1972 Olympic Stadium as well as a huge amusement park. The Frauenkirche is a stunning church in the old town with a Glockenspiel of its own. Beer lovers will want to visit the Hofbrauhaus, the worlds most famous beer hall. For a bit of history and culture, check out the LudwigMaximilians-University and the Deutsches Museum. There is so much to see and do in Munich  these are just a few highlights!.

Munich Luxury Hotels

Granada, Spain

Granada is a city in southern Spain that is known for its Moorish architecture and history. The city is home to the Alhambra, a palace and fortress that was constructed in the late 1300s. Visitors can also enjoy the citys many churches, including the Cathedral of Granada. Granada is also a convenient base for exploring the other cities and towns in Andalusia.

Granada Luxury Hotels

Bucharest, Romania

Bucharest is a city full of history and culture. There are many places to visit, such as the Palace of Parliament, which is the world's largest civilian building. Other places to visit include the old city center, which is full of charming streets and buildings, and the Botanical Garden, which is the largest botanical garden in Romania.

Bucharest Luxury Hotels

Bologna, Italy

Bologna, Italy is a beautiful city with plenty of places to visit. Some popular tourist destinations include the Piazza Maggiore, the Tower of Asinelli, and the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca. There are also plenty of museums and churches to explore, and the city is full of charming restaurants and cafes. Bologna is an excellent destination for a vacation, and there is something for everyone to enjoy in this amazing city.

Bologna Luxury Hotels

Porto, Portugal

Porto is a port city in Portugal that is well known for its wine. It's also a city with a long and rich history. There are many places to visit in Porto, including the old city center, the Dom Luis I Bridge, and the Clerigos Tower. Porto is also home to the famous Port wine caves, which are a must-visit for wine lovers.

Porto Luxury Hotels

Cologne, Germany

Cologne, located on the Rhine River in western Germany, is a city well worth visiting. The city has a long and rich history, dating back to the time of the Roman Empire. Some of the city's most popular tourist attractions include the Cologne Cathedral, Hohenzollern Bridge, and the RheinEnergieStadion. Additionally, Cologne is home to a wide variety of museums, shops, and restaurants. In fact, the city has been ranked as one of the best places to live in Germany. So, if you're looking for a great European city to visit, be sure to add Cologne to your list.

Cologne Luxury Hotels

Istanbul, Turkey

If you're looking for an exotic and affordable vacation destination, look no further than Istanbul, Turkey. Filled with historical places to visit and bargains to be found, Istanbul offers something for everyone. Be sure to visit the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and the Blue Mosque while you're there. Don't forget to bargain for the best prices when shopping in the bazaars, and enjoy some delicious Turkish cuisine while you're at it. Istanbul is sure to leave you with a lasting impression.

Istanbul Luxury Hotels

Istanbul Luxury Villas

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai is a fascinating and exotic city that offers visitors a mix of traditional Middle Eastern culture and modern, cosmopolitan life. There are plenty of places to visit in Dubai, from the towering skyscrapers of Downtown Dubai to the luxury shopping malls and luxurious hotels of the Palm Jumeirah. Don't miss a chance to experience an Arabian night out on an epic dhow cruise, or take a trip out into the Arabian Desert to see the stunning sand dunes.

Dubai Luxury Hotels

Dubai Luxury Resorts

Dubai Luxury Villas

Antwerp, Belgium

Antwerp is a city located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital of the province of Antwerp and has a population of over half a million people. Antwerp is a popular tourist destination due to its many historical buildings, museums, and art galleries. Some of the most popular places to visit in Antwerp are the Cathedral of Our Lady, the City Hall, the Rubenshuis, and the Antwerp Zoo.

Antwerp Luxury Hotels

Lyon, France

Lyon is a beautiful city in the south of France that is full of culture and places to visit. Some of the most popular places to visit in Lyon are the Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourviere, the Place Bellecour, and the Vieux Lyon. The Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourviere is a beautiful cathedral that is a must-see when visiting Lyon. The Place Bellecour is a large square in the heart of Lyon that is full of restaurants and cafes. The Vieux Lyon is a district in Lyon that is full of old buildings and is a great place to wander around and take in the sights.

Lyon Luxury Hotels

Athens, Greece

If you find yourself in Athens, there are definitely some spots you won't want to miss. The Acropolis, Parthenon, and Olympic Stadium are all essential stops, but there are plenty of others, too. If you're looking for a bit of history, the National Archaeological Museum is a must-see, while nature lovers will enjoy a visit to the botanical gardens. If you're looking to relax, take a walk along the beach in Glyfada or head to the Plaka district for a charming and picturesque setting. No matter what you're interested in, Athens has something for you.

Athens Luxury Hotels

Athens Luxury Villas

Helsinki, Finland

While in Helsinki, make sure to visit these popular tourist destinations: The Senate Square and Lutheran Cathedral The Sibelius Monument Ateneum Art Museum Market Square Helsinki Zoo.

Helsinki Luxury Hotels

Vilnius, Lithuania

The capital of Lithuania, Vilnius, is a picturesque city with a rich history. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is full of charming churches, narrow streets, and pretty squares. There are also lots of museums and other places of interest to visit, including the Hill of Crosses, Gediminas Tower, and the Presidential Palace. Vilnius is a great city to explore on foot, and there are plenty of cafes, restaurants, and bars to enjoy in the evening.

Vilnius Luxury Hotels

Reykjavik, Iceland

A city of remote beauty, Reykjavik is teeming with interesting places to visit. One of the worlds most northern capitals, Reykjavik offers stunning landscapes and a wealth of cultural experiences. From the iconic Hallgrimskirkja church to the popular Golden Circle tour, theres plenty to see and do in Reykjavik. Be sure to check out the citys lively nightlife scene, too  you wont be disappointed!.

Reykjavik Luxury Hotels

Glasgow, United Kingdom

Some of the most popular places to visit in Glasgow include the Gallery of Modern Art, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the Riverside Museum, and the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre. There are also many wonderful parks and gardens to explore, including the Botanic Gardens and Glasgow Green. For those interested in history and architecture, there are many fascinating old buildings to see, such as the Glasgow Cathedral and the University of Glasgow. And for those looking for a lively nightlife, Glasgow has no shortage of pubs, clubs, and restaurants.

Glasgow Luxury Hotels

Los Angeles, CA, United States

As the birthplace of Hollywood and home to some of the world's most recognisable landmarks, there's no shortage of places to visit in Los Angeles. Start by exploring the city's iconic neighbourhoods like Beverly Hills and Hollywood, then venture out to attractions like the Griffith Observatory, Venice Beach and Disneyland. And don't forget to savour the city's world-famous cultural scene, with its abundance of museums, theatres and restaurants.

Los Angeles Luxury Hotels

Los Angeles Luxury Villas

San Diego, CA, United States

San Diego is a city located in California and is a major tourist destination. One of the main reasons people visit the city is for its many beaches. Coronado Beach, Mission Beach, and Pacific Beach are some of the most popular and are all within close proximity to the city center. Other attractions in San Diego include the San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld San Diego, and the USS Midway Museum. Restaurants, bars, and shopping can be found throughout the city, and world-renowned museums, like the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, are also located in San Diego.

San Diego Luxury Hotels

San Diego Luxury Resorts

San Diego Luxury Villas

Washington, DC, United States

Washington, D.C. is a city full of history and places to visit. Some popular places to visit are the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, and the Smithsonian. D.C. is also home to a number of monuments and memorials, like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Korean War Veterans Memorial. There are also a number of museums in D.C., like the American History Museum and the National Air and Space Museum.

Washington Luxury Hotels

Cancun, Mexico

Cancun is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Mexico. Aside from its beautiful beaches, there are plenty of places to visit and things to do in Cancun. Some of the most popular attractions include the ancient ruins of Chichen Itza, the eco-park Xcaret, and the nightclubs and bars in the resort district.

Cancun Luxury Hotels

Cancun Luxury Resorts

Cancun Luxury Villas

Virginia Beach, VA, United States

Virginia Beach is one of the top tourist destinations on the East Coast. From the Virginia Beach Boardwalk to the miles of sandy beaches, there's something for everyone to enjoy. There are also plenty of restaurants, shops, and other attractions to keep visitors busy. Some of the most popular places to visit in Virginia Beach include: The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center : This aquarium is home to more than 20,000 animals, including sharks, dolphins, and rays. : This aquarium is home to more than 20,000 animals, including sharks, dolphins, and rays. The Virginia Beach Boardwalk: This 3.5-mile boardwalk is one of the most popular attractions in Virginia Beach. It features a wide variety of shops, restaurants, and amusements. This 3.5-mile boardwalk is one of the most popular attractions in Virginia Beach. It features a wide variety of shops, restaurants, and amusements. First Landing State Park: This park offers miles of hiking and biking trails, as well as a beachfront area for swimming and sunbathing. This park offers miles of hiking and biking trails, as well as a beachfront area for swimming and sunbathing. Cape Henry Lighthouse: This lighthouse is one of the oldest in the country and offers stunning views of the Chesapeake Bay. There are plenty of other things to do in Virginia Beach, including dolphin and whale watching tours, kayaking, and golfing. Whether you're looking for a fun family vacation or a romantic getaway, Virginia Beach is sure to please.

Virginia Beach Luxury Hotels

Virginia Beach Luxury Resorts

Beijing, China

If you're looking for an amazing cultural experience, be sure to add Beijing, China to your travel bucket list! With beautiful temples, charming hutongs (traditional alleyways), and a lively food scene, there's something for everyone in this bustling city. Plus, Beijing is home to some of the most iconic attractions in China, like the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City. So if you're looking for an unforgettable East Asian adventure, be sure to add Beijing to your list!.

Beijing Luxury Hotels

Seoul, South Korea

Seoul is a metropolitan city that is home to over 10 million people. It is a city full of culture, history, and a vibrant nightlife. There are plenty of places to visit in Seoul, including the Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, and N Seoul Tower. The Jeongdongne district is a must-see for anyone interested in art and culture, and the Itaewon district is a great place to go for a night on the town.

Seoul Luxury Hotels

South Lake Tahoe, CA, United States

Known for its dramatic lake and mountain scenery, South Lake Tahoe offers visitors plenty of places to visit and things to do. Some of the most popular attractions include floating down the river on a tube, hiking the trails in the summer and skiing or snowboarding the slopes in the winter. The city also has a variety of restaurants and nightlife options, as well as casinos for those looking to try their luck.

South Lake Tahoe Luxury Hotels

South Lake Tahoe Luxury Resorts

Daytona Beach, FL, United States

Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. It is approximately 40 miles northeast of Orlando, and 85 miles southeast of Jacksonville. The city is known as "The World's Most Famous Beach." Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Fun Coast region of Florida. The Daytona Beach area is a popular tourist destination. It is well known for its beaches, sports events, and motorsports. Daytona Beach was the birthplace of NASCAR and home to its first track, Daytona International Speedway. Dayton Beach also features a large number of tourist-oriented businesses, such as motels, restaurants, and bars.

Daytona Beach Luxury Hotels

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The coastline of Rio de Janeiro is breathtaking, and the views from Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf Mountain are unforgettable. Rio's world-famous beaches are the perfect place to relax and enjoy the sun and the surf. The city's rich culture and history can be experienced in its many museums and in the lively nightlife. Rio is also a great place to shop for souvenirs.

Rio de Janeiro Luxury Hotels

Rio de Janeiro Luxury Villas

Jaco, Costa Rica

Jaco is a town on the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. It's about an hour drive from San Jose and is a popular spot for surfers, sunbathers, and tourists. There are a number of beaches in the area, as well as restaurants, bars, and hotels. If you're looking for a place to relax and enjoy the Costa Rican sun and beaches, Jaco is a great option.

Jaco Luxury Hotels

Oslo, Norway

Oslo, Norway is a city with plenty of places to visit. You can find the peace and tranquility of nature parks and green spaces, experience the city's vibrant nightlife, or take in the historical and cultural sights. Here are a few of the top places to visit in Oslo: The Royal Palace: Oslo's Royal Palace is the official residence of Norway's king and queen. The palace is open to the public year-round, and offers a glimpse into the lives of the royal family. Oslo's Royal Palace is the official residence of Norway's king and queen. The palace is open to the public year-round, and offers a glimpse into the lives of the royal family. Vigeland Park: Considered one of Oslo's most popular tourist destinations, Vigeland Park is home to over 200 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland. The park is a great place to spend a sunny day outdoors. Considered one of Oslo's most popular tourist destinations, Vigeland Park is home to over 200 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland. The park is a great place to spend a sunny day outdoors. The Maritime Museum: This museum is home to a variety of exhibits on Norway's maritime history. Visitors can explore everything from Viking ships to modern submarines. This museum is home to a variety of exhibits on Norway's maritime history. Visitors can explore everything from Viking ships to modern submarines. The National Gallery: The National Gallery is Norway's largest art museum, and home to a vast collection of paintings and sculptures from the country's most famous artists. The National Gallery is Norway's largest art museum, and home to a vast collection of paintings and sculptures from the country's most famous artists. Aker Brygge: Aker Brygge is a popular waterfront district in Oslo, home to a variety of bars, restaurants, and shops. The area is a great place to people watch and enjoy the view of the Oslo Fjord.

Oslo Luxury Hotels

Lima, Peru

If you're looking for a city that's bursting with culture and flavor, Lima, Peru is the place for you! This vibrant destination is home to some of the most amazing places to visit in all of South America. From ancient ruins to lush rainforests, there's something for everyone in Lima. Here are just a few of the must-see attractions in this amazing city: The Larco Museum is one of Lima's top tourist destinations. This incredible museum is home to one of the largest collections of pre-Columbian art in the world. The Historic Center of Lima is a must-see for any history lover. This vibrant area is home to some of the oldest architecture in Lima, including the iconic San Francisco Monastery. If you're looking for a little bit of jungle in the city, head to the Parque de la Reserva. This lush park is home to beautiful gardens, a zoo, and even a butterfly farm! No trip to Lima would be complete without a visit to Machu Picchu. This ancient Inca citadel is one of the most iconic sites in all of South America.

Lima Luxury Hotels

Ankara, Turkey

Ankara is the cultural and political center of Turkey. The city is home to many museums, including the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, and is a popular destination for tourists. The Citadel, the Ataturk Mausoleum, and the War of Independence Museum are all popular tourist destinations in Ankara. The city is also home to a vibrant nightlife and is a popular destination for students.

Ankara Luxury Hotels

Birmingham, United Kingdom

There are plenty of great places to visit in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Some of the most popular places to go include the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, and the Black Country Living Museum. These places are all great for tourists, as they offer a variety of attractions, including beautiful gardens, interesting art, and a recreation of an old-fashioned town. Additionally, there are plenty of other great places to visit in Birmingham, such as the Jewellery Quarter and the German Christmas Market.

Birmingham Luxury Hotels

York, United Kingdom

With a rich history that spans back over 1,000 years, York is a must-visit destination in the United Kingdom. Explore the city's medieval architecture and narrow cobblestone streets, or enjoy a leisurely walk along the River Ouse. Visitors can also enjoy a variety of cultural experiences, such as the York Minster cathedral, the Jorvik Viking Centre, and the National Railway Museum. There are also plenty of shops and restaurants to enjoy in York.

York Luxury Hotels

Inverness, United Kingdom

Inverness, Scotland is a must-see destination on any traveler's list. Filled with rolling green hills, historical sites, and plenty of outdoor activities, there's something for everyone in this charming town. Start by exploring the city center, which is home to a variety of shops and restaurants. Make sure to check out the Inverness Castle, which offers commanding views of the area, and the Inverness Cathedral, a beautiful example of medieval architecture. Outside of the city center, there are plenty of other attractions to explore. The Loch Ness Monster is said to make its home in the loch here, and visitors can take boat tours to hunt for the mythical creature. If you're looking for a more active adventure, take a hike in the hills or go fishing on the loch. No matter what you choose to do, Inverness is a beautiful and welcoming town that is sure to charm you.

Inverness Luxury Hotels

Marseille, France

The Vieux Port (Old Harbor) is the oldest port in France. It is a beautiful place to visit with its sailboats, restaurants, and cafes. The Notre Dame de la Garde Basilica is also worth a visit. It offers stunning views of the city. If you're looking for a more lively atmosphere, head to the La Canebiere. It's a wide avenue with plenty of shops and restaurants.

Marseille Luxury Hotels

Marseille Luxury Villas

Honolulu, HI, United States

Honolulu is a city located on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, United States. It is the most populous city in the state of Hawaii and the county seat of the City and County of Honolulu. Honolulu is the cultural, commercial, and financial center of Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is one of the most famous beaches in the world and is located in Honolulu. Other places to visit in Honolulu include Diamond Head, the USS Arizona Memorial, and Hanauma Bay.

Honolulu Luxury Hotels

Honolulu Luxury Resorts

Honolulu Luxury Villas

Bar Harbor, ME, United States

Famous for lobster and stunning ocean views, Bar Harbor is a popular destination in Maine. There are plenty of things to do in the town and its surroundings, including hiking, biking, whale watching, and exploring Acadia National Park.

Bar Harbor Luxury Hotels

Colorado Springs, CO, United States

There are many places to visit in Colorado Springs. Garden of the Gods is a popular park with beautiful rock formations. Pike's Peak is a 14,115 foot mountain that offers great views and outdoor activities. The Broadmoor is a world-renowned resort with lovely gardens and a championship golf course. Royal Gorge Bridge is the world's highest suspension bridge and a popular tourist spot.

Colorado Springs Luxury Hotels

Fort Myers Beach, FL, United States

Just an hours drive from the Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach is a popular tourist spot, especially in the winter when the snowbirds migrate down. The seven-mile-long beach is known for its white sand and clear water and is a popular spot for swimming, sunbathing, fishing, and kayaking. There are also a number of restaurants and bars in the area, as well as a few stores.

Fort Myers Beach Luxury Hotels

Biloxi, MS, United States

There are plenty of places to explore in Biloxi, Mississippi  from the citys iconic Beaches to the picturesque Bay Saint Louis. Venture into the citys downtown area to check out the many shops and restaurants, or take a walk along the shoreline. No matter what you choose to do, youre sure to have a great time in Biloxi.

Biloxi Luxury Hotels

Palermo, Italy

If you're looking for a city with a rich and diverse history, Palermo is the place for you. This coastal city in Italy is teeming with medieval architecture, churches, and cathedrals. Be sure to check out the Teatro Massimo, the largest opera house in Europe, and the Palazzo dei Normanni, the seat of the Sicilian government. Don't miss out on the city's vibrant nightlife and vast array of restaurants that serve up some of the best food in the country.

Palermo Luxury Hotels

Palermo Luxury Villas

Manila, Philippines

The capital of the Philippines, Manila is a fascinating city with a rich history and a vibrant culture. There are plenty of places to visit in Manila, including the walled city of Intramuros, the Rizal Park, and the Manila Bay. The city is also home to a large number of churches, including the Manila Cathedral and the San Agustin Church. Manila is a great city to explore on foot, and there are plenty of restaurants and shops to enjoy.

Manila Luxury Hotels

Zermatt, Switzerland

Zermatt is an alpine village in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It is famous for its ski resort, mountaineering and hiking trails. The views of the Matterhorn from Zermatt are iconic. The village is car-free, making it a cyclists' and pedestrians' paradise. There are many places to visit in Zermatt, including the village's beautiful churches, impressive museums, and great restaurants.

Zermatt Luxury Hotels

Basel, Switzerland

Basel is a city located in northwestern Switzerland on the river Rhine. Basel has a population of about 176,000 and is the third most populous city in Switzerland. Basel has many interesting places to visit, including the Basel Munster, the Basel Rathaus (town hall), the Basel Zoo, and the Munsterhof, the old town square. Basel also has a number of art museums, including the Kunstmuseum Basel, the Fondation Beyeler, and the Schaulager. Basel is a great city to visit, and I highly recommend it!.

Basel Luxury Hotels

Copenhagen, Denmark

There are a number of places to visit in Copenhagen, Denmark. Some of the most popular tourist destinations include Tivoli Gardens, Nyhavn, and the Rosenborg Castle Gardens. Tivoli Gardens is a beautiful amusement park that has something for everyone. It is perfect for a day of fun with family or friends. Nyhavn is a charming canal district that is popular for its brightly colored houses and lively atmosphere. Visitors can enjoy a relaxing cruise down the canal or take a seat in one of the many cafes and restaurants. The Rosenborg Castle Gardens are home to a majestic castle as well as beautifully landscaped gardens. There is plenty to see and do in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Copenhagen Luxury Hotels

Steamboat Springs, CO, United States

Steamboat Springs is located in northwestern Colorado. The town is named for the steamboats that traveled up the Yampa River in the 1800s. Today, the town is a popular tourist destination, known for its skiing, snowboarding, hiking, and rafting.

Steamboat Springs Luxury Hotels

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates and is home to many tourist attractions. Some popular places to visit in Abu Dhabi include the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Ferrari World Theme Park, and the Yas Island Waterpark. There are also a number of museums and shopping malls in Abu Dhabi, making it a great destination for those looking for a mix of culture and leisure.

Abu Dhabi Luxury Hotels

Abu Dhabi Luxury Resorts

Abu Dhabi Luxury Villas

Bogota, Colombia

There's a lot to see and do in Bogota. Some of the top places to visit include the historical La Candelaria district, the cobblestone streets of Plaza de Bolivar, the Monserrate mountain, the Bogota Botanical Garden, and the Gold Museum. La Candelaria is home to many brightly-colored colonial buildings, churches, and plazas. Plaza de Bolivar is the center of Bogota and is surrounded by important landmarks like the Presidential Palace and the National Capitol. The Monserrate mountain is a popular tourist destination due to its stunning views of Bogota. The Bogota Botanical Garden is the largest in Colombia and features a wide variety of plants and trees. The Gold Museum is home to the largest collection of Pre-Columbian gold artifacts in the world.

Bogota Luxury Hotels

Cebu, Philippines

Due to its location and its rich history, there are plenty of places to visit in Cebu. Some of the most popular tourist destinations include the Cebu Taoist Temple, the Fort San Pedro, the Yap-San Diego Ancestral House, and the Magellan's Cross.

Cebu Luxury Hotels

Cebu Luxury Resorts

Lagos, Portugal

Lagos is a small town in Portugal with a population of around 22,000. It's located in the Algarve region and is a popular tourist destination. Some of the places to visit in Lagos are the beaches, the old town, and the Marina. The beaches are beautiful and there are a lot of them to choose from. The old town is a maze of narrow streets and alleyways with lots of shops and restaurants. The Marina is a great place to walk around and watch the boats.

Lagos Luxury Hotels

Medellin, Colombia

Some places to visit in Medellin, Colombia are: the Botanical Garden, the Ethnographic Museum, the Jardin Botanico, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Park of Lights, and the San Pedro Claver Church.

Medellin Luxury Hotels

Genoa, Italy

While there are many places to visit in Genoa, one of the must-sees is the city's cathedral. Dedicated to San Lorenzo, the church features an intricate Gothic facade and a Renaissance interior. If you're looking for a place to take in some stunning views, head to the Genoa Aquarium, which is located on the promenade stretching along the city's harbor.

Genoa Luxury Hotels

Hoi An, Vietnam

Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Vietnam. Its a bridge town thats best explored on foot. The narrow streets are a mix of Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese architecture. There are tailors, artisans, and lantern shops galore. The food is also some of the best in Vietnam. Be sure to try the local specialties, like Cao Lau and White Rose dumplings.

Hoi An Luxury Hotels

Hoi An Luxury Resorts

Baku, Azerbaijan

Baku, Azerbaijan is a city with a lot of culture and history. There are a lot of places to visit, like the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and the Maiden Tower. There are also a lot of great restaurants, like the Flame Club, which has a great atmosphere and delicious food.

Baku Luxury Hotels

San Luis Obispo, CA, United States

San Luis Obispo is a city located in the central coast of California. It's known for its natural beauty, relaxed vibe, and abundance of things to do. Some of the top places to visit in San Luis Obispo include the Madonna Inn, Hearst Castle, and the Paso Robles wine country. The city is also home to a variety of beaches, parks, and other attractions. In addition, San Luis Obispo is a great place to live, with plenty of restaurants, shops, and other amenities.

San Luis Obispo Luxury Hotels

Colombo, Sri Lanka

Colombo is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. The city is located on the west coast of the island and is the administrative, commercial, and industrial center of Sri Lanka. Colombo is also the center of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, with numerous Buddhist temples. There are a number of places to visit in Colombo, including the Galle Face Green, the Dutch fort, the Pettah Bazaar, and the Sri Lankan National Museum.

Colombo Luxury Hotels

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

The city of Yogyakarta in Indonesia is home to some of the most stunning temples and historical landmarks in the country. The city is also a great place to enjoy traditional Javanese culture and cuisine. Some of the must-see places in Yogyakarta include the Borobudur Temple, the Prambanan Temple, and the Sultan's Palace.

Yogyakarta Luxury Hotels

Cefalu, Italy

Looking for a beautiful and historic place to visit in Italy? Look no further than Cefalu. This town is teeming with history and stunning architecture, and its location on the coast makes it the perfect place to relax and take in the stunning scenery. Don't miss the Duomo di Cefalu, a 12th century Norman church that is definitely worth a visit, or the Palazzo dei Normanni, a former royal palace.

Cefalu Luxury Hotels

San Jose, CA, United States

San Jose, California, is home to a variety of tourist destinations. Some popular places to visit include the Winchester Mystery House, the Tech Museum of Innovation, and the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum. There are also a number of lovely parks, such as Kelley Park and Plaza de Cesar Chavez, that are well worth a visit. San Jose is also home to a number of great restaurants, so be sure to check out the local cuisine. Whatever your interests, San Jose has something to offer visitors.

San Jose Luxury Hotels

Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong is one of the most popular destinations for tourists in China. There are many places to visit in Hong Kong, including the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Victoria Peak, and the Temple Street Night Market. Hong Kong is also a great place to shop, with many high-end malls and markets.

Hong Kong Luxury Hotels

Hong Kong Luxury Resorts

Orlando, FL, United States

Orlando is a city in the central region of Florida, in the United States. The city is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the metropolitan area also known as Greater Orlando. Orlando is well known for its theme parks, including Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, and SeaWorld Orlando. Other tourist destinations in Orlando include the Holy Land Experience, the Orlando Science Center, and the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art. Orlando is also home to the University of Central Florida, one of the largest universities in the United States.

Orlando Luxury Hotels

Orlando Luxury Resorts

Orlando Luxury Villas

Philadelphia, PA, United States

If youre looking for a place thats rich in history and culture, Philadelphia is the place for you. The city is home to numerous iconic landmarks, including the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. Theres also a great variety of museums and other attractions to explore, such as the Philadelphia Zoo and the Please Touch Museum. And, of course, Philly is the birthplace of Americas favorite sandwich, the cheesesteak. So why not visit Americas most historic city and see for yourself what all the fuss is about?.

Philadelphia Luxury Hotels

Nice, France

France is known for its many beautiful places to visit, and Nice is no exception. With its stunning coastline and mild climate, Nice is a popular tourist destination. Some of the most popular places to visit in Nice include the Promenade des Anglais, the Castle Hill, and the Old Town. There is also a wide variety of shops and restaurants to enjoy in Nice. If you're looking for a beautiful and relaxing place to visit in France, Nice is definitely worth considering.

Nice Luxury Hotels

Nice Luxury Villas

Singapore, Singapore

Singapore is a popular tourist destination, brimming with cultural and natural attractions. From award-winning restaurants to serene gardens and pristine beaches, there is much to explore in this diverse city-state. Here are some of the top places to visit in Singapore: 1. Marina Bay: This iconic waterfront district is home to stunning architecture, world-class landmarks, and a vibrant nightlife. 2. Gardens by the Bay: These stunning gardens feature a mix of plants from around the world, as well as towering sculptures and a biodome. 3. Chinatown: This lively district is home to traditional Chinese shops and restaurants, as well as vibrant street markets. 4. Little India: This neighborhood is known for its vibrant culture and colorful temples. 5. Sentosa Island: This resort island is home to sandy beaches, lush rainforests, and a variety of entertainment options.

Singapore Luxury Hotels

Singapore Luxury Resorts

Nottingham, United Kingdom

Nottingham is a city in the East Midlands of England. It is one of the United Kingdom's major cities, with a population of over 321,000. The city is home to two universities, Queen's Medical Centre, and seven football grounds. Nottingham is known for its lace-making and bicycle manufacturing. The city has a rich history, dating back to the Bronze Age. There are plenty of places to visit in Nottingham, including the Nottingham Castle, the Sherwood Forest, and the National Ice Centre. The city also has a lively nightlife, with a variety of pubs and bars.

Nottingham Luxury Hotels

Cannes, France

Cannes is a city located in the south of France. Some of the places to visit in Cannes are the Palais des Festivals et des Congres, the Boulevard de la Croisette, and Le Suquet.

Cannes Luxury Hotels

Cannes Luxury Villas

Park City, UT, United States

Park City, Utah, offers visitors a wealth of places to visit and things to do. Main Street, with its charming shops and restaurants, is a must-see. The Park City Museum tells the town's fascinating history, and the Park City Utah Temple is a beautiful sight. For outdoor enthusiasts, there's plenty of skiing and snowboarding in the winter and hiking and mountain biking in the summer. And don't forget to visit the Olympic Park, where the 2002 Winter Olympics were held.

Park City Luxury Hotels

Park City Luxury Resorts

Port Angeles, WA, United States

If you're looking for a quaint, small town to visit in the US, Port Angeles is worth a stop. Located in the state of Washington, it's right on the Pacific coast with stunning views of the Olympic Mountains. There's plenty of things to do in the area, from hiking and fishing to whale watching and enjoying the local restaurants and breweries.

Port Angeles Luxury Hotels

Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States

If you're looking for a fun-filled Florida getaway, look no further than Fort Lauderdale! With its miles of pristine beaches, world-famous shopping and vibrant nightlife, there's something for everyone in this seaside city. Here are some of the top places to visit in Fort Lauderdale:  Las Olas Boulevard: This popular shopping and dining district is home to some of Fort Lauderdale's most upscale boutiques and restaurants.  The Beach: With its wide, sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters, Fort Lauderdale's beach is a major draw for visitors.  The Everglades: Just a short drive from Fort Lauderdale, the Everglades are home to an abundance of wildlife, including alligators, bald eagles and manatees.  The Broward Center for the Performing Arts: This world-class performing arts center is home to a variety of theater, dance and music performances. So what are you waiting for? Book your trip to Fort Lauderdale today!.

Fort Lauderdale Luxury Hotels

Fort Lauderdale Luxury Resorts

Myrtle Beach, SC, United States

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is a popular tourist destination. There are plenty of places to visit in the area, including amusement parks, beaches, and golf courses. Myrtle Beach also has a lively nightlife, with plenty of bars and restaurants.

Myrtle Beach Luxury Hotels

Myrtle Beach Luxury Resorts

Salzburg, Austria

Salzburg is one of the most visited places in Austria. It is a city rich in history and culture. There are many places to visit, such as the Hohensalzburg Fortress, the Mirabell Palace, and the Salzburg Cathedral. There are also many hiking trails and parks to enjoy.

Salzburg Luxury Hotels

Pattaya, Thailand

Pattaya is an amazing city with plenty of places to visit and things to do. One of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand, Pattaya offers something for everyone. There are lovely beaches, interesting temples, great shopping, and exciting nightlife. With its moderate climate and affordable prices, it's no wonder Pattaya is a favorite destination for tourists from all over the world.

Pattaya Luxury Hotels

Pattaya Luxury Resorts

Pattaya Luxury Villas

Dallas, TX, United States

Dallas is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the ninth most populous city in the United States and the third most populous city in the state of Texas. Dallas is also the main city of the fourth most populous metropolitan area in the United States. The city's prominence arose from its historical importance as a center for the oil and cotton industries, and its position as a major transportation hub for the South. Dallas is home to the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League and the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. The city's economy is primarily based on banking, commerce, telecommunications, technology, energy, healthcare and medical research, and transportation. The city is home to the world's largest airline hub and the third largest cargo airport in the United States.

Dallas Luxury Hotels

Kolkata, India

Kolkata, also known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. The city is located on the east bank of the Hooghly River. It is the second most populous city in India, after Mumbai, and the third most populous metropolitan area in India, after Mumbai and Delhi. The city is notable for its colonial architecture, art and culture, and for its overwhelming poverty. Kolkata is home to the Indian Museum, the Calcutta Stock Exchange, the National Library of India, and the Indian Statistical Institute.

Kolkata Luxury Hotels

San Antonio, TX, United States

San Antonio is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Texas. There are plenty of places to visit in this city, from the well-known River Walk to the exquisite Spanish missions. If you're looking for a fun place to spend the day, you can't go wrong with San Antonio.

San Antonio Luxury Hotels

Seattle, WA, United States

There are many wonderful places to visit in Seattle, Washington. Some of the most popular attractions include Pike Place Market, the Seattle Space Needle, and the Museum of Pop Culture. There are also many parks and gardens, such as Volunteer Park and Seattle Chinese Garden, as well as plenty of restaurants and shops. Located on the other side of the world, Western Australia is a great place to visit for those looking for something different. Some of the most popular attractions include Rottnest Island, the Margaret River region, and Monkey Mia. There are also plenty of beautiful parks and gardens, such as Kings Park and Botanic Garden, as well as restaurants and shops.

Seattle Luxury Hotels

Liverpool, United Kingdom

Liverpool is a city located in North West England and is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom. The city is known for its football teams Liverpool and Everton, The Beatles, and its maritime history. Liverpool is a popular tourist destination and is home to various tourist attractions including Mersey Ferry, Liverpool Cathedral, and Albert Dock.

Liverpool Luxury Hotels

Malmo, Sweden

Malmo is Sweden's third largest city with a population of over 310,000. It is located in the province of Scania on the country's southern tip. Malmo is a vibrant city with a strong arts and cultural scene. There are plenty of places to visit in Malmo, including the Malmo Castle, the Botanical Gardens, and the Turning Torso skyscraper. Malmo is also home to a large shopping district and a lively nightlife.

Malmo Luxury Hotels

Gothenburg, Sweden

Goteborg, Sweden's second largest city, is a major port on the country's west coast. It's a popular tourist destination, known for its lively nightlife, beautiful architecture and delicious seafood. Some of the city's highlights include the Liseberg amusement park, the Botanical Garden, and the charming old town district. Goteborg is also home to a large number of museums, including the Volvo Museum, the Maritime Museum and the Universeum science center.

Gothenburg Luxury Hotels

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Ljubljana is the capital city of Slovenia and is a city full of culture and history. There are many places to visit in Ljubljana, such as the castle, the old town, and the cathedral. The city is also home to many museums, art galleries, and parks. Ljubljana is a great city to explore on foot, and there are many restaurants and cafes to enjoy.

Ljubljana Luxury Hotels

Sydney, NSW, Australia

Australia is a vast country with plenty of stunning places to visit, but Sydney is undoubtedly one of the most popular tourist destinations on the continent. From the iconic Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge to the beautiful beaches and lush national parks, there's something for everyone in this lively city. There's also a thriving food and nightlife scene, so you'll never run out of things to do in Sydney.

Sydney Luxury Hotels

Sydney Luxury Villas

Melbourne, VIC, Australia

There's a lot to love about Melbourne  its lively arts and culture scene, its parks and gardens, its diverse range of restaurants and cafes, and its stunning architecture. Here are some of the best places to visit in Melbourne: - Federation Square: This iconic square is a great place to people-watch and take in the city's impressive architecture. It's also home to a number of museums and galleries, including the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and the National Gallery of Victoria. - Queen Victoria Market: This vibrant market is a must-visit for foodies and shoppers alike. It's the largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere, and offers a vast array of fresh produce, meat, seafood, and souvenirs. - Melbourne Cricket Ground: If you're a sports fan, be sure to check out the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which is the largest cricket stadium in the world. It's also home to the Australian Football League, and has hosted a number of major sporting events, including the Commonwealth Games and the Rugby Union World Cup. - Royal Botanic Gardens: These beautiful gardens are a great place to relax and take in some of Melbourne's natural beauty. They're home to a number of different gardens, including the Australian Garden, the Sculpture Garden, and the Japanese Garden.

Melbourne Luxury Hotels

Melbourne Luxury Villas

Vancouver, BC, Canada

The top places to visit in Vancouver are Stanley Park, Granville Island, Gastown, and Chinatown. These are all must-see attractions that offer an array of activities, scenery, and history. Stanley Park is a world-famous urban park that features greenery, beaches, gardens, and a stunning view of the North Shore Mountains. Granville Island is a vibrant neighbourhood with unique shops, restaurants, and art galleries. Gastown is the city's oldest neighbourhood and is home to charming cobblestone streets and funky boutiques. Chinatown is one of the largest and most vibrant Chinatowns in North America and offers delicious food, interesting history, and vibrant culture.

Vancouver Luxury Hotels

Toronto, ON, Canada

From the CN Tower and Hockey Hall of Fame to the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Distillery District, there are plenty of amazing places to visit in Toronto, Canada. With something for everyone, Toronto is a great city to explore. So what are you waiting for? Start planning your trip today!.

Toronto Luxury Hotels

Montreal, QC, Canada

Montreal is a vibrant city with something for everyone. There are plenty of places to visit, including the Notre Dame Basilica, the Olympic Stadium, and Mount Royal. The city is also home to a lively arts and culture scene, with theatres, art galleries, and music venues. Montreal is a great place to visit year-round, with festivals and events happening throughout the year.

Montreal Luxury Hotels

Seville, Spain

Seville is one of the most visited places in Spain for a plethora of reasons: its stunning architecture, tapas bars, flamenco and great weather. The Giralda Tower is a must-see when in Seville as is the Plaza de Espana. Andalusian culture is heavily present in the city and is best experienced by wandering the narrow streets and alleyways, popping into a lively tapas bar for a drink and some snacks or enjoying a flamenco show.

Seville Luxury Hotels

Seville Luxury Villas

Ocean City, MD, United States

Ocean City is a seaside resort town in Worcester County, Maryland, on the Atlantic coast. It is well known for its long promenade, its fishing, and its crab cuisine. There are plenty of places to visit in Ocean City, including the boardwalk, amusement rides, shopping, and restaurants. You can also visit the Assateague Island National Seashore, which is home to wild horses, or head to the nearby town of Berlin for more shopping and dining options.

Ocean City Luxury Hotels

Cambridge, MA, United States

If you're looking for a quintessential New England town to visit, Cambridge, Massachusetts is the place for you. With its elaborate architecture and Colonial history, Cambridge is a lively town with plenty of things to see and do - perfect for a weekend getaway. Some of the places you won't want to miss include the Harvard University campus, the charming and lively shops and restaurants in Harvard Square, and the leafy paths of the Cambridge Common.

Cambridge Luxury Hotels

Laguna Beach, CA, United States

Laguna Beach, California is a place known for its stunningly beautiful coastline, excellent restaurants, and art galleries. But there's more to Laguna Beach than meets the eye. Here are some of the best places to visit in Laguna Beach: Crystal Cove State Park: This state park is known for its coves, tidepools, and bluffs. It's a great place to go hiking, swimming, and snorkeling. Heisler Park: This park is a great place for a walk or a picnic. It's also home to some of the best views of the Pacific Coast. Downtown Laguna Beach: This charming downtown area is home to art galleries, boutique shops, and excellent restaurants. Aliso Beach: This beach is known for its excellent surfing and swimming conditions. It's also a great place to take a walk or enjoy a picnic.

Laguna Beach Luxury Hotels

Hot Springs, AR, United States

In downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas, you'll find historic buildings, antique shops, and art galleries. For nature lovers, there are also plenty of places to visit, including the Garland County Arboretum, Ouachita National Forest, and Hot Springs National Park. Spa enthusiasts can enjoy a relaxing day in one of the area's hot springs. And no trip to Hot Springs is complete without a visit to the world-famous Bathhouse Row.

Hot Springs Luxury Hotels

Sedona, AZ, United States

There are many places to visit in Sedona, Arizona. Among the most popular are the Chapel of the Holy Cross, Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, and Boynton Canyon. The town's unique red-rock formations and ancient ruins offer plenty of photo opportunities. Visitors can also enjoy hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Sedona is a great place to relax and take in the natural beauty of the Southwest.

Sedona Luxury Hotels

Sedona Luxury Resorts

Boulder, CO, United States

Boulder, Colorado is a breathtaking city nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The city is home to stunning views, ample outdoor recreation, and a lively arts scene. Outdoor enthusiasts will love exploring the city's many trails, parks, and open spaces. History buffs will enjoy checking out the city's museums and historic sites. Culture seekers will appreciate the city's many theaters, art galleries, and restaurants. No matter what your interests, you'll find something to love in Boulder.

Boulder Luxury Hotels

Key West, FL, United States

Key West is a small island off the coast of Florida that is filled with history, charm, and fun places to visit. Its lush tropical setting and the laid-back vibe of the island make it a popular destination for those looking for a relaxing getaway. There are plenty of places to explore in Key West, from the charming historic district to the crystal-clear waters of the Florida Keys. Here are some of the top places to visit in Key West: -The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum: This iconic museum is dedicated to the life and work of Nobel Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway, who lived in Key West for over 20 years. -Duval Street: This lively street is the heart of Key West's nightlife and is home to many bars and restaurants. -The Southernmost Point: This landmark is located at the end of Duval Street and is the southernmost point in the continental United States. -The Key West Lighthouse: This picturesque lighthouse is a popular spot for tourists and offers stunning views of the island. -The African American Heritage House: This museum is dedicated to the history and culture of African Americans in Key West. -The Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory: This attraction is home to over 2,000 butterflies and a variety of other tropical plants and animals.

Key West Luxury Hotels

Key West Luxury Resorts

Key West Luxury Cottages

Key West Luxury Villas

Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm, Sweden is a city with many places to visit. One place is the Vasa Museum, which is home to a ship that sunk in 1628 and was raised from the ocean floor 333 years later. The ship is preserved and on display in the museum. Another place to visit is the Royal Palace, the official residence of the Swedish monarch. The palace is open for tours, and visitors can see the royal apartments, the throne room, and the Hall of State.

Stockholm Luxury Hotels

Destin, FL, United States

Looking for a place to visit in Florida? Look no further than Destin! This city is home to beautiful beaches, wonderful restaurants, and plenty of places to shop. No matter what you're looking for, you can find it in Destin. Be sure to check out the Destin Harbor and the fishing pier for amazing views and plenty of things to do. If you're looking for a place to relax, head to the beach and enjoy the sun and sand. There's something for everyone in Destin, so be sure to visit this amazing city!.

Destin Luxury Hotels

Destin Luxury Resorts

Ashland, OR, United States

There are many places to visit in Ashland, Oregon. Some of the most popular places are the Shakespeare Festival, Lithia Park, and Mt. Ashland. The Shakespeare Festival is a great place to see some of the best plays in the world. Lithia Park is a beautiful park with a river running through it. Mt. Ashland is a great place to go skiing in the winter.

Ashland Luxury Hotels

Seaside, OR, United States

One of the most beautiful places on the Oregon Coast is Seaside. With its wide, sandy beach and majestic promenade, Seaside is a popular tourist destination. There are plenty of places to eat and shop, and the Seaside Aquarium is a must-see. Visitors can also enjoy fishing, whale watching, or just taking a leisurely stroll along the beach.

Seaside Luxury Hotels

Newport, RI, United States

Newport is a picturesque town located in southern Rhode Island that is home to some of the most visited tourist destinations in the United States. The city is known for its miles of beaches and historic mansions that line the coast. Some popular places to visit in Newport include the Cliff Walk, the Breakers Mansion, the Museum of Yachting, and the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Newport Luxury Hotels

Siena, Italy

Siena, Italy is a popular tourist destination, thanks to its well-preserved medieval city center. The city is famous for its art, food, and wine. Siena is located in the heart of Tuscany, making it the perfect base for exploring this beautiful region of Italy. Don't miss the Duomo (cathedral), the Piazza del Campo, and the Torre del Mangia.

Siena Luxury Hotels

Reno, NV, United States

Home to the University of Nevada, Reno and a wide variety of cultural and natural attractions, Reno is a great place to visit. Some of the top places to see in Reno include the Nevada Museum of Art, the Fleischmann Planetarium and Science Center, and the Reno Events Center. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy hiking and skiing at Lake Tahoe and biking and kayaking on the Truckee River. In addition, Reno is home to a diverse array of restaurants and nightlife venues.

Reno Luxury Hotels

Atlantic City, NJ, United States

Atlantic City is a popular East Coast tourist destination, known for its boardwalks, beaches and casinos. There are plenty of places to visit in Atlantic City, from the Boardwalk Hall and the Absecon Lighthouse to the Atlantic City Aquarium and Lucy the Elephant. For a more thrilling experience, head to one of the city's casinos, where you can try your hand at blackjack, slots, roulette and more. Atlantic City also offers a wide variety of restaurants, from seafood spots to pizza places, so you're sure to find something to your taste. And if you're looking for some nightlife action, the city has you covered there too. Atlantic City is definitely a place worth visiting!.

Atlantic City Luxury Hotels

Atlantic City Luxury Resorts

Lake George, NY, United States

Looking for a place to visit in upstate New York? Look no further than the stunning Lake George. This picturesque locale is located in the heart of the Adirondacks and is known for its pristine beauty and terrific recreational opportunities. Visitors can enjoy hiking, biking, boating, fishing, and skiing, among other activities. Don't miss the chance to take in the spectacular views from the summit of Prospect Mountain or from the water's edge.

Lake George Luxury Hotels

Buffalo, NY, United States

If you're looking for a city that has it all, Buffalo is the place to be. From its vibrant downtown district to its abundance of parks and nature preserves, there's something for everyone in Buffalo. Here are some of the top places to visit in Buffalo: 1. The Buffalo Zoo - One of the top zoos in the country, the Buffalo Zoo is a must-visit for animal lovers of all ages. 2. The Albright-Knox Art Gallery - Buffalo's answer to the Louvre, the Albright-Knox is home to some of the world's most famous paintings and sculptures. 3. The Buffalo-Niagara Heritage Village - This living history museum offers a glimpse into what life was like in Buffalo in the 1800s. 4. The Buffalo River - Take a walk or bike ride along the Buffalo River, one of the city's most picturesque areas. 5. Delaware Park - This large park is home to a variety of attractions, including a zoo, a golf course, and a nature preserve.

Buffalo Luxury Hotels

Rochester, MN, United States

Rochester, Minnesota is a city with plenty of places to visit. There's the Mayo Clinic, the Apache Mall, and several other shopping areas, as well as a variety of restaurants. There are also a few parks and golf courses. For those who love the outdoors, Rochester is also close to several state parks and the Mississippi River.

Rochester Luxury Hotels

Duluth, MN, United States

If you're looking for an amazing place to visit, Duluth, Minnesota should definitely be at the top of your list. This city is home to some of the most beautiful scenery in the United States, and there are plenty of things to do here that will keep you entertained for days on end. Some of the most popular places to visit in Duluth include the Aerial Lift Bridge, the Glensheen Mansion, and Chester Creek Park. Additionally, there are a number of excellent restaurants and shopping areas in the city, so be sure to explore everything that Duluth has to offer.

Duluth Luxury Hotels

Maputo, Mozambique

Maputo is the capital of Mozambique and a city full of culture and history. There are many places to visit in Maputo, such as the Jose Eduardo dos Santos Museum, the Maputo Cathedral, and the Rua da Independencia. Maputo is also home to the Maputo Bay, which offers beautiful beaches and great seafood.

Maputo Luxury Hotels

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona, located on the northeast coast of Spain, is a renowned tourist destination and one of the most popular cities in the world. There are plenty of places to visit in Barcelona, such as the Gothic Quarter, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Parc Guell, La Sagrada Familia, and more. The city is also home to a lively nightlife and some of the best restaurants in the country.

Barcelona Luxury Hotels

Barcelona Luxury Villas

Split, Croatia

Split is a city on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea. It is the second-largest city in Croatia and the largest city in Dalmatia. It has a population of over 200,000 inhabitants. The metropolitan area, which includes the City of Split and the surrounding towns, has a population of over 330,000. Split is a popular tourist destination and is the home of the Diocletian's Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Other popular tourist destinations include the Riva, the Peristyle, the Cathedral of Saint Domnius, and Sustipan.

Split Luxury Hotels

Split Luxury Villas

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik is a city on the Adriatic Sea in Croatia. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, a seaport and the administrative center of Dubrovnik-Neretva County. Dubrovnik is nicknamed "The Pearl of the Adriatic".

Dubrovnik Luxury Hotels

Dubrovnik Luxury Villas

Byron Bay, NSW, Australia

Byron Bay is a magical place. It's no wonder that it's one of the most popular destinations in Australia. The town is set in a beautiful location, surrounded by rolling green hills and the bright blue ocean. There's plenty to do in Byron Bay, whether you're looking for a relaxing beach holiday or an adventure-filled trip. Some of the top places to visit in Byron Bay include the iconic lighthouse, the stunning beaches, and the lush rainforest. There's also a great nightlife and plenty of restaurants and cafes to enjoy. If you're looking for an amazing Australian getaway, be sure to add Byron Bay to your list!.

Byron Bay Luxury Hotels

Wellington, New Zealand

If you're looking for a little slice of heaven on earth, look no further than Wellington, New Zealand. With its gorgeous landscape and plethora of activities, there's something for everyone here. Whether you're a nature lover or a city slicker, Wellington has something special to offer. Top Wellington attractions include the Zealandia eco-sanctuary, the cable car up to the Botanic Gardens, and the sprawling Te Papa museum. For those who love getting out into the great outdoors, there are plenty of hiking and biking trails, as well as lovely seaside towns and villages to explore. And of course, no trip to Wellington would be complete without trying some of the delicious local cuisine  be sure to sample a traditional Maori hangi feast! So what are you waiting for? Book your flight to Wellington today and start planning your perfect holiday!.

Wellington Luxury Hotels

Saint Louis, MO, United States

If you're looking for a fun place to visit with a rich history and plenty of things to see and do, look no further than Saint Louis, Missouri. This vibrant city is home to a variety of interesting attractions, including the Gateway Arch, the Missouri Botanical Garden, and the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. There's also no shortage of restaurants and shopping options in Saint Louis. So, whether you're looking for a place to explore new cultures and cuisines or you're just looking for a place to have some fun, Saint Louis is a great option.

Saint Louis Luxury Hotels

Bloomington, IN, United States

The city of Bloomington, Indiana is home to a variety of attractions and places to visit. The Indiana University campus is a popular destination, as is the city's historic downtown district. Monroe County Courthouse
A super political action committee supporting "Republican clean energy leaders" is throwing its support behind U.S. Rep. John Katko in the 24th Congressional District race.

ClearPath Action Fund, an organization founded by North Carolina businessman Jay Faison, endorsed Katko, R-Camillus, for a second term in Congress.

Faison highlighted Katko's support for nuclear energy and his efforts to prevent the closure of the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant in Oswego County.

"Rep. Katko is a reliable defender of a robust nuclear power sector and energy innovation research," Faison said in a statement. "He is a serious new voice in a House GOP caucus that we hope will go on the offense in advancing conservative clean energy."

ClearPath will show its support for Katko with a six-figure digital ad campaign. The ads include 15-second and 30-second videos that will be featured on Google, Facebook and Twitter, among other platforms.

The group created a website, johnforcleanenergy.com, which touts Katko's record on energy issues and other legislative achievements.

ClearPath also recognized Katko for signing a resolution sponsored by U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson that urges the House of Representatives to develop solutions that address the causes of climate change, including "mitigation efforts and efforts to balance human activities that have been found to have an impact."

But the major reason for ClearPath's support is Katko's advocacy for nuclear energy and, in particular, FitzPatrick.

Entergy announced last year that it planned to close FitzPatrick, which has more than 600 employees. After negotiations with the state ended without a resolution, the company moved forward with its plan to shut down the plant in January 2017.

Over the summer, it was revealed that Entergy was in talks with another energy company, Exelon, about the possible transfer of the plant. In August, the two sides announced that an agreement was reached to allow Exelon to take over control of the facility.

During a recent interview with The Citizen, Katko said he played an active role in ensuring FitzPatrick continued to operate in Oswego County.

"I spent a very, very significant amount of my time on this issue," he said. "A lot of it was just getting the discussions, understanding what the concerns are and then trying to come up with solutions."

ClearPath's policy agenda focuses on four "pillars": Clean coal and gas, hydropower, nuclear energy and innovation. The organization supports several bills, including legislation that would reform the natural gas pipeline permitting process and encourage innovation.

Katko is the 13th GOP member of Congress to receive ClearPath's support. Other New Yorkers, including U.S. Reps. Tom Reed and Elise Stefanik, have been endorsed by the group.
SYRACUSE  Democratic congressional candidate Colleen Deacon says she respects the Second Amendment and law-abiding gun owners. But she also believes action must be taken to address gun violence.

Deacon, D-Syracuse, visited a booth at the Central New York Regional Market operated by volunteers representing Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America  two organizations that are pushing for new gun laws.

During her visit Saturday, she signed the Gun Sense Voter Pledge. By signing the document, she commits to supporting "local, state and federal candidates who will fight for commonsense reforms to reduce gun violence."

Deacon hopes to be one of those candidates. She is challenging U.S. Rep. John Katko, a Republican, in the 24th Congressional District. The two foes disagree on several issues, including guns.

Katko, R-Camillus, has received support from the National Rifle Association  a fact Deacon's campaign mentions whenever they're discussing the need to pass gun safety legislation. He's also opposed a bill supported by Deacon that would ban individuals on terror watch lists from buying firearms.

There is a separate measure Katko does support that would achieve a similar goal, but Deacon has criticized him for not pushing for passage of the original bill that already has bipartisan support.

"If you're on the terrorist watch list, you surely should not be able to purchase a gun. You should not have the ability to buy an assault rifle," Deacon said in an interview. "That is a common sense, bipartisan piece of gun legislation that we need to pass."

Deacon wouldn't stop there. If elected to Congress, she plans to support legislation that would eliminate straw purchases and prevent certain unlicensed sellers from allowing individuals to buy guns without going through a background check.

She also supports efforts to prevent criminals and mentally ill individuals from buying guns.

"We're not trying to take guns away from people," she said. "I respect the Second Amendment. I respect the many law-abiding gun owners, the hunters and the sportsmen out there. But we have to do more to make sure that we're keeping our children safe and keeping our families safe."

The gun issue in the 24th District is different depending on where you go. If you're in rural Cayuga County, for example, guns are more associated with hunting. In Syracuse, however, guns tend to be linked to murder and other crimes.

Gun violence in Syracuse, the district's most populous city, is a concern for Deacon.

"We see gun violence occurring almost what seems like daily and we've got to do something to stop all the illegal guns from coming into our communities," she said. "A majority of the guns that are used in these crimes are guns from out of state and Southern states that don't have the same gun laws that we do.

"So if we have a federal policy in place to prevent these guns from coming into our communities, that's a way we can help keep our families safer."

Days before Deacon visited the Everytown and Moms Demand Action volunteers in Syracuse, she picked up a major endorsement.

Americans for Responsible Solutions, a pro-gun safety group co-founded by former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords and retired Navy Capt. Mark Kelly, endorsed Deacon for Congress. Deacon is one of 19 Democrats  15 challengers and four incumbents  to secure the organization's support.

"Colleen Deacon is the best person in this race to fight for the responsible steps we need to help keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people, prevent gun tragedies and make New York families safer," Giffords and Kelly said in a joint statement.

Deacon views the endorsement as an important moment for her campaign and a recognition of her position on gun safety legislation. And it may not be the last show of support from Giffords and Kelly.

On a conference call with reporters last week, Kelly said they'll be embarking on a bus tour throughout the country to support candidates in key races. It wasn't revealed whether they will be coming to New York to campaign with Deacon, or if they would provide any financial assistance.

"Americans for Responsible Solutions, they're not looking to take guns away or eliminate the Second Amendment," Deacon said. (Giffords and Kelly) are both gun owners, but they want to see commonsense gun legislation in place."
An update: Gov. Andrew Cuomo cancelled his trip to Israel following a train crash in New Jersey.

The train originated in downstate New York and crashed into a station in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Earlier report:

Gov. Andrew Cuomo will be heading to Israel Thursday to attend former Israeli President Shimon Peres' funeral.

Peres, who was one of Israel's founding fathers, died Wednesday after having a stroke two weeks ago. He was 93.

"New York is home to more than 1.7 million Jews  the largest Jewish community outside of Israel in the world  and the community is mourning the loss of a larger than life figure," Cuomo said in a statement. "Former President Shimon Peres was a leader and a statesman, and an especially wonderful friend to all of us. He will be missed dearly."

Cuomo first met Peres during his father's tenure as New York's governor. Their paths crossed in 2014 when Cuomo led a delegation that traveled to Israel as a "demonstration of solidarity."

Peres was a longtime member of Israel's Knesset and served two stints as the country's prime minister. He became president in 2007 and held that post until 2014.

"Serving in nearly every high office of government, Shimon Peres dedicated his life to his country and his people," Cuomo said. "He worked tirelessly to reaffirm their rights and freedoms and, following the systematic annihilation of 6 million fellow Jews, he worked to ensure their future by helping to establish an independent Jewish state. Shimon later devoted his life to the pursuit of peace and economic cooperation, an effort he pursued with determination and dignity until the end."

Peres' funeral will be held Friday.
A bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. Senate would create a new program designed to provide financial support for high-speed internet projects in rural and tribal areas.

U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Shelley Moore Capito rolled out the Broadband Connections for Rural Opportunities Program Act, which would combine grants and loans into one program to fund broadband projects.

The new program would offer grants of up to 50 percent of the project's cost and up to 75 percent for more rural, high-need areas, according to the senators. The grants would be combined with loans already offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service.

The legislation also calls for increased funding for the Rural Utilities Service's broadband initiatives. The measure would double the funding available to $50 million per fiscal year.

"Reliable, fast internet access isn't a luxury, it's a necessity in the 21st century economy," Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said. "Lack of affordable broadband service cuts off families and businesses from critical services. The Broadband Connections for Rural Opportunities Program Act would give our rural communities access to the resources they need to get online and stay competitive in our digital economy."

Capito, a Republican from West Virginia, echoed that sentiment.

"Reliable broadband access has changed how we work, socialize and share information," she said. "As West Virginia looks to grow and diversify its economy, rural internet access will be an essential part of the transition. Yet, for all of the benefits broadband offers, a lack of connectivity presents just as many challenges."

The Federal Communications Commission estimates that 34 million Americans don't have access to high-speed internet. Nearly one-third of households throughout the country do not have broadband access. That figure increases to 40 percent in rural and tribal areas.

The senators also pointed to another challenge consumers face: a lack of options. With most providers, only one speed is available for broadband service.

Gillibrand and Capito's bill is supported by several organizations, including the American Library Association, the National Association of Counties and State Agriculture and Rural Leaders.
U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer is continuing his months-long effort to fight back against new Canadian trade rules that negatively impact upstate New York dairy producers, such as Cayuga Milk Ingredients in Aurelius.

Schumer, D-N.Y., called U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Wednesday and urged him to take action against the policies, which he considers "protectionist" and "restrictive."

According to Schumer's office, the senator also called Bruce Heyman, the U.S. ambassador to Canada.

"Canada's new restrictive dairy trade and pricing policies fly directly in the face of fair trade agreements signed by the U.S. and Canada," Schumer said in a statement. "That's why I went straight to the top and called both Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack and Ambassador Heyman directly  and I urged them to take more aggressive action against Canada."

The main issue for U.S. dairy producers is a targeted pricing policy adopted by the Ontario government. This policy, Schumer says, discourages Canadian cheesemakers from using ultra-filtered milk that's imported from the U.S.

Cayuga Milk Ingredients is one of the entities that exports ultra-filtered milk to Canada.

The policy would set the price of Canadian products below the imports  a move that would artificially remove the pricing advantage Cayuga Milk Ingredients and other producers enjoyed.

The Ontario targeted pricing policy is the inspiration for Canada's National Ingredients Strategy, which has a similar goal: To encourage Canadian processors to stop using ultra-filtered milk imports from the U.S.

Kevin Ellis, CEO of Cayuga Milk Ingredients, said in May that the Aurelius-based company would lose $30 million in export business if the Canadian rules are adopted.

"It's an export sale we would have to work very, very hard to replace," he said.

Ellis recently added that Cayuga Milk Ingredients is already losing customers due to Canada's new restrictions. He also raised the possibility of layoffs if the policies remain in place and continue to affect the company's finances.

Earlier this month, Schumer called on Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman to investigate Canada's new rules. He said it's "unacceptable" that Canada would create policies designed to harm U.S. dairy producers and upstate New York farms.

"Our New York dairy producers work hard every day to provide for their families and export quality products to the world  and they deserve to know that everyone's competing on a level playing field," Schumer said.
Cultural critic Morgan Meis calls Willard Memorial Chapel Tiffanys forgotten chapel. That is a little strong, but the chapel could be much better known than it is. There are reasons for its relative neglect.

Louis Comfort Tiffany, who decorated the interior of the building, seems never to have visited Auburn. If he had, his presence might have called more attention to the site.

The years of construction of the chapel, 1892-1894, were busy ones for Tiffany. He had been invited to exhibit at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, and was preparing a chapel and two rooms of art objects for the occasion, a summit of his career. During the same period, he was establishing a new glass factory in Corona, Queens, which would greatly increase his production. Willard Chapel was overshadowed by these events; Tiffanys and the worlds attention were elsewhere. Tiffany sent one of his artisans, Jacob Holzer, to supervise the interior decoration of the building.

The closing of the Auburn Theological Seminary campus in 1939 did not help, and as World War II approached, the seminary and chapel faded from peoples minds. During the war, the seminary became an industrial site, and the chapel was closed. After the war, the campus buildings housed veterans for six years. For 30 years, the Seventh-day Adventist Church owned the chapel and the Welch Building, rescuing both structures from possible demolition but further blurring the chapels identity. For 50 years, from 1939 to 1989, Willard Chapel dropped out of history.

Finally, the location of the chapel in a small upstate New York town probably did not contribute to its celebrity.

Only since the late 1980s, thanks to the Community Preservation Committee, has Willard Chapel come back into the public consciousness. Thousands of people visit the chapel every year, and the chapel has a presence online. Nevertheless, it has not received the attention it deserves. This should be corrected, since without Willard Chapel, the history of Tiffanys evolution in stained glass is incomplete.

Tiffanys main interest  and bread and butter  was stained glass church windows. Early in his career, in the 1880s, these took the form of scriptural windows: windows that showed Biblical scenes. This was what most churches and congregations wanted. The large palladian-style window on the south wall of Willard Chapel is an example. Christ and St. Peter are shown on the Sea of Galilee during a storm. They are buoyed up on the waves, they do not sink: It is the miracle of walking on the water.

From an aesthetic point of view, the interest in this window lies in how Tiffany has used stained glass to express the color of the sea and the hills around it. He produced a swirling impressionistic symphony of blues and greens.

Tiffany did many scriptural windows, all beautiful in their way, but perhaps less inspired than this one. Some differ from each other by only small details. Tiffany grew bored; he looked for something else to do, and found it in the landscape window.

Landscape windows show idealized country scenes with hills, trees, plants and flowers. Sometimes a river appears, descending from the hills into a plain, and from this into the sea, or a lake. Tiffanys depictions of flowers are especially beautiful. The landscape window behind the altar in Auburns Westminster Presbyterian Church is an example. But how are these windows religious?

For many churches, landscape windows were controversial, and a hard sell. Tiffany had to explain his view of nature as filled with the spirit of God. To look at nature  at least the nature in Tiffanys windows  was, in a sense, to look at God. The rivers in these scenes represented the course of life, descending from inland hills and emptying at last in the sea, as if into the mind of God.

Often, Tiffany attached a line of scripture to these windows, to make their meaning more apparent. For example, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures(Psalm 23) was very appropriate for many of Tiffanys landscape windows, and helped sell them. Gradually, Tiffanys landscape windows began to catch on. These churches were either convinced by Tiffany, or simply ready for something new and different.

Tiffanys third stained glass window style went all the way to abstract, and this brings us to Willard Chapels lancet windows, which line the south end and nave of the building. In geometrical medallions  squares, rectangles and circles  Tiffany abandons human figures and landscapes in favor of non-representational forms and colors to place the worshipper in a realm which is no longer Earth, and not yet heaven, but somewhere in between (Morgan Meis). These windows also reflect Tiffanys lifelong interest in painting. Visitors see forms and colors that are reminiscent of Monet, J.M.G. Turner and even Jackson Pollock, who wasnt born until 1912!

It was a daring move. Willard Chapel, with its abstract glass, may be unique, and is 50 years ahead of its time. Abstract art does not appear in churches until after World War II.

How Tiffany could put modern art into a chapel in 1894 probably has to do with the attitude of the Willard sisters  who, after all, were paying  and the leaders of the seminary, whose theology was very liberal.

Tiffanys use of abstraction in Willard Chapel seems to have escaped the notice of art historians, and so the history of his work in stained glass is seriously incomplete. None of the recent, authoritative, large format, coffee table-type books with numerous, lavish full-color illustrations that I have perused, nor many older books, show the Willard Chapel windows, and no footnotes refer to them. They are forgotten, as Morgan Meis says, assuming they were ever much noted in the first place.

Willard Chapel may have been a relatively small project. It is nevertheless the only integral Tiffany chapel interior surviving, and the fact that the abstract windows function here along with the large scriptural window, the traditional wheel window and gilded dedicatory panel makes it even more significant. Gilded Age tradition and modern innovation face off here in a relation that will satisfy some, and leave others doubtful; this makes it all the more stimulating.

Perhaps the tourism of future years will help bring professional attention to this site. A sign on the Thruway would help! Willard Chapel stands as the predecessor of the Mark Rothko Chapel in Houston, the Le Corbusier Chapel in Ronchamp, France, and Barnett Newmans abstract treatment of the Stations of the Cross in Philadelphia, where abstract art informs the entire site.

Willard Chapel is revolutionary in the history of art, and the art world should know it.

Main works consulted:

 Duncan, Alistair, "Louis Comfort Tiffany." New York: Henry N. Abrams, 1992.

 Duncan, Alistair, Martin Eidelberg and Neil Harris, "Masterworks of Louis Comfort Tiffany." New York, Henry N. Abrams, 1989.

 Robert Koch, "Louis C. Tiffany, Rebel in Glass." New York, Crown Publishers, 1982.

 Meis, Morgan, "Worship at Tiffanys: Color, light, impurity and devotion in LCFs forgotten chapel." The Smart Set, 15 July 2013.
Local law enforcement agencies are once again partnering on a full-time basis to combat high-level drug cases in Cayuga County.

The Finger Lakes Drug Task Force has been a longstanding partnership between the Auburn Police Department, Cayuga County Sheriff's Office, the New York State Police and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, with support from other agencies.

Both the APD and sheriff's office commit personnel full-time to the task force, which meets locally in an undisclosed location. However, this wasn't the case largely for the last year and a half due to reduced involvement by the sheriff's office.

The sheriff's office has one detective assigned to the force. Sheriff David Gould said that detective was previously pulled off from full-time drug investigations during a point when the sheriff's office had become "inundated" with a general county caseload.

After the full-time return of the county detective to the team and re-engaging with state police to work with troopers on a regular basis, the Finger Lakes Drug Task Force resumed normal service earlier this month, said APD Chief Shawn Butler.

"Everything right now is running very smoothly," Gould said. "The cooperation is outstanding. I think the drug task force is on the right path. I think it will be very, very successful now and in the future."

APD has four members assigned to the drug task force, including one that works with the DEA in Syracuse. Along with the full-time sheriff's office detective, Butler said the team works with members of a state police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team.

In April 2015, former APD Chief Brian Neagle notified the Auburn City Council that the sheriff's office "pulled out" of the task force. Gould has a different perspective, saying the sheriff's office "never left" the team and still continued working with the remaining task force officers, albeit on a constrained capacity.

The APD kept three officers on the task force, but both Butler and APD Deputy Chief Roger Anthony said the team's efficiency declined as a result.

"I think there's clearly a need," Anthony said. "As we see the drug problem in the community increase, I think that's a direct result of the task force not being what it was once was in terms of teamwork."

The sheriff said the force has existed for at least 20 years. Gould said his entire criminal investigations division is available for support if needed by the force. Likewise, the task force detective may be needed on a separate significant case, such as a homicide.

With the team back up and running, the goal is not to try to arrest drug offenders on an individual basis, Anthony said.

"The right way to do drug work is to climb the ladder and try to get the head of the snake," Anthony said. "With these relationships in place, we can get back to doing that."
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More than 200 leaders from international, federal, state and local law enforcement met in Geneva this week for the New York State Intelligence Summit, a yearly event to discuss new strategies, technologies and resources for public safety.

According to New York State Police, law enforcement and security agencies from Canada and the United States gathered Tuesday and Wednesday at the Ramada Geneva Lakefront Hotel where participants learned about current trends in terrorism, intelligence gathering and sharing, major crime trends and counter terrorism programs.

"Each year we gather to exchange intelligence, take a closer look at past events and talk about possible future threats to further protect the communities we serve," New York State Police Superintendent George P. Beach II said in a press release.

The New York State Intelligence Center hosted the two-day event along with state police, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York, the State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Albany and Buffalo divisions of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

"The successful collaboration of law enforcement depends on forums like this one," said Andrew Vale, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Albany. "The opportunity to meet with our federal, state and local partners to discuss the work we have done, the obstacles we have overcome and the challenges we have yet to face is invaluable when trying to meet every-changing threats."
A school bus went off the road last week in Montezuma after the driver lost consciousness behind the wheel, according to the New York State Police.

Investigators are still looking into the incident, which occurred at around 3:15 p.m. last Friday along Route 90 near Laraway Road. Troopers said the Port Byron Central School District bus was heading westbound along Route 90 when it veered off the road, away from oncoming traffic, and into a ditch.

Out of the seven students aboard the bus, three suffered minor injuries. Troopers said Wednesday that some student witnesses had observed that the driver was looking "kind of drowsy," while the driver claimed he had never experienced anything like that before.

There are no charges pending at this time. Troopers said there is no indication of drugs or alcohol involved in the incident.

One student experienced a neck injury, while another complained of shoulder pain. The third, troopers said, suffered cuts to the forearm from shattered window glass. All three and the driver were transported to Auburn Community Hospital for evaluation.

Port Byron Superintendent Neil O'Brien said the district contracts with Birnie Bus for services. He said the district is hoping to get further information from state police investigators about the cause of the accident.

"We do have a good working relationship (with Birnie Bus) and therefore he will not be driving Port Byron students," O'Brien said Wednesday.

A representative with Birnie Bus could not be immediately reached for comment.

The school bus itself sustained damage to its right side after colliding with a fence separating plots of land between Route 90 and the Thruway. The bus, troopers said, took out an approximately 50-foot portion of the fence before coming to a stop around 50 yards away from the Thruway itself.

The bus was towed out of the ditch after fence parts were removed that were stuck beneath the vehicle near the fuel tank, troopers said.
If you watched the Skaneateles Firemen's Field Days parade, you may have noticed an extra delay in the parade.

Up near the corner of Austin and Jordan streets, there was the break after the Firefighters 5K runners came rushing through the route  but then a bit later, there was another delay.

It turns out this was because there was a friendly wager going on in front of the Skaneateles United Methodist Church at the judges' stand.

Skaneateles American Legion Post 239 Commander Eric Amberge disembarked from the Honor Flight Syracuse float to meet up with Paul Jones, a firefighter and the parade chairman.

Each man simultaneously dropped and performed 22 push-ups  which were counted out by the World War II veterans riding on the veterans float sponsored by the Skaneateles American Legion. This included, Paul Fritsch, who is 100 years old.

Why 22?

Thats 22 suicides a day.

That's one every 65 minutes.

This is the statistic for the number of veterans who commit suicide each day in the United States. These suicides are typically brought about from the effects of post traumatic stress disorder on one's psyche and cognition.

PTSD in the military is usually a result of engaging in combat, being wounded, suffering a traumatic brain injury, experiencing survivor's guilt or being sexually abused.

This number, 22, is based on a report issued by the federal Department of Veteran Affairs on Feb. 1, 2013. CNN reported in November of that year that this number may be a low estimate  as the information was based on reports from 21 out of 50 states through 1999. Those states only represent 40 percent of the population.

In February 2015, the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act was signed into law. Hunt was a young Marine from Texas who served with distinction in Iraq and Afghanistan. After coming home, he took his life at the age of 28 due to an ongoing struggle with PTSD.

Hunt had been fighting with the VA about his disability rating at the time of his death. In interviewing a couple of groups of Vietnam veterans recently, I heard over and over again how the very process of having to prove yourself with the VA adds insult to injury in that it elevates the veteran's stress levels.

With PTSD, as with many other illnesses, the whole family is engaged on some level. It is essentially a mood disorder and invisible, too. You dont see the person as ill. They are not usually sick in bed, unless depression has tucked them in.

Flashbacks, paranoia, depression, obsession, bouts of anger and sadness are triggered, taking that person intellectually and emotionally far away from their families. Often, there is a war raging inside their own head.

And, the not understanding oneself eats away at the sufferer. Why am I acting like this? Where did I go? Who is this new me? Why cant I remember? Why cant I concentrate? Why can't I do this?

Former stress junkies cant take stress. Memories get jumbled. Concentration is hard to accomplish. People tend to isolate, not communicate. Sufferers are exhausted by all this rumination.

As one veteran recently said, people self-medicate with drugs and alcohol - and may drop out to the streets or become workaholics.

Often, ones own family becomes the enemy. The person feels misunderstood and that no one could possibly understand. And, consequently, by isolating  there is no one to understand.

Sure, there is all kinds of help in our communities. But, thinking on this level is almost impossible if you are otherwise engaged in your head with basic coping.

This isn't the 1970s anymore. That is when Vietnam beterans returning home didn't feel welcome anywhere  not even their American Legions. Today, Legions are working to be a safe harbor for veterans of all wars, male or female, to come together.

You will find people who know military speak, who know the protocols. People who have some idea of what you have been through in your military experience whether it was combat-related engaged in a conflict or experience being on a base stateside or in a foreign land.

You will also find people in the Sons of the Legion and the Ladies Auxiliary who have an understanding and a deep respect for your military service. This includes other spouses who share in your experience as a spouse.

Veteran of a recent conflict? The Skaneateles American Legion is in the process of renovating to be more inviting for younger veterans returning from the many engagements around the world today.

As with Amberge's and Jones' display at this year's parade, veterans can also find camaraderie with local police and firefighters  people who may also put themselves in harm's way in the course of doing their job.
First Tennessee Bank will contribute $1 million to expand its financial literacy efforts through a partnership with global financial dignity and economic empowerment nonprofit, Operation HOPE, Inc. The $1 million investment in Operation HOPEs new HOPE Fund will support creation of the First Tennessee Financial Education & Empowerment Program, which will offer free financial education to youth, adults, and small businesses.The curriculum will be facilitated by First Tennessees employee volunteers, strategic nonprofit alliance partners, and counselors at First Tennessee HOPE Inside offices.First Tennessee will open a total of 15 HOPE Inside offices, including several offices specific to small business counseling.To date, First Tennessee has opened five HOPE Inside offices  in branches in Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville  and will open three more by the end of the year, including the first HOPE Inside location in Chattanooga. The seven other HOPE Inside offices will open in First Tennessee branches in 2017.First Tennessee is committed to providing financial literacy education, tools and support to help our customers and communities reach their financial goals, said Bryan Jordan, chairman, president and CEO of First Tennessee's parent company, First Horizon National Corporation. We are committed to making our communities stronger, because we know that when our communities succeed, First Tennessee can succeed.Since 2014, HOPE Inside offices at First Tennessee have provided credit counseling to more than 2,400 participants through the 700 Credit Score Communities Program, which provides education on budgeting, debt management and building wealth.Operation HOPE is pleased to be part of the expansion of First Tennessees efforts to impact and uplift underserved communities throughout the state, said John Hope Bryant, founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE. This investment in the HOPE Fund will allow Operation HOPE to extend its programming reachteaching people the language of money, transforming financial mindsets, and empowering people with the tools they need to develop plans to move their lives forward by raising their credit scores, starting and growing businesses, or simply making better financial decisions.
Are you a fan of Tex-Mex? It almost seems silly to ask. Though its not the same as authentic Mexican food, this cuisine is just as delicious. Instead of waiting for a special outing to a Tex-Mex restaurant, try these six recipes to bring the spicy and flavorful cooking to your own kitchen. Whether you like fajitas, tostadas, or rice dishes, youre guaranteed to find a recipe on this list youll like.

1. Frito Frittata

Tex-Mex for breakfast? We have Rachael Ray Every Day to thank for this one. You get to combine Fritos and eggs in this delicious frittata. Aside from the chips, the frittata features ham, peppers, eggs, tomatoes, and pepper jack cheese. Make it for a fun weekend breakfast the whole family will love.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

 pound ham steak, diced (about 1 cup)

3 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, chopped

 small red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

2 serrano chili peppers or 1 large jalapeno chili pepper, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

1 small ripe vine tomato, seeded and chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

About 1 cups Fritos corn chips, lightly crushed

10 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon hot sauce, such as Franks RedHot

4 ounces pepper jack, diced

Directions: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large, ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ham and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add the butter to the skillet and cook until foaming. Add the onion, bell pepper, chilies, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato and cilantro. Scatter the ham and corn chips in the pan.

In a bowl, beat the eggs with the hot sauce; season with salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the ham mixture. Scatter the cheese on top. Cook until the eggs are just set, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the frittata to the oven and bake until puffed, 12 to 15 minutes.

2. Breakfast Tostadas

These breakfast tostadas from Minimalist Baker are for those who prefer savory mornings over sweet. Youll use brown rice tortillas to make homemade chips, then top them with eggs, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and cheese. These breakfast tostadas will wake you right up. The recipe serves 2.

Ingredients:

2 brown rice tortillas

Salt, pepper, and garlic powder

Olive oil

2 large eggs

Optional toppings

Salsa

Red onion

Kale

Radishes

Sour cream

Cheese

Avocado slices

Guacamole

Hot sauce

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and place tortillas on a baking sheet. Brush both sides with olive oil, then season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

If your tortillas are too large to fit evenly, cut them into smaller circles with a pizza cutter and cut the smaller scraps into chips that you can bake alongside.

Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until brown and crispy on both sides. Watch them closely, as they turn quickly. In the meantime, cook eggs as desired and set aside. Remove tostadas from oven and top with eggs and desired toppings.

3. Four-Chili Chili

Up next is classic Tex-Mex comfort food. The four-chili chili from Food & Wine will warm you from head to toe and keep you satisfied for hours. This dish packs the heat, as suggested by its name, and red meat, veggies, and beans also make an appearance. We like to top this hearty stew with a dollop of sour cream.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 pounds ground sirloin or chuck

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large Spanish onion, coarsely chopped

8 large garlic cloves, minced

3 large jalapeno chilies, seeded and minced

3 tablespoons ancho chili powder

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

 cup tomato paste

2 (28-ounce) cans peeled Italian tomatoes, coarsely chopped

3 cups chicken or beef stock or canned low-sodium broth

2 (19-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, seeded and minced

1 tablespoon dried oregano

Pinch of cinnamon

Coarsely chopped cilantro, for serving

Sour cream, for serving

Directions: Heat the olive oil in an enameled cast-iron casserole. Add half the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderately high heat until browned, about 4 minutes. Stir and cook until most of the pink is gone, about 3 minutes, being careful not to break the meat up too much. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining meat. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the casserole.

Add the onion, garlic and jalapenos and cook over moderately low heat, stirring often, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the ancho powder and paprika and cook over low heat, stirring often, until fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the paste is glossy and starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken stock, beef, and any accumulated juices. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hours, stirring occasionally. Add the kidney beans, chipotles, and oregano, and simmer for 30 minutes longer. Season with salt, pepper, and a large pinch of cinnamon.

Remove from the heat and let stand for at least 20 minutes. Reheat before serving. Serve the chili in bowls, topped with cilantro. Pass the sour cream at the table.

4. Steak Fajitas with Green Sauce

Follow this fajita recipe from Saveur and youll have a sizzling meal on your hands. The real star of this dish is the avocado cream sauce, which makes these fajitas extra luxurious. The next time youre craving Tex-Mex but want to stay home, this recipe for steak fajitas is the ticket.

Ingredients:

 cup fresh lemon juice

 cup pineapple juice

 cup sherry

 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

3 whole dried chile de arbol, crushed

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Zest of 2 lemons

Zest of 1 orange

3 pounds skirt steak, trimmed and halved crosswise

6 tomatillos, husked and rinsed

2 small serrano chilies, stemmed

2 ripe avocados

 cup sour cream

 cup chopped cilantro leaves

Salt

6 tablespoons canola oil

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and thickly sliced

2 yellow onions, thickly sliced

Warm flour tortillas

Directions: Combine fruit juices, sherry, soy sauce, butter, pepper, chile de arbol, garlic, and zests in a large dish; add steaks and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add tomatillos and serrano chilies and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a blender. Add avocados; blend until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in sour cream, cilantro, and salt to taste. Cover surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add peppers, onions, and salt to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to char, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Wipe out skillet. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook steaks, flipping once, until well-browned, adding remaining oil as needed, 7 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut steaks crosswise into finger-size strips. Transfer to a platter, along with collected juices and peppers and onions. Serve with tortillas and green sauce.

5. Cheesy Tex-Mex Rice

This cheesy Tex-Mex rice from The Kitchn is the perfect side dish to serve alongside your tacos or enchiladas. The recipe also feeds a crowd, yielding 8 to 10 servings, which makes it perfect for potlucks. Youll never go back to plain rice.

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked and cooled rice (either brown or white rice)

1 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 green pepper, diced small

1 (16-ounce) can diced tomatoes and their juices

1 cup fresh or frozen corn

1 (2.25-ounce) can black olives, minced

1 to 3 teaspoons chili powder, to taste

1 to 3 teaspoons salt, to taste

Directions: Combine all the ingredients in a big bowl, starting with one teaspoon each of the chili powder and salt. Stir until everything is evenly mixed, squishing the tomatoes against the side of the bowl as you go.

Set a cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the rice mix and spread it evenly over the bottom of the pan. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every five minutes.

The cheese will melt and start to form a burnt-looking crust on the bottom of the pan. Every time you stir, scrape up this crust and mix it back into the rice. The whole dish will gradually pick up a deep, almost chocolate-like flavor from the seared cheese. Taste it every so often during cooking and stir in more salt or chili powder as needed.

Let the rice cool a little before serving.

6. Tex-Mex Black Bean and Quinoa Bowl

This Tex-Mex black bean and quinoa bowl from Eating Well is filled with black beans and whole grains for a super healthy meal. The recipe feeds 4 and boasts 12 grams of fiber and 24 grams of protein per serving. You can bulk it up even more by adding some diced, cooked chicken. This black bean and quinoa bowl should be the go-to dinner for health-conscious Tex-Mex fans.

Ingredients:

1 cups water

1 cup quinoa

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus 2 teaspoons, divided

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

 teaspoon salt

 teaspoon ground pepper

4 cups very thinly sliced cabbage

 cup finely chopped red onion

1 medium poblano pepper, chopped

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

 cup salsa

Directions: Bring water and quinoa to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in cumin. Partially cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk 2 tablespoons oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add cabbage and onion; toss to coat. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add poblano and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in beans and chili powder; cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. To serve, layer in each bowl  cup quinoa,  cup bean mixture, and  cup cheese. Top each portion with  cup cabbage salad and 2 tablespoons salsa.
Optical quantum computers are what people are pinning their hopes on for tomorrows computer technology  whether for tap-proof data encryption, ultrafast calculations involving enormous quantities of data or so-called quantum simulation, which allows highly complex systems to be reproduced on the computer. So far, experiments researching into the applicability of this technology have filled entire laboratory rooms. In order to use this technology in a meaningful way, however, it needs to be accommodated in a very small space. For the first time researchers have now succeeded in putting a complete quantum optical set-up on a chip. This meets one requirement for making it possible to use photonic circuits for quantum computers.

Those involved in the study included a team of scientists from Germany, Poland and Russia  headed by Professors Wolfram Pernice from Munster University and Manfred Kappes and Carsten Rockstuhl from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).

The light source which the researchers used for the first time for the quantum photonic circuit was special nanotubes made of carbon. These have a diameter which is a hundred thousand times smaller than a human hair and they emit single light particles (photons) when stimulated by means of laser light. These photons are also known as light quanta, which explains the term quantum photonic.

The fact that the carbon tubes emit single photons makes them attractive as an ultra-compact light source for optical quantum computers. However, the laser technology cant be put onto a scalable chip just like that, says physicist Wolfram Pernice, sounding a cautionary note. The scalability of a system  in other words, the possibility of miniaturizing components in order to increase the quantity  is, however, the precondition for using the technology for high-performance computers, all the way up to optical quantum computers.

Because all the elements on the chip now developed are driven electrically, no additional laser systems are necessary any more  which is a considerable simplification compared with conventional optical stimulation. The development of a scalable chip which combines single photon source, detector and waveguides is an important step for researchers, says Ralph Krupke, who is himself engaged in research at the KITs Institute of Nanotechnology and at the Institute of Material Science at the Technical University of Darmstadt. As we were able to demonstrate that single photons can also be emitted by electrical stimulation of the carbon nanotubes, it means that we have overcome a limiting factor that was until now a barrier to any applicability.

Turning to the methodology: the scientists looked to see whether single photons were emitted when electricity flowed through carbon nanotubes. For this purpose they used carbon nanotubes as single photon sources, superconducting nanowires as detectors and nanophotonic waveguides. One single photon source and two detectors were each connected to one waveguide. The set-up was cooled using liquid helium in order to be able to count individual photons. The chips were produced with an electron beam plotter.

The work done by the scientists is basic research. It is not yet clear whether  and, if so, when  it can be put into practice. Wolfram Pernice and lead author Svetlana Khasminskaya received funding from the German Research Foundation and the Helmholtz Association, while Ralph Krupke received financial support from the Volkswagen Foundation.
Celebrating jailhouse recovery Audio Article Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle Sears paid a visit to the Chesterfield County Jail last week, meeting with over 50 of the men and women participating in the HARP (Helping Addicts...

An icons legacy memorialized Audio Article Enon Library was dedicated in memory of the Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker on Friday, Oct. 21. Board of Supervisors Chair Chris Winslow, right, was joined by Walkers daughter, Patrice Walker...
Indeed many Chinese companies have recognized that their low end market position may not sustain a high profitability in the future. Therefore, they have made plans or already acted on plans, to introduce middle to high-end cars to the market. If they are successful, the benefits, aside from higher profitability, will include the lifting of their corporate brand image as they also associate themselves with higher end products. However, it will be very challenging for Chinese companies to gain substantial market share in the mid to high-end segments in the short to medium term.

There are several factors that are necessary for the success of higher-end brands: 1) unquestioned and sustained product quality; 2) recognized brand image with target customer segments; 3) product features and styling to support the targeted brand essence. Of these three, two require considerable time to develop, quality and brand image. The product features can be more readily designed and built-in or purchased.

Quality reputation requires many product cycles to gain the trust of consumers. There are no shortcuts to quality. However, once one has stabilized quality, there are examples of companies who have taken some drastic measures to shortcut the building of consumers'perception of quality. One possible way of doing this is to adopt the method of Hyundai Motors in the U.S. After several disastrous quality problems, Hyundai's reputation in the U.S. was at a low point. Hyundai's leaders adopted the risky strategy of offering a long extended warranty to all consumers to overcome their quality concerns. This had the additional effect of strongly motivating employees by "Burning the bridge" behind Hyundai's product development and manufacturing teams. Once the policy was introduced to the public, they had no option but to meet the quality standards if the company was to stay in business. However, the risk of failure of such a strategy is significant, especially for Chinese companies for whom quality has traditionally come in a distant second place compared with cost concerns.

Building brand image also requires much time and significant marketing investment. The higher end segment consumer marketing and promotion capabilities of Chinese joint venture partners are far more advanced than the purely Chinese companies due to the experience gained working with foreign JV partners. However, there are certainly opportunities to attract such experienced marketing personnel to the purely Chinese companies if there is sufficient recognition of their importance to offer competitive compensation packages.

Through A.T. Kearney's consumer research conducted while working with purely Chinese branded automakers, we have learned that the presence of any element of foreign brand or technology association contributes significantly to the perceived value of a Chinese brand. That is to say, if it is well-known (or well advertised) that a Chinese car has an engine or other core technology that is associated with (licensed or purchased from) a foreign brand name, Chinese consumers will be willing to pay more than they would for a vehicle with completely self-developed technology. SAIC's Roewe is an example of a car that is clearly based on technology from a foreign country (England in this case). Consumers find it easier to accept such a mid to high-end vehicle at this stage than a purely Chinese brand / technology.
Chicago-based startup AddStructure has landed partnerships with four major online retailers, including Target, to launch a product meant to rival Amazon's Alexa.

The partnerships came through the inaugural Techstars Retail Accelerator, held in collaboration with Target at its Minneapolis headquarters.

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AddStructure is already running a six- to nine-month pilot with Target, and plans to launch pilots with L'Oreal, Under Armour and online antiques marketplace 1stdibs in October, co-founder Jarrod Wolf said.

The startup focuses on natural language processing and targets retailers as its customer. It went into the program with three products, all of which processed customer reviews to improve results on searches like "best gym headphones," for example. They combined aspects of all three to create the voice search product.

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AddStructure's new product is a natural language processor, Wolf said. It can be installed alongside retailers' existing systems, so when a user opens the Target app and speaks what product they're looking for, the technology can translate their words.

Think of it like a white-label Amazon Alexa, he said.

"If you're Target, and you want to provide voice capabilities in terms of search and finding products, you can use our software to do that," Wolf said.

Alexa is the voice service that powers Amazon's Echo, a speaker that responds to user requests that can be completed on Amazon, like "order dish soap." Wolf said AddStructure's product is a way for other retailers to compete with those voice commands.

Although a partnership with Target wasn't guaranteed to all of Techstars Retail's participants, spokeswoman Jenna Reck said the company is continuing work with about half of the startups.

"One of the great things about the technology is it works with customers the way they naturally talk and the way they search for things," she said. "Anything we can use to create a better experience for our guests, that's what is most appealing to us."

AddStructure was paired with a vice president of Target.com as a mentor during the accelerator. It also worked with three departments within Target to learn more about integrating new technology into such a large company, said AddStructure co-founder Will Underwood. That feedback fueled the product revamp.

"We've always been focused on language, so how are people searching for things, what are the priorities around different products through analysis of user reviews," Underwood said. "Now it's just about using that knowledge of natural language to allow people to interact."

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AddStructure's product starts at $120,000 per year and scales up based on the size of the retailer and other factors, Wolf said.

Wolf and Underwood founded the startup more than two years ago. It has six employees, three of whom work out of an office in New York City. The three Chicago-based employees work out of different coworking spaces. The company is raising a round of funding, Wolf said, and they plan to hire several developers and sales engineers.

The accelerator ended Sept. 20. Techstars and Target jointly invest $120,000 into each company, $100,000 of which comes as a convertible-debt note. The remaining $20,000 is an equity investment. Techstars receives the equity.

amarotti@tribpub.com

Twitter @allymarotti
The north facade and main entrance of the Gordon Parks Arts Hall on campus of the University of Chicago. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

The University of Chicago jumped in a national ranking of innovative universities this year thanks to inventions with wide-ranging influence.

The school rose 24 spots from last year to No. 47 on the 2016 Reuters Top 100: The World's Most Innovative Universities ranking, released Wednesday. That's the most upward movement of any school on the list.

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Stanford University topped the list, with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University at second and third.

Other Chicago-area universities on the list this year include Northwestern University, which fell four spots to No. 10, and the University of Illinois System, which dropped one spot to No. 22.

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The ranking, in its second year, considers the amount of articles published in scholarly journals, patents filed from 2009 to 2014, the impact of those patents and articles  meaning how often other patents or papers were citing them  and other criteria.

The University of Chicago's entire portfolio of patents has been getting attention, said David Ewalt, special projects editor for Reuters, which is one of the reasons it climbed so high in the rankings.

"This very concretely shows that University of Chicago research is fostering research elsewhere. It's not just disappearing into the ether," he said. "These patents are influencing other people's work and they're getting patents based on that, so it's really encouraging an entire culture of innovation."

But status can be fleeting, at least according to the methodology for this ranking. Reuters used data from its sister company, Thomson Reuters Intellectual Property & Science, and several research platforms. It only considers patents published in a six-year timeframe to keep it relevant.

In other words, if a school invented the internet 40 years ago, it's not factored into these rankings, Ewalt said.

"If university researchers aren't putting out patents every year, if they aren't putting out innovation people care about every single year, their status is going to change on this list," he said.

U. of C. has ramped up its attention to innovation efforts after receiving a $35 million donation in May from Michael Polsky , founder of clean energy company Invenergy. The donation fueled an expansion of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, broadening it to encompass the whole university instead of being just part of the Booth School of Business.

The expansion brought together 60 programs along the innovation pathway at U. of C. and aims to make it easier and more efficient for students and faculty to get their ideas to market.

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amarotti@tribpub.com

Twitter @allymarotti
The Los Angeles Times building in downtown L.A. has been sold to Onni Group of Vancouver. (Jerome Adamstein / Los Angeles Times)

The Los Angeles Times building in downtown Los Angeles has sold to a Canadian developer, paving the way for the redevelopment of a historic property the paper has called home since 1935, according to a person familiar with the deal who was not authorized to discuss it publicly.

Onni Group of Vancouver has explored plans to turn the property at 202 W. 1st St. into a collection of creative offices and retail and residential units.

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The Times reported in June that Onni had signed an agreement to buy the building, but the deal with Tribune Media officially closed Monday night, the source said.

Tribune Media in Chicago declined to comment. An executive at Onni Group did not return messages seeking comment.

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Terms of the sale were not available.

Known as Times Mirror Square, the paper's headquarters is a mix of five interconnected structures that fill an entire city block, bounded by Broadway and Spring and 1st and 2nd streets. A redevelopment would dramatically remake the City Center neighborhood by turning the aging buildings occupied by The Times and other businesses into a bustling, mixed-use center.

A person familiar with Onni's pursuit of the Times building said in late June that the developer was considering tearing down a section of the complex along 1st Street to build apartments. That portion dates back to the 1970s and currently houses a Bank of America branch and offices.

The acquisition is a significant gain for Onni, which has been on a buying spree in downtown L.A., where it also owns at least eight other properties  including offices, apartments and an extended-stay hotel.

Among the more ambitious developments is a 49-story residential tower under construction near the corner of 8th and Hill streets and Level DTLA, a 33-story building with fully furnished extended-stay apartments that opened on Olive Street last year.

It's unclear if the Los Angeles Times will stay in the building, known for its Art Deco lobby with a large revolving globe.

For now, the newspaper  located downtown since its founding as the Los Angeles Daily Times in 1881  has a lease until 2018, with two consecutive five-year options beyond that, a person familiar with the terms said in June.

"The Los Angeles Times has a long-term lease in place with options to renew and no immediate plans to move," a spokeswoman for the paper's owner, Tronc Inc., said Tuesday.

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Onni was founded by Italian immigrant Inno De Cotiis with the company's name an anagram of his first name. It has helped transform Vancouver from a sleepy town to a dense city with soaring glass towers.

De Cotiis, along with three of his brothers, had previously run the well-known Vancouver developer Viam, but the brothers eventually split the company up and went their separate ways.

Onni has offices in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Chicago and Ensenada, Mexico, and is run by Inno's son Rossano.

It has built more than 6,000 residences in North America over the last decade and owns and manages 6.5 million square feet of commercial space and more than 4,600 apartments, according to its website.

"They are one of the more prolific and successful developers in the country," said Anne McMullin, president of the Urban Development Institute in Vancouver, a trade group that counts Onni as a member.

The Times building sale was triggered by the 2014 spinoff of The Times, the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers from Tribune Co. into a separate company, Tribune Publishing, now known as Tronc.

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Tribune Co., which was renamed Tribune Media, retained the Times building and other real estate, including The Times' downtown printing facility off Olympic Boulevard.

A deal for the printing facility also has been finalized. It was purchased by a partnership headed by L.A.-based Harridge Development Group, its chief executive, David Schwartzman, said Tuesday.

Tribune, which owns television stations across the country, including KTLA in Los Angeles, has been selling its real estate assets. The sale of the company's iconic Chicago headquarters building also closed on Monday, according to the person familiar with the Times Mirror Square sale.

The closing of the Times Mirror Square sale was first reported by the Los Angeles Business Journal.

andrew.khouri@latimes.com

Follow me @khouriandrew on Twitter
Daimler to open Benz design center in Beijing

Shanghai, April 3 (Gasgoo.com) Daimler Northeast Asia said the German automaker is planning to open a Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Center in China's capital city of Beijing, said sina.com today.

Mr. Hua Lixin, Board Chairman and CEO of Daimler Northeast Asia, indicated that "the company plans to open an advanced designed center to underline its long-term commitment to Chinese market."

(Click the title to read the full article)

Continental opens auto tech center in Shanghai

Shanghai, April 3 (Gasgoo.com) International automotive supplier Continental opened a new automotive technical center in Jiading Industrial Zone, Shanghai yesterday. On the same day, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was also signed to set up a new plant nearby.

The tech center, Continental's third one in China, is to conduct vehicle application development and system test of Continental's new technology and product for the local Chinese customers. With an undisclosed amount of investment, the center focuses on two main business units of Continental-- chassis and safety, and powertrain. The engineering activities cover electronic brake systems, hydraulic brake systems, engine management and system control.

GM to display 37 new models at Shanghai show

Shanghai, April 2 (Gasgoo.com) General Motors Corp said Thursday it will display 37 vehicle models at the Shanghai auto show later this month, which will include the world debut of Buick MPV concept.

The Buick MPV is developed independently by the Pan-Asia Technical Automotive Center, the first joint venture research center in the Asia-Pacific area which was jointly built by GM and SAIC in 1997. No other information was revealed on the car.

SAIC to build electric hybrid car with U.S. parts

SAIC Motor Corp., one of China's biggest state-owned auto makers, is turning to American technology suppliers to engineer a gasoline-electric hybrid car that could go on sale in China as soon as next year.

SAIC is planning to use technology from A123 Systems, a closely held battery maker based in Watertown, Mass., and auto parts maker Delphi Corp., based in Troy, Mich., according to people familiar with the matter.

Yutong to produce new-energy buses in H2

Shanghai, April 1 (Gasgoo.com) China's largest bus-maker Zhengzhou Yutong Group Co. is planning to mass-produce new-energy buses in the second half of this year, xinhuanet.com said today.

In 1999, Zhengzhou Yutong began its research and development of new-energy buses. The bus maker has built seven petrol-electric hybrid bus models, which are under trial operation in Beijing, Guangzhou and Zhengzhou.

Delphi to sell suspension, brakes units to China

Shanghai, April 1 (Gasgoo.com) Delphi Corp. will sell its remaining suspension and brakes businesses to China's newly founded Beijing West Industries Co. Ltd. as part of the U.S. auto-parts supplier's restructuring efforts. Beijing West will acquire equipment, property and intellectual property in the deal, but did not disclose the price, sina.com said today.

BYD Auto 08' sales revenue up 77% to $1.27 bln

Shanghai, March 31 (Gasgoo.com) BYD Co, China's battery producer and auto maker, said in a statement that its net profit fell 37% year on year in 2008 but sales revenue of its vehicle business rose 77% to 8.65 billion yuan ($1.27 billion).

Net profit of BYD Co dropped 36.64% to 1.021 billion yuan in 2008, which the company said is mainly dragged by the decline of its mobile phone battery business, rising material spending and Chinese currency yuan (RMB) appreciation. Sales revenue of the company reached 26.79 billion yuan in 2008, representing a year-on-year growth of 26%.

GM CEO exit won't affect its China operation

Shanghai, March 31 (Gasgoo.com) General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner was reported to step down immediately at the request of the White House, a sign of major changes in the auto giant but GM said the move would have no impact on its operations in China.

In an email statement to Gasgoo.com, a PR executive of GM China said GM's business and key projects in China will proceed as usual and the change at the company's headquarters won't have any impact on its Chinese division.

Ford China boss Cheng quits; Graziano to succeed

Ford Motor Co. said Mei-Wei Cheng will retire as group vice president and Ford China executive chairman on Wednesday.
Lu Chou, left, began living with Caitlin Casar, right, in September 2014. Casar began dating Chris Marshall, center, shortly thereafter and Marshall moved in with the roommates in summer 2015. (Kristan Lieb / Chicago Tribune)

When someone's significant other stays over at a shared apartment night after night, it can cause a roommate rift. But some see opportunity rather than inconvenience, easily transitioning into a new living arrangement  one where a couple and their single pal agree to save money and simply cohabitate.

And for many, it works swell.

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"I really like the living situation," said Lu Chou, 25. She's not exaggerating about the "Kumbaya" vibe in her house  Chou, along with the couple she lives with, just moved into a new apartment in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood. It's their second home together.

Coldwell Banker broker Samuel Ciochon said clients cohabitate after realizing that in a new place, they could split costs and live somewhere fancier. For example, recent renters included a couple pooling resources with a friend to move from Lakeview to their desired neighborhood, Streeterville.

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"It's like, 'Let's take it to the next level, now we can afford more,'" he said.

Many people end up living with couples inadvertently, after a roommate's beau starts visiting once a relationship gets serious. Visits progress to sleepovers, which turns into virtually living together.

Chou and her roommate, Caitlin Casar, moved into a Logan Square apartment in September 2014. Shortly thereafter, Casar began dating her boyfriend, Chris Marshall.

One summer night in 2015, Chou remembers, "She sat me down and talked to me about it."

Perhaps, Casar suggested, he should just move in?

Lu Chou, right, lives in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood with couple Caitlin Casar and Chris Marshall. The trio began living together in summer 2015 and moved to a second shared apartment last month. (Kristan Lieb / Chicago Tribune)

Chou was immediately on board  after all, they'd save money. And unlike other potential third parties, Marshall was already a known entity.

"It was a really easy transition," she said.

Marshall remembers leaving the logistics to the women  in this case, he was the third wheel, loath to come between friends.

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Often, a rental situation makes sense when the extra person taking showers, using internet and eating groceries is at least paying a share. For 28-year-old Michael Morgan, finances and a friendly dynamic made inviting a third into the fold a shrewd move when Morgan's roommate, Sean Coleoglou-Wunderlich, also 28, started dating a guy who lived near their Lakeview apartment.

"He'd been over here all the time anyway," Morgan said.

And so in December 2015 the duo transformed into a trio. Their cozy home, complete with plastic Halloween-style spiders hanging from the ceiling, welcomed the addition of two felines this past February. And in July, the roommates shared another milestone: marriage.

Morgan was the best man for his roommates' wedding at Kaiser Tiger, a restaurant and event space west of the Loop. Now, that apartment nestled on a leafy, brownstone-lined street is the couple's first married home.

"We always joke that Mike's been there for the first of almost everything," Coleoglou-Wunderlich said.

Sean Coleoglou-Wunderlich, left, married his husband Adrian, right, in July. Their roommate Michael Morgan served as best man at the ceremony. (Michelle Kanaar / Chicago Tribune)

For couples and their single roommates to coexist peaceably, striking a good balance between enjoying each other's company but respecting privacy seems paramount. Within the bright blue walls of their Logan Square apartment, Chou said all parties are cognizant of boundaries.

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"You expect couples to be very touchy-feely or fight all the time," Chou said. "They don't air their laundry."

Similarly, in the Morgan/Coleoglou-Wunderlich household, they make sure to say when, for example, a preferably private movie night is planned. Different work schedules usually make overlapped time rare, but when all three are home together, they delight in catching up.

And Coleoglou-Wunderlich said having another person in the apartment has been a boon to new-marriage communication with his husband, Adrian.

"We have to be choosy about what we fight about," he said.

Conflict  how often it arises and how it's settled  is a critical consideration for those deciding whether to cohabitate with a couple.

"All couples disagree," said Dr. Ben Michaelis, a New York clinical psychologist who's seen all manner of unique living configurations. "But some couples handle disagreements in stride with good coping mechanisms, while others end up with intense screaming matches involving broken dishes." Roommates don't want to feel like they should choose a side, he added.

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"I think you've got to make sure it's never us versus them," Coleoglou-Wunderlich said. "Be upfront, and don't let things fester."

Talk about expectations  will the couple share a shelf in the bathroom? Will they pay less because they share a room, and how much? How will household decisions be handled?

"Just make sure that everything is equally fair and that everybody knows that going in, there's a process for how we're going to resolve situations," real estate broker Ciochon advised.

At Morgan's apartment, the biggest obstacle was clear: three men, one bathroom.

"Having three people in a two-bedroom apartment gets a little busy," Morgan said.

The solution: Scheduled slots allow each individual to get ready in the morning, uninterrupted. For Chou, Casar and Marshall, the challenge was chores, which became disorganized. The fix was the recent addition of a chore wheel. And they PayPal each other often, for everything from takeout to toilet paper.

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In regards to splitting rent, there's no one-size-fits-all approach. Some calculate the square footage in bedrooms; others do a three-way split or divide rent evenly between rooms.

When Ciochon takes clients to see rentals, he suggests they think about available space beyond bedrooms.

"A lot of people really like a second bathroom," he said, especially if it's in a master suite that gives a couple added privacy.

He also suggests newer buildings with amenities that offer additional spaces, like a party room or gym.

"It's still in the building, it's still within the costs, but it allows them to kind of escape," he said.

Of course, the risk of living with a couple is they might break up. John Ferris, 30, has lived with one couple for 10 months in a funeral-home-turned-house in Logan Square. The couple, which seemed stable when they moved in, was part of a four-room apartment ecosystem.

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But recently, the relationship unraveled.

"Going through a breakup that's not yours is a very strange thing to do," Ferris said.

It's about how you'd expect  as roommates flow in and out, the splintered pair avoids each other and takes turns sleeping in the room they shared.

"It's strange to be cooking food and seeing one pissed-off person after the other," Ferris said.

The apartment Chou and company recently moved into has a sunnier character. Chou and Marshall even survived something that can crack even the strongest bond: moving.

With Casar unexpectedly out of town on moving day, the two were left packing and hauling boxes. Still, they all remain more three's company than three's a crowd. Even extracurricular activities are enjoyed together, such as sharing libations at neighborhood bars like The Radler.

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"These are my friends," Chou said. "They're my family."

abowen@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @byalisonbowen







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First lady Michelle Obama urged young people to get out the vote for Hillary Clinton during a speech Wednesday at La Salle University in Philadelphia, telling them their votes could be crucial for the Democratic presidential nominee.

Saying her husbands 2012 victory in Pennsylvania equated to a margin of 17 votes per precinct, Obama told the crowd in the Tom Gola Arena that by voting for Clinton  and getting friends and family to do the same  they would have an impact.

"But you could also help swing an entire precinct for Hillary's opponent with a protest vote, or by staying home," she said. The stakes, she said, "are far too high to take that chance."

Later, encouraging students to make sure they were registered to vote today, Obama said: Its not enough to come to a rally and post some selfies.

As she argued that a candidates comments on the campaign trail would reflect his or her conduct in the White House, Obama cast Donald Trump as dangerous and offensive. Without referring to the GOP presidential nominee by name, she referred to a candidate who thinks that not paying taxes makes you smart and who makes cruel and insulting comments about women.

She also slammed Trump's record of questioning "whether my husband was even born in this country"  questions that "cannot be blamed on others or swept under the rug," she said.

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But Obama didnt portray Clinton as only an alternative to Trump. To those who dont feel inspired by the election, she said, I have to disagree. She pointed to Clintons resume  from lawyer to first lady to U.S. senator and secretary of state.

No one in our lifetime has ever had as much experience and exposure to the presidency. Not Barack, not Bill, nobody, Obama said. And yes, she also happens to be a woman.

Obama also made an issue-based appeal for Clinton, telling young people that the next president will determine whether you can afford your college tuition and keep their health care when they graduate.

She framed the choice as whether to elect a president who "believes in science" and will combat climate change, who will "honor our proud history as a nation of immigrants," and who thinks "women deserve to make our own choices"  "or not."

"We can't afford to be tired or turned off, not now," she said.

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Though salt rising bread has been around for hundreds of years, it's been gaining new fans, including baking guru Peter Reinhart and chef and restaurateur Alice Waters. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

It's notoriously finicky. It takes the best part of two days to prepare: First, you prepare the starter, then the sponge, then the dough. Some say that it smells like unwashed feet, or malodorous cheese  and, they say, that's a good thing.

But salt rising bread has been around for hundreds of years. Its fans say that's nowhere near long enough, and they keep the tradition of this marvelous bread alive. The ancient, yeast-free bread gains new appreciators every day. "I must admit that I have fallen under the spell of salt rising bread," says the estimable Peter Reinhart, author of "Bread Revolution" and "The Bread Baker's Apprentice." "The more I eat the more I want." Alice Waters relishes salt rising bread, too: "absolutely perfect toast  it didn't need anything on it, not even butter. And it made great sandwiches, too!" Both are quoted on the jacket of the new book "Salt Rising Bread: Recipes and Heartfelt Stories of a Nearly Lost Appalachian Tradition" (St. Lynn's Press, $18.95).

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Authors Genevieve Bardwell and Susan Ray Brown posit in their excellent, small-but-jampacked book that salt rising bread has its roots in the hills and hollers of that storied mountain region. The book combines oral history from longtime salt rising bread bakers  indeed, Bardwell's Rising Creek Bakery in Mount Morris, Pa., specializes in salt rising bread  with tips for success and recipes for both the bread and dishes prepared with it.

Why "salt rising"? That's probably a corruption of "saleratus," an old name for potassium bicarbonate, which has now been superseded by baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), say Bardwell and Brown. Both compounds occur naturally, and, by reacting with acidic ingredients such as buttermilk or soured milk or cream of tartar, produce the leavening gases that have proved a boon in baking.

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Bardwell and Brown credit a pinch of baking soda with creating an especially fragrant starter, which in turn makes for a more flavorful loaf.

I've made salt rising bread many times, because Michigan food writer Della Lutes spurred my interest in it in a passage from her 1939 "The Country Kitchen," in which Lutes recalls growing up on an 1880s farm in Jackson County. Lutes writes that her father said, "'There was nothing to get your teeth into (in yeast bread), and it wasn't fit for a dog.'  As for him, he wanted salt risin' bread and he wanted it fresh."

Lutes quotes this 1881 recipe from the Detroit Free Press: "In the evening scald two tablespoons of cornmeal, a pinch of salt and one of sugar with sweet milk and set in a warm place until morning. (With the charming insouciance of old-time recipes this does not state how much milk, but I should judge it means just enough to make a mush, perhaps a cupful.) In the morning, scald a teaspoonful of sugar, one of salt, half as much soda with a pint of boiling water; add cold water until lukewarm, then put in the mush made the night before and thicken to a batter with flour; put in a close vessel and set in a kettle of warm water (not too hot); when light mix stiff (presumably with flour), adding a little shortening; mould into loaves and let rise again. Then bake."

The dough for the salt rising bread requires a starter and then a sponge. Tiny bubbles form on top of the sponge as it rises. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

That Lutes remembered her mother baking this bread in rural Michigan suggests to me that salt rising bread is not strictly an Appalachian tradition. Her father, like many a "York Stater," arrived in Michigan from western New York before the territory attained statehood in 1837. He brought his love of the quirky bread with him.

Westward-bound settlers, who began flooding the prairies and mountain West on their way to Oregon and California in the 1830s and 1840s, carried hundreds of pounds of saleratus with them. They were delighted to replenish their stores from the natural saleratus flats (the "soda flats") of latter-day Wyoming. Whatever its origins, however, salt rising bread is worth preserving and worth the trouble to make.

A tip: Set your starter working Friday night, for baking late Saturday. Atop the water heater is often the right temperature (104 to 110 degrees, much higher than for a yeast dough) but before you begin, find a spot where that temperature is consistent. You'll need it again for the sponge, but the dough itself rises at a lower temperature (85 to 95 degrees).

And remember: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Salt rising bread, with its whiff of the past and a flavor relished for centuries, is worth your trouble.

Reasons why salt rising bread starters can fail

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These troubleshooting tips and insider tricks are adapted from "Salt Rising Bread" by Genevieve Bardwell and Susan Ray Brown (St. Lynn's Press, $18.95), which we highly recommend if you're interested in this delicacy.

The starter can be left too long; the bacteria will run out of food and begin to die.

The starter can be used too soon, and it won't have enough of the required bacteria to raise the sponge.

The temperature of the starter is not set correctly or is not consistent; the ideal is 104-110 degrees.

The plastic wrap covering the jar should not be airtight; you don't want a vacuum forming inside the jar.

Starters made in plastic containers tend to fail more often. Glass, metal or ceramic containers are recommended.

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9 secrets to salt rising success

1. Keep your starter warm, at about 104-110 degrees. Every thermometer is different, hence keeping your starter within this range will ensure a proper fermentation.

2. Place some baking soda in your starter to help with fermentation. This can make for a smellier bread, which is a good thing.

3. Make more than one starter, in case one of them doesn't work.  Starters can take from 9 to 14 hours to be ready. If there is no foam after 8 or more hours, simply shake the starter to speed things up.

4. Keep the sponge warm, again at 104-110 degrees. Check the temperature often because it could get too hot or too cool.

5. Many types of cornmeal can be successfully used: Freshly ground, store-bought and both yellow and white will all work equally well.

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6. Be patient! On average, the sponge should double in 1 to 2 hours. If the sponge takes more than 4 hours, throw it out.

7. Keep the dough warm. Home bakers can use their ovens set at 100 degrees to proof their bread.

8. Place the proper amount of dough in the pan. A good rule is 1 1/2 pounds of dough in an average bread pan.

9. Allow your dough to rise up to the top edge of the bread pan.

Salt rising bread

Prep: 40 minutes

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Rest (starter and sponge): 8 1/2 to 11 hours

Rise: 5 to 6 hours

Bakes: 30 minutes

Makes: 1 loaf, 10 slices

Adapted from the Detroit Free Press, 1881, via Della Lutes' "The Country Kitchen" (1939). Baking salt rising bread is no time for experimentation, especially the first several times you have a go at it. Follow these directions carefully, and be aware that even seasoned salt rising bread bakers fail occasionally. This recipe will yield 1 loaf.

2 tablespoons cornmeal

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A pinch each of salt and sugar

1 cup whole milk, or just enough to make a mush

1 teaspoon each: sugar, salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups boiling water

Cold water to reduce boiling water to lukewarm

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3 to 4 cups flour, divided

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2 tablespoons butter, lard or bacon grease, melted and cooled

1. In the evening before you plan to bake, combine cornmeal, salt, sugar and milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and steams. Remove from heat. Transfer to a heavy jar or crockery bowl; cover loosely. Place in a warm place (104-110 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight or until foamy, 6 to 8 hours.

2. When the starter is foamy, scald 1 teaspoon sugar and salt, baking soda and boiling water; add enough cold water to make the mixture lukewarm (just more than blood temperature). Combine starter with this mixture, and thicken to pancake batter consistency with 1 to 2 cups flour. Transfer to another heavy jar or crockery bowl, and set again in a warm place until light and foamy, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

3. Stir in the remaining flour and the melted fat until mixture is stiff. Shape into a loaf, place in a lightly greased 9-by-5-inch bread pan and let rise in a warm place (85 to 95 degrees) until the dough rounds the top of the pan, which may take 5 to 6 hours.

4. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the bread for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees, and bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or until bread is nicely browned and sounds hollow when thumped. Cool for 60 minutes before cutting.

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Nutrition information per slice: 181 calories, 3 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 9 mg cholesterol, 32 g carbohydrates, 2 g sugar, 5 g protein, 324 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

Robin Mather is a freelance writer and editor and the author of "The Feast Nearby" (Ten Speed Press, 2011), a collection of essays and recipes from a year of eating locally on a budget.






Lincoln Park Zoo will open its new Robert and Mayari Pritzker Penguin Cove on Oct. 6, 2016. The exhibit will be home to African penguins, a critically endangered species. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune) (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)

Penguins are back on the North Side.

Five years after they were rousted from their home at Lincoln Park Zoo to make way for new exhibits, the popular flightless birds have returned to the zoo in a new outdoor habitat that looks like a chunk of the South African coast transplanted to the lakeside park.

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And it's a new breed. Literally. The birds the zoo is keeping now are African penguins, a critically endangered species less and less commonly found off the coast of South Africa and Namibia. The animals have also been known as black-footed penguins and as jackass penguins.

The birds that exited in 2011 were Antarctic rockhopper penguins, a cold-weather species kept in a frigid  and fading  indoor space. The African birds do better in temperate zones, such as Chicago. This means their new habitat, along the zoo's old "bear line," is open-air, except for the netting across the top meant to keep out predators.

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"You're experiencing exactly what the penguins are experiencing, minus the swimming," said Sunny Nelson, the zoo's curator of birds.

The Robert and Mayari Pritzker Penguin Cove, the latest evidence of what can only be called a building spree at the free, not-for-profit facility, officially opens Oct. 6. But zoo officials invited media in Wednesday to have a look.

The animals had been in the habitat, featuring simulated rocks and sand and a 12,500-gallon salt-water pool, for a week-and-a-half, keepers said. But Wednesday was the first time they faced a quantity of humans standing at the big wide windows that stare into their digs, the glass forming one wall of the approximately 3-foot-deep pool.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 7 A penguin from South Africa swims in its new penguin cove Sept. 28, 2016, at Lincoln Park Zoo. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)

And as to be expected, the dozen birds seemed tentative about all the new faces, standing back from the water. Photographers kept their lenses trained on the animals, though, not wanting to miss the key H 2 O entry shot. Finally, a juvenile wearing a purple identifying band, a 1-year-old named Pilchard (after a kind of fish the birds eat back home), approached the edge of the water.

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"He seems to be more of the daredevil of the bunch," said Megan Ross, the zoo's senior vice president.

Pilchard took the plunge into the roughly 60-degree, temperature-controlled water. "There you go," said Ross, a former curator of birds. Shutters clicked. And because African penguins do most everything in groups, the other animals soon followed.

Next up in natural behaviors the zoo hopes to encourage: pairing off and mating. Curators expect to breed the colony up to about 30 animals, making use of the simulated burrows that are built into the enclosure's faux-rock walls.

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From breeding to independence is a fairly quick process, Nelson said. After pairing off and fertilization, the egg is laid. Both parents take turns incubating it for about 30 days total, the chick hatches, and about four months later, it is ready to strike out on its own, she said.

Such efforts are significant because in the wild, African penguins have been reduced to about 50,000 animals from a population estimated to have been over 1 million in 1900. The animals are among 10 species with an Association of Zoos and Aquariums Save Animals From Extinction action plan.

The Shedd Aquarium also works with African penguins through a partnership with the Southern African Foundation for Conservation of Coastal Birds, a seabird rescue center north of Cape Town that strives to save penguins that become fouled with oil, and penguin chicks that are abandoned in an annual emergency. Staffers from the animal care team will be traveling there this year to help with the rescue efforts, aquarium officials said.

At Lincoln Park Zoo, at least one staffer volunteered with SANCCOB last year, Nelson said.

Even before any chicks are born at Lincoln Park, visitors can look for another natural phenomenon in the animals. They undergo annually what is called "catastrophic molting," basically the loss of all of their waterproofing feathers at once.

So for two or three upcoming weeks, "they look like a mess," said Nelson. At the end of that, however, she said the juveniles are expected to develop darker adult plumage and the clearly defined black band across the top of their chests that is characteristic of the species.

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"It's amazing" having the exhibit ready to go, said Nelson, "and being able to tell the story of these birds."

As part of a current $125 million capital improvement and fundraising campaign, the zoo added the Regenstein Macaque Forest and a new kids' train ride last year. Next to come on line after the penguin cove will the be the Walter Family Arctic Tundra polar bear habitat, likely in November.

The zoo also recently announced plans to renovate its Kovler Lion House.

sajohnson@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @StevenKJohnson

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
If you haven't heard of Aparna Nancherla, now is a good time to become familiar with the name. The 33-year-old has been working the comedy scene for over a decade, but if her sold-out Lincoln Lodge-produced show at The Hideout on Tuesday is any indicator, 2016 is shaping up to be her breakout year.

From acting in the latest season of "Inside Amy Schumer" to writing for "Late Night with Seth Meyers" to being named one of the "25 Funniest People on Twitter Right Now" by Rolling Stone (an accurate accolade), her resume is solid. In addition, Comedy Central aired her episode of "The Half Hour" this month and her hourlong comedy album "Just Putting it Out There" became the first release on Tig Notaro's new label Bentzen Ball Records this summer.

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For a comedian who spent a lot of her stage time Tuesday talking about her own insecurities, depression, anxiety and lack of a love life ("I'm recently still single," she quipped), she's got a lot going her way.

Chicago comedian Deanna Ortiz served as host, setting a playfully self-deprecating theme for the opening acts, Kevin Lobkovich and Alex Kumin (both members of Chicago stalwart The Lincoln Lodge). Lobkovich, a recent college graduate, has a wryly phlegmatic style, constantly undercutting his own persona with lines like: "If anyone here is about to graduate from college my big advice is to lower your expectations." Kumin takes a similar tack, though with much more energy and a focus on her body's perceived shortcomings: "It's tough having thighs that want to eat each other."

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All three local comedians' sets fit nicely with Nancherla's understated style, segueing into her light-heartedly-melancholic-yet-optimistic act.

Nancherla  who has a sly way of dropping subtle and unselfconscious self-deprecation without fanfare ("It's always great to mention depression during your set because then people are like, 'I guess you can have it all.' ")  took the stage in jeans and a brown jacket with the sleeves partly rolled up to deliver just over an hour of her signature brand of wittiness.

"I think we should get right into it. We don't have a lot of time left," she said right away, carefully dragging a perceived period out into an ellipsis before finishing the thought unexpectedly, "... here on Earth." This led into a brief assessment of the election and the news cycle.

Nancherla gives off a controlled and downright confident nervousness, often gripping the microphone with both hands and widening her eyes earnestly while delivering her punch lines. Notably, she spends as much time looking down at the stage as she does out at the audience.

Of her choice to wear her coat inside, she noted that many people find this off-putting, telling her: "You seem uncomfortable and like you want to leave." To this she responds: "That's accurate."

Though it makes up the backdrop of many bits, not all of her material is about anxiety. Nancherla also has a penchant for wordplay and taking jokes to unexpectedly absurd lengths.

"New York is where cat-callers go to get good," she said, while discussing a few encounters she's had with men calling out to her on the street. "It's like ground zero for cat-calling. It's also ground zero for ground zero."

Closing out her set, Nancherla turned to a 15-minute slide show she'd created titled "You Had Me at YOLO" where, among other things, she gave a breakdown of new emojis, poked fun at authors' headshots, displayed texts from her parents and reviewed her favorite messages from online dating sites. "It's going to mostly be nonsense of this variety," she said early in the presentation.

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With the lights dimmed and the audience's attention turned to a screen on the side of the stage instead of directly on her, Nancherla seemed to come a bit more alive, throwing out one-liners and asides with a notably more relaxed air. More than any of the specific jokes she told during this section, this minor shift in demeanor lends credence to her frequent references to her own social anxiety (and the following description of herself within the slide show: "Introvert, at times, violently.")

Her own laziness came up intermittently throughout as well. She described a nap sandwich ("It's where you take a nap and then make a sandwich and then take another nap") and remarked on her own lack of drive ("I love to waste time"). If she's getting this much comedy accomplished while wasting time it will be exciting to see what she does if she throws herself into the opportunities that will inevitably be coming her way.

I'll be watching anxiously.

Zach Freeman is a freelance writer.

ctc-arts@chicagotribune.com

Twitter@ZachRunsChicago

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
If you're one of the more than 140,000 people doing time in a Texas state prison, you're not allowed to read books by Bob Dole, Harriet Beecher Stowe or Sojourner Truth. But you're more than welcome to dig in to Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf" or David Duke's "My Awakening."

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has banned 15,000 books from the correctional facilities it operates, most recently Dan Slater's new "Wolf Boys: Two American Teenagers and Mexico's Most Dangerous Drug Cartel," The Guardian reports.

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The news came in the middle of Banned Books Week, the annual event celebrating literature that has been targeted by censors.

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Deborah Caldwell-Stone of the American Library Association, a Banned Books Week sponsor, blasted Texas' decision to ban "Wolf Boys," about two Texas teenagers who go to work for the Zetas, an infamous Mexican drug cartel, and are caught and sentenced. The book is nonfiction: Both teenagers are housed in Texas prisons.

"It's truly tragic," Caldwell-Stone said. "There is probably a new story every day like this."

Jason Clark, a spokesman for the Texas prison system, said Slater's book was banned because it violates the department's prohibition against books that contain information about criminal schemes.

Clark pointed to a passage in the book that reads: "Mario purchased pickup trucks from which he removed panels and lights. The trick was packing the drugs in a part of the vehicle where the body wouldn't lose its hollow sound when slapped."

Slater criticized the decision by prison officials to prevent prisoners from having access to his book in a piece in Slate.

"TDCJ has let its book-banning policy go far beyond what is necessary, permitting uneducated mailroom officers and Huntsville administrators to censor speech on political grounds or simply block books from going to inmates that prison workers do not like," Slater wrote, referring to the city where the prison system headquarters is located. "If what matters is balancing security with free speech and the rehabilitation of inmates, no policy could be more errant."

Slater noted that the TDCJ book bans often seem arbitrary. The department has banned many nonfiction books dealing with prison rape, he writes, but does not censor Stephen King's "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption," which contains a scene in which an inmate is sexually assaulted.

Books containing the "N-word" are often targeted by prison censors, Slater writes. This has led to the banning of books by Langston Hughes, Noam Chomsky, Philip Roth, Richard Wright and Salman Rushdie.

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But racist manifestoes by Adolf Hitler and David Duke have not been banned by the TDCJ.

It's unclear why some books ended up on the list of banned materials. The Guardian reports that the list of disallowed books includes "World War II: An Illustrated History of Crisis and Courage" by Bob Dole, the former Republican senator, and "Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope" by Jenna Bush Hager, the daughter of former President and Texas Gov. George W. Bush.

A 2011 report by the Texas Civil Rights Project notes that books can be banned in Texas prisons for any of six reasons, including "sexually explicit images" and encouraging "deviant criminal sexual behavior." Books can also be censored for containing information on "criminal schemes."

Many literary classics have ended up censored in Texas prisons, the report says, including Dante's "Inferno," Alice Walker's "The Color Purple" and Henry Miller's "Tropic of Cancer."

Contemporary authors aren't safe either. The TDCJ has prohibited books by popular writers such as Tom Clancy, John Grisham, James Patterson and Lisa Scottoline.

"Wolf Boys" author Slater called the TDCJ's censorship procedures "aggressive and arbitrary."

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"It's like we're living in the Dark Ages," Slater told The Guardian. "I believe strongly in the power of knowledge and enlightenment and in what books can do, especially for someone who is down and who feels a connection to a story."
Mr.Jack Cheng:

Purchasing Director of Fiat China

Jack Cheng, a global auto sourcing advocate, now is responsible for Fiat's purchasing in China. He spent 26 years in Ford Motor Company and then joined Fiat Group. Mr. Cheng has more than 10 year's experience in China sourcing.





The Second Edition of China Sourcing Series





To Re-build Fiat image



Gasgoo: Some people said that it's Fiat's recovery that stopped Japanese OEMs'advancing in the European market.

Zheng: Fiat took some big actions: Fiat has realigned its production lines and launched some new models. Within the next 5 years, Fiat will launch another 3 or 4 new models. We are producing various products, which are important to us.

Gasgoo: Yes, OEM has to focus on vehicle production and the appeal of its products is a key point.

Zheng: You may have known our commercial vehicle Iveco and Marelli, located in Waigaoqiao of Shanghai, that's our auto parts supplier. We take much account on Marelli since it is still the wholly-owned subsidiary of Fiat Group. I'm also in charge of the sourcing in Marelli. And we also have Teksid producing blocks, cylinder covers, etc. in Zhenjiang city.

Gasgoo: Is it a large company?

Zheng: Maserati and Ferrari, our wholly-owned subsidiaries, both have dealers in China.

Gasgoo: According to data in America, Ferrari sales grew faster in your high-level brands, while Porsche sales fell.

Zheng: Right. The revenue of Ferrari in 2006 was 1.2 billion Euros with a net profit of 150 million Euros, accounting for more than 10% of the revenue, which is rarely seen in the manufacture industry. In general, Fiat Auto Group owns various brands, ranging from sport vehicles to commercial vehicles, high-cost vehicles to lower cost vehicles. Alfa Romeo is mid-high level, competing with BMW and Audi. But the brand is unfamiliar to Chinese.

Gasgoo: Yes.

Zheng: The reason why we are negotiating to produce Alfa Romeo is to bring this mid-high brand to China. We also have Case New Holland whose operations are going well in producing agricultural vehicles, and Comau making mould in Shanghai, Pudong. New Holland originally belonged to Ford which was sold to Fiat. We also have Fiat Powertrain, a famous brand able to produce 2.5 million engines annually used for leisure boats and other industries; it is an important reason why General Motors formed a joint venture with Fiat.

Gasgoo: Did Ferrari's vigorous performance contribute to the achievements of powertrain business last year, or are there any other reasons?

Zheng: Ferrari is a brand with a long history and Fiat has regarded powertrain as the core product in its development. Actually many OEMs in Europe, except German companies, for example PSA uses our powertrain products.

Gasgoo: What about Britain?

Zheng: Powertrain production in Britain is of small scale, because the manufacture industry in Britain is not very strong. The influential powertrain producers are spread along the Alps, from Munich, Stuttgart, southern France, northern Italy and Torino. Most main companies are in the great Alps regions, spreading to other regions.

Gasgoo: Fiat signed a contract with Chery to supply your company engines. Is low cost the reason of this contract? As we know, your powertrain products are advanced.

Zheng: We'd like to use Chery's engine "ACTECO"to stimulate our powertrain team. We aim to expand to other developing countries. The engines sourced from China may not sell to Italy, but to our plants in Poland, Turkey, Brazil, Argentina or India. This would drive our powertrain team to develop products with more added-value. And Chery's low cost is also our consideration to make us more competitive.

Fiat's headquarter in China is established to intensify management. In recent years, the financial situation in Italy improved. The first thing we can do in China is to establish a global sourcing centre for all our brands, contact factories and local government and change our image in customers' minds.

Our mission is to rebuild our corporate image which depends not only on the joint ventures but also on our way of doing business. In China the first thing we could commit is sourcing. With our accumulating experience in the auto industry, I wish to be able to buy products with high added-value from China to improve our European and American supply chains as quickly as possible. It's a win-win strategy.

Our investment in China is not limited to Nanjing Fiat, which is only a small portion of us. We hold 60% stock in New Holland Corp, and 100% in Marelli. Comau which belongs to us, producing magnesium alloys. Haveco located in Hangzhou produces transmissions. In Nanjing, we have Iveco and Nanjing Fiat. Recently Iveco turned into Naveco which is still a 50:50 joint venture and mergered Yuejin which produces pick-ups. For Nanjing Fiat, we are making some improvements. The sourcing center is to integrate all our resources. For example if we want to buy glass for Fiat and Alfa Romeo, the quantity would not be very large because the production of them is only several tens of thousands. If we purchase the glass used in Ferrari and Fiat together the quantity must be significantly larger than before.

Effective Communication between buyers and suppliers guarantees win-win result.

Gasgoo: Previously I also did combined sourcing and found a problem. It seems that all the material can be sourced together, but the standard and requirements of them can differ tremendously.

Zheng: It's a big problem.

Gasgoo: It's difficult for any suppliers to meet all the requirements. Even same suppliers may produce in different factories. The ability of coordination is not high and different factory produce glass in different methods without reducing the cost, even the quantity increased. It's a challenge.

Zheng: This is really a big problem, not a minor one. When I was working in Ford, the requirements for the Lincoln, Volvo and Jaguar, these high-level cars, were different. But because of the establishment of the global sourcing center in China, engineers have the chance to see all the kinds of global products. For example, producing a stamping part, the requirement for Volvo is 120 hours, Lincoln 96 hours, and Ford 72 hours. So after learning this issue, headquarter asked to reorganize a global standard.

Gasgoo: So it is not only the matter of sourcing department, but also the research department.

Zheng: So Ford decided to move the research center to China after establishing a sourcing center here.

Gasgoo: It is the unification of cutting edge research standards. It is easier for them to unify the standards because they are three high-level brands. But it would be rather difficult to unify the standards of Ferrari and of some low-level vehicles, for example, compact cars.

Zheng: Yes, it depends on the platform and sometimes you have to consider the production quantity. Ferrari and Maserati's production quantity per year is only 5700. Are they worth to be compromised or not? But it is certain that many kinds of materials are worth to be purchased together for light-duty truck and passenger vehicles.

So I think it also depends on the business sense. Your company should give some advices to insiders. Chinese suppliers should provide many valuable advices and engineering research service to global auto parts giants. Chinese are clever and beyond to just copy others. When we go abroad and see their products we can raise 10 questions such as why the toolbox made in this way. The design cost in Europe is too expensive. We found that the suggestions of Chinese factory are very good and creative when we asked them to produce certain tools and chassis parts. We saw such things when I was working in Ford.

Gasgoo: Is a company's purchase-orientation procedure smooth? Sometimes, for example its research department refuse to change what you suggested resulting a sourcing withdrawal.

Zheng: Ford fired many people for this issue including research department managers.

Gasgoo: I think it relates to your strategic option. Whether you are willing to accept suppliers'suggestions to improve your products or stick to your design and ask suppliers to follow them strictly without being advised. Fords change shows that they attached great importance to China sourcing and reduce costs to improve competitiveness.

Zheng: Right.

Gasgoo: Are there any such pressure in European companies like Fiat? In my mind, the competition in Europe is not so fierce, and it's not strategically urgent to do China sourcing.

Zheng: Right. From 2003 to 2005, the entire Fiat Group changed its mind and attitude after experiencing the danger of bankruptcy. I don't know the situation of Mercedes Benz and BMW. So I have no idea whether the products are approved after being tested in China. But I know most German companies test them in Germany after testing In China.

Gasgoo: So the sourcing chain is extensive.

Zheng: Fiat invited me to join them because I had such experience in Ford. They hope me to manage company in a US manner. I am happy to have a try. So I came here.

Gasgoo: Yes. I think it is very important. First of all, if the whole group did not have this sense, it would be rather difficult to implement.

Zheng: They did.

Gasgoo: I have been observing that Borsch, a Tier-1 supplier, has been operating steadily and making great profits. Actually Borsch started China sourcing a long time ago. Now its quantity of China sourcing may be larger than some American companies' among Tier-1 suppliers. Borsch did this not because of operation pressure. Did Borsch regard China as a low-cost production base strengthening its competitiveness but not dealing with pressure passively?

Zheng: I believe Borsch sensed pressure. Borsch has invested a great deal in China a long time ago, and knew how to take the advantages of low-cost in China. For example, Borsch cooperated with UAES producing ECU in Shanghai. Another point is its technology advantage. Three biggest American OEMs in America and Europe have transferred core technologies to Borsch, including the engine Common-Rail technology. The OEMs provide many technologies to the larger Tier-1 suppliers such as Borsch and Simens.

Gasgoo: Yes. From its financial report, Borsch has a higher profit rate than OEMs.

Zheng: Yes. Ten years ago they had the sense of calling, so they got a better performance. In my opinion, the brands in China's supply chain need to be stimulated by a company like Chery. After all there are not many people engaged in the auto industry.

The RMB revaluation won't affect China sourcing.

Gasgoo: Now RMB has been revaluated, a fact China sourcing has to face. Would China sourcing still be attractive? That is to say, would the speed of cost reduction catch up with that of RMB's revaluation?

Zheng: Actually I do not worry about it. In China, many raw materials are imported. The imported raw materials can be trusted in quality. In fact, only coal in China is competitive. Oil and many ores are imported.

Gasgoo: Some low-level steel are still worth of being purchased in China.

Zheng: It's true. But most raw materials are a global commodity you can manage. For example, you can buy very cheap aluminum in Dubai, because the main issue is the cost of electricity power. I don't think the RMB's revaluation is a great challenge. The greatest challenge is whether we can enhance the design ability. For example, we bought many aluminum rims in Qinhuangdao or Liufeng. Such products production is actually processed with supplied material. Do they have any added-value? The price of such products can be divided into two parts: the cost of raw material and the added-value in processing. Chinese factories only gain profits from production processes. One consequence of RMB's revaluation is the fewer loss of exchange rate in raw material purchases. So I think the challenge is how to make our products good enough to be sold globally. Now almost all the aluminum rims, car speaker and sensors are made in China.

Gasgoo: So it also related with the managing suppliers? Sometime Suppliers need buyers to help them organize material and production.

Zheng: Once I helped a supplier buy material because I know they are more disadvantageous sometimes.

Gasgoo: Yes. The situation would be better if larger buyers do it. Single Chinese suppliers are not at a strong position in purchasing.

Zheng: So your concern is sensible. But nobody can stop RMB's revaluation, which shows the improvement of living conditions of Chinese people.

Gasgoo: on the other hand, the cost of imported raw materials would be comparatively less.

Zheng: Right.

Gasgoo: Another interesting thing is that the suppliers, now busy producing for booming domestic OEM market, may not have extra production capability for global customers. The challenge is how to distract their attentions or to attract them to cooperate with us.



Zheng: Actually there are three kinds of suppliers: wholly-foreign-owned enterprises, joint ventures and local enterprises. In the process of contact, they give different quotations and display their advantages to us, for example, their mass production capability and technology advantages and willingness to follow our directions strictly. I think it's better that each of three kinds of suppliers accounts for 1/3 proportion of your total suppliers.

Gasgoo: Would there be any change in future?

Zheng: I don't think it will change. Actually we are also the middleman; the Chinese factories took orders and foreign manufactures worried. They can cooperate with Chinese manufactures in joint venture when they want to invest in China. It's a win-win strategy for Chinese manufactures and foreign companies to cooperate, only if you can get as many orders as possible from Europe and US, so I don't worry that the domestic suppliers are too busy to accept new orders; No manufacturer would deny orders. At Wall Street, many bankers are eager entering China to invest, each year I receive 4 or 5 such groups intending to invest in China. So we shouldn't worry about the production capability, but should worry about orders.
Searching for a flight to Vietnam recently, I sifted through about 10 open tabs and wondered what I was missing.

Do international airlines let you cancel within 24 hours, as U.S airlines are required to do? Was this extremely cheap flight worth it if the layovers seemed awful? I wondered if flights were available that I couldn't see, and what else I should be considering.

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So using a plane ticket to Vietnam as a test case, we set out to tackle must-know tips for buying an international flight.

Decide your priorities

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First, what kind of trip do you want? For our experiment, I was scoping the potential of a trip to Vietnam six weeks away. So I wanted to minimize layovers but also was looking for a flight cheap enough to seal the decision.

George Hobica, founder of Airfarewatchdog.com, suggests thinking through what you want out of your trip  saving money or saving time?

"It's really a question of value versus price," Hobica said. "They might have a 46-minute connection in Tokyo. You can't be penny-wise and pound foolish."

Picture yourself sitting in an airport with a missed flight and facing two lost vacation days  would you pay $100 more at that time for a fix? Probably.

Can you be flexible with your time frame, perhaps in the offseason? If so, you'll have more flexibility, notes Tom Spagnola of CheapOair.

And for trips where you can outsource the stress, a travel agent will know things like whether you need to check luggage once or twice, notes Peter Vlitas of the Travel Leaders Group.

Be skeptical of the cheapest ticket

AirfareWatchdog showed a $432 fare  an amazing deal. But when I went to the China Eastern Airlines website, it was down, and I couldn't confirm the itinerary.

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Experts advise caution.

"The reason it might be low might be a good reason," Hobica said. "It might be an airline that has 29-year-old planes."

Check connection times  is it cheap because it only gives you an hour to change flights in an international airport?

Also, many airlines require you to pay extra for things you might be used to getting for free  like checking in online. Those small differences can add up.

"We hear this a lot with Spirit Airlines," Spagnola said. "Well, wait a second, I didn't know I had to pay for my boarding pass."

Consider other cities

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Don't slot only your hometown into the flight search.

Hobica, for example, recently highlighted a flight to Singapore from Los Angeles for under $500. Adding a flight to LA. would still be a steal of a total price, he noted.

Using Orbitz, the lowest price to Vietnam from LA was $687, and from New York $710  comparable to Chicago routes, so not worth it, in this case.

Think through the region

Be flexible with your destination too. When flying to London, don't just think Heathrow; consider Manchester Airport. Same with a country in Asia that might have quick one-hour flights among major cities.

Trying multiple cities instead of just Hanoi, I found a $549 ticket, again on China Eastern Airlines, through Ho Chi Minh City.

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Consider a layover elsewhere a gift, Hobica suggests.

"People say, 'I don't want to visit Amsterdam," he said. "So what? You're in Amsterdam for 24 hours. It's $500 cheaper."

Check policies, and consider insurance

Read through the policies for any airline. Can you cancel, and what's the penalty? For example, Korean Air allows a refund within 24 hours. Visit the websites of the State Department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for political and health warnings.

Vicky Garcia of Cruise Planners suggests travel insurance to protect against things like flight delays.

Put on patience pants

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Yes, this all takes time. But an extra few minutes sifting through the labyrinth of options and practicing patience can pay off.

I selected a $730 flight, with time-buffered layovers on an airline that colleagues had recommended.

While clicking through to purchase, the price disappeared. Stress ensued. I called the airline, where a representative found the price but quoted $900 after a booking-by-phone fee.

What to do  buy a similarly priced flight with worse times? Or wait?

I slept on it. The next morning, the $730 reappeared. I booked immediately. And now, I'll be taking recommendations for what to do in Vietnam.

abowen@chicagotribune.com

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Twitter @byalisonbowen

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The Chicago Teachers Union on Monday said its members have authorized its leaders to call a strike if contract talks break down. Sept. 26, 2016. (CBS Chicago)

She may be on the eve of her next big public fight with the mayor, but Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis had some kind words for Rahm Emanuel on Tuesday night  at least by her standards.

"God forgive me for saying this, but Rahm Emanuel is not stupid," Lewis said onstage at the Hideout bar in West Town. About Emanuel's attempts to tackle the city's problems, she said: "If he can't fix this, it's hard. OK?"

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The mayor and Lewis are likely to have harsher words for each other in the coming days and weeks after the CTU voted last week to approve a strike if contract talks with the city break down. But Lewis's unexpected sympathy came five years after their relationship got off to a rocky start when, famously, Lewis claimed that Emanuel told her "F--- you, Lewis" during a spat over the longer school day.

"I remember him telling me at one point a few years ago, 'You're gonna do this, you're gonna do that ...' and I told him, 'You know I don't work for you, right?' " she said.

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But after Lewis was widely perceived to have gotten the better of him during their strike battle in 2012  winning significant concessions from the mayor  their relationship has mellowed, Lewis said.

"I wouldn't say we are 'text buddies,' but I don't have a problem texting him or calling him," she said. "It's not that we don't have a relationship. It's respectful, let's put it that way, and that's all I care about. We've passed the rudeness. Rudeness didn't work, right?

"And it didn't work because I'm from the South Side. I know bad words too. I can take my earrings off, put Vaseline on my face and go. I can do that!"

Lewis abandoned her own plans to run for mayor in 2015 when she was diagnosed with brain cancer  an experience she said had changed her profoundly.

"God said, 'Hey hey! Time for you to sit down before you break something,' " she joked Tuesday. But asked if the city would be a better place if she had run and won by teacher Erika Wozniak, co-host of the "Girl Talk" event, Lewis demurred.

"First of all, I wouldn't be mayor, because by now, the job would have killed me," she said. "It wasn't the job for me."

She added that though she hoped she would have better advisers than Emanuel and would work harder to involve everyday Chicagoans in solving the city's problems, "I don't think we'd be in a much better place; we'd be in a different place but I don't think it would be 'better.'"

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A spokesman for Emanuel couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

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Asked who should be mayor, she paused before joking, "I don't know, Santa Claus?"

"I just think that the job itself is impossible to do," she added.

She also revealed that she sometimes amuses herself by calling back angry trolls who don't like her politics, including an Alaskan woman who left a 20 minute rant on Lewis's voicemail at 3 a.m. And she admitted to celebrity crushes on actors Taye Diggs and Boris Kodjoe and "Heroes" star Sendhil Ramamurthy, who she described as "fine as all get out!"

Denzel Washington "would have been my first" crush, she said, but her husband "hates him."

kjanssen@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @kimjnews
The Tribune Tower on Michigan Avenue was built in 1925 and houses the Chicago Tribune and other businesses. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

At least the new owners of Tribune Tower are saying the right things.

In an interview before announcing their $240 million purchase Wednesday, the owners signaled their intention to deal sensitively with the neo-Gothic tower, an official city landmark, and preserve some or all of the three smaller buildings around it. Those buildings, despite their high quality, are without landmark protection.

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"We are very excited to be involved with such an iconic building  one that is a significant part of the fabric of Chicago  and we take this responsibility seriously," Avi Shemesh, co-founder and principal of the Los Angeles-based developer, the CIM Group, told the Tribune's Robert Channick.

For now, let's take Shemesh at his word. The proof will be in the design, which is months from being released. Even if CIM saves all the existing buildings, it still could inflict major visual damage on the Tribune complex and the gateway to the Magnificent Mile if it erects a subpar high-rise or two in the surface parking lot to the east of the 36-story tower.

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Which leads to the point of today's column: When it comes to honoring Tribune Tower's past, its new owners should also look to the future. I'm talking about the impact of the 1922 international design competition for the tower. Besides producing the winning entry by New York architects Raymond Hood and John Mead Howells, the contest served as a great incubator of skyscraper design.

To be sure, that wasn't the prime intent of Col. Robert R. McCormick and Capt. Joseph M. Patterson, the Tribune's co-editors and co-publishers at the time. They simply, if immodestly, asked the participating architects (more than 260 of them from over 20 countries) to design "the most beautiful and distinctive office building in the world." The results remain a visual feast.

A tour boat passes underneath the DuSable Bridge near Tribune Tower. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

The second-prize entry by Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen had a more lasting impact than the winner. With its trim vertical look and graceful setbacks, Saarinen's design set a standard that influenced the silhouettes of skyscrapers through the Depression. Chicago's Palmolive Building and the 333 N. Michigan tower owe something to it. The great Chicago architect Louis Sullivan called Saarinen's design "a voice, resonant and rich, ringing amidst the wealth and joy of life."

The Tribune contest spawned other powerful visions, including one from Bauhaus master Walter Gropius that anticipated the steel and glass high-rises that would dominate American skylines after World War II. Nearly 60 years later, in 1980, a group of maverick Chicago architects revolting against such International Style modernism mounted an exhibition of "Late Entries" to the Tribune competition.

I'm not suggesting that the CIM Group run yet another Tribune Tower competition as it determines how to pile more square footage  a combination of shops, offices, a hotel, and residences  on the 3-acre Tribune site. But I am urging the company to set its sights high, certainly far higher than the graceless rental apartment building it recently erected at Block 37.

This is a particularly creative moment in skyscraper architecture, notwithstanding the myriad mediocre high-rises of the current Chicago building boom. Designers are investigating fascinating new paradigms. A seven-story office building made mostly of wood just opened in Minneapolis. (Wags call such buildings "plyscrapers" and tout them as energy saving alternatives to conventional concrete and steel construction.) Next week, Italian architect Stefano Boeri will lecture in Chicago on a pair of "vertical forest" high-rises whose balconies are wrapped in trees and plants.

The formal opportunities opened by the digital age and the ecological goals necessitated by climate change point in new directions that could have far more lasting significance for the art of the tall building than the superficial style wars of the 1980s. It's hard to think of a more appropriate real-world venue for such adventurous ideas to play out than the Tribune Tower site. Architecture schools could contribute to the mix of ideas, asking students to come up with possibilities of their own.

A preliminary design for the mixed-use project is likely to be released in the next six to nine months. Construction could begin by fall 2018. Here's hoping that CIM will choose an architect for its new construction with the same care it should devote to choosing a historic preservation consultant for this project. The developers face a singular challenge: Respect the past, explore the future and make a profit in the bargain.

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bkamin@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @BlairKamin
Spray from a boat's wake can be seen in front of the city skyline June 30, 2016, on Lake Michigan near Chicago. (Anthony Souffle / Chicago Tribune)

Chicago is the most beautiful city in America.

Sometime during Monday night's often ugly presidential debate, those words drifted past in my Twitter feed.

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Two seconds after I read them, I retweeted them, with a stab of defiance at my keyboard, and then watched as people retweeted my retweet. Before long, in a collective rebuttal to Donald Trump, that simple sentiment had been widely passed around, earning more than 4,000 little red Twitter hearts.

The original tweet didn't come from Chicago tourism promoters, or from Mayor Rahm Emanuel, or from a visitor admiring the night lights from the fortified comfort of the terrace bar at Trump Tower.

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It came from Ta-Nehisi Coates. He's a writer, a thinker, African-American, best known for his best-seller, "Between the World and Me," a book composed as a series of letters to his son about the beauties and perils of growing up black.

Coates doesn't live in Chicago, but he has spent enough time visiting and researching the city  its history, crime, poverty, segregation  to have a valid and nuanced opinion, which on Monday night he summed up in 46 characters:

Chicago is the most beautiful city in America.

From the debate stage  and hardly for the first time  Donald Trump made it clear that he has a darker view of the city where one of his towers shines on the skyline.

In the Trump lexicon, "Chicago" is a name for the national boogeyman, for the evil that lurks all around us waiting to pounce and steal our precious American way of life, whatever exactly that may be.

"In Chicago, they've had thousands of shootings, thousands since Jan. 1," said the man who lives in a vast gilded penthouse in New York. "Thousands of shootings. And I'm saying, where is this? Is this a war-torn country?"

In Trump talk, anything worth saying is worth repeating, and so he went on:

"In a place like Chicago, where thousands of people have been killed, thousands over the last number of years, in fact, almost 4,000 have been killed since Barack Obama became president, over  almost 4,000 people in Chicago have been killed. We have to bring back law and order."

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He still wasn't done:

"It's terrible. I have property there. It's terrible what's going on in Chicago."

A lot of people have property here. I'm one. I own a little less than 1,200 rundown square feet. And there are days when, like everyone who lives here and cares about the city, I fear for its direction. There are moments when the word "terrible" is exactly right.

But shrinking "Chicago" to shorthand for the dangers that threaten our country does nothing more than stoke fear. It solves nothing. And it warps the world's view of the city.

I don't know exactly what prompted Coates to tweet what he did  I didn't have any luck reaching him through his publisher Tuesday  and I can't swear that everyone who retweeted him was moved by the same impulse.

But when I asked the friend whose tweet I passed on what had prompted her to share it, she expressed my feelings exactly:

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"I liked how in one short, incredibly simple sentence, he made me feel so much love and pride for our city and all the wonderful people and culture of this place," she said. "I resented someone who knows nothing whatsoever about Chicago using the city as an example of his negative and dystopian vision of America, and Coates dispelled that in one swift stroke."

Reducing Chicago to its troubles, using the name as a weapon in a political fight, helps no one, except maybe Donald Trump. And if Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama hadn't at one point called Chicago home, Trump would find it less rhetorically compelling.

Those of us who live in Chicago  the city, not the dystopian myth  don't need to be schooled by Trump in what's wrong. We know. A lot of us work on trying to figure out how to fix it, to make it a better place for everyone.

We also know the word "beautiful" encompasses more than the skyline, the lakeshore, the parks. It embraces the history, the people, the struggle, the weather even when it's hard. It encompasses the deep, rich life of the place.

By the way, Ivanka Trump will brave Chicago on Wednesday to raise money for her dad. Here's her chance to tweet about its beauty.

mschmich@chicagotribune.com

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Students hold candles during a moment of silence at a vigil Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, for a weekend shooting near the University of Illinois campus. Mundelein resident George Korchev, who was visiting campus, was killed in the shooting and three others were shot, suffering non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said. (Angelica LaVito / Pioneer Press)

As Champaign police continue to seek suspects in two weekend shootings near the University of Illinois that killed a 22-year-old Mundelein man and injured five others, students gathered on campus Tuesday evening to honor those affected and to call for an end to the gun-related violence.

About 200 students converged at the Main Quad on campus for a candlelight vigil and words from fellow students and school officials about the shootings, the first of which occurred early Sunday morning along a busy strip of restaurants and bars in an area called Campustown.

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Among the speakers was Erik Lasaine, a student from the Grayslake area who was among those struck by gunfire and injured in the first shooting.

Police said an argument had broken out at a party at an apartment in the 300 block of East Green Street, spilled into a nearby parking lot, escalated into a physical altercation and culminated with someone pulling out a gun and firing shots.

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George Korchev, a 2012 Mundelein High School graduate who was visiting friends in Champaign, was fatally struck in the back by gunfire, authorities said.

Lasaine, who was walking with Korchev and other friends after leaving a different party, described the chaos that erupted along with the sound of gunfire. He said he realized he had been struck in the back and managed to run to a nearby residence for help. He said the bullet that struck him remains lodged in his back because doctors determined that surgery to remove it would be too risky.

"My general outlook is positive. Because I'm optimistic, I can get through this and continue on with my life and always keep George in my memories," Lasaine said at the vigil.

Referring to Korchev, Lasaine said: "Honestly, for someone who didn't even attend school here, it's really great to see a lot of support from people."

Authorities said two other men in their early 20s were hit by gunfire and injured. A woman who was injured when she was struck by a car while fleeing the scene was identified Tuesday by Champaign police as a 19-year-old from Round Lake, in the far northwest suburbs.

Erik Lasaine, a student from the Grayslake area who was among those struck in a weekend shooting near the University of Illinois campus, speaks to reporters following a vigil Tuesday night, Sept. 27, 2016. Mundelein resident George Korchev, who was visiting campus, was killed in the shooting and three others were shot, suffering non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said. (Angelica LaVito) (Angelica LaVito / Pioneer Press)

The driver of the car that struck the woman was fleeing the from the violence and is cooperating with police, said officials, who had not charged or cited the driver as of Tuesday.

About 30 minutes later, another shooting was reported about nine blocks from the first that injured a 25-year-old Urbana woman, authorities said. Police said they're looking into whether the shootings are connected.

Police say the four men who were initially shot, including Korchev and Lasaine, were bystanders.

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Korchev had earned a nursing degree from the College of Lake County and had been due to start a nursing job at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville this week.

At the vigil Tuesday, Lasaine recalled having met Korchev when the two were in eighth grade and then bonding over video games. They has been friends ever since, Lasaine said.

As of Tuesday, no suspects or persons of interest were in police custody in either incident. Investigators continue to review security and cellphone videos but said they don't yet have video showing the initial shooting.

Some students said they still feel safe on campus but that the shootings have made them more conscious about security issues.

Aira Aquino, a senior from Manila, Philippines, who attended the vigil, said she feels generally safe, "but when I think about how easy it is to get and use a gun, then I feel like my safety is questionable."

"A shooting like Sunday morning's is extremely rare, both for the campus area and the greater Champaign-Urbana community," the university said in a statement on its website. "Gun violence can happen anywhere and at any time, and the Champaign-Urbana community is no exception. While there's no way to guarantee that this will not happen again near campus, the efforts of our local law enforcement agencies make our campus one of the most highly patrolled areas in the region."

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Last year, the University of Illinois and the Champaign and Urbana police departments, in conjunction with the Champaign County sheriff's office, formed a countywide street crimes task force specifically to crack down on gun violence and violent offenders, according to the university.

George Korchev, a Mundelein man ready to start his nursing career, was fatally shot near the University of Illinois in Champaign early Sunday morning.

According to police records, the block where Sunday's fatal shooting occurred has been the site of a number of recent police reports.

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There was a report of battery and "mob action" about 2 a.m. Sept. 4. A person reported he was beaten by multiple suspects about 1 a.m. Aug. 29 and his wallet and cellphone were missing. Police also received a report that people fought with security personnel about 2 a.m. July 31 at an apartment building in the area.

Authorities say there were hundreds of people outside in the busy off-campus corridor when the initial shooting occurred about 12:30 a.m. Sunday. Ron Lewis, president of the Illinois Student Senate, which organized the vigil, said he was only a block or two away.

"It's definitely shocking to have our normal scene get disrupted in this way," said Lewis, a senior finance major from Westchester. "But the whole purpose of (the vigil) is to get everyone together and stand in solidarity. The main reason we created the event was to grow as a community."

Officials hope to allay fears sparked by the shootings and highlight resources available, such as the university's counseling center, Lewis said.

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Tony Briscoe is a staff reporter; Angelica LaVito is a freelance reporter.

tbriscoe@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @_tonybriscoe
A Glendale Heights man was taken into custody and charged with this week's robbery of a bank in Warrenville, the FBI said Wednesday.

Joseph David, 40, is believed to be the man who entered the West Suburban Bank on Illinois Route 59 just before 1:30 p.m. Monday and held up a note for a teller that said "don't scream, I have a gun," according to the FBI.

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According to an affidavit filed in federal court, the robber told the teller to get money from her cash drawer. The teller replied that she did not have any money, and the robber moved on to a second teller, who also said he did not have any cash in his drawer, the affidavit said.

The robber then left the back, and employees reported seeing him driving away in a black SUV and they were able to get a license plate number. Minutes later, police stopped David, who was driving a black SUV, at Route 56 and Batavia Road in Warrenville.

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The affidavit said police questioned David who said he was in the area looking for work. He was taken into custody.

Later that afternoon, David's girlfriend, who owns the SUV, was contacted and she consented to a search of the vehicle, authorities said. Inside, they found a note like the one displayed at the bank along with a wig and beard and clothing matching the description of that worn by the robber, according to the affidavit.

Police also recovered a license plate inside the SUV whose number matched what bank employees had reported to police. Authorities think David had taped it over another license plate before the robbery.

According to bandittracker.com, which is operated by the FBI, David may be connected to two recent robberies at banks in Carol Stream and Glendale Heights. He appeared in federal court Tuesday.

Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter.
State Sen. Pat McGuire talks with Illinois State Museum board member George Rabb about a piece from artist George Gremmer at the Saturday reopening of the Illinois State Museum's Lockport Gallery. (Frank Vaisvilas / Daily Southtown)

The Illinois State Museum's Lockport Gallery reopened Saturday after local officials stepped in to help pick up the tab for the facility.

"The arts are alive. You can't kill them," said artist Jan Meister, whose art is featured in the current exhibit at the gallery titled "Open." "Art will continue no matter what. It's really a testament to the all the artists who strongly believe in the community."

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In July 2015, Gov. Bruce Rauner ordered the closure of all five of the state's museums to save money during the ongoing budget impasse.

Despite the order, the gallery was opened last year for a short time at 201 W. 10th St.

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To reopen the gallery on Saturday, Lockport agreed to pay $12,000 annual rent to the building's owner while a foundation by the Illinois State Museum Board pays another $12,000.

The state will continue paying gallery director John Lustig's salary.

Citing the Lockport Gallery's economic importance as an attraction in the city, Lockport Mayor Steve Streit said local government is stepping in where the state has failed.

As a deal to reopen the Lockport Gallery was close to being reached, Streit said it worked out that its opening coincided with the "Steampunk Weekend" festival, which was part of the city's summer art series.

Visitors to the gallery on Saturday included people dressed in late 19th-century attire who had come to the city to celebrate the steampunk fantasy genre.

Mary Bookwalter, whose work is in the current exhibit, said she hopes lawmakers in Springfield heard their concerns and understand that "art won't die."

"Government is a human entity. Sometimes mistakes are made," said State Sen. Pat McGuire, D-Joliet, who attended Saturday's reopening.

George Rabb, an Illinois State Museum board member, said he hopes the partnership to keep the gallery open can serve as a good example.

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"It's pretty remarkable considering what's happening with the other state museums," he said. "The main art gallery in Chicago is still closed."

Rabb envisions a partnership with a university to reopen that gallery.

Last year, Streit led an effort to create "The People's Show" exhibit at the gallery and issued a call-out to all artists to display their work.

At a time when the museum should have been closed, more than 250 pieces of art were on display for public viewing, including a piece by Mary Bookwalter.

"It was kind of a protest show," she said.

But that show ended in October and the gallery closed to the public until Saturday.

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The Lockport Gallery is now open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday.

Frank Vaisvilas is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
A federal judge on Wednesday approved a $15 million settlement for a former gang member allegedly framed by corrupt Chicago Heights police officers for a 1993 murder that landed him in prison for 20 years. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune) (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

Six months after Chicago Heights police arrested Rodell Sanders for a 1993 slaying, his girlfriend received a letter that was purportedly a confession from the real killer.

"I know that you are still mad at me for helping the police to lie on Rodell about that murder," the letter said, according to court records. "But I was scared. Like I told you before, the police told me to lie on Rodell and put his name on this (expletive). ... They wanted Rodell instead of me because they need me to come to court on another case, then help them put Rodell away forever."

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On Wednesday, nearly 23 years after that letter was sent, Sanders stood in his lawyer's West Loop offices to announce a $15 million settlement in his federal lawsuit alleging corrupt Chicago Heights police officers framed him for the murder, sending him to prison for more than two decades.

The settlement approved by U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve was believed to be among the largest individual payouts for a wrongful conviction in Cook County history.

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Sanders, now 51 and a grandfather of four, paused for a moment when asked whether the check made up for the harm that was done.

"I don't know if you can really say it makes things right because I can never get back those 20 years they've taken from me," Sanders said. "There's many, many things that I've lost, and they can never be given back, so no, it doesn't make it right."

In an emailed statement, Chicago Heights Mayor David Gonzalez said the agreement  which acknowledges no wrongdoing by the city or police  was struck "to protect the interests of taxpayers and to forge community unity in our diverse city."

Court records show the city has agreed to pay a total of $2 million to Sanders in four installments, while the city's insurance is supposed to cover the rest.

Sanders, a former member of the Gangster Disciples street gang, was originally convicted by a jury in the slaying of Phillip Atkins and near-fatal wounding of Stacy Armstrong, who were both asleep in a car in December 1993 when four men forced them out at gunpoint.

One of the men  described by Armstrong as thin and 6 feet tall  ordered them shot after Atkins admitted he was a member of the Mickey Cobras street gang, prosecutors alleged. Armstrong was also shot three times but survived and was the sole witness.

Sanders' lead attorney, Russell Ainsworth, alleged that two Chicago Heights detectives rigged a lineup photo by cropping a photo of Sanders so his shoulders were cut out to make him look thinner. Armstrong picked out Sanders' photo and later identified him at trial as the man who had ordered the shootings, the lawyer said.

Gesturing toward the short, stocky Sanders on Wednesday, Ainsworth said, "As you can see, Rodell Sanders has never been 6 feet tall and thin in his life."

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Ainsworth also contended that detectives let the admitted lookout in the shooting plead guilty to armed robbery and serve five years in prison in return for testifying against Sanders at trial. It was that fellow gang member  a tall, thin man  who later wrote the confessional letter to Sanders' girlfriend.

Sanders, who maintained he was playing cards with friends on the night of the slaying, was convicted of murder, attempted murder and robbery and sentenced to 80 years in prison.

Sanders, however, continued to maintain his innocence, and after his family raised $1,000 to buy him legal books, he taught himself the law. He wrote court filings and later cross-examined almost a dozen witnesses in a hearing that won him a new trial based on ineffective assistance of counsel.

His first retrial in 2013 ended with a hung jury, with 11 voting to convict and a lone holdout.

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"I came very, very close from going right back if it wasn't for one holdout juror who really believed in me," Sanders said Wednesday at his lawyer's offices, where he works as a law clerk. "Because of her, we went back to trial a third time and finally a jury saw all the evidence."

According to court records, Chicago Heights had rejected a $9 million settlement offer in 2015 but then decided to settled with a trial scheduled for next month.

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Sanders' original conviction came in the midst of a sweeping federal investigation into corruption within Chicago Heights police and politics. Deputy Police Chief Sam Mangialardi, among those sued by Sanders, and six other Chicago Heights officers were eventually convicted of federal charges including civil rights violations, racketeering, witness tampering, bribery and extortion.

Ainsworth said the long history of corruption shows that Sanders' case "was not some aberration."

"Rodell Sanders' conviction was a sad product of a system that does not hold its police officers accountable," he said.

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @jmetr22b
Shanghai. March 14 (Gasgoo.com)  Delegates to the annual session of National People's Congress are appealing to the government to offer incentives to both manufacturers and consumers of small displacement cars, state media China Youth Daily reported yesterday.

The delegates asked Chinese government to lower or cancel taxes and other charges for both manufacturers and consumers of small displacement cars in road maintenance fee, toll, parking, insurance and etc, the report said.

While surging oil prices and worsening air pollution are becoming more and more serious concerns for both Chinese government and industrial experts, the sales of small displacement are declining continuously.

Last year, China sold a total of 730,200 small cars with engine displacement below 1.3 liter, which represents only 11.6 percent of China's total sedan sales, according to China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. While China's sedan sales rose 21.84 percent, the sales of small displacement cars dropped 3.7 percent. Also last year China sold only a quarter million small cars with engine displacement below 1.0 liter, down 30.9 percent.

Official statistics from National Passenger Vehicle Manufacturers indicate that average engine displacement of China-made sedans last year stands at 1.68 liter, an increase of 0.15 liter from one year earlier.

More importantly, the government has not so far offered any substantial favorable policies toward the use of displacement cars. For example, the government imposes same property tax on a 1.1 liter displacement QQ (about $5,000) and a luxury Bentley ($1.5 million).

Separately, a recent survey conducted by Sinotrust found that more than 80% of Chinese car buyers choose to buy vehicles with engine displacement between 1.3L and 2.0L; only less than 20 percent opt for vehicles with displacement of 1.3L or smaller.

Sinotrust, a supplier of marketing solutions and credit solutions in China, surveyed 15,000 car consumers on small displacement vehicles.

"The small displacement vehicles are usually poor in driving experience, comfort, and safety compared to larger vehicles. I would rather spend a little more money on a larger vehicle, such as Polo, Fit or Peugeot 206," a car owner said.

Traditionally, small displacement cars are perceived by Chinese consumers as low priced, poor quality vehicles that deliver poor driving experience, low safety standard and poses serious pollutions. More Chinese cities and local governments have restrictive polices against small displacement vehicles.

Most small-displacement cars, including Chery QQ, FAW Xiali and Changan Benben, cannot meet Euro III emission standard yet and are banned in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

Industry experts identified two reasons behind the continuous decline of the sales of small cars. First most Chinese consumers consider "face-losing or embarrassing" to drive small cars and therefore have an inclination not to buy small cars; secondly, the repeated price-cuts of middle and high-end cars are squeezing the market share of small cars.

Now industry experts are talking about one more important factor that government has done nothing to show its support to small displacement cars: not preferential polices or incentives are offered to small displacement cars.

To address this problem, Wang Feng Ying, president of Great Wall, suggests that the future belongs to high quality, high safety performance, fuel saving and less polluting small vehicles and they should have all the incentives from the government.
Mark Maxson and his mother, Almeater Maxon, leave Stateville Correctional Center on Sept. 27, 2016, after Maxson, who was sentenced to life in prison for the 1992 murder of a child, was released when the conviction was vacated. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

Two decades after the brutal murder and sexual assault of a 6-year-old boy shocked Chicago's Roseland neighborhood, new DNA evidence led a Cook County judge Tuesday to throw out the conviction of a man who wrongfully spent nearly a quarter-century in prison for the crime.

Hours later, Mark Maxson, who was serving a life sentence, walked out of Stateville Correctional Center near Joliet, where he was met by his attorneys, Elliott Zinger and Larry Dreyfus, and his 78-year-old mother.

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"It's a bit overwhelming now," Maxson, 55, said later by telephone as he waited to be served a steak at a restaurant. "I knew this day would come. It was only a matter of time."

His mother, Almeater, who kept working to support her son behind bars until she was 70, was steadfast in maintaining his innocence.

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"I knew something was wrong," she said of the case against her son. "No blood, no saliva, no hair  something's wrong with this picture."

DNA not only exonerated Maxson but also matched a convicted murderer who lived seven blocks from where the first-grader's body was found under a pile of empty bottles and debris in an abandoned garage, according to court filings.

In their court filing, Maxson's attorneys said the individual whose DNA has been matched to the crime scene has since been arrested for failing to register as a murderer, indicating he had served time for another slaying.

A spokeswoman for the Cook County state's attorney's office said only that an investigation into the killing "remains ongoing."

In August 1992, the badly beaten body of Lindsey Murdock, a first-grader at the now-shuttered Van Vlissingen Elementary School, was found in the 10700 block of South State Street. The friendly boy had spent much of his summer jumping rope and roller skating, his grandmother, Marie Murdock, told the Tribune at the time.

She had given him a dollar that afternoon to buy candy at a corner store and last saw him that Saturday afternoon on her porch eating a Tootsie Roll candy, Murdock said.

"He was one of the sweetest children you would ever want to meet," his father, Lindsey Murdock, told the Tribune. "Who could do that to my boy?"

Even amid Cook County's lengthy history of wrongful convictions and coerced confessions, the case against Maxson was remarkably thin.

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Police were alerted to Maxson by a TV reporter who interviewed him the night the boy's body was found. Maxson had said he'd bought the boy a bag of potato chips and told him to get home.

Maxson alleged he was locked in an Area Two interview room for days, beaten and kept awake for hours by detectives who had once worked under former police Cmdr. Jon Burge, who by then had been fired over allegations of torture.

Prosecutors said Maxson confessed to drinking beer and smoking crack in an abandoned garage before sexually assaulting and killing the boy.

The sister of one of the detectives later gave a sworn statement in an unrelated case that her brother once had boasted, "I can make anybody confess to anything," while he discussed torture tactics with Burge, the Tribune previously reported.

All of the available forensic evidence  blood on the boy's shirt, a pubic hair found on the victim's body and fingerprints on a piece of broken glass  excluded Maxson as the killer. But he was still convicted by a jury in 1994 based solely on the unsigned confession.

At his sentencing, Maxson maintained his innocence, according to a Tribune account of the 1994 hearing.

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"All of the evidence belonged to someone else," he said. "I am charged with a crime I did not commit."

But Judge Daniel Locallo sentenced him to natural life plus 50 years in prison, citing the brutality of the crime and Maxson's 1979 conviction for the criminal sexual assault of a woman when he was 17. Maxson was sentenced to 10 years in prison and released in 1984, court records show.

"You are a man of malignant heart and I find you must be eliminated from society," the judge said.

Maxson's attorneys credited State's Attorney Anita Alvarez's conviction integrity unit with expediting DNA testing after Judge Thaddeus Wilson ordered that evidence be tested in April.

Maxson is the 15th defendant whose conviction was overturned as a result of the unit's work since it was formed in 2012, said Sally Daly, Alvarez's spokeswoman.

sschmadeke@chicagotribune.com

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A surveillance photo of a man who robbed three Northwest Side stores between about 12:40 a.m. and 8:40 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The photo is from a robbery about 12:40 a.m. in the 5600 block of West Irving Park Road. (Surveillance photo via Chicago police)

Chicago police on Wednesday released a surveillance photo of a man who robbed three Northwest Side stores at knifepoint earlier in the day.

The man went into the stores, showed a knife and demanded money, according to an alert issued by Chicago police. The man then escaped in a red SUV driven by a woman or girl.

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The man robbed stores:

In the 7500 block of West Irving Park Road at 8:39 a.m.;

In the 7200 block of West Higgins Road at 7:30 a.m.;

And in the 5600 block of West Irving Park at 12:40 a.m.

Police did not specify the stores which were robbed, but 7-Eleven stores are on the two blocks on Irving Park, and a Shell gas station with a convenience store is located on Higgins.

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The robber is described as a white or white Hispanic man about 20 to 25 years old, standing 5-foot-8 to 6 feet tall and weighing 180 to 200 pounds. He was wearing a Chicago Blackhawks sweatshirt, gray jeans and a white bandana. He was armed with two knives.

Police did not release a detailed description of the woman or girl driving the SUV.

Anyone with information about the robberies is asked to call Area North Detectives at 312-744-8263.
Daijon Price, 22 and Mike Freeman, 21 were placed into custody and charged after being positively identified as the individuals involved in a robbery in the 3000 block of W. Bryn Mawr Avenue at approximately 9:38 a.m. on September 27, 2016. Photos provided by Chicago Police Department. (Chicago Police Department)

Two men have been charged with felony robbery after shoving a 52-year-old woman to the ground and robbing her Tuesday morning in the West Ridge neighborhood on the North Side, police said.

Daijon Price, 22, of the 5200 block of South Michigan Avenue in Washington Park and Mike Freeman, 21, of the 2900 block of North Kildare Avenue in Hermosa, were taken into custody Tuesday after being identified as the men who robbed the woman in the 3000 block of West Bryn Mawr Avenue, police said in a news release.

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About 9:38 a.m., Price and Freeman approached the woman, grabbed her and threw her to the ground, causing her to hit her head on the pavement, police said. They then forcefully took the woman's purse from her before fleeing on foot, police said.

The woman alerted police, who saw Price and Freeman a brief distance away. After a short foot chase, they were caught and placed into custody, police said.

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The woman suffered minor injuries and was taken to Swedish Covenant Hospital, police said. Her purse was found.

Price has a previous felony conviction for armed robbery and is on parole, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections. Freeman is on parole for a residential burglary felony conviction.

Price and Freeman are both due in bond court Wednesday.
The Chicago Police Department is asking the public for help in finding a burglar who has been stealing laptop computers, cameras, cell phones and other electronics in the Loop neighborhood.

The burglar has been forcibly entering office buildings through main floor retail stores or restaurants and has been forcing open revolving doors or windows. The person has breached street level doors during the daytime and then returned hours later to complete the burglary, according to a news release.

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The incidents have occurred on the 100 block of West Van Buren Street on September 9, 12, 13 as early as 1 a.m. and also on the first block of North La Salle Street on September 24 between 8:40 a.m. and 11:20 p.m.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Area Central detectives at 312-747-8384.
Surveillance footage from the raid on July 31, 2013, when officers entered the Copper Tan and Spa in the 1000 block of Milwaukee Avenue, allegedly after an undercover officer was offered sex for money. (Graphic language)

Surveillance footage from the raid on July 31, 2013, when officers entered the Copper Tan and Spa in the 1000 block of Milwaukee Avenue, allegedly after an undercover officer was offered sex for money. (Graphic language) (Chicago Tribune)

Chicago police officers and other city employees would be explicitly prohibited from using immigrants' background or immigration status to threaten or abuse them under a proposal Mayor Rahm Emanuel backs that is headed for a City Council vote.

Sponsors are seeking to amend Chicago's Welcoming City Ordinance, which offers some protections for people in this country illegally, to require that reports of "physical abuse, threats or intimidation" against documented or undocumented immigrants be sent to oversight agencies that cover the Chicago Police Department and other city agencies.

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Ald. Scott Waguespack said the change was spurred in part by a high-profile 2013 incident in which Chicago police officers raiding a North Side tanning salon were caught on closed-circuit video hitting, berating and threatening an employee of the business.

Video surveillance footage from inside Copper Tan and Spa showed employee Jianqing Klyzek on her knees and handcuffed as an officer began to shout at her.

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"You're not a f------ American," the officer yelled at Klyzek, according to the video. "I'll put you in a UPS box and send you back to wherever the f--- you came from!" Klyzek, an American citizen, sued in federal court and was awarded $150,000 in a settlement with the city in 2014.

Waguespack also cited the anti-immigrant rhetoric from Donald Trump in the presidential campaign as a reason to lay out the rules, noting that a group of municipal officials from around the U.S. is trying to promote greater respect for immigrants.

"I want to encourage all our city leaders and officials, all of our organizations out there, to continue to move our city forward in a way that is inclusive, that doesn't take the clock backwards, as our Republican nominee for president wants to," said Waguespack, 32nd.

According to the ordinance, sponsored by Emanuel and several aldermen, paperwork on a violation by police would be reported to "the Independent Police Review Authority, or any successor independent police review agency." Reported violations by other city employees would go to the city inspector general.

The proposal passed the Human Relations Committee on Wednesday and heads to the full council next week.

jebyrne@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @_johnbyrne
EL CAJON, Calif.  A black man reportedly acting erratically at a strip mall in suburban San Diego was shot and killed by police after pulling an object from his pocket, pointing it at officers and assuming a "shooting stance," authorities said.

One of the officers tried and failed to subdue the unidentified man with a stun gun before the other officer fired several times, El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis said at a late night news conference. Davis would not say what the object was, but acknowledged it was not a weapon.

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This still from video provided by 10News.com shows a woman facing police officers near where police shot and wounded a man in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 27, 2016. (AP)

Before police announced the death, dozens of protesters gathered at the shooting scene, with some claiming the man was shot with his hands raised. Police disputed that and produced a frame from cellphone video taken by a witness that appeared to show the man in the "shooting stance" as two officers approached with weapons drawn.

The fatal shooting comes just weeks after black men were shot and killed by police in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and in Charlotte, North Carolina, where violent protests broke out.

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An image from cellphone video of a deadly confrontation between two El Cajon police officers and Alfred Olango. His sister says she told officers that he was mentally ill. (El Cajon Police Department)

The El Cajon protest was angry but peaceful. Several dozen people, most of them black, gathered and some cursed at officers guarding the scene. They chanted "black lives matter!" and "hands up, don't shoot!"

Davis urged the community to remain calm and said the investigation will be thorough.

"This will be transparent," he said. "This will be looked at by multiple sets of eyes, and not just ours."

The district attorney was on scene and also will investigate.

Police said they were called to the mall shortly after 2 p.m. by the sister of a man in his 30s who said he was "not acting like himself" and walking in traffic. They say the man refused "multiple" orders to take his hand from his pocket, then was shot after pulling out the object.

One man holds his fist up as others yell at police at the scene where a black man was shot by police earlier in El Cajon, east of San Diego, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. (Hayne Palmour IV / AP)

When detectives arrived police say a female witness came forward and voluntarily provided cellphone video of the incident. Authorities did not release the video, only the single frame from it. El Cajon officers do not wear body cameras.

Meantime, other videos quickly surfaced showing the aftermath. In one posted to Facebook, an unidentified woman is heard telling police at the scene that the man was ordered to take his hand out of his pocket.

"I said: 'Take your hand out your pocket, baby, or they're going to shoot you.' He said 'no, no, no,' " the woman said. "When he lifted his hand out ... he did have something in his hand but it wasn't no gun, and that's when they shot him."

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Another woman on the video who was wearing hospital-style work clothing said she's the man's sister. She appeared distraught, repeatedly shrieking and crying, telling officers that she had called them to help her brother, who she described as mentally ill.

"I just called for help, and you came and killed him," she said.

Michael Ray Rodriguez was among the witnesses who said the man had his hands in the air. He said that he was driving out of his apartment complex past the shooting scene and saw a shirtless black man with his hands raised.

The officer "let go of the trigger and shot him again and again," Rodriguez told the San Diego Union-Tribune.

El Cajon is about 15 miles northeast of San Diego and has a population of about 100,000. It is 69 percent white and 6 percent black, according to 2010 census figures, and has become a home for many refugees fleeing Iraq and, more recently, Syria.

Associated Press
Give the man his props. Lin-Manuel Miranda has penned a Tony Award-winning musical that not only resurrects Alexander Hamilton but goes all Nobel Prize in the process. That's Nobel as in economics, because where else these days can you hear even the faintest challenge to the orthodoxy of free trade? Or maybe Miranda/Hamilton would say something more along the lines of "Can't be free if it costs us all so much, yo!"

In any case, the title character definitely had Thomas Jefferson pegged. Jefferson believed, "Those who labour in the earth are the chosen people of God, if ever he had a chosen people, whose breasts he has made in his peculiar deposit for substantial and genuine virtue." Long story short, Jefferson wanted Americans to grow stuff, not make stuff, with manufactured stuff imported duty free. The Sage of Monticello feared American factories would lead to cities, would lead to mobs, which "would add just so much to the support of pure government, as sores do to the strength of the human body."

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Slavery didn't bother him quite the same way.

Hamilton wanted a modern economy, which included funding the national debt incurred during the Revolution. As to why that mattered, think in terms of an international credit score. In the play "Hamilton," when Jefferson basically says it doesn't matter, Hamilton answers with: "A civics lesson from a slaver. Hey neighbor/Your debts are paid cuz you don't pay for labor."

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There you have it, the dirty little secret finally center stage where it belongs  free trade has always kept the strangest company. The slave South wanted, no, depended on free trade.

How exactly is the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership any different in cause or effect? Oh, that's right, the signees cross their collective hearts not to use slave labor.

The real Hamilton died before the real John C. Calhoun could launch his national career. Had Aaron Burr's aim been a little off in his duel with Hamilton, Hamilton might have lived long enough for "Hamilton" to include a character of jaw-dropping views. Not all of them involved free trade.

In his own eyes a South Carolinian even more than an American (and vice president under John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson), Calhoun believed Southern cotton was capable "of supplying the world, as we would with a free trade (policy)." But Calhoun was certain that a protective tariff would force the South to "abandon our ancient and favorite pursuit, to which our soil, climate, habits and peculiar labor are adapted."

The words stand by themselves, in need of no tweaking or enhancing. All Miranda would have to do is add music, maybe strains of Stephen Foster mixed with a little Lynyrd Skynyrd. (If a playwright can rap, a historian can rock, or at least try to.) Would Marvin Gaye's "Ain't That Peculiar" be too much, or just right given another remark by Calhoun? "I am a Southern man and a slaveholder. A kind and merciful man, I trust, and none the worse for being a slaveholder" deserves the right score to ensure full effect.

The Civil War may have ended de jure slavery, but free trade found plenty of new friends among social Darwinists. Imagine what Miranda could do with the English sociologist Herbert Spencer, who coined the phrase "survival of the fittest." Spencer believed that public works, whether lighthouses, harbors or schools, were wrong because they required "the imposition of taxes." This enabler of shipwrecks and all-around ignorance got his professional start as, yes, an editor for The Economist, a free-trade journal.

When Spencer visited the United States in 1882, he was feted by a group of American acolytes, including Yale professor William Graham Sumner. Think of Spencer as "Bungle in the Jungle" by Jethro Tull; that would make Sumner the embodiment of "Free-For-All" by that latter-day social Darwinist, Ted Nugent. Sumner was Nugent with a pen instead of a guitar.

To Sumner, there was free trade and, as he put it in a book title, "Protectionism: the ism which teaches that waste makes wealth." According to Sumner, protectionism deserves "only contempt and scorn, satire and ridicule." Did I say Sumner should be read with Ted Nugent playing in the background? Sorry. I meant Megadeth.

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Social Darwinists have managed to reinvent themselves with a happy-face makeover as libertarians. But free trade, ever the social butterfly, has moved on to forge yet another friendship. It's called productivity, as in: Free trade has caused a fraction of the job losses  and don't forget all the great stuff it has put on the shelves at dollar stores  that productivity caused. That's a line in need of a mashup from the likes of Lil Chuckee's "Another Lie." If Miranda could work in Three Dog Night's "Liar," he'd have himself the makings of a hit single.

And just think of the music video. Personally, I'd love to see someone dressed up as Frederick Taylor, the father of stopwatch efficiency, upon which all productivity rests. Taylor could read off a list of companies, products and place names, e.g., Mondelez, the maker of Oreos here in Chicago. The Kedzie Avenue plant got so efficient, so productive, that Mondelez moved Oreos to Mexico. And then there's Converse, which used to make Chuck Taylors in Mission, Texas, and Lumberton, N.C. Converse has achieved productivity in all sorts of places, including India, Indonesia and Vietnam, but no longer in Mission or Lumberton. Ditto for Vice Grip locking pliers that used to be made in De Witt, Neb.

Well, the video could go on for a very long time. The truth would be in the mashup, the lie for every time outsourcing is used as a substitute for productivity.

If Miranda ever does another historically themed musical, free trade and the 1860 presidential election could be an even bigger hit than "Hamilton."

Consider the cast of characters, starting with Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass and Harriet Beecher Stowe, with the ghost of John Brown lurking about. Source material is incredibly rich, starting with the Republican Party platform, adopted in Chicago, by the way. It has rhetoric to rap for, as with "the new dogma that the Constitution, of its own force, carries slavery into any or all of the territories of the United States is a dangerous political heresy."

I also like the plank that would give the current GOP presidential nominee and certain of his followers fits: "(T)he Republican Party is opposed to any change in our naturalization laws by which the rights of citizens hitherto accorded to immigrants from foreign lands shall be abridged or impaired."

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Even better is this one on putting a tariff on imports: " sound policy requires such an adjustment of these imports as to encourage the development of the industrial interests of the whole country."

Yo, hey. It's those last two words, "whole country," that won't be found anywhere in the notion of free trade. Hey, yo.

Douglas Bukowski is a Chicago writer and historian.
Carmen Ayala, superintendent of North Berwyn School District 98, speaks to the Illinois Board of Education about budget cuts during a June 17, 2015, meeting at Oswego East High School. (Sean King / The Beacon-News)

In 2005, Illinois lawmakers tried to rein in school districts that dole out lavish end-of-career pay raises to teachers and administrators in order to jack up their pensions. Springfield set limits and imposed penalties for districts that exceeded them. The aim: to cut pension costs and boost Illinois' dangerously underfunded teachers pension system.

But some school districts still resist. They rely on arcane (read: devious) ways to circumvent the intent of the law and reward outgoing educators with huge bonuses instead.

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On Monday, the Tribune's Diane Rado exposed the latest outrage: Some Chicago-area school districts shell out tens of thousands of dollars in bonuses to teachers and administrators who are already retired. Those payouts can come on top of multiple late-career salary hikes handed to educators to boost their pensions as they exit.

For those keeping count at home: That's two ways that districts are spending someone else's money to weave lavish post-retirement golden parachutes for educators.

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Why haven't you heard about this before? Because, as Rado writes, these bonuses are "tucked into teacher and administrator contracts, and school officials acknowledge that payouts to individual educators are not always transparent or publicized."

Not always transparent or publicized? Try: Cleverly obscured. The payouts are calculated in various ways  a flat amount, a set figure multiplied by an educator's years of service or a percentage of an educator's annual salary  all of which makes it harder for taxpayers to follow the money out the door and into the retired educator's pocket.

The payouts amount to big money:

In the Vernon Hills-based Community High School District 128, one principal reaped 30 percent of her $200,000-plus base salary, a post-retirement bonus of $64,228.

Deerfield Public School District 109 spent nearly $1 million in end-of-career "severance" payments in the last two years alone. One longtime teacher took home about $67,000 so far, and a final payment in 2017 will propel her total post-retirement bonus to about $78,000.

Libertyville School District 70 has dished out almost $600,000 in bonuses for 38 educators over the last five school years.

District 128 teachers union President Dennis Duffy has a simple explanation for his district's largesse: The bonuses are a way for educators to gain the same pay raises as their colleagues who retired before the law changed in 2005. That sometimes meant 20 percent in back-to-back years before retirement. "Our rationale was to try to recapture as close to possible the spirit of the two 20s (20 percent raises given in the past)," Duffy said.

We understand why a union boss would adopt a "What, me worry?" attitude. But why in the world would school boards go along? The law was changed for a reason: To shore up a profoundly underfunded pension system.

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Unfortunately, this post-retirement bonus scheme is only the latest twist on a familiar story of districts torpedoing the law and finding ways to enrich retiring educators.

Last year, Rado reported that some districts continued to hand out huge raises, blithely sticking district taxpayers for millions of dollars in penalties. Other districts piled up penalties but then exploited legal loopholes so that they paid much less in fines or, in some cases, nothing.

The pay-after-retirement scheme is "about honoring those employees who have stayed with the district for a long period of time," said Superintendent Carmen Ayala of Berwyn North School District 98.

No, Ms. Ayala. Educators get paid for hard work. They shouldn't expect that districts will amp up their salaries to boost their pensions at the end of their career. Nor should they expect fat bonuses after they retire.

That just perpetuates an educational bureaucracy that says: We take care of our own and you, taxpaying chumps, get to pick up the tab.

Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.
If you've ever whiled away a workday playing Candy Crush while waiting to be seated on a jury  or more likely, waiting to be dismissed  then you might have smiled when state lawmakers voted in late 2014 to boost juror pay.

Instead of $17.20 a day in Cook County  elsewhere in Illinois, it was as low as $5  jurors got $25 just for showing up the first day, starting last year. Those selected to serve on a jury earned $50 a day for the duration of the triaI.

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Kiss that raise goodbye.

The Illinois Supreme Court struck down that law last Thursday, calling it unconstitutional.

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What's unconstitutional about compensating citizens for doing their civic duty? Nothing. That's not what this law was about. A pay raise for jurors was included in the bill as cover for its real purpose, which was to boost the incomes of attorneys who make their living filing lawsuits.

The measure was hustled through the General Assembly in the final stretch of a lame-duck legislative session and signed into law by soon-to-be-ex-Gov. Pat Quinn. It was a parting gift to the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, which contributes generously to legislative campaign funds.

What the law was meant to do  what the Supreme Court said it couldn't do  was to reduce the size of civil juries in Illinois from 12 members to six. Its aim was to stack those juries in favor of plaintiffs.

Lawmakers didn't bother to debate the merits of the bill, which passed both houses in two days. They didn't ask for input from local court systems or governments. They didn't say, "Hey wait a minute, why is this an emergency?" When a bill appears out of nowhere two days before Thanksgiving, dutiful partisans don't ask a lot of questions.

Had those lawmakers been responsible or even intellectually curious, they would have discovered a pile of research on six- vs. 12-member juries. The pluses and minuses of each:

Smaller juries require smaller jury pools, so fewer citizens are inconvenienced. They can be seated faster, and their deliberations are shorter. They reach consensus more easily and deadlock less often. But there's a trade-off for this efficiency.

Larger juries are more diverse, so they're more likely to better reflect the community from which they're drawn. The quality of their deliberations is higher  their debate is more rigorous, and their collective recall of testimony is greater. In a larger group, it's less likely that a single juror will dominate the discussion or that a dissenting juror will stand alone.

And here's what matters most: Larger groups have a moderating effect on the size of jury awards.

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Most states require 12 jurors for criminal trials, in which a defendant's life or liberty are at stake. But many allow at least the option of a six-member jury for civil trials. (In Illinois, that's the case if alleged damages are less than $50,000, though either party can demand a jury of 12.)

Given the choice, plaintiffs attorneys most often opt for six jurors; attorneys who defend against those lawsuits want 12.

The Illinois Constitution doesn't specify the number of jurors; it provides only for a trial by jury "as heretofore enjoyed." The state Supreme Court agreed with a Cook County circuit judge, who said that means 12  because 12 has been the norm dating back to at least 1870. It would take a constitutional amendment, not a backroom deal between lobbyists and lawmakers, to reduce the size of juries in Illinois.

So that's the end of the law that might as well have been called the Plaintiffs Attorneys Enrichment Act. Sadly for jurors, their pay raise went down with it. The Supreme Court said the increase in juror pay was meant to work "in tandem" with the unconstitutional limit on the size of civil juries, so the whole thing is invalid.

And it's just as well. Because the lawmakers who sold the measure as a pay raise for jurors, claiming the smaller juries would offset the higher costs, never bothered to do the math.

There are far more criminal trials than civil, so most juries still required 12 members. When local governments learned  too late  that they'd have to pay those jurors significantly more, they howled. Cook County predicted its jury costs would triple, to $9.5 million a year. DuPage, Will, Lake and McHenry counties said they'd have to come up with hundreds of thousands of dollars. Taxpayer dollars, that is.

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How many civil cases were decided by six-member juries while this challenge made its way through the courts? What will become of those cases now? It's a mess. It's the sort of thing that happens when politicians get sloppy on their way out the door.

Citizen jurors: Don't fret about that short-lived pay raise. The money was coming out of your other pocket, anyway. The real beneficiaries of this slap-dash legislative effort were the attorneys who cozy up to the power brokers in Springfield  and vice versa.

Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.
Glasshopper Schor Glass, right, sits on property at the corner of New York and River Streets the city of Aurora is planning to purchase. (Steve Lord / The Beacon-News)

The city of Aurora wants to buy the property at 116 W. New York St. downtown where Glasshopper Schor Glass currently sits.

As it stands, the city would buy the property from the current landowner, then lease it to Schor Glass, just as the current landowner does.

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"The long-term would be to redevelop the whole block," said Bill Wiet, Aurora's chief development officer. "Right now, we have a viable business there that pays market rent. Should they desire to leave at some point, we could control the block."

The City Council Finance Committee Tuesday unanimously recommended the sale deal, which would cost the city $400,000. The city then would lease the property to Schor Glass for $4,000 a month, a $200-a-month increase from the $3,800 it currently pays. That additional money would be somewhat in lieu of the property taxes no longer paid. The lease agreement would include a 2 percent cost-of-living rent increase each year.

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That lease agreement would kick in in January, city officials said.

"It's a good business," David Hulseberg, chief executive officer of Invest Aurora, the city's redevelopment corporation, told Finance Committee members. "We'd like to keep them, and help them relocate when the time comes."

The lease includes a six-month notification if the city wants to vacate the property.

Buying Schor Glass would not give the city control of the entire block of River Street, between Galena Boulevard and New York Street. The city in the past year took control of the Hobbs Building at Galena and River  an historic building the city is hoping to redevelop. But there are two buildings between the Hobbs Building and the Schor Glass property, although the Schor property includes a v-shaped segment behind those two buildings that connects Schor and Hobbs.

The two buildings are on the market to be sold, as a for sale sign on the side of one of them Tuesday would indicate.

"This (purchase) will clean up a lot of things," said Alderman Rick Mervine, 8th Ward, a Finance Committee member.

slord@tribpub.com
Community Unit School District 308 faces repaying the state about $1.5 million after its average daily attendance report was off by hundreds of students, a district official said.

The repayment comes after an Illinois State Board of Education audit discovered errors officials in the Oswego-based district have described as "clerical." Among the errors was a reported 2013-14 average daily attendance that was off by 243 students from the actual number, said Ali Mehanti, assistant superintendent for business and operations.

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The district will repay about $1.3 million because of the misreported attendance number, which is one of the factors the state uses to determine school funding. The rest comes from accounting errors, such as miscategorizing expenses, Mehanti said.

The April audit came as the roughly 18,000-student district faced closing a projected $6 million budget deficit. Though the approved budget was ultimately balanced, district officials have projected larger deficits in coming years.

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Mehanti, who came to the district in mid-2015, said the error is "frustrating" because the district has already spent the money. Officials are working with the state on a repayment plan, which would not begin until the 2018 fiscal year, he has said.

"Really, it should have been our money, because they still owe us," he said, referring to state aid payments that have for years been prorated.

A spokeswoman for Illinois State Board of Education, Hannah Rosenthal, said such accounting errors are not unusual.

"Errors like this, though frustrating, are not uncommon at a district of this size," she said. "This error represented roughly 2 percent of the total district budget, which is considered a normal adjustment based on attendance fluctuation."

Mehanti could not say how the error occurred because he was not involved in the 2013-14 reporting. He speculated it could have been a typo or an error in the district's reporting system.

Mehanti said he has overseen state aid claims, which include attendance reporting, for each school year since the error occurred, and "made sure there was proper oversight."

sfreishtat@tribpub.com

Twitter @srfreish
A Great Depression-era mural, a gift from West Aurora High School's Class of 1933, is installed in a main hallway off of the West Aurora High School lobby. The mural, a piece of West Aurora's history, was preserved when the old high school building was demolished. (Linda Girardi / The Beacon-News)

With only five students graduating from high school in 1870, it is fair to say that things have changed a lot over the years in West Aurora School District 129.

A new video, titled "A History of West Aurora School District 129," has been released documenting the 179 years of history of the district from 1836 to 2015.

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Sharon Stredde, president emeritus of the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, researched the background and authored the script for the project.

While the Community Foundation took the lead role in preserving the district's history in the 55-minute DVD, Stredde credits a document, "A Study of Aurora Schools 1835-1935," written by former Aurora teacher Frances Jean O'Brien, for the basis of her work.

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"Jean's work was indispensable in guiding my research," she said.

The old West Aurora High School building, which was torn down last year. (Community Foundation of the Fox Valley / Handout)

Stredde said the Aurora Historical Society was an "invaluable" resource that provided assistance to verify the accuracy of information, as were the approximately 100 people she interviewed as part of the project across four months.

The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley is a non-profit, philanthropic organization founded in 1948, which administers charitable funds in the form of grants and scholarships throughout the greater Aurora area, the tri-cities of Geneva, Batavia and St. Charles, and Kendall County.

She said the Community Foundation five years ago decided to pay homage through a series of history videos to endowment fund donors, individuals and businesses such as the John S. Dunham Endowment Fund which is a tribute to the Dunham family and the Community Foundation Memorial Endowment Fund in memory of Virgil L. Gilman.

"We developed the project to honor these individuals and organizations maintaining permanent funds with the foundation. It is also our way of preserving local history and showing our respect for the past," said Stredde, who served as a Community Foundation administrator from 1985 to 2015.

The Community Foundation has produced 27 videos since 2011, all of which are collaborative efforts, she said.

Longtime West Aurora School Board member and West Aurora High School graduate Neal Ormond is the narrator of the videos, including the newly released video that preserves the heritage and traditions of the West Aurora School District.

The video says the district's first school was housed in a log cabin along the Fox River north of New York Street. The first teacher on the West Side was Angelina Atwater, who taught eight to 10 students, according to the video.

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Stredde said she was fascinated with the school district's leaders, including Frank H. Hall, who was named the second superintendent from 1868 to 1875. He was known for "guiding the schools in a new direction" and visited the homes of families to encourage parents to keep their children in school.

Hall developed an advanced course of study focusing on science to provide new teachings to older students, she said. The first high school classes for West Aurora students were offered in 1868, with five students graduating from the Class of 1870, according to the video.

Stredde said Hall left for a time to be an administrator of the Sugar Grove Normal and Industrial School which offered traditional academics and agricultural classes.

She said Hall was a well-rounded and accomplished individual. Along with being an administrator in Sugar Grove, he managed a general store and a boarding house, was the Sugar Grove postmaster and township treasurer as well as operated his own lumber yard and creamery businesses and would preach sermons on Sundays.

Hall returned to West Aurora in 1887 and stayed until 1890. He became superintendent for the Illinois State School for the Blind in Jacksonville and invented the Hall braillewriter in 1892.

The DVD is available for purchase at the Aurora Historical Society's Museum Store in the David L. Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer Place in Aurora.

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The other history videos are available for viewing on the Community Foundation's website at www.communityfoundationfrv.org/communications/video-histories/.

Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News
Barrington High School science teacher Sara Calhoun talks to her class during the first day of classes Aug. 22, 2016. Districtwide, the district saw its attendance numbers climb in 2016 after a drop off the following year. (Brian O'Mahoney / Pioneer Press)

After a dip in districtwide attendance figures that put Barrington School District 220 below the state average, school officials turned to a new software program to better track absences.

From 2011 to 2014, student attendance throughout the district held steady between 95 and 96 percent, slightly above the state average of 94 percent. But District 220 attendance in 2015 dropped to 93 percent, one percentage point below the state average, according to figures from the Illinois Report Card, a website maintained by the Illinois State Board of Education.

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After the drop off in attendance from 2014 to 2015, Barrington school officials started noticing attendance inconsistencies with how the district schools acknowledged excused and unexcused student absences, said District 220 spokeswoman Morgan Delack.

They began using a software program called Attention2Attendance that better tracks student absences, while the district will use the information to meet with parents who have students with repeat attendance issues, she said.

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"There were a lot of discrepancies" Delack said in an email. "Since the implementation of Attention2Attendance, we have moved away from that and focused more on absent or present."

In 2016, average attendance at district schools climbed back up to 95 and 96 percent, except at Barrington High School where the attendance rate was 93.6 percent, according to the district. High student attendance not only sets up students for success in the classroom, but it also prepares them to compete in the workplace, said District 220 Superintendent Brian Harris.

The Barrington school district has put an emphasis on student attendance throughout September for national "Attendance Awareness Month." District 220 is one of many in Lake County competing in the 27th annual Fall Attendance Competition hosted by the Lake County Regional Office of Education.

The office organizes the competition to stress the importance of student attendance, said Roycealee Wood, regional superintendent of Lake County schools.

"Children should be taught in school and it should be emphasized that they need to be in school," Wood said. "Employers realize if they have applications of people with good attendance, then they might take a closer look at those people."

For the competition, the winning schools that have recorded the best attendance figures during the week of Sept. 12 receive a certificate from the regional office. The competition drew entries from 145 schools in Lake County, according to the office.

Contest winners will be announced Oct. 30.

In the Barrington area, solid attendance records can help prepare students for life in and outside of school, Harris said.

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"In our middle schools and high school, employers and the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce say they really want workers who show up," he said. "I hear this all the time from CEOs."

tshields@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @tshields19
Who knew there were so many upcoming contests in our area guaranteed to satisfy the competitive spirit of everyone, from children to adults?

If you enjoy keeping your eye on the prize and want to compete for a coveted trophy, recognition or cash award, check out the upcoming contests below.

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The Buffalo Grove Arts Commission and American Enterprise Bank are sponsoring the 2017 Youth Art Calendar Competition. The entry deadline is 5 p.m. Oct. 14. The judging categories for both public and private schools in our community are broken down into grades first and second, third and fourth, fifth and sixth, seventh and eighth, ninth and 10th, and 11th and 12th.

All artists need to submit an original work that will be judged on creativity and execution. The theme for the contest is anything relating to the month selected  holidays, seasonal, etc. No religious themes will be included. There will be 12 First Place winners (one for each month) who will receive $50 from American Enterprise Bank and a reproduction of their work in the 2017 Community Youth Art Calendar.

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Two Grand Prize winners, who will have their work featured on the front and back cover of the calendar, also will receive $100 each from American Enterprise Bank.

A panel selected by the arts commission will do the judging. On Nov. 17, all students who entered the competition will be invited to an evening reception and art showing at American Enterprise Bank, 600 N. Buffalo Grove Road, Buffalo Grove.

For entry information, visit www.americanenterprisebank.com.

The arts commission also is looking for Halloween lovers of all ages to compete in their inaugural "Halloween Yard Decorating Contest." Contest entries will be accepted through Oct. 20 from Buffalo Grove residents who think they have the spookiest-looking yard.

Judging will be based on quality and craftsmanship, design, creativity, uniqueness and originality. The winner, first- and second runner-up will be informed by Oct. 31, and they will receive yard signs and ribbons.

Entry details and competition rules are available on the Buffalo Grove website, www.vbg.org.

Fans of 1980s music should buy a ticket to the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan for the legendary concert of Survivor on Oct. 29. The performance includes special guests John Waite and A Flock of Seagulls.

Not only will there be fantastic music, you also can win prizes by entering into a 1980s costume contest. They're looking for the perfect dude, dudette and couple who best capture that special 1980s look. Bring your big hair, leggings, parachute pants, "Miami Vice" look and everything else that takes you back to the decade of excess.

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The best dude and dudette will win $250 each and the best couple will win $500. For contest information, email customer.service@geneseetheatre.com.

If you're a trivia pro, don't miss the "Trivia Night" fundraiser sponsored by the Buffalo Grove Police Department. This fun-filled event benefiting Torch Run for Special Olympics Illinois starts at 6 p.m. Nov. 12 inside Continental Restaurant, 788 S. Buffalo Grove Road, Buffalo Grove.

The registration fee of $25 a player includes food, a cash bar and raffle prizes.

Teams of eight people will compete in 10 rounds of trivia covering a variety of fun topics. The winning team will receive a fabulous "traveling trophy." Sponsorship opportunities are available, as well.

To register, visit www.vbg.org or contact Melessa Horbus at mhorbus@vbg.org. For information, call 847-459-2575.

Aileen Simons is a freelance columnist for Pioneer Press. Reach her at thewritetouch1@gmail.com
Timothy D. Thomsen, 49, of Manhattan is charged with two felonies and three misdemeanors after, police said, he was arrested with firearms, but no FOID card, as well as illegal explosives. (Manhattan police / HANDOUT)

A 49-year-old Manhattan man was charged with two felonies Tuesday after police arrested him with firearms and illegal explosives, police said.

Timothy D. Thomsen was charged with two class 3 felonies and three class A misdemeanors for possession of firearms without a required firearms owners identification card, according to a Manhattan Police Department press release.

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Manhattan police, along with the Will County Sheriff Gang Suppression Unit, issued a search warrant in the 16300 block of Celtic Circle Monday in Manhattan, the release said.

Police seized about fourteen firearms, according to police photos. The Cook County Sheriff Bomb Squad was notified, and came to the residence to take custody of the illegal explosives.

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Timothy D. Thomsen, 49, of Manhattan is charged with two felonies and three misdemeanors after, police said, he was arrested with firearms, but no FOID card, as well as illegal explosives. - Original Credit: Daily Southtown (Manhattan police / HANDOUT)

Thomsen was taken to the Will County jail. Bond information was not immediately available.

Police said no further information would be released because it is an ongoing investigation.

Erin Gallagher is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Members of 19th Ward Parents United, a group that opposes the school restructuring proposal put forward by Alderman Matt O'Shea, stood outside Chicago Public Schools' Loop office on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, and spoke out on the plan before the monthly board meeting. (Zak Koeske / Daily Southtown)

A line of parents unified in opposition to Alderman Matt O'Shea's school restructuring plan stretched from one end of the Chicago Public Schools boardroom to the other on Wednesday to address the Board of Education about their misgivings with the "ill-conceived" proposal to relocate or consolidate four elementary schools in the 19th Ward due to changing enrollment patterns.

One by one, parents from Kellogg Elementary, Sutherland Elementary and Keller Regional Gifted Center, took turns stepping to the lectern to exhort the board and CPS CEO Forrest Claypool to reject the plan, which they believe will shift overcrowding, not alleviate it, while simultaneously reducing the racial and economic diversity of neighborhood schools in Beverly.

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The group, which calls itself "19th Ward Parents United," came out en masse to this month's CPS meeting after feeling frustrated by the response their concerns had received during a recent series of community meetings O'Shea had attended to discuss the plan.

"It just seemed as if we were having these meetings as a matter of semantics and that he wasn't really listening," said Chris Steinmetz, a Sutherland parent and local school council representative, who shared his concerns about O'Shea's "inaccurate, misleading, contradictory and cherry-picked" enrollment projections with the board Wednesday.

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"It seemed like, OK, we're going to need to take this to the next level. If he's not going to listen, then we're going to need to take it somebody who is going to listen," Steinmetz said. "A lot of people are worried that this is something that's being pushed through regardless of our feedback."

O'Shea's plan, unveiled three weeks ago, would consolidate Kellogg and Sutherland in Sutherland's building in Beverly; move Keller Regional Gifted Center from Mount Greenwood to the former Kellogg building in North Beverly; and create a second campus for Mount Greenwood Elementary within the former Keller building.

The restructuring is intended to alleviate a near doubling of enrollment at Mount Greenwood in the past decade by clearing space at Keller for the school to expand. It also addresses the shrinking student bodies at Kellogg and Sutherland by merging those schools.

A significant portion of the money freed up by the reshuffling would be used to renovate crumbling Esmond Elementary, a nearly all-black, low-income school in Morgan Park that O'Shea has called "the greatest need in our community."

Outside of the Mount Greenwood school community, which is the clearest beneficiary of the proposal, the plan has been met with near-universal disdain and confusion at public meetings since its rollout.

Parents have expressed skepticism over CPS's enrollment projections  which show Mount Greenwood continuing to grow in coming years as a precipitous decline occurs at Kellogg and Sutherland and have questioned O'Shea's motives for wanting to consolidate two high-performing majority black schools to benefit a predominantly white one.

O'Shea has justified CPS' enrollment projections by citing U.S. Census Bureau data that shows the school-age population within the Kellogg and part of the Sutherland boundary has declined in the past decade. He's also denied that race or class played any role in his proposal, which he's touted as an effort "to enhance performance, balance enrollment, and address infrastructure needs throughout the community."

More than two dozen 19th Ward Parents United members gathered outside of CPS' Loop Office early Wednesday morning prior to the board meeting to speak out in solidarity against the school restructuring proposal.

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Several members of the group, who stood on the sidewalk outside of CPS' Madison Street office holding signs that read "#WeAreAll19thWard," read prepared speeches explaining their opposition to the plan and urging the formation of a joint task force made up of representatives from all 19th Ward schools that would study the enrollment issues in the district and issue an alternative proposal.

Other members of the group saved their speeches for the public comment portion of the CPS board meeting.

"This school system and this city need success stories that show how we can live together. Kellogg is that story," said Micheal O'Doherty, a father with two daughters at the school who said he grew up on the west coast of Ireland where "everyone looked like me."

"I had to learn, as an adult, to forget my ingrained perceptions of people who looked or sounded different," O'Doherty said. "My daughters, immersed in their school friendships and activities, will never see skin color as a barrier to friendship or a filter to understanding.

"Because of Kellogg, they have a head start on life that will help them build bridges instead of barriers."

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

After four consecutive 19th Ward Parents United members panned O'Shea's plan during the meeting's public comment portion  nearly one-quarter of the meeting's 60 registered speakers were from the group  board President Larry Clark interjected.

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O'Shea's proposal had yet to be presented to the board, he said, and the board would not be taking any immediate action on it.

"Please, voice your concerns. We're listening," said Clark, who added that he was "more than slightly impressed by the turnout and the passion  and the thoughtfulness" of the group's comments. "But you should understand there really is no action being taken on this."

Emily Lambert, a Kellogg parent and local school council representative, responded by saying that her group would continue to attend every CPS board meeting until it rejected O'Shea's proposal, and urged board members to "shut this proposal down before it even comes to you."

"You have genuine problems to deal with," she said to the board in closing. "We are not one of them."

zkoeske@tribpub.com

Twitter: @ZakKoeske
Cardboard cutouts of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump decorated the entrance to a debate viewing party Monday night at Saint Xavier University. (Nick Swedberg / Daily Southtown)

Monday night's first presidential debate of the 2016 election season provided perhaps the best direct evidence of the contrasts between the two candidates.

Those who attended a debate watching event at Saint Xavier University said they saw the clear distinction in policy and personality between Republican businessman Donald Trump and former Democratic Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

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To one side is Trump, a firebrand whose unpredictable, often controversial nature led to some quick jabs Monday night.

"I think he had to avoid being really erratic," Robert Shapiro, a Chicago-based attorney and adjunct professor at the Far South Side Roman Catholic university, said.

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Debate watchers at Saint Xavier University laugh at one of the many jabs candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump threw at each other during Monday night's debate. (Nick Swedberg / Daily Southtown)

Shapiro said people expect that from Trump, but that doesn't necessarily hurt him with his base. With the November election a little more than a month away, Trump's struggle will be convincing certain groups of voters, including college-educated whites who typically vote Republican and white women, that he isn't as wild and irrational as he comes across to some on TV, Shapiro said.

Clinton took the night on matters of substance, according to several in attendance inside Saint Xavier's McGuire Hall.

"I think that Hillary is offering a lot of solutions," Rachel Thomas, a 21-year-old Oak Lawn resident and student, said. She considers herself "middle of the road" and hasn't yet decided who will get her vote for president.

About 150 people attended the viewing. Alderman Matt O'Shea, who helped students register to vote, opened up the event and led a short question-and-answer session for attendees, which turned quickly into an opportunity for people to express their views about the candidates.

Trump's often colorful comments and jokes at Clinton's expense drew the biggest laughs of the night, but it was clear the audience appreciated her retorts.

Samer Alhato, 20, of Worth, addresses a crowd before Monday night's presidential debate viewing party at Saint Xavier University. (Nick Swedberg / Daily Southtown)

Thomas said Trump seemed be more concerned with attacking Clinton and other politicians. During the debate, he frequently criticized policy decisions, especially when it comes to trade, made over the last 30 years.

"Trump just always seemed to point out the problems," Thomas said.

That is a key part of Trump's appeal, Shapiro said. Commentators continue to underestimate how much he is able to resonate with voters tired of "business-as-usual" politics.

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"There's a whole group of the electorate that feels something isn't just quite right," Shapiro said.

Trump comes across as an outsider who might shake things up, he added.

The clash of personalities might make for good television, but that doesn't necessary mean either candidate is best for fixing the country's problems, Samer Alhato said.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

The 20-year-old Saint Xavier student from Worth said the bickering between Clinton and Trump was disappointing and worrisome.

"Politics should not be entertaining," Alhato said.

Clinton is more qualified for the presidency, but that alone should be enough to not vote for Trump, he said.

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Polling data indicates it's a tight race, and Alhato believes it still could go either way.

"I'm putting my money down on (Clinton), but if Trump wins I won't be shocked," Alhato said.

Nick Swedberg is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

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Acting on a tip from a former student, workers dug around a flagpole in front of Tinley Park's Sandidge School in search of a time capsule from 1976. No capsule has been found yet, and exterior demolition is set to begin next week. (Ted Slowik / Daily Southtown)

The days are numbered for the former Sandidge School building in Tinley Park.

Workers have removed interior walls and other structures. Exterior demolition is set to begin next week.

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With the walls about to come down, officials in Community Consolidated School District 146 are seeking the public's help in locating a time capsule that former students remember creating in 1976.

"All I remember is that we all went down as a class to deposit our items into the time capsule that was right in front of the office," said former Sandidge student Dale Stearman of Kenosha, Wis. "Where they moved it to afterwards I'm not sure."

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Sandidge School was built in 1964 to handle the growing number of "baby boom" generation children in Tinley Park. The one-story building at 16600 66th Ave. has been vacant since 2010.

District 146's announcement during the summer that the building would be demolished sparked a discussion on a Facebook group managed by the Tinley Park Historical Society. Members visited the school in August and posted nearly 80 photographs of hallways, the gymnasium, murals painted by students and other scenes inside the school.

"This is a goodbye look at a school that has educated thousands of Tinley Park children through the years of its existence. Hopefully this brings back some good memories for those who had something to do with this school," group members wrote in the description of the photo album.

In discussion about the pictures, Stearman and others mentioned the time capsule and wondered what became of it. That touched off a conversation among historical society members and school district officials, who began searching for the missing capsule.

"District workers have been actively looking for a time capsule in various spots on the property," district spokesman Keegan Kociss said. "Former students have been offering tips on where it may be located, but so far nothing has been found."

A visit to the school this week showed evidence of digging around a flag pole near the school entrance. Workers also dug near a playground behind the school and in other places, Kociss said.

At this time, what became of the time capsule remains a mystery.

"I talked with a former student who remembered being there at the ceremony when it was buried right outside the front door," said Phil Pursley with the Tinley Park Historical Society.

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"Nobody knows if it's still there. It could have been dug up years ago," Pursley said.

Historical society members and school officials have heard from several Sandidge alumni and reached out to former teachers and administrators, but no one knows if the capsule was removed or whether it's still buried somewhere on school grounds.

Former students, including Stearman, are certain about the capsule's existence.

"As I remember, the time capsule wasn't a box. I remember it more like a speaker's podium with a slot in the top where we deposited our items," Stearman said.

With exterior demolition set to begin in a matter of days, Kociss said the school district welcomes tips from the public about what became of the capsule. People may call the administrative office at 708-614-4500 if they have any information to share, he said.

The elementary school was named for longtime District 146 teacher Helen B. Sandidge, who began teaching in 1917 and continued until her retirement in 1965.

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Time capsules were popular in 1976, the year the nation celebrated its bicentennial. Gasoline cost about 59 cents a gallon, and the median household income rose above $12,000, according to the Census Bureau.

Based on other local time capsules recovered from that era, the Sandidge capsule likely contains crafts made by students, newspapers and photographs from the time and other objects, said Mary Ann Marino with the Tinley Park Historical Society.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

"My kids went to Sandidge" in the 1980s," she said.

The society's museum at 6727 174th St. displays a quilt made by Sandidge students in 1976.

On the Facebook page, Sandidge alumni shared recollections of favorite (and not-so-favorite) former teachers, playing four square on the playground and walking to the Dairy Palace on Oak Park Avenue.

Some recalled a tornado touching down near the school and the 1972 explosion at a fireworks factory in Orland Park that felt "like a bulldozer" was knocking down the school.

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By next week, a bulldozer, wrecking ball or other piece of heavy equipment will knock down the walls of Sandidge School for good. All that will survive will be memories, photographs and  if it can be located in time  a time capsule containing objects from 1976.

tslowik@tribpub.com

Twitter @tedslowik
Charged with DUI

 Flagstaff Police Department arrested Michael J. Palladino, 32, of Phoenix on a DUI charge at 2:23 a.m. Sunday.

 Flagstaff police arrested Colleen Dorisa Begay, 36, of Many Farms on an extreme DUI charge at 1:50 a.m. Sunday.

 Flagstaff police arrested Seymour Lomakema, 51, of Second Mesa on a DUI charge at 1:41 a.m. Sunday.

 Flagstaff police arrested Jacob Paul Phelps, 26, of North Spencer Circle on an extreme DUI charge at 11:50 p.m. Saturday.

 Flagstaff police arrested Matthew House, 24, of Rimrock on an extreme DUI charge at 9:45 p.m. Saturday.

 Flagstaff police arrested Severiano Sotelo Jr., 38, of North Fairview Drive on an extreme DUI charge at 2:16 a.m. Saturday.

 Flagstaff police arrested Kristina Helen Hammond, 28, of Leupp Road on a charge of aggravated DUI with a suspended license at 9:01 p.m. Friday.

City and county residents who want to report a crime but wish to remain anonymous may call Silent Witness at 774-6111 or (877) 29-CRIME, submit a tip online at www.coconinosilentwitness.org, or text the word Flagtip along with your information to 274637 (CRIMES). Rewards of up to $2,000 are given for information that leads to an arrest.
A worker prepares to test a vehicle for emissions at a facility in Tinley Park on Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency says it is closing facilities in Tinley Park and three other locations as part of a cost-cutting move. (Ted Slowik / Daily Southtown)

Life is about to get a little more difficult for drivers in the Southland.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is closing a vehicle emission testing facility in Tinley Park, effective Nov. 1.

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That's bad news for south suburban drivers who need to pass emissions tests so they can renew their license plates. The closing means drivers will have to travel to other facilities to get their vehicles tested, though the state says it will add testing lanes to other facilities.

I spoke with unhappy drivers waiting in line to have their vehicles tested at the Tinley Park facility, located at 7460 Duvan Drive in a business park near 175th Street and Harlem Avenue.

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"By closing this place, they're taking an already inconvenient situation and multiplying it," said Jeff Stombres, who lives in Plainfield and works in Mokena.

A line of vehicles waits for service at a vehicle emission testing facility in Tinley Park on Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. Drivers in the south suburbs will have to travel to testing sites in Markham, Joliet or other locations after the Tinley Park facility closes on Nov. 1. (Ted Slowik / Daily Southtown)

Vehicles filled all the testing lanes when I stopped by at midday Monday. The line stretched through the parking lot, and one vehicle waited on Duvan Drive to turn into the parking lot.

I asked people where they will go to get their vehicles tested once the Tinley Park facility closes.

"I'll have to go to Markham or Joliet," said Lynn Bolden of Mokena. "There's no in-between. It's very inconvenient."

It's one thing to wait in line for 15 minutes on a typical day to have your vehicle tested in Tinley Park. I imagine lines and waiting times will grow longer with fewer facilities, despite the state's assurances.

People found out in May just how inconvenient it could get. Long lines formed at testing stations before the Memorial Day holiday weekend and wait times exceeded two hours in places.

That was after Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced that as of June 1 his office was reinstating the requirement that vehicles had to pass emissions tests before the state would issue license plate renewal stickers. White had suspended the emission test requirement in December after the IEPA stopped mailing notices to motorists because of the state budget crisis.

Tinley Park is among four Chicago-area testing sites being closed by the IEPA.

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"The Illinois EPA isstreamlining the vehicle emissions testing program as a result of a new testing contract that will take effect on Nov. 1," IEPA representative Kim Biggs said."The new contractreflects a more efficient,more accurateandless expensivetest that will result in significant cost savings to the State of Illinois.

"The new network will includechanges to sometesting locations whilealso providingadded convenience for motorists including a second test position at most primarystations and no appointments required at inspection and repair facilities. These improvements will save taxpayers millions of dollars each year while continuing to meet federal and state requirements."

I recently owned a car that wouldn't pass emissions. It ran fine, but two different mechanics estimated I'd have to spend $1,500 to $2,000 to get the 2000 Toyota Camry with 180,000 miles to pass the emissions test.

The car may be 16 years old, but it's probably good for another 70,000 miles. Since it wouldn't pass emissions, I couldn't renew the license plates. I didn't want to spend that much to "repair" it, so I sold it to someone who lives in Grundy County, where drivers are exempt from the emission test requirement.

Owners of diesel and electric vehicles also are among those exempt from emissions testing. Tests are required for owners of all gasoline-powered vehicles in Cook, DuPage and Lake counties. The state will grant exemptions to owners who pay at least $450 to qualified mechanics and are still unable to pass the emissions test.

Tests also are required of many drivers in Will, Kane, Kendall and McHenry counties, though numerous ZIP codes in those counties are exempt. Tests also are required in parts of three counties in the Metro-East St. Louis area.

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Illinois began implementing tests in the 1990s to comply with the federal Clean Air Act of 1990 that sought to reduce ozone emissions and air pollution. In 2012, the IEPA eliminated idle exhaust and gas cap pressure tests in favor of on-board diagnostic testing.

The state's new contract with Applus Technologies to administer emissions tests extends through 2023, Biggs said..

When it opened the Tinley Park facility in 2008, the IEPA issued a press release touting the convenience of the additional testing option.

"Due to the high volume of testing occurring at many of the older stations, such as Markham, Tinley Park offers a faster and more convenient alternative for many local residents," the release said. "Since its opening, the Tinley Park station is experiencing short wait times, and with no appointments necessary, drivers can get on their way faster."

Drivers will now lose that convenience.

Emissions tests made international news a year ago when Volkswagen admitted 11 million of its vehicles were built with software that was used to cheat emissions tests. Some critics say emissions tests are no longer necessary, given overall improvements in vehicle efficiency and the gradual retirement of older smog-makers.

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In December 2014, Illinois state Rep. Dwight Kay, a Republican from downstate Glen Carbon, sponsored House Resolution 0992, which urged the IEPA to eliminate the vehicle emissions testing program when the state's contract with its vendor expired on March 31, 2015. Kay's proposed resolution never made it out of Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan's Rules Committee.

Glen Carbon is named for its coal-mining heritage. I wouldn't be surprised if "rolling coal" is a popular pastime in that part of Madison County.

Coal rollers are diesel trucks that have been modified to spew black soot. The practice has been tied to political conservatives as a way of showing their disdain for environmental laws.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

In videos and pictures posted to social media, "coal rollers" have been shown intentionally revving their modified engines to spew soot in the faces of bicyclists, motorcyclists, Prius drivers and others.

In 2014, the U.S. EPA responded by citing a section of the Clean Air Act that says, "it is illegal to manufacture, sell, or install a part for a motor vehicle that bypasses, defeats, or renders inoperative any emission control device."

In Illinois, the closing of the vehicle emission testing sites in Tinley Park and other locations will no doubt inconvenience drivers. Applus, the state's contractor, might find itself inconvenienced as well.

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After all, Illinois is still spending a lot more money than it's taking in. A report by Moody's Investors Service in late August  after the Democratic-controlled legislature and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner approved a stopgap half-year budget  estimated the state's backlog of unpaid bills could reach $14 billion by next summer.

I wonder what would happen if the state didn't pay its contractor and the vendor stopped administering emissions tests. It would be interesting to see how air quality in the Chicago area would be affected if no vehicles were tested for emissions for a year or however long it takes state leaders to finally resolve the budget crisis.

tslowik@tribpub.com

Twitter @tedslowik
WASHINGTON -- House members grilled the director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Thursday, alleging that more than 80 percent of detainees released by the agency have criminal records and that some reoffend once they are freed.

ICE Director Sarah Saldana conceded in testimony to the House Judiciary Committee that 83 percent of freed detainees have prior criminal convictions. But many of them have to be released as a result of court actions, she said, and even then her agency works to make sure the public is secure.

It (immigrant release) is not based on a feeling that someone is good or bad, its based on the file and the facts and circumstances, Saldana said. I will assure you, no one at Homeland Security or at ICE takes the release of someone with a criminal conviction more seriously than we do.

Saldana said that two-thirds of releases are not within her control, but are the result of court rulings. Of the remaining one-third that ICE does have discretion to release, she said they are subjected to a two-tiered vetting process that involved both the local and federal levels.

Despite that review, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Virginia, noted in his opening remarks that the agency has released over 86,000 convicted criminal aliens over the last three years. These are not policies that protect Americans and help secure our borders.

Goodlatte, the committee chairman, and other Republicans cited a February letter from Saldana that said 121 detainees who had been released between fiscal years 2010 and 2014 were later charged in a total of 135 homicides.

Rep. Trent Franks, R-Glendale, called the numbers staggering, even though the agency insisted they were isolated examples.

Youre making an effort, Franks said to Saldana. But theres still 130 people, Americans, who have died because we made the wrong decision there.

Part of the problem, committee members said, is that many of the released detainees cannot be deported to their home countries, either because of instability in those countries or a refusal by the countries to readmit the immigrants.

The lawmakers said they want to see the agency and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson step up to countries that do not readmit deported immigrants and threaten to refuse visas to their citizens.

Im going to suggest to you that they dont need to change their mind, we need to change our mind and say, If youre not going to take these back to you, we wont offer you visas in the future, Franks said. Its a pretty simple equation.
Supporters of a citizen-led initiative to add extra protection to 300 acres of city-owned open space south of Buffalo and McPherson parks say the ballot measure has widespread appeal among Flagstaff voters, while opponents say the land in question could be better utilized in a different way.

Andy Bessler, the treasurer for the Committee for a Greater Buffalo Park, said members of the committee wanted to ensure protection for the open space before any more of it could be sold or developed. Bessler said the group mapped out addresses of the people who signed petitions, and supporters came from all over Flagstaff, not just people who live in the area that would be affected by the measure, known as Proposition 413.

The land in question includes 47 acres south of McPherson Park, north of Forest Avenue, and 253 acres south of Cedar Avenue, extending down to north of the San Francisco de Asis Catholic Church. The measure allows for the existing APS substation to remain in place on the land, as well as some acreage to be donated to build the proposed veterans home.

The area between Forest Avenue and Gemini Drive is already privately owned and would not be affected by the measure.

Taxpayers already own the land, Bessler said. It will be managed as is, so there will be no taxpayer burden to protect this important asset to the city.

Bessler said opportunities for recreation and enjoying the outdoors were ranked highly by Flagstaff residents as reasons why they wanted to live in the city. He said by preserving the land, voters will keep a balance between open space and development on McMillan Mesa.

This really is Flagstaffs Central Park, Bessler said. Everyone, including visitors, goes to Buffalo Park. You can be there and look around you and not see any of the city, only forest.

No land in the existing Buffalo or McPherson parks will be affected by the measure, pass or fail. But Bessler said one of the committees goals with the initiative was to create a Greater Buffalo Park by connecting all the nearby open space.

Bessler said if the measure is passed by the voters, it does not prevent the land from ever being sold or rezoned, but does require any future changes to be approved by the voters.

In the future, if a developer wants to develop in that area, they can, but they will have to go to the voters, he said.

Bessler said this proposition gives voters some control over what could eventually be built, if anything.

A lot of time with development, the community doesnt have a choice, Bessler said. This is planning by the voters rather than by a developer or by city staff.

However, Julie Pastrick, the president and CEO of the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce, which announced its opposition to the measure, said she and other chamber officials believe the land could be better used for development.

The Chamber carefully researched the meaning behind the intent of the proposition and did not agree with setting aside 300-plus acres from planned development according to our regional plan, Pastrick said in an email. McMillan Mesa development has been well thought-out and serves a very diverse need in our community, ranging from emergency medical services, education, senior living and more.

Pastrick said the community is in need of space for housing and development, and said land already set aside to be a park, Buffalo and McPherson parks, would not be affected by the measure.

The land on the south side of Cedar could be used for much-needed affordable housing which is a top priority for many residents of our community, Pastrick said.
By Jake Liddle

On July 5, 2016, the State Council issued a circular to speed up the rate of business registration reform. The decision was made to fully implement the Five-in-One business license across China as of October 1, 2016, a departure from the previous Three-in-One business license system which was introduced the same time last year. The Five-in-One business license was previously piloted in places such as Shenzhen and Zhejiang Province when the Three-in-One business license was first rolled out. The business registration reform is part of a broader effort to ease market access by simplifying administrative procedures.

New features

The new business licenses standardized national credit number will now encompass the social security registration certificate and the statistical registration certificate in addition to the business license, organization code certificate, and tax registration certificate previously covered by the Three-in-One business license. The new license will also contain a QR code which can be scanned by smartphones in order to instantly see all relevant company information.

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The circular also details how the State Council aims to establish an online business registration management system and an information sharing platform between all the departments involved in the registration procedure so as to ease implementation. It also endorses the extensive use of the new business license, with all governmental departments recognizing and accepting it as official documentation. Companies already registered under the Three-in-One business license are not required to submit a new application for the new license, as their information will be automatically sent to relevant departments, and a new license will be issued.

Implications for social insurance

One of the main implications of the new license will be the simplification of social insurance registration procedures for new enterprises: at the same time as completing commercial and industrial registration procedures, newly formed enterprises can also register for social insurance. Before, enterprises were required to provide bank account information when registering; now, this will only need to be provided when enterprises are applying on behalf of employees. After registration for the new license, social insurance agencies will receive the data exchanged by the industrial and commercial departments, and will produce and file a Social Insurance Registration Form. If an enterprise makes changes to its information or deregisters, the social insurance agency will update the social insurance registration information of the enterprise according to the data provided by the industrial and commercial department. Enterprises that have already contributed to social insurance and have deregistered from the commercial and industrial department must also deregister with the social insurance management organization. For enterprises that have already obtained information from the industrial and commercial departments, the social insurance agencies can directly access the units information and supplement their records with the bank account information to complete employee social insurance registration.



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Establishing & Operating a Business in China 2016

Establishing & Operating a Business in China 2016, produced in collaboration with the experts at Dezan Shira & Associates, explores the establishment procedures and related considerations of the Representative Office (RO), and two types of Limited Liability Companies: the Wholly Foreign-owned Enterprise (WFOE) and the Sino-foreign Joint Venture (JV). The guide also includes issues specific to Hong Kong and Singapore holding companies, and details how foreign investors can close a foreign-invested enterprise smoothly in China.

An Introduction to Doing Business in China 2016

Doing Business in China 2016 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in China. Compiled by the professionals at Dezan Shira & Associates in June 2016, this comprehensive guide is ideal not only for businesses looking to enter the Chinese market, but also for companies who already have a presence here and want to keep up-to-date with the most recent and relevant policy changes

Human Resources and Payroll in China 2016-2017

A firm understanding of Chinas laws and regulations related to human resources and payroll management is absolutely necessary for foreign businesses in China. This edition of HR and Payroll, updated for 2016/17, navigates Chinas laws and regulations related to HR and payroll management  essential information for foreign investors looking to establish or already running a foreign-invested entity in China.


Its hard to pick the worst moment for Donald Trump on a night during which he flailed trying to find balance. But an early gaffe largely lost in the cross-talk indicated that he was more easily baited, and thirstier for blood, than he was prepared for a presidential debate.

And it smacked of a mistake that helped cost Gerald Ford a return engagement as president in 1976.

Youre telling the enemy everything you want to do, Trump said in a familiar criticism of Clintons plan for dealing with the Islamic State. Then he deviated: No wonder youve been fighting  no wonder youve been fighting ISIS your entire adult life.

Back in 1976, Ford said there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe, which, of course there was. Trump placed the birth of ISIS in 1965, about six decades too early.

Its not that Trump really thinks ISIS formed when Clinton was 18, or that shes only been an adult for the last several years. But Clinton was under his skin, and he reacted like a child by simply blurting out the first attack that came to mind.

Clinton called for fact-checkers to take a look at that one as the candidates and moderator Lester Holt grappled for control of the debate. In any normal year, such a wild claim might be disqualifying  it displayed a lack of knowledge of ISIS far worse than Rick Perrys inability to name a Cabinet department on command. But in a year when facts dont seem to matter, the truth was far less important than what the response said about Trumps temperament.

He couldnt keep his cool in a pressure-packed moment. Clinton had just countered a Trump attack on her ISIS proposal by taunting him. At least I have a plan, she said.

Then, Trump lost his composure. In doing so, he underscored the marquee phrase of her Democratic convention speech, when she said a man you can bait with a Tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons.

The ISIS exchange set the table for Clinton to calmly prosecute her case against Trump on taxes, foreign policy and criminal justice. She was so much better on substance that Trump quietly agreed with her at least three times.

Trump and his spinners can insist he won, but they know in their hearts that Clinton, who wasnt even at her best, wiped the floor with him. Trumps ISIS gaffe was that of a bush-leaguer stepping to the plate at Yankee Stadium and buckling at the sight of his first big-league curve.

Indeed, Clintons missteps might have stood out more against a more seasoned debater who was positioned to take advantage of them rather than turning focus back on his own shortcomings. But in the end, Trump lied, denied and bullied his way to the worst debate performance since the advent of television.
Curator Susan Wang (2nd, L) speaks at the opening ceremony of the exhibition "Voices" at the TAN Gallery in 751 D-Park, Beijing, Sept. 24, 2016. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

"Voices," an exhibition of six photographers' works themed on home are on display in Beijing in what their curator calls "a journey of self-discovery."

"This exhibition plays around the themes of home, homeland, nostalgia and home coming. Most of the photographers travel afar to search and observe other people's life or search for their own roots," explained curator Susan Wang at the opening ceremony on Saturday.

Photographic works from the exhibition have been exhibited in Switzerland, France and Germany. Some of them have won awards and much acclaim. For more than one year, the six photographers have delved deep into the tangled roots of global, social or simply personal issues, which is now resulting in a unique tableau alternating between a social study documentary and art photography.

In her work "Privet Germania," Ira Thiessen enters the homes of a Russian German migrant group. Some 250 years ago, these German moved to Russia and their descendants have now moved back to Germany, where, however, they remain outsiders. Thiessen put them in familiar family setting, but creates a somewhat surreal affect.

In her series "Will-o'-the-wisp," Yana Wenicke shows a place where Serbian ancient customs and traditions are kept alive and old myths and legends revived. She shows a Serbian group living in German. People preserve the same customs, language, festivals, religious rituals through generations in order to keep their identity while coping with an ever-changing outside modern world.

Johanna-Maria Fritz explores elements of reality and unites them in a new image, her own image. Whenever she visualizes artists of a circus in Iceland, she not only captures them training or performing, but foremost in the impressive wilderness of the vast land.

She spent two years with circuses. This Iceland circus started by Lee, an Australia acrobat who used to teach foot standing and then saw the class grow into a professional circus. Lee was a depressed clown back home, but found a new life in Iceland and also brought happiness to this country where no year-long circus had existed in the past. People travel miles to see their performance. Lee has found his peace and home here.
Students learn to paint facial makeups of the Chinese Opera during the Confucius Institute Day in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 27, 2016. Confucius Institute in the National University of Kyrgyzstan celebrated on Tuesday the Global Confucius Institute Day for the 12 anniversary of the foundation of the institute. (Xinhua/Roman Gainanov)
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The International Experimental Theater Festival will be held in Hanoi on Nov. 12-19, with the participation of 23 countries, the Vietnam Stage Artists Association said Wednesday.

Dozens of art troupes from China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, India, the Philippines, Vietnam, France, Germany, Hungary, Greece, Macedonia and Panama will bring their new plays to the festival.

Experimental theatre is a term showing avant-garde nature of artistic movements aiming at theater innovation; and its purpose is to enrich theatrical art by renovating its form as well as its structure, says the association.

A total of 12 art troupes in Vietnam, including those specializing in its traditional "Cai Luong" (reformed theater) and puppetry, will present their fine plays at the festival.
Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing introduces the company's innovative products at the Masonic Center, San Francisco, the United States, on June 9, 2016.[Xinhua]

Lenovo Group Ltd confirmed on Tuesday the latest round of layoffs of about 1,000 employees, mostly from the overseas Motorola unit, in a bid to turn around the fortunes of the Chinese company's loss-making smartphone business.

The world's largest personal computer maker, said in a statement that its "structure optimizing" plan impacts less than 1,000 employees, mostly in countries outside China as part of the effort of the "ongoing strategic integration between Lenovo and its Motorola smartphone business".

Lenovo did not reveal the details of the layoff, but a report from droid-life, a website focusing on Android-related news, said Motorola will take most of the hit with over 50 percent of the company's existing US staff losing their jobs.

In response to the market rumors about Lenovo shifting the Motorola headquarters away from Chicago, the company said: "Lenovo is absolutely committed to Chicago and we plan to maintain our Motorola Mobility headquarters there."

The layoffs, which represents less than 2 percent of the Hong Kong-listed Lenovo's 55,000-strong workforce globally, is the latest round after Lenovo bought the Motorola handset business from Google Inc for $2.8 billion in 2014.

Xiang Ligang, a telecom expert and CEO of the industry website cctime.com, said the move is expected to help Lenovo cut costs and turn around its smartphone business.

"I think it is a good move. Lenovo should have done it earlier. Apart from cutting costs, eliminating some jobs could also help align the organization and improve efficiency," he said.

However, James Yan, research director at Counterpoint Technology Market Research, said cutting costs alone would not be enough for Lenovo to revive its smartphone business.

The first quarter in 2016 saw Lenovo's disappearance from both the top five smartphone vendor ranking and the top 10 mobile phone vendor list as its smartphones sales in China plummeted by 75 percent, statistics from Gartner Inc showed.

"The China market accounts for one-third of the world's total smartphone market, while Lenovo has been losing market share to domestic rivals such as Huawei and oppo," said Yan.

The company has been beefing up to go higher-end to boost its sales.

In June, the company unveiled Phab2 Pro, the world's first smartphone to host argumented reality applications, and the Moto Z modular series, whose high-powered magnets can allow users to upgrade the handset with additional equipment such as speakers and projectors.

Many analysts, including Xiang, are betting big on Levono's new smartphone products, saying the Moto Z modular series are quite innovative.

But Yan expressed his concerns over the brand. "The brand of Motorola in many places is perceived as old and slow. More efforts has to be done to make its shine again among young people," he said.
A woman talks with a salesman at a property market fair in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.[Photo/China Daily]

Trading in credit default swaps is unlikely to trigger a substantial correction in China's property market, economists said on Tuesday, saying that concerns that speculators would use credit default to short the market were unfounded.

The National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors, a unit under the People's Bank of China, has approved trading in credit default swaps, a financial swap agreement that allows buyers of CDS to be compensated by sellers in the event of a loan default.

Industry analysts said that the move underscored the government's intention to increase the use of market forces in addressing China's debt problem instead of resorting to a government bailout when credit defaults take place.

But the approval of credit default swap trading has generated anxiety in the market, with concerns that the controversial financial tool could be used by speculators to short the country's red-hot property market.

Credit default swaps were blamed for igniting the meltdown of the capital market in the United States during the financial crisis in 2008.

Strong mortgage demand has driven up Chinese household borrowing, which accounted for about 70 percent of all new loans extended by Chinese banks in August.

Total new loans grew to 948.7 billion yuan ($142.27 billion) in that month, more than double the amount in the previous month, according to official data.

Zhao Yang, chief China economist at Nomura Securities, said that the trading in credit default swaps was unlikely to cause great volatility in the housing market, which is more sensitive to factors such as mortgage policies and land supply.

"The market has read too much into the trading of credit default swaps. It is a much needed financial tool that could help improve China's credit market by allowing market forces to have greater say in the pricing of corporate debt," Zhao said.

Most economists believe that the trading in credit default swaps will meet the rising demand by investors in China to hedge credit risks amid the growing likelihood of more missed payments and credit defaults by companies amid the economic slowdown.

"At this stage, credit default swaps can actually help banks manage credit risks, and potentially increase banks' appetite to lend because credit risks are perceived to be lower with this instrument," said Hong Hao, chief strategist at BOCOM International Holdings in Hong Kong.

Wang Han, an analyst at Industrial Securities Co Ltd, said trading in credit default swaps could help provide more liquidity in the financial market and allow banks to spin off some risks in their corporate business.
Executive Directors of the World Bank today agreed unanimously to reappoint Dr. Jim Yong Kim to a second five-year term as President of the World Bank Group, beginning July 1, 2017.

Executive Directors cited the achievements of Bank Group staff and management during Dr. Kim's first four years in office, and recognized his leadership and vision. Chairs acknowledged several accomplishments the institution has achieved during this time with strong Board support.

The Board noted that in the first year of Kim's leadership, which began in July 2012, shareholders endorsed two ambitious new goals for the institution: to end extreme poverty by 2030, and to promote shared prosperity - boosting the income growth of the bottom 40 percent of the population in every developing country. In pursuit of these goals, the Board endorsed a World Bank Group strategy that presented a basic blueprint for modernization: create Global Practices to promote better flow of knowledge across sectors, regions, and the Bank Group.

After the new development model was agreed, the organization put in place the financial foundation to drive the new strategy, with the backing of shareholders. Member countries showed support for the change process with a record $52 billion replenishment of IDA, the Bank's fund for the poorest.

Management also boosted the lending power of the Bank's arm for middle-income countries - the IBRD. In a significant milestone in financial sustainability, for the first time in close to a decade IBRD's loan revenues will exceed administrative expenses in FY18.

In addition, the Bank Group initiated an Expenditure Review that cut $400 million in administrative costs and reinvested some of the savings in the Bank's business to support the goals. Chairs expressed satisfaction that this Expenditure Review is on track, allowing the organization to increase its support for countries and focus on delivering results more quickly. The Bank was able to meet lending demand over Kim's term (FY13 - FY16) at levels not seen outside a financial crisis, with IBRD/IDA support climbing to more than $160 billion. IFC and MIGA also delivered record financing for private sector development in FY16.

Board members welcomed an increased focus on the Global Public Goods agenda and in financial innovation under Kim's leadership. After the Ebola outbreak, staff quickly mobilized emergency funding to help the three affected countries contain the disease's spread. Based on the lessons of Ebola, teams of experts from across the Bank Group worked together to create the first fast-acting financial response for the next major outbreak. The Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility was launched in May 2016 and will be operational by early 2017.

Other financial innovations included initiatives to scale-up IDA assistance to the world's poorest countries, including IDA's recent AAA rating; and the Global Concessional Financing Facility, a new effort to address refugee crises in middle-income countries and help them secure the needed development financing.

Chairs highlighted the fact that Kim encouraged the institution to ramp up its work on climate change, both in intellectual leadership and in financing, with an announcement in the fall of 2015 to increase climate financing potentially to 28 percent of total commitments by 2020, based on client demand.

Kim put a strong emphasis on partnership, both with the private sector and within the multilateral system, for the first time going on several joint missions to areas in crisis with the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon.

In addition, to reflect the global and inclusive nature of the Bank Group, over Kim's term the organization also made several significant strides in staff diversity, becoming the first International Financial Institution (IFI) to attain Economic Dividends for Gender Equality (EDGE) certification; reaching gender parity on the Senior Management Team; attaining a record eight Vice Presidents of African descent; and IBRD for the first time reaching its target of having 12.5 percent of staff at technical and managerial levels from sub-Saharan Africa/the Caribbean.

In the meeting between Kim and the Board, Kim stated that his highest priority going forward is institutional stability and deeper staff engagement, and he paid tribute to the high caliber of the Bank's dedicated, professional staff. Kim also pointed to this year's IDA-18 replenishment, and the need to ensure we mobilize record funds for the poorest countries and, with the support of donors, develop innovative new ways to leverage scarce development resources.

In the longer term, Kim discussed building on the momentum of recent years to deliver where progress is most needed, focusing on three areas:

First, to promote economic growth by facilitating private sector investment in infrastructure, calling on countries to mobilize development resources on a larger scale and deploying innovative financing and advisory instruments to make sure existing and new funds achieve maximum impact. Second, investing in human capital, including education, health, and skills to support a country's ability to compete in a future economy. And finally, protecting the global economy from downside risks that threaten to undermine progress.

Kim asserted that harnessing the expertise, knowledge and financial acumen of the Bank's world-class staff in the relentless pursuit of these three priority areas will move us significantly closer to achieving the Bank's goals.
Mou Qizhong. [File photo]

A wealthy Chinese business mogul was released from jail on Tuesday after completing a 16-year sentence, Chinese media reported.

At 6 am on Tuesday, Mou Qizhong, a well-known business tycoon, was freed from Hongshan Prison in Hubei province, China Business Journal reported, quoting Mou's lawyer, Xia Zongwei.

Later, Nande Group, the company Mou had led as chairman, also posted a notice of his release, the journal said.

Xia told the paper: "While serving the sentence, Mou did not give up thinking about development paths for the Chinese economy, including improvements in the Three Gorges Dam area," and he hoped to dig out and develop various cultural features in the area to accelerate local economic development, the paper said.

Mou, now 75, was born in Chongqing municipality. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2000 for bank fraud. He persisted in physical exercise in the jail, the report said, adding that it was his third release.

His first and second sentences, based on political and commercial charges, were handed down in 1974 and 1983, it said, though it didn't provide details.

Under Chinese law, inmates can qualify for sentence reductions if they perform well in prison. Typically, a life sentence is reduced to 20 years if a convict has no more offenses during the first two years in prison. The penalty can be further reduced to 15 years if the convict behaves well.

Xia, the lawyer, told TheCover.cn, an online news application based in Sichuan province, that Mou had obtained external information from newspapers, magazines and TV programs provided by the prison, including People's Daily and CCTV news.

"While reading the newspaper, he made notes. He also learned about the law and public policy in the prison library," it quoted Xia as saying.

She said that her client always kept his eyes on social developments and reforms made by the government in recent years, especially those in judicial and economic fields.

Mou had a cerebral hemorrhage when he was 70, Xia was quoted as saying. She added that the prison paid great attention to his condition and provided medical care.

Mou was something of a legend in Chinese business. He became well-known for getting four civil aircraft from Russia in exchange for a number of light industrial products, the report said.
Wang Xue is pictured in a series of retro self-portraits to publicize her hometown.

A young town official from Huainan City became a hot topic Monday as her retro photoshoot was circulated online in a move to promote her old hometown.

Wang Xue, a 20-something lady, is a town commissioner for organization and personel work. She posed with a backdrop of old buildings in Jiulonggang Town of Datong District in Huainan City of Anhui Province wearing various retro clothes and make-up. The personal album cost her about 500 yuan, and she hopes through this way to get more people interested in her old hometown.

There are many old buildings and architectural complexes in the town dating from the Republic of China and Japanese puppet regime period, as well as the Friedrich Krupp-made derrick imported from Germany during the Qing Dynasty and old mines. They are all cultural heritage sites in the town and Wang believes Huainan City can become a tourist destination thanks to such features.

Wang became an official in Jiulonggang Village after her graduation in 2011 and was then appointed the first village secretary in Caodian Village. Later, she became an assistant to the town chief overseeing tourism affairs. In this capacity, she began to pay more attention to the old buildings for which she already had fond feelings as she grew up there.

However, though some interested parties came to inspect and survey the place for possible tourism development, no investors have stepped forward so far. Wang thought of making this photo album to make the town more accessible to Chinese society at large and get more people interested in it in order for the town to be better explored and preserved. Her idea was supported by her superiors.

Wang, still single, jokes she would be surprised and happy to get a boyfriend through this photoshoot.

Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation.
Ma Xiaowei, vice-minister of the commission, attended the activity themed "knowledge, sex, wisdom and action - love with condom" with about 260 other participants.

The National Health and Family Planning Commission of China and China Family Planning Association co-hosted an activity - themed "knowledge, sex, wisdom and action - love with condom" - on the annual World Contraception Day in Beijing on Sept 26.

The association issued a survey report on Chinese college students' sex and reproduction health, calling for the government, families and society to pay attention to young people's sex and reproduction issues.

Ma Xiaowei, vice-minister of the commission, Gou Qingming, vice-chairman of the association, Soyoltuya Bayaraa vice-representative of UNFPA in Jinhua, Qin Geng, vice-director of the women and children department of the commission, and Geng Yutian, vice director of Beijing public health and family planning commission, attended the activity with about 260 other participants.

The activity calls for more attention regarding young people's reproductive health issues, more awareness of safe contraception techniques, and a reduction in unwanted pregnancies.

Ma Xiaowei said the Chinese government attaches great importance to reproductive health and makes it part of the national development strategy. He pledged to improve the public health services in this field and to provide contraception technology and contraception tools and medicines for free by the end of 2020.

"The commission and association are exploring how to improve reproductive services for the young through various channels," Ma said. "World Contraception Day is an opportunity to publicize relevant knowledge and raise the awareness."

Ma stressed that the society should strengthen the young and juvenile's sense as the first responsible person and that different parties - including the government, social organization, international organization - should form a synergy in this work.

After that the representative of young people read a letter of appeal, advocating that the young people should be responsible for their own health and become conscious caretakers of their own sexual and reproductive health.
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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang returned to Beijing on Wednesday afternoon after attending the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly and official visits to Canada and Cuba.
The following editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune on Tuesday, Sept. 27:

Maybe you heeded the sportswriter who advised watching World Series of Poker (a stress-free distraction) or staring at photos of baby llamas (blissfully narcotizing). But if you were among the supposed 100 million viewers who spent Monday night with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, then you saw what we did: moments of primal strength, but neither candidate knocked senseless.

Score this first debate as a cliffhanger still awaiting its climax. Partisans saw just what they came to see; flipping channels afterward, we were amused at the certainty with which talking heads declared Clinton, or Trump, the winner. Well all learn from opinion polls of coming days how much of that was mere cheerleading. But for most of the national audience, wed wager, Monday night was less about the issues than about the gladiators: Did Clinton look healthy and likable enough to be Americas president? (Probably yes.) Did Trump come across as a bully, a buffoon or both? (Not really. A cynic would say he did come across as a New Yorker.)

In the crucial first 45 minutes, with viewers open-minded and social media revving up, Clinton largely stuck to talking points about jobs and a better economy; Trump talked over her to accuse U.S. politicians, Clinton included, of letting American employers fire workers here and flee to other countries. Neither candidate blew us away, but we were glad neither lives next door. Clinton, determined not to take grief from her opponent, spent the night addressing him as Donald, not Mr. Trump. He in turn tried to look decorous and respectful  not the crazy candidate youve heard about  by addressing her as Secretary Clinton.

For Clinton, one of Monday nights challenges was to unleash Trump, to send him into the rants that satisfy his loyalists but frighten centrist voters. That didnt really happen. Nor did Clinton come across as a humorless policy wonk. We wondered going into the night whether Trump could survive by sticking to broad themes, or whether Clintons command of facts and figures would dazzle us. That deep chasm didnt open.

Nothing either candidate said strayed from what Americans have already heard. The night was all about style.

Trump had the choice of which among his personalities to project  brash, charming, impatient, supremely confident. Viewers saw flashes of each, but he grew especially energetic in declaring himself the law and order candidate  and citing Chicago as a city overwhelmed by violent crime, with thousands of people shot this year. Is this a war-torn country? Trump asked. What are we doing?  . Almost 4,000 people have been killed in Chicago since Barack Obama became president. (Chicago police count close to 3,700.) Clinton responded with praise for community policing, a critique of stop-and-frisk tactics and a call for programs that steer young men in troubled neighborhoods into jobs and away from a life of crime.

On companion questions with implications for the next four years  Do you want Trump in the Oval Office? Do you want Clinton on the TV in your living room?  neither candidate was as off-putting as his or her detractors had hoped. Trump interjected one-liners to throw Clinton off her game; her prescriptions for addressing many problems America faces opened with variations of, Ive developed a plan 

Where did the candidates land at the end of the night? Not clear. Trumps polling numbers have been more erratic than Clintons; many voters already knew what they think of her. Trump was Monday nights variable. Going into this debate, she held a lead of barely 2 percentage points in the RealClearPolitics average of nine national polls. Owing to Trumps late-summer rise in the polls, that was one-third of her lead six weeks earlier.

In another six weeks well learn whether, back on a Monday night in September, she or Trump began to make the better closing argument to America.
A Chinese mainland spokesperson said Wednesday that the 1992 Consensus, which reflects the one-China principle, is in line with the development of cross-Strait relations in both a legal and practical sense.

"It is not an additional premise, but reached by the two sides through communication and consultation," said Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, at a routine press conference.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has long pursued the secessionist position of "Taiwan independence," damaging the political foundation for peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, and severely impacting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and achievements since 2008, Ma said.

"We will continue to adhere to the political foundation of the 1992 Consensus, firmly oppose 'Taiwan independence' and maintain the one-China principle, to expand communication between compatriots across the Strait, enhance exchange and cooperation in various fields and build a cross-Strait community of common destiny," Ma said.

If the DPP continues pursuing "Taiwan independence," no matter if it is in a radical or soft fashion, it will be doomed to failure, Ma said.

A delegation of county and city officials from Taiwan, who came to Beijing for a mainland visit earlier this month, expressed their continued adherence to the 1992 Consensus, which affirms that both sides of the Strait belong to one China, Ma said.

The mainland responded positively to their visit by announcing eight measures to promote exchange with the counties and city represented in the delegation, Ma said.

The delegation included officials from New Taipei City and the counties of Hsinchu, Hualien, Taitung, Kinmen, Lienchiang, Miaoli and Nantou.

Ma said the counties and city involved are planning to hold a farm produce and tourism promotion fair on the mainland within the year, and mainland companies were also planning to visit each of the areas to discuss purchase of their farm produce.

"We are positive toward any county or city in Taiwan as long as it recognizes the true nature of cross-Strait relations and county and city-level exchanges, and is willing to contribute to the wellbeing and kinship of compatriots on both sides of the Strait," he said.
Growing up as a student and Young Pioneer in Ghana in the early 1960s, we were taught that China and Africa have a "special relationship." But with the many political changes in Africa in general and Ghana in particular, and with changes in the geopolitical focus of China in the 1970s and 1980s, the substance of this special relationship somehow faded.

However, Sino-African relations are now putting down new roots that can take us back to those heady days. China's dramatic economic and trade engagement with Africa rightly receives constant attention, having grown ten-fold in the last decade to exceed US$300 billion. However, to sustain and build on these gains in trade, China needs to invest in the future of Africa by helping to educate today's students and tomorrow's leaders.

Confucius once said, "If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for 10 years plant trees. If your plan is for 100 years, educate children." Now, students are the key to the future. In building Sino-African relationships, education will play a critical role.

The Ministry of Education in Beijing reports there were almost 397,635 international students in China in 2015. The average has been growing at a healthy rate of 10 percent a year since 2006. China's stated target for 2020 is to raise it to 500,000.

This is a commendable target that enhances China's position as the third most preferred destination for international students after the United States, and the United Kingdom, and ahead of Canada. However, China needs a strategic focus: instead of competing in traditional markets, it could look at a new one in Africa.

For all universities, financial considerations are critical in the international student market. The issue is whether African students can be seen as good fee-paying clients. The figures suggest yes. For instance, in 2011, approximately 6,000 African students held Chinese scholarships; however, more than double this number (14,000+) paid their own way. For many African students, China is an attractive destination for studies because, apart from any potential scholarships, Chinese universities are increasingly able to offer good facilities and programs in English, and at a fraction of the fees in Western countries.

Another factor is that from Cairo to Cape Town, African countries are also increasingly accepting and embracing the popularity of Chinese degrees. So, China does not have to deal with the problem of "degree recognition" that one sees in the West and indeed several Asian countries.

If planning for 100 years, then, ultimately, one must take account of the strategic value of the international students market and its implications for long-term growth in trade. Africa has the world's highest population growth rate, at a time when most continents are looking at declining populations with adverse implications for labor supply. Indeed, Africa should account for more than half the world's population growth between 2015 and 2050.

It is the market of the future and China has an opportunity to rebuild the foundations of the "special relationship" of the earlier years.

The good news is that at the 5th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China and Africa Cooperation (Beijing Action Plan [2013-2015]) China undertook to implement the "African Talents Program" to train 30,000 African professionals in various sectors. It also undertook to offer 18,000 government scholarships and take measures to improve the content and quality of training programs.

The "African Talents Program" is a great idea, but its focus is on the bureaucracy and the present or immediate future. Let's not forget the words of Confucius already quoted.

Apart from more scholarships, the Chinese government has made it possible for foreign students to take on part-time work in some areas. It has also simplified visa processes and standardized the assessment of international degrees. The University and College Admission System (CUCAS), the Chinese official application portal for international students actively advertises 20,000+ courses and several scholarships for more than 300 universities.

Yet, CUCAS is hardly known in Africa. We need active engagement with students in the continent to build the relationships between China and Africa.

In the Beijing Action Plan (2013-2015), China and African states agreed to continue to implement the 20+20 Cooperation Plan for Chinese and African Institutions of Higher Education, and to improve the cooperative mechanisms.

They agreed to encourage Chinese and African universities to carry out cooperation in regional and country studies and support African universities in establishing China research centers. All these are important steps in laying the foundations for education opportunities between Africa and China.

Professor Sam Blay is a senior Australian law academic. He is currently Professor and Deputy Principal, Top Education Institute in Sydney and Professor at the Sydney City School of Law. He is a member of the South China International Economic Arbitration and Trade.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
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An annual mass migration of vacationers is set to reach new heights this year.

Nearly half of China is expected to travel during the upcoming National Day holiday.

The country's tourists are forecast to spend a fortune over the weeklong period, which starts on Oct 1.

Roughly 590 million Chinese will tour during the vacation, up 12 percent over last year, a late September China Tourism Academy report says.

Tourism revenue is projected to grow 13.5 percent to reach 478.2 billion ($71.7 billion). That's 800 yuan per capita.

Domestic and outbound tourism markets have experienced brisk supply and demand, China's biggest online agency, Ctrip, reports.

"Most domestic and outbound routes' prices have stayed steady," Ctrip's publicity director Peng Liang says.

"Some even dropped."

Many routes were booked by over 10,000 tourists, Peng says.

The Yangtze River Delta Area, including Zhejiang's provincial capital, Hangzhou, and Shanghai, are expected to receive record numbers.

A new Disneyland recently opened in Shanghai. Hangzhou recently hosted the G20 Summit.

Traditionally popular destinations, such as Hainan province's Sanya, Sichuan province's Jiuzhaigou Valley and Yunnan province's Lijiang, will continue to embrace waves of tourists.

While figures for outbound travel bookings from China aren't yet available, they're expected to exceed last year's.

Outbound travel surged 14 percent to exceed 4 million tourists last National Day holiday, the Shanghai-based tourism-consulting service Gold Palm reports.

The Chinese passport's growing weight, the expansion of flight routes and exchange-rate fluctuations have continued to buoy China's outbound tourism over recent years.

Chinese can enjoy visa-free entry or visas on arrival in 57 countries and regions.

Those that recently relaxed visas, such as Morocco, Tunisia and Tonga, have seen the influx of Chinese visitors increase 300-600 percent, Ctrip reports.

The increase in flights to neighboring nations like Japan has pushed down prices.

Long-haul destinations, including France, the United Kingdom, the United States and Russia, are 20-30 percent cheaper than during the holiday last year. The number of Chinese visitors is expected to increase 40-60 percent, Ctrip says.

The pound's depreciation, following the Brexit, continues to boost Chinese travel to the UK.

Chinese are expected to visit South Korea for shopping and health checkups.

They'll head to Japan to enjoy hot springs and red maple leaves. But the rise of the yen against the yuan may put a damper on retail.

Still, the holiday seems set to qualify as a "golden week", as it has long been colloquially known, not only for travelers but also for destinations.
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The Lebanese army said Tuesday that its units killed an Islamic State (IS) group militant in an exchange of gunfire in the northern region of Akkar.

Moustafa Mohammed al-Ahmed, who opened gunfire at the army troops when they were trying to arrest him for belonging to the IS group, was shot dead when the army fired back, the Army Guidance Directorate said in a statement.

Ahmad was reportedly operating in the northeastern region of Lebanon for IS.
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Kenyan anti-terror police on Tuesday killed most wanted terror suspect, Ismael Shosi who was behind a series of attacks targeting security officers in the coastal city of Mombasa.

Coast Regional Coordinator Nelson Marwa described Shosi as the mastermind of radicalization, training and recruitment of youth to join Al-Shabaab group in Somalia who return to wage terrorist attacks in the country.

"Acting on intelligence reports our officers managed to kill Shosi in a shootout. It's a major breakthrough in the war on terror in the country. We urge other terror suspects to surrender to authorities," Marwa told journalists in Nairobi.

Marwa said Shosi was staying in a rented house owned by slain terror suspect Kassim Amollo who was killed in 2013 in Mombasa.

Police said Shoshi was known for carrying out attacks while dressed in Muslin women dress buibui (veil) to disguise himself to avoid police arrest.

Shosi alongside his late brother Ikrima Mohamed Shoshi were the main suspects behind the killing of Hashim Omar, an officer within the National Intelligence Service while he was leaving the Mosque near Kunze Mombasa in July, 2015.

The government had placed a 20,000 U.S. dollar bounty on his head over alleged links to terrorism activities in the coastal region.
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China protested on Tuesday after the United States lodged criminal charges and sanctions on Monday against a Chinese firm it accuses of being connected to Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.

The Foreign Ministry said China objects to any country attempting to exercise jurisdiction over a Chinese entity or individual based on its domestic laws.

The company targeted by the US, the Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Development Co, is already being investigated by the public security authority, Chinese officials announced. The cross-border trading company is registered near the China-DPRK border.

A US Treasury release issued Monday said authorities there were sanctioning the company and four of its executives, including company head Ma Xiaohong.

The US accused them of violating US laws against supporting "weapons of mass destruction proliferators", and engaging in money laundering in the US and elsewhere in support of Pyongyang. Reuters reported that the US Department of Justice said it had filed criminal charges against the firm and executives.

In response, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said: "Any enterprise or individual found in breach of the regulations will be treated seriously.

"In this process, if necessary, we would like to embark on cooperation with the relevant country on the basis of mutual respect and equality." Geng said.

This month, the Public Security Department of Liaoning province confirmed that the company and the executives concerned are "suspected of serious economic crimes" and under investigation with "due evidence in place".

Geng reaffirmed Beijing's opposition to Pyongyang's developing nuclear weapons and its commitment to Korean Peninsula denuclearization.

"However, I want to stress that we oppose any country enacting so-called long-arm jurisdiction, using its own domestic laws against a Chinese entity or individual," Geng said. "We have already communicated this position to the US side."

Zhang Liangui, an expert on Korean studies at the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, said Washington's latest sanctions partly aim to "add pressure to the Chinese government". It expects Beijing to step up sanctions.

"As China has jurisdiction over the case, there is no liability for the Chinese government to respond to an improper request, if there is any, by the US government," Zhang said.

"The US, in the meantime, knows clearly that the existing sanctions against the DPRK will not be a success without China's cooperation, so it is navigating the case issue cautiously to avoid angering Beijing," Zhang added.
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U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday nominated Jeffrey DeLaurentis as the first U.S. Ambassador to Cuba in over 50 years.

"Today, I am proud to nominate Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis to be the first U.S. Ambassador to Cuba in more than 50 years," Obama said in a news release issued by the White House.

Obama praised DeLaurentis' vital "leadership" throughout the normalization of relations between the U.S. and Cuba, which were two former rivals.

"There is no public servant better suited to improve our ability to engage the Cuban people and advance U.S. interests in Cuba than Jeff," Obama said.

The president described DeLaurentis, a career diplomat, as having "extensive experience in Cuba and Latin America."

DeLaurentis has been working with Cuba on issues that advance U.S. national interests, such as law enforcement, counternarcotics, environmental protection, combating trafficking in persons, expanding commercial and agricultural opportunities, and cooperation in science and health, Obama said.

"Having an ambassador will make it easier to advocate for our interests, and will deepen our understanding even when we know that we will continue to have differences with the Cuban government," Obama said.

The U.S. and Cuba resumed diplomatic relations in July 2015, ending more than five decades of hostilities. Obama paid a historical visit to Cuba in March in the first such visit by a sitting U.S. president in nearly 90 years.

DeLaurentis has been the Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba, since 2015 after serving as Chief of Mission at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana from 2014 to 2015.

Prior to that, he served as Ambassador and Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations from 2011 to 2014. Before that, he was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.

Since beginning his State Department career in 1991, DeLaurentis has served in a number of overseas posts, including twice before in Havana, first as consular officer from 1991 to 1993, then as Political-Economic Section Chief from 1999 to 2002.

He also served as political counselors at the U.S. Mission to the UN in Geneva, and the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia.
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More than half of Ukrainians did not support severing relations between their country and Russia, a recent opinion poll showed Tuesday.

The poll, conducted by the Kiev-based Razumkov Center, found that 55 percent of the respondents opposed the possible break of diplomatic relations between Kiev and Moscow, while 24.8 percent thought the opposite.

At the same time, the survey indicated that 52.1 percent of those polled objected an introduction of visa regime between Ukraine and Russia, while the share of people, who supported this initiative, is only 29 percent.

The nation-wide survey was carried out among 2,018 people from Sept. 9 to 14 and its margin of error was within plus or minus 2.3 percent.

The row between Kiev and Moscow erupted two years ago over different views on the unrest in Crimea and Ukraine's eastern regions. The tensions escalated in August after Russia's Federal Security Service has accused Ukrainian authorities of masterminding an attempt to send a group of saboteurs to Crimea. Kiev denied the accusations.

Following the incident, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that Moscow could sever diplomatic ties with Ukraine.

Russia currently has no ambassador in Kiev after Mikhail Zurabov was relieved of his duties in July.
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Sudan on Tuesday declared its support for deployment of a regional protection force to prevent any military acts in South Sudan.

According to a press release by Sudan's foreign ministry Tuesday, Sudan reiterated readiness to continue its efforts with the countries of the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development in Africa (IGAD) to achieve peace in South Sudan.

"Realization of peace in South Sudan is associated with peace in Sudan," Abdul-Ghani Al-Naeem, Sudan's foreign ministry under-secretary, was quoted in the press release as saying.

He called for involving all parties in the peaceful process, reiterating his country's support for deployment of the regional protection force in South Sudan.

Al-Naeem urged the international community to continue efforts to consolidate peace in South Sudan and revive the current peace deal which he said "gives hope for bringing the South Sudanese rivals together."

He further stressed Sudan's determination to continue receiving the South Sudanese citizens and providing them with all possible support.

Last July, the UN Security Council decided to deploy a regional protection force, within the context of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), following violent clashes between South Sudan government army and fighters loyal to the opposition leader Riek Machar.

Machar, who fled South Sudan following the clashes, demands deployment of the protection force as a condition to return to Juba, capital of South Sudan.
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Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Tuesday declared rejection of any new negotiation forum outside the country between the government and opposition, Sudan's Ashorooq net reported.

"There will be no dialogue outside the country. Any party that wants dialogue must make it domestic," said al-Bashir when he inspected a number of military units Tuesday.

He reiterated full commitment to recommendations of the national dialogue conference of which the general assembly is slated for next Oct. 10.

Al-Bashir further called the rebel movements to join the peaceful process through dialogue, saying "we want peace which is the best for us and for them (the rebel movements). It is better for them to come peacefully, or else our forces are there."

Earlier, the general secretariat of the Sudanese national dialogue has announced completion of all arrangements for the general assembly as scheduled.

In January of 2014, al-Bashir declared an initiative calling on the opposition parties and the armed groups to join a national dialogue to end the country's crises.

The sessions of the national dialogue conference kicked off in October 2015 with the aim to resolve the country's political and social issues.

However, major political parties and armed movements have refused to participate in the conference, including the Revolutionary Front Alliance, which brings together the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM)/northern sector and the major Darfur armed movements.
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The U.S. government on Tuesday urged the Houthis in Yemen to immediately release any U.S. citizens being held.

"We are deeply concerned by reports of U.S. citizens being unjustly detained by the Houthi-controlled National Security Bureau in Yemen," said State Department spokesman Mark Toner in a statement.

Such detentions are unacceptable, put in jeopardy any Houthi efforts to establish that they are credible and responsible interlocutors, and invite serious questions about their commitment to seek a lasting peace for Yemen, Toner said.

He warned that should any U.S. citizens unjustly held in Yemen be harmed, "it would be the responsibility of those organizations, groups, or individuals detaining them."

The U.S. is monitoring the situation in Yemen very closely and calls on the Houthis to immediately release any U.S. citizens currently being held, he added.

Toner did not disclose the names of Americans detained in Yemen, but media reports have said that an American teacher named Peter Willems was kidnapped last Tuesday from the Exceed Language Center in Sanaa, Yemen's capital, by rebels aligned with the Houthis.
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Russia's advanced S-400 surface-to-air missiles have successfully hit high-speed targets in a military exercise, an aide to the Russian Central Military District commander said Tuesday.

The S-400 surface-to-air missile defense system. [File photo/Xinhua]

"The units have successfully carried out combat launches as part of a joint exercise of air and air defense forces at the Telemba training range in the Republic of Buryatia," Col. Yaroslav Roshchupkin was quoted as saying by the TASS news agency.

Six missiles were launched, hitting several high speed sophisticated Kaban target missiles, which moved along a flat ballistic trajectory at a speed of 1,200 meters per second at a height of 45 kilometers, he added.

A total of 300 troops and 80 pieces of equipment took part in the drill, TASS reported.

The S-400 Triumf, a new generation anti-aircraft missile system, is capable of hitting an airborne target at a distance of up to 400 kilometers with medium- and long-range missiles.
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Pakistan is China's only all-weather strategic cooperation partner, and naturally the China-led Belt and Road Initiative has been greeted positively in Pakistan, primarily concerning the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is recognized as the flagship project of the Belt and Road.

The CPEC is a comprehensive package, which contains many concrete infrastructure projects such as the construction of Gwadar Port, China-Pakistan railways and pipelines and energy projects.

The CPEC has won fame as a "friendship corridor" among Pakistani people, said Babar Makhdoom, president and editor-in-chief of the Daily Mail, a Pakistani newspaper, who attended the International Seminar on the Belt and Road Initiative held in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province on Sept. 26-27.

Makhdoom said that the name "friendship corridor" reflected the Pakistani people's support for CPEC. Taking the construction of Gwadar Port as an example, he said that local people, from the governor to a common taxi driver or fisherman, will express positive feelings about China.

"No one is afraid of China and the China-led project. Instead, they love the new working opportunities, and the more advanced fishing technologies, too," said Makhdoom. He added that occasional protests against expanding Chinese presence because of the Belt and Road in Pakistan were all "fake ones for photo shooting," claiming adversarial foreign influence must have been behind the protests.

The CEPC means some US$46 billion of investment from China, but what also matters to Pakistan is the commitment that both countries and nations have been enjoying over the past six decades, he said.

China's good standing relations with Pakistan and increasing presence in the country are making other foreign powers uncomfortable because the China-led Belt and Road are trimming away Western powers' economic and political supremacy in Pakistan and South Asia.

According to the veteran Pakistani journalist, countries that oppose the CPEC may have caused troubles to China in ways such as meddling in the South China Sea issue. He also hopes that through the wisdom of Chinese leadership, more countries in the region, such as India, can become partners rather than adversaries to the CPEC.

"The CPEC is the flagship project of the Belt and Road project. But a member state is opposing the flagship of the grand project. It's absurd," he said.

Makhdoom confirmed that the relationship between Pakistan and China is so close that it overwhelms all other Pakistan's bilateral ties.

"Pakistan has good relations with the United States and Japan, but Pak has extraordinary relations with Beijing. But our good relations with other countries are never a hurdle between our relations with China," said Makhdoom.
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In order to cope with the slowing growth and flagging recovery of the global economy and boost global market confidence, during China's presidency in 2016, digital economy was put high on the agenda for the first time, as part of the G20 Blueprint on Innovative Growth. The 2016 G20 Hangzhou Summit, held from September 4th to 5th, passed the G20 Digital Economy Development and Cooperation Initiative (hereinafter referred to as the Digital Economy Initiative). This is the first digital economy policy document that was endorsed by G20 leaderswhich tightly seized the historical chances of the digitization, provided the new direction, solution and prospect for the regeneration of the world economy.

As the Chair of Digital Economy, China set up G20 Digital Economy Task Force (DETF), which co-chaired by the United States of America and South Africa. Led by Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), DETF consisted of officials and experts from G20 members, guest countries, and international organizations. In the spirit of open, transparent and inclusiveness, CAC cooperated closely with DETF members. With six months' hard working, after more than 30 conferences, including vide-conferences and face-to-face conferences, nearly a thousand e-mail exchanges, more than 10 rounds of draft circulation, DETF members finally reached consensus on Digital Economy Initiative, which was widely welcomed and highly praised by all.

Digital Economy Initiative outlined the concept, meaning, guiding principles and key areas of digital economy. The proposed seven guiding principles are innovation, partnership, synergy, flexibility, inclusion, open and enabling business environment, flow of information for economic growth, trust and security. The Digital Economy Initiative identifies six key areas for cooperation in digital economy, including: expand broadband access and improve quality; promote investment in the ICT sector; support entrepreneurship and promote digital transformation; encourage e-commerce cooperation; enhance digital inclusion and promote development of MSMEs. It also encourages G20 members to strengthen cooperation in policy making and regulation on intellectual property, the promotion of cooperation with respect to independent choice of development path, transparent digital economy policy-making, the development and use of international standards, strengthening confidence and trust, and managing radiofrequency spectrum to promote innovation. In the future, the G20 members agree to continue to work closely to encourage multi-level exchanges about experience on policy making and legislation, share best practices among members, encourage training and research cooperation, and interact with international organizations and other engagement group to promote a sound digital economy.

Nowadays, with the rapid development and convergence of ICT, digital economy is experiencing high growth, rapid innovation and broad application, is increasingly becoming an important driver for global economic recovery and growth, and plays a significant role for expanding economic development, accelerating the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, promoting sustainable economic development, improving social governance and public service, and driving innovation.

Recognizing the importance of digital economy and digital innovation, the United States of America, the European Union, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia and many other countries and regions all prioritize the development of digital economy. Some G20 members introduced national digital economy strategies and digital agendas, etc. to promote its development. International organizations such as World Bank, OECD and WTO also showed great interest in digital economy development by closely tracking the developments and publishing latest reports. Digital economy is increasingly becoming a hot topic globally.

Chinese government attaches great importance to the development of digital economy. Through Internet Power Strategy, National IT development Strategy, National Big Data Strategy, "Internet plus" Action Plan and series of e-commerce strategies and operations, innovation and development of digital economy is further promoted. Digital economy in China has shown a good momentum of developmentwider coverage of information infrastructure facilities, global leading position of its information industry, booming Internet economy, and a number of leading international Internet companies. China had 710 million Internet users and 4.54 million websites by the end of June, 2016. Internet has been involved deeply into the economic and social development and people's lives. In 2015, China's total e-commerce transaction value was over 20 trillion yuan. Online trade volumes reached 3.88 trillion, with an increase of 33.3 percent.

G20 Digital Economy Development and Cooperation Initiative is the consensus of all parties based on development practices and renewed philosophy of digital economy, pointing out a direction which is fully in line with the trend of historical development, and offering an international solution to help the world economy out of the woods and to realize the innovative, vital, strong, sustained, balanced and inclusive growth. It is believed that greater innovation and cooperation of digital economy will inject new impetus to the economic growth of all countries, and accordingly, bring new vitality to the world economy and benefits of the development of digital economy to all people around the world.
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China on Wednesday expressed deep condolences at the passing of former Israeli President Shimon Peres and extended sincere sympathies to the Israeli people and the families of Peres.

Peres was a veteran politician and diplomat, as well as a founder of the Middle East peace process, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said, adding that he also contributed considerably to China-Israel ties.

Peres' unfortunate passing is not only a loss for peace in the Middle East, but also to the China-Israel relationship, Geng said.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, Peres passed away in a hospital outside Tel Aviv, two weeks after suffering a stroke. He was 93.
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The Buk missile that downed flight MH17 was brought from Russia and fired from a region in eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian rebels, according to the Joint Investigation Team's (JIT) report released Wednesday by the Netherlands Public Prosecutor's Office.

Wreckage of flight MH17 is seen after the presentation of the investigation report on the cause of its crash, at the Gilze-Rijen air base, the Netherlands, on Oct. 13, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 was shot down by a Buk missile which was brought from Russia to Ukraine. The weapon was fired from a field in the Ukrainian village Pervomajsk, which at the time of the disaster was in the hands of pro-Russian rebels. The launcher was then brought back to Russia, according to the JIT's initial probe.

The investigation team said they based their findings on information collected from radar images, thousands of pieces of wreckage, photos, videos, tapped phone calls and testimonials from people who have seen the Buk missile being driven.

MH17 crashed in eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014 while flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people on board died, most of them Dutch citizens.

The Dutch Safety Board carried out an investigation into the cause of the crash to draw safety lessons for future use. The criminal investigation is aimed at identifying the suspects and is conducted by the international investigation team, the so-called JIT.

In the JIT, the Netherlands Public Prosecutor's Office and the Dutch National Police work together with police and judicial authorities of Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine. The purpose of the criminal investigation is to establish the facts, identify those responsible for the crash and to collect evidence which can be used in court.

Western investigators and Kiev have been claiming that pro-independence insurgents in eastern Ukraine shot down the aircraft, while Moscow has been denying the allegations and retorting the plane was shot by a missile from the territory controlled by Ukrainian government troops.

On Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that Ukraine was hiding vital data on the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crash and was manipulating the investigation of the 2014 catastrophe.

The ministry also refuted conclusions contained in the Dutch Safety Board report about the possible presence of heavy air defense systems in Eastern Ukraine.
New Forest-based artisan bakery Great British Biscotti Co is moving to a new site in Christchurch, Dorset, and will be open for business next week.

The new larger unit measures around 4,000 sq ft and will boost capacity for the sweet and savoury biscotti producer.

Paul Rostand, director of Great British Biscotti, told British Baker: Were now in a position that sales are growing so rapidly that we had to move to have a more spacious bakery. The move will allow us to gain some accreditation and will improve quality for the business.

Previously called New Forest Biscotti, the company has rebranded with a new name and packaging as it looks to grow sales nationally.

This will be the second move for the company since opening their first commercial unit in March this year.
Robert Kuhn (right), a US expert on China and a host on China Central Television, speaks at the media session of the International Seminar on the Belt and Road Initiative in Xi'an, Shaanxi province on Tuesday. [Photo/China Daily]

Expert: Belt and Road strategy will be applauded years from now as visionary

The first US presidential debate might have been the most-watched event around the globe on Monday night local time, with the expected protectionist remarks made by candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

Yet, at the same time, across the Pacific Ocean, the Belt and Road Initiative, launched by China three years ago to foster economic ties, gained momentum as media from China and abroad expressed support.

"I know many people think the most important event today is the debate, which is going on right now," Robert Kuhn, a US expert on China and a host on China Central Television, said on Tuesday at the media session of the International Seminar on the Belt and Road Initiative in Xi'an, Shaanxi province.

"However, looking back in 50 years or 100 years, I believe this is a more important event than the debate because it pushes forward an important initiative that is the direction of the future," Kuhn said at the two-day seminar. China Daily is a co-organizer.

In 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed the Silk Road Economic Belt, which includes countries situated on the original Silk Road, passing through Central Asia, West Asia, the Middle East and Europe, as well as the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which covers Southeast Asia, Oceania and North Africa.

By the end of June, China had signed cooperation agreements with more than 30 countries regarding the initiative and is working with another 20 on capacity building projects in the manufacturing sector, according to a report by Renmin University of China.

"Some countries that start to turn inward, start to talk protectionism, seem to be more skeptical about trade. This initiative is moving in the opposite direction. It promotes cooperation and business across the border," said Jason Eugene Subler, Greater China bureau chief of Reuters.

Some 100media representatives from about 20 countries attended the seminar and reached a written consensus to be "a champion of the Silk Road Spirit", referring friendship and cooperation throughout history, and to be "an active supporter of the initiative".

Wilson Flores, a columnist at the Philippine Star newspaper, said the initiative allows the media in participating countries to better cooperate and to enrich the diversity of media voices, which has long been dominated by Western news organizations.

"As we evolve into a more diverse and multipolar world, developing nations in Central Asia, Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa and other regions need to have our news perspectives and voices heard."

Kang Bing, deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily, suggested that media organizations along the route can jointly identify topics to cover, develop applications together, co-produce microvideos and launch special columns, reports and web pages on the platform of other countries.
Windows of boutiques of luxury watches and jewellery in Geneva, Switzerland. [Photo/IC]

China's ultra-rich led the rise in global wealth in 2015, with the fortunes of the nation's richest rising 10 percent despite a slowing economy and stock market fluctuation, the Wall Street Journal reported.

China's ultra high net worth (UHNW) individuals - defined as those with $30 million and above in net assets - accumulated $175 billion of new wealth in 2015, according to a report from research company Wealth-X.

China accounted for nearly 75 percent of total wealth created by global UHNW individuals last year. In terms of population, China's UHNW sector grew by 980 individuals, or 8.9 percent, to 12,050 in 2015, Wealth-X said in the World Ultra Wealth Report 2015-2016.

Although it might create more dollar wealth than any other country, it did not create many new billionaires. The number of China's ultra wealthy people has just risen 5 percent over the last four years, far lower than that of the United States (19.9 percent) and Germany (21.7 percent).

Overall, the world's ultra wealthy population experienced almost flat growth last year as the number of UHNW individuals grew just 0.6 percent and total UHNW wealth increased by 0.8 percent.

There are 212,615 UHNW individuals globally, according to Wealth-X's report. UHNW individuals, who account for just 0.004 percent of the world's adult population, still control 12 percent of its wealth.

UHNW global wealth is expected to reach $46.2 trillion and the UHNW population is expected to exceed 318,000 by 2020, Wealth-X said.

Agencies contributed to this story.
BEIJING - China's national rail freight volume, an indicator of economic activity, declined in the first eight months of the year, the country's top economic planner said Wednesday.

Rail freight volume between January and August fell 6.3 percent year on year to 2.115 billion tons, compared with a 3.2 percent rise in the first seven months, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.

In August, rail freight volume rose 0.1 percent year on year to 277million tons, it said.

China's economic growth held steady at 6.7 percent in the second quarter, still the lowest level since the 2009 global financial crisis but within the government's target range for 2016.

Although downward pressure persists, economic indicators have suggested some stabilization.

China's industrial profits rose 19.5 percent year on year to 534.8 billion yuan (about $80.3 billion) in August, official data showed Tuesday.

The growth rate was faster than the 11 percent increase registered one month earlier, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

In the first eight months of the year, industrial profits expanded 8.4 percent year on year, compared with a 6.9 percent rise during the January to July period.
The combined brand value of the 200 Chinese companies, listed in the Hurun brand report released on Sept 20, reached 4.6 trillion yuan ($689.8 billion), up seven percent year on year, and a record high.

Of the 200 companies listed, 139 have seen their brand values grow, and 97 are private businesses. The value of state-owned brands has decreased by about 3 percent on average, while those of private businesses are up by about 20 percent on average.

Last year's champion Tencent fell to fifth position at 210 billion yuan, as its instant messaging service WeChat was counted independently this year. Let us take a look at the top 10 brands in the country.

No 10 Tmall

Brand value: 120 billion yuan, up 26 percent compared with last year
UK milling wheat is set to be on the up from a good-quality harvest as demand is increasing from Europe due to the French crops falling to a 10-year low.

AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds published the latest annual cereal quality survey last week, which found that an average protein level increased to 12.6% in Britain compared to the three-year average of 11.8%. High protein content indicates a positive quality of grain  required in wheat for bread-making.

James Webster, AHDB Cereals and Oilseeds analyst, commented: Compared with previous provisional results, the current provisional protein values for wheat are the highest they have been at this stage for the past four years, and nearly 1% higher than the previous three-year average.

This is likely to boost exports of UK wheat, and this is likely to seen as either good or bad news by UK bakers.

Alex Waugh, director general of National Association of British and Irish Flour Millers (NABIM), told Bakery and Snacks: We are expecting strong demand for UK wheat from other EU countries because of the problems in France. Millers will do what they always try to do, smooth the transition from one crop to the next and minimise any change in specification.
A woman carries a tray of food inside a KFC restaurant in Beijing. Yum Brands Inc, the parent company of KFC, has seen its China sales slide. [Photo/Agencies]

Xiaobai Xiaobai goes downstairs to KFC,

Hamburger, ah, Hamburger

French fries, ah, French fries

Coke, ah, coke

...

I always feel very uneasy when I hear this nursery rhyme my four-year-old daughter learned from kindergarten about ordering food at KFC.

According to Chinese tradition, I am supposed to pay special respect to her teacher but I totally disagree with this rhyme that may brainwash my kid. KFC is the last choice for me.

So a conflict is inevitable whenever we pass by a KFC outlet. I have to try all means to persuade my little girl to change her idea. But she always wins the battle, as the threat of childhood obesity and stunted development is totally beyond her comprehension right now.

I can fully understand her 50-year-old teacher who taught the rhyme. She still has her first impression about KFC from the 1990s when it was the symbol of high quality and cleanliness.

As the early bird that entered China's fast-food market in 1987, KFC has enjoyed great success and big fame in the past three decades. It gained a reputation as offering a taste of the United States for Chinese people born in the 1960s and became an icon of China's opening up.

However, its golden era has ended due to health concerns, competitive strategies and increasing local rivals.

The first and most important concern is about health.

For me, eating KFC is sinful because weight loss is always a priority for me and other middle-class people who value a healthy lifestyle.

But KFC's fried chicken, French fries, hamburgers and soft drinks are globally well-known junk food. And more and more Chinese believe that fast food usually is high in calories, high in fat, high in sodium and low in nutrition.

Besides poor nutrition, repeated food safety scandals have damaged KFC's reputation for high quality.

Second, KFC's two key trump cards of novelty and customization can hardly satisfy the picky younger generation born after 1990.

I can still remember KFC was something exotic and prestigious back in 1999 when I was a sophomore. My friend and I ate the French fries one by one in a very reverential mannerit was more than fast food, it was like embracing a different lifestyle.

However, KFC lost the aura as average Chinese incomes increased from less than 50 cents a day in the 1980s to more than $50 right now. It has been relegated to the last choice, and is seen as the option for those working overtime or on busy business trips.

As its competitors gained strength, KFC opted increasingly for a localization strategy. It tried all means to please Chinese customers by introducing local elements such as soybean milk, deep-fried dough sticks and porridge.

But the problem is that it is weird for most Chinese people, who are obsessed with traditional flavors, to choose KFC instead of Yon Ho Food Co, which has deep roots in traditional Chinese culture.

KFC may have tasted good in the 1980s and the 1990s, but its consumers are totally different now.

Finally, China's fast-food market is now red hot, a totally different situation from the 1990s when good market players could simply take advantage of the fact that there was very little else for consumers to choose from.

Now I can easily find dozens of options around the neighborhood where I live, including Yunnan rice noodles, Canton Zheng Kungfu steamed buns and ramen from Lanzhou.

It is clear that the fast-food market is overcrowded as investors from home and abroad are all betting heavily on this huge market.

All of these factors jointly have contributed to KFC's sluggish performance in recent years.

And I was surprised to find that KFC could hardly be found the last time I visited UCLA and Georgetown University. It seems that KFC, even back in the US, is becoming an aging brand.

The new generation from China and the US are born global villagers who expect something cool and different, whether it is Jumba Juice, Qingfeng Baozi or Shaxia Delicacies.

None of Yum's optionsKFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bellcan meet such demand.
Motorola Moto series smartphones are displayed during a news conference on the annual results of Lenovo in Hong Kong May 26, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

Layoffs part of parent company's efforts to improve fortunes at its smartphone unit

Lenovo Group Ltd confirmed on Tuesday the latest round of layoffs of about 1,000 employees, mostly from the overseas Motorola unit, in a bid to turn around the fortunes of the Chinese company's loss-making smartphone business.

The world's largest personal computer maker, said in a statement that its "structure optimizing" plan impacts less than 1,000 employees, mostly in countries outside China as part of the effort of the "ongoing strategic integration between Lenovo and its Motorola smartphone business".

Lenovo did not reveal the details of the layoff, but a report from droid-life, a website focusing on Android-related news, said Motorola will take most of the hit with over 50 percent of the company's existing US staff losing their jobs.

In response to the market rumors about Lenovo shifting the Motorola headquarters away from Chicago, the company said: "Lenovo is absolutely committed to Chicago and we plan to maintain our Motorola Mobility headquarters there."

The layoffs, which represents less than 2 percent of the Hong Kong-listed Lenovo's 55,000-strong workforce globally, is the latest round after Lenovo bought the Motorola handset business from Google Inc for $2.8 billion in 2014.

Xiang Ligang, a telecom expert and CEO of the industry website cctime.com, said the move is expected to help Lenovo cut costs and turn around its smartphone business.

"I think it is a good move. Lenovo should have done it earlier. Apart from cutting costs, eliminating some jobs could also help align the organization and improve efficiency," he said.

However, James Yan, research director at Counterpoint Technology Market Research, said cutting costs alone would not be enough for Lenovo to revive its smartphone business.

The first quarter in 2016 saw Lenovo's disappearance from both the top five smartphone vendor ranking and the top 10 mobile phone vendor list as its smartphones sales in China plummeted by 75 percent, statistics from Gartner Inc showed.

"The China market accounts for one-third of the world's total smartphone market, while Lenovo has been losing market share to domestic rivals such as Huawei and oppo," said Yan.

The company has been beefing up to go higher-end to boost its sales.

In June, the company unveiled Phab2 Pro, the world's first smartphone to host argumented reality applications, and the Moto Z modular series, whose high-powered magnets can allow users to upgrade the handset with additional equipment such as speakers and projectors.

Many analysts, including Xiang, are betting big on Levono's new smartphone products, saying the Moto Z modular series are quite innovative.

But Yan expressed his concerns over the brand. "The brand of Motorola in many places is perceived as old and slow. More efforts has to be done to make its shine again among young people," he said.

Ma Si contributed to this story
Ren Zhengfei, CEO of Huawei. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Huawei Technologies Co Ltd will focus on using artificial intelligence to boost its core networking gear business while stepping up efforts to recruit AI talents from the United States, its founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei said.

"We will not work on public AI products and small applications. Instead, our AI research and development will revolve around the core networking business," he said in a recent speech on Huawei's AI efforts.

The remark was Huawei's first public announcement of its strategy in the booming AI industry, which Apple Inc and domestic players Baidu Inc and Xiaomi Corp are all pouring money into, in the hope of establishing a beachhead.

Founded in 1987, Huawei is a global leader in manufacturing telecom equipment. The speech, published on the firm's official WeChat account on Sunday, also came as the Shenzhen-based company is seeking to displace Samsung and Apple as the world's largest smartphone phone vendor, after it secured the top position in China.

"We account for one-third of the global networking market and it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain networks on such a huge scale," Ren said.

According to Ren, AI can enable experts to focus on tackling the most crucial problems while machine learning can take care of the rest. The application of AI in predicting online traffic can also help design networking structures.

In the first half of this year, Huawei recorded revenue of 245 billion yuan ($36.7 billion), marking a year-on-year rise of 40 percent.

"Once our annual revenue exceeds $150 billion by 2020, our growth will slow down, and that is when AI can play a big role," Ren added.

The firm will also ramp up resources to hire the best AI talents from all over the world.
Lei Jun, founder and CEO of Xiaomi, at the release of the company's smartphone series on Tuesday in Beijing. [Photo/China Daily]

Xiaomi Corp unveiled a flagship smartphone series on Tuesday featuring advanced fingerprint identification technology, marking the first rival product by Chinese firms to compete with Apple Inc after the launch of its latest iPhone.

The Mi 5s, starting at 1,999 yuan ($299), is also the firm's latest effort to boost sales amid slowing demand and rising competition from local rivals such as Huawei Technologies Co Ltd.

The gadget supports ultrasonic fingerprint identification, which delivers greater accuracy than current models by using 10,000 micro sensors, the company said.

Lei Jun, founder and CEO of Xiaomi, said the firm had spent two years experimenting with the technology, and it is designed to ease concerns that frequent touching will wear out the physical identification buttons.

"Applying the technology in a model that can be mass produced showcases our innovation capabilities," Lei said.

The Beijing-based company also joined hands with Sony Corp to offer better cameras on its device. Mi 5s Plus, the bigger-screen version, is equipped with 13-million-pixel dual cameras from Sony and starts from 2,299 yuan.

Jin Di, research manager at International Data Corp China, said the experiment with supersonic fingerprint identification shows that Xiaomi is working hard to differentiate its products from its rivals. "That is not necessarily a big selling point but it will appeal to young people who are eager to try out new technology," Jin said.

Xiaomi's partnership with Sony came after Huawei teamed up with Leica to offer dual cameras on P9, its popular flagship product unveiled in the spring. The iPhone 7 Plus, launched by Apple earlier this month also comes with two cameras on its rear.

"The completive price coupled with new function will deliver a good sales performance for Mi 5S, if there is not a shortage of components in the supply chain, which its previous model the Mi 5 once encountered earlier this year," she added.

In the second quarter of this year, Xiaomi, which once managed a meteoric rise through web-sales-only model, failed to make its way into the top five vendors in China, while its rivals such as Huawei, oppo and vivo leapt forward in terms of shipments, data from IDC show.
Zheng Linlin cleans her camel farm in Tangshan, Hebei province.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Hebei native overcame early setbacks to build successful business

Age 28 and just six years out of college, Zheng Linlin is already a rich woman.

The native of Tangshan in North China's Hebei province can earn in excess of 1 million yuan ($150,000) per year selling camels and their milk.

But her fortune didn't come easily.

Back in 2010, Zheng met with strong opposition from her family when she started out in her new career, which they called "absurd".

"They thought a college graduate should find a 'decent' job doing white-collar work, not dealing with camels, which they said was humiliating," Zheng said.

"My mom worried I would fail and lose all my money because camels are a rare kind of livestock in places with a subhumid climate."

Her mother's worries were not groundlesscamels in China mainly inhabit arid grassland areas in the Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous regions.

But Zheng insisted on trying to make the business work.

"I learned in college that camel milk has a high vitamin and mineral content, and most importantly, it has therapeutic value for diabetics," she said, adding that previous methods of camel milk production in China were at the "subsistence" level.

"I wanted to develop a camel milk industry, and the market for fresh camel milk was promisingcustomers need it for medical purposes or as a nutritious food."

Although the prospects were good, Zheng's career started out poorly.

The camels she bought from Inner Mongolia were not well-adapted to the humidity in Tangshan.

"I couldn't even find a vet who could treat my camels when they were ill," she said.

So Zheng traveled to Inner Mongolia, about 300 km from Tangshan, to get some expert advice.

She was advised to feed the camels salty grasses and fodder while trying to recreate the living conditions they were adapted to.

Even so, illness, death and low yields meant Zheng lost more than 1 million yuan during her first three years of business.

But despite these setbacks, Zheng learned how to feed the camels correctly and how to handle their illnesses, leading to stabilized yields.

Now she has 170 camels50 are milk-producing females, while the rest are to sell or for tourists.

"Since the price of camel's milk is much higher than that for cow's milk, few people drink it in the same way," Zheng said, adding that her most frequent customers are either affluent or diabetics.

At current market rates, half a liter of camel milk costs 198 yuan, while cow's milk costs less than 10 yuan.

"It's a luxury food," Zheng said.

With her business now flourishing, Zheng has opened a branch of her farm in Beijing and plans to launch another in Shanghai this October.

"When I started my career, I wouldn't go to reunion parties with my classmates because I was afraid of being shunned for raising camels," she said.

"Now, I still don't go, because I am too busy with the camels."


A group of journalists hold a memorial ceremony at a Long March monument in Hongyuan county, Sichuan province, on Sept 13. The group was invited by China's internet watchdog to retrace the route of the Red Armys 12,500km Long March. Hua Xiaofeng / For China Daily

Eighty years after the end of the Chinese Red Army's epic expedition, the mass migration is still capable of stirring the hearts of millions across the globe, Liu Jing reports from Huaihua, Hunan province.

In October 1934, hundreds of thousands of Red Army soldiers set out on the Long March, a strategic shift from the forces of the Kuomintang, or Nationalists.

After two grueling years spent trekking through inhospitable countryside, the troops and their followers arrived at Yan'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi province, which would be their base for the next few years.

The world largely got a glimpse of the Long March and the Communist Party of China in 1936 thanks to Edgar Snow, a journalist from the United States who spent months with the Red Army in the northwest and later wrote Red Star over China, the definitive account of the CPC's travails at the time.

Setting out

Since August, four China Daily reporters from overseas have been part of a larger group of journalists from more than 40 national and local news portals and platforms invited to retrace the Red Army's 12,500-km route to bring a fresh perspective to the historic event for readers worldwide.

"Before going on this trip, my knowledge regarding the Long March was no more than a few general issues," said Tyler O'Neil, during a trip to Hunan province, from where the Second Front Army of the Red Army departed for the Long March.

"Now, I have come to realize that the details are very important. I appreciate the opportunity very much," said the United States national, who also visited Long March sites in Gansu province in China's far northwest.

The foreign reporters' tour is not only designed to mark the Long March, but also to record the progress achieved by local people in recent decades. It is hosted by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the nation's internet watchdog.

By Sept 30, the group will have visited Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi - six of the 15 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions the Red Army traversed during the march.

In addition to the six provinces featured in the main tour, the remaining nine provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions organized their own media visits to retrace the marchers' route.

"(We invited the foreigners) to inherit 'Red Genes'. Eighty years ago, there were foreigners such as Edgar Snow, who recorded the Long March, or Rudolf Bosshardt from the United Kingdom, who participated in the march," said Jiang Jun, director of the Bureau of Internet News and Communications at the Cyberspace Administration of China.

"We invited our foreign friends to join this press tour to experience the Long March spirit, to witness the dramatic changes taking place along the route and, through their experiences, to tell China's stories," Jiang said.

Arduous progress

Briton Greg Fountain visited Sichuan from Sept 9 to 14. The snow-clad mountains and barren grasslands made the province one of the most arduous sections for the original Long March participants.

Even today, the route is grueling. Fountain had to rely on thick clothes and bottled oxygen to avoid feeling light-headed at the 4,600-meter summit of Jiajin Mountain, the first snow-capped peak the Central Red Army encountered during its mammoth trek.

During a visit to Guizhou province, Indian journalist Faisal Kidwai said the Long March is defined by the selfless spirit of the participants, even in the face of daunting difficulties. After their two-year struggle, barely a quarter of the 200,000 soldiers who began the trek made it to the end.

"Most of China, especially the western part, was underdeveloped 80 years ago. To put it mildly, the infrastructure was not world class and the army wasn't the strong force it is today. Finding even essential items was not easy. Given all those factors, it's truly remarkable that such people volunteered to face the sacrifices, suffering and heartaches just for love of their country," Kidwai said.

Fountain and Adam Hegarty, an Australian national, echoed that sentiment. In Jiangxi province, the starting point of the Long March, Hegarty spoke with a 101-year-old Red Army veteran and found inspiration in the hardships he recalled.

The reporters have been impressed that the Long March spirit has been inherited and adopted by local people in their "New Long March" to shake off poverty.

"One of the things that impressed me the most is the transformation that happened in Shibadong village in Hunan, where the people worked really hard for a better life. This is such a dynamic way of showing the intrepid character of the Chinese people," O'Neil said.

In the village, hidden in the mountains, O'Neil was deeply moved by the story of 76-year-old Long Decheng, whose family was mired in poverty until 2013. Shortly after President Xi Jinping raised the concept of "targeted poverty alleviation" in the village, the family began to prosper from the development of local tourism.

"She (Long Decheng) must have an incredibly hard life living in these remote mountains, but she still has this great positive energy. This is the greatest testament to the Long March spirit - resilience," O'Neil said.

Recent achievements

Kidwai observed the same spirit in Guizhou. He said he was struck by how far the province has come in such a short time. In 1978, its per capita GDP was less than one-half the national average, but now the southwestern province is posting double-digit growth and cruising on the information superhighway.

The press tour has been trending online since it began. As of Monday, 116,195 related entries had been published online, and there have been 74,107 posts on Sina Weibo - China's Twitter-like service - alone. The two official articles about the event garnered 640 million views.

China Daily's foreign reporters have written a number of articles to record their journeys, which can be found on chinadaily.com.cn.

"I hope to provide an outside perspective on a part of history that my Chinese counterparts have known all their lives. I believe I can shine a different light on issues we encountered that have already been framed in a certain way by the media that came before us," O'Neil said.

Contact the writer at liujing-4@chinadaily.com.cn
Workers hang a new Mao Zedong portrait on the Tian'anmen Rostrum on Sept 27, 2016, before celebrations of the National Day. [Photo/VCG]

It began at around 10:40 pm when workers arrived with a crane, a truck and a new portrait. It took them about 40 minutes to finish the job. And there was a new portrait of Mao Zedong on the Tian'anmen Rostrum on Sept 27, 2016, before the National Day celebrations.

The portrait of Mao is changed at least once a year. October 1 this year marks the 67th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.




A woman has called for help after giving birth to a baby boy born without eyes in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou.

Surnamed Liu, the mother received regular prenatal checkups, finding nothing abnormal, before giving birth on Sept. 20.

Doctors said the boy suffered from a rare disease which is difficult to detect in advance through ordinary ultrasound scans.

Experts said the incidence of eyeball defect is rather low and genetic related.

The boy showed no other health problems.

His parents have called for help from non-profit organizations, and vowed to keep the child despite hardships.
A man working in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong province, said his identify card information was illegally used for many years, which has incurred him more than 79 million yuan ($11 million) in debts and 32 lawsuits.

Liu Hanting, who has been working in Shenzhen for about 20 years, said that during a regular check of his ID in 2011 he happened to find the photo used in the online National Citizen Identify Information Center system was not of him, but a stranger's face.

He called the public security bureau of his hometown in Huilai County of Guangdong Province and applied at the local police station for a new ID card by sending in personal documents.

But when the new ID card arrived, Liu found the photo had not been changed.

Then in 2012, Liu was informed by a bank in Shenzhen that his credit card debts totaled 370,000 yuan. He also learned that his identity had been used in 32 lawsuits involving over 79 million yuan of debts.

Liu also found information regarding his household registration was wrong. It stated that he had a wife and two sons, the former being implicated in about 50 lawsuits.

He said he entrusted an official at the police station in his hometown to apply for household registration for his twin daughters in 2009, and suspects that his personal information could have been leaked at the time.

Liu has reported to police who are investigating the case.
People search for jades in an old part of Tengchong in Southwest China's Yunnan province. [Photo/VCG]

Tengchong in Southwest China's Yunnan province is known for its jade trade and processing industry. This time the city caught people's attention again due to jadeite, but in a quite different way.

People recently rushed to dig for jade in a street of an old part of the city undergoing reconstruction, which used to host many jewelry stores and workshops, according to Beijing Youth Daily.

It is reported that many jades had to be buried as foundations for constructions of roads and houses years ago in the area because the jewelry processing technique was not good as today.

So when the local government recently made an announcement to rebuild the older town, many saw it as an opportunity to get the jade out of the ground again.

A man surnamed Li told Beijing Youth Daily that he took a hoe to the area on Sunday evening to join the big "treasure hunt" team.

"There were people all over the place looking for jadeite and some of them even had the whole family out on the scene," he said.

There was even a self-founded small jade-trading market in the street where people were selling to others what they had found.

Jades are dug out and offered for sale in Tengchong. [Photo/VCG]

Luckily, Li finally scooped out over 20 small jades in two hours and he sold two pieces for 1,200 yuan ($180).

But not everyone was as lucky as Li. Another local woman surnamed Yu said the jades she dug out were too poor to be sold.

Du Maosheng, chairman of the Tengchong Jewelry and Jade Association, told Beijing Youth Daily that the majority of the jadeites buried under the ground were actually waste materials left in processing and it's impossible to expect some big treasure there.

There were even speculators who used the chance to bury jades before digging them out and offering them for sale.

The local government also issued a notice, warning that the "treasure hunt" violates the safety regulations and poses security threats.

Some deliberately hyped up the so-called buried jewelry in the area for their own interests and people should not believe in making great fortune overnight.
Shi Luyao cries when talking about the experiences of going to hospital to receive leukemia treatment on his own. [Photo by Guiyang Evening Daily]

To not miss any class and save cost, an 11-year-old boy overcame the pain of leukemia treatment and traveled for hundreds of kilometers between his home and the hospital in one day for one year, reported Guiyang Evening Daily on Tuesday.

Shi Luyao is from Bengjing village in Liupanshui city, Guizhou province. His mother left him when Shi was two years old because of poverty and never came back. The boy has lived with his grandparents since then. When Shi was in third grade, his father took him to Anhui province where he was working.

In 2013, their life was disrupted. Shi developed high fever and medical check-up showed that he had acute lymphocytic leukemia, a type of leukemia commonly seen in children.

To cure the disease, the boy had to receive long-term chemotherapy. "My son, you must hold on. I will save you by all means," said the boy's father in encouragement.

The medical bill for leukemia treatment was high. As the hospital was not in Shi's home province, only 30 percent of the bill was covered by insurance, Shi's father was forced to borrow 200,000 yuan ($30,000) in close to two years.

In the later stage of the chemotherapy, Shi was cared for by his grandma because his father had to go back to work to earn money to afford the treatment.

Long trip to hospital

In August 2015, Shi was sent back to his hometown in Guizhou province after his condition got better. But he had to have bone marrow biopsy on an irregular basis to monitor the situation.

To ease the financial burden on his family, the boy started going to hospital in Kunming, more than 400 kilometers away from his home, to receive treatment himself. He first went to Liupanshui city by bus where he took a train heading for Kunming.

The first time he went to receive treatment himself, the boy waited for six hours at the railway station to catch the train heading for Kunming at 3 am. "I wanted to cry, but I did not as I did not want other people to know I was all by myself," said Shi.
BEIJING -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday urged people across the Taiwan Straits to safeguard the Diaoyu Islands and the South China Sea as the Chinese nation's ancestral possessions.

Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks when answering a question concerning former Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou's words at a regular press conference.

Ma Ying-jeou said that the Diaoyu Islands and islands in the South China Sea are China's inherent territory, and Japan's territorial claims are acts of theft.

Ma Ying-jeou also noted that peace is the highest value for cross-Straits relations and will bring prosperity.

Ma Xiaoguang said that the mainland hopes to maintain peaceful development of relations across the Straits.

Since 2008, the two sides have followed a path of peaceful development based on the 1992 Consensus. The new Taiwan administration must make a clear response to the common political foundation for the two sides to continue the path, Ma Xiaoguang added.
With the weeklong National Day holiday just around the corner, massive domestic migration will soon begin, causing heavy traffic jams, packed trains and long lines at airports.

Travel records are expected to be broken again this vacation period as increasingly prosperous, holiday-happy Chinese travelers pack tourism sites at home and abroad.

More than 660 million trips will be made by road and water during the upcoming holiday, a slight increase over the same period last year, Xu Chengguang, spokesman of the Ministry of Transport, said Wednesday. Xus agency regulates those methods of travel.

Chinas fast-growing railway network is expected to log 110 million train trips, up by 11.3 percent year-on-year, China Railway Corp estimated on Wednesday. The peak of the railway rush will be Oct 1, when 14.2 million train trips are expected.

Air travel regulators were mum, but expect the skies to be just as busy.

While vacations are wonderful, hundreds of millions of people leaving for vacation at the same time can be stressful.

On Sept 30, evening rush hour will start an average of two and a half hours early in Chinese cities, according to a report by Didi Chuxing, Chinas biggest car-on-demand service. The average time to get to railway stations and airports in major cities will increase by more than 20 percent, the report said.

The worst places for highway travelers to be are highways in Guangzhou and Sichuan provinces and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, which are predicted to have the most crowded roads, according to a report from the Baidu search engine company.

Baidu data predict the most crowded times to travel will be the first and last two days of the holiday.

"Analysis of previous data shows that 8 am on Oct 1 and 4 pm on Oct 7 may be the peaks of the holiday rush by road, said Li Zhitang, head of Baidu Map.

The National Day holiday, from Oct 1 to Oct 7, is one of Chinas two Golden Week holiday periods, the other being Spring Festival, which usually falls in January or February.

While the huge migration in the spring is mainly caused by traditional family reunions, the autumn trips are increasingly motivated by tourism.

"Chinese people were celebrating holidays at home before, but now travel has gradually become a major way to celebrate holidays, said Wang Xiaosong, CEO of Lvmama.com, a major online travel booking service.

He estimated that the number of Chinas tourists during this Golden Week will again reach a record.

For some, however, the vacation period is not so golden for travel.

"I just want to stay at home and take a good rest. We rarely have a chance to enjoy such a long holiday and I dont want to waste it on seeing people mountain, people sea, said Xu Jiayu, a white-collar worker in Beijing, using a popular Chinese expression for crowds.

Netizens also made jokes online about tourists rushing to popular sightseeing spots.

"Instead of seeing the beautiful Great Wall, you can see only heels and heads, one commenter said on Sina Weibo, a Twitter-like social media service.
The China-Belarus Industrial Park, jointly developed by the two countries, is an important project that will contribute to the Belt and Road Initiative, said Kiryl Rudy, Belarusian ambassador to China.

The park has attracted Chinese companies such as Huawei, ZTE, Zoomlion and China Merchants Group, Rudy said via email before Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's visit to China, which starts on Wednesday.

The ambassador called the project the "most promising area of Belarus-China cooperation" and said it "is bound to become the core" of bilateral economic and investment cooperation.
Performers from a Fuzhou opera troupe present the Kunqu Opera The Peony Pavilion by Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) playwright Tang Xianzu. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The 400th anniversary of the death of famous Chinese playwright Tang Xianzu was marked at the three-day Third China Fuzhou Tang Xianzu Art Festival, which ended on Monday in Fuzhou, Jiangxi province, Tang's birthplace.

The events included a grand parade at the opening ceremony, the premiere of the musical Tang Xianzu performed by the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and the opening of the Tang Xianzu Memorial Museum.

The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) playwright from Fuzhou composed more than 2,000 poems and essays, most of which were written during his later years.

He is particularly remembered for his four plays: The Peony Pavilion, The Purple Hairpin, Record of the Southern Bough and Record of Handan. They're collectively known as The Four Dreams of Linchuan.

Besides Tang, the celebrated poet and playwright William Shakespeare, who lived thousands of kilometers away and also died in 1616, was also celebrated during the festival.

The stage production A Midsummer Night's Dreaming Under the Southern Bough by the University of Leedswhich combined Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and Tang's Record of the Southern Bough, as well as forums comprising scholars from China and the United Kingdomhonored the two playwrights' lives and works.
[Photo/Xinhua]

We talk about Chinese food in the West as if it's a single, unified cuisine, but anyone who has visited China knows that's not the case.

There is East China food, West China food, and North and South China food, and that's before we even start talking about the combinations between them and the sub-categories.

Imagine trying to methodically work your way through successive regional variants until you've tasted every dish and cooking style this vast country has to offer. You might start your tour from some central point and swing out in an ever-growing arc, each day anew savoring new foods or culinary variations.

But let's face it. You could no more taste every variation of Chinese cuisine than you could see every gradation of hue in the seven colors of the rainbow's palette from red through orange, yellow, green, blue and indigo to violet.

The culinary expanse boggles the mind.

So how do I fit in here?

There are two kinds of Westerner.

There are the bold, for whom no challenge is too great - like, say, the swashbuckling privateer Sir Francis Drake, who plundered Spain's silver shipments from the New World in the 16th century to serve Queen Elizabeth I of England.

Then there are the lily-livered ones ... why single them out by name? They already have enough burdens in life. As Drake's contemporary William Shakespeare wrote: "A coward dies a thousand times before his death, but the valiant taste of death but once".

I don't mean to compare myself to Drake, but I, too, can easily think of things far worse than the taste of death. The taste of jellyfish, for example.

A sense of courtesy compelled me once to eat jellyfish - a creature that in my country we loathe even stepping on at the beach, let alone putting in our mouths - at a welcoming dinner for a new China Daily editor in Beijing. I expected rigor mortis to set in soon after my jaws clamped down.

The cowards among Westerners will always choose familiar foods, the blander the better. Hence, the success of fast food restaurants. They give Westerners wherever they may find themselves in the world something boring and familiar to eat.

The Chinese, on the other hand, cast caution to the wind when they travel abroad. Recently, eight Chinese tourists in Israel made the news for a meal they ate.

They went to a restaurant famous for its hummus. There must have been a shortage of other delicacies on the menu because, according to The Washington Post, they ordered only some side dishes, lamb for a main course, dessert and vodka.

What do you do if you can't order a lot of different types of food? They ordered a lot of what there was and paid premium prices. Thirty kilos of lamb for the eight of them, and multiple $400 bottles of vodka. At the end of the meal, the bill amounted to $4,400.

Oh well, you only live once. So live it up while you can.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte attends the 115th Police Service Anniversary at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Quezon city, metro Manila, Philippines August 17, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

Following reports that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is likely to visit China in late October, Beijing has welcomed the move. Duterte is known for his bold remarks. But since assuming office, he has pursued a normal diplomatic policy toward China and tried to correct his predecessor Benigno Aquino III's foreign policy of antagonizing China and seeking other countries' intervention in the South China Sea issue.

Duterte hopes to resolve the maritime disputes with China through bilateral talks and has refused to be part of the "joint patrols" with the United States in the sea. He has even talked of expelling US troops from the Philippines.

But if Duterte is trying to change any policy, he has the interests of the Philippines in mind. For the Philippines, China is a neighbor while the US is a non-regional country. Only stable political ties can help Beijing and Manila to build and advance their economic and trade ties.

China is the world's economic locomotive and the Philippines' economic development is inseparable from its enormous market.

With the world economy still struggling, the Philippines needs closer economic and trade links, not conflicts, with China, as well as China's support for its infrastructure construction.

As an astute politician, Duterte knows what his country needs. He understands that the easing of tensions and improvement in relations with Beijing will create more opportunities for the Philippines to benefit from China's development.

Compared with the US, China's policy of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs could also be a reason behind Duterte's stance, especially because Aquino III's policy of allowing Washington to use Manila as a chess piece in its "pivot to Asia" strategy has created a sense of insecurity in the Philippines.

It is thus natural for Duterte to change Manila's policy toward Beijing and put bilateral ties back on track.--China.org.cn
A gavel in a court. [Photo/IC]

Zeng Feiyang, who ran an illegal agency purportedly to "help workers defend their rights" in Panyu, South China's Guangdong province, was sentenced to three years in prison with a four-year probation on Monday. He was found to have received funds from overseas and illegally intervened in labor-capital conflicts. Southern Metropolis Daily commented on Tuesday:

Zeng said he was helping workers defend their rights, but actually he was creating conflicts between workers and employers and trying to disturb the social order.

But how did his agency exist so long? According to local workers, first he deceived them into believing he was helping them defend their rights. But soon he started asking them to raise unrealizable demands. Sometimes he even egged them to take radical measures to realize their demands.

As a result, some workers got some compensation, but the factories where they worked went bankrupt and the majority of them had to seek other jobs or just returned to the countryside. Zeng even asked the workers to oppose law enforcement officials, which is illegal. And workers who acted on his advice suffered the consequences of their actions.

The truth was finally revealed in the court on Monday: Zeng and his agency received funds from overseas and his intention was to create conflicts and taint the country's image.

Zeng has been penalized and his agency closed. The case teaches us some other lessons, too. Workers should defend their rights, but never through illegal means. Zeng admitted his guilt and asked people not to repeat his mistakes.

If workers defend their rights through illegal means, they will hurt the enterprises they work for as well as themselves.

Besides, it is also necessary for trade unions to better help workers. Some of the conflicts between workers and employers start with small disputes, and if unions work to resolve them in the initial stages they can prevent them from becoming major issues. To prevent agencies such as Zeng's from leading workers astray, unions and enterprises should work together.
Tang Jiaxuan, president of China-Japan Friendship Association,meets with Japanese official during the opening ceremony of the two-day 12th Beijing-Tokyo Forum which began in Tokyo on Tuesday.[Photo/IC]

Editor's note: Tang Jiaxuan, president of China-Japan Friendship Association, delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the two-day 12th Beijing-Tokyo Forum which began in Tokyo on Tuesday. Excerpts translated from the Chinese version of the speech follow:

I am greatly pleased to attend the 12th Beijing-Tokyo Forum. And I am very glad to meet old friends here in Tokyo. Under the planning of both countries, the forum has entered its second decade of new development.

The theme of this forum is "Sino-Japanese Cooperation for Asian and Global Peace and Development", a theme that carries profound connotations. As two important countries in Asia and the world, the warming and cooling of Sino-Japanese relations are related to regional and global peace and development. A long-term, healthy and stable Sino-Japanese relationship is in the interest of both countries and their peoples, and meets the expectation of the international community. China and Japan should overcome the existing difficulties as soon as possible and cooperate to pursue a mutually beneficial and win-win future of common development, prosperity and stability in Asia and the world.

The international situation is undergoing profound changes, with deepening globalization, evolving international pattern and order, booming regional cooperation in Asia and continuing advancement of interconnectivity efforts worldwide. The world economy, too, is undergoing changes, and geopolitical crises have broken out frequently, as reflected by the intense economic and social contradictions in some countries, raging turbulences and conflicts in some regions, and uncertainties over how to ensure sustainable development, fight terrorism, secure energy, combat climate change and deal with the refugee crisis. Given these facts, China and Japan should shoulder more responsibilities to maintain world peace and development.

In recent years, Sino-Japanese relations have suffered one setback after another because of certain factors. This has affected an otherwise good bilateral cooperation tradition, as well as hampered the efforts to integrate East Asian economies, and maintain regional peace and stability. China and Japan will benefit from reconciliation and suffer from conflicts. The influence of certain negative developments in Sino-Japanese ties have gone beyond the bilateral scope and perhaps spread to the whole region and the rest of the world. Various circles in both countries should develop better awareness of each other's concerns. Here, I want to share with you some of my opinions on how to develop Sino-Japanese relations based on my years of experience of working in this field.

To develop bilateral ties, China and Japan should abide by the consensuses reached between them to maintain the political foundation of bilateral ties. There are both historical feuds and current conflicts of interests and disputes between China and Japan, and their settlement remains particularly sensitive. So the two countries should try to reach agreements, focus on the fundamental interests of their countries and peoples, and steer the development of bilateral ties in a peaceful and cooperative direction. China and Japan have signed four political documents, which have helped formulate the "rules" for the development of ties. We should deal with each other according to these "rules" to ensure bilateral ties do not derail.
Jiang Jianguo, minister of the State Council Information Office, also delivers a speech at the Beijing-Tokyo forum on Tuesday.[Photo/IC]

Editor's note: Jiang Jianguo, minister of the State Council Information Office, also delivers a speech at the Beijing-Tokyo forum on Tuesday. Excerpts translated from the Chinese version of the speech follow:

The annual Beijing-Tokyo Forum, which is in its 12th year, has become a representative civil dialogue platform between China and Japan. It has helped strengthen friendship between Chinese and Japanese peoples from various walks and develop Sino-Japanese relations.

When President Xi Jinping met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, earlier this month, he explained China's basic stance on improving bilateral ties. He said the two sides should shelve their differences and put bilateral ties on the right track.

Xi emphasized that China's stance is not influenced by external disturbances, and is clear, unswerving and constant. The 12th Beijing-Tokyo Forum is being held in Tokyo against this background and under the theme of "Sino-Japanese Cooperation for Asian and Global Peace and Development". The forum is a platform for sincere and friendly dialogues between media outlets, think tanks and enterprises from the two sides in the quest to seek ways to improve China-Japan relations.

To improve China-Japan ties, I have four suggestions.

To begin with, the two countries must pay attention to direction of the development of bilateral ties. Although the two countries have fought wars, the main theme of bilateral ties remains peace, friendship and cooperation, which also meet people's expectations and conform to the trend of the times.

Good relations between two big countries such as China and Japan, the world's second- and third- largest economies, not only serve the interests of the peoples in the two countries, but also facilitate peace, stability and prosperity in the region and beyond.

Second, we must strengthen our respective sense of responsibility and be aware of the threats crises pose. In the 1970s, the leaders of the two countries made the important political decision of normalizing diplomatic relations, in order to advance mutual interest and open a new chapter in Sino-Japanese ties. We should shoulder that historical responsibility to forge ahead into the future.

In these difficult times, we should learn from the older generation's political wisdom and sense of responsibility, turn a crisis into opportunity, and create conditions for the healthy development of China-Japan relations.

Third, we should highlight the positive facets of bilateral ties while reducing the negative factors. The common interests and concerns of China and Japan overshadow their differences. Hence, the two countries should pursue positive policies, maintain political and diplomatic contacts, properly handle key issues, strengthen exchange and cooperation, create favorable public opinions for each other, deepen win-win cooperation and reduce conflicts and differences.

And fourth, the two sides should also manage their old differences well and prevent new problems from emerging. Some people in Japan seem interested in interfering in the South China Sea issue even though Japan has no stakes in it. We should foil their designs because they want to create new differences between China and Japan.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (R) and Georgia's Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili attend a NATO-Georgia Commission meeting in Tbilisi, Georgia September 7, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former prime minister of Denmark and former secretary-general of NATO, contributed an article in The Wall Street Journal last week saying the United States should play the role of the world's policeman. His one-sided argument is based on the perception that only the US has the material and moral greatness to stop the world from sliding into chaos and to foster peace.

It is highly likely that even in today's world when the waning of US power has turned from a hidden fear into reality, some experts, especially in the West, may share the views of the former NATO chief. But, for others, any support for the world's sole superpower to continue playing the role of the world's policeman would be misleading as well as counterproductive.

Rasmussen may want to examine why the world seems poised to slide into chaos. This is a question truly insightful people even in the West can answer, not to talk about people whose countries have fallen victim to the US' interventionist policy in recent years. From Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq to Libya and Syria, some of the world's worst crises are the results of US actions.

Over the years, amid the fear of losing international leadership, the US has applied its interventionist policy to many parts of the world, imposing its will on others, forcing its values and Western democracy on non-Western countries and even waging wars by ignoring or sidestepping the UN Security Council.

Fifteen years after the US declared a "war on terror", the world faces an even greater threat from terrorists and extremist groups, and no country can claim to be immune from that threat. Washington's critics have attributed the rise of the Islamic State group in the Middle East to the US' meddling in the region, which has left a huge security vacuum and led to social unrests and thus created the soil that breeds terrorism and extremism.

Yet the world's sole superpower has been dragging its feet on fully cooperating with the forces willing to fight the IS group. It has failed to come up with a clear strategy to eliminate the threat posed by the IS and other terrorist groups to global security, inviting criticisms from both home and abroad.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the US' unilateralism has posed a major challenge to the efforts to democratize international relations in recent years. As such, if the international community applauds such a global policeman, it will not be difficult to predict that the world will face more trouble and problems in the future.

The right thing for the rest of the world to do in the present circumstances is to prevent the US from being the world's policeman anymore, not least because it runs counter to the trend of the times of helping establish a fair and just international order.

Disputes and crises should be resolved through bilateral and multilateral platforms based on the norms governing international relations and doctrines enshrined in the UN Charter.

As for the US, the world's largest economy and the most powerful country in terms of military strength, it should start playing the role of a contributor to world peace and stability in a responsible and constructive manner. Equally importantly, it should stop interfering in other countries' internal affairs and exploiting other countries for its own interests.

Whoever wins the US presidential election in November needs to understand that the idea of the US playing the role of the world's policeman is not supported by a majority of countries in these times of win-win cooperation. If the US has any material and moral greatness, it should use it to advance the just cause of win-win cooperation.

The author is deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily Asia Pacific.

jasmine@chinadailyhk.com
The National Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic planner, asked the Ministry of Transport on Monday to reform the standards for toll roads by the end of 2017. This move is to make up the long-term deficits of China's toll road system.

According to the ministry, the nationwide deficit last year was 318.73 billion yuan ($48 billion), 161.62 billion yuan more than that in 2014. The overall debt scale of toll roads in 2015 increased 15.7 percent year-on-year. And the ministry has largely kept people in the dark on how it spends the toll revenues.

Many worry the toll rates will rise in this round of reform, and analysts say it is almost impossible for the authorities to abolish the existing toll policies. In fact, the authorities may change the current 30-year ceiling for toll collection to allow many debt-ridden operators to continue collecting toll even after 30 years, while lowering the toll standards.

A senior official of the ministry had said at a news conference in July that their research shows it is reasonable to replace the 30-year ceiling for road tolls with a simple policy: "Users must pay for the road".

Experts say the ministry should make the expenditure of toll revenues transparent, and local governments should curb their impulse to build toll roads, and divert more money to build roads that are free to use.
People check on plants in an eco-farm in Nantong,Jiangsu on August 7, 2016. [Photo/IC]

On September 13th, 2016, The United States initiated WTO dispute proceedings against China regarding China's domestic support in favor of agricultural producers of, among other crops, wheat, Indica rice, Japonica rice, and corn. The US claimed that China had provided domestic support to the products mentioned above in excess of its WTO accession commitment, and has violated the Agreement on Agriculture.

As the largest exporter of agricultural products, the US, with large production scale and strong competitiveness, produces agricultural commodities mainly for export. By contrast, China is the largest importer of agricultural products, with its agriculture characterized by small scale production and subsistence farming. The average production scale of China per household is only 1/400 of that of the US. Suffice it to say, the US and China are the typical examples of commercial agriculture and subsistence agriculture. By its nature, initiating WTO dispute proceedings against China by the US represents the conflict between interests of large commercial farmers in the US and livelihood of small holder farmers in China. How to comment on this? Has China, the biggest market for US agricultural products, harmed the commercial interests of the US large farm owners by providing subsidies to small farmers? With the impact of excessive import of agricultural commodities being intensified on China, how can livelihood of small farmers be secured?

I. Digging into the impact of US agricultural products exported to China, it is the commercial interests of the US that harm the livelihood of small Chinese farmers.

China, after its WTO accession, has a highly open agricultural market. As a result, the US, with its farm exports swarming into China, has caused sustained harm to small Chinese farmers. Since 2001, the US has exported its agricultural products to China at an increasing speed, from less than 2.8 billion dollars to 28.8 billion dollars at its peak, doubling every four years. The average trade deficit of China to the US in terms of agricultural products has reached 20 billion dollars annually, and China has become the largest export market for US agricultural products.

In recent years, the large amount of agricultural products imported by China has caused increasingly severe impact on Chinese agriculture, from which small farmers suffered a lot. With farmers' income being affected, China is now facing huge pressure in agricultural restructuring. Before 2010, imports such as soybean and cotton from the US impacted China's production by suppressing its growth, by taking the market share of Chinese products, and thus prevented the increase of domestic production that would have occurred following the growth of domestic consumption. From 2001 to 2010, Chinese soybean consumption has increased by nearly 150%, and cotton, 100%. However, the production of soybean has stagnated, whereas cotton has only increased 12%. In the meantime, China has imported 3.1 times more soybean and 15.2 times more cotton from the US than in 2001. After 2011, the impact has turned into real direct suppression. The excessive imports of soybean and cotton have caused a decrease of sown area of 46 million mu (3.07 ha) and 32 million mu (2.13 ha) respectively for these two products, and a decrease of production of 5.6 million tons and 2 million tons respectively. Divided by average production area per household in China, the excessive import of these two products has done harm to the employment and livelihood of 50 million farmers.

The reason why small farmers in China have suffered from commercial exports of the US products is that China's agriculture lacks basic competitiveness due to its small scale. In addition, a highly open market has, to a great extent, limited China's instruments of regulating the market. The US, with its subsidies to agriculture, has strengthened its competitiveness.

China has made significant commitments in WTO accession. With the elimination of non-tariff measures, such as quantitative restrictions and licensing, tariff and tariff quota have become the only two instruments for China to regulate agricultural trade. However, the average tariff rate of China's agricultural products is only 15.2%, which is 1/4 of the world average. In addition, China has ad valorem only tariff, and there is no overhang between the bound and applied tariff. China has also made a commitment of not using SSG to protect domestic production in times of import surges. The weighted average tariff is only 3.6% for major agricultural products that the US exported to China, such as edible oil seeds, cotton, grain, animal products, and dairy products.

China is by far the most open market of agricultural products in the world. From China's accession to WTO to 2015, the import volume of China in terms of agricultural products has increased from 11.8 billion dollars to 116.9 billion dollars, an annual increase of 17.8%, and a deficit of 46.2 billion dollars. China is now the largest importer of agricultural products, and in the front pack of importing products such as soybean, rapeseed, rice, barley, sorghum, cotton, sugar and milk powder. As China's largest source of imports, the US has already made great profits from exporting agricultural products to China. In the meantime, the US has provided large subsidies to agriculture, so as to enhance its competitiveness and export more to China.
The water town of Suzhou and Chongqing's Fengdu Ghost Town are among the hot tourist destinations during public holidays. [Photo provided to China Daily]

An annual mass migration of vacationers is set to reach new heights this year.

Nearly half of China is expected to travel during the upcoming National Day holiday.

The country's tourists are forecast to spend a fortune over the weeklong period, which starts on Oct 1.

Roughly 590 million Chinese will tour during the vacation, up 12 percent over last year, a late September China Tourism Academy report says.

Tourism revenue is projected to grow 13.5 percent to reach 478.2 billion ($71.7 billion). That's 800 yuan per capita.

Domestic and outbound tourism markets have experienced brisk supply and demand, China's biggest online agency, Ctrip, reports.

"Most domestic and outbound routes' prices have stayed steady," Ctrip's publicity director Peng Liang says.

"Some even dropped."

Many routes were booked by over 10,000 tourists, Peng says.

The Yangtze River Delta Area, including Zhejiang's provincial capital, Hangzhou, and Shanghai, are expected to receive record numbers.

A new Disneyland recently opened in Shanghai. Hangzhou recently hosted the G20 Summit.

Traditionally popular destinations, such as Hainan province's Sanya, Sichuan province's Jiuzhaigou Valley and Yunnan province's Lijiang, will continue to embrace waves of tourists.

While figures for outbound travel bookings from China aren't yet available, they're expected to exceed last year's.
The Rideau Canal in Canada in autumn, the best season for the country to lure tourists from around the world. Photos provided to China Daily

Chinese travel to Canada is growing fast and branching out. And new flights and visa centers will likely charm even more visitors. Erik Nilsson and Yang Feiyue report.

A growing number of Chinese are discovering Canada offers much more than moose, maples and mountains.

Chinese travel to the country is surging like Niagara Fallsand seems set to flow faster, further and farther, especially following Premier Li Keqiang's recent state visit to the North American nation.

The two countries released a joint statement on Friday, calling for expanded cooperation in tourism among other areas.

That's following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's first official visit to China last month, when both countries' leaders announced 2018 will be the Year of China-Canada Tourism.

Chinese travel to Canada increased 24 percent in the first six months of this year, making China the third-biggest source country of inbound tourists after the United States and Britain, Canada's ambassador to China, Guy Saint-Jacques, told media earlier. France previously held the No 3 spot.

More than 600,000 Chinese visited in the first three months, up 20 percent over the same period last year, Canada's tourism authority reports.

Over half a million Chinese visitors injected over $1 billion in Canada's economy in 2015, the Canada Immigration Newsletter says. It is estimates spending will rise to $1.5 billion and Chinese visitors will support 10,700 jobs by the end of 2016.
Earlier this month, people posted pictures on social media and said the top of what they described as the "most beautiful" section of the Great Wall had been flattened so that it now looks like pavement and has lost its original character.[Photo by Zhang Shiyao/Asianewsphoto]

Repair work has severely damaged the natural image of the Great Wall in Suizhong county, Liaoning province, despite the work's strengthening effect, officials said.

"The restoration did follow the plan that we approved, and it also achieved its initial purpose to strengthen the wall. However, we can't avoid the severe problem it has brought to the image of the historic structure," Song Xinchao, deputy director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, said on Tuesday in Beijing.

Earlier this month, people posted pictures on social media and said the top of what they described as the "most beautiful" section of the Great Wall had been flattened so that it now looks like pavement and has lost its original character. The repair work to the section of the wall, built more than 600 years ago, was completed two years ago. It has irritated many netizens who question the project's legitimacy.

The administration sent a six-person team to Suizhong to investigate the project.

In announcing the results of the two-day investigation on Thursday, Lu Qiong, head of the team, said 780 meters of the Great Wall had been flattened with a mixture of lime, clay and fine sand.
Xianghai Nature Reserve in Tongyu county of Jilin province is a famed national-level nature reserve and home to red-crowned cranes. The scenery of cranes dancing with the floating clouds is mesmerizing.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Thirty-nine percent of this area is covered with wetland, water, reeds, and virgin forests. The Nature Reserve is the natural habitat for 293 kinds of precious birds, including six breeds of cranes. Both the idyllic prairie and the local Mongol folklore contribute to making this bird-watching place a fascinating scenic spot for nature lovers.
LONDON - A Malaysian airliner was brought down over eastern Ukraine on Thursday, killing all 295 people aboard and sharply raising the stakes in a conflict between Kiev and pro-Moscow rebels in which Russia and the West back opposing sides.

If confirmed as having been downed by missile fire, the attack will be the deadliest incident of a commercial passenger plane being shot down since the 1960s.

Since 1967 more than 700 people have been killed in 19 separate incidents involving live-fire attacks, according to UK-based aviation consultancy Flightglobal Ascend which keeps a detailed database of aircraft accidents.

The most recent attack was in January 1999 when a Lockheed Hercules plane operated by TransAfrik was reportedly shot down near Bailundo in Angola, killing all nine passengers and crew on board.

Following is a list of the five deadliest incidents:

IRAN AIR, 1988

En route from Bandar Abbas to Dubai, Iran Air flight 655 was shot down by a U.S. warship off the coast of Iran, killing all 290 onboard. The U.S. Navy said it had mistaken the Airbus A300 for a hostile Iranian Air Force F-14 fighter jet.

KOREAN AIR, 1983

A Korean Air Boeing 747 was intercepted and forced down by Soviet fighters after straying into Soviet airspace on a flight from Anchorage, Alaska, to Seoul in South Korea. All 289 passengers and crew were killed.

LIBYAN AIRLINES, 1973

After being intercepted and fired upon by the Israeli Air Force, a Libyan Airlines Boeing 727 was destroyed during an attempted forced landing. The flight had strayed into Israeli airspace due to a navigation error and crashed in the Sinai Desert, 150km north east of Cairo, killing 106 of the 113 on board.

AIR GEORGIA, 1993

On its final approach to land, a Tupolev Tu-154 plane operated by Air Georgia was reportedly shot down by a heat-seeking missile in the disputed Georgian territory of Abkhazia.

The aircraft crashed onto the runway and caught fire, killing 108 of the 132 passengers and crew on board. The flight was believed to have been chartered by the Georgian Defence Ministry to transport soldiers to assist in fighting around the Abkhazian capital of Sukhumi.

SUDAN AIRWAYS, 1986

Shortly after taking off from Malakal in South Sudan, a Sudan Airways Fokker F-27 was reportedly shot down by the Sudanese "People's Liberation Army", killing all 65 passengers and crew on board.

More stories of the Malaysia Airlines plane:

Live reporting: Malaysian plane downed in Ukraine

In photos: Malaysia Airlines plane crashes in Ukraine
When President Xi Jinping and US President Barack Obama were about to meet in the California desert resort of Sunnylands in June 2013, the US government had worked hard to paint China as a villain in cyberspace.

The revelation made by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden just days before the shirt-sleeves meeting, however, shocked the world. It showed that whatever other countries had done in cyber-surveillance and spying was really nothing compared to the massive scale of operations by the NSA, often labeled as No Such Agency.

To the rest of the world, Snowden is undoubtedly a whistleblower and a great hero because he revealed the US government secret scheme to spy on people all over the world, including foreign leaders who are US allies.

Such spying, which violates people's privacy and civil rights, often involves willing and unwilling collaboration with several major US tech companies.

In the US, debate about whether Snowden is a hero, patriot or traitor is still a divisive issue, despite that his revelation has resulted in the US government and Congress correcting many mistakes.

For example, the panel appointed by Obama to review NSA surveillance programs made dozens of reform recommendations. A federal appeals court has found NSA's call-tracking program revealed by Snowden illegal. The USA Freedom Act passed by the US Congress ended the bulk collection of phone data by the government.

In the past week, Snowden has again been in the spotlight. The German-American movie, Snowden, directed and written by Oliver Stone and Kieran Fitzgerald, hit US theaters on Sept 16.

Meanwhile, Snowden has pleaded for a pardon from Obama, arguing that his massive leak of NSA surveillance programs was "not only morally right" but also "left citizens better off".

On Sept 14, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Executive Director Anthony Romero called Obama to pardon Snowden by launching the Pardon Snowden campaign that will last untll the end of the Obama administration.

"Thanks to Edward Snowden's act of conscience, we've made historic strides in our fight for surveillance reform and improved cybersecurity," he said.

The ACLU campaign was joined by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and a list of more than 100 legal scholars, former national security officials, business leaders, human rights activists and artists.

Romero believes the Espionage Act, which the US government used to charge Snowden, is a World War I era law that doesn't distinguish between selling secrets to foreign governments and giving them to journalists in the public interest.

Most of the people who believe that Snowden is a traitor and should spend the rest of his life in prison argue, as I heard in the latest C-SPAN Journal on Sept 16, that he broke an oath and put the US national security in danger.

It is true that Snowden broke trust, but it occurred in a situation where he found serious wrongdoing by the US government, which is a much more serious crime that people should care about.

Even former US attorney general Eric Holder said that "we can certainly argue about the way in which Snowden did what he did, but I think that he actually performed a public service by raising the debate that we engaged in and by the changes that we made".

However, the US House Intelligence Committee unanimously signed a letter to Obama on Sept 15 not to pardon Snowden, describing his action as causing huge damage to the US intelligence community.

While Obama has commented that the debate triggered by Snowden "will make us stronger", it does not look likely that he will have the guts to pardon Snowden.

Both Republican and Democratic presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are clearly against a pardon. Trump has repeatedly called for execution of Snowden although he said back in 2013 that he might become a major fan if he could reveal Obama's records.

Clinton has said that Snowden "stole very important information that has unfortunately fallen into a lot of the wrong hands" while some of her fundraisers are calling for pardoning Snowden.

The only 2016 presidential candidate who supported Snowden has not become a party nominee. Bernie Sanders said "the information disclosed by Snowden has allowed Congress and the American people to understand the degree to which the NSA has abused its authority and violated our constitutional rights.

Contact the writer at chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com
Earlier this year, an anonymous tweet titled "Do we still need so-called community leaders?"caused a stir among Chinese Americans. The author claimed that "community leader" is an outdated concept,and we don't need to follow the leader any more.

Supporters believe community leaders used to play an important role in guiding the off-the-boat immigrants to better assimilate to the new environment.

Several decades ago, resources were limited, and many of the immigrants had to start from scratch as laborers to survive.

Now, a majority of the immigrants are well-educated individuals who are more independent and cherish the value of critical thinking. They don't need anyone to tell them to do anything in the name of compatriotism and ethnical bonds.

However, opponents of this claim said that in order to unite overseas Chinese, someone must take the initiative to organize activities, sponsor events and raise awareness so that they maintain access to their Chinese heritage.

Ultimately, they would be more likely to appreciate Chinese culture and civilization and feel proud of their ancestors and roots.

He Konghua is such an initiator and community leader.Like many grassroots Chinese American community leaders,He believes overseas Chinese Americans should help refine the China-US relationship and promote bilateral understanding between peoples of the two world's largest economies on several fronts - China-US cultural exchanges, the Cross-Straits relationship between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, and people-to-people exchanges.

The chairwoman of the Greater China Women's Association, a board member of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and a founding member and vice-president of Chinese for Peaceful Unifi cation-Northern California, He for 20 years has been orchestrating "China Night", a variety show celebrating China's National Day Holiday on Oct 1, in the Bay Area.

This year, she and her team of volunteers spent four months putting together a three-hour program and presented it on Sunday at the Visual and Performing Arts Center at Chabot College in Hayward.

At 7 pm, the lights faded as the curtains opened. The audience waited in silence. When a young girl about 10 years old in a red dress fi nished her last note of a Chinese classic lyric, Ode to the Red Flag, the crowd of 1,500 broke into thunderous applause.

In a turquoise suit, He walked onto the stage to give her heartfelt thanks to the audiences and her supporters.

"It's not an easy job to continuously organize an annual event on this scale for 20 years," He said. "However, I'm prompted by the inner urge, as a Chinese immigrant to the US, that I should take this opportunity and use the Chinese National Day as a topic to help boost the China-US friendship and understanding."

Through the China Night platform, overseas Chinese can actively integrate into American mainstream society, learn to respect local customs and get along with people of other races.

"We actually showcase our capacity to promote the social and economic development of the local communities," she said.

With outreach to other communities,"we not only popularize the Chinese culture,deepen American people's understanding about China, but also help consolidate public support for the China-US relationship",He said.

Luo Linquan, Chinese consul general in San Francisco,applauded the contributions the China Night team has made.

"The China-US relationship is one of the most important bilateral relations in the world,and each and every overseas Chinese should help sustain the strong bilateral momentum," the ambassador said in his speech."May the China-US tree of friendship [be] evergreen!"

Contact the writer at junechang@chinadailyusa.com
The National Museum of African American History and Culture, not far from my office in the National Press Building, opened on Sept 24 after a construction stage of more than four years. Housed in a beautiful structure, the museum tells the American history through the experience of African Americans.

At the opening ceremony, US President Barack Obama, the first African-American president, quoted historian John Hope Franklin as saying that "good history is a good foundation for a better present and future".

"He understood the best history doesn't just sit behind a glass case. It helps us to understand what's outside the case," Obama said.

In fact, the museum, while being built, has witnessed numerous gatherings and protests of African Americans such as against the police shooting of unarmed black men.

Throughout most of the past week, the top news across the nation has been the shooting to death of black man Keith Scott by police officers in Charlotte, North Carolina, last Tuesday. The incident has sparked a new wave of protests in several US cities against police brutality.

The video of the shooting was released while the museum was holding its opening ceremony on the National Mall, attended by several US presidents, past and present.

The Charlotte shooting followed the high-profile cases of the killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Florida by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in late 2012 and the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and Eric Garner in New York City, both in 2014, all caused by police officers.

The unfinished cause of African Americans has been constantly reminded as I covered anniversaries in the past years of March in Washington when Martin Luther King Jr gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

On Saturday, several of us toured the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania, where on one site, US President Abraham Lincoln delivered his well-known Gettysburg Address.

While the Emancipation Proclamation, an executive order issued by Lincoln on Jan 1, 1863, set free more than 3 million enslaved African Americans in the South, the Gettysburg Address on Nov 19 that year marked the beginning of the end of the bloody Civil War, which killed more than 600,000 Americans.

Both the "I Have a Dream" and Gettysburg Address are famous among Chinese. Both have been used in Chinese middle school textbooks. Then-Chinese president Jiang Zemin even recited part of the Gettysburg Address during an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes" anchor Michael Wallace in 2000.

More than a few decades ago, the TV series Roots and movie Uncle Tom's Cabin had been dubbed into Chinese and broadcast in China.

The unfinished cause of African Americans is not limited to their protests against police brutality. African Americans fare poorly in education and income equality, and there is a disproportionately high African- American population in US prisons. Many neighborhoods in the US still look like a place of racial segregation.

For some African Americans, the memory of slavery still hasn't gone away. When I stayed with an African-American host family in Detroit in 1998, the couple showed me the photo of their great grandparents, who were slaves. They still refused to go to churches, calling it a place white men used to control the blacks.

"A museum alone will not alleviate poverty in every inner city, or every rural hamlet. It won't eliminate gun violence from all our neighborhoods, or immediately ensure that justice is always color-blind. It won't wipe away every instance of discrimination in a job interview, or a sentencing hearing, or folks trying to rent an apartment," Obama said on Saturday.

The race issue is likely to be a key topic when Republican and Democratic party candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton debate for the first time on Monday evening.

A Pew Center survey released in June finds that black and white Americans differ widely in views on race relations. While 45 percent of whites said race relations in the US are generally bad, the rate is 61 percent among blacks and 58 percent among Latinos.

At the same time, only 28 percent of whites said Obama has made progress on race relations while 51 percent of blacks and 38 percent of Latinos said he has done so.

About 60 percent of Americans say more changes are needed to achieve racial equality. Only 30 percent say the country has already made enough changes. Meanwhile, 43 percent express doubt that the country will ever make the changes needed for blacks to have equal rights with whites.

The opening of the new museum is a fresh reminder that the African American fight for equality is far from over.

Contact the writer at chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com
Shimon Peres speaks on the crisis in the Middle East as he addresses the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations during a visit to New York in this July 31, 2006 file photo. [Photo/Agencies]

JERUSALEM -- Shimon Peres, Israel's former president and its eldest statesman, passed away in a hospital outside Tel Aviv Wednesday morning, two weeks after he suffered a stroke, a spokesperson for the hospital confirmed to Xinhua.

Peres, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and one of the most central figures in Israeli politics, died at the age of 93.

Peres had been sedated and on respirator since he suffered a stroke on September 13 and hospitalized at the Chaim Sheba Medical Center outside Tel Aviv.

His family was expected to give a statement at 7:00 (0500 GMT).

On Tuesday afternoon, local media reported that the veteran statesman was "fighting for his life" after a critical deterioration in his condition. Family members and close friends were invited by the doctors to say goodbye.
Our international lawyers have over the last few months have been getting way more emails and phone calls than usual from foreign companies (U.S. and European) and people telling us theyve been scammed or seeking our assistance in determining whether they are about to get scammed. By far the most common scam we are seeing (and usually the saddest) is the butchering the pig scam. We are getting 4-7 requests a week for help regarding that scam!

One of the more sophisticated and costly scams we see is what we call the investing in your business to steal your IP scam. We see this scam maybe 4-5 times a year, mostly before they happen and mostly before the company realizes a scam is about to take place.

In this scam, a Chinese company claims to be interested in investing in or buying a foreign company, but is actually interested in that company only so far as it can use it to steal its IP. The Chinese company usually starts out by claiming a strong interest in sending over a lot of money in return for a small ownership interest in your company. Many times, the Chinese company will talk about how its investment is not for short term profits, but to help you do an IPO from which everyone will get rich. Most of the time, the company seeking to pull this scam is a legitimate and good-sized Chinese company, often with strong government connections. With the claim of interest from the Chinese company usually comes something like the following:

Our company will become one of the owners of your U.S. entity. And since we will be co-owners of the technology underlying your product, there is no reason for you to protect the technology from us. There is no reason to enter into any sort of confidentiality agreement (like an NDA or an NNN Agreement). We do not want legal or financial hurdles to get in the way of the IPO that will make us all wealthy.

So the foreign company provides its technical information to the Chinese company it now sees as its partner and benefactor. In return, the Chinese company starts using the foreign companys IP and never funds its alleged investment. And for good measure (and to set itself up for a force majeure defense), the Chinese company will often then blame the Chinese government for its inability to get money out of China to fund the investment.

By using this fake investment technique, the Chinese company has legally or quasi-legally acquired your technology while paying you little or nothing for it, and leaving you with little or nothing you can do. And it is true that foreign investment from Chinese companies must be approved by the Chinese government. So what is there to say?

On the software side, we usually see the the Chinese company offer to invest a large sum in the foreign company and propose to set up a company in China that will eventually be owned by the foreign company that is about to get scammed. It will then arrange for the software technology to be released to the Chinese entity without restriction. Why should the foreign company spend time and money licensing its software to this Chinese company that it will eventually own a large part of in any event? Oh, and this Chinese company will surely be doing an IPO very soon anyway and you will get rich from that too.

In this scheme, there are various delays in getting approval for both the investment in the foreign company and in providing for foreign ownership in the Chinese entity. After two or three years of delay, and after the Chinese company has extracted all of the technology/information it requires, it apologizes for being unable to secure Chinese government approval to invest in your company and for not being able to give you any ownership in the Chinese entity because foreign investment in Chinese domestic companies is pretty much prohibited. See China Stock Option Scam.

The end result is the Chinese company acquired foreign technology virtually free of cost and there is usually nothing the foreign company can do about that.

The best way to prevent this scam is to  if at all possible  not reveal any of your IP unless and until you have been paid enough to warrant your doing so. On top of this, whether paid or not, get a full-fledged and enforceable NNN Agreement in place with the Chinese company before any reveal.
The Gage County Board of Supervisors are continuing to hold out hope that the county will not be responsible for paying a $28.1 million judgment related to the wrongful conviction of six people.

The county recently lost an appeal and was ordered to pay the judgment after being found responsible for the wrongful conviction of six people who were originally convicted of killing Beatrice resident Helen Wilson in 1985.

The Beatrice 6, as they're now commonly referred to, served a combined 77 years in prison for the crime which DNA evidence later proved they didn't commit.

The situation has been further complicated by doubts if insurance would cover some of the expense, or if Gage County is on the hook for the full amount.

An outside legal firm was hired last month to dig into the issue. On Wednesday, attorneys advised the County Board they're hopeful insurance coverage may have been in place.

There are a lot of moving parts, and there are a lot of unanswered questions, said Joel Nelson, of Keating OGara law firm in Lincoln. Questions that we cannot get an answer to by turning to our Nebraska Supreme Court or Court of Appeals. What we do feel comfortable saying at this point is that based on the information weve seen to date, we think the county has a very legitimate basis for pursuing those questions.

Nelson gave the County Board a public report on the issue during its regular meeting Wednesday, before going into a closed session to talk further about the case.

According to Nelson, the focus is on the countys current carrier, the Nebraska Intergovernmental Risk Management Association (NIRMA) and EMC Insurance, its carrier prior to 1997.

Nelson said that in 1997, someone on Gage Countys behalf expressed concern about the change in carriers to NIRMA related to any coverage gaps. He added theres a belief that NIRMA did provide retroactive coverage, but stressed nothing is certain at this point.

We dont at this point feel comfortable speculating on odds of coverage or potential amounts of coverage, if there is coverage, Nelson said. There are a lot of people with a lot at stake and we just dont think it would be wise, especially in this open session, to speculate. And it would be speculation.

He added if the two companies continue to deny coverage, there would be a good-faith basis to file a declaratory judgment lawsuit asking a judge to determine if coverage is in place.

The information presented indicated a chance of good news for Gage County, though it comes at a cost.

When the law firm was hired last month, County Board Chairman Myron Dorn said the contract was at a cost of $190 per hour for an estimated 40 hours of work, totaling around $7,600.

As of Wednesday, the firm had already accumulated more than 100 hours on the case, with more work to come.

I think that really points to the fact about how complex an issue this is, the insurance coverage for this case in question, Dorn said. I think its probably why we havent questioned it before.

Earlier this month, the county lost an appeal for a new trial or reduction in the $28.1 million verdict.

James Dean, Kathleen Gonzalez, Debra Shelden, Ada JoAnn Taylor, Thomas Winslow and Joseph White served a combined 77 years in prison before DNA testing cleared them in 2008.

Wilson's killing has since been linked to Bruce Allen Smith, who grew up in Beatrice, returned to the town days before the slaying and then quickly went back to Oklahoma. He died in 1992.
With vendors and sponsors already registered, the fifth annual Trail of Treasures along Highway 136 is set to begin Friday as open stores, garage and yard sales, and antique flea markets will be lined up along the highway in Gage County and as many as 14 other counties from Auburn to McCook.

The event, organized by Nebraskas Heritage Highway 136, is a three-day event to promote Nebraska towns, businesses and people, according to information from the Heritage Highway 136 website. It encourages small businesses to gain revenue through increased tourism and help the local economies in the participating towns.

While the trail features many local businesses and shops surrounding the highway, anyone who owns property or has items for sale along the way is welcome to register as a vendor set up a sale contingent on a $20 vendor fee. It can be a yard, garage, antique, collectibles or whatever sale, states the Heritage Highway Association.

It has continued to grow each and every year and we get to see different towns participate from year to year, said Judy Coe, president of the Heritage Highway Association. There are nearly 30 towns participating this year. We just need more coordinators in every county because the more organizers you have, the more vendors you have, and the more successful it can be.

Coe said that Beatrice and Tecumseh have the most vendors registered this year. Shoppers should look for blue and white Trail of Treasure signs that designate each market. Shopper guides are available online and at the Gage County Chamber of Commerce.

As each year passes it becomes more and more successful, Coe added.

The Trail of Treasures has been featured along as many as 283 miles of Highway 136, but towns that do not border the road will participate as well.

This is the weekend for fun and traveling from one end of the county to the other, said Lisa Wiegand, Gage County Tourism Special Events Director. When you see blue signs up, that will signal an official Trail of Treasure vendor. There will some in Blue Springs and Wymore so it goes pretty far off 136.

We get a huge amount of support from all over Gage County and there will be places to stop all along the way for the Trail of Treasures.

The event will start on Friday and goes all weekend until Sunday evening.

I think its a fun way to meet new friends especially if you are a collector of antiques, Wiegand added. People traveling the circuit are looking for treasures along the way and will have fun exploring Gage County. Vendors start as early as Thursday and the Trail of Treasures will go from Friday to Sunday, with times depending on the individual vendor. Most will open on Friday morning.
(Photo : Getty Images) Huawei is scheduled to confirm the actual specs of the Mate 9 on Nov. 3.

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The highly-praised Huawei Honor 5X is getting a well-deserved successor, and rumors have suggested that it is scheduled to debut in October.



A couple of weeks ago, a TENAA listing of the supposed Honor 6X was leaked and inadvertently revealed some information about the device.



Lately, rumors have been circulating around the tech community claiming that Huawei is scheduled to host an event on Oct. 18 in China. The exact details of the event were not yet disclosed. Several speculations claimed, though, that the Chinese tech giant is planning to launch the Honor 6X on the said event.



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Not much is known about the Honor 6X, aside from tidbits of information from the TENAA leak.



According to GSM Arena, the Huawei Honor 6X is rumored to have a Snapdragon 625 chipset from Qualcomm. It was also surmised that it will come in two variants depending on its memory configuration. One model has 2GB of memory, while the other one has 3GB, but both models are expected to sport 32GB storage space which is expandable.



It is expected to sport a 5.5-inch display with 1080p resolution and an all-metal chassis with a dual camera configuration as well.



Probably the most interesting spec of the Honor 6X is its dual camera setup, which many believe will boast of impressive figures in terms of resolution. Just below the camera sensors is the fingerprint scanner.



If recent local reports were true, Huawei Honor 6X will already be available few weeks from now and will be slated for an exclusive release in China prior to making its way into the international market.



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TagsHuawei, honor 6x, huawei honor 6x, honor 6x specs, honor 6x news, honor 6x release date, Huawei Rumors
(Photo : GettyImages/JesAznar) Philippines may also offer long-term land leases to these countries.

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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he is working towards open trade alliances with China and Russia. Philippines may also offer long-term land leases to these countries.



The President added that he is "crossing the Rubicon" with the US and that the country is ready to forge relationships with "the other side of the ideological barriers."



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The Southeast Asian country's 16th top leader explained that he is not severing ties with the US, while pointing out that the Philippines is willing to have open relationships with China and Russia in all areas of commerce and trade. However, these associations will not include military alliances.



Duterte said he will soon be visiting China to have a dialogue with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. He then plans to visit Russia and Japan as well. He further stated that Chinese and Russian companies may now lease land in the country for up to 120 years' duration.



Duterte assumed power in June this year. Since then, the country's relationship with the US, its long-term ally, has reportedly been on the downhill.



The US has vocally criticized Philippines' crackdown on narcotics, which has seen more than 3,000 deaths.



US State Department spokesperson Mark Toner said there has been no official communication in this regard, as he stressed that the US believes that the two countries can remain close friends.



It can be noted that the Philippines and US signed a mutual defense treaty in 1951. The US has also maintained large military bases in the Southeast Asian country. However, Duterte has asked the US to withdraw its military advisors. He also said that the country will not conduct any more joint patrols with the US Navy.



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(Photo : Getty Images) Viking cat

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The first comprehensive DNA study about how cats conquered the world discovered these lovable or pesky (take your pick) felines hitched rides on Viking longships and rickety merchant ships to spread around the world.



A team led by evolutionary geneticist Eva-Maria Geigl from the Institut Jacques Monod in Paris presented the first comprehensive study of the spread of felines through history.



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Their new analysis into ancient feline DNA, the first of its kind, shows cats spread around the world in two waves in which cats were either stowaways or pets on Viking longships that traversed Europe, and might even have made it to North America. The role of "Viking cats" on these far-reaching ships: rat control, what else?



The in-depth study found the emergence of agriculture and boat travel helped trigger the domestication and proliferation of house cats. It was presented at the International Symposium on Biomolecular Archaeology at Oxford University and reported by the journal Nature.



Significant data was derived from a 9,500-year-old human burial from Cyprus that also contained the remains of a cat. This suggests some form of relationship between cats and humans this long ago.



Geigl and her colleagues analyzed the mitochondrial DNA of 209 domestic cats found at 30 archeological sites in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The cats lived from the dawn of agriculture through the 18th century.



What researchers found is cats spread in two waves. The first wave occurred when agriculture first appeared in the eastern Mediterranean and Turkey, where wild ancestors of domestic cats lives.



Geigl suggests that stored grain likely attracted rodents. These rodents, in turn, likely attracted wild cats. Early farmers may have seen the advantages of having cats control the rodens, eventually leading to domestic cat breeds.



The second wave happened several thousand years later. The team discovered that cats with a mitochondrial lineage from Egypt began appearing in Bulgaria, Turkey and sub-Saharan Africa between the fourth century BC and the fourth century AD.



The team believes sailors used cats on ships to control rodents, spreading the felines to port cities during trading missions. A cat with the Egyptian mitochondrial DNA was found in a Viking site in North Germany dating between 700 and 1000 AD.



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(Photo : DARPA) Could be what Uber's sky taxi will look like

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Having conquered land transportation, Uber has grand plans of conquering the air with flying cars it'll hire out, of course.



Uber apparently sees the airways as roadways and its plan to take the lead in and later dominate this new service will be to build its own flying car. Enter the VTOL car or vertical take-off and landing car.



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VTOL, a five decades-old technology, is an aircraft that can hover, take off and land vertically. Unlike helicopters, however, VTOLs have multiple rotors and fixed wings. The Harrier Jump Jet operated by the U.S. Marines is an example of a VOTL aircraft.



Uber products head Jeff Holden said Uber is seriously looking at a new form of transportation for its envisioned short-haul flying service in cities.



He said he's been researching VTOLs, "so we can someday offer our customers as many options as possible to move around." He noted "doing it in a three-dimensional way is an obvious thing to look at."



He believes VTOLs flying highways in the sky might see the light of day within a decade, which seems a pipe dream given the current state of technology and laws limiting flying over densely populated areas like cities. Then there will be objections from the insurance industry and homeland security, as well.



Holden seems beholden of the idea because VTOLs can land virtually anywhere: building roofs, vacant lots, community streets and even a backyard if it's big enough.



One of the closest existing technologies to the Uber VTOLs is the experimental "LightningStrike" unmanned VTOL from Virginia-based firm, Aurora Flight Sciences. Last March, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded the company the prime contract for Phase 2 of the DARPA's Vertical Takeoff and Landing Experimental Plane (VTOL X-Plane) program.



This program seeks to provide a 50 percent increase in speed over existing VTOL aircraft. Aurora plans to conduct the first flight tests of a technology demonstrator VTOL in 2018.



LightningStrike is being designed or use by the U.S. military, however. It has 24 ducted fans distributed on both the wings and canards.



The aircraft's electric distributed propulsion system consists of highly integrated, distributed ducted fans enable the design's potentially revolutionary hover efficiency and high-speed forward flight.



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(Photo : Getty Images) Singapores ambassador to China has accused the state-owned Global Times newspaper of fabricating a story related to the South China Sea dispute.

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Singapore's Ambassador to China on Tuesday accused a leading Chinese state-owned newspaper of falsely reporting that Singapore had taken an anti-Chinese stance on the South China Sea dispute at a recent summit. However, the newspaper has stood by its story.



"Contrary to the claim fabricated by the Global Times, the Singapore delegation did not raise the South China Sea or the tribunal ruling at the [Non-Aligned Movement] NAM Summit," wrote Stanley Loh, Singapore's ambassador to Beijing, in a letter to Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin.



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The Singaporean ambassador added that we feel disappointed that "an established newspaper published this irresponsible report replete with fabrications and unfounded allegations with no regard for the facts."



However, The Global Times editor-in-chief has defended the article on the newspaper's official Weibe account, adding he completely stands by the story. Hu said that his sources are "serious and reliable" and the report was thoroughly accurate, so he would not accept ambassador's accusations.



The article in question was published in The Global Times on September 21. It claimed that Singapore raised the Permanent Court of Arbitration's ruling, which dismissed Beijing's historical claim to the disputed maritime territory, at the recent summit.



The influential English newspaper further claimed that Singapore's attempt to embarrass China was undone by an opposition bloc formed by several other countries.



Although Singapore is not a direct party to the South China Sea dispute, experts say that it has strategic and diplomatic interests in the maritime territory. Over the years, the country has sided with China's rival claimants such as Vietnam and the Philippines. Besides, Singapore 's growing proximity with the U.S. is reportedly making China's leadership highly uncomfortable.



Frustrated with Singapore taking sides with rival claimants, a top Chinese diplomat had warned the country to stay away from the South China Sea dispute. The warning was sounded during an Association of SouthEast Asian Nations Summit in August in Inner Mongolia.



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(Photo : Indian government) Arunachal Pradesh showing Anjaw district next to China.

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The Indian Army is denying multiple media reports a large patrol from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) penetrated 45 kilometers into India at Anjaw district in Arunachal Pradesh and set-up a camp before being discovered and almost fired on by Indian Army troopers.



An unidentified Indian Army senior army officer categorically denied these media reports of Chinese troops crossing the Line of Actual Control (LAC). He did, however, admit there was a "face-off" with Chinese troops along the LAC.



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"There are mutually identified disputed areas on the LAC. Fish-tail was one such area where the incident occurred. Both the armies were conducting routine patrols when it happened," he said.



The "fish-tail" he referred to is one of two fish-tail shaped protrusions in the northeast corner of Arunachal Pradesh where Indian and Chinese troops have encountered each other many times in the past. The officer said the face-off which was resolved through dialogue at the local commander level.



"There is no truth about media report of incursion as deep as 45 km and setting up of Chinese Army camps," he said.



Citing high-level intelligence sources, media reports on Sept. 26 said the alleged incursion occurred last Sept. 9 at a place called Hadigrah Pass, which is described as the limit of Indian territory along the LAC.



An Indian Army Long Range Patrol stumbled upon the Chinese troops and their temporary camp at Plum, which is 45 km inside India. Despite blundering into each other, both sides held their fire.



To defuse tensions caused by the intrusion, a flag meeting between the Indian Army and the PLA was held on Sept. 14 at Damai in China some three kilometers from the LAC. The Chinese troops then withdrew.



Other media reports, however, said the Chinese were driven out by a large force of Indian Army soldiers and Indo-Tibetan Border Police.



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(Photo : Getty Images) Australian steel and aluminum companies are demanding that the government revokes a special trade deal with China.

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Australia's federal government is facing increasing pressure to revoke a special trade deal that allows Chinese companies access to the country market. Australia's big steel and aluminum manufacturers like Bluescope, Arrium and Capral are said to be among the companies heaping pressure on the government in light of Chinese steel and aluminum dumping.



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Australian companies are reportedly finding it increasingly difficult to compete with cheap Chinese steel and aluminum imports. A recent study by the McKell Institute, a progressive think tank, revealed that Australia's decision to grant "market economic status" to China has backfired and local companies are being severely damaged by China's incessant steel dumping at below the market price.



Australian Workers Union National Secretary Scott McDine supported McKell Institute's observations in a recent interview on ABC's AM program. "We've got Darling Harbour and the convention centre. There is not one scrap in that whole construction of Australian steel. That is Chinese and Korean steel," he said.



He demanded that Chinese companies must not be allowed to dump products without paying appropriate duties.



Tony Dragicevich, managing director of Capral Aluminium, also complained about Chinese steel dumping while speaking to ABC. He claims that over the past decade, Chinese companies have gobbled up 40 percent of the local market.



"It's made life extremely difficult. We've had to lay off a number of people over the years, we've had to close a factory and our employee numbers have reduced significantly," Dragicevich said.



He revealed that Capral Aluminium has been unable to pay dividends to its shareholders for the past 13 years and this has made it difficult to raise capital to expand their business.



Meanwhile, the Australian government has come voiced support for local manufacturers, saying that it would take the necessary steps to cope with the problem of Chinese steel dumping.



"The Australian Government is committed to a strong anti-dumping regime to ensure our manufacturers and producers can compete against imports on a level playing field," a spokesperson for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.



The spokesperson added that investigations into the products allegedly dumped by Chinese companies are being carried out on a case-by-case basis by Australia's anti-dumping commission.



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(Photo : Getty Images) In this handout image provided by Sydney Tower Eye, the skyline and harbour of Sydney is seen from a viewing platform at the Sydney Tower Eye, on December 16, 2011 in Sydney, Australia.

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Chinese firm Bridge Capital and Australian iProsperity Group made a historic offer to buy the 333 Kent Street office tower in Sydney's Central Business District for A$88,888,888.88.



The investors will develop the property into a residential building and a high-end hotel, capitalizing the view of Darling Harbour. The 24-level high-rise building will be able to accommodate approximately 179 hotel rooms and 69 residential apartments, according to the Daily Mail.



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The location lies in the heart of Sydney's busy Western Corridor, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The new business will benefit from the completion of Barangaroo and the International Convention Center.



Vince Kernahan, one of the agents from Colliers International, the real estate broker handling the sale, said the property attracted nine suitors and all exceeded the expectations of owner Maville Bay Group.



"Interested parties were predominantly residential and hotel developers with two groups looking to "landbank" the building," he said.



In Chinese, the number eight is not only considered the luckiest number but also its pronunciation "ba" sounds like the word for prosperity "fa," according to Stuff.



"This is not the first time that Chinese buyers have chosen to offer a price that includes numbers that are considered lucky," Kernahan told BBC.



"The buyer's offer was very close to several other offers. They just chose these numbers for luck and as it turned out their luck was with them."



Maville Group bought the building for $47.75 million in 2012. The company gained approval to develop the property into a residential tower with serviced apartments; however, the Chinese-backed firm faced difficulty transferring funds after increased capital restrictions in China. As a result, it decided to put it back on the market to cash in on premium returns, according to the Financial Review.



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(Photo : Getty Images) President Duterte is seeking the help of China in the Philippines' ongoing war on drugs.

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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday called on Beijing to take action against Chinese citizens involved in trafficking drugs to Manila as part of his ongoing war on illegal drugs.



Duterte issued the statement after police raided a drug laboratory in Pampanga province where the president said illegal drugs were being manufactured using materials from China.



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Duterte said many Chinese criminals are in cahoots with Philippine drug syndicates in their illegal trade. He claims that the materials being used to manufacture the illegal drugs all came from Beijing.



Chinese drug lords



"So we want them also to control their people and increase the focus on their criminals," he said. "If you consider us your friend, you want to help us, but most of the materials, all of it, and the machines and the boilers, are from China. What does that mean?"



Duterte had earlier pointed to Chinese drug lords as the people behind the illegal drug trade in the Philippines.



Death toll



Since Duterte assumed the presidency three months ago, more than 3,000 people have been killed in his crackdown on illegal drugs.



The United Nations and the international community have criticized Duterte for these extrajudicial killings.



The criticisms angered Duterte and on Thursday, as he hurled insults anew on UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the European Union for interfering in his ongoing war on drugs.



UN



Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay told the UN on Saturday that Duterte had the "unprecedented" mandate of the Filipinos and that the world should not interfere in his campaign to rid Manila of illegal drugs.



In a speech delivered before the United Nations General Assembly, Yasay said Duterte has vowed to rid the country of corruption and other "stagnating practices" which include drug trafficking and drug use.



"Our actions, however, have grabbed both the national headlines and international attention for all the wrong reasons," Yasay said.



He urged the international community to give President Duterte the leeway to tackle domestic issues without outside interference.



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TagsChinese drug lords, Philippine war on drugs, drug traffickers, human rights violations, extrajudicial killings, Philippines, china
(Photo : US Navy) U.S. Navy Admiral Harry Harris, CDRUSPACOM.

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In a message certain to pour steel into the hearts of the United States' Asian allies, Admiral Harry Harris, Commander, United States Pacific Command (CDRUSPACOM), reasserted America's ironclad commitment to its treaty allies in Asia will never waiver.



The United States is bound by treaty to defend Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and Taiwan from any external aggressor.



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The combative admiral, the first Asian-American CDRUSPACOM, said across Asia, "including in the East and South China Seas, the United States will continue to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows and support the right of all nations to do the same."



"From my perspective, we will continue to cooperate where we can and will be ready to confront where we must."



In a recently published article, Adm. Harris said his job is to confront all challenges from a position of strength with credible combat power. He noted that due to America's strategic rebalance to Asia, "everything that's new and cool in the U.S. military arsenal is coming first to the Pacific.



"Advanced aircraft like the Joint Strike Fighter, P-8 Poseidon and the E-2D Hawkeye. More UAVs like the Triton and Stingray; more advanced aerial platforms like the V-22 Ospreys and more new ships like the Gerald Ford class aircraft carriers and littoral combat ships.



There's also the DDG-1000 program, whose lead ship, USS Zumwalt, is scheduled to be commissioned this October and then home-ported in San Diego, he said.



Adm. Harris believes the recent decision on the South China Sea by the Permanent court of Arbitration validates the strategic importance of UNCLOS and argues for U.S. ratification of the convention.



He said United States policy is to fully adhere to the provisions in UNCLOS and its military forces around the world reinforce its standards by operating consistent with the rules in UNCLOS.



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TagsAdmiral Harry Harris, United States Pacific Command, CDRUSPACOM, U.S. Navy, china, USS Zumwalt, unclos
(Photo : Russian Aerospace Forces) Russian Su-34 bombs Syria.

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On the first anniversary of its military involvement in defense of Syria's dictator Bashar al-Assad, Russia pledged to increase the intensity of its indiscriminate aerial bombing that's hitting civilian supporters of rebel groups fighting Assad.



Russian media reports Moscow as declaring much has yet to be done one year after the beginning of Russia's campaign in Syria. That Russian campaign is almost entirely an air campaign whose defining feature is the indiscriminate bombing of civilians in rebel-held cities and towns.



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Russia also admitted it underestimated the time it would take to succor Assad. It originally planned on defeating the motley crew of rebels fighting to topple Assad in a few months. One year on, and victory for Russia and Assad is nowhere in sight.



Russia's ruthless bombing of civilians in the besieged city of Aleppo in support of a huge Syrian Army offensive now ongoing is living up to Moscow's promise to destroy anyone -- including civilians -- perceived to be a threat to Assad.



Reports said Russia admits the pace of developments in Syria aren't fully in line with the initial campaign plans of the Russian Aerospace Forces, allegedly against ISIL, but in reality against U.S.-backed rebel groups fighting Assad.



"When we launched the operation and our Aerospace Forces engaged in anti-terror fight, we expected the operation to last only several months. Today we mark the one-year anniversary (of the campaign) and one can still see no end to it," said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov.



Russia said its aircraft conducted over combat 9,000 sorties from September 2015 to March 2016. It said these air strikes had helped Damascus turn the tide of war and launch offensives in key regions of the country.



Russia claims the airstrikes have significantly reduced or even stopped terrorists' efforts to sell oil from the occupied territories, destroying hundreds of terrorists' oil facilities and thousands of petroleum carriers.



Despite these alleged successes, Russia admits the goals of its military involvement have not been fulfilled while the rebels fighting Assad have not been destroyed.



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TagsRussia, Syria, Bashar al-Assad, Aleppo, Russian Aerospace Forces, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov
(Photo : Getty Images) Chinese tourists take pictures at Wat Chedi Luang on April 17, 2014 in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

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More than 600 million Chinese tourists are expected to travel abroad over the next five years, according to a report by the China National Tourism Administration.



The CNTA report revealed that the number of outbound Chinese tourists have already reached more than 59 million in the first half of this year, thanks to the country's relaxed visa policies and increasing disposable incomes, China.org reported.



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In 2015, China has the biggest number of outbound travelers in the world, with about 120 million Chinese travelers heading overseas, up from 109 million in 2014. CNTA also reported a 19.5 percent year on year increase, that is, about 13 times bigger than that of in 2008.



Meanwhile, Chinese travelers have also logged over 2.2 billion domestic trips and the total revenue has reached 2.25 trillion yuan ($337.31 billion) in the first six months of the year, up by over 12 percent, CCTV News noted.



Reports reveal that Chinese travelers splurged as much as about $74 million per day on holidays in the United States, with their top three favorite go-to destinations include fashion retailers, hotels, and luxury stores.



The United States also saw an influx of Chinese tourists last year, with an 18 percent increase to 2.59 million compared with that of in 2014. In fact, China surpassed Brazil as the fifth biggest source of Chinese tourists heading to the United States.



Meanwhile, with the increasing number of tourists going overseas, China recently launched a program to promote their stories, an effort to improve the image of Chinese travelers, the Jakarta Post reported.



Three leading organizations including the China National Tourism Administration, travel agency Ctrip, and China's first national English newspaper China Daily launched the search for "Good Chinese Tourists" in Beijing on Tuesday.



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(Photo : Getty Images) A gift card rack is seen at the Barnes & Noble store November 21, 2008 in Miami, Florida.

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Chinese authorities arrested six former supermarket workers accused of stealing 40 million yuan ($6 million) through fraudulent topped up gift cards, The Beijing News reported.



The suspects allegedly breached into the computer system and added credit to 6,000 cards. They reportedly used these credits to shop at supermarkets in Beijing, according to the BBC.



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For a year, the suspects managed to get away; however, the suspicion started when one of the cashiers noticed that one of the single-use cards has already been used.



Investigation by the management found that thousands of gift cards have been hacked, and some were even topped up over and over again, the BBC noted. Authorities also found that one of the six suspects used to work at a major supermarket as an IT administrator.



In a post on China's Twitter-like Weibo account, police officials at the city's Fengtai district detailed the scam.



"Apple mobile phones and high-end liquor were their first choices," the post read. It further said that one purchase included 50 boxes of the expensive Maotai liquor with a price tag of 5,000 yuan ($750) per bottle.



Not only that, two of the detained suspects were also able to buy apartments in a luxurious part of Beijing. Police authorities also discovered cutting-edge and expensive electrical appliances "two of every kind" in their abodes.



On the other hand, a student from the University of Hong Kong lost nearly $155,000 via a phone scam.



The student claimed that a man claiming to be a police officer said that she was dragged into a deception case and needed to give her mainland bank account details for investigation purposes.



Officials said this may be the biggest sum stolen from a student. This year alone, scammers have targeted at least 37 students already and stole about $645,000.



Police officials are asking the public to refuse from giving out sensitive information to strangers.



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The collection of tools in the Beatrice High School kitchen grew last week after a donation from the Beatrice Rotary Club.

The high school's Family and Consumer Sciences program was awarded an electric mixer, five commercial panini grills, five infrared thermometers and a set of commercial ingredient bins.

A press release from the Rotary Club for the announcement said the items are especially meant for students in the school's Pro-Start program. Several of those students are considering careers in food trades, as business leaders and as entrepreneurs, the release said.

As part of the grant, the Pro-Start class in turn will prepare a meal for a local organization, Warrens Table, which provides meals on Tuesday evenings in Beatrice to families in need. The meal is scheduled for February 2017 and the grant includes the cost of ingredients. Rotarians plan to serve the meal to the families.

"Rotarians will benefit from providing a caring service to our community; the students will benefit from the experience of preparation and cooking; the community will benefit from receiving a meal expertly prepared and politely served," the release read.

The grant totaled $3,600. Beatrice Rotary Club President Josh Sheffield said the money came from the local chapter and the international Rotary Foundation.

"We as a Rotary organization give money to the international organization each year," Sheffield said. "They keep it for three years and then we get back at least 50 percent to use for local projects."

Sheffield said the chapter awards a grant locally of about the same dollar amount each year.

"This year, we wanted to do something that had a lasting impact," he said. "We're providing them with equipment that kids who are interested in careers in food can benefit from. As the other part of that, this will help them make a meal for Warren's Table."

Rather than handing the high school a check, the club members asked FCS instructor Chelesey Walters what items she could most use, and then made the purchases.

In the high school's Foods and Nutrition 2 class on Tuesday, the mixer was already in action, as students used an attachment on the mixer that thinned out dough to be made into noodles. The class previously had one mixer.

"It's newer quality," said BHS junior Amya Beach. "They sometimes make upgrades and the newer you get, the more advantages you get. It seems smoother than the other one. I haven't used the bowl with it yet, but I would imagine it's faster."

Beach and her classmate Alison Bartholomew said the culinary classes are fun and teach them a lot. They said they "actually learn how to cook."

"I can make a variety of foods at home and show my parents new dishes," Beach said. "I've learned about foods from all over the world."

Walters said she's transformed the Foods and Nutrition 2 into more of a global foods class in that students learn how to make dishes from cultures throughout the world.

BHS students sign up for foods classes as elective credits. Pro-Start students also make a soup each March and serve it along with several community others at the Beatrice Backpack Program's annual Soup Luncheon, which also benefits low-income families.
Children of divorce epidemic have become 'religious nones' 28 September, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , |

WASHINGTON (Christian Examiner)  Children of divorced parents likely grow into adults who have no religion, a new study from the Public Religion Research Institute has found.

According to the Washington Post, researchers studied divorce rates that reached their peak in the 1980s  a time when nearly half of marriages ended in divorce  and compared them with the decline of religious affiliation since 1972. The most precipitous decline of religious affiliation happens to coincide with the coming of age of the children of those divorces in the 1980s.

Nearly one-quarter of Americans (25 percent) now claim no religious affiliation, compared to only 5 percent in 1972. That does not mean 25 percent of Americans don't believe in God, but that a significant portion of them are not institutionally religious  churchgoing or a member of an official denomination.

Everything in a divorce gets divided. Literally everything. Parents' friends get divided. Relatives get divided. Everyone takes sides. ... Even religion takes sides. The church gets divided. Dad leaves Mom's faith, or vice versa. Negotiating those worlds becomes difficult.

In the report from PRRI, 35 percent of children who endured a divorce told researchers that they were now non-religious. Only 23 percent of adults who were raised in nuclear family (with a married father and mother) claimed they were non-religious.

And familial instability didn't just affect commitment to religion. It also means even those who retained some semblance of religion are much less active religiously.

"Roughly three in ten (31%) religious Americans who were brought up by divorced parents say they attend religious services at least once a week, compared to 43% of religious Americans who were raised by married parents," the study said.

Other factors also affect the way millennials see religion, such as being raised in households where parents do not share the same religion, poor perceptions of "organized religion," religious doubts about God and morality, and the level of educational attainment.

Notably, however, a large portion (nearly one-third, or 29 percent) of adults who now say they are irreligious claim they left because of their particular religion's negative teachings about homosexuality. Others claim they left because of clergy sex abuse scandals, political activity on the part of the church or a personal tragedy. Sixty (60) percent of the religiously unaffiliated said a lack of belief in their religion's teachings affected their decision to leave religious life.

"A lot of the narrative around the rise of the nones, or the rise of the non-affiliated, has focused on how there's changing cultural preferences, that people are choosing to move away from religion," Daniel Cox, one of the researchers, told the Washington Post. "I think there's also a structural part of the story that has not gotten as much attention. We wanted to focus on the way millennials were raised, which is different from any previous generation. And part of that is they're more likely to have grown up with parents who are divorced."

Andrew Root, a professor at Luther Seminary, said the study's findings confirm what he has believed and written about for some time.

"Everything in a divorce gets divided. Literally everything. Parents' friends get divided. Relatives get divided. Everyone takes sides," Root told the newspaper. "Even religion takes sides. The church gets divided. Dad leaves Mom's faith, or vice versa. Negotiating those worlds becomes difficult."

The PRRI survey is not the first to look at the correlation of divorce and lack of church attendance. In 2015, Focus on the Family sponsored a Lifeway Research study that claimed 35 percent of parents had at least one child who stopped going to church after a divorce.

PRRI's study was, however, the first that addressed the religious opinions of the children of divorced parents.
In tributes, world leaders call Peres 'man of peace' 28 September, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , |

TEL AVIV (Christian Examiner)  Shimon Peres, a staple of Israeli politics for nearly 70 years, died in Tel Aviv Wednesday.

The former president and prime minister, 93, was recovering from the stroke suffered two weeks before and was said to be improving. However, on Tuesday his condition suddenly worsened.

Born in Poland, Peres was the elder statesman of Israel. He was part of a group of core leaders in the country who helped found the nation in 1948 and he held virtually every position in government, including multiple cabinet posts. He is most well-known, however, for his tenure as prime minister and for his signature to the Oslo Accords with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

In 1994, Peres shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Arafat and former Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin. Rabin was assassinated a year later by a Jewish nationalist opposed to the peace accords.

Alongside all of his work on behalf of the security of Israel, Shimon Peres never stopped striving for peace and believing in peace. His hand was always extended toward historic reconciliation with our neighbors. Even if this reconciliation tarried, he taught us not to give in to despair but to cling to the hope and to continue working

The accords created a temporary lull in conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, but had no lasting effect as Arafat slipped back into his persona as a staunch opponent of Israel, launching several intifadas or "uprisings" afterwards.

At the same time Peres was an advocate for peace, he was also a realist. He was experienced in dealing with hijackers, was a "hawk" when necessary, and was also widely regarded as having secured Israel's nuclear arsenal while minister of defense. Israel still refuses to acknowledge its arsenal or disclose how many warheads it has.

Before his cabinet meeting Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Peres left a "long trail of unique achievements."

"Shimon Peres lived a life rich in deeds, which symbolize the history of a revived Israel  the life of an ancient people that marches, revived, on its land, the power of our people to defend itself, and is building up its homeland with sweat and courage," Netanyahu said.

Ironically, Peres was defense minister while Netanyahu's brother, Yoni, was commander of an elite special operations and hostage rescue unit. Peres dispatched the unit to Entebbe, Uganda, to rescue Israeli hostages there. Yoni Netanyahu was the only soldier killed in the 1976 raid on the Entebbe airport. Still, the current prime minister called the raid "one of the summits of his [Peres's] life."

"Alongside all of his work on behalf of the security of Israel, Shimon Peres never stopped striving for peace and believing in peace. His hand was always extended toward historic reconciliation with our neighbors. Even if this reconciliation tarried, he taught us not to give in to despair but to cling to the hope and to continue working," Netanyahu said.

President Barack Obama said in a statement from the White House that Peres was one of few people in the world who had changed the course of human history and forced those seeking peace to "expand our moral imagination and ... expect more of ourselves."

Obama presented Peres with the U.S. government's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in 2012.

"He was guided by a vision of the human dignity and progress that he knew people of goodwill could advance together. He brought young people from around the world together because he knew they could carry us closer to our ideals of justice and equality," Obama said.

"As Americans, we are in his debt because, having worked with every U.S. president since John F. Kennedy, no one did more over so many years as Shimon Peres to build the alliance between our two countries  an unbreakable alliance that today is closer and stronger than it has ever been," Obama said.

"A light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever. Shimon Peres was a soldier for Israel, for the Jewish people, for justice, for peace, and for the belief that we can be true to our best selves  to the very end of our time on Earth, and in the legacy that we leave to others."

Former President Bill Clinton also issued a statement about Peres, calling him a champion of Israel's security, prosperity and "limitless possibilities from its birth to his last day on earth." The Oslo Accords were signed while Clinton was in office 23 years ago.

"[Peres] was a genius with a big heart who used his gifts to imagine a future of reconciliation not conflict, economic and social empowerment not anger and frustration, and a nation, a region, and a world enhanced by caring and sharing, not torn asunder by the illusions of permanent dominance and perfect truth. His critics called him a dreamer. That he was  a lucid, eloquent dreamer until the very end. Thank goodness. Let those of us who loved him and love his nation keep his dream alive," Clinton said.

Former President George W. Bush said in a short statement that he and his wife, Laura, joined the world in mourning the leader's passing. He said Peres worked as a young man for his country's independence, but "for the rest of his life he led it with a deep and abiding concern for his people and a commitment to freedom and peace."

He said the Bush family will miss Peres's "grace, dignity, and optimism."

Somewhat surprisingly, even Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had kind words for the family of Shimon Peres. Abbas  who succeeded Yasser Arafat  reportedly sent a condolence letter to Peres's family.

Abbas's top diplomatic adviser, Majdi al-Khalidi, said in a statement that Peres was a "man of peace" who had engaged the Palestinians and sought to end violence in the region through prayer and interfaith dialogue.

"His passing is certainly a great loss for humanity and the region," Khalidi told the Jerusalem Post.

Not all sides in the Palestinian camp agreed, however. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said from his office in Gaza that Peres was "the last of the generation of co-founders of the Israeli occupation and, therefore, his death represents the end of an era in the history of occupation and the beginning of a new era of weakness and retreat for the Zionist enemy."

"We assure that the Palestinian people are happy at the departure of this criminal who had been involved in many crimes and in the bloodshed of the Palestinian people," Zuhri said.

The semi-official Iranian news agency FARS also minced no words when speaking of Peres.

"His career was also marked by an incessant push to expand the regime's illegal settlements, which have been mushrooming across the occupied Palestinian territories," the FARS report claimed.

The paper also blamed him for the deaths of 3,700 Palestinians in "two full-scale wars" launched the "Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip."
Israel Radio: Shimon Peres, 93, dies in Tel Aviv 28 September, 2016 by Reuters , |

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Former Israeli president and elder statesman Shimon Peres has died in Tel Aviv, Israel Radio said Wednesday.

Peres, 93, was hospitalised following a stroke two weeks ago and had made some progress before a sudden deterioration in his condition Tuesday.

An official announcement of the death of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former prime minister was expected at around 7 a.m. local time (04:00 GMT). Details of the timing of the funeral were also expected.

Peres was part of almost every major development in Israel since the country's founding in 1948. In a career spanning nearly 70 years, he served in a dozen cabinets and was twice a Labour prime minister.

He shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with the late former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for reaching an interim peace deal in 1993 which never turned into a lasting treaty.

Rabin was assassinated in 1995 by an Israeli ultra-nationalist who opposed the interim accords, and it was Peres who took over as prime minister after Rabin's death.

Peres is widely seen as having gained nuclear capabilities for Israel by procuring the secret Dimona reactor from France while defence ministry director-general in the 1950s. And as defence minister oversaw the 1976 Israeli rescue of hijacked Israelis at Entebbe airport in Uganda. Current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's brother, Yoni, was killed in the raid.

Peres held the largely ceremonial post of president from 2007-2014 and used the pulpit to continue to advocate peace.

Earlier in September, after a series of health scares including a mild heart attack, Peres received an artificial pacemaker.

* Writing by Ori Lewis.
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Icon depicting the First Council of Nicaea.

How well does the average American understand basic Christian doctrine? For that matter, how about the average evangelical?

Perhaps not all that differently. And perhaps it matters how the questions are asked.

Reprising their ground-breaking study from two years ago, LifeWay Research and Ligonier Ministries released an update today on the state of American theology in 2016. Researchers surveyed 3,000 adults to measure their agreement with a set of 47 statements about Christian theologyeverything from the divinity of Christ to the nature of salvation to the importance of regular church attendance.

About two-thirds of Americans said that God accepts the worship of Christians, Jews, and Muslims (64%); around the same number agreed strongly or somewhat that there is one true God (69%), that he is perfect (65%), and that he still answers prayers (66%).

Of the 3,000 respondents, LifeWay identified 586 as evangelicals by belief: those who strongly agreed that the Bible is the highest authority for Christian belief; that personal evangelism is very important; that Jesus death on the cross was the only way to cancel the penalty of sin; and that trusting in Jesus is the only way to eternal salvation.

In the previous study, evangelicals identified themselves. The results revealed that they had a surprising level of confusion surrounding core Christian doctrine, including whether Jesus was fully divine, whether the Holy Spirit was a force or a personal being, and whether salvation depends on God or humans making the first move.

But this years study showed similar results, indicating that not only are those who self-identify as evangelical confused about the basic tenets of their faith, but so are those who fit the National ...
I had the privilege or reading a pre-release version of "God Shines Forth: How the Nature of God Shapes and Drives the Mission of the Church." Here are 20 quotes from the book, which you should pick up.
The publisher of the English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible has reversed its controversial decision to finalize the text after tweaking 29 verses.

We have become convinced that this decision was a mistake, stated Crossway president and CEO Lane Dennis in an announcement released today. We apologize for this and for any concern this has caused for readers of the ESV, and we want to explain what we now believe to be the way forward. Our desire, above all, is to do what is right before the Lord.

Good for the ESV, tweeted Scot McKnight, who had criticized the decision to make the text permanent.

Last month, Crossway announced that after changing 52 words in 29 versesout of more than 775,000 words across more than 31,000 versesthe ESV text would remain unchanged in all future editions.

The publishers intended goal was to stabilize the [ESV], serving its readership by establishing the ESV as a translation that ...

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Melinda Gates is known for her work as the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and she is passionate about making the world a better place through intentional philanthropic investment. So far, its paying off. In the last 25 years, thanks in part to the work of the foundation, extreme poverty and childhood deaths have been cut in half. Maternal deaths have been nearly cut in half. Although theres work yet to be done, Gates is convinced that if we deliver to developing countries the simple tools we take for granted in the West, we can see those numbers halve again at a much faster rate.

There is a passage in Luke, that you do not put a light under a bushel basket, said Gates in her CT interview last year. You put it up for everybody to see. We at the foundation are trying to shine light on the world, on the worlds problems and inequities, so that other people will feel this calling too.

Driven by her Christian faith, Gates is using her influence to speak out for people who often dont have a voice, especially women. During the recent Willow Creek Leadership Summit, I sat down with Gates to talk about her work with the foundation, both globally and domestically, and why she thinks women are such a good investment.

Why does the foundation primarily focus on women? What makes women a good investment?

We know that for every marginal dollar a woman gets in her hands, shes twice as likely [as a man] to pile it back into her family. So if she gets more income that actually stays in her hands, she spends it on the family. Men tend to spend it on other things. When a woman is empowered, she transforms everything around her because she is often the center of the family. So how do we break down some of the barriers ...

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'The Defense Never Rests' - Southern Evangelical Seminary's 23rd Annual National Conference on Christian Apologetics Set for Oct. 13-15 Contact: Jen Retallick, 610-584-1096, ext 100



CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 28, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- In less than six weeks, the faithful will have a chance to discuss some of the same issues that have made headlines for months. Along with hundreds of others, they will gather in Charlotte, N.C., for the 23rd annual National Conference on Christian Apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary (SES, www.ses.edu).



Hosted by Calvary Church, 5801 Pineville-Matthews Road in Charlotte, one of the most premier apologetics events in the nation is set for Oct. 13-15.



SES has an impressive lineup of nationally known speakers who will tackle the many tough topics that have been debated both in society and on the campaign trail. A women's pre-conference is also set for Oct. 13.



"Southern Evangelical Seminary's National Conference on Christian Apologetics is always a time to focus on the issues that are affecting every American, especially the faithful," said SES President and Evangelical leader Dr. Richard Land, who will also serve as a speaker. "But perhaps this year more than any other, our nation has become a platform for debate, with polarizing sides evident on a multitude of issues."



The theme of the conference, "The Defense Never Rests," focuses on the charge to Christians to defend their beliefs rationally, intelligently and lovingly. Speakers include: Dr. Norman Geisler: Author, professor, speaker, lecturer, philosopher, apologist, evangelist, theologian and co-founder of SES.



Richard Howe: Debater and speaker who has taught courses in philosophy at several universities.



Josh McDowell: Since 1961, has spoken to more than 10 million students through 24,000 talks in 118 countries.



Sean McDowell: Assistant professor in Christian apologetics at Biola University, author and speaker at schools, churches and conferences.



Dr. Hugh Ross: Founder and president of Reasons to Believe, which researches and communicates how the Bible harmonizes with nature.



Jay Sekulow: Chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, Supreme Court advocate, religious liberty expert and author of "Rise of ISIS."



Lee Strobel: Atheist-turned-apologist, professor of Christian thought at Houston Baptist University and author of "The Case for Christ."



Dr. Frank Turek: Dynamic speaker, award-winning author and leader of CrossExamined.org.



J. Warner Wallace: Cold-case homicide detective, professor and author of the popular book, "Cold-Case Christianity." SES is a leader in apologetics educationteaching students to defend their faith and talk intelligently, passionately and rationally about what they believe and why they believe it. For more info, visit www.ses.edu.

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New Marian App Transforms Your Phone into a Spiritual Refuge



DENVER, Sept. 28, 2016 /



Mary Pray For Us also offers audio versions of the daily reflections, daily reminders during the Retreat period, and YouTube videos.



Mary Pray for Us was one of only a handful of Catholic apps featured on the August 15 podcast of Radio Maria's Carmelite Spirituality Conversations. It was also called "incredibly edifying" and "tremendous for helping people to pray" by Catholic Apptitude, the foremost online source for reviews and recommendations of Catholic mobile apps.



Inspirations for the app include St. Alphonsus' writings on the practice of prayer; numerous Redemptorists' missions to Our Mother of Perpetual Help; the preachings of Bro. Dan Korn, C.Ss.R.; and the writings of Fr. Dennis Billy, C.Ss.R.



Bro. Korn noted that the app shows users "how Mary is our friend, how Mary is our companion on the journey to Christ, and how Mary teaches us to pray."



The app is available for both Androids and Apple devices. It is an important addition to the prayer lives of those wishing to deepen their devotion to Mary.



Online links where Mary Pray for Us can be downloaded:

Bit.ly/OMPHandroid

Bit.ly/OMPHiphone



The Redemptorists are a religious congregation of Catholic priests and brothers founded in 1732 by St. Alphonsus Liguori in Naples, Italy. Approximately 5,000 Redemptorists are currently working for the poor and most abandoned in nearly every part of the world. More than 400 Redemptorist priests, brothers and students are members of the Denver Province, and serve throughout the United States, as well as in Brazil and Nigeria.

Share Tweet Contact: Brad Bishop, 303-565-5434DENVER, Sept. 28, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- The RedemptoristsDenver Province has launched a new mobile app to Mary in celebration of the 150th Jubilee of the Icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. The app, "Mary Pray For Us," was created to help people move close to Jesus by making Mary their daily companion. It is an easy-to-use, 7 day Retreat that features the Redemptorists' signature approach to affective prayer from the heart. It features brief instructions, reflections, prayers, and beautiful artwork of Our Mother of Perpetual Help.Mary Pray For Us also offers audio versions of the daily reflections, daily reminders during the Retreat period, and YouTube videos.Mary Pray for Us was one of only a handful of Catholic apps featured on the August 15 podcast of Radio Maria's Carmelite Spirituality Conversations. It was also called "incredibly edifying" and "tremendous for helping people to pray" by Catholic Apptitude, the foremost online source for reviews and recommendations of Catholic mobile apps.Inspirations for the app include St. Alphonsus' writings on the practice of prayer; numerous Redemptorists' missions to Our Mother of Perpetual Help; the preachings of Bro. Dan Korn, C.Ss.R.; and the writings of Fr. Dennis Billy, C.Ss.R.Bro. Korn noted that the app shows users "how Mary is our friend, how Mary is our companion on the journey to Christ, and how Mary teaches us to pray."The app is available for both Androids and Apple devices. It is an important addition to the prayer lives of those wishing to deepen their devotion to Mary.Online links where Mary Pray for Us can be downloaded:The Redemptorists are a religious congregation of Catholic priests and brothers founded in 1732 by St. Alphonsus Liguori in Naples, Italy. Approximately 5,000 Redemptorists are currently working for the poor and most abandoned in nearly every part of the world. More than 400 Redemptorist priests, brothers and students are members of the Denver Province, and serve throughout the United States, as well as in Brazil and Nigeria.
CA Attorney General Helps Planned Parenthood Hide Body Parts Trafficking



SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 28, 2016 /



In



AB 1671 imposes draconian civil and criminal penalties on the publication of certain conversations with a "health care provider," which is broadly defined and includes employees or volunteers affiliated with Planned Parenthood. Publication can be in the form of print media, emails, blog posts, text messages, Facebook, and other social media. Each individual publication is subject to a $2500 fine and up to one year in jail. Planned Parenthood attorney Beth Parker, who is currently representing Planned Parenthood in its RICO lawsuit against Daleiden and CMP, sent an initial draft of the legislation to Habig before it was introduced in the legislature.



Planned Parenthood affiliates have donated tens of thousands of dollars to Kamala Harris' campaigns, including her current Senate campaign. Harris is investigating Daleiden's Center for Medical Progress and ordered a raid on Daleiden's apartment earlier this year, but has not yet looked into Planned Parenthood's trafficking in fetal tissue.



"Instead of investigating the abortion industry's trade in fetal body parts, California Attorney General Kamala Harris is using valuable taxpayer resources to protect Planned Parenthood's financial interests by criminalizing whistleblower videos," stated Alexandra Snyder, Executive Director of the Life Legal Defense Foundation. "The bill she craftedAB 1671is a flagrant violation of First Amendment free speech rights, yet Harris is willing to ignore the Constitution in order to provide a safe harbor for Planned Parenthood's illegal activities."



AB 1671 is opposed by free speech organizations including the ACLU. It was passed by the legislature on September 2 and is awaiting Governor Brown's signature. Life Legal urges the Governor to veto the bill.



About Life Legal Defense Foundation

Life Legal Defense Foundation was established in 1989, and is a nonprofit organization composed of attorneys and other concerned citizens committed to giving helpless and innocent human beings of any age, and their advocates, a trained and committed voice in the courtrooms of our nation. For more information about the Life Legal Defense Foundation, visit

Share Tweet Contact: Alexandra Snyder, Life Legal Defense Foundation , 202-717-7371SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 28, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- Life Legal has obtained e-mails released pursuant to a Public Records Act request showing a disturbing level of cooperation between Attorney General Kamala Harris's office and Planned Parenthood's California lobbying arm. The communications disclose Planned Parenthood's role in drafting legislation specifically designed to criminalize the investigative work of David Daleiden and the Center for Medical Progress exposing the abortion giant's role in fetal tissue trafficking.In the emails , Harris's Special Counsel for Legislation Robert Sumner reached out to Planned Parenthood, offering to be "helpful where I can" with any of the abortion cartel's legislative priorities. Sumner then brought in Special Counsel to the Attorney General Jill Habig for a follow up call regarding California's AB 1671, which was described in the emails as "Planned Parenthood's number one priority" in California. Habig currently works as Deputy Campaign Manager for Kamala Harris' run for the U.S. Senate.AB 1671 imposes draconian civil and criminal penalties on the publication of certain conversations with a "health care provider," which is broadly defined and includes employees or volunteers affiliated with Planned Parenthood. Publication can be in the form of print media, emails, blog posts, text messages, Facebook, and other social media. Each individual publication is subject to a $2500 fine and up to one year in jail. Planned Parenthood attorney Beth Parker, who is currently representing Planned Parenthood in its RICO lawsuit against Daleiden and CMP, sent an initial draft of the legislation to Habig before it was introduced in the legislature.Planned Parenthood affiliates have donated tens of thousands of dollars to Kamala Harris' campaigns, including her current Senate campaign. Harris is investigating Daleiden's Center for Medical Progress and ordered a raid on Daleiden's apartment earlier this year, but has not yet looked into Planned Parenthood's trafficking in fetal tissue."Instead of investigating the abortion industry's trade in fetal body parts, California Attorney General Kamala Harris is using valuable taxpayer resources to protect Planned Parenthood's financial interests by criminalizing whistleblower videos," stated Alexandra Snyder, Executive Director of the Life Legal Defense Foundation. "The bill she craftedAB 1671is a flagrant violation of First Amendment free speech rights, yet Harris is willing to ignore the Constitution in order to provide a safe harbor for Planned Parenthood's illegal activities."AB 1671 is opposed by free speech organizations including the ACLU. It was passed by the legislature on September 2 and is awaiting Governor Brown's signature. Life Legal urges the Governor to veto the bill.About Life Legal Defense FoundationLife Legal Defense Foundation was established in 1989, and is a nonprofit organization composed of attorneys and other concerned citizens committed to giving helpless and innocent human beings of any age, and their advocates, a trained and committed voice in the courtrooms of our nation. For more information about the Life Legal Defense Foundation, visit www.lldf.org
home US Satanic Temple's 'After School Satan Club' should be permitted to avoid litigation costs, says lawyer advising school

The attorney for the Mount Vernon School District advised the school board to allow the Satanic Temple's After School Satan Club to be formed at the Centennial Elementary School.

"I think that if the school district denied that application, you would face costly litigation that would be distracting from your mission," said Duncan Fobes, the lawyer hired by the district to assess the school's legal standing to deny the formation of the club.

Fobes pointed out that the district has a policy that encouraged community groups to use the district's facilities.

"Because you do that, you must open it to this group," Fobes said. "You don't have to sponsor the group, you don't have to help the group," he added.

Mount Vernon is only one of nine other districts that was handpicked by the Satanic Temple to host an After School Satan Club. The Good News Bible Club, run by Child Evangelism Fellowship, is also hosted at the district.

The club's official website explained that the program aimed to challenge the operations of the Good News Club in schools. It asserted that it would be illegal for schools to discriminate against the organization if a school already allowed a Christian or any other religious club to operate.

"We didn't invite them to the school, they put our name on a website," Centennial principal Erwin Stroosma said. "We feel like we're pawns in a game a someone else is manipulating us," he added.

Parents at the meeting voiced their concern about the formation of the club at the district. Mike Cheek, whose grandchildren attended school there, feared that the club would become "infectious and widespread."

On the other hand, Melissa McPhaden did not share the apprehensions of the other parents. She believed that the temple is only starting the club because it is trying to generate a reaction.

"I'm not afraid of what this church can do, because I have a relationship with my children," she said.

Fobes stated that although the district has a right to review the club's curriculum, it cannot ban the club unless the curriculum included pornography, hate speech or an incitement to commit violence.

The lawyer added that banning all other after school clubs to keep the After School Satan Club out is not a valid option for the district because it will likely invite more lawsuits.
home US Taliban leaders criticize Donald Trump after watching U.S. presidential debate

Taliban leaders followed the U.S. presidential debate closely but heard nothing on Afghanistan, a spokesman said on Wednesday, adding that they were not impressed by Republican candidate Donald Trump, whom they considered "non-serious".

The leaders watched Monday's televised debate from a secret location in Afghanistan, but neither Trump nor Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton talked about their intentions for the country, the spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said by telephone.

"The main thing that we would like the next U.S. president to do is to learn from the mistakes of their predecessors," he said.

"Why are they hated worldwide? It's because of their aggressive polices. They invade other people's countries and kill innocent human beings for their vested interests."

The election winner will have to decide future policy for what has been America's longest war, started after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 triggered a U.S.-led campaign that toppled the Taliban government in Kabul.

President Barack Obama this year shelved plans to halve the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan and instead has kept 8,400 troops there until the end of his presidency, leaving further decisions to his successor.

Zabihullah also had harsh words for Trump, a political newcomer who has attacked what he calls the failed policies of the Washington political classes.

Taliban leaders considered Trump a "non-serious" candidate who said "anything that comes to his tongue," the spokesman said.

Both Obama, in whose administration Clinton served as Secretary of State, and former President George W. Bush had wasted 15 years and billions of dollars without being able to defeat the Taliban, he added.

"There is a choice for the upcoming president, whether he or she would like to suffer human and financial losses to continue their invasion of Afghanistan or they want to let the people of Afghanistan decide their affairs," Zabihullah said.

"If the new president doesn't change policy, the Taliban will continue their armed struggle until they are expelled from Afghanistan."
home US Donald Trump releases second list of potential Supreme Court justice picks

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has released a new set of potential judges that would be appointed to the Supreme Court if he would be elected.

Last May, the candidate initially listed 11 names in the first batch of possible Supreme Court justices. Trump added 10 more names, one of which could be a potential replacement for Justice Antonin Scalia who passed away in February.

The names on the second list include Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, Georgia Supreme Court Justice Keith Blackwell, Florida Supreme Court Justice Charles Canady, Kentucky District Court Judge Amul Thapar, U.S. Court of Appeals Chief Judge Timothy Tymkovich and Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Young.

Trump reiterated that he would appoint a justice like Scalia who would protect the nation's liberty and uphold the Constitution. He expressed his gratitude to The Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society for helping him choose the people in the list.

Lee, a senator who was shortlisted by Trump, has been critical of Trump's candidacy and has refused to endorse him.

"Sen. Lee already has the job he wants which is why he is campaigning to represent the great people of Utah again this year," Lee's spokesperson Conn Carroll said in a statement. "This does not change Sen. Lee's mind about Trump in any way whatsoever," Carroll added.

One person on the list that caught the attention of pro-lifers is Canady. According to Bay News 9, Canady has consistently favored restrictions on abortion laws.

"He is a strong pro-life leader and would make a great justice," said Pam Olsen, a pro-life activist who emphasized that she did not initially support Trump.

She stated that the Canady's inclusion in the list was influential in her decision to support the candidate.

"You never know what moves a person to suddenly decide, you know, 'I'm going to cast my vote this way'," Olsen said. "The reality is, I hope the voters in Florida look at the issue of life and look at, yes, we do have a Florida Supreme Court justice that could end up on the U.S. Supreme Court," she added.
1,000 Coptic Christians Rescued From Persecution, Hungary Claims

One thousand Coptic Christians have been covertly relocated from Egypt to Hungary to flee increasing levels of persecution, according to government officials.

But human rights groups, the Hungarian media and even a few Coptic leaders within Hungary apparently have not found any evidence of the new arrivals, casting doubt on the truth of the claims. The eastern European country has closed its borders and denied entry to hundreds of thousands mainly Muslim migrants and refugees from the Middle East, saying "we do not want a large number of Muslim people in our country".

Zoltan Kovacs, a government spokesman, insisted "about 1,000" Coptic Christians had been welcomed into Hungary from Egypt "even if not in a totally open manner".

But Marta Pardavi, co-chair of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, said the claim was "very mysterious". She told the Irish Times "nobody" had seen the newcomers.

"If this was a compassionate act it was very hush-hush. One-thousand Coptic Christians going by completely unnoticed by the Hungarian leader of the Coptic community  I find it very interesting."

On Sunday the Hungarian people will vote in a referendum over the forced relocation scheme proposed by European Union leaders. They are expected to vote with their government and reject the deal.

Officials have established a special government office to help Christians who face persecution, insisting it would only accept Christians migrants and not Muslims. The office will look to help Christians in the Middle East and also monitor alleged Christian discrimination in Europe.

"We believe this is a kind of moral mission that we have," Kovacs told the Irish Times. "It also goes with our sense of the importance of traditions, including the preservation of religious minorities and preserving Europe's identity."

He went on: "We believe the European Union should be paying more attention to Christian groups in danger.

"But also, as in the non-Christian case, the real way is to bring help to the spot rather than to bring the trouble to the European Union.

"It is about finding ways and means of trying to keep minorities in the places they belong, to provide help, follow their fate and provide security if needed... to keep communities in place."
Aleppo Bombers Will Be Accountable To God, Warns Pope

Those responsible for bombing Aleppo to death and destruction will be "accountable to God" for their actions, the Pope said today.

Pope Francis, speaking at his General Audience today in St Peter's Square at the Vatican, departed from his prepared notes to denounce the air strikes.

He appealed once again for peace in Aleppo, where 18 people were killed yesterday and 88 injured as the relentless bombing put two more hospitals out of action.

Syria said this morning there will be more air strikes in Aleppo and nearby areas as government forces seek to rid the city of rebel fighters.

Pope Francis said: "Dramatic news continues to reach me concerning the fate of the people of Aleppo, with whom, through prayer and spiritual closeness, I feel united in suffering."

He added: "In expressing my deep sorrow and lively concern for what is happening in that already battered city, where children, the elderly, the sick, young and old, all are dying, I renew my appeal to everyone to commit themselves with all their strength to the protection of civilians as an imperative and urgent obligation."

He warned that those responsible will be "accountable to God" for their actions.

In his prepared teaching, the Pope spoke about forgiveness.

He quoted Jesus on the Cross: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

Pope Francis said: "It is precisely by remaining on the Cross that Jesus offers salvation to every person regardless of their situation."
Archaeologists In Israel Find Evidence That Proves Literal Truth Of Bible

Archaeologists have proved that passages of the Bible about the triumph of Judaism over the pagan Ba'al worship are literally true.

Referring to the fight against paganism in the biblical city of Lachish, 2 Kings 10 says: "Then they demolished the pillar of Ba'al, and destroyed the temple of Ba'al, and made it a latrine to this day."

Excavations in Israel have for the first time discovered an actual physical toilet of the kind referred to in this passage.

The stone latrine was deliberately inserted into a Ba'al shrine to render it unclean, and therefore unusable as a shrine any more.

This and other artifacts that back Biblical accounts in Kings were found in archaeological excavations in Tel Lachish National Park.

Archaeologist were investigating the gate-shrine from the First Temple period, dating from the eighth century BC.

According to the Bible, city gates were where "everything took place".

Elders, judges, governors, kings and officials would sit on benches at the city gate to rule the city and keep an eye on comings and goings.

These very benches were found in the excavation at Tel Lachish, once the second most important city in the Holy Land after Jerusalem.

Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) investigated the southern three chambers of the gate. The northern chambers had been excavated decades earlier by a British expedition.

One of the three southern chambers turned out to be a shrine to the pagan deity Ba'al.

Sa'ar Ganor, excavation director for the IAA, told Christian Today: "What is so important about the gate is that it is the place where everything took place  administrative and cultic activities."

The discoveries at the gate matched perfectly with an account of activites at the gate described in Kings during the reign of King Hezekiah.

"It means we have the evidence. The Bible and the archaeology are matching," Ganor said.

The archaeologists found the remains of the stone altar to Ba'al, and the holes left in the altar when the horns of the deity were removed and the altar smashed  exactly as described in the Bible.

Ze'ev Elkin, minister of Jerusalem and Heritage, said: "The fascinating new discovery at Tel Lachish is a typical example whereby excavations and further research of heritage sites show us time and time again how Biblical tales that are known to us become historical and archaeological stories."

He said the discovery is physical evidence of events that took place during the 29-year reign of King Hezekiah: "He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles..." (II Kings 18:4).

Elkin added: "Before our very eyes these new finds become the biblical verses themselves and speak in their voice."

He said it was an "enthralling experience of ancient stones that speak to us of the Bible in their own unique voice."

Miri Regev of Israel's culture ministry said: "The uncovering of these finds joins a long list of discoveries that enlighten us about our historic past, a past that is manifested in our country's soil and in the writings of the Book of Books.

"The Bible  the founding book of the Jewish people, draws the country's boundaries and the heritage of the Jewish people that was exiled from its country and returned to its homeland. It boldly commemorates the way of our forefathers, the prophets, the kings, and the judges, and the Israel Antiquities Authority deserves praise for this important discovery, a discovery that deepens our connection to our ancestors who walked this land."

After the toilet was placed in the shrine, it was sealed and finally the gate was destroyed by Sennacherib, king of Assyria, in 701 BCE as described in II Kings 18 and II Chronicles 32.
Archbishop Of Canterbury: Children Must Be Taught To Understand The Jihadist Mind

Children in the West need to understand what drives Islamist jiahdists to extreme acts of terror and murder, the Archbishop of Canterbury has said.

Justin Welby said: "It's very difficult to understand the things that impel people to some of the dreadful actions that we have seen over the last few years unless you have some sense of religious literacy.

"You may reject and condemn it  that's fine  but you still need to understand what they're talking about."

The Archbishop was addressing the head teachers of Anglican secondary schools at Coventry Cathedral.

He referred to the "religiously-motivated violence" of Islamic State.

Welby said that for the first time in centuries, religion was generating an "uncontrollable and destructive" influence around the world.

This has put the issue of conflict and religion at the top of the political agenda.

He told his audience: "No one before you in the last ten years as secondary heads has had to face the kinds of issues with religiously-motivated violence since the 17th century to this extent."

"Religious literacy has become essential to understanding people's motivation and ideas," he added. "That's a new experience for all of us, and for our politicians, and for our education system."

He said a recent study on Islamist terrorism, Inside the Jihadi Mind, published by the Tony Blair Faith Foundation and co-authored by Welby's son Peter Welby, made clear the driving force behind it.

Welby said this driving force was "an apocalyptic understanding of human history"

In strict terms, Islamic State believes that the world is about to end, that the Prophet will return with Jesus and that the Western powers will be defeated.

Threatening to kill such people obviously confirms their analysis of the world around them.

"But what do you do when they are exceptionally and extraordinarily violent, as they are?"

The narrative around religion has to be moved from a "prevent" narrative to a "vision" narrative, Welby said.

"We have to offer an alternative vision that is more convincing. That is more profound. That is more satisfying to the human spirit. And where to do we find a better vision than in the gospel of Jesus Christ, in the good news of Christ? And that's where you come in."

The Church of England educates a million children every day, he said.

The Archbishop last spoke on education in June, the day before the vote to leave the European Union. Brexit will affect every aspect of life including education, he said.

He warned against the danger of turning inward post-Brexit.

"Many of the countries around the world in which the Anglican Communion operates, where I go and hear and listen and work, there's this sense of turning inward, turning away from globalisation with its strengths and its weaknesses."
As Peres Dies, What Hopes For Peace In The Middle East?

There are many reasons to mourn Shimon Peres, who died today aged 93.

He was the last 'old guard' politician who formed a link with Israel's foundation in 1948. A protege of David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister, Peres was a 'hawk' who became a 'dove' and spent most of his life working for a peaceful solution with the Palestinians.

Yes, he sharpened the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) and secretly amassed nuclear weapons during the 1960s. But, having softened, from 1977 he went on to lead the progressive Labour party for 15 years, and in 1994 shared the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the Oslo accords the previous year, the closest Israel and Palestine have ever come to a lasting peace.

A giant of Israeli politics, though he never won an election outright, he served three times as prime minister, and as president from 2007 until 2014.

Pope Francis and Barack Obama are expected to attend Peres' funeral on Friday, and Obama has paid tribute to a man with whom all sides, including the Palestians, could work.

His death serves as a symbolic reminder of the elusive nature of a peaceful answer to what is probably the world's most intractable conflict.

With the right-wing prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu continuing to dominate the political scene, the prospects for peace seem as far away as ever.

For Netanyahu believes in preserving the status quo, where Peres had developed into an elder statesman who wanted to make a deal.

Even when the Labour veteran Peres left his party in 2006 to join Kadima, the new centrist party of Ariel Sharon, it was with a view to forging an agreement. Indeed, peace seems less likely now than it did when Sharon took the radical step of withdrawing Israeli settlements from Gaza more than 10 years ago, in 2005, before suffering a massive stroke and being left unable to complete his own journey from war-mongerer to an old man in a hurry to make peace. Peres differed from the right-wing Likud party of Netanyahu, most of whose Knesset members  including ministers  have just signed up for a settlement outpost which is illegal even under Israeli law.

Almost fifty years after the Six Day War, 2016 sees the election of a new US president, a key actor in any peace proposal. But any two-state solution would require a Palestinian state broadly along 1967 borders.

Donald Trump has effectively ruled that out with his promise to recognise Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel  a pledge to which Netanyahu will doubtless hold him if the Republican candidate wins in November. The problem of occupied East Jerusalem remains central to the conflict.

So currently, any hopes for progress must rest with Hillary Clinton. But Clinton herself has long showed every sign of being an uncompromising ally of Israel.

Clinton, who first visited Israel 35 years ago and has made many visits and "many friends" there since, has posted on her website a detailed account of her support for Israel, which she said after meeting Netanyahu this week she wanted to take "to the next level".

In the lengthy post, titled, 'Hillary Clinton and Israel: A 30-Year Record of Friendship, Leadership, and Strength', among many other commitments she talks of "deepen[ing] our unshakeable commitment to Israel's security" and opposing "anti-Israel bias" at the UN and in other bodies.

Indeed, several Israeli outlets have called Clinton the pro-Israel candidate, and earlier in the year the liberal daily paper Haaretz put it this way: "Of all of the presidential candidates, from both parties... Clinton had the longest public record of engagement with Israel, and has spent decades diligently defending the Jewish state."

Controversially, she blamed the 2014 Gaza war on Hamas. "I have said publicly  and I believe it  that Hamas provoked Israel in order to actually cause what we are now seeing," she told CNN.

And as the conservative Christian commentator Peter Hitchens observed from America at the weekend, Clinton, who, let it not be forgotten, backed the 2003 invasion of Iraq, is more likely to drag us into wars, than to usher in peace agreements.

The likelihood anyway is surely that Clinton would "park" the issue of a Palestinian state in favour of more pressing concerns in the Middle East, such as Syria, and indeed Iraq.

But even if this is not the case, and Clinton seeks to pick up where her husband tried and failed with Oslo, there is no evidence that Israel will listen to repeated US demands for withdrawing settlements in the West Bank, another key obstacle to peace.

It is sometimes said that the Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity, never more so than under President Arafat over Oslo. Yet the Israelis under Netanyahu appear deliberately to dodge any chance at peace. Obama, who began his presidency with an eloquent speech to the Muslim world from Cairo, by all accounts sought peace in Israel and Palestine as a key legacy of his presidency. Yet Natanyahu repeatedly denied him progress, as is testified by their soured relations.

Now all eyes are on who will succeed Obama. Neither scenario bodes well for the Palestinians, nor for Israel itself which, contrary to conventional wisdom, would benefit hugely from a peace deal.

Indeed it is in the interests of all sides, including the US and the wider world, for peace to come to Israel and Palestine. Yet any predictions of progress at this stage are, sadly, a triumph of hope over experience.
Could This App Help The Gospel Reach The Muslim World?

A new app could allow believers in Saudi Arabia, Iran and other countries that persecute Christians to regularly access church.

Godvo was launched in August and is already available in several languages including Arabic, Bengali, Korean, Russian, Chinese and Vietnamese. It provides 24-hour live TV coverage of churches, talks, worship sessions and other Christian material which can be accessed around the world.

Jordan Nassie, the app's founder, says more than two million people regularly search for God online. In an interview with Christian Today he shared how his app could help provide the answers.

"Instead of going to churches people are looking for God online. We want to give people a way to connect with God through their phone," he said.

The content is free for users and churches or ministries pay a monthly subscription to have their talks or worship sessions on the app. For users in the United States and other Western countries it simply gives the option of going to church without leaving your bedroom. But Nassie said the purpose was much wider than that.

"One of our main goals is to reach people where there is currently no church," he told Christian Today. "We want to take church to where it is persecuted.

"It is very difficult to start a church in Saudi [Arabia] or Iraq but with the internet we can go into those places.

"People there may not have a church or they may be figuring out who Jesus is. We have heard of lots of people who are interested in finding out who Jesus is so they Google it, find the app and start learning."

Currently available in 120 countries, Nassie says Godvo is targeting what is known as the 10/40 window. The term refers to countries in northern Africa and Asia that lie between 10 and 40 degrees north of the equator and are generally considered to have the least access to Christian resources and the Christian gospel.

"In the countries we are reaching the Christian message is exploding," he said. "We are going where people are coming to Christ on a daily message. They are looking for content but they can't get it."

But one issue is that most of the content on Godvo is, unsurprisingly, from wealthy Western churches who can afford to have their material publicised, such as Hillsong and The City Church in Seattle. Their teaching is unlikely to relate directly to the struggles of a Christian convert in Iran facing a death sentence if he is discovered.

Another concern with an app like Godvo is whether it discourages actual church attendance in areas that are not persecuted. But Nassie insists he is partnering with local churches, not working against them.

"The way users interact with church now is like how we do with business  we first check it out online before visiting it offline. We're building that ability for online connection then offline relationship."

He says his main target market is "millennials"  young people born in the late 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He evidently fits into that bracket himself. Cutting through the tech heavy jargon where "people" are "users" and "going to church" is "connecting" is hard, but his enthusiasm is infectious.

Despite having just a few thousand downloads since its launch, the goal is to grow to more than one million by the end of 2016 and between 5-10 million the year after. "We are looking to become one of the fastest growing TV channels for faith based media," Nassie said.

It's a bold vision and one that is only likely to catch on if he succeeds in reaching that so-called 10/40 window. It is difficult to see Godvo being anything less than a fad if it just "gives people another option" for church in the US.

But Nassie is right that content is hard to reach for Christian converts in persecuted countries and he may have created something that could help people in desperate need,

"The community aspect to church is important but if they can't have that alternative at least there is something there in our app," he said. "People are searching for peace, hope and love in their lives and we want to bring that."
Iraqi Monk Serving Christians Who Fled ISIS: 'God Needs Me To Be Here'

An Iraqi monk has spoken of how his experiences of life under invasion by the US and by Islamic State have brought him closer to Jesus.

Raeed, an Assyrian Catholic monk from Qaraqosh, once Iraq's largest Christian town, has set up a temporary monastery in a displacement camp in Erbil. However, he told World Watch Monitor that his calling to serve had been deepened by his experiences of tragedy earlier in life.

He had been travelling in a taxi with a fellow monk and others when the car was crushed by a US tank. The others, including his friend, were all killed and Raeed was left in a coma. He woke to find himself the only survivor.

The incident challenged his faith, but in the end deepened it. "It brought me back to my calling. I'd promised to obey Jesus, and He said 'Whoever follows Jesus should not look back,'" he said.

Another challenge came when he was forced to flee Qaraqosh as Islamic State invaded in August 2014.

"The sound of honking car horns disturbed the silence of our prayer room. Beyond the street noise, there was the sound of explosions," he said.

He joined the convoy of refugees and fled to Erbil, where he set up a church in a Portakabin. It is now so busy people have to stand in the doorway during services.

He says he never expected a refugee camp to be his place of service but he accepts it as his calling. He works in the camp alongside a group of nuns, even conducting services in the place of absent priests.

"But I don't have to be anything supernatural," he says, "I just have to be here with the people in the church because God needs me to be here...It is all about Jesus. Jesus is the core, He is the Rock we build on. And whatever might happen, our Rock will never disappear. He will always be here."
More Christians Killed In Nigeria By Islamist Terrorists Of Boko Haram

More Christians have been brutally murdered in Nigeria in the latest attack on Christian villages by the Islamist terror group Boko Haram.

At least two Christians died in the attacks on Kuburumbula and Boftari on Monday, according to International Christian Concern (ICC). One man was tied up with rope and "slaughtered" in front of his wife and children, witnesses said.

Kuburumbula lost the largest number, 47, of the 276 girls kidnaped by Boko Haram from their school in Chibok in April 2014.

The killings are just the latest in a recent series of attacks on Christians by Boko Haram which has distressed parents of the kidnapped girls by releasing a video saying they will only let them go if their own captured fighters are released. Eight Christians were reportedly shot dead by Boko Haram as they left a church service earlier this month.

In the first attack on Monday, insurgents burnt seven houses, vandalised shops and set alight market products, Pastor Filibus of the Christian Association of Nigeria told ICC, which is organising an "International Day of Prayer" for the persecuted church worldwide in November.

In the second village, Mallum Tela Madu, a Christian, was dragged into the village, tied up with rope and then brutally murdered by the Boko Haram Islamists while his family were forced to watch.

ICC reports that it is a new strategy by Boko Haram to deliberately target Christian villages in Nigeria.

"As the attacks increase in intensity and frequency, other villages are growing more terrified," says ICC.

The charity's regional manger William Stark said: "For the second week in a row, we are mourning the loss of Christians in Nigeria who were murdered by Boko Haram militants. This string of attacks has us deeply concerned for the safety of our Christian brothers and sisters in the Chibok area of Nigeria's northeast."
Over 200 New Church Planters Ready To Bring the Gospel To Nepal: 'Strike While The Iron Is Hot'

Target: Nepal.

A Christian organisation that seeks to spread God's Word to unreached areas of the world is all set to move forward with its outreach mission to Nepal, an overwhelmingly Hindu South Asian nation.

Global Advance  whose mission is to provide encouragement, resources, and training for frontline pastors in destitute nations of the world  has just trained 256 new church planters tasked with establishing at least 75 new churches all over Nepal for the next three years, according to David Shibley, the group's founder.

He said despite restrictions for spreading the faith in Nepal, there is now a "unique opportunity for the growth of the Gospel" in that part of the world. "So we're striking, in a sense, while the iron is hot," Shibley said.

"So we are excited ... and now we are going to begin to roll out that plan of the actual implementing and planting of these churches" beginning this month, he added.

Shibley said their mission is not limited to Nepal. "Nepali believers who are trained and plant churches within their own nation, they then can model this in other nations," he said.

Located between India and China, Nepal is considered a strategic country to reach with the Gospel message. About 80 percent is people are Hindus while Buddhists and Muslims make up another 13 percent. Only 1.4 percent of the Nepali people belong to the Christian faith.

Aside from the church planters, Global Advance has also trained over 200 Nepali women to become prayer warriors and spiritual leaders in their communities.

"We're very grateful for a wonderful team of women who went as trainers from the United States and shared with these precious Nepali sisters in Christ," Shibley said.

He said Global Advance envisions a "true Esther force of women in the nation of Nepal who could be a tremendous strength and force of the advance of the Gospel throughout that nation."
Shimon Peres, Lifelong Middle East Peace Campaigner, Dies At 93

Shimon Peres, the former Israeli president and elder statesman, died today at 93, prompting US President Barack Obama to lead tributes by saying: "A light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever".

Peres, an indefatigable campaigner for Middle East peace who jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994, was hospitalised following a stroke two weeks ago and died in Tel Hashomer hospital near Tel Aviv.

Obama paid tribute to Peres, saying: "There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves. My friend Shimon was one of those people".

It was reported that Obama is planning to attend Peres' funeral, which Israeli media said was expected to be held on Friday, although details of the ceremony were not made public.

Pope Francis, who earlier this month prayed for Peres to have a "full recovery", is also expected to attend the funeral, according to Israeli media reports.

The Pope last met with Peres at the Vatican in June this year.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement expressing "deep personal grief at the passing of the beloved of the nation."

The Israeli cabinet was this morning set to convene for a special session of mourning.

A official announcement of Peres's death was made at the hospital by his son Chemi and son-in-law Rafi Walden, who said he died without suffering and that he had donated his corneas for transplant.

"His life ended abruptly when he was still working on his great passion, strengthening the country and striving for peace. His legacy will remain with us all," said Walden, who was also Peres' personal doctor.

Peres was part of almost every major development in Israel since the country's foundation in 1948. In a career spanning nearly 70 years, he served in a dozen cabinets and was twice a Labour prime minister.

He shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with the late former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for reaching an interim peace deal in 1993 which never turned into a lasting treaty.

Rabin was assassinated in 1995 by an Israeli ultra-nationalist who opposed the interim accords, and it was Peres who took over as prime minister after Rabin's death.

Peres is widely seen as having gained nuclear capabilities for Israel by procuring the secret Dimona reactor from France while defence ministry director-general in the 1950s. And as defence minister oversaw the 1976 Israeli rescue of hijacked Israelis at Entebbe airport in Uganda.

Peres held the largely ceremonial post of president from 2007-2014 and used the pulpit to continue to advocate peace.

Earlier in September, after a series of health scares including a mild heart attack, Peres received an artificial pacemaker.

Britain's Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis said that "Shimon Peres was the greatest living example of an unshakable belief in the pursuit of peace," adding that the former Israeli president was "a born leader, a uniquely talented diplomat and a relentless campaigner for peace".

Additional reporting by Reuters
Theologian NT Wright Says Schools Should Teach Christianity In History Lessons

The story of Jesus and Christianity should be taught as history and not just in religious studies, a leading Christian academic has stated.

Former Bishop of Durham Tom Wright, currently New Testament professor at St Andrews University in Scotland, told Herald Scotland that the life of Jesus should be part of the mainstream history syllabus.

The Gospels were critically important to western civilisaton but were being "sidelined" he warned.

He said: "If a pupil wanted to study Jesus in his historical context this would not be seen as part of the general history syllabus, but would be seen as something that was the preserve of religious studies.

"Religious studies staff would then say to that pupil that they had Judaism, Buddhism and Confucius, as well as Christianity, and maybe there would be some stuff on the Gospels in the corner.

"It seems to me, in terms of the history of the western world, the narrative of how Christianity got going and who Jesus was are huge questions which ought to be in a more general syllabus."

The Humanist Society Scotland (HSS) agreed pupils should understand the role Christianity had played in history but said religion was already too prominent in Scottish education.

Gordon MacRae, chief executive of HSS, said: "I'm sure most people in Scotland can agree Christianity had a profound effect on shaping modern Scottish culture, but we are now at a tipping-point where a majority of people in Scotland for the first time are not religious."

He said the children of Scotland are not lacking religion in their education.

"Quite the oppose in fact."

Larry Flanagan of the Educational Institute of Scotland told the Herald that schools were already struggling with the competing demands for inclusion in the syllabus and teachers must be allowed professional autonomy.
Three-Parent Baby Technique Slammed As 'Risky, Harmful And Unethical'

The birth of the world's first three-parent baby has been criticised as "risky, harmful and most definitely unethical" by a Christian charity.

The procedure which combines the DNA of three people led to a healthy baby being born to Jordanian Muslim parents in April. US fertility experts led by John Zhang took the nucleus of the mother's cell and inserted it into a donor's egg, which had had its nucleas removed. That cell was then fertilised using the father's sperm to create an embryo.

The method was legalised in the UK in 2015 but no other country has permitted it. Zhang's team travelled to Mexico for the procedure because "there are no rules" there.

The technique aims to stop parents who have a high risk of genetic disease passing on their faulty genes. For the Jordanian parents, the mother carries genes for Leigh syndrome, a fatal disease affecting the nervous system. The couple have had four miscarriages and lost two children at a young age.

Zhang, from the New Hope Fertility Center in New York, said: "To save lives is the ethical thing to do."

But CARE, a Christian policy charity, said it was "deeply concerned".

Director of parliamentary affairs Dr Dan Boucher said only one out of five embryos created had survived. "It is immoral to label this a success," he said.

"Whilst we are thankful that the baby has been born healthy we are deeply concerned by the risky, harmful and most definitely unethical science behind it."

Boucher said he was "alarmed" by the decision to move the procedure to Mexico.

"Mexico has not had the chance to closely review these practices yet  performing the technique there sets a dangerous precedent for reproductive tourism."

He went on to say it had crossed a threshold and set "a very dangerous precedent" for the future.

"We must remain vigilant to the latest developments in this technique and urge the government to review the very real ethical concerns around this."
Why Are Tens Of Thousands Of Christians Celebrating In Ethiopia?

The Orthodox Ethiopian Church has celebrated the annual Meskel Festival this week to mark the legend that says Queen Helena in 326 AD discovered the cross on which Jesus was crucified.

Tens of thousands of Ethiopian Christians lit a large bonfire and processed holding torches through the capital city of Addis Abada, forcing the city to a standstill. This is based on the belief that Helena prayed to find Jesus' cross and was given a revelation in a dream.

According to legend she was told to light a bonfire and the smoke would direct her to where it was buried. So she told the people of Jerusalem to gather wood and after lighting it, the smoke fell on the place where the cross was buried.

The festival, also known as the 'Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross', is celebrated on the 26 and 27 September. Below are six stunning pictures from the celebration this year:

Abune Mathias, Patriarch of Ethiopian Orthodox Church, attends the Meskel Festival at the Meskel Square in Ethiopia's capital.

A church choir performs during the celebrations.

During the Meskel parade, the faithful carry torches in prayer.

Church choir members play the harp.

An Ethiopian Orthodox priest blesses the faithful with incense.
NC NAACP President William Barber has popped into the news again, as he tries to do whenever TV cameras are turned on. We thought this was a good time to bring up a few relevant facts about the Rev. Barber.He loves to excoriate the establishment - but it seems to slip his mind that he and his cronies profit big time from the establishment.For instance, a Goldsboro-based organization headed by Barber received nearly $350,000 of your tax dollars in the 2015 fiscal year, according to this Civitas article And that's just a small part of what his left-wing allies raked in. Barber headed up the "Moral Monday" protests, but as a Civitas investigation learned , that movement would be more accurately called "Money Monday." Groups linked to Moral Mondays pulled in more than $100 million in state funding over the course of several years, until Civitas pointed it out and lawmakers at least slowed down the gravy train, if not halted it altogether.He and the NAACP also receive generous funding from George Soros, the billionaire financier who backs so many left-wing groups, according to a news report Does a billionaire like Soros really have the well-being of North Carolinians at heart? Or does he have other motives?And what does it say when Barber and the NAACP take money from him?Note too a paradox: though Barber condemns violence by police, he at the same time calls for political solutions - without recognizing that political solutions are, ultimately, enforced by armed police or soldiers.declared Barber.Indeed, "morality" and "justice," according to Barber, can only be achieved through political means, and millions of dollars in his pocket and the pockets of his cronies.But, as Civitas' Brian Balfour has noted That's the fatal contradiction at the heart of Barber's screeds, and in fact in almost all liberalism today: Liberals call for bigger and stronger government to intrude ever more deeply into the lives of citizens. But then those same liberals are shocked and outraged when agents of that government inflict harm, willfully or not, on citizens.You may hear more from Barber if unrest continues to roil our state. Just keep in mind that he and his cronies have profited from the political structure they decry, and that it is they who are calling for strong, active government to push more deeply into the lives of people everywhere.
Why Christians Should Support The Right To Blaspheme

It's International Blasphemy Day on Friday. Initiated by the New York-based Center for Inquiry in 2009 in the wake of the Danish Muhammad cartoons controversy, it's designed to press home the need for everyone to be able to say what they like about religion without fear of being punished for it.

Forget for a moment that it was started by an atheist organisation. Forget that blasphemy and mockery directed against the God in whom we believe hurts and stings. This is something all Christians should support, for three reasons.

1. Blasphemy laws kill people

In Pakistan they're used to settle disputes between neighbours  a Muslim can accuse a Christian of blasphemy on spurious grounds and see him jailed and in fear of his life. Asia Bibi is still in jail facing the death penalty. In other Muslim countries Christians live in fear because of what a careless word or a false accusation might lead to. In Bangladesh, people who've identified themselves as atheists have been murdered. Blasphemy is punishable by death in Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, too.

There's something profoundly disturbing about the idea that God should require the services of an executioner to protect His honour. When Christians stand up against blasphemy laws, we aren't denying God's glory, we are affirming it: we're saying he is untouchable by human ignorance, scorn or abuse.

2. Blasphemy laws compromise religious freedom

Some Christians are keen to oppose blasphemy laws in Muslim countries because they're used against Christians, but want to retain legal sanctions against blaspheming the Christian faith in their own country. There are laws against blasphemy in at least 14 member states of the EU. The UK abolished the offence in 2008, but Northern Ireland retained it. Six US states still have blasphemy laws; the Massachusetts one threatens prison and a fine for anyone who "willfully blasphemes the holy name of God by denying, cursing or contumeliously reproaching God, His creation, government or final judging of the world, or by cursing or contumeliously reproaching Jesus Christ or the Holy Ghost, or by cursing or contumeliously reproaching or exposing to contempt and ridicule, the holy word of God contained in the holy scriptures".

That law's a dead letter, though it still exists. But this is the point: if we defend the blasphemy law in a Christian country but not in a Muslim one, we're playing the world's game. We aren't actually saying anything different about how faith works or about the God in whom we believe. We're still saying he needs defending by law. And once we concede the principle that it's up to the state to decide which religion should be defended and which doesn't, we have stripped away one of the key protections of our own faith. Because the best defence of liberty for some is liberty for all.

3. We can witness to a better way

No idea, no argument and no religion should be beyond criticism. That's how it is tested and refined, and how it becomes stronger. Sometimes criticism is hostile and abusive. And yes, it hurts when sacred things are sneered at by people who don't understand them and don't value them. But the question is how we respond to these attacks. It shouldn't be by trying to stop them. Instead, we should answer with grace, patience and wisdom. We shouldn't try to stifle them through using the law. And while we can be robust in rebutting serious criticism, we should never respond with resentment or bitterness.

God does not need us to be angry on his behalf. All too often, that's just a sign of our our insecurity. Instead, he needs us to witness to his loving grace.

We need to be confident enough not to care about blasphemy. God can look after himself.

Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
Five Texas financial institutions that support lending in low-income communities have been awarded a total of $2.5 million in U.S. grants and loans.

The Treasury Department's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund handed out a total of $185.7 million in grants and loans to 196 Community Development Financial Institutions across the country, the agency said Tuesday. Community Development Financial Institutions serve low-income communities.
Tony Gutierrez/.

Clover Global Solutions, a company that provides staffing for energy companies, has been acquired by French engineering and construction consulting firm Anotech Energy.

In a joint statement, the companies hailed the merger as combining Anotech's global reach with Clover's "impressive portfolio of North American-based global operators and a deep talent pool of staff contractors." The acquisition, which occurred in July, was formally announced Tuesday.
Peggy Greb/Associated Press

Houston-based Ocean Minerals LLC has announced it has negotiated exclusive rights for exploration of rare earth elements off the Cook Islands in the South Pacific Ocean.

Ocean Minerals says the region is ripe for potential new sources of rare earth elements, which are contained in deep seabeds and are increasingly being used in high-tech gadgets, green energy and to create stronger, more corrosion-resistant aluminum alloys for aerospace and defense uses, according to the company.
Midway, the Houston-based developer behind west Houston's CityCentre, will unveil new details Wednesday about plans to redevelop a sprawling tract along Buffalo Bayou into a mixed-use complex that harks back to the industrial nature of the site.

Midway executives, who gave the Chronicle an exclusive look at early concepts for the residential and commercial project, are presenting their proposal at the company's annual investor conference in a ballroom of a hotel on the grounds of CityCentre.
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Alejandro Escovedo

Discovery Green presents Alejandro Escovedo and opening act Matt the Electrician.

When: 7-10 p.m. Thursday

Where: 1500 McKinney

Information: discoverygreen.com

Just Ink 6 Art Show

East End Studio Gallery exhibits art created with ink.

When: 6-9 p.m. Friday

Where: 708C Telephone

Information: eestudiogallery.com

Hands on Houston: Indigo-Dyed Bandanas

Artist Lisa Hardaway and volunteers from Surface Design Association Houston will help attendees create patterned bandanas with indigo dye.

When: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday

Where: Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, 4848 Main

Information: crafthouston.org

CORE Presents Dance from Israel

Miller Outdoor Theatre presents contemporary dances and physical theatre, revealing the creativity, strength, and innovation of dance scenes of Israel. Produced by CORE Performance Company.

When: 8 p.m. Saturday

Where: 6000 Hermann Park Drive

Information: milleroutdoortheatre.com

LibroFest

The Houston Public Library celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month by spotlighting books, art, history and culture through library presentations, activities and performances.

When: 1-5 p.m. Saturday

Where: 500 Mckinney

Information: houstonlibrary.org
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Theater

The Redemption Series: The Landing Theatre presents 12 original plays in response to crisis in America. 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; $10-$100; 1119 Providence; 562-502-7469, landingtheatre.org

The Marvelous Wonderettes - Dream On: It's 1969, and the Wonderettes are throwing a fabulous retirement party for their beloved teacher. Presented by Stages Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Wednesday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday; $17-$47; 3201 Allen Parkway; 713-527-0123, stagestheatre.com.

Whistle Down the Wind: This musical features Andrew Lloyd Webber using gospel, folk and traditional Broadway showstoppers. Presented by Queensbury Theatre Mainstage. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; $32-$40; 12777 Queensbury; 713-467-4497, queensburytheatre.org

The Mother****** With the Hat: Obsidian Theater presents this show about love, fidelity and misplaced haberdashery. 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; $15-$30; 3522 White Oak; 832-889-7837, obsidiantheater.org

Duck for President: Unhappy with the working conditions on Farmer Brown's farm, Duck campaigns to put himself in charge. Presented by Main Street Theater. 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Sunday; $20; MATCH, 3400 Main; 713-524-6706, mainstreettheater.com

The Revolutionists: The lives of four fiery women collide during the French Revolution. Presented by Main Street Theater. 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday; $10-$15; 2540 Times; 713-524-6706, mainstreettheater.com

Sassy Mamas: The Ensemble Theatre presents a romantic comedy about three "cougars." 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday; $36-$61; 3535 Main; 713-520-0055, ensemblehouston.com

Buried Child: A young man returns to his family home, only to discover that no one recognizes him. Produced by Catastrophic Theatre. 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; $10-$75; MATCH, 3400 Main; 713-521-4533, catastrophictheatre.com

True West: 4th Wall Theatre Company presents this Sam Shepherd classic that delves into sibling rivalry. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; $29-$49; 1824 Spring; 832-786-1849, 4thwalltheatreco.com

Saturn Returns: When the planet Saturn completes its cycle every 30 years, human life is affected. Produced by Houston's Theatre Southwest. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; $18; 8944 Clarkcrest; 713-661-9505, theatresouthwest.org

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf: Play focuses on the volatile relationship of associate history professor George and his hard-drinking wife, Martha. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday; $12-$15; 4318 Allen-Genoa, Pasadena; 713-941-1758; pasadenalittletheatre.org

Classical/Opera

Haydn's The Creation: The Houston Symphony presents a musical depiction of the Genesis creation story. 8 p.m. Thursday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday; $25-$131; Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana; 713-224-4240, houstonsymphony.org

Dance

Madame Butterfly: Houston Ballet performs Stanton Welch's dance version of the Puccini tragedy along with his "Son of Chamber Symphony." 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday; Wortham Theater Center, 501 Texas; $25-$195; 713-227-2787, houstonballet.org.

Core Presents Dance from Israel: Core Performance Company hosts artists from Israel in a program of boundary-blurring contemporary dance and physical theater. 8 p.m. Saturday; Miller Outdoor Theatre, 6000 Hermann Park Drive; 281-373-3386, milleroutdoortheatre.com. FREE
Being on the elite list of Houston Chronicle's Top 100 is an annual honor for many restaurants in the community. The only thing that could hinder your pride is if your restaurant is lowered in the ranking compared to the year prior.

This is the case with some establishments in Houston Chronicle food critic Allison Cook's list of the top 100 restaurants in Houston. For the first time this year, Cook ranked only the top 25 eateries, from best to worst. The other 75 were listed in alphabetical order.
In light of continued developments, primarily since 2008, there exists in these United States a Legal System which operates on a proved Two Tiered approach to justice rendered, which primarily benefits Democratic Elites and Woke Ideological Virtue Signalers, representing their co-dependent wards, to the expressed exclusion of normal hardworking American citizens: What is your suggestion in remedying this widespread injustice and, if not corrected, its existential outcome for our Constitutional Republic?

Complete overhaul of the Department of Justice and their enforcers - the FBI - to reflect a far more honest justice system to keep patriots remaining calm.

Disband the FBI, and request that congress investigate all unethical and non patriotic practices to partially right the wrongs of a distrusted and politically weaponized "Department of Justice."
A Midtown former adult modeling business that was once sent a cease-and-desist letter by the city attorney has again been flagged by officials but not for any sexually oriented business practice.

The building at 2709 Bagby, which used to house the Aloha Modeling Studio, was cited last week for having debris on the property and a loose board on the second story, according to the real estate website Swamp Lot.
Precinct 1 deputy constables and Houston police SWAT officers uncovered narcotics and firearms on Tuesday when they searched a home in southwest Houston linked to a bomb threat last week that prompted an evacuation of the Harris County courthouse complex.

Authorities said a Sept. 21 email containing a bomb threat came from the home in the 8700 block of Wilcrest.

BACKGROUND: TV station told authorities about the bomb threat

About 100 people left the buildings last week as law enforcement officers spent about three hours searching the criminal, civil and family courthouses. They found no bombs or other threatening items, officials said.

Deputy constables watched the house over the weekend and saw a steady stream of people coming and going.

On Tuesday, HPD SWAT officers went in to make sure no explosive devices were in the townhouse. Precinct 1 deputies followed and uncovered a large cache of ecstasy pills and marijuana along with weapons including a MAC-10 submachine gun and a pistol, officials said.

Police detained Norman Truss, 38, who was inside the house at the time. Officials said they could smell the marijuana even outside the house.

"He acknowledged he was selling," the narcotics, said Precinct 1 spokesman Alan Bernstein.

In addition to the narcotics charges he now faces, Truss could be charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, officials said.

Truss denied sending the threatening email that prompted people to leave the downtown Houston legal complex while police spent several hours searching the courthouses.

Truss had a court appearance on the day of the threat. On Tuesday, he told investigators he went downtown but his case - a civil debt collection issue - was dismissed because of the bomb threat.

He could be charged with making a terroristic threat if evidence found on the computers can be linked to the bomb scare.
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Multiple Grammy-Award winner and Houston native Yolanda Adams returns to radio on Houston's new AMAZING 102.5 FM on Mon., Oct. 3.

The "Yolanda Adams Morning Show," with co-host Marcus Wiley, will feature fan favorite segments, such as Points of Power, Inside Inspiration, Bishop Secular and Yolanda's Take. Marcus "Montana" Ecby will return as the show's executive producer.

"We have an opportunity to set a precedence to make radio do what it was supposed to do in the first place: to care about the people that it services," Adams said in a press conference Wednesday at St. John's Downtown, where the station is housed. "The whole point for radio - the whole point for this - is to make sure that on a morning by morning basis we have done something in someone's life that has made a difference."

READ MORE: Yolanda Adams starts new career

The "Yolanda Adams Morning Show" aired on Radio One until earlier this year. Launched in 2007, the show was the first daily gospel show to be nationally syndicated.

The new show will be available to listeners locally in Houston on 102.5 FM, worldwide via amazing1025fm.com or by downloading the amazing 102.5 FM free App. The show will air 5 a.m.-9 a.m. weekdays

READ MORE: Morning radio show an answer to prayers for Yolanda Adams

"Yolanda's passion and years of philanthropy shows how much she cares about the community," said Emilian V. White, president and CEO of the station. "It's an amazing partnership and we couldn't be more excited to welcome her."

Amazing 102.5 FM, which is located at St. John's Downtown, is a non-profit nonprofit radio station benefiting The Bread of Life, Inc, which provides food and support for Houston's homeless. Launched earlier this year the, the station plays R&B, jazz, pop and gospel music.
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Legacy Community Health insiders described the 14th annual "Little Readers" luncheon as a sell-out, though truthfully, Monday's event was nothing short of jam-packed. A reputable who's who of Houston's philanthropic coterie filled the Wortham Theater Center's grand foyer to congratulate 2016 honoree, Kelli Cohen Fein, M.D.

Among the 400 colorful guests seated at Richard Flowers' equally dazzling tables, Sheridan Williams, Yvonne Cormier, Ceron and Todd Fiscus, Hallie Vanderhider, Fady Armanious, Mark and Christina Hanson, and Leisa Holland-Nelson shone against the bold bouquets of hand-opened roses.

"I care about healthcare for everyone," said Katy Caldwell, Legacy's CEO, after being introduced by Dominique Sachse,KPRC-2 anchor and mistress of ceremony. "And when I say everyone, I really, really mean it."

She went on to explain how the full-service, federally-qualified health center has worked tirelessly for the past 35 years to make Houston healthier by serving disadvantaged populations. Caldwell cited early HIV/AIDS programming and more recently, preemptive messaging and preventative measures against the Zika virus within the region. According to her team's research, Houston has the highest rate of uninsured healthcare in the country; because of that very statistic, their current goal is to help cap emergency room costs for low-income residents.

An impressive trio  Chree Boydstun, Legacy's chief development officer, Mary Ann McKeithan, event chair, and Ellen Cohen, city council member - followed to praise the guest of honor.

"I first met Kelli when she walked into Tony's wearing a clown suit," Boydstun shared. "I said, 'I want to meet the woman who can walk in here, dressed like that, and still look stunning.'"

Next McKeithan cued a video presentation featuring Shelby Hodge, Phoebe Tudor, and Fein's husband, Martin Fein, divulging their favorite memories of the well-respected radiologist and humanitarian.

"I look around and I know that we really never accomplish anything alone," Fein said during her acceptance speech, referencing the smattering of medical peers and members from her book club in the audience.

She spoke of Nelson Mandela's views of education as a tool and told the story of Mr. Jones, a former patient who once stumbled into her waiting room clutching a brown paper bag of prescription drugs, each inscribed with labels he couldn't read.

This inability left him incapacitated, Fein said, illiteracy is a social illness.

Afterward, H-E-B's public affairs director, Cyndy Garza Roberts, revealed that the grocery chain has renewed its commitment to the Little Readers program - which has provided 26,000 books to Legacy's youngest patients since last year - through 2020.

Claire Cormier Thielke, the organization's health endowment chairperson, pled for attendees to be generous; to seal the deal, Sachse instructed a group of blazer-clad KIPP youngsters to walk around and collect donation cards.

With more than $250,000 raised, it's safe to say their ploy worked.
When Google Translate rolled out 10 years ago, the platform helped students cheat on their language homework and let travelers globe trot without worrying about language barriers.

But we all quickly realized that Google Translate wasn't a perfect tool when the phrases it produced sounded like, well, a robot.
Four Houston-area schools are among 26 in Texas to receive the U.S. Department of Education's top award for academic performance on Wednesday.

Alief Early College High School and Kerr High School in the Alief ISD, and Lovett and Oak Forest elementary in the Houston ISD are named as Blue Ribbon Schools.

Founded in 1982, Blue Ribbon Schools is a U.S. Department of Education program that recognizes public and private elementary, middle and high schools where students perform well on state and national tests. This year, 329 schools across the United States earned the distinction.

All schools are recognized in one of two performance categories, based on all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates. The first recognizes Exemplary High Performing Schools, which are among their state's highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. The second lauds Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools, which are among their state's highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school's subgroups and all students over the past five years.

Each of Texas' schools fell into the Exemplary High Performing Schools category, and more than 25 percent of students at each campus is economically disadvantaged.

The state nominated each of the 26 schools for the award.

U.S. Secretary of Education John King said such schools are proof that every child can be prepared for college and meaningful careers.

"Your schools are on the cutting edge, pioneering innovative educational practicesprofessional learning communities, project-based learning, social and emotional learning, positive behavior systemsmaking you shining examples for your communities, your state and the nation," King said in a video statement.
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Sixteen years ago, on his way to a black-tie fundraiser in Oklahoma City, Archie Dunham, then chief executive of the Houston oil company Conoco, stepped out of hotel elevator just as Jim Mulva, his counterpart at Phillips Petroleum of Oklahoma, emerged from another nearby.

Low prices and rising costs were driving a wave of mergers in the industry, including the blockbuster combination of Exxon and Mobil, and leaving smaller companies like Conoco and Phillips vulnerable to takeover. Dunham didn't like the idea of getting gobbled by a major oil company; he took the opportunity to broach the idea of a merger - a merger of equals - with Mulva.

That brief encounter in the lobby of Renaissance Waterford Hotel laid the groundwork for a deal that would create one of world's largest energy companies, ConocoPhillips. It also marked the beginning of the end of a turbulent period that reshaped the industry, positioned it for the boom that would come a few years later, and further established Houston as the global energy capital, making the city home to the nation's third largest oil company, behind Exxon Mobil and Chevron.

"It was a major period of transition for the global oil and gas industry," said Tyler Priest, an energy industry historian at the University of Iowa. "The Conoco merger was the final flurry in all of that, the last of the big mega-mergers."

More Information timeline 1875 Conoco founded in Utah, selling kerosene as Continental Oil and Transportation. 1905 Brothers Frank and L.E. Phillips discover their first major well, north of Bartlesville, Okla. 1909 Continental builds the West's first gasoline filling station. 1917 Phillips brothers form Phillips Petroleum Co. 1929 Continental merges with Marland oil, forming Continental Oil Company, or Conoco. 1957 Wham-O uses Phillips polyolefin plastic, trademarked "Marlex," to make hula hoops; Wham-O sells 25 million in two months. 1981 DuPont buys Conoco in a deal worth about $7.4 billion - the largest merger in U.S. history then. 1998 Conoco separates from DuPont in $4.4 billion IPO, largest of its time. 2001 Phillips Petroleum and Conoco announce a $35 billion merger to create the nation's third-largest integrated oil company. 2011 ConocoPhillips board approves separating the company's refining and marketing from its exploration and production businesses into two corporations, Phillips 66 and ConocoPhillips. See More Collapse

Conoco was founded in Ogden, Utah, in 1875 as Continental Oil and Transportation, shipping kerosene from Cleveland, Ohio, to western towns by rail. In 1883, the company's founder, Isaac Elder Blake, directed construction of the first oil pipeline in California. In 1909, Continental built the West's first gasoline filling station.

Continental merged with Marland oil in 1929, forming a new company called the Continental Oil Company, or Conoco. It owned nearly 3,000 wells and thousands of retail gasoline outlets in 30 states and set up headquarters in Ponca City, Okla.

Meanwhile, brothers Frank and L.E. Phillips were digging for oil. In 1905, the brothers discovered their first major well, the Anna Anderson No. 1, drilled on Delaware Indian Anna Anderson's land 7 miles north of Bartlesville, Okla. More than 80 other successful wells followed.

In 1917, the brothers formed Phillips Petroleum Co. Over the years, Phillips would become one of the first companies to install electrostatic precipitators at refineries to reduce air emissions, invent polyethylene plastics and resins, and make the first shipment of liquefied natural gas from Alaska to Japan.

Conoco moved to Houston in 1949 and soon began expanding internationally. By the 1970s, it had purchased service stations in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom. Conoco also diversified into chemicals and plastics.

By the late 1990s, the oil industry was reaching a turning point. As companies moved into deeper waters and inhospitable locations to find oil, exploration costs grew more and more expensive. At the same time, oil prices were sliding. In 1997, crude cost $27 a barrel (about $40 in today's dollars). By the end of 1998, they'd crashed below $11 (about $16 today). Gasoline was under $1 a gallon in some parts of the country.

"Companies had to cut costs," said Priest.

One way to do that was to merge, allowing firms to eliminate duplicate operations, expenses, and jobs. A wave of deals swept the industry.

In 1998, British Petroleum bought Chicago-based Amoco for $48 billion. The Exxon-Mobil merger, valued at the time at $85 billion, followed in 1999. That same year, the French oil company Total absorbed the Belgian firm Petrofina for $13 billion.

In 2000, Total acquired France's Elf Aquitaine for $49 billion and BP bought Los Angeles-based ARCO for $27 billion. A year later, Chevron, based in California, bought Texaco for $35 billion.

Big oil companies had been circling Conoco for some time when Dunham found himself in a hotel lobby with Mulva, the Phillips CEO. Dunham, in a recent interview, said Phillips seemed like a good partner to him. They had strengths in different parts of the world that complemented each other, he said, but they also came from essentially the same place.

"We felt like our cultures, values, were very similar," Dunham said.

After running into each other at the Renaissance Waterford on that evening in 2000, Dunham and Mulva quickly parted, wary of being spotted together and tipping anyone off to their discussion. But they soon met again, secretly, in Colorado. Alone in a room in the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, they talked for four hours about business, family and values.

A few months later, on a stormy day in November 2001, the two men met in Tulsa, Okla. to announce the merger that would create world's sixth biggest integrated oil company. The new firm would have $50 billion in revenues, $60 billion in assets, 8.7 billion barrels in oil reserves and 58,000 employees worldwide.

Dunham persuaded Mulva to name the new company ConocoPhillips, and keep it headquartered in Houston. The city's easy access to international flights made the decision practical. "Besides, I was a Houstonian," Dunham said. "I wanted Houston to have the headquarters."

In exchange, Dunham took the chairman slot; Mulva became chief executive.

The merger was expected to save the companies at least $750 million a year. Analysts estimated the new ConocoPhillips slashed 6,000 jobs, about 10 percent of its global workforce.

"That's the most difficult thing," Dunham said 15 years later. "You don't need double the people."

Dunham retired in 2004. In 2012, the company split again, spinning off its refining, retail, and marketing operations to form Phillips 66, while ConocoPhillips focused on oil exploration and production. Mulva, still CEO then, said that two independent companies focused on their respective industries would be more competitive. He insisted both were big enough to compete and generated enough cash to invest in their futures.

Mulva could not be reached for comment.

Dunham stayed out of the fray, he said recently. He wrote letters to the board, arguing that an integrated company can use cash from its refining business to fund oil exploration - but he never sent them.

The separation is a decision with which Dunham disagrees, even now.
Brian Ibe tweeted a heads up to his high school Saturday about what turned out to be a controversial choice: He planned to dress as a slave during Homecoming Week.

"Get ready Ridge Point," he wrote, "I have all the props and costume."

The homecoming festivities and dress-up days at Fort Bend ISD's Ridge Point High School began Monday, with character day, the school calendar shows. It was also Ibe's 18th birthday. He posted pictures of himself dressed as a scam artist, with a long black coat and a wig.

Then came Tuesday, "decades day." Ibe dressed as a slave. The student said that, through his outfit, he had wanted to keep the dialogue about slavery going. He felt that at school the topic was sometimes covered up.

"I was like, OK, I need to make my voice heard and make sure these people did know that slavery did happen back in the day," he said in a phone interview Wednesday.

Ibe's look didn't last long. He arrived Tuesday to the school in Missouri City about 30 minutes early, he said. When he walked through the main entrance and began down the hallway, he said an assistant principal pulled him into an office. They waited for the principal, who told him the outfit was inappropriate and that he needed to change, Ibe said.

But taking off the outfit didn't mean he would drop the issue. At 9:29 a.m., Ibe asked his friends via Twitter if they had any pictures of him in the outfit.

"Got dress coded," he wrote, posting an image 13 minutes later. The picture showed him wearing a white T-shirt, splattered with fake blood. He held a pitchfork, its tips also bloodied. A chain hung from around his neck.

He posted a second image, showing shackles around his wrists, writing "Dress coded part 2."

Fort Bend ISD spokeswoman Amanda Bubela said the district cannot comment on specific incidents with students. A statement she provided from the district explained that dress code is enforced during spirit week, and that fewer than a dozen students were so far asked to change or modify their clothes.

"Ridge Point High School is encouraging students to express their school spirit this week, while adhering to the dress code," the statement said. "It is important that the campus maintain a distraction-free learning environment."

Reached by phone, his mother, Rose Ibe, said she was proud of her son. She said she believed he dressed as he did to remind people of a time when slavery existed. "Slavery really did happen," she said.

Brian Ibe called the way the administration handled the situation "really terrible." But the mother said she understood the school's decision and didn't take offense. Nor did she want the situation to escalate.

"He's a lively, social child," she said. "He did what he did."
When asked about the state's new body camera law, Roy Cooper told the Fraternal Order of Police, "I support it." Listen to the audio by clicking here.

Listen to the audio by clicking here. But speaking to members of the media, Roy Cooper has criticized the law, saying it was "too restrictive and goes too far in preventing access by the public." ("North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper Says Body Camera Law Needs Fixing," ABC11, 7/13/2016)

15 Senate Democrats (Aye): Blue; Bryant; Chaudhuri; Clark; D. Davis; Ford; Foushee; Lowe; McKissick; Robinson; Smith; Smith-Ingram; Van Duyn; Waddell; Woodard

1 Senate Democrats (Noes): J. Jackson

30 House Democrats (Aye): Adcock; Ager; Alexander; L. Bell; Brisson; Carney; Earle; Floyd; Goodman; C. Graham; G. Graham; D. Hall; Hamilton; Hanes; Holley; Hunter; Jackson; Lucas; G. Martin; Meyer; Michaux; R. Moore; Pierce; Reives; B. Richardson; W. Richardson; Salmon; Sgro; B. Turner; Wray

7 House Democrats (Noes): Cotham; Fisher; Gill; L. Hall; Harrison; Insko; Luebke

(Source)

Contact: McCrory 2016 Press

McCrory 2016 Press media@patmccrory.com

Raleigh, N.C. Audio from a recent meeting between Roy Cooper and the North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police reveals Roy Cooper told the police group that he supports North Carolina's new body camera legislation establishing a clear, legal process for the release of law enforcement video. This statement made behind closed doors directly contradicts public statements Roy Cooper has made criticizing the law.said Ricky Diaz, McCrory campaign spokesman.Roy Cooper has a history of not releasing body and dash camera footage after 16-years of attorney general. In the trial of Randall 'Wes' Kerrick of the Charlotte Police Department, Roy Cooper's office refused to release the dash video of the 2013 shooting death of Jonathan Ferrell until the officer's trial in 2015. Roy Cooper led the prosecution of the law enforcement officer, which resulted in a mistrial. ( Charlotte Observer , 4/8/2015)Audio Transcript:FOP MEMBER: I'm [?] . The legislature recently passed a body camera bill which will go into effect here in a couple of months. I'd just like to know your feelings on it.COOPER: Yeah, I think body camera legislation can be helpful to everybody, and I support it. I do believe that there are times when we should not be showing the video immediately and that there should be a number of exceptions in the law in order, for example to protecting the suspect, or there is a need to keep it from the public, that should happen. I believe law enforcement should have the discretion of whether it wants to release the video to the public. One of the problems that we have sometimes is that things get built up over a period of time and there are lots of allegations, and you're better off just going ahead and showing the video to the public. So I believe that in many instances, going ahead and letting the video be shown is something that should be done but I realize that there are exceptions and those exceptions should be in the law.Before North Carolina's body camera law (Session Law 2016-88; House Bill 972), there was no clear legal process to instruct local law enforcement on how to handle or release body or dash camera footage. Often, they were considered a part of an officer's personnel file, which meant they were rarely released to the public. In short, it was up to the politicians and the law enforcement agencies whether or not to release dash and body camera video.The new law takes the decision-making authority out of the hands of the politicians by establishing a clear, legal process through the court system for the release of law enforcement video in North Carolina. After October 1, 2016, it will be up to the courts to make decisions regarding the release of law enforcement video. The law requires every law enforcement agency that uses bodyworn cameras or dashboard cameras to adopt a clear policy applicable to the use of those cameras.This new law passed with bipartisan support in the General Assembly, including strong support from the Black Caucus. It has been endorsed by every major law enforcement organization in North Carolina, including the N.C. Sheriff's Association, N.C. Association of Chiefs of Police, N.C. Fraternal Order of Police, N.C. Police Benevolent Association and the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys. Democrats voted 30-7 in favor of body camera bill in the N.C. House and 15-1 in the N.C. Senate.
A 24-year-old Houston man has canceled his re-arraignment hearing during which defendants have an opportunity to change their plea from not guilty to guilty.

A court staffer of U.S. District Judge Lynn N. Hughes said the parties both agreed to canceling the 2 p.m. hearing Wednesday for Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, who was charged with providing material support to ISIS.
One man is on the run and three others are in custody after stealing cash from a northeast Houston Little Caesars during a smash and grab, police say.

Chaos broke out around 2 a.m. Wednesday when four suspects in a stolen white van smashed into the front of the pizza place in the 6200 block of Lyons.
Mayor Sylvester Turner said the city and its nine citizens who were wounded in Monday's shooting were "very, very fortunate" to avoid any loss of life when a troubled local attorney, dressed in fatigues emblazoned with Nazi emblems, opened fire at passers-by near West University Place.

"We're very thankful that that blessing occurred in our city," Turner said, adding that he had been assured by family members of the two most severely wounded victims that they were expected to recover. "Nine people were injured, but no one has lost their lives."

RELATED: What we know about Nathan Desai, the lawyer who fired shots in West University

In discussing the shooting, the mayor pivoted to the same topic he discussed at length a week ago, when City Council cut its tax rate for the third year in a row in response to the voter-approved revenue cap, which limits the growth of Houston's property tax collections year over year: The need for sufficient resources for public safety.

"No city is immune, and we are not immune from things that may happen in New York or Baltimore or anyplace else," Turner said. "We were fortunate here, but I'm going to say the same thing again: That we still need to make sure that we have the assets we need in order to confront any sort of incident of any kind."

The mayor has said he plans to ask voters to lift the revenue cap in November 2017.

"You cannot have police officers without being able to pay them," Turner said. "We need the assets, and we need the resources. That refrain is going to keep coming and coming because it's just too important."

Turner last week, referencing Houston Chronicle stories about the aging fleet of police vehicles and the Houston Fire Department's struggles to oversee businesses storing chemicals, argued for lifting the revenue cap, saying fully addressing both challenges would require resources the city lacks today.

The mayor also noted, in an apparent nod to the police fleet, that council today approved $5.7 million for the purchase of 210 vehicles for HPD.
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WASHINGTON  The U.S. House has passed a stop-gap funding measure to keep the government running with money to combat the Zika virus, but leaving out a controversial measure pushed by Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz to maintain federal control of the Internet's address system.

Earlier, House and Senate leaders appeared to have reached a deal providing $170 million for the lead-water crisis in Flint, Michigan, removing the last major hurdle to a bipartisan funding agreement.

Legislators faced a Friday deadline to avert a government shutdown. The House passed the vote 342-85 Wednesday night.

The deal was finalized early Wednesday between House Speaker Paul Ryan and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.

The conservative group Heritage Action for America, which opposes the Flint money and supports Cruz's push on the Internet, warned lawmakers Wednesday that it considers the stop-gap funding measure a "key vote" that would affect the group's legislative ratings.

The agreement came a day after the Senate voted twice to block a temporary spending bill to fund government programs at current levels until December 9, a time-frame that would leave long-term funding decisions to a post-election "lame duck" Congress.

Among those voting against the stop-gap funding measure on Tuesday was Cruz, who sought a provision that would bar the Commerce Department from relinquishing its historic oversight of the Internet domain name system. He has called the long-planned transition a "giveaway" that would allow countries like Russia, China and Iran to take control of the Internet.

"Congress should be leading to protect online freedom," Cruz said Wednesday. "If congressional leadership is not going to stop President Obama from handing authority over the Internet over to Russia, China and Iran, that is highly unfortunate."

The Obama administration and an array of business and technology groups have dismissed his warnings, which he has repeated in a series of recent speeches, hearings, and a Web site with a countdown clock to Friday's midnight deadline.

In a Senate hearing earlier this month, Cruz warned Obama administration officials that they could face "criminal liability" for their efforts to plan the transition, which he said could end U.S. free speech protections on the Internet. In a floor speech earlier, he said he did not want to "tell our children and our children's children what it was once like when the internet wasn't censored, wasn't in the control of the foreign governments."

But Cruz's apocalyptic warnings apparently fell on deaf ears with congressional leaders. Both Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has clashed sharply with Cruz, and Democratic Leader Harry Reid said Wednesday that they are confident that Congress will approve the latest spending compromise, which includes $1.1 billion to fight the Zika outbreak that has threatened states from Florida to Texas.

State officials have confirmed about 200 cases of Zika, nearly half of them in greater Houston. The virus is associated with microcephaly  a birth defect characterized by an abnormally small head and incomplete brain development.

Although a dozen other Republicans joined Cruz in opposing the temporary funding measure  some because they don't want to leave the next year's appropriations to a lame duck Congress  Wednesday's agreement between GOP and Democratic leaders should be sufficient for the Senate to muster the 60-votes needed for passage.

Under the agreement, the money for Flint, which had prompted Tuesday's Democratic-led filibuster, will become available through a separate water resources bill, removing it as an obstacle to a government funding agreement.

"I'm convinced that there's going to be help for Flint in the lame duck," Reid told the Senate. "Now I feel very comfortable."

Democrats also have objected to a GOP provision to block the Securities and Exchange Commission from requiring corporations to disclose political donations. But that issue seems unlikely to derail a must-pass funding bill.

In addition to the Zika funding, the spending package would provide $500 million for disaster relief for Louisiana and other flood-affected states, and $82.5 billion for military construction and Veterans Affairs.

Leaders in both parties have been under pressure to break a summer-long impasse over Zika funding, a stalemate that carried into the annual government funding battle. Both sides blamed the other party.

President Barack Obama originally called for $1.9 billion to fight the mosquito-borne illness, but that figure was pared in congressional negotiations that initially stalled in battles over funding for Planned Parenthood and the Confederate flag in national cemeteries.

Raising the stakes in the funding battle was Cruz's high-profile push to block the domain name transfer to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, a U.S.-based non-profit, known as ICANN, which has had the role for years.

But with GOP leaders reluctant provoke another round of brinkmanship like the 2013 government shutdown over Obamacare, Cruz appears unlikely to be able to stop the changeover, which is scheduled to take effect after Friday, when a current government contract expires. At that point ICANN will become fully independent.

Although the transition has broad support from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, as well as tech giants like Google and Microsoft, Cruz has rallied a broad array of critics to fight the transition, which he has likened to ceding U.S. control of the Panama Canal.
AUSTIN -- Houston took center stage before state lawmakers Wednesday as they mulled whether to change laws that allow the state to take money from one cash-strapped school district and give it to another.

Forcing the high-poverty Houston Independent School District to make millions of dollars in so-called recapture payments to the state "is proof the system is broken," said Mike Lunceford, a HISD board member to a panel of state representatives.

"It's a problem that is caused by the funding mechanism in the state of Texas for public ed that we've been putting Band-Aids and bailing wire on for the last 30 years and I think we've reached a point that we're have to rethink this," he said. "There's not enough Band-Aids to go around."

Houston voters are poised to vote in November whether to allow the state to recapture $162 million from the school district next year in a move that will amount to losing an estimated $1 billion to the state in four years, officials said.

Should Houstonians reject sending the money to the state, the Texas Education Agency will have the power to pluck the highest-value commercial properties from the tax pool that pays into HISD and permanently assign the tax revenue to a poorer school system, officials said Wednesday.

Houston is considered property-rich by the state, although three of every four students in HISD schools is considered economically disadvantaged and often needs more support or services than their peers.

Lawmakers appeared concerned about the effects that recapture will have on school districts as it heard from Lunceford and other officials speaking to funding issues in Austin and elsewhere. However, lawmakers are facing a tight budget cycle with state agencies preparing to cut 4 percent from their spending plans.

"We are in a pickle," said Rep. Trent Ashby, R-Lufkin.

Some legislators appeared to resent the focus on Houston, with rural Republican lawmakers Rep. John Otto of Dayton and Rep. Drew Darby of San Angelo urging members to think about all students, not just those in their districts.

Texas currently recaptures tax revenues from about 250 school districts statewide.

Rep. Armando Walle, D-Houston, said he was confident Houston voters would reject letting the state recapture the funds. School board members are urging the public to reject the referendum on the November ballot, as is the Houston Federation of Teachers which voted over the weekend to support a "vote no" campaign.

"Our state has expected more from schools and kids with one hand and taken away support with the other," said HFT President Zeph Capo. " It's time the Texas Legislature share this burden with the parents, teachers and taxpayers in HISD and with other districts Texas. It's time they do their job and fix the school funding system in Texas."

The Texas Supreme Court earlier this year ruled the state's school finance system constitutional but flawed.
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A strange, human-looking fish has recently surfaced in a Turkish market, confusing both shoppers and the internet.

The fish, which has been reported as a common thresher shark by the Mirror, appears to be some form of guitarfish instead.

READ MORE: Weird 'fish with legs' found by New Zealand snorkelers puzzles scientists

Guitarfish are bottom feeding ray that bury themselves in the seafloor to eat worms, crabs and clams.

Despite their scary appearance, experts say that an attack by a guitarfish would result only in a "thorough gumming."

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the common guitarfish is endangered due to widespread and unregulated fishing.

Click through above to see more images of weird looking sharks.
One of three young drifters linked to a savage crime spree took the witness stand Tuesday to say the drug-addled group had selected its two killing victims  the first in San Francisco and the second in Marin County  almost randomly while dreaming of moving to Oregon to start a pot farm.

They chose 23-year-old Canadian backpacker Audrey Carey because she was foreign and possibly had money, and they initially intended to rob her but not kill her, said Sean Michael Angold, referring to the young woman who was found dead Oct. 3 in Golden Gate Park amid the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival.

Two days later, the three singled out a hiker in Fairfax, 67-year-old Steve Carter, because he was a bit older and they wanted his station wagon for their journey north, Angold said. He said they followed Carter as he walked his Doberman pinscher, Coco, and then attacked him.

We decided we were going to shoot the individual for the car keys, Angold said of Carter, a respected tantric yoga instructor.

Angold, 25, appeared at a preliminary hearing after admitting to second-degree murder in a plea bargain in Marin County Superior Court. He testified for the prosecution in its double murder case against his former co-defendants, Lila Scott Alligood, 19, and Morrison Haze Lampley, 24. A judge must decide after the hearing whether to send the case to a jury trial.

Angolds chilling testimony filled in many details of crimes that horrified the Bay Area, but his memory was clouded by admitted drug use and his answers were riddled with gaps in time and contradictions with earlier testimony.

Angold said the spree began on a San Francisco street near Coit Tower, where the three pulled on the door handles of parked cars, testing to see if any were left unlocked. They found one: a Ford F-150 that held a .40-caliber Smith and Wesson handgun and ammunition in a camouflage pouch in the console.

Investigators said the gun theft occurred either late Sept. 30 or in the early hours of Oct. 1. Lampley and Alligood  who referred to each other as husband and wife  had joined Angold in San Francisco about a week before, Angold said.

He said he and Lampley, the alleged ringleader of the group, had the gun when they crossed paths with Carey about a day later near one of the windmills at the edge of Golden Gate Park and Ocean Beach. They had been smoking crystal meth, which Angold said he had sold throughout the city. Carey, who was on her first solo backpacking trip in the United States, asked to join them, and together they drank beer and smoked weed, Angold said.

The group stayed together, getting pizza and returning to Ocean Beach. During this time, Angold said, he and Lampley came up with a plan to rob Carey  an idea that Alligood later agreed to. At about sunset, they went into the bushes by the windmill and continued smoking pot and cigarettes.

We were just kicking and talking, Angold said. I left to take a leak. When I came back, Ms. Alligood had jumped across the circle and tackled her.

Angold said he ran to Careys feet as Lampley held her shoulders and Alligood tried to bind her hands. When Alligood was unsuccessful, she threw the rope to Angold, who tied it around Careys legs to keep her from chasing them, he said.

I see Mr. Lampley reach back for the pouch, Angold said. I heard Mr. Lampley say, Shut up, bitch, or Ill kill you. She said, Just kill me then. Then I heard a pop. I didnt know what was going on. (Lampley) said, Shes dead, dude. Dont worry about it.

Angold said he then separated from his friends and went to Berkeley, but found them again at Fishermans Wharf. He said he stole a bike and a bottle of whiskey and they rode across the Golden Gate Bridge, spending the night at the vista point, where Angold said he sold tourists LSD.

In Sausalito, Angold said he stole another bicycle before the group followed a trail to Fairfax. They tried unsuccessfully to hitchhike from a turnout, Angold said, before Lampley came up with the idea to shoot somebody for a car.

Neither Alligood nor Angold objected, according to Angold, before Carter pulled into the turnout in his silver Volkswagen Jetta station wagon. He looked at us like we were crazy, Angold said, then drove to another turnout to park. He said Alligood was the one who decided Carter would be a good target, partially because of his age.

When Carter was found, his dog was also wounded, and he was still clutching the leash. Lampley, Angold and Alligood were arrested two days later outside a Portland, Ore., soup kitchen after authorities tracked them with the station wagons GPS device.

Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @vivianho
SPECIAL ED CALL: "Dallas, San Antonio superintendents call for end to state's special education enrollment target," by the Houston Chronicle's Brian Rosenthal: "The leaders of two of the state's biggest school districts are calling on the Texas Education Agency to stop penalizing districts for giving specialized education to more kids than the agency has deemed prudent.

"Superintendents Michael Hinojosa of Dallas and Pedro Martinez of San Antonio came out against the arbitrary enrollment target after a Houston Chronicle investigation found it has led schools across the state to keep tens of thousands of children with disabilities out of special education.

"Houston Independent School District Superintendent Richard Carranza, who was hired last month, said he could not yet say whether the target should remain in place. Already, some state officials have decried the state's policy, and the commissioner of the Texas Education Agency, Mike Morath, has acknowledged it was likely to be "tweaked."

JUST IN: "Rick Perry says farewell to his 'Dancing' bid," by the Chronicle's Joey Guerra: "Rick Perry's dancing days, much like his presidential dreams, are over.

"The former Texas governor was eliminated from "Dancing with the Stars" during Tuesday night's results show. He earned the lowest number of viewer votes after Monday's lackluster paso doble.

"Rick, it's a live show. Just like a debate. You're live," host Tom Bergeron joked after Perry was slow to step up to the microphone."

"Poll: Most Texans concerned with mounting college debt," by the Chronicle's Andrea Zelinski: "Nearly four out of five Texans worry that student loan debt is a "major problem," and close to three of four people here lacking a college degree say that cost is standing in their way to earning one, according to a poll released Tuesday.

"Pollsters from Austin-based SRATEX, LLC, found more than 90 percent of the 800 people surveyed said it is important for the state to fund financial aid for first-time students from low and middle income families trying to earn a degree.

"The poll is the second of its kind from Western Governors University, a non-profit online university, and comes as the state pushes toward the goal of having 60 percent of young adults under 34 armed with a post-secondary degree by the year 2030."

"Zika dollars, internet fight in play as government shutdown looms," by the Chronicle's Kevin Diaz: "With funding to combat the Zika virus hanging in the balance, the Senate voted twice Tuesday to block a spending bill needed to keep the government open past a midnight Friday deadline.

"Among those voting against the funding measure was Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who pushed unsuccessfully to include language barring the government from giving up its oversight of the internet domain name system.

"With Cruz and nearly a dozen other Republicans joining in the Democratic filibuster, GOP leaders were left to scramble for an 11th-hour deal that can clear both the House and Senate, where it would need a 60-vote majority."

"Some Houston taco trucks to serve as voter registration booths," by the Chronicle's Darla Guillen: "Two Houston organizations on Tuesday launched a voter registration campaign that pokes fun at a controversial comment made by Latinos for Trump founder Marco Gutierrez.

"Earlier this month, Gutierrez told MSNBC's Joey Reid: "My culture is a very dominant culture, and it's imposing and it's causing problems. If you don't do something about it, you're going to have taco trucks on every corner."

"Now Latino advocate group Mi Familia Vota is teaming up with Thomas Hull, the founder of Houston design firm Rigsby Hull, to kick off a campaign that will turn some local taco trucks into voter registration booths. Mi Familia Vota is an organization that encourages and facilitates Latinos' political involvement."

Capitol Daybook

House

9 a.m.: Appropriations [E1.030], Public Education [E1.030], Transportation Subcommittee on Long-term Infrastructure Planning [E2.012]

10 a.m.: Homeland Security & Public Safety [Brownsville]

1 p.m.: State Real Property Data Collect, Report & Assess, Select [E1.016], Transportation [E2.012]

Senate

9 a.m.: Natural Resources & Economic Development [E1.012, Hearing Room]

1 p.m.: State Real Property Data Collect, Report & Assess, Select [E1.016, Hearing Room]

Speed Read

Texas Lawmakers to Highlight Education Spending Divide, Texas Tribune

Plan with $105 million price tag for Astrodome lifts off, Houston Chronicle

Analysis: In Texas, You Can Fight City Hall, Texas Tribune

Saudi Arabia and Iran disappoint oil markets again, Houston Chronicle

Terrorism suspect may change his plea, Houston Chronicle

Study: Innovation pays off for businesses, Houston Chronicle

Business leaders say NAFTA is good for RGV, The Monitor

Bulverde transgender pioneer passes away, San Antonio Express-News

Two Years Into Oil Slump, U.S. Shale Firms Are Ready to Pump More, Wall Street Journal

Long-running case over Laredo fortune is settled, San Antonio Express-News

First up: a gold depository in Texas. And then?, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Quote to Ponder

"Hyper-partisanship may be entertaining, but it's a terrible way to try to run a country. We're the alternative  and we're the only ticket that offers Americans a chance to find common ground," Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson, in a New York Times Op-Ed column.

Race to the White House

"Many women say Trump showed too much testosterone at debate," by The Associated Press: "For many women, the presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was a case study in deja vu. For more than 90 minutes on a national stage, they said Tuesday, Trump subjected the first female presidential candidate from a major party to indignities they experience from men daily, in the workplace and beyond.

"Tweeted Chicago-based writer Britt Julious: 'Thoughts & prayers to every woman watching the #debates & getting painful flashbacks to dudes talking over them at work, school, home, etc.' "

"Secret money to boost Trump," by Politico: "One of the top funders of the #NeverTrump movement is now using his name and connections to raise big money to help elect Donald Trump, but he's telling fellow mega-donors that they can write huge checks without having their names disclosed.

"Todd Ricketts, whose family owns the Chicago Cubs, has raised $30 million for a pair of pro-Trump groups and has discussed a $70 million goal before Election Day, according to three Republican fundraisers familiar with the effort."

"Clinton thinks Trump's privilege is different from hers," by Politico: "Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are two wealthy one-percenters who inhabit parallel bubbles of New York privilege.

"For Trump, the gross display of wealth is his gold-encrusted calling card. For Clinton, her Hamptons friends and multi-mansion lifestyle (she closed on a third house in Chappaqua for $1.16 million last month to widen her compound), have been a political liability as she struggles to credibly champion working-class voters.

"But on the debate stage Monday and on the campaign trail in North Carolina on Tuesday, Clinton made a strategic shift to show her privilege as different from his: The Clintons came from nothing and lived the American dream; Trump, she said, was just born that way."

Clinton's big move after the debate? North Carolina, The Washington Post

As Clinton cheers, Donald Trump digs in after debate, AP

Billionaire is singing the blues but not sharing the burden, Houston Chronicle

15 Questions for Clinton and Trump. You Chose, by The New York Times

Trump reports $18 million post-debate fundraising haul, Politico

A Miss Universe insulted by Trump steps up for Clinton, AP
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.
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Officials at the Billings Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday touted their lobbying effort for a local option sales tax at their annual luncheon in Billings, while acknowledging an uphill battle next year in Helena.

At the Red Lion Hotel and Convention Center, chamber officials introduced two committees designed to garner support for the local option tax and other chamber initiatives.

We have to do this ourselves, and we dont need to ask for permission, said developer Steve Corning, co-chair of one committee, called Billings NOW. The committees other chair is businesswoman Kris Carpenter.

The second, called Authorize Community Transformation, is the main group that will lobby for the local option taxing authority in Billings.

In a 40-minute presentation moderated by Mike Gulledge, publisher of The Billings Gazette, chamber representatives made the case for the authority to create a sales tax of up to 3 percent to pay for infrastructure or new public projects, such as a convention center.

The tax could also be used for relief for property taxpayers and would likely sunset within 10 years, according to the chamber. The Legislature would need to approve the authority to create the tax for local governments. Then cities would need to gain voter approval to levy the tax.

Its based on similar laws in Oklahoma City, Okla., and Sioux Falls, S.D. The chamber sent groups to both cities within the past three years for aspirational visits.

I see it as an economic development tool that will build upon itself, Karen Fagg, co-chair of the Authorize Community Transformation committee, said. The other chair of that committee is Brian Brown of First Interstate Bank.

The proposal has been floated several times over the years but gained little traction with tax-averse lawmakers in Helena. Montana is one of five states with no general sales tax. Small resort communities, such as Red Lodge, are allowed to impose a resort tax to capture tourism dollars.

Last year, the local option tax was also atop the chambers legislative agenda, but the effort died when the group was unable to find a legislator to sponsor the bill.

Fagg said she expects a challenge again this year, adding that supporters are doing a better job reaching out to wary lawmakers.

Its an uphill battle, quite honestly, but its an uphill battle worth fighting for, Fagg said.

Rural lawmakers, who occupy several key leadership positions in Helena, dont like the idea because their constituents often drive into large cities like Billings to shop.

Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock and his Republican opponent, Bozeman businessman Greg Gianforte, were at the event, and both were lukewarm to the idea.

In an interview with The Gazette, Gianforte declined to support the local option tax after the presentation, saying if elected governor hed need to see a bill first. He praised the chambers leadership on seeking new funding for projects.

There is no question that we need to figure out local financing because too much money right now is going to Helena, and not coming back out. We need to look at all the things that are coming before the Legislature, and we need to have those conversations, Gianforte told The Gazette.

Bullock wasnt available for comment after the luncheon. In a written statement, Bullock noted that the local-option tax didnt pass the first legislative committee in 2015, and hes focused on passing a statewide infrastructure bill.

The Montana Legislature is expected to convene Jan. 2 for its 90-day session.

Other highlights from the chamber event:

Bill and Merilyn Ballard were honored with this years 2017 Legacy Award. The Ballards have lived in Billings since 1956 and been heavily involved in community projects, including growth initiatives in health care, higher education and their church, First Presbyterian Church.

Professional football player Emmitt Smith will be the Billings Chambers featured speaker at its annual breakfast March 30. Smith is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and three-time Super Bowl champion with the Dallas Cowboys. Past speakers at the breakfast include other big names: Capt. Chesley Sully Sullenberger, Daymond John of the reality TV show Shark Tank, and former NFL quarterback Archie Manning.
Achizitie de Servicii Tehnice de creare a plantatiilor forestiere de protectie din cadrul primariei Andrusul de Jos si a primariei Vadul lui Isac, r. Cahul
Earlier this month, reporter Samantha Silva sat with Juan Mendez and Josefina Rizo in the living room of their Los Angeles home. She was there to interview the couple about their 16-year-old son, Jose Juan Mendez, who was fatally shot in February during an encounter with police.

Mendez, who police say was armed and driving a stolen car at the time of the shooting, is one of five people killed by officers in the citys Boyle Heights neighborhood in the first eight months of 2016, Silva reported this week. That living-room interview was emotional, she recalls, and not just for the teens parents. I used to see [Jose] in schoolI had conversations with him once or twice. He couldve been my friend. Or cousin.

Silva, age 17, is not your average reporter, and her publication, the Boyle Heights Beat, is not your average media outlet. Published in a bilingual format online and quarterly in print, the Beat covers Boyle Heights, a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood of about 90,000 people in East Los Angeles. But in important ways, the Beat is produced by Boyle Heights, too: Most of the reporting comes from high school students like Silva, who live or go to school in the neighborhood and are mentored by veteran journalists.

The outlet represents a merger of journalism and community that just doesnt happen in the mainstream press, says Tom Grubisich, who writes about hyperlocal media for Street Fight.

Boyle Heights Beat was founded in 2011 by Michelle Levander, director of the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism, and Pedro Rojas, former executive editor of Los Angeles La Opinion. The project came about, Levander says, when she and Rojas started talking about an unmet need in the Los Angeles media market. Even though both of us had many years of journalism under our beltand Pedro was at the dominant Latino paperLA is such a mega market, you cant have an intimate, two-way relationship with readers.

The pair chose Boyle Heights as the place to try to build that relationship because it played a historical role in forging the Chicano identity, has a vibrant arts and theater scene, and is also a place with challenges, Levander saysincluding high poverty levels, and cultural change brought by gentrification and an influx of young professionals.

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The other key part of the idea: to join the local sensibility and knowledge of the community that local teenagers have with training in the tools of objective journalism. The goal, Levander adds, isnt necessarily to train the students for careers in journalism. They learn skills that could be useful whatever they wind up doing. Of the nearly 100 students that have gone through the program to date, all of them have gone on to two or four-year colleges, she adds.

Boyle Heights Beat, with a print run of 33,000 to go along with its website and an active Facebook page, has an annual budget of about $250,000. Its primary financial support comes from the California Endowment, a private, Los Angeles-based foundation that is focused on healthy communities.

The foundation works on access to healthcare and other wellness issues, but its view of community health is a broad one that includes empowerment, says Mary Lou Fulton, senior program officer at the foundation and a former journalist at the Los Angeles Times and The Associated Press. Thats where the media comes in.

Underserved communities are often overlooked in terms of media coverage, and they dont have their own outlets, Fulton says. When communities like Boyle Heights are covered in mainstream media, its because something terrible happened, or because of some local cultural event. Its what I call the murders and festivals syndrome.

To offer something different, Boyle Heights Beat works with students chosen from five area high schools. The teensthere are currently 18 of them writing the outletwork with three editors. One of them is Antonio Mejias Rentas, who worked for more than 25 years at La Opinion and has lived in Boyle Heights since 2010.

The students have taught me whats in this neighborhood, Mejias Rentas says. They have their own way of seeing the community. He mentions a profile that ran late last year, of a neighborhood man known as Don Cheto, who delivers packages back and forth between Boyle Heights and Puebla, Mexico. The idea for the story came from Jennifer Lopez, a student reporter whose mother uses Don Cheto to ship things to family in Puebla.

Lopez, 18, has just enrolled at the University of California, Riverside. She accumulated plenty of bylines while in high school, including one for a story about a little-known diabetes prevention program. This was important for the community, she says. Latinos struggle with diabetes, and I thought it could help.

That emphasis on local connections also comes through in community meetings that the staff holds after each print edition is released, to gather feedback about coverage and collect ideas on what should be covered next.

Beat editors say the gatherings have been key for building credibilitywhich definitely took some work. Rojas remembers the first time he and Levander called a community meeting, in June 2011, after the papers inaugural edition. People came and asked, Who the hell are you?

As outsiders, Rojas and Levander had to develop trust with local residents; even a few years into the project, some in the community have groused at perceived slights. The Beat was accused of favoring Walgreens over a local pharmacy, and, when the paper hosted a community meeting featuring a developer interested in renovating a large Sears complex, some residents alleged that the publication must be in the developers pocket.

But weve gotten their grudging respectand they come to every meeting, between 50 and 150 residents each quarter, Levander says.

Also, we deliver, adds Rojas. We dont write down their ideas and throw them away.

The paper has achieved a balance of reporting on the powers that befrom influential developers to Mayor Eric Garcettiand telling the stories of people from the neighborhood, like Jose Juan Mendez.

Mejias Rentas accompanied Samantha Silva on her interview with Mendezs parents. He said they wanted to demonstrate, with sensitivity, the reality of families like Jose Juans. That reality includes wanting the best for their children, and working all the time to make a better life for themwhich, he says, unfortunately can leave them without supervision and exposed to violence in the streets.

After the interview, he and Silva were drained. But they were satisfied, too, with the understanding of the teen and his family that they had gained in two hours of intimate conversation.

Our reporters have a level of access, sensitivity and knowledge that is without equal, Mejias Rentas says. This is unique. Its what makes Boyle Heights Beat different.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Timothy Pratt is a journalist based in the Atlanta area. He has written for The New York Times, The Economist, The Guardian, and many other publications. He also lived in Las Vegas and worked for the Las Vegas Sun from 2001-2009.
The Northern Rocky Mountain Grotto, a Montana cave advocacy group, will hold a Cave Camp Oct. 14-16 at Camp Rotary in Monarch.

The event will offer attendees the chance to learn basic and advanced caving techniques including how to rappel, how to survey and map caves, as well as participate in a hands-on course on cave rescue.

The Forest Service is leading a cave clean-up and restoration during the first day, and the Northern Rocky Mountain Grotto, University of Montana Cave Club, and the Bigfork High School Cave Club will be leading trips to more than 10 local caves on Oct. 16. More than 80 explorers are expected to attend.

For more information contact Taylor Woods at 406-868-1155 or woodsta00@gmail.com or Ian Chechet at 406-860-7574.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said Sunday that his counterparts in the Group of Seven nations welcomed U.S. guidelines on regulating self-driving cars and have agreed to work together on creating such standards to maintain safety.

There was actually a very enthusiastic reception to the policy, he said. We did a good job of inventorying what each country is doing and laying out areas that we want to explore further.

Such issues include cybersecurity, ethics and privacy, wireless spectrum questions and many other issues, he said, while noting that reaching a resolution might take years, meaning the technology would be moving faster. Foxx called the U.S. guidelines released earlier this month the most comprehensive on autonomous vehicles, coming out ahead of the rest of the world.

Foxx and other transportation officials from the G-7 met over the weekend in the Japanese resort town of Karuizawa. Speaking by telephone with The Associated Press, Foxx stressed road tests on autonomous vehicles must continue to encourage innovation.

U.S. electric car maker Teslas Model S that was using the semi-autonomous mode crashed in May. The driver died after crashing into a tractor-trailer. Tesla is introducing improvements to its Autopilot system to make it safer.

One of the things I think that autonomous vehicles suffer from is that they get compared to perfection, and not to the 94 percent of car crashes that are attributable to human factors. We have to make the right comparisons, Foxx said, while declining comment on the ongoing investigation on Tesla. These vehicles will not be absolutely perfect in terms of having no accidents, but by comparison they can be markedly better.

Many automakers besides Tesla are testing or have rolled out automated vehicles, including Ford Motor Co., based in Dearborn, Michigan, and Nissan Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. of Japan.

The new U.S. guidelines are meant to bring order to the technologys development. Proponents say such technology can make cars safer because machines can react faster and they are less prone to human error. But even experts remain cautious.

Among the recent forays into self-driving technology are the partnership between Chinese-owned Volvo Cars and the Swedish-based automotive safety group Autoliv Inc., as well as Volvo teaming up with U.S. ride-hailing company Uber. Ford has announced a $75 million investment in Velodyne Inc., which makes laser sensors. BMW Group, Intel Corp. and Mobileye have joined together to develop and sell autonomous driving technology.

Hans Greimel, Asia Editor for Automotive News, believes the new U.S. guidelines are an important proactive step in seeking powers to approve autonomous vehicles before theyre brought to market, marking a departure from the past, when regulators enforce rules after the cars are already sold.

They are a clear step toward clearing the way for the next-generation of automobiles. The technology of autonomous vehicles is mostly there. What is lacking is a clear guideline for how the technologies should be applied, said Greimel.
Eight years after the Sioux City Council enacted a controversial ordinance banning pit bulls from city limits, the number of dog bites reported in Woodbury County is showing a slight increase.

Siouxland District Health statistics show that countywide, 137 dog bites were reported in 2015, up from 110 in 2007, the year before the ban was passed.

During the same time period, the number of pit bull bites has dropped significantly. Siouxland District Health reported 24 bites by pit bull and pit bull mixes in 2007, a number that decreased to four in 2015. The number of reported pit bull bites has not risen above the single digits since 2011.

Sioux City stats show vicious and high-risk dog designations are also down, dropping from 46 in the citys 2010 fiscal year to five in fiscal year 2016.

The Sioux City Journal report city officials are split on whether the numbers show the ban has been a success. However, they agree a council reconsideration of the polarizing ordinance is unlikely.

Its absorbed a lot of council time, Mayor Bob Scott said of the ban.

Sioux Citys oft-debated ban has surfaced once again in the headlines after two local dog owners filed suit in August, saying the citys ban is unconstitutional.

The owners say the law bans animals that are not harmful and does not ban animals that do pose a risk to harm other animals or humans. They also say the law is enforced in an arbitrary, inconsistent and discriminatory manner.

Enacted in July 2008, Sioux Citys pit bull ban prohibits residents from having dogs that are 51 percent or more pit bull. The ban grandfathers in pit bulls that were registered by residents prior to April 25, 2009, provided the animals are registered each year. No new pit bulls are allowed.

Sioux Citys ordinance describes a pit bull as an American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier or any dog that looks like or has characteristics of being one of those breeds.

At the time of the bans passage, a high number of dogs that had been declared vicious or at risk in the city were pit bulls or mixes. The ordinance was updated in 2009. In 2010, the council voted 3-2 to retain it.

Jennifer Frost, one of the parties mentioned in the suit, moved to Sioux City in October with her husband, four children, and their two dogs, Jake and Reba.

Jake, a purebred American Staffordshire Terrier, was impounded by Animal Control in May after he had gotten loose. The Frosts ended up giving Jake to friends and family back in New York City.

Frost approached the council earlier in the summer about the ban and said she believes socialization plays a large role in how a dog acts. Education for better dog owners is the key, she said.

The lawsuit cites the American Veterinary Medical Association as saying national statistics on fatalities and injuries caused by dogs do not prove any breed is more dangerous than another.

The fact that dog bites have not gone down just shows it, Frost said. Prove to me that people in this community are safer because of this law. The only thing that makes people safer is education to be better pet owners.

Frost said Sioux Citys Animal Control was professional in handling Jake, and the city was gracious in granting her family extra days to drop Jake off with family. However, she said she would be in favor of an amended rule that addresses ownership issues rather than a specific breed.

According to city dog licensing information, Sioux City residents registered 93 pit bulls in 2016, about one-sixth as many as were registered in 2009. Pit bulls currently account for 2 percent of the citys registered dogs.

Councilwoman Rhonda Capron said with fewer pit bulls in Sioux City, the lower reports of pit bull bites make sense.

When you eliminate a breed out of your ordinance, of course its going to go down, she said. What about all the other dog bites?

Capron, who owns a 6-year-old pit bull mix named Chief, said she believes owner behavior, rather than breed, affects how a dog acts.

I think its how the dogs are raised. I dont think its one specific breed, she said.

Councilman Keith Radig, who voted for the councils decision in 2010 to uphold the ban, said he does not believe the ban should be revisited.

Radig cited numbers from DogsBite.org, a nonprofit organization that advocates for dog mauling victims, that show pit bulls are responsible for the most fatal dog bites this year.

You have to look at fatalities from dog bites, he said.

Mayor Bob Scott also said he believes data support the ban.

I am sensitive to how important a pet is to a person, but theres still a lot of data out there that shows that particular breed is somewhat of a problem, he said.

Due to the lawsuit, a representative of Sioux Citys Animal Control declined to offer comment on the ban or statistics. Councilmen Pete Groetken and Dan Moore also declined to comment on the ban because of the suit.

City authorities acknowledge that pinning down accurate dog bite data within the city and county can be a challenge.

Capt. Mel Williams with the Sioux City Police Department said police department numbers may show year-to-year fluctuations, but they likely dont tell the whole story.

No one should assume that the police department has received a recording of all dog bites, Williams said. As in all reporting to the police department, its highly dependent upon citizens making a report.

According to city statistics, Animal Control responded to 168 bite calls in FY2010. Since then, the number has dropped as low as 128 in FY2013 and rose as high as 172 in FY2015. The agency reported 154 calls in FY2016.

Within Sioux City itself, agencies do not report dog bite statistics by breed. The city separately reports the number of dog bite calls handled by Animal Control within Sioux City limits, which are counted by fiscal year.

Williams said Sioux City Police Department is another agency that responds to dog bite calls, typically when a dog is still on the loose.

Siouxland District Health, receives reports from the city agencies, as well as the Woodbury County Sheriff and other entities and follows up when the bite causes a break in the skin. In the agencys reports, a large percentage of the bites reported each year are listed as coming from unknown breeds. Breed designations are listed as they are reported to the agency.

Animal Control does not break down euthanization statistics by breed or by reason for euthanization.
The fatal shooting of a black man by a police officer in Charlotte is only the latest shooting to raise questions about how the department uses body cameras.

Six people were fatally shot since body cameras were given to all patrol officers about a year ago. But the officers who fired the fatal shots in five of those cases  including Keith Lamont Scotts  werent using the cameras.

The weekend release of police footage showing the shooting of Scott did little to ease some residents concerns about its handling. More than 100 people jammed City Council chambers Monday night to voice their frustrations, calling for Mayor Jennifer Roberts and Police Chief Kerr Putney to resign.

We have no reason to trust you, and youre giving us even less, Khasha Harris said at the forum. Deep down somewhere, your conscience has to be bothering you.

The Rev. Milton Williams, the last speaker of nearly 50 at the meeting, blamed police for actions that led to unrest over two nights

Our citys in an uproar, and you did not respond. Police escalated that temperature out there, Williams said. No justice, no peace. Im going to be preaching that every Sunday.

Roberts and Putney have taken criticism for their handling of the aftermath of the shooting, including the delay in the release of video showing the shooting.

Scotts family and advocacy groups complain the department divulged only about three minutes of footage from two cameras. The footage includes body camera video from another officer but not the black officer who fatally wounded Scott.

Scotts family said he didnt have a weapon. They have urged the police department to release all other video footage it has, as well as audio recordings of communications that could clarify how the situation unfolded. A media coalition is also requesting more footage.

Putney has said the officer who shot Scott wasnt wearing a body camera that day because hes part of a tactical unit.

Our tactical units dont all have body-worn cameras at this point, Putney told reporters on Saturday, adding they are to receive them in the future. He said was previously reluctant to make officers in high-risk operations wear cameras showing tactics and locations.

The gun recovered at the scene of Scotts shooting had been stolen and later sold to Scott, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police source told The Associated Press on Monday. The source insisted on speaking anonymously because the State Bureau of Investigation continues to look into the case. SBI Agent Erik Hooks declined comment when asked whether the gun was stolen.

The department said plainclothes officers who saw Scott with a gun and marijuana left the area to put on vests identifying them as police before confronting him.

If the officers had the foresight to put on their police vest, why did you not put on your body cam? asked Corine Mack, president of the Charlotte NAACP chapter.

Susanna Birdsong, a legal policy expert for the American Civil Liberties Union, questioned whether the department is violating its own body camera policy instituted in April 2015.

The policy, according to the departments site, states the cameras must be activated in situations including arrests and encounters with suspicious people. It doesnt address whether tactical units must wear them.

Referring to the Scott case and others, Mack said shes angry not all units have the cameras yet.

It speaks to the culture of the police department that even when policies and procedures are put in place, that they feel they dont have to follow them, she said. This is serious, that there is no record of a life being taken.  People want to know why we dont trust the police department?

In three previous cases from December and January, the Mecklenburg County district attorney cleared officers who killed suspects who fired shots first. In one case, an officer wasnt wearing a body camera because he was working off-duty security in uniform at a mall. A second case involved a tactical unit not equipped with body cameras. Footage existed in the third case but was poor quality, authorities said.

An April case being reviewed by the SBI involved SWAT members  one of the Charlotte units that hasnt worn body cameras. A June case involved patrol officers, but multiple media outlets reported that the officers were not using body cameras.

Charlotte police didnt respond to an email Monday asking about these cases.

Putney said Saturday he released portions of video pertinent to the shooting and hoped to release the rest after a State Bureau of Investigation probe. But he acknowledged that a new state law taking effect Oct. 1 will likely require a judges approval for further releases of footage.

Justin Bamberg, a Scott family attorney, said remaining video is vital to understanding exactly what transpired in a very short time.

It is clear from the videos released that in the moments leading up to the shooting, Mr. Scott was non-aggressive, had his hands down by his side, appeared confused, and was passively walking backwards, Bamberg said.

Geoff Alpert, a professor at the University of South Carolina, said that while body camera footage isnt always conclusive, authorities should lean toward releasing it.

Unless theres a really compelling reason that should be explained, I dont know why they wouldnt release the video  as they capture it, Alpert said. This is public safety, and keeping things from us doesnt seem to be the appropriate way to move forward.

(Kinnard reported from Columbia, S.C. and Drew from Raleigh, N.C.)

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
AKRON, Ohio - Police have released surveillance footage of a person of interest in a Sept. 7 shooting near the University of Akron main campus.

This surveillance video still shows the individual Akron police are looking for in connection with a Sept. 7 shooting near the University of Akron campus.

The shooting took place about 2:40 p.m. near Power and Rentschler streets, south of the campus, according to a University of Akron campus alert. The victim - who is not a student at the university - was taken to Cleveland Clinic Akron General Hospital for treatment.

Police released surveillance video Monday of a suspect in the shooting. The video shows the three men described by witnesses to police right after the shooting occurred. They were seen in a silver car driving north on Rentschler Street right after the shooting, the university alert said.

Witnesses told police that the shooter was wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt. The surveillance video shows several camera angles of the person of interest.

The shooter should be considered armed and dangerous, police said. Anyone who sees him should immediately call 911.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Akron police Sgt. Forney at 330-375-2490.

If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section.
A man's body was discovered at the bottom of a cliff on Wednesday afternoon by a search dog team looking in the Crazy Mountains for Mark Rollins, an Iowa hunter last seen on Sept. 20., according to a press release from the Park County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities have so far been unable to identify the body, which was found clothed in camouflage, but Park County Sheriff Scott Hamilton noted in the press release that "we have no other reports of missing persons in that area" and that the body was found within a mile of where Rollins was last seen.

"Evidence found at the scene indicates the man had fallen off the cliff," wrote Hamilton in the press release.

The body has been taken to Livingston and an autopsy is scheduled for Thursday morning, according to the press release.

Rollins of Decorah, Iowa, was expected home Monday or Tuesday. His wife reported him overdue.

A group of hunters told a U.S. Forest Service officer they'd met a man in his 60s near Campfire Lake in the Crazy Mountains on Sept 20. They said he appeared well equipped for an extended stay, but they were concerned when he hadn't returned to his vehicle at the trailhead by Tuesday.

The search began Tuesday in the mountains east of Wilsall and continued Wednesday with search dogs and a helicopter.

Rollins was reported to be in good physical condition with no known medical issues.

Anyone with information about Rollins is asked to call the Park County sheriff's office at 406-222-2050.
BEREA, Ohio -- The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency, in conjunction with the U.S. Fire Administration, has awarded a $45,291 competitive grant to the Berea Fire Department for use in safety and operations initiatives.

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-9) announced the award in a press release, noting "fierce" national competition. She serves on the House Appropriations Committee and the subcommittee that oversees responsibilities for the Department of Homeland Security.

"Many fire departments throughout the country apply for these funds, and the Berea Fire Department has made a convincing case that it is wise to invest in the training and equipment that will assist their fire personnel so they can continue the high level of protection the residents of Berea deserve," Kaptur said.

During the Sept. 6 city council meeting, Berea's Director of Public Safety Barbara Jones praised fire Capt. William Eisenhardt for his work in securing the grant.

"We're very pleased our division of fire received a $45,000 grant that can go toward safety and operations," Jones said. "We're still waiting on some parameters from FEMA. A lot of credit goes to Capt. Eisenhardt for his efforts in doing the grant application."

Fire Chief Mark Kaufhold also commended Eisenhardt, along with city administrators and Congresswoman Kaptur.

"Capt. Eisenhardt, a 24-year Berea fire veteran and lifelong Berea resident, has worked many hours in an effort to acquire available federal funds to assist Berea in meeting its constant emergency response challenges," Kaufhold said in a prepared statement. "Mayor (Cyril) Kleem, his administration and Berea City Council continue to meet the challenges of instilling community improvements while still providing all expected services to Berea's citizens."

He called Berea "an always-improving community."

"These federal dollars will definitely be put to good use," Kaufhold said.
WESTLAKE, Ohio -- Morry Weiss, patriarch of the family that owns American Greetings Corp., welcomed visitors to the company's Creative Studios at Crocker Park in Westlake on Wednesday morning, calling it the culmination of a six-year journey that enabled the company to stay and thrive in Greater Cleveland.

Not only did state and local officials work to grant the greeting card company more than $90 million in state tax credits, low-interest loans and other incentives over 15 years, but scores of employees helped Baltimore-based architectural firm CallisonRTKL design the creative spaces and lounges inside the five-story global headquarters.

The resulting 660,000-square-foot glass and steel structure anchors 13.5 acres of land at the newly christened One American Boulevard in Crocker Park, just south of the Trader Joe's parking garage.

"Our company purpose to make the world a more thoughtful and caring place is physically embodied throughout our new home, and, as the building itself was designed to maximize collaboration and creativity, we are forever grateful to the top-notch partners we collaborated with to turn this goal into a reality," said Jeff Weiss, co-chief executive with his brother, Zev, in a written statement. "The state-of-the-art facility represents a commitment to the future of the Company, to the social expressions industry, and to Northeast Ohio."

The spacious, high-ceilinged interiors house nearly 1,600 employees that used to work out of a 1.6-million square foot building in Brooklyn. The offices are bathed in sunlight and decorated with the words, pictures and paintings of American Greetings employees and other artists.

Painted on the wall next to the employee entrance is the company's mission statement: "We work to make the world a more thoughtful and caring place. We create happiness, laughter, and love. Every single day." Murals also commemorate successful advertising and marketing campaigns, from the #WorldsToughestJob for Mother's Day to "It's Taco Time" taco emoji by American Greetings' JustWink.

"This space was designed for us, designed for our needs, and designed around the idea of collaboration and being a more flexible workspace," said Megan Baucco, associate manager for marketing communications and a three-year employee of American Greetings, during a tour.

Instead of hiring an interior design firm, the company asked employees to pick out furniture, upholstery fabrics and light fixtures.

An outdoor courtyard on the third floor features heated and covered sidewalks, landscaped seating areas, a barbecue grill, a fire pit, and giant versions of corn hole, Jenga and Connect Four.

Of all the architectural design firms that vied to design the building, "RTKL was the only one that had this concept of an interior courtyard," Baucco said. "Jeff Weiss asked, 'Can we put it on the third floor?' Jeff didn't want this space more than two floors away from anyone."

The building also houses cutting-edge photo studios, audio studios ("We record all of our audio for our cards in-house," Baucco said.), artist workshop spaces, a 10,000-volume reference library, a room full of ribbons, buttons and other embellishments, and coffee lounges on every floor.

Besides the full service Jacob's cafeteria (named for founder Jacob Sapirstein), there's a full-service Starbucks, ATM, post office, dry cleaning drop-off, and Kindred, a company store stocked with greeting cards, paper products, and collectibles from local artists. But as at its former Brooklyn headquarters, the store is not open to the public.

Also not open to the public is a timeline of milestones and keepsakes from the company's 110 years in business, from founder Jacob Sapirstein's family portrait and a model of the horse-drawn carriage from which he peddled his greeting cards, to a collection of Care Bears plush toys, Strawberry Shortcake cards, and a Holly Hobbie ceramic tea set.

Sapirstein's handwritten ledger is open to a page from 1922, showing total sales of $12,953.03 for the year. Thirty years later, American Greetings was selling more than $12 million worth of greeting cards.

No longer publicly traded, American Greetings said it generates about $1.9 billion in annual revenue.

A covered walkway connects the main building to American Greetings' 1,450-space parking garage. Plans call for retailers to occupy the 88,000 square feet of street-level space beneath the offices, but no tenants have been confirmed yet.

Employees started moving into the Crocker Park headquarters in groups last month, and now all but about 150 are in Westlake. Morry Weiss said current employees stand on the shoulders of the creative giants who came before them, pointing out some retirees in the audience at Wednesday's ceremony.

Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish and Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough shared the stage with representatives from Gov. John Kasich's office and State Treasurer Josh Mandel, noting the company's contributions to the greeting card industry and thanking the Weiss family for not leaving Ohio.

Budish recalled "Morry Weiss showing me offers that he had been sent from all over the country trying to entice American Greetings to move," and thanked Kasich and others for making sure "that American Greetings had what it needed to stay in Ohio."

Clough issued a proclamation printed inside an oversized congratulatory greeting card, declaring: "Today is American Greetings Day in the City of Westlake."

He praised Bob Stark, president and chief executive of Crocker Park developer Stark Enterprises, for envisioning and transforming former farmland into stores, apartments, restaurants, and now, American Greetings' corporate headquarters.

"One of the world's most consistently creative and forward-thinking enterprises has just lifted Crocker Park, Westlake and Northeast Ohio onto its shoulders," Stark said in a written statement. "Thank you, American Greetings, for leading us into the 21st Century with your confidence and your state-of-the-art workplace. It seamlessly melds with the contextual energy of Crocker Park, which is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of all who partake in the experience that we are privileged to offer together."

"Our culture is exactly the same as American Greetings'," Stark said. "It's about smiling, sharing and caring. American Greetings is the soul of this city."

The public can attend the 37th Annual American Greetings Fine Art Show, a juried exhibition of works by American Greetings artists and writers, at the grand opening of the first floor Gallery W (named for Weiss and for Westlake) and in the third floor Irving Stone Gallery from 5-9 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29. The rest of the second- through fifth floors are restricted to employees.

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LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- The U.S. Department of Energy is holding an "open house" from 4 to 7 p.m.today in the Woman's Club Pavilion at Lakewood Park, 14532 Lake Ave., to showcase the Lake Erie Energy Development (LEEDCo) plans to build six wind turbines in the lake 6 to 10 miles northwest of downtown.

The event is not a hearing, but representatives from the DOE, as well as the U.S. Coast Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers, will take public comments as well as answer any questions about the federal permitting process.

Representatives of Icebreaker Windpower, Inc., the new Ohio corporation created by Norway-based Fred Olsen Renewables, will also attend the open house.

Icebreaker Windpower will, in the coming months, purchase the research assets of the of LEEDCo, which is a non-profit corporation. LEEDCo, which grew out of a public committee funded by the Cleveland Foundation and Cuyahoga County, has pioneered lake wind development.

In an earlier interview David Brunt, CEO of Fred Olsen Renewables, said he believes Lake Erie winds have the potential to generate 5 gigawatts of power. That's 5,000 megawatts, or roughly what five large nuclear reactors can generate.

LEEDCo and the committee that came before it also concluded the lake has the potential to hold 1,000 or more wind turbines -- enough to spawn an entire manufacturing and construction industry in Northeast Ohio.

The Ohio Power Siting Board will also in the future hold a more traditional public hearing at which time Icebreaker Windpower/LEEDCo staff will present the project and OBSB staff will take public comments. A date has not been set.

The DOE plans to award the project more than $50 million -- as long as the project continues to meet its engineering timeline. The current plan is to build the wind farm over the summer and fall of 2018 and begin commercial operations during the first quarter of 2019.

Icebreaker Windpower has plans to buy the six wind turbines for the pilot project from MHI Vestas, a company created by Vestas Wind Systems of Denmark and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan.

Each turbine will have a generating capacity of 3.45 megawatts. Icebreaker at one time was also considering purchasing turbines from Siemens and much earlier from a division of General Electric.

Fred Olsen has already invested money in the project, though it has not released a specific amount. The company financed a project in the summer of 2015 to take core samples of the lake bottom in the area where the wind farm will be built.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A federal magistrate judge has thrown out a lawsuit filed by a Cleveland police sergeant passed over for a lieutenant's promotion after he was involved in a deadly 2012 chase.

Magistrate Judge Kenneth McHargh, in an opinion issued Friday, wrote that Sgt. Richard Martinez's claim that he was not afforded due process after being denied a promotion did not hold water. Martinez had other avenues available to challenge the decision from officials to not move him up to lieutenant, and he has not pursued them, the judge wrote.

Martinez, who joined the department in 1996, filed suit in August 2015 over the denied promotion.

He scored seventh highest of the 50 sergeants who took the civil service exam when the test was administered in July 2011, yet those with lower test scores were promoted as he waited, his lawsuit says.

What the lawsuit and McHargh's opinion do not mention, though, is that Martinez was suspended for 10 days in 2013 for being involved in a chase that spanned 22 miles and resulted in the deaths of Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams after officers fired 137 bullets at the pair's car.

According to a report, Martinez "sat in the car 'reading a book' at the East Cleveland scene." An arbitrator later upheld the discipline, and city Safety Director Michael McGrath has indicated in court filings that Martinez was passed over for a promotion because of his role in the chase.

Another police supervisor involved in the chase, Sgt. Randolph Daley, also sued last year over a denied promotion. His lawsuit was denied in March.

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Rock Hall 2015 exhibit

A visitor looks over the 2015 Class exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum on Friday, April 17, 2015.

(Thomas Ondrey)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - With just seven words this past April, Ice Cube put opponents of hip-hop's inclusion in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on blast.

"God damn right, we're rock and roll," Ice Cube proclaimed during N.W.A.'s acceptance speech at the 2016 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony held in Brooklyn, N.Y.

N.W.A.'s induction followed months of debate amongst fans, critics and artists about what genres of music deserve to be featured in the Rock Hall. The groundbreaking rap group is just the latest of a handful of hip-hop acts -- including Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, Run-D.M.C., Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys -- to enter the museum over the past decade.

"Rock and roll is not an instrument," Ice Cube said. "It's not even a style of music. It's a spirit...that's what connects us all."

Cube's remarks came on the heels of another recent inductee, KISS' Gene Simmons, criticizing N.W.A.'s induction, while taking a shot at hip-hop as an art form.

"I am looking forward to the death of rap," Simmons boldly told Rolling Stone in April. "I'm looking forward to music coming back to lyrics and melody, instead of just talking. A song, as far as I'm concerned, is by definition lyric and melody ... or just melody."

Simmons' comments represent the disdain from some fans that often proceeds the annual announcement of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees. Over the years, the inductions of everyone from Hall & Oates and ABBA to Donna Summer and even Michael Jackson have been met with criticism, because they don't fall into the accepted definition of "rock."

Some of it might have to do with racism, sexism or ageism. Yet, most likely it has to do with an increased ignorance about what rock and roll was founded on.

It's a topic author Jack Hamilton poignantly tackles in his new book "Just around Midnight: Rock and Roll and the Racial Imagination."

Hamilton, a professor of Media Studies at the University of Virginia, describes how rock and roll went from an art form pioneered by black musicians and rooted in rhythm and blues to being overly simplified as "rock," a genre symbolized by a white man with a guitar.

"By the end of [the 1960s], rock and roll music, which was first seen as an interracial art form, had become viewed as almost exclusively white," says Hamilton, phoning in from his office. "There developed a total lack of understanding that a lot of music you listen to was created by black musicians. For instance, Led Zeppelin is great but they didn't invent rock and roll music."

In his book, Hamilton points out how artists like Bob Dylan and Sam Cooke, or Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin were put into different musical genres despite being rooted in the same influences.

Hamilton argues that, by the 1970s, "rock music" was seen as the most artistically significant of genres by many fans and critics. Their desire to protect the art form's image (which was predominantly masculine and white) created an active hostility towards any music that served as an alternative.

One clear example this, says Hamilton, is a young Prince being booed mercilessly while opening for the Rolling Stones on tour in the early 1980s. While Prince's over-sexed style and the color of his skin was viewed as weird, in retrospect, the two artists come from similar influences. Prince's mix of funk, pop and rock isn't much of a departure from songs like "Brown Sugar" or "Miss You."

"The Rolling Stone were extremely proactive about crediting their influences, particularly in the 1960s," says Hamilton. "But in the minds of their fans, the band itself became the authentic entity and, somehow, the one who invented rock music."

The first genre as a whole to be seen as an alternative to rock and, thus, experience a major backlash was disco. The infamous Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park in Chicago in 1979 saw thousands of rock music fans destroying disco records.

Since that time, Disco Demolition Night has become viewed by some historians as having more to do with racism and homophobia than the actual quality of disco music. But much of that prejudice remains in music circles, specifically when debating an artist's Rock Hall candidacy.

"Queen of Disco" Donna Summer's posthumous induction in 2013 was met with uproar, especially since she was chosen over a guitar-driven act like Deep Purple.

That same thought process has kept Chic out of the Rock Hall despite 10 nominations, with some critics dismissing Nile Rodgers' pioneering group as "a disco band."

In reality, Chic's influence on dance music and hip-hop, arguably, makes the group more pivotal than the majority of artists inducted into the Rock Hall over the past few years. Listen to radio today and you'll find far more artists influenced by Chic than acts like Chicago or Steve Miller, two artists inducted this past April.

In terms of more modern music, Rock purists scoff at the sight of Beyonce's dresses or the Notorious' B.I.G.'s jersey being featured prominently in the museum. The same people dismiss the "Right Here, Right Now" exhibit, which spotlights contemporary stars like Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift.

With the Class of 2017 nominations due next month, the possibility of rap legend Tupac Shakur making the cut is sure to enrage some fans. It certainly wouldn't be the first time a pop-culture icon drew the ire of rock purists.

When the nominees for the Class of 2016 were announced last October, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame CEO Greg Harris made the statement, "One could say if Madonna is in, Janet Jackson should be in" to highlight Jackson's long overdue nomination.

That drew criticism from rock music fans that insisted it was "a completely ridiculous comparison, [as] Janet is factually nothing compared to Madonna" (one commenter wrote).

Harris' words also fired up fans that want to see nothing other than male-dominated guitar rock inside the museum:

"Janet Jackson deserves to be in a "black entertainers" HOF and Madonna deserves to be in a "white entertainers" HOF," another commenter wrote. "But neither deserves to be in the R&R HOF. Perhaps they could both be in a 'female entertainers' HOF."

"Fandom is a really powerful thing," Hamilton says. "The way some musicians and fans identify themselves with the music they listen to produces non-productive and irrational thoughts. Anything that's seemingly an alternative is a threat."

All of this, Hamilton says, points towards a bigger issue moving forward: "If [the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame] doesn't start opening the doors to more diverse artists, they're going to run out of people to put in."

But the Rock Hall has long recognized this. The museum itself has done an excellent job highlighting all genres of music.

And, despite a major lack of transparency in its process, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation has continued to nominate artists outside of the narrow scope of "rock music".

Of course, that doesn't mean close-minded fans will ever accept it. Many will insist the museum should exist only to honor guitar rock. Thus, ignoring the gospel, rhythm and blues, swing, boogie-woogie and country music that rock and roll borrowed heavily from.

"I don't think we've ever really known what rock and roll is," Hamilton says. "Musical genres are very imaginative things. Fans will just have to realize Public Enemy and N.W.A. were every bit the avant-garde of their time that Bob Dylan was in the 1960s. These are debates that should have ended by now."
Garfield Heights police car.jpg

A Maple Heights man and two teens are charged in a pair of Garfield Heights robberies.

(File photo)

GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio - A Maple Heights man and two teens are facing robbery charges in a pair of incidents in Garfield Heights.

The three stopped to attack teens on bicycles while driving around in the man's car. They stole a pizza, a backpack and a jacket, according to police reports.

Jovann J. Mathews, 21, is charged with robbery and complicity. Mathews waived his right to a preliminary hearing Monday and saw his case bound over to Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

The 16-year-old boys are charged with robbery and curfew violations in juvenile court, according to police reports.

A Garfield Heights woman called 911 just after 2:15 a.m. after seeing teens attack a bicyclist on East 115th Street. The teens left in a green hatchback, the woman said.

Officers spotted a 2004 Toyota Matrix that matched the car's description on Oakwood Boulevard near Turney Road. They stopped the car and found Mathews, the 16-year-old boys and a 19-year-old man inside.

The officers recognized the incident was similar to an earlier robbery on Turney Road. Several men jumped out of a car about 9 p.m. Friday to steal a pizza from a 15-year-old boy walking home from Little Caesar's, according to a police report.

The victim in the pizza robbery identified one 16-year-old boy in the Toyota. The boy then told police that Mathews had been driving and he and the other 16-year-old boy were present for both incidents.

Officers released the 19-year-old man before the 16-year-old boy identified him as also being involved in the attack on the bicyclist. Investigators are still searching for the man, the report says.

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Criminal trespassing, Clubside Road: A resident called police at 12:40 p.m. Sept. 23 to report that a man he does not know got into the caller's truck, parked behind his house. When the resident went outside, the suspect in the truck got out of the vehicle and hid near a trailer, also on the caller's property. When the resident approached the trailer, the suspect quickly walked down the driveway.

Police apprehended the suspect, a Mayfield Heights man, 47 and charged him with trespassing.

Four days earlier, the same suspect was arrested after he walked along Mayfield Road stopping traffic by holding up a hatchet toward drivers.

Theft, Mayfield Road: At 3:25 p.m. Sept. 25, a woman reported that money and other items were stolen from her purse while she was at Boston Market, 5096 Mayfield Road.

Theft, Sheridan Road: On the morning of Sept. 25, a man reported that his smartphone was stolen the night before while he was at the Mayfield Country Club, 1545 Sheridan Road. The phone was turned off so he was unable to track its location.

OVI, Richmond Road: At 5:35 p.m. Sept. 23, a motorist informed police about an erratic driver. An officer stopped the erratic driver, a Cleveland Heights woman, 51. The woman, who was found to be drunk, was arrested and her car towed.

Overdose, Ridgebury Boulevard:

At 8:05 a.m. Sept. 23, police were called to a home where a woman, 47, had overdosed on heroin. The woman was taken to Hillcrest Hospital and survived.

A Lyndhurst man, 32, left the home just before police arrived. The man was sought as the person who supplied the woman with heroin.

Theft, Mayfield Road: On the evening of Sept. 21, a doctor reported that narcotics were found missing from a locked cabinet in an office at Cleveland Surgery Center, 5035 Mayfield Road.

Assault, Mayfield Road: At 9:15 p.m. Sept. 20, a Euclid man, 36, reported that he was struck by a car while in the lot of Buffalo Wild Wings, 5433 Mayfield Road. The man did not require medical help. The driver of the hit-skip car drove from the scene heading westbound on Mayfield Road.

DUS, Mayfield Road: At 3:35 p.m. Sept. 19, police made a traffic stop of a car driven by a woman, and which had a man as a passenger.

It was found during the stop that both the man and woman were wanted on warrants issued by East Cleveland police, while the man was also wanted on a Cleveland Heights warrant. The woman was charged with driving with a suspended license.

Theft from vehicle, Brainard Road: Just before 8 p.m. Sept. 19, a man informed police that someone stole a tire from his car as it was parked in the lot of Fountains on the Greens, 1555 Brainard Road.

If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page.
SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio

Suspicious activity, Homestead Road:

Officers reviewed surveillance video from Adrian Elementary School to try to determine if a boy was actually approached Sept. 14 by a man who asked him if he wanted some candy. The boy was seen walking in the area where he said the incident occurred, but no vehicles approached him as he stated. They spoke to him and his mother Sept. 20 and he held firm to his claim that the incident occurred. His mother said she understands the video evidence proves the incident did not occur as he described. Officers believe he may be afraid of getting in trouble with police and is hesitant to say anything further.

Assist person, Mayfield Road:

Giant Eagle employees raised concern about a disoriented elderly woman at the store Sept. 21. The woman, 85, had placed her groceries in her vehicle, but then found herself at the customer service counter without knowing why she was there. She was subsequently taken to Hillcrest Hospital to be evaluated. Officers made contact with her daughter, a Florida resident, who said she would follow up with the Office on Aging to establish a support system for her mother.

Theft, Anderson Road:

A woman reported Sept. 18 she suspects her son, a 34-year-old Mayfield Village man, may have broken into her house and stolen some items from the basement. She said he is a heroin addict and she does not allow him into the home, but thinks she may have found him in her garage Sept. 16 when she arrived home. She said a man ran out a rear man door when she opened the garage. She did not see his face. Among the items reported missing was a drill, router, leaf blower and a jar, containing $400 in loose change. She thinks he may have used a neighbor's ladder to climb onto a porch and enter the home through a window. The incident is under investigation.

Fraud, South Belvoir Boulevard:

A woman reported Sept. 19 a large packet of paperwork was either lost or stolen from her home or car. She said it included personal identity information. Officers advised her to contact the three major crediting bureaus to put a lock on new credit being opened in her name.

Theft, Wallingford Road:

A man said Sept. 17 a handgun was stolen from his home and he believed his daughter took it to sell, but could not be certain. He said the woman, 19, knew where it was kept and had recently visited the home. He said it was fully loaded and valued it at $569. Officers left a message for the woman to contact them about the incident. There was no forced entry to the home.

Theft, Warrensville Center Road:

A South Euclid man, 21, and Cleveland woman, 19, were arrested at Walmart Sept. 20 for the suspected theft of $149.57 worth of merchandise. A loss prevention worker said they went through the self checkout but failed to ring several items.

Theft, Warrensville Center Road:

A shoplifter tried to escape from a deputy, who was working security at Walmart, around 1:15 a.m. Sept. 19 and was pepper-sprayed as a result. The Cleveland man, 49, was concealing steaks and lobster tails inside his pants and a bag. He was arrested for theft, criminal trespass and resisting arrest.

Harassment, Oakmount Road:

A woman reported Sept. 13 her ex-boyfriend has called her cell phone and sent text messages in excess of 1,000 times since she last filed a complaint against him in August. She said he has also left flowers at her home and shown up at her job in Bedford Heights to try to obtain information from co-workers about her whereabouts. Officers tried unsuccessfully to contact the 39-year-old Mayfield Heights man. The prosecutor recommended he be charged with telephone harassment and menacing.

Theft, Mayfield Road:

A Euclid woman, 51, was arrested at Giant Eagle Sept. 17 for the suspected theft of $66.23 worth of merchandise she had concealed in shopping bags. She admitted to the theft when an employee asked her to show a receipt.

Disturbance, Quilliams Road:

A man reported at 10:52 p.m. Sept. 17 a friend was at his home causing a disturbance and had backed her vehicle into his garage door, causing damage. The South Euclid woman, 36, was not there when officers arrived, but they spoke with her at her home. She said she had been with some friends at Gepetto's when the man called her and told her to come to his home so he could pay her $100 that he owed her. She went to the home, but said he wanted to have sex with her instead of paying the money. Since he refused to pay her, she went to his car and took $100 worth of marijuana as compensation for the money. She said he then took her to the ground and took back the marijuana. She said she drove away and she denied hitting his garage. She was subsequently charged with obstructing official business after having previously denied being at the home.

See more South Euclid news at Cleveland.com/south-euclid.

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jackcasinosign.jpg

A constitutional challenge in court to Ohio's establishment of four casinos has been dismissed.

(Karen Farkas, cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - A challenge to the Ohio constitutional amendment that legalized casinos here has been dismissed in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

Gambling is not a fundamental right, and Ohio has "a rational basis for for implementing the casino restrictions and regulations at issue," ruled Judge Chris Brown. "Gambling is a vice that that may be limited, restricted or banned by the state in its entirety, in order to in order to preserve the public's health and welfare."

Frederick Kinsey of Columbiana County had argued his constitutional right of equal protection was violated because only a few companies could operate casinos and he could not apply to be a casino operator.

Brown rejected that claim, saying said Kinsey was "not a member of a suspect class."

"The Court finds the State has a legitimate interest in regulating casino gaming," Brown wrote. "Gambling is a vice that may be limited, restricted, or banned by the State in its entirety, in order to preserve the public's health and welfare."

The ruling in the five-year-old case can be appealed.

See the ruling below or click here if on a mobile device.

In 2011, 11 individuals, an Akron-based company and the Ohio Roundtable sued the state Lottery Commission and Casino Commission, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Tax Commissioner Joe Testa, challenging the constitutionality of the amendment voters approved in 2009 to allow casinos, as well as laws from 2009 and 2011 that cleared the way for the video lottery terminals, or electronic slots, to be used at horse tracks.

A Franklin County court dismissed the suit after a judge ruled the plaintiffs did not have standing -- the right to file the suit and be heard. An appellate court agreed, prompting an appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court.

In March the Supreme Court agreed that all plaintiffs except Kinsey did not have standing.

The dismissal of the case "provides legal certainty to Ohio's four casinos, and substantiates the legal structure of the Ohio casino law approved by voters, the General Assembly, and the Ohio Casino Control Commission if this case is not appealed," said John H. Oberle, chair of the Ohio State Bar Association Gaming and Liquor Law Committee, in a statement.
A Lame Deer man who admitted possessing methamphetamine for distribution after officers found the drug in a stolen vehicle in which he was a passenger will spend three years in federal prison.

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Susan Watters sentenced William Woodrow Springfield Sr., 54, to the term for his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute. The sentence was near the high end of the guideline range of 30 months to 37 months.

Springfield apologized to his family and told the judge he needed help for his drug addiction.

Springfield initially faced drug charges that carried a penalty of a minimum mandatory five years to 40 years in prison, but he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge as part of a plea agreement and faced a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

Watters followed a sentencing recommendation from Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Suek. The judge also noted the conviction was Springfields second felony drug conviction and that he had a felony drug charge pending in state District Court.

Suek said in court records that officers with the Bureau of Indian Affairs located a stolen car from Billings in a parking lot in Lame Deer on Aug. 27, 2015. The driver and Springfield, a passenger, were in the car and were arrested.

During a search of the car, officers found 55 grams or almost 2 ounces of meth in the center console, a digital scale under Springfields seat and $1,093 in cash in his back pocket, Suek said.

The government also is seeking the forfeiture of the cash.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland police continue to search for the man who robbed a downtown gas station two weeks ago.

The robbery occurred about 9:45 p.m. Sept. 13 at the BP gas station at the intersection of Carnegie Avenue and East 9th Street, across the street from Progressive Field. Cleveland police officers arrived at the gas station and found a "fearful" employee who "appeared physically shaken," according to a police report.

The employee told officers that the robber walked into the gas station and asked where the bathroom was located, the report states. The man walked outside to the Port-a-Potties but came back into the store and took a black handgun out of his waistband.

The robber pressed the gun into the employee's side and said "Let's go," the police report says. The employee handed over all the cash from the register, and the robber ran south on East 9th Street.

The robber took between $400 and $500 from the store, police said.

Anyone with information about the robbery or the robber's whereabouts is asked to contact Cleveland police at 216-621-1234.

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Donald Trump Steve Loomis

Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association President Steve Loomis, far right, participated in a roundtable discussion with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, his running mate Gov. Mike Pence and other labor leaders Sept. 5, 2016 in Brook Park. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

(Evan Vucci)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland's rank-and-file police union's plan to wade into perhaps one of the most controversial presidential elections in decades and vote this week to endorse a presidential candidate has sparked some division in the ranks.

Many officers predict that members of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association's will vote to endorse Republican candidate Donald Trump, whose hardline stances on policing and immigration have sparked outrage and fear within black and Hispanic communities.

A vote to endorse Trump would risk further eroding the relationship between police officers and minority communities at a time when the department is working to rebuild trust after a series of controversial deaths involving police, multiple officers told cleveland.com.

"You're dealing with a community that is predominantly African-American and Democratic," Lynn Hampton, president of the Black Shield, the union that represents black police officers, said. "You can't keep drawing lines in the sand and taking certain stances when the community is as frustrated as it is."

The Black Shield falls under the CPPA, which represents more than 1,000 patrol officers and detectives.

The board of directors decided Sept. 13 to ask its members at the next general membership meeting to vote on whether to endorse a candidate, according to a letter posted on the union's Facebook page.

The board's decision came a week after CPPA President Steve Loomis took part in a roundtable discussion with Trump and other union leaders. And last month, Loomis appeared in his formal department uniform seated behind Trump at a rally in Akron.

Loomis told a cleveland.com later that day that he was invited to the rally by friends, and not the Trump campaign.

Right over Trump's left shoulder is Cleveland police union pres Steve Loomis. Just noticed him there. pic.twitter.com/vKUUI9gZTB  Andrew Tobias (@AndrewJTobias) August 22, 2016

The membership meeting held Wednesday was attended by 49 officers. Loomis spent several minutes advocating for Trump over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton because Trump is far more "pro-police" than Clinton or President Barack Obama, Hampton said.

After a heated debate where several officers argued that the union should keep its focus on local politics instead of going national, the group voted 25-24 to hold an endorsement vote, Hampton said.

All of the officers who voted to endorse were white, and about half of the votes against endorsing were cast by black or Hispanic officers, Hampton said.

Two other officers, who spoke to cleveland.com on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly on union issues, confirmed Hampton's recounting of the meeting.

Officers will cast their ballots for either Clinton or Trump at the union hall Friday, according to the union's letter.

Loomis declined to comment for this story.

"This is an internal union issue that is not for public consumption, comment or opinion," he said in a text message Tuesday.

The news comes after black officers in other cities have publicly decried the decision of the Fraternal Order of Police, the largest national police union, to endorse Trump.

Cleveland police have been working to rebuild trust with minority communities after the city agreed to sweeping reforms as part of a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department to address claims of excessive force.

Trump has made a series of statements that have drawn criticism from black voters.

His years-long questioning of whether Obama was born in the U.S. and has been widely panned as motivated by the president's race. He has also advocated for tougher policing at a time when police shootings in Cleveland and across the country have spurred protests and widespread calls for reform.

Hampton, a detective with 22 years on the force, decried Trump's statements in Monday's first presidential debate for a national return to the controversial stop-and-frisk method of policing, a practice that's fallen out of favor after a federal judge ruled that New York City police used the stops to unfairly target minorities.

"You're giving police more authority to operate on their biases, implicit or what have you, and for lack of a better word harass people based on their own stereotypes," Hampton said. "That's not going to do anything but further polarize us and the community and cause more problems."

The department is also trying to recruit more minority officers to make the police force, which is more than 60 percent white, more reflective of the city's population, which is about 53 percent black.

"I don't think us endorsing Trump is going to help with minority recruitment at all," one officer said.

The department responded to questions from cleveland.com with a statement distancing itself from the union's decision to endorse.

"The Cleveland Division of Police does not endorse political candidates. An endorsement made on behalf of the CPPA is not an endorsement reflective of the division as a whole," the statement says.

Hampton echoed the sentiment.

"When the endorsement vote does come down, just know it's not the sentiments of a lot of police officers on the force," Hampton said.
Eric Gordon Denise Link Cleveland school board.JPG

Cleveland school board chair Denise Link (right) joined the vote against a tentative contract with the Cleveland Teachers Union that the union had already voted down. District CEO Eric Gordon (left) had requested the symbolic vote to show respect to the teachers' vote.

(Patrick O'Donnell/The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland school board has followed the lead of the district's teachers and voted against the tentative contract that district and Cleveland Teachers Union leaders reached Aug. 30.

Gordon requested the vote Tuesday "out of a measure of respect for what we heard from members (teachers)."

Teachers had shot down the three-year deal 1,830 to 1,730, in votes announced Sept. 22.

Gordon told the board that it did not have to vote, since the teachers had already voted no.

"It's more of a symbolic formality," he said.

The board also voted, at Gordon's request, to direct him to return to the bargaining table.

That won't happen until next week, at the earliest. Union leaders are meeting with representatives of each school late this week to better understand what were they key objections from members.

The three-year deal, which would have given the teachers a 2 percent raise this school year, called for wages to be negotiated again next year when the result of the tax renewal is known.

It also would have thrown out most of a "performance" pay plan that the district and union reached in 2013 as part of the Cleveland Plan for Transforming Schools, an improvement plan backed by Gov. John Kasich and the state legislature.

Teachers have complained to the Plain Dealer that the contract:

- Does not force the district to add more music, art and gym classes.

- Does not restrict standardized testing.

- Does not resolve concerns with how teachers are evaluated.

- Does not give adequate raises to teacher aides.

Click here for more on these concerns.

Here's the rejected deal:
Racial justice forum in Painesville

Lake County Prosecutor Charles Coulson, left, and Lake Common Pleas Judge John O'Donnell were among panelists tonight in the second public forum of a series on race relations in the county called Begin the Conversation. Photo by Grant Segall/The Plain Dealer.

(Grant Segall/The Plain Dealer)

PAINESVILLE, Ohio -- About 150 people attended a forum Tuesday night to discuss Lake County's criminal justice system.

A panel of county and Mentor officials discussed traffic stops, jury selection, sentencing and more.

Some members of the audience at Painesville's Harvey High School asked questions during the two-hour forum, the second in a series on race relations called Begin the Conversation. For instance, one asked, "If you're pulled over, is it OK to reach into the glove department to get your registration and license before the officer comes?"

Mentor Police Chief Kevin Knight said no. "Wait for instructions. Keep your hands on the steering wheel. If the officer asks for your license, say, 'It's in the glove department. Is it OK to get it?'"

Other questioners expressed opinions. An anonymous question read aloud by a moderator said, "Seemingly there's not enough [public] defenders for the needs of the indigents."

Judge John P. O'Donnell said the court appoints defense counsel for indigent defendants as necessary.

Meryl Johnson, a candidate for the Ohio Board of Education, said, "With the killing of African-American males, there is a fear if a person gets out of the car they may be harmed or killed. How does a police officer deal with that fear and not see it as defiance?"

Chief Knight replied, "You want to comply with the officer. It's not the time to debate the issues. If there's an issue, deal with it afterwards."

The panelists hoped to win residents' trust. "The more transparent you are," said Lake County Prosecutor Charles Coulson, "the more faith they have in the criminal justice system."

Coulson said not to believe Hollywood tales of courtroom surprises. "I have a rule of open discovery," he said. "We make sure everything we know about the case is given to the defendant."

Judge Donnell called sentencing the most important part of his job. He said his probation department spends five to six weeks preparing a pre-sentence report about the defendant that might typically be 15 to 17 pages long. The report might include drug, alcohol or psychiatric evaluation as relevant.

Mentor Municipal Judge John Trebets said he has created a drug court and a mental health court to deal with troubled defendants.

"If we have someone with a mental illness or an addiction, we try to help them," said Trebets. "We're not soft on crime. We're smart on crime."

A panel of leaders from local government, schools, churches, businesses and nonprofits started Begin the Conversation in April, hoping to promote intercultural understanding and avoid the sort of racial confrontations that have taken place in many cities across America.

The first forum focused on general race relations in Lake County. Leaders plan to follow up Tuesday night's criminal justice forum with "mini-forums" on the system. The forums, each at 6:30 p.m., will take place on Oct. 4 at St. Noel's Church, 35200 Chardon Rd., Willoughby Hills; on Oct. 6 at Union Community Church, 10959 Johnnycake Ridge Rd., Painesville; and on Nov. 16 at Elm Street School, 585 Elm St., Painesville.

Leaders hope to book a date in early December for a forum on business and employment. They are also teaming with Lake Erie College to train six Harvey High School students in conflict resolution.

For more about Begin the Conversation, see below.
Ohio Supreme Court

(Jackie Borchardt, cleveland.com)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohioans who have difficulty obtaining public records from state and local governments now have a lower-cost alternative to filing a lawsuit.

A new state law providing a public records complaint and mediation process goes into effect today. For $25, a complaint can be filed in the Ohio Court of Claims, where staff attorneys will attempt to resolve disputes through mediation.

All mediation will happen via phone or video conferencing, so neither party has to travel to Columbus.

If mediation fails, the complaint is assigned to an experienced attorney, called a special master, who will review the evidence and issue a ruling. Rulings could then be appealed in state appellate courts.

The court launched a website featuring answers to frequently asked questions and forms to file a complaint.

Senate President Keith Faber, an attorney and Republican from Celina, introduced the bill as a way to increase access to public records and reduce court costs for local governments. The legislation had the support of state Auditor Dave Yost and Attorney General Mike DeWine, whose offices each had programs to resolve public records disputes.

The legislation earned praise from Sunshine Law advocates for its low cost and quick resolution. The law sets a time line of 104 days from when mediation fails to a final court resolution -- a short amount of time considering public records cases

.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A century ago this year, Americans were being attacked on both sides of the Mexican border, and the violence would result in the Cleveland Grays being dispatched to Fort Bliss, Texas, to bolster American military presence in the area.

"There was a lot of tension between Mexico and the United States," said local historian George N. Vourlojianis. "Mexicans were upset about American businesses taking natural resources out of that county."

Vourlojianis is a member of the Cleveland Grays, a group devoted to preserving and advancing the military heritage of Greater Cleveland through public awareness. He is also author of "The Cleveland Grays - An Urban Military Company, 1837 - 1919."

The group is headquartered at the Cleveland Grays Armory Museum, a three-story Romanesque Revival at the intersection of Bolivar Road and Prospect Avenue in downtown Cleveland. The armory is filled with military history, from a Civil War cannon in the lobby and original wood lockers that the first Grays used to change into their uniforms to a slew of photos of veterans and prominent political figures throughout. The armory is open to the public for tours and lectures.

The Grays, formed in 1837, is a former independent volunteer militia. They were deployed to the American-Texas border after two particularly aggressive incidents against Americans. On February 11, 1916, Francisco "Pancho" Villa and his men stopped a train at Santa Ysabel in Mexico, carrying 17 Texas miners who had been invited by the Mexican government to reopen shuttered mines. All but one of the men were executed. That attack became known as the Santa Isabel Massacre.

Several months later, Villa crossed the U.S. border with nearly 500 men and struck the town of Columbus, New Mexico. Eighteen Americans and several hundred Mexicans died before Villa retreated.

"In essence, a Mexican roughneck with no official ties to the Mexican government attacked the United States on our own soil," said Vourlojianis, who taught U.S. History for 20 years at Lorain County Community College, served on Kent State University's faculty and is now an adjunct professor at John Carroll University.

The Grays were recruited into the Ohio National Guard, Company F. Along with other Ohio Guardsman, they arrived at Camp Bliss, Texas, on September 7. While there, the Grays took part in what came to be known as the Las Cruces hike. Eighteen thousand Guardsman marched 75 miles to Las Cruces, New Mexico and back to Camp Bliss, patrolling and preparing for an attack but never crossing the border.

By 1916, independent militias had been eliminated through legislation but the Grays remained together and still are active. The 150 or so current members who include veterans, non-veterans and women, primarily serve in ceremonial roles in parades and civic events. The Grays are open to new members. One need not be a veteran to join. After a six-month stay, the men returned to Ohio in March, 1917.

These photos here are from the Grays Armory Archives and were provided by volunteer curator William Stark, another member of the Cleveland Grays. The pictures capture the Grays' six-month stay on the Mexican-American border.
starkstateakronloc.jpg

Stark State College will offer classes beginning in January in this office building on White Pond Drive off Interstate 77 in Akron.

(Stark State College )

AKRON, Ohio - Stark State College, which is building a campus in Akron, will begin offering two-year degree programs in an office building there in January.

"We've received countless calls from interested students every week since making the announcement about Stark State College Akron last spring," President Para Jones said in a statement. "This temporary location enables us to begin serving student needs immediately."

The college said it has leased three of four floors at 755 White Pond Drive, which already houses classrooms and laboratories and requires minimal modification and capital investment.

Day and evening classes will be offered Monday through Friday in the building, by Interstate 77.

Don Mullen, department chair of accounting and finance and interim dean of business and information technology, has been named executive director of Stark State College Akron.

The college will announce enrollment days and admissions office hours. Students can register at starkstate.edu/akron or by calling 330-494-6170, ext. 4228.

Space is limited to the first 1,000 students. For more information, email info@starkstate.edu.

In May, the college announced it had entered into a lease-purchase agreement with Akron for 11 acres along Ohio 8 at the Perkins Street exit.

The campus will take about two years to complete.

The college offers numerous associate and certificate programs. It has a satellite campus in Barberton that offers classes leading to an associate degree on the main campus in North Canton.

Stark State also has partnered with Akron Children's Hospital to offer several programs for the hospital's employees.
Robert Mason Antonio Durden

Robert Mason, left, and Antonio Durden are charged with felonious assault after police said they traded gunfire about a block from a Cleveland police station. Durden was shot once in the side during the confrontation and remained hospitalized Wednesday, police said. Mason was not injured.

(Cleveland police)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Two men face felonious assault charges after police said they opened fire on one another near a Cleveland police station.

Antonio Durden, 47, and Robert Mason Jr., 19, are each in a Cleveland jail cell after the Friday afternoon gunfight at East 94th Street and Dickens Avenue, about a block from the department's 4th District police station.

Officers at the station heard several gunshots about 4 p.m., and ran outside to find a man, later identified as Mason, running with a gun in his hand, according to a police report.

Officers gave chase and caught him on the next street over, the report says. They found a gun lying on Dickens Avenue, police said.

Someone called police to a home on East 98th Street. The officers found Durden with a gunshot wound to his side. Paramedics rushed him to University Hospitals.

Investigators suspected Darden was involved the shooting, and obtained a warrant to search his home later that night, according to police report.

They found a loaded Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum with six bullet casings hidden in a backpack, the report says.

Durden and Mason both admitted to police that they fired shots, according to the reports.

Durden, a felon with a criminal history dates to 1989, told police from his hospital bed that he has had the Magnum for about two years and admitted to shooting it at the intersection, the report says.

Mason told detectives that he also opened fire, reports say.

Police have not said which man they suspect shot first.

Mason appeared in Cleveland Municipal Court Monday. A judge set his bond at $100,000. Durden remains hospitalized and is scheduled to be arraigned Friday.

To comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments page.
Reaction to city's report on lead crisis is mixed LEAD Cleveland is still struggling to abate poisonings from A1

A lead abatement workers at an East Cleveland home. Some Cleveland officials think companies who made and sold paint decades ago should help Cleveland figure out how to prevent poisoning in kids now.

(LONNIE TIMMONS III)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Just about every time City Council meets to discuss lead poisoning, the names of large area paint companies headquartered here are on their lips.

City administrators, too, say they'd like to have corporate partners like Sherwin-Williams or RPM or PPG helping to tackle the "legacy" problem - one the city says it can't afford to address on its own.

"We have very large scale paint companies that are somewhat protected," said Natoya Walker Minor, the city's chief of Public Affairs.

Walker Minor said the city is not looking to point fingers or cast blame but to move forward and work on the problem to help vulnerable children.

"I'm saying come to the dinner party and let's resolve this together," she said.

Councilman Zack Reed, at a health committee meeting Monday, questioned why the paint companies - some of which report billions in annual profits - weren't invited to pitch in.

"Why are we not putting pressure on Sherwin-Williams? Why aren't we putting pressure on RPM?" he asked.

About a dozen paint and coating companies have operations in Cleveland.

RPM's headquarters are in Medina.

A spokesman for the company said RPM doesn't produce paint for residential homes and doesn't use lead in its products. "Never have, never will," said spokesman Barry Slifstein.

So far, none of the other companies mentioned have answered public calls of city officials seeking their involvement.

A spokesman for PPG Industries, which is based in Pittsburgh but has a large automotive coating plant in West Park, said the company has not been contacted by any city officials.

City spokesman Daniel Williams confirmed the city hasn't formally reached out or asked any paint makers for help on the lead poisoning issue.

What Sherwin-Williams thinks

Most often, the company singled out is Sherwin-Williams, which was founded here 150 years ago and employs more than 3,700 people locally.

Officials from Sherwin-Williams told the Plain Dealer that the responsibility for dealing with lead poisoning rests with landlords and the government - not paint companies that stopped producing lead-based paint decades ago.

Sherwin-Williams stopped selling residential use lead-based paint in the United States in 1937, company officials said.

(Paint containing lead is still manufactured for industrial use and sale abroad, though groups have petitioned for Sherwin-Williams to stop producing any paint with lead. PPG has agreed to phase out the use of lead.)

The danger from lead paint comes when it deteriorates and the chips, flakes or dust are ingested by a child. The exposure can damage a developing brain enough to cause lifelong health, behavioral or learning problems.

"The fact of the matter is there are lot of dilapidated homes in Cleveland," Robert Wells, senior vice president for communications at Sherwin-Williams, told the Plain Dealer.

Wells said a high percentage of lead paint poisonings occur in rental properties, which the government has a responsibility to inspect.

"Now, if your question is, "Do we feel responsible for helping slumlords maintain their properties?" No, we don't. If they're going to be landlords, they have a responsibility as a landlord to maintain their properties," Wells said.

"We don't think you can point to one consumer product that when the company sells it, they're responsible for it forever. That when your car wears out and rusts, GM has to take it back and do something with it," he said.

Sherwin-Williams says it has made efforts to assist with the problem.

They say they've created programs that train people to maintain and replace paint safely. The company also says it has a program that helps children in poor neighborhoods with homework, and supports efforts like Habitat for Humanity and Rebuilding Together.

Sherwin-Williams also sells a paint specifically created to seal in the lead in older paint.

Jackson favors partnerships

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, at his State of the City address in March, indicated that community's help was needed to make headway with the lead problem.

He didn't mention Sherwin-Williams by name, though he's worked on other initiatives with Chris Connor, the company's executive chairman.

"In order for us to really impact this and not just get past the moment...it has to be a true partnership, public, private and philanthropic, on a very strategic plan and a pathway as to how to eliminate that in a period of time. And we have not gotten there yet, we have not gotten there yet," he said.

An opportunity to apply pressure to the paint and coating companies was lost, some say, about a decade ago.

Jackson mentioned during that same March speech that that the Ohio Legislature had "passed some law that basically prohibits us from suing paint companies."

He is right about that.

A controversial bill, which became law in 2007, made it nearly impossible for municipal or government entities - or anyone, for that matter - to sue paint makers over lead contamination on the grounds that the toxin was a public nuisance.

Before the legislature passed the law, several Ohio cities, including Columbus, Toledo, Cincinnati and East Cleveland, had signed on to sue a few national paint companies. They hoped to secure money to help them fund cleanups of hazardous homes.

Cleveland City Council passed a non-binding resolution calling for the city to consider litigation.

Jackson and city lawyers declined to sign on on to the lawsuits and never publicly shared the reason for that decision.

Former Cleveland Law Director Robert Triozzi, who now oversees the county's law department, said he didn't recall the exact discussion but said the decision had more to do with legal strategy than the fallout from challenging companies like Sherwin-Williams.

So-called "nuisance" lawsuits against lead paint manufacturers in other states - Rhode Island, California and New Jersey - have either been rejected for legal reasons by appeals courts or are still caught up in litigation.

An expensive problem to fix

Cleveland officials say there isn't enough money at the local level to address the 80 percent or more of Cleveland homes that likely contain lead paint.

Walker Minor, in an interview, said bringing in paint companies at this point is about being a good neighbor.

"Because the issue is paint and behavior and children and the future. Because children are our future," Walker Minor said.

Wells said lead poisoning isn't a paint problem, it's a housing problem and one that the city will have to fix.

The city has control of its own budget, Wells said, and has the ability to set its priorities, and that includes levying taxes (which he said he was not advocating.)

Wells acknowledged, though that, coming up with enough money to tackle the housing problem would be tough.

"I don't know of any entity, short of the federal government, that is going to be able to fly over these communities and sprinkle enough to fix the housing problem," he said. "And I don't think the federal government has got that kind of money either. The housing problem needs to be fixed by the owner of the property. If they won't, then my feeling is we need to come up with better policies for dealing with homeowners."

Jackson is asking voters to vote in November to increase the city's payroll tax from 2 to 2.5 percent. The additional tax money would, in part, fund lead poisoning investigations and more housing inspectors who could perform preventative inspections. His administration says it will continue to work on the lead problem but the money is key to making significant changes.

Walker Minor and Building & Housing Director Ron O'Leary said the city is about 90 percent finished with a new plan, which would require changes to the city's laws, and would include routine inspections of rental properties for health and safety issues, including peeling paint in older homes.

Details of the plan haven't yet been shared with City Council or the public but are expected this fall.
The-original-Magnificent-Seven.jpg

The original Magnificent Seven in all their glory, Yul Brynner and the boys.

(PD File Photo)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Last weekend, clicking through TV channels, I stumbled upon the original Western movie "The Magnificent Seven" with Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter, Charles Bronson and Horst Buchholz, which came out in 1960.

That meant I had to go see the new remake starring Denzel Washington, directed by Antoine Fuqua, so I could compare and contrast them for your reading pleasure.

Like I don't see enough movies as it is, right?

I had high hopes for this new incarnation, because the Academy Award-winning Fuqua/Washington collaboration "Training Day" was pure, contemporary action genius. Could those guys make lightning strike again in another genre?

Unfortunately not.

The new "Mag 7" is all hat and no saddle, as the saying goes. Too much shoot-'em-up and too little character development. Vincent D'Onofrio turns in a curious performance as an oddball mountain man with a strange vocal cadence, but he seems like he belongs in another, better-made Western.

The original "Magnificent Seven" fleshes out this gang of hired frontier hit men with detail, mystery and, if not nuance, at least an attempt to make the audience care about these characters.

"Training Day" worked so well because Denzel's corrupt cop, Alonzo, got things done by working the amoral twisted logic of the street. This new "Mag 7" makes only a cursory, and mostly cliched, lunge at our heroes' personalities and inner strife. In the end, it all comes down to the Big Showdown and the ensuing tsunami of lead that provide hollow fireworks in an overlong and ultimately unsatisfying story.

The key scene in the 1960 "Magnificent Seven" comes on the night before the Big Showdown, when the brave seven must entertain facing certain death at the hands of El Jefe, Eli Wallach, and his 40 banditos. The youngest of the group, Chico, played by the "German James Dean" Horst Buchholz, praises the glory of the lives of gunslingers.

One by one, they tell the kid the truth about their none-too-enviable existences: the lonely road, the fleabag hotels, the lousy food, the fear and rootlessness that leave them feeling at the end of each day like so much loose change.

They graphically debunk the dime-store comic-book narratives of heroic gunfighters in no uncertain terms.

On the night before they are about face their untimely ends, they give young, naive Chico a stark warning not to do what they have done: squander their lives in pursuit of cheap thrills. The old guys are hoping to find in death what he can still achieve in his life: some meaning and perhaps a noble purpose.

In the remake, that whole message gets lost in the high-tech, 20-minute roar of gunfire and dynamite at the end of the Fuqua "Mag 7". And that's a shame, because the character exploration is what made the original movie so engrossing in the first place. That and the iconic musical score by Elmer Bernstein. A score, I might add, which was later used and made more famous in Marlboro cigarette commercials.

As Bruce Willis so famously said in the first "Die Hard" movie, "Yippee Ki Yay . . ." You know the rest.

Once again, hooray for Hollywood.
Bear attacks left two Montana hunters injured over the weekend in separate encounters.

The first incident occurred Saturday when a man hunting near in the Cabin Creek area of Gallatin County was calling for elk. He received minor injuries from a bear assumed to be a grizzly, said a Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks news release.

The second attack was Sunday morning. A bear believed to be a female grizzly with two cubs mauled a man who was bow hunting elk on the north side of Tim Miner basin north of Gardiner, the release said.

Both hunters were treated at local hospitals and released.

Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks did not attempt to locate the bears involved. The attacks were determined to be non-predatory and natural responses to close encounters between bears and humans. The bears would have been located if they were suspected repeat offenders or if they were injured during the incidents, said Andrea Jones, FWP spokesperson.

Jones said archery hunters are particularly at risk to encounter bears. Archers cover their scent and move through wilderness as quietly as possible so bears can be surprised by their presence.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks encourages hunters to stay alert while hunting in bear country by observing warning signs at trailheads, looking ahead for movement in brush and checking the ground for bear scat and tracks. Bear spray should be carried in an accessible place and hunting with a partner is encouraged.

Elk bugling, cow calling and areas with a high elk and deer hunting success rate attract bears. Circling ravens can indicate a kill site.

Hunters should carry everything they need to field dress game. If not all the meat can be packed out at once, hunters should remove the remaining meat from the kill site and hang it at least 10 feet off the ground and 150 yards from the gut pile.

When returning to the meat, hunters should check the area with binoculars for signs of bear activity. Hunters should not try to move a bear away from harvested animals.
NEW YORK -- A battalion chief with the city's fire department was killed Tuesday morning after he was hit by debris from an explosion at a house in the Bronx, according to news reports.

Michael Fahy, 44, was directing the evacuation from the street outside the two-story house when the explosion occurred. Fahy, a 17-year veteran of the department, was hit in the head and other parts of his body by a piece of the roof and other debris, the Wall Street Journal reports.

"He was on the rise. He was a star," FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro tells the Journal. "We lost a hero today and our members are all saddened."

Twenty other people were injured by the blast, officials tell CNN, including nine firefighters, six police officers, three gas utility workers and two civilians. None of the injuries are life-threatening.

Smoke rises from a house that exploded Tuesday morning in the Bronx borough of New York City. The explosion killed a battalion chief with the city's fire department.

Firefighters responded to the home at about 6:30 a.m. after someone passing by reported the strong odor of gas. A marijuana-growing operation was discovered in the house by firefighters, who reported it to police.

ABC News reports a man ran from the home just after firefighters arrived. Julio Salcedo, 32, was arrested Tuesday afternoon in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, in connection with the incident.

A law-enforcement official tells ABC News the home most likely was being rented by a local marijuana-distribution crew. The Journal reports growing operations can include loose wiring, flammable fertilizers, propane and butane, structural alterations for venting, and high-powered lights.

"This all adds up to a ticking time bomb that can explode, especially if there's a gas leak," Drug Enforcement Administration special agent Erin Mulvey tells the Journal.

Flags in New York have been lowered to half-staff in honor of Fahy.

"A tragedy has befallen a family, our fire department and our entire city," Mayor Bill de Blasio said, according to CNN. "It is a reminder of the dangers that our first responders face every day -- the dangers that the men and women of the FDNY face and the bravery with which they do their job."
California Police Shooting

People gather near where police shot and wounded a man Thursday in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon, Calif.

(10News.com via Associated Press)

EL CAJON, California -- A man who reportedly was behaving erratically and refusing to obey police orders was shot by an officer Tuesday, and now police are facing accusations that the shooting was racially motivated.

The unidentified suspect, who is black, was taken to an area hospital, but died of his wounds early Wednesday morning, the Associated Press reports.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports police received three calls about the man, about 30 years old, acting erratically at about 1 p.m. near a shopping center, NBC San Diego reports. Dozens of officers responded to the area.

Some witnesses told reporters the suspect refused to move his arms from his side. Witnesses said they heard about five shots fired.

A woman who reportedly was the victim's sister witnessed the shooting. The woman's reaction was captured in a video posted on Facebook, according to NBC San Diego.

"I called you to help me but you killed my brother," the woman says. "

Why couldn't you guys Tase him? Why, why, why, why?"

NBC San Diego reports police would not say if the suspect was armed or what threat he posed to police.

"I'm confident that the community will support the decision made by the officer," El Cajon Police spokesman Rob Ransweiler said.

In addition, a witness told the TV station that police confiscated the cell phones of some people at a local restaurant who saw the shooting and told them not to speak with the media.

Police tell 10news.com that they do have a cell phone, but it was given to them voluntarily. A person who saw the video says it shows the suspect refusing to remove his hands from his side, NBC San Diego reports.

The shooting remains under investigation.

If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section.
Bill Clinton campaigns for Hillary in Cleveland

Former president Bill Clinton speaks at the Ginn Academy Tuesday in Cleveland. He was in Cleveland urging people to get out and vote for Hillary Clinton.

(Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com)

Bill Clinton campaigns for his wife in Cleveland and Toledo. Donald Trump highlights Ohio's economic "devastation." And Rob Portman's campaign gets tech-savvy. Today's Ohio Politics Roundup is brought to you by Jeremy Pelzer.

Bill Clinton campaigns in Cleveland: On the heels of Hillary Clinton's first presidential debate with Donald Trump, ex-President Bill Clinton visited Cleveland's Ginn Academy on Tuesday to pump up energy for his wife's campaign. Cleveland.com's Mary Kilpatrick has the story.

Clinton lightly criticized free trade deals... Campaigning in Toledo earlier in the day, Clinton "acknowledged that the international trade deals have not always worked out as well as planned," according to the Toledo Blade's Tom Troy. Clinton, who signed NAFTA in 1993, "blamed poor enforcement and what he called things that happened outside the trade deal."

...while Trump's criticism may have gone too far: During the first presidential debate Monday, Trump offered Ohio as an example of how free-trade policies have created economic "devastation" and sent American jobs overseas. But as Chrissie Thompson of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes, Ohio's reality "is far more nuanced." While Ohio has lost manufacturing jobs, overall employment in the state has steadily climbed since 2010 - though, on the other hand, non-manufacturing jobs tend to pay less.

Ohio shout-out: Trump's repeated name-dropping of Ohio during the debate was no accident, explains the Dayton Daily News' Jessica Wehrman - the GOP nominee appealed directly to anti-free trade voters in a state he feels he can win. But as Mark Caleb Smith of Cedarville University told Wehrman, such talk could also alienate well-educated suburban mothers and those still on the fence.

For more analysis of Monday's debate: Check out a Facebook Live discussion with cleveland.com politics reporters Henry J. Gomez and Andrew J. Tobias.

What did you think of the debate? If you live in Cuyahoga County, take our post-debate Battleground Cuyahoga poll. As cleveland.com's Mary Kilpatrick notes, cleveland.com and Baldwin Wallace University asked the same questions before the debate, and we want to see what's changed.

Coal country digs Trump: "Southeastern Ohio, which has been slowly turning away from Democrats, appears poised to back Donald Trump and his talk on trade, manufacturing jobs and coal," reports the Columbus Dispatch's Jim Siegel. "Trump nearly swept the region over Gov. John Kasich in the Republican primary in March, and he appears headed for a repeat against Hillary Clinton -- who seemingly would appeal to traditional working-class voters."

Nerd alert: The Associated Press' Julie Carr Smyth has an interesting look at how U.S. Sen. Rob Portman's campaign has taken advantage of digital technology, from data mining to online ads. Portman's well-funded campaign has used voter databases and online ads early and often, allowing it to tailor ads to individual voters and win over hard-to-reach younger viewers.

Bad news for Strickland, part 1: The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has canceled another week's worth of TV ad reservations on behalf of Democratic Senate nominee Ted Strickland, according to the Columbus Dispatch's Jack Torry. The move, which follows similar DSCC cancellations in recent weeks, means the DSCC only has ads booked for Strickland for the final two weeks before Election Day.

Bad news for Strickland, part 2: Meanwhile, pundit Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics has moved Ohio's U.S. Senate race rating from "Likely Republican" to "Safe Republican," noting Portman has a "massive resource advantage" and that Ted Strickland "has largely flamed out as a candidate."

Power politics: Gov. John Kasich, speaking in Texas, again threatened to veto legislation that would kill the state's renewable-energy and energy-efficiency mandates, reports The Plain Dealer's John Funk. Kasich: "If you try to kill the standards, whether it has to do with the renewables or whether it has to do with the issue of saving energy, I'll veto the bill and we'll go to the higher standards." Sen. Bill Seitz of Cincinnati and other GOP lawmakers have sought to permanently end the mandates, which are currently frozen but will resume Jan. 1 unless lawmakers pass another bill.

Statehouse popularity contest results are in: and Ohio's top legislative leaders didn't fare too well. As cleveland.com's Jackie Borchardt explains, a Columbus Monthly survey of more than 100 Capitol Square denizens found that Senate President Keith Faber won such dubious accolades as "most humorless" and "most arrogant," while House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger "barely registered" in the anonymous survey.

Lawmakers who won top praise included state Sen. Bill Seitz (savviest, funniest, most knowledgeable, and best orator) and state Rep. Ryan Smith (most effective, hardest working, and tied for best listener).

Water fight stops spending bill: Government authority to spend money will end Friday after the U.S. Senate rejected a stop-gap bill to provide funding into early December, writes cleveland.com's Steve Koff. "The hangup Tuesday resulted from Democrats' demands that the continuing resolution include money for Flint, Michigan; Sebring, Ohio and other communities affected by dangerous levels of lead in their drinking water."

But Senate offices said they were confident there will be no federal shutdown, which would reflect poorly on both parties as the November election approaches. Instead, lawmakers are likely to compromise on a short-term spending bill, or continuing resolution.

Stop, in the name of jobs: "Some of Ohio's most prominent companies, including Procter & Gamble, Timken and Invacare, told President Barack Obama's administration today that regulations intended to crack down on corporate tax loopholes will harm businesses instead," Koff reports. The companies were among 47 corporations that wrote to Obama claiming that proposed rules to stop corporations from shifting their ownership to lower-tax companies - a so-called corporate inversion - "would significantly impede the ability of our businesses to invest and create jobs in Ohio."

Tax tally: "The state of Ohio took in more tax money in 2015 than the previous year, but still ranks among the lowest taxing states," reports cleveland.com's Rich Exner. Each individual and corporation in Ohio, on average, paid $2,437 in state taxes and fees last year - 34th highest in the nation, and up about $100 per capita from 2014.

Judge for yourself: If you're looking for information about judicial races this year, cleveland.com's Robert Higgs has the site for you: Judge4Yourself.com. The site, run by four Greater Cleveland bar associations, has info on candidates for Ohio Supreme Court and other state and county court seats.

No Moore: Liberal filmmaker Michael Moore claims Newark's Midland Theater banned him from presenting a one-man show about the presidential race, according to the Dispatch's Jim Woods. Moore alleged theater management canceled his Oct. 7 show because they deemed him "too controversial." Theater management denied he was banned, though an official acknowledged they had "questions about potential controversy and the potential for disruptive events." Moore said he's arranged to hold his show early next month at another undisclosed venue in Southern Ohio.

Protests halt Columbus City Council meeting: Columbus City Council members evacuated their meeting Monday night after more than 100 protesters demanded justice for Tyre King, a 13-year-old killed by Columbus police, according to Rick Rouan of the Columbus Dispatch. The protesters' demands included ending a police summer safety initiative designed to target hot spots for crime, moving half of the city's police budget into other programs, and requiring independent investigations into police-involved shootings.

The protests aren't helpful for Columbus City Council President Zach Klein, a rising Democratic star running for Franklin County prosecutor. Klein said after the meeting that he "share[s] their frustration that they feel sometimes that things don't go as fast as they want."

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CINCINNATI, Ohio - Advocates for the homeless who challenged the fairness of how Ohio counts some votes have asked the full 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to hear their case in the wake of a three-judge panel's decision that reversed their lower-court victory.

In a court filing Tuesday, lawyers for the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, the Columbus Coalition for the Homeless and the Ohio Democratic Party argue that panel's decision conflicts with previous Supreme Court and 6th Circuit rulings.

That decision Sept. 13 overturned a lower court's ruling that said Ohio was disenfranchising otherwise undisputedly eligible voters solely because of technical errors and omissions on voter ballot forms for absentee and provisional ballots.

You can read the court filing below. Mobile users click here.

Lawyers for the homeless coalitions asked for a review of the panel's ruling by the full 6th Circuit bench, which has more than a dozen active judges.

The review is necessary with the election looming, they say, because:

As it stands, counties will handle absentee and provisional ballots inconsistently, meaning whether your vote counts could hinge on where you live.

The panel's ruling addressed some technical standards in the law - birth dates and addresses on the ballot forms - but didn't address other required standards.

Although the standards for absentee ballots are virtually identical to provisional ballots, the panel didn't reach the same ruling for each.

"The plaintiffs are concerned about the confusion, inconsistency, and unwarranted disenfranchisement that will result if the panel majority's decision is permitted to stand as is," attorney Subodh Chandra said in a statement. "Thousands of legitimate votes--including in the upcoming presidential election--are at stake."

Lawyers for the plaintiffs also asked that Judge Alice Batchelder, wife of former Ohio Speaker of the House William Batchelder, not participate.

What's the case?

The Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, the Columbus Coalition for the Homeless and the Ohio Democratic Party sued over Ohio election laws they said unfairly disenfranchised voters casting absentee and provisional ballots.

They argued that qualified electors were disqualified for technical mistakes and that the standards used by elections boards to decide which votes counted were applied unevenly from county to county.

The technical errors could include transposed numbers in an address or birthdate or use of a variation in the voter's name - Bill instead of William or a missing middle initial - or the voter's name written in cursive rather than print.

Judge Alegnon L. Marbley ruled in June that the rules had been applied inconsistently and that the impact was that ballots from homeless, black and Latino voters were disqualified more than others.

What did the appellate panel do?

The two judges in the majority, appointees of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, upheld Marbley's ruling that with regard to birth dates and addresses on absentee ballots, the law created an unconstitutional burden on voters.

The court reversed Marbley's ruling that technical errors unfairly caused provisional ballots to be discarded and that the impact was felt disproportionately by minority populations.

But the court was silent as to other issues such as if a Social Security number was incorrect or a variation of a name was used or if cursive writing was used but legible - all part of the lower court decision.

Judge Damon Keith, appointed to the bench by President Jimmy Carter, wrote a critical dissent, saying the majority's decision hurts the rights of the most defenseless, relying on "the dangerous veneers of factual findings lacking support and legal standards lacking precedent."

What are the implications?

If the appellate panel's ruling stands, it means most of the regulations that the lower court struck down remain in place.

That could mean inconsistent results from county to county continue to occur, plaintiffs argue in their brief.

Elections officials testified in the lower court that some legitimate votes were almost certainly discarded in some counties while some other counties counted some ballots that should have been tossed.

When the panel reversed the lower court on some, but not all, technical requirements, it created "an incoherent requirement" that some ballots be disqualified while others are not, the brief says.

Further, the ruling addressed absentee ballots but did not apply the same logic to provisional ballots, even though the technical requirements in the voting laws are virtually identical.

Why did they ask one judge to sit out?

The plaintiffs want Batchelder to recuse herself from the process - both the decision on whether to hear the case en banc and the actual review - because her husband was Ohio House speaker when the two contested statutes were introduced and adopted by the General Assembly. William Batchelder co-sponsored one statute and voted for both.

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Mary Taylor

In this September 2014 file photo, Ohio Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor speaks in Independence, Ohio, at a GOP Get Out the Vote rally.

(Mark Duncan, The Associated Press)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Ohio Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor is making changes in her office and on her political team as she ponders seeking the Republican nomination for governor in 2018.

Grant Shaffer is the latest addition to Taylor's exploratory effort.

The Columbus operative is a veteran of New Day for America, the super PAC that supported Gov. John Kasich's presidential bid. He directed the group's New Hampshire campaign, which helped Kasich finish second earlier this year in the nation's first primary, and then went on to serve as national field director. He also is a past aide to U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers.

Shaffer joins Todd Olsen, a Texas-based consultant and past Karl Rove associate who has been advising Taylor for several weeks. Olsen confirmed Shaffer's hiring Tuesday.

On Taylor's state payroll, Chris Brock has moved to the Department of Insurance, the agency Taylor runs in addition to her duties as lieutenant governor, after nearly two years as chief of staff. Brock, who was looking for a job that would allow him more time to spend with his wife and three young children, will serve as director of stakeholder and media engagement.

Brock, who also has served as Taylor's communications director, replaced previous chief of staff Laura Johnson, who quit under pressure in 2014 following accusations that she had billed the state for hours she never worked. The state inspector general concluded there was wrongdoing, but prosecutors determined there was no sufficient evidence to press criminal charges.

"Chris has been a valuable advisor and key part of our team over the past 5 1/2 years," Taylor said in an emailed statement. "Thanks to his leadership, our team has accomplished a lot over the past 2 years. Adding his expertise at the Department will help us continue to serve Ohio consumers and a growing insurance industry while focusing on new and exciting opportunities."

Replacing Brock is Mehek Cooke, a Team Kasich veteran who served as the governor's assistant chief legal counsel and as the Department of Agriculture's chief legal counsel.

"I have worked with Mehek since 2012 and I'm excited to have her join our team as Chief of Staff," Taylor said in the statement. "She brings tremendous experience to the office having worked for Governor Kasich in a number of capacities. I have been proud to serve as Lt. Governor in an administration that has accomplished so much, but there is more work to do and Mehek will be instrumental in leading my office to future successes."

Taylor is among several Republicans in statewide office weighing a gubernatorial bid in 2018. Attorney General Mike DeWine and Secretary of State Jon Husted have been assembling teams, too.

Democrats already positioning themselves include former State Rep. Connie Pillich of the Cincinnati area and Boardman's Joe Schiavoni, the Ohio Senate minority leader. And there is wide speculation about former Attorney General Richard Cordray, who runs the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of the Youngstown-Warren area.
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Ohio Right to Life plans to press legislators during the lame-duck session after the election to pass a bill that would recognize a fetus as pain capable at 20 weeks and criminalize nearly all abortions from that point in the pregnancy and beyond.

(Robert Higgs, cleveland.com)

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio Right to Life intends to push legislators this fall to change Ohio law to make abortion illegal at 20 weeks from conception

The push, which would take place after the Nov. 8 election, is an effort to set a new standard - one that that could ultimately be used to take on Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that established abortion as a constitutional right.

Roe and subsequent cases have established viability of a fetus -- the chances of it surviving outside the womb -- as a key factor in determining whether a restriction on abortion choice is constitutional. The general view is that a fetus doesn't become viable until about 24 weeks of development.

Abortion clinics can be regulated so long as the regulations don't create an undue burden on the woman's right to choose.

The bill pending in the Ohio would implement a new standard - whether the fetus is capable of feeling pain. And abortion foes argue that begins at 20 weeks after fertilization.

That's a somewhat different measurement from the standard weekly count doctors talk about with their patients. That generally is measured based on ovulation, since date of conception can be difficult to pinpoint.

You can read the bill below. Mobile users click here.

What would the law do?

The bill, introduced by Sens. Peggy Lehner and Jay Hottinger, Republicans from Kettering and Newark, would criminalize an abortion if the woman is 20 weeks or more from fertilization of an egg.

It would provide an exception if the physician determined that the abortion was necessary to prevent serious harm or the death of the pregnant woman

The Ohio Senate approved the bill in June 2015. Lehner said then that the legislation was an effort to bring Ohio in line with "most of the civilized world."

A new tactic

Ohio Right to Life has pressed for several restrictions on abortion and abortion clinics since Gov. John Kasich took office. And with Republicans holding strong majorities in both the House and the Senate, the anti-abortion organization has found a sympathetic ear in the General Assembly.

Kasich, too, has proclaimed his opposition to abortion.

But abortion advocates have had success challenging regulations in court. Attorney General Mike DeWine in August appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court after a decision from Lucas County, following a recent decision from the U.S. Supreme Court, struck down some Ohio regulations as unconstitutional.

While many of those regulations dealt with how abortion clinics operated, this bill would set a ban on abortion itself after a point in development. after 20 weeks from fertilization.

The House won't be back from its summer recess until after the election, but a spokeswoman for the House Republican Caucus said there likely would be time for legislators to take up the bill before this session of the General Assembly closes.

Any legislation still pending at the end of the year would have to be reintroduced after the new General Assembly takes office in January.

How many abortion cases would be affected?

The group targeted by the new legislation is small.

In 2015, for example, there were 20,976 abortions -- medical and through ambulatory surgical facilities, according to the Ohio Department of Health. Of those, fewer than 480 involved women who were at least 19 weeks pregnant.

That represents 2.3 percent of all abortions performed in Ohio that year.

Kellie Copeland, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, said the new law will punish women in some cases.

Most women who reach the 20-week mark, she said, would not consider an abortion unless they were experiencing some serious complications in their pregnancy.

"We know that many of the abortions that take place at that point in a pregnancy are because there's a problem," Copeland said. "Women at that stage just don't decide at that point to have an abortion."

And while supporters of the law change can point to some research that argues a fetus can feel pain at 20 weeks, that research is in dispute. The Journal of the American Medical Association, for example, suggested in 2005 that a fetus could not feel pain until later - around 29 or 30 weeks.

What have courts said?

Similar bans have been approved in 13 states already.

In May 2015, the federal 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a similar law enacted by Idaho, holding that it violated Supreme Court precedent protecting abortions up to the point of viability for a fetus, which has been considered to be around 24 weeks from ovulation.

A similar law enacted in Georgia also has been challenged.

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The Ohio Senate on Wednesday approved a bill that would eliminate state departments and agencies unless the legislature votes to keep them.

(Jackie Borchardt, cleveland.com, file photo)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio Senate on Wednesday passed a bill that would eliminate state departments and agencies operating under the governor unless legislators decided to keep them.

Every two years, under the bill, the General Assembly would review half of the state's agencies and departments and evaluate their effectiveness and performance. The departments of Transportation, Taxation and 23 others would have to make the case for their continued existence. Departments would expire unless renewed by passing a bill, with some time allotted for phase out.

Senate President Keith Faber, who sponsored the bill, said the change would reassert legislative authority. Faber, a Celina Republican, said the legislation is long-needed and he refuted claims the fast-tracked bill was a secret ploy to eliminate state government.

"If some bureaucrat decides he doesn't want to play nice in the agency review process or the governor decides the legislature is all full of phooey, maybe this is necessary to set that balance," Faber said.

Faber said other states with similar provisions haven't eliminated any departments, except for Texas, which reinstated the agency soon after it was eliminated.

Senate Bill 329 passed in a 22-8 vote. Democrats said the bill moved too quickly to be fully vetted, and they unsuccessfully asked the bill be sent back to committee for further hearings.

The bill had one hearing before lawmakers left for summer break, when the bill's sponsor spoke, one Tuesday and one Wednesday morning before moving to the floor. Wednesday's session was the first since summer recess and the last until after the November election.

Sen. Edna Brown, a Toledo Democrat, warned the entire administration could be eliminated simply by the legislature's inaction.

"This legislation impacts the core functions of government it has the potential to change the normal operating procedure of the state of Ohio," Brown said.

Faber urged lawmakers concerned there wasn't enough time for input to be involved in House hearings for the bill. A House GOP spokeswoman said Thursday that representatives support government accountability and efficiency and will review the bill when it returns after the November election.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Former President Bill Clinton on Tuesday showed that he knows a thing or two about campaigning as he stumped for his wife, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

She has not been in Ohio since Labor Day -- about three weeks. Instead, she has sent several high-profile surrogates, including her husband, her running mate Tim Kaine and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. At the same time, the Clinton campaign has also deployed a hodgepodge of celebrities and actors to the Buckeye State.

A campaign's most important resource is the candidate's time, and Hillary Clinton hasn't put in much here lately. Looking at Clinton's travel schedule, it's clear that Ohio, where she has been behind in the polls, hasn't been on her itinerary in some time. Other states are more critical for Clinton: Pennsylvania and Michigan.

After a strong debate performance on Monday, she campaigned in North Carolina on Tuesday, where the race is deadlocked, and sent a postcard to Ohio voters in the form of her husband, a former president who won the Buckeye State twice.

Bill Clinton, who made an appearance in Toledo earlier Tuesday, rallied the Cuyahoga County Democratic base inside Ginn Academy, Ohio's only all-male public high school and pushed voter registration. Clinton talked up his wife's experience and ran through the list of his wife's policies: invest in infrastructure and the economy. Make attending public universities debt-free for students whose families make up to $125,000.

He spoke for about 30 minutes, and delivered a folksy plea asking Clevelanders to register to vote. The former president made this election about the voters -- not the candidates. A central theme of his speech? Empowerment.

"This election is about you and your future and you need to claim it," he said.

The Trump campaign responded to Bill Clinton's visit by pressing the former president to address his wife's Wall Street connections and email scandal.

"Bill Clinton needs to answer the tough questions that Hillary didn't get at the debate about how his family went from flat broke to $250-millionaires by selling speeches to Wall Street and access to the State Department, and about how the corrupt Clinton Foundation and criminal cover-up of her email scandals have made our country less safe," Trump spokesman Seth Unger said in a statement.

Read below for more on Clinton's speech:

Register and Vote

Clinton appealed to Clevelanders, and asked voters here to register to vote. It's an important ask in Cuyahoga County. Why?

Voter turnout matters especially here, and can make or break elections. For example, in the 2012 presidential election, Mitt Romney lost Ohio largely because of his landslide loss in Cuyahoga County to Barack Obama.

"I want you to promise yourselves that you're going to vote, you're going to get people registered. You're going to get them to vote," Clinton said.

The request came about two weeks from the Ohio voter registration deadline on Oct. 11.

The debate

Clinton declared his wife the winner of the first presidential debate and couldn't mask his delight. In the same breath, he stressed the importance of the American electorate and Ohio.

"Anybody watch that debate last night? One down two to go but it doesn't matter unless we win the election and that's up to you. It is up to Ohio," he said.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I have watched every inning of every Cleveland Indians game for the past three seasons. This season has provided ample opportunity to chronicle good performances by the Tribe.

The Indians finished above .500 in 2014 (85-77) and in 2015 (81-80) but did not make the playoffs. This season, though, they won the AL Central Division; their record was 91-64 at the time of the clinch Monday night in Detroit.

Below are my favorite games that helped secure the division title, the franchise's first since 2007. (The regular season concludes Sunday in Kansas City, Mo.) Click on link for respective game reports:

1. Trevor Bauer worked five scoreless innings in relief and earned the victory -- the Tribe's 14th straight.



2. Ridiculous walkoff, even for the Tribe.



3. An on-the-fly masterpiece overseen by the bullpen maestro, manager Terry Francona.

4. Roberto Perez and Coco Crisp powered Tribe to division clincher -- and 14th victory in first 16 meetings with Tigers.

5. Fernando Rodney melted, Tribe walked him off.

6. Well-earned walkoff against an American League power; snapped three-game skid.

7. Travel-weary Tribe scratched out victory behind the Carloses, Carrasco and Santana.

8. Carrasco struck out 14 in 7 1/3 as Tribe won 13th straight.

9. Tribe bats rocked Justin Verlander in support of Josh Tomlin.

10. White Sox ace Chris Sale, who had been 9-0, chased after 3 1/3 innings.

11. Tribe capped four-game sweep of defending world champion Royals, who entered series having won six straight games.

12. One remarkably good swing after another against one of MLB's best, Jose Fernandez.

13. Tyler Naquin went wild in difficult place for Tribe to win.

14. Rajai Davis, Francisco Lindor fueled stirring comeback.



15. Superb plate appearances in ninth inning produced walkoff against a National League first-place club.

16. Michael Brantley, Chris Gimenez among standouts as Tribe swept Tigers for second time in 14 days.

17. Quality pitching, Jason Kipnis' walkoff single provided foundation for eventual three-game sweep against a club that had given Tribe fits.

18. Tribe hit, ran at will in rout.

19. Santana walkoff homer came in opener of eventual three-game sweep.

20. Indians notched four triples, and Davis made terrific defensive play to end game.

Note: Final score changed from 7-4 to 7-5 after last play was determined to be a sacrifice fly, then third out of inning.
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University Heights police are investigating three large thefts at Macy's.

(file photo)

Theft, Warrensville Center Road: On Sept. 22, a security officer from Macy's, 2201 Warrensville Center Road, reported that someone conducted a grab-and-run theft of 20 pairs of jeans on Sept. 19. The total value of jeans stolen is $1,490. Police are investigating.

Theft, Warrensville Center Road: On Sept. 22, Macy's security reported that someone stole 13 pairs of sunglasses on Sept. 2. The total value of the sunglasses is $2,500. A police investigation was initiated.

Theft, Warrensville Center Road: At 2:25 p.m. Sept. 22, security at Macy's reported that a man stole a pair of earrings worth $5,000 and ran from the store. The suspect is believed to have escaped in a white Toyota Camry, heading eastbound on Cedar Road. Police are investigating.

Theft, Washington Boulevard: At 9:50 p.m. Sept. 19, a resident reported that her lawnmower was stolen from her garage. The lawnmower was valued at $200.

Impounded property, Miramar Boulevard: On the morning of Sept. 20, security at Cleveland Heights High School, 2181 Miramar Blvd., informed police that a BB gun was confiscated from a student, a boy, 15.

Police contacted the boy's mother, who was unaware he had the gun. The mother said police should destroy the gun. The gun was destroyed.

Theft, Cedar Road: Just before 7 p.m. Sept. 20, loss prevention at Target, 14070 Cedar Road, detained a Cleveland girl, 15, for stealing merchandise worth $122.

Theft, Warrensville Center Road: At 8:40 p.m. Sept. 21, security at Macy's notified police that a man stole a watch worth $35 and was standing in front of a nearby business. Police located the man, 29, of Shaker Heights, recovered the watch and charged the man with theft.

Obstructing official business, Mirmar Boulevard: At 8:30 a.m. Sept. 22, police were called to Cleveland Heights High School where a student, a 15-year-old boy, was upset and out of control.

The boy was arrested and charged with obstructing official business and resisting arrest. He was turned over to his mother.

Assault, Fairmount Boulevard: At 1:30 p.m. Sept. 19, a 24-year-old staff member at Bellefaire JCB, 22001 Fairmount Blvd. East, reported that she was assaulted that day by a female client, 17.

Disorderly conduct, Warrensville Center Road:

At 12:05 a.m. Sept. 24, police cited two University Heights teens, both males, ages 18 and 19, for urinating in public.

Theft, Bushnell Road: At 11:40 a.m. Sept. 24, it was reported that someone stole a man's loaded handgun from his unlocked car parked in his driveway.

Theft, Cedar Road: At 3:50 p.m. Sept. 24, loss prevention at TJ Maxx, 14060 Cedar Road, notified police that there were two women in the store, both pregnant, who were stealing merchandise. Police arrived to cite the suspects, a Cleveland woman, 22, and a Cleveland Heights woman, 20, for theft.

Assault, Fairmount Boulevard: At 2:35 p.m. Sept. 25, a 28-year-old staff member of Bellefaire JCB reported that she had been assaulted by a client, a boy, 15.

If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page.
Industry argued its case against the Obama Administration's regulation of carbon dioxide emissions by coal-fired power plants Tuesday to a federal appeals court.

The case against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys Clean Power Plan was made on behalf of 27 states and a variety of industries and organizations, including North Dakota and the Lignite Energy Council.

"As we listened to the compelling arguments today, the overarching message is that the EPA simply doesnt have the authority to regulate our nations electric grid. The Obama Administration is attempting to do something with a regulatory agency that is ill-equipped to handle the responsibility," Lignite Energy Council President Jason Bohrer said in a statement.

According to the Associated Press, the 10-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit fired off questions related to the EPAs authority to make the regulation and whether the plan would cause transformative change to the industry.

Its good that they are pursuing the question of how does the Clean Power Plan line up with other previous forms of regulation, Bohrer said. The more that question is examined the more variations they will find, which ultimately helps our case.

Also during arguments, Judge Brett Kavanaugh reportedly said he understood the need for a solution on climate change, but questioned whether Congress clearly decided via the Clean Air Act on how to handle the issue.

Part of our argument is that this matter is bigger than the Clean Air Act is able to deal with and should therefore be left to Congress  its good to see that recognized, Bohrer said.

Finally, judges remarks were split on the transformative change which industry argues the plan makes to U.S. power generation. Some seemed to side with Justice Department lawyer Eric Hostetler when, according to the Associated Press, he said EPA was simply requiring what the free market is already doing.

We talked a lot about this in our comments regarding the differences in economics between traditional coal plants and our plants here that are fed by mine-mouth coal mines, Bohrer said. I would say that lignite has faced very similar issues as other types of coal, but because we are structurally on better economic footing because of our cheaper lignite supply and long-term contracts, we have weathered those challenges better, but they are still there.

Bohrer said many forecasts that attribute a small number of plant closures to the Clean Power Plan are making unreasonable assumptions that artificially decrease the impact of the Clean Power Plan.

A ruling from the court is not expected until the end of the year or early next year. The case, should the justices choose to hear it, is ultimately expected to go before the U.S. Supreme Court, which stalled the Clean Power Plan in February in order to allow the issue time to go through the court system before implementation.

While there is no deadline for a ruling by D.C. Circuit Court, it is our hope that the 10 justices who heard the arguments will remand the Clean Power Plan back to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for substantial revisions, Bohrer said in a statement, adding that the Lignite Energy Council will continue to help develop clean coal technologies for lignite in the meantime.
China's death care market is to see robust growth in the coming five years, driven by the needs of an ageing society.

The number of people in China aged 60 or above is roughly 222 million, the largest elderly group of any nation. These seniors accounted for 16.1 per cent of the mainland population, according to China's Ministry of Civil Affairs. By 2050, that figure is expected to surpass 300 million, according to mainland brokerage house Essence International.

About 47.1 per cent of funerals involved cremation in China in 2015.

Faced with increasingly scarce land and soaring property prices, Chinese authorities have been striving to bolster the popularity of cremation, something which could prove a challenge in a nation where the cultural norm is to bury the deceased. China's Ministry of Civil Affairs announced policies two years ago to push up the cremation rate to 100 per cent by 2020.

The market of traditional death care is forecast to grow 35 per cent annually, from 110.8 billion yuan last year to 505.4 billion yuan in 2020, China Merchants Securities analyst Dong Ruibin wrote in a report. In addition, death services, which includes eco-friendly burial methods as well as some traditional services, will surpass 200 billion yuan by 2020.

On a related note, innovative and eco-friendly burial methods are becoming popular in the world's second largest economy, especially in first and second tier cities.
Jim Cramer found Donald Trump's talks of keeping jobs in America a noble goal, but the argument has a flipside that both Trump and Hillary Clinton have failed to address.

"These trade deals that ship American jobs overseas also have an upside for the American consumer: lower prices on just about everything. It's a bargain, some would say an unholy bargain, but this tradeoff is very real and it needs to be explored," the "Mad Money" host said.

Trump has repeatedly criticized Ford for sending jobs to Mexico. Not only has Ford done this, but so have several other American manufacturers. Cramer noted that within the small radius of where he travels to Mexico, there are plants for Toyota , Honda , Mercedes Benz, Jaguar, Mazda and BMW, too.

Mexico produces approximately 3.5 million cars currently, and is expected to grow to 5 million by 2020. As of 2015, the country was the fourth-largest exporter of cars and auto parts.

"Most of this growth  didn't exist before the North American Free Trade Agreement  NAFTA for short  which Donald Trump repeatedly trashed and tried to link with Hillary Clinton. But Secretary Clinton didn't take the bait," Cramer said following Monday night's presidential debate.
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The foreign ministry has blamed an unspecified "individual nation" for stirring up tensions over the South China Sea dispute after an unusual war of words broke out between the Singaporean envoy and the editor-in-chief of an influential mainland tabloid newspaper. The incident underscores the difficulty Singapore faces in maintaining good ties with an assertive Beijing. Without directly naming Singapore, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said an "individual nation" had insisted on including South China Sea issues in the final document of the recent Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit held in Venezuela on September 18. Geng was asked to comment on the tiff that erupted between Singaporean ambassador Stanley Loh and Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of Global Times, a nationalistic tabloid. In an open letter released on Tuesday, Loh refuted a report by the newspaper, saying that it "attributed actions and words to Singapore which are false and unfounded".



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Twenty-one Dakota Access Pipeline protesters were arrested on Wednesday at two construction sites near St. Anthony, according to a news release from the Morton County Sheriff's Department.

The protesters were arrested on charges including resisting arrest, criminal trespass on private property and possession of stolen property. Tow trucks were called to impound five vehicles that belonged to people who had been arrested, according to department spokeswoman Donnell Preskey.

The sheriff's department has increased patrols and visibility in the southern portion of the county.

As a result of activity in the area, the department has recently responded with "specialized equipment," including armored vehicles and non-lethal weapons.

There have been 95 arrests to date for activities related to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests.
US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel (L) talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-Se (R).

The United States plans to speed up deployment of the THAAD anti-missile system to South Korea given the pace of North Korea's missile tests, and it will be stationed there "as soon as possible," a senior U.S. official said on Tuesday.

Daniel Russel, assistant secretary of state for East Asia, also told a congressional hearing the United States was in discussions with international partners, including the European Union, to deny North Korea access to international banking infrastructure after its recent nuclear and missile tests.

Russel told the Asia Pacific subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee the exact timing of the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system was a matter for the Pentagon.

But he added: "Given the accelerating pace of North Korea's missile tests, we intend to deploy on an accelerated basis - I would say as soon as possible."

Asked if the deployment was a "done deal," Russel replied: "Yes, I do."
Shares of Deutsche Bank hit record lows this week on mounting concerns about the survival of the struggling German lender.

In the past two weeks, it has been hit with billions in fines from the U.S. Justice Department and reports that the German government won't be helping the ailing bank.

Since a peak in July 2015, shares have fallen more than 65 percent and the stock has erased more than half of its market value, from nearly $50 billion to about $16 billion this week. Meanwhile, net revenue fell almost 21 percent in the first half of this year from last year, according to the company's interim report.

A major concern for global markets about Deutsche Bank is its deep connections to global financial institutions, which has some investors fearing a larger bank crisis, though analysts continue to indicate that the situation is nowhere near so dire.

Here are the key points of the accelerating crisis from over the last 18 months:

June 2015  John Cryan, formerly chief financial officer of UBS, is appointed co-CEO.

October 2015  Cryan announces details on a restructuring program called Strategy 2020 that includes a suspension of dividends on common equity, job cuts and exits from 10 countries.
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Embattled German lender Deutsche Bank saw some respite from recent selling on Wednesday after a slew of news helped the stock to push off record lows.

Shares were higher by nearly 3 percent by 10.00 a.m. London time. They pared some gains, but closed over 2 percent higher. This helped the DAX to post solid gains and close 0.8 percent higher, as well as aiding financial stocks and the pan-European benchmarks.

Wednesday morning begun with an interview in German newspaper Bild with Deutsche CEO John Cryan, who tried to reassure investors about the bank's capital strength with a headline saying that "state aid is not an issue."



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Meanwhile, the company announced it had sold its British insurance business Abbey Life to Phoenix Group Holdings. Phoenix is paying 935 million pounds ($1.22 billion) for the unit, according to Reuters, and will likely bolster the view that the German bank is trying to reduce its non-core assets.

There was more news mid-morning, when a report by newspaper Die Zeit said that the country's government and financial authorities were preparing a rescue plan for Deutsche Bank.

The Ministry of Finance declined to comment on the report when contacted by CNBC, but a statement to the media later in the morning said that the report was false. Reuters also reported, citing sources, that the German financial regulator was not working on a rescue plan. A spokesperson at Deutsche Bank also referred the news agency to Cryan's earlier interview with Bild. The constant news flow gave investors plenty to think about as shares held their gains as the session progressed. Deutsche Bank's stock has slid over 50 percent so far this year and the cost of insuring exposure to its debt has risen sharply. The latest concerns on the bank come after the U.S. Justice Department suggested the bank pay $14 billion to settle a number of investigations related to mortgage securities. The investigations refer to the way it sold these securities before the financial crash of 2008.

But, initial concerns over Deutsche Bank surfaced earlier in the year with investors detailing concerns over its exposure to the energy sector and a possible cash crunch.

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Regardless of the news on Wednesday, some analysts and investors were considering whether Deutsche Bank's shares were undervalued after falling 18 percent since the start of September.

"Deutsche Bank. It's all about Deutsche Bank  at least that's how it feels. And maybe it's time to be a cheeky buyer?," Bill Blain, senior fixed income broker at Mint Partners, said in a morning note.

"The wheezing German banking behemoth is hanging over markets as a threatening vector of uncertainty. Although there is no outright panic  it's set people a'thinking."

Yigit Bulut, an economic adviser to the Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan even tweeted that the country's sovereign wealth fund, or a consortium of the state-owned lenders, should consider buying the German lender at a fair price. Tweet 1
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European indexes closed higher on Wednesday, with investor sentiment buoyed by a rally in Deutsche Bank shares and a strong performance in the basic resources stock sector . The pan-European STOXX 600 index closed around 0.7 percent higher, with all sectors and major bourses in positive territory. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 ended provisionally 0.5 percent higher, while the German DAX and the French CAC index both closed roughly 0.8 percent higher.



Europe market close

European markets



The DAX was boosted by shares of Deutsche Bank , which closed over 2 percent higher, bouncing back after several sessions of heavy selling. This came after it was asked to pay a settlement by the U.S. Department of Justice and speculation that it was seeking help from the German government.

The European basic resources stock sector closed up 1.4 percent. Strong performers included Rio Tinto and Arcelormittal , which both closed over 2 percent higher.

U.S. stocks opened slightly higher on Wednesday, before paring gains as several U.S. Federal Reserve spoke and a meeting of major oil-producing countries concluded.

On Wednesday, oil prices rose in early trade before declining
In June, former Israeli President Shimon Peres invited my son Asher, age 13, and my daughter Sasha, age 10, to his office at the Peres Peace Center to talk about his life and offer his special brand of wisdom.

He personally showed us around an office filled with images so reflective of him: the super-contemporary design of the building, a whimsical sculpture of a lion and a lamb, walls lined with books and an utterly spectacular view of the Mediterranean Sea. And in the cadence of his unmistakable accent, he waxed lyrical about the past, present and future and provided this priceless advice:

1.Dream big. When my son Asher asked President Peres if he ever thought at its founding that Israel would become what it is today, a booming, free and stable nation, he answered both yes and no. The dream turned out both different and better than he expected  but he always believed in the dream. Had the founders of Israel not dreamed, there would have been no Israel. Peres remained an optimist about the prospects for peace because he had seen so many times the impossible become real. Most observers never dared imagine an Israeli peace treaty with Egypt or Jordan  and yet they happened.

2.Take risks. Peres's charm was legendary and he knew his audience well when he told our two tweens not to listen to their parents. "The mother can be a dictator," he cautioned them with a gleam in his eye. What he meant was that even those who have your best interests at heart can sometimes forestall important opportunities because they have a different view of what is wise. Peres's biggest achievements  from the decision to launch the raid on Entebbe to the opening of the Oslo peace talks  would never have been taken by a more cautious politician, one unwilling to put his own prestige on the line for the greater good.



3. Read  and read widely. Peres was a poet and the author of more than a dozen books on a variety of subjects. Not surprisingly, he told the children to read  and read widely. His intellect was legendary: He reportedly became fluent in English in a matter of weeks in order to better represent Israel in American negotiations. Peres was extremely informed and opinionated on all aspects of Israeli political, economic and cultural life and remained engaged in the affairs of the world until his last days. My daughter Sasha discussed the American election with him and he was as informed as any campaign reporter (we exhaled when he agreed with her strongly expressed analysis). Peres had views on technology, art and even a new Broadway play. "If I feel that I have to make a choice between being experienced and cynical or being curious and innocent," he remarked a few years ago, "I prefer the second."



4. Be inspiring. One thing that was clear from our meeting was that Peres cared very deeply about the future of his country and of the world. His rhetoric and actions tell us to be inspiring. Peres was a founder of his country  as a young intellectual aide to the first prime minister, he might be seen as Israel's Alexander Hamilton  rose to hold every key post in his nation's government: prime minister, defense minister, foreign minister, finance minister, transportation minister. My daughter asked him whether he preferred being prime minister or president, a largely ceremonial role. Peres's response was surprising. "When I was prime minister no one wanted to do what I asked them," he explained. "As president they would do whatever I requested." Peres's effectiveness came entirely from his reputation for integrity and he used his inspirational leadership to appeal to the greater angels of his citizens' character.



5. Humility and generosity. Peres had risen in stature to become a true world statesman. And yet he not only took the time to meet with two children to share his wisdom, he continually extended the meeting as the conversation continued. When we finished, he unexpectedly hugged and kissed our children on the head in the manner of a loving, elderly relative. After he had talked to the kids about the incredible work he did to help Arabs and to foster development, my wife asked why he and his team did not publicize these stories. It was not about that, Peres explained. The good would come as the natural result of the deed. To seek attention would be counterproductive. (Don't tell Donald Trump.)



Shimon Peres's passing is a loss for the world. But the world is better for his having touched it. There is a sad irony in the closeness of his death to the U.S. presidential debate  an illustration of a leadership vacuum if ever there was one. But we can and must share his optimism. I am grateful for his lessons for leading a full life and for making the world a better place. And if we heed his advice, perhaps we can, indeed, make a better world.
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As Greece passed another set of stringent reforms on Tuesday demanded by its lenders, the country's former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis told CNBC that the country had become like a "slave" to creditors and that the country had less freedom than a "small suburban council."

Varoufakis, Greece's former finance minister who oversaw fraught talks with the country's international lenders in 2015 at the height of its financial crisis, told CNBC that Greece's third bailout package forced Greece to agree with its creditors.

"The Greek authorities have committed to agreeing with (lending) institutions. I can assure you that if you were going to sign a contract like that with me you would become my slave," he told CNBC on Tuesday.



Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis. Getty Images

Varoufakis attracted notoriety during Greece's negotiations with lenders last year for his outspoken and controversial comments on Greece's fellow euro zone countries and the European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European Commission - the so-called "troika" of institutions lending money to Greece. This led him to resign after it was suggested to him by Prime Minister Tsipras that he was hindering negotiations with lenders. In the end, Tsipras signed up to a third 86 billion euro ($96 billion) bailout last July, averting an impending bankruptcy and exit from the euro zone but going against the wishes of the Greek people (and Varoufakis) who had voted against more austerity measures  and had elected Tsipras' Syriza party earlier in the year specifically because it had opposed austerity.

Needing a miracle

As part of the third bailout, Greece has had to agree to pass a series of far-reaching reforms to its economy, including privatizations, an overhaul of its taxation system and unpopular pension and labor market reforms. It has used new tranches of aid largely to pay off its debts, leading to concerns that it is stuck in a debt trap.

Varoufakis told CNBC that the day Tsipras signed up to another bailout, he effectively forfeited power and Greece's freedom to maneuver. "On the 12th of July 2015, Alexis Tsipras signed the set of papers that was presented by the Troika. From that moment onwards there was no Syriza government. Indeed there was no Greek government," he said. "If you read the third MOU (the Memorandum of Understanding, the bailout contract) between Greece and its creditors, which was passed in parliament in the August of 2015, it's very clear: 'The Greek authorities commit to agreeing with institutions' (it says). I can assure you that if you were going to sign a contract like that with me you would become my slave," Varoufakis said. "That's what it means. I'm committed to agree with you but you're not committed to agree with me. So there's the Greek government. The Greek government in Athens (now) has fewer degrees of freedom than a small suburban town council does."

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Before you hire an outside party to distribute your product, think twice  they might be unnecessarily costing your business an arm and a leg.

That's the lesson Max Kater, CEO of Murchison-Hume, learned on this week's episode of CNBC's "The Profit."

Over the past few years, Kater had been using a convoluted process to get her fleet of upscale, nontoxic cleaning products  ranging from glass cleaners to dish soaps  from the factory floor to consumers' hands.

That's because her business, established in 2008 and currently based in Los Angeles, has been manufacturing its products in Skokie, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and then sending them to a third-party logistics center in Dallas. This nearly 1,000-mile trip to the Texas city has been costing Murchison-Hume an additional 50 cents per unit.

Though 50 cents may sound like nothing, it adds up.

"Murchison-Hume, like any wholesaler, sells to retailers at twice its cost, meaning that the 50 cents turns into $1 by the time it gets to the retailer," Lemonis explained. The retailer then marks up the product, so that $1 becomes $2 in the eyes of a customer.
The North Dakota Department of Healths public information director has resigned over comments she inadvertently posted from the departments official Twitter account during the first U.S. presidential debate, calling it a dreadful mistake.

Colleen Reinke offered her resignation immediately after the incident Monday and it was accepted as of 8 a.m. Wednesday, according to emails provided by Human Resources Director Dirk Wilke in response to an open records request.

Reinkes tweets during the Monday night debate included Grow a pair Lester, an apparent reference to debate moderator Lester Holt of NBC Nightly News; and a comment that Republican candidate Donald Trumps hair was weirder than usual.

The debate was referenced heavily on Twitter, with the social networking platform announcing a record number of tweets during the 90-minute debate.

Reinke explained in her emails that she had inadvertently grabbed her work phone instead of her personal phone to post her comments on the debate.

I am in big trouble. During the debate, I was tweeting rather inappropriate comments accidentally on my work phone, she wrote in an email to her bosses, State Health Officer Terry Dwelle and Deputy State Health Officer Arvy Smith, at 9:05 p.m. Monday.

About an hour later, Reinke emailed Dwelle and Smith a statement.

This was a dreadful mistake. The tweets were deleted when the mistake was discovered but not before a great deal of damage was done, she wrote. I am sincerely sorry for my actions and have resigned my position effective immediately. The tweets in no way reflect the policies or positions of the Department of Health and reflect only my own personal views. I apologize to all of my wonderful co-workers.  I am so very sorry for causing this mess.

Reinke said in a phone interview Wednesday she wasn't sure how long the tweets were up on the department's Twitter account.

To tell you the truth, its kind of like being in a car accident, you know? The timeline is all screwed up. Ive got no idea," she said.

Reinke was hired as the departments public information director on Aug. 12, 2013. She was placed on paid administrative leave Tuesday while the department reviewed the situation, according an email from Smith.

Wilke said he believes it was an honest mistake.

I think due to the nature of her position, she kind of understood the impact of her mistake, and thats why she made the decision she made to resign, he said.

Reinke said her resignation was completely voluntary.

Im the communications director. To make such a huge communications mistake was really inexcusable," she said.

The department conducts annual training on appropriate use of social media, Wilke said.

Reinke's position is now open, said Wilke, adding that he imagines, in the meantime, another public information employee will take over Reinke's job duties.

Reinke said she's not sure what she will do now.

This is pretty unexpected, of course. I wasnt planning to Twittercide (sic) my career, she said. "As you can imagine, I threw a giant pity party for myself yesterday, and then Im kind of trying to regroup today. So well see how it goes."

Bismarck Tribune reporter Blair Emerson contributed to this article.
First Lady Michelle Obama speaks at LaSalle University in Philadelphia, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, as she campaigns for presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

"Experience matters. Preparation matters. Temperament matters. Hillary Clinton has it all. She's the real deal," Obama told a rally at La Salle University in Philadelphia.

Referring to Trump only as Clinton's "opponent," the first lady slammed the billionaire developer for his "erratic" behavior and years of questions about her husband's birthplace. She described Clinton as "steady and measured" and urged young people to vote for the former secretary of state even though she may not be "the perfect candidate."

Michelle Obama on Wednesday attacked Donald Trump 's character without mentioning his name and touted Hillary Clinton 's tenacity in a pitch to young voters in swing-state Pennsylvania.

The Clinton campaign has attempted to mobilize young voters in swing states with the help of popular surrogates like Michelle Obama and Sen. Bernie Sanders, who mounted a populist Democratic primary challenge to Clinton. Clinton has enjoyed less support than President Barack Obama did with young voters, who are a key demographic for Democrats as Republicans typically carry older voters.

Some young voters, dissatisfied with Clinton's perceived "insider" reputation or concerned about the Democratic National Committee's ethics, have signaled they will vote for a third-party candidate or stay home altogether. Clinton has a 1.8-point lead in an average of recent Pennsylvania polls, down from 10 near the end of August, and the Green Party's Jill Stein has drawn about 2.6 percent of support on average, according to RealClearPolitics.

"If you vote for someone other than Hillary or don't vote at all, you are helping to elect Hillary's opponent. And the stakes of taking that chance are too high," the first lady said.

Mrs. Obama touted Clinton to young voters by describing work she has done to improve education and expand health care and child care as both a private and public figure.

She also attacked Trump's off-the-cuff style and temperament, pointing in particular to comments he made at the first presidential debate on Monday. She said that Trump's assertions that not paying taxes makes you "smart" or that taking advantage of the mortgage crisis is "good business" show he is not prepared to become president.

"The presidency doesn't change who you are, it reveals who you are," she said. "And the same is true of a presidential campaign."

Mrs. Obama said Trump's effort to get her husband to release his birth certificate, which many saw as an attempt to delegitimize the first African-American president, cannot be swept under the rug "by an insincere sentence uttered at a press conference."

Mrs. Obama will campaign for Clinton later Wednesday in Pittsburgh, another urban center that will be crucial for the Democrats in Pennsylvania.
Kicking a production freeze deal down the road was probably the best oil bulls could hope for after OPEC failed to reach a consensus in Algiers, strategists told CNBC.



"I see these current negotiations as trying to set a framework for future discussions that might yield fruit in a tangible freeze or even cuts in November or next year," Robin Mills, a Dubai-based oil industry analyst and CEO of Qamar Energy, said.



De facto OPEC leader Saudi Arabia has made it clear November could be a "live" meeting. Khalid al-Falih, the Kingdom's highly influential energy minister, hinted very strongly on Tuesday that OPEC may go a step further in November and discuss a production cut - something he said wouldn't happen at the Algiers gathering.



"We need a gentle adjustment to reassure the market," The Wall Street Journal quoted Falih as saying.



But many OPEC watchers remained dismissive of suggestions the group would ever be cohesive enough to push through real supply cuts and stick to them.

"OPEC needs a gimmick to raise prices to over $50," Fereidun Fesharaki, chairman of energy consultancy FGE, told CNBC.
Longstanding tensions between Middle Eastern rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran will hold OPEC back from an oil production freeze as the oil group meets in Algeria Wednesday, analysts said, underscoring geopolitical complexities within the group.

The meeting comes at a crucial juncture for oil prices that have witnessed a pronounced downturn amid an economic slowdown, excess supply from traditional producers as well as competition from shale producers in the U.S. A section of the market has hoped for a compromise between Saudi Arabia and Iran although conflicting objectives will likely ensure barriers to any agreement are high.

"The relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran are just so, so poor I can't see any scenario under which Saudi Arabia would cut without Iran freezing and Iran has said so consistently that they just will not freeze until they reach pre-sanctions levels," BMI Research 's oil and gas analyst, Emma Richards, told CNBC recently.

Fitch Group's research arm BMI Research was not expecting an agreement on the production freeze at the informal meeting on the back of the conflicts within OPEC, with tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran the "main impediment" to a deal, the house said in a recent report.

Iran is producing 3.6 million barrels of crude oil a dayunder its 4 million barrels a day target, making it OPEC's third largest oil producer after Saudi and Iraq.



The two countries, contended BMI Research, were vying for religious and regional political hegemony, facing each other through proxy conflicts in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon and Bahrain.



"We're talking about a long-term i.e. 1,400-year chasm between the Sunni side and the Shia side. OPEC has only been around for 60 years so what we're looking at now is the greatest chasm between the Sunni side of OPEC and the Shia side of OPEC," Stephen Schork, Editor of the Schork report told CNBC's "Squawk Box".
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It may have been the world's largest initial public offering (IPO) in two years, but shares of Postal Savings Bank of China (PSBC) hit the Hong Kong market like a wet firecracker on Wednesday. The shares closed at 4.77 Hong Kong dollars ($0.62), just smidgeon higher than their HK$4.76 IPO price, which Reuters reported was itself at the bottom of the HK$4.68-HK$5.18 marketing range. The stock traded in a very tight range all day. It was a wet performance after PSBC raised $7.4 billion in the share sale, making it the largest IPO globally since internet giant Alibaba raised $25 billion in 2014. But analysts noted that even at the low end of the pricing range, PSBC's shares had a top-heavy valuation at a bit above book value, compared with other mainland banks priced at around 0.8 times book value. Additionally, six cornerstone investors snapped up 77 percent of the shares. While those investors won't be allowed to sell for six months, that created an overhang of potential selling when the lockup period expires on shares of China's sixth-largest bank, which has around a half-billion Chinese customers. Soros Fund Management may have been among the institutional investors. Chinese business magazine Caixin reported, citing sources with knowledge of the investment, that the asset management company founded by storied billionaire investor George Soros had subscribed to the IPO. A representative for George Soros didn't immediately return an email requesting comment sent outside office hours.

Dickie Wong, executive director at Kingston Securities, said the stock was priced a little higher than he expected. "In terms of clientele base and its branches, it's definitely the largest state-owned bank in China, but when we talk about the bricks-and-mortar business model, it's simply not up to date," he told CNBC's "Squawk Box." He noted that not only did the stock lack much differentiation with a lot of other mainland banks listed in Hong Kong, its valuation was higher, "so why buy," he asked. "I think it will just stay at the IPO price. This is what they can do given that they have a lot of cornerstone investors," he said, noting he expected the stock to find support, but not a big boost, from its likely inclusion in Hong Kong's H-share stock index. Others hadn't expected anything other than a lackluster first day. "It's already maybe a little bit better than what I'd expect," Ivan Li, head of research at Sinopac Securities, told CNBC's "Street Signs" on Wednesday. "It's a megabank. It's a big bank and the banking industry in China is pretty overmature. So I think it's quite expected that such an IPO would not have an exciting performance."

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He noted that the bank also wasn't particularly efficient, with a high cost-to-income ratio, although that also meant it had room to improve. But Li wasn't very concerned about what would happen to the stock once the lockup period expired and cornerstone investors would be able to sell. "They can wait. They have patience and the market turnover should be large enough to let them try to exit that slowly," he said. Another factor that may be dampening the IPO: The outlook for the bank may not be as rosy as it appears on first glance. "It's deposit funding cost is the lowest among the big state banks, but around 80 percent of the deposits come from its so-called agency model," noted Leon Qi, head of research for China financials at Daiwa Capital Markets.

Frederic J. Brown | AFP | Getty Images
The world is a mess, with billions of people locked in inescapable cycles of war, famine and poverty, with more children than ever perishing from hunger, disease and violence.

Thats about the only thing Americans agree on; were polarized about all else. But several polls have found that about 9 out of 10 Americans believe that global poverty has worsened or stayed the same over the last 20 years.

Fortunately, the one point Americans agree on is dead wrong.

As world leaders gather for the U.N. General Assembly this week, all the evidence suggests that we are at an inflection point for the ages. The number of people living in extreme poverty ($1.90 per person per day) has tumbled by half in two decades, and the number of small children dying has dropped by a similar proportion  thats 6 million lives a year saved by vaccines, breast-feeding promotion, pneumonia medicine and diarrhea treatments!

Historians may conclude that the most important thing going on in the world in the early 21st century was a stunning decline in human suffering.

OK, youre thinking that Ive finally cracked up after spending too much time in desperate places. So a few data points:

As recently as 1981, when I was finishing college, 44 percent of the worlds population lived in extreme poverty, according to the World Bank. Now the share is believed to be less than 10 percent and falling. This is the best story in the world today, says Jim Yong Kim, the president of the World Bank.

For the entire history of the human species until the 1960s, a majority of adults were illiterate. Now 85 percent of adults worldwide are literate and the share is rising.

Although inequality has risen in America, the global trend is more encouraging: Internationally, inequality is on the decline because of gains by the poor in places like China and India.

The U.N. aims to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030, and experts believe it is possible to get quite close. In short, on our watch, we have a decent chance of virtually wiping out ills that have plagued humanity for thousands of generations, from illiteracy to the most devastating kind of hand-to-mouth poverty.

Yet the public thinks the opposite, that poverty is getting worse. A poll to be released Thursday by Motivaction, a Dutch firm, finds that only 1 percent of Americans surveyed realized that global extreme poverty had fallen by half over 20 years.

I wonder if those of us in journalism and the humanitarian worlds dont err by focusing so much on human misery that we leave the public with the misperception that everything is always getting worse.

Ive covered massacres in South Sudan, concentration camps in Myanmar and widespread stunting in India, but its also important to acknowledge the backdrop of global progress. Otherwise, the public may perceive poverty as hopeless and see no point in carrying on the fight  at just the point when were making the most rapid gains ever recorded.

When I first made the acquaintance of the developing world, as a backpacking law student in the 1980s  sometimes riding on tops of trains or buses and writing articles to pay my expenses  the most gut-wrenching aspect of poverty I encountered was ubiquitous blind beggars, robbed of dignity and any chance to be productive.

This is much less common today, partly because humanitarian aid  despite real shortcomings  has made a profound difference in health. The heroic work of former President Jimmy Carter and pharmaceutical donations from Merck have made river blindness less common. Vitamin A capsules costing 2 cents a dose have reduced blindness as well. Antibiotics have helped curb blinding trachoma. And a simple $25 surgery developed by a Nepali ophthalmologist, Dr. Sanduk Ruit, lets people suffering from cataracts see again.

The scenes of blind beggars on every street corner will soon be gone forever.

Cynics scoff that if more childrens lives are saved, they will just grow up to have more babies and cause new famines and cycles of poverty. Not so! In fact, when parents are assured that their children will survive, they choose to have fewer of them. As girls are educated and contraception becomes available, birthrates tumble  just as they did in the West. Indian women now average just 2.4 births, Indonesian women 2.5, and Mexican women just 2.2.

So in a moment we can return to urgent needs worldwide, from war to climate change to refugees. But first, lets pause for a nanosecond of silence to acknowledge the greatest gains in human well-being in the history of our species  not to inspire complacency, but rather to spur our efforts to accelerate what may be the most important trend in the world today.
On Sept. 2, police in Mandan put out a missing persons report for a woman last seen Aug. 23 in Fort Totten on the Spirit Lake reservation.

Since then, information about the disappearance of Carla Jovon Yellowbird, 27, spread on social media, with Facebook showing 56,640 mentions of her. But the case is now closed, according to Mandan police.

On Sept. 21, authorities began to investigate a suspicious death on the Spirit Lake reservation. The Federal Bureau of Investigations and Bureau of Indian Affairs are leading the investigations, but neither has released or confirmed any details of the case. As of Tuesday, FBI officials in Minneapolis said they could not yet classify the suspicious death as a homicide, nor could they reveal the identity or gender of the victim.

An obituary was published for Yellowbird on Sept. 24 in the Bismarck Tribune. It lists her date of death as Sept. 21 and said she lived in Mandan.

Members of the Spirit Lake Nation have mourned Yellowbirds death on social media. Lost and Missing in Indian Country, an organization dedicated to searching for missing Native American people across North America, posted a message calling for prayers and respect for her family Sept. 23.

Lissa Yellowbird-Chase, founder of the Sahnish Scouts of North Dakota -- an organization that searches for missing persons statewide, mourned her passing on Facebook last week.

FBI officials declined to comment when asked if Yellowbird was the person whose death they are investigating, saying it is ongoing.

Little is known about the investigation so far, but two deputies from the Grand Forks Sheriff's Office assisted federal authorities Sept. 21 with its Unmanned Aircraft Systems unit, according to Lt. B.J. Maxson.

"They flew the unit over the scene, took some photos and handed them off to the lead agency," Maxson said.
"I think the price will wobble, but it certainly keeps more support than walking away with nothing. What I think is this will be a process. This isn't even an official OPEC meeting, and it buys them time," said Daniel Yergin, Vice Chairman of IHS. "It's them negotiating to negotiate."

OPEC's surprise ability to take action also helped boost the organization's relevance again, after it had been written off by many market players. Oil prices immediately surged more than 5 percent Wednesday after Reuters reported from Algeria that OPEC members agreed to cut output for the first time since 2008. West Texas Intermediate was trading at just about the same level Thursday, close to $47 per barrel. Without a deal, analysts had said oil could plunge to $40 or lower.

OPEC struggled to reach the deal, just as oil prices were set to head lower, due to reduced demand from the refining industry. Each year, during the switch over to winter fuel production, industry demand drops as refineries undergo maintenance. That is known as the "shoulder season," and the market had been bracing for another decline in prices during it.

An agreement by OPEC to work toward a production cut could halt a bigger price decline and points to the strain low crude prices have had on producers, including the largest exporter, Saudi Arabia .

OPEC agreed to a modest cut of between 200,000 and 700,000 barrels a day from its current 33.2 million barrels a day. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries would then wait until its Nov. 30 meeting to finalize a plan. A committee will decide which countries will cut and by how much. Some members of OPEC, like Libya, Nigeria and Iran have been trying to raise production, while struggling Venezuela and Algeria can't afford to cut.

The move is also an acknowledgement by Saudi Arabia that the cartel's policy of letting the market set the price was not enough to curb the global supply glut even if it did shake out some high priced producers, such as U.S. shale. The timing of the deal is interesting in that it comes at a tense time for U.S. and Saudi relations.

On Wednesday, Congress overwhelmingly voted to override President Obama's veto of the 9/11 bill and families of victims will now be able to sue Saudi Arabia. The country has warned that it would have to sell billions of dollars in U.S. assets to avoid them being seized by U.S. court settlements.

The OPEC deal also comes as Saudi Arabia is entering an important phase of its plan to remake the kingdom's economy into one that is more economically diversified and less dependent on oil. As part of that plan, Saudi Arabia is floating stock in its state-owned oil company, Saudi Aramco possibly next year. The kingdom is also expecting to float $15 billion in debt this fall.

"I think their mission number one is 'Vision 2030' and to implement that," and a stable oil prices helps, said Yergin, of the economic plan designed by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. "Even though they want to move their economy away from oil, I think that there's such intense focus internally in Saudi Arabia right now ... While this is going on they're trying to reform. Reform usually comes when oil prices are low, not when they're high."

"They don't want to see prices down another $5 ... If they hadn't come out with something, that would have been the risk. The market would have really just swung down again. That's as expensive for them as for everybody else," Yergin said.



Goldman Sachs oil analysts said the agreement does not change their forecast of a year end price of $43 per barrel this quarter, down from their previous $50 forecast.

Barclays analysts called the agreement "another last ditch effort to kick the can further down the road and preclude market participants from positioning short during the coming shoulder season. This action will help OPEC keep those shorts on the sidelines until November, when winter-related demand will return and the prospect of market balancing is in further focus."

Even the suggestion of a deal means that Saudi Arabia and Iran have come to some terms that would constrain production. The long-time rivals have been at odds over whether Iran would freeze or cut production. Iran had strenuously resisted curbing production, since it has been trying to rebuild its market share now that sanctions against it have lifted.



"It matters because it signifies that despite the Saudi/Iranian geopolitical tension, oil policy was able to remain separate from the broader political issues, for now at least. The experience has uncanny similarities to the Saudi/Venezuela agreement of the late 1990s. In that case, Venezuela, like Saudi Arabia and Iran, was trying to attract investment," the Barclays analysts wrote. They also noted that the Iranian minister in charge in the 1990s is now the current Iranian oil minister, Bijan Zanganeh.

"OPEC may have been in hibernation for the past two years, but it is certainly not dead, nor should one assume that it cannot exert influence over a market, especially one where positioning has moved to extremes," Barclays analysts wrote.



Saudi Arabia has been pumping record amounts of oil, and if it cuts 400,000 barrels a day, as suggested in some reports, that would be the equivalent of what it might normally have cut back going into this time of year. Saudi was producing 10.7 million barrels a day in July and slightly less in August.

"What is important is this is incredible to get this done. Saudi Arabia really had to give ground," said Helima Croft, head of global commodities strategy at RBC. She said the credit goes to Saudi oil minister Khalid al-Falih, who replaced longtime oil minister Ali al-Naimi in the spring.

"We talked about Naimi being the maestro. This is Khalid al-Falih being the diplomat," she said. "This time, the Saudis basically got victory out of the jaws of defeat. Khalid al-Falih is single-handedly rescuing OPEC's relevance."

Croft said part of what probably pushed the deal was turmoil on the home front. Saudi Arabia cut the pay of civil servants by 20 percent this week.

"It looks like the Saudi stock market was just getting pounded on the news of no deal. You had quite a negative reaction on social media, in terms of what they did with the wages of civil servants and the reduction of benefits. This will go down well in Saudi Arabia. This will be greeted well. This will give a boost to the stock market. It will be good for overall sentiment. It wont be seen as giving ground to the Iranians," she said.
However, crude futures fell about 3 percent on Tuesday after Iran rejected an offer from Saudi Arabia to limit its oil output in exchange for Riyadh cutting supply, dashing hopes for a compromise.

This week have been dominated by an informal meeting of major oil producers on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum in Algeria . There were hopes that OPEC, alongside other influential non-OPEC producers such as Russia, could agree to a possible production freeze deal that would support oil prices.

Oil markets are on tenterhooks to see if major oil producers meeting in Algeria can come to any kind of deal over freezing oil production in order to support prices, but many doubt that such a deal  even if reached at the 11th hour  could hold anyway.

Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh attends the 15th International Energy Forum in Algiers on September 27, 2016, on the eve of an informal OPEC meeting the next day.

Jim McCaughan, chief executive of Principal Global Investors told CNBC on Wednesday that he didn't think "a deal would hold" anyway.

"Even if they purport to have a deal in Algiers, I don't think it will hold for very long because there's so much incentive from various cash-strapped oil producers to produce more so even a formal deal would fall apart," McCaughan said.

"That puts a downward pressure on the oil price for the near-future even if there is a financial bounce on a purported deal."

Time is running out for a deal too with the forum due to end on Wednesday. Members of OPEC are expected to hold talks today at 15:00 London time.

McCaughan believed that oil markets needed to get used to lower oil prices due to increasing efficiency in the industry and that OPEC was "increasingly irrelevant."

OPEC producers  notably the so-called "fragile five" of Nigeria, Libya, Algeria, Venezuela and Iraq but also the larger members like Iran and Saudi Arabia  are feeling the pinch from sustained lower oil prices caused by a glut in supply and that would outweigh any bid to stabilize oil markets, McCaughan added.

"They will produce (oil on demand) because many of those oil producers need the cashLook at Russia, look at Iran, they need the cash and they're going to do what they need to do to get that cash."
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After a highly divisive leadership election, the U.K.'s left-wing opposition Labour Party are fighting over the legacy of its most successful leader: Controversial three-term prime minister Tony Blair. Speaking to CNBC at the Labour Party's annual conference in Liverpool, high-profile Labour MP Chuka Umunna said: "There are no Blairites, Brownites, whatever-ites. We're all Labour people in the Labour Party (...) Ultimately, if we're to come together, we've got to chuck away those labels."





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Current leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has fended off a leadership challenge and a vote of no-confidence in his parliamentary party, has also been keen to show a united Labour Party. Talking to party delegates Saturday after being re-elected party leader with 61.8 percent of the vote, Corbyn said those in the Labour Party have "much more in common" than that which divides them. Nonetheless, the party has taken a hard turn to the left and appears keen to overturn the policies of Blair's New Labour. Posters showing Clause IV -- a founding policy of the Labour Party that committed it to public ownership that was famously amended by Blair in 1995 - were are among the official merchandise on sale at this year's Labour Party conference. Jeremy Corbyn has since hinted that he might reinstate the old Clause IV, if elected prime minister.



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While some MPs are distancing themselves from the "Blairite" label, others are warning the Labour Party not to walk away from the brand of politics than won it three general elections. Speaking to CNBC on Sunday, former cabinet minister Caroline Flint said: "A Labour leader, whoever that is, needs to look to the future but not decry the achievements of past Labour governments - the achievements of leaders like Tony Blair and Gordon Brown." Some of the best known politicians of the Blair era - including John Prescott - are attending this year's Labour Party conference. But they're outnumbered by dissenters, such as David Blunkett and David Miliband, who've opted to criticize Labour's new leadership from afar. Even MPs loyal to Jeremy Corbyn admit their party is deeply divided. However they say now is the time to stop squabbling over the past and to start looking forwards. Speaking to CNBC on Sunday, veteran Labour MP Dennis Skinner said: "Jeremy is here to stay. He's got the biggest majority of anybody since the Second World War. Tedious Theresa is worse than Dodgy Dave. Believe me, taking that election next time will be a relatively easy exercise for a Labour Party that is united."


The "Fast Money" traders debated how to invest in the energy sector as oil rallied on the back of an OPEC production limit agreement on Wednesday.

Trader Guy Adami said oil prices and companies like Anadarko Petroleum could continue to see gains through the rest of the week. He said the refiners "are probably dead money for a little bit."

Trader Karen Finerman agreed and said there's probably more room to run for Anadarko.

Trader Tim Seymour said investors should look for companies with "impaired balance sheets because they're the ones that have the most to gain." He said it's probably better to avoid big integrated oil companies. Instead, investors should look at the VanEck Vectors Oil Services ETF , Seymour said.

Trader Brian Kelly also said that the oil services ETF is a good choice. He said it's "the greatest risk-reward in the oil space out there right now." He said if the ETF dips below $26, it would be a great buy. It closed at $28.10 on Wednesday.
MELBOURNE, Fla.  Donald Trump, all day Tuesday, maintained he won a debate that most pundits, and many polls, said he lost.

"Last night was very exciting, and nearly every single poll had us winning against Hillary Clinton, big league," he said.

A number of online polls showed him to be the winner, but there's some question over how accurate they were and whether they may have been manipulated by Trump supporters. For all his public bluster, Trump seemed aware of this fact, spending nearly the entire rally re-litigating the debate, this time with the help of a teleprompter.

More from NBC News:

Analysis: Clinton studies up for debate, and it pays off

Russian papers call debate win for Clinton

Top Trump adviser Giuliani: I wouldn't do another debate



"For 90 minutes ... I watched her. She was stuck in the past. For 90 minutes, on issue after issue Hillary Clinton defended the terrible status quo, while I laid out our plan, all of us together, to bring jobs, security and prosperity back to the American people," he said, sticking to his prepared text.

Later, veering off, Trump explained away a performance even Republicans said was reactive and lacking substance as a planned strategy of "holding back."

"I didn't want to do anything to embarass her," he said.

Trump also repeated a number of falsehoods from the debate, asking the crowd: "Does everybody believe me, I was against going to Iraq?" though his initial support is well-documented; and "I explained last night stop and frisk was constitutional," he said, though it was ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge in 2013.

The rally seemed geared entirely towards reframing the debate as a win. "We won almost every single poll," Trump said again, midway through his speech. "That was a great honor."
Central bank policy has suppressed bond yields in many countries, but the U.S. credit market still looks attractive - albeit with some problems, experts told CNBC.

U.S. credit is the most attractive investment opportunity in the credit world at the moment, according to Mark Kiesel, CIO of global credit at PIMCO because, whereas many central banks around the world have decided to buy up corporate bonds, the Federal Reserve has not.

"The ECB has been buying European corporate bonds; you're going to see the Bank of England start to buy corporate bonds in the U.K.," he told CNBC's Squawk Box.

"In the U.S., the Fed is not buying corporate bonds. They're less attractive than they were at the beginning of the year, but we still think a modest overweight to credit makes sense."
"So I think you have to take all of it in the mix."

"It was bad what happened but there are a lot of good people at Wells Fargo. It's a good franchise. It's a valuable franchise," Bair said in an interview with " Closing Bell ."

Stumpf has been under fire since Wells Fargo was fined for opening unauthorized customer accounts.

While what Wells Fargo did was "serious," former FDIC Chair Sheila Bair told CNBC on Wednesday she doesn't think the bank's CEO, John Stumpf , should resign.

Wells Fargo said Tuesday that Stumpf will forfeit about $41 million in unvested equity and temporarily forgo his salary. On Wednesday, the state of California announced it was dropping the bank as its bond underwriter and broker-dealer. The sanctions will remain in place for a year.

And on Thursday, Stumpf is expected on Capitol Hill again, this time testifying in front of the House Financial Services Committee.

"I do think there is some pent-up anger and I think it's coming to roost on Wells Fargo," Bair said.

While there was underreaction on the part of regulators at first, "now you are really seeing the pendulum swinging the other way," she added.

That said, Bair doesn't think the Wells Fargo scandal is in the same league as the conduct that brought about the subprime crisis.

"I don't even think it is in 'London Whale' territory," she said, referring to trades that lost JPMorgan Chase about $6 billion.

However, one of the reasons there is so much outrage over the Wells Fargo scandal is probably because people can understand it, while they couldn't comprehend mortgage-backed securities, she noted.

 Reuters contributed to this report.


The newly built front entrance to Simeons on the Commons in Ithaca. Photo credit: www.simeonsithaca.com.

ITHACA, N.Y.  The Downtown Ithaca Alliance (DIA) and City of Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick are hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 29, to celebrate the grand reopening of Simeons on the Commons.

The event is slated to start at about 10:45 a.m. outside of the restaurant at 224 E. State St., on the east end of the Ithaca Commons, according to a DIA news release.

During the celebration Mayor Myrick, DIA Executive Director Gary Ferguson, and other community leaders will present special messages to Simeons co-owners Dean Zervos and Rich Avery and their staff.

Simeons reopened to the public for dinner on Aug. 26, a little over two years after a tragic accident, according to the eaterys website.

The grand reopening event marks the completion of Simeons extensive renovation project. The restaurants restorations were necessary after its facade was reduced to rubble when a runaway tractor trailer hauling vehicles slammed into the restaurant on June 20, 2014.

Simeons bartender, Amanda Bush, who was pregnant and working that day, was killed during the accident. The restaurant is honoring her memory with a plaque on the wall between the main entrance and the newly designed bar, according to the release.

Much of the restaurants newly built exterior mirrors the buildings previous architectural design except the wine-red awning and cast iron trim were changed to a dark brown shade; diners still have a view of the Commons through a series of large windows on the first story and the bay window on the second level.

We couldnt recreate everything that existed in the former Simeons, but we introduced some of the old elements to the new design elements which gives Simeons a more modern look and style, Avery said in the release. Each dining area offers a different ambience.

Simeons co-owners Rich Avery, left, and Dean Zervos, right, stand in the newly created Oyster Room, an extension to their recently remodeled restaurant. Photo credit: Downtown Ithaca Alliance.

A key addition to the renovated space is the new oyster bar located in a separate area  called Simeons Oyster Room  near the back of the restaurant.

Next to the Oyster Room is the main dining area that features a redesigned bar offering a variety of craft beers and a selection of spirits.

The bar room also has a dining portion, a slightly raised section.

The second story dining location, also new, offers room for about 40 people.

With the addition of the upstairs dining space, Simeons now has indoor seating for about 110 diners. Outdoor dining is also available.

For the last quarter century, Simeons has been a downtown anchor and icon. We are beyond thrilled that this landmark property was saved and rehabilitated and that the owners decided to keep this successful bistro in this historic location, Ferguson said.

Ithacas Jason Demarest was the architect, while Fahs Construction Group from Binghamton was the general contractor for the reconstruction project. McPherson Builders Inc., of Ithaca, served as the general contractor for the reconstruction of the apartments located above the restaurant, according to the release.

Contact Carbonaro at mcarbonaro@cnybj.com
The University of Benin hereby invites all candidates who applied for admission into the University as first choice for the 2016 Direct Entry (DE) admission to visit the University of Benin Website: www.uniben.edu for details of the procedure for the pre-Admission Screening exercise.

Eligibility Candidates must have:

Obtained at least five (5) credit passes at GCE O/L, SSCE, NECO or their equivalent. The subjects must include English Language, and Mathematics (for courses for which a credit in Mathematics is required) as well as three other relevant subjects as not more than two sittings, except for the MB.BS degree for which only one sitting is required.

National Diploma, Higher National Diploma, University Diploma, University Degrees, HSC/GCE A/L, JUPEB or other recognized equivalent in relevant subjects.

Eligible candidates should visit the University website to complete the Application online.

The University will charge a fee of #2,500.00 (Two Thousand Five Hundred Naira) only for this screening exercise.

PLEASE NOTE: Only candidates who applied through JAMB for DIRECT ENTRY Admission and chose the University of Benin as First Choice are eligible for this Screening Exercise.

METHOD OF APPLICATION

The procedure for the 2016/2017 POST UDE Admission screening application is as follows:

Candidates are advised to have a valid e-mail account before starting the application process.

-Visit www.uniben.edu Click on Student Portal

-Click on POST-UDE Admission Screening 2016/2017

-Click on Register for application at the top left of the displayed page to proceed.

-Enter your Surname Exactly as written on the JAMB

-Registration slip, and JAMB Registration number.

-Immediately, your ID and Password will be displayed on the browser

-Click on Login (top right of the front page)

-Enter your username and the password to login.

-To start the application process, please click on Application record and provide all required information and upload your passport photograph.

-Upload a Recent and clear 1 x 1 COLOURED passport photograph with red background in JPEG format only. NOTE that the photograph uploaded will be the only valid ID for all admitted candidates throughout their stay in the University of Benin. FAILURE TO UPLOAD THE SPECIFIED PASSPORT PHOTOGRAPH WILL LEAD TO DISQUALIFICATION and failure/forfeitures of admission.

-To pay for the Application, click on Add online payment ticket at the bottom of the page, then click on College Pay on the top left corner of the page, follow the instruction to pay the application fee with an ATM-Enabled Verve or Master Card from any commercial Bank.

-A link is displayed Download past questions to practice

-Preview and confirm your information before submitting your application on-line.(No correction will be accepted after the closing date)

-Print out an acknowledgement slip.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Application will close at 12.00 Midnight on Tuesday 4th October 2016.

Check for Actual screening details from Thursday 6th October 2016
A special set of four coins features artwork by Jheronimus Bosch in color. The Proof .925 fine silver 5 coins are offered only in a limited edition set, with a mintage of 500 for each of the set's differently colorized but otherwise identical coins.

The works of Hieronymus Bosch appear on 2016 Netherlands coins, including the Proof .925 fine silver 5 version.

The second commemorative coin program of 2016 from the Netherlands honors painter Jheronimus Bosch. The program includes this Proof .900 fine gold 10 coin.

To make new coins, the Royal Dutch Mint went back in time.

The Netherlands second commemorative coin program of 2016 marks the 500th anniversary of the death of painter Jheronimus (Hieronymus) Bosch.

The coins are part of a larger program of festivities marking 2016 as the Year of Jheronimus Bosch.

Activities organized throughout the country honor the Dutch medieval painter who died in Den Bosch 500 years ago.

The painter, also known posthumously as Jeroen or Hieronymus Bosch, went down in history as den duvelmakere (the devil maker) and is particularly significant as an innovator of the existing visual tradition.

Characterized by a wealth of symbolism, imagination and riddles, his works are full of illusions and hallucinations, bizarre monsters and devilish nightmares [that] depict the major themes of his time: seduction, sin and judgment, according to the Jheronimus Bosch 500 Foundation. The foundation is responsible for developing and realizing the multiyear celebration of the anniversary.

The coins were revealed (and sales began) Aug. 23, with a ceremonial first striking event scheduled for Sept. 16.

Designed by Danielle van Vree, the shared reverse incorporate details from several of Boschs paintings. The design of each reverse is identical, but on the four versions with color, differing elements of the design are emphasized with color.

The portrait of King Willem-Alexander appears in outline on the obverse, with a squared-off central portion in mirror finish.

In addition, the coins feature the acting mint masters star privy mark.

Multiple versions of the designs are available, with a Proof .900 fine gold 10 at the top of the ticket, so to speak.

Next is the Proof .925 fine silver 5 coin, which is available plain, or colorized four different ways in a four-coin set. The colorized coins are numbered, the first time that the Royal Dutch Mint has issued a numbered coin. Each coin in a set bears a matching number, matching also the sets corresponding certificate of authenticity.

Wrapping up the program is the Brilliant Uncirculated silver-plated copper 5 version, which is available in a collector card or in rolls.

The gold 10 coin weighs 6.72 grams and measures 22.5 millimeters in diameter. It has a mintage limit of 1,250 pieces.

The Proof .925 fine silver 5 coins weigh 15.5 grams and measure 33 millimeters in diameter. The plain Proof version has a mintage limit of 10,000 pieces, while 2,000 colorized Proof coins are available only in the 500 colorized four-coin sets.

A Brilliant Uncirculated silver-plated copper 5 version weighs 10.5 grams and measures 29 millimeters in diameter. It has a mintage limit of 158,000 pieces; 20-coin rolls of this version are available for 12.5 percent above face value, and 12,500 pieces are offered as single coins, in numbered coin cards, for 10 each.

Distributor Coin & Currency Institute offers three sales options from the Bosch program: The BU 5 coin in card is available for $19.95, the individual plain Proof silver coin is priced at $62.50, and the gold coin is available for $525.

To order the coins, visit the Coin & Currency Institute's website.
FARGO -- In a hearing filled with dramatic pauses and unspoken emotions, Jason Oien pleaded guilty Tuesday to a manslaughter charge in the fatal beating of Joey Gaarsland last year outside a Fargo bar.

The plea came just as Oien was to stand trial on one count of murder and three counts of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault in the beating death of Gaarsland outside of Ricks Bar in the early morning hours of May 17, 2015.

In addition to Oien, 34, three other man were charged in Gaarslands death and with committing assaults on Gaarsland, his wife, Laura, and Matthew Breitbach, a bystander who tried to protect the Gaarslands when they were attacked outside the bar.

The other defendants entered guilty pleas earlier this year and agreed to testify at Oiens trial, which was scheduled to begin with jury selection Tuesday morning.

As Oien entered the courtroom Tuesday, he made eye contact with a group of family members sitting in the courtroom.

He gave the group a long look of resignation and shrugged his shoulders before sitting at the defendants table with his two attorneys, one of whom, Rhiannon Lorraine Gorham, told Judge Tom Olson that at the 11th hour a settlement had been reached in the case.

Gorham said Oien would plead guilty to one count of manslaughter and two Class C felony counts of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault.

One Class B felony count of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, the one involving Joey Gaarsland, was dismissed.

When the judge asked Oien for his plea on the manslaughter charge, the wording of which states that Oien recklessly caused Gaarslands death, Oien paused, sighed heavily, and paused again before saying guilty.

When he was asked for his plea to the assault charge involving Laura Gaarsland, Oien paused for many minutes and began conferring with his lawyers in hushed tones.

Gorham eventually asked for and was granted a recess to speak at length with her client.

The defense team also stepped outside the courtroom to speak to Oiens family.

After many minutes, Oien returned to the courtroom and pleaded guilty to the aggravated assault charges relating to Laura Gaarsland and Breitbach, with Gorham explaining that all of Oiens pleas were intended as Alford pleas, meaning he did not admit to the conduct but acknowledged that given the states case there was a significant likelihood a jury would find him guilty.

When Judge Olson asked for the factual basis for the guilty pleas, Assistant Cass County States Attorney Ryan Younggren gave a brief answer, stating that a fight occurred at Ricks Bar on May 17, 2015, and Oien was one of a group of men involved in the fight that resulted in Joey Gaarslands death and injuries to two others.

Oien will be sentenced at a later date.

The co-defendants in the case  Scott Moen, 36, Nicholas Morris, 35, and Jessy Olson, 36  are also awaiting sentencing.

Moen, who pleaded guilty to one count of murder and one count of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 17.

Morris and Olson each pleaded guilty to one count of accomplice to murder and two counts of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault.

Morris is also scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 17. Olsons sentencing is set for Oct. 31.

Details of what the attorneys will recommend at Oiens sentencing were not released and Gorham declined to speak at length about the case following Tuesdays hearing.

Assistant Cass County States Attorney Tristan Van de Streek said prosecutors are pleased with the results of Tuesdays hearing. He said he hopes the Gaarsland family will receive comfort from the fact all of the defendants in the case took responsibility for their actions to some degree.

One question that is to be decided by the time Oien is sentenced in late November or early December is what the maximum penalties will be for the charges pleaded to by Oien.

A manslaughter charge normally carries a maximum penalty of 10 years and the Class C felony assault charges carry maximum penalties of five years.

Prosecutors will argue that based on his criminal record Oien should be sentenced as a habitual offender, which would raise the potential maximum penalty on the manslaughter charge to 20 years and the maximum penalty on each assault charge to 10 years.
CANNON BALL  North Dakotas chief archaeologist has found that no burial sites or significant sites were destroyed by Dakota Access Pipeline construction, according to an early draft of an internal memo authored by the State Historical Society.

In a memo sent Thursday from state archaeologist Paul Picha, he writes that seven archaeologists from the State Historical Society surveyed the construction area west of State Highway 1806 that the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe says contains sacred sites.

The team found no human bone or other evidence of human burials or cultural materials in the 1.36-mile corridor, Picha writes in a memo published Monday by Say Anything blogger Rob Port.

Kim Jondahl, director of communications for the State Historical Society, said the document published by Port is the first draft of an internal memo. A final summary will be released by the Morton County Sheriffs Department, which is leading a joint task force, said Jondahl, who referred questions to county spokeswoman Donnell Preskey.

The internal memo is different than what was provided to law enforcement and is not the most recent version, Preskey said.

Preskey declined to release the document provided to law enforcement, emphasizing that the investigation is still underway.

Discussions with the State Historical Society are ongoing, Preskey said.

The sheriffs office is investigating what occurred on Sept. 3, including a clash between protesters and Dakota Access private security with guard dogs and pepper spray.

Preskey also declined to comment on who participated in the cultural survey last Wednesday.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe was not allowed to participate in the survey, said Jan Hasselman, an attorney for the tribe.

Tim Mentz, former tribal historic preservation officer, wrote in documents filed Sept. 2 in federal court that he surveyed that area and identified at least 27 burials, 16 stone rings, 19 effigies and other features in or adjacent to the pipeline corridor.

On Sept. 3, Dakota Access construction crews worked in the same area and tribal officials say they destroyed sacred sites. Dakota Access officials have said there were no sacred sites destroyed.

The team of archaeologists surveyed the corridor at the request of the law enforcement task force. The team found 10 locations where rodent- to bovine-sized mammal bone fragments and teeth were present, Picha wrote.

Locations adjacent to but outside the construction corridor previously recorded by Tim Mentz Sr. and others were inspected and photographed, Picha wrote.

The State Historic Preservation Office had previously concurred with a cultural resource survey of the pipeline route that found that no significant sites would be affected.

But in a court affidavit filed in federal court, the current tribal historic preservation officer for Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Jon Eagle Sr., wrote that he disagreed with their assessment.

After reading the surveys prepared by DAPL, it is apparent to me that the archeologist involved do not have the knowledge or cultural sensitivity to be identifying and or evaluating sites that are significant to the tribes, Eagle wrote.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.
Definitions of common yoga terms

Asana: Posture

Ashtanga: A style of active yoga that synchronizes breath and movement to create heat inside the body to purify and detoxify the muscles. Poses are often physically demanding, and they build core strength and body tone.

Child's Pose or Balasana: In this pose the body faces the floor, the chest rests on or between the knees, the head falls forward to possibly touch the ground, and arms are stretched forward or back.

Downward Facing Dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana: A pose supported by the hands and feet on the floor with the hips lifting and the spine extending.

Iyengar: A form of yoga that emphasizes precision and alignment in postures usually using props to achieve perfection. This method improves strength, flexibility, stability and awareness

Namaste: A greeting or salutation translated as "I bow to the divine in you," or simply, "I bow to you." It is usually spoken with a slight bow with the hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointing upwards with thumbs close to the chest

Pranayama: Breath.

Savasana, Corpse Pose or Relaxation Pose: This pose is usually done at the end of a yoga practice. The whole body relaxes on the floor while maintaining awareness of the breath. The body lies on the back, arms and legs are spread at about 45 degrees, and the eyes are closed.

Vinyasa: This refers to pairing breath with movement, sometimes known as flow yoga.

Yin Yoga: A slow paced style of yoga with postures that are held for longer periods of time with muscles relaxed to target ligaments, fascia, and joint capsules and to improve range of motion.
Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem on Tuesday gave the company building the Dakota Access Pipeline 30 days to explain how it intends to use thousands of acres of ranchland purchased last week around the pipeline route in Morton County  and how it complies with the states anti-corporate farming law.

Stenehjem said he received the deed on Tuesday for the sale in which Dakota Access LLC, a subsidiary of Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners LP, acquired most of the historic Cannonball Ranch from ranchers David and Brenda Meyer of Flasher in a deal totaling more than 7,000 acres for an undisclosed price.

The property in southern Morton County is just north of where thousands of American Indians and other pipeline opponents have been camping for weeks, drawing international attention. It also includes the land where the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe alleges Dakota Access bulldozers disturbed ancestral burials and other sacred sites, a claim the company denies.

Stenehjem said his office will review the case for compliance with the anti-corporate farming law, which prohibits corporations and limited liability companies from owning or leasing farmland and ranchland and from engaging in farming or ranching, with an exception for family corporations and LLCs with up to 15 related shareholders.

Well treat this just like we do every case, he told Forum News Service.

The law also contains exceptions for corporations to own farmland or ranchland when its necessary for residential or commercial development and industrial or business purposes. Dakota Access indicated on the deed that it intends to change the use of the agricultural land, but it didnt say how.

In a letter Tuesday to Dakota Access, the attorney generals office asked the company to reply within 30 days stating the purpose for which the land is used and, if it is farm or ranch land, whether it meets any exceptions to the law.

Bismarck attorney Sarah Vogel, a former assistant attorney general and state agriculture commissioner familiar with the anti-corporate farming law, said she just cant imagine why Dakota Access needs more than 7,000 acres for the crude oil pipeline, when it already has a 50-foot-wide pipeline easement and 100-foot-wide construction easement from the Meyers.

Thats going to be the challenge that theyve got is proving the necessity, she said.

Dakota Access spokeswoman Vicki Granado responded to an email Tuesday but did not answer questions related to the anti-corporate farming law and how the company intends to use the land. Bismarck attorney Lawrence Bender, who represented Dakota Access in the transaction, did not respond to messages.

If Stenehjem has reason to believe that the company isnt in compliance, the law requires him to file an action in district court. If the court agrees, the company must divest itself of the land within the time set by the judge  not to exceed one year  or face a civil penalty of up to $100,000 and risk being dissolved by the secretary of state.

Vogel said the land deal underscores why the state needs the anti-corporate farming law, which was passed by state voters in 1932 to protect family farmers and is being challenged as unconstitutional by the North Dakota Farm Bureau in a federal lawsuit filed in June.

This is a demonstration of what the world would be like without the law. Now we have something we can do about it  if the attorney general does something, she said.

North Dakota Farm Bureau President Daryl Lies said without knowing the details, the organization wont comment on whether Dakota Access can lawfully own the land. But generally speaking, he said, We feel part of private property rights is the ability to do with your land as you please, which includes the sale of land.

North Dakota Farmers Union President Mark Watne, whose group helped force a referendum in June in which voters rejected lifting the corporate farming ban for dairy and swine, said its sometimes in the publics interest for corporations to purchase farmland for things such as electrical lines. But the Dakota Access purchase begs the question of how much land is needed, and thats got to be determined by the legal system, he said.

On the surface, it appears that they would probably have to divest it at some time and they couldnt farm it, he said.

The attorney generals office reviewed 238 deeds last year and has reviewed 186 so far this year, spokeswoman Liz Brocker said. Those that dont comply with the anti-corporate farming law are usually resolved through voluntary corrective action such as deeding the land to someone who can legally hold it, without the need for formal enforcement action through the courts, she said.

But the office has taken court action when necessary, Brocker said, citing as an example the purchase of 949 acres in Griggs County by Crosslands Inc., a Minneapolis nonprofit that developed duck nesting grounds. The North Dakota Supreme Court issued an opinion in May 2010 ordering the nonprofit to sell the land because most of it was used as farmland or ranchland, the Associated Press reported.

Requests by nonprofits to purchase farmland or ranchland must go through an advisory committee that recommends to the governor whether to approve or deny the purchase  a process Crosslands skipped. Former Gov. John Hoeven rejected multiple land purchases proposed by Ducks Unlimited last decade, and current Gov. Jack Dalrymple also followed the advisory panels recommendation when he denied Ducks Unlimiteds request to acquire 47 acres of drained wetlands in Foster County in 2014.

Brocker said its been at least five years since the office took legal action against a for-profit company in connection with the law.
The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form
Family starts over after losing home, pets in Wooldridge fire

The McComb family called Wooldridge home before losing everything material to wildfire. What hurt the most was the loss of their pet dog Olaf.
ABB holds a grand opening Friday for its plant in Senatobia, Mississippi. (Image courtesy ABB)

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By Thomas Bailey Jr. of The Commercial Appeal

Swiss-based ABB on Friday will stage a grand opening of its Senatobia, Mississippi facility that will manufacture molded-case circuit breakers for buildings like data centers and industrial facilities.

ABB renovated an existing 85,000-square-foot building once used by another company to make solar-power panels.

The electrical component manufacturer expects the new plant will create 200 jobs by the third year of operation and add another 100 jobs by the fifth year.

ABB acquired Memphis-based Thomas & Betts four years ago.

Local and state officials, including Gov. Phil Bryant, and ABB executives will attend the grand opening event at 11 a.m. Friday at the facility. The event is invitation-only, company official said.

ABB has selected Memphis as U.S. headquarters for the ABB Electrification Products Division. Memphis also is the global headquarters for the Electrification Products/Installation Products Business Unit, which includes Thomas & Betts.

Company spokesman Harry Hurst could not specify how much money ABB invested in the Senatobia plant, but said ABB has invested $10 billion in the U.S. and is the only manufacturer of molded-case circuit breakers in the U.S. for American customers.

ABB has made "a very big commitment to the Memphis area,'' Hurst said. "There has been some increase in hiring as a result. I can't give any specific numbers, but with reorganization and some other things the overall numbers have kind of stayed the same, about 500 or 525.

"But it really is much more of a focus-in on Memphis being the headquarters for this globally,'' Hurst said. "We're hiring a lot more individuals who will be coming here for global (electrical products), a lot more executive hires.''

ABB's electrical products include circuit breakers and items designed to control the power within an installation such as factories, he said.

The installation products, a tradition of Thomas & Betts, include residential electrical wall boxes, conduits, fittings, and other products typically seen in a hardware store, Hurst said.
First Tennessee Bank is expanding its financial literacy program. (Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal)

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By Thomas Bailey Jr. of The Commercial Appeal

 First Tennessee Bank will contribute $1 million to expand its financial literacy efforts through a partnership with global financial dignity and economic empowerment nonprofit, Operation HOPE, Inc. The $1 million investment in Operation HOPEs new HOPE Fund will support creation of the First Tennessee Financial Education & Empowerment Program, which will offer free financial education to youth, adults, and small businesses.

The curriculum will be facilitated by First Tennessees employee volunteers, strategic nonprofit alliance partners, and counselors at First Tennessee HOPE Inside offices.

First Tennessee will open a total of 15 HOPE Inside offices, including several offices specific to small business counseling. To date, First Tennessee has opened five HOPE Inside offices  in branches in Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville  and will open three more by the end of the year, including the first HOPE Inside location in Chattanooga. The seven other HOPE Inside offices will open in First Tennessee branches in 2017.

First Tennessee is committed to providing financial literacy education, tools and support to help our customers and communities reach their financial goals, said Bryan Jordan, chairman, president and CEO of First Tennessee's parent company, First Horizon National Corp. (NYSE:FHN). We are committed to making our communities stronger, because we know that when our communities succeed, First Tennessee can succeed.

Since 2014, HOPE Inside offices at First Tennessee have provided credit counseling to more than 2,400 participants through the 700 Credit Score Communities Program, which provides education on budgeting, debt management and building wealth.

Operation HOPE is pleased to be part of the expansion of First Tennessees efforts to impact and uplift underserved communities throughout the state, said John Hope Bryant, founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE. This investment in the HOPE Fund will allow Operation HOPE to extend its programming reachteaching people the language of money, transforming financial mindsets, and empowering people with the tools they need to develop plans to move their lives forward by raising their credit scores, starting and growing businesses, or simply making better financial decisions.

More information about the First Tennessee Financial Education & Empowerment Program is available from Melissa Duong of First Tennessee at (901) 523-4156 or MDuong@FirstTennessee.com. More information about HOPE Inside credit counseling is available in the community engagement section of www.FirstTennessee.com or:

First Tennessee Bank will contribute $1 million to expand its financial literacy partnership with Operation HOPE.

The bank will increase the number of HOPE Inside sites, located in its bank branches, from the existing five to 15.

Operation HOPE is a "financial dignity and economic empowerment nonprofit'' that operates across the world.

The $1 million contribution to Operation HOPEs new HOPE Fund will support creation of the First Tennessee Financial Education & Empowerment Program. The program will offer free financial education to youth, adults, and small businesses.

First Tennessee employee volunteers, nonprofit partners and counselors at the HOPE Inside offices will provide financial counseling using the curriculum.

The existing HOPE Inside offices are in Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville. Three more will open this year including in Chattanooga, and seven more will open in 2017.

Since 2014, HOPE Inside offices at First Tennessee have provided credit counseling to more than 2,400 participants through the 700 Credit Score Communities Program, which provides education on budgeting, debt management and building wealth.

John Hope Bryant, founder, chairman and chief executive of Operation HOPE, said in a statement released by the bank: This investment in the HOPE Fund will allow Operation HOPE to extend its programming reach  teaching people the language of money, transforming financial mindsets, and empowering people with the tools they need to develop plans to move their lives forward by raising their credit scores, starting and growing businesses, or simply making better financial decisions.

More information about HOPE Inside credit counseling is available in the community engagement section of www.FirstTennessee.com.
September 27, 2016 - Ashley Coffield, director of local Planned Parenthood. (Stan Carroll/The Commercial Appeal)

Abortion didnt come up during Mondays first presidential debate, but that doesnt mean its no longer an issue.

The two parties have very different views on this. It will definitely have an impact on us either way, said Ashley Coffield, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood  Greater Memphis Region.

Our reproductive rights are hanging by a thread now.

Planned Parenthood is celebrating its 100th anniversary nationally, and its 75th in Memphis. The Memphis branch has launched a campaign to raise $12 million to expand and secure services.

In this episode of the Talk, Memphis podcast, Coffield discusses the ways in which lawmakers in Tennessee, Mississippi and Washington are restricting abortion rights.

That includes new restrictions on abortion providers, and state and federal efforts to defund Planned Parenthood.

I am hopeful, but unless people in our region vote, things are going to get worse, she said.

She also discusses Planned Parenthoods efforts to provide and improve access to contraceptives, sexual health care for women, sexual health education.

Feel free to talk back in the comment section.

Mobile and tablet users can listen here or by visiting our channel on your SoundCloud app.
From left, Jessica Lewis, Tamakia McKinney, Rhonda Wells, Katrina Peterson

SHARE Composite of suspect in the attacks on the four women in Memphis, three of whom were killed. Composite of suspect in the attacks on the four women in Memphis, three of whom were killed.

By Jody Callahan of The Commercial Appeal

(Editor's note: Following up on the five-part series Uncovered, which detailed the story of Memphis serial killer Michael Mullins and his victims (CLICK HERE FOR THE SERIES), The Commercial Appeal is also telling the story of a killer who remains on the loose. This unknown man has killed at least three women and injured another, police believe, and hes still out there, somewhere. While these crimes were written about when they occurred, this story includes new information tying them together.)

In less than a month in 2011, one man murdered three women and tried to kill a fourth  all of them prostitutes  in South Memphis.

He fired a single round into each one of them, then left two of the bodies in Mt. Carmel Cemetery in South Memphis. The final victim, and the only one to survive, was shot just across the street from Mt. Carmel.

He's never been caught. And as far as police know, he hasn't killed since.

"There's four that I believe ... are the work of the same (killer)," said Sgt. Robert Wilkie, the Memphis Police Department homicide detective assigned to the cases. "Two of them are actually linked by forensic evidence. The other two, to make a total of four, because of the location and the types of injuries, motive more than anything."

Memphis isn't known as a haven for serial killers. People here kill, often out of anger. And the city has mass killings, too, like the horror that was Lester Street, where Jessie Dotson murdered six people, including two children.

But systematic killing with a cooling off period in between, the hallmark of a serial killer? It's rare here, with noted exceptions being the infamous George Howard Putt and the recently convicted Michael Mullins.

Putt killed five people in the summer of 1969; he died in jail last year. Mullins raped and murdered three women here and tried to kill another in Knoxville from 1999 until he was caught in 2012. He's behind bars for the rest of his life.

This unknown man makes at least the third serial killer in Memphis history, and the only known one who hasn't been brought to justice.

His crime spree began on Jan. 27, 2011, when a passerby spotted something in front of a duplex in the 1300 block of Hemlock. Responding officers found the body of Tamakia McKinney, who was a month shy of her 32nd birthday. While her body was about two miles from Mt. Carmel, it was close to two other cemeteries: Calvary and Forest Hill-Midtown.

McKinney had been shot, but police won't specify where on her body. Keeping that detail quiet will help them prove whether they have the right man if a suspect is ever caught.

McKinney had never been arrested for prostitution, but her ex-husband said he'd heard from her family that she was walking the streets, something Memphis police also believe. Her life had been a rough one, he added, and after their divorce she spiraled downward.

"I heard the same thing (about prostitution), but I wasn't for sure. She never told me about it. I didn't know anything about that until after the funeral," said Welton McKinney, who divorced Tamakia in 2007 after seven years of marriage and two daughters. "All I know is, she met this guy and everything changed. She didn't drink, but then she started drinking. From drinking to whatever was going on."

Around noon on Feb. 20, someone visiting a family member buried at Mt. Carmel spotted another body. Police found Jessica Lewis, 28, nearly hidden in the bushes toward the middle of the cemetery.

Lewis had been arrested once for prostitution and another time on the charge of "pedestrian soliciting a ride." That's a charge that's often applied to known prostitutes when they haven't actually been caught in the act. Officers also found a crack pipe on her during that arrest.

Around 5:30 a.m. on Feb. 24, the groundskeeper at Mt. Carmel made another grisly discovery: The body of Rhonda Wells, 44, was found on one of the roads in the northwest corner of the cemetery.

Four days after Wells' 44th birthday in January 2011, Memphis police arrested her as part of a prostitution sting. That was her only such arrest in Memphis, although she had other charges for theft, shoplifting and writing bad checks.

Then, on Feb. 26, two days after Wells was found, the killer struck again, across the street from Mt. Carmel. This time, though, he made a mistake. His victim lived, and she told police what he looked like.

That night, Katrina Peterson, 26, solicited a man for sex, police said. Before anything could happen, the man pointed a gun at her. As he pulled the trigger, Peterson moved and the bullet only wounded her.

"Once she decided not to get in the car, then he was close enough to her as they were talking to shoot her. He was able to get out of the car and chase her and keep shooting," Wilkie said.

Peterson stumbled away from the car, ran four blocks and found help. She was taken to the Regional Medical Center in extremely critical condition, but slowly recovered.

From her description, police were able to put together the composite sketch of a young black man, about 24 years old with his hair in cornrows. He was driving a dark Dodge Charger or Chrysler 300.

Police also had evidence from the scenes. Police found bullets linking at least two of the victims, although Mullins can't say which two. Police believe Lewis and Wells were killed in the cemeteries. McKinney was linked because of the way she was shot, her lifestyle and the area she was known to frequent, Wilkie said.

They also recovered DNA from all three murdered women. But since they were prostitutes and may have been with other men the night of their deaths, police can't definitively say the DNA came from the killer.

Despite the bullets, the DNA, the composite image and the other evidence, police have not found this man. The DNA they found has been entered into the system, as well as the ballistic information from his gun. Nothing from either of those has sparked a hit since those four incidents more than five years ago.

And Peterson, perhaps the strongest chance police had to catch the killer, is now uncooperative, Wilkie said. She's apparently back on the streets. She's been arrested at least six times for prostitution, with five of those coming after she nearly lost her life. She couldn't be found for this story.

"There were a couple (of suspects) that were very favorable. However, they were all shown to Peterson. They weren't the person, (or) she wasn't going to pick out the person," Wilkie said. "I think there could be several reasons why. Possibly the trauma (from being shot). Possibly because she ran, she didn't want to be involved. That may be it, not want to identify anybody and have to go to court."

Another known prostitute, 25-year-old Juanita Gilmore, was also found dead in Hollywood Cemetery in September 2015, stoking fears that this killer was back.

However, Gilmore was stabbed repeatedly, not shot, and Wilkie is convinced she knew her killer, and that the motive was personal. For those reasons, he doesn't believe Gilmore is linked to the other four.

Now, this man who killed three women and tried to kill another has gone quiet. He could be dead, or in jail on unrelated charges, or spooked that his last victim got away. But in any case, Wilkie now despairs that this killer will ever be caught.

"My belief is that it's slim, because of the fact that he has stopped," he said. "And in five years no other shell casings. The gun's probably in a river somewhere, or sitting on a shelf."
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By Yolanda Jones of The Commercial Appeal

Memphis police are searching for two suspects who carried explosives into the Bank of Tennessee on Wednesday morning when they robbed it.

Police spokesman Louis Brownlee said the suspects entered the bank at 5540 Poplar Avenue at 10:19 a.m. with explosives in their hands. They stole an unknown amount of money and fled in a black sedan with Tennessee tag L22-80W.

Investigators said one man was wearing a blue shirt and gray pants. The other suspect wore a clown mask. No further description of the suspects was given by police.

This is an ongoing investigation and no one is in custody, Brownlee said.
Tom Lee Park (Stan Carroll/The Commercial Appeal)

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By Tom Charlier of The Commercial Appeal

A festival planned for Tom Lee Park next week has been canceled because of what the organizer calls excessive fees that local law-enforcement agencies planned to charge to provide security and traffic control.

Mark Lovell, president of Universal Fairs, said the Memphis Police Department and the Shelby County Sheriff's Office wanted a total of some $140,000 to pay for officers' overtime and related costs at the planned Riverfront Fair & Festival, which had been slated for Oct. 7-9 at the park in Downtown Memphis. Most of the sum, about $120,000, would have been for MPD officers.

"And they wanted us to provide private security on top of that," said Lovell, owner of companies that also run such events as the Delta Fair & Music Festival at Agricenter International and this weekend's Bluff City Fair at Tiger Lane in the Fairgrounds.

"We offered them sixty (thousand) and said you all fight over who gets how much of that. We never heard back from them."

Lovell said the six-figure sum he was quoted was much more than he can pay "to make the numbers work" for an inaugural three-day event.

In an email, MPD spokesman Louis Brownlee disputed figures quoted by Lovell. Both agencies met with Lovell and quoted charges that, combined, didn't equal the $120,000 that the fair organizer claims MPD wanted, Brownlee said.

"Both agencies provided a cost estimate using the standard rate for overtime officers," he added.

The three-day event would have featured amusement rides, music shows and food. Lovell had anticipated 30,000-40,000 people attending the family-oriented fair.

In addition to providing a scenic location on the Mississippi River, the park would have been more accessible to residents in the Downtown area, Lovell said.

Universal Fairs would have rented the park from the Riverfront Development Corp., the nonprofit group that runs parks and amenities along the Mississippi under a contract with the city.

RDC President Benny Lendermon said the fair would've have generated between $30,000 and $45,000 in rent. The benefits of the event would have extended far beyond that modest sum, however.

"We were more interested in getting something started that could've grown into something bigger," Lendermon said.
Beth Harwell

SHARE Joe McCord

By Dave Boucher and Joel Ebert, USA TODAY NETWORK  Tennessee

A Republican lawmaker is calling for an investigation into allegations that a high-ranking member of House Speaker Beth Harwell's administration raised his middle finger at a staff member's two-year-old granddaughter who was visiting the speaker's office, and also called the employee an obscene name on multiple occasions.

In a letter emailed to The Tennessean late Tuesday night, Rep. Billy Spivey, R-Lewisburg, called for an immediate investigation into what a staffer described as mental and emotional abuses perpetrated by House Clerk Joe McCord against a Legislative Plaza employee over "an extended period of time."

When reached Wednesday morning, McCord said he wanted to talk to Connie Ridley, director of legislative administration, before speaking with The Tennessean. Ridley and Harwell are also accused of wrongdoing in the report.

The allegation from a fellow Republican comes as Harwell and House leadership continues to stave off criticism for their handling of the allegations of harassment by now-expelled lawmaker Jeremy Durham.

Harwell blasted Spivey in an email from a spokeswoman to The Tennessean.

It is no secret that Representative Spivey is a long-time defender of Jeremy Durhams and is upset about his expulsion at the special session  which Rep. Spivey failed to attend. Rep. Spivey did not want the attorney general's report on Durham released to the public and would not sign off on the report. Just as Durham lashed out last week at those who expelled him, his supporters  including Rep. Spivey  are doing the same this week," Harwell said in the statement.

It is irresponsible for Rep. Spivey to involve himself in something without verifying the facts and in harassing our employees by releasing an inaccurate compilation of events. It is disrespectful for him to attempt to play political football with our state employees and their jobs, all because he personally disagreed with Jeremy Durham's expulsion."

Harwell said she takes all allegations of harassment seriously but she did not specifically address Spivey's allegations. Legislative administrators handle all complaints and seek "a satisfactory conclusion for all parties," Harwell said.

House Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada, R-Franklin, said he hadn't reviewed Spivey's report as of early Wednesday morning. After The Tennessean described the allegations in the report, Casada said they surprised him.

"Ive known Joe McCord for 16 years, and Ive never seen that behavior exhibited in a malicious way, in a way that was meant to be demeaning. Thats just not the Joe McCord I know," Casada said.

" A lot of people will kid in a way that, its just a manner of joking. Its not actually the emotion of anger, its just the way of kidding."

Spivey told The Tennessean on Wednesday he released the letter because of previous concerns as to the handling of the release of Attorney General Herbert Slatery's investigation into Durham, which found he had inappropriate sexual conduct with at least 22 women.

The court of public opinion was a proper venue for this to be vetted given who was involved, he said.

Spivey's letter contained a second-hand account of incidents involving a woman only known as Staffer 1.

"As a staffer I can say first hand that we live (in) constant fear of being fired and retaliation from those in leadership," the person wrote. "This is one of the reasons I'm submitting this to you. All proper avenues have been exhausted and have resulted in no administrative action."

In her account, the complainant said that Staffer 1 has regularly "experienced emotional and mental abuse" from McCord. A separate source, who works at the legislature and says she has a background in human resources, confirmed she also spoke with Staffer 1 about McCord's alleged actions.

The complainant said McCord has consistently called Staffer 1 obscene names and the apex of his abuse came during an annual Ag Day at the capitol one or two years ago.

It was on that day that Staffer 1's two-year-old granddaugther visited her at the capitol. After McCord asked the staffer who the little girl was and her age, he allegedly responded by looking at the granddaughter and "flipping her his middle finger."

"This caused Staffer 1's granddaughter to coward (sic) away from him," the complaint states. "He looked at Staffer 1's granddaughter while flipping her the bird and said 'you better remember this.'"

The staffer left the room and later was crying in the bathroom.

The complainant said Staffer 1 eventually discussed the alleged abuse with Harwell, her chief of staff, Scott Gilmer, Ridley and "an attorney."

Ridley allegedly told the staffer that she "could go work for one of the Members of the black caucus but would have to take a demotion and pay cut."

"At some point Staffer 1 discussed the office environment with Speaker Harwell," the complainant concluded. "Speaker Harwell instead listened to Staffer 1's concerns but never took any disciplinary or official action against Joe McCord."

The legislative employee, who spoke with The Tennessee on Wednesday, said she never saw any of the alleged behavior by McCord. She told Staffer 1 to report the problems, but Staffer 1 said she was afraid of retaliation.

"Sitting here as a former HR person, I have concerns about the fact that there doesn't seem to be any kind of safe way for complaints that are your right under the law, you know?" the staff member said.

"The reality of the situation up here is, and they're very frank, and they tell you when you come in so you know what you're getting in to...but you don't think about the fact that working at the pleasure of your member could leave you open to situations like hostile work environment or sexual harassment with nowhere to go."

In his letter, Spivey said the most disturbing element of the entire incident was Ridley's purported solution, which he said was "offered in response to the most egregious instance of abuse."

"If true, this amounts to punishing a victim while enabling a victimizer," Spivey, who is not seeking re-election to the legislature, concluded. "If true, this must be corrected."

Spivey, who served on the special committee called by Harwell to investigate Durham, was the lone member who didn't want to release the attorney general's final report for fear that those who provided statements anonymously would face retaliation.

"I had already lost confidence in how it had been handled before," Spivey said, while explaining his decision to publicly share the complaint against Harwell, McCord and Ridley.

An on-going investigation by The Tennessean into Durham's inappropriate behavior toward women showed gaping holes in the legislature's sexual harassment policy at the time. The new policy, adopted after The Tennessean's coverage, covers hostile workplace allegations in addition to sexual harassment.

However, who would handle the investigation is still unclear and Spivey doesn't make a request for a specific investigatory entity. The section of the new policy that outlines who could conduct an investigation only lists the speaker's staff, house clerk or director of administration, all three of whom are implicated in the woman's complaint. Casada said in the corporate world he believes an "independent entity" would be appointed to investigate, but he said that is a decision for the speaker.

Spivey said although he did not know who should investigate the complaint, if any wrongdoing was found there should be consequences.

McCord has served as House Clerk since 2011. Prior to Harwell appointing him to the position, he served as a Republican representative from East Tennessee.

Ridley and a spokeswoman for Harwell did not respond to requests for comment sent after 11 p.m. Tuesday night.

This is a developing story.

Reach Joel Ebert at 615-772-1681 and on Twitter @joelebert29. Reach Dave Boucher at 615-259-8892 and on Twitter @Dave_Boucher1.
SHARE The Commercial Appeal files The five youngsters of Mr. and Mrs. Kemmons Wilson, (from left) Spence, 10; Robert, 8; Kemmons Jr., 6; Betty, 4; and Carol, 3, shared honors in cutting a ribbon at open house ceremonies at Holiday Inn, Memphis' newest hotel-courts at 4941 Summer on Sept. 28, 1952. The motel is the largest in the South and was built and operated by Mr. Wilson.

Sept. 28

25 years ago: 1991

Washington  The Senate Judiciary Committee deadlocked 7-7 Friday on the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court and sent the nomination to the full Senate without a recommendation. The unexpected stalemate was a surprising setback for President Bush. It diminished the climate of confidence that had surrounded Judge Thomas, the President's choice to replace retiring Justice Thurgood Marshall. Never before has the Judicial Committee divided evenly over a Supreme Court nominee.

50 years ago: 1966

Former Vice President Richard Nixon will arrive in Memphis tonight for a speech at a Republican rally at The Auditorium  his second address of the day in West Tennessee. The rally, which is free to the public, starts at 8 p.m., before Mr. Nixon's arrival at The Auditorium. Dan Kuykendall, candidate in the Ninth Congressional District and host for the two-hour rally, will introduce Mr. Nixon.

75 years ago: 1941

The 13-state Department of Agriculture conference on the 1942 food program to open here tomorrow with Secretary of Agriculture Wickard the featured speaker, will attract about 350 official representatives from throughout the South.

100 years ago: 1916

Cookeville, Tenn.  K.D. McKellar, Democratic nominee for the Senate, raked ex-Governor Hooper over the coals yesterday. He attacked Hooper for making deals with E.H. Crump of Memphis in two legislatures to preserve the way of the liquor interest.

125 years ago: 1891

The amateur photographer has no opportunities to exercise his camera in Germany. An enthusiastic American tried it, and was sent to jail. The police fear that such photographs may give the enemies of Germany information.
SHARE The 28-star flag flew during the period of the Mexican-American War.

By Michael Collins of The Commercial Appeal

WASHINGTON  More than a century and a half later, the remains of Tennessee militia members killed in the Mexican-American War may be coming home.

The remains of several American troops who died in the war will return to the United States on Wednesday with full military honors during a repatriation ceremony at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

Some of deceased troops may be Tennessee militia members, although military officials can't be certain until further tests are completed, said Greg Gardner of the Army casualty office's past conflict reparations branch in Fort Knox, Kentucky.

"We don't really know how many remains there actually are," Gardner said.

Volunteers from Tennessee, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas fought in the Battle of Monterey, which lasted for three days in 1846 and was one of the bloodiest of the war.

Afterward, the dead were buried outside of the town until their remains were rediscovered several years ago by the Mexican government.

Since then, negotiations have been underway between the U.S. State Department and the Mexican government to return the remains to the United States.

Members of Tennessee's congressional delegation also have worked to bring the remains home.

Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-South Pittsburg, sent a letter in 2013 to then-Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel requesting the remains of any Tennesseans be returned for burial in Gallatin City Cemetery, the site of a Mexican-American War memorial honoring Tennesseans who killed in the war.

The letter also was signed by Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Rep. Diane Black, R-Gallatin.

Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, also has worked to bring the remains of the Tennesseans home.

"Whether it's a recent war or a war fought more than a century ago, Tennesseans never forget their bravest citizens," Cooper said. "Our fallen veterans always need to come home."

The Mexican-American War was fought from 1846 to 1847 and led to the United States adding territory that would later become Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

Some 30,000 Tennesseans answered a call by the Secretary of War for additional troops to supplement U.S. troop strength during the war. Records indicate that at least 35 were killed in action during the battle.

Hugh Berryman, a forensic anthropologist and professor at Middle Tennessee State University, is leading a team of scientists that will work with the Army to identify the remains and learn more about the soldiers' lives.

Berryman said he's talked to scientists from across the country who are eager to collaborate on the project.

An analysis of the soldiers' teeth might shed light on the quality of the water they drank and where they grew up, he said. Other clues might shed light on how they died or what diseases they might have had.

"The human skeleton is great at recording its own history," Berryman said.

With the right tools, "it's almost as though you are doing an interview with them," he said.

Berryman will travel with MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee Dover Air Force Base for the transfer of the remains.

"This represents a rare opportunity  it's a window into the American soldier from 1846," Berryman said.

"You can read history in the books, but when you look at these individuals, when you look at the bones, you can reach back in time  It just brings history alive for me."
December 4, 2014 - Joshua Salter, 16, a junior at Middle College High School, does homework in the Professional Development Center at MCHS Thursday.

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By Jason Gonzales And Melanie Balakit, USA TODAY NETWORK  Tennessee

NASHVILLE  Students will continue to learn the origin and central features of Islam in middle school under new draft standards proposed by the Tennessee State Board of Education.

The teachings of Islamic culture and history have been a subject of controversy among some parents across the state and there has been a strong backlash to the standards as they were previously written due to what some described as an effort to "indoctrinate students."

But the changes to the standards for all grades, currently under review, are meant to streamline the content teachers are expected to teach students in any given grade, said Laura Encalade, director of policy and research.

The changes are part of a social studies standards review for all grades started at the beginning of the year.

"No cuts targeted one area of history or one religion, but make the standards more manageable for more targeted instruction in any given year," Encalade said.

In total, the department's social studies review team has cut down the number of 7th grade standards, where Islam is taught, from 75 to 67.

The process has included a name change of standards under the "Islamic World, 400 A.D/C.E.1500s" to "Southwest Asia and North Africa: 400-1500s C.E." Some references to the "Islamic World" have been changed to "Africa."

"I would say that is for consistency sake," Encalade said. "(The educator advisory team) rooted that change to geographic locations."

And under the new draft standards, students are asked to learn the origins, spread and central features of Islam. These include the founder Mohammed, sacred texts The Quran and The Sunnah and basic beliefs like monotheism and The Five Pillars. The diffusion of Islam, its culture and Arabic language are also still included in the standards.

But some of the standards that asked students to go in-depth about religions, including Christianity and Islam, have been removed, according to review of the standards by The Tennessean. The number of changes are slight, with some references integrated into standards elsewhere.

"Overall, some of the streamlining was trying to take in account that standards weren't age-level appropriate or went too into too much detail," Encalade said "(The educator advisory team) wanted to reduce the minutia and focus on what are the key concepts to really develop a strong sense of how world history developed and how different historical events progressed."

Last school year, some parents and legislators raised concerns about how Islam was taught in schools, helping spur an early review to the state standards. The state board reviews standards every six years.

Tennessee state board officials also attributed the review to teacher dissatisfaction that the standards asked them to cover too much history in a single year. Teachers also complained the standards asked too much, Encalade said.

"There was a bunch of embedded curriculum in the standards and we removed that to leave the curriculum decisions to local districts, where it belongs," Encalade said.

Educators across the state reviewed the standards this summer and the draft standards are up for public review. The state's new social studies standards will be implemented in the 2019-20 school year.

To comment on the standards, open until Oct. 28, visit https://apps.tn.gov/tcas/.
Clark McMillan was released from prison May 15, 2002 after serving more than 22 years for a rape that DNA says he did not commit. The state Board of Claims awarded McMillan $832,950 in 2004 as compensation. (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal files)

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The cases of Clark McMillan and Lawrence McKinney  two men who spent decades in prison for crimes they did not commit  have exposed a major blind spot in the Tennessee criminal justice system that lawmakers need to correct.

Released prisoners like them as well as nonviolent offenders are not on the whole receiving the necessary tools or support to rebuild their lives after their incarceration, making their ability to become productive citizens again impossible.

The consequences are vast, from broken lives to repeat crimes to bigger bills for taxpayers to pay.

McMillan is right when he says the money he is receiving from the state of Tennessee after his exoneration was not enough. The Memphis man spent two decades in prison for a rape and robbery he did not commit, only to be freed in 2002 when DNA evidence cleared him.

The General Assembly approved $832,950 for him, which is coming in annually and gradually. However, he is dealing with health issues and cannot get a job.

McKinney, of Mt. Juliet, received a long-overdue exoneration hearing from the Tennessee Board of Parole on Tuesday. He was exculpated by DNA evidence and freed in 2009 after 31 years in prison for a rape he did not commit.

Though the board did not recommend his exoneration, Gov. Bill Haslam should grant it so he can earn up to the maximum $1 million in compensation he deserves.

However, then what?

That is why an unlikely coalition of four organizations seeking to reform Tennessee's incarceration practices is a welcome addition to the political debate.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, the libertarian-leaning Beacon Center of Tennessee, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee are partners in the Coalition for Sensible Justice.

They may have different motives  social justice, government efficiency, meeting workforce needs and helping ex-convicts get a new start  but their aim is the same: reform.

Tennessee incarcerates people at 11 percent above the national average. The state spends $961 million on corrections  or nearly 3 percent of the state's $34.78 billion 2016-17 budget. The rate of imprisonment has increased by 256 percent from 1981 to 2013.

There are people who must be put away for a long time for violent acts. However, there are also too many people who are in jail or prison because of mental illness or substance abuse.

Some recent efforts are significant, though they scratch at the surface:

The Nashville Metropolitan Council approved an ordinance that decriminalizes possession of a half-ounce or less of marijuana.

The Memphis City Council is scheduled to take a final vote on a similar ordinance Tuesday.

Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall reduced telephone call fees for inmates from 13 cents to 5 cents a minute.

Laws passed this year at the state and municipal levels to "ban the box" asking about a government job applicant's criminal history.

The Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators has been pressing for criminal justice reform and could see eye to eye on efforts by the Coalition for Sensible Justice in its efforts.

All these groups recognize that the system today is not working as it should.

They should and must continue to push for criminal justice reform that all Tennesseans can be proud of.
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By David Weigel

The snap analyses of Monday night's debate came with a hard caveat. Donald Trump has broken the political media's antenna, again and again. Gaffes that would have torpedoed other candidates and other campaigns did not slow him down. Similar gaffes, like Trump's comment about "the Second Amendment people" stopping Hillary Clinton from swinging the Supreme Court and his later comment that the Secret Service should stop protecting her, got wildly different voter reactions.

That has led to uncertainty about what would normally be a clear, clean storyline  that Trump lost the debate. The efforts of Trump's online army to counterspin this have been limited to trending the hashtag #TrumpWon, as TV networks and almost all analysts say otherwise. But in the hours after Trump and Clinton left Long Island, we've seen five narratives of how maybe, possibly, Trump got the better of things.

1) Hillary was too prepped. Moments after the debate ended, Trump's top surrogates in the Hofstra University spin room began insisting that a "human" candidate had gone up against a sort of talking-point cyborg. "The undecideds saw a human being in Donald Trump," said Rep. Chris Collins, R-N.Y., one of the first members of Congress to back Trump. "If you're saying something about me, and I don't like it, then I'm going to interrupt you. I thought it was strange, a couple of times, that she didn't interrupt him."

The idea here is to exploit the authenticity gap, a source of endless frustration for Democrats who cannot understand how the host of "The Apprentice" is seen as more honest than Clinton. Trump has survived countless controversies with a retreat to that framework  he tells it like it is, and politicians don't talk.

2) Trump won the first 15 minutes, so maybe people stopped watching after that. The asymmetry between Trump's scrappy campaign and Clinton's Death Star  as well as Trump's decision to keep talking about his fat-shaming of a Miss Universe winner  is helping Clinton win the morning-after spin. But Trump's campaign has been running a tight clip from the debate, one of the very first exchanges, as an ad. It's easy to see why, as Trump boils down his best "outsider" argument and asks why Clinton has not achieved her goals after a life in politics. "He was better early," wrote Stephen F. Hayes in the generally Trump-skeptical Weekly Standard. "Better to be better early."

3) Trump won on the economy. True to form, Slate (where I worked from 2010 to 2014) published a contrary take on the debate in which Trump's dominance of a key, early question steered Clinton into a near disaster. "Trump bullied his way through, at times barely letting her finish a stammering thought, but he also made one point that resonates with what so many distrustful working-class whites in the Midwest know to be true," wrote Jordan Weissmann, the site's economics columnist. "Clinton has been a politician for a long time. Where was she on trade before this presidential race?"

There is anecdotal evidence that voters noticed. While most quick-take focus groups found Clinton the winner of the debate, McClatchy  Trump's new favorite news source, non-Sean Hannity division  found a collection of voters who found Clinton "pie in the sky" and Trump concrete. That's risky for the Democrat. Her economic answer synthesized years of liberal think tank ideas, the rhetoric of Bernie Sanders, and the recent, successful records of Democratic presidents. It did not connect the way that Trump's primary-winning rhetoric  "we're getting killed on jobs" connected.

4) Trump lost on points but seemed credible enough. Breitbart News, which has loaned its CEO to the Trump campaign through the election, commissioned a "flash poll" of its own. The bad news for readers was that Clinton was seen as the winner of the debate. The good news: He managed to convince some waverers that he could indeed be president.

"This debate did not shift the race," insisted pollster Pat Caddell. "What it did do was show Trump as plausible, as a strong leader and, more importantly, that he cares about people."

This was the going theory, before the debate, of how Trump could win it. No analyst thought that the business mogul would outwit the former secretary of state. The theory was that he would become a plausible president, a face and voice it was possible to see in the Oval Office. The snap polls did not indicate this, but the hunt is on to prove that voters did.

5) Clinton missed the kill shot. The Democratic nominee's decision to goad Trump then sit back as he tripped over his shoelaces seemed to deliver for her. But it did not deliver the sort of victory that ends a campaign, or starts a panic in the opposing camp, like Lloyd Bentsen's humiliation of Dan Quayle in 1988 or Gerald Ford's tangled explanation of whether Poland was under Soviet domination in 1976. To some observers, it could have, had Clinton sprung on Trump when he glibly said he paid no taxes because he was "smart."

"Clinton was on a roll, clearly hoping to get through prepared material, and she let Trump off the hook with all the people who play by the rules," wrote Jeb Lund in Rolling Stone. "Are they stupid? Are people who obey the law morons? Is everyone who thinks they should pitch in for roads and schools a chump? And how ethical are Trump's smarts? Is he legally paying zero taxes, or is he putting himself on the same plane of financial genius as Al Capone?"

Clinton's campaign latched onto the tax answer and clearly sees it as a weapon for the final stretch of the campaign. But it's not dominating coverage of the debate like it could have; accordingly, Clinton's frustrated attacks on Trump's refusal to release his taxes have not broken through.

David Weigel is a reporter for the Washington Post.
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By Eli Lake

In an otherwise strong debate performance for Hillary Clinton on Monday night, she stumbled when it came to Iran. In the section of the presidential forum focused on national security issues, she played on a quip Donald Trump made earlier this month about the Iranian Navy's recent maneuvers in the Persian Gulf.

"The other day, I saw Donald saying there were some Iranian sailors on a ship and they were taunting American sailors. 'If they taunted our sailors, I would blow them out of the water' and start another war?," she asked.

The line of attack is understandable. It's part of the #dangerousdonald meme that Democrats and other Trump foes have used now for more than a year. The classic iteration is Clinton's applause line: "A man who can be provoked by a tweet should not have his fingers anywhere near the nuclear codes."

And on its surface it seems like a reasonable criticism. After all, no one wants a shooting war with Iran. And when she puts it like that, it seems like Trump has given yet another example of how he lacks the temperament to be commander in chief.

But Clinton's quip badly misunderstands what's going on right now in the Persian Gulf.

To start, taunting is not the right word for it. Iranian boats have been sailing dangerously close in recent months to U.S. ships that are in the Persian Gulf to secure one of the world's most important shipping lanes. In the first week in September there were three such incidents. In one case, a U.S. boat fired live ammunition to deter the Iranian sailors.

This isn't a hypothetical question either. In January, when two U.S. boats sailed accidentally into Iranian waters, they were boarded by Iran's Navy and crew members were humiliated in a brief incident right before President Barack Obama's final State of the Union speech.

These incidents have so alarmed Gen. Joseph Votel, the commander of U.S. Central Command, that he told reporters this month that he worried about a miscalculation. "If they continue to test us, we are going to respond, and we are going to protect ourselves and our partners."

Clinton presumably wasn't trying to diminish Gen. Votel and the risk he is seeing. A big part of Clinton's pitch to voters on national security is that she understands the world and how it works, whereas Trump is a dangerous amateur who doesn't grasp the basics about everything from the U.S. nuclear posture to our systems of alliances. It would behoove her to take Iran's aggression seriously, and to tell Trump that those are not mere "taunts."

The other problem with Clinton's line about the Persian Gulf incidents is that it undercuts her own pledge to get tougher on the Iranians for their support for terrorism and proxy wars against U.S. allies in the region. Her top national security aide, Jake Sullivan, in June put it like this: "We need to be raising the costs to Iran for its destabilizing behavior and we need to be raising the confidence of our Sunni partners."

One way to raise the costs to Iran is to send the clear message that its provocations in the Persian Gulf will have consequences. In this respect, Trump was correct to threaten Iran, but wrong to be so specific. The substance of his remarks is nonetheless very close to what Votel implied earlier this month. Clinton missed an opportunity to show that she too understood the importance of deterrence in the Persian Gulf.

Eli Lake is a Bloomberg View columnist.
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By Jennifer Rubin

WASHINGTON  We know from past debates that the winner of the post-debate spin is as important as the winner of the actual debate. We know many people will not watch the entire debate, or any of it, so their opinions will be shaped to an outsize degree by the media reaction and "snap polling" afterward. In that sense, Hillary Clinton won twice  once in the debate and the other in the post-debate discussion. Here's what we have learned:

1) Donald Trump ironically lacked "stamina" and got progressively more incoherent and short-tempered as the night wore on. He dumped a post-debate appearance, slinking home to Manhattan.

2) The Trump people know they lost, too. Trump entered the "spin room" personally, a first in presidential debates. Unwilling to let his debate performance stand on its own, he desperately tried to turn the page to a new set of Trump comments. It did not work. Worst of all, Trump surrogate Rudy Giuliani hinted that Trump might not show up for another debate. "If I were Donald Trump, I wouldn't participate in another debate unless I was promised the journalist would act like a journalist, and not an ignorant fact-checker," he declared. That's the way a loser talks.

3) The media reaction  both mainstream and conservative, in print, online and TV commentary  has been brutal. Although of limited value, focus groups in Florida and Pennsylvania and post-debate snap polls heavily favored Clinton. #NeverTrump conservative Bill Kristol tersely said, "I'm not positive Hillary actually won the debate. But I'm sure Trump lost it. He choked." His more Trump-sympathetic colleague Fred Barnes panned Trump's performance: "He talked too long, interrupted Clinton, touted himself, and took her bait time after time to respond to her charges. It was the wrong approach at the wrong time at the wrong debate." Huffington Post's Howard Fineman called it "the worst  and I mean worst  debate performance in modern times," graciously allowing for the possibility that some pre-modern debater was forced to flee the stage under a barrage of rotten fruit. "Starting around the 11-minute mark in the 95-minute event, Trump's cool began to melt," The Washington Post reported. "He started to shout through Clinton's answers, gripping the sides of the lectern until his hands turned red." The Associated Press chimed in:

"If Clinton aimed to get under Trump's skin in the first 30 minutes of the debate, the Democratic nominee appeared to succeed. Clinton often put Trump on the defensive, saying he had 'rooted for' the collapse of the housing industry and had considered climate change to be a hoax. In another exchange, Clinton said, 'I have a feeling that by the end of this evening I'll be blamed for everything that ever happened.'"

4) Trump really is not capable of studying issues, mastering facts and educating himself even with the presidency on the line. He'd like us to believe he doesn't need to  that "overpreparing" is bad. (Clinton turned this against Trump in one of her better one-liners: "And you know what else I prepared for? I prepared to be president. And I think that's a good thing.") Trump has shown himself to be too arrogant or too intellectually challenged to learn things  maybe the most dangerous trait for a president.

5) Trump proved that he lacks impulse control. He knew he had to seem level-headed and yet couldn't stop himself from interrupting. The split screen worked to his disadvantage, showing him smirk and grimace while Clinton remained cool as Trump served up one word salad after another.

6) Trump only added to concerns about his racism and misogyny. He inexplicably defended his foray into birtherism, allowing Clinton to say flat out this was a "racist lie." After Clinton recited some of the insults he launched against a Hispanic beauty pageant contestant, Trump on "Fox and Friends" made his cruelty and disdain for women that much clearer: "She gained a massive amount of weight, and it was a real problem." His worst answer of the night might have been his defense of a case brought against him alleging housing discrimination in the 1970s. "And we, along with many, many other companies throughout the country, were sued. We settled the suit with no admission of guilt. Zero." So everyone did it, and he didn't have to confess?

7) Fox News got embarrassed, and rightfully so. Trying to insist that he had opposed the Iraq War from the start  he did not  Trump pleaded with the audience to call Sean Hannity, with whom he claims to have discussed the matter (off air, of course). That's an extraordinary recognition of the degree to which Hannity, and thereby Fox, has been made into an adjunct of the campaign, when you think about it. Fox's legitimate news people should raise a rumpus; Hannity is undermining their brand.

8) Clinton did not need to bare her soul. Sure, she could have been more revealing of her inner life and more emotional. But she won the debate by doing what she feels comfortable doing  preparing tenaciously, crafting rueful barbs and embracing her opponent's insults to highlight her own tenacity. She earned the right to invoke Michelle Obama's admonition (unlike Melania Trump, Clinton didn't claim the first lady's words as her own): "When they go low, we go high."

Jennifer Rubin writes the Right Turn blog for the Washington Post.
Republican effort to ban online gambling comes after $20 million donation

Americans like to think our government represents all of us, but sometimes in American politics, you get what you pay for. Thanks to the presence of big money in politics, many legislators care more about the wealthy people, businesses and groups who fund their campaigns than the rest of their constituents.

A new, Republican-led effort to ban online gambling illustrates how big money sways politicians. This proposal, sponsored by Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Mike Lee (R-Utah), is a pet project of billionaire Nevada casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson, one of the GOPs most generous donors.

Last month, Adelson made a $20 million donation to the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC linked to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that has spent nearly $14 million this year to support Senate Republicans. A few weeks later, Cotton introduced the bill.

Adelson has been vocally against online gambling for years; he recognizes its a direct threat to , his casinos. So in exchange for a few million dollars, he enlists senators to fight for his interests, and reminds the rest of us of the imbalance of power in our democracy.

Our government is supposed to hear and value every voice equally. Instead, people who dont have millions of dollars to contribute to campaigns are being drowned out by the wealthy elite. Luckily, there is a lot that we can do to fix this.

This election cycle, 12 good government groups have joined forces for a campaign called Who Will Fight Big Money? Theyve set out specific goals for a more inclusive democracy, and are asking congressional candidates to take a stand.

At whowillfightbigmoney.org, you can see the stances of more than 200 candidates who have responded to our survey. If your candidates havent responded, reach out with letters, phone calls, and tweets. Tell them that democracy reform matters, and ask them to make a commitment to support it.

Americans today face a lot of problems, from the environment to immigration to civil rights. Each issue matters, but we cant count on politicians to address the things we care about while they still count on wealthy special interests to win re-election.

Big money has taken control of our government; its on us to take it back by being engaged and vocal. We must hold candidates accountable, and demand that they take a stance on democracy reform. We need to make our case for a fairer government on Election Day, by voting for candidates who are willing to fight the system instead of profiting from it.
New England Fishmongers co-founders Amanda Parks and Captain Tim Rider stand for a portrait on their boat, the Finlander, last week. ELODIE REED / Monitor staff

Captain Tim Rider parks the New England Fishmongers refrigerated van full of fresh-caught fish at the end of Ceres Street in Portsmouth on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016. ELODIE REEDMonitor staff

New England Fishmongers Captain Tim Rider drives the business' refrigerated van down Ceres Street in Portsmouth on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016. Rider and his partner Amanda Parks are selling directly off their fishing vessel, the Finlander, to restaurants in New Hampshire. ELODIE REEDMonitor staff

When Pigs Fly chef Rob Martin looks at a flyer from New England Fishmongers outside his Portsmouth restaurant on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016. "Everything we try to do here is natural, local," Martin said. ELODIE REEDMonitor staff

New England Fishmongers Captain Tim Rider and partner Amanda Parks smile at an advertisement for a fish dinner they're helping put on outside the When Pigs Fly restaurant in Portsmouth on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016. ELODIE REEDMonitor staff

New England Fishmongers currently sells fresh fish to just under a dozen New Hampshire restaurants along the seacoast. The business, which is the only in the state where the fishermen themselves sell to restaurants, hopes to expand into central New Hampshire in the future. ELODIE REEDMonitor staff

Haddock and pollock samples caught by New England Fishmongers sit in The Oar House kitchen along Ceres Street in Portsmouth last Wednesday. ELODIE REED / Monitor staff

Captain Tim Rider shows Portsmouth restaurant Row 34 sous chef Ryan Briolat some samples of pollock on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016. Rider and his partner, Amanda Parks, fish one day and sell their catch directly to restaurants the next. ELODIE REEDMonitor staff

Block 6 restaurant sous chef Cody Chisholm (left) takes pollock and cusk caught the previous day by Amanda Parks (right) and Tim Rider (center). ELODIE REED / Monitor staff

Fresh caught pollock sit ready to be delivered to New Hampshire restaurants by New England Fishmongers on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016. ELODIE REEDMonitor staff

New England Fishmongers co-founder Amanda Parks loads up some fresh fish for the When Pigs Fly restaurant in Portsmouth last week. Parks and her partner, Captain Tim Rider, are likely the only fishermen selling seafood they caught themselves. ELODIE REED / Monitor staff

Its unusual, nowadays  a fisherman that mongers his fish.

But Meredith native Amanda Parks, 24, and Tim Rider, 40, of Manchester arrive at their boat in Portsmouth about 2 a.m. most mornings before going four or five hours into open ocean.

There, listening to hip-hop and 80s tracks on satellite radio, they use large fishing rods and bait hooks to catch pollock, cusk, haddock, cod and Acadian redfish before returning home, some 16 or 18 hours later.

The next morning, Parks and Rider hop into their white, refrigerated van with their business name, New England Fishmongers, proudly painted on the doors. With energy drinks vibrating in the cup holders, the two bounce from restaurant to restaurant along the New Hampshire Seacoast, plopping whole, gutted fish into chefs metal trays.

They meet with a handwritten list of established clients and also stop at some new spots, offering free fish samples. Rider and Parks sell their product hard, knowing theyre likely the only ones doing what theyre doing in the entire state.

And even then, Rider said, Were hanging on by the skin of our teeth.

Rider, the boats captain, and Parks are fighting against an industry seemingly pitted against them with heavy reporting requirements, high licensing fees and advantages for larger, consolidated players.

Andrea Tomilson, who runs the cooperative New Hampshire Community Seafood and works with the last remaining commercial ground fishermen in the Granite State, said their numbers have been decimated in the last few decades.

In the mid-90s, there were approximately 100 ground fishermen, Tomilson said. In the mid-2000s, there were about 30. Now, were down to eight.

The change began in 1976, when the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act was passed and gave the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration jurisdiction over ocean between 3 and 200 miles offshore to prevent overfishing. A decade later, the New England Fishery Management Council was established to oversee the Northeast coastline.

In 2010, federal regulators set annual catch limits, and it was then, Tomilson said, that small fishermen felt a major squeeze. The rights to cod fishing quotas  the main fish for the industry  had to be purchased, and those quotas were drastically reduced from previous harvest numbers.

Theres a real animosity among fishermen for the regulators, she said.

As most of the fishing quotas were purchased by larger, corporate interests, Tomilson said the fishermen she works with have had to lease part of those quotas. While they technically have the right to a certain number of cod, Tomilson said the fishermen are aiming for the underutilized, unregulated species of fish that dont go for a lot in the fish market but seem to satisfy the appetite of New Hampshire Community Seafood customers.

Our clientele is so supportive of the fishing industry that theyre buying whatever product we have with glee, Tomilson said. The fishermen are still in awe that were selling dogfish to over 400 people.

Hooking an opportunity

Early into its endeavor, New England Fishmongers is finding the same enthusiasm from local restaurants for their lesser-known fish.

At their first stop, Parks and Rider dropped off about 15 pounds of fish for Block 6 in Portsmouth. Sous chef Cody Chisholm said hes been buying fish from the pair for the past eight or nine months.

Its as fresh as fresh can get, Chisholm said as he held out a tray for Rider to plop pollock and some cusk caught less than 24 hours before.

Chisholm added of Block 6s patrons when they see the fish on the menu: Theyre pretty excited about it. They say the taste  you can just taste the freshness.

Quality and knowledge about the fish are New England Fishmongers main selling points, since the pair appear to be the only people in the state who both catch and directly sell their product. The two came together when Parks, a 2014 University of New Hampshire graduate, who has experience working in area restaurants, and Rider, a fisherman, saw a way to combine their skills.

Were trying to bridge that gap, Rider said. Its a pretty difficult task were taking on, but were gaining a little more traction.

The refrigerated truck, for instance, is only three weeks old and worth about $25,000, and it was paid for by Novel Iron Works CEO Josh Rosenthal in exchange for fish for his employees.

They helped us so much, Rider said.

And the truck  as well as enthusiasm from local chefs  will continue to help as the pair grow their business. During a delivery day last Wednesday, New England Fishmongers garnered at least two more potential restaurant accounts, bumping their total up to 10.

The Oar House owner Ray Guerin said he liked the prospect of serving fresher, locally caught seafood, since he knows thats what his customers prefer.

Theyre not afraid to pay a premium for that food, Guerin said.

As he looked over samples of pollock, haddock and cusk, Oar House chef Jason DAgostino told Parks and Rider, Ill definitely give you a call back.

Bigger system changes

New England Fishmongers and other local fishermen are working hard to find their place in the New Hampshire market, and theyre also asking for the industry to protect their interests.

Niaz Dorry, who advocates for fishermen like Parks and Rider as the coordinating director of the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, said small and medium community-based fishing operations are currently at a disadvantage.

The voices . . . are sometimes literally shut out of the system, Dorry said. Parks and Rider have been at New England Fishery Management Council meetings, she said, and often microphones have been shut off on them.

Today, NAMA has organized a demonstration outside the New England Fishery Management Council being held in Plymouth, Mass., to demand action. The group is continuing to ask for increased transparency, fairer regulations and a bigger emphasis on rewarding sustainable fisheries.

I think the main issue at this point is theres a morale problem within the fishing industry in New Hampshire and elsewhere, Dorry said. (Fishermen feel) that theyre not valued, that theyre not recognized by the regulatory system and by the consumer.

But if people like Rider and Parks can stay afloat, Dorry said greater consumer demand for seafood harvested sustainably and locally, plus working together with the wider food system, could help change the tide.

We have an opportunity here, she said.

(Elodie Reed can be reached at 369-3306, ereed@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @elodie_reed.)
There are no solutions, says economist Thomas Sowell. There are only trade-offs.

Sowells claim is especially true when it comes to the issue of pollution. We have no solution that will allow us to eliminate all pollution, so we are forced to make trade-offs, such as exchanging a certain level of pollution for economic growth.

What would happen, though, if we allowed our political presuppositions to determine which side of the tradeoff we must always choose? Thats the question at the heart of a recent debate about whether libertarians are too anti-pollution.

It all started when New York Times columnist and liberal economist Paul Krugman criticized the Libertarian Party platforms position on environmental policy:

It opposes any kind of regulation; instead, it argues that we can rely on the courts. Is a giant corporation poisoning the air you breathe or the water you drink? Just sue: Where damages can be proven and quantified in a court of law, restitution to the injured parties must be required. Ordinary citizens against teams of high-priced corporate lawyers  what could go wrong?

Economist Tyler Cowen, though, says Krugmans claim is the opposite of the correct criticism.



The main problem with classical libertarianism is that it doesnt allow enough pollution. Under libertarian theory, pollution is a form of violent aggression that should be banned, as Murray Rothbard insisted numerous times. OK, but what about actual practice, once all those special interest groups start having their say? Historically, under the more limited government of the 19th century, it was big business that wanted to move away from unpredictable local and litigation-driven methods of control, and toward a more systematic regulatory approach at the national level.

In response, Ryan McMaken of Mises Wire weighed in, explaining that Cowen is essentially correct in claiming that this is indeed Rothbards view: In a legal regime supported by Rothbard, polluters would likely face far greater legal sanctions than under the current regulatory regime. As McMaken adds,

In a Rothbardian court-based system, the cost of poisoned air or a collapsed building are borne by those who actually engage in the harmful behavior. These costs can be immense. Understandably, a firm may prefer a system in which costs are predictably higher, than a system where costs are potentially lower (if lawsuits are avoided), but far less predictable. But, the fact that some firms would prefer this system is not a justification for imposing this system on everyone.

Many people would prefer regulations on pollution, says McMaken, to the Rothbardian legal option because under Rothbards system a small number of aggrieved parties could shut down a polluting factory when society in general allegedly benefits from the activities of that factory.

Does such an approach require that individual rights trump our obligations of stewardship?

A decade ago, Acton research fellow Jordan Ballor wrote the best, brief explanation youll ever find on the connection between economics and environmental stewardship. As Ballor says, economics can be understood as the theoretical side of stewardship, and stewardship can be understood as the practical side of economics.

Far from being a discipline that explains all of human existence, in the biblical view, as we saw in the case of the shrewd manager, economics is the thoughtful ordering of the material resources of a household or social unit toward the self-identified good end. Thus, if we hold a biblical view of economics and stewardship, we will not be tempted to divorce the two concepts but instead will see them as united. On a larger scale, then, economics must play an important role in decisions about environmental stewardship. Economics helps us rightly order our stewardship.

One of the ways in which economics helps us rightly order environmental stewardship is by helping us deal with tradeoffs. The regulatory system, for all its flaws, provides a way to address such tradeoffs as economic growth and pollution. This system does not determine beforehand how much liability the polluter must bear or whether the people suffering should always be able, if they prove beyond a reasonable doubt, to win a settlement.

The Rothbaridian approach, however, seems to take a deontological approach to the tradeoffs: If an individual plaintiff can prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that theyve been harmed by pollution they should win. The implications not only for our economy but for our way of life could be profound. Indeed, if carried to the logical conclusion, individual environmental activists could shut down nearly every industry that has existed. And if we maintain that the principle should have always applied, we could say that individuals could have shut down all technological process since before the Industrial Revolution.

How to we resolve this tradeoff? Is there a way for polluting industries and rights-bearing individuals to peacefully coexist in a libertarian (or at least Rothbardian libertarian) legal system? And should we support a system where the aggrieved can single-handedly shut down economic growth and technological progress ?

When it comes to pollution, how would Christian libertarians balance stewardship, economics, and individual rights in a way that leads to societal flourishing?
Ex-SNP MP accused of embezzlement from independence campaign

Natalie McGarry, the nationalist MP for Glasgow East who was elected for the SNP before having the whip withdrawn, has been charged by the police with fraud offences.

STV News reports that she stands accused of embezzlement and breaching the Scottish Independence Referendum Act 2013.

The investigation was triggered when Women for Independence, a separatist group, found than tens of thousands of pounds had gone missing. McGarry was involved with the group and been in charge of their finances.

Also this week, a Number 10 spokesman reiterated Theresa Mays belief that Nicola Sturgeon has no mandate for a second independence referendum.

Plaid attack Welsh Labour for voting with Tories against Single Market

Wales Online reports that the Welsh Nationalists have attacked Labour after they joined the Conservatives to vote against the UK trying to retain membership of the EU Single Market.

Plaid Cymru tabled a motion in favour of Single Market membership, but Labour backed a Tory amendment advocating only access, in what Nationalist AM Adam Price described as the most shocking event since devolution.

He pointed out that the Welsh Assembly is now the first British institution to officially come out against the Single Market.

The final motion apparently also called for more clarity from Carwyn Jones administration on freedom of movement, after the First Minister appeared to drop his support for it.

Also this week, a new poll found that Theresa Mays honeymoon has lifted the fortunes of the Welsh Tories: their vote share was up six points on July and now stands at its highest level in six years.

MLAs mount legal challenge to Brexit

A group of Northern Irish politicians have been given the go-ahead by a Belfast court to seek mount a legal challenge to Brexit, according to the News Letter.

The group believe that, thanks to the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement, the Government must obtain a Parliamentary majority and permission from the Northern Ireland Assembly before proceeding with Brexit.

Representatives for the Government argued that the issues raised would already be covered by pre-existing challenges, but the judge felt a separate Northern Irish case was needed to make sure the Provinces specific issues were addressed.

Scottish Tories reach out to New Labour voters and secure defection

Ruth Davidson continued to drive her tanks farther onto Labours lawns this week, the Scotsman reports, as she made an explicit pitch to New Labour voters.

The Scottish Conservative leader said that moderate, centre-ground voters had been left feeling disenfranchised after JEremy Corbyn was re-elected to lead Labour.

Her drive to exploit the Oppositions constitutional vacillations and sweep up unionist voters also scored a win this week, according to the Sunday Herald.

Braden Davy, who stood for Labour against Alex Salmond in Gordon in 2015, defected to the Tories because Labour were weak on independence.

as Dugdale embarrassed as failure to vote spares SNP defeat

The Scottish Labour leader was dubbed the long ranger by Nationalist MSPs this week after her failure to cast a vote in a crucial Holyrood division spared the Scottish Government from being defeated.

The Courier reports that Kezia Dugdale insists that she voted, and that the electronic system that records results didnt register it (not a problem you encounter with old-fashioned division lobbies).

Later this week Scottish Labour challenged SNP MSPs to vote against the First Ministers plans to increase tactics, presumably as insurance against their owns leaders faulty voting software.

Elsewhere this week, Dugdale gave an excruciating interview after Corbyn was re-elected as Labour leader (she backed Smith).

James suggests Hamilton is leader of Welsh UKIP

The farcical factionalism gripping UKIPs Welsh Assembly group took another twist today when Diane James, the new leader, suggested that Neil Hamilton was the leader of the party in Wales.

Hamilton has been leader of the Peoples Armys six-strong Assembly group since he ousted Nathan Gill, an ally of Nigel Farage, in a putsch following Mays elections, causing a rift James put down to the AMs being a bit excited.

Earlier this month Gill got one up on him at the UKIP conference, where Hamiltons speaker slot was handed to his rival, who currently sits as an independent AM and remains the partys overall Welsh leader.

UKIP faced criticism before the Welsh elections for allowing former Tory MPs like Hamilton and Mark Reckless to decamp to its Assembly list.
Simon Walker of the Institute of Directors yesterday probed the Governments new industrial strategy. Will [it] involve reskilling those who make bulk steel, so that they can move to sophisticated high tech products where Britain retains a competitive edge? he said. Or will Britain simply block steel imports from China and pour funds into subsidising uncompetitive plants as a method of retaining jobs? At first glance, his question is a narrow one. At a second one, it has wider implications. It asks not only what one particular policy will be but what much of Brexit will look like.

Most debate about the future of Brexit at present concentrates on whether it will be Hard or Soft. If by Soft is meant membership of the single market, with no control over immigration other than a debatable emergency brake, the matter looks to be already settled, despite the Governments pretence that it is not. There will be some flexible control on EU migration to reduce numbers, probably at the low-skill end. This form of control is very hard indeed, if not impossible, to square with single market membership. The Government is likely to go for sectoral deals in some form. Whether it gets them or not is beside our point  which is that membership of the single market or EEA membership or membership of the customs union look wide of the Governments plans.

What is clearly not settled at all is the post-Brexit future of the economy as politicians try to shape it  tax rates, regulatory policy, public spending, trade policy, the shape of immigration control. There are two broad options.

The first is what might be called Open Britain. Its starting point would be that our economy needs to be as open as possible if it is to flourish after Brexit. Business taxes would be slashed. So would regulation  including much of that social and employment law that Conservatives for so long itched to get back from Brussels. We would become a kind of Panama for money from overseas. Trade deals would be framed simply to get the best deal possible for exporters; those steel imports from China, say, would flow into Britain. All this sounds like a Thatcherite vision for our economy, but it does not necessarily imply a passive state. Government could be active in the sense of going for big infrastructure decisions more determinedly than has usually been the case. More runways would be tacked on to Heathrow and Gatwick; airports outside the south-east would be expanded. Migration would be relatively high.

London and the South-East would be likely to gain most from such a strategy, at least in the short-term. The losers from imports and high immigration would mostly be concentrated elsewhere  in the Leave-voting North and Midlands among the ordinary working people who plumped for Brexit.

Which leads us to the second option. It begins with the conviction that government cannot let down these voters, without whom Leaves referendum victory would not have happened. Social and employment law would be preserved in aspic. Migration would be low. Trade deals would not be signed if they would let those steel imports come pouring in  which suggests that few would be signed at all. Public services policy would stress more spending rather than reform. Taxes would in consequence be higher than they would otherwise have been. Investment from abroad would be seen through a national security lens only. This would be a Closed Britain. It is difficult to square this vision of the future with the vigorous construction of new airports or nuclear power stations. We would be more likely to put such decisions off and opt for lower growth.

What we are most likely to get, the world being as it is, is a mix of the two. But readers will have spotted the snag with the second. It is ultimately unsustainable  and, in political terms, not consistent with where the Conservative Party has pitched its tent in modern times. This suggests a limit to the degree to which, even in the post-Farage absence of a well-organised UKIP, Theresa Mays party can make progress among those Leave voters in the industrial Midlands and north who might now be willing to give it a second look. The debate is not academic. When the Government paused over a Hinkley Point decision; when it waved through SoftBanks takeover of Arms; when Philip Hammond raised questions in Cabinet committee about the industrial strategy  all these were signs that it is already raging.

We wrote last weekend that the implications of Brexit have not sunk in for most voters. Indeed, they could scarcely do so, given their sweep and scale. But one of the central decisions in post-referendum British politics is precisely what sort of post-Brexit economy we want  and, therefore, what sort of post-Brexit society we want. Only a few months ago, government and business were more likely to be discussing what sort of European Union we want. How much has changed in so short a time.
Being asked by ContractorUK to help contractors navigate a new alert about a scheme providers frowned-upon attempt to exploit tax relief doesnt sound like an invitation to take issue with HMRC, writes Graham Webber, director of tax investigations and dispute resolution firm WTT Consulting.

But the Revenues alert this month on how it views an alleged tax avoidance scheme is unfortunately yet another demonstration of how the UK tax office continues to misunderstand the situation for many contractors.

In short, the idea behind the scheme is that a contractor can set up a company and have that company enter into a long term contract with a client. After a suitable interval, coinciding with the qualifying period for relief from Capital Gains Tax using Entrepreneurs Relief (ER), the company would be sold to a third-party in Cyprus. In effect, the monetary value of the contract for the remaining period is converted to a Capital Gain and the ER reduces the charge to around 10%, after fees and costs (probably twice that rate in reality). That still however represents a low effective tax rate -- even if the contractor has to complete the client commitment.

Challenge anybody using the scheme

There are a number of ways that HMRC could challenge these arrangements. Sale of income; transfer offshore; VAT issues; new clauses in Finance Act 2016 for example. I would imagine that existing rules would be more than adequate to defeat the arrangements. Why, then, has HMRC chosen to make an announcement that they will seek to challenge anybody using the scheme?

On the positive side, we might applaud the move. It shows that HMRC is willing to identify and move against schemes that they consider to be tax avoidance, early and with full warning. This announcement or warning stops short of intervention, but at present HMRC does not have that power anyway. Nevertheless, there would be little defence for any contractor found to be using the scheme after this announcement, and probably little sympathy from HMRC too. If a client approached us with this, we would be recommending unpicking the arrangement (if possible) and settling with HMRC.

On the negative side, HMRC probably has sufficient powers to stop this scheme in its tracks. But having chosen to make this announcement, are they conveying that they have little confidence in their ability to prosecute in a timely and effective manner a case against a user? If so, will this message; intentional or otherwise, simply encourage some to take a punt?

Vague, biased, scant

More concerning to us as tax investigations specialists is the way in which the scheme has been described. The rather vague language HMRC uses to warn potential users of the problems from using it is most regrettable. Moreover, the scheme is invariably being described by HMRC in a wholly biased way. The clues are all there -- the details that the Revenue provides of the steps are scant; the motivations are portrayed as wholly artificial (as one ContractorUK reader effectively remarked; I simply stopped reading when HMRC pretty much says you sell that company to an organisation based in Cyprus) and there is no mention whatsoever on potential counter avoidance measures already in existence. The latter is perhaps understandable, as HMRC wishes to paint the details in as poor a light as possible in order to prejudice a tribunal in the future.

But do contractors -- even their advisers, expect or deserve a more balanced and fair picture from the Revenue? Well, HMRCs job is to administer the tax laws of this country. It is not their role to maximise tax revenues.

A more robust HMRC

If we accept these two facts, then there is a case for arguing that such announcements from HMRC should be rather more balanced. They should ideally point out existing hurdles, establish the boundaries imposed in previous cases and pinpoint HMRCs opposition to the scheme. And should or could we expect that a deeper description might serve to shed some light on a scheme HMRC dislikes against a commercial situation which the ER is designed to alleviate? This in turn would portray a more robust HMRC approach, based on specifics which affords contractors certainty over their affairs; a premise recently compromised due to the onset of retrospective legislation.

Instead, and due to the detail-scarce approach HMRC favours, some who read HMRCs announcement will be left with the completely wrong impression that EVERY attempt to use ER is going to be challenged, despite the clear intention of parliament that the relief is there to encourage enterprise. In this sense, we believe HMRC has taken it upon themselves to place limits on what our elected representatives wanted. Unfortunately, it would not be the first time that the taxman has set himself as the sole arbiter of what parliament intended. The effect of this shouldnt be taken lightly; it lets the tax authority extend their powers into areas that are surely beyond their remit.

Precise and surgical strike

And also consider; it might be that HMRC has little more information to share. If so, is it acceptable for HMRC to have arrived at 100% of the answer (we think this is tax avoidance) with only, say, 50% of the facts? Imagine if the first instance to reach a tribunal rules that it is a genuine commercial position and HMRC loses. Describing the situation less than fully, as the Revenue is doing here, risks prejudicing genuine cases of ER claims. Is that acceptable?

Despite the answers we lean towards giving to the two questions in the above paragraph (for anyone unsure thats no and no), on balance, we do actually welcome this early announcement from HMRC. Its helpful for contractors and their advisers to know that such schemes are seen as areas that will likely be challenged. With your next announcement-cum-warning though Hector, we would ask for a more precise and surgical strike rather than the generalist approach youve taken here.
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India's score under seven categories

India ranks No 4 in a new rating of Right to Information (RTI), says a comparative assessment of national legal frameworks for RTI, developed and applied by Canada-based Centre for Law and Democracy and the Access Info Europe. The rating has been worked out to mark the International Right to Know Day, celebrated on September 28 across the globe. Rating 112 countries, Mexico tops the international rating, followed by two small European countries, Serbia and Slovenia. Sri Lanka, the only other South Asian country making it to the first 10 positions, ranks No 9. Other countries in the top ten positions are  Croatia, Liberia, El Salvador, Sierra Leone, and Tunisia.Taking a special note of the development, the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative's (CHRI's), which has been campaigning for RTI in Commonwealth member countries, says, while three Commonwealth member states, India, Sierra Leone and Sri Lanka are amongst the top-10 positions, a few others  Mozambique, Pakistan and Guyana  figure at the bottom of the list at 98, 89 and 84, respectively.CHRI's Venkatesh Nayak, who is a top RTI activist, is among the panel of experts who have worked out that rating, which is based on 61 indicators falling under seven different categories -- Right of Access, Scope, Requesting Procedures, Exceptions and Refusals, Appeals, Sanctions and Protections, and Promotional Measures.India scores 128 on a scale of 150, as against Germany's 54, Pakistan's 66, China's 70, USA's and Australia's score of 83, Canada's 90, Russia's 98, and Brazil's 108.Canada and Australia, which were the first amongst Commonwealth member states to implement information access laws, figure at 48 and 40, respectively, on this list, while the UK, which began implementation of its Freedom of Information Act more than a decade ago, figures at 33.CHRI regrets, however, in some of the Commonwealth countries, the Draft Bills on access to information are languishing across the Commonwealth  Botswana, Ghana, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, the Fiji Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Barbados and St Kitts and Nevis.It says, In some of these countries governments have not acceded to civil society demand for enacting strong information access laws for more than a decade, adding, Till date, 22 of the 53 member states have enacted national level laws.September 28 has been recognized by UNESCO as the title International Day for Universal Access to Information. One of the indicators for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) is to assess whether States have adopted and implemented RTI laws.The strongest law among the new countries on the RTI rating is that of Sri Lanka, says Michael Karanicolas, Senior Legal Officer, Centre for Law and Democracy, adding, The passage of this law means that every country in South Asia apart from Bhutan now has an RTI law. The region is generally a strong performer, with every country scoring over 100 points, except Pakistan, which continues to languish near the bottom of the Rating. Tunisias progression into the top tier of global RTI laws is all the more significant given that the Arab world is among the worlds weakest on this important human rights indicator, with only four of the 22 member states of the Arab League  namely Jordan, Sudan, Tunisia and Yemen  having RTI laws on the books, notes Karanicolas,Just behind Tunisia is Kenyas Access to Information Act, adopted in late August 2016, which ranks 14th in the world with a score of 113, Karanicolas notes, adding, This is the latest in a strong trend among African countries to adopt RTI laws, which is now starting to redress the longstanding position of the continent as lagging behind other regions of the world on this issue.It also results in seven African countries being among the top twenty, making it the region of the world with the most countries having this status. The Kenyan law is notable for its very broad coverage of private sector actors, which pushes the already expansive approach on this issue pioneered in Africa to new limits, Karanicolas points out.
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Channel programs News

A New Climate: The Best (And Worst) States For Channel-Minded Millennial Entrepreneurs

Rick Whiting

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Devin Henderson, founder and CEO of DH Technologies, a fast-growing solution provider, lives in Maryland. But when he started his company in 2011 he chose Leesburg, Va., as the city in which to base it.

DH Technologies is located in a HUBZone (historically underutilized business zone) in Leesburg, a designation by the U.S. Small Business Administration that gives Henderson's company preferential access to federal procurement opportunities. And that's important for DH Technologies, which focuses on state and federal government IT work.

Henderson notes that many of the IT vendors and distributors that DH Technologies works with have offices on the Virginia side of the Washington D.C. area, forming a business ecosystem for the young solution provider. "It's a proximity thing," Henderson said, adding that doing business "just seems to be more fruitful on the Virginia side."

Take a look at CRN's interactive map for research details on each state.

And at 33, Henderson is a millennial, the up-and-coming generation that makes up a growing segment of IT industry workers, managers and entrepreneurs.

In April the U.S. Census Bureau put the number of millennials in the U.S. at 75.4 million, exceeding for the first time the 74.9 million baby boomers who have long made up the biggest part of the U.S. workforce  including owners and top executives at solution provider companies.

Exact definitions of the millennial generation differ, but generally include people born between 1980 and 2000. (The U.S. Census number includes people who were age 18 to 34 in 2015.) That means the youngest millennials are entering college and the oldest have been in the workforce for more than a dozen years. That means some are moving into management positions  or starting their own businesses.

That certainly includes millennials who work in the IT industry who are  or who are thinking about  starting their own solution provider businesses. With that in mind, CRN is focusing this year's Best States project on the millennial generation.

Each year for the last three years CRN researchers and editors have undertaken a detailed analysis of the business climate in all 50 states to offer readers guidance about which states offer solution providers more business opportunities, more innovation and growth potential, better pools of talented workers, lower costs, and less burdensome taxes and regulations.

For our 2016 analysis we've collected and analyzed many of the same data points as in prior years  making our findings just as valuable for solution provider owners and managers as before.

The criteria includes state-by-state data that's important for entrepreneurs starting a solution provider business, everything from the education and experience levels of the available workforce, to corporate income and sales tax rates, to state GDP growth rates and economic climates. Also important is the solution provider competitive saturation, a ranking based on the ratio of potential business customers in a state per solution provider.

Given the growing ranks of millennials in the IT workforce, however, we're putting a millennial spin on the Best States project. For this year's overall state rankings, we've included criteria that's specifically of interest to millennials who may be considering starting their own solution provider business  either right out of school or after paying their dues by working for an IT company or solution provider.

Some millennial factors are business-focused, including startup rates, venture capital availability, average tech industry wages and the number of tech businesses in each state.

We've also included demographic and quality-of-life factors such as data on apartment rents, access to public transportation and the cost of gasoline. We've even included the median age and associated ranking for each state, going with the idea that millennials like to be, well, where the millennials are.

Combining more traditional business and economic statistics with the millennial-specific data has led to some surprising results. Some states that ranked lower in prior years got a boost because they had more to offer millennials, such as a younger population, good public transportation and a more entrepreneurial startup culture.

Take California, whose rankings in earlier Best States analysis were pulled down by its high cost of living and taxes, moved up to No. 4 this year from No. 10 in 2015.

Consequently, some states whose rankings in prior years benefited from their limited taxes, low business and labor costs, and business-friendly regulatory environments didn't fair so well when millennial-specific criteria was added to the mix. Alabama, ranked No. 34 in 2015, dropped to No. 47 this year when its poor millennial factors ranking (No. 45) was added to the mix. Ditto for Iowa, which dropped to No. 41 from No. 29 last year.

Good scores in millennial criteria alone weren't enough to arrest the declining rankings of some states. Colorado, the No. 1 state in last year's analysis, was the top scorer in millennial criteria. But the Centennial State slide to No. 6 overall this year, given its increased cost of living and labor expenses and the large number of Colorado-based solution providers that pushed the state's competitive saturation score to a poor No. 40.

So which states are best for millennials looking to start a solution provider business?

Florida came out on top this year, thanks to its No. 1 ranking for its business-friendly taxes and regulatory environment (the state's corporate income tax is 5.5 percent), No. 2 ranking for innovation and growth (GDP growth was 3.5 percent in 2016, No. 7 among all 50 states), and an enviable No. 4 for its overall economy.

Utah, which has consistently been in the top three states in the CRN Best States analysis, ranked No. 2 this year, as has Virginia, which took the No. 3 spot this year.

Rounding out this year's top five Best States are California at No. 4 and North Carolina at No. 5.

As for the states that are not so attractive for starting a solution provider business, the states at the bottom of the 2016 ranking are Nevada at No. 46, Alabama at No. 47, Wyoming at No. 48, Rhode Island at No. 49 and West Virginia at No. 50

An interactive map with more research details on each state is available, as is a "Worst to First" slide show with all 50 states in their ranked order.

Given this year's focus on millennials, it might surprise many that Florida, with its large number of aging retirees, would top this year's Best States analysis. (Indeed, the Sunshine State's median age of 42 ranks it No. 46 among all 50 states.)

Florida, however, ranked No. 9 for 2015 startup activity (350 per 100,000 adults). With 30,168 technology businesses, it's third behind only California and Texas and the state ranks No. 4 for tech industry employment. And the state has no personal income tax.

Florida certainly isn't millennial paradise, by some measures. It's in the middle of the pack for personal cost of living (No. 24) and quality of life (No. 26). And a two-bedroom apartment costs $1,400 per month  ranked No. 40 (with No. 50 the most expensive).

And for entrepreneurs, the state's solution provider saturation ranking of No. 38 means that competition for a startup solution provider would be tough.

Ryan Clarke, co-founder and CEO of IT professional services company SiteReady, touts the advantages of Tampa where the company is based. "It's an up-and-coming city," he said, adding that it's easier for an entrepreneur "to make a splash" in Tampa.

SiteReady works with other IT service providers, serving as a general contractor and architect for designing workspaces around IT systems including telecommunications, wireless and audio-visual systems. Clarke helped start SiteReady as an operation within a bigger company he worked for, then bought it out as a separate company in 2014.

While the company is based in Florida, it does only a small percentage of its business within the state: Many of its customers are in major cities  and even technology hubs  like San Francisco, Boston and New York. Much of the work is managed remotely with some employees on site overseeing local contractors.

Clarke, 30, was born and raised in Florida. He cites local business organizations like the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp. that works to attract new businesses to the Tampa Bay area and mentors startups like his. "That's been important to me in helping to take my business to the next level," he said.

Clarke is also an investor in another Tampa startup, Site Tech Services, that provides IT and managed services to auto dealerships.

Clifton Steele, 33, is CEO and co-owner of Techtronics, a Deerfield Beach, Fla.-based solution provider that's focused on managed security and secure audio/visual systems. (Steele, who was originally from New England and moved to Florida for family reasons, was not among Techtronics' original founders.)

Techtronics provides IT services to customers across the country and throughout the Caribbean and in Central and South America. "I don't think there is any other [state where] it's so easy to develop an international business," he said.

Both Clarke and Steele said that while Florida has a large pool of potential labor, worker education and experience levels aren't high. (Florida ranked No. 25 in our analysis in workforce experience and education and No. 35 in the percent of adults 25 and up with a bachelor's degree.)

"We kind of have to grow our own talent," Clarke said. But he added that labor costs tend to be lower in his region than in other major cities: An experienced employee that would cost $130,000 or more in annual salary in some cities averages around $80,000 in the Tampa area.

And millennials who prize public transportation might be disappointed with Florida. "You kind of have to have a car here," Steele acknowledges.

In contrast to Florida, Utah has the youngest median age (31) of all states. That and other high scores in the Millennial criteria (including No. 13 for quality of life, low apartment rents and high venture capital awards) pushed its overall Millennial rating to No. 7. Combined with other favorable scores (No. 10 for innovation and growth, for example, and No. 6 for business opportunity) pushed Utah to No. 2 on this year's Best States ranking.

"We have a younger population. I think we have a very educated workforce [and] I think we have a state that's supportive of entrepreneurs. That makes for a very fertile ground for an entrepreneur," said Ryan Westwood, CEO of Simplus, a Provo, Utah-based solution provider that offers implementation, administration and development services around Salesforce.com's Quote-to-Cash cloud applications.
Components & Peripherals News

Partners: Off-Brand Cartridges Are Breaking HP Printers, 'Crap In- Crap Out'

Steven Burke

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HP Inc. partners say all the hubbub surrounding a firmware update that prevented some cloned cartridges from working with HP printers misses the point: namely that off brand cartridges are breaking HP printers.

"It's simple: crap in, crap out," said Bob Venero, CEO of Holbrook, N.Y.-based solution provider Future Tech, a top HP inc. partner, No. 167 on the 2016 CRN Solution Provider 500. "This is not a freedom of choice issue. It is a quality issue. We see remanufactured cartridges where toner is leaking out of the device. The risk is not worth the reward. If I was HP I would stand my ground and do what is right for the business and not allow remanufactured catridges to be used in HP printers."

[Related: CRN Exclusive: HP COO Flaxman Reaffirms Commitment To Printer Security]

In addition to breaking printers, off brand clone, counterfeit and remanufactured cartridges end up jeopardizing security, impacting print quality and ultimately costing customers more in the long run, partners said.

The outcry from partners came after HP released a fix for customers impacted by a new cartridge authentication procedure that prevented some cloned cartridges from working with HP printers.

In a blog post Wednesday, HP COO Jon Flaxman apologized to customers affected by the problem, but reaffirmed HP's commitment to use "security features in the future."

Venero, an HP managed print services partner, said his company walks away from deals where customers want to use remanufactured printer cartridges. "My services' costs go up exponentially on devices that use remanufactured toner," he said.

The clone cartridges end up breaking HP printers with customers blaming HP as the printer manufacturer  not the third party clone cartridge maker, said Venero.

"HP has invested billions and billions of dollars in R and D in creating the number one printer offering in the market," said Venero. "Giving a third-party non-certified toner cartridge maker the ability to impact the user experience doesn't make sense."

Bruno Tirone, president and CEO of MRA International Inc., a Long Branch, New Jersey HP Inc. partner, said buying cloned cartridges ultimately ends up costing the customer in the form of a broken printer that needs to be replaced.

"It's a big mistake to use non-HP cartridges," said Tirone. "Even though they end up saving a couple of pennies on the cartridge in six months to a year they end up having to replace the printer. At the end of the day, the customer has saved a couple of pennies but their (print) yield is a lot less and they have destroyed their printer."

The issue in most businesses is that the purchasing department is making the buying decision on non-HP cartridges rather than the IT department, said Tirone, who sells only HP printers and cartridges.

"The purchasing department by trying to save money actually ends up costing the company more," he said. "What happens is you end up with leakage inside the printer. That means the printer needs to be serviced more. Eventually you wind up killing the printer. We fix printers. I see it on a daily basis with remanufactured cartridges. It's crazy. But it's a good market for me because I end up making money selling new printers."

One sign of the HP printer quality- a customer with a 30 year HP 5si printer that is still working  paying $200 for the cartridges. "That's no joke," said Tirone. "That printer is still up and running. I asked the customer if they wanted to swap it out because when they turn it on- the lights dip. The customer said it works. That's the point: HP printers with HP cartridges work  period."

Tirone said he sees HP Inc. being unfairly singled out because it is the market leader. "When you are the champion, everyone picks on you," he said. "HP is the gorilla in the market."

Dan Molina, CTO of San Diego-based Nth Generation Computing, No 373 on the CRN 2016 SP500, said buying a non- HP printer cartridge is like buying a Mercedes automobile and then using non Mercedes parts in the car.

Ultimately using non HP cartridges ends up costing customers more, said Molina, noting that the cartridge issue is one of the reasons print managed services are popular with customers. "The whole point of selling a managed service is to free the customers of the concern of managing day to day operations with printers so they can use that time on something that is more beneficial to their business," said Molina.
Managed services News

Forrester Exec: Strong Customer Experience Vital to Growing Revenue, Cutting Service Costs

Michael Novinson

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MSPs can cut costs, charge more, and strengthen their brand preference by investing in customer experience, according to a leading IT research firm.

Customer experience has grown increasingly important in recent years thanks to the rise of social media, an increased rate of technology change and a lack of control over the flow of information, according to Harley Manning, vice president and research director at Cambridge, Mass.-based Forrester Research.

"Customer experience drives revenue when customer loyalty drives revenue," Manning said Tuesday during an Autotask Community Live 2016 keynote address. "Customer experience can also drive a willingness to pay a price premium."

[RELATED: 10 Best Practices For MSPs Looking to Crack Into Security]

Manning told more than 900 people in Hollywood, Fla., that institutions decades ago had the bulk of the power thanks to greater control over pricing, the flow and information and where consumers can get products or services. Nowadays, though, Manning said technology has swung that pendulum firmly in the direction of customers.

Companies with superior customer experience grow their revenue faster, lower their service costs, achieve greater pricing power and reduce risks around regulatory compliance, Forrester research found. A superior customer experience also improves retention rates and increasingly the likelihood of having current clients recommend you to others, Manning said.

For instance, Lincolnshire, Ill.-based CDW, No. 5 on the 2016 CRN Solution Provider 500, increased incremental revenue by $230 million in a single year simply by following up on sales leads identified through customer loyalty surveys, Manning said.

Customer experience is most relevant in situations where clients can easily shift their business among competitors and where there's a clear differentiation between companies with superior customer services and companies with inferior customer service, Manning said. As customer experience strengthens, Manning said the percentage of clients willing to pay a price premium increases.

In the event a customer has a negative experience, Manning said that best thing a company can do is apologize, fix the problem quickly and be pleasant to the person making the complaint.

In addition to boosting brand preference and trust, Manning said an improved customer experience can reduce the cost of service.

A couple of years ago, former Cisco CEO John Chambers realized the San Jose, Calif.-based company was making it difficult for customers to do business with them. After collecting extensive customer feedback, Manning said Cisco fixed access and navigation issues on its support website, made ordering rules and platforms consistent, and sped up invoicing by making difficult-to-find tools more visible.

Thanks to those changes, Cisco was able to resolve 81 percent of its technical support issues online, Manning said, saving the company at least $750 million each year.

Employee satisfaction is a leader indicator of customer experience, so Manning urged MSPs to log onto Glassdoor and check out reviews of their company.

"If your employees are talking smack about you, your customer experience probably isn't as good as you want it to be," Manning said.

Mapping out the client's journey is one of the best ways to improve customer experience ratings, Manning said. MSPs can create a great customer experience by delineating what in the sales process is wholly visible to the client and what's taking place completely behind the scenes, Manning said.

Too often, Manning there are discrepancies between how those in the back office would assess the buying process versus how those who are directly interacting with customers would assess the buying process. The quality of the installation process is the single biggest factor in determining whether or not a customer will come back for repeat business, Manning said.

Companies should get high-level directors engaged in each stage of the buyer's journey to ensure customer expectations are being met and correct any problems that might arise, Manning said.

Gennix hopes to begin doing journey mapping and pay closer attention to and better analyze what clients are saying to improve the company's performance, according to Director of Client Services Erik Edge.

Edge said Manning's remarks provided a practical take-home lesson for the Langley, British Columbia-based Autotask partner. He anticipates that Gennix will adopt some of Manning's suggested practices.

"Sometimes you might like to," Edge said, "but you can't ignore your clients."
Networking News

Partners Say Cisco's $4B Commitment To Mexico Will Help Them Deliver Products Faster

Mark Haranas

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Ciscos plan to invest $4 billion in Mexico through 2018 to expand production and manufacturing will help North American channel partners speed up their product lead times to deliver Cisco solutions, according to partners of the networking giant.

We look forward to seeing a reduction in product lead times  the time between when we order it and when it gets delivered by Cisco, said Chris Bottger, chief technology officer at IVCi, a Hauppauge, N.Y.-based solution provider and Cisco Gold partner. Cisco publishes those lead times and they often vary at different times of the year. This will help shorten that and make it consistent.

And Kent MacDonald, vice president of business development at Calgary, Alberta- based Long View Systems, also a Cisco Gold partner, agreed that channel partners in the U.S. would be able to deliver the Mexico-built products faster. It should help products get out more quickly and into the customers hands.

[Related: Partners Pumped As Cisco, Salesforce Team Up On IoT, Unified Communications]

Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins recently visited Mexico to speak to President Enrique Pena Nieto to reaffirm Ciscos long-term commitment to the country, revealing plans to invest upwards of $4 billion through 2018.

Mexico is in the midst of a manufacturing boom  Cisco is working with Mexico to propel this trend by strengthening its global leadership position in advanced technology manufacturing, Robbins wrote in a blog post. We plan to increase our existing production at manufacturing facilities.

Robbins said the facilities are expected to supply products to more than 110 countries and directly complement Ciscos manufacturing efforts in the U.S. The investment will help boost the manufacturing of routers, servers and videoconferencing screens in Mexico, according to Robbins.

The investments we are building upon today are designed to help the Mexican government accelerate digitization while boosting its economic trajectory, with investment in areas such as education, healthcare, security, infrastructure and the Internet of Things, said Robbins.

The investment will also lead to 270 new direct jobs and 77 related positions, according to a statement from the Mexican government. In August, the San Jose, Calif.-based networking giant revealed an internal restructuring plan that includes the termination of 5,500 jobs.

Cisco launched its Mexican operations in 1993 and today employs more than 1,000 throughout the country, according to Robbins. Last year, the networking leader announced a new Global Service Center in Mexico City. Cisco has also built a Networking Academies program in Mexico, which Robbins says is one of the vendors largest programs worldwide.
Networking News

Verizon Remains Mum On Yahoo Acquisition Status In Aftermath Of Hack

Gina Narcisi

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Verizon has remained largely silent in the days following Yahoo's confirmation that more than 500 million of its user accounts were hacked in 2014, leaving the industry wondering whether the telecom giant is still committed to buying Yahoo.

Yahoo last Thursday admitted that it had been hacked by what the ailing internet giant believes to be a state-sponsored actor. In July, Verizon announced its intent to acquire Yahoo for $4.83 billion, but it's unclear whether Yahoo was aware of the scope of the large-scale hack at the time the deal was reached, or if the company fully disclosed that information to Verizon.

News of the security breach may or may not impact Verizon's acquisition plans, but it might give Verizon a bargaining chip to renegotiate the price for Yahoo, partners say.

[Related: Yahoo: More Than 500M User Accounts Impacted In Possibly Biggest Breach To Date ]

Verizon said last Thursday that it had been notified of the breach two days before Yahoo confirmed the news to the public, but that it had only "limited information and understanding" of the security breach's impact.

"We will evaluate as the investigation continues through the lens of overall Verizon interests, including consumers, customers, shareholders and related communities," Verizon said in a statement.

Verizon said it had no further comment on the matter when reached by CRN.

While the hack probably won't send Verizon running from its Yahoo deal because the telecom provider wants Yahoo's content assets, it could change Yahoo's price tag, said Michael Bremmer, CEO of TelecomQuotes.com, a telecom consultancy based in Moreno Valley, Calif.

"Verizon will probably try to use this to negotiate down the price," Bremmer said.

Verizons response will be dictated by the amount of disclosure that took place during Verizon's due diligence process leading up to the acquisition announcement, said Patrick Oborn, co-founder of Sandy, Utah-based master agent Telarus, a Verizon partner.

"If Yahoo did disclose that it had been breached and that it was trying to work through that, then the deal will probably stand as is. However, if Yahoo failed to disclose that very important fact, I would expect Verizon to negotiate the price down further, but not to abandon their contact strategy," Oborn said.

The hack exposed account information of millions of users, including names, email addresses, telephone numbers, birthdays, hashed passwords, and in some cases, encrypted or unencrypted security questions and answers, according to Yahoo's statement on the security breach.

While more than 500 million accounts were impacted, the number of individuals affected could be smaller because some users could have more than one Yahoo account, such as one on Yahoo Sports and another on Yahoo Finance, according to John Pironti, security consultant and president of IP Architects, LLC, a Rowley, Mass.-based risk management and consulting services provider.

But some of the information that was stolen during the hack is problematic, Pironti said.

"If [a hacker] can get a user name and a birthdate, now they have a couple of pieces of the puzzle that they can do more damage with," he said. "Birthdates and the stolen answers to the security question have made this [breach] a little bigger than just a stolen user name and password."

Pironti agrees with Telarus' Oborn that Yahoo's level of transparency with Verizon regarding the security breach could stand to change the terms of acquisition, but it would also depend on the terms of the deal, he said.

"The big chatter is around whether Yahoo did disclose the hack, and whether that was factored into the deal," Pironti said. "If you know about a hack, companies can factor costs associated with a breach into the deal."

Yahoo did not respond to CRN's request for comment before publication.

A month after Verizon announced it would acquire Yahoo, the internet company publicly said it was aware of a claim that a hacker had access to about 200 million Yahoo user accounts, and that the hacker may be selling these user credentials on the dark web. Yahoo never confirmed the legitimacy of the hack over the summer, but did say it was "investigating" the claim at the time.
COO Pledges Better Communication After Printing Issue

HP Inc. Chief Operating Officer Jon Flaxman spoke with CRN after the company released a fix for customers impacted by a new cartridge authentication procedure that prevented some cloned cartridges from working with HP printers.

In a blog post, Flaxman apologized to customers affected by the problem, but reaffirmed HP's commitment to use "security features in the future."

Flaxman, a 35-year HP veteran who has been instrumental in beefing up partner sales tools, said in the blog post that HP should have done a "better job of communicating" about the new security feature  even if there were only a "small number" of customers impacted.

"We will continue to use dynamic security and other security features in the future," wrote Flaxman. "However, we will improve our communication so that customers will understand our concerns about cloned and counterfeit supplies and that HP printers may also include authentication methods that may prevent some third party supplies from working."
UPDATE: The teacher and one of the children injured in the shooting have been hospitalized and released. The other student, six-year-old Jacob Hall is still in critical condition. His parents thanked the community for their thoughts and prayers and asked for privacy during this difficult time.

Police say they are confident that they have the sole suspect in custody and that there are no links to terrorism in the case.

Before carrying out the school shooting, the 14-year-old suspect also shot and killed his father.

Two children and one teacher have been injured after a gunman fired shots at an elementary school in Townville, South Carolina.

Details are still forthcoming, but CNN.com reports that the suspected shooter, a teenager, is currently in custody.

The two children were taken to a trauma center, while the teacher was taken to a hospital. The three victims do not appear to have life-threatening injuries, according to Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore.

A local mother of a student who attends Townville Elementary School stated, "Her teacher was shaken up. I know all the kids were scared. There was a bunch of kids crying," the unidentified woman said. "She didn't talk for about five minutes when I got her. ... I'm just so scared. I don't even want her to go to school now."

According to FoxNews.com, police also responded to a death believed to be related to the school shooting which occurred about one and a half miles away from the school.

Townville is located in the western part of South Carolina. Townville Elementary has about 280 students.

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is en route to Anderson County where a press conference is scheduled for five p.m.

Check back with ChristianHeadlines.com for updates as they come in.

Publication date: September 28, 2016
Six U.S. senators have called Yahoo's massive data breach "unacceptable," and they're demanding that the company provide more details about the incident.

In a letter addressed to Yahoo's CEO, the lawmakers said they were particularly "disturbed" that the breach occurred in 2014, but that Yahoo only publicized it last week.

"That means millions of Americans' data may have been compromised for two years," the letter said. "This is unacceptable."

The hacking incident, which Yahoo said it only learned recently, affects at least 500 million user accounts, making it perhaps the largest known data breach in history. Account information, including email addresses, telephone numbers, and hashed passwords, may have been stolen.

Yahoo has blamed the breach on a "state-sponsored actor," but it hasn't provided details or any evidence to support that claim.

Tuesday's letter asks that Yahoo provide a briefing to the senators' staff about the breach. The lawmakers have also provided a list of questions for the company to answer. Among them is a request that Yahoo provide a timeline on when and how it discovered the breach.

Yahoo didn't immediately respond to a request for comments. But a source familiar with the matter said the company only learned of the hack this past summer, after investigating another possible data breach involving the black market.

Around early August, a hacker was found allegedly selling account details of 200 million Yahoo users. The company investigated and concluded that the sale wasn't legitimate. However, Yahoo decided to launch a broader probe into its systems that uncovered evidence of the more serious data breach.

The six senators, however, are asking how such a large intrusion into Yahoo could have gone undetected for so long. The senators, all Democrats, include Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Al Franken of Minnesota, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Ron Wyden of Oregon, and Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.

On Monday, Senator Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat, also sent a letter, but to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, asking that the agency investigate Yahoo's handling of the breach and if it kept investors properly informed.

"The public ought to know what senior executives at Yahoo knew of the breach, and when they knew it. Warner wrote.

This story has been changed to reflect that 500 million user accounts, not 500 million users, were affected by the breach.
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With the holiday season approaching, it's time to start looking for flight plans to visit family, friends, or just escape winter in Connecticut for a while. And yes, now is the time to start scoping out flights.

Check out the gallery above for a look at some flight fare ranges currently available for America's top cities during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Using Google Flights, we've grouped together flights in November and December leaving New York's JFK and La Guardia airports, New Jersey's Newark airport, and Connecticut's Bradley International Airport.

Since Tuesday is statistically the cheapest day to fly, we've picked dates that are Tuesday to Tuesday over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

In some instances, there are some great deals on roundtrip flights across the country. Travelers can make off with a roundtrip flight to Chicago for less than $200 this season, or Orlando or Nashville for just over $200.

There are, of course, some caveats to certain flights, like flights that travel the entire length of the country. Those typically run travelers more, such as the case with Seattle, Los Angeles, and San Fransisco. Still, these may be among the cheapest fares that appear this season.

Keep an eye out to spot the best deals and check some of the many travel deal websites out there for options. And around the holiday season, where almost 100 percent of long-distance travel is domestic, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation, these fares can fluctuate dramatically.

While many flights are available on Delta or American Airlines in the gallery above, if you're really looking for a deal you may have to do with less desirable airlines, such as Frontier or Spirit.

A recent study named Spirit to most undesirable airline, followed by Frontier.
BRIDGEPORT - His attempt to withdraw his prior guilty plea denied, Gary Robinson stood before a judge Wednesday morning to be sentenced for sexually molesting a 13-year-old boy in the bathroom of a local church.

And then Bishop Kenneth Moales Jr. stood up and brought the house down.

This man has sexually assaulted many more children, Moales, the former president of the Board of Education, loudly proclaimed. He is a criminal and I have the responsibility as a mandated reporter to bring this before the court.

You liar, liar, Robinson angrily responded, joined by a number of supporters in the back of the Main Street courtroom at least one who shouted Moales was bound for hell.

I have gotten death threats but I have to speak the truth, Moales continued as people in the audience tried to shout him down. There are many children afraid to come forward.

As judicial marshals rushed forward to calm the crowd Superior Court Judge Robert Devlin called a recess, continuing the sentencing to 2.

Your church is dead, dead, yelled a woman as she left the courtroom.

Moales did not return to the courtroom later as Devlin sentenced the 32-year-old Robinson to four years, suspended after he serves two years in prison and followed by five years probation on the charge of risk of injury to children.

The judge also ordered the Hamden man to register as a sex offender.

But your honor, your honor, Robinson cried as he was led away in handcuffs.

Police said Robinson and two friends, 36-year-old Tavone Brown of Bridgeport and 26-year-old Ryan Covington, of Stratford, , met the young boy during services at the Prayer Tabernacle Church of Love in 2012.

Brown and Covington are accused of sending the boy naked photographs of themselves and sexual texts while Robinson is accused of sexually assaulting the boy in the church bathroom on numerous occasions between September 2012 and April 2013.

Brown and Covington pleaded guilty to risk of injury to a child and received suspended sentences.
STAMFORD  One week after being caught with more than 100 bags of heroin at a downtown bus stop, a city man was arrested again Saturday with 24 more bags of the drug, police said.

Capt. Richard Conklin said Allen Johnson, 39, of Stillwater Avenue, posted $10,000 bond and was released after his first arrest when he was caught with 110 bags of heroin. But members of the Narcotics and Organized Crime unit were alerted that he was back out trying to sell more heroin, Conklin said.
MILFORD - A 22-year-old Rhode Island man has been arrested for allegedly stealing a jacket from parked car and later threatening its owner with a knife.

Justin Carey, of North Smithfield, R.I., was arrested on a court warrant for the incident that happened in the Walmart parking lot on the Boston Post Road shortly after 7 p.m. on July 26.
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Theres good news in the weather forecast.

Not sunshine or warm temperature, but a good chance of some rain over the next several few days.

And with the severe drought weve been having, thats very good news.

Endless days of cloudy, cool and damp conditions; the type of weather that makes you fall in love w/ New England, the National weather Service posted on its Boston Facebook page.

Current forecast models show it wont be until Monday when we see lots of sunshine again.

An unsettled weather pattern will last through at least the weekend with periods of rain, possibly heavy at times, the National Weather Service says. The heavier rain could occur late Thursday night into Friday morning.

Another period of heavy rain may come to southern Connecticut on Saturday as another mid level impulse rides up the coast and as a weak wave of low pressure forms along the front just to the south. In between these bouts of relatively heavier rain, skies should remain overcast, with periods of intermittent light rain. A triplepoint low could pass through Saturday night into Sunday morning. Associated lift and elevated instability could result in a rumble or two of thunder during this period. And with the triple point low, winds diminish somewhat for a period with plenty of moisture still around, resulting in a decent chance of some fog.

The forecast

Today: Mostly cloudy. A slight chance of light rain or drizzle this afternoon. Highs in the upper 60s. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Tonight: Cloudy. A chance of light rain or drizzle...mainly after midnight. Lows in the mid 50s. Northeast winds around 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph. Chance of rain 40 percent.

Thursday: Cloudy with a 40 percent chance of rain. Highs in the mid 60s. Northeast winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.

Thursday night: Cloudy...rain...mainly after midnight. Lows in the upper 50s. Northeast winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. Chance of rain 80 percent.

Friday: Rain. Highs in the mid 60s. Northeast winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. Chance of rain 80 percent.

Friday night: Cloudy with a 50 percent chance of rain. Lows in the upper 50s.

Saturday: Rain likely. Highs in the upper 60s. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Saturday night: Cloudy with a chance of rain and thunderstorms. Areas of fog after midnight. Lows in the upper 50s. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Sunday: Cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Areas of fog in the morning. Highs around 70. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Sunday night: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers. Lows in the upper 50s.

Water restrictions

With the deepening drought, the state and water companies have issued both voluntary - and mandatory - water restrictions. Aquarion Water Company has called for hand held hoses to be added to the ban.

We are strongly encouraging our customers to cease all outdoor watering, Peter Fazekas, director of public relations for Aquarion said on Tuesday. Fazekas said Aquarion does not have the power to fine people, but it is meeting with the states Department of Public Utilities Regulatory Authority about instituting restrictions throughout the state.

A tropical storm, too?

The National Hurricane Center says reconnaissance aircraft have begun its mission to determine if a tropical storm has stormed near Barbados.

A consensus of the forecast guidance concedes that the storm will strengthen as it moves into the warmer waters of the Caribbean. Where it goes from there and associated impacts to it and/or to particular locations remains uncertain, the NWS in Boston posted. At 7+ days out in the forecast there's little to no skill in forecasting.

It says the best advice is to maintain an awareness of the latest forecasts from the NWS such that you're not caught off guard and can prepare accordingly if circumstances arise.
Cuban Attorney's General Office meet with US prosecutors in Havana

The Cuban Attorneys General Office (FGRC by its Spanish acronym) expressed the certainty that its meeting with US prosecutors evidences the interest of mutual exchange, but without making concessions on national sovereignty and independence.

The forum that opened in this city is proof that respectful dialogue is a mechanism to build strong bridges of communication that we hope to consolidate between our public ministries, MSc. Marlen Fernandez Machado, FGRC Deputy Attorney General, said.

However, she clarified that in legal matters the economic, commercial and financial US blockade remains in force and causes serious damage and hardship to the Cuban people and hampers its economy and relations with other nations.

Douglas Shin Ging Chin heads the group of US lawyers, in his capacity as Attorney General of the State of Hawaii and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Conference of Western Attorneys General (CWAG) of the United States.

The list includes lawyers of the states of Hawaii, New Mexico, Colorado, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Washington DC, Utah, Wisconsin, Kansas, Idaho and Indiana, all in their first visit to Havana.

Shin Ging Chin expressed the interest of his delegation to first hand see the Cuban judicial system, its structure, and provide details on the one of his country, where Loretta Elizabeth Lynch is the Attorney General since April 2015 and is the first African American woman to hold this position.

The meeting of the jurists at Hotel Nacional de Cuba dealt with the structure and composition of the FGRC, missions, functions and its role as guarantor of legality and the Cuban justice system, with an emphasis on criminal law and legal cooperation in confronting crime in an increasingly globalized world.

At the request of the visitors, they held a meeting with representatives of the Popular Supreme Court and today they will do it with the National Organization of Law Offices (ONBC by its Spanish acronym).

The same will happen at the Faculty of Law of the University of Havana and finally with Cubas National Union of Jurists.

Dario Delgado Cura is the Attorney General of the Republic of Cuba. (acn)
The U.S. Department of Education Tuesday released a blueprint to help states and districts make the most of out of more than $2 billion in federal money for teacher support, preparation, training, and more.

The new federal guidance also walks states and districts through changes to this pot of moneyknown as Title IIunder the brand new Every Student Succeeds Act. (More on the changes to teacher quality in ESSA here .)

The department recommends that states and districts use the funds to make sure that teachers are supported from the time they enter educator training programs, through their early years of teaching, and as they take on leadership positions, including the principalship.

And, the guidance reminds states and districts that they have to reach out to teachers, support personnel, community partners, and others when figuring out how to use their Title II funding.

Educators play a critical role in securing our nations economic future and preserving the promise of an excellent education for all children, especially those who have been historically underserved, said U.S. Secretary of John B. King, Jr., in a statement. We dont just want educators to be part of the change; we need them to lead it.

Teachers and Equity

The guidance encourages states and districts to use Title II funds to make sure that all kids have access to an effective teacher, and to make sure teachers in high-needs schools get access to extra supports.

For instance, states and districts could use the money to:



Give bonuses, pay raises, and other perks to attract excellent teachers to high-needs schools.

Offer extra pay to teachers who teach in high needs subjects, or teach special populations, such as English-language learners.

Create co-teaching classrooms in high-needs schools, where beginning teachers work alongside a more experienced educator.

Address working conditions in high-needs schools, or give teachers who work in them extra time to plan and collaborate.

Many school districts use their Title II money to cut down on class size. Thats allowable under ESSA, the department says, as long as there is evidence to back up the approach.

Educator Development

School districts across the country are trying to create so-called career ladders for teachers, and the department has some suggestions on how to use Title II money to make that happen. For instance, states and districts can:



Use federal teacher quality funds to support preparation programs at traditional universities, but also for alternative-preparation programs, and teacher residency programs.

Create or choose academies to prepare teachers, using funding under ESSA. (More on that below). States that want to go that route must first choose an authorizer that will supervise the academies and hold them accountable.

Create mentorship programs for new teachers

Hire or support principal supervisors to help school leaders in their work

Train principals, including giving them time to learn from each other.

Teacher Evaluation

States and districts can also use their money to create teacher-evaluation systems, but perhaps just as important, they dont have to do that. Teacher evaluations based on student outcomes were a huge priority for the Obama administration during its first six or so years in office. It championed the policy through Race to the Top and No Child Left Behind waivers. Under ESSA, states dont have to create teacher-evaluation systems that rely in part on student test scores, but they can if they want, or they can use their federal teacher quality money to craft other types of evaluation systems.

The department recommends creating evaluation systems that take into account multiple measures, including student academic growth, but also observations, and parent/student surveys. Evaluations should also be valid and reliable, and teachers should be clear on what they are being measured on, and get to see their entire evaluation, not just the overall rating.

Funding Changes

There are some changes to the way Title II money flows under ESSA. For instance, states can now reserve up to 2 percent of their total Title II funding at the state level to help prepare teachers and principals to work in high-needs schools. And they can reserve up to 3 percent of districts allocation for principal support. This chart, included with the guidance, illustrates the breakdown of the funding.

Importantly, states and districts may not have as much Title II money to play around with during the 2017-18 school year, the first year of ESSA implementation, as they do right now. The program is currently getting about $2.3 billion, but spending bills pending in the House and Senate seek to cut it down, from just over $2 billion to $1.9 billion, respectively.

Of course, Title II isnt the only pot of federal money for teacher quality. In fact, the department doled out $5.1 in Teacher Quality Partnership grants to teacher-preparation programs that use a residency model"where prospective teachers take courses but also teach alongside a veteran educatorand other programs with a strong, hands-on focus.

The winners this year included a cadre of rural programs: Coppin State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, the University of New Hampshire, and the University of West Alabama.

Want more? U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King, Jr., is hosting a live video chat with educators on Tuesday night to talk about educator support. You can check it out here .

Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 .
STORY LINK South African Rand Exchange Rate Forecast Falls on WTO Report

World Trade Organisation Report Weakens South African Rand

South African Rand Outlook Declines as World Trade Organisation Cut Expectations for Global Trade

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The Pound Sterling (currency : GBP) was hit hard in the early part of the week following comments from the European Unions finance ministers suggesting that post-Brexit Britain will not be permitted to access the single market unless she signs up for freedom of movement of labour. The prospect of the UK losing its free trade status with the other 27 members of the European Union sent shivers down the spine of global investors; however, a leading global institution issued a report on Monday suggesting that there could be much worse to come for the global economy.In a stark warning to market participants, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) counselled that global trade will run at a far lower level than had previously been anticipated in the short-to-medium term. WTO director-general Roberto Azevedo emphatically stated that, the dramatic slowing of trade growth is serious and should serve as a wake-up call, before going on to warn that, it is particularly concerning in the context of growing anti-globalisation sentiment.Azevedo finished by asserting that,We need to make sure that this does not translate into misguided policies that could make the situation much worse - not only from the perspective of trade, but also for job creation and economic growth and development, which are so closely linked to an open trading system.The WTO report contained stark downward revisions to the level of 2016 imports into the worlds main regions. The predicted drop in the level of imports into South America from 4.5% to a heady 8.3% was especially headline-grabbing, while a 1.9% increase in imports to the USA versus a previous forecast of 4.1% was also bad news. If the WTO report is correct, then expect investors to turn against the trade-driven Australian Dollar (currency : AUD), New Zealand Dollar (currency : NZD) and South African Rand (currency : ZAR).

International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements.

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By Benjamin Herold. This story originally appeared on the Digital Education blog.

Just 41 percent of the 15,000 students at Ohios largest full-time online charter school do enough work to be considered full-time students, according to a state education department audit .



As a result, the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow could be ordered to repay roughly $60 million in public funds.

ECOT has 10 days to appeal the states findings. The schools lawyers are also challenging in court the legitimacy of the states approach to counting enrollment in full-time online schools.

At issue are records demonstrating how often cyber studentswho work primarily from home, via the Internetlog in to their schools online learning platforms, as well as much time they spend using their schools learning software. State guidelines indicate that students in full-time online schools should be spending about five hours per day on schoolwork.

A preliminary audit conducted earlier this year, however, found evidence that most ECOT students logged in for only an hour or so per day.



When the state education department requested more extensive records, the school sued, arguing that the state had changed its requirements for attendance reporting midstream and was unfairly applying new rules retroactively. In August, an Ohio judge ordered the school to turn over a sample of 750 randomly selected student records.

From those, the state education department determined that ECOT could only document 6,312 full-time studentsfar fewer than the 15,322 students for whom the school received per-pupil funding from the state during the 2015-16 school year.

A spokesman for the school described the audit as a sham.

It is impossible for any e-school to meet the retroactive demands of ODE, which is why no e-school in the state has been able to do so, ECOT spokesman Neil Clark told the Columbus Dispatch.



The schools leader previously suggested that the results of the audit could lead to a death spiral.

Earlier this year, the Ohio education department found that a smaller cyber charter in the state, Provost Academy, had billed for five times as many students as it should have, based on student attendance and login records. The school was ordered to repay nearly 80 percent of the state funding it had received.

And across the country, cyber charter attendance has become a point of contention. In July, Californias state attorney general announced a multi-million dollar settlement with K12 Inc. , the nations largest operator of cyber charter schools, over issues including questionable student attendance reporting at the California Virtual Academies. The Pennsylvania Department of Education is also probing irregularities in attendance reporting at the 8,500-student Agora Cyber Charter.

Roughly 200 full-time online charter schools serve more than 200,000 students across the country. In 2015, Stanford Universitys Center for Research on Education Outcomes found that the schools on average have an overwhelming negative impact  on student learning.

A number of pro-school-choice groups, including the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, and the Ohio-based Fordham Institute, have recently called for major policy reforms in the sector.

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Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia are promoting bilingualism among K-12 students by offering the seal of biliteracyspecial recognition on high school diplomas for graduates who demonstrate fluency in two or more languages.

The popularity of the seals of biliteracy stems in part from the expansion of dual-language programs across public schools that bring both native English-speakers and English-language learners together into classrooms to learn all academic content in English and the target language.

Tens of thousands of students are earning the honors each year: more than 40,000 students in California, the birthplace of the biliteracy seal, earn the special recognition last school year. The state began offering the seal in 2012.

Heres a link to a map identifying the states that now offer the recognition. Rhode Island is the most recent addition.

U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. recognized representatives from more than 20 of the states during a national symposium this month on multiliteracy and dual-language learning. Supporters of the special recognition of biliteracy say that earning the seal could give students an advantage, opening the door for college scholarships, internships and jobs that require proficiency in a language other than English.

We are preparing all young people for a global economy in which they are likely to work alongside someone different from them, they are likely to have a supervisor who may speak a different language than they do, they may be serving clients and customers in other countries with vastly different language and cultural experiences, King said.

King also acknowledged the work of Californians Together , a research and advocacy group for English-language learners, in spearheading the growth in the numbers of states offering the biliteracy seal.

The nonprofit group conceived of the recognition in its home state and has been a strong advocate for other states to honor students who are proficienct speakers, readers, and writers in multiple languages. The seal is intended for all students, including English-language learners. Californians Together also advises states looking to implement and develop standards for the seals.

Its important that we see bilingualism education, multilingualism as not just for those for whom English is not their first language, but for all students, King said. We must be committed that all students whatever language they speak at home, have access to the opportunities to be bilingual or multilingual.

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Image Credit: sealofbiliteracy.org
Prosser, defense propel Berlin past Penns Manor in Appalachian Bowl

Berlin Brothersvalley made it 2 wins in a row for the WestPAC in the Appalachian Bowl with convincing victory over Penns Manor at Windber Stadium.
Boo! What are the scariest spots in Lake County?

The old courthouse. A tea room in Mount Dora. Lake County has several places that are thought to be haunted.
Grand Theft Auto vs. Joyriding: Which Crime Depends on Time

While the crimes of grand theft auto and joyriding may seem like the same thing, there is an important distinction between the two. The amount of time that the thief intends to dispossess the owner of their vehicle makes all the difference.

Simply put: joyriding is when a person takes a car without the intent to permanently deprive the owner of the vehicle. Grand theft auto (GTA) requires the intent to permanently deprive the owner of their vehicle.

How Do You Know What a Thief Intended?

Knowing whether a thief intended to permanently deprive an owner of the use of their car can usually be deduced based on the circumstances that lead to the discovery of the stolen vehicle.

The most common example of a joyriding situation involves a teenager taking their parents' car without permission. Clearly, the child plans to return the car before their parents can find out, but under the law, it is still considered joyriding. Usually, when a car thief intends to joyride, the vehicle will be left on the side of the road, frequently in much worse condition and with unidentifiable odors.

When a vehicle is recovered during an attempted sale, at a chop-shop, or in the possession of the thief, logic dictates that the intent was to deprive the owner permanently.

What's the Charge?

Whether a GTA or joyriding indictment is charged as a felony or misdemeanor can vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Generally, grand theft auto is considered a felony, and joyriding can go either way. Most, if not all, states can charge either crime as a felony. However, certain states, such as California, allow prosecutors the discretion to charge joyriding or GTA, if there is no, or little, damage to the vehicle and the value of the vehicle is very low, as a misdemeanor.

Either charge, even if charged as a misdemeanor, are very serious offenses that can have grave impacts on a person's life. Knowing your state's laws and having an experienced criminal defense attorney by your side is highly recommended if you are facing GTA or joyriding charges.

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California Teachers Shouldn't Be Evaluated by Students' Tests, Court Rules

Last week, California teachers across 13 districts breathed a collective sigh of relief as a court ruled that standardized test scores of students should not be factored into teacher evaluations. Judge Goode explained that legislative purposes behind the standardized tests are to evaluate students, schools, and even whole local education agencies, and that using the tests to evaluate individual teachers was not envisioned by the legislature.

While the proponents for evaluating teachers based on standardized test results, a group called Students Matter, can still appeal this ruling, the ruling against them clearly explains that the law does not say what they want it to say. This lawsuit was strongly opposed by the California teachers union.

Standardized Tests Help Teachers Evaluate Students

The attorney for the petitioners in this case believes that teachers, like other professionals, should be evaluated based upon results of the standardized testing. However, this ignores the societal factors that have an impact on standardized testing scores and what these tests are designed for. Primarily, standardized tests are used as tools for teachers, schools, and districts to evaluate how their students measure up, and to discover where students generally need more attention.

The petitioners specifically requested the court to force 13 school districts to include standardized test results as part of their routine Stull Act evaluations. However, the court's careful analysis of the Stull Act resulted in a decision affirming that the school districts acted properly in not including the test results when evaluating teachers.

The Flaw in Using Standardized Tests to Evaluate Teachers

Standardized testing, as a whole, has been heavily scrutinized since it started being used. Apart from the discriminatory aspects that show that standardized tests do not accurately assess the performance of students from diverse backgrounds, teachers are often criticized if they teach to the test.

Standardized tests are primarily a tool to aid teachers and educators in understanding where students need the most attention. If teachers are incentivized to teach to the test, the results would no longer provide the type of honest assessment teachers need to fine tune their curriculum to better fit the needs of their students.

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Skirmishes broke out between the Burma Army backed by the BGF militia under its command and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (Splinter DKBA), a splinter group of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), in Hlaingbwe Township in the area of the Myaing Gyi Ngu to Mae Tha Wor road on 11 September.

The BGF claim that they seized control of the road on 19 September.

A person displaced from Htee Kha Lo Thaw Village by the fighting (an IDP), who did not want to be named, said to KIC News: Im worried about my cattle. I am worried about them getting harmed by the mines. The Sayadaw (senior monk) told us not to go back yet so I think we still have to stay here.

On 21 September BGF spokesperson major Naing Maung Zaw told reporters that the Burma Army mine removals teams and the BGF would cooperate to clear the landmines as IDPs still faced difficulties returning home.

He said: We will carry out the clearance of the mines in the farmlands [after dividing them into] sectors so that the local residents can return [home]. There are many mines so we will give priority to the clearance of areas where they can make their living. We have started doing the clearance.

According to the BGF there are still mines and unexploded heavy artillery shells in the area around Yate Kha Gon where the BGF seized a Splinter DKBA camp, along the Mae Tha Wor Road and in other areas.

About 4,000 people have fled their homes since the skirmishes broke out on 11 September. Some residents of Kyon Htaw and Mae Tha Wor and some IDPs who were sheltering at Myaing Gyi Ngu IDP camp have temporarily returned to their villages to check on the condition of their homes and livestock.

Reporting by Ka Saw War for KIC News

Translated by Thida Linn

Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
When two Islamist terrorists murdered an elderly French Roman Catholic priest in a Normandy church two months ago, many people will have reasonably reflected that the same thing could easily happen here.

There are thousands of churches in this country, nearly all of them unguarded and vulnerable to an attack. They are obvious soft targets, occupied by peaceful people who have neither the temperament nor the means to meet violence with violence.

After all, followers of Islamic State regard Christianity as the arch enemy  as did the two killers in France who slit the throat of the defenceless cleric. They are engaged in a perverted holy war, and sadly the murder in Normandy is most unlikely to be the last such incident.

Armed officers have been ordered to patrol potential terrorist targets, including the cathedral along with major shopping centres, the Port of Dover and London Southend Airport

The strategy of these two forces is evidently to display their newly acquired assets in the hope that would-be terrorists will think again before striking

Some people will therefore be reassured by photographs of heavily armed police patrolling the precincts of Canterbury Cathedral, and they will be glad that the authorities in this country are seemingly taking seriously the threat of an attack.

But I for one am pretty shocked by these pictures of police bristling with weapons (carbine rifles, pistols and Tasers) at the very doors of a cathedral. Nor do I believe that this show of force is likely to have any beneficial effect. Let me explain.

Of course, it goes without saying that if the police had received specific intelligence of an impending atrocity in the city where English Christianity first began to flourish nearly 1,500 years ago, they would be failing in their duty if they didn't do everything in their power to forestall it.

Yet this appears not to be the case. Kent police do not at all suggest there has been any specific threat against Canterbury Cathedral, where in 1170 Archbishop Thomas Becket was famously slaughtered by four unruly knights after King Henry II had asked to be 'rid' of him. I suppose it's possible they are bluffing  pretending there hasn't been a terrorist warning when there has  but I am going to take them at their word.

The dramatic move follows a string of jihadi terror attacks across Europe, including on a priest whose throat was slit by Islamic State fanatics in a French church

In a similar way, armed police are patrolling the Bluewater shopping centre, also in Kent, to advertise their presence, and Canterbury city centre. Meanwhile, Essex Police are planning to deploy armed officers at Lakeside shopping centre in Thurrock.

Are the Kent and Essex police possibly showing off a little? In April, the Government announced there would be an extra 1,500 armed officers in England and Wales to combat a terrorist threat which is officially classified as severe, meaning that an attack is deemed by the authorities to be highly likely.

The strategy of these two forces is evidently to display their newly acquired assets in the hope that would-be terrorists will think again before striking, and in the belief that the general public will draw some comfort from their presence.

Needless to say, I am very glad whenever police and the security services are given useful extra resources to fight terrorism. But I question whether parading them in large numbers in a very limited number of areas is likely to do any good.

There are, after all, hundreds of shopping centres in this country, and thousands of streets in countless cities and towns thronging with shoppers. It is impossible for police to patrol more than a minute fraction of these places. So what is the point of putting on a show in one or two of them?

What is true of shops perhaps applies even more to churches in view of their role as sacred buildings for contemplation and worship. There are some 50 Anglican and 22 Roman Catholic cathedrals in England and Wales, besides a number belonging to other denominations. As for churches, the Church of England alone has around 16,000 of them.

Since two police forces began armed patrols a week ago, the sight of gun carrying officers has attracted open-mouthed stares from some visitors

It must be obvious that unless we are to have tens of thousands of armed police roaming around the country it is never going to be possible to guard more than a very few sites of worship.

To pick on Canterbury for a display of police manpower and weaponry  admittedly a great and famous cathedral, but far from the only one in this country  smacks of tokenism. I repeat that I would take exactly the opposite view if there had been a specific terrorist threat, but there hasn't been.

Indeed, it may be instructive that when the two Islamic terrorists struck in Normandy they didn't chose Rouen Cathedral, where they might have expected to have met some resistance from vergers or have-a-go tourists, but an obscure parish church whose only occupants were an elderly priest and a smattering of worshippers.

The truth is that even with their enhanced firepower the police are not going to be able to protect us from a random attack in the vast majority of shopping centres and churches. If we believe otherwise, we are being lulled into a false sense of security.

Consider the dreadful case of Lee Rigby, who was cut down in the street in 2013 close to an Army barracks that was presumably guarded by armed soldiers. Sadly, he was dead before anyone could come to his aid.

Our best chance of protection from terrorist outrages lies with reliable intelligence, and here the police and security services have scored a series of notable successes. Some 40 terrorist attacks have been thwarted over the past ten years. One day, alas, there is very likely to be a plot which is not detected.

To pick on Canterbury for a display of police manpower and weaponry  admittedly a great and famous cathedral, but far from the only one in this country  smacks of tokenism

Let me say that I believe the threat from Islamic terrorism is a very considerable one. It will probably hang over this country for years to come, and may rival or even surpass the 25-year-long campaign mounted by the IRA.

But the IRA were confronted, and in the end beaten, without our playing the terrorists' game. For the most part, politicians did not lose their nerve, or seek to undermine the democratic values that were an affront to IRA terrorists.

On the British mainland, police were generally not armed. People who lived through that period will recall limited, sensible measures such as the removal of waste bins on railways stations that might be used to conceal bombs.

There can be little doubt that even at the height of the IRA bombing campaign in the Seventies, people would have been astonished by the sight of machine-gun-toting police in the precincts of an English cathedral.

I naturally accept that in the present crisis there are specific plausible terrorist targets, where the presence of large numbers of armed police is a sensible deterrent. The U.S. or Israeli embassies in London are obvious examples. So are Buckingham Palace and Downing Street.

But a cathedral close? Of all the places I would hope not to see armed officers strutting about with their deadly weapons as a matter of course, this would probably rank the highest. Such grandstanding will not help the battle against terrorism. On the contrary, it hands the terrorists a kind of victory.

I don't believe there is a global war between Christianity and Islam. But there is a battle between Christian values and a few dangerous and lunatic Islamic extremists.
Watching the clock until lunchtime? While most of us deal only with the daily decision between the left-overs we bought into work or splurging on a deli sandwich and a muffin, for millionaires the choice is far more difficult.

If you think lunch is playing on your mind  imagine if you could eat anything, anywhere, whenever you wanted.

Here we have a look at what the super rich like to eat  but a word of warning, this WILL leave you dribbling at your desk!

Watching the clock until lunchtime? Instead why not have a look at what the super rich enjoy!

Flippin expensive burgers

Sometimes, only fast food will do. But who says fast food cant be fabulous?

Biting into a juicy burger can make lunchtime heavenly, but these extravagantly expensive patties will transport you to grub paradise.

How about tucking into the Glamburger, created by Chris Large, head chef at the Honky Tonk in London's Clapham, which is comprised of Kobe beef, Canadian lobster and black truffle brie, Beluga caviar and Iranian saffron, all served on a golden bun.

Sometimes, only fast food will do. But who says fast food cant be fabulous? The Glamburger (above) is comprised of Kobe beef, Canadian lobster and black truffle brie, Beluga caviar and Iranian saffron, all served on a golden bun

Or why not catch a first class flight out of to the Big Apple, home of the burger fit for a billionaire - where you can get Le Burger Extravagant for a mouth-watering $295!

Or why not catch a first class flight out of to the Big Apple, home of the burger fit for a billionaire?

There you can get your chops around Le Burger Extravagant. Made with white truffle butter-infused Japanese Wagyu beef and topped off with black truffles and a fried quail's egg, this one is a steal at $295. And dont worry if you have something stuck in your teeth  this comes with its own solid gold, diamond encrusted toothpick!

If you really fancy splashing out, head west to Vegas where you can feast on the FleurBurger 5000 at the Fleur restaurant. As the name suggests, this will set you back $5,000, but you do get a $2,500 bottle of Chateau Petrus with it. Who says the rich dont like a meal deal?

Keep things classic with Caviar

Caviar, we hear you cry, what a cliche! Ok, so its been the preserve of the posh for sturgeons years (you want one between 50 and a 100 years old BTW) but its still a must have on the menus of millionaires.

But we arent talking about any old fish eggs, no siree. If you want to spark the interests of the stinkin rich you have to serve the really good stuff  and it doesnt come much bigger and better than Almas.

Caviar, we hear you cry, what a cliche! Ok, so its been the preserve of the posh for sturgeons years - but those in the know only eat Almas which costs an eye-watering 20,000 per 1kg

So you dont make a plankton of yourself in front of your friends, never serve with a metal spoon, never squeeze lemon on it, and NEVER spit it out and say Eurgh!

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Straight from the belly of the Iranian Beluga Fish, these eggs  known in the business as black gold  are the worlds most expensive food. Produced by the rare albino sturgeon, which splashes around in the unpolluted waters of the southern Caspian Sea, it weighs in at an eye-watering 20,000 per 1kg.

So you dont make a plankton of yourself in front of your friends, heres some top tips on serving your sought-after delicacy; never serve with a metal spoon (mother of pearl is the best so buy one sharpish), never squeeze lemon on it, and NEVER spit it out and say Eurgh!. Its just not what one does, darling.

Sandwiches for the super-rich

Fed up of fine dining? Sick of slinging back smoked salmon? Sometimes all you want is a seriously good sandwich.

But before you dash out for that soggy tuna and sweetcorn, heres how billionaires do butties.

Whats more classic than a ham sandwich? Well, add some serious panache to your porky treat by buying in the worlds most expensive jamon. Albarragena Jamon Iberico de Bellota comes from seriously pampered piggies selected for their fine pedigree and given 10 hectares of land to snuffle around in for organic acorns.

Fed up of fine dining? Sick of slinging back smoked salmon? Sometimes all you want is a seriously good sandwich - washed down with bubbles of course

After being cured for three years, voila!, the Albarragena is ready to eat  but best dig deep for this sandwich filling, as a leg will set you back a handsome 1,950.

Fancy some cheese for your simple luncheon?

How about Pule, straight from a nature reserve in Serbia? This rich dairy delight is made from 25 litres of donkey milk per 1kg. And youll have to be equally rich to enjoy it  it costs $700 per pound!

Now you need some bread which will support these sensational flavours. How about the Shepherd Loaf from Hobbs House Bakery in the Cotswolds?

Made from a 55 year old secret recipe including organic spelt, spring water and Cornish Sea Salt, it make the perfect edible plate  at a reasonable $35 per SLICE.

Fancy some cheese for your simple luncheon? How about Pule, straight from a nature reserve in Serbia, this rich dairy delight is made from 25 litres of donkey milk per 1kg. And youll have to be equally rich to enjoy it  it costs $700 per pound

Silver spoon worthy soup

Soup may well be the stock of the cost-effective chef, but even a dish so simple can be given a boost if the money is right.

If you fancy slurping back a light lunch which packs a heavy punch (both to your taste buds and your wallet) then head to Kai Mayfair in London for a bowl of Buddha Jumps Over The Wall.

If you fancy slurping back a light lunch which packs a heavy punch (both to your taste buds and your wallet) then head to Kai Mayfair in London for a bowl of Buddha Jumps Over The Wall (above) - it will set you back a pretty penny, 108 to be precise

Combining some of the worlds most exotic foodstuffs, including sharks fin, abalone (very fancy sea snails in a mother of pearl shell), sea cucumber, dried scallops, huan ham and, erm, chicken, this is a soup like no other  and will set you back a pretty penny, 108 to be precise.

No raw deal with this seriously expensive sushi

Sushi has fast become the wealthy Westerners go-to show off lunch.

Whether you favour nigiri, sashimi or a wasabi-smothered maki roll, you can go as affordable or as outrageous as you want.

Sushi has fast become the wealthy Westerners go-to show off lunch - and you can order it as outrageous as you like

But if you want to impress your lunch partners with more than your chopstick skills then call in chef Angelito Araneta Jr. - who came up with the most expensive sushi in the world when he carved up five pieces of nigiri and garnished them with African .2 carat diamonds and 24-carat gold leaf

But if you want to impress your lunch partners with more than your chopstick skills then call in chef Angelito Araneta Jr.  the man with the Midas touch when it comes to art of the perfect roll.

His creations are so lavish that they wouldnt look out of place in a jewellery box  he made his name by coming up with the most expensive sushi in the world when he carved up five pieces of nigiri and garnished them with African .2 carat diamonds and 24-carat gold leaf. Now that really is a dazzling lunch.

No Humble Pie for high flyers

Forget humble pie - there's nothing apologetic about the prestigious pastry served up at The Fence Gate Inn in Lancashire.

Forget humble pie - there's nothing apologetic about the prestigious pastry served up at The Fence Gate Inn in Lancashire

Owner Kevin Berkins let his chef run riot with some of the worlds most luxurious ingredients, including Wagyu beef fillet, Chinese matsutake mushrooms (weighing in at 350 a pound), truffles, more mushrooms (this time French bluefoot mushrooms) and two bottles of vintage Chateau Mouton Rothschild wine (1,740 each) to knock up a gravy to remember.

So, has that left you craving some good ol fashioned pub grub? A slice will set you back 1,024, while if you fancy tucking in to the whole thing, its a pie flying 8,195.

Private meal cooked up by the best chef on the planet

Two million requests for 8,000 seats, booked up for the year on the first day, and a 42 chefs creating mind-boggling dishes  it can on be El Bulli. Unfortunately for the new millionaire at the table, the doors to the worlds number one restaurant shut its doors in 2001 after over two decades at the top. However, for a real power lunch, you could always hire the Spanish eaterys iconic head chef, Ferran Adria.

If you fancy a real power lunch, you could always hire the Spanish eaterys iconic head chef, Ferran Adria - the man branded the best chef on the planet by astounded critics has been known to lay on the odd private dinner

The man branded the best chef on the planet by astounded critics throughout his heady days in the Costa Brava, Adria now heads up a creativity centre for culinary innovation at the restaurant  but has been known to lay on the odd private dinner.

When the chance for the master to cook for four people went under the hammer at Sothebys it was instantly snapped up for 15,000. Not the cheapest of lunches but with Adrias famous foams (he was the first to serve these on our plates) being served up for your guests, the look on their faces will be priceless.

Wagyu mean you dont eat meat?

Summer may be done and dusted but that doesnt mean we cant hear that sizzle of steaks.

But when you've cash to burn, why waste it on fiddling around trying to get the BBQ going? Billionaires would hop on a jet to Japan, where they can get someone else to do it in style.

The country has long been famous for its steaks, of which Wagyu is the creme de la cattle. So whats the beef with this particular meat?

Head to Japan for a Wagyu steak. The cows are the most pampered in the world; they only eat rice, maize and barley and drink pure filtered water (of course). They are even rumoured to be MASSAGED in the cattle spa to ensure their meat is the most tender

Well, the cows are the most pampered in the world; they only eat rice, maize and barley and drink pure filtered water (of course). They are even rumoured to be MASSAGED in the cattle spa to ensure their meat is the most tender.

So where can you taste this fine fillet? Head to Aragawa in Tokyo for dinner, where chefs serve up a slab of beef seasoned only with pepper and mustard  for a very reasonable $258. Or you could hop over to Sydney, Australia, where the aptly named Prime restaurant a steak from cows fed on grains for 600 days.

The damage? $295 for a slice of prime beef. Dont fancy eating out tonight, get the butchers at Boucherie Polmard on the blower for a vintage rib steak from their Blonde Aquintaine breed, which are kept away from stressful situations and talked to on a daily basis. The price for blissed-out beef? A very reassuring $3,200.

Get a pizza of the action like the A-list

Ahhhhh, pizza. Nothing hits the spot sometimes than a big circle of cheese-laden happiness

Ahhhhh, pizza. Nothing hits the spot sometimes than a big circle of cheese-laden happiness.

But if you want to add some extra pizzazz instead of just extra pepperoni, head to Maze in London for a slice of heaven.

There youll find the 100 pizza, covered in onion puree, white truffle paste, fontina cheese, baby mozzarella, pancetta, cep mushrooms, freshly picked wild mizuna lettuce and garnished with fresh shavings of a rare Italian white truffle  themselves worth (1,400).

But if you want real a real blow out, Ninos in New York has rustled up a pizza worthy of a Russian tsar. His pie boasts two of the worlds best caviars (Beluga and Black Russian Royal Sevruga) alongside thinly sliced lobster, salmon, chives and wasabi. Best get that platinum card out for the delivery boy  this will set you back a cool $1,000. Mamma mia!
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He is the photographer who is said to have 'never had a day off in the Seventies', devoting all his time to chronicling rock gods over four decades.

From the Rolling Stones, John Lennon and David Bowie to Marc Bolan, Debbie Harry and Siouxsie Sioux, Harrow-born Michael Putland captured the era's stars at work and at play.

In fact, his intimate and candid black and white images did much to cement their reputations and catapult them into icon status.

The exhibition includes a rare photograph of Marc Bolan at the height of his fame during a two day shoot at the famous recording studio, Le Chateau d'Herouville, just outside Paris. Putland says Bolan was 'a lovely guy' but 'a bit full of himself'

Mick Jagger and Bianca Jagger of Rolling Stones fame on a morning flight after their European tour party in Berlin in 1973. Putland went on tour with the band as their official photographer

Now a major retrospective, Eye of a Generation at Proud Camden, in north London, will offer a unique view of some of the most famous faces and exciting moments in music history.

The 69-year-old began taking his first pictures at the age of nine and at 16 he left school to follow his passion full time.

By 1969 he had set up his own studio and in 1971 he was named the official photographer for the British music magazine Disc & Music Echo. His first job for them in that year was to photograph Mick Jagger in London.

It was the beginning of a long and close relationship with the Rolling Stones which was only strengthened when he went on tour with them in 1973.

Three rock goddesses Chrissie Hynde, Debbie Harry from Blondie and Viv Albertine from The Slits were shot together in 1980

Putland snapped a serious-looking John Lennon during an interview with Steve Turner of Beat magazine at Apple records' London headquarters in 1972

Putland, who now lives in East Sussex, was also present on the sets of Stones videos including It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It), Some Girls and Respectable.

He also captured Mick and Keith Richards in moments of reflection as they toured the world.

But Putland also captured rarely seen images of other stars including Marc Bolan at the height of his fame in 1972 with T Rex during a two day shoot at the famous recording studio, Le Chateau d'Herouville, near Paris, posing with clocks over his eyes.

Rock 'n' roll dads! An intimate photograph of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards backstage with Keith's son Marlon during a soundcheck at Wembley Empire in 1973

Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones after an opening at the Hem and Fringe boutique in Moreton street in London, 1965

Susan Janet Ballion, better known by her stage name Siouxsie Sioux, relaxes in London in 1980. He has described their session, that was shot in a flat in Marylebone, London, that it was 'probably one of his favourite sessions'

Putland also took the famous image of John Lennon and Yoko Ono relaxing together in the white room in Ascot in 1972, where the Imagine video was shot later shot.

He snapped an intense-looking John Lennon being interviewed by Steve Turner of Beat Instrumental magazine, Apple Records in London in July 1971.

Putland was provided unparalleled access to the musicians, illustrated by the extraordinary breadth and diversity of his work.

Tom Waits (far left) walks across Portobello Road in London in 1976. Putland's exhibition documents the artists that changed popular music from the Sixties through to the current day including the gravel-voiced singer

Rolling Stones photographed on a video shoot for their song 'It's Only Rock n Roll' in London in 1974. The band was slow getting started because Keith hadn't turned up and Putland remembers: 'We filled the tent with foam and it got so full we nearly drowned by the end'

The famous photograph of Mick Jagger squeezed between Bob Marley and core member of The Wailers, Peter Tosh, backstage at the Palladium Theatre, New York in 1978. Putland says: 'Mick had just come off stage so that's why he looks like that and it was just a lovely atmosphere backstage.'

Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones lost in thought on a bus during a 1982 UK tour. Putland is said to have the innate ability to capture candid photographs that provide a rare glimpse into the artists own private moments

And as fashions in music and culture changed, he managed to change with them capturing the new generation of music icons including Siouxsie Sioux and Debbie Harry of Blondie with The Slits' Viv Albertine.

He later described Siouxsie (whose real name was Susan Ballion) as 'divine' despite her 'stroppy image'.

About the artists, he said: 'I treated them with respect and I seemed to gain their respect in turn.'
They're the secret weapon loved by women the world over thanks to their ability to hold your wobbly bits in place while sucking in your curves.

But while millions of women swear by their trusty Spanx, they are hardly famed for comfort and ease of access.

Whether it's going to the toilet or simply pulling them on in the morning, the super-stretchy lingerie is notoriously difficult to manoeuvre.

So how would two men cope when faced with the world's least comfortable undergarment?

We set out to see what would happen when two self-confessed 'average blokes' tried to squeeze into a pair of mid-thigh bodysuits in a size medium.

Spanx are a firm favourite with everyone from Kate Garraway to Kim Kardashian thanks to their figure-hugging qualities.

But we wanted to see how two average men would fare when tasked with trying on the restrictive shapewear, so we enlisted the help of Kevin Murphy, 54, from Beckenham, Kent, and David Gavriel, 46, from London.

We set out to see what would happen when two self-confessed 'average blokes' (David, left, and Kevin, right) tried to squeeze into a pair of mid-thigh bodysuits in a size medium

David encounters a spot of bother when pulls the gusset over his nether regions (left); while Kevin (right) almost fell over while trying to get his foot into the leg hole

The pair were brave enough to let us film them as they grappled with the troublesome garments, with nothing but a pair of boxers underneath to protect their modesty.

Both ran into difficulties within seconds, with David almost falling over when he tried to get his left foot through the leg hole.

Describing the garment as 'really tight', Kevin (pictured) confessed he had gained a newfound respect for Spanx-wearing women

Kevin (right) moans,'Women put these on every day?' By the time he gets both legs in, he puffs: 'Why would you bother?'

He also encountered a spot of bother when he got to the point of pulling the gusset over his nether regions and was red-faced and out of breath by the time he'd pulled the garment up to his chest.

However it was only set to get harder as David then had to pull the straps over his shoulders.

Exasperated, he moaned: 'Women put these on every day?'

By the time Kevin had got both legs in, he puffed: 'Why would you bother?'

He later admitted: 'I wasn't expecting the full body thing; I thought it was going to be underwear. I think I put it on backwards, too.'

Speaking after his Spanx ordeal, Kevin (right) admits: 'I wasn't expecting the full body thing; I thought it was going to be underwear. I think I put it on backwards, too'

Describing the garment as 'really tight', Kevin confessed he had gained a new-found respect for Spanx-wearing women.

'I can't imagine myself walking round with it because of that whole top bit and the way it was rounded,' he said.

'Where are the boobs meant to go - are they hanging out or pushed in?
Crown Princess Mary has stepped out in style once again, this time for an awards ceremony.

The princess presented the Carlsberg Foundation Research awards in Copenhagen, only a few days after returning to the country from a trip to New York.

Despite having a busy few weeks, Mary looked positively glowing as she attended the event on Sunday night.

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Blooming lovely: Crown Princess Mary has attended the Carlsberg Foundation Research Awards in Copenhagen

Fabulous floral: The princess opted to wear a floral Marc Jacobs dress for the awards ceremony

Despite the fact that Copenhagen is heading into Autumn, Australian-born Mary looked as if she may be missing home, as she seemed to be embracing the hues of spring with her outfit.

She looked stunning in a floral Marc Jacobs dress that featured a yellow rose print with black piping and knee length pleats.

She paired the outfit with a pair of black pumps, a small black clutch and minimal jewellery.

Classic: She paired the dress with simple black pumps, a black clutch, and minimal jewellery

Winner winner: Mary smiled as she posed with the winners of the awards Tobias Holck (second from left) and Morten Broberg (third from right)

The 44-year-old smiled as she posed with winners of the awards, Tobias Holck Colding and Morten Broberg.

The awards are given annually to science and humanitites researchers, with the prize being one million kronor each.

Mary also presented the awards in 2015, and seems to have a fondness for the annual event.

Colourful: Mary also presented the winners with beautiful bouquets of fresh flowers

Annual event: Mary also presented the awards, which recognise researchers in science and humanities last year

Last week Mary was in New York, visiting the United Nations and giving a talk on women's health services and equality.

'We must recognise that for a woman who is about to give birth, or for the adolescent girl who survived sexual violence, these life-saving services are as vital as water, food and shelter,' she told a special event at the UN.
A mother has defended her decision to allow her teenage daughter to get fillers in her top and bottom lip.

Lisa Wilson, from the Mornington Peninsula south of Melbourne, consented to her daughter Summer undergoing the procedure at just 17.

Appearing on SBS Insight on Tuesday night, Summer explained it was a self-esteem issue that led her down the path of cosmetic surgery so young.

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Summer Wilson, 17, got fillers in her top and bottom lips with permission from her mum

Summer (left before the injections) said she had self-esteem issues about her 'small lips'

'It was about halfway through year nine, I saw others with prettier lips, and I was just looking at myself in the mirror and was like: "where's mine?",' the teenager told the program.

Her mother Lisa said that while her initial reaction was to reassure her daughter that she was perfect the way she was, she saw it was something Summer was struggling with.

'First of all my reaction was: "You're beautiful the way you are, you don't have an issue, you're awesome", all that sort of stuff, generally what mums say,' she said.

'(But) the feeling kept arising. We'd chat about it, you know we're pretty open, we've got a good line of communication and it was sort of bothering her more and more.

Pictured here are Summer's lips before (top and bottom left) and after (top and bottom right)

Mother Lisa Wilson (left) said she gave permission because she understood how important it was to her

Summer said her friends are jealous of her new lips as as the look is currently very popular thanks to celebrities such as Kylie Jenner

Lisa admitted once they decided to go ahead with the procedure, there were some hurdles including finding a clinic that would treat a patient under the age of 18.

'I wasn't opposed to it... it was really important to her and I think especially in adolescence how impressionable and vulnerable they are.'

Summer said far from being bullied about her new look, her friends are envious as the look is currently very popular thanks to celebrities such as Kylie Jenner.

'All the girls I'm involved with at school and outside of school, they're actually quite jealous I guess I could say,' she told Insight.
Has there ever been a more smug and self-satisfied TV ad than H&Ms commercial for its new Autumn/Winter fashion collection?

Watching it, I feel Im being patronised to within an inch of my sanity.

For those who havent had the pleasure, its set to a remake of the old Tom Jones hit, Shes A Lady, and features a selection of women doing distinctly unladylike things, such as picking their teeth and slouching on trains with their legs spread out like a man.

Another shot features a model stuffing her face with chips then lolling back on the bed to reveal hairy armpits.

Yet another shows a plus-size ladys larger-than-life bosoms, followed by a close-up shot of her rolls of tummy fat as she gazes admiringly in the mirror.

H&Ms stated aim is far nobler than merely flogging frocks. It says it wants to redefine what it means to be a lady; to replace the out-dated concept with an image of femininity that is  and I quote  bad-ass, independent, free-willed, entertaining, opinionated and off-beat.

Thats why the ad, shot in a variety of artfully dingy venues, features what H&M claims is a representative group.

This is H&M's idea of what it means to be a lady in 2016. The chain chose unconventional models and filmed them in some far from demure scenarios

These include American transgender model Hari Nef, 23, British-Ghanaian model Adwoa Aboah, 24, the founder of something called Gurls Talk  a platform for discussing social justice, feminism and gender equality.

Theres also a shaven-headed Swedish artist, a muscle-bound female Thai boxer and (the admittedly gorgeous) 72-year-old U.S. model Lauren Hutton.

I suppose I should be grateful that simply by purchasing a 19.99 shirt or taking advantage of a 3-for-2 offer on childrens pants I can, by association, be part of this brave new world.

But Im afraid I hate it. First, for something that aims to celebrate authenticity, this short film is about as phoney and manufactured as they come.

Professional Thai boxer Fatima Pinto from Norway flexes her muscles in the new fashion advert

Its clearly been focus-grouped down to the last sequin  very possibly by a gathering of Jeremy Corbyn supporters.

Second, its based on the totally false premise that anyone who defies convention is by definition brave and to be admired. This, of course, is rubbish. Looking different doesnt imply daring. Some of the truly bravest people I know look very ordinary indeed.

But the real problem with this advert is the way it promotes such a narrow vision of what it means to be a woman  while purporting to do precisely the opposite.

Lets face it, most normal women dont proudly show off their wobbly bits  they do everything they can to hide them. They dont spend their time rolling round on hotel beds showing off their underarm hair, either.

The advert, which features a new version of the song Shes A Lady, also features shaven-headed Swedish artist Cajsa Wessberg

Theyre far too busy picking up towels, tidying bedrooms, packing lunches, soothing brows and generally holding their  and everyone elses  lives together.

And yet, this advert implies, to be anything less than alternative marks you out as an incorrigible frump. Thats why I reckon H&M will find that far from widening their clientele, it narrows it.

These self-consciously alternative individuals will love it. But sensible women will do what they always do: roll their eyes in exasperation  and go to Spanish label Zara.

Its founder, Amancio Ortega, has recently become the second richest man in the world. His strategy? A truly revolutionary one: selling clothes normal women actually want to wear.

Real women dont want to be told how to think by an advertising agency or a focus group.

Curly-haired singer Jillian Hervey, who was part of the duo to perform the cover song, also features in the advert as the tooth-picker

They just want a wide choice of flattering, moderately fashionable clothes at a not-too-extortionate price.

Clothes such as the blue, 69.99 Zara jacket that everyone from the Duchess of Cambridges PA Rebecca Deacon down is wearing.

Whats its appeal? It fits, it flatters, it looks like it could be Chanel without obviously trying. And it wont break the bank.

Which reminds me: there used to be a British brand that did the same sort of thing  until it became obsessed with hiring people such as Tracey Emin and Alexa Chung to star in its ads.

You may have heard of it: Marks & Spencer?

All credit to Prince George, three, for putting Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, 44, in his place by refusing to partake in the absurd U.S. ritual of high-fiveing.

Had Mr Trudeau extended his right hand, as is proper when meeting someone for the first time, Im sure the young Prince would have responded in kind.

As it is, he gave the patronising politician exactly what he deserved

WHY AMAL NEEDS TO LOOK LIKE THIS AGAIN

Amal Clooney has a wardrobe to rival any A-lister  with outfits costing anything up to 5,000. But it wasnt always so.

Back when she was plain Amal Alamuddin, her clothes were far more subdued  as this 2011 photograph shows. Shes in a 250 Jaeger trench coat, 175 Russell & Bromley shoes with a 45 M&S bag.

Not exactly cheap, but perhaps more suited to a serious civil rights lawyer.

Clearly there are occasions when she has to dress the part of a glitzy Hollywood wife; but wearing outfits that cost several times most peoples monthly mortgage payment doesnt send a good message.

There is a time and a place to show off your wealth; in pursuit of human rights for those who have suffered unimaginable horrors isnt it.

Church of England vicar Matthew Taylor took in an alcoholic down-and-out who ended up having a torrid affair with his wife.

Proof, once again, that no good deed goes unpunished.

BRANDED A RACIST BY MY OWN DAUGHTER!

For many, the fact Ofcom has received nearly 500 complaints about Coronation Street character Eva Prices Ive got more roots than Kunta Kinte line will seem absurd.

At best, you could argue that since Kunta Kinte was a fictional slave in the book and TV series Roots, levity around the subject is insensitive  but racist? Surely not?

In which case you dont understand the extent to which young people today are indoctrinated into finding offence in even the most innocuous comment.

The other day I was picking up my daughter from school in my Fiat 500 when we drove past another Fiat 500, a newer model in shiny black. Apropos of nothing, I said I didnt much like it in that colour.

Cue sharp intake of breath from the child, who immediately accused me of racism. Yes, thats correct: disliking a black car is, in her world, racist.

Next thing you know shell be banning me from wearing black on the grounds of racial appropriation.

If Jeremy Corbyn is so keen to abolish the Army, why doesnt he go to Aleppo and see for himself what happens when innocent civilians have no one to defend them?

DEATH ON A PLATE

I was intrigued to read in yesterdays Mail a list of traditional delicacies that are now on the culinary critical list.

These included the Aberdeen rowie, a lard-based roll which used to be a breakfast staple for inhabitants of the Granite City, childhood home of my dear husband.

On my first trip to meet my prospective in-laws, and keen to please them, I actually ate one.

It took about three days for my digestive system to process this impenetrable ball of fat and pastry which makes the deep-fried Mars bar look like a green smoothie.

Its timely demise will add at least ten years to the average Scottish lifespan.

What I dont get about Labour is why a membership consisting of loads of young people is now being led by a pair of ageing male bigots in the form of Jeremy Corbyn, 67, and his odious sidekick John McDonnell, 65.

COME OFF IT, HILLARY

Hillary Clinton countered Donald Trumps claim that she lacked stamina in Mondays TV debate by pointing to her punishing travel schedule

Hillary Clinton countered Donald Trumps claim that she lacked stamina in Mondays TV debate by pointing to her punishing travel schedule.

Hillary, Im certainly no Trump fan, but travelling first class in the diplomatic jet surrounded by fawning aides doesnt exactly require stamina.

And if you want to know about stamina in the Oval Office, ask your husband...

Zoe Ball, who this weekend announced her split from husband Norman Cook, aka DJ Fatboy Slim, has reportedly told friends that she finds him boring on account of the fact that he no longer wants to go partying every night.

Zoe, youre 45. Hes 53. Your children are 15 and six. You cant be out snogging 20-year-olds seven days a week. Your family needs you. Its not boring, its called growing up.

Last week, as the nation was apparently gripped by the Brangelina break-up, pictures of the couple having a furious row last year at Legoland emerged as proof their marriage had been under strain for some time. Nonsense. Having a row at Legoland is perfectly normal. Ninety-nine per cent of couples who take their kids to Legoland end up contemplating divorce.
Father-of-two Brad Kearns, 27, has penned a scathing post on Facebook after a man passed judgement on his wife for being 'just' a stay at home parent.

Mr Kearns, who is the general manager of a gym in Tuggerah, New South Wales, shared the post online on Sunday with his 77,500 followers.

'We went to a wedding the other week. We were on a table which was half half. Half us and half them. It wasn't too bad and we all got along. They started that awkward conversation which we all have when we meet new adults,' Mr Kearns wrote.

Not impressed: Father-of-two Brad Kearns, 27, has penned a scathing post on Facebook after a man passed judgement on his wife Sarah (right) for being 'just' a stay at home parent

'They started that awkward conversation': Mr Kearns, who is the general manager of a gym in Tuggerah, New South Wales, shared the post online on Sunday with his 77,500 followers

'"So what do you do with yourself?"

'I don't know why this f*****g conversation happens. It's almost like a passive game of "who's the richest" or "guess my lifestyle".'

Mr Kearns said when he explained what he did for a living nobody 'batted an eyelid' but when a male guest started to question his wife Sarah it was a different story.

'I don't know why this f*****g conversation happens': Mr Kearns' entire post can be read here

'And then he looks at Sarah. She is very intelligent and has been an Emergency Services Worker for over 7 years now,' Mr Kearns continued.

' He says: "oh so you just stay home and look after the kids?"

'I don't know how this has become a generalisation but it f*****g stinks.'

Mr Kearns explained how proud he was of his wife and everything she had achieved in her life, including 'more accolades and awards for service than what this bloke ever will.'

Happy family: Mr Kearns explained how proud he was of his wife and everything she had achieved in her life, including 'more accolades and awards for service than what this bloke ever will'

Proud parents: 'Yet he somehow managed to judge before he asked. I love that she wants to take this time to raise our beautiful children. She will never get this time again,' he wrote

'Yet he somehow managed to judge before he asked. I love that she wants to take this time to raise our beautiful children. She will never get this time again,' he wrote.

'If given the opportunity I would quit work tomorrow and raise my boys and be the best parent I could be. There's nothing f*****g wrong with being a stay at home parent. Temporary or career parent who cares.'

Mr Kearns urged his followers to stop judging and making assumptions about other parents.

'Mind your own business': Mr Kearns urged his followers to stop judging and making assumptions about other parents

Relaxed: 'I am also very proud of Sarah's response. She kept her cool (much to my f*****g amazement as I was about to get the popcorn out). Love you babe,' he said

'Just mind your own business and let people live their life how they want to,' he concluded.

'I am also very proud of Sarah's response. She kept her cool (much to my f*****g amazement as I was about to get the popcorn out). Love you babe.'

Mr Kearns' post was liked more than 4,300 times and many praised him for his words.

'I do hope Sarah enjoyed herself while forcibly putting the moron back in his box!!! Not to mention, there is no "just" staying home with the kids,' one woman wrote.

Moving on: Mr Kearns' post was liked more than 4,300 times and many praised him for his words

'I too used to be a police officer - and I'd rather deal with a psychotic druggie than a toddler who's missed his nap!!! '

'I love the people who say "just". They're obviously the ones who have never just stayed home and looked after the kids,' another wrote.
A teen boy has been arrested in Saudi Arabia for "unethical behaviour," after he did a cute internet video chat with an American YouTube starlet.

Abu Sin (his name means "toothless") and Christina Crockett jokingly declared their love for one another in a silly YouNow stream that has since been uploaded to YouTube. They struggled through language barriers and acted like goofy young people.

Evidently, being a cute kid is a crime in Saudi Arabia, where the 19 year old internet goofball lives.

A Saudi attorney told Okaz newspaper the videos violate the country's interpretation of Sharia law and internet regulations. Abu Sin could face up to three years in prison.

This video captures the moment in which Abu Sin and his friends were pulled over by police, before they hauled the kid off to jail.

Police in Riyadh detained Abu Sin on Sunday while he was driving with two friends, with the arrest accidentally broadcast live on YouNow as he chatted with another user from Kuwait. The footage showed police pulling up behind the car and the teenager approaching officers, before friends tell the camera police have an arrest warrant, according to a translation by France24. Colonel Fawaz Al-Mayman, a spokesperson for Riyadh police, said Abu Sin was arrested for "unethical behaviour". "His videos received many comments and many of the commenters of the general public demanded for him to be punished for his actions," he added, according to the Saudi Gazette.

From France 24:

This is not the first time that a Saudi Internet user has been arrested for videos that the authorities deem immoral. In 2013, a young man was arrested by the religious police after he posted photos of himself offering "free hugs" on the streets of Riyadh.

Below, the two internet pals in happier times.
After three cycles of IVF, 42-year-old Dee Slade had experienced the pain of having 36 of her embryos destroyed.

She and husband Dan were resigned to the fact they might never have kids as the costly and invasive fertility treatment began to take its toll.

With just three viable embryos produced in the final round of treatment, the pair took what Mrs Slade describes as their 'last roll of the dice'.

Overwhelmed: Dan and Dee Slade (pictured) were in disbelief about the pregnancy right until baby Grayson was born

'We transplanted one of the embryos straight away and then we waited to see if I'd fallen pregnant,' Mrs Slade told Daily Mail Australia.

'It was a week before my birthday when I got the call to confirm I was pregnant. I was shocked. Completely overwhelmed.'

The Slades, from Adelaide, had been screening their embryos using a sophisticated technique called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis [PGD].

Each round of IVF produced about 20 eggs, of which about half would survive.

These eggs were then fertilised and screened for genetic defects and abnormalities using PGD.

Only three healthy embryos survived, one of which went on to become their son Grayson.

Mrs Slade gave birth seven weeks ago after a textbook pregnancy with minimal complications.

It was not until she delivered her baby boy that she finally stopped worrying about his health.

Don't give up: After a happy ending to their own pregnancy ordeal, Dee and Dan encouraged others to remain upbeat when trying for children

'I was overwhelmed to know that after going through that process for such a long time there was a good outcome,' she said.

'That being said I still wasn't 100 per cent relieved until he was born and I saw him.

'Dan was the same. He was excited when I fell pregnant but still a bit in disbelief. It didn't actually sink in until we held Grayson.'

Joy and relief: Dee Slade finally fell pregnant with baby boy Grayson (both pictured) after three draining cycles of IVF

Mrs Slade has an 11-year-old daughter from a previous relationship but she was determined to have a child with first-time father Dan.

For this reason, she was willing to brave the emotionally draining IVF process.

'IVF is a horrible process,' she said.

'You're hormonal and you go through all sorts of emotions. You feel unattractive and question your role as a female.

'You feel all those negative things because you're feeling low at the time.'

Despite the downfalls, Mrs Slade encouraged other women going through IVF to try and remain upbeat.

'They should not give up. Use the technology you can and remember that other people are going through the journey.

'You can feel very isolated at times but stay positive. It's easy to give up.
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She is one of the world's most celebrated style icons, who rarely puts a fashionable foot wrong when it comes to her sartorial choices.

And with two tiny children as well as a busy diary, the Duchess of Cambridge can be forgiven for generally 'playing it safe' when it comes to her wardrobe.

But as Kate's tour of Canada enter its fifth day, fashion watchers are suggesting she's undergone something of a movie-star makeover.

With a little help from her trusted stylist, Natasha Archer, Kate, 34, has been donning flattering silhouettes by London's most esteemed designers - and experts say she is looking more glamorous than ever before, even crediting her style as having Hollywood flair.

The Duchess of Cambridge, 34, has adopted a bold new style for her Canada tour, with style experts hailing it a Hollywood makeover. FEMAIL breaks down how the mother-of-two has pushed the style boundaries - and how her new look is a lot more glamorous than this time last year

Kate has been cinching in her waist and even displayed her slim arms on her Canada tour, left, but sticking to the royal expectations of not showing too much leg or cleavage. It is a different story from March this year, right, when she hid her figure in more billowing coats in the same hue

Kate had serious movie star appeal when she stepped out in a figure-hugging green gown teamed with nude court shoes and offset with Ray Bans

Her new look is certainly a far cry from her India tour wardrobe, which was full of an intriguing mix of couture, high street, and even the odd bargain picked up in local markets.

Her Canada tour wardrobe is, however, a much more impressive affair. Never less than appropriately dressed, the trip has seen her take more style risks, albeit without compromising the conservative appearance expected of a senior royal.

She's been cinching in her waist and even displayed her slim arms, but sticking to the royal expectations of not showing too much leg or cleavage. She manages to make grown up sophistication look young and practical and has been tapping into London's most sought-after designer looks but giving them her own spin.

'Has Kate got a new stylist?,' asks fashion expert, Simon Glazin. 'Has she finally noticed all the eye rolls when she steps out in yet another borrowed frock or something old from Zara?

'Not that there is anything wrong with Zara, but I firmly believe we need more from our Duchess. And finally she is giving us more!'

Celebrity stylist Gayle Rinkoff added: 'She looks sensational this tour. It's great to see her pushing her safe boundaries out a little with new shapes and new 'of the moment' designers.

'It feels like she is embracing fashion and finally learning to have some fun with it instead of playing it safe all the time.'

The Princess turned heads in a 1,000 Thornton Bregazzi dress with the royal family's diamond maple leaf brooch, left, for a dinner on the Canada tour this week. Nipped in at the waist, gathered at one shoulder and midi-length, this is a timeless classic by a hot London designer - a much more stylish version of a 225 summer dress she wore by her favourite high street store LK Bennett in August this year, right

By flashing more of her decolletage and arms, Kate has put a sexy spin on her bold red dress in Canada, left. It is much more of a statement look than when she recycled a red pleated designer skirt dress by Alexander McQueen earlier this year, right

Indeed, Kate started the tour as she meant to go on, stepping off the plane in an effortlessly elegant striking royal blue body-contouring dress by her favourite British designer, Jenny Packham, and 495 four-inch suede heels by Gianvito Rossi.

She also offset her look with a bespoke saucer style with a maple-leaf design, which added flair to her otherwise understated ensemble, and was designed by London based Sylvia Fletcher for Lock & Co.

Whilst we've seen Kate turn to royal blue countless times, the cut of this dress elevated the look entirely.

Most recently, Kate wore a blue Stella McCartney number at the Royal International Air Tattoo in Gloucestershire in July, but it did little to show off her trim new figure and didn't exude as much glamour as her bespoke Jenny Packham gown did in Canada.

Kate started the tour as she meant to go on, stepping off the plane in an effortlessly elegant striking royal blue body-contouring dress by her favourite British designer, Jenny Packham, and 495 four-inch suede heels by Gianvito Rossi. The look was flattering and extremely stylish. Kate often turns to bold blue dresses, like this bejewelled gown by her favourite designer Jenny Packham in India, but they are usually less figure-hugging and worn with more pared back jewellery

Kate, pictured with Sophie Gregorire, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Prince William, offset her look with a bespoke saucer style with a maple-leaf design, which added flair to her otherwise understated yet chic ensemble, and was designed by London based Sylvia Fletcher for Lock & Co

'Has Kate got a new stylist?,' asks fashion expert, Simon Glazin. 'Has she finally noticed all the eye rolls when she steps out in yet another borrowed frock or something old from Zara?' (left: donning an A-list look in Canada this week, right: In a less glamorous style out and about with George earlier this year)

The Duchess then pulled out all the fashion stops in an eye-catching designer dress as she joined Prince William in Vancouver on day two of the royal tour of Canada.

In a nod to the nation's flag, Kate chose a 4,000 red and white Alexander McQueen frock for her first full day of public engagements. It was one of her most flattering looks yet.

Speaking about her outfit choice, Fashion Expert and Stylist, Naomi Isted, said: ''Wow' was the initial reaction when most saw the bold and beautiful Alexander McQueen white and red dress Kate wore. It was such a drastic shift from her usual demure style.

'She has obviously been working out and is super trim this tour, which this dress showed. Her hair, shoes and accessories have pushed her usually demure classic English style to more of a movie star chic status. It's fair to say that she looks like a movie star. The bespoke Alexander McQueen ruffle and floral detailed dress was simply stunning, but teamed with red accessories, it was definitely a bold, sexier statement look.

'This dress made a clear statement that she has the power to play with her style as one day she will be Queen.'

Glazin agrees, adding: 'She loves the British label (and rightly so). This dress is definitely her most statement from the brand. Bold in colour and shape, the red and white does wonders for Kate, and the layered skirt, long sleeves and high neck are super chic.

'What's more, this is from next season's collection, you can't even buy it yet. When did Kate so fashion forward?'

The look was a far cry from the dresses she plumped for in India, many of which were off-the-rack high street pieces from the likes of Topshop and even thrifty e-tailer, Glamorous. Her penchant for tailored pieces has given Kate the opportunity to display the figure she appears to have worked hard to hone in the run-up to the tour.

On day two, Kate chose a 4,000 red and white Alexander McQueen frock for her first full day of public engagements. It was one of her most flattering looks yet

Fashion experts say she has obviously been working out and is super trim this tour. Her hair, shoes and accessories have pushed her usually demure classic English style to more of a movie star chic status compared to this 75 pink and black embroidered smock dress from Topshop, right, which she wore in India earlier this year

The look this week, left, was a far cry from the dresses she plumped for in India, which were off the rack high street pieces from the likes of Topshop, right, and even thrifty e-tailer, Glamorous. Her penchant for tailored pieces has given Kate the opportunity to display the figure she has worked hard to hone in the run-up to the tour

The Duchess of Cambridge looked stunning in a red Preen dress when she joined Prince William for an historic reconciliation ceremony with Canadian First Nations groups on Monday night.

After a dress-down day in the rain forest, Kate was the epitome of glamour in at a reception for political and civic leaders from across British Columbia at Government House in Victoria.

These dresses have a much bolder, sexier and stronger look than we've seen before on the Princess and her confidence is obviously soaring as she's also showing her arms more

The Princess turned heads in a 1,000 Thornton Bregazzi dress with the royal family's diamond maple leaf brooch, given to the late Queen Mother by her husband, King George VI, to mark the state visit to Canada in 1939. It was another homage to the Canadian flag after doing the same on the day she arrived.

The slightly asymmetric cut of the neckline, draped bodice and the fit and flare silhouette highlighted her trim figure and the sleek up 'do and minimal jewellery only added to the chic effect of this timeless look.

'The red Preen dress was another gorgeous choice,' mused Glazin. 'Kate looked statuesque and elegant. And whereas a year ago she would have chosen a red dress that had not much to it (capped sleeve, just below the knee), this is exactly the opposite.

'Nipped in at the waist, gathered at one shoulder and midi-length, this is a timeless classic. Preen by Thornton Bregazzi (the label's official name) is considered a hot ticket at London Fashion Week, and the collections usually embody a floaty, '70s aesthetic with a tough-girl edge.'

The timeless classic by a hot London designer is certainly a much more stylish version of a 225 summer dress she wore by her favourite high street store LK Bennett in August this year. By turning to hot-right-now designers loved by the A-list, Kate is tapping into style usually reserved for movie stars and fashion editors - but, of course, she pulls the look off with aplomb.

Despite a stunning array of designer gowns on the first few days of the tour, the Duchess of Cambridge upped the style stakes even higher in a dazzling bottle green dress from Dolce & Gabbana.

Kate wore the 2,000 frock as she joined Prince William in Kelowna, British Columbia, on the fourth day of their week-long tour of Canada.

Kate opted for a green hue, a colour we rarely see her wear, the last time being in a Catherine Walker coat dress at the Chelsea Flower Show back in May. But, once again, Kate proved she can pull off any look.

This Dolce & Gabbana pick is a custom version of the pocket watch dress that made up part of the fairytale-inspired autumn/winter 2016 collection.

This simpler adaption with gold buttons is, however, perfect for a princess who is partial to a classic piece. By plumping for a high-end designer gown but adapting it to suit her style, Kate proved she's experimenting with her look and isn't afraid to put her stamp on a design.

Kate's 2,000 Dolce & Gabbana gown from her Canada tour is a custom version of the pocket watch dress that made up part of the fairytale-inspired autumn/winter 2016 collection - and it ticked all the style boxes

Kate later pulled on a thick green Hobbs coat over her 2,000 Dolce and Gabbana green dress from earlier in the day. Despite the coat being more purse-friendly than the 940 MaxMara outerwear she wore in Edinburgh earlier this year, the way Kate wore it was much more fashion-forward and highlighted her trim new frame

It seems that Kate has won over the style set and exceeded expectations with her Canada tour outfits, left, which are much bolder than pieces she has worn over the past few years, right

Again, Kate displayed her toned arms in the dress, which also cinched in at the waist to display her toned midriff.

The Duchess paired her emerald green ensemble with the green onyx Siren Wire earrings from British jeweller, Monica Vinader. Having worn the brand a number of times, Kate proves to be a supporter of British designers and dazzles whilst doing so.

Kate later pulled on a thick green Hobbs coat over her 2,000 Dolce and Gabbana green dress from earlier in the day. Despite the coat being more purse-friendly than the 940 MaxMara outerwear she wore in Edinburgh earlier this year, the way Kate wore it was much more fashion-forward and highlighted her trim new frame thanks to a more flattering cut and the addition of trendy panels.

'What an amazing colour on Kate! She should live in this hue (as well as red, blue, purple...),' said Glazin.

Referring to the green dress, he added: 'She has gone back to her signature capped sleeve - it's nice to see her arms! - but the buttons, the bow at the neck and the puff shoulders make it a star piece. The original features a gold embroidered pocket watch on one side, but I imagine this is a quirk too far for Kate.'

It seems that Kate has won over the style set and exceeded expectations with her Canada tour outfits. 'These dresses have a much bolder, sexier and stronger look than we've seen before on the Princess and her confidence is obviously soaring as she's also showing her arms more,' said Naomi.

Fashion expert Emma Smith added: 'On her last royal tour of India, I think she ended up looking decidedly dreary.
the opening at the Sven-Harrys art museum

It is only her second solo engagement since becoming a member of the Swedish royal family but already Princess Sofia is making her mark.

The 31-year-old royal impressed guests at an exhibition opening in Stockholm last night as she gave a rousing speech.

The mother-of-one delivered a charismatic talk at the the opening of the 'Porphyry: The Royal Stone' exhibition at the Sven-Harrys art museum in the Swedish capital.

Princess Sofia of Sweden performed her second solo engagement last night as she attended the opening of an exhibition in Stockholm

Sofia beamed as she spoke to her crowd showing off her pearly whites and was full of expression as she used hand gestures to communicate her passion for the subject.

The princess made sure that all eyes were on her as she stunned in a figure hugging illusion dress.

A fan of the high street Sofia ditched luxury brands in favour of the caramel and black Zara dress which she complimented with a brown leather belt.

Sofia kept her accessories to a minimal pairing her outfit with simple black suede pumps and silver drop earrings.

The wife of Prince Carl Phillip attended the opening of The Royal Stone' exhibition at Sven-Harrys art museum in the Swedish capital

While there she gave a rousing speech before officially opening the new collection

The wife of Prince Carl Phillip showcased her famous centre parting wearing her hair in a low bun which she has been favouring of late.

After opening the exhibition she spent time enjoying a tour of the museum admiring the royal stone artifacts.

The shiny rock, which is notoriously hard to shape, was used to make exquisite objects in the late 18th and 19th centuries which are on display in the museum.

Sofia beamed as she spoke to her crowd showing off her pearly whites

Sofia showcased her famous centre parting wearing her hair in a low bun which she has been favouring of late

The princess has been keeping a relatively low profile since the birth of her son in April but has started to emerge from the wood work recently.

Last month saw Prince Carl Phillip and Princess Sofia gather at Drottningholm Palace Church for the baptism of their first child Prince Alexander.

The prince was born on Tuesday, April 19 at 6:25 p.m weighing at 7lbs 9oz and measuring 19.3 inches long.

Hours after the birth, Carl Philip held a press conference at the hospital to announce the new arrival.

A fan of the high street Sofia ditched luxury brands in favour of the caramel and black Zara dress

The royal kept her accessories to a minimal pairing her outfit with simple black suede pumps and silver drop earrings

'When asked if he had cried during the birth, the prince replied, according to People magazine: 'Yes, actually. Of course. Couldn't stop.

'For me and my wife, this is obviously a great day with a lot of emotion. Words cannot describe.'

Former glamour model Sofia Hellqvist married the prince last June. The elegant brunette is known for her infectious gap-toothed smile and easygoing ways.

They dated for five years before walking down the aisle and now live together in the upmarket Djurgarden district of Stockholm.

After opening the exhibition she spent time enjoying a tour of the museum admiring the royal stone artifacts

They married in the royal palace's chapel, with the bride wearing a lace wedding dress created by local designer Ida Sjostedt.

But thanks to Princess Sofia's reality TV and glamour modeling past, Carl Philip's choice of wife initially proved controversial.

The now Duchess of Varmland's first shoot aged 20 saw her posing topless in a pair of camouflage print bikini bottoms and clutching a snake to preserve her modesty.

Unsurprisingly, when news of Carl Philip's new relationship emerged in 2010, the Swedish Royal Family were initially put 'on the defensive' as sources revealed at the time.
Towering at a staggering seven foot tall, Rumeysa Gelgi is the world's tallest teenage girl.

Hailing from Safranbolu, a small town in the north of Turkey, the 19-year-old always stood out from her friends growing up.

Rumeysa said: 'I received long stares from people because I looked different and they were naturally curious about me.'

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Rumeysa Gelgi, 19, from Turkey, pictured with her parents, is the world's tallest female teenager, standing at seven foot tall

The teenager suffers from a rare condition called Weaver Syndrome - at the time of her birth in 1997 there had only been 20 reported cases.

People with the condition experience rapid growth from birth, as well as other health issues such as a lack of knee and elbow extension, making activities like walking or running very difficult.

She added: 'I became aware of my health condition when I was about five or six years old. I started to wonder why I looked different from other kids of my age.'

As well as Weaver Syndrome, Rumeysa also suffers from scoliosis, a condition which has given her a curvature of the spine.

Rumeysa needs to rely on a wheelchair to get around as a lack of knee and elbow extension makes walking very difficult

Due to her rapid growth, Rumeysa has issues getting around as her bones struggle to support her body and she relies on her parents' help.

Her mother, Safiye Gelgi, gave birth to her six weeks prematurely as doctors noticed she was above average size even as a baby due to her condition.

Safiye said: 'Rumeysa was a big baby at the very early stages of my pregnancy.

Rumeysa is pushed in her wheelchair by her father. She credits her parents with helping her cope with her condition by always making her feel special

The teenager pictured with her doctor, experienced rapid growth before she was even born because of an extremely rare condition - Weaver Syndrome

Rumeysa was proud to be named the world's tallest female teenager by Guinness World Records in 2014

'My doctor told me that she was not a normal baby. Because of that she was born early at seven and a half months.'

Growing up Rumeysa's condition became more apparent as she rapidly grew and had more distinct features.

'She was taller than normal. She had deep, raspy voice. Her hands and feet were big. She looked very unusual not like other babies.' Safiye added.

WEAVER SYNDROME The rare genetic condition causes advanced growth during childhood, developmental delay and some degree of learning disability. Rapid growth begins before birth and continues through early childhood. It's believed that only a few dozen people worldwide have the condition, and it is more prevalent in men than women. Advertisement

Despite her rare condition the tall teen remains upbeat, thanks in part to her loving parents.

She said: 'As a child I questioned myself but I never felt unhappy. I overcome this with my parents' help.

'They told me that this syndrome is was rare. Because of them I felt the most important person in the world.'

Rumeysa was certified the tallest female teenager in the world by Guinness World Records in 2014.

Rumeysa said: 'It's one of my biggest dreams to be awarded with this record.

'Being a record-holder is a very amazing thing. I know that only the special people can make it and I know I'm one of them now.'

Her story appears in the first episode of a new series of Body Bizarre, which begins on TLC this Thursday.

The episode also features Sambany from Madagascar, who has a tumour bigger than his head, and Jie, an orphan boy from China without a nose, who travels to the US.
Princess Beatrice has ditched her usual high glamour look in favour of a wetsuit and a scruffy bun in order to take part in a charity swim.

The 28-year-old royal joined entrepreneur Richard Branson in Sicily yesterday to take part in a 3.3km swim to raise money for a youth charity.

Beatrice looked slightly apprehensive ahead of her race on Tuesday holding her hand to her chest before entering the water.

Princess Beatrice joined members of Richard Branson's Virgin Strive team for a charity swim in Sicily yesterday

She tied her long auburn hair up with a neon yellow hair tie and donned a blue wetsuit ahead of the race.

During the swim the princess was virtually unrecognisable, pictured wearing a swimming cap that covered her famous auburn hair.

She did however, keep a personal touch to her outfit keeping a gold chain bracelet fastened around her wrist.

The princess was also joined by Entourage actor Adrian Grenier and Branson's children Holly, Clare and Sam in the water to swim the grueling length.

The royal was virtually unrecognisable swapping her usual high glamour for a wetsuit and full face snorkel, even covering her famous auburn locks with a swimming hat

The princess came over all shy following the race covering her face as she spotted a camera

However, the eldest daughter of Prince Andrew looked triumphant as she exited the sea following the activity.

She shared an embrace with a pal after leaving the water before coming over shy and covering her face before the cameras.

Taking the event serious the princess even opted to wear a full face snorkel so as to allow her to swim under water.

The eldest daughter of Prince Andrew looked slightly apprehensive ahead of the 3.3km race

However, Beatrice looked triumphant as she exited the sea following the activity

Branson's Virgin Strive team took part in the swim in hopes to raise money for Big Change.

Yesterday was the final triathlon leg of the Virgin STRIVE Challenge 2016.

Princess Bea arrived to support the team after their grueling 15 day cycle where they covered 632km in distance and 9,322m through world famous Giro climbs.

Richard Branson and his three children also took part in the race which was the final leg of the Virgin STRIVE Challenge 2016. Pictured: Branson and his daughter Holly

Entourage star Adrian Grenier also joined the team which aims to raise funds for the Big Change charity

Sir Richard Branson ran rings around his three children by taking them an inflatable animal each once hed completed the swim

One celebrating swimmer attached a birthday balloon to his body while he completed the race

The final leg of this epic 2,000km month-long challenge is a hike to the summit of Mount Etna, where they will cross the finish line tomorrow.

Sir Richard Branson ran rings around his three children by taking them an inflatable animal each once hed completed the swim.

Princess Bea joins the challenge to raise money and awareness for Big Change, the charity she founded with Sam and Holly Branson that supports a variety of youth-focused projects across the UK to help young people thrive in life, not just exams.

Princess Beatrice founded the charity with Sam and Holly Branson which upports a variety of youth-focused projects across the UK
She's known and loved for her cheery disposition and Queen Maxima lived up to her reputation as she stepped out on Wednesday.

The Queen of the Netherlands was in very high spirits as she greeted fans and wellwishers at the Participation, Integration and Equality Foundation Anniversary, in Zoetermee, The Netherlands.

Resplendent in a chic cream dress and matching overcoat, the 45-year-old monarch couldn't stop smiling as she arrived at the event.

Queen Maxima looked stunning in a cream ensemble as she arrived at the Participation, Integration and Equality Foundation Anniversary in Zoetermee, The Netherlands

The newly blonde Queen accessorised her look with bold pearl earrings, a matching necklace and snakeskin clutch and heels.

When inside, the Queen mingled with staff at the event and heard about all the work they are doing.

It's been a busy week for the royal, who was out and about on Monday.

The friendly Queen of the Netherlands was in very high spirits as she greeted fans and wellwishers at the event

The newly blonde Queen accessorised her look with bold pearl earrings and a matching necklace

The conference was aimed at gaining new insights and exchange knowledge and experiences in the field of inclusive finance in developing countries.

Queen Maxima was given the book 'Banking for a Better World' from Nanno Kleiterp, the departing CEO of FMO, which she proudly carried around.

The event saw speakers and interactive break-out sessions focused on disruptive technology and how this is changing the way that financial services are delivered, consumed and perceived.

Resplendent in a chic cream dress and matching overcoat, the 45-year-old monarch couldn't stop smiling as she arrived at the event

The Queen mingled with staff at the event and heard about all the work they are doing

She displayed her trim figure in a silk printed dress and Christian Louboutin stilettos as she arrived at the Future of Finance conference hosted by FMO, the Dutch development bank.

The Queen of the Netherlands showed off her youthful new blonde hair 'do and lean legs as she arrived at the event in her home country.

Last week saw Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander enjoy one of the most formal days in the Dutch royal calendar as they arrived in The Hague for the official state opening of parliament.

The Dutch royals donned their finery for the political address, with Queen Maxima opting for an extravagant gold floor-length A-line skirt with a cobalt blue silk blouse and her favourite wide-brimmed hat.

A pair of dazzling sapphire drop earrings, navy peep-toe platforms and a ceremonial blue and yellow sash finished the look for a day that is rich in pageantry and tradition.

Prinsjesdag (Princes Day) saw the couple looking at their most regal as they arrived in a shining red and gold carriage at the historic Hall of Knights.

Amid tight security, King and Queen Maxima were driven in an ornate, horse-drawn carriage to parliament from a royal palace in the heart of The Hague, passing through streets lined with cheering crowds.

A day rich in pomp and ceremony: Dutch royals King Willem-Alexander and his wife Queen Maxima wave at well-wishers from the Knight's Hall in The Hague after the official state opening of parliament

Prinsjesdag (Princes Day), held every year on the third Tuesday in September marks the opening of parliament and sees the Dutch monarch address politicians and dignitaries. The couple arrived looking resplendent in a red and gold carriage

The hat is back: Queen Maxima wore one of her favourite hats, with blue and gold ceremonial pins in it teamed with an A-line floor-length dress. The royal looked thoughtful as she listened to King Willem-Alexander speak about the year ahead for Holland

The traditional opening of the Dutch parliamentary year takes place every year on the third Tuesday of September and Maxima and Willem-Alexander's arrival was greeted by legions of well-wishers.

The carriage that is normally used to bring the King and Queen to Prince's Day, passed down from Dutch Queen Wilhelmina, is currently undergoing a four-year maintenance programme, although its replacement vehicle looked just as lavish.

While Maxima looked on, Willem-Alexander told politicians and dignitaries that better days were ahead for the Netherlands.
The daughter of a Chechen oil oligarch has got married in a stunning 240,000 wedding dress.

Student Elina Bazhaeva, 21, married entrepreneur Bek Ali Khan Mamakaev, 25, in the city-state of Monaco in a showstopping glittery wedding dress and a huge train.

The eye-catching ensemble was made by Lebanese fashion designer Zuhair Murad and cost 20 million roubles (242,000).

Student Elina Bazhaeva, 21, married entrepreneur Bek Ali Khan Mamakaev, 25, in the city-state of Monaco in a showstopping glittery wedding dress and a huge train

The eye-catching ensemble was made by Lebanese fashion designer Zuhair Murad and cost 20 million roubles (242,000)

The couple met in February this year and Mamakaev proposed to Bazhaeva just two months later.

The groom graduated from university in London and is fluent in six languages. He is the heir of Alikhan Mamakaev, the head of the Dorchester Finance group and Alima Cosmetics, and co-owns some of his father's companies.

Bazhaev also comes from a prominent family and is the daughter of businessman Musa Bazhaev, 49, president of the OJSC Alliance Group.

The wedding took place at the exclusive Le Louis XV restaurant in Monte Carlo.

Bazhaev also comes from a prominent family and is the daughter of businessman Musa Bazhaev, 49, president of the OJSC Alliance Group

The wedding took place at the exclusive Le Louis XV restaurant in Monte Carlo. Only 100 guests attended - small by Chechen standards - and the groom was present in the celebration hall instead of being kept apart from his bride

The bride and groom were seated at their table, despite the bride traditionally standing

Only 100 guests attended - small by Chechen standards - and the groom was present in the celebration hall instead of being kept apart from his bride.

The bride and groom were seated at their table, despite the bride traditionally standing.

Bazhaeva's parents, Musa and his wife Luisa, follow Chechen traditions by not attending the ceremony.

The couple met in February this year and Mamakaev (right) proposed to Bazhaeva (pictured left on a different occasion) just two months later

Chechen weddings are traditionally paid for by the groom and attended by his family members only. They are seen as a sad occasion by the bride's family.
They're both 34, have a boy and a girl of similar ages and most importantly, they feel at home in a royal palace.

So it's no wonder that Princess Madeleine of Sweden is hoping for to arrange a play date for her children with Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

The royal who is mother to Prince Nicolas, 15 months, and Princess Leonore, two-and-a-half, revealed that she's yet to meet the Duchess of Cambridge but is hoping that their paths will cross.

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The Duchess of Cambridge, pictured arriving in Victoria, Canada on Saturday with her daughter Princess Charlotte

Princess Madeleine of Sweden, with her 15-month-old son Nicolas admits she's keen to get to know the Duchess of Cambridge after moving to London last year

Madeleine relocated to London from New York with her husband, financier Chris O'Neill last year and is keen to get to know her royal counterparts.

'I would love a play date,' she told PEOPLE magazine. 'I'm sure we will cross paths  and who knows what we will do when we do.'

The Princess explained that her energetic daughter Leonore needs lots of activities and stimulation to keep her occupied because of her boundless energy.

And she also opened up maintaining a close bond with her siblings since they became parents, despite living in different countries.

The doting mum revealed that she's always thinking of ways to keep her energetic daughter Leonore busy and entertained

Princess Madeleine has revealed how her daughter Leonore (right) and her cousin Princess Estelle are as close as sisters

The Princess hasn't yet had the chance to meet with her British Royal counterparts, pictured arriving in Canada on Saturday

Her older sister Crown Princess Victoria, 39, has two children Estelle, four, and Oscar, six months, with her husband Prince Daniel.

Meanwhile her older brother Prince Carl Philip, 37, has recently become a father after welcoming his first child, Alexander, five months, with his wife Princess Sofia.

And Madeleine reveals that being parents has added an 'extra connection' to their already close relationship.

Madeleine (right) with (left to right) her older sister Victoria and her husband Prince Daniel, and brother Carl Philip with his wife Princess Sofia

Meanwhile her daughter Leonore and Princess Estelle are more like sisters than cousins.

'Victoria and I try very hard to make it so they really can see each other and play and have fun,' she revealed.

Of course, their efforts to spend time together have become a great deal easier since the Princess relocated from New York to London last year.

She met her husband after fleeing to the US in 2010 with a broken heart.

She crossed the Atlantic following the breakdown of her first engagement to Swedish attorney Jonas Bergstrom amid speculation that he had cheated on her.

Madeleine became known as Sweden's party princess during her early 20s, when she was frequently spotted at Stockholm's high-end nightclubs.
It is hard to tell who was more delighted by their meeting Crown Princess Mary or the little girl presenting her with the flowers.

The Danish royal could not contain her delight as her young fan handed her the lush posy as she arrived at the Chamber of Commerce in Washington.

The young girl named Mia Heltberg, 7, looked equally thrilled to be face to face with the royal and was pictured beaming back at her.

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Crown Princess Mary of Denmark was barely able to contain her delight today as Mia Heltberg, 7, presented her with a bouquet in Washington DC

It was almost as if Mary had known she would received flowers as her dress complemented her gift perfectly as it was decorated with a floral print.

The Australian-born royal showcased her usual elegant flare, keeping her hair swept back in a glamorous chignon.

Mary, 44, kept her accessories to a minimal with a pair of simple ink drop earrings and suede blue pumps.

The mother-of-four was joined by husband Crown Prince Frederik who made the little girl blush as he greeted her.

The princess greeted Mia at the Chamber of Commerce in the nation's capital on the second day of her US tour with husband Crown Prince Frederik (left)

The royal couple met Mia while attending an opening ceremony for their US visit

The royal couple arrived at the Chamber of Commerce this morning where they attended an opening ceremony for their US visit.

Following the ceremony Mary will attend The United States Department of Health and Human Services Health seminar, and later a seminar on the 'Evolving U.S. Food Policy and Emerging Consumer Trends.'

She will then join her husband for a business lunch in the afternoon before ending the day at The Grand Ball at the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building.

Today marks the second day of the pair's official visit to the United States with a Danish business delegation.

Young Mia blushed slightly as Prince Frederik introduced himself on Wednesday morning

During the four day trip Mary and Frederik will spend time in Washington, Boston and Masachuettes before returning to Denmark

During the four day trip Mary and Frederik will spend time in Washington, Boston and Masachuettes before returning to Denmark.

The pair touched down in the nation's capital yesterday where they spent an evening hosted by Denmark's ambassador to the United States, Lars Gert Lose.

The couple were also on hand to witness the opening of a new exhibition 'Arts in Embassy' will take place in the residence.

Last week also saw Mary in the US, staying in New York, visiting the United Nations and giving a talk on women's health services and equality.
Professor David Dexter peels the lid off a white plastic container to reveal a fresh human brain. Professor Dexter runs the Parkinson's UK Tissue Bank in London, where the charity's scientists study people's donated organs in its quest to cure the disease.

'We do play a guessing game about the donor's gender,' he says, with a spark of dark humour. 'Generally, female brains are smaller,' he adds with a twinkle, at which point his colleague, Kirsten Goldring, interjects: 'He means "more compact and better organised".'

Generally, female brains are smaller... (more compact and better organised)

Joking apart, most people are convinced men's and women's brains are very different organs. After all, we are surrounded by 'Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus' pop psychology about our roles and instincts.

Anyone who has been around small children knows girls tend to like dolls, and boys toy guns; their preferences dictated by the organ between their ears. They may not be colour-coded pink or blue but most people assume men and women's brains are as distinctive as their choice of underwear.

Well, apparently not. It is that sort of thinking that dropped the London Science Museum into a row about whether our brains can actually be categorised as 'male' or 'female'.

Earlier this month, scientists lambasted the museum over its 'sex-o-meter' exhibit; a game claiming to reveal whether your brain is male or female after a series of tests involving logic and spatial awareness. Answers determine whether an arrow points to a blue or pink section.

Most people assume men and women's brains are distinctive. But the London Science Museum got into a row about whether our brains can actually be categorised as 'male' or 'female'

The test claims that men can see things better in three dimensions and are more able to imagine how things rotate, while women's brains have better visual memories and can distinguish more easily between subtle details.

However, Dr Joseph Devlin, the head of experimental psychology at University College London, said last week that he was 'surprised' at the exhibit: 'Claiming that there are "male" or "female" brains is disingenuous and grossly oversimplifies a complex topic.'

The museum now acknowledges that some of the scientific research used in the display is more than a decade old, and is planning an update in the coming months 'to reflect the latest scientific evidence'. Getting away from the idea that our brains are either pink or blue will not be easy, however, because scientists across the globe are discovering ever greater complexities in the nature of our brains, along with astounding levels of similarities between the sexes. So, is there really such thing as a male or female brain?

Men's brains are about 10 per cent bigger but it is simplistic to assume a direct link between size and intelligence

Why size doesn't matter

Over the past two centuries, many scientists argued that as men's brains are bigger they must be more powerful. New research confirms men's brains are about 10 per cent bigger but it is simplistic to assume a direct link between size and intelligence.

A study last October found no significant relationship between brain size and performance in IQ tests. The quality of the connections between brain cells is the important factor in how bright someone is, says psychologist Dr Jakob Pietschnig, of the University of Vienna: 'Brain structure and integrity appear to be more important as a biological foundation of IQ.'

Little pink, blue and grey cells

Instead of having a brain full of 'all-male' or 'all-female' components, some experts argue that our heads contain a 'mosaic' of regions that may be a jumble of male and female characteristics as unique as a fingerprint.

Last November a team led by Professor Daphna Joel, a behavioural neuroscientist at Tel Aviv University, studied brain scans of more than 1,400 people. She measured grey matter (sometimes called 'thinking matter') and white matter (nerve fibres that transmit signals) in 116 parts of the brain to find out which areas had the biggest sex differences. These areas were scored as more characteristically female, male or somewhere in between.

Good taste Women have more taste buds than men. Around 35pc of women, but only 15pc of men, are 'supertasters' - extra sensitive to flavour. Advertisement

They reported, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, that about five per cent of the brains studied were consistently a single sex. Most had a mix of features that varied widely from person to person.

The team found some structural differences between men and women. For example, the left hippocampus, an area of the brain associated with memory, was usually larger in men.

However, there was significant overlap; some women had a larger or more male left hippocampus, while some men's was smaller than the average woman's. 'Human brains do not belong to one of two distinct categories,' she argues.

Bring on the brain teasers

'Functionally, brains of women and men are different... Neither more nor less sophisticated'

Other scientists vehemently disagree, however. Dr Adam Chekroud, a British psychologist at Yale University, subjected Professor Joel's results to computer analysis and claimed he could predict with 95 per cent accuracy whether the brains were from women or men.

Professor Joel said that Dr Chekroud included head-size measurements in his analysis and that removing them dropped his accuracy to 65 per cent  which is not much better than guessing.

Professor Marek Glezerman, the president of the International Society for Gender Medicine, is another critic: 'Functionally, the brains of women and men are indeed different. Not better, not worse, neither more nor less sophisticated, just different.'

Glezerman, author of new book, Gender Medicine: The Groundbreaking New Science of Gender- and Sex-Related Diagnosis and Treatment, says that even the cells in our brain differ by sex because they have different chromosomes, the structures that contain our DNA. He adds that men and women differ widely in the nature of the illnesses they suffer, such as heart attacks and strokes, and argues:

'Most of the functional differences of our bodily systems are controlled by our functionally different brains and yes, there is a female and a male brain.'

Testosterone and oestrogen have opposite effects on brain structure

Bathed in a soup of hormones

If men's and women's brains do have inbuilt design differences, then we must surely be born with them and their structures will be like that for life. Right?

No. New research by scientists studying people undergoing sex-changes shows brains can change their 'sex-typical' characteristics depending on the hormones they are exposed to.

For example, when Spanish psychologists scanned the brains of 15 women and 14 men undergoing hormonal therapy to change their genders, they found that testosterone and oestrogen had opposite effects on brain structure.

Dr Leire Zubiaurre-Elorza, a psychiatrist at Barcelona University, says that when women changing into men are given testosterone, the thickness of a brain area called the cerebral cortex, responsible for intelligence, language and memory, tends to increase. She says that when men changing into women are given oestrogen, their cortexes often become thinner.

The relationship between thickness (thicker cortexes are typically seen in men, thinner in women) and intelligence is not fully understood. However, as individuals, men and women have very widely differing levels of testosterone and oestrogen.

These hormone levels change significantly during our lives. Men's testosterone wanes after their 30s. Women's oestrogen plummets after the menopause but their ovaries continue to secrete such male hormones as testosterone.

Likewise our cortexes are also known to change thickness over time. In effect, our brains are not necessarily 'gender-stable' throughout our lives.

Mind-boggling questions

'In some tests, more males score in one way and more females score in another'

If men and women's brains are so similar then, how is it that they can show such differing personality traits?

The answer, says Simon Baron-Cohen, a leading British expert in this field, and a professor of developmental psychopathology at Cambridge University, is that very often they don't.

'There is no such thing as a "male" brain or a "female" brain in cognitive terms,' he says.

'In some tests, more males score in one way and more females score in another, but there are always overlaps.'

'One cannot infer anything about what kind of mind or brain type a person will have from their sex, since an individual may be typical or atypical for their gender.'

Rather than being born with brains stamped 'male' or 'female', he says they are shaped by a hugely complex interreaction between the genes and sex hormones that we inherit and develop, and the social experiences we have in our early and later lives.

'Institutions such as the Science Museum have a duty to explain this science in a nuanced and cautious way,' he says.
No one would give a second glance to the elderly man who can sometimes be spotted wandering across the main square, Plaza Maria Pita in the pretty port of La Coruna on Spains windy North Atlantic coast.

With his crinkled brown eyes and balding pate, Amancio Ortega does not seem remotely exceptional. Dressed most days in a blazer, open-neck shirt and light coloured slacks, he looks like just another kindly grandpa.

But appearances are deceptive. For this obscure Spanish octogenarian is the multi-billionaire founder of the Zara retail chain. He has revolutionised High Street fashion and made himself richer than Facebook tycoon Mark Zuckerberg in the process.

WHY WE ALL SNAPPED UP THE 69.99 COAT THAT'S CONQUERED BRITAIN

IT'S ELEGANT AND APPEALS TO ALL AGES Alice Frances, 28, works in a bookshop. Shes single and lives in South London. Shes the blogger who set up the coats Instagram page Alice Frances works in a bookshop. Shes single and lives in South London. Shes the blogger who set up the coats Instagram page. I first realised how popular this coat was at the Chelsea Flower Show. My sister was wearing it and we suddenly started seeing it everywhere. Once youve spotted it a few times, you just keep seeing it  on the bus, at lunch time, at a wedding  and thats why we set up an Instagram account where we could post pictures of other women wearing it. I think it appeals to all ages because it is incredibly elegant. It also has a Chanel-esque feel to it. Although I liked it, I didnt buy one at first, as I didnt want a coat everyone had. But recently I cracked and decided I had to have it, too, especially now its got cult status. Its such a versatile style  it can be worn with jeans, with a dress  dressed up or down. Advertisement

Senor Ortega probably has more influence over womens wardrobes than anyone else on the planet. He is arguably more powerful in the world of fashion than flamboyant figures such as Karl Lagerfeld, the dandyish Chanel designer, who at 83 is similar in age, but practically nothing else.

Ortega certainly sells more frocks. Earlier this month, Zaras parent company Inditex, whose other brands include Massimo Dutti and Uterque, announced sales of more than 9 billion in the first six months of last year alone.

Figures like those have made Ortega the richest man in Europe and the second wealthiest in the world with a fortune estimated at more than 60 billion.

Only Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, is worth more at about 63 billion, according to the rankings by U.S. magazine Forbes. Zuckerberg is a relative pauper with just 42 billion to his name.

Zara opened its first UK store in Londons Oxford Street in 1998 and now has 68 up and down the country. Women of all ages and income brackets stalk its brightly-lit floors.

Forty-something professionals cast a beady eye through the hangers in search of Zaras trademark sharp tailoring, while their teenage daughters covet the spangly party dresses and tulle skirts. And the intergenerational appeal doesnt end there.

I SPOTTED IT BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE Amelia Clark, 23, a junior account executive from Northumberland, bought the coat in April and now sees people wearing it everywhere Amelia Clark is from Northumberland and works as a junior account executive in London. Reluctantly, I decided about a month ago to stop wearing this coat so much, particularly when Im at work in London. Its a beautiful design and I love it, but I think its overworn right now. If I go out wearing it, I can tell some people are looking at me as if its to say: Look, shes got that coat, when the truth is I bought mine months ago and, at the time, I didnt know anyone who had one. I first realised it was becoming a popular design a couple of weeks after I bought it in April. Now, you see it everywhere and its a little frustrating. I still wear it when I go back home to Northumberland because Im less likely to bump into someone wearing it. Having said that, I know some of my mothers friends have bought it, so you never know. Advertisement

Perhaps the most telling sign that its Zara that has cracked what women want is the fact that fifty and sixty-somethings are venturing in, snapping up knitwear and browsing at the same rail of coats as their granddaughters.

It is one of Zaras coats  a collarless blue-and-white mock-Chanel design costing 69.99  which has become so popular this year it has its own account on picture-sharing website Instagram, called That Coat.

Zara has plenty of wealthy celebrity followers: its a key destination for high-low dressers who team posh designer clothes with cheaper High Street finds.

Political fashion-plate Samantha Cameron is a known habitue of the chain. Her favourites have included a pair of burnt orange cigarette pants costing 39.99 that she has worn to several high-profile events.

The Duchess of Cambridge is another fan, wearing a pair of 29.99 skinny jeans from the store teamed with a pair of knee-high Penelope Chilvers boots, on her Canada tour this week.

The question for rivals such as M&S and John Lewis is: how does Zara do it? After all, the tills at Zara carried on ringing right through the financial crisis. It has seemed impervious to the economic fallout and high unemployment in its home country of Spain.

Shares in parent group Inditex have risen from just over 2.50 when it floated on the Madrid stock market in 2001 to 28.50 this week.

I SHARE IT WITH MY STUDENT DAUGHTER Abigail Bryans, 55, of South London, runs a small business making handmade personal gifts. She often gives it to her daughter, who's at Exeter University Abigail Bryans runs a small business making handmade personal gifts. The mother of three lives in South London with her son Fergus. I dont feel too old for Zara clothes. My only gripe is that the dresses tend to be too short, but I often buy their sweaters and coats. I was in the changing room when I spotted this coat on someone else. I didnt even try it on. I just knew I liked it. The blue-and-white pattern is so eye-catching and the cut suits young and old, which is unusual. The only downside is the fact so many other people love it as much as me. I wore it quite a bit when I bought it, but Ive given it to my daughter, whos at Exeter University, because it would be embarrassing to turn up at a function and be wearing the same coat as someone else. But when the craze dies down, I will ask for it back because I do love it. It hasnt bobbled like some cheaper coats, so Im confident it will last. Advertisement

The secrets of Zaras seemingly relentless rise are to be found in its headquarters in Arteixo, just outside La Coruna.

Amancio Ortega still heads there to work most days, and can often be seen chatting over lunch with colleagues in the staff canteen.

Wedged between a fish processing factory and a power station is the nerve centre for a fashion empire that extends from Auckland, where the first New Zealand store will open next month, to Vladivostok.

Zara has stolen a march on M&S and other rivals by turning the business model for High Street fashion upside down.

While Marks, John Lewis and other clothes retailers spend millions on ad campaigns  sometimes with questionable success  Zara does virtually no advertising. It gives no discounts for the fashion press and there are no loyalty cards or perks.

But the key difference is that whereas other stores put out a collection of clothes and cross their fingers that customers like it, Zara does it the other way round: it finds out what women want, then makes it for them.

The beating heart of this operation is a bank of screens at Arteixo, where scores of staff are in constant contact with store managers around the world.

IT FEELS JUST LIKE CHANEL Sylviane Degunst, 58, from Islington, North London, likes how Zara translates designer trends on to the High Street Sylviane Degunst from Islington, North London. Ive always been interested in clothes and had two fashion books published before moving to London five years ago with my partner, Rene, and our 24 year-old daughter, Zoe. What I like about Zara is how well it translates designer trends on to the High Street. I love the stylish simplicity of this coat. The length is perfectly suited to a pair of jeans and boots, but looks great with a more formal dress or skirt, too. Anyone can wear it well. Advertisement

There are no job-titles, but their task is to glean as much information as possible about trends in the stores and on the streets nearby.

In a buzzy atmosphere similar to a financial trading floor, they are concentrating avidly on gathering intelligence by the bucketload on what women want  and which menswear and kidswear is popular  based on what is selling at individual stores.

All Zara staff are encouraged to be hyper-observant about street style and to report back trends. Every morning, the manager of each store anywhere in the world will hold a staff meeting, where employees working on the floor and at the tills will pass on their perceptions of what customers like and dislike, any praise and any complaints.

All Zara staff are encouraged to be hyper-observant about street style and to report back trends

Most of the staff are young and fashionable so they notice what people are wearing in bars and clubs and on the street, says one source who has worked with the company.

There is no formal policy on spotting trends, it is just that everyone is steeped in a culture of having their finger on the pulse.

A small army of designers, who wit the intelligence gatherers number about 300, sit nearby, poised to spring into action cutting patterns and sewing prototypes, based on the information on trends on the ground gleaned by their colleagues.

A large proportion of the styles wont even make it to the rails in the stores as they are whittled down from 100,000 designs to the 50,000 that go on sale each year.

The designers start by creating a sample, which is made up into a garment on a stitching production line.

Then, once the prototype has been produced, the design team model their own creations, parading and twirling up and down the design floor to gauge reactions from colleagues  there are no professional models.

YOU CAN WEAR IT WITH ANYTHING Maddalena Como, 32, a director at a London consumer agency, wears the coat in all manner of occasions from work to dinners to garden parties Maddalena Como is a director at a London consumer agency and lives in London. Before I bought this coat, Id already spotted it about town on a couple of people. Im not an impulse buyer and I didnt particularly need a new coat, but the next time I went into Zara, I tried it on and loved it. That was in April and Ive worn it to all manner of occasions since from work meetings and dinners to garden parties. Its a great alternative to a trench coat for days when theres a chill in the air. I tend to wear classic pieces, but this is versatile without being boring. Its a flattering length. So far, I havent run into anyone else wearing it at the same time as me, though Im sure its only a matter of time. That doesnt bother me, though. Im glad I snapped it up when I did. Advertisement

Anyone and everyone in the HQ can give their opinion, and only those clothes that pass that popularity contest are approved for sale. Even after that, the designers are fed information through the intelligence-gatherers about how their creations are then being received by customers.

Initially, only a few garments in any particular style will be produced and will be carefully monitored to see how well they sell  and there may be tweaks to the detail along the way. All of this takes place on a huge scale: Zara delivers 500,000 items globally each year.

Jesus Echevarria, director of corporate affairs, describes it as accurate fashion, which is targeted with laser-precision at particular shops. The manager of menswear for the Oxford Street store might tell the designer that the last green jacket has not been well received, but that the blue jacket with fringes has been popular, he says.

So the designer must forget her lovely green jacket, even though she thought it was magnificent, and focus on the blue trend.

Of the thousands of designs to hit the shops over the course of a year, each store will typically receive two deliveries a week, chosen to appeal to its specific customers.

One store located in an area with a lot of tourists is completely different to another in an area full of professionals, even in the same city, says Echevarria. Only a few items of each design will be shipped to any given store, so they are not left with piles of leftover stock.

I GOT MARRIED IN MINE Donna Hackman-Heath, 53, of Chichester, bought this coat and a white lace dress from Zara and wore it to get married to husband Robert at the register office on the Kings Road in Chelsea Donna Hackman-Heath lives in Chichester, West Sussex, with her husband Robert and their four children. Robert and I had been together 25 years before we decided to get married in March this year. I knew I didnt want a traditional dress, but just couldnt find anything I liked. I was on the verge of giving up by the time I arrived at the Zara store on Oxford Street. This jacket caught my eye: it has a cool Sixties feel and the piped sleeves are the perfect length to show off an elegant watch or bracelet. I spotted a lace dress hanging nearby, and there it was, my wedding outfit sorted. Robert and I got married at the register office on the Kings Road in Chelsea and I felt fantastic in my jacket, very rock n roll! When my daughter told me there was an Instagram page dedicated to the jacket, I couldnt resist posting a picture. Advertisement

The speed and flexibility of the operation means Zara can respond quickly to changes on the ground. If theres a cold snap, it ships in more jackets; if its unseasonably warm, winter woollies are put on hold.

The business has come a long way since the launch of the first Zara store, which opened in La Coruna in 1975 and is still there.

Zaras success is down to its design capability and its universal appeal. It is not cheap, but it matches high-end brands at a fraction of the price

The chain was almost called Zorba because Ortega was obsessed with the film starring Anthony Quinn. Perhaps fortunately, the name was changed to Zara when Zorba was discovered to be already in use by a local bar.

Most of the manufacturing takes place close by, in Spain, Portugal or Morocco, so that clothes can be delivered quickly. One risk is that it could be a victim of its own success and become over-exposed, prompting fickle fashionistas to seek out less identifiable brands.

Zaras success is down to its design capability and its universal appeal. It is not cheap, but it matches high-end brands at a fraction of the price, says Maureen Hinton, of market research group Verdict. The only danger is of it becoming ubiquitous.

But my field trip to my local store illustrates why Zara does so well. In among the embellished bomber jackets that would appeal to my 22-year-old niece, I spot a rust-coloured pencil skirt that will be perfect for autumn.
Like any new mother, Nicola Sparrow is clearly besotted with her eight-month-old baby daughter.

She adores her peachy skin, her giggles. The way she gnaws on her fat fists, and instinctively knows when a gummy smile is just the tonic her frazzled mummy needs.

Nicola just wishes everyone could see Lily the way she does. For Lily has Down's syndrome. Adored as she is by her parents, Nicola knows many people see Lily as a problem  a drain on NHS resources and an unwelcome reminder of the lottery of birth.

Nicola Sparrow is clearly besotted with her eight-month-old baby daughter, Lily

Indeed, people were questioning her decision to continue with her pregnancy, right up until the day Lily was born. 'I went into hospital at 37 weeks to be induced, and the consultant said: "I assume you want us to do everything we can for your baby? You can choose otherwise."

'I was in shock and so angry. I was about to have a much-wanted baby, and I was being asked if I was sure I wanted her to live!'

Lily was born in January this year. Her condition wasn't a surprise. Six months earlier Nicola and her husband James, 33, a government officer, had paid 750 for a new, super-accurate, Down's screening test  known as a Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (or NIPT) at a private clinic. They did not want a traditional amniocentesis test which carries a small but very real risk of miscarriage.

Nicola, 29, paid 750 for Down's testing and says her daughter was no less wanted, which is why she is not alone in questioning the ethics of the decision to offer the NIPT test

But, says Nicola, 29, her daughter was no less wanted, which is why she is not alone in questioning the ethics of the decision to offer the NIPT test, which involves extracting the baby's DNA from a sample of the mother's blood and is said to be 99 per cent effective, to all pregnant women on the NHS.

Danish women have been routinely offered NIPT since 2006 and the effects have been striking: 98 per cent of women whose babies test positive for Down's syndrome terminate their pregnancies. Could the same happen here?

If we deny someone the chance to be born because we decide they won't meet some measure of achievement, then we've failed to grasp what it means to be human - Sally Phillips

This week Bridget Jones actress Sally Phillips, whose 12-year-old son Ollie has Down's, added her weight to the debate, criticising such tests as dehumanising people with the condition.

She also questioned whether the Government is pursuing the test as a cost-saving measure by reducing the Down's syndrome population. People with the condition have other health issues, such as heart problems, and there is the cost of care if they outlive their parents.

Sally, 46, who has two other children, said: 'If we deny someone the chance to be born because we decide they won't meet some measure of achievement, then we've failed to grasp what it means to be human.'

'I was in shock and so angry. I was about to have a much-wanted baby, and I was being asked if I was sure I wanted her to live!'

Writing in this newspaper, columnist Dominic Lawson, whose 21-year-old daughter Domenica has Down's syndrome, also likened the new test to 'State-sponsored eugenics'.

Currently, pregnant women are screened for Down's and other conditions at their 12-week scan. This uses ultrasound to measure fluid at the back of the baby's neck and a blood test. But it is only 85 per cent accurate. If the likelihood of Down's, a genetic condition caused by an extra copy of a chromosome in the baby's cells, is greater than 1 in 150, the mother is offered a further test, after 15 weeks  an amniocentesis.

A needle is inserted into the uterus to draw off some of the amniotic fluid, containing the unborn baby's cells, which are then screened.

However, only 65 per cent of women agree to this test, as it carries the risk (between 0.5 and 1 per cent) of miscarriage. This is why many medics welcome NIPT becoming universally available.

'The true benefit of NIPT is the reduction in the number of preventable miscarriages caused by unnecessary amniocentesis tests,' says Dr Samina Dornan, consultant sub-specialist in maternal foetal medicine from the MFM Royal Maternity Hospital in Belfast.

But campaigners say the Danish experience is evidence that Down's would effectively be eradicated in the UK once the test has been widely introduced. And, they argue that this could herald a return to the dark days when such children were viewed with horror and revulsion.

Lynn Murray, from the campaign group Don't Screen Us Out, says: 'We are calling on the Government to halt the introduction of screening until there is a full ethical review, involving people with Down's syndrome and their families. We must be consulted and our concerns addressed, rather than this being snuck through quietly.

'Years ago, children with Down's were brought up in institutions and never fulfilled their potential. I want to live in a diverse, interdependent society, where we accept that disability is not the end, the alternative is not healthy.'

Beth Butler, 25, a photographer, from Corfe Mullen, Dorset, with son Seth, 12 months

Nicola, of Tadworth, Surrey, was told her baby had a one-in-99 chance of having Down's after her 12-week scan. Fearing an amniocentesis and the risk of miscarriage, she paid for the NIPT, which confirmed the diagnosis.

Although initially upset, what really shocked Nicola was the attitude of medical staff who repeatedly offered condolences. 'The consultant kept asking if we wanted a termination, as we were both young and could start again,' she recalls. 'This was my baby. She was planned and very much wanted. To end the pregnancy would be saying she wasn't perfect enough.'

The consultant said the child wouldn't have a good life and would be a lot of stress for me. I told him I would not kill my child

Nicola fears the new test may mean women feel pressured into abortions, unaware of the joy and love a baby with Down's can bring. 'We were often told what our baby wouldn't do. But no test could have told us how strong, cheeky, determined, brave, funny and beautiful our baby would be,' she says.

It's a sentiment Beth Butler, a photographer, from Corfe Mullen, Dorset, sympathises with. Going through with her pregnancy and giving birth to son Seth 12 months ago was, she says, the best decision she ever made. 'He's amazing, he brings so much joy. Everyone who meets him walks away with a fresh perspective on life.'

Beth, 25, still recoils at the callous phone call she received following her routine 12-week test. 'The midwife told me my baby had a one-in-five chance of Down's syndrome,' she remembers. 'I was offered a termination there and then, even though there was still an 80 per cent chance he'd be fine!'

She still recoils at the callous phone call she received following her routine 12-week test. 'The midwife told me my baby had a one-in-five chance of Down's... 'I was offered a termination'

Beth decided to have the NIPT test so 'I knew what I was dealing with'. It was positive.

'Again, I was offered a termination. The consultant said the child wouldn't have a good life and would be a lot of stress for me. I told him I would not kill my child.'

Seth was born at 39 weeks. Despite surgery to close a hole in his heart at nine weeks, he's now thriving  with dusty blonde hair and green eyes  a picture of good health.

Sarah Costerton, 42, a former palliative care nurse, insists an extra chromosome has never hampered her three-year-old daughter Beth's zest for life or the joy she brings to her family, including dad, David, 40, and sister, Hannah, six.

Sarah Costerton, 42, a former palliative care nurse, insists an extra chromosome has never hampered her three-year-old daughter Beth's zest for life or the joy she brings to her family

'My heart is permanently swollen with pride for both my girls. Beth tries so hard to do things that others take for granted but she keeps going until she's done it. I love it that she screams when we have to leave the park, I love it when she empties the bath water over the side! I love these things because they are so normal.'

Sarah, from Sutton, Surrey, decided against a NIPT or amniocentisis test when told there was a one-in-two chance her baby would have Down's, knowing she would keep her baby regardless. Yet, the assumption she would have an abortion  and the pressure to do so, she describes as 'callous'.

'A genetic counsellor showed us into what can only be described as a broom cupboard. She was clutching a Post-it note and I could read: "One-in-two chance Down's. Want to keep it?'' I couldn't believe the lack of dignity, empathy and care.'

Sarah and David, who runs his own chimney sweep business, were left to come to terms with the diagnosis alone. 'I cried a lot and grieved for the baby I wasn't going to have,' admits Sarah.

Despite needing bowel surgery and open-heart surgery in her first few months of life, Beth is thriving and her family wouldn't change a thing. 'We have felt tired, worried, unsure, but these feelings are normal for any parent,' says Sarah.

'It is easy to see why people might chose a termination and avoid some of the problems. However, I hope people are also aware of what they could be saying goodbye to.

'We have no regrets and love the life we have. This new test is not about cure, but extermination based on disability. We can do so much for people with disabilities now, understanding and therapies have developed that can help people do things that would not have been possible before. Are we about to throw all that hard work away?'

Katie Meade, 29, a secondary school teacher, is grateful for the NIPT test for different reasons.

'My heart is permanently swollen with pride for both my girls. Beth tries so hard to do things that others take for granted but she keeps going until she's done it'

She was 12 weeks pregnant with her first child when she went for a routine scan in March 2015. 'I was so excited,' recalls Katie who lives with husband Jason, 28, an engineer, in Basingstoke, Hants.

'But after the scan, we were shown into another room, and a midwife explained the baby's neck measurements were higher than normal, meaning there was a chance of Down's, and we should "consider our options".'

Desperate for a definitive diagnosis, but unwilling to risk an amniocentesis, the couple paid to have a NIPT. Two weeks later, the clinic called to say the test was negative  their baby didn't have Down's.

60,000 affected One in every 1,000 babies will have Down's syndrome, and 60,000 people in the UK have the condition Advertisement

'I don't know what we'd have done if it had been positive,' admits Katie. Neither does she like to think about what would have happened if she hadn't had the money for the test. If they had, indeed 'considered their options', she wouldn't have her beautiful, 11-month daughter, Brooke, today.

Of course, there are plenty of women who do not go through with their pregnancies once they discover their babies may have Down's. Ninety per cent of babies who are prenatally diagnosed are aborted, according to figures from The National Down Syndrome Cytogenetic Register.

Among them was Kelly Jones, who says her decision to abort her Down's baby in 2004 was anything but trivial. The 32-year-old, and her husband, from Newcastle upon Tyne, both come from Catholic families strongly opposed to abortion, so they had to keep their decision a secret.

Sarah, from Sutton, Surrey, decided against a test when told there was a one-in-two chance her baby would have Down's

'It was a heartbreaking choice,' she says. But having witnessed Down's at first hand, Kelly didn't feel she could cope with the responsibility. 'My aunt had a baby with Down's and we saw her go from being the life and soul of the party to a shell of a woman, run into the ground, every hospital trip draining her more and more.'

Recalling her own termination, Kelly says: 'The consultants and midwives were lovely, totally non-biased. I took some tablets and my husband and I were ushered into a side room, where I went into labour. I'd like to say I felt sad or guilty, but I didn't, I felt relief.'

Kelly now has two children, aged seven and ten. She fully supports NIPT being universally available. 'It may sound heartless, but I've never regretted my decision.

'I believe women have the right to abortion and better screening will give them the information they need to make the decision.'

While Kelly, and many women like her, may choose to terminate their pregnancies once they discover their babies have Down's syndrome, the outlook for such children has never been better.

Advances in care and understanding mean that most now live into their 60s, and lead full, active lives.

Many hold down jobs and relationships, and live semi-independent lives. Some have achieved fame including actress Sarah Gordy, who starred in Call The Midwife, Sam Barnard, who has appeared in The Suspicions Of Mr Whicher and other TV programmes, and Seb White, who stole the limelight as a little boy in Marks & Spencer's Christmas TV advert in 2012.

It prompts the question: is it up to society to dictate who has a right to be born?
Adriana causes chaos in a restaurant in Ralph Lauren, Joan wiggles on a roof in Altuzarra, and Anna crowd-surfs in Times Square in Tom Ford

Adriana Lima, Joan Smalls, and Anna Ewers also model some of the latest designs to hit the runway around New York

The truck can be seen driving around as she wiggles in super tiny shorts, giving lucky commuters a show

on the back of a truck in New York for Vogue

The supermodel revisted a look from Marc Jacobs latest Fashion Week show as she

Vogue is celebrating the latest high-fashion collections in the biggest, most glamorous way they know how  with a string of big-name supermodels flaunting the stylish goodies all over New York City.

In a series of videos set to George Michael's song Freedom and posted on the magazine's Instagram account, Irina Shayk, Adriana Lima, Joan, Smalls, Anna Ewers, and bevy of other beautiful runway regulars shake and groove to the music in a string of stellar outfits from the Spring 2016 runways.

Irina dons Marc Jacobs hotpants while wiggling on a moving truck bed, Adriana does the splits in one of the designer's babydolls, and Joan shimmies in an Altuzarra bralet and skirt on a rooftop in the very sexy clips.

Hot off the runway! Irina Shayk models a new Marc Jacobs ensemble from his latest show in a video for Vogue's Instagram account

Bummin' around: She wears one of the designer's super-short shorts  which are basically underwear

That bus driver's gotta be happy! She can be seen dancing around on the back of a truck while driving around New York City

Re-creation: She wears a whole ensemble by the designer, as well as the rainbow dreads she and other models wore in their hair during the show

In Irina's particularly sexed-up clip, she wears the hot pink 'micro jean shorts'  which are really just glorified panties  that just debuted on the Marc Jacobs runway.

They're teamed with a fur-sleeved bomber, loud platform boots, and the same rainbow dreads models wore at his show.

She writhes and wiggles on the back of the truck  which was surely quite a sight to see for the lucky drivers of the taxi, New York City bus, and sedans that can at times be seen driving behind her.

Dancing: Joan Smalls also appears in one of Vogue's videos, which are all set to the tune of Freedom by George Michael

Livin' the life: She wears an outfit by Altuzarra and dances on a rooftop

Bad girl: Adriana Lima appears in two clips, wearing a Ralph Lauren outfit and acting like an outlaw in a fancy restaurant in one

Joan Smalls stars in another quick clip wearing a ruffled floral bralette by Altuzarra and a contrasting gingham skirt  which both show off her flat, toned tummy perfectly.

She dances up a storm on a New York City rooftop, using the skirt to her advantage has she shimmies and shakes.

Adriana Lima appears in not one but two videos. In the first, she revisits the same leopard-print babydoll dress she wore at the Marc Jacobs show at New York Fashion Week.

She wears it well: In another, she wears the Marc Jacobs babydoll she wore during his fashion show this month

Girl can move: In that clip, she seems to be doing karaoke while dancing all around the floor

Crowd-pleaser: She writhes and does the splits for the camera, and has earned plenty of likes on Instagram

Supermodel: Her incredibly long legs are on display in the super-short dress

This time, though, she's not a runway but what appears to be a karaoke stage, where she lip syncs into the microphone, writhes on the floor, and even does the splits, flaunting her supermodel-long legs (which have been accessorized with Marc's crazy-tall platform boots).

In her second clip, the Victoria's Secret Angel models Ralph Lauren's Western-meets-motorcycle collection  which he showed this Fashion Week but is actually his fall collection, which is available now.

She really captures the lawlessness of the designs by cutting loose in a fancy restaurant, walking on chairs and stealing glasses of champagne.

Hectic: Anna Ewers appears in several videos for Vogue, including two in Times Square

The only one not in sneakers and a fanny pack: In one, she wears a sequined Tom Ford dress and earns the attention of tourists

Party! She even crowd-surfs during one bit of the musical video

Freedom! For another clip, she changes into a dress by Gypsy Sport and hams it up with a man posing as the Statute of Liberty

Anna Ewers appears in several clips of her own, too. First, she dons a Tory Burch bra top and skirt in the back of a car. Then, she sizzles in a sequin Tom Ford evening gown in Times Square  where she manages to crowd-surf among tourists.

She stays in Times Square to model a dress by Gypsy Sport next to a man dressed as the Statue of Liberty, and is later joined by Imaan Hammam and Andreea Diaconu in Michael Kors ensembles.

Finally, Grace Hartzel gets quirky with her dance moves in a glittering red dress by Rodarte.

She's also joined by Imaan Hammam and Andreea Diaconu for a fashionable clip spotlighting Michael Kors
Exhausted after a hard day at work, its perhaps no surprise that Helen Walker snapped at the sight of the unwashed breakfast dishes in the sink and the overflowing laundry basket.

What on earth, she screamed, have you been doing all day? A not unfamiliar scene. But the focus of Helens ire is not her idle teenage son or daughter. Rather, its Anna, her 58-year-old mother.

For 15 months, Anna has been living under Helens roof after leaving her marriage and the seven-bedroom home she owns with Helens stepfather. Helen admits it has brought their relationship to the brink.

Helen Walker (right), 31, a mother-of-two, has allowed her 58-year-old mother Anna (left) to move back in with her

Lets just say the first few months were testing, says Helen, 31, who is single and owns a three-bedroom semi-detached home near Manchester, where she lives with her twin seven-year-old daughters, Gabriella and Francesca.

Having Mum move in was like having a third child. She was upset and needy, not to mention penniless. When she left her husband, she also walked away from their restaurant business. With an extra mouth to feed, my food bill doubled to 60 a week. All the utility bills shot up, too, not helped by Mums habit of leaving the TV on all night.

More significant tensions emerged over everything from who Helen dated to Annas perceived lack of culinary skills. Im not blameless, Helen confesses. Im a nightmare to live with and I dont know how Mum puts up with my mood swings.

Its little wonder there were explosions. Until June last year, the pair hadnt lived together since Helen left home at 17. And having your mum live under your roof  and by your rules  is the ultimate role reversal.

For 15 months, Anna has been living under Helens roof after leaving her marriage and the seven-bedroom home she owns with Helens stepfather (pictured Helen, with her twin seven-year-old daughters, Gabriella and Francesca)

Helen admitted that it when Anna moved in, she was 'upset and needy' and it was like having a third child. Her food bill also rose to 60 a week

Although there are no official figures on the subject, anecdotally there seems to be a growing trend for babyboomer mothers to move in with their thirty or fortysomething daughters  a surge fuelled by rising divorce rates among the over-50s, who have been dubbed silver splitters.

Divorce rates among the over-50s have risen by three-quarters in the past 20 years, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Add to this the fact that one in four working families relies on grandparents to help with childcare, and you can see why Mum moving in seems the answer to domestic problems.

But be warned. As Helen and Annas case shows, there are significant risks. When Mum moved in, she craved sympathy. But thats not my style, reveals Helen, a university laboratory technician. Im more practical. When I told her to pull herself together, it would often upset her more.

Helen had been dating a man for three months when her mother moved in - taking romantic evenings at home off the menu (pictured Helen as a child with her parents Anna and John)

Helen, too, had relationship troubles. She had been dating a man for three months when her mother moved in  taking romantic evenings at home off the menu, not least because her mother sleeps on a sofa bed in the living room.

The relationship lasted just another seven months.

Mum wasnt the reason we split up, but she certainly told me some home truths which made me realise he wasnt treating me well, Helen adds.

Ive been on a few dates since. Though Im not the kind of girl to bring a man home, I was seeing someone for a while and had to stay at his house when the relationship reached that stage.

So Mum being here has affected my love life. But if she wasnt here to babysit I couldnt have stayed over anyway. I admit thereve been times Ive taken Mum for granted. Suddenly, I had a built-in babysitter, cook and cleaner  although her standards on the domestic front sometimes left a little to be desired.

The relationship lasted just another seven months, with Anna telling Helen some home truths about how the man was treating her (pictured, Anna with Helen and her sister Rachel)

Dr Lynne Jordan, a psychologist specialising in family relationships, says mothers and daughters living together can all too easily turn into a disaster.

If they already have a good relationship, then Mum moving in can provide more of a friendship now theyre both older, she explains. There will be a monumental shift in dynamic, but theres a massive amount the mother can contribute.

Yet theres lots to bear in mind, such as the quality of their existing relationship, how they communicate, and what respect there is for each others lives.

For example, if Mums moving in to help with childcare, what are her limits? Is she a full-time nanny or just helping out? If her marriage has ended, how long will she stay?

Helen admits she was blindsided by her mothers sudden request.

Helen's mother currently sleeps on on a sofa bed in the living room of her three-bedroom semi-detached home near Manchester

I was at work when Mum called and said: Get me a bed ready, Im coming to stay with you!  recalls Helen.

I was relieved she was finally leaving an unhappy marriage, but didnt fully appreciate the enormity of her decision. Shes had to start again with nothing late in life.

We love one another so there was no question she wouldnt move in - though my daughters werent quite so welcoming. They see Mum regularly, but they werent fond of her suddenly being a full-time grandmother who told them what to do.

We love one another so there was no question she wouldnt move in - though my daughters werent quite so welcoming

Helen adds: Mum once rang me at work in tears after Gabriella shouted, I hate you! when shed told her off for chewing with her mouth open. Admittedly, Ive lost my temper at Mum, too. Once, after a stressful day, I flipped when the dinner Mum made tasted awful.

She stormed off and didnt come back for hours. I was worried sick. But, all-in-all, having her here has been a huge help. Weve got back the special relationship we had before my stepdad arrived when I was 12.

Anna says: Weve all struggled in different ways. Ive never felt unwanted, but Im embarrassed. One friend said: Shouldnt it be the other way round? Well, yes, it should. Sleeping in the lounge isnt easy, but Im used to it now. After a shaky start when Helen would shout if the house was untidy, I now pay my way by doing the chores.

Helen McNaughton (left), 66, meanwhile, has been dubbed a live-in Mary Poppins by her daughter, Kerry (right), 40

However, I often feel taken for granted, especially when the girls throw their coats and bags on the floor. And when I want to chat, Helen doesnt listen, she just rants about her day.

Despite the chaos, Anna is glad shes had the chance to live with her daughter again. I feel immensely proud seeing what a terrific job Helen is doing raising her girls alone, she explains.

When Anna moves out into a rented home nearby in the New Year, it will be with mixed feelings. I cant wait to climb into my own bed at night, and I know Helen will be eager to start dating again. But Im going to miss her.

Helen McNaughton, 66, meanwhile, has been dubbed a live-in Mary Poppins by her daughter, Kerry, 40. For a decade, Helen has lived in Kerrys home for the four days a week that her banker son-in-law Craig, 50, is away.

For a decade, Helen has lived in Kerrys home for the four days a week that her banker son-in-law Craig, 50, is away

Helen takes care of everything from the school run to walking the dog, cooking and supervising homework. Kerry, a PE teacher, says she couldnt have managed her career and her three daughters Cara, 18, Katie, 11, and Sarah, ten, otherwise.

But, deep down, Kerry often feels guilty about taking advantage.

Mum has always said she doesnt want a man in her life, but I wish wed given her more time for herself when the children were smaller  perhaps she could have met somebody.

There have also been irritations when Kerry perceives her mother to be taking her husbands side in arguments. There have been times when Craig and I have been in a heated discussion, when Mum has discreetly left the room. But she usually reappears when things cool down and takes his side, which really irritates me.

As well as this, Kerry has been almost usurped in her position as mother by Helen. My eldest daughter, Cara, would probably go to Mum with a problem before she came to me.

Kerry, a PE teacher, says she couldnt have managed her career and her three daughters Cara, 18, Katie, 11, and Sarah, ten, otherwise (all pictured)

Helen started living with them from Monday to Friday when Kerry's youngest child Sarah was almost one. Now the girls are older, she has reduced her days to four

Sensibly, Kerry says she doesnt let this upset her because Cara and I are close, too, and it was almost inevitable because of the huge role Mum has.

Kerry, whose parents separated when she was ten, remembers her childhood as homely and caring.

Its precisely the environment Mums created for us, too, says Kerry, who lives in a five-bedroom Edinburgh house, where Helen has her own bedroom and bathroom.

It was after their third daughter was born that Kerry and Craig mooted the idea of Helen, whose home is 30 minutes away, living with them during the week.

Mum wasnt happy in her retail management job and Craig and I had no reservations about rescuing her from that.

Helen takes care of everything from the school run to walking the dog, cooking and supervising homework

Helen started living with them from Monday to Friday when Sarah was almost one. Now the girls are older, she has reduced her days to four.

We dont pay her exactly, but we look after her. She holidays with us in places like Australia, Florida and Turkey. And if when shes older she needs help, well move her in permanently and care for her the way shes cared for us.

Sometimes mothers move in with their daughters because they themselves need care.

Marketing executive Lisa Bowerss mother Yvonne, 64, moved into her three-bedroom home in Coulsdon, Surrey, following a stroke in 2014. Lisa, who is 38 and single, was suddenly faced with the daunting task of caring for her sick mother and her three-year-old daughter, Delila.

Marketing executive Lisa Bowerss mother Yvonne, 64, moved into her three-bedroom home in Coulsdon, Surrey, following a stroke in 2014

Yvonne, a widow, worked for fashion house Chanel for 28 years, but the stroke changed her life completely.

Lisa says: Mum spent two weeks in hospital, then needed round-the-clock care, so I asked her to live with me. Luckily, Ive been on an extended maternity break from my marketing career so was able to do so.

But those initial months were incredibly hard for all three of us. Mums independence had disappeared overnight  and so did mine.

Any romance, any social life, was put on hold. Mum had six months of intensive therapy to learn to use her right hand again, during which time I had to help her with everything from getting dressed up to cutting her food.

Delila was also reliant upon me and I was constantly trying to ensure both needs were met.

Although Yvonne has slowly learned to speak and walk again, she is unable to cook or drive. Now, however, she is venturing out on her own.

Lisa, who is 38 and single, was suddenly faced with the daunting task of caring for her sick mother and her three-year-old daughter, Delila

Yvonne (pictured aged 27), a widow, worked for fashion house Chanel for 28 years. But the stroke changed her life

Ill drive Mum to the station so she can visit friends, and she did the same for me as a teenager, Lisa adds. Out of awful circumstances, our bond has been strengthened even more. But its been exhausting.

Dating has also been difficult since Yvonne moved in. For a long time I couldnt think about finding anyone special, but as Mums health has improved I have started going out more with friends and have met someone.

Yvonne still has her own three-bedroom home, which she hopes to move back to once her confidence has improved.

Shes only 64, so its important she has her own life again and I have mine, even though well still see each other every day, says Lisa. For now, though, I love having her here and knowing that shes safe and cared for.

Although Yvonne has slowly learned to speak and walk again, she is unable to cook or drive. Now, however, she is venturing out on her own (pictured aged 50 with Lisa, then 23)

Yvonne still has her own three-bedroom home, which she hopes to move back to once her confidence has improved

Yvonne concurs: Lisas my only child and knows me better than anyone else. Even when I couldnt speak after the stroke, she still knew what I was thinking.

Ive been on my own since being widowed 12 years ago, and its been wonderful being here. Delila often holds my hand when were walking to make sure you dont fall over, Nana.

I shall be forever indebted to Lisa and grateful for this unexpected time weve had together again.

Not every mother and daughter could navigate this delicate role reversal so successfully.
Mary is in the US for a business tour and has worn a series of floral prints

The event came after she attended another event in Washington, D.C

Mary was elegant in a floor-length strapless gown with a bold print

She attended the event with her husband, Crown Prince Frederik

Princess Mary attended a gala ball at the Arts and Industry building

Crown Princess Mary was the belle of the ball when she stepped out in a strapless gown in Washington, D.C.

The mother-of-four is currently in the US on a business tour with her husband Crown Prince Frederik, and on Wednesday the couple attended a gala ball.

Mary wore a printed strapless gown with pops of purple, blue and red for the event held in the in the Smithsonian Arts and Industry building, a large bunch of red roses in her hand.

The dress is just one in a series of floral gowns and printed dresses the princess has worn in the last week.

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Belle of the ball: Crown Princess Mary attended a gala ball in the US with her husband Crown Prince Frederik

Future queen of style: The stunning gown by Danish designer Julie Fagerholt Heartmade swept along the carpet behind the crown princess who wore her long hair in an elegant do

The 44-year-old royal was a picture of elegance in the floor-length gown by Danish designer Julie Fagerholt Heartmade.

Mary first wore the dress, that features a fitted bodice and full skirt, on a tour of New York in 2009 to attend the American-Scandinavian Foundation Dinner.

This time she paired the colourful design with a black patent clutch and large sapphire earrings, her long hair swept back in a loose do at the nape of her neck.

Stunning: Mary arrived alongside her husband Crown Prince Frederik who wore a navy suit with a black bow tie

Favouring florals: In the past week Mary has worn two floral dresses, including a yellow printed number (left) and a delicate white gown with a flower print (right)

Full bloom: Mary wore the stunning gown to attend the Carlsberg Foundation Research awards in Copenhagen, breaking up her US trip

The stylish outfit was just one in a series of pretty prints the princess has worn over the past week.

On the same day as the ball, Princess Mary attended the Chamber of Commerce in Washington in a soft white dress with a floral print.

Mary kept her accessories to a minimum with a pair of simple ink drop earrings and suede blue pumps.

Again, she held a large bouquet of flowers in her hand, gifted to her by a young girl named Mia Heltberg, 7.

Delighted: Mary was gifted a large bouquet of flowers from a young girl names Mia Heltberg, 7

Posy for a princess: Mary smiled ofr the camera with her large bouquet of flowers in Copenhagen

She continued the floral theme with a bright yellow dress to present the Carlsberg Foundation Research awards in Copenhagen.

She paired the look with black patent pumps and carried another large posy of flowers.

The same week, Mary visited the Danish ambassador's residence in Washington, D.C. with her husband Prince Frederik.

While she did not wear florals or a print, the Princess was bold in a royal blue jumpsuit by luxury women's brand, YDE, which is based in Copenhagen.

Chic: Crown Princess Mary of Denmark is known for her adventurous and effortlessly elegant sense of style

All smiles: Never one to shy away from a bold look, Princess Mary donned a royal blue jumpsuit by luxury women's brand, YDE, which is based in Copenhagen

Favourite look: This isn't the first time Princess Mary has worn the YDE jumpsuit and was first photographed in the outfit in May, 2016, at a Women Deliver Conference (left and right)

The feminine design, which was created by Danish designer Ole, retails for around AUD $1,100, is made with 100 per cent silk and features a hidden zip up the back.

She paired the look with simple gold jewellery and a pair of classic nude pumps.

This isn't the first time Princess Mary has worn the YDE jumpsuit, with the mother-of-four first photographed in the outfit in May, 2016, at a Women Deliver Conference in Copenhagen.

Elegant: The feminine design, which was created by Danish designer Ole, retails for around AUD $1,100, is made with 100 per cent silk and features a hidden zip up the back

Genuine: She paired the look with simple gold jewellery and a pair of classic nude pumps

Happy couple: Prince Frederik joined his wife for the reception, which was one of many official events scheduled for their business promotions campaign in the United States

Prince Frederik joined his wife for the reception, which was one of many official events scheduled for their business promotions campaign in the United States.

While there, the pair also met with specially invited representatives from the arts, cultural and diplomatic worlds.

Throughout the evening Prince Frederik was snapped shooting his wife a number of adoring looks as they sat together in the front row.

Royal duties: While there, the pair also met with specially invited representatives from the arts, cultural and diplomatic worlds

In love: Throughout the evening Prince Frederik was snapped shooting his wife a number of adoring looks as they sat together in the front row

A new exhibition titled 'Arts in Embassy' was also opened which included pieces of modern Danish art.

Princess Mary will remain in the United Sates with Prince Frederik until September 30 will attend a number of events revolving around business planning, environmental issues, agriculture and health.

They will also visit Boston, where they are scheduled to attend a number of sustainability events and a business networking dinner.
Brits will have '104 moments of passion' in average table's lifetime

More than 78 per cent of UK families don't sit down to eat dinner at table

The dinner table was once considered the cornerstone of a family home, the place where everyone could get together at least once a day to spend time with each other.

But new research has revealed that UK families are more likely to use the dinner table for arguing, making bombshell announcements and sex than for eating food.

More than 78 per cent of Brits do not sit down at the dinner table to eat every day, with 23 meals eaten on the sofa every month, according to the study.

More than 78 per cent of Brits do not sit down at the dinner table to eat every day, with 23 meals eaten on the sofa every month, according to the study by Giovanni Rana

And 62 per cent don't consider the dining table to be the heart of the home, says the research.

Instead, the average dining table will see 132 arguments, 93 bombshell announcements, 594 homework sessions and even 104 'moments of passion' before it's replaced every 10.18 years on average, according to the study of 2,000 people by Italian food giant Giovanni Rana.

The research says the table will also see 259 tantrums by children, 1,995 food and drink spills and 1,890 hours of admin or work - the equivalent of 236 eight-hour shifts.

And when we do use the table for eating, we only spend 10 minutes a day on average tucking into our food, says the study.

The research was commissioned by the founder of Giovanni Rana, who bears the same name, to encourage more people to sit down as a family at the dinner table again.

The average dinner table will see 132 family arguments (pictured posed by models) before it's replaced every 10.18 years on average, according to the study

He said: 'I have always passionately believed that the dinner table should be a place for sharing fresh and nourishing food and flavours with friends and family.

'This has been my belief since I decided to become a pasta maker more than 50 years ago.'

THE SECRET LIFE OF A DINNER TABLE ACTIVITY PER LIFETIME (10.18 years) MEALS EATEN 2451 SUNDAY LUNCHES 100 ARGUMENTS 132 MOMENTS OF PASSION 104 SITTING AT TABLE 1229.24 HOURS BOMBSHELL ANNOUNCEMENTS 93 PIECES OF FAMILY NEWS 374 DRINKS SPILT 836 MEALS UNFINISHED 1101 FOOD SPILLS 1159 ASLEEP AT TABLE 312 CHILD TANTRUMS 259 HOMEWORK SESSIONS 594 WORK AT TABLE 302 HOURS TIDYING OR SETTING TABLE 249 HOURS

The study found that just 0.8 per cent of a UK adult's lifetime will be spent at the dinner table, with 17,660 meals eaten on the sofa instead.

They will also have 806 arguments at the table during their life, while a table will see 132 until it's replaced.

More than 300 people will fall asleep at the table during its lifespan, while the average Brit will spend 4,864 hours sitting down at the table during their lifetime.

Clinical psychologist Dr Nihara Krause said: 'Making time to incorporate a family meal together is a simple, enjoyable and effective way of building emotional resilience and social connection.
If your teenage son or daughter is blighted by acne, they can take heart.

For while they may feel greasy and unattractive at the moment, by middle age they will be the envy of their peers.

British research shows that acne sufferers cells have built-in protection against ageing that is likely to keep them looking younger than their years.

So while their former classmates bemoan the appearance of crows feet and other wrinkles and crinkles, their skin is more likely to maintain a youthful lustre.

Acne sufferers cells have built-in protection against ageing that is likely to keep them looking younger than their years

The suggestion comes from Kings College London researchers who studied tiny structures called telomeres.

These are caps on the ends of chromosomes that protect the DNA in them from damage, much like caps on shoelaces prevent fraying. Thought of as tiny biological clocks, telomeres get shorter as we age and eventually become so short that cells die.

Previous studies have found men and women with long telomeres tend to be biologically younger than those of the same age but with shorter ones. All in all, telomeres are considered so important that the scientists who discovered them seven years ago were awarded a Nobel Prize for medicine.

The Kings College study measured the telomeres in the white blood cells of more than 1,200 twins, a quarter of whom had suffered from acne.

Telomeres were significantly longer in those who had a spotty adolescence, even when factors such as age were taken into account.

A second experiment looking at skin samples showed that a cluster of genes involved in cell death was less active in acne sufferers.

Dermatologists have long noted that the skin of acne patients seems to age more slowly, with wrinkles and thinning appearing much later.

It was thought excessive oil production contributed to their Peter Pan looks, but the rest of the biology was unknown.

Lead researcher Dr Simone Ribero said: Our findings suggest that the cause could be linked to the length of telomeres which appears to be different in acne sufferers and means their cells may be protected against ageing.

Co-author Dr Veronique Bataille added: Longer telomeres are likely to be one factor explaining the protection against premature skin ageing in individuals who previously suffered from acne.

Dermatologists have long noted that the skin of acne patients seems to age more slowly, with wrinkles and thinning appearing much later

Previous research from the same university has suggested adults with lots of moles may also look younger for longer. The latest study is reported in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

Dr Bataille said that while teenage acne sufferers do not listen to her when she tells them they are going to look fantastic in their 40s and 50s, women in their 20s tend to be more interested.

Longer telomeres also tend to signal stronger bones and a less frail old age, meaning dealing with spots may have more than one silver lining. Dr Bataille said: Its nice to know that theres a positive aspect to having acne.

She added that learning more about the genetic process could lead to new acne drugs, as well as anti-ageing treatments.
A schoolgirl who thought she had a food allergy actually had a rare tumour made up of teeth, hair and even brain in her ovary.

Kezia Denne, 16, suffered from stomach pains throughout her childhood, which she put down to a gluten intolerance.

When she was 12, the pain became so severe she was rushed to hospital and spent days there being tested.

Doctors revealed she had a germ cell tumour - immature teratoma - which she has had since she was born.

She underwent four rounds of chemotherapy - but it was unsuccessful. She eventually had an operation to remove most of the cancer.

But doctors have said she will have to return for regular check-ups for the rest of her life to make sure the remaining part of the tumour doesn't grow.



Kezia Denne, 16, suffered from stomach pains throughout her childhood, which she put down to a gluten intolerance. When she was 12, doctors revealed she had a germ cell tumour - immature teratoma - days after being rushed to hospital complaining of severe pain

Kezia, from Elstead, Surrey, said: 'It just started with a sudden stitch in my stomach, which I thought was quite odd because I hadn't been running around.

'I only had a few more lessons so I didn't want to go home but it progressively got worse.

'If I coughed or laughed, it would be excruciating. I knew it was something serious.'

Kezia complained of a stabbing pain in her stomach when she came home after school.

Her father, Chris, 58, and mother Linda, 60, rushed her to hospital worried she may have had appendicitis.

She was taken to the paediatric unit and spent days in hospital before doctors pinpointed the exact cause of her excruciating pain.

She underwent four rounds of chemotherapy - but it was unsuccessful. She eventually had an operation to remove most of the cancer

Kezia is now supporting Stand Up To Cancer, a joint national fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4 to accelerate new cancer treatments to patients and save more lives (pictured with mother Linda, 60)

Following the operation, doctors said she will have to return for regular check-ups for the rest of her life to make sure the remaining part of the tumour doesn't grow

Scans revealed Kezia had an 18cm tumour and she had an urgent operation to remove her left ovary - where the mass sat.

They later discovered that she had another tumour on her liver and smaller cysts spread throughout her body.

She was devastated when she found out she needed chemotherapy to stop the growth of the other tumours in her body.

Her long brown locks slowly fell out and Kezia would not leave her house without a wig because she was worried people would stare.

Kezia said: 'I was young and I didn't understand what chemotherapy was but I did know it meant I would lose my hair.

'I didn't realise how sick it made you feel as well. It was awful.'

'I didn't want people to think I was ugly but it was so warm and uncomfortable.

'I really wish now that I had just had the confidence not to because it would have been so much easier.'

She had the treatment three days a week but after four rounds, doctors told her that the chemotherapy wasn't working.

Finally, in 2014, Kezia was told she was in remission and she was delighted to be able to return to school. Despite her illness, Kezia excelled and this summer she completed her GCSEs achieving four A* grades, three As and two Bs

The only way to stop the cancer growing was to remove it and Kezia needed another operation on her liver.

She went on to have another three procedures and was told they couldn't remove it all.

Doctors said she would have to come back for regular check-ups throughout her life to make sure they don't grow.

WHAT IS AN IMMATURE TERATOMA? Immature teratomas come from germ cells, which form human eggs and can create hair, teeth and bone, among other structure They are believed to be present at birth, but are often not discovered until later in life. They are a rare form of germ cell tumour and a re usually diagnosed in girls and young women up to their early 20s. They are called immature because the cancer cells are at a very early stage of development. Most immature teratomas of the ovary are cured, even if they are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Advertisement

Her family spent months sitting by her bedside as she was treated in hospital.

Kezia said: 'It was really hard seeing my family upset.

'There was one time in hospital that they had to put a tube down my nose and my brother and sister were watching me.

'They were crying and it was distressing seeing them so upset.'

Finally, in 2014, Kezia was told she was in remission and she was delighted to be able to return to school.

Despite her illness, Kezia excelled and this summer she completed her GCSEs achieving four A* grades, three As and two Bs.

She is now studying for A-levels in philosophy, psychology, English literature and drama and aims to go to university after.

"I'm looking to the future," she said, "Hopefully I'll go to university after this.

Kezia is supporting Stand Up To Cancer, a joint national fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4 to accelerate new cancer treatments to patients and save more lives.

She has also completed a skydive to raise money for Teens Unite - a cancer charity for teenagers

To get involved this October and help beat cancer sooner, visit standuptocancer.org.uk
A baby boy who looks like an 80-year-old man actually has a rare condition which causes him to age quickly.

Born in Magura, Bangladesh, he has wrinkles, hollow eyes, a shrunken body and a thick layer of hair on his back.

Local doctors were left stunned as to what the cause of his ageing is - but they believe he has progeria.

The condition - which affects just one in four million - often restricts children from having a normal life and causes their body to age faster than it should.

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Born in Magura, Bangladesh, the baby boy has wrinkles, hollow eyes, a shrunken body and a thick layer of hair on his back

A doctor, who had been treating him, said: 'The baby does not look like a new born at all.

'There are prominent sings of ageing such a excessive wrinkles and rough skin texture.'

But his parents are over the moon with the birth of their 'miracle' child and can't hold back their happiness.

Father Biswajit Patro said: 'We can only thank God. There is no need to be unhappy about the appearance of my son.

Local doctors have been left stunned as to what the cause of his ageing is - but they believe he has progeria

Also known as Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), the condition affects just one in four million and often restricts children from having a normal life

His family remain positive he will grow up healthily despite most children with the condition not living past the age of 13 (pictured the hair on his back)

'We will accept him the way he is. We are so happy to have a baby boy in the house.

'We are already blessed to have to have a daughter. Now we are a family of four. What else can we ask for.'

WHAT IS PROGERIA? Progeria is a rare genetic condition that causes a childs body to age faster than it should. Most children with the condition  which affects just one in every 4million births worldwide  dont live past the age of 13. It is caused by a single mistake in a particular gene, which causes it to make abnormal protein. When cells use this protein, called progerin, they break down more easily. Progerin builds up in many cells of children with progeria, thereby causing them to age more quickly. Although most children with the condition appear healthy when they are born, they start to show signs of the disease during their first year. Advertisement

Mr Patro and his wife, Parul, have had many curious people visit their home in a quest to catch a glimpse of their son.

The doctors at the local hospital have assured the family the baby will do well for now.

His family remain positive he will grow up healthily despite most children with the condition not living past the age of 13.

Progeria, also known as Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), is caused by a single mistake in a gene which causes it to make an abnormal protein.

When cells use the protein - called progerin - they break down more easily.

Progerin builds up in many cells of children with progeria, causing them to age more quickly.
Women taking hormonal contraceptives may be at increased risk of depression, a study has found.

Those using skin patches which deliver a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone were most likely to be prescribed an antidepressant.

Users of the ring and coil were 60 and 40 per cent more likely respectively, scientists discovered.

Women on the most popular type of Pill were 23 per cent more likely to be prescribed an antidepressant than non-users.

While teenagers on the Pill appeared to be more vulnerable than older women, experts found.

Women on the most popular type of Pill were 23 per cent more likely to be prescribed an antidepressant than non-users, scientists found

Scientists suspect a link with progesterone, which has been shown to have a negative effect on mood during the menstrual cycle.

Lead researcher Dr Ojvind Lidegaard, from the University of Copenhagen, said: 'Further studies are warranted to examine depression as a potential adverse effect of hormonal contraceptive use.'

For the study, researchers analysed data from national registries in Denmark that included more than a million teenage girls and adult women aged 15 to 34.

Over an average period of six years, participants taking combined oral contraceptives containing a mixture of hormones were shown to be 23 per cent more likely than non-users to be treated with antidepressants for the first time.

Users of progestin-only pills which rely on synthetic progesterone had a 34 per cent increased risk.

Women using contraceptive patches, also containing progestin, were twice as much at risk.

Scientists suspect a link with progesterone, which has been shown to have a negative effect on mood during the menstrual cycle (stock)

For teenagers aged 15 to 19, use of the combined Pill led to an 80 per cent greater chance of being prescribed antidepressants.

The relative risks of having a diagnosis of depression mirrored those for being treated for the condition.

The study authors said both progesterone and its female sex hormone partner oestrogen were suspected of playing a role in depression.

HOW THE PILL COULD PROTECT WOMEN FROM FLU Taking the contraceptive pill could protect women from the worst effects of the flu, scientists claim. Progesterone, found in most forms of birth control helps to stave off influenza, a study discovered. When infected, levels of the hormone in the body decline - but certain forms of contraception allow for more of it to remain in the system. Women of reproductive age are twice as likely as men to suffer from complications related to the flu. But it is hoped the discovery means these hormones could one day be used as a treatment for the virus in women. Advertisement

Progesterone break down chemicals, or metabolites, have been shown to affect an important inhibitory system in the central nervous system.

Levels of the metabolites also increased after ovulation during the menstrual cycle and some women experienced negative moods at this time.

The findings supported the theory that progesterone might be linked to depression because 'progestin dominates combined and progestin-only contraceptives', researchers said.

Dr Channa Jayasena, from the Society for Endocrinology and Imperial College London, said: 'This study raises important questions about the Pill.

'In over a million Danish women, depression was associated with contraceptive Pill use.

'The study does not prove (and does not claim) that the Pill plays any role in the development of depression. However, we know hormones play a hugely important role in regulating human behaviour.

'Given the enormous size of this study, further work is needed to see if these results can be repeated in other populations, and to determine possible biological mechanisms which might underlie any possible link between the Pill and depression.
Earlier this year, Chris Christie appointee David Wildstein pleaded guilty to ordering lane closings on the George Washington bridge in 2003 to punish a New Jersey mayor for not supporting Christie's gubernatorial bid. Wildstein is now a star witness against two other people in Christie's inner circle who've been charged with conspiring to close the bridge lanes. Testifying in federal court today, Wildstein said that when Christie was told about the plot, Christie laughed and joked about it.

From New York:

"Mr. Baroni said, 'Governor I have to tell you about something,'" Wildstein testified, saying that Baroni and Christie often adopted a "very sarcastic tone" when they were talking politics. "Mr. Baroni said to Governor Christie, 'Governor, I can tell you there's a tremendous amount of traffic in Fort Lee this morning, major traffic jams, and Mayor [Mark] Sokolich is very frustrated." He alleged that Baroni then added, "You'll be pleased to know that Mayor Sokolich is having trouble getting his telephone calls returned."

According to Wildstein, Christie replied with similar sarcasm, "I imagine he wouldn't be getting his phone calls returned."  The governor still called Wildstein by the pseudonym he used on the [influential political blog] website, "Wally Edge." So Christie surely understood the import of what Baroni allegedly told him next: "Mr. Baroni said to Governor Christie that I was monitoring the traffic, I was watching over everything," Wildstein testified. "Governor Christie said in the sarcastic tone of the conversation, 'Well. I'm sure Mr. Edge would not be involved in anything political." Then, Wildstein said, "he laughed."

"This was our one constituent. I was pleasing my one constituent," Wildstein said. "I was proud of it. I was happy that he's happy."
While the nation is still mourning the Uri Attack in which 18 Indian soldiers were killed, for India's members of Parliament it's business as usual.

Forget National Security, their priority is clearly more perks like preferential treatments while flying and a pay rise.

After demanding a steep increase in salary, Mondays joint committee on salaries and allowances was all about better facilities.

Champagne lifestyle for India's MPs? The demands have irked the aviation industry considering such demands were generally placed before state-owned Air India

The meeting was attended by top officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Aviation Secretary and officials from different airlines such as Jet Airways and Vistara.

The set of demands submitted by the MPs include no surge pricing for MPs, preference for front row seats, and preference during check-ins.

In a bizarre move they also reportedly asked for free access to executive lounges at the airports.

Army personnel try to console the wife of Havildar Ashok Kumar Singh who was killed in militant attack in Uri

Sources say, a demand of preference during boarding and de-boarding aircrafts were also made.

It has irked the aviation industry considering such demands were generally placed before state-owned Air India.

The set of demands submitted by the MPs include no surge pricing for MPs, preference for front row seats, preference during check-ins

But for the first time such elaborate favours were sought from private airlines as well.

Sources said that many private airlines were not too keen to send their representatives for this meeting.

But only at the insistence of the ministry of civil aviation they decided to send one.

Rejection

Sources say many demands were clearly rejected by the private airlines.

One of them is keeping an amount of front row seats for member of Parliament.

The source also confirmed to India Today that airlines objected to MPs demand to abolish the difference between a minimum and maximum fare.

A top official of a private airlines, told India Today on condition of anonymity: We are here to do business and ticket pricing is determined according to the demand-supply ratio. How can we change that?

A woman lights candles during a vigil for the soldiers who were killed in Uri

Now if thats not all, there's more. Without demanding officially, MPs have also demanded free meals when they fly with their companions.

The idea of discounted ticket was also floated by one MP.

Whats interesting is this committee has representation from across political parties. Though it's headed by BJPs Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath but has representation from the Congress, Trinamool Congress, Janta Dal Secular and AIADMK.

Timing

When contacted, Yogi Adityanath denied being present at the meeting and refused to answer questions.

He said: I was not there at the meeting. Please contact those who were there.

But at a time when families of 18 brave martyrs are still grieving and figuring out how to go about in life without their sole bread-winner and when the government is considering abrogating treaties with Pakistan to give a befitting reply, this new set of unreasonable demands of our MPs are anything but timely.
Thanks to new broken exclusively by Mail Today earlier this week, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has pulled up the Border Security Force on the continuing problem of cattle smuggling on the eastern border.

The meeting was called at the North Block to discuss the functioning and lapses in border areas.

BSF is the first line of defence both at the eastern and western international border.

Scroll down for video...

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has pulled up the Border Security Force on the continuing problem of cattle smuggling on the eastern border

The Home Minister also expressed concern over the continued infiltration.

Mail Today were the first to expose the continued cattle smuggling despite claims that it had decreased compared to the previous years.

Singh wanted to know why lapses continue in checking cattle smuggling and narcotics.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has advised the BSF to have better coordination with state police to prevent any illegal activity.

Mail Today were the first to expose the continued cattle smuggling despite claims that it had decreased compared to the previous years

It was acknowledged that BSF could be facing difficulties at the borders, but it cannot pass the buck in connection to continued infiltration.

The force was clearly told that there should be zero infiltration in areas controlled by the BSF.

The home minister chaired the meeting with top brass of BSF, instructing them to develop a real-time intelligence grid with state police force.

Holy Cow: Cattle smugglers have restored to cruel methods to get cows over the Indo-Bangladeshi border

That BSF needs to act on the intelligence gathered at the border and work in tandem with state police forces to effectively check infiltration, and smuggling of cattle and drugs.

The home ministry has asked the BSF to plug all holes along the international borders and plans to implement the Madhukar Gupta Committee report which has asked the central ministry to add seven layers of security, including that of digital and physical surveillance equipment.
There's a bit of good news for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Central government has decided to launch the free Liquefied Petroleum Gas distribution (LPG) scheme under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana in the state.

On Wednesday, Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan will be in the state to launch the Ujjwala scheme.

The Central government has decided to launch the free Liquefied petroleum gas distribution (LPG) scheme under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana in Jammu and Kashmir

According to officials, Pradhan will launch the scheme from Jammu and Srinagar on Wednesday and separate events have been planned to mark the occasion.

A senior official of the petroleum ministry said the main purpose of the scheme is to ensure that the poor people of India get the benefit of LPG connection and Jammu and Kashmir cannot remain an exception.

Women residing in hilly areas generally use firewood for cooking and it is a difficult task to procure this.

Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

"The government has decided to address their problems and lend them a helping hand by providing them LPG connections.

"Distributorship will also be increased to ensure supply of cylinders in the coming days, said an official.

He also added that the concerned department is also looking into the possibility of setting up small bottling plants in Srinagar and other hilly locations in India.

While it is not easy to launch new distributorship and ensure proper supply of cylinders in hilly area, the officials said the government is determined to do its best to provide clean fuel to households.

Officials said this is an outreach programme to counter the current turbulence in the state of Kashmir.

The Kashmiri people have not had any good news for a number of months

Many local parties and separatist outfits complain that the Centre has ignored the state so far. But the launch of this flagship scheme is a reply to their charges. It is basically meant for welfare of the people of the state, added the official.

Ujjwala Yojana was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Uttar Pradesh on May 1 this year to provide clean cooking fuel to women belonging to the BPL households across the country.

The Central government is making all efforts to make it successful in Uttar Pradesh as it believes that this could prove to be a game-changer in connecting with the people in the state.

An Assembly election is expected in Uttar Pradesh early next year. So far, the scheme has been launched in many states across the country.
A day after India told the United Nations that Islamabad has no place in the comity of nations, India summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit to inform him that two guides accompanying infiltrators in the Uri attack belonged to Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).

This is the second time since the Uri attack that Basit was made to appear before Indian officials.

India claimed that two guides who helped the terrorists cross the border were apprehended by local villagers.

India has summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit to inform him that two guides accompanying infiltrators in the Uri attack belonged to Muzaffarabad in PoK

They are now in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which is probing the attack in which 18 soldiers were killed.

The Pakistani envoy was told that the guides were apprehended by locals on September 21 and handed over to the local police.

The two have been identified as Faizal Hussain Awan, 20, and Yasin Khursheed 19.

While Faizal is the son of one Gul Akbar, a resident of Potha Jahangir in Muzaffarabad; Yasin is the son of one Mohammed Khurshid, a resident of Khiliana Kalan, also in Muzaffarabad.

The Pakistani envoy was also told that a Pakistani national, identified as Abdul Qayoom of Sialkot, was apprehended in Molu sector on September 23.

Qayoom has told interrogators that he had crossed the border after undergoing training at a Lashkar-e-Toiba camp for three weeks. He also donated funds to Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation, considered to the LeTs frontal organisation.

We are willing to provide the Pakistan High Commission consular access to these three individuals apprehended in connection with terrorist attacks in India, the foreign secretary told the Pakistani envoy.

The Pakistani envoy was also told that a Pakistani national, identified as Abdul Qayoom of Sialkot, was apprehended in Molu sector on September 23

Awan, one of the guides, also identified one of the terrorists killed in the Uri attack as Hafiz Ahmed, also of Muzaffarabad.

He also named their handlers as Kabir Awan and Basharat.

Pakistan, however remained in denial, with its government officials not willing to accept that the attack originated from its territory and demanded international probe.

Kashmiri people carry dead body of 11 years old Nasir Shafi in Harwan area on the outskirts of Srinagar

Confronting Pakistan with the proof of its involvement is one of the many steps that has been taken by the BJP-led government to expose Islamabads double standards in dealing with terrorism.

At the military level, the Indian Air Force is conducting extensive exercises under the western command, bordering Pakistan.

The army has intensified operations across the Line of Control.

At the diplomatic level, India has launched an aggressive campaign to isolate Pakistan.

Apart from this, India is also rethinking on the Indus Water Treaty that regulates the flow of six rivers from India to Pakistan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not travel to Islamabad for the 19th SAARC summit in November.

The decision is seen to be in line with his efforts to isolate Pakistan in the sub-continent.

If sources are to be believed, Modis gamble has actually paid off, with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan also deciding to boycott the summit in view of state-sponsored terror harming regional interests.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not travel to Islamabad for the 19th SAARC summit in November. The decision is seen to be in line with his efforts to isolate Pakistan in the sub-continent. (Pictured - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif effigies)

India has conveyed to the current SAARC chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Member States by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad in November 2016, Vikas Swaroop, spokesperson for MEA said in a statement.

India remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in an atmosphere free of terror. In the prevailing circumstances, the government of India is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad, he added.

It is not just New Delhi, but Kabul and Dhaka that have also raised serious objections to Pakistan-sponsored terror in their countries.

And there is a new template of regional cooperation excluding Pakistan that Modi is seen to be encouraging.

The 8th BRICS Summit will be held in Goa on October 15 & 16. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are holding a summit meeting.

"The Government has also invited Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand for talks on economy and counter terrorism, top sources told India Today.

The BIMSTEC countries will also take part in deliberations on economic progress and growth along with effective steps that need to be taken to counter terrorism.

Demonstrators react as they burn the Pakistan national flag during a protest organised by activists of Bajrang Dal, a Hindu hardline group

Pakistan is not invited for this summit.

At the end of this summit a GOA declaration is expected to guide the region and provide a road map for developing economies.

With this template India is making it clear that it is Pakistan-sponsored terror that is holding back development of the entire region.

"India is cooperating with Afghanistan extensively in every aspect. Pakistan is holding back road accessibility.
BK Bansal (pictured) and his son, Yogesh, were found dead in their east Delhi apartment this week, nearly two months after the former bureaucrats wife and daughter committed suicide

A former bureaucrat who committed suicide along with his entire family has named and blamed five CBI officers and a neighbour for harassment, abuse and torture.

Writing in his death note, Ex-director general in the corporate affairs ministry Bal Kishan Bansal accused a deputy inspector general, a superintendent of police and a deputy superintendent of police for the extreme actions taken by the four members of the family.

The 60-year-old said in his death letter that he was very upset as his wife and daughter were 'murdered' by the CBI and he had no reason to live.

In the second raid, officers told my wife and daughter that they would chop me and my son into bits and feed us to dogs, he wrote.

They tortured them so much that they committed suicide. The CBI director should imitate a probe.

BK Bansal and his son, Yogesh, were found dead in their east Delhi apartment this week, nearly two months after the former bureaucrats wife and daughter committed suicide following a raid by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at their home.

We have examined the matter and decided to probe the allegations, the agency said in a statement.

CBI is fully committed to conduct investigation in a fair and professional manner without harassment to any one and strictly within the parameters of law.

"If any violation is established during the probe, strict action will be taken against the CBI officials concerned.

The former bureaucrats wife and daughter committed suicide following a raid by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at their home

The agency arrested Bansal in July for allegedly accepting a Rs 9- lakh bribe from a prominent pharmaceutical firm to scuttle a probe against the Mumbai-based company.

He belonged to the Indian Corporate Law Services and was promoted to the post of director general of corporate affairs last year.

Even if I was guilty, why torture my wife and daughter? Bansal wrote.

This was murder of two women; it cant be called suicide. I want a lie-detector test of all these officers.

According to the suicide notes of Bansal and Yogesh,they were tortured mentally and physically, eventually forcing the family to commit suicide.

Yogesh has also accused a neighbour of mentally harassing the family.

My mother and sisters death is not actually suicide; it is murder, he wrote.

These five CBI officers and one of our neighbours living in same building in flat number 4-D, Bimal Singla, harassed us and made fun of us.

According to the suicide notes of Bansal and Yogesh (pictured), they were tortured mentally and physically, eventually forcing the family to commit suicide

Bansals suicide note says DIG Gautam boasted of his proximity to a top BJP leader.

The issue has given Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal ammunition to attack the rival party and he has demanded an explanation.

AAP supporters pointed out on social media that the officer named in the letter also led the raids against a top aide of the CM, who has been accused of corruption.

A special CBI court gave Bansal interim bail from July 20 to August 21 so he could attend the last rites of his wife Satyabala, 57, and daughter Neha, 27.

He had then told the judge, My son is sitting like a statue. I fear he too will do what his mother and sister did.

He later got bail on August 30.

The investigating body will also verify the authenticity of the suicide notes even as Bansal and his son were cremated in their native Hisar district in Haryana on Wednesday.

Delhi Police officials though stayed quiet on the matter.

Sorry, I would not like to speak about this. The matter is with the CBI, said special commissioner, law and order (north), SBK Singh.

Legal experts say police MUST register case and launch a probe

The CBI officers involved with the investigation of BK Bansals case should be called for investigation and a case should be registered by the Delhi Police, say legal experts.

According to these experts, it would be a travesty of justice if the agency itself investigates the suicide of the Bansal family where allegations have been levelled against CBI sleuths over high-handedness.

Senior lawyer KK Manan told Mail Today: Delhi Police should register a case under appropriate sections, it may be section 302 of the Indian Penal Code or any other appropriate section but case needs investigation.

Lawyer MS Khan said that the Delhi Police have forgotten the basics of law and required a refreshers course

It is weird that the agency whose officers are facing serious allegations will probe the allegation, Manan said, adding that the suicide notes are basically dying declaration, and can be an important evidence in the case.

Lawyer MS Khan said that the Delhi Police have forgotten the basics of law and required a refreshers course.

If a normal crime has been committed, it is the prerogative of the local police to investigate the case unless and until investigation is referred to the CBI or any other agency. But the police have forgotten the duties and power. Police are bound to register a case, Khan said.

The CBI has also been questioned by the political parties. The Congress on Wednesday alleged the suicide of BK Bansal and his son, who had accused CBI officials of torture, raises doubts over the working of the investigating agency.

The party demanded a court-monitored probe into its affairs. Congress spokesman Manish Tewari also made a strong pitch for the CBI to stop taking up further cases till its legality is adjudicated.

He said that the Gauhati High Court through an order on November 6, 2016 had declared CBI as an illegal organisation.

He said the CBI comes under the administrative control of a department under the Prime Minister, and suicide of BK Bansal and his son needed to be probed to reveal whether they were privy to some deep secrets.

He said the suicides have raised questions over the investigative techniques of the investigative agency.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police said there is no reason to investigate the case to probe the reasons which forced the Bansals to kill themselves.
Wild apes and rabid dogs are pushing Gurugram residents to the edge.

Just short of one person an hour is bitten or attacked by these feral creatures in Millennium City.

According to a report from the Health Department, while in 2010 Gurugram reported 698 case of animal bites, the number rose up to 7,809 in 2015, with maximum falling prey to dog bites in Palam Vihar, Model Town, Krishna Colony and Shivaji Nagar.

Wild apes and rabid dogs are pushing Gurugram residents to the edge. According to a report from the Health Department, the number of cases of animals bites has risen to 7,809 in 2015.

DLF city phase 1, 3, Sushant Lok Phase 2 and 3, sectors 56, 57, 58 and localities nearby the Aravalli are facing the monkey menace.

Gurugram civil surgeon Pushpa Bishnoi told Mail Today: On an average, we have been receiving 24 cases of dog or monkey bites every day.

"Most cases of dog bites are reported during the night. The victims are usually two-wheeler riders or pedestrians.

In just last eight months this year, the health department has provided anti-rabies treatment to 6,354 persons.

In just last eight months this year, the health department has provided anti-rabies treatment to 6,354 persons (file pic)

She added that Gurugram Civil Hospital charges Rs 100 for every anti-rabies injection.

A maximum of six injections are required in case of dog or monkey bites, Bishnoi said.

Health department officials said that the antidote is provided at a subsidised rate.

The cost of the antidote is Rs 350 in the market. The subsidy puts a burden of Rs 15 lakh per year on the health department.

Gurugram civil surgeon Pushpa Bishnoi told Mail Today: On an average, we have been receiving 24 cases of dog or monkey bites every day

Officials also said that there is a guideline in place here under which whenever a victim seeks treatment at a private hospital following dog or monkey attack, then the Civil Hospital will have to be informed.

As per data with the health department, 698 cases of dog and monkey bites were registered in 2010.

The number reached to 5,438 in 2014 and 7,809 in 2015. Interestingly, Gurugram district administration had signed an agreement with a UK-based NGO for sterilisation of dogs as a pilot project under national rabies control programme in 2009.

Since then, the Gurugram municipal corporation has sterilised 40,000 dogs. Even then, cases of dog bites are on the rise; and the administration doesnt have any concrete mechanism to protect residents from monkey attack.

The latest trouble skyrocketed in Gurugram after the two NGOs that were entrusted with sterilisation of dogs stopped functioning.

Rhesus Macaques or Rhesus Monkeys are common in urban areas of India

According to a senior civic official here, the NGOs were functioning smoothly till 2015 but after that their contract was not renewed.

These two NGOs had stopped sterilising for about a year following a financial dispute with the Municipal Corporation Gurugram.

However, new MCG commissioner TL Satya Prakash has settled the issue and the NGOs resumed their work since March this year, the official said.

The official also claimed that sterilisation is a long-term project and the MCG is mulling options to monitor stray dogs by installing GPS during sterilisation.

According to a survey conducted by the Human Society International, there are 25 lakh dogs in Haryana

MCG commissioner TL Satya Prakash said: The sterilisation of stray dogs is underway in each ward. It is being monitored by the sanitation department. We are expecting better results after a few months.

According to a survey conducted by the Human Society International, there are 25 lakh dogs in Haryana.

The state government has sanctioned Rs 30 crore for sterilisation of stray dogs.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc is in talks to buy a minority stake in India's largest e-commerce firm Flipkart as the world's biggest retailer aims to get a slice of a fast-growing online retail market.

One of the sources said the U.S. retailer was looking to invest between $750 million and $1 billion in Flipkart, but the final value and size of the stake would depend on the outcome of talks about the company's overall valuation.

He added Wal-Mart and Flipkart were also contemplating a collaboration that would see them leverage each other's expertise in retail and supply chains in India.

Sachin Bansal (left) and Binny Bansal (right) are co-founders of Flipkart in Bangalore

Both sources declined to be identified because the talks are preliminary and have not been made public.

Wal-Mart in India and Flipkart declined to comment.

A deal would pit Wal-Mart against U.S. rival Amazon, which has been expanding rapidly in the South Asian country's retail market and is now Flipkart's biggest competitor.

Wal-Mart only operates wholesale stores in India.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc is in talks to buy a minority stake in India's largest e-commerce firm Flipkart, as the world's biggest retailer aims to get a slice of a fast-growing online retail market

"With Amazon slowly taking a lead over the Indian players, all these unicorns including Flipkart and Snapdeal are out there in the market to raise funds," the source said.

"Companies like Wal-Mart would be more long-term investors, but there aren't too many like them to write such big cheques."

Flipkart has been valued at about $11.5 billion, local media reported last month, citing a U.S. regulatory filing from investor Valic, a division of American International Group Inc.

The company was valued at as much as $15 billion earlier this year, but cut-throat competition, reduced private funding, and elusive profitability is putting pressure on e-commerce players in India.

Launched in 2007 by two former Amazon employees, Flipkart sells everything from cellphones to suitcases and cosmetics.

India is one of the world's fastest growing online commerce markets with reports pegging the potential to reach USD 30 billion by 2020 Wal-Mart sees a big opportunity

Current investors include Tiger Global Management and Accel Partners. Flipkart and smaller rival Snapdeal have been looking to raise fresh capital to compete with deep-pocketed Amazon in an industry that relies on steep discounts on products and heavy spending on marketing, technology and delivery networks to lure customers.

Wal-Mart agreed in June to take a 5 percent stake in China's JD.com, giving the U.S. firm a ringside seat in JD.com's bitter rivalry with Chinese e-commerce leader Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
Motorists and pedestrians are most vulnerable at 10 very specific, and very deadly stretches of road in the national Capital.

These black spots comprise merely 30 km of road length - 0.01 per cent of total road in Delhi but they result into an average 250 fatal and serious accidents every year.

However, road researchers and scientists have come out with a Rs 52-crore plan which, they claim, can save nearly 21,000 fatal and serious accidents over the next 20 years.

Road researchers and scientists have released a Rs 52-crore plan that they claim can save nearly 21,000 fatal and serious accidents on Delhi's roads over the next 20 years

This, translated in terms of economic benefit, would amount to Rs 408 crore, the research study said. The road safety audit on 10 black spots was conducted by the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA).

These spots include Sarai Kale Khan, Mori Gate, ISBT Kashmere Gate, Nigam Bodh Ghat, Mahipalpur Flyover, Shani Mandi on NH-1, Shahdara Flyover, Mukundpur Chowk and Punjabi Bagh chowk.

Of these, Sarai Kale Khan on Ring Road figures as the deadliest spot with as many as 45 fatal and serious accidents in the year 2014.

These black spots comprise merely 30 km of road length - 0.01 per cent of total road in Delhi but they result into an average 250 fatal and serious accidents every year.

Punjabi Bagh chowk with 14 accidents is the least vulnerable as it provides relatively better crossover facilities for cyclists and pedestrians.

Professor PK Sarkar, Head of Transport Planning at SPA told Mail Today: The study focuses prioritisation of accidents on black spots based on severity and likelihood of accidents.

"The study also includes prioritisation of road safety measures, economic analysis and investment plan for the same.

"The findings suggest that an investment of about Rs 51.97 crore on 10 black spots can save around 20,785 accidents with economic gain of 407.5 crore.

The report concludes that the government can save one fatal or serious injury by spending nearly Rs 24,000.

It has found the two-wheelers, cyclists and pedestrians to be the most vulnerable at these spots.

Professor Sarkar said for the first time in India, these black spots have been star-rated even though it is a global practice.

Star-rating scores have been calculated for vehicles, pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists separately at all accident black spots.

The report suggests that pedestrians and cyclists are the most vulnerable of all road users.

The findings assume significance in wake of the alarming rate of accidents and deaths reported in Delhi every year.

According to Delhi Police records, since 2008 more than 58,000 people have faced injuries and about 15,800 people have died in Delhi in road accidents.

The report concludes that the government can save one fatal or serious injury by spending nearly Rs 24,000.

According to Delhi Police Accident Research Cell, Delhi registers the maximum number of road accidents and deaths as compared to other metro cities in the country.

According to a 2014 data, 1,629 accidents occurred in Delhi killing 1,671 people.

This is over three times the 534 deaths in Mumbai and nearly 481 deaths in Kolkata.

According to the study report, nine out of the 10 black spots have got one star or two star for pedestrians and cyclists.

This means, they fall in the category of bad or worse.
Crooks are being blocked from duping victims into handing over their bank details by sending them emails that appear to be from the taxman.

The Government has launched a major crackdown on online criminals who impersonate official email addresses to lure savers into handing over financial information.

Criminals have been sending fake emails from HM Revenue and Customs, which end with gov.uk, which is the sign-off used by all government departments.

Crackdown: The Government is targeting criminals who impersonate official email addresses

The emails invite recipients to claim a tax refund by replying with their bank details but instead this information is used to raid the customers bank account.

Now spooks at the National Cyber Security Centre are targeting the criminals with clever techniques, which allow them to identify the rogue emails while they are still in cyberspace.

The centre can then block them before they hit victims email inboxes, meaning no one is in any danger of being ripped-off.

Ciaran Martin, chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre, says these tactics had stopped crooks from sending out 58,000 emails from a fake Government address taxrefund@gov.uk.

The criminals had now given up sending these messages, he said.
Britains record-breaking car export boom risks stalling if the UK leaves the EUs single-market as a result of Brexit, the head of the UK motor industry warns.

Mike Hawes, boss of The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, fears ministers are being blinded and lulled into a false sense of security by Britains current buoyant car production and sales performance.

The imposition of tariffs and other barriers to free trade if Britain were outside the single-market could put thousands of jobs and billions of pounds of investment at risk, Mr Hawes said.

Tariffs and other barriers to free trade on cars such as the British-built MINI, if the UK were outside the single-market could put thousands of jobs and billions of pounds of investment at risk, Mike Hawes, of the SMMT said.

The warning came as industry leaders behind eight British-built cars, namely Aston Martin, BMW MINI, Honda, Jaguar Land Rover, McLaren, Nissan, Toyota and Vauxhall, met trade minister Mark Garnier at the Eiffel Tower in Paris to fly the flag for the UK car industry on the eve of the Paris Motor Show.

The warning of potential future problems linked to the EU single market came as the SMMT published figures showing that the UK is on track for another export record, with 877,457 cars exported from the UK from January to August.

But, with nearly six out of 10 or 502,607 of those exported to other European Union countries, that growth could stall if free trade is hit by tariffs, warns the SMMT.

Last year the UK exported a record 1.23million cars.

The SMMT denied scare-mongering, saying the UKs biggest trading partner is the European Union and that nearly 58 per cent of UK-produced cars have been exported to the rest of the EU so far this year, followed by 12.1 per cent to the US and 7.1 per cent to China.

SMMT boss Mr Hawes said: The car industry in Britain is booming with record exports. Thats great news.

'But it may not last if Britain leaves the single market. We respect the Brexit vote. But it must not be a hard Brexit. We need to stay in the single market.'

TOP 10 EXPORT DESTINATION OF UK-BUILT CARS IN THE EU 1. Germany: 73,916 2. Belgium: 65,431 3. Italy: 64,526 4. France: 60,108 5. Portugal: 32,963 6. Spain: 31,229 7. Poland: 12,568 8. Ireland: 12,407 9. Netherlands: 11,153 10. Sweden: 10,915 Source: SMMT, January-August 2016

He added: Our fear is that people are being blinded by the good news today and being lulled into a false sense of security.

'Todays success is based on investment decisions made five or more years ago. The future of jobs and investment in 2020 depend on decisions being taken now.

'And we are clear we want the UK to remain in the single market.

'Car manufacturers need to be in a single market free of tariffs. Nobody says this will be easy. No doubt we will be accused of scare-mongering. But we are not.

We dont want to leave the Government or anyone else in any doubt. Thousands of UK jobs and billions of pounds of future investment are at stake. Thats our message to ministers.

Hanno Kirner, executive director for strategy at Jaguar Land Rover said the firm had always wanted Britain to remain in the EU.

But now that it has voted to leave, it wants the UK to stay in the single market, with tariff free trade and no barriers to recruiting vital engineers as the firm expands globally.

He said JLR s employed 42,000 people directly, with 300,000 jobs dependent supplier and other jobs dependent on it.

He said trading relations with Europe were vital to JLR's success. Tariffs would affect not only what we sell, but what we buy. We need to be able to attract global talent without barriers.'

Carmakers display vehciles with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders in Paris

International trade minister Mark Garnier, who campaigned to remain in the EU, said the Government would make Brexit work: 'We are where we are.

He said the Government recognised the car industry's desire for zero-tariffs and remaining in the single market, as well as its need to attract talented engineers from European and other countries: All of these factors will form part of the negotiating process. Europe and the EU is absolutely still a major trading partner to the UK.

SMMT data reveals UK car manufacturing reached a 10-year high last year, with a record 1.2 million cars exported to over 100 countries - and Honda recently announced it would build its new Civic in the UK

On the issue of the free movement of Labour, Mr Hawes said: 'Thats for the Government to negotiate.'

As a trade body, the SMMT is able to be more strident in its remarks than individual manufacturers who may fear a backlash.

A spokesman for BMW, which employs 8,000 people in the UK, including at its MINI factory in Oxford and its engine plant near Birmingham said it agreed with the broad thrust of the SMMTs position, especially on tariff free trade and free movement of people - but it was 'wait and see' for the moment.

Vauxhall, which employs 4,200 people, including 2,000 at its Ellesmere Port plant building the new Astra, and 1,500 at the Luton van plant, also said it was business as usual.

Nissan said: 'Nissan is working closely with the new UK Government to ensure our success and investment in the UK continues.

'However, this depends on a number of important factors, including the UKs trade and tariff negotiations with the European Union.

We will continue our discussions with the Government, however, future business decisions will be made on a case by case basis, as is our policy. It is in the interest of the businesses and people of the UK that a resolution is reached as soon as possible.

Jaguar's F-Pace is one of the British made cars expected to sell well overseas

International Trade Minister Mark Garnier said: I look forward to working closely with the industry so that we can continue to take advantage of the global demand for British-made vehicles and drive exports further.

TOP 10 GLOBAL EXPORT DESTINATIONS FOR UK-BUILT CARS 1. EU28: 502, 647: 57.3% 2. US: 106,425: 12.1% 3. China: 62,440: 7.1% 4. Turkey: 28,431: 3.2% 5. Australia: 22,309: 2.5% 6. Japan: 17,849, 2% 7. South Korea: 16,127: 1.8% 8. Canada: 12,888: 1.5% 9. Russia: 9,709: 1.1% 10. Israel: 9,680: 1.1% Source: SMMT, January-August 2016

The SMMTs warning over the EU single market came as arguments rage over whether Prime Minister Theresa May should go for a hard Brexit in which the UK leaves the single market, or negotiates a deal that effectively sees it remaining within it.

The leaders of the EU insist that remaining in the single market would be dependent on Britain being bound by the EUs existing free-movement of labour rules, which Brexiteers say is not acceptable.

However the blunt message disguises various shades of opinion within various car-makers.

Jaguar Land Rover, which sells 20 per cent of its cars to other EU countries, says its main concern is avoiding having tariffs imposed on trade between the UK and the UK.

The SMMT data reveals UK car manufacturing reached a 10-year high last year, with a record 1.2 million cars exported to over 100 countries.

Already in the first eight months of 2016, that figure total looks set to be beaten, with exports reaching almost 900,000 vehicles so far, 13 per cent ahead of the same period in 2015.

Statement: Vauxhall, which employs 4,200 people, including 2,000 at its Ellesmere Port plant building the new Astra, and 1,500 at the Luton van plant, said it was business as usual

The SMMT said: While the US topped the list of individual countries buying British cars, EU Member States took six of the top 10 places: Germany, Belgium, Italy, France, Portugal and Spain.

The SMMT pointed out that a new car rolls off a production line every 16 seconds, with the UK exporting around 80 per cent of all the cars it produces.

Some 2.5 million engines are produced every year in the UK, with more than half exported to global markets.

With 2.63 million vehicles registered in 2015, the UK car market is the second biggest in Europe behind Germany.

But, the UK also imports 86.5 per cent of the 2.63 million new cars sold in the country, with 81.5 per cent of coming from the EU

The UK is also home to 13 Research and Development centres, as well as six design centres, with 2.5billion invested every year in R&D.

On car production output, the UK now ranks third in the EU (behind Germany and Spain); and tenth in the world, with the highest level of workforce productivity in Europe.

Development of autonomous vehicles could be worth 51billion to UK companies by 2030, creating 300,000 new jobs and preventing 25,000 accidents prevented every year.

The UKs electric car market grew by more than 50 per cent last year.

The UK is also home to 90 per cent of the worlds top automotive suppliers with 6billion of additional untapped opportunities for suppliers recently identified.

The SMMT said: The UK automotive industry has undergone unprecedented growth in recent years  thanks to competitive business conditions, tariff-free trading and significant investment in new models and facilities.

The SMMT added that the UK automotive industry accounts for more than 71.6 billion turnover and 18.9billion value added, employing 169,000 people directly in manufacturing and 814,000 across the wider automotive industry.
Job hunt: Former Prime Minister David Cameron

Panmure Gordon's oily chief Patric Johnson says he'd gladly speak to David Cameron should the ex-PM be looking for a job at his old family firm.

Says Johnson, 44: 'If he'd like to join the back of the queue for employment we'd be more than happy to see him.' What cheek.

Though Poor Dave must be hoping he lands a cushy job soon. An ex-crony tells me ludicrous, tax-avoiding pop star Bono has been hassling him about his latest save-the-planet wheeze.

At the Institute of Directors' annual convention yesterday, frisky IoD chairman Lady (Barbara) Judge paid tribute to outgoing director general Simon Walker. She said: 'Simon is pretty much perfect.

He only has one problem  he's a man.' So is 349,000-a-year Walker's successor, speccy Clugston boss Stephen Martin. But I expect still-fragrant Babs, 69, will now be wearing the trousers.

Re the IoD convention, Saatchi & Saatchi's former executive chairman Kevin Roberts, who resigned his 3million-a-year post last month after suggesting women lacked ambition, was the afternoon's final speaker.

He chuntered on for 20 minutes spouting indecipherable corporate gobbledegook (sample head-scratcher: 'Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.') Poor show. Some had only hung around in the hope baldylocks Roberts, 64, would slag off his ludicrously over-sensitive employers.

Billionaire Ineos boss Jim Ratcliffe angers sandal-wearing environmentalists with his championing of fracking, which he insists is completely safe. Croaky-voiced Ratcliffe, 63, also owns a gas guzzling 130million yacht and four private jets, but isn't without lentil tendencies.

He's planning a 'carbon neutral' home in the New Forest which runs solely on renewable energy. The modish 4million schloss will come fitted with hydraulic stilts to protect it from rising sea levels.

German publisher Axel Springer's Aryan-looking boss Mathias Doepfner reckons the UK will thrive under Brexit. 'In three to five years from now, my bet would be that England will be better off than continental Europe.'
Among all the Brussels-based bureaucracies, the EU's anti-trust team stands alone as a fearless defender of competition and free markets.

The Danish Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager is not fazed by corporate bullies  be they the mighty Apple, recently fined 12billion over alleged tax avoidance, or Europe's two biggest stock markets Deutsche Boerse and the London Stock Exchange.

Over the next four months the EU will examine whether the unwanted 21billion 'merger of equals' between Deutsche and the LSE can be of benefit to anyone other than the shareholders and the option-laden executives in the two exchanges.

Crunch time: Over the next four months the EU will examine whether the 21bn 'merger of equals' between Deutsche Boerse and the London Stock Exchange should go ahead

The concerns of the competition regulators could change the whole economics of the transaction.

The regulator fears that the deal will sharply reduce competition in Germany's equity trading and create a monopoly in stock futures and options based on Italian shares.

But the most central objection raised is the reduced competition in the largest clearing market in the world, worth 115billion.

Both Deutsche and the LSE have said the clearing operations will be run separately and in parallel in Frankfurt and London.

Maybe, but they will be under common ownership and will certainly be using a compatible IT platform, so will be separate only in name.

There is also the equally troubling question of whether concentrating such a large amount of risk in one institution can be sensible in prudential terms when it could be very capital hungry.

The Bank of England, the Bundesbank and the European Central Bank might well be cautious about that.

The EU also notes that financial markets are an essential feature of the infrastructure of Europe's economy, and it is in the interest of the region they operate on competitive terms.

We can expect the LSE and Deutsche to come up with remedies designed to meet Vestager's concerns.

Deal proponents worry that the adjustments might be inadequate or undermine the premise of the deal, which is to create a European champion to take on the Americans.

Advisers and executives should not be heading to the Ferrari showrooms just yet.

Casino royal

Amid denials from the German authorities that they have drawn up contingency plan to take a 25 per cent stake in Germany's largest bank, one was reminded of Humphrey Bogart chucking a Deutsche Bank employee out of his casino in the film Casablanca.

It is hard to be very confident about the future of the bank on the basis of the 935million of cash it will get from the sale of posh insurer Abbey Life to Britain's Phoenix Group.

The deal will lead to a pre-tax loss of 672million as a result of a write-down.

Nor can the German lender draw much comfort from the Royal Bank of Scotland's payment of 850million or so to America's credit unions over sub-prime mortgage sales as a guide to its eventual settlement with US regulators after they demanded a 14billion fine for similar activities.

The RBS penalty is only a partial settlement and the big battle with the Department of Justice over Fred Goodwin's toxic legacy is still to come.

DB needs a rich fairy godfather. It is unlikely to be Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase, who has his hands more than full supplying rescue funds for the Italian banks.

Swallows and amazons

It may not be the best of times to be one of Britain's top shopkeepers, as many on the High Street  not least Mike Ashley and Sir Philip Green, could testify.

Nevertheless, J Sainsbury's chief executive Mike Coupe maintains a cheery demeanour.

He may lack the showbiz factor of his perma-tanned predecessor Justin King but he is not letting Sainsbury stand still. Admittedly, same store sales in the quarter to September 24 fell 1.1pc but mostly Sainsbury is holding its market share.

Indeed, Coupe goes as far to argue that despite some unpleasant comparisons on price made by upstart Aldi, his own company could come up with a basket of selected goodies of equally low cost.

As for Brexit and the threat of higher food prices, Coupe is clear it is largely a non-event. A

t any one time wheat prices might be low and that would, for instance, offset the higher price for imported avocados. It is a case of swings and roundabouts.

Usefully, for Sainsbury the bits of the enterprise that look to the future  convenience stores, online, non-food and especially its stylish Tu brand, are still growing.

It is too soon to know how its biggest bet on the future, the 1.4billion purchase of Home Retail Group, the owner of Argos, is going. But the sales numbers are looking healthy.

Sainsbury is implementing plans to make online more cost-effective by using computerised route planning maps for staff doing the picking for online baskets. Digital click and collect counters at many of its stores, together with Argos outlets in superstores, are also on the agenda.
Reserved: Newly-appointed Tory treasurer Sir Mick Davis

Don't expect newly-appointed Tory treasurer Sir Mick Davis to throw any lavish celebrations at next week's conference. I'm advised the bearded, 80million former Xstrata boss, 58  aka 'Mick the Miner'  is a reserved sort, and not prone to unbridled extravagance.

How honourable members must long for those halcyon days of former treasurers Lords McAlpine and Hesketh, who threw uproarious beanos with ice-filled hotel baths brimming with native oysters and premier cru champagne.

Lawyers at City firm Macfarlanes' private client division, which advises filthy rich customers on tax, have been banned from taking holiday between January and April next year.

The firm is expecting a frantic start to 2017 due to the change in the non-dom laws. Staff are moping as the fatwa wipes out the ski season. Cue the world's smallest violin, maestro!

Hammy Metro Bank founder Vernon Hill doesn't understand why we put cashpoints outside. He says: 'In the US we have them inside the foyers.

Not only do you Brits like to queue, you like to queue in the rain.' Fair point. Yankee doodle Vern, 71, worth 400million, is a stickler for customer relations. New account holders at Metro are entitled to a free doggie from Battersea dogs home.

Boisterous Ryanair chief Michael O'Leary's decision, announced yesterday, to sack champion trainer Willie Mullins is being blamed on a dust-up over fees.

Others wonder if he had grown tired of playing second fiddle to Mullins' other multi-millionaire owner, the fat cat-in-the-hat, former Barclays executive Rich Ricci, 52. Behind 3million-a-year O'Loudmouth's bluster, some say that there lurks a frail, delicate ego.

The next Lord Mayor of London is tipped to be Andrew Parmley, 60, the principal of senior school at London's 20,000-a-year Harrodian School, who will succeed shipbroker Lord Mountevans, 68, next autumn.
Fines: RBS is being called to account for toxic bundles of US mortgage debt

Taxpayer-Royal Bank of Scotland could face another 8billion of fines as it continues to battle the fallout from the financial crisis.

The bank earlier this week agreed to pay an 846million fine over toxic bundles of US mortgage debt.

This will come from a 4.3billion pot which is also intended to cover a separate, multi-billion pound settlement with the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

But analysts believe there are potentially another 4.8billion of costs to come on top of that when the Department for Justice weighs in on mortgages.

It could take the total outstanding to 8billion.

No money has yet been set aside to pay the DoJ bill because there is no way to guess how much it will be.
Over the years, the timeshare deal Christine and William Tight signed in the late Nineties as a way of getting cheap family holidays around the world had become a millstone.

Initially, for 6,000 upfront and a few hundred pounds in annual service charges, they could book a week every year in an apartment in Spain, Austria, Florida or other popular destinations.

But by 2013, the service fees had grown to 1,000 a year and they were fed up with the holiday choices they were being offered.

Timeshare woes: Readers have got in touch about International Timeshare Refund Action

However, when the couple, from Langford, Bedfordshire, tried to offload the timeshare they were told the deal was a contract for life.

Scouring the internet for another way out, they found a firm called International Timeshare Refund Action (Itra), which was offering to help get rid of unwanted timeshares and launching a legal bid to win compensation for owners who had been mis-sold deals.

The Tights called Itra and arranged to fly to its office in Fuengirola, on the Costa del Sol, to seal the deal.

There, they handed over 4,850 - 502 on the day and the balance a few days later. They understood they would never have to worry about the 1,000-a-year maintenance fees again.

But a few months later they received their usual bill from their timeshare firm. And since then, they've received two more demands for payment.

Itra says timeshare resorts often threaten debt collection and its clients are informed of this.

When Christine contacted Money Mail in July - nearly four years after their appointment with Itra in Spain - she said she still felt burdened by the timeshare deal and feared she would never be rid of it.

The Tights are among a number of readers who have contacted Money Mail since we first wrote about Itra in July this year.

Then, we told the story of Itra clients Harold and Brenda Walker, an elderly couple who went to court to win back 7,180 after becoming concerned the company wasn't able to offer the help they had signed up for.

In many of the letters we've received, Itra customers say they have similar concerns. Itra says, though, that the Walker judgment in the small claims court is not binding, and if similar cases come to court they will vigorously defend them.

Accused: Andrew Cooper's firms allegedly used 'misleading selling'

Typically, customers come across Itra as they seek a way to offload an unwanted timeshare.

Thousands of families signed up to these deals in the 1980s and 1990s. Often, families are concerned the small print in their contacts will mean the service fees pass on to their children when they die.

But many are finding that no matter what they do, nobody will take the deals off their hands.

In desperation, some owners are even listing their timeshares on online auction sites such as eBay and Gumtree for as little as 99p.

Against this backdrop, Itra provides a ray of hope. It says for an upfront fee - typically between 4,000 and 7,500 - it will dispose of your timeshare and take responsibility for sorting out any future management fees.

Contracts seen by Money Mail also say it will be responsible for any legal costs and 'alleged unpaid management fees' in the future. However, the contract states that it is not covered by timeshare regulations.

According to Richard Thorpe, a partner at law firm Shakespeare Martineau, timeshare rules stipulate that a company cannot take any fees for 'reselling' timeshares until the contract has been 'sold or otherwise terminated'.

In all the complaints seen by Money Mail, Itra has asked for a deposit upfront, with some of it usually payable on the day you sign the contract.

The company says the rules do not apply to its business because it is not reselling the timeshares but 'disposing' of them.

It is unclear exactly what disposing means in practice, but the aim is to make it so the contract does not exist any more.

After signing the contract, customers tell us that when they have tried to contact Itra to check everything is in order, they have found it difficult to get confirmation.

In some cases, they keep receiving bills for timeshare fees they thought they would no longer have to pay.

Robin and Susan Dungworth, who are in their 60s, are still paying the service charges for their timeshare in Gran Canaria, despite handing 3,791 to Itra in 2012.

And Janyce Coles, 71, says she struggled to get any further information from Itra about her timeshare in Tenerife after paying 4,480 to get rid of it in July 2015.

The retired bookkeeper says she called many times after signing the contract with Itra, and only in December - six months later - was she told that the process would be completed within 'two to three weeks'.

Mrs Coles, a widow from Bournemouth, next heard from Itra in February by email when a representative asked if the company could phone her. The call was never received.

Concern: Harold and Brenda Walker went to court to win back 7,180

She says: 'I've asked several times for confirmation to say I no longer own the timeshare, and the last reply said Itra would look into it.

'It's giving me sleepless nights, I feel so desperate about the whole situation. They have my original deeds, and I just can't seem to get a straight answer.'

Itra says that it got rid of Mrs Coles's timeshare in July this year. It says she had been asked for a copy of her passport to process the disposal, but she did not send it, hence the delay.

Amid concerns that customers are paying upfront fees for services they take issue with, Money Mail sought out the company's directors for an explanation.

But we were put in touch with the company's lawyer, who said the company was complying with its obligations and was helping customers to get rid of their timeshares.

Itra's slick website is littered with quotes from happy customers. At the top of the page, people are urged to call a Freephone 0800 number to find out how the firm 'can help claim your money back'.

At the bottom, there's a list of 15 offices. Some are in business parks, including a block in Churchill House, Slough.

But there are also some in locations overseas such a business park in Tangier, Morocco, and in a huge tower block next to a shopping mall in Singapore.

The website also includes articles giving advice to timeshare owners. The most recent warns owners they might consider offloading their timeshares as a result of the Brexit vote.

On one page, customers can make an online payment straight away to get the process of handing over their timeshare started.

Although it's easy to contact a consultant at Itra about getting rid of your timeshare - it's not as easy to find out who runs the firm. It is registered in the Seychelles, where there is no public database showing ownership of companies.

But Andrew Charles Cooper lists himself on social networking website LinkedIn as a 'consultant' at Itra and has been named as a senior figure at the firm in previous newspaper articles.

On his LinkedIn page, someone claiming to be a former employee of his at Itra says: 'Mr Cooper was one of the directors of a group of companies and the person who I reported to on a daily basis.'

Mr Cooper, 47, lists interests as: 'Making money the correct way'.

He owns a five-bedroom home, currently on sale for 1.29 million, in a village in Buckinghamshire. The enormous house boasts a swimming pool and a stylish patio with sun loungers underneath an outdoor heater.

A huge double garage - which looks as though it could make a modest home of its own - is occupied by a gleaming black Bentley.

As well as his work at Itra, Mr Cooper is the sole director and shareholder of a business that appears to operate in a similar field. It is called the European Claims Centre and was set up earlier this summer.

It offers to help owners who were sold timeshares claim compensation and have their contracts ruled null and void under new rules handed down by the Spanish Supreme Court. There's nothing on the website to show the European Claims Centre is linked to Itra.

But a firm with an identical name to the European Claims Centre, registered in Washington State in the U.S., was investigated by the British Advertising Standards Authority watchdog in July, following a complaint about the firm's marketing tactics.

The European Claims Centre in the U.S. said it has the same shareholders as Itra, making them legally associated companies.

And its offices shown on its website, the ASA report says, were leased by Client Admin Services Ltd, the administration company for Itra in the UK, where Mr Cooper is listed as a director.

In the ASA report, the European Claims Centre said it has an agreement in place with Itra to introduce clients to the firm.

In its ruling the advertising watchdog said the firms did not clearly show they were linked.

It's not the first time Mr Cooper's timeshare businesses' activities have come under the spotlight of the authorities.

In 2012, the Insolvency Service stepped in to wind up a number of timeshare companies run by Mr Cooper and other associates.

In a damning report, the Insolvency Service described how the tactics of the companies run by Mr Cooper engaged in 'misleading selling' to customers.

It said it was 'in the public interest' to wind up the seven firms. Mr Cooper was a director of two of these.

The report found timeshare owners were 'cold-called' and invited to attend a presentation run by Itra where they could sign up to a law suit against the timeshare industry for mis-selling.

But the Itra presentation then 'seamlessly' morphed into a sales pitch for a firm called Club Class.

Customers were told there was an opportunity to 'irrevocably relinquish' their timeshares, typically paying 7,000 to 15,000. However, they were 'not given any indication' that this could end in failure, the report said.

The Insolvency Service found that customers were still being billed for their timeshare service charges up to a year after they had been told by Club Class they were not liable. In some cases, Club Class had not even contacted the timeshare company at all.

Mr Cooper was also listed as a director of Club Class Concierge.

Bill and Karen Crampin, from Nottingham, paid Itra 5,240 in 2014 and understood it would get rid of the property, a luxury development in Northumberland.

They were paying almost 1,000 a year - double the amount they were charged when they signed up. But a year later their timeshare company was still demanding maintenance fees and said they still owned the property.

The Crampins paid another 3,364 to the original timeshare firm to get rid of their liability.

They have asked Itra for their 5,240 back but it has refused, saying Mr Crampin sold the timeshare of his own accord before Itra could complete its disposal.

Bill, 70, a retired architect, says: 'It's pretty devastating. I don't get emotional but I do get angry.'

A spokesman for Itra said yesterday: 'Itra is a company that has been operating for 11 years and has successfully helped thousands of clients escape oppressive and costly timeshare agreements.

'Itra has actioned more than 1,000 timeshare relinquishments (whereby clients are freed from their timeshare agreements) and in some cases helped people to seek compensation where mis-selling can be proved.

'At all times Itra is transparent with clients about the services it provides to them. Itra's mission is to assist consumers who would otherwise be daunted by the process of extricating themselves from unwanted timeshares that they had agreed to purchase from large powerful resort operators.'
The full story of the first baby born with Zika-related brain defects in the continental U.S. can be revealed.

The parents of three-month Darah Giron have told DailyMail.com of the ordeal, heartbreak - and hope - of having their daughter born with microcephaly - and how they want her to have a life in America, but are currently living in their violent homeland because they do not want to be illegal immigrants.

They are the first parents of an American-born baby to go public, and did so to give hope to other parents with Zika-affected babies, and educate people about the reality of having a baby with the condition.

The Girons spoke after the Centers for Disease Control warned of an explosion in the number of pregnant women affected by Zika because of its spread around the world and even into parts of the U.S.

Darah was born on May 31 at Hackensack University Medical Center, New Jersey, to Claudia and Christian Giron.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

First-born: Claudia Giron holds baby Darah, who was born with microcephaly after exposure to the Zika virus. She tells DailyMail.com of her love for her daughter, who she says is 'a blessing'

Family love: Darah is Claudia and Christian Giron's first daughter, and a sister for Andre, six

Challenge: Darah Giron is now living in her parents' native Honduras, where they are experiencing far less care for her than they believe would be the case in the U.S.

She and her parents are now living in their native Honduras, but they hope to move legally to the United States to give her a quality of life and care which is impossible in the Central American country. Darah is an American citizen due to her birth in the U.S.

Both parents had contracted Zika when Claudia was 14 weeks pregnant but it was only in the final months that doctors delivered the devastating news that their baby had Zika-related microcephaly.

The rare, incurable neurological condition causes the head to be smaller than that of other babies, and prevents the brain from developing normally.

Claudia, 31, told DailyMail.com: 'The doctor said this word, microcephaly, and I didn't know what it meant.

'When the doctors gave us the news and confirmed that Darah was diagnosed with microcephaly it was overwhelming.

'You feel like the whole world is falling apart, there's nothing you can do.

'The only information we received was negative and we couldn't imagine how we would cope.'

'It was so stressful, no one could tell me what was going to happen to our child.'

The couple are from San Pedro Sula, an industrial city in Honduras with a propensity for violence.

Last year, it was named the most dangerous city in the world with an average of three murders per day. The Cortes region, where the city is located, has one of the highest rates of the Zika virus in the country.

Claudia and Christian, 30, met at a movie theater as teenagers and married in 2010. Claudia works from home for the electronics company, Epson, and Christian is employed at a local newspaper. Their oldest son, Andre, is six years old.

Claudia, speaking in Spanish, said: 'Andre is the only grandchild and we felt it was time for another baby. I found out I was pregnant last October. We were so happy and at first everything was fine.'

The couple received no warnings from their doctor about the Zika virus but they had heard about the growing number of cases in Brazil.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a connection between the Zika virus and birth defects in April.

Claudia vividly remembers the day that Christian fell ill. 'It was December 5 and he was really sick - he had a rash all over his body, a high fever, his eyes were streaming and his muscles aching. He knew he had Zika.'

New born: Darah seen just a few days after her birth, at Hackensack, New Jersey, where a special team looked after her around the clock

Progress: Darah's parents have charted each moth that has gone past. She returned to the Honduras before her one-month picture was taken

Growing: At two months the family pictured her on a blanket with both her names on it

Sleeping peacefully: Darah seemed content as she marked threee months since her birth

Claudia, who was about fourteen weeks pregnant, began to feel sick a few days later. She had been tested for Chikungunya and Dengue fever but there was no test in Honduras for the Zika virus.

She said: 'I had a slight rash and fever but I was not as sick as Christian. As a precaution, I went to the hospital and I was admitted for a few days.

'The doctor told me, "You have Zika but it didn't hit you that hard. Since you didn't have a high fever and did not have the rash all over, we don't think it's going to affect your pregnancy." I was given allergy medicine and told to go home and relax.'

She remained concerned and paid a visit to her gynecologist who agreed with the hospital's diagnosis and said that her pregnancy was unlikely to be affected.

The gynecologist did not perform ultrasounds, so the couple decided to pay for one at a private clinic. A few weeks later, a neurologist delivered the devastating news that their baby could be suffering from microcephaly.

Claudia called her mother, who is a microbiologist, in a state of panic. 'She tried to reassure me, saying that it wasn't certain that Zika was linked to microcephaly and because there was no test, the doctor could be wrong.'

The couple decided to seek a second opinion and visited a specialist, Dr Monica Garcia, for another ultrasound and more tests in January.

Loving brother: Andre, the Giron's elder son, poses with his little sister for a picture for the family album

Family support: The Girons tell DailyMail.com they are being helped by both their parents with Darah, but really want to find a way to move legally to the U.S. so she has the best of care

Uncertain prospects: Darah's future development is unclear, Claudia said. 'The neurologist told us because the link between Zika and microcephaly is new, they cannot refer to previous cases. We are just going to have to wait for things to happen and deal with them.'

Medical help: Claudia said: 'Darah needs a lot of checkups and perhaps more treatment, and we could get that in the U.S. But number one, I didn't want to be illegal in the U.S., because people who stay become undocumented. How would we live?'

'Dr Garcia told us our baby had microcephaly but she couldn't say for sure that it was caused by the Zika virus. She told us that no one could give us a 100 per cent diagnosis and we would only know in the seventh month.

'The news devastated us. I cried in the doctor's office. I couldn't control myself. I hoped that it was a misdiagnosis, that they'd got it wrong. What's going to happen down the line?

'I kept asking myself what we had done wrong. We are religious, we serve God and go to church, why did this happen to us?

'We had waited so long to have this second baby and now we had this medical problem. It was very hard for us to grasp the news that it had happened to the child that we had planned and I was saddened at the consequences for her.

'Was she going to be alive for one day? One month? There was no way of knowing. I lived in hope that it was the wrong diagnosis.'

Claudia said she found it hard to cope but tried to carry on as normal for her son.

I told myself not to cry anymore over what had happened.I know medically, there is nothing that can be done for my daughter, that no doctor or procedure can ever cure her. I am her mother. I had to give her strength from the moment she is born.' Claudia Giron

'We cried every day. I cried all the time. When I would go to pick up my son from school he would see me crying, and he'd say "mom what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

'And I just couldn't explain it all to him, everything that was going on. So I would just make something up.'

The couple said they reached a turning point by drawing strength from their Christian faith; they are members of an evangelical church.

'I told myself not to cry anymore over what had happened,' Claudia said. 'I know medically, there is nothing that can be done for my daughter, that no doctor or procedure can ever cure her.

'It is about seeking out God, reading the Lords word and seeking his presence.

'That gave me strength to say enough and to believe what he can do for my daughter. We began to come to terms with it.

'I am her mother. I had to give her strength from the moment she is born.'

Dr Garcia confessed to Claudia that this was her first case of microcephaly but she began to call doctors in Brazil to learn more. Claudia planned to have her C-section birth under the care of Dr Garcia.

'She really looked after us and did everything she could to be prepared for the birth,' Claudia said.

The couple said when they found out Claudia was pregnant, they planned a family trip to the U.S. to visit relatives but with their baby's microcephaly diagnosis, everything changed.

They decided Claudia should go for two weeks to spend time with family as soon as her maternity leave began, while Christian remained in Honduras with Andre to save money for the new baby.

She flew to the U.S. on May 22, entering on a tourist visa and staying with relatives in New Jersey.

She said: 'My return flight to Honduras was booked for June 8  in time for Andre's sixth birthday which I didn't want to miss.

'I felt fine when I arrived in America but after a few days, I had some pain. I went to the doctor and they asked if I knew that my baby had microcephaly.

'Until that point, I had lived in hope that I had been misdiagnosed in Honduras. Now it was finally confirmed.'

Claudia was treated at Hackensack University Medical Center where doctors became interested in her case.

Family happiness: Claudia and Christian recently celebrated their wedding anniversary, but are now looking forward to the future with trepidation, because of their daughter's condition

Getting ready for the arrival: Christian and Andre mark the run-up to the birth of Darah with her mother, Claudia. She says the family's Christian faith helped her accept the Zika diagnosis

'Because it's a university hospital and undertakes research, they asked if they could do some tests and an examination and I agreed,' she said.

She was given an appointment at the hospital on May 31. 'When they did the preliminary exam, the doctor said there was no amniotic fluid and that I must have an emergency C-section.

'I was terrified that my baby would die and that I was in a foreign country without my husband.'

Claudia said that she felt very fortunate to have decided to accept the hospital appointment.

'It saved my baby girl,' she said.

Darah was born via C-section on May 31, exactly one month ahead of her due date. Extra medical teams were standing by in case of complications following the birth but the newborn surprised them all.

'She came out healthy and fighting, which no one was expecting,' Claudia said.

Darah spent a few precautionary days in intensive care due to her condition.

'Because of the shape of her head, the brain has been damaged, and she is going to face neurological problems, but we are not sure of the full extent yet,' Claudia said.

I was extremely worried that I was going to lose my visa because I believe that if you have a medical situation in the U.S. and you don't pay for it, they can cancel it. I told the hospital that I wanted to set up a payment plan for my baby's birth. Claudia Giron

'She might have some problems with hearing and sight on her right side but it will take up to a year until we know for sure.

'In the U.S. doctors told us she might have stomach problems but so far we haven't seen anything.

'The neurologist told us because the link between Zika and microcephaly is new, they cannot refer to previous cases. We are just going to have to wait for things to happen and deal with them.

'Other than those things she is a normal child. It's a blessing to have her.'

Claudia and Christian said they were very impressed with the doctors and nurses at Hackensack hospital.

'I was looked after very well,' she said. 'The doctors were always asking how I was. There was one nurse in particular, she was outstanding.

'She didn't speak Spanish but she went out of her way to help me understand what was going on and why certain things were happening.

'She made sure I would know how the best ways to deal with Darah.'

The couple said that they were frightened about what would happen because they were not U.S. citizens and yet their child was born in the country.

Claudia said: 'I want to be clear that I didn't go to America intending to have my child there, it wasn't my purpose. We did not want to break the rules and have the government cover our expenses, we were not looking for that at all.

'I was extremely worried that I was going to lose my visa because I believe that if you have a medical situation in the U.S. and you don't pay for it, they can cancel it.

'I told the hospital that I wanted to set up a payment plan for my baby's birth.'

Contented baby: While they wait for the ways in which microcephaly affects their daughter's development to become clear, the Girons are trying to work out how to legally find lives in the U.S. so she receives better care

Gopeful. 'We are trying our best to get her physical therapy and medical attention in San Pedro Sula but it cannot be compared to the U.S.' Claudia said

As soon as Darah was stable enough to travel, the family began to make plans to return to Honduras.

Christian said: 'The doctors at the hospital were surprised as they had expected us to stay in the U.S. because we couldn't get the specialized treatment and the physiotherapy we needed. None of that exists in Honduras.'

Claudia added: 'Darah needs a lot of checkups and perhaps more treatment, and we could get that in the U.S.

'But number one, I didn't want to be illegal in the U.S., because people who stay become undocumented. How would we live? How would we support ourselves?

'And even though we live in a dangerous place, we have our jobs, our family, Andre has to go to school. We weren't going to leave everything behind.'

The couple say they would like to move their family to the U.S. in the future because of the excellent medical care available and opportunities for their daughter to live a more normal life.

'We want to go to the U.S. by doing everything the legal way and complying with all the laws. I want to be able to get a good job to be able to afford to be there, to pay my taxes,' Claudia said.

'Most of all, Darah will have more opportunities to develop, to become a more independent person and go to school.

'Sadly, on a medical level, we are so many years behind in Honduras. We are trying our best to get her physical therapy and medical attention in San Pedro Sula but it cannot be compared to the U.S.

'We do not have a school that specializes in this kind of disability, here she will face more limitations.'

The couple were in awe of the resources available to families with disabled children in the U.S.

'The hospital told us that they keep data on all the parents whose children have disabilities and there's a big network you can access for information and access to treatment.

'The medical staff know what others have done and they can follow-up. I know the medical treatment in the U.S. is not for free - and I don't want to get it for free - but I can work and give her a better chance.'

Christian arrived in the U.S. on June 18 and the couple both returned to San Pedro Sula on July 2.

They have since struggled to get access to the help their daughter needs.

Claudia said: 'It's very hard. I had to go knock on doors to explain our situation to get her into the Teleton charitable foundation, which provides physical therapy.

'There is no help for us in Honduras and since we have returned, we have never been approached by anyone to help us.

MICROCEPHALY: WHAT TO KNOW What is microcephaly? Microcephaly is a brain defect which can affect a fetus when a woman becomes infected with the Zika virus during pregnancy. Babies with microcephaly are born with smaller heads than other babies, which can cause their brains not to develop properly. Microcephaly can be an isolated condition or the child may have other birth defects. Depending on the severity of the babys microcephaly, other problems can arise, including seizures; delays in the development of speech, sitting, standing and walking; intellectual disability; feeding problems, difficulty swallowing; hearing loss; and vision problems It is often difficult to predict which problems a child will have, so regular check-ups are necessary. The condition is rare but since the Zika outbreak, some 671 pregnant women in the U.S. have been discovered to have the virus and 17 babies have been born with microcephaly so far. In April, the CDC announced a connection between the Zika virus and cases of microcephaly. Zika is not the only cause. Others including exposure in pregnancy to rubella, toxoplasmosis and cytomegalovirus. Mothers who drink heavily, take drugs, or come into contact with toxic chemicals also put their babies at risk, while it has also been linked to severe malnutrition. Microcephaly is a lifelong condition and there is no known cure. Babies who have mild microcephaly often dont experience problems beyond a small head size but need routine checkups to monitor their growth and development. In severe cases, medications may be need to treat seizures and other symptoms. If babies receive early developmental care, it will make the most of their physical and intellectual abilities. Early intervention with speech, occupational and physical therapies can help. Source: CDC Advertisement

'My husband wrote a letter to the First Lady of Honduras after the government said it would help every child who was born with microcephaly. He asked her to help, not just us, but every family in this situation.

'We are still waiting for an answer.'

Aside from her health problems, the couple said their routine is a lot like any other family with a newborn.

'We get up at about 5am. She's still a baby and she can still keep us up all night like all newborns! Christian gets up to tend to her in the night if she is crying, that's his job as Dad.

'Sometimes Christian's job demands that he works up to 16 hours a day in the office, so he cannot help with taking the kids here and there. I can take care of that as I work from home.

'When he gets home from work, Christian takes over Darah's care and we divide our time between her and Andre when he gets home from school.

'At the moment, we are able to go to Teleton for free physiotherapy two days a week. Eventually, this will drop to every other month as there is so much demand and so many children on the waiting list.

'We try to buy the same special toys as the foundation has, and we have a special carpet for her to play on, to help her development.

'We have a nanny to help take care of Darah. She has no special training for children with disabilities but we explained our situation and asked if she would be willing to work with us, to learn the techniques from the foundation and to give more attention to Darah. We really trust her to help us.'

They haven't discussed Darah's condition with their young son. 'Andre is only six and he wouldn't grasp the situation.

'When he first saw Darah, the only comment he made was that his sister had a small head. To him, her head is small because she is a baby.

'We will explain when he's a little older and there are perhaps other issues for Darah or when she doesn't go to school.

'Until then there's no need  she's just his baby sister.'

Despite their positive outlook, the couple did not downplay the difficulties of raising a child with a severe disability. The family live with Claudia's parents to make childcare easier.

'We could not have done this without our parents and brothers,' Claudia said. 'I believe if I hadn't had so much emotional and practical support, I would have fallen into a depression after Darah was born and wouldn't feel strong enough to talk about this.'

However they admit that Darah's condition has caused some friends to keep them at arm's length.

'It can be difficult. They don't ask about Darah because they assume we are in a bad situation and it will upset us, or stress us out.'

Raising a child with a rare disability has also proved challenging in San Pedro Sula.

'Because she's a newborn and because of the level of pollution in the city, we don't take her out much but recently we decided to take her grocery shopping,' the couple said.

'A lot of people stared at her in the store and we couldn't handle the pressure of people looking at her that way.

'We took her back to the car and my Mom and Andre finished getting the groceries. It was too much.'

Claudia added: 'I compare it to Down syndrome  nowadays, people have more understanding, they don't even think about it.

'But with microcephaly, no one knows what it is, it's new and people look out of fear and curiosity. They ask, "what happened to that child?"

'That's a whole new phase for us to deal with and we're not really prepared for that yet.'

One source of support has been other families who are dealing with similar situations. The couple have set up a Facebook page to raise awareness.

Christian emphasized they were not seeking any money but other forms of assistance.

'We are hoping that people can help through the Facebook page - in terms of equipment for disabled children and baby items or any doctors or specialists who can donate their time and experience.'

Positive message: 'I want people to understand that it's not so bad, you can have a normal life when your child has microcephaly. Now that we have Darah, we see that a lot of our fears didn't come true. She just needs special attention,' Claudia tells DailyMail.com

Love: 'Children who have this condition fulfill our lives in a different way and they make us better people. We have to value them. There are things in life that you cannot buy. Once they're born, our children fill a gap in our hearts,' Claudia said.

He added: 'I don't think there has been enough information about Zika in Honduras. Things work in a fragmented way.

'When the government launches a public health campaign, it doesn't always reach all the areas of the county.

'And in reality, the campaign was simply to say that microcephaly causes a small head.

'People have been told about the risks, for example, about standing water  but we could take precautions and then our neighbor doesn't, so the risk remains.

'Officials are trying to show that something is being done but I don't think it's effective.'

For now, they are relying on their grassroots support group and trying to reach out to other expectant mothers who can benefit from their experience.

Claudia said: 'One young mom didn't know her baby had the condition until the birth. She had no idea what to do and was completely panicked. I gave her family some information I had learned and told them which doctors they would need.

She added: 'I want people to understand that it's not so bad, you can have a normal life when your child has microcephaly.

'Now that we have Darah, we see that a lot of our fears didn't come true. She just needs special attention.

'I'm strong. I have the strength to speak with other people about what weve been through, who are going through the same thing. To tell them that they are not alone, they shouldn't think it's all bad.

'Children who have this condition fulfill our lives in a different way and they make us better people. We have to value them.

'There are things in life that you cannot buy. Once they're born, our children fill a gap in our hearts.

'There are positive things as well, and we are going to enjoy our children.'
Governor Chris Christie was told about the epic 2013 traffic jam at the George Washington Bridge while it was underway, seemed happy about it, and even joked sarcastically that there was nothing political going on, his former ally testified on Tuesday.

David Wildstein, a former executive at the agency that oversees New York-area bridges and tunnels, took the stand for the prosecution at the trial of two one-time Christie allies accused of engineering the four days of gridlock to punish a Democratic mayor for not endorsing Christie.

Wildstein has already pleaded guilty to federal crimes associated with the scandal.

His account was the first testimony to suggest Christie knew about the scheme as it was unfolding.

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Trouble: David Wildstein testified on Tuesday that Governor Chris Christie knew about the Bridgegate scandal

Wilstein (on right with his attorney) also claimed that Christie laughed when they talked about the gridlock being caused by the incident

Christie has repeatedly denied that and has not been charged with a crime.

On Tuesday, the Republican governor said: 'All kinds of stuff is going on up in a courtroom in Newark. I want to be really clear: I have not and will not say anything different than I've been saying since January 2014. No matter what is said up there, I had no knowledge prior to or during these lane realignments.'

Bridget Kelly, Christie's former deputy chief of staff, and Bill Baroni, a former executive at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, are on trial, charged with conspiracy, fraud and civil rights deprivation in the alleged political revenge plot.

Wildstein, a former high-ranking official at the Port Authority, testified that he was present when Christie was told about the traffic in Fort Lee on the third day of the gridlock during a September 11 memorial event in New York.

Wildstein said Baroni told Christie there was 'a tremendous amount of traffic in Fort Lee' that morning and that Mayor Mark Sokolich was 'very frustrated' he wasn't getting his phone calls returned.

Baroni then told the governor that Wildstein was watching over the situation, Wildstein testified.

'Well, I'm sure Mr. Edge would never be involved in anything political,' Christie responded sarcastically, and then laughed, according to Wildstein.

'Wally Edge' was a pseudonym Wildstein used while running a New Jersey politics website.

Prosecutors showed the jury several photographs of Baroni, Wildstein and Christie talking that day.

Federal prosecutor Lee Cortes asked Wildstein if he and Baroni were bragging about the traffic jams.

'Yes, very much so. This was our one constituent,' Wildstein replied, referring to Christie.

'I was pleasing my one constituent. I was happy that he was happy.'

Christie's name is on a list of potential witnesses at the trial.

Bridget Kelly (left), Christie's former deputy chief of staff, and Bill Baroni (right), a former executive at the Port Authority, are on trial

The closing of two of three access lanes to the George Washington Bridge caused bumper-to-bumper traffic in Fort Lee, held up school buses and emergency vehicles, and left drivers fuming for hours at one of the busiest spans in the world.

The bridge connects New Jersey to New York City.

For months afterward, Port Authority officials insisted the lane closings were part of a traffic study.

But the scandal broke wide open with the release of emails and text messages, including one from Kelly to Wildstein in which she said: 'Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee.'

At the time of the traffic jams, Christie was running for re-election, and his campaign was trying to secure endorsements from local Democratic officials like Sokolich in order to win a big landslide victory and demonstrate the governor's broad appeal as a potential candidate for president.

In the end, the scandal helped sink Christie's White House campaign.

Christie once topped the national polls ahead of the 2016 GOP primaries but dropped out after New Hampshire and said recently that the scandal probably influenced Donald Trump's decision not to pick him as his running mate.

Trump said last December that Christie 'totally knew' about the lane closings. The GOP presidential candidate has since tapped Christie to lead his transition team.

The scandal has brought to light some of the hardball tactics used by the Christie administration and reinforced his reputation as a bully.
and low humidity have meant the fire has spread

In Petaluma two homes were gutted as a result of the fire and trees charred

It was contained in Sanoma County but got to the Santa Cruz mountains

Wildfires in Northern California that have engulfed 500 acres of land and forced 300 people to flee their homes are continuing to rage.

The fire made its way along trees lining Highway 101 in Petaluma, California and gutted two homes on Tuesday. Petaluma fire Battalion Chief Jeff Holden told the Press Democrat that the fire damaged gas service valves on multiple homes, and 'flames shot like a torch in the attic.'

Around 100 miles away in Morgan Hill in the Santa Cruz mountains marijuana farmer, Anthony Lopez, scrambled to move his plants away from the smoke and fire-ignoring evacuation orders.

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Anthony Lopez harvests medicinal marijuana plants as the Loma fire burns around his home in the Santa Cruz mountains

The hot temperatures and low humidity allowed the fire to grow and spread across the northern rim of California

Authorities said a further six homes in the Petaluma area were affected by the fires but had yet to assess the extent of the damage.

A heat wave baking drought-stricken California worsened the wildfire forced around 300 people from their homes in remote communities along the Santa Cruz Mountains - which lies around 100 miles from Petaluma.

The rugged terrain has caused difficulties for firefighters in their attempts to extinguish the blaze. One remote area where the fire burned is 30 minutes up a winding dirt road. Another is dotted with large-scale marijuana growing operations.

A main route along the ridgetop is not accessible, even to firefighters, because of downed utility lines.

Lopez inspects the damage to the area and moves the plants to safety on Tuesday

A hot tub rests in front of a residence leveled by the Loma fire along Loma Chiquita Road near Santa Cruz

A melted basketball hoop rests in a clearing after the Loma fire tore along a ridge top

Flames lit up the mountainside above a roller coaster at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and a residence was reduced to rubble, though its hot tub still stood. The fire consumed a large home sitting on a hilltop plot and poured out thick, black smoke.

The fast-moving wildfire in the mountains had destroyed 500 acres by Monday night, after breaking out that day.

The blaze broke out during a statewide heat wave, and was helped along by low humidity and temperatures in the upper 90s.

However the coastal cities normally benefit from the Pacific Ocean's cooling effect and firefighters hope the high temperatures start easing this week.

Rubble lines a residence leveled by the Loma fire along Loma Chiquita Road on Tuesday near Morgan Hill

A burned-out truck rests in a clearing after the Loma fire. More California residents were ordered from their homes Tuesday as a growing wildfire threatened remote communities in the Santa Cruz Mountains

'This fire is a good reminder that even though we are approaching October, this time of year is historically when we experience the largest and most damaging wildfires,' Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said.

Morgan Hill resident and medicinal marijuana grower Lopez returned to his home, which is still under evacuation orders, yesterday. He was pleased to find his dozens of plants standing and his car uncharred.

Doreenann Bellamy and her husband fled the Santa Cruz mountains in a her pickup truck with her dog, and photo albums.

Rubble lines a residence leveled by the Loma fire along Loma Chiquita Road

Lopez, with his girlfriend Sarah Torres, harvests marijuana plants as the Loma fire burns around his home

A helicopter drops water as the Loma fire approaches a home near Morgan Hill

A firefighter watches flames that has forced 300 families to evacuate their homes

'Everyone on the mountain has guns, and you've got to grab your guns first,' she told The Mercury News in San Jose

To the north in Sonoma County, crews gained control on Monday over a 2-square-mile fire that briefly threatened homes and The Geysers geothermal complex, a massive power producing facility.

Evacuations and road closure orders were lifted after firefighters got the blaze more than halfway contained, Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean said.
An autistic man who was rescued at sea after a doomed fishing trip with his mother, who is missing and presumed dead, was a suspect in his wealthy grandfather's murder.

Nathan Carman, 22, claims he frantically looked for his mother Linda, 54, after their fishing boat sank off the coast of Rhode Island.

He spent a week on a life raft until he was spotted by a passing freighter and brought back to Boston by the Coast Guard, while his mother was lost at sea and likely drowned.

Police have searched Carman's home in Vernon, Vermont, and he has been questioned about what happened.

It has also been revealed that Carman was considered a suspect in the death of his 87-year-old grandfather John Chakalos.

On Wednesday, Carman rejected claims he killed his grandfather and insists he did not harm his missing mother.

Nathan Carman (left) arrives in a small boat at the US Coast Guard station in Boston, after being picked up from a floating life raft. His mother Linda (right) is missing and presumed dead

Carman was a suspect in the murder of his grandfather John Chakalos (right). The Second World War paratrooper was shot dead only weeks after his wife Rita (left) died of cancer in 2013

Carman is seen with his grandmother shortly before she died. His grandfather's murder investigation is still active

He told the Hartford Courant his grandfather was 'like a father to me'.

'He loved me very dearly,' he added. 'I was like a son to him; he was like a father to me.'

Chakalos, a Second World War veteran, was shot dead at his home in Windsor, Vermont in 2013, just weeks after Carman's grandmother died of cancer.

In July 2014, Windsor police submitted an arrest warrant for Carman on a murder charge.

But a prosecutor rejected it the next day and returned it with a 'request for further information.'

Windsor Police are still investigating the slaying. On Interstate 91 in Vermont, there is a billboard offering a $250,000 reward for anyone with information leading to an arrest in his death.

In 2011, Carman disappeared after getting upset over the death of his horse. He was found safe in Virginia a week later.

On Interstate 91 in Vermont, there is a billboard offering a $250,000 reward for anyone with information leading to an arrest in his death

A recording of the phone call Carman made to the Coast Guard after he was rescued by a freighter on Sunday has also been released. In it Carman says he heard a 'funny noise' in the engine compartment of his boat, and then saw water pouring in before he lost sight of his mother.

On the recording, he says: 'I was bringing one of the safety bags forward. The boat just dropped out from under my feet. When I saw the life raft, I did not see my mom. Have you found her?'

After the officer tells Carman they have not found his mother, he describes getting into the life raft and says: 'I was whistling and calling and looking around, and I didn't see her.'

Linda Carman, 54, who had left on the fishing trip from Point Judith in Rhode Island on September 17, is now presumed dead.

Nathan Carman's home in Vernon, Vermont, was searched by police this week after he was brought back to shore. His mother Linda is missing, presumed dead

Nathan Carman's attorney said the fishing boat sank in a 'tragic accident'. He also made a distress call saying he heard a 'funny noise' before water rushed into the boat

Nathan Carman, right, disembarks at the US Coast Guard station in Boston. He later left with his father, Clark, who had flown in from his home in California

Nathan Carman and his mother (pictured together) often went on fishing trips together as a way of 'bonding', said one of her close friends

Carman's attorney Hubert Santos said his client 'fully cooperated' with the Coast Guard after he was taken to Boston on Tuesday by the freighter that rescued him.

Mr Santos said: 'It was a tragic accident.'

Vermont authorities said police from South Kingstown, Rhode Island, searched Carman's home in the town of Vernon on Monday.

Carman is understood to have grown up in Connecticut but bought a home in Vermont two years ago, not long after the death of his grandfather.

Mr Chakalos, 87, a wealthy retired real estate developer, was shot dead on 20 December 2013, the New York Daily News reported.

The Hartford Courant newspaper said court records showed Carman was a suspect as he had been the last person to see his grandfather alive.

Relatives of Nathan Carman said he had Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism

The pair were in this boat when it sank off the coast of Rhode Island last week

Carman told police he had dinner with Mr Chakalos at his home in Windsor the night before he was found dead.

The Courant reported that Windsor police submitted an arrest warrant for Carman to a prosecutor but it was returned unsigned with a request for more information and he was never charged in connection with his grandfather's death.

A Coast Guard spokeswoman said Carman left Boston on Tuesday afternoon with his father, Clark Carman, who lives in California.

The Coast Guard said Carman was found in a life raft 100 miles south of Martha's Vineyard.

Linda Carman's friend, Sharon Hartstein, said the mother and son regularly went on fishing trips together.

'They went fishing - that was one of their bonding things. When he was available, she tried to make time so she could spend time with him,' she said.

Mr Carman's current whereabouts are unknown

Windsor police Captain Thomas LePore said the investigation into Mr Chakalos' killing remains open and active.

Mrs Carman's mother, Rita Chakalos, died of cancer a few weeks before her husband was murdered.

Mr and Mrs Chakalos were well known philanthropists who split their time between Connecticut and Chesterfield, New Hampshire, where they had an estate known for its massive holiday lights display.
Western lowland gorilla numbers have sunk by 60% in the last 25 years

Donors to gorilla conservation center can vote on names for the newborn

Workers at Philadelphia Zoo have finally determined the gender of a baby gorilla born last month, and it's a girl.

The baby gorilla's 21-year-old mother, Honi, had been holding her so closely after its birth on August 26 that zookeepers couldn't confirm if the baby was male or female.

The zoo is encouraging the public to help name the baby western lowland gorilla. It's partnering with the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center (GRACE) sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo that rehabilitates gorillas whose families have been killed by poachers.

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The gorilla with no name. After donating a dollar to a gorilla sanctuary donors can select from a number of Swahili names for the newborn girl

Kept close. Mother, Honi, wouldn't let zookeepers near her child which meant it took a whole month for workers to find out what sex the baby is

Voters visit the sanctuary's website to donate a dollar and choose from a list of Swahili names that honor orphaned gorillas.

All proceeds are for benefit the sanctuary in the African country.

The zoo now has six western lowland gorillas. The public can see the baby and the other great apes at the zoo's Peco Primate Reserve.

The new arrival is Honi's second child but the is the first for 31-year-old father Motuba.

'Honi is in constant contact with the infant confidently cradling, cuddling and carrying her 24 hours a day,' the zoo wrote in a blog post yesterday.

'Dad Motuba is sticking close by to guard and protect the family, a role that male gorillas typically play in the group dynamic,' said a zookeepers

Western lowland gorillas are slightly smaller than other gorilla sub species, reaching 4ft to 5ft and a half when standing on two legs.

Nestled and safe. The public can see the baby and the other great apes at the zoo's Peco Primate Reserve

'Dad Motuba is sticking close by to guard and protect the family, a role that male gorillas typically play in the group dynamic.'

Western lowland gorillas are listed as critically endangered. They are native to the forests and swamps of nations in Central Africa such as Angola, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

They are slightly smaller than other gorilla sub species, reaching 4ft to 5ft and a half when standing on two legs.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were apparently snubbed for a second time in two days by a prominent First Nations leader in Canada.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, Okanagan Nation Alliance Chairman and Spokesperson, had been due to meet the royals at the University of British Columbia Okanagan.

But he pulled out at the 11th hour, failing to appear on stage with them at the university's 10th anniversary celebrations.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, Okanagan Nation Alliance Chairman and Spokesperson, had been due to meet the royals at the University of British Columbia Okanagan

He was replaced in the welcome line up by Chief Jonathan Kruger, pictured with Kate

He was replaced in the welcome line up by Chief Jonathan Kruger from the local Penticton Indian Band.

A spokesman for the university could not comment on why Grand Chief Phillip had pulled out.

It came just a day after he refused to attend an historic reconciliation ceremony with William and Kate at Government House in Victoria.

Grand Chief Phillip, leader of 115 First Nation tribes in British Columbia known as the Union of BC Chiefs, did not turn up in protest at the government's treatment of his people.

It came just a day after he refused to attend an historic reconciliation ceremony with William and Kate at Government House in Victoria. Pictured, William at the ceremony

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the ceremony in Victoria on Tuesday

He said in a statement: 'With the deepening poverty of our communities, remembering the missing and murdered indigenous women and girls and the ongoing negligence of indigenous child welfare policies across this country, in good conscience, I cannot participate in the Black Rod Ceremony.'
A 22-year-old man who received an almost $1 million payout after he left school unable to read is a car thief and a regular drug user.

Beau Abela's father, Peter, took the Victorian Government to court a decade ago, accusing it of failing to give his son a proper education.

He was eventually awarded a payout worth almost $1 million and the state also agreed to fund the purchase of a car for Beau, A Current Affair reported.

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Beau Abela's father, Peter, took the Victorian Government to court a decade ago, accusing it of failing to give his son a proper education

The money was intended to fund 'expenses... in respect of a service, good or benefit that involves the education, training, personal advancement, including in relation to self-esteem, health or employment prospects or advancement of Beau', according to a 2015 Federal Court ruling.

But since then, Beau plead guilty to stealing a $2,000 Nissan and was handed a good behaviour bond earlier this year.

He also told A Current Affair he took drugs, including methamphetamines which is also known as ice.

'I've done drugs, I've f***ing shot up, I've done everything,' Beau said.

When asked if he was on ice, the 22-year-old replied: 'Yeah, 24/7 of my f***ing life'.

But Beau did say he was trying to get his life together.

He was eventually awarded a payout worth almost $1 million and the state also agreed to fund the purchase of a car for Beau

But since then, Beau has admitted to stealing a $2,000 Nissan and was handed a good behaviour bond earlier this year

'I'm trying my hardest. It's hard for someone who can't read and write,' he said.

The 22-year-old also told A Current Affair he was studying mechanics at TAFE.

Beau was diagnosed with an intellectual disability in 2006 with an IQ of 62.

'He has had a very unfortunate education experience and is in a position where he needs assistance to develop whatever capacities he has,' a Federal Court judge said in 2015.

'He has a significant learning difficulty which affects his everyday functioning in society. The position today is that Beau Abela is unable to read or write.

'The unfortunate situation of Beau, a citizen of the State of Victoria, with very considerable learning difficulties, is something that should be addressed by a sympathetic state.'

The Abelas made headlines 10 years ago when they appeared on A Current Affair in 2007 when Peter first launched his legal action against Victoria's Department of Education.

'They owe him an education, a standard. Every child should be able to walk out of a school and be able to have the opportunity to go for an apprenticeship, to go for a job interview,' Peter said at the time.

The 22-year-old said he was trying his 'hardest' to turn his life around but it was difficult for someone who could not read
Site has also run fake stories on other celebrities, including Angelina Jolie

Facebook warned users not to click on the link and to change password

The site is actually a malware that allows hackers to access data

Brad Pitt is very much alive, but if you clicked on an article that claimed he committed suicide after his divorce from Angelina Jolie, your phone could soon be dead.

Facebook is warning its users that a scam article is being circulated which claims that Pitt has died.

The article shows a black and white picture of Pitt with long hair and the words 'R.I.P Brad Pitt' written on it.

It also attempts to make itself look like it's coming from FOX News by putting a FOX News banner below the image and the flag 'BREAKING NEWS' next to it.

Facebook is warning its users that a scam article is being circulated which claims that actor Brad Pitt has died.

The article is actually a hoax, which allows hackers to gain access to users Facebook information and data

The title of the article says: 'FOX BREAKING NEWS: BRAD PITT found dead (SUICIDE).'

Clicking the link took users to a redirect page, which appeared to be FOX News.

It actually led users to an app that could access their data.

Those who bypassed the redirect page were able to see a few lines of the hoax story.

'Brad Pitt, 52, a multiawarded American actor and husband of Angelina Jolie, 41, shot himself in the head at a shooting range on Sunday.

'He was under significant stress because the couple "were going through a divorce and he had a history of depression", sources have said,' the hoax site purported.

Shortly after Pitt's divorce from Jolie was made public, the link began making the rounds.

Alive and well: The site has run stories about numerous other celebrities who aren't dead including Angelina Jolie

Snopes.com claims the first known date of the hoax was on September 21.

Taking advantage of people's curiosity about the split, the malware was circulated, which aims to track personal information from phones and computers.

The hoax site has also run false articles about the deaths of Vin Diesel, Nicolas Cage, Jaden Smith, Jim Carrey, Sylvester Stallone and John Cena.

Just last month, they ran a similar hoax story about Angelina Jolie dying.

If someone falls for the hoax, their Facebook information is subjected to being obtained by the hackers.
The case was adjourned until next month to prepare psychiatric reports

16-year-olds pleaded guilty to making threats to murder on Wednesday

A pair of teenagers plotted to murder another girl with knives and a rope in a shopping centre bathroom after organising to meet up with her online.

The teenagers, now 16, allegedly lured their victim to Westfield Helensvale in January 2015, but shoppers noticed the girls' bizarre behaviour and alerted police before they had the chance to carry out their plan.

They were charged with conspiracy to murder after officers found Facebook messages on their phones organising to kill the girl, The Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

A pair of teenagers plotted to murder another girl with knives and a rope in a Westfield shopping centre bathroom after organising to meet up with her online

They were charged with conspiracy to murder after officers found Facebook messages on their phones and computer organising to kill the girl (stock image)

The charges were downgraded to making threats after both teenagers pleaded guilty at the South District Court on Wednesday.

The court heard the girls initially met up at Australia Fair Shopping Centre on the Gold Coast before taking a 15-minute bus to Westfield Helensvale.

After police were called by concerned shoppers, they found the teenagers in the centre bathroom with knives and a length of rope.

The teenagers, now 16, allegedly lured their victim to Westfield Helensvale (pictured) in January 2015, but shoppers noticed the girls' bizarre behaviour and alerted police

The court heard the girls initially met up at Australia Fair Shopping Centre on the Gold Coast

Officers allege they girls also spoke about using their weapons on the next person to walk into the bathroom, according to The Gold Coast Bulletin.

The girls are both on bail are expected to be sentenced in October after psychiatric reports are lodged.

Lawyer Campbell MacCallum said the girls will most likely avoid jail time due to their guilty plea and instead may be sentenced to a community-based order.
The mother of missing 16-year-old girl Cassie Olczak has made an emotional appeal to the public to help locate her daughter.

Cassie was spotted getting on a train at Banksia Railway Station in Sydney's south-west on Sunday night and police believe she may have been groggy and disoriented.

CCTV cameras captured the teenager getting off the southbound train alone at Waterfall Railway Station at 7pm - about 30 kilometres away.

Police say the area is mostly dense bushland and they are getting together a search and rescue team to help scour the area.

Cassie Olczak, 16, was last seen at about 6.30pm on Sunday night at Banksia Railway Station in Sydney's south-west where she appeared to be groggy and disoriented

Her mother Connie Olczak, who has only had three hours sleep since Cassie went missing, said her disappearance is out of character and warned that she wasn't 'street smart'.

'She has been missing 76 hours with no food or water... no access to bank accounts. She is not street smart. She needs help,' Ms Olczak said.

'I need her home, my gut tells me she is alive. If she hears this, your friends and family are desperate for you to come home. Please come home.'

Cassie, who has just finished school and is due to begin a Tafe hairdressing course next week, had returned to Australia on Saturday from visiting her father in Abu Dhabi.

She went to visit friends on Sunday but they sent her home when they noticed she was disorientated.

The teenager went to the train station with a friend at about 6pm but the person took a train in the opposite direction to Cassie.

Cassie, who has just finished school and is due to begin a Tafe hairdressing course next week, had returned to Australia on Saturday from visiting her father in Abu Dhabi

Cassie's desperate mother has appealed to people on social media to help find her daughter

She has not accessed her bank account, phone or social media accounts since.

Ms Olczak is concerned someone may have given the teenager a 'substance', which would explain her groggy and disorientated state.

'You're not in trouble. If you're confused or lost, people want to help you. I'm trying, I just don't understand,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald.

She was supposed to be travelling to Hurstville but CCTV captured her getting off at Waterfall - about 15 kilometres away.

Ms Olczak told the Kyle & Jackie O show that Cassie was jetlagged and it's possible she did take something, but she is urging those friends to give more relevant information to police.

Police said in a statement they had conducted 'extensive' inquiries to find Cassie, but had not been successful yet.

Concerns were held for her due to her age.

Cassie is about 175cm tall and of a thin build, has long, dark hair and a tan complexion, was last seen wearing grey Adidas tights, a black zip-up Miley Cyrus hoodie, Adidas Superstar sneakers with gold stripes and a Nike hip bag.
Prince William sampled a number of delicacies at a food and wine festival today, including the unusually-shaped 'geoduck'

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge tasted one of the most unusual-looking delicacies in Canada today - and tactfully pronounced it delicious.

They tucked into the unmistakably phallic 'geoduck' at a food and wine festival in British Columbia.

The geoduck is a giant clam with a long neck which the uninitiated often find somewhat off-putting - for rather obvious reasons.

As the couple toured a food and wine festival in the idyllic setting of a hilltop winery in the Okanagan valley, they initially appeared as if there was no chance of any geoduck passing their lips.

'Presentationally they are quite challenging,' said William.

But chef Ned Bell told them: 'They are getting more popular all the time.'

A few stands later at the Taste of BC festival at the Mission Hill winery, they came across some geoduck prepared by Japanese chef Hidekazu Tojo - and could not resist it.

However it was unrecognisable from the raw version on Mr Bell's stand, having been transformed into thinly sliced BC wild geoduck sashimi, garnished with a Miso Mustard Sauce.

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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge tried dishes from a number of leading chefs

The geoduck is a giant clam with a long neck which the uninitiated often find off-putting

'There is a slightly firmer texture to this,' said the duchess. 'It's really unusual. I've never seen it before. It's so fresh from the sea.'

Mr Bell said: 'It is an extraordinary species. You can eat the body, but you can also eat the neck raw, which is what they ate.

'It is absolutely phallic, but at end of the day it is a clam. Here on the west coast we have some of the best wild, well-managed shellfish in the world.'

Their tour saw them taste an array dishes from some of Canada's most celebrated chefs.

They included Mr Bell's Cured North Coast BC Wild Sockeye Salmon Tataki With Miso, Maple and BC Grown Radishes, and Chef Rob Feenie's Braised Cache Creek oxtail and caramelized onion ravioli with Hazelmere farms celeriac puree, port wine jus, shaved parmesan and extra virgin olive oil.

Kate looks unsure as she tries another of the dishes on offer at the British Columbia festival

William tried the geoduck - but tactfully pronounced the rare seafood was 'delicious'

From Chef Vikram Vij they ate Maharaja Style Coconut Curried BC Vegetable Curry With Basmati Rice and Wine marinated BC lamb popsicle. Asked if she liked cooking, Kate replied 'Yes, especially curries.'

William said: 'This is amazing. It's the right level of spice for me. I'm very glad you did not surprise us with a vindaloo. I can't manage that - it's too much for me.'

William also tried a Laird of Fintry single malt whisky, which William pronounced 'delicious'. He said : 'You can tell the Scottish element - there's a peatiness to it.'

The royal couple were given a curry to try, which William was pleased was not too spicy

The duchess looked elegant even as she bit into another exotic dish from a chef

A marinated lamb popsicle and locally sourced sushi were among the dishes on offer

Kate turned down the whisky, but tried their cassis - a blackcurrant liqueur - instead, which she said was 'like sloe gin'.

Earlier the couple, wearing almost identical Raybans, tried their hand cutting pinot noir grapes from the vines.

Okanagan Valley is Canada's second largest wine region, and accounts for 90% of all wine produced in British Columbia.
Pavlos has been sentenced to three years and two months behind bars

Pavlos believed her ex-husband did not care she might become homeless

She said her actions were fuelled by her struggling financial situation

Nicole Pavlos was intoxicated and admitted to having been bitter

She destroyed his cars and torched his home because she saw a new sofa

Mother left her son, four, in the car when she went to her ex's home

A mother who set fire to her former husband's home and vandalised his car while her four-year-old waited in the car has been sentenced to jail.

Nicole Pavlos was intoxicated, having drank almost two bottles of wine, when she went to his Kingsley home, in Perth, on Friday, March 25 this year.

The fitness fanatic first went to his home to damage his car scratching several panels before making a second trip to damage his girlfriend's car.

On the third trip back to the house, Pavlos spotted a new couch inside the home which fuelled her anger over her struggling financial situation, The West Australian.

Nicole Pavlos took her four-year-old son to her ex-husband's home three time to vandalise his property because she was seething over her dire financial situation

The mother-of-two broke into the home with a brick to douse the couch with methylated spirits and set it on fire before escaping with a bottle of wine.

She then contacted police to her report her vehicle was stolen upon exiting the home, after realising she had dropped her car keys inside.

She then escaped the scene on foot with her son.

Pavlos explained to a psychologist that her actions stemmed from believing her ex-husband did not care she might be evicted from her home and become homeless.

She caused $220,000 worth of damages to the home and destroyed $63,000 worth of personal belongings, the court heard.

The fitness fanatic mother vandalised her ex's car, his girlfriend's vehicle and then set fire to his brand new couch causing a blaze which resulted in almost $300,000 in damages

Pavlos faced charges including arson and perverting the course of justice and was sentenced to three years and two months behind bars.

Supreme Court Justice Michael Corboy noted that he believed Pavlos can turn her life around and be a mother to her children.

'You have, as I say, very good prospects of rehabilitation,' Justice Corboy said.

'You have the support of your family but most of all you have two young children.
Syrian government forces captured a central rebel-held neighbourhood in Aleppo on Tuesday after a week of blistering airstrikes, as a military official vowed that the offensive would continue until insurgents are wiped out.

Syrian state TV said troops captured Farafra, near Aleppos famous citadel, and that fighting was underway near the historic core of the northern city.

Aleppo, Syrias largest city and former commercial center, has been fiercely contested since rebels captured several eastern neighbourhoods in 2012.

Those neighbourhoods are now under siege, and over the past week have endured the worst aerial onslaught since the start of the war, with more than 200 people killed and several buildings flattened.

Aleppo, Syrias largest city and former commercial center, has been fiercely contested since rebels captured several eastern neighbourhoods in 2012

The battle for the city still appears to be mired in stalemate. Government forces captured the Handarat area on the northern edge of Aleppo over the weekend, only to lose it hours later.

The contested historic quarter of Aleppo, one of the worlds oldest cities, is home to the Umayyad Mosque, a UNESCO world heritage site. The 11th-century minaret of the famed mosque collapsed in April 2013 during fighting.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of activists inside Syria, confirmed that government forces are advancing on the old quarter.

The group said 11 people were killed in airstrikes on rebel-held eastern Aleppo on Tuesday, and that insurgents shelled the nearby government-held villages of Nubal and Zahraa, killing a baby girl.

There was intense shelling (in eastern Aleppo) earlier. It seemed the (government) was preparing for the attack, said Ibrahim Alhaj, a member of the Syrian Civil Defense, volunteer first responders also known as the White Helmets. He added that news from the front line suggests a large mobilization of pro-government militias in the old city.

Alhaj and activist Yassin Abu Raed, who is based outside the city, said rebels were able to repel the offensive. Abu Raed said five troops were killed in the fighting. Alhaj said the house of his parents was shelled earlier Tuesday, but that he was able to rescue them and bring them to his own home.

The latest escalation came after a week-long cease-fire brokered by the U.S. and Russia unraveled, which each side accusing the other of violating the agreement.

A Syrian military official in the capital, Damascus, said operations in Aleppo will continue until the terrorists in the eastern parts of the city are wiped out. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

The latest escalation came after a week-long cease-fire brokered by the U.S. and Russia unraveled, which each side accusing the other of violating the agreement

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Red Cross called for dozens of sick and wounded people in the embattled eastern part of the Syrian city of Aleppo to be evacuated through safe corridors for treatment.

The Syrian military, helped by Iranian-backed Shiite militias and the Russian air force, launched a campaign to take rebel-held eastern Aleppo last week, where the WHO said only 35 doctors remained to care for more than 250,000 people.

Syrian pro-government forces attacked the opposition-held sector of Aleppo on several fronts on Tuesday, the biggest ground assault yet in a campaign that has destroyed a U.S.-backed ceasefire.

WHO is calling for the immediate establishment of humanitarian routes to evacuate sick and wounded from the eastern part of the city, WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib said.
Central New South Wales, northern Victoria and Tasmania will also be affected by the '

said the cold front will bring heavy rain, thunderstorms and gale force winds

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South Australia has been thrust into darkness after power was lost across the city as heavy rains and gale force winds batter South Australia in one of the largest storms in fifty years.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) issued severe weather warnings in South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania as a 'vigorous' cold front, or 'cyclone', moved east across the country's south on Wednesday.

South Australia has been drenched by heavy rains which caused flash flooding across the state, while gale force winds caused damage to homes, bus stops and cars when trees were uprooted in the storm.

Travellers who are planning to fly from Adelaide Airport on Wednesday have been left stranded after the wild weather and statewide blackout, causing major delays on the tarmac.

South Australian Power Networks confirmed the whole state had lost power just before 5pm on Wednesday after the storm caused an issue with the transmission network.

State Emergency Service spokesman Jon Carr said residents in Adelaide completely lost power just before 4.30pm, while power at more than 4,000 residences across the state were affected earlier in the day as the merciless storm cell travelled east towards Victoria and New South Wales.

'Basically the whole CBD has lost power. I am looking out the window and it is looking pretty bloody dark out there,' Mr Carr told Daily Mail Australia.

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Police directing traffic around the CBD in Adelaide following a statewide blackout, causing chaos on Wednesday night

Traffic in total darkness around the streets of Adelaide as residents are left without power on Wednesday night

Travellers planning to fly from Adelaide Airport on Wednesday have been left stranded following a statewide blackout

Large hailstones and heavy rains are expected to continue causing flash flooding and damage on both Wednesday and Thursday, with thunderstorms set to rattle Adelaide (pictured) by about 4pm

South Australia has been thrust into darkness after power was lost across the city (pictured severe thunderstorm)

South Australia has been drenched by heavy rains which caused flash flooding across the state, while gale force winds caused damage to homes, bus stops and cars when trees were uprooted in the storm

SES volunteers have responded to around 150 calls from residents affected by flooding and falling trees, but Mr Carr fears that number will blow out overnight when the second storm front is expected to hit.

'We are expecting some severe weather overnight and through to Thursday so we are certainly expecting a really busy next 48 hours,' Mr Carr said.

'150 call outs, we can take that in our stride but by his time tomorrow we could be talking about more than thousand jobs,' he added.

Large hailstones and heavy rains are expected to continue causing flash flooding and damage on both Wednesday and Thursday, with thunderstorms set to rattle Adelaide by about 4pm.

'This is a cyclone,' BOM regional director John Nairne told the ABC.

'It's a clockwise rotating system and in its own right it's a powerful system, and not to be confused with tropical cyclones.'

Large hail stones have battered Cleve, in the Eyre Peninsula, leaving properties blanketed in ice.

A large tree in the backyard of a home in Myrtle Bank, a suburb in Adelaide's south east, has fallen on an elderly woman's house after it was struck by lightening in the storm just before 1pm.

Debris can be seen scattered all over the road, with fire crews and State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers attending to clear the scene.

State wide blackout has caused traffic chaos on the streets of Adelaide as residents are left without power

Police directing traffic around the CBD in Adelaide following power outage, leaving residents without electricity

Police directing traffic around the CBD in Adelaide following power outage, leaving residents without electricity

Traffic flows by the SAMHRI building, one of the few with power back up near the CBD in Adelaide on Wednesday

'We are expecting some severe weather overnight and through to Thursday so we are certainly expecting a really busy next 48 hours,' Mr Carr said after receiving a large number of calls about fallen trees

A large tree in the backyard of a home in Myrtle Bank, a suburb in Adelaide's south east, has fallen on an elderly woman's house after it was struck by lightening in the storm just before 1pm

Debris was scattered all over the road, with fire crews and State Emergency Service volunteers helping clear the scene

Commuters avoided injury when falling branches shattered a glass panel on a bus stop in Glenelg

Debris from the storm is scattered in the streets around Glenelg, with the SES confirming they have responded to around 15 call outs on Wedesnday

South Australia has been drenched by heavy rains and severe thunderstorm which caused flash flooding across the state

Commuters avoided injury when falling branches shattered a glass panel on a bus stop in Glenelg, a beach-side suburb south west of Adelaide, while a tree has also blocked a road outside Ardornish Primary School in Adelaide's north-east.

Winds strengths not seen in more than 50 years are predicted, particularly in coastal areas, while up to 100 millimetres of rain has been forecast for the Adelaide Hills.

The Bureau said winds may average at about 90 kilometres per hour but could reach 140 kilometres per hour in Whyalla, Port Augusta, Hawker, Port Pirie, Clare, Roxby Downs and Leigh Creek - where a severe thunderstorm warning has been issues.

A large fallen tree has blocked a road outside Ardornish Primary School in Adelaide's north-east

Heavy rains, gale force winds and flooding will batter South Australia as a cyclone hits on Tuesday (Pictured: Thunderstorm in Woomera, north west of Adelaide)

A large tree toppled over blocking Brookside Road in Springfield, an inner suburb in Adelaide's south, on Wednesday

SES volunteers have arrived on the scene and are now attempting to clear the debris away

Large hail stones have battered Cleve (picutred left and right), in the Eyre Peninsula, leaving properties blanketed in ice

Winds strengths not seen in more than 50 years are predicted, particularly in coastal areas, while up to 100 millimetres of rain has been forecast for the Adelaide Hills (pictured)

An ominous cloud formation appeared in Adelaide as forecasters described the storm as 'rare and damaging'

'This depth of low, this close to the coast, is very damaging,' the Bureau of Meteorology SA's director John Nairn said

South Australian residents have started preparing for the storm which has been described as the worst in fifty years

Social media users started sharing images as thick cloud cover plunged the state into darkness ( Pictured: Roxby Downs near Burra)

Large hailstones and heavy rains are expected to continue causing flash flooding and damage on Wednesday

Forecasters have warned the strong winds produced by the cyclone could cause sea levels to rise

A resident in Adelaide Hills uploaded a photograph to social media showing how dramatically the weather changed on Wednesday

An unusually deep low pressure system forecast to move up over Kangaroo Island and into the Adelaide area on Wednesday evening has caused the rare conditions, according to the Bureau.

'This depth of low, this close to the coast, is very damaging,' Mr Nairn said.

'It's a very significant event for South Australia. It's very rare,' he added.

Around 18,000 fire fighters and SES staff are on standby to help residents, while a team from Western Australia has also been brought in to assist.

State Emergency Services have distributed scores of sand bags across both metropolitan and regional areas in preparation for likely flooding.

Twin sisters jump at the opportunity to get their gum boots out, with their mother capturing the moment they pounce on a puddle in Adelaide

Drenching rain and potentially storm-force winds are expected to lash large parts of South Australia on both Wednesday and Thursday (Pictured: Port Augusta Power Station)

Ominous clouds started forming over Adelaide on Tuesday morning as residents prepare for two days of heavy rainfall

One resident captured the dramatic change in conditions after a sunny morning turned into a cloudy afternoon

Severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued for Whyalla, Port Augusta, Hawker, Port Pirie, Clare, Roxby Downs (pictured) and Leigh Creek

A grey haze sets in over the suburbs of Adelaide as the massive deluge hit before midday on Wednesday

Burnside's Tusmore Park creek, south east of Adelaide, swells as heavy rains are dumped on the city

A driver headed toward Roxbury Down can see rain started to fall further up the road

The unusually deep low pressure system forecast to move up over Kangaroo Island and into the Adelaide area on Wednesday evening (Pictured: Brighton Beach)

Heavy rain can be expected in Victoria's north and west while thunderstorms may affect South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales

Palm trees on the Adelaide coast bend in the extreme winds which are expected to reach speeds of up to 110km/h

Residents in Adelaide (left) and Adelaide Hills (right) took to social media to share images of the rare weather event

One user shared a picture of a magpie that tried to take refuge near their house during the massive storm

Residents volunteered to pack sand bags as South Australia prepared for the biggest storm in fifty years

HAVE THE BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY ISSUED WEATHER WARNINGS IN MY AREA? South Australia Severe weather warning issued for West Coast and parts of the Eastern Eyre Peninsula and North West Pastoral districts, while Lower Eyre Peninsula, Eastern Eyre Peninsula and parts of the West Coast and North West Pastoral districts have been issued a severe thunderstorm warning. Gale force winds are predicted to average around 50-65 km/h but could reach speeds of up to 90-120 km/h near the coast on Wednesday, with the Bureau warning they could cause damage to trees and property. Severe thunderstorms in Whyalla, Port Augusta, Hawker, Port Pirie, Clare, Roxby Downs and Leigh Creek could produce destructive wind gusts up to 140 km/h and batter the area with large hailstones and heavy rainfall. New South Wales Severe weather warning issues for the Central Tablelands, South West Slopes, Riverina, Lower Western and parts of the Hunter, Southern Tablelands, Central West Slopes and Plains, Upper Western and Snowy Mountains Forecast Districts Damaging winds averaging 60 to 80 km/h with peak gusts in excess of 110 km/h are expected about Alpine peaks from Wednesday night, easing only slightly into Thursday. Heavy rain is expected for Thursday morning which could lead to localised flooding, particularly in areas recently affected by heavy rains. Flood warnings for Macintyre River, Peel River and Namoi Rivers, Macquarie River, Bogan River, Lachlan River, Murrumbidgee River, Murray River, Culgoa Birrie Bokhara and Narran Rivers, Warrego River, Paroo River, Barwon-Darling River U/S Bourke. Victoria Severe weather warning has been issued for Central, Mallee, South West, Northern Country, North Central, North East and Wimmera Districts. Damaging winds averaging 50 to 60 km/h with peak gusts of around 110 km/h are expected to develop across western districts late Wednesday, with winds extending to the states centre and east by Thursday morning. Thunderstorms and heavy rain are expected on Wednesday and will continue into Thursday. Up to 80 mm of rain could be dumped on the area in a six-nine hour period, which could cause localised flooding. Flood warnings for Greater Melbourne, North East Victoria, Goulburn and Broken Rivers, Campaspe, Loddon, Avoca and Wimmera Rivers, Kiewa River, Broken Creek and Loddon River. Source: The Bureau of Meteorology Advertisement

SES chief officer Chris Beattie said power lines will undoubtedly fall and there may be long outages for homes and businesses.

BOM senior forecaster Sarah Chadwick said the extreme weather system will move through South Australia and into NSW by Wednesday afternoon, travelling from the far west through to central parts of the state later tonight.

She said the cold front will bring heavy rain, scattered thunderstorms and extreme winds which will smash flood- affected towns like Forbes.

Forbes was declared a natural disaster zone on Tuesday after the region was hit with a drenching that had begun at the weekend.

'New South Wales is beating the September record for rainfall so even a moderate amount is certainly going to have more flood impact on those areas that have already been affected this week,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

One social media users shared an image of grey clouds as they formed over Adelaide (pictured) on Wednesday

 Slide me  Rain will hit the state's west on Wednesday (left) and move east toward Sydney by Thursday (right)

The cold front will bring heavy rain, scattered thunderstorms and extreme winds which will smash flood- affected towns like Forbes (pictured)

Ms Chadwick said the tail end of the weather system - including rain and strong winds - will linger in Sydney on Friday, but the weather is expected clear for the weekend.

Temperatures are expected to reach a maximum of 22 degrees on Saturday and 22 on Sunday before before scattered showers hit on Monday.

Severe weather warnings are in place for most of Victoria, with forecasters warning thunderstorms and wild winds will continue causing streams to rise.

Moderate flood warnings are in place for the Murray and Edward Rivers.

BOM said the state's centre and west will continue to experience rainfall into Thursday, with temperatures dropping to a low of 8 degrees on Friday before warming for the long weekend.

Sydney's weather is expected clear for Saturday and Sunday - when temperatures are expected to reach a maximum of 22 and 27 degrees - before scattered showers hit on Monday

Severe weather warnings are in place for most of Victoria, with forecasters warning thunderstorms and wild winds will continue causing streams to rise (Pictured: stock image)

South Australia has been drenched by heavy rains which caused flash flooding across the state
A granddaughter has admitted to murdering her grandfather a day after a court heard she texted a friend saying he 'might have to die'.

Brittney Jade Dwyer, 19, pleaded guilty in Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday to killing her 81-year-old grandfather, Robert Whitwell, The Advertiser reported.

Mr Whitwell's body was found inside his Craigmore home, north of Adelaide on August 8.

Brittney Jade Dwyer (right), 19, pleaded guilty in Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday to killing her 81-year-old grandfather, Robert Whitwell (left)

Dwyer, Holmes and a third friend, Bernadette Burns were arrested after Mr Whitwell's body was found in August

On Monday a court heard Dwyer (pictured) and her friend Shelby Lee Angie Holmes, also 19, had planned to steal $30,000 from Mr Whitwell in May

Dwyer was arrested after Mr Whitwell's body was found in August before she was extradited from Queensland (pictured)

On Monday a court heard Dwyer and her friend Shelby Lee Angie Holmes, also 19, had planned to steal $30,000 from Mr Whitwell in May.

Dwyer, Holmes and a third friend, Bernadette Burns were arrested after Mr Whitwell's body was found in August.

Holmes was charged with aggravated serious criminal trespass after she was arrested last week in Queensland.

The court heard 19,000 text messages sent over a two year period between Dwyer and Holmes had been recovered during investigations.

In one of the messages Dwyer allegedly told Holmes to not get attached to Mr Whitwell after the pair visited him because he 'might have to die'.

Dwyer has been remanded in custody. She is set to appear in the Supreme Court at a later date.

Holmes and Burns have not yet entered pleas and have been remanded in custody.

Mr Whitwell's body was found inside his Craigmore home (pictured), north of Adelaide on August 8
A couple was nabbed at John F. Kennedy International Airport for allegedly concealing liquid cocaine inside a bottle of Baileys Dulce De Leche

U.S. Customers and Border Protection officers nabbed a couple at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York this week for allegedly concealing liquid cocaine inside a bottle of Baileys.

The bottle contained 1,863 grams - approximately 4.1 pounds - of the drug, according to the New York Daily News.

Sherman Myers, 28, and Gerald Pantophlet, 30, had traveled from St. Maarten to the United States.

The two men are in a relationship, according to the New York Post.

Federal agents found out that Pantophlet's not a US citizen and stopped him and Myers at Terminal 5, sources told the newspaper.

Federal agents found out that Pantophlet's not a US citizen and stopped him and Myers at Terminal 5 (pictured in file image)

The bottle of Baileys Dulche De Leche was reportedly discovered in a suitcase and tested for liquid cocaine.

Pantophlet said a friend in St. Maarten gave him the bottle and he was intending to give it to his uncle in Brooklyn, the Post said.

He and Myers have been arraigned and released on bond, according to the report. Myers is a US citizen, while Pantophlet has a green card.
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This jaw-dropping video captures the breathtaking array of natural beauty spanning Australia's southern coast.

Cinematographer Frederik Schindler used a drone to film an epic road trip as he and his wife drove more than 4,000km from Perth to Sydney.

His stunning footage starts as his drone soars above the couple's camper van while they drive down an open stretch of road during a magnificent sunset.

Majestic: This jaw-dropping video captures the array of breathtaking natural beauty spanning Australia's southern coast

Stunning: Cinematographer Frederik Schindler used a drone to film an epic road trip as he and his wife drove more than 4,000km from Perth to Sydney

Breathtaking: Mr Schindler also travelled inland and the footage shows his partner wandering across a rope bridge that spans a valley in a dense forest

'From deep blue bays to staggering mountain views, Australia contains some of the most insanely beautiful sights in the world,' Mr Schindler said

As the trip goes on, Mr Schindler passes by huge boulders surrounded by sprawling forests that stretch out to the crystal clear waters of the Great Australian Bight.

Flying high above mountains and through rocky cliffside crevices, the drone captures the beauty of the southern Australian coastline.

Mr Schindler, from Leipzig and Berlin in Germany, also travelled inland and the majestic footage shows his partner wandering across a rope bridge that spans a valley in dense woodland.

The 45-day trip also saw them head out into the expansive plains of South Australia and New South Wales.

Jungle explorer: As the trip goes on, Mr Schindler passes by huge boulders surrounded by massive expanses of trees

Epic: Flying high above mountains and through rocky cliffside crevices, the drone captures the beauty of the southern Australian coastline

Beauty: The couple drove along the Great Ocean Road before taking on more beauty spots in Victoria and New South Wales

Flying high above mountains and through rocky cliffside crevices, the drone captures the beauty of the southern Australian coastline

The couple blasted across the southern coast, stopping off at numerous parks as well as visiting towns along the way

The trip started north of Perth in Nambung National Park before heading down the west coast and round towards Albany, Western Australia.

The couple then blasted across the southern coast stopping off at yet more parks, as well as visiting Mount Gambier.

After that, they drove along the Great Ocean Road before taking on more beauty spots in Victoria and New South Wales.

Mr Schindler said: 'My wife and I went on a road trip from Perth to Sydney. We spent some weeks exploring the amazing Australian coast line.

'From deep blue bays to staggering mountain views, Australia contains some of the most insanely beautiful sights in the world.'
Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf will forfeit a large chunk of his annual salary as well as bonuses and stock options totaling $41million during the companys independent investigation of its allegedly fraudulent business practices.

Stumpf will have his salary frozen during the course of the investigation, according to CNN, which was launched in the wake of a class action lawsuit against the bank filed by former and current employees who say they were either fired or threatened with termination if they did not meet unrealistic sales quotas.

Six former employees of Wells Fargo Bank have filed a $7.2 billion lawsuit against the bank as it is investigated for alleged banking fraud.

Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf, pictured in front of the Senate Banking Committee, will forfeit $41million worth of salary and stock options as the bank investigates fraudulent accounts

Last week, the bank's Chief Executive John Stumpf - who faced difficult questions over the allegations, resigned from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco's advisory council on Thursday.

Now six former employees have joined a lawsuit initially filed by Alexander Polonsky and Brian Zaghi in California seeking $7.2billion or more for workers who tried to meet aggressive sales quotas without engaging in fraud and were later demoted, forced to resign or fired.

CNN also reported that Carrie Tolstedt, the executive who led the division responsible for the fake accounts, was forced to resign from the company ahead of schedule. She will not be given a bonus or severance of any kind, the companys board of directors said.

Tolstedt served as the company's head of Community Banking for eight years, during which employees met sales quotas and racked up fees by opening 1.5million bank accounts and 565,000 credit cards for customers without their consent.

Earlier this month, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau fined Wells Fargo a record $185million, and 5,300 employees were fired over the course of five years as a result of the scandal.

Two former employees of Wells Fargo Bank have filed a lawsuit against the bank as it is investigated for alleged banking fraud

But Tolstedt has received praise and a $7million dollar bonus in recent years for 'strong cross-sell ratios' that were partly generated by the fraudulent practice employees commonly referred to as 'sandbagging'.

When her impending retirement was announced in July, Tolstedt was hailed as 'a standard-bearer of our culture' by Stumpf, with no mentions of her department's shocking misconduct.

Instead, she was due to receive $124.6million in stock, options and shares upon her departure from the company, which was scheduled to be at years end.

The bank attracted the financial backing of Warren Buffett's firm Berkshire Hathaway

Retiring from the company would constitute a 'personal decision' that saves her at least $45million had she been fired, Fortune reported.

Now, though, the board of directors said that she wont get anything.

The company appears to be desperate to salvage what is left of its goodwill in the eyes of the public as executives prepare to make what is sure to be a tense appearance before the House Financial Services Committee on Thursday.

According to a criminal complaint filed in California, the bank largely targeted checking account customers, pushing them into taking savings, online or credit accounts which would charge fees.

Bank employees were told that the average customer tapped six financial tools but that they should push households to use eight products, according to the complaint.

A 2013 LA Times investigation found a culture that left some employees desperate to reach quotas, whether it was forging signatures or begging family members to open additional accounts.

In some cases, employees created fake email addresses and pin numbers to create more accounts, and customers were charged for overdraft fees after their money was moved without their consent.

A former bank manager Rita Murillo told the paper: 'We were constantly told we would end up working for McDonald's.

'If we did not make the sales quotaswe had to stay for what felt like after-school detention, or report to a call session on Saturdays.'

CEO John Stumpf, (left) who has received several industry awards, was paid $19.3million in 2015. David Carroll (right) was paid $9.05million because his department oversaw growth

Carrie Tolstedt, the executive who led the division responsible for the fake accounts, was forced to resign from the company ahead of schedule. She will not receive severance

In total, a consulting firm hired by Wells Fargo to investigate the fraud found more than two million deposit accounts that may not have been authorized.

Wells Fargo ended up firing 5,300 employees over the last few years, but top executives have been largely saved from the chopping block.

Stumpf was paid $19.3million in 2015 and has been awarded several 'Banker of the Year' awards from industry organizations, CNN reported.

David Carroll, the senior executive vice president of Wealth and Investment Management, was paid $9.05million, according to the news website.

His department 'achieved a number of important strategic objectives, including ... growth in loan balances and deposits,' a Securities and Exchange Commission filing cited by CNN stated.

A Wells Fargo spokesperson told CNN the terminations affected 'both managers and team members'.

The lawsuit for both current and past Wells Fargo employees in California in the last 10 years, focuses on those who followed the rules and were penalized for not meeting sales quotas.

'Wells Fargo fired or demoted employees who failed to meet unrealistic quotas while at the same time providing promotions to employees who met these quotas by opening fraudulent accounts,' the lawsuit filed on Thursday in California Superior Court in Los Angeles County said.

The revelations are a severe hit to Wells Fargo's reputation. During the financial crisis, the bank trumpeted being a conservative bank in contrast with its rivals.

A Wells Fargo spokesman on Saturday declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Polonsky and Zaghi allege Wells Fargo managers pressed workers to meet quotas of 10 accounts per day, required progress reports several times daily and reprimanded workers who fell short.

Polonsky and Zaghi filed applications matching customer requests and were counseled, demoted and later terminated, the lawsuit said.

While executives at the top benefited from the activity, the blame landed on thousands of $12-per-hour employees who tried to meet the quotas and were often required to work off the clock to do so, the lawsuit said.

Employees with a conscience who tried to meet quotas without engaging in fraud were the biggest victims, losing wages, benefits and suffering anxiety, humiliation and embarrassment, the lawsuit said.

Wells Fargo was aware many accounts were illegally opened, unwanted, carried a zero balance, or were simply a result of unethical business practices, the lawsuit said.

'Wells Fargo knew that their unreasonable quotas were driving these unethical behaviors that were used to fraudulently increase their stock price and benefit the CEO at the expense of the low level employees,' the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit accuses Wells Fargo of wrongful termination, unlawful business practices and failure to pay wages, overtime, and penalties under California law.

Wells Fargo was worth just shy of $300billion, making it the world's most valuable bank in the world according to figures released last year.

The bank was known for it's ability to 'cross-sell' or get customers to sign up for more and more accounts, which attracted the financial backing of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.

Buffett's firm is the largest owner of Wells Fargo with a 9.5% stake in the bank.

According to a criminal complaint filed in California, the bank largely targeted checking account customers, pushing them into taking savings, online or credit accounts which would charge fees.
A woman who allegedly helped her son kill his wife was been arrested six years after the murder.

In 2010, Nuo Zhao stabbed his estranged 27-year-old wife Dan Sun to death in her car in Perth and attempted to kill her mother with a hammer.

Although he fled to China where he was convicted and is serving a life sentence for the killing, police always suspected he had help to commit the crime, Yahoo News reported.

Nuo Zhao (right) who stabbed his estranged wife Dan Sun, 27 (left), to death in her car in Perth in 2010

Zhao also attempted to kill Dan Sun's mother, Jie Shen Kang (shown) with a hammer

On Friday, Tie Pei Song, 63, arrived at the Perth airport from China, unexpected.

Police said in a statement she was questioned, arrested and charged with accessory after the fact to murder.

She was also charged with accessory after the fact to grievous bodily harm relating to an alleged assault on Ms Sun's mother, Jie Shen Kang.

Ms Song had also allegedly lied to police at the time of the killing, telling them Zhao was in China at the time, when in fact, he had returned to Australia using another man's passport in order to murder his wife.

Dan Sun was stabbed to death while she was in her car at her home in Balga, Perth

Ms Song had come to Australia in a bid to find Zhao and Dan Sun's daughter Kiki who was legally adopted after her mother was killed, Yahoo reported.

The Perth Magistrates Court heard on Tuesday that a well-funded Ms Song had 'travelled here for the sole reason of tracking down her granddaughter, that is her mission, removing the child from her legal guardian'.

Through an interpreter, Ms Song denied the charges against her.
A young man has died in hospital one week after he was left with horrific injuries from a one-punch attack while he played pool with his cousin.

Jason Goodwin, 27, was allegedly punched in the head and knocked unconscious by another man at the Silver Sands Tavern in Mandurah, Western Australia, around 4.30pm on September 20.

Family and friends have since taken to social media to express their grief after Mr Mosley lost his fight to live on Tuesday.

Jason Goodwin, 27, was allegedly punched in the head by another man and has been placed in an induced coma as a result

The alleged attack happened at the at the Silver Sands Tavern in Mandurah (pictured)

His mother said Mr Goodwin suffered numerous skull fractures and brain haemorrhaging as a result of the one-punch attack, The West Australian reported.

'We don't know if he's going to pull through,' his mother said as her son was placed in an induced coma at Royal Perth Hospital.

Ms Goodwin described her son as a family man who would 'give anyone who needed it his last cent'.

The alleged attacker, Jake Raymond Mosley, 27, has been charged with grievous bodily harm and was refused bail.

But his charges are expected to be upgraded following Mr Goodwin's death.

A 48-year-old woman has also been charged in relation to the incident as being an accessory after the fact to an indictable offence.

Mr Goodwin's mother said he suffered numerous skull fractures and brain haemorrhaging as a result of the one-punch attack

Jake Raymond Mosley, 27, (above) has been charged with grievous bodily harm over the attack and was refused bail. Following Mr Goodwin's death, his charge may be upgraded

Offering their condolences to Mr Goodwin's family, many friends have remembered him as a 'good friend and a great person'.

Im glad to have met you. We have a heap of great memories brother, youll forever leave an imprint on my life and never forgotten, Jamie said.

Funny, kind, friendly, inclusive, respectful, genuine, outgoing, honest. These are the words I remember you by, Erica said.

They say the best ones always get taken too soonno words can even express the anguish of this situation RIP Jason Goodwin.

Friends and family flocked to social media to share their grief and remember a 'respectful, outgoing and genuine' man
Imagine beginning your morning up in agonising pain, before spending the day vomiting, fatigued, and suffering from head-splitting migraines every waking hour.

This is the horrific reality for Emily Rosner, who has late stage Lyme disease.

She is bedridden most days, incredibly sensitive to light or sound, and is unable to work, let alone feed or dress herself.

The 26-year-old from Sydney has spent the last three years seeing hundreds of doctors who were baffled with her symptoms and failed to diagnose her illness.

As Lyme disease is not officially recognised in Australia, Ms Rosner has struggled to get adequate treatment and has been unable to work, study, or even leave her bedroom.

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Emily Rosner suffers from late stage Lyme disease and spends her days in excruciating pain

The 26-year-old from Sydney has lost the ability to work, and is financially dependent on her mother

Next week Ms Rosner (centre) will travel to Switzerland with her mother Leanne White (left) to undergo life-changing treatment. Pictured right is her brother Will

Now she and her mother Leanne White are travelling to Switzerland to undergo revolutionary treatment which could change her life.

WHAT IS LYME DISEASE? Lyme disease is a bacterial infection mainly transmitted by insects, most commonly ticks. It can affect the digestive, musculoskeletal, respiratory and neurological systems. Sufferers often experience symptoms which mimic other diseases, making it very difficult to diagnose. Lyme Disease is not officially recognised in Australia, however it is in the U.S. and other parts of the world. Advertisement

'From when she was quite small Emily had health problems', Ms White told Daily Mail Australia.

'There has sort of been periods in her life where she had suddenly got a bit worse, such as during puberty, and then again in her early twenties.

'This last three years she's really been extremely unwell', Ms Rosner's mother added.

A single mum, Ms White is her daughter's sole carer and supports her financially while taking her to appointments - all while working full time as a teacher.

The struggle to work out Ms Rosner's diagnosis placed a huge financial strain on the family, who have spent tens of thousands of dollars on hundreds of appointments in the past three years.

Ms Rosner is bedridden most days, and is incredibly sensitive to light or sound

She is unable to walk long distances and often needs a wheelchair to help her get around

The only time Ms Rosner leaves her home is for doctors appointments, her mother said

'Because it's not recognised in Australia there is no cover for it, it's purely out of pocket,' Ms White said.

On top of that there has been the mental toll of misdiagnosis, and Ms Rosner being told it's simply 'all in your head'.

'A lot of doctors as well because it's not recognised in Australia, they don't think it's real,' her mother said.

'It's very frustrating and it's crushing.'

In recent months Ms Rosner's condition has deteriorated significantly, with her cognitive function the most noticeably impaired.

A string of incorrect diagnoses has taken a mental toll on Ms Rosner in recent years

The 26-year-old is pictured here with her mum aged one

Ms Rosner takes huge amounts of medication every day to try and keep the disease under control

Her mother said the 26-year-old's short-term memory is failing, and her ability to cope with hurdles is decreasing.

Next week Ms Rosner and her mother will head overseas so she can undergo revolutionary treatment at a Switzerland clinic.

'We heard about this one in Switzerland, someone in one of our forums had been there and was really sick and she came home much improved,' Ms White revealed.

'It really suited us because it's a really holistic approach.'

However the treatment will cost over $100,000 for three months, and while Ms White is using the equity on her home to pay for it, it's not enough.

'It is expensive, but in the end you think what's the use of having anything if you don't have your health,' Ms White said.
to sell a stolen police breathalyser on Facebook

A teenager has tried to sell a stolen police booze bus breathalyser on Facebook.

Police seized the breathalyser after a young woman in Perth posted images of the machine to the Facebook group 'Perth Beer Economy' on Tuesday.

The girl, who cannot be named because she is a juvenile, advertised the 'police breatho' for $200, WAToday reported.

Police seized the breathalyser after a young woman in Perth posted images of the machine to the Facebook group 'Perth Beer Economy' on Tuesday

A teenager has tried to sell a stolen police booze bus breathalyser on Facebook (pictured)

In the group the girl was asked if the machine belonged to police to which she responded 'I don't know'.

The post has since been removed.

Police attended a residence in Armadale, southeast of Perth, on Tuesday night and took the breathalyser.

Armadale police posted of picture of the device to Twitter shortly after.

The tweet read: 'Selling a stolen booze bus breath machine on FB Beer Economy page is a bad idea #dontstealfromPOLICE #dumbndumber.'

Police are now investigating how the girl obtained the device.
A young tradesman believes he's the 'unluckiest man in Australia' after he was bitten on the penis by a spider for the second time in just five months.

In April, Jordan, 21, was using a port-a-loo outside a job site on Civic Avenue in Kogarah, south Sydney, when he claims a redback spider bit his genitals, leaving a nasty red mark.

The apprentice had not gone back to a portable toilet since the traumatising bite, but on Tuesday decided to use one of the eight port-a-loos at another Sydney work site.

Even though the toilet had just been cleaned and he thoroughly checked under the bowl, Jordan found himself on his way to the hospital again after he said another spider bit him in almost the same spot.

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In April, Jordan, 21, was using a port-a-loo outside a job site on Civic Avenue in Kogarah, south Sydney, when a redback spider bit his genitalia, leaving a nasty red mark

'I think I'm just very unlucky. In the wrong place, at the wrong time, all the time,' Jordan, who did not reveal his surname, told Kyle and Jackie O on KIIS FM.

Host Kyle Sandilands asked Jordan if he kicked the door of the toilet down to ask one of his workmates to come 'suck the poison out'.

'Nah but i walked out this time and made sure I had someone come over and have a look,' Jordan said.

'But by the time they got there the spider had gone back into the hole'.

The tradesmen said he is unsure if he was bitten by a redback this time around as he only saw the spider's legs.

Even though the toilet had been cleaned and he checked under the bowl, Jordan found himself on his way to the hospital again after another spider bit him in the same spot (stock image)

He was rushed to St George hospital and said doctors remembered him from the first bite in April and could not believe his bad luck.

'Everyone recognised me and called me the unluckiest man in Australia,' he claimed.

The tradesman said this bite was much more painful than the first and he has been left with swelling and redness.

'[The spider] got a better shot on it this time. It's redder, a bit more swollen and hurts a bit more. I got tetanus and antivenom yesterday'.

Jordan said he will never use a port-a-loo again.
The 'distressed' mother of toddler, Mason Lee, who allegedly died after months of abuse will make another bail application when she feels well enough, her lawyer says.

The case against three people charged over 21-month-old Mason's death, including his mother, Anne Maree Lee, was briefly mentioned in the Caboolture Magistrates Court, on Wednesday morning.

The severely injured toddler's body was found at the home of his stepfather, William Andrew O'Sullivan, in Caboolture, north of Brisbane, in the early hours of June 11.

Lee's lawyer Brendan Ryan indicated he had received a 'substantial' brief of evidence from police only that morning on a hard drive and needed about two months to check the material.

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The mother of 21-month-old Mason Lee, whose body was found severely injured in his stepfather's home, will apply for bail for the second time

Lee's lawyer Brendan Ryan said Anne Maree Lee will make another application for bail when she 'feels better'

Teenager Ryan Robert Barry Hodson has also been charged over the death but was granted bail by the Supreme Court last month, while Lee and O'Sullivan remain in custody.

None of the three, who are accused of failing to provide medical care, appeared in court.

Outside court Mr Ryan said he would make a fresh bail application for Lee before the case was next mentioned on December 13.

'At the moment she's coming to terms with the loss of her child and as soon as she feels well enough I'll make that application,' Mr Ryan said.

'She's very distressed because she's lost a child - any parent feels an absolute absence in their heart when they lose a child, for whatever reason, and Anne Maree is no different.'

The toddler's body was found at the home of his stepfather, William Andrew O'Sullivan (pictured right), in Caboolture, north of Brisbane, in the early hours of June 11

Asked whether Lee could have a fair trial given the high-profile case, he replied: 'We can always get a fair trial in Australia, particularly in Queensland.'

Several supporters of Mason attended the hearing, including mother of three Andrea Cleverly.

'He didn't deserve any of what happened to him,' she said outside court.

'He had no voice, he couldn't speak out.

Ongoing concern about shortcomings in the state's Department of Child Safety, fuelled by the cases of Mason and 12-year-old schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer, has prompted the government to order a major review by Family and Child Commissioner Cheryl Vardon.
FBI Director James Comey warned on Tuesday that in the next two to five years a massive 'terrorist diaspora' will happen.

Comey made the statement while testifying before Congress on Tuesday alongside Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and Nicholas Rasmussen, director of the National Counterterrorism Center.

The three men were at a hearing to examine threats to national security in the country 15 years after the horrific September 11 attacks.

Comey, 55, said that he is convinced the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) will be destroyed soon, however, that would not be the end of terrorism.

FBI Director James Comey (above) warned on Tuesday that in the next two to five years a massive 'terrorist diaspora' will happen

Comey (center) made the statement while testifying before Congress on Tuesday alongside Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson (left) and Nicholas Rasmussen (right), director of the National Counterterrorism Center

Comey said that he is extremely worried that violent extremists will eventually leave Syria and Iraq to go into other countries to commit attacks.

He noted that the number of Americans traveling to Syria to fight alongside the terrorist organization has decreased within the last year.

However, Comey said the so-called caliphate will be 'crushed', but many militants from Western nations who are there already will leave out of the area and create new security threats.

'There will be a terrorist diaspora sometime in the next two to five years like we've never seen before,' Comey said.

Republican senators pressed Comey about whether anything more could have been done to prevent recent acts of extremist violence, including the Orlando nightclub massacre and the Manhattan bombing on September 17.

Comey said the FBI admits mistakes when it makes them, but he did not agree that anything should have been done differently or that any red flags were missed.

The questions arose because the FBI has said it investigated Orlando gunman Omar Mateen a few years before the June shooting and interviewed him as part of that probe.

Comey (above) said that he is extremely worried that violent extremists will eventually leave Syria and Iraq to go into other countries to commit attacks.

Johnson (left), Comey (center) and Rasmussen (right) were at a hearing to examine threats to national security in the country 15 years after the horrific September 11 attacks

The FBI in 2014 also looked into Ahmad Khan Rahami, the Afghan-born U.S. citizen accused in the New York explosion, but found nothing that tied him to terrorism.

Two senators, in particular, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, said they were alarmed that both individuals had at one point been on the FBI's radar but were not intercepted.

'What more do we need to do? What are the lessons learned, and if you need additional support, we need to know about it very quickly,' Ayotte said at a hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Paul, one of the Senate's leading civil liberties champions, said he was troubled that the FBI appeared to often seek new tools but didn't seem to adequately use the ones they had.

Ayotte said she thought it was 'obvious' that FBI agents in their earlier investigation of Mateen should have checked to see if he was saying anything online about terrorism, which Comey said he didn't believe had been done  though he did note that the FBI had used other investigative methods to keep tabs on him.

Comey pushed back against the criticism, telling Paul that he had his facts wrong in characterizing the FBI's investigations into both Mateen and Rahami.

He said he had commissioned a review of the FBI's past interactions with Mateen, who killed 49 people inside a gay nightclub, and would be doing the same with Rahami.

He declined to discuss specifics of the Rahami case since it's pending in court.

Senators pressed Comey about the FBI's investigations into Ahmad Khan Rahami (left), the Afghan-born U.S. citizen accused in the New York explosion and Orlando gunman Omar Mateen (right)

Comey (above) said he had commissioned a review of the FBI's past interactions with Mateen, who killed 49 people inside a gay nightclub, and would be doing the same with Rahami

'We're going to go back and look very carefully at the way we encountered him, and we will find the appropriate (forum) to give you that transparency about what we did well, what we could've done better, what we've learned from it,' Comey said.

The FBI opened an assessment on Rahami in 2014 following a domestic incident. His father has said he warned the FBI that his son was drawn to terrorism, though law enforcement officials say he never discussed with them his son's apparent radicalization or any interest in terror propaganda.

The FBI searched its databases and found no terrorist connections, and the review was closed within weeks.

Rahami, the main suspect in the New York bombing, faces federal terrorism charges after a shootout with police.

Prosecutors say the 28-year-old planned the explosion as he bought components for his bombs online and set off a backyard blast.

They say he wrote a journal that praised Osama bin Laden and other Muslim extremists, fumed about what he saw as the U.S. government's killing of Muslim holy warriors and declared 'death to your oppression.'

Johnson (above) said terrorist threats have evolved, moving from terrorist-directed attacks 'to a world that also includes the threat of terrorist-inspired attacks' in which individuals who live in the U.S. are 'self-radicalized' to attack their own country

Comey said Tuesday that Rahami's actions do not point to a larger terror cell.

Johnson said terrorist threats have evolved, moving from terrorist-directed attacks 'to a world that also includes the threat of terrorist-inspired attacks' in which individuals who live in the U.S. are 'self-radicalized' to attack their own country.

Johnson said that by their nature, terrorist-inspired attacks and terrorist-enabled attacks are difficult to detect by intelligence and law enforcement communities, can occur with little or no notice and in general make for a more complex homeland security challenge.

The panel's chairman, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said the threat of 'militant Islamic terrorist attacks to the United States remains significant,' citing the September 17 attacks in the New York region and Minnesota, as well as deadly attacks in San Bernardino, California, and Orlando.

'In all, Islamic extremist terrorists have killed 63 people on U.S. soil since our committee last held its annual hearing to consider threats to the homeland,' the chairman said in a prepared statement.
A carer for the mentally disabled has been charged after allegedly being caught in the shower with a woman under his care.

Police say the 23-year-old man was caught by other staff at the at a Townsville facility, in north Queensland, showering with the intellectually impaired 43-year-old woman on Monday.

A male carer, 23, has been charged after allegedly being caught in the shower with a mentally disabled woman, 43, under his care

He was charged with indecent dealing of an intellectually impaired person.

He is due to appear in Townsville Magistrates Court on October 14.
A mayoral debate in New Zealand descended into a farce last night after candidates started brawling and a drunken pro-cannabis leader repeatedly yelled 'Allahu akbar'.

As the US election campaign has shown, debates can often be high pressure environments, with tensions occasionally bubbling over.

But nothing can compare to the scenes at Auckland University Students' Association's bar on Tuesday night, where the city's mayoral debate spiralled out of control.

Pro-cannabis Auckland mayoral candidate Adam Holland started shouting 'Allahu akbar' as his rivals Alezik Heneti (right) and David hay (out of shot) were arguing

Independent candidate David Hay turned up late to the hustings but was given permission to speak for 30-seconds by a moderator, Stuff reported.

But this infuriated his rival Alezik Heneti, who claimed that Mr Hay should not be allowed to speak because he had already thrown his weight behind another candidate.

'You don't deserve the 30 seconds. You pulled out. You don't deserve the right to be here. You need to leave,' she shouted into a microphone.

Mr Hay insisted that did not matter and asked the barman to switch off her microphone as he tried to continue with his speech.

'I have not pulled out of the race,' he said. 'You cannot withdraw from the mayoral race unless you go mad or you die. I am not dead but I might be mad.'

Just as it appeared the debate could not get any more farcical, Cannabis Party candidate Adam Holland leaped to his feet and took over the microphone.

Pro-cannabis campaigner Mr Holland refused to leave the stage and continued to shout, before burping into the microphone

The fracas started when candidate Alezik Heneti (left) claimed her candidate David Hay (right) should not have been allowed to speak

'Vote for me! Vote for me! vote for me!' Who cares about them? Vote for me! Look, I can do this. I can be your mayor,' he told the baffled crowd.

'That deteriorated pretty quickly didn't it?' Mr Holland, who was dressed in an Islamic tunic and later admitted to being 'incredibly drunk', continued.

He called on Mr Hay and Ms Heneti to be removed from the venue as they appeared to start pushing each other as they remonstrated with a moderator.

Mr Holland shouted at the pair: 'Don't assault him. Don't assault him. Do not. That's asssault. That is assault. You don't want to do that. You don't want to do that.

'You've turned this into a circus. Oh my, there's going to be a brawl. I can feel a brawl.'

Mr Hay (in a suit, centre) insisted asked the barman to switch off Ms Heneti's microphone as he tried to continue with his speech

The pro-cannabis campaigner refused to leave the stage and continued to shout, before burping into the microphone.

A moderator eventually managed to intervene, telling the audience that the debate was over and admitting that it 'kind of deteriorated there at the end pretty quickly'.

But Mr Holland was not done, jumping around the stage chanting and repeatedly shouting 'Allahu akbar' - Arabic for 'god is great'.

He later defended his actions and told Stuff that he was 'incredibly drunk' at the time.

Mr Holland, who also said he was wearing a Saudi Arabian desert hat at the start of the debate but said he removed it because he was hot, said he thought 'screaming some utter nonsense' might 'defuse the situation'.

'It really wasn't as serious as a lot of people try to make out. I probably did inflame the situation looking back but what can I do about it now?' he asked.
A married bank manager who messaged his junior colleague 'hey sxy' and said he loved her before moving his desk next to her has been awarded compensation for 'unfair dismissal'.

But Andre Nel has had the $110,000 payout slashed by 90 per cent because the employment tribunal found 'he was the author of his own misfortune'.

Mr Nel had been at ASB Bank for 18-years when he was fired in October last year for serious misconduct regarding his relationship with a younger woman identified only as Ms A.

At the time, the married father was Senior Commercial Manager at the Manukau branch in southeast Auckland and had no supervision when he told Ms A she was 'f***ing hot'.

Andre Nel (pictured) had been at ASB Bank for 18-years when he was fired in October last year for serious misconduct regarding his relationship with a woman identified only as Ms A

Mr Nel made 'inappropriate' comments to Ms A and eventually professed his love for her in September last year.

'Hey Sxy, just want to get the elephant out of the room  I'm head over heels for you and have been since the first time I saw you. I'm an old far who loves you and who just wants the best for you,' he told her in a Facebook message.

'Oh f*** this is just crazy but need to get it off of my chest as it's been killing me! Sorry for spilling my guts! I know you don't care but at least I can move on now.'

Concerned for her career and future at ASB Bank as a junior employee, Ms A carefully worded her long response to Mr Nel the following day.

She said she saw him as a great boss and good friend but 'nothing more'.

Mr Nel made 'inappropriate' comments to Ms A and eventually professed his love for her in September last year

'I hope this does not affect our working relationship as if it does I will leave very quickly,' Ms A said.

'I would also appreciate not being called inappropriate names at work or elsewhere as it undermines me.

'I don't really want to speak about this again so please do not bring it up as it will make me very uncomfortable.'

Mr Nel apologised in his response and assured her it 'won't ever affect our working relationship'.

But he moved his desk next to her the following work day. Although this had been previously discussed, Ms A, ASB and the tribunal found Mr Nel ought to have known this would be 'intimidating' considering their recent communication.

And he continued to make 'inappropriate' comments to Ms A and repeatedly referred to their conversation, making her anxious at work.

Mr Nel apologised in his response and assured her it 'won't ever affect our working relationship'

ASB was ordered to pay lost wages of $95,455.68 and $15,000 compensation for hurt and humiliation - but the payout was reduced to just $11,000

As a result, Ms A referred the matter confidentially to the bank's Commercial Relationship Manager.

After further communication, ASB managers investigated Mr Nel's dealings with Ms A and he was dismissed in October.

The bank found he breached its Code of Conduct, in particular to treat employees with respect, consider the impact of actions on other employees and not to harass others.

The following month, Mr Nel took a claim of unjustified dismissal to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) on the basis ASB had breached its obligations to him

The ERA last week ruled the bank had unjustifiably dismissed him because it was not an appropriate outcome, but found ASB had not breached its duty of good faith.

ASB was ordered to pay lost wages of $95,455.68 and $15,000 compensation for hurt and humiliation.
On Wednesday, Mayor Williamson said decision came after 'good debate'

A Queensland council has voted to remove fluoride from its water supply within the next week after a survey revealed half of the region opposed the mineral.

Mayor Greg Williamson addressed a packed gallery on Wednesday morning and said Mackay Regional councillors had decided to stop putting fluoride in the water in a 6-5 vote following a 'good debate'.

The landmark decision was reached after a council website survey, a 'town hall style meeting' and a mobile phone questionnaire all revealed majority of Mackay opposed fluoride.

'Over the course of the next week or so the fluoride will be gone from our water supply,' Mayor Williamson said on Wednesday.

Mayor Greg Williamson addressed a packed gallery on Wednesday morning and said Mackay Regional councillors had decided to stop putting fluoride in the water in a 6-5 vote

The landmark decision was reached after a council website survey, a 'town hall style meeting' and a mobile phone questionnaire all revealed majority of Mackay opposed fluoride

'Everybody made a decision based on their research and the people they've spoken to along the way.

'The decision for me was the fact that everybody I've spoken to have opted to remove fluoride from the water supply and that's certainly what we've found from our surveys'.

The Mayor said removal will 'probably cost tens of thousands of dollars' to completely eradicate from the supply.

In 2008, the Queensland State Government made it mandatory for fluoride to be added to the state's water supplies. Mackay introduced it to its supplies in 2009.

But in 2012, the Liberal National Party made fluoride optional, leaving the choice up to local councillors.

The Mayor said removal will 'probably cost tens of thousands of dollars' to completely eradicate from the supply

Wednesday's decision was close, with six councillors in support of removing fluoridation and five voting to keep it

Fluoride is a mineral found naturally in rock, air, soil, water and plants. It is credited with helping prevent tooth decay and cavities (stock image)

The Mackay Regional Council voted 8-3 to keep the mineral in the water supply at a meeting in May 2013,The Daily Mercury reported.

WHAT IS FLUORIDE?

Fluoride is a mineral found naturally in rock, air, soil, water and plants. It is credited with helping prevent tooth decay and cavities and is also found in toothpaste. Anti-fluoride activists have said the mineral contributes to arthritis, kidney disease and bone cancer. One activist group, Queenslanders for Safe Water Air and Food, claim drinking one litre of fluoridated water increases the risk of bone fractures and promotes a $300 filtration system to 'clean' tap water. However, there is no scientific evidence for fluoride having any negative impact on health Advertisement

Since, the council have conducted a number of surveys to grasp the number of people who opposed the current system.

A phone survey showed 39 per cent of people supported fluoridation, 46 per cent opposed and 14 per cent were undecided.

Wednesday's decision was close, with six councillors in support of removing fluoridation and five voting to keep it.

Fluoride is a mineral found naturally in rock, air, soil, water and plants. It is credited with helping prevent tooth decay and cavities.

But anti-fluoride activists have said the mineral contributes to arthritis, kidney disease and bone cancer.

One activist group, Queenslanders for Safe Water Air and Food, claim drinking one litre of fluoridated water increases the risk of bone fractures and promotes a $300 filtration system to 'clean' tap water.

'Over the course of the next week or so the fluoride will be gone from our water supply,' Mayor Williamson told reporters on Wednesday

Some locals were overjoyed by the news, praising the council for 'listening'
He said he wanted Australians to know he didn't want any laws changed

Mr Trad wrote them both love poetry, which he collected in a 2013 book

'You wouldn't believe how heartbreaking it is,' he said in candid interview

He has been left heartbroken by two women who

Keysar Trad, the president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, has gone public with his longing for another bride

From emotional 'love poetry' to brutal instant messages - a Muslim leader has opened up about the 'heartbreak' he has felt in his search for a second wife.

Keysar Trad, the president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, has revealed his current spouse of 30 years has given her blessing for him to find another partner.

But the prominent Islamic community spokesman has been left crushed by two women who he courted - but eventually rejected him.

'You wouldn't believe how heartbreaking it is,' he said. 'I ts always very very devastating.'

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Mr Trad revealed he wooed the women with romantic writing, but never had a 'relationship' with them.

A passage of one poem Mr Trad penned for a woman he only named as 'D' read: 'Giggles of joy are what I enjoy

brought to you by a smitten boy

who would rather talk to you all night

than go, suited, to a dinner uptight'

Mr Trad and his wife Hanifeh (right and middle) are pictured with one of their five daughters this week. She described Mr Trad's idea for a second wife as his 'dream'

Wife's blessing: Keysar Trad's current spouse has said she had no right to stand in his way if he wanted a second bride

Both women Mr Trad courted were fans of his romantic writing, which can now be found in the book Forays of the Heart.

'They liked them. They showed tremendous appreciation for the poems,' Mr Trad said.

He said one would often come to him and say: 'I had a hard day at work, I've had a tough time.

KEYSAR TRAD'S LOVE POETRY: AN EXTRACT FROM HIS BOOK He has collected his love poetry in a book ' My dearest friend most sweet, whom I would very much like to meet, or share in anything beautiful and sweet, on condition that some rhyme will keep: Never worry or despair, even if ideally one is but a fifth of a pair. Whatever mood you have, whatever pain you feel, I am here, my love is real.' Advertisement

'Please write something inspirational for me'.

But his search for a second love has so far been fruitless.

The theme of his poetry turned to heartbreak, he said.

The last woman he was 'seriously contemplating' as a potential partner brushed him off with a brief instant message:

'I can't be with you. I'm sorry,' it said.

One of the women said to him: 'I feel guilty when I don't talk to you and I feel guilty when I do'.

'It's like they've beaten me to a pulp, every single one of them,' Mr Trad said.

A prominent media personality, Mr Trad's pursuit of a second hand in marriage has seen him cop a ribbing from his family and even Islamic leaders.

He said years ago his eldest daughter used to joke: 'If dad was a little taller, a little thinner, a little wealthier he'd have a chance!'

Mr Trad recalled his second daughter said of the idea: 'In his dreams.'

He said the former Grand Mufti of Australia, Sheikh Taj El-Din Hilaly, once joked that the women of the Islamic community wanted to 'lynch' him.

'He said to me I've got 300 women coming to lynch you. They don't want you to corrupt their husbands!

'And then my wife was there and she said to him, my husband must be the only person who gets persecuted for his dreams. Let him dream!'

Mr Trad's father had two wives in Lebanon and he grew up watching him trying to provide for his family.

The 52-year-old currently lives with his five daughters, wife and mother in the western suburbs of Sydney.

'I have seven women bossing me around... Probably I'm a sucker for punishment,' he joked.

Keysar Trad is seen here (on left) recently with former Immigration Minister Phillip Ruddock

He said he only knew a few men in Australia with multiple wives - in the sense they were married to one woman and had a de facto.

He said Islam only allowed a maximum of four partners and said it would be enormous responsibility to take care of two women.

'Most Muslims don't do it, just like most people around the world don't entertain the idea... it's a tremendous responsibility.

'It's an incredible responsibility on the husband.

'It's like having two jobs, you have to work extra hard to provide for them and provide well for them.

'It's unlikely for a woman to enter into a relationship with a pauper.

'It just means extra work, extra responsibility for the man.

'To some extent it's a break for the woman because she gets more alone time from the needs of her husband.

'It's not for everybody. Some people relish the idea, some people don't.'

Mr Trad said Islam strictures allowed men to have up to four wives

He said wives in polygamous families generally live in separate quarters or accommodation.

'In some circumstances it can be in the same house provided they're in private rooms, far apart'.

Mr Trad said he had become a better, stronger and more empathetic person after going through his two 'heartbreaks'.

He said he wanted Australians to know he didn't want any laws changed. 'I'm not calling on any change of laws.

'I'm not calling on anybody to do anything in relation to this. I'm merely answering the questions.

'I'm merely telling people who find that their heart is captivated by someone, you don't need to leave their long term spouse.
Tagouri's spread has received backlash but she says she ignores critics

Playboy picked her as one of their 2016 Renegades about rule breakers

Has campaigned online and in a TED Talk to encourage others to embrace their identities and pursue their dreams

Reporter dreams of being first hijab-wearing anchor on national US TV

A Muslim journalist has posed for Playboy magazine wearing a hijab - a first for the publication that until a year ago favored nude models.

Noor Tagouri, 22, appears in the October issue as part of the 2016 Renegades series, which celebrates creators who bend the rules of their respective trades.

Tagouri, a first-generation Libyan American from West Virginia, says she dreams of being the first hijab-wearing anchor on US commercial television.

She garnered attention online in 2012, when she posted a photo of herself at an ABC 7 News desk, with the caption: 'The first hijab wearing news anchor on American television.'

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Noor Tagouri, a 22-year-old journalist, appears in Playboy's October issue (pictured) wearing a hijab. Her outfit includes a black leather jacket, white Converse sneakers and black pants

Tagouri first garnered attention online after sharing this picture of herself at an ABC 7 desk, captioning it: 'The first hijab wearing news anchor on American television'

The post went viral and became a campaign with the hashtag #LetNoorShine, which encouraged others to embrace their identities and pursue their dreams.

Tagouri, a University of Maryland graduate, recounted the campaign in a TED Talk in May last year. She now works at Newsy, a video news network.

'As a badass activist with a passion for demanding change and asking the right questions, accompanied by beauty-ad-campaign looks, Tagouri forces us to ask ourselves why we have such a hard time wrapping our minds around a young woman who consciously covers her head and wont take no for an answer,' Playboy wrote in the feature.

In her Playboy photos, Tagouri wears black pants and white Converse sneakers, as well as a white t-shirt paired with a black leather jackets.

The post led to an online campaign with the hashtag #LetNoorShine. Tagouri (pictured) has since campaigned to encourage others to pursue their dreams and embrace their identities

Tagouri has received backlash for her appearance in Playboy. Some people were shocked to see a Muslim woman in the magazine.

'Do we really need to go down the route of associating with an institution based on the objectification of women in the name of challenging perceptions and celebrating female empowerment?' asked blogger Nishaat Ismail, who also wears a hijab, on The Independent's website.

'Is this really how we reclaim our own narrative?'

Some critics took jabs at her online with the hashtag #hoejabi.

But Tagouri told Playboy she didn't pay attention to the negative comments.

The first-generation Libyan American (pictured in an Instagram post) now works as a video reporter and wants to be the first hijab-wearing anchor on US commercial television

Tagouri (pictured) has received backlash for her appearance in Playboy. Some people were shocked to see a Muslim woman in the magazine

'Its just negative energy and unhealthy. I make sure to keep a great circle of people around me who keep me grounded,' she said.

Whether its at work or at home, the people who have my best interest at heart voice their concerns and their critiques, and I work on them. Besides that, I just do the best I can to not worry about people who get upset because they dont like something that I wear or say.'

Others, like Slate video producer and editor Aymann Ismail, celebrated Tagouri's decision to pose in Playboy.

'Far too often, Muslim women are being told how to dress and behave by groups who are neither women nor Muslim,' Ismail wrote.

'For Muslim women who choose the hijab, the outward presentation of their faith makes them vulnerable to both sides of an increasingly polarizing and politicized conversation about the rights of women.

'That is why when someone like Noor Tagouri speaks out and treads new ground as an individual, she deserves the full support of the entire Muslim community.'

Other people in Playboy's Renegades series include Baby Cobra comedian Ali Wong, novelist Paul Beatty and ballerina-turned-porn-star Stoya.
A 60-year-old man has been charged with indecently assaulting a 13-year-old boy while travelling on a bus in Sydneys southwest on Monday.

New South Wales Police said that the boy was allegedly indecently assaulted while travelling on a Campbelltown bus bound for Minto by a 60-year-old man.

The man boarded the bus at the same location as the boy and allegedly then indecently assaulted him.

A 60-year-old man has been charged with indecently assaulting a 13-year-old boy while travelling on a bus in Sydneys southwest (stock image)

After the incident officers from Macquarie Fields Local Area Command were contacted and began an investigation into what happened on Tuesday.

Following their investigation officers arrested the man allegedly involved in the bus assault at his home and took him into custody.

The was taken to Macquarie Fields Police Station where he was charged with two counts of indecent assault with child under 16, and groom child under 14 years for unlawful sexual activity.

He was granted conditional bail to appear at Campbelltown Local Court on Monday, October 17.
A nursing home carer has been found guilty of murdering two elderly residents and attempting to kill a third by injecting them with lethal doses of insulin.

Garry Davis, 29, pleaded not guilty to killing 83-year-old Gwen Fowler and 80-year-old Ryan Kelly, and trying to kill 91-year-old Audrey Manuel at SummitCare aged care home in Newcastle, north of Sydney, in October 2013.

But Supreme Court Justice Robert Allan Hulme found him guilty on all counts at the conclusion of Davis's judge-alone trial on Wednesday.

Nursing home carer Garry Davis (pictured) has been found guilty of murdering two elderly residents and attempting to kill a third by injecting them with lethal doses of insulin

The 29-year-old was found guilty of killing 83-year-old Gwen Fowler (left) and 80-year-old Ryan Kelly (right)

The judge said his decision was a result of a combination of circumstantial evidence which pointed beyond reasonable doubt to Davis as the killer.

He said Davis' callous text messages to a colleague predicting his victims' deaths formed part of this damning evidence.

'If (Davis) was going to predict someone's death he would nominate people who were the most ill amongst the residents,' the judge said.

'Not people who were, despite their respective medical conditions, comparatively stable.'

The fact that Davis was the victims' primary medication giver meant they would have been less likely to object to him injecting them than anyone else, Justice Hulme said.

He said this was strengthened by a doctor's evidence that Ms Fowler, Davis' first victim, was 'too far demented to really question or raise any alarm'.

Nursing home carer Garry Davis, 29, was found guilty of murdering two elderly residents and attempting to kill a third by injecting them with lethal doses of insulin at SummitCare aged care home in Newcastle (pictured)
A Perth man who created the Hamdog, a combination of a hamburger and hotdog, will auction his patented culinary idea on Friday and says it could fetch as much as $100 million.

Touted by WA Auctioneers as 'the greatest product innovation of our time', the patent to the Hamdog will be sold in an online auction which is expected to attract bidders from around the globe.

'I've been told [the Hamdog] could sell for $100 million,' creator Mark Murray told News Corp. 'America's burger market is worth $250 billion a year.

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The Hamdog, a combination of a hamburger and hotdog, will be auctioned on Friday

Hamdog creator Mark Murray (pictured) says the culinary crossover could sell for $100 million

'If the Hamdog could grab even five per cent of that market, that's $12 billion a year in revenue. They're crazy numbers.'

The winning bidder will receive global intellectual property rights, as well as the United States patent and trademark.

Mr Murray said he has been flooded with offers for the Hamdog and has recently knocked back a $5 million request from an Australian company.

He secured a U.S. patent for the culinary crossover in 2009 and has since registered the idea in Australia.

But Professor Matthew Rimmer, an intellectual property expert at Queensland University of Technology, said the original design patent wasn't completely secure and said investors should be wary.

Mr Murray secured a U.S. patent for the Hamdog in 2009 and has registered it in Australia

The winning bidder for the Hamdog will receive global intellectual property rights, as well as the United States patent and trademark

'Another company could challenge the validity of the design patent and claim that the idea wasn't original because it's a couple of basic shapes. It's just not original, that's why I'd be sceptical about claims to value,' he told News Corp.

Mr Murray pitched the idea on reality television show Shark Tank last year.

The Hamdog features hand-made buns, complete with a Bunbury beef patty cut in half and a Hunsa frankfurter placed in the middle.

The meat is topped with lettuce, tomato, cheese, pickles and three sauces - American mustard, tomato sauce and mayonnaise.

The buns, which are hand-made to order, come complete with a Bunbury beef patty cut in half and a Hunsa frankfurter placed in the middle
A woman filmed smoking a bong while pregnant on the controversial Struggle Street documentary says she was 'smashed on ice' during filming of the program.

Billie Jo Wilkie was eight months pregnant when she took part in the SBS documentary series in the western Sydney suburb of Mount Druitt last year with her partner Bob Quinn.

Wilkie, who was widely condemned for her blatant drug use on the show, told news.com.au that she hasn't coped well with the notoriety since being filmed for the series.

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The infamous scene from Struggle Street during which Billie Jo Wilkie was seen smoking a bong while sitting on a toilet

Wilkie has revealed how she is still dealing with backlash from the program. she is pictured here with her mother Carlene

Another infamous scene from the program showed her smoking a cigarette when she went into labour

The 23-year-old has only just been released from jail for a string of minor traffic charges and for breaching good behaviour bonds on shoplifting matters.

Wilkie's jail sentence came just after the show aired the infamous scene where she smoke a bong on a toilet despite being eight months pregnant.

'I copped it in jail. They'd yell out 'hey Struggle Street, there goes Struggle Street',' Billie Jo told news.com.au.

During her stint in prison - 13 months - she shared a cell with former NSW premier Neville Wran's daughter Harriet and kept using drugs.

Three months on from release, she and partner Bob are recognised everywhere - in public and online.

'It doesn't matter where we go, everyone knows us. I hate the attention all the time.'

Wilkie (right) pictured with her partner, Bob Quinn. They split up under pressure from Struggle Street, but are back together

Wilkie said: 'It doesn't matter where we go, everyone knows us. I hate the attention all the time'

Wilkie's partner Bob gave up taking ice last Christmas and encouraged her to get clean, too

She also claimed she and Bob had spent money SBS gave them on drugs.

While initially taking meth in jail, the pair say they have now stopped taking drugs.

They are both living together in Lethbridge Park, which neighbours Mount Druitt and claimed to have been tricked by the SBS into taking part, thinking a documentary was being filmed.

If they could do it all again, they'd never agree to go on the show, they said.

An SBS spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'Struggle Street is a challenging but important observational documentary series which allows individuals and communities the opportunity to share their stories.

'The first series was broadly acknowledged as having a significant impact on the national conversation about social disadvantage, and the support needed to address the complex issues of poverty and hardship in Australia today.

'Struggle Street was made with rigorous documentary production protocols and standards, and we continue to stand by the integrity of the series.

'As with all productions, duty of care to participants is paramount, and clear and informed consent obtained. Any claims that SBS was involved in alleged criminal activity are absolutely untrue.'

Wilkie pictured inside her home on 'Struggle Street' in Mount Druitt

Last year it was revealed that Wilkie had been born addicted to methadone and her horrific story of neglect, death, abandonment and physical and mental disease played out in court the day Struggle Street aired.

Her sister had died aged 30 of motor neurone disease and her brother died as a result of drugs.

In the weeks before Struggle Street aired, Wilkie had been living with her schizophrenic father and earlier, her mother had abandoned the family, she told Daily Mail Australia in 2015.

She has a list of offences relating to driving and shoplifting.

Struggle Street caused controversy when it aired, with many people slamming it for portraying 'poverty porn', which SBS denied.

Houses covered in graffiti and mounds of garbage discarded in garages seen in the 'Struggle Street' area
He was in a financial crisis on the verge of bankruptcy, a court heard

signatures after drinking one litre of vodka

Kurt Reiter said he forged the

Former Liberal party pleaded guilty to forgery after he

Former Liberal party candidate, Kurt Reiter, pleaded guilty to falsifying signatures

Former Liberal party candidate claims he drank one litre of vodka and was intoxicated when he forged signatures to avoid being declared bankrupt.

Kurt Reiter, pleaded guilty in Geelong Magistrate's Court, southwest of Melbourne, on Tuesday to forgery after he signed the signature of his mother, sister and a Justice of peace.

The 43-year-old was allegedly on the verge of bankruptcy and was in a financial crisis when he falsified the signatures, reported Geelong Advertiser.

After his mother and sister refused to assist him, he took matters into his own hands on January 12.

'Between December and January Reiter requested his mother and sister sign statutory declarations saying that he owed them $1034 and $145,000 respectively,' Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Geoff Lamb said.

'He also falsified the signature of a Justice of the Peace to say he had witnessed both women signing the documents.'

He pleaded guilty in Geelong Magistrates Court on Tuesday (pictured) and was placed him on a Community Corrections Order without conviction

Reiter explained he was still intoxicated when he posted the documents.

'I prepared the documents, forged the signatures and was still drunk when I put it in the post next day,' he said.

Reiter who is on medication to address his alcohol addiction admitted to the forgery after attending his local police station on January 17, the prosecutor said.
Police are searching dense bushland for missing teenager Cassie Olczak after security cameras captured her getting off a train on the day she went missing.

The 16-year-old spent the day with friends on Sunday and boarded a train at Banksia Railway Station in Sydney's south-west at night.

She had intended to get off the train at Hurstville but CCTV cameras captured the girl getting off the southbound train alone at Waterfall Railway Station at 7pm - some 15 kilometres away.

Cassie has not been seen or heard from since.

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CCTV cameras captured missing 16-year-old Cassie Olczak getting off a train at Waterfall in Sydney's south on the same day she went missing

NSW SES and police are conducting a search involving helicopters, trail bikes and the dog squad in the Waterfall area.

She had been visiting friends on Sunday a day after returning to Australia from a trip to see her father in Abu Dhabi.

But a friend had said Cassie was incoherent and needed to go home to bed before she went missing.

The teenager went to the train station with a friend at about 6pm but the person took a train in the opposite direction to Cassie.

Her mother Connie Olczak said she may have been given a substance before she went missing and been disorientated from jet lag.

The 16-year-old has been missing since Sunday after spending the day with friends and boarding a train at Banksia Railway Station in Sydney's south-west

She had intended to get off the train at Hurstville but CCTV cameras captured the girl getting off the southbound train alone at Waterfall Railway Station at 7pm

Police said Cassie was caught on security cameras walking out of the train station and has not been seen since

Ms Oczak said Cassie's disappearance is out of character.

'She has been missing 76 hours with no food or water... no access to bank accounts. She is not street smart. She needs help,' Ms Olczak said.

'My gut tells me she's alive, I need help, I'm running out of time.

'If she hears this, your friends and family are desperate for you to come home, please come home.'

Cassie has just finished school and is due to begin a Tafe hairdressing course next week.

She has not accessed her bank account, phone or social media accounts since.

Cassie was supposed to be travelling to Hurstville but CCTV captured her getting off at Waterfall - about 15 kilometres away.

Cassie was supposed to be travelling to Hurstville but CCTV captured her getting off at Waterfall station (pictured) - about 15 kilometres away

The 16-year-old had been visiting friends on Sunday - a day after returning to Australia from a trip to see her father in Abu Dhabi

Her last known whereabouts are at Waterfall train station in Sydney's south on Sunday at 7pm

Her mother Connie Olczak said she may have been given a substance before she went missing and been disorientated from jet lag

Acting Superintendent Gary Ford said she was alone when she got off the train.

'She's walked off the platform off to the main street area and that's where the camera sightings peter out at that point,' he said.

'All her known associates, we've spoken to them and they've indicated that they've had no contact with her since Sunday.

'She hasn't accessed any accounts and there's been no posts on her Facebook.'

Ms Oczak said her daughter wasn't 'street smart' and fears she fell asleep on the train.

'I believe she is disorientated and jet-lagged from a long flight home the night before. I also think she might be scared, she's not a super social person, she will stick to herself,' she said.

Cassie is about 175cm tall and of a thin build, has long, dark hair and a tan complexion, was last seen wearing grey Adidas tights, a black zip-up Miley Cyrus hoodie, Adidas Superstar sneakers with gold stripes and a Nike hip bag.
A female paramedic has been left with red welts across her face and shoulder after she was allegedly dragged from her ambulance and attacked outside a backpacker hostel in far north Queensland.

The 42-year-old woman from the Queensland Ambulance Service, was called to a Minnie Street hostel in Cairns, far north Queensland, at 3.40am on Wednesday to treat a Frenchman who was feeling unwell.

When she and her partner arrived at the hostel in the early hours of the morning, the 21-year-old backpacker, a Frenchman, appeared to be under the influence of either drugs or alcohol, the ambulance service said.

A 42-year-old Queensland Ambulance Service paramedic (pictured) was allegedly punched in the face when she arrived at a Cairns backpacker hostel to treat a French backpacker

QAS assistant commissioner for the Cairns area Michelle Baxter said the backpacker initially had a good rapport with the paramedic, but quickly grew agitated and flicked her on the face with a spoon.

When the paramedic and her partner retreated to their ambulance, the backpacker allegedly rushed towards them, punched the woman in the head and dragged her out of the vehicle.

The male paramedic was then forced to restrain the aggressive backpacker until police responded to a distress call for help.

The 42-year-old paramedic (pictured) sustained injuries to her face and shoulder in the brutal attack and required hospital assessment

Ms Baxter said the 42-year-old woman sustained injuries to her face and shoulder in the brutal attack and required hospital assessment.

She went with the patient to hospital and then shes been assessed while shes there, she said.

The French backpacker was taken to Cairns Base Hospital in police custody where he was treated for medical issues, according to Police Far North.

Queensland Ambulance Service Assistant Commissioner for the Cairns and Hinterland area, Michelle Baxter (pictured) said she was very very angry' about the incident

The paramedic and alleged offender of the attack were both taken to the Cairns Base Hospital (pictured) in far north Queensland in the early hours of Wednesday

The 42-year-old paramedic sustained injuries to her face and shoulder in the brutal attack and was taken to Cairns Base Hospital (pictured) for assessment

He stayed in hospital overnight under police guard before being discharged mid-morning when he was then taken to the Cairns police watch house.

The 21-year-old man was charged with one count of serious assault of a public officer following police investigations into the alleged attack.

He has been denied bail, due to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court later today.

The female paramedic is reportedly stable, but understandably very shaken up.

Ms Baxter said she was very very angry about whats happened.

They dont deserve this in the workplace and it really does need to stop, she said.

Its got to stop.

The Queensland Ambulance Service was called to a Minnie Street (pictured) hostel in Cairns about 3.40am on Wednesday to treat a French backpacker who was feeling unwell
Out of work: Oxford graduate Peter Barnett was disbarred by his professional body after failing to pay train fares worth 19,000 for his daily commute

A barrister who became one of Britains most prolific rail dodgers before being convicted of fraud has been dismissed from the profession.

Oxford graduate Peter Barnett was disbarred by his professional body after failing to pay train fares worth 19,000 for his daily commute.

He was convicted of six charges of fraud by false representation a year ago.

Barnett, who had been called to the Bar at Lincolns Inn in London in 2007, dodged the fares from his home in Oxfordshire to London over a more than two year period from April 2012.

Police discovered father-of-three Barnett abused the Oyster paycard system by claiming his journey began at Wembley.

The Bar Standards Board disbarred Mr Barnett on Monday by an independent tribunal, the Times reported.

Mr Barnett, who lives in a 600,000 house in Thame, was banned from profession for 12 months and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. He was spared jail at the time after a 16-week prison sentence was suspended.

A spokesman for the regulator told The Times: Dishonest conduct is incompatible with membership of the Bar. The tribunals decision to disbar Dr Barnett reflects this.

Sentencing him in October last year, Ola Omotosho, the deputy district judge, said: You had it all. It remains unclear why you acted so badly.

The lawyer was caught and warned in 2010 but continued to avoid paying train fares

He boarded trains at Haddenham and Thame, Oxfordshire, but only paid a fraction of the fare

The Australian-born lawyer was cautioned for an identical offence in 2010 but continued to break the law, despite his prestigious reputation as the founder of an African childrens charity and director of leading think-tank, the Legatum Institute Foundation, aimed at promoting prosperity.

Barnett's deception places him among the ranks of Britains biggest fare dodgers.

The scam began to unravel for Barnett when he was stopped by a ticket inspector at Marylebone last November.

The Rhodes scholar claimed to have travelled from Wembley, instead of Thame, Oxfordshire, where he and his wife live in a 550,000 five-bedroom detached home.

He was caught after being stopped at his destination, Marylebone station, last year

Scam: Barnett claimed to have travelled into the capital from Wembley, in North West London, instead of Thame, Oxfordshire, for more than two years

Barnett was sent to the excess fares window but another member of staff became suspicious and decided to contact his supervisor.

When he turned his back Barnett ran away, but was apparently overcome with guilt and confessed the next day.
A social worker was arrested for drink-driving - after her husband inadvertently tipped off police.

Rachel Stewart Irvine , 40, pulled into a service station and slept in her car after a boozy night out to mark what should have been her last day at work.

But her worried husband, who could see her movements on a tracker app, called the police when he realised she wasn't moving.

Rachel Stewart Irvine , 40, was arrested at Cressing Service Station, Essex, after her husband tracked her movements on an app and became concerned when she stopped

Stewart Irvine had hopped into her motor at Witham station after leaving drinks in London, where she worked with vulnerable people.

Police found her at Cressing Service Station, Braintree, Essex, asleep in her car and they quickly breathalysed her.

Her reading was 54mcg in 100mls of breath - the legal limit is 35mcg.

Stewart Irvine, from Great Notley, in Essex, was banned for 13 months at Colchester Magistrates' Court after previously admitting drink driving.

Stewart Irvine had hopped into her motor at Witham station after leaving drinks in London, where she worked with vulnerable people

She'd already withdrawn her job resignation because she would have needed to drive in her new position.

Kate Armstrong, mitigating, told the court: 'I have never seen someone quite so scared as she was in the police interview.

'She almost cannot believe what she has done.

'This is not someone who goes drinking and driving all the time.

'She knows it was a terrible mistake.'
Germany's European Commissioner last night blamed Brexit on David Cameron's 's**t campaign' ahead of the referendum.

Gunther Oettinger, who is a member of Angela Merkel's CDU party, lashed out at the former prime minister, but added: 'I'm sorry, that's life and s**t happens'.

Speaking in Brussels, Mr Oettinger said: 'We have to accept the democratic decision and the s**t campaign of Cameron.'

Germany's European Commissioner last night blamed Brexit on David Cameron's 's**t campaign' ahead of the referendum

Mr Oettinger is the European Commissioner responsible for the digital economy.

EU officials have complained they were told by Downing Street to keep quiet during the referendum for fear they would drive people to vote to leave.

At a Brussels summit last December, Mr Cameron assured EU leaders the Remain campaign would win because he was in charge.

'Don't worry  I'm a winner,' he told them.

Meanwhile, French presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy has said he would offer Britain a chance to reverse its Brexit vote by negotiating a new treaty for the European Union with Germany, if he wins presidency in 2017, the Financial Times reported.

Gunther Oettinger, who is a member of Angela Merkel's CDU party, lashed out at the former prime minister, but added: 'I'm sorry, that's life and s**t happens'

Sarkozy said the new treaty would focus on reforming the Schengen passport-free zone, restricting the European Commission's prerogatives to a dozen, integrating the eurozone further and halting membership talks with Turkey, according to FT.

Sarkozy said if he is elected he would fly to Britain with a draft of new EU treaty the day after the second ballot of the presidential election to secure the support of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

'I would tell the British, you've gone out, but we have a new treaty on the table so you have an opportunity to vote again,' the former French president said to business leaders in Paris.

'But this time not on the old Europe, on the new Europe. Do you want to stay? If yes, so much the better.

Meanwhile, French presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy (centre) has said he would offer Britain a chance to reverse its Brexit vote

'Because I can't accept to lose Europe's second-largest economy while we are negotiating with Turkey over its EU membership. And if it's no, then it's a real no. You're in or you're out.'

Britain voted to leave the EU on June 23 and new Prime Minister Theresa May has so far repeated that the formal divorce notification will not be sent before the end of the year. Some aides have suggested her plan is to invoke Article 50 early in 2017.

After the shock referendum, Sarkozy, member of France's conservative Les Republicains party, had said that he wants a new EU treaty and the suspension of Turkey's EU accession negotiations.
Associate Professor Peter Speck has warned that low immunisation rates in the Adelaide City Council area are putting children at risk of a major measles epidemic

A virus expert has warned that low immunisation rates in the Adelaide City Council area are putting children at risk of a major measles epidemic and make it a 'dangerous' place to raise children.

Adelaide City Council has Australia's lowest immunisation rates among children aged two to five, The Adelaide Advertiser reports.

Medicare data for 2014-15 reveals just 78.7 per cent of two year olds and only 78.4 per cent of five year olds in the region have been vaccinated.

'On these figures, when it comes to dangerous infectious diseases, Adelaide City Council is the most dangerous place in the nation to bring up kids,' Associate Professor Peter Speck, from Flinders University, told the Adelaide Advertiser.

Medicare data for 2014-15 reveals just 78.7 per cent of two year olds and only 78.4 per cent of five year olds in the region have been vaccinated

The figures are more than 10 percent below the national averages, the paper reported.

Professor Speck said the low rates of immunisation meant the council area was vulnerable to a 'rip-roaring' measles epidemic.

He added that growing number of parents who didn't believe in vaccinations contributed to the low rates, often because they grew up without seeing the consequences of not being immunised.

Families that fail to immunise their children are not eligible for family assistance payments under the government's 'No Jab, No Play' program.

The government funds vaccines for a total of 16 diseases.

Adelaide City Council has Australia's lowest immunisation rates among children aged two to five

Families that fail to immunise their children are not eligible for family assistance payments under the government's 'No Jab, No Play' program

Adelaide City Council has said in a statement that it takes the health of its residents seriously and 'has doubled the number of public immunisation clinics to two a month over the last two years.'
Group which campaigned for the law called result 'justice' for the dead and bereaved

15 of the 19 9/11 hijackers were Saudi, a fact which has fueled claims of official complicity in the atrocity

fears foreign government bringing in similar legislation and trying to bring politically-motivated cases against U.S.

President Barack Obama has said congress failed to 'do the right thing' by giving victims of 9/11 and their families the go-ahead to sue Saudi Arabia by vetoing a bill he had introduced.

President Obama spoke about the congressional decision during a CNN town hall on Wednesday night, saying it is an example of when politicians 'have to do something hard'.

'Frankly, I wish Congress here had done what's hard,' Obama said.

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President Barack Obama has said congress failed to 'do the right thing' by giving victims of 9/11 and their families the go-ahead to sue Saudi Arabia by vetoing a bill he had introduced

'If you're perceived as voting against 9/11 families right before an election, not surprisingly, that's a hard vote for people to take.

'But it would have been the right thing to do ... And it was, you know, basically a political vote.'

The veto was the first time Obama has been overridden during his time in office, CNN reports.

And while he said he understands people carry 'the scars of 9/11', but said he doubts the legislation will be good for the U.S. in the future.

'Frankly, I wish Congress here had done what's hard,' Obama said of Congress vetoing his bill

'But it would have been the right thing to do ... And it was, you know, basically a political vote,' Obama said on Wednesday

'What this legislation did is it said if a private citizen believes that having been victimized by terrorism - that another country didn't do enough to stop one of its citizens, for example, in engaging in terrorism - that they can file a personal lawsuit, a private lawsuit in court,' Obama said during the town hall.

'And the problem with that is that if we eliminate this notion of sovereign immunity, then our men and women in uniform around the world could potentially start seeing ourselves subject to reciprocal laws.

'The concern that I've had has nothing to do with Saudi Arabia per se or my sympathy for 9/11 families.

Policy blow: Obama has never had his veto over-ridden by Congress, as happened on Wednesday. He had just been presented with a NASCAR helmet in the White House when the Senate voted

Historic moment: The Senate's first ever vote to overturn an Obama veto was by 97-1

Leaders: Chuck Schumer, the Democratic New York senator and John Cornyn, Republican from Texas, led the effort to vote to overturn the veto

'It has to do with me not wanting a situation in which we're suddenly exposed to liabilities for all the work that we're doing all around the world.'

The comments came after a dramatic day saw the Senate voted first to overturn President Barack Obama's veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act.

It voted 97 to one against the veto - a situation called 'embarrassing' by the White House, which is furious at the legislation.

Hours later, the House of Representatives voted by a resounding 348-76 to do the same, meaning the Act becomes law.

The Saudi connection: Fifteen of the 19 who committed the worst ever terror attack on the U.S. were Saudi - a fact which has fueled claims of its government having a role in the attacks. The Saudi nationals were: Top row - left to right: Abdulaziz al-Omari; Wail al-Shehri; Waleed al-Shehri; Satal al-Suqami ; Mohand al-Shehri. Middle - left to right: Hamza al-Ghamdi; Ahmed al-Ghamdi; Hani Hanjour; Khalid al-Mihdhar; Majed Moqed. Bottom, left to right: Nawaf al-Hamzi; Salem al-Hamz; ,Ahmed al-Haznawi; Ahmed al-Nami; Saeed al Ghamdi.

Leader of evil ring: Mohamed Atta was the overall leader of the 9/11 attacks

'Overriding a presidential veto is something we don't take lightly, but it was important in this case that the families of the victims of 9/11 be allowed to pursue justice, even if that pursuit causes some diplomatic discomforts,' said Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democratic senior senator from New York.

'It means we'll be able to hold accountable the people who helped murder 3,000 people. At the personal level, this means justice,' Terry Strada, a 9/11 widow who leads the group which as lobbied for the law, told the New York Daily News.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest claimed members of the Senate Judiciary Committee were unfamiliar with the bill's impact on military personnel and voted to uphold it anyway.

The comments reflect White House frustration after failing to persuade Senate Democrats to stand by the president. If the House follows suit, the override will be Obama's first.

Foreign ally: The measure against Saudi is opposed by Obama who sees the country, led by King Salman (center) as a crucial part of U.S strategy

Defense Secretary Ash Carter, in a letter Monday to a senior member of Congress, had said he was sympathetic to the intent of the measure.

But the legislation could lead to the public disclosure of American secrets and even undercut counterterrorism efforts by sowing mistrust among U.S. partners and allies, according to Carter.

But one of the bill's leading proponents, Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, dismissed Obama's concerns as 'unpersuasive.' Cornyn, the Senate's second most senior Republican, and other supporters said the bill is narrowly tailored and applies only to acts of terrorism that occur on U.S. soil.

Horror: 15 years on from the 9/11 attacks, the victims who survived and the families of the lost, are still fighting to sue Saudi Arabia. This was the scene shortly after the second plane hit the two towers of the World Trade Center

SAUDI: OIL-RICH ALLY Saudi Arabia is the richest and geographically largest Middle Eastern country - and a key U.S. ally. Currently its biggest military role for the U.S. is in the fight against ISIS. It allows overflight of US aircraft from other bases in the Gulf. Withdrawing that co-operation would make air operations against ISIS extremely difficult. Saudi also contributed fighter planes to the effort, basing them in Turkey. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia holds $116 billion in Treasury debt, Bloomberg revealed earlier this year - a tiny fraction of the $1 trillion owned by China. Selling the holdings, something which has been suggested as a response to the Act, would be unlikely to damage the U.S. economy. But private Saudi money is widely invested in the U.S. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a member of the ruling al-Saud family and a billionaire investor has stakes in a huge range of big names just by himself, including Citigroup, 21st Century Fox, and the Plaza Hotel in New York. He is the tip of an iceberg, with billions of privately-invested Saudi cash on Wall Street and beyond. Advertisement

'This bill is about respecting the voices and rights of American victims,' Cornyn said.

Families of the victims and their attorneys disputed concerns over the legislation as fearmongering aimed at derailing the legislation that they have long urged Congress to pass.

Ben Cardin, a senator from Maryland who was one of the Democrats who broke with Obama and voted to override, said 'the risks of shielding the perpetrators of terrorism from justice are greater than the risks this legislation may pose to America's presence around the world.'

The legislation gives victims' families the right to sue in U.S. court for any role that elements of the Saudi government may have played in the 2001 attacks.

Fifteen of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers were Saudi nationals. There have been persistent claims of elements Saudi Arabian involvement - although they have never been tested in court.

The 9/11 commission report's findings on Saudi - which were redacted until earlier this year - disclosed that the first major Al Qaeda figure picked up after the attacks, terror mastermind Abu Zubaydah, had a private number for a company which managed the estate of Saudi's then ambassador to Washington, Prince Bandar.

He also had for an unlisted number for a bodyguard at the Saudi Embassy in Washington in his phonebook, which was seize during the raid in Pakistan in which he was held.

Link: Prince Bandar was the Saudi ambassador to Washington and a royal figure known to have a very close relationship with George W. Bush. A private number for the company which ran his Colorado estate was found in an al Qaeda mastermind's phone directory in early 2002

Aftermath: A total of 2,996 people died on 9/11, 2,606 of them on the ground at the World Trade Center and in its environs. Saudi liabilities in a successful court case would run into the billions - and the activities of Abu Zubaydah (right) could be critical in the actions.

Courts would be permitted to waive a claim of foreign sovereign immunity when an act of terrorism occurs inside U.S. borders, according to the terms of the bill. Saudi Arabia has objected vehemently to the legislation.

Obama vetoed the measure last week, telling lawmakers the bill would make the U.S. vulnerable to retaliatory litigation in foreign courts that could put U.S. troops in legal jeopardy.

The bill's proponents have disputed Obama's rationale as 'unconvincing and unsupportable,' saying the measure is narrowly tailored and applies only to acts of terrorism that occur on U.S. soil.

Carter amplified Obama's concerns in a Sept. 26 letter to Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas, the Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and an opponent of the legislation. Thornberry last week urged his GOP colleagues to let Obama's veto stand.

SAUDI'S REVENGE WARNING Saudi Arabia and its allies are warning that U.S. legislation allowing the kingdom to be sued for the 9/11 attacks will have negative repercussions. The kingdom maintains an arsenal of tools to retaliate with, including curtailing official contacts, pulling billions of dollars from the U.S. economy, and persuading its close allies in the Gulf Cooperation Council to scale back counter-terrorism cooperation, investments and U.S. access to important regional air bases. 'This should be clear to America and to the rest of the world: When one GCC state is targeted unfairly, the others stand around it,' said Abdulkhaleq Abdullah, an Emirati Gulf specialist and professor of political science at United Arab Emirates University. Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir told reporters in June that the U.S. has the most to lose if JASTA is enacted. Despite reports that Riyadh threatened to pull billions of dollars from the U.S. economy if the bill becomes law, al-Jubeir says Saudi Arabia has only warned that investor confidence in the U.S. could decline. Advertisement

In the letter, Carter described the potential for litigants to seek classified intelligence data and analysis and sensitive operational information to establish their cases in what could be an 'intrusive discovery process.'

If the U.S. were sued overseas, a foreign court would decide whether the information should be protected from disclosure, he said. Paradoxically, the information could be central to a defense against the accusations.

'Disclosure could put the United States in the difficult position of choosing between disclosing classified or otherwise sensitive information or suffering adverse rulings and potentially large damage awards for our refusal to do so,' Carter wrote.

Kristen Breitweiser, a 9/11 widow and co-chair of September 11th Advocates, criticized Carter's assessment, saying that the defense secretary had testified before Congress last week that he wasn't an expert on the bill.

Speaking at a forum in Washington, CIA Director John Brennan said he was concerned about how Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally in the Middle East, would interpret the bill. He said the Saudis provide significant amounts of information to the U.S. to help foil extremist plots.

'It would an absolute shame if this legislation, in any way, influenced the Saudi willingness to continue to be among our best counter-terrorism partners,' Brennan said.

Obama has issued 12 vetoes during his presidency. None have been overridden until now, a rare feat given Republicans' longstanding control of Congress.

His Republican predecessor George W Bush also issued 12 vetoes, of which four were overridden. The last president to avoid an override was the legendary Democratic congressional dealmaker - and former senator and congressman - Lyndon Johnson.

The two senators not to vote at all were Tim Kaine, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, and Bernie Sanders, the independent who lost the Democratic presidential nomination race and who was campaigning for Hillary Clinton when the vote took place.

Neither of the presidential candidates has commented on the vote.
The parents of the tiny Thai 'pickpockets' allegedly pictured stealing a tourist's watch on the steps of one of the country's most famous temples have protested their daughters' innocence.

A picture of the two girls, aged seven and ten, went round the world after a Reddit user claimed it captured one of the girls in the act on the steps of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple in Chiang Mai.

Now the parents of the girls have insisted they are not thieves, and simply ask for money to have their picture taken, telling police: 'They never beg for money... It always depends on how much the tourists want to give them.'

The parents of the tiny Thai pickpockets (pictured at the police station) allegedly pictures stealing a tourist's watch have said their daughters are innocent

Reddit user MedardBoss posted a photo of a woman posing with two Thai girls in ethnic garb alongside the caption, 'Girlfriend in the progress of having her watch stolen' - but it has since been removed

The girls' (pictured with their father) parents said they would have pressed charges against the tourists who accused them of theft if they were still in the country

Parents Phujarat Jiraphakorn and Lulu Laowa are said to have been furious after police called them in for questioning and threatened to press charges if the foreign couple were still in the country, local media reported.

Reddit user Medardboss shared a picture of an unnamed woman posing with the girls, dressed in traditional garb, alongside the caption: 'Girlfriend in the progress of having her watch stolen.'

The post and the account has since been removed.

The parents said they grilled their girls after the photo, which was 'upvoted' to Reddit's front page, went viral - but they protested their innocence.

The mother said she did not see how it would be possible for her girl to slip a watch from the woman's wrist without her noticing.

Village elder Methaphan Fuengfukitchakarn travelled with them to the police station to attest to the family's good reputation, Khaosod English reported.

He said the family are well known and respected in the community and judging the girls based on one photo was unfair.

Parents Phujarat Jiraphakorn and Lulu Laowa (pictured at a press conference, wearing blue and pink) are said to have been furious after police called them in for questioning

The parents said they grilled their girls after the photo, which was 'upvoted' to Reddit's front page, went viral (file photo of two local girls at the temple in Chiang Mai)

Police chief Anek Chaiwong told the website: 'The farang [tourists] did not file any complaint to us.

'The parents of the kids are very concerned and said they would have filed a complaint against the false accusation were the farang still here in Thailand.'

The Governor of Chiang Mai said: 'Chiang Mai is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Chiang Mai takes seriously the safety and welfare of tourists in the city.

'Should any tourist be in trouble of any kind, the authorities of Chiang Mai City will do their best to solve the problem and provide a remedy as soon as possible. This case is a serious accusation. Once the Governor learnt of this matter, he instructed Chiang Mai provincial authorities to promptly launch a thorough investigation.

'All officials reported that the girls had a history of good behaviour and no prior record of offences. In addition, up to now, no one has filed an official complaint with the authorities. We have therefore concluded that there is no grounds to believe this false accusation.'

Medardboss, whose account has since been shut down, claimed that he and his so-called girlfriend only noticed the moment she was robbed while browsing through their holiday snaps at home.

He posted the picture to the MildlyInteresting thread and claimed they later found the watch.

Thousands of people commented on the thread, with some Reddit users sharing their own pictures of the two girls from their own trips.

'I've seen those little thieves before,' one man wrote, while another said: 'Adorable, adorable thieves. I didn't suspect a thing when I saw them.'

The mother said she did not see how it would be possible for her girl to slip a watch from the woman's wrist without her noticing (file photo of local girls who pose with tourists at the temple in Chiang Mai)

The contentious photograph was taken in front of the 300 steps up to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple (pictured) in Chiang Mai

One Reddit user said the girls must be the 'two most popular child thieves in all of Asia', while another observed there were around six girls in the same outfit and guessed they could be an 'organised gang'.

One tourist said he must have dodged a bullet as he made a last minute decision not to have a photograph with the pair.
Thai police have revealed a male victim found dismembered in a freezer in Bangkok is believed to have had a romantic relationship with his suspected killer, a possible British citizen whose identity has yet to be confirmed.

The case is confusing, said Tourist Police chief Surachet Hakpan on Wednesday, as his officers continued to investigate a passport forgery ring allegedly involving at least two American men and the corpses former lover, who has several passports in his name.

Police say they are treating the mystery man as a Briton who might be called Peter William Johnson or Peter Andrew Colter. He remains in hospital in after sustaining injuries to his face when police raided a building in Bangkok and he shot and wounded an officer.

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DNA tests are set to reveal the identity of a dismembered corpse found in a freezer in Thailand which has led to the arrests of a mystery Briton and two Americans

The man in possession of a British passport has been identified by the name in the document - Peter Andrew Colter, 56, pictured, but police are unsure if this is his real name

Mr Surachet told the Naew Na website that there was a suspicion that Johnson/Colter, who is said to be uncooperative, had a romantic relationship with the male victim, an elderly European blonde-haired man whose chopped-up body was found in a freezer in six plastic bags.

The police officer said psychologists who had attempted to interview Johnson/Colter suspected that not only had he been romantically linked to the victim, but after his death he could not bear to part with him and had decided to keep his body.

Police are investigating whether the body had been cut up and stashed into the fridge because it was the only way it could be stored and preserved. Mortuary officials believe the body parts could have been kept in the fridge for up to eight years.

Forensics in Bangkok are set to carry out DNA tests on the severed head and teeth plus a CT scan in a bid to identify the dead man.

Because the three English speakers, arrested in a Bangkok building, were allegedly found along with a number of forged passports, crystal meth and guns, police said they could not be absolutely certain about the mens identities - particularly as they were reportedly refusing to cooperate.

The three Western men are being interrogated by Thai police hoping for a breakthrough after the body was found in a freezer (pictured)

Bangkok coroners examine the body parts of an unidentified corpse that was found dismembered in a freezer in Bangkok

The two Americans have been named as Gabel Aaron Thomas, 33, and James Douglas Eger, 66.

Briton Peter Andrew Colter was one of the three men arrested and taken away from the apartment that authorities say included a freezer with a dismembered corpse

Scotland Yard has been asked for help in establishing whether Colter is British after Thai police took his fingerprints, while the FBI has been asked to confirm if Thomas and Eger are who they say they are.

The body was chopped up into six pieces and frozen for months, according to Dr Triyarith Temahivong, deputy director general of Thailands Central Institute of Forensic Science.

'The body still has human tissue stuck on it, which DNA can be extracted from,' he said.

'The teeth can be used as well for identification through dental records, but the persons nationality, age or gender cant be determined at all at this time so well see from the digital autopsy.'

Colter, who along with the other two men has been charged with attempting to kill an official on duty, resisting arrest, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, forging official documents and concealing a corpse, is being held under guard in a police hospital.

He sustained an injury when police raided the Bangkok building and he grabbed a gun and shot at a police officer, seriously wounding him.

Questioned in his hospital bed by police, Colter was said to be in a stressed state, giving confusing and contradictory evidence, and had insisted he did not intend to shoot the policeman because he was in fact trying to shoot himself.

James Douglas Eger (left), a US national, is one of three foreigners arrested by police in Bangkok for allegedly running a passport forgery ring

A man who said his name was James Douglas Eger was arrested by Thai police after a gun battle

Another man believed to be called Aaron Thomas Gabel is detained by police in Bangkok after a police raid

Although he was found in possession of a British passport, Colter claimed he was a US-based chemist who had a Malaysian wife.

Because of a dispute with her, he had moved to Thailand, he said, where he became friends with the other two men after which they started up a battery-selling business.

He said he had no knowledge of the body parts in the locked fridge and claimed the freezer belonged to a friend who died of cancer three months ago. But when police searched his apartment they allegedly found the key to the fridge.

A Burmese couple working as housekeepers told police that the fridge was moved from a house in another part of Bangkok four months ago and they had been ordered to keep away from the freezer section.

Bangkok police chief Sanit Mahathavorn (R) speaks to other officials as he commented on recent police action on a passport forgery ring

Thai police said on September 27 that two men accused of hiding a dismembered body in a Bangkok house freezer and of running a fake passport ring are Americans

Three suspects were arrested over the weekend during the raid on a shophouse they allegedly used as a crime den in the Thai capital

Were saying that Mr Colter is the ringleader of a passport forgery gang and has been living in Thailand for eight or nine years, said Major General Surachet Hakpal, commander of Tourism Police.

He added that immigration officials had no record of him entering the country, raising suspicions about the name he came in on.

Neighbours of the house where Colter was living with a Thai woman said he bought it for 7.5 million baht (1,700,000) cash a year ago.

But there were suspicions about the quiet couple when visitors would park cars in front of the house at night with the headlights off but with the engines running for hours, before they would drive away.
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This is the derelict farmhouse where missing toddler Ben Needham was last seen alive.

Pictures taken from inside reveal a ramshackle hut, sparsely furnished, with just rags up at the windows.

There are no carpets or beds and an old battered cabinet sits in the corner of the kitchen.

Photographs have emerged showing the inside of the house, which have remained virtually untouched since Ben Needham's last tragic holiday in 1991

Ben was playing in the dusty building in Kos on the day he went missing 25 years ago.

This week, police started searching land surrounding the farmhouse as part of a fresh inquiry into the little boy's disappearance.

And on Wednesday, officers from South Yorkshire police allowed the Daily Mail access to the property as they recounted Ben's final movements.

Interior of the house where Ben Needham disappeared from in Kos, Greece

Ben was on holiday with his mother, Kerry, and his grandparents at the idyllic farmhouse on the island of Kos in July 1991 when he vanished into thin air

On the day he disappeared Ben's grandparents were renovating the property and looking after him while his mother, Kerry, was at work at a nearby hotel.

The family had moved from Sheffield to the Greek island of Kos in search of a better life but their adventure turned into a tragedy when Ben vanished on the afternoon of July 24, 1991.

He was aged just 21 months and has never been seen since.

Ben's grandparents were living in Greece and he and his mother had come out to have a holiday and stay with them at the farmhouse (pictured)

The building, in the small hamlet of Iraklis, around one mile from the seafront, has been renovated since the Needham family was last there.

But these photographs show the layout is still exactly the same as on that tragic day.

The run-down building comprises of just three rooms: a kitchen and two other living rooms.

It sits next to a dusty track and is surrounded by farmland and waste ground.

The Daily Mail was allowed access today to the farmhouse (pictured during a previous search)

On the day Ben went missing there was no roof or glass in the windows. His grandfather Eddie and uncle Stephen, then 17, were working on it.

His grandparents were in the main room of the cottage, taking shelter from the sun, when Ben vanished.

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said: 'The family were here to assist in the renovation, I don't know if that was to make it into a family home or a family holiday home but they were assisting with the renovations.

Ben Needham's furious mother, Kerry Needham (left) has told of her anger after it took 25 years for a mystery witness to come forward with information about her missing son (right)

'Since then it has obviously been renovated to the state you can see now and then allowed again to fall into a state of disrepair.

'Whether of not someone has lived in here or not, I am not sure. But it looks like someone has.'

In 1991 there were doorways on either side of the main room, which meant Ben could run in and out of the house on both sides. One door has since been bricked up and replaced with a window.

Konstantinos Barkas, also known as Dino, was clearing land with an excavator close to where Ben was playing on the day he vanished and may be responsible for his death, a friend of the builder reportedly told police following a television appeal in May

'He was in and out of this building playing, that is the understanding we have,' the police spokesman said.

'The grandparents were understood to have spent their time in here, taking shelter from the sun when they were taking a break from renovating and looking after Ben etcetera so this was basically the place where Ben's grandparents discovered he was missing. So there is quite a lot of significance to this building.'

Police launched the new excavation of an olive grove next to the farmhouse after a new witness came forward to claim Ben had been run over by a local digger driver who was also working on the farmhouse and buried.

If his account is true, it would put and end to Ben's mother's hopes of finding her son alive.

Police and volunteers searching the site have found dozens of bones but so far they have all found to be from animals.

They have also found scraps of material, photos of which have been sent of for analysis to see if they match the clothes Ben was wearing on the day he vanished.

This photograph taken 25 years ago may hold the key to finding out what happened to missing Ben Needham, police have revealed

On Wednesday, police focused their search at the base of a large fig tree - which they believe was planted after Ben went missing.

Officers studied a photograph taken around 10 days after his disappearance and noticed that the tree which now stands in the olive grove was not there at the time.

The picture, taken by a British press photographer, is the only record of the area from the time and police are now using it to aid them in a new search for Ben.

Detective Inspector Jon Cousins, who is leading the new search, said: 'This is the only record we have of the time that Ben disappeared in 1991.

'We have been able to analyse that with the experts who are here now and...look at the fauna and tree growth around it and as such, we are having a look at the area around a tree at the base of the farmhouse as we believe that may not have been there at the time.

'It is a photograph that was taken around 10 to 14 days after Ben's disappearance. It is the earliest record we have and the closet record of the time Ben disappeared.

'We are looking at closer analysis of the layout of the land itself, the trees, the fauna and everything that is around that.

'There is an indication that a tree that is here now clearly wasn't there at the time which is why we are concentrating our effort around that this morning.'

Meanwhile, police revealed they are reproducing a pair of sandals which Ben was wearing on the day he disappeared.

The little boy was wearing a pair of brown leather sandals with a metal buckle and white rubber sole on the day he went missing.

They can be seen in a photograph of him on a toy scooter taken around the time.

Police investigating the disappearance of toddler Ben Needham 25 years ago have found pieces of light-coloured fabric during a search of an olive grove close to where he went missing

The shoes were bought on the island and police are now having a replica pair made to be shown to those taking part in the search, so they know what to look for.

They will also be compared to items found during a previous search in Kos, in 2012.

DI Cousins said: 'We have made some inquiries on the island in relation to the sandal Ben was wearing in the photograph.

'I am having an exact copy of that sandal made by a local resident who makes them to order. I know the sandal was bought on the island and once we have got that it will be going off to be forensically examined in comparison to some of the items which were found in 2012.'

The search team from South Yorkshire Police is being funded by 1million from the Home Office.

Detective Inspector Jon Cousins, who is leading the new search, said the pieces of fabric were of 'slight interest'

On Monday, the first day of the search in Kos, police found dozens of fragments of bone

Officers from South Yorkshire Police have launched a fresh bid to discover what happened to the little boy

A new witness came forward earlier this year to say he may have been run over by a digger and buried in the olive grove, close to a farmhouse where Ben was playing

Investigation: Special forensics police officers search the field on Kos this morning

Searches of the site, around two miles east of the Greek island's historic town centre, are expected to last for at least a week

This was the scene this morning as police started an examination of the site close in Kos

A police officer holding a plastic evidence bag kneels down to pick up an item from the ground
For over half a century rumors suggesting Marilyn Monroe was romantically involved with Bobby Kennedy have circled around Hollywood.

Now a letter written in the early 1960s from Jean Kennedy Smith, sister of President John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy, has given perhaps the clearest indication yet that the pair were together.

In a missive to the actress Jean wrote: 'Understand that you and Bobby are the new item! We all think you should come with him when he comes back East!'

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Bobby Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy converse at the former's 40th birthday party in New York

A letter from Jean Kennedy Smith (pictured) has given perhaps the clearest indication yet that the pair were together

Rumors over the pair's relationship started to fly after they were pictured together at a number of events - however, there was no concrete evidence at hand to confirm to they were an item.

Accounts from those present at JFK's 40th birthday party in 1962, at which the actress sung 'Happy Birthday,' say she went after Bobby - even in front of his wife Ethel.

'She literally pinned him against he wall, and she had him trapped,' claimed pollster Lou Harris.

'Ethel got so disgusted. When she got him home, she said, "That's the most disgusting thing I've ever seen."'

The American actress, singer, model and sex symbol Marilyn Monroe in 1953. She tragically died of a drug overdose in 1962 aged just 36.

New York senator Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in 1968 in Los Angeles while on the presidential trail

The revelatory letter will be auctioned, along with some of Monroe's other personnel belongings, in Beverly Hills, California on November 17.

'There's always speculation about her relationship with the Kennedys and this speaks to the fact that there was in fact a relationship between Robert Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe,' said Martin Nolan, executive director of Julien's Auctions which will be handling the sale.

Among the quirkier items are a receipt for a bottle of champagne, her 1947 contract with Twentieth Century Fox and a recipe for stuffing jotted down on a slip of paper with an insurance company's letterhead. Her final checkbook shows her payments to the window cleaner, her maid and the New York Telephone Co. She paid $200 to herself marked as 'cash for trips.'

'Marilyn kept everything. She was a hoarder,' said Nolan.

Monroe meets the Queen during her heyday. She was one of the most recognizable stars of the silver screen during the 50s and the 60s

'She bought a pound of butter, she bought a bottle of tonic water she kept the receipt. It's incredible. We have a pair of strap sandals that she wore when she was Norma Jean, probably 1943, 1945. And all the money she made and how famous she became and she kept those.'

Monroe, who would have turned 90 this year, spent most of her childhood in foster homes and an orphanage and became one of Hollywood's most bankable stars, trading off her sex appeal and an image as a vacuous blonde.

Off camera, she struggled with drug addiction and depression. She died from an overdose of barbiturates.
More than 11,000 asylum seekers failed to turn up to their first meeting with border authorities, sparking costly attempts to track them down.

The Home Office is being thwarted from dealing with the large numbers of migrants claiming refuge in the UK due to their failure to arrive for the interviews.

Figures released today show that of the 77,000 asylum seekers whose applications are currently being processed, 11,988 did not attend their first meeting.

Migrants near lorries in Calais. Figures today show more than 11,000 asylum seekers failed to attend their first meeting with authorities after arriving in the UK

A failure to turn up to the meeting means their application is withdrawn and has to be resubmitted, causing costly delays to the already drawn-out process.

The skipped meetings also means the Home Office has to send out its tracing team to attempt to track down those who have disappeared.

The Home Office has not revealed how many of the 11,988 failed to turn up to subsequent meetings, but figures released by the official immigration watchdog in December stated that more than 10,000 asylum seekers have fallen off the radar.

Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke told the Daily Express: 'It's very concerning that some 12,000 asylum seekers failed to turn up for interview.

'We need to know if the Government has lost track of them. We must be sure we don't have a situation where vulnerable people are dragged back into the black economy and become victims of slavery.'

The missed meetings mean the Home Office have to send out teams to track people down

A report by the chief inspector of borders and immigration David Bolt last year stated: 'Failure to deal with asylum cases in a timely manner was inefficient as well as ineffective.

'The more time an asylum case took to resolve, the more likely barriers to removal would arise from the formation of relationships, the birth of children and other community ties.'

The Home Office insisted all absconders are added to watch lists as well as the Police National Computer so they can be tracked down.
Noor Walile, 38, (pictured) was given a six year jail term after he raped a boy in a mosque toilet

An imam who raped a young boy was protected by mosque elders who banished him abroad only for him to secretly return to the UK.

Noor Walile, 38, was given a six year jail term after he raped the boy in a toilet in between a lesson he was giving at Rugby Mosque, Warwickshire.

When confronted about the attack after the terrified child told his parents he said: 'The devil made me do it'.

The elders ordered Walile to flee back home to India and told him to never return or the police would be told.

But years later the disgraced religious teacher was traced to an address in Leicester after his young victim broke his silence and told detectives.

When the rape charge was put to him at Warwick Crown Court, Walile, broke down in tears.

He said: 'I am guilty. So sorry, I am guilty.'

Walile was told by the judge he was a 'danger' to the community and must serve every day of his sentence.

Prosecutor Jane Sarginson said he was the imam in the mosque in around 2010. Among his duties was teaching children.

The court heard how Walile raped the boy in the mosque's toilets during one of the lessons.

When the imam later visited the boy's home the child ran away and told his parents he never wanted to go to the mosque again.

His parents contacted an elder who advised them to save the clothes the boy had been wearing and not to wash them. The mosque elder and the parents then confronted Walile.

Miss Sarginson said: 'Initially Walile denied the allegations, but then said he had done something 'very bad' but he could not remember what happened only that the devil had come over him.

When confronted about the attack at Rugby Mosque (pictured) Walile told the victim's parents the 'the devil made me do it'

Walile broke down in tears at Warwick Crown Court when the judge addressed him

'He was told he would have to go back to India and never return, or the matter would be reported to the police - and that is what the family understood had happened.'

But earlier this year the assault was reported to the police.

Officers then traced Walile who initially denied raping the boy or confessing it to the mosque elder.

But once he was told the family had kept the clothing, he confessed: 'I have told lies during this interview. I am sorry, I did a bad thing. The devil came over me, and I did this bad act.'

Anthony Bell, defending, said: 'He has worked in a responsible position for many years, without any behaviour such as this in the past.

'When the incident happened he took the advice, albeit fairly firmly expressed, to leave the country and go to India; but he returned to this country to be with his family and his wife, who is a British citizen.

'He has lived quietly in a different city, so that there would be no risk of contact with the boy or his family.

'His shame is apparent. He offers no explanation and no justification for what he's done. He is ashamed of himself and acutely aware of the shame he has brought on his family.'

Jailing Walile, Judge Stephen Eyre said: 'The members of your community entrusted their young children to you for guidance and education.

'You were in a position of responsibility and leadership at the mosque. You abused that position and that trust, and defiled the faith you were paid to uphold.

'He was a young boy entrusted to your care for guidance, and you raped him. It is hard to think of any greater abuse of the trust that had been placed in you.

'If you had not pleaded guilty, the sentence would have been one of nine years.'

The judge branded Wallie 'an offender of particular concern' who said he should not be released before serving the whole of the six year term.
Two shop workers who were in a relationship were stabbed to death in one of Britain's busiest shopping streets as they left a night shift this morning.

Matalan employees Zoe Morgan, a 21-year-old window dresser, and shop assistant Lee Simmons, 34, were attacked and killed as they left the store in Cardiff's Queen Street.

A colleague said: 'This is a terrible tragedy. They had only started seeing each other and made a lovely couple. We are all in bits.'

The farmhouse home of 20-year-old hotel worker Andrew Saunders was today searched by police investigating the deaths.

Zoe Morgan and Lee Simmons were stabbed to death this morning as they left a night shift

The farmhouse home of 20-year-old hotel worker Andrew Saunders (pictured) was today searched by police investigating the deaths

Lee recently posted a picture of Zoe on Facebook with the message 'my real life tinkerbell'

The couple worked at this Matalan store in Cardiff city centre, where they met this summer

Sales assistant Lee and fashion graduate Zoe met while working shifts together - and he dubbed her his 'Tinkerbell'.

But they pair were attacked at 5.50am as they left the store, which is Matalan's first high street branch in Britain.

Police officers flooded Cardiff's main Queen Street at around 6am after the couple were found dead outside high street stores Boots and Matalan.

The city centre street was cordoned off by uniformed officers and dozens of businesses were forced to close.

Heartbroken colleagues said the couple had been together for less than four months after striking up a romance while working.

Zoe, who lived with her parents Mark, 49, and Julie, 48, had studied fashion at the University of South Wales before landing the job as a visual merchandiser at the Matalan store in June.

The family had just returned for a holiday in Ibiza. A neighbour said: 'She had her whole life in front of her - she was full of fun. Her parents will be in a terrible state because they doted on her.'

Colleagues said the couple only got together four months ago and were very happy together

Zoe worked as a window dresser after graduating in fashion. Lee was a shop assistant

Another neighbour added: 'She was so excited about starting work and everything was going so well for her.

'Zoe went off to work as normal but never came home. She was a beautiful girl and this is terrible.'

Lee, of Grangetown, Cardiff, has worked at the store since it opened in October 2014.

The pair are said to have begun dating in July and were described as 'being in the first flush of romance'.

Lee was a sales assistant who was working the overnight shift to prepare the shop for customers.

He lived with his widowed mother Thelma, 68, who is today being comforted by friends and police liaison officers.

Police at the scene in Cardiff's Queen Street today after a reported double stabbing

Flowers have been left outside the story and colleagues are said to be 'in bits'

Police have today been searching the rural home of 20-year-old Andrew Saunders

Matalan Chief Executive Jason Hargreaves said: 'It is with great sadness that we can confirm that there was a fatal stabbing in Queen Street, Cardiff, this morning.

'Police discovered the bodies of a man and a woman outside the premises at 6am.

'Both of the victims worked at our Cardiff branch so understandably all of our colleagues are receiving our full support.'

South Wales Chief Superintendent Belinda Davies, said: 'This incident occurred in the main shopping area in the heart of the city in rush hour and it has no doubt shocked the community of Cardiff.

'We are in the very early stages of the investigation but I would like to add that at this stage we believe... it was not a random assault.

'I would like to dispel speculation circulating as to the motive behind this tragic incident and make it clear that this is not being linked to terrorism, and any links to the homeless community are unfounded.'

Witnesses said dozens of police cars arrived at the scene shortly before 6am

A man and woman were found dead in Queen Street, one the city's main shopping streets

A spokeswoman for the Welsh Ambulance Service said: 'We had a call at approximately 5.50am to an incident in the Queen Street area of Cardiff.

'We sent a paramedic in a rapid response car, three emergency ambulances and the Trust's Hazardous Area Response Team to the scene.'

Cardiff Queen Street is a half-mile long street and visited by tens and thousands of shoppers every day.
Karen Lockhart (pictured) has bravely spoken out about how she was abused by her own father from the age of seven

A woman whose father took her virginity when she was just 11 has bravely spoken out about how her 'life was stolen' decades after the horrific abuse.

Mother-of-one Karen Lockhart, now 57, was assaulted by her father Albert Starkie over a five-year period starting when she was just seven-years-old.

She was forced to carry out sex acts on him at Tatton cinema in Manchester at the age of nine and she was abused at the family home in nearby Wythenshawe.

After keeping the awful truth hidden for 50 years, Ms Lockhart decided to tell police and Starkie, 80, has now been convicted of child abuse offences.

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News after waiving her right to anonymity, she said she has thought about the abuse 'every single day'.

'I feel like my life has been stolen from me. How could he do those things to his own daughter?

'He was supposed to love and cherish me, not take advantage of me.'

'I have thought of the abuse every single day of my life. I tried to have a father-daughter relationship after the abuse stopped. I felt indifferent to him.

'But now I have spoken about what he did, I hate him. I hate what he has done to me.

She revealed how she has suffered with self-hatred and bulimia for many years as a result of the abuse she suffered.

'It has affected me really badly. I have had mental health issues and low self-esteem. I also gave myself freely to men because that's how I thought you showed love.'

Her father, Albert Starkie (pictured outside court after pleading guilty to historic sex abuse) has now been convicted of child abuse offences

Ms Lockhart was assaulted by her father over a five-year period (pictured with her parents)

'Even now when I see something on television with a dad and daughter with the dad taking care and being protective over her, it hurts because I never had that, and he never did that for me.

'He never treated me like a little princess, or a special girl, only when he was abusing me.'

Ms Lockhart kept the abuse secret for decades because her father told her she would be in 'trouble' if she told anyone.

'At the time I thought all dads did that but as I got older I realised what he was doing was wrong,' she said.

The abuse stopped when she was 11 and since then she had tried to have a 'normal' relationship with her father but said she was indifferent to him.

But they still celebrated birthdays and Christmas together.

She said: 'I would get him really ordinary cards, nothing really gushy. It was always 'best wishes'.'

Ms Lockhart (pictured right as a schoolgirl in 1970) kept the abuse secret for decades because her father (left) told her she would be in 'trouble' if she told anyone

Ms Lockhart (pictured with her daughter Georgie Bailey) revealed how she has suffered with self-hatred and bulimia for many years as a result of the abuse she suffered

However, something changed when she finally told a friend about what happened.

Starkie, 80, pleaded guilty earlier this year to indecent assault to a girl under 14, indecency with a child under 14 and sexual intercourse with a child under 13.

Prosecutor, Jeremy Lasker, told the Manchester Crown Court hearing: 'The nature and gravity of the defendant's sexual behaviour towards his own daughter increased as she became older.

'The evidence suggests that Karen lost her virginity to her father, when she was just 11-years-old.

'Albert Starkie involved his daughter Karen in all manner of sexualised behaviour and as she got older it seems plain that the defendant regarded her as a substitute sexual partner as and when he felt so inclined to indulge his sexual appetite.'

Starkie, who was in a wheelchair, sat emotionless in the dock throughout the hearing.

He looked his daughter in the eye as she bravely read out her witness statement.

Michael Knowles, for the defence, said Starkie was in poor health - with a heart condition, respiratory problems and a kidney complaint.

But he said: 'The reality in this case, a sentence, a significant sentence, will take up almost all of his remaining years.'
A controversial activist who campaigns for Jeremy Corbyn was facing fresh allegations of anti-Semitism today after she claimed Holocaust Memorial Day should be more inclusive.

Jackie Walker, who was suspended from Labour over anti-Semitism claims earlier this year before being reinstated, made the inflammatory remarks on the fringes of the party conference in Liverpool.

The vice-chairwoman of the Momentum campaign group said it would be 'wonderful' if Holocaust Memorial Day was promoted to non-Jews.

Momentum vice-chair Jackie Walker (file picture) told a Labour conference fringe meeting it would be 'wonderful' if Holocaust Memorial Day was more inclusive

Ms Walker was noisily heckled at the meeting and later faced calls for her to resign and be kicked out of Labour.

Reports of the comments emerged as a poll showed almost 90 per cent of British Jews believe Labour has a problem with anti-Semitism amid renewed demands on Jeremy Corbyn to do more to stamp it out.

A leading Jewish activist was heckled in the main conference hall yesterday as he demanded new party rules on anti-Semitism and it emerged at the weekend racist leaflets had been handed out at a fringe meeting.

Earlier in the conference Ms Walker came under fire for claiming anti-Semitism had been 'weaponised' against Corbyn.

In the new remarks, reported by the Huffington Post, Ms Walker said: 'Wouldn't it be wonderful if Holocaust day was open to all peoples who've experienced Holocaust?'

As people in the room insisted this was already the case, she added 'in practice it is not circulated and advertised as such'.

Ms Walker also said extra security measures in Jewish schools in the UK were not due to fear of antisemitic attacks.

'I was a bit concerned... at your suggestions that the Jewish community is under such threat that they have to use security in all its buildings', she said.

'I have a grandson, he is a year old. There is security in his nursery and every school has security now. It's not because I'm frightened or his parents are frightened that he is going to be attacked.'

Ms Walker made a gaffe as she attempted to respond to the new fury over her remarks, tweeting all Holocaust denial is 'acceptable'. She later clarified she meant 'unacceptable'

Karen Pollock MBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust,said: "The Holocaust was a defining episode in history where 6 million men, women and children were brutally murdered simply for being Jewish, the very epitome of man's inhumanity to man.

'Whist Holocaust Memorial Day rightly and proudly commemorates the Holocaust and subsequent genocides, one has to wonder why Ms Walker takes issue with commemorating the mass extermination of Jews in its own right.

'The deliberate use of term 'HolocaustS' - plural - undermines and belittle the distinct nature of the tragedy itself, ignores that genocides are the result of diverse and unique factors, and also deprives the Jewish community of their collective memory.'

A heckler on the floor of Labour conference today, pictured, shouted at Mike Katz from the Jewish Labour Movement as he demanded rule changes to make it easier to kick out racists

Chair of the Jewish Labour Movement Jeremy Newmark told the website he was 'appalled' at Ms Walker's comments, and called on her to apologise or resign.

New polling released today laid bare the political problem allegations of anti-Semitism are now causing to the Labour Party.

Almost nine in 10 British Jews believe the Labour party has a problem with anti-Semitism, according to a poll.

Research from the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism found 87 per cent believe the party has not been dealing strongly enough with the issue.

The findings emerged after the leader of Jews in the Labour party was heckled from the floor of party conference as he slammed an 'upsurge' in anti-Semitism.

Mike Katz said Labour had become a party that was 'not seen as welcoming to Jews' amid a growing dispute about anti-Semitism among activists supporting Jeremy Corbyn.

But as Mr Katz urged delegates to immediately adopt party rule changes to make it easier to remove anti-Semites from ranks, he was loudly heckled from the floor.

Mike Katz told Labour conference today the party as a whole must do more to tackle anti-Semitism but he was heckled from the floor

Reports suggested the activist shouted that Mr Katz, vice-chairman of the Jewish Labour Movement, did not speak for all Jews and was talking 'rubbish'.

Mr Corbyn faced renewed calls at conference from MPs to do more on anti-Semitism at the conference after claims were made on the conference fringes that racism was being 'weaponised' against the Labour leader.

In his speech, Mr Katz said: ' I don't want to be here because I wish there hadn't been an upsurge in antisemitics, Islamophobic, misogynistic and homophobic vile hate speech in our party, even here, in our exhibitions and on our fringe, I'm sad to report.

'Jeremy [Corbyn] has said it, Tom [Watson] has said it, we have all said it; there is no place for this in our party. We must root it out.

'Against this backdrop, is there any wonder that support for Labour amongst British Jews is said to be as low as 7 per cent.

'It makes me weep; the party of Manny Shinwell, the party that has done more than any other to promote tolerance and inequality, the party to which the Jewish Labour Movement has been affiliated since 1920, is not seen as a welcoming home for Jews.'

The row comes after Labour's ruling national executive committee last week decided only to 'note' proposals  which would make it easier to expel those responsible for anti-Semitism and other forms of racism  meaning they will not be implemented until next year.

Mr Katz received a standing ovation for his speech to the Labour conference which included a demand to speed up rules changes

Mr Katz said it was a 'let down' that it will be another 12 months before 'we can signal to our members that we're serious about dealing with the problems. We shouldn't have to wait another year. It should be now'.

Israeli ambassador Mark Regev was at the Labour conference in Liverpool yesterday to attend the annual Labour Friends of Israel Reception.

A year ago, the Labour leader ran into trouble for his speech at the event as he was criticised for not using the word Israel in his main remarks or while taking questions.

Politics Home reporter Josh May said the heckler claimed Mr Katz 'did not speak for all Jews' and 'rubbish'

Anti-Semitism returned to the forefront of the conference yesterday as Illford North MP Wes Streeting, chair of the all-party parliamentary group on British Jews, spoke out.

At a Saturday night fringe meeting, controversial Momentum activist Jackie Walker last night accused opponents of Mr Corbyn of 'weaponising' and 'exaggerating' anti-Semitism against the Labour leader.

Leaflets distributed outside a meeting on religious hatred by the left-wing pressure group Momentum were branded 'anti-Semitic and undeniably racist' by Mr Streeting.

The leaflets claimed that the Jewish Labour Movement acted as 'a representative of a foreign power, Israel' and called for it to be disaffiliated from the Labour Party.

Other leftwing parties fared poorly in the latest poll too, with almost half of respondents (49 per cent) saying the same of the Green party and 37 per cent for the Liberal Democrats.

However, the Conservatives were not seen as having an anti-Semitism problem, with only 13 per cent of respondents saying they thought there was an issue.

Israeli ambassador Mark Regev, seen today left in glasses, is at the Labour Party Conference for meetings with activists and leading politicians
Locals gather for a festival every year to watch him

and bleeding but the feat has given him status

Most of us would flee in panic if a cobra came anywhere near us.

But one man in India, known as the poison man, allows a cobra to bite his tongue as part of a bizarre ritual.

Farmer Ram Rakha, 68, claims the snake injects a shot of poison when it bites him and gives him a quick high leaving him almost unconscious for a few seconds.

A man in India, known as the poison man, allows a cobra to bite his tongue as part of a bizarre ritual

Farmer Ram Rakha, 68, claims the snake injects a shot of poison when it bites him and gives him a quick high leaving him almost unconscious for a few seconds

Alarming footage shows the farmer applying the snake to his tongue before he appears to lose consciousness and blood drips from his mouth.

But Rakha likes the experience. He said: I feel no pain. I am not scared at all. I bleed for a few seconds and Im a bit drowsy but then Im fine. I enjoy doing this.

'Its given me status in the area. I believe Im blessed by God and I can take the poison without any affects.

Rakha has been performing his stunt for over a decade in Surili village, in Rajasthan, northern India.

Large numbers of people gather every year to watch Rakha in the Tejaji fair where many others perform daring stunts.

Tejaji fair is a famous fair held annually in August, in Rajasthan, in the memory of Veer Tejaji, a folk idol loved by locals.

Alarming footage shows the farmer applying the snake to his tongue before he appears to lose consciousness

Rakha likes the experience. He said: I feel no pain. I am not scared at all. I bleed for a few seconds and Im a bit drowsy but then Im fine. I enjoy doing this

Blood drips fro the farmer's mouth and spatters on the floor as his foot appears to convulse

Its a festival where traditional snake rituals help locals who may have been bitten by snakes in surrounding villages.

Every year Rakha performs the stunt in front of his worshippers and he immediately gets high.

Afterwards, Ram and his followers bless the snake and place it back in the wild.

However, the villagers believe the poison man is blessed with supernatural powers that keep him unharmed.

Large numbers of people gather every year to watch Rakha in the Tejaji fair where many others perform daring stunts

Its a festival where traditional snake rituals help locals who may have been bitten by snakes in surrounding villages

Afterwards, Ram and his followers bless the snake and place it back in the wild

Suraj Choudhary, 40, a farmer from a nearby village, said: I come here every year and see him perform. Every time he does it it's remarkable. We never get bored of it.

'He stays in a temple near by and we have strong faith in him. Several people bitten by snakes go to see him. He sucks out the poison and makes them better.
It was fired from a rebel-held village and then moved back over the border

Investigators say BUK missile was moved in from Russia before the strike

The rocket that brought down MH17 over eastern Ukraine was fired from territory held by pro-Moscow rebels and was moved in from Russia, experts have revealed.

A surface-to-air missile hit the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur in 2014, killing all 298 people aboard, most of them Dutch citizens.

Today, international prosecutors said one rocket from the BUK system was fired from the rebel-held village of Pervomaysk, in eastern Ukraine, before being moved back to Russia.

Ukraine says the findings from a criminal inquiry into the disaster proves Russia's 'direct involvement'. But Russia's foreign minister called the investigation 'biased and politically motivated'.

Pro-Moscow rebels had called for deployment of the mobile surface-to-air weapon, and reported its arrival in rebel-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine, according to communication intercepts revealed by Wilbert Paulissen, from the Dutch National Police.

From that and other evidence collected by the Joint Investigation Team, Paulissen told a news conference: 'It may be concluded MH17 was shot down by a 9M38 missile launched by a Buk, brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation, and that after launch was subsequently returned to the Russian Federation.'

Moscow insists that no Russian missile systems crossed the Ukrainian border, contrary to the Dutch-led MH17 probe report.

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Investigation: The rocket that brought down MH17 over eastern Ukraine was fired from territory held by pro-Moscow rebels and was moved in from Russia , experts have revealed today. Prosecutors showed some of the theories about what may have happened to the jet

International prosecutors said one rocket from the BUK system was fired from the rebel-held village of Pervomaysk, in eastern Ukraine, before being moved back to Russia

The rocket that brought down MH17 over eastern Ukraine was fired from territory held by pro-Russian rebels, according to the family of a victim

A map displayed by the team of investigators shows the border between Russia (right) and Ukraine (left)

The Kremlin said radar data showed the jet was definitely not brought down by a rocket fired from territory held by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. A pro-Russian separatist is pictured at the scene in 2014

Prosecutors are investigating 100 people who may be linked to the missile attack on the plane two years ago.

They also insisted there was a 'realistic chance' of a prosecution - though suspects have not been formally identified yet.

Earlier a victim's relative said he had been told the mobile Buk missile launcher had been moved into the area from Russia at the time and was returned to Russia immediately afterwards. Family members were informed of the investigations' findings ahead of the media.

It comes as the Kremlin said radar data showed the jet was definitely not brought down by a rocket fired from territory held by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

MH17 was brought down over eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin said radar data showed the jet was definitely not brought down by a rocket fired from territory held by pro-Russian separatists

International prosecutors said the BUK rocket was fire from the rebel-held village of Pervomaysk, in eastern Ukraine, and had been moved in from Russia beforehand

A relative of one of the MH17 victims is interviewed by members of the media before the release report

Relatives of the MH17 victims arrive in Nieuwegein for the release of initial findings into the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17

At the time, pro-Russian separatists were fighting Ukrainian government forces in the region. The Boeing 777 broke apart in midair, flinging wreckage over several miles of fields in rebel-held territory.

A team of prosecutors from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine have been working on the case.

But their remit does not cover assigning blame and prosecutors would have to conduct a further investigation to use the new evidence in any future court case.

Asked about the report, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said data obtained by the Russian military had already made it clear that the rocket had not been fired from rebel territory, but from elsewhere.

The launch site of the deadly rocket strike that brought down MH17 over eastern Ukraine is set to be revealed - but investigators will stop short of naming the culprits

A surface-to-air missile hit the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur in 2014, killing all 298 people aboard, most of them Dutch citizens. The reconstructed wreckage of the plane is pictured

'First-hand radar data identified all flying objects which could have been launched or in the air over the territory controlled by rebels at that moment,' said Peskov.

'The data are clear-cut...there is no rocket. If there was a rocket, it could only have been fired from elsewhere.'

Silene Fredriksz, whose son Bryce was on the airplane with his girlfriend, Daisy, said that he expected the investigators to say the missile was fired from the rebel-held town of Snizhne.

'We will be able to deduce whether it was Russian or Ukrainian. And I think we will just get a confirmation of what we have thought for months: that is was the prior,' Fredriksz said before meeting investigators.

An airline pilot places a floral tribute for the victims of the Malaysian Airlines MH17 at a terminal building of Schiphol Airport, near Amsterdam

'This is an important step. As a family we are impatient. We want to know what happened, how it happened and why. We want those responsible to face justice,' she said.

The downing played a significant part in a decision by the European Union and United States to impose sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine conflict, and East-West tensions escalated to levels not seen since the Cold War ended in 1990.

Ukrainian and Western officials, citing intelligence intercepts, have blamed pro-Russian rebels for the incident. Russia has always denied direct involvement in the Ukraine conflict and rejects responsibility for the destruction of MH17.

A civilian investigation into the cause of the July 17, 2014 incident by the Dutch Safety Board concluded last year that the airliner had been downed by a Russian-made BUK missile launched from eastern Ukraine.

Dutch prosecutor Fred Westerbeke, head of the investigative team, said earlier it had a 'long list of persons of interest' in the case and had been analysing airplane debris and ballistics found at the scene.
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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

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Most commuters use their early morning journeys to work to read a newspaper or catch up on some extra needed sleep.

But for workers in North Korea, they are greeted by a squad of cheerleaders at train stations and bus stops around Pyongyang in a bid to boost their productivity.

The country is currently in the middle of one of it's 'loyalty drives', where citizens are encouraged to show special devotion to leader Kim Jong Un, by working harder.

North Korean women wave flags cheering on their fellow countrymen as they start their day during morning rush hour outside a train station in Pyongyang

The women wave red flags and dance to patriotic music in a bid to encourage workers to start their day with more vigour

To assist this, Women's League units appear in force in front of Underground entrances and other strategic locations to dance and wave red flags as patriotic music blares from boom boxes.

Often they are joined by middle school brass bands in their morning ritual, which is intended to encourage workers to start of their day with more vigour.

The current loyalty drive is in the 80th day of its 200-day duration and small vans also patrol the city blasting out propaganda from speakers.

The loyalty drive was called shortly after a meeting of the country's ruling party that was held in May to rally the people behind Kim's newly announced political and economic policies.

Public transport is often very crowded during the morning rush hour in Pyongyang as workers and students pile on buses

A North Korean boy smiles from a parked bus while waiting for it to drive away during rush hour

North Koreans react, some smiling as they watch a movie shown on a giant screen in a public square near the Pyongyang train station during rush hour

But its focus has recently been shifted to making a patriotic show of support for victims of major flooding that hit the country's northern-most province after an unusually strong typhoon hit late last month.

Along with the big red billboards that say '200 Day Battle' that are now all over the city, loyalty drive countdown signs are also posted outside of businesses and government offices.

Other billboards exhort citizens to work with 'Mallima Speed,' the country's latest catch-phrase. It's a reference to a mythical Pegasus-type horse that could travel tremendous distances at great speed.

A similar phrase was used back in the days of national founder Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Un's grandfather, but in today's North Korea the speed has been multiplied by 10.

North Korea is currently in the middle of one of it's 'loyalty drive' stints, when citizens are encouraged to show special devotion to leader Kim Jong Un, by working harder

North Koreans walk in and out of an underpass leading to a subway station during morning rush hour while seen in the background are portraits of their late leaders Kim Il Sung, left, and Kim Jong Il

North Korean students run as they make their way to school during morning rush hour as seen through the wind screen of a car

In Pyongyang, the rush hour generally hits its peak at about 7 am when pedestrians hustle along the sidewalks or peddle along on the city's bike lanes.

Workers and students who can't walk or bike to where they need to go, load onto trains and fill the city's buses and electric streetcars.

By about 6.30am, long lines of men in neckties or olive-colored work clothes and university students in their uniforms  white shirts or blouses, and dark trousers or skirts accentuated by red ties or scarves  can be seen waiting for their cross-town rides, which are usually standing-room-only.

Retirees pack up their folding chairs and head out to the Potonggang and Taedonggang rivers to begin fishing shortly after sunrise.

Cleaning crews, often made up of elderly people or elementary school children, are also out early to trim grass and pick up litter, a big part of which is inevitably cigarette butts, since North Korea is one of the most smoker-friendly countries in the world.
The schoolgirl's family hope they can finally move forward as a family

The Supreme Court dismissed his appeal on Wednesday

A driver who killed a 13-year-old girl as she stepped off a school bus has lost his appeal.

Four years ago Ashley Edmonds was struck and killed by Bradley John Chaplin as he drove his ute at about double the 40km/h speed limit in Derwent Valley in Tasmania's south.

Outside the Supreme Court on Wednesday where the driver's appeal was dismissed, Ashley's parents, Lisa and Jason Edmonds said they can finally move forward as a family.

Chaplin was convicted of negligent driving causing death by a magistrate in 2013.

Ashley Edmonds, 13, was struck and killed by Bradley Chaplin as he drove his ute at about double the 40km/h speed limit

'Hopefully we can move forward now as a family ... hopefully Ash will be at rest now,'Ms Edmonds said.

The family were critical of the lengthy legal battle which included two previous appeals and said it had taken an emotional toll.

'I know they've got a lot of backlog (of cases) but I think it's something they've got to look at when there are deaths involved.'

Chaplin was convicted of negligent driving causing death by a magistrate in 2013 and the decision was overturned on appeal to the supreme court.

But prosecutors appealed and the conviction was reinstated.

He was given a four-month suspended sentence and banned from driving for one year.

'The order of the court is that the appeal be dismissed,' Justice Shan Tennent said on Wednesday.

Chaplinwas given a four-month suspended sentence and banned from driving for one year

Justice Tennent said Chaplin would not have hit Ashley if he had been driving at the speed limit.

'The defendant's actions in driving negligently are therefore directly causative of Ashley's death,' The ABC reports.

'Ashley Edmonds did not die because she moved onto the road, she died because when she attempted to cross the road something else happened.
Jeremy Corbyn is facing a fresh split in his shadow cabinet, having come under blistering attack from Labour MPs warning of 'riots on the streets' if an 'out of touch elite' ignores public concerns about immigration.

Mr Corbyn faced a furious backlash over his pledge to commit Labour to unlimited EU immigration, refusing to put any limit on the numbers pouring in  even after admitting there was 'pressure' on public services.

Despite pledging to 'end the trench warfare' and 'work together to take on the Tories', some of his frontbench allies have disagreed with his stance on immigration.

Angela Rayner, the shadow education secretary, and Andy Burnham, the shadow home secretary, have joined a host of senior figures warning that the public will not forgive the party if it failed to understand concerns on immigration after the Brexit vote.

Jeremy Corbyn is defying the Brexit vote by committing Labour to keep unlimited EU immigration, but shadow home secretary Andy Burnham (seen delivering his conference speech today) is among those insisting the 'status quo' must be challenged

Angela Rayner, the shadow education secretary, said the immigration system was in 'chaos' and that controls were necessary

Instead of tougher restrictions the veteran left-winger is promising a 'migrant impact fund' to build schools and hospitals in under-pressure areas.

Bizarrely, he also wants to harmonise wages across Europe to make moving to a different country less attractive.

'I think we have to allay people's concerns about the impact through the migrant impact fund. We have to also recognise the huge contribution made to our economy,' Mr Corbyn told BBC Radio 4's Today programme ahead of his keynote address.

But there is a fresh divide in the shadow cabinet today as Angela Rayner - who stuck by Mr Corbyn despite a massive rebellion by more than 170 of his MPs - made clear that she disagreed with his stance on immigration, warning controls 'were necessary'.

And in his own speech to the activists in Liverpool this morning, Mr Burnham confirmed he will step down from Mr Corbyn's shadow Cabinet when a new team is appointed in order to campaign for Metro Mayor in Manchester.

He told the conference the party had to recognise the public had a 'problem' with unlimited immigration.

The Leeds West MP, Rachel Reeves, told a fringe meeting on Tuesday: The reason we have got to get this right is because there are bubbling tensions in this country that I just think could explode.

You had those riots in 2011, the riots didnt happen in Leeds and in my constituency, but if riots started again in Leeds and bits of my constituency, its like a tinder box.

The Leeds West MP, Rachel Reeves, said: The reason we have got to get this right is because there are bubbling tensions in this country that I just think could explode'

Mr Burnham condemned an 'out of touch elite' who had ignored the public's concerns over mass immigration for years

Some of Mr Corbyn's frontbench allies, including Angela Rayner, took a different stance on immigration

Mr Burnham warned that Labour could not represent the 'status quo' on the issue - and also delivered a thinly-veiled rebuke to Mr Corbyn by condemning an 'out of touch elite' who 'do not care' about immigration.

'Places that experienced even more rapid change when the EU expanded - cuts to wages, job insecurity,more pressure on primary schools and GP services... got no extra help from Government to cope with it,' Mr Burnham said.

'We have to ask ourselves, Conference - is that fair on them? No wonder this feels like two countries.

'No wonder some places feel forgotten and abandoned by the political class. Europe wasn't working for them - and we were way too slow to see it.

'Labour voters in constituencies like mine are not narrow-minded, nor xenophobic, as some would say... They have no problem with people coming here to work.'

Mr Burnham confirmed in his speech that he is leaving Mr Corbyn's shadow Cabinet to campaign for election as Metro Mayor in Manchester

Angela Rayner (left), said: 'We have to have controls on immigration, that's quite clear. You have to know who is coming in to your country and who is leaving your country'

He added: 'But they do have a problem with people taking them for granted and with unlimited, unfunded, unskilled migration which damages their own living standards.

'And they have an even bigger problem with an out-of-touch elite who don't seem to care about it.

'If Labour now argues for the status quo, it will look like we have abandoned them too.'

Mr Burnham said the response to Brexit had to 'deal with their concerns but support our economy'.

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner added: 'We have to have controls on immigration, that's quite clear. You have to know who is coming in to your country and who is leaving your country.'

In a particularly stinging blow, Unite chief Len McCluskey also said the principle of freedom of movement needed to be challenged.

The backlash came after a spokesman for Mr Corbyn said he was 'relaxed' about the issue, adding: 'He is not concerned about numbers.'

Labour sources said the size of the migrant impact fund would be based on need  with no limit on the demands imposed on taxpayers.

Mr Corbyn, pictured right on the platform in Liverpool today, is facing a major backlash over his pledge to maintain unlimited immigration from the EU after Brexit

Instead of curbing free movement in Europe, Mr Corbyn (seen breakfasting at the conference hotel this morning) will unveil plans for a 'migrant impact fund' to build schools and hospitals in under-pressure areas

'It is not an objective to reduce the numbers,' said Mr Corbyn's spokesman.

'It is to reduce the issues caused by immigration.'

Asked if Mr Corbyn wants curbs on free movement as part of the Brexit deal, he replied: 'No, not at all.'

In a round of broadcast interviews last night, Mr Corbyn said: 'What I would do about immigration is try to bring about a degree of coterminosity, a degree of equality of work conditions and wages across Europe.

'Post-Brexit, I have been talking to colleagues in socialist parties all across Europe about how we bring in harmonisation of wages and working conditions, which would help reduce the numbers of people flowing each way.'

Wage rates in some parts of the EU, such as Bulgaria, are as low as 1 an hour  far below the UK's 7.20 minimum, which Mr Corbyn wants to raise to 10.

Mr Corbyn's soft stance on immigration will dismay Labour moderates.

They fear supporters will desert the party unless it supports curbs on free movement.

Former Europe minister Caroline Flint last night said Mr Corbyn had to accept that the public wanted immigration controls  and she said his pro-migrant language had helped the Brexit cause.

She said: 'We need to be clear that the public want limits on immigration  we need a policy that works fairly but meets that concern.

'As the referendum showed, we can't talk about the net benefit [of migration] in those kind of communities which thinks the opposite.

'The problem is that, in the public's mind, the perception is that Jeremy wouldn't be very safe with people's security.

'Will we be safe with him? Does he support the Army?'

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said last night: 'Jeremy Corbyn wants unlimited immigration  and presides over a Labour Party that is too divided, incompetent and distracted to lead our country.'

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said last night: 'Jeremy Corbyn wants unlimited immigration  and presides over a Labour Party that is too divided, incompetent and distracted to lead our country.'

A poll last week found Brexit supporters were deserting Labour in droves.

About 3.3million Labour voters backed Leave in June, despite the party's pro-EU stance.

Mr Corbyn last night dropped hints that he would reduce the military offensive against Islamic State as prime minister.

Asked if he would halt the bombing raids on IS positions in Syria, he said: 'I'm not sure it is working.

'There has to be a political solution that brings together everybody with the exception of IS to isolate them.'

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon condemned his remarks, saying: 'Jeremy Corbyn's refusal to commit to act against a terrorist organisation that is planning attacks to kill people on the streets of Britain shows why Labour cannot be trusted to keep our country safe.'
A rise in demand for exorcisms has caused a shortage of priests able to carry them out, the Vatican's exorcist has warned.

The church says that a sharp rise in people wanting to experiment with satanism and the occult means that more and more people are seeking out exorcisms, believing they have been overtaken by evil forces.

But as demand grows, there is a lack of priests able to carry out the ceremonies to battle the Devil's work, causing a real 'emergency' within the Catholic Church.

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A rise in demand for exorcisms has caused a shortage of priests able to carry them out, the Vatican's exorcist has warned. Pictured is a scene from the film The Exorcist

And Valter Cascioli, a psychologist and consultant to the Vatican endorsed International Association of Exorcists, says there are not enough priests to deal with the number of exorcisms needed to be carried out.

He told Italian newspaper La Stampa: 'The lack of exorcists is a real emergency. There is a pastoral emergency as a result of a significant increase in the number of diabolical possessions that exorcist priests are confronting.

'The number of exorcists has increased in recent years, but there are still not enough to deal with a dramatic situation that affects, above all, young people who use the internet a lot.'

Now he is calling for a training college or university to be set up where Catholic priests would be taught how to carry out exorcisms.

He added: 'There doesnt exist a training institution at university level. We need an interdisciplinary approach in which science collaborates with religion, and psychiatrists work with demonologists and exorcists.'

Dr Cascioli's comments come as the Catholic Church in the UK also reported a rise in exorcisms with the increase being blamed on Harry Potter, alcohol and pornography.

The UK also reported a rise in exorcisms with the increase being blamed on Harry Potter, pictured, alcohol and pornography

Two exorcists reported an increase in people asking priests to cleanse their bodies of demons, saying the nation's obsession with the supernatural and a fall in those practicing Christianity is the cause.

One of the priests told the Times that non-Christian beliefs coupled with pornography and alcohol consumption, leads people to want to rid 'satan' from their bodies.

He explained: 'It's normal for humans to have a morbid fascination with the idea of a battle with evil and, to paint a caricature, the exorcist coming like a wizard to help.'
The twin sister of shooting victim Terence Crutcher, who was unarmed when he was killed by an Oklahoma police officer, has called for 'peace, unity, healing' at a march alongside civil rights activist Al Sharpton.

Around 400 marchers chanted 'hands up, don't shoot' and held a banner that read '#Justice4Crump' at a rally in Tulsa, following the death of the 40-year-old.

Addressing the crowd, Tiffany Crutcher said: 'I believe weve set the tone of peace, unity, healing.'

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The Rev Al Sharpton (centre) and Tiffany Crutcher (right), the twin sister of shooting victim Terence Crutcher, spoke at the rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Marchers walked to Tulsa City Hall in a peaceful protests honoring Terence Crutcher, who was killed on September 16 by Oklahoma officer Betty Shelby

Mr Crutcher died on September 16 after being shot by white police officer Betty Shelby, who faces a charge of first-degree manslaughter.

A counter-rally in support of Shelby, attended by around a dozen people, was held at the same time, but the protests passed peacefully.

Just before the shooting, an officer in a police helicopter was overheard on a video saying Mr Crutcher 'looks like a bad dude'.

His sister called on people at the rally to honor the work law enforcement officers did, but added: 'This is a fight against why they called my brother a "bad dude". This is a war against bad cops.'

And she continued: 'We have to get mad and say that the chain breaks here, right here where Black Wall Street started  something that were known for.

'But today were not going to be known for that. Were going to be known for the city that caused healing across this country.'

Terence Crutcher, who died on September 16 after being shot by white police officer Betty Shelby, with his twin sister Tiffany, who has called for 'peace, unity and healing'

Father of four Terence Crutcher was 40 when he died after being shot by Oklahoma police officer Betty Shelby

The peaceful rally called for justice for police shooting victim Terence Crutcher, who was 40 when he died

Mr Crutcher's twin sister told the rally that it had set the tone of peace, healing and unity

Mr Crutcher's four children also attended the rally, with his oldest daughter telling the crowd: 'The pain that I feel now could never compare to (how) I felt because my dad loved me.

'I'm so happy that I have a family that stands behind me and keeps me lifted up every day.'

Sharpton commended police for releasing footage of the shooting, saying this should be the model for other cities where black men have been killed by law enforcement officers.

Also speaking at the rally, Tulsa World reports, was Benjamin Crump, an attorney representing Mr Crutcher's family.

Video taken from a police helicopter showed Mr Crutcher (top) being faced with police officers as he stood next to his SUV. He was unarmed

Mr Crutcher was shot dead on September 16 by police officer Betty Shelby, who faces a first-degree manslaughter charge

Tiffany Crutcher (center) marches with the Rev Al Sharpton (left) and attorney Benjamin Crump (right)

Tiffany Crutcher embraces civil rights leader the Rev Al Sharpton at the rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to honor her brother Terence, who was shot dead by police

He said police had shown transparency by releasing the video, but said someone had to be accountable for 'the senseless killing, yet again, of an unarmed person of color'.

A small group of counter protesters, showing their support for Shelby, stood outside City Hall, and members of both rallies were seen talking to each other.

Don Ailsworth, a black Tulsa resident who attended the Shelby rally and planned to go to another Crutcher event scheduled for later in the day near City Hall, said the two sides can find common ground.

The 69-year-old, a former Los Angeles police officer, said: 'I hope they could come to understand and love one another. Hatred isn't going to work.'

The rally was held in support of the Crutcher family following the fatal shooting on September 16

The Rev Al Sharpton addressed the crowd at the rally, which attracted around 400 people in Tulsa

The Rev Al Sharpton has commended police in Tulsa for releasing footage of the shooting, saying other cities should do the same

Around 400 people joined in the peaceful protest in Tulsa, led by the Rev Al Sharpton

The rally was briefly put on hold after two counter protesters shouted 'police lives matter' into a megaphone, and claimed 'Black Lives Matter' supporters are racist.

But supporters of the Crutcher family responded by singing 'We Shall Overcome'.
The Syrian UN ambassador laughed when journalist asked him for a comment on the deadly bombings that targeted Aleppo's biggest hospitals.

As Al Jazeera journalist James Bays attempted to question Bashar Al Jaafari, he didn't even break stride and just laughed at the reporter.

An air strike and artillery fire hit the two largest hospitals in rebel-held parts of Syria's Aleppo on Wednesday, in what rights groups said was a deliberate strategy of targeting civilian infrastructure.

The two hospitals were struck just before dawn, with the M10 facility hit in an air strike and the M2 facility hit with artillery fire, said Adham Sahloul of the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS), which supports both hospitals.

The attacks put both facilities temporarily out of commission and left only six hospitals operational in the eastern parts of the city, Sahloul said, calling the attacks 'deliberate'.

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The Syrian UN ambassador laughed when journalist asked him for a comment on the deadly bombings that targeted Aleppo's biggest hospitals

As Al Jazeera journalist James Bays attempted to question Bashar Al Jaafari, he didn't even break stride and just laughed at the reporter

As the journalists line up with their recorders expecting answers, the ambassador chuckles

The journalists are left dumbfounded as Bashar Al Jaafari walks away without offering a word

A wounded Syrian child is rushed into a hospital after she was hit by mortar shells that targeted Aleppo's government controlled Aziziyah and Suleimaniyah neighbourhoods on Thursday

Injured Sabah Sheikh Qasim is a six-year-old Syrian twin. She is being taken to hospital after she was pulled out from the wreckage of a five-storey building hit by Assad regime forces' air strikes in Shaar town of Aleppo on Thursday

'Early this morning, 2 SAMS-supported hospitals in eastern Aleppo were hit by targeted airstrikes and shelling. 2 casualties & 5 injured,' Dr Zaher Sahloul reported as he shared this photo

It was unclear who had carried out the bombings.

'I am in the M2 hospital now. I was inside when the entrance to the emergency room was hit. Three of my colleagues were hurt,' said Aref al-Aref, a medical assistant trapped inside.

'Everyone is terrified and scared today. We are afraid that we will be today's victims,' he said.

President Bashar al-Assad's forces and his ally Moscow have carried out a barrage of air strikes on opposition-controlled eastern Aleppo since Syria's regime announced a bid last week to retake all of the divided city.

Dozens of civilians have been killed, residential buildings have been reduced to rubble and residents of eastern districts -- already suffering under a government siege -- are facing severe shortages of food and medical supplies.

The latest bombardment of the city has been some of the worst in Syria's five-year civil war, and comes after the failure of a short-lived ceasefire brokered by Russia and the United States earlier this month.

On Thursday, John Kerry threatened to cut off all contact with Russia over Syria, unless the Russian and Syrian bombardment of Aleppo ends.

A scene from inside one of the two devastated hospitals shows the scarce medical supplies in ruins

Syrian rescuers hand the body of a girl down to civilians on the ground after she was pulled from rubble of a budling following government forces air strikes in the rebel held neighbourhood of Al-Shaar in Aleppo on Wednesday

Aleppo has been roughly divided between government control in the west and rebel control in the east since mid-2012

People dig in the rubble in an ongoing search for survivors at a site hit previously by an airstrike in the rebel-held Tariq al-Bab neighborhood of Aleppo, September 26

Sahloul warned of devastating consequences if the hospitals remain closed and violence spiked as it did with heavy strikes over the weekend.

'With these two hospitals gone, if today there is another offensive like Saturday or Sunday, this is signing the death warrant for hundreds of people,' he told AFP.

The World Health Organization on Tuesday warned that medical facilities in the city's east were on the verge of 'complete destruction'.

The UN body called for 'an immediate establishment of humanitarian routes to evacuate sick and wounded from the eastern part of the city.'

More than 170 people have been killed in east Aleppo since Syria's army announced its operation to retake the city, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group.

POPE FRANCIS APPEALS FOR THE 'BOMBARDMENT' TO STOP Pope Francis on Wednesday said those behind the bombing of Aleppo, where Syrian and Russian forces have conducted days of deadly airstrikes, will have to 'answer before God.' 'I appeal to the conscience of those responsible for the bombardment, who will have to answer before God,' the pope said at his weekly address in St Peter's square, without naming Syria or Russia. He spoke of his 'deep pain and serious concern about the events' in Aleppo, where air strikes by Syrian and Russian forces on eastern rebel positions have sparked international condemnation. Pope Francis has pleaded with those responsible for the 'bombardment' to stop The Pope referred to Aleppo as a 'battered city where children, the elderly, the sick, the young, the old are dying... so many people.' He also repeated his call for 'everyone to commit themselves with all their power to the protection of civilians,' adding that this was 'an imperative and urgent obligation.' The pope's comments come two days after the US accused Moscow of 'barbarism' over the carnage in Aleppo, where France said Tuesday that 'war crimes' were being committed. Advertisement

More than 170 people have been killed in east Aleppo since Syria's army announced its operation to retake the city, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights

A wounded Syrian man is rushed into a hospital after he was hit by mortar shells that targeted Aleppo's government controlled Aziziyah and Suleimaniyah neighbourhoods on September 28

On Wednesday, at least six civilians died in artillery fire by regime forces near a bakery in the opposition-controlled Maadi district, the Observatory said.

A hospital in the government-held west also reported two people had been killed and 10 injured in rebel fire on the Aziziyeh district.

Clashes also continued inside Aleppo's Old City for a second day, the Observatory said, after pro-government troops seized control of the Farafira district northwest of Aleppo's historic citadel on Tuesday.

Once Syria's commercial hub, Aleppo has been ravaged by fighting since 2012 and is divided between government forces in the west and rebels in the east.

An estimated 250,000 people still live in the eastern districts, which have been under devastating siege by government forces since early September.

Rights groups and the opposition accuse the Syrian government and its allies of using sieges and deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure to pressure civilians to flee.

Drone footage shows the catastrophic damage caused by the bombardment of Aleppo

Families have lost their homes and schools and hospitals have been targeted

HOW AID WORKERS AND MEDICAL STAFF ARE TARGETED Figures released by the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations today said: 115 medical aid workers have been killed since the beginning of 2016.

Nearly 800 medical aid workers have been killed since the conflict began in Syria.

14 aid workers of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent convoy were killed in an attack on September 19, 2016.

5 UOSSM Aid Workers were killed on September 20, 2016. A statement released on Thursday by UOSSM urged: 'Stop the killing which claimed hundreds of civilians in the past few days, stop the daily bombings, stop the systematic attacks of health facilities and medical staff, stop the agony of the people of Aleppo and Syria. 'The images that come to us are chilling. They show an escalation in horror and barbarism: mutilated children, torn bodies, hundreds of deaths, thousands injured.' Dr. Bakry Maaz, orthopedic surgeon in Aleppo said: 'Over the last five years of war, we have never seen so much deaths and injury in our hospitals as we did this weekend.' 'We reiterate our call for the immediate establishment of a humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate opening of an independent humanitarian corridor,' UOSSM added. Advertisement

An ambulance is parked next to stacks of bread at a damaged bakery site after an airstrike in the rebel-held Bab al-Maqam neighbourhood of Aleppo on Thursday

Firefighters try to extinguish fire at a vehicle after a Russian jet carried out an airstrike over Meshed neighborhood in Aleppo on Wednesday

'There is no objective to attacking these hospitals other than adding to the suffering of civilians, destroying infrastructure so that civilians are left with no hospitals and are then forced to leave,' said Diana Semaan, Syria campaigner at Amnesty International.

In announcing its operation, Syria's army urged civilians to flee to government-held territory, but residents of the east fear passing through regime-held districts.

The head of the White Helmets volunteer rescue force, which operates in opposition-held territory in northern Syria, told AFP that under current conditions civilian facilities in eastern Aleppo would no longer be able to provide services within a month.

'The civilians there would seize any opportunity to escape, to go wherever they could go,' Raed Saleh said.

'But nothing is available to provide safety and protection for those civilians. We are worried that they are facing massacre or the kidnapping or the arrest of many of them.'
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A never-seen-before letter by Winston Churchill has emerged to reveal how the future Prime Minister once escaped a fatal bout of food poisoning which killed his servant instead.

The great wartime leader described how he had eaten the same food as George Scrivings, who became ravaged with salmonella poisoning a short while later.

The valet endured 16 hours of choleraic diarrhea before passing away in 1907 during a trip to East Africa.

After burying the army officer, Churchill wrote a very personal and poignant letter to Scrivings' wife to break the news to her.

Winston Churchill (pictured in South Africa during the Boer War) described how he had eaten the same food as George Scrivings, who became ravaged with salmonella poisoning a short while later

In it he wrote how her husband 'seems to have eaten some poisonous food', adding 'we have all had the same food, for he always ate whatever was prepared for me and others'.

Churchill then speculated: 'It may be some mouthful of poisoned fish from a tin.'

The little-known episode reveals a previously-unknown close brush with death Churchill had which could have changed the course of history.

It was not the first occasion Churchill experienced a lucky escape.

As an 18-year-old he was almost killed when he plunged 30ft off a footbridge in Bournemouth, Dorset, and was rendered unconscious for three days.

His letter to Mrs Scrivings has now emerged for sale at International Autograph Auctions for the first time after being in the hands of a private collector for years.

After burying the army officer, Churchill wrote a very personal and poignant letter to Scrivings' wife to break the news to her

Auctioneer Richard Davie said: 'This is a very personal letter written by Winston Churchill at a time of great grief for both George Scrivings' widow and himself.

'Churchill was very close to the couple. Mrs Scrivings also worked for the Churchills and after her husband's death he went to great lengths to take care of her.

'The content is quite graphic and describes in some detail the terrible fate that befell Scrivings. You can imagine Churchill witnessing him suffering but being helpless.

'Judging by the fact that the party all ate the same food at the same time it was something of a close shave for Churchill. What comes across is that he was very lucky not to have eaten whatever it was his valet had had.

'It is a very poignant and touching letter and must have brought some kind of comfort to Mrs Scrivings at the worse possible time.'

Churchill said in the letter that he would give lifelong provision for Mrs Scrivings and her family following their loss

In 1907 Churchill was the under secretary of state for the colonies and was visiting Uganda and Sudan with Scrivings by his side.

The party had visited Uganda and spent 10 days on a river steam boat to reach Sudan where Churchill had served with the British Army under Lord Kitchener during the uprising there of 1898.

The letter, dated December 24, 1907, reads: 'I grieve to tell you that your husband died today of choleraic diarrhea after an illness of about sixteen hours.

Churchill was British prime minister on two occasions: between 1940-1945 and 1951-1955

'He seems to have eaten some poisonous food which set up acute inflammation. What this was we cannot tell; but we have all had the same food, for he always ate whatever was prepared for me and others.

'It may be some mouthful of poisoned fish from a tin.

'It may be that his constitution was less strong than ours, as he had not been taking any exercise, owing to a sprained ankle.

'He did not suffer any pain worse than a very bad attack of sickness and diarrhoea, and his end was peaceful and swift.'

He described how Mr Scrivings, who was a Yeoman, was buried with full military honours.

He wrote: 'The Dublin Fusiliers carried him to his grave in the Khartoum cemetery and he now lies in that distant Soudan for which so many good Englishmen have given their lives doing their duty simply whatever it was.

'My own sorrow is keen and deep. I was very fond of Scrivings and regarded him as a faithful friend, whose character and virtues I respected and admired.

'My heart bleeds for you and your poor children. It will be my duty to make adequate provision for your future and theirs; and you need not worry on these matters.'

Churchill kept to his word and awarded Mrs Scrivings with a lifelong provision for her and her family.

The letter was written from The Palace, Khartoum on the embossed stationery of the Colonial Office.
The 39-year-old also spoke with a girl who said she was 11, a court heard

However, the teenage girl was in fact an undercover police officer

A man has been jailed for having sexually explicit conversations with underage girls online, including an undercover police officer posing as a 14-year-old.

Michael Richardson, from Melbourne, was on Wednesday jailed for a minimum of 15 months, with a maximum of 36 months, after earlier pleading guilty to eight charges.

The 39-year-old also admitted to accessing, possessing and soliciting child pornography, as well as using a carriage service to procure a person under 16 for sexual activity.

Police found 3,105 child sex abuse images and 77 videos on electronic devices seized from his home in 2013, Victorian County Court judge Claire Quin said.

A man is jailed for having sexually explicit conversations with young girls online (stock image)

The Noble Park man had engaged in sexually explicit chats with girls on Skype, including one who said she was 11 years old, the court was told.

He had also spent four-and-a-half months chatting with a girl in Queensland who he thought was a 14-year-old girl, but was in fact an undercover police officer.

At the time, Richardson was using the chat username 'lurker 76' and gave his age as 36, while the girl's profile said she was 14.

'Your conversations quickly became sexually explicit,' Judge Quin said.

The man admitted to accessing, possessing and soliciting child pornography (stock image)

The police officer posing as the 14-year-old girl also reminded Richardson of her age, but he continued his sexual chats with her.

He suggested travelling from Melbourne to Brisbane to meet up with the fictional 14-year-old.

Richardson later told police he never intended to meet up with the girls with whom he had been chatting.

'When you were interviewed by police, you said you didn't think that you had actually engaged in such conversations with girls,' Judge Quin said.
Four Pakistani teenagers have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping a 16-year-old boy in a Greek migrant camp and recording it on their mobile phones.

The 16 and 17-year-olds were detained at the Moira camp on the island of Lesbos on Sunday and now face felony rape and child pornography charges.

The four are accused of collectively assaulting a fellow 16-year-old, also from Pakistan, and recording their actions on mobile phones.

Four Pakistani teenagers have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping a 16-year-old boy at the Moira migrant camp in Lesbos, pictured

The victim was seen by a medical examiner and a child psychologist, while the four arrested boys are to appear before an investigative judge.

A police source said: 'The four minors, aged 16 to 17, will appear before a prosecutor today.'

Greece is accommodating over 60,000 refugees and migrants stuck in the country after a succession of Balkan and EU states shut their borders earlier this year.

Many of the camps are grossly overpopulated, and rights groups have repeatedly warned that minors must be housed separately for their safety.

There are also regular fights amongst refugees and migrants, who are forced to wait months for their asylum applications to be processed.

Some 5,000 people had to be evacuated from the Moria camp last week when a fire broke out after another brawl. Greece is in the process of building additional camps on the mainland with EU funds.

Greece is accommodating over 60,000 refugees and migrants stuck in the country after a succession of Balkan and EU states shut their borders earlier this year

Several migrants sleep on the ground around the port of Mytilene on the Greek island of Lesbos

But Athens says it has still not received the required EU staff promised by fellow member states to process a massive wave of asylum applications.

This would have enabled Greek authorities to relocate approved refugees out of the congested island camps.

Greece has also bemoaned the failure of fellow member states to accept thousands of refugees from its camps, despite a highly-publicised EU scheme launched last year.

Greek junior foreign minister for European affairs, Nikos Xydakis told Die Welt newspaper: 'Fires and incidents in certain island camps are, in a fashion, the result of the failure to share out refugees to all EU member states.'

Greece has also bemoaned the failure of fellow member states to accept thousands of refugees from its camps, despite a highly-publicised EU scheme

Mr Xydakis added some 7,000 refugees could immediately leave but 'most EU states either accept very few or do not even respond to our requests.'

The Greek official also addressed a warning by German interior minister Thomas de Maiziere earlier this month to send migrants back to Greece, ending a five-year suspension of the EU's Dublin rules, under which refugees must seek asylum in the first EU country they enter.
BBC Breakfast stars Louise Minchin and Dan Walker were sent terrifying emails by a man who threatened to slit her neck and smash her co-host's face with an axe.

Paranoid schizophrenic Kristofer Jean Pierre Groot, 35, admitted sending the sinister messages after believing a segment on cleaning was personally directed at him.

In the one of the 'violent' emails, Groot said Louise's 'neck looks nice for slitting'.

He also threatened to kill Dan's family and pledged to 'play the long game' in enacting his revenge after watching the show on April 4.

BBC Breakfast stars Louise Minchin and Dan Walker (pictured) were sent terrifying emails by a man who threatened to slit her neck and smash her co-host's face with an axe

Other messages read: 'Tell that Dan to meet me and I will f*** him up', and 'I can't wait to see the look on his face when I knife him in the car park'.

The five emails were sent to eDigitalResearch, a company which runs surveys for the BBC - but they did not reach the presenter.

Groot, from Poynton, admitted sending the messages during a hearing at Macclesfield Magistrates' Court, south of Manchester.

Paranoid schizophrenic Kristofer Jean Pierre Groot, 35, (pictured) admitted sending the sinister messages after believing a segment on cleaning was personally directed at him

Prosecutor Debbie Byrne said: 'At 6.56am on April 4 eDigital, a company which carries out research for the BBC, were sent five email messages intended for Louise Minchin and Dan Walker.

'None of the messages reached the intended people but they caused concern.

Police were called and traced the emails to the defendant's address.

Hannah Kelly, for the defence, said Groot had not taken his medication when he sent the emails.

She said: 'These are unpleasant messages for anyone to receive.

'He genuinely believed that the presenters were directing their comments personally to him.

'Considering it was about cleaning goes to show he wasn't in the best frame of mind. He is devastated and mortified by his behaviour.'

Groot was bailed to appear for sentencing at Chester Crown Court on October 18.

As well as presenting BBC Breakfast, Louise has been a main anchor for the BBC News Channel since 2003 and she is also a guest presenter for The One Show.

Dan joined her on the BBC Breakfast sofa in February after Bill Turnbull left following a 15-year stint on the programme.
This is the shocking moment two Georgian politicians had a fist fight on live television.

Union of Industrialists candidate Zaza Agladze clashed with opponent Irakli Glonti from State For The People bloc ahead of the countrys parliamentary elections on October 8.

Female news anchor, Maka Razmadze, was left panicked after Agladze, wearing a black suit jacket, poured a glass of water over Glonti during the broadcast this week.

Union of Industrialists candidate Zaza Agladze (right) threw his glass of water at Irakli Glonti (right) from State For The People bloc

Glonti stood up to confront him and Agladze attempted to throw a punch as the news anchor tried to break up the fight.

The political candidates then launched at each other, with Glonti throwing his own glass of water before running off camera.

Razmadze smoothed down her hair after she was splashed with water and attempted to regain control of the programme by tugging at Agladzes arm.

But he broke free and continued to throw punches at Glonti.

The fight broke out during a live TV debate ahead of the countrys parliamentary elections on October 8

The female news anchor was left trying to break up the fist fight live on television

Agladze (left) chased Glonti (right) across the studio and they continued to fight

The news anchor tried to hold on to Agladze's arm to hold him back

The anchor threw her hands up in the air and shuffled her scripts before trying once again to stop the fight.

This is the second fight during a televised debate in Georgia in the past week.

On Thursday a brawl broke out between Polad Khalikov, a parliamentary candidate for the Industrial bloc and Democrat Vepkhia Gurgenishvili.

Khalikov reportedly reacted violently and threw his pen after Gurgenishvili called him scum.
Pippa Middleton has been granted a court order banning the publication of photos reportedly stolen from her iCloud account

Pippa Middleton has been given a court order banning the publication of photos reportedly hacked from her iCloud account.

But lawyers for the Duchess of Cambridge's sister today told of her fears 'rogue elements' may post the pictures on the internet.

Miss Middleton, 33, took civil court action against a 'person or persons unknown' after it was claimed at the weekend that pictures had been taken from her account.

While police continue to investigate the claims, her legal case was heard at London's High Court this morning.

Lawyers representing Miss Middleton and her fiance James Matthews, neither of whom were in court, made representations to senior judge Mrs Justice Whipple this morning.

Barrister Adam Wolanski said Miss Middleton thought there had been a 'genuine hack'.

He said there had been a 'flagrant and criminal' act which had caused Miss Middleton 'considerable distress'.

He said lawyers had not been able to identify any 'defendants' but police were investigating.

Mr Wolanski said while the order would prevent publication in this country, there was concern about 'rogue elements'.

Web designer Nathan Wyatt has been been arrested and bailed over the alleged iCloud hack

Some of the pictures said to have been stolen allegedly show Miss Middleton at a wedding dress fitting and naked images of her fiance, James Matthews, 40.

Pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge and her children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, are also reportedly among 3,000 images taken.

WHAT DOES PIPPA'S INJUNCTION MEAN? The High Court injunction means no one in Britain can now publish the photos or any other data hacked from Miss Middleton's iCloud account. While the injunction is unenforceable in other countries, the couple could bring legal proceedings abroad if the pictures were published or shared elsewhere. Breach of the injunction would be treated as a contempt of court and could lead the publisher to be jailed for up to two years and have money or assets seized. Advertisement

The judge said Miss Middleton had 'good reason' to fear her iCloud account had been hacked.

Granting the injunction, she said the photographs were personal to Miss Middleton and 'include photographs of family, friends, and places of personal importance'.

She said neither Miss Middleton or her fiance gave permission for those photographs or any other material 'to be accessed in this way, disseminated , published or sold'.

The alleged hack sparked major security alert after a man offered to sell images of her and her royal relatives.

The Sun newspaper said it had been approached by someone using a pseudonym and asking for 50,000 within 48 hours.

Website designer Nathan Wyatt, 35, of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, has been arrested and bailed on suspicion of a Computer Misuse Act offence.

It is not known whether Wyatt is suspected of being the hacker or the seller, but his house has been searched by police.
James Fairweather, pictured, has lost his appeal against a 27-year prison sentence for stabbing two strangers to death in Essex

Sadistic teenager James Fairweather, who stabbed two strangers to death in 'brutal' attacks, has lost his appeal against his 27-year prison sentence.

Fairweather was 15 when he stabbed a young father and a female student in Colchester, Essex, claiming voices in his head told him to 'sacrifice' the pair for committing sins.

Incredibly, officers interviewed him about one killing but he was allowed to go after claiming he had been at home at the time.

Fairweather was branded a monster at Guildford Crown Court earlier this year when he was found guilty of two murders and was sentenced at the Old Bailey by Mr Justice Spencer, who said the killings were 'brutal and sadistic'.

Lord Justice Treacy in the Court of Appeal today supported that decision and added he was 'not persuaded the sentence was excessive' after a case 'in which an experienced trial judge took much care over the process of sentencing'.

He was caught after a dog walker spotted him lurking in woods 'lying in wait for his next victim' and after his arrest, admitted he had been hunting a third victim.

Fairweather's first victim was disabled 33-year-old father-of-five James Attfield, who was stabbed 102 times during a frenzied three-minute attack in March 2014.

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Disabled father-of-five James Attfield, pictured, was stabbed 102 times by Fairweather

The murderer, pictured, told a psychiatrist he 'could have killed another 15 victims'

Three months later, the 5ft 6in schoolboy - who was 'obsessed' with killers including the Yorkshire Ripper - attacked Saudi PhD student Nahid Almanea, 31, knifing her 16 times with a 10in bayonet on a public footpath.

Both victims were stabbed in their eyes. During the two-week trial, the jury was shown clips from Fairweather's police interviews in which he gave 'chilling' detail of his attack on Mr Attfield.

The killer showed officers how he stood over his victim and repeatedly knifed him in the stomach.

Fairweather, who told a psychiatrist he could have killed another 15 victims, committed the murders under the noses of his parents James, 45, a cleaner, and Anita, 45, a McDonald's worker.

In a police interview, Fairweather acted out his first killing, showing how Mr Attfield was sleeping at the time

The killer, pictured showing police how he killed Mr Attfield, was 'obsessed' with murderers including the Yorkshire Ripper and US serial killer Ted Bundy

The former pupil of Colchester Academy continued going to school in between the two frenzied attacks and even sat his GCSEs.

He was only arrested in May 2015 when a female dog walker saw him lurking in woods near the spot where Miss Almanea's body had been found.

She called the police, who found a lock knife on Fairweather and realised he was wearing gloves even though it was almost summer.

At his home, police found a number of books and DVDs about serial killers  including the Yorkshire Ripper and US mass murderer Ted Bundy.

They also discovered he had carried out internet research on Kenneth Erskine  the 'Stockwell Strangler'  who had a murder conviction reduced to manslaughter due to diminished responsibility.

A knife used by Fairweather to stab father-of-five James Attfield 102 times in an Essex park

Fairweather used the same defence, claiming he heard voices that compelled him to kill and believed he was possessed by the devil.

But the prosecution argued Fairweather's hallucinations were 'a fabrication to hoodwink the jury'.

It also emerged the killer had been voluntarily interviewed by police following the death of Miss Almanea because he had a conviction for a knife-point robbery earlier that year.

But he was let go without arrest or charge after telling police he had been at home at the time of the attack  despite there being no corroborating evidence of his alibi.
The Apprentice has been dragged into a race row before the latest series has even begun after one candidate branded travellers 'pikeys' in a shocking online outburst.

Cake company owner Alana Spencer, 24, was forced to apologise after it emerged she wrote: 'Control your children you fat pikey b****!' in an internet post in 2012.

The Welsh businesswoman was directing her insult at a mother after complaining about a noisy child on a journey. In other posts dating back to 2010 she included references to 'chav pikeys' and 'jobless pikey scum'.

Controversy: Cake company owner Alana Spencer (pictured) was forced to apologise after it emerged she wrote: 'Control your children you fat pikey b****!' in an internet post in 2012

The Welsh businesswoman was directing her insult at a mother after complaining about a noisy child on a journey. In other internet posts she included references to 'chav pikeys'

Ms Spencer, from Ceredigion, Wales, is one of the youngest candidates on this year's series.

She has now issued an apology for the foul mouthed rant, saying: 'I am truly sorry if my comments have offended anyone.

'They were the words of a naive young girl from a number of years ago and I would never write such things now.

'I was brought up in the wider travelling community by my parents, so the thought that my words could offend anyone in that community, or indeed any community, has upset me.'

Series 12 of the BBC show, fronted by Lord Alan Sugar, begins a week tomorrow. It will see 18 contestants battling it out to secure a 250,000 investment in a bid to become the next big thing in business.

Cake company owner Ms Spencer once met former prime minister David Cameron (pictured)

Meet the candidates: The Apprentice candidates hoping to impress the fearsome entrepreneur have now been revealed ahead of the series debut on October 6

It is not the first time the BBC has been criticised for the use of the word 'pikey' in one of its programmes.

Last year former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson held up a sign reading pikeys peak during an episode of the hit show.

A Traveller Movement spokesman said: 'With the BBCs track record on addressing racist comments toward gypsies and travellers, as seen with Top Gear last year, we dont hold much hope for them taking any action.'

The Apprentice returns to screens on Thursday, October 6 for the 12th series.

ALEKSANDRA KING Age: 38 Occupation: Business Consultancy Owner Lives: London She says: 'Like the Tasmanian devil in the famous cartoon, I will torpedo my way through to the win'. Advertisement

ALANA SPENCER Age: 24 Occupation: Owner, Cake Company Lives: Ceredigion, Wales She says: 'I am incredibly hard working, driven, and I'll stop at nothing to get what I want.' Advertisement

COURTNEY WOOD Age: 29 Occupation: Owner, Novelty Gift Company Lives: Essex He says: 'How would I describe myself in one sentence? I'll give you one word: awesome.' Advertisement

DILLON ST PAUL Age: 37 Occupation: Magazine Art Director Lives: Dublin, Ireland He says: 'Sometimes batting the eyelashes can get you a lot in business. Hence, the mascara comes in handy  so they can see those lashes' Advertisement

PAUL SULLIVAN Age: 38 Occupation: Owner, Marketing Agency Lives: Chigwell, Essex He says: 'I'll play the team when I need to be part of the team, but I'm here to win; I'm not here to make up the numbers.' Advertisement

GRAINNE McCOY Age: 31 Occupation: Owner, Makeup Studio Lives: Northern Ireland She says: 'I need guidance and a little bit of mentoring to help me make that first million.' Advertisement

JESSICA CUNNINGHAM Age: 29 Occupation: Online Fashion Entrepreneur She says: 'A motto I live by is: there is no competition if you're already winning.' Advertisement

FRANCES BISHOP Age: 25 Occupation: Owner, Childrens Clothing Company Lives: Doncaster She says: 'Im a pocket rocket. Im quite fiery and live by the rule kill them with kindness.' Advertisement









JD O'BRIEN Age: 37 Occupation: Owner, Beachwear Company Lives: London He says: 'I wont suffer fools. I will get upset by other candidates who dont know their arse from their elbow.' Advertisement

KARTHIK NAGESAN Age: 33 Occupation: Owner, IT Consultancy Lives: Northamptonshire He says: 'If I wanted to be like everyone else, Id have waxed my monobrow.' Advertisement

MICHELLE NIZIOL Age: 35 Occupation: Owner, Property Consultancy Lives: Oxfordshire She says: 'I work 15 to 17 hours every day. 100 per cent, I'm a workaholic.' Advertisement

OLIVER NOHL-OSER Age: 33 Occupation: Owner, Food Distribution Business Lives: Wiltshire He says: Sometimes I feel like James Bond when Im in my suit.' Advertisement





NATALIE HUGHES Age: 30 Occupation: Owner, Hair and Beauty Salon Lives: Glasgow She says: 'I started at a young age, I'm a hustler, I've got the hustlers ambition.' Advertisement

SAMUEL BOATENG Age: 27 Occupation: Sales Manager, Major Car Brand Lives: London He says: 'My creativity, my passion, my charm, and my likeability all roll into one, creating one perfect guy.' Advertisement





REBECCA JEFFREY Age: 31 Occupation: Owner, Design & Marketing Agency Lives:Greater Manchester She says: 'People often foolishly mistake my enthusiasm for silliness or positivity for naivety. Im proof that you can get things done without whinging.' Advertisement





SOFIANE KHELFA Age: 32 Occupation: Senior Sales Executive, Technology Lives: Essex He says: 'The best survivors in the world are the people who adapt, and Im the best at adapting. Im like a chameleon. I adapt to anything, anywhere, anytime.' Advertisement

MUKAI NOIRI Age: 36 Occupation: Digital Marketing Manager, Fashion Lives: London He says: 'I feel sorry for Lord Sugar because previous applicants have been weak.' Advertisement
She told police her boyfriend had dealt the deadly blows to the boy

His mom Geraldine and her boyfriend Rysheim Smith were both arrested

He was pronounced dead soon after arrival. He had a head contusion

A six-year-old boy died after suffering a contusion to his head and now his mother and her boyfriend have been arrested in connection to his death.

Zymere Perkins was rushed to hospital on Monday after reportedly being found unconscious at his home in Harlem, New York with bruises to his body - but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Mother, Geraldine Perkins, and her boyfriend, Rysheim Smith, were arrested last night on charges of acting in a manner injurious to a child.

Zymere Perkins was pronounced dead at 2:41pm on Monday. He wasn't registered for school for this term

Their arraignments were pending but murder charges are expected to be filed against one of them after the city's medical examiner's office determines how the child died, police sources said.

The young mom has been the subject of five child abuse investigations but was cleared of wrongdoing, according to ABC 7.

However sources close to the case said Geraldine told police that Smith, 42, was the one who dealt the deadly blows to Zymere.

Police said they received an alarming call from the boy's apartment at 2.20pm on Monday with the caller telling the operator that the boy was unconscious.

Before waiting for the ambulance the mother, carrying the boy, hailed a cab and went to a hospital.

Neighbors told ABC 7 that they had not seen Perkins for days before Monday and said there were no tell-tale signs the boy was suffering from domestic abuse.

'She walked out with the child in her arms,' neighbor Chauncey Brown said. 'And the child, the body was lifeless. So I don't know whether he was alive and she was trying to get him some help. I don't know.'

Geraldine Perkins, and her boyfriend, Rysheim Smith, were arrested late Tuesday. Perkins claims Smith dealt the deadly blows to the child

Another woman who saw the distressed Perkins leave for the hospital said she told her the child had fallen in the shower and noted that he had scratches on his back and old bruises dotted across his body.

'When she came out, she had the boy in her arms, but his arm hung limp,' the woman, who did not want to be identified, said.

'At first, I thought maybe he was having an asthma attack, like he wasn't getting enough air or something. But his head was hanging to the side and his eyes was open, but it didn't look like he was breathing. That baby did not fall in no shower.'

The New York Daily News reported that Perkins told police that she and Smith, smelled feces as they entered the house and found the boy had defecated in an ice bucket.

Smith, who has 18 prior arrests, then began screaming at and beating Zymere, she told police.

After Smith had finished she took him to the shower but the boy was unresponsive.

The man stormed out of the flat soon afterwards, only to return after Perkins had taken the boy to the hospital.

He walked up to the apartment building, claiming to be unaware of what happened, witnesses said.

A social worker at Public School 192 in Harlem reported to police that Zymere may have been a victim of child abuse after she found bruises on his legs, sources said.
A suspected U.S. drone strike against Islamic State in Afghanistan killed at least 21 people on Wednesday, most of them militants but possibly including some civilians, Afghan officials said.

Civilians casualties in U.S. air strikes have long been a source of friction between the Afghan government and Western allies fighting the Taliban-led insurgency since 2001.

The strike in Nangarhar province, on the eastern border with Pakistan, killed 21 people, at least three of them civilians, and wounded another 11, according to Malem Mashooq, the governor of Achin district where the attack occurred.

One of the wounded told Reuters that the attack struck a house where people were sleeping after a gathering to welcome a local elder who had recently returned from the Hajj pilgrimage.

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An injured Afghan youth receives treatment at a hospital following a suspected US drone airstrike in the Achin district of Nangarhar province on September 28

'I saw dead and wounded bodies everywhere,' Raghon Shinwari said, lying on a hospital bed in Jalalabad city.

Mohammed Ali, the Achin district police chief corroborated that account.

'They were in a house to visit someone who had just come from the Hajj pilgrimage,' he said. 'A drone targeted the house and killed most of them.'

Provincial police spokesman Hazrat Hussain Mashriqiwal said several Islamic State leaders had been killed, but he denied there were any noncombatants among the victims.

A spokesman for the U.S. military command in Kabul confirmed that U.S. forces conducted a 'counter-terrorism' air strike in Achin, but would not discuss the details of the target.

'U.S. Forces - Afghanistan takes all allegations of civilian casualties very seriously,' said Brigadier General Charles Cleveland.

'We are aware of some claims of Afghan casualties, and are currently reviewing all materials related to this strike. We are continuing to look into these allegations.'

Some Afghan sources have claimed some of the fatalities were Afghan civilians

The U.S. military said it is investigating claims that some of those injured or killed were civilians

A wounded Afghan man receives treatment at a hospital in Jalalabad on Wednesday

Determining which victims were civilians and which were militants would not be possible until an investigation was complete, said Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the provincial governor.

Islamic State has attracted hundreds, perhaps thousands, of fighters in Afghanistan and Pakistan to join its ranks, and it holds some territory in Nangarhar, and Achin was a stronghold for the group.

But it has not been able to expand its influence in Afghanistan beyond a few districts and the Taliban remain the dominant militant force.

Thousands of U.S. troops remain in Afghanistan, with many recent air strikes and special operations missions aimed at Islamic State in Nangarhar, but they have also been helping Afghan forces fight Taliban elsewhere in the country.

Between January and August this year, American aircraft released more than 800 weapons and flew more than 3,500 close air support missions in Afghanistan, according to U.S. military reports.

A US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone is pictured here taking off from Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan, in 2016
Red Len McCluskey today slammed Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson for rallying the glum party conference by praising Tony Blair.

Mr Watson won huge ovations last night for recounting the achievements of New Labour and delivering a stinging rebuke to Jeremy Corbyn for leading the party into the socialist wilderness.

But he was slapped down today by the powerful Unite chief, who said the speech lacked 'vision'.

Speaking on the final day of Labour's conference in Liverpool, Mr McCluskey even threatened Mr Watson's job, warning him that if he faced re-election as deputy party leader the members and supporters would no longer vote for him.

Unite leader Len McCluskey, pictured today making his remarks on Sky News today, said Tom Watson's speech offered the politics of 'yesteryear'

The veteran union baron told Sky News: 'I thought Tom's speech was extraordinary - it confused me.

'It seemed to be telling me New Labour and the ''third way'' was the way forward again.

'The right wing of the party are going back to the politics of yesteryear.'

Mr McCluskey insisted Mr Corbyn's left-wing Labour Party - which this week heard a 1979s style socialist manifesto from shadow chancellor John McDonnell - dealt with private business all the time.

He added: 'There was no vision. Of course (Blair and Brown) did lots of good things but we lost one million manufacturing jobs.

'There was nothing in terms of vision going forward.'

And Mr McCluskey warned: 'If Tom wants to try and refresh his mandate, it will be interesting to see what happens.'

Mr Watson has become a key rallying figure for MPs opposed to Mr Corbyn because he was elected to the deputy post by members and supporters with his own mandate.

Mr Corbyn looked on stony faced during Mr Watson's speech to the conference today

Mr Watson gave a tub-thumping speech to rally the Labour faithful before an awkward embrace with Mr Corbyn on the platform in Liverpool

The situation makes it effectively impossible for Mr Corbyn to sack him - even where there pair have deep disagreements.

Mr Watson used his position of strength to after a bitterly divided summer to tell the Labour faithul: 'We can't afford to keep doing this.

'More importantly, the millions the Tories leave behind every day they can't afford us to keep doing this. I'm sure there is going to be an early general election.

'We need to be ready, we need to stand together as one Labour movement, million strong and utterly united.

'It's time for Labour to get back to business, time to get the band back together - we have to get back on the phones, out on the door step.'

In what appeared as a direct appeal to Mr Corbyn, Mr Watson said Labour did not 'worship' the market but used it to further the interests of the vulnerable.

Mr McCluskey has been a dominant presence around the party conference in Liverpool this week as he strongly supported Mr Corbyn's continued leadership

And his voice wavered as he declared: 'We made the economy work like never before or since and we lifted half a million children out of poverty and lifted a million pensioners out of poverty, gave millions of low paid workers the decency of a national minimum wage.

'More than 100 new hospitals, more than 200,000 doctors, nurses, teachers, police officers, firefighters, bringing waiting lists down, crime down, more than doubling overseas aid. I could go on.

'From a position of national prosperity we had the space to do good things... social democratic government started to feel normal to the people of Britain.

'I don't know why we have been focusing on what was wrong with the Blair and Brown governments for the last six years, trashing our record is not the way to enhance our brand.
Central New South Wales, northern Victoria and Tasmania will also be affected by the '

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Tens of thousands of homes are left without power after South Australia was hit with a statewide blackout following severe thunderstorms, as residents brace for damaging winds of up to 140km/h.

The blackout came as strong winds and heavy rain lashed parts of the state as one of the worst storms in fifty years barrelled towards the country's south-east.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has maintained that the 'conditions will remain treacherous over the next few days' with a severe weather warning for large parts of South Australia and a flood warning for the Adelaide Hill heading into Thursday.

More storms forecast could produce wind gusts of up to 140km/h, especially along the west coast of Eyre Peninsula and up to 100mm of rain across the Adelaide Hills, bring the risk of flooding.

Power is gradually being restored to the Adelaide metropolitan area - but much of South Australia remains in the dark as residents living in the state's north are expected to be without services into Thursday.

Adelaide Metro trains will resume service from Thursday morning - and most schools across the state will be open but areas that are still affected may run different programs.

Travellers who were planning to fly from Adelaide Airport on Wednesday were left stranded after the wild weather caused major delays on the tarmac. But power has seen been restored to the airport.

High winds are being blamed for bringing down at least 22 transmission towers in the mid-north on Wednesday with about 80,000 lightning strikes hitting the state, some damaging generation facilities.

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A South Australian family reading a book with a torch in the dark on Wednesday night amid a statewide blackout

Tens of thousands of homes were left without power after South Australia was hit with a statewide blackout (pictured)

Police directing traffic around the CBD in Adelaide following a statewide blackout, causing chaos on Wednesday night

Traffic in total darkness around the streets of Adelaide as residents are left without power on Wednesday night

SA Premier Jay Weatherill confirmed the outage was caused when the severe storm knocked out transmission towers, cutting the frequency to the power system and shutting down the entire electricity network.

He explained that the damage tripped the system, which shut down and severed interconnection with the Victorian electricity grid - the state's only connection to the national electricity grid.

'Essentially what happened is massive set of power was removed and when that happens it trips the system,' he said in a media conference on Wednesday evening.

'There are a series of back-up generators. Power is restored but the number of hours this may take is something that we don't yet know.'

More than one million residents are spending their night in the dark and the hospitals across the state are operating on back-up power after the state lost its electricity about 4pm on Wednesday.

Hundreds of travellers who were planning to fly from Adelaide Airport on Wednesday were left stranded following outage

Travellers waited at Adelaide Airport after severe storms caused delays on the tarmac and problems with baggage system

Travellers planning to fly from Adelaide Airport on Wednesday were left stranded following a statewide blackout

State wide blackout has caused traffic chaos on the streets of Adelaide as residents are left without power

Weather warnings has also been issued in New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania as a 'vigorous' cold front, or 'cyclone', moved east across the country's south on Wednesday.

The state has been drenched by heavy rains which caused flash flooding across the state, while gale force winds caused damage to homes, bus stops and cars when trees were uprooted in the storm.

Federal Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg has questioned the stability of the state's electricity grid following a power blackout in the midst of a major storm.

He said the state-wide blackout is 'clearly not adequate' and wants to convene a meeting of the COAG energy council to make sure it never happens again.

'The ramifications are huge for so many people involved,' he told ABC Television.

More than one million residents spent their night in the dark following a statewide blackout on Wednesday evening

Police directing traffic around the CBD in Adelaide following power outage, leaving residents without electricity

Mr Frydenberg said the system's stability must be questioned after the outage, but cautioned that the underlying cause was the storm.

'Questions are raised by the virtue of the increasing amount of renewables,' he said.

But Mr Weatherill denies the outage has anything to do with the state's reliance on intermittent renewable energy and the recent closure of its last coal-fired power station.

'For people to be saying those things without being appraised of all the facts shows people are using this to play politics,' Mr Weatherill said.

It's not clear how long it could take for power to be restored across the state, but some homes could be without power until Thursday.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA'S STATEWIDE BLACKOUT * Severe winds and lightning caused major damage to energy infrastructure in SA's mid north including high-voltage transmission lines. * The damage caused generators across the power network to shut down with the interconnector with Victoria automatically cut to prevent further damage. * About 1.677 million residents were left without power with services progressively restored, first in Adelaide and then country towns. * The blackout triggered widespread gridlock on Adelaide roads, with a spate of accidents and forcing police to direct traffic and to urge people to stay home. * Premier Jay Weatherill confirmed the outage was caused when the severe storm knocked out transmission towers. * Hospitals and other emergency services were continuing to operate on back-up power. * The State Emergency Service responded to more than 450 calls for help on Wednesday. * The emergency came amid severe weather with an intense low pressure system the worst to blast SA for more than 50 years. * A flood watch remains in place for the Adelaide Hills and other parts of the state as the state braces for 140kph winds. Advertisement

South Australian Power Networks confirmed the whole state had lost power just before 5pm on Wednesday after the storm caused an issue with the transmission network.

State Emergency Service spokesman Jon Carr said residents in Adelaide completely lost power just before 4.30pm, while power at more than 4,000 residences across the state were affected earlier in the day as the merciless storm cell travelled east towards Victoria and New South Wales.

'Basically the whole CBD has lost power. I am looking out the window and it is looking pretty bloody dark out there,' Mr Carr told Daily Mail Australia.

SES volunteers have responded to around 150 calls from residents affected by flooding and falling trees, but Mr Carr fears that number will blow out overnight when the second storm front is expected to hit.

'We are expecting some severe weather overnight and through to Thursday so we are certainly expecting a really busy next 48 hours,' Mr Carr said.

'150 call outs, we can take that in our stride but by his time tomorrow we could be talking about more than thousand jobs,' he added.

Large hailstones and heavy rains are expected to continue causing flash flooding and damage on both Wednesday and Thursday, with thunderstorms set to rattle Adelaide by about 4pm.

'This is a cyclone,' BOM regional director John Nairne told the ABC.

'It's a clockwise rotating system and in its own right it's a powerful system, and not to be confused with tropical cyclones.'

Large hail stones have battered Cleve, in the Eyre Peninsula, leaving properties blanketed in ice.

A large tree in the backyard of a home in Myrtle Bank, a suburb in Adelaide's south east, has fallen on an elderly woman's house after it was struck by lightening in the storm just before 1pm.

Debris can be seen scattered all over the road, with fire crews and State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers attending to clear the scene.

Police directing traffic around the CBD in Adelaide following power outage, leaving residents without electricity

Traffic flows by the SAMHRI building, one of the few with power back up near the CBD in Adelaide on Wednesday

South Australia has been drenched by heavy rains which caused flash flooding across the state, while gale force winds caused damage to homes, bus stops and cars when trees were uprooted in the storm

South Australia has been thrust into darkness after power was lost across the city (pictured severe thunderstorm)

'We are expecting some severe weather overnight and through to Thursday so we are certainly expecting a really busy next 48 hours,' Mr Carr said after receiving a large number of calls about fallen trees

A large tree in the backyard of a home in Myrtle Bank, a suburb in Adelaide's south east, has fallen on an elderly woman's house after it was struck by lightening in the storm just before 1pm

Debris was scattered all over the road, with fire crews and State Emergency Service volunteers helping clear the scene

Commuters avoided injury when falling branches shattered a glass panel on a bus stop in Glenelg

Debris from the storm is scattered in the streets around Glenelg, with the SES confirming they have responded to around 15 call outs on Wedesnday

South Australia has been drenched by heavy rains and severe thunderstorm which caused flash flooding across the state

Commuters avoided injury when falling branches shattered a glass panel on a bus stop in Glenelg, a beach-side suburb south west of Adelaide, while a tree has also blocked a road outside Ardornish Primary School in Adelaide's north-east.

Winds strengths not seen in more than 50 years are predicted, particularly in coastal areas, while up to 100 millimetres of rain has been forecast for the Adelaide Hills.

The Bureau said winds may average at about 90 kilometres per hour but could reach 140 kilometres per hour in Whyalla, Port Augusta, Hawker, Port Pirie, Clare, Roxby Downs and Leigh Creek - where a severe thunderstorm warning has been issues.

A large fallen tree has blocked a road outside Ardornish Primary School in Adelaide's north-east

Heavy rains, gale force winds and flooding will batter South Australia as a cyclone hits on Tuesday (Pictured: Thunderstorm in Woomera, north west of Adelaide)

A large tree toppled over blocking Brookside Road in Springfield, an inner suburb in Adelaide's south, on Wednesday

SES volunteers have arrived on the scene and are now attempting to clear the debris away

Large hail stones have battered Cleve (picutred left and right), in the Eyre Peninsula, leaving properties blanketed in ice

Winds strengths not seen in more than 50 years are predicted, particularly in coastal areas, while up to 100 millimetres of rain has been forecast for the Adelaide Hills (pictured)

An ominous cloud formation appeared in Adelaide as forecasters described the storm as 'rare and damaging'

'This depth of low, this close to the coast, is very damaging,' the Bureau of Meteorology SA's director John Nairn said

South Australian residents have started preparing for the storm which has been described as the worst in fifty years

Social media users started sharing images as thick cloud cover plunged the state into darkness ( Pictured: Roxby Downs near Burra)

Large hailstones and heavy rains are expected to continue causing flash flooding and damage on Wednesday

Forecasters have warned the strong winds produced by the cyclone could cause sea levels to rise

A resident in Adelaide Hills uploaded a photograph to social media showing how dramatically the weather changed on Wednesday

An unusually deep low pressure system forecast to move up over Kangaroo Island and into the Adelaide area on Wednesday evening has caused the rare conditions, according to the Bureau.

'This depth of low, this close to the coast, is very damaging,' Mr Nairn said.

'It's a very significant event for South Australia. It's very rare,' he added.

Around 18,000 fire fighters and SES staff are on standby to help residents, while a team from Western Australia has also been brought in to assist.

State Emergency Services have distributed scores of sand bags across both metropolitan and regional areas in preparation for likely flooding.

Twin sisters jump at the opportunity to get their gum boots out, with their mother capturing the moment they pounce on a puddle in Adelaide

Drenching rain and potentially storm-force winds are expected to lash large parts of South Australia on both Wednesday and Thursday (Pictured: Port Augusta Power Station)

Ominous clouds started forming over Adelaide on Tuesday morning as residents prepare for two days of heavy rainfall

One resident captured the dramatic change in conditions after a sunny morning turned into a cloudy afternoon

Severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued for Whyalla, Port Augusta, Hawker, Port Pirie, Clare, Roxby Downs (pictured) and Leigh Creek

A grey haze sets in over the suburbs of Adelaide as the massive deluge hit before midday on Wednesday

Burnside's Tusmore Park creek, south east of Adelaide, swells as heavy rains are dumped on the city

A driver headed toward Roxbury Down can see rain started to fall further up the road

The unusually deep low pressure system forecast to move up over Kangaroo Island and into the Adelaide area on Wednesday evening (Pictured: Brighton Beach)

Heavy rain can be expected in Victoria's north and west while thunderstorms may affect South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales

Palm trees on the Adelaide coast bend in the extreme winds which are expected to reach speeds of up to 110km/h

Residents in Adelaide (left) and Adelaide Hills (right) took to social media to share images of the rare weather event

One user shared a picture of a magpie that tried to take refuge near their house during the massive storm

Residents volunteered to pack sand bags as South Australia prepared for the biggest storm in fifty years

HAVE THE BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY ISSUED WEATHER WARNINGS IN MY AREA? South Australia Severe weather warning issued for West Coast and parts of the Eastern Eyre Peninsula and North West Pastoral districts, while Lower Eyre Peninsula, Eastern Eyre Peninsula and parts of the West Coast and North West Pastoral districts have been issued a severe thunderstorm warning. Gale force winds are predicted to average around 50-65 km/h but could reach speeds of up to 90-120 km/h near the coast on Wednesday, with the Bureau warning they could cause damage to trees and property. Severe thunderstorms in Whyalla, Port Augusta, Hawker, Port Pirie, Clare, Roxby Downs and Leigh Creek could produce destructive wind gusts up to 140 km/h and batter the area with large hailstones and heavy rainfall. New South Wales Severe weather warning issues for the Central Tablelands, South West Slopes, Riverina, Lower Western and parts of the Hunter, Southern Tablelands, Central West Slopes and Plains, Upper Western and Snowy Mountains Forecast Districts Damaging winds averaging 60 to 80 km/h with peak gusts in excess of 110 km/h are expected about Alpine peaks from Wednesday night, easing only slightly into Thursday. Heavy rain is expected for Thursday morning which could lead to localised flooding, particularly in areas recently affected by heavy rains. Flood warnings for Macintyre River, Peel River and Namoi Rivers, Macquarie River, Bogan River, Lachlan River, Murrumbidgee River, Murray River, Culgoa Birrie Bokhara and Narran Rivers, Warrego River, Paroo River, Barwon-Darling River U/S Bourke. Victoria Severe weather warning has been issued for Central, Mallee, South West, Northern Country, North Central, North East and Wimmera Districts. Damaging winds averaging 50 to 60 km/h with peak gusts of around 110 km/h are expected to develop across western districts late Wednesday, with winds extending to the state's centre and east by Thursday morning. Thunderstorms and heavy rain are expected on Wednesday and will continue into Thursday. Up to 80 mm of rain could be dumped on the area in a six-nine hour period, which could cause localised flooding. Flood warnings for Greater Melbourne, North East Victoria, Goulburn and Broken Rivers, Campaspe, Loddon, Avoca and Wimmera Rivers, Kiewa River, Broken Creek and Loddon River. Source: The Bureau of Meteorology Advertisement

SES chief officer Chris Beattie said power lines will undoubtedly fall and there may be long outages for homes and businesses.

BOM senior forecaster Sarah Chadwick said the extreme weather system will move through South Australia and into NSW by Wednesday afternoon, travelling from the far west through to central parts of the state later tonight.

She said the cold front will bring heavy rain, scattered thunderstorms and extreme winds which will smash flood- affected towns like Forbes.

Forbes was declared a natural disaster zone on Tuesday after the region was hit with a drenching that had begun at the weekend.

'New South Wales is beating the September record for rainfall so even a moderate amount is certainly going to have more flood impact on those areas that have already been affected this week,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

One social media users shared an image of grey clouds as they formed over Adelaide (pictured) on Wednesday

 Slide me  Rain will hit the state's west on Wednesday (left) and move east toward Sydney by Thursday (right)

Large hailstones and heavy rains are expected to continue causing flash flooding and damage on both Wednesday and Thursday, with thunderstorms set to rattle Adelaide (pictured) by about 4pm

The cold front will bring heavy rain, scattered thunderstorms and extreme winds which will smash flood- affected towns like Forbes (pictured)

Ms Chadwick said the tail end of the weather system - including rain and strong winds - will linger in Sydney on Friday, but the weather is expected clear for the weekend.

Temperatures are expected to reach a maximum of 22 degrees on Saturday and 22 on Sunday before before scattered showers hit on Monday.

Severe weather warnings are in place for most of Victoria, with forecasters warning thunderstorms and wild winds will continue causing streams to rise.

Moderate flood warnings are in place for the Murray and Edward Rivers.

BOM said the state's centre and west will continue to experience rainfall into Thursday, with temperatures dropping to a low of 8 degrees on Friday before warming for the long weekend.

Sydney's weather is expected clear for Saturday and Sunday - when temperatures are expected to reach a maximum of 22 and 27 degrees - before scattered showers hit on Monday

Severe weather warnings are in place for most of Victoria, with forecasters warning thunderstorms and wild winds will continue causing streams to rise (Pictured: stock image)

South Australia has been drenched by heavy rains which caused flash flooding across the state
Two people have been charged over the death of Perth woman Annabelle Chen whose body was found stuffed inside a suitcase in the Swan River.

Police have laid murder charges against a 68-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman, reported The West Australian.

Ms Chen's body was found by a fisherman on July 2 near Aquarama Marina in East Fremantle.

Two people have been charged over the death of Perth woman Annabelle Chen (pictured) whose body was found stuffed inside a suitcase in the Swan River

Ms Chen's body was found by a fisherman on July 2 near Aquarama Marina in East Fremantle in this suitcase

She was only identified on September 5 after her daughter, who lives in Melbourne, filed a missing person report after she couldn't contact Ms Chen for two days from June 30.

Ms Chen, 57, was an artist and had lived in the Perth suburb of Mosman Park since 1999 and was partly estranged from her large, extended family.

Police scoured her Meath Mews property for clues when they revealed her identity and said she allegedly suffered significant injuries.

Police have said her lifestyle was 'self-sufficient' and said she did not work, despite records showing she was the sole director of a company called Acres Holdings Co Pty Ltd, established about the time she bought her home.

Ms Chen was wearing a Disney t-shirt (left) and a blue fleece Kathmandu vest (right) when she was discovered

The suitcase she was found in was allegedly weighed down with unique green ceramic tiles.

A Blade kick-scooter cable tied to a Maxwell & Williams breadboard has reportedly been linked to Ms Chen's death, possibly used to transport the suitcase to the river.

The pair charged with her murder have been refused bail and will appear in Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Unique green ceramic tiles (pictured) were also found in the suitcase, believed to have been helping to weight it down
A man who drove 2500km from South Australia to Queensland and allegedly stabbed a former employee while she held her baby has been released on bail.

Jason Wayne Greatbatch, 36, was charged with attempted murder after mother-of-one Teagan Moore, 21, was stabbed twice in the stomach at her home in rural Kuttabul, near Mackay, Queensland, in December 2015.

Ms Moore worked for Greatbatch at the South Australian bakery he managed, where he allegedly 'became infatuated with her,' the Courier Mail reports.

Teagan Moore, 21, was allegedly stabbed twice in the torso while she was holding her baby boy by Jason Wayne Greatbatch, 36

Greatbatch was granted bail by Queensland's Supreme Court, under the condition he lives with his parents in South Australia and wear a GPS tracking device until his trial

Greatbatch was granted bail by Queensland's Supreme Court on Wednesday, under the condition he lives with his parents in South Australia and wear a GPS tracking device until his trial.

The 36-year-old has been charged with attempted murder, enter dwelling with intent, acts intended to maim and assault. The alleged attack caused serious injuries for Ms Moore, which led her to dropping her baby boy, whom she had been holding her arms.

The bakery manager also allegedly stabbed Ms Moore's 23-year-old fiance - now husband - Jake Burgess, once in the torso after he confronted Greatbatch in the backyard.

The young family were taken to Mackay Base Hospital for treatment where Mr Burgess and her son both with non-life threatening injuries.

Ms Moore was flown to Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital for emergency surgery.

Prior to his release on bail, Gretabatch says he was bashed twice while in prison following his arrest in Adelaide.

Ms Moore is pictured here in hospital after the brutal attack which took place while her child was in her arms

The bakery manager also allegedly stabbed Ms Moore's 23-year-old fiance Jake Burgess (pictured left)

The alleged attack caused serious injuries for Ms Moore, which led her to dropping her baby boy, whom she had been holding her arms

Gretabatch says he was bashed twice while in prison following his arrest in Adelaide

He told the Supreme Court he was attacked in Capricornia prison seven days after his arrest.

Two prisoners had punched him in the head during the first incident in January resulting in his transfer to a Brisbane hospital.

During the second incident, Greatbatch was in protective custody at Wolston prison in Brisbane on July 30 when he was given two black eyes.
A desperate search is under way for an endangered African penguin stolen from a marine park and released into the Indian Ocean by two students 'who wanted to set him free'.

CCTV footage showed them breaking into Bayworld Oceanarium in the dead of night and taking selfies with 'Buddy' before one of them stripped down to his waist, wrapped the penguin in a T-shirt and drove away.

Since his disappearance a week ago, one of the penguin's two chicks has died after his mate apparently struggled to care for their young alone.

A desperate search is under way for endangered African penguin Buddy (pictured) who was stolen and 'set free' by two students

One of Buddy's two chicks (pictured) has disappeared since he disappeared a week ago, because his mate struggled to care for them alone

CCTV footage showed the two students breaking into Bayworld Oceanarium in Cape Town and stealing Buddy (pictured)

Buddy's 'liberators' yesterday came forward to confess to taking the three year-old male from the park in Port Elizabeth 'in the interests of the penguin', South Africa, Bayworld confirmed.

'They were full of remorse,' Cherie Lawrence from Bayworld told MailOnline after meeting the men and their lawyer.

'They did not seem to appreciate that the penguin had never been in the ocean before and would most likely not survive now.

'They thought they were doing a good thing, but actually it was the worst thing for Buddy who has never been in the ocean before.

'His mate Frances is also very stressed at his disappearance and is finding it difficult on her own with the remaining chick.

'Penguins mate for life and males and females share the chick-rearing duties, so we are having to feed her on the nest.'

The marine park said Buddy's mate Frances is very 'stressed' without him and having difficulty looking after their remaining chick (pictured)

Buddy's 'liberators' yesterday came forward to confess to taking the three year-old male (pictured) from the park in Port Elizabeth

Buddy the African black-footed penguin was born at Bayworld, 600 miles along the coast from Cape Town, and has never had to fend for himself.

'He is in good condition, has quite good fat reserves, but has never even seen the sea, or had to catch his own food.

'He is used to being fed every day, so things are going to be challenging for him out there in the open,' Ms Lawrence added.

'Animal mad' Sheena McLoughlin has mobilised daily searches for Buddy via a dedicated facebook page, and covered up to 30 miles a day along the coast with like-minded volunteers.

She remains hopeful after he was spotted a few days ago, paddling in the shallows at Pollock Beach, a few miles from the marine park, peering out to sea.

'I have been out every day since I heard he went missing,' the 32 year-old told MailOnline.

'I can't just stand by while he is out there somewhere. The weather has been bad, the wind is really pumping and the sea is so rough.

'Animal mad' Sheena McLoughlin (pictured) has mobilised daily searches for Buddy via a dedicated facebook page

Sheena remains hopeful of finding Buddy after he was spotted paddling off Pollock Beach, near the marine park, a few days ago

'I hope he can just hang on long enough for us to get to him. Hopefully he hasn't ventured far into the ocean and has just moved along the coast.

'I am so angry with the guys who took him, they just don't get it. They should be out there looking for him, they are young and stupid.'

The penguin's disappearance was discovered last Thursday when he could not be found for his monthly health check, and managers trawled through the security footage which captured the audacious break-in.

The 25 inch-tall penguin has a microchip and an identification tag on his left flipper. The species were rated as endangered since 2010 due to a rapid fall in numbers caused by commercial fishing and shortage of prey.
The Internal Revenue Service is set to cut 7,000 jobs in the next eight years - because more people are submitting their tax returns online.

The IRS says e-filing has shot up in recent years, meaning there is less need for paper processing jobs.

The government agency is set to shed eight per cent of its 84,000 workforce by 2024, with offices in Kentucky, California and Texas being heavily hit.

The Internal Revenue Service is set to cut 7,000 jobs in the next eight years - because more people are submitting their tax returns online. Employees at the office in Covington, Kentucky, (pictured) have been warned their jobs are at risk

In the next three years, 1,800 jobs in Covington, Kentucky, will be eliminated, according to IRS bosses.

This will be followed by 3,000 jobs in Fresno, California, by 2021, and 2,400 in Austin, Texas, by 2024.

Back in 2008, 58 per cent of tax returns were submitted online, the IRS has said.

Last year, that figure had risen to 86 per cent, and the rise is expected to continue.

The service says the five-year cost savings as a result of the move will be $266million, factoring in real estate and rent cost reductions.

Staff in Covington were notified last week, and the news has been met with alarm.

Rick Riley, president of the local National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), told cincinnati.com: 'This is going to be a real impact on the local economy.'

In the next three years 1,800 jobs are set to be lost in Covington, Kentucky. There are also set to be major cuts in California and Texas

The 31-year-old IRS employee added: 'There's going to be a fight. I will be going to the local politicians, the mayors, the member of Congress.'

National NTEU president Tony Reardon said: 'Many of these workers have been loyal employees of the IRS for decades but only some of them will get other jobs within the agency.

'The smart and humane thing to do would be to retrain the remaining workers to collect delinquent taxes rather than outsourcing IRS jobs.'

An IRS statement said: 'Overall, the IRS continues to face smaller budgets, with the budget decreasing $900million since 2010, which has led to the IRS workforce already being reduced by 17,000 positions.'

And it continued that the agency would still employ significant numbers of workers in the affected areas.

The statement said: 'The IRS emphasizes that submission processing is only part of our wider operations in these three locations, and the IRS will continue to be a major employer in these areas due to work for other parts of the agency.
Carol Carpenter, 69, was arrested in the death of her disabled son Corey, 26, who weighed less than 90 pounds when he died

A Colorado mother has been arrested in connection with the death of her 26-year-old disabled son, who weighed less than 90 pounds when he died.

Carol Carpenter, 69, was charged with first-degree murder on Monday for the October 2015 death of her son Corey Carpenter.

Costilla County Undersheriff Andrew Espinosa said Corey was so malnourished that 'all his bones were showing' through his skin.

'He wasn't provided the food and water he needed to live,' Espinosa said, adding that it was ruled Corey had died of abandonment and neglect.

Espinosa added that although Corey could walk, he did not know how to prepare his own food.

Blanca Mayor Myrrl Smith said Carpenter and her son lived in an old trailer home perched on the side of Mount Blanca.

'He was totally disabled. She had to take care of him ever since her husband died,' Smith told the Denver Post.

'She's just a little, bitty old skinny woman,' he added.

The Costilla County Sheriff's Office requested the help of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation due to the complexity of the case, Espinosa said.

Carpenter is being held without bond in the Costilla County Detention Facility.

The mayor said it has been about 50 years since a murder happened in the tiny community of about 550 people.
Hillary Clinton picked up another endorsement today from a high-profile Republican legislator, former Virginia Senator John Warner.

Warner was married to actress Elizabeth Taylor when he won his first term in the U.S. Senate. He retired in 2008, making way for his successor Mark Warner, a Democrat, to succeed him.

He was The Secretary of the Navy at the time disgraced Republican president Richard Nixon resigned.

Warner made elected office his second act, eventually chairing the Senate's Armed Services Committee. His served in the Senate with Clinton for eight years.

Hillary Clinton picked up another endorsement today from high-profile Republican a legislator, former Virginia Senator John Warner. Warner was married to actress Elizabeth Taylor (pictured together in 1980) when he won his first term in the U.S. Senate

Warner, 89, is endorsing Clinton this morning at a rally in his home state of Virginia, also home to Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine.

Kaine and Mark Warner - who is unrelated - both Democrats, hold Virginia's two seats in the U.S. Senate.

Clinton's campaign announced the endorsement late Tuesday evening.

'The event will highlight how Hillary Clinton is by far the strongest and most experienced candidate on a full range of national security issues, and that she has the knowledge, steadiness and temperament to be Commander in Chief,' a last-minute advisory for this morning's rally said.

Warner joins former Republican Senator Larry Pressler, of South Dakota, and Gordon Humphrey of New Hampshire, in endorsing Clinton over this year's Republican nominee for president, Donald Trump.

The former senator from New York also has the support of sitting Republican Congressman Richard Hanna, who represents New York, and ex-Connecticut, GOP Congressman Chris Shays.

Warner is seen above at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in 2013. He retired in 2008. Mark Warner, a Democrat, now holds that Senate seat. They are not related.

Warner spent 30 years on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Much of that time he chaired the committee or served as its ranking member, when Republicans were out of power.

His time on the committee overlapped with Clinton's. Elected to the Senate in 2000, she was a member until she vacated her seat in 2008 to join President Barack Obama's cabinet.

Warner was married to Elizabeth Taylor from 1976 to 1982, becoming her sixth husband. The Hollywood star of National Velvet and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof fame died in 2011.
politicians it was shameful the black community is being killed

Speech was made at City Hall, Monday, where dozens of furious protesters called for justice following the fatal shooting of Keith Lamont Scott

Zianna Oliphant, nine, gave a powerful message to politicians on Charlotte council calling for an end to police violence and racism to

The nine-year-old whose tearful plea to end police violence against black people was seen round the world, said she felt compelled to speak out as she feared others 'wouldn't get up there and do it'.

Little Zianna Oliphant received a standing ovation after she delivered her powerful message to politicians on Charlotte City Council on Monday following the police shooting of African-American father-of-seven, Keith Lamont Scott.

Video of the inspirational nine-year-old quickly went viral and people all over the world were touched by her moving testimony on racism.

Zianna admitted she'd felt a little nervous before taking the stand. But she was determined to let the city's politicians know that what was happening to the black community simply 'is not right.'

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Zianna Oliphant, whose tearful plea to end police violence against black people was seen round the world, said she felt compelled to speak out as she feared others 'wouldn't get up there and do it'

'I knew grown ups and others kids wouldn't get up there and do it. Kids, they're, like, shy. But I'm not shy to tell them how I feel about it, she told NBC News.

'I decided to just go up there and tell them how I feel.'

Zianna and her brother, Marquis, both spoke at the meeting alongside dozens of members of the local black community who called for change after t he fatal shooting of Keith Lamont Scott.

The 43-year-old's death at the hands of Officer Brently Vinson sparked days of demonstrations that turned violent and caused chaos.

Zianna's speech was one of the most powerful, and prompted a standing ovation.

'It's a shame that our fathers and brothers are killed and we can't see them anymore,' she said. 'It's a shame that we have to go through that graveyard and bury him. We need our fathers and brothers to be by our side.'

Zianna Oliphant (pictured) had made a heartfelt plea to Charlotte City Council on Monday to end the cop shootings of black people

Dozens of furious protesters packed City Hall on Monday to call for Mayor Jennifer Roberts to resign and for police to be held accountable following the fatal shooting of Keith Lamont Scott - which has sparked days of demonstrations (pictured: Zianna addresses the meeting)

Zianna Oliphant is consoled after addressing the Charlotte City Council during time for public comments

The girl, who said she was born and raised in Charlotte, said she can't stand how black people are being treated in the city, ABC News reports.

'We are black people and we shouldn't have to feel like this,' she told the room, as tears rolled down her face. The young girl had to take a moment to try and compose herself to continue her tearful plea.

'We shouldn't have to protest because y'all are treating us wrong. We do this because we need to and have rights.'

Zianna explained she had broken down in tears during her address but she so passionately believed in what she was saying.

'I was kind of emotional, because, like, the things that I said is like powerful to me. So that's why I started crying,' she said.

'I was just feeling like what the police are doing to us, just because of our skin, is not right,' the fourth-grader added.

Young Zianna Oliphant broke down in tears as she delivered her powerful message

An audience member, thought to be Zianna's mother Precious, becomes emotional after the youngster addressed the Charlotte City Council

Her speech also brought many in the audience to tears, including her proud mother.

Precious Oliphant had not intended for her children to speak at the City Hall meeting but they had wanted to share their own experience with the crowd.

She said both Zianna and Marquis are involved with a police youth league and saw them as role models.

But, she says after growing up in Charlotte and experiencing first hand racial prejudice at the hands of officers, such as allegedly being pulled over for what she suspects was the color of her skin, she is scared her children will grow up facing discrimination too.

'I shouldn't have to enlighten my kids on discrimination and racism,' she said, adding that Charlotte's black community did not hate the police, but racism in policing had to stop. Now.

Zianna was not the only child to speak at the emotion-filled meeting on Monday.

Ten-year-old Taje Gaddy also spoke about his fear of the police as the crowd cheered in support.

Audience members showed support for speakers at the Charlotte City Council holding up signs which read 'Black lives matter'

A sign demands police chief Kerry Putney resign - held by an member of the overflow crowd as they watched and listened outside city council chambers

An overflow crowd watched and listened outside city council chambers as members of the black community attended an open forum to speak to the city council in Charlotte

Other residents at the packed City Hall launched attacks on the Charlotte authorities over their handling of Scott's death.

The 43-year-old was shot dead by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers on September 20 after they came across him exiting his car at an apartment block where they were serving a warrant on another individual.

Police say Scott made a threatening move with his gun shortly before they shot him four times. Crucial evidence is missing from the investigation however as officers failed to switch on their body cameras until after Scott was shot.

A 30 second 'buffer' means we can see the moment cops opened fire but no audio was recorded until he pressed the button.

Speakers at Monday night's meeting also complained about new legislation being brought in this weekend which will block the release of police video without a court order.

Keith Lamont Scott was shot dead (pictured) by Officer Brently Vinson - sparking days of demonstrations that turned violent

Scott, pictured with his wife Rakeyia Scott, was a 43-year-old father-of-seven from Charlotte

Many have demanded that police release all video footage of the shooting of Scott.

'It's going to be rough in these streets until you give justice to our people,' said the Rev. Milton Williams, the final speaker, according to CNN. 'Our city's in an uproar, and you did not respond.'

The council admitted that the days of unrest over the shooting was 'decades in the making' as member Al Alston said: 'Tuesday was the boiling point, and it's getting hotter.'

Outside the City Hall meeting, hundreds of protesters marched through Charlotte.

At a downtown church, North Carolina NAACP President Rev. William Barber told the assembled crowd that authorities should investigate the city's police department and those officers who failed to activate their body cameras should be punished.

Charlotte became the first city in North Carolina to bring in body cameras for all its officers last year, but that has not stopped six people being fatally shot since then.

In five of those six cases, cops failed to switch their camera on.
Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon reportedly partied with his staff into the wee hours Monday night, after the presidential debate.

Sources tell the New York Post that Fallon was 'very drunk' during a staff outing at Manitoba's Bar in New York City's East Village.

'He was at the end of the bar playing 90s music on his phone,' one source told the Post. 'He would have the bartender hook it up and start dancing. He was very drunk, cutting up and making people laugh.'

Jimmy Fallon allegedly partied into the wee hours after watching the presidential debates on Monday. The Tonight Show host is seen at his desk the following day

Sources tell the New York Post that Fallon was at Manitoba's Bar in the East Village until 3am Tuesday morning

That source says that Fallon didn't leave until 3am. Another source downplayed the night, saying Fallon was only at the punk bar for less than an hour, after watching the debates.

'He left alone and people recognized him on his way out,' the other source said. 'He was like, "Hugs for everybody!" Someone asked for a selfie and he was like, "Nah, not right now."'

Fallon on a night out in February when he went to Madeo in West Hollywood for dinner

Fallon has been laying low ever since January, when NBC executives were forced to issue a statement denying that the comedian has a drinking problem.

Those rumors circulated after the father-of-two was seen out partying on several occasions, combined with Fallon suffering a series of minor injuries - including cutting his fingers opening a bottle of Jagermeister.

When he hosted the Tonight Show on Tuesday, Fallon certainly looked well, as he interviewed his Almost Famous co-star Kate Hudson and British actor David Oyelowo.
Jeremy Corbyn resorted to a tried and tested method of trying to prove Labour is the party for equality by turning up to his landmark speech today surrounded by female groupies.

Mr Corbyn is attempting to ward off criticism for not giving enough top jobs in the party to women - and if today's photograph seemed familiar, that's because it was nearly identical to when Mr Corbyn arrived to launch his Labour leadership campaign in July.

On that occasion he was snapped alongside key aides, close supporters and his wife Laura Alvarez.

However, the background of some of his allies in today's snap may raise eyebrows among moderate members of the party.

One of them, Shelly Asquith, is a well-known student agitator. Earlier this year, an investigation by the Mail into extremism on campuses found that the National Union of Students vice-president for welfare had said she believes there are some laws that should be broken.

Another joining Mr Corbyn was Rhea Wolfson, a member of Labours ruling National Executive Committee. She recently told BBC Radio 4 that Labour needed to consider mandatory re-selection for moderate MPs.

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Today: Jeremy Corbyn is joined by eight women yesterday including Shelly Asquith, fourth from right, and Rhea Wolfson, third from right

Thought it looked familiar? Mr Corbyn arrives to launch his Labour leadership campaign at the UCL Institute of Education in London in July

But during his speech, the veteran left-winger held out an olive branch to critics by stressing that winning a general election was crucial, and also slammed the 'evil' anti-Semitism and sexist abuse that has been sweeping through the party.

Mr Corbyn admitted he needs to 'learn lessons' as he attempted to draw a line under bitter Labour infighting today - but also demanded the party unite behind his brand of '21st Century' socialism.

But delivering his keynote address to the gathering in Liverpool, Mr Corbyn insisted the party had to come together and recognise his mandate after he was re-elected.

He also attacked the 'free market' system and made clear he will not back down over his commitment to maintaining open-door immigration after Brexit.

The leader was introduced for his speech by a 'community activist' who pleaded for the party to get behind their 'socialist leader'

Mr Corbyn repeated his apology for the Iraq War but several senior figures - including seated from left Andy Burnham, Iain McNicol and Angela Rayner - did not join a sustained standing ovation

Corbyn supporters took to social media to praise the Labour leader following his speech - with one claiming it was 'socialism in action and words'

'Yes, our party is about campaigning and it's about protest too,' he said. 'But most of all it's about winning power in local and national government, to deliver the real change our country so desperately needs...

'Everyone knows that we will only get there if we accept the decision of the members, end the trench warfare and work together to take on the Tories.

'Anything else is a luxury that the millions of people who depend on Labour cannot afford.'

The speech this afternoon gave Mr Corbyn an opportunity to showcase his vision for the country after another disastrous week of division and acrimony.

The main points in the hour-long address included:

Dismissing the idea of curbing immigration in the wake of the Brexit vote, despite the issue being widely regarded as the driving force behind the referendum result.

Demanding MPs who have mounted a mass rebellion get into line behind his brand of '21st Century Socialism'.

Promising 500billion of borrowing and tax rises to fund the NHS and education, as well as huge housebuilding projects.

Scrapping the government's benefits sanctions on the unemployed and disabled people.

Lambasting the 'so-called free market' and austerity measures that were introduced to rein in government spending and reduce the deficit.

Mr Corbyn walked on to the platform in Liverpool amid a backlash on yet another front, with widespread criticism of his commitment to maintain unlimited immigration from the EU after Brexit.

Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham has joined a host of senior figures warning that the public will not forgive the party if it represents the 'status quo' on inflows after the historic Brexit vote.

Social media documented how some audience members were left furious after Mr Corbyn apologised for the Iraq war - with some delegates even walking out

The Labour leader strongly condemned 'evil' anti-Semitism, after hundreds of thousands of fanatical Corbinistas joining the party was blamed for a wave of abuse

Mr Corbyn is delivering his second speech as leader of the Labour Party in Liverpool

Mr Corbyn's speech concluded with Labour's traditional rendition of the socialist anthem The Red Flag as he was joined on stage by a choir

IN BRIEF: CORBYN'S SPEECH TO LABOUR CONFERENCE 'Winning justice for all': Corbyn highlighted the victory of Hillsborough campaigners and vowed to help those who want a campaign into Orgreave. 'Our party is about campaigning and protest': The Labour leader said the most important thing for Labour was to win power and change society but made clear he believed in its role as the principled opposition 'Anti-Semitism is evil': The Labour leader finally conceded to demands to highlight anti-Semitism as a specific problem and promised 'firm action against abuse and intimidation' 'A so-called free market system': Echoing the firmly socialist messages which have dominated the conference, Mr Corbyn slammed the wider economic system and vowed a complete overhaul 'They're not the 10 commandments!': Corbyn campaigned all summer on a package of 10 sweeping policy pledges and despite many Labour MPs oppose them, told conference they would go to the heart of his policy plans. 'We are a wealthy country - and not just in terms of money': Corbyn pledged to create a National Education Service to offer cradle to grave education - but admitted it would need tax rises on business 'A new deal for Rebuilding Britain': The Labour leader said he would plough money into huge new infrastructure projects that would boost business but in return would tackle tax avoidance 'Grammar Schools are not the only way': Seizing the one issue on which he had united his MPs, Corbyn condemned Theresa May's school reform plans and promoted his 'national campaign day' against the policy on the eve of Tory conference 'We will not sow division by fanning the flames of fear': Corbyn rejected fears about immigration, vowing instead to focus on resolving the pressures caused by rising and integrating communities 'Three-legged team of fractious Brexiteers': In a bizarre reference to Boris Johnson, David Davis and Liam Fox, Corbyn said Labour would offer its own vision of Brexit in a bid to build a 'new relationship with Europe based on cooperation and internationalism' 'What great news to hear the peace treaty in Colombia after fifty years of war': Indulging his interests in foreign policy, Corbyn shoehorned in Columbia to a section on his peace-first plans 'It's the socialism of the 21st century': The thread running through Corbyn's speech was an ambition to fundamentally overhaul Britain's economy, politics and society via high taxes, high spending and big government. Advertisement

But a defiant Mr Corbyn stuck to the position that no restrictions on numbers are needed in his conference speech.

Instead of tougher restrictions the veteran MP is promising a 'migrant impact fund' to build schools and hospitals in under-pressure areas.

Bizarrely, he also wants to harmonise wages across Europe to make moving to a different country less attractive.

Mr Corbyn was introduced for his speech by 'community activist' Sheila Coleman, who pleaded for the party to get behind their 'socialist leader'.

He opened with a joke about the conference being full, but Virgin Trains having phoned him to say there were 800 empty seats - a reference to the notorious 'Traingate' episode.

Mr Corbyn also paid a warm tribute to MP Jo Cox, who was brutally killed in her constituency over the summer.

The Labour leader hailed the fact that he had been elected with a bigger mandate on Saturday, trouncing moderate challenger Owen Smith.

But he admitted he had to 'learn lessons' from the turbulence since he was first installed to the top job in September last year.

'There's no doubt my election as Labour leader a year ago, and re-election this month grew out of a thirst for a new kind of politics, and a conviction that the old way of running the economy and the country, isn't delivering for more and more people,' Mr Corbyn said.

'It's not about me of course, or unique to Britain but across Europe, North America and elsewhere, people are fed up with a so-called free market system, that has produced grotesque inequality stagnating living standards for the many calamitous foreign wars without end and a political stitch-up which leaves the vast majority of people shut out of power.

'Since the crash of 2008, the demand for an alternative and an end to counter-productive austerity has led to the rise of new movements and parties in one country after another.

'In Britain it's happened in the heart of traditional politics, in the Labour party which is something we should be extremely proud of. It's exactly what Labour was founded for to be the voice of the many of social justice and progressive change from the bottom up.'

Mr Corbyn said he was 'honoured' to have won the leadership again,but added: 'We all have lessons to learn and a responsibility to do things better and work together more effectively.

'I will lead in learning those lessons.'

Delivering his strongest condemnation of anti-Semitism yet, Mr Corbyn said there was a duty on everyone to 'take care with our rhetoric'.

'We know that robust debate has at times spilled over into abuse and hate around our party, including misogyny and anti-Semitism, especially on social media,' he said.

'That is utterly unacceptable. Our party must be a safe and welcoming space for everybody and we will continue to take firm action against abuse and intimidation.

'And let me be absolutely clear, anti-Semitism is an evil, it led to the worst crimes of the 20th century, every one of us has a responsibility to ensure that it is never allowed to fester in our society again.

Mr Corbyn, pictured delivering his speech today, has said he wants to 'harmonise' wage levels across Europe

Jeremy Corbyn admitted he had to 'learn lessons' from the turbulence within Labour since he was elected leader as he urged members to end the 'trench warfare'

Mr Corbyn reached out to his party in the hour-long speech that was light on policy but did include outlines of ideas for a National Education Service funded by higher business taxes

'This party always has and always will fight against prejudice and hatred of Jewish people with every breath in its body.'

Mr Corbyn mounted a staunch defence of his refusal to accept that immigration needs curbing - regarded as one of the main reasons why the country voted for Brexit in June.

'It isn't migrants that drive down wages, it's exploitative employers and the politicians who deregulate the labour market and rip up trade union rights,' he said.

Mr Corbyn's wife Laura Alvarez (left) sat next to shadow chancellor John McDonnell during the speech today

Mr Corbyn's deputy Tom Watson, pictured left watching the speech, has urged the leader to focus on winning elections rather than protest

Frontbenchers including shadow defence secretary Clive Lewis clapped - and even took selfies - as Mr Corbyn took to the stage

'It isn't migrants who put a strain on our NHS, it only keeps going because of the migrant nurses and doctors who come here filling the gaps left by politicians who have failed to invest in training.

'It isn't migrants that have caused a housing crisis; it's a Tory government that has failed to build homes.'

He added: 'A Labour government will not offer false promises on immigration as the Tories have done.

'We will not sow division by fanning the flames of fear. We will tackle the real issues of immigration instead whatever the eventual outcome of the Brexit negotiations and make the changes that are needed.'

Mr Corbyn fist pumped with supporters after delivering his address to the conference

Mr Corbyn's wife, Laura Alvarez, was watching the speech sitting next to shadow chancellor John McDonnell

Mr Corbyn is now set to embark on reshaping his frontbench team, which was hit with scores of resignations amid a coup effort over the summer.

He will aso have to fill the roles of Mr Burnham, who confirmed today that he is stepping down from the shadow Cabinet to campaign for Metro Mayor in Manchester.

Shadow culture secretary Kelvin Hopkins has also indicated he wants to return to the backbenches - and there is speculation that Mr Corbyn's communications chief Seumas Milne could choose to return to his job at the Guardian.

Labour PM Jamie Reed tweeted that he preferred a different Bill Shankly quote to Mr Corbyn

However, it is not clear whether the speech will have won back many moderate Labour MPs.

Luciana Berger, who quit the frontbench in June, said it remains to be seen whether Mr Corbyn entices her and others back.

'We'll wait and see what happens in terms of the olive branch that Jeremy has said he's going to extend and we'll see what that presents itself as,' she said.

THE SPEECH IN NUMBERS There were a total of five mentions of either 'socialism' or 'socialist'. It was the first time socialism has been mentioned in a leader's speech at the Labour conference since 2010, when Ed Miliband included it in a reference to his father. 'Deficit' was not mentioned once. A 'Labour government' was mentioned eight times, while there were 13 references to 'the Tories'. Corbyn referred to 'the privileged few' on six occasions. Other common words were 'investment' (13 mentions), 'workers' (10), 'communities' (eight) and 'housing' (seven). Scotland was mentioned just once. Labour's plan for a 'national education service' received five mentions. Gordon Brown was the only former Labour leader to get a namecheck in the speech. Totalling just under 6,000 words, the speech was the shortest delivered by a Labour leader at conference since Tony Blair in 2006. Advertisement

Lord Falconer, who was one of the 20 who quit the Shadow Cabinet in June, gave a lukewarm reaction to Mr Corbyn's speech.

'There were good moments in it, I very much enjoyed it, he's right to be looking to the importance of trying to win the next general election,' he told MailOnline.

But he said there 'must be discussions' before moderates return to the shadow cabinet.

Tory chairman Patrick McLoughlin said: 'This Conference has shown Labour are too divided, distracted and incompetent to build a country that works for everyone.

'They would spend, borrow and tax even more than they did last time, support unlimited immigration, and cannot be trusted to keep our country safe.

'They are not a credible alternative government and they have nothing to offer as we work to build a country that works for everyone.'

At one point Mr Corbyn quoted Liverpool football manager Bill Shankly saying: 'The socialism I believe in, is everybody working for the same goal and everybody having a share in the rewards. Thats how I see football, thats how I see life.'

But rebel MP Jamie Reed tweeted that his own favourite Shankly quote was: 'First is first and second is nowhere.'

Simon Walker, Director General of the Institute of Directors, said: The problem for business is that it simply does not see the world in the same way as the Labour leader.

The IoD does not think companies are beyond reproach, we have been publically critical of Mike Ashley and Philip Green, but in this speech business was presented as a comic-book villain.

In his own speech to the activists earlier, Mr Burnham told the conference the party had to recognise the public had a 'problem' with unlimited immigration.

Mr Burnham warned that Labour could not represent the 'status quo' on the issue - and also delivered a thinly-veiled rebuke to Mr Corbyn by condemning an 'out of touch elite' who 'do not care' about immigration.

'Places that experienced even more rapid change when the EU expanded - cuts to wages, job insecurity,more pressure on primary schools and GP services... got no extra help from Government to cope with it,' Mr Burnham said.

Mr Corbyn, pictured right on the platform in Liverpool today, is facing a major backlash over his pledge to maintain unlimited immigration from the EU after Brexit

'We have to ask ourselves, Conference - is that fair on them? No wonder this feels like two countries.

'No wonder some places feel forgotten and abandoned by the political class. Europe wasn't working for them - and we were way too slow to see it.

'Labour voters in constituencies like mine are not narrow-minded, nor xenophobic, as some would say... They have no problem with people coming here to work.

'But they do have a problem with people taking them for granted and with unlimited, unfunded, unskilled migration which damages their own living standards.

'And they have an even bigger problem with an out-of-touch elite who don't seem to care about it.

'If Labour now argues for the status quo, it will look like we have abandoned them too.'

Mr Burnham, pictured left, confirmed in his speech that he is leaving Mr Corbyn's shadow Cabinet to campaign for election as Metro Mayor in Manchester

Jeremy Corbyn is defying the Brexit vote by committing Labour to keep unlimited EU immigration, but shadow home secretary Andy Burnham (seen delivering his conference speech today) is among those insisting the 'status quo' must be challenged

Mr Burnham said the response to Brexit had to 'deal with their concerns but support our economy'.

However, shadow education secretary Angela Rayner - who stuck by Mr Corbyn despite a massive rebellion by more than 170 of his MPs - made clear this morning that she disagreed.

'We have to have controls on immigration, that's quite clear. You have to know who is coming in to your country and who is leaving your country,' she said.

In a particularly stinging blow, Unite chief Len McCluskey also said the principle of freedom of movement needed to be challenged.

The backlash came after a spokesman for Mr Corbyn said he was 'relaxed' about the issue, adding: 'He is not concerned about numbers.'

Labour sources said the size of the migrant impact fund would be based on need  with no limit on the demands imposed on taxpayers.
Planners have rejected his controversial proposals for Chris Tarrant's home (pictured with partner Jane Bird)

Television host Chris Tarrant's plans to enlarge his multi-million pound home have been rejected after locals complained.

Planners have rejected the controversial proposals which would have seen the remote seven-bedroom mansion situated in the Duchess of Cambridge's home village extended for a second time.

The former Who Wants To Be A Millionaire presenter, 69, wanted to add a two-storey extension, including two extra bedrooms, two bathrooms and a utility room, to his property in Bucklebury, West Berkshire.

Neighbours in the pretty village objected to Tarrant's bid to extend the home which he brought in 2004 for more than 1m.

Council chiefs discussed the application but turned it down because Tarrant, who suffered a mini stroke in 2014, had already extended the house as far as planning guidelines allow.

Wynne Frankum, leader of the Bucklebury Parish Council, said villagers objected to the plans because of strict planning guidelines and because the house is in a beauty spot.

The former Who Wants To Be A Millionaire presenter, 69, wanted to add a two-storey extension to his property in Bucklebury, West Berkshire

Council chiefs discussed the application but turned it down because Tarrant, who suffered a mini stroke in 2014, had already extended the house as far as planning guidelines allow

She added: 'It was turned down because of over-development of the site.

'The property started out as quite a small cottage but it has been extended. There are strict guidelines that nothing should be developed over 50 per cent bigger than the building was in 1948.

'It's just a routine guideline which we have to abide by.'

Mrs Frankum added that Chris Tarrant was a well respected member of the Bucklebury community and said he often contributed to parish fetes and other events.

'He is marvellous, he always supports the parish,' she said.

Chris Tarrants country pile landed him in a hot water a few years ago when his then wife discovered it had been bought for secret trysts with his lover.

Neighbours in the pretty village objected to Tarrant's bid to extend the home which he brought in 2004 for more than 1m

Chris Tarrant's home is in Bucklebury, West Berkshire, the former home for Kate and Pippa Middleton

He split from his wife Ingrid in 2006 later after she discovered that the manor was being used for secret meetings. The TV star now lives there with his partner, Jane Bird.

Tarrant and Ms Bird attended a celebration service for Sir Terry Wogan at Westminster Abbey today.

He last tried to extend it in 2014 when it had already been increased to 140 per cent of its original floor space. But the plans were shelved after he had the stroke on an 11-hour flight to Heathrow from Burma.

A spokesman for Tarrant has said the extension would was not visible unless youre in a helicopter so the changes would not affect anyone in the village.
NYPD officers patrolling a Queens park where jogger Karina Vetrano was sexually assaulted and strangled to death came upon a disturbed naked man who was running around and raving about his genitals.

When questioned by police, the 47-year-old man, identified as Matthew Fox, of Queens, reportedly said he knew the identity of the jogger's killer.

'My father did it,' he was quoted by the New York Daily News as telling officers. 'I had nothing to do with it.'

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Noise complaint: Police in Queens found a 47-year-old naked man screaming about his genitals at Spring Creek Park (pictured) Tuesday night

Crime scene: The unhinged man was discovered in a marsh just a couple of blocks away from the spot where the body of murdered jogger Karina Vetrano was found in August

Police say they have no reason to believe that Fox had anything to do with the woman's assault and death, but the investigation continues.

The incident took place Tuesday night at Spring Creek Park, just a few blocks away from the spot where the body of 30-year-old Vetrano was discovered on August 2.

According to police, they got a noise complaint at around 10pm reporting that someone was heard yelling in the park.

An officer who was stationed at a nearby NYPD command post investigating the Vetrano case responded to the call and found the 47-year-old Queens man up to his knees in a muddy marsh.

A New York Post report indicated that Matthew Fox was completely nude and screaming about the size of his manhood.

He was taken to Jamaica Medical Center for a psychiatric evaluation. A subsequent search of the marsh has failed to turn up anything suspicious.

The station ABC 7 News reported that when police interviewed Fox's girlfriend, they learned that the couple got into a fight earlier in the day Tuesday, and the 47-year-old stormed off after ingesting an unknown quantity of the drug Molly.

Victim: Vetrano, 30, was beaten, sexually assaulted and strangled to death while out for an evening run at Spring Creek Park

Vetrano's father, Phil (pictured left), found her body after she failed to return home

NYPD officers have established a command post at the park as part of the ongoing investigation into Vetrano's slaying

So far, detectives have found no connection between the unhinged naked man in the park and Karina Vetrano's rape and murder.

The 30-year-old woman was out for a jog in Spring Creek Park on the evening of August 2 when she was attacked, sexually assaulted and strangled to death.

Mystery man: In late August, police released this sketch of a man who was allegedly seen leaving the park after Vetrano's death

Her severely beaten body was found around five hours later after her retired firefighter father Phil reported her missing when she failed to come home from her run, and sent out a search party to track her down.

Nearly two months later, her slaying remains unsolved. On August 31, police released a sketch of a man they wanted to interview who was seen leaving the Queens park not long after Vetrano's death.

The mystery man has not been named a suspect or a person of interest, and it is unknown whether police ever tracked him down.
They were ripped down from store windows across the Durham campus

Girls would get cash from men who could 'take them around the world'

They sought 18-25 year-olds to act as 'dinner companions' for older men

Sugar daddy fliers promising to match attractive young female students with older men have been plastered across a university campus to the dismay of staff.

The fliers were put up in store windows in Durham, the home of the University of New Hampshire, last week and advertise the website sugardaddyforme.com.

They sought 'attractive 18-25 y/o ladies' to act as 'dinner companions' for older males who, the adverts claimed, would appreciate them 'so much more than college boys'.

'How was that last Tinder hook-up? Did he even call you or remember your name?' the fliers, which have since been removed from stores and pinboards, read.

Fliers advertising for sugardaddyforme.com (above) were found plastered on pinboards and in store windows across the University of New Hampshire campus last week

'Look attractive, eat great food and get cash while you're having fun! Older men will respect and appreciate you so much more than college boys.

'They can give you cash money just for dining with them for a couple of hours.

'Save a Sugardaddy the trouble of driving to Boston to meet college ladies. These gentlemen can mentor you with your career and take you to places around the world.'

It also offered students secrecy online so their 'roommates' wouldn't know they were using the service.

The university's Senior Vice Provost and Dean of Students slammed the fliers which he said had been designed to 'prey on the vulnerable'.

'This can be a very serious matter for those who are vulnerable or open to solicitation,' he told Dailymail.com on Wednesday.

'It's absolutely to prey on the vulnerable. If you're having a bad day then the internet can be a source of support for people which is great but the bad thing is there are people out there who will take advantage.

Video courtesy of NECN

The fliers compelled young women to 'save a Sugardaddy the trouble of driving to Boston' to find a match by signing themselves up to the service

While the fliers were not posted in any university buildings, staff said the matter could be 'very serious' for anyone vulnerable enough to be persuaded. Above, the University of New Hampshire

Sugardaddyforme.com (above) denied having the fliers spread across the university campus

'I think it's ridiculous. We shouldn't be preying on each other when we're vulnerable.'

Students on campus had dismissed the fliers as 'gross', he added, and to his knowledge none had yet signed up to the website.

'Young people are very savvy, they see it as a scam. They think it's just kind of icky'.

Sugardaddyforme.com denied deliberately targeting vulnerable students who may be money-conscious, with a spokesman claiming it had no part in the distribution of the fliers.

'We didn't create it, nobody at our site does that kind of advertising anywhere. Especially not on a college campus,' Peter Stolz, the website's manager, told necn.

Town and Campus, one of the stores where the fliers were found, removed them immediately.

Rich Many, who has worked at the store for years, told the network students were treated like 'family' by staff.

Town and Campus (above), one of the Durham stores where the fliers were posted, removed them from its windows immediately
Planned attacks on sporting events, schools and religious sites on the French Riviera have been foiled since the killings of 86 people on Nice's seaside promenade in July, the city's prosecutor has said.

Prosecutor Jean-Michel Pretre told France 3 television: 'Several cases have been passed on to the anti-terrorism prosecutor in Paris.

'It was about religious sites, during certain celebrations, sporting events, stadiums, schools.'

These cases concern 'people who started to articulate things that are rather precise about a type of target or even a specific target', the prosecutor said.

Several planned terror attacks on the French Riveria have been stopped since the Bastille Day attack in Nice. Flowers, candles and messages were laid at a makeshift memorial after the massacre

Mr Pretre's comments were made during the filming of a documentary, entitled Deradicalized, which is to be broadcast on Wednesday.

France is on high alert after a string of militant attacks over the last two years.

A Tunisian man was able to drive a 19-tonne truck along a packed Nice promenade, mowing down people in the Bastille Day crowd on July 14, before he was shot dead by police.

On September 20, French authorities made eight new arrests in connection with the attack.

Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel was able to drive a 19-tonne truck along a packed Nice promenade, mowing down people in the Bastille Day crowd on July 14

The Nice prosecutor's office said the suspects detained were French and Tunisian and had links to the attacker, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel.

All eight were arrested in the Alpes-Maritimes region in the southeastern corner of France that includes Nice.

At least five people already face preliminary terrorism charges in the attack, and are accused of helping Bouhlel obtain a pistol and providing other support. It wasn't immediately clear what the men arrested this week are suspected of.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the July 14 attack. French authorities say Bouhlel, a Tunisian with French residency, was inspired by the extremist group's propaganda, but they say no evidence has been found that IS orchestrated the attack.

The French flag at half mast after the terrorist attack on the Promenade des Anglais on Bastille Day in Nice

France remains under a state of emergency after the Nice killings and IS attacks on Paris last year.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that the threat to France is higher than ever. He said about 300 people have been arrested in investigations into extremist networks so far this year, according to his office.

Also on September 20, authorities detained two boys, 14 and 17, in an investigation into a hoax hostage alert at a Paris church, the prosecutor's office said. The false alarm Saturday prompted a big police deployment and activation of an app-based terrorism alert system.

The government is seeking financial compensation from the perpetrators for wasting security services' time and money, and scaring the public unnecessarily. Obs magazine reported it was a case of "swatting," where hoaxers make anonymous threats to trigger a response from police and SWAT teams.

Emergency rule has been in place since attacks on Paris in November last year in which Islamist militants killed 130 people.
Two directors of a British defence firm were jailed today for paying a bribe to win a 3.7million contract for bomb disposal equipment in Afghanistan.

Robert Gillam, 66, and Simon Davies, 46, gave a 120,000 kickback to corrupt US-based businessman Robert Gannon after he helped Mondial Defence Systems undercut a rival firm.

Gillam first schmoozed Gannon, the 54 year-old former director of US Department of Defense contractor RONCO, during a meeting at the lavish Ritz Hotel in London.

He later confirmed that payment had been made from his firm to Gannon's private bank account just before Christmas 2009 by sending him the message: 'Santa popped over early'.

Robert Gillam, left, Simon Davies, right have been jailed for giving a 120,000 bribe to a corrupt US-based businessman to land a 3.7million contract for bomb disposal equipment in Afghanistan

Gannon, a British citizen, has already been jailed in the US for 12 months for his role in the scandal and has provided a statement to UK authorities.

Jailing Gillam for two years, Judge Wendy Joseph QC said: 'Corruption is a cancer in commercial and public life and those that indulge in it can expect sentences of immediate custody despite previous good character.'

'Mr Gillam took a leading role in such activity - as it was there was significant planning, including meeting Mr Gannon in the UK and Washington and there was a significant exchange of emails.

'There was an attempt to disguise the nature of the emails and the nature of the payments made - the offending was conducted over a significant number of months and motivated by the prospect of significant financial gain.'

'As to harm, there's substantial financial gain to the defendant and a parallel loss to the firm that held the contract.'

Gillam was also barred from acting as a company director for the next five years, and ordered to pay 4,014.75 prosecution costs.'

Jailing Davis for 11 months, Judge Joseph said: 'I accept that his culpability is lower than that of Mr Gillam, but it can only be described as a significant role.

'He was acting deliberately under the direction of Mr Gillam.'

Their dealings were uncovered by a joint investigation involving the City of London Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

Gillam set up Mondial, based in Poole, Dorset, in 1986 and appointed Davies, a qualified accountant, as finance director in August 2009.

He first contacted RONCO in March 2009 after hearing rumours they were not happy with their existing supplier of military equipment for the Afghan National army.

Gillam first met with Gannon and the President of RONCO at the Ritz and followed this up with a trip to Washington before putting in a bid for the contract.

In May 2009 Gillam sent an email to Gannon that 'The three percent should be a doddle'.

Gillam first schmoozed Robert Gannon, the 54 year-old former director of US Department of Defense contractor RONCO, during a meeting at the lavish Ritz Hotel in London, pictured

Gannon then provided inside pricing information allowing Gillam to undercut their commercial rival and win the initial 3.7m contract.

In August 2009, the day after the first payment for the equipment was made to Mondial by Ronco, Mondial transferred the first part of the 120,000 bribe to Gannon's private HSBC account in Singapore.

After the final part of the bribe was paid on 15 December, Gillam emailed Gannon: 'Santa popped over early for a quick turn down [the address of Gannon's bank]'

When the payment was held up by queries from HSBC, Gannon told Gillam: 'Rudolf must have stopped to speak to the girls'

Gillam replied: 'Sorry about this, must have been an Xmas f*** up.'

When the money was finally transferred on Christmas Eve, Gannon wrote: 'Great news, Santa left his parcel, much appreciated.'

In later emails Gillam referred to 'oiling the wheels' while Gannon reassured him: 'You are now recognised as the provider for certain items, they will now automatically come to you.'

Later contracts, which were not directly associated with the bribe, took the total to5m, the Old Bailey heard.

Gannon later said in his statement that Gillam was 'a very persuasive character... he made me feel part of the team'.

He added: 'Later he became more aggressive, asking me to do more for him. In return he would take care of me which I knew meant he was going to pay me..'

In his police interview in December 2014 Gillam referred to the payment to Gannon as 'an expression of gratitude' and claimed that when he was working in the Middle East the cut was usually 25 per cent.

Davies claimed that it was a 'friendly payment' rather than a corrupt bribe.

The Old Bailey, pictured, heard once the money had been paid, Gannon provided inside information so Gillam could undercut his rivals and land the contract

Vivienne Tanchel, for Gillam, argued he should be spared an immediate jail term because he was heavily involved in bringing up his two grand children.

She added: 'Being a man of his age, the impact of a prison sentence is greater because of the limited number of opportunities when he is released compared to a younger person.'

Saba Naqshbandi, for Davies, said: 'Mr Gillam is a big personality - it was Mr Gillam who entered into the contract with RONCO - Mr Davies cannot be described as the instigator and orchestrator.'

She argued a custodial sentence would have a disproportionate effect on Davies' young children.

'His plea of guilty was the most difficult decision he's ever had to take, but most of the burden will be born by his wife.'

Speaking after the case, Detective Sergeant Joanne Ferguson said: 'Mondial were a small company which used dishonest and corrupt practices to get ahead in business, stealing opportunity from honest competitors.

'This type of crime harms the reputation of UK business making it impossible for genuine businesses to compete, ultimately causing a ripple effect which not only affects the UK economy but local businesses as well.'

Stephen Rowland, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Bribery is a crime with a corrosive effect. It impedes the prospects of honest business competitors and can ultimately cost jobs and livelihoods.

'Evidence including bank accounts and email correspondence discussing the payments was presented by the prosecution to demonstrate a compelling case, leaving these men with no option but to plead guilty.

'These sentences send a clear message that bribery can and will be successfully prosecuted by the CPS.'
Alarming footage shows a mother leaving her baby in a car with the engine running while she goes to buy cigarettes and scratch cards.

The alarming footage filmed by a bystander at a gas station in New Bedford, Massachusetts, shows the tot strapped into a child seat on the back seat after being left alone by mom Breanna McGrath, 20,

Her handbag is also seen laying on the front seat through the open passenger-side window.

The witness, Bryan Amaral, can be heard on the video saying: 'So I could basically kidnap her baby right now and she'd have no clue. Wow, so responsible today.'

As a result, McGrath was later charged with reckless endangerment of a child, and faces losing custody of the youngster.

Footage taken by a passer-by at a gas station in New Bedford, Massachusetts, shows the baby left alone in the car while the mother went inside to buy scratch cards and cigarettes

The alarming footage shows the tot strapped into a child seat on the back seat of the car, which also has its passenger window down and a handbag on the front seat

Amaral films the car for around three minutes before the woman emerges from the gas station.

He says to her: 'Probably not too bright to leave a baby in the car for three minutes with your car running. You're a great mum. Real smart.'

The woman replies: 'Are you allowed to video tape me? I'm pretty sure you have to ask me.' Amaral then hits back, saying: 'I don't have to ask you s***. Why don't you wake the f*** up.'

He pans the camera as the woman drives away, saying: 'Now she's speeding out of the parking lot.'

His Facebook video has since gone viral with 3.1 million views. It was shared with police who have now taken action against the mum.

This is the moment the mother - later identified as Breanna McGrath, 20 - returned to the car after about three minutes

McGrath from Acushnet, Massachusetts, was charged with reckless endangerment of a child under the age of 18.

New Bedford Police also notified the Massachusetts Department of Child and Family Services, who will conduct a separate investigation.

Amaral insists he didn't want McGrath to be arrested, and has expressed regret that she could lose her child.

He said: 'In no way did I want this to go as far as it did, let's make that clear. I reacted to something that instantly angered me.

'I was hoping someone close to her would see it and talk some sense. In no way do I wanna gain anything.'

'Are you allowed to video tape me? I'm pretty sure you have to ask me,' she says to Amaral, before driving away

He added: 'This mother probably loves her child to death but the reality is she doesn't see the severity of her actions. I pray she keeps her child but realises that it is unacceptable to do that.

'Yes I would have done things differently now I know where this has gone. I didn't call the cops cause I didn't realise it until about a minute after she pulled up. I had to get a video and plate. If this happens in public, what goes on at home? I would definitely do it different if I knew the level it would get to. In any case I'm paying a small price compared to the family and for that I'm sorry.'

But messages supporting Amaral's actions have poured in via social media.

His father Robin posted: 'Proud of you for putting the safety of this precious child before the fear of any repercussions that might come your way. Actually this baby's family owes you a debt of gratitude. Love you son, you are an upstanding young man.'

Jessica Luczun said: 'You're a great guy who has a big heart for children.'
It has taken more than a century, but France is finally paying tribute to Oscar Wilde, the writer who died penniless in a Paris hotel saying: 'My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One of us has got to go.'

Sadly the wallpaper in question has not survived but the exhibition at the city's Petit Palais includes many fascinating pictures, paintings and letters which illustrate his desperately sad final years in self-imposed exile.

The Irish-born playwright, whose life collapsed after his homosexual love affair became public knowledge, died in poverty and disgrace aged just 46.

The career of Oscar Wilde (pictured) collapsed with shocking rapidity. Only months after his last play, The Importance Of Being Earnest, was staged he was convicted for gross indecency

Wilde was one of the most popular poets and playwrights of Victorian Britain but his career, and his life, collapsed with astonishing swiftness.

In February 1895 his play The Importance of Being Earnest was staged for the first time at the St James's Theatre in London and was given a rapturous reception by critics and public alike.

But three months later he was jailed for two years for gross indecency.

The exhibition includes a copy of Wilde's famous novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, which is inscribed to his friend Alfred Douglas

Wilde, who was married with two sons, was gay and was involved in a relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas, who was 16 years his junior.

When Alfred's father, Lord Queensberry, left a note for Wilde, accusing him of sodomy, Wilde rashly sued for criminal libel.

He lost the case and the revelations in the courtroom led to him being prosecuted for homosexual acts, which were illegal under English law at the time.

Wilde spent some of his prison term in this cell. The former prison is currently open to the public and portraits of Wilde are hanging on the wall of the cell

The badly spelt visiting card: 'For Oscar Wilde posing Somdomite' is included in the Paris exhibition.

After serving time in prison, Wilde fled to France, never to return.

His estranged wife Constance took their two sons to Switzerland and changed their surname to Holland to spare them bullying. She died in 1898.

Wilde lived in impoverished disgrace during his self-imposed exile in the French capital and eventually died of cerebral meningitis in 1900.

Oscar Wilde's trial at The Old Bailey in the spring of 1895 was a sensation in London

Wilde's fall from grace was dramatic. In 1882 he was so famous and respected his image was used to advertise carpets (left). After his conviction his wife Constance (right, with their son Cyril) changed her children's surname

His grandson Merlin Holland, who has helped put the exhibition together, said it was 'still very hard to read' some of the letters in the exhibition in which, writing on blue prison paper, he begged for clemency and apologised for 'the most horrible form of erotomania' and his 'revolting passions'.

The exhibition also includes the original court transcript of the trial, which includes the moment when Wilde, giving evidence, was asked if he had ever kissed Walter Grainger.

'No, never in my life. He was a peculiarly plain boy,' he replied.

Mr Holland said his grandfather's fall from grace was spectacular: 'It is hard to overestimate how much he was erased from society. He became an untouchable overnight.'

The Paris exhibition, which runs until January, includes a catalog advertising the sale of Wilde's possessions, including 'Moorish and Oriental curiosities', which had been seized by the court.

'They left him with nothing,' said Mr Holland.

Oscar Wilde (left) died in November 1900 and his tomb (right) is one of the most visited at Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris

Wilde's tomb is still one of the most visited in the city's Pere Lachaise cemetery.

The show also includes several Pre-Raphaelite paintings Wilde wrote about in 1877 and 1879 as well as work by his friend Aubrey Beardsley, who famously illustrated Salome, the play Wilde wrote in French for the era's leading lady, Sarah Bernhardt.

Curator Dominique Morel said the exhibition contained 'many unseen and extremely hard to acquire material' which had been loaned by the Turkish philanthropist and impassioned Wilde collector Omer Koc.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is demanding an apology from Lester Holt, the moderator of Monday night's presidential debate, for incorrectly declaring stop-and-frisk policing methods 'unconstitutional.'

'Donald Trump was right,' Giuliani wrote in an op-ed published by The Wall Street Journal.

Holt waded into fact-checking during the debate at Hofstra university, declaring that 'stop-and-frisk was ruled unconstitutional in New York, because it largely singled out black and Hispanic young men.'

He was agreeing with Hillary Clinton, who claimed 'stop-and-frisk was found to be unconstitutional ... in part, because it was ineffective. It did not do what it needed to do.'

Not so, insisted Giuliani, who was mayor when the policy was ramping up and, he says, saving lives.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (center) is defending Donald Trump's telling of the story of 'stop and frisk' policing and demanding an apology from NBC News anchor Lester Holt for getting it wrong during Monday night's presidential debate

'Stop-and-frisk was ruled unconstitutional in New York,' Holt said Monday, in a remark that was misinterpreted to mean it was unconstitutional everywhere in all circumstances

Trump and Clinton sparred over the policy, green-lighted in 1968 by a Supreme Court that found police should be able to stop suspects and pat them down

'Hillary Clinton was wrong. Lester Holt should apologize for interfering and trying so hard to help Mrs. Clinton support her incorrect statement that stop and frisk is unconstitutional,' he wrote.

Giuliani is a key Trump adviser and speaks about illegal immigration and law enforcement at many of his campaign rallies.

Trump had said during the 90-minute debate that stop-and-frisk policing 'went before a judge, who was a very against-police judge. It was taken away from her.'

'And our mayor, our new mayor'  referring to Bill de Blasio  'refused to go forward with the case. They would have won an appeal. If you look at it, throughout the country, there are many places where it's allowed.'

Giuliani wrote Wednesday that Trump was correct, noting that the original judge, Shira Scheindlin, was removed from the case by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, which criticized her for purposely steering it to her courtroom.

The appeals court also allowed stop-and-frisk policing to continue pending the appeal, a sign that the justices believed the city would win the case.

In his op-ed, Giuliani explained that an 8-1 Supreme Court decision in 1968 established the legal basis for police to stop people on the basis of a 'suspicion that a person has committed, or was about to commit, a crime.'

'If the officer also has a reasonable suspicion the person is armed, he can conduct a pat-down  that is, a frisk  of a person's outer clothing.'

Trump has argued that crime-plagued cities like Chicago should adopt more stop-and-frisk policing as long as it's done in a race-blind way

Clinton has suggested  wrongly, according to Giuliani  that pre-emptively 'frisking' suspects is unconstitutional because it might disadvantage minorities

That decision has never been overturned and remains the law of the land. In the case Scheindlin heard, the practice in New York City under Mayor Michael Bloomberg had expanded to include a disproportionate number of black and Hispanic suspects.

Earlier, under Giuliani, the police method had never met with a legal challenge.

'During my administration, the U.S. Justice Department spent two years examining stop and frisk and it filed no case,' he wrote.

'After continued use of the practice during the administration of Mayor Bloomberg and Commissioner [Ray] Kelly, Judge Scheindlin found that the volume of stops and the focus on the African-American community made the practice not unconstitutional in general but unconstitutional as applied.'

'This is the distinction that is so important  yet was misunderstood by Mr. Holt and misrepresented by Mrs. Clinton.'

Tuesday morning on 'Fox and Friends,' Giuliani said the murder rate in New York City declined by 65 per cent after stop-and-frisk policing was implemented.

'The thing that's wrong is Lester Holt said straight out, "Stop and frisk is unconstitutional." Lester Holt is not a lawyer. He's wrong,' he said.

'It is still the law of the land. Every cop does stop-and-frisk in every part of America.'

Giuliani also slammed Hillary Clinton for agreing with Holt, but said he would 'give her an excuse because she failed the bar exam' in Washington, D.C.

'But I'm not going to allow him to play lawyer and contradict our candidate. And I'd like to know: When did a moderator become a fact-checker?'

'If you're going to interrupt and you're going to correct me in front of 100 million people, you better be right,' he said of Holt. 'He is dead wrong.'
Problematic pooch: Three-year-old Pebbles has turned the life of her long-suffering owner Claire Roberson into a daily nightmare

A devil chihuahua has left her owner at her wits end by terrorising other dogs and even being kicked out of training classes because of her bad behaviour.

Three-year-old Pebbles has turned the life of her long-suffering owner Claire Roberson into a daily nightmare  and she dreads taking her out for a walk.

The dog has even put a strain on her relationship with her boyfriend of six years - causing massive arguments.

And Miss Roberson, 29, of Rugby, Warwickshire, has even hid behind bushes while out on dog walks to avoid confrontations with other hounds.

The dog runs away from humans and has a particular dislike of men, but will hunt out dogs and menaces them on walks.

But Miss Roberson cannot give up Pebbles, who she has had since she was a puppy, saying she is like her child - and now cannot even let her off her lead.

She said: We were out walking her in a wood and let her off the lead. We completely lost her, then heard her screaming so ran to where the noise was coming from.

Hunting out dogs: Pebbles, three, runs away from humans and has a particular dislike of men

She was chasing a Staffy and trying to bite it - the dog was terrified of her. But shes only a little dog with a small mouth.

If the Staffy had managed to get hold of her, it would have easily killed her. Ever since then we havent been able to let her off.

Miss Roberson has had to hide behind bushes to avoid other dogs when theyre out walking, because even the sight of another dog can send Pebbles wild.

She said: Shes very timid around people and has never bitten anyone, but for some reason when she sees another dog shes an absolute nightmare.

Its like shes always hunting for a dog when were out for a walk - shes like the devil.

If she sees a person in the distance with a carrier bag shell presume theyve got a dog and go wild. Its the same with small children, she thinks theyre dogs.

'Devil' dog: The couple have spent 500 on dog trainers and have tried different medicines

'I need space': Pebbless behaviour puzzles her owners from Rugby in Warwickshire, who say she has never been attacked by another animal

Shell start spinning on her lead and shes really yappy. People think were hurting her because of the noise she makes. You can hear her scream from streets away.

Pebbless behaviour puzzles her owners, who are adamant she has never been attacked by another animal.

Concern: Miss Roberson, 29, has even hid behind bushes while out on dog walks to avoid confrontations with other hounds

But as well as causing friction between Miss Robertson and her boyfriend Joe, 29, a graphic designer, Pebbless antics have even started fights in the street.

She said: A dog trainer gave us this bean bag to throw on the floor when she kicks off.

The idea is that the bean bag makes a sound which distracts her, and eventually she just learns to ignore other dogs.

One day I had to throw down the bean bag and this woman thought Id thrown it at her deliberately.

Pebbles was screaming and the woman confronted me and said she was going to report me. She absolutely laid into me, it was really upsetting.

It erupted into this really heated argument to the point where Joe had to drag me away.

The desperate couple have forked out 500 on dog trainers and have tried different medicines, but nothing has worked.

They are now at the end of their tether and Pebbles has been shortlisted in a competition to be crowned Britains Worst Behaved Dog.

On a lead: Pebbles is involved in a competition to be crowned Britains Worst Behaved Dog

This would see her win a course of training with top dog behaviour therapists at Royvon Dog Training centres.

Miss Roberson said: Were just lost, we have no idea whats next. The first ever dog class we took her to she was kicked out.

Next steps: Miss Roberson is now hoping to start a family soon, but she worries this will be put on hold because of Pebbles

The lady running it didnt know how to deal with her and Pebbles was just panicking.

We also had a dog trainer but for the amount of money we paid him - about 360 - there was little to no improvement, and he only came to see Pebbles about four times in a year.

We dont have this kind of money to spend, but nothing is working.

Miss Roberson is now hoping to start a family with her boyfriend in the next few years, but she worries this will be put on hold because of Pebbles.

She said: Joe wanted to get rid of her. It got to a point and he said he couldnt deal with it anymore.

Its caused massive arguments between us because your dog is like your child and I couldnt bear the thought of giving her to another family.
Turkey may have to build new courthouses to deal with prosecutions after 32,000 people have been arrested following the failed coup, the country's justice minister has warned.

In July, protesters attempted to overthrow the government in a failed uprising and since then more than 32,000 people have been arrested.

Authorities have both detained or sacked people from across local government, the military, the media and the judiciary, and asked the United States to deport Pennsylvania-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, accusing him of organising the aborted coup.

Turkey may have to build new courthouses to deal with prosecutions after 32,000 people have been arrested following the failed coup. Pictured are anti-government protesters in Ankara

Gulen, a former ally of President Tayyip Erdogan now branded a terrorist by Ankara, denies any involvement in the uprising which killed more than 240 people as rogue soldiers commandeered fighter jets, helicopters and tanks.

One new court room was already under construction in the town of Sincan, near the capital Ankara, Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told private broadcaster NTV.

But he added: 'We will build new courthouses as needed ... Some defendants will be prosecuted for membership in a terror organisation.'

He did not expect mass trials with 'thousands of defendants' but added that some of the 32,000 people in custody over suspected links to Gulen could be freed as the legal process advanced.

Fethullah Gulen, pictured, a former ally of President Tayyip Erdogan now branded a terrorist by Ankara, denies any involvement in the uprising

U.S. officials have promised to respond to the extradition request for Gulen in a couple of days, Bozdag said in comments broadcast live, adding that he would seek a meeting at the U.S. Department of Justice this week.

Washington has said it is cooperating with Ankara and asked its NATO ally for patience as it processes the extradition request for the 75-year-old preacher.

Turkey is closely tracking the U.S. prosecution of a Turkish gold trader with alleged links to Erdogan, Bozdag said.

Businessman Reza Zarrab, 33, was arrested in Miami in March, then charged with helping Iran process millions of dollars in transactions that violated U.S. sanctions against Tehran in effect at the time. Zarrab has pleaded not guilty.

A successful overthrow of Erdogan, who has run the country of about 80 million people since 2003, could have sent Turkey spiraling into conflict

'As Turkey, we will remain opposed to this legal process that is being taken against us,' Bozdag said.

Erdogan said at the weekend U.S. prosecutors were trying to implicate him in the case and accused U.S. officials involved in the prosecution of links to the Gulen movement.
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Apple is to create a new London headquarters inside the 9billion Battersea Power Station development for up to 3,000 staff - but it probably won't pay more UK corporation tax.

The Grade II listed building on the Thames with its iconic towers is key a feature of south London's skyline and will now become home to some 1,400 Apple workers but with room for more than double that figure.

The tech giant will occupy six floors - about half a million square feet of office space - in the central boiler house of the former coal-fired power station.

New home: Apple is going to move its London headquarters into the 9billion Battersea Power Station development with room for up to 3,000 staff

It is good news for Britain after the Brexit vote on June 23 because critics said that leaving the EU would stop big businesses investing in the UK.

But it appears Apple has no plans to move its international headquarters from Cork to the UK, where it currently takes advantage of Ireland's lower tax rate.

This arrangement allows the tech giant to funnel its non-US profits through its Irish offices, described by the EU as having no staff or premises, then on to its $178billion (120bn) offshore fund.

Apple, which insists it pays all taxes due in Britain, will become the largest office tenant in the new-look Battersea Power Station development but is likely to keep its international HQ in Ireland, which has a lower tax rate

Apple, which insists it pays all taxes due in Britain, will become the largest office tenant in the new-look Battersea Power Station development.

In 2015 it sparked fury after revealing that it paid only 11.8million in British corporation tax the previous year  despite raking in profits estimated at almost 2billion.

Good sign: Apple, which is run by Tim Cook, will use 40 per cent of Battersea's office space, which is good news for Britain after the Brexit vote on June 23 after critics said that leaving the EU would stop big businesses investing in the UK

It will take up around 40 per cent of the office space and spreading staff across six floors and employees will be relocated from various London offices in 2021, Apple said.

Apple has around 1,400 office staff in London working across nine sites and another 1,100 working in its UK stores.

It added that it was a 'great opportunity to have its entire team working and collaborating in one location while supporting the renovation of a neighbourhood rich with history'.

Rob Tincknell, chief executive of Battersea Power Station Development Company, said: 'We are delighted that Apple has chosen to make Battersea Power Station its home in 2021.

'It is testament to our fantastic building and the wider regeneration of the 42-acre site which offers a carefully curated mix of homes, businesses and leisure amidst extraordinary open spaces and new transport links.

'It has always been our clear objective to create one of London's most thriving new communities and this commitment from Apple will undoubtedly help us achieve our goal.'

Approximately 500,000 sq ft will be used by Apple in the central boiler house of the former coal-fired power station.

Big business: Apple has around 1,400 office staff in London working across nine sites and another 1,100 working in its UK stores, including the flagship Regent Street shop

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: 'I am delighted that Apple is moving into Battersea Power Station, helping to generate new jobs and economic prosperity for Londoners.

'It is a further sign that London is open to the biggest brands in the world and the leading city for trade and investment.'

APPLE CUTS IN EUROPE COULD BE DEVASTATING More than 22,000 people in Europe are employed directly by Apple and around 1.4million more rely on them for money, the tech giant claims. Parts for its phones, tablets, computers and watches are put together with the help of 4,700 suppliers based in 23 countries. More than 6,500 people in Britain are employed directly by Apple - the highest number in the EU - followed by 5,500 each in Germany and Ireland. In Europe there are more than 100 official Apple stores employing an average of 100 people each and there are 600 smaller Apple Premium Resellers across Europe that offer the complete range of Apple products. Away from direct sales Apple also has more than one million registered app developers making money through the App Store. Advertisement

Chancellor Philip Hammond said: 'Apple's decision to move 1,400 staff to a new campus at Battersea Power Station further strengthens London's position as a global technology hub, and demonstrates how the UK is at the forefront of the next steps in the tech-revolution.

'It's another vote of confidence in the UK economy, sending a clear signal that companies are continuing to invest in Britain's future, and that we are one of the most attractive investment destinations for the global technology industry.'

Last month Apple threatened to cut jobs in Europe after Brussels ordered it to repay 11billion ($14.5billion) - the biggest tax bill ever imposed outside the US.

The European Commission's three-year investigation into Apple's sweetheart deal with Ireland found it amounted to illegal state aid.

Its damning report published on August 30 said the tech giant paid as little as 0.005 per cent tax by funnelling its non-US profits through its Irish headquarters with no staff or premises then on to its $178billion (120bn) offshore fund.

The giant tax bill, which could reach 16billion ($21 billion) because of interest, will not be difficult for the company to pay because it made $53.4billion (35billion) last year - the biggest profit in corporate history.

But Apple will appeal saying the Commission's figures are 'completely made-up' and its CEO Tim Cook, who previously called the probe 'political c**p', is threatening EU job losses if they don't back down.

The US Treasury has also warned Brussels not to pursue American companies over tax avoidance - but McDonald's, Google and Amazon could be next.

Ireland has said it doesn't want Apples money even though it is equivalent to 2,400 for each of its 4.5million residents and would cover the costs of its national health service for a year.
A composite sketch of a suspected armed robber has caused a storm on social media after the person in the image resembled a cartoon frog.

Indiana University police say they are searching for a man with a blue hooded jacket however the photo depicts an androgynous figure - with a mustache - that will probably not help find the thief.

After a news outlet shared the photo on its Facebook page one user cruelly commented 'it looks like Wanda Sykes is the robber' while another said it 'looks like the sketch artist might need to go into a different line of business.'

A cartoon frog? Male or female? The large eyes, small mustache and stringy hair has amused many on social media

Twitter users were equally as aghast at the image. One asked 'how the hell are we supposed to work with this?' and one more said 'if this guy actually looks like this he'll be easy catch.'

Police say the robbery occurred on Indiana University campus at 12am on Tuesday morning.

A male student told police that he was sitting alone listening to music when a male passed in front of him.

Moments later the student was grabbed from behind and a metal object, which could have been a gun, was placed to his head. He didn't see the weapon clearly.

This Twitter user was quick to point out that sketch may not help in locating the suspect

The victim described the suspect as an African-American man who was in his 20s or 30s, stood at around 5ft9 and weighed 175 pounds

The victim promptly handed over his cell phone and wallet after the man demanded them.

The victim described the suspect as an African-American man who was in his 20s or 30s, stood at around 5ft9 and weighed 175 pounds.
The mother of an Indiana woman accused of kidnapping her two young children and then driving to a police station with their lifeless bodies in a car trunk described her daughter as 'evil' and said she was a bad parent.

Amber Pasztor, 29, has been charged with two preliminary counts of murder in the deaths of her daughter Liliana Hernandez, seven, and six-year-old son Rene Pasztor.

An Amber Alert had been issued for the children in Fort Wayne Monday, saying they were 'believed to be in extreme danger.'

Five hours later, the brother and sister were found dead 70 miles away in Elkhart, Indiana, inside a car belonging to Pastorz's neighbor who was shot to death.

An autopsy Tuesday determined Liliana and Rene died of asphyxiation, Elkhart police Sgt. Chris Snyder said.

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Amber Pasztor, 29 (left), was arrested on Monday and charged with murdering her six-year-old son Rene Pasztor (center) and her seven-year-old daughter Liliana Hernandez (right)

Grandmother speaks out: Amber's mother, Leanne Pasztor (center) says her daughter is 'crazy' and 'evil'

Speaking to People Magazine Tuesday, Amber Pasztor's mother, Leanna Pastorz, said she was not surprised to learn of the charges against her daughter, whom she labeled 'evil.'

'We thought she was crazy,' Leanne Pasztor said of her 29-year-old daughter, who had lost custody of her two children more than a year ago due to drug addiction. 'I think her thought was, "If she can't have them, nobody can."'

Liliana and Rene, who according to their grandmother were scared of their mother, moved in with another relative, Emily Lasko Green, and were apparently happy in their new home.

Green told the website that she had gone through 'hell' to gain custody of the brother and sister, whom she described as 'wonderful.'

'They were our babies,' Green said. 'God gave us babies and she took them away.'

Elkhart County Prosecutor Curtis Hill said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon that he expected to formally charge Amber Pasztor in the deaths of the children later this week.

'It's a senseless tragedy,' Hill said.

Pastorz was due in court for a probable cause hearing Wednesday afternoon.

Video Courtesy WANE

According to their grandmother, Rene (left) and Liliana (right) were fearful of their mother, who is said to be a drug addict

'Motive': Leanne Pasztor (pictured left) speculated that her daughter killed her children so that no one else could have them. The 29-year-old woman had lost custody of the siblings (right) more than a year ago

Happier times: Rene and Liliana had been living with another relative, Emily Lasko Green, who said that the pair were very happy in their new home

The body of 65-year-old Frank Macomber was found early Tuesday morning by an FBI agent searching the area near the home where the two children were abducted.

Macomber's daughter says he was neighbors with Pasztor, who used to make him drive her around. When his photo was released in the Amber Alert on Monday, his daughter feared that he was being used against his will.

Sixty-five-year-old Frank Macomber (pictured) was believed to be with Pasztor when she kidnapped her children Monday morning and his body was later found just hal a mile from the home where the kids were abducted

A prosecutor said Macomber probably died before the children were abducted.

'Miss Pasztor has been somewhat cooperative,' Hill said. Asked if she told investigators where they could find Macomber's body, the prosecutor said only, 'She gave information that was helpful to the investigation.'

Police issued an Amber Alert for Liliana and Rene early Monday, after Amber Pasztor allegedly broke into her father Ricky Green's home in Fort Wayne and kidnapped them just after 6am. Green's wife Emily was allegedly sleeping at the time and didn't hear anything.

Pasztor's father gained custody of Liliana and Rene - as well as his daughter's other three-year-old son - a little more than a year ago. It's reported that Pasztor struggles with drug addiction.

Five hours after the Alert was issued, Pasztor drove to the Elkhart police station and stopped a cop who was just getting off work and informed him about the bodies in the trunk of her car.

Video Courtesy WANE

Pasztor allegedly broke into her father's home in Fort Wayne at around 6am on Monday and kidnapped Rene and Liliana

Five hours later, Pasztor drove to the Elkhart Police Department and told a cop that her children's bodies were in the trunk

Pasztor was then arrested and booked in jail on two counts of murder.

Elkhart police Sgt. Chris Snyder told The Elkhart Truth that the mother cooperated with officers as she was handcuffed and didn't appear to be suffering from any physical injuries.

'She wasn't resistant at all,' Snyder said. 'She actually approached the officer and stopped and made contact with him.'

Snyder added that the 29-year-old then 'became pretty emotional. And that's kind of where our detectives left it last night.'

After Pasztor's arrest, police continued to search for Macomber. They tried his home, but had no luck, and then focused on the area around the home where the kids' were abducted.

For a little more than a year, Pasztor's father Ricky Green (right) has had custody of her three children. Green is pictured above with his wife Emily

Its' reported that Green gained custody of the children when his daughter became addicted to drugs. Liliana (left) and Rene (right) pictured above

It was just after police called off the search at that home, on the 7000 block of U.S. 33, that a law enforcement agent making one last look down Wallen Road found the body in a wooded area.

Macomber's daughter spoke with WNDU and said that she believed her father was in danger when he was included in the Amber Alert about Pasztor, and may have even been taken against his will.

She says she last talked to her father at 2pm on Sunday, making plans for a 5pm dinner, but he never showed up. Then all of her calls went straught to voicemail that night.

His daughter says that Pasztor had become 'abrasive' and 'pushy' with her father in recent weeks, and would demand that he drive her places.

In addition to her alleged struggles with drug addiction, Pasztor has a criminal record including arrests for invasion of privacy and criminal trespassing. She's pictured on the left in a Facebook photo and on the right in an older mugshot, when she had blonde hair

In addition to her drug issues, Pasztor has a criminal record including an arrest in July for criminal trespassing, according to WSBT 22. She was also charged with invasion of privacy on September 14.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help pay for the funeral expenses of Liliana and Rene. As of Wednesday morning, more than $10,200 has been donated to the fund.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Elkhart Police Department at 1-574-295-7070 or the Tip Line at 1-574-389-4777.
This is the sickening moment ISIS savages hacked a prisoner's hand off - after accusing him of being a thief.

Fanatics held the man's arm down before tying it to a desk in front of crowds of people in the centre of the city of Hama in western Syria.

Moments later a masked man chops the prisoner's hand off at the wrist, before medics rush in and start to bandage up his blood-soaked arm.

Pictures capture the sickening moment ISIS savages hacked a prisoner's hand off - after accusing him of being a thief

Fanatics held the man's arm down before tying it to a desk in front of crowds of people in the centre of the city of Hama in western Syria

Earlier, a man dressed in blue read out the charges as an extremist held the prisoner in place.

Young children can be seen sitting with armed militants and watching the gruesome punishment.

It is not the first time thieves have been maimed by ISIS brutes for their crimes.

In August, sickening images emerged of a man having his hand chopped off with a cleaver while a baying crowd watched on.

The man was blindfolded and dragged to a square in the terror group's stronghold of Raqqa in Syria before being forced in to a seat while his arm was held to a wooden table.

In the past, ISIS barbarians have also used industrial paper cutters to carry out the same punishment.

A masked man chops the prisoner's hand off at the wrist, before medics rush in and start to bandage up his blood-soaked arm

It comes as it emerged that ISIS no longer controls any oil wells in Iraq after being ousted by government forces last week from an area near Kirkuk, the oil ministry said on Wednesday.

The ultra-hardline Sunni Muslim group were driven out of Shirqat on Thursday by US-backed Iraqi forces. Last month it lost the Qayyara oilfield, south of Mosul, to government forces thrusting northwards in an offensive to retake the largest city under IS control.

Deprived of oil income, ISIS will have to find other financing means such as increasing taxation and fines in areas still under its control, said Muthana Jbara, a provincial security official.
A private in the British Army was such a talented angler that he was excused from regular trench duties to provide food for the rest of the men.

John Henry Hirst braved German shells and snipers to sit by lakes with his unique 17ft 'spider-web' fishing rod for hours on end.

With no cover from enemy fire and during the height of hostilities at Ypres in 1915, the Yorkshireman successfully caught piles of trout, eel and bream and survived the conflict to go on to become a champion angler.

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Private John Henry Hirst, right, was excused from general duties on the Western Front during the First World War so he could fish for fellow soldiers with his innovative rod, left

The 17ft bamboo rod, pictured, used a network of cables to support its great length in a similar way to modern cranes

The rod and two carp, pictured, caught by Pte Hirst near Ypres, Belgium, in 1915, were brought on to the Antiques Roadshow by angling historian Victor Bonutto

His story came to light again following the recent appearance of his homemade bamboo rod on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow, where it was valued by an expert at 5,000.

Pte Hirst used crane-style mechanics, making the rod resemble a spider's web, to support the extra length needed to fish from a longer distance.

The distinctive rod was used by Pte Hirst during his days as a competitive angler after the war, leading him to win a string of medals as captain of the famous Bradford team in the 1930s and building a reputation as 'unbeatable'.

The rod, pictured in a newspaper clipping from the early 1900s, was valued by an expert at 5,000

However his attempts to market the innovative rod ultimately failed and it remained forgotten, sitting unused in his daughter's attic for 60 years.

This was until the story was mentioned to angling historian Victor Bonutto, who became fascinated and after purchasing the rod from Hirst's descendants set about restoring it to its former glory.

Mr Bonutto, 61, brought the rod to display on BBC's Antiques Roadshow alongside a glass cabinet containing two stuffed carp, which Pte Hirst, who died aged 75 in 1963, caught while serving on the Western Front in 1915 and had sent back to a London taxidermist.

Mr Bonutto said: 'He was a match angler and had a theory that he needed to be further out from the bank than his competitors, so he produced this very long, very sturdy fishing rod.

'John Hirst patented the idea in 1928 and he made an attempt to market them, but this was not successful.

'But what was successful was his match fishing exploits with this rod. He was thought of as almost unbeatable when he had it in his hands.

'During the war he displayed remarkable courage. He was an incredibly brave man.

'Because he was such an obsessive and skillful angler he was excused from all other duties which enabled him to catch fish for the men to eat.

'But it meant he was out there on the lake with no cover with the Germans trying to take pot shots at him.'

Pte Hirst, pictured, was described as 'incredibly brave' for fishing in lakes with no cover while 'the Germans tried to take pot shots at him'

The Antiques Roadshow's Adam Schoon (pictured) who valued the stuffed fish along with the rod for a combined 10,000, said: 'He was there fishing as missiles flew over his head exploding not far away'

He was also a champion angler, pictured here in his most successful year, 1933, when he won various competitions as captain of the Bradford Angling Team

Mr Bonutto now hopes to take the fishing rod back to Ypres more than 100 years after Hirst's exploits in an an expedition to raise money for charity Fishing for Forces.

The Antiques Roadshow's Adam Schoon, who valued the stuffed fish along with the rod for a combined 10,000, said: 'He was there fishing as missiles flew over his head exploding not far away.

'The guts of the man - this was true British grit and eccentricity.'
A mother in India has been jailed for life after killing her six-month-old daughter so she could pay more attention to her sick son.

Ritu Ahuja, 27, was found guilty at the High Court in Jabalpur, India of murdering the young girl, called Arohi, and dumping her body near a temple.

She was arrested after CCTV footage showed her taking the infant away from her house in a baby bag and driving away but returning without the bag.

Ritu Ahuja, 27, was found guilty at the High Court in Jabalpur, India of murdering her daughter Arohi and dumping her body near a temple

According to the Times of India, she had took the baby who was sleeping in her cot and then drowned her in a pool of water in a desolate lane.

Ahuja later told police that her son is often ill, and she was unable to care for him properly because her daughter took up much of her time.

She told police: 'I was already having trouble in bringing up a two-year-old child and now with this baby it became extremely difficult for me to manage.'

The court in India were also told how after her daughter's death, Ahuja contacted a police to report her missing, saying she came back from taking a bath to find her gone.

She then tried to claim the child was abducted by a gang on a motorcycle

Ahuja later told police that her son is often ill, and she was unable to care for him properly because her daughter took up much of her time

However, police later found Arohi's skeletal remains and DNA tests revealed her identity.

It was then that Ahuja was arrested and she confessed to her crime.

After her trial today, she was led away from the High Court with a blanket covering her head.
A Virginia mother says a person dressed in a scary clown mask that prompted alarm in the area is her 12-year-old son and he's 'a very sweet child'.

Holly Brown told WTVR-TV her son Angus has autism and is a big fan of horror author Stephen King.

She said Angus recently got a costume modeled after the Pennywise character from King's novel, It.

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A Virginia mother says a person dressed in a scary clown mask that prompted alarm in the area is her 12-year-old son and he's 'a very sweet child'

Holly Brown told WTVR-TV her son Angus has autism and is a big fan of horror author Stephen King. She said Angus recently got a costume modeled after the Pennywise character from King's novel, It

WTVR reported that Angus wore the costume and waved at cars while being driven by his grandmother to his mother's home.

Someone snapped a picture, shared it on social media and contacted the TV station.

Brown told WTVR: 'There was no malicious intent. He's just a kid excited about his new costume.

'He was never a threat, and is in fact a very sweet child with autism and a new found love of Stephen King stories, hence the It costume.'

She says she and Angus agreed that from now he'll only wear the costume at Halloween functions.

Brown told the TV station: 'We all agree that he must save his Halloween costume to be worn at Halloween functions only due to the current scary-clown-sighting situation.

'This clown was simply a little boy in a new toy.'

WTVR reported that Angus wore the costume and waved at cars while being driven by his grandmother to his mother's home. Someone snapped a picture, shared it on social media and contacted the TV station

The Tennesse Highway Patrol warned on Twitter Saturday to 'watch for clowns trying to lure children in to the woods. They are possibly predators.'

In Middlesboro, Kentucky, police noticed Jonathan Martin in a clown costume on September 23, WKYT reported. The 20-year-old was cited for covering his face in public -- a violation of a city ordinance, the report said.

Authorities in Greenville, South Carolina, were among the first to report a clown-related incident in recent weeks.

Late last month, some children reported clowns trying to lure them into the woods with money. Sheriff's deputies found no evidence, however, not even a prankster in a clown suit.

But for whatever reason, since then, people in Alabama, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, have also reported scary or suspicious encounters with people dressed like clowns.

Some of the reported sightings have been hoaxes, like the four young children who told police they made up stories about spotting clowns in unusual places in and around Annapolis, Maryland, or the 24-year-old man whom police in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, charged with falsely reporting that a clown knocked on his window.

Other related cases weren't so harmless and have resulted in criminal charges.

Tim Curry is pictured portraying Pennywise in Stephen King's It

The sheriff in Escambia County, Alabama, this month arrested a 22-year-old woman and two juveniles after Flomaton High School was locked down and searched when students were threatened on 'Flomo Klown' and 'Shoota Cllown' social media accounts.

And in Athens, Georgia, an 11-year-old girl was arrested for taking a knife to school on September 23 because she was frightened by social media reports and other rumors that clowns were preparing to attack children.

The Pennsylvania reports and law-enforcement response have, so far, been more low key. Police want to encourage people to report suspicious behavior without aggravating matters.

Albert Walker, the police chief in northeastern Pennsylvania's Hanover Township, has stepped up patrols along the Sans Souci Parkway after Facebook posts about a clown in nearby woods.

But the chief chose his words carefully in describing his department's connection to any other clown sightings.

'Peripherally we're connected to it, but not directly,' Walker said. 'It was a social media post that identified the possibility of an alleged sighting of an individual dressed as a clown along one of our main highways.'

Pottsville Police Chief Richard Wojciechowsky said there appeared to be more to a clown-related incident reported the evening of September 19 in his borough, about 90 miles northwest of Philadelphia  but still no cause for alarm.

'Two knuckleheads with clown-like clothes on' hopped out of a pickup truck and yelled at a group of young children and teenagers, the chief said.

'It wasn't a physical threat or a violent act. At best, (it's) a misguided juvenile prank,' the chief said. 'Some of the older kids weren't even frightened.'

The Pennsylvania State Police are investigating recent unspecified clown sightings in the towns of Huntingdon and Ebensburg, where a woman said a clown peeped through her window.
Up to 600 people a year are paralysed or die because they suffered a stroke at the wrong time.

Stroke victims in NSW are missing out on the four-hour window for clot-removing surgery because after 8pm the specialists have gone home and left patients on a drip instead, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Around 1300 people need the surgery every year in NSW.

Up to 600 people a year are paralysed or die in NSW because they suffered a stroke at the wrong time (stock image)

Stroke victims in NSW are missing out on the four-hour window for clot-removing surgery because specialists have gone home and left patients on a drip instead (stock image)

'What we're talking about is somewhere between 300 and 600 patients a year in NSW alone who would be out of nursing homes or alive,' an unnamed doctor told The Daily Telegraph.

'During hours they go in and pull the clot out and then 70 to 80 per cent of patients will make an independent recovery. After 8pm virtually 100 per cent of these types of patients will end up in a nursing home or dead.'

It's estimated out of the $20 billion health budget for 2016, $30 million could be spent having interventional neuro radiologists available 24/7 in NSW.

The NSW system differs from the Western Australia and Victoria, where Chair of the Stroke Foundation Clinical Council Associate Professor Bruce Campbell is based.

Prof Campbell says Melbourne is on track to treat 300 stroke suffers with the clot removing surgery.

'It's certainly something that NSW needs to organise  there are certainly people capable of doing it they're just not organised into a system, even in daylight hours, where people know who to call and where to go,' he told The Daily Telegraph.

Health Minister Jillian Skinner said neuro-intervention clinicians were being recruited in Sydney 'to ensure a safe and sustainable neuro-intervention service can be provided.'

Health Minister Jillian Skinner said neuro-intervention clinicians were being recruited in Sydney (stock image)
U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's estimated net worth is $3.7billion, $800million less than a year ago, Forbes magazine reported on Wednesday, attributing the loss largely to New York's softening real estate market.

The magazine probed 28 assets or asset classes owned by the New York businessman and found 18 had declined in value, including Trump Tower in Manhattan and his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.

The value of his 40 Wall Street property in downtown New York had also declined, according to Forbes, which said it has been tracking Trump's wealth for 34 years.

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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally on Wednesday in Council Bluffs, Iowa

Forbes magazine probed 28 assets or asset classes owned by the New York businessman and found 18 had declined in value, including Trump Tower in Manhattan, pictured above

At the same time, one asset remained steady while seven others - including 555 California Street, the second tallest building in San Francisco - saw their value increase, it reported.

Representatives for the Trump campaign could not be immediately reached for comment.

The report comes as Trump, known as a reality television star as well as for his real estate business, heads into the final stretch of campaigning for the November 8 election.

Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach in Florida, pictured above, had also declined in value

Trump, seeking elected office for the first time, has touted his business acumen in pressing for change in Washington.

He has vowed to rip up trade deals, negotiate with allies to make them pay more for their U.S. defense protection, and have Mexico pay for a wall he has proposed along the southern U.S. border.

If elected, he would be the first billionaire to serve as president, according to Forbes.

Details of Trump's wealth are not publicly known because, bucking a decades-old tradition of U.S. presidential candidates, he has refused to release his tax returns.

His Democratic rival, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, earned $10.75million in 2015 alongside her husband, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, their tax filing showed.

People walk in front of the former Bank of America Headquarters at 555 California Street in San Francisco. This property owned by Trump saw its value increase over the past year

Clinton and others, including some prominent Republicans, have pressed Trump to release his returns.

They have also raised questions about his net worth as well as his charitable contributions and business ties.

Forbes said its analysis did not place any value on Trump's brand. It also disputed Trump's assertion in Monday night's presidential debate that he reported $694million in income from last year to the Federal Election Commission.

Forbes said Trump mixed revenue and income in the document.

According to Forbes, Trump's 40 Wall Street property, seen above, in downtown New York has also declined in value

Trump has so far given $54million to his presidential campaign.

His campaign has also paid his companies for office space in Trump Tower and use of his private airline, among other expenses, federal election filings have shown.

Politico reported separately on Wednesday that Trump is considering giving more money to his campaign to fund an advertising blitz, citing three sources close to him.

Amid the campaign, Trump made just one real estate deal in the past year: purchasing a Charleston, South Carolina, warehouse that was in foreclosure, Forbes said.
Donald Trump said Wednesday he is 'totally committed' to a 'strong Poland' while one of his top advisors, Rudy Giuliani, bashed 'depravation' of human rights and killings in Russia, Poland's longtime adversary.

Trump provided the reassurance to longtime U.S. and NATO ally Poland during remarks to the National Polish Congress in Chicago.

'As president, I will honor Poland's sacrifices for freedom. We're committed to a strong Poland, very committed, totally committed,' Trump told the group.

'As president I will honor Poland's sacrifices for freedom,' he said, noting its troop commitments to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 'We're committed to a strong Poland and a strong Eastern Europe as the bulwark for security and liberty.'

Donald Trump expressed support for a 'strong Poland' at a meeting with the Polish American Congress in Chicago Wednesday, while Rudy Giuliani bashed 'killings' inside Russia

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Just minutes earlier, he had met with Polish American Congress, where one member appeared to express concern about Russia, which carved up Poland before and after World War II and posed a constant threat during the Cold War.

The member mentioned 'cruel and merciless totalitarian aggression' by Russia toward Poland during World War II, according to a brief snatch of conversation observed by a small group of pool reporters allowed to travel with Trump to the event.

Trump's call for improved relations with Russia  as well as praise for the strength and leadership of Russian President Vladimir Putin  has been a running theme throughout the campaign.

But in introducing Trump, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani referenced human rights abuses in Russia, and blasted Hillary Clinton for helping facilitate a 'reset' with Russia that put aside those concerns and took away a major point of contention  a missile shield to protect NATO neighbors that Russia complained amounted to encirclement.

Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani said Hillary Clinton 'double-crossed' Poland by negotiating a reset with Russia, while saying Trump would defend the NATO treaty, which calls for mutual self-defense

WELCOME MAT: Someone spray-painted graffiti on the building of the Polish National Alliance where Donald Trump spoke Wednesday

CLEAN-UP: Workers were spotted removing graffiti at about 9 am, just before Trump was set to arrive at the Polish National Alliance in Chicago

''During the cold war Poland kept the flame of freedom under communist repression. It was a beacon,' Trump said.

'The Obama administration began, I believe double, crossing Poland and the Czech Republic,' Giuliani said. 'They took away what was promised to you, a nuclear defense of its country.'

He said the U.S. got 'nothing' in return.

'No guarantees of non-aggression, no guarantees of lessening up on the depravation of human rights that go on in Russia  or the killings,' he said.

Giuliani spoke directly to the Putin issue  which became a constant source of media attention when Paul Manafort ran Trump's campaign after having done work for a pro-Kremlin Ukrainian political party.

'He doesn't know Putin. He's never met Putin. Will he negotiate with, Putin yes. Did Reagan negotiate with Gorbachev? Yes,' Giuliani said.

Trump has said he spoke 'indirectly and directly with Putin' during a visit to Moscow along with the Miss Universe pageant.

Trump and daughter Ivanka Trump also attended fundraisers in Chicago on the visit

Giuliani hailed Poland as a nation that should be proud because it 'pays its bills to NATO' by meeting a commitment of paying 2 per cent of its domestic product.

He said of Trump: 'Hell defend the NATO treaty. Its a solemn obligation of the United States.'

'Yes, hes going to push some of the people that arent paying their fair share to pay more,' Giuliani said. 'If any member of the NATO alliance  all 28  if any one of them is attacked, we all come to each others defense.'

Trump himself has suggested the U.S. won't rush to defend allies that don't meet their obligations.

In his own remarks, Trump repeated hailed Poland and the contributions of Polish Americans.

IN CONSONANCE: Trump announced the creation of a new Polish American advisory council

He praised Poland for meeting its NATO duties. Referencing some other allies, he said 'So many o them are delinquent. Theyre in default essentially.'

'During the cold war Poland kept the flame of freedom under communist repression. It was a beacon,' Trump said.

He even praised the Polish American Congress building as 'clean.'

Just minutes before he was to arrive, workers had to remove anti-Trump graffiti that got sprayed on windows and masonry on a side of the building.

'As president, I will honor Poland's sacrifices for freedom. We're committed to a strong Poland, very committed, totally committed,' Trump said.

He referenced a comment by former president Bill Clinton during the campaign that Poland and Hungary 'have now decided Democracy is too much trouble' and that they 'they want Putin-like leadership.'

Chastising the U.S.-backed nations, Clinton had compared developments in the nations to Trump. 'Just give me an authoritarian dictatorship and keep the foreigners out, sound familiar?
They claim the doctorate is an 'insult' to other students graduating

John Howard has been branded a 'racist' and a 'war criminal' by academic staff and students angered at a university's decision to award him an honorary doctorate.

The former Australian prime minister is due to accept the prestigious award from his old stomping ground the University of Sydney at a graduation ceremony on Friday.

The doctorate is in recognition of the 77-year-old's achievements, including 'world-leading gun law reform, leadership in East Timor and contribution to Australia's economic reform,' the Guardian reported.

But a letter of protest threatening to boycott the graduation has been signed by over 100 people, all slamming the award as 'deeply scandalous and inappropriate.'

Former Australian prime minister John Howard (pictured now, right, and in 1986, left) has been branded 'racist' and a 'war criminal' by students angered at a university's decision to award him with an honorary doctorate

According to the University of Sydney, the doctorate is in recognition of the 77-year-old's achievements, including 'world-leading gun law reform and leadership in East Timor' (right)

'To confer a doctorate on him is an insult to Indigenous people, refugees, and anyone committed to multiculturalism, peace and social progress in this country and in the world,' the letter reportedly reads.

Dr Nicholas Reimer, a senior English lecturer at the University of Sydney involved in the protest and drafting of the letter, said the doctorate was 'an insult' to those graduating.

'It's telling (that) the university has chosen to put this on during a week in which there are no students on campus and also in which a lot of staff members are away at conferences,' he said, the Daily Telegraph reported.

'If the university is really committed to peace in the world and the diminution of violence, it really shouldn't be endorsing the actions of a prime minister who led this country to war.'

Howard had a succinct response for his critics: 'It is a free country  they are entitled to their view'.

A letter of protest threatening to boycott the graduation has been signed by over 100 academic staff and students at the University of Sydney (pictured)
A pair of former nuns are to get married in Italy after they fell in love during a mission.

The women, only known as Federica from Italy and Isabel from South America, have been in a relationship for three years and will become one of the first same sex couples to enter into a civil union in Italy.

The pair met when when they were both nuns at the Franciscan order, named after the current Pope's namesake Francis of Assisi.

A pair of former nuns are to get married in Italy after they fell in love during a mission and will become one of the first same sex couples to enter into a civil union in the country (file picture)

However, in order to get married, both women have had to go through the formal process of cutting their ties with the Vatican and Catholic Church.

They will officially tie the knot tomorrow in a ceremony in Piedmont in northern Italy with the union officiated by Five Star Movement member and mayor Luca Salvai.

After, Federica and Isabel will receive a blessing from controversial ex-priest Franco Barbero.

He too was excommunicated from the church due to his support of gay marriage and has since set up a networking group, where he met the former nuns.

And he told Italian newspaper La Stampa, that the marriage of Isabel and Federica was 'like all the love stories in the world.'

He said: 'They got to know each other slowly, and discovered they had deep feelings.

Earlier this year tens of thousands of people, many of them holding flags reading 'No to civil unions', protested against civil partnerships in Rome

'They are two marvellous people, with very deep faith. They reflected for a long time and took the decision courageously, knowing it wouldn't be accepted.'

Italy's parliament gave the green light for the introduction of gay civil unions in May, becoming the last major Western country to legally recognise same-sex relationships.

The Catholic Church has strongly opposed the legislation and in January tens of thousands of protesters packed a square in central Rome to demonstrate against the laws.
Mimi Morales, 7, underwent intensive surgery after she developed a serious dental infection that forced doctors to remove three permanent teeth and a part of her jaw bone

A seven-year-old girl in California has underwent intensive surgery to remove several teeth and a part of her jaw bone  just one in a group of nearly two dozen children who developed dental infections after visiting a local clinic.

Mimi Morales, 7, went in for a routine baby root canal in July at the Children's Dental Group in Anaheim, where the water system has been linked to suspected mycobacterial infections in at least 22 kids.

Then on Sunday, the second-grader went under at Children's Hospital of Orange County to remove three permanent teeth that had yet to grow in and a part of her jaw bone.

'The doctor said he removed as much bone as he could without disfiguring her,' said Mimi's grandmother, also named Mimi Morales, to the Orange County Register.

'Look at this poor baby, what she's going through just because of a tooth. I'm just flabbergasted that we're even here.'

Mimi, 7, (pictured with father Zack Morales) went in for a routine baby root canal in July at the Children's Dental Group in Anaheim, where the water system has been linked to suspected mycobacterial infections in at least 22 kids

An infection stemming from the procedure forced Mimi to undergo surgery to remove three permanent teeth that had yet to grow in and a part of her jaw bone (pictured)

Mimi's treatment now includes months of antibiotics and extensive dental work

Mimi's treatment now includes months of antibiotics, which may damage her hearing  and won't be able to get dental implants until she's 18, according to the newspaper.

Public health officials say there are at least three confirmed cases of mycobacterial infection in the 22 children who were hospitalized after undergoing this same procedure at Children's Dental Group.

The children, ages three to nine, were treated at the Anaheim clinic between April and late July.

On September 15, public health officials ordered Children's Dental Group to replace its water system.

Symptoms include soreness and discomfort in the mouth. Mimi's family at first thought she had a cold sore.

'My silver tooth, when I chewed, it hurt,' Mimi told the OC Register.

'When I brushed my teeth, blood came out.'

Mimi's treatment of antibiotics may damage her hearing  and she won't be able to get dental implants until she's 18

Public health officials say there are at least three confirmed cases of mycobacterial infection in the 22 children who were hospitalized after undergoing this same procedure at Children's Dental Group (pictured)

Her grandmother said she worries other families won't know these symptoms are serious.

'That's why I'm worried there are people out there and their kids seem fine,' Morales told the OC Register.

'They have no symptoms. They may have seen the news and said, "Thank God my kid's fine," and meanwhile it's eating away at your bone, your jaw.'

After the surgery, Mimi was left with a right cheek so swollen, she finds it hard to speak. But her family says she should be back home and to school soon

CEO Sam Gruenbaum, whose company runs Children's Dental Group, did not respond to a request for comment.

In an email, he told the OC Register: 'We appreciate our patients coming in.'

After the surgery, Mimi was left with a right cheek so swollen, she finds it hard to speak. But she should be back home and to school soon.
The two young women who went missing in the same area as 16-year-old Cassie Olczak have been found.

Friends Nikki Groves and Kate Bateup were reported missing on Wednesday after heading east down a walking track from Waterfall Station into the Royal National Park at Sutherland, in Sydney's south.

Rescue teams found the pair on Thursday morning and are being looking at by NSW Ambulance paramedics.

A NSW Police spokesman said the women were 'safe and well'.

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Friends Nikki Groves (right) and Kate Bateup (left) have been found after they were reported missing on Wednesday after they took a walking track heading east from Waterfall Station

Cassie Olczak, 16, was last seen at about 6.30pm on Sunday night at Banksia Railway Station in Sydney's south-west where she appeared to be groggy and disoriented

Ms Groves and Ms Bateup called National Parks and Wildlife Service rangers about 2pm on Wednesday and said they had got lost.

The rangers then lost contact with them and rescue crews have been unable to speak with the pair again.

Family and friends of Ms Groves were concerned about her welfare as she had a medical condition that required urgent attention.

The 21-year-old woman's parents on Wednesday night begged police to not to stop searching overnight for their daughter, who is insulin dependent and left for the days hike without her medication.

A relative of Kate Bateup told Daily Mail Australia they had contact with the two friends about 5am on Thursday, who gave their location as 'on the edge of a cliff'.

'I think that was the best description they could give of where they were... they don't really know where they are, theyre lost,' the relative said.

'But it's a real worry because one of them urgently needs medication.'

The girls were not experienced bushwalkers, but decided to go for a hike and make the most of the nice weather on Wednesday, the relative said.

Ms Bateup getting out of a fire and rescue car after she was found on Thursday

The 16-year-old has been missing since Sunday after spending the day with friends and boarding a train at Banksia Railway Station in Sydney's south-west

She had intended to get off the train at Hurstville but CCTV cameras captured the girl getting off the southbound train alone at Waterfall Railway Station at 7pm

Police said Cassie was caught on security cameras walking out of the train station and has not been seen since

'Kate recently went on a summer camp in the US, so she's done a bit of hiking, but I wouldn't say either of them are experienced,' he said.

While it is good news for Ms Groves' and Ms Bateup's parents, Cassie, who was last seen on Sunday, remains missing.

As police searched for Cassie, Ms Olczak shed more light on her daughter's disappearance.

WHAT HAPPENED TO CASSIE OLCZAK? Sunday 10am - Cassie Olczak, 16, visited a friend in Earlwood, in Sydney's south-west 6.30pm - She boarded a train from Banksia railway station after leaving a friend 7pm - The teenager gets off a train at Waterfall railway station even though she was meant to go to Hurstville Monday Cassie's mother, Connie, launched on online appeal to help find her daughter Wednesday Connie speaks to the media and pleads for her daughter to come home Two young women Nikki Groves and Kate Bateup, both 21, go missing in the same area as Cassie Police search for the women and Cassie at Royal National Park near Waterfall railway station Thursday Cassie remains missing but search crews find Ms Groves and Ms Bateup Advertisement

'She had a disagreement with a friend before she left and the friend has told police that,' the mother told Daily Mail Australia.

When asked what the argument with over, Ms Olczak replied: 'I can't discuss that.'

Following Cassie's disappearance, Ms Olczak launched a public appeal to find her daughter.

CCTV footage shows the teenager, from Sylvania, at Banksia railway station on Sunday about 6.30pm after she parted ways with a friend to catch a connecting train.

She was supposed to be travelling to Hurstville but CCTV captured her getting off at Waterfall railway station - about 25 kilometres away - about half an hour later.

Police believe she may have been groggy and disoriented, her distraught mother made an emotional appeal to find the teenager.

'She's beautiful, she's five foot 10, she's a stunner. She had a modelling contract,' Ms Olczak said on Wednesday, adding her daughter was not 'street smart'.

'I believe she is disorientated and jetlagged from a long flight home the night before.

'I also think she may be scared. She's not a super social person, she'll stick to herself.

'If she hears this, your friends and family are desperate for you to come home. Please come home.

'If anyone knows anything you are not in trouble. We just need information.'

Ms Olczak said her daughter had gone a long time without food or water and had no access to bank accounts.

Her last known whereabouts are at Waterfall train station in Sydney's south on Sunday at 7pm

Police searching for the young women on Wednesday before they halted the search

They had to stop as it was too dark to continue their search, but returned on Thursday

Her mother Connie Olczak said she may have been given a substance before she went missing and been disorientated from jet lag

Posters have been placed around Sydney to find missing Cassie

'I need her home, my gut tells me she is alive,' she said.

The last person to see Cassie was her 16-year-old friend and she said the missing teenager had boarded a train at Banksia.

Cassie, who has just finished school and is due to begin a TAFE hairdressing course next week, had returned to Australia on Saturday from visiting her father in Abu Dhabi.

She went to visit friends on Sunday but they sent her home when they noticed she was disorientated.

The area rescue teams are searching for the trio has been described by police as mostly dense bushland.

Ms Olczak told the Kyle and Jackie O Show Cassie was jetlagged and it was possible she did take something.

'When she visited the friend I believe she possibly did take something and I hope those friends give more relevant information to police,' she said.

Police said in a statement they had conducted 'extensive' inquiries to find Cassie, but had not been successful yet.

Cassie is about 175cm tall and of a thin build, has long, dark hair and a tan complexion, was last seen wearing grey Adidas tights, a black zip-up Miley Cyrus hoodie, Adidas Superstar sneakers with gold stripes and a Nike hip bag.

Cassie's desperate mother has appealed to people on social media to help find her daughter
Footage has emerged of a mob attacking a California Highway Patrol cruiser while the officer was trying to shut down an illegal sideshow at the weekend.

The incident occurred at the intersection of North and Orange Avenues in Southwest Fresno on Sunday afternoon around 3.40pm.

Police say a group of about 40 people blocked traffic by putting on a sideshow that involved reckless driving and cars doing burnouts.

When the officers tried to break it up, the crowd violently turned on them and targeted the vehicle, with one heard shouting: 'F*** the police, n****. We run the streets, motherf*****.'

Attack: This is the moment two men start kicking the California Highway Patrol cruiser in Fresno during a sideshow on Sunday afternoon. They were quickly joined by a large crowd of angry spectators

Mob: The group are seen in the video hitting and kicking the vehicle, causing $12,000 damage

Video taken at the scene quickly spread on social media following the attack.

It shows at least two men kicking the vehicle, which had one officer inside, while others yelled and chanted.

Fresno Police Lt. Mindy Casto said the sideshow had blocked off the road and the cruiser was trying to clear it up and move the gathering along.

'The vehicles parked all around the intersection and traffic backed up,' she told CBS 47. Lt. Casto said the hardest strike to the car was at the driver's window.

This is the lone California Highway Patrol officer getting back into his cruiser, moments before the vehicle was attacked

Another video from the scene shows the officer pulling up and getting out of his vehicle, as some of the cars race off

As the cop drive off his car is kicked and hit by the men at the scene. Significant damage was caused

Men continued to hit the car as the officer pulled away. He was not injured

'A very hard strike, and had that glass broken, it probably would have shattered on the officer,' Lt. Casto said.

'So we can only speculate what kind of damage may have happened.'

A video of what was happening at the intersection as police arrived -posted by KRON 4 reporter Stanley Roberts - shows a group of cars revving their engines and then racing off.

The officer, who has not been named, is seen outside his vehicle speaking to some of the men, before getting back inside the cruiser.

As he does, the mob starts yelling. One man says: 'Kick the car.'

After the attack police released images of the damage that was done to the cruiser. The back window was shattered in the attack

The group caused the damage within a few seconds, destroying several windows

The cops also released a picture showing the footprints of the men who kicked in the doors of the cruiser

The group caused up to $12,000 worth of damage within a few seconds, destroying several windows, police said.

Officials say they've identified some suspects but no arrests have been made.

The officer was able to drive away and was not injured. Police have not released details on why they think the attack occurred.

'I cant really speculate what the crowds intent was, but what they did do absolutely was attack a vehicle with an officer inside of it,' Lt. Casto said.

The suspects could face several felony charges, including assault and vandalism.

'I can't really speculate what the crowds intent was,' said Fresno Police Lt. Mindy Casto
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One foot wrong and they could have been sent tumbling into the freezing water.

But the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge looked fearless as they balanced precariously on the edge of a railway line, looking down at a river several feet below.

After touring a steam train, the couple climbed down from the cab while it was stationed on a bridge on the White Pass and Yukon Route railway, at Carcross, Canada.

Kate was left facing outwards towards a drop but quickly regained her composure and sidestepped towards solid ground, her husband following close behind.

The royals made the spur-of-the-moment decision after being told the Queen and Prince Philip had travelled on the train when they visited the region in 1959.

But while the Cambridges' appeared to revel in the adventure, it left their aides momentarily panic-stricken.

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Walk on the wild side: Kate leads her husband next to a steam train surrounded by beautiful mountains in Canada

Spur of the moment: The couple climb down from the cab before edging along the railway line towards solid ground, right

Don't look down! Keeping on hand on the train, Kate looks a little uncertain as she leads William along the edge of the tracks

Smoke blasts out from the steam train as Kate and William shuffle along the bridge and towards solid ground

In a spur of the moment decision, the duke and duchess peered inside the cab of the vintage locomotive

Kate couldn't help but smile as she and William neared the end of their fleeting adventure on the tracks

The couple wanted to take a closer look at the train after being told the Queen and Prince Philip travelled on the locomotive

The Queen and Prince Philip (pictured in an open-top car with the railway in the background) travelled on the same White Pass train line during their trip in 1959

The impromptu stop came as the royal couple made their way down picturesque Montana Mountain in the remote northwestern Canadian province of Yukon.

On route, William spotted the train, puffing up clouds of smoke, and was told how his grandparents had travelled in the last carriage on their royal tour nearly 60 years ago.

The over-excited prince couldn't resist taking a peek and encouraged his wife to cross a wooden bridge over scenic Lake Bennett for a closer look.

Their guide, Chief Andy Carvill, 52, said: 'The Duke asked if he could go in and they got inside the train and blew the steam whistle. I told them about the Queen's coach and they were pleased to hear that.'

Kate sported a 707 cardigan coat by home-grown label Sentaler and earrings by jeweller Shelley Macdonald. The duchess changed into the low-key ensemble just two hours after she first emerged in a red designer coat.

William and Kate were visiting the breathtaking town of Carcross Commons on the famous Klondike Highway.

The tiny settlement, in the far northwestern Canadian territory of Yukon, was shaped by the gold rush of the late 1800s.

The couple were welcomed by the First Nation people as they arrived in Carcross Commons for a packed day of engagements

Wearing a more low-key outfit, Kate arrives in Carcross, where she meets local schoolgirl Okasana Baerg, right

William and Kate hear about the importance of mountain biking after watching a demonstration on Montana Mountain

Sturdy boots were needed for the Duchess of Cambridge's trip to nearby Montana Mountain, where they watched dirt biking

Children show off their skills on mountain bikes as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hear more about the activity

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge clapped and cheered as they experienced a colourful ceremonial welcome

William and Kate were greeted by First Nation dancers when they arrived in Carcross COmmons on Wednesday

The Duke and Duchess clapped and cheered as they experienced a colourful ceremonial welcome beneath an elaborately carved totem pole by the local First Nations community.

They were particularly captivated by a group of tiny Tagish dancers, local children aged between four and seven, dressed in traditional cloaks and headdresses, demonstrating their' Raven' and 'Wolf' dances.

At one point William pointed out a little boy at the back who was 'crowing' at his friend and Kate giggled.

They sung in their Tlingit First Nation language before starting a 'wolf' song where they all roared, much to the royal couple's delight. Then it was a 'goodbye' song in Tlingit.

Carcross Tagish nation chief Andy Carvill appealed to the couple to help with recognition of First Nation governments.

He said: 'I know you're going to love the view on Montana mountain and meet the youth.

Young dancers perform during a traditional welcome ceremony in Carcross, which has a population of less than 300

The Duchess of Cambridge paired the red coat with a pair of block burgundy heels, right, which matched her tartan scarf

Sitting beneath a brightly coloured totem pole, William and Kate are welcomed to Carcross with a performance

William and Kate both slipped into something more comfortable for their journey to the small town of Carcross

After changing into something more comfortable, William and Kate headed to the town of Carcross, in the Yukon

William and Kate are presented with an eagle feather before watching a presentation by aboriginal children in Carcross

'We're honoured you're here to meet the elders. We have struggled as a nation but we're coming out the other side, with our culture, songs and dances.

'We ask that you assist us and help us to build that relationship with the crown. We're still looking for recognition, protection of our land and our peoples. We need to protect this land and this beauty.

'We're optimistic that we can do that for the children who were dancing and singing here. We want the recognition as a government.'

Then he presented the couple with a 22 inch killer whale totem pole, created by master craftsman Keith Wolfe-Smarch.

Kate and William were captivated by tiny Tagish dancers when they visited Carcross Commons

The couple clapped and cheered as they experienced the ceremonial welcome beneath an elaborately carved totem pole

Carcross Commons, pictured, is home to fewer than 300 people. The Queen and Prince Philip visited the town in 1959

People wearing traditional First Nation dress line the streets of Carcross Commons as they wait for the royal visitors to arrive

Brush in hand, the Duchess of Cambridge is given the honour of painting the eye of a totem pole being carved in Carcross

The couple also granted a lifetime's wish to their 'biggest fan' by giving her a hug at a mountain bike trail.

The Single Track to Success (S2S) project on Montana Mountain not only builds world class trails, it provides life changing experiences to local youth and contributes to tourism in the area.

While William and Kate were speaking to Shane Wally, 26, his mother Gwen, 48, from the Carcross Tagish First Nation shouted to William: 'I love you. I loved your mum. I've been watching you since you were little.'

William and Kate walked across to a group of parents and grandparents involved in the project, including Mrs Wally.

They hugged her and another member of the Carcross First Nation band, Susan James.

Earlier the Duchess of Cambridge dazzled in a red CH Carolina Herrara coat while Prince William was in more formal wear

The couple share an fleeting intimate moment as they sit in on a children's story time at MacBride Museum Yukon

After wearing her hair loose in tumbling curls, Kate tied up her brunette locks in a severe chignon for the day's engagements

Hitting 'send' at the same time, William and Kate posted a tweet that was transmitted electronically from a telegram machine

The vibrant CH Carolina Herrara coat looked glorious in the sunshine as Kate explored the Canadian town of Whitehorse

The royal couple admire an 11-metre totem pole in the middle of the town, surrounded by waiting crowds

Mrs Wally told the royal couple: 'You just made the top of my bucket list. I've been following you since the days of Diana.'

She told Kate she had made some slippers for Prince George and Princess Charlotte but had been told she could not give then to the couple so planned to post them instead. 'I'll look out for them,' Kate said.

After spending the night in a three-star inn, the couple were out and about early today in the town of Whitehorse, some 40 miles north of Carcross.

Their first stop was the MacBride Museum, where they joined learned about the Yukon region's history and joined a group of local children at a storytelling session.

They sat down on a log to join the schoolchildren and Grandma Lorraine Allen who translated the book between English and the native language Southern Tutchone.

The book opens with a character called William the Moose, which prompted William and Kate to burst out laughing.

During the walkabout through Whitehorse, the couple took the opportunity to admire the work of local craftsmen

The Duchess of Cambridge wore a brilliant pillar box red coat for her engagements in Whitehorse, Yukon, on Wednesday

Former radio operator Doug Bell, 90, who last sent a telegram in 1947, helped the Cambridges' post their tweet

William rested a hand on Kate's back as the couple took a walkabout through the streets of Whitehorse on Wednesday

Kate appears to read a card made by one young supporter as she greets children at a Youth Arts Festival in the town

They also met children's author Mike Parkhill, whose book Hide and Peek is used in schools to teach children Southern Tutchone. The programme is supported by the Prince of Wales charity Princes Charities Canada.

The Duke seemed keen to learn more about the native language and asked Mr Parkhill 'Is it difficult to study? How do you pronounce that word?' pointing to phonics on large boards.

After the story telling the couple visited the newly renovated Telegraph Office.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh visited the telegraph office, now part of the museum, in 1959.

The couple signed the Museums virtual guest book via morse code on a telegraph machine which was transmitted into a digital message and posted onto Twitter.

William crouches down to speak with schoolchildren waiting outside the MacBride Museum, their first stop of the day

The duchess bursts into laughter as she receives a bouquet on the walkabout. Right, William and Kate in Whitehorse

Kate couldn't help but laugh as she and William listened to stories read by elders in the First Nation Tutchone language

The message read: 'The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Whitehorse, Yukon, September 2016 . The message was typed out by former radio operator Doug Bell, 90, who last sent a telegram in 1947.

William and Kate simultaneously hit the 'send' button.

The couple then took a walk through the streets of Whitehorse, which were packed with thousands of cheering and flag-waving well-wishers.

One of them, eight-year-old Maddison Mills, said Kate was 'very pretty', adding: ' She seemed really worried that we had got cold waiting out for long to see them.'

William shook hands with Lee Somerton, a long-standing Whitehorse resident, and told her: 'You have the coldest hands of anyone I have met here.' 'It was worth it!' she exclaimed, making William laugh.

Bruce Habberfield, 70, told William how his father, Gordon, drove for his great-grandfather, King George VI, when he came to Calgary.

The couple are set to return to Victoria, where Prince George, three, and 16-month-old Princess Charlotte are based during the tour.

On Thursday they will attend a children's party before enjoying some private time as a family.

Their first stop was the MacBride Museum, for a lesson in Yukon's history and a children's story telling session

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also visited a telegraph office that the Queen and Prince Philip visited in 1959

William took time to speak with some of the young people who were waiting on the steps of the museum to welcome him

The Duchess of Cambridge waved to well-wishers as she and William arrived at the MacBride Museum in Whitehorse, Yukon

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh visited the telegraph office, now part of the museum, in 1959
Vile: The stickers at a park in Cambridge tell immigrants to bring your families home

Vile stickers telling refugees they are 'not welcome' and should 'go home to Africa' have been spotted around a park.

The stickers at Romsey Recreation Ground in Cambridge tell immigrants to bring your families home  and it is feared they could inspire hate crimes.

Other signs at the park, which has a childrens playground, said not welcome in a parody of the Refugees Welcome stickers that are popular in the US.

A 71-year-old man who lives next to the park said: Everyone has got a right to an opinion. A lot of people feel threatened and they are expressing it this way.

Its not the way I would do it. I can understand it especially among the older people who feel threatened.

But everybody who moves to this area knows there are a lot of foreigners here so they have a choice of whether or not they want to live here.

George Williams was visiting the park and feared the stickers could fuel hate crimes.

Edited: The 'not' was taken off the phrase 'not welcome' in this sticker at Romsey Recreation Ground, which is a parody of the Refugees Welcome stickers that are popular in the US

The 29-year-old said: I believe we should help refugees as much as possible but I also think there does need to be the support in place when they do come here.

I really dont think putting up these stickers is a very nice thing to do. It is only going to fuel even more hatred and is meant to be incendiary.

Stefan Haselswimmer, founder of the Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign, which was set up to offer local homes to refugees, dismissed the stickers.

He said: (It) is like Twitter in that those that are the noisiest make the most noise. But it is not representative at all of people in Cambridge who are keen to help refugees.

Concern: One man who was visiting the park said he feared the stickers could fuel hate crimes

Cambridge has so far resettled 14 Syrian refugees under the Governments Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement scheme.

A Cambridgeshire police spokesman said: The matter has been reported to us.

'We want to make it clear that stickers of this nature are not welcome in Cambridge, or in fact any part of our county.
France has promised to cut red tape in a bid to woo bankers from London to Paris following the Brexit vote.

Regulators said they would fast-track the process for British-based financial firms seeking to decamp across the Channel.

Paris is hoping to benefit if Brexit stops companies based in the City from being able to operate across Europe.

France has promised to cut red tape in a bid to woo bankers from London to Paris following the Brexit vote

Frankfurt and Dublin have already launched their own charm offensives to attract financial institutions from London.

As an EU member, British-based firms have so-called passporting rights, which allow them to do business across the EU and the European Economic Area that also includes Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

Passporting rights are expected to be one of the key issues in Brexit negotiations.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has said 5,500 British-based financial firms could lose their EU passporting rights, posing a significant risk to the finance sector.

The French authorities hope to woo firms with a simpler and quicker approvals process.

Frances attempts to attract bankers from London comes after David Cameron in 2012 offered to roll out the red carpet when socialist Francois Hollande (pictured) took office as president

It would include using available documentation in English that has already been presented to the original regulatory authorities, French regulators said.

Applicant establishments will be assigned an English-speaking case manager, who will guide the procedure and advise them, they said.

Frances attempts to attract bankers from London comes after David Cameron in 2012 offered to roll out the red carpet when socialist Francois Hollande took office as president.
A real estate agent from Iowa has been arrested after police say she sent nude photos of herself to the teenage son of her ex-boyfriend following a bad breakup.

Charlotte Klisares, 46, of Altoona, has been charged with dissemination and exhibition of obscene material to minors.

According to court documents, Klisares used her personal Facebook account in June to share a pair of sexually graphic photos of herself and of herself and the 17-year-old boy's father, whom she had been dating off and on for some time.

Realtor charged: Charlotte Klisares, 46, a real estate broker from Iowa, was arrested Tuesday and charged with dissemination and exhibition of obscene material to minors

No laughing matter: Klisares is accused of sending two sexually explicit images of herself to her ex-boyfriend's 17-year-old son back in June

Police Sgt. Paul Parizek says the couple had an acrimonious split and that each was alleging harassment by the other.

On Tuesday, Klisares' attorney, Karmen Anderson, released a statement on her client's social media page claiming that the allegations concerning Klisares' X-rated photos were 'just another attempt by the abuser to intimidate, harass and bully her because she stood up for herself.'

Anderson then went on to state that she and Klisares intend to address these claims in the court of law, 'and that the truth of these allegations will become apparent once both sides of the story come to light.'

The statement from the lawyer was accompanied by a 10-second audio recording described as a voicemail message from Charlotte Klisares' former partner, in which he supposedly threatens to get even with her.

Revenge plot: Klisares' attorney claims that the woman's former paramour had threatened to get even with her for calling the cops on him

Klisares (left and right), who has a teenage daughter, reportedly told police that she sent the nude photos after her ex told her he would share her sex tape with friends and family

In the short, expletive-filled clip, a man is heard angrily saying: 'You f***ing called the [cops], cost me $2,000 to get home, to get out of jail tonight, for public intoxication. Thank you. I promise, I'll get your a** back.'

It all started on June 6 when Charlotte Klisares, who works as a Re/Max real estate broker in Altoona, allegedly sent two X-rated photos to her ex-boyfriends son in a Facebook message.

The boy's father contacted police about the sexually explicit images, which Klisares also allegedly sent to other relatives, reported The Des Moines Register.

When interviewed by police, the 46-year-old woman, who also has a teenage daughter of her own, admitted to sending the lewd snapshots to the teen, according to police.

Charlotte Klisares, who goes by 'Char,' then accused her ex-boyfriend of threatening to send a sex tape she had made to her friends and family, according to the station KCCI-TV. So before he had a chance to make good on his threat, Klisares said she decided to strike first.

Who's the victim? Through her lawyer, Klisares said she has been the target of harassment, bullying and intimidation because she decided to stand up for herself

Sgt Paul Parizek said the 17-year-old recipient of Klisares nude photos was 'clearly bothered' by the images.

This is not something he expected to see, definitely nothing that he wanted, he said.

Klisares was arrested on Tuesday and booked into the Polk County Jail, from which she was later released after posting $1,000 bond.
William Davenport, 60, fooled aristocrats and financiers in the 'sophisticated' fraud and conned a council into selling him the Grade II listed childhood home of Sir Anthony Eden

A former bricklayer living on benefits pretended to be a wealthy tycoon to buy three stately mansions including the childhood home of a Prime Minister in an elaborate 2.9million fraud.

William Davenport, 60, fooled aristocrats and financiers in the 'sophisticated' fraud and conned a council into selling him the Grade II listed childhood home of former PM Sir Anthony Eden.

In reality, he was a near-penniless conman who had a string of bankruptcies and dodgy property deals behind him.

He has now been jailed for six years at Teesside Crown Court after admitting three counts of fraud. He was condemned by a judge as 'a thoroughly dishonest and greedy man'.

Passing sentence, Judge Simon Bourne-Arton said Davenport was 'a man who purchases valuable properties without the means to do so.'

He added: 'You seek to give the appearance of wealth and standing, you are someone who has searched for a lifestyle without the means of paying for it.'

The court heard how Davenport used his skills to fraudulently purchase Windlestone Hall, a 19th Century mansion with 30 bedrooms that once belonged to the Eden family and was described by English Heritage as one of the north of England's most important buildings.

The property was owned by Durham County Council and they agreed a bargain price of 241,000 for the hall. At the time of his arrest Davenport was trying to sell the house for around 2.5m.

To show he was a credible buyer he pretended to be a wealthy businessmen on a salary of 430,000-a-year and claimed his substantial funds were tied up offshore.

Davenport presented himself as a Beverly Hills-based tycoon who had previously lived in the 1m Great Brampton House in Herefordshire.

Despite pretending to be a wealthy tycoon, Davenport is in fact a wheelchair-bound near-penniless conman who had a string of bankruptcies and dodgy property deals behind him

He had previously hoodwinked owners Lord and Lady Pidgeon into believing he would buy their home and set up utility accounts at their address to impress future contacts.

With the council fooled into handing over legal title to Windlestone, all he had to do was trick a bank into lending him the money to buy it.

The court heard he used a 25,000 council grant to help with renovation of the hall to make it look like a large salary cheque was going into his account each month.

In August 2012, Davenport fooled Barclays Bank into giving him a 500,000 loan. With the house paid for, he greedily applied for further mortgages from the same bank, again using fake P60s, PAYE numbers and false bank statements.

He applied for a 200,000 loan and later a 700,000 loan to redevelop the hall and a 1.5m mortgage application to buy the equally magnificent Ayton Castle in Northumberland, with a view to turning it into a festival venue.

He also claimed to be in negotiations to buy two Northumberland hotels.

But the two biggest loan applications led to his downfall.

The court heard how Davenport used his skills to fraudulently purchase Windlestone Hall, a 19th Century mansion with 30 bedrooms that once belonged to the Eden family and was described by English Heritage as one of the north of England's most important buildings

Prosecutor Joanne Kidd said an 'eagle-eyed' mortgage clerk spotted a discrepancy in a single forged P60 document and the fraud 'collapsed like a pack of cards'.

'All good things must come to an end,' she said. Davenport was arrested in November 2014 at Windlestone Hall. The following month his wife Ann and daughter Meaghan, said by prosecutors to be complicit in the scam, fled to the United States and have not been brought to justice.

Miss Kidd said despite his image Davenport  who was born William Green  was claiming disability living allowance at the time of the fraud and 'living hand to mouth' with his family.

He uses a wheelchair because of serious injuries suffered in an accident and appeared at Teesside Crown Court via video link from the magistrates' court, which has better disabled access.

Josh Normanton, defending, said even when he lived in Windlestone the family were 'in a condition of poverty' with no heating.

Although this was his first criminal conviction, Davenport's dodgy past dealings dating back more than a decade have meant he is no stranger to civil courts.

Davenport presented himself as a Beverly Hills-based tycoon who had previously lived in the 1m Great Brampton House in Herefordshire (pictured)

Police probing his background discovered he bought a Newmarket stud farm in 2002 under the name Bill Green only to vanish six months later when a bankruptcy petition was filed.

In 2004 he bought Middleton Hall in Midlothian, posing again as a wealthy American, and disappeared with debts of 93,000 to the bank.

And a year later he tried to purchase another property, this time in Alabama, USA, under another identity.

Years earlier, he also took his elderly mother's life savings  leaving her 120,000 out of pocket  after telling her he was buying a French chateau and would repay her from an imminent 5million software deal with Richard Branson.

Outside court Sergeant Rob Pollard of Durham Police, said: 'Davenport spun a web of lies in an elaborate fraud befitting a film plot.
Trainspotters were out in their droves to get a glimpse of the 6201 as it thundered through the

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The largest operational steam locomotive in Britain made its way across the country today, much to the delight of keen trainspotters who turned out to see the majestic vehicle in all its glory.

The 6201 Princess Elizabeth left a trail of steam in its midst as it chugged from London Victoria, bound for Swanage.

And along the way, excited and awe-struck fans were out in their droves as they watched the historic 160-tonne locomotive thunder through the British countryside, puffing its way past Corfe Castle in Dorset before it neared its destination.

The Princess Elizabeth steam locomotive passes Corfe Castle in Dorset, having set off from London Victoria

Passengers were treated to a breathtaking view of the beautiful British countryside - and were lucky to have great weather along their journey

The 6201 was built in 1933 at Crewe Works - costing 11,675 - and was one of 13 Princess Royal Class locomotives.

During its voyage today, excited fans took to social media to express their delight at witnessing the engineering feat as part of the Cathedral Express train service.

Mike Batson wrote on Twitter: 'Awesome example of British engineering.'

The train was built for the London, Midland & Scottish (LMS) Railway and named after the young Princess Elizabeth, later to become Queen Elizabeth II.

During the majority of the locomotive's working life, Princess Elizabeth hauled the famous Royal Scot train between London Euston and Glasgow Central.

In 1936, inspired by competition and rivalry from the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) the LMS planned a world record attempt.

The 6201 was built in 1933 at Crewe Works - costing 11,675 - and was one of 13 Princess Royal Class locomotives

Along the way, excited and awe-struck train spotters were out in their droves as they watched the giant 160-tonne locomotive thunder through the British countryside, puffing its way past Corfe Castle in Dorset before it neared its destination

Withdrawn in 1962, Princess Elizabeth was purchased by a private owner and the Princess Elizabeth Locomotive Society was subsequently formed to preserve the train and return it to its former glory

The aim was to beat the LNER's 'Six Hour Edinburgh Express' - and the 6201 Princess Elizabeth smashed the world long distance speed record by maintaining an average speed in excess of 70 mph for over 400 miles non-stop - a record which still stands to this day.

Withdrawn in 1962, Princess Elizabeth was so popular a society was set up to save it from the scrapyard. It was purchased by a private owner and the Princess Elizabeth Locomotive Society was subsequently formed to preserve the train and return it to its former glory.

Members of the society managed to buy it for 2,160  and they ensure it still runs today.

In 1976 the locomotive returned to the main line and has continued to haul rail tours, the Royal Train, and take part in events ever since.

On June 3, 2012, the train kicked off 'The Queen's Diamond Jubilee River Pageant' celebrations by sounding the Stanier Hooter while standing on Chelsea Bridge.
First lady Michelle Obama paid a visit to La Salle University in Philadelphia today and admitted she knew that some young people were not enthused about voting for Hillary Clinton.

But asked them to please do it anyway.

'Remember it's not about voting for the perfect candidate, there is no such person,' she said.

The first lady sporadically hit Donald Trump for his 'birther' campaign and some of his debate claims, though refused to utter his name.

'When making life-or-death, war-or-peace decisions, a president can't just pop off or lash out irrationally,' she told the students, clearly aiming the comment at Trump. 'We need an adult in the White House. I guarantee you.'

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Michelle Obama spoke in front of college students today in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, asking that they not cast a protest vote or sit at home

Michelle Obama used the phrase 'when they go low, we go high' again in today's speech - and it also appeared in block letters behind her

The Obamas are seen later in the day on Wednesday walking on the south lawn of the White House

She reminded the college kids that their age group actually won the White House for her husband, President Barack Obama, the second time around.

'In 2012 voters under the age of 30  yay for you, that is not me  you provided the margin of victory for Barack in four key battleground states: Florida, Ohio, Virginia and right here in Pennsylvania, you all did it,' she said to cheers.

'But hear this, without those votes Barack would have lost those states, he would have lost the election, period. End of story,' Obama continued

She told the crowd that it's just not true that one vote doesn't matter and that while President Obama won Pennsylvania, an important battleground state once again, by 300,000 votes, in reality that's only a difference of 17 votes per precinct.

'Take that in. Seventeen votes. That's how presidential votes are won and lost,' the first lady said. 'Each of you could swing an entire precinct by getting yourselves, your classmates, your families to vote. That's it.'

Michelle Obama explained to students that their protest votes - or decision not to vote - could end up electing Donald Trump

Obama then issued a warning to those tempted by third-party hopefuls like Libertarian Gary Johnson, Green Party candidate Jill Stein or to the folks who have pledged to sit at home because they're still Bernie Sanders or bust.

'You could swing an entire precinct in her opponent's direction by a protest vote or by staying home out of frustration,' Obama pointed out.

'Because here's the truth: Either Hillary Clinton or her opponent will be elected president this year,' she continued.

'And if you vote for someone other than Hillary or you don't vote at all, you are helping elect Hillary's opponent,' Obama warned.

Obama, who will also speak in Western Pennsylvania on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh today, reminded the young people of a number of controversial things Trump had said, starting with the one that hit closest to home.

'Transitions like these can be difficult,' she told the students of election years. 'We saw this back in 2008 when Barack was first elected.'

She recalled some of the questions people had about her husband: does he understand us, could be protect us.

First lady Michelle Obama went after Donald Trump in her speech to La Salle University students today in Philadelphia, but refused to utter his name

And then segued and brought up some of the sinister questions about her husband's origins brought up by Donald Trump.

'Then there were those who questioned and continued to question for the past eight years whether my husband was even born in this country,' the first lady recalled. 'And, let me say, hurtful, deceitful, questions deliberately designed to undermine his presidency.'

'Questions that cannot be blamed on others, or swept under the rug by an insincere statement uttered at a press conference,' she continued, alluding to a presser Trump held at his new hotel in Washington where he announced that he was putting the long-running 'birther' conspiracy theory to bed.

'But during his time in office I think that Barack has answered these questions by the example he's set and the dignity he's shown by going high when they go low,' Obama said, repeating a favorite line that she deployed during her well-received 2016 Democratic National Convention speech.

Michelle Obama talked about the overwhelming stress and the brutal hours of being president. 'And here's the thing, she still wants to do this job,' she said of Hillary Clinton

Michelle Obama spoke to a packed crowd at La Salle University today in Philadelphia, before heading across the state to address Hillary Clinton supporters at the University of Pittsburgh

The saying was also spelled out in large block letters on a wall behind her podium.

Clinton had repeated the line, giving credit to the first lady, during Monday night's first presidential debate.

Using Trump's words from the debate, the first lady continued an attack with the takeaway that candidate Trump and president Trump will be one and the same.

'If a candidate is erratic and threatening, if a candidate traffics in prejudice, fears and lies on the campaign trail, if a candidate thinks that not paying taxes makes you smart or that it's "good business" when people lose their homes,' she began.

'If a candidate regularly and flippantly makes cruel and insulting comments about women, about how we look, how we act. Well, sadly, that is who that candidate really is,' she continued.

'That is the kind of president they will be,' she said, warning they could 'start wars, crash markets' and 'fundamentally change the course of this planet,' that's what's at stake.

Michelle Obama pushed back on the sentiment that Hillary Clinton's not an inspiring candidate, though also told students it's not about 'voting for the perfect candidate'

It was about 10 minutes in her speech when she first name-dropped Clinton, touting her competency, her experience and her 'stamina,' a word Trump used to knock the former secretary of state.

Obama repeated Clinton's debate response, articulating the number of countries she'd traveled to and some of her achievements while at the head of State.

'Hillary is tough and when she gets knocked down she doesn't complain, she doesn't cry foul, she comes back up, she comes back stronger for the people who need her most,' Obama said.

Obama talked about the overwhelming stress and the brutal hours of being president. 'And here's the thing, she still wants to do this job,' she said of Clinton, her husband's former political rival.

'That's dedication. That's what love of country looks like,' Obama continued.

'And yes, she happens to be a woman,' the first lady pointed out.

'So when I hear folks say they don't feel inspired in this election, I have to disagree,' Obama said, again pushing back on the idea that the electorate is not enthusiastic.

The first lady asked the crowd to please not 'squander this opportunity, particularly given the alternative.'

Because we know that being president isn't anything like reality TV, it is not an apprenticeship and it is not just about fiery speeches or insulting tweets,' she said.

'It's about whether someone can handle the awesome responsibility of leading this country,' the first lady said.
If Donald Trump wins the White House one of his most-watched appointments will be to a post thats often overlooked and has not typically held great weight in the U.S. government  U.S. ambassador to Mexico.

Trumps promises to build a border wall and make Mexico pay for it, one way or another, and his assertions that hell renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement have placed an added emphasis on diplomatic post.

The current ambassador to Mexico, Roberta Jacobson, has only been in the position for a few months. The Senate confirmed her at the end of April. The Washington Post article today suggested that Trump could replace her with a confidante like Rudy Giuliani, however.

If Donald Trump wins the White House one of his most-watched appointments will be U.S. ambassador to Mexico. Rudy Giuliani's name has come up as a wild card for the position. Giuliani's seen above introducing Trump

Trump (right) and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani walk down the stairs from Trump's plane before Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the AeroMod International Hangar at the Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, yesterday

Giuliani has not held a foreign service officer position before - he was a prosecutor before he became 'America's Mayor' - but presidents gift appointments to supporters and donors.

'He knows Mexico City and its security challenges from after 9/11,' said Jacob Monty, formerly a member of Trumps Hispanic Advisory Council. 'And lets face it, Trumps positions sound better from him.'

Giuliani's private consulting firm was contracted by Mexico City's government in 2002 to provide advice on crime reduction measures. A private local firm paid Giuliani's group $4.3 million for 146 recommendations yet saw only a one percent drop in crime the following year.

Giuliani was with Trump when the Republican nominee to the White House traveled to Mexico to meet with the countrys president, Enrique Pena Nieto, this summer.

The former New York City Mayor and 2008 presidential candidate has been a vocal advocate for Trump, introducing him at rallies and defending him on television.

Introducing him today at the National Polish Congress in Chicago, Guiliani said accused President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton of 'double crossing' the country when they announced a 'reset' with Russia.

'The Obama administration began, I believe, double crossing Poland and the Czech Republic,' Giuliani said. 'They took away what was promised to you, a nuclear defense of its country.'

Monday, Giuliani was in Trumps corner as the billionaire businessman took on Hillary Clinton at Hofstra University in the first presidential debate. The retired politician sat in the front row, next to Trump's family, at the event.

Giuliani was the first person in Trump world to say after Mondays debate that the candidate had been treated unfairly by moderator Lester Holt.

'If I were Donald Trump I wouldn't participate in another debate unless I was promised that a journalist would act like a journalist and not an incorrect, ignorant fact checker,' Giuliani said from the spin room.

Giuliani has not held a foreign service officer position before - he was a prosecutor before he became 'America's Mayor' - but presidents gift appointments to supporters and donors

Holt was out of line when he told Trump the stop and frisk policy put in place in New York was 'unconstitutional.'

'Donald Trump was right,' Giuliani said today in an op-ed published by The Wall Street Journal.

Trump said during the showdown with Clinton that stop-and-frisk policing 'went before a judge, who was a very against-police judge. It was taken away from her.'

'And our mayor, our new mayor'  he said, referring to Democrat Bill de Blasio  'refused to go forward with the case. They would have won an appeal. If you look at it, throughout the country, there are many places where it's allowed.'

In the Journal, Giuliani said, 'Hillary Clinton was wrong. Lester Holt should apologize for interfering and trying so hard to help Mrs. Clinton support her incorrect statement that stop and frisk is unconstitutional.'

Should Trump choose to break with precedent and send a partisan to Mexico to represent the United States' interests instead of a career foreign service officer, Monty, the ex-Trump advisory board member, also named Al Zapanta as a possibility.

Monday, Giuliani was in Trumps corner as the billionaire businessman took on Hillary Clinton at Hofstra University in the first presidential debate. The retired politician sat in the front row, next to Trump's family, at the event

Zapanta is the CEO of the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce. He lectured Trump on NAFTA and Hispanic-American relations at a meeting in August, but the Post indicated that's exactly why he might make the cut - he was unafraid to speak his mind, and the candidate seemed to take his advice to heart.

'I was like, Damn, Al,' said Monty. 'He came in with these issues at the end  told Trump NAFTA is a job creator in Texas, that not all Hispanics are recent arrivals. He would be someone to listen to on these issues.'

Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' name has also come up. Gonzales in June defended Trump in his argument with U.S. District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel.

Curiel is the Hispanic judge from Indiana that Trump said could not be impartial in a Trump University case because of his Mexican heritage.

Gonzales said in a Washington Post op-ed that under the circumstances, Trump raises a 'legitimate question to be considered.'
News / Education

by Staff Reporter

... to four Tsholotsho primary schools

The schools lives of children at four primary schools in Tsholotsho District in Matabeleland North Province will never be the same again. This comes in the wake of a handsome donation of USD11 000 classroom furniture handed over to them by the Collin Nyabadza Children's Voice Charitable Trust (CNCVCT) on Friday 23rd September, 2016. The funds to purchase the equipment were kindly provided to the organization by the United Nations Women's Guild (UNWG) Austria, Vienna who availed a total of 10 000 (USD11 000) for the project.The four primary schools that benefited are Bemba, Mpilo, Pelela and St. Joseph's. They all converged at Pelela Primary School on Friday for the handover ceremony. Close to a total of 1 000 children will be impacted by this kind gesture. Present at the well-attended function were children, teachers and parents from the beneficiary schools together with local leaders chiefs and village heads. Representing the CNCVCT was Mr. Malaki Ndlovu, who is the organisation's Donor Relations Officer. In his remarks to the gathering, Mr. Ndlovu gave the audience a chronicle of the Collin Nyabadza Children's Voice Charitable Trust's origin and also spelt out its main mission which is to help enhance the quality of education in some of Zimbabwe's disadvantaged rural schools, as education plays a pivotal role in the development of every community.With no proper facilities in their classrooms, it is often very difficult for children in such schools to excel let alone stay focused. For instance, Pelela Primary School where the function was held, has a student enrolment of 315 children and yet only four classrooms. They are currently facing a shortfall of another four classrooms. Mr. Ndlovu however urged the communities to continue working together and do the best they could to provide better facilities for their schools. He informed them that his organization will continue doing everything possible to help the schools in the six districts they support."I urge each one of you to remain committed to this cause. I also wish to remind you to use this equipment with lots of care for it to last longer. To the children I urge you all to continue taking your education very seriously", added Mr. Ndlovu.In his closing remarks, Mr. Ndlovu also took the opportunity to thank the UNWG, Austria, Vienna for the faith they demonstrated in his organization with the massive funding, and hoped for continued partnership in the future. The CNCVCT's Executive Director Mr. Collin Nyabadza speaking from his base in Canada urged local businesses and individuals in Zimbabwe to help his organization with a program vehicle as it would help his team carry out their programs with a lot expediency."With proper tools for the strong and dedicated team that we have assembled, we are certainly going to impact the school lives of more rural children. I am therefore appealing to you all out there to help us purchase a program vehicle as this will help us move much faster", said Mr. Nyabadza.He will be leaving for Austria on the 3rd of October, 2016 where he has been invited to attend the UNWG's Award Ceremony in Vienna on the 5th of October."Present at the function will be top UN staff and several Austrian charities. I therefore intend using this crucial trip to further market the Collin Nyabadza Children's Voice Charitable Trust and to further highlight the plight of the rural children in Zimbabwe. I am certain that after my visit to Vienna our organization would never be the same again", said Mr.Nyabadza while putting final touches to his travel arrangements which has been made possible by friends and well-wishers. "I will also use this opportunity to personally thank our new found Austrian friends", quipped Mr. Nyabadza.At the moment the CNCVCT is working on a big project in partnership with the Rotary Club of Kamloops West, B.C. Canada and the Rotary Club of Bulawayo, which would see a total of 30 primary and secondary schools receive classroom furniture and textbooks in the continued bid to enhance the quality of education in those disadvantaged schools. So far a total of approximately USD130 000 has been raised for this project that would also include a training component to it, that would see a training seminar being conducted for the school heads and their school committees, as the aim is to see this project leave a lasting impact on those communities being assisted.For more on the work that the Collin Nyabadza Children's Voice Charitable Trust is carrying out, they may be visited at, www.childrensvoicezimbabwe.org
Darabont and his agents are seeking $280million in damages from AMC, which both produces and airs the show, now entering its seventh season

Even though he was fired halfway through shooting, he says he contributed to every episode that aired

He also wants to be paid as a full-time staff member for the second season

Frank Darabont, the co-creator of The Walking Dead, is seeking $280million in damages from AMC after he was fired from the show halfway through the second season

The co-creator of the popular zombie drama The Walking Dead is suing his former network, after he was fired half-way through the second season.

Frank Darabont, as well as his agents, are suing AMC for $280million in damages, according to court documents filed on Monday.

Darabont claims that the network - which is also the show's production company - negotiated a sweetheart licensing deal to insure that he never received profits of the show.

He also claims that he wasn't counted as a full-time staff member for the second season, even though he contributed to every episode that aired.

AMC intends to fight the claims in court, releasing a statement to the Hollywood Reporter that reads: ' Plaintiffs' damages claim has no basis in reality and we will continue to vigorously defend against this lawsuit.'

The outcome of the trial has the ability to impact the entire TV business, which has been moving in the direction of companies like AMC, that produce and air their own shows to save money.

When a production company markets a television show to networks, they can negotiate a competitive licensing fee, but when a network makes it's own show, the negotiators are on the same side and can work together to keep the fee low.

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Darabont claims that the network - which is also the show's production company - negotiated a sweetheart licensing deal to insure that he never received profits of the show. Above, a scene from the show's sixth season

This becomes a problem to people like Darabont, whose own contract with the production company entitled him to up to 10 per cent of the profits from the show.

He argues that AMC purposefully negotiated the licensing fee to ensure that the show was never technically making a profit. Since his agents fees are determined by his share of the profit pool, they too are claiming they were stiffed on a paycheck.

Darabont, who also directed The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption, is also claiming that he wasn't properly paid for his work on the second season of the show.

Darabont was fired halfway through the second season, and AMC claims he would have had to work the entire season to be considered a full-time employee.

But Darabont says that he contributed to every show that went to air, and his full-time status should be dictated by that criteria.

The Walking Dead had the highest premiere in the network's history, but didn't become a ratings hit until the third season. So the network may have a case for fighting Darabont's claims that they didn't properly value the company in the licensing deal.

If the case does indeed go to trial, it will likely be one of the biggest lawsuits in television history.
The South Korean man who viciously slashed US Ambassador Mark Lippert across the face last year has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for attempted murder.

Kim Ki-jong, 56, was sentenced on Wednesday by the South Korea Supreme Court.

He attacked Lippert, 43, with a 10-inch knife just before the ambassador was to give a speech at a breakfast forum in Seoul in March 2015.

Lippert had to receive more than 80 stitches on his face, arm and leg. There is still a visible scar on his cheek from the attack at the Sejong Center for Performing Arts.

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Kim Ki-jong, 56, (pictured left on the day of the attack) was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the attempted murder of US Ambassador Mark Lippert (pictured right in March 2015)

Kim attacked Lippert, 43, with a 10-inch knife just before the ambassador was to give a speech at a breakfast forum in Seoul in March 2015

Lippert had to receive more than 80 stitches on his face, arm and leg and blood dripped all over him after the brutal attack at the Sejong Center for Performing Arts

Kim reportedly shouted 'No war! The two Koreas should be unified!' in the middle of the attack.

Joint US-South Korean military drills were taking place at the time of the attack, according to the Washington Post.

He was first sentenced to 12 years in jail last September by the Seoul Central District Court.

The South Korea Supreme Court decided to uphold the sentencing, convicting Kim of assaulting a foreign envoy and obstruction of duty in addition to attempted murder.

'Kim, in order to widely publicize his views on wanting to halt the South Korea-US military drills, committed a very serious crime by targeting the US ambassador and attacking him with a knife,' the Supreme Court said in its ruling.

'It is appropriate to uphold the lower court ruling that though it was not completed, he had the intention to murder.'

Kim was immediately arrested and taken into custody by police. He reportedly shouted 'No war! The two Koreas should be unified!' in the middle of the attack

Kim said he attacked Lippert to protest joint US-South Korean military drills that were taking place at the time

The South Korea Supreme Court decided to uphold the sentencing, convicting Kim of assaulting a foreign envoy and obstruction of duty in addition to attempted murder

The court said it took into consideration the 'details of the crime', including Kim's 'motive, weapon of choice, and the size of the knife', according to the Korea Joongang Daily.

Prosecutors noted that Kim had come close to severing the cartoid artery, which carries blood from the heart to the brain, in Lippert's neck.

Lippert had to be hospitalized for five days after the attack, which left his right cheek with a 4-inch long and 1-inch deep wound.

The Supreme Court also sentenced Kim to an additional 18 months in prison for assaulting a prison guard and doctor while he was imprisoned in a detention center.

During the sentencing the court added that Kim had showed no signs of repentance for his crimes and 'attempted to justify his actions throughout the trial'.

The Court also decided to uphold the decision not to find Kim guilty of the National Security Act, a law that bans citizens from praising or supporting North Korea.

It ruled that although some of Kim's arguments coincided with those popular in North Korea, it did not mean he engaged in anti-national activities, according to Yohan News.

Kim, who founded unification research group Woori Madang, testified that he attacked Lippert because he opposed the ongoing joint military deals.

Lippert (pictured in October 2015) had to be hospitalized for five days after the attack, which left his right cheek with a 4-inch long and 1-inch deep wound

Prosecutors argued that Kim had tried to kill Lippert (pictured here in July 2016) due to how close he had come to severing the cartoid artery in Lippert's neck

About 28,000 American troops are currently stationed in South Korea as a show of force against the North, which has conducted recent missile launches and a fifth nuclear test.

North Korea called the brutal knife attack 'just punishment' for the United States' decision to hold joint military exercises with South Korea.

It claimed the attack 'reflected public opinion in South Korea' and referred to the weapon used as the 'knife of justice', according to the country's KCNA news agency.

Kim has been described in the Korea Times as a 'pro-North Korea activist' and South Korean intelligence officials revealed to Yonhap the fact that Kim traveled to North Korea six times between 2006 and 2007.

He was previously handed a three-year suspended prison sentence in 2010 for hurling a slab of concrete at the Japanese ambassador to protest the country's claims to the Dokdo Islands.

And in 2011, Kim allegedly tried to get a memorial erected to the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in the middle of Seoul when he died.

Lippert, who was named South Korea's Ambassador in 2014, previously served as the US Assistant Secretary Defense for Asian Affairs and was a key adviser during Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.

He is popular among South Korea locals for his public appearances and gave his newborn son a Korean middle name to mark his birthplace.
Police have revealed that it was a vape smoking device that a 'mentally ill' black man pointed at cops before he was shot and killed in a suburb of San Diego on Tuesday.

Alfred Olango, 38, was shot and killed by police just a minute after they arrived at a strip mall in El Cajon to investigate a report of a mentally unstable man walking in and out of traffic on Tuesday.

Police have said Olango refused to comply with instructions to remove a hand from his pants pocket, paced back and forth, then rapidly drew an object from the pocket, placed both hands together and extended them in a 'shooting stance.'

Police had only previously revealed that Olango pointed something that was not a weapon at the officers.

Now, the El Cajon police department have said the object was a silver vaping device, a Smok TFV4 MINI, about three inches long and an inch in diameter.

El Cajon Police Department spokesman Lt. Rob Ransweilersaid that Olango also held the vape's box in his grip.

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Alfred Olango (pictured left and right) was shot dead by police in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon on Tuesday

Police have now said it was a vape smoking device (above, file photo) that Olango pointed at cops before he was shot and killed

Earlier, Ransweiler said two officers arrived at the scene at about 2:10pm and the shooting happened at 2.11pm.

He said police received the report about the mentally unstable person at 12.57pm. but did not immediately respond because they had other calls for service.

Police said that when Olango disobeyed their commands, the officers simultaneously fired a handgun and an electric stun gun.

Since then, dozens of demonstrators protesting his killing have gathered outside the police station in El Cajon, holding signs that read 'No Killer Cops!' and chanting 'no justice, no peace,' and 'black lives matter.'

But on Wednesday night, the peaceful protests turned violent with CBS 8 reporting that some demonstrators were throwing bottles at police officers.

Agnes Hassan, originally from Sudan, described Olango as an educated man with mental problems.

A frame from video provided by the El Cajon Police Department, shows Olango, second from left, facing the police officers

A video shared on social media shows a woman identified as the victim's sister, Sarah, crying hysterically in the parking lot after witnessing the shooting

She said she spent time in a refugee camp with Olango and that both of them suffered getting to the United States.

The man died after one El Cajon officer fired an electronic stun gun and another officer simultaneously fired his firearm several times, El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis told reporters at a news conference late on Tuesday night.

Davis did not describe the object, but he acknowledged it was not a weapon.

Christopher Rice-Wilson, associate director of the civil rights group Alliance San Diego, questioned why one of the officers felt non-lethal force was appropriate while the other did not.

People blocked streets during a protest against the police shooting of an unarmed man in El Cajon, California, on Wednesday night

A man claiming to be Alfred Olango's cousin shouts at police during a rally in El Cajon

Protesters face off against police officers during a rally in El Cajon on Wednesday night

Demonstrators carry signs and shout slogans in El Cajon after the shooting of Alfred Olango

Protesters burn a 'Make America Great Again' hat during a rally in El Cajon

Both officers have been put on administrative leave while the incident is investigated, per department policy.

Some protesters said Tuesday night that Olango was shot while his hands were raised in the air.

Police disputed that and produced a frame from a cellphone video taken by a witness that appeared to show the man in the 'shooting stance' as two officers approached with weapons drawn at a strip mall.

The fatal shooting happened just weeks after black men were shot and killed by police in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and in Charlotte, North Carolina, where violent protests broke out.

Demonstrators stand near a poster during a rally in El Cajon in protest against the police shooting

Candles and flowers were left at the shooting scene on Wednesday, near bloodstains on the pavement.

Olango often hung around the strip mall and at times seemed 'agitated but he was never aggressive toward me,' said Vincent Hauer, who works at a nearby convenience store and sometimes bought the man food or gave him a few dollars.

Davis urged the community to remain calm and said the investigation will be thorough.

'This will be transparent,' he said. 'This will be looked at by multiple sets of eyes, and not just ours.'

Police said they were called to the strip mall shortly after 2pm by the victim's sister, who said he was 'not acting like himself' and walking in traffic.

Olango refused 'multiple' orders to take his hand from his pocket, then was shot after pulling out the object that authorities declined to describe, police said.

Dozens of demonstrators on Wednesday protested the killing of a black man shot by an officer in El Cajon, California

Two women raise their hands in front of a line of police during a protest on Wednesday

When detectives arrived, police say a female witness came forward and voluntarily provided cellphone video of the incident.

Authorities released the single frame from it, but not the video. El Cajon officers do not wear body cameras.

Other videos quickly surfaced showing the aftermath. In one posted to Facebook, an unidentified woman is heard telling police at the scene that the man was ordered to take his hand out of his pocket.

'I said: 'Take your hand out your pocket, baby, or they're going to shoot you.'

'He said 'no, no, no,' ' the woman said. 'When he lifted his hand out ... he did have something in his hand but it wasn't no gun, and that's when they shot him.'

Another woman on the video wearing hospital-style work clothing identified herself as the victim's sister.

She shrieked and cried, telling officers that she had called them to help her brother, who she described as mentally ill.

People hold signs during a protest in front of the El Cajon Police Department on Wednesday

Christina Griffin, left, speaks to a crowd of protesters in front of the El Cajon Police Department on Wednesday

Candles and other items sit along the edge of a parking lot in El Cajon near where a man was killed

'I just called for help, and you came and killed him,' she said.

Michael Ray Rodriguez was among witnesses who said the man had his hands in the air.

He said that he was driving from his apartment complex past the shooting scene and saw a shirtless black man with his hands raised.

The officer 'let go of the trigger and shot him again and again,' Rodriguez told the San Diego Union-Tribune.

El Cajon is about 15 miles northeast of San Diego and has a population of about 100,000.
A student who spoke with WSPA says the shooter jumped over the school fence, fired several shots into the air and yelled 'I hate my life'

Police say a motive for the shooting is still unclear and they have not charged the teen suspect as of Wednesday night

Jamie Brock, a 30-year veteran Townville volunteer firefighter, engaged with the gunman and tackled him

Jacob Hall, 6, is in critical condition while Hollingsworth and the other student have been released from the hospital

This is the first picture of the 30-year veteran firefighter who tackled a 14-year-old gunman after he opened fire at a South Carolina elementary school.

The gunman, whose name has not been publicly disclosed since he is a minor, shot two six-year-old students and a female teacher at Townville Elementary School around 1.45pm on Wednesday.

The teen, who has not been charged as of Wednesday night, has also been connected to the shooting death of his 47-year-old father, Jeffrey Osborne, that happened at a house just three miles from the school.

He was confronted by Jamie Brock, a Townville volunteer firefighter, shortly after he reportedly shouted 'I hate my life', firing shots into the air and then shooting the teacher and pupils.

Brock, one of the first on the scene, managed to wrestle him to the ground and subdue him.

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Hero: Jamie Brock, a 30-year veteran volunteer firefighter, was able to engage the gunman and tackle him, preventing further damage

Jacob Hall (left), six, and Townville Elementary School teacher Meghan Hollingsworth (right) were both shot along with another student at the school on Wednesday

The 14-year-old gunman is in custody after shooting the two six-year-old students and Hollingsworth, who has been released from the hospital. Above, students being evacuated from the school

The name of the 14-year-old shooter has not been released. Above two people embrace at the baptist church where the children were shuttled after the shooting

Hall is in critical condition while the other student and Hollingsworth have been released from the hospital. Above a mother reunites with her daughter on Wednesday

Student Jacob Hall, six, is listed in critical condition at Greenville Memorial Hospital.

His family released a statement through the hospital that reads: 'We appreciate the community's support, especially the Townville Rescue Squad who treated Jacob onsite and brought him to the hospital,' said Rodger and Renae Hall, Jacob's parents.

'We appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers and ask for privacy during this difficult time.'

A first grade teacher, Meghan Hollingsworth, and another student - who has not been named publicly - who were also shot have been released from the hospital.

A woman hugs a boy following a shooting at Townville Elementary in Townville Wednesday

People react outside the school after the shooting. The teen suspect will appear at a Family Court detention hearing in Anderson on Friday

Members of law enforcement investigate an area at Townville Elementary School after the shooting

Officials said the teen called his grandmother from his father's house crying on the phone at 1.45pm on Wednesday.

He did not tell her what was wrong or what happened, before the call ended. She went to her son's house and found 47-year-old Jeffrey Osborne dead inside with a gunshot wound, as the teen had already left the home.

Attorneys representing the teen's family said in a statement: 'We are heartbroken over what happened today. We ask that you respect our privacy today.'

Authorities say all victims and the suspect are white and there are no racial overtones associated with the incident.

Photos taken by the Independent Mail showed busloads of crying school children being evacuated from the scene and parents clutching their children tight after reuniting at a local church.

Anderson County sheriff's deputies and investigators walk out of Townville Elementary School after the shooting

An Anderson County sheriff's deputy stands outside of Townville Elementary School after the shooting

Map locator of Townville Elementary School in South Carolina, where the shooting took place

Police were called to the school just before 2pm on Wednesday, after reports of an active shooter. Brock arrived shortly after hearing the 911 call.

Brock then engaged with the gunman and tackled him. Deputy Chief Keith Smith said the shooting happened on the playground behind the school and the gunman, who had handgun, never entered the school.

A student told WSPA that she saw the shooter jump a fence and fire several rounds into the air while yelling 'I hate my life! I hate my life! I hate my life!'

The teen suspect will appear at a Family Court detention hearing in Anderson on Friday.

Joey Taylor walks with his daughter Josie Taylor after picking her up at Oakdale Baptist Church on Wednesday. Students were evacuated to the church following the shooting

Lilly Chapman, eight, cries after being reunited with her father, John Chapman at Oakdale Baptist Church

Police were on the scene within seven minutes of receiving the first 911 call, and in that time frame the teen gunman was able to shoot Hall, Hollingsworth and another student.

Both of the students were life-flighted from the scene, one to Greenville Memorial Hospital trauma center and the other to AnMed Health Medical Center, where Hollingsworth was taken by ambulance.

Officials said one of the students was shot in the leg, the other in the foot and the Hollingsworth in the shoulder.

Reporters noted that investigators were taking pictures of an object - that looked like a piece of clothing - left behind in a driveway next to the school.

As news of the shooting broke Wednesday afternoon, reporters noted that police were investigating a death at a home just three miles away.

The 14-year-old gunman is accussed of shooting two students and a teacher at Townville Elementary School after allegedly killing his father at his home three miles away at 150 Osborne Road

Law enforcement vehicles are seen parked at 150 Osborne Road on Wednesday. Authorities said a teenager apparently shot his father to death then opened fire at Townville Elementary School

Police confirmed that the dead man, Osborne, was the father of the shooter.

The corner says the elder Osborne died from a gunshot wound.

A friend to the family of the suspect says the teen was being home schooled because he was expelled from his school last year.

They claim the teen was expelled for bringing a hatchet to school and attacking a child.

A student who witnessed the shooting said she saw the gunman jump a fence, fire several shots into the air and yell 'I hate my life!' Above parents and children reuniting after the shooting

After all of the children were evacuated from the school, SWAT teams swept the building and decreed it safe.

The students at the school were evacuated by bus to nearby Oakdale Baptist Church to be picked up by their parents. Armed police officers escorted the children on the bus ride.

Parents were informed about the shooting by a reverse phone call from the district and by 4pm, most of the children had been picked up. The small school teaches 286 children from pre-kindergarten to sixth grade.

While the children seemed mostly calm at the church, parents who spoke with television reporters were noticeably shaken.

One parent, Dave Jordan,told WSPA: 'I write for the website Blue Lives matter and I was trying to find something to write about today and I saw this on the screen and my daughter goes to school here. We didn't know she was OK until I got here.'

A little girl who spoke to the same outlet said, 'a bad guy came to school today'.

The identity of the shooter has not been released. Above, law enforcement teams on the scene on Wednesday

'I just pray for those families. I pray for those kids,' parent Jamie Meredith told WYFF. 'I thank God it wasn't mine, but I feel so bad for them and I'm just going to pray that they're OK and I don't know if they're my daughter's classmates or they're somebody I knew. I don't know. (I) just feel so bad.'

Meredith says her daughter told her that they were taken into a bathroom after the shooting and didn't know what was going on.

'I know her teacher was shaken up,' Meredith said. 'I know all the kids were scared. There was a bunch of kids crying. She didn't talk for about five minutes when I got here.'

Two teachers hug outside of Townville Elementary School after the shooting which left two students and a teacher injured

Townville, South Carolina is a small town of just 4,000 near the Georgia border. It's 40 minutes from Greenville and on the main freeway between Greenville and Atlanta. Gov Nikki Haley is traveling to Townville to assess the situation.

'As we work together with law enforcement to make sure they have the support they need to investigate what happened in Townville, Michael and I ask that everyone across South Carolina join us in praying for the entire Townville Elementary School family and those touched by today's tragedy,' Haley said in a statement.

Townville Elementary School will be closed on Thursday and Friday.
Former Libyan dictator Colonel Gaddafi donated thousands of pounds to a Welsh independence party to help 'disrupt the status quo in the West', according to a new book.

Gaddafi allegedly handed 25,000 to a delegation from Welsh nationalists Plaid Cymru in the 1970s.

The five-figure donation has been revealed for the first time in the autobiography of one of the party's long-time activists Dr Carl Clowes.

Former Libyan dictator Colonel Gaddafi donated thousands of pounds to a Welsh independence party to help 'disrupt the status quo in the West', according to a new book

Gaddafi allegedly handed 25,000 to a delegation from Welsh nationalists Plaid Cymru in the 1970s. Pictured is a Welsh Nationalists demonstration with folk singer Edward Morris Jones in 1974 with a sign congratulating Gwynfor Evans who took office as an MP for Plaid Cymru that year

Dr Carl Clowes said Gaddaffi offered the lump sum when four members of a Plaid delegation travelled to the North African country in 1976, to discuss a possible trade deal over Welsh lamb.

Dr Clowes, 72, said one member of the group: 'Got the invitation from the Socialist Union of Libya for Plaid to look at the possibilities for co-operation in education and trade, in particular the export of Welsh lamb, and they offered to pay for a visit.

'What was unusual was the nature of the conversation towards the end of the trip, when our guide offered to find out how much of a contribution there might be for four pacifists to put towards their dream of independence, something Colonel Gaddafi embraced as a way of disrupting the status quo in the West.

'I understood that nearly 25,000 had arrived in Plaid Cymru's coffers.'

Dr Carl Clowes said Gaddaffi offered the lump sum when four members of a Plaid delegation travelled to the North African country in 1976, to discuss a possible trade deal over Welsh lamb

Plaid Cymru said it had no record of the alleged donation but Dr Clowes added: 'It was a long time ago, I'm not sure what their records are like.'

Gaddafi is well known for funding terror groups and rebel organisations across the world - most notably sending millions of pounds worth of weapons to the IRA.
A paedophile who was caught in a sting by a group of female internet vigilantes after grooming an '11-year-old girl' for sex has been jailed.

Nathan Watson, 43, of Bristol, lured his young target with online messages and sent her a nude photograph of himself before calling her 'baby' when she told him she was 11.

But on the day he was meant to meet the 'girl' - who was actually a decoy - Watson was spooked and did not show up to the meeting place, prompting the female paedophile hunters to knock on his door and confront him.

As well as ringing the police, the group filmed the encounter and posted it on their website.

In the video, Watson could be seen arguing with the vigilantes and even claiming 'I'm a good person'.

Nathan Watson, 43, of Bristol, lured his young target with online messages and sent her a nude photograph of himself before calling her 'baby' when she told him she was 11. He was caught by a group of female internet vigilantes who filmed as they confronted him (pictured above)

Bristol Crown Court heard he had arranged to meet the 'girl' at the city's Temple Meads railway station on August 8 this year but did not show up.

Instead, the founder of the Internet Interceptors group went to Watson's home and confronted him with evidence of the messages he sent to the 'girl'.

Prosecutor Julian Howells told the court that Watson made contact with the girl called 'Jess' on social media site Waplog in July this year. She told him she was 11 but the conversation continued.

'He asked if they would like to 'talk naughty' and like to meet,' the prosecutor said.

'She ignored that message and there were further messages 'would you like to have sex?' He said he had an apartment and they could go to a hotel for the weekend.'

The footage filmed at the hostel where Watson worked and lived was passed on to police, who arrested him.

'He accepted he had discussed sexual matters and accepted he had asked her to talk dirty to him. He said he did not have a sexual interest in children and said he would not have contacted her if he had known he was 11,' Mr Howells said.

Watson has now pleaded guilty to attempting to sexually communicate with a child between July 14 and August 9, for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification.

Nathan Watson (above) has now been jailed for 14 months, placed on the sex offenders' register for 10 years and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years

Edward Hetherington, defending, said: 'He made the arrangement and it was something he was nervous about, not only because of the nature of what he had done but also because it did seem something might be up by the nature of the conversations.

'He has been punished not only by the court but by googling his name you find the 'Internet Interceptors' website which is going to leave a significant online footprint.'

Judge Martin Picton jailed Watson for 14 months, placed him on the sex offenders' register for 10 years and made him subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years which restricts his contact with girls under 16.

'I have read the chat logs in this case and it is obvious that you believed yourself to be contacting a child and that child said she was 11 and that an arrangement was made to meet, which was to meet for penetrative sexual behaviour,' he said.

Speaking afterwards, the founder of the group was critical of the sentence imposed.

'Is a child's life worth 14 months? It's not worth it. It's the system and the law,' the woman, who did not wish to be publicly identified, said.

'I will go anywhere to catch these people. I have been attacked five times before. I've received threats, someone is going to kill me and I am petrified someone will try and run me over.'

The woman, from London, said the group that she founded in November last year had seen 32 people arrested, with seven convictions and three in custody.

Detective Constable Tony Davey, of Avon and Somerset Police, said: 'We will always robustly investigate any allegation of this nature but urge members of the public with information to contact us directly instead of taking matters into their own hands.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, who ran for the GOP nomination earlier this year, had some thoughts on how his party's nominee could improve when Donald Trump sees Hillary Clinton in the second presidential debate.

'The only advice I would give him and he can take it for what it's worth: prepare better,' Graham told an audience in D.C. today on hand for the annual Washington Ideas Forum.

The South Carolina Republican, who previously went on record to say he's not voting for Trump nor Clinton, has now put himself in a position to play pundit and he used his time onstage to explain the strengths and weaknesses of the two major party candidates.

But first, as he started a Q&A with Bloomberg's Margaret Carlson, he told a joke.

'I have the sniffles and I'm not using cocaine. I promise you,' Graham said.

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Sen. Lindsey Graham laughed at Donald Trump's performance in Monday night's presidential debate, suggesting next time he 'prepare better'

Sen. Lindsey Graham (right) opened up his discussion with Bloomberg's Margaret Carlson (left) by joking about how people thought Donald Trump was on cocaine at the debate because the candidate audibly sniffled

At Monday night's presidential debate Trump was audibly sniffing  a microphone malfunction he said.

Democrat Howard Dean, a medical doctor by trade, and others, blamed it on cocaine.

At first, Graham, who once said choosing between Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz was 'like being shot or poisoned,' was fairly diplomatic about the Republican's debate performance.

'I thought Donald had good moments, but he missed a lot of opportunities,' Graham said.

Graham said he understood why he, and more than a dozen other Republican politicians, lost to Trump in the GOP primaries.

'Well here's the deal he beat me and everybody else and he's tapping into something that people really feel out there,' the senator said.

'Hillary doesn't quite understand why people are so mad,' he added.

But while Trump has 'tapped into some anger,' Graham said, adding that 'he's got good instincts,' the South Carolinian explained that 'you really have to articulate the alternative to the status quo.'

The longtime pol pointed to two issues where he believed Trump's path forward was the wrong one: immigration and the country's relationship with Russia.

Carlson reminded Graham, who's pro-immigration reform, of comments he made where he suggested Republicans would never win the White House again, unless they did something on immigration.

'We're testing that premise,' Graham laughed, alluding to Trump's hard-line approach and calls for a border fence on the country's Southern border.

Graham noted the 'death spiral' the GOP saw from 2004 to 2012 in support from Latino voters, with President George W. Bush receiving 44 percent of the vote, to the 27 percent that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney obtained.

'I had this novel idea, why don't you ask the Hispanics why they don't like us,' Graham said. What he discovered was that Hispanic voters thought Republicans were 'pretty hateful when it comes to immigration.'

'I'm not going to vote for somebody who is going to deport my grandmother,' Graham said quoting those that he spoke with, adding that many of them said 'we have a lot of values in common' with Republicans.

'So our response to our problems in 2012 goes from self-deportation to forced-deportation,' he said. 'Well see if that's the right way,' he added, making clear he thought it wasn't.

Graham also repeatedly brought up Trump's esteem for Russian leader Vladimir Putin, with the senator noting he's personally in the camp that view Russia as a 'menace.'

'He thinks Putin is a guy he can do business with,' Graham said of the current Republican nominee. 'All I'm saying is Putin has an agenda that is in conflict with ours,' Graham continued, ticking off issues like Putin's moves to destabilize NATO and the European Union, to his decision to forcefully gobble up Crimea from Ukraine.

'Russia's really up to no good and when you understand that you're really on your way to understanding that they have a pair of twos, we have a full house, and at the end of the day the worst thing we can do is view Putin as a force of stability and someone we can do business with,' Graham said.

Putting his pundit cap back on, the senior senator from South Carolina thought that Clinton  despite Trump's various troubles  still might struggle earning a win.
Hillary Clinton returned to New Hampshire on Wednesday with primary rival Bernie Sanders in tow as she goes into overdive to swing millennials her way.

Sanders beat Clinton by a healthy margin in the February primary. She currently leads her Republican opponent Donald Trump by five points on average in the battleground state.

She is struggling nationally to attract young voters who backed Sanders in the primary and Obama in 2012 to her campaign, however.

As she pledged to revamp higher education this afternoon and make college more affordable, Clinton reflected on position and said, 'Isn't this one of the strangest elections you've ever seen? I really sometimes don't know what to make of it.'

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Hillary Clinton returned to New Hampshire on Wednesday with primary rival Bernie Sanders in tow as she goes into overdive to swing millennials her way

Sanders beat Clinton by a healthy margin in the February primary. She currently leads her Republican opponent Donald Trump by five points on average in the battleground state but is struggling with young voters nationally

'Standing on the debate stage the other night, I was especially thinking that,' she said.

Clinton said Americans must consider that 'the next 40 days will determine the next 40 years.'

'When you go to vote in New Hampshire, or if you vote early, it's not just my name on the ballot, every issue you care about - think about it,' she pleaded, 'because, in effect, its on the ballot, too.'

Sanders' campaign explicitly targeted young voters in the race, and many said as he excited that they could not see themselves voting for Clinton.

The Vermont Senator has hit the road on Clinton's behalf this fall to tell them to vote for the Democratic White House candidate or Trump will win.

'New Hampshire is a battleground' state, he said, 'all of you know that this is a very tight election.' In fact, New Hampshire could decide the outcome, he stated.

Sanders told them he not only wants them to vote for his former opponent, but he wants them to 'work hard, to get your uncles and your aunts, to get your friends to vote.'

'This election is enormously important for the future of this country. It is imperative that we elect Hillary Clinton as our next president.'

Clinton's lead last month among voters 35 and under fell from 24 points to 5 points in a recent Quinnipiac University poll.

A Fox News poll had her leading Trump by 9 points.

The Quinnipiac poll had Clinton beating Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson by just two points among voters aged 18 to 34 years old, 31 to 29 percent. Green Party candidate Jill Stein was at 15 in that survey and Donald Trump had 26 percent of the youth vote.

By comparison, Barack Obama won 60 percent of voters below the age of 30 in the 2012 election.

Clinton's campaign acknowledged Wednesday that it had Sanders out stumping for the candidate because of his popularity not just with young people but also with progressives. It also had First Lady Michelle Obama out on the trail today in Pennsylvania.




A Saudi Arabian princess allegedly made a painter and decorator kiss her feet inside a palatial Paris flat before telling a bodyguard: 'You have to kill this dog, he doesn't deserve to live.'

The unnamed multi-millionaire allegedly attacked the also unidentified man in the French capital earlier this summer.

He had arrived at the property in a prestigious area of Paris to carry out some basic decorating.

A Saudi Arabian princess allegedly made a painter and decorator kiss her feet at a palatial flat in Paris in an incident denied by the Princess's lawyer

But the Princess was not happy.

When she saw the workman taking photographs on his smart phone camera  something decorators do routinely nowadays  she is said to have accused him of preparing to sell them to the media.

She then allegedly ordered her bodyguards to beat him up, tied his hands and feed together, and then made him kiss her feet.

Le Point, the French news outlet, reports the 'You have to kill this dog, he doesn't deserve to live' allegation, saying it has been passed on the police.

The entire ordeal is said to have lasted for up to four hours, before the man was kicked out of the flat, and told to 'never return' to the area.

Later he asked for the equivalent of some 16,000 pounds for work done, and for the return of his tools.

The bodyguard was accused

Le Point said he then made a report to the police, showing them bruises on his head, which he said were caused by the attack.

But Elie Hatem, the bodyguards barrister, disputes this version of events, saying: There were more than twenty people in the apartments.

How can the facts as outlined by the complainant have been overlooked?

During questioning by the judge on Saturday, the bodyguard said he done the minimum necessary to restrain the workman after the Princess caught him taking pictures.

He was accused of wanted to sell the images of the inside of the flat to the media.

In turn, judicial police said it was perfectly normal for painters and decorators to take pictures on their smart phones during jobs.

The bodyguard confirmed the Princess was present during the incident, and that he was carrying an automatic pistol, as he was entitled to as a diplomatic guard.

The dispute over the money may well hamper any future criminal enquiry, as will the privileged manner in which Saudi royalty is treated in France.

Not only is the country a massive market for French arms sales but some of the most prestigious real estate in the country is owned by Saudis.

Unlike French security guards, their protection staff are allowed to carry guns thanks to diplomatic agreements.
Joseph Zieler, 54, has been arrested for the murders of an 11-year-old girl and her babysitter in 1990

The murders of an 11-year-old girl and her babysitter who were slaughtered in their home 26 years ago have been solved.

Robin Cornell and Lisa Story were found in their apartment in Cape Coral in Florida in May 1990. They had both been brutally beaten, sexually assaulted and suffocated.

On Wednesday 54-year-old Joseph Zieler was arrested for their killings after police matched his DNA to traces found at the scene when he was hauled in to custody on a battery charge.

Story, 32, was looking after Robin on May 10 1990 when Zieler is said to have attacked them.

Jan Cornell, Robin's mother who had gone to stay at her boyfriend's home for the night, returned the next day to find their bodies.

The murders were counted among famous unsolved crimes and were featured in America's Most Wanted in 2010.

Robin and Lisa, who both died from suffocation, were killed some time between 11pm and 4am before Robin's mother returned to the apartment to get ready for work.

According to NBC , she returned to find the front door locked and entered the house through the back sliding doors, which had been left ajar, to found her daughter's body in the upstairs bathroom.

Robin Cornell (left) and 32-year-old Lisa Story (right) were found in their Cape Coral apartment in May 1990. They had both been brutally beaten, sexually assaulted and suffocated

On Wednesday, Robin's mother Jan celebrated at a Cape Coral Police Department press conference (above)

Hundreds of people have been interviewed over the past 24 years in relation to the case.

After being arrested on suspicion of battery in August, Zieler had his DNA taken at Lee County Jail some 20miles from where the murders took place.

Once entered into the police database, it returned a match with traces found at the crime scene.

On Wednesday, Robin's mother Jan celebrated at a Cape Coral Police Department press conference.

She said she had long dreamed of the day her daughter's killer would be caught.

Robin's mother returned to the house to find photographs of laid out that had previously been tucked away. Above, she is seen with her daughter in an old family photograph

Both Robin and Lisa were beaten, sexually assaulted and murdered in the house

'For 26 years I have just dreamed about this day, never knowing if it was ever going to happen.

'I never lost faith and I never lost hope that some day we would all know who kill my beautiful daughter.

'I feel in my heart that there is a god because I prayed for this day and could never let it go how he tortured and killed by baby.

'Now they can rest in peace. Their day for justice is here,' she said.
News / Local

by Stephen Jakes

Heal Zimbabwe Trust has condemned in the strongest of terms the violence that took place on Tuesday 27 September 2016 in the Central Business District of Harare.On Tuesday, vendors had peacefully demonstrated against brutality by Council Municipal Police. But the demonstration was later hi-jacked by violent youth whose identity is yet to be established.The trust said the youth started looting, vandalising property and confiscating vendors' wares."It is believed that the youth want to portray protestors as violent and unreasonable people in light of the pending High Court appeal against the ban of demonstrations by the police," said the trust."The NAVUZ Chairperson, Mr Standrick Zvorwadza appealed for protection from the police Law and Order section when his offices were attacked by the criminals but the police were non responsive. The storming of NAVUZ Offices and Choppies Supermarket (Kwame Nkrumah and Rezende) by the youth took place in the full view of the RIOT police but they did nothing to stop the violence."The trust said the reluctance displayed by the police should be condemned."The police should have reacted responsibly in ensuring that today's protests remain peaceful. Heal Zimbabwe denounces any form of violence and urges all stakeholders involved in the perpetuation of violent acts to stop forthwith. Peace begins with me, Peace begins with You, Peace begins with all of Us!!!" said the trust
Donald Trump briefly turned his fire away from Hillary Clinton Wednesday and blasted those who let her 'get away' with what he described as crimes related to her emails scandal.

Trump hit his Democratic presidential rival again and again in a rally in Council Bluffs Iowa Wednesday, linking her scandal, trade deals, and Wall Street donors into a single narrative  but he also went after those who failed to make her pay for it.

'And Im so disappointed with the people in Washington for allowing her to get away with this. Im so disappointed,' Trump said.

'B oth sides, by the way,' Trump added, meaning Democrats and Republicans, or perhaps even including FBI investigators.

'I am so disappointed when they say theres nothing they can do,' Trump said.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said in Iowa Wednesday that he was 'so disappointed' with people who allowed Hillary Clinton to 'get away' with what she did with her private emails

Trump said Clinton lied to Congress under oath about turning over her work-related emails during testimony and got away with it  something that would constitute a crime.

'I dont think they tried too hard to get 'em, do you? I dont think they tried too hard,' Trump said, in reference to Clinton's emails, to shouts of approval from the crowd.

Some members of House Oversight Committee have said Clinton committed perjury during testimony and have written letters to the FBI about it. FBI Director James Comey this summer said that while Clinton was extremely careless in handling her emails, no prosecutor in the country would pursue the case.

Then Trump turned to an array of 'special interests' he said controlled the Clintons.

Donald Trump campaigned in Chicago Wednesday morning before flying to Council Bluffs, Iowa for a campaign rally

'Follow the money,' he urged the crowd repeatedly, using a line that was central to the Watergate story. 'Shes there for one reason and thats to protect her donors and special interests.'

'The Clintons have perfected the politics of profit,' Trump said. 'I think it has more to do with other things. Large corporations who support terrible trade deals and offshore jobs and theyre donating to the Clintons,' Trump said.

Trump questioned why five people, including 'ring leaders' as well as the man who designed her private email server, got immunity deals from the FBI.

And he blasted the individuals who refused to testify by invoking their constitutional right against self-incrimination, and compared the situation to mob trials.

'If youre innocent why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?' he asked.

He threw corporate media into the mix.

FOLLOW THE MONEY: Trump mentioned Wall Street donors, bad trade deals, the Clintons, corporate media, and those who allowed Clinton to 'get away' with her email scandal in an Iowa rally speech that tried to frame how the Clintons do business

He hit Clinton on her email scandal again and again  as he failed to do at Monday night's presidential debate, saying Clinton 'lies to Congress under oath about turning over her work related emails.

Trump, who regularly bashes 'stupid' politicians, spoke in more ominous tones, suggesting bad trade deals got struck deliberately.

'How many more Clinton scandals can this country take?' Trump asked.

Trump cited online polls that had him winning the debate against Hillary Clinton, saying 'hundreds of thousands' of votes were cast. 'But when they poll 300 people, that means a lot,' he said, dismissing traditional polls like CNN that had him losing.

Before Trump spoke, Iowa national committeeman Steve Scheffler told the crowd, 'As you know Hillary is an evil pathological woman.'

Trump spoke to more than a thousand people at the Mid America Center Convention Center in Council Bluffs, in western Iowa.

Trump with Polish Americans at the National Alliance in Chicago earlier Wednesday

Trump, who often calls politicians stupid, said to 'look at whose making contributions' to politicians to understand how bad deals get made

A large black curtain divided the room so that the crowd could pack into a smaller space.

Trump drew a bigger crowd when he visited the same facility during the winter.

There also were frequent mentions of religion at the rally, where the formation of Christian Conservatives for Trump got launched.

An opening prayer thanked God for Trump as well as running mate Mike Pence, as well as 'for the platform in the Republican Party.'
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer rejected the most basic security measure - an automatic reset of users passwords after the major hack - because she feared it would scare away customers, reports claim

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer refused to offer users an automated password reset after the major hack - because she feared it would scare away customers, according to reports.

Around 500 million Yahoo accounts were hacked in 2014 - making it one of the largest security breaches in history.

A source close to Yahoo told the Financial Times that Mayer was informed of the potential breach as early as July.

But the CEO, who often clashed with the company's internal security team on costs, rejected the idea of sending out an automated email requiring users to update their passwords.

The move is standard practice following a hack and is considered the most basic security step.

But sources told the New York Times that the suggestion was rejected by Mayer's team over concerns it could worry users and send them scurrying away to Yahoo's more successful rivals.

Yahoo has faced criticism over its security in the past.

In 2010, Chinese state hackers attacked Yahoo, Google and another of other tech firms.

In response, Google declared 'never again' and invested in a top security team with hundreds of security engineers with six-figure signing bonuses.

They also began paying hackers 'bug bounties' to find and report security holes.

Around 500 million Yahoo accounts were hacked in 2014 - making it one of the largest security breaches in history

Yet it was three years before Yahoo employed their own bug bounty hunters - and only after another series of embarrassing security breaches and spam attacks.

Mayer joined the struggling company in 2012, as a high flying former Google executive credited with creating its iconic colorful logo and design.

She turned her attention to making Yahoo an unparalleled rival, improving its search systems, creating a new app and shifting the focus on video which has been such a success it has been able to attract big names such as Katie Couric.

But when it came to security, Mayer was allegedly more concerned with budget restraints.

The 'Paranoids,' the internal name for Yahoo's security team, would often clash with Mayer over the firm's spending on security.

They claim that their concerns were often ignored because it would potentially slow down or impact upon Yahoo's running systems - affecting users experience. Other requests were allegedly overridden due to profit concerns.

In 2014, after security concerns, Yahoo chose to hire chief information security officer, Alex Stamos who had a reputation for pushing privacy and security measures.

Virginia Senator Mark Warner (pictured) asked the US Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate whether Yahoo and its senior executives fulfilled obligations to inform investors and the public about the hacking attack affecting 500 million user accounts.

He initiated a number of security measures which have been lauded by the security community.

But once again found himself clashing with Mayer over spending.

And last week, Yahoo's reluctance to invest as much as its rivals in security appeared became apparent, when the firm announced that an unnamed foreign government stole the credentials of 500 million users in a breach that went undetected for two years.

According to the Financial Times, the Yahoo executive was aware that her company received a tip back in July from an anonymous hacker who claimed that information from 200million accounts was stolen.

Virginia Senator Mark Warner has since asked the US Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate whether Yahoo and its senior executives fulfilled obligations to inform investors and the public about the hack.

'Press reports indicate Yahoo's CEO, Marissa Mayer, knew of the breach as early as July of this year,' Warner said in a letter to SEC Chairwoman Mary Jo White.

'Despite the historic scale of the breach, however, the company failed to file a Form 8-K disclosing the breach to the public.'

Yahoo filed a Form 8-K hours after it announced the data breach, according to ABC News.

The revelation may now compel the federal government to intervene.

Yahoo began investigating the claim and found no evidence to suggest that the hacker, who goes by the name Peace, was correct, claims an unnamed source who was briefed on internal discussions.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (whose Washington headquarters is pictured above) may intervene to determine whether Yahoo withheld key information from investors

Nonetheless, the allegation triggered a more thorough investigation that found a far more serious security breach, the results of which were announced earlier this week.

Mayer could be in hot water with the federal government, particularly since her company had agreed to sell its main business operations to communications giant Verizon back in July for $4.8billion.

Even though the company was conducting an investigation back in July, Verizon said it learned of the breach earlier this week.

In its regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission earlier this month, Yahoo said that it did not know of 'any incidents' of 'security breaches, unauthorized access or unauthorized use' of its systems.

According to the filing, Yahoo said that it knew of no investigation into claims regarding personal data that could 'reasonably be expected to have a Business Material Adverse Effect.'

'Marissa was aware absolutely  she was aware and involved when Peace surfaced this allegation in July,' a source told the Financial Times.

'[She] was part of the investigation and conversation from the very beginning and along with the team every step of the evidentiary gathering and analysis process.'

'In fact, the key executive team has been engaged from the very beginning.'

Withholding information from investors that could impact the valuation of a company may compel the SEC to get involved, according to legal experts.

'The SEC is going to want to know exactly what they knew and when they knew it,' Stewart Baker, a partner at law firm Steptoe & Johnson and a former National Security Agency general counsel, told FT.

'The SEC has been eager to investigate people who are slow to disclose breaches. This is an obvious target.'

'They might get a letter or phone call from someone in enforcement relatively soon,' a former SEC official told FT.

'If I were at the SEC, I'd be looking for the perfect case, the perfect storm,' said Washington attorney Kim Phan. 'This may be it.'

A spokesperson for Yahoo told FT that the company was truthful and forthcoming.
Newly appointed Labour peer Shami Chakrabarti is in line to become shadow attorney general, it has been reported.

The former director of human rights campaign group Liberty 'wants to do more' and the 'gig is a no brainer', according to the New Statesman.

The Labour reshuffle is expected to begin next Wednesday, the day the Tory conference finishes.

Others expected to join the shadow cabinet include Keir Starmer, former shadow housing minister John Healey and former shadow Wales secretary Nia Griffith.

Newly appointed Labour peer Shami Chakrabarti is in line to become shadow attorney general

Baroness Chakrabarti was given a peerage just weeks after leading a heavily criticised report that allegedly whitewashed the problem of anti-Semitism in the party.

She urged Jewish people not to desert the party this week because she did not want to be left alone 'with Essex man'.

She said: 'I am a recent recruit to the Labour Party along with hundreds of thousands of people. It is a challenge to me but I want that challenge to be an opportunity.

'Please don't go. Don't leave me here, don't leave me locked in a room with Essex man.'

The remarks bore a sneering similarity to one made by Labour MP Emily Thornberry, who stood down as shadow attorney general after being heavily criticised when she tweeted a 'snobby' picture during a Kent by-election of a house in Rochester with three England flags and a white van parked outside.

Baroness Chakrabarti even seemed to be aware that she might be alienating some traditional Labour supporters, as she added after her 'Essex man' comment: 'If you want to put that on the internet and I get suspended, put it on.

'I don't want to be left alone with people who lack the vision and views that you and I bring to this party as members of minority groups.'

Speaking after the 'whitewash' report into anti-Semitism she said: 'Jeremy Corbyn is not a corrupt man and I am not a corrupt woman. I stand by the report. There was nothing remotely transactional about it.'

Earlier this month on the Andrew Marr show Ms Chakrabarti had pointedly failed to rule out serving on the front bench if Corbyn defeated challenger Owen Smith.

The leader was introduced for his speech by a 'community activist' who pleaded for the party to get behind their 'socialist leader'

Mr Corbyn's speech concluded with Labour's traditional rendition of the socialist anthem The Red Flag as he was joined on stage by a choir

Setting out his hard-Left manifesto at the party conference today, Jeremy Corbyn pledged to splurge 500billion on a new investment fund and allow Town Halls to borrow billions of pounds.

He also pledged to weaken the sanctions regime which sees the jobless lose some of their state handouts if they refuse to take steps to find work.

And on immigration, he refused to put any limit on the numbers coming in  despite admitting there is pressure on public services.

Mr Corbyn told cheering delegates his mission was to deliver 'municipal socialism for the 21st century, as an engine of local growth and development'.

His speech capped another week of infighting for Labour, where deputy Tom Watson and London mayor Sadiq Khan warned publicly that the party would lose if they continued to push a hard left agenda.

As the Labour leader refused to put curbs on the numbers pouring in, ex-shadow Cabinet member Rachel Reeves warned of 'bubbling tensions in this country that I just think could explode' and lead to rioting.

Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham said only an 'out of touch elite' failed to understand concerns, while former minister Yvette Cooper urged Labour not to be 'paralysed' through fear of the 'difficult politics of immigration'.
Annie Korkki, 37, who works for JP Morgan Chase in Denver, and Robin Korkki, 42, a trader from

Two sisters from Minnesota were found dead inside their luxury resort villa a week into their vacation in the Seychelles.

Annie Korkki, 37, and Robin Korkki, 42, were discovered in their villa at the Maia Luxury Resort and Spa last Thursday around noon, authorities in the Seychelles said.

The sisters, who had been on vacation on the tropical island off the coast of Africa since September 15, were found unresponsive and were later pronounced dead at the scene by a doctor.

A preliminary examination conducted by police indicated there were no signs of violence or aggression on the women's bodies, The Seychelles Nation reported.

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Minnesota natives Annie Korkki, 37, (left) and Robin Korkki, 42, (right) were found dead inside their resort villa a week into their vacation in the Seychelles island off the coast of Africa

The sisters were discovered in their villa at the Maia Luxury Resort and Spa (pictured) last Thursday, authorities in Seychelles said

The women had been drinking alcohol throughout the day on Wednesday and were helped to their room by resort staff around 8.15pm that night, authorities said.

It was the last time they were seen before they were found dead on Thursday morning, according to police.

Now, their heartbroken family is searching for answers into what led to their sudden deaths.

Authorities in Seychelles were called to the scene after a personal butler assigned to the villa arrived at 8.45am on Thursday to find the sliding door locked as he had left it the night before.

After there was still no movement in the room as the day continued, the butler raised his concerns with a supervisor and management who reported it to police, authorities said.

The sisters pictured in a September 19 photo while on vacation in Seychelles. They had been vacationing on the tropical island since September 15 and had extended their stay from September 22 to September 24

In this September 17 photo from their vacation showing Annie, she commented on the photo, calling the trip 'indescribable'

Annie is pictured jumping on the beach during their holiday in this September 19 photo

The sisters (pictured) were described as adventurous women who 'wanted to experience life to the fullest'

The sisters were found unresponsive on the same bed and there was no disturbance in the room, police said.

While their bodies did not show any signs of trauma, certain medications were confiscated from the room by police as part of their investigation, authorities said.

The Korkki sisters' stay at the resort was originally set to end on September 22, but they had extended it to September 24.

Both sisters had shared photos of their stay in Seychelles on Facebook, with many showing the resort, where an ocean panoramic villa costs upwards of $1,800 per night.

In one photo on September 17 appearing to show the beautiful view from their villa, Annie wrote in the comment section calling it 'the best place ever'.

The sisters were staying at the at the Maia Luxury Resort in the Seychelles off the coast of Africa

Annie and Robin pictured left and center with Caitlin Korkki. Their brother said their mother Sue and brother Mike, are currently in Seychelles making arrangements to bring the women back to the US

In another photo, Annie described their trip as 'indescribable.'

The sisters were both graduates of Eden Prairie High School and were described as adventurous women who 'wanted to experience life to the fullest,' their brother Chris Korkki told The Star-Tribune.

Annie, who lived in Denver, worked at JP Morgan Chase, according to her Facebook page.

Her sister Robin lived in Chicago and is the Head of FX and Metals at Allston Trading. Both are described as healthy women and experienced travelers.

'The family is in shock,' Chris told KMSP of his sisters' deaths.

'Everyone is trying to understand and come to terms with what happened.'

Their mother Sue and brother Mike, who both live in Colorado, are currently in Seychelles, pressing local and US officials for answers, The Star-Tribune reported.

Annie shared this photo that shows a view from their luxury resort villa at the five-star hotel

Another view shows part of their villa's thatched roof and panoramic views of the Indian Ocean

They are also making arrangements to bring the women back to the US, their Chris, who lives in Minnesota, told the newspaper.

He also noted that at this time, his family has limited information on what led to his sisters' deaths.

'At this point, the only details we know are the articles flying around online,' he told The Start-Tribune.

'My mom has been talking with people from the U.S. Embassy. I don't think they've provided her with any information.'

A Giveforward page has been started to help the family with expenses of returning the sisters to the US.

A note on the page written by Kim Haller, who organized the fundraising account, describes the women as 'loving sisters and best friends.'

The page had raised more than $14,600 as of Wednesday afternoon.

In a statement to KMSP, Haller called the sisters one of a kind.

The Maia Luxury Resort and Spa is a twelve-acre property on the secluded Anse Louis located on the island of Mahe

'They were fun, compassionate and the life of every party they loved to be adventurous and would travel to places we would only dream of,' Haller said.

'These girls were one of a kind.

The sisters' bodies are in a mortuary as authorities await autopsy results to determine the cause of death.

Local police have been working with the American embassy in Mauritius during their investigation, according to The Seychelles Nation.

The Seychelles is located more than 900 miles off Africas east coast and is a tourist destination with its beaches, natural reserves, warm weather and coral reefs.

The Maia Luxury Resort and Spa is a twelve-acre property on the secluded Anse Louis located on the island of Mahe.
Central New South Wales, northern Victoria and Tasmania will also be affected by the '

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Winds of at least 140km/h have lashed Victoria after forcing the entire state of South Australia to lose power.

South Australia is bracing for its second day of severe weather with heavy rain and destructive winds to lash large parts of the state on Thursday.

An intense lower pressure system will continue to move across the state after super cell thunderstorms brought down the entire power network on Wednesday .

The winds ripped at least 22 transmission towers from the ground across the mid-north with about 80,000 lightning strikes hitting the state, some damaging generation facilities.

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Destructive winds ripped through parts of South Australia on Wednesday bringing down the entire power network with about 80,000 lightning strikes

A South Australian family reading a book with a torch in the dark on Wednesday night amid a statewide blackout

Tens of thousands of homes were left without power after South Australia was hit with a statewide blackout (pictured)

Police directing traffic around the CBD in Adelaide following a statewide blackout, causing chaos on Wednesday night

That caused automatic emergency systems to cut power across South Australia with SA Power Networks reporting 200,000 customers were left without electricity.

Heading into Thursday most of the Adelaide metropolitan area had power restored with only the northern parts of the state and the Eyre Peninsula likely to still be without services.

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned the wild weather still to come could produce wind gusts of up to 140km/h, especially along the west coast of Eyre Peninsula and up to 100mm of rain across the Adelaide Hills, bringing the risk of flooding.

A flood warning was also issued for Port Pirie, north of Adelaide, because of a storm surge and high waves.

Severe weather warnings have also been issued for large parts of Victoria after the front moved across the border late on Wednesday night, bringing rain and powerful winds.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Dean Stewart said as the front moved across the state it would bring winds up to 100km/h and heavy rain in parts.

NSW is next in line to be hit by the same storm cell.

The weather bureau says thousands of residents in southern and central NSW should brace for severe weather, with winds of up to 110km/h and possible flash flooding forecast for Thursday.

'A vigorous low pressure system and associated cold front will move through NSW today,' the Bureau of Meteorology said.

The system will move through inland regions before passing over the ranges.

The Riverina, central and south tablelands and parts of the Hunter, Snowy Mountains and Mid-North Coast regions are all expected to be hit. Towns in flood-beleaguered central NSW are also being told to prepare for potential flash flooding.

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned of more wild weather to hit the state as floodwater surges down the River Torrens

Traffic in total darkness around the streets of Adelaide as residents are left without power on Wednesday night

Hundreds of travellers who were planning to fly from Adelaide Airport on Wednesday were left stranded following outage

Travellers waited at Adelaide Airport after severe storms caused delays on the tarmac and problems with baggage system

Travellers planning to fly from Adelaide Airport on Wednesday were left stranded following a statewide blackout

State wide blackout has caused traffic chaos on the streets of Adelaide as residents are left without power

Adelaide Metro trains will resume service from Thursday morning - and most schools across the state will be open but areas that are still affected may run different programs.

Travellers who were planning to fly from Adelaide Airport on Wednesday were left stranded after the wild weather caused major delays on the tarmac. But power has seen been restored to the airport.

Weather warnings has also been issued in New South Wales and Tasmania as a 'vigorous' cold front, or 'cyclone', moved east across the country's south on Wednesday.

The state has been drenched by heavy rains which caused flash flooding across the state, while gale force winds caused damage to homes, bus stops and cars when trees were uprooted in the storm.

Federal Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg has questioned the stability of the state's electricity grid following a power blackout in the midst of a major storm.

He said the state-wide blackout is 'clearly not adequate' and wants to convene a meeting of the COAG energy council to make sure it never happens again.

'The ramifications are huge for so many people involved,' he told ABC Television.

More than one million residents spent their night in the dark following a statewide blackout on Wednesday evening

Police directing traffic around the CBD in Adelaide following power outage, leaving residents without electricity

Mr Frydenberg said the system's stability must be questioned after the outage, but cautioned that the underlying cause was the storm.

'Questions are raised by the virtue of the increasing amount of renewables,' he said.

But SA Premier Jay Weatherill denies the outage has anything to do with the state's reliance on intermittent renewable energy and the recent closure of its last coal-fired power station.

'For people to be saying those things without being appraised of all the facts shows people are using this to play politics,' Mr Weatherill said.

It's not clear how long it could take for power to be restored across the state, but some homes could be without power until Thursday.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA'S STATEWIDE BLACKOUT * Severe winds and lightning caused major damage to energy infrastructure in SA's mid north including high-voltage transmission lines. * The damage caused generators across the power network to shut down with the interconnector with Victoria automatically cut to prevent further damage. * About 1.677 million residents were left without power with services progressively restored, first in Adelaide and then country towns. * The blackout triggered widespread gridlock on Adelaide roads, with a spate of accidents and forcing police to direct traffic and to urge people to stay home. * Premier Jay Weatherill confirmed the outage was caused when the severe storm knocked out transmission towers. * Hospitals and other emergency services were continuing to operate on back-up power. * The State Emergency Service responded to more than 450 calls for help on Wednesday. * The emergency came amid severe weather with an intense low pressure system the worst to blast SA for more than 50 years. * A flood watch remains in place for the Adelaide Hills and other parts of the state as the state braces for 140kph winds. Advertisement

South Australian Power Networks confirmed the whole state had lost power just before 5pm on Wednesday after the storm caused an issue with the transmission network.

State Emergency Service spokesman Jon Carr said residents in Adelaide completely lost power just before 4.30pm, while power at more than 4,000 residences across the state were affected earlier in the day as the merciless storm cell travelled east towards Victoria and New South Wales.

'Basically the whole CBD has lost power. I am looking out the window and it is looking pretty bloody dark out there,' Mr Carr told Daily Mail Australia.

The State Emergency Service responded to more than 450 calls for help on Wednesday. The SES has brought in strike teams from Western Australia to bolster local crews.

Large hailstones and heavy rains are expected to continue causing flash flooding and damage on both Wednesday and Thursday, with thunderstorms set to rattle Adelaide by about 4pm.

'This is a cyclone,' BOM regional director John Nairne told the ABC.

'It's a clockwise rotating system and in its own right it's a powerful system, and not to be confused with tropical cyclones.'

Large hail stones have battered Cleve, in the Eyre Peninsula, leaving properties blanketed in ice.

A large tree in the backyard of a home in Myrtle Bank, a suburb in Adelaide's south east, has fallen on an elderly woman's house after it was struck by lightening in the storm just before 1pm.

Debris can be seen scattered all over the road, with fire crews and State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers attending to clear the scene.

Police directing traffic around the CBD in Adelaide following power outage, leaving residents without electricity

Traffic flows by the SAMHRI building, one of the few with power back up near the CBD in Adelaide on Wednesday

South Australia has been drenched by heavy rains which caused flash flooding across the state, while gale force winds caused damage to homes, bus stops and cars when trees were uprooted in the storm

South Australia has been thrust into darkness after power was lost across the city (pictured severe thunderstorm)

'We are expecting some severe weather overnight and through to Thursday so we are certainly expecting a really busy next 48 hours,' Mr Carr said after receiving a large number of calls about fallen trees

A large tree in the backyard of a home in Myrtle Bank, a suburb in Adelaide's south east, has fallen on an elderly woman's house after it was struck by lightening in the storm just before 1pm

Debris was scattered all over the road, with fire crews and State Emergency Service volunteers helping clear the scene

Commuters avoided injury when falling branches shattered a glass panel on a bus stop in Glenelg

Debris from the storm is scattered in the streets around Glenelg, with the SES confirming they have responded to around 15 call outs on Wedesnday

South Australia has been drenched by heavy rains and severe thunderstorm which caused flash flooding across the state

Commuters avoided injury when falling branches shattered a glass panel on a bus stop in Glenelg, a beach-side suburb south west of Adelaide, while a tree has also blocked a road outside Ardornish Primary School in Adelaide's north-east.

Winds strengths not seen in more than 50 years are predicted, particularly in coastal areas, while up to 100 millimetres of rain has been forecast for the Adelaide Hills.

The Bureau said winds may average at about 90 kilometres per hour but could reach 140 kilometres per hour in Whyalla, Port Augusta, Hawker, Port Pirie, Clare, Roxby Downs and Leigh Creek - where a severe thunderstorm warning has been issues.

Around 18,000 fire fighters and SES staff are on standby to help residents, while a team from Western Australia has also been brought in to assist.

State Emergency Services have distributed scores of sand bags across both metropolitan and regional areas in preparation for likely flooding.

It comes as some in Western Australia woke to sub zero temperatures on Thursday morning.

A large fallen tree has blocked a road outside Ardornish Primary School in Adelaide's north-east

Heavy rains, gale force winds and flooding will batter South Australia as a cyclone hits on Tuesday (Pictured: Thunderstorm in Woomera, north west of Adelaide)

A large tree toppled over blocking Brookside Road in Springfield, an inner suburb in Adelaide's south, on Wednesday

SES volunteers have arrived on the scene and are now attempting to clear the debris away

Large hail stones have battered Cleve (picutred left and right), in the Eyre Peninsula, leaving properties blanketed in ice

It comes as some in Western Australia woke to sub zero temperatures on Thursday morning

Winds strengths not seen in more than 50 years are predicted, particularly in coastal areas, while up to 100 millimetres of rain has been forecast for the Adelaide Hills (pictured)

An ominous cloud formation appeared in Adelaide as forecasters described the storm as 'rare and damaging'

'This depth of low, this close to the coast, is very damaging,' the Bureau of Meteorology SA's director John Nairn said

South Australian residents have started preparing for the storm which has been described as the worst in fifty years

Social media users started sharing images as thick cloud cover plunged the state into darkness ( Pictured: Roxby Downs near Burra)

Large hailstones and heavy rains are expected to continue causing flash flooding and damage on Wednesday

Forecasters have warned the strong winds produced by the cyclone could cause sea levels to rise

A resident in Adelaide Hills uploaded a photograph to social media showing how dramatically the weather changed on Wednesday

Twin sisters jump at the opportunity to get their gum boots out, with their mother capturing the moment they pounce on a puddle in Adelaide

Drenching rain and potentially storm-force winds are expected to lash large parts of South Australia on both Wednesday and Thursday (Pictured: Port Augusta Power Station)

Ominous clouds started forming over Adelaide on Tuesday morning as residents prepare for two days of heavy rainfall

One resident captured the dramatic change in conditions after a sunny morning turned into a cloudy afternoon

Severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued for Whyalla, Port Augusta, Hawker, Port Pirie, Clare, Roxby Downs (pictured) and Leigh Creek

A grey haze sets in over the suburbs of Adelaide as the massive deluge hit before midday on Wednesday

Burnside's Tusmore Park creek, south east of Adelaide, swells as heavy rains are dumped on the city

A driver headed toward Roxbury Down can see rain started to fall further up the road

The unusually deep low pressure system forecast to move up over Kangaroo Island and into the Adelaide area on Wednesday evening (Pictured: Brighton Beach)

Heavy rain can be expected in Victoria's north and west while thunderstorms may affect South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales

Palm trees on the Adelaide coast bend in the extreme winds which are expected to reach speeds of up to 110km/h

Residents in Adelaide (left) and Adelaide Hills (right) took to social media to share images of the rare weather event

One user shared a picture of a magpie that tried to take refuge near their house during the massive storm

Residents volunteered to pack sand bags as South Australia prepared for the biggest storm in fifty years

HAVE THE BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY ISSUED WEATHER WARNINGS IN MY AREA? South Australia Severe weather warning issued for West Coast and parts of the Eastern Eyre Peninsula and North West Pastoral districts, while Lower Eyre Peninsula, Eastern Eyre Peninsula and parts of the West Coast and North West Pastoral districts have been issued a severe thunderstorm warning. Gale force winds are predicted to average around 50-65 km/h but could reach speeds of up to 90-120 km/h near the coast on Wednesday, with the Bureau warning they could cause damage to trees and property. Severe thunderstorms in Whyalla, Port Augusta, Hawker, Port Pirie, Clare, Roxby Downs and Leigh Creek could produce destructive wind gusts up to 140 km/h and batter the area with large hailstones and heavy rainfall. New South Wales Severe weather warning issues for the Central Tablelands, South West Slopes, Riverina, Lower Western and parts of the Hunter, Southern Tablelands, Central West Slopes and Plains, Upper Western and Snowy Mountains Forecast Districts Damaging winds averaging 60 to 80 km/h with peak gusts in excess of 110 km/h are expected about Alpine peaks from Wednesday night, easing only slightly into Thursday. Heavy rain is expected for Thursday morning which could lead to localised flooding, particularly in areas recently affected by heavy rains. Flood warnings for Macintyre River, Peel River and Namoi Rivers, Macquarie River, Bogan River, Lachlan River, Murrumbidgee River, Murray River, Culgoa Birrie Bokhara and Narran Rivers, Warrego River, Paroo River, Barwon-Darling River U/S Bourke. Victoria Severe weather warning has been issued for Central, Mallee, South West, Northern Country, North Central, North East and Wimmera Districts. Damaging winds averaging 50 to 60 km/h with peak gusts of around 110 km/h are expected to develop across western districts late Wednesday, with winds extending to the state's centre and east by Thursday morning. Thunderstorms and heavy rain are expected on Wednesday and will continue into Thursday. Up to 80 mm of rain could be dumped on the area in a six-nine hour period, which could cause localised flooding. Flood warnings for Greater Melbourne, North East Victoria, Goulburn and Broken Rivers, Campaspe, Loddon, Avoca and Wimmera Rivers, Kiewa River, Broken Creek and Loddon River. Source: The Bureau of Meteorology Advertisement

One social media users shared an image of grey clouds as they formed over Adelaide (pictured) on Wednesday

 Slide me  Rain will hit the state's west on Wednesday (left) and move east toward Sydney by Thursday (right)

Large hailstones and heavy rains are expected to continue causing flash flooding and damage on both Wednesday and Thursday, with thunderstorms set to rattle Adelaide (pictured) by about 4pm

The cold front will bring heavy rain, scattered thunderstorms and extreme winds which will smash flood- affected towns like Forbes (pictured)

Sydney's weather is expected clear for Saturday and Sunday - when temperatures are expected to reach a maximum of 22 and 27 degrees - before scattered showers hit on Monday

Severe weather warnings are in place for most of Victoria, with forecasters warning thunderstorms and wild winds will continue causing streams to rise (Pictured: stock image)

South Australia has been drenched by heavy rains which caused flash flooding across the state
A Pittsburgh police officer has been fired after a Snapchat that she took in her uniform and sent with a racial slur was posted on social media.

The picture shows former part-time McKeespot Officer Melissa Adamson in a car, outfitted in a long-sleeved uniform, with the caption: 'I'm the law today n***a'.

Adamson was also working part-time as a cop in Versailles, Pennsylvania and resigned from her position on Tuesday night after the department held an emergency meeting regarding the photo.

McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko said his office and the police department concluded 'without hesitation' that Adamson had to be fired.

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McKeespot Police Officer Melissa Adamson was fired from her job on Tuesday after a Snapchat that she took in her uniform that used the racial slur 'n***a' was posted on Facebook

'This post displays a degree of conduct and character that is far different from what I would expect from an officer in this city,' he wrote in a Facebook post.

'It is absolutely unacceptable. She has been relieved of her duties, and her employment has been terminated.'

Adamson revealed that the photo had been taken months ago, right before her first day on the job at the Pitcairn Police Department.

The former cop said she considered the photo to be 'just humor' and that she sent it to some friends 'with no malicious intent', she told WTAE.

Adamson claims the photo was posted on Facebook this week by a former police officer who she recently 'had an altercation' with.

'He's bringing up his dirt and ruining my career,' she said. 'Which has been done.'

'Everyone that knows me knows I don't have a racist bone in my body,' she added.

'And people who don't know me, I can understand why it was misconstrued to where it looks racist. But like I said, everyone who knows me knows I'm not racist.'

She added that the photo was a 'stupid mistake' and that she didn't 'expect it to go this far'.

Courtesy WPXI

Adamson revealed that the photo had been taken months ago and said it was posted on social media by a former police officer she 'had an altercation with' who wanted to ruin her career

Adamson resigned from the Pitcairn department just last week to start a new job in her hometown of McKeespot.

She was still in the department's probationary training when she was fired on Tuesday.

'I don't want this to affect how I do my job,' Adamson said.

'I don't want people to look at me differently, thinking that I can't build myself up to the standard of a police officer.'

Adamson apologized to those she had offended and said it was never her 'intention' to hurt them.

'I can't express how sorry I am for how I made you feel - emotionally, physically,' she said.

'Again, it was a stupid mistake. It shouldn't have been posted in general, regardless of how my intentions were.'

Many took to the mayor's Facebook to thank him and the city for quickly firing Adamson.

McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko said his office and the police department, where Adamson only began work a week ago, concluded 'without hesitation' that she had to be fired

'Thank you for immediate action,' wrote Sue Lang. 'Our city has enough problems, we don't need a racist police officer too.'

Kimberly Ann added that she was 'completely confounded and distraught' by Adamson's actions.

'I support our Officers and law enforcement 100% at all times, but with actions such as this, it is difficult to understand why some have even picked law enforcement as a career.'
A 24-year-old Florida man wanted on a number of criminal charges thought he'd have some fun with the cops trying to nab him.

As Tampa police sought Cameron Cox, he issued a public dare on Facebook: the cover photo for the 2002 movie 'Catch Me If You Can,' starring Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio.

He even took it a step further, writing: 'F**k it. Might as well have some fun with this. LOL.'

Cameron Cox, 24, was wanted on a number of charges when he decided to taunt police in Tampa, Florida

Cox issued this public dare on Facebook: the cover photo for the 2002 movie 'Catch Me If You Can,' starring Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio

Officers at the Tampa Police Department were happy to oblige.

'Challenge accepted,' the Tampa PD posted on its Facebook page, after they arrested Cox on charges of burglary, grand theft, dealing in stolen property and defrauding a pawn broker.

'When you are a criminal and post a photo of "Catch Me If You Can", we will do just that.'

'When he is done serving his time, maybe Cameron Cox should update his profile photo with his mugshot.'

Tampa police responded in kind (pictured), after arresting Cox on charges of burglary, grand theft, dealing in stolen property and defrauding a pawn broker

In the movie 'Catch Me If You Can,' Leonardo DiCaprio (center) portrays Frank Abagnale Jr., a real-life trickster

Cox was arrested at a McDonald's on Tampa's South Manhattan Avenue on September 20, WFTV reported.
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Triathlete Jonny Brownlee led Team GB athletes through Leeds in a homecoming celebration and joked how a 'bit of Yorkshire air' had helped him recover from his dramatic collapse in Mexico last week.

Jonny was helped over the line by his brother Alistair after being hit by heat stroke in what his sibling described as being 'as close to death as you can be in sport'.

The Brownlee brothers were joined by fellow Yorkshire medallists, including diver Jack Laugher, cyclist Ed Clancy, wheelchair racer Hannah Cockroft, Paralympic star Kadeena Cox and rowers Andrew Triggs Hodge and Paul Bennett.

Six open-top double decker buses passed through Leeds flanked by a Rio-style carnival blasting out samba music.

Yorkshire Olympians brought home 14 medals out of an overall medal total of 67 for Team GB, above hosts Brazil, Canada and New Zealand.

Paralympic athletes from the county also hit the heights, contributing 12 to a total medal haul of 147.

Alistair (left) and Jonny (right) Brownlee celebrate their Olympic medals during a homecoming parade in Leeds today

The Brownlee brothers hold aloft a Yorkshire flag as they were welcomed back in Leeds during a victory parade

Yorkshire's Olympic and Paralympic athletes were given a heroes welcome by thousands of people who lined the streets

Alistair joked about how he was looking forward to 'not carrying Jonny around' after his collapse in Mexico last week

The Brownlee brothers returned home last week in the final race of the World Triathlon Series after an exhausted Jonny was helped over the line by his elder brother.

Jonny, who won silver in Rio, said: 'After the collapse in Mexico I am feeling a lot better now. Nothing that a bit of Yorkshire air can't fix.

'I am definitely looking forward to a bit of rest now and getting away from things a little bit.

'Hopefully I will catch up with school friends and go and watch Leeds United and do as many normal things as I can.'

He added: 'It's a bit of a bubble when you are in Rio and you are preparing for that race.

'There is so much going on but you do feel the Yorkshire support. On the side of the roads in Rio most flags were probably Great Britain and Yorkshire was probably the second most popular flag.'

Speaking of the parade, he said: 'It has been very special. It makes you proud to be from Yorkshire.'

Alistair celebrated his victory in Rio by unfurling a Yorkshire flag to show the world his roots.

He said: 'When I was in Rio the Yorkshire flag got thrust in my hand as they were all over the place', he said.

'There were more Yorkshire flags then any other country's flags apart from the UK.

'I took the British flag first and then saw the Yorkshire flag and thought, ''why not enjoy it'''?

He added: 'This is the first obvious natural break after four years that have been really intense with training and I'm looking for a good bit of time out and who knows then maybe onto Tokyo.

'I'll be looking forward to not carrying Jonny around too.'

Great Britain's Andy Triggs Hodge, Tom Ransley, Laura Weightman, Paul Bennett and Zoe Lee celebrate with Yorkshire flags during the homecoming event in Leeds City Centre

Triggs Hodge, the victorious Team GB rower, shows off his medal to the jubilant crowd lining the streets of Leeds tonight

Great Britain's Nile Wilson shows off his gymnastic skills on the open top bus during the homecoming event

Thousands of people lined the route, which went through the city centre starting at the Headrow outside Leeds Art Gallery, then on to Park Row, down to City Square, Boar Lane, Briggate, before turning back on to the Headrow and returning outside Leeds Art Gallery.

Diver Jack Laugher, won a gold and silver in Rio, said: 'It was fantastic when I got back. I tried to keep celebrations quiet and just between my family as they were the people that meant the most to me, but I can't thank people enough for the support I've had in Yorkshire, Leeds and Ripon. It has just been sublime.

'It has been phenomenal and I'm so pleased with the support behind the Olympics.

'I've had people coming up to me in the streets and saying, "my son is diving, or my daughter has started diving, or I want to start diving" and it has been fantastic.

'Now I am just resting and relaxing. I have given up a lot of things over the years and I have sacrificed so much I just want to see my friends, go out partying, have a takeaway if I want and do all the things normal people do.

'I've found out what it's like to be an Olympic champion and now I want to see what it is like to be a normal guy.'

Six open-top double decker buses passed through Leeds flanked by a Rio-style carnival blasting out samba music

Great Britain's Bryony Page, Nile Wilson, Lois Toulson and Rebecca Gallantree aboard the open top bus in Leeds

Leeds City Council said tens of thousands of people lined the route.

They were entertained in the parade by dancers from the West Indian Carnival, the Band of the King's Division, West Yorkshire Police Band and the Handmade Samba Band.

Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said: 'We have been extremely fortunate to host some truly memorable occasions in Leeds, but to see so many people of all ages line the streets of the city centre to welcome home our Yorkshire Olympic and Paralympic heroes tonight took the breath away.

'It really was fantastic to see the county's athletes get the recognition they so fully deserve for their phenomenal success in Rio.

'I would like to thank all of them for finding the time in their extremely demanding and hectic schedules to attend the parade and of course the Yorkshire public, who once again proved why their support is amongst the very best in the world.'

Sir Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: 'Wow, what a welcome for our Yorkshire Rio heroes.

'Tens of thousands of people lined the route around the city centre to cheer on our athletes and it really has been an event to go down in history. Yorkshire, you really know how to party.'

Manchester will host the main homecoming parade for Team GB's Olympic and Paralympic heroes on October 17.

Another event will be held in London the following day.
New footage has emerged showing the gunman who murdered 49 people in an Orlando nightclub in a mosque just days before the massacre.

Omar Mateen was seen on surveillance footage inside a mosque in Kissimmee, Florida, on June 8 - four days before he carried out the mass shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando on June 12.

In the video, Mateen can be seen sitting in prayer before he gets up and walks out of the mosque.

Omar Mateen (pictured) was seen on security footage praying alone in a mosque for about 10 minutes just days before killing 49 people at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando

Omar Mateen (pictured) visited the American Muslim Leadership center in Kissimmee, Florida, on June 8

Imam Helmi Elagha, who released the footage from the American Muslim Leadership center, said he could not understand how Mateen could be praying while he was potentially thinking about the shooting.

'I'm just thinking, "How are you praying?... You were contemplating killing people in a couple of days",' Elagha said in a press conference, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The imam went on to say Mateen was inside for about 10 minutes, and that it was not unusual for unknown people to visit the center as it is next to a highway.

'People will come here as travelers  and they'll pray and walk out,' he said.

Mateen was filmed as he got up from praying and walked past a group of men to leave the center

Imam Helmi Elagha, who released the footage from the American Muslim Leadership center, said his mosque is in no way associated with 'the terrorist' Mateen (pictured)

'The majority of the time, no interaction takes place.

'We're not associated with this terrorist. We're not associated with this murderer.'

Elagha added the center has been the subject of abuse since the shootings, with people making threatening phone calls and 'ranting' about ethnic cleansing on its Facebook page.

It comes after it was revealed Mateen blamed the shooting on a U.S. airstrike in May that killed an ISIS leader.

Phone conversations between the shooter and an FBI negotiator were released by a Florida court after a lawsuit filed by several news organizations.

The June 12 Pulse nightclub attack claimed 49 lives (pictured) and seriously injured 53 others

Mateen carried out the shooting at the Pulse nightclub (pictured) in Orlando on June 12, 2016

During the calls, Mateen blamed the attack on a bombing in May which killed Iraq's ISIS leader, Abu Wahib.

'That's what triggered it, OK?' Mateen told a police negotiator. 'They should have not bombed and killed Abu Wahid.' The transcript spelling of 'Wahid' is believed to be an alternative translation of the ISIS leader's name.

He also demanded the U.S. stop its air strikes, telling the Orlando police negotiator he had to, 'Tell America to stop bombing Syria and Iraq.

'They are killing a lot of innocent people,' Mateen, a New York-born son of an Afghan immigrant, said.
South Australia's decision to close its last coal-fired power station in favour of renewable energy just months ago is being questioned by some after a major storm crippled the state's electricity grid.

Destructive winds lashed parts of the state on Wednesday night and ripped at least 22 transmission towers from the ground with about 80,000 lightning strikes hitting the state, some damaging generation facilities.

Labor Premier Jay Weatherill denies the state-wide black out had anything to do with South Australia's reliance on renewable energy - but it has left many asking questions as to how a storm can knock out an entire state's power.

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South Australia's decision to close its last coal-fired power station at Port Augusta in May (pictured) for renewable energy is being questioned after a major storm on Wednesday

Alinta Energy shut down the state's last coal-fired power station at Port Augusta in May - leaving the state to rely on renewables, mainly wind power, for more than 40 per cent of its power.

The outage is understood to have been caused when the storm knocked out transmission towers, cutting the frequency to the system.

Mr Weatherill says that tripped the system, which shut down and severed interconnection with the Victorian electricity grid - South Australia's only connection to the national electricity grid.

'This is an unprecedented weather event which has knocked out large amounts of our electricity infrastructure,' Mr Weatherill said.

'It essentially ripped out the spine of our electricity system.'

Federal Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg is now questioning the stability of the electricity grid.

He said while the problems were caused by a one-in-50-year weather event there were still questions around the stability of South Australia's power grid.

Mr Frydenberg wants to convene a meeting of the COAG energy council to make sure it never happens again.

Alinta Energy shut down SA's last coal-fired power station at Port Augusta in May - leaving the state to rely on renewables, mainly wind power, for more than 40 per cent of its power

Destructive winds ripped through parts of South Australia on Wednesday bringing down the entire power network with about 80,000 lightning strikes

The outage is understood to have been caused when the storm knocked out transmission towers, cutting the frequency to the system

Traffic in total darkness around the streets of Adelaide as residents are left without power on Wednesday night

State wide blackout has caused traffic chaos on the streets of Adelaide as residents are left without power

South Australian senator Nick Xenophon has called for an inquiry into his state's power supply following the black out.

Senator Xenophon told ABC radio the Australian Energy Market Commission should carry out robust independent analysis to learn lessons from the incident and ascertain whether SA's energy mix made it more vulnerable to an outage.

Queensland Senator Pauline Hanson was quick to blame the power loss on the 'unrealistic Greens and Labor policy to use only renewable energy'.

'Let this be a warning to all Australians and those who want to oppose other developing nations in the world coal fired power production,' Ms Hanson said.

'Renewable energy is not capable of sustaining base load! If you don't know what that means, it's time you look it up.'

South Australia has been thrust into darkness after power was lost across the city

South Australian senator Nick Xenophon has called for an inquiry into his state's power supply following the black out

But the Premier insists that isn't the cause of the outage and says the same 'dramatic event' would have shorted any system in the world.

'This is the system protecting itself,' he said, adding it had nothing to do with the May closure of Port Augusta's coal-fired power station.

'For people to be saying those things without being appraised of all the facts shows people are using this to play politics.'
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by Stephens Jakes

The Bulawayo City Council has donated a 4 hectares of stand in Selbourne Brooke to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Imbizo District for the construction of the district resource centre.Imbizo District Education office will conduct a ground breaking ceremony at the city site on September 30 starting at 10am.In a letter written to stakeholders in Bulawqayo, Imbizo District Committee Chairperson a Mr R Sibanda indicated that the Ministry of Primary and secondary Education is decentralised into provinces and further into districts as such Bulawayo Metropolitan Province has such several districts."One such district is named Imbizo and administers 36 schools both primary and secondary. The district stretches from Emganwini covering Nkea and Nkulumane including such schools as Whitestone, CBC in Hillside, Waterford, Kensington, Petra Schools, Masiyephambili Schools, Centenary Mahatshula, Induna, Cement and others," reads the letter."All these schools are mandated to set up Resources Centre that will enhance learning and research. The City of Bulawayo has donated a 4 hectare stand in Selbourne Brooke where the Imbizo District Resources Centre is to be built."The letter states that the project is thought will cost no less than two million dollars. Sibanda said the ground breaking of the site will be held on Friday 30 September at 10 am at the site
Coronation Street star Johnny Briggs' daughter and granddaughter are behind bars once again for a string of petty thefts to fund their ongoing battles with heroin.

Serial thief Karen Briggs, who is the daughter of the former Corrie star, and her 28-year-old daughter Emma Beach have been jailed for a total of two years.

The pair have struggled with drug addiction for a number of years and have appeared before the courts numerous times for more than 70 offences.

Their latest jail stint comes following a string of pedal bike thefts from a train station.

Serial thief and heroin addict Karen Briggs (left), who is the daughter of the former Corrie star, and her 28-year-old daughter Emma Beach (right) have been jailed for a total of two years

Briggs, 51, was jailed last week for nine months after breaching a criminal behaviour order and stealing a bicycle from Cobham Rail Station in Surrey on June 21 and July 18. Her daughter admitted the same offences, as well as stealing a bike from a separate station earlier in July. She was jailed for 15 months.

The mother and daughter, from Cobham, Surrey, who both have a history of shoplifting and drug abuse, were sentenced at Guildford Crown Court.

Their father and grandfather, Johnny Briggs, who played Mike Baldwin in Coronation Street from 1976 to 2012 and received an MBE in 2007, has since disowned them.

They are said to have carried out 100 thefts between them to fund their heroin addiction, which Beach took up aged just 14 after being influenced by her mother.

They previously appeared at Reading Crown Court in October 2014, charged with the theft of of 278 of alcohol from Waitrose in Sunningdale, Berkshire and were banned from going into the supermarket again.

The pair were then hauled before the courts again in January 2015 for stealing 400 worth of Yankee Candles from a branch of Clinton Cards, in Walton-on-Thames. For that offence, Briggs was jailed for six months, while Beach was given a treatment order.

This was on the grounds that her mother was a bad influence and all of Beach's drug-taking, since she was a teenager, had involved her mother.

Johnny Briggs, who played Mike Baldwin in Coronation Street, receiving an MBE in 2007

Johnny Briggs (pictured with Amanda Barrie) played Mike Baldwin in Corrie from 1976 to 2012

The pair were then arrested again in August 2015 for shoplifting from a Marks and Spencer store. Briggs was confined to home by the law and barred from shopping with her daughter following the incident.

She was then banned from spending more than two hours a day with her daughter.

The ban was ordered by magistrates in Staines, Surrey, last year after the troubled pair were convicted of stealing booze from a high street store in the town.

Briggs had earlier been jailed for 150 days in 1999 after stealing 5,000 of her mother's jewellery. In 2001 she was sentenced to 30 months for her part in a burglary in which a pub landlord was stabbed and she was jailed again for nine months after stealing from churches in Cobham in 2011.

Prior to their latest offences, Briggs had tallied 32 convictions for 52 offences, while Beach had clocked up 16 convictions for 23 offences.

Their latest prison sentence was handed to them after a joint operation by British Transport Police and Surrey Police caught them stealing bikes from rail stations.

Emma Beach and Karen Briggs , granddaughter and daughter of the ex-Corrie star, in 2005

Prior to their latest offences, Briggs (pictured left in 2000) had tallied 32 convictions for 52 offences, while Beach (seen right in 2006) had clocked up 16 convictions for 23 offences

A British Transport Police spokesman said: 'Briggs was charged with four breaches of a criminal behaviour order and one count of a pedal cycle theft at Cobham rail station on June 21. She was sentenced to nine months imprisonment.

'Beach was charged with four counts of breaching a criminal behaviour order, thefts of a pedal cycle at Cobham rail station on June 21 and July 18. She also stole a bike from Oxshott rail station on July 18. She was sentenced to 15 month imprisonment.

'Both appeared before Guildford Crown Court on the September 22 where they pleaded guilty to all offences and were sentenced.'

Police constable Marc Farmer said: 'I am pleased that the joint partnership working between us and Surrey Police has put these two women behind bars stopping them from re-offending.
It is usually the architectural grandeur or historical significance of Canterbury Cathedral which capture visitors' attention.

But as this astonishing photograph shows, heads are being turned by the breath-taking sight of a very different nature - police with guns patrolling the hallowed grounds of one of England's oldest Christian buildings amid fears of a terror attack.

The dramatic move follows a string of jihadi terror attacks across Europe, including on a priest whose throat was slit by Islamic State fanatics in a French church.

Armed officers have been ordered to patrol potential terrorist targets, including the cathedral along with major shopping centres, the Port of Dover and London Southend Airport

Armed officers have been ordered to patrol potential terrorist targets, including the cathedral along with major shopping centres, the Port of Dover and London Southend Airport.

In scenes that illustrate the chilling reality of modern Britain, two officers carrying Heckler and Koch G36 assault rifles, Glock 17 semi-auto 9mm pistols and Tasers are photographed here strolling around one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England.

Their presence may seem at odds with the tranquil air of so sacred a spiritual centre.

Founded in 597AD, it was rebuilt by William the Conqueror and survived the dissolution of the monasteries.

The cathedral attracted nearly a million visitors last year.

The dramatic move follows a string of jihadi terror attacks across Europe, including on a priest whose throat was slit by Islamic State fanatics in a French church

Yet some have regarded the spectacle of gun carrying officers as worthy of a tourist snapshot as the cathedral itself.

On Monday one parent stopped to get a photograph with the officers as their friendly little girl offered one of the firearms officers her treasured Pikachu cuddly toy.

The snapshot of the three smiling together standing at the cathedral gates was tweeted to Kent Police by one police supporter who said: 'I've always loved how approachable members of @kentpolicecbury (kent police Canterbury) are.

'Vital for armed units as it reduces the public fear element. Thanks guys!'

Since two police forces began armed patrols a week ago, the sight of gun carrying officers has attracted open-mouthed stares from some visitors.

On Tuesday it drew quizzical glances from a group of elderly visitors enjoying a spectacular view of the cathedral walls from a bench.

Since two police forces began armed patrols a week ago, the sight of gun carrying officers has attracted open-mouthed stares from some visitors

Two other tourists taking photographs, one wearing an anti-pollution mask, may even have caught the pair in their snaps as they walked along with their German-made weapons, which are capable of firing 750 rounds per minute.

The dramatic move to have armed police routinely patrolling the cathedral's grounds for the first time was announced last week.

Canterbury Cathedral became the site of one of British history's most infamous murders when Archbishop Thomas Becket was slaughtered there in 1170.

Yesterday a Canterbury Cathedral spokesman said: 'Having grown used to armed police patrols in our rail stations, airports and in the capital cities we should not be surprised that Kent Police has judged the same provision for the security of people needs to be made at significant sites in their own area.

'It is a sadness to us all that such a response is necessary but the police has made this decision with the safety of the public in mind.'

The dramatic move to have armed police routinely patrolling the cathedral's grounds for the first time was announced last week

Kent and Essex Police have started regular armed patrols in Canterbury city centre as well as one of Europe's largest shopping centres, Bluewater in Stone, Kent and Lakeside sheopping centre in Essex, where shoppers were seen stopping to question two officers.

Police say the sites have been chosen as they have the greatest 'footfall', hence a heightened risk of attack.

Both forces stressed there is no specific intelligence to indicate a direct threat to the Cathedral or any other sites.

But critics have said the approach could leave the public worried rather than reassured.

This week armed offices were seen at Bluewater shopping centre where their presence appears to have generated interest from shoppers, who, as our photographs show, seemed eager to chat with them.

Around 28 million visitors go to the shopping centre a year.

A Bluewater spokesman said: 'We take the safety and security of both our staff and customers very seriously. Our security procedures are regularly reviewed and tested and as part of our ongoing relationship with our on-site Kent Police team.

'Bluewater is now part of a countywide initiative to increase firearms and taser patrols.'

Police say the site has been chosen as it has a high level of 'footfall', hence a heightened risk of attack

The move follows a Home Office announcement that all police forces in England and Wales should increase firearms patrols to protect the public.

The government announced in April there would be an extra 1,500 armed officers across England and Wales as the UK's official threat level for international terrorism stands at severe, meaning an attack is highly likely.

In July an IS attacker slit the throat of Father Jacques Hamel, 86, in a Normandy church - leading to increased security at Britain's 47,000 churches.

Then, earlier this month, a 29-year-old woman was charged over a failed jihadi attack near Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral.

Last month Scotland Yard announced 600 new armed officers would be deployed patrolling locations such as Oxford Street and other shopping centres including Westfield as well as railway stations and religious institutions.

The armed presence is intended as a deterrent and to allow an immediate response in an emergency, police said.

Kent Deputy Chief Constable Paul Brandon said: 'We continue to regularly review the threat levels in the county in consultation with the Home Office to ensure we provide the most appropriate protection for the people of Kent.
A Chinese man has been arrested after beating his wife to death because he believed she had cracked the screen of his smartphone.

The woman, surnamed Chen, was found dead with serious head injuries on September 15 at her home in the city of Yinchuan, China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, reported People's Daily Online.

The 28-year-old suspect, surnamed Su, has been arrested by the Yinchuan police after a city-wide manhunt.

A Chinese man has beaten his wife to death because she had cracked his phone's screen

The suspect Su did not have a steady job and stayed at home all the time, said the police.

The couple were heard having a serious altercation on the day before the incident.

On September 15, the father-of-two reportedly left home in the morning; and when he returned, he found the screen of his smartphone cracked.

Outraged, the man thought his wife, who had complained about his addiction to smartphones, had broken his handset.

However, a separate report by Ningxia TV made the claim that Chen smashed the mobile phone onto the floor during a fight with her husband.

The incident happened in Yinchuan in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, north-west China

In the afternoon, the dead body of Chen was found by Su's father, who immediately reported to police.

Officers said the female victim had been repeatedly struck in the head by a blunt object, leading to the death.

A blood-stained wooden stick was found at the murder scene.

Chen's husband was immediately identified as the main suspect.

He was seen by neighbours fleeing from the house and heading towards the forest.

The 28-year-old, who is a father of two, was said to be furious when he saw his broken phone

After failing to find the suspect in areas around his home and the forest, the police carried out a city-wide manhunt on September 15.

They said the task proved to be challenging as the streets were crowded with pedestrians on the Mid-Autumn festival.

In the evening, Su was arrested at a store in Yinchuan city.

Su admitted he had beaten his wife to death using a wooden stick as she was asleep.
Records show that adult female sharks can grow to more than 10 feet long, with razor sharp serrated teeth

They are sometimes referred to as 'wolves of the sea' due to their pack habits and

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A group of fearsome blue sharks has been spotted off the south coast of England, having moved to the UK's warmer waters to hunt.

The carnivorous sharks have been lurking off the coast of the popular British holiday destination, Penzance, in Cornwall.

The predators normally live in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, but stray into UK waters to make short work of bumper stocks of mackerel and other prey.

A group of adventurous Brits set out to photograph a group of Blue sharks spotted off the Cornish coast, near Penzance

Inspired by the unique opportunity to photograph the marine creatures, Saeed Rashid, from Bournemouth, Dorset, set out with a group of friends to find the sharks.

The group sailed ten miles out to sea from Penzance, as the sharks prefer the deeper waters.

When they found the sharks, Mr Saeed, 46, braved the waters to capture these up close and personal shots of the sharks.

Blue sharks are fearsome predators which return to the UK coastline seasonally to feed on the abundant stocks of mackerel and other fish in UK waters

Adult males can reach lengths of almost 3 metres (10 feet), while females can grow even larger, growing an extra foot in length. Earlier this year, fishermen caught a huge 9ft 2in shark off the Welsh coast

BLUE SHARKS IN THE UK Blue sharks are fearsome predators which return to the UK coastline seasonally to feed on the abundant stocks of mackerel and other fish in British waters. Adult males can reach lengths of almost 3 metres (10 feet), while females can grow even larger, growing an extra foot in length. Earlier this year fishermen caught a huge 9ft 2in shark off the Welsh coast. The predators are one of the widest ranging species, feeding in waters from Norway to Soutch Africa. Despite their fearsome appearance, these sharks are under threat. In recent years their numbers have declined by as much as 60 per cent and their conservation status is now 'near threatened' Advertisement

He said: 'Within only half an hour of looking for the blue sharks, someone shouted 'SHARK!' and there was a small female, about three feet long, which began circling our small boat.

'Our skipper, Charles, knew that where there is one there would be more, so we'd be taking a risk if we got in the water.

'But this was exactly what we'd been waiting for, so without further ado we slipped over the side of the boat and we were in.

'Visibility wasn't great, but when our eyes adjusted we could make out the outline of the shark, but we quickly realised it wasn't the same shark as it was much larger than the one we'd seen from the boat, perhaps twice the size.

'It also wasn't alone - these sharks hunt in packs and that's why they're known as the 'wolves of the sea'.

'There were about six sharks around us and they were not shy. They came very close, even bumping into us which was a little unnerving.

'Gradually six became 15 - they were everywhere.

'The white on my fins was attracting some attention and even a few bites so I decided that after an hour it was time for me to get out and watch from the surface.

In recent years, the shark's numbers have declined by as much as 60 per cent and their conservation status is now 'near threatened'.

An estimated 20 million blue sharks are unintentionally caught in trawler nets and while the meat isn't valuable, the lucrative Asian market for shark fins means they do have a value.

'I hope to return to see these amazing creatures up close and personal and get some more great shots,' said Mr Rashid.

'I feel honoured to have spent some time in the water with them.'

The predators are one of the widest ranging species, feeding in waters from Norway to Soutch Africa. Experts believe they have strayed into UK waters to find food, which they snag with a mouthful of serrated teeth

Blue sharks are sometimes referred to as 'wolves of the sea' due to their pack habits and ferocious hunting abilities

Elusive blue sharks were spotted off the south coast of England, lurking off the coast of the popular British holiday destination, Penzance, in Cornwall

Appearing out of the blue in UK waters offered one group of adventurous Brits the opportunity of a lifetime. Saeed Rashid from Bournemouth and friends took the plunge to swim with the creatures and capture the stunning photos

Up close and personal: Sharks are curious creatures and investigate the world around them, taking it in with their keen sense of 'smell' - picking up on the tiniest changes in concentrations of scent molecules in the water - as well as their vision and ability to pick up on localised electromagnetic disturbances

Looking right back at you: It had been previously thought that sharks keen senses compensated for poor eyesight, but the predators can see in the waters. Unlike humans, they have a reflective layer behind their retinas which bounces back light, ensuring they make the most of the poor light available in the murky depths

Pits in the shark's nose, called the ampullae of Lorenzini, enable the predators to pick up on tiny changes to the electromagnetic fields around them, helping them to zero in on their prey's every twitch

The beautiful sea creatures are abundant in the open oceans, but their conservation status is listed as 'near threatened' due to over fishing and being caught in the nets of large commercial fishing trawlers

Blue sharks live at depths of up to 600 metres (2,000 feet), ranging across huge swathes of the northern oceans in search of food, eating everything from fish to crustaceans as well as scavenging whatever they come across

The predators are perfectly adapted for life in the open seas. When viewed from above they are blue-grey coloured, disappearing into the murky depths. But their underbellies are white, so they are also hard to spot from below

Despite their fearsome appearance, these sharks are under threat. In recent years their numbers have declined by as much as 60 per cent and their conservation status is now 'near threatened'

The lucky Brits said they felt privileged to swim with the animals as well as capturing the shot of a lifetime on camera
If you have ever tried to decipher a foreign document using Google Translate, you might be aware of that unique feeling of part-frustration, part-amusement that comes when there is clearly something wrong with the result.

Although they are only ever small, mistranslations do creep in, altering the overall effectiveness of the translation tool.

But Google is now hoping to fix this problem, using artificial intelligence.

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The Google Translate tool, which launched ten years ago, has now been updated to use a deep learning model known as neural machine translation. This is a kind of machine learning that takes inspiration from the ways neurons are connected in our brains

THE AI IMPROVEMENTS The Google Translate tool, which launched ten years ago, has now been updated to use a deep learning model known as neural machine translation. This is a kind of machine learning that takes inspiration from the ways neurons are connected in our brains. The Google Neural Machine Translation (GNMT) system reduces translation errors by between 55 and 85 per cent, the company says. Advertisement

The Google Translate tool, which launched ten years ago, has now been updated to use a deep learning model known as neural machine translation.

This is a kind of machine learning that takes inspiration from the ways neurons are connected in our brains.

The Google Neural Machine Translation (GNMT) system reduces translation errors by between 55 and 85 per cent, the company says.

'This  demonstrates like never before the power of neural machine translation,' Yoshua Bengio, a computer scientist at the University of Montreal in Canada, told Science.

Data from side-by-side evaluations, where human raters compare the quality of translations for a given source sentence. Scores range from 0 to 6, with 0 meaning 'completely nonsense translation', and 6 meaning 'perfect translation'

But the company says there is still work to do.

'Machine translation is by no means solved,' Quoc Le and Mike Schuster, research scientists in the Google Brain Team wrote in a blog post.

'GNMT can still make significant errors that a human translator would never make, like dropping words and mistranslating proper names or rare terms, and translating sentences in isolation rather than considering the context of the paragraph or page.

'There is still a lot of work we can do to serve our users better.

'However, GNMT represents a significant milestone.'
Blackberry is to stop designing its own smartphones after falling behind rivals firms including Apple and Samsung.

The Canadian firm that helped pioneer the smartphone market, said today that it will stop making handsets, outsourcing production to an Indonesian partner.

The company, famous for making phones with a physical keyboard, has struggled to keep pace with rival companies and the growing popularity of touch screen technology.

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The BlackBerry Priv (pictured) was the last handset that the firm designed in-house

BLACKBERRY KILLS CLASSIC It was supposed to be the phone that saved BlackBerry - but the firm said IN July that it would stop making its Classic smartphone, less than two years after launching it with much fanfare. Ralph Pini, the company's chief operating officer and general manager for devices, said the Classic has long surpassed the average lifespan for a smartphone in today's market. 'We are ready for change so we can give our customers something better,' said Pini in a company blog post. The BlackBerry Classic hit the market in December 2014. It offered customers a 3.5-inch (88.9-millimeter) screen, which was 60 percent larger than the previous BlackBerry Bold 9900. It also had longer battery life and a standard keyboard and touch screen Advertisement

Handsets with the BlackBerry name will be produced under license by PT Tiphone Mobile Indonesia Tbk, allowing the Canadian firm to concentrate on software and services, a statement by the firms said.

BlackBerry will take a royalty on devices sold by the Indonesian firm.

'We are reaching an inflection point with our strategy. Our financial foundation is strong, and our pivot to software is taking hold,' said chief executive John Chen, pointing to a doubling of software revenue over the last financial year, reports AFP.

'The company plans to end all internal hardware development and will outsource that function to partners. This allows us to reduce capital requirements and enhance return on invested capital,' said Mr Chen.

BlackBerry, which a decade ago was among the largest smartphone makers, has seen its global market share slip to less than one percent amid domination by Apple and Android devices.

As the market shifted, BlackBerry has shifted its focus to software, including security applications, and the latest announcement takes the company out of the handset market entirely.

It had hoped its first Android-operating smartphone launched last year would help restore the company to its former glory but the handset wasn't a big hit.

Earlier this year, BlackBerry announced that it was killing off its Classic smartphone with a physical keyboard - once the workhorse of the smartphone market - in order to modernise its lineup.

The oddly shaped BlackBerry Passport, which launched in 2014, was met with a mixed response largely thanks to its odd dimensions

In 2013, the company unveiled its long-awaited BlackBerry 10 software alongside the Z10 handset, but the both were already way behind their iOS and Android rivals by the time they were ready to launch.

Ernest Doku, mobiles expert at uSwitch.com, said: 'In spite of a small yet loyal-to-the-death contingent of fans, BlackBerry simply couldn't survive a market dominated by two mobile behemoths'

'BlackBerry addicts will no doubt be gutted by the news, but this is one mobile maker that just made too many mistakes,' he added.
Bone may be one of the toughest materials in the human body, but a hefty collision or sickness can lead it to crack, snap and even waste away.

Now researchers in the US are hoping to mend broken and damaged bones using 3D-printed implants which encourage the bones to heal themselves.

In a breakthrough study, the team has revealed a man-made material which acts as scaffold for the patients own bone.

This has been shown to repair injuries in mice and monkeys.

Developed by a team in Chicago, the researchers say it could lead to low-cost implants for patients with bone cancers, spinal injuries, and even for reconstructive facial surgeries.

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Scientists have created a 3D-printed bone material which can be used for transplants. The group claims the man-made acts as scaffold for the patients own bone, and encourages the patient's own tissue to consume and grow through it to repair the injury. Pictured is a close up of a small region of the top layers of a 3D-printed bone Sheet

The synthetic wonder material, called hyper-elastic bone (HB), is created from an ink containing particles of the hard calcium mineral which makes up bone, along with a biodegradable polymer.

By using a 3D-printer, surgeons can potentially print any shape and size of the material they need, such as a vertebrae for a spinal injury or a patch of skull.

The researchers explain that the body recognises the implant as being a natural material, and encourages the surrounding cells to grow and fuse with the implant.

As the cells grow and repopulate the damaged area they eventually dissolve the artificial scaffold, breaking it down into usable building blocks to generate new bone.

In a paper published today in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the team explains how blood vessels were seen to grow into the graft in animal trials, supplying new bone cells and marrow with crucial oxygen and nutrients.

Using a 3D-printer, surgeons could potentially print any shape and size of the material they need, such as a vertebrae for a spinal injury (pictured) or a patch of skull

3D-PRINTING NEW BONES FOR TRANSPLANT It is less brittle than normal bone and can withstand a blow from a hammer, instead of shattering. Medical technicians would use lasers to scan and measure the injury and design the implant. The design would then be 3D-printed, using a special 'ink' containing the hard mineral making up bone and a biodegradable polymer. The crisscrossing fibers are approximately 200 micrometers in diameter and form a scaffold for the recipients own tissue to regrow and repair the damage. Once printed, the sections are washed and sterilised ready for transplant and can be stored for up to a year. The material is strong enough to withstand impact but has enough flexibility to allow for growth. Researchers at Northwestern University, who designed the polymer, say that within just four weeks the surrounding tissues fuses with the graft and new blood supply is generated. The scaffold is then gradually broken down by the body to become building blocks for building new bone. Technicians would use lasers to scan and measure the site of an injury and design the implant. This design would then be 3D-printed, using a special 'ink' containing the hard mineral making up bone and a biodegradable polymer Advertisement

When the 3D-printed grafts were placed under the skin of mice, the researchers found the synthetic bone became incorporated into the tissue. Additional tests showed it could be used to fuse vertebrae by encouraging bone growth in the spinal column.

A further test used the material to patch a hole in the skull of a monkey. The 3D-printed implant was made to match the area exactly and had fully fused with the skull, including blood supply and evidence of bone growth, within just four weeks.

The researchers are hopeful that the transplants could be trialled in human relatively quickly and would be relatively low cost in comparison to available bone replacement treatments.

'We knew this material had great mechanical properties and it was very easy and rapid to 3D print.' said Dr Adam Jarkus, a tissue engineer from Northwestern University.

The material is strong enough to withstand impact but has enough flexibility to allow for growth. Pictured is a cross-section of the material flexing under pressure

A scan of a small chunk of the 3D-printed scaffold removed from a mouse after more than 30 days shows how it has started to fuse with the surrounding tissue, with blood vessels and bone cells growing though it

He added: 'Production-wise, [it's] very scalable, very fast. And then you have this material that pops out. You dont have to do any further processing of it; you just really need to wash it, sterilize it, and package it.'

One area the team has already targeted is the potential use for children in developing countries born with orthopaedic or facial defects.

Professor Ramille Shah, who led the research, explained: We hope that because the HB is scalable and at a lower cost, that it would be accessible to those types of patients.

That indication will make a huge impact, especially when its a very aesthetic type of defect that if you get it right you can make a huge impact on the quality of life of both children and adults.

She added: We are in the process of translating these technologies so that we can proper scale up procedures.
The original Americans came from Siberia in a single wave no more than 23,000 years ago, at the height of the last Ice Age.

They travelled across a land bridge connecting Asia to North America, arriving around 16,000 years ago, before making their way south.

Now a new study shows Homo sapiens reached the southern cone of the Americas 14,000 years ago - in a find which could put a date on the final step in our colonization of the continent.

A new study shows Homo sapiens reached the southern part of the Americas as 14,000 years ago. Researchers found ancient tools, bone remains from some extinct animals and broken animal bones that appear fractured by humans (pictured)

EVIDENCE OF HUMANS The researchers found limb bones from extinct mammals at the site. This could be evidence for human activities of depositing and transporting animal carcasses for consumption at a temporary camp. The bones of some mammal species were all found in a specific area of the site. This suggests animals were butchered in one specific place. Microscopic examination also revealed some bones were fractured, with marks that resembled those caused by stone tools. The characteristics of some of these materials could be explained without human intervention, the researchers said, but it would be quite a big coincidence if all the materials got the way they were found without humans being involved. Advertisement

The researchers, led by Dr Gustavo Politis from the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (Conicet) in Argentina, studied an archaeological site called Arroyo Seco 2.

'If we follow the evolution of Homo sapiens from Africa to Asia and then crossing into North America, then the final continental step was the Southern Cone of South America,' Dr Dan Rafuse, co -author of the study, told MailOnline.

'Afterwards only islands were colonized.'

The Clovis people, a prehistoric Native American group of hunter-gatherers, reached North America 11,500 years ago.

For 40 years it had been assumed the Clovis were the first people to arrive in the Americas.

These early humans were distinguished by the fine-fluted stone points they made for weapons.

But, earlier this year at Monte Verde, close to Puerto Montt in Southern Chile, an anthropologist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville Tennessee discovered a completely different type of a much older stone tool technology, he believed may be up to 19,000 years old.

This was the first hints the Clovis people were not the first to populate the Americas.

These hints have now been backed up by the new study at a site in Tres Arroyos, in Argentina.

The artefacts were found at a site called Arroyo Seco 2, in Tres Arroyos (pictured). Dating the step into the Southern Cone is important because it could be the last in the expansion of Homo sapiens throughout the world, the researchers have said

The researchers found ancient tools, bone remains from some extinct animals and broken animal bones that appear fractured by humans.

The team dated the bones using radiocarbon dating techniques and analysed the tools using microscopes.

The materials were dated to between 14,064 and 13,068 years ago, implying humans were living there at that time.

'As archaeologists, we know from previous research what we would expect to find in our study region,' Dr Rafuse said, 'and the material remains at the Arroyo Seco 2 site fit well into those expectations.'

'For example, simple tool technologies and the hunting and scavenging of extinct prey like giant ground sloths and extinct American horse.

'However, if in fact people did come from Asia into North America and finally arrived to the Southern Cone of South America, why are there not more sites in North and Central America with similar dates.

'This is one of the debates American archaeologists continue to discuss and why sites like Monte Verde II and the Arroyo Seco 2 site are to a certain degree surprising.'

Dating the step into the Southern Cone is important because it could be the last in the expansion of Homo sapiens throughout the world, the researchers have said.

'The current data from southern America suggests Homo sapiens expanded into the Americas during a period earlier than the Clovis hunters of North America,' Dr Politis and colleagues wrote in the study.

The researchers, led by Dr Gustavo Politis from the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (Conicet) in Argentina, studied an archaeological site called Arroyo Seco 2. A map of the site is pictured

An example of the tools found at the site, pictured. The team dated the bones used radiocarbon dating techniques and analysed the tools using microscopes. The materials were dated to between 14,064 and 13,068 years ago, implying humans were living there at that time

The new findings also support the theory that humans reached the Americas after the onset of the last Ice Age 19,000 to 20,000 years ago.

Research published last year found after the migration from Siberia, humans hung out in the north of the country - perhaps for thousands of years - before spreading in two distinct populations throughout North and South America, according to a new genomic analysis.

It found the northern and southern Native American populations diverged between 11,500 and 14,500 years ago, with the northern branch leading to the present day Athabascans and Amerindians broadly distributed throughout North America.

The southern branch peopled Central and South America, as well as part of northern North America.
Scientists say it's 'almost impossible' that October will be lower than 400

This is considered to be a tipping point, with implications for the climate

But this year, the levels of carbon dioxide have not dipped below 400 ppm

Atmospheric carbon dioxide has reached a historic threshold as levels remain above 400 parts per million through the end of September  the point in which values typically drop to their lowest.

Climate scientists now warn that its almost impossible that these numbers will fall next month, and likely wont dip below 400ppm in the foreseeable future.

While there may be brief, daily events in which the levels fall short of this amount, monthly values are set to keep climbing as the rising half of the cycle begins, when carbon dioxide could even break 410 ppm.

Climate scientists now warn that its almost impossible that these numbers will fall next month, and likely wont dip below 400ppm in the foreseeable future. The graph shows how levels have increased over the years

CLIMATE CHANGE IS ALREADY CAUSING DEATHS A new study has revealed the dangers of climate change are already affecting humanity and led to the death of hundreds of people across Europe sixteen years ago. A heatwave in 2003 killed 506 people in Paris and 315 in London, experts have said in a new study. A fifth of those deaths can be blamed on man-made pollution. The study led by University of Oxford scientists said there were 315 heat-related deaths in London as Europe experienced its hottest summer on record, out of which 64 were caused by climate change. Advertisement

Data from the Mauna Loa Observatory show the recent daily and weekly averages in September have hovered above 400 ppm all month, according to Climate Central.

This value is considered to be a grim tipping point for atmospheric carbon dioxide, with heavy implications for future climate conditions.

While the annual low point in the Mauna Loa CO2 curve typically occurs around the last week of this month, the recent records show the levels have not dipped back down into the 300s.

This low point isnt consistent each year, and slight variations mean October can occasionally see smaller amounts than September  but, this has only happened four times in the past two decades.

The low point reflects the transition between summer and fall, when the uptake of CO2 by vegetation weakens and is overtaken by the release of CO2 from soils, explains Ralph Keeling, head of the Scripps Institute for Oceanographys CO2 Program, in a blog post.

Is it possible that October 2016 will yield a lower monthly value than September and dip below 400 ppm? Almost impossible.

Recent daily and weekly averages in September have hovered above 400 ppm all month, as seen in the graph above. The annual low point in the Mauna Loa CO2 curve typically occurs around the last week of this month, but this year, they have not dipped back into the 300s

Atmospheric carbon dioxide has reached a historic threshold as levels remain above 400 parts per million through the end of September  the point in which values typically drop to their lowest. Global monthly mean C02 since 2012 is shown above

Even with these past events considered (2002, 2008, 2009 and 2012), the decrease during these occasions was no more than .45ppm, a value which would not be substantial enough to bring October below 400ppm, the expert explains.

This indicates that October will likely stay above this point, and as November brings in the rising half of the cycle, levels will continue to increase.

Concentrations will probably hover around 401 ppm over the next month as we sit near the annual low point, Keeling wrote.

The 400 parts per million value is considered to be a grim tipping point for atmospheric carbon dioxide, with heavy implications for future climate conditions

Brief excursions towards lower values are still possible but it already seems safe to conclude that we wont be seeing a monthly value below 400 ppm this year  or ever again for the indefinite future.

The news comes just weeks after it was revealed that August tied July as the hottest month ever recorded, making it the eleventh consecutive month of record-breaking temperatures.

Last month was hotter than the previous warmest August, in 2014, by .16C according to Nasa  and its passed the mean temperatures from 1951-1980 by nearly a full degree.
From job automation to fears of a robot uprising, the growth of artificial intelligence has spurred numerous concerns over the future of humanity, many of which have long been stoked by science fiction.

But now, the tech giants of Silicon Valley are working to take on the most pertinent challenges before they can even arise.

Researchers with Alphabet, Amazon, Facebook, IBM, and Microsoft have teamed up to create a new group, known as the Partnership on Artificial Intelligence to Benefit People and Society, to develop a standard of ethics for the development of AI.

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Researchers with Alphabet, Amazon, Facebook, IBM, and Microsoft have teamed up to create the Partnership on Artificial Intelligence to Benefit People and Society.

'The objective of the Partnership on AI is to address opportunities and challenges with AI technologies to benefit people and society,' a statement said.

The group says it will 'conduct research, recommend best practices, and publish research under an open license in areas such as ethics, fairness and inclusivity; transparency, privacy, and interoperability; collaboration between people and AI systems; and the trustworthiness, reliability and robustness of the technology'

THE EIGHT RULES OF THE PARTNERSHIP ON AI 1. We will seek to ensure that AI technologies benefit and empower as many people as possible. 2. We will educate and listen to the public and actively engage stakeholders to seek their feedback on our focus, inform them of our work, and address their questions. 3. We are committed to open research and dialog on the ethical, social, economic, and legal implications of AI. 4. We believe that AI research and development efforts need to be actively engaged with and accountable to a broad range of stakeholders. 5. We will engage with and have representation from stakeholders in the business community to help ensure that domain-specific concerns and opportunities are understood and addressed. Researchers with Alphabet, Amazon, Facebook, IBM, and Microsoft have teamed up to create a new group, known as the Partnership on Artificial Intelligence to Benefit People and Society, to develop a standard of ethics for the development of AI. However, there are some names missing - including Apple. 6. We will work to maximize the benefits and address the potential challenges of AI technologies, by: Working to protect the privacy and security of individuals. Striving to understand and respect the interests of all parties that may be impacted by AI advances. Working to ensure that AI research and engineering communities remain socially responsible, sensitive, and engaged directly with the potential influences of AI technologies on wider society. Ensuring that AI research and technology is robust, reliable, trustworthy, and operates within secure constraints. Opposing development and use of AI technologies that would violate international conventions or human rights, and promoting safeguards and technologies that do no harm. 7. We believe that it is important for the operation of AI systems to be understandable and interpretable by people, for purposes of explaining the technology. 8. We strive to create a culture of cooperation, trust, and openness among AI scientists and engineers to help us all better achieve these goals. Advertisement

While some of the public's concerns may be far-reaching, others  like job automation and self-driving cars  could present challenges in the near future.

'We're in a golden age of machine learning and AI,' said Ralf Herbrich, the director of machine learning at Amazon.

'This partnership will ensure we're including the best and the brightest in this space in the conversation to improve customer trust and benefit society.'

However, there are some names missing - including Apple.

The researchers said they were talking with other companies like Apple and research laboratories like the new nonprofit research group OpenAI about participating in their organization.

'We passionately believe in the potential for it to transform in a positive way our world,' said Mustafa Suleyman, head of applied A.I. for DeepMind, an artificial intelligence development company acquired by Google in 2014.

'We believe it's critical now to start to think about new models of engagement with the public, new models of collaboration across the industry and new models of transparency around the work that we do.'

From job automation to fears of a robot uprising, the growth of artificial intelligence has spurred numerous concerns over the future of humanity, many of which have long been stoked by science fiction. A scene from Terminator Genisys is pictured

These sentiments are mirrored in a new report issued at the start of September by a Stanford University group, which is funded by Eric Horvitz, a Microsoft researcher and one of the executives involved in the industry discussions, according to NYT.

The report, titled 'Artificial Intelligence and Life in 2030' comes as a part of the group's 'One Hundred Year Study on Artificial Intelligence,' which launched in 2014.

This study highlights the potential effects of AI on urban areas in the foreseeable future, and investigates eight aspects of human activity in which the technology is expected to grow.

In many of these domains, including transportation, home and service, health care, and education, artificial intelligence has already made its presence known.

The tech giants of Silicon Valley are working to take on the most pertinent challenges of AI before they can even arise, much like an 'AI Justice League.' A scene from the upcoming Justice League movie is pictured

WILL ROBOTS TAKE YOUR JOB? As robots increasingly make their way into the workforce, some have argued that they will soon be taking over many traditionally human jobs. In an interview with Fox Business, former McDonalds USA CEO Ed Rensi argued that the $15/hour minimum wage raise will bring 'job loss like you can't believe.' He argued that it would be cheaper for companies to instead purchase robotic devices. 'If you look at the robotic devices that are coming into the restaurant industry -- it's cheaper to buy a $35,000 robotic arm than it is to hire an employee who's inefficient making $15 an hour bagging French fries,' Rensi said. Foxconn, a supplier for Apple and Samsung, has already reduced its human workforce drastically, The South China Morning Post reports. One factory has now 'reduced employee strength from 110,000 to 50,000, thanks to the introduction of robots,' an official told the Post. And, they predict more companies will soon follow, with up to 600 firms reporting similar plans in a government survey. Advertisement

'We believe specialized AI applications will become both increasingly common and more useful by 2030, improving our economy and quality of life,' said Peter Stone, a computer scientist at the University of Texas at Austin and one of the authors on the report.

'But this technology will also create profound challenges, affecting jobs and incomes and other issues that we should begin addressing now to ensure that the benefits of AI are broadly shared.'

The researchers are working to develop the means to regulate AI work the 'right way' through a self-policing organization, Stone tells NYT, as rules imparted by outside regulators could be misguided based on the ambiguous nature of the technology and the government's limited knowledge on the subject.

This study investigates eight aspects of human activity in which the technology is expected to grow. In many of these domains, including transportation, home and service, health care, and education, artificial intelligence has already made its presence known

In the report, the group calls for the government to raise awareness and expertise about AI, along with increased public and private spending on this type of technology.

And, the researchers have even provided a glossary so non-technical readers can understand the various applications of these systems, along with their definitions and intent.

The AI100 will release a report every year for the next century on the different aspects of artificial intelligence as it continues to grow.

'AI technologies can be reliable and broadly beneficial,' says Barbara Grosz, chairwoman and Harvard computer scientist who first led the AI100 standing committee in 2015.

'Being transparent about their design and deployment challenges will build trust and avert unjustified fear and suspicion.'
News / Local

by Stephens Jakes

Heal Zimbabwe has condemned the disruption of a Zimbabwe National Students Union(ZINASU) General council meeting by police on 24 September 2016 in Mutare.The organisation said the General council meeting that was taking place at Forestry Industry Training centre failed to take off after police disrupted the meeting and arrested 19 people."Among those arrested are 18 students and former ZINASU President, Pride Mkono.Former Student leader, Promise Mukwananzi, who had been invited by the students to address the meeting, was also briefly detained and told never to set foot in Mutare again. All the 19 arrested are currently at Penhalonga police station. The ZINASU meeting was part of the union's regular meetings to review the state of tertiary education in Zimbabwe," said the organisation."Section 58 of the constitution provide for freedom of assembly and association, as such the unlawful arrests are a violation of such a provision. Heal Zimbabwe is increasingly worried by the increase in cases of unlawful arrests of citizens by the police. The arrests of the 19 people come hardly a week after police on 24 September 2016, unlawfully assaulted and arrested 3 women for participating in the #NERA demonstration."Heal Zimbabwe implored the government to listen to the concerns of citizens and respect the enjoyment of fundamental human rights and freedoms by citizens.Meanwhile, a Heal Zimbabwe team is currently in Mutare assisting and meeting the immediate needs of the arrested.
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For someone who does more than her share of wine tasting and has never been 'into' religion, Sharjah, perhaps the most conservative of the emirates and the only dry state in the UAE, is probably a strange choice of destination to visit.

Before I land, I knew virtually nothing about the place but in no time at all, I discover that it's rich in culture and perfect for families.

And the 16 museums in Sharjah city, the capital of the Emirate of Sharjah, are just as good a place as any to start.

Family friendly Sharjah is the only dry state in the UAE and is about 30 minutes drive from Dubai Airport. Above, the skyline at night

Sharjah's Museum of Islamic Civilisation, pictured above during the annual light festival, is the biggest museum in the city

There are lots of art installations and plants to see on Al Noor Island but you also get a great view of the city from across the water

The biggest of these is the Museum of Islamic Civilisation, which traces the root of the religion through its global history. The quiet galleries, now home to an eclectic collection of artifacts, calligraphy and artwork, had once been bustling with traders as a souk.

But once the new Heart of Sharjah project is completed, the sizable museum will be completely dwarfed in size.

Unlike its extravagant neighbours Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Sharjah has decided to knock down the few centrally-located high-rises currently occupied by its financial institutions and replace these with traditional-style stone buildings of just one or two storeys tall to create a crater of culture.

The entire development is based on historic plans of Sharjah city, with architectural design taking inspiration from the glamour of the 50s. By 2025, there will be four museums, a boutique hotel and numerous souks, art galleries and restaurants.

On the way to Mleiha, make sure you stop in Sharjah's University City. Several different universities are grouped together at the site and they all look as grand as the University of Sharjah (pictured)

And then theres Al Qasba, a bustling restaurant street with a canal running through it. There are as many locals as tourists getting on tour boats to sail out into the lagoon or hitching a ride on the Eye of the Emirates (pictured)

The Al Noor Mosque (pictured) is one of the few mosques open to non-Muslims between prayer. It's a very important site in the city

Much of the area is already taking shape, with small shops off cobbled alleyways selling antiques and artisan stalls touting traditional sweets.

The project is one of the most important touristic developments in the emirate by Shurooq - a government investment group headed by Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, the British-educated daughter of the Ruler of Sharjah.

Shurooq has also been instrumental in populating Sharjah's coastline with family-friendly attractions.

Most of these, including the striking government buildings, the soon-to-be-redeveloped water park and the amphitheatre on Al Majaz island, can be seen from Al Noor island, where a butterfly house recently opened. Further along the coast, theres Sharjah Maritime Museum and the Gulf-focused aquarium.

Shopping in Sharjah generally means artisan creations and traditional products. Above, the Blue Souk, or Souq al-Markazi, is one of the places where locals like to shop

Sharjah Fort (above) will become one of the main features of the Heart of Sharjah project. Around it are high rises that will be knocked down to make way for the new project

Heart of Sharjah is due to be finished in 2025. By then, it will house a boutique hotel, several museums and many shops. Right now, the souk is already open (right) and you can meet some of the first traders there (left)

And then theres Al Qasba, a bustling restaurant street with a canal running through it. At night, it becomes a hive of activity as young families gather to enjoy the nightlife. And theres as many locals as tourists getting on tour boats to sail out into the lagoon or hitch a ride on the Eye of the Emirates.

On my first evening, I dined on an incredible Lebanese feast at Zahr El-Laymoun, one of the many up-scale restaurants on the Al Majaz waterfront, while the brightly coloured water feature framing the bay performed its dance.

Day two is packed with activities.

Having glimpsed into Islamic history the previous day, I booked a private lecture at Al Noor Mosque, one of the few mosques in the city open to non-Muslims, to learn about the religion in Sharjah. Its not just religion thats discussed though  I also explored the regions traditional costumes and even tried on one of the outfits myself.

The panoramic view of the Arabian Desert from the top of the dunes is a breath-taking sight at sunset and makes the trip totally worth it

Qin Xie standing by Camel Rock (just out of shot), one of the main attractions in the desert at Mleiha. The sand is incredibly fine and, surprisingly, not scorching hot

Don't be surprised if you spot a couple of wild camels in the area. They are left free to roam the desert and generally won't bother you

Many of the archaeology sites in Mleiha are still in the process of being excavated. Although they are open to visitors, there are hardly any barriers so you can get up close to them

TOP TIPS FOR SHARJAH CITY Sheraton Sharjah is the newest hotel in Sharjah and one of the most luxurious in the city. It's far away from the tourist hubs so you will need to get a taxi or hire a car. Above, a view from the hotel The spacious rooms at Sheraton Sharjah are modern but there are plenty of Arabesque inspirations, too, like this headboard Most people speak English in Sharjah but Arabic is the national language.

The weekend falls on Friday and Saturday, in line with the local religious observations.

Many of the tourist attractions are within walking distance but the area can get very hot in the summer.

Sheraton Sharjah is the newest hotel in Sharjah and one of the most luxurious in the city. It's far away from the tourist hubs so you will need to get a taxi or hire a car. Advertisement

My afternoon was spent outside of the city in Mleiha.

Ongoing excavation in the area has uncovered tombs dating back to the Bronze Age and other evidence of early settlements. Its possible to get up close to many of the open sites - just like the wild camels roaming in the area do.

For those looking for something more adventurous, there are also desert safari experiences.

I scaled the rolling dunes of Mleiha in an off-road 4X4 to reach Camel Rock and Fossil Rock, two of the main sites punctuating the endless desert landscape. Im a little embarrassed to admit that my heart was in my throat the whole time as the vehicle seemed to slip and slide on the fine sand, always on the verge of toppling over, as it rolled over the ridges.

But the panoramic view of the Arabian Desert, a breath-taking sight at sunset, makes the ascent totally worth it.

To get a real insight into what being an Emirati is like, I travelled to Khor Fakkan on my final day.

Fatima Al Mughani's home is typically Emirati with elaborate furnishings (pictured). It's always ready to receive guests

When guests arrive and when they leave, the host of an Emirati house always offers incense (right) and perfume (left)

There's a whole room filled with things from three generations of Fatima Al Mughani's family. It's become a sort of museum of Emirati life

It takes close to two hours of driving through the arid desert and mountain landscape to get from Sharjah city to Khor Fakkan on the east coast. Along with the town of Kalba, Khor Fakkan is entirely surrounded by the Emirate of Fujairah even though it belongs to Sharjah.

The area is known for its dive sites but theres also a bird of prey centre and a wildlife conservation park, both popular attractions for families.

En route, I visited the Friday market - a shopping stop for locals thats actually open every day. I'm so glad my guide Mozhgan al Hashemi suggested it as the market is one of the cheapest places to haggle for carpets. But for me, popping into one of the casual cafes for coconut water right out of the fruit and Keralan parathas fresh from the pan was much more rewarding.

I get a taste of authentic Emirati life in Khor Fakkan with Fatima Al Mughani, a semi-retired grandmother who runs a local house project at her home. Handfuls of fresh petals and herbs were thrown at me as I entered her courtyard before incense and perfume were passed my way. Within five minutes of arrival, I smelt like Ive always lived there.

Sharjah's fishing heritage is clear on the east coast where many fishermen's boats can be seen on a drive along the coast

TOP TIPS FOR KHOR FAKKAN The view from one of the villas at Oceanic Hotel in Khor Fakkan, which faces out onto the sea. Guests are free to swim in the sea but they have to get a boat to go diving Allow plenty of time to travel between Sharjah city and Khor Fakkan as traffic can be bad.

When in Khor Fakkan, travel up the coast to see Al Badiyah Mosque, the oldest mosque in the UAE.

If you're interested in wildlife, there's also a birds of prey centre and a wildlife centre in Kalba.

Oceanic is one of the biggest hotels in the area and there's a small amusement park nearby as well as several places to eat.

The local house visit costs 300 AED (60) per guest and includes welcoming activities, an outside presentation, a coffee and dress presentation, a visit to the house museum and lunch. Bookings should be made by email at info@shjculture.com. Advertisement

Fatima talked about her family heritage and traditions of the Emirati people while serving me tiny cups of Arabian coffee, spiced with cardamom. Im also led through the family museum that stored three generations of family knick-knacks.

After much fanfare, we finally sat down for a traditional feast. Its messy work and, as I soon discover, getting the knack of forming rice and grilled fish into a ball with only the right hand, as per the local custom, needs quite a bit of practice. It also explains why perfume is always offered to guests before they leave.

But the Emirati hospitality doesnt stop there. In Fatimas lavishly decorated lounge, Im also offered several different sweets and desserts as well as yet more coffee.

The generous hospitality, like Sharjah, has left me a little overwhelmed. If youre looking for something more interesting to do than just shopping or relaxing in the sun, theres probably no place better for it.

And in the end, I was so busy getting place to place that a lack of alcohol didnt bother me one bit.
In a world with a population of 7.4billion and counting, it's no wonder things are getting a bit cosy.

As these photographs show, in jam-packed cities such as Mumbai, Beijing and Tokyo, hoards of people jostle for space in a relentless fight that, for many, has simply become a way of life.

From the Bangladeshi commuters who cram themselves inside and even on top of trains, to markets in Turkey which are so crowded shoppers can hardly move, space is now a rare commodity.

Virtually every metropolis in the world suffers from roads that can barely contain all the vehicles, with traffic only getting worse.

And every twice-daily rush hour - from London to Manila - causes anguish for drivers, pedestrians, locals and tourists alike.

Here, MailOnline Travel has compiled a selection of the planet's most overcrowded regions, and the scenes will leave you dizzy.
Dubai International Airport ground to a halt for 30 minutes on Wednesday morning after a drone flew into its airspace, officials have confirmed.

The busy transport hub was forced to stop flight operations just after 8am over 'unauthorized drone activity.'

It says a number of takeoffs and landings were delayed by the remote controlled flying device but it's not known how many passengers were impacted as a result.

Grinding to a halt: Dubai International Airport closed for 30 minutes on Wednesday morning after a drone flew into its airspace, officials have confirmed

Apparently it is the second such incident at the airport in the past four months.

Those found guilty of flying drones within that limit are liable to heavy fines in the United Arab Emirates.

In light of the most recent incident, Dubai airport announced on Twitter: 'Safety is our top priority and we remind all (drone) operations that activities are not permitted within 5 kilometers (3.11 miles) of any airport or landing area.'

'We are working to minimise inconvenience,' it added.

Drones previously have disrupted flights into the airport, which is the base of the long-haul carrier Emirates.

On June 12, Dubai airport was forced to close for 69 minutes.

Since February, drone owners have been required to register with the United Arab Emirates' General Civil Aviation Authority.

Scourge of the skies? There have been a number of reports of drones coming close to crashing into aircraft

THEY CAN FLY AT 50MPH AT 6,000FT High-end drones can fly up to and beyond 6,000ft, travel up to 50mph and stay in the air for 25 minutes. They cost between 25 and 20,000, with electrical store Maplin alone reporting sales of more than 15,000 drones in the UK last year. Last year Domino's Pizza posted a video of a drone delivering a pizza, and online store Amazon has looked into using the technology to speed up deliveries. They are also used by broadcasters such as the BBC for filming. The US Air Force collected so much data from drones during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it employed 65,000 people just to process the information, while police in Texas use drones than can carry small weapons, including tasers. Advertisement

Authorities also ban hobbyists from putting cameras or lasers on their drones and flying in certain areas.

Around 100 airlines fly to more than 260 destinations from Dubai, which is also home to major carrier Emirates.

More than 78 million passengers travelled through the airport last year.

Around the world the use of civil drones, whether for commercial purposes or just as a leisure activity, is rising.

That popularity has led to increasing reports of near-misses with commercial aircraft, such as when a Lufthansa plane was approaching Warsaw airport in May.

Aviation concerns focus on smaller drones, operated like model planes and flown for recreation, because their users are often not familiar with the rules of the air.

The UK's Civil Aviation Authority issued a warning in July 2015 after seven incidents where drones had flown near planes at different British airports in less than a year.

Recognising the threat, the European Commission conceded in 2015 that 'drone accidents will happen' and has charged its aviation safety agency arm with developing common rules for operating drones in Europe.

Speaking to MailOnline Travel previously, a spokesperson for the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) said: 'Pilots say they welcome the growth in drone technology and can see important applications for them commercially and recreationally, but a collision with a commercial airliner or helicopter could be catastrophic.'

In June MailOnline reported on how Britons will be grounding their selfie sticks this summer in favour of using drones to record images and films of their holidays.

A study has found that 392,330 Britons are planning to pack the flying devices in their luggage.
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From the 148-metre-high Strata SE1 tower in Elephant in Castle to The Gherkin in the heart of the city, these stunning panoramic shots capture the London skyline in all of its glory.

Taken by Julian Elliott, from Salisbury, the photographs show a myriad of new and old buildings standing side-by-side - Big Ben juxtaposed with The Shard and Tower Bridge to the Millennium Footbridge.

It's clear that this views will continue to evolve, with dozens of cranes seen busy helping build yet more architectural wonders.

Sweeping views: From the 148-metre-high Strata SE1 tower in Elephant in Castle to The Gherkin in the heart of the city, these stunning panoramic shots capture the London skyline in all of its glory

Sundown: Taken by Julian Elliott, from Salisbury, the photographs show a myriad of new and old buildings standing side-by-side - big Ben juxtaposed with The Shard and Tower Bridge to the Millennium Footbridge

Work in progress: It's clear that this views will continue to evolve, with dozens of cranes seen busy helping build yet more architectural wonders

Bright lights: Elliott, 41, who now lives in the Loire Valley, France, spent six days in London, where he captured the citys beautiful skyline from sunrise to sunset

Elliott, 41, who now lives in the Loire Valley, France, spent six days in London, where he captured the citys beautiful skyline from sunrise to sunset.

In a bid to get a bird's eye view, he took to the tallest towers he could find.

Describing his inspiration, he said: 'I felt drawn to photograph London because of the spectacular buildings and architecture.

'The mixture of older buildings along with new glass buildings looks amazing.

'I chose to take my photographs from rooftops, hotel rooms and balconies to capture the city from a new perspective.'

Elliott set up his camera and tripod in 12 different locations around the city and patiently waited for the best lighting and weather conditions.

City living: The Palace of Westminster and the busy Westminster bridge at night

Shimmering image: The lights from London buildings reflect in the River Thames around Tower Bridge

Business district: In a bid to get a bird's eye view, Elliott took to the tallest towers he could find

Mood shot: Elliott set up his camera and tripod in 12 different locations around the city and patiently waited for the best lighting and weather conditions

He said luckily there were only two instances that stopped him from getting what he needed.

Touching on the toughest part of his urban photography expedition, he said: 'It can... be a little stressful walking through the city with lots of camera equipment, but it was so peaceful once I was up high and seeing the city below changing throughout the day.'

The photographer said 'watching London illuminated when the sun went down' was a definite highlight.

Elliott researched the best locations for his pictures prior to booking his trip.

He added: 'Many buildings around London are privately owned, so I needed permission to work in several locations.

'On one occasion I was only given 30 minutes to capture the view, which isnt long at all.

'But family and friends have given me some great feedback and Im really happy with the results.'

A mix of new and old: The Shard overlooks Big Ben in these photographs. They are part of a series detailing the London skyline

Room with a view: Passengers on the London Eye enjoy a full moon as they ride around on the giant wheel

Impressive: The Gherkin and The Shard are amongst several towering buildings that make up London's business district
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Google, the all-seeing all-knowing entity, is certainly host to some interesting insights about Europe.

Based on the most common searches people have typed in with regards to certain countries, there appear to be some pretty off-the-wall world views.

According to Google's autocomplete function, which uses algorithms to suggest search terms based on what you've already started typing, a vast quantity of people write 'Wales is better than England' in the search box and 'Lithuania is boycotting supermarkets'. Turkey, meanwhile, 'is a Trojan horse'.

This map reportedly reveals the most common phrases people type into Google search in regards to different countries in Europe, using the internet giant's 'autocomplete ' function

A map showing common search suggestions on Google for nations around Europe has been compiled by Citybase.

It was put together by typing the name of a country followed by 'is' into Google and seeing how it finished the sentence - and the results range from the mundane to the ridiculous.

It's tricky to test this for yourself, since the search engine will already be deeply personalized to you based on your browsing history - but it's amusing, if true, that so many people have typed 'Scotland is not a real country', 'Ukraine is not a brothel' and 'England is confusing' into Google.
When it comes to other royal tours, Charles apparently takes his own gin

It's a jam-packed itinerary that would make even the most seasoned travel expert sweat.

And now it has been revealed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Canada tour took six months of behind-the-scenes planning, with not one detail left to chance.

A Canadian government spokesperson - who helped coordinate the trip - has told how the schedule was designed by the Department of Canadian Heritage in collaboration with the governments of Yukon and British Columbia, as well as Kensington Palace.

Working vacation: It has been revealed that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's royal tour of Canada took six months of behind-the-scenes planning, with not one detail left to chance

'The program you see being rolled out is a collaborative effort between all four groups,' the official told the Telegraph.

Over the six days the Duke and Duchess are in Canada they will take part in various activities, including charity galas, formal addresses and meet-and-greets.

The working holiday will wrap up on October 1 with a sailing lesson in British Columbia. There is only one afternoon spare for 'private time' on September 29, following a Childrens Party at Government House in Victoria, the capital of British Columbia.

The official highlighted one of the biggest concerns during the trip is ensuring all of the engagements 'run smoothly, are on time, safe, and successful'.

Helping the 'magic happen' is a cohort of trusted personal aides. They include three private secretaries, four press officers, one tour secretary, one operations manager, one PA and one nanny.

When it comes to security, a team of Scotland Yard security guards will accompany the royal couple, while the Royal Canadian Mounted Police will also be on hand.

Perfect style start: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge began their royal tour of Canada - their first visit since 2011 - this weekend - and arrived with an A-Team of royal staff. The Duchess is pictured here attending a volleyball match at the University of British Columbia in Okanagan

Non-stop: Over the six days the Duke and Duchess are in Canada they will take part in various activities, including charity galas, formal addresses and meet-and-greets

While smart outfit changes are among the essential items needed on a royal tour, there are also the more eccentric requests.

According to the Telegraphs chief reporter Gordon Rayner, who has been on twenty royal tours, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall sometimes take their own alcohol.

This is reportedly to prevent their drinks from being spiked. Apparently a police bodyguard will discreetly carry a bag stocked with gin and tonics for Prince Charles and red wine for the Duchess of Cornwall.

According to the Department of Canadian Heritage, various regions campaigned to host the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's tour but only a handful were selected.

The choices were made based on the itineraries and security arrangements provided.

Security measures: Apparently Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall sometimes take their own alcohol on royal tours to prevent their drinks from being spiked

Last time the couple visited the country in 2011, they had just tied the knot and prompted the kind of reaction that might ordinarily be reserved for pop stars.

The Toronto star reported on how the Duchess was clearly a natural at royal life, reporting: 'In a matter of hours, Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge signalled to the world that she has the makings of an international fashion icon.'

Their 11-day tour in early July 2011 saw them visit Canadas Capital Region, Montreal, Quebec City, Charlottetown, Summerside, Yellowknife, Slave Lake and Calgary.

The royal family continues to hold Canada dear, with the Queen reigning as the country's sovereign since 1952.

William has been a frequent visitor to the North American country, famed for its beautiful wildernesses and outdoor life.

In 1991, he joined Charles and his late mother Diana on a royal tour of the country.
She made national headlines for her plunging pearl dress at Monday night's 2016 Brownlow Medal ceremony.

And it seems Jessie Habermann has undergone a physical transformation in the past few years that appears dramatic to say the least.

The fiancee of Carlton captain Marc Murphy displayed remarkably different facial features in photos taken seven years ago, sparking speculation she has since undergone a boob job and dabbled with lip fillers.

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How you've changed! Jessie Habermann, who made headlines for her plunging dress at the 2016 Brownlow Medal on Monday (right), appears to have undergone a dramatic physical transformation when compared to photos taken several years ago. Pictured left in 2009

Earlier this week, the fashion blogger dazzled on the Brownlow red carpet in a floor-length Oglia Loro Couture dress.

The AFL WAG showed off plenty of cleavage in the daringly low-cut design, which featured a million hand-beaded pearls.

And Jessie's well-defined cheek bones, plumped-up glossy lips and very shapely chest also certainly caught onlookers' attention.

How does she do it? Jessie's well-defined cheek bones, plumped-up glossy lips and very shapely chest also certainly caught onlookers' attention. Pictured with fiance Marc Murphy

What a transformation! The fashion blogger's plump lips and well-defined jawline are a far cry from the look she displayed in 2009

Fans flocked to social media and website comment sections to remark on her seemingly flawless appearance.

Meanwhile, images from the late-2000s have surfaced of the model looking notably different from recent photographs.

It would seem Jessie has blossomed quite spectacularly into a red carpet beauty in the last few years as the professional images show her looking less busty and with a slightly thinner lip.

Glamour: The AFL WAG flaunted less defined cheekbones and a thinner pout in this glamourous shoot at age 20

She's a pearler! After her red carpet appearance on Monday night, fans flocked to social media and website comment sections to remark on her seemingly flawless look

Slight changes: A modelling photo for a comfort bra, which was taken more recently, also features a fresh-faced Jessie with a slightly thinner lip

Another picture, supposedly taken at a social gathering in 2009, also shows Jessie with a less ample chest and less defined cheek bones.

And a modelling photo for a comfort bra, which was taken more recently, also features a fresh-faced Jessie with a slightly thinner lip.

Meanwhile, an old bikini photo from the 'Border Babes' 2008 calendar perhaps demonstrates the most striking transformation.

What a transformation! It would seem Jessie has blossomed quite spectacularly into a red carpet beauty

Stripped back: In these modelling photos, Jessie opts for a less glamourous look

While still just a teenager, 'Miss July' Jessie is shown posing outside a restaurant in a skimpy pink two-piece with dyed silver hair.

In a separate photo, she is dressed in a short strapless black frock with a brown belt.

In the approximately eight years since, it seems Jessie's facial features have become noticeably more refined.

Today, her overall face shape appears thinner and her lips plumper when compared to the 2008 modelling photo.

In recent images, her chin also looks notably more defined than before.

Makeover: Jessie possessed a much fuller face and a less defined brow in this party snap taken in 2009

Jessie's changing looks can also be documented by her appearances at the annual Brownlow Medal ceremonies. Pictured left on Monday night, and right at the 2015 Brownlow Medal

Jessie's changing looks can also be documented by her appearances at the annual Brownlow Medal ceremonies. Pictured left in 2014, and right in 2013

Meanwhile, Jessie seems to have hardly aged in the years since, displaying very few wrinkles today.

Jessie's changing looks can also be documented by her previous appearances at the annual Brownlow Medal ceremonies.

She has been accompanying her partner Marc to the star-studded AFL events since 2012. The couple got engaged in September 2015.
She called it 'the worst decision of her life' to quit Geordie Shore in June this year.

But it seems the cast of the hit reality show are set to pull out all the stops to ensure fans aren't disappointed by the first series with original Charlotte Crosby.

In the promo for the 13th season, the rest of her MTV castmates put on a very provocative show, including Sophie Kasaei and Kyle Christie, who have both returned for this run.

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Let the mayhem begin: The cast for series 13 of Geordie Shore was revealed in a raunchy promo trailer

Saucy: Sophie Kasaei, an original cast member who had left in series seven, twerked in a plunging black bodysuit and thigh-high leather boots

Kyle had left the show last series, after a series of tumultuous bust-ups with on-off girlfriend Holly Hagan.

Meanwhile, Sophie, an original cast member who left in series seven, returned for good after making an coming back in the last series Big Birthday Battle.

Determined to make her return heard, she writhed around and twerked in a plunging black bodysuit and thigh-high leather boots.

A glorious symmetry: Sophie was joined be Holly Hagan and Chloe Ferry for a raunchy dance routine

The gang: Fans will be pleased to see the return of Aaron Chalmers, Chloe Ferry, Marnie Simpson , Marty McKenna, Nathan Henry, Scott Timlin and Chantelle Connelly

Matching her in the dancing stakes, Holly gyrated in skintight pink trousers and a white crop top that flaunted her taut abs.

Gary Beadle, who many viewers blamed for causing Charlotte to quit the Geordie Shore house, was also seen busting some moves in a make-shift crop top.

Fans will also be pleased to see the return of Aaron Chalmers, Chloe Ferry, Marnie Simpson , Marty McKenna, Nathan Henry, Scott Timlin and Chantelle Connelly.

Look who's back: Kyle Christie, who left in series 12 after a series of bust-ups with on-off girlfriend Holly Hagan, returned for the new installment

Throwing shapes: Gary Beadle, who many viewers blamed for causing Charlotte to quit the Geordie Shore house, was also seen busting some moves in a make-shift crop top

This season - which returns on October 25 - will see the Geordies tour around some of Europe's party destinations, including Magaluf, Ibiza, Kavos and Ayia Napa.

The series promises to be an explosive one, as it also sees Chantelle, who joined the show in series 12, bidding a controversial farewell to the show.

Charlotte, who reignited her relationship with on-off beau Gary in the last series, made the heartbreaking announcement to quit in June.

Having fun? This season - which returns on October 25 - will see the Geordies tour around some of Europe's party destinations, including Magaluf, Ibiza, Kavos and Ayia Napa

Fiery: The series promises to be an explosive one, as it also sees Chantelle, who joined the show in series 12, bidding a controversial farewell to the show

The reality star launched into an angry tirade, which was targeted at her former flame, as she dubbed the 28-year-old a 'liar and a cheat' - just days after revealing she suffered an ectopic pregnancy.

She wrote on Twitter: 'Sadly because a certain some1 can't admit to being in the wrong and have to write a short story full of excuses. I have made the very hard decision to Leave the show, it's something I have went back and forth with for a while now (sic),' she began her lengthy tirade.

'But I am willing to sacrifice that part of my career in order to be well away from. A liar and a cheat, I'm actually excited to watch the ex on the beach...to see the numerous girls emerge from the water who you slept with behind lillies back. You no the girl you all thought he wasn't cheating on?!'

Charlotte was noticeably absent from the show - having bid farewell back in June

Rant: The reality star launched into an angry tirade, which was targeted at her former flame, as she dubbed the 28-year-old a 'liar and a cheat' - just days after revealing she suffered an ectopic pregnancy

'Am also really excited to see the show you went off to film before that with your grandad, the one you spoke to me every day on, and f**ked some1 else on! While I was sat waiting for you! You may have fooled every else with your victim act!'

Despite the rant, just days later Charlotte seemed to regret her decision as the cast and crew headed to Magaluf to begin filming

She wrote on social media: 'When you realise you made what seems like the worst decision of your life.Ive lost my family.my life. Cast and CREW.'

As thousands of fans responded to urge her to return to the show, Gary also extended an olive branch of reconciliation.

He replied to her Tweet: 'Its not to late. Get a bag packed and get your a*** here.'

Tumultuous: Gary and Charlotte experience a constantly on-off relationship throughout Geordie Shore
She has just splashed $1.5 million on a stunning new home.

But Ariel Winter looked like a regular teenager on Tuesday as she headed to a workout in West Hollywood, California.

The 18-year-old actress put her cleavage and midriff at centre-stage in a sporty outfit.

Beauty: Ariel Winter showcased her healthy curves as she looked set for a work out on Tuesday in West Hollywood, California

The Modern Family star turned up the heat in a plunging grey bralette, teamed with black lycra work-out leggings.

The curvaceous beauty, who had a reduction from 32F to 34D last year, kept comfortable in black trainers as she looked ready to hit the gym or a hike.

Her glossy black locks were swept into a high ponytail and she covered her eyes with rose-lens aviators.

She kept a tight hold of her cell-phone and car keys - and is no doubt proudly keeping her new house keys close to hand.

Top of the crops: The 18-year-old actress put her cleavage and midriff at centre-stage in a sporty outfit

The 5ft 1in teen has just splashed out on a newly built million-dollar home in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles.

She paid $1.5 million for the four bedroom, four-and-a-half bath 3,200-square-foot property that was originally listed at The Open House for $1.649 million.

Each of the bedrooms has an en suite bathroom with an extra half bath also included in the home.

Busy star: She kept a tight hold of her cell-phone and car keys - and is no doubt proudly keeping her new house keys close to hand

The entry foyer has 11-foot-high ceilings and the modern construction features skylights, LED recessed lights and hardwood floors.

The lounge area includes a glass wine cellar and there's also a formal dining room. The gourmet kitchen boasts stainless steel appliances, quartz counter-tops, an island and a wet bar with pantry.

A spacious family room has a stone fireplace and glass sliding doors leading to the backyard where there's a built-in barbecue and a fire pit.

While Ariel is clearly making the most of her Hollywood money, she still insists that her goal is to go to university and become a lawyer.

Homeowner: The 5ft 1in teen has just splashed out on a newly built million-dollar home in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles

New digs: She paid $1.5 million for the four bedroom, four-and-a-half bath 3,200-square-foot property that was originally listed at The Open House for $1.649 million

The actress became an emancipated minor in 2015 after a long-running guardianship tussle that played out in court between her mother and her older sister.

She told People back in January that the experience had inspired her to pursue a career that wold help others.

'I've had a tumultuous relationship with the court system. But with what I've gone through, I think it's really important to become a voice for abuse victims who have no voice,' she said. 'I want to be able to make a difference.'

She recently announced, however, that she has had to defer her enrollment at prestigious UCLA for another year due to her Modern Family work schedule.
She sartorially ruled during this month's London Fashion Week.

And Caroline Flack once again impressed on the style front as she attended the press night after-party for The Libertine at the Haymarket Hotel on Tuesday.

The former X Factor host, 36, slipped her sensational physique in to a striped midi-length dress while colour coordinating with a matching clutch.

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Fashionista: Caroline Flack,36, once again impressed on the style front as she attended the press night after-party for The Libertine at the Haymarket Hotel on Tuesday

The horizontal stripes boasted white, black, teal green and navy hues and complemented her subtle curves.

Boasting an obvious flair for fashion, her navy clutch matched the slinky garment, as did her dark manicure.

A pair of grunge boots toughened up her chic ensemble and showcased a snippet of her bronzed legs.

Her dip-dyed locks were fell in beachy waves upon her shoulders and she rocked her deep red pout.

Stylish: The former X Factor host slipped her sensational physique in to a striped midi-length dress while colour coordinating with a matching clutch

Trendy: The horizontal stripes boasted white, black, teal green and navy hues and complemented her subtle curves

Caroline also made quite the impression at LFW, in particular the House Of Holland SS17 London.

The host brought her all-black ensemble to life with a large, bold pineapple emblazoned on her top.

Combining vivid pink, blue and yellow tones the design was impossible to miss and contrasted with the rest of the ensemble to great effect.

The day earlier, Caroline was spotted gushing over 19-year-old Hailey Baldwin who was hosting Stradivarius' The Event Paper exclusive cocktail party on Oxford Street.

Nineties inspired: A pair of grunge boots toughened up her chic ensemble and showcased a snippet of her bronzed legs

Vampy beauty: Boasting an obvious flair for fashion, her navy clutch matched the slinky garment, as did her dark manicure. Posing with Ophelia Lovibond

Clad in a silk green lingerie-inspired slip, Caroline appeared very animated as she waved her hands and chatted excitedly to the blond bombshell.

Meanwhile, Caroline appeared to have not a care in the world after she was recently forced to deny drug use as fans mistook a pen in an Instagram snap for a rolled up note.

As Caroline posted the photograph on Instagram, one beady-eyed user penned: 'Rolled up note there, Caroline. and a card.' before she swiftly hit back: 'Its a childs crayon lol.'

Earlier this year, Caroline spoke to Your Fitness magazine about her body overhaul and staying in shape. She revealed she decided to shape up for herself and her own health.

Guests: The beauty posed alongside William Banks Blaney and Gizzi Erskine

Couple: Gary Kemp and his wife Lauren Barber also attended the event

Beautiful! Laura looked stunning in a mustard coloured turtleneck jumper and tweet mini-skirt

Glamorous night: Gary and Lauren Barber where also joined by Arnold M Crook (Producer) and Jean Crook

Making a statement: Caroline also made quite the impression at LFW' House Of Holland SS17 show earlier this month in a large, bold pineapple emblazoned top

'I'd hate to think I did this for anyone else. The truth is I did this for me to make myself feel the very best I could and this is the way I decided to do it.'

The key to her new look is cutting out all sugar, with Caroline adding: 'I'm consuming more calories now than ever before, they're just the right calories.

'I'm always starving in the morning so I eat a lot for breakfast it's usually scrambled or poached eggs, bacon, avocado, mushrooms or sometimes even steak.

'What made the biggest difference to how I looked and felt was cutting out all sugar.'
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

A transport operator has been arrested while driving along the Plumtree road to Bulawayo carrying goods allegedly smuggled into the country from Botswana.Martin Muzamba (36) a cross border transporter from Emakhandeni in Bulawayo plying Botswana Zimbabwe route was not asked to plead to the charge of smuggling when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Adeline Mbeure. The magistrate remanded him to September 28 for trial.The court heard that on June 16 this year at 11pm accused unlawfully used the Botswana registered vehicle a Toyota Hiace to transport various electrical goods, household goods and groceries from Botswana into Zimbabwe without paying duty.He was intercepted by the Mineral and Border Control unit police officers at the 24 kilometre peg along Plumtree- Bulawayo road leading to his arrest.The vehicle was taken to Zimbabwe Revenue Authority when the transporter's clients were also made to pay fines for their undeclared goods.
Filming for the latest Bachelorette Australia wrapped two months ago.

And on Wednesday, Georgia Love revealed she is still with her chosen man.

During an interview with KIIS FM's Kyle & Jackie O Show, the 27-year-old tried to dodge questions about her sex life while revealing she and her secret lover have only seen each other once since the finale.

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Embarrassed: Georgia Love has admitted she didn't have sex on The Bachelorette while revealing she and her lover have seen each other once since the finale in her latest interview

When shock jock, Kyle Sandilands asked, 'so you've had sex right,' the former news reporter giggled awkwardly as she replied: 'I'm not talking about sex Kyle'.

'I think it is just a given. You only had sex with the winner right? You didn't do it with anyone else?' Kyle continued to question, refusing to back down.

Georgia bluntly replied: 'I can safely say, I did not have sex on the show...You can learn a lot about someone by kissing them'.

Awkward: During an interview with KIIS FM the 27-year-old said: 'I can safely say, I did not have sex on the show...You can learn a lot about someone by kissing them'

Keeping tight lipped: She went on to explain she has only seen her final rose receiver once but insisted the secret meeting 'went well'

She went on to explain she has only seen her final rose receiver once since filming stopped and insisted the secret meeting 'went well'.

'I am happy, that is all I can say for now,' Georgia said, avoiding the question if she was in love.

Ahead of the premiere of season two of The Bachelorette earlier in the month, Georgia revealed she had fallen for more than one of the males.

'I hoped I'd meet that one person who made me feel all those things I wanted to feel, that made me happy to be going into a relationship,' she told OK! magazine.

Can't pick: Ahead of the premiere of season two of The Bachelorette earlier in the month, Georgia revealed she had fallen for more than one of the males

Happy: During an appearance on The Project, Georgia later admitted she was nervous at first but she's happy in her decision

'I certainly had that with more than one person and I never expected that, and it made it incredibly emotional.'

During an appearance on The Project, Georgia admitted she was nervous at first but she's happy in her decision.

'I picked a really good guy,' she admitted.

The Bachelorette Australia airs on Network 10 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7.30pm.
She found fame as one of the privileged high schoolers on the reality show Laguna beach.

But fast forward a decade and Morgan Olsen is now married with children, having just welcomed her second baby with husband Joel Smith.

On Saturday, the former reality star turned digital marketing manager announced the arrival of daughter Georgia, a sister for two-year-old son Theo.

Born Saturday: Morgan Smith nee Olsen posted this sweet photo to her Instagram to announce birth of her second child with husband Joel Smith

'Shes here! Welcome to the world baby girl. We love you more than you know,' Morgan posted on Instagram along with several sweet snaps.

'Introducing our sweet, Georgia! 9 lbs., 11 oz., 21 inches. Born 9.24.16 (our anniversary). We are smitten,' she added.

Bouncing baby girl: Little Georgia weighed in at 9 lbs and 11 oz and 21 inches long

Mom of two now: She also shared a snap of son Theo, born in June 2014, holding his new sister on his lap

After graduating from Laguna Beach High School, Morgan attended Brigham young University in Utah.

She left in 2008 with a degree in humanities and journalism and wed fellow Mormon Joel in 2010.

The mother of two, who is the founder of contemporary childrens swimwear label Minnow, appeared on Laguna Beach from 2004 to 2005.

He's the daddy! Morgan wed Joel Smith in 2010. They're pictured together at an event in Santa Monica in 2012
He became a national star due to his turns in King Of Queens.

But Patton Oswalt has said his life feels like a bad sitcom since the sudden death of his crime writer wife Michelle McNamara.

He also said telling their seven-year-old daughter Alice about what what happened was the toughest moment of his life.

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Tough: Patton Oswalt talked about life following the sudden death of his wife on Conan on Monday

The 47-year-old told Conan O'Brien: 'Having to tell her that her mom had passed away is the worst thing I will (ever do). I cant imagine going through anything (worse).

'When death comes for me, Im gonna go, "Yeah, whatever, Ive had the worst. Bring your stupid scythe and your hood and whatever."'

Michelle died in her sleep at the age of just 46 in April, and the stand-up star said he has yet to come to terms with what happened.

The comedian said: 'It feels weird to say it, Im a widower. And if I put it in really basic terms, Im like every bad 80s sitcom, where theres a dad raising a kid by himself, and the mum is somehow except my 80s sitcom sucks.

'No punchlines': He told his fellow comedian how he was struggling to be a single father

'The worst thing': He explained how difficult it was to tell their daughter her mother had died

'Theres no punchlines, theres a lot of insomnia, theres a lot of me eating Cheetos for dinner.

'Im waiting for my daughter to turn to the camera and go, "No wonder Im in therapy," but that moments not going to come.'

However he said his seven-year-old daughter Alice has been coping with the sad event 'way better than I am.'

And he said her friends have been helping her, though their natural curiosity has led to some awkward moments.

Sudden: Patton's crime writer wife Michelle McNamara passed away in her sleep in April

The stand-up star said: 'She has this great little circle of friends. But six and seven year olds, they dont have a filter they have questions.

'Literally three days after Michelle died, one of her friends was like, "When Alices mom died, were you sad?" I was like "Yes, I was. Thank you."

'One of her friends came up, this was at a playdate weeks later, is Alice going to have a stepmum? When my mum and dad stopped living together I had a stepmum right away.'

Patton also detailed how he visited his wife's relatives in Chicago over Mothers Day, which came just a fortnight after her death, to keep her mind off the holiday.

Toughest moment: He said breaking the news to daughter Alice was the 'worst thing'

He said: 'I filled the week with action and adventure and fun and cousins and sleepovers.

'I got through the week and then on Mothers Day, that Sunday, we were gonna travel all day. I'm going to fill it with hassle, fill it with excitement and keep her mind off it.'

But as they were about to jet home he said his efforts were spoiled by an airline worker.

He said: 'The woman that was tearing our tickets... was this older Polish woman. Totally sweet, but as we gave her our tickets, (she) leaned down and said, "I hear about what happened to your wife. Your mother.

Dedicated father: He has been doing everything he can to help his girl get over the loss

'"My mother died when I was your age. I never got over it. And it broke my father, he never get over it. It was horrible, youll be sad for so long. Im sad every day."'

He joked he is terrified the 'Polish woman of doom' woman will now turn up to spoil all his family holidays.

Patton said: 'Like, were gonna go out trick-or-treating at Halloween and shell be there... Im gonna sit her on Santas lap at the mall and, "It is me. It was me the whole time."'
They'd been inseparable ever since leaving the Bachelor mansion.

But while Tiffany Scanlon has been missing in action over the past week, her BFF and rumoured lesbian love interest Megan Marx is yearning for the blonde's return.

'Baby, come home,' Megan wrote alongside a photo of the pair with their arms wrapped around each other's waists.

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'Baby, come home': Megan Marx (R) has pleaded for her reality TV girlfriend Tiffany Scanlon (L) to return home to Perth

Showing just how much she was missing her 'love,' the Perth beach babe added three sad-faced Emojis to the caption.

She also added: 'Attending events without ya sucks! (sic)'

Tiffany has been notably missing by Megan's side as the formerly married star attended Perth's fashion events this week.

Missing in action: Tiffany, 29, has been notably absent from Megan's side at social events

On Sunday, Megan was flying solo as she attended the Telstra Perth Fashion Festival.

But she did manage to reunite with former love-rival Alex Nation.

Despite having vied for the same man, Richie Strahan, the pair appeared the best of friends as Megan jumped to embrace Alex from behind.

Inseparable: The pair have formed a VERY close bond after meeting on The Bachelor, with Megan calling Tiffany her 'love'

And on Monday, Megan was spotted walking arm in arm with fellow Perth contestant Rachael Gouvignon.

Despite acting coy when asked to confirm her romance with Tiffany, saying she's 'keeping [her] private life private,' the health promotions officer did joke that she was 'cheating' on her love.

'I'm cheating on Tiffany! Oh, I didn't say that,' she laughed.

Unlikely pair: Despite vying for the same man on the show, the girls have done everything outside the mansion together, including nude photo shoots

Both hailing from Western Australia, the free-spirited blondes have been flaunting their close relationship on social media recently.

Earlier this week, Megan shared a snap of the pair coming out of the ocean in their bikinis, writing: 'Gettin' muddy with my love @tiffany_janes.'

Their social media posts and captions have led fans to speculate that they're more than just friends.

Not ruling anything out: Megan has recently said she wouldn't 'rule anything out' when asked if she's open to having a relationship with a woman

From sharing spaghetti whilst topless to posing completely naked in the bush, nothing is off limits for the pair.

Speaking to NW, Megan - who famously walked out on Richie - said she wouldn't 'rule out' a relationship with another woman.

'I'm usually attracted to men but I don't rule anything out... I would say Tiff's in the same boat,' Megan said.

She added: 'Tiff is a beautiful woman and we're very close.'

Meanwhile, Tiffany said: 'I did find love on The Bachelor... I love [Megan] so much.'
He's currently trying to win the heart of Georgia Love on the current series of The Bachelorette Australia.

But on Tuesday, it was revealed Rhys Chilton is already married to U.S. based partner, Kelsi, 24.

According to OK! magazine, the 29-year-old and his estranged wife tied the knot in 2014, but separated a short time after due to differences.

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Shock secret: Bachelorette contestant Rhys Chilton is married to U.S based partner, Kelsi, 24, despite appearing on the dating show to win the heart of Georgia Love

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Network 10 for comment.

Kelsi has told the publication the pair's relationship was 'turbulent' and the entrepreneur only approached her for a divorce earlier this year.

She added she had 'no clue' her still-husband would be appearing on the dating show.

The past: According to OK! magazine, the 29-year-old and his estranged wife (pictured) tied the knot in 2014 but separated a short time after due to differences

'He only cares about himself and should not be dating that beautiful girl Georgia [Love],' she told the magazine.

Rhys later explained to Daily Mail Australia he and Kelsi separated two years ago after their marriage failed to work.

He added the details to their divorce were still being finalised.

'Coming on the show has been my way of getting back into dating,' a statement from Rhys said.

Blind sided: Kelsi said she had 'no clue' her still-husband would be appearing on the dating show (Rhys pictured with Georgia Love on The Bachelorette)

'I have explained my situation to Georgia for being here and she understands my reasons.'

In Rhys' biography for The Bachelorette, he honestly claimed to have been in love before the show while keeping the details tight lipped.

'Yes, but I think love is felt in different ways with different people, so it may be different again next time,' he explained.

Earlier in the week, Woman's Day reported Rhys 'cheated' in the past while having a girlfriend.

A source close to the reality TV star has slammed the claims, saying they are 'not true'.
She's known for her raunchy social media posts in revealing outfits.

But, Imogen Anthony toned down her recent Instagram image to PG friendly on Tuesday to celebrate her Gran's birthday.

Cosying up to her gran in her latest Instagram snap, the 25-year-old Maxim model can be seen sharing the special occasion with her younger sister Freya.

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'Taking Granny to her local RSL for her birthday' the post by the busty beauty read.

Rugging up for the outing, Imogen wore an ACDC band T-shirt with a leather jacket.

But eyes were on the fashion worn by the birthday Gran, with fans commenting 'her cardi is boss.'

While waiting for their order at the Mittagong RSL Club, the cheeky socialite tussled her younger sister's hair for the photo.

Revealing: The slender stunner flaunted her pert figure in a suggestive topless snap uploaded to Instagram on Tuesday

The Instagram sensation's sweet upload is far from usual, with her feed full of scantily-clad outfits and suggestive poses.

Fiance to radio shock jock Kyle Sandilands, 45, the glamour model was recently gifted a $135,000 Jaguar F-Type Coupe by the KISS FM host.

Imogen was seen gushing over the shiny new addition in a short clip posted to Instagram on Monday, alongside the hashtag 'Sex On Wheels'.

New wheels: Imogen Anthony, 25, took to Instagram on Monday to share a short clip as she gushed over a $135,000 Jaguar F-Type Coupe gifted to her by radio shock jock boyfriend Kyle Sandilands, 45

'When #Bae knows how much you love Jaguars (especially the F-type) and you come home to one in your driveway,' Imogen captioned the short clip.

She also added in the hashtags 'Sex On Wheels', 'Spoilt Bit**' and 'Copy This'.

Going strong: Imogen recently joined boyfriend Kyle on holiday in Los Angeles, while he takes a break from hosting KIIS FM's The Kyle And Jackie O Show

Imogen recently joined boyfriend Kyle on holiday in Los Angeles, while he takes a break from hosting KIIS FM's The Kyle And Jackie O Show.

In recent months, the couple has been the subject of false rumours about their relationship status.
The Libertine (Theatre Royal Haymarket)

Rating:

Seedy: Dominic Cooper as Rochester

Those of a delicate disposition should look away now. The second half of the Theatre Royal Haymarket's new show, The Libertine, opens with a group of comely wenches singing a 'dance of the dildoes'.

Director Terry Johnson was wise not to include this in the first half, for it might have caused even more seats to empty at the interval than already happened.

This dance, complete with brandished sex toys and performed at wearisome length, sits legitimately with the storyline about the decadence of the Restoration court of Charles II. Drawlingly depraved Lord Rochester has written a satire with which he intends to show the king how low his court has sunk. There may well be parallels with 21st century Britain.

The Libertine, written by Stephen Jeffreys in 1994 and turned into a film a decade later, is not for prudes. The language is explicit. There is whoring and drunkenness, pretty young women lifting their period-costume skirts to stockinged, bewigged rakes.

The spectacle is staged with elan, a vast back-wall frame filling with images to suit the scene  bucolic Epsom, dingy London and 17th century oil portraits. Add some canned harpsichord music.

The second half of the Theatre Royal Haymarket's new show, The Libertine, opens with a group of comely wenches singing a 'dance of the dildoes'

For the prologue, Rochester (Dominic Cooper) saunters front of stage and tells the audience members they will not like him. 'The gentlemen will be envious and the women will be repelled.' I liked this confrontational opening.

Yet neither of those predictions quite comes true. From the start, the ill-shaven Mr Cooper cuts a seedy figure, more likely to provoke scorn and pity. This Rochester never convinces as an irresistible swell. His descent therefore becomes less of a surprise or tragedy.

Jolly support comes from Jasper Britton as the king, Mark Hadfield as one of Rochester's drinking pals and Will Barton as the Earl's laconic servant. Rochester falls in love with actress Mrs Barry (Ophelia Lovibond). I was never convinced that she reciprocated his love. Why should she? He is so clearly a loser.

Despite its flaws, the evening probes the aimlessness of amorality.
There's plenty of dirty family laundry getting aired in public.

But clearly none of it is Jon Voight's as he picked up some crisp suits from the dry cleaners in Beverly Hills on Tuesday.

Both carrying and wearing a navy two piece and blue shirt combo, the 77-year-old seemed confident in not fixing what isn't broke.

Dirty laundry: Jon Voight looked happy as picked up his dry cleaning in Beverly Hills on Tuesday

The Mission Impossible star cracked a smile as he emerged, giving no hint his daughter's ongoing divorce drama was hitting him too hard.

During the weekend it emerged that his son-in-law Brad Pitt wanted him to mediate following the recent break-up of his marriage to Angelina Jolie.

'Brad has made an effort to make contact and is keen to try and improve the situation between them,' a source close to the situation told the UK's Daily Mirror.

'He's hoping his good relationship with Angelina's family will help to build bridges. He's spoken to her dad Jon and hopes he may be able to play peacemaker.'

Doubling up: Both carrying and wearing a navy two piece and blue shirt combo, the 77-year-old seemed confident in not fixing what isn't broke

Surviving: The Mission Impossible star cracked a smile as he emerged, giving no hint his daughter's ongoing divorce drama was hitting him too hard

Referee: During the weekend it emerged that his son-in-law Brad Pitt wanted him to mediate following the recent break-up of his marriage to Angelina Jolie

'It's a very tricky time for the family but Brad hasn't given up hope yet.'

Father and daughter famously reconciled in 2010 following a rift that left them estranged for nearly a decade.

Jolie shocked the world last week when she filed for divorce from Pitt, putting in motion the dissolution of what was Hollywood's ultimate glamorous power couple.

Meanwhile, Voight was getting more involved in another almost-as-high high profile boy v girl fight: Donald Trump V Hillary Clinton.

Back on: Father and daughter famously reconciled in 2010 following a rift that left them estranged for nearly a decade

Desperate times: 'Brad has made an effort to make contact and is keen to try and improve the situation between them,' a source close to the situation told the UK's Daily Mirror

Peacemaker: 'He's hoping his good relationship with Angelina's family will help to build bridges

The actor is among the smaller group of Hollywood celebs to openly side with the Republican candidate.

Speaking on Your World With Neil Cavuto on Monday night following the debate, Voight admitted he was in the minority, but fired a shot at everyone in Tinsel Town who were 'buying the Kool-Aid'.

'They are buying whatever Democratic Party puts out... They dont have much reputation for the truth,' he said. 'But the people in Hollywood on the left are loyal to Hillary.'

Remember Benghazi: Meanwhile, Voight was getting more involved in another almost-as-high high profile boy v girl fight: Donald Trump V Hillary Clinton. He claimed the former Secretary of State's Hollywood followers are 'buying the Kool-Aid'

'Theres big issues in terms of the character of the people running,' he continued. 'Donald Trump has no blood on his hands as does Hillary. Remember Benghazi.'

He said he had the greatest admiration for Trump, who is 'very considerate of other people'.

'One thing you can be sure of is Donald Trump is no liar,' he insisted.

They added: Brad has supposedly already spoken to him and hopes he may be able to play peacemaker (pictured 2011)
She may have been going through TSA.

But Natalie Portman kept one thing concealed while at the airport.

The pregnant 35-year-old actress was spotted arriving for a departing flight out of LAX in a long, beige trench coat.

Bumping along: Natalie Portman was spotted arriving for a departing flight out of LAX in a long, beige trench coat

She kept her burgeoning baby belly under wraps as she made her way through the busy terminal in Los Angeles.

Natalie was definitely blooming lovely as she wore a blue and white floral jumpsuit under the jacket along with a pair of comfy flip flops.

The Oscar-Winning actress accessorised with a pair of $620 Dior aviator shades and a large black leather designer bag.

Her brunette tresses were pulled back in a ponytail featuring a middle-part as she had natural, complimentary make-up on her face topped off with shiny pink lip.

Pretty: The 35-year-old actress kept her burgeoning baby belly under wraps as she made her way through the busy terminal in Los Angeles

Comfortable customer: She rocked a pair of flip flops for the flight

Gorgeous: Natalie was definitely blooming lovely as she wore a blue and white floral jumpsuit under the jacket

The stunning beauty, who already has five-year-old son Aleph, showed that she has the patience of a mother as she made her way through TSA.

Natalie is quite the jetsetter as she had just returned from a whirlwind week promoting her two upcoming films, Jackie and Planetarium, in Venice, Italy and Toronto, Canada.

The Black Swan star received positive views for her role in Jackie, which also won the Toronto Platform Prize.

No A-list treatment here: She was seen making her way through TSA

Fashionable: The Oscar-Winning actress accessorised with a pair of $620 Dior aviator shades and a large black leather designer bag

Keeping it casual: Soon she ditched the designer shades

Pretty: Her brunette tresses were pulled back in a ponytail featuring a middle-part as she had natural, complimentary make-up on her face topped off with shiny pink lip

Jetset: She looked cool, calm and collected during the security screening

The film - which premieres in December - tells the story of the late Jacqueline Kennedy and her first few days in the White House following her husband John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963.

She also promoted her other film, Planetarium, in which she co-stars with Lily-Rose Depp as the two play psychic sisters in pre-war France.

Meanwhile, Natalie has yet to comment on her second pregnancy, however, sources have confirmed the news to Us Weekly and E! News.

It will be child number two for Natalie and her husband Benjamin Millepied.
They were rumoured to have been dating after she attended his sister's wedding last month.

Now it seems there may be trouble in paradise for Constance Siaflas and Salim Mehajer.

Earlier this week, the Kim Kardashian look-a-like deleted all social media images of the former Auburn deputy mayor while also unfollowing him on Instagram.

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The unusual move comes after Salim shared a throwback image of himself and his estranged wife, Aysha Learmonth, which he captioned the post with an emoji with large love hearts in its eyes.

Two weeks ago, Constance shared a cryptic post to her Instagram account, as she gave either herself or her followers some advice on how to achieve happiness.

'Everyday is a new day,' she began the caption, adding: 'Make it count. Don't look at how many steps there are to climb.

'Look at why your climbing, and what you are climbing for. I hope you make it to the top (sic),' she concluded, while including the hashtag 'Be happy for others'.

Around the same time, Salim shared a short video and flashback photo of his younger self posing with his former partner.

Despite the regular posts in relation to Aysha, it is not know whether the pair have rekindled their relationship.

Salim recently visited a neurosurgeon at the Royal North Shore hospital to undergo back surgery.

The couple married in August 2015 in a self-proclaimed 'wedding of the century', amid much fanfare and controversy.

The pair have been estranged for the past few months, amid claims Aysha packed her bags and left the couple's mansion in Lidcombe, Western Sydney, in March to stay with family in the NSW Illawarra region.

Following their alleged split, a nine-month order was taken out by police on Aysha and her brother-in-law Ben Miller's behalf.

Salim is now able to speak to Aysha and approach her, after the apprehended violence order taken out on her and her brother-in-law's behalf was changed.

The controversial property developer is also not allowed to walk into an address in Sydney the beautician often goes to.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Harare Magistrate Ms Bianca Makwande has postponed the routine remand proceedings for Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries founder Walter Magaya to the 21st of October.The postponement was occasion by an application by state prosecutor Sebastian Mutizirwa who told the court that the complainant in the rape matter had introduced fresh allegations which require further investigations.Everson Chatambudza strongly opposed the postponement arguing that the state was employing delaying tactics and lying that there was fresh evidence given that at the last remand date on the 15th of September, the state had promised to have wrapped up its case.The defence additionally requested the court to put it on record that on the next remand date if the state does not avail a trial date, they will apply for refusal of further remand.The court postponed the matter to the 21st of October having taken note of a request by the defence for the relaxation of Magaya's bail reporting conditions from reporting once a week to reporting once per month or once on a fortnight basis.
Bondi Beach embraced the Today Show crew during a live broadcast this morning.

And, host Karl Stefanovic appeared in high spirits with fellow co-host Lisa Wilkinson, as the pair shared a few close, candid encounters on the beach.

The 42-year-old television personality, who is currently in the midst of a rumoured split from partner Cassandra Thorbun, has been leaning on friends and family for support since the news broke two weeks ago.

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Cosy co-stars! Today's Lisa Wilkinson offered to help the media personality tie his Nippers cap around his chin in a tight bow, while he grinned back at her during a live broadcast at Bondi Beach on Wednesday morning

Trading his suit pants in for a pair of fun, colourful board shorts, the presenter let his childish antics shine through while participating in the little Nippers training.

Lisa volunteered to help the media personality tie his Nippers cap around his chin in a tight bow, while he grinned back at her.

In other snaps, the Nine Network stars were seen sharing a more intimate discussion on the sand as Karl held Lisa's hand through his jumper's pockets.

Child's play! The Nine Network star traded his suit pants in for a pair of fun, colourful board shorts, as he let his childish antics shine through while participating in Nippers training

Hand in hand: The Today Show stars were seen sharing a more intimate discussion on the sand as Karl held Lisa's hand through his jumper's pockets

Together, they host the top rating morning show on the Nine Network, so there's no denying they have chemistry on-and-off air.

In August, Lisa even went as far to call the co-star her 'work husband'.

'He is like my second husband,' the happily married 56-year-old told Daily Mail Australia at the Cirque du Soleil's opening night of Kooza in Sydney in August.



'He is like my second husband': Lisa Wilkinson labelled Karl her 'work husband' back in August

'Well certainly in the morning and into the day and Pete's [Peter FitzSimons] my husband at home.

The mother-of-three said 'Karl and Pete are in many ways very different, so I can pick and choose,' before adding: 'I only fight with one of them on who gets to put out the garbage.'

Leaving his wedding ring at home, the TV star joked and laughed with the co-host and fellow crew members during the live broadcast.

Unlikely support: The glossy publication has reported that Samantha Armytage, 40, has been a shoulder for Karl to cry on

But, it's not only the 56-year-old veteran journalist he's been leaning on for support following his shock separation with the mother of his three children, Cassandra Thorbun.

New Idea magazine has reported he has become close with rival television station host, Samantha Armytage, following his shock separation.

Karl and Samantha have formed a friendship over the years, with the two being seen together on the Sydney social circuit, and the curvaceous Samantha even jetting off to Melbourne to help celebrate Karl's 40th birthday.

The reports come after Karl told Daily Mail Australia last year that he loves Sam.

'She is a very well-loved personality on Australian TV and I love her. I think she is one of the great people on TV...I consider her family'.
IMAX will screen a 15-minute 3D sneak peek of Doctor Strange next month before the highly-anticipated film starring Benedict Cumberbatch.

Marvel Studios and IMAX on Tuesday announced the exclusive free screenings on October 10 at theater locations across the US. The full movie will come out in November.

'As a movie fan, I am thrilled to take audiences along on the visual journey of Doctor Strange and give them an early peek at what weve been working on,' said director Scott Derickson, 39, in a statement.

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Sneak peek: Marvel Studios announced on Tuesday that a 15-minute sneak peek of Doctor Strange will be released on October 10

'The completed film will feature more than an hour of specially formatted IMAX sequences that will provide audiences with a totally immersive- and mind-blowing- film-going experience and Im excited to share a taste of that with our fans on 10/10,' he added.

Marvel also released a new trailer on Tuesday showing a sense of humor in the upcoming superhero film.

The new one-minute clip opened with the Ancient One, played by Tilda Swinton, talking to Dr. Stephen Strange, played by Benedict Cumberbatch.

Renowned surgeon: Benedict Cumberbatch portrays Dr. Stephen Strange

The teacher: The Ancient One, played by Tilda Swinton, informed Stephen of multiple realities

Are you ready to walk the path? Benedict can be seen treading the Doctor's own mystic and mind-bending path in another promo poster for the film

The Ancient One: Tilda also appears in the film's promotional campaign

The director: Scott Derickson, 39, shown in April in Hollywood, said in a statement that he was thrilled to share the 15-minute sneak peek with fans

'You think you know how the world works. You think that this material universe is all there is,' she said as the renowned neurosurgeon perused personal watches and prepared for surgery.

'But what if I told you that the reality you know is one of many?,' she added snapping her fingers as New York City buildings suddenly moved in waves.

'This doesn't make any sense,' Stephen said looking scraggly.

Finger snap: Reality took a turn as the Ancient One snapped her fingers

That was weird: Stephen was preparing for surgery and then behind bars

Banged up: The neurosurgeon was shown severely injured

'Not everything has to,' The Ancient One replied.

Stephen was then shown in clips undergoing mystical training.

Benedict Wong as mystical master Wong revealed: 'The Avengers protect the world from physical dangers. We safeguard from more mystical threats'.

Training time: The Ancient One schooled Stephen on the mystical arts

Learning it: Stephen was shown learning the ancient ways

Good point: Wong pointed out that the Avengers handle physical threats while they tackle the mystical ones

An ensuing scene showed Mads Mikkelsen as villainous Kaecilius.

'You'll die protecting this world, mister,' Kaecilius warned.

'Doctor,' Stephen interjected.

The villain: Mads Mikkelsen was shown as the villainous Kaecilius

Ready to fight: And he received top-billing, scoring his own poster for Marvel's latest blockbuster

'Mister doctor,' Kaecilius responded.

'It's Strange,' Stephen said.

'Maybe, who am I to judge,' Kaecilius quipped before they began to battle.

Doctor Strange opens in US theaters on November 4.

Fight time: Doctor Strange roared into action at the end of the clip

The Baron is here: Chiwetel Ejiofor also appears in the run of posters, starring as Baron Mordo
Katie Holmes treated daughter Suri to a cool drink on Tuesday after school.

The 37-year-old actress went makeup free and kept it casual for a coffee run with her 10-year-old daughter in Calabasas, California.

Katie wore a white short-sleeved blouse, faded blue jeans and black pumps for the mother-daughter outing.

Mother and daughter: Katie Holmes took daughter Suri to a coffee shop on Tuesday after school in Calabasas, California

The Dawson's Creek star had her brown hair up in a messy knot and carried a large red purse.

Suri meanwhile had on a navy blue polo shirt and sky blue skirt.

She strolled with her mom in pink flats and added a pop of colour with a red bow in her hair.

Holding hands: Suri and Katie held hands as they went on a coffee run

Katie and Suri sweetly held hands as they headed to the coffee shop after school let out.

The Batman Begins star has been single for more than four years since her divorce from Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise.

Katie can next be seen on the big screen in the comedy Coup D'etat due out in 2017.

Casual style: Katie kept it casual in jeans and a short-sleeved blouse

She'll also be reprising her role of Jacqueline Kennedy in the 2017 miniseries The Kennedys: After Camelot.

Katie also is an executive producer of the Reelz Channel miniseries and directed one episode.

The Kennedys: After Camelot also starring Matthew Perry as Ted Kennedy is expected out in early 2017.
She's been bravely battling breast cancer and has endured almost a month of radiation treatment.

And on Wednesday, Roxy Jacenko celebrated having just one day of radiation to go by going shopping with heiress Francesca Packer Barham, 21.

Mother-of-two Roxy, 36, shared a fun car selfie with the brunette beauty, as the pair made their way towards a Louis Vuitton store.

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Girls' day out! On Wednesday, Roxy Jacenko (R) celebrated having just one day of radiation treatment to go by going shopping with heiress Francesca Packer Barham (L)

Roxy playfully stuck out her tongue as she sat in the front seat of Francesca's luxury car, believed to be a Range Rover.

With a golden glow, Roxy sat in a pretty Louis Vuitton dress featuring patterned sleeves and a zipper up the front.

Meanwhile, Francesca dressed more casually in jeans and a black jumper.

New coat? At the store, Roxy posed for a mirror selfie wearing her dress with a bright fur jacket on top, presumably picking up the piece for her wardrobe

Roxy playfully captioned the snap: 'What hump day??'

While at the store, Roxy posed for a mirror selfie wearing her dress with a bright fur jacket on top, presumably picking up the piece for her wardrobe.

Earlier that day, Roxy confirmed on Instagram she has just one more day of radiation treatment left.

Counting down! Earlier that day, Roxy confirmed on Instagram she has just one more day of radiation treatment left

Roxy revealed her cancer battle in July, just weeks after her husband Oliver Curtis was jailed for two years for insider trading.

She later had a tumour her breast removed, which was filmed for a 60 Minutes documentary about her life.

Roxy also explained her decision not to have a mastectomy, saying: 'I wasn't in the head space to make rash decisions.'

Still working! Roxy revealed her cancer battle in July, just weeks after her husband Oliver Curtis was jailed for two years for insider trading

This week, The Daily Telegraph reported Roxy visited Oliver at Cooma's Correctional Facility on Saturday, taking a private plane costing $6,000.

Roxy's visit comes just days after she was allegedly spotted catching up with her ex-boyfriend Nabil Gazal.

They were seen having dinner together in Sydney and 'appeared relaxed with each other', The Sydney Morning Herald claimed.
She is already an angel.

And Victoria's Secret favourite Alessandra Ambrosio was transformed into a golden girl when she attended a thrilling launch party in New York on Tuesday.

The catwalk cutie was turning heads for all the right reasons as she pranced around in a flattering metallic mesh dress.

Going for gold: Alessandra Ambrosio was a winner at the #GiltLife launch party in New York on Tuesday

The 35-year-old lingerie specialist looked fabulous in a form-flattering gown, which boasted a thrillingly high hemline which showcased her toned pins to the maximum.

She was joined at the #GiltLife launch party by Superman Returns legend Kate Bosworth, who took great delight in cuddling up to the shapely stunner.

Yummy mummy Alessandra recently gave her fans a cheap thrill when she partook in a revealing photo shoot for GQ Brazil in The Maldives.

All that glitters: She looked n fine form indeed in her metallic mesh dress

Fine filly: The fashion thoroughbred was in fine form as she trotted down the red carpet

Testing her metal: And her golden experiment will have seen her showered with compliments

The Brazilian beanpole put on quite a cheeky display for the glossy magazine, sharing one shot of herself on the beach displaying her delightful derriere in a skimpy bikini.

In another picture shared over the weekend, the cat-eyed beauty also joked around with two coconuts strategically covering her chest.

Garnering plenty of guffaws, she captioned the image: 'Kisses to my 7M followers!!! Love u #islandstyle #crazyforcoconut #cocoloca #foreveronvacation.'

Cuddle buddies: Actress Kate Bosworth seemed to enjoy getting to grips with the model

Say cheese: Alessandra seemed to be having a great time hamming it up for photographers

Alessandra recently walked the runway at the Philipp Plein show during Milan Fashion Week.

She was wearing a denim romper with chainlink vest and gladiator-style, high-heeled sandals.

When she's not aimlessly wandering around on the catwalk, Alessandra enjoys being mother to Anja, seven, and Noah, four, her children with longtime partner Jamie Mazur.

She looks super: Superman Returns star Kate gave Alessandra a run for her money

Lovely coconuts: She showed off the indigenous fruit as she partook in a photo shoot in The Maldives

Rearly impressive: And she gave a cheeky glimpse of her delightful derriere in another image

Bienvenue: Alessandra was seen arriving at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris on Wednesday

Military chic: The star sported an army jacket over a salmon coloured jumper
She's known for showing off skin in her daring fashion looks.

But Kim Kardashian was uncharacteristically demure in a long black dress as she joined Bravo bigwig Andy Cohen to speak at an advertising event in New York City on Tuesday evening.

The 35-year-old E! star looked elegant in an ankle-skimming black dress as she was interviewed on stage at the Girls' Lounge dinner, at Pier 60.

Here she comes: Kim Kardashian looked better than ever in a slinky bodycon number as she arrived at The Girls' Lounge dinner held at Pier 60 in NYC on Tuesday night

Conversation: Kim was interviewed by TV host Andy Cohen at the event, which aimed to give visibility to women at Advertising Week 2016

Kim even hid her famous cleavage beneath a turtle neck, although she was careful to still showcase her curves in the sleeveless outfit at the event, which was about raising the visibility of women in advertising.

The 5ft 3in star of Keeping Up With The Kardashians traded her regular towering pair of shoes for chunky snakeskin boots.

Her midriff was on show in the draping dress, which gathered around a metallic ring.

In her element: Kim was brimming with confidence as she took to the stage

Pretty: The beauty was immaculately made-up, with neatly defined brows and contouring emphasising her features

High necked: She even hid her famous cleavage beneath a turtle neck

Elegant: Kim n was uncharacteristically demure as she joined Andy and Shelley Zalis

Still heels: The 5ft 3in star of Keeping Up With The Kardashians traded her regular vertiginous pair of shoes for striking chunky snakeskin boots

Smart: Andy looked sartorially on point in a grey two-piece suit and brown brogues

The beauty was immaculately made-up, with neatly defined brows and contouring emphasising her pretty features.

She added a nude lip and wore her glossy chestnut locks loose and in a centre parting.

Meanwhile, Housewives mastermind Andy looked sartorially on point in a grey two-piece suit and brown brogues.

Chat: She wore her glossy chestnut locks loose and in a centre parting

Famous figure: She was careful to still showcase her curves in the sleeveless outfit

Women's event: Her midriff was on show in the draping dress as she posed with Shelley Zalis, Linda Yaccarino and Andy Cohen

Stylish from head to toe: Kim set off her look with a pair of heeled snakeskin boots

Flowing tresses: The social media sensation upped the glamour with long, dark extensions

Demure: Kim was composed as ever when she headed home for the evening

Kim was without husband Kanye West, who was on stage in Grand Rapids, MI as part of his Saint Pablo Tour.

On Saturday he was performing at Taylor Swift's home town of Nashville, Tennessee and played Famous - the controversial track over which he fell out with the country star - three times.

Kim recently revealed being married to Kanye has helped her develop a thicker skin, telling E! News: 'I used to look at everything and anything and have google alerts and just get so upset and go home and cry after something mean being said and now there is nothing anybody can say that can even rattle me.

'Im proud of that but in a way its a little bit sad that thats the time you live in that people can say the meanest, nastiest things and you can be ok with it.'

Meanwhile Kim took to Snapchat alongside the Bravo host, showing off their outfits as well as some comedy filters.

Hilarious fun: Kim took to Snapchat alongside the Bravo host, showing off their outfits as well as some comedy filters

It takes a village: Kim had her regular glam squad of hair and make-up artists to hand

Having fun: Kim and Andy posed in the mirror of her dressing room, next to some empty bottles and champagne glasses

Social media queen: She filmed behind the scenes for her Snapchat

Preened: Kim had the finishing touches put to her sleek hair style

Posing: Kim was without husband Kanye West, who was on stage in Grand Rapids, MI as part of his Saint Pablo Tour
She recently spoke about her love for dressing up in a recent interview with Fashion Magazine.

And that was definitely evident on Tuesday as Kate Bosworth stunned in a Miu Miu black dress with a fur or faux fur Givenchy black coat.

The 33-year-old actress joined model Alessandra Ambrosio at the #GiltLife Launch party in New York City.

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Beautiful in black: Kate Bosworth dazzled at the GiltLife launch party on Tuesday in NYC as she wore a flattering little black dress and matching pumps

The Blue Crush actress opted for a LBD that displayed her perfectly toned legs and arms as it featured bow-tie spaghetti straps.

She paired it with classic black Saint Laurent pumps and and a gold-and-black Fendi purse.

Kate pinned her blonde locks back in a ballerina bun while donning jewels from Susan Foster.

The most stylish item of her ensemble, however, was her fur jacket that she decided to wear on only one arm, certainly creating a fashion trend.

Furry nice! She added to the glamour with a Givenchy faux fur jacket that she slung over her shoulder as she headed into the event

Leggy lady! The beautiful blonde showed off her lean legs in a thigh-skimming shift dress

Blonde beauty: Kate pinned her blonde locks back in a ballerina bun while donning jewels from Susan Foster

The fashionista is surely the one to put her best foot forward as she told Fashion on her cover issue: 'When it comes to dressing up, I dont have any anxiety at all - its actually something I really enjoy.'

She added: 'Its the quickest way to communicate a feeling - culturally and individually, clothing can represent something about our time or what is going on inside us. Fashion is the most immediate way to see something evolve.'

The Superman Returns actress even commented on how certain clothes don't always fit her 'boyish' figure saying: 'Anything thats too loose or shapeless isnt the most flattering for me.'

All about the accessories: Kate paired her chic black dress with classic black Saint Laurent pumps and and a gold-and-black Fendi purse

Natural beauty: Kate allowed her stunning good looks to shine through with a neutral make-up palette that flattered her gorgeous features

Hug it out! She buddied up with VS Angel Alessandra Ambrosio

Beauties: The model opted for a glittering gold dress that featured a low-scoop back, baring her sun-kissed flesh

Striking! Kate shared a selfie snap before heading to the event of her last look

The wife of Michael Polish has been juggling a number of work projects in recent months, and is currently shooting the film Finding Steve McQueen, which is expected to screen at the 2017 Toronto Film Festival.

The movie is based on the true story of the 1972 bank heist by a gang of thieves from Youngstown, Ohio, who tried to steal $30 million in illegal contributions and blackmail money from President Richard Nixons secret fund.

She will also star in the TV miniseries, SS-BG, a drama about a murder investigation.
She's one of Australia's hottest modelling exports.

And Nicole Trunfio was the epitome of a 'working mother' as she performed a beach-side photo shoot with her 20-month-old son Zion in tow.

Flaunting her incredible physique whilst showcasing various styles of swimwear, the 30-year-old looked thrilled to have her baby boy as her co-star for the Malibu production.

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Life's a beach! Nicole Trunfio was spotted working on a swimwear shoot with her son Zion in Malibu on Monday

One look had the Australian stunner sporting a neon yellow one-piece, which had its black zipper pulled down very low to reveal ample cleavage.

With her hair in a tight top bun, the mother-of-one oozed confidence as she carried Zion on her hip.

Nicole looked stylish with a pair of reflective sunglasses shielding her eyes from the beaming sun.

Hot mama! The 30-year-old stunned in a bright yellow one-piece with a plunging neckline

Mama's boy: The Australian model cut a flawless figure as she carried her 20-month-old baby

Zion meanwhile, looked comfortable in his mother's arms, sporting a tiny pair of boardshorts and sucking on his pacifier.

At one point, Nicole changed into a black G-string one-piece, which was styled with a backless Adidas jacket to show off plenty more skin.

Flashing her pert derriere, the IMG model was seen playing with her son, who climbed up on the wooden lookout tower during the shoot.

Work it: The brunette beauty and her son made a great team, with the tot posing alongside her on the sand

Proud: Zion looked impressed with his famous mother's modelling skills

Peek-a-boo! The IMG model's pert derriere was on display as she chased after her son

Proving they make an excellent team, Nicole worked her best angles as Zion posed next to his mama.

The Vogue cover girl eventually changed into another outfit, this time sporting a pair of black bikini bottoms and a white T-shirt cropped to reveal her taut tummy.

With her brunette locks worn in a high ponytail, the doting mother carried her son on her shoulders as they made their way down the beach.

Effortless: The Western Australian-born glamazon looked comfortable juggling work with motherhood

Model mama: Nicole flashed her taut tummy in a cropped white T-shirt and black bikini bottoms as she carried her son on her shoulders

Active: The slender beauty beamed as she chased after her adorable baby on the white sand

Cheeky! Nicole was seen flashing her pert posterior in the high-cut bikini bottoms

Zion meanwhile, had a great time with his famous mum and was seen laughing throughout the shoot.

Just days prior to the shoot, Nicole was in Washington D.C. with her husband and Zion's father, Gary Clark Jr., attending the opening of the Smithsonian museum at The John F Kennedy Centre.

The in-demand model stunned in a red custom-made Zuhair Murad gown with her hair slicked back into a low ponytail.

Fun in the sun: Little Zion had a great day out with his famous mother, laughing as he spent time on her shoulders

Her musician beau meanwhile, cut a dapper figure in a black suit and olive green fedora.

Th couple welcomed Zion in January 2015 and tied the knot in a Californian ceremony in April this year.

Nicole rose to fame after winning Australia's Search For A Supermodel in 2002.

Throughout her career, the Western Australian-born beauty has modelled for countless fashion houses, including Chanel, Gucci, Versace and Fendi.
Amanda Peet brought Hollywood glamour to the Los Angeles Philharmonic's opening night gala on Tuesday.

The 44-year-old actress hit the right note in a little black dress for the concert and gala at downtown's Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Amanda showed her lean legs in the short dress that featured a ruffled top.

Musical highlight: Amanda Peet shone in a little black dress on Tuesday at the Los Angeles Philharmonic's opening night gala

The Whole Nine Yards star had her dark hair pulled back and wore just a hint of natural looking makeup.

Amanda completed her look with black heels and her sparkling blue eyes added a pop of colour.

The New York City native has been married since 2006 to Game Of Thrones showrunner David Benioff, 46.

They have a nine-year-old daughter Frances, six-year-old daughter Molly and one-year-old son Henry together.

Ruffled top: The actress showed her lean legs in a little black dress

Mother of three: Amanda has three children with Game Of Thrones showrunner David Benioff

Megan Hilty, 35, was the lady in red for the gala event.

The Broadway star wore an off-the-shoulder, floor-length red gown.

Don Johnson, 66, looked dapper in a black suit alongside wife Kelley Phleger in a matching black dress.

Broadway star: Megan Hilty wore a long red gown to the gala

Hollywood star: Don Johnson and wife Kelley Phleger wore matching black outfits

Oscar-winning actor Christoph Waltz, 59, also was in attendance and looked sharp in a dark blue suit.

John C. Reilly, 51, and wife Alison Dickey also showed their support for the progressive Los Angeles-based orchestra.

Gustavo Dudamel, 35, has been the music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since September 2009.

Oscar winner: Christoph Waltz looked dapper in a dark blue suit
Eva Green rocked two biker chic outfits in New York on Tuesday.

The actress styled a pair of sexy all-black looks around a gorgeous leather jacket and a pair of battered biker boots.

The 36-year-old was first spotted leaving her NY hotel in tight, sheer black leggings and a matching top.

Double trouble: Eva Green rocked two biker chic outfits in New York on Tuesday

Clutching more black leather in handbag form, she left her equally dark locks fall around her face, framing it in a pair of cat eye shades.

Hours later she switched things up a little as she headed over to Times Square Studio for an interview on Good Morning America.

Keeping the boots and jacket, she switched in a short frilly skirt with opaque tights, while subbing in a chest-baring lacy top.

Up first: The 36-year-old was first spotted leaving her NY hotel in tight, sheer black leggings and a matching top

Head to toe: Clutching more black leather in handbag form, she left her equally dark locks fall around her face, framing it in a pair of cat eye shades

Her only splash of colour in the day came in her red framed second pair of glasses.

At the studio she was met by host Michael Strahan to chat about her latest film, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

She was also joined by two of her young co-stars, Asa Butterfield and Ella Purnell.

New look: Hours later she switched things up a little as she headed over to Times Square Studio for an interview on Good Morning America

Quick change: Keeping the boots and jacket, she switched in a short frilly skirt with opaque tights, while subbing in a chest-baring lacy top

On camera: At the studio she was met by host Michael Strahan to chat about her latest film, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

The film is centred around the title character - played by Green - and her school which houses children with special abilities.

The mystery and element of danger deepen when a character named Jacob (Butterfield) gets to know the residents and learns about their powers.

The film, directed by Tim Burton and based on the novel of the same name by debut author debut American author Ransom Riggs, is set for release in the US and UK this Friday.

Peculiar company: She was also joined by two of her young co-stars, Asa Butterfield and Ella Purnell

Splash: Purnell countered Eva's black look with a more colourful ensemble
News / National

by Staff reporter

The complainant in the alleged rape case against PHD Ministries church leader Walter Magaya has introduced fresh issues and the state has referred the docket back to the police station for further investigations.The defence team challenged the further postponement of the proceedings on the basis that during the last hearing on the 15th of September the state had made an undertaking to provide a trial date.Representing the state, Sebastian Mutizirwa, however, said the promise had been made as the docket had been sent to the prosecutor general when it was complete until the complainant raised fresh issues which require further investigations.Appearing for the defence, Everson Chatambudza and Admire Rubaya, notified the court of an intention to file for refusal of further remand on the next remand date and sought for relaxation of Magaya's bail reporting conditions.They requested that he report once every month or fortnight as opposed to reporting once weekly.Harare magistrate Ms Bianca Makwande said she will consider relaxation of bail proceedings on the next remand date.She postponed the matter to the 21st of October 2016.
He's the burly fitness expert who lives by the motto 'no pain, no gain.'

And Michelle Bridges' partner Steve 'The Commando' Willis recently opened up about his son Axel's painful struggle with teething, while joking that the 9-month-old needs to 'suck it up.'

'He's fantastic although he's going through some teething at the moment and he's got a bit of a cold, so it's his first taste of pain,' he told Channel Seven's The Morning Show on Wednesday.

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Seeing the sunny side: Michelle Bridges' partner Steve 'The Commando' Willis opened up about his son Axel's painful struggle with teething, while joking that the 9-month-old should simply 'suck it up' during an appearance on Channel Seven's The Morning Show on Wednesday

'I just keep saying mate, suck it up, no excuses,' he joked.

The father-of-three went on to share that while baby Axel is not yet walking, he can stand and crawl.

He's also bigger than most babies, which he described as being a step in 'the right direction' for a future in fitness when he's older.

'He's fantastic although he's going through some teething at the moment and he's got a bit of a cold, so it's his first taste of pain,' Steve told Channel Seven's The Morning Show on Wednesday (Pictured: Michelle Bridges and baby Axel)

'We took him to the pediatrician [who] was like 'wow this kid's off the scale' he's like the size of a 16-month-old and he's only 9-months-old. So I think he's moving in the right direction,' he said.

Former Biggest Loser star Michelle, 45, welcomed the birth of her son with her partner of three years Steve, 40, in December.

The Newcastle-born personal trainer is often pictured bonding with her first child on social media and fans often point out how the blue-eyed baby bares a striking resemblance to her.

Fit mum: Former Biggest Loser star Michelle, 45, welcomed the birth of her son with her partner of three years Steve, 40, in December

Source of support: She previously shared how Steve has helped her ease into being a first-time parent - 'I turn to him a lot because he is just so relaxed about being a dad'

She previously shared how Steve has helped her ease into being a first-time parent.

'I turn to him a lot because he is just so relaxed about being a dad,' she said.

'He is so sweet. He is very good at it...well he [Axel] is his fourth child so he [Commando] is an old hand at it.'
Britney Spears admitted she 'freaked out' during first UK gig in five years on Tuesday night.

For a split second, the star's Apple Music Festival show at London's Roundhouse came close to unravelling as she flailed, before pulling out of a flip move.

Speaking in a BBC Radio 1 interview on Wednesday, Britney, 34, revealed: 'Last night I freaked out and put my hands up. There was a new guy there  it was his first time protecting my back and I couldnt do it

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Risky business: Britney Spears' London gig came close to unravelling on Tuesday night as she flailed, before pulling out of a flip move

'He seemed really confident and strong so I shouldve felt more confident but I was scared.'

The pop star was caught on camera losing her balance as a backing dancer prepared to help her through the risky move

Expertly reacting to the star's change of heart, the dancer took a backwards step and allowed Britney to professionally continue with her routine.

Britney's back! Britney was looking every inch the pop princess as she headed to the BBC Radio 1 studios on Wednesday, no doubt still full of adrenaline from her action-packed gig

Britney added: 'When I was younger I used to do backflips, and I would not attempt that now

'My son can do it now - kids are fearless  but it inspires me, because of that I put a back walkover in my show.'

The Toxic superstar has been wowing audiences in Las Vegas for the last two years, and a star-studded crowd turned out to see her first UK gig in over five years.

Hitting the stage to kick off a hits packed set, the mother-of-two looked sensational in a plunging green snake-skin style leotard.

Hold me close: The shirtless dancer gripped Britney around the middle and supported her thigh

Oops! The pop star was caught on camera losing her balance as the backing dancer prepared to help her through the risky move

Better to be safe than sorry: Britney was close to going through with the move but had a change of heart at the last moment

The show must go on: Expertly reacting to the star's change of heart, the dancer took a backwards step and allowed Britney to professionally continue with her routine

Supportive: Fans took to Twitter to praise Britney despite the flip fail

She whipped her iconic blonde locks around as she strutted her stuff in a pair of leather thigh-high boots alongside a series of scantily-clad dancers.

A string of celebs turned out to witness the star's show, including new dancing queens Daisy Lowe and Laura Whitmore, who are currently showing off their moves on Strictly Come Dancing.

Undoubtedly ready to pick up some tips from the acclaimed performer, Daisy, 27, looked sensational in a faux-fur lined biker jacket while Laura, 31, made a statement in skin-tight leather trousers.

Back in Blighty! Britney hit the stage in London on Tuesday night in her first UK gig in five years

Hats off to her: The Toxic superstar performed for a star-studded crowd at the Roundhouse for the Apple Music Festival

Work it! Hitting the stage to kick off a hits packed set, the mother-of-two looked sensational in a plunging green snake-skin style leotard

Slave for her! She whipped her iconic blonde locks around as she strutted her stuff in a pair of leather thigh-high boots alongside a series of scantily-clad dancers

Working it: Britney delighted her fans with a medley of hits, both new and old

Centre stage: Ever the showgirl, the pop princess was in her element on stage

Still got it! The superstar proved she's still the ultimate performer

Daisy - who topped the leader board with her captivating waltz on Saturday night's episode - donned a sheer lace bralet under her statement outerwear.

And opting for comfort, she wore a a pair of skinny blue jeans and converse trainers while tying a printed scarf around her neck for an extra touch of trendiness.

Her fiery red lips complemented her porcelain skin, while her brunette mane fell messily beside her.

And it was most certainly a mid-week Strictly reunion as her competitor Laura teamed her shaggy outerwear with statement leather trousers and boots.

Famous fans: Strictly stars Daisy Lowe and Laura Whitmore were among the celebrities who flocked to see the pop princess perform

Stylish: Daisy looked sensational in a faux-fur lined biker jacket

Sneak peek: Daisy - who topped the leader board with her captivating waltz on Saturday night's episode - donned a sheer lace bralet under her statement outerwear

Beauty: Her fiery red lips complemented her porcelain skin, while her brunette mane fell messily beside her

A brown satchel bag was casually slung across her body, while her blonde mane was centre parted and fell slightly past her shoulders.

Meanwhile, former Made in Chelsea star Millie Mackintosh looked in high spirits as she attended the event in a chic blazer and barely-there make-up.

Rita Ora also turned heads in a unique blue tweed co-ord set which flaunted her enviable legs.

Trend-setter: It was most certainly a mid-week Strictly reunion as her competitor Laura teamed her shaggy outerwear with statement leather trousers and boots

Looking great! Former Made in Chelsea star Millie Mackintosh looked in high spirits as she attended the event in a chic blazer and thigh high suede boots

Natural beauty: She sported a barely-there make-up look

Signature style: Rita Ora also turned heads in a unique blue tweed co-ord set which flaunted her enviable legs

Taking risks: Her 'wet look' blonde locks were styled in curves, while her contoured cheekbones complemented her deep plum pout

Wrapping up: She teamed the look with a black biker jacket and matching side bag

Her 'wet look' blonde locks were styled in curves, while her contoured cheekbones complemented her deep plum pout.

Stateside singing sensation Bebe Rexha looked pretty in pink in a skin-tight dress, which she teamed with beige thigh-high boots and a matching cap.

Georgia May Jagger put on a grunge display with a satin bomber, tiny leather skirt, tights and boots.

The model's locks were dip-dyed at the end in different hues of purple.

Sugary: Stateside singing sensation Bebe Rexha looked pretty in pink in a skin-tight dress

Injecting sexiness: She teamed the ensemble with with beige thigh-high boots and a matching cap

The nineties called: Georgia May Jagger put on a grunge display with a satin bomber, tiny leather skirt, tights and boots

Mane attraction: The model's locks were dip-dyed at the end in different hues of purple

Never fails to impress: Designer Henry Holland looked typically stylish

Excitement: He beamed in delight at seeing the iconic American singer perform

Casual chic: Nick Grimshaw wore a loose pair of track-suit bottoms with a slightly unzipped top

Cool: Nick flaunted his style credentials in an over-sized camp print shirt

Sartorially impressive: The hooded top complemented his short haircut

Designer Henry Holland looked typically stylish while Nick Grimshaw flaunted his style credentials in an over-sized camp print shirt.

Others at the event were Olly Alexander of Years & Years, Lara Stone and Roxie Nafousi.

Britney is performing in association with the Apple Music Festival which sees ten high-profile stars, including the likes of Alicia Keys, Chance The Rapper and Michael Buble, perform intimate shows in London to a small gathering.

Plaid's nice! Olly Alexander of Years & Years opted for a cool plaid baseball jacket

Low-key: Lara Stone kept it simple in an all-black outfit with white trainers

Gorgeous: Roxie Nafousi wore a long khaki coat over a figure-hugging black dress and sexy thigh high boots
She may be five months pregnant with her first child to husband Sam Burgess.

But Phoebe Burgess, 27, managed to hide all evidence of her swelling baby bump as she slipped herself into a black two-piece Alex Perry gown ahead of the 2016 Dally M Awards.

Posing for photos together on the red carpet at the glittering Rugby League event, Sam proudly placed his hand on his wife's stomach to accentuate the hidden bump.

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What bump? Phoebe Burgess concealed her growing baby bump at the 2016 Dally M Awards in Sydney on Wednesday, with proud husband Sam Burgess proudly placing his hand on her stomach for photos to accentuate the hidden bump

The high-profile couple happily posed for photos together for the flashbulbs, with Phoebe glowing.

Posing side-on to show off her burgeoning belly, the expectant mother popped one hand on her hip, showing off her sparkling engagement and wedding rings.

The media personality kept her make-up palette soft, with a barely-there pink bronzer sweeping the apple of her cheeks and complementing her pink lipgloss.

The blonde beauty swept her locks into a chic up-do, making her smokey eyes pop even more.

There it is! Posing side-on to show off her burgeoning belly, the expectant mother popped one hand on her hip, showing off her sparkling engagement and wedding rings

Glowing: The media personality kept her make-up palette soft, with a barely-there pink bronzer sweeping the apple of her cheeks and complementing her pink lipgloss

While the dress appeared to be mid-riff baring, under the flash it was clear the one-piece contained a metallic thread mesh across the exposed skin.

However, the thigh-high split across the front showed off her toned and tanned legs, which were sporting strappy black heels to round out her ensemble.

Meanwhile Sam looked dapper in a traditional tuxedo with a satin trim.

Black tie: Meanwhile Sam looked dapper in a traditional tuxedo with a satin trim.

Happy couple: The high-profile couple happily posed for photos together for the flashbulbs, with Phoebe glowing

Taking to Instagram before the big event, the blonde beauty uploaded a photo of herself and Sam dressed to the nines while posing in front of a silver Rolls Royce.

Positioning her torso on the side while looking down at her man, Phoebe miraculously managed to hide all traces of her pregnant belly.

In the caption, she wrote: 'Award for the sexiest date to @samburgess8 #DallyM.'

Two weeks earlier, Phoebe shared a photo of herself being fitted in Alex Perry attire ahead of the red carpet event.

'Award for sexiest date': The 27-year-old managed to hide all evidence of her swelling baby bump as posed slightly side on and looked over her hot date in a post to Instagram ahead before the ceremony

In a photo shared to her Instagram page, Phoebe was seen posing in the mirror of her dressing room, clad in a white two-piece gown with long sleeves.

The magazine writer-turned-WAG recently penned a candid piece describing her ever-changing body thanks to her 'little baby building hormones'.

'I can wake up with the best skin Ive ever had  soft, smooth and bright  or I can wake up with red spots around my jawline and irritated cheeks,' the 27-year-old wrote for Harper's Bazaar.

'I can wake up with the best skin Ive ever had': The magazine writer-turned-WAG recently penned a candid piece describing her ever-changing body thanks to her 'little baby building hormones'

Phoebe also revealed her changing body shape has been causing her some wardrobe-related issues.

'My wardrobe selections no longer have any rhyme or reason, and it is probably my most stressful time of the day!'

She added: 'I used to love it but now I get a shock when my udders (boobs) don't quite fit into anything I used to own.'

'My wardrobe selections no longer have any rhyme or reason': Phoebe also revealed her changing body shape has been causing her some wardrobe-related issues




As a Victoria's Secret Angel she's no stranger to flashing the flesh.

So it came as no surprise to see Constance Jablonski looked in her element as she stormed the runway at the Etam show during Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday.

Slipping into not one, but two stunning ensembles, the 25-year-old French model looked effortlessly glamorous as she posed backstage before storming the runway.

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Model moment: It came as no surprise to see Constance Jablonski looked in her element as she stormed the runway at the Etam show during Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday

Looking radiant in red, the blonde beauty flaunted her ample cleavage in a lacy scarlet bra and matching briefs that left little to the imagination.

But that wasn't even their scantiest ensemble, as she slipped into a plunging lace bodysuit that showed off her incredible figure.

Wearing her golden locks loose and tousled, the Vogue covergirl was a vision of beauty as she prepared to hit the runway.

Taking the plunge: Constance then slipped into a plunging lace bodysuit that showed off her incredible figure and left little to the imagination between the scanty material

Blonde beauty: Wearing her golden locks loose and tousled, the Vogue covergirl was a vision of beauty as she struck a few poses before preparing to hit the runway

Golden girl: Before storming the runway Constance layered up her lacy body with a glittering golden cape that brushed past her shoulders and highlighted her phenomenal figure

Consrance wasn't the only Victoria's Secret babe to make an impression at the show, with Ana Beatriz Barros putting her model experience to practice perfectly.

The 32-year-old Brazilian bombshell stunned in a dusky pink lace bra and red pants with red suspenders as she posed sultrily backstage.

Whilst she may have been surrounded by models, there was no doubt that Ana stood out as she paraded her incredible figure confidently around the stage.

Sheer beauty: Brazilian supermodel Ana Beatriz Barros stunned in lace lingerie at the Etam show during Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday

Ana flaunted her endless legs in the lingerie, which had a vintage feel thanks to the high-waisted briefs and polka dot suspenders.

The Victoria's Secret Angel added to the quirky vibe with an oversized black and white ribbon tied to her back.

Her caramel-hued tresses were styled in glossy waves that cascaded around her face and she emphasized her large eyes with a subtle sweep of mascara.

Turning heads: The 32-year-old rocked a dusky pink lace bra and red pants with red suspenders as she posed backstage

Ruffling a few feathers? One model backstage drew the eye in dusky pink lace lingerie

Frivolity and frills: Models flaunted their endless limbs in the skimpy attire

With one hand on her hip and the other resting on the wall, the recently married model posed seductively backstage.

She was joined by a throng of other models, who caught the eye with their tantalizing lingerie.

One brunette model stood out in a dusky pink lingerie set, given a dose of drama thanks to a feather trim black cape

Working their angles: They used their model experience to the fullest in front of the camera

Aye aye captain! One bizarre ensemble saw a girl dressed in a nautical inspired striped bolero and jaunty hat

Glamorous guest: Attending the fashion show was Penelope Cruz's sister Monica, who looked remarkably like her sibling as she stunned in a plunging black dress

Killer accessories: Showing off her tanned and shapely legs, she rocked some metallic peep-toe heels and toted a red clutch

Simply stunning: The actress wore her brunette tresses in a voluminous 'do and plumped her pout with nude lipstick

Model company: Supermodels Natalia Vodianova, who was the face of Etam from 2009 until last year, and Natasha Poly also attended

Perfectly paired: Natalia was a vision of beauty as she cosied up to Laurent Milchior

Model moment: Natalia was a vision of beauty as she took her place on the front row

Attending the fashion show was Penelope Cruz's sister Monica, who looked remarkably like her sibling as she stunned in a plunging black dress.

Showing off her tanned and shapely legs, she rocked some metallic peep-toe heels and toted a red clutch.

She was joined by supermodels Natalia Vodianova, who was the face of Etam from 2009 until last year, and Natasha Poly, who was the height of irreverence in a velvet pant suit.

Lovely in lace: Ana strutted her stuff on the catwalk in a sheer black number

Commanding the catwalk: The Sports Illustrated model showcased her toned figure

Pretty in pink: A quick outfit change and she showed off this candy-hued creation

She's ruling the runway! Devon Windsor flaunted her enviable physique in a barely there outfit

In the navy! She showed off a nautical-inspired headscarf and jacket

Etam, which celebrated its 100th anniversary this year, staged its annual innerwear and swimwear show during Paris ready-to-wear collections.

'It will mark the climax of our centennial,' Marie Schott, the brand's chief executive officer, told WWD.

'The idea is to celebrate [our anniversary] during all the second half of the year.'

She's got some front! One model drew the eye in a plunging all-in-one

Etam, which celebrated its 100th anniversary this year, staged its annual innerwear and swimwear show during Paris ready-to-wear collections

Daring: One model rocked an almost entirely sheer lace all-in-one paired with a feathered cape and tulle-trimmed heels

Sheer daring! The models certainly weren't shy as they prepared to take to the runway in their scanty and glittering ensembles

Lovely in lace: The models stormed the runway in the saucy and lacy outfits

Earning her style stripes: One model wore a cut-out Breton sweater that showcased a red lace bra underneath

Lace everywhere! Sheer fabrics and dramatic sweeping kimonos were the order of the day

Dip it low: The models cosied up together in their plunging black lingerie

Monochrome madness: The models wowed in black and white ensembles

Bra-vo: The models wowed in their incredible lacy and sheer outfits

Taking it easy: The models cosied up to each other behind the scenes

Nautical but nice! There seemed to be a sailor theme to many of the outfits

Dazzling: The gorgeous girls perfected their pouts for the backstage cameras

The show, which was produced by Paris-based agency Made in K, was live-streamed on the Internet.

It saw models strut down the catwalk in various states of chic undress, with one wearing a cut-out Breton sweater that showcased a red lace bra underneath.

Another rocked an almost entirely sheer lace all-in-one paired with a feathered cape and tulle-trimmed heels.

Here come the girls: The ladies stunned as they strutted their stuff in the finale

All eyes on them: Unsurprisingly, the ladies were the centre of attention

Glam: The models wowed from all angles as they spun around the catwalk
Caroline Aherne tragically passed away on July 2 following a battle with cancer.

And the late actress' Royle Family co-star Ricky Tomlinson delivered a passionate speech about his friend during an appearance on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday, praising her for her comedy talent and 'generous' nature.

The TV favourite also questioned why beloved star Caroline wasn't given a state funeral when even 'hated' former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had one.

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Moving: Ricky Tomlinson delivered a passionate speech about his late friend and co-star Caroline Aherne during an appearance on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday

Referring to the late Tory leader's funeral in 2013, Ricky exclaimed: 'Why didnt [Caroline] have a state funeral? Everyone loved her. We had a state funeral for Thatcher and everyone hated her.'

Ricky was speaking to Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid from his home in Liverpool, paying tribute to the star in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

He said: 'She was fabulous. Her skills of watching people and making a joke out of it was unbelievable.

'But there was nothing sacred, there was no sort of boundaries that she wouldnt have a go at and now and again I do little speeches and little talks and I tell some stories about Caroline which I couldnt repeat on your programme this morning because theyre very rude, but theyre very funny.

Passionate: Referring to the late Tory leader's funeral in 2013, Ricky exclaimed, 'Why didnt [Caroline] have a state funeral? Everyone loved her. We had a state funeral for Thatcher and everyone hated her'

Happy families: The pair starred together in The Royle Family. Pictured are (clockwise from top left) Ralf Little, Sue Johnston, Craig Cash, Caroline Aherne, Ricky Tomlinson and Liz Smith

'She was a wonderful person and very generous... I will love her forever.'

The 77-year-old star confessed he didn't know Caroline had been suffering from cancer at the time of her death.

On hearing the news of Carolines death, the actor said: 'It was absolutely awful. Im so glad I didnt know she had it.

'I never knew until the morning she died and I got a phone call off a newspaper reporter and Im so glad I didnt know as it would have been painful to work with her and to see her.

'I will love her forever': Ricky was speaking to Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid from his home in Liverpool, paying tribute to the star in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support

'I watched my own father die with cancer, 40 odd maybe 50 years ago and then there was no support like Caroline had with Macmillan nurses and stuff like that and that was bad enough.'

Caroline's brother, Patrick Aherne, also appeared on GMB to speak for the first time about losing his sister.

On Carolines battle with cancer, Patrick said: 'It just seems so unfair that somebody can get cancer three times. At first I thought she was going to get through with it all and she would be okay

'I will never forget...when she told me she had three months to 12 months - it was just a horrible, horrible day in my life.

'You've got to really understand what an impressive person she was to deal with things like this, she had so many problems in her life.

'She made me laugh purely by being herself. She was such a funny person, such a clever person.'
She raised a few eyebrows recently playing a man in gender swapping thriller (Re)Assignment.

But Michelle Rodriguez showed that she's all woman as she attended the 'Milton's Secret' Los Angeles Premiere with her lacy bra on show Tuesday night.

The 38-year-old actress let her ample assets speak for themselves as she donned a sheer white shirt and racer back bra for the event held at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

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Sheer delight: Michelle Rodriguez showed that she's all woman as she attended the 'Milton's Secret' Los Angeles Premiere with her lacy bra on show Tuesday night

In loose harem style black trousers and quirky fur embellished metallic loafers, the Fast And Furious star oozed laid-back style as she posed for the cameras on the red carpet.

With her long raven locks worn in loose ringlets around her shoulders, the Texan star kept her make-up understated with a pink lip and gentle sweep of blush.

In her forthcoming family film, Milton's Secret, she plays the mother of twelve-year-old Milton Adams - an anxious child who has his life turned around by his optimistic grandfather, played by Donald Sutherland.

Cutaway: The 38-year-old actress let her ample assets speak for themselves as she donned a sheer white shirt and racer back bra for the event held in Hollywood

During her time on set the notoriously fit Rodriguez entertained herself keeping fit with pull ups and exercises while waiting for filming to start.

Earlier this month the actress posted several photos on Instagram showing her in make-up for another recent character, Frank/Tomboy Kitchen - a contract killer who is forced to undergo gender re-assignment surgery as a punishment.

The picture showed a grinning Rodriguez, who has formerly described herself as bisexual, with flattened boobs and wearing a beard and mustache.

Natural beauty: With her long raven locks worn in loose ringlets around her shoulders, the Texan star kept her make-up understated with a pink lip and gentle sweep of blush

New role: Michelle Rodriguez showed fans a very different look as she took to Instagram earlier in the month

Wow: The Fast And Furious actress posted several photos of her with flattened boobs and wearing a beard and mustache, as well as showing off her underarm hair

Describing the movie, Michelle said: 'It's in the B Movie genre, a culture shock pic, shot like a film noir graphic novel. I played a male assassin for four days in the movie, boy was that beard itchy.

'Then out revenge, a twisted Doctor played by Sigourney Weaver decides to take my character's manhood away with a sex change to teach him a lesson. I never felt more like a woman than when I played a man.

Milton's Secret is due for release later this month, while (Re) Assignment is due to be released in 2017.

Hands in pockets: In loose harem style black trousers and quirky fur embellished metallic loafers, the Fast And Furious star oozed laid-back style as she posed for the cameras
Georgia Love wasted no time seeing potential suitor Lee in action during Wednesday night's episode of The Bachelorette.

The former news anchor enjoyed a game of two truths and a lie during a romantic date with the mechanical plumber and when he guessed incorrectly, he was ordered to perform 20 push-ups.

'Ok. I'll give you two truths and a lie about my biggest celebrity crushes. And if you get it wrong, you have to do 20 push-ups,' she told him.

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Smitten: Georgia Love enjoyed a game of two truths and a lie during a romantic date with mechanical plumber Lee on Wednesday night's episode of The Bachelorette

'In my top three celebrity crushes are Zac Efron...,' she continued to which Lee interjected: 'Nah, not buying it.'

'Brad Pitt...,' she went on. '..And Chris Pratt. So two of them were correct, one was a lie.'

The chiselled hunk wrongly guessed Zac Efron before Geogria revealed that Brad Pitt was actually the lie.

Deal? 'Ok. I'll give you two truths and a lie about my biggest celebrity crushes. And if you get it wrong, you have to do 20 push-ups,' she told him

Wrong! The chiselled hunk wrongly guessed Zac Efron before Georgia revealed that Brad Pitt was actually the lie

'Ba-bow! Drop and give me 20!' she demanded.

As Lee got to work, Hobart-native Georgia began to miscount in order to have him perform more push-ups and she explained that a sense of humour is crucial in any potential mate.

'I'm definitely looking for somebody who can have a bit of fun and let their guard down and just be a bit silly and just enjoy themselves,' she said in a side interview.

Sneaky: As Lee got to work, Hobart-native Georgia began to miscount in order to have him perform more push-ups and she explained that a sense of humour is crucial in any potential mate

Payback? At one point, they reversed roles and Georgia also had to do push-ups

The couple then reversed roles and it was Georgia's turn to figure out Lee's celebrity crushes.

The Victorian resident revealed Scarlett Johansson, Isla Fisher and Charlize Theron to be his crushes.

'Yeah, that... See, I feel like Isla Fisher is too far out of left field for that NOT to be one of them. Ooh. Alright. The false one is... ..Charlize Theron,' she guessed.

Having a ball: The couple then reversed roles and it was Georgia's turn to figure out Lee's celebrity crushes

Falling? Lee struggled to take his eyes off of Georgia

Tender moment: Georgia and Lee enjoyed their very first kiss during their single date

Despite being wrong, Georgia was only ordered to do half the amount of push ups and

'You know what? Let's do 10,' he suggested to which she replied: 'Good. Thank you.'

The pair later went on to enjoy their very first kiss and after Georgia gave him a rose, she revealed that she felt closer to Lee.

Steamy: The pair appeared smitten with one another as they locked lips

'The nerves that I felt with Lee the first few times speaking to him have completely gone. I feel so at ease with him. I feel so happy with him,' she said.

She added: 'It's an amazing feeling. Honestly, ever since I first met you, and even when it has been five minutes, I've just enjoyed your company so much every time. And I feel really comfortable around you very quickly and I feel like I've known you forever.'
Alex Nation and Richie Strahan seemingly gave away the ending of The Bachelor when their luggage was loaded into the same van ahead of the series finale.

And the smitten again sported the infamous bags as they arrived at Sydney airport on Wednesday.

As the pair returned from a trip Richie's native Perth, Alex giggled at her beau as she held tightly onto him with one hand and her signature green suitcase with the other.

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Familiar luggage: Alex and Richie carried their infamous bags which seemingly gave away the ending of The Bachelor as they arrived at Sydney airport on Wednesday

The loved-up couple showed off big smiles, continuously gazing into each other's eyes as they ambled through the terminal.

Alex cut a chic figure with a pair of ripped black skinny jeans and a striped blouse.

The 25-year-old's blonde locks were parted at the middle and left to fall over her slender shoulders.

Smitten: Alex giggled at her beau as she held tightly onto him with one hand and her signature green suitcase with the other

That bag! Alex has been spotted with the brightly-coloured luggage on several other occasions

She accessorised her look with a black leather jacket and matching ankle boots.

Richie opted for a casual look, wearing his dark tinted sunglasses through the airport as he carried his trademark Nike gym bag.

In June, the two famous pieces of luggage appeared to spoil the ending of the hit show before the grand finale aired on television.

Chic: Alex opted for a pair of ripped black skinny jeans and a striped blouse

On the move: Richie and Alex Nation showed off smiles on Wednesday as they made they way through the airport

Richie's Nike bag, which he had previously seen with, was clearly visible as it was loaded into the back of a van outside a villa in Bali.

And the instantly recognisable bright coloured suitcase which Alex previously carried on her way to a group date back in April was seen just beneath it.

The 25-year-old single mother, from Victoria, has been spotted with the brightly-coloured luggage on several other occasions.

Spoilers: The two famous pieces of luggage appeared to ruin the ending of The Bachelor before the grand finale aired on television
He thrilled fans by performing with The Backstreet Boys on The Late Late Show.

And James Corden was spending some quality time with his wife Julia Carey after the show, stepping out for a dinner date at Catch LA in West Hollywood on Tuesday evening.

The 37-year-old star and Julia - who are parents son Max, four, and daughter Carey, 23 months - were looking loved up as ever, holding hands as they left the restaurant.

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Date night: James Corden was spending some quality time with his wife Julia Carey on Tuesday evening, grabbing some dinner at Catch LA in West Hollywood

James was casually clad in a black polo shirt and jeans, while Julia exuded glamour in a simple yet sophisticated dress.

The navy shift boasted a teardrop shapped cut-out at the bust was set off with a pair of electric blue heels.

The pair, who tied the knot in 2012, kept a low profile as they headed off to pick up their car from valet service.

Happy couple: The 37-year-old star and Julia - who are parents son Max, four, and daughter Carey, 23 months - were looking loved up as ever

Bold and bright: Julia set off her look with a pair of electric blue heels and a matching clutch

LA lifestyle: Julia followed James to the US when he landed the big Late Late Show gig

James delighted the audience during the latest installment of The Late Late Show by performing Everybody (Backstreet's Back) with The Backstreet Boys themselves.

The presenter has displayed his vocal talented on numerous occasions, including during his Carpool Karaoke segment and in musical movie Into The Woods.

Becoming a huge hit in America with his TV hosting gig, James previously admitted on Lorraine that his incredible success is down to his wife Julia.

Joining in: James delighted the audience during the latest installment of The Late Late Show by performing Everybody (Backstreet's Back) with The Backstreet Boys themselves

Taletned star: The presenter has displayed his vocal talented on numerous occasions, including during his Carpool Karaoke segment and in musical movie Into The Woods

Supportive: Becoming a huge hit in America with his TV hosting gig, James previously admitted on Lorraine that his incredible success is down to his wife Julia

Centre stage: James put on a very lively performance with the boy band

He said: 'All credit to my wife, who agreed to move when our daughter [Carey] was five weeks old and our son [Max] was three.

'It was a massive undertaking. I work so hard in the week and then at the weekend, you click your fingers and it's like you are in the South Of France.

'Luckily it's our life for the foreseeable future or until I get sacked.'

Confident: James challenged Olympic champion Usain Bolt to a 100m sprint

Ready, set, go: James joked it was 'the race spots fans have been waiting for'
In recent years, her daughter Kim Kardashian's style profile has risen in such a way that every trend she wears attracts the eyes of fans and detractors alike.

But Kris Jenner, 60, proved she's just as much a fashionista as her famous daughter when she stepped out on the streets of Paris in stunning style on Wednesday.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashian's star, in town for Paris Fashion Week, was seen shopping at the Hermes flagship boutique while wearing a PVC coat as she strolled with boyfriend Corey Gamble, 35.

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City of Love: Kris Jenner was seen walking hand-in-hand with her beau Corey Gamble in Paris on Wednesday morning

Shining as it attracted the morning sunlight, the stylish outwear perfectly complemented her sleek all-black ensemble.

The Kardashian-Jenner matriarch added dramatic effect to her outfit with a long, flowing black dress, which featured a long slit over leggings and matching top.

Rounding out her stunning look with a pair of patent leather boots, Kris hid her eyes behind a pair of tinted sunglasses as she walked with an entourage that included her 35-year-old boyfriend Corey Gamble.

Big spenders! The pair made their way into the flagship Hermes boutique during their day out

Protective: Corey ensured that his belle's path was clear as she enjoyed her shopping spree

Taking a look: Onlookers stared at the star as she breezed past them and into the store

Luxury abound: Kris was surrounded by a number of top boutiques as she enjoyed her day out

On Tuesday, Kris and Corey were spotted enjoying a day out in the city before heading to Le Costes restaurant for a romantic meal.

Kris, also mother to Kourtney, Khloe, Rob, Kylie and Kendall, opted for a retro-spin on high fashion evening wear.

Donning a white trouser suit, which featured a belt embellishment on the jacket, the E! reality star accentuated her slender curves subtly.

Bonjour! Kris looked decidedly stylish as she stepped out of her stunning luxury hotel

Wow! The reality TV star wowed as she stepped out in an eye-catching belted PVC coat

Inspiration? Her style gave her fashionisate daughter Kim Kardashian a run for her money

Teamed: The 60-year-old teamed her jacket with a long, flowing dress with a long slit

Toyboy: Her 35-year-old beau Corey looked casually cool during the leisurely excursion

Made for walking: Kris complemented her outerwear with matching patent leather boots

Never one to shy away from the racy side of fashion, the Kardashian 'Momager' wore a black sheer top beneath the suit; flashing more than a hint of cleavage.

Adding some height to her petite frame, Kris wore a pair of contrasting black high heels.

Cautious of the European climate she made sure to bring a warm fur jacket for her night out.

She accessorised her look with a small black clutch and a smattering of jewellery.

Something caught your eye? Corey was frozen in his tracks as he looked into a shop window

Let's have a look: Kris soon caught up with her beau and joined him in apparent fascination

Chat: A man inside the boutique soon emerged and chatted with the high profile couple

Having a laugh: She appeared to be notably jovial spirits as she chatted with her entourage

Passion for fashion: Kris and her family have descended on the city for Paris Fashion Week

Glitter: Kris rounded out her ensemble with stylish shades and glittering diamond earrings

Corey, whom Kris has been since late 2014, rocked his usual casual look and teamed green pullover with a pair of frayed denim jeans and camel Chelsea boots.

The music executive and Kris looke typically loved-up, and held hands as they walked into the restaurant.

Kris and Corey's arrival in Paris comes as Milan's Fashion Week closes and the world of style prepares to fly to the French capital.

Romance in the air: It seems that Kris has been making the most of her time in the City of Love, as she and her boyfriend Corey enjoyed a romantic meal together on Tuesday

Happy gal: Following a day out in the city, the 60-year-old reality star appeared to be in high spirits as she and her toyboy, 35, headed to Le Costes restaurant
Bulawayo24.com

From: Genuine ZIMPF Matabeleland South province members:To: President Joice MujuruCopy to: Cde Dzikamayi MavayireDear Madam PresidentRef: Demand for dismissal of Bekezela Fuzwayo from People FirstThis letter is from us genuine and serious members of Zimbabwe People First in Matabeleland South to you and honourable Mavayire who is the national secretary of the party.We are proposing that the party IMMEDIATELY dismiss one of our members here in Matabeleland South called Bekezela Fuzwayo Maduma who we think is not a stranger to you because we have seen you in a photo with him.We have the following reasons why he must go:

1. Fuzwayo is undermining the authority of the party leadership especially Provincial Chairman Cde Leonard Mathuthu and Cde Mavayire. He called an illegal meeting of his own coordinators to pass a vote of no confidence about Cde Mathuthu a genuine member and founder of People First.2. Fuzwayo is practising fanctionalism in the party working only with MDC members and not ZANU PF members which is destroying the party. You know madam from like in ZANU PF that fanctionalism is not tolarated in politics and anyone believed to be practising it must be fired from the party immediately.3) Fuzwayo is a serious tribalist who is also a member of Mthwakazi and always fighting against Shona members of the party which is killing people's spirit of joining the party in Gwanda because they now think it's a Ndebele party.4) He did sabotage to the party President Star Rally in Gwanda when he refused to work in the party to organise for the rally. We did not see him even in one meeting for organising the rally. Some people told us that he told them not to attend the rally because it's Mathuthu's rally saying Mathuthu is a killer and they must not work with a killer. Mathuthu is hard working and committed to the party trying hard without money and transport from the party at all.5. He recently made a lot of fliers and posters calling Mathuthu a killer and put them everywhere in Gwanda. He put some of the posters on ZANU PF offices destroying the good name of the party and the leadership.6. In his latest Facebook he is opposing President Mujuru in public on Gukurahundi and her wanting to go to see the Gukurahundi graves which is party position and he has no right to oppose. It is serious insabodination to criticise the President of the party in public. He is doing all this because of his tribalism which will destroy this big party.7. These days he is working a lot of things in public with MDC T people and giving a lot of campaign to MDC T instead of People First. He attended MDC T demonstration to go to ZEC without party authority. President you gave us a good slogan vaka Zimbabwe nerunyararo which demonstrating is wrong because it is not building Zimbabwe nerunyararo.8. The chairman told us in a meeting that he recently came there to Harare to attend a Central Committee meeting representing Mat South without the authority of people from Mat South. This is serious breach of constitution which anywhere in the world will lead to INSTANT DISMISSAL.We think that she party is not progressing well in Mat South because of the presence of Fuzwayo in the party. The party must get rid of dead wood like him to give an example to everyone who pretend to be working for the party when actually destroying it from inside.We ask that our request be done quickly so that he stop working in the party as a matter of urgencyFrom Concerned members of Zimbabwe People First in Matabeleland south.
She's beloved by fans for her role as Cersei Lannister on the cult favourite and ratings juggernaut that is Game Of Thrones.

But Lena Headey is reportedly facing a real-life transatlantic battle with ex-husband Peter Loughran, over where their six-year-old son Wylie will be educated.

According to TMZ, the 42-year-old actress has refused to return her offspring to the US, instead enrolling him in a Yorkshire school because she prefers the education system in the county where she grew up.

Battle: Lena Headey and her ex-husband Peter Loughran are reportedly locked in a bitter battle over whether their six-year-old son Wylie will reside in the US or UK

The website reports that Peter claims in legal documents that his ex-wife had agreed to return their son from the UK when she was done shooting Game Of Thrones.

Lena's deadline for returning the child home is reported to have been September 5, meaning she's violated the terms of their agreement.

However, the Bermudian-born beauty is allegedly contending that Irish musician Peter had agreed to allow for their son to live in the UK with his mother.

Custody dispute: According to TMZ, the Game Of Thrones star has refused to return her offspring to the US, opting instead to enrol him into a school in Yorkshire

Preference: It has been reported that Lena has a preference for the British school system

The former couple, who tied the knot in 2007 before separating in 2011 and divorcing in 2013, are set to face off in court next month, reports TMZ.

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Lena Headey for comment.

Lena, who last year welcomed a daughter named Teddy, has endured a contentious split with her former husband.

The tattooed beauty, citing her ex's past driving issues, asked the court to make him download an app that would prohibit him from texting while driving (which she agreed to download as well).

Moving on: The actress split from Peter in 2011 after a four-year marriage. Their divorce was finalised in 2013

That year, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles star also brought to the court's attention Peter's social media posts showing him posing with an AK-47, in a successful petition from keeping him from taking the boy on a holiday trip to his native Ireland.

In in an essay for Plan International announcing she was expecting a girl last year, Headey vowed she would do everything in her power to ensure that her daughter would be 'loved, protected, respected, and celebrated.

My daughter will have freedom of choice,' the actress wrote. 'She will be free to dance, to sing, to be educated in the fields that spark her passion, to marry if she wants, to marry WHO she wants, to remain single, or to fall in love with another woman.'
She topped the leaderboard during the Strictly Come Dancing launch show last weekend.

And Daisy Lowe is determined to keep up the momentum of her successful debut after she wowed the judges with her 'dreamy' waltz alongside her dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec.

The 27-year-old star looked like she was ready to hit the dancefloor as she arrived at rehearsals for the BBC One show.

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Ready to waltz: Daisy Lowe was preparing to hit the dancefloor as she arrived at rehearsals for Strictly Come Dancing

Daisy showed off her shapely legs in a tiny yellow miniskirt bearing a black polka dot pattern.

She teamed the frilly number with a black bodysuit and a pair of black army boots.

The brunette carried her dancing gear in a large velvet bag slung over one shoulder as she arrived at the north London studios.

Statement skirt: Daisy showed off her shapely legs in a tiny yellow miniskirt bearing a black polka dot pattern

Daisy certainly had much to celebrate when she headed out earlier this week with her pals - including fellow competitor Melvin Odoom - to party at London's Gilgamesh.

The brunette model turned heads when she arrived at the Camden hotspot wearing a black sheer dress with tiny thongs - putting her entire pert posterior on display.

As Daisy left at 1:30am, she seemed far from bothered about the attention she was attracting for her risque ensemble, instead just raising a victorious hand in the air.

The sheer cheek of it! Daisy flashed her pert posterior in a sheer black skirt while partying at London hotspot Gilgamesh on Saturday night

Dancing the night away: The brunette beauty was spotted partying with fellow Strictly Come Dancing contestant Melvin Odoom

As Daisy left at 1:30am, she seemed far from bothered about the attention she was attracting for her risque ensemble, instead just raising a victorious hand in the air.

The rest of her outfit was a tad more tame, as she opted to wear a white top, which was knotted above her midriff, under a letterman-style jacket with her first name emblazoned across the back.

With gold hoop earrings and a statement necklace adding some sparkle to her get-up, she added a casual touch with a pair of low-rise Converse shoes.

On top: Daisy was all smiles after topping the leader board on Saturday's episode of the show

Daisy dazzled Strictly's judges with her near-flawless waltz to Sinatra's Unforgettable on Saturday night.

Mesmerising the judges and viewers with her beautiful ballroom, Daisy and partner Aljaz Skorjanec had head judge Len Goodman claiming: 'I don't think I've seen a dance better than that for week one, ever.'

Meanwhile, Bruno Tonioli gushed: 'You are dazzling Daisy, it had old school glamour and high class fashion combined, you made it look so easy.'

What a night! Daisy and Aljaz wowed the judges and audience with their fairytale dance

Waltzing to the top of the leader board, Daisy scored a massive 32 out of 40 for her first dance - with notorious ballroom stickler Len giving her an impressive 9 out of 10.

It was an emotional evening for Daisy after she lost her grandfather known as 'Fast Eddie', who cared for her during her GCSE years, on the first day of Strictly rehearsals and dedicated her waltz to him.

'It's made me quite teary today, I'm trying to get to grips that I can't give [grandfather] a hug,' she admitted.

'Luckily I have Aljaz, he's been so warm and supportive, the perfect partner.'

Despite their instant chemistry on the floor, Daisy has insisted she won't fall victim to the famous 'Strictly curse', and start a relationship with her pro partner Aljaz.

The fashion darling recently started dating male model and actor Bradley 'Frankie' Wade and is convinced she won't be swapping her new man for Slovenian hunk Aljaz.

She shared: 'Frankie and I have been dating for just over a month, and it's going well. He's fit, really fit from the inside out.

Dazzling: Daisy dazzled Strictly's judges with her near-flawless waltz to Sinatra's Unforgettable on Saturday night

'Of course I've been asked about the Strictly curse, but there's no chance.'

Although full of praise for her new dance partner, Daisy pointed out that Aljaz, 26, is madly in love with his fiancee, Strictly dancer Janette Manrara.

She told The Sun on Sunday: 'I love Aljaz with all my heart, even after a month, because he is the most gorgeous, warm, kind-hearted human being. But it's totally platonic.

'He is like my brother. And he and Janette are so in love, they are gorgeous and engaged, and we all have so much fun together.
Pregnant Blac Chyna revealed she's never met any of her fiance Rob Kardashian's friends in a preview for this Sunday's episode of Rob & Chyna.

In the clip, Scott Disick and the expecting 28-year-old are planning a possible get-together in honor of the 29-year-old reality star.

'Do you think it should be a surprise?' Blac - born Angela White - asks the 33-year-old ex-partner of Kourtney Kardashian.

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Sad: Pregnant Blac Chyna revealed she's never met any of her fiance Rob Kardashian's friends in a preview for this Sunday's episode of Rob & Chyna

'Because I feel like Rob always gets nervous and like chokes up when he's around a lot of people.'

The preppy 'Lord' Disick replied that he felt like everyone needs to start spending time together.

'I mean, I feel like he's got all these friends that he grew up with that you don't even know,' Scott said.

'They keep calling me, like, "Why haven't I met Rob's future wife, the mother of his child?"'

'Not another barbecue!' In the clip, Scott Disick and the expecting 28-year-old are planning a possible get-together in honor of the 29-year-old reality star

Blac - born Angela White - told the 33-year-old ex-partner of Kourtney Kardashian: 'I feel like Rob always gets nervous and like chokes up when he's around a lot of people'

'He's got all these friends that he grew up with that you don't even know': The preppy 'Lord' Disick replied that he felt like everyone needs to start spending time together

Scott said: 'They keep calling me, like, "Why haven't I met Rob's future wife, the mother of his child?"'

Chyna then pitifully admits to the camera: 'I don't know none of Rob's friends, and that's just different'

Chyna then pitifully admits to the camera: 'I don't know none of Rob's friends, and that's just different.'

The Lashed salon owner and the Arthur George sock designer - who've been dating for eight months - will soon welcome a daughter.

'Rob and Chyna are not in a great place,' a source told People.

'They are always up and down, but they went through a very rough patch as recently as last week. They weren't speaking, or even texting.'

'Fairytales DO come true! Look at our little nugget': The Lashed salon owner and the Arthur George sock designer - who've been dating for eight months - will soon welcome a daughter

A source told People: 'Rob and Chyna are not in a great place. They are always up and down, but they went through a very rough patch as recently as last week. They weren't speaking'

'I ain't hacked either!' On Monday, Kardashian tweeted his half-sister Kylie Jenner's phone number over drama involving a baby shower being planned Sunday for the troubled couple

On Monday, Kardashian tweeted his half-sister Kylie Jenner's phone number over drama involving a baby shower being planned Sunday for the troubled couple.

The USC business grad - who boasts 15.1M followers - wrote: 'Didn't invite the Mother of my child to a baby shower you all were trying to throw for me!!? You all must have lost your damn minds.'

And while the 19-year-old Lip Kit mogul got a new number, Rob's sister Kim Kardashian alluded to the incident during an Andy Cohen Q&A at The Girls' Lounge in Manhattan.

'I watched a little bit of [the presidential debate] but I was on the phone at the same time, a little family drama,' the 35-year-old Selfish author explained Tuesday - according to E! News.

Confirmed: And while the 19-year-old Lip Kit mogul got a new number, Rob's sister Kim Kardashian alluded to the incident during an Andy Cohen Q&A at The Girls' Lounge

The 35-year-old Selfish author explained Tuesday: 'I watched a little bit of [the presidential debate] but I was on the phone at the same time, a little family drama. Group texting'

'Group texting.'

Meanwhile, the former Dancing with the Stars contestant has reportedly 'given up on life' after gaining back the 50lbs. he dropped in April.

'He's been living at his own home for nearly two months [without Blac],' a source toldTMZ.

'Rob is slipping back into a dark place. The family is praying he snaps out of it.'

Kardashian - who's now 'hovering around 300lbs.' - was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes following his December 27 hospitalization.

Yo-yo dieter: Meanwhile, the former Dancing with the Stars contestant has reportedly 'given up on life' after gaining back the 50lbs. he dropped in April

A source told TMZ: 'He's been living at his own home for nearly two months [without Blac]. Rob is slipping back into a dark place. The family is praying he snaps out of it' (pictured August 10)
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Kim Kardashian narrowly missed out on being tackled by serial prankster Vitalii Sediuk - two years after he caused chaos by ambushing her at Paris Fashion Week.

The 35-year-old was walking down the street after leaving the Balmain offices in the French capital on Tuesday when Vitalii slipped past security and tried to tackle her - appearing to try to kiss her famous behind.

Luckily he was stopped before reaching the TV superstar and was pinned to the ground by her bodyguards.

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Watch out! Kim Kardashian narrowly missed out on being tackled by serial prankster Vitalii Sediuk - two years after he caused chaos by ambushing her at Paris Fashion Week

The incident comes exactly two years since Sediuk caused havoc by trying to grab Kim as she arrived for the same brand's presentation in 2014.

It also comes just a week after the 27-year-old was elbowed in the face by supermodel Gigi Hadid after he lifted her up on the street during Milan Fashion Week.

Sediuk came just inches away from grappling Kim to the ground as he ran and tried to grab her legs before her assistant Stephanie Sheppard and a minder sprung into action.

He was then pinned to the ground by one burly bodyguard and tried to cover his face as the attention turned on him.

Kim seemed oblivious to the chaos unfolding around her until the last second, and looked shaken as she was dragged away by the rest of her entourage.

In 2014, Kim and Kanye were forced to beef up their security after the attack by Ukrainian Sediuk outside Balmain's show in Paris.

Kiss my a**! The 35-year-old was leaving the Balmain offices on Tuesday with her entourage when Vitalii slipped past security and tried to tackle her - appearing to try and kiss her behind

Too close for comfort: Kim seemed oblivious to the danger at hand until the last minute, just as serial fashion pest Sediuk was about to grab her before her assistant and security jumped into action

Hands off! Sediuk is almost at the point of touching the reality TV superstar before he's noticed by her assistant Stephanie

Headlock: Kim's trusted burly bodyguard gets hold of Sediuk alongside another bystander

Throwing him around: The two burly men ensured Vitalii was dealt with quickly, catching him in their burly grasp and hurling him to the floor in a heap of muscle

What?! The reality star looked confused as the sneaky fashion prankster was handled by her security

Tackled: Kim's security detail dragged Sediuk to the ground and pinned him down

Ouch: The security team made sure he was dealt with quickly

Red faced: The prankster - who recently attacked Gigi Hadidi at Milan Fashion Week - tried to cover his face after his latest embarrassing stunt

Feeling the heat: He held his head as though he'd been hurt in the scuffle and appeared to be pouring with sweat

Is he funny? Earlier in the day, Vitalii was seen lurking around Paris before Kim's arrival, and looked to be in a hurry to make his way to 'greet' her

Lying in wait? He seemed to be waiting for Kim, choosing his moment to strike just before she emerged with her team

The star was thrown into a panic as a crowd began to reportedly crush her after Sediuk allegedly pulled her hair as she climbed out of her car.

Now sources close to the Kardashian clan have told gossip website TMZ that Kim is planning to file a police report over the incident in order to get a restraining order against him.

Sediuk confirmed in a statement that he perpetrated the attack as a protest 'to popularize natural beauty among teenage girls.'

He also claimed that it was not premeditated  and it was a 'coincidence' that both he and Kardashian happened to be at the same spot.

After he grabbed Gigi, the model defended fighting back, explaining: 'I played volleyball, and my coaches talked about muscle memory. I started boxing two years ago and I always remembered that.

'Since then, I hadn't been in a situation that forced me to fight back, but it just came out when he grabbed me  it wasn't a choice. I do have that fighter in me.'

Dejja vu: The incident comes exactly two years since Sediuk caused havoc by reportedly trying to grab Kim as she arrived for the same brand's presentation in 2014

Panic: The star was thrown into a panic as the mob of fans started to crush her in around her car

Take that! It's just a week since the serial offender tackled Gigi Hadid during Milan Fashion Week. She fought back and elbowed the prankster as he tried to lift her up

She said she 'felt I was in danger', adding that she had 'every right to react' in the way that she did.

Serial offender Vitalii - who accosted Brad Pitt at the Maleficent premiere in Los Angeles in 2014 - has also had run-ins with celebrities including America Ferrera, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lopez.

Things started off fabulously for the fashion icon as she showed off the entirety of her lingerie through a belted sheer number - helping to display her shrinking frame which has only got smaller since she embarked on a diet to lose the weight gained while she was pregnant with son Saint.

The two piece was very much in-keeping with Kim's minimalist looks of late, which have seen her avoid patterns in favour of clean lines and neutral colours.

Her top was a trench style coat under which she wore a busty bandeau top which just about contained her ample bosom.

The matching bottoms to the top was a pencil skirt with a suggestive zip extending along the back of the skirt.

She boosted her famously diminutive height with a pair of dainty staggering heels which lengthened her legs.

Before the madness: Kim's French fashion adventure had started fabulously, with the star flaunting her super-slim figure as she left the Balmain offices ahead of the show

Sizzling: The 35-year-old showed off the entirety of her lingerie through a belted sheer number with a matching skirt as she joined her mum Kris Jenner and her boyfriend Corey Gamble

Looking sensational: Kim looked phenomenal for her first day at the hot date in the fashion calendar - naturally upping the glamour to the max

Stunner: Her tresses appeared to be laden with extensions as they tickled her famous derriere in length while styled into perfect waves falling from a centre parting

Straight faced: With the slim figure and steely gaze, Kim looked as though she could have been on a runway

Kim looked phenomenal for her first day at the hottest week in the fashion calendar - naturally upping the glamour to the max.

Her tresses appeared to be laden with extensions as they tickled her famous derriere in length while styled into perfect waves falling from a centre parting.

Kim's make-up was naturally flawless with fluttering false eyelashes and a perfectly shaped brow to frame her face properly.

Earlier in the day she stuck with her new favourite trend of going braless as she offered a glimpse of her ample assets beneath a sheer black top while touching down at ParisLe Bourget Airport.

Beauty: Kim's make-up was naturally flawless with fluttering false eyelashes and a perfectly shaped brow to frame her face properly

Sizzling sensation: Kim seemed to know exactly how to work it as she headed into the office

Plunging: Kim is a big fan of Paris and often visits with her husband Kanye

Fabulous from all angles: Kim swished and turned to prove she was flawless from all angles

Out and a pout: Despite the impending winter chill in the capital, Kim ensured she slipped into next to nothing

Mummy dearest: Kim was joined by her PVC-clad mother Kris Jenner and her mum's boyfriend Corey Gamble

Tres chic: Naturally wherever a Kardashian goes, a huge group of fans follows

Looking uncharacteristically low-key, the mum-of-two also donned a pair of Adidas tracksuit bottoms with black furry pool sliders and concealed her eyes behind oversized shades.

Wearing her raven coloured locks loose and poker straight, she allowed her glossy tresses to billow behind her in the breeze, securing the style with intricately placed hair grips.

Chatting with her entourage, Kim seemed to be gearing herself up for another memorable Fashion Week after she became the talk of the town last year by dying her hair platinum blonde and sporting an array of glamorous outfits.

Lead the way! Kris' PVC jacket was truly amazing

Free the nipple! Sticking with her new favourite trend of going braless, Kim offered a glimpse of her ample assets as she touched down at ParisLe Bourget Airport on Wednesday

Spoilt for choice! Kim ensured she'd be dressed appropriately for Paris Fashion Week as she touched down in the French capital earlier on Wednesday with a mass of suitcases

Last year, Kim sported no less than 12 stunning outfits to attend the hottest shows in the city, with her wardrobe easily totalling tens of thousands of pounds.

At the time, she explained that she felt the fashion industry now accepted her, as she credited Kanye West with helping her make the transition from reality starlet to style icon.

'I really think my relationship with my husband changed everything' she told The Independent.

'Kanye sees what's out there on the streets and just knows how to translate that to something that would look good on me, just helping me to push my limits a little bit and trying new things.'

Back on track-suit: Looking uncharacteristically low-key, the mum-of-two also donned a pair of Adidas tracksuit bottoms with black furry pool sliders

Brunette beauty: Wearing her raven coloured locks loose and poker straight, she allowed her glossy tresses to billow behind her breeze, securing the style with intricately placed hair grips

All about the accessories: Kim donned a pair of oversized shades as she stepped off her jet

She added that she will forever be grateful to Riccardo Tisci, Givenchy's creative director, for inviting her to his shows.

'Riccardo is the first designer that took a chance on me, I'm so grateful that he saw a vision and was willing to dress me because no other designers were at that time,' she revealed.

Meanwhile, Riccardo has no regrets, as he explained: 'Fashion people were like 'how can you invite Kim to your show.'

'And that is the same people after few years that will pay her gold and diamonds to attend her show, or they pretended to be her friends today.'

Making moves: Chatting with her entourage, Kim seemed to be gearing herself up for another memorable Fashion Week after she became the talk of the town last year

Twinning! Kim bore a striking resemblance to one of the members of her entourage who also stepped out in a black tracksuit and carried a small Louis Vuitton vanity bag

Fancy: Kim touched down in Paris on her private jet as she started off the week in style
Kate Hudson cut a stylish figure on Wednesday while on the promotional trail for her latest movie.

The 37-year-old kept her look simple but chic as she arrived for an appearance on Good Morning America in New York City.

Kate started her day early and was drumming up publicity for Deepwater Horizon.

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Gorgeous lady: Kate Hudson cut a stylish figure in a black strappy tank top with jeans and bold red heels on Wednesday

The How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days star chose a loose-fitting and low-cut top that showed off her decolletage and toned arms.

The mother of two highlighted her long legs in straight-cut with a fitted waist and a dark blue detail on the hem.

Kate hit the pavement in open-toed red platform heels that revealed black colored polished nails.

Having a laugh: The actress added layers of jewelry to her chic ensemble while promoting her film Deepwater Horizon

Stunner: The 37-year-old paired the strappy low-cut piece with straight-cut jeans for her appearance on Good Morning America in New York City

The Bride Wars starlet, who layered multiple gold necklaces, added dangling earrings and a ring.

Kate wore her blonde tresses loose, opting for a slight wave and a center part.

The screen star sported shimmery eye make up, with pink glossy lips and black polished nails.

What a beauty: The How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days star chose a loose-fitting top that showed off her decolletage and toned arms

Busy lady: The blonde beauty arrived to the studios dressed in the same jeans but kept it casual in a grey tank top

Heading over: The bra-less starlet left her hotel en route to ABC studios in the fitted tank, paired with Converse sneakers and gold jewelry

The blonde beauty arrived to the studios dressed in the same jeans but kept it casual in a grey tank top.

The bra-less starlet left her hotel en route to ABC studios in the fitted tank, paired with Converse sneakers and gold jewelry.

Kate donned a wide brimmed feathered black hat and square-framed sunglasses with buds in her ear.

Stepping out: Kate donned a wide brimmed feathered black hat and square-framed sunglasses with buds in her ear

Chic: Kate later went for a low-key yet chic look as she emerged in the NYC night

Perky posterior: Her skin-tight jeans made the most of her peachy derriere

Fall chic: Following her GMA interview, the screen siren headed to Sirius XM Studios wearing a jean blazer and trousers with a white blouse

Fantastic look: She wore the same necklaces and earrings in the look - as well as rocking the same hairdo

Denim darling: Kate wowed in pink lipstick and golden toned makeup for her satellite radio interview. The stunner later posed

Good times: The stunner later posed with Sway Calloway, who hosts the Shade 45 channel show called Sway In The Morning

Following her GMA interview, the screen siren headed to Sirius XM Studios wearing a jean blazer and trousers with a white blouse.

She wore the same necklaces and earrings for the look - as well as rocking the same hairdo.

Kate wowed in pink lipstick and golden toned makeup for her satellite radio interview.

Having a blast: Kate plays Felicia Williams in the disaster thriller, which is set to be released on September 30

Focused: Mark Wahlberg, John Malkovich, Dylan O'Brien, Kurt Russell and Gina Rodriguez star in the film

Lovely: The beauty looked chic in her jean suit; she later added the same hat she wore earlier

The stunner later posed with Sway Calloway, who hosts the Shade 45 channel show called Sway In The Morning.

On Tuesday, the movie star taped an appearance for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to promote Deepwater Horizon.

She wore a red and white patterned halter dress by Fendi with pointed red heels and a low ponytail while at Rockefeller Center.

Time to relax: Kate was seen heading back to her hotel in her look - which included flared bottoms - following her Sirius XM interview

Denim odyssey: Her journey through the stylistic world of jeans continued when she slipped into this jumpsuit

Going blanco: She ditched denim for a while when she appeared at the 2016 Advertising Week New York Yahoo Dinner

Hudson river: A constant stream of information was pouring from the actress's lips

Kate plays Felicia Williams in the disaster thriller, which is set to be released on September 30.

Mark Wahlberg, John Malkovich, Dylan O'Brien, Kurt Russell and Gina Rodriguez star in the film.

Kate has previously said she considers Kurt as her father; Kurt, who raised her and her brother Oliver, has been in a long term relationship with Kate's mom - Goldie Hawn - since 1983.

Natural beauty: Kate had opted for a flatteringly naturalistic makeup job

So much fun: She seemed to be having a great time mingling at the exciting event

Busy bee: On Tuesday, the movie star taped an appearance for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to promote Deepwater Horizon
She's one of the most glamorous A-listers in Hollywood.

So it comes as little surprise that Nicole Kidman pulled out all the stops when she attended a party to celebrate Omega watches in Beijing, China, on Tuesday night.

The 49-year-old looked incredible as she walked down the red carpet wearing a beautiful and colourful sequin gown.

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What a woman: Nicole Kidman 49, dazzled in a backless colourful sequin gown as she attended the Omega watch party in Beijing on Tuesday night

Beauty: She looked younger than her years as she opted to wear minimal make-up

Nicole has the face of the high-end brand for a number of years and her gown had a beautiful backless design which showed off some serious flesh.

She wore her strawberry blonde locks up and in an elegant chignon as she posed for photos, while sporting a pair of dangling earrings with purple stones.

While hubby Keith Urban was not pictured with her on the night, Nicole looked radiant as she sported minimal make-up and a slick of pink lipstick.

All in the details: She wore her strawberry blonde locks up and in an elegant chignon as she posed for photos, while sporting a pair of dangling earrings with purple stones

Always busy: The star's new movie, which also stars Dev Patel and Rooney Mara, will arrive to U.S. cinemas on November 25

Meanwhile, Nicole is the mother of two adopted children, and now stars in a film about a young man on a quest to find his birth family.

And Nicole Kidman says the desire to learn of one's background is a 'universal' one.

Speaking to InTouch Weekly, the actress, seemed to suggest her adopted children Isabella, 23, and Connor, 21, were interested in finding more about their birth parents.

She said: 'We live in an ever more transparent world, technologically speaking. Kids are resourceful, and the need to know your origin story is universal.'

In Nicole's new film, the actress and actor David Wenham play an Australian couple whose adopted son from India sets out to find the family he was separated from as a child.

Nicole also has biological daughters Sunday, eight, and Faith, five, with her husband Keith Urban.

The star's new movie, which also stars Dev Patel and Rooney Mara, will arrive to U.S. cinemas on November 25.
Her beau was released from jail in May after serving two years behind bars.

And less than six months later, Australian model Samantha Harris has secretly married Luke Hunt in an intimate ceremony, according to The Daily Telegraph.

While details of the reported wedding remain scarce, it is believed it was attended by only a small group of close friends and family.

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Just married? Australian model Samantha Harris has secretly tied the knot with Luke Hunt in an intimate ceremony, according to The Daily Telegraph

The Indigenous model is remaining tight-lipped, telling the publication the pair have been easing back into their relationship since Hunt's release from jail.

'We're just adjusting and taking it slowly, one day at a time. I love kids and I do want them in the future, yes with him, but not tomorrow.

'We're getting back into the swing of things again, training together and cooking meals - he's a great cook'.

'Taking it slow': The Indigenous model said the pair were easing back into their relationship

Free man: Hunt was released from jail in May after serving two years behind bars

'It's all about getting used to one another after spending time apart.'

Hunt served two years of his four year sentence over the 2012 death of 78-year-old Kenneth Lay.

The pensioner died when the car Hunt and Samantha were travelling in collided with his.

Staring a family? Samantha revealed that she one day wants to have children with her beau

The couple had been on the way to the gym in Narweena in Sydney's northern suburbs.

In 2014, Hunt was sentenced to four years in prison over the death.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, which caused the death of Kenneth Lay after it was revealed that he was driving at 95km/h in a 60km/h zone.

Stunner: The beauty has remained tight-lipped over reports she has married Hunt
Emily Blunt is concerned that her two-year-old daughter Hazel has developed a New York accent after living in a Manhattan townhouse for the last year.

'She's sounding a bit American from what I can see. "Can I have some wah-ta?"' the 33-year-old Golden Globe winner said in the October 14 issue of the Hollywood Reporter.

'I was like, "Wodder?" And she went, "No, it's wah-ta." I was like, "Oh for God's sake!"'

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Horror! Emily Blunt is concerned that her two-year-old daughter Hazel has developed a New York accent after living in a Manhattan townhouse for the last year (pictured May 23)

The London-born lady will soon move Hazel, three-month-old Violet, and husband John Krasinski back to her hometown for eight months as she heads up Disney's 2018 sequel Mary Poppins Returns.

'I can't sing like Julie Andrews,' admitted Blunt, who sang in 2014 musical Into the Woods.

'I mean, no one can out-Julie Julie Andrews. But I'm going to have to do my version of it.'

Emily revealed that her Massachusetts man - who turns 37 next month - helped empower her to overcome insecurities.

The 33-year-old Golden Globe winner told THR: 'She's sounding a bit American from what I can see. "Can I have some wah-ta?" I was like, "Wodder?" And she went, "No, it's wah-ta." I was like, "Oh for God's sake!"'

Headed home! The London-born lady will soon move her family back to her hometown for eight months as she heads up Disney's 2018 sequel Mary Poppins Returns (pictured Sunday)

Blunt - who sang in 2014 musical Into the Woods - admitted: 'I can't sing like Julie Andrews. I mean, no one can out-Julie Julie Andrews. But I'm going to have to do my version of it'

'I've experienced those moments of feeling less than, where I was just trying to figure how to be a strong person and own who I want to be, but not for a while now, not since I met my husband,' the Huntsman: Winter's War actress explained.

'When I met John, everything changed for me, truly. And I really was emboldened to discover who I really am.'

The Lip Sync Battle losers - who celebrated six years of marriage on July 10 - watched Monday's presidential debate with fellow famous couple Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux.

The 45-year-old Leftovers actor was the only one on the set of The Girl on a Train who realized Blunt was secretly with child.

'When I met John, everything changed for me': Emily revealed that her husband John Krasinski - who turns 37 next month - helped empower her to overcome insecurities (pictured Monday)

Last sighting: The Lip Sync Battle losers watched Monday's presidential debate with fellow famous couple Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux

'Justin guessed because we're very good friends': The 45-year-old Leftovers actor was the only one on the set of The Girl on a Train who realized Blunt was secretly with child (pictured December 8)

The Huntsman: Winter's War actress explained: 'I was being a bit wussy about some of the stunts. He pulled me aside and was, "What is with you? Are you pregnant?" And I was like, "Yes"'

'Justin guessed because we're very good friends. We were going over the final sequence, and I was being a bit wussy about some of the stunts. He pulled me aside and was, "What is with you? Are you pregnant?" And I was like, "Yes,"' the Sicario star recalled.

'It turned out to be a much more physical role than I had anticipated. She gets in a fair few tussles and gets knocked around a bit by various characters.'

Theroux plays the philandering ex-husband of Blunt's alcoholic stalker Rachel Watson in the $45M budget, big-screen adaptation of Paula Hawkins' 2015 novel.

Tate Taylor's Manhattan-set thriller - also featuring Rebecca Ferguson, Luke Evans, and Haley Bennett - hits UK theaters October 5 and US theaters October 7.

Suspect? Theroux plays the philandering ex-husband of Blunt's alcoholic stalker Rachel Watson in the $45M budget, big-screen adaptation of Paula Hawkins' 2015 novel

'What did she see?' Tate Taylor's Manhattan-set thriller - also featuring Rebecca Ferguson, Luke Evans, and Haley Bennett - hits UK theaters October 5 and US theaters October 7

The British beauty was intimidated by the boozy part, saying: 'I grew up being allowed like a half-glass of wine at 14 at the Sunday roast'

'Heart-wrenching. It makes you weep': Due to her pregnancy, Emily could only research the role by binge-watching episodes of A&E's cringe-worthy show Intervention

'I was intimidated to take on a role like this. It's quite alien to how I operate and how I go about my life and how I feel about the world,' the British beauty said.

'I grew up being allowed like a half-glass of wine at 14 at the Sunday roast.'

Due to her pregnancy, Emily could only research the role by binge-watching episodes of A&E's cringe-worthy show Intervention.

'Fascinating. Heart-wrenching. It makes you weep,' she said of the reality series.

According to TV Line, Blunt will make her Saturday Night Live hosting debut on the October 15 episode of the NBC sketch series, now in its 42nd season.
She hasn't long become a mother for the second time.

But Imogen Thomas was still able to flaunt her curves when she stepped out in south London on Wednesday afternoon.

The buxom brunette, 33, was spotted enjoying a stroll with youngest daughter Siera, where she certainly commanded attention.

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Mamma mia! Imogen Thomas was keen to flaunt her curves when she stepped out in south London on Wednesday afternoon

Clearly feeling good about her shape, the Swansea native looked confident as she pushed her one year-old tot along in a pram.

Wearing a simple black T-shirt with a plunging neckline, the glamour model cut a typically buxom figure in the capital.

Adding to this a pair of leopard-print leggings and her trim shape was clear to see.

All smiles: Clearly feeling good about her shape, the Swansea native looked confident as she pushed her one year-old tot along in a pram

Cheeky! Sporting a pair of leopard-print leggings, her post-pregnancy shape was clear to see

Good times: Wearing a simple black T-shirt with a plunging neckline, the glamour model cut a typically buxom figure in the capital

Seemingly loving her renewed motherhood, the ex-fling of Ryan Giggs was all smiles as she tried to entertain the youngster.

Pulling funny faces to engage her, at one point she stopped and peered intensely into the cot.

Then again, Imogen isn't necessarily shy when it comes to showing off her shape.

Earlier this year she released her own swimwear collection to great success - and was keen to try-on her creations in a series of recent selfies.

The former Miss Wales took to her Instagram, last month, to document herself trying on various two-pieces for her mini break - showing off her gorgeous womanly curves in the process.

Baby love: Seemingly loving her renewed motherhood, the ex-fling of Ryan Giggs was all smiles as she tried to entertain the youngster

Thirsty work! Imogen takes a moment to refresh herself with a bottle of mineral water

Mamma mia! The former WAG seemed in high spirits as she made her way through London

Pulling funny faces to engage her, at one point she stopped and peered intensely into the cot

Posing in the mirror, the mother-of-two looked incredible in an extremely low-cut white two-piece with glitzy gold embellishment on the bottoms and straps.

The top, held together by a single string, plunged straight down the centre of her bust, showcasing her ample breasts.

Keeping her hair away from her face in a tight plait, Imogen ensured all eyes were on her enviable hourglass figure and slender legs.

Opting for flattering white, the Big Brother star enhanced her deeply bronzed skin, having already holidayed in Ibiza last month.

Bikini babe: Imogen Thomas, 33, took to Instagram on Thursday to document herself trying on various bikinis for upcoming break to Las Vegas, flaunting her curves in the process

What an eyeful! Dressed in a burgundy bikini top with gold discs in another selfie, Imogen displayed her plentiful assets and endless cleavage in full-frontal view

Clearly wanting to show off the skimpy number from her range, Imogen wrote: ''I'm off to Vegas for the wknd, this is the new south beach bikini #Vegas #vivalasvegas'

She also posted a selfie in a second bikini, giving fans a proper eyeful in the close-up shot.

Dressed in a burgundy bikini top with gold discs on the straps, Imogen displayed her plentiful assets and endless cleavage in full-frontal view of the camera.

In similar style, she wrote to followers: 'Trying on some bikinis for my wknd away! love this from @chasingsummeruk Of course'

Covering her face with different pairs of aviator sunglasses in the shots, Imogen gave a flavour of the complete beachwear outfits she will be rocking by the pool in Sin City.

Hot mama: Imogen combines her time as a businesswoman with raising her two daughters Ariana and Siera, wearing one of her designs on a recent swimming trip with her girls

Imogen excitedly shared her new designs with her followers, having released her swimwear range Chasing Summer in time for summer.

The TV personality founded the company last year, on the basis of her own struggle during bikini shopping.

Her website explains that she decided to launch the range after failing to find a well-fitting bikini for a curvier woman.

It reads: 'The dream came true when she started jotting down different designs at night and making them into a reality today!'

Jet-setter: The Big Brother star showed off her deeply bronzed skin, having already holidayed in Ibiza last month, as she geared up for her Vegas getaway

The former Big Brother contestant is taking the Stateside break after a busy year, combining her time as a businesswoman with raising her two young daughters - Ariana, three, and Siera, nine months - who she shares with Australian businessman boyfriend Adam Horsley.

The star recently compared her changing shape after having two children to that of Kim Kardashian's in an interview to promote Bio Oil.

She said: 'I think all of my pregnancy weight has gone on my hips and bum.

'I feel like I have a similar shape to Kim Kardashian when she was pregnant, all in the hips and bum! My breasts have become bigger as well, they are really heavy!'
She grew up at a time when blowtorches were used for metalwork not sugar work, and is a staunch advocate of tradition.

So Mary Berry was most aggrieved when almost all the contestants on The Great British Bake Off shunned their ovens and used the 'fancy' tools to brown their citrus meringue pies.

When Rav, who was eventually eliminated, told her in last night's episode that he would be using a blowtorch and not cooking his meringue at all, she blurted: 'You are only blowtorching it?'

And after Jane, who is the oldest baker remaining, emerged as the only one firmly sticking to tradition, the 81-year-old judge took a moment to vent at Paul Hollywood about the blowtorch trend.

Contestant Candice uses a blowtorch to brown her meringue in last night's episode, something that left Mary Berry unimpressed

Mary Berry was most aggrieved when almost all the contestants on The Great British Bake Off tonight shunned their ovens and used the 'fancy' tools to brown their citrus meringue pies

When Rav, who was eventually eliminated, told her in tonight's episode that he would be using a blowtorch and not cooking his meringue at all, she blurted: 'You are only blowtorching it?'

Rav was eliminated from tonight's show while fellow contestant Tom won baker of the week

She said: 'The thing that I am not too happy about is they are nearly all using a blowtorch and to me meringue topping is best put in the oven to get a crunchiness. Not many of them have got that method.'

Last year Miss Berry sparked controversy when she banned the bakers from using 'these fancy blowtorches' to make creme brulees, saying that 'not everyone has a blow torch'.

Her instructions were criticised by chefs and fans of the show, with many people pointing out that blowtorches are used to crisp the tops of creme brulees in top restaurants.

Yet her traditional approach to meringues tonight has been lauded by fellow professionals, who say that she should be 'admired' for preserving the classic recipe.

Jean-Christophe Novelli, a French celebrity chef, said he was 'not surprised' that Miss Berry had been disappointed by the bakers not using the ovens.

He said: 'It may be trendy to use a blowtorch but the art of a good meringue is respecting the classic technique which is the oven.

'The blow torch is too intense and too direct. But you are dealing with novice bakers who are excited and trying to follow the fashion.

'Sometimes classic recipes should not be touched or changed and this is one of those times. Mary Berry should be admired for keeping the recipe and preserving the foundations.'

Rav admitted he felt like a 'cat that was running out of lives' as he became the sixth contestant to exit the show. The university support worker from Kent admitted he suffered his worst week

Bake Off hopeful Tom Gilliford clinched the coveted title of star baker this week

Mary approves of oven browned meringue but was unimpressed with the lack of oven cooking

When the signature challenge ended, there did appear a stark contrast between the blowtorched pies and Jane's oven-cooked version, which was entirely golden brown.

Although Miss Berry complimented the 'overall appearance' of Benjamina's blowtorched meringue, she reserved her compliments for Jane, who had relied totally on the oven.

She said: 'You have done it in the oven and that is how I like my meringue done.'

Two-time star baker Candice went back on her original plan to use the oven and resorted to the blowtorch, on co-presenter Mel Giedroyc's instruction.

Mark Askew, the chef director of The Ivy Collection, said he thinks the 'fashion' of using blow torches has spread from their use in making creme brulee.

He said: 'The blow torch came from an easier way to do creme brulee and has probably rolled on from there, it can often leave a bad taste of gas if used on the wrong things.

'It probably looks better with a blow-torch but you aren't cooking it. You get the nice scorched look but you are left with a pile of raw egg mousse.

'Whereas when you do it in the oven you get the nice crispy outside shell and soft meringue inside, which is cooked.'

The bakers were given three new challenges - having to create a citrus meringue pie for the signature bake, fougasse bread in the technical and a floral cake of tiers for the showstopper

Although Miss Berry complimented the 'overall appearance' of Benjamina's blowtorched meringue, she reserved her compliments for Jane, who had relied totally on the oven

When the signature challenge ended, there did appear a stark contrast between the blowtorched pies and Jane's oven-cooked version, which was entirely golden brown

Rav was booted off the show after he failed to rise to the challenge of botanical week with his margherita meringue pie and blossom cake. He said: 'I went out with a smile on my face'

Meanwhile, Rav admitted he felt like a 'cat that was running out of lives' as he became the sixth contestant to exit the show.

The university support worker from Kent previously won fans and impressed judges with his flavours and fusion recipes.

But he failed to rise to the challenge of botanical week with his margherita meringue pie and blossom cake, and got his marching orders from the tent.

The 28-year-old said: 'I was so proud to get past the half way mark, my biggest fear was getting kicked out first, and I did feel like a cat that was running out of its lives.

'All the way through whenever I was doing badly, I somehow managed to pull it back.

'It was an up and down ride, but I went out with a smile on my face.'

He and the other bakers were given three all-new challenges - having to create a citrus meringue pie for the signature bake, fougasse bread in the technical and a floral cake of at least three tiers for the showstopper.

His margherita meringue pie was deemed 'too soft' by Hollywood, who also suggested that the flavour was not strong enough.

His fougasse won third place, but his blossom cake proved to be his undoing, with Berry saying it lacked creativity and Hollywood calling it 'a bit samey'.

Rav, 28, from Kent, said being on the BBC One show was the 'best experience' of his life

Last year Miss Berry (pictured) sparked controversy when she banned the bakers from using 'these fancy blowtorches' to make creme brulees, saying that 'not everyone has a blow torch'

Rav admitted that he had his worst moments this week.

'Piping your own flowers was difficult and I have always been open that my bakes are not pretty,' he said.

'I would rather they taste good than look good, so I think that was my ultimate downfall.'

However, he said being on the BBC One show was the 'best experience' of his life and he would keep experimenting in the kitchen.

He said: 'For now, I am just going to go with the flow.

'One of my biggest dreams is to write a cook book, and maybe even open my own bakery, that's the ultimate goal.'

There was better news for Bake Off hopeful Tom Gilliford, who clinched the coveted title of star baker this week.

The 26-year-old from Rochdale whipped up a blood orange and pumpkin pie in the signature bake and took first place in the technical challenge with his tasty fougasse.

The judges were delighted with his floral tea cake in the showstopper.
Opinion / Columnist

INTRODUCTIONCruel as it may sound, for progress sake I think it's safe if we assume that most Zimbabweans suffer from an extreme and dangerous case of dementia and are in dire need for medical attention. The premise for this assumption emanates from the proven fact that Zimbabweans seem to have a very limited and selective memory span. When we Zimbabweans get aggrieved or sense something is amiss we holler, kick, organise demos and rallies. The noise is so cluttered, and intense, uncoordinated and superficial most of the time. Most often than not the powers that be totally ignore our harmless shrills, and at a drop of a hat we also quickly forget the point or cause of our anger. We are back in bed with the oppressor.Zimbabweans have mastered the art of believing in extrinsic assistance for their freedom while other countries focus on their intrinsic and home-grown solutions to problems bedevilling them.DEMAND FOR FREEDOMIn May 2016, aggrieved South African electorate DEMANDED that ANC withdraws its imposed candidate in Pretoria. When ANC ignored the demands, South Africans took the war to the doorstep of ANC. The rest is history, ANC was left licking its wounds and I believe it will never try its antics again. When Idi Amin decided to hold Israelites hostage, the nation of Israel did not hold rallies, they did not hold demos but simply DEMANDED, not begged, Amini to release them. When, as expected, Amin ignored the demands, Israelites went into action. A 90 minute operation Entebbe on 4th of July 1976 led by Commandos of Israel Defense Forces left Amini with an egg on his face in successful rescue mission for the 248 hostages.When Zimbabweans are aggrieved, we beg to be heard by our oppressor. When we are ignored, we beg them not to ignore us! When finally our oppressor busts out in frenzy of laughter, we quickly turn to South Africa, SADC, Botswana or AU and UN for sympathy. If these external organisations decide they have better things to do than to baby sit us, we also suddenly remember that we have better things to do as well! We then ignore and leave the issue unsolved in the hope that it will self-destruct under the hot October sun.We are no different from a driver who when he notices a red engine flashing light on the dashboard, instead of taking it to a qualified mechanic, he casually tells a neighbour. Listen brother, Your neighbour will not fix that engine because he doesn't even know what an engine is, but a mechanic will. Pretending to have solved the issue because you talked about it to your neighbour is like burying your head in the sand and leaving your whole body exposed and pray no one sees you.ZIMBABWE'S ILLS AND PROBLEMS.Our universally agreed upon problem in Zimbabwe is ZanuPF and its nonagenarian leader who confuses presidency with kingship. He thinks that since Queen Elizabeth or king Mswathi or Paramount chief Khayisa rule till their death, hence he must also rule till he passes on. The nonagenarian is not alone in this ICU prima-donna ward though. It's a disease that affects most of the African revolutionary icons of yesteryears. Talk of Mobutu, Kamuzu Banda, Nyerere, Mugabe to name but a few. They all destroy their legacies by their failure to leave the stage while we still adored them. Former Zambian president Chiluba once confessed that power is sweet hence no one is ever ready to leave it. The decrepit king of Zimbabwe also is on record saying he can't leave power because he doesn't know who to leave it to. Really dude, is that your main excuse for holding onto power when clearly you have outlived your usefulness?SOLUTIONS OFFEREDNERA DEMOS.........RIGGING FACTOR....CIVIL SERVANTS FACTOR...HOW ZANU-PF HAS DONE IT.....SUPERNATURAL FACTOR...WAY FORWARDby Mangosuthu Mbele (contact for the full article)WhatsApp: 0773461120.email: mangomiso@gmail.com
Former Strictly star Gleb Savchenko shocked fans by betting they would hook up during their turn on the show.

And Laura Whitmore and her dance partner Giovanni Pernice certainly looked on good terms as they stepped out together in London on Wednesday.

The pair were among the stars who attended The Last Tango show in the West End, which stars two ex performers from the BBC hit, Vincent Simone & Flavia Cacace.

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Dancing queen... and king! Laura Whitmore and her dance partner Giovanni Pernice certainly looked on good terms as they stepped out together in London on Wednesday

Laura looked ready to rumba in a sheer blouse, which strategically covered up exposing her assets thanks to a sequin panel.

The blonde TV presenter added a pair of skinny black jeans and heels to round off the chic yet sexy ensemble.

Italian hunk Giovanni looked as handsome as ever in a dapper suit as he beamed alongside his new pal.

They mingled with a number of Strictly favourites past and present, including former judge Arlene Phillips.

The star of the evening Flavia Cacace's husband and one-time partner on the series, Jimi Mistry, was also present to support his wife.

Ali Bastian, who appeared on the dancefloor in 2009, also hit the red carpet.

The evening comes after Gleb spoke to Star magazine about the coupling between the pair and insisted that he foresaw Giovanni's now-defunct romance with his partner last year, Georgia May Foote.

Looking good: The pair were among the stars who attended The Last Tango show in the West End, which stars two ex performers from the BBC hit, Vincent Simone & Flavia Cacace

Racy yet reserved: Laura looked ready to rumba in a sheer blouse, which strategically covered up exposing her assets thanks to a sequin panel

Glitter: The blonde TV presenter added a pair of skinny black jeans and heels to round off the chic yet sexy ensemble

Bag it up: Laura added a purple sequinned bag to her outfit

Old school: They mingled with a number of Strictly favourites past and present, including former judge Arlene Phillips

Support: The star of the evening Flavia Cacace's husband and one-time partner on the series, Jimi Mistry, was also present to support his wife

Giving it a whirl: Ali Bastian, who appeared on the dancefloor in 2009, also hit the red carpet

Bright young thing: New dancer Katya Jones was without her partner Ed Balls as she arrived for the show

Perfect score: Vanessa Feltz and Ben Ofoedu looked glam as they hit the red carpet

Gleb starred in just one series of Strictly Come Dancing last year, where he finished in fifth place. He has since jetted to the States to dance in the US equivalent, Dancing With The Stars.

Despite leaving the show, the hunky star clearly still has strong opinions about his former colleagues as he weighed in on Giovanni's love life.

Last year the dashing Italian started a relationship with former Coronation Street star Georgia, who he dated for eight months before announcing their split in August.

Gleb is now adamant that history will repeat itself after Irish beauty Laura was paired with the apparent lothario: 'Im not shocked. Hes young and hes Italian. You know what Italians are like!

Serious stuff: Laura's apparent allure with her dance partner Giovanni Pernice has been spotted by former professional Gleb Savchenko, (pictured) who is adamant the pair will hook up during their stint on the show

What's going on? The 33-year-old Russian hunk spoke to Star magazine about the coupling between the pair and insisted that he foresaw Giovanni's now-defunct romance with his partner last year, Georgia May Foote

Lost love: Last year the dashing Italian started a relationship with former Coronation Street star Georgia, with whom he dated eight months before announcing their split in August

'They were never going to get married, have kids and live happily ever after. I bet you 100 Giovanni will get with Laura this year. And next season Ill bet you another 100 he will get with his new partner!'

On the first episode of the series Laura and Giovanni were the first couple to perform, with the 31-year-old blonde beauty and the handsome dancer sending pulses racing as they tore around the floor.

Despite admitting she was 'extremely nervous' ahead of the show, Laura managed to impress the judges with her moves, in particular Bruno Tonioli, who seemed to get very hot under the collar.

Stunning the crowd: On the first episode of the series the duo were the first couple to perform, with the 31-year-old blonde beauty and the Italian dancer sent pulses racing as they tore around the floor

Way back when: Gleb starred in just one series of Strictly Come Dancing last year, where he finished in fifth place. He has since jetted to the States to dance in the US equivalent Dancing With The Stars

Reports circulated claiming Georgia is 'very worried' about the relationship between Laura and Giovanni - despite being pals with the Irish TV presenter.

A source told The Sun: 'Georgia knows just how intimately the couples have to dance and is terrified that Giovanni might hook up with Laura.

'She is devastated that they are no longer together and struggling with the thought of Gio getting up close and personal with a friend of hers.'
You thought Beyonce was a born performer - Laverne Cox could teach a thing or two in the shimmy competition as well.

The Orange Is The New Black star didn't hold back as she took to the stage to raise money for the Transgender Law Center at the Drag For A Cause event in West Hollywood, California on Tuesday.

Laverne, 32, was clad in a black leotard with sheer paneled neckline and three-quarter sleeves along with black hose.

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For a good cause: Laverne Cox took to the stage for charity at Oxford Inn club in West Hollywood at the Drag For A Cause event on Tuesday

And in an Instagram video she shared with all of her followers, she was hopping to the music.

Laverne had that Beyonce-esqe way about her as she was seen whipping her long, waist-length blonde locks to and fro while collecting wads of cash from the crowd.

That is money that will go towards improving the life for legions in the transgender community.

Showing her the money: The 32-year-old actress stepped into the crowd to collect wads of cash that will go towards Transgender Law Center

More? Laverne was beyond excited to bring in the loot

'The performances were so amazing': The Orange Is The New Black was inspired to show spectators a few of her own moves

'I was so blessed,' Laverne wrote in the caption, 'to be able to go out to the Oxford Inn last night to support my sisters @tracelysette and @vanbarnes10's event #DragForACause to raise money for the #TransgenderLawCenter and their vital work.

'@peppermint247 was an amazing co-host sharing the mic with Trace. The performances were so amazing. I was so inspired I decided to take to the stage myself.'

In fact, Laverne appeared unstoppable as she spread her arms wide and shook her whole body to the beat of the music.

Move over, Beyonce: Laverne proved she's got what it takes to be a pop star

Shake it: The actress whipped her long blonde locks all around

The enthusiastic crowd cheered and applauded for her and the rest of the performers.

In 2014, Laverne became the first openly transgender person to be nominated for an Emmy in an acting category for her role as Sophia in Orange Is The New Black.

Although she lost that year, she continues to make an impression.

Last year, Laverne won Daytime Emmy Awards in Outstanding Special Class Special as Executive Producer for Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word.

Laverne is currently filming the new television series Doubt.
She's been strutting her stuff on the catwalks at Milan Fashion Week.

And as Hailey Baldwin moved on to Paris, she brought a modern interpretation on Marie Antoinette, on Wednesday.

The 19-year-old model put on a busy display in a Balmain corset which pulled her in and up - not dissimilar to the saucy styles worn by the last Queen of France.

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Catwalk queen: Hailey Baldwin brought a modern interpretation on Marie Antoinette to Paris, on Wednesday

She gave it a very modern twist, over an off-the-shoulder white Mugler shirt. which showcased her toned arms and elegant neck.

A black choker from Are You Am I brought the outfit right up to date, and she flaunted her long toned legs with spray-on leather pants.

The elegant daughter of actor Stephen Baldwin turned heads in the French capital, adding extra inches to her 5ft 7in frame with high Alaia boots.

Stunning: The 19-year-old model put on a busy display in a Balmain corset which pulled her in and up - not dissimilar to the saucy styles worn by the last Queen of France

Even though she's been putting in the hours sashaying down the runway, the beauty looked fresh and flaunted her flawless skin nearly make-up free.

The nepotistically-privileged teen had kept her tresses to a no-fuss style, sleeking it into a high-ponytail which she twisted.

She accessorised with gold chains and a chunky ring.

Leggy: She gave it a very modern twist, over an off-the-shoulder white Mugler shirt. which showcased her toned arms and elegant neck

Stylish: A black choker from Are You Am I brought the outfit right up to date, and she flaunted her long toned legs with spray-on leather pants

Flawless: Even though she's been putting in the hours sashaying down the runway, the beauty looked fresh

Low-key: The nepotistically-privileged teen had kept her tresses to a no-fuss style, sleeking it into a high-ponytail which she twisted

Well-heeled: The elegant daughter of actor Stephen Baldwin turned heads in the French capital, adding extra inches to her 5ft 7in frame with high Alaia boots

Paris Fashion Week is the latest stop for Hailey after she stepped out in Milan and at London Fashion Week before that.

She recently spoke to Vogue about her fashion week essentials, saying: 'Sleep, water, lip balm and snacks like protein bars. Youre always on the go so its hard to sit down and have a proper meal.'

She also named Rihanna and Australian actres Margot Robbie as among the world's best-dressed women.

Hailey said: 'I think Rihanna kills it a lot of time. Im very big on doing oversized and I think you have to do it right and Rihanna does that all the time.

'I really like Margot Robbie,' she added. 'I think when youre classically beautiful like she is you have to do that type of style. I dont think she is ever trashy about it.'
US hacker pleads guilty to stealing nude celebrity photos

A Chicago hacker who stole nude photos from the accounts of at least 30 celebrities pleaded guilty Tuesday in US federal court.

Under a plea agreement with prosecutors, Edward Majerczyk admitted to one count of "unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information."

Prosecutors agreed to ask for a reduced sentence of nine months in prison. The charge carried a maximum sentence of five years.

The "Celebgate" scandal in 2014 saw nude photos of models and actresses such as Jennifer Lawrence published online Daniel Leal-Olivas (AFP/File)

In 2013 and 2014, Majerczyk hacked into the Apple iCloud and Gmail accounts of celebrities, including actresses Jennifer Lawrence and Brie Larson, and model Kate Upton, and stole photographs of the women in various states of undress.

The photographs were later leaked online, causing a scandal.

Majerczyk's lawyer Thomas Needham told US District Judge Charles Kocoras in Chicago that the 29-year-old hacker made no effort to "sell or disseminate" the photos, according to the Chicago Tribune.

When asked by the judge if the photos were for Majerczyk's own "satisfaction and enjoyment," the man's lawyer responded in the affirmative.

Federal investigators are reportedly still looking for the person who publicly released the photographs after Majerczyk stole them. The federal judge scheduled a January 10 hearing to impose his sentence.

Jennifer Lawrence spoke out to Vanity Fair in 2014 about the online publication of the photos. She said she had intended them for a boyfriend with whom she was in a long-distance relationship, and that she had been distraught over their release.

"It is not a scandal. It is a sex crime," Lawrence told the magazine. "It is a sexual violation. It's disgusting."

According to the plea agreement filed with the court, Majerczyk tricked his victims into thinking that they had received a security alert from a legitimate internet service provider, but a link in the email he sent took them to a fake website, where they were instructed to enter their logins and passwords.

Majerczyk then used that information to hack into the celebrities' accounts and looked through their private information.
China's PSBC begins trading in Hong Kong

Postal Savings Bank of China (PSBC) launched on the Hong Kong stock exchange Wednesday after the world's biggest initial public offering this year.

Stocks were trading slightly up at HK$4.77 from HK$4.76 in the first few minutes.

PSBC raised $7.4 billion with the listing, which is the biggest since Chinese internet giant Alibaba floated in New York in 2014, raising $25 billion.

The Postal Savings Bank of China (PSBC) has launched on the Hong Kong stock exchange, after being the world's biggest flotation this year

Bank chairman Li Guohua described the launch as an "important milestone" for the company.

However, the listing was valued at less than the company's previously hoped-for $8.1 billion. The share price was set at the lower end of the bank's original range, which had valued shares between HK$4.68 and HK$5.18.

Analysts attributed the lukewarm interest in the IPO to the recent flat performance of large Chinese financial firms on Hong Kong's bourse.

The majority of the bank's shares went to cornerstone investors.

PSBC is China's fifth-largest lender with 40,000 branches -- more than any other bank in the country -- and around 70 percent in rural areas.

Founded in 2007, it provides basic banking services to farmers and agricultural business owners, and it is the only financial institution present in some of the country's most remote regions.

According to the latest figures, PSBC's total assets reached 7.7 trillion yuan ($1.15 trillion) by March. Its net profit rose 11 percent year-on-year in the first quarter to 12.48 billion yuan.

Previously completely state-owned, PSBC raised 45.1 billion yuan by selling a 16.92 percent stake to 10 strategic investors in December, valuing the firm at $40.6 billion.
Post-Umbrella Hong Kong opens explosive political chapter

Two years after the pro-democracy "Umbrella Revolution" began, Hong Kong is entering uncharted political territory as former protesters prepare to take office, advocating a possible split from China.

The first major elections since the 2014 rallies saw rebel politicians win seats earlier this month as fears grow that Beijing is tightening its grip on the city in a number of areas, from politics to education and the media.

Hong Kong was handed back to China by Britain in 1997 under a semi-autonomous "one country, two systems" deal, which guaranteed its freedoms for 50 years. There are deep concerns those liberties are under threat.

Hong Kong was handed back to China by Britain in 1997 under a semi-autonomous "one country, two systems" deal, which guaranteed its freedoms for 50 years Anthony Wallace (AFP)

It was 2014 that shaped this key new group of lawmakers who will now promote self-determination or independence from Beijing inside the legislature when it starts its new term in October.

Wednesday marks two years to the day since the "Umbrella Movement" protests calling for democratic reform exploded onto the streets. Police fired tear gas on gathering crowds, galvanising tens of thousands more to join them in what became more than two months of rallies.

Despite huge numbers, the largely peaceful protests failed to win concessions from Beijing.

However, the momentum and consequent disappointment heavily influenced the young protesters who recently won seats in the Legislative Council (Legco) -- Hong Kong's lawmaking body -- in citywide polls.

They say the failure of the protests forced them to turn to a more radical message which has gained support among voters demanding change.

At least five new legislators support self-determination or independence, which was not on the agenda during the 2014 rallies and is a departure from the traditional stance of the rest of the pro-democracy camp.

Former Umbrella Movement student leader Nathan Law is the best-known of the new breed -- at 23 he is Legco's youngest ever lawmaker.

Law's new party Demosisto, founded with fellow Umbrella Movement campaigner Joshua Wong, is calling for self-determination for Hong Kong in frustration at the intransigence of the authorities.

"We are not pushing for independence but Hong Kongers should be able to choose their own future. Independence is one option," Law told AFP.

Fellow new lawmaker Eddie Chu, 38, who also participated in the 2014 protests, says it is time to "take back the right" of self-determination as previous tactics have failed.

"From changing the Basic Law (Hong Kong's constitution) to seeking independence -- all are acceptable to me," he told AFP.

- Chaos and confrontation -

Beijing has warned it will not tolerate any talk of independence "inside or outside" the Legco.

The Hong Kong government -- criticised as a stooge of Beijing -- banned the most vocal independence candidates from standing in the Legco polls.

And in a system skewed towards Beijing friendly groups, the pro-establishment camp still holds 40 seats against the pro-democracy camp's 30.

But the new lawmakers have said they will not tone down their message, with observers predicting fireworks.

Political analyst Joseph Cheng says the first year of Legco's new term will be "chaotic and difficult".

"The pro-independence legislators will use every single relevant issue to articulate their position," says Cheng.

The pro-establishment camp will unite against any talk of self-determination or independence, while the new breed may also have to take on opposition in their own camp, where the moderate democrats still hold sway, Cheng adds.

Meanwhile, the public will be hoping the fresh crop of lawmakers will push a range of social issues that have stagnated in the deeply divided legislature, including supply of affordable housing in a city where rents are sky high.

But with faultlines starker than ever, progress will be tough.

Those frustrations may well drive some new lawmakers to campaign on the streets once more if they feel they cannot make headway in Legco, says political analyst Willy Lam.

"They have indicated they will use non-violent methods, but the possibility of ugly confrontation between these new young Turks and the police cannot be ruled out," says Lam.

Hong Kong's new parliament Laurence CHU, John SAEKI (AFP)

Aged 23, Nathan Law (R) is Hong Kong's youngest-ever lawmaker Anthony Wallace (AFP)

Beijing has warned it will not tolerate any talk of independence "inside or outside" the Legislative Council building in Hong Kong Philippe Lopez (AFP)
Deutsche Bank's weakness weighs on US settlement talks

Already hobbled by a weak capital base, Deutsche Bank finds itself in the crosshairs of US prosecutors, who have proposed $14 billion in fines over its role in the 2008 financial crisis.

However, given its size and importance, US authorities may be wary of destabilizing the global financial system by penalizing Germany's largest bank too heavily and endangering its survival -- something the bank may use to its advantage in pending settlement talks, attorneys say.

Deutsche Bank, which federal prosecutors believe knowingly sold toxic mortgage-backed securities between 2006 and 2008, this month publicly rejected the proposed settlement amount, saying it had "no intent" of agreeing to a sum "anywhere near" that amount.

Deutsche Bank has rejected a $14bn settlement proposal by US prosecutors saying it had "no intent" of agreeing to a sum "anywhere near" that amount Daniel Roland (AFP/File)

Going public with their position is a rare move to be as open as possible at a time when the bank appears worryingly weak, according to a source with knowledge of the matter."

The bank's share price has tumbled 50 percent since the beginning of the year, bringing its market value below $17 billion. Citigroup, by comparison, is currently valued at $135 billion.

A large fine could drag the company's common equity tier-one ratio, now at 10.8 percent, below the psychological threshold of 10 percent, according to Stephen Ellis of MorningStar.

This, and other question marks over the bank's longer-term viability, have investors deeply worried.

- Room to negotiate -

But weakness could be the bank's trump card.

"When it comes to negotiating over the final bill, Deutsche Bank's weaknesses could actually be strengths," said James Kousouros, a white-collar defense attorney in Manhattan.

Deutsche Bank's ultimate settlement amount will depend in part on the bank's financial stability, a person with knowledge of the matter told AFP.

Other settlement deals show the Department of Justice is willing to negotiate. Citigroup, seen as having similar levels involvement to Deutsche Bank's in the dodgy mortgage-backed securities trade before the crisis, payed $7 billion in 2014, compared to the government's initially proposed $12 billion.

Contacted by AFP, both Deutsche Bank and the Justice Department declined to comment.

The bank's troubles have been evident for months. The International Monetary Fund in June said Deutsche Bank was the financial institution most likely to inflict damages on the global financial sector.

More worrisome, however, the bank's derivatives exposure in 2015 was estimated at $46 trillion, or about 13 times the size of the entire German economy.

In other words, should Deutsche Bank run aground, a bailout would be difficult. But without one, contagion could spread from the German financial system to the global one.

In 2008, Lehman Brothers collapsed, spreading havoc through the global financial system, having had net exposure to derivatives of a little less than a tenth of the value of Deutsche Bank's positions.

"DOJ knows there will be dire ramifications... for countries that Deutsche Bank does play an important role in if they were effectively to take the bank down," said Kousouros.

- Collateral consequences -

He cited the controversial principle that some financial institutions are "too big to fail" and can thus force authorities to preserve them at taxpayers' expense, while those responsible are never held to account.

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall, and when they fall they make a lot of noise," he said.

In pursuing corporate entities, US prosecutors are asked to consider "collateral consequences" that could arise if companies face criminal charges.

New York attorney Alan Futerfas, whose firm has defended clients accused of sanctions violations in Iran, said he emphasizes such questions in settlement talks.

"When I represent an institution in a situation like this, the issue of whether the amount the government is proposing will cause significant financial harm to the business, or whether the business will have to fire people, or whether the business will be able to sustain itself in the wake of the payment, is always an important part of my presentation," he told AFP.

Financial markets have not hid their impatience, especially given that German Chancellor Angela Merkel has ruled out any public bailout of Deutsche Bank.

In a tweet on Tuesday, Christopher Whalen of the Kroll Bond Rating Agency warned that market perceptions are fraught with peril for banks, recalling the demise of investment bank Bear Stearns at the start of the financial crisis.
Israel mourns after death of founding father Peres

Israel and global leaders mourned the death of ex-president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Shimon Peres on Wednesday as the country prepared for a funeral expected to be attended by major world figures.

Peres, who was 93, held nearly every major office in the country, serving twice as prime minister and also as president, a mostly ceremonial role, from 2007 to 2014.

He won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for his role in negotiating the Oslo accords, which envisioned an independent Palestinian state.

A framed portrait of former Israeli president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Shimon Peres is displayed outside the presidential compound in Jerusalem, on September 28, 2016 Gali Tibbon (AFP)

Peres died Wednesday around 3:00 am (0000 GMT), Rafi Walden, who was Peres's personal doctor and also his son-in-law, told AFP.

His family praised Peres's tireless work ethic and what they called his devotion to peace.

"He had no interest other than serving the people of Israel," said his son Chemi, his eyes moist as he read a letter on behalf of the family at the hospital in Ramat Gan, a suburb of Tel Aviv.

US President Barack Obama immediately hailed Peres as a friend who "never gave up on the possibility of peace".

"There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves," he said.

"My friend Shimon was one of those people."

Obama was among world leaders such as Britain's Prince Charles, Bill Clinton, French President Francois Hollande, German President Joachim Gauck and Spain's King Felipe VI expected to attend Peres's funeral at Jerusalem's Mount Herzl on Friday.

His body was also to lie in state on Thursday for 12 hours outside Israel's parliament, the Knesset.

Israeli flags around the world would be lowered to half-mast from Thursday morning.

Security was being further tightened, with authorities having already increased deployments ahead of the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in October.

- 'Profound sadness' -

Bill Clinton, who helped usher in the Oslo peace accords when he was US president, said: "The Middle East has lost a fervent advocate for peace and reconciliation.

"I'll never forget how happy he was 23 years ago when he signed the Oslo accords on the White House lawn, heralding a more hopeful era in Israeli-Palestinian relations."

Pope Francis said he was "deeply saddened" and UN chief Ban Ki-moon hailed Peres for working "tirelessly for a two-state solution".

However, a spokesman for Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip, welcomed his death and called him a "criminal," though Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas hailed Peres as "brave".

While Peres has been lauded abroad and in Israel as a peacemaker, many Palestinians view him very differently, citing his involvement in successive Arab-Israeli wars and the occupation of Palestinian territory.

He was also prime minister in 1996 when more than 100 civilians were killed while sheltering at a UN peacekeepers' base in the Lebanese village of Qana fired upon by Israel.

- Active in old age -

Peres had been in hospital since September 13, when he was admitted feeling unwell and suffered the stroke with internal bleeding.

There were signs of improvement last week, and on September 18 Peres's office said doctors planned to gradually reduce his sedation and respiratory support to judge his response.

But on Tuesday a source said his condition had taken a downturn and he was "fighting for his life". Family members arrived at the hospital.

In January, Peres was hospitalised twice because of heart trouble.

Peres had sought to maintain an active schedule despite his age.

When leaving hospital in January, Peres said he was keen to get back to work.

"I'm so happy to return to work, that was the whole purpose of this operation," he said.

In March, he met British supermodel Naomi Campbell at his Peres Center for Peace during an event linked to International Women's Day. On the same day, he met visiting US Vice President Joe Biden.

Born in Poland in 1923, Peres emigrated to what was then British-mandated Palestine when he was 11.

He joined the Zionist struggle and met David Ben-Gurion, who would become his mentor and Israel's first prime minister.

Peres became director general of the nascent defence ministry at just 29.

Beyond his accomplishments in the public eye, he was also seen as a driving force in the development of Israel's undeclared nuclear programme in the 1950s.

The country is now considered the Middle East's sole nuclear-armed nation, but Israel has never publicly acknowledged it.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made reference to Peres's work on the nuclear programme on Wednesday.

"As a champion of Israel's defence, he strengthened its capacities in many ways, some of them still unacknowledged to this day," he said.

Despite his reputation as a statesman, he never managed to outright win a national election. Many in Israel opposed to the Oslo accords also blamed him for what they saw as their failure.

But in later life, especially during his time as president, he came to be widely embraced in Israel, while world leaders and celebrities sought him out, marvelling at his energy and intelligence.

He once confided that the secret to his longevity was daily exercise, eating little and drinking one or two glasses of good wine.

Shimon Peres Sabrina BLANCHARD, Thomas SAINT-CRICQ (AFP)

US president Bill Clinton (R) and Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres (L) shake hands during a joint press conference December, 1995 in Washington Paul J. Richards (AFP/File)

Shimon Peres (centre) was jointly awarded the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with Yasser Arafat (left) and Yitzhak Rabin for their efforts to reach a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation Erik Johansen (Scanpix/AFP/File)
'Recycled Orchestra' turns garbage into gold

Festering alongside mountains of stinking trash under the sweltering South American sun, Cateura is a long way from the conservatories of Prague or Vienna.

Yet the township which grew out of Paraguay's largest dump is gaining an unlikely reputation as a hothouse for musical talent -- and for its youth orchestra that plays instruments made from discarded rubbish.

"The world sends us garbage. We send back music," said Favio Chavez, leader of the "Recycled Orchestra," during a recent visit by the group to Los Angeles.

Young musicians from the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, Paraguay, and their music director Favio Chavez (C), pose for a photo in Los Angeles, on September 21, 2016 Valerie Macon (AFP/File)

Chavez hit upon the idea of using trash to make music 10 years ago.

Orchestra members, impoverished children from Cateura, play violins fashioned from oven trays and guitars made from dessert dishes.

One cello is made from an oil barrel with wooden spoons and a stiletto heel for tuning pegs, while a discarded x-ray serves as the skin for a drum.

The orchestra provides the youngsters an outlet and an escape, a chance to transcend the squalor of their slum through the music of Mozart, Vivaldi and even Sinatra.

"In the beginning, it was difficult to play, but Favio helped me learn over time. From Favio, I have learned to be more responsible and value the things I have," 10-year-old violinist Celeste Fleitas told AFP.

Cateura, a shantytown of 40,000 people on the outskirts of the capital Asuncion, is one of the poorest communities in South America.

- Gang violence -

The destination for more than 1,500 tons (three million pounds) of waste each day, the community has no safe drinking water and little access to electricity or sanitation, so disease is rife.

Impoverished slum-dwellers -- many just children themselves -- rummage through the dump on the floodplains of the Paraguay River for scraps they can sell.

Illiteracy is rampant, and the children of the township often fall into drugs, gang violence and delinquency.

Chavez, a musical prodigy who was directing his church choir by the age of 11, came to Cateura as an environmental technician in 2006 and started a youth music school.

He knew shop-bought instruments were beyond the means of villagers whose shacks are worth less than a violin, so he approached carpenter Don "Cola" Gomez to make one out of debris from the dump.

It worked, and soon Gomez was manufacturing cellos, guitars and even double basses.

The orchestra caught the eye of Paraguayan filmmaker Alejandra Amarilla, the ex-wife of former LA Lakers basketbal player Steve Nash, who began filming the young musicians in 2010.

Amarilla uploaded a short clip of the orchestra to YouTube in 2012, hoping to secure crowdfunding for what would become "Landfill Harmonic," a theatrical documentary being released across the US this month.

Within days, millions of people around the world had seen the footage, and donations poured in as the youngsters were catapulted onto the world stage.

"Landfill Harmonic" follows the children -- many of whom had never left the slum -- as they embark on a tour of the world's music halls, playing for European royalty and even Pope Francis.

- 'Brighter future' -

Co-director Brad Allgood told AFP he wanted audiences to go away feeling inspired and motivated by Chavez's idea that you have to be dedicated, willing to work hard and be a team player.

"There is one line in the film that stands out for me, which is where he says 'To have nothing is not an excuse to do nothing'," the Los Angeles-based director told AFP.

The orchestra has opened for heavy metal group Metallica, jammed with Stevie Wonder and Megadeth and spawned copycat projects across the world.

Toby Armoa, 15, has been a member for four years, practicing his saxophone fashioned from a drainpipe, bottle tops and coins for two hours every day.

"The community has changed a lot, because now kids are thinking about finishing school and staying away from drugs. Now they want to have a brighter future," he told AFP.

The "Recycled Orchestra," which is building a music school in Cateura, has given the community a newfound respect for the importance of education and the sanctity of childhood.

"Before, kids would stop studying or they'd have to go to work but now education has become an important aspect of the community," Chavez said during the orchestra's Los Angeles trip.

"They may have fallen into drugs or other vices if this opportunity had not been there," he added.

"Music is a powerful force not only for the musicians. It unites people. It transcends linguistic barriers."

Children's Cateura orchestra from Paraguay perform at their documentary, 'Landfill Harmonic', preview, with instruments made of recycled garbage, in Asuncion, on August 20, 2016 Cesar Perina (AFP/File)

The Recycled Orchestra of Cateura from Paraguay plays during the Awards Ceremony 'Latinoamerica Verde', at the Crystal Palace in Guayaquil, Ecuador, in September 2015 Rodrigo Buendia (AFP/File)

Violinist Celeste Elizabeth Fleitas Ortiz from the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, Paraguay, poses for a photo in Los Angeles, on September 21, 2016 Valerie Macon (AFP/File)
Inquiry says MH17 shot down by missile brought into Ukraine from Russia

The missile that downed flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine was transported from Russia, a criminal inquiry revealed Wednesday, as it announced that about 100 people were being investigated for playing "an active role" in the disaster.

Saying they had "irrefutable evidence" that the BUK missile system was used to blow the Malaysia Airlines plane out of the sky, investigators also for the first time pinpointed that the device was fired from a field in a part of eastern Ukraine then controlled by pro-Russia separatists.

The findings of the Dutch-led probe stopped short of directly accusing Moscow of involvement in the tragedy in July 2014, and both the rebels and Russia issued fresh statements denying any responsibility.

Dutch investigators present the results of the criminal probe into the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, during a press conference in Nieuwegein, on September 28, 2016 Emmanuel Dunand (AFP)

But the new details appeared to back up long-standing accusations from Ukraine and the West that pro-Russian rebels were to blame using a missile which may have been provided by Moscow.

The Boeing 777 was ripped apart mid-air during a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur over Ukraine, where a war pitting separatists allegedly armed by Russia against the Kiev government erupted in April 2014.

All 298 people on board the plane including 196 Dutch citizens were killed.

But despite two official international investigations, the burning question of who gave the orders and who pulled the trigger remain unresolved.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko hailed the inquiry's initial findings saying: "We have solid proof of who is to blame for this dreadful crime and who bears full responsibility for the terrorist attack."

- Phone taps -

A "BUK missile from the 9M38-series" was used that "came from the territory of the Russian Federation," said Wilbert Paulissen, the head of the Dutch police investigation.

When it reached Ukraine it was transferred onto a white Volvo truck and escorted by armed men in uniform. Afterwards the missile launcher system "was taken back to Russia," Paulissen said.

Over the past two years, up to 200 investigators have studied half a million photos, videos, some 200 witness statements and 150,000 tapped telephone conversations.

They have also assessed five billion internet pages to painstakingly retrace the route taken by the convoy which brought the missile system into eastern Ukraine.

In one chilling wiretapped phone conversation from July 16, 2014 played to reporters on Wednesday, one man believed to be a Russian-speaking military commander asks another if he can "receive a BUK in the morning" saying his forces are under pressure from air strikes and he doesn't know if "they can hold on."

The 700-kilogramme (1,500-pound) BUK, a complex radar-guided ground-to-air anti-aircraft weapon, was fired from a field in Pervomaiskyi which at the time "was in the hands of the Russian separatists," said Paulissen.

The joint investigation "has identified approximately 100 people" believed to have had an "active role" in transporting the missile system, added chief investigator Fred Westerbeke.

Moscow, which remains under EU sanctions for its alleged role in the Ukrainian conflict, has always denied being part of the MH17 disaster. It described the inquiry as "biased" and "politically motivated" saying it was "disappointed" by the results.

Ukrainian rebels also quickly rejected any conclusion that they were behind the disaster.

"The forces of the People's Republic of Donetsk could not have fired at the plane from a BUK system because we have no such sort of weapons," general Eduard Basurin of the self-proclaimed republic told AFP.

But Dutch prosecutors later released the names of two men heard speaking Russian in a wiretapped conversation, saying they wanted more information about them.

"What is clear is that the BUK missile system came from Russia to Ukraine, was fired and taken back to Russia," Piet Ploeg, who lost three relatives in the disaster, told AFP.

The findings "clearly suggest the involvement of the Russian Federation," he added.

- 'Cowardly assassins' -

The criminal investigation has now been extended to 2018, but Westerbeke said he could make "no promises" about when any suspects would be brought to justice.

"The relatives have run out of patience. They want these cowardly assassins to be brought to justice," Evert van Zijtveld, who lost his 18-year-old son Robert-Jan and daughter Frederique, 19, and his parents-in-law, told the Dutch broadcaster NOS.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called the preliminary findings "an important step on the road to the ultimate goal: finding and prosecuting the perpetrators."

And Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said his country sought "firm action" so that those responsible "will be brought to justice."

Should any Russian suspects be identified however, the chances are small that they'd be prosecuted, as the Russian constitution expressly forbids Moscow from extraditing its citizens to another country.

The route taken by the BUK missile launcher: investigators Jonathan JACOBSEN (AFP)

The wrecked cockpit of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was reconstructed at the Gilze Rijen airbase in the Netherlands Emmanuel Dunand (AFP/File)
Opinion / Columnist

Ian Khama's bizarre call for President Robert Mugabe to step down, evidently shows that there are some sinister forces behind him.Mr Khama might not know what he is doing and this might be the reason why President Mugabe has not been responding to the needless gobbledygook. When a person is possessed by an evil spirit, he is not conscious of his actions and will not even remember anything when the demon is eventually cast out. Interestingly, you usually hear those who cast out the demon shouting out "buda satan, phuma satan" (go away devil). They do not rebuke the human element but the devil behind the scenes.The devil behind Khama must be exorcized. Get this right, it is not that Khama obsessively loathes President Mugabe. He is only a willing tool being fronted by the United States of America in its regime change project in Zimbabwe and other sovereign African States. The US wants to put an African voice in their project under the false belief that it would get traction. It is the US which wants President Mugabe to retire but it knows for sure that nobody will take notice if that voice came from the White House. They have been singing the same hackneyed song since 2000. Now that they have put their words in Khama's mouth, they will try to tell the whole world that even Mugabe's fellow African leaders are calling for his departure.However, the US cannot fool Africans anymore. They can see through the hidden agenda up their sleeves. Khama himself cannot say that with a clear conscience, for he is a fallen angel. Fallen angels are not qualified to preach democracy. Khama's military and royal family background makes him the dictator he is. The US is not lost to Khama's despotic propensity but only chooses to wink at it for political expediency. The US has many other awkward allies that do not uphold the democratic principles it generously prescribe to Zimbabwe.The US national security advisor, Susan Rice once offered a remarkable candid insight into the US foreign policy. "Let's be honest. At times we do business with governments that do not respect the rights we hold most dear," she said in December 2013. Saudi Arabia where women are treated harshly is one of them. It is the US' close ally because it controls the fifth of the world's oil reserves.Like King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, Khama is not a saint too. His dictatorial tendencies caused the split of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which resulted in the formation of the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD). He imposes candidates during elections by using the compromise list instead of open election system. The few moments that he allowed voting was through the raising of hands instead of secret ballot. He has forced the court to change the voting process from secret ballot to show of raising of hands when electing a Vice President.An opposition Member of Parliament, who came to observe Zimbabwe's 2013 elections, confided in this writer that Khama was no longer popular with the Batswana people."Had it not been the support he gets from the US, Khama was going to lose next year's elections," said the MP. He also narrated Khama's excessive control over the State media which he manipulates to give him undue advantage during elections. In the 2014 elections, the opposition won the most seats since Botswana became independent from the U.K in 1966.Khama is not a respecter of the rule of law. He continues to retain his position as the paramount chief of the Bangwato tribe even when the Constitution forbids that. When he was a Vice-President, he continued to fly the Botswana Defence Forces chopper in defiance of the Ombudsman's ruling.He recently arrested and deported a US Pastor for exercising his democratic right to express his anti-gay views. Khama hates anti-gay people, of which President Mugabe is one of them. The call for President Mugabe to step down could have been provoked by his anti-gay stance. Khama's hostility against anti-gay people gives credence to long seated suspicions that the bachelor President is gay. Probably King Mswati wanted to prove a point when he bestowed two virgins on Khama.Khama drives the US interests and agenda and not at any given moment did he represent African interests. When the African Union passed a resolution in October 2013, calling to question the conduct of the International Criminal Court (ICC), only Botswana took a strange stance against the AU resolution. He did that to please the US and boost his false reputation on human rights.When the SADC Ministerial Committee of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation condemned in a press statement Israel attacks on Gaza at a meeting in Swakopmund, Namibia in 2014, Botswana unequivocally distanced itself from the statement. Israel and the US are Siamese twins, thus, your guess is as good as mine as to why Botswana refused to ratify the press statement.He is the same President who supported the indictment of the Sudanese President, Omar Al-Bashir for alleged war crimes. He took the US position of accusing Laurent Gbagbo of rigging elections in Ivory Coast. He also supported the UN imposed no-fly zone over Libya which eventually resulted in the gruesome murder of Muammar Gaddafi.Despite that SADC and AU have since made it clear that Africa does not need a US permanent military base, it has become clear that Botswana is going to host them. That will result in a heavy American military presence in that country which will make it easy for them to invade sovereign African countries.Khama allows pirate radio stations such as Voice of America's Studio 7 to transmit hate messages into Zimbabwe from bases set in his country.You cannot expect someone who was born and received military training in the West to represent African interests. Africa knows this and this is the reason why it has not endorsed Botswana's Dr Pelonomi Moitoi to succeed Dr Nkosazana Zuma as the Chairperson of the AU Commission. Khama was proselytized by the West long back when he received his military training at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS), where all officers of the British Army are trained.He has appointed his crony who succeeded him as the commander of the BDF, Lieutenant General Louis Matshwenyogo Fisher to be ambassador to Zimbabwe. He also received his military training at US Army War College (USAWC) Hopefully that military man was not also propagandized by the West and it is also hoped that he is not coming with a brief to advance the agenda of the US.
Can Africa's mobile money revolution reduce poverty?

When farmer Isaac Tondo fell on lean times in Liberia's long rainy season, his brother in the capital sent 8,000 Liberian dollars (US$87) to his Lonestar mobile money account, ensuring his children's school fees would still be paid.

Across Africa more and more people -- from urban start-ups to hard-up villagers -- are now spending, saving and planning for the future through banking services offered by mobile phone companies. And experts believe growth and poverty reduction will follow, if certain key risks are managed.

Tondo's brother used to entrust cash with contacts passing through their home village in Grand Gedeh county, but the roads are so bad they can no longer access it.

Across Africa, more and more people are now spending, saving and planning for the future through banking services offered by mobile phone companies Tony Karumba (AFP/File)

"The only means of receiving money from Monrovia is through mobile money," the farmer told AFP.

Collecting and depositing cash at omnipresent kiosks and sending money via text message has fast become the natural solution in African nations where distances are often long, roads and infrastructure poor, and few have access to traditional bank accounts.

Africans are "leading in the world" in their uptake of mobile banking services, Mitsuhiro Furusawa, Deputy Managing Director of the IMF told AFP at a recent conference on promoting access to financial services in Dakar, Senegal.

The IMF has said the potential for further financial development is "substantial" on the continent, and that wider access to banking services could unlock an additional 1.5 percent in annual growth.

Payment systems such as Orange Money in west Africa, M-Pesa in Kenya and Tigo Cash, used in several nations, have become incredibly popular in recent years in sub-Saharan Africa, where the vast majority lack physical or financial access to traditional banking services.

Around 11 percent of Africans now have a mobile banking account, according to the IMF, rising to 60 percent in Kenya. The average figure for the rest of the world is two percent.

While Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda lead the way in east Africa, Ivory Coast is the bright spot in the west of the continent, where 25 percent of the nation uses such services.

Jean Marius Yao, President and Director General of Orange Money in Ivory Coast, believes the market is far from saturated.

"There is a big margin for improvement, with some sectors not being fully served, notably rural communities and women," he said.

One other area of growth was likely to be those who already had traditional bank accounts, he said, including employers paying wages via text.

"The flow is going in both directions," Yao added.

- Parallel system -

Africa's enthusiastic adoption of mobile banking has evolved from a simple way to transfer cash into an entire parallel system of micro-payments of everything from saving accounts to business loans.

Countries such as Kenya could give a glimpse of how the sector will evolve across the continent, said Roger Nord, Deputy Director of the IMF's African Department.

Payment system M-Pesa, operated by British telecom giant Vodafone's subsidiary Safaricom, began offering interest on its "e-wallet" accounts, allowing users "who never saved a dollar" to put money aside, Nord said.

"There is a very clear relationship in economics between financial development and economic growth and poverty reduction," he added.

M-Pesa's range of services now encompasses medical insurance, bill payments and small business loans, building livelihoods and better securing users' futures.

In Ivory Coast, Orange Money offers savings accounts, collective financing of large-scale projects and life insurance to a population previously largely locked out of such services.

Meanwhile East African companies are now able to collect small payments every day for purchases made by clients unable to save up large sums to pay at the end of each month, Nord said.

In Asia above all, others have taken note: Afghanistan now pays police salaries by mobile, while India has just launched an ambitious national payments system for smartphones.

- Credit checks -

But these systems' ease of use also pose a significant drawback, however.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has described mobile money fraud as "a huge problem," citing a Kenyan Central Bank study that showed 37 percent of mobile money transactions were fraudulent compared with 10 percent by banking agents.

Poor encryption and a proliferation of scams including fake "rewards" offers by text and phones that mimic telephone identifier codes were also a huge problem, the EIU said.

But mobile companies are getting smarter every day, mapping consumer behaviour and judging credit-worthiness from the results.

A recent report by the Washington-based Brookings Institute cited a study in Brazil that showed one month of pre-pay activity provided sufficient information to determine credit risk.

"The data that this generates: people who are saving a lot, saving regularly, suddenly we knew who were the reliable risks and suddenly they were given access to small loans," Nord commented.
Shimon Peres: Key facts

Shimon Peres, former Israeli president and Nobel Peace Prize winner, died on Wednesday aged 93. Here are key facts about him:

- Oslo accords -

Peres was one of the architects of the Oslo peace accords with the Palestinians, reached in 1993 and 1995. The agreements provided for limited Palestinian autonomy and were intended to lead to a final peace agreement.

Former Israeli president Shimon Peres was seen as Israel's last remaining founding father and held nearly every major office in a career spanning five decades Jack Guez (AFP/File)

Peres was foreign minister under his Labour party rival Yitzhak Rabin. Both men along with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize for their work on Oslo.

He was also involved in peace efforts with Egypt and Jordan, the only two Arab countries with peace treaties with Israel.

Peres never lost faith in the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"I think it's the only thing which is possible in order to bring an end to terror, violence and hatred," he said earlier this year in an interview with Time magazine.

- Hawk turned dove -

Peres was a hawk who later became a dove. He said he was converted after 1977, when Egyptian president Anwar Sadat made a historic visit to Jerusalem, leading to the first Arab-Israeli peace treaty.

"I didn't change, I think the situation has changed," Peres told Time magazine in an interview published in February.

"As long as there was a danger to the existence of Israel, I was what you would call a hawk... The minute I felt the Arabs are open to negotiation, I said that's what we prefer too."

- Founding father -

He was seen as Israel's last remaining founding father and held nearly every major office in a career spanning five decades.

He was prime minister between 1984 and 1986, then again from 1995-1996 after Rabin's assassination. He served as president, a mainly ceremonial role, from 2007-2014.

He also served as foreign, defence and finance minister.

- Nuclear efforts -

As director general of the defence ministry in the 1950s, he oversaw the development of Israel's nuclear programme with assistance from France.

Israel is now considered the Middle East's sole nuclear power, but it has never declared it, maintaining a policy of ambiguity.

"Dimona (the site of Israel's nuclear reactor) helped us to achieve Oslo," he said in the Time interview.

"Because many Arabs, out of suspicion, came to the conclusion that it's very hard to destroy Israel because of it, because of their suspicion. Well if the result is Dimona, I think I was right. Anyway, weve never threatened anybody with nuclear bombs, and weve never tested it."

- Ben-Gurion as mentor -

Born in Poland in 1923, Peres emigrated to what was then British mandatory Palestine when he was 11.

He joined the Zionist struggle in the 1940s and met David Ben-Gurion, who would become Israel's first prime minister and Peres's mentor.

Elected to parliament in 1959, he served almost without interruption until becoming president in 2007.

Israeli foreign minister Shimon Peres (R, pictured with PLO chairman Yasser Arafat (L), was one of the architects of the Oslo peace accords with the Palestinians, reached in 1993 and 1995
Tough anti-corruption law takes effect in S. Korea

A tough new anti-graft law came into force in South Korea Wednesday with many hailing it as a milestone to help root out widespread low-level corruption.

Dubbed the Kim Young-Ran law after the former supreme court judge who drafted it, the sweeping legislation covers some four million public servants and employees of education institutions in the country of 50 million.

The law targets teachers bribed by parents to give better grades, journalists paid to give favourable publicity and officials bought off by businessmen to speed up bureaucratic processes.

South Korean officials eat meals worth $22 (24,000 won) each during a parliamentary audit of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport committee at Incheon International Airport on September 27, 2016 Yonhap (YONHAP/AFP)

They are now banned from accepting gifts worth 50,000 won ($45) or more, or meals of 30,000 won or more, with offenders facing hefty fines or even a prison term.

The law even prohibits the common practice among doctors and other workers at university hospitals of offering favourable treatment to personal acquaintances, including expedited scheduling of surgery.

Offenders often slipped through loopholes of the existing anti-corruption law, as it was hard to prove that money or gifts changed hands in return for a favour instead of as a token of hospitality.

"The new law is quite different from the past one. It covers a much wider range of wrongful activities and contains much more severe punishment against offenders", National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-Kyun told journalists.

"It will help bring a stop to old habits... People may find it inconvenient but good medicine tastes bitter", he said.

Presidential spokesman Jung Youn-Kuk also said the law would be "a turning point to create a fair, clean society ... and to enhance our national integrity".

NGOs have welcomed the new legislation.

Lee Eun-Mi, head of the Centre for Administrative Watch at the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, said last week it would make many people "think twice whenever they have the chance to wine and dine or accept gifts".

She noted that whistle blowers will be rewarded with up to 200 million won, which may help curb corruption.

The law however drew complaints from local businesses and restaurants who feared sales would slump.

Some restaurants recently introduced "Kim Young-Ran menus" priced at 29,900 won or less.

A mobile app was even launched recently to help people look up whether they are a target of the law as well as the details of the legislation.

South Korea -- the world's 11th biggest economy and the Asia's fourth largest -- has fared relatively poorly in corruption or transparency levels.

Last year it was ranked 37th in the World Corruption Perceptions Index and 123rd in transparency in public policymaking in the Global Competitiveness Report by the World Economic Forum.

Bribery scandals involving politicians or high-level officials and rich businessmen have been fixture in South Korean politics for decades.
Obama says Peres never gave up on possibility of peace

President Barack Obama hailed Israeli elder statesman Shimon Peres, who died Wednesday, as a friend who refused to give up on the dream of peace, while former president Bill Clinton called him "a genius with a big heart."

Obama said Peres' commitment to Israel's security and pursuit of peace was "rooted in his own unshakeable moral foundation and unflagging optimism."

"Perhaps because he had seen Israel surmount overwhelming odds, Shimon never gave up on the possibility of peace between Israelis, Palestinians and Israel's neighbors -- not even after the heartbreak of the night in Tel Aviv that took Yitzhak Rabin," Obama said in a White House statement.

US President Barack Obama said Shimon Peres' commitment to Israel's security and pursuit of peace was "rooted in his own unshakeable moral foundation and unflagging optimism" Saul Loeb (AFP/File)

"There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves," Obama said. "My friend Shimon was one of those people."

Clinton, who oversaw the signing of the Oslo Accords that envisioned an independent Palestinian state, said "the Middle East has lost a fervent advocate for peace and reconciliation and for a future where all the children of Abraham build a better tomorrow."

"I'll never forget how happy he was 23 years ago when he signed the Oslo Accords on the White House lawn, heralding a more hopeful era in Israeli-Palestinian relations.

"He was a genius with a big heart who used his gifts to imagine a future of reconciliation not conflict, economic and social empowerment not anger and frustration, and a nation, a region, and a world enhanced by caring and sharing, not torn asunder by the illusions of permanent dominance and perfect truth," Clinton said in a statement.

Peres won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin -- who was assassinated in 1995 -- and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for his role in negotiating the accords.

Clinton noted that Peres' critics called him a "dreamer."

"That he was - a lucid, eloquent dreamer until the very end. Thank goodness. Let those of us who loved him and love his nation keep his dream alive."

Former president George H. W. Bush also hailed his devotion to peace.

"By his unyielding determination and principle, Shimon Peres time and again helped guide his beloved country through the crucible of mortal challenge.

"But it was by his innate humanity, his decency, that Shimon inspired the world over and helped pave a path to peace broad enough that future generations will walk it one day, side-by side," he said in a statement.

His son, former president George W. Bush, said Peres led his country "with a deep and abiding concern for his people and a commitment to freedom and peace."

"The Bush family will miss Shimon Peres and his grace, dignity, and optimism."

Former president Bill Clinton hailed Israeli elder statesman Shimon Peres, who died aged 93, as "a genius with a big heart" Bryan R. Smith (AFP)
Tourists flee volcano at popular Indonesia hiking spot

Hundreds of tourists have fled a volcanic eruption at a popular Indonesian hiking destination, an official said Wednesday, expressing fears some may have stayed behind to document the natural wonder.

Around 1,000 tourists, including about 600 foreigners, were believed to be in the area when Mount Barujari sent columns of ash and smoke shooting high into the sky over holiday island Lombok Tuesday, according to the official disaster agency.

Barujari is a small cone within the crater of Mount Rinjani, Indonesia's second-highest volcano and a major attraction for foreign tourists visiting the archipelago.

A hiker looks at Mount Barujari, on Lombok island in Indonesia, as it spews volcanic ash in November 2015 PIKONG (AFP/File)

Most visitors were believed to have safely fled the area once authorities alerted them after Barujari sent a two-kilometre (1.2-mile) cloud of hot gas into the air, disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

Officials were dispatched to the national park surrounding Rinjani to ask people to leave and help evacuate them if necessary.

Nugroho said officials had so far confirmed about 260 tourists had left the national park.

But the majority of others were also believed to have left the area, although authorities were having difficulty counting them as they had flooded out through unofficial exits, he said.

Officials however had difficulty persuading some tourists to leave a three-kilometre safety zone established around the volcano as they wanted to get pictures of the eruption.

"The local disaster agency said that some tourists did not want to leave," Nugroho said.

"They wanted to record the eruption of Barujari and in some cases hid from officials. They knew it was dangerous but they still wanted to document the eruption."

Muhammad Rum, a local spokesman for the disaster agency, added the eruption was not major and he believed all the hikers had now left the area.

All those who had descended were "in good condition and healthy", he added.

"Many of them even videotaped the eruption while enjoying the beauty of the mountain," he added.

The threat level of the volcano was raised Tuesday as Barujari erupted, but remains two steps below the highest level on a four-point scale.

Some flights to and from the nearby resort island of Bali were cancelled overnight Tuesday to Wednesday, but Lombok's international airport remains unaffected.

Flight disruptions due to drifting ash clouds are not uncommon in Indonesia, which sits on a belt of seismic activity known as the "Ring of Fire" and is home to around 130 active volcanoes.

An eruption at Rinjani last month forced the closure of Lombok airport and disrupted some flights to neighbouring Bali.
Hong Kong artist keeps 'Umbrella Movement' alive

The sprawling protest camps at the heart of Hong Kong's 2014 pro-democracy "Umbrella Movement" have long gone -- but artist Alexandra Wong is determined to keep the memory alive.

Every week the 60-year-old returns to a spot on the driveway outside the city's government headquarters, creating political murals from brightly-coloured tape laid on the tarmac.

She will be there again on Wednesday, the second anniversary of the start of the pro-democracy rallies, which called on Beijing to allow fully free leadership elections in the semi-autonomous city.

Retiree Alexandra Wong, 60, who lives in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, stands with her art in front of barricades, in place around the Hong Kong government offices ahead of the second anniversary of the Umbrella Movement Anthony Wallace (AFP)

The anniversary comes as some former protesters backing independence from China prepare to take office after winning recent elections as fears grow of Beijing closing its grip on the city.

Wong's creations echo the spontaneous artworks that sprung up throughout the protests. They mainly depict flowers and umbrellas in the bright yellow that came to symbolise the movement.

Caricatures, cartoons, sculptures and origami decorated the rally camps, which took over highways and commercial areas in the former British colony.

Wong was a mainstay of the huge camp in Admiralty, next to the government offices.

She says going back there is her way of keeping up pressure on the authorities.

"I want to use art to express my desire for Hong Kong to have true universal suffrage and to show that the fight is not over," Wong told AFP, while creating the words "Safeguard our HK" with yellow duct tape.

"There are a lot of high officials getting out of their cars here, so this place is very important. Sometimes I think the chief executive (Hong Kong's leader) passes by as well, so I must persist," she said.

The rallies failed to win concessions from Beijing and spawned a new movement pushing for self-determination and independence as an option for Hong Kong.

Wong says she supports that message and while her one-woman mission may seem more straightforward than winning elections, it has taken its toll.

Hong Kong-born, she crosses the border from her home in the southern mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen every week.

She spends two or three days working on each art piece, with five hours' travel time added in.

Wong, who lives alone, says she has lost 10 pounds in the past two years maintaining her art.

Occasionally, she says, mainland border officials stop her and look through her bag of art tools, but ultimately let her through. She says she does not use a phone for fear of hacking.

Hong Kong authorities seem to tolerate the artist -- although she says one woman once came out of the government building and offered her money to stop.

She continues unfazed.

"I will persist until I truly see hope," she says.

Other former protesters and protest leaders are also due to gather near the government offices Wednesday evening to mark the anniversary.

Artwork of a yellow umbrella by retiree Alexandra Wong, 60, outside government headquarters in Hong Kong Anthony Wallace (AFP)
For the first time, Japanese archaeologists have unearthed ancient Roman coins at the ruins of an old castle.

The discovery of 10 bronze and copper coins, the oldest dating from about 300-400 AD, in southern Okinawa caught researchers by surprise.

This was the first time Roman Empire coins had been discovered in Japan, thousands of miles from where they were likely to have been minted.

Researchers think the coins travelled during the Middle Ages, when trade between Japan and the West was reaching a high point.

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A 4th-century copper coin (pictured) from ancient Rome has been unearthed in Japan's Okinawa island by researchers excavating Katsuren castle. This is the first time Roman Empire coins have been discovered in Japan

HOW OLD ARE THE COINS? The discovery of 10 bronze and copper coins, the oldest dating from about 300-400 AD, at a castle in southern Okinawa caught researchers by surprise. The sub-tropical island chain hosts a cluster of US military bases and thousands of troops. 'At first I thought they were one cent coins dropped by US soldiers,' archaeologist Hiroki Miyagi said. 'But after washing them in water I realised they were much older. An X-ray analysis of the dime-sized coins showed some were embossed with Roman letters. They even possibly show the image of Emperor Constantine I and a soldier holding a spear. Several others dated from a later period, the 17th century Ottoman empire. Advertisement

'At first I thought they were one cent coins dropped by US soldiers,' archaeologist Hiroki Miyagi said.

'But after washing them in water I realised they were much older.

'I was really shocked.'

The sub-tropical island chain hosts a cluster of US military bases and thousands of troops.

A team of researchers has been excavating Katsuren castle in Okinawa, hundreds of miles southwest of the Japanese mainland, which is a UNESCO world heritage site, since 2013.

An X-ray analysis of the dime-sized coins showed some were embossed with Roman letters.

They even possibly show the image of Emperor Constantine I, who ruled Rome from 324 to 337 AD, and a soldier holding a spear.

Several others dated from a later period, the 17th century Ottoman empire.

Researchers were left scratching their heads about how the coins ended up at the castle in faraway Okinawa, which was built during the late 13th or early 14th century and abandoned about 200 years later.

Although it is not clear exactly where the coins were made, if the Roman coins dated between 300 and 400 AD were forged in Rome, they would have travelled 6,174 miles (9,936 km) to get to the castle

Although it is not clear exactly where the coins were made, if the Roman coins dated between 300 and 400 AD were forged in Rome, they would have travelled 6,174 miles (9,936 km) to get to the castle.

It was once the residence of a feudal lord, whose wealth was linked to regional trade but he was not known to have had business ties with Europe.

'East Asian merchants in the 14 and 15th centuries mainly used Chinese currency, a round coin with a square hole in the middle, so it is unlikely that the Western coins were used as a means of currency,' said Miyagi, who also teaches at Okinawa International University.

'I believe they probably got the coins in Southeast Asia or China.'

The coins were found in Katsuren castle in Okinawa. The caslte was once the residence of a feudal lord, whose wealth was linked to regional trade but he was not known to have had business ties with Europe. Remains pictured in 2010
In Kenya, lion hunters become defenders

In the Maasai heartland of southern Kenya, some young men have swapped their ancestral role as lion-hunters to instead protect the big cats under a conservation scheme that also aims to help their community.

Among them is Leiyio Lengete, a "Moran" -- or warrior -- who wears a scarlet blanket over his shoulders, a blue one around his hips, and a multitude of fine multicoloured beaded bracelets on his forearms, ankles and neck.

Large half-moon shaped metal earrings and a beaded headband set off his long elaborately braided hair, but instead of a traditional spear, he clasps a GPS receiver.

Kenyan Maasai 'Morans' (warriors) relay the GPS coordinates of the location of two-young lionesses they have been tracking on foot in the surrounding scrub, at the Selenkay Reserve, not far from Mount Kilimanjaro Tony Karumba (AFP)

The organisation behind the scheme Lengete works with, "Lion Guardians", has set up camp in Selenkay Reserve, not far from Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain in neighbouring Tanzania which is hidden by clouds on this warm September day.

Today the Maasai "guardians" have headed off into the bush on foot in search of three lionesses that sneaked into the camp the previous evening.

Their tracks are hard to find in the dry, potholed savannah brush although the men eventually establish the cats have separated in three directions to hunt for food.

But two hours later, one of the four silently calls a halt -- the three lionesses are less than 100 yards away.

- Lost livestock, lost children -

In a previous life, the men would have killed the animals as part of a Maasai rite known as "olamayio" which is traditionally seen as the highest act of courage, winning prestige and praise for the hunter.

Lions also were hunted in reprisal for attacks on the community's livestock herd.

But for Lengete and the other young Morans, those days are over: once the lionesses have been found and their GPS location sent to camp, a vehicle arrives carrying the scientific head and co-founder of the scheme, Stephanie Dolrenry.

Coupling age-old Maasai know-how with contemporary science, she inventories, photographs and studies the behaviour of the lions that are now returning to the 3,684 square kilometres (1,040 square miles) under surveillance by the project.

"The whole programme is not just based on lions. Everything we do is about the community," Dolrenry told AFP.

"The guardians spend a lot of their time finding livestock, finding lost herders, even little children who got lost in the bush. The guardians are there, they are able to go tracking, they know the bush," said the 37-year-old American.

Around a million dollars' worth of lost livestock was returned by the guardians to their owners last year, she said.

The work boosted the Morans' status within their community while their almost daily contact with the lions maintained their traditional aura.

When a cow is killed, for instance, they step in to dissuade cattle-owners from punitive raids against the lions, arguing that their own jobs recovering lost cattle are at stake as well as those of the Maasai community who make up almost all the staff of the two lodges in the wildlife reserve.

The project has been beneficial for local lion numbers, which have increased fourfold between 2007 and 2016 to around 150, Dolrenry said.

- From hunter to guardian -

Other wildlife has also benefited, with buffaloes reappearing in the reserve recently after years of absence, elephants moving in herds and the presence in the area of animals hard to find elsewhere in Kenya -- such as the Cape eland or the giraffe gazelle.

"Lion Guardians", which also has programmes in Tanzania, Rwanda and Zimbabwe, works with private funding, most of it from the US. The Selenkay project runs on less than $300,000 (269,000 euros) a year.

It kicked off with a mere five guardians but now employs more than 40, each of them paid the minimum monthly Kenyan wage of $120 (108 euros).

One of the most recent recruits is Mitiaki Kitasho, who asked for a job as a guardian a year ago after twice serving a month behind bars for illegally killing first an elephant, then a lion.

"There's not a single species I haven't killed to protect the community and to gain popularity and respect," he said.

But courage no longer puts food on the table, and after being released from jail penniless, he went to Lion Guardians looking for a job.

Now, like the Maasai warriors, he can continue to do what he loves and does best -- track the big cats.

A lioness and her cubs are seen at the Selenkay Reserve in Kenya, not far from Mount Kilimanjaro in neighbouring Tanzania Tony Karumba (AFP)

Co-founder of the 'Lion Guardians' conservation scheme, Stephanie Dolrenry, gives an interview at the Selenkay Reserve in Kenya Tony Karumba (AFP)
Thais probe babies with microcephaly for Zika link

Thai doctors are running tests to see whether Zika was the cause of microcephaly in two babies whose mothers are infected with the mosquito-borne virus, a health official said Wednesday.

Two other infants with the condition were cleared of a link to the virus.

If the remaining pair are found to be linked, they could be the first case of Zika-related microcephaly in Southeast Asia, according to the World Health Organisation.

A city worker sprays chemicals with a fumigator to kill mosquitoes in an effort to control the spread of the Zika virus at a school in Bangkok in September 2016 Lillian Suwanrumpha (AFP/File)

"It is too early to conclude if (the other two) had Zika, we need more information," said Apichai Mongkol, director general of the Department of Medical Sciences.

Zika causes only mild symptoms in most, including fever, sore eyes and a rash. But pregnant women with the virus risk giving birth to babies with microcephaly -- a deformation that leads to abnormally small brains and heads.

Thai authorities have been monitoring 36 pregnant women infected with the virus.

Eight have now given birth and three of the babies have been born with microcephaly, while an ultrasound scan on another mother showed her child also has the condition, according to a ministry statement on Tuesday.

Between 200 to 300 Thai children are born with the condition each year, which can also be caused by Down syndrome and other infections during pregnancy such as German measles and chickenpox, the statement said.

"If a case of Zika-related microcephaly is confirmed then it would be the first confirmed case in the WHO Southeast Asia region," said Michael Vurens van Es, World Health Organization regional spokesman.

He said evidence suggested that Zika has been present in Southeast Asia for several years, adding that the number of confirmed cases has risen in conjunction with heightened surveillance.

Scientists this month warned that the world should prepare for a "global epidemic" of microcephaly as the Zika virus takes root in new countries.

Thai authorities have been at pains to reassure locals and the millions of foreign tourists who visit each year that they are fighting the spread of the mosquitos which carry the virus.

Experts say it will be years before a vaccine is developed to prevent infection from Zika.
World Bank releases $300 mn for Syrian refugees in Jordan

The World Bank announced it will release $300 million in loans to help facilitate the labor market for Syrian refugees in Jordan.

The funds will be used to attract investors and create reforms that will help grant access to the Syrian labor force, the Bank said in a statement.

More Syrians will receive work permits and be able to "access formal jobs and decent labor conditions," the statement said.

Jordan says it currently hosts nearly 1.4 million refugees -- with more than 600,000 registered with the United Nations Khalil Mazraawi (AFP/File)

"By creating the conditions for increased investment and jobs, and by allowing refugees, during their time in the country, to seek work and contribute to the economy, Jordan is shifting from a purely humanitarian approach to a forward looking development drive," said Ferid Belhaj, director of the Bank's Middle East Department.

In creating favorable economic conditions for Syrian refugees in the country, Jordan will help lead the way for the international community in what "still today are unchartered territories," he said.

Jordan says it currently hosts nearly 1.4 million refugees -- with more than 600,000 registered with the United Nations.

Amman regularly complains of a lack of international aid for the refugees it hosts, saying it has "reached its limits."
What are the Oslo accords?

Former Israeli president Shimon Peres, who died on Wednesday aged 93, was the last survivor of the three men awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the Oslo accords.

The agreements, signed in the early 1990s, were meant to create a "lasting and comprehensive peace settlement" between Israelis and Palestinians and were hailed across the world.

What were the historical agreements and did they ultimately fail?

Israeli foreign minister Shimon Peres (C) signs the Oslo Accords with Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin (L), US president Bill Clinton (3R) and PLO chairman Yasser Arafat (R) in 1993 J. David Ake (AFP/File)

- Historic achievement -

The accords, signed in Washington in 1993 and Taba, Egypt, in 1995, were the first peace treaties ever signed between Israel and the Palestinian leadership.

They are named after the Norwegian capital where the two sides launched eight months of secret negotiations, in which Peres played a key role.

The first agreement led to the establishment of the Palestinian Authority the following year with limited powers of self-rule, initially only in parts of the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank town of Jericho.

It foresaw further phased pullbacks by the Israeli army and was meant to lead to an independent Palestinian state.

The 1995 agreement divided the West Bank into three zones known as Areas A, B and C.

Area C -- some 60 percent of the West Bank -- was meant to be "gradually transferred to Palestinian jurisdiction" but remains under full Israeli military and civil control to this day.

Crucially, many key issues -- including the status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the right of return for Palestinian refugees -- were not agreed upon, with the two sides saying they would be subject to later negotiations.

- An iconic handshake -

To confirm the agreement, US President Bill Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, along with then foreign minister Peres, met on the White House lawn.

In the most iconic moment, a smiling Arafat extended his hand to Rabin who, after a brief hesitation, accepted it.

The sight of the two longtime adversaries shaking hands was hailed across the world as a major breakthrough in a conflict that at that point had already lasted nearly 50 years.

The following year, Rabin, Peres and Arafat received the Nobel Peace Prize "for their efforts to create peace in the Middle East."

Accepting the award, Peres said "armies of occupation are a thing of the past."

- The legacy -

Just two years after the iconic handshake and a few months after the second Oslo agreement was signed, a Jewish extremist opposed to the agreements shot Rabin twice in the back as he was leaving a pro-peace rally in Tel Aviv.

He died in hospital several hours later along with, many Israelis would argue, the Oslo accords.

Peres took over, but within a year lost an election to Benjamin Netanyahu -- Israel's current prime minister and an outspoken opponent of the agreements.

Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, Palestinian attacks, including bus bombings, and political hardening on both sides meant the promise of the agreements was never realised. Arafat died in 2004.

More than 20 years on, the agreements, which were not meant to last more than five years, are still the basis of relations between Israel and Palestinian officials in the West Bank.

The phrase "Oslo" is still widely used by both Israelis and Palestinians but there is little optimism its goals will become reality.

A poll last month revealed that only 51 percent of Palestinians and 53 percent of Israeli Jews still support a two-state solution.

Peres, speaking earlier this year, said he still believed in peace but said the two sides see the "obstacles" differently.

"In the eyes of the Palestinians clearly the settlements are the great obstacle. In the eyes of Israelis, terror is clearly the greatest obstacle."

Israelis look at Israeli Government Press Office pictures in Tel Aviv during an exhibition marking the 20th anniversary of Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabins assassination Jack Guez (AFP/File)
Bangladesh pulls out of Pakistan summit as tensions rise

Bangladesh on Wednesday pulled out of a key regional summit to be held in Pakistan, a day after India said it was boycotting the event over a deadly cross-border attack on a military base.

Bhutan and Afghanistan were also reported to be withdrawing from the November summit after India announced late Tuesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not take part, citing "increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region".

Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours have deteriorated sharply since a deadly attack on a military base in disputed Kashmir that New Delhi blamed on militants from across the border.

Bangladesh pulled out of a key regional summit in Pakistan the day after India announced Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not take part, citing 'increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region' Tauseef Mustafa (AFP/File)

Pakistan denies any involvement in the attack, in which 18 Indian soldiers died.

But Modi, under pressure to act after the worst such attack in more than a decade, has threatened to make it a pariah state.

On Wednesday junior Bangladesh foreign minister Shahriar Alam confirmed to AFP by text message that Bangladesh would not attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit.

Indian media cited Dhaka as blaming "the growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country", and said Bhutan and Afghanistan were also planning to withdraw.

The country was not named, but Bangladesh has in the past accused Pakistan of interference for protesting the execution of Islamist leaders found guilty of war crimes.

South Asia analyst Ashok Malik said the pull-outs would have little practical impact on Pakistan but could push it closer to rival regional power China.

"It basically scores a symbolic and a political victory. As for Pakistan, this will push it even closer to China," said Malik, head of the Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation's regional studies initiative.

Responding to India's move, Pakistan said it remained "committed to peace and regional cooperation" and accused New Delhi of perpetrating "terrorism" on its soil.

"As for the excuse used by India, the world knows that it is India that has been perpetrating and financing terrorism in Pakistan," tweeted foreign ministry spokesman Nafees Zakariya late Tuesday, citing the capture of an Indian intelligence officer in Baluchistan earlier this year.
Qantas warns of phone fire risk after US flight incident

Australian carrier Qantas has warned of the danger of mobile phones being crushed in reclinable plane seats and catching fire after one ignited during a US flight, according to a safety report Wednesday.

The findings came just weeks after Qantas and domestic competitor Virgin Australia, as well as other international airlines, told customers not to use or charge Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 during flights after faulty lithium-ion batteries in the new smartphone caused some handsets to explode.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau report said the phone, without revealing the brand, was crushed in a Qantas business class passenger's seat on a Los Angeles-New York flight on June 21 and "immediately began hissing and emitting smoke".

A mobile phone was crushed on a Qantas business class passenger's seat on a Los Angeles-New York flight in June and "immediately began hissing and emitting smoke" Torsten Blackwood (AFP/File)

"Moments later, the PED (personal electronic device) ignited... ehen the cabin crewmembers arrived at seat 3A, they observed an orange glow emanating from the seat," the report said.

"A crewmember discharged a fire extinguisher into the seat, extinguishing the glow."

A Qantas spokesman told AFP the airline was telling customers to keep track of their phone while seated and to alert flight crew if they lose it down the side, instead of moving their seats.

"When the seat moves, that's when the phone may get crushed," the spokesman said, adding that the seats were fire-retardant.

"Our crew are trained to deal with this scenario and they've done a great job on the odd occasion where we've had a phone break and start to smoulder."
Israel court rules ex-PM Olmert must serve 27 months for graft

Israel's Supreme Court on Wednesday turned down an appeal by disgraced former prime minister Ehud Olmert against an eight-month prison term for corruption handed down in 2015.

The ruling means that Olmert, who entered prison in February, is due to serve a total of 27 months behind bars for the corruption case and other convictions for bribery and obstruction of justice.

He had appealed against both the conviction and sentence for receiving envelopes of cash from a US businessman while trade and industry minister in the early 2000s.

Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert who entered prison in February, is due to serve a total of 27 months behind bars for a corruption case and other convictions for bribery and obstruction of justice Gali Tibbon (POOL/AFP/File)

"The justices ruled unanimously to reject the appeal, both regarding the conviction and the severity of the sentence," said a transcript of Wednesday's hearing, released by the justice ministry.

It said the judges also turned down a prosecution appeal for harsher punishment in the bribery case, upholding the previous sentence of 18 months.

He was later given an additional month on a separate charge of obstructing justice.

He became Israel's first former premier to serve jail time when he entered Maasiyahu Prison in the central city of Ramle on February 15.

Olmert was initially given a six-year sentence in May 2014 for taking bribes in the early 2000s in connection with the construction of Jerusalem's massive Holyland residential complex, but the sentence was later reduced to 18 months.

Olmert resigned as prime minister in September 2008 after police recommended he be indicted for graft, but he remained in office until March 2009, when Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in to the post, which he has held ever since.
South Sudan journalist's body dumped at farm: rights group

The body of a South Sudanese journalist abducted almost four months ago was found on a farm this week, press freedom group Reporters Without Borders said Wednesday.

RSF urged South Sudan's authorities "to shed all possible light" on the murder of freelance reporter Isaac Vuni, who was kidnapped on June 4 along with his brother from the family's home in southern Kerepi, near the Ugandan border. Responsibility for the abduction was never claimed.

Vuni's relatives told the independent Sudan Tribune newspaper that his body was discovered on a farm outside Kerepi, RSF said in a statement. His brother has yet to be found.

The body of a South Sudanese journalist abducted almost four months ago was found on a farm this week, press freedom group Reporters Without Borders said Simon Maina (AFP/File)

It said that a witness had told the South Sudan Liberty News website at the time that the abductors wore the same military dress as the "Tiger Battalion", President Salva Kiir's bodyguards."We condemn Isaac Vuni's foul murder and call on the authorities to conduct an investigation to identify those responsible and bring them to justice," said Clea Kahn Sriber, the head of RSF's Africa desk.

Vuni, who often wrote for the Sudan Tribune, had been arrested in Juba in 2009 after reporting that members of the Sudan People's Liberation Army and the South Sudanese government were implicated in a financial scandal.

He was also detained for several weeks in 2011 during a crackdown on local journalists.

Seven journalists were killed in South Sudan last year, according to another media rights group, the Committee to Protect Journalists.

RSF said journalists have been regularly targeted since the civil war began in 2013, with many held incommunicado, including Radio Miraya's George Livio -- now held incommunicado for more than two years.
Peres: architect of Israel nuclear programme as well as peace

Shimon Peres, who died Wednesday aged 93, is famed for his peace efforts with the Palestinians but his role as architect of Israel's nuclear programme may prove his more lasting legacy.

When still in his 30s during the 1950s, Peres played a key part in Israel's pursuit of a nuclear capability at the urging of Israel's first prime minister David Ben-Gurion.

He reached a secret agreement with France that led to the building of a nuclear reactor at Dimona in Israel's Negev desert, which went critical around 1962.

ARCHIVE (UPI/AFP Photos)

Israel is now considered to be the Middle East's sole nuclear-armed power, although it has never confirmed it, maintaining a policy of ambiguity.

It is estimated to have produced enough weapons-grade plutonium at Dimona to arm between 100 and 200 nuclear warheads, according to the US-based Nuclear Threat Initiative.

Peres, who was president and twice prime minister, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 for his role in negotiating the Oslo accords with the Palestinians, but he saw no contradiction between that achievement and his nuclear programme efforts.

"Dimona helped us to achieve Oslo," he told Time magazine in an interview in February.

"Because many Arabs, out of suspicion, came to the conclusion that it's very hard to destroy Israel because of it, because of their suspicion.

"Well if the result is Dimona, I think I was right. Anyway, weve never threatened anybody with nuclear bombs, and weve never tested it."

Peres was put in charge of the nuclear programme by Ben-Gurion while director general of the defence ministry.

The prime minister had made the programme a priority, driven in part by the Holocaust and the 1948 war with neighbouring Arab states that accompanied Israel's creation, historian Avner Cohen wrote in his book "Israel and the Bomb."

"Peres's boundless energy and political skills became the necessary ingredient in realising Israel's nuclear hopes," he added.

- 'One of the ablest' -

Ephraim Asculai, a senior research fellow at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies, said Ben-Gurion had enormous trust in Peres.

He saw him as "one of the ablest persons in the country and one who could carry out the mission."

Peres enlisted France's help for the secret programme, and even the United States, now Israel's most important ally, was kept out of the loop.

In a documentary aired on Israeli television in 2001, Peres acknowledged that France agreed to provide Israel with "a nuclear capability" as part of the secret negotiations that led to their invasion of Egypt alongside Britain during the Suez Crisis of 1956.

It was only years later, in 1969, that Israel reportedly reached an understanding with Washington under which Israeli leaders would refrain from making any statement about the country's capabilities and would carry out no nuclear test.

In exchange, the United States avoided exerting any pressure on the issue.

Israel has still not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was a political rival of Peres, made reference to the elder statement's involvement in the nuclear programme in a tribute after his death on Wednesday.

"As a champion of Israel's defence, he strengthened its capacities in many ways, some of them still unacknowledged to this day," he said.

While Peres and other Israeli leaders have credited the country's policy of nuclear ambiguity with protecting it from hostile neighbours and helping it leverage peace agreements, others have been critical.

Opponents say Israel's suspected arsenal has been a constant spur for its regional rivals to try to develop their own as a deterrent.

Last year's nuclear deal between the major powers and Israel's arch-foe Iran was aimed at ensuring it could not do so.

Israel has continued to keep a tight lid on its nuclear programme.

Former nuclear technician Mordechai Vanunu was jailed in 1986 for disclosing the inner workings of the Dimona nuclear plant to Britain's Sunday Times newspaper.

Snatched in Rome by agents of the Mossad intelligence agency and smuggled to Israel, Vanunu spent more than 10 years of his sentence in solitary confinement.

Even after his release in 2004, he remained subject to a raft of restraining orders, including a ban on speaking to the foreign media.

Shimon Peres, who has died aged 93, was an architect of Israel's nuclear programme Mandel Ngan (AFP/File)

Shimon Peres was put in charge of the nuclear programme by David Ben-Gurion, who is pictured here in 1947 when he was serving as Israel's first prime minister
Hamas calls Peres a criminal, Abbas hails him as brave

Hamas welcomed the death of former Israeli president Shimon Peres Wednesday, calling him a "criminal", while Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas lauded the "brave" Nobel Peace Prize winner.

In the Gaza Strip, a spokesman for the Islamist Hamas movement which runs the enclave said: "The Palestinian people are happy at the death of this criminal.

"Shimon Peres was one of the last Israeli founders of occupation. His death marks the end of an era in the history of the Israeli occupation," spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP.

While departed former Israeli president Shimon Peres has been lauded abroad and in Israel as a peacemaker, many Palestinians view him very differently Jack Guez (AFP/File)

But Abbas had a sharply different reaction in the West Bank, where the Palestinian Authority dominated by his Fatah party is in power.

Abbas hailed Peres as a "brave" partner for peace and sent his family condolences, the official Palestinian news agency reported.

"Abbas sent a message of condolence to the family of former president Shimon Peres, expressing his sadness and sorrow," WAFA reported.

"Peres was a partner in making the brave peace with the martyr Yasser Arafat and prime minister (Yitzhak) Rabin, and made unremitting efforts to reach a lasting peace from the Oslo agreement until the final moments of his life."

While Peres has been praised abroad and in Israel as a peacemaker, many Palestinians view him very differently, citing his involvement in successive Arab-Israeli wars and the occupation of Palestinian territory.

He was also prime minister in 1996 when more than 100 civilians were killed while sheltering at a UN peacekeepers' base in the Lebanese village of Qana fired upon by Israel.
Kuwaiti court scraps petrol price hike

A Kuwaiti court on Wednesday ordered the government of the oil-rich Gulf state to abolish an increase in petrol prices nearly one month after it took effect.

The price hike, ranging from about 40 to 80 percent depending on the type, met stiff opposition from lawmakers and activists when introduced on September 1 following a slide in oil revenues.

The administrative court did not immediately give the reasons for its ruling which was based on a petition filed by lawyer Nawaf al-Fuzai.

A hike in petrol prices in Kuwait met stiff opposition from lawmakers and activists when introduced on September 1 Yasser Al-Zayyat (AFP/File)

Fuzai told AFP that he argued the price decision "should have come through a bill from parliament and not from the cabinet."

"I believe the judge has accepted our argument," he said after the verdict was announced.

The court was expected to release the full ruling later Wednesday.

It can still be challenged by the government at the appeals and supreme courts.

The development came after Kuwaiti lawmakers on Thursday requested an emergency session of parliament to debate the price increase.

In their motion, lawmakers said the move had resulted in a rise in the prices of commodities and goods.

MPs want the government to compensate Kuwaiti citizens who comprise around 30 percent of the 4.3 million population, which also includes about three million foreigners.

The cabinet has said the decision is part of a series of measures to meet a budget deficit due to a sharp drop in oil revenues which previously made up around 95 percent of the country's total income.

The emirate liberalised the prices of diesel and kerosene in January 2015 and revises them monthly.

Other oil-rich Gulf states had already raised fuel and electricity prices.

In April, Kuwait's parliament approved a government-sponsored bill to raise electricity and water prices paid by foreign residents and businesses, but exempted Kuwaiti citizens.

The OPEC member recorded a budget shortfall of 4.6 billion dinars ($15.3 billion) in the fiscal year which ended on March 31.
Hong Kong marks 2nd anniversary of 'Umbrella Revolution'

Hundreds of Hong Kong pro-democracy supporters holding yellow umbrellas held three minutes' silence outside the city's government offices Wednesday to mark the second anniversary of mass protests challenging Beijing.

The anniversary of the "Umbrella Revolution" comes as tensions remain high in the semi-autonomous city, with fears growing that China is tightening its grip.

Huge rallies in 2014 demanding fully free leadership elections and other democratic reforms for Hong Kong brought parts of the city to a standstill for more than two months.

The umbrella, drawn here on a tent in a camp in central Hong Kong in 2014, became a symbol of the pro-democracy movement Nicolas Asfouri (AFP/File)

Those demands were snubbed by Beijing, but since then former Umbrella Movement protesters have won seats as city lawmakers.

Some of them are now pushing for a complete break from China as the fledgling independence movement gains support.

Former Umbrella Movement protest leader Nathan Law, 23, became Hong Kong's youngest legislator in the recent citywide elections. He now advocates self-determination for Hong Kong.

Speaking to the crowds Wednesday, Law urged them to keep fighting.

"It's important for you to find the impulse and bravery from before to allow for an even bigger resistance next time," he said, speaking on a stage beside the "Lennon Wall" -- a staircase near the government complex that became plastered with notes of support for protesters during the 2014 rallies.

Law was joined by political ally Joshua Wong, 19, who also addressed the crowds.

In an interview with AFP Wednesday, Wong said the democracy movement was in a "long-term battle facing the largest communist regime in the world".

"We just have to show our persistence, courage and commitment," he said.

- Tear gas moment -

At 5:58 pm (0958 GMT) those gathered held three minutes' silence to mark the time two years ago when police fired tear gas at student-led pro-democracy protesters.

That galvanised tens of thousands to come onto the streets in support.

The largely peaceful demonstrations spawned sprawling protest camps, with tents and artworks set up on highways and shopping streets.

The movement gained its name from protesters' use of umbrellas to shield them from tear gas, pepper spray, sun and rain alike.

Supporters Wednesday said they felt the rallies had changed the city for the better.

"The Umbrella Movement transformed many in the city to care about the community, so we must make an effort to remember this incident," said school student Joy Chan, 14.

Chan said she had taken part in the protests in 2014 -- many school-age protesters joined the demonstrations and makeshift classrooms were set up so they could continue their studies.

Housewife Claire Weber, 42, said she was at the site two years ago when police fired tear gas at the crowds.

"No matter what, or how messy the political environment gets, we must persist," she told AFP.

The atmosphere Wednesday was carnivalesque, with souvenirs including miniature yellow paper umbrellas -- the symbol of the movement -- handed out to those taking part.

Metres-tall signs reading "I want real universal suffrage" were displayed, an echo of the slogans of 2014.

Hong Kong was handed back to China by Britain in 1997 under a semi-autonomous "one country, two systems" deal, which guaranteed its freedoms for 50 years.

But there are deep concerns those liberties are under threat in a number of areas, from politics to education and the media.
The Life Story of Neerja Bhanot: From A Bitter Marriage To The Hijacked Pan Am 73 Flight

When faced with difficult situations in life, we are left with two choices  one is to show the back and flee and the other is to face it and combat. This applies to all of us, but very few are able to stand it and fewer are able to look straight in the eye of adversity and say, To Hell With You, and become a part of folklore.

One such name is Neerja Bhanot. She is a perfect example of a person who fought all odds with sheer grit and determination. From a bitter personal life to the last day of her life, she stirred the nation with her act of perseverance and bravery. She prevented a hijacked plane from getting off the ground and also saved the lives of approximately 300 hostages. She sacrificed her life just two days before her twenty third birthday in line of duty. She laid down her life so that others could live, and the young model became a role model for generations.

Happy Childhood!

Harish Bhanot and his wife Rama Bhanot had all the reasons to celebrate when they welcomed their third child, Neerja on 7th September, 1963. Their prayers for a girl child were answered as Neerja came into their life. She was brought up in a traditional Punjabi Brahmin family. Initially she pursued her schooling at Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, Chandigarh, and when the family shifted to Mumbai she continued with her schooling at Bombay Scottish School. She finished her graduation from St. Xaviers College, Mumbai.

Neerja was named Lado by her family. She was a calm child and a no nonsense girl right from the beginning. She was very affectionate, hard working, disciplined, sensitive and a caring person. She had her own set of principles and there was almost no scope of compromise in them.

She began her career as a model and quickly gained recognition with her drop dead gorgeous looks. She endorsed many products ranging from creams to toothpastes to sarees and many others. In 1985, while she was doing her modelling assignments, Pan Am decided to have an all Indian cabin crew for their Frankfurt to India route, and she applied for a flight attendants job. She found a place amongst the top 80 out of the 10,000 applications that they received and she flew to Miami for training as a flight attendant but returned as a Purser.

Marriage Turns Bitter

In March 1985, at the age of 21 she tied the knot with Naresh Mishra, a gulf based businessman. It was an ad-based arranged marriage and soon after the wedding she moved to Gulf, to join her husband. Before the marriage, Neerjas family had clearly stated that they will not offer any dowry but her new family insisted on it. Her dream of a happy marriage turned bitter within two months. In a foreign land she was starved of food and money. She had to borrow money from her husband when she wanted to make a phone call back home. She was not allowed to socialise with anyone and was also asked to quit her modelling career. She was continuously tortured for dowry for two months. As stated by her father, Neerjas in-laws said that even a very poor man gives something to his daughter in marriage.

While she was dealing with this, she had to fly to Mumbai to fulfil a modelling contract that she had signed before marriage. Within a few days of her arrival, an unpleasant letter came that stated terms and conditions which she was supposed to follow if she wanted to return back to her husband. She did not succumb to the humiliating terms and as stated in the letter, the marriage ended in a divorce. The worst thing that the letter stated was Who you are? Just a graduate, which was very hard for her to accept and it was during this period of turmoil then when she applied for the flight attendants job. There were few close friends on Pan Am who knew about her sour marriage. She had told them once that God forbids, if something happens to her, she did not want even the shadow of her ex-husband to fall on her dead body.

The Hijack of Pan Am 73 Flight

Neerja Bhanot, boarded the Pan Am 73 flight as a senior flight purser on 5th September, 1986, after a long day of modelling, usually the way she did always, shuttling her roles as a purser in the morning and model at night. Her mother wanted her to excuse herself from her job for a day so that she could rest, but as dedicated as she was, she firmly said no and left home. When she was about to leave for the flight, her father asked about her birthday plans, to which she had said that she wished for a family gathering without any pomp and show. The family did gather at the airport, only to collect her coffin.

The Pan Am 73 flight carrying 361 passengers and 19 crew members took off from Mumbai and headed towards New York. It stopped at Karachis Jinnah International Airport but it was hijacked and held up by four armed Palestinian men of Abu Nidal Orgaization, backed by Libya. The terrorists barged in the plane dressed as airport security personnel on September 5, 1986. Neerja, showed great presence of mind and quick reflexes as she rushed to the cockpit and shouted the hijack code.

The three flight crew members, pilot, co-pilot and flight engineer escaped as soon as they heard about the hijack. Since, Neerja was next in line; and as soon as she learned that her seniors had deserted the plane, she took charge. American citizens were the target of the terrorists. This became evident as soon as they identified an American within minutes of the hijacking and shot him dead and threw his body on to the tarmac. Thereafter they asked Neerja to quickly collect all passports so that they could easily identify Americans, which Neerja did but disposed the passports of the Americans down a rubbish chute and some under the seats.

The ordeal lasted for 17 hours and she communicated and negotiated with the hijackers. She kept calm and composed and her winsome smile gave assurance to passengers and cabin crew that it all will pass soon.

But destiny had some other plans. The power generators went out of fuel and voltage started to fall, which prompted the leader of the terrorists to ask his men to open fire. As soon as the lights went dim, she jumped towards the emergency gate and opened it. She could have been the first one to flee, but she did not. She ran back and started helping other passengers to escape. She was shot then by terrorists when she tried to save three unaccompanied American children from the bullets of hijackers.

According to Mrs. Malti Krishnaswamy, one of the eye witnesses, Neerja was caught by the leader of the terrorists and shot point blank. In the dead body I saw bullets had hit her in the abdomen, on the shoulder near the neck and in the arm. When she opened the emergency exit, she could have herself been the first to slide down the chute. But she was the captain, who believed that she had to be the last person to quit  alive or dead.

Three bullets had hit her, and she was bleeding profusely yet she managed to slide down the chute after the ordeal and with little assistance she walked towards the ambulance but she left for the heavenly abode before she could be provided with any medical help.

Her father recalled that just a year before the fatal incident she had written to him, I will do you proud, and this is how she kept her words. The lionhearted girl was just once in her life asked What are you?, and this is how she answered What she was.

Awards and Accolades

For the survivors, she was an angel in disguise. She could have escaped the hijacked plane but she chose to lay down her life to save 300 lives instead of saving her own. Following are the list of awards and accolades that she received posthumously.

She was honoured with Ashok Chakra  Indias most prestigious gallantry award for bravery during peace time, becoming the youngest recipient and first women recipient of the award. The Ashok Chakra Citation read, Her loyalties to the passengers of the aircraft in distress will forever be a lasting tribute to the finest qualities of the human spirit.

The Indian Postal Service released a stamp commemorating her for a fearless act.

Neerja Bhanot Chowk has been named after her in Mumbai.

Pakistan conferred upon her Tamgha-e-Insaniyat award.

United Sates awarded her with Flight Safety Foundation Heroism Award 1987.

She was honoured with Justice for Crimes Award in 2005, United States

Special Courage Award 2006, United States

Civil Aviation Ministry Award 2011, India

She also received Bharat Gaurav Award presented at the House of Commons on 2 nd July, 2016, UK Parliament.

July, 2016, UK Parliament. Her brother, Aneesh Bhanot had conceptualised a coffee book with the title, The Neerja I Knew, which has several chapters written by people who knew her.

A Hindi film, Neerja was made on the life of Neerja Bhanot. It starred Sonam Kapoor.

Neerja Bhanot Award

Neerjas family constituted a trust, Neerja Bhanot Pan Am Trust from the insurance money and the contribution that Neerjas family received from Pan Am, for using the title of the airline for their trust. This trust, gives away two awards every year to an Indian woman, who faces social injustice and fights back. It consists of a trophy, a citation and a sum of Rs 1,50,000 to salute the spirit of courage.
DR Congo's Bemba appeals ICC war crimes conviction

Former Congolese vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba, jailed for 18 years for war crimes, has formally appealed against his conviction by the International Criminal Court, arguing his trial was "flawed," his lawyers said Wednesday.

Bemba last week "filed an appeal against his conviction", his defence team said in a statement sent to AFP, adding that his rights had been violated to the point that "the Bemba trial, in fact, was a mistrial".

The former militia leader was sentenced in June to 18 years in jail after being found guilty at the ICC on five charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Jean-Pierre Bemba was sentenced to 18 years in jail after being found guilty at the International Criminal Court on five charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity Michael Kooren (Pool/AFP/File)

Once the powerful leader of the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC), Bemba failed to stop a series of rapes and murders committed by his troops in the Central African Republic in 2002 and 2003.

Bemba's case was the first before the ICC to focus on sexual violence as a weapon of war and the first to underline a military commander's responsibility for the conduct of troops under his control.

But his lawyers argued in their appeal filed on September 19 that the judges' "findings on effective control fall far outside established military doctrine and practice".

Bemba's trial "invented a theory of command responsibility which is a military impossibility", his defence team said.
Palestinian president calls Peres 'brave' partner for peace

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas hailed Shimon Peres as a "brave" partner for peace and sent his family condolences after the Israeli ex-president died earlier Wednesday, the official Palestinian news agency reported.

"Abbas sent a message of condolence to the family of former president Shimon Peres, expressing his sadness and sorrow," WAFA reported.

"Peres was a partner in making the brave peace with the martyr Yasser Arafat and prime minister (Yitzhak) Rabin, and made unremitting efforts to reach a lasting peace from the Oslo agreement until the final moments of his life."
India allows accused Italian marine to stay in home country

India's top court ruled on Wednesday that a second Italian marine accused of killing two fishermen can stay in his home country pending a ruling on whether he should be tried in New Delhi.

Two marines are accused of shooting the fishermen while protecting an Italian oil tanker off India's southern state of Kerala in 2012, in a long-running case that has soured relations between the countries.

Massimiliano Latorre was allowed to travel back to Italy in 2014 for treatment after suffering a stroke, with India stipulating that he return.

Italian marines Massimiliano Latorre (right) and Salvatore Girone arrive at Ciampino airport near Rome, on December 22, 2012 Vincenzo Pinto (AFP/File)

But the Supreme Court said the marine can now stay in his home country pending the settlement of a dispute between Delhi and Rome over who has jurisdiction in the case.

"Massimiliano Latorre is permitted to remain in Italy pending the outcome of proceedings in the international court," Justice Anil Dave said.

The court allowed fellow marine Salvatore Girone to return home in May, also pending a ruling on jurisdiction, after living in Italy's embassy in Delhi for four years.

The court agreed Wednesday to alter Latorre's bail, on condition he report to an Italian police station every month and that Delhi regularly updates the court on the arbitration case.

Italy initiated international proceedings last year, referring the row to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague and asking it to rule on where the men should be tried.

The detention of the marines, the murder charges and the long wait for the case to be resolved are sore subjects in Italy, with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi regularly flayed by opposition leaders in the past for failing to get both men home.

Italy insists the oil tanker, the MV Enrica Lexie, was in international waters as part of an anti-piracy mission at the time of the incident.

India argues the case is not a maritime dispute but "a double murder at sea", in which one fisherman was shot in the head and the other in the stomach.
Protests after unarmed black man shot dead by US police

Protesters marched in a California town following the fatal police shooting of an unarmed black man said to be mentally ill, as local officials urged calm and pledged a full investigation.

Alfred Okwera Olango, 38, was shot on Tuesday in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon after police received an emergency call about a man behaving erratically and walking in traffic.

El Cajon police chief Jeff Davis said Olango had ignored repeated calls by responding officers to remove his hand from his pocket and one officer used a taser against him while another fired his weapon when he turned and confronted them.

El Cajon police chief, Jeff Davis said the man ignored repeated warnings and pulled an object from his pocket, taking up "what appeared to be a shooting stance" Bill Wechter (AFP)

"At one point, the subject rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together and extended them rapidly toward the officer taking up what appeared to be a shooting stance," Davis said in a statement. "At this time, the officer with the electronic control device discharged his weapon.

"Simultaneously, the officer with the firearm discharged his weapon several times, striking the subject."

Authorities said Wednesday the object that Olango had in his hands was a "vape" electronic cigarette. It had a silver cylinder and Olango held the vape's box in his grip.

The shooting took place as the United States reels from a string of police killings of black men that have raised racial tensions nationwide.

Dozens of angry demonstrators marched peacefully on Wednesday in El Cajon, a town with a large immigrant and refugee population, at one point blocking an intersection as they faced off with police in riot gear.

"These senseless killings have to stop -- not just in El Cajon but in the entire country," community activist Estela De Los Rios said.

More than 100 people had gathered Tuesday evening at the scene of the shooting insisting that it was unjustified and racially motivated. Several shouted "black lives matter" and "hands up, don't shoot."

- Police urge calm -

Local officials have urged residents to remain calm, pledging that the incident would be fully investigated by police, the district attorney and the FBI.

"This will be transparent. This will be looked at by multiple sets of eyes, and not just ours," Davis vowed at a news conference.

Police have also released a still photo lifted from a video taken at the scene that shows a man in a shooting stance.

One witness posted a Facebook Live video after the shooting that showed a distraught woman who identified herself as Olango's sister and said she had called police to help her brother who was mentally ill.

"You guys came and killed my brother," the woman wails in the video that had been viewed more than 110,000 times by Wednesday afternoon.

"I called you guys to help my brother. You killed my brother in front of me."

Relatives said Olango was a refugee from Uganda.

Davis said the two officers involved in the shooting, each with more than 20 years of service, had been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

The deaths of black men at the hands of police have spurred protests across America, most recently last week in the North Carolina city of Charlotte.

The fatal shooting of Keith Lamont Scott, 43, triggered days of unrest, forcing the governor to declare a state of emergency and deploy the National Guard.

Protesters lock arms in front of a police line in El Cajon, a suburb of San Diego, California following a police shooting of a black man Bill Wechter (AFP)
Aleppo bombers will have to 'answer before God': pope

Pope Francis on Wednesday said those behind the bombing of Aleppo, where Syrian and Russian forces have conducted days of deadly airstrikes, will have to "answer before God."

"I appeal to the conscience of those responsible for the bombardment, who will have to answer before God," the pope said at his weekly address in St Peter's square, without naming Syria or Russia.

He spoke of his "deep pain and serious concern about the events" in Aleppo, where air strikes by Syrian and Russian forces on eastern rebel positions have sparked international condemnation.

Pope Francis referred to Aleppo as a "battered city where children, the elderly, the sick, the young, the old are dying" Gabriel Bouys (AFP)

The Pope referred to Aleppo as a "battered city where children, the elderly, the sick, the young, the old are dying... so many people."

He also repeated his call for "everyone to commit themselves with all their power to the protection of civilians," adding that this was "an imperative and urgent obligation."

The recent airstrikes have been some of the fiercest since the start of the five-year conflict in Syria.

They followed last week's collapse of a ceasefire deal brokered by Washington and Moscow.

The pope's comments come two days after the US accused Moscow of "barbarism" over the carnage in Aleppo, where France said Tuesday that "war crimes" were being committed.

Some 140 people, nearly all civilians, have been killed in the Syrian and Russian raids since late Thursday.

The city is facing worsening food and medical shortages.
Paris to host international meeting on Libya next week

France will host an international meeting on strife-ridden Libya next week featuring several countries in the region including Egypt and Gulf states, the French government's spokesman said.

Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told a cabinet meeting the gathering would bring together countries including Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey "to see how we can advance the cause of achieving the necessary unity in Libya", spokesman Stephane Le Foll said.

Libyan prime minister-designate Fayez al-Sarraj held talks with President Francois Hollande in Paris on Tuesday.

A Libyan pro-regime fighter with the Government of National Accord (GNA) fires at Islamic State jihadists during clashes for control of Sirte, on September 3, 2016 Mahmud Turkia (AFP/File)

Sarraj told AFP in an interview that military strongman Khalifa Haftar, who controls the north African country's main oil ports, should be represented in a new, more inclusive government.

"We have no other choice but dialogue and reconciliation," Sarraj said.

"No one wants an escalation or a confrontation between Libyans," he added.

Haftar's forces this month seized control of Libya's so-called "oil crescent".

Sarraj's fragile unity government, formed in March following a UN-backed deal in December 2015, is backed by the international community.

But the Government of National Accord (GNA) has struggled to impose its power across a country riven by violence since the fall of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.
US strike kills 18, including Afghan civilians: officials

Civilians were among at least 18 people killed in a US air strike against Islamic State militants in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday, officials said, with conflicting claims about the number of civilian deaths.

The attack happened in Achin district, a hotbed of IS insurgents in Nangarhar province near the border with Pakistan, as local residents gathered to welcome a tribal elder who had recently returned from the hajj pilgrimage.

"Three civilians lost their lives in this strike," Achin police chief Mohammad Ali told AFP, adding that 15 militants were also killed.

Islamic State first emerged in Afghanistan in late 2014 and has since violently challenged the much larger Afghan Taliban movement in parts of the country's east Noorullah Shirzada (AFP/File)

But Esmatullah Shinwari, a Nangarhar MP, said the strike killed 13 civilian relatives of the local elder. Six IS fighters were also killed, he added.

The American military said it conducted a "counter-terrorism airstrike in Achin" on Wednesday, adding it was aware of claims of civilian casualties.

"We... are currently reviewing all materials related to this strike," US military spokesman Charles Cleveland said in a statement.

"US Forces-Afghanistan takes all allegations of civilian casualties very seriously."

There was no information on whether it was an attack by a drone or a piloted aircraft.

Islamic State first emerged in Afghanistan in late 2014 and has since violently challenged the much larger Afghan Taliban movement in parts of the country's east.

But the fighters have steadily lost territory in recent months because of stepped-up US airstrikes and a ground campaign by Afghan forces in Nangarhar.

They are confined to two or three districts including Achin, according to Afghan and US officials.

Civilian and military casualties caused by NATO forces have been one of the most contentious issues in the 15-year campaign against the insurgents, prompting harsh public and government criticism.

A US air strike killed eight Afghan policemen earlier this month in the southern province of Uruzgan in the first apparent "friendly fire" incident since American forces were given greater powers to strike at insurgents in June.
Drug lords killed, injured in Philippine jail

A man accused by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte of being the nation's top drug trafficker was injured and a gang member killed during jailhouse knife attacks on Wednesday, authorities said.

Two other high-profile inmates were injured in the violence at Manila's notorious Bilibid National Penitentiary, from where Duterte has said much of the nation's illegal drug trade is run.

"It appears there was a knife fight," Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre said.

A policeman stands guard near a crime scene where a suspected drug dealer was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Manila Noel Celis (AFP/File)

Duterte won the presidential election in a landslide in May after promising to kill 100,000 criminals as part of a campaign against illegal drugs.

More than 3,700 people have been killed in the less than three months he has been in office, prompting widespread criticism from Western governments and rights groups about a breakdown in the rule of law.

Duterte has railed against the criticism, vowing to do whatever is necessary to stop the Philippines from becoming a narco state.

He had targeted Bilibid prison as one of the hotspots for the drug trade and accused Peter Co, one of the men injured on Wednesday, as being the biggest drug trafficker.

On July 8 Duterte said Co ran a drug empire from inside his prison cell, supplying Manila and the main island of Luzon, with the help of corrupt officials in the previous government.

"So my appeal to them is, since they are beyond redemption, they can stop and commit suicide, because I will not allow these idiots to run their show. Not during my watch," Duterte told reporters.

Prison officials said the six men involved in Wednesday's violence were all top gang leaders who attacked each other at a maximum-security wing of the jail, where they had been segregated as a security measure.

They did not explain how the weapons got into the jail.

The man killed was Tony Co, no relation to Peter Co but a member of the same prison gang and also a convicted drug trafficker.

Senator Leila de Lima, one of Duterte's most outspoken critics over the killings in the war on crime, accused the government of organising the knife attacks.

"It makes this government an assassin state," de Lima told reporters.

Both Duterte and Aguirre denied de Lima's allegation.

Duterte has in turn accused de Lima of being involved in the prison drugs trade when she was justice secretary in the previous government, allegations she denies.

The president's allegations are being investigated by the House of Representatives, which last week heard testimony from seven other Bilibid jail gang bosses about De Lima's supposed role in the prison drugs trade.
Iraq requests more US troops ahead of Mosul battle

Iraq has asked Washington to deploy additional trainers and advisers as its forces prepare for the battle to retake Mosul from the Islamic State group, the premier's office said Wednesday.

IS seized Mosul along with swathes of other territory in June 2014, but the country's forces have since regained significant ground from the jihadists and are readying for a drive to retake Iraq's second city.

Iraq has requested "a final increase in the number of American trainers and advisers... to support the heroic Iraqi security forces in their impending battle to liberate Mosul," Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office said in a statement.

The Iraqi army is deploying thousands of soldiers to a northern base in preparation for operations to retake the Islamic State (IS) group's hub of Mosul Safin Hamed (AFP/File)

Abadi's office said the US government had agreed to the request.

A US official said that Washington is prepared to send additional troops, but there has not yet been an announcement on when they would be deployed or how many more would be sent.

A US-led coalition is carrying out air strikes against IS in Iraq, and Washington has authorised the deployment of more than 4,600 military personnel to the country.

Most are in advisory or training roles, but some American forces have fought IS on the ground, and three members of the US military have been killed by the jihadists in Iraq.

The US has repeatedly emphasised that the assistance it is providing to Iraq is at Baghdad's request, but such requests have generally not been publicised by the Iraqi government.

Abadi's spokesman Saad al-Hadithi said the announcement was made in this case to clarify what the US forces would be doing and head off accusations that they would be involved in combat.

- Politically sensitive -

The statement from Abadi's office noted that American forces are helping Iraq in its battle against the jihadists, but their presence is still extremely politically sensitive due to the nine-year war the US fought in the country.

The statement said that the number of trainers and advisors would start to be reduced as soon as Mosul is retaken from IS, and also asserted that no American troops had fought alongside Iraqi troops.

In reality, American special forces have fought IS alongside Iraqi Kurdish forces on several occasions that have been made public, and likely in other operations that have not come to light.

Various Western officials have indicated that the battle to retake Mosul will begin in October, though Abadi has declined to specify when it will start, saying he wants to maintain surprise.

Once the push is launched, a coalition of heterogenous and sometimes rival Iraqi forces will have to fight through IS defences -- in some cases over distances of dozens of kilometres (miles) from their current positions -- to reach the city.

Then, if Iraqi strategy for Mosul follows that used in previous operations, they will seek to surround and seal off the city prior to an assault.

The operation also poses major humanitarian challenges: the United Nations has said that it may displace up to one million people, and impact up to 1.5 million.

Even after Mosul is retaken, the war against IS will be far from over.

The jihadists are likely to revert to insurgent tactics, such as bombings of civilians and hit-and-run attacks on security forces, following the demise of their "state" in Iraq.

Conflict in Iraq Thomas SAINT-CRICQ, Kun TIAN (AFP/File)
Kvitova forgets rankings, dimisses Kerber at Wuhan

Double Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova put aside thoughts of rankings to down newly crowned number one Angelique Kerber in an epic three sets at the Wuhan Open on Wednesday.

The US and Australian Open champion, playing her first tournament since ascending to number one, took the first set after an aggressive 22-point tie break.

Kvitova took an early lead in the second set, going 5-3 up, before a surge from the German brought them level.

Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic hits a return during her third round match against Angelique Kerber of Germany at the WTA Wuhan Open tennis tournament in Wuhan, in China's central Hubei province on September 28, 2016 Greg Baker (AFP)

But Kerber failed to capitalise on the gain, taking the two left-handers into a third set -- and a third hour of play.

"I think that in the really important moments, I (made) two, three easy mistakes, which was the key in the second set," Kerber told reports after the match.

The Olympic bronze medallist surged ahead in the final set, but Kerber denied her the first match point, pushing for another game -- and five match points -- before Kvitova was able to bag her place in the quarter finals.

"When you're playing, you just don't really care about the rankings. But, of course, it's nice to beat world number one," the Czech told reporters after the match.

Next round Kvitova will face Briton Johanna Konta, who boosted her chances of qualifying for her first WTA Finals when she beat eighth ranked Carla Suarez Navarro in another tight dual.

Konta won the epic, nearly hour-long first set, but the eighth-ranked Spaniard took an early lead in the second, pushing two breaks up.

- 'Brave' Konta -

But momentum was on Konta's side as she saved three set points to set up a tie break win.

After dropping again at the beginning of the decider, she then romped through five consecutive points to win the match 7-5, 7-6 (8/6).

"I was fully prepared to obviously play a third (set) if need be," Konta said.

"I really just tried to be brave and just play the way I wanted to play throughout the whole match, and those points as well."

The win takes her a step closing to being the first British woman in a generation to join the ranks of the top ten.

She reached the Australian Open semi-final at the start of the year and won her maiden WTA title in July, which saw her rise to 13th in the world.

In a veterans' third round matchup, former world number two Svetlana Kuznetsova beat seven time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams in straight sets 6-2, 6-2.

The pair have more than three decades on the professional circuit between them but had not met on court for seven years.

Kuznetsova will face Agnieszka Radwanska in the quarter finals, after the Pole ended former world number one Caroline Wozniacki's strong Asian run in straight sets.

Meanwhile at the other end of the age scale, teenager Daria Kasatkina of Russia fell to 21-year-old American Madison Keys.

Keys will meet fourth seed Simona Halep in the last eight after she defeated Kazakh Yaroslava Shvedova, despite being knocked dizzy and forced to retire from a doubles match a day earlier.
- T. S. Eliot

Thoughts After Lambeth

"The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide."
All global trade banned in endangered pangolins

The shy, scale-covered pangolin is to receive the highest level of protection against illegal trade to try to save it from extinction, after a vote Wednesday by delegates at a global conference.

The reclusive, gentle mammal is prized as an edible delicacy and ingredient in traditional medicine, especially in China and Vietnam as well as across Africa.

Rocketing demand for their meat and body parts has fuelled a boom in illegal hunting with more than a million pangolins believed to have been poached from the wild in the past decade.

Pangolins are the world's most heavily trafficked mammals Jekesai Njikizana (AFP/File)

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) meeting in Johannesburg voted overwhelmingly to ban trade in the endangered pangolin, the world's most heavily trafficked mammal.

CITES said in a statement that all eight species of pangolin would be moved into its "appendix 1", which outlaws all international trade in animals facing possible extinction.

"This is a huge win and rare piece of good news for some of the world's most trafficked and endangered animals," Ginette Hemley, of conservation group WWF, said in a statement.

"(It) eliminates any question about legality of trade, making it harder for criminals to traffic them.

- Sensitive to stress -

"The parties must move swiftly to enforce the decision. Illegal trade will continue to threaten pangolins as long as demand for their meat and scales persists."

Previously CITES allowed international trade in pangolins under strict conditions.

Pangolins, which have bad vision but a good sense of smell and hearing, are covered in tough, overlapping scales, and eat ants using pink, sticky tongues almost as long as their bodies.

When threatened or attacked by predators such as lions, they curl into defensive ball, making it easy for them to be picked up by human hunters and put into a sack.

About the size of a small dog, they are solitary, mostly nocturnal and cannot be easily farmed or kept in captivity due to suffering stress.

"We are happy that the world has finally decided to pay attention to the plight of this little known and amazingly unique animal," said Jeff Flocken of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

"They are one of the most imperilled species on the planet and it is about time that we wake up and do something to save them."

In Chinese traditional medicine, pangolin scales are ground into a powder believed to cure conditions from headaches and menstrual cramps to nose bleeds and lack of virility.

Research published in the early 2000s estimated pangolin numbers in China have declined by up to 94 percent, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The scales are sometimes even used as guitar plectrums.

In traditional African culture, some people believe in keeping a scale in their pockets to ward off evil.

Zimbabweans used to present the mammals to President Robert Mugabe during his early years in office, but the practice has been discontinued.

Pangolin fat, blood and bones are also highly valued in African traditional medicine.

The CITES treaty, signed by 182 countries and the European Union, protects about 5,600 animal and 30,000 plant species from over-exploitation through commercial trade.

The 12-day conference, which started on Saturday, is sifting through 62 proposals to tighten or loosen trade restrictions on around 500 species.

A pangolin can sell for anything between 10,000 rand ($730) to 80,000 rand ($5,800) Jimin Lai (AFP/File)

Pangolins are the world's most heavily trafficked mammal Juni Kriswanto (AFP/File)
US to send 600 more troops to Iraq for Mosul offensive

The United States will send about 600 extra troops to Iraq to train local forces for an offensive on the Islamic State group stronghold of Mosul, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Wednesday.

IS seized Mosul along with other areas in June 2014, but the country's forces have since regained significant ground from the jihadists and are readying for a drive to retake Iraq's second-largest city.

"These (US) forces will be primarily to enable Iraqi security forces, and also peshmerga, in the operations to isolate and collapse ISIL's control over Mosul," Carter told reporters on a work trip to New Mexico, using an IS acronym. Peshmerga are Kurdish fighters.

Iraqi troops deploy in the town of Sharqat on September 22, 2016 Mahmud Saleh (AFP/File)

"Also to protect and expand Iraqi security forces' gains elsewhere in Iraq," he added.

The US forces will head to Qayyarah, a strategically vital air base 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Mosul that will help funnel supplies and troops toward the city, as well as to other locations including the joint Iraqi-US Al Asad air base.

They notably will beef up flight capabilities at Al Asad for night operations and operations in low visibility, such as poor weather.

A US-led coalition is carrying out air strikes against IS in Iraq, and Washington has already authorized the deployment of more than 4,600 military personnel to the country.

Most are in advisory or training roles, working with Iraqi and peshmerga forces, but some American troops have fought IS on the ground, and three members of the US military have been killed by the jihadists in Iraq.

Earlier Wednesday, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office indicated it had requested "a final increase in the number of American trainers and advisers" to support Iraqi troops in the northern city.

The statement from Abadi's office noted that US forces are helping Iraq in its battle against the jihadists. But their presence remains extremely politically sensitive due to the nine-year war the United States fought in the country.

The statement said the number of trainers and advisers would start to be reduced as soon as Mosul is retaken from IS, and also asserted that no American troops had fought alongside Iraqi troops.

In reality, American special forces have fought IS alongside Iraqi Kurdish forces on several occasions that have been made public, and likely in other operations that have not come to light.

Carter said the additional US forces would be tasked with training Iraqis, gathering intelligence and providing logistical support for the Mosul push.

"But I need to make clear... American forces combating ISIL in Iraq are in harm's way... no one should be in any doubt about that," Carter said.

How long they will stay is up to the Iraqis, Carter insisted.

"We are certainly to continue to help the Iraqi security forces in whatever measure and manner they wish to consolidate the control over their country after they've recaptured this last major ISIL center," he said.

According to Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis, the new deployment is for 615 troops. That would bring total US forces in Iraq to 5,262.

The actual number would be higher than that because the tally does not include certain assignments.

The troops "will move very soon," Davis said.

- A million displaced? -

Carter expects the Mosul offensive to begin in the coming weeks, but stressed the decision was an Iraqi one.

IS has had two years to reinforce its defenses in Mosul, and observers are expecting a difficult fight amid a civilian population.

"We are prepared for whatever happens there," Carter said.

The United Nations warned that military operations there could cause as many as a million people to be displaced.

Last week, US President Barack Obama said US-backed Iraqi troops could be in a position "fairly rapidly" to liberate Mosul, though he warned "this is going to be hard, this is going to be challenging."

Separately, the US military concluded Tuesday that a rocket fired this month at the Qayyarah air base, which houses hundreds of US troops, contained no mustard agent, as initially suspected.

In neighboring Syria, hundreds of US forces are deployed alongside Kurdish and rebel fighters to battle IS, which is also facing air raids by the international coalition.

The Pentagon has expressed concern IS fighters could use mustard gas to defend Mosul.

Even after Mosul is retaken, the war against IS will be far from over.

The jihadists are likely to revert to insurgent tactics, such as bombings of civilians and hit-and-run attacks on security forces, following the demise of their so-called "state" in Iraq.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office has requested "a final increase in the number of American trainers and advisers" to support Iraqi troops in the Islamic State group stronghold of Mosul Dominick Reuter (AFP/File)
Shimon Peres: some leading tributes

Nobel laureate and former Israeli president Shimon Peres, who died Wednesday aged 93, left an indelible mark on world affairs. Here is a selection of international tributes paid to one of Israel's best-loved elder statesmen.

- 'Moral imagination' -

"There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves. My friend Shimon was one of those people.

A photograph of the late former Israeli president Shimon Peres is displayed before the start of a special cabinet meeting to mourn his death, in Jerusalem, on September 28, 2016 Ronen Zvulun (Pool/AFP)

"Perhaps because he had seen Israel surmount overwhelming odds, Shimon never gave up on the possibility of peace between Israelis, Palestinians and Israel's neighbours."

-- US President Barack Obama

- 'Genius with a big heart' -

"The Middle East has lost a fervent advocate for peace and reconciliation and for a future where all the children of Abraham build a better tomorrow.

"He was a genius with a big heart who used his gifts to imagine a future of reconciliation not conflict, economic and social empowerment not anger and frustration, and a nation, a region, and a world enhanced by caring and sharing, not torn asunder by the illusions of permanent dominance and perfect truth."

-- Former US president Bill Clinton

- Tireless optimist -

"He worked tirelessly for a two-state solution that would enable Israel to live securely and harmoniously with the Palestinians and the wider region.

"Even in the most difficult hours, he remained an optimist about the prospects for reconciliation and peace."

-- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon

- Inspiring memory -

"I hope that his memory and many years of service will inspire us all to work with ever greater urgency for peace and reconciliation between peoples.

"In this way, his legacy will truly be honoured and the common good for which he so diligently laboured will find new expressions, as humanity strives to advance on the path towards enduring peace."

-- Pope Francis

- 'Incessant energy' -

"He was one of the oldest world politicians. But he could inspire even younger politicians with his incessant energy, ideas, and original approaches to solving the most difficult international problems.

"He tried to use his experience and political wisdom when searching for a way out from dead ends that world politics sometimes reached."

-- Ex-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev

- 'Political giant' -

"Shimon Peres was a political giant, a statesman who will rank as one of the foremost of this era or any era, and someone I loved deeply."

-- Tony Blair, former British prime minister and ex-special envoy to the Middle East Quartet

- Ardent defender of peace -

"Shimon Peres now belongs to history, which was his companion during his long life.

"With the death of Shimon Peres, Israel has lost one of its most illustrious statesmen, and peace one of its most ardent defenders."

-- French President Francois Hollande

- 'Innate humanity' -

"By his unyielding determination and principle, Shimon Peres time and again helped guide his beloved country through the crucible of mortal challenge. But it was by his innate humanity, his decency, that Shimon inspired the world over and helped pave a path to peace broad enough that future generations will walk it one day, side by side."

-- Former US president George Bush

- 'Wisdom and vision' -

"I was lucky enough to have the chance to speak with this remarkable person many times. Every time I admired his courage and patriotism, his wisdom and vision, his ability to grasp the essence of the most difficult issues."
Peres sought peace, but dream now rapidly fading

Shimon Peres, who died Wednesday aged 93, strove for peace with the Palestinians with the Oslo accords he helped negotiate more than two decades ago, but his dream is rapidly fading.

The peace process that he helped create is now comatose, with little hope on either side that the deadlock can be broken anytime soon.

It is a sharp contrast with the burst of optimism in the early 1990s.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (L), then Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres (C) and late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (R) pose together on receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 Erik Johansen (Scanpix/AFP/File)

"We are leaving behind us the era of belligerency and are striding together toward peace," Peres declared in his acceptance speech for the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize, awarded for his role in negotiating Oslo.

At the December 10, 1994 Nobel award ceremony, large spectacles dominating his face, foreign minister Peres stood at the rostrum in Oslo.

He was joined by the other joint recipients of the prize: Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

All three wore broad smiles as they received the medals and diplomas "for their efforts to create peace in the Middle East" which had crystallised a year earlier when the first Oslo accord was signed in Washington, carrying with it the promise of resolution to the conflict.

But hope has since given way to deep pessimism.

"Twenty-three years ago, almost to the day, the first Oslo accord was signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation," United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon said on September 15.

"Unfortunately, we are further than ever from its goals. The two-state solution is at risk of being replaced by a one-state reality of perpetual violence and occupation."

Ban described the Gaza Strip as a "time bomb".

The 1993 treaty brought the first Palestinian intifada to an end but a second erupted in 2000.

Thousands of people, including women and children, have died in a cycle of Palestinian suicide bombings and rocket attacks as well as Israeli military offensives, punitive operations and "targeted killings" of alleged Palestinian militants.

Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish extremist opposed to Oslo in 1995.

- 'Peace process charade' -

Next year will mark a half-century of Israel's occupation of the West Bank and east Jerusalem, captured in the 1967 Six-Day War.

It has continued despite mutual Israeli-Palestinian recognition, endorsement by the international community of a two-state solution and UN recognition of Palestine as an observer state.

Recognition of Palestinian statehood has come from more than 130 countries.

"Our hand remains outstretched for making peace," Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas told the UN General Assembly last week.

"But the question that keeps presenting itself over and over again: Is there any leadership in Israel, the occupying power, that desires to make a true peace and that will abandon the mentality of hegemony, expansionism and colonisation?"

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the world body that the root of the problem is the "persistent Palestinian refusal to recognise the Jewish state."

"When the Palestinians finally say yes to a Jewish state, we will be able to end this conflict once and for all," he said.

The gulf between them is so wide that many diplomats fear that the concept of an Israeli and Palestinian state in peaceful coexistence is slipping away.

Former Abbas advisor Dianna Butu says that Israel clearly has no real plan for peace.

"It's time to drop the charade of the failed, decades-old 'peace process' that has only brought more misery and suffering to Palestinians," she said.

"It's time for the Palestinian leadership to finally embrace large-scale nonviolent popular resistance."

- 'The greatest victory' -

Itamar Rabinovich, a former Israeli ambassador to Washington, recalls the historic handshake between Rabin and Arafat on the White House lawn as a smiling president Bill Clinton looked on.

He said that after Rabin shook hands with his old foe he beckoned Peres forward, saying "Your turn, Shimon."

"The accords are not in good shape but the mutual recognition is still with us," he added, citing security and economic cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Israeli analyst Jonathan Rynhold said that although the Oslo framework is "severely wounded", it is still alive and, at the very least, has fostered a general acceptance by Israelis of the idea of a Palestinian state.

As for the future of the process and the role of Israel's ally the United States, Rynhold says that a victory by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton probably offers the best hope of saving the Oslo accords.

"She's been there from the beginning until now," he said. "There are few people who understand this better."

Israel has won its wars, Peres said in 1994, "but we did not win the greatest victory that we aspired to: release from the need to win victories."

Shimon Peres (C), at the time Israeli foreign minister, signed the Oslo Accords in 1993, on Palestinian autonomy in the occupied territories J. David Ake (AFP/File)

Then Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres (R) and Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin (L) in 1986 Sven Nackstrand (AFP/File)
US threatens to end cooperation unless Russia stops Aleppo assault

The United States threatened Wednesday to suspend its engagement with Russia over the conflict in Syria following escalating attacks on rebel-held parts of Aleppo city, including strikes on two hospitals.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon denounced the attacks -- which saw the two largest hospitals in Aleppo's opposition-controlled east hit with air strikes and artillery fire -- as "war crimes".

President Bashar al-Assad's forces and his ally Moscow have carried out a barrage of air strikes on eastern Aleppo since Syria's regime announced a bid last week to retake all of the divided city.

Syrian pro-government forces are seen on September 28, 2016 in the Farafira district, northwest of Aleppo's historic citadel, after Syria's army took control of the rebel-held district Georges Ourfalian (AFP)

Russia's defence ministry said Moscow was prepared to relaunch talks with the United States on the crisis, but a Syrian opposition official said a political solution to the conflict was "no longer a viable option".

Dozens of civilians have been killed, residential buildings have been reduced to rubble and residents of east Aleppo -- already suffering under a government siege -- are facing severe shortages.

The latest bombardment has been some of the worst in Syria's five-year civil war, and comes after the failure of a short-lived ceasefire brokered by Russia and the United States this month.

Moscow and Washington have traded blame over the truce's collapse, with the US harshly criticising Russia's participation in the Aleppo offensive.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that Washington will end talks on the conflict unless Moscow halts the Aleppo assault.

Kerry said the burden was on Russia to stop the assault and ensure humanitarian aid access, his spokesman John Kirby said.

"The United States is making preparations to suspend US-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria... unless Russia takes immediate steps to end the assault on Aleppo and restore the cessation of hostilities," Kirby said.

- Solution 'no longer viable' -

Russia's defence ministry said later Moscow was ready to relaunch talks with Washington.

"On orders of the Russian president, we are ready to continue joint work with our American partners on the Syrian issue," and to send experts to Geneva to "relaunch consultations," it said.

But a member of the key National Coalition opposition movement said the escalating violence, particularly against rebel-held Aleppo, meant a political solution was "no longer viable".

Coalition vice-president Muwaffaq Nyrabia said rebels were "considering all options to defend the Syrian people against the Russian aggression on Syria".

Wednesday's attacks saw the M10 and M2 hospitals hit before dawn, forcing both to shut temporarily, said Adham Sahloul of the Syrian American Medical Society, which supports both hospitals.

Doctors Without Borders -- a charity known by its French acronym MSF -- said the two attacks killed at least two patients, wounded two medics and left just two of east Aleppo's eight hospitals with surgical facilities.

It was unclear who had carried out the bombings, which UN chief Ban denounced before the Security Council.

"Those using ever more destructive weapons know exactly what they are doing. They know they are committing war crimes," he said.

Inside one of the hospitals, patients and medical staff cowered in fear.

"I am in the M2 hospital now. I was inside when the entrance to the emergency room was hit. Three of my colleagues were hurt," Aref al-Aref, a medical assistant, said.

"Everyone is terrified and scared today. We are afraid that we will be today's victims."

Sahloul warned the attacks could have devastating consequences.

"With these two hospitals gone, if today there is another offensive like Saturday or Sunday, this is signing the death warrant for hundreds of people," he said.

- 'Opportunity to escape' -

The UN children's agency UNICEF said at least 96 children have been killed and 223 wounded since Friday in the rebel-held sections of Aleppo where the health system was crumbling with only 30 doctors left.

More than 170 people have been killed in east Aleppo since Syria's army announced its operation to retake the city, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

On Wednesday, at least six civilians died in artillery fire near a bakery in the opposition-controlled Maadi district, the monitor said.

A hospital in the government-held west reported two people had been killed and 10 wounded in rebel fire on the Aziziyeh district.

Clashes also continued inside Aleppo's Old City, the Observatory said, after pro-government troops seized control of the Farafira district northwest of Aleppo's historic citadel on Tuesday.

Once Syria's commercial hub, Aleppo has been ravaged by fighting and divided since mid-2012.

An estimated 250,000 people still live in the east, which has been under devastating siege by government forces since early September.

The head of the White Helmets volunteer rescue force, which operates in opposition-held territory in northern Syria, said that under current conditions civilian facilities in eastern Aleppo would no longer be able to function within a month.

"The civilians there would seize any opportunity to escape, to go wherever they could go," Raed Saleh told AFP.

"But nothing is available to provide safety and protection for those civilians."

President Bashar al-Assad's forces and his ally Moscow have carried out a barrage of air strikes on opposition-controlled eastern Aleppo afp (AFP/File)

Syrian pro-government forces are seen on September 28, 2016 in the Farafira district, northwest of Aleppo's historic citadel, after Syria's army took control of the rebel-held district following days of heavy air strikes that have killed dozens Georges Ourfalian (AFP)
Pixies return as full band with heads in absurd

They used to sing about slicing up eyeballs; now they're carrying severed heads. The Pixies, pioneers of alternative rock, have returned as a full band and with a renewed surrealism.

"Head Carrier," which comes out on Friday, is only the sixth studio album by the underground icons who went on hiatus at their height in the early 1990s.

Yet the Pixies' reunion was marred by the departure in 2013 of bassist Kim Deal who had long had a tense relationship with frontman Black Francis.

US band "Pixies" perform during a concert at Alive Festival in Oeiras, outskirts of Lisbon in July 2016 Patricia De Melo Moreira (AFP/File)

On "Head Carrier," the Pixies bring back their earlier energy levels -- and also find a missing element, a female voice, in the form of Argentine-born bassist Paz Lenchantin who has formally joined the band after temporarily replacing Deal on tour.

Lenchantin interjects the occasional dulcet vocal line on "Head Carrier," balancing the harder-edged Black Francis as the Pixies unleash their signature rapid-fire bursts of surfer rock.

"Three dudes and a girl -- that has always been our presentation emotionally and we've got back to that now," Black Francis told AFP.

He indirectly acknowledged criticism of the band's last album, 2014's "Indie Cindy," which came after Deal's departure and a full decade after the Pixies reunited to tour, raising massive expectations over whether the band still had the same creative spark.

"I stand by it. I think 'Indie Cindy' is a good record. It represents what was happening to the band at the time," said Francis, who performed as Frank Black during the Pixies' downtime.

"We could have tried to stuff some woman in there and said, 'Okay, we have a new Kim Deal,' but that would have been so artificial because we didn't have our Kim Deal at the time," he said.

- Rocking about decapitated saint -

Originally from Boston, the Pixies initially found their strongest following in Britain and continental Europe -- where they will start their tour for "Head Carrier."

But the band also laid the groundwork for the US alternative music boom in the early 1990s as Nirvana in particular took inspiration in the Pixies' rough-around-the-edges guitar and lyrical abstraction.

"Debaser," one of the band's most famous songs, drew from Salvador Dali's surrealist film "Un Chien Andalou" with its imagery of slicing an eyeball with a razor.

On the title track of "Head Carrier," Francis references Saint Denis, the patron saint of Paris, a Christian martyr who according to legend would still preach after execution by carrying his severed head.

"A three-headed monster cut Denny's head right off / You can't be too chill, you can't be too zen / I'm going down the drain again," Francis sings.

Saint Denis tangentially ties the album together with the later track "Plaster of Paris," with Francis drawn by how plaster was first manufactured in the neighborhood of Montmartre -- where Denis met his death.

- Let the surrealism flow -

Letting the music drive the songs, Francis turns to an onomatopoeia-driven neologism on the album's first single "Um Chagga Lagga."

"Um chagga lagga on the side of the road / Um chagga lagga in the Languedoc," he sings, referring the wine-growing region of southern France.

Francis steps back from the surrealism at times on "Head Carrier" as on "All I Think About Now." With a guitar calling to mind the Pixies' classic ""Where Is My Mind?", the song is a lyrical thank-you to Deal, also known for her band The Breeders.

Francis said he found the lyricism most "magical" when the imagery flowed freely.

"Sometimes when I'm writing a song I really feel so strongly about the poetry, in the sense that it is supposed to follow a surrealist, subconscious kind of thread, that I'm not fighting it, I'm going along with it," Francis said.

He said the key was to keep the subject in focus -- but only just.

"You have to say the song that you're dealing with here deals with Saint Denis of Paris," he gave as an example.

"And even though we may not understand the song instantly when it goes by, empirically anyway, there has to be an attempt to kind of go -- See, one plus one plus one plus one sort of equals four.

"Maybe it only adds up to three because it's too damn cryptic. But there's an attempt there."

Guitarist Joey Santiago of the band Pixies performs in 2014 Ethan Miller (Getty/AFP/File)

"Three dudes and a girl -- that has always been our presentation emotionally and we've got back to that now," Black Francis told AFP Sebastien Bozon (AFP/File)
Algeria calls for OPEC supply side action

Algerian Energy Minister Noureddine Boutarfa on Wednesday pressed demands for action on an oil supply glut and higher investment to stabilise the market as an informal OPEC meeting in Algiers began.

"We must act on supply to re-stabilise the market" which has been hit by a massive surplus that has dragged prices down to record lows in the past two years, Boutarfa told a news conference following an International Energy Forum meeting.

"This energy market needs regulating a little. The law of supply and demand is not being applied rationally," Boutarfa added just prior to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries meeting.

Algerian Energy Minister Noureddine Boutarfa told an informal OPEC meeting, "The law of supply and demand is not being applied rationally" Ryad Kramdi (AFP)

"Today, we cannot go on in an erratic fashion because if we do, we cannot prepare for the future," he ventured, voicing concern at a falloff in investment in the sector owing to the long slump in prices.

According to the International Energy Agency, last year saw a 25 percent fall in investment in oil and gas exploration and production and the agency says the decline is continuing apace.

"Investing at less than $50 (a barrel) is not possible," said Boutarfa.

"Will this situation not end up creating one even more complex in the years ahead? This is why it's in all countries' interest to reach a compromise.

"It's clear that from a theoretical point of view everyone supports the general interest. Then there comes the point where you fall back on special interests and things get a bit more complicated."

The informal OPEC meeting was due to discuss a potential production freeze of around a million barrels a day to bring markets and prices back towards equilibrium.

But amid record output, there is discord among the 14-nation cartel whose share of global crude supply is around 40 percent.
US Congress rejects Obama's veto of Saudi 9/11 bill

The US Congress voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to override Barack Obama's veto of a bill allowing 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia, the first such rebuke during his eight-year presidency.

The Senate overrode the veto in a 97-1 vote, followed a short time later by the House of Representatives, which knocked it down with a 348-77 vote.

The rare act of bipartisanship was a blow to Obama, who lobbied hard against the bill, known as the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA).

The House voted 348-77 to reject the veto of a bill allowing 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia shortly after a 97-1 Senate vote to override it Spencer Platt (Getty/AFP/File)

Obama called Wednesday's vote a "dangerous precedent."

"I understand why it happened," he said on CNN. "Obviously, all of us still carry the scars and trauma of 9/11."

But he said the decision would harm US national interests by undermining the principle of sovereign immunity, opening up the United States to private lawsuits over its military missions abroad.

"Our men and women in uniform around the world could potentially start seeing ourselves subject to reciprocal loss."

Some of the lawmakers who voted for the override didn't know what was in the bill, he said, calling the result "basically a political vote."

White House press secretary Josh Earnest earlier called the Senate vote "the single most embarrassing thing" the legislative body has done in decades.

"Ultimately these senators are going to have to answer their own conscience and their constituents as they account for their actions today," he told reporters traveling with Obama in Richmond, Virginia.

Coming in Obama's last months in office, the vote shows the White House to be much weakened.

Obama has issued 12 vetoes during his presidency. None have been overridden until now, a rare feat given Republicans' longstanding control of Congress.

His Republican predecessor George W. Bush also issued 12 vetoes, of which four were overridden. The last president to avoid an override was the legendary Democratic congressional dealmaker -- and former senator and congressman -- Lyndon Johnson.

- 'Devastating consequences' -

In a letter to Republican and Democratic Senate leaders obtained by AFP, Obama had previously warned of "devastating" consequences for the Pentagon, service members, diplomats and the intelligence services.

The 9/11 measure would "neither protect Americans from terrorist attacks, nor improve the effectiveness of our response to such attacks," he warned.

"The United States relies on principles of immunity to prevent foreign litigants and foreign courts from second-guessing our counterterrorism operations and other actions that we take every day."

RNC chair Reince Priebus said Obama's veto "showed remarkable disregard for the families of 9/11 victims, and the Senate has done the right thing by overwhelmingly overriding his poor decision."

Meanwhile Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio said the override was "about holding anyone who supports terrorists accountable, and getting their victims the justice they deserve."

Families of 9/11 victims have campaigned for the law, convinced the Saudi government had a hand in the attacks that killed almost 3,000 people.

Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens, but no link to the government has been proven. The Saudi government denies any ties to the plotters.

Declassified documents showed US intelligence had multiple suspicions about links between the Saudi government and the attackers.

"While in the United States, some of the 9/11 hijackers were in contact with, and received support or assistance from, individuals who may be connected to the Saudi government," a finding read.

The bill's co-sponsor, New York Democrat Chuck Schumer, told senators it "would allow the victims of 9/11 to pursue some small measure of justice."

Behind the scenes, Riyadh lobbied furiously for the bill to be scrapped.

A senior Saudi prince reportedly threatened to pull billions of dollars out of US assets if it were to become law, although Saudi officials now distance themselves from that claim.

The US-Saudi relationship had already been strained by Obama's engagement with Saudi's Shia foe Iran and the July release of a secret report on Saudi involvement in the 9/11 attacks.

US President Barack Obama has issued 12 vetoes during his presidency. None have been overridden until now, a rare feat given Republicans' longstanding control of Congress Zach Gibson (AFP)
Philippines' Duterte vows to end joint US military drills

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said Wednesday he will soon end joint military exercises with the United States, a move that could further dampen relations with Manila's longtime ally after the controversial leader branded Barack Obama a "son of a whore".

Speaking to a raucous crowd at an upscale Hanoi hotel where he kicked off his two-day visit to Vietnam, the foul-mouthed leader said next month's military drills would be the last.

"I will serve notice to you now, that this will be the last military exercise, jointly Philippines-US, the last one," he said in a rambling speech to several hundred Vietnam-based Filipinos.

Philippines' president Rodrigo Duterte (L) speaks during a meeting with members of the Philippino community in Vietnam in Hanoi on September 28, 2016 Hoang Dinh Nam (AFP)

The Philippine-US Amphibious Landing Exercises (Phiblex) are set to take place from October 4 to 12 in the Philippines, which follow the larger annual Balikatan exercises in April involving more than 8,000 forces from both sides.

The allies have quarrelled in recent weeks, with Duterte vowing to eject US special forces from the country's troubled south, just days after he insulted President Obama at a regional leaders summit in Laos.

The 71-year-old leader has also come under fire for his bloody war on crime that has claimed more than 3,700 lives since he took office in June, including by Obama who has said he must conduct his crime war "the right way" by protecting human rights.

Western governments and rights groups have raised concerns about a breakdown in the rule of law over Duterte's crackdown on crime, a criticism the leader laughed off on Wednesday.

"I am the favourite whipping boy now of the human rights (groups) all over the world," he told the crowd, which gave him a rock star welcome.

Defence ties between the United States and the Philippines date back to 1951, and annual joint military exercises have been a pillar of the alliance.
Slain Jordanian writer buried amid tight security

Thousands of people attended the funeral of Jordanian writer Nahed Hattar on Wednesday amid tight security, three days after he was shot dead on the steps of an Amman court.

Wrapped in the national flag, his body was buried in his hometown, Fuhais, 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of the capital.

Hattar, a 56-year-old Christian, had been on trial for insulting Islam after he shared a cartoon on social media that mocked Islamists.

Mourners chant slogans and wave the national flag during the funeral of Jordanian writer Nahed Hattar, who was shot dead earlier this week outside an Amman court, in the town of Fuheis, 20km northwest of the capital Amman on September 28, 2016 Khalil Mazraawi (AFP)

He was shot three times by a bearded assailant who was arrested at the scene.

Thousands of people -- members of his family and sympathisers -- attended the funeral, waving Jordanian flags and carrying signs saying "No to extremism, no to violence, no to killing".

After prayers at a church in the town, his body was buried in the presence of several dignitaries including former prime minister Abullah Nsour.

Dozens of police officers also attended the ceremony.

Hattar's family have accused the authorities of failing to protect Hattar despite their appeals after he was threatened.

They also called for the resignation of both Prime Minister Hani al-Malki and Interior Minister Salama Hammad.

A source close to the family said they had reached a deal with the authorities, who promised to arrest and place on trial everyone who had threatened the writer or called for his murder.

Hattar had been arrested on August 13 after posting a cartoon on Facebook under the title "God of Daesh" (the Islamic State jihadist group). He was later released on bail.

It showing a bearded man in bed smoking with two women lying on either side, and addressing God as a servant.

He explained on Facebook that the cartoon made fun of "terrorists and how they imagine God and heaven, and does not insult God in any way".

The leftist writer was known for his support of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

His suspected killer was charged with premeditated murder, terrorism and possession of an illegal firearm. If found guilty, the suspect could face capital punishment.
How To Overcome Anxiety About Seeming Creepy

Anxious About Coming Across As Creepy? Read This

The Dating Nerd is a shadowy figure whose whereabouts and identifying details remain unknown. What we do know is that he is really, really good at dating. Hes been on more dates than you can shake a lengthy bar tab at, and hes here to help the average guy step his dating game up a notch  or several. Need his help? Email [email protected].

The Question

Hi Dating Nerd,

Im 30-something and I have pretty horrible silly anxiety problems around girls that have kept me away from women for pretty much my whole life. Except for kissing stuff in college and cuddling in high school, I havent done anything. The online world and bars seems to be the only place I can go. My therapist says I should try Tinder just to start to get used to it. Is there a safe place I can go to begin being around women without them automatically thinking I'm a serial killer or something? I'm not a hunchback who weighs a metric ton so I guess that helps. Should I say anything or keep my mouth shut about being a virgin? How do I convince some poor girl I have really hardcore anxiety stuff and I just don't want to die alone? Thanks for at least reading this far.

- The 30-Something Virgin

The Answer

Hi Virgin,

Your letter is remarkably sweet, so it pains me that I have to respond in a somewhat harsh fashion. Nevertheless, I do. You see, sender, you have a real, valid problem  that you cant achieve normal romance because you get overexcited in the very presence of an XX chromosome  a problem anxious dudes like you have contended with since the first Neanderthal lost a boner. But youre asking kind of a stupid question about it, which is this:

Is there a safe place I can go to begin being around women without them automatically thinking I'm a serial killer or something?

The question is stupid in two ways. First of all, it betrays that most perennial symptom of anxiety, catastrophic thinking  the one where an anxious person is propelled by a pimple on their lip into a long series of fearful calculations at the end of which theyre convinced that they have not only herpes but full-blown AIDS and will certainly die immediately. In other words, youre assuming the very, very worst  that any bad outcome will be horrible. You seemingly think that She thinks Im a serial killer is the same as She doesnt want to have a glass of wine with me. Let me disabuse you of that notion  they are not.

Given that women deal with male harassment on a day-to-day basis and do, in fact, have to be wary of sexual predators, its, of course, a little bit possible that youll creep out your potential love interest  but, especially if you're a conscientious person like you seem to be, you can avoid that. Most likely, you wont be considered some sort of monster, youll just maybe get consigned to the men she wont kiss on the mouth pile. Which is its own circle of hell, but certainly not the worst one.

Putting that aside for a moment: The really seriously foolish thing about your question is the safe place part. This is important. There is no such thing! Meaning, there is no realistic circumstance you can engineer in which you can control somebodys feelings. In any situation. You just cant. You could, in fact, be some womans perfect potential husband  the only man who could ever bring her to orgasm or raise her children to be anything other than animal-torturing slumlords  and still be rejected, after sweet-talking her in the smoothest way possible in the most perfect bar in town.

Accept this. It wont be easy. But once you accept that the possibility of rejection is unavoidable, you move from the problem  that you wont approach a woman unless youre absolutely sure shell be interested in you  to a problem which is actually solvable, the question of how you minimize your chances of rejection.

Also? Rejection isnt that bad. In the very moment of being shot down, it can feel like a band-aid ripped directly off your heart. But, at worst, it might make you a little sad for a day or two. That certainly beats the day-in, day-out horror of wondering whether anyone might ever touch your private parts, ever.

Still, rejection isnt ideal. So here are some remarks I have to make about approaching women, with you specifically in mind. Seemingly, youre fixated on the idea that you might come off as a little creepy. Theres a pretty easy solution here: Dont approach a woman in such a way that she cant comfortably ignore you. Women are cornered by men all the time  placed in situations where they cant easily refuse male attention. Maybe its their boss touching them in a very slightly inappropriate way at the office, or maybe its some tequila-filled asshole thrusting his face at them in a hallway at a house party. Accordingly, whatever you do, you should leave the woman youre approaching an easy out. Dont send a bunch of text messages if you dont get a response. Dont try to chat someone up in the elevator unless theyre staring directly at you and wearing a T-shirt that says I want [your full name] inside me. You get the idea.

By the way, in that spirit, Im going to share with you one of my secrets, which is the ironclad, all-purpose, best pickup line of all time. You simply walk up to someone youre attracted to, extend your hand, and say, Hi, Im Matt. If they say, Hi, Im Elaine, and shake your hand, then Elaine wants to talk to you. If they say anything else  if they just say hi in a kind of dispirited way, or respond with strangled cries  just leave and say have a nice day. It doesnt sound like much, but it tells you immediately whether youve got a shot in hell, which is really all you need.

But if youre at a stage where youre absolutely too terrified to approach women in a non-Internet-facilitated fashion, then Id say, yeah, Tinder is a good choice. But youve got to work on that profile. Write something cute and short. If theres any woman in your life whos not your mom who can evaluate your profile, take advantage of that immediately. Get some good pictures of you. You know, soft lighting, smiling, not crying, wearing clothing  a picture that doesnt completely reflect what appears to be the state of your self-esteem. Speaking of which: If youre nervous about messaging someone, you can totally say, Im nervous about messaging you, but you seem really cool, so, f*ck it, whats up? Thats way more compelling than the average boilerplate hit a button for maybe future sex type Tinder message that women get 90% of the time.

As for your second question: You wont have to convince your date that you have anxiety. Shell know. Maybe shell find it charming, maybe she wont. You should probably say youre a virgin before the clothes come off, so she doesnt have to wonder why youre a little shaky about the whole sex thing. Maybe shell freak out when she learns this information, but maybe she wont. Again: You cant control this. Its going to be scary. You have to embrace that. This isnt simply a dating question; its an everything question. Your life will be profoundly empty if you never do anything that makes you feel nervous.

RELATED: In 2016, Who Should Pay For The First Date? The Dating Nerd Weighs In

As regards everything beyond your fear of being seen as a pervert, nothing I have to say about getting women to go out with you is particularly innovative. Dress nice. If you dont know how, buy a nice white or blue button-up shirt  Brooks Brothers is always a reasonable choice  decently-fitting jeans, and black shoes that arent embarrassing. Then put them on the appropriate portions of your body. Have something that is recognizably a haircut. Shower. Wear a little bit of cologne: I recommend Comme des Garcons Standard. Dont worry about being afraid. Just be afraid. Youll be OK.

Think you could use some dating help, too? Email the Dating Nerd at [email protected].
Unlikely US-Russia outreach on Syria all but dead

On Monday, John Kerry said it would be "diplomatic malpractice" to abandon talks with Russia on restoring a ceasefire in Syria. On Wednesday, he threatened to do just that.

In a call to his partner in a year-long diplomatic dance, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the US secretary of state demanded that Russia halt the Syrian regime's assault on Aleppo.

"He informed the foreign minister that the United States is making preparations to suspend US-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria," Kerry's spokesman John Kirby said.

US Secretary of State John Kerry (L) demanded that Russia halt the Syrian regime's assault on Aleppo Fabrice Coffrini (AFP/File)

If Russia does not force Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad to halt his attack on rebel-held eastern Aleppo, Washington will cancel a plan to open a joint US-Russia military targeting cell, he said.

Last week, Lavrov declared calls for a new ceasefire "senseless." So it seems unlikely Moscow will back down now, leaving the diplomatic track blocked and a quarter-of-a-million Syrians under bombardment.

Kerry's spokesman said the secretary warned Lavrov that Russia would now be held responsible for the situation, including "the use of incendiary and bunker buster bombs in an urban environment."

But just a day before Kerry's ultimatum, the State Department was defending his efforts to keep the door open to Moscow.

Under skeptical questioning from reporters, spokesman Mark Toner said "really, until the past few weeks, we felt like we were on a firm path towards a possible diplomatic resolution to this."

This optimism has attracted much criticism, even scorn, in Washington, where experts have lined up to accuse Kerry and President Barack Obama of being fooled by Moscow.

The State Department's former special adviser on Syria, Fred Hof, was scathing, mocking the administration's faith that Russia's demand for military cooperation represented a diplomatic opening.

"This is the sad, pointless diplomacy of desperation and wishful thinking," he wrote on the blog of think tank the Atlantic Council.

For Hof, Kerry's mission was a "fool's errand", but mainly because Obama gave him no tools to pursue any other option -- no leverage to convince Vladimir Putin that military victory is impossible.

It has become a mantra of US officials -- now repeated by Lavrov and UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura -- throughout the process that "there is no military solution" to the crisis in Syria.

- War crimes -

But this has not stopped Obama's critics from proposing them.

"A careful consideration of military options is not pleasant work for any American president. Yet in this case it must be done," wrote Hof, arguing that Assad's brutality must exact a price.

Washington's Arab allies, led by Saudi Arabia, have demanded that opposition rebels fighting Assad be given advanced weapons such as MANPADS -- shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles.

This might alter the balance of power on the battlefield and make Moscow and Damascus more ready to talk. But US officials worry that the arms would leak from moderate groups to jihadist extremists.

Turkey has called for a no-fly zone and for US assistance to carve out a buffer zone in northern Syria to shelter rebels and refugees, but Obama has been wary of getting US troops drawn into the war.

Tougher sanctions may be applied on Syrian and Russian officials, but many in Putin's inner circle are already blacklisted for their roles in the annexation of Crimea, with no change in his stance.

Besides, Washington has opposed new sanctions in the past in order to avoid derailing the outreach to Russia. Might that change now?

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon accuses those who are bombarding Aleppo's hospitals and schools of war crimes, and there have been calls for new international sanctions.

On Tuesday, Obama's spokesman Josh Earnest said "we've not taken the prospect of additional financial sanctions off the table" but said these would have to be coordinated internationally.

In the meantime, Putin and Assad remain bent on pursuing a military solution -- and the victim is not just the Syrian people but for many in Washington the credibility of US leadership.

Syrian pro-government forces are seen on September 28, 2016 in the Farafira district, northwest of Aleppo's historic citadel, after Syria's army took control of the rebel-held district following days of heavy air strikes that have killed dozens Georges Ourfalian (AFP)
Health workers, hospitals targeted in Syria war

Numerous doctors and nurses and medical facilities have been hit or targeted by missiles or air strikes since the start of the conflict in Syria in March 2011.

The latest case came when an air strike and artillery fire hit the two largest hospitals in rebel-held parts of Syria's Aleppo overnight, in what rights groups said was a deliberate strategy of targeting civilian infrastructure.

"Let us be clear. Those using ever more destructive weapons know exactly what they are doing. They know they are committing war crimes," said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Medical facilities, such as this maternity hospital which was bombed on July 28, 2016, have been targeted for attack since the beginning of the conflict in Syria

The Syrian conflict, prompted by the regime's bloody repression of peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations, has become a multi-sided war, with many players, from both Syria and abroad.

The overnight attack in Aleppo killed two patients and wounded two medical staff, according to medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

Already on September 20, four medics were killed and a nurse critically wounded when an air strike hit a clinic in a village near Aleppo.

More than 300,000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict and more than half of the population displaced.

The US non-governmental organisation Physicians for Human Rights said it had registered a total of 382 attacks on 269 separate medical establishments between March 2011 and the end of June this year.

During that same period, 757 medical personnel were killed.

The watchdog said 90 percent of the attacks were blamed on regime forces and their allies and that most of those on health facilities were deliberate in order to destroy them.

- Under siege -

Barrel bombs and cluster bombs were used on at least 74 occasions to attack the hospitals, it said.

"The majority of attacks on medical facilities were targeted attacks, meaning that these locations were deliberately chosen for destruction, in violation of international humanitarian law," the non-governmental organisation said on its website.

MSF said that during 2015, 23 MSF-supported Syrian health staff were killed and 58 wounded.

Furthermore, 63 MSF-supported hospitals and clinics were bombed or shelled on 94 separate occasions in 2015.

Twelve of them were completely destroyed while 81 members of the medical staff were killed or wounded.

"After five years of war in Syria the health infrastructure has been decimated," it said.

On February 15, 2016 a bombing raid targeted a hospital supported by MSF in the northwestern rebel province of Idlib, killing 25.

"This attack can only have been deliberate. It was probably carried out by the coalition led by the Syrian government," Joanne Liu, the international president of MSF, said at the time.

"Hospitals are not safe places, neither for the injured nor for the health workers... We can see no commitment on the part of the parties to the conflict to ensure adequate security conditions," according to MSF.

In April regime air strikes left 31 dead, mostly in the bombing of a MSF-supported hospital in Aleppo.

In early 2014, the jihadist Islamic State group which controls vast zones in Syria abducted 13 MSF personnel and held five of them captive for nearly five months.

In May, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution on the protection of health workers and facilities during armed conflicts, but there has been no letup in these kinds of attacks in Syria and Yemen.

"International law is clear: medical workers, facilities and transport must be protected. The wounded and sick -- civilians and fighters alike -- must be spared," Ban said at the time.
US blacklists top allies of DR Congo President Kabila

The US Treasury placed two top allies of Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila on its sanctions blacklist Wednesday, tying both to rising political violence and human rights violations.

The Treasury said both were involved in violently putting down opposition to Kabila and undermining democratic forces in the country.

The Treasury said Major General Gabriel Amisi Kumba, a commander of the DR Congo armed forces, led units that have violently repressed political demonstrations in several provinces including Kinshasha.

The US Treasury said Major General Gabriel Amisi Kumba, a commander of the DR Congo armed forces, led units that have violently repressed political demonstrations in several provinces including Kinshasha Charly Kasereka (AFP/File)

"Increasing violations of the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly have been reported in the western provinces, particularly in Kinshasa," the Treasury said.

DRC soldiers "have used excessive force and lethal weapons during demonstrations and political rallies, particularly during demonstrations organized by opposition leaders and civil society actors in January 2015."

Also hit with sanctions was General John Numbi, a former national inspector in the DRC police and a close advisor of President Joseph Kabila, whom opponents fear is seeking to remain in power after his second term runs out despite a constitutional ban on a third one.

"During the March 2016 gubernatorial elections in the DRC's four ex-Katangan provinces, Numbi used violent intimidation to secure victories for candidates affiliated with President Kabila's MP coalition," the Treasury said.

"Numbi threatened to kill opposition candidates who did not voluntarily withdraw from the race, and on the same day these exchanges purportedly took place, three candidates withdrew."

The sanctions, which ban US individuals and businesses from dealings with the two men, came days after dozens of demonstrators were killed in anti-government protests in Kinshasha.

"In several areas of the country, defense and security forces have violently repressed demonstrations organized to oppose a new draft electoral law that many fear would allow President Kabila to run for a third term," the Treasury said.

Kabila has been president since 2001 when he took the position after his father, president Laurent Kabila, was assassinated.

Under a new constitutional regime in 2006, he was elected to the position with a two-term limit, which should expire in December.

However, the government has not yet scheduled new elections, giving rise to fears that Kabila will not step down.

In a statement, Ida Sawyer of Human Rights Watch said the US action "sends a powerful message that there are real consequences for the government's violent repression of political demonstrations and other serious human rights violations."

"Taking strong action now could put further pressure on President Joseph Kabila to abide by the constitutional requirement to step down at the end of his term, and help prevent a broader crisis," she said.
Syria political deal not viable: opposition official

Escalating violence in Syria, particularly against rebel-held Aleppo city, means a political solution to the conflict is "no longer a viable option," an opposition official said Wednesday.

Muwaffaq Nyrabia, vice-president of the key National Coalition movement, said the country's rebels were "considering all options to defend the Syrian people against the Russian aggression on Syria".

"A political solution is no longer a viable option in the current climate," he said, according to a statement issued by the National Coalition.

Syrian civilians and rescuers gather at site of government forces air strikes in the rebel held neighbourhood of Al-Shaar in Aleppo on September 27, 2016 Karam Al-Masri (AFP/File)

There was no official statement from the body as a whole, which is the leading political opposition group in exile.

The statement said the "armed and political opposition are working on closing ranks and arranging their priorities in light of the fierce military campaign waged by the regime and its allies" but gave no further details.

Syria's government and its ally Russia have pounded rebel-held parts of Aleppo since Thursday, when Damascus announced an operation to recapture all of the city.

The operation began after a truce deal negotiated between Moscow and Washington collapsed.
Three hurt in US school shooting after teen suspect kills father

A teenage gunman, who injured three people at a South Carolina elementary school before being arrested, carried out the attack after killing his father, local officials said.

The teen, whom the authorities did not identify, shot two boys -- one in the leg, the other in the foot -- as well as a teacher in the shoulder at Townville Elementary in the west of the southeastern US state, area officials told reporters.

The attack with a handgun, carried out mid-afternoon, appeared to have occurred on the playground, they said.

The injured are two children and a teacher at Townville elementary Mandel Ngan (AFP/File)

"The investigation is in initial stages... it's going to be a very slow, methodical and meticulous investigation," Captain Garland Major of the Anderson County Sheriff's Office said.

An active homicide investigation is underway into the death of Jeffrey DeWitt Osborne, 47, the father of the alleged shooter who lives around two miles (three kilometers) from the school, the Anderson County coroner's office said.

Authorities received a call from the victim's family reporting his death shortly after the school shooting, it said.

The teenage assailant was arrested without incident and has no apparent racial motivation or connections to terrorism, Major told reporters, adding that it was still unclear whether he suffers from mental illness.

The suspect is home-schooled, and does not attend any school in the Anderson County School District, police said.

A firefighter who was one of the first responders on scene contained the teenager, who was "apprehended within a matter of minutes," Joanne Avery, the Anderson County District Four Superintendent told the news conference.

"At approximately 1:45 this afternoon, an individual with a gun entered the premises of Townville Elementary School and injured two of our students and one of our teachers," she said.

- Praise for a hero -

Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator for the state, praised the heroism of the unarmed volunteer firefighter who stopped the gunman and could have saved lives.

"Thank you to Jamie Brock, the volunteer firefighter who stopped the #Townville shooter. We truly admire and appreciate your service," Graham tweeted.

One of the injured students was airlifted to a local hospital and was undergoing surgery late Wednesday, local media reported, while an ambulance took the other boy and teacher for medical treatment.

One of the boys has since been released from hospital, officials said.

Live images from the school immediately after the shooting showed a large number of police officers and members of the Anderson County Sheriff's Office heavily armed, some wearing helmets and flak jackets.

Students were evacuated on school buses to a nearby church, local media reported.

"The quick response by teachers and staff has kept this from being much worse," superintendent Avery said.

"We are heartbroken about the senseless act of violence."

Fellow South Carolina Senator Tim Scott tweeted that his heart was "sick for Anderson&South Carolina.Praying initial reports of no loss of life remain true & for those injured and their families."

The school has almost 300 students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, local media reported. Classes were cancelled for the rest of the week.

School shootings have become a disturbing reality of American life and many facilities have reinforced security in recent years, especially in the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012, when 26 people -- including 20 young children -- were killed in Newtown, Connecticut.

School shootings have become a disturbing reality of American life and many facilities have reinforced security in recent years Mehdi Fedouach (AFP/File)
Student protests spread in South Africa

Student protests in South Africa spread Wednesday with police firing rubber bullets at demonstrators on campuses in Johannesburg and Grahamstown as unrest over tuition fees roils universities across the country.

The University of Johannesburg's Doornfontein campus was hit by violent clashes between students and campus security guards as running battles erupted through the evening, AFP photographers witnessed.

Police in Grahamstown, in Eastern Cape province, arrested at least 11 Rhodes University students after they allegedly violated a court interdict which barred protests on the university grounds.

A student from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) is detained by South African police forces following clashes during a protest against the university fee increase on September 21, 2016 in Johannesburg Mujahid Safodien (AFP/File)

"Anyone who threatens or intimidates or prohibits lectures from taking place is breaking that interdict," police captain Luvuyo Mjekula told the News 24 website.

"Today the students were found to be disrupting lectures. That was basically threatening other people. Police had to respond."

Video footage showed police firing rubber bullets from behind a wall, shouting at students to disperse and dragging protesters into police vans.

Campuses including the University of Cape Town, Wits University in Johannesburg and the Durban University of Technology have been temporarily closed due to the protests.

Over the last ten days, riot police nationwide have regularly used stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse student protesters, who are demanding free university education.

The wave of protests was triggered by a government announcement that universities would set their own fee increases but that next year's hikes would be capped at eight percent.

"If the higher education sector does not return to teaching... we stand to lose a generation of students," Max Price, vice chancellor of the University of Cape Town, said on Wednesday.

"No matter what changes we wish to bring to society, we can't make those changes by destroying the higher education sector in South Africa."

Unrest has hit many South African universities over the past year, as students have protested against the fee increases that they say force poorer, often black, pupils out of education.

Last year, students -- many of them so-called "born frees" who grew up after apartheid -- staged a series of major demonstrations which forced the government to abandon planned fee hikes for 2016.

Throughout this year, there has been sporadic unrest which has seen accommodation buildings and libraries set alight, and in May, an auditorium at Johannesburg University was firebombed.
Flint's water getting cleaner -- but not yet safe

New tests show water quality improving in Flint, the Midwestern US city hit by a massive lead contamination scandal, officials said Wednesday, but it is not yet cleared of the toxin.

It has been more than two years since lead from aging pipes first began to leach into the drinking water of the hard-scrabble city, when officials switched the water source to a more corrosive one as a cost saving effort.

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder told a press conference that 95 percent of recent tests of the most problematic areas showed lead levels considered safe under federal guidelines. But he stopped short of declaring Flint's water safe to drink without lead filters, and would not offer a timeline of when it would be.

State officials want to replace all the lead pipes in Flint and in Michigan, but that process could take years. City residents have complained about the slow pace of the recovery, and filed several lawsuits Mandel Ngan (AFP/File)

"Frankly, without filters, I don't think anyone in the US should trust water from a lead pipe," said Marc Edwards, a professor of environmental engineering at Virginia Tech university, who is assisting Michigan with the Flint response.

"This is a national lesson that we are learning and we have to think about," he said.

Snyder on Wednesday urged federal lawmakers to send long-delayed aid money to the embattled city.

"I highly encourage the federal government to move forward and to get the aid done for Flint," said the Republican governor.

Aid for the city has become a major bone of contention as the US Congress wrangles over a federal government funding bill, with lawmakers scrambling to stave off a shutdown at week's end.

Lawmakers settled on a compromise Wednesday, that would allocate $170 million for infrastructure funds for cities with water contamination.

State officials want to replace all the lead pipes in Flint and in Michigan, but that process could take years. City residents have complained about the slow pace of the recovery, and filed several lawsuits.

Officials in Michigan had initially denied that there was a problem with Flint's water. Those denials lead to a criminal investigation, and charges against nine current and former state employees.
Gabon opposition chief calls for sanctions after election loss

Gabon's opposition leader on Thursday called for sanctions against regime members he accused of electoral fraud and scorned any idea cooperating with re-elected head of state Ali Bongo.

Jean Ping, a former foreign minister who according to official results lost narrowly to Bongo in the August 27 vote, said Gabon had been the victim of a "military-electoral coup d'etat."

He called for "targeted sanctions against those responsible," including a freeze on assets held abroad and a ban on foreign travel.

Gabon President elected Ali Bongo Ondimba addresses his guests during the swearing in ceremony in Libreville on September 27, 2016 Steve Jordan (AFP/File)

Bongo was installed on Tuesday for his second term as president, three days after the Constitutional Court rejected Ping's demand for a recount.

In his first act after the court's announcement, Bongo had called for "all political leaders" to engage in a "dialogue" to steer the country out of crisis.

His new prime minister, Emmanuel Ngondet, also tended an apparent olive branch on Thursday, saying negotiations were still under way for forming an "inclusive government" that would be unveiled on Sunday.

But Ping, speaking at a press conference, angrily slapped down any notion of cooperation.

- 'Imposter' -

He reiterated he did not recognise Bongo as president, lashing him as "an imposter calling for dialogue."

"What dialogue?" he asked.

"This is someone who has been disavowed by the people and defeated at the ballot box, who is asking the person from whom he stole the election to come and dialogue with him... We won't go to any dialogue staged by this imposter."

He announced that October 6 would be set as a "national day of remembrance" for those killed in the post-election violence.

A former French colony in central-western Africa, Gabon has vast assets in oil, minerals and timber, and has a per-capita national income that is far above the average for sub-Saharan Africa.

But a third of the population of 1.8 million still live below the poverty line, the result, say specialists, of chronic inequality and corruption.

Critics lay much of the blame at the door of the Bongo family, which has ruled the country for decades.

Ali Bongo, 57, took over from his father Omar Bongo, who ruled for 41 years until his death in 2009.

Violence erupted on August 31 after Bongo was declared the winner by a wafer-thin margin, prompting Ping, 75, to allege fraud and declare himself "president-elect."

Demonstrators set parliament ablaze and clashed with police, who made a thousand arrests.

Opposition figures say more than 50 people were killed. The government has given a toll of three dead.

Fears of bloodshed surged once more after the Constitutional Court last Saturday rejected Ping's demand for a recount and instead boosted Bongo's margin of victory from 6,000 to 11,000 votes.

- 'Open an investigation' -

In The Hague, the International Criminal Court said Thursday it had opened a "preliminary examination" of the post-poll violence to determine if there was enough evidence for a probe into possible crimes against humanity.

Chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said the Gabonese government had referred the violence to her office on September 21, asking it "to open an investigation without delay."

A letter of referral signed by Gabonese Justice Minister Denise Mekamne Edzidzie accuses Ping and his supporters of incitement to genocide and crimes against humanity.

It highlights a speech which Ping gave during his electoral campaign, in which he allegedly called on his supporters to "get rid of the cockroaches."

Bensouda cautioned that a "preliminary examination is not an investigation but a process of examining the information" to see if there was enough evidence for a full inquiry.

Ping, for his part, called on the ICC and Amnesty International "to shed all possible light on the murders, disappearances and breaches of human rights."

Bongo's declared victory has received a cool reception from the African Union and the United Nations, while the European Union said there had been voting "anomalies" which had not been rectified by the court.

Ali Bongo re-elected president of Gabon Paz Pizarro, Alain Bommenel (AFP)

A former French colony in central-western Africa, Gabon has vast assets in oil, minerals and timber, and has a per-capita national income that is far above the average for sub-Saharan Africa Celia Lebur (AFP/File)
10 Things to Know for Wednesday - 28 September 2016

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Wednesday:

1. FORMER ISRAELI PRESIDENT SHIMON PERES DIES

The statesman, who was celebrated around the world as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace, has died at 93.

This Sept. 25, 2016 photo made available by SpaceX shows a test firing of the company's Raptor engine in McGregor, Texas. On Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, SpaceX founder Elon Musk announced his company's plan for travel to the planet Mars. The engine is being tested for use in the new spacecraft. (SpaceX via AP)

2. WHO'S ON THE DEFENSIVE AFTER DEBATE

Donald Trump gives Hillary Clinton plenty of fresh material for the next phase of her presidential campaign, choosing to publicly reopen and relitigate some her most damaging attacks.

3. WHICH CANDIDATE VOTERS THINK IS MOST FIT TO LEAD

An AP-GfK poll shows registered voters are buying into Donald Trump's assertions that he's more physically fit to be president than Hillary Clinton.

4. WHY CLINTON NEEDS WOMEN TO TURN OUT

They're a crucial voting bloc for the Democrat, and her team believes Trump's aggressiveness and interruptions in the opening debate will help her motivate them.

5. WHAT RECORD WAS BROKEN DURING THE DEBATE

Nielsen says 84 million people watched it on TV, beating the mark that had stood since the Carter-Reagan debate in 1980.

6. SYRIA'S GOVERNMENT AND RUSSIA MOVE ON ALEPPO

They're seizing the moment to recapture Aleppo, unleashing the most destructive bombardment of the past five years, with indiscriminate airstrikes that the U.N. says may amount to a war crime.

7. HOW THREE PEOPLE MADE A BABY

Scientists say the first infant has been born from a controversial new technique that combines DNA from three sources  the mother, the father and an egg donor.

8. SPACEX CHIEF ENVISIONS 1,000 PASSENGER SHIPS FLYING TO THE RED PLANET

Elon Musk calls it the Mars Colonial fleet, and he says it could become reality within a century.

9. COURT DOCUMENT SHOWS BLACK MAN KILLED BY CHARLOTTE COP HAD THREATENED WIFE

Keith Scott had a restraining order filed against him a year ago when he threatened to kill his wife and her son with a gun, according to court documents.

10. FRIEND TEXTED WORRIES ABOUT BOATING WITH MARLINS' FERNANDEZ

A Miami bar and restaurant confirmed that the star pitcher was a patron at the riverside establishment before he and two friends were killed in a boat crash.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, in Melbourne, Fla. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Reaction to the death of Israel's Shimon Peres

Quotes from around the world after the death of former Israeli President Shimon Peres, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and elder statesman of Israeli politics, at age 93.

___

"A light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever. Shimon Peres was a soldier for Israel, for the Jewish people, for justice, for peace, and for the belief that we can be true to our best selves  to the very end of our time on Earth, and in the legacy that we leave to others. For the gift of his friendship and the example of his leadership, todah rabah (thank you very much), Shimon."  President Barack Obama

FILE - In this March 22, 2013, file photo, President Barack Obama walks on the tarmac with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, and Israeli President Shimon Peres, left, prior to his departure from Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. Shimon Peres, a former Israeli president and prime minister, whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated around the world as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace, has died, the Israeli news website YNet reported early Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. He was 93. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

___

"With the passing of Shimon Peres, Israel has lost a leader who championed its security, prosperity, and limitless possibilities from its birth to his last day on earth. The Middle East has lost a fervent advocate for peace and reconciliation and for a future where all the children of Abraham build a better tomorrow together. And Hillary and I have lost a true and treasured friend.

"I'll never forget how happy he was 23 years ago when he signed the Oslo Accords on the White House lawn, heralding a more hopeful era in Israeli-Palestinian relations. He was a genius with a big heart who used his gifts to imagine a future of reconciliation not conflict, economic and social empowerment not anger and frustration, and a nation, a region, and a world enhanced by caring and sharing, not torn asunder by the illusions of permanent dominance and perfect truth. His critics called him a dreamer. That he was  a lucid, eloquent dreamer until the very end. Thank goodness. Let those of us who loved him and love his nation keep his dream alive."  Former President Bill Clinton and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton

___

"Israel lost a founding father; the world lost a warrior for peace and a giant of history; and I, like so many others who had the privilege to know Shimon, lost a dear friend." - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry

___

"As the State of Israel mourns Mr. Peres, I hope that his memory and many years of service will inspire us all to work with ever greater urgency for peace and reconciliation between peoples." In that way, "His legacy will truly be honored and the common good for which he so diligently labored will find new expressions, as humanity strives to advance on the path toward enduring peace." - Pope Francis

___

"Even in the most difficult hours, he remained an optimist about the prospects for reconciliation and peace... May his spirit of determination guide us as we work to ensure peace, security and dignity for Israelis, Palestinians and all the peoples of the region." - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

___

"I am more sad than words can express. This is a man who was a political giant, a statesman who will rank as one of the foremost of this era or any era, and someone I loved deeply. He was an inspiration, a mentor and a friend. His intellect, his way with words that was eloquent beyond description, his command of the world and how it was changing were extraordinary.

"Though he grew older, his spirit never did. Above all, his commitment to peace and his belief that it was in the interests of the country he adored marked him out as a visionary whose vision was never dimmed or displaced. He saw every setback as a spur to further action and every moment of hope as a sign of what could be done."  Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair

___

"The Queen was greatly saddened to learn of the death of Shimon Peres today. Her Majesty warmly recalls her meeting with Mr Peres in 2008, and sends her heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Israel at this sad time."

__Britain's Queen Elizabeth II

___

"Shimon Peres was, above all, a man of peace. My deepest condolences to his loved ones and to the people of Israel on his passing."  Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

___

"Shimon Peres never stopped trying to reach peace and believing in peace. His hand was always extended to a historic compromise with our neighbors, and even if this compromise tarried, he taught us never to give in to despair, but to cling to hope."  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

___

"President Abbas has sent a condolence letter to Shimon Peres' family expressing his sorrow and sadness, as Peres was a partner in making the peace of the brave with both the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. He exerted persistent efforts to reach a just peace from the Oslo agreement until the final moments of his life."  the office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

___

"The Palestinian people are very happy at the passing of this criminal who caused their blood to shed...Shimon Peres was the last remaining Israeli official who founded the occupation, and his death is the end of a phase in the history of this occupation and the beginning of a new phase of weakness."  Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri

___

"The last time I sat with Shimon back in March, at his Center for Peace in Tel Aviv, he said 'we gave up war, because war led nowhere.' Every nation has a soul_someone who embodies the spirit of a people. And for so many years, Shimon Peres was the soul of Israel. The world is a little darker without him in it."  Vice President Joe Biden

___

"Today with deep sorrow we bid farewell to our beloved father, the 9th president of Israel. Our father's legacy has always been to look to tomorrow. We were privileged to be part of his private family, but today we sense that the entire nation of Israel and the global community share this great loss. We share this pain together."  Chemi Peres, Shimon Peres' son

___

"A giant, a leader and an outstanding statesman has left us. The last of the leaders of the country's founding. A man who made an immeasurable contribution to Israel's security, its standing in the world and its efforts for peace. A world statesman, who even during his greatest achievements and until his last days had a great vision for a better Israel and a better world, along with an inexhaustible curiosity of a young man for every emerging innovation and revolution. His memory will be forever bound up with the chronicles of Israel's history. May his memory be a blessing."  Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak

___

"For many years, Shimon Peres worked with the Mossad on its operations and work for the security of the state of Israel, and was one of the country's most prominent leaders. He was a symbol of peace and brotherhood and as such, contributed greatly to building up the security of the state of Israel." -- Israel's Mossad spy agency.

___

"Words cannot quantify the tremendous amount that Shimon Peres did for the security of Israel. Shimon Peres shaped the character and values of the Ministry of Defense, led the building and development of the Israel Defense Forces and its strategic capabilities, developed defense relationships between Israel and different countries around the world, and played a key role in the developing Israel's defense industries."  Director General of Israel's Ministry of Defense, Udi Adam

___

"Barbara and I join Shimon Peres' countless admirers around the world in saluting his singular life of service  to the universal cause of freedom, to the timeless cause of Israel, to the noblest cause of peace. By his unyielding determination and principle, Shimon Peres time and again helped guide his beloved country through the crucible of mortal challenge. But it was by his innate humanity, his decency, that Shimon inspired the world over and helped pave a path to peace broad enough that future generations will walk it one day, side-by side."  Former President George H. W. Bush

___

"Laura and I join the people of Israel and those around the world in mourning the death of Shimon Peres. As a young man, he worked for his country's independence. For the rest of his life, he led it with a deep and abiding concern for his people and a commitment to freedom and peace. The Bush family will miss Shimon Peres and his grace, dignity, and optimism."  Former President George W. Bush

___

"My heart is bleeding.my tears are falling.because President Shimon Peres is no longer in this world. He was a father figure not only to his beloved country of Israel, but also to me, because he was what I imagined my father would have been like. Shimon's mind was expansive and his heart was compassionate. He was a brilliant statesman, gifted with the ability to listen to others who did not share his views and still remained determined to find a path forward.

He was a voice of reason who also happened to have the sensibility of a poet.thoughtful and soft-spoken, but his words echoed loudly around the world. I adored Shimon.and I'm so grateful that I was able to spend some time with him over the years, and sing for him at his 90th birthday celebration in Israel. Thank god his spirit, his wisdom, and his ideals will live forever."  Barbra Streisand

___

"My friend Shimon had a very rare human quality: He had the ability to change.

When I met Peres in the early 70s, he was in my eyes a banal hawk. Supporting settlers, a settler lover, a security man, the more land the better, the more power the better. He changed before my eyes ... into an enthusiastic and stubborn believer in Israeli-Palestinian peace and Israeli-Arab peace."  Israeli author Amos Oz

___

"The Last of the Mohicans has left us. He was one of the founding fathers, or founding sons, and all his generation is gone. Shimon is the last who remained.

"I also was very close to him when he was around (Israel's first prime minister David) Ben-Gurion. I remember the entire group of younger people who were around the old man. Shimon was the last. They are all gone. It's a kind of feeling of losing your father. Because he is a father of modern Israel."  Peres' biographer and former political adviser Michael Bar Zohar

___

"President Peres believed that the best way to serve the State of Israel and to deliver security to the Israeli people was through peace with the Palestinians. We can only honor his memory with a daily commitment to reconciliation, preserving and advancing his vision for a two-State solution." European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini

___

"The world has lost a true legend and statesman. Shimon Peres was a gift to the country he helped establish and lead, and a persistent voice for the cause of peace. President Peres' countless contributions to the world earned him the Nobel Peace Prize, Congressional Gold Medal, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. While we join the State of Israel and people around the globe in mourning his death, we also give thanks for his incredible life."  U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan

___

"Shimon Peres' story was the story of modern Israel  a saga of daring, dynamism and wisdom. With all of his heart, this farmer, fighter, author, Nobel Peace Prize winner, prime minister and president worked to guide his nation into a secure and confident future. I valued his friendship. He was an intellectual resource who personified the unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel."  House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi

___

"My wife Lucy had the honor of visiting Shimon Peres a few months ago, at the Peres Centre for Peace. He told her the secret of perpetual youth was to ensure that your list of dreams always remained longer than your list of achievements. On that test, Shimon Peres remained the youngest of leaders."  Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

___

"On behalf of the entire New York Jewish community, we deeply mourn the passing of Shimon Peres, one of the greatest Jewish leaders of our time. President Peres was one of the extraordinary visionaries of our age, a towering Zionist hero of deep courage who devoted his life to serving and defending Israel and the Jewish people."  Eric S. Goldstein, CEO, UJA-Federation of New York.

FILE - In this Sunday, April 30, 1995, file photo, President Bill Clinton, left, listens to Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres at the American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors, at the Paramount Theater in New York's Madison Square Garden. Peres, a former Israeli president and prime minister, whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated around the world as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace, has died, the Israeli news website YNet reported early Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. He was 93. (AP Photo/Joe Tabacca, File)

FILE - In this March 20, 2013, file photo, President Barack Obama is greeted by Israeli President Shimon Peres, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon his arrival ceremony at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel. Shimon Peres, a former Israeli president and prime minister, whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated around the world as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace, has died, the Israeli news website YNet reported early Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. He was 93. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

FILE - In this June 28, 2013, file photo, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, right, embraces Israeli President Shimon Peres before their dinner in Jerusalem. Shimon Peres, a former Israeli president and prime minister, whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated around the world as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace, has died, the Israeli news website YNet reported early Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. He was 93. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

FILE - In this Sunday, May 18, 2008, file photo, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, right, and Israel's President Shimon Peres hug, during their meeting in Peres' residence in Jerusalem. Peres, a former Israeli president and prime minister, whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated around the world as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace, has died, the Israeli news website YNet reported early Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. He was 93. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner, File)
Tecate Trolls Donald Trump's Mexican Border Wall Idea In New Beer Ad

Trending News: Tecate Beer Ad Trolls Donald Trump's Border Wall Idea

Why Is This Important?

Because Trump's Mexican border wall proposal would be better if it included beer.

Long Story Short

Tecate beer's debate ad took aim at Donald Trump's proposal to build a wall at the Southern border and get Mexico to pay for it. In lieu of a large wall to keep out immigrants, Tecate dreams up a short wall with beer to share between the two amigo nations.

Long Story

A Mexican beer brand wants to build a wall. Yup, they agree that a ball lining the U.S. - Mexican border should be constructed, but not exactly the way Donald Trump envisions it (and also presumably not paid in full by Mexico).

Tecate  you know that cheap Mexican beer that tastes like water  has proposed a 3 foot border wall, but lined with beer. The clever ad debuted during Monday's debate coverage on Fox News, Univision and Telemundo, but hey, it's #NationalDrinkBeerDay so it's extra relevant now.

"The time has come for a wall," the narrator says in the ad. "A tremendous wall. The best wall. The Tecate beer wall." (The word 'beautiful' could just as easily have been added here).

A few Mexican and a few U.S. lads line up on either side of the wall with the Tecate beer, and proceed to get the party started.

"A wall that brings us together," the narrator continues. "This wall may be small, but it's going to be huge. You're welcome, America."

Check it out:

The ad was developed by Saatchi & Saatchi in New York. Former CCO for the agency, Jay Benjamin, said this in a statement (possibly after a few Tecates), according to AdWeek. "This is a tremendous idea for Tecate. It really is the best idea. We worked with the best clients and hired the best people to work on it. Only the best. It's terrific."

As for Tecate, its VP Felix Palau says the ad shows "beer's uncanny ability to bring people together in a positive way."

Uncanny? Har har. Clever one Tecate. We need more satire in this election to get people to realize the ridiculousness of certain policies.

Own The Conversation

Ask The Big Question

Will Trump actually continue with plans for the wall if he gets elected?

Disrupt Your Feed

Build a huge wall...around Trump tower and don't let Donald out.

Drop This Fact

The ad was actually filmed in Tecate, Mexico, where the beer originated.
Obama praises Peres for advancing dignity and goodwill

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Barack Obama is praising former Israeli President and Prime Minister Shimon Peres as a statesman whose commitment to Israel's security and the pursuit of peace "was rooted in his own unshakeable moral foundation and unflagging optimism."

Peres died early Wednesday, two weeks after suffering a stroke.

In a statement from the White House, Obama says Peres looked to the future, "guided by a vision of the human dignity and progress that he knew people of goodwill could advance together."

FILE - In this March 22, 2013, file photo, President Barack Obama walks on the tarmac with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, and Israeli President Shimon Peres, left, prior to his departure from Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. Shimon Peres, a former Israeli president and prime minister, whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated around the world as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace, has died, the Israeli news website YNet reported early Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. He was 93. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

Obama calls Peres "the essence of Israel itself," noting Peres had fought for Israel's independence, worked its land and served Israel in virtually every government position.
Former Indy Racing League driver Sam Schmidt has done a lot in the 16 years since an accident left him paralyzed from the neck down.

He runs a racing team and a foundation. He's raced a sailboat using his chin.

But the man who raced in the Indianapolis 500 hasn't been able to drive around his neighborhood  until now.

On Wednesday, Schmidt is set to receive the first license restricted to an autonomous vehicle in the U.S.

The license allows him to drive on Nevada roads in his specially modified Corvette, which requires no hands on its steering wheel or feet on its pedals.

Schmidt uses head motions to control the car's direction.

Scroll down for video

Indy Racing League driver Sam Schmidt prepares to drive his modified Corvette on Tuesday in Las Vegas

Three pieces of device installed by Arrow Electronics are shown under and next to the visor and on the dashboard in this Corvette, enabling Schmidt to drive by moving his head to steer

Fully driverless cars  several steps beyond the car that Schmitt is driving  are expected to reach U.S. roads in the next five to ten years, and the disabled community is eager for their arrival.

More than 4million people in the U.S. need assistance with daily tasks like eating or leaving home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Others have less severe disabilities but are still unable to drive.

Disabled people are less likely than the non-disabled to be employed and are more likely to experience poverty, the bureau says.

But that could change with the arrival of self-driving cars.

'It's coming. We're looking for something to help us get that level of independence,' Schmidt said.

Schmidt smiles after blowing out a tire while performing a burnout with his modified Corvette

On Wednesday, Schmidt, paralyzed from the neck down in a crash 16 years ago, is set to receive the first license restricted to an autonomous vehicle in the U.S.

Schmidt is the bridge to that future.

His car isn't fully autonomous; it uses four cameras to monitor his head and transmit his movements to the tires.

He breathes into a tube to accelerate and sucks the air out when he wants to brake.

Schmidt lifts the trophy after winning the IRL Vegas.com 500 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas in this 1999 photo

The car isn't practical for most people.

Centennial, Colorado-based Arrow Electronics bought and modified Schmidt's $80,000 2016 Corvette Z06.

It spent an additional six figures on cameras, sensors and computers and even more to add a steering wheel and brake pedals on the passenger side.

Schmidt's license requires that a licensed driver accompany him in the passenger seat to take over in case of emergency.

When he drives, Schmidt must follow a pilot car. He can't drive in ice or snow.

Those restrictions could eventually be eased, Nevada officials say.

Some in the disabled community would like to move directly to fully self-driving cars which wouldn't require licenses at all, says Henry Claypool, policy director of the Community Living Policy Center at the University of California, San Francisco.

'There are some people who are just so isolated that it really compromises their ability to enjoy their basic civil rights,' Claypool said.

But Claypool says it's important to be patient and work with the industry now so when autonomous vehicles do arrive, they're accessible.

'There are real barriers to transportation and we need to be clear about what those are and make sure we leverage the technology to address them,' said Claypool, who is wheelchair-bound but drives a $62,000 modified minivan.

Many companies are thinking inclusively.

Schmidt-Hamilton Motorsports driver Simon Pagenaud (right) of France talks with Schmidt during a practice session at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis in 2013

The license will allow Schmidt to drive on Nevada roads in his specially modified Corvette, which requires no hands on its steering wheel or feet on its pedals. Schmidt uses head motions to control the car's direction

Schmidt exits his modified Corvette on Tuesday. His car isn't fully autonomous; it uses four cameras to monitor his head and transmit his movements to the tires

Google has worked closely with the blind while developing its self-driving cars.

Tesla Motors has said it's working on an urban transport vehicle that would accommodate wheelchairs.

Arrow is working on other projects, including a modified bicycle for a paraplegic athlete.

'Sam is our astronaut,' said Joe Verrengia, Arrow's global director of social responsibility.

Arrow is making its design and software freely available in the hope that other companies will build on what it has done.

Schmidt's license requires that a licensed driver accompany him in the passenger seat to take over in case of emergency

Over the next 18 months, Schmidt hopes to modify a more advanced, semi-autonomous car that could drive itself for short stretches and could help him override potential mistakes.

Right now, for example, he could accidentally turn the car if he looks to the side when he means to go straight.

A car that was watching the road ahead could correct that.

But for now, the license means an end to 16 years in the passenger seat of a conversion van for trips around town.

'My wife hates driving that van. It makes us look like we're 75 and retired,' said Schmidt, 52.

Schmidt is thrilled by the pace of improvement in technology.

Over the next 18 months, Schmidt hopes to modify a more advanced, semi-autonomous car that could drive itself for short stretches and could help him override potential mistakes

Within the first year of his partnership with Arrow, in an earlier version of his Corvette, Schmidt completed qualifying laps at the 2014 Indianapolis 500.

Earlier this year, he raced to the summit of Pike's Peak.

'Me driving is a lifetime-old problem and these people came together and solved it in seven months,' he said.

'When you have the right people and the right resources and everyone concentrates on the goal, it gets done.'

Schmidt, who co-owns the racing team Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and is chairman of the Conquer Paralysis Now foundation, can hardly narrow the list when asked where he wants to drive first.

One stop is the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where he won a race in 1999. He'd also like to cruise down the Las Vegas strip.

And one simple pleasure: A trip to the drive-thru at In-N-Out Burger.
Up to 8 inmates fight in Philippine prison, 1 Chinese killed

MANILA, Philippines (AP)  Up to eight inmates fought at the Philippine national penitentiary Wednesday, leaving a high-profile Chinese drug lord dead and four other inmates injured, officials said. The melee occurred amid a congressional investigation into the drug trade within the facility.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said a riot broke out Wednesday after an inmate reprimanded three Chinese drug convicts who were using methamphetamine.

He identified the dead as Tony Co. He said Co and two other injured Chinese convicts are among the biggest drug traders in the country. Also injured was Jaybee Sebastian, a prison leader being asked by officials to testify in the congressional investigation against Senator Leila de Lima.

A member of the Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police comes out of the main prison building housing high-profile inmates mostly involved in the illegal drugs trade following a riot inside the national penitentiary Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 in suburban Muntinlupa city, southeast of Manila, Philippines. The riot left a high-profile Chinese drug lord Tony Co dead and four other inmates injured, officials said. The melee occurred amid a congressional investigation into the drug trade within the facility. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

De Lima, a former justice secretary, has said Sebastian was a tipster who gave her department information that led to a 2014 raid of the penitentiary. The raid exposed how high-profile convicts lived in air-conditioned villas equipped with hot tubs and disco lights. Guns, counting machines, cellphones and other gadgets were confiscated.

As former head of the Commission on Human Rights, De Lima earned Duterte's ire for investigating his alleged links to death squads in southern Davao City, where was mayor. She also recently led a Senate investigation into Duterte's anti-drug war that has left more than 3,000 suspected drug pushers and users dead.

Duterte has accused De Lima of collecting money from the illegal drugs trade operated by drug lords from the penitentiary  a charge de Lima calls "lies."

Bureau of Corrections director Rolando Asuncion says the seven to eight inmates involved in the riot are from two rival gangs. The violence ended quickly and occurred in a contained area separate from the larger inmate population. He said it's not clear what kind of injuries the victims sustained but an ice pick and other materials were confiscated.

De Lima expressed doubts Wednesday that what happened was a real riot, saying the prisoners involved were those who refused to testify against her.

Workers carry the body of high profile inmate Tony Co after he was killed allegedly in a prison riot inside the national penitentiary, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Muntinlupa city, Philippines. The riot also left four other inmates injured, officials said. The melee comes amid a congressional investigation into the drug trade within the facility. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Workers carry the body of high profile inmate Tony Co after he was killed in a prison riot inside the national penitentiary, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 in Muntinlupa city, Philippines. The riot also left four other inmates injured, officials said. The melee comes amid a congressional investigation into the drug trade within the facility. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Members of the Special Action Forces of the Philippine National Police guard a prison checkpoint following a riot inside the national penitentiary compound, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 in Muntinlupa city, Philippines. The riot left a high-profile Chinese drug lord Tony Co dead and four other inmates injured, officials said. The melee comes amid a congressional investigation into the drug trade within the facility. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

A member of the Special Action Forces of the Philippine National Police guards the prison building housing "high-profile inmates" mostly involved in the illegal drugs trade following a riot inside the national penitentiary Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 in suburban Muntinlupa city, southeast of Manila, Philippines. The riot left a high-profile Chinese drug lord Tony Co dead and four other inmates injured, officials said. The melee occurred amid a congressional investigation into the drug trade within the facility. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

A member of the Special Action Forces of the Philippine National Police mans the gates of the main building of the National Penitentiary following a riot inside a building housing "high-profile inmates" mostly involved in the illegal drugs trade Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 in suburban Muntinlupa city southeast of Manila, Philippines. The riot left a high-profile Chinese drug lord Tony Co dead and four other inmates injured, officials said. The melee occurred amid a congressional investigation into the drug trade within the facility. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
Top US diplomat to visit an increasingly isolated Venezuela

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP)  President Nicolas Maduro says a top U.S. State Department official will soon visit Venezuela in a bid to ease tensions between the two nations.

Maduro's announcement Tuesday night came a day after he met with Secretary of State John Kerry on the sidelines of a peace ceremony in Colombia.

It would be the second visit this year by Thomas Shannon, undersecretary of state for political affairs. A trip in June on a similar mission that has yet to produce any apparent breakthrough.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry meets with Venezuela president Nicolas Maduro in Cartagena, Colombia Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Vivian Salama)

Maduro said he also invited Kerry and that the U.S. official said he would come if the effort at dialogue advances. The State Department declined to comment Wednesday morning.

Earlier, the State Department said Kerry in his meeting with Maduro expressed concern for growing economic and political tensions in Venezuela. The U.S. has been especially outspoken about concerns that Venezuelan officials are quashing a campaign to hold a constitutionally permitted recall vote against Maduro.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution on Tuesday urging the release of political prisoners in Venezuela and calling for respect of democratic processes.

"This resolution states in no uncertain terms that President Maduro's shameful and rampant corruption in Venezuela must end," Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said in a statement.

Venezuela finds itself in an increasingly uncomfortable position in the region, on the outs with the regional blocs it once touted as a counterweight to U.S. power, and under pressure to give more space to domestic opposition groups.

The South American oil country was to assume the rotating presidency of the regional trade bloc Mercosur this summer, but that handoff was put on hold by heads of state who said they were concerned about Venezuela's disregard for democracy at home.

Earlier this month, Venezuela hosted a summit of the 120-nation Non-Aligned Movement, but only about a dozen heads of state chose to attend the meeting, far short of the expectations Maduro had set.

Last week, Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski called for sending humanitarian aid to Venezuela as the country grapples with severe food and medical shortages. Venezuela immediately rejected that as an unwelcome call for foreign intervention.

Maduro said Tuesday that Shannon's visit could usher in a new era of Venezuela-U.S. relations.

"Can we understand each other? Yes. Can we set a positive agenda? Yes. And that's what we're going to do," he said.

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The Latest: Police: California man shot by officers has died

EL CAJON, Calif. (AP)  The Latest on the police shooting of a man in a San Diego suburb (all times local):

10:30 p.m.

Police say a black man shot several times by officers in a San Diego suburb has died.

This still from video provided by 10News.com shows people standing near where police shot and wounded a man in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 27, 2016. Police were called to the parking lot of the Broadway Village Shopping Center shortly after 2 p.m. on a call about a man acting erratically. One officer apparently shot the man, who was taken to a hospital. There's no word on his condition. (10News.com via AP)

El Cajon police released a statement late Tuesday night several hours after the shooting saying the man had been declared dead after he was taken to a hospital.

Police Chief Jeff Davis said at a news conference earlier in the evening that the man was not armed but had pulled an object from his pocket and pointed it in a "shooting stance" toward two officers. That prompted one of the officers to open fire.

The department released a photo still taken from a cellphone video of the moment and the man appears to have both hands on the object and to be pointing it toward one of the officers.

The other officer had been trying to subdue the man with a stun gun.

Police had received a call from a woman saying she was the man's sister and that he was acting strangely and was not himself.

The shooting spurred protests at the scene alleging police racism that lasted for several hours.

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9:45 p.m.

The police chief in a San Diego suburb says an unarmed black man shot by police had pulled an object from his pocket and pointed it in a "shooting stance" toward two officers.

El Cajon police Chief Jeff Davis said at a news conference Tuesday night that one of the officers had tried and failed to subdue the man with a stun gun before the other officer opened fire.

He would not say what the object was, but said investigators had recovered it.

Davis says the two officers were responding to a call from a woman saying she was the man's sister and that he was not acting like himself when they found the man behind a restaurant.

He would not give the man's name or say anything about his condition.

The shooting spurred protests alleging police racism both at the scene and outside the Police Department, forcing the chief to move the news conference indoors.

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6 p.m.

Police have shot and wounded a man they say was acting erratically in a San Diego suburb and an angry crowd has gathered, contending that the man was black and unarmed.

El Cajon police Lt. Rob Ransweiler says police were called to the parking lot of the Broadway Village Shopping Center shortly after 2 p.m. Tuesday. He says police were told there was a man acting erratically, such as walking in traffic.

He says one officer apparently shot the man, believed to be about 30 years old, who was taken to a hospital. There's no word on his condition.

He declined to say whether the man was armed.

Other details of the confrontation haven't been released but a crowd of several dozen people gathered to condemn the shooting as unjustified.
Scores of thrillseekers have risked their lives to remain on the slopes of an erupting volcano to take better photos, rescue authorities in Indonesia said.

Almost 1000 tourists - 600 from overseas - were on Mount Barujari, a lower twin peak of the 3,700m high Mount Rinjani on the holiday island of Lombok, when the eruption came without warning.

Many managed to make their way down unofficial tracks, but up to 200 - described by an official as foolish - insisted on remaining where they were or even climbing higher as plumes of white-hot ash soared above them.

Scores of thrillseekers have risked their lives to remain on the slopes of an erupting volcano to take better photos, rescue authorities in Indonesia said

Almost 1000 tourists - 600 from overseas - were on Mount Barujari, a lower twin peak of the 3,700m high Mount Rinjani on the holiday island of Lombok, when the eruption came without warning

Many managed to make their way down unofficial tracks, but up to 200 - described by an official as foolish - insisted on remaining where they were or even climbing higher as plumes of white-hot ash soared above them

Some were reported to have even hid from potential rescuers because they did not want to be ordered down to a safe area.

The fate of those who stayed - who are believed to include British holidaymakers and backpackers who had travelled to Lombok from neighbouring Bali - was unknown last night.

We cannot be certain just how many people are still up there, said disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

Officially, of the 1000 tourists who were on the volcano slopes when it erupted, we have only been able to confirm that 260 have come down.

We think others have made their way down along unofficial tracks but we estimate there must be some 200 still up there.

'The volcano is still spilling ash so it remains a dangerous situation.

A team of rescuers have been sent to the mountain to try to find the tourists who are still there and guide them to safety.

There are many who have behaved foolishly by entering the (two mile) safety zone near the crater to get better photos of the eruption, said Mr Sutopo.

Those who have been found by our teams have insisted they do not want to leave. They were so determined to get better photos that in some cases they even hid from our team members.

They knew it was dangerous, but they still wanted to document the eruption.

Some were reported to have even hid from potential rescuers because they did not want to be ordered down to a safe area

The fate of those who stayed - who are believed to include British holidaymakers and backpackers who had travelled to Lombok from neighbouring Bali - was unknown

Mr Muhammad Rum, a senior member of the local disaster agency, said the tourists who had made it down from the mountain following Tuesdays eruption - which has continued with a lesser ferocity - were in a good and healthy condition.

Many of them even videotaped the eruption while enjoying the beauty of the mountain, he said.

But he confirmed that at least 132 tourists, the majority of them foreign, were still on the mountain, staying in huts or tents as volcanic ash spewed high into the sky.

Officials admitted they did not know whether the volcanos activity would lessen - or whether it would put the lives of those still on its slopes in greater danger.

A search operation was launched to find several hundred tourists after the volcano erupted.

Emergency crews have already evacuated 1,100 people after Mount Barujari spewed a massive column of ash into the atmosphere.

The volcano, also known as the Child of Rinjani because it sits within the Mount Rinjani caldera, erupted without warning on Tuesday afternoon, delaying flights from airports on the islands of Lombok and Bali. The ash column reached 6,560 feet.

A search operation is underway to find several hundred tourists after a volcano erupted (pictured) on the Indonesian island of Lombok

Emergency crews have already evacuated 1,100 people after Mount Barujari spewed a massive column of ash into the atmosphere

The volcano, also known as the Child of Rinjani because it sits within the Mount Rinjani caldera, erupted without warning on Tuesday afternoon, delaying flights from airports on the islands of Lombok and Bali. The ash column reached 6,560 feet

Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said that nearly 400 foreign and local tourists had been registered since Sunday to climb the mountain, leaving from Sembalun monitoring post, about seven miles from the volcano's crater.

So far, there have been no reports of injuries from the eruption.

Heronimus Guru, the deputy operations chief at Indonesia's Search and Rescue Agency, said today that about 120 tourists, mainly foreigners, had been located so far and were heading down the mountain.

The volcano, also known as the Child of Rinjani because it sits within the Mount Rinjani caldera, erupted without warning on Tuesday afternoon

A hiker looks at Mount Barujari, on Lombok island in Indonesia, as it spews volcanic ash in a previous eruption in November 2015

The eruption interrupted flights for several hours at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali and Lombok International Airport.

Farms and trees around the 12,224ft -high volcano were coated in a thin layer of grey ash, but nearby towns and villages were not in danger, Nugroho said.
Cedar Rapids fends off flood damage with temporary barriers

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP)  An elaborate system of temporary floodwalls is so far protecting thousands of homes and businesses in Cedar Rapids from major flooding.

Iowa's second-largest city says its hastily erected 9.8-mile system of Hesco barriers and earthen berms is largely holding back the rain-swollen Cedar River, which crested Tuesday at its second-highest level on record.

City officials said some buildings and homes near the river had water in their basements.

Flood damaged debris is piled up in a parking lot at the Waseca County Fairgrounds Monday, Sept. 26, 2016, in Waseca, Minn. Hundreds of residents in flood-ravaged Waseca and St. Clair are dealing with property damage while state transportation officials wait for the water to recede to begin inspecting inundated roads and bridges. (Pat Christman/The Free Press via AP)

Here's the situation in Cedar Rapids:

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HOW BAD IS THE DAMAGE SO FAR?

Relatively minor. A small number of businesses and homes appear to have major water on their main levels, and many more have water in their basement.

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WHAT DOES THAT SYSTEM ENTAIL?

Contractors erected nearly 10 miles of temporary barriers in just days, and 250,000 sandbags were filled and placed to protect homes and businesses. The city had some of the Hesco barriers for years for flood protection but this marks the first time they have been deployed in Cedar Rapids. The city bought the rest for $1.4 million from the University of Iowa, which had them in storage. The barriers are filled with sand. City workers and contractors backed up the system, looking for any weaknesses and plugging them or pumping out water that seeped through.

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WHAT IS THE CITY'S CONCERN NOW?

City officials say their efforts are now focused underground, where the sewer system is under tremendous pressure. They worry that it will send water gushing into parts of the city and create dangerous conditions for anyone nearby. To combat the threat, city workers were pumping water from the sewer back into the river and keeping a close eye on pipes. A city spokeswoman said Wednesday morning that the barriers were holding and that pumps were handling seepage and storm sewer backup.

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WHY IS THE CITY RELYING ON TEMPORARY STRUCTURES?

A lack of money to build a permanent system, which could cost up to $500 million.

The city has struggled since the 2008 flood to find the funding necessary to create a comprehensive flood protection system for low-lying areas on both sides of the river. Residents twice voted down tax increases that would help pay for it.

The city has since secured a $270 million funding commitment from the state and now says it has the local money it will need. The last part of the plan is the federal share. About $73 million has been authorized for the project, but not appropriated. City Manager Jeff Pomeranz says the city has been told by the White House that it will be tough to get funding for the project because others have a better cost-benefit ratio. Pomeranz says the federal money is critical.

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HAVE RESIDENTS IN THE POTENTIAL FLOOD ZONES BEEN EVACUATED?

Yes. Downtown and many nearby areas are largely abandoned. Businesses are closed, roads are blocked off and thousands of residents have temporarily left for shelter elsewhere. Some stayed behind despite repeated urging from city officials to get out.

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WHEN WILL THE CITY RETURN TO NORMAL?

It depends on how fast the river levels lower. City officials say they will likely not reopen key streets and the evacuated areas for a few days as the river remains far above flood stage. Schools will remain closed through the end of the week and are scheduled to re-open on Monday. City leaders say they will not feel comfortable until the river falls below 18 feet. The National Weather Service expects the river to return below flood stage of 12 feet Sunday.

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HAS ANYONE BEEN INJURED?

Firefighters and police officers rescued a woman who was swept away by the river Monday afternoon. She was able to cling to a tree until emergency responders could reach her and get her to safety.
Sheriff: Man linked to 4 Ohio slayings can't name 1st victim

MARION, Ohio (AP)  An Ohio suspect linked to the slayings of at least four women says he can't remember the name of the first victim, who died more than a decade ago and hasn't been identified, a sheriff said.

Marion County Sheriff Tim Bailey said suspect Shawn Gate thinks the woman was named something like Dana or Diane but is unsure, The Marion Star (http://ohne.ws/2czO7em ) reported.

"This was his first murder, and he's having trouble remembering some of the details of it," Bailey said this week.

Grate has said a woman in her mid-20s was selling magazines door-to-door and sold some to his mother but failed to deliver them. So he abducted the woman, stabbed her and dumped her body, Grate confessed to authorities, Bailey said.

Authorities found a woman's body in 2007 near Marion.

Grate, 40, hasn't been charged in that case but is charged in Ashland County in two killings and a kidnapping. He pleaded not guilty to initial charges and is scheduled for arraignment Thursday on a 23-count indictment that includes aggravated murder and rape charges.

Grate was arrested recently after a woman called authorities to report she was being held in an Ashland home. Police freed the woman and found the remains of two other women at the property. The bodies were identified as 29-year-old Elizabeth Griffith, of Ashland, and 43-year-old Stacey Stanley, of Greenwich.

Investigators say Grate also led them to an unidentified body in Richland County, near Mansfield.

Prosecutors in Ashland County plan to seek the death penalty if Grate is convicted.

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Connecticut's 1st Mormon temple to serve growing church

FARMINGTON, Conn. (AP)  The first Mormon temple in Connecticut opens to the public this week and will soon host services for thousands of the faithful from a four-state area.

The new temple in Farmington reflects growing membership for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the East Coast. Another recently constructed temple opened in Philadelphia on Aug. 10.

"Out here on the East Coast, it is a unique challenge to be a member of the church because we are so few and far between. This Hartford temple is going to be a huge beacon of hope and pillar of faith," said Randy LaRose, a church member who moved from Utah to Connecticut to serve as a chaplain at Yale University.

In this Sept. 22, 2016 photo, construction crews continue work on a Mormon temple in Farmington, Conn. The first Mormon temple in Connecticut opens to the public this week and will soon host services for thousands of the faithful from a four-state area. The new temple in Farmington reflects growing membership for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the East Coast. (AP Photo/Pat Eaton-Robb)

An estimated 27,000 congregants from Connecticut, Rhode Island, western Massachusetts and eastern New York are to be served by the temple in Farmington, a Hartford suburb that also was the birthplace of the church's fourth president, Wilford Woodruff.

The 32,000-square-foot structure will be the 155th temple of the LDS church but only the second in New England. The building is steeped in the history of the church and the local area, with paintings depicting Connecticut landscapes, mahogany wood surfaces and an acorn and leaf motif repeated throughout the building.

The temple opens Friday for public tours that will be offered until Oct. 22. The temple is scheduled for dedication on Nov. 20, after which only church members in good standing will be welcomed.

In Mormonism, temples are dedicated to the religion's highest forms of worship and are less common than meetinghouses, where weekly church services are offered. The Hartford temple has eight rooms related to special ceremonies known as ordinances, including a baptismal room, a sealing room where marriages are performed and the celestial room, a space for contemplation that features a large crystal chandelier.

"In a temple the focus is on individual worship, not group worship. That's why there are many smaller rooms rather than one large hall," elder Larry Wilson said.

Drucila Maldonado, a member of the church who lives in Bridgeport, said the new temple will increase the local presence of the LDS church. She has been commuting to the Boston temple every Saturday.

"Now I'm very excited that there is a temple right here. It's so much closer for me and my three children, compared to the 2 -hour drive to Boston," Maldonado said.

In this Sept. 22, 2016 photo, construction crews continue work on a Mormon temple in Farmington, Conn. The first Mormon temple in Connecticut opens to the public this week and will soon host services for thousands of the faithful from a four-state area. The new temple in Farmington reflects growing membership for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the East Coast. (AP Photo/Pat Eaton-Robb)
World leaders mourn Peres, praise him as a man of peace

LONDON (AP)  Current and former world leaders mourned the passing of Israeli statesman Shimon Peres on Wednesday, praising him as a visionary who committed his life to the elusive goal of lasting peace in the Middle East.

President Barack Obama described Peres as "soldier for Israel, for the Jewish people, for justice, for peace, and for the belief that we can be true to our best selves  to the very end of our time on Earth."

"Todah rabah, Shimon," Obama said, using the Hebrew for thank you.

FILE - In this March 20, 2013, file photo, President Barack Obama is greeted by Israeli President Shimon Peres, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon his arrival ceremony at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel. Shimon Peres, a former Israeli president and prime minister, whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated around the world as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace, has died, the Israeli news website YNet reported early Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. He was 93. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

Peres, who died early Wednesday at the age of 93, was awarded the 1994 Nobel Prize after he secretly helped broker the historic Oslo interim peace accords with the Palestinians a year earlier. He shared the prize with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Former President Bill Clinton recalled Peres' joy 23 years ago when he signed the Oslo Accords on the White House lawn, ushering in an optimistic moment in Israeli-Palestinian relations.

"His critics called him a dreamer. That he was  a lucid, eloquent dreamer until the very end. Thank goodness," Clinton said in a joint statement with his wife, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. "Let those of us who loved him and love his nation keep his dream alive."

Peres, who served in the largely ceremonial role of president from 2007 to 2014, represented a moderate face of Israel after the more hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took office in 2009. Peres sought to reassure the international community that Israel seeks peace despite stalled negotiations under Netanyahu, who said Peres "taught us never to give in to despair, but to cling to hope."

Peres remained active at his peace center, which sponsored programs promoting Israeli-Arab coexistence, until weeks before his death.

"Though he grew older, his spirit never did," said former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who also worked as a Mideast peace envoy. "Above all, his commitment to peace and his belief that it was in the interests of the country he adored marked him out as a visionary."

Peres had a major stroke two weeks ago that led to bleeding in his brain. He was sedated and on a respirator during most of his hospitalization, but his condition suddenly worsened.

Netanyahu issued a statement mourning the passing of Peres and convened his Cabinet for a special session. Preparations are underway for a funeral that many international dignitaries and leaders from around the world are expected to attend.

"Even in the most difficult hours, he remained an optimist about the prospects for reconciliation and peace," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. "May his spirit of determination guide us as we work to ensure peace, security and dignity for Israelis, Palestinians and all the peoples of the region."

Former President George H. W. Bush noted Peres' "innate humanity, his decency," while his son, former President George W. Bush, noted that his family "will miss Shimon Peres and his grace, dignity, and optimism."

As political leaders lauded his courage, artists praised his grace. Singer Barbra Streisand said he had the sensibility of a "poet ... thoughtful and soft-spoken, but his words echoed loudly around the world." Israeli author Amos Oz celebrated his ability to change, from "banal hawk" in the 1970s who thought "the more land the better, the more power the better," to an enthusiastic and stubborn believer in peace.

Tributes came from the director-general of Israel's military, the Mossad spy agency and from political leaders across the globe, including Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau. Queen Elizabeth II sent her condolences, and said she was "greatly saddened" to learn of his death.

Also offering condolences was Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who described Peres as a partner in the "peace of the brave" with late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

Some, however, marked his passing with no regret. The militant group Hamas said the Palestinian people "are very happy at the passing of this criminal who caused their blood to shed."

"Shimon Peres was the last remaining Israeli official who founded the occupation, and his death is the end of a phase in the history of this occupation and the beginning of a new phase of weakness." Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said.

Many of those offering condolences returned repeatedly to Peres' optimism and hope for a better way in the Middle East.

"He told me that 'pessimists and optimists pass away the same way. But if you leave as an optimist you have had a better life,' " Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said.

Peres' son, Chemi, emphasized the legacy his father left behind  a legacy of looking ahead to tomorrow.

"Today we sense that the entire nation of Israel and the global community share this great loss," he said. "We share this pain together."

FILE - In this June 28, 2013, file photo, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, right, embraces Israeli President Shimon Peres before their dinner in Jerusalem. Shimon Peres, a former Israeli president and prime minister, whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated around the world as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace, has died, the Israeli news website YNet reported early Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. He was 93. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

FILE - In this Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007, file photo, Presidents Shimon Peres of Israel, left, Abdullah Gul of Turkey, center, and President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas try to reach hands as they pose for cameras after their meeting in Ankara. Peres, a former Israeli president and prime minister, whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated around the world as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace, has died, the Israeli news website YNet reported early Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. He was 93. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici, File)

FILE - In this Sunday, May 18, 2008, file photo, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, right, and Israel's President Shimon Peres hug, during their meeting in Peres' residence in Jerusalem. Peres, a former Israeli president and prime minister, whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated around the world as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace, has died, the Israeli news website YNet reported early Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. He was 93. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 25, 1986, file photo, Israeli Prime minister Shimon Peres is greeted by a large group of dancers at the airport in Cameroon, where he went to announce the restoration of diplomatic relations after 13 years. Peres, a former Israeli president and prime minister, whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated around the world as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace, has died, the Israeli news website YNet reported early Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. He was 93. (AP Photo/Anat Givon, File)
Best Nato Watch Straps

Up Your Style Game With These Eye-Catching Watch Straps

The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service.

The active man and the stylish man are both served well with the implementation of Nato and Zulu straps, whose origin comes from military horological applications. Meant to provide quick-drying, resilient and easy-to-maintain qualities to watch straps, their use has spanned decades to become an integral aspect of the watch world today, used for inexpensive tool watches and for timepieces that cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Nato and Zulu watch straps have become more popular than ever before, not just as aftermarket replacement straps but as part of manufacturer offerings in their top-of-tine lines watches. And make no mistake, theyre here to stay. Nato and Zulu watch straps now come in nearly endless colors and styles.

If you dont know the difference, much of it can be deciphered based on material thickness and hardware, but the distinctions are beginning to blur. Natos are typically thinner material with squared off, thin hardware rings, while Zulu straps are thicker and have more robust, rounded rings. Regardless of what you choose, the more options you have, the more versatile your watch collection becomes. Here are fifteen straps that run the gamut of prices, but each one brings something fresh to your beauties.

David Lane Designs Horween Shell Cordovan Nato

If youre searching for a Nato strap thats ideal for a Rolex Submariner, you cant just choose a $10 jobbie to stand in for the densely made oyster bracelet that comes with the regal Subie. This Nato, handmade by David Lane, uses Horween leather from Chicago and is edge-dyed and triple-sealed for longevity and uniformity of color. Coupled with stainless steel rings, its meant to last and age with beauty.

$120.00 at BespokePost.com

DaLuca Brown Chromexcel Nato

One of the best Nato straps (technically, the thickness and rounded hardware make it more of a Zulu-style) weve come across recently is this thick DaLuca thats handmade and comes in a variety of widths, from a narrow 18mm to an ultra-wide 26mm. It uses richly dyed Chromexcel brown leather and promises years of use for your higher-end timepieces.

$135.00 at Amazon.com

StrapsCo Vintage Brown Leather Nato

This robust strap with blackened hardware looks about right for a larger diameter PVD coated pilots watch. The weathered look of the brown leather is properly faded, and the Nato style means an extra layer of leather protection between your wrist and the caseback of your timepiece.

$25.00 at Amazon.com

Infantry MOD

For less money than a few days of Starbucks coffee, this Zulu-style strap with a suede-like finish can add a rugged look to your watch. Cheap but not cheaply made, it comes with five stainless steel rings, excellent adjustability and a deceptively pricey aesthetic.

$12.00 at Amazon.com

Clockwork Synergy Premium Blue/Orange/White Striped PVD Nato

The racing-stripe style blue, white and orange Nato might just be the ideal Omega Nato strap for a Speedmaster since the watch has roots in auto racing. PVD hardware would match the Speedmasters iconic black face, and youd be lucky enough to evoke Steve McQueen himself with such a setup.

$15.00 at Amazon.com

Zuludiver Premium Dark Brown Leather Nato Strap

Rich brown leather and contrast stitching make this high-grade leather Nato a must-have accessory for your watches. The Pre-V buckle gives the strap more presence than standard Zulu-style versions and is curved for comfort.

$43.00 at Amazon.com

Clockwork Synergy Premium Black/Grey Stripe Rose Gold Nato Strap

In one of the best combinations of sport and opulence, this black and grey striped Nato comes adorned with five delicious rose gold rings that will make any watch pop. So unique is its look that it might actually get more attention than the watch itself, so choose your pairing wisely.

$18.00 at Amazon.com

DaLuca Natural Chromexcel PVD Nato

Long-lasting and stunning natural chromexcel leather and matte black PVD come together in a low-key but timeless Natostrap that will likely last longer than you. This single strap Nato is ideal for the colder months of the year with its earthy hue and contrasting dark hardware.

$145.00 at Amazon.com

Hodinkee Black Kangaroo Nato

Found Ben Clymer has made an horological site par excellence with Hodinkee, and they even have their own line of premium straps. This Kangaroo Nato is one of their best. The leather is strong and thin, making it great for folding over the end of the strap into the keeper. Its also just about perfect on a Rolex Submariner Nato.

$90.00 at Hodinkee.com

Friday & River Earth & Sky Nato

Our friends at Friday & River have made one of the most artful Natos on earth with their Earth & Sky Nato strap thats vegetable-tanneda and hand-dyed in brown, tan and light blue to mimic natures best hues. The brushed stainless steel hardware lends an airiness to the embossed strap, and all of it wouldnt look remotely out of place with even a dressier timepiece.

$85.00 at FridayAndRiver.com

N.A.T.O. Fluco Black Shell Cordovan

The best aspect of this Horween leather Nato is the contrast white stitching that runs the full perimeter of the strap, giving it more style than the average shell cordovan watch band. Mated with a military-style watch, the black and white colorway tuxedos things up nicely.

$149.00 at Amazon.com

StrapsCo Ballistic Nylon 5-Ring Rose Gold Nato

Though this Nylon Nato comes in a vast array of colors, its the red hue with the rose gold rings that gets our attention the most. Not your everyday Nato, its one to break out for summer barbeques or bolder daytime outfits that call for zero subtlety. The five rose gold rings and the density of the nylon weave mean its equal parts flair and fortitude.

$18.00 at Amazon.com

Crown & Buckle HD Blue & Red Nato

This premium-grade Nato strap comes in bold blue and red extra-thick ballistic nylon with your choice of stainless or PVD hardware. Its so well built and robust that it could easily qualify as a Zulu strap and add serious sportiness to more business-like timepieces.

$15.00 at CrownAndBuckle.com

Related Readings

Best Leather Watch Straps

The Best Watches Under $1,000

The Best Watches Under $500

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Filmmaker Michael Moore says theater won't allow his show

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore says he's not allowed to perform a one-man show about the presidential race at a central Ohio theater because officials there consider him too controversial.

Moore says in a Facebook post that Newark's Midland Theatre "banned" him from presenting and filming the show there next month. He says the community board overseeing the theater recently voted not to allow the show.

The Columbus Dispatch (http://bit.ly/2dhoP9j ) reports that Midland operators say Moore wasn't banned and that the decision not to finalize the contract was based on several factors. Those included a too-short time frame and questions about what the production involved.

FILE - In this May 16, 2016 file photo, Michael Moore attends the 20th Annual Webby Awards at Cipriani Wall Street in New York. Moore says he's not allowed to perform a one-man show about the presidential race at a central Ohio theater because officials there consider him too controversial. Moore says he will go ahead with his plans for the show at an undisclosed site in southern Ohio in Oct. 2016. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File)

Moore says he will go ahead with his plans for the show at an undisclosed site in southern Ohio in October.

___
9 states to vote soon on expanding legal access to marijuana

SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  From California, with its counterculture heritage, to the fishing ports and mill towns of Maine, millions of Americans in nine states have a chance to vote Nov. 8 on expanding legal access to marijuana. Collectively, the ballot measures amount to the closest the U.S. has come to a national referendum on the drug.

Five states  Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada  will consider legalizing the recreational use of pot. Three others  Florida, Arkansas and North Dakota  will decide whether to permit marijuana for medical purposes. Montana will weigh whether to ease restrictions on an existing medical marijuana law.

As the most populous state, with a reputation for trend-setting, California is attracting the most attention  and money  in an intensifying debate over Proposition 64.

File - In this April 20, 2016 file photo, customers buy products at the Harvest Medical Marijuana Dispensary in San Francisco. From California, with its counterculture heritage, to the fishing ports and mill towns of Maine, millions of Americans in nine states have a chance to vote Nov. 8 on expanding legal access to marijuana. Collectively, the ballot measures amount to the closest the U.S. has come to a national referendum on the drug. (AP Photo/Haven Daley, File)

Silicon Valley tycoons and deep-pocketed donors with connections to the legal medical marijuana industry are among the top financial backers of a pro-pot campaign that has raised almost $17 million. Opponents have raised slightly more than $2 million, including a $1.4 million contribution from retired Pennsylvania art professor Julie Schauer.

Advocates on both sides say passage in California would likely ignite legalization movements in other states, especially when the tax dollars start adding up. California's nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office estimated the state could collect up to $1 billion a year in marijuana taxes.

"As California goes, so goes the nation," said University of California, Berkeley political science professor Alan Ross.

If "yes" votes prevail across the country, about 75 million people accounting for more than 23 percent of the U.S. population would live in states where recreational pot is legal. The jurisdictions where that's already the case  Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington state and the District of Columbia  have about 18 million residents, or 5.6 percent of the population. Twenty-five states allow medical marijuana.

According to national polls, a solid majority of Americans support legalization. Gallup's latest survey gauged support at 58 percent, up from 12 percent from when the question was first posed in 1969. Gallup says 13 percent of U.S. adults report using marijuana at present, nearly double the percentage who reported using pot in 2013.

California voters rejected an attempt to legalize recreational marijuana in 2010 after campaign leaders struggled to raise money and support for a four-page ballot measure hastily written by the owner of a small medicinal marijuana store.

This time, the 62-page ballot measure was crafted by political professionals and has the backing of many elected officials, including Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is running for governor in 2018. Current Gov. Jerry Brown says he's close to announcing his position.

The measure would allow people 21 and older to legally possess up to an ounce of weed and grow six marijuana plants at home. Pot sales would be subject to various tax rates that would be deposited into the state's Marijuana Tax Fund. Most of that money would be spent on substance-abuse education and treatment. Some would be used to repair environmental damage caused by illegal growers.

Opponents argue that the measure will do more harm than good by opening a marijuana market dominated by small farmers to corporate interests and encouraging children to use the drug through pot-laced sweets like gummy bears, cookies and brownies.

The proposal "favors the interests of wealthy corporations over the good of the everyday consumer, adopting policies that work against public health," said Kevin Sabet, co-founder of the California-based advocacy group Smart Approaches to Marijuana.

Napster founder and early Facebook investor Sean Parker has contributed more than $3 million to the legalization effort, which has also attracted sizable contributions from an organization backed by billionaire George Soros and another backed by Weedmaps, which rates pot stores throughout the state.

"It's a huge deal and it's long overdue," said Steven DeAngelo, owner of one of the nation's largest medicinal marijuana dispensaries and a Proposition 64 supporter.

In most of the states with marijuana ballot measures, polls have shown the "yes" side leading. Sabet believes opponents of legalization would attract more support if they could narrow a large fundraising gap and spread their cautionary messages. He does not buy the other side's argument that nationwide legalization will come sooner or later.

"Repeating that this is inevitable, and repeating they are so excited, is part of their narrative to makes folks like us feel helpless," he said.

Mason Tvert of the Marijuana Policy Project, a leading pro-legalization group, said his side has a chance to win in most of the nine states, but some losses will not derail the movement.

"Even if a measure doesn't pass, support will grow," he said, citing failed ballot measures in Oregon and Colorado that preceded the victories for legalization.

"Most people believe marijuana should be legal. It's a question of whether opponents do a good job of scaring them out of doing it now," Tvert added. "We might see people opt to wait a couple more years."

All five states voting on recreational marijuana have seen intense debate over the effect of legalization in the states that have already taken that step.

Opponents of the ballot measures make an array of claims, contending, for example, that Colorado's legalization of pot has coincided with an increase in crime in Denver and fueled a jump in the number of traffic fatalities linked to marijuana use.

However, an analysis by three academic experts, published this month by the libertarian-leaning Cato Institute, asserted that the impact of legalization has been minimal.

"The data so far provide little support for the strong claims about legalization made by either opponents or supporters," the analysis said.

Harvard University economist Jeffrey Miron, one of the co-authors of the study, predicted Californians would approve Proposition 64, but he was less certain of the outcome in his home state of Massachusetts, where the Republican governor, Charlie Baker, and the Democratic mayor of Boston, Marty Walsh, have teamed up to oppose legalization.

Miron said it's difficult to predict when legalization might get support in Congress or surge to approval in a majority of states.

"I'm not sure if this November will get us to the tipping point. It may be two or four more years," he said. "Certain things seem impossible, until all of a sudden they are possible, and they happen fast."

___

Crary reported from New York.

File - In this Nov. 21, 2014 file photo, former U.S. Marine Sgt. Ryan Begin smokes medical marijuana at his home in Belfast, Maine. From California, with its counterculture heritage, to the fishing ports and mill towns of Maine, millions of Americans in nine states have a chance to vote Nov. 8, 2016, on expanding legal access to marijuana. Collectively, the ballot measures amount to the closest the U.S. has come to a national referendum on the drug. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

File - In this April 20, 2016, file photo, Shane Kinoshita from San Francisco smokes marijuana in Golden Gate Park in the area unofficially known as "Hippy Hill" in San Francisco. From California, with its counterculture heritage, to the fishing ports and mill towns of Maine, millions of Americans in nine states have a chance to vote Nov. 8, 2016, on expanding legal access to marijuana. Collectively, the ballot measures amount to the closest the U.S. has come to a national referendum on the drug. (AP Photo/Haven Daley, File)

FILE - In Aug. 19, 2015 file photo, Canna Care employee John Hough waters young marijuana plants at the medical marijuana dispensary in Sacramento, Calif. From California, with its counterculture heritage, to the fishing ports and mill towns of Maine, millions of Americans in nine states have a chance to vote Nov. 8 on expanding legal access to marijuana. Collectively, the ballot measures amount to the closest the U.S. has come to a national referendum on the drug. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

File - In this May 4, 2016 file photo, California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, right, speaks in support of the Adult Use of Marijuana Act ballot measure in San Francisco. From California, with its counterculture heritage, to the fishing ports and mill towns of Maine, millions of Americans in nine states have a chance to vote Nov. 8 on expanding legal access to marijuana. Collectively, the ballot measures amount to the closest the U.S. has come to a national referendum on the drug. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
Libyan general in east rejects UN-backed government

BENGHAZI, Libya (AP)  A powerful Libyan general whose forces recently captured several key oil facilities has rejected a U.N.-brokered government and said the country would be better served by a leader with "high-level military experience."

In a series of written responses to questions from The Associated Press this week, Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter said his army only recognizes the authority of the Libyan parliament based in the east, which has also rejected the U.N.-backed government in the capital, Tripoli.

Libya was plunged into chaos by the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi, and for the last two years has been split by rival authorities based in the far east and in Tripoli, in the west.

FILE -- In this March 18, 2015 photo file photo, Gen. Khalifa Hifter speaks during an interview with The Associated Press, in al-Marj, Libya. Hifter, a powerful Libyan general whose forces recently captured several key oil facilities has rejected a U.N.-brokered government and said the country would be better served by a leader with high-level military experience. In a series of written responses to questions from The Associated Press this week, Hifter said his army only recognizes the authority of the Libyan parliament based in the east, which has also rejected the U.N.-backed government in the capital, Tripoli. (AP Photo/Mohammed El-Sheikhy, File)

The two sides are deeply divided on Hifter's future role in the country. In the east, he is seen as the kind of strong, experienced military leader who can defeat Islamic extremists and restore order to the oil-rich North African country. In the west, where powerful Islamist militias hold sway, he is seen as remnant of the Gadhafi government  which he once served  and an aspiring strongman.

Hifter said little to put such fears to rest.

He cited generals who went on to lead Western nations, as well as President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in neighboring Egypt, who led the military ouster of an elected Islamist president in 2013 and has presided over a sweeping crackdown on dissent.

"Military people who were elected to lead their country achieved remarkable success," Hifter said.

Asked if he intended to seek the highest office, Hifter demurred, saying the country first needed security, political and social stability, and that he would not answer the question until that was achieved.

The U.N.-backed government is led by a presidential council headed by Fayez Serraj, an independent technocrat. It was supposed to present a new Cabinet to parliament for approval after lawmakers rejected the last one in August, but has yet to do so.

Egypt has backed Hifter who, like el-Sissi, blames much of his country's problems on the Muslim Brotherhood group. He says Tripoli has been "hijacked" by armed gangs, blaming disorder there and the expansion of rogue militias on Islamist factions.

Hifter has also lashed out at U.N. envoy Martin Kobler, accusing him of "meddling" in Libyan affairs after he allegedly sought to set up a meeting between Hifter and Serraj to discuss the makeup of the Libyan army.

Both Hifter's troops and forces loyal to the U.N.-backed government are battling the Islamic State group and other extremists. Militias from the city of Misrata, in the west, have driven IS militants out of most of their last urban stronghold, Sirte, with the help of U.S. airstrikes.

But there are concerns that victory against IS could bring renewed conflict between east and west.

Earlier this month, Hifter's forces accused a militia from Misrata of carrying out an airstrike that killed at least six women and a child near Sirte. The Misratans denied the allegations.

Hifter's forces also recently seized three key oil terminals  at Ras Lanuf, al-Sidra and Zueitina  from a militia allied with the U.N.-backed government, drawing international condemnation. The U.S., France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Britain called on his forces to withdraw from the terminals, saying the Tripoli government is the "sole steward" of the resources and warning against "illicit oil exports."

Exports from the Ras Lanuf terminal have resumed, and Hifter said in the interview that he had returned them to the authority of the National Oil Corporation. Oil revenues are channeled to the central bank, which is under the authority of Tripoli. He also said he has no plans to withdraw from the area.

"The Libyan National Army's priorities are to protect the oil fields and ports of export," he said.

He also called on the U.N. to lift an embargo on weapons sales to Libya, and help it remove mines left in "huge quantities" by IS fighters in residential neighborhoods they have been driven from. He blamed authorities in the west for the rampant smuggling of migrants bound for Europe, which he blamed on the militias and the "absence of state authority."

Hifter returned to Libya after decades in exile during the 2011 uprising against Gadhafi. Hifter had played a key role in the 1969 coup that brought Gadhafi to power and eventually became his top general. He was captured during the 1980s war with Chad. After the war ended in 1987, he defected and eventually fled to the United States.

While living in exile in Virginia, he became commander of the armed wing of the Libyan National Salvation Front and orchestrated a couple of failed coup attempts against Gadhafi before breaking with the opposition group. In interviews with Arab media in the 1990s, he described himself as building an armed force with U.S. assistance to topple Gadhafi and his associates. A 1996 Congressional Research Service report suggested that the United States provided money and training to the National Salvation Front.

Hifter has long denied ever working for the CIA, but now he says he has proof.

"If I was working for U.S. intelligence they would be my first supporters with weapons and money," he said.

___

Rohan reported from Cairo.
Migratory bird struggles for shelter as chimneys torn down

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  A crowd of several hundred people gathered in the growing darkness outside Chapman Elementary School in Portland, Oregon, before the first Vaux's Swift darted into view high above.

Minutes later, thousands of the tiny birds were swooping and swirling like a cloud of pulsating black ink as they circled a tall brick chimney silhouetted by the fading light.

The humans below, watching from a patchwork of blankets and empty picnic baskets, cheered as the flock poured into the chimney all at once, like water spiraling down a drain.

In this Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016 photo, migratory Vaux's Swifts are a blur as they race to roost for the night inside a large, brick chimney at Chapman Elementary School in Portland, Ore. Numbers of Vaux's Swifts are in decline, in part scientists say because of the destruction of the brick chimneys that they use to roost during their annual fall migration. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

The swifts' noisy migratory stopover each fall has made this chimney famous with bird lovers as far away as Europe and is a quirky Portland tradition so embraced by locals that the school keeps the diminutive Vaux's Swift as its mascot.

But in recent years, fewer of the beloved birds have shown up. The birds were already struggling because of the destruction of old-growth forests and now some scientists believe they are being further impacted by the destruction of old brick chimneys along their migratory path.

The birds can fly for about 100 miles at a time between stops as they travel from Canada to Mexico and back each year and roost in large numbers in tight, enclosed spaces because their body temperature drops at night.

But the decades-old smoke stacks they've adopted are getting torn down and capped off along the West Coast because of redevelopment, seismic concerns and an urban annoyance with swift poop and noisy flocks. When a chimney that's been a major roosting site disappears, no one is sure exactly where they go.

After adapting to live alongside humans in an urban landscape, the graceful birds are being evicted once again. Now, a movement has taken flight to build concrete towers to replace the chimneys that are lost.

"It's obvious, it's going (to) be real easy for a time to come when the swifts cannot find a nice, brick roost site," said Larry Schwitters, an expert on the West Coast swift species who lives outside Seattle. "The problem at this point is us. We're the ones causing their decline."

The birds are 4 inches long and grayish-brown with a jaunty black eyepatch that makes them look like tiny, winged Zorros. Their wings make elegant crescents in the air.

The West Coast cousins to the more well-known East Coast chimney swifts can only perch vertically and must cling to hollowed out trees or, in urban settings, the insides of old chimneys. Only brick smoke stacks erected before 1940 will work because newer chimneys have a liner that makes it impossible for them to gain a foothold.

The official estimate of the Vaux's Swift population in the U.S. and Canada is about 390,000, but Schwitters believes there may be far fewer based on his work to document all the roosting spots on the West Coast and tally all-time high roosting numbers at each one.

The birds aren't listed as a threatened or endangered species, but their population has been falling 2 to 4 percent a year and has declined about 50 percent since 1970, said John Alexander, co-author of a regional conservation plan for Partners in Flight, a national alliance of bird-focused nonprofits and wildlife agencies.

"We haven't found a new roosting site on the West Coast in five years," Schwitters said. "They're tearing them down all the time."

A brick chimney in downtown Los Angeles that attracted as many as 23,000 Vaux's Swifts  one of the largest roosting spots in North America  was capped several years ago to make way for trendy lofts. Another chimney in San Diego has been all but abandoned after a skyscraper went up next to it. And a 66-year-old fire station in Albany, Oregon, that hosted up to 10,000 swifts was torn down this summer because of seismic dangers.

Now, the city is working with the Audubon Society in nearby Corvallis to attract the displaced swifts to a 30-foot-tall replacement tower made of concrete culvert tubes.

The tower is on city land next to a park and within feet of a busy railroad track.

Conservationists have been broadcasting swift calls at 1,100 watts and have smeared swift guano inside the tower, but it hasn't worked yet.

"It might be you have to just get the first one to try it and say, 'Hey guys! It's good in here,'" said Joel Geier, an Audubon Society volunteer bird counter.

If the birds do return, bird lovers hope to set up towers along the West Coast as a safety net for Vaux's Swifts that have lost their chimney roosts.

"We could put these up with donated services for $10,000 apiece, which would be definitely doable when you're looking at the continued decline of the species throughout Western North America," said Jim Fairchild, conservation chair for the Audubon Society of Corvallis. "If it's used in the first couple of years, we'll try another one in another location."

____

Associated Press video journalist Manuel Valdes in Issaquah, Washington, contributed to this report.

_____

Follow Gillian Flaccus on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/gflaccus

In this Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2016 photo, migratory Vaux's Swifts are a blur as they race to roost for the night inside a large, brick chimney at Chapman Elementary School in Portland, Ore. Numbers of Vaux's Swifts are in decline, in part scientists say because of the destruction of the brick chimneys that they use to roost during their annual fall migration. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

In this Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016 photo,tThe moon is visible in the background as a multitude of migratory Vaux's Swifts flock to roost for the night inside a large, brick chimney at Chapman Elementary School in Portland, Ore. Numbers of Vaux's Swifts are in decline, in part scientists say because of the destruction of the brick chimneys that they use to roost during their annual fall migration. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

In this Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2016 photo, scores of people gather to watch Vaux's Swifts swarm to roost for the night inside a large, brick chimney at Chapman Elementary School in Portland, Ore. Numbers of Vaux's Swifts are in decline, in part scientists say because of the destruction of the brick chimneys that they use to roost during their annual fall migration. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

In this Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016 photo, scores of people gather to watch migratory Vaux's Swifts flock to roost for the night inside a large, brick chimney at Chapman Elementary School in Portland, Ore. Numbers of Vaux's Swifts are in decline, in part scientists say because of the destruction of the brick chimneys that they use to roost during their annual fall migration. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

In this Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016 photo, scores of people gather for picnic dinners before watching thousands of migratory Vaux's Swifts flock to roost for the night inside a large, brick chimney at Chapman Elementary School in Portland, Ore. Numbers of Vaux's Swifts are in decline, in part scientists say because of the destruction of the brick chimneys that they use to roost during their annual fall migration. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

In this Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016 photo, thousands of migratory Vaux's Swifts swarm to roost for the night inside a large, brick chimney at Chapman Elementary School in Portland, Ore. Numbers of Vaux's Swifts are in decline, in part scientists say because of the destruction of the brick chimneys that they use to roost during their annual fall migration. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

In this Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016 photo, the large, brick chimney, which is a roosting place for Vaux's Swifts during their annual migration, is shown at Chapman Elementary School in Portland, Ore. Numbers of Vaux's Swifts are in decline, in part scientists say because of the destruction of the brick chimneys that they use to roost during their annual fall migration. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

In this Sept. 15, 2016 photo, Audubon Society volunteer Joel Geier walks toward a tower in Albany, Ore., that was built to replace a brick chimney that Vaux's Swifts lost as a migratory roosting place when the city tore down the old fire station this summer. Numbers of Vaux's Swifts are in decline, in part scientists say because of the destruction of the brick chimneys that they use to roost during their annual fall migration. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)
Trump has turned over tax returns _ for lawsuits and loans

WASHINGTON (AP)  While Donald Trump won't publicly release his income tax returns, the New York businessman has turned them over when it suited his needs  if he stood to make a profit, needed a loan or when a judge forced him.

Pennsylvania gaming regulators were given at least five years' worth and eight boxes full of Trump's tax documents. Nevada, Michigan, Missouri, Indiana and other state gaming officials also had access to multiple years of his returns. Large banks that lent Trump money over the years have also obtained Trump's returns.

One common thread ties all those who have seen the documents: They can't talk about them.

In this Sept. 27, 2016, photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Melbourne, Fla. While Trump wont publicly release his income tax returns, the New York businessman has turned them over when it suited his needs, if he stood to make a profit, needed a loan or when a judge forced him. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Such legal restrictions leave the public with only small glimpses into what Trump's taxes might hold.

In Monday night's debate, Democrat Hillary Clinton cited documents unearthed by reporters to question whether Trump doesn't want to release his tax returns because he has paid little or no federal income taxes.

Trump's response? "That makes me smart," a comment he disavowed just minutes after the debate. Asked by reporters if he had admitted to not paying federal income taxes, Trump said, "I didn't say that at all."

Clinton cited documents unearthed by Politico showing Trump didn't pay any federal income tax during at least two years in the early 1990s because he lost more money than he earned. Other documents show he also didn't pay any federal income taxes in 1978, 1979 and 1984.

Voters know little about Trump's more recent finances beyond his own self-reported estimations of his wealth and listings of his business interests.

In all cases reviewed by The Associated Press, each person, organization, company or government office that has seen Trump's tax returns is barred from discussing their full contents by professional or legal restrictions.

For example, employees of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board could face criminal penalties if they leaked information from Trump's tax returns maintained in the board's electronic files, said board spokesman Doug Harbach.

When asked whether Trump had turned over any returns to the Missouri Gaming Commission, officials said they were barred by state law from saying what Trump turned over.

"I could not tell you whether we had them," said Edward Grewach, the commission's general counsel.

Responses like these leave the decision to publicly release the taxes solely with Trump, who has repeatedly refused. Trump has cited an IRS audit as his reason for withholding the information, but the IRS and tax experts have said an audit doesn't bar Trump from releasing his taxes. At the debate, Trump said he would release his returns  over what he described as his attorney's objections  only after Clinton released roughly 30,000 emails she had deleted from her private server that she had deemed personal.

Earlier this month, Donald Trump Jr. gave a different reason why his father wouldn't release the returns: The American people would ask too many questions.

"He's got a 12,000-page tax return that would create ... financial auditors out of every person in the country asking questions that would detract from (his father's) main message," the younger Trump told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Since 1976, every major party nominee has released the returns and Clinton has publicly released nearly 40 years' worth. Even Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, released 10 years of his tax returns.

Tax returns don't measure net worth, so they wouldn't verify whether Trump is worth the $10 billion he says he is. But the returns would reveal how much Trump earned from his assets, helping someone work back to an approximation of his net worth.

Trump's own estimates of his income and net worth have previously been scrutinized by those who had access to his tax returns.

For a decade, Trump tangled with New York City authorities over his city tax bill, a battle first reported in June by journalist David Cay Johnston in The Daily Beast.

In Trump's 1984 tax filings, he said he had lost money during a time in which he had just completed Trump Tower and regularly boasted about the success of his business deals. Trump also declared that he was primarily a consultant that year, and that his consulting business had $684,000 in business expenses and no income. He provided no receipts to justify the claimed expenses.

City tax authorities didn't buy it  and after Trump appealed his tax bill, they fought with him for the next 10 years. Trump lost and was ordered to pay the taxes on more than $1 million in income.

Trump's multibillion-dollar fortune has been questioned by banks that demanded his tax returns before lending him money. Commercial lenders generally require both personal and business tax returns as part of a loan application, and Trump provided such information to North Fork Bank in 2004 and 2005.

Though the bank's evaluations aren't public, discussion of them in a later deposition of Trump revealed they were unflattering. The deposition was taken in a defamation lawsuit Trump filed against journalist Tim O'Brien, who wrote a book that questioned Trump's net worth. Trump lost the suit.

"(North Fork) concluded in their estimation that your net worth was actually $1.2 billion instead of $3.5 billion as you claimed. Are you aware of that?" asked O'Brien's attorney, Andrew Ceresney.

Trump said he had not known that, but dismissed the quality of the bank's opinion.

"The numbers are wrong," he said.

North Fork wasn't alone in marking down Trump's net worth. Deutsche Bank also reviewed Trump's finances as of 2004, deeming him to be worth "give or take $788 million," Ceresney said in the deposition. The attorney did not say whether Deutsche Bank relied on Trump's tax return in its calculation.

Deutsche Bank declined to comment about its evaluation of Trump's worth, but the bank is required to keep customer information confidential by law. Capital One Bank  it bought North Fork in 2006  did not respond to requests for comment by phone and email.

O'Brien did not respond to requests for comment, but in a story he wrote for Bloomberg, O'Brien said he was barred from discussing the contents of Trump's tax returns because they were produced under seal in the court case.

In addition to a suggestion of his worth, Trump's tax returns would reveal his charitable contributions. Despite boasting of sweeping generosity, the AP reported more than a year ago that there is little record of substantial personal philanthropy from Trump.

Trump has been dogged by questions about his personal giving and how his namesake foundation operates. The Washington Post has reported that Trump used donations given by others to pay for legal settlements, political contributions and even purchase portraits of himself.

Public disclosure would resolve many of these questions for voters.

A new Associated Press-GfK poll found that just under half of registered voters 46 percent  say it is very important for candidates to release their tax returns, though Democrats were far more likely say it was very or extremely important than Republicans.

A recent Monmouth University poll also found that most Americans are aware that Trump has not released his tax returns, and just over half think it's because he is hiding something he does not want the public to know.

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AP Polling Editor Emily Swanson contributed to this report.

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Trump turned over tax returns _ for lawsuits, loans, casinos

WASHINGTON (AP)  While Donald Trump won't publicly release his income tax returns, the New York businessman has turned them over when it suited his needs  if he stood to make a profit, needed a loan or when a judge forced him.

Pennsylvania gaming regulators were given at least five years' worth and eight boxes full of Trump's tax documents. Nevada, Michigan, Missouri, Indiana and other state gaming officials also had access to multiple years of his returns. Large banks that lent Trump money over the years have also obtained Trump's returns.

One common thread ties all those who have seen the documents: They can't talk about them.

In this Sept. 27, 2016, photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Melbourne, Fla. While Trump wont publicly release his income tax returns, the New York businessman has turned them over when it suited his needs, if he stood to make a profit, needed a loan or when a judge forced him. (AP Photo/John Locher)

In all cases reviewed by The Associated Press, each person, organization, company or government office that has seen Trump's tax returns is barred from discussing their full contents by professional or legal restrictions.

For example, employees of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board could face criminal penalties if they leaked information from Trump's tax returns maintained in the board's electronic files. Missouri officials are similarly barred from discussing the returns by state law.

That leaves the public knowing little about Trump's more recent finances beyond the few details that have trickled out in public documents unearthed by reporters, Trump's own self-reported estimations of his wealth and statements like the one he made in Monday's debate.

While Democrat Hillary Clinton questioned whether Trump's tax returns might reveal that he has paid little or no taxes, Trump said he was "smart" for not paying federal income taxes in some years.

Trump referred to public documents unearthed by Politico showing he didn't pay any federal income tax during at least two years in the early 1990s because he lost more money than he earned. Other documents show he also didn't pay any federal income taxes in 1978, 1979 and 1984, but the documents provided only limited information about other aspects of Trump's finances that could be settled by him releasing his tax returns.

Trump has repeatedly refused to release his tax returns citing an IRS audit, but the IRS and tax experts have said an audit doesn't bar Trump from making the documents public. Since 1976, every major party nominee has released the returns and Clinton has publicly released nearly 40 years' worth. Even Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, released 10 years of his tax returns.

Trump's tax returns would reveal his charitable contributions. Despite boasting of sweeping generosity, the AP reported more than a year ago that there is little record of substantial personal philanthropy from Trump. Trump has been dogged by questions about his personal giving and how his namesake foundation operates. The Washington Post has reported that Trump used donations given by others to pay for legal settlements, political contributions and even purchase portraits of himself.

The returns would also reveal how much Trump earned from his assets, helping someone work back to an approximation of his net worth to compare to his own estimation. Though the returns wouldn't give an exact measure.

Trump's own estimates of his income and net worth have previously been scrutinized by those who had access to his taxes.

For a decade, Trump tangled with New York City authorities over his city tax bill, a battle first reported in June by journalist David Cay Johnston in The Daily Beast.

In Trump's 1984 tax filings, he said he had lost money during a time in which he had just completed Trump Tower and regularly boasted about the success of his business deals. Trump also declared that he was primarily a consultant that year, and that his consulting business had $684,000 in business expenses and no income. He provided no receipts to justify the claimed expenses.

City tax authorities didn't buy it  and after Trump appealed his tax bill, they fought with him for the next ten years. Trump lost and was ordered to pay the taxes on more than $1 million in income.

Trump's multibillion-dollar fortune has also been questioned by banks that demanded his tax returns before lending him money. Commercial lenders generally require both personal and business tax returns as part of a loan application, and Trump provided such information to North Fork Bank in 2004 and 2005.

According to a deposition of Trump taken in a defamation lawsuit he filed against journalist Tim O'Brien, North Fork concluded that Trump's net worth was $1.2 billion and not the $3.5 billion he had said. Deutsche Bank also reviewed Trump's finances as of 2004, deeming him to be worth "give or take $788 million," according to the deposition.

Trump, who disputed the findings in the deposition, lost the defamation suit.

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AP Polling Editor Emily Swanson contributed to this report.

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Friend: 'No hate' in Charlotte officer who shot black man

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)  Before he became known as the police officer who fatally shot a black man, sparking days of protests in North Carolina's largest city, friends knew Brent Vinson as someone who naturally ascended into leadership, a former college football player with a peacemaker's heart.

The son of a police officer, Vinson's future now hangs in the balance as authorities determine whether he was justified in killing Keith Lamont Scott on Sept. 20.

"It's heartbreaking," said Dustin Allman, who was video coordinator on the football team at Liberty University, where Vinson played defense. "There's no hate in this guy."

Protesters confront a line of police outside Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016. The Carolina Panthers hosted an NFL football game with the Minnesota Vikings at the stadium. When the national anthem was played, the protesters all dropped to one knee as many NFL players have been doing for weeks to call attention to issues, including police shootings. (Diedra Laird/The Charlotte Observer via AP)

The 26-year-old Vinson, who is also black, is on administrative leave as officials review the death of Scott, 43. Police have said Scott was armed with a pistol and refused to drop it when Vinson opened fire in the parking lot of an apartment complex where Vinson and another officer had gone to serve an arrest warrant.

While video of the shooting shows only a glimpse of Vinson, the crack of four gunshots is plain. The officer hasn't commented publicly, but police have said in a statement that Vinson "perceived Mr. Scott's actions and movements as an imminent physical threat to himself and the other officers" when he fired.

Bryce Laguer, 26, said he attended high school in Charlotte with Vinson and has known him about 12 years. He described Vinson as a person who was taught moral principles by his parents and applied them even as a teenager by "debugging" conflicts at school before they escalated.

"There are very few men who I have met who can balance toughness and tenderness," Laguer said. "Brent Vinson is that man."

Vinson's official biography on the football website at Liberty, a Christian university, describes a fast, physical player who excelled on the field and was valued for his team leadership. He was elected captain by his teammates, an honor that Allman said goes only to the "cream of the crop."

"He just had this humility about it," said Allman, who now pastors a church in Kingsport, Tennessee. "People really just gravitated to him. He was a very friendly guy."

Vinson majored in criminal justice, setting the stage for a life in law enforcement like his dad Alex Vinson, who retired from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department as a sergeant about a decade ago.

Brent Vinson was hired in July 2014 at a starting salary of about $42,000, records show. He was being paid around $53,000 annually and worked on a plainclothes detail that targeted crime hotspots at the time of the shooting, the police department said. Laguer said Vinson is married. Police records show he hasn't been the subject of any disciplinary actions.

While demonstrators have alleged police racism since Scott's shooting death, Allman said Vinson got along well with blacks and whites and never showed any signs of prejudice or hot-headedness against anyone.

"Black lives matter. Blue lives matter. But what if the blue life is a black man?" Allman said.

The president of the local NAACP chapter, Corine Mack, said black officers often feel pressured to adopt the attitudes of the police force, to somehow set aside their racial identity when they put on their uniform. "They feel they have to conform," Mack said.

Laguer, who said he has spoken with Vinson since the shooting, described the officer as being too principled to do anything he didn't believe was right.

"There are few people who you come across in life with principles, the intent to follow through with things that matter, and the sensitivity that requires," said Laguer. "He's one of them."

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Associated Press writer Emery P. Dalesio contributed to this report.
Obama hopeful national anthem protests spark a conversation

FORT LEE, Va. (AP)  Asked by a service member to weigh in on some NFL players kneeling during the national anthem, President Barack Obama said Wednesday he hoped the controversy would spark Americans to listen to others' concerns and not just go into separate corners.

Obama's wide-ranging town hall meeting with members of the nation's military, taped for CNN, covered an array of hot-button issues. A widow of a veteran who received poor care from the Department of Veterans Affairs wanted to know why there wasn't more accountability for some employees. A solider wanted to know how the gains he helped secure in Afghanistan would not be lost like some of those in Iraq.

On the topic of the national anthem, Obama said he hopes that those protesting recognize they do so under the blanket of protection provided by the nation's men and women in uniform. But he also said, "We fight sometimes so that people can do things we disagree with."

President Barack Obama jumps up the stairs to take the stage to speak to members of the military community, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Fort Lee, Va. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Since San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began protesting before NFL preseason games, citing racial injustice and police brutality, his movement has slowly spread across fields and courts in the U.S.

"I want Mr. Kaepernick and others who are on a knee, I want them to listen to the pain that that may cause somebody who, for example, had a spouse or a child who was killed in combat and why it hurts them to see somebody not standing," Obama said. "But I also want people to think about the pain that he may be expressing about somebody who's lost a loved one that they think was unfairly shot."

Obama's visit came as the White House confirmed that an additional 600 troops would be headed to Iraq. Obama noted that about 15,000 U.S. soldiers are in Iraq and Afghanistan still. He emphasized they are there to provide support and logistics, but not to serve as ground forces seizing territory from the Islamic State group. That job would be done by Iraqi forces, Obama said.

"I am always mindful that anytime our men and women in uniform are in war theater, there is risk," he said.

On Syria, Obama said there isn't a week that goes by that he doesn't review the premises for the actions his administration has taken. He defended the decision not to send large numbers of U.S. troops into that country. He said the U.S. can't stop a civil war without large numbers of troops, which could lead to overextending the U.S. military and the diverting of attention from other trouble spots like Afghanistan.

"It is in these situations where you have to make judgments about what is best for the national security interest of the United States, even through what you see is heartbreaking," Obama said.

Donna Coates, the widow of cancer victim Barry Coates, told Obama she believed nothing at the Department of Veterans Affairs has changed since he waited more than a year for a colonoscopy and subsequently died of cancer. He testified about his experience during a hearing on Capitol Hill before dying. She said holding people more accountable was a matter of life and death.

Obama acknowledged "inexcusable problems" in a bureaucracy that became overwhelmed as more troops came home. He said some VA employees have been fired.

"We're beginning to fix it, but we're not there yet," he said.

Obama emphasized that the VA provides 58 million appointments every year. He noted how more resources have been invested in the department, and said it will take a while to see all the improvements that are needed.

"We are resourcing it, but the VA is a big ocean liner," he said.

Obama was also asked by William Butcher, a retired Army colonel, what advice he would give if his daughters, Malia and Sasha, asked him about joining the military.

"I'd say go for it," the president replied.

In a subsequent event, Obama spoke briefly with several hundred troops serving at Fort Lee. He said sometimes the country seems divided, without elaborating further on the heated presidential contest between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump.

"You remind us we're one team, we're one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all," Obama said. "That's what you stand for."

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Associated Press writer Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.

President Barack Obama speaks to members of the military community, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Fort Lee, Va. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

President Barack Obama pauses during a break in taping of a CNN town hall meeting with CNN news anchor Jake Tapper, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Fort Lee, Va., with members of the military community. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

President Barack Obama greets guests on the tarmac as he arrives in Richmond, Va., Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. Obama will travel to Fort Lee to greet service members and thank them for their outstanding service to the nation. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

President Barack Obama greets people on the tarmac as he arrives on Air Force One at Richmond International Airport, in Richmond, Va., Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, en route to a town hall meeting at Fort Lee. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
FBI director again defends integrity of Clinton email probe

WASHINGTON (AP)  Republican lawmakers may question the decision not to prosecute Hillary Clinton for using a private email server as secretary of state, but they should not question the investigation's thoroughness, FBI Director James Comey said Wednesday as he again defended the agency's actions.

"You can call us wrong, but don't call us weasels. We are not weasels. We are honest people, and we did this in that way," Comey said under hours of questioning at a House Judiciary Committee hearing. "Whether you disagree or agree with the result, this was done the way you would want it to be done."

Republicans grilled Comey on the FBI's year-long investigation into the potential mishandling of classified email, which concluded in July when the FBI recommended against prosecution and the Justice Department closed the case. They demanded to know why multiple key witnesses had been granted some kind of immunity, questioned him on his interpretation of the key felony statute at issue and argued that the outcome revealed a double standard in the treatment of powerful public figures.

FBI Director James Comey prepares to testify on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, before the House Judiciary Committee hearing on 'Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.' (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

But Comey, who has repeatedly sought to explain the FBI's decision making, again said that the case was not a close call. Though he said in July that Clinton and her aides had been "extremely careless" in their handling of classified information, he said no one else would have been prosecuted for the same acts  though they might have gotten into trouble with their employer.

"To prosecute on these facts would be a double standard because Jane and Joe Smith would not be prosecuted on these facts," Comey said.

Republicans were not satisfied, arguing that Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, illegally mishandled classified information. Committee chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia contended that Clinton had played "fast and loose with national security" and said it defied logic that she could escape prosecution. Rep. Lamar Smith, of Texas, suggested that the FBI reopen the investigation in light of what he said were "several new developments."

Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, insisted that the fix was in from the start, asserting that the decision not to prosecute was made even before Clinton was interviewed in early July  a claim Comey vigorously denied.

GOP panel members repeatedly pressed Comey on his acknowledgment that multiple witnesses had been granted some form of immunity. They also voiced concern with the number of people who had been in the room with Clinton during her July FBI interview.

Comey said agents granted a specific type of immunity to Cheryl Mills, Clinton's former chief of staff, because they wanted to inspect her laptop as part of the investigation. The immunity deal was limited to information contained on her laptop, Comey said.

Another of the witnesses given immunity was Bryan Pagliano, the tech expert who set up Clinton's email server. House Republicans had considered a resolution finding Pagliano, who has declined to answer questions from lawmakers, in contempt of Congress but have postponed that for now.

Comey said he believed some form of immunity had been given to five witnesses, and that the actions were "fairly typical in a complex white-collar case, especially as you try and work your way up towards your subject.

"So my overall reaction is, this looks like ordinary investigative process to me," he added.

On another topic, Comey said the FBI expects to have up and running within two years a database that tracks instances of police use of deadly force,

The database is intended to capture how often police officers kill citizens in the line of duty and to correct a record-keeping gap that Comey said has resulted in uninformed conversations, based on anecdotes and not facts, about use of force. Demands for more complete records have grown in the past two years amid a series of high-profile deaths at the hands of police officers.

In the absence of hard data, Comey added, "I can't tell you whether shootings involving people of any different color are up or down or sideways and nor can anybody else in this country."

Wednesday's hearing was the second time in two days that Comey faced questions from members of Congress.

On Tuesday, GOP senators on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee pressed him on whether anything could have been done differently to prevent recent acts of extremist violence, such as the Orlando nightclub massacre or the Manhattan bombing.

Comey told senators that the FBI is transparent about mistakes, but under questioning from Republicans, he did not agree that anything different should have been done.

FBI Director James Comey testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, before the House Judiciary Committee hearing on 'Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.' (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., right, welcomes FBI Director James Comey, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, prior to Comey testifying before the committee's hearing on 'Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.' (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

FBI Director James Comey testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, before the House Judiciary Committee hearing on 'Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.' (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
In Trump's debate remarks, women hear sexism and bullying

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. (AP)  When Donald Trump challenged Hillary Clinton's stamina on the debate stage, Pennsylvania voter Patricia Bennett said she heard a "dog whistle" that smacked of unmistakable sexism.

"Why doesn't he just say that she needs more testosterone?" said Bennett, a 69-year-old independent from the Philadelphia suburbs who plans to vote for Clinton in November.

Across the country, Lisa Lowe, a Colorado Democrat who was lukewarm about Clinton before Monday's debate, said Trump behaved like a "negative bully." Kris Stotler, an undecided Virginia Republican, was disappointed by Trump's jarring criticism of a former beauty queen's weight, comments Clinton forcefully condemned during the faceoff.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump visits a restaurant, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, in Miami. (AP Photo/John Locher)

"It's incredibly distasteful, and it doesn't stop," Stotler, 48, said of Trump. "Even if you thought that, why would you say that?"

Bennett, Lowe and Stotler were among two dozen female voters from battleground states who spoke with The Associated Press on Tuesday. Nearly all expressed concerns with Trump's critical and often demeaning comments about women, as well as his approach toward Clinton in the debate.

The concerns were shared, too, by some women who plan to vote for Trump in November, though his supporters were more forgiving in their assessments.

"I think you'll see a different comeback from him in the next debate," said Carole Staats, a 60-year-old Republican from Lansdowne, Pennsylvania.

While Clinton has held a lead in preference polls among female voters throughout her general election contest with Trump, she aims to widen that margin as much as possible to offset her weakness with men. She also needs to urgently energize younger female voters, who have been more skeptical of the first woman nominated for the White House by a major U.S. political party.

After Monday's debate, Clinton's team believes it has all the ammunition it needs to rally women in the campaign's closing weeks.

That's due in part to strong execution by Clinton, who arrived at the debate armed with numerous past statements Trump has made about women. She was particularly assertive in calling him out for once labeling 1996 Miss Universe winner Alicia Machado "Miss Piggy" after she gained weight.

But Trump also did himself few favors. He interrupted Clinton repeatedly during the debate, at times leaning into his microphone to declare "wrong!" as she was talking. And he perplexingly stood by his criticism of Machado the morning after the debate, saying in an interview on Fox News Channel that Machado was one of the "worst we ever had" in the beauty contest he used to own.

"She gained a massive amount of weight," Trump said. "It was a real problem. We had a real problem."

Clinton's campaign quickly lined up Machado for a conference call with reporters. The Venezuelan-born Machado, now a U.S. citizen, said she hoped her story would "open eyes" about Trump in the election.

Debby Bower, a 41-year-old Democrat who lives in the Denver suburbs, said Trump's taunting of the former beauty queen was "painful to my soul."

"It hurts my heart when I hear the hateful, spiteful language that Mr. Trump uses," Bower said.

According to a recent Associated Press-GfK poll of registered voters, 64 percent of women have an unfavorable opinion of Trump, while 58 percent of men view the Republican nominee negatively. Women were also more likely than men to say they'd be afraid or angry if Trump is elected in November.

Among likely voters, Clinton leads Trump among women in overall support, 51 percent to 34 percent. That puts her behind the 55 percent of women President Barack Obama won in the 2012 election, according to exit polls  though Trump also trails the 44 percent of women Republican Mitt Romney carried in his losing effort that same year.

At times, Clinton has been reluctant to play up the historic nature of her candidacy or call out perceived sexism that can color how she is judged on the nation's biggest political stage. But her campaign aides showed no such reluctance in the hours after the debate, moving swiftly to cast Trump's aggressive posture toward Clinton in front of a massive television audience as no different from how women often find themselves treated by men.

"His constant interruption of her probably was reminiscent of the way a lot of women feel about bullies in their lives," said John Podesta, Clinton's campaign chairman. "I thought it was kind of unbecoming and he couldn't stop himself."

Victoria Widergren, a Republican from Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, agreed. The 46-year-old builder and architect was planning to vote for Trump, but changed her mind after Monday's debate.

Widergren said she was particularly appalled to learn that the billionaire businessman hadn't paid contractors who worked for him. But as the 90-minute debate stretched on, she, too, grew frustrated with Trump's interruptions of Clinton, a view she said was shared by colleagues she'd spoken to after the debate.

"He just doesn't understand when to stop," she said.

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Associated Press writers Nicholas Riccardi in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, Thomas Beaumont and Lisa Lerer in Raleigh, North Carolina, Kathleen Hennessey in Tysons Corner, Virginia, and AP Polling Editor Emily Swanson in Washington contributed to this report.

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Follow Julie Pace on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jpaceDC
Verizon: Call records of 'fewer than 500' customers breached

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP)  A Verizon Wireless spokeswoman says it appears that "fewer than 500 customers" had their private information accessed in 2014 in a federal computer breach case involving a former Verizon Wireless network technician.

Federal prosecutors say the ex-employee, Daniel Eugene Traeger, used company computers to obtain customers' private call records  plus data showing where customers' phones were  and then sold them to an unnamed private investigator. He worked in the Birmingham, Alabama, area.

Court records don't say how many customers were affected.

But Verizon Wireless spokeswoman Kate Jay said in a statement to The Associated Press that it appears the information of fewer than 500 customers may have been accessed in 2014.
Some evacuation orders lifted in California wildfire areas

MORGAN HILL, Calif. (AP)  Some evacuations were lifted Wednesday as cooler weather gave firefighters a boost in their fight against a wildfire that is burning through bone-dry brush and threatening hundreds of structures in a remote area of California's Santa Cruz Mountains.

Mandatory evacuations were lifted for Santa Cruz County residents, but road closures remain in effect for non-residents. Evacuation orders remain in effect for neighboring Santa Clara County, where most of the 300 threatened structures are located, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

The wildfire had charred more than 4 square miles and was 22 percent contained by Wednesday evening, said Cal Fire Battalion Chief Scott McLean.

An inmate firefighter examines a burning structure while battling the Loma fire near Morgan Hill, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A 10-degree drop in temperatures and increased humidity helped fire crews. The cooling trend was expected to last through the week.

"Tomorrow is expected to be much cooler and each day will get progressively better but we still have very active fire behavior," McLean said.

The blaze won't be fully contained before next week, McLean estimated.

It was among three blazes burning in Northern California during a time of year when the drought-stricken state sees its largest and most damaging wildfires, state forestry officials said.

The blaze broke out Monday during a statewide heat wave that brought witheringly low humidity and temperatures in the upper 90s.

It gutted at least one home and threatened 300 buildings, though it was not clear how many were homes or smaller structures.

The area is dotted with marijuana growing operations, though the number of plants at risk is unclear. When Anthony Lopez returned to check on his home, which was still under an evacuation order, he was overjoyed to find dozens of his marijuana plants intact Tuesday.

Though the vast majority of California's marijuana is planted north of San Francisco, growers still find remote, densely forested land popular places to cultivate pot.

This summer, firefighters in nearby Monterey County rescued several pot farmers trapped for three days by a fast-moving wildfire. The growers said 900 plants were destroyed. No arrests were made after police said the evidence went up in smoke.

This week, cooler temperatures and calmer winds were expected to help more than 1,000 firefighters battling the flames that flourished over days of withering heat, said Capt. Nick Wallingford of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

"The cooling trend is very good news, but there's still a big threat," he said Wednesday. "Today, we're really going on the offensive in fighting this fire."

It started Monday during a heat wave that brought low humidity and temperatures in the upper 90s to much of California.

Norman Noble, 75, left the mountain home where he's lived for a quarter-century as flames approached and fire trucks rolled in.

"I evacuated ... because I didn't want to get in anyone's way," he told the San Jose Mercury News (http://bayareane.ws/2cH4hpE ), adding that he had no idea when he might be able to go back.

North of San Francisco, another fire destroyed four houses in the small city of Petaluma on Tuesday. It ignited in grass near Highway 101, and the wind blew it into parched eucalyptus trees. Embers from the flaming trees landed on the roofs of 13 homes.

Other property also was damaged, including burned backyard decks, sheds and windows, fire Battalion Chief Jeff Holden said. Authorities evacuated about 20 homes, and the only injury was to a woman who received burn blisters on the bottom of her foot.

Fire officials farther north say a grass fire that spread from the side of a highway into a row of homes in Petaluma, destroying four of them and damaging 10 others, may have been started by a cigarette.

East of Francisco, a wildfire started Monday when a driver on Highway 49 pulled over to rest and the car ignited dry grass, authorities determined. Firefighters were battling the 1-square-mile fire near the town of Mocassin, about 120 miles east of San Francisco.

Vintage cars line a property after the Loma fire burned through Loma Chiquita Road near Morgan Hill, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. A heat wave stifling drought-stricken California has worsened a wildfire that burned some buildings and forced people from their homes. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Fremont firefighter Collin Spencer hoses down a hot spot while battling the Loma fire near Morgan Hill, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Alameda County firefighter Wally Armstrong cools down hot spots in front of a residence leveled by the Loma fire near Morgan Hill, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A vintage car rests in a driveway after the Loma fire burned through Loma Chiquita Road near Morgan Hill, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. A heat wave stifling drought-stricken California has worsened a wildfire that burned some buildings and forced people from their homes. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Firefighters knock down walls of a building structure while battling the Loma fire near Morgan Hill, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Anthony Lopez harvests marijuana plants as the Loma fire burns around his home near Morgan Hill, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Anthony Lopez harvests marijuana plants as the Loma fire burns around his home near Morgan Hill, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Court that ousted top Alabama justice again weighs his fate

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore on Wednesday insisted to members of a judiciary commission that he never urged probate judges to defy a U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage, defending himself from charges brought by a state ethics panel.

Testifying under oath, Moore called the accusations of him abusing his position "ridiculous."

The ethics case involves an administrative order Moore sent six months after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that gays can marry in every U.S. state. Moore said then that because the Alabama Supreme Court had not rescinded an order instructing judges to refuse marriage licenses to gay couples, the state's probate judges remained bound by it.

Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore gets a standing ovation from supporters as he arrives for his ethics trial before the Alabama Court of the Judiciary at the Alabama Judicial Building in Montgomery, Ala., on Wednesday Sept. 28, 2016. (Mickey Welsh/Montgomery Advertiser via AP, Pool)

The outspoken Republican jurist, now 69, was removed from office in 2003 for violating judicial ethics by refusing to remove a Ten Commandments statue, but voters later re-elected him.

The current proceeding against Moore, before the nine-member Court of the Judiciary, could end with his removal from office once again.

"We are here 13 years later because the Chief Justice learned nothing from that first removal. He continues to defy the law," said John Carroll, a lawyer representing the Judicial Inquiry Commission, which brought the ethics charges against Moore.

Moore likened his order to a status report. He said he correctly noted that the Alabama Supreme Court hadn't yet ruled on what to do with the March order in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision.

"It would be against the principles that I hold dear to tell anyone to defy a court order," Moore testified.

Another lawyer for the commission, R. Ashby Pate, countered that by the time Moore wrote the administrative order, the legal debate over gay marriage was over. The U.S. Supreme Court had ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that came-sex couples could marry in all 50 states and a federal judge had enjoined probate judges from enforcing Alabama's same-sex marriage ban, he said.

"His order sowed confusion. It did not clear it up. He urged defiance, not compliance," Pate said.

Moorre's attorney, Mat Staver, argued that even after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, there still existed conflicting orders from different courts that the Alabama Supreme Court had to consider.

"Obergefell didn't turn on a light switch and cause all these things to happen like dominoes falling," Staver said.

The Court of the Judiciary now has 10 days to rule. A decision to remove him from the bench must be unanimous.

Moore's ethics trial comes during a season of political upheaval in Alabama. The speaker of the state House of Representative was removed from office this summer for criminal ethics violations, and a legislative committee will decide if evidence supports impeaching Gov. Robert Bentley following accusations that he had an affair with a top staffer.

Demonstrators for and against Moore rallied and occasionally tried to outshout each other after the hearing Wednesday. Rainbow flags decorated one side of the courthouse steps while Moore's supporters blared Christian music and waved "Judge Moore is Right" signs on the other.

"The truth is homosexuality is wrong," said Donna Holman, who traveled 12 hours from Iowa to support Moore.

Kim McKeand and Cari Searcy, the lesbian couple whose lawsuit led to a federal judge declaring Alabama's gay marriage ban unconstitutional, said Moore seemed to be on a personal mission to block marriage equality.

"Something happened that I didn't expect. There was a tide of love that rolled through Alabama and people were standing up and saying, no. This is my state too," Searcy said.

FILE - In this Aug. 8, 2016 file photo, Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore speaks to the media during a news conference in Montgomery, Ala. Moore appeared before a judicial discipline panel Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, to answer accusations that he tried to block gay couples from marrying in the Deep South state. The outspoken Republican jurist could be removed from office for the second time in 13 years if the Court of the Judiciary finds he violated the state's canons of judicial ethics. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

Embattled Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, top right, testifies during his ethics trial before the Alabama Court of the Judiciary at the Alabama Judicial Building in Montgomery, Ala., on Wednesday Sept. 28, 2016. (Mickey Welsh/Montgomery Advertiser via AP, Pool)

Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore testifies during his ethics trial before the Alabama Court of the Judiciary at the Alabama Judicial Building in Montgomery, Ala., on Wednesday Sept. 28, 2016. He is accused of encouraging judges to defy the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling legalizing gay marriage. (Mickey Welsh/Montgomery Advertiser via AP, Pool)

Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, right, answers questions from his attorney Philip Jauregui during his ethics trial before the Alabama Court of the Judiciary at the Alabama Judicial Building in Montgomery, Ala., on Wednesday Sept. 28, 2016. He is accused of encouraging judges to defy the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling legalizing gay marriage. (Mickey Welsh/Montgomery Advertiser via AP, Pool)

Audrey Egbert holds a sign in support of Roy Moore during the ethics trial of the Alabama Chief Justice on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Montgomery, Ala. Moore appeared before a judicial discipline panel Wednesday to answer accusations that he tried to block gay couples from marrying in the Deep South state. (Albert Cesare /The Montgomery Advertiser via AP)

Lisa Spencer holds a sign in support of Roy Moore during the ethics trial of the Alabama Chief Justice on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Montgomery, Ala. Moore appeared before a judicial discipline panel Wednesday to answer accusations that he tried to block gay couples from marrying in the Deep South state. (Albert Cesare/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP)

From left, Aliana Xuereb, Megan Hughes, Madison Faile, Junea Childers and Jessica Dent hold a rainbow flag during the ethics trial of Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Montgomery, Ala. Moore appeared before a judicial discipline panel Wednesday to answer accusations that he tried to block gay couples from marrying in the Deep South state. (Albert Cesare/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP)

Noami Grace Thomas, left, and Grace Nelson hold a sign in support of Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore during his ethics trial on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Montgomery, Ala. Moore appeared before a judicial discipline panel Wednesday to answer accusations that he tried to block gay couples from marrying in the Deep South state. (Albert Cesare/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP)

From left, Yancy Benson, Gil Mobley and Fernando Salcido walk the street while protesting Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore during his ethics trial on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Montgomery, Ala. Moore appeared before a judicial discipline panel Wednesday to answer accusations that he tried to block gay couples from marrying in the Deep South state. (Albert Cesare/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP)

Gil Mobley, of Birmingham ,marches with the Magic City Sisters as they gather during the trial of Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore Wednesday Sept. 28, 2016, at the Alabama Judicial Building in Montgomery, Ala. Moore appeared before a judicial discipline panel Wednesday to answer accusations that he tried to block gay couples from marrying in the Deep South state. (Julie Bennett/AL.com via AP)

William Nelson, left, of Double Springs, holds a sign while sitting amongst demonstrators during the trial of Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore Wednesday Sept. 28, 2016, at the Alabama Judicial Building in Montgomery, Ala. Moore appeared before a judicial discipline panel Wednesday to answer accusations that he tried to block gay couples from marrying in the Deep South state. (Julie Bennett/AL.com via AP)

Robert Dodge, of Muscle Shoals, marches with the Magic City Sisters as they gather during the trial of Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore Wednesday Sept. 28, 2016, at the Alabama Judicial Building in Montgomery, Ala. Moore appeared before a judicial discipline panel Wednesday to answer accusations that he tried to block gay couples from marrying in the Deep South state. (Julie Bennett /AL.com via AP)
Minister: 32,000 people arrested since failed coup in Turkey

ISTANBUL (AP)  The Turkish justice minister says 32,000 people have been arrested since the country's failed coup, and more may follow.

In a live interview with private broadcaster NTV on Wednesday, Bekir Bozdag said 70,000 people have been processed and 32,000 were formally arrested since the July 15 coup attempt. "There may be new arrests or releases according to the evidence and information gathered in the investigation," Bozdag said.

He also said Turkey was building a courthouse in the outskirts of Ankara, the national capital, for the prosecution of suspected coup plotters.

Turkey says U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen was behind the coup attempt that led to more than 270 deaths and considers him the leader of a "terrorist organization." Bozdag said the U.S. is "required to arrest" Gulen under an extradition treaty between the two countries. The cleric denies all accusations.
French government plans tax cuts in its 2017 budget

PARIS (AP)  The French government has presented a 2017 budget plan that includes 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in tax cuts expected to benefit 5 million low and middle-income households.

The budget detailed at a Cabinet meeting Wednesday is based on expected economic growth of 1.5 percent both this year and next. The International Monetary Fund forecasts a more modest 1.2 percent growth next year.

Finance minister Michel Sapin stressed Britain's decision to leave the European Union in June has "unclear" consequences on France's economic situation.

France's Finance and Economy Minister Michel Sapin delivers a speech during a press conference in Paris, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The French government is presenting its 2017 budget, including 1-billion euro ($1.1 billion) in tax cuts that are expected to benefit to 5 million modest and middle-class households. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

The government vows to bring the deficit to 2.7 percent of gross domestic product, which would be within the EU limit of 3 percent for the first time since 2007.

President Francois Hollande said this goal is "credible and serious," in comments reported by government spokesman Stephane Le Foll.

The EU has already granted France a delay of two years twice  in 2013 and 2015 to reach its deficit target.

The government is also trying to be more business-friendly through 5 billion euros in company tax cuts aimed, in the hope of boosting hiring.

The economy is expected to be a major concern for French voters ahead of the presidential election in April-May 2017. Unemployment has been hovering around 10 percent for years.

The budget will be debated this autumn in parliament. Several candidates in the presidential electoral campaign have claimed they would reconsider the budget if elected.

France's Finance and Economy Minister Michel Sapin arrives for a press conference in Paris, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The French government is presenting its 2017 budget, including 1-billion euro ($1.1 billion) in tax cuts that are expected to benefit to 5 million modest and middle-class households. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

France's Finance and Economy Minister Michel Sapin, right, and junior minister for Budget Christian Eckert arrive for a press conference in Paris, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The French government is presenting its 2017 budget, including 1-billion euro ($1.1 billion) in tax cuts that are expected to benefit to 5 million modest and middle-class households. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Amnesty's Thailand torture allegations spark arrest threat

BANGKOK (AP)  Thai authorities threatened to arrest Amnesty International speakers who were set to hold a news conference Wednesday to release a report detailing allegations of torture at the hands of the military and police, causing the rights group to cancel the event.

Beatings, suffocation by plastic bags and electric shocks of the genitals are among the torture methods used by Thai soldiers and police under the military government, according to the Amnesty report, which was sent to news organizations earlier this week but was to be officially released on Wednesday.

Just before the news conference was to begin, officials from Thailand's Ministry of Labor warned Amnesty that the two speakers set to talk about the report did not possess work permits and therefore risked arrest if either one spoke on stage. Amnesty then canceled the event.

FILE - In this Saturday, July 16, 2016, file photo, Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha waves as he arrives for a group photo of leaders at the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Prayuth defended the military detention of "so-called political prisoners," saying they are given good housing and food, but that they sometimes complain about things like the quality of air conditioning. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

"We know that the current government does not accept criticism very well," one of the slated speakers, Yuval Ginbar, Amnesty's legal adviser, told reporters outside the room where the news conference was to take place. "But what is happening in the unofficial places of detention  people being beaten up, people being suffocated, people being water boarded  and what happens in police roadblocks where suspected drug users are forced to urinate in public or are coerced into paying bribes to get released, this is more important than what we're facing here."

Government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd defended the Ministry of Labor's actions by saying no matter which organization the speakers are from, they must comply with the law. If they do not possess work permits, they risk arrest, he said.

"Our laws don't have multiple standards, we have only one standard," Sansern said. "We all have to follow these laws. Even if we are criticized, the law is the law."

In its report, Amnesty International documented 74 cases of torture and other mistreatment by military and police officials since the junta's takeover of the country in a May 2014 coup.

"Please shoot me and send my corpse to my family," said a man who was arrested by the army and held at an undisclosed location for seven days, according to the Amnesty report.

The man said he was repeatedly tortured with other methods. "They put a plastic bag on my head until I fainted, and then poured a bucket of cold water on me," the report quotes him as saying. "They applied electro-shock to my penis and chest. I was restrained, my legs tied, and my face covered with tape and a plastic bag."

Sansern denied any allegations of torture, saying that officials are required to act according to international standards of humanitarian laws.

Since it seized power, the military government has been continuously criticized by human rights groups for cracking down on dissent, jailing critics and censoring the media.

Without mentioning the Amnesty report directly, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha defended military detention of "so-called political prisoners," saying they are given good housing and food, but that they sometimes complain about things like the quality of air conditioning.

"We've released so many of these so-called political prisoners, but some are charged so we have to hold them," Prayuth said Wednesday at a forum for journalists, businesspeople and others.

"I hope you understand, I've been very forgiving," he said. "Only a few people suffer because they want to violate things all the time. And they blame the government for human rights violations. If I violate that much would I be able to stand here? But they try to get themselves prosecuted so they can tell it to the world."

Laurent Meillan, the U.N. Human Rights Office's acting regional representative for Southeast Asia, said the move by the Ministry of Labor on Wednesday to prevent the Amnesty panelists from speaking "raises serious questions about the ability of international organizations to stage public events in Thailand."

"This incident is another striking illustration of a new pattern of harassment of human rights defenders documenting torture in Thailand," Meillan said in an email.

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Bulgaria replaces candidate for the United Nations' top job

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP)  Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov announced Wednesday that the government is nominating its European commissioner, Kristalina Georgieva, as a candidate to be United Nations Secretary-General, replacing its previous candidate, UNESCO chief Irina Bokova.

The decision came two days after Bokova, came in sixth of nine candidates in the Security Council's latest informal poll to succeed Ban Ki-moon on Jan 1.

Earlier this month, Borisov said his government would continue backing Bokova's candidacy only if she was among the top two candidates in the fifth "straw" poll on Sept. 26.

FILE - In this Wednesday, May 27, 2016 file photo, European Commissioner for Budget Kristalina Georgieva speaks during a media conference on the EU 2016 budget at EU headquarters in Brussels. Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov announced Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 that the government is nominating its European commissioner, Kristalina Georgieva, as candidate to be United Nations Secretary-General, replacing its previous candidate, UNESCO chief Irina Bokova. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File)

"We made huge efforts, not only the government, but also the president, the foreign ministry and Irina Bokova herself, but you see the result," Borisov said at the government meeting.

In order to be replaced, however, Bokova would need to file a letter announcing her withdrawal. She said she sees no reason to do that.

"None of the other candidates, even those with worse results, is doing it because the real race is still ahead," Bokova said in an interview for the daily 24 chasa on Wednesday, before the prime minister's announcement.

Under the U.N. Charter, the secretary-general is elected by the U.N. General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council. In practice, this means the votes of the five veto-wielding permanent members of the U.N.'s most powerful body  the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France  are critical.

By tradition, the job of secretary-general has rotated among regions. Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe have all held the post. East European nations, including Russia, argue that they have never had a secretary-general and it is their turn.

There has also never been a woman secretary-general and more than 50 nations are campaigning to elect the first female U.N. chief, along with many organizations.

In Monday's informal poll, Portugal's former Prime Minister Antonio Guterres retained first place and was the only candidate to get the minimum nine required "yes" votes.

The key question for Guterres is whether one of the permanent members opposes his candidacy. That should become clear in the sixth straw poll expected next week which will be the first to distinguish the votes of the permanent and non-permanent council members.

One of the big question marks is who Russia will support. Borisov spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, before he announced the government's support for Georgieva.

Bokova said in the interview that calls for her to leave the race are undignified. She added that "with a second candidate, Bulgaria will become a laughing stock."

Since entering the race, Bokova has been a controversial candidate in Bulgaria because of her communist past.

"It appears that my successful start was not liked by certain circles in Bulgaria and outside Bulgaria. They saw that I have a chance to win and launched a negative campaign against me," she said.

"Regretfully, I am the only candidate facing a hysterical campaign of name-calling and slander in my own country."

In Brussels, Georgieva's boss, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, has granted her an unpaid leave of absence for the month of October to stand for the U.N.'s top post.

Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said the EU's executive arm will "ensure a strict separation between activities relating to her candidacy and her work" at the commission, where she has the portfolio in charge of budgetary affairs and human resources.

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov said the government will be seeking support for Georgieva from neighboring countries.

"I want to thank Ms Bokova, but we must transfer our support to Kristalina Georgieva," Mitov said.

___

Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the U.N. contributed to this report.
Unheralded NC Democrat's surge threatens GOP's Burr

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  Little-known former Democratic state legislator Deborah Ross is counting on public anger over the GOP political takeover of North Carolina to help her upset two-term U.S. Senator Richard Burr, a victory that could also help hand control of the U.S. Senate back to Democrats.

Despite scant name recognition at the start of the election, Ross has pulled even with Burr in the polls in a state that is split almost evenly ideologically. The race is now pulling in millions of dollars in outside PAC money as the opponents attempt to flip the state or keep it in the GOP fold.

So far, Ross' strategy of attacking Burr's record and criticizing state GOP policies such as the law limiting protections for LGBT people seems to be working with the traditional Democratic and moderate independent voters she is courting.

In this photo taken July 5, 2016, North Carolina Democratic Senate candidate Deborah Ross speaks at a campaign rally for Hillary Clinton in Charlotte, N.C. Little-known former Democratic state legislator Deborah Ross is counting on public anger over the GOP political takeover of North Carolina to help her upset two-term U.S. Senator Richard Burr, a victory that could also help hand control of the U.S. Senate back to Democrats. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

"North Carolinians feel pretty let down by Republicans," said Ann Cox, 21, of Hillsborough, a student at the all-female Meredith College. She is a registered Democrat and part of the millennial voting block Ross needs to win to upset Burr.

"I think we're seeing that what we have now isn't working and Deborah Ross represents what has worked in the past and what will work when she's elected," Cox said.

One of the factors that could help Ross is if she is able to get any coattail votes from women voting for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

To the frustration of national Republicans, Burr is for the most part sticking to the laidback routine he followed during his past two Senate campaigns, waiting until Congress recesses in early October before he starts stumping in earnest.

One exception: Earlier this week, both his campaign and the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC supporting Republican senate candidates, released attack ads accusing Ross of opposing the creation of the state's sex-offender registry when she was working for the American Civil Liberties Union. Ross blasted the ads as false.

Ross is emerging as a sharp and canny campaigner, energetically traveling the state talking about jobs and needling the Senate intelligence committee chairman for absenteeism.

Until recently, North Carolina was seen as a second-tier Senate race in an election season where Democrats need to net five seats to retake control of the Senate  or four if they hang onto the White House, since the vice president casts tie-breaking votes. But the Senate map has been shifting as Democrats all but cede Ohio and slow down spending in Florida.

The AFL-CIO rates the Burr-Ross race among the top races it seeks to influence by getting union members to knock on doors, make phone calls and chat up Ross as a candidate during lunch breaks, said Liz Shuler, the labor federation's national secretary-treasurer.

"We're going to be moving more people and money and investment here," Shuler said. "All eyes are on North Carolina."

While polls show most voters don't know Ross, a big chunk of the North Carolina electorate also admits not knowing Burr, despite his 12 years in the Senate and a decade before that in the House.

Ross, 53, moved to her adopted state in 1986 to attend law school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and stayed after graduation.

Burr's campaign has sought to paint Ross' leadership of the ACLU in the 1990s as proof that she is too liberal for a conservative Southern state. Ross responds that she was involved in an organization that opposes government overreach. She left the ACLU and in 2003 joined the state House, where she served for 10 years and was known as a quick-witted, sharp-tongued debater who in the course of a single day could both take down and work alongside Republicans.

Jeff Poley, a Raleigh attorney and Burr supporter, said he's concerned that the polls are tight and the senator isn't on the stump. But especially after bombing attempts in New York and New Jersey and a mall stabbing attack in Minnesota, Poley is glad Burr is overseeing the work of U.S. intelligence agencies.

"I trust that he is taking care of our national security and would put that in front of campaigning," said Poley, 45.

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Follow Emery P. Dalesio at http://twitter.com/emerydalesio . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/emery-p-dalesio .

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Associated Press writer Gary D. Robertson contributed to this report.
OPEC reaches preliminary accord to curb oil production

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP)  OPEC nations reached a preliminary agreement Wednesday to curb oil production for the first time since the global financial crisis eight years ago, in an effort to reduce a global glut of crude that has depressed oil prices for more than two years and weakened the economies of oil-producing nations.

The deal was reached after several hours of talks in the Algerian capital, though output levels must still be finalized at an OPEC meeting in Vienna in November.

The preliminary deal will limit output from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to between 32.5 million and 33 million barrels per day, said Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada, Qatar's energy minister and current president of OPEC. Current output is estimated at 33.2 million barrels per day.

Khalid Al-Falih Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources of Saudi Arabia answers questions as part of the 15th International Energy Forum Ministerial meeting in Algiers, Algeria, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. At meetings in Algeria this week, energy ministers from OPEC and other oil-producing countries are discussing whether to freeze production levels to boost global oil prices. (AP Photo/ Sidali Djarboub)

Benchmark U.S. crude jumped $2.38, or 5.3 percent, to close at $47.05 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, was up $2.72, or 5.9 percent, to $48.69 a barrel in London.

Long-running disagreements between regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran had dimmed hopes for a deal at Wednesday's talks.

Iran had been resistant to cutting production, as it's trying to restore its oil industry since emerging from international sanctions over its nuclear program earlier this year. According to Wednesday's deal, Iran will be allowed to increase production to 3.7 million barrels a day, according to Algerian participants at the meeting. It is currently estimated to be pumping around 3.6 million but had been aiming for 4 million per day.

The deal was a victory for Algerian officials who shuttled overnight Tuesday and all day Wednesday among participants to try to reach common ground on how to support oil markets. The OPEC officials met informally on the sidelines of an energy conference in Algiers.

"Our optimism was vindicated," said Energy Minister Noureddine Bouarfaa. "The decision was unanimous, and without reservations."

Oil traded for around $107 a barrel in June of 2014, but increased output from non-OPEC countries, particularly the U.S., created an oversupply in the market. Instead of cutting production, OPEC opted to pump at high volumes in an attempt to maintain market share and drive some U.S. shale oil and gas producers, with higher operating costs, out of business.

Crude prices plunged, and in January of this year fell below $30 for the first time in more than a decade. The lower prices have hurt many oil-producing nations hard, particularly OPEC members Venezuela and Nigeria, but also Russia and Brazil.

"We reached a very positive deal," said Nigerian Oil Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu. He said all countries will reduce output but the specific quotas will be set in November.

Analysts said the deal could still fall apart.

"You might say they have kicked the can down the road with an intent to conclude something by November," said Bhushan Bahree, an analyst with IHS Energy. "Whether they succeed or not remains to be seen."

"They have agreed to agree  it's still talk," with few details or numbers, said Larry Goldstein of the Energy Policy Research Foundation.

Goldstein said the OPEC announcement could halt further slippage in short-term prices, buying time for Saudi Arabia and other cartel members. He expects oil inventories to start coming down sharply  with prices rising  next summer.

"The key to the consumer is  if you have a long view  prices are going to go up fairly dramatically by the second half of 2017," Goldstein said. He said that once inventories are worked off, there won't be enough of a cushion of additional, quick production to prevent that run-up.

S&P Global Platts estimated that if OPEC cuts production by 700,000 barrels a day, prices would rise by $12 in 2017, according to analyst Nicole Leonard. She said that U.S. producers could not fill the void as quickly as next year, partly because some have too much debt and not enough cash to finance new drilling.

Platts estimated that it will take five years for U.S. operators to increase their production by 1 million barrels a day, or slightly more than OPEC's target for cutting production.

The preliminary agreement on production comes just weeks after the International Energy Agency said that growth in oil demand had slowed significantly during the third quarter, further suppressing crude prices.

Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil producer and Iran's rival for power in the Middle East, appeared to be more amenable to some sort of production limit, certainly more so than in April when OPEC failed to agree on measures to curb supplies.

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih this week promised to "support any decision aimed at stabilizing the market."

Venezuela's Petroleum Minister Eulogio Del Pino said a special meeting would be held ahead of the November OPEC meeting with non-OPEC members to work out quotas.

"We reached consensus to regulate the oil market through reductions in production," he said. "We hope this decision will stabilize prices."

Russia, the world's number two producer, is not an OPEC member but the country's energy minister, Alexander Novak, took part in meetings in Algiers.

___

Associated Press writers David Koenig in Dallas and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report.
Tie-up of world's biggest beer makers clears final hurdle

LONDON (AP)  A deal worth over $100 billion to combine the world's two biggest beer companies cleared its last major hurdle Wednesday when the shareholders of SABMiller approved the takeover by Budweiser maker Anheuser-Busch InBev.

SABMiller shareholders approved the 79 billion pound ($103 billion) deal  dubbed Megabrew  despite opposition from some investors who saw their share of the payout shrink when the pound plunged following Britain's vote to the leave the European Union. AB InBev shareholders also backed the transaction.

"We are committed to driving long-term growth and creating value for all our stakeholders," Carlos Brito, CEO of AB InBev, said in a statement.

Regulators around the world have already approved the deal, which AB InBev says will create "the first truly global brewer." The takeover is expected to be formally completed on Oct. 10, AB InBev said.

Acquiring SABMiller, which makes Fosters and Miller and traces its roots to the former South African Breweries, gives AB InBev a large presence in Africa while increasing its business in South America and Europe. The combined company will control almost a third of the global beer market.

The complicated deal was nearly derailed by the currency havoc caused by Britain's vote to leave the EU.

In order to win approval from SABMiller's two largest shareholders, AB InBev offered the U.S. tobacco company Altria and BevCo, an investment vehicle of the Santo Domingo family, a cash-and-stock deal that allows them to remain invested in the beer industry while avoiding taxes on a large cash payout. Other shareholders will receive a cash payment for their shares in British pounds.

The value of the cash offer declined in relation to the cash-and-stock deal as the pound weakened against the euro after the EU vote.

A group of smaller investors led by Aberdeen Asset Management opposed the deal, saying it undervalued SABMiller and left them at a disadvantage to Altria and BevCo, which together own about 40 percent of the company. In response, SABMiller agreed to recognize two classes of investors, with the deal requiring approval from 75 percent of smaller shareholders.

A British court must still approve the measure next week, but the hearing is largely considered uncontentious.

Aberdeen issued a statement expressing disappointment, but said it took comfort in securing a better deal for its clients  even though it argued the final price undervalued SABMiller.
The Latest: Pope Francis condemns Syria bombing

BEIRUT (AP)  The Latest on the civil war in Syria (all times local):

11:45 a.m.

Pope Francis has decried the assault on the Syrian city of Aleppo, saying those responsible for the bombing must answer to God.

In this photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense group known as the White Helmets, Syrians inspect damaged buildings after airstrikes by government helicopters on the rebel-held Aleppo neighborhood of Mashhad, Syria, Tuesday Sept. 27, 2016. With diplomacy in tatters and a month left to go before U.S. elections, the Syrian government and its Russian allies are using the time to try and recapture the northern city of Aleppo, mobilizing pro-government militias in the Old City and pressing ahead with the most destructive aerial campaign of the past five years. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP)

Francis said at his public audience Wednesday in St. Peter's Square that he's "united in suffering through prayer and spiritual closeness" to Aleppo's people. He expressed "deep pain and strong worry for what's happening," saying "children and elderly ... everyone is dying."

He called for utmost efforts to protect civilians in Syria's civil war, raging since 2011. Francis said: "I appeal to the consciences of those responsible for the bombing that they must give a reckoning to God" for their actions.

The Syrian government and its Russian allies have unleashed a major assault on the ancient city.

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11:30 a.m.

Medical officials say airstrikes have severely damaged two hospitals in eastern rebel-held Aleppo, leading to the death of two seriously ill patients.

The airstrikes early Wednesday hit the M2 and M10 hospitals, knocking out generators and cutting off water supplies, putting them temporarily out of service.

Mohammed Abu Rajab, head of M10 hospital, the largest of eight hospitals in eastern Aleppo, says two patients died because they could not be kept alive. He says the intensive care unit was severely damaged.

Adham Sahloul, of the Syrian American Medical Society, based in Gaziantep, Turkey, confirmed the strikes and described them as deliberate. He says government forces know the location of both facilities.
1 month after floods, urgent aid needed in North Korea

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP)  More than 70,000 people displaced by severe flooding in North Korea nearly a month ago are urgently in need of supplies and shelter before winter sets in, a Red Cross official in Pyongyang said Wednesday.

The floods were caused by a typhoon that hit the country's northernmost province late last month. Officials estimate that more than 130 people died and another 400 are missing. Typhoon Lionrock, amplified by a low-pressure system in the area, created floods that submerged, severely damaged or destroyed 30,000 homes and displaced 70,000 people.

"The disaster was pretty horrendous for the people affected," Chris Staines, head of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in North Korea, said in an interview with The Associated Press. "About 600,000 people have some level of immediate effect from the disaster."

FILE - In this Friday, Sept. 16, 2016, file photo, workers recover cement blocks from flood-damaged areas in Onsong, North Hamgyong Province, North Korea. More than 70,000 people displaced by severe flooding in North Korea nearly a month ago are urgently in need of supplies and shelter before winter sets in, a Red Cross official in Pyongyang said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Kim Kwang Hyon, File)

The Red Cross is seeking $15.5 million to provide emergency assistance to the disaster zone over the next 12 months.

Staines said extensive damage to roads and railways caused delays in getting supplies to the disaster zone. He said that has improved and the flow of supplies, workers and building materials is accelerating. But he said more work needs to be done urgently.

"The big pressure right now is about winter," he said. "By the end of next month, it will be sub-zero overnight and within two months it will be into the minus 10s, minus 20s, middle of winter minus 35 or more. So people are really at great risk."

Staines said the natural disaster could be followed by another calamity  a health disaster  if shelter and the necessary supplies don't get to those who need them quickly.

"People need to have some place that is safe and warm and dry to stay out of the winter," he said.

North Korea has launched a massive effort to rebuild the disaster zone, diverting resources from other projects around the country and sending throngs of workers, builders and soldiers to fix roads, remove rubble and lay the foundations for new shelters. Staines said officials have requested help in obtaining corrugated tin sheets for roofing the shelters, since tents and tarpaulins aren't enough to provide protection against the winter cold.

"The (North Korean) government has mobilized enormous resources," he said. "They've escalated their response as they become aware of what the problems are and how big the disaster is."

The situation has been further complicated by narrow roads, a supply chain that is stretched thin and a number of affected areas that are remote and isolated from each other.

"It's not like in one place where you can go in and fix things," he said. "It's hundreds of places where houses need to be built, clinics need to be built, supplies need to be re-established. ... It's very complicated and very logistically challenging to make it happen."

He said North Korea has been cooperative with international aid agencies, providing them with information and access to the scene.

"Obviously, there are sensitivities that they are aware of. This is the DPRK and that's the reality of existence here," Staines said, using the acronym for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "But within that, we certainly haven't been prevented from doing our work and it hasn't impacted our ability to help people."
Probe of jetty sought amid services for Marlins' Fernandez

MIAMI (AP)  Somber Miami Marlins players and personnel escorted a hearse carrying the body of star pitcher Jose Fernandez from the team's ballpark Wednesday, as the farewell for their beloved teammate marched on.

As players and fans honored Fernandez's memory, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio sought a safety probe into the rock jetty where a boat crash claimed the lives of the baseball star and two friends.

Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, manager Don Mattingly, hitting coach Barry Bonds and the players including Marcell Ozuna and Giancarlo Stanton wore white T-shirts emblazoned with Fernandez's image and the letters "RIP" as they slowly walked the hearse away from Marlins Park in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood. Many in the crowd of about 1,000 chanted "Jose! Jose!" and some waved Cuban flags in honor of the popular Cuban-American player.

Colorado Rockies including Darin Everson, left, observe a moment of silence for Miami Marlins' pitcher Jose Fernandez prior to a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, in San Francisco. Fernandez was killed in a boating accident on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Jose Portuondo, 55, came to the event with his dog, Sophie. He said Fernandez, 24, was a shining example for Cubans who often risk their lives at sea to come to the U.S. seeking freedom. Fernandez defected from the communist island at age 15.

"His is the story of many in South Florida. He brings it home," said Portuondo, who drives a city trolley bus. "Being here, the sadness is just thick in the air."

Junko Sasaki, 40, who is Japanese but spends a lot of time in South Florida, brought an offering of fruit, rice and water to a makeshift memorial to Fernandez that has sprouted up outside the ballpark. She said it was a traditional Japanese way of ensuring the honored dead have what they need in the afterlife.

"It is a Japanese custom. Every day he can eat," she said, adding that Fernandez once tossed her a baseball from the field at a game.

Hundreds of fans streamed into St. Brendan's Catholic Church later Wednesday for a public viewing, which was scheduled to last into the night. Many said they felt compelled to come not only because of Fernandez's popularity as a player but also because he was a hero to many in the Cuban-American community.

"I have to be here. I'm a huge fan," said Rick Gerena, 31, an environmental project manager. "He loved everybody. You almost felt like he was one of us out there."

Inside the church, mourners filed past a closed casket framed by flower arrangements in the shapes of the U.S. and Cuban flags, with a large family photo of Fernandez off to one side. Many touched the casket lightly and crossed themselves.

A private funeral Mass is set Thursday for the Fernandez family and Marlins players and personnel.

Rubio, a Florida Republican, sent a letter Wednesday to the Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers asking for a review of the century-old jetty and whether it poses a chronic danger to boaters. The jetty, which extends out from Miami's port, is difficult to see at night especially at high tide, Rubio said.

"While our hearts are heavy with grief for the numerous lives lost every year on the water, we can do more to save others," Rubio wrote. "As a boater myself, I have experienced firsthand the challenges this particular jetty can present to others trying to navigate around it."

Shortly after the 32-foot boat owned by Fernandez crashed early Sunday, the Coast Guard said a lighted buoy that marks the channel opening at the end of the jetty was working properly. The jetty itself does not have lights, but officials say routine reviews have concluded the existing navigational aids are adequate for safety.

Back at the ballpark, the Marlins still had a game to play Wednesday night against the New York Mets. Mets manager Terry Collins and some Mets players were out on the plaza for the procession of Fernandez's hearse.

"I thought it was important to be there," Collins said. "This is a very large fraternity, and it's an exclusive fraternity. It's hard to get in. You need the representation of everybody else out there. We were represented very well and I was proud of that."

Mattingly said he would talk to the team about trying to get back to baseball.

"I've never been involved in anything like that. I just keep going back to his mom. It's hard to see that. It's hard to imagine that," he said.

The cause of the crash is being investigated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. In addition to Fernandez, Emilio Jesus Macias, 27, and 25-year-old Eduardo Rivero also died in the crash.

Investigators have said no evidence of alcohol or drug use was found at the scene, but medical examiner toxicology reports are pending. A Miami River bar and restaurant has confirmed that Fernandez was there before the crash, but it is unclear if he was drinking.

Fernandez was an emerging baseball star known for his exuberant personality and style of play. He was National League Rookie of the Year in 2013 and was a two-time All-Star. This year he set a single-season Marlins strikeout record with 253.

Instead of flowers, the Fernandez family asks for charitable contributions to the JDF16 Foundation, which is online at www.MiamiFoundation.org/jdf16 .

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AP Sports Writer Steve Wine in Miami contributed to this story.

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Follow Curt Anderson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/miamicurt

Miami Marlins' Marcell Ozuna wears a hat in memory of Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez, before a baseball game against the New York Mets, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, in Miami. Fernandez was killed in a boating accident early Sunday, and was a patron at a Miami River bar before going out on the boat. Ozuna said he and at least two other teammates turned down an invitation to go out on the boat and tried to discourage Fernandez from going out. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Items sit at a makeshift memorial in memory of Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez outside of Marlins Park, before a baseball game between the Miami Marlins and the New York Mets, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, in Miami. Fernandez was killed in a boating accident Sunday. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Appeals court can't guarantee Snowden safe travel to Norway

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  A Norwegian appeals court has dismissed a lawsuit seeking a legal guarantee to allow Edward Snowden to travel to Norway without risk of being extradited to the United States.

The Borgating court upheld Wednesday a ruling by a lower district court saying it cannot issue such a guarantee for someone who isn't present in Norway.

An Oslo law firm filed the lawsuit in April on behalf of the former National Security Agency contractor and the Norwegian chapter of PEN that had invited Snowden to receive its Ossietzky Prize in November. The literary group had appealed the Oslo district court June ruling.
Deutsche Bank shares stabilize after deal to sell unit

BERLIN (AP)  Investor concerns over Deutsche Bank's financial stability appeared to ease Wednesday after Germany's biggest lender said it had struck a deal to sell a subsidiary and stressed it was not seeking government help.

The bank had seen its shares tumble this week as shareholders worried about its ability to handle a $14 billion legal claim from U.S. authorities.

Deutsche Bank said Wednesday it would sell its Abby Life business to Phoenix Life Holdings Ltd., both U.K.-based, for 935 million pounds (1.09 billion euros) subject to regulatory approval.

FILE - In this June 9, 2015 file photo the headquarters of Deutsche Bank is photographed in Frankfurt, Germany. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, file)

CEO John Cryan said Deutsche Asset Management, which held Abby Life, would continue to focus on its core businesses "while this transaction will also strengthen Deutsche Bank's capital position."

"We continue to build a simpler and better Deutsche Bank," he said.

That helped send shares up 1.74 percent to close in Frankfurt at 10.83 euros following the announcement. They are down some 52 percent so far this year.

Deutsche Bank said the transaction would result in an initial expected pre-tax loss of some 800 million euros, mainly due to the fact that it had to write down the unit's value.

Concerns over the bank's health have grown after it emerged U.S. authorities were seeking $14 billion to settle legal claims over the bank's sales of mortgage-backed securities.

Investors took huge losses on mortgage-backed securities in 2007-2008 when they turned out to be riskier than thought, helping kick off a global financial crisis. U.S. authorities are investigating Deutsche Bank's role in selling those securities.

The prospect of a heavy fine unnerved investors as Deutsche Bank is already struggling with weak profits. Also, the losses led to speculation that the bank might need to raise additional capital, a step which can dilute current investors' shareholding.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel refused on Tuesday to say if she'd consider stepping in over the U.S. government's demand for a settlement. "We naturally hope, even if there are temporary difficulties, that things will develop positively," she said.

In an interview published Wednesday with Germany's Bild newspaper, Cryan said Deutsche Bank was not looking for any kind of a government bailout.

"That's out of the question for us," he said, adding that reports of talks with Merkel about supporting the bank were false.

"At no point did I ask the chancellor for support," he said. "Neither did I suggest anything like that."

He reiterated that Deutsche Bank did not expect it would have to pay the entire $14 billion demanded, and that he saw no need to increase capital stock, saying that the bank had "fewer risks in the books than before" and "is comfortably equipped with free liquidity."

Finance Ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger also dismissed as false a report in Germany's Die Zeit newspaper that the government was working on a plan to help Deutsche Bank, should an emergency situation arise.

"The German government is preparing no rescue plan for Deutsche Bank and there is no reason for such speculation," he told reporters in Berlin.

Without citing sources, Zeit reported officials were discussing a possible government stake in the bank in a plan that would also include contributions from creditors and customers, but that the hope still is that the bank will not need help.

Jaeger refused to say under what circumstances the government might step in, or say whether there had been any meetings at the Finance Ministry this week to discuss the situation.
UK judge bans publication of hacked Pippa Middleton photos

LONDON (AP)  A British judge on Wednesday banned the publication of stolen photographs of Pippa Middleton after allegations that 3,000 personal images were taken in a hacking attack on her iCloud account.

High Court justice Philippa Whipple made the order after Middleton, sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, and her fiance James Matthews went to court against the "person or persons unknown" who are responsible for the hack.

Whipple said Middleton feared that "other private information beyond photographs" had been taken.

FILE- In this Friday, June 19, 2015 file photo, Pippa Middleton, left, the sister of Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, watches the quarterfinal tennis match between Canada's Milos Raonic and France's Gilles Simon on the fifth day of the Queen's Championships in London. A British judge Wednesday Sept. 28, 2016 banned publication of stolen photographs of Pippa Middleton after allegations that 3,000 personal images were taken in a hacking attack on her iCloud account. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland, File)

Middleton "has good reason to fear that all the information held in her iCloud account has been accessed," the judge said.

The Sun newspaper said Saturday it was contacted by a purported hacker seeking at least 50,000 pounds ($65,000) for the photos. It said the seller communicated using the pseudonym "Crafty Cockney" on an encrypted messaging service and sent sample photos showing Middleton being fitted for a wedding dress in advance of her wedding next year.

The Sun said the hacker also claimed to possess Middleton's informal images of sister Kate with her children, Princess Charlotte and Prince George, and naked images of Matthews.

Police arrested a 35-year-old man Saturday on suspicion of offenses under the Computer Misuse Act. He was later released on bail pending further inquiries.
Greek police arrest 4 Pakistani teens on rape charges

ATHENS, Greece (AP)  Greek police say four Pakistani teenagers have been arrested in a refugee camp on the eastern Aegean island of Lesbos on charges of raping another teenage boy.

Police said Wednesday the four boys, all aged 17, were arrested in Moria camp Sunday and face felony charges of rape and child pornography.

The four are accused of collectively assaulting a 16-year-old, also from Pakistan, and recording their actions on mobile phones. The 16-year-old was seen by a medical examiner and a child psychologist, while the four arrested boys are to appear before an investigative judge.
Halloween masked men attack couple who thought it was a joke

ORINDA, Calif. (AP)  A California couple is recovering after the woman was shot and her husband was assaulted following what they thought was an early Halloween prank by their son.

Tom Spalding tells KGO-TV (http://abc7ne.ws/2cBQ0fr ) two men wearing Halloween masks approached them in their driveway in the Bay Area city of Orinda. Spalding says he was pistol whipped after giving up his wallet. He says his wife resisted because she thought it was a joke. He says one of them men shot her twice.

The couple's son ran outside to find his mother shot in the left arm and lower hip.

The 70-year-old Carol Brown was taken to a hospital and police say she is in stable condition.

Police are looking for suspects in the case.

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Martin Shkreli raffling chance to punch him in face

NEW YORK (AP)  Embattled pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli is giving some people what they want  a chance to punch him in the face.

Shkreli came under fire last year for jacking up the price of a lifesaving malaria medication 5,000 percent. He has also pleaded not guilty to federal charges of defrauding potential investors.

Shkreli said on Twitter this week that he would offer the chance to hit him to the highest bidder on eBay. After the eBay listing was removed, he said those donating to a fundraiser would be entered into a raffle to punch him. Shkreli says he's also open to getting dinner with the winner instead.

FILE - In this Feb. 4, 2016 file photo, Pharmaceutical chief Martin Shkreli smiles on Capitol Hill in Washington during the House Committee on Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on his former company's decision to raise the price of a lifesaving medicine. Shkreli announced on Twitter Sept. 26, 2016, that he would offer up a chance to punch him in the face as part of a fundraiser for the son of his former PR consultant, who recently died. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
The Latest: Trump says he saved Machado's job

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Latest on the U.S. presidential election (all times EDT):

8:33 p.m.

Donald Trump says he saved former Miss Universe Alicia Machado's job by shaming her into losing weight.

FILE - In this June 15, 2016, file photo, former Miss Universe Alicia Machado speaks during a news conference at a Latino restaurant in Arlington, Va., to criticize Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Machado became a topic of conversation during the first presidential debate between Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton on Sept. 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Luis Alonso Lugo, File)

Trump told Fox News host Bill O'Reilly Wednesday night that he "saved her job because they wanted to fire her for putting on so much weight." Trump says he said, "'Don't do that, let her try and lose the weight.'"

Machado says that Trump humiliated her by inviting reporters to her gym sessions and calling her "Miss Piggy."

But Trump says he deserves thanks.

"I helped somebody and this is what you get for helping somebody," he says.

He adds that she and other girls knew what they were getting into, adding, "It's a beauty contest."

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5:34 p.m.

Donald Trump wants to know how many Christian conservatives are backing him in Iowa.

The Republican presidential nominee asked those attending a Wednesday afternoon rally in Council Bluffs to raise their hands "if you're not a Christian conservative."

He noticed "a couple people" raising their hands.

He asked the crowd, "Should we keep them in the room?" He answered himself, "Yes, I think so."

Many Iowa Republicans are Christian conservatives. The thrice married Trump has faced tough questions of his own about his devotion to Christian values.

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5:22 p.m.

Donald Trump has said the name of former GOP rival Ted Cruz.

The Republican nominee saluted the Texas Senator at a rally Wednesday in Iowa, saying "Ted Cruz endorsed me the other day and I know the people of Iowa like Ted Cruz."

Cruz won the Iowa caucus and is popular among the state's evangelical population.

The Texas Senator held out endorsing Trump for months before finally announcing his support last week. He dramatically refused to back Trump at this summer's national convention, telling Republicans to instead "vote their conscience."

Trump had viciously attacked Cruz during their primary battle, insulting the senator's wife's looks and trying unsuccessfully to link Cruz' father with the assassination of President John Kennedy.

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5:16 p.m.

Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence is noshing on a hot dog with chili sauce before a campaign stop in northeast Ohio.

Pence, his wife Karen and daughter Charlotte made a quick stop at Jib Jab Hot Dog Shoppe in Girard, Ohio, on Wednesday before an evening rally in nearby Leetonia.

Pence ordered a hot dog with chili sauce and scarfed it down in just a few quick bites in one of the restaurants booths. Pence then chatted and posed for pictures with diners and restaurant staff.

Pence was campaigning in Ohio after spending the morning and previous afternoon in private debate preparations in Wisconsin with Gov. Scott Walker.

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5:12 p.m.

Donald Trump is unleashing a line of attack on Hillary Clinton that he notably underplayed during the first presidential debate.

Trump suggested to supporters Wednesday in Iowa that the Democratic nominee used the Clinton Foundation to enrich herself.

The celebrity businessman said that if Clinton "ever got the chance, she would put the Oval Office up for sale." He repeatedly drew the contrast that Clinton was "a career politician" who "failed at everything" during her Washington tenure while portraying himself as an agent of change.

Many believe Trump spent too much time on the defensive during Monday's debate and missed several opportunities to attack Clinton.

Though most observers feel Clinton had a strong debate, Trump said "I don't think she did well in the debate at all."

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4:42 p.m.

Hillary Clinton's campaign is calling Donald Trump to apologize to former Miss Universe pageant winner Alicia Machado.

Clinton campaign spokeswoman Jen Palmieri told reporters Wednesday that Trump and his campaign "should stop bullying her."

Trump aides have seized upon reports that Machado threatened to kill a judge in Venezuela in 1998. She was never charged with any criminal involvement.

Machado said in a Tuesday interview with CNN that "everybody has a past."

Trump has refused to back down from comments he made about Machado's weight, saying on Tuesday that her "massive" gain had been a "real problem."

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4:06 p.m.

More people are seeking or casting early ballots in the critical states of North Carolina and Florida than at this point in 2012, with Hillary Clinton the likely benefactor.

Nationwide, early voting is showing signs of surging.

Clinton may also benefit from an increase in ballot requests in Georgia, a traditionally Republican state where Democrats have made inroads. But Donald Trump is showing strength in Iowa and Maine, states won by Barack Obama in the last two elections.

The latest snapshot of ballot data offers a glimpse into a key question: how much of a vote advantage Clinton can run up before Nov. 8, when more Republicans tend to vote. While the ballot sample remains small, Clinton is hitting guideposts in several battleground states compared to 2008 and 2012.

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3:58 p.m.

Hillary Clinton is appealing to young voters in New Hampshire, promising to give them relief from high interest rates and massive student loans if she's elected president.

Clinton is campaigning with her one-time primary rival Bernie Sanders at the University of New Hampshire. Clinton says she wants to "make a difference" in the lives of young voters with a plan she developed with Sanders to make college debt-free for millions of middle-class families.

Sanders was popular with millennials during the primary. Clinton is trying to connect with young voters who may support third-party candidates Gary Johnson or Jill Stein.

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3:29 p.m.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is making the case for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire, calling her plan to provide free college tuition to middle class families "revolutionary."

Sanders says the plan that he developed with Clinton after their lengthy presidential primary is a "big deal" and would help millions of young people from middle-class and low income backgrounds go to college.

Sanders is introducing Clinton at a rally at the University of New Hampshire. The senator says the November election is "enormously important for the future of our country" and it's "imperative" that voters send Clinton to the White House.

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2:17 p.m.

It's a line of questioning that was simply too delicious to resist.

House Speaker Paul Ryan appeared Wednesday before the Economic Club of Washington to discuss economic policy and, inevitably, politics. Two days earlier, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump debated Hillary Clinton and was panned for a poor performance and inadequate preparation.

Club president David Rubenstein was asking the questions, seated on stage facing the GOP's 2012 vice presidential candidate.

Rubenstein asked, "So, you did a vice presidential debate. Did you prepare a lot for that?"

Ryan, who's had a touchy relationship with Trump, laughed along with audience. He said, "I know where you're going with this one, all right? Yes I did, David."

Rubenstein bore in and asked, "Well, does preparation help?"

More laughter.

Ryan giggled, "It does, David."

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1:35 p.m.

Michelle Obama says presidential candidates don't change if they win and "we need an adult in the White House."

The first lady attacked Donald Trump at a rally in Philadelphia Wednesday, saying that if a candidate thinks not paying taxes makes him smart, or makes cruel and insulting comments about women, that's who the candidate really is.

She said "experience, preparation and temperament matters and Hillary Clinton has it all."

The first lady was heading to Pittsburgh for another rally later Wednesday.

The Trump campaign says Clinton is "in panic mode" in Pennsylvania because of his improved polling and what they say is her disconnect with millennials and African-American voters.

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1:34 p.m.

The political arm of Planned Parenthood is targeting Ohio as part of its largest education and get-out-the-vote effort ever.

Planned Parenthood Votes says its Ohio campaign's public launch Wednesday is part of an unprecedented, $30 million national effort to mobilize voters, particularly young and undecided Americans.

The field campaign is data-driven. The group says internal analysis shows uncommitted Ohio voters can be moved by issues surrounding Planned Parenthood, the women's health care and abortion provider, and abortion rights.

Its volunteers will push votes for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Senate candidate Ted Strickland in 450,000 door knocks and 17,000 phone calls.

Abortion opponents are rallying support through a 40-day bus tour launched Tuesday. It promotes politicians who favor legal abortion limits.

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1:05 p.m.

Donald Trump is praising former Israeli leader Shimon Peres as "a consummate statesman, a distinguished patriot and a friend of peace-loving people everywhere."

The Republican presidential nominee says in a statement issued by his campaign Wednesday that Peres was "a visible and highly effective patriarch" to the people of Israel whose "life always pointed toward peace."

Peres died Tuesday.

The statement said Peres, a former president and prime minister "personified dignity and grace in a region of the world where both run far too short."

Trump and his wife, Melania, extended their condolences to Peres' family.

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1 p.m.

Michelle Obama is using a Hillary Clinton rally to denounce Donald Trump's role in the birther movement.

The first lady said questions about her husband's citizenship can't be swept under the rug "by an insincere sentence uttered at a press conference."

She didn't mention Trump by name, but that was clearly a reference to the Republican nominee's brief statement this month finally acknowledging that Obama was born in the United States.

Mrs. Obama said the birther movement raised "hurtful, deceitful questions" aimed at undermining her husband's presidency.

She said the president has answered those questions "by going high when they go low."

The first lady said the next president "just can't pop off or lash out irrationally."

Mrs. Obama was campaigning at LaSalle University in Philadelphia.

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11:45 a.m.

Donald Trump is pledging if elected to work with Poland to strengthen NATO.

Trump is speaking to Polish-Americans in Chicago. He's praising Poland for paying its fair share to collective defense under NATO.

Trump had been criticized earlier in the campaign for describing NATO as obsolete and questioning the U.S. commitment to the alliance. But Trump says he's helping NATO by putting pressure on it to focus on terrorism.

Trump also touched on other campaign themes, promising he'll be the "greatest president for jobs that God ever created."

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11 a.m.

Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign is airing its first television ad featuring Michelle Obama.

The first lady says in the 30-second ad that Clinton is the best candidate to help America's children.

She says "our children watch everything we do" and Clinton would be a president "our kids can look up to."

Clinton has made the case that rival Donald Trump doesn't have the temperament to be president.

The ad is airing ahead of Mrs. Obama's campaign events Wednesday in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. The first lady will urge voters to register before the Oct. 11 registration deadline.

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10:10 a.m.

Former Republican senator John Warner is panning Donald Trump as disrespectful of the military and woefully unprepared to be commander in chief.

Warner is a five-term Virginia senator, veteran and former Secretary of the Navy. He was appearing with Hillary Clinton's running mate, Tim Kaine, in Virginia to endorse the Democratic ticket.

Warner said he's weighing in because he's "distressed" by Trump's comments that the military is in bad shape. He said Clinton is deeply prepared to be president, citing their time together on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

He said above all, Clinton is respectful of the military. He added: "That's one word that's totally lacking on the other side."

This is Warner's first time endorsing a Democrat for president. He endorsed a Democrat for senator in 2014.

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9:50 a.m.

Former Republican Sen. John Warner of Virginia says Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine is a longtime friend who "exemplifies what this country needs."

The five-term senator was formally endorsing Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her running mate at an event in Virginia, also Kaine's home state.

Kaine and Warner warmly recalled their friendship. Warner is a friend of Kaine's father-in-law, former Republican Virginia Gov. Linwood Holton. Warner said he first appeared on behalf of Kaine when Kaine ran for the Richmond city council decades ago.

Kaine told the crowd that he called Warner for advice when deciding to run for Senate in 2012. He's praising Warner as a politician who has "always put country and commonwealth above everything else."

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9:20 a.m.

President Barack Obama says people don't give Hillary Clinton enough credit  perhaps partially because she's a woman.

Obama was speaking in an interview with radio host Steve Harvey airing Wednesday. He said he's been frustrated at people's reluctance to give Clinton credit. He said it's partially because "she's been around a long time" and possibly because there hasn't been a female president before.

Obama said his legacy is on the ballot this year. He said everything his administration has accomplished in the last eight years is at stake.

The president said Trump "basically admitted" in the first debate that he didn't pay taxes. He said Trump admitted he didn't pay people who worked for him. Obama accused Trump of insulting women during and after the debate.

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7:35 a.m.

Hillary Clinton is trying to build on her widely praised debate performance by making a direct appeal to younger voters.

Clinton is campaigning Wednesday in New Hampshire with Bernie Sanders. It's their first joint campaign appearance since their "unity" rally after Sanders endorsed Clinton. She's struggled to win over the young voters whose enthusiasm drove his primary campaign.

Donald Trump is claiming that the debate was a success for him, too. His campaign is celebrating what it says is about $18 million Republicans raised in the day after the debate.

Trump is campaigning in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Clinton's campaign is also dispatching Michelle Obama to campaign for her in Pennsylvania. The first lady has been one of the most effective campaigners for Democrats this year.

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3:05 a.m.

Donald Trump is refusing to release his tax returns. But he has turned them over when he stood to make a profit, needed a loan or when a judge forced him.

No one who's seen those documents is allowed to say what's in them.

In all the cases reviewed by The Associated Press, each person, organization, company or government office that has seen copies of Trump's tax returns is barred from discussing their contents. That leaves the public with only glimpses into what his tax returns contain.

Trump faces increased criticism from Democrat Hillary Clinton to release his tax returns after he said during the presidential debate that he was smart for not paying federal income taxes in some years. Since 1976, every major party nominee has released their returns.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump takes the stage at a rally, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Idaho voters head to a new food truck-inspired voting unit in Boise, Idaho on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. The four new trailers will be parked throughout the state's most populated county in the three weeks leading up to the November election and allow Idahoans to vote early without going to their designated precinct. (AP Photo/Kimberlee Kruesi)

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton sits with contest winners at the Works Bakery Cafe in Durham, N.H., Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, following a closed-door meeting of House Republicans. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

First lady Michelle Obama speaks at LaSalle University in Philadelphia, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, as she campaigns for presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the Polish National Alliance, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/John Locher)

People cheer as first lady Michelle Obama speaks at LaSalle University in Philadelphia, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, campaigning for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
Moldova bans Ukraine meat over African swine fever fears

CHISINAU, Moldova (AP)  Moldovan authorities are banning the import of live animals and meat from Ukraine due to fears of African swine fever.

Agriculture Minister Eduard Grama says the ban begins Wednesday after several suspected cases of the disease emerged 200 kilometers (125 miles) north of the Moldovan capital.

The minister said in one case a man bought meat from Ukraine and gave the water he washed the meat in to his pigs, which got sick and died. Several pigs are suspected of contracting the disease.

The World Organization for Animal Health says African swine fever doesn't affect humans.
Polish prime minister fires finance minister in overhaul

WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Poland's conservative prime minister on Wednesday fired her finance minister and is gave his duties to the country's deputy prime minister as part of a government restructuring.

Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said the dismissal of Finance Minister Pawel Szalamacha was dictated by the need to speed up and consolidate economic reforms.

Szydlo says the ministry will now be led by Minister of Development and Deputy Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

Poland's Prime Minister Beata Szydlo tells reporters that she has dismissed her finance minister and given his job to Deputy Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at her office in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 20160. She said the dismissal was dictated by the need to speed up economic reforms. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Szalamacha had served as finance minister since November and prepared the 2017 budget draft. He recently yielded to European Union protests and backed away from a major government project, a tax on foreign-owned and Polish supermarkets operating in Poland. The tax was to help finance pro-family policy.

Szydlo spoke following a weekly government session where cabinet members also approved Szalamacha's draft 2017 budget that keeps the budget deficit below the EU-allowed limit of 3 percent of GDP.

Poland's Prime Minister Beata Szydlo tells reporters that she has dismissed her finance minister and given his job to Deputy Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at her office in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 20160. She said the dismissal was dictated by the need to speed up economic reforms. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Poland's Prime Minister Beata Szydlo tells reporters that she has dismissed her finance minister and given his job to Deputy Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at her office in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 20160. She said the dismissal was dictated by the need to speed up economic reforms. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
'The Magicians' author writing novel set in post-Camelot era

NEW YORK (AP)  The author of the best-selling "Magicians" fantasy trilogy will next take on the aftermath of King Arthur and Camelot.

Lev Grossman's "The Bright Sword" will begin with the fall of Camelot and will tell of the knights following in the wake of King Arthur, Sir Lancelot and others of the Round Table, Viking told The Associated Press on Wednesday. No release date has been set.
Swiss military helicopter crashes in Alps, 2 pilots killed

GENEVA (AP)  A Swiss Super Puma helicopter crashed Wednesday in the Alps, killing the two pilots and injuring a flight assistant, the head of Switzerland's air force said.

Air force chief Aldo Schellenberg said the crash in the central Gothard region was part of an Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe inspection. Four French officers and several Swiss escorts had left the helicopter shortly before the flight.

"I have the sad duty to inform you that at midday today we lost a helicopter of the Swiss army," Schellenberg told reporters in Bern, the capital. "The two pilots lost their lives."

Rescue workers stand arround the debris oft the crashed Swiss army helicopter in the Alps near the Gotthard mountain pass in Airolo, southern Switzerland, Wednesday, Sept. 28 2016. The head of Switzerlands air force says one of its Super Puma helicopters has crashed, killing two pilots on board and injuring a flight assistant. (Samuel Golay/Ti-Press/Keystone via AP)

He said the injured flight assistant was able to communicate and was taken to a hospital.

A military investigation of the crash has been opened, Schellenberg said. All training flights with Super Pumas were temporarily suspended as a precaution.

Officials said it was the first Super Puma crash since March 30, 2011, when three people were injured in the nearby Uri region.
Man rescued at sea was suspected in grandfather's slaying

BOSTON (AP)  A 22-year-old man rescued from a life raft after a fishing trip that left his mother missing and presumed dead had been a suspect in the still-unsolved 2013 slaying of his rich grandfather, adding to the multitude of questions swirling around him and what happened at sea.

Nathan Carman was picked up by a freighter Sunday 100 miles off the Massachusetts coast after what he said was a week adrift that began when his 31-foot aluminum fishing boat inexplicably sank during a mother-and-son outing.

Coast Guard officials interviewed Carman, and police searched his home in Vermont as part of an investigation into the ill-fated trip. He has not been charged with anything.

Nathan Carman arrives in a small boat at the US Coast Guard station in Boston, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. Carman spent a week at sea in a life raft before being rescued by a passing freighter. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

In an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, he said he had "absolutely nothing" to do with his grandfather's killing and did everything he could to find his mother, 54-year-old Linda Carman, of Middletown, Connecticut, as their boat went down. He said he blew a whistle and called out frantically for her for hours.

"I was yelling, 'Mom! Mom!'" Carman said. He added: "I loved my mother and my mother loved me."

According to court documents, Carman came under suspicion in the slaying three years ago of his maternal grandfather, 87-year-old John Chakalos, a wealthy real estate developer who was found shot to death in his Windsor, Connecticut, home.

A 2014 search warrant obtained by the AP said that Carman was the last person known to have seen Chakalos alive; that Carman had bought a rifle consistent with the one used in the crime; and that he discarded his hard drive and GPS unit used around the time of the shooting.

Carman was never charged. According to court papers, police submitted an arrest warrant to a prosecutor, but it was returned unsigned with a request for more information.

In his will, Chakalos left an estate worth more than $42 million to his four adult daughters, including Carman's mother.

Windsor police Capt. Thomas LePore said Wednesday that the case is still open and that Carman remains a "person of interest."

"My grandfather was like a father to me, and I was like a son to him," Carman told the AP. "He was the closest person in the world to me, and I loved him and he loved me, and I had absolutely nothing to do with his death."

In the course of investigating the killing, authorities said in court papers that they learned from family members that Carman had a history of violence as a child, including one incident in which he allegedly held another child "hostage" with a knife. The documents also said Carman had several alarming episodes while he was a high school student, although no details of those incidents were given.

Authorities would not discuss the investigation into the boating trip.

Mother and son set off from a marina in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, on Sept. 17, authorities said. Carman told the AP that their boat sank in a matter of minutes around noon the next day after he heard a "funny noise" in the engine compartment and saw water pouring in.

He said he saw his mother in the cockpit and then saw her pulling in the fishing lines. He said he grabbed three bags containing food, flares and life jackets. But when he looked back, his mother was no longer there, he said.

"One minute I was standing on the deck, the next minute I was in the water," he said.

Carman said the life raft self-inflated, and he swam to it, about 15 to 20 feet away, and began calling for his mother.

On Monday, authorities searched Carman's home in Vernon, Vermont, and seized a modem, a SIM card and a letter. Their search warrant indicated investigators think that Carman was handling some boat motor repairs himself and that the vessel might not have been seaworthy.

"The investigation has also revealed that Nathan had intended to go fishing further off-shore in a different location than what were his mother's intentions and understanding," the warrant said.

Family members have said Carman has Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism that can be characterized by social awkwardness and repetitive behavior. Experts say people with Asperger's are no more likely than others to commit violent crimes.

His attorney, Hubert Santos, said that Carman cooperated fully with the Coast Guard and that his mother's death was a "tragic accident."

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Associated Press writers Michael Melia in Hartford, Connecticut; and Jennifer McDermott in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, contributed to this report.

This Monday Sept. 26, 2016 photo shows the home of Nathan Carman in Vernon, Vt. Authorities said police from South Kingstown, R.I. searched the home Monday evening. Carman, 22, who spent a week at sea in a life raft before being resuced by a passing freighter described how he frantically looked for his mother as his fishing boat sank in the Atlantic, the Coast Guard said Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Wilson Ring)

Nathan Carman prepares to disembark from a small boat at the US Coast Guard station in Boston, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. Carman spent a week at sea in a life raft before being rescued by a passing freighter. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Nathan Carman, right, disembarks at the US Coast Guard station in Boston, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. Carman spent a week at sea in a life raft before being rescued by a passing freighter. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Nathan Carman arrives in a small boat at the US Coast Guard station in Boston, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. Carman spent a week at sea in a life raft before being rescued by a passing freighter. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Nathan Carman arrives in a small boat at the US Coast Guard station in Boston, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. Carman spent a week at sea in a life raft before being rescued by a passing freighter. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Nathan Carman, center, disembarks from a small boat at the US Coast Guard station in Boston, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. Carman spent a week at sea in a life raft before being rescued by a passing freighter. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Nathan Carman, rescued from a life raft after a fishing trip, talks to an ABC news reporter in Brattleboro, Vt., Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. Carman, a 22-year-old man rescued from a life raft after a fishing trip that left his mother missing and presumed dead, had been a suspect in the still-unsolved 2013 slaying of his rich grandfather, adding to the multitude of questions swirling around him and what happened at sea. (Kristopher Radder/The Brattleboro Reformer via AP)
Bangladesh withdraws from regional summit in Islamabad

NEW DELHI (AP)  Bangladesh announced Wednesday that it will not participate in a meeting of South Asian nations in Pakistan in November, following the withdrawal of India, the largest member of the regional bloc, a day earlier.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs M. Shahriar Alam gave no reason for Bangladesh's decision other than his country's "domestic engagements."

Diplomatic tensions between Bangladesh and Pakistan have escalated in recent years, with each government summoning the other's top diplomat over Bangladesh's execution of people convicted of involvement in its 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.

Bangladesh says Pakistani soldiers, aided by local collaborators, killed 3 million people and raped 200,000 women during the war. Pakistan denies the allegation.

The move is seen as part of India's diplomatic efforts to isolate archrival Pakistan after a recent militant attack on an Indian army base in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir that killed 18 soldiers. New Delhi blames a Pakistan-based militant group for the attack. Pakistan denies that.

On Tuesday, India pulled out of the meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, citing increasing terror attacks in the region and blaming "one member" for interfering in the internal affairs of member states. It said the atmosphere was not conducive for a successful summit. It did not name Pakistan directly.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to attend the eight-nation summit in the Pakistani capital. The other member states are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

There was no immediate comment from Pakistan on Bangladesh's withdrawal, but it earlier called India's announcement unfortunate. A foreign ministry spokesman said Pakistan remained committed to peace and regional cooperation.

SAARC was founded in 1985 to promote economic cooperation in the region, but tensions between India and Pakistan have repeatedly blocked progress.
Pakistan says India will 'disintegrate' when Kashmir is free

ISLAMABAD (AP)  Pakistan's defense minister on Wednesday said India will "disintegrate" when Kashmir gains independence, in a sign of mounting tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals.

Khawaja Muhammad Asif told The Associated Press that Pakistan will continue to extend moral support to the people of the disputed Himalayan region, which is split between Pakistani and Indian control but claimed in its entirety by both.

"When the freedom movement in Kashmir succeeds, it will be beginning of the end of India," he said. Asif said the sacrifices of Kashmiri people will not be in vain and that "India will disintegrate and it will not remain united" when Kashmir gains independence.

FILE - In this Friday, April 25, 2008 file photo, Pakistani Petroleum Minister Khawaja Mohammed Asif, right, shakes hands with his Indian counterpart Murli Deora after their joint news conference in Islamabad, Pakistan. Pakistan's Defense Minister says its nuclear-armed rival India will "disintegrate" when the people living in disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir got independence from New Delhi. Khawaja Muhammad Asif said Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 that Pakistan will continue to extend moral support to Kashmiri people in their struggle. (AP Photo/B.K.Bangash, File)

He said Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has tried to improve ties with India, but "we did not get a positive response from them."

Sharif attended a high-level security meeting on Wednesday in which he expressed concern over human rights violations in Indian-controlled Kashmir. The meeting "condemned the brutal use of force by Indian security forces" in Kashmir, according to a government statement.

Sharif said Pakistan will continue to extend moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people until their aspirations are met.

"Pakistan has shown unequalled and unprecedented restraint despite great provocation" from India, the statement said.

India blamed Pakistan-based militants for a recent attack on an army base in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir that killed 18 Indian soldiers. Since then, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he will work to isolate Pakistan internationally.
Cedar River in Iowa forecast to return to below flood stage

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP)  Authorities say the Cedar River in Iowa is slowly receding from its crest in Cedar Rapids, and a new forecast says the water level will drop below flood stage sooner than expected.

City spokeswoman Sara Baughman (BAHF'-muhn) said Wednesday that the city's temporary flood protection system is still doing its job holding back the swollen river. She says pumps have been handling the storm sewer backup and water that has seeped through barriers.

National Weather Service data show the river has dropped to 21.19 feet as of 7 a.m. Wednesday from Tuesday morning's crest of just under 22 feet. The service also says the river is expected to be back under flood stage of 12 feet on Sunday, a day earlier than previously forecast.

Emergency crews monitor the flood barriers along the Cedar River in Downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. Officials in Cedar Rapids say their elaborate system of temporary floodwalls is successfully protecting thousands of homes and businesses from floodwaters. (Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register via AP)
Despite harsh reviews, Trump resists new debate approach

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP)  Unmoved by harsh debate reviews, a defiant Donald Trump renewed his attacks against a former Miss Universe winner on Wednesday, showing no sign of making big changes to his message or debate preparation before his second faceoff with Hillary Clinton. The outspoken Republican nominee instead pressed ahead with an aggressive strategy focused on speaking directly to his white, working-class loyalists across the Midwest.

Democrat Clinton, meanwhile, pushed to improve her standing among younger voters with the help of the president, Sen. Bernie Sanders and other key allies, 48 hours after a debate performance that seemed to spark badly needed enthusiasm.

Those closest to Trump insisted the Republican presidential nominee was satisfied with Monday night's debate, even as prominent voices within his own party called for more serious preparation next time following an opening confrontation marked by missed opportunities and missteps.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., take the stage during a campaign stop at the University Of New Hampshire in Durham, N.H., Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

"Why would we change if we won the debate?" former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a key Trump ally and traveling partner this week, told The Associated Press.

The next debate is 11 days away.

While his plan forward is far from set, Trump is not planning to participate in any mock debates, although he is likely to incorporate what one person described as "tweaks" to his strategy.

Specifically, Trump is likely to spend more time working on specific answers and sharpening his attacks after spending much of the first meeting on defense, said that person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal campaign strategy.

That may not be enough to satisfy concerned Republicans.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Trump should have been better prepared and he recommended that the candidate work harder with skilled coaches. He said, "What you need is people who are professional debaters."

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said simply, "The only advice I could give him, and take it for what it's worth: Prepare better."

The New York businessman was on the defensive throughout the debate, particularly when Clinton highlighted his description of a former Miss Universe winner as "Miss Piggy" because she had gained weight.

Trump condemned former Miss Universe Alicia Machado again Wednesday night in an interview on Fox News, suggesting he was trying to save her job by shaming her into losing weight in the late 1990s. He also cited unsubstantiated reports that she threatened a Venezuelan judge more than a decade ago.

Machado says Trump humiliated her by inviting reporters to her gym sessions and calling her "Miss Piggy."

"I helped somebody and this is what you get for helping somebody," Trump told Fox on Wednesday.

Throughout his outsider presidential bid, Trump has refused to deviate from a strategy hinged on an ambitious travel schedule packed with massive rallies that draw overwhelmingly white crowds.

Clinton, meanwhile, sought Wednesday to parlay her widely praised debate performance into stronger support from women, young Americans and other critical voter groups. She got help from her party's biggest stars.

President Barack Obama hammered the billionaire over his business practices and treatment of women in an interview aired on Steve Harvey's radio show, which is particularly popular among black audiences. The Democratic president said his own legacy was "on the ballot" in November. He also suggested Clinton wasn't getting enough credit, possibly because she's a woman.

And his wife, first lady Michelle Obama, accused Trump of trying to undermine her husband's presidency for years by questioning his birthplace. Trump publicly admitted the president was born in America for the first time earlier in the month after spending years raising questions about the authenticity of Obama's birth certificate.

"Trust me, a candidate is not going to suddenly change" once in office, Mrs. Obama said at a rally for Clinton in Pennsylvania.

Hoping to broaden her appeal among "millennials," Clinton joined her primary rival, Vermont Sen. Sanders, on the trail for the first time since they held a "unity" rally in July in an attempt to heal divisions within the Democratic Party. Since then, Clinton has struggled to win over young Americans who formed a critical pillar of the coalition that twice elected Obama.

Flanked by campaign signs promoting Clinton's college affordability proposal, Sanders and Clinton touted a plan they developed to make college debt-free for millions of students from middle-class and low-income families.

"None of this will happen if you don't turn out and vote," Clinton said at the University of New Hampshire, after a quick hug with Sanders. He declared, "It is imperative that we elect Hillary Clinton as our next president."

Trump struggled to attack Clinton consistently on the debate stage Monday night, but he lashed out at her aggressively Wednesday in campaign stops in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. Among other charges, he mocked her lighter campaign schedule.

The Democrat conceded during the debate that she had taken some time away from the campaign trail to prepare for their first debate.

"You see all the days off that Hillary takes? Day off, day off, day off," Trump told supporters at a rally in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

He added a swipe at his opponent's recent bout with pneumonia, which nearly caused her to collapse. "All those days off and then she can't even make it to her car, isn't it tough?"

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Lerer reported from Durham, New Hampshire. Associated Press writers Josh Lederman in Washington, Jonathan Lemire and Jill Colvin in New York and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.

___

Reach Josh Lederman on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP and Steve Peoples at http://twitter.com/sppeoples

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Waukesha, Wis. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the Polish National Alliance, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/John Locher)
The Latest: Serbia to seek more EU aid for migrant handling

ATHENS, Greece (AP)  The Latest on the flow of migrants into Europe (all times local):

5:00 p.m.

A Serbian government official says the Balkan country will seek more funds from the European Union for its efforts to curb the influx of migrants trying to reach the bloc.

Labor minister Aleksandar Vulin complained Wednesday that Serbia  a candidate for EU membership  has the same problems as EU member states on the so-called Balkan migrant route, but has received substantially less funds.

Vulin says that "we are asking for help, for Serbia to be treated the same as other countries on the transit route."

The flow of migrants through the Balkans toward western Europe has continued despite the closure of borders for free entry in March. More than 5,000 migrants have been stranded in Serbia looking for ways to cross to EU member states Hungary and Croatia.

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4:20 p.m.

Albanian police have stopped 27 people from Syria, Iraq and Sudan trying to cross the country toward Western Europe.

A statement Wednesday said police arrested three Albanians who were paid 600-1,200 Euros ($675-1,350) per migrant, promising to take them to European Union countries. They face up to 10 years in jail if convicted.

The migrants were coming from a camp in Thessaloniki, in neighboring Greece, and had crossed through a mountainous area to get into eastern Albania.

The migrants, including 12 minors, have been taken to a camp for emergency care before they are turned back to the country they came from.

Albania has not been a major transit route for migrants through Europe so far, though small groups have tried crossing it to reach its northern neighbors.

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2 p.m.

Greek police say four Pakistani teenagers have been arrested in a refugee camp on the eastern Aegean island of Lesbos on charges of raping another teenage boy.

Police said Wednesday the four boys, all aged 17, were arrested in Moria camp Sunday and face felony charges of rape and child pornography.

The four are accused of collectively assaulting a 16-year-old, also from Pakistan, and recording their actions on mobile phones. The 16-year-old was seen by a medical examiner and a child psychologist, while the four arrested boys are to appear before an investigative judge.
Officials: US to send more troops to Iraq to help with Mosul

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (AP)  The U.S. is sending 615 more troops to Iraq as the stage is set for an Iraqi-led battle to reclaim Mosul, the northern city that has been the Islamic State group's main stronghold for more than two years. The offensive, starting as soon as October, looms as a decisive moment for Iraq and for President Barack Obama's much-criticized strategy to defeat IS.

"These forces will be primarily to enable Iraqi security forces and also (Kurdish) Peshmerga in the operations to isolate and collapse ISIL's control over Mosul, but also to protect and expand Iraqi security forces' gains elsewhere in Iraq," Defense Secretary Ash Carter told reporters Wednesday. The Peshmerga are Kurdish militia fighters who are generally among the most proficient ground forces in Iraq but whose role is politically sensitive there.

Carter said the extra Americans would perform multiple roles at multiple locations, including at Qaraya West air base south of Mosul, where they will be building up the base to make it a hub for Iraq forces, and at al-Asad air base in Anbar province more than 200 miles away, where they will strengthen supply lines for the movement of supplies north toward Mosul.

FILE - In this Sept. 22, 2016 file photo, Defense Secretary Ash Carter, accompanied by Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington before the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. The U.S. is sending 615 more troops to Iraq as the stage is set for an Iraqi-led battle to reclaim Mosul, the northern city that has been the Islamic State group's main stronghold for more than two years. The offensive, starting as soon as October, looms as a decisive moment for Iraq and for President Barack Obama's much-criticized strategy to defeat IS. "These forces will be primarily to enable Iraqi security forces and also (Kurdish) Peshmerga in the operations to isolate and collapse ISIL's control over Mosul, but also to protect and expand Iraqi security forces' gains elsewhere in Iraq," Defense Secretary Ash Carter told reporters Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

Obama approved the deployment, which Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said would total 615 troops who would begin moving out "very soon." Although the Americans are not to participate directly in combat, they may in some cases move forward with Iraqi combat forces and could face IS attacks.

There were 4,565 U.S. forces in Iraq as of Wednesday, according to the Pentagon. That number does not include as many as 1,500 troops who are there on temporary duty or are not counted for other bookkeeping reasons.

Carter underscored the potential risks to all U.S. troops involved in the campaign.

"We're in a support role, but I need to make clear once again: American forces combatting ISIL in Iraq are in harm's way," he said. "No one should be in any doubt about that."

Davis said most of the new U.S. troops will do logistics and maintenance, others will provide expanded intelligence and surveillance for the Mosul operation and some will advise and assist the Iraqi and Peshmerga forces. He said improvements at al-Asad air base, for example, could include adding instrument landing systems that would help with nighttime flight operations.

He also said that U.S. and coalition troops may be needed to help ensure that other towns and areas in Iraq remain secure and out of IS control. He said if militants try to launch attacks in other places while the Mosul operation goes on, the Iraqis need to be able to respond.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, in a statement posted on his official website, said Wednesday the extra U.S. troops would "provide support for security forces and the Iraqi heroes in the fight looming in the liberation of Mosul." He said the Obama administration had approved his government's request for the increase.

Emphasizing that the Americans are there as advisers, Abadi added: "It is our troops who will liberate the land."

Abadi's last point is central to the U.S.-Iraqi strategy for delivering what Carter has called "a lasting defeat" to the Islamic State. Although some in the U.S. have urged Obama to put larger numbers of American combat troops on the ground in Iraq to defeat IS quickly, the administration has argued that a victory on those terms would be short-lived. They assert that Iraq must muster the will and cohesiveness - militarily and politically - to defend its own territory once the Islamic State has been pushed out.

For Obama, Iraq is not the only important battlefield. He faces even greater uncertainty and a dimmer outlook in neighboring Syria. The Islamic State has lost territory in Syria over the past year, but the U.S. has fewer reliable partner forces on the ground there. Even amid preparations to retake Mosul, the U.S. is trying to fashion an alliance of Syrian Arab and Kurdish fighters to assault Raqqa, the militants' main stronghold in Syria. The U.S. has only about 300 troops on the ground in Syria as advisers.

Mosul, the second-largest city in Iraq, will be a key test, but a victory there is unlikely to mean an end to Iraq's troubles. In a post-Islamic State Iraq, the enmities and rivalries among the players in the anti-IS coalition could easily erupt. The Iraqis have assembled a fragile alliance  Iraqi troops alongside Shiite militiamen, Sunni Arab tribesmen, Kurdish fighters and U.S special forces.

Although some Western officials have pointed to October as the likely start of a Mosul offensive, it's unclear whether Iraq will be ready by then. Carter said on Wednesday, "We are on schedule in terms of marshalling the force there," suggesting they are ready, or nearly ready.

Asked whether the extra 615 U.S. troops will be the final addition before the Mosul campaign kicks off, Carter said, "This is what we now foresee as required for the envelopment and seizure of Mosul. He said U.S. forces would remain for an undetermined period to help the Iraqi government consolidate its control over Mosul after the anticipated successful offensive.

U.S.-led coalition forces recently sped up training for Iraqi troops and Kurdish fighters, condensing courses that once took more than two months into just four weeks. In July, the Pentagon announced that 560 more U.S. troops would deploy to Iraq to transform Qayara air base, west of the city of Qayara and south of Mosul, into a staging hub for the final assault.

Obama has deliberately kept a lid on the U.S. troop presence in Iraq and ruled out using substantial ground combat units to recreate the enormous offensive firepower that Washington used during the 2003-2011 U.S. war in Iraq.

Carter said that while he is confident of victory in Mosul, it is hard to predict how costly it will be.

"We do not know what ISIL's plans will be for the defense of Mosul, nor whether they will be able to carry out whatever plans they have - whether their fighters will stick with them ... and so we're prepared for whatever happens there," he said.

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Associated Press writers Lolita C. Baldor, Josh Lederman and Vivian Salama contributed to this report.

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Reach Josh Lederman on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP
Goldie Hawn's key to romance with Kurt Russell? No marriage

LONDON (AP)  Goldie Hawn says the key to her successful 33-year Hollywood romance with Kurt Russell is that they never got married.

The actress appeared on the chat show "Loose Women" on Britain's ITV on Monday. She says she "would have been long divorced" if she had gotten married. She says choosing not to get married "gives you the freedom to make decisions one way or the other," adding that she and Russell "liked the choice."

Hawn says "not every relationship works" and adds that movie stars may have "a harder time because the camera is on them all the time."

FILE - In this Dec. 14, 2015, file photo, actors Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell attend the premiere of "The Hateful Eight" at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York. Hawn tells British chat show "Loose Women" that she "would have been long divorced" is she had gotten married. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
Separatists say Russian troops staging exercises in Moldova

CHISINAU, Moldova (AP)  The news agency of the Trans-Dniester separatist region in Moldova says Russian troops have begun another round of military exercises in the territory.

Novosti Pridnestrovya quoted a Russian defense ministry statement Wednesday saying 300 Russian troops began a week of exercises in Trans-Dniester, a separatist region in eastern Moldova.

The drills started Tuesday.

Russian troops have staged military exercises with separatist troops several times in recent months. Moldovan authorities have criticized the exercises, calling them illegal.

Pro-Russian Trans-Dniester, which is not internationally recognized, broke away from Moldova in 1990 over fears the former Soviet republic would reunite with neighboring Romania.
The Latest: Charlotte mayor wants repeal of law on videos

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)  The Latest on protests following the shooting of a black man by a Charlotte police officer last week (all times local):

8 p.m.

Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts is calling on North Carolina lawmakers to repeal a new law that spells out guidelines for release of police camera and video recordings.

This image made from video provided by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016 shows Keith Scott on the ground as police approach him in Charlotte, N.C., on Sept. 20, 2016. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department via AP)

The Charlotte Observer reports (http://bit.ly/2dfSqhM) that Roberts called specifically on Wednesday for a special session to repeal HB 972. The call comes a week after Keith Lamont Scott was shot and killed by a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer.

Protesters have demanded that Roberts and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney release the video of the shooting. One video has been released so far, and a police attorney told The Associated Press that much of the video of the shooting is too gruesome to release to the public.

Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger said the mayor "botched" the city's response to the violent protests and called on her to release the videos. The ACLU also called on Roberts to release all the videos, but agreed with the mayor's call to repeal H.B. 972.

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7 p.m.

The city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County have terminated the state of emergency placed into effect after protests over the shooting death of a black man by a police officer last week.

A statement from the city said Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts and Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners Chairman Trevor Fuller issued the proclamation Wednesday.

Gov. Pat McCrory followed by lifting the state of emergency he imposed for the city following a request by Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney.

The shooting death of Keith Lamont Scott led to two nights of violent protests, including unrest hours after the shooting Sept. 20 and more violence in downtown Charlotte the next night.

The city had already lifted a curfew Monday.

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6 p.m.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say the suspicious package that led to an evacuation of their headquarters was not explosive.

Police say the package was spotted by an employee Tuesday, and a bomb-sniffing dog alerted on it. A robot removed the package from the building and it was taken to a remote location to be rendered safe.

A statement on the department's Twitter page Wednesday says the package did include indicators of an explosive device, but there was no explosive present. The tweet didn't elaborate on what was in the package, and a spokesman for police didn't immediately respond to a request for further comment.

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5 p.m.

About 500 people have attended funeral services for the man fatally shot last week during violent protests over the shooting death of a black man by a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer.

Justin Carr was shot Sept. 21 as people protested the previous day's shooting death of Keith Lamont Scott. Carr, who was shot in the head, died Sept. 22. A suspect has been arrested in the case.

The Charlotte Observer reports (http://bit.ly/2dulchz) the Rev. Carl DelGuidace told those in attendance Wednesday that Carr's death was not fruitless. DelGuidace called Carr "one of Charlotte's heroes. He will go down in history."

Some people watched the services from another building at Our Lady of Consolation Catholic Church, just north of downtown Charlotte. Others stood outside the church.

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2 p.m.

More than 400 marchers have gathered on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to make what they called "a show of solidarity against racial injustice."

The Charlotte Observer reports (http://bit.ly/2dDzHz4) school officials said both students and faculty participated in Wednesday's march, the latest in an eight-day stretch of protests staged over the fatal police shooting of a black man by a black Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer. The shooting Sept. 20 occurred about a mile from the center of the campus.

Officials said the racially diverse group marched around the campus without incident.

Students held a "die-in" last Thursday at the UNCC student union to protest the shooting death of Keith Lamont Scott.

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1:10 p.m.

A police attorney in Charlotte is telling a media coalition that much of the video of a fatal police shooting is too gruesome to release publicly.

Media lawyer Jonathan Buchan says in an email to The Associated Press and other organizations that he has discussed the contents of the police videos with police attorney Judy Emken.

Buchan quotes Emken as saying that the only police body camera video of the fatal shooting of Keith Lamont Scott lasts about 16 minutes. About two minutes worth of video has been released, including the shooting itself.

Buchan quotes Emken as saying the remaining 14 minutes is very bloody and includes the sounds of Scott groaning as he died. Buchan says police are refusing to release that portion because of its nature, and authorities didn't show it to Scott's family.

Buchan says Emken told him that 52 officers responded to the scene in all and each had body cameras or dashboard cameras. All but one of the officers turned off their cameras as they arrived at the apartment complex where Scott was fatally shot. Buchan says Emken told him the one dashboard video and body camera video that have been released came from the same officer.

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12:30 p.m.

Friends of the Charlotte police officer who fatally shot a black man last week say he was a former college football player with a peacemaker's heart.

Officer Brent Vinson's future now hangs in the balance as authorities determine whether he was justified in killing Keith Lamont Scott on Sept. 20. Police say Vinson shot Scott because he was armed and posed a threat. Scott's family says he wasn't armed.

The shooting has sparked protests over the last week from demonstrators who believe blacks are unfairly treated by police.

The 26-year-old Vinson, who is also black, is on administrative leave as officials review the death of Scott.

Vinson is the son of a police officer. Friends say he was someone who naturally ascended into leadership and was captain of the football team at Liberty University, where Vinson played defense.

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9:15 a.m.

A funeral is planned for the man killed in riots last week that followed the shooting death of a black man by Charlotte police.

Local media outlets report Justin Carr's funeral is scheduled for noon Wednesday at Our Lady of Consolation Catholic Church. Receiving is set for 11 a.m.

Carr was shot in the head Sept. 21 during violent protests following the shooting death of Keith Lamont Scott. Carr died the next day, and a man faces a murder charge in his death.

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3:20 a.m.

The local president of the NAACP says the history of the black man killed by a Charlotte, North Carolina, police officer doesn't matter because the officers who confronted him didn't know anything of it before he was shot to death.

Chapter President Corine Mack also said Tuesday that blacks typically are "demonized" after being killed by police.

Court documents say Keith Lamont Scott had a restraining order filed against him a year ago when he threatened to kill his wife and her son with a gun.

Keith Scott's wife filed the order Oct. 5, saying that law enforcement officers who encounter him should be aware that he "carries a 9mm black" gun. Police have said Scott had a handgun when they approached him at an apartment complex last week.
The Latest: Man saved at sea tells AP he didn't kill grandpa

BOSTON (AP)  The Latest on the mystery surrounding a man who was rescued at sea after floating for a week on a life raft (all times local):

4:05 p.m.

A man rescued after spending a week at sea says he had nothing to do with his grandfather's 2013 unsolved slaying and didn't harm his missing mother.

Nathan Carman arrives in a small boat at the US Coast Guard station in Boston, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. Carman spent a week at sea in a life raft before being rescued by a passing freighter. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Twenty-two-year-old Nathan Carman tells The Associated Press on Wednesday that the fishing boat he was in with his mother sank within a matter of minutes. Carman was rescued Sunday. His mother, Linda Carman, of Connecticut, is missing and presumed dead.

Carman told the AP by telephone that after water began pouring into his boat, he saw his mother in the cockpit. He said he grabbed survival gear, then looked back and she was gone.

Carman says he was like a son to his grandfather, who was slain in Connecticut. Police there say Carman had been a suspect, but was never charged.

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1:40 p.m.

Police say a man who spent seven days at sea and was a suspect in his grandfather's 2013 killing had violent episodes as a child.

A 2014 search warrant obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press says authorities investigating the killing of 87-year-old John Chakalos learned that 22-year-old Nathan Carman once held another child "hostage" with a knife.

The warrant led to the seizure of a shotgun, a pellet rifle, a rifle scope and ammunition in 2014 from Carman's apartment.

It says Carman bought a rifle consistent with the one used to kill Chakalos and discarded his hard drive and GPS the morning of the killing.

Carman wasn't charged.

He and his mother went out on a fishing boat this month. He says the boat sank. His mother is presumed dead.

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10:50 a.m.

A police affidavit says surveillance video shows a mother and son arriving at a Rhode Island marina and preparing for their ill-fated fishing trip.

Twenty-two-year-old Nathan Carman, of Vernon, Vermont, was rescued in a life raft on Sunday. His 54-year-old mother, Linda Carman, of Middletown, Connecticut, is missing and presumed lost at sea. Nathan Carman says his boat took on water, and after he jumped into the raft, he couldn't find his mother.

Ram Point Marina in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, is refusing to release the video to news outlets.

A woman who works at the marina tells The Associated Press that Nathan Carman rented a slip there for the season. It was his first season there.

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9:50 a.m.

A warrant used to search the home of a 22-year-old man rescued in the Atlantic after floating for a week on a life raft shows authorities are looking for evidence of reckless endangerment.

Vermont authorities said police from South Kingstown, Rhode Island, searched Nathan Carman's home in Vernon on Monday. Their search warrant indicates authorities think Carman was handling boat motor repairs himself and the vessel might not have been seaworthy.

That potentially could support an eventual charge of reckless endangerment. Carman hadn't been charged as of Wednesday morning.

The warrant says the investigation into the disappearance of Carman's mother, Linda, revealed her son "intended to go fishing further off-shore in a different location than what were his mother's intentions and understanding."

Linda Carman remains missing and presumed lost at sea.

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9:15 a.m.

A 22-year-old man who was rescued after a being lost at sea for a week says he feels healthy despite what he called an emotional ordeal.

Nathan Carman said outside his Vernon, Vermont, home that he's been through "a huge amount" emotionally, and he thanked the public for its "concern and prayers."

Carman and his mother, Linda Carman, of Middletown, Connecticut, left Rhode Island on a fishing trip on Sept. 18. Nathan was rescued in a life raft off the Massachusetts coast on Sunday. His mother remains missing and is presumed dead.

Coast Guard officials interviewed Nathan Carman when he arrived in Boston on Tuesday. He told them he heard a 'funny noise" in his boat's engine compartment, saw water pouring in, then lost sight of his mother before he boarded the raft.

Nathan Carman, right, disembarks at the US Coast Guard station in Boston, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. Carman spent a week at sea in a life raft before being rescued by a passing freighter. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

This Monday Sept. 26, 2016 photo shows the home of Nathan Carman in Vernon, Vt. Authorities said police from South Kingstown, R.I. searched the home Monday evening. Carman, 22, who spent a week at sea in a life raft before being resuced by a passing freighter described how he frantically looked for his mother as his fishing boat sank in the Atlantic, the Coast Guard said Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Wilson Ring)

Nathan Carman arrives in a small boat at the US Coast Guard station in Boston, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. Carman spent a week at sea in a life raft before being rescued by a passing freighter. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Nathan Carman prepares to disembark from a small boat at the US Coast Guard station in Boston, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. Carman spent a week at sea in a life raft before being rescued by a passing freighter. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Nathan Carman arrives in a small boat at the US Coast Guard station in Boston, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. Carman spent a week at sea in a life raft before being rescued by a passing freighter. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Man sues police, Taser over stun gun-induced heart attack

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  A Missouri man is suing an imprisoned police officer convicted of violating his civil rights two years ago, when the officer repeatedly shot him with a stun gun during a traffic stop and gave him a heart attack that he says nearly killed him.

Bryce Masters, who was 17 at the time of the September 2014 confrontation with Independence police officer Timothy Runnels, also is suing the Kansas City suburb, its former police chief and Arizona-based Taser International Inc., which made the stun gun and which Masters accuses of marketing a "defective, unreasonably dangerous" product. The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, was filed Monday in federal court in Kansas City.

Runnels, who has apologized in court to Masters and said he never meant to harm him, was sentenced in June to four years in federal prison for violating Masters' civil rights.

Witnesses testified that Masters went into cardiac arrest when Runnels shot him in the chest with a Taser after the teen refused to get out of his car.

Video from Runnel's patrol car shows Runnels using the stun gun on Masters and, after the teenager went limp from the electrical charges, handcuffing him and dragging him to the curb, where he dropped Masters on the pavement face-down.

"You don't like to play by the rules, do you?" the lawsuit quotes Runnels as telling the unresponsive Masters, whose teeth were broken when they hit the pavement.

According to the lawsuit, Masters had been in cardiac arrest for more than seven minutes by the time an ambulance arrived. No one had tried resuscitating him, and he had turned blue. He eventually was "remarkably" revived using a heart defibrillator.

According to prosecutors, Runnels "continuously" shocked Masters with his stun gun while the teen was on the ground and unthreatening, then submitted a misleading police report that omitted or falsely described the amount of force he used.

Runnels also tried to hinder the police department's investigation of the matter, prosecutors alleged.

Taser declined comment Wednesday, telling The Associated Press by email that it doesn't discuss pending litigation. The Independence police department did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
The Latest: France working on UN resolution for Syria truce

BEIRUT (AP)  The Latest on the civil war in Syria (all times local):

10:30 p.m.

France says it is working on a new U.N. resolution that would impose a cease-fire in Aleppo.

In this photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense group known as the White Helmets, Syrians inspect damaged buildings after airstrikes by government helicopters on the rebel-held Aleppo neighborhood of Mashhad, Syria, Tuesday Sept. 27, 2016. With diplomacy in tatters and a month left to go before U.S. elections, the Syrian government and its Russian allies are using the time to try and recapture the northern city of Aleppo, mobilizing pro-government militias in the Old City and pressing ahead with the most destructive aerial campaign of the past five years. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP)

France's U.N. Ambassador Francois Delattre says this means grounding Syrian planes, re-establishing a U.S. and Russian-brokered truce starting in Aleppo, delivering humanitarian aid and establishing a system to monitor implementation of the agreement.

Delattre told reporters before a Security Council meeting Wednesday that France wants to unite the usually divided council behind a cease-fire in Aleppo, where Syria has launched an offensive to take the rebel-held east.

He says the deliberate bombing of two hospitals in eastern Aleppo on Wednesday raises the question: "If these are not war crimes, what are war crimes?"

Delattre says the bombings show there is no time to waste to implement a Security Council resolution adopted in May which demands that all parties to conflicts protect staff and facilities treating the wounded and sick. To do this, he said, "it is critically important to have independent and impartial reporting mechanisms."

___

10:05 p.m.

UNICEF says at least 96 children have been killed and more than 220 wounded in eastern Aleppo over the last five days.

Justin Forsyth, deputy executive director of the U.N. children's agency, says a military onslaught in rebel-held areas of the northern Syrian city has left children "trapped in a living nightmare."

In a UNICEF statement Wednesday, he said the shock and suffering among children "is definitely the worst we have seen."

UNICEF says the health system in the rebel-held section of Aleppo is "crumbling," with only about 30 doctors left in an area with a population of about 250,000.

It says at least 223 children have been wounded since Friday.

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10 p.m.

The Russian military says it's ready to resume contacts with the U.S. over the situation in Syria.

Lt. Gen. Viktor Poznikhir of the military's General Staff said Wednesday that Russian experts are ready to travel to Geneva to restart consultations with U.S. officials to "search for possible ways of normalizing the situation in Aleppo."

A U.S.-Russian truce in Syria has collapsed, and Syrian government forces backed by Russian warplanes have launched an attempt to take over rebel-held neighborhoods of the northern city of Aleppo.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry threatened Wednesday to end all cooperation with Moscow on Syria unless the attack on Aleppo ends. More than 250 people are believed to have been killed in the besieged city in the last week.

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9:45 p.m.

Russia says it and Syria are being blamed for an attack on two hospitals in rebel-held Aleppo without any verification.

Russian deputy U.N. ambassador Evgeny Zagaynov told a meeting Wednesday of the U.N. Security Council on health care and armed conflict that similar "unacceptable" incidents have been carried out by the U.S. and its allies in Syria and other conflicts.

He says "it's become a sort of unfortunate tradition that the majority of strikes on civilian facilities in Syria, without checking it ... is blamed on Damascus or Russia." He said there should be verification "not subject to doubt" for all such attacks.

"This trend is also one which was manifest today," Zagaynov said of Wednesday's attacks, adding that the suffering in Syria "must be stopped."

He says countries "directly responsible for fanning the flames of conflict in Syria" of engaging in "anti-Russian demagoguery" instead of trying to end the conflict.

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8 p.m.

Doctors Without Borders says the two hospitals bombed in rebel-held eastern Aleppo have been forced to halt all activities, leaving just two hospitals with the ability to carry out surgery in a city experiencing "a brutal and relentless onslaught from air and land."

A statement from the international charity, also known by its French acronym MSF, says both hospitals hit by airstrikes earlier Wednesday were severely damaged, causing the death of at least two patients and wounding two medics.

MSF says four of the eight hospitals left in eastern Aleppo had surgical capacity prior to Wednesday's attacks on the two hospitals, which the group supports.

Carlos Francisco, MSF's head of mission for Syria, says that "according to different medical sources, there are only seven surgical doctors left in the area, serving an estimated population of 250,000."

He adds that "east Aleppo has been under siege since July and is suffering the bloodiest indiscriminate bombing since the beginning of the war."

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7:30 p.m.

The head of Doctors Without Borders says people in Aleppo are being taken off life support in order to treat a "multitude" of wounded and that doctors "await their own deaths."

Joanna Liu says "the unrelenting assault on Aleppo by Russian and Syrian forces over recent days with no evacuations possible and bodies unburied" demonstrates that the conduct of war today is becoming "a race to the bottom."

She said a U.N. Security Council resolution adopted in May which demands that all parties to conflicts protect staff and facilities treating the wounded and sick has failed to produce any effect on the ground  in Syria or other conflict areas.

Addressing a council meeting Wednesday on health care in armed conflict, Liu blamed "a lack of political will among member states fighting in coalitions, and those who enable them."

She urged the council "to immediately enact the absolute prohibition of attacks on medical facilities."

___

6:50 p.m.

An official says Turkey is set to complete the construction of a concrete wall along the 911-kilometer (566-mile) Turkey-Syria border by the end of February.

The Housing Development Administration of Turkey will be building the remaining 700-kilometers of the border wall, according to an official at the administration. The wall construction has been ongoing for at least two years and was led by the Ministry of National Defense.

The official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity according to government protocol, said the walls are two meters (6 feet) wide and three meters (10 feet) high. The construction will be completed in five months but delays may be caused by weather conditions, according to the official.

Turkey has long been pressured by its NATO allies as well as by security threats to seal its porous border with Syria.

by Zeynep Bilginsoy

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6:45 p.m.

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon says the situation in rebel-held parts of Aleppo is worse than a "slaughterhouse" and implicitly accuses Syria and Russia of committing war crimes.

He spoke to a U.N. Security Council meeting Wednesday on health care in armed conflict as two more hospitals were struck in the city's besieged east.

Without naming countries, Ban said "those using ever more destructive weapons know exactly what they are doing  they know they are committing war crimes."

The Syrian government announced the offensive to retake rebel-held eastern Aleppo, and the only countries carrying out airstrikes are Syria and Russia.

Ban said "hospitals, clinics, ambulances and medical staff in Aleppo are under attack around the clock."

He said there must be "action," and "accountability," saying "international law is clear. Medical workers, facilities and transport must be protected. The wounded and sick, civilians and fighters alike, must be spared. Deliberate attacks on hospitals are war crimes."

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6:15 p.m.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is threatening to cut off all contacts with Moscow over Syria, unless Russian and Syrian government attacks on Aleppo end.

The State Department says Kerry issued the ultimatum in a Wednesday telephone call to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Kerry's spokesman, John Kirby, says Kerry expressed grave concern over Russian and Syrian government attacks on hospitals, water supplies and other civilian infrastructure in Aleppo.

He says Kerry told Lavrov that the U.S. holds Russia responsible for the use of incendiary and bunker-buster bombs in an urban area.

Kerry told Lavrov the U.S. was preparing to "suspend U.S.-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria," including on a proposed counterterrorism partnership, "unless Russia takes immediate steps to end the assault on Aleppo" and restore a cease-fire.

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3:45 p.m.

An international relief NGO says bombardment is the leading cause of forced displacement in Syria.

In a study published Wednesday, France-based Handicap International called the widespread use of shelling, rocket fire, and bombardment the "overriding factor" behind the tidal wave of displacement that has characterized the Syrian war.

The report cited interviews with refugees and patterns of bombardment and fatalities.

The U.N. says the 5 -year war has driven some 11 million Syrians from their homes.

Handicap International says many are fleeing the fear of injury and death, destruction to their homes and businesses, and infrastructure collapse.

It attributes over 60 percent of the civilian fatalities in Syria to explosive weapons.

___

11:45 a.m.

Pope Francis has decried the assault on the Syrian city of Aleppo, saying those responsible for the bombing must answer to God.

Francis said at his public audience Wednesday in St. Peter's Square that he's "united in suffering through prayer and spiritual closeness" to Aleppo's people. He expressed "deep pain and strong worry for what's happening," saying "children and elderly ... everyone is dying."

He called for utmost efforts to protect civilians in Syria's civil war, raging since 2011. Francis said: "I appeal to the consciences of those responsible for the bombing that they must give a reckoning to God" for their actions.

The Syrian government and its Russian allies have unleashed a major assault on the ancient city.

___

11:30 a.m.

Medical officials say airstrikes have severely damaged two hospitals in eastern rebel-held Aleppo, leading to the death of two seriously ill patients.

The airstrikes early Wednesday hit the M2 and M10 hospitals, knocking out generators and cutting off water supplies, putting them temporarily out of service.

Mohammed Abu Rajab, head of M10 hospital, the largest of eight hospitals in eastern Aleppo, says two patients died because they could not be kept alive. He says the intensive care unit was severely damaged.

Adham Sahloul, of the Syrian American Medical Society, based in Gaziantep, Turkey, confirmed the strikes and described them as deliberate. He says government forces know the location of both facilities.
Buckingham Palace official jailed over bribes for contracts

LONDON (AP)  A former British royal official has been sentenced to five years in prison for taking more than 100,000 pounds ($130,000) in bribes to award contracts for work at Buckingham Palace and other royal residences.

For more than a decade, Ronald Harper was deputy property manager for palaces in London and for Windsor Castle, west of the city. Prosecutors said Harper took gifts or money from the directors of companies that were then given contracts for taxpayer-funded work on the buildings.

He was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to make corrupt payments after trials at London's Southwark Crown Court in June and August.
Witness says he told Gov. Christie's aides about bridge plot

NEWARK, N.J. (AP)  Republican Gov. Chris Christie's senior staffers and advisers were told about the political revenge plot involving the George Washington Bridge at a time the governor has said he was still largely in the dark, the former bridge authority official testifying in the lane-closing trial said Wednesday.

David Wildstein said in early December 2013, about three months after the town of Fort Lee experienced traffic gridlock, he told Christie's press spokesman and chief counsel about the scheme, and they told him his explanation would be passed on to Christie's chief of staff.

The timing is revealing because it wasn't until January, when emails were released by a legislative committee investigating the closures, that Christie said he discovered the motivation behind the scheme.

Bill Baroni arrives at the Federal Courthouse in Newark, N.J., on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. Baroni, a former executive at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Bridget Kelly, New Jersey Gov. Christie's former deputy chief of staff, are on trial, charged with conspiracy, fraud and civil rights deprivation in an alleged political revenge plot. (Danielle Parhizkaran/The Record via AP)

In December, he said he believed the official version promoted by Bill Baroni, his top appointee at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, that the gridlock was caused by a traffic study.

Baroni and Bridget Kelly, Christie's former deputy chief of staff, are charged with closing access lanes to the bridge to punish the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee for not endorsing Christie.

On Tuesday, Wildstein testified he told Michael DuHaime, a top political adviser and close ally of Christie, about the scheme in November 2013, and he has said Bill Stepien, Christie's then-campaign manager, knew by then, as well.

___

WASH, RINSE, REPEAT

Wildstein testified Wednesday that Christie's staff asked him to produce a list of Port Authority employees so the Democrats could be purged.

He said the request came two weeks after he started work at the agency in 2010.

Wildstein, a high school acquaintance of Christie's and a former political blogger, was director of interstate capital projects, a position created for him.

Wildstein testified on cross-examination that Stepien told him to compile a list of Port Authority employees appointed by previous Democratic administrations.

Asked by Baroni's attorney if the goal was a "cleansing" of Democrats, Wildstein responded it was.

The Port Authority operates bridges, tunnels, ports and airports in the New York City region. It has been accused of being a haven for governors of both states to send patronage hires.

___

ON THE TEAM

Wildstein testified Wednesday that he expected to be a part of Christie's "political future" even after he resigned in the wake of revelations that the resulting traffic jam might have been politically motivated.

On direct questioning by the government, he said Christie senior staffers told him to resign in December 2013.

Wildstein, who testified Tuesday that Christie was told on the third day of the four-day lane closures that there was a traffic jam in Fort Lee and that the mayor's calls weren't being returned, said he thought he would take some time off and then play a different role for the governor.

"I had been told by others I was still on the governor's team," he said. "I was told the governor was happy I'd stepped up and taken responsibility."

Wildstein said that assessment came from Stepien and DuHaime.

Wildstein began cooperating with the government in early 2014 and pleaded guilty last year.

___

TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Wildstein has been on the stand since Friday testifying against Baroni and Kelly, who accuse Wildstein of conceiving and carrying out the scheme.

Wildstein testified Tuesday that Baroni told the governor about the bridge gridlock while at a 9/11 memorial event on the third day. He said Christie seemed happy about it and joked sarcastically that nothing political was going on.

Last week, Wildstein testified that Christie's office used the powerful Port Authority to reward local officials whose endorsements were sought during the 2013 re-election campaign.

On Monday, Wildstein testified that he informed Stepien about the plot shortly before it was put into action. A Stepien lawyer denied it, and Stepien now working for Donald Trump's presidential campaign  hasn't been charged.

___

CHRISTIE RESPONDS

Christie has had a busier-than-usual public schedule since the trial began, but he waited until after Wildstein dropped his bombshell on Tuesday to comment on the case.

"I want to be really clear: I have not and will not say anything different than I've been saying since January 2014. No matter what is said up there, I had no knowledge prior to or during these lane realignments," Christie said.

The governor is on a list of potential witnesses in the case.
The Latest: Republicans criticize immunity to Clinton aide

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Latest on FBI Director James Comey's testimony to Congress (all times local): 11:00 a.m.

House Republicans are criticizing FBI Director James Comey for immunity deals granted to Hillary Clinton's former chief of staff and others involved in a now-closed FBI investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server as secretary of state.

House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte and other Republicans said Wednesday that an immunity deal for Cheryl Mills, Clinton's former chief of staff, was improper and short-circuited a possible criminal prosecution.

FBI Director James Comey testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, before the House Judiciary Committee hearing on 'Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.' (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Comey said the immunity deal with Mills was granted by the Department of Justice  not the FBI  and was limited to information contained on her laptop. He said the FBI believed that information on the laptop was needed quickly.

Comey said lawmakers "can call us wrong, but don't call us weasels. We are not weasels. We are honest people."

___

9:30 a.m.

A top-ranking Democratic lawmaker says intelligence officials have reached a "clear consensus" that the Russian government was behind the hack of the Democratic National Committee emails earlier this year

Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said Wednesday the FBI should investigate whether Russia is working to undermine the U.S. presidential election.

Conyers ridiculed a suggestion by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump that the hack may have been done by "somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds."

Conyers said he agrees with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who has called Russia "a global menace led by a devious thug."

FBI Director James Comey told Conyers he could not confirm or deny whether the FBI is investigating news reports suggesting that a Trump adviser may have communicated with Russian officials.

___

9:00 a.m.

FBI Director James Comey is returning to Capitol Hill to answer more questions about the agency's response to recent acts of extremist violence and whether more could have been done to prevent attacks in Orlando and New York.

Comey also is expected to face questions about why the FBI granted immunity to Hillary Clinton's former chief of staff as part of a now-closed investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server as secretary of state.

Comey will be the sole witness Wednesday as the House Judiciary Committee reviews the FBI's performance in what is likely to be the agency's final oversight hearing this year.

Comey told a Senate panel Tuesday that the FBI is transparent about mistakes, but under questioning from Republicans he offered little new information about the Orlando nightclub massacre or the Manhattan bombing.

FBI Director James Comey testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, before the House Judiciary Committee hearing on 'Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.' (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

FBI Director James Comey prepares to testify on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, before the House Judiciary Committee hearing on 'Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.' (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Yellen says economy likely ready for rate hike later in 2016

WASHINGTON (AP)  Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said Wednesday that the central bank has no "fixed timetable" for raising interest rates but she believes the economy is ready for a rate hike by the end of the year.

She said during an appearance before the House Financial Services Committee that when the Fed met last week, a majority of her colleagues believed it would be appropriate to raise rates before the end of this year.

The Fed boosted its key policy rate in December 2015 to a range of 0.25 percent to 0.5 percent. But since then, officials have left the rate unchanged. Yellen told the lawmakers that she believed it would make sense to boost the rate again "if things continue on the current path and no significant new risks arise."

Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet Yellen takes her seat on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, before the House Financial Services Committee hearing. Yellen is likely to face sharp questions from a House committee today over whether there was a failure in oversight by federal banking regulators involving Wells Fargo. The nation's second largest bank engaged in practices that allegedly allowed the bank to open millions of accounts without customers' permission. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

The Fed last week voted 7-3 to keep its key interest rate where it has been all year. But it did send a strong signal that it is prepared to raise rates before the end of the year, with many expecting a move in December.

Yellen said that while inflation is not a threat at the moment, it is possible that the economy could begin to overheat with prices rising too quickly, forcing the Fed to accelerate the pace of rate hikes and raising the threat of a recession.

"If we allow the economy to overheat, we could be faced with having to raise interest rates more rapidly than we would want which could conceivably jeopardize that good state of affairs that we have come close to achieving," Yellen told lawmakers.

Some Republicans on the panel echoed a charge that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump made during Monday's debate that the Fed had become too political and was delaying rate hikes in an effort to help Democrats win the election.

"We are in a big, fat ugly bubble," Trump said during the debate. "We have a Fed that's doing political things. This Janet Yellen of the Fed."

Rep. Scott Garrett, R-N.J., pressed Yellen to say whether she believed Fed board member Lael Brainard should recuse herself from voting on interest rate decisions given that she has donated to Hillary Clinton's campaign.

Yellen said that federal law allows Fed governors to make political donations. Garrett also said he viewed Yellen's meetings with Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew and other Treasury Department officials as evidence she was too close to the Obama administration.

All Fed leaders, whether Democrats or Republicans, have followed the practice of holding weekly sessions with the Treasury secretary to review U.S. and global economic developments.

"I certainly have never been pressured in any way by the administration," Yellen told the committee. "The (Obama) administration, my experience has been, greatly respects the Fed's independence to make decisions in accordance with the Fed's mandate."

Yellen, who was testifying Wednesday on the Fed's role in regulating the nation's banking system, received a number of questions from lawmakers about the situation at Wells Fargo and whether federal banking regulators fell down on the job by not detecting practices at the nation's second largest bank that allegedly had Wells Fargo employees opening millions of accounts without customers' permission.

Yellen said it was important for top management at all banks to make sure that the compensation policies they establish do not create incentives for executives to pursue improper policies that harm customers or put the banks' safety at risk.

In her testimony, Yellen said that the health of the financial system has strengthened considerably since the 2008 economic crisis, in part because of tougher regulations passed by Congress in 2010.

She said the Fed wants to make sure that the new requirements keep the country's largest banks from failing and destabilizing the entire financial system, while avoiding undue burdens on smaller institutions.

As part of that effort, the Fed has put forward a proposal to ease requirements for annual stress tests for all but the largest institutions.

Under the change the Fed is mulling, all banks with more than $50 billion in assets would still have to undergo annual stress tests to see if they would have a sufficient capital buffer to withstand loan losses in a severe economic downturn. But a concurrent, more detailed review would be dropped for all banks but those with more than $250 billion in assets.

While members of the committee praised this step, many Republican lawmakers complained that the Fed was still not doing enough to alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens.

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas shakes hands with Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet Yellen, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, following Yellen's testimony before the committee. Yellen said the financial health of the nation's banking system has strengthened considerably since the 2008 financial crisis, in part because of tougher regulations passed by Congress in 2010. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet Yellen testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, before the House Financial Services Committee. Yellen said the financial health of the nation's banking system has strengthened considerably since the 2008 financial crisis, in part because of tougher regulations passed by Congress in 2010. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Japan PM promotes Shinkansen 'bullet' train to Singapore

TOKYO (AP)  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe used a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart on Wednesday to promote Japan's Shinkansen "bullet" train technology for use in a planned high-speed railway linking Singapore and Malaysia.

Abe, serving as top salesman for Shinkansen trains, held talks with Lee Hsien Loong at the state guest house  a venue for top-level hospitality  instead of the usual Prime Minister's Office. Japan is bidding for a planned railway linking Singapore and the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.

Abe told Lee that he has high expectations that Singapore will pick the Japanese Shinkansen "as a symbol of cooperation between the two countries."

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, left, smiles to his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe at the opening of a dinner at the state guest house in Tokyo, Japan, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. Prime Minister Lee is currently on a four-day official visit to Japan. (Franck Robichon/Pool Photo via AP)

Lee spoke highly of the Shinkansen's safety record.

"The Shinkansen's long record of safety, reliability and excellence would stand it in good stead in the bid," he said. Singapore wants to choose the best train system through an objective and transparent selection process, he said.

The two leaders also agreed to cooperate in promptly putting the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal into effect. The two countries are part of the 12-nation effort. Japan's government is seeking to have the agreement endorsed by parliament by the end of November.

Lee is in Japan for a four-day visit marking the 50th anniversary of diplomacy between the two countries. To commemorate the occasion, Lee received one of Japan's highest awards on behalf of his father, late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who founded Singapore.

Abe called Lee Kuan Yew "a giant in modern Asia," and handed his son the "Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers," issued posthumously for his contribution to the peace and prosperity in Singapore and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region.

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Djokovic withdraws from China Open because of injury

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP)  Novak Djokovic says he has withdrawn from the China Open because of an elbow injury.

The defending champion says he is "extremely disappointed" to miss the tournament in Beijing, where he has won four consecutive titles and has 29 victories in a row.

The 29-year-old Djokovic says he "will continue with my rehabilitation and hope to be able to return to the ATP Tour as soon as possible."

The U.S. Open finalist has had a poor midseason, losing at the Olympics and Wimbledon in the early stages. He has reportedly had physical and personal issues which reflected on his recent results.
The Latest: California blaze grow, so does containment

MORGAN HILL, Calif. (AP)  The Latest on California wildfires (all times local):

6:30 p.m.

Fire officials say a blaze in the parched Santa Cruz Mountains in Northern California grew, but fire crews have increased containment in part thanks to cooler weather.

Alameda County firefighter Wally Armstrong cools down hot spots in front of a residence leveled by the Loma fire near Morgan Hill, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Cal Fire Battalion Chief Scott McLean said the wildfire had charred more than 4 square miles by Wednesday evening. It was 22 percent contained.

McLean says evacuation orders were lifted for Santa Cruz County, but the blaze is still threatening 300 buildings.

He says evacuation orders are still in effect for Santa Clara County, where most of the buildings under threat are located.

One residence has been gutted by flames, and at least six outbuildings are destroyed.

The blaze broke out Monday during a statewide heat wave that brought witheringly low humidity and temperatures in the upper 90s.

Temperatures had dropped by 10 degrees Wednesday evening. The cooling trend was expected to last through the week.

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5:40 p.m.

Authorities have lifted some evacuation orders around a wildfire in a remote area of California's Santa Cruz Mountains as cooler weather helped crews.

The 3-square-mile blaze has destroyed one home and is threatening 300 buildings, though it wasn't clear how many were houses or smaller structures.

Mandatory evacuations ended Wednesday afternoon for Santa Cruz County residents, but road closures remain for people who don't live in the area. Evacuation orders are still in effect for Santa Clara County residents.

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Sean Cassatt says a 10-degree drop in temperatures and increased humidity are helping in the fight. The blaze is partially contained.

Farther north, officials say a cigarette may have started a grass fire in the city of Petaluma that spread from the side of a highway into a row homes. It destroyed four residences and damaged 10 others.

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7 a.m.

At least 300 homes are threatened by a growing wildfire chewing through timber and dry brush in a remote area of California's Santa Cruz Mountains.

Cal Fire says Wednesday that the destructive blaze south of San Jose has grown to more than 3.5 square miles. It's just 10 percent contained.

Evacuation orders are in place for residents of several canyons and other rugged areas, some accessible by only dirt roads.

One residence has been gutted by flames and at least six outbuildings are destroyed.

The blaze broke out Monday during a statewide heat wave that brought witheringly low humidity and temperatures in the upper 90s.

To the north in Sonoma County, crews extinguished a fire Tuesday that destroyed four houses in a neighborhood in Petaluma. Several other homes were damaged.

An inmate firefighter examines a burning structure while battling the Loma fire near Morgan Hill, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Tom Petty to be honored as MusiCares Person of the Year

NEW YORK (AP)  Tom Petty will be honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year next year days before the Grammy Awards.

The Recording Academy announced Wednesday that Petty will receive the prestigious honor in Los Angeles on Feb. 10, 2017. Performers set to pay tribute to Petty will be announced at a later date.

Petty's career includes inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

FILE - In this June 9, 2016 file photo, Tom Petty attends the 47th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Awards Gala in New York. Petty will be honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year next year days before the Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy announced Wednesday, Sept. 28, that Petty will receive the prestigious honor in Los Angeles on Feb. 10, 2017. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)

Lionel Richie was this year's MusiCares Person of the Year.
BlackBerry, once a phone innovator, to stop making its own

TORONTO (AP)  BlackBerry plans to stop making its signature smartphones internally, signaling a strategic shift for a company that built its reputation on innovative smartphone technology.

Rather, all development for BlackBerry-branded phones will be left to BlackBerry's partners, which will license BlackBerry's technology and brand, while the Canadian company concentrates on growing its software business.

"We believe that this is the best way to drive profitability in the device business," BlackBerry chairman and CEO John Chen said in a statement Wednesday.

FILE - In this Tuesday, March 3, 2015, file photo, Blackberry's Executive Chairman and CEO John Chen speaks during a presentation at the Mobile World Congress wireless show in Barcelona, Spain. On Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, BlackBerry announced plans to stop making its signature smartphones internally, signaling a strategic shift for a company that built its reputation on innovative smartphone technology. "We believe that this is the best way to drive profitability in the device business," Chen said in a statement Wednesday. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File)

He said the move will reduce BlackBerry's expenses by eliminating the need to carry inventory and by reducing staff and equipment requirements.

BlackBerry was considered a game changer in 1999 when its RIM 950 allowed on-the-go business people to access email wirelessly. BlackBerry devices were popular for nearly a decade; users couldn't part with them, leading to the term "CrackBerry." But with the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, Apple showed that phones can handle much more than email and phone calls. Blackberry was late in overhauling its operating system to compete.

BlackBerry now holds a small fraction of the U.S. smartphone market. During the company's second quarter that ended Aug. 31, Chen said, the company sold about 400,000 smartphones. By contrast, Apple sold 40 million iPhones in its most recent quarter.

BlackBerry, which reports its results in U.S. dollars, said it had a $372 million net loss in the three months ended Aug. 31, equivalent to 71 cents per share, but broke even after excluding one-time items. Revenue was $334 million, or $352 million after adjustments. That was below the $391 million estimated by analysts surveyed by Zacks.

The company plans to shift hardware development to partners by Feb. 28, when the company's financial year ends. BlackBerry will report its hardware revenue based on royalties it receives from licensing agreements.
The Latest: UN secretary-general praises downed plane probe

NIEUWEGEIN, Netherlands (AP)  The Latest on the probe into the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine in 2014 (all times local):

8:20 p.m.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon thinks the criminal investigation into the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, together with the technical investigation that identified the cause of the crash, will be crucial in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

Wilbert Paulissen of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) speaks on the preliminary results of the investigation into the shooting-down of Malaysia Airlines jetliner flight MH17 during a press conference in Nieuwegein, Netherlands, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The disaster claimed 298 lives. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Ban's spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said Wednesday that Ban appreciated the extensive effort the Dutch-led criminal investigation team put into conducting a through and impartial inquiry.

Dujarric says the U.N. Security Council previously has "demanded that 'those responsible for this incident be held to account and that all states cooperate fully with the efforts to establish accountability.'"

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6:45 p.m.

The U.S. State Department says it backs the findings of the interim report of the Joint Investigation Team on the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17.

The team found that MH17 was shot down on July 17, 2014, by a Buk surface-to-air missile fired from Russian-backed, separatist-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine. It also says the Buk launcher came from Russia into Ukraine and was sent back to Russia after it shot down MH17.

In a statement, the agency says Wednesday "while nothing can take away the grief of those who lost loved ones on that tragic day, this announcement is another step toward bringing to justice those responsible for this outrageous attack."

It said the U.S. will keep working with the Joint Investigation Team in its MH17 investigation and urged other nations to do so as well.

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6:20 p.m.

The Russian military insists that no air defense missile systems have ever been sent from Russia to Ukraine, as the Dutch-led investigation into the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 has stated.

Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov argued Wednesday that the investigators' conclusions raise doubts, claiming they were based on information from the internet and Ukrainian special services.

The flight was downed on July 17, 2014, by a missile over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board.

Dutch-led investigators said Wednesday it was downed by a Buk missile from an area controlled by Russia-backed separatists. They said the launcher had been brought in from Russia and was later returned back to Russia.

Konashenkov denied that, saying "Russian missile defense systems, including Buk, have never crossed the Russian-Ukrainian border."

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5:10 p.m.

The Russian maker of the Buk air defense missile system is contesting the conclusions of the Dutch-led investigation into the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.

Mikhail Malyshevsky, an adviser to the director of the state-controlled Almaz-Antei consortium, said an analysis of the plane's shrapnel-ridden fragments show that it couldn't have been downed by a missile launched from a rebel-controlled area in eastern Ukraine.

He said the missile likely came from an area that Russian officials have previously described as Ukraine-controlled.

The flight was shot down on July 17, 2014, over war-torn eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board.

Dutch-led criminal investigators on Wednesday presented the results of a two-year probe. They say MH17 was downed from an area in eastern Ukraine that was controlled by Russia-backed separatists with a missile from a Buk launcher. They said the launcher had been brought in from Russia and was later returned back to Russia.

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4:50 p.m.

Russia's Foreign Ministry says a Dutch-led criminal investigation into the downing of a Malaysian is "biased and politically motivated."

Wilbert Paulissen, head of the Central Crime Investigation department of the Dutch National Police, said Wednesday that communications intercepts showed that MH17 was shot down from an area in eastern Ukraine controlled by Russia-backed separatists with a missile from a Buk launcher. He said the launcher had been brought in from Russian territory and returned back to Russia later.

The conclusions were billed as results of a two-year Dutch-led criminal probe of the July 17, 2014, downing that claimed all 298 lives on the plane.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova says the Dutch-led probe has ignored evidence offered by Russia and allowed Ukraine to manipulate the evidence and shape anti-Russian conclusions.

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4:30 p.m.

Ukrainian officials say the Dutch-led team's findings prove Russia's complicity in the tragedy of the downing of MH17.

A deadly surface-to-air weapon blasted Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 out of the sky at 33,000 feet, killing all 298 people aboard on July 17, 2014. Dutch investigators say the missile was launched from farmland in the rebel-held area of Pervomaiskiy, 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the eastern Ukrainian town of Snizhne.

"A new and very important element in today's report is the information about the route by which the weapon came from Russia to Ukraine and was removed in the opposite direction through part of the Ukrainian-Russian border that was controlled only by Russia and their militants," Ukraine's Foreign Minister said in a statement. "This again points to the direct involvement of the aggressor state in the downing of the aircraft."

+++

12:20 p.m.

Russia has consistently denied allegations that pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine were responsible for downing the passenger plane.

On Monday, the Russian military said it has new radio-location data that showed the missile that downed the Boeing 777 did not originate from rebel-controlled territory, and said it would turn that data over to investigators.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that assertion on Wednesday ahead of the Dutch report.

"If there was a rocket, it could only have been launched from a different area," he told reporters, referring to Russian radar data. "You can't argue with it. It can't be discussed."

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10:40 a.m.

Dutch-led criminal investigators say they have solid evidence that a Malaysian jet was shot down in 2014 by a Buk missile that was moved into eastern Ukraine from Russia.

Wilbert Paulissen, head of the Central Crime Investigation department of the Dutch National Police, said communications intercepts showed that pro-Moscow rebels had called for deployment of the mobile surface-to-air weapon and reported its arrival on July 17, 2014, in rebel-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine.

The deadly surface-to-air weapon that blasted Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 out of the sky at 33,000 feet, killing all 298 people aboard, was launched that day from farmland in the rebel-held area of Pervomaiskiy, 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the eastern Ukrainian town of Snizhne, the investigation found.

Witnesses there reported an explosion and a whistling sound and a patch of field was set on fire.

Tan Sri Dato' Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, center, Fred Westerbeke, second right, and Wilbert Paulissen of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) take their seats for a press conference on the preliminary results of the investigation into the shooting-down of Malaysia Airlines jetliner flight MH17 in Nieuwegein, Netherlands, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The disaster claimed 298 lives. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

FILE - In this Thursday, July 17, 2014 file photo, people walk amongst the debris, at the crash site of a passenger plane near the village of Grabovo, Ukraine. Relatives of victims of the shooting-down of a Malaysia Airlines jetliner over Ukraine more than two years ago were gathering Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 to learn the preliminary results of a Dutch-led criminal probe of the disaster that claimed 298 lives. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky, File)

The possible scenarios into the downing of Malaysia Airlines jetliner flight MH17 are put on display during a press conference by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on the preliminary results of the investigation in Nieuwegein, Netherlands, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The disaster claimed 298 lives. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

FILE - In this Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015 file photo, journalists take images of part of the reconstructed forward section of the fuselage after the presentation of the Dutch Safety Board's final report into what caused Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 to break up high over Eastern Ukraine last year, killing all 298 people on board, during a press conference in Gilze-Rijen, central Netherlands. Relatives of victims of the shooting-down of a Malaysia Airlines jetliner over Ukraine more than two years ago were gathering Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 to learn the preliminary results of a Dutch-led criminal probe of the disaster that claimed 298 lives. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)

Wilbert Paulissen of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) speaks on the preliminary results of the investigation into the shooting-down of Malaysia Airlines jetliner flight MH17 during a press conference in Nieuwegein, Netherlands, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The disaster claimed 298 lives. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Wilbert Paulissen of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) speaks on the preliminary results of the investigation into the shooting-down of Malaysia Airlines jetliner flight MH17 during a press conference in Nieuwegein, Netherlands, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The disaster claimed 298 lives. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Wilbert Paulissen of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) speaks on the preliminary results of the investigation into the shooting-down of Malaysia Airlines jetliner flight MH17 during a press conference in Nieuwegein, Netherlands, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The disaster claimed 298 lives. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Fred Westerbeke of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) speaks as possible scenarios into the downing of Malaysia Airlines jetliner flight MH17 are put on display during a press conference by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on the preliminary results of the investigation in Nieuwegein, Netherlands, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The disaster claimed 298 lives. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Fred Westerbeke, right, of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) elaborates on the preliminary results of the investigation into the shooting-down of Malaysia Airlines jetliner flight MH17 during a press conference in Nieuwegein, Netherlands, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The disaster claimed 298 lives. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Fred Westerbeke of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) elaborates on the preliminary results of the investigation into the shooting-down of Malaysia Airlines jetliner flight MH17 during a press conference in Nieuwegein, Netherlands, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The disaster claimed 298 lives. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Tan Sri Dato' Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, center, and Fred Westerbeke, second right, of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) take their seats for a press conference on the preliminary results of the investigation into the shooting-down of Malaysia Airlines jetliner flight MH17 in Nieuwegein, Netherlands, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The disaster claimed 298 lives. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Mikhail Malyshevsky, an adviser to the director of the state-controlled Almaz-Antei consortium speaks in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, saying that an analysis of the plane's shrapnel-ridden fragments show that it couldn't have been downed by a missile launched from a rebel-controlled area in eastern Ukraine. The Russian maker of the Buk air defense missile system is contesting the conclusions of the Dutch-led investigation into the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)

A woman rides her motorbike past the crash site of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, near the village of Hrabove, eastern Ukraine, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. Dutch-led criminal investigators said Wednesday, they have solid evidence that a Malaysian jet was shot down by a Buk missile moved into eastern Ukraine from Russia. (AP Photo/Inna Varenytsia)

Wilbert Paulissen of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) speaks on the preliminary results of the investigation into the shooting-down of Malaysia Airlines jetliner flight MH17 during a press conference in Nieuwegein, Netherlands, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The disaster claimed 298 lives. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Members of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) during a press conference on the preliminary results of the investigation into the shooting-down of Malaysia Airlines jetliner flight MH17 in Nieuwegein, Netherlands, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The disaster claimed 298 lives. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Mikhail Malyshevsky, an adviser to the director of the state-controlled Almaz-Antei consortium speaks in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The Russian maker of the Buk air defense missile system is contesting the conclusions of the Dutch-led investigation into the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
Kerry threatens Russia with end to joint Syria diplomacy

WASHINGTON (AP)  Secretary of State John Kerry threatened on Wednesday to end all cooperation between the United States and Russia to stop Syria's civil war, unless Russian and Syrian government attacks on Aleppo end. More than 250 people are believed to have been killed in the besieged city in the last week.

Kerry's warning came in a telephone call Wednesday to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the State Department said, describing the latest U.S. ultimatum in Syria's 5-year conflict. Many have gone unfulfilled, including President Barack Obama's declaration that the U.S. would take military action if Syrian President Bashar Assad crossed the "red line" of using chemical weapons.

It was unclear what effect Kerry's words would have.

FILE - In this Sept. 22, 2016 file photo, Secretary of State John Kerry speaks in New York. Kerry is threatening to cut off all contacts with Moscow over Syria, unless Russian and Syrian government attacks on Aleppo end. The State Department says Kerry issued the ultimatum in a Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, telephone call to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.(AP Photo/Jason DeCrow, File)

"The burden remains on Russia to stop this assault and allow humanitarian access to Aleppo and other areas in need," Kerry told Lavrov, according to State Department spokesman John Kirby.

Kerry said the U.S. is preparing to "suspend U.S.-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria," including talks on a possible counter-extremist partnership, "unless Russia takes immediate steps to end the assault on Aleppo and restore" a cease-fire.

Government shelling and airstrikes landed near a bread distribution center and two hospitals in Aleppo on Wednesday. Activists and medics reported several people killed. They said at least one of the medical facilities was no longer operable, leaving the country's biggest city with only six functioning hospitals.

The Syrian government and its ally Russia have been accused of intentionally targeting medical facilities in rebel-held areas. The U.S.-based Physicians for Human Rights has recorded 382 such attacks throughout Syria since the conflict started in 2011. The group says government forces carried out 293 of the attacks; Russian warplanes conducted 16.

Despite Moscow's military engagement in the war alongside Assad's government, Washington has been working with its former Cold War foe in hopes of securing a cease-fire and a peace process. The latest effort collapsed last week after several days of reduced violence, but the U.S. and Russia have been discussing ways to revive it.

The Obama administration had hoped the promise of the new U.S.-Russian alliance against the Islamic State group and al-Qaida affiliates would be enough to get Moscow to ground Assad's forces.

Current coordination to ensure U.S. and Russian planes stay out of each other's way will continue no matter what, the Pentagon said. The U.S. and its coalition partners are flying missions in Syria against IS; the U.S. also has a small contingent of special forces on the ground.

Kerry's threat aside, the U.S. has few other options beyond engaging Moscow to end the fighting between Assad's forces and rebels.

Obama has made clear he won't authorize military action against Syria and the presence of Russian air assets alongside Syrian forces makes such a scenario all the more unlikely. The U.S. is similarly uncomfortable ramping up military support for anti-Assad rebels given the close ties even the so-called "moderate" groups maintain with al-Qaida-linked militants.

Peace efforts without Russia are unlikely to win over Assad. And green-lighting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey or other countries to provide more weapons to the rebels could only make the war deadlier. Already, as many as 500,000 people have been killed.

In the telephone call with Lavrov, Kerry "expressed grave concern over the deteriorating situation in Syria, particularly for continued Russian and Syrian regime attacks on hospitals, the water supply network and other civilian infrastructure in Aleppo," Kirby's statement said.

"The secretary made clear the United States and its partners hold Russia responsible for this situation, including the use of incendiary and bunker buster bombs in an urban environment, a drastic escalation that puts civilians at great risk."

Russia's Foreign Ministry presented a different version of the call, making no reference to the U.S. ultimatum.

It focused on Lavrov's demand that the U.S. compel opposition forces to separate themselves from extremist groups. He told Kerry that many U.S.-backed groups have merged with the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front and said Nusra was getting U.S. weaponry that way.

Nevertheless, Lavrov and Kerry discussed ways to "normalize" the situation in Aleppo and "return to the basic principles" of the Sept. 9 cease-fire, the ministry said.

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No charges against deputy who shot inmate in airport scuffle

DALLAS (AP)  A Dallas County grand jury has opted not to indict a former sheriff's deputy from Oklahoma who shot an inmate during a 2015 escape attempt at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

A Dallas County District Attorney's office spokeswoman said the grand jury made the decision Monday. Former Tulsa County sheriff's deputy John Werts and another deputy were escorting Brent Taff from Utah to Oklahoma in February 2015 to face charges of threatening a judge overseeing a separate kidnapping case against him.

While in an airport bathroom, authorities say Taff attacked Werts, who then shot him in the hand as he tried to escape. The other deputy stopped Taff.
Minnesota police shooting probe goes to prosecutors

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Minnesota investigators looking into the July shooting of a black man by a suburban St. Paul police officer announced Wednesday that they've turned their findings over to a county prosecutor who will review the case for possible charges.

Here's a look at key elements in the death of Philando Castile:

THE SHOOTING

FILE - In this Sunday, July 24, 2016, file photo, King Demetrius Pendleton hangs a sign on the gate of the Governor's Residence in St. Paul, Minn., as protesters demonstrate against the July 6 shooting death of Philando Castile by a St. Anthony police officer making a traffic stop in Falcon Heights, Mich. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has been investigating the shooting by St. Anthony police Officer Jeronimo Yanez of Castile. The agency said Wednesday, Sept. 28, that it turned over its findings to prosecutors. (Scott Takushi/St. Paul Pioneer Press via AP, File)

Philando Castile was fatally shot July 6 during a traffic stop in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights. The shooting's gruesome aftermath was streamed live on Facebook by Castile's girlfriend, who says Castile was shot several times while reaching for his ID after he told the officer he had a gun permit and was armed.

Family members claim Castile, a 32-year-old elementary school cafeteria worker, was racially profiled when he was pulled over by St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez.

Yanez's attorney, Tom Kelly, has said Yanez, who is Latino, was reacting to the presence of a gun, and that one reason Yanez pulled Castile over was because he thought he looked like a "possible match" for an armed robbery suspect.

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THE INVESTIGATION

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has been investigating the shooting, and said Wednesday that it turned its findings over to prosecutors to consider possible charges.

Authorities have said they have squad car video, but they haven't released it or described what it shows. There is no body camera video, and authorities have said little else about other evidence that might exist.

Facebook video streamed by Castile's girlfriend only shows the shooting's aftermath  not the shooting itself or anything leading up to it.

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REVIEWING THE CASE

Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said Wednesday that his office will diligently review the case "in order to determine what justice requires" but he offered no timeline on how long that might take. He noted it took another prosecutor about seven weeks to review the fatal police shooting of Jamar Clark, who was also black. The two white officers involved in Clark's shooting last November in Minneapolis were not charged.

Since the Castile shooting, there have been public calls for Choi to step aside. He announced in July that he would not, saying he was elected to uphold the law and must be accountable. However, he added a special prosecutor to his team to enhance public trust.

Choi said his office has enlisted national use-of-force consultants to help review the case. He said earlier that he hadn't yet decided if he'd send the case to a grand jury or whether his office will make the charging decision.

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THE AFTERMATH

Castile's shooting prompted numerous protests, including a weekslong demonstration outside the governor's mansion that resulted in about 70 arrests, rallies outside Choi's office and public outcry at city meetings. One protest three days after Castile was killed shut down Interstate 94 in St. Paul for hours, and resulted in about 50 arrests and injuries to more than 20 officers, after police said they were hit with cement chunks, bottles, rocks and other objects.

The shooting also exposed a disproportionate number of arrests of African-Americans in St. Anthony, Lauderdale and Falcon Heights, which are all patrolled by the St. Anthony Police Department. The Associated Press reported in July that an analysis of police data showed black people made up nearly half of all arrests made by St. Anthony officers in 2016. Census data shows that just 7 percent of residents in the three cities are black.

Since the shooting, St. Anthony officials have expressed interest in looking into possible racial bias within the Police Department. Meanwhile Yanez, who was put on leave, returned to work briefly in August, but was placed back on leave after protesters demanded he be charged.

Glenda Hatchett, the attorney for Castile's family, said in the days after the shooting that the family intends to file a lawsuit. The family also has asked for a federal civil rights investigation, and is demanding that Yanez be charged.

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Follow Amy Forliti on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/amyforliti . More of her work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/amy-forliti .
Police issue warrant in U. of Illinois fatal shooting

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP)  An arrest warrant has been issued in the deadly weekend shooting at a party near the University of Illinois campus for an 18-year-old man who was released earlier this month from a state boot camp, authorities said Wednesday.

Prosecutors say Robbie Patton, of Champaign, will be charged with first-degree murder in the early Sunday shooting that killed a 22-year-old man and injured three other people.

Patton was sentenced in April to eight months in prison after pleading guilty to shooting at an occupied vehicle but was instead sent to the Illinois Department of Corrections boot camp "over our objections," Champaign County State's Attorney Julia Rietz said.

This undated photo provided by the Illinois Department of Corrections shows Robbie Patton. Champaign police said Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, that an arrest warrant for a first-degree murder charge has been issued for Patton in the deadly shooting at a party Sunday, Sept. 25 on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign, Ill. (Illinois Department of Corrections via AP)

She said Patton is believed to be in the Champaign area and may be armed.

Authorities still are investigating the shooting, which stemmed from a disagreement at a large party at an apartment in what is known as Campustown, the campus' main commercial district, Rietz and police said. One woman spilled a drink on another, leading to a series of altercations that included one man being badly beaten by several other men, Rietz said. The man who was beaten has since been released from the hospital.

The shooting happened a short time later, and police were called at 12:38 a.m.

None of the four victims in the shooting were involved in the fight, police have said. George Korchev, a 22-year-old from Mundelein who had recently completed nursing school, though not at the University of Illinois, was killed.

A second shooting about a half-hour later, several blocks west of campus, injured one person. Police initially thought it was linked to the earlier shooting, but now say that's not the case.

Patton pleaded guilty in April to aggravated discharge of a firearm in a December 2015 shooting incident. The nature of that shooting and Patton's juvenile record led Rietz to object to his attorney's request that Patton be sentenced to boot camp, she said.

"It was a shooting in a parking lot of a restaurant in broad daylight on ... a busy retail area of our community," she said.

Boot camp, she said, also was not part of the plea deal. Had she known Patton's attorney planned to ask for it, Rietz says she might not have agreed to the eight-year sentence  the maximum for which someone can instead be considered for boot camp.

Patton's attorney in that case, Daniel Jackson of Champaign, did not return a call seeking comment.

To be sent to one of the state's two bootcamps , a judge and the Department of Corrections have to agree. The stays range from 120 to 180 days.

The department issued a statement Wednesday that said only that Patton "met the legal criteria for participation" and the department "conducted additional screenings before deeming him eligible to participate. "

Champaign Police Chief Anthony Cobb gestures toward an image of Robbie Patton during a news conference at the Champaign Police Department, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 in Champaign, Ill. Police said that an arrest warrant for a first-degree murder charge has been issued for Patton in the deadly shooting at a party Sunday, Sept. 25 on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign. (Heather Coit /The News-Gazette via AP)

University of Illinois students attend a candlelight vigil in remembrance of Sunday's shootings and death of George Korchev of Mundelein at the school campus in Urbana, Ill., Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. (Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette via AP)
Norwegian mediator: Israeli leaders today lack Peres' vision

STOCKHOLM (AP)  One of the mediators who helped broker the 1993 Oslo Peace Accord remembers Shimon Peres as a charismatic leader who saw peace with the Palestinians as key to Israel's future.

"He had the kind of visionary leadership that today's generation of more introverted and narrow-sighted Israeli politicians really lack," said Jan Egeland, who is now secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council.

Egeland, who was state secretary in Norway's Foreign Ministry at the time, met Peres on several occasions during the top secret negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Oslo in the early 1990s.

FILE- In this Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015 file photo, Jan Egeland, the secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council and former U.N. humanitarian chief, walks between tents at a Syrian refugee camp in the town of Marej in the Bekaa valley, east Lebanon. Egeland, one of the mediators who helped broker the 1993 Oslo Peace Accord, remembered Shimon Peres as a charismatic leader who saw peace with the Palestinians as key to Israels future, as he told The Associated Press by phone on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)

"I found him very charismatic, a very strong personality," Egeland told The Associated Press by phone on Wednesday. "He spoke of peace with the Palestinians throughout the process in very visionary terms."

Egeland said Peres, who was Israeli foreign minister 1992-1995, "loved the smoke and mirrors" of the covert talks in Oslo.

For example, negotiators used code names for each other, Egeland said. He and Peres' deputy Yossi Beilin were referred to as the "sons." Peres and Mahmoud Abbas, who led the Palestinian negotiating team, were known as the "fathers," while Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat were the "grandfathers."

"So we would say 'has the son told the father that we need clearance from the grandfather?'" Egeland said.

Officially, Peres was visiting Norway for other reasons when the Oslo agreement was initialed at a secret ceremony at 2 a.m., Egeland said. The deal was formally signed in September 1993 on the White House lawn with President Bill Clinton.

Peres, Rabin and Arafat shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize for the accord, but it fell apart amid renewed Israeli-Palestinian violence.

Egeland said he was impressed by Peres' sense of humor and his talent as a speaker, both in public and in small group settings.

"But he was also a tough guy," Egeland said, recalling the furious response he got after condemning the Israeli shelling of a U.N. refugee camp in southern Lebanon in 1996. Israel said the attack was a mistake and that its gunners had been aiming at nearby rocket launchers of Hezbollah guerrillas.

"I called it a massacre, and he got very angry with me," Egeland said. "But not long after we were friends again."

He called Peres an "uncompromising defender of Israel in every sense," but one who found it in Israel's interest "to not create new generations of hatred" among its Palestinian and Arab neighbors.
US looks to restrict China coal imports from North Korea

WASHINGTON (AP)  The United States is negotiating at the U.N. Security Council to address a provision in U.N. sanctions that allows China to import coal and iron ore from North Korea, Obama administration officials said Wednesday.

Senators at a hearing questioned the effectiveness of U.S. efforts to get China  the North's main trading partner  to use its economic leverage against the North.

North Korea has stepped up its missile tests, and this month conducted its largest nuclear test explosion in spite of tough U.N. and U.S. penalties imposed in March. That's fueling worries that North Korea is moving closer to its goal of a nuclear-armed missile that could one day strike the U.S. mainland.

"All the work we are doing on sanctions, globally, is being compromised dramatically because of China's economic relationship with North Korea," said Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee that oversees U.S. policy toward Asia.

Administration officials testified that North Korea's coal exports, mostly to China, generate more than $1 billion in revenue for the North annually and account for about one-third of all export income.

Coal and iron exports are allowed under U.N. sanctions if the exports are determined to be for "livelihood purposes," and not for generating revenue for weapons programs. That provision is intended to prevent sanctions from hurting ordinary North Koreans; China is suspected of trying to exploit it.

"We share the concern that China's purchases of coal and other economic activities create a lifeline that reduces the impact of global sanctions," said Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel, the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia. He added that China's cooperation on sanctions enforcement was improving.

In a new sign of U.S. willingness to target companies in other countries that deal with North Korea, the Justice Department on Monday charged China-based Hongxiang Industrial Development Company and four executives with conspiring to evade penalties for providing financial services to a North Korean bank under sanctions.

A South Korean think tank, the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said in a report last month that Hongxiang supplied aluminum oxide and other materials that can be used in processing nuclear bomb fuel. Hongxiang is one of the biggest traders with North Korea and carried out imports and exports worth a total of $532 million in 2011-15, said the report, co-written by the U.S.-based research group C4ADS.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., questioned why the administration had not designated five other companies identified in that report, and contended it was for reasons of political expediency.

"We are afraid to press the case against too many Chinese companies because of the broader situation between China and the United States," he said.

Daniel Fried, the State Department's coordinator for sanctions policy, responded that the U.S. government is "actively looking against all possible targets.
Stars expose problems, seek solutions on 'America Divided'

NEW YORK (AP)  Norman Lear, a show business legend and full-throated humanist, set out last spring to rent a modest apartment in the Bronx.

The landlord welcomed this incognito white man with a couple of offers.

Not so lucky was an African-American man who had come to him the day before. The landlord, insisting nothing was available, brusquely turned that man away.

This image released by Epix shows Rob Robinson, left, with producer Norman Lear in a scene from the documentary, "America Divided." The five-week docuseries, which premieres Friday at 9 p.m. EDT on Epix. (Nicole Rivelli/Epix via AP)

This undercover mission, as well as Lear's subsequent blowing the whistle on the landlord, was filmed for "America Divided," a star-driven, eye-opening probe into systemic inequality in the U.S. today not only in housing but also education, health care, labor, criminal justice and voting rights.

The five-week docuseries, which premieres Friday at 9 p.m. EDT on Epix, employs the 94-year-old Lear (armed with a hidden camera) as one of its correspondents as well as an executive producer.

"I'm happy to have reached the 1 percent," said Lear, back in New York, where he spent part of his childhood, to shoot his report, "but I started as a kid in the Depression whose father was serving (prison) time. But what was wonderful about America was it offered me opportunity. And it promised that opportunity to everybody else, regardless of the color of their skin. After all these years, that promise has yet to be delivered on. I care about that."

Others who care include:

 Hip-hop artist and actor Common, who explores disparities in the criminal justice system in his hometown of Chicago in the aftermath of the 2014 police killing of teenager Laquan McDonald.

 Rosario Dawson travels to Flint, Michigan, to probe how the government poisoned its own citizens, a mostly African-American underclass.

 "Grey's Anatomy" star Jesse Williams heads to St. Petersburg, Florida, where he finds an educational and criminal-justice divide resulting from what some call "re-segregation."

 America Ferrera, whose parents and siblings emigrated from Honduras, travels to Texas' Rio Grande Valley to report on the plight of Central American refugees.

 Zach Galifianakis examines the nation's deepening political divisions as evidenced in his native state of North Carolina.

 Amy Poehler ventures into the world of the invisible immigrant women who help keep the California economy afloat: domestic workers.

 And Peter Sarsgaard looks at the addiction crisis in Dayton, Ohio, where the shuttering of America's factories and rampant unemployment exemplifies a heartland epidemic of drug- and alcohol-related deaths.

However unsettling, each story stands as more than a cry of distress. The narratives not only expose wrong-doers and bear witness to victims, but also highlight dedicated reformers.

In Lear's housing segment, viewers meet Fred Freiberg, executive director of New York's Fair Housing Justice Center, which flushes out discriminatory housing practices, then sues the offenders. It is Freiberg's agency that dispatches Lear and his African-American counterpart on their landlord-busting mission.

"With every story, we tried to show causes of inequality and the impacts of inequality, but we also tried to provide models of social action," says Solly Granatstein, a creator of the "America Divided" series. "We try to show that there are solutions and there is work being done, that it's not just simply a problem."

For the series, Granatstein, a nine-time Emmy-winning former producer at ABC News, NBC News and CBS' "60 Minutes," joined forces with Richard Rowley, whose credits include the 2013 Oscar-nominated documentary "Dirty Wars," and Lucian Read, with whom Granatstein teamed on their previous docuseries, "Years of Living Dangerously," which addressed the threat of climate change. (Their Divided Films produced the series in association with RadicalMedia.)

For this new venture, the trio set out to look at what Granatstein calls "the OTHER existential threat to our society and culture."

For this, they enlisted Lear, drawing on his show-business gravitas and his history of social activism. Common, too, signed on as a correspondent-executive producer, while TV hitmaker Shonda Rhimes ("Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal") came aboard as a behind-the-scenes exec producer.

Then the task began to settle on stories and recruit star-correspondents to report them.

"There's no shortage of stories that we could have done," says Granatstein with a wan smile. "But we were looking for geographical and demographic diversity, and where there were heroic individuals and groups who were struggling to heal the divide, whatever that divide might be."

The project, in the works for more than two years, was timed to air during the home stretch of this election season, when issues from the series might help inform the campaign dialogue.

"If you get people attuned to these issues," said Granatstein, "then, eventually, there could be a whole societal shift."

It's a long slog, noted Lear, whose own crusade to stir the public reaches back to his socially conscious sitcoms like "All in the Family" nearly a half-century ago.

"But I don't want to wake up the morning I don't have hope," he declared. Boasting 34,000-plus mornings and counting, Lear persists among the hopeful on "America Divided."

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A previous version of this story incorrectly spelled America Ferrera's name as Ferrara.

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EDITOR'S NOTE  Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmoore@ap.org and at http://www.twitter.com/tvfrazier. Past stories are available at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/frazier-moore

_____

Online:

http://www.epix.com/series/america-divided

In this image released by Epix, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, left, appears with musician and actor Common in a scene from "America Divided." The five-week docuseries, which premieres Friday at 9 p.m. EDT on Epix. (Elizabeth Morris/Epix via AP)
Pair of ex-nuns joined in civil union in Italian town

ROME (AP)  Two former nuns who met in a convent have been joined in a civil union in a ceremony in a small town in northern Italy.

The Italian news agency ANSA said the women, who were identified in Italian media only by first names, were supposed to have the ceremony in Pinerolo city hall Thursday, but concern there would be a media scrum after Turin newspaper La Stampa reported their plans prompted the ceremony to be held a day earlier by Mayor Luca Salvai.

Italian lawmakers earlier this year legalized civil unions, angering the Vatican. Italy doesn't have gay marriage.
Kerry says TPP rejection would hurt US national security

WASHINGTON (AP)  Secretary of State John Kerry urged Congress on Wednesday to adopt a landmark 12-nation Asia-Pacific trade deal, arguing that rejection would badly damage U.S. credibility and national security.

Kerry said failure to pass the Trans Pacific Partnership would not only hurt American business but embolden rivals and enemies like China and North Korea as well as cast doubt among U.S. allies in the region over American resolve.

He said rejection would amount to "a unilateral ceding of American influence and power and will have grave consequences," notably in the Asia Pacific.

FILE - In this Sept. 22, 2016 file photo, Secretary of State John Kerry speaks in New York. Kerry is threatening to cut off all contacts with Moscow over Syria, unless Russian and Syrian government attacks on Aleppo end. The State Department says Kerry issued the ultimatum in a Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, telephone call to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.(AP Photo/Jason DeCrow, File)

"Either the United States of America is an Asia-Pacific power or we are not and the 'not' carries with it serious consequences," Kerry said. He said China and North Korea would see rejection of the deal as a sign of U.S. weakness. Beijing would see it as an invitation to continue aggressive activities in the South China Sea, and Pyongyang would be less likely to halt provocative nuclear and missile rests.

"The TPP will reinforce our status as a world leader," Kerry said. "We can't sit on the sidelines and expect to send a credible message to partners or potential partners. They would be affected by us turning our back on an agreement."
Massive Texas district isn't big enough for either candidate

AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  A West Texas congressional district sprawls 58,000-plus square miles and two time zones, from San Antonio to just outside El Paso. Yet neither the Republican who represents it nor the Democrat trying to reclaim the seat actually lives there.

The home of first-term Republican Rep. Will Hurd, 39, is in the San Antonio suburb of Helotes, just outside the borders of a district that is larger in land area than 29 states.

The challenger, former Rep. Pete Gallego, spends most of his time away from the district in Austin, but lists his official address as the remote town of Alpine, which is in the district. One of the properties his family owns there  a boarded up home and former cafe site  was recently slapped with a sign declaring it a "dangerous" violation of Alpine safety codes. Gallego has declined to say if he ever stays at one of the others.

FILE - In this Aug. 27, 2016, file photo, first-term Republican Rep. Will Hurd, right, of Texas, talks with a supporter at a campaign office in San Antonio. Hurd faces former Democratic Rep. Pete Gallego in Texas' 23rd District, which spans 58,000-plus square miles, making it larger than 29 states. Neither Hurd nor Gallego live in the district. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

Gallego, 54, keeps a district apartment in San Antonio that serves as his base while campaigning, but his wife, Maria Elena Ramon, and 11-year-old son Nicolas live 80 miles north of San Antonio in Austin. Contracts show Gallego worked in governmental relations positions there as recently as the summer of 2015, but a statement his campaign released Wednesday said he "is not and never has been a registered lobbyist."

Federal candidates aren't required to live in the district where they run for office, and districts represented by members of Congress who reside elsewhere are fairly common throughout the country. But few districts nationwide are as large as the one Hurd and Gallego are contesting.

Conservative Texas activists have sometimes tried to make living outside a congressional district an issue. GOP primary challenger and Dallas-area tea party organizer Katrina Pierson, now a national spokeswoman for Donald Trump's presidential campaign, accused longtime Republican Rep. Pete Sessions of it in 2014. That charge didn't stick and Sessions trounced Pierson. Hurd faced no serious primary challenger this cycle.

"You can't really make the argument that Will doesn't live in the district, either. He's in San Antonio all the time when he's away from Washington," said Hurd campaign manager Justin Hollis.

A former Texas A&M student body president, Hurd spent nine years with the CIA in India, New York, Afghanistan and Pakistan before returning to Texas. Hurd's house in Helotes was part of the district when he first ran for Congress and lost in the Republican primary in 2010, Hollis said, and now is "less than 100 yards" outside it according to more-recent redistricting maps.

Asked why Hurd hasn't moved into the district since, Hollis said it was a moot point because the congressman "lives a stone's throw away."

The race is the only competitive one among Texas' 36 congressional districts. Hurd unseated Gallego two years ago by 2,422 votes out of more than 115,000 cast. Gallego is hoping that Trump's harsh immigration rhetoric and promises to build a wall the length of the U.S.-Mexico border can boost him in a district that's nearly 70 percent Hispanic and features 800-plus miles of Texas-Mexico border. Hurd counters that voters care more about issues like national security than about having Trump's name topping the GOP ticket.

Gallego says his family's Austin home is an investment property that his wife owns separately. Prior to his first congressional run in 2012, Gallego spent 22 years in the Texas Legislature. Although it meets in Austin, he kept a residence in Alpine because of a mandate in the state constitution that legislators live in the districts they represent.

"Alpine has been and always will be home," Gallego said in a statement to The Associated Press. "Like many West Texans, my jobs have required me to travel. And, like many families, we've balanced two careers with raising a family."

Alpine is a picturesque town 375 miles west of San Antonio where the cowboy culture and high desert mountain-dotted vistas seem straight out of a Hollywood western. Gallego was born and raised there and county records show he and his parents own several local properties, but Gallego avoided questions about where he resides while in town.

Both candidates' out-of-district residency may not mean much in a part of Texas that takes pride in just how empty it is. Featuring expansive pastureland, the district is listed by the U.S. Census Bureau as 99.5 percent rural, even though it includes swaths of San Antonio.

"The remoteness is the charm," said Tonya Tiday, assistant director of the Alpine Chamber of Commerce. She said Gallego's family name has long resonated in close-knit Alpine, but how much time he actually spends in town isn't a major concern.

"The sense of community is different than other places," Tiday said. "It's the reason you'll never see a Wal-Mart out here."

FILE - In this Sept. 25, 2012, file photo, then Texas state Rep. Pete Gallego, speaks during a debate in San Antonio, Texas. Gallego, a Democrat, faces incumbent first-term Republican Rep. Will Hurd in the 2016 November election in Texas' 23rd District, which spans 58,000-plus square miles, making it larger than 29 states. Neither Gallego nor Hurd live in the district. (John Albright/The San Antonio Express-News via AP, File)
Parents of Trayvon Martin have book coming in January 2017

NEW YORK (AP)  The parents of Trayvon Martin, the Florida teen fatally shot in 2012 by a neighborhood watch volunteer, have a book coming out on Jan. 31.

Spiegel & Grau announced Wednesday that it will release "Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin," by Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin. The book, narrated alternately by the mother and father, will tell of Trayvon's "life and struggles, his tragic death, and the transformative movement for justice" that he inspired, according to Spiegel & Grau, a Penguin Random House imprint. Martin's parents also will share the "grief and confusion" they have endured and how they contended with an "indifferent system" as they struggled to make sense of what happened.
Peru's ex-spy chief guilty of disappearing students

LIMA, Peru (AP)  Former Peruvian spy chief Vladimir Montesinos has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for "disappearing" a professor and two students in 1993.

Montesinos is already serving long sentences for crimes against humanity and arms trafficking.

But human rights activists said Monday's ruling by a three-judge panel was significant because it was the first time a Peruvian court recognized that the government of former President Alberto Fujimori burned the bodies of some victims during its decade-long crackdown on dissent.

FILE - In this June 30, 2008 file photo, Vladimiro Montesinos, left, listens to his lawyer Estela Valdivia as he testifies at the trial of Peru's former President Alberto Fujimori in Lima. On Monday Sept. 26, 2016, Montesinos was sentenced to 22 years in jail for the forced disappearance of a professor and two students in 1993. He was already serving long sentences for crimes against humanity and arms trafficking. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia, File)

The secret facility where the bodies were burned was in the basement of an army barracks from where Montesinos presided over Peru's intelligence agency.

Relatives of two university students and a professor disappeared by security forces in 1993, pose for the picture after a press conference in Lima, Peru, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. Former Peruvian spy chief Vladimir Montesinos has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for the forced disappearance of the three in 1993. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
Senators ask Justice Department to investigate EpiPen maker

WASHINGTON (AP)  Senators are asking the Justice Department to investigate whether pharmaceutical company Mylan acted illegally when it classified its life-saving EpiPen as a generic drug and qualified for lower rebate payments to states.

The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota sent a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Wednesday and suggested the company may have gamed the system to divert millions of dollars from taxpayers.

Mylan CEO Heather Bresch has come under fire in Congress as the price of the emergency allergy shots has skyrocketed in recent years. The list price of EpiPens has grown to $608 for a two-pack, an increase of more than 500 percent since 2007.

At a House hearing last week, Bresch said her company, with sales in excess of $11 billion, doesn't make much profit off each pen and she signaled that Mylan has no plans to lower prices. Republicans and Democrats criticized her for being vague about the company's finances and profits.

In the letter, the senators said that Mylan "may have knowingly misclassified EpiPens, potentially in violation of the False Claims Act and other statutes."

Under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program created by Congress, drug companies pay a percentage of their revenues to states  known as rebates  to try and help protect states from high drug prices. The drug companies themselves are responsible for deciding whether their products should be classified as non-innovator drugs, which pay smaller rebates to the states, or innovator drugs, which pay larger rebates.
US extradites Rwandan academic to face genocide charges

KIGALI, Rwanda (AP)  A Rwandan academic who is accused of participating in the 1994 genocide arrived in the country on Wednesday following his extradition from the United States.

Leopold Munyakazi, 65, was handed over to Rwandan police by U.S. officials at Kigali International Airport.

Richard Muhumuza, Rwanda's prosecutor-general, said the suspect is considered one of the key ideologues of the genocide, in which over 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed by Hutu extremists.

The Rwandan government issued arrest warrants against Munyakazi in 2006 and 2008 and asked the U.S. to extradite him.

He had been a college professor at the time of the genocide. Munyakazi fled Rwanda in 2004 and sought refuge in the U.S., where he taught French at Goucher College in Baltimore until he was suspended in 2008 following his indictment by the Rwandan government.

He maintained his innocence over the years but lost court appeals to avoid extradition to Rwanda. He had argued that he faced torture if he returned.

According to the indictment, Munyakazi allegedly shot and killed Felicien Ugirashebuja, who lived in Kirwa village in the southern district of Muhunga. Munyakazi also allegedly participated in the supervision of roadblocks at which Tutsis were identified to be killed.
Study: As a species, humans inherit murderous tendencies

WASHINGTON (AP)  Evolution and genetics seem to have baked a certain amount of murder into humans as a species, but civilization has tamed some of the savage beast in us, according to a new study.

Scientists calculated the rate at which more than 1,000 mammal species kill their own kind, and noticed how closely related species have similar rates of lethal violence. They essentially found that where a species is on evolutionary tree of life tells a lot about how violent the species is to its own kind. And we're in a rough neighborhood.

Humans are "in a position within a particularly violent mammalian clade, in which violence seems to have been ancestrally present," the study in the journal Nature says. That means that based on other rather murderous species closely related to us, humans have "inherited their propensity for violence."

FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2016 file photo, the sister, nieces and nephews of slain Rev. Jose Alfredo Suarez de la Cruz grieve as they watch his casket lower into the floor inside Our Lady of Asuncion Church in Paso Blanco, Veracruz state, Mexico. Mourners packed the church for the funeral Mass in memory of the Roman Catholic priest who was murdered along with another cleric in the troubled Gulf coast state of Veracruz. Evolution and genetics seems to have baked a certain level of murder into humans as a species, but civilization has tamed some of that inherited savage beast in us, according to a new study. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

As a group, mammals average a lethal violence rate against their own of about three killings of their own species in 1,000 deaths. The "root" violence rate of early humans and many of our closer primate cousins is about 20 in 1,000, said study lead author Jose Maria Gomez at the University of Granada in Spain. But in the medieval period, between 700 and 1500 A.D., that deadly rate shot up to about 120 per 1000.

But we've gotten less murderous.

On average, modern humans now kill each on a rate of 13 in 1000, Gomez said, basing his calculations on World Health Organization data. But he says the exact numbers are rough and depend on many technical variables, so what is more accurate is to say "violence has decreased significantly in the contemporary age."

"It seems that we are in the present time less violent than we were in the past," Gomez said in an email interview.

While humans are killing each other less than we once did, we are not nearly as peaceful as the killer whale  which despite the name, has a rate of interpersonal violence of pretty much zero (though Gomez notes that only a small sample of killer whales was examined). Many whale species, bats and anteaters are particularly peaceful to their own kind, the study finds.

But humans are far less violent than the cougar, certain baboons, lemurs and chinchillas that have murder rates of well over 100 per 1,000.

The study looks at violence through the lens of phylogenetics  the study of evolutionary relationships, or how closely related species seem to share common traits.

"We found that closely related mammal species tend to have similar levels of violence," Gomez said. The more closely related species are, the more similar are their violence levels.

Gomez and colleagues used 1,044 studies that looked at 1,024 different mammal species, with the causes of death determined for more than 4 million individual mammals. Then for each species, the researchers counted the number of deaths due to a member of the species killing another. They didn't use studies where they couldn't find causes of death. And because of the study's historical nature, Gomez could only examine killings, not wounding.

Moving up in evolutionary complexity often seems a walk on the wild side, especially in the branches of the tree of life where humans come from.

If mammals have a three in 1,000 violence rate, a superorder of species called Euarchontogilires that includes our ancestors, hares, and rodents has a violence rate of about 11 in 1000. Further on, the large grouping called Euarchonta that includes us, other primates, tree shrews and flying lemurs has a rate of about 23 per 1,000. It drops to about 18 for great apes.

It was hard to calculate lethal violence rates for early humans; Gomez examined several thousand prehistoric people's deaths across the globe in archaeological sites.

Culture, government and other factors tamp down the inherited violence, Gomez and colleagues conclude.

"Our study suggests that the level of lethal violence is reversible and can increase or decrease as a consequence of some ecological, social or cultural factors," Gomez said.

These conclusions are similar to what Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker found in his book "The Better Angels of Our Nature." He charted long-term reductions in war, murder, rape and bigotry.

Pinker praised the Gomez study as creative and thorough.

"Based on three biological facts  we are apes, we are social and we are territorial  one would predict that humans should engage in lethal violence in our natural conditions," Pinker wrote in an email. "Modern societies have developed, especially the rule of law, that have reduced rates of lethal violence below what would expect for a mammal with our ancestry and ecology."

Harvard biological anthropologist Richard Wrangham, who studies the roots of violence, praised the breadth Gomez study, but said there some issues remain. He's especially concerned about too closely linking primates killing their own, which is more the murdering of infants, to humans whose killing their own mostly involves adults.

Few species beyond humans and some social territorial carnivores like wolves and lions are part of the "adult-killing club" of their own species, Wrangham said. "Humans really are exceptional."

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Online:

Nature: http://www.nature.com/nature

___

Follow Seth Borenstein at http://twitter.com/borenbears and his work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/seth-borenstein
Trump's stance on nuclear restraint is ambiguous

WASHINGTON (AP)  Donald Trump's ambiguous answer to a debate question on nuclear restraint raised doubts about his understanding of the issue. On the other hand, his words  by design or coincidence  mirror the nub of a policy argument the administration is wrestling with in the final months of Barack Obama's presidency.

Asked at this week's debate whether he supports the decades-old U.S. policy of refusing to rule out being the first to use nuclear weapons, Trump at first said, "I would certainly not do first strike." That would seem to indicate he does not support the current policy of keeping it indefinite. But then he said, "I can't take anything off the table." And that would suggest just the opposite: that he would not rule out a nuclear first strike.

It was difficult to tell whether Trump has considered this aspect of nuclear weapons policy. Or some others. During a Republican primary debate he was asked his view on modernizing the three main elements of the U.S. nuclear arsenal, known as the "triad," and he couldn't name all three: missiles launched from the air, underground silos and submarines.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the Polish National Alliance, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Chicago. Trumps ambiguous answer to a debate question on nuclear restraint raised doubts about his understanding of the issue. On the other hand, his words actually mirror the nub of a policy argument inside the Obama administration. (AP Photo/John Locher)

In his answer Monday he tossed in a mention of the B-52 bomber, which is part of the airborne leg of the nuclear triad. He correctly said the B-52 is extraordinarily old by weapons standards, and he said this shows the U.S. is "not keeping up" with other nuclear powers. The U.S. actually is planning to build a new-generation bomber and to replace all other elements of its nuclear arsenal.

Questions about the circumstances in which the United States might use a nuclear weapon have resurfaced in recent months, as Trump opponents have openly expressed fear that he would use them unwisely, unleashing nuclear hell.

"A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons," Hillary Clinton said in her speech accepting the Democratic presidential nomination.

Two Democratic lawmakers, Rep. Ted W. Lieu of California and Sen. Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts, said Tuesday they had introduced a bill that would prohibit the president from launching a nuclear first strike without a declaration of war by Congress.

But Thomas Mahnken, president of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, said he hopes Obama does not choose to adopt a "no first use" policy.

"Potentially it would be a president in the waning months of his administration seeking to tie the hands of his successor," he said.

The administration in 2010 considered but rejected adopting a "no first use" rule on nuclear weapons, which in some respects would align with Obama's pledge to reduce the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. security policy. In recent months the administration has returned to the question but has announced no decision yet.

The issue is complicated, but it boils down to this: What is to be gained by declaring in advance that the U.S. would not be the first to use a nuclear weapon? This was not an issue in August 1945 when the U.S. hit Japan with two atomic bombs, because no one else had the bomb.

Those who favor a "no first use" policy say the prospect of first-use encourages Russia and possibly China to field a large portion of their nuclear forces on hair-trigger alert in order to avoid a disarming U.S. nuclear strike. That in turn increases the chances of nuclear war by accident or design.

The counterargument is that "no first use" would undermine the confidence of U.S. allies in Europe and Asia that the U.S. would fulfill its treaty commitment to defend them.

Clinton raised that point when she followed Trump's response at the debate. She did not say whether she favors a "no first use" policy but suggested she does not. After Trump's answer, she seemed to feel it necessary to reassure U.S. allies.

The fact that it made her look more presidential perhaps played into her thinking as well.

"Words matter when you run for president. And they really matter when you are president," she said. "And I want to reassure our allies in Japan and South Korea and elsewhere that we have mutual defense treaties and we will honor them."

Asked at a news conference Tuesday whether he favors a "no first use" policy, Defense Secretary Ash Carter made a similar point about alliance commitments, but not in the context of the political debate.
VW chief: Working on settlement with US for emissions fraud

PARIS (AP)  Volkswagen CEO Matthias Mueller says the company is cooperating with U.S. authorities and hopes to reach a settlement on a fine with the Justice Department for equipping diesel vehicles to cheat on emissions tests.

Mueller said the company admits it "made a big mistake" and that "we have worked on a very cooperative basis with the authorities in Germany, Europe, and the U.S. and we hope, especially in the United States, the results of the investigation are pronounced by the Justice Department with a settlement and a corresponding fine."

Mueller told The Associated Press on Wednesday that possible fines reported in different news media were "pure speculation."

Asked if a fine could threaten the company's credit rating or financial solidity, he said Volkswagen was a "financially very robust organziation" but added that "I can only answer that question when I know the amount of the fine."

Volkswagen has admitted wrongdoing in equipping cars with software to evade emissions testing and has agreed on a $15 billion civil settlement with environmental authorities, state governments and vehicle owners in a federal court in San Francisco. The deal, which still has to be approved by a federal judge, requires the company to spend up to $10 billion buying back or fixing about 475,000 2-liter diesel vehicles involved in the scandal and paying owners an additional $5,100 to $10,000 each.

One Volkswagen engineer has pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges in the United States and agreed to cooperate with federal authorities in the investigation. Volkswagen has brought in a law firm to conduct its own probe. Mueller said the Jones Day law firm had put 13 million documents in a database made available to the Department of Justice and that "they will certainly identify the people who were involved."

Volkswagen showed off a new electric drive small car at the Paris auto show, part of the company's effort to emphasize low-emissions vehicles and its embracing of new technology and ways of doing business, including autonomous driving, car-sharing and ride-sharing.

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The Latest: Witness describes cover-up in bridge case

NEWARK, N.J. (AP)  The Latest on the trial in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal (all times local):

3:20 p.m.

The government's key witness in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal has described how a cover story was promoted in the aftermath of the September 2013 gridlock aimed at punishing a Democratic mayor who didn't endorse Republican Gov. Chris Christie.

Bridget Kelly and her attorney Michael Critchley, left, arrive at the Federal Courthouse in Newark, N.J., on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. Kelly, New Jersey Gov. Christie's former deputy chief of staff, and Bill Baroni, a former executive at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, are on trial, charged with conspiracy, fraud and civil rights deprivation in an alleged political revenge plot. (Danielle Parhizkaran/The Record via AP)

David Wildstein also testified about which Christie staffers he told about the scheme.

Prosecutors say Wildstein conspired with former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey executive Bill Baroni and former Christie deputy chief of staff Bridget Kelly to realign traffic lanes to cause gridlock and punish a mayor who didn't endorse Christie.

Wildstein testified Wednesday he briefed Baroni before Baroni told a New Jersey legislative committee in 2013 that the realignment was part of a traffic study.

Wildstein also said he told Christie's press spokesman and chief counsel about the plot and his involvement in it in early December 2013. Christie said around that time he believed the traffic study explanation, and later said he only learned the full extent of the scheme when emails were released in January.

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2:15 p.m.

The government's key witness in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing says Republican Gov. Chris Christie's staff asked him to produce a list of authority employees so the Democrats could be purged.

David Wildstein testified under cross-examination Wednesday that the request came two weeks after he started work at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 2010.

Wildstein is a high school acquaintance of Christie's. The position as director of interstate capital projects was created for him.

He pleaded guilty and is testifying against two former Christie allies charged in a scheme to create traffic jams in 2013 to punish a Democratic mayor who didn't endorse Christie's re-election bid.

Wildstein also testified that even after he resigned he expected to stay a part of Christie's "political future."

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10 a.m.

Jurors in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing trial are seeing video of one of the defendants testifying before a New Jersey legislative committee in 2013.

Prosecutors contend Bill Baroni lied when he told the committee the traffic jams that September were caused by a traffic study.

Baroni was appointed by Republican Gov. Chris Christie to the authority that runs the bridge. Baroni is charged with causing the gridlock to punish a mayor who didn't endorse Christie. Christie's former deputy chief of staff, Bridget Kelly, is also on trial.

Another official, David Wildstein, pleaded guilty and testified this week that Baroni and Kelly plotted with him to retaliate against the Fort Lee mayor.

Wildstein testified Tuesday that Christie was told about the traffic jam while it was underway. Christie denies that.
The Latest: Police shooting victim was pointing e-cigarette

EL CAJON, Calif. (AP)  The Latest on the fatal shooting of a black man by police in a San Diego suburb (all times local):

6:40 p.m.

Police say it was a 4-inch-long electronic smoking device that a black man pointed at a Southern California police officer who shot and killed him.

Shawn Letchaw hugs a woman named Marie, who didn't give her last name, at the scene where a black man was shot by police earlier in El Cajon, east of San Diego, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. (Hayne Palmour IV/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP)

El Cajon police said Wednesday night that they recovered the vaping device consisting of a cylinder and a box that 38-year-old Alfred Olango was holding when he was shot on Tuesday.

Police Chief Jeff Davis says Olango pulled the device from his pocket, held it with both hands and took a "shooting stance" toward one of the two officers who were there.

Police released a still image of a video of the shooting that showed Olango in the stance.

One of the officers attempted to shock him with a stun gun, and the other shot and killed him.

Police had only previously revealed that Olango pointed something that was not a weapon at the officers. ___

6:15 p.m.

A lawyer says the unarmed black man shot by police in a San Diego suburb was distraught over the recent death of his best friend.

Attorney Dan Gilleon said Wednesday that Alfred Olango was having an emotional breakdown over his friend's death.

Gilleon is representing Olango's family after the Ugandan refugee was killed by an officer in El Cajon.

Court records show Olango had several brushes with the law in California and Colorado.

Federal court files show he was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for being a felon in possession of a gun in 2005.

The records say he was previously convicted in San Diego of receiving stolen property in 1999 and selling drugs in 2001.

He was caught in Colorado in 2005 with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol in his car. He pleaded guilty in the case and was sentenced to 46 months in prison.

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5:50 p.m.

One of the officers involved in the shooting death of an unarmed black man in a San Diego suburb was demoted last year amid allegations that he sexually harassed a lesbian colleague.

El Cajon's mayor identified one of the two officers Wednesday as Richard Gonsalves, a 21-year veteran of the force.

Gonsalves was demoted last year from sergeant to officer after a colleague, Christine Greer, alleged that he repeatedly made unwanted sexual advances and even texted her a photo of his penis.

Greer settled her lawsuit against Gonsalves and the city. But she filed another one in August, saying that she has faced retaliation from Gonsalves.

Her attorney, Dan Gilleon, says the lawsuit alleges Gonsalves has spit on her locker and followed her down a hallway.

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4 p.m.

The mayor of a California city says two officers who answered the call about a mentally unstable person that led to the shooting of an unarmed black man had received only basic training to deal with people with mental health problems.

El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells said Wednesday the department tries to send out officers who have had specialized mental health training to handle such calls.

But Wells says none were available, so the two officers were sent instead.

Wells says he was concerned that it took police an hour to respond to the report of the mentally unstable person and that victim Alfred Olango was shot dead a minute after officers arrived.

Olango is a refugee from Uganda.

Wells says El Cajon officers get excellent cultural differences training in the city with a large refugee population.

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1:50 p.m.

Police in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon shot and killed a black man a minute after arriving at the scene to investigate a report of mentally unstable person walking in and out of traffic.

El Cajon Police Department spokesman Lt. Rob Ransweiler said Wednesday two officers arrived at the scene at about 2:10 p.m. Tuesday. Ransweiler says the shooting happened at 2:11 p.m.

He says police received the report about the mentally unstable person at 12:57 p.m. He says police did not immediately respond because they had other calls for service.

Police say the man refused to comply with instructions to remove a hand from his pants pocket, paced back and forth, then rapidly drew an object from the pocket, placed both hands together and extended them in a "shooting stance."

The officers simultaneously fired a handgun and an electric stun gun.

The victim has been identified as Alfred Olango, a refugee from Uganda.

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1 p.m.

The man fatally shot by police in suburban San Diego has been identified as Alfred Olango, a refugee from Uganda.

Agnes Hassan, originally from Sudan, said she spent time in a refugee camp with Olango.

She said they both suffered to get the United States and described Olango as well-educated but mentally ill.

Olango's sister called police Tuesday afternoon and said he was acting erratically.

Two El Cajon officers who responded told him to raise his hands but police say instead Olango pulled something from his pocket and took what they described as a shooting stance.

One officer fired a Taser and the other shot Olango several times. Police later said Olango was unarmed.

Christopher Rice-Wilson, associated director of the civil rights group Alliance San Diego, questioned why one of the officers felt non-lethal force was appropriate while the other did not.

He was among those who identified Olango on Wednesday.

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10:45 a.m.

Dozens of people have peacefully protested the fatal shooting of a black man by police in a San Diego suburb.

Demonstrators gathered outside the El Cajon police headquarters Wednesday, chanting "no killer cops" and "black lives matter."

The shooting happened Tuesday in a strip mall when officers responded to calls about a man acting erratically.

Police say he ignored commands and pulled an object from a pocket and pointed it in a "shooting stance."

Officers simultaneously fired a stun gun and a firearm.

Speakers at the demonstration included pastors who said they had spoken to the man's relatives.

The Rev. Shane Harris of the civil rights group National Action Network said that the man's sister had called 911 and reported that her brother was acting out but made it clear he had mental health issues.

One man holds his fist up as others yell at police at the scene where a black man was shot by police earlier in El Cajon, east of San Diego, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. (Hayne Palmour IV/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP)

A man points at police as he and others yell at police while at the scene where a black man was shot by police earlier in El Cajon, east of San Diego, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. (Hayne Palmour IV/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP)

One man holds his fist up as others yell at police at the scene where a black man was shot by police earlier in El Cajon, east of San Diego, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. (Hayne Palmour IV/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP)

Pastor Russell Bowman, center, prays out loud as people gather at the scene where an African-American man was shot by police in El Cajon, east of San Diego, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. (Hayne Palmour IV/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP)

This still from video provided by 10News.com shows people standing near where police shot and wounded a man in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 27, 2016. Police were called to the parking lot of the Broadway Village Shopping Center shortly after 2 p.m. on a call about a man acting erratically. One officer apparently shot the man, who was taken to a hospital. There's no word on his condition. (10News.com via AP)

This still from video provided by 10News.com shows a woman facing police officers near where police shot and wounded a man in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 27, 2016. Police were called to the parking lot of the Broadway Village Shopping Center shortly after 2 p.m. on a call about a man acting erratically. One officer apparently shot the man, who was taken to a hospital. There's no word on his condition. (10News.com via AP)

This still from video provided by 10News.com shows people standing near where police shot and wounded a man in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 27, 2016. Police were called to the parking lot of the Broadway Village Shopping Center shortly after 2 p.m. on a call about a man acting erratically. One officer apparently shot the man, who was taken to a hospital. There's no word on his condition. (10News.com via AP)
Prosecutors: Suspect in kidnapping case to change plea

SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  A disbarred Harvard University-trained attorney was set to plead guilty in a kidnapping case in California that police initially dismissed as a hoax, the U.S. Attorney's office said Wednesday.

Matthew Muller was expected to enter a new plea on Thursday, said Lauren Horwood, a spokeswoman for the office in Sacramento.

She did not provide further details, and no documents were immediately available laying out the terms of the plea change.

A call to Muller's attorney, Thomas Johnson, was not immediately returned.

Johnson has said Muller suffers from bipolar disorder.

In a court filing Tuesday, prosecutors asked a judge to inquire during the change of plea hearing about Muller's mental condition and medications to make sure he understands the proceedings and his rights.

Muller previously pleaded not guilty to a kidnapping charge that prosecutors say stemmed from his abduction of Denise Huskins from her Vallejo home in March 2015.

Huskins' boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, reported that kidnappers broke into the couple's home, abducted Huskins and demanded $8,500 in ransom money  a figure police have said they found small for what would have been an elaborate kidnapping.

Huskins turned up safe two days later in her hometown of Huntington Beach, where she says she was dropped off.

After Huskins reappeared, Vallejo police said the kidnapping was a hoax.

Huskins has filed a lawsuit accusing police of wrongly likening the case to the movie, "Gone Girl" and damaging the reputations of her and her boyfriend.

Attorneys for police have said investigators doubted Quinn's account of the abduction and grew more skeptical when Huskins refused to reunite with her family soon after she reappeared.

Muller was admitted to practice law in California in 2011 and his state bar profile says he attended Harvard Law School.
Ex-Mountie accused of smuggling narwhal tusks pleads guilty

BANGOR, Maine (AP)  A retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer accused of smuggling narwhal tusks across the border pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court to 10 money-laundering counts.

Gregory Logan, 59, of St. John, New Brunswick, smuggled 250 tusks valued at $1.5 million to $3 million into Maine in false compartments in his vehicle, prosecutors said.

Narwhals are medium-sized whales known for spiral tusks that can grow longer than 8 feet. They are protected by the U.S. and Canada.

Logan, who was a Canadian Mountie when he began bringing the tusks into the U.S., faces up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine for each count.

No sentencing date has been set.

Logan was originally charged with smuggling, conspiracy and money laundering. He pleaded guilty in Canada to a related wildlife smuggling crime, and terms of his extradition limited U.S. charges to money laundering.

Prosecutors say Logan kept a post office box at a shipping store in Ellsworth, where the tusks were shipped to U.S. buyers, and maintained a bank account in Bangor to aid in funneling money back to Canada.

Logan was originally charged along with two U.S. residents.

Andrew Zarauskas, of Union, New Jersey, was convicted and sentenced to 33 months. Charges against Jay Conrad, of Lakeland, Tennessee, were dismissed.
Barriers protected Cedar Rapids but not fit for all floods

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP)  Miles of hastily erected barriers were remarkably effective in preventing the surging Cedar River from pouring into Cedar Rapids, Iowa's second-largest city, but officials said the sand-filled containers wouldn't work in every flooding situation.

Officials spent roughly $5 million to create a nearly 10-mile line of Hesco barriers along the river in days, keeping the river out of the city of 130,000 even in spots that were as much as 4 feet below the water level. The danger isn't over yet, but the Cedar River crested at nearly 22 feet Tuesday and is expected to fall below flood stage by this weekend.

The barriers have been used to prevent flooding for years in spots from New York City to Los Angeles, but rarely have they been as high-profile or effective as they were shown to be in Cedar Rapids, where a 2008 flood inundated 10 square miles of the city and caused billions of dollars in damage.

Workers walk across a flood wall made of Hesco barriers near the flood swollen Cedar River, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. An elaborate system of temporary floodwalls largely protected Cedar Rapids homes and businesses Tuesday as the river that runs through the city reached its second-highest peak ever. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Although the barriers worked well, Cedar Rapids leaders still support construction of a $500 million system of flood barriers. The city is lobbying for $73 million in federal money for the permanent flood controls after securing a major state commitment.

Mayor Ron Corbett said that while the city evened the score this year with the Cedar River after getting "skunked" in 2008, there will no doubt be a rematch in coming years.

"That's why we need to continue to work on flood mitigation and flood protection," he said. "And flood protection means building permanent walls and levees so we don't have to go through this again."

As well as the barriers worked, officials warned the city may not always have enough time to build the makeshift walls, which took around-the-clock work by an army of contractors. Unlike flooding in many parts of the country, officials knew the Cedar River flooding was coming days in advance because of intense rainstorms last week more than 100 miles upstream in northern Iowa.

Officials said the temporary structures also might not work against a flood the size of the one that destroyed large swaths of the city in 2008. During that flood, the river was 9 feet higher than this year's crest.

And they say the temporary system is more susceptible to breeches that could send water dangerously gushing into neighborhoods and downtown.

"The investment in the Hesco barriers has allowed us to protect our city, but long term we do need permanent flood protection," City Manager Jeff Pomeranz said.

Still, city leaders said they were thankful for the barriers, which have been used increasingly in the Midwest after becoming ubiquitous at overseas military bases as protection against bomb blasts.

The barriers were invented by British entrepreneur James Heselden, a former coal miner who used them to stop erosion and flooding on his property. After his invention received media attention, the United Kingdom's military realized the barriers could be used to replace sandbags that protected soldiers from blasts in Bosnia, said Aaron Ackley, Hesco's director of emergency response.

The U.S. military came to the same conclusion and began using the barriers extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan, eventually installing more than 30,000 miles of the containers, said Ackley, who first saw the barriers when he served with the U.S. Army in Bosnia.

In Cedar Rapids, once the river level drops, crews will face another big task: dismantling the barriers, determining which can be reused, and cleaning up tons of sand.

"The system went up in two days, but it's going to take longer than that to disassemble the system and move the material out," Pomeranz said.

The flood water along the Cedar River continues to rise in Downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. Officials in Cedar Rapids say their elaborate system of temporary floodwalls is successfully protecting thousands of homes and businesses from floodwaters. (Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register via AP)

Workers stand on a levee overlooking the flood swollen Cedar River, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. An elaborate system of temporary floodwalls largely protected Cedar Rapids homes and businesses Tuesday as the river that runs through the city reached its second-highest peak ever. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
California school examines how 2 disabled kids given bleach

FRESNO, Calif. (AP)  School officials in the central California city of Fresno say they're investigating how two special-education children were given a bleach solution through their feeding tubes.

The Fresno Bee newspaper reported Tuesday that the two children were hospitalized in stable condition after last week's incident (http://bit.ly/2d6Vbpn ). A school district email sent Sept. 19 says they were accidentally given a water solution with bleach.

Addicott Elementary School Principal Katrina Pleshe declined to give more information. Health experts told the newspaper that nothing stronger than dishwashing soap should ever be used to flush feeding tubes.

The Fresno elementary serves students with severe disabilities and enrolls about 50 children.

Parent Gabriella Ramirez, whose child wasn't involved, says she wants an explanation from the school about how the incident happened.

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Twin pandas to say bye-bye to Atlanta as they head to China

ATLANTA (AP)  Panda twins born three years ago at Atlanta's zoo are set to leave for China later this year.

Zoo Atlanta says Mei Lun and Mei Huan are expected to leave for the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in November. The zoo says the pair were the first surviving giant panda twins ever born in the U.S.

Their mother, Lun Lun, gave birth earlier this month to another set of twins. She and her partner, Yang Yang, have had a total of seven offspring, all conceived by artificial insemination.

FILE - In this Dec. 13, 2013, file photo, Giant Panda twin cubs Mei Lun, left, and Mei Huan play in their habitat at Zoo Atlanta in Atlanta. The panda twins born three years ago at Atlanta's zoo are set to leave for China in November 2016. (Jason Getz/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
Authorities: School shooter killed father before rampage

TOWNVILLE, S.C. (AP)  A teenager who killed his father at their home Wednesday was stopped by a volunteer firefighter as he opened fire outside a South Carolina elementary school, wounding two students and a teacher, authorities said.

The teen was apprehended within minutes of the shooting in this rural town about 110 miles northeast of Atlanta. One student was shot in the leg and the other in the foot, Capt. Garland Major with the Anderson County Sheriff's Office said. Both students were male. The female teacher was hit in the shoulder.

"We are heartbroken about this senseless act of violence," said Joanne Avery, superintendent of Anderson County School District 4. She canceled classes at the school for the rest of the week.

Lilly Chapman, 8, cries after being reunited with her father, John Chapman at Oakdale Baptist Church on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Townville, S.C. Students were evacuated to the church following a shooting at Townville Elementary School. A teenager opened fire at a South Carolina elementary school on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)

Authorities said the shootings began at the teen's house about two miles from the school, where he gunned down his 47-year-old father, Jeffrey Osborne. Authorities have not released the suspect's name or age beyond saying that he's a teen.

Crying and upset, the teen called his grandmother's cellphone at 1:44 p.m., Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore said. The grandparents couldn't understand what was going on, so they went to his home just 100 yards away. When they got there, they found Osborne had been shot and their grandson was gone.

About one minute later, authorities received a 911 call from Townville Elementary School.

Sheriff John Skipper said the shooter drove a vehicle into the school parking lot and immediately started firing a handgun as he got out and moved toward the school. He did not know who the vehicle was registered to, and he declined to say how many shots were fired.

The shooter never entered the school building, though, and was apprehended by firefighter Jamie Brock, a 30-year veteran of the Townville Volunteer Fire Department

Television images showed officers swarming the school after the report of an active shooter. Some were on top of the roof while others were walking around the building. Students were driven away on buses accompanied by police officers.

Skipper didn't have specifics on how Brock stopped the teen: "I think he just took him down."

He said the fire station is close to the school and Brock arrived before others officers responding to the dispatch.

"Firefighter Brock is absolutely a hero," said Scott Stoller with Anderson County Emergency Management. But he says Brock "wants to remain humble and quiet about it" as he believes "he did nothing any of the other volunteer firefighters wouldn't have done."

Authorities did not release a motive for the shooting and said they weren't sure if the students and teacher were targeted. The sheriff said the teen had been homeschooled.

"There are no racial undertones there. There's no terrorism involved," Major said. "We're confident we have the sole shooter and no one else is involved."

Skipper said the teen's mother was at work at the time of the shooting.

One of the students and the teacher were released from the hospital, AnMed Health spokeswoman Juana Slade said. Greenville Health System spokeswoman Sandy Dees said the other student, Jacob Hall, remained in critical condition Wednesday evening.

The students were bused to a nearby church where they hugged and kissed their parents as they reunited.

The rural school surrounded by working farms has about 300 students in its pre-kindergarten to sixth-grade classrooms.

"This is the country," Brandi Pierce, the mother of a sixth-grader, told The Associated Press as she began to cry. "You don't have this in the country. It just don't exist out here."

Jamie Meredith, a student's mother, said some of the children went into a bathroom during the shooting.

"I don't know how they knew to go in the bathroom, but I know her teacher was shaken up. I know all the kids were scared. There was a bunch of kids crying. She didn't talk for about 5 minutes when I got her," she told WYFF.

Gov. Nikki Haley released a statement shortly after the shooting.

"As we work together with law enforcement to make sure they have the support they need to investigate what happened in Townville, Michael and I ask that everyone across South Carolina join us in praying for the entire Townville Elementary School family and those touched by today's tragedy."

The town is situated along Interstate 85 near the Georgia-South Carolina state line.

Joey Taylor walks with his daughter Josie Taylor after picking her up at Oakdale Baptist Church on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Townville, S.C. Students were evacuated to the church following a shooting at Townville Elementary School. A teenager opened fire at the South Carolina elementary school Wednesday. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)

In this frame from video provided by WYFF, law enforcement officers respond to reports of a shooting at Townville Elementary School in Townville, S.C., Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. (WYFF via AP)

Authorities speak as they respond to a report of a shooting at a South Carolina elementary school, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Townsville, S.C. (Mike Ellis/Independent Mail via AP)

Members of law enforcement talk in front of Townville Elementary School on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Townville, S.C. A teenager opened fire at the South Carolina elementary school Wednesday, wounding two students and a teacher before the suspect was taken into custody, authorities said. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)

Members of law enforcement investigate an area at Townville Elementary School on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Townville, S.C. A teenager opened fire at the South Carolina elementary school Wednesday, wounding two students and a teacher before the suspect was taken into custody, authorities said. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)

Members of law enforcement investigate an area at Townville Elementary School on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Townville, S.C. A teenager opened fire at the South Carolina elementary school Wednesday, wounding two students and a teacher before the suspect was taken into custody, authorities said. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)

A woman hugs a boy following a shooting at Townville Elementary in Townville Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. A teenager killed his father at his home Wednesday before going to the nearby elementary school and opening fire with a handgun, wounding two students and a teacher, authorities said. (Katie McLean/The Independent-Mail via AP)

A child holds onto a caretaker after being picked up by her at Oakdale Baptist Church, following a shooting at Townville Elementary in Townville Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. A teenager killed his father at his home Wednesday before going to the nearby elementary school and opening fire with a handgun, wounding two students and a teacher, authorities said. (Katie McLean/The Independent-Mail via AP)
Why the US economy isn't quite the weakling Trump says it is

WASHINGTON (AP)  The United States isn't exactly the economic doormat Donald Trump decries in his campaign rhetoric.

"Our country is in deep trouble," Trump said in Monday night's debate with Hillary Clinton.

"We are in a competition with the world, and I want America to win," he said in a speech last month. "We don't win anymore."

FILE - In this Monday, Sept. 26, 2016, file photo, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump answers a question during the presidential debate with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. The United States isnt exactly the economic doormat that Trump decries in his campaign rhetoric. America has outperformed other advanced economies and ranks among the worlds most competitive countries. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)

The U.S. economy does face serious challenges: An aging workforce, low worker productivity, still-sluggish growth, stagnant pay and a steady loss of good-paying manufacturing jobs  a loss that's brought pain to many American communities.

But the facts don't bear out Trump's assertion that the United States has become a global weakling, an economic pushover exploited by its competitors. Whether measured by its pace of expansion, job gains, financial might, global competitiveness or sheer size, the U.S. economy remains the envy of much of the developed world.

"Over the past 10 years, the U.S. has done better than pretty much any other advanced country, certainly the European competitors," says Daron Acemoglu, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Consider:

 The United States ranked third out of 140 countries in the World Economic Forum's economic competitiveness rankings, just behind Switzerland and Singapore. China comes in 28th, Japan sixth and Germany fourth. (The report evaluates countries' policies and institutions  in such areas as education, health care and finance  to see whether they make the economy more efficient and contribute to prosperity.)

 Though Trump complained Monday about America's "regulations on top of regulations," the U.S. ranked No. 7 out of 189 countries in the World Bank's "ease of doing business" survey. By contrast, China, the world's second-largest economy after the United States, was No. 84.

 The United States has outpaced other advanced nations collectively for each of the past four years and likely will do so again in 2016, according to the International Monetary Fund.

 American employers have added jobs for a record 71 consecutive months and added a robust average of 204,000 a month over the past year. Unemployment has sunk to 4.9 percent  essentially what economists call full employment. The number of Americans seeking unemployment aid has been fewer than 300,000 for 81 straight weeks. It's the longest such streak since 1970, when the labor force was only about half as big as it is now.

"Among developed nations, the U.S. is the best performer by far," says Sung Won Sohn, an economist at California State University Channel Islands.

Some of Trump's specific complaints don't hold up to scrutiny. He has asserted that "the United States has the highest business tax rates among the major industrialized nations." On paper, the corporate tax rate  35 percent  does look onerous. But few corporations actually pay that rate because they capitalize on deductions, credits and loopholes in the tax code. Take those into account, and the effective U.S. corporate tax rate is around 27 percent, in line with global averages.

Still, Trump's message resonates in Rust Belt communities that have lost industrial plants and in Southern mill towns whose garment factories have vanished along with jobs. Since 1979, the United States has lost over 7 million manufacturing jobs, though factory employment has risen slightly since bottoming in 2010.

Trump blames unfair competition from China, Japan, Mexico and other countries for the devastation. But in many cases, advances in technology are the biggest factor in the job losses: Robots and other machines allow factories to produce more with fewer people.

Machines that use increasingly sophisticated technology reduce the incentive for companies to go overseas in search of cheap labor. So some companies have been bringing jobs back to the United States.

The Reshoring Initiative, a nonprofit that lobbies manufacturers to bring jobs back to the United States, says companies were moving an average 220,000 jobs a year to other countries a decade ago, after subtracting jobs that returned to the U.S. or were created by foreign investment. Now, it says, the number of jobs being taken abroad is roughly offset by jobs being brought back or created by foreign investment.

What's more, China, which Trump argues is outfoxing the U.S. on trade, is losing its cost advantage.

"Rapidly rising real wages indicate that the end of cheap labor in China is at hand" a report this year by economists David Autor of MIT, David Dorn at the University of Zurich and Gordon Hanson of the University of California, San Diego concluded.

Sohn says the biggest long-term threat to the United States is its inability to live within its means. The Congressional Budget Office predicts that the federal debt  excluding what agencies borrow from each other  will climb from $14.1 trillion this year to $23.1 trillion in 2026 as baby boomers retire and tap Social Security and Medicare. The debt reflects years of annual budget deficits  the gap between what the government spends and what it collects in taxes.

On Monday, Trump promised to deliver the biggest tax cuts "since Ronald Reagan."

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates that Trump's proposals would add $5.3 trillion to the federal debt over the next decade, versus $200 billion for Hillary Clinton's plans.

"We're on a dangerous path," Sohn says.

If Trump were elected, he said, the deficits likely "would go up significantly, which would make the situation worse."

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Follow Paul Wiseman on Twitter at https://twitter.com/PaulWisemanAP

In this Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016, photo, a group of workers at the C.C. Filson Co. manufacturing facility work at their sewing machines, in Seattle. The United States isnt exactly the economic doormat that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump decries in his campaign rhetoric. America has outperformed other advanced economies and ranks among the worlds most competitive countries. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Michelle Obama says America 'needs an adult' in White House

PHILADELPHIA (AP)  Michelle Obama told supporters in Philadelphia on Wednesday that candidates don't change once they become president and that America "needs an adult in the White House."

The first lady never mentioned Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump during the rally at LaSalle University. But there was no question that she was warning voters that President Trump would be the same as candidate Trump.

"The presidency doesn't change who you are, it reveals who you are," she told the cheering crowd.

First lady Michelle Obama speaks at LaSalle University in Philadelphia, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, as she campaigns for presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

She referred to several comments Trump made during and after Monday's debate, including his apparent acknowledgment that he's paid no taxes some years. Trump said that makes him "smart."

"If a candidate is erratic and threatening, if a candidate traffics in prejudice, fear and lies on the campaign trail, if a candidate thinks not paying taxes makes you smart, or that it's good business when people lose their homes; if a candidate regularly and flippantly makes cruel and insulting comments about women, about how we look, how we act  well, sadly, that's who that candidate really is," she said. "That is the kind of president they will be."

She said the country needs a leader who is steady and measured because when making war-or-peace decisions, "the president can't just pop off or lash out irrationally. No, we need an adult in the White House, I guarantee you."

Later Wednesday, she appeared at a rally for the Democratic presidential nominee at the University of Pittsburgh, where she changed the wording to "grown-up."

She cast Clinton as a tough, compassionate fighter who doesn't back down and who loves her country.

"Experience matters, preparation matters, temperament matters," she said. "Hillary Clinton has it all. She's the real deal."

She told the crowd in Pittsburgh she understands some voters are uninspired this year, but this election is too important not to vote.

"Either Hillary Clinton or her opponent will be the next president this year. The stakes are too high to take that chance" by not voting or casting a protest vote for someone else, she said. "It isn't about voting for the perfect candidate. There's no such thing."

Trump's campaign reacted to Obama's speech with a statement saying Clinton is in "panic mode" in Pennsylvania because polls show the Republican presidential nominee surging in the battleground state.

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Associated Press writer Joe Mandak contributed to this report from Pittsburgh.
The Latest: Grandparents of school shooter found father dead

TOWNVILLE, S.C. (AP)  The Latest on the shooting at an elementary school in South Carolina that left two students and a teacher wounded (all times local):

9:30 p.m.

Authorities say the grandparents of a teenager suspected of opening fire outside an elementary school in South Carolina found their son dead after receiving a call from the teen.

A Townville Elementary student looks out of the window of a school bus as she and her classmates are transported to Oakdale Baptist Church, following a shooting at Townville Elementary in Townville Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. A teenager killed his father at his home Wednesday before going to the nearby elementary school and opening fire with a handgun, wounding two students and a teacher, authorities said. (Katie McLean/The Independent-Mail via AP)

Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore says the teenager called his grandmother's cellphone at 1:44 p.m. Wednesday, but he was so upset, she couldn't understand him. So the grandparents went to his home just 100 yards away. When they got there, they found 47-year-old Jeffrey Osborne shot and their grandson not there.

Authorities say a teacher called 911 about a shooter at Townville Elementary about a minute after the teen called his grandmother.

Officials are not releasing the teen's name or age.

One boy remains in critical condition at a Greenville hospital. A teacher and another student were treated and released from an Anderson hospital.

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8:30 p.m.

A Greenville hospital has identified the student in critical condition after a teen opened fire at a South Carolina elementary school playground.

Spokeswoman Sandy Dees says Jacob Hall remained in critical condition at the Greenville Health System Children's Hospital as of 8 p.m. Wednesday.

The boy's parents, Rodger and Renae Hall, say in a statement that they appreciate the community's support, especially emergency responders who treated Jacob onsite and brought him to the hospital. Although they appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers, they ask for privacy.

The hospital hopes to update Jacob's condition by 11 a.m. Thursday.

Jacob was flown to Greenville after the shooting at Townville Elementary. A teacher and another student were treated and released from a hospital in Anderson.

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7 p.m.

The teen who police believe fatally shot his father and then opened fire at an elementary school was never actually able to get inside the school building.

Anderson County Sheriff's Lt. Sheila Cole said the teen was apprehended Wednesday by veteran firefighter Jamie Brock, and she confirmed news reports that the shooter was never able to make it inside the school.

Authorities did not reveal the teen's age at a news conference Wednesday afternoon, and Cole says she doesn't have his age.

The Anderson Independent-Mail quotes Anderson County Sheriff Chief Deputy Keith Smith as saying the teen is 14 and could be charged as a minor.

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6:30 p.m.

A hospital official says a teacher and a child brought there following a shooting at a South Carolina elementary school have both been released.

AnMed Health spokeswoman Juana Slade had earlier told The Associated Press that the hospital had received one adult female and one male child, and that both were in good condition.

Authorities say a female teacher and two male students were wounded in the shooting.

Greenville News reported earlier Wednesday that a 6-year-old child was airlifted to Greenville Memorial and was in critical condition. Greenville Memorial spokeswoman Sandy Dees has confirmed that a child was taken to the hospital, but would not release any further information.

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5:30 p.m.

Authorities say there is no evidence that the shooting at a South Carolina elementary school was related to either terrorism or racism.

Capt. Garland Major also said that authorities are confident there was only one shooter and that he is in custody following Wednesday's shooting at Townville Elementary School.

Garland says he believes the teen is the son of 47-year-old Jeffrey Osborne, who was shot to death at a house not far from the school. He says authorities think the teen first shot Osborne before going to the school and opening fire.

Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore told a news conference that a 911 call from Osborne's house was received shortly after the school shooting.

Anderson County school district 4 superintendent Joanne Avery said school has been canceled for the rest of the week and that counselors are being made available for students.

Avery told a news conference that school officials are "heartbroken about this senseless act of violence."

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5:15 p.m.

Authorities say they believe the teenage male who was taken into custody following a shooting at a South Carolina elementary school first fatally shot his father.

Capt. Garland Major told a news conference that the shooter used a handgun and that one of the students was shot in the leg and the other in the foot. He said a female teacher was shot in the shoulder during Wednesday's shooting at Townville Elementary School.

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4:30 p.m.

A hospital official says a teacher and a child brought there following a shooting at a South Carolina elementary school are both in good condition.

Asked about shooting victims brought to AnMed Health, spokeswoman Juana Slade told The Associated Press that the hospital had received one adult female and one male child, and that both were in good condition.

Authorities had said previously that one teacher and two students were wounded in the shooting.

Greenville News is reporting that a 6-year-old child was airlifted to Greenville Memorial and is in critical condition. Greenville Memorial spokeswoman Sandy Dees confirmed that a child had been flown to the hospital, but would not release any further information.

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3:15 p.m.

A coroner says that the injuries of two students from a shooting at a South Carolina elementary school do not appear to be life-threatening.

Coroner Greg Shore gave the information to the Greenville News and Independent Mail.

Anderson County emergency services director Taylor Jones said the shooting happened at the Townville Elementary School on Wednesday and that a teen suspect is in custody. He says all other students are safe and have been evacuated to a nearby church.

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3 p.m.

A law enforcement officer says that a shooting at a South Carolina elementary school has left two students and a teacher wounded.

Anderson County emergency services director Taylor Jones says the shooting took place at the Townville Elementary School in Townville, South Carolina, on Wednesday, and that all other students are safe and being evacuated to a nearby church.

A child holds onto a caretaker after being picked up by her at Oakdale Baptist Church, following a shooting at Townville Elementary in Townville Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. A teenager killed his father at his home Wednesday before going to the nearby elementary school and opening fire with a handgun, wounding two students and a teacher, authorities said. (Katie McLean/The Independent-Mail via AP)

Korrie Bennett hugs Heather Bailey after recovering their children following a shooting at Townville Elementary in Townville Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. A teenager killed his father at his home Wednesday before going to the nearby elementary school and opening fire with a handgun, wounding two students and a teacher, authorities said. (Katie McLean/The Independent-Mail via AP)
The Latest: Friend: Starbucks victim was naturalized citizen

LAS VEGAS (AP)  The Latest on a weekend shooting at a Starbucks in Las Vegas that left one man dead (all times local):

1:45 p.m.

The man killed in a shooting at a Starbucks coffee shop in Las Vegas was a naturalized U.S. citizen from Tblisi, Georgia, where he served in the military and learned not to back away from conflict.

Pedro Jose Garcia, left, speaks with his deputy public defender Edward Kane as he makes his first court appearance at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. A court date was postponed until Friday for Garcia, who is accused of killing a Starbucks customer during a weekend coffee shop shooting in Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

That's according to David Shtromberg, a lifelong friend who says he used to warn Aleksandr Khutsishvili about trying to defend other people.

Shtromberg lives in Los Angeles. He says Khutsishvili went by the nickname Sasha, and was a twice-divorced father of three who became a U.S. citizen in 2004 and used to work as a longshoreman in California before moving to Las Vegas several years ago.

The defendant in the slaying case, 34-year-old Pedro Jose Garcia, made an initial court appearance Wednesday on murder and other charges in the Sunday slaying.

A judge postponed Garcia's arraignment until Friday. Defense attorney Edward Kane says he expects Garcia will plead not guilty.

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12:35 p.m.

A friend says a man shot and killed at a Las Vegas Starbucks over the weekend was an immigrant from the country of Georgia who once worked as a longshoreman in Long Beach, California.

Vladimir Shtromberg of Redondo Beach tells The Associated Press that victim Aleksandr Khutsishvili (koot-shish-VEE'-lee) once lived at his home and was friends with his son since childhood.

Shtromberg says 41-year-old Khutsishvili was the kind of person who would step in try to stop a robbery if he saw one. He says Khutsishvili came from Tblisi (tib-LEE'-see), Georgia.

Pedro Jose Garcia appeared in court for the first time Wednesday.

Witnesses say he entered the Starbucks after his credit card was declined at the drive-thru and shot twice into the ceiling before shooting Khutsishvili.

Garcia's defense attorney, Edward Kane, says he expects Garcia will plead not guilty.

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8:45 a.m.

A court date was postponed until Friday for an ex-felon accused of killing a Starbucks customer during a weekend coffee shop shooting in Las Vegas.

The delay came Wednesday, after Pedro Jose Garcia's court-appointed public defender asked a judge for time to confirm whether his office has can represent Garcia in the case.

The attorney, Edward Kane, said outside court he expects Garcia will plead not guilty.

The 34-year-old Garcia is accused of killing 41-year-old Aleksandr Khutsishvili (koot-shish-VEE'-lee) with a gunshot to the chest with a .22-caliber handgun.

Witnesses say Garcia entered the store after his payment card was declined Sunday at the drive-thru window, and shot twice into the ceiling before shooting Khutsishvili.

Police say the two men exchanged angry words, but didn't appear to know each other previously.
Russian military says it's ready to talk to US about Aleppo

MOSCOW (AP)  The Russian military said Wednesday it's ready to resume contacts with its U.S. counterparts over the situation in Syria, even as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry threatened to cut all cooperation with Moscow on Syria unless an onslaught on Aleppo ends.

Lt. Gen. Viktor Poznikhir of the military's General Staff said Wednesday that Russian experts are ready to travel to Geneva to restart consultations with the U.S. to "search for possible ways of normalizing the situation in Aleppo."

A U.S.-Russian truce in Syria has collapsed and the Syrian government forces backed by Russian warplanes have launched an attempt to take control of the rebel-held neighborhoods of Aleppo.

This Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016 photo, provided by the Syrian Civil Defense group known as the White Helmets, shows a Civil Defense worker carrying the body of a child after airstrikes hit al-Shaar neighborhood in Aleppo, Syria. Pope Francis has decried the assault on the Syrian city of Aleppo, saying those responsible for the bombing must answer to God. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP)

Kerry said Wednesday the U.S. is preparing to "suspend U.S.-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria," including talks on a possible counter-extremist partnership, unless Russian and Syrian government attacks on Aleppo end. More than 250 people are believed to have been killed in the besieged city in the last week.

Poznikhir didn't make any reference to Kerry's statement, saying only that Russia was ready to continue discussions.

"It's expected that Russian experts will be sent to Geneva shortly to resume consultations with the American side," he said. "We hope that American partners are also ready for joint work."

The U.S.-Russian deal brokered Sept. 9 envisaged cooperation between the two militaries against the Islamic State group and al-Qaida's branch in Syria if the declared cease-fire held, but it collapsed amid renewed fighting and mutual acrimony. The U.S. blamed Russia for an attack on a humanitarian convoy outside Aleppo, accusations Moscow has denied.

Poznikhir said the Russian military got new information about Syrian rebels' involvement in the attack on the convoy, but he didn't offer any details.

Like other Russian officials before him, he has blamed the rebels for the collapse of the truce, adding that an increasing number of Syrian opposition units have integrated with al-Qaida's affiliate in Syria. He also alleged that the militants are preparing to strike sections of Aleppo with chemical weapons to heap the blame on the government.

"It has become known to us that terrorist groups are preparing to strike Syrian army positions and residential quarters in the eastern part of Aleppo with projectiles loaded with toxic agents as a provocation, in order to put the blame on the government forces," he said.
Germany: Woman and child held captive in Syria freed

BERLIN (AP)  Germany's Foreign Ministry says a woman who was kidnapped in Syria while she was pregnant and the baby she gave birth to in captivity have been set free.

The ministry said in a statement the mother and child are in good condition and safely under the care of consular officials in Turkey following their release Wednesday.

It thanked the Turkish government and others for their support.

The ministry wouldn't give further details, but the woman was widely identified in German media as a freelance journalist.

Focus magazine says she was kidnapped by the Nusra Front group in October and gave birth in December.

The militants allegedly demanded millions in ransom, but it's unclear if any money was paid.
Cuba rejects Trump's call for negotiations on human rights

HAVANA (AP)  A top Cuban diplomat on Wednesday rejected Donald Trump's threat to undo detente with Cuba unless the single-party government meets the Republican presidential candidate's demands.

Trump said in Miami this month that he would reverse President Barack Obama's executive orders loosening the U.S. trade embargo on the island unless Cuba meets demands including "religious and political freedom for the Cuban people and the freeing of political prisoners."

Gustavo Machin, Cuba's deputy director of U.S. affairs, said Cuba would never be pressured into making internal reforms, and he said whoever is the next U.S. president should respect Cuba's right to self-determination.

Cuba's Deputy Director of U.S. Affairs Gustavo Machin speaks to reporters at the Foreign Ministry in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, backdropped by framed images of Fidel Castro, left, and Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Machin rejected Donald Trumps threat to undo detente with Cuba unless it abides by the Republican presidential candidates list of demands. (Ismael Francisco, Cubadebate via AP)

"Cuba has always made clear that Cuba's internal matters aren't on the negotiating table," Machin told reporters. "They're a function of internal decisions by Cuba and the Cuban people and we really call on the next president of the United States to stick to those principles. They're not Cuba's principles; they're principles of international law."

The U.S. and Cuba have held several rounds of talks on human rights since the restart of diplomatic relations. Neither country has said whether the talks have produced any concrete results. Talks on less-controversial issues like health and the environment have produced a series of bilateral agreements.

Turning to business matters, Machin urged Obama to issue a final round of orders loosening the trade embargo before the fifth and last major round of negotiations at the end of this year. The fourth round will take place Friday in Washington.

Machin also praised Obama's nomination of Jeffrey DeLaurentis, the charge d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Havana, as the first U.S. ambassador to Cuba in more than 50 years.

"It's a decision in keeping with the commitments that both countries made and the aim of the United States and its diplomatic mission in being represented here at the highest possible level," he said.

Laying out Cuba's wish list for the end of the Obama administration, Machin said Cuba believed the president could permit more U.S. exports to Cuba and more Cuban sales to the United States, and allow American investments in Cuba beyond an exception for telecommunications companies carved out at the beginning of the process.

He also said Cuba remains frustrated by banks' unwillingness to deal with Cuba, particularly in dollar transactions that were long prohibited by the U.S. embargo and related restrictions.

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Feds change signage on trailhead named after black cowboy

MOAB, Utah (AP)  Though local officials decided not to change the name of eastern Utah's Negro Bill Canyon, federal land managers have decided to mark the trail by less controversial name.

The Bureau of Land Management has replaced the "Negro Bill" trailhead sign with one reading "Grandstaff Trailhead," another name for the popular recreation area, The Deseret News reported (http://bit.ly/2cCiRAe ). More than two dozen highway signs have also been switched.

BLM spokeswoman Lisa Bryant said the agency is now speaking out as being in favor of changing the name of the canyon.

"It's been an ongoing discussion in the community," Bryant said. "The way people have looked at it has been evolving, and the way BLM looks at it has evolved. The BLM is now on record of being in favor of renaming the trailhead and the canyon."

The federal agency's decision comes during a period of renewed national scrutiny of statues and other objects honoring the Confederacy and the use of the Confederate flag. The debate, like the one about the name of the canyon, has focused on issues of race and historical accuracy.

Negro Bill Canyon was named after a black cowboy, William Grandstaff, whose cattle grazed there in the 1870s.

The canyon's name has long been debated. Grand County voted in August 2015 to keep the canyon's name. A similar effort to change the canyon's name was defeated in 2013.

"Like everything in this county, we always have strong sentiment on both sides of every issue, and this was no different," Grand County Council Chairwoman Elizabeth Tubbs said.

Those advocating for a change have often cited the offensive connotation of the word "negro." But those for the name say it is keeping an important historical figure alive.

"I am ecstatic," said Grand County Councilwoman Mary McGann about the sign change. McGann had spearheaded an effort to change the name in 2015. "When my husband gets off work, we are going to drive down there, and he is going to take a picture of me at the trailhead," she said Tuesday.

McCann has said that landmarks named for white historical figures aren't generally prefaced by race, and the canyon should bear his last name instead.

Tubbs, who was against changing the name, said keeping the history of the canyon is worth the downside.

"I did not particularly like the word or name, but I felt like we were trying to sweep something under the rug that could have been a teaching moment in our history," she said. "We had a person who happened to be African American who lived in the area which was fairly unusual about this part of the country at the time."

Last year, Salt Lake City NAACP President Jeanetta Williams drummed up support to keep the name because it because it makes it clear that the canyon is named for a black historical figure.

The canyon is a popular hiking spot in Moab, a town about 230 miles southeast of Salt Lake City that attracts tourists from all over the world to its unique red-rock landscapes in nearby national parks.

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This story has been corrected to show that the vote was in August 2015.

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Arabs greet Peres death with silence and animosity

JERUSALEM (AP)  Israel's Shimon Peres was widely admired around the world as a peacemaker and visionary, but the view in the Arab world was more complex: Memories linger of another Peres, who built up Israel's military might, waged war in Lebanon and promoted policies seen as harmful to the Palestinians.

In a reflection of this sentiment, Peres' death on Wednesday was greeted with official silence across the Arab world  in sharp contrast to the emotional tributes that poured in from the West.

While a long list of Western dignitaries prepared to descend upon Jerusalem for Peres' funeral on Friday, no Arab leaders are yet scheduled to come. Even Egypt and Jordan, the two countries that have peace accords with Israel, had no official reaction Wednesday.

FILE - In this Oct. 1996 file photo, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, right, shakes hands with former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres at the Sharm el Sheikh resort in the Sinai peninsula for talks on the Middle East peace process. Israels Shimon Peres was widely admired around the world as a peacemaker and visionary but the view in the Arab world, which greeted his Sept. 28, 2016 death mostly with silence, was more complex: memories linger of another Peres who waged war in Lebanon in 1996, organized Israel's secretive nuclear deterrent, and even supported the West Bank Jewish settler movement in the 1970s. (AP Photo/ Mohamed El-Dakhakhny, File)

Arad Nir, the foreign affairs commentator for Channel 2 TV, said it would be "very sad" if the people who Peres negotiated with did not attend the funeral. "It puts a question mark on Shimon Peres' vision, his life's mission: Peace," he said.

The silence reflects the animosity toward Israel in the Arab world, particularly at a time when the peace process Peres helped launch has collapsed and Arab anger is high at the hard-line policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli-Palestinian issue is not high on the region's agenda these days, amid other wars and crises, noted Michael W. Hanna, a Middle East expert at the New York-based Century Foundation.

"Besides, Peres left behind a complicated legacy," he said.

Peres gained worldwide fame  and a Nobel Peace Prize  as the architect of the historic Oslo interim peace accords with the Palestinians in the mid-1990s. Late in life, he established a "peace center" in Tel Aviv that promoted coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians, and as the nation's president he used the global stage to call for peace.

But in the Arab world, especially among Palestinians, many saw Peres' vision of peace as all talk.

"He often presented himself as a man of peace, but no one in the Arab world really believed him," said Abdullah el-Sennawy, a prominent Egyptian columnist. "Whenever there was war, he was there."

As one of Israel's founding fathers, Peres was associated with the "naqba," or catastrophe, that befell the Palestinians in the war surrounding Israel's creation, when hundreds of thousands fled or were forced from their homes.

"Peres was a significant contributor to the historic injustice that occurred to the Palestinian people," Ghassan Khatib, a former Palestinian government spokesman in the West Bank, wrote on his Facebook page.

As a Defense Ministry official during the 1950s, he helped turn Israel into a regional military power and played a central role in secretly developing what is widely believed to be a sizable nuclear arsenal. And after Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war, Peres was an early defender of efforts to build Jewish settlements in the occupied territory  a position he would later abandon.

Even after spearheading the interim accords with the Palestinians, Peres led or defended tough military actions by Israel. While Peres was caretaker prime minister in 1996, Israel assassinated the Hamas militant group's chief bomb maker in the Gaza Strip  prompting a wave of bloody revenge suicide bombings that are seen as a chief reason for his subsequent election loss to Netanyahu.

Under Peres that same year, an Israeli military operation in Lebanon included a deadly artillery strike on a U.N. compound in the village of Qana that killed dozens of civilians who had fled fighting to take refuge there.

"Real peace is implemented on the ground, not by killing women, children and the elderly, then taking the Nobel prize," said Mohammad Jaafar, who was among the survivors of the Qana bombardment.

The incident is a key part of Peres' legacy across the region. Announcing Peres' death on Wednesday, Iran's state television called him "the butcher of Qana."

"He will stand in front of God and defend himself for his heinous crimes against humanity," said Hamad al-Qahtani, a Kuwaiti government employee. "He killed refugees, orphaned children and destroyed families. May he get what he deserves."

More recently, during his presidency, Peres defended Israeli offensives against Hamas in Gaza in 2009, 2012 and 2014 in which hundreds of civilians were killed.

In one famous encounter at the 2009 World Economic Forum in Davos, Peres clashed with Turkey's then-prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, about the Israeli offensive in Gaza. "You kill people," Erdogan said, rejecting Peres' argument that the invasion was an act of self-defense because Hamas had launched rockets at Israel.

In Gaza on Wednesday, Hamas expressed joy over Peres' death, and in Iran, local media reported that students distributed candies at Imam Sadegh University to celebrate.

"Shimon Peres was an example of how the world can forget someone's crimes if they only live long enough," Sultan Saoud al-Qassemi, a popular commentator in the United Arab Emirates, wrote on his Twitter feed.

Not all the reaction in the Arab world was negative. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a negotiator in the Oslo process, expressed "sorrow and sadness" over Peres' passing. Officials said Abbas was considering attending the funeral on Friday.

And in Iraq, Iyad Jamal al-Din, a Shiite cleric and former politician, praised Peres as a "wise leader who helped his people."

"What have Arab leaders done for their people? Peres turned Israel from a militia to a state. Today, the last wise man of the Israelis has passed," he said.

Iranian political analyst Hassan Hanizadeh said Peres had been a moderating force in the region and helped prevent conflict. Netanyahu and other hard-liners will now have "a more free hand in implementing their hard-line policies in the region and world," he said.

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Associated Press writers Hamza Hendawi in Cairo, Philip Issa in Beirut, Hussain al-Qatari in Kuwait City, Aya Batrawy and Adam Schreck in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.
Prosecutor: Boy, 2, was groomed to handle guns, shot himself

PERKASIE, Pa. (AP)  The father of a 2-year-old suburban Philadelphia boy who accidentally shot himself to death has been accused of leaving a loaded handgun out and charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Twenty-six-year-old Nicholas Wyllie, of Quakertown, was arraigned Wednesday.

Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub says Benjamin Smith's death "was 100 percent avoidable." He says the child was accustomed to playing with realistic-looking toy handguns and "groomed to understand that guns could be held and handled."

Benjamin suffered a gunshot wound to the chest inside a Milford Township home on Sept. 12. Authorities say Wyllie had left a handgun unsecured in a bedroom where the boy had gone to watch "Winnie-the-Pooh."

Defense attorney John Fioravanti Jr. declined immediate comment Wednesday but said "I certainly will later." His client is also charged with endangerment.

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Gov. Baker planning first overseas trade mission to Israel

BOSTON (AP)  Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is planning his first overseas trade mission to Israel.

Administration officials say the focus of six-day trip will be to pitch Massachusetts as a potential business hub to Israeli cybersecurity and digital health firms looking to expand into the U.S.

Officials say the trip also reflects the longstanding economic and cultural ties between Israel and Massachusetts. About 16 percent of all immigrant founders of technology companies in Massachusetts came from Israel.

Baker is scheduled to arrive in Israel on Dec. 9 and depart on Dec. 14.

The entourage will consist of 12 administration officials, including Baker, and 40 private sector business representatives. The list of private sector officials hasn't been finalized yet.

Administration officials said Baker doesn't want to cede any ground to Silicon Valley or New York as Massachusetts works to build up a burgeoning cluster of cybersecurity firms in the state.

They said cybersecurity can also be critical to the development of other kinds of new technology connected to the internet, from self-driving cars to heavy industrial machinery. They said the best way to make the pitch for Massachusetts is face-to-face in Israel.

Officials said the focus on digital health and life sciences is another natural fir for Massachusetts with its strong network of top-level hospitals and research facilities.

The administration is partnering with the New England-Israel Business Council with the support of Combined Jewish Philanthropies to organize and cover the costs of the trip.

Administration officials said no tax dollars will be used to pay for the trip, other than to cover the cost of Baker's state police security detail.

Baker's Deputy Chief of Staff Mike Vallarelli said the trip will help the governor tout the benefits for startup companies in Israel of locating in Massachusetts, including access to top talent from local universities and access to venture capital funding.

"Israel's e-health and cyber security sectors are global leaders and the Baker administration is ready to compete for the quality jobs and economic development opportunities this unique international partner represents," Vallarelli said in a statement.

Baker's predecessor  former Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick  made two trade missions to Israel during his eight years in office,
In 'American Honey,' finding family in a hopeless place

TORONTO (AP)  The face filmmaker Andrea Arnold makes at the thought of storyboarding her films is the kind of bitter, disgusted look most people reserve for a bath full of leeches.

Once her "Eww!" has receded, the British director leans forward and explains why she won't sketch her shots in advance. "I want to bring life into what I'm doing," she says. "I try to create that sort of atmosphere which involves not being too structured. If I start controlling it too much, I think the life goes."

Arnold pauses to consider and then concludes: "I quite like to get in there and see what's what."

In this Sept. 11, 2016 photo, writer-director Andrea Arnold, left, and cast member Sasha Lane, from the film, "American Honey," pose at the InterContinental Toronto Centre in Toronto. The film is a cross-country road trip of aimless but colorful youths selling magazines door-to-door as a way to party across the Midwest. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Life rushes through Arnold's heartland odyssey "American Honey" with a freewheeling electricity that the Beats would have admired even if the tunes (Rihanna, Drake, Big Sean) were puzzlingly unfamiliar. An immersive and exuberantly sensory road movie, "American Honey" follows the cross-country road trip of aimless but colorful teenagers selling magazines door-to-door as a way to party across the Midwest.

"American Honey" has its own band of merry pranksters, too. Though the movie's actors include a few young stars (Shia LaBeouf, Riley Keough), Arnold mostly found her cast on her own research trips around the county, at spring break clubs on the Florida coast and county fairs in Appalachia.

"We were all real people, cast from the streets. All of the situations we were coming from were pretty bad," says Raymond "Ray Ray" Coalson. "We legitly became family because we were all misfits and this brought us together."

Just as the making of "American Honey" was unorthodox, so has its presence been on the festival circuit. In Cannes, where the film won the Jury Prize, the group danced down the red carpet to E-40's "Choice (Yup)." At the Toronto International Film Festival, they traversed the city in a party bus not unlike the van they ride in the film. Collectively, they are a dancing blur of tattoos, skateboards, hugs and tears.

Arnold, the 55-year-old director of "Fish Tank" and "Wuthering Heights," is the matriarch of their improvised family, shepherding her cast from nowhere and into one of the most acclaimed films of the year. Sasha Lane, then a Texas-native college student on spring break, now the film's breakout star, initially worried Arnold was casting for pornography. Then she watched her rescue passed out kids along Panama Beach.

"I witnessed her doing things like that," says Lane. "Her energy, for one, is very pure. And her telling me that I was beautiful the way I was, and seeing her help people on the street, you knew that she would have your back."

Arnold and Lane recently slid into a restaurant booth in Toronto, both still emotional from the ride they've been on the last year. Arnold may be in charge, but her pensive demeanor belies her eager playfulness. "The bus is the best," Arnold says before wondering if the loud music was disturbing Toronto citizens. "Quite rude with the Big Sean, actually," she says, referring to the hip-hop artist in their mobile mix.

Arnold came to the story of magazine-selling crews from a 2007 New York Times article . The itinerant journeys, from cheap motel to cheap motel, were filled with drugs, alcohol and sex. The world, and its surrogate families, appealed to Arnold.

"Here they are selling things on a minibus. It's kind of a little version of capitalism," Arnold says. "It's in a nutshell the biggest picture: selling and trying to find your place in this big country."

To write her script, Arnold traveled through West Virginia towns, emptied by mine closures, and through impoverished areas of the South and Midwest. The vision of America in "American Honey" is one of opiate addiction, highways and soda. In one memorable scene, the crew dances to Rihanna's "We Found Love" in a Walmart. (Arnold wrote the pop star a letter to get permission for the song.)

Arnold grants she witnessed a lot of poverty and hopelessness, but isn't inclined to make any pronouncement on the soul of America.

"Environment obviously affects us but we also have an impact on our lives too," says Arnold. "If you grow up in a certain situation but you don't believe in yourself, how do you get out of that? So it's complicated. I couldn't possibly say something simple about it."

During shooting, the cast and crew lived much like the magazine crews: piled into motel rooms, their destinations often chosen at the last minute. Michael Fassbender, who starred in Arnold's "Fish Tank," says her way of making a movie is uncommonly organic: "Andrea can create chaos and capture it so well," Fassbender says. "A lot of directors can create it and not capture it."

For movie novices like Lane, it was a strange baptism. "Every day I was reminded, 'This is not how normal movies are made, Sasha, by the way,'" says Lane.

Lane, who turns 21 Thursday, now has a budding movie career. Like her fellow cast members, her life has be forever altered by Arnold and "American Honey."

"She saved my life in a way because I know that part of America," says Lane, beginning to cry. "We all had something that we were looking for. She gave me this hope that you can have another life besides the one you grew up with. I went from hopeless to: No, you can shine."

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Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP

This image released by A24 shows, from left, McCaul Lombardi, Riley Keough, Verronikah Ezell, Shia LaBeouf, Crystal B. Ice, Shawna Rae Moseley, Kenneth Kory Tucker, Raymond Coalson in a scene from the film, "American Honey." (Holly Horner/A24 via AP)

FILE - In this May 15, 2016 file photo, director Andrea Arnold poses for photographers during a photo call for the film "American Honey" at the 69th international film festival, Cannes, southern France. The film, about a cross-country road trip of aimless youths selling magazines door-to-door across the Midwest, won the Jury Prize. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau, File)

FILE - In this May 22, 2016 file photo, director Andrea Arnold, left, and actress Sasha Lane pose for photographers after Arnold won the Jury Prize for the film "American Honey," at the 69th international film festival, Cannes, southern France. The film is about a cross-country road trip of aimless youths selling magazines door-to-door across the Midwest. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau, File)
Union launches boycott of Trump companies amid Vegas dispute

LAS VEGAS (AP)  Union members are calling on the public to boycott Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's businesses nationwide because he isn't negotiating a contract with the more than 500 eligible workers at his high-rise Las Vegas hotel.

UNITE HERE announced the effort this week. The group is the parent organization of the Culinary Union, which represents about 57,000 Las Vegas-area hospitality workers.

"After a disgraceful anti-union campaign against their own workers, the hotel still refuses to negotiate with their employees," Geoconda Arguello-Kline, the top officer at the Culinary Union, said in a statement. "We call on allies and workers to stand in solidarity in a national boycott until Donald Trump, the 'Great Negotiator,' comes to the table."

FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2016 file photo, Laborers' International Union of North America members and Culinary Union members walk by an inflatable figure depicting Donald Trump during a protest outside of the Trump International hotel, in Las Vegas. The unions were protesting what they say is an anti-union stance by the hotel. Union members are calling the public to boycott Republican presidential nominee Trump's businesses nationwide because he isn't negotiating a contract with the more than 500 eligible workers at his high-rise Las Vegas hotel. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

Workers at Trump's hotel voted in December to unionize, but management hasn't started bargaining with them. Experts say it could take years, and court action, before management is forced to come to the table.

The Culinary Union and its partners have held large marches outside the resort to pressure the company to act. Events supporting the boycott are scheduled Thursday in Waikiki, home of a hotel and condo tower that licenses the Trump name, and San Francisco's Financial District, where Trump co-owns a commercial property.

Union officials say workers at Trump's hotel earn about $3 less per hour compared with their counterparts on the Las Vegas Strip.

Company and campaign officials didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. In an interview with the Las Vegas Sun earlier this month, Donald Trump Jr. said he wasn't aware of any negotiations set to start soon.

"If you look at our history, you'd see a history and decades of negotiation," the presidential candidate's son told the newspaper. "So we'll see what happens. Everything is a case-by-case basis."
Early votes: High interest buoys Clinton in key states

WASHINGTON (AP)  More people are seeking or casting early ballots in the critical states of North Carolina and Florida than at this point in 2012, with Hillary Clinton the likely benefactor, as early voting shows signs of surging nationwide.

Clinton may also benefit from an increase in ballot requests in Georgia, a traditionally Republican state where Democrats have made inroads. But Donald Trump is showing signs of strength in Iowa and parts of Maine, states won by Barack Obama in the last two presidential elections.

The latest snapshot of ballot data offers a glimpse into a key question: How much of a vote advantage can Clinton run up before Nov. 8, when more Republicans tend to vote? Traditionally Republicans have done better initially with early mail-in ballots, before Democrats surpass them once in-person early voting begins. While the ballot sample to date remains small, Clinton so far is hitting guideposts in several battleground states compared to 2008 and 2012.

FILE - In this Sept. 23, 2016 file photo, a voter woman passes a large sign before voting in Minneapolis. More people are seeking or casting early ballots in the critical states of North Carolina and Florida than at this point in 2012, with Hillary Clinton the likely benefactor, as early voting shows signs of surging nationwide. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)

Though preliminary, data compiled by The Associated Press suggest that advance voting could reach 40 percent of all votes cast nationally  up from 35 percent in 2012. It may also indicate a higher overall turnout in an election that has generated enormous public interest despite  or because of  the unpopularity of both major party candidates.

In Ohio, nearly 806,000 voters had submitted absentee ballot applications. That's up from nearly 723,000 during a similar period in 2012, when a record 1.87 million early ballots ultimately were cast by mail and in person.

In Greensboro, North Carolina, Brandon Starkes, 28, cited the state's unsuccessful bid to impose a voter ID law in his decision to vote early. The law was struck down as racially discriminatory.

"I want to make sure I don't have to deal with issues at the polls on Election Day," he said. Starkes plans to vote for Clinton.

In-person early voting begins Thursday in Iowa, while Florida, Arizona and New Hampshire mail out ballots beginning early next month.

In North Carolina, a must-win state for Trump, more than 69,150 ballots have been requested and 8,541 have been returned, according to AP data. That's up from 8,326 ballots returned during a similar period in 2012.

By party, Democrats made up 40 percent of the ballots returned compared to 35 percent for Republicans. At this point in 2012, Republicans had opened a wide lead over Democrats in returned ballots, 49 percent to 32 percent, leading to Mitt Romney's narrow win. While Romney was boosted by older whites who voted early by mail, white voters so far have been down this year, to 82 percent from 86 percent of submitted ballots. Black voters, more likely to cast ballots in person, were higher at 12 percent.

"Voters appear to be listening and changing behavior in reaction to changes in laws," said Michael McDonald, a University of Florida professor who runs the U.S. Election Project.

Florida doesn't start absentee balloting until Tuesday, but already a record 2.5 million voters have requested ballots. Republicans are ahead in ballot requests, 43 percent to 38 percent.

That's a much narrower gap than in 2008, the most recent in which comparable data was available. At that time, the Republicans held a solid lead in requests, 51 percent to 32 percent, according to data analyzed for the AP by Catalist, a Democratic firm that helped run data operations for Obama's 2008 race. Obama won the state by 2.8 percentage points.

The 2016 improvement can't be wholly attributed to fresh Democratic enthusiasm. A change in Florida's laws meant that voters in 2014 who requested absentee ballots could automatically receive them this year. Still, Democrats welcomed early gains, saying it will free them to target more undecided voters.

Elsewhere, Republicans showed promise.

In Iowa, Democratic requests for ballots continued to outpace Republicans, 63,880 to 24,700. Despite the 3 to 1 advantage, that's a drop from 2012, when Democrats at this point led 119,318 to 24,909. Clinton plans to visit the state Thursday, the first day of Iowa's early voting.

"Democrats need to run up the score in Iowa, and so far they are not," said Lindsay Walters, spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee.

In Maine's rural 2nd Congressional District, requests for ballots are down 18 percent, mostly among Democrats. Trump is counting on that district's one electoral vote as part of his narrow path to the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency. If he succeeds, he would be the first Republican since 1992 to win the district in the mostly Democratic state. Maine and Nebraska are the only states that allocate electoral votes by congressional district.

In Georgia, the state does not provide breakdowns of ballots by party, but overall ballot requests are up 5 percent to 82,504.

By race, requests for ballots by whites rose to 62,732 while those from blacks were down slightly to 16,937, according to Catalist's analysis for the AP. However, Asian-Americans, who in recent elections have leaned Democratic, nearly doubled to 1,588. Hispanics were lower at 761.

Voter modeling by Catalist found that ballots broken down by party were at similar levels to 2012. Obama lost Georgia that year by roughly 8 percentage points. That means to win the state Clinton will have to make up more ground among African-Americans and Hispanics when in-person early voting begins Oct. 17.

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AP's Election Research and Quality Control Group in New York contributed to this report.

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George Takei gives personal collection to Los Angeles museum

LOS ANGELES (AP)  Actor and activist George Takei is donating a trove of art and artifacts from his life and career to the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.

The museum announced the gift Wednesday and said the collection will be featured in an exhibition next year. "New Frontiers: The Many Worlds of George Takei" is set to open March 12, 2017.

Takei's collection includes photos, sculptures, scripts and other memorabilia from his "Star Trek" days, as well as his run for Los Angeles City Council in 1973 and the Olympic torch he carried ahead of the 1984 games in Los Angeles.

FILE - In this March 15, 2016 file photo, actor George Takei attends the premiere of "Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures" in Los Angeles, Calif. Takei is donating a trove of art and artifacts from his life and career to the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. The museum announced the gift Wednesday, Sept. 28, and said the collection will be featured in an exhibition,New Frontiers: The Many Worlds of George Takei opening March 12. (Photo by Phil McCarten/Invision/AP, File)
Men who live-streamed threat over Periscope app plead guilty

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  Two men accused of live-streaming a threat to shoot up their Ohio neighborhood if their video feed scored enough viewers have pleaded guilty to inducing panic.

The Franklin County prosecutor says the men indicated over the Periscope app in February they'd empty an AR-15 rifle clip in Columbus if the stream reached 100 viewers. The prosecutor says the men also handed the rifle to a toddler.

Authorities say a concerned viewer in another state contacted police, who used the live stream to find the men.

The now-21-year-old men also pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of improperly handling a firearm, furnishing a firearm to a minor and evidence-tampering.
Wells Fargo CEO to face lawmakers with better defense

WASHINGTON (AP)  Wells Fargo's CEO, newly stripped of tens of millions in compensation in a scandal over sales practices, will face lawmakers with more defenses than he had in the last round, when some senators called for his resignation.

Chief Executive John Stumpf comes into Thursday's hearing before the House Financial Services Committee able to cite the millions he and another top executive will forfeit, her departure from the bank, and an earlier date for the aggressive sales quotas to end.

Whether the unusual takeback from his salary and stock will be enough to save Stumpf's job is hard to say, and his testimony at Thursday's session could play a role.

FILE - In this Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016, file photo, Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf arrives to testify before the Senate Banking Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Stumpf, newly stripped of tens of millions of dollars in compensation in a scandal over sales practices, is scheduled to appear before the House Financial Services Committee on Thursday, Sept. 29. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

It was "a step in the right direction, but there are still dozens of unanswered questions," said Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, the Senate Banking Committee's senior Democrat. He and the other Democrats on the panel asked Stumpf on Wednesday to answer a series of 58 questions, including nearly two dozen that they said he failed to answer at the hearing last week or for which he promised to provide fuller information.

"We still don't know how many customers were harmed and how long this fraud continued," Brown said in a statement. "We also don't know how many low-paid employees got fired for failing to meet quotas that Wells Fargo now recognizes were too high."

Bank employees, in a feverish drive to meet sales targets, opened up to 2 million fake deposit and credit card accounts without customers' knowledge, issued and activated debit cards, and signed people up for online banking without permission, according to regulators. The abuses are said to have gone on for years, unchecked by senior management.

U.S. and California regulators fined San Francisco-based Wells Fargo $185 million. California Treasurer John Chiang also said Wednesday he's suspending some of the state's business with the bank. He plans to stop using Wells Fargo as the managing underwriter on certain categories of bond sales, will avoid buying Wells Fargo securities and won't use the bank as a broker for investment purchases for the next 12 months.

Chiang also said Stumpf should resign, and that the Wells Fargo board should separate the chairman and CEO positions that he now holds.

The consumer banking giant, which is also the biggest U.S. mortgage lender, fired about 5,300 employees starting in 2011 in connection with the sales practices. The revelations sparked investigations by federal agencies and bipartisan outrage in Congress.

At the highly charged hearing last week, Stumpf was barraged with criticism from senators who accused the bank of outright fraud. He was chided for scapegoating lower-level employees  bank tellers, customer service reps and branch managers  rather than focusing on senior management's failures.

Stumpf apologized and promised action to make things right for customers who were affected, a sentiment he is expected to reiterate Thursday. Customers already have been refunded $2.6 million in fees slapped on unauthorized products, the bank says.

The Wells Fargo board acted Tuesday to strip Stumpf and the executive who ran the retail banking division of millions of dollars in pay, a move known as a "clawback" that falls within company directors' authority. Stumpf, who earned $19.3 million last year, will forfeit $41 million in stock awards.

He also is giving up any bonuses for this year, as is Carrie Tolstedt, the former head of the retail operation. Tolstedt announced in July that she would retire from the bank this year and had been expected to leave with as much as $125 million in salary, stock options and other compensation. She is forfeiting $19 million of her stock awards, and her departure was made immediate.

The outside directors on the bank's board didn't rule out the possibility of pursuing additional repayment from Stumpf or Tolstedt, depending on the results of an investigation they're conducting.

Few top bank executives have had their compensation clawed back in the years since the financial crisis starting in 2008. While unusual, the move by the board "was the right thing to do," said Charles Elson, a professor and director of the Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware.

Short of forcing Stumpf to resign, the board may move to split the CEO and company chairman roles that Stumpf holds, Elson suggested. Stumpf, CEO since 2007, added the chairman title in January 2010.

"It may be that he's asked to retire in a year or so," said Gene Grabowski, a crisis management consultant who's a partner at the firm kglobal.

Tamar Frankel, a law professor at Boston University whose area of study includes corporate governance, believes the best scenario would be for Stumpf to keep his job but institute real changes.
Officials: Suspect in Texas slayings was in US illegally

DALLAS (AP)  A man suspected in a pair of Dallas-area killings was in the country illegally and had been deported three times to Mexico, U.S. immigration officials said Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Dallas County jail officials discovered the suspect initially identified as Silvestre Franco-Luviano was using an alias. The 40-year-old suspect's true identity is Juan Navarro Rios, said Dallas County sheriff's spokeswoman Melinda Urbina.

The false identity was discovered as Navarro Rios was being booked into the Dallas County jail after his transfer from the Williamson County Jail in Georgetown. He is suspected of killing a motorist in Dallas and a man at a gas station in nearby Cedar Hill. Police have not released a motive for either slaying, both of which occurred on Sunday night.

This jail booking photo provided by the Dallas County Sheriff's Department shows Juan Navarro Rios, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, in Dallas. Police say Navarro Rios who is a suspect in a pair of Dallas-area killings was arrested under an alias. A Dallas County Sheriffs Office statement says the true identity of the man initially identified as Silvestre Franco-Luviano is Juan Navarro Rios. Sheriffs spokeswoman Melinda Urbina said the 40-year-old suspects identity was discovered during his Wednesday booking at the Dallas County jail. (Dallas County Sheriff's Department via AP)

Criminal records had identified Navarro Rios over the years by some variation of Silvestre Franco-Luviano. He was initially deported in June 1996 for a felony conviction, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Carl Rusnok said Wednesday. ICE declined to say what the felony conviction was, but court records show the Mexican national had a 1995 assault conviction in Dallas and a 1996 conviction for hindering prosecution. Those records don't provide details of the allegations.

Navarro Rios returned to the U.S. at some point and was again deported in October 2009 for re-entering by falsely claiming U.S. citizenship, Rusnok said. He again came back into the U.S. and was prosecuted on vehicle burglary charges in the Texas city of Georgetown in 2010 and 2011. He was deported in March 2014 after completing a prison sentence for re-entry after deportation, according to a statement Wednesday from ICE.

He was arrested Tuesday after a standoff at his relatives' apartment in Georgetown, about 25 miles north of Austin, according to police. He was transferred Wednesday from the Williamson County jail to the Dallas County jail after his arrest on a murder warrant in the death of Ruben Moreno, who was in his car when he was shot. He's also a suspect in the death of Welton Betts. Georgetown police also have charged him with vehicle burglary.

Jail records do not list an attorney for Navarro Rios who could comment on the allegations. ICE placed an immigration detainer on him immediately after his arrest, meaning the agency is asking that he not be released.

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Court: Law banning people's ballot photos unconstitutional

CONCORD, N.H. (AP)  A state law that prohibits voters from posting photos of their ballots online suppresses a large swath of political speech and is unconstitutional, a federal appeals court ruled on Wednesday.

The law, which took effect in September 2014, made posting a photo of a completed ballot a violation punishable by a fine of up to $1,000. It was struck down a year ago, but the state appealed to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston, which heard arguments this month and issued a decision Wednesday upholding the earlier ruling.

Lawyers for New Hampshire contended the ban would prevent vote buying and voter coercion. They used a hypothetical example of a boss telling an employee to vote a certain way or face losing his job and then demanding a photo as proof.

But the appeals court, in its ruling, said that while voter coercion is a compelling interest, the state failed to tailor its solution to the potential problem.

"New Hampshire may not impose such a broad restriction on speech by banning ballot selfies in order to combat an unsubstantiated and hypothetical danger," the court wrote. "We repeat the old adage: 'a picture is worth a thousand words.'"

The court noted that digital photography and social media have been ubiquitous for several election cycles, without resulting in increased vote buying or voter intimidation. In fact, New Hampshire officials acknowledged that they had not received any complaints since at least 1976.

The court also said the state could outlaw coercion or the buying of votes without such a prohibition on photos.

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of three voters, including a man who voted for his dead dog because he didn't approve of the candidates and posted a photo of the ballot online.

"Today's decision is a victory for the First Amendment," said ACLU-New Hampshire legal director Gilles Bissonnette. "The First Circuit correctly recognized that political speech is essential to a functioning democracy. The First Amendment does not allow the State to, as it was doing here, broadly ban innocent political speech with the hope that such a sweeping ban will address underlying criminal conduct."
Wyoming's 1st major coal mine in decades clears council

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP)  A state environmental review board voted Wednesday to allow Wyoming's first major coal mine in decades to proceed despite the objections of another coal company.

Amid competition from natural gas and tougher environmental regulations, coal mines tend to be cutting back production or even shutting down  not opening anew. Kentucky-based Ramaco's relatively small Brook Mine would buck that trend but has faced opposition from another company and a ranch.

The Wyoming Environmental Quality Council voted unanimously to allow Ramaco to go ahead despite the Big Horn Coal Company's objections.

Ramaco hopes to begin digging a few miles north of Sheridan by early next year, CEO Randall Atkins said.

"We're very pleased that the EQC agreed with our conclusion there were not any substantial damages to the surface owners," Atkins said. "We look forward to moving expeditiously with the balance of the permitting process and to beginning our project."

Ramaco and the Padlock Ranch resolved their differences Tuesday on confidential terms, he said.

Earlier this month, Ramaco announced plans for two new mines in Virginia and West Virginia that would produce metallurgical coal for the steel industry. Essentially all coal mined in Wyoming is not metallurgical but thermal coal, the type burned in power plants to generate electricity.

In Wyoming and other Western states, mineral rights can be owned separately from the surface of the ground. That sometimes leads to conflicts between the oil and gas industry and landowners who don't want petroleum development on their property.

Such conflicts are rare for Wyoming's well-established coal industry, however, which produces about 40 percent of the nation's coal.

Within the boundaries of the Brook Mine area, Padlock Ranch owns 1,400 acres and Big Horn Mining Company 1,100 acres of surface land. The mine would keep cattle away from the Tongue River and likely destroy a livestock watering system, attorneys for the ranch told the commission in a March 16 letter.

The mine would restrict access and use of facilities, including a bridge and rail spur, should Big Horn Mining Company also decide to mine coal in the area, an attorney for the company wrote the commission April 20.

Ultimately council members weren't convinced the mine would substantially prohibit Big Horn Coal's operations, as would have been required to deny the order in lieu of consent.

"I do not believe there will be an impact, substantial or otherwise, to Big Horn Coal," council member Tim Flitner said.

Michael Klein, Big Horn Coal vice president and general counsel, didn't immediately return a message Wednesday seeking comment on the vote.

A lawsuit Ramaco filed against Big Horn Coal in state court remains pending. Proceedings were suspended pending the outcome of the council's decision. Atkins said he planned to confer with Ramaco attorneys about what happens next with the lawsuit.

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The executive producer of TV's NCIS and creator of NCIS: New Orleans has died.

Gary Glasberg died in his sleep Wednesday, CBS said in a statement. He was 50.

Glasberg joined NCIS as a producer and writer in 2009 and became its showrunner in 2011. He launched the New Orleans version of the show in 2014.

The executive producer of TV's NCIS and creator of NCIS: New Orleans has died. Gary Glasberg (pictured in 2014) died in his sleep Wednesday, CBS said in a statement. He was 50

Glasberg is pictured with the cast of NCIS celebrating the show's 200ths episode. Pictured are Brian Dietzen, David McCallum, Pauley Perrette, Cote de Pablo, Mark Harmon, Gary Glasberg, Sean Murray, Michael Weatherly, Nina Tassler, and David Stapf

The NCIS cast and crew said in a statement: 'Gary was our rock, our cheerleader, our team captain.

'He inspired us with his leadership, his creative instincts and keen insight.

'NCIS will not be the same without him, and each of us will miss his smiling face and unwavering humor, which lifted us every day.'

Former NCIS actor Michael Weatherly, as well as current stars Pauley Perrette and Wilmer Valderrama, tweeted about Glasberg's death on Wednesday.

Former NCIS actor Michael Weatherly tweeted that 'Gary Glasberg was a gentle man and gentleman loved by so many people'

NCIS actress Pauley Perrette tweeted 'Our hearts are collectively broken'

Wilmer Valderrama, who appears on the CBS show, tweeted 'Gary Glasberg I'm grateful 4 ur trust & love, till we meet again'

CBS Television Studios President David Stapf said 'We are devastated by the passing of our dear friend and colleague Gary Glasberg.

'He epitomized the word mensch and brought kindness, integrity and class to everything he did.

'His remarkable talent as a writer and producer was only matched by his ability to connect with people.

'Gary was a beloved member of our family and we are so honored that he called CBS his home for so many years.

Glasberg (pictured in August 2014) is survived by his wife, Mimi Schmir, and their two sons, Dash and Eli

Glasberg is seen with Weatherly, Perrette and David McCallum for the cake-cutting celebration for show's 300th episode in February earlier this year

'Our hearts go out to his wife, Mimi, two sons, his entire family and all those who loved him.'

CBS Entertainment President Glenn Geller said in a statement: 'Today is an overwhelmingly sad day for NCIS, CBS and anyone who was blessed to spend time with Gary Glasberg.

'We have lost a cherished friend, gifted creative voice, respected leader and, most memorably, someone whose warmth and kindness was felt by all around him.'

Glasberg is survived by his wife, Mimi Schmir, and their two sons, Dash and Eli.
'Barefoot Bandit' released from prison; will work for lawyer

SEATTLE (AP)  The man who became known as the "Barefoot Bandit" during a teenage crime spree in stolen cars, boats and planes has been transferred from prison to a work-release facility.

KOMO-TV reports (https://goo.gl/JXp2xe ) that the Washington Department of Corrections confirmed Colton Harris-Moore's transfer Wednesday from prison to Reynolds Work Release in Seattle.

He's expected to work for his lawyer, John Henry Browne, and will be required to check in and out of the work-release facility.

Harris-Moore, 25, was sentenced in 2012 to seven years in prison in a deal that consolidated most of the charges against him. His spree began after he escaped from a Renton juvenile halfway house in 2008; he was ultimately captured after crash-landing a plane that he stole in Indiana and flew to the Bahamas.

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Prosecutor rests murder case against 2 New Mexico officers

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  A special prosecutor rested her case Wednesday in the trial of two former New Mexico police officers charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of a homeless man.

Attorneys spent the seventh day of the trial of now-retired Albuquerque police Detective Keith Sandy and former Officer Dominique Perez questioning a former SWAT sergeant who had called Perez to the 2014 standoff with homeless camper James Boyd.

Using testimony from more than a dozen witnesses, many of them police officers, special prosecutor Randi McGinn methodically walked jurors through the incident.

In this Monday, Sept. 26, 2016, photo, former New Mexico State Police Sgt. Scott Ware testifies during the trial of now-retired Detective Keith Sandy and former Officer Dominique Perez in the shooting death of homeless camper James Boyd in District Court in Albuquerque, N.M. (Greg Sorber/The Albuquerque Journal via AP, Pool)

Her case focuses on the timeline of the shooting and a series of fateful decisions by police.

Here's a look at her version of the killing:

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ESCALATED RESPONSE

Nineteen officers, including two trained in crisis intervention, and two K-9 units arrived at the Sandia Mountain campsite after receiving a complaint about Boyd. They had firearms and a cache of less-lethal weapons, including a Taser shotgun and flash-bang grenade.

McGinn played a clip from dashcam video in which Sandy, after pulling up to the scene, calls Boyd a "lunatic" and says to another officer that he is going to shoot him with the Taser. Officers have discounted that dialogue as banter between two colleagues who knew each other for years.

McGinn faults authorities for escalating the standoff with Boyd, starting with a decision to end negotiations between him and a crisis officer who testified that he had started making limited progress in getting Boyd to surrender.

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FAILED ARREST PLAN

Close to nightfall, officers devised a plan to take Boyd into custody using less than lethal force. Boyd still had knives in his pocket and was picking up his belongings and talking about walking down the mountain with officers when the prosecutor says Sandy detonated the flash-bomb.

Officers believed the bang would disorient Boyd, but he didn't budge and instead pulled two knives as a police service dog that wasn't on a leash ran at him and the handler gave chase.

James Fox, who was the SWAT sergeant that called Perez to the standoff, testified that neither he nor Perez knew the details of the plan put together by Sandy's team. Perez arrived on the mountain less than 20 minutes before the shooting.

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THE SHOOTING

Sandy was the first to shoot Boyd, with one bullet striking him in his left arm and another hitting the camper in the right arm, which was later amputated in a failed attempt to save his life.

Defense attorneys say Sandy fired when Boyd pulled his knives from his pockets and appeared to take a step toward the K-9 handler, who was less than 10 feet from Boyd.

The prosecutor countered that Boyd might have taken the step while following the commands of officers to get on the ground.

Perez, whose helmet camera captured video of the shooting, fired a split-second after Sandy. That shot hit Boyd in the back as he fell to his left. Perez's attorney says his client had placed his finger on the trigger of his weapon while Boyd, with knives out, was still facing the K-9 handler.

In this Monday, Sept. 26, 2016, photo, Barie Goetz, the state's crime scene reconstructionist, left, uses special prosecutor Elicia Montoya to explain a bullet trajectory to the jury during the trial of police detective Keith Sandy and Dominique Perez in the shooting death of homeless camper James Boyd in District Court in Albuquerque, N.M. (Greg Sorber/The Albuquerque Journal via AP, Pool)
Pentagon: Tests confirm no mustard agent in Iraq attack

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Pentagon says that an Islamic State rocket that hit a military base used by hundreds of U.S. troops in northern Iraq did not contain any sulfur chemical agent, as initially feared.

U.S. officials had said that an oily substance found on a fragment of the rocket that landed inside the security perimeter of Qayara West air base last week initially tested positive for a rudimentary form of mustard agent, but subsequent tests came back negative and inconclusive.

Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said that follow-up tests were done and the ultimate conclusion is that it was not sulfur mustard.
Congress adopts bill of rights for sexual assault survivors

WASHINGTON (AP)  A proposed federal bill of rights for survivors of sexual assault won final legislative approval Wednesday, sending it to the president's desk.

The measure, approved by voice vote in the Senate, would ensure that survivors in federal criminal cases have the right to a sexual assault evidence collection kit, to be told of the results and to be notified in writing before the kit is destroyed.

Lawmakers say they are troubled by the number of untested rape kits that remain in the country, despite efforts to reduce a national backlog.

FILE - In this July 25, 2016, file photo, Sen. Jean Shaheen, D- N.H., speaks during the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. A proposed federal bill of rights for survivors of sexual assault won final legislative approval Sept. 28, sending it to the presidents desk. The Senate unanimously approved the measure, which would ensure that survivors in federal criminal cases have the right to a sexual assault evidence collection kit, to be told of the results and to be notified in writing before the kit is destroyed. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

The bill was prompted by Amanda Nguyen, a former Harvard University student who was sexually assaulted in Massachusetts and now leads an advocacy group that helps assault survivors.

Nguyen told lawmakers that the trauma of her assault was made worse by her experience with a criminal justice system she came to believe was working against her, not for her. Nguyen was repeatedly required to return to Massachusetts to prevent destruction of her rape kit, for instance, and struggled to keep up with developments in the legal case.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said Nguyen and other sexual assault survivors "face heartbreaking challenges" as they navigate a maze of policies and laws that differ from state to state, and even among jurisdictions.

"Survivors of sexual assault like Amanda need to know the government and justice system are on their side," Shaheen said, calling the voice vote in favor of the bill "a strong signal to survivors across the country" that Congress is are committed to changing the culture around how sexual assault survivors will be treated in the criminal justice system.

"Sexual assault remains one of the most underreported crimes and I sincerely hope that these basic rights make it easier for survivors to come forward and pursue justice," Shaheen said.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, also hailed the bill.

"Each and every survivor of sexual assault should have equal access to all available tools in their pursuit of justice. This includes proper collection and preservation of forensic evidence," Grassley said.
2 found guilty of fatally shooting Puerto Rico prosecutor

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)  Two men have been found guilty of fatally shooting a Puerto Rico prosecutor as she arrived at her house late one night in January.

Daniel Vazquez and Rafael Aponte are expected to be sentenced in November following Wednesday's verdict. Prosecutors say they expect a third suspect to stand trial soon.

Police accused the suspects of following prosecutor Francelis Ortiz home after she left her office at the main court in San Juan.

Authorities classified the crime as a carjacking. But her husband, attorney Fermin Luis Arraiza, said he believes she was targeted because of her job. He noted the suspects did not steal her car.
William and Kate use first joint tweet to sign virtual visitors' book

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have signed a virtual visitors' book - with their first joint tweet.

William and Kate's foray into the world of social media had a twist as they used old technology - in the form of a morse code telegraph machine - to send their virtual message.

Their brief words - effectively an electronic signature - were transmitted to the world during a visit to a Canadian museum telling the story of the Yukon, famed as the home of the Klondike gold rush.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at the MacBride Museum in Whitehorse

Radio operator Doug Bell tapped out the Cambridges' tweet when their tour of the visitor attraction in Whitehorse - known as the Wilderness City - brought them to the settlement's old telegraph office, now a preserved exhibit.

As Mr Bell, who last sent a telegram in 1947, was sending the dots and dashes, William joked: ''Ah, there's a spelling mistake.''

The royal couple both held the lever down to send the tweet, posted under the Twitter account Telegraph to Tweet, which said: ''The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, September 2016, Whitehorse Yukon.''

The telegraph machine operated by Mr Bell, a former commissioner of Yukon, was wired up to a micro control unit, which converted the electrical signal into letters and was connected to a PC.

Mr Bell went on to tell the couple about the time he chatted to William's parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, when they visited Ottawa in 1981.

The 90-year-old said: ''I met your parents'' and the Duke replied: ''It seems pretty much everyone has met my family here.''

Mr Bell added: ''I asked your father if he'd been to Yukon and he said no, and I said we ought to do something about that so I called the governor general and we made arrangements. Then I got a call saying 'They can't go, the princess is pregnant'.''

''Wow, that must have been me or Harry,'' said William.

Kate, who wore a red Carolina Herrera coat, was impressed with the telegraph office, visited by the Queen in 1959 and one of the few surviving historic buildings in Whitehorse.

As the Duchess looked around the building, she said: ''Wow, that's amazing."

The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at the MacBride Museum in Whitehorse

The crowd waits for the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the MacBride Museum in Whitehorse

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the MacBride Museum

The Duchess of Cambridge meets the public during a walkabout

The Duchess of Cambridge waves at young wellwishers

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Whitehorse on the fifth day of the Royal Tour to Canada.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Whitehorse

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge laugh as stories are read to children at the MacBride Museum of Yukon History
Chief Rabbi leads tributes after ex-Israeli leader Shimon Peres dies at 93

Britain's chief rabbi has paid tribute to Shimon Peres, describing him as a "true giant amongst men", after the former Israeli president died aged 93.

Mr Peres, who was one of the country's most admired leaders and the last surviving link to its founding fathers, had been in hospital since suffering a major stroke two weeks ago.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis joined former prime minister Tony Blair and other world figures in paying tribute to the elder statesman of Israeli politics who won the Nobel peace prize during his unprecedented seven-decade career.

Shimon Peres pictured in 2014 - the former Israeli president and prime minister has died (AP)

"There will be countless tributes to Shimon Peres over the coming days, but I fear that few, if any, will adequately capture the palpable sense of collective grief felt across the world, nor do justice to the memory of a true giant amongst men," Mr Mirvis said.

"It is true that Shimon Peres was a great statesman. He was the noblest of soldiers, a born leader, a uniquely talented diplomat, an inspiring speaker and a relentless campaigner.

"But, more significantly than any of those things, Shimon Peres was the greatest living example of an unshakable belief in the pursuit of peace against all odds."

Mr Peres had an "unflinching optimism" to achieve peace and gave hope to millions of people around the world, Mr Mirvis said.

He added: "No matter what the future holds, your legacy lives on in the Jewish people who will never rest until we achieve our eternal dream of peace among the peoples of the world."

Mr Blair said Mr Peres was "a political giant, a statesman who will rank as one of the foremost of this era or any era, and someone I loved deeply".

The former premier added: "He was an inspiration, a mentor and a friend. His intellect, his way with words that was eloquent beyond description, his command of the world and how it was changing were extraordinary.

"Though he grew older, his spirit never did. Above all, his commitment to peace and his belief that it was in the interests of the country he adored marked him out as a visionary whose vision was never dimmed or displaced. He saw every setback as a spur to further action and every moment of hope as a sign of what could be done.

"The whole world will mourn his passing, but his memory will live on to inspire future generations to walk in his path."

US President Barack Obama hailed Mr Peres as a leader whose commitment to Israel's security and the pursuit of peace "was rooted in his own unshakeable moral foundation and unflagging optimism".

Mr Obama said Mr Peres looked to the future "guided by a vision of the human dignity and progress that he knew people of goodwill could advance together".

He called him "the essence of Israel itself", noting that Mr Peres had fought for the nation's independence, worked its land and served in virtually every government position.

The president said that, with the death of Mr Peres, "a light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever".

Mr Mirvis's predecessor as Chief Rabbi, Lord Sacks, said Mr Peres was "the great visionary of Israeli politics in our time".

He added: "With his death an era has come to an end - marked by a series of outstanding leaders who showed as much courage in pursuit of peace as they did in the course of war. We will mourn him and miss him."

Irish President Michael D Higgins said Mr Peres will be remembered for furthering peace in the Middle East.

"His life mirrored some of the great dramas of 20th century Europe and the Middle East and he shall be remembered for his courage that saw him change course from confrontation to reconciliation," Mr Higgins said.

Former prime minister Gordon Brown said Mr Peres would be mourned around the world.

"Shimon Peres will be remembered as a peacemaker - mourned on every continent by men and women committed to ending war," he said.

"He understood the importance of negotiation because he understood the cost of war. He was not an idealist for peace out of vision alone but because he had lived through times of conflict.

"His personal journey through life challenges us all to think how best we can promote peace and reconciliation."

Former prime minister David Cameron described Mr Peres as a "great man".

He said: " One of the founding fathers of Israel and a believer in peace has left us. Today we mourn the loss of a great man."

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: "Shimon Peres was a true statesman; millions will mourn his passing today. The Nobel peace prize winner was connected to every major event and figure in Israeli history.

"The Oslo Accords showed what can happen if politicians work together for the common good. Today, a light has gone out but his message of peace must live on."

Former prime minister Sir John Major said: "Shimon Peres was a giant of Israeli politics. He tried consistently to broker a peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

"He took the long view that Israel needed security with their near neighbours to protect them from wider dangers. He was a true patriot, and Israel has lost one of its most illustrious leaders."

Chemi Peres, centre, son of former Israeli president Shimon, speaks during a press conference at a hospital in Tel Aviv (AP)

Flowers are placed outside the Peres Centre for Peace in Jaffa, near Tel Aviv, Israel (AP)

Tony Blair meets former Israeli president Shimon Peres in 2001

Then-Prime Minister David Cameron with Shimon Peres in 2011

Former Israeli president Shimon Peres pictured with Boris Johnson in November last year

The Queen receives Shimon Peres at Buckingham Palace in November 2008

The Prince of Wales also met Shimon Peres during his visit to London

Israeli president Shimon Peres speaks at Mansion House in 2008, when he received an honorary doctorate from Kings' College, London
Prime Minister warned as number of homeless hits record levels, figures reveal

Tory MPs have told Theresa May that tackling homelessness will be a key test of her commitment to social justice after official figures showed it had risen to its highest level for nearly a decade.

A total of 15,170 households were classed as homeless in the three months to June 2016 - a jump of 10% on the same period last year.

Around a third of these are in London, according to new figures from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

The figures concern households which fall into the 'homeless' category

The last time a higher level was recorded in England was in the period April-June 2008, when 15,680 households were classed as homeless.

Tory MPs and charities have announced their support for new laws designed to prevent homelessness and urged the Prime Minister, who has said she will build a country that works for everyone, to back them.

Bob Blackman, who is bringing his Homelessness Reduction Bill to the Commons for debate on October 28, said the figures were a national disgrace.

His Private Member's Bill will impose a duty on local authorities to help prevent people at risk of losing their homes from becoming homeless and it is likely to need Government support to become law.

The Tory MP told the Press Association: "It is a contribution to helping people that are facing homelessness.

"I think it sits with Theresa May's social agenda so that everyone benefits from the economic situation of the country, which is very positive.

"It is a national disgrace when we have the highest number of people in employment ever, that we have a low rate of unemployment, that we still have people sleeping rough."

A supporter of the Bill, Tory MP David Burrowes, said the Bill would be a litmus test of Mrs May's social justice credentials.

He said : "It is a scandal in 2016 that we have this level of homelessness.

"Every individual life is one that is shattered and diminished without a secure home above their heads.

"The Government is committed to social justice and this is a key test of the Government's social justice credentials."

Homelessness charity Crisis described the figures as "appalling" and backed the Bill, which also has the support of Tory former housing minister Mark Prisk, alongside Labour and other opposition MPs.

Crisis chief executive Jon Sparkes said: "We need a change in the law to prevent more people from losing their home and to make sure all homeless people can get the help they need, while councils need the funding to make this work. Prevention has already been shown to work in Wales, where it has dramatically reduced the need for people to be re-housed."

Households which are homeless or threatened with homelessness may approach their local authority for assistance.

This is granted if they are considered as being unintentionally homeless and in priority need, such as having dependent children.

A total of 29,790 applications for housing assistance were reported by local authorities in England in the three months to June - an increase of 9% on the same period in 2015.

This is the highest number since July-September 2008. Just over half of the applications were accepted.

The most common reason for losing a home was the ending of a tenancy with a private landlord.

This is now causing a greater proportion of households to become homeless than at any point since current records began in 1998 - roughly a third (32%) of all reported cases in the three months to June 2016.

Shelter chief executive, Campbell Robb, said: "Every day at Shelter we hear from families struggling to keep their heads above water when faced with the double blow of welfare cuts and expensive, unstable private renting, with far too many ultimately losing the battle to stay in their home.

"On top of this, stripped-back budgets and a drought of affordable homes are making it increasingly difficult for overburdened councils to find homeless families anywhere suitable to live."

Martin Tett, housing spokesman for the Local Government Association, urged councils to be given "the powers and funding to resume their historic role as a major builder of affordable homes".

A DCLG spokesman said: "This Government is committed to supporting the most vulnerable in our society and ensuring our country works for everyone, not just the privileged few.
Jeremy Corbyn calls for Labour unity as he targets 'socialism for 21st century'

Jeremy Corbyn has set out a programme of "socialism for the 21st century" as he urged his fractured party to unite to take on the Conservatives in a general election he said could come as early as next year.

Following pointed warnings from senior Labour figures Sadiq Khan and Tom Watson of the need to focus on winning power, Mr Corbyn used his keynote speech to the party's conference in Liverpool to insist his strategy was not merely a politics of protest but a plan to enter government and "rebuild and transform Britain".

Days after being emphatically confirmed as leader with a 62%-38% victory over challenger Owen Smith, he acknowledged the need to reach out beyond Labour's core support to win over groups including middle-income earners, the self-employed and those concerned about the impact of migration.

Leader Jeremy Corbyn delivers his keynote speech on the final day of the Labour Party conference in Liverpool

He risked stoking differences over immigration within his own ranks after making clear he will not make cutting numbers of migrants an objective despite calls from MPs including Andy Burnham - who announced his resignation as shadow home secretary - to respond to concerns expressed by voters in the EU referendum.

After a first year in office bedevilled by allegations of anti-Semitism and online abuse among his supporters, the Labour leader also pledged "firm action" against intimidation and vowed to fight against "prejudice and hatred of Jewish people".

Mr Corbyn confirmed plans for a 500 billion National Investment Bank to support infrastructure projects and a 50 million Migrant Impact Fund to support areas under pressure from new arrivals.

He hailed shadow chancellor John McDonnell's plan for a "real living wage" of 10 an hour or more and confirmed Labour would scrap "punitive" benefit sanctions including the "degrading" work capability assessment.

He said business would pay for Labour's proposed National Education Service - including through a 1.5% hike in corporation tax for allowances and grants for college and university students.

He confirmed plans for a 160 million arts pupil premium to allow every child in England and Wales to learn a musical instrument. He also promised a review of tax and social security rights for self-employed people.

A Labour government would lift a cap preventing local authorities from borrowing against their housing stock, which he said would allow them to build an extra 12,000 council homes a year.

Mr Corbyn said the pledges were "not the Ten Commandments" and would be open to further consultation.

But he said they showed "the direction of change we are determined to take - and the outline of a programme to rebuild and transform Britain", and offer "greater equality of wealth and income, but also of power".

Mr Corbyn said: "We know how great this country could be for all its people with a new political and economic settlement, with new forms of democratic public ownership, driven by investment in the technology and industries of the future, with decent jobs, education and housing for all, with local services run by and for people, not outsourced to faceless corporations.

"That's not backward-looking - it's the very opposite. It's the socialism of the 21st century."

Urging Labour's feuding factions to "end the trench warfare", he said: "Our party is about campaigning and it's about protest too, but most of all it's about winning power in local and national government to deliver the real change our country so desperately needs.

"That's why the central task of the whole Labour Party must be to rebuild trust and support to win the next general election and form the next government.

"That is the government I am determined to lead to win power to change Britain for the benefit of working people."

Mr Corbyn told delegates: "L et's be frank, no-one will be convinced of a vision promoted by a divided party.

"We all agree on that, so I ask each and every one of you, accept the decision of the members, end the trench warfare and work together to take on the Tories."

The hour-long speech, delivered to a packed crowd who greeted him with chants of "Jez we can", won a warm reception from unions.

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey described it as "a genuine programme to halt rampaging inequality" while Dave Ward, leader of the Communication Workers Union, said: "Today he looked and sounded like a leader."

Businesses were more wary as Adam Marshall, acting director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said many would "be concerned that Jeremy Corbyn is already reaching for the tax lever by asking businesses to pay for his education plans".

Conservative chairman Sir Patrick McLoughlin said Labour were offering to "spend, borrow and tax even more than they did last time (and) support unlimited immigration".

Mr Corbyn dismissed Prime Minister Theresa May's claim to be fighting the "inequalities and burning injustices" of modern Britain, insisting: "Even if she manages to talk the talk, she can't walk the walk"

The May regime was " David Cameron's government, repackaged with progressive slogans but with a new harsh right-wing edge, taking the country backwards and dithering before the historic challenges of Brexit", he said.

In his hour-long speech, Mr Corbyn made little reference to Britain's Trident nuclear deterrent, which provided one of the main bust-ups of the four-day conference, when shadow defence secretary Clive Lewis's speech was rewritten to remove a statement that Labour would not ditch its policy of supporting renewal. Aides later confirmed that Mr Corbyn remains personally committed to unilateral disarmament.

He promised a foreign policy that would be "based on peace, justice and human rights", including a commitment to suspend UK arms sales to any country where there are credible reports of human rights abuses, including Saudi Arabia's intervention in Yemen.

However, he provoked a walkout by a former adviser of Tony Blair when he told the conference he was "right" to apologise for Britain's involvement in the Iraq war.

John McTernan later said he walked out "in disgust (at) the attack on the most successful Labour leader in history".
BMA chief defends junior doctors over five-day strikes plan

The decision to call five-day doctor strikes - which were then abandoned - was not a mistake, the head of the junior doctors' committee has said.

Dr Ellen McCourt told the Press Association that junior doctors still had "a range of options" open to them to oppose the new contract, which is being introduced for medics from October 5.

She said each trainee would have to make their own decision on whether to sign the contract from next week, and warned that patient safety may be put at risk due to its terms.

Junior doctors protest outside Bristol Royal Infirmary during strike action in April 2016

It came as Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt won a High Court fight with campaign group Justice for Health.

The group said Mr Hunt acted beyond the scope of his powers by compelling NHS employers to adopt the new deal.

But Mr Hunt said the complaint was without substance and Mr Justice Green agreed that the minister had approved the contract but had not compelled employers to adopt it.

The British Medical Association's junior doctors' committee called off its series of five-day strikes planned for the run-up to Christmas after NHS England said the health service would not be able to cope with the scale of the industrial action.

Dr McCourt refused to be drawn on what action the BMA would now take, but insisted medics remain united "on the issues". Some have suggested that doctors may work to rule.

Dr McCourt said: "The BMA has not accepted the contract, we remain in dispute around the contract. There are still several outstanding concerns.

"We are looking at a variety of other options - we have not yet released those to our members - but what we need to do is find ways of challenging this at a more local level and using a variety of different methods. We're still looking into them."

She added: "I think there's a variety of ways of getting the contract changed. By suspending industrial action, we are pursuing other avenues. Moving forward, it's likely there will be people working under the contract and even more light will be shed on some of the concerns that we have. The way in which we are resisting the contract has changed, but our problems with the contract remain the same."

She said doctors had to make up their own minds whether to work under the contract from next week.

"If doctors are going to work, they will be working under the imposed contract. However, that does not mean they have consented to that contract, they haven't accepted it. Junior doctors will face that choice (over whether to sign it) on October 5.

"We will not be abandoning our trainees who are moving to work under the imposed contract which they have not accepted. However, it is up to every individual trainee whether they choose to go to work on October 5."

Some junior doctors have vented their fury on social media about the BMA's handling of the contract and strikes, resulting in the rise of several splinter groups.

Asked if she was concerned about splits within the BMA, Dr McCourt said: "I think throughout the last year there have been lots of groups joining together to achieve different aims.

"The Junior Doctors' Alliance are a group that want to spread some of the messages that have come out of the contractual dispute. There are groups of junior doctors who wanted to take industrial action, but we took on board views fro m junior doctors across England and the overwhelming feedback was that they didn't support taking industrial action because of the impact it was likely to have on patient care."

She said the BMA undertook a wide range of research to check junior doctors' views before calling off the strikes.

"The overwhelming feedback was that they still opposed the contract," she said. "But they didn't feel that - given the response we had from our pre-existing safety mechanisms who told us that, given how fragile the NHS is at the moment, it would be unable to cope with five days of industrial action - trainees didn't feel able to take part. Patient safety is at the front of everything we do.

"We believe that the contract moving forward will be damaging to the workforce - and the consequences may well be that care is damaged for patients - but we didn't want to cause any harm to patients at the moment and so we took the difficult decision to suspend industrial action."

She added: "I wouldn't say it was a mistake (to call the strikes).

"The artificial timeline the Government gave us means that trainees are moving on October 5. We had to escalate the industrial action from where we were previously.
Falklands veteran's widow who hopes to have his child wins embryos battle

The widow of a Falklands war veteran has won a High Court declaration that gives her a "last chance" to have her late husband's child.

Samantha Jefferies, 42, from East Sussex, was forced to go to court after the shock discovery that the 10-year period for storing the frozen embryos the couple had created had been inexplicably amended to just two years and had since expired.

Mrs Jefferies and husband Clive had been undergoing fertility treatment when he died suddenly, aged 51, of a brain haemorrhage.

Samantha Jefferies, from East Sussex, arrives at the High Court in London

A judge has now declared that the amendment to the storage period was "not valid" and the embryos, instead of being allowed to perish, can still lawfully be stored and used.

The declaration was made by Sir James Munby, president of the Family Division of the High Court, who said he would give his reasons later in writing.

With tears in her eyes, Mrs Jefferies said the judge's decision was "overwhelmingly fantastic - just brilliant, amazing".

Mrs Jefferies, an occupational therapist, said she did not have a plan for using the embryos soon but added: "I would love to be a mum."

She thanked the judge for Googling the history of her hero husband, who served in the Royal Army Medical Corps and was on board the transport ship Sir Galahad when it was bombed in the Falklands in 1982, killing 48 men.

She told the court her husband was "a wonderful man", adding: "I want my husband's child."

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) had supported her application on the grounds that the amendment to the MT form - used to record consent for embryo storage - had not been signed by Mr Jefferies.

BMI Healthcare Ltd, which runs the Sussex Downs Fertility Centre, where the couple received treatment, also supported Mrs Jefferies and funded her legal costs. The judge said BMI seemed to have acted "with sensitivity and compasssion".

Mrs Jefferies paid tribute to all those who had supported her "common sense" application and said: "It has given me faith in the law."

In court, Jenni Richards QC told the judge: "Samantha has brought this case because the embryos she is seeking to preserve represent her last chance of having the child of her husband they had both so dearly wanted."

Three embryos were created from Mrs Jefferies' eggs and her late husband's sperm, with consent for them to be stored for 10 years from August 11 2013. Her husband also consented to their posthumous use.

The couple met in 1999 and married in December 2006 and always wanted to have children, the court heard.

After trying naturally for many years, they were referred in 2013 for NHS-funded IVF treatment, said Ms Richards.

A number of amendments were made to Mr Jefferies' consent form, including one specifying a reduction in the storage period from 10 years to two.

Most of the amendments were countersigned by Mr Jefferies, but the change to the storage period was not, said Ms Richards.

Mrs Jefferies did not know who made the amendment and it came as a shock when she discovered it.

Ms Richards said it was likely the amendment was made to reflect the clinic's policy at the time, which was to only offer storage for the period for which the NHS would provide funding.

There was evidence that the clinic had asked couples to amend their forms to two years if they had chosen a longer period of storage.
Child sex abuse probe lawyer read about his suspension on the internet

The national probe into child sex abuse has been plunged into fresh controversy after its senior lawyer said he learned of his suspension from the investigation via the internet.

In a fresh blow to the inquiry's credibility, its counsel, Ben Emmerson QC, said no allegations had yet been put to him and he was left to discover his suspension from news reports.

Dogged by controversy since it was set up by then Home Secretary Theresa May in 2014, the 100 million probe is already on its fourth chairwoman.

Ben Emmerson QC has been suspended from duty from the national probe into child sex abuse

However, Home Secretary Amber Rudd insists she retains full confidence in the investigation.

Mr Emmerson was suspended from his post because the probe had "recently become very concerned" about aspects of his leadership, a spokeswoman for the inquiry said.

Mr Emmerson has been "suspended from duty so that these can be properly investigated", the spokeswoman added.

"Suggestions in the press that Mr Emmerson was considering resigning after raising disagreements over the future direction of the inquiry are untrue.

"They are not a matter on which he has advised the chair of the inquiry or the panel," the inquiry spokeswoman said.

Lawyers acting for the counsel to the inquiry said: "Mr Emmerson has read this evening on the internet that he has been suspended from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. If, and when, allegations are put to him, he will respond appropriately."

Ms Rudd still has full confidence in the inquiry, a spokeswoman for the Home Office told the Press Association.

A spokeswoman for Ms Rudd said: "Ben Emmerson's suspension is a matter for the independent inquiry, which is continuing its vital work in exposing the failure of public bodies and other organisations to prevent systematic child sexual abuse.

"Our commitment to this inquiry is undiminished. We owe it to victims and survivors to confront the appalling reality of how children were let down by the very people who were charged to protect them and to learn from the mistakes of the past."

It had been reported that Mr Emmerson was preparing to quit the probe after clashing with the investigation's new head Alexis Jay.

Ms Jay took over last month after the investigation was rocked by the sudden resignation as chairwoman of senior New Zealand judge Dame Lowell Goddard, who cited the "legacy of failure" from its beginnings as one of the reasons for standing down.

Baroness Butler-Sloss stood down as chairwoman in 2014, saying she was "not the right person for the job" following opposition to her participation from victims' families due to the fact her brother, Sir Michael Havers, was attorney general during the period some of the allegations being looked into occurred.
Jail term for ex-Royal Household official who accepted bribes for contracts

A former Royal Household official who accepted more than 100,000 in bribes to award contracts for work at royal residences including Buckingham Palace has been jailed for five years.

Ronald Harper was deputy property manager responsible for maintaining the Queen's main London home, as well as St James's Palace, Clarence House and Windsor Castle, from 1994 until he was suspended in 2012.

The 64-year-old, from Sudbury in Suffolk, accepted payments or gifts from the directors of companies who were then given large contracts for maintenance of the historic buildings paid for by the then Civil List, now called the Sovereign Grant.

Former Royal Household official Ronald Harper has been jailed at Southwark Crown Court

The corrupt bribes were made "over a significant period of time" either directly to Harper or via a member of his family, while some of the money was used to pay Harper's credit card bills, jurors were told.

Sentencing Harper on Wednesday at Southwark Crown Court, Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith said one side of his personality showed a "hard-working, apparently loyal team player, admired and trusted by your colleagues", but the side they did not see was "dishonest and greedy".

He went on: "But nobody could have guessed that a trusted insider such as yourself could think of going to the lengths that you did to corrupt the system for personal gain.

"Your betrayal of your colleagues' trust and your lack of remorse at what you did are both remarkable."

Harper was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to make corrupt payments after two trials in June and August.

Among the firms that Harper dealt with was Melton Protective Services (MPS) and BSI Nordale, which were both awarded prestigious contracts for work within the royal palaces.

Judge Loraine-Smith told the court that Harper received at least 85,000 in relation to MPS between 2006 and 2011, and 20,000 from BS Nordale directors in two payments in 2011.

He said: "The betrayal of his fellow workers - that is what gets to me - having seen them all give evidence, truly embarrassed and not thinking their friend and colleague could act that way."

He also referred to an award Harper had on display on his office wall, saying: "I wonder how he felt about it as he sat and pocketed the money?"

In mitigation, Martin Taylor told the judge there had never been any complaint about Harper's work, which was "excellent".

The sought-after Royal Warrant given to MPS in 2005 in recognition of excellence was "well in advance of any criminality in this case" and there was "nothing to say" the company should not have received it, he said.

Mr Taylor admitted there were "many pejorative adjectives to describe his (Harper's) conduct" but that he was a father, grandfather and a "solid, reliable family member" and any sentence would have an "enormous effect" on his family.

"There is good and bad in him and this is the bad in him," he said to the judge.

Harper was sentenced along five others on Wednesday.

Former MPS director Steven Thompson, 62, from Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make corrupt payments and fraud by abuse of position and was jailed for 18 months, as was BSI Nordale director Christopher Murphy, 56, from Witham, Essex, for conspiracy to make corrupt payments.

Harper, Thompson and Murphy, who worked at Harrods at the time of the offences, patted their fellow defendants on the back and shook their hands before being sent down.

Alan Rollinson, 67, of Leigh-on-Sea, Essex was given 12 months suspended for two years for converting or transferring criminal property.

The judge also ordered Rollinson, Harper's brother-in-law, to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work within 12 months as he branded bribery "toxic" and said he had no doubt that Rollinson was aware of the money's true nature.

BSI Nordale director Aseai Zlaoui, 41, from Witham, Essex, who also was employed by Harrods, sobbed as she was given a 12 month suspended sentence for conspiracy to make corrupt payments, and ordered to undertake 200 hours of unpaid work within that time.

Judge Loraine-Smith said character references provided by her family, friends and colleagues "paint a picture of a decent, hard-working woman who would never agree to bribing anyone".

Glynn Orridge, 67, from Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, who pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position, was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid community work.

Nick Vamos, head of special crime at the CPS, said it had been a "complex scam".

"It was a long-running, sophisticated and well-planned fraud in which they exploited the good name and status of the Royal Household to enrich themselves at the taxpayers' expense," he added.
Fraport hit by plans for noise limit at Frankfurt airport

BERLIN, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Frankfurt airport's home state of Hesse plans to introduce a limit on aircraft noise pollution from Germany's largest hub in what would be a blow to operator Fraport.

The state's transport minister Tarek Al-Wazir, from the Green Party, said he wanted to ensure noise levels were not significantly increased from current levels, and that the number of take offs and landings could be restricted if noise limits were exceeded two years in a row.

Fraport is adding a third terminal, which will allow the airport to handle 701,000 take offs and landings a year when it is fully completed, up from 468,000 in 2015. The first phase is due to open in 2023.

Europe's fourth largest airport, Frankfurt served around 61 million passengers in 2015.

Al-Wazir said he would first speak with the aviation industry to try to reach a deal.

"Should these discussions not lead to agreement, we want to change the operating licence correspondingly," he said.

Fraport said it had decided to invest several billion euros in Frankfurt airport based on planning approval that has already been confirmed by the highest court in Germany and which sets out noise protection measures.

A spokesman said Fraport was not prepared to accept new limits on the number of flight movements, because it needed to be able to deal with changing demand.

"An upper noise limit must not be allowed to thwart our expansion plans," Fraport CEO Stefan Schulte said in a statement.

Lufthansa, the airport's biggest customer, backed Fraport by saying the conditions set out in the planning approval must not be changed retrospectively.

Airport and aviation associations also doubted whether changes to the airport's operating licence would be legal, and said such a move could harm investment in Germany by causing uncertainty for investors.

But the ministry in Hesse said the proposal would still allow Fraport to grow, especially as aircraft movements have been rising more slowly than expected and new technology meant modern planes were quieter.
Hungary PM says no link between migrant crisis, Budapest blast

BUDAPEST, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Tuesday he saw no sign that the migrant crisis had anything to do with an explosion on Saturday night in central Budapest, which wounded two police officers.

"No sign points to any link between the migrant crisis and the explosion," said Orban, whose government has vilified immigrants and linked them to terrorism. "We may not be able to exclude it but there is no sign of that now."
Ethiopians mark festival of finding Jesus' cross

By Tiksa Negeri

ADDIS ABABA, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Orthodox priests lit a bonfire in the heart of the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Monday evening to mark the eve of Meskel, a festival to mark the finding of the cross of Jesus.

Tens of thousands of people, many holding up candles in the failing light as the sun set, crowded on terraces around the square where the ceremony was led by the head of Ethiopia's Christian Orthodox church, Patriarch Abune Mathias.

Dressed in his golden ceremonial robes, the patriarch delivered blessings to mark what the church believes was the discovery in the fourth century of the cross of Jesus by Queen Helena, the mother of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great.

According to tradition, in 326 AD, Helena had prayed for guidance to find the cross on which Jesus was crucified and was directed by smoke from a burning fire to the location. Ethiopian Orthodox Christians believe she lit torches to celebrate.

The church tradition also records that the then Patriarch of Alexandria gave Ethiopian Emperor Dawit half of the cross in return for protecting Coptic Christians. A fragment of the cross is believed to be held in Ethiopia's Gishen Mariam monastery, about 100 km ( miles) north of the capital.

The celebration, in which hundreds or orthodox priests and deacons take part dressed in white robes, starts in the afternoon and ends after sunset, bringing the capital to a halt around its biggest square, which is called Meskel, the word for cross in the liturgical Ge'ez language.

The celebration has taken place in Addis Ababa since the city was founded more than 100 years ago.

The festival falls at the end of the rainy season and this year's celebration was preceded by a downpour, leaving priests to parade around large muddy puddles.

Families often hold their own celebrations by lighting smaller fires on streets outside their homes, before gathering inside to enjoy wine made from honey and "kitfo", the traditional food of raw minced meat in flat, dry bread.
U.S to deploy anti-missile system in S.Korea 'as soon as possible'

By David Brunnstrom

WASHINGTON, Sept 27 (Reuters) - The United States will speed up deployment of the THAAD anti-missile system to South Korea given the pace of North Korea's missile tests, and it will be stationed there "as soon as possible," the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia said on Tuesday.

Daniel Russel, assistant secretary of state for East Asia, also told a congressional hearing the United States was in discussions with international partners, including the European Union, to deny North Korea access to international banking infrastructure after its recent nuclear and missile tests.

Russel told the House subcommittee for Asia the timing of the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system was a Pentagon matter.

But he added: "Given the accelerating pace of North Korea's missile tests, we intend to deploy on an accelerated basis. I would say as soon as possible."

Asked if the deployment was a "done deal," Russel replied: "Yes."

A Pentagon spokesman, Commander Gary Ross, said THAAD would be deployed "as soon as feasible," but declined to give a specific timeline.

Russel told Reuters last week THAAD deployment was not negotiable as part of efforts to agree on new U.N. sanctions on North Korea after its fifth nuclear test on Sept. 9.

China, whose full backing is widely seen as crucial for sanctions on North Korea to be effective, is strongly opposed to THAAD and some experts have argued it should be part of talks on new U.N. measures.

Russel said China shared concerns about North Korea's nuclear program and there had been a vast improvement in cooperation on sanctions, even though there was "an awful lot more" Beijing needed to do to tighten them.

He said there had been "a very constructive and honest candid set of ongoing conversations" with China on new sanctions and added: "I hope you will see, as one of the products of that, real headway in the discussions."

Asked if consideration was being given to restricting North Korea's access to banking transaction services, such as the Swift system, Russel replied: "We are in discussions with our partners, including the EU, about tightening the application of sanctions and pressure, including and particularly to deny North Korea access to the international banking infrastructure."
South Sudan rebels say govt troops attack base in north, threaten retaliation

By Denis Dumo

JUBA, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Rebel forces in South Sudan said government troops attacked their garrison in a town in the north on Tuesday, and they threatened swift retaliation, stoking fears of another full-blown military confrontation in the young nation.

Political rivalry between South Sudan's president, Salva Kiir, and former vice president, Riek Machar, sparked a civil war in 2013. Although the pair signed a shaky peace deal a year ago, fighting has continued and Machar fled the country in July. He is now in Khartoum in neighbouring Sudan.

Kiir's government on Tuesday asked Sudan and other states in the region not to let Machar launch a new rebellion, after he threatened a return to the battlefield unless his demands needed to revive a peace deal were met.

Major Dickson Gatluak, spokesman for Machar's opposition group the SPLM-In-Opposition (SPLM-IO), told Reuters that government forces had attacked a rebel garrison in Bentiu, the capital of Unity State, which lies near the border with Sudan to the north.

Bentiu was a flashpoint town in the war that broke out in 2013.

"The fighting started this morning at 6am (local time) and our forces managed to fight back the enemy this afternoon", Gatluak said.

"Our forces will be taking quick action against the regime in Juba," he said.

He said U.N. staff in the capital Juba should evacuate the area to avoid potentially being trapped in any fighting.

After talks in Khartoum involving senior commanders and officials of the SPLM-IO last week, Machar and his allies in a statement over the weekend ordered their forces to reorganise for "armed resistance" to Kiir's government.

"If the peace agreement can be revived then we can go back to Juba, but if not then armed resistance is an option," Machar's spokesman James Gatdet Dak told Reuters in Nairobi earlier on Tuesday.

The government, he added, must reappoint Machar, let more troops return to Juba with him, allow the swift deployment of a regional protection force and scrap decisions taken since July.

The regional grouping IGAD, which includes Sudan, has told both sides to halt the violence and aims to send a protection force to secure the peace, a move that has U.N. backing.

"We are appealing to all IGAD member state not to allow Riek Machar and his group to use their soil, including Sudan, to stage attacks and as a springboard for organising violence against the people and transitional government," deputy government spokesman Akol Paul Kordi said.
Switzerland notches up eighth straight win for global competitiveness - WEF

By Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi ZURICH, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Switzerland has set a record in global economic competitiveness even as mounting political tension and uncertainty is contributing to sluggish growth worldwide, the World Economic Forum's annual rankings showed on Wednesday. Unrivalled innovation, a sophisticated business landscape and the world's most efficient workforce helped Switzerland to its eighth straight win, the Geneva-based WEF said. There were no newcomers to its 2016-2017 top 10, though the order of some of the leading countries shifted in its Global Competitiveness Report. Singapore and the United States stayed in second and third place. The Netherlands overtook Germany for fourth place, while Sweden in sixth spot and Britain in seventh leap-frogged Japan, Hong Kong and Finland. The Forum bases its assessment on a dozen drivers of competitiveness, including institutions, infrastructure, health and education, market size and the macroeconomic environment. The report also factors in a survey among business leaders assessing governments' efficiency and transparency. A jump in tech savviness -- making it the most technologically prepared country -- meant Switzerland achieved the highest competitiveness score since WEF introduced a new ranking system in 2007. "Switzerland arguably possesses one of the world's most fertile innovation ecosystems, combining a very conducive policy environment and infrastructure, academic excellence, an unmatched capacity to attract the best talent, and large multinationals that are often leaders in their sector as well as a dense network of small- and medium-sized enterprises," WEF said in its report. Britain moved up three places to its highest ranking in the past decade, led by improvements in its macroeconomic environment. But results were based on data predating Britain's June 23 vote to quit the EU, which posed considerable risks to its competitiveness, the study found. While China remained at the front of the BRICS pack at place 28, India made the biggest gain, rising 16 places to 39th. WEF warned that rising trade barriers -- which in the past decade had led to business leaders' perception of falling trade openness across high-income countries -- posed a risk to countries' ability to grow and innovate. "Declining openness in the global economy is harming competitiveness and making it harder for leaders to drive sustainable, inclusive growth," WEF Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said in a statement. The report also warned that quantitative easing and other monetary policy measures were proving insufficient to kickstart long-term growth in developed economies. Especially in countries with low competitiveness rankings, monetary intervention had failed to deliver as effective results as those undertaken in their more competitive counterparts. This suggested they would need to improve competitiveness in order to sustain growth, WEF said. Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) top 10 GCI ranking Country GCI ranking 2016-2017 2015-2016 1 Switzerland 1 2 Singapore 2 3 United States 3 4 Netherlands 5 5 Germany 4 6 Sweden 9 7 Britain 10 8 Japan 6 9 Hong Kong 7 10 Finland 8 (Reporting by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
Sarkozy would offer UK new EU treaty if he wins French presidency - FT

Sept 27 (Reuters) - French presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy said on Tuesday he would offer Britain a chance to reverse its Brexit vote by negotiating a new treaty for the European Union with Germany, if he wins presidency in 2017, the Financial Times reported.

Sarkozy said the new treaty would focus on reforming the Schengen passport-free zone, restricting the European Commission's prerogatives to a dozen, integrating the eurozone further and halting membership talks with Turkey, according to FT. (http://on.ft.com/2cAUKC1)

Sarkozy said if he is elected he would fly to Britain with a draft of new EU treaty the day after the second ballot of the presidential election to secure the support of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"I would tell the British, you've gone out, but we have a new treaty on the table so you have an opportunity to vote again," the former French president said to business leaders in Paris.

"But this time not on the old Europe, on the new Europe. Do you want to stay? If yes, so much the better. Because I can't accept to lose Europe's second-largest economy while we are negotiating with Turkey over its EU membership. And if it's no, then it's a real no. You're in or you're out."

Britain voted to leave the EU on June 23 and new Prime Minister Theresa May has so far repeated that the formal divorce notification will not be sent before the end of the year. Some aides have suggested her plan is to invoke Article 50 early in 2017.

After the shock referendum, Sarkozy, member of France's conservative Les Republicains party, had said that he wants a new EU treaty and the suspension of Turkey's EU accession negotiations.
Brazil senator, husband indicted in Petrobras scandal

SAO PAULO, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Brazilian Senator Gleisi Hoffmann and her husband, who both served in the ousted government of former President Dilma Rousseff, were indicted on Tuesday by the Supreme Court on corruption and money laundering charges in the Petrobras graft investigation.

Hoffmann, who was chief of staff to Rousseff during her first term, and husband Paulo Bernardo, will stand trial for allegedly receiving 1 million reais ($309,000) in kickback money to illegally fund her 2010 Senate election campaign.

As an elected official, Hoffmann can only be tried by the Supreme Court and five justices on the top court ruled unanimously to accept the charges against her.

She is the third sitting politician to go on trial in the massive bribery and kickback scandal uncovered two years ago at state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA.

The corruption scandal contributed to the removal of Rousseff in an impeachment trial in August, ending 13 years of leftist Workers Party rule.

Prosecutors said Bernardo, who was Rousseff's communications minister, requested the funds from former Petrobras supply director Paulo Roberto Costa when he was planning minister in the previous Workers Party-led government of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

The money was used in Hoffmann's campaign and never declared to electoral authorities, they said.
Kashmiris warn India its crackdown is turning some to militancy

By Douglas Busvine and Fayaz Bukhari

SRINAGAR, India, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Simmering anger over India's crackdown on 10 weeks of protests in Kashmir risks drawing more young people to radical rebellion, demonstrators and security officials warn, as the sense of despair and alienation from New Delhi deepens.

In the worst unrest in the disputed Himalayan region for six years, more than 80 civilians have been killed and thousands wounded, a widespread curfew is in place and suspected ringleaders are being held without charge.

"They are treating us like 'dons', like we are criminals," said Bilal Bhat, a 27-year-old journalist who is active in a local youth civil rights movement.

Bhat was taken in by police in August and told to stop posting articles on Facebook. It was the second time he has been held. "When I was beaten by the cop, I cursed myself for taking a pen - I should have taken a gun instead," he told Reuters.

A conflict that has seeped for decades and spilled into war twice between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan usually passes little noticed by the international community.

But the scale of the violence and security crackdown, and, more recently, a sharp escalation in tension between the neighbouring countries, have made the outside world sit up and pay attention.

India's security forces have also reinforced their already large presence in Kashmir, drafting in 20,000 paramilitaries and 10,000 more soldiers.

A senior Home Ministry official said India's security forces had reduced their use of pellet ammunition, which has drawn widespread condemnation, and had been instructed only to fire when they felt directly threatened.

"It is clear that the local Kashmiri youths were being used by Pakistan to attack Indian forces," the official said, responding to questions from Reuters about the use of force and risk of youth radicalisation.

"It is true that there is a lot of anger among the Kashmiris, but we cannot legitimise their anger if it is for all the wrong reasons."

ROOT OF THE PROBLEM?

India blames Pakistan for a raid earlier this month on a base that killed 18 soldiers, in the deadliest attack on its army in 14 years, prompting Hindu nationalist supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to call for revenge.

Several countries, alarmed at the prospect of a military response by India, condemned the attack, while Pakistan denied any involvement.

Journalist Bhat and others see the start of the latest crisis in Kashmir not as the attack on the army camp in Uri on Sept. 18, but the killing by Indian security forces of Burhan Wani, a popular separatist militant leader, on July 8.

Stone-throwing protesters took to the streets in a display of support for the slain insurgent that also reflected deep-rooted unease about a central government they say is pursuing a Hindu-nationalist agenda to pacify and assimilate India's only Muslim-majority region.

Many of those killed in the clashes died from shotgun pellets or rifle bullets fired by police and paramilitary troops, and the supposedly non-lethal pellet rounds have blinded hundreds of bystanders, including children and women.

"The police are using brute force," said one protester, a 27-year-old university graduate who works in the private sector and spoke to Reuters at a safe house in the old town of Srinagar, the summer capital of India's northernmost state.

"They are leaving local boys with no choice but to take up arms. You are creating home-grown rebels by your actions - and then you are labelling them as terrorists."

HOSPITAL WARD FULL

The ophthalmology ward of Srinagar's main SMHS hospital is still overflowing with patients either partly or fully blinded by pellet rounds fired by police or paramilitary troops.

Some, like Mushtaq, a 22-year-old student from the restive district of Pulwama, say they were demonstrating when they were shot at.

Despite being blinded in his right eye, which was swathed in a bandage, Mushtaq said: "I would go out again and protest once I recover."

Others, like an 18-year-old high school student who gave his name as Muhsin, say they were bystanders caught in the crossfire.

Four young boys tried to escape by jumping into the nearby Jhelum river but were fired on by police. Muhsin dived in to try and rescue one boy who had been shot, only to be hit himself in the left eye and blinded.

He was unable to save the boy, who drowned.

The 850-bed hospital has received hundreds of casualties from street clashes, which have died down for now.

"I don't know how we managed," said Dr Nisur Al-Hassan, a consultant at the hospital and president of the Doctors Association of Kashmir.

Hassan said he had seen patients "with eyes gone, spleens gone, kidneys gone. These pellets have pierced their hearts, their abdomens, their brains. We can only operate on three to five patients at a time. You can only imagine."

"FAILURE TO ANTICIPATE"

Human rights activist Khurram Parvez, a vocal critic of the security crackdown, was on the way to present his findings to a UN rights meeting in Geneva when he was turned back at Delhi's international airport on Sept. 14.

After Parvez returned home to Srinagar he was briefly detained, and then re-arrested under a public safety law that allows suspects to be held for six months without being charged.

Parvez is not alone: in jail is moderate separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, while hundreds more suspected protest ringleaders have been detained over the past month in raids on towns and villages across the Kashmir Valley.

Schools in Srinagar have been commandeered and turned into barracks and, even in quieter parts of the city of 1.3 million where the curfew has been lifted, there is a heavy security presence. Most shops remain shut.

A senior army officer said the outbreak of protests in Kashmir had at first been overwhelming.

"Our failure was in not being able to anticipate the extent of the protests," the officer said, on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the record.

"We were unable to stabilise the cycle of violence and killing. Some lives were lost because the use of force was required. Our crowd control methods are primitive, but in this part of the world nothing else would have worked."

In the meantime, the protests have given a new lease of life to militants who have been sighted among the crowds and are believed by the authorities to be playing an active role in organising them.

"It's a very organised hoodlum element that works with the militants," said a senior police officer with long experience of the insurgency in Kashmir that first broke out at the end of the 1980s.

The officer pulled a smartphone out of his pocket and showed a video circulated by Zakir Rashid Bhat, named to replace Wani as Hizbul Mujahideen's commander in South Kashmir.

The video shows men in uniform beating protesters and is accompanied by a soundtrack of rhythmic chants urging people to be faithful and to take revenge against the police.

"This is the imagery of ISIS," the police officer said, referring to the extremist group Islamic State. "The radicalisation is growing stronger."
Uber aims to win Japan's heart through its stomach

By Naomi Tajitsu

TOKYO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Uber Technologies on Wednesday said it will launch a food-delivery service in Japan as it looks for new ways to enter a potentially massive market where its ride-hailing service has been blocked by regulation and opposition from taxi drivers.

The U.S. technology firm is innovating in a bid to establish its brand in Japan, although it is tight-lipped about when it expects to be able to offer ride-hailing services in the country's major cities.

Japan is a key battleground in Uber's plans for Asia, after it pulled out of China two months ago and as it fends off challenges from ambitious regional rivals like four-year-old Singapore-based Grab and Indonesia's Go-Jek.

"Uber believes Japan is an important market, and if it can demonstrate success in Japan, it can go into other Asian countries with momentum," said Brian Solis, digital analyst at Altimeter Group in San Francisco.

The launch of food-delivery service UberEats in Japan will give Uber a slice of a market which almost doubled in 2014 to 1.9 trillion yen ($19 billion), according to Yano Research Institute.

Job listings on Uber and other recruiting sites suggest UberEats is planning to enter at least 22 new countries across the world in the near future, on top of the six countries where it already operates.

Its launch in Japan comes after the firm started two ride-hailing pilot services for elderly people in rural towns earlier this year. Japan's ageing population makes it an attractive prospect for ride-hailing companies.

But Uber is still a long way from expanding its ride-hailing services into big cities, thanks to regulations outlawing non-professional drivers from transporting paying customers, as well as opposition from the powerful taxi lobby.

In Tokyo, Uber operates as a travel agent, connecting users to established taxi company drivers.

IN THE MIX

Food delivery and the pilot ride-hailing projects would provide valuable information about customer preferences and traffic conditions as Uber looks to expand its logistics businesses in Japan.

They are part of a broader strategy to offer more diverse services rather than focusing almost exclusively on ride-hailing, analysts said.

"Uber seems to be getting smarter about the mix of services they will offer in various parts of the world, in response to cultural differences, regulation, and competition," said Jan Dawson, chief analyst at Jackdaw Research in Utah.

"It seems to be less willing to simply barge into new markets while ignoring regulations or objections than in the past."
Thai junta allows 'culture of torture' to flourish - rights group

BANGKOK, Sept 28 (Reuters) - International human rights group Amnesty International on Wednesday accused Thailand's military government of allowing a "culture of torture" to flourish since the army seized power in a 2014 coup.

The military took power in Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy after months of street protests against a populist government, saying it had to step in to prevent violence and restore order.

It rejects accusations of rights violations and a government spokesman said on Wednesday investigations into allegations of torture had found no evidence of any such abuse.

Since the coup, dozens of government critics have been held in military detention, although the exact number has not been released.

Amnesty International said in a report it had documented 74 cases of alleged torture at the hands of soldiers and police, and post-coup decrees had allowed authorities to detain people incommunicado.

The group cited allegations of beatings, smothering with plastic bags, waterboarding and electric shocks on detainees by authorities.

"Empowered by laws of their own making, Thailand's military rulers have allowed a culture of torture to flourish, where there is no accountability for the perpetrators and no justice for the victims," said Rafendi Djamin, Amnesty International's director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

The government denied accusations of torture, said General Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesman in the Prime Minister's Office.

"Our investigations into such allegations have shown no indication of torture, I have seen no indication of torture and the Thai people have seen no indication of torture," Sansern told Reuters.

LAUNCH CALLED OFF

Amnesty International was due to hold a news conference at a Bangkok hotel to release the report.

But minutes before the event, men wearing jackets with tags identifying them as Ministry of Labour officials, accompanied by police, said the speakers could face arrest under labour laws.

In response, organisers cancelled the launch, Omar Waraich, media manager for Amnesty International in Asia, told Reuters.

"We are here on business visas, we have an office in Thailand, we are not singling out the Thai government," Waraich, said, adding that Amnesty had received no communication from the government on the report or the launch.

In March, the government gave soldiers powers of arrest and detention saying there were not enough police to tackle crime. Rights groups said the powers would only help strengthen a crackdown on critics.

Thailand came under fire in May at a U.N. review of its rights record with some member states expressing concern over the rights situation.

Amnesty said torture tactics were encouraged by "legal incentives", including martial law, which the military ditched in 2015 and replaced with Article 44 of an interim constitution which gives the military similar powers to those it had during martial law, and which critics have dubbed a "dictator law".

A junta order issued in April 2015 allows the military to detain people for up to seven days without charge.

Junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha, who is also prime minister, has frequently defended the 2014 coup saying it was necessary to bring order back after years of on-off political unrest.
Thailand rules out Zika link in two microcephaly cases; investigating two

BANGKOK, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Thailand ruled out on Wednesday Zika as the cause of two cases of microcephaly but is investigating two other cases that could be the first linked to Zika in Southeast Asia of the condition that results in babies being born with small heads.

Microcephaly is a rare birth defect that has been linked, in Brazil in particular, to the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which is spreading in Southeast Asia.

Thai health authorities said on Tuesday they were investigating four suspected cases of Zika-related microcephaly in three babies and a 36-week old unborn baby.

But on Wednesday, Apichai Mongkol, director-general of the ministry's Department of Medical Sciences, said Zika had been ruled out as the cause in two of the cases.

"The test results showed that two did not have the Zika virus but it is still unclear with the other two because we found three flavivirus which means it could be dengue, Zika or meningitis," Apichai told Reuters.

"To be sure which of the three they contracted we need to investigate further."

There are no specific tests to determine if a baby will be born with microcephaly but ultrasound scans in the third trimester of pregnancy can identify the problem, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

It was not clear which of the four cases had been ruled out as having a link to Zika.

Zika has been linked to more than 1,800 confirmed cases of microcephaly in Brazil but there have been no confirmed cases of Zika causing the condition in Southeast Asia, according to the WHO.

Microcephaly has several potential causes including various infections, exposure to toxins and malnutrition, the WHO says.

Health authorities in Southeast Asia have reported a rising number of Zika cases with Thailand confirming 349 since January, including 33 pregnant women. Singapore has recorded 393, including 16 pregnant women.

The Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam have also reported Zika cases.

Thailand's public health ministry said earlier the four suspected microcephaly cases were not in Bangkok but it declined to say where they were found.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Authority said on Wednesday officials had confirmed 26 Zika cases in the city this month.

The director-general of the Disease Control Department, Amnuay Gajeena, said out of 33 cases of pregnant women with Zika, eight had given birth without complications.

There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika. An estimated 80 percent of people infected have no symptoms, making it difficult for pregnant women to know whether they have been infected.
Poland - Factors to Watch Sept 28

Following are news stories, press reports and events to watch that may affect Poland's financial markets on Wednesday. ALL TIMES GMT (Poland: GMT + 2 hours):

MPC

Polish rate-setting panel member Lukasz Hardt was quoted as saying by the Rzeczpospolita daily that there is no need to introduce quantitative easing in Poland.

AIRPORTS

Head of Warsaw's second-largest airport Modlin has criticised an idea to replace the city's main airport Chopin Okecie with a new central airport worth 30 billion zlotys ($7.85 billion). Leszek Chorzewski opted for developing Modlin instead.

GRUPA AZOTY

Poland's No.1 fertilizer maker, Grupa Azoty, plans international expansion, Chief Executive Officer Mariusz Bober told the Gazeta Polska newspaper.

GOVERNMENT

Potential government re-shuffle may be announced on Thursday or Friday, the Nasz Dziennik daily said.

****Reuters has not verified stories reported by Polish media and does not vouch for their accuracy.****
British sun worshippers help TUI outshine Thomas Cook

By Sarah Young

LONDON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Holiday company TUI Group lifted its profit forecast for the year due to demand from British holidaymakers and gave a more positive outlook than smaller rival Thomas Cook, which has been hit by a higher Turkish exposure.

Britons' growing appetite for winter sun also gave TUI, Europe's largest tour operator, confidence for the coming year in its trading update on Wednesday.

Turkey's popularity as a holiday destination has plunged following an attack on tourists in Istanbul in January and a failed coup in July, forcing tour operators such as TUI and Thomas Cook to rapidly add more flights and hotels in alternatives such as Spain and Portugal.

TUI's operation of the long-haul Boeing Dreamliner 787 aircraft, of which it over 10, has also given it an advantage over Thomas Cook, in an environment where holidaymakers are going further afield to find winter sun.

"Where they've (TUI) been a bit more differentiated particularly for winter is looking to put on this additional long-haul product with new 787s," Cenkos analyst Simon French said.

TUI is the only leisure airline to operate Boeing's Dreamliner, an aircraft which it says is highly rated by customers.

TUI said that it would deliver underlying profit growth (EBITA) of between 12 and 13 percent at constant currency rates in the 12 months ended Sept. 30, compared to an August forecast for growth of at least 10 percent.

That performance was driven by a 5 percent rise in bookings from the UK over the summer, as Britons defied worries that a devaluation of the pound since the country's June 23 vote for Brexit would deter people from going on holidays abroad.

TUI's shares rose 2 percent to 1,108 pence 0915 GMT, hitting their highest level since February and cementing a recovery from a low of 813 pence on the day the Brexit result was announced.

There was also strong British demand for holidays for the 2016/17 winter period, TUI said, with bookings up 22 percent as customers, who due to security concerns in nearer winter sun destinations such as Egypt and Tunisia, opted to go on long-haul holidays to places like Mexico, the Caribbean and Sri Lanka.

"You've still got a very difficult geo-political backdrop but these companies and customers are getting more adept at dealing with that," French said, referring to the security issues in some formerly popular destinations.
Dotcom's appeal against extradition to U.S. winds up in New Zealand, ruling likely weeks away

By Charlotte Greenfield

WELLINGTON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Lawyers for German entrepreneur Kim Dotcom, wanted in the United States on copyright infringement and money-laundering charges over his file-sharing website Megaupload, argued on Wednesday there was not enough evidence to show he conspired to commit a crime.

The Auckland court heard closing arguments in Dotcom's four-week appeal against a lower court's decision to extradite him to the U.S., the first New Zealand court proceedings to be broadcast live on the internet.

The appeal took place nearly five years after dozens of black-clad police rappelled into the flamboyant entrepreneur's New Zealand mansion and cut him from a safe room.

U.S. authorities say Dotcom and three co-accused Megaupload executives cost film studios and record companies more than $500 million and generated more than $175 million by encouraging paying users to store and share copyrighted material.

The four deny wrongdoing and are on bail.

The case has been closely watched by the media industry and developers in the file-sharing business for signs of how far the United States is willing to go to protect copyright holders.

"Dotcom is one of these poster boys for these file sharing sites," said Marcelo Rodriguez Ferrere, an administrative law academic at Otago University.

"A successful extradition to the U.S. could make this a really important case down the track for determining the legality or otherwise of sites like Mega."

Years of legal wrangling followed Dotcom's arrest in the police raid in 2012 and it emerged that the Government Communications Security Bureau had illegally spied on him before the raid.

While the main arguments have now been heard, a few technical matters have yet to be argued in court. Lawyers said a decision was likely to be weeks away - and it was unlikely to be the final word.

"Given the stakes of this case, the losing party will likely appeal any adverse judgment to the Court of Appeal," said Ira Rothken, a lawyer representing Dotcom, in an email.

The appeal set a precedent when the judge gave permission for the hearing to be streamed on YouTube, but legal experts at the time had warned that appeals hearings tend to be similar to "watching paint dry".

Rodriguez Ferrere said the "monolithically boring" nature of the entire proceeding "turned everybody off".
Turkey arrests some 32,000 in coup plot investigation since July - justice minister

ISTANBUL, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Turkey has formally arrested 32,000 people in its investigation of a religious movement the government blames for staging a military coup attempt on July 15, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Wednesday.

In a live interview with broadcaster NTV, Bozdag also said a total of about 70,000 people have faced legal proceedings on suspicion of links with U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the government says engineered the failed coup. Gulen, who lives in the United States, denies any involvement.
U.S. strike in Afghanistan kills 18, most militants but possibly civilians too

JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Sept 28 (Reuters) - A suspected U.S. drone strike against Islamic State in Afghanistan killed 18 people on Wednesday, most of them militants but possibly including some civilians, Afghan officials said.

Civilians casualties in U.S. air strikes against Taliban and other militants in Afghanistan have long been a source of friction between the allies who have been fighting since 2001 to end militant opposition to the government in Kabul.

The strike in Nangarhar province, on the eastern border with Pakistan, killed 18 people, 15 of them militants and three civilians, said Mohammed Ali, police chief of Achin district where the attack occurred.

"They were in a house to visit someone who had just come from the Hajj pilgrimage," he said. "A drone targeted the house and killed most of them."

Provincial police spokesman Hazrat Hussain Mashriqiwal said several Islamic State leaders had been killed, but he denied there were any noncombatants among the victims.

Islamic State has enticed hundreds, perhaps thousands, of fighters in Afghanistan and Pakistan to join, and it holds some territory in Nangarhar, with Achin a stronghold.

But it has not been able to expand its influence in Afghanistan beyond a few districts and the Taliban remain the dominant Islamist force.

A spokesman for the U.S. military command in Kabul confirmed that U.S. forces conducted a "counter-terrorism" air strike in Achin, but would not discuss the details of the target.

"U.S. Forces - Afghanistan takes all allegations of civilian casualties very seriously," said Brigadier General Charles Cleveland.

"We are aware of some claims of Afghan casualties, and are currently reviewing all materials related to this strike. We are continuing to look into these allegations."

Determining which victims were civilians and which were militants would not be possible until an investigation was complete, said Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the provincial governor.

Thousands of U.S. troops remain in Afghanistan, with many recent air strikes and special operations missions aimed at Islamic State in Nangarhar, as well as helping Afghan forces in their fight against the Taliban in various parts of the country.
Lightning storms knock out power to entire Australian state

By James Regan and Tom Westbrook

SYDNEY, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Severe storms and thousands of lightning strikes knocked out power to the entire state of South Australia on Wednesday, authorities said, leading to port closures and commuter chaos.

South Australia is the country's fifth most populous state, with 1.7 million people and Adelaide as its capital, and is a major wine producer and traditional manufacturing hub.

The Bureau of Meteorology said a vigorous cold front was moving across the state with an intense low pressure system due on Thursday.

"We'll have gale force winds and large seas (across the south of the country); also heavy rain and thunderstorms, which will lead to renewed river rises," it said on its website.

SA Power Networks said repairs to its transmission network were underway.

"There were more than 21,000 lightning strikes recorded over a 12-hour period from midday yesterday on the West Coast, and as a result it is likely some damage has occurred to our distribution network," it said.

The state had been brought to a standstill, with ports closed, trains and trams stopped, traffic lights out and long commuter delays, state agencies said.

South Australia was relying on accessing power from Australia's populous east coast via a power interconnector with the neighbouring state of Victoria when there was a failure on Wednesday.

No power was flowing from Victoria into South Australia, said a spokesman for the Australian Energy Market Operator, which operates the power systems in southern and eastern Australia.

When the state tried to compensate, it experienced what is known as a "voltage collapse", Simon Emms, executive manager of network services at network operator ElectraNet, told ABC Radio, due to storm damage to power lines. This led to a statewide outage.

A spokeswoman for Electranet said power was being restored to some areas of Adelaide, but could not say when the lights would go on across the state.

"Now, clearly, questions will be raised," Federal Minister for the Environment and Energy Josh Frydenberg told Sky News. "Serious questions will be raised that need to be answered as to how this extreme weather event could take out the whole of the electricity supply across a major state such as South Australia."

The impact was wide-ranging, with traffic coming to a standstill in Adelaide while power supplies were disrupted to BHP Billiton's Olympic Dam copper-uranium mine, a huge mining operation more than 500 km (300 miles) to the northwest.
Iraqi minister's downfall hurts prospect for financial bailout

By Stephen Kalin

BAGHDAD, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Last week's dismissal of Iraqi Finance Minister Hoshiyar Zebari, the latest convulsion in Baghdad's increasingly unstable politics, risks delaying billions of dollars in badly needed budget support from international lenders and investors.

Parliament dismissed Zebari, a prominent Kurdish official who served previously as foreign minister for more than a decade, after questioning him over alleged corruption and mishandling of public funds.

Zebari denied the charges as "vengeful, politicised and short-sighted", accusing former prime minister Nuri al-Maliki of orchestrating his ouster in a bid to topple the government of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

The political infighting comes as major OPEC producer Iraq struggles to fill a public deficit left by the collapse in global prices for its crude exports.

It is yet another senior vacancy for Abadi's government, which also has no defence minister or interior minister, even as it is preparing for its biggest battle yet to recover territory captured by Islamic State, with a U.S.-backed assault on the jihadist bastion of Mosul expected in coming months.

To replace missing oil revenue, Iraq has turned to the International Monetary Fund for a loan package, which would also serve as the basis for other lenders to provide support.

The IMF approved a three-year, $5.34 billion standby loan in July, in exchange for a package of economic reforms. Baghdad hopes that will unlock more than $12 billion in additional aid from sources such as the World Bank and the Group of Seven leading industrialised nations.

But without Zebari, an avuncular fluent English speaker well respected in international capitals, the Baghdad government loses the figure most closely associated with the deal.

Christian Josz, head of the IMF's Iraq mission, called Zebari "a champion" of the standby agreement.

"He was a big driver behind the reform, and now we don't know who is going to take over from him," Josz told Reuters in a phone interview. He said negotiations would continue with Zebari's eventual replacement, once named: "The IMF has programmes with countries, not individuals."

An initial tranche of $640 million was dispersed in July, but the next tranche of equal value depends on a first review. That could happen as early as mid-November but may be delayed while Iraq gets its house in order.

Revising the draft budget that Iraq presented to the IMF last month is key, said Josz.

"It was too expensive, not in line with the commitment in the standby arrangement," he said. "We need to see eye-to-eye on the 2017 budget."

Josz said he expected an update from the Iraqis during a regular IMF meeting in Washington early next month. The government said on Tuesday it was cutting 2017 expenditures to 90.22 trillion Iraqi dinars ($77.51 billion).

CRUX POINT

The IMF meeting will be a "crux point", said a Western diplomat in Baghdad who closely monitors Iraq's economic affairs.

"Can they get themselves back in order and deliver things by then? If I were to put a bet on it, I would say it would be delayed at the very least but it probably will just be a delay."

Changing ministers in the middle of an IMF programme would not necessarily pose a significant obstacle by itself, but Iraq's deal is just taking effect and many of the reforms were driven by Zebari himself, said the diplomat.

"If they're struggling to do that (implement reforms) already and then you get rid of Zebari who was a main proponent of a lot of this, it's just going to delay it."

Baghdad has also said it would boost its finances by selling a $1 billion bond with full guarantee of the United States and a $1 billion Eurobond in the last quarter of 2016.

Those plans could now be in jeopardy.

"With Hoshiyar gone, everything is up in the air," a source familiar with the matter told Reuters, using Zebari's first name.

Yet potential investors remain optimistic. Kaan Nazli, senior economist for emerging markets debt at Neuberger Berman in the Hague, said Iraq was now well-placed to issue debt even if the IMF deal is delayed, because a reform structure is now in place and oil production was boosted this year.

"They would be in a position to go to the investors and present a balance sheet that they can meet the financing gap, and then for the difference they can go to the market," said Nazli. He predicted bonds would yield below 10 percent, compared to the 11 percent investors sought during a government roadshow last year, which Baghdad decided was too much to pay.

His firm holds some of the last international debt Iraq sold in 2006, when it issued about $2.7 billion of bonds due in 2028 with a coupon of 5.8 percent.

Political risk consultancy Eurasia Group forecasts Zebari's impeachment will have a short-term negative impact but the IMF will remain committed to its standby agreement.

"The international community is still interested in propping up Prime Minister Abadi and ensuring progress in the war on the Islamic State," it said in a research note, predicting the government would remain in place at least until early 2017.

A U.S.-led coalition battling the ultra-hardline jihadists in Iraq and neighbouring Syria has poured billions of dollars into bombing the militants and retraining Iraq's army and police, which dropped their weapons and fled two years ago. Economic collapse would risk undermining those military gains.

VACANCIES AT THE TOP

Zebari's dismissal brings to five the number of ministerial posts that are vacant or filled on an interim basis, including sensitive security portfolios. Lawmakers have gathered signatures to initiate the process to dismiss at least two more, including the foreign minister.

A deputy has been running the Interior Ministry since Mohammed Ghabban resigned in July following the deadliest car bombing in Baghdad since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Defence Minister Khalid Obeidi, a Sunni Muslim ally of Shi'ite Prime Minister Abadi, was ousted by parliament last month on corruption charges related to weapons contracts, which he denied.

Iraqi and Western officials say the vacancies will not affect the campaign against Islamic State, in which operations are overseen by deputies and field commanders. After Obeidi's dismissal, the military retook the northern district of Shirqat, a stepping stone to Mosul.

Sami Askari, a senior Shi'ite politician, said Baghdad would be able to maintain its IMF deal without Zebari, just as it had managed to press on with its military campaign despite the vacancies in the security ministries.
Syria govt forces battle rebels in Aleppo ground attacks-rebels

BEIRUT, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Syrian government forces battled rebel fighters on several fronts in ground attacks in Aleppo on Wednesday, rebel officials said, as the army and its allies pressed a Russian-backed offensive to take back the city.

A senior rebel official said pro-government forces were also mobilising in apparent preparation for more ground attacks in central areas of the city, which is divided into zones controlled separately by the rebels and government.

"There have been clashes in al-Suweiqa from 5 a.m. until now. The army advanced a little bit, and the guys are now repelling it, God willing," a fighter in the rebel Levant Front group said in a voice recording sent to Reuters, referring to an area where there was also fighting on Tuesday.
Egypt arrests owner, crew of shipwrecked migrant boat

CAIRO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Egyptian authorities have arrested the owner and crew members of a boat that sank last week carrying hundreds of migrants, the security chief of Beheira province was quoted as saying by state media on Wednesday.

The boat capsized off the Mediterranean coast on Sept. 21. Rescue workers and fishermen said they had rescued at least 169 people, but at least 202 people died and uncertainty remains over how many might still be missing.

"Security services were able to arrest 15 people, who are crew members, brokers, who were involved in the accident that killed 202 people until now," security chief Alaa el Din Shawky said, adding that the owner of the boat was also arrested.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday it believed at least 450 people were aboard the vessel and that about 300 perished in all. Egyptian security sources initially said there had been almost 600 migrants aboard.

Officials said the boat was carrying Egyptian, Sudanese, Eritrean and Somali migrants, and that they believed it was heading for Italy.
Global shipping firms raided in S.Africa over suspected collusion

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Six of the world's biggest container shipping companies were raided by South African authorities on Wednesday on suspicion of colluding to inflate rates between Asia and South Africa, the country's Competition Commission said.

The six companies comprise local subsidiaries of Denmark's Maersk, Swiss-headquartered Mediterranean Shipping Company, France's CMA CGM Shipping, Germany's Hamburg Sud, Singapore-based Pacific International Line and Maersk unit Safmarine, the commission said in a statement.

It said the firms were suspected of engaging in collusive practices to fix incremental rates on the shipment of cargo from Asia to South Africa.

"Any cartel by shipping liners in this region results in inflated prices for cargo transportation," Competition Commissioner Tembinkosi Bonakele said.

"Such cartels have the effect of significantly derailing the economic growth of the region."

A search and seizure operation focused on premises of the six firms will involve confiscating documents and electronic data and follows a tip-off by a member of the public, the commission said.
Norway appeals court rejects Snowden extradition lawsuit

OSLO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - A Norwegian appeals court has rejected a lawsuit from fugitive former U.S. spy contractor Edward Snowden against the Norwegian government, upholding the verdict of a lower court, it said on Wednesday.

Snowden's law firm said in April he would take Norway to court to secure free passage to the Nordic country to receive a free speech award, but the Oslo District Court dismissed the case in June.

"The court of appeal has -- like the district court -- concluded that the lawsuit must be rejected," it said on Wednesday, adding that the justice ministry could not be compelled to issue an advance decision on whether or not to extradite.

Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor who leaked details about the U.S. government's massive surveillance programmes, was granted asylum in Russia, which borders Norway, after fleeing the United States in 2013.

Supporters see him as a whistleblower who boldly exposed government excess. But the U.S. government has filed espionage charges against him for leaking intelligence information.

Snowden had been invited to Norway to receive an award from the local branch of writers' group PEN International, but worried that he would be handed over to the United States, his lawyers have said.
Malaysia's Proton owner says looking at 5 proposals for stake sale

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Malaysian conglomerate DRB-Hicom said on Wednesday it was looking at five proposals from foreign bidders for a stake sale in car maker Proton, but said it would continue to have a "substantial" holding.

Managing director Syed Faisal Albar Syed Ali Rethza Albar declined to name the firms that have shown an interest.

"We are at the stage of trying to understand their strategic proposals. We will be going around to meet them, and to understand their proposals," he told reporters at an event.

He added that the company, which wholly owns Proton, would not be giving away a 70 to 80 percent stake.
Bulgaria announces new candidate Georgieva for U.N. leadership race

By Tsvetelia Tsolova

SOFIA, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Bulgaria nominated its European commissioner, Kristalina Georgieva, on Wednesday for the post of United Nations Secretary-General and withdrew support from its previous candidate Irina Bokova.

Georgieva, a vice-president of the Commission who is responsible for sorting out the EU's budget after Britain's vote to leave the bloc, has a better chance to become the first woman to head the global body, Bulgaria's prime minister said.

However Bokova, director-general of the United Nations' cultural arm UNESCO, said she would stay in the race to replace Ban Ki-moon after coming sixth among nine contenders in the latest round of voting at the U.N. Security Council on Monday.

Announcing the decision to switch Bulgaria's support to Georgieva, Prime Minister Boiko Borisov told the cabinet: "We consider this will be a more successful nomination."

Nearly a third of the 193 U.N. member states, led by Colombia, and civil society groups have pushed for a female secretary-general. The nomination of the highly-regarded Georgieva could revive their fading hopes, diplomats said.

Georgieva, 63, a former World Bank economist, said she would present her credentials and vision for the top U.N. job to member states. If her bid is successful she would also be the first secretary-general from eastern Europe to take the post.

"I am deeply honoured by the decision of the Government of my country to put my name forward for the post of Secretary-General of the United Nations," she said in a statement.

The EU Commission has granted Georgieva a month's leave while she seeks election, a spokesman said on Wednesday. Guenther Oettinger, the German commissioner who handles digital affairs, will step in for October to cover her portfolio, the EU budget and human resources.

TWO BULGARIAN WOMEN IN RACE

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov said U.N. procedure did not allow for a country to withdraw a nomination and that Bokova would have to decide how to proceed.

Sofia had said it would reconsider its support for Bokova if she did not come first or second in the latest ballot.

But Bokova, who has served as Bulgarian ambassador to France and Monaco and briefly as acting foreign minister in a Socialist government in the 1990s, said on Twitter in the account IrinaForUN: "Grateful to you all who support me and fully committed to continue the race for #NextSG!@She4SG."

Prior to Georgieva's nomination, Bokova told a Bulgarian newspaper she saw no reason to quit the race and said the nomination of a second Bulgarian candidate would only hurt the chances of both.

Her replacement angered Bulgaria's opposition Socialist party, which said it would try to build support for a parliamentary no-confidence vote in Borisov's centre-right government over its foreign policy.

In Monday's secret ballot, the fifth in the process, former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres remained in the lead. The 15-member Security Council will continue holding secret ballots in a bid to reach consensus on a candidate that it then recommends to the 193-member U.N. General Assembly for election.
Philippine jail brawl wounds inmates set to testify against Duterte rival

MANILA, Sept 28 (Reuters) - A riot broke out at a Philippine prison on Wednesday, killing one inmate and wounding three, all of whom had been expected to testify at a congressional inquiry on alleged criminal activity by the president's biggest critic.

Rolando Asuncion, chief of the Philippines' corrections bureau, said a drug trafficker was stabbed to death in the brawl, and one of the three wounded men, kidnapper Jaybee Sebastian, had been scheduled to give evidence next week.

Dates had not yet been set for testimony from the rest.

The inquiry, initiated by allies of President Rodrigo Duterte, will test allegations that his rival, Senator Leila de Lima, a former justice minister, was colluding with prison inmates and taking payments from them to fund her poll campaign.

Asuncion dismissed a suggestion by House speaker Pantaleon Alvarez that the riot could have been an attempt to derail the inquiry, however.

"It's just a plain riot," he told reporters. "This is just a usual occurrence in prisons."

Senators this month ousted De Lima from the leadership of a panel investigating a spate of nearly 3,000 killings during Duterte's three-month-old war on drugs, squashing a rare domestic challenge to his high-profile crackdown.

"We don't want him dead," Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre told reporters, referring to the wounded Sebastian.

"We're counting on him to spill the beans, he goes direct to De Lima."

The killings have drawn widespread international criticism, including from the United Nations, drawing angry responses from Duterte.

But De Lima's removal, and the subsequent inquiry, show how much clout Duterte has won during his short time in office.

At a news conference, De Lima expressed anger at what she called the "mafia tactics" being used to get prisoners to cooperate in the case against her.

Duterte, about to leave on a two-day visit to neighbouring Vietnam, urged his staunchest critic to take a rest.
Kremlin: Rebel rocket did not down MH17 airliner over Ukraine

MOSCOW, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Wednesday that radar data showed that Malaysian airliner MH17 was definitely not brought down by a rocket fired from territory held by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine in 2014.

International prosecutors investigating the plane's downing are due to report their findings later on Wednesday and have said they will reveal the firing location and type of BUK missile used in the attack.

Asked about the report, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters that data obtained by the Russian military had already made it clear that the rocket had not been fired from rebel territory, but from elsewhere.

"First-hand radar data identified all flying objects which could have been launched or in the air over the territory controlled by rebels at that moment," said Peskov.
Bulgaria parliament approves state aid over cancelled nuclear project

SOFIA, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's parliament on Wednesday extended state aid to energy firm NEK, which must pay over 620 million euros ($694 million) to Russia over a cancelled nuclear power project.

The country plans to pay at least 400 million euros to Russia's nuclear giant Rosatom by year-end, and hopes it will get the European Commission's approval for the aid by then.

A court ruled in June that Sofia must pay the sum for the equipment produced by Rosatom for the Belene nuclear project, which Bulgaria abandoned in 2012 due to financial constraints along with U.S. and EU concerns over its energy dependence on Russia.

Bulgaria gave a contract to Rosatom in 2006 to build two 1,000 megawatt reactors at Belene on the Danube River

Failure to pay back swiftly may prompt Russia to seek insolvency of Bulgaria's public electricity provider NEK, putting at risk its financial stability and that of the whole energy sector, energy officials have said.

The aid funds will be come from Bulgaria's relatively hefty fiscal reserve and will not have a negative impact on next year's public finances, the head of the parliamentary budgetary commission, Menda Stoyanova, said.

Stoyanova said aid will be repaid from the proceeds of the nuclear equipment the company will receive from Russia, but the exact terms of how and when it will be paid are yet to be agreed upon.
SABMiller investors cheer $100 bln-plus AB InBev takeover

By Martinne Geller and Philip Blenkinsop

LONDON/BRUSSELS, Sept 28 (Reuters) - SABMiller shareholders overwhelmingly backed the brewer's $100 billion-plus takeover by Anheuser-Busch InBev on Wednesday, clearing the last big hurdle for one of the largest corporate mergers in history.

The combined group will sell more than a quarter of all beers sold worldwide and be the fifth largest consumer goods company. For the maker of Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois it provides entry into Africa and large fast-growing Latin American markets such as Colombia and Peru.

It will also cut its revenue from mature markets North America and Europe to 37 from 47 percent.

AB InBev's 79 billion pound ($102.85 billion) bid passed in a meeting at a London Park Lane hotel lasting less than half an hour, overseen by Chairman Jan du Plessis, who fielded only two questions from shareholders.

It secured support representing 95.5 percent of SABMiller share value, having needed at least 75 percent to succeed.

In an earlier meeting in Brussels, AB InBev Chief Executive Carlos Brito said the new entity would continue to be called Anheuser-Busch InBev, eschewing any corporate reference to SABMiller, founded 120 years ago in South Africa. The brewer had changed its name after transformative deals in the past, such as InBev's 2008 takeover of Anheuser-Busch.

"They can call it what they wish. That's the way life works and that's fine," du Plessis told reporters after the meeting. "It's what it is."

He added that AB InBev were paying "a full price".

NOT A GIVEN

The approval of SAB shareholders was widely expected, but not a given. Criticism of the takeover offer grew after a steep fall in sterling following Britain's vote to leave the European Union made AB InBev's cash offer less appealing.

Activist shareholders pressured SAB to seek a higher offer, prompting AB InBev to sweeten its bid in July.

SAB backed the higher offer, and its two largest shareholders, cigarette maker Altria Group and the Santo Domingo family of Colombia, who together control about 40 percent of the shares, gave their support and did not vote on Wednesday. However, some prominent shareholders, including Aberdeen Asset Management, continued to oppose it.

"We are obviously disappointed with, but not surprised by, the result," Aberdeen said in a statement, adding it felt the final price still "significantly undervalued" SABMiller.

Despite hedge funds piling into the stock over the summer in the hope of a higher offer, Thomson Reuters data showed just six hedge funds with a collective investment of $211 million remained shareholders as the deal crossed the line.

The lion's share of that, $199 million, was held by New York-based Soroban Capital, with smaller positions held by HBK Investments, Platinum Capital Management, Elliott Management, Farallon Capital Management and Davidson Kempner Capital.

Cost-conscious AB InBev expects to extract at least $1.4 billion in annual cost savings after four years, it said, in addition to the $1.05 billion already announced by SABMiller. Given the company's history of easily beating such targets, broker Jefferies sees it achieving $3 billion in savings.

The new company will sell off joint venture stakes in the United States and China, to satisfy antitrust regulators, divest Peroni and Grolsch and kick off a sale process for SAB's central and eastern European brands, estimated to be worth up to 7 billion euros.

Still, competition in individual markets will not change radically as the two companies have little geographic overlap.
China agrees to help Cambodia overhaul its criticised judiciary

By Prak Chan Thul

PHNOM PENH, Sept 28 (Reuters) - China is to help Cambodia revamp its judiciary, a system that opposition party supporters say is in thrall to Prime Minister Hun Sen, and that the United States has criticised as "politicised and ineffective".

The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on Chinese assistance for Cambodia's courts this week, Ministry of Justice spokesman Chin Malin said on Wednesday, adding that China would provide training, finance and expertise.

"There will be training and exchanges of visits between the two countries' officials, at a level up to technician and minister," Chin Malin told Reuters.

China would also provide expertise to improve Cambodia's commercial courts, he said.

"Assistance for the judiciary is like promoting human rights ... Once, there is a good legal system, it promotes respect for human rights."

China is Cambodia's closest ally.

Relations between Cambodia and Western powers including the United States and European Union, are frequently strained by various differences including over human rights.

Cambodia has backed China on its territorial claims in the South China Sea to the disappointment of some of Cambodia's neighbours, who have rival claims with China.

The U.S. State Department said in a 2015 report on rights in Cambodia that a "politicised and ineffective" judiciary was among Cambodia's most significant human rights problems.

The government didn't respect judicial independence and the courts "were subject to influence and interference", it said.

The judiciary has come in for particular criticism recently over cases against opposition leaders that they say are politically motivated by Hun Sen's government in the run-up to what is expected to be a close general election in 2018.

The government and judiciary reject accusations of bias.

The independent Cambodian Center for Human Rights said that given a lack of judicial independence in China, it was difficult to see how the agreement would address Cambodia's chronic problems.

"While technical assistance is required ... the involvement of China may serve to further entrench the endemic lack of judicial independence in Cambodia's courts," said the center's director, Sopheap Chak.
Indonesia evacuates hundreds of tourists after volcano erupts

JAKARTA, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Indonesian rescuers on Wednesday evacuated hundreds of tourists from a volcano that erupted a day earlier and were searching for as many as 50 climbers.

Authorities closed the gates to Mount Rinjani, one of Indonesia's most visited active volcanoes on the resort island of Lombok, next to Bali, and told visitors to keep at least three km away.

The erupting cone is called Barujari, a volcano within Mount Rinjani.

The Disaster Mitigation Agency said 1,023 tourists, including 639 foreigners, were in Mount Rinjani National Park when the volcano erupted on Tuesday afternoon, coating nearby vegetation with ash.

"Hundreds of tourists have exited Mount Rinjani and they are in good condition," spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said on Wednesday.
US seeks accused Manila banker's help to crack Bangladesh heist

By Krishna N. Das and Karen Lema

MANILA, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The FBI is negotiating with a former branch manager of a Philippines bank for information relating to $81 million that she handled after it was stolen from the Bangladesh central bank's account at the New York Federal Reserve, her lawyer said.

Federal Bureau of Investigation officials have presented a "proffer", or proposal, to the branch manager, Maia Deguito, to tell them all she knows about who received the money, the attorney, Ferdinand Topacio, told Reuters.

He showed Reuters a copy of an unsigned proffer agreement.

According to Topacio, U.S. investigators are trying to get Deguito, who has been fired by the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp (RCBC) for her role in the case, to share details about long-time bank client Kim Wong, who is a casino owner and agent.

Under the proposed agreement, any evidence Deguito gives will not be used to prosecute her, but she will be liable if she lies or hides any relevant information. She is currently on bail in a perjury case related to the heist.

In several face-to-face meetings in Manila, starting in May, the two sides also discussed relocating Deguito and her family - her husband and three children - to the United States, Topacio said. The United States has a visa programme for foreigners who assist law enforcement agencies but it is limited to 200 people a year.

Spokesmen for the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice declined comment. Deguito also declined comment.

Nearly eight months after the cyber heist, one of the biggest ever, investigations appear to have run up against a brick wall. From the New York Fed, the $81 million was sent by hackers to four accounts held in fake names at an RCBC branch in Manila where Deguito worked. The funds then changed hands several times and most of it vanished into the Philippines casino industry. About $18 million have been recovered in all.

No arrests have been made despite investigations by the FBI, Interpol, Bangladesh police and authorities in the Philippines.

Two sources in Bangladesh with knowledge of the FBI's investigations confirmed that the American agency was trying to talk to "persons of interest" in the Philippines.

Topacio said negotiations with the U.S. officials on the offer were continuing because the immunity offered to his client was only limited to her evidence.

"I thought that was dangerous. We want total immunity," he told Reuters. "It's not a finished...transaction."

The proposed agreement mentions Deguito and her lawyer and has the names of Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and Lamont Siller, the FBI's legal attache at the U.S. embassy in Manila, at the bottom of the form.

CASINO BOSS

Wong has admitted in hearings during a Philippines Senate inquiry that he received millions of dollars of the funds from two Chinese gamblers but did not know they were stolen.

Wong has returned $15 million of around $35 million he said he received and that the rest was spent in buying gambling chips for clients. He has denied involvement in the heist.

Wong was not available for comment on this story and his lawyer did not respond to requests for comment.

Deguito has told the Philippines Senate that Wong was a client of hers in a previous job at East West Banking Corp and he followed her when she moved to RCBC. Deguito had "snippets of information" that may be useful to the American investigators, Topacio said.

"We told the FBI 'we will tell you everything we know and you connect the dots'," Topacio said.

Deguito told the Senate inquiry she helped set up five fake accounts, including the four that received the heist money, and facilitated the withdrawal of some of the funds. Wong was one of the recipients.

She has said she was only following orders from her superiors and denies wrongdoing.

Lorenzo Tan, who was president of RCBC at the time of the heist, filed the perjury case against Deguito, accusing her of libel and false testimony. She was arrested and released on bail.
Global shipping firms raided in S.Africa over suspected collusion

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Six of the world's biggest container shipping companies were raided by South African authorities on Wednesday on suspicion of colluding to inflate rates between Asia and South Africa, the country's Competition Commission said.

An oversupply of vessels has weighed on shipping rates, prompting top-ranked A.P. Moller-Maersk to restructure and forcing South Korea's Hanjin Shipping Co Ltd into receivership, stranding an estimated $14 billion in cargo on its ships.

The six companies raided comprise local subsidiaries of Denmark's Maersk, Swiss-headquartered Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), France's CMA CGM Shipping, Germany's Hamburg Sud, Singapore-based Pacific International Line and Maersk unit Safmarine, the commission said in a statement.

It said the firms were suspected of engaging in collusive practices to fix incremental rates on the shipment of cargo from Asia to South Africa.

"Any cartel by shipping liners in this region results in inflated prices for cargo transportation," Competition Commissioner Tembinkosi Bonakele said.

"Such cartels have the effect of significantly derailing the economic growth of the region."

A search and seizure operation focused on premises of the six firms will involve confiscating documents and electronic data and follows a tip-off by a member of the public, the commission said.

Maersk and MSC confirmed the raids and said they were cooperating with authorities. The other companies did not respond to requests for immediate comment.

"The fact that the SACC carries out such inspections does not mean that a company has engaged in anti-competitive behaviour," Maersk said.
Iran's central bank chief calls for support of European banks

VIENNA, Sept 28 (Reuters) - European banks and firms should use their influence in the United States to speed up the implementation of financing projects with Iran, the Islamic Republic's central bank chief said on Wednesday.

"We expect European banks and companies to help us explain to U.S. authorities that they must keep their side of the nuclear deal," Valiollah Seif said in an interview with Austrian news agency APA in Vienna, where he is meeting his Austrian counterpart on Wednesday.
Malaysian flight MH17 downed by Russian-made missile - prosecutors

By Toby Sterling and Anthony Deutsch

NIEUWEGEIN, Netherlands, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down by a missile fired from a launcher brought into Ukraine from Russia and located in a village held by pro-Russian rebels, international prosecutors said on Wednesday.

The findings counter Moscow's suggestion that the passenger plane, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur in July 2014, was brought down by Ukraine's military rather than the separatists. All 298 people on board, most of them Dutch, were killed.

The conclusions were based on thousands of wiretaps, photographs, witness statements and forensic tests during more than two years of inquiries into an incident which led to a sharp rise in tensions between Russia and the West.

Among the key findings were: the plane was hit by a Russian-made Buk-9M38 missile; the missile was fired from the rebel-held village of Pervomaysk in eastern Ukraine; and the launcher was transported into Ukraine from Russia.

"This Buk trailer came from the territory of the Russian Federation, and after the launch it was returned again to the territory of the Russian Federation," said Wilbert Paulissen, chief investigator with the Dutch national police.

The Ukrainian government said the findings pointed to Russia's "direct involvement". Russia - which has always denied Moscow or pro-Russian rebels were responsible - rejected the prosecutors' conclusions, saying they were not supported by technical evidence and the inquiry was biased.

Earlier on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said its radar data had "identified all flying objects which could have been launched or were in the air over the territory controlled by rebels at that moment".

"The data is clear-cut ... there is no rocket. If there was a rocket, it could only have been fired from elsewhere," he said.

The investigators, from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine, said they had not had access to Moscow's radar images but would gladly include a Russian contribution to the inquiry.

Ukrainian and Western officials, citing intelligence intercepts, have long blamed the pro-Russian rebels for the incident, which played a big part in a decision by the European Union and United States to impose sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine conflict and has damaged Dutch-Russian economic ties.

SUSPECTS

In reaction to the investigators' findings, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called on Russia "to lend all possible cooperation" to the inquiry, which will now shift its focus to identifying individual suspects.

Prosecutors said that while they had not brought charges against culprits or established a court, they had identified 100 individuals of interest in relation to the incident on July 17, 2014.

"Of a number of them, we know pretty exactly what their role and position was, for instance those who organised the arrival of the Buk rocket and who were in charge of the transport that day," said Fred Westerbeke, chief prosecutor at the Netherlands National Prosecutor's office.

"We know exactly what happened, but who exactly was in charge, and whether it was done intentionally, there the investigation is still continuing," Westerbeke said.

He declined to specify the nationality of any potential suspects, and called on witnesses to come forward and help determine who gave the order to shoot the plane down.

Victims' families, who were informed of the findings earlier in the day, were sceptical about the investigation's progress.

Silene Fredriksz, whose son Bryce was on the airplane with his girlfriend, Daisy Oehlers, said Russia would never hand over any suspects voluntarily.

Moscow was "going to have to be put under intense pressure, with sanctions - that's the only way to make it possible", she added.

A civilian investigation by the Dutch Safety Board also concluded last year that MH17 was hit by a Buk missile fired from eastern Ukraine, but did not specify who fired it. The board criticised Ukraine's government for leaving its airspace open to civilian traffic.

At the time of the incident, pro-Russian separatists were fighting Ukrainian government forces in the region. The Boeing 777 broke apart in mid-air, flinging wreckage over several kilometres (miles) of fields in rebel-held territory.

Harun Calehr, uncle of two boys killed in the crash, said he was not holding out hope for a swift resolution. "I think there will never be a judicial conclusion to this nightmare," he said.
French policy shift leaves Gabon's Bongo out in the cold

By Tim Cocks

DAKAR, Sept 28 (Reuters) - In the heyday of former President Omar Bongo, Gabon and its oil wealth were a central pillar of "La Francafrique", a shadowy network that enabled France's troops to defend African autocrats in exchange for juicy contracts for French companies.

Thanks partly to this web of diplomacy and trade backed by French firepower, Bongo stayed in office for 42 years before his death in 2009. France's energy firms, meanwhile, had undisputed claims to some of the continent's richest oil fields.

But the days of France throwing its weight behind a leader for commercial favours may be numbered, which presents a challenge for French businesses in West Africa, a largely Francophone region because of its colonial past

Ali Bongo, the son of the late president, was inaugurated for a second term on Tuesday after an election whose credibility EU observers seriously called into question.

France's position has been clear since the Aug. 27 poll: it has "doubts" about its credibility, so it won't endorse Bongo as the winner against his main opponent Jean Ping - a clear message that Bongo's half-century family dynasty can no longer count on support from Gabon's former colonial master.

Bongo denies unduly influencing the election, and Gabon's top court upheld the result.

Yet his father used to win elections with so little credibility that in 1986 he got over 99 percent of the vote, and four years later, when protests erupted, French troops stepped in to quell them.

France's Elf won every oil licence in a bidding round shortly after, according to British journalist Nicholas Shaxson in his 2008 book Poisoned Wells.

"That period is behind us," French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told the France 2 TV channel this month.

"We do not want ... to interfere in countries' internal affairs," he said, articulating a trademark policy of Socialist President Francois Hollande, who four years ago pledged that "the era of La Francafrique is over" while in Senegal.

OFFICIAL CHANNELS

A French diplomat told Reuters that current thinking in the French government was that Paris could no longer automatically back an ally, even when trade interests are at stake. If the leader's popularity fades, in elections or on the streets, France will distance itself.

"The era of us picking someone and saying 'you're the next president' is over," another French diplomat said, even when France has "specific interests in one country or another".

"France has changed quite a lot," said Paul Melly, associate fellow in the Africa Programme of London-based international affairs think-tank Chatham House.

"The time when the French intervened to help Omar Bongo ... that was the old La Francafrique, looking after your chums," he said, an approach that was now "basically impossible".

In Burkina Faso, where crowds ousted Blaise Compaore in 2014 as he tried to extend his 27-year rule, France backed away from its former friend, having quietly told him it was a bad idea.

Socialist Hollande has shown no interest in cultivating the decades-old clandestine networks linking French businessmen and intelligence agents to African politicians that were created by France's right-wing former President Charles de Gaulle.

"There really has been a shift to the idea that if there are to be negotiations with African partners they have to go through official channels," said Aline Leboeuf, a researcher at the Institute Francais.

'OTHER OPTIONS'

The challenge posed to French companies present in Africa is complex, but it is clear the privileges they used to enjoy are being eroded.

A 2013 Gabon oil licensing round doled out 18 blocks to companies from around the world, but French oil major Total , Elf's successor following a merger, was left empty-handed. The following year, Gabon ordered Total to pay $805 million in back taxes, which the company said was an unfounded tax adjustment.

Total declined to comment for this story.

Other sectors that similarly rely on good relations with African governments - like telecoms and mining, in which companies like Orange and Areva respectively operate - could also be vulnerable.

Orange declined to comment.

A spokesman for Areva said the company would "continue to invest in exploration and innovation to find new deposits," but did not address the question of Africa risks.

Some officials and companies say the impact of the end of La Francafrique should not be overstated, since globalisation has been opening the field to competition anyway.

Ali Bongo, who has lived in Los Angeles and had a son in elite English boarding school Eton, made a point of trying to expand ties beyond the Francophone world.

France, meanwhile, has been diversifying its own ties.

In a shift from the past, it is increasingly seeking opportunities in former British colonies like Kenya and Botswana; the French government's Africa department now has more experts in east Africa than west, according to government sources. A month ago, Total won a production licence in Uganda.

"France has accepted the fact that ... it has a lot less ability to influence local politics," said historian Nathaniel Powell, who specialises in French-African relations, adding that it used to be a condition of working with an African leader that he would not allow in American companies.
Jordan's king swears in govt led by Mulki for second term

By Suleiman Al-Khalidi

AMMAN, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Jordan's King Abdullah swore in a new government headed by Hani Mulki as prime minister for a second term on Wednesday, with a little-changed cabinet and a mandate to accelerate economic reforms.

Mulki, 64, who has held a string of senior diplomatic and ministerial posts, was first appointed in May to oversee parliamentary elections held last week.

The business-friendly politician was reappointed on Sunday, tasked with reviving a sluggish economy and business sentiment hit by regional turmoil by overseeing a new International Monetary Fund-guided programme.

In Jordan's constitutional monarchy most powers rest with the king, who appoints governments, approves legislation and can dissolve parliament.

The key finance, foreign and finance ministerial posts will remain unchanged and the 29-member cabinet will, as before, have a mix of technocrats, conservative politicians and tribal loyalists.

Mulki will face a more assertive parliament, after the Muslim Brotherhood gained a foothold in the election.

A royal decree postponed the new parliament's first session until Nov. 7, almost a month later than expected, in a move politicians said was intended to give the new government more time to prepare for vote-of-confidence debates.

The government usually wins such votes by a large majority in parliaments packed with pro-government deputies. But this time there could be vocal dissent from independents and the Islamist movement, which has ended its decade-long boycott of mainstream politics and returns as the mainstay of a broad civic alliance.

The lack of change in the cabinet may weaken its chances of confronting a more vocal parliament, say critics.

"It's wrong to say it's even a new government, just a minor reshuffle lacking the personalities with the long experience that would be able to deal with parliament," said Mamdouh al-Abbadi, a veteran lawmaker.

The alliance is not large enough to block legislation or cabinet appointments, but tough criticism of the government in the assembly could undermine public support for its policies.

With parliament passive in recent years, successive governments have been able to enact draconian temporary laws restricting public freedoms.

Deputies are expected to confront austerity steps and tax hikes introduced under a three-year IMF deal signed in August aimed at lowering public debt and accelerating growth.
OPEC agrees modest oil output curbs in first deal since 2008

By Rania El Gamal, Alex Lawler and Vladimir Soldatkin

ALGIERS, Sept 28 (Reuters) - OPEC agreed on Wednesday modest oil output cuts in the first such deal since 2008, with the group's leader Saudi Arabia softening its stance on arch-rival Iran amid mounting pressure from low oil prices.

"OPEC made an exceptional decision today ... After two and a half years, OPEC reached consensus to manage the market," said Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh, who had repeatedly clashed with Saudi Arabia during previous meetings.

He and other ministers said the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries would reduce output to a range of 32.5-33.0 million barrels per day. OPEC estimates its current output at 33.24 million bpd.

"We have decided to decrease the production around 700,000 bpd," Zanganeh said.

The move would effectively re-establish OPEC production ceilings abandoned a year ago.

However, how much each country will produce is to be decided at the next formal OPEC meeting in November, when an invitation to join cuts could also be extended to non-OPEC countries such as Russia.

Oil prices jumped more than 5 percent to trade above $48 per barrel as of 2015 GMT. Many traders said they were impressed OPEC had managed to reach a compromise after years of wrangling but others said they wanted to see the details.

"This is the first OPEC deal in eight years! The cartel proved that it still matters even in the age of shale! This is the end of the 'production war' and OPEC claims victory," said Phil Flynn, senior energy analyst at Price Futures Group.

Jeff Quigley, director of energy markets at Houston-based Stratas Advisors, said the market had yet to discover who would produce what: "I want to hear from the mouth of the Iranian oil minister that he's not going to go back to pre-sanction levels. For the Saudis, it just goes against the conventional wisdom of what they've been saying.".

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Tuesday that Iran, Nigeria and Libya would be allowed to produce "at maximum levels that make sense" as part of any output limits.

That represents a strategy shift for Riyadh, which had said it would reduce output to ease a global glut only if every other OPEC and non-OPEC producer followed suit. Iran has argued it should be exempt from such limits as its production recovers after the lifting of EU sanctions earlier this year.

The Saudi and Iranian economies depend heavily on oil but in a post-sanctions environment, Iran is suffering less pressure from the halving in crude prices since 2014 and its economy could expand by almost 4 percent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Riyadh, on the other hand, faces a second year of budget deficits after a record gap of $98 billion last year, a stagnating economy and is being forced to cut the salaries of government employees.

OIL PRICE PRESSURES

Saudi Arabia is by far the largest OPEC producer with output of more than 10.7 million bpd, on par with Russia and the United States. Together, the three largest global producers extract a third of the world's oil.

Iran's production has been stagnant at 3.6 million bpd in the past three months, close to pre-sanctions levels although Tehran says it wants to ramp up output to more than 4 million bpd when foreign investments in its fields kick in.

Saudi oil revenue has halved over the past two years, forcing Riyadh to liquidate billions of dollars of overseas assets every month to pay bills and cut domestic fuel and utility subsidies last year.

"The Iranians have lived with a very tough macro backdrop for many years..." said Raza Agha, chief Middle East economist at investment bank VTB Capital. "So a sustained drop in oil prices has a more difficult social impact on Saudi."

However, with unemployment in double digits, Tehran is also facing calls to maximise oil revenues and President Hassan Rouhani is under pressure from conservative opponents to deliver a faster economic recovery.

Oil prices are well below the budget requirements of most OPEC nations. But attempts to reach an output deal have also been complicated by political rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which are fighting several proxy-wars in the Middle East, including in Syria and Yemen.

OPEC sources have said Saudi Arabia offered to reduce its output from summer peaks of 10.7 million bpd to around 10.2 million if Iran agreed to freeze production at around current levels of 3.6-3.7 million bpd.

Riyadh has raised production in recent years to compete for market share while Iran's output was limited by sanctions. Minister Zanganeh has said Iran wanted an output cap of close to 4 million bpd. Saudi output drops in winter when it needs less fuel than during summer, when cooling requirements spike.
CEZ wants slice of Germany's offshore wind market

HAMBURG, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Czech utility CEZ wants to become a force to be reckoned with in Germany's hotly contested offshore wind market, which offers tempting regulated returns, an executive said.

The group aims for minority stakes in projects which together amount to 400 megawatts over the next five years, said Martin Pacovsky, head of CEZ's German business.

"We're newcomers in the industry," Pacovsky said. "But we are confident that there is room for a company like CEZ."

CEZ this year unveiled plans to spend up to 2 billion euros ($2.24 billion) to expand in new energy technologies over the next five years, with a focus on renewables.

Pacovsky declined to say how much of that would flow into Germany but added the country was likely to account for the largest share based on its leading position in renewable energy.

Germany's offshore wind market has attracted numerous infrastructure funds and energy groups -- including Australia's Macquarie and Canada's Northland Power -- all competing for the regulated returns it offers.

"It's not an easy market," Pacovsky said, adding CEZ's balance sheet and credit rating made it a good partner for the capital-intense offshore wind sector, where parks carry a price tag of at least 1 billion euros each.

"But we can absorb more risks than other investors."

CEZ, which owns about 3.35 gigawatts of renewable capacity in eastern Europe and Turkey, has an A- rating at agency Standard & Poor's and net debt of 124.4 billion Czech crowns ($5.16 billion).
As Norway's Arctic draws visitors, more polar bears get shot

By Gwladys Fouche

ON BOARD THE POLARSYSSEL, Sept 28 (Reuters) - More polar bears are being shot dead on Norway's remote Arctic islands, where dangerous encounters with humans are getting more frequent as visitors increase and global warming melts the sea ice on which the creatures roam.

Halfway between the northern tip of Europe and the North Pole, the Svalbard archipelago of snow-capped mountains and glaciers is home to 2,654 people and 975 polar bears, according to a 2015 tally by the Norwegian Polar Institute.

"Four polar bears have been shot so far this year," Vidar Arnesen, a chief police inspector for the governor of Svalbard, told Reuters. "In a normal year, one or two would be shot."

"There are more contacts between humans and the animals," he said aboard the Polarsyssel, the governor's ship, used for inspections and rescue operations.

Polar bears are a protected species and shooting them is allowed only for self-defence and as a last resort. Outside Svalbard's main settlements, people are obliged by law to carry the means to scare the animals away or defend themselves, with authorities recommending they take a gun.

A chain of incidents this year has highlighted the dangers.

In April, police stunned a three-year-old male sighted in the main town on Spitsbergen island, Longyearbyen, and flew him out by helicopter to a more isolated spot. The same month, a group of four Finnish tourists shot a polar bear in self-defence.

They were not fined, as police said they followed proper procedure - to group together and make noise to try and frighten away the animal from at least 200 metres, and only to fire if there is a risk of death or injury to humans.

POLICE INVESTIGATION

In June, a trapper preparing for the winter trapping season was fined 20,000 crowns ($2,468) when he shot a female polar bear in violation of the rules.

He mistakenly loaded his rifle with live ammunition instead of rubber bullets when trying to scare her away. Her cub was later euthanised as it would have not survived alone.

Police are currently investigating an incident last month in which a two-year-old female was shot dead near a camp of Russian scientists on a research trip.

Marco Lambertini, director-general of World Wildlife Fund International, told Reuters the shrinking area of sea ice available to the polar bears was contributing to the problem.

"The authorities on Svalbard should regularly review their guidelines to reduce the number of dangerous interactions between humans and polar bears," he said.

At the same time, Svalbard is experiencing a tourism boom: visitor nights on the archipelago hit 18,000 in the month of July, up 14 percent year-on-year.

The University Centre in Svalbard now hosts around 800 students a year, a doubling in five years, which increases the number of research expeditions.

"The possibilities of a hungry bear encountering a human being are increasing," said Lambertini.

TAKING PRECAUTIONS

Around the Arctic, there are an estimated 26,000 polar bears, according to a "Red List" of threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which also highlights the threat to the species from retreating sea ice.

Polar bears rarely kill people: the most recent victim was a British teenager who died while camping on the ice in 2011. In 2015, a Czech tourist visiting for a solar eclipse suffered slight injuries when a polar bear ripped open his tent. The animal was shot dead.

For locals, living with polar bears involves routine precautions. At the Ny-Aalesund research station, the northernmost civilian settlement in the world at 79 degrees north, the 70-odd scientists and support staff leave the front door of every house unlocked so that people can seek refuge if needed.

"Once I was on a rubber boat and about 20-25 metres away, on the beach, there was a polar bear. We drove the animal away by revving the engines," said Max Schwanitz, 54, a German who supervises scientific research diving.

Residents at Ny-Aalesund have sighted six or seven polar bears this summer, the last time some six weeks ago. The animal swam out of the sea and walked within a few dozen metres of the settlement before disappearing.

"The first time I saw one, it was in the middle of town. I was amazed at how huge it was," said Aasne Dolve Meyer, 41, who works for a company supporting the research institutes. "After that I always made sure I checked my surroundings before leaving the house."
Slovakia may buy, not lease, Saab's Gripen jets, may pick other make

BRATISLAVA, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Slovakia might buy, rather than lease, a fleet of Gripen fighter jets from Sweden's Saab or might choose a different supplier, Defence Minister Peter Gajdos said on Wednesday.

The four-party government led by Prime Minister Robert Fico, re-elected for a second consecutive term in March, had been in talks with Saab on the lease of Gripens to replace Slovakia's outdated Russian Mig-29 fighter jets.

"The government extended my mandate to negotiate on the lease or purchase ... and also untied my hands to negotiate with other states in order to best use our resources in terms of price and securing Slovakia's defence," Gajdos said.

Saab was still Slovakia's first choice, he said.
U.S. ready to provide more military personnel for Mosul -official

WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The United States is prepared to provide more military personnel to help Iraqis in their campaign to retake Mosul from Islamic State, a U.S. official said on Wednesday.
Turkey to complete Syria border wall within 5 months, official says

By Orhan Coskun and Daren Butler

ANKARA/ISTANBUL, Sept 28 (Reuters) - A concrete wall being built to stop illegal crossings along the length of Turkey's 900-km (560-mile) border with Syria will be finished by the end of February, an official at a Turkish state institution with knowledge of the project said on Wednesday.

Ankara has long been under pressure from its NATO allies to seal off the border with Islamic State-controlled territory in Syria and is also concerned by the presence of the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which controls most of its Syrian border.

Construction on a border wall to combat smuggling and illegal migration started as early as 2014 even as Turkey maintained an open-border policy that has seen nearly 3 million Syrians seek refuge in the country.

"Construction will be completed within five months," the official told Reuters, declining to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the media. He said winter conditions would be a challenge to the timetable, however.

Turkey last month launched an operation dubbed "Euphrates Shield" in alliance with Syrian rebels to drive Islamic State militants away from the border area and stop the YPG's advance.

Turkey regards the YPG as closely tied to Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants fighting an insurgency in southeast Turkey and deems both as terrorist organisations.

The United States, meanwhile, sees the YPG as an ally in its operations targeting Islamic State -- a source of tensions between Ankara and Washington.

U.S.-MEXICO BORDER

A 200-km (125-mile) stretch of the wall has already been completed and state housing developer TOKI will build the rest, the official said. He likened the project to border walls in other countries, such as the one between parts of Mexico and the United States.

The official declined to give an estimate for the cost of construction. But the mass circulation Hurriyet newspaper said that including a road for military patrols planned alongside it, the wall was expected to cost 2 billion lira ($672 million).

Made up of seven-tonne portable blocks topped with razor wire, the wall will be three metres (10 feet) high and two metres (6.5 feet) wide. The official said private companies would be hired once construction tenders were completed.

Hurriyet cited the head of TOKI as saying that 200-250 concrete blocks were currently being produced daily at five work sites, and that the latest construction work had begun around 20 days ago.
Tanzania says two officials charged for stealing quake relief funds

By Fumbuka Ng'wanakilala

DAR ES SALAAM, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Tanzania has charged at least two senior public officials over allegations of embezzlement of earthquake relief funds, President John Magufuli said on Wednesday.

The officials were sacked on Tuesday following allegations that they had set up a fake bank account to siphon off relief funds given in response to a 5.7 magnitude earthquake which killed at least 17 people and made thousands homeless.

"A regional administrative secretary and a district executive director were charged in court today," Magufuli said in Tanzania's commercial capital Dar es Salaam.

The president warned public officials that anyone who engages in corruption over the relief funds, which have poured in from foreign and domestic donors, will face swift punishment.

"Our people are suffering as a result of this earthquake and require emergency relief assistance, yet these dishonest officials are trying to benefit financially from this tragedy," he said.

Tanzania has appealed for international assistance to help rebuild thousands of homes after the quake, which struck the northwestern town of Kagera on Sept 10.

The government has set up a special bank account for quake funds and has been collecting cash and material contributions for the relief effort.

The two public officials are alleged to have set up a parallel bank account under the same name as the government's official relief fund to divert funds for their own personal use, said the president.

Magufuli said Britain gave 2.3 million pounds on Wednesday. "We are receiving these donations from the United Kingdom and others because our development partners are now confident that their financial assistance will be well spent," he said.

Since his election in October, reformist Magufuli has launched a far-reaching crackdown on corruption, which businesses have long highlighted as a major obstacle to investment in Tanzania.

The country ranked 117 out of 168 countries in Transparency International's 2015 index of least corrupt countries. No.1 is deemed the least corrupt.
Warplanes knock out Aleppo hospitals as Russian-backed assault intensifies

By Ellen Francis and Tom Perry

BEIRUT, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Russian or Syrian warplanes knocked two hospitals out of service in the besieged rebel sector of Aleppo on Wednesday and ground forces intensified an assault in a battle which the United Nations said had made the city worse than a slaughterhouse.

Two patients died in one of the hospitals and other shelling killed six residents queuing for bread under a siege that has trapped 250,000 people with food running out.

The week-old assault, which could herald a turning point in the war, has already killed hundreds of people, with bunker-busting bombs bringing down buildings on residents huddled inside. Only about 30 doctors are believed to be left inside the besieged zone, coping with hundreds of wounded a day.

"The warplane flew over us and directly started dropping its missiles ... at around 4 a.m.," Mohammad Abu Rajab, a radiologist at the M10 hospital, the largest trauma hospital in the city's rebel-held sector, told Reuters.

"Rubble fell in on the patients in the intensive care unit."

M10 hospital workers said oxygen and power generators were destroyed and patients were transferred to another hospital.

Photographs sent to Reuters by a hospital worker at the facility showed damaged storage tanks, a rubble strewn area, and the collapsed roof of what he said was a power facility.

There were no initial reports of casualties there, but medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said two patients had been killed at the other hospital, in shelling which took it out of service as well, leaving east Aleppo with only seven doctors in a position to undertake surgery.

"And this comes at a time when east Aleppo has been under siege since July and is suffering the bloodiest indiscriminate bombing since the beginning of the war," MSF's Syria head Carlos Francisco said.

The government of President Bashar al-Assad, backed by Russian air power, Iranian ground forces and Shi'ite militia fighters from Iran, Iraq and Lebanon, has launched a massive assault to crush the rebels' last major urban stronghold.

Syria's largest city before the war, Aleppo has been divided for years between government and rebel zones, and would be the biggest strategic prize of the war for Assad and his allies.

Taking full control of the city would restore near full government rule over the most important cities of western Syria, where nearly all of the population lived before the start of a conflict that has since made half of Syrians homeless, caused a refugee crisis and contributed to the rise of Islamic State.

UNPRECEDENTED BOMBING

The offensive began with unprecedentedly fierce bombing last week, followed by a ground campaign this week, burying a ceasefire that had been the culmination of months of diplomacy between Washington and Moscow.

Washington says Moscow and Damascus are guilty of war crimes for targetting civilians, hospitals, rescue workers and aid deliveries, to break the will of residents and force them to surrender. Syria and Russia say they target only militants.

Asked by a reporter at the United Nations whether Syria had bombed the two hospitals hit on Wednesday, the Syrian ambassador to the world body, Bashar Ja'afari, appeared to laugh.

The Syrian army said a Nusra Front position had been destroyed in Aleppo's old quarter, and other militant-held areas targeted in "concentrated air strikes" near the city.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said those using "ever more destructive weapons" were committing war crimes. Describing the situation in Aleppo, he said: "This is worse. Even a slaughterhouse is more humane."

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said he was working to put forward a United Nations Security Council resolution to impose a ceasefire in Aleppo, and that any country that opposed it would be deemed complicit in war crimes.

"This resolution will leave everyone facing their responsibilities: those who don't vote it, risk being held responsible for complicity in war crimes," he said.

Another hospital, M2, was damaged by bombardment in the al-Maadi district, where at least six people were killed while queuing for bread at a nearby bakery, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring body and residents.

Food supplies are scarce in the besieged area, and those trapped inside often queue up before dawn for food.

The collapse of the peace process leaves U.S. policy on Syria in tatters and is a personal blow to Secretary of State John Kerry, who led talks with Moscow despite scepticism from other top officials in President Barack Obama's administration.

Kerry spoke to Lavrov on Wednesday and Russia said later that it was ready to continue diplomacy on Syria and would soon send experts to Geneva for talks with U.S. counterparts on normalising the situation in Aleppo and elsewhere.

The U.S. State Department said non-diplomatic options to halt the violence had been discussed within the administration, but declined to say what the options might be.

BATTLEFIELD VICTORY

Assad's Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah allies have said in recent days the war will be won in combat.

But the rebels remain a potent military force even as they have lost control of urban areas. The collapse of peace efforts ends a proposed scheme to separate Western-backed fighters from hardened jihadists.

It has also raised the question of whether the rebels' foreign backers, states including Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United States, will increase military backing to rebels who have long said weapons they provide are inadequate.

The rebels' main demand has long been for the provision of anti-aircraft missiles, but Washington has resisted this, fearing they could end up in the hands of jihadists.

U.S. officials told Reuters in Washington that the collapse of the Syrian ceasefire had heightened the possibility that Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia, might arm rebels with shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles.

A senior rebel commander, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was not out of the question that this could happen. "The Americans might thinking about doing something, but nobody knows how big it will be," the commander said.

Another rebel commander told Reuters his group had received deliveries of a new type of Grad surface-to-surface rockets. The rockets, with a range of 22-40 km, had arrived in "excellent quantities" and will be used on battlefronts in Aleppo, Hama and the coastal region, Colonel Fares al-Bayoush said.

Fierce fighting accompanied by air strikes was reported on Wednesday in northern Hama province between Syrian government and allied forces trying to recapture territory lost to insurgents this week, and rebels who made some advances, the Observatory and a rebel group said.

MORE GROUND ATTACKS

A senior official in Aleppo-based rebel group said pro-government forces were mobilising in apparent preparation for more ground attacks in central areas of the city.

"There have been clashes in al-Suweiqa from 5 a.m. until now. The army advanced a little bit, and the guys are now repelling it, God willing," a fighter in the rebel Levant Front group said in a recording sent to Reuters, referring to an area in the city centre where there was also fighting on Tuesday.

Another rebel official said government forces were also attacking the insurgent-held Handarat refugee camp a few kilometres to the north of Aleppo.

"It doesn't seem that their operation in the old city is the primary operation, it seems like a diversionary one so that the regime consumes the people on that front and advances in the camp," the official, Zakaria Malahifij, head of the political office of the Fastaqim group, told Reuters from Turkey.
Mother, brother of NYC bomb suspect held in Afghanistan -report

NEW YORK, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The mother and a brother of New York City bombing suspect Ahmad Rahami have been detained in Afghanistan after trying to return to the United States and being taken off a flight, the suspect's father told ABC News.

The father, Mohammad Rahami, said in an interview published on ABC's website on Wednesday that his wife, Najiba, and another of his sons, Qassim, were in Dubai when they were pulled from a flight and questioned for 16 hours by authorities there.

Authorities then sent them to Kabul, he said.

"Why send my son back to Afghanistan? He is a U.S. citizen. You have any questions? Bring him home, [don't] send him to a different country," Mohammad Rahami said of Qassim.

Reuters could not immediately confirm that the two were being held.

Ahmad Rahami, a 28-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen, emigrated from Afghanistan with his family at the age of 7. They settled in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and opened a fried chicken restaurant.

Rahami faces federal charges in the bombing this month that injured 31 people in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, and in connection with explosives found at locations in New Jersey. No one was killed in the blasts.

Rahami has been held in a Newark, New Jersey, hospital since his arrest last week with wounds after a shootout with police.

Investigators have probed Rahami's history of travel to Afghanistan and Pakistan. He was motivated by militant Islamist views, prosecutors say, citing a journal he carried when he was captured in which he begged for martyrdom and expressed outrage at what he called the U.S. slaughter of Muslim fighters.
France wants U.N. resolution on Aleppo, force Russian veto

PARIS, Sept 28 (Reuters) - France's foreign minister said on Wednesday he was working to put forward a United Nations Security Council resolution to impose a ceasefire in Aleppo, and that any country that opposed it would be deemed complicit in war crimes.

Speaking to lawmakers, Jean-Marc Ayrault accused Syria, backed by Russia and Iran, of carrying out an "all-out war" on the population, something that Paris could not sit by idly watching.
Landslide slams into Chinese village after typhoon, 27 missing

SHANGHAI/BEIJING, Sept 28 (Reuters) - A landslide slammed into a village in China's eastern Zhejiang province on Wednesday, swallowing up dozens of houses and leaving 27 people missing, state media reported.

Heavy typhoon rains caused the landslide to crash into Sucun village, said the official Xinhua news agency.

Last month, the official People's Daily newspaper reported that Suichang county, where the landslide occurred, had in recent years prioritised landslide and flood defences.

Critics say local governments, especially in the frequently hit coastal provinces in China's east, misallocate funding or fail to spend enough on defences against floods and other problems caused by heavy rain.

A mass of debris rolled down a lush mountain toward the small village, according to images posted by local state media on their official Weibo microblogs.

Earlier on Wednesday, China shut schools and cancelled dozens of flights as Typhoon Megi made landfall in the southern province of Fujian on Wednesday with winds of close to 120 km per hour (75 mph), Xinhua said.

Megi, which has killed four people and injured more than 523 in Taiwan since roaring in from the Pacific, made landfall at 4:40 a.m. local time (2040 GMT Tuesday). Chinese authorities issued their third-highest severe weather warning in anticipation of the storm.

Xinhua said more than 120,000 people who work close to shore or at sea have been moved by Fujian authorities. The province's 31,700 fishing boats have been recalled to port to avoid the high winds.

China Southern Airlines said it had cancelled 24 flights beginning from Tuesday.

More than 14,700 people were evacuated in Taiwan, while millions lost power and hundreds of thousands of homes were without water.

Typhoons are common at this time of year, picking up strength as they cross warm Pacific waters and bringing fierce winds and rain when they reach land.
Swiss air force grounds Super Puma copters after fatal crash

ZURICH, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Two pilots died when a Swiss military helicopter crashed in the Alps on Wednesday, prompting the air force to ground its fleet of Super Pumas while it investigates what caused the accident.

Another crew member was injured when the Airbus helicopter went down at the Gotthard Pass after dropping off French and Swiss personnel taking part in an international inspection mission, Air Force Commander Aldo Schellenberg said.

"As we don't have any indications of the cause of the accident I have ordered as a precautionary measure the suspension of all Super Puma ... flights until further notice," Schellenberg told a news conference in Bern.

Defence ministry officials did not confirm media reports citing eyewitness accounts that the helicopter had touched a power pylon before it went down. They said any role the weather might have played was still under investigation.

Swiss media showed pictures of smoke billowing from flaming wreckage under blue skies.

The European Aviation Safety Authority grounded two types of Super Puma helicopters for commercial use in June following the discovery of metal fatigue in the gearbox of an H225 model that crashed in Norway in late April, killing 13.

Following a series of incidents in the North Sea, analysts and industry executives say questions have been growing over the future of at least the civil version of the Super Puma helicopter, a workhorse of the offshore oil industry.

Airbus Helicopters has said it has no plans to scrap the model.

Wednesday's incident was the latest in a series of Swiss military crashes. A Swiss Air Force F/A 18 fighter jet slammed into a mountainside this month, killing the pilot.

That crash was the third by an F/A 18 in the past three years. A Swiss F-5E air demonstration fighter jet collided with another plane and crashed into a pond in the northern Netherlands ahead of an air show in June.
No more trade in endangered pangolins, U.N. meeting decides

By Tanisha Heiberg

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The United Nations on Wednesday banned global trade in highly endangered pangolins, a scaly animal with the dubious distinction of being the world's most poached mammal.

Member states of the U.N.'s Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, known as CITES, voted to place the eight species of pangolin on the convention's "Appendix I," which prohibits any cross-border movement in the animals or their body parts for commercial purposes.

"Giving pangolins full protection under CITES will eliminate any question about legality of trade, making it harder for criminals to traffic them and increasing the consequences for those who do," said Ginette Hemley of conservation group WWF.

Like other illicit wildlife commodity pipelines, such as elephant ivory and rhino horn, Africa is the main source of pangolin supply, while the demand comes from Asia.

Pangolin meat is prized as a delicacy in Asian economies such as Vietnam, while the animal's scales are used in traditional medicines.

Shy and near-sighted, pangolins only venture out from the safety of their burrows or tree-top homes at night to scour for insects. When startled, they curl up into a ball - a technique that is futile against the cable snares set by hunters.

All eight of the world's species of pangolin, which range from 30 to 100 cm (12 to 39 in) length, are threatened with extinction.

Conservationists have said the demand boom stems from declining wild populations in Asia as well as high numbers of Chinese workers in Africa's resource and timber sectors, located in remote regions of the continent's interior.

"Hopefully this will be followed by increased resources and attention being devoted to saving this well armored - but utterly defensive - and wholly unique species," said Jeff Flocken, North American regional director at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

The CITES conference, which began on Saturday and runs until Oct. 5, will also consider competing proposals to loosen or tighten the ivory trade, a bid by Swaziland to sell rhino horn to international buyers, and moves to afford added protection to lions, sharks and rays.

Barbary macaques, the only wild primate north of the Sahara, was also given "Appendix I" protection on Wednesday. The move was done to stem the illegal trade in live juvenile macaques for the international pet market.
Scottish investment hopes rise as mothballed steel plant reopens

By Russell Cheyne

MOTHERWELL, Scotland, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Scotland's last major steelworks reopened under the ownership of industrialist Sanjeev Gupta on Wednesday, heralded by Nicola Sturgeon's government as proof that the country can draw investment and protect industry in difficult times.

Liberty Steel bought the 144-year-old Dalzell plant in Motherwell and its sister works at Clydebridge in Glasgow in April from Tata Steel for a symbolic sum, with the Scottish government underpinning the process.

Tata mothballed the plants at the end of 2015 due to the impact of cheap Chinese imports, causing the loss of 270 jobs and sparking fears for the area's economy after the closure of a nearby plant in Ravenscraig in 1992.

Fresh from watching molten slabs of steel roll out of the furnace, Sturgeon described the revival of the steel plate mill as "a very positive signal that the steel and engineering industries still have a future in Scotland".

"It is a difficult market, but we now have a company in the ownership of Dalzell that has a vision of what they want to achieve," she told Sky News.

Britain's ability to compete in the global steel market was thrown into the spotlight earlier this year when Tata Steel put its entire British operations up for sale.

Several groups including Liberty have expressed an interest in those assets, which include the Port Talbot steel plant in Wales, but Tata is currently exploring options for a joint venture with Germany's Thyssenkrupp.

Gupta said on Wednesday he was now also looking to open an electric arc furnace in Scotland.

"The most compelling place to build an electric arc furnace is the Midlands (in England) because it's a big generator of scrap and a big consumer of steel," he told Reuters. "But we are looking to do it in Scotland also, mainly because of the Scottish government, their enthusiasm.

"It's been a great experience working here."

In a nod to Gupta's Indian heritage, a steel pellet sculpture of Ganesha, Hindu god of beginnings, had been erected for the opening.

Sturgeon, who has said she may seek another independence referendum for Scotland, told a business conference in London on Tuesday that her country was consistently outperforming every part of the UK except London when it came to attracting inward investment.

Steel plate is used in industries like construction, shipbuilding, automotive, mining and energy sectors.

Dalzell is also looking to make plates for the manufacture of wind turbines and in the longer term could seek to supply projects like Hinkley Point, the new nuclear plant due to be built in southwest England.

Liberty has spent five months preparing to reactivate Dalzell's furnace and rolling mill to produce 150,000 tonnes of steel plate a year.

It has hired around 120 staff, mostly former employees, and hopes to increase output to 500,000 tonnes eventually, employing 200 people within 18 months.
Austria signals readiness to do more business with Iran

VIENNA, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Austria agreed on Wednesday to significantly increase its export guarantees for deals with Iran during a visit by the Islamic Republic's central bank chief, two people familiar with the matter said.

It will raise the total amount of guarantees that Oesterreichische Kontrollbank, the body responsible, can provide to roughly 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) from more than 200 million euros, the people said.

"It is about saying that it is possible to do significantly more than before," said one of the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks between Iranian and Austrian officials were confidential.

The increase follows a series of memorandums of understanding involving companies in sectors including steelmaking and healthcare that were signed during a visit by Iranian business leaders in March.

Tehran has complained that despite a nuclear deal with major powers that lifted many sanctions against it, large banks are unwilling to do business with Iran for fear of falling foul of U.S. sanctions that are still in place.
U.S. calls on Mali government to sever ties with northern militia

BAMAKO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The U.S. ambassador to Mali has accused the government of maintaining relations with a militia widely blamed for rising tensions that risk undermining a fragile peace process in the country's desert north.

His comments were the latest indication that key donors to the West African state are taking a harder line towards the government, which denies all ties to Gatia - a mostly Tuareg militia opposed to pro-independence fighters in the north.

"The Malian government should put a stop to all ties both public and private with Gatia, a group of armed militia that is not contributing to peace in the north," Paul Folmsbee said in a post on the U.S. Embassy's Facebook page on Wednesday.

"Mali needs to assume a greater responsibility for the peace deal's implementation," he said, urging the southern-based Bamako government to step up its presence throughout the sprawling country.

A government spokesman declined to comment on the allegation of ties to Gatia. Folmsbee did not give details of whether the ties were financial or military.

The United States has pledged more than $1 billion in aid to Mali since the election of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in 2013 after a period of instability.

Security has been deteriorating in Mali for months despite a peace deal signed in June 2015 between the government and a medley of mostly Tuareg secular armed groups based in the desert north.

The deal was seen as an important precursor to striking at al Qaeda-linked militants based in the same region and who briefly seized key northern cities in 2012.

Many of the rivalries between fighters from the Tuareg minority ethnic group date back centuries and are linked to control of desert trade routes. Up to 20 died in fighting in remote locations in July and there have been further clashes near the northern town of Kidal in recent weeks.
Hunger 'deadlier than violence' in Boko Haram-hit northeast Nigeria

By Kieran Guilbert

DAKAR, Sept 28 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Living conditions for people uprooted by Boko Haram violence and seeking refuge in camps and towns across northeast Nigeria are more deadly than the conflict between the Islamist militants and the army, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said on Wednesday.

Hunger and malnutrition is widespread among the displaced in Borno State, not just in remote, previously inaccessible areas, but also in the capital Maiduguri, the medical aid group said.

Coordination of relief efforts must be drastically improved and food aid urgently delivered to people in need across Borno, where the humanitarian situation is reaching "catastrophic levels", said MSF emergency programme manager Natalie Roberts.

"It is shocking to see so many people malnourished in Maiduguri, not just in isolated and hard-to-reach areas," Roberts told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone.

"Aid actors have access, and there has been no Boko Haram presence for the last few years, but people are starving to death inside Maiduguri. Millions are in a nutrition crisis."

MSF said it had recently gained access to Ngala and Gambaru, towns previously cut off from aid, where tens of thousands of people have little or nothing to eat and at least one in 10 children are suffering from life-threatening malnutrition.

Yet the medical charity said it was most concerned about the situation in Maiduguri, where malnutrition rates in some parts of the city are as high as those seen in conflict-hit areas.

Boko Haram violence has left more than 65,000 people living in famine in the northeast, with one million others at risk, and more than half of children under five are malnourished in some areas of Borno, several aid groups said last week.

Many women in aid camps in the northeast are resorting to selling sex in exchange for food and money with which to feed their families, medical charity International Medical Corps and Nigerian research group NOI Polls said this week.

Roberts said the aid response across Borno was insufficient and uncoordinated, leaving many people without any assistance.

"Civilians are not receiving aid, and find themselves trapped between Boko Haram and the military's operations."

The Islamist militant group has killed about 15,000 people and displaced more than 2 million in Nigeria in a seven-year insurgency aimed at creating a state adhering to Islamic laws.
CIA chief opposes bill allowing 9/11 suits against Saudi Arabia

WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - CIA Director John Brennan said on Wednesday that legislation to allow lawsuits against the government of Saudi Arabia over the Sept. 11 attacks has "grave implications" for U.S. national security.

Brennan's comments in a formal statement came as the Senate prepared to hold a vote on overriding President Barack Obama's veto of the legislation.

"The most damaging consequence would be for those U.S. Government officials who dutifully work overseas on behalf of our country. The principle of sovereign immunity protects U.S. officials every day, and is rooted in reciprocity," Brennan said. "If we fail to uphold this standard for other countries, we place our own nation's officials in danger."
Global container shipping firms raided in S.Africa over suspected collusion

By Joe Brock and Jonathan Saul

JOHANNESBURG/LONDON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Six of the world's biggest container shipping companies were raided by South African authorities on Wednesday on suspicion of colluding to inflate rates between Asia and South Africa, the country's Competition Commission said.

The development comes as global container lines struggle in the worst-ever market conditions, caused by a glut of ships and slowing global trade, which has battered earnings and forced at least one out of business.

The six companies raided comprise local subsidiaries of Denmark's Maersk, Swiss-headquartered Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), France's CMA CGM Shipping, Germany's Hamburg Sud, Singapore-based Pacific International Line and Maersk unit Safmarine, the commission said in a statement.

It said the firms were suspected of engaging in collusive practices to fix incremental rates on the shipment of cargo from Asia to South Africa.

"Any cartel by shipping liners in this region results in inflated prices for cargo transportation," Competition Commissioner Tembinkosi Bonakele said.

"Such cartels have the effect of significantly derailing the economic growth of the region."

A search and seizure operation focused on premises of the six firms will involve confiscating documents and electronic data and follows a tip-off by a member of the public, the commission said.

Maersk, MSC and Hamburg Sud confirmed the raids and said they were cooperating with the authorities. The other companies did not respond to requests for comment.

"The fact that the SACC carries out such inspections does not mean that a company has engaged in anti-competitive behaviour," said Maersk, the world's No.1 shipping line.

In July, EU antitrust regulators accepted an offer from Maersk and 13 competitors to change their pricing practices in order to stave off possible fines.

The European Commission opened a case against the container shipping liners in late 2013, following dawn raids two years earlier.

Maersk parent company A.P Moller Maersk last week announced a restructuring that will see the $30 billion group bulk up its transport business while seeking alliances or a separate listing for its energy operations as worsening freight and oil turmoil take their toll.

Other container lines such as CMA CGM have been looking to build scale. Family owned French group CMA CGM sealed an acquisition this year of Singapore-based Neptune Orient Lines, which has given it market leadership on trans-Pacific routes.
Oman detains judge who criticized judiciary - rights group

MUSCAT, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Police in Oman have detained a senior judge who criticized the judiciary in a newspaper which was shut down earlier this week by court order, an Omani rights group said on Wednesday.

Ali al-Numani, Oman's supreme court deputy, is being held in a police hospital and is in good health, the Omani Human Rights Commission said in a statement.

Numani told the privately owned Azamn newspaper in an interview in August that Oman's attorney general and supreme court justice chief had "abused laws of the state".

He also apologized for the way authorities treated the newspaper, which had reported extensively on a series of corruption cases in 2014 in which several company executives were convicted.

An Omani court on Monday ordered the permanent closure of Azamn and jailed three of its journalists on charges that included undermining the prestige of the state.

A police spokesperson declined to comment on the detention of Numani.
GRAINS-U.S. wheat firms on rising export hopes; corn, soy weak

By Mark Weinraub

CHICAGO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - U.S. wheat futures firmed slightly on Wednesday, supported by signs of a pick-up in demand for U.S. offerings on the export market, traders said.

Soybean and corn futures weakened on forecasts for dry weather that should allow farmers to pick up the pace of their harvest.

The benchmark Chicago Board of Trade soft red winter wheat contract was led higher by MGEX spring wheat, which neared a one-month peak amid concerns about shortfalls in high-protein supplies despite ample global wheat stocks.

"Though world supplies of wheat remain plentiful, quality concerns around the world are helping the U.S. attract some business," Bryce Knorr, Farm Futures senior grain market analyst, said in a note to clients.

At 10:46 a.m. CDT (1546 GMT), CBOT December soft red winter wheat was up 1 cent at $4.05 a bushel. MGEX spring wheat for December delivery was up 4 cents at $5.06-3/4 a bushel.

"There was additional support for the wheat market with the Australian crop suffering from bad weather and hopes for more U.S. exports."

Australia's wheat crop is likely to fall short of official estimates of near-record volumes as heavy rains exacerbate recent damage to the crop. Problems in Australia could help push Asian export customers to the United States, traders said.

CBOT December corn was down 1-1/4 cents at $3.30-1/2 a bushel and CBOT November soybeans were off 1/4 cent at $9.52-1/4 a bushel.

"Weather forecasts in the huge Midwest grain and soybean belts are looking dryer, which is what is needed at this stage of the year when the combine harvesters are rolling," said Frank Rijkers, agrifood economist at ABN AMRO Bank. "It should be remembered that record-large U.S. soybean and corn crops are expected."
U.S. will send about 600 more troops to Iraq: defense chief

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Sept 28 (Reuters) - The United States will send about 600 more troops to Iraq to help Iraqi forces retake the city of Mosul from Islamic State, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Wednesday.

The troops will train and advise Iraqi forces, provide logistics support, and help in intelligence efforts, Carter told reporters while traveling in New Mexico.
Women's voices heard clear and loud in Colombia peace deal

By Anastasia Moloney

BOGOTA, Sept 28 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Under a newly-signed peace deal to end Colombia's war, women who have been raped by military forces or rebel fighters may expect to have the crimes against them investigated by a special unit.

The accord between the government and rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) also pledges to improve access to land for women farmers through a land bank and subsidies.

And seeks to encourage rural women to move away from growing coca, the raw ingredient for cocaine, by providing creches and other kinds of support.

It's unlikely such provisions would be in place had women been excluded from the peace talks but their role in the process has led to an unprecedented focus on women's rights in the final deal, setting a strong example for others, analysts said.

"Colombia has raised the bar in terms of women's direct and indirect participation in a peace process," said Miriam Coronel Ferrer, the Philippine government's chief peace negotiator with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the country's largest Muslim rebel group.

"It's a good model to inspire other countries. Excluding women hurts a peace process," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in an interview.

President Juan Manuel Santos and top FARC leader Timochenko signed the peace deal on Monday, ending a 52-year conflict that has killed 200,000 people and forced millions more from their homes.

The deal will be put to Colombians in a vote on Sunday, which is expected to pass.

POWER RELATIONS

Despite its reputation for having a patriarchal culture, Colombia brought women into the heart of the peace process.

The government appointed a woman to be part of its chief negotiating team for the first time in late 2013, and the FARC has had several female peace negotiators on its side.

Negotiators also heard testimony from a commission on gender issues to ensure women's voices were heard, an initiative UN Women has described as the first of its kind.

According to the U.N. agency, having women at the negotiating table increases the chance of a peace agreement lasting 15 years by 35 percent.

Morena Herrera, a former guerrilla fighter for El Salvador's Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), recalls women being excluded from the 1992 peace deal.

"We fought for the negotiations. But when we read the accord we were stunned. We realised we weren't there. Women weren't mentioned in the text," said Herrera, a women's rights activist.

"(Colombia's accord) ... is an opportunity to improve the status of women in society and power relations between men and women."

Fewer than four percent of signatories to peace agreements were women between 1992 and 2011, and less than 10 percent of negotiators were women, according to UN Women.

NO AMNESTY FOR RAPE

Olga Amparo, who took part in the gender commission and travelled to Cuba where talks were hosted, said the accord recognises that war impacts women differently.

For example, women and girls have borne the brunt of sexual violence committed as a weapon of war.

"The peace deal makes it clear that sexual violence is not up for amnesty," said Amparo, a women's rights activist.

As part of the peace deal, around 7,000 FARC fighters will hand in their weapons and reintegrate into civilian life.

Women can help to monitor a ceasefire, watching out for outbreaks of violence and signs fighters are rearming, but they may also be victims of fresh violence, said Coronel Ferrer from the Philippines.

"There's usually an increase in domestic violence when men who have fought in war come home," she said.

Making sure women in Colombia play a role in implementing the peace deal will be a challenge, analysts said.

Obstacles include ensuring women read the 297-page accord to know their benefits, making sure funds are allocated to women's rights programmes and increasing the participation of women in politics.

"The accord is a tool for us. Now we have to ensure that what is written is translated into practice," Amparo said.
Sarkozy slips in French Republican presidential race

PARIS, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Nicolas Sarkozy has lost ground against his main conservative rival in the race for France's Republican party presidential nomination, two polls showed on Wednesday, hurt by legal and political setbacks.

Sarkozy, who was president from 2007-2012, is pitching himself as a man of action who will push for a new European Union treaty, be tough on immigration, and defend France against militant Islam.

While his message resonates with voters tempted by the buoyant far-right National Front, he risks alienating mainstream centre-right voters.

In one poll by Kantar Sofres-Onepoint, support for Sarkozy in the Nov 20 primary first round dipped 1 point to 33 percent, while backing for party frontrunner Alain Juppe, a former prime minister, climbed 5 points to 39 percent.

A second poll showed Juppe, a moderate who styles himself as an elder statesman, steady at 35 percent in the first round while Sarkozy shed 2 points at 31 percent.

Both polls showed Juppe winning the primary contest's second round, due on Nov. 27, by at least a 10 point margin.

Whoever wins the centre-right party ticket is odds-on favourite to win the presidential election.

National Front leader Marine Le Pen is on course for a place in a head-to-head second round but will almost certainly fail to win, polls show. President Francois Hollande, who has not yet declared he will run, is the country's most unpopular leader and his ruling Socialist Party is riven by internal divisions.

Sarkozy failed to build on the momentum generated by his high-profile campaign launch in late August, according to the IFOP poll, the first since mid-June to show a fall in support for the often abrasive politician in the primary's second round.

Sarkozy has been stung by allegations made by one of his former senior advisers that in 2007 he courted the support of then National Front's chief Jean-Marie Le Pen in his bid to win the presidency.
Greece, Cyprus, Israel look into East Med gas pipeline

Sept 28 (Reuters) - Greece, Cyprus and Israel said on Wednesday they would pursue ways of channelling east Mediterranean gas to Europe via a pipeline to Greece.

With significant finds reported in the past decade, Israel and to a lesser extent Cyprus are thought to be sitting on vast quantities of natural gas wealth, but have yet to come up with concrete plans on how to export it.

Energy ministers of both countries and Greece meeting in Athens on Wednesday said they would continue discussions, with Israel's energy minister Yuval Steinitz saying the pipeline idea was "promising".

"...It seems the East Med basin might become the next big thing in natural gas," Steinitz told journalists.

"In order to enable this we have to think in advance about ways and means of exporting. One of the most promising projects which has been under examination is a natural gas underwater pipeline."

A feasibility study on the 1,300 km offshore pipeline designed to transport up to 16 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas per year is due to be presented next month, Greek officials said.

"What transpired as a very significant issue in these talks is the ability of Greece to become a gateway of natural gas of the eastern Mediterranean to Europe," said Panos Skourletis, Greece's energy minister.

Israel has discovered more than 900 bcm of natural gas offshore, with some indications pointing to another 2,200 bcm waiting to be tapped, Steinitz said.

Israel would "re-open its economic waters" in about six weeks, he said, referring to a licensing round for commercial bidding over maritime blocks.

At an energy conference in Athens earlier on Wednesday, Steinitz said Israel wanted more than one export route to channel natural gas discoveries in the eastern Mediterranean to Europe.

Delivery options range from a pipeline linking the three countries, a pipeline to Turkey, or use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage facilities in Egypt for shipment to Europe.
Airlines report 17 percent rise in unruly passengers

By Allison Lampert and Jeffrey Dastin

MONTREAL/NEW YORK, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Reports of unruly passengers disrupting airline flights have soared almost 17 percent worldwide in 2015, with incidents such as passengers being verbally abusive or refusing to obey cabin crew occurring on one out of every 1,205 flights, the international trade association for airlines said on Wednesday.

Some 10,854 plane rage incidents were reported to the International Air Transport Association by airlines last year, up from 9,316 incidents in 2014, IATA said. This equates to one incident for every 1,205 flights, compared with one incident for every 1,282 flights in 2014.

Planes have made emergency landings because escalating conflicts put passengers at risk. A man on a Southwest Airlines Co flight started a fight with a woman sitting in front of him in October 2015 after she reclined her seat.

"The kind of behaviours that ... might be acceptable on the ground take on a completely different complexion when you're in the air," said Tom Colehan, IATA's assistant director of government and industry affairs on the sidelines of a United Nations aviation assembly in Montreal.

Industry officials estimate the cost of diverting a long-haul flight to remove an unruly passenger at $200,000.

Colehan said "frustrations with journey," including long security lines could be triggers. "I don't think anybody knows exactly the reason driving the rise," he said. "Perhaps it's just reflective of societal changes where anti-social behavior is more prevalent and perhaps more accepted."

Alcohol or drug intoxication was identified by IATA as a factor in 23 percent of the cases.

Airlines want airport bar operators and ground handlers to flag unruly passengers before they reach the gate so carriers can decide whether they may cause a disturbance at 35,000 feet, Colehan said.

"For bar operators and restauranteurs, we're also saying to them, look: you also have a responsibility to make sure ... you're not promoting binge drinking," he said.

Consumer advocates have said airlines' efforts to increase profits by packing more customers on each plane may be part of the problem.

Seat pitch, the distance from one seat to the same spot on the one in front or behind, has shrunk to as little as 28 inches on some flights, against the more common 31 or 32 inches for economy, according to seat makers.

"The fact that they sell alcohol at airports or on planes hasn't changed," said Charlie Leocha, chairman of consumer advocacy group Travelers United. "The only variable that has changed is that they are squeezing more people on to planes than ever before."

U.S. airlines believe market forces and competition - not the government - should determine seat sizes, a spokeswoman for Washington-based trade group Airlines for America said.

IATA is backing new legislation to give authorities more teeth to crack down on unruly passengers. Currently, a passenger who disrupts an international flight can only be prosecuted in the country where the airline is registered and not where it lands.

On Thursday, IATA will urge countries gathered at the International Civil Aviation Organization to join a 2014 international treaty that would allow authorities to arrest passengers at a plane's destination.

Six countries - Bahrain, Congo, Dominican Republic, Gabon, Guyana and Jordan - have agreed to be full parties to the international treaty, but 22 must join for it to take effect.

"We expect to see more countries become parties to the protocol in the coming weeks and months ahead," Colehan said.
South Asia summit uncertain as India, others pull out in snub to Pakistan

KATHMANDU, Sept 28 (Reuters) - A summit of South Asian leaders set for Islamabad in November may be called off as several countries have decided not to attend amid rising tension between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, officials said on Wednesday.

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and India have expressed their "inability" to attend the summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), a senior foreign ministry official in Nepal said.

India's foreign ministry on Tuesday announced its decision to skip the meeting, saying "increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of member states by one country" had created an environment that was not conducive.

India has blamed Pakistan for a deadly assault this month on an army base in the disputed Himalayan state of Kashmir that has heightened fears of a new conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

Pakistan, which denies the accusations, called India's move to pull out of the SAARC summit "unfortunate".

A spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said Afghanistan, which frequently accuses Pakistan of harbouring and supporting Taliban insurgents, would not take part in the summit as long as security threats in the region remain unresolved.

A Bangladeshi foreign ministry official said Dhaka had told Nepal it would not attend because of Pakistani interference in its internal affairs.

The two countries have been in a diplomatic spat over executions by Bangladesh of people convicted of crimes during its 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.

Junior foreign affairs minister Mohammad Shahriar Alam said Dhaka had told Pakistan, which is chairing the meeting, of its "inability to attend the summit due to our engagements".
Occupying schools, gunmen deny education to thousands of children in Central African Republic - U.N.

By Kieran Guilbert

DAKAR, Sept 28 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Thousands of children in Central African Republic are being prevented from starting the academic year by armed groups which are occupying schools and installing barriers nearby, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

Children across the country returned to class last week, but insecurity in some areas outside the capital Bangui has disrupted the start of the school year and stopped 10,000 pupils from resuming their education, according to the U.N. children's fund (UNICEF).

Central African Republic has been beset by violence between mainly Muslim Seleka rebels and Christian anti-balaka militias since the rebels ousted the then president in early 2013.

"Schools are not part of the conflict, they have no political affiliation," said Donaig Le Du, chief of communications for UNICEF in the Central African Republic.

"No child should be prevented from going to school by conflict," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone.

The country's U.N. peacekeeping mission, MINUSCA, on Tuesday called on armed groups to leave the schools they are occupying, and said it would use force to remove them if necessary.

One in five primary schools, around 400, are closed and a third of children are not in class - with displacement, a lack of teachers, and insecurity to blame, according to UNICEF.

The conflict has forced almost a million people - a fifth of the population - to flee their homes, leaving the impoverished nation divided along ethnic and religious lines.

Former prime minister Faustin-Archange Touadera won a presidential election in February that was meant to help the country emerge from its bloody past. However, rebels and militia fighters still stalk much of the nation outside of the capital.
German woman held in Syria escapes with baby to Turkey -foreign ministry

BERLIN, Sept 28 (Reuters) - A German woman who was kidnapped in war-torn Syria last year and gave birth while in captivity escaped with her baby to Turkey on Wednesday, the German foreign ministry said.

"The German woman and her baby who was born while she was held hostage are in good condition considering the circumstances," the ministry said in a statement. It said the two were now under the care of German consular officials and members of the German federal police in Turkey.

The German mass circulation newspaper Bild said the woman was a freelance journalist who had worked for Munich's Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily and broadcaster NDR.

"The German government is relieved about the outcome of this case given the extremely difficult overall situation in Syria."

A ministry spokeswoman said she could give no further details about the case, citing privacy considerations. The German federal police was not immediately available to comment.

Focus newsmagazine reported on the case in February, naming the woman as 27-year-old Janina Findeisen. It said she was kidnapped in October 2015 and gave birth to her son in December.

It said the woman, who had published under the pseudonym Marie Delhaes, had been held by a faction within the Islamist Nusra Front militant group that demanded a ransom of 5 million euros for her release.

Focus, citing federal police sources, said Findeisen had been lured to Syria by a woman she knew from Bonn with the promise of exclusive information about Islamist militants.
U.S. calls on Mali government to sever ties with northern militia

BAMAKO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The U.S. ambassador to Mali has accused the government of maintaining relations with a militia widely blamed for rising tensions that risk undermining a fragile peace process in the country's desert north.

His comments were the latest indication that key donors to the West African state are taking a harder line towards the government, which denies all ties to Gatia - a mostly Tuareg militia opposed to pro-independence fighters in the north.

"The Malian government should put a stop to all ties both public and private with Gatia, a group of armed militia that is not contributing to peace in the north," Paul Folmsbee said in a post on the U.S. Embassy's Facebook page on Wednesday.

"Mali needs to assume a greater responsibility for the peace deal's implementation," he said, urging the southern-based Bamako government to step up its presence throughout the sprawling country.

A government spokesman declined to comment on the allegation of ties to Gatia. Folmsbee did not give details of whether the ties were financial or military.

The United States has pledged more than $1 billion in aid to Mali since the election of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in 2013 after a period of instability.

In a statement, Gatia did not directly deny any links to the Bamako government but said its mission was to protect an ethnic group within the Tuareg known as the Imghad, not to act as an arm of the authorities in northern Mali.

"(Gatia) was created ... to protect the Imghad people and their allies who have been abandoned by the state in an area where there are armed groups that kill and humiliate with impunity," Gatia's deputy secretary-general Habala Hamzata said in the statement.

Security has been deteriorating in Mali for months despite a peace deal signed in June 2015 between the government and a medley of mostly Tuareg secular armed groups based in the desert north.

The deal was seen as an important precursor to striking at al Qaeda-linked militants based in the same region and who briefly seized key northern cities in 2012.

Many of the rivalries between fighters from the Tuareg minority ethnic group date back centuries and are linked to control of desert trade routes. Up to 20 died in fighting in remote locations in July and there have been further clashes near the northern town of Kidal in recent weeks.
Syrian hacker sympathetic to Assad pleads guilty in U.S. court

WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - A computer hacker sympathetic to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government pleaded guilty for his role as a middleman in an extortion scheme targeting U.S. media outlets and governments, the U.S. Department of Justice said on Wednesday.

It said in a statement that Peter Romar, 37, was a member of the Syrian Electronic Army hacking group and had joined an operation to infiltrate computers of Assad's "perceived detractors" in the media, U.S. government and other governments.

Romar's guilty plea was entered in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Romar, who was extradited from Germany in May, faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced, the statement said.

At the time of the indictment, Justice Department officials said the hackers used a tactic known as "spear-phishing," to target computers. CNN, National Public Radio, the Associated Press, Reuters, Microsoft Corp, Harvard University and Human Rights Watch were among the targets.

"If a victim could not make extortion payments to the conspiracy's Syrian bank accounts due to sanctions targeting Syria, Romar acted as an intermediary in Germany to evade those sanctions," the Justice Department said in Wednesday's statement.
Syria's east Aleppo has no anaesthetists, few intensive care beds - doctor

By Marina Depetris and Tom Miles

GENEVA, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Syria's besieged enclave of eastern Aleppo has no anaesthetists and only six intensive care beds after two hospitals were disabled by air strikes overnight, a doctor from the Syrian American Medical Society said on Wednesday.

Russian or Syrian warplanes knocked a major Aleppo hospital out of service on Wednesday, hospital workers said, and ground forces intensified their assault on the city's besieged rebel sector, in a battle that has become a potentially decisive turning point in the civil war.

Shelling damaged at least one other hospital and a bakery, killing six residents queuing up for bread under a siege that has trapped 250,000 people with food running out.

"We lost seven ICU beds with their ventilators. Now in eastern Aleppo there are only six ICU beds," the doctor, Abd Arrahman Alomar, told Reuters in Geneva during a trip to meet United Nations human rights and humanitarian officials.

The damaged M2 hospital might be functioning again within days but Alomar said he didn't know how long it would take to fix the M10 hospital, the biggest trauma hospital in eastern Aleppo.

The remaining intensive care unit beds are at the Al Quds and M1 hospitals.

The main priority was treating injuries from the war, including burns from incendiary and "bunker buster" bombs, and eastern Aleppo's 30 doctors were having to focus on life-saving and life-sustaining care only.

"The mental health and psycho-social support is not considered at all because this is not a priority," he said. "We have now more than 200 cases that need prompt evacuation."

There are no ventilators for newborns nor nurses qualified to look after them, and technicians are standing in as anaesthestists, he said, adding that eastern Aleppo was being served by just one gynaecologist and two paediatricians.

"RESILIENCE"

Antibiotics, orthopaedic supplies and drugs for treating chronic diseases are running low and other medicines have run out, Alomar said.

"If it continues, surgeons will not be able to do operations," Alomar said. "There is also a dangerous shortage of fuel, only enough to operate these hospitals for 24 or 25 days."

The only bloodbank, which was providing 50 blood bags daily a few weeks ago, is now facing demand for 300 a day, he said.

But Alomar said people inside the siege were coping.

"I can summarise the feelings of people inside with one word: resilience," he said.
Russia says ready to resume joint work with United States on Syria - agencies

MOSCOW, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Russia said on Wednesday it was ready to work with the United States on Syria and would soon send experts to Geneva for talks with U.S. counterparts on normalising the situation in the city of Aleppo and the rest of the country.

Russian news agencies quoted Lieutenant-General Viktor Poznikhir as saying that initiative was a result of a telephone call earlier on Wednesday between Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

"The Russian Defence Ministry and the Foreign Ministry, on instructions from the President of the Russian Federation, are ready for further continuation of the joint work with our American partners on the Syrian problem," Poznikhir said.
Russia says ready to continue to work with United States on Syria

MOSCOW, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Russia said on Wednesday it was ready to work with the United States on Syria and would soon send experts to Geneva for talks with U.S. counterparts.

The ministry quoted Lieutenant-General Viktor Poznikhir as saying in a statement the initiative was a result of a telephone call earlier on Wednesday between Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

"The Russian Defence Ministry and the Foreign Ministry, on instructions from the President of the Russian Federation, are ready for further continuation of the joint work with our American partners on the Syrian problem," Poznikhir said.

The United States earlier threatened to halt its diplomacy with Russia on Syria and it said it held Russia accountable for the use of incendiary bombs on Aleppo.

"We count on our American partners to be ready to work together," Poznikhir said, adding that the situation in Syria has deteriorated significantly.

"Opposition groups, taking advantage of the seven-day truce, replenished ammunition and weapons reserves, regrouped and moved to active offensive operations to capture new territories."

Russia has also learned, Poznikhir said, that terrorist groups are preparing chemical weapons attacks on the Syrian army and residential areas in the eastern part of Aleppo.
No big shift in U.S. flood patterns despite climate change - study

WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - U.S. flooding patterns have shown some regional changes but no countrywide shift despite heavier rains spawned by global warming, a study by U.S. and Austrian researchers said on Wednesday.

Findings that the biggest changes were in the Upper Mississippi Valley, northern Great Plains and New England could help focus resources in dealing with a changing climate, said Stacey Archfield, a U.S. Geological Survey hydrologist and one of the study's authors.

"It's a much more nuanced approach than saying, 'We know change is happening everywhere and this is a particular solution for it,'" she said.

In weighing the impact climate change is having on flooding, researchers from the Geological Survey and Austria's Vienna University of Technology analyzed records from 345 stream gauges in the conterminous United States from 1940 to 2013.

The gauges covered 70 percent of the lower 48 states. The first 30 years served as a base period.

The results concluded that most of the United States had shown no major change since 1970 in the categories of flood frequency, peak magnitude, duration and volume.

The study said that Wyoming and South Dakota had registered a 150 percent increase in peak magnitude. They joined North Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas in notching significant increases in flood duration along with a fall in frequency.

The duration of flooding in sections of the Great Plains went up two to five times. Flood volumes in the area rose almost six times above the average in the base period.

New England, on the other hand, showed an increase in the average number of yearly floods to five from two even as duration, magnitude and volume went down.

The study came a day after a network of flood barricades in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, largely succeeded in holding back the swollen Cedar River. Officials had feared the high water could have been the second-worst flood in the city's history.
Archaeologists discover pre-Columbian tombs in Guatemala

GUATEMALA CITY, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Guatemalan archaeologists hope two tombs uncovered in Peten, Guatemala, will shed light on a clash between two kingdoms located in the Maya Lowlands during the Classic Maya period from 250 to 900 AD.

The tombs in Peten, 310 miles (500 km) from the capital, Guatemala City, escaped decades of looting at the site, a group of archaeologists told a news conference on Monday.

Beginning in 2000, archaeologist Francisco Estrada-Belli, who directs Boston University's Holmul Archaeological Project, and his team have protected the site - the Classic Maya city of Holmul - employing four park rangers to guard it from looters. The rangers also protect Holmul's structures from erosion through the use of roofs.

As a result, the coordinator of the foundation for Maya Cultural and Natural Heritage, Hector Escobedo, said structures at Holmul were among the best preserved in the Maya region.

Archaeologists told reporters the findings were important because one of the tombs - dating to between 650 and 700 AD - could be that of a ruler.

Kaanul and Tikal, two kingdoms from that period, competed with each other for control of resources and adjoining cities.

In another tomb in Holmul, the remains of a middle-aged person were found, accompanied by vessels and jade ornaments. A jade necklace could be a "war trophy," said Estrada-Belli at the National Palace of Culture.

"This is the first major find of this kind. The offerings include some elaborate ceramics and objects of bone and shell," Estrada-Belli said. "The most interesting is one that has an inscription that states that the object is a jade necklace piece and belongs to a king from another place."
U.S. condemns S. Sudan opposition leader's call for renewed war

WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department on Wednesday strongly condemned comments by South Sudan's opposition leader calling for a return to war against the government, saying it was "inexcusable" and showed a lack of concern for the well-being of the people.

Riek Machar, the country's former first vice president, and his allies ordered their forces to reorganize for "armed resistance" to the South Sudan government after talks over the weekend in Khartoum.

State Department spokesman John Kirby said Washington had seen Machar's statements and "strongly condemned" them, saying the violence of the past few years had proven fighting would not resolve the country's underlying conflict.

"We find it inexcusable that he would continue to promote armed resistance," Kirby told reporters. "It indicates a lack of concern for the well-being of the South Sudanese people, many of whom continue to struggle just to survive and just as much want to see peace."

Machar led a two-year rebellion against forces loyal to his longtime rival, President Salva Kiir, before the two sides reached a peace deal in August 2015. Under the deal, Machar returned to the capital Juba and resumed his role as vice president.
Colombia's ELN rebels say ready to start formal peace talks

BOGOTA, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Colombia's Marxist ELN rebels said on Wednesday they were ready to start formal peace talks with the government and resolve issues that have so far stymied the negotiations announced in March.

The ELN's announcement comes two days after Colombia's center-right government and the Marxist FARC rebel group signed a peace deal to end a half-century war that killed a quarter of a million people and once took the Andean country to the brink of collapse.

The leftist National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels and the government had announced peace talks in March, but the negotiations have been delayed by the rebels' continued kidnappings and infrastructure attacks.

On Tuesday, President Juan Manuel Santos called on the ELN, Colombia's second biggest rebel group with some 2,000 in its ranks, to free hostages and start the formal negotiation process. The government said the group was holding at least four hostages.

"We're ready for the public phase to continue what was decided on March 30 and find solutions to difficulties," the ELN tweeted on Wednesday.
The cancellation of the SAARC 2016 summit that was supposed to be hosted by Islamabad is nothing short of a diplomatic coup engineered by New Delhi's relentless global persuasion to "isolate" Pakistan as a "state sponsor of terror".

Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that he would be unable to attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation 2016 summit in Islamabad, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan premiers sounded equally reluctant notes that sent out a message that was loud and clear.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh and President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan relayed sharp unhappiness over Pakistan's constant use of terror as state policy. The eight-member SAARC is, however, an important regional bloc and India-Pakistan rivalry can precipitate a wider unrest in the region which can have negative impacts on the co-dependent economies.

PM Narendra Modi and Afghan president Ashraf Ghani at SAARC 2014 summit in Kathmandu. [Photo: Reuters]

Here are key takeaways from the SAARC riposte that New Delhi wielded on Islamabad:

Bloodless coup

Boycotting the SAARC summit by not one but four members of the regional bloc is an effective message to Pakistan that cross-border terror wouldn't be tolerated. After the Dhaka bakery attack and repeated bomb blasts in Kabul and other major cities of Afghanistan, the two neighbours - on the east and the other on the west - are equally tired of battling terrorism with definite links to Pakistan's ISI.

Regional unity against terror

Heavily populated countries such as Bangladesh and a western neighbour with enormous geostrategic significance such as Afghanistan are extremely important for India's political and economic stability. Because Pakistan has literally treated both the countries as its fifth and sixth provinces, and because terror is a hindrance to economic development, this new axis of cooperation against terrorism can exert maximum pressure in South Asia.

Modi's diplomatic juggernaut

Exercising strategic restraint after Uri attack has certainly paid off, especially after the stellar repartee from Eenam Gambhir to Nawaz Sharif at the UNGA and Sushma Swaraj's tempestuous, no-holds-barred speech on September 26. For PM Modi, the SAARC win is exactly what would pave the road to future strategy on Islamabad.

SAARC is a cornerstone of South Asian regional cooperation and must not be sacrificed at the altar of India-Pakistan rivalries. [Photo: Reuters]

Grievances and ambivalence

It's however equally important to note that Nepal, the current chair, is bound by protocol not to take sides and because SAARC summit necessitates presence of every member to be held, cancellation was a given in the wake of four countries opting out. However, India's terrible meddling in Nepal in the wake of the 2015 earthquake and losing points with Madhesis last year after it effected an economic blockade left Kathmandu bitter and untrusting of India.

China factor
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperations (SAARC) summit scheduled to be held in November in Islamabad is all but called off for now. With India pulling out, and Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan deciding to follow suit, the summit has lost its meaning.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to establish India as the "Big Brother" in the region. But, where is this zero-sum game headed? Does this mean the collapse of SAARC as a functioning regional bloc? And most importantly, has PM Modi put himself in a situation where he cannot go to Pakistan and teach the neighbour a few lessons?

Not lessons on how India can take down or pulverise Pakistan, but critical lessons on the need for peace so that the welfare of people of both the countries, as well as the other smaller nations of South Asia, remains a priority.

The geopolitical scenario is changing rapidly in South Asia. The Indian people are patently upset with the regular terrorist attacks. Whenever one sees hope in the enduring friendship with Pakistan, a militant organisation strikes an Indian territory, and we are - yet again - back to square one. For every one step forward, India is forced to retreat two steps.

Militant organisations and the intelligence agencies backing them achieved what they wanted as the two countries announced suspension of dialogue. In such an event, it is the common man and the creative fraternity who suffer the most. It also means playing into the hands of militants. Keeping this in mind, India and Pakistan need to have uninterrupted and uninterruptible dialogue.

PM Modi began his tenure well in May 2014, when he invited the leaders of SAARC countries - including Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif - for his swearing-in. He also surprised everyone when he decided to land in Lahore to wish Nawaz Sharif on his birthday on December 25 last year. However, the Pathankot and Uri attacks have changed the scenario and spoiled the atmosphere of peace.

PM Modi surprised everyone when he suddenly decided to land in Lahore to wish Nawaz Sharif on his birthday in December 2015.

Modi has been put in a situation so he his left with no other option but to adopt a "hawkish" line, at least, to satisfy his war-mongering followers. It is easy to criticise the government sitting in the Opposition, or within the confines of a TV studio. Once in power, you realise the complexity of the issue.

In January 2013, the Pakistani army infiltrated into the Poonch sector and killed Lance Naiks Hemraj and Sudhakar Singh. After visiting Hemrajs family, Sushma Swaraj, then in the Opoosition, had said ,"If his [Hemraj's] head could not be brought back [from Pakistan], we should get at least ten heads from their side." Thankfully, no such hawkish statements have been made by Swaraj or the BJP now.

The reality is India and Pakistan are both nuclear states and neither can afford attacking the other by breaching the Line of Control (LoC). Even a surgical attack is not advisable. A country cannot be run on emotions. It needs rational thinking to guide its actions.

Emotions might get one votes, as the PM is very well aware. Keeping in mind the forthcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, PM Modi and the BJP cannot afford to convey a message to their cadres that they are going soft on terrorism and tackling Pakistan much like the previous Congress regime.

So, even if there is not much substance, they need to project their actions as feats never attempted by previous regimes.

Under the Indus Waters Treaty, as also under international water laws, the upper riparian country has no right to stop the water flow to a lower riparian. India has decided to suspend talks on the Permanent Indus Commission and review the treaty. PM Modi will also be discussing the possibility of repealing the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status accorded to Pakistan in 1996 under WTO-General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).

However, the going won't be simple and even if India decides to repeal the MFN status, it will not "harm" Pakistan economically.

Post the Uri attack, pulling out of the 19th SAARC summit has been the most significant decision taken by the Indian government. Pakistan has also had serious issues with Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Bangladeshs contention is that Pakistan is interfering in its internal matters. On the other hand, Pakistan is criticising Bangladesh for the execution of the leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, who were held responsible for the deaths of innocent Bengalis during Bangladeshs liberation war of 1971.

In fact, Bangladeshs home minister did not attend SAARC home ministers' conference held in Islamabad in August 2016. And then there is Afghanistan, which alleges Pakistan of sheltering the Taliban, the Haqqani network and so on.

Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan too decided to pull out of the summit immediately after Indias announcement. Under the SAARC charter, the summit cannot be held if a member state decides not to attend. This also shows how divided South Asia is.

In 2010, the SAARC summit was held in Thimpu, Bhutan, where the then President of Maldives Mohammad Nasheed had said that the SAARC can achieve a lot only if two of its biggest countries - India and Pakistan - leave their disputes back home.

The reality is that intra-regional trade is less than 5 per cent in South Asia. It cannot be compared with neighbouring regional bloc Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). The intra-regional trade within ASEAN and EU is much higher than SAARC.

Afghanistan has been demanding that Pakistan allow it to use Wagah border to import and export goods to India. Pakistans position is that they allow the trade transit route to Afghanistan to export their items to India. But as they only have a bilateral agreement with Kabul, Indian goods cannot be imported to Afghanistan through Pakistan.

Trade is a major issue as is the trade transit route. SAARC was formed in 1985, but it has not been able to deliver much. Smaller countries and the least developed countries (LDCs) have not benefitted to a great extent. Cooperation and trade with neighbouring countries always helps. For a regional bloc to bear fruit, understanding within the bloc is necessary. SAARC has tremendous potential, but the ground reality of mistrust prevents countries from "exploiting" it.

Similarly, connectivity is a major issue in South Asia. The theme for the last two SAARC summits was connectivity, but there has been hardly any progress. In fact, South Asia still remains one of the least-connected regions.

It is the responsibility of SAARC leaders to see that the regional bloc does not collapse. And Indias responsibility is much more as it is the largest country in South Asia.

The SAARC secretariat needs to be proactive in ensuring that the association does not lose its importance. Under no circumstances should SAARC collapse. The leaders of South Asia need to show maturity and behave like statesmen.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address in Kozhikode spelt out the broad parameters of what India's response would be in the aftermath of the Uri attack.

He revealed that there had been a series of such attacks in Jammu and Kashmir this year, in which India's armed forces eliminated more than 100 terrorists.

He drew attention to the fact that Pakistan is now internationally regarded as the epicentre of global terrorism. It is a country that welcomes and provides haven to terrorists like Osama bin Laden.

Diplomacy

Modi used the occasion to directly address the people of Pakistan. He referred to the shared yearning of the people of both countries, for progress and economic development.

He pointedly noted that it was not just India, but even other South Asian countries like Bangladesh and Afghanistan that were raising their voices against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.

He sarcastically noted that while India was recognised worldwide for its exports of software, Pakistan had acquired a reputation of being an exporter of terrorism.

PM Narendra Modi. (Photo credit: PTI)

Most significantly, he went beyond his Independence Day speech by alluding not just to the persecution and sufferings of the people of Balochistan, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, but also pointedly alluded to the plight of thousands of Pashtuns, who have been driven from their homes by the Pakistan army's operations in their homeland.

The contours of Modi's policies to deal with a recalcitrant Pakistan are now emerging. While he has not ruled out military options at a time and place of India's choosing, he is also not going to be pressurised into taking any precipitate military action.

In the meantime, he is going to build up an environment internationally, to turn the heat on Pakistan for its sponsorship of terrorism.

Following the Uri attack, India has received statements of understanding and support from four permanent members of the Security Council - Russia, USA, France and UK.

Interestingly, similar statements of sympathy and support have come for the first time from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Bahrain, where millions of Indians and Pakistanis reside.

China's reaction to the Uri attack has been relatively muted, clearly indicating unease with the attack.

Unsurprisingly, Turkey is the only country voicing understanding of Pakistan's position. Japan's statement has been the most forthright from east Asia.

This intense diplomatic effort is set continue, following UN address of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to the UN General Assembly.

The action will then shift to the BRICS Summit in Goa, where Pakistan has been pointedly excluded from participating, while India's eastern neighbours Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand will be present, as members of the BIMSTEC grouping.

Boycott

In the meantime, India, Bangladesh and Afghanistan appear likely to lead an effort to boycott the SAARC summit in Islamabad on November 20.

Pakistan has, after all, adopted a negative attitude and stonewalled attempts for greater economic cooperation and integration in South Asia.

It is averse to meaningful counterterror cooperation. It has a one-point agenda of seeking to get China, which is not a South Asian country, admitted to SAARC as a full member, just to embarrass India. It remains to be seen how this effort to review the working of SAARC, will be executed.

It would be necessary to complement these efforts with moves to place reciprocal restraints on Pakistan's exports to India and also encourage and facilitate our textile and cotton industries to undercut Pakistan's exports in these crucial sectors.

Establishment

There has been some irresponsible talk of annulling the Indus Waters Treaty and denying Pakistan waters it is entitled to receive.

PM Modi on Monday chaired a meeting to review this treaty where the government explored ways to use its share of water of rivers flowing into Pakistan, rather than outrightly scrapping the deal. This treaty, after all, is not bilateral and has provisions for third-party involvement.

Actions seeking to annul the treaty will, therefore, be challenged internationally. There are, however, provisions in the treaty, which permit us to significantly reduce present levels of water flowing into Pakistan, which can and should be invoked by us.

Prime Minister Modi's reference to "Pashtuns" was extremely significant, as the Pashtuns have never recognised the Durand Line, the present border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as a legal border.

They consider it as a line imposed on them by British imperialism. We should consult Afghanistan and depict the entire region between the Durand Line and the Indus river at Attock, as disputed.

Just as the Balochs across the world have appreciated and welcomed the prime minister's speech on Independence Day, millions of Pashtuns, on both sides of the Durand Line in Afghanistan and Pakistan, will appreciate such an action by India.

Most importantly, however, in dealing with Pakistan, we would hopefully, as the prime minister has enunciated, make a clear distinction between our approach to Pakistan's ordinary people and professionals on the one hand, and its rogue army establishment and those associated with it, on the other.
Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings operates as a global life sciences company that provides vital information to help doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, researchers, and patients make clear and confident decisions. It operates in two segments, Labcorp Diagnostics (Dx) and Labcorp Drug Development (DD). It offers various tests, such as blood chemistry analyses, urinalyses, blood cell counts, thyroid tests, PAP tests, hemoglobin A1C and vitamin D, prostate-specific antigens, tests for sexually transmitted diseases, hepatitis C tests, microbiology cultures and procedures, and alcohol and other substance-abuse tests. The company also provides specialty testing services comprising gene-based and esoteric testing; advanced tests target specific diseases, including anatomic pathology/oncology, cardiovascular disease, coagulation, diagnostic genetics, endocrinology, infectious disease, women's health, pharmacogenetics, and parentage and donor testing; and occupational testing services, medical drug monitoring services, chronic disease programs, and kidney stone prevention tests. It provides online and mobile applications to enable patients to check test results; and online applications for managed care organizations and accountable care organizations. It offers end-to-end drug development, medical device, and companion diagnostic development solutions from early-stage research to clinical development and commercial market access. It serves managed care organizations, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and diagnostics companies, governmental agencies, physicians and other healthcare providers, hospitals and health systems, employers, patients and consumers, contract research organizations, and independent clinical laboratories. Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings has a collaboration agreement with Tigerlily Foundation to increase clinical trial diversity for women of color. The company was incorporated in 1994 and is headquartered in Burlington, North Carolina.
Cardinal Health, Inc. operates as an integrated healthcare services and products company in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and internationally. It provides customized solutions for hospitals, healthcare systems, pharmacies, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories, physician offices, and patients in the home. The company operates in two segments, Pharmaceutical and Medical. The Pharmaceutical segment distributes branded and generic pharmaceutical, specialty pharmaceutical, and over-the-counter healthcare and consumer products. The segment also provides services to pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare providers for specialty pharmaceutical products; operates nuclear pharmacies and radiopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities; repackages generic pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter healthcare products; and offers medication therapy management and patient outcomes services to hospitals, other healthcare providers, and payers, as well as provides pharmacy management services to hospitals. The Medical segment manufactures, sources, and distributes Cardinal Health branded medical, surgical, and laboratory products and devices that include exam and surgical gloves; needles, syringe, and sharps disposals; compressions; incontinences; nutritional delivery products; wound care products; single-use surgical drapes, gowns, and apparels; fluid suction and collection systems; urology products; operating room supply products; and electrode product lines. The segment also distributes a range of national brand products, including medical, surgical, and laboratory products; provides supply chain services and solutions to hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories, and other healthcare providers; and assembles and sells sterile, and non-sterile procedure kits. The company was incorporated in 1979 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio.
The following companies are subsidiares of Illinois Tool Works: A V Co 1 Limited, A V Co 2 Limited, A V Co 3 Limited, ACCU-LUBE Manufacturing GmbH - Schmiermittel und -gerate -, AIP/BI Holdings Inc., Accessories Marketing Holding Corp., Advanced Molding Company Inc., Allen France SAS, Alpine Engineered Products, Alpine Systems Corporation, Anaerobicos S.r.l., AppliChem GmbH, Avery Berkel France, Avery India Limited, Avery Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avery Weigh Tronix, Avery Weigh-Tronix Finance Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix International Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Avery Weigh-Tronix Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Properties Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Suzhou Weighing Technology Co. Ltd., Azon Limited, B.C. Immo, Beijing Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Berkel Ireland Limited, Berrington UK, Brapenta Eletronica Ltda., Brooks Instrument B.V., Brooks Instrument GmbH, Brooks Instrument KFT, Brooks Instrument Korea Ltd., Brooks Instrument LLC, Brooks Instrument Shanghai Co. Ltd, Buell Industries Inc., CCI Realty Company, CFC Europe GmbH, CS Australia Pty Limited, CS Mexico Holding Company S DE RL DE CV, Calvia Spolka z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnosci, Capital Ventures Australasia S.a r.l, Capmax Logistica S.A. de C.V., Celeste Industries Corporation, Coeur, Coeur Asia Limited, Coeur Holding Company, Coeur Inc., Coeur Shanghai Medical Appliance Trading Co. Ltd, Compagnie Hobart, Compagnie de Materiel et d'Equipements Techniques-Comet, Constructions Isothermiques Bontami C.I.B., Crane Carrier Company, Denison Mayes Group Limited, Despatch Industries, Diagraph Corporation Sdn. Bhd, Diagraph ITW Mexico S. de R.L. De C.V., Diagraph Mexico S.A. DE C.V., Dongguan Ark-Les Electric Components Co. Ltd., Dongguan CK Branding Co. Ltd., Duo Fast de Espana S.A.U., Duo-Fast Korea Co. Ltd., Duo-Fast LLC, E.C.S. d.o.o., E2M Production B.V.., E2M Technologies B.V.., E2M Technologies Inc.., ECS Cable Protection Sp. Zoo, ELRO Grosskuchen GmbH, ELRO Holding AG, ELRO-WERKE AG, Elro Group, Eltex-Elektrostatik-Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Envases Multipac S.A. de C.V., Eurotec Srl, Exhibit 21, FEG Investments L.L.C., Filtertek De Mexico Holding Inc., Filtertek De Mexico S.A. de C.V., Filtertek SAS, GC Financement SA, Gamko B.V., Gun Hwa Platech Taicang Co. Ltd., HOBART Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Hartness International, Hobart Andina S.A.S., Hobart Belgium B.V., Hobart Brothers International Chile Limitada, Hobart Brothers LLC, Hobart Dayton Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Hobart Food Equipment Co. Ltd., Hobart International Singapore Pte. Ltd., Hobart Japan K.K., Hobart Korea LLC, Hobart LLC, Hobart Nederland B.V., Hobart Sales & Service Inc., Hobart Scandinavia ApS, Hobart Techniek B.V., Horis, ILC Investments Holdings Inc., ITW AEP LLC, ITW AOC LLC, ITW Aircraft Investments Inc., ITW Ampang Industries Philippines Inc., ITW Appliance Components EOOD, ITW Appliance Components S.A. de C.V., ITW Appliance Components S.r.l.a, ITW Appliance Components d.o.o., ITW Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITW Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd., ITW Australia Pty Ltd, ITW Automotive Components Chongqing Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Components Langfang Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Japan K.K., ITW Automotive Korea LLC, ITW Automotive Parts Shanghai Co. Ltd, ITW Automotive Products GmbH, ITW Automotive Products Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Bailly Comte, ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH, ITW Belgium B.V., ITW Brazilian Nominee L.L.C., ITW Building Components Group Inc., ITW CER, ITW CP Distribution Center Holland BV, ITW CS UK Ltd., ITW Canada Inc., ITW Celeste Inc., ITW Chemical Products Ltda, ITW Chemical Products Scandinavia ApS, ITW China Investment Company Limited, ITW Colombia S.A.S., ITW Construction Products AB, ITW Construction Products AS, ITW Construction Products ApS, ITW Construction Products CZ s.r.o., ITW Construction Products Italy Srl, ITW Construction Products OU, ITW Construction Products OY, ITW Construction Products Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Construction Products Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW Construction Services Manila Inc., ITW Contamination Control B.V., ITW Contamination Control Wujiang Co. Ltd., ITW Covid Security Group Inc., ITW DS Investments Inc., ITW DelFast do Brasil Ltda., ITW Denmark ApS, ITW Deutschland GmbH, ITW Diagraph GmbH, ITW Dynatec, ITW Dynatec Adhesive Equipment Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Dynatec GmbH, ITW Dynatec Kabushiki Kaisha, ITW EAE B.V., ITW EAE Mexico S de RL de CV, ITW EF&C France SAS, ITW EF&C Selb GmbH, ITW EU Holdings Ltd., ITW Electronic Business Asia Co. Limited, ITW Electronic Components/Products Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Electronics Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Epsilon Sarl, ITW Espana S.L., ITW European Finance Co. Ltd., ITW European Finance II Co. Ltd., ITW European Finance III Co. Ltd., ITW FEG Hong Kong Limited, ITW FEG do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW Fastener Products GmbH, ITW Fluids and Hygiene Solutions Ltda., ITW Food Equipment Group LLC, ITW GH LLC, ITW GSE ApS, ITW GSE Inc., ITW Gamma Sarl, ITW German Management LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita por Acciones, ITW Global Investments Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Europe GmbH, ITW Global Tire Repair Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Japan K.K., ITW Graphics Asia Limited, ITW Graphics Thailand Ltd., ITW Great Britain Investment & Licensing Holding Company, ITW Group France Luxembourg S.ar.l., ITW HLP Thailand Co. Ltd., ITW Holding Quimica B.C. S.L. Sole Shareholder Company, ITW Holdings Australia L.P., ITW Holdings I Limited, ITW Holdings II Limited, ITW Holdings III Limited, ITW Holdings IV Limited, ITW Holdings IX Limited, ITW Holdings Inc., ITW Holdings V Limited, ITW Holdings VI Limited, ITW Holdings VII Limited, ITW Holdings VIII Limited, ITW Holdings X Limited, ITW Holdings XI Limited, ITW ILC Holdings I Inc., ITW IPG Investments LLC, ITW Imaden Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW India Private Limited, ITW International Holdings LLC, ITW Invest Holding GmbH, ITW Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, ITW Ireland Unlimited Company, ITW Italy Holding Srl, ITW Japan Ltd., ITW Korea LLC, ITW LLC & Co. KG, ITW Limited, ITW Lys Fusion S.r.l., ITW Materials Technology Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Meritex Sdn. Bhd., ITW Metal Fasteners S.L., ITW Mexico Holding Company S. De R.L. de C.V., ITW Mexico Holdings LLC, ITW Morlock GmbH, ITW Mortgage Investments II Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments III Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments IV Inc., ITW Netherlands Administration BV, ITW Netherlands Beta B.V., ITW Netherlands Finance Alpha BV, ITW New Universal LLC, ITW New Zealand, ITW Ningbo Components & Fastenings Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Novadan Sp. Z.o.o., ITW PPF Brasil Adesivos Ltda., ITW Packaging Technology China Co. Ltd., ITW Participations S.a r.l., ITW Pension Funds Trustee Company, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Japan Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Korea Limited, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids OOO, ITW Performance Polymers ApS, ITW Performance Polymers Wujiang Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers and Fluids Group FZE, ITW Peru S.A.C., ITW Poly Mex S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Polymers Sealants North America Inc., ITW Pronovia s.r.o., ITW Pte. Ltd., ITW Qufu Automotive Cooling Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Real Estate Germany GmbH, ITW Residuals III L.L.C., ITW Residuals IV L.L.C., ITW Rivex, ITW SMPI, ITW SPG Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Simco-Ion Shenzhen Co. Ltd., ITW Slovakia s.r.o., ITW Spain Holdings S.L., ITW Specialty Film LLC, ITW Specialty Films France, ITW Specialty Materials Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Sverige AB, ITW Sweden Holding AB, ITW Test & Measurement Equipment Shanghai Co. Ltd, ITW Test & Measurement GmbH, ITW Test and Measurement Italia Srl, ITW Test and Measurement Services Industry and Trade Ltd., ITW Texwipe Philippines Inc., ITW Thermal Films Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW UK, ITW UK Finance Beta Limited, ITW UK Finance Delta Limited, ITW UK Finance Gamma Limited, ITW UK Finance Limited, ITW UK Finance Zeta Ltd., ITW UK II Limited, ITW Universal II LLC, ITW Welding, ITW Welding AB, ITW Welding GmbH, ITW Welding Products B.V., ITW Welding Products Group FZE, ITW Welding Products Group S. DE R.L. De C.V., ITW Welding Products Italy Srl, ITW Welding Products Limited Liability Company, ITW Welding Produtos Para Solgdagem Ltda., ITW Welding Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW de France, ITW do Brasil Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Illinois Tool Works Chile Limitada, Illinois Tool Works ITW Nederland B.V., Illinois Tool Works Inc., Impar Comercio E Representacoes Ltda., Industrie Plastic Elsasser GmbH, Inmobiliaria Cit. S.A. de C.F., Innova Temperlite Servicios S.A. de C.V., Innovacion y Transformacion Automotriz S.A. de C.V., Instron Brasil Equipamentos Cientificos Ltda., Instron Foreign Sales Corp. Limited, Instron France S.A.S., Instron GmbH, Instron Japan Company Ltd., Instron Korea LLC, Instron Shanghai Ltd., Instron Thailand Limited, International Leasing Company LLC, Isolenge - ITW Sistemas de Isolamento Termico Ltda., Itw Spraytec, KCPL Mauritius Holdings, Kester, Kleinmann GmbH, Krafft S.L., Loma Systems, Loma Systems BV, Loma Systems Canada Inc., Loma Systems sro, Lombard Pressings Limited, Lumex Inc., Lys Fusion Poland Sp. z.o.o., M&C Specialties Co., MAGNAFLUX GmbH, MEHB Holdings Limited, MGHG Property LLC, MTS 2 LLC., MTS 3 LLC., MTS China Holdings LLC, MTS Europe Holdings LLC, MTS Holdings France S.a.r.l., MTS Japan Ltd.., MTS Korea Inc.., MTS Systems China Co. Ltd., MTS Systems Corporation, MTS Systems Danmark ApS., MTS Systems Europe B.V., MTS Systems Finance C.V.., MTS Systems Germany GmbH, MTS Systems Holding B.V.., MTS Systems Hong Kong Incorporated, MTS Systems Limited, MTS Systems Norden Aktiebolag, MTS Systems S.r.l, MTS Systems., MTS Systems.., MTS Sytems Do Brazil, MTS Testing Solutions India Private Limited., MTS Testing Systems Canada Ltd., Manufacturing Avancee S.A., Meritex Technology Suzhou Co. Ltd., Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Miller Insurance Ltd., NDT Holding LLC, NOVADAN APS, North Star Imaging Inc., Nova Chimica S.r.l., Orbitalum Tools GmbH, PENTA-91 OOO, PR. A. I. Srl, PT ITW Construction Products Indonesia, Pacific Concept Industries Limited Enping, Panreac Quimica S.L., Paslode Fasteners Shanghai Co. Ltd., Peerless Machinery Corp., Polyrey, Premark FEG L.L.C., Premark HII Holdings LLC, Premark International, Premark International LLC, Prolex Sociedad Anonima, QSA Global Inc., Quimica Industrial Mediterranea S.L., R&D Engineering A/S., R&D Prague s.r.o., R&D Steel ApS., R&D Test Systems A/S., R&D Tools and Structures A/S., RDGDK Engineering Private Limited, Ramset Fasteners Hong Kong Ltd., Rapid Cook LLC, Refrigeration France, S.E.E. Sistemas Industria E Comercio Ltda., ST Mexico Holdings LLC, Sealant Systems International Inc., Sentinel Asia Yuhan Hoesa, Shanghai ITW Plastic & Metal Co. Ltd, Simco Japan Inc., Simco Nederland B.V., Societe de Prospection et dInventions Techniques  SPIT, Speedline Holdings I Inc., Speedline Holdings I LLC, Speedline Technologies GmbH, Speedline Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Speedline Technologies Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Stokvis Celix Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Stokvis Danmark ApS, Stokvis Holdings S.A.R.L., Stokvis Promi s.r.o, Stokvis Prostick Tapes Private Limited, Stokvis Tapes B.V., Stokvis Tapes Benelux B.V., Stokvis Tapes Deutschland GmbH, Stokvis Tapes France, Stokvis Tapes Hong Kong Co. Limited, Stokvis Tapes Italia s.r.l., Stokvis Tapes Limited, Stokvis Tapes Limited Liability Company, Stokvis Tapes Norge AS, Stokvis Tapes Oy, Stokvis Tapes Polska Sp Z.O.O., Stokvis Tapes Shanghai Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes Sverige AB, Stokvis Tapes Taiwan Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes Tianjin Co. Ltd., Stolvis Holdings II S.A.R.L., Subsidiaries, Technopack Industria Comercio Consultoria e Representacoes Ltda., Teknek China Limited, Teknek Japan Limited, Teksaleco Ltd., The Miller Group Ltd, Thirode Grandes Cuisines Poligny, Tien Tai Electrode Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode Kunshan Co. Ltd., Unichemicals Industria e Comercio Ltda., VR-Leasing Sarita GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, VS European Holdco BV, Valeron Strength Films B.V., Veneta Decalcogomme S.r.l., Versachem Chile S.A., Vesta, Vesta Global Limited, Vesta Guangzhou Catering Equipment Co. Ltd, Viltronics Soltec, Vitronics Soltec B.V., Wachs Canada Ltd., Wachs Subsea LLC, Weigh-Tronix Canada ULC, Weigh-Tronix UK Limited, Wilsonart International Holdings LLC, Wynn Oil South Africa Pty Ltd., Wynn's Automotive France, Wynn's Belgium BVBA, Wynn's Italia Srl, Wynn's Mekuba India Pvt Ltd, and Zip-Pak International B.V..

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Aetna Inc. operates as a health care benefits company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Health Care, Group Insurance, and Large Case Pensions. The Health Care segment offers medical, pharmacy benefit management service, dental, behavioral health, and vision plans on an insured and employer-funded basis. It also provides point-of-service, preferred provider organization, health maintenance organization, and indemnity benefit plans, as well as health savings accounts and consumer-directed health plans. In addition, this segment offers Medicare and Medicaid products and services, as well as other medical products, such as medical management and data analytics services, medical stop loss insurance, workers' compensation administrative services, and products that provide access to its provider networks in select geographies. The Group Insurance segment offers life insurance products, including group term life insurance, voluntary spouse and dependent term life insurance, group universal life insurance, and accidental death and dismemberment insurance; disability insurance products; and long-term care insurance products, which provide the benefits to cover the cost of care in private home settings, adult day care, assisted living, or nursing facilities. The Large Case Pensions segment manages various retirement products comprising pension and annuity products primarily for tax-qualified pension plans. The company provides its products and services to employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups, and expatriates. Aetna Inc. was founded in 1853 and is based in Hartford, Connecticut.
Post Holdings, Inc. operates as a consumer packaged goods holding company in the United States and internationally. It operates through five segments: Post Consumer Brands, Weetabix, Foodservice, Refrigerated Retail, and BellRing Brands. The Post Consumer Brands segment manufactures, markets, and sells branded and private label ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal and hot cereal products. It serves grocery stores, mass merchandise customers, supercenters, club stores, natural/specialty stores, and drug store customers, as well as sells its products in the military, ecommerce, and foodservice channels. The Weetabix segment primarily markets and distributes branded and private label RTE cereal, hot cereals and other cereal-based food products, breakfast drinks, and muesli. This segment sells its products to grocery stores, discounters, wholesalers, and convenience stores, as well as through ecommerce. The Foodservice segment produces and distributes egg and potato products in the foodservice and food ingredient channels. It serves foodservice distributors and national restaurant chains. The Refrigerated Retail segment produces and distributes side dishes, eggs and egg products, sausages, cheese, and other dairy and refrigerated products for grocery stores and mass merchandise customers. The BellRing Brands segment markets and distributes ready-to-drink (RTD) protein shakes, other RTD beverages, powders, nutrition bars, and supplements. It serves club stores, food, drug and mass customers, and online retailers, as well as specialty retailers, convenience stores, and distributors. Post Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1895 and is headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri.
The following companies are subsidiares of AON: 6824625 Canada Ltd., 7193599 Canada Inc., A.B. Insurances Limited, ADIS A/S, AIB Services Limited, AIS Affinity Insurance Agency Inc., AIS Insurance Agency Inc., AMXH LLC, ARM International Corp., ARM International Insurance Agency Corp., ARMRISK CORP., AS Holdings Inc., ASPN Insurance Agency LLC, Access Plans USA Inc., Acumen Credit Insurance Brokers Limited, Adm Administradora de Beneficios Ltda., Administradora Aon C.A., Admiseg SA, Admix, Admix - Administracao Consultoria Participacoes e Corretora de Seguros de Vida Ltda., Aeropeople Limited, Affinity Group Insurance Services Limited, Affinity Insurance Services Inc., Affinity Risk Partners (Brokers) Pty Ltd, Agenion N.V./SA, Agility Credit Insurance Brokers Limited, Alexander & Alexander Holding B.V., Alexander Clay, Alexander Insurance Managers (Netherlands Antilles) N.V., Alexander Reinsurance Intermediaries Inc., Allen Insurance Associates Inc., Alliance HealthCard Inc., Alliance HealthCard of Florida Inc., American Insurance Services Corp., American Special Risk Insurance Company, Anviti Insurance Brokers Private Limited, Aon (Bermuda) Ltd., Aon (CR) Insurance Agencies Company Limited, Aon (DIFC) Gulf Limited, Aon (Fiji) Ltd., Aon (Isle of Man) Limited, Aon (Thailand) Limited, Aon 180412 Limited (in liquidation), Aon ANZ Holdings Limited, Aon APAC Holdings B.V., Aon Acore Sarl, Aon Adjudication Services Limited, Aon Affinity Administradora de Beneficios Ltda., Aon Affinity Argentina S.A., Aon Affinity Chile Ltda., Aon Affinity Colombia Ltda. Agencia de Seguros, Aon Affinity Mexico Agente de Seguros y de Fianzas S.A. de C.V., Aon Affinity Mexico S.A. de C.V., Aon Affinity Servicos e Participacoes Ltda., Aon Affinity do Brasil Servicos e Corretora de Seguros Ltda., Aon Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Americas Holdings BV, Aon Angola Corretores de Seguros Limitada, Aon Antillen N.V., Aon Aruba N.V., Aon Assurance Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Australia Group Pty Ltd, Aon Australian Holdco 1 Pty Ltd, Aon Australian Holdco 2 Pty Ltd, Aon Australian Holdco 3 Pty Ltd, Aon Austria GmbH, Aon Bahrain W.L.L., Aon Belgium B.V.B.A., Aon Benefit Solutions Inc., Aon Benfield (Chile) Corredores de Reaseguros Ltda., Aon Benfield Argentina S.A., Aon Benfield Australia Limited, Aon Benfield Brasil Corretora de Resseguros Ltda., Aon Benfield Canada ULC, Aon Benfield China Limited, Aon Benfield Colombia Limitada Corredores de Reaseguros, Aon Benfield Fac Inc., Aon Benfield Global Inc., Aon Benfield Group Limited, Aon Benfield Inc., Aon Benfield Israel Limited, Aon Benfield Italia S.p.A., Aon Benfield Japan Ltd, Aon Benfield Latin America SA, Aon Benfield Limited, Aon Benfield Malaysia Limited, Aon Benfield Mexico Intermediario de Reaseguro SA de CV, Aon Benfield Middle East Limited, Aon Benfield New Zealand Limited, Aon Benfield Panama S.A., Aon Benfield Peru Corredores de Reaseguros SA, Aon Benfield Puerto Rico Inc., Aon Bermuda Holding Company Limited, Aon Bermuda QI Holdings Ltd., Aon Beteiligungsmanagement Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Aon Bolivia S.A. Corredores de Seguros, Aon Botswana (Pty) Ltd., Aon Brazil Holdings LLC, Aon Broking Services SA, Aon Broking Technology Limited, Aon CANZ Holdings B.V., Aon CANZ Holdings N.S. ULC, Aon Canada Holdings N.S. ULC, Aon Canada Inc., Aon Canada Intermediaries GP, Aon Captive Services Antilles N.V., Aon Captive Services Aruba N.V., Aon Cash Management B.V., Aon Central and Eastern Europe a.s., Aon Centre for Innovation and Analytics Ltd, Aon Charitable Foundation Pty Ltd, Aon Chile Holdings LLC, Aon Commercial Insurance Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Commercial Services Ireland Limited, Aon Commercial Services and Operations Ireland Limited, Aon Consolidation Group Pty Ltd, Aon Consulting & Insurance Services, Aon Consulting (Chile) Limitada, Aon Consulting (Thailand) Limited, Aon Consulting Bolivia S.R.L., Aon Consulting Ecuador S.A., Aon Consulting Financial Services Limited, Aon Consulting Inc., Aon Consulting Kazakhstan LLP, Aon Consulting Limited, Aon Consulting Private Limited, Aon Consulting Romania SRL, Aon Corporate Services (Isle of Man) Limited, Aon Corporate Services Limited, Aon Corporation, Aon Corporation Australia Limited, Aon Corporation EMEA B.V., Aon Credit International Insurance Broker GmbH, Aon Cyprus Insurance Broker Company Limited, Aon DC Trustee Limited, Aon Danismanlik Hizmetleri AS, Aon Delta Bermuda Ltd., Aon Delta UK Limited, Aon Denmark A/S, Aon Deutschland Beteiligungs GmbH, Aon Direct Group Inc., Aon Edge Insurance Agency Inc., Aon Energy Caribbean Limited, Aon Enterprise Insurance Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Finance Bermuda 1 Ltd., Aon Finance Bermuda 2 Ltd., Aon Finance Canada 1 Corp., Aon Finance Canada 2 Corp., Aon Finance International N.S. ULC, Aon Finance Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Aon Finance N.S. 1 ULC, Aon Finance N.S. 5 ULC, Aon Finance N.S. 8 ULC, Aon Finance US 1 LLC, Aon Finance US 2 LLC, Aon Financial & Insurance Solutions Inc., Aon Finland Oy, Aon France, Aon Global Holdings 1 Limited, Aon Global Holdings 2 Limited, Aon Global Holdings 3 Limited [In strike-off], Aon Global Holdings Limited, Aon Global Operations plc, Aon Global Risk Consulting B.V., Aon Global Risk Consulting Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Aon Global Risk Research Limited, Aon Grana Peru Corredores de Seguros SA, Aon Greece S.A., Aon Groep Nederland B.V., Aon Group (Bermuda) Ltd., Aon Group (Thailand) Limited, Aon Group Holdings International 1 B.V., Aon Group Holdings International 2 B.V., Aon Group Inc., Aon Group International N.V., Aon Group Pty Ltd, Aon Group Venezuela Corretaje de Reaseguros C.A., Aon Hewitt (Bermuda) Ltd., Aon Hewitt (Ireland) Limited, Aon Hewitt (PNG) Ltd., Aon Hewitt (Thailand) Ltd., Aon Hewitt Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Aon Hewitt Consulting Korea Inc., Aon Hewitt Financial Advice Limited, Aon Hewitt GmbH, Aon Hewitt Health Market Insurance Solutions Inc., Aon Hewitt Hong Kong Limited, Aon Hewitt Inc., Aon Hewitt Investment Consulting Inc., Aon Hewitt Investment Management Inc., Aon Hewitt Japan Ltd., Aon Hewitt Limited, Aon Hewitt Ltd., Aon Hewitt Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Aon Hewitt Management Company Limited, Aon Hewitt Middle East Limited, Aon Hewitt Risk & Consulting S.r.l., Aon Hewitt Risk & Financial Management B.V., Aon Hewitt Trust Solutions GmbH, Aon Hewitt US Holdings Limited, Aon Holding Deutschland GmbH, Aon Holdings (Isle of Man) Limited, Aon Holdings Antillen N.V., Aon Holdings Australia Pty Limited, Aon Holdings Austria GmbH, Aon Holdings B.V., Aon Holdings Botswana (Pty) Ltd, Aon Holdings Corretores de Seguros Ltda., Aon Holdings France SNC, Aon Holdings Hong Kong Limited, Aon Holdings International B.V., Aon Holdings Israel Ltd., Aon Holdings Japan Ltd, Aon Holdings Limited, Aon Holdings Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Aon Holdings Mid Europe B.V., Aon Holdings New Zealand, Aon Hong Kong Limited, Aon Hungary Insurance Brokers Risk and Human Consulting LLC, Aon Insurance Agencies (HK) Limited, Aon Insurance Agencies (Macau) Limited, Aon Insurance Brokers (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Aon Insurance Brokers (Pvt) Ltd., Aon Insurance Management Agencies (HK) Limited, Aon Insurance Managers (Antilles) N.V., Aon Insurance Managers (Barbados) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Bermuda) Ltd, Aon Insurance Managers (Cayman) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Dublin) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Guernsey) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Holdings) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Isle of Man) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Liechtenstein) AG, Aon Insurance Managers (Luxembourg) S.A., Aon Insurance Managers (Malta) PCC Limited, Aon Insurance Managers (Puerto Rico) Inc., Aon Insurance Managers (Shannon) Limited, Aon Insurance Managers (USA) Inc., Aon Insurance Managers (USVI) Inc., Aon Insurance Managers Gibraltar Ltd., Aon Insurance Micronesia (Guam) Inc, Aon Insurance Underwriting Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers Philippines Inc., Aon International Cooperatief U.A., Aon International Energy Inc., Aon International Holdings Inc., Aon Investment Holdings Ireland Limited, Aon Israel Insurance Brokerage Ltd., Aon Italia S.r.l., Aon Japan Ltd, Aon Jauch & Hubener Gesellschaft m.b.H., Aon Korea Inc., Aon Latam Holdings N.V., Aon Lead QI B.V., Aon Life Agency of Texas Inc., Aon Life Agente de Seguros S.A. de C.V., Aon Life Insurance Company, Aon MacDonagh Boland Group Ltd, Aon Majan LLC, Aon Management Consulting Taiwan Ltd., Aon Mauritius Holdings, Aon Meeus Assurantien B.V., Aon Mexico Business Support SA de CV, Aon Mexico Holdings LLC, Aon Mexico Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., Aon Middle East Co LLC, Aon Nederland C.V., Aon Netherlands Operations B.V., Aon Neudorf Finance S.a.r.l., Aon New Zealand, Aon New Zealand Group ULC, Aon Norway AS, Aon Overseas Holdings Limited, Aon PHI Acquisition Corporation of California, Aon PMI International Limited, Aon Parizeau Inc., Aon Pension Trustees Limited, Aon Pensions Insurance Brokers GmbH, Aon Polska Services Sp. z o.o., Aon Polska Sp. z o.o., Aon Portugal - Consultores Unipessoal Lda., Aon Portugal - Corretores de Seguros S.A., Aon Premium Finance LLC, Aon Private Risk Management Insurance Agency Inc., Aon Private Risk Management of California Insurance Agency Inc., Aon Product Design & Development Australia Pty Limited, Aon Product Design and Development New Zealand Limited, Aon Product Risk Services Hong Kong Limited, Aon Property Risk Consulting Inc., Aon Qatar LLC, Aon Re (Thailand) Limited, Aon Re Bertoldi - Corretagem de Resseguros S.A., Aon Re Bolivia S.A. Corredores de Reaseguros, Aon Re Canada Holdings SARL, Aon Real Estate B.V., Aon Realty Services Inc., Aon Reed Stenhouse Inc., Aon Retirement Plan Advisors LLC, Aon Retirement Solutions Limited, Aon Risiko & Unternehmensberatungs GmbH, Aon Risk & Asset Management Pty Ltd, Aon Risk Consultants Inc., Aon Risk Insurance Services West Inc., Aon Risk Management (Pty) Ltd, Aon Risk Services (Chile) Corredores de Seguros Limitada, Aon Risk Services (Holdings) of Latin America Inc., Aon Risk Services (Holdings) of the Americas Inc., Aon Risk Services (NI) Limited, Aon Risk Services (PNG) Ltd., Aon Risk Services (Thailand) Limited, Aon Risk Services Argentina S.A., Aon Risk Services Australia Limited, Aon Risk Services Canada Inc., Aon Risk Services Central Inc., Aon Risk Services Colombia SA Corredores de Seguros, Aon Risk Services Companies Inc., Aon Risk Services EMEA B.V., Aon Risk Services Ecuador S.A. Agencia Asesora Productora de Seguros, Aon Risk Services Holdings (Chile ) Ltda., Aon Risk Services Inc. of Florida, Aon Risk Services Inc. of Hawaii, Aon Risk Services Inc. of Maryland, Aon Risk Services Inc. of Washington D.C., Aon Risk Services Northeast Inc., Aon Risk Services South Inc., Aon Risk Services Southwest Inc., Aon Risk Services Venezuela Corretaje de Seguros C.A., Aon Risk Solutions (Cayman) Ltd., Aon Risk Solutions Agente de Seguros y de Fianzas SA de CV, Aon Risk Solutions of Puerto Rico Inc., Aon Riskminder A/S, Aon Romania Broker de Asigurare - Reasigurare SRL, Aon Rus Insurance Brokers LLC, Aon Rus LLC, Aon S.p.A. Insurance & Reinsurance Brokers, Aon Saver Limited, Aon Securities (Hong Kong) Limited, Aon Securities Investment Management Inc., Aon Securities LLC, Aon Securities Limited, Aon Service Corporation, Aon Services (Guernsey) Ltd, Aon Services (Malta) Ltd, Aon Services Group Inc., Aon Services Hong Kong Limited, Aon Services Pty Ltd., Aon Sigorta ve Reasurans Brokerligi ve A.S., Aon Soluciones S.A., Aon Soluciones S.A.C., Aon Southern Europe UK Limited, Aon Sp. z o.o., Aon Special Risk Resources Inc., Aon Superannuation (PNG) Limited, Aon Superannuation Pty Limited, Aon TC Holdings Inc., Aon Taiwan Ltd., Aon Treasury Ireland Limited, Aon Trust Company LLC, Aon Trust Corporation Limited, Aon Trust Services B.V., Aon UK Group Limited, Aon UK Holdings Intermediaries Limited, Aon UK Limited, Aon UK Trustees Limited, Aon US & International Holdings Limited, Aon US Holdings 2 Inc., Aon US Holdings Inc., Aon Ukraine LLC, Aon Underwriting Agencies (HK) Limited, Aon Underwriting Managers (Bermuda) Ltd., Aon Underwriting Managers Inc., Aon Versicherungsberatungs GmbH, Aon Versicherungsmakler Deutschland GmbH, Aon Vietnam Limited, Aon Ward Financial Corporation, Aon-COFCO Insurance Brokers Co. Ltd., Aon/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services Inc., Asevasa Argentina S.A., Asevasa Caricam S.A., Asevasa Chile Peritaciones e Ingenieria de Riesgos S.A., Asevasa Mexico S.A. de C.V., Asevasa Panama S.A., Asian Reinsurance Underwriters Limited, Asscom Insurance Brokers S.r.l., Association of Rural and Small Town Americans, Associacao Instituto Aon, Assurance Licensing Services Inc., B E P International Corp., B.V. Assurantiekantoor Langeveldt-Schroder, BMS Insurance Agency L.L.C., Bacon & Woodrow Partnerships (Ireland) Limited, Bacon & Woodrow Partnerships Limited, Bain Hogg Group Limited (in liquidation), Baltolink UADBB, Bankassure Insurance Services Limited, Bayfair Insurance Centre Limited, Beaubien Finance Ireland Limited, Beaubien Finance Limited, Beaubien UK Finance Limited, Becketts (Trustees) Limited, Becketts Limited, Beech Hill Pension Trustees Ltd, Bekouw Mendes C.V., Benefit Marketing Solutions L.L.C., Benfield Advisory Inc., Benfield Corredores de Reaseguro Ltda., Benfield Finance (London) LLC, Benfield Group, Benfield Investment Holdings Limited, Benfield Juniperus Holdings Limited, Benfield do Brasil Participacoes Ltda. (dormant), Benton Finance Ireland Limited, Benton Finance Limited, Blanch Americas Inc., Bowes & Company Inc. of New York, CEREP III Secondary Manager LLC, CFSSG Real Estate Partners I LLC, CFSSG Real Estate Partners II LLC, CIF-H GP LLC, Cammack Health LLC, Cananwill Corporation, Cananwill Inc., Cardea Health Solutions Limited, Casablanca Intermediation Company Sarl, Celinvest Amsterdam B.V., Chapka Assurances SAS, Citadel Insurance Managers Inc., CoCubes, CoSec 2000 Limited, Coalition for Benefits Equality and Choice, Cocubes Technologies Private Limited, Coles Hewitt Partnership, Contingency Insurance Brokers Limited, Contractsure Limited, CoverWallet, Coverall S.r.l. Insurance and Reinsurance Underwriting Agency, Credit Insurance Brokers (Reynolds) Limited, Crion N.V., Custom Benefit Programs Inc., Cut-e, Cut-e (UK) Limited, Cut-e Assessment (Hong Kong) Limited, Cut-e Assessment Solutions Europe Limited, Cut-e Australia Pty Limited, Cut-e Consult DMCC, Cut-e Danmark A/S, Cut-e Finland Oy, Cut-e GmbH, Cut-e Ireland Limited, Cut-e Nordic AS, Cut-e Norge AS, Cytelligence, Delany Bacon & Woodrow Partnership, Dempsey Partners, Denney O'Hara (Life & Pensions) Limited, Doveland Services Limited, E. W. Blanch Holdings Limited, E. W. Blanch Investments Limited, E.W. Blanch Capital Risk Solutions Inc., E.W. Blanch International Inc., EW Blanch Limited, Elysium Digital IP Products LLC, Elysium Digital L.L.C., Ennis Knupp Secondary Market Services LLC, Essar Insurance Services Limited, Exploitatiemaatschappij Beukenlaan 68-72 B.V., Farmaseg - Solucoes Assistencia e Servicos Empresariais Ltda., Farmsure Limited [In strike-off], Finaccord Limited, Financial & Professional Risk Solutions Inc., Futurity Group Inc., GTCR/AAM Blocker Corp., Ge.f.it. S.r.l., Gefass S.r.l., Glenrand M I B (Mocambique) Corretores de Seguros Limitada, Global Safe Insurance Brokers S.r.l., Globe Events Management, Gotham Digital Science LLC, Gotham Digital Science Ltd., Grant Liddell Financial Advisor Services Pty Ltd, Grant Park Capital LLC, Groupe-Conseil Aon Inc., Grupo Innovac Sociedad de Correduria de Seguros SA, HIA Insurance Services Pty Ltd., Hall Rhodes Holdings Limited, Hall Rhodes Limited, Hamburger Gesellschaft zur Forderung des Versicherungswesens mbH, Harbourview West Lake Co-Invest (GP) LP, Health Index Advisors LLC, Healthy Paws Pet Insurance, Henderson Corporate Insurance Brokers Limited, Henderson Insurance Brokers Limited, Henderson Insurance Partnership Limited [In strike-off], Henderson Risk Management Limited, Hewitt Amalco 3 ULC, Hewitt Amalco 4 ULC, Hewitt Amalco 5 ULC, Hewitt Associates (a partnership), Hewitt Associates Administradora e Corretora de Seguros Ltda., Hewitt Associates Corp., Hewitt Associates Outsourcing Limited, Hewitt Associates Pty Ltd, Hewitt Associates S.C., Hewitt Associates SAS, Hewitt Associates Servicos de Recursos Humanos Ltda., Hewitt Beneficios Agente de Seguros y de Fianzas S.A. de C.V., Hewitt Holdings Canada Company, Hewitt Insurance Brokerage LLC, Hewitt Insurance Inc., Hewitt International Holdings LLC, Hewitt Management Ltd., Hewitt Risk Management Services Limited, Hewitt Western Management Amalco Inc., Hogg Group Limited, Hogg Robinson North America Inc., Huntington T. Block Insurance Agency Inc., I. Beck Insurance Agency (1994) Ltd., IAO Actuarial Consulting Services Canada Inc., INPOINT INC., IRM/GRC Holding Inc., Impact Forecasting L.L.C., Inspiring Benefits, Inspiring Benefits Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Insuractive Limited [In strike-off], Insurance Broker Aon Kazakhstan LLP, International Risk Management (Americas) Inc., International Risk Management Group Ltd, International Space Brokers Europe Limited, International Space Brokers France, International Space Brokers Inc., International Space Brokers Limited, Inversiones Benfield Chile Ltda., J H Minet Puerto Rico Inc., J. Allan Brown Consultants Inc., JDPT Manager LLC, Jenner Fenton Slade Limited, John Reynolds & Company (Credit Insurance) Limited, John Reynolds & Company (Insurances) Limited, John Reynolds & Company (Life & Pensions) Limited, Johnson Rooney Welch Inc., K & K Insurance Brokers Inc. Canada, K & K Insurance Group Inc., K & K Insurance Group of Florida Inc., K2 Technologies Inc., KVT GP LLC, Kloud S.a.r.l., Krumlin Hall Limited, Lake Erie Real Estate General Partner Limited, Lake Tahoe GP LLC, Lake Tahoe II GP LLC, Lake Tahoe III GP LLC, Lake Tahoe IV GP LLC, Lenzi Paolo Broker di Assicurazioni S.r.l., Lincolnshire Insurance Company PCC Limited, Linx Underwriting Solutions Inc., Lombard Trustee Company Limited, M.A. Shakeel Management Ltd. Amalco, MacDonagh Boland Crotty MacRedmond Ltd, Marinaro Dundas S.A., Marinaro Dundas SA, Mark Kelly Insurance and Financial Services PTY LTD, McLagan (Aon) Limited, McLagan Partners Asia Inc., McLagan Partners Inc., Membership Leasing Trust, Minet Consultancy Services Ltd, Minet Group, Minet Holdings Inc., Minet Inc., Minet Re North America Inc., Modern Survey Inc., Muirfield Underwriters Ltd., NBS Nominees Limited, National Insurance Office Ltd., Nauman Insurance Brokers Limited, Nexus Insurance Brokers Limited, One Underwriting Agency GmbH, One Underwriting B.V., One Underwriting Health B.V., One Underwriting Pty Ltd, Optica Agency A/S, Optimum Risk Solutions Limited, Ovatio Courtage SAS, P.G. Bradley & Co Limited, PGOF Manager 1 LLC, PRORUCK Ruckversicherungs Aktiengesellschaft, PT Aon Benfield Indonesia, PT Aon Hewitt Indonesia, PT Aon Indonesia, PWZ AG, Paragon Strategic Solutions Inc., PathWise Solutions LLC, Penn Square Manager 1 LLC, Penn Square Manager II LLC, Portus Consulting, Portus Consulting, Portus Consulting (Leamington) Limited, Portus Online LLP, Praesidium S.p.A. - Soluzioni Assicurative per il Management, Premier Auto Finance Inc., Private Client Trustees Ltd., Private Equity Partnership Structures I LLC, Probabilitas N.V./SA, Protective Marketing Enterprises Inc., Randolph Finance Unlimited Company, Rasini Vigano Limited, Redwoods Dental Underwriters Inc., Richard Kiddle (Insurance Brokers) Limited, Risk Laboratories LLC, Riskikonsultatsioonide OU, Ronnie Elementary Insurance Agency Ltd, SA Special Situations General Partner LLC, SG IFFOXX Assekuranzmaklergesellschaft mbH, SLE Worldwide Limited, SN Re S.A., Salud Riesgos y Recursos Humanos Consultores Ltda. (former Aon Corporte Advisors Ltda.), SchneiderGolling IFFOXX Assekuranzmakler AG, SchneiderGolling Industrie Assekuranzmaklergesellschaft mbH, Scritch Inc., Shanghai Kayi Information Technology Co. Ltd, Sheppard Netherlands B.V., Specialty Benefits Inc., Sports Insure Limited [In strike-off], Strategic Manager-III LLC, Stroz Friedberg (Asia) Limited, Stroz Friedberg Inc., Stroz Friedberg LLC, Stroz Friedberg Limited, Stroz Friedberg Risk Management Limited, Superannuation Management Nominees Limited, Suresport Limited [In strike-off], Swire Blanch MSTC II SA, Swire Blanch MSTC SA, TTG BRPTP GP LLC, TTG Cayuga Bavaria Intermediate 2 S.a.r.l, TTG Core Plus Investments LLC, TTG German Investments I LLC, TTG Investments II LLC, TTG Irish Investments I LLC, TTG Manager LLC, Tecsefin S.A. en liquidacion, The Aon Ireland Mastertrustee Limited, The Aon MasterTrustee Limited, The John Reynolds Company Limited, The Key West Saxon Group LLC, The Townsend Group Inc, The Townsend Group LLC, Townsend Alpha Manager I LLC, Townsend Alpha Manager II LLC, Townsend Alpha Manager III LLC, Townsend Group Asia Limited, Townsend Group Europe Ltd., Townsend HWL GP Ltd., Townsend Holdings LLC, Townsend Lake Constance GP Limited, Townsend REF GP LLC, Townsend Re Global GP Limited, Townsend SO Manager I LLC, Tyche, UAB One Underwriting, UADBB Aon Baltic, UK Credit Insurance Specialists Limited, UNIT Versicherungsmakler GmbH, US Underwriting Solutions S.r.l., USLP Underwriting Solutions LP, Underwriters Marine Services Inc., Unidelta AG, Unirobe Meeus Groep, UnitedPensions Deutschland AG, Univers Workplace Solutions, VERO Management AG, Ventiv Technology, WT Government Services LLC, WT Technologies LLC, Wannet Speciale Verzekeringen B.V., Wannet Sports Insurance GmbH, Ward Financial Group Inc., Welfare S.r.l, West Lake General Partner LLC, West Lake II GP LLC, Wexford Underwriting Managers Inc., White Rock Insurance (Americas) Ltd., White Rock Insurance (Europe) PCC Limited, White Rock Insurance (Gibraltar) PCC Ltd., White Rock Insurance (Guernsey) ICC Limited, White Rock Insurance (Netherlands) PCC Limited, White Rock Insurance (SAC) Ltd., White Rock Insurance Company PCC Ltd., White Rock Insurance PCC (Isle of Man) Limited, White Rock Services (Bermuda) Ltd., White Rock USA Ltd., Willis Towers Watson, Worldwide Integrated Services Company, Wrapid Specialty Inc., Zalba-Caldu Correduria de Seguros SA, and cut-e USA Inc..

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Mastercard Incorporated, a technology company, provides transaction processing and other payment-related products and services in the United States and internationally. It facilitates the processing of payment transactions, including authorization, clearing, and settlement, as well as delivers other payment-related products and services. The company offers integrated products and value-added services for account holders, merchants, financial institutions, businesses, governments, and other organizations, such as programs that enable issuers to provide consumers with credits to defer payments; prepaid programs and management services; commercial credit and debit payment products and solutions; and payment products and solutions that allow its customers to access funds in deposit and other accounts. It also provides value-added products and services comprising cyber and intelligence solutions for parties to transact, as well as proprietary insights, drawing on principled use of consumer, and merchant data services. In addition, the company offers analytics, test and learn, consulting, managed services, loyalty, processing, and payment gateway solutions for e-commerce merchants. Further, it provides open banking and digital identity platforms services. The company offers payment solutions and services under the MasterCard, Maestro, and Cirrus. Mastercard Incorporated was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Purchase, New York.
Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the electric utility, banking, and renewable/sustainable infrastructure investment businesses in the state of Hawaii. It operates in three segments: Electric Utility, Bank, and Other. The Electric Utility segment engages in the production, purchase, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity in the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, and Molokai. Its renewable energy sources and potential sources include wind, solar, photovoltaic, geothermal, wave, hydroelectric, municipal waste, and other biofuels. This segment serves suburban communities, resorts, the United States armed forces installations, and agricultural operations. The Bank segment operates a community bank that offers banking and other financial services to consumers and businesses, including savings and checking accounts; and loans comprising residential and commercial real estate, residential mortgage, construction and development, multifamily residential and commercial real estate, consumer, and commercial loans. This segment operates 42 branches, including 29 branches in Oahu, 6 branches in Maui, 4 branches in Hawaii, 2 branches in Kauai, and 1 branch in Molokai. The Other segment invests in non-regulated renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure in the State of Hawaii. Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. was incorporated in 1891 and is headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii.
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.
Duck Creek Technologies, Inc. provides software-as-a-service core systems to the property and casualty insurance industry in the United States and internationally. The company provides Duck Creek Policy, a solution that enables insurers to develop and launch new insurance products and manage various aspects of policy administration ranging from product definition to quoting, binding, and servicing; Duck Creek Billing that provides payment and invoicing capabilities, such as billing and collections, commission processing, disbursement management, and general ledger capabilities for insurance lines and bill types; and Duck Creek Claims that supports entire claims lifecycle from first notice of loss through investigation, payments, negotiations, reporting, and closure. It also offers Duck Creek Rating that allows carriers to develop new rates and models and deliver quotes in real-time based on the complex rating algorithms; Duck Creek Insights, an insurance analytics solution that allows carriers to gather and analyze data from internal and external sources and facilitate analysis and reporting on a single system; Duck Creek Digital Engagement that offer digital interactions between property and casualty insurers and their agents, brokers, and policyholders; and Duck Creek Distribution Management that automates sales channel activities for agents and brokers, including producer onboarding, compliance, and compensation management. In addition, the company provides Duck Creek Reinsurance Management that automates financial and administrative functions; and Duck Creek Industry Content that provides pre-built content, including base business rules, product designs, rating algorithms, data capture screens, and workflows for insurance lines of business, such as commercial auto, inland marine, and workers compensation. It has a partnership with Shift Technologies, Inc. to implement AI fraud detection. The company was founded in 2016 and is based in Boston, Massachusetts.
First Horizon Corporation operates as the bank holding company for First Horizon Bank that provides various financial services. The company operates through three segments: Regional Banking, Specialty Banking, and Corporate. It offers general banking services for consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and governments. The company also underwrites bank-eligible securities and other fixed-income securities eligible for underwriting by financial subsidiaries; sells loans and derivatives; and offers advisory services. In addition, it offers various services, such as mortgage banking; title insurance and loan-closing; brokerage; correspondent banking; nationwide check clearing and remittance processing; trust, fiduciary, and agency; equipment finance; and investment and financial advisory services. Further, the company sells mutual fund and retail insurance products; and credit cards. It operates approximately 500 banking offices in 22 states under the First Horizon Bank brand; and 400 banking centers in 12 states under the FHN Financial brand in the United States. The company was formerly known as First Horizon National Corporation and changed its name to First Horizon Corporation in November 2020. First Horizon Corporation was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.
This is a current list of the top 250 companies by market capitalization on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Learn more .

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is one of the largest, and most recognizable, stock exchanges in the world. The NYSE is in New York City, New York at 11 Wall Street. The NYSE has been in existence since the earliest days of the United States becoming a nation, in 1792 and is primarily made up of blue-chip companies with large market capitalizations. In fact, many of the stocks that make up the Dow Jones Composite Index (i.e. The Dow) are listed on the NYSE.

This article gives a brief history of the New York Stock Exchange. In addition, it covers topics such as what kind of stocks trade on the exchange, what are the listing requirements, how trading is performed, and what the daily price movement of the NYSE tells investors about investor sentiment.

What Were the Origins of the NYSE?

Today, the New York Stock Exchange is known as the center of the financial universe. However, the exchanges origin is far more humble. On May 17, 1792, 24 stockbrokers signed the Buttonwood Agreement creating a centralized exchange to help provide order to the securities market in what was still a young nation. The "Buttonwood Agreement comes from the tree of the same name under which the founders signed the agreement.

An initial benefit of the exchange was how it removed the need for auctioneers when trading commodities like wheat and tobacco and to set a commission rate. The exchange initially focused on government bonds.

However, the exchange had no formal home. Business was usually conducted informally in the local coffeehouses. In 1817, the exchange changed its name to the New York Stock & Exchange Board which later became the New York Stock Exchange. At this time, the exchange adopted a constitution that set the rules for trading. A group of stockbrokers met twice a day at 40 Wall Street to trade 30 stocks and bonds.

Over time, the exchange moved became the financial hub of the country and moved to its current location in 1865.

What Kind of Stocks Trade on the NYSE?

As of June 2022, the NYSE includes approximately 2,400 companies with a market capitalization of over $28.2 trillion. Although the NYSE trades stocks of all market capitalizations, its best known for trading the stocks of large cap companies. These have the benefit of being mature companies in mature industries. And many of these companies reward shareholders with dividends.

However, that also means that many of these companies are better suited for value investors as opposed to growth investors. In bear markets this stability can be a benefit for investors as these stocks tend to perform less bad than more volatile stocks. But in a bull market, these stocks are not likely to provide investors with the growth that they look for.

An interesting fact about how the NYSE and NASDAQ operate is that the companies with the five largest market caps on the NYSE are also listed on the NASDAQ exchange.

What Are the Listing Requirements For the NYSE?

The NYSE has strict guidelines that govern the types of companies that can list on the exchange. Here are the major requirements that all companies must meet:

The company must have at least 2,200 shareholders

The company must trade over 100,000 shares per month

The company must have a market valuation of over $100 million

The company must generate more than $75 million in annual revenue

However, there is at least one advantage of having such stringent requirements. That is the companies that meet the requirements generally find it easier to get more investors funds when they hold their initial public offering (IPO).

Once a company begins trading on the NYSE, it must continue to meet these requirements. If it doesnt it can be delisted. In addition to these requirements, the stock must continue to trade above $1. If the price of a stock drops below $1 for more than 29 consecutive trading days, the stock receives an Initial Price Violation Notice.

At that point, the company has 10 days to provide the exchange with a plan for bringing their shares above $1.

How are Trades Executed on the NYSE?

For over a century, the floor of the NYSE was the place for investors to be. This meant trades were conducted by traders who ran buy and sell orders across the trading floor looking to broker a deal for their clients. But with the birth of the NASDAQ exchange in 1971, the New York Stock Exchange began conducting electronic trading.

However, the NYSE continues to conduct trades in an auction style. Brokers purchase stocks on behalf of their clients or firms. Every order features a broker who will enter the order electronically and a specialist who serves as the market maker for that stock. The specialist posts bid and ask prices and manages the actual execution of the trades. And there are still a handful of stockbrokers who still traffic buy and sell orders physically on the floor of the exchange.

How Does the NYSE Signal Investor Sentiment?

Like its counterpart, the NASDAQ, the NYSE measures the risk appetite of investors. When the NYSE is moving higher over a length of time, it signals that a risk on environment. Conversely when the NYSE moves lower over a significant period, it signals that investors are moving to a risk off position.

Some Final Thoughts on the NYSE

Financial news networks plan their programming schedule around the opening and closing bell of the New York Stock Exchange. Its still considered a distinguished honor when individuals or groups are invited to ring the opening bell. In fact, Warren Buffett is attributed with saying that in the short term, the stock market acts like a voting machine. A fact that many U.S. presidents will attest to.

The NYSE is the oldest and most recognizable of all the stock exchanges. It also has the most stringent requirements for inclusion. And those requirements must be maintained even after a stock begins publicly trading on the exchange.

Although the NYSE still has a small in-person Trading Floor, much of the trading is done electronically to provide traders with the speed to execute trades.
Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc. provides home and security products for residential home repair, remodeling, new construction, and security applications. It operates in three segments: Plumbing, Outdoors & Security, and Cabinets. The Plumbing segment manufactures, assembles, and sells faucets, accessories, kitchen sinks, and waste disposals under the Moen, ROHL, Riobel, Victoria+Albert, Perrin & Rowe, and Shaws brands in the United States, China, Canada, Mexico, Southeast Asia, Europe, and South America directly through its own sales force, as well as through independent manufacturers' representatives to wholesalers, home centers, mass merchandisers, and industrial distributors. The Outdoors & Security segment offers fiberglass and steel entry door systems under the Therma-Tru brand; storm, screen, and security doors under the Larson brand; composite decking and railing under the Fiberon brand; and urethane millwork under the Fypon brand. This segment also manufactures, sources, and distributes locks, safety and security devices, and electronic security products under the Master Lock and American Lock brands; and fire resistant safes, security containers, and commercial cabinets under the SentrySafe brand. It serves home centers, hardware and other retailers, millwork building products and wholesale distributors, specialty dealers, and remodeling and renovation markets, as well as locksmiths, industrial and institutional users, and original equipment manufacturers in the United States, Canada, Europe, Central America, Japan, and Australia. The Cabinets segment manufactures custom, semi-custom, and custom cabinetry, as well as vanities for the kitchen, bath, and other parts of the home directly to kitchen and bath dealers, home centers, wholesalers, and builders in North America under the AOK, Diamond Brands, Homecrest, Kitchen Craft, Omega, and EVE brands. The company was incorporated in 1988 and is headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois.
National Bank Holdings Corporation operates as the bank holding company for NBH Bank that provides various banking products and financial services to commercial, business, and consumer clients in the United States. It offers deposit products, including checking, savings, money market, and other deposit accounts, including fixed-rate and fixed maturity time deposits. The company also provides commercial and industrial loans and leases, such as working capital loans, equipment loans, lender finance loans, food and agriculture loans, government and non-profit loans, owner occupied commercial real estate loans, and other commercial loans and leases; non-owner occupied commercial real estate loans consisting of loans on commercial properties, such as office buildings, warehouse/distribution buildings, multi-family, hospitality, and retail buildings; small business administration loans to support manufacturers, distributors, and service providers; term loans, line of credits, and real estate secured loans; residential real estate loans; and consumer loans. In addition, it offers treasury management solutions comprising online and mobile banking, commercial credit card, wire transfer, automated clearing house, electronic bill payment, lock box, remote deposit capture, merchant processing, cash vault, controlled disbursements, and fraud prevention services, as well as other auxiliary services, including account reconciliation, collections, repurchase accounts, zero balance accounts, and sweep accounts. As of January 20, 2022, the company operated through a network of 81 banking centers located in Colorado, the greater Kansas City region, New Mexico, Utah, and Texas. It also operates 121 ATMs. The company was formerly known as NBH Holdings Corp. and changed its name to National Bank Holdings Corporation in March 2012. National Bank Holdings Corporation was incorporated in 2009 and is headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado.
The following companies are subsidiares of Novo Nordisk A/S: Aldaph SpA, Beijing Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Science & Technology Co. Ltd., CS Solar Fund XIV LLC, Calibrium, Corvidia, Corvidia Therapeutics Inc., Dicerna Pharmaceuticals, Dicerna Pharmaceuticals Inc., Emisphere Technologies, Emisphere Technologies Inc., MB2 LLC, NNE A/S, Neotope Neuroscience Limited, Novo Nordisk, Novo Nordisk (China) Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Novo Nordisk (Pty) Limited, Novo Nordisk (Shanghai) Pharma Trading Co. Ltd., Novo Nordisk B.V., Novo Nordisk Canada Inc., Novo Nordisk Colombia SAS, Novo Nordisk Comercio Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Novo Nordisk Denmark A/S, Novo Nordisk Egypt LLC, Novo Nordisk Farma OY, Novo Nordisk Farma S.R.L., Novo Nordisk Farma dooel, Novo Nordisk Farmaceutica Limitada, Novo Nordisk Farmaceutica do Brasil Ltda., Novo Nordisk Finance (Netherlands) B.V., Novo Nordisk Health Care AG, Novo Nordisk Hellas Epe., Novo Nordisk Holding Limited, Novo Nordisk Hong Kong Limited, Novo Nordisk Hrvatska d.o.o., Novo Nordisk Hungaria Kft., Novo Nordisk Inc., Novo Nordisk India Holding Pte Ltd., Novo Nordisk India Private Limited, Novo Nordisk Kazakhstan LLP, Novo Nordisk Kenya Ltd., Novo Nordisk Lanka (PVT) Ltd, Novo Nordisk Limited, Novo Nordisk Limited Liability Company, Novo Nordisk Ltd, Novo Nordisk Mexico S.A. de C.V., Novo Nordisk North America Operations A/S, Novo Nordisk Norway AS, Novo Nordisk Panama S.A., Novo Nordisk Pars, Novo Nordisk Peru S.A.C., Novo Nordisk Pharma (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Novo Nordisk Pharma (Private) Limited, Novo Nordisk Pharma (Singapore) Pte Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma (Taiwan) Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma (Thailand) Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma AG, Novo Nordisk Pharma Argentina S.A., Novo Nordisk Pharma EAD, Novo Nordisk Pharma GmbH, Novo Nordisk Pharma Gulf FZE, Novo Nordisk Pharma Inc., Novo Nordisk Pharma Korea Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma Limited, Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharma Operations (Business Area) Sdn Bhd, Novo Nordisk Pharma Operations A/S, Novo Nordisk Pharma S.A., Novo Nordisk Pharma SARL, Novo Nordisk Pharma SAS, Novo Nordisk Pharma Sp.z.o.o., Novo Nordisk Pharma d.o.o., Novo Nordisk Pharma d.o.o. Belgrade (Serbia), Novo Nordisk Pharmaceutical Industries LP, Novo Nordisk Pharmaceutical Services Sp. z o.o., Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals (Philippines) Inc., Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals A/S, Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Pty. Ltd., Novo Nordisk Pharmatech A/S, Novo Nordisk Pharmatech US Inc., Novo Nordisk Production SAS, Novo Nordisk Production Support LLC, Novo Nordisk Producao Farmaceutica do Brasil Ltda., Novo Nordisk Region AAMEO and LATAM A/S, Novo Nordisk Region China A/S, Novo Nordisk Region Europe A/S, Novo Nordisk Region Japan & Korea A/S, Novo Nordisk Research Center Indianapolis Inc., Novo Nordisk Research Center Seattle Inc., Novo Nordisk S.P.A., Novo Nordisk Saglik Urunleri Tic. Ltd. Sti., Novo Nordisk Saudi for Trading, Novo Nordisk Scandinavia AB, Novo Nordisk Service Centre (India) Pvt. Ltd., Novo Nordisk Slovakia s.r.o., Novo Nordisk Tunisie SARL, Novo Nordisk US Bio Production Inc., Novo Nordisk US Commercial Holdings Inc., Novo Nordisk US Holdings Inc., Novo Nordisk Ukraine LLC, Novo Nordisk Venezuela Casa de Representacion C.A., Novo Nordisk d.o.o., Novo Nordisk s.r.o., PT. Novo Nordisk Indonesia, S.A. Novo Nordisk Pharma N.V., UAB Novo Nordisk Pharma, Xellia Pharmaceuticals, Ziylo, and Ziylo Limited.

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The case of the sniffles that Donald Trump had during the debate with Hillary Clinton on Monday prompted quite a bizarre charge from Howard Dean the one time presidential candidate from the Democratic Party.

He mused through a tweet on Twitter that the candidate from the GOP might by a coke user.

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While much of the hype prior to the debate focused on if Hillary Clinton the Democratic nominee, who Dean supports, might have a coughing fit, as it turned out Trump had the respiratory issues not Clinton.

The politician, who prior to entering politics was a developer, repeatedly had the sniffles, as he spoke to the audience at Hofstra University in New York that was seen by over 100 million people on television.

Dean tweeted asking the question if viewers noticed Trump sniffling repeatedly, then asked if he was a coke user.

That remarked gained over 7,000 retweets very quickly and over 7,770 likes. However, it prompted a huge wave of criticism immediately that was directed at the former governor of Vermont.

One Twitter user by the name of Mikey Adams tweeted, Said the acid freak from Vermont.

While another user tweeted, It is a stupid comment coming from someone who ought to be taking the high ground,

It has been claimed by Trump that he has never touched any alcohol or smoked a cigarette. Therefore, the suggestion by Dean that the 70-year old candidate turned to using hard drugs on his most important night of his political career was one that was hard to consider, let alone believe.

On Tuesday morning following the Monday night debate, Trump said there had not been any sniffles and that he did not have a cold. He said he did not suffer from a case of the sniffles and claimed it might have been his microphone.

Clinton, who earlier in September came close to collapsing during a memorial service for 9/11 amidst a battle with pneumonia and has had a number of bouts with coughing while campaigning, appeared very healthy during the debate of 90 minutes.

Most opinions voiced by journalists, politicians and political pundits have said that Clinton was the winner of the first debate and could use that momentum to once again increase her lead in the polls.
WAYNESBORO  Two more defendants related to the abduction and murder of Waynesboro Reserve Police Officer Kevin Quick were sentenced in U.S. District Court in Charlottesville on Tuesday.

Quick was abducted in January 2014 after driving to an Albemarle County apartment to see his infant daughter. His body was found in Goochland County on Feb. 6, 2014.

Four defendants in the case were sentenced on federal racketeering, murder and abduction charges in the case last week. On Tuesday, two others implicated in the case were sentenced.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Huber said Leslie Hope Casterlow, 52, of Northern Virginia, re-ceived 44 months in prison following a guilty plea to obstruction of justice.

Anthony Lee White, 24, of Louisa, was sentenced to 83 months in prison after a guilty plea to a charge of conspiracy in violation of the federal RICO Act.

Both Casterlow and White cooperated with investigators in the wake of the killing.

Huber said Casterlows cooperation and testimony helped authorities locate the murder weapon. The prosecutor added that, given Whites cooperation in the case, his sentence was appropriate.

More sentences in the Quick case are scheduled for October, Huber said.
Rain, fog and a motorcyclists dark clothing likely led to a fatal crash Wednesday morning that killed the rider and shut down Interstate 64 for more than five hours.

Virginia State Police said the motorcyclist was killed early Wednesday morning when he was struck by a tractor-trailer and thrown from his 1994 Harley-Davidson.

The riders name is being withheld pending notification of family, police said.

The crash, which occurred at about 3:40 a.m., forced the closure of a 12-mile stretch of I-64 between the U.S. 250 exit to Shadwell and the U.S. 15 exit at Zion Crossroads. Traffic was detoured around the wreck site for about five hours and resulted in traffic backing up at least three miles at one point, according to state police.

Trooper J.R. Ruhlmans preliminary investigation indicated that the truck was eastbound just past the Shadwell exit when it struck the motorcycle, knocking the cyclist off his vehicle. The rider died at the scene of the crash.

Ruhlman said the tractor-trailer driver, an adult male from Minnesota who was not injured in the crash, initially thought he had struck a piece of debris in the road.

According to police, the motorcycle was difficult to see in the patchy fog and heavy rain along the unlighted stretch of interstate. The rider was wearing dark clothing, and part of the load strapped to the bike partially obscured the motorcycles taillight. Also, the light on the motorcycle was dimmed by age, police said.

State police said they are continuing to investigate the crash.
Call it the Great Grocery-Store Giveaway of 2016.

In Austin, Texas, Randalls slashed prices for boneless beef ribs by 40 percent, to $3.99 a pound. Not to be outdone, the H-E-B grocer down the street charged $1 a pound less. Albertsons recently advertised a deal you don't normally see on your finer cuts of meat: "buy 1 get 1 free" specials on "USDA Choice Petite Sirloin Steak."

And what does $1 buy these days? In North Bergen, New Jersey, you could pick up a dozen eggs at Wal-Mart. (OK, the price was actually $1.14.) A mile away, check out Aldi, the German supermarket discounter, which can actually break the buck -- 12 eggs for 99 cents. A year ago you would have paid, on average, three times that price.

In a startling development, almost unheard of outside a recession, food prices have fallen for nine straight months in the U.S. It's the longest streak of food deflation since 1960 -- with the exception of 2009, when the financial crisis was winding down. Analysts credit low oil and grain prices, as well as cutthroat competition from discounters. Consumers are winning out; grocery chains, not so much. Their margins and, in some cases, their stock prices, are taking a hit.

Eggs and beef have have grown especially inexpensive, and it isn't only an American phenomenon: In England, Aldi recently offered its prized 8-ounce wagyu steaks from New Zealand for about $6.50 -- a little more than the price of a pint of beer.

"The severity of what we're seeing is completely unprecedented," said Scott Mushkin, an analyst at Wolfe Research who has studied grocery prices around the country for more than ten years. "We've never seen deflation this sharp."

Mushkin, who researches local markets, recently found that prices of a typical basket of grocery items in Houston had fallen almost 5 percent over the past year.

He credits, in part, the discerning behavior of shoppers like Manny Sinclair. On a weekday lunch break, the 43-year-old contractor stopped by a Wal-Mart in Secaucus, New Jersey, to pick up turtle food and paper towels.

Sinclair typically buys groceries at his local ShopRite but has recently noticed the steals he now finds at discounters. He glanced at the meat case, where a 12-pack of "Angus steak burgers" fetched $15.82 and grass-fed ground beef could change hands for $4.96 a pound.

Sinclair was intrigued but, in the classic logic of a shopper in an age of deflation, figured he might find even lower prices elsewhere. Along with two Wal-Marts, a Target and an Aldi, the area even offers a Family Dollar that features a small refrigerated section.

"Wherever I find the good deals -- that's where I'm at," Sinclair said.

At first, falling prices helped grocers. Low-cost commodities pushed down the tab for meat and packaged food and boosted profits. Now, deflation has turned ugly for the industry. Led by Wal-Mart, retailers are pushing down prices, eating away at their profit margins.

"It starts to border on irrational pricing," said Jennifer Bartashus, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. "People are lowering prices just to draw traffic, without thinking about their margins."

Supermarkets are facing competition not just from Wal-Mart Stores and Aldi but also dollar stores and online retailer Amazon.com. It could get worse. Lidl, one of Aldi's German competitors, is building three distribution centers on the East Coast and plans to open U.S. stores by 2018. Even Whole Foods Market -- famously derided as "Whole Paycheck" -- is trying to compete on price through digital coupons and promotions on items such as beer and produce.

In recent years, Kroger -- the largest grocery store chain in the U.S., with nearly 2,800 stores -- cut prices to compete with Wal-Mart and managed to increase its market share and sales. But deflation has been hard on the supermarket chain. The company's stock has lost more than a quarter of its value this year, as price cuts weighed on profits. Chief Executive Officer Rodney McMullen expressed frustration that many customers don't even notice.

"The other thing that's always hard is getting your message out, because it's fascinating - in our research, most people are saying their basket of goods costs more money," McMullen said on a call with analysts this month.

The likely reason for McMullen's lament: Food, on average, makes up only about 15 percent of a consumer's budget. Except for gas and other energy-related items, prices for most other goods are going up, if only modestly.

At the same time, restaurant food can still be pricey. The situation makes for some strange contrasts: In Chicago, a pound of Dunkin' Donuts coffee sells for $4.99 at a Jewel-Osco store, less than the cost of a venti pumpkin spice frappuccino at Starbucks. Albertsons Cos. owns Jewel-Osco, as well as Randalls, home of the cheap Texas ribs.

Elena Rosa, 63, a retired health aide, was blase when she steered her shopping cart past the refrigerator case at Aldi in North Bergen, New Jersey. She paused, noting a dozen eggs for less than $1 -- one of the great food deals of recent memory.

"That's a good price," she said, before moving on without buying a carton.

GROCERIES 877 words  3 photosEight-cent eggs: Consumers gobble cheap food as grocers squirmFive photos

(c) 2016, Bloomberg  Craig Giammona  BUSINESS  Sep 27, 2016 - 12:21 PMEight-cent eggs: Consumers gobble cheap food as grocers squirm

by Craig Giammona

(c) 2016, Bloomberg

Call it the Great Grocery-Store Giveaway of 2016.

In Austin, Texas, Randalls slashed prices for boneless beef ribs by 40 percent, to $3.99 a pound. Not to be outdone, the H-E-B grocer down the street charged $1 a pound less. Albertsons recently advertised a deal you don't normally see on your finer cuts of meat: "buy 1 get 1 free" specials on "USDA Choice Petite Sirloin Steak."

And what does $1 buy these days? In North Bergen, New Jersey, you could pick up a dozen eggs at Wal-Mart. (OK, the price was actually $1.14.) A mile away, check out Aldi, the German supermarket discounter, which can actually break the buck -- 12 eggs for 99 cents. A year ago you would have paid, on average, three times that price.

In a startling development, almost unheard of outside a recession, food prices have fallen for nine straight months in the U.S. It's the longest streak of food deflation since 1960 -- with the exception of 2009, when the financial crisis was winding down. Analysts credit low oil and grain prices, as well as cutthroat competition from discounters. Consumers are winning out; grocery chains, not so much. Their margins and, in some cases, their stock prices, are taking a hit.

Eggs and beef have have grown especially inexpensive, and it isn't only an American phenomenon: In England, Aldi recently offered its prized 8-ounce wagyu steaks from New Zealand for about $6.50 -- a little more than the price of a pint of beer.

"The severity of what we're seeing is completely unprecedented," said Scott Mushkin, an analyst at Wolfe Research who has studied grocery prices around the country for more than ten years. "We've never seen deflation this sharp."

Mushkin, who researches local markets, recently found that prices of a typical basket of grocery items in Houston had fallen almost 5 percent over the past year.

He credits, in part, the discerning behavior of shoppers like Manny Sinclair. On a weekday lunch break, the 43-year-old contractor stopped by a Wal-Mart in Secaucus, New Jersey, to pick up turtle food and paper towels.

Sinclair typically buys groceries at his local ShopRite but has recently noticed the steals he now finds at discounters. He glanced at the meat case, where a 12-pack of "Angus steak burgers" fetched $15.82 and grass-fed ground beef could change hands for $4.96 a pound.

Sinclair was intrigued but, in the classic logic of a shopper in an age of deflation, figured he might find even lower prices elsewhere. Along with two Wal-Marts, a Target and an Aldi, the area even offers a Family Dollar that features a small refrigerated section.

"Wherever I find the good deals -- that's where I'm at," Sinclair said.

At first, falling prices helped grocers. Low-cost commodities pushed down the tab for meat and packaged food and boosted profits. Now, deflation has turned ugly for the industry. Led by Wal-Mart, retailers are pushing down prices, eating away at their profit margins.

"It starts to border on irrational pricing," said Jennifer Bartashus, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. "People are lowering prices just to draw traffic, without thinking about their margins."

Supermarkets are facing competition not just from Wal-Mart Stores and Aldi but also dollar stores and online retailer Amazon.com. It could get worse. Lidl, one of Aldi's German competitors, is building three distribution centers on the East Coast and plans to open U.S. stores by 2018. Even Whole Foods Market -- famously derided as "Whole Paycheck" -- is trying to compete on price through digital coupons and promotions on items such as beer and produce.

In recent years, Kroger -- the largest grocery store chain in the U.S., with nearly 2,800 stores -- cut prices to compete with Wal-Mart and managed to increase its market share and sales. But deflation has been hard on the supermarket chain. The company's stock has lost more than a quarter of its value this year, as price cuts weighed on profits. Chief Executive Officer Rodney McMullen expressed frustration that many customers don't even notice.

"The other thing that's always hard is getting your message out, because it's fascinating - in our research, most people are saying their basket of goods costs more money," McMullen said on a call with analysts this month.

The likely reason for McMullen's lament: Food, on average, makes up only about 15 percent of a consumer's budget. Except for gas and other energy-related items, prices for most other goods are going up, if only modestly.

At the same time, restaurant food can still be pricey. The situation makes for some strange contrasts: In Chicago, a pound of Dunkin' Donuts coffee sells for $4.99 at a Jewel-Osco store, less than the cost of a venti pumpkin spice frappuccino at Starbucks. Albertsons Cos. owns Jewel-Osco, as well as Randalls, home of the cheap Texas ribs.

Elena Rosa, 63, a retired health aide, was blase when she steered her shopping cart past the refrigerator case at Aldi in North Bergen, New Jersey. She paused, noting a dozen eggs for less than $1 -- one of the great food deals of recent memory.

"That's a good price," she said, before moving on without buying a carton.

- With assistance from Lauren Etter

Author Information:Craig Giammona More stories by Craig Giammona
Democrat Hillary Clinton appeared better prepared for the first presidential debate than Donald Trump, according to Virginia political analysts, but they caution against reaching long-range conclusions on the candidates' first encounter.

In fact, the University of Mary Washington held a town hall debate watch on Monday evening "and not a single person in the crowd said they walked into the debate supporting one candidate and walked out of the debate supporting another," said Stephen J. Farnsworth, a professor of political science at UMW.

Instant surveys on the results varied.

In a CNN post-debate survey, 62 percent of voters who turned in to watch said Clinton won, compared with 27 percent for Trump.

In an online vote for Fox News, 50 percent said Trump won, to 35 percent for Clinton.

"It is dangerous to offer confident predictions of how the public will react to a debate immediately after it is concluded," wrote analysts Larry J. Sabato, Kyle Kondik and Geoffrey Skelley of Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia.

Instant polls following a debate might not be meaningful and the lasting effect might not be apparent until new national and state polls assess how the candidates' performance affected the race, the analysts said.

"Its no fun to urge patience - but we think thats better than making sweeping pronouncements in the aftermath of a widely watched national event that voters may interpret quite differently than experts may expect," the UVa analysts said.

"The pundit consensus seems to be that Hillary Clinton 'won,' but we all know how many times Donald Trump has been counted out, only for him to endure," the UVa analysts add.

"We also know that Clinton and Trump are talking to two very different countries, and political analysts and reporters are generally in the country Clinton, not Trump, inhabits.

"However, Trump faces many questions about his qualifications for the job and his temperament, and we dont believe he did much to provide satisfactory answers to those concerns. Perhaps enough voters want change so much that they are willing to overlook their reservations."

Research shows that debates generally do not have a huge impact on an election and that most people who watch have already made up their minds, Farnsworth said.

"The main lesson from the debate is that Donald Trump needs to study the issues before the next debate. Without offering a clearer sense of how he would do some of the things he proposes, he will lose the issue competition to Hillary Clinton," Farnsworth said.

"He gave solid answers about how Clinton hasn't been very effective in some areas, but that is only half the battle: the next step is to show how you would do better than your opponent.

"Hillary Clinton gave effective, crisp answers on most questions, but she didn't do as well as she might have on issues of crime and law and order. She did a very good job of needling Trump," Farnsworth said.

Quentin Kidd of Christopher Newport University also thought "Clinton's preparation showed through, and Trump's lack of preparation showed through" in the first contest.

"The optics of him butting in and audibly moaning can't be good for him, and I don't think the split screen helped him...his facial expressions weren't helpful," Kidd said.

"My overall sense is that she 'won' the debate, but I don't think that means that she will have won over any Trump supporters," Kidd said.

"If you were a Trump supporter before the debate, you are likely still one now. But, she may have pulled over some wavering undecideds to her side, and she likely solidified some of her soft support. I'd expect her to rise a point or two in the polls, if that, but not much more.

Kidd added: "I don't think the general dynamics of the race have been changed."
RICHMOND  In endorsing Democrat Hillary Clinton for president on Wednesday, former U.S. Sen. John W. Warner, R-Va., did not mention GOP nominee Donald Trump by name until he uncorked a zinger at the end.

Warner, 89, recalled that in the winter of 1945, after he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was in boot camp near the end of World War II, instructors drummed home a message to Warner and other young recruits.

"Loose lips sink ships," Warner said. "Got that, Trump? Loose lips sink ships."

Warner, a former head of the Senate Armed Services Committee, represented Virginia in the Senate for 30 years. On Wednesday he repeatedly alluded to Trump remarks about the military that he considers disrespectful.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., the Democratic nominee for vice president, joined Warner for the announcement at the Charles Houston Recreation Center in Alexandria.

Kaine noted that John Warner and Kaine's father-in-law, Linwood Holton, Virginia's first Republican governor in the 20th century, attended Washington and Lee University together. They have been friends for 70 years, a friendship that survived their competition for Virginia's 1978 GOP U.S. Senate nomination.

Kaine said that to him and to Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who also was present, John Warner is "our great example of public life in Virginia."

"He's proud of who he is. He's been proud to be a member of the GOP," Kaine said, "but he's always put country and commonwealth above anything else - and especially on matters of national security."

This is not the first time John Warner has broken with the GOP. For instance, in Virginia's 1994 U.S. Senate race, Warner refused to support GOP nominee Oliver North and backed the independent candidacy of J. Marshall Coleman.

"Virginians have a great deal of respect for John Warner and rightfully so," said John Whitbeck, chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia.

"But the former senator has declined to endorse the top of our ticket for a number of cycles now. He endorsed Mark Warner over Ed Gillespie" in Virginia's 2014 U.S. Senate race.

"The only news here would be if John Warner had endorsed Donald Trump."

Whitbeck added: "Hillary Clinton is utterly desperate to find anyone to reassure Virginians of her trustworthiness."

John Warner, who represented Virginia in the U.S. Senate from 1979 to 2009, called Kaine "a man of unquestioned integrity" and underscored what he sees as Clinton's preparation to be commander-in-chief.

Warner said he feels "distressed by some of the comments made by some of the opponents of this ticket" regarding the status of the U.S. military.

"We have today the strongest military in the world," he said. While it might need modernization, "it is not in shambles."

"No one should have the audacity to stand up and degrade the Purple Heart, degrade military families or talk about the military being in a state of disaster," Warner said. "That's wrong."

He added: "As I watched this race unfold, I said there comes a time when I've got to stand up, even though I'm basically in retirement, and assert my own views" to "those people in my great state of Virginia" who are struggling with the choice.

Warner, who served with Clinton on the Armed Services Committee for six years, testified to her preparation and experience.

"She has always, throughout her life, prepared, done her homework and studied," Warner said.

In questioning members of the military at committee hearings, Clinton "was firm, but fair and - underline - respectful," Warner said. "That's one word that's totally lacking on the other side," he said.

Warner said anyone who reviews Clinton's work on the Armed Services Committee would have a basis to conclude: "That candidate is one that is fit and ready to lead our great, free country and to lead the world in the cause of freedom."
After more than two years of legal proceedings and mental health restoration for the defendant, a Culpeper judge sentenced a 50-year-old man in Culpeper County Circuit Court on Wednesday to 12 years and nine months in prison for the stabbing death of his roommate in June 2014.

Judge Susan Whitlock ordered Humberto Flores De Luna, a native of Mexico, to serve 25 years in prison before suspending about half of the term.

De Luna, now 50, has already served two years and three months in jail to which hell receive time served credit.

During sentencing, Whitlock said she considered De Lunas lack of prior criminal history in this country and his struggles with mental health issues, granting him the lower end of the sentencing guidelines.

After prison, De Luna must remain on good behavior for 40 years, serve five years of supervised probation, participate in mental health evaluations, avoid drugs and alcohol and submit to random drug screenings. De Luna will also face deportation following the completion of his prison term.

In March, Whitlock accepted De Luna 's plea agreement, which reduced the original felony first-degree murder charge to second-degree murder when he pleaded guilty to the crime.

Court records show, De Luna stabbed his 38-year-old roommate Carlos Roberto Medina on June 23, 2014 after they argued about Medinas sister.

Before sentencing, De Lunas court-appointed defense attorney Christian Brashear argued that his client has struggled with mental health issues for years, even causing many delays this case. De Luna received mental restorative treatment at Central State Hospital at least twice.

In jail, hes been a model inmate. Hes followed the rules and cooperated with several medication changes. Hes been quiet and calm today and has no history of criminal activity prior to this incident, said Brashear.

Brashear, who requested the 12 years and nine month term for De Luna, also said his client has four children hed like to return to following his prison sentence.

This is a tragic incident and we are asking for leniency, said Brashear, adding that his client consumed five or six beers before the deadly stabbing two years ago.

Russell Rabb, Culpepers Deputy Commonwealths Attorney, said this is a difficult case to garner a victim impact statement, adding that the defendant, victim and the victims sister  the two men reportedly quarreled over only arrived in this country a couple of weeks before the incident.

So the victim impact is hard to gauge, argued Rabb. While there may be no evidence of a criminal history, it was a bloody crime being stabbed to death. [The victim] had two stab wounds to his chest. There had been some drinking and the end result is that we have one man dead and another wandering the town with a bloody knife. The result is horrific.

Before sentencing, De Luna, speaking in Spanish and utilizing translator Louis Rivera, said hed like to ask God to forgive him.

Im not a criminal. Id also like the victims family to forgive me. It was not my intention. Id also like to ask forgiveness from the court,said De Luna.

Earlier this month, Whitlock denied De Lunas request to withdraw the guilty plea he entered on March 14. De Luna claimed during that hearing that he was hearing voices and still suffering from mental illness when he entered his guilty plea earlier this year.

During the September hearing, Rabb asked De Luna if he recognized his signatures on the plea agreement paperwork.

De Luna said that while he didn't recall signing the legal papers, the signatures were indeed his.

Court records show, De Luna and Medina argued over the course of two weeks before the deadly stabbing. A third roommate told Culpeper police officers that he'd heard the two men arguing as recently as the day before the fatal encounter.

Culpeper police officers were dispatched to the 700 block of Gardner Street around 2:45 a.m. on June 23, 2014. When they arrived, they reportedly found Medina "faced down and unresponsive" with a "large amount of blood underneath the victim."

Court records reveal that when officers found De Luna he reportedly had "reddish stains on his hands, face, clothing and a cell phone."

Police also reported finding a "large butcher-style knife located on De Luna , which had the presence of a reddish substance."

Rhonda Simmons can be reached at rsimmons@starexponent.com or 540/825-6397.
Standing in front of the Liberty or Death Culpeper Minutemen flag, Del. Nick Freitas voiced his support for legalized medical cannabis in Virginia during a town hall meeting Tuesday night at Grass Rootes restaurant hosted by the Culpeper chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML.

A former Green Beret who advocates for limited government and individual liberty, the Republican freshman legislator from Culpeper directly addressed the question when asked by an attendee about the issue of legalizing medical marijuana even though it conflicts with federal law.

Honestly, I like pissing off the federal government anytime I get a chance, Freitas said at the event attended by about 40 people.

No, I dont think we should wait for the federal government, to legalize medical marijuana, he said, adding the matter should be left up to a doctor and their patient.

Freitas quoted a U.S. Supreme Court justice in making his point that states are the great laboratories of democracy.

I think Virginia should be sovereign on this, let Virginia decide whats best for Virginians and well let the Feds catch up  or not, he said.

Freitas, asked about using medical marijuana for un-diagnosed conditions, said there were a lot of uses that he might not agree with, but that the decision shouldnt be his.

When weve got someone whos dealing with a great deal of pain and cannabis works and other things dont are we really going to say no, youre not allowed to use that because we havent properly diagnosed this yet? I have a problem with that. That seems wrong to me so I guess I would be far more open ended, he said.

Freitas urged caution with total marijuana legalization and the potential for over-regulation.

One of things I dont like about making marijuana illegal is it creates an elicit black market which is generally far more violent and far more targeted toward kids, he said. We need to be careful that when we do this in the future that the answer is not, OK were going to legalize it, but then were going to create so many regulations and so many taxes that we just create another black market.

Freitas said over-regulation can create friction between police and constituents.

Nothing drives me more nuts than watching the same politician that passed all these regulations then standing and saying, Oh, my gosh, I cant believe how the police are being. The police are enforcing the regulations that you passed, you created a situation where theres going to be hostility between your constituents and police, who are also your constituents, he said.

Culpeper resident Pam Novy, co-director of the local NORML chapter, commended Freitas for being the first legislator to ever address the group  formed a year ago  in a formal setting, calling it a milestone. She is a clinical psychologist who worked as a combat stress psychologist with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and then at Walter Reed Army Medical Center with returning service members living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

I can tell you there are a number of reasons that I got involved in this movement not the least of which was the arrest of my son in his first year of college. He spent six months in jail for less than an ounce of marijuana, said Novy, former director of Virginia NORML. Two things that are very important to me are veterans and young people.

NORML in Virginia isnt the Cheech and Chong stereotype, she said at Tuesdays town hall meeting.

It is led by mostly middle-aged women, she said. Our mission is the full legalization and a regulated market for cannabis, Novy said, emphasizing the regulation part to include laws about age of consumption and purchase.

Right now the system that exists allows heroin to be in the same marketplace as marijuana and I would like that to be different, she said.

Virginia is not quite there yet, Novy added. She said the state constitution does not allow for a ballot initiative on the issue like was passed in Colorado, Alaska, Oregon and Washington.

In November, voters in Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada will decide proposals to legalize recreational marijuana for anyone 21 and older. Twenty-five states already allow medical marijuana and three more  Arkansas, Florid and North Dakota  could join that group when voters go to the polls in November, according to the Associated Press.

Earlier this year, the Virginia General Assembly passed a limited law allowing the production of cannabis oil by pharmaceutical processors for use by individuals with epilepsy.

According to an AP poll from earlier this year, 61 percent of the public supports legalizing marijuana but most want it limited to medical treatment or want restrictions on the amount that could be legally purchased.
The Germanna Community College Local College Board will meet at 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 5 to review the results of the presidential search survey.

The meeting is open to the public. It will be held in conference room 225 of the Dickinson Building on the Fredericksburg Area Campus in Spotsylvania at 10000 Germanna Point Drive. Members of the public who wish to speak should sign in by 9 a.m.

Germanna President David A. Sam, who announced retirement plans recently, said the chancellor of the Virginia Community College System and GCCs Local College Board will work together to hire a new president, probably making a choice by March. Sam will continue as president till June 30, 2017. Sam said GCC students, community members and Germannas faculty and staff are being asked what they are looking for in a new president.

Anyone wishing to participate in the survey online may do so here: http://www.germanna.edu/presidents-office/presidential-search/

Germanna currently has people serving on an interim basis in several other leadership positions because its traditional for a new college president to be able to choose his cabinet, according to Germanna spokesman Mike Zitz. Sam said the positions should be filled soon after the new president is selected.

I am very confident that the people here can do this work, Sam said.

William Thomas, the chair of Germans College Board from Culpeper County, said, Were going to come out of this in great shape because we have a great staff.

Germanna serves the city of Fredericksburg and the counties of Stafford, Culpeper, Spotsylvania, Orange, King George, Caroline and Madison.
Like the two major party presidential candidates, local reactions varied greatlydepending on political affiliationto Mondays first debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Culpeper County Democratic Committee Chairman Harold Boyd said he was very proud of Clintons responses to questions from moderator Lester Holt and those thrown at her from Mr. Trump.

She showed a steady temperament throughout the debate, Boyd said of the Democratic nominee.

He added that he felt the Republican nominee was not prepared and seemed to run out of steam as the debate progressed.

I believe he never answered a single question, said Boyd, a retired government teacher. He would start to, but then revert to his campaign speech. I was not impressed with his bullying tactics.

Culpeper County Republican Committee Vice Chairman Jon Russell said the debate covered a lot of issues.

I felt Trump was keeping his powder dry for the next two debates, said Russell, a Culpeper Town Councilman. He will need to further discuss Hillarys failures with Benghazi and her email scandal. Its important for the American people to know that her experience has been a failure for the country. She is part of the problem with the political class who has been running our country into the ground.

Culpeper resident Tim Cotton is a former Democratic activist who officially left the party earlier this year with his founding of the Piedmont Green Party. He said Tuesday that Mondays debate looked more like a schoolyard argument or a bad divorce hearing.

Cotton said he felt neither candidate addressed any issues that the American people care about and that the debate moderator was no help.

Clinton had him on the ropes with his taxes, but Trump pummeled her with trade deals and bad foreign policy, he said. Trump looked asinine as we would expect, and she was smug, as we also would expect. I think that neither one had any substance or gave any reason to vote for them. 

Del. Nick Freitas, R-Culpeper, commented on Facebook Monday night that he was never so thankful to not have cable TV in his life so he didnt have to watch the debate while local congressman Rep. Dave Brat, R-Richmond, posted a meme Tuesday criticizing Lester Holts failure to ask Clinton about her email server, support for the war in Iraq or Benghazi.

Clintons running mate, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, meanwhile, was enthusiastic about her debate performance.

Last night, Hillary proved that shes ready to be Commander-in-Chief, Kaine posted on twitter. Donald proved he cant tell the truth.

Trump, on Facebook, declared victory.

Another national poll via CNBCshows THE MOVEMENT with a MASSIVE WIN last night. Thank you AmericaI love you! he posted.

A CNN poll immediately after the debate reported 62 percent said Clinton was the clear winner while a survey from Public Policy Polling found that 51 percent of voters nationally thought she beat Trump in the debate. Online polls touted by Trump, however, reported a different outcome with 67 percent favoring Trump in a CNBC survey and a TIME poll that showed him leading with 55 percent.

Various newspapers, including The Washington Post, published headlines Tuesday saying that Clinton clearly won the debate.

What we hear from my opponent is dangerously incoherent. Its unclear what hes saying, but words matter, Clinton posted on twitter Tuesday.

On the Star-Exponent Facebook page, reactions to the debate were mixed with one male poster saying Trump did amazingly while another, a female poster, said, Mr. Trump strung random words together. The only thing he could really expound on was how great he thinks he is.
An early morning crash Wednesday morning involving a tractor-trailer and a motorcycle killed the cyclist and forced closure of 12-mile stretch of I-64, according to Virginia State Police.

State troopers were called to a crash shortly before 4 a.m. near the Zion Crossroads exit on the eastbound interstate.

Police said the motorcyclist died at the scene, reported to be about two miles before the U.S. 15 exit ramp. However, the road was closed at U.S. 250 in Charlottesville to detour traffic off the highway and onto U.S. 250 until the road meets up with U.S. 15 in Fluvanna County.

Traffic on eastbound Interstate 64 backed up at least three miles and during the rush hour. The road was reopened around 9:30 a.m.

State police are continuing to investigate the crash and have not released the cyclist's name or the name of the truck driver.
The company made its foray into the international market in February this year, starting with Singapore.

BankBazaar.com announced it was adding SGD 1 million investment as growth capital for in its Singapore arm  BankBazaar International. This strategic decision was unanimously approved by the board members of BankBazaar.com, including investors such as Sequoia Capital and Amazon.com. The investment, which follows an initial capital outlay to establish the unit, will be used for scaling technology and its team to strengthen the companys expansion efforts and establish the first Financial Marketplace in Singapore.

Speaking on decision to invest in BankBazaar International, Adhil Shetty, Co-Founder and CEO, BankBazaar.com said, BankBazaar is experiencing spectacular growth in India and we are looking to replicate that winning formula in Singapore. While the Indian market continues to be my focus, we believe the future of Fintech is global and Singapore is one of its capitals.

At a time when most companies are wary of entering international markets, BankBazaar.com has gone ahead to set up a global presence. The company made its foray into the international market in February this year, starting with Singapore.

Apart from Singapore, BankBazaar is also exploring markets in other Asian and select Middle Eastern markets.

BankBazaar.com hosts the widest range of financial products from over 75+ of the biggest public and private sector banks, NBFCs, and insurance companies in India. It gets an average of 7,000,000 visitors per month. The company raised USD 80M through funding from investors such as Amazon.com, Fidelity Growth Partners, Mousse Partners, Sequoia Capital and Walden International.
The company has launched the roaming packs with 30-day and 1-day validity for Rs 4,999 and Rs 649 rentals, respectively.

New Delhi: With the entry of Reliance Jio setting off a price war, Airtel today said its customers can enjoy free unlimited incoming calls on international roaming while travelling to popular destinations like the US, Canada, the UK and Singapore.

That apart, Airtel's new international roaming packs will also offer free text messages to India and "ample data benefits" along with free India calling minutes across popular destinations, the company said in a statement.

Charges for calls to India  beyond the free usage limit  and local in-country calls have been reduced to Rs 3 per minute across these places.

The company has launched the roaming packs with 30-day and 1-day validity for Rs 4,999 and Rs 649 rentals, respectively, for the US, Canada and the UK. With the holiday season round the corner, Airtel plans to launch a 10-day validity pack by mid-October for USD 45 (about Rs 2,990).

The 30-day pack for the US, Canada, and the UK offers 3 GB data, unlimited incoming calls, 400 minutes of calls to India and unlimited texts to India.

The one-day pack for the US, Canada and the UK comes with 300 MB data, unlimited incoming calls, 100 minutes of India calling and unlimited texts to India. Post exhaustion of data benefits, international roaming data will be charged at Rs 3 per MB, a reduction of 99 per cent from Rs 650 per MB.

Airtel has launched similar plans for the Singapore market where the roaming rental is priced at Rs 2,499 and Rs 499 for 30-day and 1-day validity, respectively. For the UAE market, the rental is Rs 3,999 and Rs 649.

"The number of Indians travelling overseas for leisure and business is growing rapidly and our new packs ensure customers get no bill shocks and have the convenience of always keeping their phones switched on, wherever they are," said Ajai Puri, Director, Operations (India and South Asia), Bharti Airtel.
would also spend 40 per cent of its marketing spend during the 45-day festive period, which has already began with Onam. (Photo: Twitter)

New Delhi: Consumer appliance maker Whirlpool of India is aiming at a double digit sales growth this festive season, on the back of good monsoon and payout for government staff following the Seventh Pay panel award.

To woo the consumers, it has scheduled new launches in every category during the festive period, Whirlpool of India said in a statement. Besides, it would also spend 40 per cent of its marketing spend during the 45-day festive period, which has already began with Onam.

"This festive season, we are targeting a strong double digit growth, aiming to increase market share in all categories and regions," said Whirlpool of India VP Marketing, Kapil Agarwal.

He further added: "We have earmarked about 40 per cent of our annual budget for this festive season". For the festive season, Whirlpool will launch products in all categories, starting with a new stainless range in refrigerators.

In the microwave oven category, the company will be launching a bigger capacity range under its Magicook and Jet Crisp brand, it added.
The firm on Wednesday announced that that the company wont be changing their name following the takeover.

London: SABMiller shareholders backed the brewers $100-billion-plus takeover by rival Anheuser-Busch InBev by a large majority on Wednesday, paving the way for one of the biggest corporate mergers in history.

The 79 billion deal was comfortably passed by the SAB shareholders who voted. It had required approval from a majority in number of shareholders and by at least 75 percent in share value. For the latter, it secured 95.5 percent support.

SABMiller's two largest shareholders, cigarette maker Altria Group and the Santo Domingo family of Colombia, who together control about 40 percent of the shares, had already pledged their support for the deal.

The approval of SAB shareholders was widely expected, but not a given.

Criticism of the takeover offer grew over the summer, after a steep fall in sterling following Britains vote to leave the EU made AB InBevs cash offer less appealing.

Activist shareholders pressured SAB to seek a higher offer, prompting AB InBev to sweeten its bid in July. SAB backed the higher offer, though some prominent shareholders, including Aberdeen Asset Management, continued to oppose it.

The takeover is expected to be completed on October 10, nearly a year after AB InBev first approached SABMiller about the acquisition, which required a succession of sweetened bids to win over SAB and asset disposals to satisfy regulators around the world.

The shares of the new company will begin trading on Oct. 11 in Brussels, with secondary listings in Johannesburg and Mexico City and American depository shares in New York.

Soon after, the company is expected to kick off a sale process for SAB's central and eastern European brands, estimated to be worth up to 7 billion euros.

Earlier, AB InBev Chief Executive Carlos Brito, who will head the combined company, outlined the rationale for the deal - including the creation of the first global brewer with new fast-growing African and Latin American markets before announcing that the name AB InBev would remain. After selling off SABs JV stakes in China and US and its businesses across Europe, the combined company will have a 27 per cent share of the global beer market, according to Euromonitor International.
The RBI deputy governor says a government bank CEO should be appointed for at least five years.

Mumbai: Concerned over large number of retirements of senior officials at public sector banks (PSBs) in the near future, Reserve Bank Deputy Governor SS Mundra today pressed for the need to focus on HR management and said there cannot be a "leaderless bank".

"We are able to talk about a driver-less car but I think we are far away to talk about a leaderless bank. I think that is not going to happen tomorrow," Mundra said at a banking event here.

His comments come to the fore as SBI chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya's three-year term ends on Saturday, but the government has not yet given her an extension or spoken about a successor so far.

He pointed that many MDs, CEOs or even CMDs of PSBs are retiring over the next few years.

"In state-run banks if you look at the total 20 CEOs or CMDs, there is one vacant position at every one of them. Eight of them are retiring in 2017, 10 in 2018 and there would be only one who would be retiring beyond the next two years," Mundra said.

He however reserved his comments on SBI for various reasons.

On the second layer of leadership at banks, that is executive directors, Mundra said a stock of EDs are either already retired or are retiring through the rest of 2016.

"Five are retiring in 2016, seven in 2017, 10 in 2018, 12 in 2019 and the rest three will be retiring in 2020," the deputy governor said.

Nearly 73 per cent of the deputy general managers and general managers put together at PSBs are above 55. And another 23 per cent are in the age group of 50-55, he added.

This leaves them with no chance of getting promotions before retirement.

"So this is whole profile of leadership, the succession line is missing and as I said before, it can not be a driver-less car. So this is another area which needs a serious attention," Mundra said.

Admitting that there cannot be a clear complete comparison between appointments at PSBs and their private sector peers, given the structure of the former, Mundra said the least that can be done is to ensure that a PSB's CEO is appointed for at least five years if he or she meets the government defined milestones.

"If those milestones are achieved at the end of the three years, then the next two years should be automatic without any questions asked," Mundra concluded.
Pak Finance Secretary says country needs to tap global capital market to maintain its foreign exchange reserves.

Karachi: Pakistan is set to launch $500 million in Islamic bonds to raise money for its foreign exchange reserves, a senior official said Wednesday, as a three-year IMF bailout package nears a close.

The government has started looking at key markets for the "Sukuk" bonds  a Sharia compliant instrument that offers profits instead of interest to its subscribers, a top official said.

"We have begun the roadshow in Dubai today and will go to London, Boston, and New York in the same leg," Pakistan's finance secretary Waqar Masood Khan told AFP.

The announcement comes as a three-year, $6.6-billion-dollar bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) comes to an end.

The lender announced in August it would soon release the last instalment, worth $102 million.

Khan said the country needs to tap the global capital market to maintain its foreign exchange reserves, which currently stand at $22.69 billion, enough to cover import bills for five months.

"The purpose of the issuance of Sukuk bonds is to meet our growing future demand of the forex," he said.

"After the IMF package is over and amid falling exports, Pakistan needs to raise the funds from different sources," Rehan Ateeq, head of research at Shajar Capital added.

The move also comes as $1 billion worth of 10-year Eurobonds draws to a close.

"We expect with the maturity of IMF loan as well as the Eurobond, the government would come up with more such bonds soon," Ateeq said.

Pakistan has so far issued Eurobonds and Sukuk worth $4.05 billion. It expects its economy to grow at 5.5 percent in the the current fiscal year, compared to 4.7 percent growth in previous.
Reacting to MNS' ultimatum, Saif Ali Khan said that it is for the government to decide who should be allowed to work or not.

Mumbai: Retorting to the ultimatum issued by Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) that it would push out Pakistani actors if they do not leave on their own, Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan on Tuesday downplayed the challenge thrown by the former and said that film industry is open for world's talent.

Khan said that it is for the government to decide who should be allowed to work or not.

"The film industry is open for the world's talent, especially across borders. The government has to decide these things. We are artists, so we will talk about love and peace but the government should make laws and decide who is allowed to work and who isn't," said Khan.

Days after 18 soldiers were martyred in the terror strike at Uri, the MNS had issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Pakistani actors and artistes to leave India by September 25 or else they would be "pushed out".

Post the threats, Fawad Khan, who is currently in Pakistan attending to his wife Sadaf who is pregnant with their second child, is unlikely to return to India anytime soon following the threats by the MNS.

Veteran actor Anupam Kher has also urged for condemnation from the side of Pakistani actors and said that it is important for them to castigate the Uri attack.

Kher said that it is important for them to say, "I condemn the unfortunate massacre of Indian soldiers".
Mumbai: Vidyut Jammwal, who's known for his ridiculously lethal martial arts skills, finally debuted on Instagram to phenomenal results.

The actor, who was last seen in the Tamil film, 'Anjaan,' first teased his followers with a close-up monochrome shot of his sinewy jawline, as his first image.

While his enamoured followers were readying themselves to recuperate from the hotness overload that had been thrown at them, Vidyut teased them a few nautical notches further and partially bared his butt.

Understandably enough, the internet had easily been broken and the Kashmiri boy was trending across social media platforms within no time!

Vidyut, who's got 'Commando 2,' and 'Baadshaho' in his kitty, has ensured that his would be the profile women and men would have their eyes absolutely glued on to, for a long, long time to come.

We have been won over, Vidyut!
Mumbai: Actor and comedian Krushna Abhishek, who was accused of repeatedly joking about Tannishtha Chatterjees dark skin on his show Comedy Nights Bachao, called her Facebook post a publicity stunt.

The Parched star, on her Facebook account, has written a detailed post accusing comedians Krushna Abhishek and Bharti Singh of hurling racist jokes at her. After her story went viral on social media, Colors TV, the channel that airs the show, has apologised to the star and ensured her that the episode will be free of any degrading jokes on her.

While speaking to dna, the comedian called it a publicity stunt.

He said,  Tannishtha is going overboard. She is doing this for publicity. We always meet the actors before they come on the show. I had asked her if she had seen the show before and if she was familiar with our (roast) concept. She said she hadn't seen the show. She hadn't watched even AIB Roast. If she didn't know what it was, she shouldn't have come on the show.

Krushna speculated that Radhika Apte, co-star of Tannishtha in the movie Parched and a bigger star, who was given more attention, must have irked the actress. He added, we gave more importance to Radhika Apte who is a bigger star. That must have also been a problem for Tannishtha."

The angry television star clarified that he had neither called her 'kaali kalooti' nor had he provoked her to walk off. In fact, as per Krushnas statement, it was his idea to send them off as they had finished doing the film integration with the show.

I didn't say that and I don't know who said that. In any case, it is a roast format aur hamne wahi masti ki jo hamesha karte hai. In fact, we have toned it down from what it was earlier. Initially, she was enjoying, but after a while she told us she doesn't like this kind of mass humour As for her walking away from the show, that's not trueafter three acts, we realised that she was not enjoying the show at all. We thought she will spoil the show, so it was mine and director Nikul Desai's decision that we will send them because we had finished doing the film integration with the show," he concluded saying.
Mumbai: Kabir Khan's 'Tubelight' is talk of the town ever since the film went on floors. Salman Khan starrer film revolves around the Indo-Chinese war of 1962 and has the actor playing a differently-abled man, with Sohail Khan stepping in as his on-screen sibling once again.

So far, we have seen many glimpses from the film's sets, including the film's first look where we saw Salman, dressed as a soldier, walking ahead along with his troop.

After wrapping the first schedule of 'Tubelight' in Ladakh, the team is now in Manali, Himachal Pradesh where they are shooting for the film's second schedule.

In the fresh new picture from the set that found its way on the internet, we see Salman Khan zooming around on a Royal Enfield on the streets of Manali.

The film also stars Zhu Zhu, who has delivered several critically acclaimed performances in her filmography across TV and films, notably, What Women Want, Marco Polo and Shanghai Calling.

'Tubelight' is set to release on Eid in 2017.
Mumbai: Bengali belle Tannishtha Chatterjee, who has earned rave reviews for her role in the critically acclaimed Leela Yadav film Parched, took offence when comedians Krushna Abhishek and Bharti Singh roasted her for being dark-skinned. The actress refused to sit through the entire show amid such regressive, and blatantly racist content.

The actress, who sat through the first two equally racist segments of the show, couldnt handle it when the comedians continued bullying her for her skin colour. Chatterjee, then took to Facebook to express her shock and disbelief.

She wrote, "And to my utmost horror, I soon realized that the only quality they found worth roasting about in me was my skin tone the only thing they could roast about a dark-skinned actress was of course her dark skin. They could identify me only with that. I could not believe I was sitting in a nationally televised comedy show in 2016 in Mumbai amid such regressive (I cant call it humor), and blatantly racist content"

The film Parched, that highlights the plight of women in rural Gujarat and how the four characters break free from the shackles of this unforgiving society, focuses on the widespread issue of deep-rooted caste bias that is still prevalent in some parts of this fast-growing nation.

Tannishtha, considering the show centred around humour, was prepared to be made fun of but not at the expense of her appearance. On Facebook, she clarified that her anger is not personal. It has nothing to do with the show at a personal level. But it leads to a larger debate. Why does skin tone still lend itself to jokes? How is it funny to call someone dark? I dont get it. In an India of 2016 I still have to be apologetic about my skin tone? What is this white-skin hangover? , asked the visibly upset actress.

Here's her complete post:
Mumbai: The novel has characters that are uncannily similar to the characters of Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Diljit Dosanjh. Even the title seems to be a direct lift, with High translating to Udta and Society being referenced in Punjab.

In the novel, Tommy Hanson is an extremely successful British musician with a drug problem.

Jessie, a seventeen-year-old Scottish girl, runs away from home to London, whos forced into prostitution, runs away from her pimp and deals with a drug problem herself.

And then theres high-ranking Commander Barry Leman, who fights for justice after his daughters friend is sexually assaulted.

Too familiar, yes? But there's more.

Many snippets and character trajectories from the book, like the rockstar semi-tonsuring his head and getting a derogatory term inked onto his head, the rockstars posse roaming around with neckpieces declaring them to be his crew, being chased by fans and chancing into the immigrant girl while escaping, amongst others, have also found their way into the film.

Director Abhishek Chaubey and writer Sudip Sharma have reportedly rubbished all plagiarism charges but all the obvious similarities are going to break the hearts of scores of the films fans.
United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. JAMES FOLSOM, Defendant-Appellant. No. 15-50339 Decided: September 14, 2016

Before: SILVERMAN, FISHER, and WATFORD, Circuit Judges.

MEMORANDUM*

1. Sufficient evidence supports James Folsom's conviction for making false statements to a financial institution. Folsom stated on his loan application that, at the time he applied for the loan, he had no outstanding judgments against him. A rational jury could conclude that Folsom knew that this statement was false, given the government's evidence that Folsom was aware of the existing judgment against him for approximately $250,000 when he applied for the loan. Folsom also stated on the loan application that he was not delinquent or in default on any federal debt, but a rational jury could conclude that Folsom knew this statement was false as well. The government presented evidence that, beginning in February 2013, Folsom had failed to make the required monthly payments on his outstanding judgment, and that he had been in contact with the U.S. Attorney's Office about his need to begin making the payments. Finally, a rational jury could also conclude that Folsom knowingly made a false statement when he attested that, in the preceding three years, he had held ownership in his primary residence solely in his own name. The government presented evidence that Folsom knew that the title for his primary residence had been held in the name of a corporation, Rosemont Mission. In light of this evidence, a rational jury could conclude that Folsom lacked a good-faith belief in the truthfulness of these statements.

2. Folsom also challenges the sufficiency of the evidence supporting his convictions for bank and wire fraud, but none of the arguments he asserts have merit.

First, Folsom argues that the government failed to establish that Chase sustained an actual loss on the loan. That argument lacks merit because a financial institution need not incur a loss in order to be a victim of bank or wire fraud. See United States v. Mason, 902 F.2d 1434, 1442 (9th Cir. 1990).

Second, Folsom argues that Chase was not deprived of a cognizable property interest within the scope of the bank and wire fraud statutes. We disagree. Had Folsom signed the quitclaim deed as he was required to do in order to obtain the loan, Chase would have been able to perfect a security interest in Folsom's residence. That would-be security interest falls within the broad scope of the property interests protected by the bank and wire fraud statutes. See McNally v. United States, 483 U.S. 350, 356 (1987).

Finally, Folsom argues that the fraudulent scheme did not include his refusal to sign the quitclaim deed months after the loan closed because the title company's failure to include that deed in the closing packet was beyond his control. We agree that the evidence did not show Folsom intended that the title company omit the quitclaim deed, but our inquiry does not end there. We have previously held that, when reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence to support a fraud conviction, we must make allowances for the reality that schemes to defraud are often opportunistic enterprises that may adapt to changed circumstances. United States v. Tanke, 743 F.3d 1296, 1305 (9th Cir. 2014). The government's evidence at trial supported a finding that Folsom decided to capitalize on the title company's error by refusing to sign the quitclaim deed. A rational jury could conclude that the fraudulent scheme evolved after Folsom learned of the title company's mistake.

For the same reason, we reject Folsom's argument with respect to counts 4 and 5 that emails sent after the loan closed could not support his convictions because the fraudulent scheme purportedly ended when the loan closed. See id.; United States v. Lo, 231 F.3d 471, 47879 (9th Cir. 2000) (affirming mail fraud convictions for mailings sent after illegally obtained loan proceeds were received by the defendant).

AFFIRMED.
During an award function held in Mumbai on Tuesday, actor Saif Ali Khan reacted to Maharashtra Navnirman Senas threat issued to Pakistani artistes, urging them to leave the country. With a veiled reference to Raj Thackerays men he said, The film industry is open to world talent, especially (to those) across border. The government has to decide these things. We are artistes, so we will talk about love and peace. It is the government that makes laws and decides who is allowed to work and who isnt.

MNS threat came as a reaction to the Uri attack that claimed the lives of 18 jawaans. Following the threat, MNS also staged a protest outside Karan Johars production house office since his film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil features Pakistani actor Fawad Khan in a prominent role. 15 of the protesters were later arrested by the police.
Los Angeles: Jennifer Aniston's husband Justin Theroux has slammed the attention diverted on the actress since the separation of her ex Brad Pitt from his wife Angelina Jolie.

Since last week when Jolie announced her break up from Pitt, who she began dating after he ended his marriage to Aniston, the media and fans have gone berserk guessing and reporting gossip about the 'Friends' star's supposed reaction to the news.

From jokes to memes, Aniston has been the second most important part of the Pitt-Jolie break up after the shocking news itself.

Theroux slammed what he called 'nonsense' attempts to drag Aniston into the divorce news.

"There's an endless appetite for trash, apparently, though everyone would say that they don't have that appetite. But I think a lot of people do because people buy it. But there are bigger things to bitch about. It's shocking how much bandwidth things can take up when there are far more important things going on in the world," the actor-filmmaker said.

When asked about his reaction on the divorce, which shook Hollywood, Theroux said he feels sad for the couple's six children because he himself has seen his parents part ways and hence can imagine their plight.

"As a child of divorce, all I can say is that's terrible news for those children and that's all you can really say," the 45-year-old actor said during a press tour for his new film 'The Girl on the Train'.

"It's boring to sort of comment on anything else," Theroux added. "People are having a bad time. That's horrible."

Aniston, was married to Pitt for five years before their divorce in 2005. Pitt, 52, and Jolie, 41, who married in 2014 after 10 years of dating, have six children together: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne.
Several reports of Tom and Priyanka getting cozy at the after party of the event also floated at that time. (Photo: AFP)

New Delhi: Adding fuel to a recent rumour on Tom Hiddleston and Priyanka Chopra, Hollywood actress Lea Michele recently said that she wouldn't want to date the heartthrob as "he loves Priyanka."

Currently single Michelle, while playing an impromptu fun game 'Who'd you rather' on 'The Ellen Show' was given a chance to choose between Michael B Jordon and Hiddleston.

The 30-year-old actress, however, seemed reluctant to choose the 'High Rise' star.

When the host hinted that he is single after breaking it off with popstar Taylor Swift, the 30-year-old actress said, "He's got too much going on, I can't get with that. It's a lot. Now, there's Priyanka Chopra, he loves her, they were flirting."

You can watch the video here.

For the unversed, Priyanka and Hiddleston were spotted indulging in some open flirting at this year's Emmy Awards. Several reports of them getting cozy at the after party of the event also floated at that time.
Tollywood star Sayyeshaa is extremely excited about her Tamil debut in an untitled film, directed by Vijay, in which she is paired opposite Jayam Ravi. The team has already completed the first schedule in Chennai  and the pretty actress, who debuted in Telugu with Akhil, says that she bagged this project because of her Telugu film  Vijay sir approached me directly and appreciated my performance in Akhil. When he narrated the script, I felt it would be the best launch for me in Tamil. I cant reveal much about my character right now.

About her Tamil fluency, she explains, Being in Mumbai, I dont get to listen to Tamil. My first line in Tamil was for the film! At first, it was difficult, but now I have got used to it. I rehearse my lines well in advance as I dont like being prompted.

Sayyeshaa, who will soon be seen in Shivaay with Ajay Devgn, adds that she has an affinity towards the south film industry  The atmosphere is very family-like, at the same time, professional. I love the food too! I am just three films old, so I am getting comfortable before the camera gradually.

Having forayed into Tamil, Telugu and Hindi industries, are Kannada and Malayalam too on the anvil? Right now, I am very busy. My Kannada and Malayalam debut are definitely not on the cards, she answers.

Sayyeshaa, who is also very passionate about dancing, and has learnt Kathak, belly dancing and hip hop, signs off saying, Coming from a filmy family, I always wanted to become an actor. There was never another option in terms of my career. I am lucky though, to have achieved what I wanted.
The lead actors of Devi(L) were in the city to promote their trilingual film, thats creating a buzz. In a conversation with us, Vijay, Tamannaah, Prabhudeva and Sonu Sood reveal tidbits about the ambitious project.

Tamannaah, who is on a high after receiving accolades for her performance in Dharma Durai, will be in dual avatar in Devi(L). I will be seen as a rural girl, and as a glamourous woman. They are poles apart, and its very exciting to play such varied characters in a film. Since one of them has a different look, I had to change my skin colour! For the glamorous role, I couldnt draw inspiration from my real-life self, because she is completely different from what I am. It was all Vijay sirs imagination. For the village belle role, Vijay wanted me to take inspiration from Revathy madam in Thevar Magan. To see me in an all new avatar is the real kick, she laughs.

The Baahubali actress also thanked Prabhu Deva for helping her with the tough dance steps  He had a terrible backache when he came for the shoot, but he choreographed, danced and completed the song in just one day. I am sure, nobody else could have done it, except Prabhu sir.

Ask her who the real ghost is in the movie, and she quickly responds, It is not the routine ghost film. Its a comedy. Of course, it has thrilling elements as well.

Tamannaah has also been in the news for reportedly charging `55 lakhs, just for an item song in Telugu. Thats less! In fact, I charge a high fee for everything, she retorts with a grin.

Prabhu Deva, who essays the lead role in this film, is back to acting after a 11-year break. I still feel like this is my debut film. When Vijay narrated the story, the first question I asked Vijay was, Do people still believe I can dance? Prabhu grins, adding, I made up my mind not to give my ideas while shooting. I was very clear that as an actor, I would perform as per the directors wish.

Vijay has tremendous patience, he continues, as he speaks about the director, I have not seen him losing his cool ever. Recalling how Tamannaah could not come for the rehearsal after the first day, Prabhu reveals, I asked my co-choreographer Paresh where Tamannaah was. When we called her, she said, sir, my body is paining and I am feverish. Please excuse me for the day. But, from the next day onwards, she rehearsed continuously for 15 days, and pulled it off with ease!

We prod director Vijay to give us more insight into the flick, and he responds, Its about a couple and a third character played by Sonu Sood; a character-centric film, in which Tamannaah plays the role of Devi.

He adds, The movie is based on the murder of a Bollywood actress. I discussed with my co-writer Paul Aaron, the celebrated filmmaker and writer from Hollywood on the final script.

Sonu Sood, who was also present, concludes telling us that hes an expert in Tamil now  I started learning Tamil when I came to Chennai to shoot for Vijayakanths Kallazhagar. After that, my mother gifted me the book, How to learn Tamil  and now, I can understand 90 per cent of the language!
Actor Vishal is all set to make a comeback in Tollywood with director, Sriwass. The actor has been looking to do a Telugu film for a long time and has finally found the right person.

The shooting of the film will start soon. Sriwass narrated a story to Vishal and the actor felt that it catered to both Tamil and Telugu audiences. Hence he accepted it immediately, says a source from the unit.

It is interesting that actors have increasingly been opting to do bilingual films lately. Vishals earlier Tamil films like Sandakozhi and Thaamirabharani were dubbed in Telugu and performed well.
New Delhi: Seasonal infections are making headlines these days as people continue to struggle with life threatening diseases like Dengue, Malaria and Chikungunya.

Caused due to Aedes mosquitoes, the diseases are characterised by prolonged fever, joint pains, and body aches.

Although, these are some common symptoms, it is the after effects and consequences that affect the health of the person dramatically. Among all, skin rashes are the most common issue and if aggravated, lead to melisma or facial hyperpigmentation due to extensive scratching over the area.

According to Dr C.M Guri, dermatologist at Venus Clinic, "In every viral infection skin rashes would be there. The rash is asymptomatic in about 80 percent of the patients, and the remainder may complain of mild pruritus. The eruption most frequently appears on the first 2 days of onset of fever, but may appear simultaneously with the fever or after fever subside. Though, itching lasts only for 5-6 days. But in some cases when fever subsides people often complain of hyperpigmentation on face nose, sun allergy (burning when going out in sun) and ulcer. Therefore it is important to take precautionary steps during this phase to avoid serious skin issues."

"Chikungunya is a cause of hyperpigmentation. He himself is treating 10-20 percent patients daily of similar problem. He further added that rashes caused due to Zika virus looks like flat, bumpy spots all over the body that lasts for 2-3 days. People suffering with Chikungunya exhibit rashes on the extremities like neck, ear lobe, trunk etc. while skin rashes in dengue resembles measles," Dr Guria dded.

Although, various treatment and medications are available for these diseases, there is no specific solution to the problem of skin rashes.

In this scenario, Dr Rohit Batra, dermatologist at Dermaworld Skin Clinic suggests some tips to soothe the skin rash and relieve you of the pain.

Here's a quick guide:

Avoid going out in the sun, remain indoor, and if going out apply good quantity of sunscreen,

Avoid eating Citrus fruits & food,

Eat anti allergic medicines to get relief from itching and skin rashes,

Avenanthramides in oats can reduce the inflammation. Make a paste of oatmeal and mix it with warm water. Apply this paste for atleast 15 minutes to get an instant relief,

Aloe Vera soothes the skin naturally and eliminate itching and swelling,

Extra-virgin olive oil promotes skin renewal. A combination of honey &olive oil is a great skin moisturizer,

Cold compresswork wonders in case the skin rash starts developing into a blister. However, avoid applying ice directly onto your skin as it may cause tissue damage.

While opting these remedies is a good idea, it is important to inhibit the growth of the deadly virus right at the initial stage. Maintain hygiene around your area, don't store water openly and visit your doctor as soon as you identify the symptoms.
Singapore: People across the national capital and other parts of India have been trying everything from including long sleeve dresses in their wardrobe to using mosquito repellent, in order to survive a chikungunya and dengue outbreak.

While keeping mosquitoes at bay has been an age old issue mankind has had to deal with, it seems a Singapore based firm has come up with a way to prevent vector borne diseases while also staying in style.

A jewellery brand has come up with designs which keeps mosquitoes away with bracelets and necklaces that have citronella balls. Citronella is a non-toxic oil which is essential in mosquito repellents.

The compound, which is effective against mosquitoes spreading dengue, can be refilled in the balls and used for seven days. The price ranges from Rs 2346 to Rs 3177 and the refill comes at Rs 240.

The designer range meant to combine style with wellness has the balls accompanied by Burmese jade and beads for increasing the style factor.
Los Angeles: Playboy magazine, once famous for bunnies and soft porn, for the first time is featuring a Muslim woman wearing a hijab, in a spread that is drawing both praise and criticism.

American journalist Noor Tagouri appears in the magazine's October "Renegades" edition, a series that focuses on men and women "who risked it all -- even their lives -- to do what they love."

The 22-year-old journalist who works as a reporter for Newsy, a video news network, is featured wearing a black leather jacket, jeans, sneakers and a hijab, or headscarf, in the publication that describes her as "a badass activist."

Tagouri, who is of Libyan descent and whose goal is to become the first "hijabi" anchor on commercial US television, says that her struggles as a Muslim woman growing up in the United States have helped her move ahead in her career.

"I know what it's like to have the narrative of our community be skewed and exploited in the media," she told Playboy, which did away with nudity earlier this year as it sought to appeal to a wider audience.

"I was like, 'Hey, I know what it's like to be misrepresented in the media. I won't do that to you. I want to tell your story because it's important and deserves justice.'"

Tagouri, who has a social media following of more than 100,000, first gained attention after launching the viral #LetNoorShine campaign in 2012.

Her appearance in the revamped Playboy is being hailed by many as a breakthrough, but others have hit out at the young woman. "Playboy is synonymous with pornography," read an article in The Muslim Vibe, an online magazine.

"It has been at the forefront of the objectification, sexualisation and commodification of women for decades and just because they've softened their image, it doesn't mean we can begin to engage with the platform and jump on board."

Blogger Nishaat Ismail also questioned in an opinion column the wisdom of Tagouri associating with an institution "based on the objectification of women."

"Are the voices of women -- and in particular Muslim women -- buried so deep under the cries of those who claim to speak on our behalf that our only available response is (to) involve ourselves with Playboy, a magazine that has solely existed for the past 63 years for men to gawp at the bodies of half-naked women?" wrote Nishaat.

"Is this really how we reclaim our own narrative?"
The police in the district said they will work hard to file a chargesheet against the accused within three days, the SP said.

Jaipur: A two-year-old girl was raped by a 70-year-old man at Makkasar village in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan late on Tuesday evening.

According to reports, the girl was playing with some kids near her house in Makkasar village when the accused identified as Gurbej Singh, an ex-serviceman, took her into his house and raped her. Some people in the neighborhood raised an alarm when they found the girl missing.

The people informed the girls parents and one of the children playing with her told them that the accused has taken her to his house. He was then caught and handed over to the police, reports said.

The police in the district said they will work hard to file a chargesheet against the accused within three days, the SP said. He said even the police force was in shock after they learnt of the heinous crime.

I have set up a team of RPS officers who are engaged to collect all medical and circumstantial evidences to consolidate the case against the accused. I have asked them to file the chargesheet within three days to a week, SP Sharat Kaviraj was quoted as saying.

He said that as news of the crime spread, a large number of people assembled outside the police station and demanded that the accused be handed over to them. However, they were pacified by the police who promised action.

Kaviraj also visited the victims family and told them to inform the police if they were pressurized by the accuseds relatives.

The SP said that an offence had been booked under Prevention of Child Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and medical examination of the toddler had been carried out. We have given the family some phone numbers on which the family can call in case of any emergency," the SP added.
New Delhi: Two class 12 students of a government school in West Delhi's Nangloi area, who stabbed their teacher to death in front of classmates on Tuesday, also wanted to kill the vice-principal.

The students had allegedly stabbed Mukesh, a Hindi teacher, after they were not allowed to sit for an examination due to lack of sufficient attendance.

According to a report in Hindustan Times, an hour before they murdered their teacher, the two boys had gone to the vice-principals office seeking transfer certificate.

One of the juveniles had a knife hidden under his shirt. But the vice-principal refused to give the transfer certificate and instead asked them to meet their class teacher Mukesh Kumar, a police officer was quoted as saying.

They told us they were furious and would have knifed the vice-principal in his room but could not do it because other teachers came there, the officer added.

The incident took place around 5 pm when the students were writing their exam at the Government Senior Secondary School. "Mukesh Kumar was stabbed thrice allegedly by the two boys in front of the entire class, after which the two boys fled," a police officer said.

"One of the accused was expelled for low attendance. He went to the school to speak with Mr Kumar. During the conversation, the boy and his friend, who was writing the exam, reportedly lost their temper, and in a fit of rage, stabbed Mr Kumar," the police said, adding that "one of the accused is 18 years old while the other will turn 18 in two months."

The two were taken into custody by the police on Tuesday. "One class 12 student was arrested and one juvenile apprehended," Joint CP (Delhi) said.

The teacher was rushed to Balaji Action hospital in Delhi, but he succumbed to the injuries. Gulab Sharma, another school staff, alleged that the hospital delayed in giving Mukesh treatment. "The hospital authorities asked to deposit money first before treatment," another school staff said.

Teachers organised a protest at the Nangloi school following the teacher's death.

The two had planned the murder a week before and had saved around Rs 200 for a week to buy knife. On Monday, they went to the Sultanpuri market near the school and bought a knife for Rs 100.

An 'attempt to murder' case was registered at the Nangloi Police Station and the family members of the accused are being questioned to know the whereabouts of the duo, the officer said.
Hyderabad: Rachakonda SOT police nabbed four people, including a woman, who were running an online sex racket and rescued five victims. The gang operated through www.locanto.in.

The victims were selected by the organiser after they sent their pictures on WhatsApp and they travelled to Hyderabad by air. Cops also seized Rs 32,000 and 11 mobiles from them. The arrested persons are Dasari Prabhakar, Nagesh Varma, Ravi Varma and Prachi Sharma. The rescued women are from Haryana and UP.

The SOT found the contact number of Prabhakar and contacted him. In a decoy operation, a constable struck a deal with him and a girl was sent to the spot at Ramanthapur. Police found that the racket was operated by one Ranjith, who is absconding.

Ranjith is in the online sex racket since a year and used to hire girls from Delhi on five-day payment basis. They would be paid Rs 50,000 a week. Each girl would be available for only five days. After that they go back. They shared Ranjiths contact details with their friends. The girls came to know about Ranjith through their friends who worked for him before.

Interested girls send their pictures to Ranjith on WhatsApp and Ranjith will call selected girls. They travel by air and will be accommodated in posh hotels. Later their pictures are uploaded on the site, SOT chief E. Ramchandra Reddy said. Any client who calls Bhaskar will be directed to Ranjith and Ravi. Police found that Prachi Sharma was also involved in the racket. Prachi belongs to Delhi and operates with the help of Javed. They charge up to Rs 60,000 from customers depending on duration and after deducting 50 per cent they pay the victims, he added. The organisers were arrested and the victims were sent to rescue home.
This was conveyed by a central government counsel to the court when a batch of public interest litigations seeking a legislation against honour killing, came up for hearing. (Photo: Representational Image)

Chennai: The Centre on Tuesday informed the Madras High Court that a report of the Law Commission on enacting a stand-alone legislation to check honour killing is under its consideration.

This was conveyed by a central government counsel to the court when a batch of public interest litigations seeking a legislation against honour killing, came up for hearing.

"The Law and Justice Ministry is examining the 242nd report of the Law Commission to bring a stand-alone legislation to combat honour killing," the lawyer submitted.

He said that the Law Ministry and not the Home Ministry, is competent to bring a stand-alone legislation following which the court directed the Law Ministry be impleaded as a respondent.

The court also directed the ministry to keep it abreast of the progress made on the stand-alone legislation.

The petitioners had sought a direction to central and state governments to bring a new legislation against honour killing and to provide arms to Scheduled Caste people, contemplated under Rule 3(1)(5) of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995 and to frame guidelines to prevent such killing.

The government counsel submitted that an advisory was sent by the Home Ministry to all home secretaries on March 1, 2010 over crimes against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Subsequently, communications were sent on increasing women personnel in police forces and to set up investigative units to deal with crimes against women in select police districts.

Recording this submission, the court said it was consciousof the fact that there has to be a social change in the thinking process, but that the sensitivity of police would also make the society more aware and law abiding on issues like these.

Referring to the petitioners' submission on the Supreme Court order spelling out measures to check honour killing, the court said these directions should also be circulated by police.

It then posted the matter for further hearing to December 15.
Though officers in the Directorate remained tight lipped, according to sources, the raids were based on credible inputs and were part of its ongoing operations to detect unaccounted money and tax evasion by professional educational institutes. (Representational image)

BENGALURU: In what is being touted as the biggest example of tax evasion by higher professional colleges in the State the Directorate of Income Tax, Investigation, Bengaluru has reportedly seized around Rs42 crore during its search and seizure operations at a top medical college in the city.

Though officers in the Directorate remained tight lipped, according to sources, the raids were based on credible inputs and were part of its ongoing operations to detect unaccounted money and tax evasion by professional educational institutes. The alleged three-day long search operation at the premises of Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences was part of the operation.

Last month the Directorate had conducted similar raids at the multiple premises of the M.S. Ramaiah Group, which has business interests in education, healthcare, and real estate. State Planning and Statistics Minister M.R. Seetharam is a director in the family-run group. The I-T searches were also reportedly conducted at the administrative offices of M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology and M.S. Ramaiah Memorial Hospital and College.

No investigation: The state government has decided not to hold any investigating against the Vaidehi Institute of Medical Sciences over the cash pile seized from the trustee house. Till now no one complained about the seat blocking or donation in the college. So we will not hold any investigation. If any students lodge complaint we will investigate the issue, said an officer.

New medical college: The Sambhram Institute of Medical Sciences in Kolar has been permitted to start MBBS course from this academic year. According to the sources in the state medical education department, the union health ministry has sanctioned 150 seats to the college. Now we have just two days to complete the counselling process to fill the 38 medical seats available in the college under the government quota, he informed.

Seat blocking issue comes to the fore

These raids have raised questions regarding the possibility of alleged seat blocking by some of the member institutions of Association of Minority Professional Colleges Colleges in Karnataka (AMPCK).

According to the sources in the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA), around 200 students had lodged a complaint against the AMPCK with the Admission Overseeing Committee, headed by Justice R Gururajan, alleging seats were being blocked and genuine candidates were denied seats. Interestingly Vaidehi Institute Director Kalpaja D.A. is leading AMPCK.

This year colleges have adopted a new modus operandi to block seats. First rejecting the applications of the NEET top ranking students by citing technical reasons and later accommodating students with low rank, an officer explained.

According to the several students, AMPCK did not conduct the first round of medical seat allotment process in a transparent way. This counselling is the best example for how colleges can block medical seats even after making NEET compulsory. Several students with lowest NEET ranks were allotted seats by rejecting the application of top ranking students, said a parent who is still fighting for a MBBS seat for his daughter.

If central and state governments order a CBI investigation into the AMPCK admission process, it can be unearthed from where these unaccounted cash was collected, he said.
Immigration New Zealand authorities meanwhile said that the visa rejection rate and the number of students being deported were the highest among Indians. (Representational image)

Hyderabad: Immigration New Zealands Mumbai area office has confirmed that eight Hyderabad-based consultants, who had been sending the most students to New Zealand, have been involved in the visa fraud that came to light recently.

They are Kiwi Overseas Services, Sunrise Overseas Educational Consultants, IVY Overseas of SR Nagar, FIFO Overseas, Leaf Educational Services, AR Overseas Consultants of Dilsukhnagar, Storm Atlas and V & U Intellect Consultants.

Immigration New Zealand authorities meanwhile said that the visa rejection rate and the number of students being deported were the highest among Indians. In turn, students from Hyderabad topped the list among Indians.

Around 150 students, mostly from Hyderabad, were served deportation letters as an organised financial document fraud was detected regarding the students send by Hyderabad agents.

An investigation report of NZ Immigration regarding Hyderabad consultants is available with DC. The report states: ...the fraud appears to have exploited the fact that education loan documents are normally verified at sanction stage but not at disbursal stage, therefore creating an unguarded stage in the visa process which these agents have noticed and exploited.

For instance, Kiwi Overseas Services is one of the biggest New Zealand agents for students in Hyderabad. It had 48 out of 104 applicants approved since January 2015. Of them at least 31, around 65 per cent, were provided with fake loan disbursal letters.

8 Hyderabad agents in New Zealand visa fraud

The Mumbai area office verification support team undertook direct verifications with various banks in Hyderabad.

Migrant Workers Association of Aotearoa / NZ has been helping nine students from Hyderabad  Charan Reddy, Sunil Chinta, Shahed, Shujath Ullah Baig, Teegala Sairoopreddy, Manoj Kiran, Hafiz Syed, Ramakrishna Reddy and Pradeep Reddy. In an email response, MWAs Anu Kaloti stated, This investigation was carried out on some 57 agents in Hyderabad alone. It is clear from the report that the fraud was committed by the agents and corrupt bank officials in India, but the report does not reveal the names of banks. We and the students have requested help from Mr Sanjeev Kohli, Indian envoy in NZ.

The students have also Tweeted to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj asking for help but there was no response. The students are extremely stressed. She added, The report also clearly states that Immigration NZ had not been checking the loan disbursement documents thoroughly.

When DC did a check on agents, it was found that most of the consultants had downed shutters. Some of them had brought down their websites too.
Thiruvananthapuram: Stepping up their protest against the LDF government over fees hike in private medical colleges in the state, opposition UDF members today forced adjournment of the Assembly for the second day on Wednesday even as three of their members began an indefinite fast in the legislature complex.

Shafi Parambil and Hibi Eden (both Congress) and Anoop Jacob(KC-J) commenced the fast at the portal leading to the Assembly hall. K M Shaji and N Shamsuddin (both IUML) also started a sit-in dharna at the doorstep of the House expressing solidarity with the fasting young MLAs.

Former chief minister Oommen Chandy, Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and other UDF MLAs also joined the protest against the agreement reached between the CPI-M led government and the self-financing colleges on fees and admission policy.

Amid the fast and dharna, the other Opposition members, who came with placards and banners demanding scraping of the agreement, trooped into the Well of the House and encircled the Speaker's podium raising slogans as the proceedings began.

They were also protesting against the police action against Youth Congress activists in front of the Secretariat in Thiruvanthapuram on Tuesday and also demanded withdrawal of the controversial statement by Chief Minister Pinarayi against the YC stir.

The House also witnessed heated arguments between the Opposition and the treasury benches when Speaker denied permission for Chennithala to speak during the Question Hour, citing Assembly rules.

When the Zero Hour began, Chennithala asserted the Opposition would not allow the government to go ahead with the present agreement reached with private college managements.

Terming as "arrogant" the attitude of the government on the issue, he said "this will not be accepted at any cost."

He also wanted the government to take steps to end the "exploitation" of students by the self-financing college managements.

Referring to the statement by Vijayan that those who waved black flags against him as part of the YC protest were "hired by TV channels", Chennithala said this remark should not have been made by a person holding the position of Chief Minister.

As the protest continued even during the Zero Hour and the Opposition members not going back to their seats, Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan took up the other business of the days' agenda without debate and adjourned the House for the day.

This is the second consecutive day the Assembly was being adjourned ahead of schedule following Opposition protest over the private medical college issue.

Meanwhile, Kerala Union of Working Journalists on Wednesday took strong exception to the controversial statement of Vijayan and said the remark was "unfortunate" and "imaginary".

The three MLAs are continuing their fast despite the adjournment of the assembly.
MV Harshavardhana is a passenger vessel being operated between Visakhapatnam and Port Blair by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Administration. (Photo: Representational Image)

Visakhapatnam: Andaman-bound ship MV Harshavardhana, traveling from Visakhapatnam port to Port Blair, has been stranded on the high seas due to a technical snag for several hours.

The ship belonging to Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) had sailed from Vizag port on Tuesday afternoon. After the ship sailed for around 20 nautical miles, it developed a technical snag. The crew on the ship told the passengers the snag would be rectified soon.

As the passengers woke up in the morning, they realized the crew had been unable to rectify the snag. Aid is being sent from Vizag port to the stranded ship. There are around 600 passengers onboard the ship.

At present, the ship is close to Chennai coast and the Shipping Corporation of Indias Chennai office is coordinating with the crew on rectifying the snag. We have learnt that the snag will be rectified in a few hours and the journey is expected to resume by afternoon positively, a representative of Shipping Corporation of Indias agents in Vizag told Deccan Chronicle.

MV Harshavardhana is a passenger vessel being operated between Visakhapatnam and Port Blair by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Administration. Most of the passengers on the ship are poor labourers from north Andhra Pradesh districts and some parts of Odisha.
Meanwhile, Union minister Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday undertook an aerial survey of the flood-hit parts of Guntur district. (Photo: PTI)

Visakhapatnam: The toll in rain-related incidents in Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh rose to 10 on Tuesday while a Central team is expected to visit the state to assess the damage caused by the heavy showers.

Three persons were killed in separate rain-related incidents on September 22 and 23, while seven more lost their lives since then.

Most of them were either washed away in floodwaters or drowned in swollen rivers, District Collector Praveen Kumar said in a release.

The state government has announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the kin of those killed, he said.

He said in all 459 houses had been damaged and 6,130 hectares of paddy fields submerged in rain waters.

Meanwhile, Union minister Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday undertook an aerial survey of the flood-hit parts of Guntur district.

He took off from Vijayawada in a helicopter and flew over several parts of the neighbouring district and inspected the damage caused to crops and railways tracks.

Later, the Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs Minister spoke to officials in Guntur and learnt the details of losses.

He said a Central team will visit Andhra Pradesh after the state government submits a report on the losses. "Based on the team's assessment, necessary financial assistance will be provided by the Centre."

Heavy rains and subsequent deluge in Guntur last week had disrupted rail and road traffic with National Disaster Response Force being pressed into service for rescue and relief operation.

In Visakhapatnam, nearly 10,000 families were moved to safer places. Low-lying areas in various villages and mandals of the district were inundated, including reservoirs Raiwada and Thandava, due to incessant rainfall in the last three days, Kumar said.

According to latest reports, there were breaches in 14 check dams and 10 tanks and officials from Integrated Tribal Development Agency, Panchayat Raj and Roads and Buildings Department had been sent to assess the situation and plug the cracks, the Collector said.

He said a round-the-clock Command Control Centre was opened at the collectorate with a special team monitoring it under the supervision of District Revenue Officer.
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said his government would work to make the state "100 per cent mosquito-free" in the next two years.

"It is possible. We have recently launched a war on mosquitoes. We have to work on this daily and in two years make AP mosquito-free," the Chief Minister said, inaugurating the two-day conference of District Collectors here today.

Sri Lanka has achieved the distinction of being a mosquito-free nation and the World Health Organisation has also declared it so, he pointed out.

Andhra Pradesh would also reach a milestone on October 2 when all 110 municipalities and another 1,000 villages would be declared open defecation-free (ODF).

"We will be the first state in the country where all municipalities are ODF. By the end of 2018, all the remaining villages should also be made ODF," the Chief Minister said.

Chandrababu claimed that his government put in place a system to overcome drought in the Rayalaseema region.

"Use of rain guns and water sprinkler systems proved effective in tackling drought and saving crops in lakh of acres in Rayalaseema this year. Our ultimate objective is to make the state drought-free," he said.

"But there is no way we can avoid cyclones or floods, which the state is prone to. For this, preparedness is required. We have to regularly conduct mock drills so that we can prevent damage to properties and lives during calamities," the Chief Minister said.

Deputy Chief Ministers N China Rajappa (Home), K E Krishna Murthy (Revenue), Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Chief Secretary Satya Prakash Tucker, Chief Commissioner of Land Administration Anil Chandra Punetha and other bureaucrats attended the conference.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court will on Wednesday hear a plea filed by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav challenging his jail sentence in connection with the mid-1990s fodder scam case.

The fodder scam involved the embezzlement of about Rs. 9.4 billion from the government treasury of Bihar.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed a plea in the apex court against the dropping of a conspiracy charge against Yadav by the Jharkhand High Court in one of the fodder scam cases.

The CBI then filed its latest appeal against the high court order upholding the agency's plea to continue proceedings in the trial court against Prasad under two sections, while dropping other charges on grounds that a person cannot be tried twice for the same offence.

The High Court had ordered that proceedings against Yadav be continued under IPC Sections 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of an offence committed or giving false information) and 511 (attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or imprisonment, and in such attempt doing any act towards the commission of the offence).

The charges are in connection with the case pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 96 lakh during the chief ministerial tenure of the RJD chief.

The fodder scam relates to fraudulent withdrawal of around 1,000 crore rupees by the Animal Husbandry department from various districts when Lalu was the Bihar chief minister from 1990 to 1997.

On October 3, 2013, Lalu was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in another case of fodder scam by a special CBI court, which had disqualified him from membership of Parliament and also rendered him ineligible for contesting elections for 11 years.

Besides Lalu, six other politicians and four retired IAS officers were also sentenced to prison terms for fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.7 crore from Chaibasa treasury (now in Jharkhand) when Lalu was heading the Janta Dal government in the early 1990s in erstwhile Bihar.
New Delhi: Apprehending protracted unrest in Kashmir Valley, the Centre has started preparation for providing winter logistics to central paramilitary forces deployed in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Home Ministry has already approached the Army and supplying agencies to provide winter boots, socks, jackets, snow gloves and other warm clothing which would be required by around 70,000 paramilitary forces deployed in the state.

A top Home Ministry official is personally monitoring the procurement process and trying to ensure that all required items are delivered before the onset of the "harsh winter" ahead.

"We are really worried about the boys on the ground. We have to get all winter logistics well before the time as Kashmir is expected to have a harsh winter," a senior official said.

Unrest in Kashmir continues ever since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8 leading to deployment of paramilitary forces across the Kashmir Valley.

"We have to be prepared in case the turmoil continues for a longer period, especially during winter," the official said.
New Delhi: With the tension mounting between the two countries after the Uri attack, India may consider the option of dragging Pakistan to World Trade Organisation (WTO) over non-extension of the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to New Delhi.

India granted the MFN status to Pakistan in 1996 but Pakistan is yet to reciprocate to that. The neighbouring country has missed its own deadline of December 2012 for giving India this tag.

India, sources said, may look at the option to file a case at the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism against Pakistan as the neighbour has not yet extended this status to India.

However, the decision has to be taken by the political leadership.

The option could be discussed in the meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Thursday to review the MFN status given to Pakistan, they added.

As per the global trade norms, member countries of the WTO are required to give non-discriminatory market access as part of the MFN status to each other.

Trade experts too said that India has the option to drag Pakistan in the WTO over not extending the MFN status.

The Prime Minister has already chaired a review meeting of 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty during which it was decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water sharing pact.

The bilateral trade between the countries stood at USD 2.61 billion in 2015-16.

According to Article XXI of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), a WTO member country can take trade actions for the protection of its essential security interests.
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir has suffered losses due to the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan and should be compensated by the Centre, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Wednesday, two days after India decided to "exploit to the maximum" the water of Pak-controlled rivers.

"Today, many things are being talked about. There is a talk of IWT... We are facing losses on account of IWT. We should get compensation and we cannot ask Pakistan for that but our own country. Whatever we get, be it our power projects or anything, we should get," she said at a function here.

Under the Treaty, which was signed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan in September 1960, control of three rivers flowing through Jammu and Kashmir -- Jhelum, Indus and Chenab -- was given to Pakistan while India was given control over Beas, Ravi and Sutlej, all passing through Punjab.

Because of the treaty, no big dams or power projects can be built by India on Jhelum, Indus or Chenab.

"There have been so many wars, but IWT wasn't touched because both the countries benefited from our resources, even as J and K suffered losses," Mehbooba said while speaking at the launch of PM Ujwala Yojana.

Her remarks came two days after the Prime Minister asserted that "Blood and water cannot flow together" and decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum.

Held amidst heightened tension between the India and Pakistan, the meeting also decided to set up a inter- ministerial task forces to go into the details and working of the Treaty with a "sense of urgency", senior government sources said.

She said her father and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had wanted joint use of resources by both the countries for friendship between them.

"Mufti sahab always had this thinking that we should both do such things so that we can use our resources jointly for our as well as their benefit so that there is friendship instead of animosity. But unfortunately, even as there were many attempts, it has not happened so far, she said.

The chief minister said she had hoped Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit Pakistan for the SAARC summit in November but noted that he cannot go under the circumstances following Uri attack.

"SAARC was to happen in Pakistan and I had hopes that our PM will get an opportunity to go there but how will he go? Under what circumstances will he go there?" she said.

India, along with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan, have decided not to attend the 8-nation Summit because of unabated cross-border terrorism from Pakistan, the venue.
The Opposition in Karnataka on Wednesday opposed the release of 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, as ordered by the Supreme Court. (Photo: PTI)

Bengaluru: The Opposition in Karnataka on Wednesday asked the state government at an all party meeting not to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, as ordered by the Supreme Court.

The state cabinet would meet later in the day to take a final decision on the matter, Parliamentary Affairs and Law Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters after the meeting called by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the wake of the situation arising out of the apex court's order on Tuesday.

Though the minister declined to divulge the views expressed by the Opposition leaders, they later told the media that they have opposed release of water.

"The Opposition  the BJP, JDS and Raitha Sangha  have expressed their views and we have heard them fully. Ultimately, the cabinet will sit and take a decision," he said.

Floor leaders of both the Houses, MPs and district in-charge ministers from the Cauvery basin attended the meeting to take stock of the fresh development.

The Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and U U Lalit had directed Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs water to Tamil Nadu till September 30, despite a resolution passed by the state legislature last week to use the water only for drinking purpose.

The Centre has also called a meeting of the two warring riparian states in New Delhi tomorrow to thrash out a solution to the raging row over release of water.

Asked if any suggestions were made advising the government to defer release of water till tomorrow, Jayachandra said he would not like to into the details for now.

"No, I don't want to go into the details. We have considered and we have heard them (The opposition and the legal experts). We will take a final decision in the cabinet," Jayachandra said.

Asked to react to the Opposition BJP Leader Jagadish Shettar's suggestion not to release water today, Jayachandra said, "I wouldn't like to comment on it now, but would do so after the cabinet meeting."

On whether it would amount to contempt of court if Karnataka defers releasing water to Tamil Nadu, Jayachandra said, "At this point of time I do not want to react to it."

Earlier, Shettar said BJP has suggested that the government should honour the September 23 legislature resolution signalling Karnataka's inability to implement the court's earlier direction to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu from September 21 till September 27.

"Our party has placed our suggestion before the government to honour its decision taken during the special legislature session," he said.

The legislature at its session on September 23 had adopted a unanimous resolution to use the water only to meet drinking water needs and not to provide it for any other purpose.

BJP also advised government not to release water, not before the chief ministers' meeting to be chaired by Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati in Delhi on Thursday, Shettar said.

JDS spokesperson Y S V Datta said the government should not release water today as it would not matter much because the flow of water, anyhow, has increased after a few spells of rainfall in downstream areas of Cauvery basin.

He also said the government should not go back on its decision taken in the assembly.
New Delhi: In a veiled attack at police over several AAP legislators being booked under various charges, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday said "lodging FIRs is their dharma" but the government will keep doing its job.

He was speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a yoga training session for teachers of Delhi government schools.

To a question on several AAP MLAs being booked in different cases, Sisodia said "lodging FIRs is their dharma, but we will keep doing our job ('FIR karna unka dharm hai, hum apna kaam karte rahenge')".

Fifteen AAP legislators have been booked so far by Delhi Police under various charges, even as the party has been crying "political vendetta" behind these actions.

The yoga session was held in partnership with yoga guru Ramdev's Patanjali Yogpeeth. "16 lakh students in Delhi government schools will now be able to get better yoga education," Sisodia said.

Ramdev said the initiative is "praiseworthy" and other state governments should take inspiration from it.

Yoga is a scientific way of physical, mental, intellectual, and spiritual growth. It is a secular lifestyle and channelises the internal energy. I thank Arvind Kejriwal for letting the teachers, and physical education teachers to be trained in yoga, so that they can train the children, Ramdev said.

Echoing the yoga guru's sentiments, Sisodia said, "I hope other state governments would understand the importance of yoga in children's lifestyle and take inspiration."
Chennai: DMK on Wednesday accused Union Water Resource Minister Uma Bharti of backing Karnataka in the Cauvery issue and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should chair the proposed meeting of Chief Ministers to break the impasse on water release to Tamil Nadu.

In a statement here, DMK President M Karunanidhi said reports in a section of media opined that Bharti should chair the meeting of Chief Ministers of the two states, being convened by the Centre as per a Supreme Court suggestion.

He said Bharti had recently aired views "fully supporting" Karnataka over the impasse on release of Cauvery water by that state to Tamil Nadu and doubts would arise about the outcome of the meeting if she chaired the deliberations.

"Instead of the participation of the Union Minister, the meet should be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself so that an amicable solution arises from it," he said recalling the reported remarks of Bharti.

The apex court had yesterday asked Karnataka to discharge 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu till Friday despite its assembly resolution, but called for a political solution to the impasse by convening of a meeting of Chief Ministers of the two states and the Centre.

Karunanidhi said water was required for irrigation till January 28 for the samba crop, but the present storage in Mettur dam would suffice only till November 5.

Karnataka had released only 52 TMC so far as against 123 tmc mandated by the tribunal for June-September, he said adding only if Karnataka releases the remaining quantum, water can be released from Mettur Dam for samba crops fully.

With Karnataka refusing to release water, crops already cultivated would be affected and farmers would suffer huge losses, he said.

On the discussions held by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa yesterday with officials in a hospital here, where she is undergoing treatment for fever and dehydration, after the apex court order, Karunanidhi sought to know why neither the PWD Minister nor his Secretary attended the meeting.

Jayalalithaa had nominated PWD Minister Edappadi S Palanisamy and a team of officials to represent the state in the CMs' meeting to be held in Delhi.

Meanwhile, People's Welfare Front Co-ordinator and MDMK Chief Vaiko said Tamil Nadu's participation in the Chief Minister's Meeting would be "detrimental" to the state and demanded that the Centre constitute the Cauvery Water Management Board and regulation committee without any delay.

"Centre should take steps in such a way that Karnataka obeys the Supreme Court order. Centre has the responsibility to ensure Karnataka follows the rule of law", he said in a statement.

"Holding discussions between the two states will be detrimental to the rights of Tamil Nadu on Cauvery river", he claimed.
New Delhi: Lawmakers cutting across party lines have sought reduction in the last minute surge in airfares to facilitate their travel during emergencies, a demand which has not found favour with any of the established carriers.

The demand was made by some MPs at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Salaries and Allowances of Members of Parliament (Lok Sabha) last week, but all the airline executives who were present rejected the proposal, sources said.

The meeting was attended by officials of Air India, Jet Airways, SpiceJet, IndiGo and GoAir.

"The Committee had received a representation from one of the MPs from Kerala asking it to take up the issue of last minute airfares with the airlines as once he had to shell out Rs 60,000 for a flight from Kerala to Delhi. Accordingly, the Committee discussed the issue," sources said.

At present, airlines provide assistance to lawmakers to board and deboard a plane as courtesy. In April, the government had informed Parliament that there was no move to abolish privileges extended to MPs and other VIPs at airports.

MPs will continue to enjoy facilities like being served tea, coffee and water for free at airports, have free access to the terminal building and enjoy reserved lounge facilities at international and domestic terminals, aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju had said in a written reply.

According to sources, while the airlines did not agree to the demand to drop last minute airfares, the Civil Aviation Ministry was of the view that this would led to increase in normal time fares, which are on a downward trend for almost two years now.

"The Ministry informed the Committee that just about 4-5 per cent of the total aircraft seats are booked at the last minute at a price prevailing at that time. And, if airlines were asked to lower fares for these seats as well, they might increase the average ticket prices which in turn will hit the common man," they said.

National carrier Air India has already dropped its last minute fares to the level of AC II tier ticket prices of Rajdhani trains on several sectors including the key metro cities.

President of the fliers' body, APAI has also opposed the demand, saying the airlines should be allowed to determine fares to protect their "commercial" interest.

"MPs are already getting so many facilities. In fact, Air India, which is surviving on the tax payers money, should utilise the funds in the tax payers' interest only. All airlines should be allowed to take decisions which are in their commercial interest," APAI President D Sudhakara Reddy said.
A Kashmiri student in Udaipur, Rajasthan, was booked in a sedition case over alleged anti-national comments on Facebook. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

Udaipur: A Kashmiri student who allegedly posted "anti-national" comments on Facebook after the Uri terror attack, has been booked on sedition charges.

His comments had sparked protest by ABVP activists in the city on Tuesday, prompting the college administration to suspend him for seven days.

"A case against the accused student Mudasir Rashid was registered last night under section 124 A (sedition)," police said.

The matter is under investigation and Rashid, a Srinagar resident, has not been arrested so far, they said.

Rashid, who is studying engineering at a private college in Udaipur, was detained on Tuesday after the institute director R S Vyas lodged the FIR against him.
New Delhi: As part of Centre's efforts to reach out to Jammu and Kashmir, Home Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Leh and Kargil early next month and interact with a cross section of people there.

Singh will visit Leh and Kargil on October 3 and 4 and interact with representatives of political parties, social organisations and individuals to seek their views on the present unrest in the Kashmir Valley, official sources said.

The Home Minister has already visited Srinagar twice--the first time with officials and later along with an all-party delegation--since the turmoil in Kashmir Valley erupted following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8.

Singh had visited Jammu while leading the all-party delegation.

Since the Ladakh region was left out of those trips, the Home Minister will undertake this separate visit for Leh and Kargil to meet locals there, the sources said.
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Government convened an emergency cabinet meeting followed by an all-party meeting on Wednesday to evolve a consensual stand on release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu according to the Supreme Court order.

The Opposition parties BJP and JD(S) have supported the state government and exhorted Chief Minister Siddaramaiah not to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu as directed by the court in the larger interest of cities which rely on the river for drinking water.

Siddaramaiah has called all party meeting in the morning to seek the opinion of floor leaders of legislature, MLAs and MPs of the Cauvery basin, legal team and technical experts will be sought in the all party meeting.

Any consensus drawn in the all party meeting will be discussed in the Cabinet meeting thereafter. As a precautionary measure prohibitory orders are imposed in Bengaluru and Mandya till September 30.

Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday that he was yet to read the Supreme Court order on releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

I have to consult the State legal team and advocates. The priority is for drinking water according to our national water policy (2012). So when they (Supreme Court judges) say release water, it immediately does not become a law or an order.

Since the court's order on Tuesday, peaceful protests were organized in Cauvery basin cities. The police vigil has been intensified in sensitive areas, and Section 144 is in force in Bengaluru.
Chennai: The probe into the murder of a Hindu outfit activist in Coimbatore was on Wednesday transferred to CB-CID police even as several BJP workers and leaders were detained in Chennai for trying to stage a protest over the killing.

Police said the investigation into the September 22 murder of 36-year-old Hindu Munnani functionary C Sasikumar has been transferred to the Crime-Branch CID wing.

BJP's Tamil Nadu unit President Tamilisai Sounderrajan and National Secretary H Raja were among those detained in Chennai for trying to stage a protest without permission over the killing, police said.

The party leaders with their supporters tried to stage the protest in Egmore area against the killing of Sasikumar, who was hacked to death by unknown assailants, without taking permission from authorities concerned and were later detained, they said.

The murder had triggered violent protests in Coimbatore, while several BJP senior leaders had condemned the incident, saying that of late Hindu outfit leaders were being targeted in the state.

Calling the murder of Sasikumar as "undoubtedly a terrorist activity", Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan had asked police to probe whether the assailants had any link to terrorists in Pakistan.

Raja had on Tuesday slammed the police for their "failure" to nab the culprits and sought a CBI probe into the murder.
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval to ratify the Paris Agreement (on Climate Change) on October 2, the day of Gandhi Jayanti.

Paris Agreement was adopted by 185 nations last year on December 12t, 2015 and India signed the Paris Agreement in New York early this year on April 22, 2016.

A total of 191 countries have signed to the Paris Agreement so far. As per the provisions of the Paris Agreement, the treaty will come into force as and when 55 countries contributing to 55 percent of total global emission ratify the agreement. So far, 61 countries have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval accounting in total for 47.79 percent of the total global greenhouse gas emissions.

India's decision to ratify the agreement will take the number of cumulative level of emission of countries that have ratified the agreement so far to 51.89 percent. With the gathering momentum and willingness expressed by several other countries to ratify the agreement before the end of this year, it is expected that the agreement will enter into force soon and give a thrust to the global actions to address climate change.

With its decision to ratify the agreement, India will be one of the key countries that will be instrumental in bringing the Paris Agreement into force. Given the critical role that India played in securing international consensus on Paris Agreement, today's decision will further underline India's responsive leadership in the community of nations committed to global cause of environmental protection and climate justice.

While agreeing to ratify the Paris Agreement, the Cabinet has also decided that India should declare that India will treat its national laws, its development agenda, and availability of means of implementation, its assessment of global commitment to combating climate change, and predictable and affordable access to cleaner source of energy as the context in which the Agreement is being ratified.

Paris Agreement pertains to post-2020 climate actions. In the pre-2020 period, developed countries are to act as per Kyoto Protocol and some developing countries have taken voluntary pledges.
The youth was arrested after a complaint was filed by a BJP worker. (Representational Image)

Sonebhadra: A youth was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly circulating objectionable photographs related to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and in support of Pakistan on WhatsApp.

Sohail Ansari was arrested from Salaiyadeeh in Vindhamganj area on a complaint by a BJP worker, police said.

It was alleged that he circulated objectionable pictures of Modi and one in support of Pakistan on social media, they said.
BENGALURU: As Tamil Nadu's PWD minister Edappadi S Palanisamy, the Jayalalitha appointed interlocutor from the southern state heads for Delhi, all eyes will be on state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as Union Water Resources minister Uma Bharti attempts to douse the fire between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on the Cauvery water row on Thursday.

Karnataka has defied the Supreme Court's order on releasing water to the neighbouring state for the second time in a week, with Mr Siddaramaiah taking a stand that his government would await the outcome of this tripartite discussion before it accedes to the apex court's order for release of 6,000 cusecs for three days beginning Tuesday, September 27.

The government's move comes after a meeting with leaders of all political parties and the cabinet with the Chief Minister reiterating that his administration had no intentions of defying the court but had to respect a unanimous resolution adopted by the state legislature on September 23.

"I will participate in the meeting convened by the Union Minister, and explain the ground realities. The state needs water for drinking purposes. The release of water has been deferred by a day. We will take the next decision based on the outcome of Thursday's meeting," he announced.

Water release: No decision yet

For the second time in a week, the state government decided to defy the Supreme Courts order on flow of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu even as the Union government convened a meeting of ministers of the two riparian states in New Delhi on Thursday to find a solution to the dispute.

On Wednesday, the government adopted a stand that it would await the outcome of the meeting to be held in Delhi. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who consulted leaders of all parties, repeatedly stated that his government had no intentions of defying the apex courts order while maintaining that a unanimous resolution adopted by the legislature could not be overruled. I will participate in the meeting convened by the Union Minister, and explain the ground realities. The state needs water for drinking. As per a suggestion made during a meeting of leaders of all parties, release of water has been deferred by a day. The government will take the next decision based on the outcome of Thursdays meeting, the CM added.

Opposition leader Jagadish Shettar speaks at an all-party meeting convened on the Cauvery issue in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Union ministers Sadananda Gowda and Ananth Kumar were present.

When asked if he would be ready to release water after Thursdays meeting, Mr Siddaramaiah said he would take everyone (Opposition leaders) into confidence before taking the next decision.

Meanwhile, official sources said the government would stick to its stand adopted in the legislature on retention of 27 TMC feet water for drinking. During the meeting with leaders of all parties, some discussion was witnessed about increased inflow during the last three days, resulting in a marginal increase in the storage levels.

Celebrate Dasara only symbolically

Agitations continued in Mandya on Wednesday against the Supreme Courts order to release 6000 cusecs water for three days to Tamil Nadu. Farmers leader K.S. Puttannaiah said, When there is no water how can we release water? It was a unanimous resolution not to release water. Come what may, the state should not release water.He added that Dasara this year should only be celebrated symbolically by performing poojas. He also felt that Mandya MLA and actor-politician Ambareesh should have been with people of the district at this juncture. Members of Cauvery basin union committee protested and said that all 28 MPs should bring pressure on the President to intervene. They will protest in front of the residences of 28 Lok Sabha MPs.
Delhi Police is examining the two suicide notes  a seven-page note purportedly written by Bansal and a two-page note purportedly written by Yogesh dated September 26. (Representational image)

New Delhi: The CBI on Wednesday initiated an internal inquiry to probe the allegations of torture by former Director General Corporate Affairs B.K. Bansal, who committed suicide along with his son Yogesh on Tuesday.

In suicide notes purportedly written by Bansal he has alleged that a CBI DIG, two women officers and a fat havaldar of the agency had tortured his wife and daughter after which they committed suicide in July.

Delhi Police is examining the two suicide notes  a seven-page note purportedly written by Bansal and a two-page note purportedly written by Yogesh dated September 26, a day before their bodies were found in their flat here.

Talking to reporters, CBI spokesperson R.K.Gaur said the agency has received a communication from the Delhi Police in which the suicide notes have been attached. He said an inquiry has been ordered to look into the allegations and the court will be informed.

If any violation is established during the probe, strict action will be taken against the CBI officials concerned. The competent court will be informed, he said.

Bansal allegedly hanged himself along with his son at their residence with a suicide note claiming harassment by the CBI, barely two months after his wife and daughter ended their lives following his arrest in the alleged corruption case. He was arrested on July 16.
Hyderabad: While municipal minister K.T. Rama Rao has asked GHMC to focus on big encroachers, big realtors such as Ramky, who encroached on the buffer zone of the Yellamma Cheruvu near the KPHB Colony and got a court stay, N-Convention (which encroached on three acres of Thummidikunta Lake, Madhapur and Talkie Town at Miyapur Lake do not feature in the GHMC list.

Kapra, Yellamma Cheruvu, Thumidikunta, Surram Cherru and Banglaguda are the top four lakes in Greater Hyderabad that have been encroached on a big scale by private developers. The report of the committee formed by the TRS government on encroachment of 60 acre of Durgam Cheruvu lake, where bigwigs of the government live, has not yet been brought to light.

Ms Lubna Sarawath, from Save Our Lakes, said, In 2014, soon after the TRS took charge, officials cracked down on N-Convention. The HMDA had earlier appointed a consultant that showed the total spread of the lake as 25 acre. However, the irrigation department had another map showing the lake spread as 29 acre. HMDA on its website too showed Thummidikunta Lake as 25 acre  this was to hide the encroachment by NConvention, which occupied the buffer zone and FTL.

The government later said the case would need legal study and since then nothing has happened. Meanwhile, Ramky Estates (group of villas) was constructed within the FTL of Yellamma Cherruvu near KPHB. The party had gone to the court and got a stay and there has been no effort by the GHMC to further pursue the case.

Suram Cheruvu, commonly known as Noorish Talab at Bandlaguda of the HMDA area had a water spread area of 34.24 acre as on December 18, 2013. But its official water spread area was shown as 19.80 acre as on August 1, 2000. Google satellite imagery taken in 2014 and 2016 show landfills and constructions inside the buffer zone and FTL, as well as a huge hyacinth cover.

Massive constructions are on towards the right side of the bund. Very recently we had complained to the MRO of Banglaguda but instead of mentioning big encroachers, they have listed small rooms for demolition. The entire MM Colony is raised on the lake, added Ms Sarawath.

Regarding Kapra Lake, activist Mr Satish Kumar said, A contempt case has been filed in the High Court against G. Bal Reddy, district collector of Ranga Reddy, for restoration of Kapra Lake. Notices have been issued for non-compliance of an eviction order of illegal construction and for no further constructions on Kapra Cheruvu.

According to the High Court order, the Ranga Reddy collector had admitted in his counter affidavit that a 22-meter compound wall had been illegally built by a private builder at the cheruvu and the collector had said that the encroachments would be removed within eight weeks. However, till date nothing has been done.
Patna: When, Dana Majhi, the tribal man from Odisha was forced to carry his wife's body for over 10 kilometres on his shoulders last month, due to lack of an ambulance, his plight drew the worlds attention. And now, a similar tragic story has emerged from Bihar, where three people had to carry the corpse of their relative in a plastic bag, because they could not get an ambulance.

Read: Bahrain King gives Rs 9 lakh to Odisha man who carried dead wife on shoulder

According to reports, the deceased had died from drowning in the river Ganga about 14 days ago and the body was taken to a hospital in Katihar for an autopsy. But the doctors in the hospital told the deceaseds relatives to take the decomposing body to another hospital in Bhagalpur, after keeping it in their premises for 24-hours.

The distressed relatives told the hospital authorities that they did not have the means to take body to Bhagalpur and pleaded for help but were denied from being given an ambulance.

Left with no choice, the men had to wrap the corpse of their loved one in a plastic bag and carry it to another hospital. The men included the deceased's grandfather, who had pleaded with the hospital authorities to help them with their situation to no avail.
Chhattisgarh police have arrested a woman who had buried her husbands body in their house. (Photo: AP/Representational)

Raipur: Chhattisgarh police have arrested a woman who had buried her husbands body in their house, claiming she could not afford a cemetery plot and the funeral expenses. However, she had earlier claimed her husband went missing a year ago.

According to a report in Daily Mail, police recovered the skeleton remains of Manpreet Kaurs husband Rajvinder Singh after neighbours complained that a foul smell was emanating from her house.

Kaur, 40, had dug up a shallow grave in the bedroom of their house and buried her husband. She has, however, denied killing him.

Kaur said she took the step as she was concerned about the expenses of a traditional Sikh funeral and a plot to bury him.
Chennai: Union water resources minister Uma Bharti on Thursday will hold a meeting of Chief Ministers or water resources minister of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to discuss the Cauvery issue, as directed by the Supreme Court.

In a letter written to Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka late on Tuesday night, hours after the Supreme Court asked the competent authority of the Union Government to convene a meeting, Union water resources secretary Shashi Shekhar said Ms Bharti would chair the meeting at 11.30 am on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, TN CM J. Jayalalithaa nominated state PWD Minister Edappadi S. Palanisamy to represent the state in the meeting, to be held in the next two days.
Senior AIADMK leader J.C.D. Prabakar greeted by party men before filing his nomination for local body election at Ambattur zonal office on Tuesday (Photo: DC)

Chennai: A day after AIADMK party supremo and Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa released the candidates' list for the local body polls the ruling party's candidates en masse filed their nominations on Tuesday.

In Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts the aspirants filed their nominations post noon and the usual nomination fanfare was missing this time.

Senior AIADMK leaders J.C.D. Prabakar and N. Balaganga also filed their papers at Ambattur and Thiru Vika Nagar zonal offices.

Former MLAs K. Kuppan, V.N.P. Venkatraman and K.P. Kandan also filed nominations. A statement from the district election officer read that on day two, the corporation received 224 nominations with 220 applications coming from recognised political parties.

Meanwhile, Chennai also saw protests in some pockets of south Chennai after a section of AIADMK members expressed dissent over the candidates announced by the party.

Meanwhile, Chennai corporation on Tuesday intensified poll work. Currently the training for the government staff to be deployed for poll duty and the examination of the electronic voting machines are progressing at fast pace.

By next week all polling booths stationary materials required for polling will be ready, a senior corporation official said adding that the 5,500 polling booths will be in place for the October 19 polling.
New Delhi: Congress on Wednesday sought to pick holes in the Narendra Modi government's strategy to isolate Islamabad in the wake of Uri terror attack, saying instead of boycotting the SAARC summit it should have striven for a summit of the regional grouping minus Pakistan.

"Is scrapping the SAARC summit the answer? Could India not have a summit minus Pakistan?" party spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters, noting that South Asia was the "least integrated" region in the world.

Claiming that the Modi government was "deluding" itself by believing that its steps were helping cornering Islamabad, he said that a summit minus Pakistan could have been better for the isolation of the neighbouring country.

He said that though it has been 10 days since the dastardly attack in Uri, the Modi government is still "scrambling" for a coherent response. "Government responses in the past ten days have oscillated from the incoherent to ridiculous".

Congress' reaction came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a snub to Pakistan, decided not to attend the SAARC Summit in Islamabad to be held in November, leading to its collapse as the grouping works on the basis of consensus. Three more countries--Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan--have also decided to pull out of the Summit.

He also wondered if India's withdrawal of MFN status would change the behaviour of Pakistan. "What effect will removing the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status have on the state of Pakistan?" he asked.

Similarly, he also questioned the Modi government's review of the Indus Water Treaty. "What does that even mean? It would take 5-10 years to build hydel projects. Is this the kind of response that the people are looking for? Will the RSS and BJP workers make a human dam to deny Pakistan water?"

Targeting the Prime Minister, he said national security and diplomacy is "too serious an issue to be left to tweets and empty rhetoric".

Tewari said the government needs to really take a hard look because one day you hear the drums of war being beaten, the other day you will hear this is war by other means, third day you hear this is war by economic means.

"So, when there is no coherence of policy, you send out a signal to your interlocutors that they are dealing with a bunch of amateurs and that hurts India. They are charged with the remit of looking after India's National security at least for the next 27-odd months," he said.
The BJPs attempts to bag the mayors post fizzled out with Ms G. Padmavathi of the Congress sailing to victory with the support of her party, JD(S) and independent corporators in the mayoral elections held on Wednesday.

The Congress party had the last laugh at the Mayoral elections when its candidate G. Padmavathi emerged victorious, with the support of JD(S) and independent corporators, while M. Anand, of JD(S) was elected deputy mayor. Though BJP is the single largest party in the council, it stood no chance against the combined might of its opponents. Moreover some BJP MPs were stopped from voting in the deputy mayoral poll because they turned up after the election process had begun. With the citys 50th Mayor now firmly in her saddle, it remains to be seen how Padmavathi and her team work towards easing the citys woes.

The BJPs attempts to bag the mayors post fizzled out with Ms G. Padmavathi of the Congress sailing to victory with the support of her party, JD(S) and independent corporators in the mayoral elections held on Wednesday. While she becomes the 50th mayor of the city , Mr M. Anand, of the JDS was elected as deputy mayor with the BJP staging a walkout in protest over its MPs not being allowed to vote in the election and its candidate receiving no votes in the process.

A four time corporator, Ms Padmavathi defeated her nearest opponent, D. H. Lakshmi of the BJP by 22 votes and Mr Anand won by 142 votes against Mr Gurumurthy of the BJP, who had no votes polled in his favour due to the walkout by his partymen.

Read | Guest column: A mayor should serve a full five-year term

There was chaos in the council after BJP MPs were stopped from voting in the deputy mayoral poll because they arrived after the election process had begun. Although the MPs, P. C. Mohan and Rajiv Chandrasekhar, claimed they were held up at the all -party meeting convened by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on the Cauvery crisis, Regional Commissioner, M. V. Jayanti refused to relent and announced the results of the Mayoral poll.

When Kacharakanahalli corporator, Padmanabha Reddy demanded to know under what section or rule the latecomers were being deprived of their voting rights, Ms. Jayanti shot back that she was acting in accordance with sections 72 and 73 of the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act 1976, which said those who arrived after attendance was taken, could not vote in the mayor and deputy mayor elections.

But not convinced by her reply, BJP corporators, MLAs, MLCs and MPs boycotted the deputy mayor poll and staged a walkout. Undeterred, Ms. Jayanti resumed the election process and declared Mr. Anand victorious with 142 votes as there was no one present to vote for Mr Gurumurthy, who too had joined the walkout.

Although the BJP has 100 of the 198 seats in the council, it stood no chance against the combination of the Congress, JD(S) and independents, which helped Ms Padmavathi romp home to victory. The Congress was in confusion over its mayoral candidate until Chief Minister Siddaramaiah returned from Gulbarga and decided on Ms Padmavathis candidature hours before the poll was held.

Public must cooperate with segregation

The citys new mayor, G. Padmavathi intends to give development of the city top priority with the 2018 assembly polls looming in the horizon. She spoke on this and a range of other issues concerning the city in a chat with Deccan Chronicle soon after her election. Excerpts:

What is your agenda for the citys development over the next one year?

With the 2018 assembly polls looming this is crucial. The Chief Minister has given Rs 7,300 crore for infrastructure work in Bengaluru and we will utilise it effectively.

Will the public be penalised for failing to segregate garbage?

Already seven waste processing units have been set up to dispose of the waste. Two more plants to convert waste into power are in the pipeline. As for penalising the public, a meeting will be held and a decision taken. But the public must cooperate in segregation.

There is widespread opposition to the TenderSure project. Your comment?

TenderSure roads are model roads of the city. Some are underway and a few are under tendering. The project will be reviewed shortly.

Will you implement a pay and park policy?

I personally believe that pay and park helps curb haphazard parking and traffic snarls. The status of the policy will be reviewed. The facilities around Metro stations will be improved.

You are facing three cases in the BMTF since 2001. Now that you are in the hot seat will you cooperate with the investigation?

The cases are at various stages. Talking about them amounts to subjudice. I will cooperate with the investigation and not influence it.

BJP cries foul, threatens legal action on mayoral poll

Soon after the mayoral elections were held on Wednesday, leader of the opposition in the BBMP council, Padmanabha Reddy lashed out at the Congress, BBMP commissioner, Manjunath Prasad and Regional Commissioner, M. V. Jayanti for the delay in holding the polls and threatened to take legal action in the matter.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Reddy said although the term of outgoing mayor, Manjunath Reddy came to an end on September 10, the election was put off to help the Congress garner support for its candidate.

MLAs, MLCs and MPs representing other towns and cities were included in the Bengaluru voter list to enable them to vote in the mayoral election, he charged, adding that the opposition would challenge the voter list and the way the Congress was allowed to include some voters and remove others at will.

The Regional Election Commissioner was biased and did not allow two of BJPs MPs, who arrived late, to cast their vote. While she could not justify her position, the BBMP commissioner allowed the Congress to include its voters, Mr. Reddy alleged.

Deploring that Congress leaders ,Allum Veerabhadrappa from Ballari, Bosaraju from Raichur, G. Parameshwar from Tuma kuru, M. D. Lakshminarayan from Turuvekere, Ravi from Kanakapura, Oscar Fernandes from Udupi, Jayaram from Telangana, C. R. Manuhar from Anekal and Appaji Gowda from Hassan were included in the Bengaluru voters list, he said their presence clearly showed the mayoral polls were not held in accordance with the law and must be reviewed.

The BJP also intends to make use of rule 10 of the Karnataka Municipal Rules, which insists on the BBMP council meeting once a month, to demand its dissolution. Former corporator and BJP city unit spokesperson N. R. Ramesh, said the party intended to go to court and demand dissolution of the council for its failure to satisfy the municipal rules.
Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday expressed satisfaction over the demolition drive taken up by the GHMC to clear encroachments over nals in the city and asked officials to maintain the same pace in demolition of the remaining illegal structures.

Mr Rao reviewed the progress of demolition drive with ministers and senior officials at his camp office here. Officials told the CM that nearly 400 illegal structures were razed during the last two days.

He directed officials to take up demolition drive and repair of the damaged roads simultaneously, while creating better infrastructure facilities in the city.

He asked officials to draft plans to mobilise loans from banks for creation of better infrastructure facilities in the city and reiterated that the TS government will stand as guarantor.

If we are sincere in our efforts, the financial institutions will definitely extend loans liberally. Mission Bhagiratha stands as a classic example of this. Scores of banks are coming forward to extend thousands of crores in loans for the project because they believe in our sincere efforts to provide safe drinking water to each and every household. The same policy should be adopted for redesigning of Hyderabad as a global city, the CM said.

He said that global cities cant emerge overnight. If we make sincere efforts for 10 to 12 years, Hyderabad can be made a global city, Mr Rao said.

Mr Rao asked officials to assess the damage caused to roads on account of recent rains and submit a report at the earliest to claim financial assistance from the Centre. He said the government will allocate special funds in the annual Budget from next year for development of Hyderabad.

Meanwhile, MAUD minister K.T. Rama Rao said 28,000 illegal buildings on nalas have been identified and will be demolished to clear encroachments. He said no timeframe has been fixed to complete the demolition but the target was to clear all the encroachments by next summer.

He said by the next monsoon, the government aims to clear all encroachments on nalas so that there should not be any flooding in case it rains heavily next year.

Mr Rama Rao said nearly 400 illegal structures have already been demolished within two days and going by the current pace, the target of meeting the deadlines was not difficult.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Opposition disrupted Assembly proceedings on Wednesday for the second consecutive day on the self-financing medical seats issue.

Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan rushed through the days proceedings and adjourned the House after slogan-shouting Opposition members occupied the well of the House. Soon after, three young UDF legislators  Shafi Parambil and Hibi Eden of Congress and Anoop Jacob of Kerala Congress (Jacob)  launched an indefinite hunger strike on the steps right outside the Assembly hall in protest against the LDF governments self-financing policy and police atrocities against agitating Youth Congress activists.

The Opposition members, holding up banners and placards against the LDF government, began making noises right from the start of the Question Hour. When the Speaker refused the Opposition leader permission to speak during Question Hour, Opposition members rushed to the well gesticulating at the Speaker, and grouped under the Speakers podium shouting slogans. The Question Hour was conducted amid Opposition slogan-shouts.

The bitterness intensified when the Opposition leader was offered the mic after the Question Hour. Right at the outset, Mr Chennithala questioned the impartiality of the Speaker. There were six times when the Opposition leader was allowed to speak during Question Hour during the UDF tenure, he said. The Speaker should at least refer Assembly documents before taking decisions, Mr Chennithala said. (In a press release later, the Speaker said if at all former opposition leaders were allowed to talk during Question Hour it was only by way of intervention in a question.)

The Opposition leader then launched a scathing attack of the police onslaught against Youth Congress activists. The kind of force used by the police is unacceptable. There were 12 lathi charges, grenades were lobbed 30 times and more than 130 activists were injured, he said. When Mr Chennithala spoke critically of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans channel-engineered black flag remark, the Speaker cut him short saying: Your letter regarding the issue is with me.

Law and parliamentary affairs minister A.K. Balan was the most combative among the ruling party members. He even reprimanded the Speaker. How can you allow the Opposition leader to speak? It is Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan who had moved the adjournment motion under Rule 50. It is he who should be allowed to speak and not the Opposition leader. This is against rules, Mr Balan said. This forced the Speaker to ask Thiruvanchoor whether he wanted to move the adjournment motion.

When the Opposition leader continued to speak, a furious Balan once again turned to the Speaker. The Opposition leader cannot speak when Opposition members are shouting in the well. Both cannot be allowed simultaneously, he said. The Speaker, it seemed, temporarily lost his cool. It is exactly what I have been saying all this while, he said. Mr Balan was also constantly taunted by the young Opposition members seated in the well.
India has taken one firm decision so far after the Uri attack  to not attend the Saarc summit in Islamabad due in early November. And, in sympathy, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan have also decided to skip the meet. The clear import of this is that the Islamabad summit may now not take place at all, if any of these nations follows through on its move to not attend with holding back consent for proceeding with the summit. (In the last summit in Kathmandu, Bangladesh did not attend but permitted the meeting to go through.)

At the regional level, this diminishes Pakistan and shows that for all the international support it enjoys in relation to leading powers like the United States, China and Saudi Arabia, its neighbours view its policies toward them as dubious, to say the least. However, it is open to interpretation whether this can be seen as diplomatic isolation.

As a concept, Saarc has value, but Islamabads contribution to its development has been far from impressive. In fact, it has frequently been obstructive on account of its opposition to India. Consequently, Saarc has remained an idea whose time has not yet come. This has led India to participate enthusiastically in sub-regional or bilateral cooperative arrangements with countries in South Asia, and some of these relationships have taken wing.

However, the question will not easily go away whether the fate of Saarc constitutes retributive action against Pakistan for using terrorism as an instrument of state policy, although Islamabads neighbours speaking so forthrightly can cause a public debate within Pakistan.

In its communication to Nepal, the current Saarc chairman, India said Tuesday that it cannot attend the 19th summit in Islamabad because of increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of member states by one country.

This is quite pointed. But Islamabad finds its economic and financial solace in the US, China and Saudi Arabia, not South Asia. Will it see the latest developments as punishment for Uri or promoting extremism and terrorism? If its actions and words suggest otherwise, the issue arises whether we may expect more actions in relation to Pakistan on the part of India and its neighbours.

It appears that India is still in the process of devising ways to raise the costs for Pakistan. As a followup to the boycott of the Islamabad summit, New Delhi will need to raise its game and seek to persuade some of the leading powers to wield the economic stick against Islamabad, particularly its military leadership. The fight against terrorism does need to be given an effective international dimension which translates into economic punishment for Pakistans military, which, in real terms, is the permanent regime in Islamabad.
It is not an effective or a just way

Himanshu Thakkar

The 1960 Indus treaty has allocated rights of development on three eastern tributaries (Sutlej, Beas & Ravi) to India, and we have exhausted that entitlement almost fully. The treaty gave Pakistan dominant right of development of the three western tributaries (Chenab, Jhelum and Indus), India has limitations about water use (quantity and manner) in case of these rivers. India has not yet exhausted the entitlement in this case.

The September 26 meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a number of decisions, including expediting projects on these western rivers, setting up an inter-ministerial task force to achieve it, restarting work on Tulbul navigation project and also, according to reports, suspending the meetings of the Permanent Indus Commission indefinitely. 56 years and 112 meetings after signing of the treaty, this is the first time when such a step has been taken.

If this is beginning of an exercise to abrogate or suspend the Indus Treaty, we should remember it has no exit clause. Hence, under the Vienna Convention (1969) on such treaties, the option of walking away from the treaty is almost non-existent.

In the meantime, there has been a lot of talk about stopping the water flow to Pakistan and that water and blood cannot flow together. Blood should not flow under any circumstances, but can we stop flow of water to Pakistan? We must remember that we are talking about stopping the flow of several massive rivers, each with millions of cubic meters of water (and so much more that flows with it) on a daily basis on average, not turning off a tap or a pipeline. We do not have the infrastructure to either store or divert so much water. Such infrastructure needs a lot of studies, planning and years of work. Immediately, we can put up pumps to lift water from these rivers for use within Jammu & Kashmir and may be we could divert some to the nearest eastern river. But that would be of limited quantity. We have hydropower projects on both the Chenab and Indus, but these have limited storage capacity.

On the question of building more projects on the western rivers, this involves major structural interventions involving dams, deforestation, displacement, mining, building of roads, townships, tunnels, transmission lines, generation of millions cubic meters of muck, serious adverse impacts on landscape, rivers, biodiversity, climate and life and livelihoods of lakhs of people. All this in an area that suffers from multiple vulnerabilities including earthquakes, erosion, landslides, avalanches, floods, including GLOFs (Glacier Lake Outburst Flood).

While climate change is already worsening these vulnerabilities, these major interventions will make it much worse. We have already seen a trailer of the possible consequences in the J&K flood disaster of September 2014.

Are we asking the already long suffering people of J&K to suffer further? There will also be a lot more collateral damage. All this may sound like the ranting of a weak heart. Far from it. One is reminded what Winston Churchill, known more for his hawkish views on war, said: The day may dawn when fair play, love for ones fellow men, respect for justice and freedom, will enable tormented generations to march forth serene and triumphant from the hideous epoch in which we have to dwell. Meanwhile, never flinch, never weary, never despair.

There can be no two opinions that the terrorism originating from Pakistan soil needs to end. But equally clearly, there should be no doubt that using rivers, environment and the people of J&K will be neither effective nor just.

Himanshu Thakkar is coordinator of South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People

We need a holistic approach

Tom Vadakkan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that blood and water cannot flow together, but does it also mean that blood and business is thicker than water. Whatever it means, we leave it to the wisdom of the PM to clarify. The Indus water issue became controversial after Partition. The story of civilisation in the subcontinent began with the lifeline of the Indus namely the Indus Valley Civilisation.

The Indus has various tributaries, one even emanating from China. It is surprising that while hawks suggest cutting off water, there exists no mechanism to switch water on or off. What perhaps can be done is to store water or build dams to divert water but this can only be done in five years, endangering our ecosystem. This is also a two-way traffic with China breathing down our shoulder in the east.

However, one caveat that must be kept in mind, any step taken shouldnt be in isolation. Our approach should be holistic as we are dealing with a rogue state.

The Congress has always supported a bipartisan approach to foreign policy. We have always been ready to support this government in all matters relating to the security of our nation. Unfortunately, the problem is that this government as no coherent foreign policy, leave alone a consistent foreign policy on Pakistan which has always been the need of the hour as far as India is concerned.

In Opposition, the Congress has asked for concrete steps to be taken in the wake of the attack in Uri. We want an immediate Parliament session to discuss the security situation and term Pakistan as a terror state. There should be no hindrance on this from any political party. We have demanded that the government should immediately withdraw the most favoured nation status from Pakistan. Then we have demanded that there should be hectic lobbying all over the world against Pakistan.

There has been no response from the government. Apart from news leaks and cliches which are being served by the government, what and where is the concrete response? Once again I would like to reiterate that my party has always followed a bipartisan approach as far national security is concerned. But it is time for the government to wake up and tell us what they are planning to do. It is a convenient statement to make that water and blood cannot flow together, but then what?

The problem is that there is a confused Pakistan policy in place. The government, soon after the Uri attack, started praising itself that it has been able to isolate Pakistan internationally. Where is the isolation in the first time in the history of independent India it will be our friend Russia who will be carrying out joint military exercises with Pakistan.

China is investing in Pakistan. Iran is into talks with Pakistan regarding collaboration over its ports. So please tell us what isolation has this government been able to achieve for Pakistan.

Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Pampore and Uri  these attacks have taken place in the last year. Mr Modi has had several rounds of meetings with his Pakistani counterpart. The NSAs of both countries have met several times, overtly and covertly. The question is what transpired between them? What was the pressing need for Mr Modi to break his journey and land in Islamabad? There is a shroud of secrecy which this government is practising over its policy with Pakistan. We have outlined our concerns, now it is for the government of the day to decide its response  be it Indus waters or isolation or anything else which it deems fit.

Tom Vadakkan is an AICC spokesperson
The social media is aflame with elated stories, tall stories really, about Indias retaliation for Uri by turning off the spigot of the three western rivers of the Indus basin that flow unhindered into Pakistan and sustain its agriculture. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lent much credence to this when he said that blood and water cannot flow together. But the truth is that the flow of blood can be stopped, but water will continue to flow.

The Indus river system has a total drainage area exceeding 11,165,000 sq km. Its estimated annual flow is about 207 km, the worlds 21st largest river in annual flow. Its also Pakistans sole means of sustenance. The World Bank brokered the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan after many years of intense negotiations. It was designed to allocate the Indus river basin waters after the 1947 Partition. The British had constructed a complex canal system to irrigate undivided Punjab. Partition left a large part of this network in Pakistan, but the headwork dams remained in India, fuelling much insecurity among Pakistans Punjabi landowning elite. The IWT was mainly intended to address these Pakistani fears. Jawaharlal Nehru and Field Marshal Ayub Khan signed the treaty in Karachi on September 19, 1960.

Under this agreement, control over three eastern rivers  Beas, Ravi and Sutlej  was given to India, while that over three western rivers  Indus, Chenab and Jhelum  went to Pakistan. Since Pakistans rivers flow through India, the treaty allowed India to use them for irrigation, transport and power generation, laying down precise regulations for Indian building projects along the way. The treaty was a result of the Pakistani fear that, since the source rivers of the Indus basin were in India, it could potentially create droughts and famines in Pakistan, specially at times of war. Since the treatys ratification in 1960, India and Pakistan fought three wars, but the flow of water was not hampered even for a single day.

On the face of it, the pact seems generous to Pakistan as it gives the lower riparian state 80 per cent of the western rivers water. The reality, however, is that IWT makes a virtue out of necessity, as it is the regions geography that decides this, rather than any altruism. The Kashmir Valley is just 100 km wide at its maximum and 15,520.3 sq km in area. While the Himalayas divide the Valley from Ladakh, the Pir Panjal range, that encloses the Valley from west and south, separates it from the great plains of northern India. This picturesque and densely settled Valley has an average height of 1,850 metres above sea level but the surrounding Pir Panjal range has an average elevation of 5,000 metres. Thus the Pir Panjal range stands between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country, and is an insurmountable barrier that precludes the transfer of water anywhere else. Neither do the contours of the Valley allow for more waters to be stored in any part of it. As the waters cant be stored or used by diversion elsewhere, it has to keep flowing into Pakistan.

Of the three western rivers given to Pakistan, the Indus, which leaves Indian territory near Kargil, flows entirely in Pakistan-controlled territory. The Jhelum originates near Verinag near Anantnag and meanders over 200 km in the Valley before it enters Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. After flowing through Srinagar it fills up the Wular Lake and then traverses past Baramulla and Uri. The hydel projects constructed on it supply most of the Valleys electricity.

The Chenab, also known as Chandrabhaga, originates in Lahaul Spiti in Himachal Pradesh and flows through the Jammu region into the plains of Pakistani Punjab. In J&K, the Chenab basin covers Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban, Udhampur, Jammu and Rajouri districts. The catchment of the Chenab is elongated and narrow, and the catchment area mostly in India. But the Chenab runs through deep valleys and the river drops by 24 m per km, imposing physical constraints and huge costs in harnessing it.

The Uri incident fuelled much anger within India and the Modi government, that came to power promising to deter Pakistan-based terror in India by threatening retribution, is now hard pressed to deliver. It is discovering there is a yawning gap between promise and reality. The PMs pre-election speeches are being played back to taunt him. The Modi government is flailing for options, short of the use of arms. Thus the somewhat exasperated suggestion that the government would take a relook the treaty, though senior Pakistani diplomat Sartaj Aziz has made it clear that this will be tantamount to an act of war.

But a relook is easier said than done. For a start, India will find it very difficult to repudiate IWT as there is no clause in it for any one party to denounce (legalese for repudiation) the treaty, making it incumbent under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties for both parties to agree on this. Pakistan will never agree to have a bullet fired into its head. Besides as Dr Shakil Ahmad Romshoo, head of earth sciences at the geology and geophysics department of the University of Kashmir, says: Let us assume we stop water supply for the sake of argument. Where would the water go? We do not have infrastructure to store this water. We have not built dams in J&K where we can store water. And being a mountainous state, unlike Tamil Nadu or Karnataka, you cannot move water to another state. So you cannot stop the water technically.

But even if it can be done, climate change is upon both nations with severe implicit consequences for both, but mostly for Pakistan. The Indus river basin is fed mostly by glacier melt, unlike the Ganga and Brahmaputra basins, that are fed mostly by the monsoons. Since climate change is first affecting the Himalayan glaciers, the water patterns in the Indus basin are already showing changes. Hence Pakistan constantly keeps up a drumbeat of false charges on non-adherence to IWT by India. It has only reinforced its determination to seize J&K in the mistaken belief that it will control the water to its irrigation network. But will there be water for very long?

Widely-referenced estimates indicate a troubling long-term trend for the Indus river basins flow. River water provides 80 per cent of all irrigation water for Pakistans critical agriculture sector. These water sources are already near their limits, with most water diverted to northern Pakistans agricultural regions at the expense of the south. In fact, so much water is diverted from the Indus before it reaches the ocean that seawater has invaded the river channel miles inland.

Based on current projections, the Indus river system is expected to fall below 2,000 flow levels between 2030 and 2050. The drop-off is estimated to be most serious between 2030 and 2040, with a new equilibrium flow of 20 per cent below that of 2,000 reached after 2060. Not only is Pakistan running out of water, it seems it will soon be running out of time. As its founding father poet Allama Iqbal wrote: Watan Ki Fikar Kar Nadan! Musibat Ane Wali Hai/Teri Barbadiyon Ke Mashware Hain Asmanon Mein. (Think of the homeland, O ignorant one! Hard times are coming/ Conspiracies for your destruction are afoot in the heavens.)
Panoworks makes use of panoramic curved screen and HD laser projector in order to showcase virtual reality content on the screen.

Japan-based electronics manufacturer, Panoworks announces its unique projector that allows users to experience virtual reality content without having to mount a headset.

Panoworks makes use of panoramic curved screen and HD laser projector in order to showcase virtual reality content on the screen. As a result, a 150-degree field of view of the content is generated.

Users wont be able to turn their heads and experience a virtual reality environment. Instead, the imagery will be manipulated through the use of a trackball, touchscreen or a rotator device. Leap Motion or Microsoft Kinect will reportedly provide support for the hand gesture controls.

The video output is 4k resolution high and the 5.1 stereo surround sounds will surely enhance the experience. It is also being designed to function with TVs and monitors.

While the price for Panoworks unique projector has not been announced yet, it will only be available in Japan initially.

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It seems like Samsungs troubles are far from over. A new report comes in from China where a user tweeted that his Safe Samsung Galaxy Note 7 exploded. Fortunately, nobody was hurt. (Photo credit: CNN)

It seems like Samsungs troubles are far from over. A new report comes in from China where a user tweeted that his Safe Samsung Galaxy Note 7 exploded. Fortunately, nobody was hurt.

CNN Money reported that a new Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was purchased online by a customer in China and the device burst into flames after he found something amiss.

According to the customer Hui Renjie, a 25-year-old techie, said that he had purchased the Note 7 from an online retailer JD.com, which was delivered the same day. Hui said that he charged the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 overnight, but when he came back to it the next morning, he saw something was wrong. He noticed the phone emitting black smoke, while it was still connected to the charger. And after some time, the phone burst into flames. The fire also damaged his MacBook.

Hui posted the video online, which shows the display cracked and smoke emanating from the Galaxy Note 7 while still being connected to the charger.

Also read: Funny reactions to the exploding Samsung Galaxy Note 7

CNN reports that they could not confirm the authenticity of the video. However, Hui sent back a photo to CNN which shows the receipt and photographs of the incident to support his version of events.

Samsung is said to be investigating on the incident.

Samsung has been taking a big blow after the launch of their flagship Galaxy Note 7 handsets are reportedly blowing up. Samsung claimed that the reason for the exploding devices were faulty batteries from one of their single suppliers. Samsung has recalled all the Note 7 devices sold and is replacing them with safer ones.

The safe Samsung Note 7 devices will feature a Green Battery icon on the display as well as a Black Box symbol on the packaging to confirm that the devices were safe replacements.

Also read: How to identify a Safe Galaxy Note 7

CNN also reports that China was not included in the global Note 7 recall since the Samsung earlier said that batteries in phones supplied to China were from a different battery supplier. However, there have been four reports of battery fires in China since then. In one case, Samsungs investigations revealed that the reason for the Note 7 fire was from an external heat source and not the battery itself.

Aviation authorities around the world have also warned against the use and charge of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 on airplanes.

Also read: Samsung Note 2 catches fire mid-air on flight to Chennai

Also read: Samsung executives meet DGCA officials over Galaxy Note issue

In India too, the DCGA has restricted the use of all Samsung smartphones on flight after a recent incident of a Note 2 catching fire onboard an Indigo airline from Singapore to Chennai.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
As the dead were brought to a pier outside the coastal city of Rosetta, families of the missing went through the grisly task of searching through the body bags for their loved ones. (Photo: AP)

Rosetta: Rescue workers on Tuesday pulled dozens of bodies from the hold of an Egyptian fishing boat that sank in the Mediterranean Sea carrying hundreds of migrants trying to make it to Europe, bringing the toll from the disaster to more than 200 dead.

As the dead were brought to a pier outside the coastal city of Rosetta, families of the missing went through the grisly task of searching through the body bags for their loved ones. Women broke into screams and some men collapsed whenever they recognized someone, some only by their clothes because of the bodies' condition after nearly a week in the water.

For days, authorities and fishermen have been recovering bodies from the water or finding them washed up to the shore, ever since the boat capsized and sank before dawn on Sept. 21 about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) off the Egyptian coast.

Around 160 of those on board survived, many of them spending hours in the water until rescued by local fishing boats. Families of those still missing have been camped out all week at the piers, waiting for word on their loved ones and angrily accusing authorities of not doing enough to find them.

On Tuesday, a crane vessel hauled the boat, called the Mawkib al-Rasoul, or "Procession of the Prophet," out of the mud of the seafloor so that authorities could retrieve dead trapped in the hold, including a cramped section known as the "fridge," where fishermen normally keep their catch on ice.

Authorities pulled 33 dead out of the hold, bringing the toll to 203, the head of a local municipal council, Ali Abdel-Sattar, told The Associated Press.

At the pier, emergency officials wore white medical masks against the smell of the bodies. They announced that no more bodies were found in the hold, angering relatives of those who still had not been found, many of whom were convinced from earlier reports that more dead were in the hold.

A woman whose two sons were on the boat found one of them, 18-year-old Ahmed, among the bodies brought to the pier. She said he no longer had a face after the days in the water.

"Only his clothes showed that it's him," she said. She spoke on condition of anonymity because she feared harassment by police. But her other son was still missing.

The boat was overcrowded with hundreds of people, but the exact number is not known, with estimates from officials ranging from 400 to 600. Most were believed to be Egyptians, many of them young men from poor villages in the Nile Delta, with some others from Sudan or other African countries, and at least one Syrian woman whose body was found washed ashore.

The sea route from Egypt to Europe has become increasingly popular for migrants. This year, more than 12,000 migrants arrived in Italy from Egypt between January and September, compared to 7,000 in the same period last year, according to the EU border agency Frontex. Egyptian authorities have so far in 2016 foiled 110 attempts to smuggle migrants to Europe.

One survivor, a 17-year-old, from the nearby village of al-Gazira al-Khudra, said he and several of his friends were brought out on a smuggler boat with about 150 people and transfered onto the Procession of the Prophet, which he said was already swelling with about 300 people.

"It was full from top to bottom. There was not an empty centimeter," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of harassment by police.

When the boat started to capsize, he said he jumped into the water and swam away from the vessel. He said the screams from the boat still rang in his ears.

"From 4:00 am to 9:30 am, it was foggy and dark. I kept swimming, searching for land but couldn't find it," he said. He saw a friend in the water, clinging to a plastic bottle. "Suddenly he disappeared. I looked and only saw the bottle," he said. He was rescued by fishermen.

Another survivor, Aboud, said he was originally put in the "fridge" when he was brought on the boat. But one of his friends pulled him out, meaning he could jump to safety when it began to sink. Nine of his friends died, he said.

He estimated he saw about 150 people in the "fridge," but his account could not be independently confirmed. He spoke on condition he be identified only by his first name for fear of harassment by police. After his rescue by fishermen, he was taken to the police station where he said he was beaten.

He said this was his second attempt to make it to Europe and vowed to try again, citing poverty in Egypt.

"I will go once, twice, three times. We are dead anyway," he said. "Here they deal with us like animals. There, animals have rights."

The military said in a statement that it had rescued more than 160 survivors. But survivors and family members all said the rescues were carried out by local fishermen, further stoking anger that authorities were not doing enough.

Hamed Hassan said his cousin's body was found by fishermen. "From across Egypt, they can leave in boats. Where is the coast guard?" he said.

Samir Qlamosh, a local fisherman, has become a hero in Rosetta, touted in social media after he rescued 96 survivors in his boat. He said that the morning after the sinking, he was returning to the pier and was told by officials to go out and search.

He searched for 90 minutes until finally officials sent him the coordinates of the site. Once there, he found survivors in the water and fished them out with ropes, he said.

"We got there after people were already worn out. Some couldn't even hold the rope. Some were dying," he told the AP. "I am not coast guard, I'm a fisherman. We need an operation room here to rescue people."
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton are introduced during the presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead. (Photo: AP)

Views from around the world on Monday's first US presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump:

India

Manjeet Kripalani, executive director of the Mumbai-based foreign policy think tank Gateway House, said there were "no surprises."

"Both candidates were authentically who they are. She, the sophisticated, career politician. Donald Trump, the brash entrepreneur who people relate to," she said.

Kripalani views Trump as a greater potential force for change in Washington's relationship with India and its rival Pakistan.

"Hillary Clinton is a status quoist. Where America's relationship with Pakistan is concerned or in other ways she won't change the status quo," she said. "Donald Trump may have some surprises in terms of how America views Pakistan. Trump has said that the existing world alliances don't work for America.

"He's created an opening for countries like India to step in and negotiate a new world order."

China

Wang Pei, a graduate student in communications studies, was watching the debate from a cafe in Beijing and said he thought Clinton carried herself better.

"I personally like Trump's character and the feeling that he's a fighter," Wang said. "But from today's performance, I think Clinton was more like a mature politician and Trump looked a bit like a misfit in this kind of setting."

Asked if he hoped that China would someday see its political candidates engage in similar debates, he said: "I don't expect China to copy the U.S., or become a counterpart of the US.

"I hope China will find its own way of sustainable development instead of following the example of the U.S., as long as this way can give us good lives," Wang said.

Ge Mengchao, a graduate student in journalism, said he thought Trump would be a friendlier president to China because his business background could mean he would appreciate the countries' commercial ties.

"I think maybe Trump would be friendlier to China, because China and the U.S. share vast common interests, especially in commercial areas," Ge said. "From the perspective of a businessman, he may take a friendlier approach to China."

Australia

Milton Gan, a Sydney-based photographer, said it seemed like Trump was trying to rein in his temper for the first 15 minutes, then went off the rails.

"He started interrupting Clinton, he started interrupting (moderator) Lester (Holt) and he started steamrolling. And you could see he was just getting really irate about everything," Gan said.

"The most ridiculous thing was at the end when he said he had the better temperament to be president," Gan said, laughing. "It was just hilarious."

Clinton came off prepared, confident and composed, Gan said: "Obviously, she's done her prep and she's got so much experience in politics and I think that really showed."

Richard Mcconochie, 57, watched the debate on a big screen in a Canberra pub and said, "To me Trump aced it."

"He came across as a man who could control himself. They said Trump's ignorant of the issues. I think he proved that he had at least a working handle on most of the stuff he was talking about."

"I think he'll swing a lot of Americans over to Trump just by proving that he is not the sort of unstable, dangerous lunatic that he's painted to be," McConochie said. "I don't see that Trump would be any more incompetent than Clinton."

Paul Smith, 56, at the same pub, was disappointed Trump had not done better.

"He just really didn't come up with the goods today. He hasn't done his homework as much as she had. She was just so confident, so knowledgeable, looking so healthy, relaxed & delivered. And he didn't have the comeback, didn't have the punches."

"I think he should be given a go. I think it's business as usual with Hillary, it's just a continuation of what Obama's up to."

Japan

Narushige Michishita, a Japanese analyst, said it was in some ways heartening to hear his country mentioned in the debate, since Japan is often overlooked these days. But he disagreed with Trump's criticism that Japan and other US allies aren't contributing enough to their defence.

"There is a small truth to what Mr. Trump was saying, in the sense that Japan was a kind of free-rider or at least a cheap-rider back in the 1970s and '80s," said Michishita, director of the security and international studies program at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo.

"But now given what Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe is doing to make Japan much more proactive on defense and security matters, and trying to make Japan more engaged in international security affairs, it's like, 'What are you talking about?'"

Hirotsugu Aida, author of a book on the Trump phenomenon, agreed that Trump misunderstood the US-Japan security alliance but said he still did better than Clinton.

"Trump unexpectedly acted presidential. It might be a setback for Clinton who wanted to make him look unsuitable for presidency," he said. "Clinton could not successfully distinguish herself as a mature politician from Trump the amateur in politics. It may sound a bit too strong but I would say Trump won."

Aida, a professor of global studies at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo, said Trump avoided making gaffes and meaningless criticism against Japan on trade issues, going after China and Mexico instead.

Phillipines

Victor Andres Manhit, president of the think-tank Albert del Rosario Institute for Strategic and International Studies, welcomed Clinton's assurances that the U.S. would honor its treaty obligations if she becomes president.

"I'm really hoping that that kind of statement reminds our own government that we have an ally in the United States vis-a-vis our fight for territorial integrity and our maritime rights in the South China Sea," he said.

Richard Heydarian, a political science professor at Manila's De La Salle University said he thought Clinton "was clearly the more prepared candidate and was able to handle Trump's offensives with utmost finesse. Trump seemed more subdued than expected, but spent too much time defending himself on secondary issues and failed to build up on his vision for the American people, especially the middle classes.

"She clearly was more commander-in-chief material today than her main rival, who forwarded a more disengaged and isolationist America that is 'not the global policeman' and more concerned with its narrow national interests," Heydarian said.

South Korea

Cho June-Hyuck, Foreign Ministry spokesman, said it would be inappropriate for the Seoul government to respond to comments made by US presidential candidates in the run-up to the vote. Trump said during the debate that South Korea should burden larger costs for the US troops stationed in the peninsula, and that the United States should let China to have a larger role in controlling the actions of North Korea.

Cho said the Seoul government is closely monitoring the election, and that South Korea has been doing its part to strengthen the combined defence force between the countries and create a stable environment for the stationed US soldiers. He said Seoul and Washington are holding a variety of talks on different levels to deal with the North Korean nuclear threat.
Hartselle: An Alabama lawmaker unhappy with Hillary Clinton's allegations during the presidential debate that Republican Donald Trump is sexist expressed his disapproval by tweeting the Democratic nominee's husband is "likely a rapist."

Rep Ed Henry, R-Hartselle, posted to Twitter just after the debate- "It is ironic that Lying Hillary blast Trump as a sexist when she is married to Bill, who is likely a rapist."

The tweet copied in Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway. Former President Bill Clinton was accused of rape by Juanita Broaddrick while running for governor of Arkansas in 1978. He's adamantly denied the charges.

Henry is co-chair of Trump's Alabama campaign. He attended the GOP convention in July as a Trump delegate. Efforts to reach Henry were unsuccessful. The tweet has not been removed.
Houston: The father of Ahmed Mohamed, the teenager arrested in the US last year when he brought a homemade clock to school, has filed a defamation suit against media outlets and commentators for fanning Islamophobia.

Mohamed Mohamed filed the lawsuit against multiple media outlets and conservative political commentators, including TV host Glenn Beck and his television network, TheBlaze. He also sued FOX Television Stations and Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne.

Mohamed sued on behalf of himself and his 14-year-old son, arguing that commentators and media outlets were responsible for libelous statements after his son's arrest in 2015, The Dallas Morning News reported.

"The Mohamed family are peaceful Muslims who have been falsely accused of being terrorists and engaging in a jihad," the suit states.

"The correction must also be made that the arrest and suspension of Ahmed Mohamed was not a stunt and it was not pre-planned, staged or engineered by anyone, including (his father)," it said.

The lawsuit comes a month after the Mohamed family announced a federal lawsuit against Texas' city of Irving and its school district, alleging that the boy's rights were violated after Irving police mistook his homemade clock for a bomb.

The boy had met President Barack Obama in last October. Mohamed Mohamed took issue with comments Beck made during a show that aired on TheBlaze. The suit says the host offered the theory that the clock bomb story was part of a larger conspiracy, possibly to "turn Texas blue" politically.

Jim Hanson of the Center for Security Policy, who was also sued, agreed with him, according to the suit. "I don't think there's any question that this latest event was a PR stunt," he said, adding that Ahmed Mohamed may have been a "pawn" of his father.

The suit also accuses political commentators Ben Shapiro and Ben Ferguson of making similar libelous statements on FOX channels.

"The public has been misled into believing that the Mohameds are terrorists who plotted to have the Irving police wrongfully arrest a teenage boy for bringing an alarm clock to school. These broadcasts irresponsibly fan the flames of fear and anger toward Muslims and immigrants," the lawsuit added.
Washington: India has generally shown responsible behaviour with nuclear technology while Pakistan's history of nuclear weapons is entangled in tensions, a top US official has said.

"The landscape of nuclear weapons have changed in the last 25 years," US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said on yesterday in his remarks on "Sustaining Nuclear Deterrence" at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota.

Carter said while the US has not done much to boost its nuclear arsenal, other countries have added to it both in terms of the number of weapons and delivery options.

He also praised India for showing responsible behaviour with its nuclear technology.

"China also conducts itself professionally in the nuclear arena, despite growing its arsenal in both quality and quantity," Carter said.

Expressing concern over nuclear technology in North Korea, he said, "It is essential that the US maintains its nuclear deterrence."

"America's nuclear deterrence is the bedrock of our security and the highest priority mission of the Department of Defence," he said.

Observing the Russia has long been a nuclear power, Carter said the country's recent saber-rattling and building of new nuclear weapons systems raises serious questions about its leader's commitment to strategic stability and their regard for long-established abhorrence of using nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations underscore that a diverse and dynamic spectrum of nuclear threat still exists, Carter said.

"Deterrence must be credible, and extended to our allies in the region," he said, adding that Russia and North Korea are just two countries, though very different ones, that stand out in evolving nuclear landscape.

"In Iran, their nuclear aspirations have been constrained and transparency over their activities increased by last year's nuclear accord, which, as long as it continues to be implemented, will verifiably prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon," he said.

The defence secretary said, "Pakistan nuclear weapons are entangled in a history of tension, and while they are not a threat to the United States directly, we work with Pakistan to ensure stability."

"We didn't build anything new for the last 25 years, but others did, including Russia, North Korea, China, India, Pakistan and for a period of time, Iran while our allies around the world, in Asia, the Middle East, and NATO, did not," he said.
Washington: Making a strong pitch for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as the next occupant to the White House, US First Lady Michelle Obama has appeared in a new television commercial released by the Hillary Campaign.

"Our children watch everything we do. And the person we elect as president has the power to shape their lives for years to come. Hillary has spent her entire career bringing folks together on behalf of our kids, because she believes that every child deserves a chance to succeed," the First Lady says in the 30 second ad.

"Hillary would be a president that our kids can look up to, a president who believes in our kids and fight for t hem every day. That's why I believe in her," Michelle said in the television commercial.

This is the First Lady's first TV ad for the campaign, and just last week, the campaign released a radio ad featuring Michelle that is currently on air in Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

On Wednesday, the First Lady will campaign for Clinton in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia where she will lay out what is at stake in November.
The suspect in the September 17 bombing that left 31 people wounded, Ahmad Khan Rahami, was arrested in New Jersey two days after the attack. (Photo: AP)

Washington: The suspect in the bombing this month in New York's Chelsea neighbourhood appears to have acted on his own, with no connection to an extremist movement, the FBI said on Tuesday.

"We see so far no indication of a larger cell or the threat of related attacks," FBI director James Comey testified at a Senate committee hearing.

The suspect in the September 17 bombing that left 31 people wounded, Ahmad Khan Rahami, was arrested in New Jersey two days after the attack.

He was wounded in a shootout with police as they closed in to arrest him. He has remained hospitalised and is unable to appear before a judge, according to the New Jersey prosecutor's office.

US prosecutors, in a 13-page indictment on September 20, slapped him with four charges, including use of weapons of mass destruction.

In addition to the New York attack, he is charged with a pipe bombing, also on September 17, in Seaside Park, New Jersey, and planting several other bombs.

A naturalised US citizen born in Afghanistan, Rahami, 28, made several trips in recent years to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
United Nations, United States: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attacks Wednesday on the two largest hospitals in rebel-held parts of Syria's Aleppo as "war crimes."

"Let us be clear. Those using ever more destructive weapons know exactly what they are doing. They know they are committing war crimes," Ban told the Security Council.

"Imagine the destruction. People with limbs blown off. Children in terrible pain with no relief," he said. "Imagine a slaughterhouse. This is worse."
The department says he's among about 50 foreign fighters of Italian origin currently fighting in Syria. (Representational Image)

Washington: The Obama administration has imposed sanctions on an Italian rapper who moved to Syria to join the Islamic State group.

Anas el-Abboubi was added on Wednesday to the State Department's list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists.

The department says el-Abboubi - who's known in Italy as Mc Khalif - was taken into police custody in Italy in 2013 for plotting an attack in northern Italy and recruiting individuals for militant activity in Syria. He was released after two weeks in custody and later fled to Syria.

The department says he's among about 50 foreign fighters of Italian origin currently fighting in Syria.
Obama said Peres' commitment to Israel's security and pursuit of peace was rooted in his own unshakeable moral foundation and unflagging optimism. (Photo: AFP)

Washington: President Barack Obama hailed Israeli elder statesman Shimon Peres, who died Wednesday, as a friend who refused to give up on the dream of peace, while former president Bill Clinton called him "a genius with a big heart."

Obama said Peres' commitment to Israel's security and pursuit of peace was "rooted in his own unshakeable moral foundation and unflagging optimism."

"Perhaps because he had seen Israel surmount overwhelming odds, Shimon never gave up on the possibility of peace between Israelis, Palestinians and Israel's neighbours not even after the heartbreak of the night in Tel Aviv that took Yitzhak Rabin," Obama said in a White House statement.

"There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves," Obama said. "My friend Shimon was one of those people."

Clinton, who oversaw the signing of the Oslo Accords that envisioned an independent Palestinian state, said, "The Middle East has lost a fervent advocate for peace and reconciliation and for a future where all the children of Abraham build a better tomorrow."

"I'll never forget how happy he was 23 years ago when he signed the Oslo Accords on the White House lawn, heralding a more hopeful era in Israeli-Palestinian relations.

"He was a genius with a big heart who used his gifts to imagine a future of reconciliation not conflict, economic and social empowerment not anger and frustration, and a nation, a region, and a world enhanced by caring and sharing, not torn asunder by the illusions of permanent dominance and perfect truth," Clinton said in a statement.

Peres won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin who was assassinated in 1995 and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for his role in negotiating the accords. Clinton noted that Peres' critics called him a "dreamer."

"That he was -- a lucid, eloquent dreamer until the very end. Thank goodness. Let those of us who loved him and love his nation keep his dream alive."

Former president George H. W. Bush also hailed his devotion to peace.

"By his unyielding determination and principle, Shimon Peres time and again helped guide his beloved country through the crucible of mortal challenge.

"But it was by his innate humanity, his decency, that Shimon inspired the world over and helped pave a path to peace broad enough that future generations will walk it one day, side-by side," he said in a statement.

His son, former president George W. Bush, said Peres led his country "with a deep and abiding concern for his people and a commitment to freedom and peace."

"The Bush family will miss Shimon Peres and his grace, dignity, and optimism."
Kabul: At least 13 civilians were killed in an airstrike that hit a residential building in a volatile district of eastern Nangarhar province early Wednesday, an Afghan official said. The US military in Afghanistan said the incident was being investigated.

Esmatullah Shinwari, a Nangarhar lawmaker, said that a crowd had gathered at the house in Achin district, near the Pakistan border, to welcome home a tribal leader returning from the Hajj, an annual Muslim pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

At least 12 people were wounded in the strike, including the tribal leader, he said.

Hazrat Hussain Mashreqiwal, the spokesman for the provincial police chief, said that the airstrike had targeted Islamic State group loyalists. Afghan forces backed by the US military have been battling IS fighters in Achin for months.

The spokesman for the US military in Afghanistan, Brig. Gen. Charles Cleveland, confirmed a "counter-terrorism airstrike in Achin district" early Wednesday.

"US forces did conduct one counter-terrorism air strike in Achin district, Nangarhar province, Sept. 28, and for operational security reasons we do not discuss the details of counter-terror operations," Cleveland said in a statement.

"We are aware of some claims of Afghan casualties," he said, adding that investigations were underway.
An eruption at Mount Rinjani last month forced the closure of Lombok airport and disrupted some flights to neighbouring Bali. (Photo: Representational Image)

Jakarta: Rescuers in Indonesia were dispatched on Wednesday to evacuate nearly 400 tourists, most of them foreigners, after a volcano erupted at one of the country's most popular hiking destinations, an official said.

Mount Barujani began erupting on Tuesday, sending columns of ash and smoke shooting 2 kilometres into the sky over Lombok island, a tourist hotspot to the immediate east of Bali.

Nearly 400 people were recorded as hiking near Barujani-- a smaller cone within the crater of Mount Rinjani  when it began erupting, prompting plans for their immediate evacuation, said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

"A rescue team has been sent to Mount Rinjani to evacuate the tourists. They set off on Wednesday morning," he said. Hikers have been told to keep at least 3 kilometres from the smouldering volcano, a key attraction on the multi-day trek to the summit of Mount Rinjani made by thousands of tourists every year.

Nugroho said 389 hikers were recorded as having entered the national park since Sunday, the overwhelming majority of them foreigners.

While most would have taken the official route to the summit, rescue teams suspected some hikers may have gone off-piste, Nugroho added.

The threat level of the volcano was upgraded Tuesday as Barujani sent plumes of smoke and hot ash into the atmosphere, but remains two steps from the highest-risk category.

There were no flight disturbances recorded on Wednesday due to the ash clouds, transport ministry spokesman Hemi Pramuraharjo said.

Some flights to and from the nearby resort island of Bali were cancelled overnight, but Lombok's international airport remains unaffected.

Flight disruptions due to drifting ash clouds are not uncommon in Indonesia, which sits on a belt of seismic activity known as the Pacific Ring of Fire and is home to 130 active volcanoes.

An eruption at Mount Rinjani last month forced the closure of Lombok airport and disrupted some flights to neighbouring Bali.
Colombo: The body of a Sri Lankan newspaper editor, whose assassination under the previous Mahinda Rajapaksa regime in 2009 remains unsolved, was exhumed on Tuesday to aid a new investigation into his murder.

Slain Lasantha Wickrematunge ran the Sunday Leader, which was frequently critical of the government of former president Rajapaksa. The exhumation was conducted by Colombo magistrate Mohamed Mihan in the presence of medico-judicial officers at the Colombo General Cemetery.

The suburban Mount Lavinia court had ordered the exhumation after the Crime Investigation Department (CID) asked for it, claiming that all previous forensic reports were contradictory. The body was moved to the Judicial Medical Officer's office after exhumation. It will now be examined by a team of doctors, Athula S. Ranagala, the lawyer of the late editor's family told reporters.

He said the CID had asked for an exhumation due to the contradictory results in previous forensic reports. One of the reports had said that he died of gunshot injuries while another cited stab wounds as the reason of his death.

Lasantha was murdered by unidentified men on a motor way at Attidiya, a Colombo suburb while he was driving to work alone on January 8, 2009, three days after he wrote an editorial saying he believed he would be killed by the government and any inquiry would come to nothing. His murder happened at a time when there were intense restrictions on the media in Sri Lanka.

After winning the 2014 Presidential poll, Maithripala Sirisena vowed to reform Sri Lankas treatment of the media and to reopen the probe into Lasanthas murder. In July, a military intelligence officer became the first person to be arrested in connection with his death. Earlier this month, a judge gave permission for his body to be exhumed, because of conflicting reports from initial autopsies. His grave has been under guard since then.
Ukraine and the West insist pro-Russian rebels blew the jet out of the sky with a Russian-made missile system likely supplied by Moscow. (Photo: AFP)

The Hague: A Dutch-led international team of criminal investigators on Wednesday will release initial findings into the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 amid growing frustration among relatives over the probe's pace.

The preliminary findings are expected to shed light on the exact type of BUK missile which struck the Boeing 777 passenger liner mid-air on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people on board including 196 Dutch citizens.

It is also expected to show exactly where the Russian-made missile was fired from in war-torn eastern Ukraine, where Kiev has been battling pro-Russian separatists since April 2014.

But the Dutch prosecution has already cautioned that it will not be naming any suspects at the briefing, taking place in the central town of Nieuwegein, near Utrecht.

Investigators will meet relatives of the victims first to give them the results, after which a press conference is planned for 1100 GMT.

"Apart from wanting to know exactly what weapon was used and where it was fired from, we also want an answer as to where we go from here," said Evert van Zijtveld, chairman of the foundation that supports families of MH17 victims.

"We want to see the perpetrators caught and put on trial," he told AFP.

Van Zijtveld voiced frustration at the progress of the probe, saying "in any case, it doesn't seem that this problem can be solved by politicians."

"We hope the perpetrators will be caught soon. The last thing we want is to sit with a situation similar to Lockerbie," he said, referring to the bombing of a Pan Am jet over the town of Lockerbie 26 years ago in which 270 people were killed.

Libyan Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi was only found guilty 12 years later in 2001, the only person ever convicted of the crime. He maintained his innocence until his death in 2012.

Russia this week again sought to deflect the blame for the MH17 disaster, accusing Kiev, in a move some Dutch newspapers said aimed to pre-empt Wednesday's report.

Ukraine and the West insist pro-Russian rebels blew the jet out of the sky with a Russian-made missile system likely supplied by Moscow.

Russian denials

A separate international civil inquiry, headed by the Dutch safety board, concluded last October that a BUK missile fired from a zone held by pro-Russian separatists brought down the aircraft.

But it stopped short of saying who was responsible.

Russia and the rebels have denied any role in downing the plane, releasing a series of sometimes contradictory claims that critics say are intended to muddy the issue.

At a specially-arranged briefing on Monday, Russia's defence ministry released what it said were radar images showing that no missile fired from rebel-held territory in the east could have hit the plane.

Russia said the fact the Ukraine had not yet released radar information suggested the location from which the missile was launched -- if it was a BUK -- was in territory controlled by the Ukrainian armed forces.
A man looks for the remains of victims in the debris at the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 near the village of Hrabove, eastern Ukraine. (Photo: AP)

Moscow: Moscow on Wednesday described as "biased" and "politically motivated" the Dutch-led inquiry into the downing of Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine, which concluded the plane was shot down by a missile transported from Russia.

"Russia is disappointed that the situation around the investigation of the Boeing catastrophe is not changing," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

"The conclusions of Dutch prosecutors confirm that the investigation is biased and politically motivated," she said.

She accused the Joint Investigative Taskforce of "arbitrarily designating a guilty party and inventing the desired results."

The taskforce presented its findings on Wednesday after a two-year investigation into the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in conflict-torn eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board in July 2014.

The conclusion did not assign blame but said the Boeing 777 was shot down by a BUK missile system from an area in eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian separatists, and that the system was brought in from Russia and then taken back there.

The ministry statement said the taskforce "excluded Moscow from fully participating in the investigation process" while embracing Ukraine as a "full member of the JIT" and giving Kiev an opportunity to "falsify evidence and twist the case in its favour".

"Russia is practically the only (party) that sends true information and discloses more and more new data," the statement said.

Yet the "whole 'body of evidence' of the Dutch prosecutors was provided by Ukraine," it said.

The taskforce said Wednesday that Moscow had only provided part of the information that it had requested.

Russia's defence ministry on Monday released what it claimed were new radar images showing that there was no missile fired from rebel-held territory on that day, which contradicted some of its earlier declarations.

Russia's Almaz-Antey missile maker, which produces BUK surface-to-air systems, said in a briefing Wednesday that the inquiry did not include its findings.

The state-controlled firm last October alleged the plane was downed from disputed territory by an outdated version of the BUK missile that is no longer in use by the Russian military.

Dutch prosecutors said they only received Almaz-Antey's data this month and did not find that it outweighed the probe's conclusions.
Marc Anwar, 45, joined "Coronation Street", the world's longest-running TV soap opera, in 2014 as a member of the show's first Muslim family. (Photo: Twitter)

London: Days after he was sacked from Britain's most popular television soap for his offensive anti-India tweets, Pakistan-origin actor Marc Anwar, has said that he was on his way to quit his job before he was fired.

According to a report in the Daily Mail, Anwar said that his contract with 'Coronation Street' was getting expired in November. He was sacked after he posted a series of tweets abusing Indians.

"Indians killing our Kashmir brothers and sisters," he wrote. He called Indians "b*****ds" and used other insulting terms. Anwar's posts hit out at India over the Kashmir dispute and suggested Pakistani actors should refuse to work in the country.

Following a backlash, Anwar apologised for his tweets, but later said that his apology had got nothing to do with he losing his job. He also added that he was anyway going to quit.

Anwar took to Twitter to defend himself. He wrote, "For the record, I was to leave show at the end of [my] contract in November. Apology is from regret for offending, not at early exit. Love all."

"No human controls my livelihood but My Allah. Never have never will grovel to anyone! Proud Muslim, proud Pakistani, very proud British. Oh and God save the Queen. Rule Britannia!," he said in another tweet.

A screenshot of Marc Anwar's tweets. (Photo: Twitter)

Marc Anwar, 45, had joined "Coronation Street", the world's longest-running TV soap opera, in 2014 as a member of the show's first Muslim family.
Greece is accommodating over 60,000 refugees and migrants stuck in the country after a succession of Balkan and EU states shut their borders. (Photo: AP)

Athens: Four Pakistani minors have been arrested for allegedly gangraping a 16-year-old boy in a Greek migrant camp, police said Wednesday.

"The four minors, aged 16 to 17, will appear before a prosecutor today," a police source said. The victim is also Pakistani.

The incident occurred on Sunday in the camp of Moria on the island of Lesbos.

Greece is accommodating over 60,000 refugees and migrants stuck in the country after a succession of Balkan and EU states shut their borders earlier this year.

Many of the camps are grossly overpopulated, and rights groups have repeatedly warned that minors must be accommodated separately for their safety.

There are also regular fights amongst refugees and migrants, who are forced to wait for months for their asylum applications to be processed.

Some 5,000 people had to be evacuated from the Moria camp last week after a fire broke out after another brawl.
Abandonment of wives by non-resident Indian (NRI) men in transnational marriages has become a widespread phenomenon, the report said. (Representational Image)

London: Some British Indian men are among a broader South Asian group in the UK who are guilty of mistreating and abandoning their wives in their countries of origin, a new report by a UK University has found.

Lincoln University's 'Disposable Women: Abuse, Violence and Abandonment in Transnational Marriages' described the practice as an emerging form of violence against women, "especially in the context spanning the UK and the Indian sub-continent".

"Abandonment of wives by non-resident Indian (NRI) men in transnational marriages has become a widespread phenomenon. Although the focus of this report is on the specific experience of abandoned women in India experience shows that their appalling accounts of abuse and abandonment are also echoed by women from Pakistan, Bangladesh and elsewhere," the report said.

"Ongoing demands for dowry, and escalating violence where such demands could not be met, were significant contexts for abuse for the majority of the women. Inability to meet dowry demands eventually triggered abandonment for most of the women left with their in-laws," it added.

The academics behind the report are now calling on the UK government to recognise the abuse of these so-called "disposable women" to be treated as domestic violence.

As part of its recommendations, the report concluded: "Women who once resided in the UK (no matter how briefly) should be treated in all respects as domestic violence victims Transnationally abandoned women should be issued with temporary visas to avail the UK's Domestic Violence Rule.

"At the point of their visa application, British embassies abroad should give women a leaflet setting out their rights and entitlements under the UK immigration and family law."

As most women tend to hide the fact that they have been abandoned by NRI husbands based in the UK, the academics spent more than a year finding 57 women in India who had experienced the phenomenon and were willing to share their stories.

Sundari Anitha, from the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Lincoln, spoke to women personally affected on a number of trips to Punjab, Delhi and Gujarat.

"The stigma is massive and it even has an impact on other people in the family. So a woman's sister will find it harder to get married. She will find it harder to get a job, she faces financial insecurity and she's seen as damaged goods - primarily because the assumption that she had sex," she said.

Pragna Patel, director of UK-based women's rights group Southall Black Sisters, also worked on the report. She said abandonment can be prosecuted under existing laws, but "few, if any, perpetrators face any consequences".

A UK Home Office spokesperson said: "This government will not tolerate abuse through marriage or other relationships. We will look carefully at any evidence of where further action might help to prevent abuse or support victims".
Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said that 70,000 people had been investigated after the coup and of them 32,000 remanded in custody. (Photo: AFP)

Istanbul: Turkish courts have placed 32,000 suspects under arrest ahead of trial on charges of links to a group run by US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen who is blamed for the July 15 coup, the justice minister said Wednesday.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told NTV television that 70,000 people had been investigated after the coup and of them 32,000 remanded in custody.

"This process is continuing," he said. The numbers of those arrested marks an increase of more than 10,000 from those previously given by the government.

Bozdag said that there could be new arrests, while some of those currently arrested could still be freed under judicial control or freed entirely.

Some two-and-a-half months after the coup attempt aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan led to a crackdown unprecedented in Turkey's modern history, there is still no indication as to when trials might start.

The trials of tens of thousands will be the biggest legal process in Turkey's history and are set to put the system under unprecedented pressure.

"It is not entirely clear how the trials will be carried out," Bozdag acknowledged.

He said trials would take place in cities across the country and not in one single venue.

Bozdag said there was no need to create a special trial venue in Istanbul as capacity was sufficient. But he said one was needed in Ankara and work is taking place for a trial venue at Sincan outside the capital.

"People are not going to be put on trial in just one place but trials will take place in all of Turkey," he said.

Turkey's Western allies have expressed concern over the magnitude of the crackdown, but Ankara has insisted that the rule of law is being observed.

Gulen, who has lived in self-exile in the United States since 1999, has denied that he was linked to the coup in any way.
India had written the letter after the FIA dropped charges against a suspect in the Mumbai attack case after failing to find any incriminating evidence. (Photo: AFP)

Islamabad: A Pakistani judicial commission has been ordered by an Anti-Terrorism court in Islamabad to visit Karachi to inspect a boat which was allegedly used by LeT terrorists in the 2008 Mumbai attack.

An ATC Judge on Tuesday heard the Mumbai attack case and accepted a request filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to inspect the boat 'Alfoz' in Karachi.

The FIA had requested the court to send a judicial commission to examine the boat as it was difficult to produce it before the court, In addition to examining the boat, the commission would also record the statement of a witness, Munir, during its visit to Karachi.

Earlier, ATC-II judge had allowed the FIA's application requesting the court to exhibit the boat as evidence as it was allegedly used for transporting the assailants to India and ultimately led to the attack in Mumbai.

The courts decision to inspect the boat in Karachi comes days after India wrote a letter to Pakistan, suggesting legal ways to expedite trial of the Mumbai terror attack case.

India had written the letter after the FIA dropped charges against a suspect in the Mumbai attack case after failing to find any incriminating evidence.

The FIA had submitted a chargesheet before the ATC and placed the suspect, Sufiyan Zafar, in the second column of the charge sheet, which means no evidence was found against him.

According to the prosecution, Zafar had reportedly provided financial assistance to the other suspects.

In the chargesheet, the FIA said that Zafar had transferred Rs 14,000 into a suspect's account. During the course of investigation, the investigators said it had emerged that Zafar had lent the money to the other suspects also without asking why they needed it.

LeT operations commander Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum are accused of abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attack that killed 166 people in November, 2008.

Lakhvi, believed to be the mastermind of the Mumbai attack, is living in undisclosed location after being released from jail on bail a year ago. The other six suspects are in Adiala Jail Rawalpindi. The case has been underway in the country for more than six years.
Diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan have been rising since the September 18 attack on an Army base in Jammu and Kashmirs Uri that killed 18 Indian soldiers. (Photo: AP)

New Delhi: After India decided to pull out of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Pakistan on Tuesday, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan have also followed suit.

According to reports, in its communication to the current SAARC chair, Nepal, Bangladesh said, "The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.

Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad."

Afghanistan has also conveyed to the SAARC Chair that President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani would not be able to attend the summit.

"Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan", President Ghani "with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the Summit", a communication by the country said.

Bhutan said while it is committed to the SAARC process and strengthening of regional cooperation, it is concerned over the "recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

"Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances."

India on Tuesday pulled out of SAARC summit to be held in Pakistan in November, saying that the current atmosphere was not conductive for holding a successful summit.

The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement, saying, "India has conveyed to current SAARC Chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Member States by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

"In the prevailing circumstances, the Government of India is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad", the statement said.

The 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit is scheduled to be held in Islamabad from November 9 to 10.

Diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan have been rising since the September 18 attack on an Army base in Jammu and Kashmirs Uri that killed 18 Indian soldiers.

India's stand on Tuesday came barely a week after Pakistan had snubbed India by sending junior officials to the SAARC meet which was held in Delhi earlier this month.
India has long accused Pakistan of backing militant groups operating in disputed Kashmir, as well as of sending fighters to other parts of the country to carry out acts of violence. (Representational Image)

Beijing: China on Wednesday called on Pakistan and India to solve their differences over Kashmir, as tensions mount between the nuclear-armed neighbours after an attack killed 18 Indian soldiers in the disputed Himalayan region.

India has long accused Pakistan of backing militant groups operating in disputed Kashmir, as well as of sending fighters to other parts of the country to carry out acts of violence.

China hopes that Pakistan and India will strengthen channels for dialogue, appropriately handle any differences, improve bilateral relations and together protect the regions peace and stability, a deputy foreign minister told Pakistans special envoys to China for Kashmir, according to the foreign ministry website.

The deputy minister, Liu Zhenmin, also told the envoys that China values Pakistans position on Kashmir.

China has long been a strong diplomatic, military and economic supporter of Pakistan, and the two call each other all-weather friends. Their ties have been underpinned by wariness of their common neighbour, India, with which China fought a brief but bloody border war in 1962.

Tensions between India and Pakistan rose on Tuesday as Indias leader cancelled a visit to a regional summit and Islamabad warned it would treat it as an act of war if India revoked a water treaty.
Islamabad: Pakistan has approached the World Bank amid reports that India could revoke the 56-year-old Indus Waters Treaty, with senior Pakistani officials taking up the matter with the international lender which had mediated the water-sharing deal.

A delegation of the Government of Pakistan led by the Attorney General for Pakistan, Ashtar Ausaf Ali, met with senior officials of the World Bank at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington DC, to discuss matters relating to Pakistan's recent Request for Arbitration given to India pursuant to Article IX of the Indus Waters Treaty, 1960, Geo News reported.

The report also said Pakistan approached the International Court of Justice, but did not provide any details.

On August 19, Pakistan had formally requested India for settlement of outstanding disputes pertaining to India's construction of Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants on rivers Neelum and Chenab respectively, by referring the matters to the Court of Arbitration as provided in Article IX of the Treaty.

Under the treaty, the World Bank has an important role in establishment of the Court of Arbitration by facilitating the process of appointment of three judges, called Umpires, to the Court, while each country appoints two arbitrators.

The Pakistani officials met with senior officials of the World Bank to insist on early appointment of the judges and empanelment the court, it said.

The Pakistani delegation consisted of Attorney General for Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf Ali; Secretary, Ministry of Water & Power, Muhammad Younus Dagha; Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters, Mirza Asif Baig and others, it said.

Pakistan's Ambassador to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani and World Bank's Executive Director for Pakistan Nasir Khosa were also present.

In the meeting with the Pakistani delegation, the World Bank committed itself to timely fulfilling its obligations under the treaty while remaining neutral, the report said.

Under the treaty, which was signed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan in September 1960, waters of six rivers - Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum were to be shared between the two countries.

The treaty provides specific design criteria for any hydro-electric power plants to be built by India. Pakistan has held the position the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants violate the design parameters of the treaty.

Earlier, Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs and Security, Sartaj Aziz said an attempt by India to block Pakistan's water could be seen as "an act of war." Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with officials to review provisions of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan.

In that meeting it was decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water-sharing pact.

The meeting came as India weighed its options to hit back at Pakistan in the aftermath of the Uri terror attack that left 18 soldiers dead, triggering demands that the government scrap the water-sharing deal to mount pressure on the country.
The lender announced in August it would soon release the last instalment, worth $102 million. (Representational Image)

Karachi: Pakistan is set to launch $500 million in Islamic bonds to raise money for its foreign exchange reserves, a senior official said Wednesday, as a three-year IMF bailout package nears a close.

The government has started looking at key markets for the "Sukuk" bonds -- a Sharia compliant instrument that offers profits instead of interest to its subscribers, a top official said.

"We have begun the roadshow in Dubai today and will go to London, Boston, and New York in the same leg," Pakistan's finance secretary Waqar Masood Khan said.

The announcement comes as a three-year, $6.6-billion-dollar bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) comes to an end.

The lender announced in August it would soon release the last instalment, worth $102 million.

Khan said the country needs to tap the global capital market to maintain its foreign exchange reserves, which currently stand at $22.69 billion, enough to cover import bills for five months.

"The purpose of the issuance of Sukuk bonds is to meet our growing future demand of the forex," he said.

"After the IMF package is over and amid falling exports, Pakistan needs to raise the funds from different sources," Rehan Ateeq, head of research at Shajar Capital added.

The move also comes as $1 billion worth of 10-year Eurobonds draws to a close.

"We expect with the maturity of IMF loan as well as the Eurobond, the government would come up with more such bonds soon," Ateeq said.

Pakistan has so far issued Eurobonds and Sukuk worth $4.05 billion. It expects its economy to grow at 5.5 percent in the the current fiscal year, compared to 4.7 percent growth in previous.
An elderly man walks past portraits of heads of South Asian Association for Region Cooperation (SAARC) countries displayed on a road side in Kathmandu. (Photo: AP)

Kathmandu: The next SAARC Summit, which was scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan in November, has been postponed after India pulled out of the event "in the prevailing circumstances", Nepalese media reported on Wednesday.

"The 19th SAARC Summit has been postponed after India yesterday announced its inability to take part in it "in the prevailing circumstances"," the Kathmandu Post reported.

Reports emanating from Nepalese media are significant as Nepal is the Chair of the eight-member grouping.

India has already communicated its decision to Nepal. The summit is automatically postponed or cancelled even if one member country skips the event.

Tensions between India and Pakistan are growing after militants stormed an Indian Army base in Uri on September 18, killing 18 soldiers.

Besides India, three other SAARC members - Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan - have pulled out of the summit, indirectly blaming Pakistan for "creating an environment which is not right for the successful holding" of the meet.

Founded in 1985, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) currently has Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as its members.
Islamabad: Unfazed by India and three other SAARC member nations deciding not to participate in the grouping's summit here, Pakistan on Wednesday said it will go ahead and host the event in November.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said Pakistan will host the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit in November, Radio Pakistan reported today.

Zakaria was quoted as saying that it was learnt from the Indian External Affairs Ministry's tweet that India is not going to participate in the SAARC Summit, a decision he called "unfortunate".

"While we have not received any official communication in this regard, the Indian announcement is unfortunate," he said.

The spokesperson also said Pakistan is committed to regional peace and will continue working for the broader interest of the people of the region, according to the report.

Separately, Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said India is making propaganda to foil the conference that was scheduled to be held in November, according to Pakistan Today newspaper.

Besides India, three other SAARC members - Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan - have pulled out of the summit, indirectly blaming Pakistan for creating an environment which is not right for the successful holding of the meet.

Meanwhile, Geo TV quoting official sources said Pakistan has been forced to postpone the summit due to India's refusal to participate in it.

The TV channel quoted Aziz as saying that SAARC secretariat has not yet informed officially about postponement of the conference.

He said chances are that SAARC Summit will be postponed, according to the report.

The foreign adviser added that whenever the conference takes place, it will be held in Pakistan.

Aziz said that it is not the first time India is not attending the regional summit and that it had earlier also caused the summit to be postponed four times.

He added that even if one of the member pulls out, the conference cannot go on as per schedule. The conference was previously scheduled for November 9 and 10.

There were also reports that Nepal, the current chair of the SAARC, is trying to move the conference out of Pakistan in an effort to salvage the summit.
Islamabad: In a fresh anti-India tirade, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has threatened to use nuclear weapons in case of war with India, saying his country has not made atomic device to display in a showcase.

"We will destroy India if it dares to impose war on us. Pakistan army is fully prepared to answer any misadventure of India," the defence minister told private TV channel SAMAA.

He was replying to a question about India's intention to carry out surgical strike in Pakistan.

"We have not made atomic device to display in a showcase. If a such a situation arises we will use it and eliminate India," Asif said the channel.

He said Pakistan Air Force is ready to give a befitting response to India if it violates Pakistan's airspace.

The Pakistani minister claimed that the "entire world knows now that India is not as serious about resolving the Kashmir dispute as Pakistan is".

He claimed India has not received support from anywhere despite launching a diatribe against Pakistan and added that China had, on the other hand, supported Pakistan's viewpoint.

Asif also alleged that the assault on an Indian army base in Uri that killed 18 soldiers was a 'plan devised by India itself'.

Maintaining that no proof implicating Pakistan in the Uri attack had surfaced yet, Asif told DawnNews that "it was evident the attack was a plan devised by India itself." He claimed that India "orchestrated Uri attack to divert the attention of the world from the Kashmir issue".

India has said it has evidence showing involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists in the Uri attack and demanded that Islamabad refrain from supporting and sponsoring terrorism directed against this country.

One of the four terrorists involved in the Uri attack has been identified as Hafiz from Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Commenting on a bill moved in the US Congress to label Pakistan as a terrorist state, he said that anti-Pakistan elements are present in each and every country but the impacts of their voices depend on the policies of these countries.

"Five or 10 voices raised against us are not enough evidence to declare Pakistan a terrorist state," he said.

Meanwhile, military spokesman Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa has said Pakistan's eastern borders are under close monitoring of the security forces who are ready to respond to any aggression.

He urged people to be vigilant and keep an eye on any suspected movement in the border areas.
Earlier, Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs and Security, Sartaj Aziz said an attempt by India to block Pakistan's water could be seen as an act of war. (Photo: AFP)

Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday claimed the World Bank has "committed" itself to "timely fulfilling its obligations" under the Indus Water Treaty while remaining neutral as Islamabad approached the international lender amid reports that India may revoke the 56-year-old deal.

A Pakistani delegation led by the Attorney General for Pakistan, Ashtar Ausaf Ali, met with senior officials of the World Bank at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, to discuss matters relating to the Indus Waters Treaty that was brokered by the World Bank.

They discussed "the formation of Court of arbitration for resolving the matter of water disputes especially those related to construction of hydropower projects", Pakistan's Ministry of Water and Power said in a statement.

"The World Bank will be deciding the issue in the next few days," it added.

"In the meeting with the Pakistani delegation, the World Bank committed itself to timely fulfilling its obligations under the treaty while remaining neutral," said a statement issued by the Pakistani Embassy in Washington.

Under the treaty, which was signed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan in September 1960 and brokered by the World Bank, waters of six rivers - Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum - were to be shared between the two countries.

Its Article IX deals with arbitration of disputes between the parties concerning the interpretation or application of the treaty or the existence of any fact which, if established, might constitute a breach of the treaty. The treaty provides specific design criteria for any hydro-electric power plants to be built by India.

On 19 August, Pakistan had formally requested India for settlement of outstanding disputes pertaining to India's construction of Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants on rivers Neelum and Chenab respectively, by referring the matters to the Court of Arbitration as provided in Article IX of the Treaty.

Under the treaty, the World Bank has an important role in establishment of the Court of Arbitration by facilitating the process of appointment of three judges, called Umpires, to the Court, while each country appoints two arbitrators.

The Pakistani officials met with senior officials of the World Bank to insist on early appointment of the judges and empanelment the court, it said.

Pakistan's Ambassador to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani and World Bank's Executive Director for Pakistan Nasir Khosa also participated in the talks.

The World Bank was represented by Senior Vice President Anne-Marie LeRoy; Vice President for South Asia Annette Dixon; Deputy General Counsel for Operations Alberto Ninio; Chief Counsel for South Asia Melinda Good; and Senior Counsel for International Waterways Victor Mosoti.

Earlier, Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs and Security, Sartaj Aziz said an attempt by India to block Pakistan's water could be seen as "an act of war."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with officials to review provisions of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan. In that meeting it was decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water-sharing pact.

The meeting came as India weighed its options to hit back at Pakistan in the aftermath of the Uri terror attack that left 18 soldiers dead, triggering demands that the government scrap the water-sharing deal to mount pressure on the country.
Tourists will be able to visit the bridge by swiping their ID cards on machines at the entrance, after booking tickets via the official website. (Photo: AFP)

Beijing: The world's longest and highest glass bridge will reopen in China on Friday, over a month after it was closed temporarily for safety modifications following a huge influx of tourists.

The bridge over the spectacular Grand Canyon Scenic Area in Zhangjiajie, a UNESCO world heritage site, was temporarily closed at the beginning of September, following a huge influx of tourists after its initial opening on August 20.

The bridge management committee said, after the reopening on Friday, tourists will be able to visit the bridge by swiping their ID cards on machines at the entrance, after booking tickets via the official website.

The bridge was closed for safety modifications due to the need for an internal system upgrade, as more than 10,000 people were visiting the site every day, exceeding the planned daily limit of 8,000.

During the revamp, the management committee installed an intelligent monitoring system to help control the population flow at the entrance and exit, and also prepared a free shuttle bus service to take visitors to the area.

The 430-meter long, 6-meter wide bridge is paved with 99 panes of three-layer transparent glass and hangs between two steep cliffs 300 meters above the ground.

The bridge set 10 world records for its design and construction, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

A ticket for the bridge costs 138 yuan (USD 21). No personal belongings are allowed on the bridge except wallets and mobile phones. Visitors are not allowed to wear high heels and must cross the bridge without the aid of the railings.
Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has to make a tough decision in the coming weeks about who should run Pakistans military, one that will have a major influence on the countrys often strained relationships with the United States and India.

With Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif saying he will step down when his tenure ends in November, the Prime Minister decides who gets it.

Overshadowing the process has been speculation in the media and by some government officials that the General may seek to hold on to some or all of his powers even after his term is finished.

The General is immensely popular among ordinary Pakistanis, who see him as a bulwark against crime, corruption and militant violence.

The premier's favourite, the aides said, was Lieutenant General Javed Iqbal Ramday, commander of XXXI Corps who led a 2009 operation to drive the Pakistani Taliban militant movement from Swat Valley.




Nathan Desai, the 46-year-old shooter who previously worked at McDaniel & Desai LLP, was wearing a vintage military uniform and had Nazi emblems on him.





Acting Houston Police Chief Martha Montalvo told reporters yesterday that police did not yet know exactly what caused Desai, described as a lawyer struggling to keep his small law practice alive, to do what he did.





"At this point we are very open-minded in terms of motive," Montalvo said, adding the department was working with the FBI to find answers.





Desai used a .45-caliber handgun during the assault and police later found 2,600 rounds of ammunition and a Thompson submachine gun in his car, a black convertible Porsche parked near where he was killed.





Desai lived in a condominium complex near the scene of the shooting at Weslayan and Law streets.





A search of his home turned up additional weapons and several pieces of military regalia and other items going back to the Civil War. The .45-caliber handgun was bought in 2011. The Thompson submachine gun was purchased in 2009, the Houston Chronicle reported, citing police.





Photographs of Desai's body show he apparently wearing military-style spats strapped over his boots. He was lying face up. His dark shirt was over his face.Police said Nazi emblems were found in his clothing.





"We did find some old Nazi emblems about some of his personal effects, and I understand there were some in where he lived," the paper quoted Houston Police Capt. Dwayne Ready as saying.





"To what extent that played...I don't know, because there was also other, what I would refer to as historic or vintage military stuff in the apartment, going back to the Civil War."





According to local media, Desai's father said his son was upset over the failure of his law firm and the business closed due to a lack of clients. He confirmed his son owned multiple guns and said he had a license to carry.





He said Desai drove a black Porsche, the same type of car police were examining in the shopping centre parking lot. That car's license plate showed it was registered to Desai.





Desai held a bachelor's in psychology from the University of Houston and a law degree from the University of Tulsa, where he graduated in 1998, according to the Texas State Bar Association.





He specialised in criminal, business and family law, according to the bar association. Houston Police said officers had never previously encountered Desai.





Yesterday's shooting came days after a shooting at a Washington state mall left five people dead. On September 17, a 20-year-old man stabbed 10 people at a Minnesota mall before being shot to death by an off-duty police officer.

An Indian-origin lawyer in military style clothing emblazoned with a swastika went on an early morning shooting rampage injuring nine persons in Houston on Monday, before he was killed by police.
Apart from India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan have also pulled out of the SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November, indirectly blaming Pakistan for creating an environment which is not right for the successful holding of the meet, resulting in its collapse.



Amidst heightened tension with Pakistan over Uri terror attack in which 18 jawans were killed, India had announced its decision of pulling out of the Summit late last night citing increased "cross-border" attacks.



While Bangladesh has categorically said that "the growing interference" in its internal affairs by one country has "created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the SAARC Summit", Afghanistan pulled out citing "terrorism in the region" for its abstention.



"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," it said.



Afghanistan has also conveyed to SAARC Chair Nepal that President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani would not be able to attend the Summit, sources said.



"Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan", President Ghani "with his responsibilities as the Commander-in-Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the Summit", a communication by the country said.



Bhutan said while it is committed to the SAARC process and strengthening of regional cooperation, it is concerned over the "recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."



"Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances."



The decision by India and three countries of the eight- member grouping not to attend the summit would lead to its collapse since as per the SAARC charter the Summit can not be held even in the absence of one head of the government.



The Uri attack has triggered a strong response from India which has reviewed the 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty (IWT), and decided to reconsider the MFN status granted by it, unilaterally, to Pakistan.



The Foreign Secretary had also issued a demarche yesterday to Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit over the attack while confronting him with the proof of "cross-border origins" of the terror strike.


A day after a government school teacher was killed by two students, hundreds of teachers gathered outside the school in West Delhi and protested against the killing, leading to traffic jam.





One of the two boys has been arrested, while other, a juvenile has been detained by the police. Summative Assessment exams at various schools were stopped as teachers gathered in large numbers to protest against the incident and demand better security for them in schools.



Mukesh Kumar, a Hindi teacher at Government Boys Senior Secondary School in Nangloi, was stabbed by two class 12 boys after an argument broke out between them. One of them was rusticated over low attendance by the school authorities.



The boys had been rusticated for low attendance but managed to enter the school and stabbed the teacher when he came out of the classroom. They were regular miscreants and we had even reached out to their parents about their behaviour. Kumar was their class teacher and used to take steps to correct them, said a teacher from the school.



Kumar was taken to Balaji Action Hospital, Paschim Vihar, by the vice principal of the school where he succumbed to his injuries on Monday night.



The demands of the protesting teachers included a compensation of Rs 2 crore for Kumars family and deployment of bouncers and beat constables of Delhi Police for ensuring teachers security of teachers.



If they can have bouncers in hospitals and other places, why not in government schools? The security guards alone are not enough to handle such cases, said C P Singh, President, Government School Teachers Association (GSTA).



The teachers blocked roads near to the school which caused traffic jams in the area and nearby areas such as Peeragarhi, Mundka, etc. This caused inconvenience to commuters and that traffic was diverted to other roads, a traffic police said.



Towards the evening, around 10-12 teachers were detained for protesting and were later let off. Teachers said they will continue their protest on Wednesday and all school shifts will be cancelled. In the evening, the Directorate of Education (DoE), held a meeting with the school authorities. The details of the meeting are however, not known.



Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, announced that the Cabinet has approved Rs one crore compensation for the family of the victim.



The government has also ordered a magistarial enquiry into the murder upon allegations that there was lapse on the part of the school authorities and the hospital.



This is a very tragic episode and the government views it very seriously. I appeal to parents to talk to their children and make them understand that teachers are well-intentioned. It is important for the government as well as parents to restore the morale of the teachers who are shaken after this incident. Their safety concerns need to be addressed by all, he said.
In order to take a hard line policy against Pakistan after the Uri attack, Delhi Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra has initiated a public petition on Tuesday and addressed it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where he asks PM to declare Pakistan as a state that sponsors terrorism.





Mishra has asked public to demand three things from the PM  declaration of Pakistan as a sponsor of terrorism, imposition of economic sanctions on Pakistan and immediate removal of the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status that India has currently given to Pakistan.



He will also ask PM in this petition to summon a special session of Parliament where he can declare Pakistan as state that sponsors terrorism. Apart from speeches what action has the government taken to show Pakistan that we are serious about combating terrorism, said Mishra.



This petition, signed by citizens across India will be sent to the PM. The petition will make the PM understand the mood of the nation, according to him and implore Modi to act tough on Pakistan.



Talking about Modis policy of making good speeches, he said that they are good only for making headlines and WhatsApp forwards.



He said that India does not want war. But it is important that Pakistan knows the consequences of attacking India. If that doesnt happen, attacks like Uri will become the norm, he said.



He said that no Indian industrialists should invest or trade with Pakistan and the ones who are currently investing should be stopped.



Pakistan is still recognised as a MFN by India. We need to withdraw the status. We cannot give any favours to those who attack India's sovereignty as part of their foreign policy, he said.
In a first of its kind campaign, teenage girls would be manning the traffic in the national capital on the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child.





The Delhi Traffic Police was approached by an NGO last week, with a proposal to allow girls, between the age of 16-18 years, to take over the traffic management in some parts of the city with a view to empower them.



The exercise will be held on October 11, which besides being the International Day of the Girl Child, is also the occasion of Dussehra. An initiative of NGO Plan India, which has been working on the rights of girls and women and promoting gender equality, the idea behind the programme is to empower the girls to take over such roles and learn from these experiences.

Around 100 girls would be involved in the exercise of creating traffic awareness which will extend to high-profile areas like Connaught Place and Mandi House. They will be assisted by traffic police personnel, most of them women.



Girls have different roles in lives which might or might not be associated with power. So we want to give them a chance to take over the role and learn from the experience, said an official of Plan India.



Rehearsal session



The Delhi Traffic Police will be conducting a rehearsal session with the girls a day before the event.



We will be giving them a one day training on October 10 and explain them the traffic rules and how to spread traffic awareness. It is a good initiative and we are supporting the spirit in which they are organising this, said Garima Bhatnagar, Joint CP, Traffic Police.



Not only traffic, these girls will be taking over important roles even in corporate houses, media publications, police department, radio stations, etc, across on the country for a day.



Since not all activities can be done on October 11, some of these are planned on October 10, as a build up to the International Girls Day, the Plan official said.
The South Delhi Municipal Corporation has hired contractual employees from a private company to maintain its parks including those handed over to it by the Delhi Development Authority.





In June, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) handed over around 300 parks which are spread across up to 2 acre land to the South Corporation, said an official with the horticulture department of the civic agency.



Anticipating the shortage of staff for maintaining its parks, the South Corporation had issued a tender for engaging employees for the maintenance of its parks.We have hired over 800 employees of a private company, BVG, for maintaining our parks, an official told Deccan Herald.



Of these 500 employees have been carrying out maintenance work in the parks under the limits of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation since December, he added.



After getting the additional parks, the South Corporation engaged the rest over 300 employees to maintain them.



We have a sanctioned strength of over 3,200 employees. We also have a public-private-partnership programme where Residents Welfare Associations (RWAs) can take up the maintenance work at parks, the official said.



We pay the RWAs Rs 8,000 per employee per acre a month. We provide them with plants, manure, water and electricity, he added.



RWAs complain



But some of the RWAs have been complaining that they have not been paid in time.



We have received a complaint from a Resident Welfare Association from South Zone. We are looking into the matter and the concerned RWA will be paid the due amount soon, said the official.



The official said that the South Delhi Municipal Corporation will set up gyms and rides at the parks handed over to it by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).



The East Delhi Municipal Corporation was supposed to get 80 parks from the DDA, of which they have taken over 23 such parks.



We are in process to take over the rest 57 parks from the DDA, said an official with the East Corporation.
The Delhi government wants the committee set up by up by Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung to scrutinize 400 files to defer work till the Supreme Court decides on the powers of the Raj Niwas in administrative work in the Union Territory.





In a public appeal to the three-member committee, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the scrutiny by the committees has brought the government work to a halt.



Since the final decision on the LGs power to constitute such a committee is pending before the Supreme Court, we appeal its members to defer their work, said Sisodia, adding that even officials were being summoned by the panel without the knowledge of ministers.



The committee comprises CAG V K Shunglu, former Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami and ex-Chief Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar. The members of panel are eminent persons, we request them not to scrutinise files till the Supreme Court rules in the matter, he said.



LG doesnt have power



The Deputy Chief Minister said that the Delhi Cabinet was of the view that Jung doesnt have any power to constitute such a panel to examine files of Delhi government.



The AAP government had approached the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court order of August 4 and the apex court listed the matter for final hearing on November 15.



The LG constituted the committee on August 30 to review around 400 files submitted by the AAP government for infirmities and irregularities and fix responsibility of officials for suspected lapses.



The files were submitted to Raj Niwas following the August 4 Delhi High Court order dismissing the AAP government challenge to the LGs superiority in administrative decisions in the Union Territory.



On preliminary scrutiny of these files, it is found that over the last one-and-a-half years several decisions taken are in violation of Acts/Rules with attendant legal and financial implications.



Forward action



It has become necessary to examine them in depth and suggest forward action. Therefore, the Committee has been constituted, the LGs office said in a statement.



Apart from determining if decisions taken by the AAP government without the approval of the LG are illegal, the Committee will examine the role played by the public functionaries/officers of the GNCT of Delhi and of any other individual related with these violations and fix responsibility.



The Committees mandate includes determining whether the decisions taken in these files and the processes adopted were in violation of the Acts/Rules and the constitutional scheme for governance of Government National Capital Territory of Delhi.



It will also determine, within six weeks, whether such violations were wrong, illegal and deliberate acts of omissions/ commissions, said a Raj Niwas statement.
Bangladesh today said "repeated interference" in its internal affairs by "a SAARC member country" prompted it to pull out of the grouping's summit in Islamabad, a day after India decided not to participate in the event amid heightened tensions with Pakistan.





"Bangladesh decided not to take part in the (SAARC) summit because of repeated interference of a member state in its internal affairs," state minister Shahriar Alam told a media briefing at his office in an oblique reference to Pakistan.



Alam said Dhaka has already conveyed its decision to the eight-member South Asian grouping's current chair  Nepal - and "we will take part in the SAARC summit in future if conducive atmosphere is restored".



He added: "But being a founder member of SAARC, Bangladesh is committed to the spirit of the forum and its activities to promote connectivity and regional cooperation."



Asked if India's decision to pull out of the summit influenced Dhaka to stay away from it, Alam said "it was entirely our own decision".



The minister did not directly name Pakistan though Dhaka-Islamabad ties have witnessed strains in recent months over trial and executions of some Bangladeshi perpetrators of 1971 war crimes for carrying out atrocities during the Liberation War siding with Pakistani troops.



Asked if Bangladesh would sever ties with Pakistan, he said "time will say what will happen" but "we will never compromise with issues involving Bangabandhu ((Bangladesh's Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman), 1971 war criminals trial and our independence and sovereignty".



"We will take the decision (regarding Dhaka-Islamabad ties) in view of the extent of their activities," he said.



The development came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided not to attend the SAARC Summit, which was scheduled to take place in November, due to "the prevailing circumstances".



Besides India and Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan have also decided not to participate in the summit
The next SAARC Summit, which was scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan in November, has been postponed after India pulled out of the event "in the prevailing circumstances", Nepalese media reported today.





"The 19th SAARC Summit has been postponed after India yesterday announced its inability to take part in it "in the prevailing circumstances"," the Kathmandu Post reported.



Reports emanating from Nepalese media are significant as Nepal is the Chair of the eight-member grouping.



India has already communicated its decision to Nepal. The summit is automatically postponed or cancelled even if one member country skips the event.



Tensions between India and Pakistan are growing after militants stormed an Indian Army base in Uri on September 18, killing 18 soldiers.



Besides India, three other SAARC members - Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan - have pulled out of the summit, indirectly blaming Pakistan for "creating an environment which is not right for the successful holding" of the meet.



Founded in 1985, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) currently has Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as its members.


The father of Ahmed Mohamed, the teenager arrested in the US last year when he brought a homemade clock to school, has filed a defamation suit against media outlets and commentators for fanning Islamophobia.





Mohamed Mohamed filed the lawsuit against multiple media outlets and conservative political commentators, including TV host Glenn Beck and his television network, TheBlaze. He also sued FOX Television Stations and Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne.



Mohamed sued on behalf of himself and his 14-year-old son, arguing that commentators and media outlets were responsible for libelous statements after his son's arrest in 2015, The Dallas Morning News reported.



"The Mohamed family are peaceful Muslims who have been falsely accused of being terrorists and engaging in a jihad," the suit states.



"The correction must also be made that the arrest and suspension of Ahmed Mohamed was not a stunt and it was not pre-planned, staged or engineered by anyone, including (his father)," it said.



The lawsuit comes a month after the Mohamed family announced a federal lawsuit against Texas' city of Irving and its school district, alleging that the boy's rights were violated after Irving police mistook his homemade clock for a bomb.



The boy had met President Barack Obama in last October.

Mohamed Mohamed took issue with comments Beck made during a show that aired on TheBlaze. The suit says the host offered the theory that the clock bomb story was part of a larger conspiracy, possibly to "turn Texas blue" politically.



Jim Hanson of the Center for Security Policy, who was also sued, agreed with him, according to the suit. "I don't think there's any question that this latest event was a PR stunt," he said, adding that Ahmed Mohamed may have been a "pawn" of his father.



The suit also accuses political commentators Ben Shapiro and Ben Ferguson of making similar libelous statements on FOX channels.



"The public has been misled into believing that the Mohameds are terrorists who plotted to have the Irving police wrongfully arrest a teenage boy for bringing an alarm clock to school. These broadcasts irresponsibly fan the flames of fear and anger toward Muslims and immigrants," the lawsuit added.
India today said the SAARC Summit in Islamabad has to be postponed as it and three other countries have pulled out of the meet. However, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said a formal announcement to this effect will be made by Nepal, the current Chair of the SAARC.



The current rule is that if any one head of State or Government decides not to participate in the SAARC Summit, it has to be postponed. All eight Heads of SAARC countries must be present for the Summit, Swarup said, adding if any one country decides not to participate, the Summit has to be postponed.



"In the current case, not just India but Bangladesh Bhutan and Afghanistan have also written to current Chair of SAARC, Nepal that they are unable to participate in the SAARC Summit, which means there is no option but to postpone it," the Spokesperson said.



The countries have pulled out of the SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November, indirectly blaming Pakistan for creating an environment which is not right for the successful holding of the meet.



In the backdrop of the heightened tension with Pakistan over Uri terror attack in which 18 jawans were killed, India had announced late last night its decision to not participate in Summit, citing increased "cross-border" attacks.




As per the WTO rules, India can roll back the MFN status from Pakistan. This meeting comes after the Prime Minister chaired a review meeting of 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty during which it was decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water sharing pact.



India's main exports to Pakistan include sugar, cotton, man-made filaments, chemicals, carpets, furniture fresh fruits and vegetables while its imports comprise mineral fuels, precious stones, wooden handicrafts among others. Among others, officials from commerce and External Affairs ministries are expected to attend the meeting, which was convened by the Prime Minister.



In the backdrop of Uri attack, India will tomorrow take a relook at the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status granted to Pakistan including options like withdrawing it or filing a case in WTO against them. The decision to review the MFN by Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes in the wake of the Uri attack over which India is weighing options to respond.The meeting, according to sources, may deliberate upon the option of dragging Pakistan in the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism for not according similar status to India. India granted the MFN status to Pakistan in 1996 but Pakistan is yet to reciprocate to that. The neighbouring country has missed its own deadline of December 2012 for this.Under MFN, a WTO member country is obliged to treat other trading nation in a non-discriminatory manner, especially with regard to customs duty and other levies. According to experts, withdrawal of the MFN status by India is likely to hurt Pakistani industries as it might stop flow of raw materials at competitive prices. In 2015-16, India's exports to Pakistan stood at USD 2.17 billion, while imports were USD 441 million.
The government has given indications of some elements of its strategy to put diplomatic and other kinds of pressure on Pakistan in response to the terrorist attack in Uri. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that India would give a suitable reply to Pakistan, and a punitive and deterrent strategy should be part of that. The government has announced that India would not participate in the proposed Saarc summit in Islamabad in November and that it would review the granting of the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to Pakistan. India has also initiated a move to review the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) of 1960 between the countries, which apportions the waters of the Indus and its tributaries between the two countries. The prime minister has said that blood and water cannot flow together. While India has the right to respond effectively to Pakistans hostile actions, the merit of every measure and its consequences should be studied before going ahead with it.



The decision to boycott the Saarc summit is a diplomatic measure which will show Indias disapproval of Pakistans policies towards India. The bilateral relations are so vitiated now that a summit cannot be held in the right environment. Indias decision has been endorsed by Bhutan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan too, and they will also keep away from the summit. It will send a message to the international community about how strongly other countries in the region feel about Pakistans

conduct. If India revokes the MFN status which was unilaterally granted to Pakistan, that will be another sign of displeasure. But it will not have any significant impact on Pakistan, as there is little direct trade between the two countries.



But it will be wrong and unwise to use water as a weapon by suspending the Indus Water Commission formed under the treaty or otherwise unilaterally tinkering with the treaty. The IWT is an international treaty worked out under the auspices of the World Bank. It has held through three wars and worse bilateral situations between the two countries. It will bring international opprobrium and affect Indias standing if it violated the treaty in any way. The grievances of the treaty participants should be settled within the framework provided by it. If the plan is to use Indias underutilised share of water, it will take a long time to create the infrastructure and facilities for that. It will also be wrong to punish the people of Pakistan, who depend on the water, for the policies of its government. Tensions over water can easily escalate to major confrontations with unpredictable conseque-nces. India should not take any rash decision on the IWT.






Janata Dal (S) president and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda on Wednesday said the Supreme Court should have ascertained the water level in the reservoirs in the Cauvery basin and delta before directing Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu.





Addressing the media in Bengaluru, he said it is best for the court to give a ruling only after sending a team to assess the water level in dams in both the states. He said the court had failed to do this even when it passed an order on September 20. If a commoner can think along these lines, why cant the court? he wondered.



He said Karnataka too had a threshold level, and if it were to be pushed to the wall, then it would surely retaliate. Taking a dig at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, he said that she was extremely adamant that Karnataka release water to her state. She had thanked the court from her hospital bed itself, he pointed out.



Gowda said that when the court could accept the argument that Tamil Nadu had endured crop loss, then why couldnt it accept Karnatakas argument that there is no water for drinking, he said. Is it possible to revive crops in three days? he sought to know.



To a question, Gowda said he would not attend the meeting convened by the Centre on September 29 in New Delhi to discuss the Cauvery issue as he had not been invited. He said the state legislature had not shown any disrespect to the court by passing a resolution not to release water for any other purpose than drinking.




The Centre is likely to take a call on sending an expert team to study the ground reality in the Cauvery basin states when Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti chairs a meeting of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu representatives on Thursday here as directed by the Supreme Court.





A decision is also likely to be taken for installing an inflow measurement system in all the Cauvery basin reservoirs, a source told DH.



Karnataka will be represented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Water Resources Minister M B Patil and Chief Secretary Arvind Jadhav. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has nominated Public Works Minister Edappadi S Palanisamy to attend the meeting.



Jayalalithaa, is undergoing treatment for fever and dehydration at a Chennai hospital.

In the meeting, Water Resources Secretary Shashi Shekhar and officials from the Central Water Commission will make presentation about the current storage of water and requirement of water for both drinking purposes as well as irrigation in Cauvery basin states.



A day head of the meeting, Union Ministers from Karnataka, Ananth Kumar, D V Sadananda Gowda, Ramesh Jigajinagi and BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa met Uma Bharti and requested her to send an expert committee to all Cauvery basin states and take a decision on the issue.
The opposition DMK in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should solve the Cauvery issue at the proposed meeting of chief ministers of both the states.





Instead of Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti, who is backing Karnataka in the Cauvery issue, Modi should chair the meeting and solve the issue, DMK president M Karunanidhi said.



Claiming that Bharti had come out openly in support of Karnataka over the release of Cauvery water recently, Karunanidhi said if she (Bharti) chairs the meeting, doubts will arise about the outcome of the deliberations.



Noting that delta farmers in Tamil Nadu require Cauvery water for irrigation till January 28 for the samba crop, Karunanidhi said the present storage in Mettur dam would fulfil the requirement only till November 5.



If Karnataka refuses to release water from the Cauvery, the cultivation of samba crops will be severely affected, he said, adding it will lead to huge loss to the farmers of the delta region.



The DMK chief said that the Centre should ensure that Karnataka obeys the Supreme Court order in releasing Cauvery water. It (Karnataka) should follow the orders and Centre should take steps to ensure that.


Actor-politician M H Ambareesh on Wednesday apologised to people of the state, especially those of Mandya, for not joining them in their agitation on the Cauvery issue.





I am deeply pained for not being able to join the Cauvery agitation. I was away in America to take part in a Kannada conference. It is not true that I was having fun in America...I have immense love for people of Mandya, but I cant show it (love) the way Hanuman did to the lord Rama by opening his chest, he told reporters at his J P Nagar residence here after his return from nearly a month-long foreign trip.



The rebel star had gone to America to take part in 9th Association of Kannada Kootas of America (Akka) world conference at New Jersey. The conference was from September 2 to 4. However, he did not explain what he did after the Akka conference was over.



Agitating farmers of Mandya on Tuesday had announced that they would not allow screening of the Kannada movie Dodmane Huduga starring Puneet Rajkumar in which Ambareesh has played a role. The movie is scheduled to be released on September 30.



Ambareesh, who is also the Congress MLA from Mandya Assembly constituency, had come under severe criticism for not joining the Cauvery agitation. The Congress leader had been sulking ever since he was dropped from the Cabinet.



Meanwhile, Ambareesh congratulated Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for not releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu as per the September 20 order of the Supreme Court and, said the Centre should intervene to resolve the issue. We always give away a major portion of the Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. We are generous enough to do so. But this year we dont have water. It (Tamil Nadu) is asking for something that is non-existent, he stated.



While saying that he will visit Mandya after September 30, Ambareesh said he has not been drawing salary from the government ever since he

resigned as minister.


Leaders of all the political parties on Wednesday advised the state government to adhere to the resolution passed in the state legislature on September 23 that the available water in Cauvery basin dams be used only for drinking purpose.





Participating in an all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on the Cauvery issue at the Vidhana Soudha, the leaders also suggested that the government should take an appropriate decision based on the outcome of a meeting convened by the Centre on the issue in Delhi on Thursday.



The meeting was convened to elicit opinion of all the parties on the Supreme Court order to release 6,000 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for three days from Wednesday.



Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar (BJP) told reporters that his party suggested that the government not go against the resolution. It is the duty of the government to uphold the dignity of the legislature.



The available water is hardly enough for drinking till May next. Hence, the question of releasing water to Tamil Nadu does not arise, he added.



JD(S) legislator and spokesperson Y S V Datta said the state will be displaying its weakness if it changes the stand and releases water. Now, the question is not only of releasing water, but also maintaining the dignity of the legislature. It also involves sentiment of the people. The government should, therefore, not take any hasty decision, he added.



Both the Opposition parties suggested that the government wait for the outcome of the meeting convened by Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti in Delhi on Thursday.



Union Ministers D V Sadananda Gowda, Ananth Kumar and Ramesh Jigajinagi, MPs from the state, including Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa participated in the meeting. Advocate General Madhusudan Naik too was present.



Yeddyurappa said that a delegation of BJP MPs from Karnataka will go to Delhi and hold a meeting with Uma Bharti on the issue. The delegation will apprise her of the factual situation in the Cauvery basin ahead of the crucial meeting on Thursday.





DVS loses cool

Union Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation D V Sadananda Gowda took serious exception to Karnataka Water Resources Minister M B Patils comments on the Centres role in the Cauvery issue. At the all-party meeting, Patil said that the Centre should intervene at least now and protect the interest of the state.



Gowda objected to it and accused Patil of indulging in politics. Ananth Kumar, Nirmala Sitharaman and me have been making efforts to protect the states interests. It is not proper on your part to speak without updating yourself. It is not proper to politicise the issue, Gowda stated. When Patil tried to clarify his point, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah intervened and pacified the two.



At the meeting, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy is learnt to have criticised Advocate General Madhusudan Naik for suggesting the government to release water as per the court order. Stop giving such suggestions. We are facing this problem because of such suggestions. We need to protect peoples interest at any cost.




In the note purportedly written by Bansal, it is claimed that his wife and daughter, before committing suicide, had talked with neighbours and friends about the torture meted out to them by two women constables  Rekha Sangwan and Amrita Kaur. DIG Sanjeev Gautam had called the officers in front of Bansal and asked them to harass his family, according to the note. Bansal also claimed that his wife was slapped by the women constables.



Bansal alleged that the women officers slapped his wife even as the DIG abused her over phone and threatened to torture Bansal who was in CBI custody. Even if I was at fault in the case, why were my wife and daughter pushed to suicide by CBI officials? This is not suicide. It is a murder of two women, he said, adding that the CBI officials should be subjected to lie detector test.



Yogesh, who claimed that he was unofficially subjected to mental and physical torture, has identified one more officer in addition to four officers already named by his father. My mother and my sister were against suicide but they were tortured to such an extent that they took the step, he said.

A deputy inspector general, a fat havildar and two women constables in the CBI are reason for our suicide, B K Bansal, a senior official who killed himself, claimed in his suicide note.B K Bansal, a former director general in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs who committed suicide along with his son Yogesh on Tuesday, two months after his wife and daughter took their own lives, also accused DIG Sanjeev Gautam of bragging about his connections with BJP leader Amit Shah and that no one could do anything to him.His wife Satyabala and daughter Neha had committed suicide in their apartment in East Delhi on July 19, three days after the CBI arrested Bansal on charges of accepting bribe from a prominent pharma company. There are two suicide notes  a seven-page note written by Bansal and a two-page note by Yogesh  in which both accused the CBI officers of harassing Satyabala and Neha using filthy language.The CBI ordered a probe into their allegations after receiving the note from the Delhi Police. It said the agency was fully committed to conducting investigation in a fair and professional manner without harassment to anyone and strictly within the parameters of law.If any violation is established during the probe, strict action will be taken against the CBI officials concerned. The competent court will be informed, a CBI statement said.
With better facilities and expertise in heart care, compared to many other states, Karnataka has emerged the prefered destination for cardiac patients from various parts of the country.





Though hospitals in Bengaluru and Mysuru see a good number of patients from across the country, at least seven out of 10 among them are from West Bengal.

Lack of infrastructure and high cost of treatment in West Bengal are what draw them to Bengaluru for treatment, say Bengaluru-based cardiologists.



Dr C N Manjunath, director, Jayadeva Institute of Cardio Vascular Sciences and Research said that 15% of the cases that they see at the hospital are outstation patients and over half of them are from West Bengal.



Bengaluru hospitals offer quality care. We see a good number of pediatric cases with cardiac ailments. There are very few paediatric cardiologists in the country. It is a challenge to operate upon children below one year. In Bengaluru, there are several hospitals which offer this expertise. Hence the numbers, he explained.



Besides West Bengal, Jayadeva Institute sees a good number of patients from Odisha, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh. Patients from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Middle East nations, Vietnam and Indonesia also come to the hospital in good numbers.

Dr Manjunath said that with a high inflow of patients to Bengalurus hospitals, the city also has turned into an ideal ground for professionals and researchers. There are several medical professionals who hit the city to learn as the number of cases that are attended to are high here, he added.



According to Dr Deepesh Venkataramana, consultant cardiologist, BGS Global Hospitals, patients that he attended to from West Bengal had told him that they prefered Karnataka as there are better facilities and expertise here. Seven to eight outstation patients of 10 are from West Bengal. They lack facilities back home. Moreover, they tell us that the post-operative care is much better in Bengaluru, added Dr Venkataramana.



He said that even patients from the areas bordering Karnataka choose Bengaluru instead of travelling to hospitals in their own state. They too tell us that doctors and hospital staff here are more prompt, he stated.



Dr Devananda N S, Head of Department, Cardiology said that 20% out-patient cases in Manipal Hospital are from West Bengal. Patients tell us that quackery is rampant there. Patients do not even rely on the ECG that is done there and request us to do it again, he said.


Karnatakas contribution to the field of cardiology is commendable. Three leading cardiologists in the country who are all Padma Shri awardees are from Bengaluru.



Dr C N Manjunath, director, Jayadeva Institute of Cardiac Sciences, Dr Devi Prasad Shetty, Chairman and Senior Consultant Cardiac Surgeon, Narayana Group of Hospitals and Dr B Ramana Rao who runs a clinic at T Begur are all recipients of several awards including Padma Shri.



Dr Rao says he has treated at least 1.9 million patients free of cost. Come Sunday and his clinic is flooded with patients. Located at T Begur, 35 km from Bengaluru, he runs a centre where 800-1,000 patients are treated free of cost every Sunday.



Medicines, injections, nebulisation and even food are provided free of cost.

Prominent among the awards he has received are the Padma Shri in 2010, Dr Abdul Kalam National Award and the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award. Blessed are we to have several cardiologists here. Karnataka should have more cardiac care centres in the periphery to ensure that none are denied treatment. Dr Rao says.



Jayadeva Institute of Cardio Vascular Sciences is where most poor patients go for treatment. Under Dr Manjunaths leadership, over four lakh outpatients were attended to in the last few years. The hospital also holds a record for conducting the highest number of cathlab procedures, mitral valvuloplasties, angioplasties and echo cardiograms. Giving importance to new technologies is important. However, what the country needs now is better primary health care. Every patient must be given quality healthcare at affordable cost, Dr Manjunath said. He had mobilised Rs 25 crore for the poor patient fund at the hospital.



Dr Shetty is yet another doctor who put Karnataka on the world map. Dr Shetty and his team have performed over 1.19 lakh major heart surgeries out of which 40% are pediatric and neonatal. He also conceptualised a micro health insurance scheme to make surgeries affordable to the rural families.



The contribution of Dr Vivek Jawali, Chairman, Fortis Hospitals, Bengaluru is also commendable. A pioneer in minimally invasive cardiac surgery in India, he has performed over 18,000 cardiothoracic and vascular surgeries till date.



He performed the countrys first beating heart bypass surgery, minimally invasive bypass surgery, an awake cardiac surgery (surgery without ventilator, done under continuous high thoracic epidural) and an awake open heart surgery on a 74-year-old patient.




The state government seems to be persisting with the name of Justice S R Nayak for the post of Lokayukta though the Governor had rejected the choice twice.





Replying to an RTI application filed by an NGO, the government refused to part with details about the proceedings of the consultation process stating the process is still on.



Governor Vajubhai Vala had twice rejected the name of Justice Nayak, the present chairperson of Karnataka Law Commission, following complaints about illegal allotment of sites.



Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had sent the name of Justice Nayak February 2016 and again in May 2016 after Justice Y Bhaskar Rao resigned from the post of Lokayukta on December 8, 2015.



Sources in the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) told DH that after the governor rejected Justice Nayaks name in May 2016, the file has remained at the chief ministers office.



Meanwhile, Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath, an NGO, has written to Chief Justice of India T S Thakur to intervene and direct the government to consider some other name for the post. We have filed a petition to Justice Thakur to take up the issue on suo-motu basis, the NGO said.



The NGO says it has documents to show that the consultative process on the appointment of Karnataka Lokayukta was not followed.



In the last consultation meeting on February 19, 2016, the chief minister did not disclose the withdrawal of consent by Justice Vikramajit Sen in January 2016. Whereas, four out of six members in the same meeting had again suggested the name of Justice Sen. This shows the intent of the government, co-president of JSP Adarsh R Iyer said.


The Union Cabinet on Wednesday ratified the Paris Climate Change agreement, bringing the global treaty tantalisingly close to become operational, less than a year after the pact was adopted by 191 nations. The Paris deal is to come into force 30 days after 55 nations accounting for 55% of global emission ratify the treaty.



Following a green signal from the Narendra Modi government, as many as 62 countries, responsible for almost 52% of global emission, have now agreed to abide by the agreement that calls for a sharp reduction of carbon footprint. China and Brazil are the two other big nations that ratified it.



Its a historic decision. Because of Indias push, now the world will ratify the deal soon. It will become an irreversible course of action for humankind. It is a common resolve to keep temperature rise below two degrees Celsius. Now that target is achievable, former environment minister Prakash Javadekar said here after the Cabinet meeting.



Javadekar led the Indian negotiation team at the Paris summit that thrashed out the international treaty on emission reduction. The decision on the ratification comes three days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a switch in the governments stand.



Last month, Indian officials repeatedly maintained New Delhi was not in a hurry to ratify the Paris treaty. At the Hangzhou G20 summit, Arvind Panagariya, head of the Niti Ayog had stated: I felt we were not quite ready yet in terms of domestic actions that are required for us to ratify or at least commit to ratify within 2016. So we plan to do it as soon as possible.



Shortly after G20, Modi had a bilateral meeting with US President Barak Obama at Vientiane in Lao Peoples Democratic Republic. Following the Modi-Obama meeting, a US spokesperson said that Modi assured Obama on the ratification in 2016 itself. This was, however, denied by the Ministry of External Affairs.



The government has made no decision as yet on ratifying the Paris agreement. Domestic processes in this regard are still underway. A decision will be taken only when they are completed, Vikas Swarup, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, stated on September 8 after the prime ministers return to New Delhi. On Sunday, addressing a BJP meeting in Kerala, Modi made the announcement on the changed plan. However, there is no explanation so far from the government on the shift.




The hartal called by the opposition United Democratic Front in Thiruvananthapuram district on Wednesday has put Congress leaders in a spot, with a case of inconvenience registered in this regard.



Ironically, Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, who proposed the Kerala Hartal Control Act last year when he was the then home minister, is one of the three respondents in the case registered by the Kerala State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) against the inconvenience caused by hartals.



Chennithala proposed the Act, claiming it to be a crucial initiative to curb strikes called by political parties and other organised groups in the state. On Wednesday, barely four months in the Opposition, his party workers disrupted life in the capital district and damaged public property during the hartal, which was called against the state governments agreement with managements of private self-financing medical colleges that effected a hike in the course fees.



Supporters of the hartal intercepted buses in some parts of the district. While most of the business establishments and educational institutions remained shut, reports said shops and ATMs were forcibly closed. The SHRC has taken note of complaints that buses were stopped and patients were asked to get down and leave.



The SHRC has sought a report within a month from the chief secretary and state police chief, the other two respondents in the case, on the action taken by the government. The SHRC move came in response to a complaint filed by activist P K Raju.



Chennithala, in a purported response to criticism over the partys double-standards, said the hartal was unavoidable and stood by the bill against hartals. I reiterate that hartals should be called only in response to emergency situations. Todays hartal was unavoidable, but it would not have happened if the (now ruling) Left front had cooperated in getting the bill passed, he said. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan sought to point out the Congress hypocrisy while clarifying that the CPM-led Left endorsed hartals as a form of dissent.






The 19th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) to be held at Islamabad in November is now set to be postponed as Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan joined India to formally boycott the conclave.



After India announced its decision to boycott the summit on Tuesday, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan formally conveyed to Nepal, the current chair of Saarc, that they too would not attend the conclave. With four of the eight member-nations opting out, the summit is now set to be postponed and a formal announcement is likely to be made by Nepal. Two other members  Sri Lanka and Maldives  did not comment, while Nepal also maintained silence.



It is for Nepal to make the formal announcement, Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Vikas Swarup, told journalists in New Delhi when he was asked on the fate of the summit. Officials in New Delhi argued that a summit cannot be held even if one member-nation opts out.



In the current case, not just India but Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan have also written to Nepal that they are unable to participate, which means there is no option but to postpone it, Swarup added.



Upset Dhaka

Dhaka has conveyed to Kathmandu that the growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which was not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th Saarc summit in Islamabad in November.



Dhaka is upset with Islamabad ever since Pakistan started condemning the trial and execution of the radical Islamists, who were convicted of committing genocide during the 1971 liberation war that led to the creation of Bangladesh out of what was till then East Pakistan. Dhaka also suspects the role of Pakistans Inter Services Intelligence in supporting the extremists in Bangladesh.



Bhutan factors in

Bhutan sent a communique to Nepal conveying its concern over recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which had seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the summit in Islamabad.



Afghans view

Kabul, too, tacitly blamed Pakistan for the increasing violence in Afghanistan. Kabul conveyed to Kathmandu that due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, president Ashraf Ghani had to be in the country to discharge his responsibilities as the commander-in-chief of the Afghan armed forces.
The Siddaramaiah government on Wednesday deferred releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu by a day, hoping that the Centre will come to its rescue on Thursday. According to the apex court order, the government should release 6,000 cusecs per day from September 28 to 30.



With this, the Congress has exerted pressure on the Centre to find a way out of the imbroglio. During the all-party meeting held on Wednesday, it was suggested that the government should not release water to Tamil Nadu.



In view of the resolution passed in the legislature (to use the available water only for drinking) and the meeting called by the Centre on Thursday, the Cabinet decided to defer taking any decision as of now, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters after the state Cabinet meeting.



Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti has convened a meeting of the executive heads of both the states on Thursday in Delhi to find a solution. The meeting, to be held as per the court direction, is scheduled to begin at 11.30 am. Karnataka will be represented by a five-member team led by Siddaramaiah, while the Tamil Nadu government will be represented by its public works minister as Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is unwell.



Factual position

Siddaramaiah said he will explain the factual position to the Union minister and seek justice for Karnataka. Official sources said that Karnataka may urge Uma to defer the release of water from the Cauvery basin reservoirs till December when the total liability will be known.



It will also ask the Centre to take into consideration the northeast monsoon that Tamil Nadu is set to receive in the coming days. When asked about the order that the state should release water despite the resolution, Siddaramaiah said: We know the consequences of going against court orders and also going against the legislatures resolution. Today, the government has taken a tough stand... The (SC) order also says that it can be (release of water) adjusted in future in case of an eventuality.



Sources in the chief ministers office said the government will not show disrespect to the legislature even if it releases water to the neighbouring state as per the court order. For, the legislature had resolved to preserve 27.6 tmcft of water available as on September 23 for only drinking purpose. As on September 28, the total water availability had gone up to 31.29 tmcft. So, releasing water as per the SC order does not amount to showing disrespect to the legislature, the sources explained.



Earlier in the day, leaders of all political parties had advised the state government to stick to the resolution. BJP leader Jagadish Shettar and Y S V Datta of the JD(S) urged the government not to go against the resolution.


As many as 812 trees will have to be axed to make way for the steel flyover from Basaveshwara Circle to Hebbal. The Cabinet approved the contentious infrastructure project on Wednesday. The six-lane 6.7-km steel flyover will pass through Basaveshwara Circle, High Grounds, Windsor Manor, Cauvery junction, Mehkri Circle, Sanjaynagar and connect Hebbal flyover.



After the Cabinet meeting, Law Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters that L&T company, Mumbai and NCCL, Hyderabad will execute the project at a revised cost of Rs 1,791 crore from the estimated Rs 1,856 crore. The project is proposed to be completed in 24 months.



He did not specify when the work would commence. Asked whether users of the flyover will have to pay toll, he said, We will decide about it. In all, 812 trees including Mahagony, Dalachandra, Tolema, Shivane, Akasha Mallige, Tabebuia rosea, among others of different girth will be axed to make way for the flyover. To compensate the green loss, BDA will plant 60,000 sapling in its layouts, the minister said.



The project has been opposed by urban planners, green activists and elected representatives. Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Chandrashekhar has termed the project as a means to mobilise funds for the next Assembly polls while Namma Bengaluru Foundation, promoted by him has decided to approach the court.



The project has not been approved by the Bengaluru Metropolitan Planning Committee, the statutory planning body for the city. Also, there has been no public consultation on it.
Newly elected Mayor G Padmavathi on Wednesday said increasing the BBMPs revenue, streamlining solid waste management and improving road infrastructure to minimise traffic congestion are among her priorities.



Padmavathi told reporters after being elected as mayor, This year, we had set a target of Rs 3,100 crore as property tax revenue and could mop up Rs 1,860 crore so far. We will strive to achieve the target in the next five months of the current financial year.



Stressing that her policies will be guided by the 2018 Assembly elections, Padmavathi said she would take the opposition members along. She said a coordination committee comprising Congress and JD(S) and other allies will be formed to take policy decisions. She said she would resolve the charges of discrepancies on fund allocations at the local level.



To a question, Padmavathi justified the stormwater drain encroachment removal drive and said it will continue. She denied charges of discrimination between rich and poor while taking action.



Talking about the garbage problem in the city, the newly elected mayor said she will emphasise on public participation. She said, We will contemplate imposing penalties for not segregating waste at source.



She hailed the TenderSURE roads but felt that some footpaths were too wide. She said the width of the footpaths will be decided based on the requirement. She added that she would take up widening of roads to ease traffic congestion. Padmavathi said new parking lots will be created to decongest roads.



Padmavathi conceded that there were cases registered against her by the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force but refrained from commenting on them saying they were sub-judice.
San Diego was Flooded with Love last week when local organization Thrive Animal Rescue brought 67 dogs saved from the devastating floods in Louisiana on a Wings of Love freedom flight. The animals arrived on Friday, Sept. 23 at Gillespie Field and will be up for adoption into forever homes in a week.

Thrive Animal Rescue was founded two and half years ago by Cece Bloum, who has lived on her Carmel Valley Newmarket Farms for over 20 years.

Thrives biggest-ever rescue effort began after Bloums friend Jan Percival-Lipscomb and her daughter Shaney, a senior at Cathedral Catholic traveled to Louisiana to volunteer to help after the flood with her daughter.

Percival-Lipscomb said because it wasnt a hurricane event and it just didnt stop raining, many areas that never flooded were unexpectedly filled with water and people had to pack up their cars and race for their lives. A lot of animals got left behind.

For three life-changing days, mother and daughter worked in an animal shelter.

I dont think a lot of people in San Diego were aware of the devatstation and the impact on people, and on pets, Percival-Lipscomb said, who contacted Thrive to continue to help. I know that Thrive is so big-hearted and willing to go out on a limb. I knew they would take a chance, and they did.

Thrive put a short video together and posted it on their social media accounts to try and raise funds to help animal flood victims. Bloum said they were flooded with love and donations and were able to cover the costs of a flight from the Wings of Love Rescue, which transports animals from overcrowded shelters all over the country to new, loving homes.

Once they had the flight, several local animal rescues stepped up to help take in dogs including Encinitas Rancho Coastal Humane Society, Labradors and Friends Rescue, SPOT Rescue and Animal Samaritans.

In addition to taking dogs, Rancho Coastal Humane Society also offered to spay and neuter all of the animals.

Bloum traveled last week to Lafayette, Louisiana with her Thrive volunteers Susie Saladino and Olivia Cameron, joining paws with a Labs and Friends volunteer whose familys home was impacted by the floods and a local rescue group called Acadiana Animal Aid.

Those women are the real heroes, Bloum said of Acadiana, whose daily mission, floods or not, is rescuing thousands of animals from high-kill shelters in Louisiana with 90 percent euthanasia rates and transporting them across the country. Theyre unbelievable, they do all of the medical treatments on the animals before they send them out. It was life-changing to see what they do.

By the time the Thrive ladies had arrived, the flood waters had receded but so many animals had been displaced. As over 100,000 people had lost their homes, many had to make the decision to sacrifice their family pets.

It is a heartbreaking situation for everyone involved, Bloum said.

Of the 67 dogs, Thrive is taking 19, Rancho Coastal is taking 18 including all of the big dogs, Animal Samaritans and Labradors and Friends are each taking five and Spot Animal Rescue is taking 20 puppies, including a mother and her five-week-old litter of ten.

All of their medical work was completed by Acadiana prior to their arrival and Rancho Coastal will handle the spay and neuter surgeries, making the dogs available for adoption in about a week. Bloum encourages anyone interested in adopting the dogs to fill out an application at thriveanimalrescue.com. The website will have a link to a Flooded with Love page with all of the organizations available animal  all of the groups plan to ensure that the animals are carefully placed in the right homes.

Bloum said she has seen some push-back about their mission online, with people commenting that there are plenty of dogs in San Diego that need help. She said San Diego and Southern California shelters are much different than those in Louisiana, who have nearly no outreach and zero percent adoption rates, which makes Acadianas work so important. In San Diego, its very rare that a healthy, adoptable dog is euthanized.

It was eye-opening, said Bloum. We arrived at 1:15 p.m. at one rural shelter and saved two dogs from their scheduled 2 p.m. euthanasia that were amazing, amazing dogs. The friendliest, cutest dogs. That doesnt happen here.

Of course, we will continue to help animals here, were never going to stop, Bluom said. Weve never done anything like this before and it felt really good.
We have no judgments or probation violations this week.

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I always look for your articles for advice. I dont always have that type of advice. Im grateful you share.

Brittany Laraux

Bethel, AK

Vaccine Eligibility Expanded in AK!

Yesterday (March 3rd, 2021), the State of Alaska Vaccine Task Force significantly expanded the criteria for who is eligible for the state-allocated COVID-19 vaccine! The new eligibility group, Phase 1C, includes people 55-64 years old, people 16 and older who are essential workers under the CISA definition, high-risk or might be high-risk according to CDC guidelines, those living in a household that includes three or more generations, or skipped generations (e.g., a grandchild living with an elder), and people living in unserved communities as specifically defined by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.

I would encourage everyone to take some time to look through this information and find out if your family or friends are eligible and desire to receive a vaccination. This is a big step forward in the COVID-19 mitigation effort and is very encouraging news!

If you do qualify, visit CovidVax.Alaska.Gov to check the availability of appointments in your area.

Senator Scott Kawasaki

Juneau, AK

I will support the first Native American who would hold this position with the expectation that Representative Haaland will be true to her word

During a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today (March 4th, 2021) announced that she will support the nomination of Representative Deb Haaland to serve as Secretary of the Department of the Interior.

The Department of the Interior  and thus the Secretary who leads it  both play an outsized role in our state. Alaska has more federal lands, more mineral resources, and more natural hazards than any other state. We are set apart by unique laws and frameworks that Congress enacted and that Presidents signed, whether our Statehood Act or ANCSA or ANILCA. We are an Arctic nation because of Alaska. And we are a diverse state, with many indigenous peoples and cultures who have lived there since, as they say, time immemorial. We are a state that is just different.

I seek to ensure every nominee who comes before us understands that. I have spent a considerable amount of time trying to educate others about Alaska and our unique needs and our unique peoples. And I spent a considerable amount of time with Representative Haaland reiterating what is at stake for us.

Alaskas prosperity is directly linked to decisions made by Interior  whether through their trust responsibilities, their authority over responsible resource development, or their monitoring of hazards and other threats.

Ive had two separate meetings with Representative Haaland that lasted for more than an hour each. I participated in both days of her nomination hearing, asking many questions, and have reviewed the answers she provided to all of our members. Ive also spent considerable time listening to Alaskans views on her nomination. They are paying attention to this nomination.

Ive heard two sentiments over and over again. The first is that many Alaskans  Alaska Natives in particular  are enormously proud to have a Native American nominated to this position. It is truly a historic nomination and they believe Alaska Native issues can be elevated to one of the highest levels of government.

The second concern that Im hearing is that many Alaskans are concerned about the agendas Representative Haaland will seek to implement on her own and on behalf of the White House. They are concerned by her opposition to resource development on public lands, including her opposition to key projects in Alaska and her questioning of the vital role that Alaska Native Corporations serve in our communities.

Weighing on top of that is my experience from the Obama administration, when I voted for a Secretary who promised to be a good partner for Alaska, but proved to be anything but that after confirmation.

So I struggled with this vote. How to reconcile a historic nomination with my concerns about an individuals  and an administrations  conception of what Alaskas future should be.

I believe Representative Haalands heart is there for Native peoples and all who treasure our public lands. I dont believe that is the extent of Interiors mission, but she has also told us that she recognizes that if confirmed, she will be serving in a different capacity. She told me that she knows she will need to represent every Alaskan, including those who know how to responsibly develop our lands. And she committed to me that she will make sure that we are doing all we can to ensure that your constituents have the opportunities that they need.

Given the early days of this administration, I have my doubts about whether that will be the case. But I have decided to support this nomination today, to support the first Native American who would hold this position, and with the expectation that Representative Haaland will be true to her wordnot just on matters relating to Native peoples, but also responsible resource development and every other issue.

I also fully anticipate that she will have a strong management team in place with people who understand the value of resource development from public lands. She needs thiswe need thiswithin the Department of Interior.

I am going to place my trust in Representative Haaland and her team, despite some very real misgivings. And Representative Haaland, if you are listening, know that I intend to work with you because I want you to be successful and need you to be successful, but I am also going to hold you to your commitments to ensure that Alaska is allowed to prosper.

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski

Washington, D.C.

Clean Water Act protections needed for Bristol Bay

This is a letter to Michael Regan, Administrator- designate and Jane Nishida, Acting Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency dated March 1, 2021.

Dear EPA Administrator-designate Regan and Acting Administrator Nishida,

We write to you today requesting immediate action to ensure the Bristol Bay salmon fishery and the 14,000 men and women whose livelihoods depend on it are not destroyed by development of the proposed Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay, Alaskas headwaters. Bristol Bays commercial fishermen have been fighting the threat of the proposed Pebble Mine for over a decade now, still with no protections in place which would give our industry the assurances we need and deserve.

Bristol Bays commercial salmon fishery is unlike any other in both its volume of fish and number of renewable jobs. Its a thriving economic engine that supplies over half the worlds wild sockeye salmon and provides over 15,000 renewable jobs. Bristol Bay is a torch-bearer for sustainable fisheries management, boasting record returns over the past decade, following a record 135 years of commercial fishing of this incredible resource.

Its sustained a fishing tradition for generations of families throughout Alaska and the U.S. with Bristol Bay commercial fishing permit holders and crew hailing from nearly every US state. Unmatched in both size and sustainability, action under the Clean Water Act is needed and justified to ensure this $2.2 billion a year commercial fishing industry continues to thrive.

In spite of consistent findings by both the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers that the Pebble Mine would pose unacceptable adverse impacts to the Bristol Bay watershed and fisheries, the Bristol Bay region remains vulnerable to large-scale mining and the door remains open for the Pebble Mine to be developed. Without Clean Water Act 404(c) protections in place, Bristol Bay is not safe and Bristol Bays fishermen cannot rest.

We now have an opportunity to stop the Pebble Mine for good and put an end to the uncertainty that has been hanging over Alaskas fishing industry and the thousands of American fishing families who depend on Bristol Bay. We hope that you listen to the call from Bristol Bay tribes, fishermen, and others to establish Clean Water Act protections for Bristol Bay without delay. Please help us ensure that we can continue to provide our fellow Americans and the world with nutritious wild seafood and support our families for generations to come.

Commercial Fishermen for Bristol Bay Advisors; Katherine Carscallen, Hattie Albecker, Erica Madison, Heidi Dunlap, John Fairbanks, Michael Jackson, Michael Friccero, Holly Wysocki, Mark Niver

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I do not accept simply asking myself which candidate would be best for me and my family when deciding which one I will vote for. That is because I do not believe 100 percent of what either of them says. Instead, I ask how each will go about setting policies, reaching goals and making decisions.

Hillary has made it clear that only she has the knowledge and experience to be president without any help from anyone else. After all, she was first-lady and lived in the White House and has been Secretary of State.

Trump, being a businessman/builder, works from a perspective of first establishing a goal and itemizing everything it will take to get there, when it needs to be completed, and where he needs to go along the way for materials, manpower, and assets, as well as its value versus cost upon completion. As president, that means he will seek every possible assistance from his counterparts in government. That means he will solicit opinions, assistance, and advice and consent from Congress in fashioning his assessments and certainly when required by the Constitution.

That is why I still will vote for Trump (and everyone else who cares about where our government is headed in the future will do likewise).

Charlotte Parton

Chattanooga

* * *

Hillary or Trump was most entertaining. I am not sure who she was describing, but it was not "the Donald". From all that I have learned watching and reading everything from Fox News and CNN to the Wall Street Journal, his credentials are quite different.

The four bankruptcies and all the small business people that he has proudly bragged about stiffing is quite enough. The lack of transparency with his taxes is proof in most circles that he has also stiffed the rest of us who pay on a regular basis. A lot of his original staff have already quit the campaign because he would not listen to them, so why in the world would any one think he would listen to experienced advisors if elected.

Born with a silver spoon in his mouth makes it easy for him to brag about his conquests/business deals, as he has no idea how the average American lives.

I will say he was smart to not bring up any personal information/jabs in the debate regarding Hillary or her spouse, because his is one glass house that can be shattered like crystal.

Sally Cook

Hixson

* * *

Now is a time like none I can remember before, that our country needs law and order. Maybe both Clinton and Trump have done questionable things in the past, but unless we want to continue in the lawlessness direction our country has headed down these last several years, we need to elect Donald Trump. As I look at all the things we know they both have done, only one of them has proven time and time again that they do not respect the rule of law.

Trump has taken advantage of the laws as they are written, and used them to his advantage, but he used them as they were. Hillary has shown for as long as I remember that she has no respect for the rule of law, and acts as though her, her family, and her familys business are somehow above the law.

Ill take a shrewd business person willing to listen to their team of advisers, to run our country any time, over a proven unethical politician that has lead their staff to plead the fifth in federal court more than a hundred times, And with the history of Hillary Clinton, I cant imagine even a life-long Democrat voting for her, without realizing they had to overlook a whole lot, to vote their party line.

From a person that has voted for both Democrats and Republicans in the past, It's time to place more emphasis on our country surviving, and all our kids and families thriving, than which restrooms to use.

Stan Conner






by Carin Meyer

As part of yesterdays (July 13th) United Way of Mat-Sus Play 60 event held at the Curtis Menard Sports Center, eight talented students from Alaska Job Corps demonstrated important aspects of Alaska Native culture to more than 100 children and even to two Seattle Seahawks football stars.

The Play 60 event is held each year to emphasize that children should practice at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. The Alaska Job Corps NYO station was one of several activity stations held at the event, and was declared by many children to be their favorite station.

Alaska Native students from Alaska Job Corps taught children how to do the Alaskan high kick, the one-foot and two-foot kicks, the wrist carry, stick pull and the seal hop.

Carpentry students from the Center built a seven-foot tall kickstand and children were taught how to kick a seal-skin ball at varying heights depending on the childs age and ability. Because of the difficulty of the wrist carry, only older children practiced that event, and it was modified so that smaller children could participate.

The school children were fascinated as Job Corps students told them the history and meaning of some of the activities and as they watched the NYO pros kick the seal-skin ball over six feet and more.

Children loved doing the stick pull, and the Alaska Job Corps students even taught two Seattle Seahawks football players how to do it. The stick pull between the two Seahawks was a highlight for the students and children, and a crowd of photographers and video-tapers surrounded the NFL stars and Alaska Job Corps students who acted as teachers and spotters for the celebrities.

The Alaska Job Corps students who volunteered and led the NYO activity station were Andrew Fairbanks (Carpentry), Archie Andrews (Carpentry), Simone Pushruk (Accounting Services), Amber Okleasik (Culinary Arts), Waska Oscar (Career Preparation), Craig Beans (Carpentry), Brian Andrew (Career Preparation) and Mikayla Edmund (Carpentry).

Fairbanks, Andrews and Beans built the kickstand and several of the activity sticks during their carpentry class.

More than half of the Alaska Job Corps student population are Alaska Native, with many coming from villages and towns in western Alaska. Every week, the Native Culture Club meets and practices Alaska Native dances and activities. Several of the volunteer students are members of that club.

We are exceedingly proud of the diversity of our Alaska Job Corps students, said Malyn Smith, Center Director. It is exciting to see our students leading the effort in our community to showcase that diversity and the importance of demonstrating the unique heritage of many of our students culture.

July is also Culture Con month at the Center. Culture Con month features a series of activities and events that celebrate different cultures from Alaska and around the world. The NYO community service event falls right in line with these activities, and Alaska Job Corps students were proud to demonstrate their culture outside of the Center to Mat-Su Valley children and volunteers.

I really enjoyed this event very much, especially helping and teaching children the NYO activities and about our culture, said Waska Oscar, a newer student at Job Corps who is thinking about studying either Accounting Services or Security and Protective Services. A couple of highlights for me included watching the kids do the activities and helping spot the Seahawks as they did the stick pull.

Oscar is Yupik and is from the village of Tununak, on Nelson Island near the Bering Sea Coast. He has been practicing NYO activities since he was in eighth grade.

The Alaska Job Corps Center is a federally funded career training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor and managed by Chugach Educational Services, Inc. The Center is committed to providing the highest quality programs for young adults by offering instructions in academics, trades and life skills through innovative methods that respond to the unique individual and group needs of todays youth.

Carin Meyer is the Business and Community Liaison for the Alaska Job Corps Center, Chugach Education Services, Inc.

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by Delta Discovery staff

In these two sightings, we couldnt determine the identities of the persons mentioned in this story, since they were both non-locals and have left or are now gone.

In 2011, a utility company installed four wind turbines in Emmonak. In addition to providing service to the village, the utility also built an 11-mile electrical intertie to serve the nearby village of Alakanuk.

During development of this intertie, one of the workers was walking along on the newly-cut corridor when he spotted someone dressed in furs, or so he thought, kneeling down along the bank of a small slough.

He then approached the person to say hello, thinking it was another worker or someone from one of the villages. When he got within 10-15 feet and spoke, the person suddenly stood up and glanced at him. Instead of being a person, it was a Hairy Man!

The animal quickly began to leave, crossing the small slough and walking up the other bank toward the brush. Just before he entered the woods, he turned around to look at the worker once more before finally disappearing into the forest.

The worker then left the area immediately and went back to Emmonak. Once there, he went to the airport and got on a plane and left, never to come back again.

During work on the same project, a lineman was working up on a pole along the corridor when he saw a moose fleeing from the brush and into a small opening or meadow before disappearing into the brush on the other side.

Soon after, a white-colored Hairy Man also appeared in the same place where the moose had popped up from, following the trail or chasing after the moose. It too disappeared into the woods where the moose had gone moments earlier.

It was not known if the Hairy Man caught the moose or not.

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On September 22, 2022, Valdamire Kinegak was reported missing to the Bethel Police Department. Over the next few weeks, attempts at locating Mr. Kinegak were made by law enforcement and members of the community.

On October 15th, 2022, Bethel Police Department received a call for service in reference to a body found in a local body of water. Officers responded to the scene and were able to locate a deceased person in the water near Brown Slough Bridge on Ridgecrest Drive. Based on a wallet found on the deceased body and the clothing, a tentative identification was made.

The body that was recovered is believe to be Mr. Kinegak. At this time, no foul play is suspected. However, the case is still under investigation and the remains are being sent to the State of Alaska medical examiner for futher investigation.

If anyone has any information regarding this case, please contact the Bethel Police Department at (907) 543-3781. Case agent is Officer Boyle.

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by Peter Twitchell

When I was a boy we had White Alice Communications System (WACS), a United States Air Force Telecommunications Network with 80 radio stations constructed in Alaska during the Cold War.

It used tropospheric scatter for over-the-horizon links and microwave relay for shorter line of sight links.

When 1971 rolled along there had been talk about getting an A.M. (amplitude modulation). The electrical signal from program material usually coming from a studio, is mixed with a carrier wave of a specific frequency, then broadcast.

A.M. radio would best serve rural Alaska where villages are scattered for long distances. So a radio possibility was not far off.

Senator George Hohman was in the State Legislature and advocate for funding a radio station in Bethel, along with other supporters like Representative Ray Christiansen, and Representative Phillip Guy of Kwethluk, and other influential voices like that of A.V.C.P. Tribal Chief Edward Hoffman, Ivan M. Ivan of Akiak, and Martin B. Moore of Emmonak. Carl Jack worked with A.V.C.P.  a strong advocate for a radio station. The other was Harold Napoleon.

The people of the Kuskokwim region were excited about having their own radio station. Finally the words of wisdom taught to us and their thoughts were going to be heard by many young and old.

The B.B.I Board of Directors gave their directive, Let the People tell their story and share it.

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Local Notre Dame valedictorian and later teacher, Seth Wilson is competing on Jeopardy.

He has won six consecutive times and will compete again Tuesday night.

His current winnings are $153,700.

Mr. Wilson grew up in East Ridge and was valedictorian at Notre Dame in 2003. He went to Vanderbilt on a Top Ten scholarship and graduated Vandy in 2007 with double majors and honors. He then taught for two years at Notre Dame. Mr. Wilson went to University of Illinois for his Masters, UGA for his PHD.

Mr. Wilson is finishing his doctorate and moved to Nacogdoches, Texas in August to teach literature at Stephen F Austin State College and complete his thesis.

For more information follow along at the Jeopardy website.
By Gail Zawacki

25 September 2016 (Wits End)  My last post here at Wits End received some thoughtful queries which deserved an answer in kind, a response I have assiduously procrastinated making  an avoidance which was made easier by a ten day trip with minimal access to the internet. Most of the photos in this post are from my journey to the UK earlier this month. What follows is my belated reply (with apologies), especially to Michael Jensens question, How has your personal mission changed, as the likelihood of your minimal long-term impact on the trajectory of global collapse has become clear? Most often, writing on a blog feels to have no more effect than idly dropping a pebble in the ocean, and watching the tiny ripples disappear; lately it seems that climate heating has gone exponential, and in my imagination I anticipate the moment I will hear an official NASA announcement on the radio  that its too late to mitigate climate change because irreversible amplifying feedbacks have taken over and theres nothing left but to listen to the orchestra play on the deck. For years, once I realized humans have despoiled the glorious biodiversity it took millions of years of evolution to achieve, I grieved. I was angry and horrified and mostly wracked with guilt about being oblivious of my own contribution to the Endocene, including having children. I wanted to know how and why our species is so destructive, and I needed to understand why most people persist in believing humanity is ecologically sustainable when we so patently are not. So I read a lot about history, archaeology, psychology, evolution, and biology. I came to understand that human behavior is as immutable as the leopards spots, and that humans are fundamentally an invasive species.

Humans are just like any other invasive species, Stanford University biology professor Elizabeth Hadly said. If we use up our resources, we will decline. It is stating the obvious, but our study shows that even over vast geographic areas such as continents, humans can consume too much, too fast.
Chattanooga firefighters presented a check for $80,507 to the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) at Station 1 on E. Main Street on Friday.

The money was raised during the department's annual Fill the Boot fundraisers for MDA last month and last April, which was coordinated by the Chattanooga Fire Fighters Association, Local 820.



"We're very glad we could raise this money for MDA," said Fire Chief Chris Adams, "but we couldn't do it without the generosity of local citizens, who obviously understand the important mission of the Muscular Dystrophy Association."




The new products include, YouTube Go, Google Assistant in Hindi, faster browsing for Google Play on 2G, Google Station Wi-Fi platform, data-saving features in Google Chrome for mobile.

Google made a series of new announcements at their signature 'Google For India' event held in New Delhi today. The Mountain View tech giant introduced five new products and services in India including, YouTube Go, Google Assistant in Hindi, faster browsing for Google Play on 2G connections, Google Station Wi-Fi platform and data-saving features in Google Chrome for mobile.

Read the complete Press Release below

Today, at the second edition of its signature Google for India event, Google announced five new products that are adapted for and aimed at expanding access to the Internet for users in India. This includes new products built for specifically for India  YouTube Go, the Google Assistant in Hindi inside messaging app Allo, faster browsing for Google Play on 2G connections  as well as new, global platforms inspired by the needs of Indian users  the Google Station Wi-Fi platform and new data-saving features in Google Chrome for mobile.

Caesar Sengupta, Vice-President, Next Billion Users, outlined the three areas where Google is working to provide a better and more inclusive online experience for users in India: Access (connecting people to the Internet), Platforms (letting people and developers share through and build upon the Internet), and Products (providing better and more relevant Google experiences for Indians).

Defining the strategy he said, Our goal has not just been to help more Indians get online  but also to help Indians create the online experience they want; one that serves their needs and enables them to have an impact on the entire world. So we have been thinking about how to build products and services for this wave of new users  products that work for any level of connectivity, in local Indian languages, and across the devices that are most frequently used in India.

Present on the occasion and making the announcement in addition to Caesar Sengupta were John Giannandrea, Senior Vice-President, Engineering who looks after Search; Johanna Wright, Vice-President YouTube and Rahul Roy-Chowdhury, Vice-President Chrome. Rajan Anandan, Vice-President, South East Asia and India, opened the event with an update on Google Indias progress to date.

During the announcement for You Tube Go  a new YouTube mobile app reimagined for the next generation of YouTube users  Johanna Wright, YouTube Vice-President for Product Management, shared, YouTube Go is a brand new app to help the next generation of users share and enjoy videos. YouTube Go was designed and built from the ground up with insights from India, in order to bring the power of video to mobile users in a way that is more conscious of their data and connectivity, while still being locally relevant and social. YouTube Go not only allows users to save and watch videos smoothly even in poor connectivity, it also gives them transparency and control over how much data they consume on videos, allowing them to preview videos first and choose the videos file size before they save it offline to watch later. They can also share videos easily with friends and family nearby, without using any data at all.

Soon testers in India will be able to use YouTube Go before the the product becomes more widely available. If you'd like to be among this first group, or to find out when the app is ready for launch, please sign up at youtubego.com/signup.

John Giannandrea, Senior Vice-President, Search, talked through the improved support for more Indian languages in Google products and the evolution of Search to meet the needs of mobile users. Amit Fulay, Group Product Manager, announced that a preview of the Google Assistant will be launched in Hindi by the end of 2016 inside the brand new Allo messaging app. The Google Assistant lets users have a conversation with Google, which can help them get things done.

Inspired by the success of the partnership with RailTel and Indian Railways to provide Wi-Fi at railway stations in India  with 50+ stations now providing high-quality Internet to 3.5 million people each month  Caesar Sengupta announced a new Wi-Fi platform called Google Station. This new platform will work with partners to roll out Wi-Fi hotspots, offering carriers, system integrators (SIs), and venues an easy way to set up high-quality, user-friendly Wi-Fi. This will provide more people in India and around the world fast, reliable, and safe Wi-Fi in more of the places where they spend time, like malls, transit stations, and cafes.

Further details about Google Station are available on station.google.com.

Sengupta also announced fast browsing in Google Play for people on 2G and other low-bandwidth connections. Fast browsing uses preloading on Wi-Fi to load the most popular parts of Google Play quickly. And when a user on a low-bandwidth connection chooses to install an app, Google Play will offer a new Wait for Wi-Fi option where the app will only install when the phone next connects to Wi-Fi.

Fast browsing launches today as an experiment exclusively to Play users in India.

Rahul Roy-Chowdhury, Vice-President, Product Management, Chrome announced a group of tailored features for Chrome that make the web a better place for mobile users facing data constraints. Data Saver mode  which reduces the amount of data Chrome uses on Android mobile devices, computers, and Chromebooks  will now support MP4 videos, saving up to over two-thirds (67%) of video data. Chrome on Android will now also automatically optimize pages to their essentials when 2G-like networks are detected. These simplified pages load up to 2X faster, saving more than 90% of data usage.

Chrome on Android's new Download feature will now allow users to save web pages, videos, music, or pictures. Downloaded items can be easily accessed in Chrome's new downloads tab, even when offline. And if users go offline before the download is complete, the process will automatically resume next time theyre connected.

Rajan Anandan, Vice-President, India and South East Asia, set the agenda at the start of the event by outlining all of the efforts by Google to give all Indians access to the Internet. He talked through initiatives that have happened in India since the last Google for India event in December 2015, including the success of its Wi-Fi offering in partnership with Railtel and its efforts to overcome the gender divide by training women across rural India on how to access and use the Internet. In partnership with Tata Trusts, Google has already trained over a million women across ten states.

Anandan also talked about the plans to train two million mobile developers on Android, revealing that over 120,000 students have already enrolled in the Android Fundamentals course, and by next college semester, 200,000 engineering students will be learning how to develop Android applications. Google is also funding the installation of Google Developers Codelabs at major State Technical Universities in India.

Anandan noted, Our vision is to make India a global hub of innovation and produce high quality mobile developers who will build not just for India but for the world.
Microsoft is not using Artificial Intelligence to beat us at games, but to empower people and organisations

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has said that his company is pursuing Artificial Intelligence to empower people and organisations, not beat us at games. He wants to help "solve the most pressing problems" to make the world a better place.

Nadella was the keynote speaker at the opening day of Microsofts Ignite conference where a crowd of over 23,000 were in attendance.

"We are not pursuing AI to beat humans at games. We are pursuing AI so that we can empower every person and every institution that people build with tools of AI so that they can go on to solve the most pressing problems of our society and our economy," Nadella said.

"The question is, how can we use all we have in terms of computational power to solve this fundamental constraint? To make better sense of the world? That's the essence of what AI is. It's not about having AI that beats humans in games, it's about helping everyone achieve more  humans and machines working together to make the world a better place," he said.

"We will infuse every application that we interact with, on any device, at any point in time, with intelligence. We'll make these same intelligent capabilities that are infused in our own apps  the cognitive capabilities  available to every application developer in the world," Nadella said.

Microsoft is building the worlds most powerful AI supercomputer. And according to Nadella it will be available to anyone via the cloud. This way anyone can harness the power of the AI.

Microsofts Ignite is the largest conference in the tech industry which focuses majorly on security, intelligence, and cloud platforming which empowers IT professionals. The conference is a venue for the software giant to showcase its products and services while providing opportunities for IT professionals to get together and network.
The former United States Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales, will speak in the Lee University Dixon Center morning chapel service Thursday, Oct. 6, at 10:40 a.m.

Judge Gonzales served as the 80th U.S. attorney general under appointment by President George W. Bush. Prior to that post he served on the Texas Supreme Court and as a White House Counsel.

The grandson of a Mexican immigrant, Judge Gonzales earned his juris doctor degree at Harvard Law School after receiving his bachelors degree from Rice University.

We are pleased to host Judge Gonzales for this anticipated chapel, said Dr. Jerome Hammond, vice president for University Relations. He is a legitimate voice on some of the most important topics being debated today.

In his recent memoir, True Faith and Allegiance, Judge Gonzales opens up about his 2007 resignation as Attorney General and about his controversial decisions regarding CIA surveillance following the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Judge Gonzales currently serves as dean of Belmonts College of Law in Nashville.

After the event Judge Gonzales will be available to sign his new book, The Presidents Counselor: The Rise to Power of Alberto Gonzales.

Everyone is welcome to attend. Seating is first come, first served.

For more information about the event, contact Bethany McCoy in the Office of Community Relations at bmccoy@leeuniversity.edu. For more information about Lee chapel services, visit http://www.leeuniversity.edu/chapel/ or call 614-8420.




A Chinese user reportedly suffered burns on two fingers, and a damaged Macbook, when his new Note 7 unit caught fire while charging.

A fresh, safe unit of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has reportedly exploded while charging. A Chinese user, named Hui Renjie, has complained that his Galaxy Note 7, bought on Saturday, exploded while charging. Renjie suffered burns on two fingers, and the burnt Note 7 also damaged his Macbook.

Renjie told Bloomberg that he was then visited by a Samsung representative, who offered to take the phone away. However, Renjie said he didnt trust Samsung to reveal the reason for the fire. Samsung has contacted Renjie and says it will conduct a thorough investigation of the matter.

Samsung has been facing massive issues over the Galaxy Note 7s battery. The company issued a global recall of the device, but this new incident is part of the safe units. Samsung plans to start selling the Galaxy Note 7 in India again, on the same day as the iPhone 7. However, such incidents are sure to cause harm to the companys reputation.

It is worth noting that Samsung hadnt started selling the Galaxy Note 7 in India before the issues surfaced. Hence, the company only took pre-orders for the device, and will be shipping only the new units, with new batteries on them.
Junior Doctors have lost a high court case against Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt that challenged the legality of the new controversial contract set to be introduced next week.

Statements put forward by five junior doctors said that the new contract was "unsafe and unsustainable" and Hunt is exceeding his powers to impose it.

They also said Hunt had acted in breach of the requirements of transparency, certainty and clarity and that he had acted irrationally.

Hunts presentative in court Gavin Sheldon QC defended the health secretary saying: The secretary of state has not gone outside the scope of his powers.

All arguments have been rejected by Justice Green and instead found that Hunt was encouraging employers to introduce the new contract rather than compelling them to do so.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: We welcome this clear decision by the judge that the secretary of state acted entirely lawfully. We must now move on from this dispute to the crucial job of making sure patients get the same high standards of urgent and emergency care every day of the week, which involves more than the junior doctors contract. We urge the BMA to remove all threat of further industrial action so we can work constructively with junior doctors to address their wider concerns and better recognise their vital importance to the NHS.

The law suit came after strike action failed to force Hunt to change the terms of the contract. The ongoing dispute has led to six separate strikes including the first all-out stoppage in the history of the NHS.

The recent scheduling of further strike action has been called by the British Medical Association, much to its members frustration, due to risks to patient safety.

The court case was crowdfunded raising 300,000 from 10,000 donors, most of them junior doctors themselves.

Despite their loss, the junior doctor claimed the judgement as a victory saying that contrary to Hunts previous statements the contract was not being imposed and so the doctors are not legally compelled to sign the new contract.

This allows the employees and employers at a national level to negotiate and agree terms which are genuinely in the interests of patients and staff, one of the five doctors Dr Amar Mashru told The Guardian.

As such trusts could retain existing contracts until terms and conditions were agreed upon rather than introducing the new contracts next week as Hunt intended.

As it stands however, NHS trusts across England will start phasing out the contract from next week in a process that will take about 18 months to put all 54,000 doctors below the level of consultant on to the altered terms and conditions.
The headquarters of Apple 's UK operations will be transferred to Battersea Power Station in London, with a new "Apple Campus" to replace the eight current sites it has in the capital.

The maker of the iPhone and iPad will move into the property in 2021, taking over 500,000 square feet of the area owned by Malaysian developers.

The US tech giant's European HQ is still in Cork, Ireland, despite the decision by the European Commission to order Apple to pay the Irish state 13bn in unpaid taxes.

The power station in central London was taken over by a consortium of three Malaysian companies: Sime Darby, SP Setia and Employees Provident Fund.

In a statement made to the Evening Standard, Apple said the move was a "great opportunity to have our entire team working and collaborating in one location while supporting the renovation of a neighbourhood rich with history."

London mayor Sadiq Khan praised the decision by Apple, saying it showed the city is coping admirably with the potential pitfalls that came with Britain's decision to exit the European Union.

"I am delighted that Apple is moving into Battersea Power Station, helping to generate new jobs and economic prosperity for Londoners," Khan said.

"It is a further sign that London is open to the biggest brands in the world and the leading city for trade and investment," he added.
SpaceX owner Elon Musk plans to put humans on Mars in six years as the businessman outlined his vision for the future of space travel at the International Astronautical Congress in Mexico on Tuesday.

Musk, who also owns carmaker Tesla and solar energy firm SolarCity, said that he wants to make interplanetary travel available for everyone to afford.

In order make his ambition a reality, Musk put forward a launch and transport system with multiple stages, including a reusable booster similar to the Falcon 9, which SpaceX has already successfully tested.

Speaking at the conference in Guadalajara, Musk said that the original cost would begin at $200,000, but he hopes to drive that down to make it more affordable.

"It will be a challenge to fund this whole endeavour," said Musk. "As we show that this dream is not just a dream but can be made real, the support will snowball over time."

Privately-owned SpaceX hit a stumbling block in their space exploration plans as one of its unmanned rockets exploded in Cape Canaveral, Florida, last month.

How such adventurous missions would be funded is a question that Musk and SpaceX have yet to answer, but he pledged to invest some of his personal fortune in the pursuit.

"The reason I am personally accruing assets is to fund this. I really have no other purpose than to make life interplanetary," Musk claimed.
Deutsche Banks boss denied the German lender had asked for or queried Chancellor Angela Merkel about possible financial aid.

Fresh equity is "is currently not an issue" and accepting help from Berlin is "out of the question for us", Deutsche Bank chief John Cryan told German weekly Bild in an interview.

Shares in Deutsche Bank, which was in the midst of a restructuring, had come under increased pressure in recent weeks after the US Department of Justice tabled an initial proposal that the lender pay $14bn to settle an investigation into residential mortgage-backed securities.

Its stock had lost more than half their value before Wednesday.

It was clear from the beginning that we would not pay this sum, Cryan reportedly said.

The DOJ will treat us with the same fairness as American banks that have already agreed on a compromise.

As of 0904 BST shares in Deutsche bank were higher by 2.43% to 10.86.
John Stumpf , the embattled chief executive officer of US bank Wells Fargo , is set to have $41m of his compensation clawed back in the fallout from the company's fake account scandal.

The retired community-banking head Carrie Tolstedt will also receive a hit to her pay, as the bank aims to regain credibility following a difficult month.

Wells Fargo was fined $185m by regulators after it was found to have created over 2m unauthorised accounts and credit cards, in order to meet aggressive sales targets.

Stumpf will forfeit $41m of unvested equity awards, while Tolstedt will hand back $19m.

The California-based bank was heavily criticised during a Senate banking committee hearing last week, after 5,300 employees were fired as a result of the scandal. No top-level executives faced any action.

During an internal inquiry into the alleged fraud, Stumpf will not receive a salary. He will appear before the House Financial Services Committee on Thursday for another tough questioning.

Pressure is growing on Stumpf and Wells Fargo, and various commentators have called for him to stand down as a result of the malpractice.

He has already admitted to having "violated" the trust of the bank's customers, but denied that its executives directed employees to create fake accounts.
Stocks in London began the session higher, with investors busy scanning the conflicting headlines coming out of Wednesday's OPEC meeting in Algeria ahead of a raft of US central bank speakers scheduled for later in the day.

As of 0840 BST on Wednesday the FTSE 100 was up 50 points to 6,857.28.

Worth noting, in an apparent conciliatory move Saudi Arabia's energy minister Khalid Al-Falih on Tuesday evening said Iran, Nigeria and Libya ought to be allowed to "produce at the maximum levels that makes sense".

Nevertheless, traders appeared to be wary about buying into the rhetoric coming out of Algiers.

"As always, it seems that a lack of cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Iran is going to be responsible for any deal collapsing at the early stages, with tensions between the two remaining as high as ever," said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at Oanda. "While I do think some progress has been made lately making a deal in the future more likely, the gap between them still appears to be quite significant.

"Until Iran is pumping at pre-sanction levels, or even at a slightly higher target, I think a deal will be difficult to come by. They may not entirely concede defeat today though, insisting that all members are willing to work together but a freeze or cut seems very unlikely."

European banks continued to be in focus, with news that FTSE 250 outfit Phoenix Group has agreed to buy Abbey Life from Deutsche Bank for 935m in cash, sending the German lender's stock higher early on.

As of 0813 BST shares in Deutsche Bank were up by 2.72% to 10.89.

There are no major UK data releases due. In the US, MBA mortgage applications are at 1200 BST and durable goods orders are at 1330 BST. Investors will also be eyeing a testimony by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen to the financial services committee on Capitol Hill, particularly following last weeks rate announcement.

In corporate news, Royal Bank of Scotland agreed to pay $1.1bn (846) to settle two legal claims that it allegedly mis-sold mortgage securities in the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis.

The settlements, involving its subsidiary RBS Securities, are with the National Credit Union Administration Board, which regulates credit unions, but does not include lawsuits with the US Department of Justice and the Federal Housing Finance agency.

Trading at TUI was in-line with the companys expectations, the travel operator said in a pre-close trading update. For the year to 18 September, the tourism group reported a 1% year-on-year increase in total revenues, alongside flat average selling prices.

Management expressed confidence in its ability to deliver full-year underlying growth in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation of between 12% and 13%. Results for the full-year were scheduled to be released on 8 December.

Sainsbury blamed food deflation for a fall in like-for-like sales in the second quarter, masking the growth in transactions and volumes in the period.

Total retail sales fell 0.4% in the 16 weeks to 24 September, including the completion of the Argos acquisition on the second of the month, with like-for-like retail sales down 1.1%.

Smiths Group reported a drop in profits for the year to the end of July as its John Crane division suffered on the back of tough conditions in the global energy market.

The company said it expects a broad continuation of the trends experienced in 2016, with ongoing challenges in John Cranes end markets offset by moderate underlying revenue growth in its other divisions.

Market Movers

FTSE 100 (UKX) 6,839.35 0.47%

FTSE 250 (MCX) 17,702.37 0.42%

techMARK (TASX) 3,485.54 0.31%

FTSE 100 - Risers

TUI AG Reg Shs (DI) (TUI) 1,118.00p 2.95%

Smiths Group (SMIN) 1,427.00p 2.88%

Anglo American (AAL) 935.20p 2.01%

Rio Tinto (RIO) 2,509.00p 1.99%

Persimmon (PSN) 1,813.00p 1.63%

BHP Billiton (BLT) 1,095.00p 1.62%

Sky (SKY) 860.50p 1.53%

Ashtead Group (AHT) 1,237.00p 1.48%

Travis Perkins (TPK) 1,521.00p 1.40%

Mondi (MNDI) 1,642.00p 1.36%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

HSBC Holdings (HSBA) 573.80p -0.57%

Shire Plc (SHP) 5,124.00p -0.37%

Associated British Foods (ABF) 2,592.00p -0.27%

Direct Line Insurance Group (DLG) 367.70p -0.24%

Centrica (CNA) 223.10p -0.22%

Imperial Brands (IMB) 3,976.50p -0.09%

Diageo (DGE) 2,213.50p -0.07%

Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 7,755.00p -0.06%

Paddy Power Betfair (PPB) 8,670.00p -0.06%

Polymetal International (POLY) 960.50p -0.05%

FTSE 250 - Risers

Petrofac Ltd. (PFC) 848.50p 4.05%

PayPoint (PAY) 1,041.00p 3.27%

Aldermore Group (ALD) 172.30p 3.24%

Kennedy Wilson Europe Real Estate (KWE) 969.50p 2.70%

Tullow Oil (TLW) 220.80p 2.08%

Kaz Minerals (KAZ) 212.00p 1.92%

Grafton Group Units (GFTU) 477.90p 1.90%

esure Group (ESUR) 306.30p 1.86%

Ocado Group (OCDO) 258.60p 1.85%

Morgan Advanced Materials (MGAM) 281.10p 1.74%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Tritax Big Box Reit (BBOX) 137.90p -3.97%

ICAP (IAP) 460.40p -3.62%

DFS Furniture (DFS) 247.30p -3.25%

Ascential (ASCL) 265.00p -2.07%

International Personal Finance (IPF) 260.30p -2.07%

Stagecoach Group (SGC) 206.50p -1.67%

Hastings Group Holdings (HSTG) 222.80p -1.46%

Marshalls (MSLH) 273.90p -1.37%

Inmarsat (ISAT) 679.00p -1.31%

Virgin Money Holdings (UK) (VM.) 311.20p -1.11%
Former chancellor of exchequer George Osborne has said in an interview with Bloomberg that the UKs current monetary policy has benefited the rich and made the poor worse off.

Osborne also made the case for a softer Brexit, adding that it would be best to wait until after the next French and German elections in 2017 before triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty.

He said that despite the policies adopted in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis being very necessary to help the economy survive, their impact had to be mitigated.

The effect of the UKs monetary policy has been higher share prices and higher house prices as well as reducing earnings on savings which in effect benefits the wealthy and disadvantages the working class.

Osbornes focus while he was in cabinet was on warding off recession and making sure the economy is growing.

"We need to offset the very necessary loose monetary policy, and the distributional consequences that is having. Essentially it makes the rich richer and makes life difficult for ordinary savers" said Osborne.

Despite losing the referendum campaign, Osborne is staying on as a Conservative MP unlike former prime minister David Cameron.

He wants to stay on to fight for a softer rather than a harder Brexit when negotiating relations with Europe.

The former chancellor believes negotiations should start after Germany and France have had their elections towards the end of 2017.

He defended his project Fear predictions by citing the devaluation in the pound and the several forecasts for economic growth that have been downgraded post-Brexit.

Osborne had warned that further austerity measures would be required if Britain voted to leave during the campaign. When asked if the newly elected chancellor Philip Hammond should follow this path of more austerity he stated that slower economic growth means fewer resources and would in turn lead to hard decisions.
More than 95% of shareholders at SABMiller gave the green light to the 45 per share deal after stakeholders at Anheuser-Busch InBev also voted in favour of the takeover.

SABMiller's two largest shareholders, cigarette maker Altria Group and the Santo Domingo family of Colombia, did not vote on Wednesday as they had already voiced their support for the deal. The parties together own about 40% of the shares.
An investigation into the attack on Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 has found "conclusive evidence" that the missile originated in Russia, and was launched by pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine.

A total of 298 people were killed in the incident in July 2014, which occurred close to the border between Russia and Ukraine.

The Joint Investigation Team in Holland found that a Buk 9M38 missile was the cause of the Boeing 777's downfall. It was able to locate the area from which the missile was launched, and where it travelled from in Russia via Ukraine.

Russia have denied the findings of the investigation, which was carried out by independent analysts from Australia, Malaysia, Ukraine and Belgium.

Press spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that "the data are clear-cut [...] there is no rocket. If there was a rocket, it could only have been fired from elsewhere."

The flight was en route to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam two years ago when it was attacked and plunged from the sky.

Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed rebels were in conflict over territory at the time.

Families of the passengers and crew killed on board, who were mostly Dutch, have been putting pressure on authorities to come to a conclusion about the origin of the missile.
After nearly 40 years in their downtown location, Johnson, Hickey & Murchison Certified Public Accountants, a Chattanooga-based CPA firm, is moving to a new site just off Shallowford Road.

The new location and fresh build-out have provided us with renewed energy and enthusiasm, said Dean Krech, managing partner for JHM Certified Public Accountants. We are so thrilled with the feedback we are getting from our clients and look forward to the year ahead.

In celebration of their new home, JHM Certified Public Accountants will be hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony, in association with the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, on Oct. 19 at 2 p.m. The event will include refreshments and a tour of the new premises after the ribbon cutting.

Founded in 1977, JHM Certified Public Accountants specializes in accounting, auditing, and tax services, and has come to be one of the most highly respected Chattanooga accounting firms and business advisors. The company is looking forward to the new advantages and opportunities the change in location will bring them.

JHM Certified Public Accountants will be celebrating their 40th year of service to Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia later this year and offers premium services in a diverse range of industries including construction, healthcare organizations, nonprofit and governmental entities, real estate, employee benefit plans and others.

Hours of operation are from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

For more information about JHM Certified Public Accountants or the event, please contact Sherri Anderson at 756-0052 or visit http://bit.ly/2cxyPXH.
Cyclicals led to the upside on Wednesday, driven mostly by stock-specific news around the likes of Sky and Smiths Group .

Shares in the media outfit were sent flying as analysts at Exane BNP weighed in, labelling it as their preferred TV play in the UK.

We argue Sky can deliver sustainable mid-single digit organic revenue growth for the medium term through a combination of pricing power and innovation.

Skys track record on innovation and market segmentation is strong and Sky Q, mobile, NOW TV, Sky Store and further triple play penetration can drive attractive growth, they said in a research note sent to clients.

Smiths Group lifted General Industrials with its latest set of full-year financials.



Phoenix Group arguably gave a boost to all European markets after announcing it had decided to make the most of Deutsche Bank's current troubles, picking up Abbey Life for 935m in cash.

Uncharacteristically for the firm carrying out the acquisition, its stock duly rose, as did that in the German lender.

Heading the other way, Royal Mail weighed on the Industrial Transportation space, as analysts judged that Deutsche Post's purchase of UK Mail might signal that pricing pressures were about to enter a second round.

Sainsburys was unwanted after it reported a drop in like-for-like sales in the second quarter, blaming industry-wide falling food prices.

Total retail sales fell 0.4% in the 16 weeks to 24 September, with like-for-like retail sales including VAT but excluding fuel down 1.1%.

Top performing sectors so far today

Industrial Metals & Mining 1,616.17 +4.46%

Media 7,631.02 +1.64%

General Industrials 5,236.92 +1.52%

Life Insurance 7,051.91 +1.50%

Construction & Materials 6,289.94 +1.34%

Bottom performing sectors so far today

Industrial Transportation 3,008.99 -1.43%

Food & Drug Retailers 2,810.18 -0.47%

Real Estate Investment Trusts 2,921.43 -0.16%

Banks 3,543.87 -0.14%

Alternative Energy 0.00 0.00%
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Blue Jackets goalie Merzlikins, family threatened verbally

Aleksandra Merzlikins, the wife of the Blue Jackets goalie, has posted online about verbal abuse and threats directed at her family by fans.
Wildwater Ocoee Basin Canopy Tours and Rafting is hosting its 10th annual Raft/Zip for the Cure, a benefit for the MaryEllen Locher Foundation, on Oct. 8.



Events will include zipline canopy tours for any donation beginning at 9:30 a.m. and Ocoee River rafting at 2 p.m. for a donation of $100 per six people. A noon lunch reception will honor survivors. All proceeds will be donated to the foundation.



The MaryEllen Locher Foundation is a college scholarship program for children who have either lost a parent to breast cancer or have a parent who is a breast cancer survivor. This year 41 students representing 21 high schools in Chattanooga and North Georgia received scholarships.



For more information and to make reservations for the zip and rafting events, contact Hannah Godfrey at 423-548-5100 or orbctmanager@gmail.com.

Reservations may also be made by visiting wildwaterrafting.com/locations/wildwater-ocoee or by calling 866-319-8870.



The MaryEllen Locher Foundation was founded in 2002 by MaryEllen Locher, a well-known WTVC news anchor and health reporter. She started the foundation because she was concerned about the future of her own son. Ms. Locher died of breast cancer in 2005 after her third bout with cancer.



Over the past 15 years, the foundation has awarded over 420 scholarships totaling $707,000.



MaryEllen trusted in Gods plans for her, but as a mother, she was concerned for her son Alex and his future, said Jan Moses, a close friend and executive director of the foundation. She wanted to help ease the burden of cancer for other families. Now, we carry on her vision for assisting families. MaryEllens heart is felt in every scholarship we are able to award.



Funds for the foundation are raised through special events, individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and private grants. The foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and all contributions are tax-deductible.



In 2014, the organization launched Mels Club, a breast health awareness and education program for teen girls. Presentations are available for schools, churches, civic organizations and clubs.



For more information about the MaryEllen Locher Foundation or to schedule a Mels Club presentation, contact Cindy Pare, administrator, at 423-490-4555 or cindy@melfoundation.org.

Visit the website at www.melfoundation.org or find more information on the foundations Facebook page.


The Economic and Community Development Division at Chattanooga State Community College offers a variety of non-credit classes on a continual basis. Classes scheduled during the academic year are geared toward both working and non-working adults.



Offered on Tuesdays, Oct. 4 through Nov. 8, from 7-7:55 p.m., six sessions of Social Dancing will be offered for $69. No experience or partner is necessary. Students will learn the basics of lead and follow while having fun learning the Swing and Rumba, officials said. Presented by Ballroom Magic, classes will be held at their dance salon, Ballroom Magic Dance Salon, 4200 N. Access Rd. in Hixson. Dance parties are also held on Friday evenings without an additional fee for this class. Register for this class at http://registration.xenegrade.com/cscc-ce/coursedisplay.cfm?schID=7295.



A one-day class on the art of self defense will be offered on Saturday, Oct. 8 on the main Chattanooga State campus in the Center for Business, Industry & Health (CBIH) building. Beginning at 9 a.m., this four-hour class could possibly help you save your life, officials said. Class cost is $49 per person and utilizes proven defense techniques backed by science and Martial Arts. To register, see http://registration.xenegrade.com/cscc-ce/coursedisplay.cfm?schID=7278.



Unlock your inner creative writer and learn how and where to start your journey, officials said, at classes offered Oct. 20 and 27 from 6-8 p.m., the class cost is $49. Participants will learn how to find their own natural material, discover what inspires them, and create their own ideal writing, how to generate first drafts, and how to keep a writers notebook. Learn the basics of writing fiction to the publication stage. Register at http://registration.xenegrade.com/cscc-ce/coursedisplay.cfm?schID=7296.



For more information, call 423-697-3100.
Lecture focuses on the future of cities

City planner Alan Mallach will give a talk titled Building Smart, Sustainable Cities at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 6 at Town Hall in Seattle.

Mallach and Ray Tomalty wrote the book America's Urban Future, in which they call for rethinking public policies to encourage urban revival; building more walkable, energy-efficient communities; and helping cities adapt to the needs of an aging population.

Mallach is a senior fellow at the Center for Community Progress in Washington, D.C. He was director of housing and economic development for Trenton, N.J.

Tickets are $5. Buy them at http://tiny.cc/p1ludy/.




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TUMWATER (AP)  Officials say a married couple who owned and operated a now defunct foreign-language interpreter service just north of Seattle has been sentenced to jail for a fraudulent billing scheme.

The Washington state Department of Labor and Industries said in a news release that 40-year-old Kitzia Huerta-Ward and 44-year-old Philip Ward were each sentenced on one felony count of theft involving the submission of thousands of false bills to the agency.





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HOUSTON (AP)  Initial funding has been approved for a $105 million redevelopment of the Houston Astrodome that would include raising the two bottom floors to accommodate about 1,400 parking spaces.

Harris County commissioners voted Tuesday to spend $10.5 million on the project's initial design.





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Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Chattanooga will host the 27th annual Autumn Childrens Festival this weekend. It will be held Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. at the Tennessee Riverpark, 4301 Amnicola Hwy.

Ronald McDonald House Charities is a nonprofit organization providing a home away from home for families of seriously ill or injured children and support programs that improve the health, education and well-being of children.

Admission and parking is free.

There will be a Ronald McDonald meet and greet on Saturday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

The festival attracts over 3,000 attendees over two days for food, activities, crafts and games for all ages, including: Star Wars characters, princesses, superheroes, inflatables, a petting zoo, Ronald McDonald Meet and Greet, face painting, horse rides, carnival games with prizes, arts and crafts, as well as health, wellness, and educational programs. New this year will be a 33-foot Titanic and Elmo inflatable, hayrides, kiddie train and bungee run. Activities range from 50 cents to $3.



The Autumn Childrens Festival is the longest and largest running childrens festival in the area, and is made possible by their partnership with the Tennessee Society of CPAs and several local sponsors. The event generates around $65,000 for the Chattanooga Ronald McDonald House Charities each year.

The purpose of the festival is to raise money to help keep families close at the Chattanooga Ronald McDonald House and the Ronald McDonald Family Room located on the third floor of Erlanger Hospital.




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SEATTLE  Sea King Industrial Park, located west of the Duwamish River near South Park, sold for $27 million, according to King County records.

The seller was Sea King Industrial Park, LLC, associated with International Airport Centers of Highland Park, Illinois, which owns or manages 7.8 million square feet of property and is affiliated with Perlmutter Investment Co., of Highland Park and Beverly Hills.





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So youve found the woman you want to spend your life with. Congratulations! Thats the good news. The bad news is, with the stress of selection out of the way, a whole new wave of stress is on the horizon. (Kidding. Kind of.)

We cant tell you if she prefers princess cut or cushion, nor can we promise an affirmative answer, but we can help you choose a unique location for popping the question. Its not that theres anything wrong with the Eiffel Tower, its just a little played out, dontcha think?

These unique places to propose guarantee a memorable moment, hopefully one youll be recounting to bored grandchildren for many years to come.

Neuschwanstein Castle | Bavaria, Germany

Lets say your lady is the fairytale type. She wants a romance worthy of Shakespeare, a dress befitting Cinderella, and a proposal to match. In that case, whisk her off to Germanys Neuschwanstein Castle. This 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace is so spectacular that Walt Disney used it as inspiration for Sleeping Beautys castle. The beautiful Bavarian scenery doesnt hurt, either. Everywhere you look is something that could have come straight from the imagination of Hans Christian Andersen. Fairy godmother not included.

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Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve | Mt Cook, New Zealand

Located on New Zealands southern island, the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve is almost completely free of light pollution, making it one of the best places for stargazing on the planet. First, hit her with a colossal dose of wonder as you observe the vastness of the universe together. Then, when you see her reach peak awe, pull out the ring and get down on one knee. The double dose of amazement will hopefully be all you need to secure the yes.

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The Mulia | Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia

A proposal calls for something special. The Mulia in Bali was recently named one of the worlds most beautiful beachfront hotels by CNN. Here, special comes standard. Guests have a choice between beachfront suites or luxury villas, all of which boast a relaxed yet polished sensibility. Style, comfort, service, and serenity are available in abundance, particularly by the stunning Oasis pool. If you and your fiancee fall in love with the location as well as each other, you can book your wedding in the Mulias floating glass Eternity Chapel.

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Huacachina | Ica Province, Peru

Your future bride will never forget this remarkable location  if you can find it in the first place, that is. Huacachina is a thriving oasis hidden in the barren desert of Peru. Nestled amongst towering sand dunes, the tiny village is home to only around 100 permanent residents. Visitors come by the tens of thousands each year to stay at the resorts, drive dune buggies and sand board, and take in the magnificent sunsets. If you can handle the trek to the top of a dune, youll have the perfect setting for popping the question.

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Crystal Ice Caves | Vatnajokull Glacier, Iceland

Vatnajokull: where Iceland lives up to its name. Also known as the Vatna Glacier in English, this is the largest ice cap in the country and one of the largest in Europe. You may know it better as the setting for the opening sequence of the 1985 James Bond outing A View To Kill. After youve explored the surface of the glacier, head below ground for a tour of the crystal ice caves. The frozen chambers indeed look like they were cut from crystal, and a natural blue glow makes the setting even more magical.

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Hot Air Balloon | Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

From the ground, Kenyas Maasai Mara National Reserve is one of the most diverse and astounding eco-systems found anywhere. From the air, its even more likely to take your breath away. Book a hot air balloon safari for a birds eye view of the action. You could lay eyes on the entire cast of The Lion King, from hyenas to wildebeest to the King of the Jungle himself. Visit during the annual Great Migration, when 2 million hooved creatures trek from Tanzania to the Maasai Mara reserve, for the most impressive sight.

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Bonneville Salt Flats | Utah, USA

Seal the engagement deal here before the landscape changes forever. The Bonneville Salt Flats have played host to countless film shoots and land speed records, and given their name to the Triumph Bonneville motorcycle. Fun facts to keep in mind, but all you really know is how cool they look. Stand on this parched and pearly land and youll feel like youre on another planet  making a proposal here all the more outta-this-world. Salt depletion may eventually wipe this unusual destination off the map, so dont procrastinate if this is where you want to take a knee.

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Mayan Ruins | Tulum, Mexico

Marriage is an adventure a couple embarks upon together, so why not begin that journey with another adventure? Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula offers plenty of proposal-worthy spots, from tropical cenotes to vanilla sand beaches, but our bet is on the ancient Mayan ruins. Check into one of Tulums many haute resorts to set the mood, and when the time is right, take your gal to one of the picturesque coastal relics for the actual proposal. The Castillo, which looks over the Caribbean from its perch on the edge of a 12-metre limestone cliff, is a good bet for a yes.

VIEW OR BOOK FLIGHTS

Bioluminescent Beach | Maldives

Hollywood couldnt invent a location more perfect. Picture a proposal on the beach  but not just any beach, a beach where the water looks like its full of stars. That aquatic galaxy is in fact a natural phenomenon caused by bioluminescent plankton. At night, when waves break on the shore or bare feet sink into wet sand, a bright blue glow appears courtesy of those tiny organisms. Bioluminescence can be found in multiple sites dotting the Maldives, including the resorts at Kuredu, Reethi Beach, and Dusit Thani.
German regulator bars Facebook from collecting data of WhatsApp users

German privacy regulator yesterday ordered Facebook to stop collecting and storing data of German users of its messaging app WhatsApp and to delete all data already collected on around 35 million German users.

The move comes after WhatsApp announced last month that it would be changing its privacy policy and would share some of its users' online information with its parent company Facebook.

Facebook had acquired WhatsApp in 2014 for $16 billion and both companies had then publicly assured users that they would not share data with each other. (See: Facebook to buy smartphone-messaging app WhatsApp for a staggering $16 bn) http://www.domain-b.com/companies/companies_f/facebook/20140220_smartphone.html

The city of Hamburg's Data Protection and Freedom of Information commissioner said Facebook was infringing data privacy law and had not sought approval from WhatsApp's 35 million users in Germany.

Hamburg data protection commissioner Johannes Caspar said in a statement, ''Facebook and WhatsApp are independent companies that process their user's data on the basis of their own Terms and Conditions and Data Privacy Policies. After the acquisition of WhatsApp by Facebook two years ago, both parties have publicly assured that data would not be shared between them. The fact that this is now happening is not only misleading - the one that provides the data (WhatsApp) as well as the receiving company (Facebook) have established a legal basis for doing so.''

''Facebook, however, neither has obtained an effective approval from the WhatsApp users, nor does a legal basis for the data reception exist. It is clear that Facebook must respect German data protection law after the ECJ confirmed in its ruling from July, that national data protection laws are applicable if a company processes data in connection with a national subsidiary.''

Caspar went on to add that, ''This administrative order protects the data of about 35 million WhatsApp users in Germany. It has to be their decision, whether they want to connect their account with Facebook. Therefore, Facebook has to ask for their permission in advance. This has not happened. In addition, there are many millions of people whose contact details were uploaded to WhatsApp from the user's address books, although they might not even have a connection to Facebook or WhatsApp.''

Facebook, which has its German headquarters in Hamburg, yesterday said that it had complied with Europe's privacy rules and that it was willing to work with the regulator to address its concerns.

This issue has alerted regulators from other countries also. EU, the UK and the US regulators said they would look into the changes to privacy settings made by WhatsApp in August, while the Italian regulator said that it has launched a probe into WhatsApp's plan to share its user's data with Facebook and how user's data might be used.

Giving reasons for sharing its users data with Facebook, WhatsApp had in August said that the sharing of user's details and phone numbers would help both companies fight spam and would allow Facebook to offer "better friends suggestions and show you more relevant ads if you have an account with them".


In signs that Pakistan is increasingly being isolated within the region and in international fora, including the United Nations, the 19th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), scheduled to be held at Islamabad, in Pakistan on 9-10 November, will in all probability be called off after India and three other members opted to abstain from the meeting. India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan - four of the eight members of the South Asian grouping  have pulled out of the summit, citing incitement of terrorism in the region as Pakistan blatantly continued its support to terrorist groups. Nepal, the current chair of the Saarc, said it has not decided to call off the summit as yet, but a final decision on the summit has to be taken by the current Saarc secretary-general Arjun Bahadur Thapa. Thapa is currently in New York and will return in two days and a decision in this regard is likely to be taken on Saturday. Technically, a Saarc summit cannot be held even if one of its members decides to boycott it, and therefore, it is not necessary for every member country to declare whether it will be attending or not, sources in the Sri Lankan foreign office said. Officials cited the Saarc charter, which says that all decisions of Saarc, at all levels, will be taken on the basis of unanimity. Therefore, even if one member stays out, there will be no unanimity and no decision can be taken, they pointed out. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been seeking to isolate Pakistan in response to Pakistan-backed terrorist attacks in India, and he seems to have the backing of the international community as more countries see Pakistan as sponsor of terrorism. The ministry of external affairs conveyed to Saarc chair Nepal on Tuesday that it will not attend the meet this November. It added that ''increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of member states by one country (Pakistan) have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.'' Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan also expressed their unwillingness to attend the meet while one report quoted Sri Lankan authorities as saying Saarc summit cannot move forward without India. According to the Saarc charter, the heads of state or government "shall meet once a year or more often as and when considered necessary by the member states". But since its establishment, Saarc has not kept to the timetable. There was no summit in 1989, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2000,2001, 2003, 2006, 2009,2014, 2015 and there is going to be none in 2016. However, the Saarc charter provides for the postponement of a summit at a member's request. Meanwhile, India has asserted that it will review the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) that governs water sharing between India and Pakistan from six rivers of the Indus basin. Meanwhile, another meeting has been called on Thursday to discuss revoking Most Favoured Nation status to Pakistan. Pakistan now stands cornered in its own neighbourhood except for only China, its strategic ally. The US State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner also stated on Tuesday that the US continues to ''put pressure on Pakistan to respond to those groups who are ''seeking safe haven on Pakistan's borders', that - who are intent on carrying out attacks elsewhere in the region''.








India will invest up to $2 billion in Sri Lanka over the next four years across various sectors, including real estate, energy and infrastructure, commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Tuesday. India is Sri Lanka's largest trading partner and the two countries have a broad trade agreement that lowers or removes tariffs on most items of trade. The government of Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena was also more inclined towards greater ties with India. Sitharaman on a visit to Sri Lanka on 26-27 September, discussed various bilateral trade and investment issues with the Sri Lankan prime minister over an official dinner hosted in her honour. She also attended a meeting of the India-Sri Lanka Business Forum along with Sri Lanka's minister of development strategies and international trade Malik Samarawickrama. Many issues relating to trade, services and investment were highlighted and it was agreed that their resolution be explored. Sitaraman and her Sri Lankan counterpart also suggested that the meeting of the reconstituted India-Sri Lanka CEO Forum be held at the earliest. The commerce and industry minister also had a bilateral meeting with a high level Sri Lankan delegation led by Samarawickrama. The Sri Lankan delegation also included minister of transport and civil aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva, minister of industry and commerce Rishad Bathiudeen, state minister of international trade Sujeewa Senasinghe, deputy minister of power and renewable energy Ajith P Perera and deputy minister of petroleum resources development Anoma Gamage. The leaders expressed satisfaction on the progress of the proposed Economic and Technology Co-operation Agreement (ETCA) between India and Sri Lanka. It was noted that the second round of negotiations for the ETCA is scheduled to take place in New Delhi on 29-30 September 2016. The leaders also discussed several other issues related to bilateral trade and investment. Sitaraman's visit has emphasised the importance of Sri Lanka as an important trading and investment partner for India and would help in further deepening the existing bilateral relations, an official release stated.










India's move to isolate Pakistan after the cross-border terrorist attack in Uri seems to be showing results. After India pulled out of the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit scheduled to be held in Pakistan this November, others like Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh have followed suit. Additionally, the US has again put pressure on Pakistan to take action against terrorists who seek sanctuary within Pakistan's borders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been seeking to isolate Pakistan in a response to Pakistan-backed terrorist attacks in India, and in this, he is getting the support of the international community as countries see Pakistan as being responsible for creating an environment conducive to terrorism. The ministry of external affairs conveyed to SAARC chair Nepal on Tuesday that it will not attend the meet this November. It added that ''increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of member states by one country (Pakistan) have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.'' According to reports, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan also expressed their unwillingness to attend the meet while one report quoted Sri Lankan authorities as saying SAARC summit cannot move forward without India. India has already asserted that it will review the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) that governs water sharing between India and Pakistan from six rivers of the Indus basin. Meanwhile, another meeting has been called on Thursday to discuss revoking Most Favoured Nation status to Pakistan. Pakistan now stands cornered in its own neighbourhood with only China as a strategic ally. Concurrently, US State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner stated on Tuesday that the US continues to ''put pressure on Pakistan to respond to those groups who are ''seeking safe haven on Pakistan's borders', that - who are intent on carrying out attacks elsewhere in the region''.








Donegal Tourism Ltd in association with Donegal County Council will host this seminar on Tuesday, 4th October 2016 in An Grianan Theatre, Letterkenny commencing at 9.30am. Attendees will get top tips from expert keynote speakers focused on topics such as social media, e-mail marketing, SEO, the latest tourism trends, website internationalisation and much more.

Barney McLaughlin, Board Director of Donegal Tourism Ltd said: our seminar comes directly after we have been exhibiting and showcasing the county to international and national conference and event buyers at the Connect 16 Event in Dublins RDS. Now its the turn of the trade here in Donegal to get up to date on the latest social media and internet trends as well as finding out what Donegal Tourism has been doing to promote the county.

Cathaoirleach Cllr. Terence Slowey will open the seminar and welcome attendees.

Darragh Doyle a leading online engagement strategist will discuss topics such as running successful social media campaigns, reaching target audiences and developing an online strategy unique to each business.

Barry Walsh from OSD Digital will be on hand to provide attendees with the latest information on booking trends and techniques to internationalise tourism businesses and reach worldwide markets, which is particularly relevant in light of the recent news of Brexit.

Chairman of Donegal Tourism Ltd and Chief Executive of Donegal County Council, Seamus Neely will be presenting the latest tourism strategies for County Donegal and future plans. A Q&A session will allow attendees to put forward questions to the panel of expert speakers and engage in debate on the current topics of interest in tourism.

With places already booking up quickly, this seminar will provide an excellent platform for tourism providers to engage with industry experts and learn how to grow their business and is the perfect forum for those in the tourism sector to come together, to network with their peers and to look at how the tourism sector as a whole could benefit from a collaborative approach to marketing and developing the tourism product that Donegal as a County has to offer both nationally and internationally.

This event is open to tourism providers from across County Donegal and is free of charge and everyone with an interest in tourism in Donegal is most welcome. For more information and to register your attendance at the Donegal Tourism Seminar visit www.countydonegaltourism.com and click on Tourism Seminar or visit www.facebook.com/donegaltourism
A former St Eunans College student, Pauraic Neely, has received a scholarship award worth 20,000.

Pauraic Neely, who will study Mathematics at Trinity College is one of 35 exceptional students to receive a Naughton Foundation Scholarship which were presented last weekend.

Pauraics former secondary school, Saint Eunans College, Letterkenny, was also presented with a prize of 1,000 towards their schools science facilities, for their support of these students.

Since its establishment in 2008 Naughton Foundation Scholarships worth over 2million have been presented to 135 remarkable young people in the fields of science, engineering and technology in publicly funded third level institutions in Ireland, north and south.

On Saturday last, September 24th 2016, 35 new Scholars joined this illustrious and celebrated list as the Naughton Foundation honoured a further 35 exceptional Irish students by awarding them third level scholarships towards their studies in the areas of engineering, science and technology.

Pauraic Neely from Saint Eunans College Letterkenny was awarded the scholarship and has accepted a place at Trinity College Dublin studying Mathematics.

Supporting academic and innovative excellence in Irish students, this Scholarship Award is an investment in the future of Ireland's reputation as a country with outstanding graduates. In 2008 the scheme started in 3 counties and has continued to expand annually. This year it is a nationwide program with the inclusion of Dublin and Cork for the first time. The ceremony took place in the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin.

We are absolutely delighted that our Scholarship program is now a nationwide program with its expansion to Dublin and Cork. Each year we are amazed to see the calibre of the fine young people who apply to us. It gives us great pleasure to support their STEM studies and we hope it will be of great benefit to them and Ireland in years to come.

There is one guaranteed Scholarship (20,000) for each participating county, with the exception of Cork and Dublin where there are two and four scholarships awarded respectively. Five additional Scholarships are also to be awarded. Each Scholarship is worth 5,000 per annum for each year of a students three or four year undergraduate degree.

More than 110 schools have benefited from this prize to date with some schools receiving it on more than one occasion.

This year sees the Naughton Foundation also invest further in Science in a Box  STEM classes for Primary Schools. Steam Education Limited was set up in Cork in 2014 and devised Science in a Box in an effort to teach a fun and engaging science program to children in primary school with new innovative materials. Outreach teams comprising PhD students from Trinity College Dublin and University College Cork are involved in the delivery of the program. The program runs for sixth class pupils for 25 weeks of the primary school year with PhD students spending one hour each week co-teaching with the class teacher, a specific aspect of the science curriculum. For 2016-17, The Naughton Foundation is delighted to continue its support of this program for 25 sixth classes in the Dublin, Meath and Louth region. Science in a Box was also presented with a cheque on the evening.



Our picture shows: Principal Chris Darby and Pauraic Neely from Saint Eunans College, with Dr Martin Naughton, an Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD and Carmel Naughton at the 2016 Naughton Foundation Scholarship awards held at Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin. Photo Kieran Harnett
In connection with the opening of the bear hunting season, TWRA Wildlife officers have charged 20 hunters with violations related to the illegal hunting of black bears while using bait in Blount County.

In the early morning hours of Monday, several TWRA officers confronted two groups of black bear hunters who turned hounds loose at two baited sites on Chilhowee Mountain off of Montvale Road. Officers say that the baited sites consisted of candy and bread making the hunt unethical by discouraging fair chase.

The 600-acre tract of private property where the violations occurred is located directly across Montvale Road from the Foothills Wildlife Management Area. Illegal baiting of black bears in this area is also likely having a negative impact on legal hunting by drawing bears from the management area and surrounding private properties.

The weeklong season that began on Sept. 26 goes through Oct. 2, is open for the use of dogs in Blount, Sevier and portions of Cocke and Jefferson Counties.

The hunters charged in connection to the case are set to appear in Blount County General Sessions Court on Nov. 18, at 9 a.m.
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.
Home Two wheelers Bangalore Shops Selling Fake Motorcycle Spares Raided  Arrests Made oi-Rajkamal

Fake or duplicate spare parts for vehicles is a common in India and cops are on a constant look out for such shops selling them. Recently, the police in Bangalore raided shops selling fake Hero MotoCorp products and made an arrest as well.

Officers attached to the Kalasipalayam police, along with Enforcers Of Intellectual Property Rights (EIPR), raided a shop on HKS Complex, JC Road, Bangalore and seized fake products that were being sold under the Hero MotoCorp brand name.

The police arrested one Mr. Manish Dave and also registered an FIR. The counterfeit products were seized with the help of Raghavendra P - Inspector, M Kumar - Sub Inspector, and team of Kalasipalyam Police Station.

When the shop war raided, police came across fake centre stands for motorcycles, chain kits, roller cam chains, and many other products, being falsely sold under the Hero MotoCorp brand name.
Crye-Leike Real Estate Services announced that Jennifer Catlett of Ringgold has become affiliated with Crye-Leike's North Georgia branch office.

As a realtor and affiliate broker, Ms. Catlett serves the real estate needs of buyers and sellers in and around Hamilton County, as well as Walker and Catoosa counties in Georgia. She specializes in residential real estate.

Prior to joining Crye-Leike, Ms. Catlett worked in the insurance industry for the past 10 years.

Ms. Catlett is a member of the National Association of Realtors, Tennessee Association of Realtors and Greater Chattanooga Association of Realtors.

Ms. Catlett is a member of New Heights Baptist Church in Ringgold and is a volunteer for Modern Woodmen of America, serving as its activities coordinator.

CryeLeike Real Estate Services, the nations sixth largest residential real estate brokerage firm and the largest in Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas and the MidSouth, has eight branch and franchise offices located in Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia to serve buyers and sellers.

For further information about real estate in Hamilton, Walker and Catoosa counties, visit CryeLeikes North Georgia branch office, located at 69 Crye-Leike Drive Fort Oglethorpe, GA. or visit CryeLeikes website at www.cryeleike.com. Affiliate broker Jennifer Catlett may be reached at (706) 861-2400, or jennifer.catlett@gmail.com.
Government initiatives, such as the Coalitions Incubator Support initiative, are of huge benefit to Australias start-up ecosystem but there needs to be a greater focus on education for emerging business people, according to Jack Delosa, founder and CEO of the Entourage, a leading educator and community of entrepreneurs.

Announced last week, the Turnbull Governments Incubator Support initiative includes $23 million in matched grants for new and existing incubators to help start-ups access advice, capital and business connections. Incubators can apply for grants of up to $500,000 per project plus grants of up to $25,000 to engage experts-in-residence from overseas and Australia.

Delosa applauded this initiative, along with the NSW Governments Jobs for NSW fund, which includes a suite of financial support programs for SMEs and start-ups as well as incubators and accelerators.

He told Dynamic Business that while these government offerings will hopefully enable more entrepreneurs to start and grow innovative businesses, there is a gaping hole in government rhetoric and initiatives, both at the state and federal level; namely, education.

While there is a strong focus on innovation from government, the education sector isnt receiving the same attention, he said.

Vocational education and training (VET) sector is in a state of limbo, and private education institutions are hamstrung by indecision. Being in the education sector, the Entourage is not being enabled by this government activity.

In my view, in order for early stage businesses to be successful, you need to give them two things: education and money. Give them money without the education, theyll lose it. Give them education without the money and they may be successful but theyll be resource-constrained, so their growth trajectory will be slower than what it could have been otherwise.

When government starts to drive programs that enable not just incubators and accelerators but also education institutions, thats when youll really start to see entrepreneurship and innovation become part of the fabric of society.

Asked how the Incubator Support matched grants should be allocated, Delosa said the federal government needs to carefully look at the expertise and experience of the team driving the incubators that have applied.

He added, If an incubator is too academic or doesnt carry enough experience, this undermines the integrity of the experience early stage entrepreneurs should be gaining.

Further, Delosa said the government shouldnt discriminate between new and existing incubators when it comes to allocating matched grants.

Favouring established incubators is counter-productive because it leads to a situation where existing providers are being rewarded regardless of how ineffective they are, he said.

Meanwhile, new players are being disadvantaged regardless of how effective they could be. Sometimes the new incubators bring the most innovation and are the most effective.
The Dalton Police Department will host its annual Community Night Out event next week on Tuesday, from 6-8 p.m. at the Mack Gaston Community Center at 218 Fredrick Street. Firefighters from the Dalton Fire Department will be on hand with officers from the police department to meet members of the community we serve. The event is free and open to the public.

Visitors of all ages will get a chance to take an up close look at the police cars and fire trucks used by Dalton police officers and firefighters to keep the community safe. Officers and firefighters will also be on hand to distribute safety information to visitors. The police department will be grilling hot dogs for visitors to the event while supplies last.



This is the eighth year that the Dalton Police Department has hosted a Community Night Out event to give the community a chance to meet and interact with the citys first responders in a relaxed, informal setting. In previous years, the event coincided with the National Night Out in August, but it has since been moved to later in the year to avoid the late summer heat.


Brazilian/American rock band Unconscious Disturbance will play at Ziggy's Tuesday at 8 p.m.

Review for Unconscious Disturbance:

Since their first release in 2014, Unconscious Disturbance, comprised of Kiko Freiberg (guitar/vocals), Daniel Freiberg (drums/vocals), Tim Haggerty (guitar) and Danny Dahan (bass), have played over 100 shows across the United States, Canada and Brazil, the home country of founding members and brothers Daniel and Kiko. The four-piece recently headlined Palco do Rock, one of Brazil's largest independent rock festivals and were also featured at Brazil's Porao do Rock, sharing the stage with Muse and Suicidal Tendencies.
Recently, Alaska Milk Corporation (AMC), the leading Filipino milk company who established its brand for 40 years in the country , has partnered with Friesland Campina, a premium global brand which has been in the business for over 130 years. Both are committed to provide everyday affordable nutrition to Filipino families. Friesland Campina x Alaska Milk promises to deliver products which promote proper digestion and absorption that will help infants and young children grow healthy inside and out.

How will they do this? They found out that during processing of cows milk to become formulae protein becomes less denaturated and glycated. During protein denaturation, proteins lose their structure that may lead to protein-fat complexes that can interfere with stomach emptying. The rate of stomach emptying is important for optimal digestion.

Proper digestion is crucial to the health of a child as it determines the absorption of nutrients from milk. The speed of digestion determine the speed at which nutrients are made available to the bloodstreem.

Royal FrieslandCampina, one of the worlds leading dairy companies, has ventured into producing quality milk that aids not only in digestion but helps children absorb necessary nutrients for growing up and becoming strong inside out. Such as Friso Four for children above 3 years old and Frisomun for pregnant and lactating moms.

However, FrieslandCampina and Alaska reiterates that human milk / breast milk is still best for babies and even for the mommies. So when in doubt, breast is still the best choice.
Republican Macomb County Commissioner and candidate for the 24th House District seat, Steve Marino, has been in the news a LOT lately. His 27-year-old big mouth has him in big trouble with his own party, with people hes either trashed or lied about, and for his call to raise the retirement age to 75.

It appears that his own party has now thrown him under the bus. The Quote of the Day on MIRS News Services website makes it clear (screenshot HERE):

Ill say this, if Steve MARINO wins, you can thank straight-ticket voting.  House Republican Committee Chair Aric NESBITT quips to a gathering of lobbyists and clients of a large multi-client lobbying firm today. Nesbitt is referring to the numerous politically damaging recordings Democrats have released on Marino, the Republican candidate in the 24th House District.

Nesbitt is heading up the Michigan House Republicans effort to hold onto their majority in the state House. Democrats need to pick up only nine seats to regain control and the 24th House District seat is one they have their eye on. It appears that any hope of them keeping this seat from flipping blue has gone out the door with Marinos imbecilic comments, recorded by a Michigan Democratic Party tracker. You can listen to the recordings at LobbyistSteveMarino.com.

Michigan Republicans have fought tooth and nail to end straight-ticket voting in our state. This may be a case where it actually helps them. However, given Marinos big mouth, that seems increasingly unlikely.

Luckily for voters in the 24th District, they have a reasonable and sane option: Democrat Dana Camphous-Peterson. If youd like to help out her campaign and help her make sure Steve Marino never gets to take his imbecility into the state legislature, head over to her website DanaForStateHouse and sign up today. Donations to her campaign can be made HERE.
Germanys data protection regulator on Tuesday ordered Facebook to stop collecting and storing data from WhatsApp users in the country.

Facebook also must delete any data it already may have harvested from German WhatsApp users, according to Johannes Caspar, Hamburg Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, who issued the order.

Even though Facebook purchased WhatsApp two years ago, they are two independent companies, noted the commissioner, and WhatsApp can not share data with Facebook without first obtaining a users consent.

What WhatsApp and Facebook have been doing not only misleads users, but also violates German law, the commissioner maintained.

This administrative order protects the data of about 35 million WhatsApp users in Germany, Caspar said. It has to be their decision, whether they want to connect their account with Facebook. Therefore, Facebook has to ask for their permission in advance. This has not happened.

Broken Promise?

WhatsApp plans to appeal the decision.

Facebook complies with EU data protection law. We will appeal this order and will work with the Hamburg DPA in an effort to address their questions and resolve any concerns, the company said in a statement provided to the E-Commerce Times by spokesperson Anne Yeh.

If Facebook is tapping into WhatsApp data, that appears to violate a pledge it made when it bought the service.

When Facebook and WhatsApp came together, they made a statement that they would not share data, said Karen North, director of the USC Annenbergs Digital Social Media program.

Its easy to understand why Facebook would want access to WhatsApp data.

You have access to peoples phone numbers, locations and conversations, North told the E-Commerce Times. For targeting ads and other activities, having the data from WhatsApp could be a huge asset for the strategic planning of Facebook.

Political Motivation

Politics may have had a hand in Germanys move against Facebook and WhatsApp, maintained Jim McGregor, founder and principal analyst at Tirias Research.

Europeans see big American companies dominating the Internet, and he who has the information has the power, so theres some concern there politically, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Sometimes politicians have to show theyre doing something, and sometimes the best way to do that is to pick on the big guys, McGregor said.

How much of this is driven by the people? he asked. Very little.

Trouble Brewing

This skirmish in Germany could be just the start of trouble for Facebook, observed Andreas Scherer, managing partner at Salto Partners.

This will be an uphill battle for Facebook, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Its safe to assume that regulators in other European jurisdictions will take a hard look at the situation, he said. So, this could be just the beginning of the Facebook WhatsApp data-sharing saga.

For the time being, though, other countries appear content to see how the scenario plays out in Germany.

Data privacy authorities in France and the UK are monitoring the policy change, but its unclear that they will follow suit, said Samantha Merlivat, an analyst in Forrester Researchs London office.

They seem to be monitoring what happens with Germany before taking action, she told the E-Commerce Times.

Since the adoption of the General Data Protection Regulation earlier this year, data protection is very much in focus at the moment, and privacy rules are expected to tighten in the next 18 months, Merlivat said.

Impact on Facebooks Business

Whether or not a Facebook appeal can flip the Hamburg commissioners order, the decision isnt likely to damage the companys business in Germany or Europe, maintained Jan Dawson, chief analyst at Jackdaw Research.

This will have a minimal impact on Facebooks German operations, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Those operations have functioned just fine until now without having access to the WhatsApp data, and although Im sure it would have been useful for Facebook to have access to the additional WhatsApp data, its not critical to its future success, Dawson said.

Since the ruling affects only German users, it will have very little impact on Facebooks global business, of which Germany is only a small fraction.

Germany has always taken a particularly strict approach to data protection, and so I suspect this will be more of an outlier than a bellwether, Dawson suggested. I would be surprised if more than one or two other European countries take a similar approach.
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A British conservationist took off last week in a motorized paraglider, embarking on a 4,500-mile journey across the Russian Arctic. Sacha Dench, 41, who works with the Wildfowl & Wetland Trust in the United Kingdom, is following along the migration route of Bewicks swans in hopes of learning why their numbers have declined by more than a third in the past 20 years.

Sacha Dench in training over Sweden. Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust / PA

The first part of her route took her across the desolate Russian tundra. From Russia, she will cross Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Germany and France, returning to England. Her flying machine is a 35 mph motorized paraglider, also known as a paramotor.

Actual route of Sacha Denchs flight to study Bewicks swans. Flight of the Swans / Wildfowl & Wetland Trust

Dench is accompanied by Alexander Bogdanov, a Russian with knowledge of the region, and Dan Burton from the U.K. They have been flying about six hours a day, stopping to talk to schoolchildren in local settlements along the way. On Sept. 23, the team reached Mezen and was later met by her ground crew. She is currently southwest of Mezen, still over Russian territory.

Powered paragliding can be dangerous. In a study of 384 incidents published in BMJ Open, an open access medical research journal, there were 23 fatalities reported. The engine caused 43 accidents and was responsible for most injuries to the upper limbs. Head trauma and drowning after a water landing are other risks.

The tundra's treacherous beauty. How is Sacha meeting the challenge of flying over this desolate wilderness? https://t.co/vhk3sGbLXU pic.twitter.com/5ZzcttfaxK  Flight Of The Swans (@WWTSwanFlight) September 27, 2016

Dench was well prepared for this flight. She is a British national free-diving champion, able to hold her breath under water for 6 minutes and 22 seconds. She is an experienced paramotorist and has taken tundra survival courses.

In the air, her body suit is connected to the engine, electrically heating gloves and socks to keep her warm. She can communicate with her crew as well as air traffic control, and shes equipped with a GPS tracker and a personal locator beacon. Theyre carrying spare spark plugs, tools and survival gear.

Why is she risking this dangerous flight?

The number of Bewicks swans has dropped from 29,000 in 1995 to 18,000 in 2010. There are several known reasons, but none to account for such a large population decline. Also known as a tundra swan, the species is listed as of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Bewicks swans, which are sometimes considered a sub-species, cannot be hunted legally, but more than half are found with lead shot in their bodies. Other explanations for their decline include power line strikes and the loss of wetland habitat along the birds migration route.

Filming the expedition. Flight of the Swans / Wildfowl & Wetland Trust

Her expedition, the Flight of the Swans, which is being filmed, has been backed by Dame Judi Dench, a distant relative, Sir David Attenborough and Sir Ralph Fiennes. She expects to arrive back in England in late October, around the time of the arrival of the Bewicks swans. To bird lovers in Britain, their arrival is a sign of the coming winter.
Perhaps one of the greatest areas of division in our nation today is the debate over guns. For the last several decades we have seen politicians, celebrities, corporations and even religious groups come out against the idea that Americans should be able to own guns, and carry them on their person. Firearms known as assault rifles -- in particular AR-15s -- have been heavily targeted by activists and politicians.

Despite our national debate, our Constitution, through the Bill of Rights, codifies this fundamental right with these words:

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

To keep and bear arms Can there be any clearer wording? But for what purpose was that right codified?

Of course, the phrase just before those five words, provides some insights: the security of a free state.

Whenever there is a discussion of the right to bear arms, people generally cite one or more of these three reasons for owning guns:

For hunting

For self defense and personal protection

To maintain a free state (and stave off tyranny).

It should be clearly noted that the 2nd Amendment is not about hunting. Rather, when the 2nd Amendment affirms that a well regulated militia [is] necessary to the security of a free state it is clearly inferring that without arms, a state is more likely to descend into tyranny. Armed citizens pose a tangible threat to political leaders whose intents are less than pure.

But there is a deeper value than simply staving off tyranny - self-defense.

At the heart of preserving a free state is the idea of self-defense. One does not seek to preserve a free state simply for the value of the state, but ultimately for the benefit that flows to the individual. Thus, it is the epitome of self-preservation to maintain a free state. As such, the foundational value to the 2nd Amendment is self-defense.

I have discussed and debated this topic over the years with friends on both sides of the issue. Some opponents have occasionally cited scriptural passages to assert their belief that guns should be banned, or at the very minimum, greatly restricted.

But one would have to be completely illiterate of dozens of Biblical passages to suggest that God opposes the concept of people possessing and using weapons. Id like to highlight just a few such passages that not only establish clear examples of the concept of self-defense, but more importantly, they teach a principle any responsible person should incorporate into their own lives.

The stories of Esther and Nehemiah both highlight the principle of self-defense and how these two individuals, greatly used by God, would not have prevailed, but for the role of weapons, and the personal ownership and use of arms by ordinary citizens.

In Esther, we read the story about the attempted annihilation of the Jews by Haman, an evil government official who was second in command to King Xerxes. Through deception, Haman convinced King Xerxes to issue a mortal decree which we read of in Esther 3.

The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the kings signet ring. Dispatches were sent by swift messengers into all the provinces of the empire, giving the order that all Jewsyoung and old, including women and childrenmust be killed, slaughtered, and annihilated on a single day. This was scheduled to happen on March 7 of the next year. The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them. (Esther 3:12-13)

When Hamans malicious plot was uncovered and he ultimately lost his life over it, King Xerxes issued another decree that granted the Jews the authority to defend themselves (their version of the 2nd Amendment):

The kings decree gave the Jews in every city authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies. (Esther 8:11)

And we see a few verses later how the Jews exercised their right to self-defense:

On that day, the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but quite the opposite happened. It was the Jews who overpowered their enemies. The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the kings provinces to attack anyone who tried to harm them. But no one could make a stand against them, for everyone was afraid of them. So the Jews went ahead on the appointed day and struck down their enemies with the sword. (Esther 9:1-2, 5)

Did you note the reference to a sword? (I wonder if that sword might have been an Assault Sword, perhaps referred to as the AS-15?)

If theres one thing that should be learned from this story, it is that the Jews were held up as an example of what to do when threatened by an enemy. Passive submission was not the default. Rather, these ordinary citizens picked up their arms and actively sought to defend their families and property. It should also be noted that as those who sought them harm realized the Jews were armed and prepared to defend themselves, many of them backed away from the fight, illustrating that strength acts as a deterrent.

In the story of Nehemiah, the setting is in Jerusalem as the Jews are seeking to rebuild the wall around the city. As they are working day and night to complete their task, we again find the Jews threatened by an enemy that seeks to harm and kill them. Nehemiah, their governor, is a wise man whose walk with God is exemplary. Upon seeing the threat posed by the enemies of the Jews, the governor encourages his citizens to fight.

The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, They will come from all directions and attack us! So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows. Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, Dont be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes! (Nehemiah 4:12-14)

Because the threat was imminent and ongoing, Nehemiah and his fellow citizens even found it necessary to remain armed at all times as we see here:

During this time, none of usnot I, nor my relatives, nor my servants, nor the guards who were with meever took off our clothes. We carried our weapons with us at all times, even when we went for water. (Nehemiah 4:23)

So in just these two biblical examples, we see support for the underlying principle in the Second Amendment, self-defense. If the time allowed, we could cite dozens more.

But heres where the rubber meets the road for you.

Pressure will no doubt intensify in the coming months to restrict and control gun ownership, with the ultimate goal of subverting our Second Amendment and disarming you. If you allow this to happen, or if you ultimately acquiesce to any unlawful decree by Washington, you will be ignoring the preponderance of history that reveals that a disarmed citizenry leads to an oppressed people. But more importantly, you will be violating a fundamental biblical principle, the value of self-defense, which is not only your right, but your obligation to stand for your family, and others who are threatened by thugs, criminals and politicians.

If you are a gun owner and want to learn how to better handle your weapon, we will be hosting a Basic Self-Defense Course at Liberty Ridge Ranch Oct. 28-29. The course, led by instructors from the U.S. Army Special Forces, will be a day and a half event and will provide you with the rock-solid foundation for protecting yourself, and your loved ones. For more info, you can email mark@awaketofreedom.com.

Mark West

Ooltewah

* * *

I noticed no quotes from Jesus. I once believed I should reach an understanding of scriptures according to the spirit of his doctrine, but now I have the inspired and insightful doctrine of a great Bible scholar like Mark West to better guide me.

Frank Wrinn

* * *

Perhaps I can help Mr. Wrinn in his endeavor to "reach an understanding of scriptures according to the spirit of [Christ's] doctrine."

Luke 22:36 (New Living Translation) quotes Christ as saying take your money and a traveler's bag. And if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one!"

If you prefer the KJV, Christ said "he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one."

It was one of the last instructions he gave his disciples before his arrest.

Kevin Hargis

Knoxville
By Deirdre Fulton

Lawmakers have come up with a compromise to avoid a potential government shutdown and provide long-awaited aid for Flint, Michiganthough the band-aid measure will still keep that community, which has been grappling with a lead-contamination crisis for more than two years, waiting for funds at least until November.

How did we have so much money available to go to war in Iraq, but somehow Republicans wont send money to Flint? pic.twitter.com/H3oOqrCv0P  Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) September 27, 2016

According to news outlets, U.S. House leaders on Tuesday night struck a deal to allow a vote on an amendment adding $170 million in infrastructure funding under the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), to help Flint and other cities with water emergencies.

The agreement followed days of tense talks, and came after Senate Democrats earlier on Tuesday blocked a vote to advance a stopgap spending bill to keep the government running after Friday, citing the GOPs refusal to include funding for Flint. The legislation does include emergency flood assistance for Louisiana, West Virginia and Maryland.

Flint families have had poison in their H2O for 2 years. Shame on GOP for refusing $ to help. #DontForgetFlint #FundFlint #NoFlintNoCR pic.twitter.com/PUolobY751  Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) September 26, 2016

And any politician who won't stand with Flint, MI  whose kids are choking on poisoned water  lacks the moral courage to serve in Congress.  Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) September 27, 2016

Helping poisoned children should not be a partisan issue. But #Flint water still unsafe to drink & GOP still holding up needed assistance.  Senator Jack Reed (@SenJackReed) September 27, 2016

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said the breakthrough on Flint will help unlock the short-term spending bill. Indeed, the Washington Post reported that while Senate Democrats have not yet examined the House amendment  a senior aide said leaders are optimistic that the deal could offer a path to avert a shutdown.

And Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.), who has been outspoken in his call for Flint funding (and about the cause of the crisis in the first place), said the deal is a step forward to ensuring that Flint families get the resources they need to recover from this crisis.

The people of my hometown have waited over two years for their government to help them in their time of need, Kildee said. We will continue to fight until Flint aid reaches the presidents desk.

That may not be until December, the Post reported, as the House and Senate versions of the WRDA must still be resolved, and Congress is about to depart on recess until after the Nov. 8 election.

And as Michigan Public Radio notes:

If [the WRDA] passes, its unclear how long it will take for the money to reach the city of Flint.

As of Tuesday, the city had replaced 155 lead service lines. Its estimated there could be 10,000 pipes connecting Flint homes to city water mains that continue to leech lead into the citys drinking water.

The people of Flint deserved assistance more than a year ago, and they require assistance now, without further delay, a coalition of 86 civil rights, public health, and environmental groups wrote in an open letter to Congress this week. Therefore, it is critical that aid comes now so that other children and families will not suffer.

The full House is set to vote on the Flint amendment on Wednesday.

Michael Moore: 10 Things They Won't Tell You About the Flint Water Tragedy, But I Will https://t.co/a3lvwIwPi8 @CleanWaterMI @NRDCWater  EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) January 30, 2016

Reposted with permission from our media associate Common Dreams.
While bird lovers are getting ready to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day next week, a team of researchers is preparing for an epic expedition that will follow Europes smallest swans as they migrate from Russia to the UK.

Only theyll be getting their information from a lone woman who will be following the swans closely from the air. Sacha Dench of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) is going to be undertaking the first attempt to fly along with them using only a paramotor.

Shell be taking off with the swans from the Russian high Arctic in the fall and traveling approximately 4,500 miles across 11 countries, ending at their overwintering grounds in the UK. If she makes it the whole way, shell be the first woman to cross the English Channel via paramotor.

#FlightOfTheSwans connects wildlife, wetlands & people across 4500 miles & 11 countries https://t.co/O1R4TBburP pic.twitter.com/B4w5UKHh6h  Flight Of The Swans (@WWTSwanFlight) April 26, 2016

While it sounds like a grand adventure full of challenges, theres an important reason this mission is being undertaken. The Bewicks swans who Dench will be accompanying are endangered and their numbers have dropped dramatically over the past 20 years. Now researchers from the University of Exeter, who are part of the expedition team, are trying to learn more about exactly why so few are surviving.

According to the research team, between 1995 and 2010 the number of swans making this migration has fallen by more than a third from 29,000 to just 18,000. Some of the threats theyre now facing include a loss of wetland habitat, development, energy exploration, being hunted and climate change.

Researchers hope that by following them so closely throughout their migration and getting a literal birds-eye-view of their journey along the entire route, they will be able to see firsthand whats happening to them along the way and why so many dont make it. They will then be able to use their findings to improve conservation efforts along the flyway.

While the expedition will provide valuable insight, its also a unique way to get people interested in conservation and the protection of wildlife. So far its attracted support from some big names, including Dame Judi Dench and Sir David Attenborough.

It's a privilege to have Sir David's backing for #FlightOfTheSwans https://t.co/LTtYxv5sAF pic.twitter.com/mr6iDQchF3  Flight Of The Swans (@WWTSwanFlight) April 26, 2016

Im humbled by the support that Flight of the Swans has already gained. People all across Europe and Russia are using this expedition as a lever to improve things for the swans, which is all I could have hoped for, said Sacha Dench.

Each winter, Im fortunate enough that a small flock of a couple of hundred Bewicks swans returns to my workplaceWWTs Slimbridge Wetland Centre in Gloucestershire, UK. To get there they need safe passage all the way from the northernmost wilds of Russia and for the last two decades fewer and fewer have made it. Its crucial that we act now before its too late, she added.

For more info on the expedition and ways to help, check out Flight of the Swans.

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The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), Jamie M. Woolsey of the law firm Fuller, Sandefer & Associates and two constitutional law professors filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday on behalf of journalist Christopher Ketcham and wild bison advocate Stephany Seay, who are seeking access to Yellowstone Parks controversial bison trapping operations that lead to the slaughter of hundreds of bison. The lawsuit argues that the First Amendment guarantees citizens and journalists reasonable, non-disruptive access to the publicly funded national park.

The National Park Service is scheduled to capture and facilitate the killing of up to 900 bison inside Yellowstone Park starting on Feb. 15, 2016. Photo credit: Yellowstone National Park

The National Park Service is scheduled to capture and facilitate the killing of up to 900 bison inside Yellowstone Park starting on Feb. 15. During the capture and kill operation, the park service closes parts of the park to public access.

Its ironic that to benefit Montana ranchers grazing their cattlean invasive speciesYellowstone Park has agreed to facilitate the capture and killing of 900 American bison, an iconic, native species, Law Professor and ALDF Attorney Justin Marceau said.

Past accounts of similar bison killing operations have provided evidence of brutal treatment of the animals. The centerpiece of the parks role in the slaughter is the Stephens Creek Capture Facility, which is located entirely within the national park. The bison are driven into the facility, held in pens, tested and eventually forced into trucks and transported to slaughter. In recent years, the park service reversed its previous policy that allowed members of the public to witness and document the operationthe park service itself shot video and photographsand now proposes to offer only three supervised tours, including one when the trap facility at Stephens Creek was not in operation.

Yellowstones public information office also used to offer information on how many bison were captured, shipped to slaughter or injured each day. During the past two bison kills, however, the park delayed release of that information for two weeks.

If the First Amendment right of access is to mean anything, Marceau went on to say, it means that citizens and journalists should have reasonable, non-disruptive access to their publicly-funded national park to observe and memorialize one of the most controversial uses of national park land imaginable.

No one wants their federal tax dollars to be used by park service rangers to abuse and kill the very animals the service is responsible for protecting, Seay said. The park service doesnt want the public to see these shameful activities.

Ketcham has written about the bison controversy for VICE, Harpers and other magazines and websites. I want full access to the operations, he said, so I can effectively report on the issue. I want to be able to see the suffering of these animals up close and thus bring readers up close.

Although there were once tens of millions of bison throughout most of North America, today wild bison are ecologically extinct throughout their native range, with fewer than 5,000 living in and around Yellowstone National Park, the last continuously wild, migratory herds left in the nation. The animals are currently managed under the controversial Interagency Bison Management Plan; thousands of bison have been abused and killed through hazing, hunting, scientific experiments and capture-for-slaughter operations.

The purported reason for the enactment of the plan is that bison threaten to infect local cattle populations with brucellosis, a non-fatal disease originally brought to North America by European cows. Wild bison, however, have never transmitted the disease to cattle. In fact, no transmission from bison to cattle has ever occurred outside of a laboratory setting.

Denying access to the park during this controversial publicly-funded wildlife slaughter campaign is very similar to the intent of ag-gag laws, ALDF Executive Director Stephen Wells said. Such laws gag would-be whistleblowers, journalists and activists by making it illegal to record and disseminate photos or footage taken in agricultural operations. ALDF has successfully proven ag-gag laws are unconstitutional under the First Amendment and we are confident we will do the same in this case.

The coalition of law professors, non-profit lawyers and private attorneys are joined by a team of top law students at the University of Denver and they are all eager to aggressively litigate the free speech rights of journalists seeking to document the trapping of bison within national park lands.

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Three wildlife groups sued the federal government Tuesday, asking for the Yellowstone bison to be listed as a threatened or endangered species in order to protect the iconic animals from hunting and prescribed culling. Currently, park officials manage the population to about 4,000 animals using these methods. The population now numbers about 4,500.

Some 60 million bison, also known as buffalo, once roamed the prairies and grasslands of North America. They provided food, clothing and sustenance to Native Americans. In the 1800s, European settlers began hunting the animals and the U.S. Army undertook a deliberate program of extermination as a way to starve the Native peoples who depended on them. They nearly drove the bison to extinction.

By the time Yellowstone National Park was created in 1872, there were only about two dozen bison in the area. The Army was then told to protect this herd. They also brought 21 bison from two private herds to Yellowstone in 1902 to create a larger breeding population. Todays herds in Yellowstonethe only place where wild bison have lived continuously since prehistoric timesdescended from these few animals.

The majestic 2,000-pound bison is an iconic symbol of the American West. On May 9, it became our official national mammal when President Obama signed the National Bison Legacy Act into law. It is a creature beloved by visitors to Yellowstone National Parksometimes too muchbut outside park boundaries, ranchers arent fans.

Their concern is a disease called brucellosis. It can be transmitted among bison, elk and cattle, and it can cause pregnant females to abort their calves. But it isnt the bisons fault: the non-native bacteria was introduced by cattle brought to the West by early pioneers. Brucellosis was first discovered in Yellowstone bison in 1917. Its thought they likely contracted the disease from domestic cattle, and today about half the bison herd tests positive for brucellosis.

Most visitors encounter bison standing, sitting, walking slowly or occasionally running. But they are migratory animals and move in and out of the park with ease. In winter, many move north and west into Montana. They have almost no predators, except humans, as wolves find elk easier prey. Bison are listed as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and may be hunted outside the park.

In 2000, the federal government and the state of Montana established the Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP). Its goals are to maintain the wild bison population within the national park, manage bison that leave the park and protect domestic cattle from brucellosis. In practice, the park looks to limit the bison herd to about 4,000 animals, which it considers a sustainable number.

To bring those numbers down, the National Park Service uses two methods: legal hunts outside the park and capturing animals near the park boundary. Captured bison are transferred to a number of nearby Native American tribes for immediate slaughter. But wildlife activists arent happy about these actions.

Department of Interior should base its decisions on the best available science, not political pressure from the livestock industry.

Joining the lawsuit along with Buffalo Field Campaign are Western Watersheds Project and Friends of Animals.

The National Park Service hails the IBMP as a success. In its Yellowstone Resources and Issues Handbook 2015, it states:

To date, no documented transmission of brucellosis from Yellowstone bison to cattle has occurred, due in part to successful efforts by the agencies to maintain separation between them. Conversely, numerous transmissions from elk to cattle have occurred since 2000.

Nevertheless, the park service acknowledges that the issues are complex and that its time for a new plan.

New data about general biology and disease prevalence are available, and public opinion is shifting toward more tolerance for bison in Montana, the handbook states.

The organizations that have filed the lawsuit arent waiting. They contend that restricting the bisons habitat to the boundaries of the national park reduces the herds genetic diversity and places them at risk of extinction.

There were millions and millions of acres that were available to the bison that are no longer available to them because of cattle and sheep ranching, said Michael Harris, director of Friends of Animals Wildlife Law Program. Their range has been curtailed by 90 percent, and that alone should be enough to warrant a listing.

Today, about 20,000 wild bison roam the U.S. and Canada, with the largest populationnumbering 10,000in Wood Buffalo National Park in Alberta. Another 162,000 are on private farms and ranches. All of the bison meat sold in stores and restaurants come from these farmed animals.

Yellowstone National Park will see more than 4 million visitors this year, and those visitors all want to see bison in their natural habitat. The restoration of bison to Yellowstone has been one of Americas great conservation success stories, and the groups that filed the lawsuit want to keep it that way.
(Photo: Osservatore Romano)Pope Francis meets with members of the World Jewish Congress at the Vatican on Sept. 26, 2016.

Pope Francis has met members of the World Jewish Congress at the Vatican, telling them that migrants have enriched Europe and need to be integrated into society.

"Europe often forgets that it has been enriched by migrants," the Pope told the Jewish leaders at a Sept. 26 audience, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported.

"Europe is closing itself up. Europe is lacking creativity. Europe has a falling birth rate and problems of high unemployment," Francis said.

The Pope also spoke about migrants integrating into their new surroundings, which he called "important."

"The people who committed the terrorist attacks in Belgium were not properly integrated," he said referring to attacks some of which were aimed at Jews by extremists claiming to represent Islam.

Francis also reiterated a good Christian could not be an anti-Semite, and said Christians and Jews must speak out against brutality in the world.

"We need more friendliness and kindness, and we should not be afraid to speak out against brutality," the Pope said. "We should go on a joint journey together to make the world more secure. We need to speak out for peace."

In his meeting Pope Francis spoke about a series of issues pertaining to inter faith relations as well as the current migration crisis on the European continent, the Vatican newspaper Osservatore Romano reported.

The World Jewish Congress includes the heads of Jewish communities in Europe and the Americas, and ahead of the upcoming Rosh Hashana holiday, Pope Francis wished the Jewish world a happy new year.

The World Jewish Congress delegation was led by its president, Ronald S. Lauder.

Lauder told the pontiff: "We Jews have all been immigrants. We understand the situation the immigrants find themselves in."

He echoed the Pope's words for peace: "We pray for peace. We need to live in peace."

The delegation praised Francis for his recent visit to the Auschwitz concentration camp, used by the Nazis to exterminate 1.1 million people, of whom 90 percent were Jews.
AT&T announced a $5,000 contribution to the Cleveland State Community College to support non-traditional, underserved students preparing for high-skill jobs requiring technology-based skills in Tennessee community colleges. The donation will fund scholarships to help students begin a path toward completing their college degrees. The contribution was presented on Tuesday at Cleveland State Community College.

The programs supported by this contribution will help provide our students the skills required to compete in todays technology based economy, said Dr. Bill Seymour, President, Cleveland State Community College. Creating and maintaining a workforce that is ready to meet the needs of our region is vitally important and through donations like todays we will be able to reach even more Tennesseans.

This donation is part of AT&Ts $65,000 gift to the Tennessee Board of Regents. Each of the states 13 community colleges will receive $5,000 to award scholarships to encourage students to participate in programs designed to help students succeed in the classroom and be better prepared to enter the workforce. The programs will target non-traditional and underserved students.

"As Tennessees economy continues to grow we must focus on workforce readiness to ensure employers have the skilled workers they need to flourish," said Sen. Mike Bell. "And community colleges like Cleveland State are instrumental in preparing our workforce to meet the needs of an ever changing 21st century economy.

Increasing opportunity and access to post-secondary education helps create a pathway to prosperity for those looking to enter todays competitive job market and todays announcement expands that opportunity for more students, said Rep. John Forgety.

In January 2010, the Tennessee legislature approved an aggressive set of steps to increase the completion rates of students within the institutions of higher education in the state.

We are delighted to support Tennessee students who are acquiring the skills they need to enter the workforce, said Alan Hill, Regional Director of External and Legislative Affairs, AT&T Tennessee. Accelerated certificate and degree programs are a great way to ensure our students are fully prepared to enter the workforce and that they can find good jobs right here in Tennessee when they graduate.

The Tennessee Board of Regents Office of Academic Affairs developed a curriculum for accelerated pathways for college completion. The goal is to increase completion rates at the TBR community colleges. TBR created programs of study that encourage and allow students with work and family obligations to enroll on a full-time basis, devoting 20 to 30 hours a week, including online education. Students now have the option to complete required coursework for an Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees within three semesters.

Students in these new programs would benefit from scholarships that would enable them to participate fully in the four to five-hour morning, evening or weekend blocks of time required to complete an accelerated certificate or degree program. The proposed AT&T Completion Scholarship program ($5,000 to each of the 13 Tennessee Board of Regents community colleges) would allow the institutions to award financial support to students enrolled in these programs and increase completion and entry into the workforce in Tennessee.

13 Tennessee Board of Regents community colleges include:

Chattanooga State Community College  Chattanooga, TN

Cleveland State Community College  Cleveland, TN

Columbia State Community College  Columbia, TN

Dyersburg State Community College  Dyersburg, TN

Jackson State Community College  Jackson, TN

Motlow State Community College  Lynchburg, TN

Nashville State Community College  Nashville, TN

Northeast State Community College  Blountville, TN

Pellissippi State Community College  Knoxville, TN

Roane State Community College  Harriman, TN

Southwest Tennessee Community College  Memphis, TN

Volunteer State Community College  Gallatin, TN

Walters State Community College  Morristown, TN
For more than a decade, states and districts have had to consider off-the-shelf, federally prescribed interventions for many schools in which students werent meeting expectations.

Thats about to change.

The new Every Student Succeeds Act, the latest revision of the nations main K-12 education law, gives local leaders a freer hand when it comes to fixing their lowest-performing schools, those with serious dropout problems, and schools that are doing well overall but where a particular group of students might be struggling.

Instead of choosing from a list of federal options as they had to do under the previous version of the law, the No Child Left Behind Act, districts and even schools will be able to cook up their own improvement strategies, as long as there is evidence to back up their approaches.

Fresh Thinking

State and district officials are hoping the changes under ESSAwhich goes into full effect in the 2017-18 school yearwill spur fresh thinking when it comes to improving student performance and give educators a greater sense of ownership over school improvement efforts, even as they work through tricky implementation issues.

The new, locally-driven approach reflects a significant opportunity for states to step back and [to] inventory what has really worked over the last decade, John White, Louisianas education commissioner, said in an interview.

But, he added, Any reasonable observer would be concerned about the capacity issues, given the enormity of the challenge.

In particular, he said, rural districts may not be able to tap support from nonprofit organizations and other outside partners that might have special expertise the district lacks, as readily as their urban counterparts.

Whats more, big questions loom about exactly how the new flexibility will play out. How much running room will states end up giving their districts? How exactly will ESSAs requirement that school improvement interventions be backed up by evidence play out in practice? And will more local leeway actually translate to better outcomes for students?

U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr., for one, sees reasons to be optimistic about the change.

He said in an interview that the laws approach to school improvement has the potential to be a game changer in that it gives districts and schools room to maneuver, while still focusing on strategies that have the potential to yield student-achievement dividends.

The U.S. Department of Education will be at the ready to assist states and districts in vetting improvement strategies, King said.

He ticked off a list of interventions that could hold promise, including expanding early-childhood education, dual enrollment, and positive behavioral interventions and supports, or PBIS, a tiered approach to student behavior.

Theres an opportunity for states and districts to implement smart and well-supported strategies that make a difference, he said.

But if a plan or program isnt getting the desired results, districts and schools need to be prepared to step up their efforts or change course, King added. If theyre not effective, districts have a responsibility to intensify those interventions.

When it comes to school improvement, ESSAs locally-driven approach represents a U-turn from both the NCLB law (which was the previous version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act) and from the Obama administrations waivers from the mandates of that law.

The NCLB law called for schools that repeatedly missed achievement targets, set by the state under the laws framework, to allow students to transfer to a better-performing school or to access free tutoring. Few parents took advantage of those opportunities. For instance, by the 2011-12 school year, just 10.9 percent of eligible students nationally were receiving free tutoring, and just 1.1 percent of students took advantage of public school choice, according to the Education Department.

Also under that law, schools that failed to make progress for years on end were supposed to be subject to serious penalties, such as state takeover or charter conversion. But the vast majority of states opted for other interventions, such as deploying school support teams, and performance at many schools continued to lag.

Flipping the Script

The Obama administrations waivers, issued in 2012, flipped that script, giving states and districts greater say over what kinds of interventions were used for most schools.

But the waivers still called for dramatic change in the lowest-performing schools, including removing significant numbers of staff members or turning the school into a charter.

Local officials found the whole regimen too prescriptiveand the impact on student outcomes was decidedly mixed.

ESSA, on the other hand, embraces the philosophy that local district officials are in the best position to figure out what their schools need to do to improve.

The new law essentially asks states to divide struggling schools into two buckets.

Schools that fall in the bottom 5 percent of performers in a state, those where less than two-thirds of students graduate, and schools where historically disadvantaged groups of students are seriously struggling are subject to whats known as comprehensive improvement. That means the district has to come up with a planwith some evidence to back it upto get them on track.

The Obama administration has asked states to pinpoint schools for comprehensive improvement in the 2017-18 school year, although a range of education groups and members of Congress have called that timeline overly ambitious.

And, beginning in the 2018-19 school year, states have to identify another basket of schoolsthose where particular groups of students, such as English-language learners, are strugglingfor what the law terms targeted improvement. In those cases, schools have to devise their own plan to fix the problem, monitored by the district.

Districts would also have to consider whether schools in targeted support because of low-performing subgroups are giving students from struggling groups access to their fair share of resources and effective teachers, under regulations proposed by the Obama administration and slated to be finalized later this fall.

That approach could lead to serious improvementbut there are risks too, said Carlas L. McCauley, who until recently worked on school improvement at the Education Department and is now the director of the Center for School Turnaround at WestEd, a research and consulting organization.

Districts and schools, he said, are often too busy putting out daily fires to be thinking about how to make big systemic, sustainable change.

School/districts are not often equipped to manage performance or drive for results while also effectively [managing] the everyday challenges that exist with underperforming schools, he wrote in an email.

Plus, he said, low-performing schools and districts often struggle with high staff turnover and burnout. That can make it tough to investigate outside-the-box interventions and implement a long-term plan.

State and District Dance

For its part, the Education Department wants districts and schools to do their best to pick improvement plans with a strong or moderate amount of evidence to back them up, according to draft ESSA regulations released earlier this year.

Some district officials are eager for to a greater level of autonomy.

Richard Fry, the superintendent of the 2,700-student Big Spring district in Pennsylvania, sees the door opening to interventions he thinks could hold great promisesuch as turning a low-performing school into a community school where students can get access to health services as well as academics.

I think everybody is excited, he said. Theres a sense its not going to be nearly as prescriptive.

But theres a lot left to consider, including how much of a free hand Pennsylvania and other states are interested in giving their districts.

Districts are going to be reluctant to move forward until we have a better sense of where the state is willing to allow us to go, Fry said.

States, meanwhile, are still sorting through exactly what their role will be when it comes to helping districts and schools pick improvement strategies and supporting them through the process. They could, for instance, decide to come up with a list of approved strategies and providers for districts to choose from, although thats not a must.

But state officials interested in taking that step might not have many options to put on those listsat least at first, said McCauley of West Ed. Theres just not much out there when it comes to turnaround strategies with a clear track record of fixing the lowest-performing schools.

And even though ESSA wont be fully implemented until the 2017-18 school year, some states can draw on recent experience running turnarounds. More than a dozen states have come up with their own statewide turnaround models. These run the gamut from intensive principal development in New Mexico to a focus on high school redesignincluding dual enrollmentin Colorado.

Greater Ownership

Meanwhile, civil rights advocates say ESSA could give districts greater ownership over plans and a more tailored approach to school improvement. They warn, however, that even the best of plans wont make much difference if they arent implemented with fidelity.

The risk is that you do an improvement plan, and it sits around and collects dust, and two years later, you do an addendum to the plan, and an addendum to that addendum, and nothing is really happening, said Daria Hall, the interim vice president for government affairs and communications at the Education Trust, which advocates for poor and minority children. States and districts need to make sure that schools have the tools [they need] and continually monitor progress. If [the plan] is not working, something else has to happen.
I have spent the last six years as the chancellor of the public schools of the District of Columbia and the last decade working for the school district. For 20 years, I have been focused on improving educational outcomes for students in the nations capital. As I conclude my time as a district leader, I see enormous promise in the future of education, and I am very optimistic about what we can do to help students in traditional school districts.

During my time at the school system, we showed it is possible to make dramatic improvements in only a few years. We improved student performance, increased enrollment, increased student satisfaction, expanded our graduation rate, and improved college access for all students. This success didnt come easily, but the lessons we learned can be applied to any other school district. In fact, they must be, because we owe it to the more than 90 percent of students in this country who attend public schools to create great opportunities for a bright future.

While its impossible to capture in a short list all that weve done in Washington, five simple lessons were key to our success:

You need to be clear about your goals. One of the first things I did as chancellor was to publicly state the five goals by which we would measure our success. These goals were derived from input from thousands of community members, but they were clear, specific, and quantifiable. Our goals showed that we were going to improve outcomes for all students; that we were going to focus on our lowest-performing schools; that we would increase our graduation rates; that student satisfaction was important to us; and that having more parents choose our schools was crucial to our success. We havent yet met all of our goals, but they shaped our work, ensured the public understood our approach, and helped hold us accountable for our performance.

All students should have the same opportunities as their wealthier peers."

There is nothing more important than people. We all know that research says that the quality of a teacher matters more than anything else in a childs classroom. That is why our district worked to recruit, reward, and retain the very best teachers. In fact, 90 percent of our very best teachers return to our public schools each year.

But just having great teachers isnt enough. We need great school leaders and great district-level staff as well. Classroom work, school leadership, and district-level work all require similar skillsthe ability to work collaboratively, a sense of urgency, and the ability to implement workable solutions to complex problems. You simply cannot be successful at this level of work unless your team is made up of the very best people.

Every student deserves the opportunity to have rich experiences across the curriculum. One of the things that I am most proud of is the fact that, with $2 million of private funding, we were able to send 400 students, most of whom had never left the country, on international trips. This is important to me because I know that all students should have the same opportunities as their wealthier peers. I also know that while it is tempting to focus on remediation and the notion of fixing our students, the real key to their success lies in helping our students blossom through broadening experiences. This is why we make sure that every 2nd grader learns about his or her neighborhood while learning to ride a bike, and it is why every high school chemistry student learns to build a cellphone battery. Yes, we must meet our students where they are with instruction, but we must also help students see how far they can go.

Families are the very best partners in education. Our teachers have done thousands of home visits with their students families, and Ive held scores of meetings with parents everywhere from their PTA meetings and living rooms to our local Costco. Through these experiences, I can say that families are the very best partners in their childrens education. However, Ive also learned that parents can be good partners only if you give them the tools they need to engage.

Our home visits give teachers a chance to learn about individual students needs and interests at the start of the school year so teachers and families can work together to help those children succeed. At our community meetings, we provide parents with key information but also let them know the issues that need their feedback. We use this feedback every year when we formulate our budget, and we focus on families when we have to make decisions about opening new schools, consolidating schools, or changing school boundaries. I have found that even the busiest families will gladly make time for you when you seek their input.

School district leaders need thoughtful, aligned political support. I have been fortunate to work under three different mayors, three different City Council chairmen, and two different City Council education committee chairmenall of whom have taken a strong interest in education, and all of whom have worked to invest in our schools. As a district leader, I had to make hundreds of decisions, including closing underenrolled schools, and I am certain that some of our citys political leaders wish that I had made different decisions from time to time.

While we may have had contentious hearings and difficult conversations, nearly all of our citys elected leaders lent their support to our work. Simply put, this was absolutely fundamental to our success. We have all shared the goal of greatly improving educational opportunities for students and thatrather than quibbles over facilities, policies, or programdefined our relationship.

Ten years ago, the District of Columbia had a struggling school system. We still have a great deal of work to do from ensuring that every school provides students with an excellent education to supporting students who havent been successful in a traditional setting. But over the past decade, we have shown that with the right approach, our school district was able to become one of the fastest-improving school districts in the country, according to the 2013 and 2015 Trial Urban District Assessment.
Date: 28/09/2016 TrendForce predicts multiple applications to up global IR LED market to US$792 M by 2021 According to TrendForce subdivision, Global LED Industry Demand and Supply Database Report of 2016-2021 forecast analysis of the value of the infrared (IR) LED market globally that continues to increase due to rising demand in many applications markets.



Security surveillance systems, virtual reality (VR) devices and facial and iris recognition solutions applications would thrust the value of the global IR LED market from about $300 million in 2016 to US$792 million in 2021.

The value of the global IR LED market would mount up to US$792 million in 2021 from $300 million in 2016 with a vast difference of $492 million through security surveillance systems , virtual reality (VR) devices and facial and iris recognition solutions applications.



Joanne Wu, assistant research manager of LEDinside says, Surveillance systems currently makes up the largest mainstream application market for IR LEDs.



Demand for surveillance cameras with night vision ability has been rising on a yearly basis as countries across the globe invest more in their anti-terrorism capabilities and security infrastructures. This in turn help boost the value of the entire IR LED market.



In comparison, the market value of IR LEDs for the surveillance application has only increased slightly this year due to the competition among LED suppliers. Competition has led to a considerable decline in prices. Meanwhile, suppliers are minimizing costs by reducing the size of LED chips and turning to lower-cost containers..

Some of the major emerging application market IR LEDs are Iris and facial recognition solutions. Wu pointed out, To meet the growing demand for mobile payment services, Samsungs latest flagship smartphone Galaxy Note 7 features iris recognition. Other smartphone brands are expected to follow Samsungs footsteps and incorporate similar biometric solutions , thus starting a new round of hardware competition.



Devices such as smart phones and notebooks are going to have user authentication mechanisms based on the IR LED technology resulting in increase of sales by featuring iris and facial recognition technology. These applications makes way for growth of such smart phones.



IR LEDs for iris recognition are mainly supplied by international LED manufacturers such as Taiwan based manufacturers offering products for facial recognition. Globally, LEDinside anticipates that IR LEDs for iris and facial recognition systems will have a total market value of US$359 million in 2021.



VR devices released in the market are driving additional growth of IR LEDs. LEDinside estimate VR application to create around US$14 million market in 2016.



Cameras equipped with IR LEDs and related components are used by HTC Vive and Oculus Rift solutions for tracking and positioning.



On the other hand, VR devices are still at growing stage in development.

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Alltech regional director appointed for Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines

Alltech has announced the appointment of Matt Einarson as regional director for Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, effective on September 1.

He will be based at the company's Bangkok offices in Thailand.

In addition to many years with Alltech, which he joined in 2003, Einarson was previously the managing director of EMF Nutrition, which he had also served as director of monogastric nutrition and business development. Most recently, he was the director of innovation and business development at Masterfeeds, Canada's leading animal nutrition company, which was acquired by Alltech earlier this year.

Einarson's extensive knowledge of business development in the animal feed industry will be invaluable to Alltech in Southeast Asia, as the company grows there as a developer and manufacturer of its proprietary premixes and looks to acquire new subsidiaries.

He also brings great value to Alltech as an outstanding builder of customer relationships, since these connections are the foundation of the company's recent strong growth in the region, the company said.
To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020.
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park invites the public to participate in living history programs and tours commemorating the 153rd Anniversary of the Siege of Chattanooga on Saturday, Oct. 8 and on Sunday, Oct. 9 in Point Park, on Lookout Mountain, and in Chattanoogas Renaissance Park.



"Private Thomas McCall of the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry, 153 years ago, recalled that during the Confederate besiegement of Chattanooga 'starvation stared us in the face.' As surrounded Union soldiers hunkered down in the city, the reality of the situation set in as the army cut rations and the men quite literally on the verge of starvation. Today, most visitors to the Scenic City never fathom the desperate condition of soldiers located here in 1863. Programs conducted throughout the weekend will be an added learning experience for those visiting the city this October," officials said.



Living historians will be stationed in Point Park on Saturday, Oct. 8 and Sunday, Oct. 9 demonstrating the effectiveness of the Confederate cannon stationed there during the siege in 1863.

These 30-minute, ranger-conducted programs will begin at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.

Although programs are free, entrance to Point Park is $5 per adult, ages 16 and older (children, ages 15 and younger, enter free).



Visitors to Renaissance Park, near Market Street Bridge, will be able to participate in special programs as well. Living historians dressed as Union soldiers will be available, conducting on-going programs about army life in Chattanooga on a daily basis during the siege. These programs will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will end at 4 p.m. each day.

Also, for those visitors interested in learning more about Chattanooga during the siege on a more mobile basis, 2-hour ranger-guided walking tours crossing the Tennessee River on Walnut Street Bridge will begin at 10 a.m. and at 2 p.m. from the living history area encampment in Renaissance Park. Please follow the Special Event signs off Frazier Avenue in North Chattanooga to the living history and walking tour locations.



On Saturday, Oct. 9 at 4 p.m., inside Outdoor Chattanoogas facility (200 River St.), the parks 26-minute orientation film, The Campaign for Chattanooga: Death Knell of the Confederacy, will be shown for all those wishing to view the film in Chattanooga during the sieges anniversary.
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Protesters, 'F***k Trump' Graffiti Greet GOP Nominee At Surprise Chicago Stop

By Stephen Gossett in News on Sep 28, 2016 2:28PM

Cheeto Party GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump made an unscheduled visit to Chicago on Wednesday morning ahead of his planned fundraiser luncheon in Bolingbrook. Unsurprisingly, given how Chicago has welcomed Trump in the past, the Polish National Alliance, which hosted the Chicago visit, was tagged some simple-but-to-the-point graffiti.

According to WGN, the tag was sprayed right along the front door, with more on a sidewalk close by.

Fox News Matt Finn tweeted a photo of another anti-Trump salute, reportedly also tagged at PNA.

'F*** DRUMF' & 'TRAITORS' Vandals spray paint Polish National Club in #Chicago ahead of #Trump visit this AM. pic.twitter.com/QtJctX8a9y  Matt Finn (@MattFinnFNC) September 28, 2016

Polish SEIU union members were among those on hand sporting pro-Clinton signage.

Polish @SEIULocal1 members giving Donald Trump a warm welcome in Chicago. We want real immigration reform! #SEIUForHillary pic.twitter.com/bo0XUrqMKS  Nick Desideri (@NickDesideri) September 28, 2016

In case you forgot, Trump at Monday night's presidential debate used Chicago violence as means of justification for the reimplementation of (failed) stop-and-frisk policies.

He's not so popular here.

[H/T WGN]
Photos: Protesters Greet Trump At High Dollar Fundraiser In Illinois

By aaroncynic in News on Sep 28, 2016 9:22PM

After spending a hefty amount of time commenting on Chicago without spending time in its neighborhoods, Republican presidential contender Donald Trump made a quick visit to the Far North Side before heading to suburban Bolingbrook for a high dollar fundraiser.

In both cases, the carnival barker and right wing demagogue wasnt exactly given a warm welcome by Chicago area residents.

Vandals spraypainted fuck Trump on the front of the Polish National Alliance, where Trump gave a 17-minute speech Wednesday morning.

I will be the greatest president for jobs that God has ever created," Trump told attendees in his characteristic aggrandizement.

Trump, the mascot of the xenophobic carnival that refers to itself as the alt right then headed to suburban Bolingbrook, where demonstrators and a few supporters lined the street across from the Country Club where attendees shelled out anywhere between $1,000 and $250,000 to catch a glimpse of him.

For two hours, demonstrators spoke, chanted and waved signs denouncing Trump. A smaller group of supporters materialized nearby and though there were some heated debates, there were no instances of violence or any arrests.





"Trump is a con man of the worst kind. Shame on you, shame on Mayor Claar for inviting him" pic.twitter.com/07Ny7TFotr  Aaron Cynic (@aaroncynic) September 28, 2016

Pro Trump supporters arguing with Trump protesters outside fundraiser in Bolingbrook pic.twitter.com/OicOFaMbq1  Aaron Cynic (@aaroncynic) September 28, 2016

If you look around and see all the people here, nobodys hating each other, said Mark Duvell.  Even though theres Trump supporters here, theres no beefs. Why is, whenever hes somewhere speaking, all that rage and hate comes out? Its because thats what he represents.

Im a cigarette-smoking, beer-drinking, red-blooded American, he added. I do not subscribe to conservative consensus, nor do I agree with liberal loathing. Im entitled nothing but freedom and a fair shake."

As a nearby brass band played Another Brick In The Wall by Pink Floyd and the Imperial March from Star Wars, Nicki Serbin said Trump represents the ugly side of the nation. Misogyny, Xenophobia As the mother of a little girl I know better than to allow like that. I refuse to let my daughter have a president that judges women based on their attractiveness, and not their behavior.

While protesters heavily outnumbered Trump supporters, several gathered a few feet down the line of protesters with large Trump and American flags.

He doesnt realize how many supporters he has, said Stuart Finley, an Oswego resident. Theres a lot of people that support him that are afraid to publicly show their support for fear of being verbally or physically abused by some anarchist, socialist or liberal.

Finley said he threw his support behind Trump after he made the decision to skip out on his scheduled rally at UIC in March, which he dubbed the UIC riot.

Another Trump supporter, who identified himself only as Jeff, said he supported Trumps wall, and that it's totally not racist at all.

Look at all these illegals coming over here with all kinds of felonies and drugs and guns dominating the streets, he told reporters. Look at ChicagoChiraq. Theres more killings in Chicago than anywhere overseas.


Payment processing firm denies money laundering claim

A company with ties to the Isle of Man insists it has done nothing wrong after being named as a transnational criminal organisation by the US Treasury.

PacNet - which is a payments processing firm - is implicated in a number of mail fraud schemes and money laundering.

A Manx farming business is part of the PacNet group, while two individuals with Manx addresses were named in the report.

The company has issued a statement online insisting it "absolutely and categorically reject the allegations".
Your Supermarket Prayers Have Been Answered, Logan Square

By Stephen Gossett in News on Sep 28, 2016 5:01PM



Logan Square residents who have been pushing for a major, chain grocery store in the neighborhood appear to have finally gotten their wish. The former Mega Mall on Milwaukee Avenue (see above for our photos of the walls and murals that remain) will be converted to a mixed-use development of retail and residential space; and the retail portion will be anchored by a Jewel, sources told Curbed Chicago.

Real-estate firm Terraco Inc. revealed in May of last year that Logans Crossingas the future development is to be knownwould house a fitness center along with a major grocer, but didnt reveal any specifics beyond that. Some in the neighborhood had strongly advocated for a Trader Joes at the Mega Mall site (2500 N. Milwaukee Ave.), but the company said in 2014 that it was not partnering in Logans Crossing. As far back as 2012, Logan Square locals also had designs on a TJs near Milwaukee and California Avenues, but the TOD behemoth known as MiCa eventually kiboshed those hopes.

Sorry, Logan, it looks like your big-box frozen food options will be of lesser quality than you hoped. But, plus side: youll probably have a deli!

Kevin Gazely, Senior Vice President of Terraco, told Chicagoist that no tenant has yet been finalized.

The onetime Mega Mall was slated to be demolished this past June, but it still stands, for now, doubling as canvas for a pretty spectacular public mural, thanks to artist Amuse126 and Galerie F's Billy Craven. According to Gazely, Terraco expects to announce a demolition date within the next few weeksafter which razing would be "imminent."

Check out the murals above before they get pushed aside in the great supermarket sweep of progress.

Representatives from Jewel were not immediately available for comment. This post will be updated as necessary.
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A preview of the new movie Operation Mekong, which is based on a real massacre, was shown to nearly 1,000 Chinese police officers on Sept 25 in Beijing.

Cast members Eddie Peng (center), Zhang Hanyu (left) and Chen Baoguo. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Heroin smugglers operating in the Golden Triangle area of the Mekong River killed 13 Chinese sailors on Oct 5, 2011.

The movie re-creates the Chinese forces' painstaking manhunt for a drug ring from Myanmar.

In a trailer released earlier, the movie's Hong Kong-based director Dante Lam said: "We wanted to do justice to the victims."

To understand the events of that fateful day, the movie's crew toured many areas along the Mekong that crosses six countries.

With the star-studded cast of Eddie Peng, Zhang Hanyu and Chen Baoguo, the movie will be released on Sept 30.

At the preview, Zhao Chengfeng, a police officer who was on the team to track down the drug ring, praised the actors who performed the roles of cops.
On 1 September 2016, Reliance Jio Infocomm (RJio), which is part of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), Indias biggest private company headed by the countrys richest man Mukesh Ambani, commercially launched services to transfer voice and data through the internet using fourth-generation (4G) telecommunications technology. RJio has stated that it hopes to have 100 million subscribers in the shortest amount of time. Said to be the biggest start-up in the world with an investment of 1,50,000 croreRIL is backing RJio with an investment of equity capital of more than 45,000 crorethe new entrant comes with substantial financial clout (Khanna and Pathak 2016).

RJio is expecting data rather than voice to be its primary source of revenue. This represents an important shift in the structure of an Indian telecom operator. Currently RJios competitors such as Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular and Vodafone earn the bulk (around three-fourths) of their revenues through voice services.

To what extent will RJio disrupt the telecom market in the country which is dominated by the top three incumbent players? Bharti, Idea and Vodafone together control close to three-fourths of the total market for telecom services in the country. The three have invested heavily in older second-generation (2G) and third-generation (3G) technological platforms (TRAI 2016a). At present, RJio is the only telecom operator in India with fully data-centric services, entirely based on voice over long-term evolution (VoLTE) technology, which allows voice to be transferred over an internet protocol (IP) network at much faster speeds in comparison to traditional networks using 2G and 3G technologies.

RJios advertisements had Prime Minister Narendra Modi endorsing its offerings. The media portrayed Ambani as a disruptor and a game changer. RJios products and services were called revolutionary. Its competitors claimed that RJio was deploying what its competitors call predatory pricing. Even if this may not be a legally accurate description, what is certain is that RJios behaviour can be described as predatoryin keeping with practices followed by the Reliance Group over the decades.

RJios Welcome Offer

RJios most attractive offering is unlimited voice calling for all its subscribers. This offer comes with a selection of 10 data plans ranging from 149 for 300 megabytes (MB) of data to 4,999 for 75 gigabytes (GB) of data; these plans come with a 28-day validity, while other plans have daily and weekly validities (Reliance Jio 2016). The cost of data to the consumer comes down progressively as tariffs go up. For example, the 1,499 tariff carries 20 GB of data making the average price of the package 74.95 per GB. With its 4,999 tariff, the average cost falls to 66.68 per GB. RJio is offering data in various forms, including at public WiFi hotspots or specific areas where computers and mobile phones can wirelessly connect to the internet through a facility called JioNet, which is expected to become operational in mid-2017. The company is offering unlimited data downloads between 2 am and 5 am.

During RILs annual general meeting on 1 September, Ambani stated that while there is a digital revolution underway across the planet, this country was lagging behind others in terms of mobile broadband internet access. He claimed that RJio will be offering data to its customers at a low price of 50 per GB and that his new venture would put an end to voice call charges in India (RIL 2016). The company is also offering its customers free access to RJio Applications (Jio Apps) until December 2017. The range of RJio applications include access to television programmes, films, music, news, travel services, financial services as well as online chat services. RJio has priced these services and applications at a minimum of 1,250 per month.

Public perception of RJios products and its pricing strategy is that these are affordable and better than those of its rivals. People across cities in India have waited in serpentine queues to buy a RJio SIM (subscriber identity module) card. Application forms which are supposed to be free have reportedly been sold in the black market, each for 100 (Zacharia 2016a). RJio has been able to reach out to over 1.5 million subscribers during its trial phase alonea substantial portion of these subscribers are RIL employees, their family members and friends who began availing these services since December 2015.

Competitors React

In their first reactions to RJios entry, its competitors sharply reduced the prices at which they were offering data services. Market leader Bharti Airtel announced that it would slash its 3G and 4G internet charges by up to 80% to as low as 51 per GB (Khanna and Pathak 2016). Airtel has also announced a special 4G data pack which will offer free data for a 90-day period (Dasgupta 2016). Vodafone decided to revise its prices for data offerings downwards to 100 for 300 MB, 250 for one GB and so on to 4,999 for 60 GB (Financial Express 2016). Vodafone Group Plc, the parent corporation of Vodafone India, has announced that it would inject around 47,700 crore into its Indian associate in order to expand and deploy 4G and 5G (fifth-generation) technologies, according to Sunil Sood, managing director and chief executive officer (CEO), Vodafone India (Zacharia 2016b).

State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) decided to match RJios offering tariff by tariff with the chairman of the public sector corporation, Anupam Shrivastava, stating that RJios entrance posed an existential challenge (a question of survival) for other telecom operators. BSNL brought down its tariffs to 1 per GB download for its high-use customers, announced an unlimited 3G mobile data plan for 1,099 and doubled data usage limits for existing subscribers (PTI 2016a). In addition, BSNL has announced that it will attempt to out-compete RJio by offering a similar free voice calling service on its network, for not only its 4G users but also its 2G and 3G customers by harnessing its wireline broadband infrastructure to route outgoing mobile calls (Doval 2016a).

The entry of RJio will accelerate market consolidation and strategic alliances. Such alliances have already taken place and more are expected. Airtel and Aircel struck a 4G spectrum trading deal in July worth 3,500 crore (PTI 2016b). Reliance Communications (RComm) headed by Mukesh Ambanis younger brother Anil Ambani, and RJio arrived at an agreement in January to allow the latter to share the formers mobile towers by paying 12,000 per tower (Arun 2016) in additional to a spectrum sharing deal across 17 telecom circles (or geographical areas) (Reuters 2016). More recently, RComm and Aircel announced that they would mergethe merged entity would have assets worth 65,000 crore and an active subscriber base of 120 million, making it the fourth largest telecom operator in India (Gupta and Barman 2016). On 13 September, BSNL and RJio announced an agreement whereby BSNL customers with 4G-enabled handsets could use RJios network while roaming outside their circles while RJio customers could use BSNLs 2G network to make voice calls (Sathe 2016).

RJios competitors who dominate the lobbying group, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), wrote to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) alleging that existing licence agreements do not allow any operator to conduct prelaunch trials at the scale at which RJio conducted its trial. The COAI claimed that RJio had violated the terms of its licence agreement with the DoT and the principles enshrined therein which are meant to ensure fair competition and non-predatory pricing behaviour (Hindu Business Line 2016).

Predatory Pricing or Behaviour?

What is meant by predatory pricing and predatory behaviour? The dictionary defines predator as an animal that naturally preys on others or a person who ruthlessly exploits others. When a firm cuts the price of its goods or services, it forces its competitors to lower their prices. This results in the profits of the competitors falling and in specific instances they may have to incur losses. If the competitor does not cut prices, it loses market share and if it does cut prices to below its average cost of production, it runs the risk of insolvency. The act of reducing prices to curb competition and then increase prices to earn monopoly profits is considered anti-competitive.

Some use the phrase predatory pricing and penetration pricing interchangeably. Penetration pricing is the practice of charging a low price in order to quickly gain market share, especially when a new entrant or existing incumbent tries to scare the competition away and gain market share. Penetration pricing often implies a bait and switch approachbait consumers with low prices and after some time when the consumer is switched on to, and dependent on, the service, prices are hiked.

Competition laws in various national jurisdictions aim at safeguarding long-term consumer interests from overt and disguised predatory tactics of market actors. These laws seek to instil a competitive market environment by regulating, monitoring and assessing competitive practices between and among firms. In the US, the Sherman Act protects firms from unreasonably exclusionary conduct that is dangerous and is likely to create or maintain monopoly rents (Mehta 2008). When a firm not only intends to harm its competitors but also harm its consumers, its pricing behaviour is considered predatory.

In India the Competition Act 2002 defines predatory pricing as the sale of goods or provision of services, at a price which is below the costof production of the goods or provision of services, with a view to reduce competition or eliminate competitors (The Competition Act 2002). Section 4 of the act has stated that predatory pricing is a form of abuse of dominance. The section also provides a set of procedures to understand predatory pricing by first analysing whether a firm in question is dominant in a particular market and whether that firm has abused its dominant position. The act makes clear that only firms with dominant market positions can be considered predatory in the eyes of the law.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI), an independent market regulator responsible for regulating market behaviour and competition, has investigated a number of instances of unfair competition. For example, the CCI has investigated complaints of predatory pricing against transport-technology companies, Uber and Ola, as well as allegations made against e-commerce websites, Flipkart and Amazon. These complaints were made after these companies started offering large discounts to consumers. Each of these companies have since been exonerated of any charge of predatory pricing as none of them had a dominant position in their respective markets (Singh 2016). While investigating these cases, the CCI considered a firms market share as the sole determinant of dominant position. The CCI is, however, expected to consider a range of factors while ascertaining market dominance.

Anti-Competitive Behaviour?

In order to determine whether RJios behaviour (in form and in substance) has been predatory and/or anti-competitive, a close examination is required of the telecom industrys market structure, spectrum auctions and regulatory changes, besides the pricing of RJios products and services and issues related to interconnection charges and points of interconnection.

Table 1 shows that Bharti, Idea and Vodafone together account for 75.2% of the market in terms of revenue and 61% in terms of subscribers. There are 220 million active unique smartphone users in India (Hindu 2016), making the country the second largest smartphone market. Analysts forecast that by 2019 there will be around 651 million smart-phone users in the country (Mint 2016).

Financial leverage ratios are used to determine how much of a companys capital comes from debt and is used to find out the ability of a firm to meet its financial obligations. For the incumbent telecom firms, financial leverage ratios are as follows: Bharti 4.96, Idea 2.63, Reliance Communications 2.77 and Vodafone 2.03. For the new entrant, RJio, its financial leverage ratio stood at 2.48, according to the Financials. Morningstar.com website. In 2009, RIL had insignificant levels of debt but this had increased dramatically to over 1,80,000 crore by the end of March 2016 (Kumar and Mulgaonkar 2016). With the industry likely to consolidate further, the main telecom operators will be investing to expand and modernise their infrastructure and also on spectrum. The high capital expenditure will drive up financial leverage ratios of the incumbent firms and the new entrant.

Using revenue market share (RMS) and the subscription base figures to determine market dominance is a more complicated and intricate exercise than the figures in Table 1 suggest. While the top three telecom companies (Airtel, Idea and Vodafone) occupy most of the market, they each offer a variety of products and services (2G, 3G, 4G and basic calling/texting). While RMS and subscription base figures are a robust industrial measure to ascertain market dominance, in order to make a comparative assessment of the impact of the aggressive competition initiated by RJio using 4G VoLTE only, one would require detailed product-specific revenue and subscription base data from each telecom operator.

Telecom operators provide consumers with voice services over circuit switched (CS) networks as well as packet switched (PS) networks. The purpose of CS networks is to provide the caller with a dedicated circuit for the session of the call where the communications flowing between phones always follow the same path with no other network traffic interfering. These networks provide dedicated point-to-point connections for the caller and receiver. PS networks, on the other hand, are used to send datain separate blocks or packetsacross a network where the data is broken up, transferred through an IP network and then reassembled to deliver the message. Unlike RJIo which is a fully IP-based network, incumbent operators like Airtel, Idea, Vodafone, RComm and BSNL use both CS and PS networks and offer services across these networks.

The basic difference between 2G and 3G cellular technology is the rate at which voice and data is transferred through a network. The first sends and receives data at speeds slightly below 50,000 bits per second whereas 3G sends and receives data at a rate a little more than four million bits per second; 2G was primarily designed to provide mobile users with a faster method of transmitting information via voice signals whereas 3G was designed to transfer information via data signals. The 4G technology brings to the consumer the speed as well as the transmission efficiency of broadband internet on a handset.

Although RJio has acquired a significant amount of electromagnetic spectrum in the 1,800 megahertz (MHz) and 800 MHz bands during the last two auctions of spectrum, the company is essentially competing with the incumbent firms only within the microcosm of 4G products and services. What does this mean for the state of competition in Indias telecom industry?

As the battle among the telecom operators will be fought hard over the coming years, two phenomena will become evident. One, incumbent firms will continue providing 2G and 3G services and non-internet telephony voice services on CS networks for the majority of subscribers. Two, there will also be a greater attempt by these operators to not only replace their older technology platforms2G, 3G and voice serviceswith 4G platforms but also make the market for 4G services as attractive as possible for the average consumer in the country. The two are not contradictory since voice services account for three-fourths of the total revenue earned by the incumbent operators. The transition from a technologically-fragmented industry with different types of networks, to one which is wholly based on IP connections, will be a long and arduous process.

RJio is competing with existing operators directly in the 4G market and hopes to dominate the market because of its early mover advantage. However, if its major rivals invest substantially in infrastructure for expanding their 4G services and until the average price of cellular hardware falls, the disruption that RJio will cause could end up being a relatively short-lived phenomenon, even ephemeral. The socio-economic inequalities in India inhibit the majority of people from being able to afford expensive mobile handsets. Therefore, incumbent firms will perforce have to continue to maintain their existing voice-based services. However, since internet telephony and the transfer of voice through IP networks is the future of telecom the world over and also in India, an important question arises: How long will it take the industry to make the transition from its present hybrid state to one which is entirely internet based? This is not an easy question to answer as it depends on many imponderable social and economic factors.

Auctions and Regulatory Changes

The manner in which Reliance Jio acquired spectrum in the 2,300 MHz band during the broadband wireless access (BWA)/4G auctions in 2010 through Infotel Broadband Services Private Limited (IBSPL) was controversial. A draft report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India leaked to the media in 2014 noted that IBSPL had submitted an allegedly forged bank guarantee to the DoT as part of the companys commitment to bidding in the auction (Guha Thakurta 2016). The draft CAG report questioned the transparency of the auction process as IBSPL failed to inform the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the DoT of the ongoing talks it was having with RIL for RIL to acquire IBSPL.

A general meeting was convened at the end of the auction process on 11 June 2010 which the shareholders of IBSPL raised the firms authorised share capital from 3 crore to 6,000 crore by issuing 75% of IBSPLs shares to RIL. The lack of disclosure by IBSPL of an ongoing relationship with RIL during the course of the BWA/4G auction process which ended that day after 117 rounds of bidding, impaired the competitive environment as other participants in the auction were unaware of the complete financial status of the bidder, IBSPL. As Prabir Purkayastha of the Delhi Science Forum and the Free Software Movement of India, stated, the competitors were completely blindsided during the auction process as certain major telecom companies had stayed away from the BWA auctions and were unaware that RIL was making its move to enter the sector (Sridhar 2016a). However, Qualcomm Inc (whose Indian operations were later acquired by Bharti Airtel) and Tikona Digital Networks Private Limited participated in the auctions, while Airtel and Aircel each bid for and won BWA spectrum in four and eight telecom circles, respectively (GoI 2010).

At the end of the auction process, IBSPL had won one block in each of the 22 telecom circles in the country with a total bid amount of 12,847.44 crore. On 17 June 2010, less than a week after the auction ended, IBSPLs board of directors authorised the allotment of 4.75 billion equity shares of 10 each to RIL allowing it to own 95% of the company. On 22 January 2013, IBSPL was renamed Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited. Another contentious issue raised by several observers is that the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for the BWA/4G auctions had clearly stated that the winning bid did not confer the right to provide any telecom services on the winner and specifically stated that the BWA spectrum was not to be used for carrying voice traffic.

A committee of the DoT was set up in 2012 to look into issues related to the creation of a unified license (UL) regime which also examined the fact that the BWA/4G spectrum was not liberalised spectrumthat is, the specific purpose for which the spectrum could and could not be used is not mentioned. The committee held that the bidders during the auction process could not take an informed decision as their bidding patterns would have been different if they had known that the spectrum could have been used for both data and voice services. In 2013, an expanded version of the same DoT committee decided that internet service providers (ISP) could convert their licenses under the new UL regime, so that they could use their spectrum to provide both voice and data services. This meant that the precondition fixed on the BWA/4G spectrum resource at the time of the auction, namely, to provide only data and internet services as the NIA stated, was overturned in 2013 after IBSPL had won the auction in 2010.

Not surprisingly, Reliance was the first beneficiary of this scheme as it converted its ISP license to provide voice and data services under the UL. RJio was granted the UL to provide voice and data services in October 2013 and had paid an entry and migration fee only. The draft CAG report noted that the total loss to the exchequer was estimated at 22,842 crore as Reliance had acquired the BWA/4G spectrum at a price far lower than what its competitors had paid for during the 3G auctions conducted in 2010.

According to Mahesh Uppal, director, Com First, a consultancy firm specialising in telecom regulatory issues, the analysis in the draft CAG report can be contested. An important reason why BWA and 3G spectrum are not strictly comparable is on account of the fact that a robust infrastructure to support BWA/4G services did not exist at the time the auctions took place. BWA spectrum was meant for internet services whereas 3G spectrum was available for both voice and data and had a good ecosystem in place in terms of infrastructure and availability of affordable devices which BWA services did not have. There were, thus, different valuations for the respective spectrum bands.

The final report of the CAG submitted in Parliament on 8 May 2015 did not mention the calculations made in the draft report but merely stated that the DoT failed to plug loopholes in the rules. In addition, as per the liberal roll-out conditions stated in the NIA, 4G services were to be operationalised within five years of the effective date of the grant of the spectrum. The deadline of five years for the roll-out of services on the BWA/4G platform ended on 31 August 2015. The final CAG report stated that the failure to roll out services had led to a lack of efficient use of spectrum and hoarding of spectrum in view of absence of roll out of BWA services (Comptroller and Auditor General of India 2015). Uppal added that since the winners of 3G and 4G spectrum had to make upfront payments, the delay in rolling out services also hurt the spectrum-holders given that the tenure of their holdings has been fixed for 20 years.

According to Uppal and others, a more substantive issue pertains to the spectrum usage charge (SUC). Since the BWA/4G spectrum was originally only meant for data services, the SUC for the BWA spectrum was fixed at 1%. Despite the 2013 change by the DoT giving the spectrum winner (RJio/IBSPL) the opportunity to use the spectrum for voice services as well, the SUC was not revised thereby giving RJio a significant advantage over its competitors since telecom operators who were offering voice services through various other technologies were having to pay between 5% and 8% of their revenues as SUC (Sridhar 2016a).

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan has accused both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of being culpable in rigging the auction process as the Reliance bid took place through a benami bidder. He added that since the motive for the spectrum block was initially meant for data which was later revised to include voice traffic as well, the fact that the Supreme Court overlooked these facts in its 8 April 2016 judgment was unfortunate. He remarked:

It is not a question of regulatory capture; it is more a case of the government selling out to Reliance. It allowed Reliance to have an advantage by enabling it to allow spectrum, which was only meant for data traffic, to carry voice. The terms of the auction were tweaked by the government, not the regulator, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India [TRAI], in this case. (Sridhar 2016b)

Free Voice Calls an Illusion?

As mentioned, RJio offers its 4G services on a pan-India basis through a new technological platform called LTE or long-term evolution. As mobile phones cannot run 2G and 4G services at the same time, that is, a voice and data call cannot take place simultaneously, RJios network uses VoLTE to ensure that the voice call continues simultaneously with data transfers (Sridhar 2016b). RJio treats voice as dataVoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol)and sends the voice communications through the networks as packets. For incumbent operators, on the other hand, only a small part of their voice traffic is transmitted as data.

When an incumbent firm offers its 4G service, it transmits voice calls via 2G or 3G technological platforms when a consumer makes a VoIP call; RJio can only transmit such information via 4G. Airtel, Idea and Vodafone, as users of earlier spectrum technologies, are able to ensure that consumers who make IP-based communications are charged less, as they consume data using 2G and 3G services. On the other hand, RJio being a wholly IP-based VoLTE service cannot afford to give its consumers the option or the ability to use 2G/3G technology for making internet-based communications.

In order to avail RJios free voice services there are many caveats that consumers may not be aware of. First, to truly get the best service, that is, RJios calling service that aims to provide HD (high-definition) calls, both the caller and receiver need to have VoLTE enabled handsets and both need to be connected to a 4G network. Second, when a RJio customer calls using a VoLTE handset and the receiver is on another network, the call will not be HD as RJio has to convert the call from a packet-switched to a circuit-switched network. Third, if a particular customer does not have a VoLTE phone then she or he would have to use the Jio4GVoice application (voice, text, photos and video conference), earlier called Jio Join, to ensure that the call is free and ensure that the data used to make such calls is not debited from a customers account (Banerjee 2016).

Most mobile handsets in the country at present are not 4G/VoLTE enabled although the majority of phones released in the market in 2016 do have this capability. If a consumer decides not to buy a VoLTE handset, she must use the Jio4GVoice app to make calls. Those with 2G/3G handsets can still use RJios network but must connect to a personal and portable WiFi device called JioNet. However, users are not debited for the data used for calls made via the Jio4GVoice app if they choose to use another over the top (OTT) service like WhatsApp, Facebook or Skype to make the same VoIP callin which case, the data consumed would be charged for. RJio is evidently discriminating in favour of voice data only and not against all other types of information (data) sent via their network.

This caveat can be interpreted as a violation of net neutralitythis phrase was first used by Columbia University media law professor Tim Wu in 2003 to delineate a principle that regulatory authorities should ensure that internet service providers should treat all data as the same and not discriminate or have different charges for a particular user, website, platform, application, equipment or mode of communication. When using OTT services such as WhatsApp or Skype, the service provider is unaware of the type of data (voice, audio, text or images) being transmitted. Since RJios model is to treat voice as data, effectively eliminating the difference between the two or treating the two as the same, the fact that consumers have to use the Jio4GVoice app to make free calls is merely a requirement as RJio does not fundamentally restrict or discriminate access to other OTT services.

We believe that unsuspecting consumers may not be fully aware of the technological intricacies behind RJios service, as the free voice service essentially means that the voice traffic is carried through data packets (VoIP calls) whereas traditionally, voice traffic (non-VoIP) takes place through CS networks.

The intricacies of RJios service and the manner in which its offerings have been promoted and propagated might not legally constitute predatory pricing. However, the fact that its customers will have to fulfil specific conditions to avail the full range of the free and high quality services, can certainly be termed as predatory behaviour, according to the authors. Uppal disagreed with this interpretation of what constitutes predatory behaviour. He added that one should make a distinction between issues of public policy and sharp business practices indulged in by cut-throat competitors in the marketplace.

While Prime Minister Modis Digital India dream is to connect 1.2 billion Indians with mobile broadband connectivity, RJios free voice call service comes with real costs. The true price that the average consumer would have to pay goes beyond the data tariffs quoted by RJio and requires the aam aadmi to not only upgrade his or her existing handset to one which is 4G/VoLTE enabled but also, use a specific application. This clearly makes the claims of reaching out to a billion-plus people not just difficult and daunting, but highly exaggerated and arguably even spurious. RJios behaviour can, hence, be called predatory because it is boasting about providing free calls to its consumers without explaining the technological intricacies and not highlighting the fact that by merely shifting allegiance from an incumbent operator to the new entrant a customer will not naturally and automatically get the free service. There is also a likelihood that by the time a customer gets a 4G/VoLTE enabled handset and is able to make HD calls, RJio would have revised its tariff rates.

IUCs and PoI Issues

The extant interconnect usage charges (IUC) regime in Indias telecom sector is one of the most important factors that ensure fair competition, consumer welfare, growth of users and the equitable distribution of revenues and costs among various service providers and their networks. In order to connect a call, operator A must pay an IUC to operator B, when As customer wishes to call Bs customer. From February 2015 till now, the IUC has been fixed at 14 paise per call terminated and total IUC charges comprise around 20,000 crore of revenues by all telecoms operators put together (Rathee 2016).

In August 2016, TRAI published two separate documents, a consultation note on IP-based interconnection and a consultation paper on IUC which considers a change in the payments regime and potentially, a reduction or a complete doing away with the IUC on both traditional and IP-based networks. The COAI termed this development as indicative of a bias in favour of RJio. Since RJio consumers do not pay for voice calls, it is likely that its consumers would make more outgoing calls than receive incoming calls. This, in turn, would result in large cash outflows for RJio. A Bank of AmericaMerrill Lynch estimate is that in its first year operations and assuming a subscriber base of 30 million, RJio would incur an IUC bill worth 2,400 crore (Parbat 2016). If the IUC is brought down to zero, it could potentially shrink the annual revenues of the top three operators (Airtel, Idea and Vodafone) by about 5,000 crore and provide a distinct cost and competitive advantage to RJio (Rathe 2016). Since RJio customers will be calling relatively more people on other networks, it will have to convert the VoIP/PS signals for a CS network, thereby incurring interconnection charges.

The incumbents have argued that RJios free voice calls have led to a tsunami of voice traffic, congestion on their networks and an increase in the cost of managing interconnections. An Idea Cellular executive was quoted in the Economic Times as saying that the traffic between Idea and Jio was 14.5 times higher than normal resulting in an increase in the cost of providing the interconnections over its network (Khan 2016).

J S Deepak, secretary, DoT, in an interview with the Economic Times, stated that the interconnection issue was hardly new. Fifteen years earlier when operators such as Airtel and Idea entered the sector, they had accused BSNL, then the only incumbent operator, of not giving them enough POIs (points of interconnection). Today, these incumbents are on the other side of the table, he added (Mankotia 2016).

RJio has accused Bharti Airtel of not releasing as many POIs as had been agreed upon. In response to RJio statements, Airtel in turn accused RJio of trying to mask the technical problems in RJios VoLTE network by raking up the POI issue. In addition, Airtel stated that it had released a large number of POIs, which are sufficient to serve over 15 million customers, which is much more than ... (RJios) present subscriber base and ...(its) demand for 10 million projected customers.

The interconnection issue is leading to around 10 crore call failures per day between RJio customers and customers of other operators, claimed RJio in a public statement. It hit out at the incumbent operators for not providing enough POIs, accusing them of not demonstrating any real intent to resolve the issue and of violating licence conditions and TRAI regulations on quality of service. The deliberate move to not provide sufficient interconnection points is aimed at hindering RJios entry into the sector and depriving customers from enjoying the superior HD services offered by RJio, the statement by RJio noted (PTI 2016c).

TRAI chairman R S Sharma has said that one of the key mandates of the regulator is to ensure that there is high quality of services and that consumers are protected (Doval 2016b). However, since the arrangements for POIs are a bilateral issue between operators, TRAIs abilities to investigate, intervene and resolve disputes are limited, he stated, adding that if regulations are violated then we will have to take action against the party concerned (PTI 2016d). Sharma added that operators are being asked why they are not providing quality services to consumers (Rathee 2016).

Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman of Bharti Airtel, gave a resounding response to RJios accusation and also commented on the mud-slinging discourse among telecom operators that has ensued since RJios launch. Just because you have been successful in one or the other industrydoesnt give you the right to be on top. You have to earn that, Mittal said in an interview to the Economic Times. He added that he had told RJios chairman Ambani that POIs could not be an issue obstructing the launch of Jio and was at best a temporary issue that would be resolved in weeks. Moreover, talking about IUC, Mittal said: When you go below that cost, that is a very straightforward situation of predatory pricing (Mankotia and Guha 2016).

An enlightening and sober view was put forward by Mittal when he said:

rural, suburban people are still on to feature phones where they want to make calls and do a little bit of 2G. So the curve may be accelerating toward 4G but it is not going to happen that we wake up tomorrow morning and everything is 4G  In the last 16 quarters there is less voice growth and in some cases voice de-growth  Jio has accelerated that path now. (Mankotia and Guha 2016)

The war of words between RJio and the COAI escalated to unprecedented levels. On 26 September, RJio dubbed its competitors, Airtel, Idea and Vodafone, as incumbent dominant operators (IDOs). It said the COAI was heavily biased in favour of the top three operators and called for a comprehensive overhaul of the associations rules, regulations and procedures in a letter sent to the director-general of the COAI Rajan Mathews and the chairman of the lobby group, Gopal Vittal, who also happens to be the CEO of Bharti Airtel. RJios letter hoped that a committee comprising three retired Supreme Court judges would be set up to ensure that COAIs governance mechanisms become more in line with democratic principles (ET Bureau 2016).

The COAI hit back immediately late on a Sunday evening. In a letter made public, COAIs Mathews described RJios conduct unbecoming of a member, claimed it had misinterpreted specific rules and countered RJios IDO acronym calling the new entrant a BDO or a backdoor operator. The letter by the COAI further went on to allege that despite its skullduggery and repeated and grave provocations, RJio had been welcomed into the association. Mathews then recounted the history of how RJio acquired its licence through a front entity and how it was prospectively allowed to offer full voice and data services, despite objections from the CAG and others.

After various stakeholders submit their views on the interconnection issue in response to TRAIs consultation papers on IUC, the authority will have to ensure that the future policy regime is balanced and does not consciously or unconsciously benefit any particular operator, be it RJio or its rivals. This would check predatory behaviour and the possibility of predatory pricing in the future.

What Conclusions Can We Draw?

Using revenue market share and subscription base figures as a method to understand market dominance, RJio cannot at present be classified as a dominant operator. As per the provisions of the Competition Act, RJio cannot be said to be indulging in predatory pricing. However RJios behaviour and the manner of its entry into countrys telecommunications industry may certainly be considered as predatory for a few specific reasons.

One, the manner in which it acquired the BWA/4G spectrum in 2010 and the fact that it doubly benefited when the government changed its rules retrospectively to allow operators to provide both voice calls and data services on the same spectrum.

Two, RJio has also benefitted from an unfair cost advantage as the spectrum usage charges (SUC) have remained unchanged and is not in line with the SUC paid by incumbent operators who offer similar services on their respective 2G, 3G and 4G technology platforms.

Three, the propagation of free voice calling may mislead consumers who might end up paying more for RJios services than they would pay for similar services provided by other operators given the fact that RJio is entirely data centric and only works on 4G LTE and 4G-VoLTE mobile handsets.

Four, the timing and sequence of events relating to probable regulatory changes in the IUC regime indicates that RJio is at the right place at the right timethe regulator has been publicly considering changes in specific regulations nearly a month before the commercial launch of RJio and the Reliance Group has in the past displayed an uncanny ability to take advantage of regulatory changes resulting in the playing field becoming far from level.

Mukesh Ambani might believe that RJio has consciously or unconsciously jump-started the inevitable internet revolution in telecommunications in India. However, the larger internet revolution in telecom is a long way away. What matters now is the manner in which regulatory changes and spectrum auctions take place, as well as how operators interact with one another operationally and politically so that consumer welfare and quality of services are not undermined. As Ambanis biggest competitor Sunil Mittal has pointed out, predatory pricing will ensue if the IUC regime is made to change fundamentally to give RJio distinct cost and revenue advantages over its rivals. RJio has deployed effective marketing and propaganda techniques to acquire unsuspecting consumers. It has been able to take advantage of ambiguous and lax regulatory processes and systems of oversight. It has arguably not provided technical and operational information with clarity to its customers. RJios entry has certainly taken place through predatory behaviour. Whether its pricing is predatory, which could hurt incumbents and consumers in the future, depends on the steps that are taken by the regulatory authority.

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Khan (2016): Idea to Expand Interconnect Points to Jio, Says Asymmetry of Traffic Causing Higher Costs, 12 September, Economic Times, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/idea-to-expand-interconnect-points-to-jio-says-asymmetry-of-traffic-causing-higher-costs/articleshow/54295207.cms.

Kumar, Abhineet and Mulgaonkar Sameer (2016): Reliance Industries Prefers Using Debt to Cash for Capex, 6 August, Business Standard, http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/reliance-industries-prefers-using-debt-to-cash-for-capex-116080501886_1.html.

Mint (2016): News in NumbersIndia to Have 651 million Smartphone Users by 2019, Says Report, 28 March 2016, http://www.livemint.com/Politics/TPCtIaJodlX0SQs6ZLbWjJ/News-in-numbers--India-to-have-651-million-smartphone-users.html.

Mankotia, Anandita Singh (2016): Reliance Jios Presence will Increase Demand, Make Auctions More Competitive: JS Deepak, Telecom Secretary, 19 September, Economic Times, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/54399675.cms?

Mankotia, Anandita Singh and Guha Romit (2016): Points of Interconnect Wont Be an Obstacle in Jio launch: Sunil Bharti Mittal, 21 September, Economic Times, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/points-of-interconnect-wont-be-an-obstacle-in-jio-launch-sunil-bharti-mittal/articleshow/54435471.cms.

Mehta, Uday Singh (2008): Predatory Pricing: Lessons for Developing Countries, Briefing Paper for CUTS Centre for Competition, Investment & Economic Regulation (CUTS C-CIER), No 3.

Parbat, Kalyan (2016): Reliance Jio Interconnect Bill May Hit 2,400 crore in Its First Year, 27 August, Economic Times, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/53880460.cms.

Press Trust of India (2016a): Will Match Reliance Jio Tariff-by-Tariff, Says BSNL, 6 September 2016, Hindu, http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/will-match-reliance-jio-tariffbytariff-says-bsnl/article9076272.ece.

(2016b): Airtel, Aircel Spectrum Trading Deal Cleared, 11 July, Business Standard, http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/airtel-aircel-spectrum-trading-deal-cleared-116071000091_1.html.

(2016c): Jio Hits Out at Airtel, Says 10 cr Calls Failing a Day, 20 September, Times of India, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Jio-hits-out-at-Airtel-says-10-cr-calls-failing-a-day/articleshow/54432209.cms?from=mdr.

(2016d): Trai Seeks Details from Telcos on Congestion Levels, 19 September, Business Standard, http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/trai-seeks-details-from-telcos-on-congestion-levels-116091901336_1.html.

Rathee, Kiran (2016): Trai Extends Date for Receiving Comments on Interconnect Charges, 3 September, Business Standard, http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/trai-extends-date-for-receiving-comments-on-interconnect-charges-116090201192_1.html.

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Sathe, Gopal (2016): Reliance Jio Signs Deal with BSNL to Address One of Its Potential Pain Points, 13 September, NDTV, http://gadgets.ndtv.com/telecom/news/reliance-jio-signs-deal-with-bsnl-to-address-one-of-its-potential-pain-points-1458089.

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Srivastava, Moulishree (2016): Top 3 Telcos Grab 75.2% Revenue Market Share in Q1, 26 August, Business Standard, http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/top-3-telcos-grab-75-2-revenue-market-share-in-q1-116082601001_1.html.

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No 90/2016, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, New Delhi.

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Zachariah, Reeba (2016a): Reliance Jio Sim Being Sold in Black, 4 September, ET Telecom, http://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/reliance-jio-sim-being-sold-in-black/54006977.

(2016b): Jio Effect: Vodafone Gets 48,000 cr Infusion, 23 September, Times of India, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Jio-effect-Vodafone-gets-Rs-48000cr-infusion/articleshow/54472925.cms.
The combined brand value of the 200 Chinese companies, listed in the Hurun brand report released on Sept 20, reached 4.6 trillion yuan ($689.8 billion), up seven percent year on year, and a record high.

Of the 200 companies listed, 139 have seen their brand values grow, and 97 are private businesses. The value of state-owned brands has decreased by about 3 percent on average, while those of private businesses are up by about 20 percent on average.

Last year's champion Tencent fell to fifth position at 210 billion yuan, as its instant messaging service WeChat was counted independently this year. Let us take a look at the top 10 brands in the country.

A deliveryman rides past the headquarters of e-commerce company JD.com Inc in Beijing. [Photo/China Daily]

No 10 Tmall

Brand value: 120 billion yuan, up 26 percent compared with last year

Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation.
No threat risk model (an assessment of software, network or other risks and threats) is complete without a methodology for rating threats. In an earlier article we addressed two common and simple threat risk models, both developed by Microsoft  STRIDE and DREAD  along with the more complex CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System). Here we look at how three others rate threats: Trike, MIL-STD-882E and OCTAVE.

Trike

Trike is an open source threat modeling methodology with a distinct threat rating component. It delves beyond threat modeling and into attack graph[ing], requiring extensive parsing and detail.

For threat rating purposes, however, it is much simpler. In the world of Trike, every attack falls into one of two attack types: elevations of privilege or denials of service. (This solves the cross-correlation problems presented by the more simplistic  and more redundant  STRIDE, as discussed in the earlier article.)

With this in mind, Trike assesses the risks of these attacks impacting assets presented by four specific actions, comprising the acronym CRUD:

Creating

Reading

Updating

Deleting

(The creators of Trike acknowledge that a fifth and exotic action, invoking, is possible  and thereby assessable  in an environment that is specifically intended to move around code and execute that same code as part of the core function of the system. But they spend no more than a paragraph discussing and quickly dismissing it because of the rarity of the situation.)

A threat rating chart using Trike will list all possible assets connected with the system being assessed; external assets are included as well. For each asset, the risk of either attack type is assessed on a five-point scale for each CRUD action.

Trike also takes human actors into account  such as an administrator, an account holder or an anonymous user or reader. Separately, actors are rated on a five-point scale for the risk they are assumed to present to a system based on trust. A trusted administrator with full privileges, for example, would get a rating of one, whereas an anonymous user with the most limited access would get a high rating. They are also rated on a three-point scale  always, sometimes, never  for each of the CRUD actions they have access to perform upon each asset.

Five-point scales are used throughout the threat modeling aspects of Trike, as well (for instance, for assessing weaknesses). For those used to modern, three-point DREAD methodology, even a five-point rating system for risk  which Trikes creators indicate is based on probability  can seem too vague.

Unfortunately, this is not the only aspect in which Trike lacks directness and specificity. As with many open-source tools/methodologies and their websites, both Trike and its site could use a lot of work. The website has not been updated in years. Trike version 2.0  Trikes current version  has not been documented; version 1.5 was never fully documented either.

The Trike paper and corresponding documentation present interesting ways of thinking about fully assessing threats, and the website and paper themselves plainly disclaim that what it describes needs more rigorous testing and may not work perfectly, but the complexity of Trike potentially limits its usefulness for the neophyte. In the end, Trikes best use for the time being may be as an academic thought experiment  providing theory to underpin the practical workings of a more straightforward threat assessment system.

MIL-STD-882E

MIL-STD-882E, a Department of Defense methodology, uses two scales for rating risks: a four-point severity rating scale and a six-point likelihood scale. Unlike with other threat models, MIL-STD-882E goes ahead and specifically defines what each point on the scale means, as shown in these images from a DoD report below:

The two scales combine to form a simple yet detailed risk assessment matrix, as shown here:

The DoDs system tends to result in a higher ranking, which equates to a higher value for the cost of a life, writes security researcher Craig Smith in his new book, The Car Hackers Handbook. Also, MIL-STD-882E is designed to be applied throughout the life cycle of a system, including disposal, which is a nice fit with a secure development life cycle.

Nonetheless, Smith finds MIL-STD-882E too simplistic a methodology for assessing malicious threats. When rating threats, we want more detail than just Risk = Probability x Severity, pens Smith.

Still, MIL-STD-882E does have some depth. Similar to how Trike assesses the risk of human actors, MIL-STD-882E assesses the software safety criticality of software systems based on their level of autonomy or automation  potentially making it especially useful for virtualized environments and systems where any form of machine learning or rudimentary AI is employed.

Additionally, MIL-STD-882E offers the benefits of being straightforward and well defined, helping to make up for what it lacks in depth. Thus MIL-STD-882E is a great starter methodology for those less experienced with threat-rating theory, while remaining useful for more experienced security analysts as well.

OCTAVE

OCTAVE (aka the Operationally Critical Threat, Asset and Vulnerability Evaluation), although jointly developed by the U.S Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) and Carnegie Mellons Software Engineering Institute, is less of a methodology for assessing technological risk and more of a methodology for assessing organizational risk. Indeed, the voluminous reports that describe OCTAVE criteria read like business-school manuals.

The upside of OCTAVE is that it is at once in-depth and flexible. The downside of OCTAVE is that it is at once in-depth and flexible.

OCTAVE rates risks, likelihoods and impacts on a three-point scale. Additionally, OCTAVE implementation requires teams to specifically define for themselves what each of the three points on each respective scale actually mean.

While ideally anyone using a different threat-rating methodology would determine specific definitions for their ratings anyway, OCTAVE is unique here for getting people to think more carefully about how they choose to rate threats. On the other hand, this still  potentially  represents a weakness when compared to MIL-STD-882E, which flat-out tells those who use it what each rating means.

OCTAVE is more flexible. Probability analyses are optional, the only requirement being thoroughness; analysis teams are directed to consider a variety of factors that can influence probability, as well as to explicitly determine the exact numerical thresholds for high, medium and low probabilities.

OCTAVE is far from perfect; its documentation, while detailed, is at times tediously dense and vague. Some engineers and programmers may not like OCTAVE because, being geared more toward organizational risk, it uses fluffier business language to describe risk.

On the other hand, by presenting so many questions for analysis teams to consider, OCTAVE  like Trike (debatably) and unlike MIL-STD-882E (debatably)  forces them to think deeply about the methodology behind the threat-rating methodology.

As such, OCTAVE  whether or not it is right for any particular project or organization  presents an ideal to strive for: adaptability. OCTAVE, in its present incarnation, can be easily combined with other threat-rating methodologies  and, as such, allows the threat analyst to imagine how any combination of threat-rating methodologies (whether OCTAVE-inclusive or not) could be picked and chosen from a la carte for ones particular purpose.

This approach is no stranger to security professionals and has even been explicitly advised; ultimately, you have to choose what works best for you and your goals.

Expand, bend, or throw out [threat-rating methodology] ideas  as necessary, Tom Olzak, CEO of Erudio Security, urged readers in his March 2006 paper on STRIDE and DREAD, A Practical Approach to Threat Modeling. The objective isnt adherence to some process articulated one Saturday afternoon by [an] IT professional. Instead, its the secure operation of your network.

Joe Stanganelli, principal of Beacon Hill Law, is a Boston-based attorney, corporate-communications and data-privacy consultant, writer, speaker and bridge player. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeStanganelli.
Every day, human activity affects marine ecosystems by discharging waters from urban and agricultural areas. Dutch users investigate what role iron minerals play in the health of these ecosystems, using the X-rays of the Dutch-Belgian beamline (DUBBLE).

Humans pump essential elements (nutrients) such as phosphorus into the sea through detergents, sewage and fertilizers. These nutrients change the ecosystem and eventually the minerals that can form in the seafloor. Algae thrive in an environment with a lot of nutrients, which can lead to dense growths of (toxic) algae. When the algae die and sink to the bottom, bacteria use up all the oxygen in the water when they eat the dead algae. This creates dead zones without oxygen and without life other than bacteria; fish, crabs, bivalves and others leave or die.

Peter Kraal in the field.

Peter Kraal at DUBBLE, preparing samples.

As disturbing as all this sounds, nature also provides solutions: iron in the seabed is very effective at removing phosphorus. But there is a hindrance, as Peter Kraal, researcher at Utrecht University (UU), explains: Human activity can change ecosystems in such a way that iron minerals become less efficient at removing phosphorus from the water.

So Kraal is at the ESRF this weekend, together with Case van Genuchten, a UU researcher and expert in drinking water treatment, and Simon Muller, a master student at UU. They experiment with various iron phases: We go to the lab and make different types of iron minerals. Then we stick them in sediments in an estuary with an oxygen-depleted seabed in the Netherlands, and two weeks later we look at how they have transformed, explains Kraal. The ESRF allows them to get an accurate picture of the structure of the iron minerals by using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) on the Dutch-Belgian beamline (BM26A).

The Dutch estuary where the samples are placed. The samples in the estuary.

The samples need to be kept in an environment without oxygen, so the team manipulates them in a plastic bag filled with nitrogen gas instead of normal air. In the bag, they make small pellets that are sealed and then brought to the beamline. For this experimental session, they have brought a total of 96 samples from eight different types of iron minerals that have been in the field.

Case van Genuchten (right) and Simon Muller (left) putting a sample in the Experimental hutch. The samples as powder.

Text by Montserrat Capellas Espuny
The Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday that it will impose anti-subsidy duties on distiller's dried grain (DDG) from the United States by requiring importers to pay a cash deposit on purchases.

As of Friday, importers of the product must place deposits with Chinese customs ranging from 10-10.7 percent, according to the ministry.

The move comes after the ministry imposed anti-dumping duties on DDG from the United States last week. Starting last Friday, importers of DDG were required to set aside deposits at 33.8 percent of the import value.

The domestic industry has been "substantially" harmed by the dumping and subsidies of DDG, the ministry said in a preliminary ruling following an investigation launched earlier this year.

DDG is the nutrient rich byproduct of dry-milled ethanol production, which is used in animal feed. China is the world's biggest buyer of DDG, with most imports coming from the United States.
Texas is in the process of streamlining its science standards, so you know what that means: Its time yet again to frighten the public with dire warnings about creationists running amok. At the Huffington Post, Michael Zimmerman, founder of the Clergy Letter Project, sounds the alarm about some of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) biology standards on evolution. He begins:

The creationists are back in Texas attacking high quality science education. Well, to be honest, they were never gone, but theyve opened a new front designed to ensure that the next generation of Texas students are saddled with the same political baggage as the last.

To be honest? Zimmerman has misrepresented evolution, science standards, and intelligent design in the past, and his descriptions of these standards are more of the same.

Zimmerman says:

As extreme as the four disputed standards are from a scientific perspective, the political motivation behind their original addition is even more striking. TEKS standard (7)(B) deals with the sudden appearance of life on Earth, an event that neither biologists nor geologists consider particularly sudden. Heres what McLeroy had to say when he proposed that it be imposed on Texas students: the purpose of this standard is to argue against the idea that all life is descended from a common ancestor by the unguided natural processes. McLeroys argument in favor of TEKS standard (7)(G) about the complexity of the cell is virtually identical. This standard, he argued, questions the two key parts of the great claim of evolution, which is [sic] common ancestry by unguided natural processes. In fact, (7)(G) is all about promoting the scientifically bankrupt concepts of intelligent design and irreducible complexity constantly pushed by creationists.

But what do the standards actually say, and do they line up with current science?

(7) Science concepts. The student knows evolutionary theory is a scientific explanation for the unity and diversity of life. The student is expected to:  (B) analyze and evaluate scientific explanations concerning any data of sudden appearance, stasis, and sequential nature of groups in the fossil record;  (G) analyze and evaluate scientific explanations concerning the complexity of the cell.

As reflected in (7), the standards specifically deal with evolutionary theory which is a scientific explanation for the unity and diversity of life. No other theories are mentioned.

As for 7(B), Zimmerman is incorrect. Biologists (including the vast majority who affirm common descent) do consider the fossil record to contain sudden appearance events. On this point, Don McLeroy, who was chairman of the Texas State Board of Education during the 2008-09 review process, read from the work of Ernst Mayr (a leading evolutionary biologist of the 20th century) and Stephen Jay Gould (another leading evolutionary biologist and paleontologist) during a Board meeting. For a thorough exposition of mainstream evolutionary biology explaining abrupt appearance, see here.

Regarding 7(G), it is uncontroversial in science that the cell is complex. This standard mentions nothing about intelligent design and only requires students to examine scientific explanations for the cells complexity.

Moving on, Zimmerman says, Similarly, standard (3)(A) embraces the creationist position that students should be exposed to all sides of evolution even though this standard has been used to bring creationism into public school science classrooms and laboratories.

Zimmermans statement is confusing at best. This standard promotes neither creationism nor intelligent design. It simply promotes good science, and good science education, which means engaging in critical inquiry. Zimmerman offers no evidence that creationism is being taught Texas public school science classrooms and laboratories. Indeed, according to the Supreme Court (Edwards v. Aguillard), its unconstitutional to teach creationism. So creationism is simply a nonissue here.

Finally, Zimmerman claims that, Standard (9)(D) promotes the creationist position that an intelligent designer must be responsible for encoding information in complex molecules such as DNA. Heres what the standard says:

(9) Science concepts. The student knows the significance of various molecules involved in metabolic processes and energy conversions that occur in living organisms. The student is expected to:  (D) analyze and evaluate the evidence regarding formation of simple organic molecules and their organization into long complex molecules having information such as the DNA molecule for self-replicating life.

This standard merely asks students to examine evidence about the origins of cells. Chemical evolution, a field with few firm conclusions, includes several major competing theories on how life began, as Priestley Medalist George Whitesides and other prominent scientists acknowledge.

Zimmerman is concerned about saddling Texas students with political baggage. I am too, but its politics, not science, that dictates withholding objective information from young people. The states standards on evolution are a paragon, based on current science and critical thinking. Lets hope that the Board retains wording that promotes scientific inquiry rather than suppressing it.

Photo credit:  science photo  stock.adobe.com.
Fertility doctors have brought a baby to birth from an embryo created artificially with the biological substances of two women and one man.

That could be illegal in many places, so the American doctors went to Mexico to do the procedure. From the Science story:

[Dr. John Zhang of New Hope Fertility Center in New York] reportedly used an approach called spindle nuclear transfer to create five human embryos. The method involves removing the nucleus  the bulk of a cells DNA  from one of the mothers egg cells, and inserting that nucleus into a donor egg cell stripped of its own nucleus. The result is an egg with mitochondrial DNA from a healthy donor and nuclear DNA from the mother. Five donors eggs prepared this way were then fertilized with the husbands sperm  but only one of the resulting embryos had a normal number of chromosomes. That embryo was transferred into the mother-to-be.

Realize, this child was manufactured using broken eggs and a sperm, resulting mostly in nonviable embryos.

More importantly, what are the potential longterm consequences to this child? We dont know. Indeed, this child will have to be followed for potential health problems going forward. Even if there is no untoward consequence to the baby  which all should hope  this was unethical human experimentation.

The doctors fled to Mexico to flee regulatory oversight. Yet The Scientists blame the regulators:

Norbert Gleicher, a fertility specialist at the Center for Human Reproduction in New York City, says that the New York teams decision to work in Mexico is to be expected, given the obstacles to trying such an experimental procedure  or even applying for approval to offer it  in the United States. Gleicher says he has sought a meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to discuss mitochondrial DNA replacement for U.S. patients, including as a treatment for infertility. We have not even been able to get an appointment, he says. The United Kingdom, as well as a U.S. National Academy of Sciences panel, has given its approval in theory to mitochondrial transfer to prevent disease. In the United States, however, Congress has blocked FDA from allowing any such experimental treatments. The regulatory situation in the United States kind of doesnt make any sense, Gleicher argues, because what it results in is exactly what you have been witnessing  essentially, an experiment that moves to places with no supervision.

In other words: Let us do what we want or we will do it anyway!

But this is how the biotechnologist roll. In truth, those who circumvent the rules should be shunned, not praised. And they expect us to trust them? No.

Society needs to have an important and in-depth debate over how and whether to permit these nature- and potentially family-altering techniques to go forward, and if so, under what circumstances.

But instead The Scientists presume the right to decide for themselves what is ethical in science. Theres a word for that: hubris.

Photo credit: HolgersFotografie via Pixabay.

Cross-posted at The Corner.
The Pound (GBP) exchange rates were able to advance briefly against some peers after positive post-Brexit comments

The Pound to Australian Dollar exchange rate today (30/09/16): +0.2pct higher on the day's opening levels at 1.70285.

The Australian Dollar to Pound exchange rate today: 0.58725.

The US Dollar to Australian Dollar exchange rate today (30/09/16): +0.29pct at 1.31465.

GBP/AUD made consistent attempts to climb throughout Thursdays European session, but despite slipping risk-sentiment in global markets, Sterling lacked the appeal to sustain any advances.

GBP sentiment was briefly bolstered in the early-afternoon by optimistic comments on post-Brexit trade from UK Trade Secretary Liam Fox. However, as his speech contained no plans and little besides speculation, Sterling ultimately failed to hold its ground.

While the Australian Dollar was initially boosted by rising oil costs after an OPEC decision, it has since fallen due to gross profit-taking by AUD investors.

The Pound has not been faring well elsewhere, having been damaged by speculation that Brexit may not occur in the UKs favour.

The Pound (GBP) exchange rates may be able to establish a more solid advance against currency rivals such as the Australian Dollar today if predictions prove accurate

GBPAUD rose up from its worst levels and attempted to advance on Wednesday afternoon, as risk-sentiment dimmed and investors adjusted their positions on Sterlings lows.

Sterling could see a more solid recovery if Thursdays UK August consumer credit or mortgage approvals figures impress.

For the Pound, the present tight trending against the Australian Dollar has largely been brought about by uncertainty about how the UK will fare after Brexit finally takes place. With this in mind, however, the near-term may be more positive, as Thursday mornings UK lending data for August is forecast to print positively.

Suggestions from the Bank of Englands Minouche Shafik that more policy easing is needed recently weakened Pound Sterling exchange rates, causing the GBP/AUD currency pair to dip.

While a World Trade Organisation (WTO) report suggesting there would be no UK recession in 2017 slowed the decline, Pound Sterling to Australian Dollar exchange rates continue to fall.

The latest source of weakness has stemmed from comments from the Bank of Englands (BoE) Minouche Shafik, who stated that;

It seems likely to me that further monetary stimulus will be required at some point in order to help ensure that a slowdown in economic activity doesnt turn into something more pernicious.

Latest Pound/Australian Dollar Exchange Rates

On Monday the Pound to British Pound exchange rate (GBP/GBP) converts at 1

The live inter-bank GBP-GBP spot rate is quoted as 1 today.

The GBP to USD exchange rate converts at 1.16 today.

Today finds the pound to new zealand dollar spot exchange rate priced at 1.997.

NB: the forex rates mentioned above, revised as of 31st Oct 2022, are inter-bank prices that will require a margin from your bank. Foreign exchange brokers can save up to 5% on international payments in comparison to the banks.

Although GBP/AUD has declined, gains for the Australian Dollar (AUD) are beginning to slow as the global hunt for yield following the US presidential debate loses momentum.

The fact that Hillary Clinton was perceived to have dominated the first US presidential election debate gave markets the confidence to turn to high-yield assets recently, boosting the Australian Dollar (AUD).

This rally is beginning to run out of steam, with the AUD/GBP exchange rate making smaller - but still noticeable - gains, as traders return to the US Dollar after a strong consumer confidence score.

Chinese consumer confidence surveys are providing the AUD with some support, with the Westpac-MNI consumer sentiment index for September rising from 111.5 to 115.2.

While NAB expects profit-taking on short positions could temporarily boost Pound Sterling, it continues to hold a negative outlook.

Net short positions on the British Pound have fallen from their record levels, but the still high volume of short positioning could see GBP rise in the short-term as traders take profit at the end of the third quarter.

However, NAB notes that;

Looking ahead, however, we retain our overall negative stance on the British Pound. Fears of an immediate recession have largely evaporated, but theres little doubt that tough times lie ahead.

From a data point of view, tomorrows consumer credit and mortgage approvals figures for August could further move GBP.

Are Fed Rate Hike Expectations to Weigh on Australian Dollar?

The current atmosphere of risk-appetite could find itself waning, with AUD falling as traders are drawn back towards the USD later today.

This is becauseFederal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen is due to testify before a House Panel, while later on Federal Reserve Presidents James Bullard, Charles Evans and Loretta Mester are making various public appearances.

It is therefore highly likely that the markets will find something in the content of their remarks to adjust expectations of a December rate hike; how the Australian Dollar responds to this depends upon whether bets of tighter US policy go up or down.
Wild Great Wall before the restoration Wild Great Wall after the restoration

A 700-year-old wild stretch of China's Great Wall has been covered in a smooth and white trail of sandy soil by the local cultural relics bureau in Suizhong County, in the southwestern part of Liaoning province of North China, an action that was blasted by netizens as the "ugliest" restoration.

Suizhong's Xiaohekou section of the Great Wall, once dubbed by many as "most beautiful wild stretch of the Great Wall", is a national protected cultural relic; however it was in a remote mountainous area and its restoration, which occurred in 2014, only came to public attention recently when some internet users uploaded photos online.

They triggered public outcry and scrutiny, many asking why the authorities had used "cement" to repair the section, which seems more like destruction of the original beauty and status of the cultural relics than the restoration claimed by the local government.

Liu Fusheng, a local resident who climbs the section of Great Wall every day, told the Beijing News he witnessed the work. "The construction workers used cement mixed with white dust and sandy soil to flatten the walkway into a smooth and flat surface," he recalled.

Three months later, the surface had become a hardened road integrated with the original walls and ancient brick road.

Suizhong County's Cultural Relics Bureau responded to the controversy by saying the statements and speculation online were inaccurate. The repair was an emergency project because the Great Wall might have collapsed in heavy rain. The bureau stressed the material used was sandy soil, rather than the alleged "cement".

Ding Hui, director of Cultural Relics Bureau of Liaoning Province, said on Wednesday that, before the restoration, the Great Wall was in grave danger of being ruined by rain and natural disaster. "So the cultural department developed an urgent plan to lay a protective cover on the severely damaged part of the Great Wall."

The restoration work covers eight kilometers of the section of Great Wall, "In some sections, we repair it; in another, we reinforce it; as for the one section you saw in the recent photos, which is one or two kilometers long, we just did some protection work to improve it."

He explained the plan was made by experts after they surveyed the section and approved by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage. He admitted, however, that the way the restored Great Wall section looks is "not good."

"It didn't look pretty just after we finished our work," Ding said, "We knew it from beginning. And we tried to improve it starting one year ago. We felt upset, too, but this was the only method of resolving the problem offered by the experts. If there was no better way, we have to maintain the status quo."

China Great Wall Society deputy director Dong Yaohui said the repair was done "very badly". "It damaged the original look of the Great Wall and took away the history from the people."

He said the main reason to restore it like this but with the authorities' approval was because there was no general and operative standard for restoring all the Great Wall sections in the country.

"Different local authorities have different visions for repairs as they always ask local agencies to handle the repair plans," Dong said, "So the results will come out differently."

He suggested the repair should respect the current status of the Great Wall sections. "We don't want to repair it like it was in ancient times, and we don't want to turn it into a modern edifice. Preserving the status quo with least intervention is the best way."

According to the China Great Wall Society, natural and human damage to the Great Wall in the past 2,000 years has jeopardized the famous cultural relic. For example, the youngest part of the Great Wall, from the Ming Dynasty, only has 513.5 kilometers of wall intact, out of 6,259.6 kilometers in full - that is only eight percent. About 1,961.6 kilometers of ground relics of the Great Wall have already disappeared.
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Hong Kong is the most expensive city in the world to buy a home, followed by Singapore, New York, London and Paris, according to new research.These are cities where career expats often aspire towards working, but if they want to buy an apartment then they will pay more than anywhere else in the world, the data from international real estate services firm CBRE shows.  These cities have high property costs because they are also popular with global real estate investors as well as expats, says the second annual Global Living report from CBRE, which compares the property markets across 35 key cities. The results highlight that demand and growth remains highest in those cities that offer a safe harbour for wealth and a robust political and economic environment.Buying an apartment in Hong Kong costs an average for 1,141 per square foot, by far the most expensive. In Singapore the average price per square foot is 699, in New York it is 689, in London 557 and in Paris 411.Prices are so much higher in Hong Kong because of a lack of supply. The report also points out that apartments tend to be smaller in Hong Kong so buyers get less for their money.Renting a property is also costly in major global cities with Singapore topping the list with an average monthly rental price of 2,250, followed by London at 2.136, Abu Dhabi at 1,944, Los Angeles at 1,933 and Rome at 1,898. Hong Kong comes ninth at 1,490.The report also shows which cities are seeing prices and rents grow the fastest. Istanbul and Vancouver have had the highest house price growth at 25% and 22% respectively, while newcomer Bangalore has made it in to the top three for rental growth.It explains that wider economic growth continues to be reflected in local property markets. For example Istanbul experienced the highest annual house growth, whilst also having one of the best value average property prices at $127.85 per square foot. The report suggests that with increasing confidence in its property market as an investment haven, Istanbul is continuing to show signs of embryonic growth and huge potential.In the UK, annual price growth to the end of May 2016 in London reached 13.6%, up from 8.7% growth one year ago, suggesting that demand for this world class global city remains strong.In Spain, Barcelona has had a significant year of recovery, experiencing house price growth of 5.9% in the last 12 months. Property remains undervalued in the city, according to the report following the sharp post crisis declines. This, coupled with Barcelonas strong and respected international reputation, means property here is an attractive asset for the foreign investor.Although 81% of Berlins population lives in rental accommodation, the citys sales market is witnessing strong growth at the moment, with a total of 11.2% price growth from 2013 to 2015, while in Frankfurt demand in the rental remains strong and rents have continued to rise, up 1% in 2015 and low mortgage rates have resulted in increasing demand for homes.In the United States, Los Angeles has seen house price growth at 6% and demand is consistently outstripping supply. Limited land supply is also restraining new build growth and thus tall, multi-family apartments dominate the rental market, with the average rental price being pushed up to 81% more than the national average.Meanwhile, Downtown Miami has one of the fastest growing neighbourhoods, with five-year projected household growth at 14.9%. The city is showing considerable signs of recovery from the crippling impact of the 2011 housing crisis, with growth of 10.5% experienced in the 12 months to April 2016. This growth is replicated in an improving rental market.
Taiwan is expected to see fewer mainland tourists during the upcoming National Day holiday, as cross-Straits relations remain in stalemate.

Bookings for trips to Taiwan during the holiday from Oct 1 to Oct 7, also known as the Golden Week, dropped by 20 to 30 percent from last year, according to the China Youth Travel Service, a major tourism operator in China.

Meanwhile, Taiwan tourism professionals are predicting that the number of mainland travelers may drop by 44 percent year-on-year in 2016, according to media reports.

"The decline is mainly from group tourists, up to a 30 to 40 percent drop," said Li Zhi, general manager of the Taiwan center of China Youth Travel Service, adding that the number of tourists traveling independently has risen, but the rate of increase has slowed compared with previous years.

About 1,000 clients booked through the service for the Golden Week holiday, including group trips, hotels and document preparation.

Since 2008, when the island opened up to mainland travelers, the number of independent tourists had increased by at least 15 to 20 percent. But this year, the rise is only about 10 to 15 percent, Li said.

He added that seats usually are sold out before September, but this year seats have remained untaken right before the holiday at month's end.

Ctrip, a major online travel services provider, also has seen the change. The company reported that reservations to Taiwan have dropped. It also predicted that Taiwan's tourism-dependent businesses may have their "coldest" Golden Week during this National Day holiday.

"The preparation time needed to visit Taiwan has been reduced, mainly because there are no lines for the entry pass. Previously, customers during Golden Week in October booked six to eight weeks in advance, but now they can book four weeks before," said Sun Yu, head of the Taiwan region for Ctrip.

A travel advisory from the company called Taiwan "a good choice for tourists who want to avoid popular destinations and seek peace and quiet."

Taiwan's China Times newspaper reported this month that the island saw 30,771 mainland visitors during the National Day holiday in 2014 and 35,891 visitors last year. However, Taiwan tourism professionals have predicted that the number may drop below 20,000 this year, 44.3 percent less than last year.

Mainland tourism industry officials said the decline is mainly due to difficult cross-Straits relations and a number of negative incidents since May 20, such as a fatal bus fire and the erroneous launch of a missile that hit a fishing boat, killing the captain and injuring three of the crew.

"Group tourists who are mainly above 40 years old are affected mostly. They are more sensitive to politics. Comparatively, young travelers are less keen on politics, but the negative information in some ways also affects them," Li from the China Youth Travel Service said.

The number of mainland visitors to the island has plummeted since Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen took office in May. According to Taiwan authorities, mainland tourists in group tours declined by about 30 percent year-on-year in the period from May through July.

Liu Xiangping, head of the Institute of Taiwan Studies at Nanjing University, said the island's authority has contributed to an atmosphere that has "convinced" residents that visitors from the mainland are not well-behaved tourists.

"The attitude makes mainland travelers feel unwelcome and lose interest in Taiwan," he said.

For example, Liu said, the Taiwan government poorly handled the recent bus fire incident that killed 24 tourists from the mainland. "Especially, Tsai treated the victims from Taiwan and the mainland differently, which hurt mainlanders' feelings."

Tsai sent a condolence inscription to the memorial service of Cheng Kun-wen, the Taiwan tour guide killed in the incident, yet failed to do so for the 24 mainland tourists. Taiwan officials claimed they didn't receive such requests. Investigators concluded that the driver, who also died, intentionally caused the deadly incident.

The decline of mainland tourists has moved those in the Taiwan tourism industry to action.

In mid-September, more than 15,000 hospitality and tourism workers in Taiwan took to the streets in downtown Taipei, demanding the island's authorities do something about the weakness in the industry.

"The government has refused to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus since taking office in May. This has damaged all the hard work toward peaceful relations across the Taiwan Straits," said Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, in an earlier statement. "Whoever started the trouble should end it."
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Photo taken on Sept. 27, 2016 shows the accident site of a gas explosion which occured in a coal mine in Shizuishan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)

The death toll of a fatal coal mine explosion in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region has risen to 18, local authorities said.

The explosion occurred at 7 a.m. Tuesday at a small coal mine, which belongs to Linli Coal Mining Co. Ltd. in Shizuishan City. Twenty miners were working under ground at the time of the incident.

One miner died after he was rescued from the shaft, the bodies of 17 more miners were also brought above ground. Two remain missing.

Chairman of the region Xian Hui and vice chairman Ma Li arrived at the site of the explosion to inspect the rescue operation.

More than 200 rescuers have been mobilized.

The mine's annual production capacity is 450,000 tonnes. Its certificate remains valid until September next year.

Most of the miners were from the provinces of Sichuan and Gansu, as well as Ningxia autonomous region.
Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Ive been aware as I watch the election unfold that I am rooting for Donald Trump. I dont intellectually embrace him or much of what he is saying, but I know  its so clear  that Im rooting for him. Thats an observable phenomenon, and its undeniable.

-Law prof. Ann Althouse, in a post that compares Hillaty vs Trump to Nurse Ratched vs. McMurphy, or the Goody 2 Shoes sister, getting away with stuff on the sly vs. the brother who thinks its all bullshit and who is not going to be your good little boy.

And the truth shall make us free.

This admission is very brave of Althouse, a professor in a liberal stronghold, Madison, Wisconsin, and a member of an increasingly politically monolithic profession in which favoring a Republican, much less a villainous fool like Donald Trump, is the equivalent of dire heresy. Her confession is perceptive and illuminating. It explains why this election is so perplexing and conflicting despite Trumps crippling character deficits. It explains why Hillary isnt 50 points ahead. It is also perhaps the single aspect of the widespread Trump support that taps into something undeniably positive about the United States of Americaunlike, for example, the fact that so many voters are ignorant.

I too find myself rooting for Trump while reviling him. It disturbs me, but the response is emotional. People like Hillary Clinton in our lives deserve to face rebellion, and need to be both opposed and exposed. I have spent much of my own life fighting a lot of Hillary Clintons (of both genders).* Seeing their smug, sneaky, cynical and self-satisfied faces covered with pie is one of the great thrills of existence, especially when you have had a hand in steering the course of the pie.

In the comments to her post, one wag compares Trump to Bart Simpson and Hillary to Lisa. We know that Lisa will be a more competent President, but its hard not to favor Bart. (Gary Johnson, notes another commenter, is Maggie).

I still will probably end up voting for Hillary as the most responsible choice. Still, it is gratifying that the United States culture, after all these years, still has a healthy reflex attraction to the rebel, the iconoclast, the rock-thrower, the risk-taker and the outsider.

If only that attraction wasnt focused on such a boorish, untrustworthy fool.

*At an advanced age, working for a major association, I was once dressed down by the head of the associations foundation because I dared to move a couple of her extra office chairs into the adjoining conference room for a meeting without asking in advance. Not that she needed them, of course: she just felt that I should have to give her 24 hours notice, or something; she wasnt around when my chair emergency arrived. The next morning, she found her desk chair missing, with a note made up of letters cut out of newspaper that read WE GOT YOUR CHAIR. DEMANDS TO FOLLOW accompanied by an envelope containing one of the chairs castors. She was not amused, but it made my year.
Tuesday, September 27, 2016

 Its what good leaders do!

One of your best employees (by whatever performance measure you use) needs an extra day of bereavement leave for the death of a grandparent who raised her near single-handedly. This employee has been with you 6+ years, with no attendance issues, no unreasonable demands, and you cant even remember the last time she asked you for something.

She even commitswithout your askingto working extra hours to cover her absence, and says you can reach her via email and cell during that time.

As your lips purse up to say yeah, sure! you get this nagging thought: If I do it for her, Ill have to do it for everyone.

Theres this string of advice that oft-times permeates otherwise thoughtful organizations. In a misguided effort to avoid conflict, tough conversations and tense performance discussionsand the ubiquitous prevent lawsuitsmany will advise leadership to treat all employees the same.

What a load of crap.

Nice try, Mister Lazy, but youre not getting off that easy. If identical treatment for all was effective, Id include it in my Definitive, 12-Page Guide to all Things Leadership. It would sell three gazillion copies, and Id be living on my very own private Tahitian island.

And in all likelihood, you wouldnt be invited. No, identical treatment is not the answer.

Think about it this way divide all your employees into just two categories based on overall performance and behavior: High Performers and Low Performers. Thats it, just those two categories. Got it?

Now ask yourself this: If I treat all employees identically, who does a happy danceHigh Performers or Low Performers?

The answer is (continuing the Jeopardy theme) Who are Low Performers, Alex? Correct!! They know theyll benefit from your reluctance to treat High Performers too badly, so they are definitely some happy campers.

The High Performers not so much. Theyre thinking, What the hell? I bust my butt, outperforming the majority of these goobers, and for what? Nothing?!

Yeah, okay. Rotsa ruck with that approach. Thats just wrong, and in no way does it represent successful, positive leadership.

So, lets return to your internal conversation about that employee wanting the extra day. You were at If I do it for her, Ill have to do it for everyone.

Therein lies that load of bunk. Well, sort of you see, youre correct in that, should another 6+ year high performer with no attendance or behavior issues that rarely asks for anything at all, who volunteers to be accessible during this extra time off.. if that sort of employee asks you for that extra day, youre right. You should provide it to him just like this current situation.

But if a 6-month slugatron, always feeling entitled to everything, or a 2-year mediocre performer who just stays out of PIP reach should ask, you should give em this:

Fuhgettaboutit.

Assuming that you identify high performers for appropriate performanceand not simply personal reasonsyou should show favoritism. They are your favorites.

And what, then, do you tell those whining Low Performers when they complain about you playing favorites? You tell em youre right! I do play favorites! The good news is youre welcome to join the favorites team. Love to have you on board.

Yes, Low Performer, you too can get a super-secret Ovaltine Little Orphan Annie secret decoder. Just do your job, do it well, keep your nose clean and show that you can be as loyal to the organization as you want me to be to you.

Easy-peasy. You are now a favorite, with all the rights, honors and privileges of this exalted position.

Leadersidentify your best performers and treat them like your best performers. If your lower performers arent happy about that, give them a road map to high-performance, or tell em to suck it up and get used to it.

Leadership is tough. Wear a helmet.
THE MATURING ONLINE EDUCATION REVOLUTION

The field of online higher education is growing exponentially. The reason is the ease of putting curriculum and programs totally online and being able to mirror a ground-based classroom as never before - live classes - interaction between students and faculty in real time and talking to the student and seeing them thousands of miles away. The revolution in higher ed is rolling on.





Many Leaner Management Systems aka Course Management Systems offer services of various degrees and dependability. All however are not equal or up to the standard noted.

In 2008, Global Academy Online research under the Direction of Dr. Fred DiUlus conducted an exhaustive study of online platforms the students believed were the easiest to navigate and the best in their opinion to provide the educational challenge and results they demanded that mirrored a regular classroom..

The study took place over six months in an area of the world not inhibited by faculty and administration prejudice, hype or preconceived notions about what a Learner Management System or Course Management System ought to or could not do. The task - find the best.



Today, such systems have proliferated and there are dozens of Learning Management Systems worldwide to choose among - most are paid for subscription type service providers. Yet, the very best, remain basically free. Meanwhile many overlook these services under the belief that if it costs a lot, it must be good. In this arena nothing could be further from the truth.

However,schools faced with the decision today to spend upwards of $200,000 to migrate and engage a learner management system for an entire student body of several thousand will find the cost usually covers training for faculty to set up courses, staff training to administer the financial and adminstrative system and promptly be forgotten after the traininng sessions; locking the school into long training modalities in essentially what is a Wonk-style complicated system.

The result in the long term is the adopted systems are nothing more than an attempt by providers to achieve and lock-up control of the student body and the school's records to ensure their arrangement continues making it too difficult to unravel without great expense. the cost of operation training and introduction skyrockets to three times the cost of implementation. Hundreds if not thousands of schools share this dilemma today in their rush to catch up and find themselves being held up literally by providers.

What they can do is freeze the system and start over with a paralllel system side by side controlled and operated within with a FREE baseline provided by online pioneers like MOODLE, the grandaddy of FREE systems.

Colleges need to slow down, step back and use their internal expertise to thoroughly investigate and not leap at a system that Dope U down the street implemented. They will find they can put in a far superior system with existing in-house IT abilities literally for free - A fact proven by undergraduate students in an obscure country in South America almost a decade ago.

Then, how does a school make an informed decision for the right online course management system?

The answer is simple. Let the students decide.They have far more experience than aged faculty and administrators who did not grow up with a computer starting at age 4.

____________________________________________________
Welcome to the News Release Wire Selection Control Panel.

Instant News Wire
Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Attract the Right Job or Clientele: Speak Up to Be Heard

As a group populates, some people prove to be more popular than others. For those who are less aggressive, they take it as their signal to leave as those other folks appear to dominate. But is this really the right action to take?

We each have a unique gift awaiting discovery

My Story

It was previously written that for months, I was trying to figure out where I might possibly fit into a room of highly accomplished people. Eventually the spot became evident. But this was due solely to the fact that I stayed the course. I refused to quit the group until a definitive answer was found.

Once the answer was recognized, I did speak up. People listened and took notes. The result made both the uncertainty and waiting period well-worthwhile. But standing on the opposite side of thought was an acquaintance who only attended one meeting. Not feeling appreciated and possibly snubbed by another, this person chose to not return.

We had a discussion following that decision. A sales technique is to not advise, but ask questions. This helps the person to discover on their own the best way to to proceed. So I posed these:

Do you see the vision of the group becoming reality and worthwhile?

Do you believe you could contribute in some way?

Do you feel bold enough to give the group due consideration in order to take control of the decision rather than others to decide for you?

The point of those questions was to indicate we should never allow others to make decisions for us or allow them to make us feel shut out. Instead, I suggested the following:

Give the group one more try

Be polite to the people who behave as if they are superior

Seek out the friendlier people in the room to find your niche

Your Story

A good rule of thumb is to spend time where we are appreciated. But there are always exceptions to the rule. On the occasion an opportunity arises, a number of people may be vying for the same spot. The situation can become tenuous at best. The question becomes how will you handle future similar occurrences?

Take time to reflect on past behavior and whether there is room for improvement by answering these questions:

Have you ever relinquished control to someone else over an important decision?

Were you sorry that you did?

Do you believe the end result may have been more favorable had you taken control?

Should you detect any sign that the outcome could have improved by seeing it through to the end, make a vow to do better in the future. Speak up to be Heard! You will find this works well for personal, career and business endeavors. By adding to the pool of opinions and ideas, you practice the art of negotiation and collaboration too. In the end, the initial obstacles make each of us much stronger when we are willing to fix what is not right and improve upon our talent.

Sales Tips:

Build confidence with self-help and mentors Take public speaking courses Watch videos of speakers and trainers Observe leaders in action Create a brain trust of peers to get sound business advice Create a buddy system with another to hold one another accountable toward goals Exchange insights with your buddy regarding delicate situations Challenge yourself to stick out an uncomfortable situation Learn from the uncomfortable experience to improve future endeavors Occasionally participate where you are the least experienced in the room

Smooth Sale! Following these guidelines will lead you to the

For Business Consultation and Conference Speaking

Schedule an Appointment to Learn More: elinor@smoothsale.net

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Tuesday, September 27, 2016

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I have noted more than once what an excellent ethics movie the original 1960 Western classic The Magnificent Seven is. Occasional Ethics Alarms contributor and apparently retired ethics blogger Bob Stone made an excellent case for what he calls his favorite ethics movie here, but the screenplay makes its own case with exchanges like this one:

Harry (Brad Dexter): There comes a time to turn mothers picture to the wall and get out. The village will be no worse off than it was before we came.

Chris (Yul Brenner): You forget one thing  we took a contract.

Vin (Steve McQueen): Its not the kind any court would enforce.

Chris: Thats just the kind youve got to keep.

or the very first scene, where gunslinger Chris volunteers to drive a horse-drawn hearse to Boot Hill where a group of armed bigots are threatening to shoot anyone who tries to bury a recently deceased Indian, who lived in the town, in the towns cemetery along with decent white folks. Steve McQueen (Vin) goes along as Chriss wing-man, and the first two of the seven team up for an act of pure altruism.

The remake of the film opened over the weekend, and in part because Im doing a program for the Smithsonian about the lore surrounding the movie, I saw it. And took notes.

Its not bad. I enjoyed it. It is yet another example of how Hollywood no longer trusts the Western genre or its traditional trappings: the heroes in this and the heroes in most modern Westerns are now portrayed as super-heroes, ridiculously fast on the draw, absurdly accurate with every shot, and able to ride like circus performers. At a certain point, this silliness leads to a damaging loss of suspension of disbelief. The intrusion of gratuitous diversity was also annoying: the end features three heroes riding into the sunset, and they consist of an African-American, a Native American, and a Mexican. How they missed including a handicapped gay woman is mystifying, and somebody should organize a protest. Well, at least all the whites and the Asian guy were killed. Thats something.

The remake has also left the famous precursor of the original Magnificent Seven behind, for almost nothing remains of Kurosawas 1954 Japanese classic, Seven Samurai. Only two characters have traveled through the three films more or less intact: The Leader (Kambei Shimada, as played by Takashi Shimura; Chris Adams, played by Yul Brenner; and Sam Chisolm, played in the new film by Denzel Washington), and The Master, a warrior so unmatched at all forms of combat that he fights only to challenge himself (Kyuzo, played by Seiji Miyaguchi in the Japanese film; James Coburn as Britt in the first Seven and martial arts star Byung-hun Lee as Billy Rocks in the remake). The other characters have been cross-bred or replaced entirely, though those familiar with the original 1960 Western will spot the shreds of what remains.

For example, Ethan Hawke (who was one of John Waynes kid cowboys in The Cowboys long ago) plays a cross between Brad Dexters Harry Luck, a venal treasure hunter in the original, and Lee, Robert Vaughns gunfighter whos lost his nerve. Thus Hawke is a venal treasure hunter whos lost his nerve, and when he abandons the team before the final showdown (like Harry), you know he will come riding in to try to save the day (like Harry) but not before recovering his nerve and shooting skills (like Lee) ending up dead (like Harry and Lee).

I hate to say this because it might spoil the film, and no reviewer has noticed it, but the film plays more like a serious parody of Blazing Saddles than as a remake of The Magnificent Seven. The Japanese classic and John Sturges 1960 film (as well as Pixars A Bugs Life, also a Seven Samurai/ Magnificent Seven homage) involved a poor village of farmers being annually robbed of food by marauding bandits. The new version begins with a middle class town being cruelly oppressed by hired thugs working for a greedy capitalist (like Hedley Lamarr, the preening villain in Blazing Saddles. ) Bartholomew Bogue, played by Peter Sarsgaard, is so evil that he has innocent men and women killed and burns down the church, a level of gratuitous badness that it approaches comedy, like

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Bogue would have his thugs beat up an old lady like that, there is no doubt. When he recruits a huge army to attack the now reinforced by seven town (the movie also often feels more like The Alamo than The Magnificent Seven), it looks very much like the band of rustlers, cut throats, murderers, bounty hunters, desperados, mugs, pugs, thugs, nitwits, halfwits, dimwits, vipers, snipers, con men, Indian agents, Mexican bandits, muggers, buggerers, bushwhackers, hornswogglers, horse thieves, bull dykes, train robbers, bank robbers, ass-kickers, shit-kickers and Methodists that Lamarr (Harvey Korman) recruits to defeat the rebelling citizens of Rock Ridgewho are also led by a black hero, just like Sam Chisolm. In fact, I laughed out loud at the collection of scary villains in the new Seven; all that was missing was Nazi soldiers. There was an evil Indian, though. And an evil guy with an eye-patch.

The townspeople lure the marauders into the same traps as the ones in Rock Ridge: hidden dynamite, though The Magnificent Seven didnt show dummy horses being blasted sky-high. (No, there were no dynamite booby-traps in the original The Magnificent Seven, and it hadnt been invented when Kurosawas story took place). The remake also climaxes with a show-down between the Leader and the head bad guy, unlike the original, but exactly like blazing Saddles, even down to the villain trying to cheat by pulling a hidden weapon.

Still not convinced? Among the new Seven is a replica of Blazing Saddles' Mongo, played by Vincent DOnofrio as Jack Horne! Horne even throws down a horse, though not quite like Mongo did

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But I digress.

Antoine Fuqua, the director of The Magnificent Seven Jr, told an interviewer that the scene in which Chris and Vin risk their lives for a dead Native American affected him deeply as a child, because it was such as selfless act. Thus it is beyond comprehension that he allowed the screenwriter to remove all of the ethics and ethical values from his movie, though the audience doesnt realize how completely until the end.

That opening scene Fuqua says changed his life is gone, to begin with. (Figure that out.) The hired gunfighters are sought, not as in the Kurosawa film or the original, by a group of townspeople seeking protection from the bandits, but by the vengeful wife of a man murdered by Bogue; the town isnt even aware of her mission. The seven samurai are offered only rice and gratitude; Yuls crew are offered a pittance, food and a bed. In both cases, it is clear that that the Seven are primarily driven by a desire to help the poor and oppressed. Its true that Harry thinks there is a treasure involved, and Bernardo (Charles Bronson), like Lee, is desperate, but Chris, Vin, Britt and Chico (Horst Buchholtz) have only altruistic motives. In the new version, the leader, Denzel, accepts what looks like a fair amount of lucre, though he seems to be genuinely moved by the widows plight. He recruits #2 (Chris Pratt) to pay off his debt; #3, an outlaw whom he is chasing, in exchange for not shooting him, #4 by making him believe theres a treasure, #5 because hes pledged to serve #4, and as for Mongo and the silliest looking Indian to appear on screen since Johnny Depps version of Tonto

who knows why they come along? If it was explained, it flew right by me.

In the original, the Seven talked repeatedly about why their fight was important because it was right; there is none of this in the remake. Why becomes clear when we learn, as Sam finally has Bogue at his mercy, that this was all personal: Bogue had previously taken over the Kansas town where the leader of the Seven and his family had lived. Bogues men raped Sams mother, and killed Sams sisters! And he shows a scar around his neck, where he was unsuccessfully lynched. Thats why he took the jobnot to help the town, not because it was right, but because he wanted vengeance for a personal wrong. This is a vendetta, not a mission of mercy.

To get his revenge, he gets about two-thirds of the townspeople and four of the seven killed. (This casualty rate, at least, matches the two earlier films.)

Even the device of having the remaining citizens in the now blown-to-smithereens town thank Sam as rides away (this also is redolent of Blazing Saddles) doesnt Sams his conduct more ethical. To Sam, his fellow Seven, the town and its residents were only a means to an end.

This Magnificent Seven is just another revenge action movie, like the Kill Bills and Unforgiven. The cast is excellent (Chris Pratt and DOnofrio especially), and Fuqua is a talented action director. As the current Presidential race shows, Americans seem to think ethics is irrelevant to their lives, so the film may do well.

Maybe it will inspire people to go watch the original, again, or for the first time. Then theyll learn what motivates real heroes.
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AUSTIN  The leaders of two of the states biggest school districts are calling on the Texas Education Agency to stop penalizing districts for giving specialized education to more kids than the agency has deemed prudent.

Superintendents Michael Hinojosa of Dallas and Pedro Martinez of San Antonio came out against the arbitrary enrollment target after a Houston Chronicle investigation found it has led schools across the state to keep tens of thousands of children with disabilities out of special education.

Hinojosa said he would launch a review of special education in Dallas, where, the investigation found, just 6.9 percent of students receive special education services such as tutoring, therapies and counseling  about half the national average.

I was surprised to see (the special education percentage) so low, said Hinojosa, who previously worked as a superintendent in Georgia. Im used to that number being higher.

Houston Independent School District Superintendent Richard Carranza, who was hired last month, said he could not yet say whether the target should remain in place.

Leading Democratic lawmakers have decried the states policy, and the commissioner of the Texas Education Agency, Mike Morath, has acknowledged it was likely to be tweaked.

The state Senate minority leader, Jose Rodriguez, has begun drafting legislation to address the issue.

Its important that we address this issue to ensure children with special needs and their families arent denied rights established by federal law, said Rodriguez, D-El Paso, in a statement. Im deeply concerned that this arbitrary performance indicator has disincentivized schools from fulfilling their moral obligation, and obligation under federal law, to proactively search out kids who may qualify for special education services and give them initial screenings.

The Chronicle investigation revealed that the Texas Education Agency quietly implemented the target in 2004, arbitrarily choosing 8.5 percent as the benchmark and requiring some districts that served more children to file Corrective Action Plans detailing how they would lower their numbers. Over the past decade, the percentage of Texas students receiving special ed has dropped from nearly 12 percent to exactly 8.5 percent, by far the lowest rate of any state in America.

If Texas provided services at the same rate as the rest of the country, more than 250,000 more children here would be receiving services.

It was also found that TEA officials created the target while facing a $1.1 billion state budget cut and did not consult the federal government, state lawmakers or researchers. The national average special education rate was and is 13 percent.

The TEA has denied depriving any students of proper instruction and defended the target, but has promised to conduct a detailed review of its impact.

On Tuesday, parents cheered the momentum toward addressing the issue, especially in Dallas and San Antonio.

Thats completely awesome, said Dariela Zarazua, a receptionist at a San Antonio dental office and single mother.

Her son, Alex, 9, is legally blind and has learning disabilities that caused him to struggle and lash out at his San Antonio ISD school. But despite Zarazuas attempts, school administrators refused for months to even evaluate Alex, saying they first needed to try a different set of teaching techniques known as Response to Intervention.

Many Texas school districts have started requiring that students go through Response to Intervention before being evaluated for special education, even though the federal government has specifically prohibited that policy.

I hope they change things, said Zarazua, whose son, Alex, finally got special education services this fall after more than a year of advocating and legal action, so more families wont have to go through what we did.

Claire Collop, a Dallas resident, said she too was happy. Her son, Liam, has faced challenges his whole life. When he turned 3 and was still not speaking, the family tried to get special education but were told by Dallas ISD that he didnt qualify. Years later, after Collop paid for evaluations, the district acknowledged that Liam was on the autism spectrum but declined to provide adequate services.

I struggle when I think a lot about how much my son could have been helped, Collop said, if he had gotten services and help early.
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When it comes to trusting ones gut over science, Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood has a kindred spirit in state Rep. Bill Zedler.

LaHood is headed to Dallas this weekend to speak at the Autism Education Summit, mostly likely to forge ahead with his vaccines can and do cause autism crusade.

Zedler, R-Arlington, participated last weekend in the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, where he spoke on the same theme. He sat on a panel alongside state Rep. Jason Villalba, a fellow Republican from Dallas who tried in the last legislative session to pass a law that would have permitted immunization exemptions only for medical reasons. (Anti-vaccination forces blocked the bills passage.)

In Texas, parents can avoid school immunization requirements by filing a conscientious exemption form. The number of students receiving such non-medical exemptions has risen precipitously in the past decade, from about 3,000 in 2004 to about 38,000 in 2014.

Vaccines really are a victim of their own success, said Anna Dragsbaek, a public health attorney who joined Villalba and Zedler on the panel, titled Why Are We Fighting About Vaccines?

We have eradicated or nearly eradicated many, many diseases that used to keep our parents up at night, Dragsbaek continued. But lately, people have started subscribing to alternative theories and to very dangerous beliefs that vaccines are riskier than diseases. And thats because we dont see the diseases anymore, and the risk-benefit analysis has been very, very skewed.

She added, Without vaccines, the diseases can and will and are coming back.

Thats why Villalba filed his bill last session, and its why he plans to co-author legislation next year that would require every public school campus to report percentages of un-vaccinated students.

This is about protecting our families, protecting our community, making sure we have safe public schools for our children, he said. In the end, science has proven that vaccinations make our community safer.

Zedler countered that vaccinated children have nothing to fear from un-vaccinated children  in fact, he asserted, its vaccinated children who pose the greatest threat.

If your child is vaccinated, if we follow the scheme of quote-unquote science, then the fact of the matter is, your child is safe, Zedler said. The real threat to the immune-suppressed child is not the un-vaccinated child, but the child that has been recently vaccinated with a live vaccine.

That might be nonsense, but its a natural digression for someone who would put air-quotes around the word science.

An accomplished screwball, Zedler tried unsuccessfully in 2011 to pass a bill prohibiting discrimination against creationists. As evidence that evolution is false, he asked Mother Jones, When was the last time weve seen someone go into a windstorm or a tornado or any other kind of natural disaster, and say Guess what? That windstorm just created a watch.

Its just about impossible to argue with illogic that dense.

In Austin, Villalba tried.

Why dont we debate whether or not we should have leeches for good bleeding? We want to go to medieval science, we can do that, he said. Were talking about something that is proven over and over and over again as far as doctors all around the world. Its not a question anymore.

Zedler countered, You know who always wants to shut down the debates? The left  Its just like when they had this documentary Vaxxed.

LaHood has used his own elected office of district attorney to plug Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe, even sitting down with the makers of the controversial documentary for an 11-minute interview.

The indictment is vaccines cause autism. So lets put that on trial, LaHood said in the video. If this case had to be tried to a jury, I would be very comfortable trying this case, proving that vaccines have a strong factor in causing autism.

LaHoods confidence in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary mirrors the faith of Zedler, who told the audience in Austin, When I have an issue that I know Im right on, hey, I welcome debates.

Whats so frustrating about both Zedler and LaHood: No amount of debate  or evidence, for that matter  would ever change their minds.

bchasnoff@express-news.net
This papier-mache Halloween lantern is actually horrifying

Most jack-o'-lanterns are made from pumpkins, but this particular papier-mache pear is a unique, antique find.
The National Farmers Union has called for the European equivalent of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) to tackle unfair trading practices abroad.

NFU President Meurig Raymond, expected to release more details at a food supply chain seminar hosted by the European political group European Conservatives and Reformists, is set to speak alongside the GCA's Christine Tacon in Brussels.

Mr Raymond will emphasise the need for British farmers to have the same kind of protection they enjoy domestically when they trade abroad.

He will reiterate that open and fair access to European markets remain a high priority for the wider UK rural economy, an issue that will become even more important in negotiations on the UKs future outside the EU.

British farmers want to be competititve, the NFU President says

Mr Raymond says he wishes to see a "strong regulation" at a European level, and an independent enforcement office, such as the GCA, introduced.

"I know there are many who fear that this will lead to overzealous European regulation  but implemented in a proper way this will give producers the security and confidence they so badly need," Mr Raymond said.

"The purpose of this is to give suppliers the confidence to highlight unfair trading practices in a confidential way.

"This confidentiality is crucial as submitting evidence on unfair trading practices can be very damaging for a supplier, if this information is within the public domain.

Operating on a global stage

Mr Raymond said British farmers, like many across Europe want to be competitive and wish to operate on a global stage.

"The UK farming unions were disappointed that President Juncker failed to mention this vital issue in his State of the European Union last week.

"This is a clear example of an area where European oversight is badly needed and we urge the Commission to come forward with legislation providing meaningful protection for Europes farmers and shoppers," Mr Raymond concluded.

The GCA was introduced in 2012, following years of NFU lobbying.

The role is to enforce the Grocery Suppliers Code of Practice, which stipulates how the top 10 retailers are expected to fairly manage their relationship with their direct suppliers.

According to a YouGov survey carried out on behalf of the GCA, in 2016 62% of direct suppliers said they had experienced an issue in the past year, down from 70% in 2015 and 79% in 2014.
Upland farmers have told the Rural Payments Agency that their businesses could be compromised by the organisation's "continued failure" to meet deadlines and honour its commitments.

Speaking after a meeting with the National Farmers Union Uplands Forum, chairman Robin Milton said that he was pleased that RPA staff had met with them to listen to their concerns.

But he warned that farmers could be forced to drop annual or seasonal commitments, such as paying for feed and fertilisers or re-investing in their businesses, without prompt payment.

"With the apparent inability of the RPA to meet deadlines or honour commitments farmers are rightly concerned and frustrated that empty promises will compromise their businesses," he said.

Important for the RPA to deal with remaining BPS payments "as soon as possible", Mr Milton said

"With intense pressure being applied from the NFU at all levels, the RPA continues to tell us that it is still adamant that payments will be delivered promptly in the coming weeks and months.

"We have been assured that cross checks have now taken place with Natural England for forthcoming stewardship funding.

"This should put Natural England and RPA in a place to allow initial 2016 ELS, HLS and Countryside Stewardship payments in the coming months.

NFU Vice President Guy Smith: "Seemingly endless clear up operation from last year must come to a conclusion"

"We ask these are made without delay, in order to help alleviate some of the now major cash flow issues our members face and especially those in the uplands."

'Absolutely critical to sort out the backlog'

Mr Milton said it was now important for the RPA to deal with remaining BPS payments "as soon as possible."

"This includes adjustments to common land - as a result of the Minchinhampton court case - and to deliver BPS 2016 payments to all ahead of the 2017 application window opening next spring," he added.

"It is absolutely critical that this work includes sorting out the backlog of common land claim issues that exist at this time.

"What would help the industry regain confidence in the RPA is if it set out a clear timeline to show how these key BPS 2015 to 2017 elements are to be achieved to allow quick and efficient payment.

"However, we also need a firm commitment from the RPA to improve its customer service and communications - bringing back whole case workers would be a start.

'Increased transparency'

Mr Milton said there is a "need for increased transparency" in future payment delivery with timely release of claim breakdown.

"Inspection data, which has been found wanting over recent months and vitally needed to help those farmers with underlying concerns at this point with their BPS 2015 payments," Mr Milton said.

"Many farmers have annual and seasonal commitments that they will not be able to meet without these payments coming in December.

"With the previous year having ongoing consequences in the short term, farmers cannot continue to run with these issues affecting their business," Mr Milton concluded.

NFU Vice President Guy Smith added: "As the seemingly endless clear up operation from last year hopefully approaches a conclusion, focus now switches to the RPAs promise that it will pay 90% of claims for this year by 31 December.

"While we are determined to hold the RPA to that promise, we are also clear that the 90% of payments must be accurate and that categories of claimants such as commoners who faced endless delays last time shouldn't disproportionately feature in the 10% still unpaid by the end of the year.

"To my mind if that happened it would be tantamount to victimisation," Mr Smith concluded.
150 million of the Milk Production Reduction Scheme has been almost fully subscribed (98.9 %).

Applications made offering to reduce production in the final quarter of 2016 by 1.06 million tonnes (of the 1.07 million tonnes available).

EU Agricultural Commissioner Phil Hogan has today welcomed the news.

The Commissioner noted that signs of recovery are already evident

The Commissioner said that today's figures showed the scheme has proven to be both very attractive and successful.

It fully meets our expectations, I am confident that this measure, allied to others included in the July and earlier packages, will contribute further to an already stabilising market situation in the European dairy market, Mr Hogan said.

I am particularly pleased at the level of participation among the main dairy producing Member States.

The largest number of participating dairy farmers are in France (13,000) and Germany (10,000)

Signs of recovery already evident

The Commissioner noted that signs of recovery are already evident, particularly in certain commodity prices, but reiterated that his objective was to see "improving market sentiment translated into higher farm-gate prices to the benefit of producers."

The notifications received by the Commission show that over 52,000 dairy farmers in 27 Member States have applied to participate in the scheme, with offers to reduce production in the final quarter of 2016, relative to the same period last year.

The volume reductions offered vary from producer to producer, but average 20 tonnes per applicant.

In terms of production, this represents an average reduction of 16.5 per cent, which is a 2.9 per cent reduction in total milk deliveries in the final quarter of 2016.

At the end of the three-month period, farmers will have 45 days (to approx. mid-February) to provide proof that they have reduced production and, therefore, confirm eligibility for the aid payment of 14 per 100kg of "reduction".

Low UK take-up

The national take-up also varies considerably, with total volume reductions ranging from 286,000 tonnes in Germany and over 100,000 tonnes in France, and in the UK less than 1000 tonnes.

The largest number of participating dairy farmers are in France (13,000), Germany (10,000), Ireland (4,500) and Austria and the Netherlands (both 4,000).

In percentage participation rates, Ireland has a participation rate of 24 %, followed by Belgium and the Netherlands (both 22 %), France (19 %) and Portugal (17 %).

Because the overall volume offered was marginally less than that available, there will be a second round for the remaining 1.1 per cent (11 407 tonnes) for the period November 2016 to January 2017.

This second round will be open only to those who did not apply for participation in the first round.

The deadline for the receipt of complete applications for the second round is 12 October 2016.

The Milk Production Reduction Scheme was announced by Commissioner Hogan at the July Agriculture Council as part of a 500 million aid package for the dairy sector.

It included an emergency support package worth 350 million with designated envelopes for each Member State, and a number of market measures.
Growers will be able to discuss arable advances with a diverse range of experts, when AHDB opens its stands door at the CropTec show.

Taking place on 29 to 30 November 2016 at the East of England Showground in Peterborough, AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds stand (A25) has been designed to reflect the shows main technical themes  Crop Breeding, Crop Nutrition, Crop Establishment and Crop Protection.

This year, AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds is the official supporter of the Crop Breeding seminar programme.

The support sees Dr Susannah Bolton, Director of Knowledge Exchange at AHDB, chair a seminar session aimed at promoting advances in crop genetics.

Dr Bolton said: Through pre-breeding investment, Recommended Lists trials and in-season monitoring activity, we work hard to make sure growers crops have the best genetic underpinning possible.

As our latest Recommended Lists for 2017/18 will be launched online the day before the event, CropTec provides us with a timely opportunity to discuss the latest varietal developments with growers.

On the topic of crop nutrition, Sarah Clarke and Susie Roques of ADAS, will be available to discuss AHDBs extensive review of the Fertiliser Manual (RB209).

Many changes to RB209 have been proposed, including recommendations for additional crops and updated information on the nutrient content associated with organic materials.

Visitors to the event will be among the first to hear about these changes and plans to launch the AHDB Nutrient Management Guide in 2017.

On the topic of crop establishment, Dr Amanda Bennett, AHDB, and Dr Andy Whitmore, Rothamsted Research, will focus on soil health.

In recent years, a range of indicators for soil health has been developed.

Visitors to the stand will find out about research developing the guidance and tools needed so the indicators can be exploited by progressive arable farmers.

Soil organic matter will be a particular emphasis on the stand.
MSPs have been urged to challenge the government over the 'flawed delivery' of CAP support payments for 2015.

Scottish farming union NFU Scotland said they also urged them to establish whether the IT system will "ever be fit for purpose and capable of delivering payments accurately."

The call comes ahead of the Scottish Parliaments Public Audit Committee taking evidence tomorrow on Scottish Governments Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Futures programme  the IT programme that has failed in its delivery of CAP payments to farmers and crofters.

NFU Scotland asked the Scottish government if it is in a position to provide clarification on how fixes to the IT system are progressing in order to deliver outstanding 2015 payments to farmers and crofters.

'Deep flaws'

NFU Scotland President Allan Bowie said there are "deep flaw"s within the CAP futures programme.

"Its inability to accurately deliver 2015 support payments in a timely manner, placed the whole rural economy in jeopardy last spring," Mr Bowie said.

"Audit Scotland has questioned whether the CAP futures programme will ever be fit for purpose.

"This evidence session provides MSPs with an opportunity to drill down on the reasons for that failure and for key Scottish Government officials to identify what is being done to rectify the failings.

"The blunt truth is that, as we near the end of September, there are almost 700 farmers and crofters who have yet to receive some or all of their 2015 basic payments.

"It is unacceptable that technical glitches hinder the ability of officials to give an unambiguous reason to claimants as to why they have not been paid"

"Combined with balance payments outstanding from other schemes, that means tens of millions of pounds are still missing from the Scottish economy and the flawed IT system is primarily to blame.

'Technical glitches'

"It is totally unacceptable that technical glitches still hinder the ability of officials to give an unambiguous reason to claimants as to why they have not been paid, as well as a clear timetable for when their payment will be received," Mr Bowie said.

"In addition to this, many businesses that have received a payment in full or in part for 2015 schemes are yet to receive an official statement confirming how their payment has been calculated and what schemes each payment relates to.

"That is vital for tax and accounting purposes and Scottish Government must give a date as to when these notifications will be issued.

"Last week, Cabinet Secretary Fergus Ewing announced that there is to be a national loan scheme launched shortly which will provide a very welcome tranche of funding into the rural economy in November  a move welcomed by NFUS.

"This nationally-funded scheme will inject around 300 million into the rural economy following an extended period of stagnation as a result of low commodity prices across the board as well as the delay in 2015 payments.

"However, it must be acknowledged that this measure, however welcome, is an admission that the IT system is still incapable of delivering CAP funds in a timely and effective manner for the 2016 payment run.

"This evidence session provides an opportunity for MSPs to identify what is being done to address that.

'Urgently communicate'

NFUS understands that of around 18,300 businesses eligible to receive CAP support, 17,000 will receive a letter from Scottish Government this week inviting them to opt in to the 2016 national loan scheme.

"It is imperative that Scottish Government urgently communicates to the 1300 businesses who are not being offered loans why they are not being included in the national scheme and what measures will be put in place to support them," continued Mr Bowie.

"If this is the same group of businesses yet to be supported from 2015 arrangements then it is unacceptable that they should be punished financially again when the inability of the IT system to properly process their claims is at the heart of the problem.

"If the delay in payments and IT problems are to be a chronic fixture in the future, then claimants must be updated on a regular basis on how any fixes are progressing and ultimately when they can realistically expect to receive payment," Mr Bowie concluded.
Jonathan Benjamin JB Gill has been announced as the ambassador for British Sausage Week 2016, the annual sausage celebration which rewards those bangers with the X factor.

British Sausage Week 2016 (31 October - 6 November) is in its 19th year and is asking one-and-all to celebrate the sausage!

And who better to sing the praises of the popular British banger than former X Factor contestant and chart-topping band member of JLS, Jonathan Benjamin JB Gill.

JB, who after selling millions of records and performing to countless number of fans across the globe, left the music industry, with his wife Chloe and son, Ace, to become a farmer who has since reared pigs, cattle and deer.

"Im passionate about food and its one of the reasons why I went into farming", JB Gill said

A regular on BBCs Countryfile and currently presenting CBeebies TV series, Down on the Farm, he has a passion for educating young and old about the countryside, which also includes plans to add author to his CV, with a range of books about the countryside and farming life planned for the future.

JB will help British Sausage Week celebrate the sausage, by talking family-life, farming and foodie-favourites to the media.

JB will award the best sausages in retailers, independent butchers/farm shops and catering establishments, following a nationwide competition, which has drawn well over 700 entries.

His son, Ace, has also got in on the action and created one of the recipes for British Sausage Week, Aces Pork Sausage Fajita Wraps.

'Huge pleasure'

JB Gill said: "Its a huge pleasure to be involved in British Sausage Week 2016, celebrating the amazing range of sausages from around the country.

"In our house, sausages are always a go-to option for a quick, easy and tasty mid-week meal, which my family loves tucking into."

"Im passionate about food and its one of the reasons why I went into farming.

"I know from my own experience the attention and care which goes into producing quality fresh pork sausages, so when choosing your sausages look for the Red Tractor logo on pack.

"This way youre not only supporting British farmers, but ensuring the sausages you eat are from pigs produced to high welfare standards.

"With more than 500 varieties to choose from, theres a sausage to suit everyones tastes.

"And if youre looking for a sausage recipe with a twist, give my sons sausage fajitas a go!

"So please join me in celebrating the best bangers in the country during British Sausage Week, which runs 31 October  6 November."
Poor ground conditions are preventing many farmers from spreading slurry, the Ulster Farmers Union has said.

But as the start of the closed period on October 15 approaches the Ulster Farmers Union has urged farmers to be 'cautious' to protect their Basic Payment from the EU.

The UFU has been visiting farmers in the north and west, where wet weather for much of September is causing major problems.

Farmers in these areas are facing a dilemma, said UFU President, Barclay Bell.

They have slurry to spread but the weather has prevented them from doing so.

Farmers forced to spread when conditions are not suitable may be able to use the reasonable excuse clause

Because of poor ground conditions some farmers are unable to prepare properly for the winter.

We have raised this with DAERA and NIEA, said Mr Bell.

In 2005/06 the UFU secured the inclusion of the reasonable excuse clause in the Northern Ireland Nitrates Action Programme.

This caters for exceptional conditions, when farmers cannot fully comply with the rules, through no fault of their own.

This clause has since had to be used in years when weather and ground conditions made compliance impossible.

Unsuitable conditions

Farmers forced to spread when conditions are not suitable may be able to use the reasonable excuse clause.

But documentation may be required to avoid penalties, and this must be available, said Mr Bell, adding that the UFU can assist members with this process.

European Commission officials do however have concerns about the current rules.

They have scrutinised the monitoring of spreading practices and water quality data.

The Commission cannot be given any excuse to strengthen the current requirements.

Brussels will be keeping a close eye on compliance with the closed period and could demand extra storage if farmers are continually struggling to comply.

The industry cannot afford to have more restrictions or additional storage requirements imposed, said Mr Bell.

He added that while he was well aware of the practical problems farmers were facing it was vital the Commission was given no excuse to impose even more draconian legislation.

Being able to show that we acted responsibly is our best weapon, said the UFU president.
The Russian government has launched an appeal against a recent World Trade Organisation ruling that its import ban on EU pork is illegal.

The WTO ruled in August that the Russian pork ban, imposed in early 2014 because of a limited number of cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) in areas in the EU close to the border with Belarus, was unlawful

It concluded that Russia's refusal to accept imports of certain EU products and to adapt EU-Russia import certificates amounted to an EU-wide import ban.

WTO largely sides with EU over Russian ban on pork products

Yet the measure was not based on the relevant international standards and violates the rules of the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (the SPS Agreement), the WTO concluded.

The original ruling also found that Russias measures had been 'applied in a manner which constitutes a disguised restriction on international trade.

On September 23, the Russian Federation filed a notice of appeal.

Basis of appeal

Clarifying the basis of this sort of appeal appeal, the WTO said while parties to a dispute can appeal a panels ruling, appeals have to be based on points of law, such as legal interpretation.

They cannot re-open factual findings made by the panel.

The appeal will be heard by three members of a permanent seven-member Appellate Body comprising persons of 'recognized authority and unaffiliated with any government'.

The reality is, however, even if Russia loses the appeal, there is unlikely any rapid resumption of EU pigmeat exports. The ban in question is separate to the wider Russian ban on EU food imports, also imposed in 2014 because of a dispute with the EU over Ukraine.
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Fauquirer County General Registrar Alex Ables displays a letter he received at home warning he may not be registered to vote. Times photo/Leland Schwarz

Oops! Registrar receives scam voter registration letter lands

By Leland Schwartz

Times Staff Writer

You can imagine how surprised and chagrined Fauquier County General Registrar Alex Ables was when he got a letter at home saying he might not be registered to vote.

You may not realize it, but voter registration records in Virginia are public. A member of our staff has reviewed them and found that you may not be currently registered to vote in this years election, a letter from Americas Future Inc. warned.

The letter campaign is called Virginia Votes 2016 and is signed by John K. Singlaub, Major General U.S. Army (Ret.), a founding member of the CIA. It could be a mix-up. Or, you may have made the conscious decision not to register for some good reason, the letter said.

Ive been the registrar for the past 13 years and Ive lived at the same address for 10 and I should certainly hope Im registered, Ables told the Times.

Another letter from a group called the Voter Participation Center is more blunt, telling recipients According to our review of publicly available records, you reside in Fauquier County but do not appear to be currently registered to vote.

Ables said one distressed person who got a letter brought it into his office and said it was addressed to his wife who has been deceased for several years.

Registrars all over the state are having the same problem, Ables said. One of his counterparts got the letter addressed to her father whos been dead more than 20 years.

Voters have been calling Ables office mad as can be, he said. They dont understand why theyre being told theyre not registered and they think its our fault.

Virginia Votes 2016 is a project of Americas Future Inc. and Market Research Foundation and describes itself as a non-partisan voter registration drive.

In the letter, Gen. Singlaub warns If regular Americans like you dont register and vote, its the same as giving the professional politicians and bureaucrats the authority to keep damaging our country and playing you and other patriotic Americans for the fool!

Nothing will ever change if ordinary, hard working Americans dont participate in our elections. The politicians and the career bureaucrats will keep trying to fix our country instead of simply leaving you and me alone, it said.

Its time ordinary Americans take a stand, Singlaub wrote. Our government is a mess. And the only way to make things right is to vote.

America, our homeland, needs you. I ask you with all the conviction I have to please take a stand for America. Register. Learn about the candidates. And then vote. The future safety, security and prosperity of you and your family depends on it, the General said.

The letters include official State of Virginia voter registration forms.

In what seems like an attempt to make their letters have gravitas, the return address is not that of Americas Future, which is in Fairfax, but the Virginia Department of Elections address in Richmond.

A spokesman for Americas Future Foundation, which describes itself as the premier network of liberty-minded young professional leaders, said having the Department of Elections address on their stationary shouldnt be.

If it is, somebody's head is going to roll and it could be mine, the spokesman said. He said the group has spent several hundred thousand dollars on the effort.

The Virginia Department of Elections has disavowed any connection with the letter campaigns, telling voters they can disregard any information received from outside entities that contradict our official records.

Although these letters include our street address and contact information, these letters did not come from the department and are not official election mail, the state said.

University of Virginia Center for Politics analyst Geoffrey Skelley said groups engaging in this behavior isnt surprising.

They want to get their people registered and out to the polls on Election Day to try to sway the election result.

Given the official appearance of the mailings, its a shady enterprise that has confused many Virginians, but partisans will go to whatever lengths they can to improve their sides chances of winning, he said.

In its statement, the Department of Elections reminded voters they can confirm their current status or submit updates on its secure Citizen Portal at vote.virginia.gov, call 800-552-9745 or email info@elections.virginia.gov.

Or, voters can call Fauquier County General Registrar Alex Ables at 540-422-8290, who is certain he is registered to vote.
What was it like to be an Oath Keeper? John Zimmerman can tell you
Anheuser-Busch InBev paid $6 million Wednesday to settle charges that it violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and impeded a whistleblower who reported the misconduct.

The companys India minority-owned joint venture used third-party sales promoters to make improper payments to government officials in India to increase sales and production, the SEC said.

It entered into a separation agreement that stopped an employee from continuing to voluntarily communicate with the SEC about potential FCPA violations. The agreement could have imposed a $250,000 penalty if the employee violated strict non-disclosure terms.

The SEC resolved the enforcement action with an internal administrative order and didnt go to court.

Despite repeated complaints from employees, Anheuser-Busch InBev had inadequate internal accounting controls to detect and prevent the improper payments, and the company failed to ensure that transactions involving the promoters were recorded properly in its books and records, the SEC said.

Anheuser-Busch InBevs India joint venture used sales promoters in several India states without conducting due diligence. It paid them inflated commissions, the SEC said.

For example, in 2011 the joint venture began working with an agent in the India state of Andhra Pradesh who had connections to the son-in-law of the Andhra Pradesh Excise Minister.

The agent secured extra brewing hours for the joint venture after the Andhra Pradesh Excise Commissioner had limited production time to 8 hours per day, the SEC said.

The SECs Kara Brockmeyer said Wednesday,

Anheuser-Busch InBev recorded improper payments by its sales promoters in India as legitimate expenses in its financial accounting, and then exacerbated the problem by including language in a separation agreement that chilled an employee from communicating with the SEC.

Anheuser-Busch InBev is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium. The company was formed in November 2008 through the merger of Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc. and InBev SA/NV.

The combined companys American Depositary Receipts trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BUD and have been registered with the SEC since September 2009.

Anheuser-Busch InBev and its various subsidiaries and related companies have about 155,000 employees in 25 countries. Its brands include Budweiser, Corona, Stella Artois, Becks and Michelob. Revenues last year were about $43 billion.

The SEC found that Anheuser-Busch InBev violated the books and records and internal controls provisions of the FCPA. It also violated SEC Rule 21F-17(a) by impeding an employee from communicating directly with the SEC.

It paid the SEC $2.7 million in disgorgement, interest of about $292,000, and a penalty of about $3 million.

Anheuser-Busch InBev settled the action without admitting or denying the SECs findings.

The SEC said the whistleblower-employee stopped communicating with the agency after signing the separation agreement that included a liquidated damages provision that could impose damages of $250,000 for breaching strict confidentiality provisions.

The SEC then issued an administrative subpoena to the employee for testimony and documents, and the employee resumed communicating directly with the SEC.

The SEC said Anheuser-Busch InBev failed to report internal whistleblower complaints in 2009 and 2011 about illegal payments to government officials. The SEC contacted the company about the allegations in October 2011.

In May 2013, the SEC learned the India joint venture planned to destroy or hide documents. The SEC informed Anheuser-Busch InBev but the company took no immediate corrective action, the SEC said.

During the SEC investigation, Anheuser-Busch InBev did not respond to subpoenas in a timely manner, and made broad assertions of privilege that required significant resources from the [SEC] to address and delayed the production of responsive, non-privileged documents, the SECs order said.

The timeliness of AB InBevs responses to the [SECs] requests for documents and information improved over time, the order said.

As part of Wednesdays settlement, the company agreed to cooperate with the SEC for two years and report its FCPA compliance efforts.

It also must make reasonable efforts to notify certain former employees that Anheuser-Busch does not prohibit employees from contacting the SEC about possible law violations.

The SEC has brought one enforcement action under the anti-retaliation provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act and four other actions before Wednesdays against companies for including language in confidentiality and severance agreements that impeded whistleblowers from reporting to the SEC.

Threat of financial punishment for whistleblowing is unacceptable, Jane Norberg, acting chief of the SECs Office of the Whistleblower, said Wednesday. We will continue to take a hard look at these types of provisions and fact patterns.



The SEC said it had help in its investigation from the Securities and Exchange Board of India.

* * *

The SECs administrative order as Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Release No. 78957, Accounting and Audit Enforcement Release No. 3808, and Administrative Proceeding File No. 3-17586 In the Matter of Anheuser-Busch InBev (dated September 28, 2016) is here (pdf).

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Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog. Hell be the keynote speaker at the FCPA Blog NYC Conference 2016.
The Fever Code , is a brand new prequel to the Maze Runner series. The world has ended: the earth is scorched, and fever rages through the population. Out of the chaos, a boy emerges with the power to change everything: Thomas. This is the start of his story. An electrifying Maze Runner prequel, The Fever Code holds all the answers: How did WICKED find the Gladers? Who are Group B? Whose side are Thomas and Teresa really on? Lies will be exposed. Secrets uncovered. Loyalties proven. You'll never see the truth coming...

The Fever Code

To celebrate the release of the highly anticipated prequel from best-selling author James Dashner, out on 27th September, we're taking a look at some of the most popular and successful book to film adaptions.

The Maze Runner series (5 books, 3 films)

With the first book published in 2009, this series is set in a post-apocalyptic dystopian world; a group of adults face a sequence of trials including the challenge of escaping the dreaded maze. While half of the population has been killed off by 'The Flare', the group survives and is placed under experiment by the creators "WICKED". With no rules, help or memory of their previous lives, each member of the group is on their own, and either beat the experiment or face a painful death. The first film The Maze Runner was released in 2014, followed by the sequels The Scorch Trials (2015) and The Death Cure (due for release in 2018). Dylan O'Brien plays the lead role of Thomas in all three films, which helped launch his status as a teen heart-throb across the globe.

The Hunger Games Trilogy (3 books, 4 films)

Suzanne Collins' trilogy, consisting of; The Hunger Games (2008), Catching Fire (2009), and Mockingjay (2010) were all developed into films, with the film adaptation of Mockingjay split into two parts. The series introduced the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem and infamous rebel, Katniss Everdeen, who has been portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence in all four films. Both the book and film series have been hugely successful, with the first two books in the series being New York Times best sellers.

The Twilight Saga (3 books, 4 films)

In 2005, the first of The Twilight Saga was published from author Stephanie Meyer and sparked a worldwide vampire craze. The immensely popular films were released annually from 2008 to 2010 and propelled Robert Pattison, Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart in to global stardom. The saga revolves around clumsy high-school girl, Bella, who moves to a new town and falls in love with the mysterious Edward Cullen.

Harry Potter (7 books, 8 films)

JK Rowling brought the Wizarding World to life when she gave us the Harry Potter series. It all started in 1997 when Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was first published. Ten years later, it ended with the seventh and final novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The seven novels were transformed in to films, with the first being released in 2001 and the eighth in 2011. This, of course, was the series which launched the acting careers of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. They starred as Harry, Hermione and Ron, three children who attend the magical Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Divergent Trilogy (3 books, 4 films)

Published in 2011, Divergent was the debut novel from Veronica Roth which became the first in a series, with Insurgent (2012) and Allegiant (2013) completing the trilogy. The Divergent film was released in 2014 and Insurgent in 2015, while adaptation of Allegiant was split into two parts; Allegiant (2016) and Ascendant (due for release in 2017). The story focuses on Tris Prior (played by Shailene Woodley), a sixteen year-old girl who lives in a futuristic world in which society is divided into five factions.

Percy Jackson & The Olympians Pentology (5 books, 2 films)

The mythological adventures of Percy Jackson were the creation of author Rick Riordan, who based the stories on Greek myths. The Lightning Thief is the first of the five books and was released in 2005, followed by The Sea of Monsters (2006), The Titan's Curse (2007), The Battle of the Labyrinth (2008) and finally The Last Olympian (2009). The first and second books were adapted into films released in 2010 and 2013, which starred Logan Lerman as the lead character.

The Fever Code is released on 27th September.
Alexander Skarsgard has revealed he quit acting when he first became famous so he could be normal again.

Alexander Skarsgard

The 40-year-old Swedish actor is about to return to the big screen in his new film 'War On Everyone' - his first comedy role for more than a decade.

But before he landed his breakout role playing Eric Northman in HBO's cult vampire drama series 'True Blood', Alexander walked away from the profession to preserve his regular lifestyle.

In an interview with Stylist magazine, he said: "I stopped acting for eight years. I did a TV movie ('The Dog That Smiled') when I was 13 which got some attention and it made me uncomfortable. People would recognise me but I just wanted to be normal. I think a lot of kids feel that way - you just want to blend in."

Alexander made his way back into acting when he was aged 21 after he finished in the military - as Sweden had mandatory military service until 2010.

He explained: "The reason I quit had nothing to do with the work, it was everything around it. So I thought, maybe I should give it a go and see how I feel as an adult. I didn't want to wake up when I was 55 and think, 'Ahh s**t, I should have tried that.' So I went to New York to theatre school to check it out."

His father Stellan Skarsgard is a revered actor with roles in movies such as 'Thor', 'Amistad' and 'Romeo and Juliet'.

When Alexander was a youngster he used to visit the theatre where his dad was performing.

He recalled: "My favourite part was the hair and makeup room with all the prosthetics and crazy wigs. It was obviously a dream for a little kid to put that stuff on. There was one big, crazy nose that scared me a bit."

For his latest movie Alexander worked alongside The Martian's Michael Pena, and it's a genre that he says he's been searching for a while.

He explained: "I've been actively looking for a comedy but [film companies] don't send comedies my way. I don't know [why] ... because I'm f***ing boring?"
Idris Elba wants to star in a romantic comedy.

Idris Elba

The 44-year-old actor maybe best known for his action roles but he's keen to show off his softer side on the big screen with a romcom role.

In an interview with Australia's Daily Telegraph newspaper, he said: "I'd like to do comedy, yes please. I never play anyone that makes anyone laugh. It is always quite grumpy characters, so I wouldn't mind having a bit of a laugh and maybe a bit of a romance to spread it about a bit."

Idris is currently on Down Under on the Gold Coast shooting Marvel superhero sequel 'Thor: Ragnarok' with Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and Tom Hiddleston.

Idris is reprising his role as Heimdall and says it's been great to reunite with Chris and Tom - who play warring brothers Thor and Loki respectively.

He said: "Chris is great, he is in good form. All the team are back, we've got some really interesting new characters coming in this year. I can't tell you much because I will get killed but the director Taika Waititi is an incredible director and I think he has given new life to the 'Thor' franchise."

If Idris - who is constantly talked about as a possible James Bond - does land his romcom role it should certainly prove to be popular with the ladies.

In 2007, the British hunk made People's annual 100 Most Beautiful People in the World list and in 2013 he was named Essence magazine's Sexiest Man of the Year and came second in People's annual Sexiest Man Alive poll.

In 2014, Idris won a MOBO Inspiration Award and in 2015 he was named one of GQ magazine's 50 best dressed British men.
Acclaimed lawyer, Mahesh Jethmalani and his global stylista wife, Haseenas daughter, Serena Jethmalani carries an impressive familial legacy on her young shoulders as she makes powerful strides into the world.

EDUCATION: The Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst



INSPIRATIONS: My grandfather, famed lawyer and politician, Ram Jethmalani, for his zest and courage of conviction. He is physically and mentally agile at 92. Till today, he argues regularly in court, teaches law with dedication and plays a solid game of badminton. He also always has time for his family and is undeniably the most loving grandfather I know.



PASSIONS/INTERESTS: Im passionate about sports. I swim, ski and run but am equally interested in social issues. I enjoy social work, particularly with underprivileged children. I worked with Teach for India this summer and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.



STRENGHTS: For me, strength is the ability to believe in yourself and your ideals. My core strength is my resilience and positive attitude as I use my setbacks as a springboard to make a successful comeback.



THE VALUES YOU TREASURE THE MOST: Integrity towards all, compassion and honesty. These values serve as a filter through which I make the choices that define who I am. Although I love the good times, a work ethic is important so that I can bring out the best I am capable of.



YOUR HEROES IN REAL LIFE: My father, simply for who he is and what he stands for. He is a self-made man and his ambition to be greater everyday is something I hope to achieve. I look up to him as he defines the role of a lawyer by focusing on the person in need, rather than the money he will earn.



FAVOURITE GADGETS: My iPhone. It keeps me connected to the outside world through Instagram and Facebook. Im also able to check the news and play an occasional game of Candy Crush! (smiles)



ON YOUR iPOD: Fetty Wap, Drake, Beyonce and Justin Bieber.



A CHARACTER YOU IDENTIFY WITH THE MOST: My fathers late sister, Rani. Not only did she raise my father to be the man he is today but she was also a strong, working feminist amidst highly patriarchal surroundings. Today, just like her, I have tried to raise my nine-year-old twin brothers and in the future, I hope to be a successful woman, one who is not dependent on a surname.



YOUR COMING OF AGE MOMENT? Definitely the transition from school in Mumbai to university in America. It has allowed me to become an independent person in many aspects as I entered a world that was completely different from what I was used to.



THE BEST COMPLIMENT YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED: I have been told that I look exactly like my mother. I dont think any 19-year-old girl could receive a better compliment especially since her mother is so beautiful.



ULTIMATE VISION/DREAM: Born into a four-generation family of lawyers, I have grown up hearing legal arguments as dinner table conversation. I hope to continue the legacy in my family a lawyer who is concerned less with monetary success and more with pro-bono cases for disadvantaged women. I hope to someday work at the United Nations as a volunteer.



IDEA OF LOVE: I think love needs to be both selfless yet balanced. My brothers, Amartya and Agastya, are the perfect definition of love.



Courtesy: Hello! India
Popular Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra says auditioning for TV series "Quantico" was "weird" for her, but she gave it her best shot and landed the lead role.



Priyanka, best known for her roles in Bollywood films like "Andaaz", "Fashion", "7 Khoon Maaf" and "Bajirao Mastani", appeared on chat show "Good Morning America" and shared that "Quantico" was the first time for her to endure the pressures of auditioning, reports dailymail.co.uk.



"When I picked 'Quantico' as a script, I had to meet them and they had to meet me and I had to do a reading," Priyanka said after stating that auditioning for actors is not common in India.



READ ALSO:

Parineeti Chopra excited to see "Quantico" Season 2



"I had never been in a stare-out room with seven people sitting there and had to perform. It was such a weird thing for an actor to do," she added.



The 34-year-old, who plays the role of an FBI agent named Alex Parrish in "Quantico", said: "I mean, I can make a complete idiot out of myself in front of 80,000 people on stage, but that is a moment which is like, my hands are getting sweaty thinking about it."



"So I talked to myself, completely cliche, in the bathroom before and said, 'You've done 50 movies. What's wrong with you?' And I went in there, did my thing, and I got the job," she added.



The second season of "Quantico" will air in India on Star World and Star World HD from Monday.



WATCH: Priyanka Chopra at Times Square



Next Story : Not Your Average Gift: Our Handpicked Thoughtful Diwali Gifts
 Flash

Belarus is going to open a consulate general in China's Guangzhou this year, the press service of the Belarusian government said on Tuesday.

The decision on the opening of the consulate general of Belarus in Guangzhou is enshrined in the Council of Ministers' decision No. 765 as of September 27, 2016.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will make a state visit to China on September 28-30. He plans to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. About 30 documents on the development of international cooperation in political, economic and social spheres are expected to be signed during the visit.

China is one of the most important trade and economic partners of Belarus. China was one of the three main trade partners of Belarus in 2015.
The Oerlikon Manmade Fibers segment, the world market leader for manmade fibre filament spinning systems, texturing machines, BCF systems, staple fibre systems, nonwovens and artificial turf systems, is set to partake at the ITMA Asia + CITME from October 21 and 25, 2016, at the new National Exhibition Centre China (NECC) in Shanghai in hall 2, booth A16.The company will display the Oerlikon Manmade Fibers Industrie 4.0 system control and customer services solutions. With new features and offerings for the intelligent 'POC  Plant Operation Centre 4.0' system control software, producers can maintain a constant overview of all processes  from the polycondensation, spinning and texturing all the way through to downstream further processing procedures.

The Oerlikon Manmade Fibers segment, the world market leader for manmade fibre filament spinning systems, texturing machines, BCF systems, staple fibre systems, nonwovens and artificial turf systems, is set to partake at the ITMA Asia + CITME from October 21 and 25, 2016, at the new National Exhibition Centre China (NECC) in Shanghai in hall 2, booth A16.#

Using virtual reality presentation, augmented reality solutions with the recently-launched Microsoft HoloLens IT development for 'predictive maintenance' concepts and virtual 360-degree tours through spinning plants, visitors to the trade fair can see state-of-the-art technology.Oerlikon Barmag, which focuses on CP, POY, FDY, DTY, industrial yarn (IDY) as well as tape and monofilament products and services, will present 12 new manmade fibre spinning solutions at the trade fair. The company will display the WINGS POY HD available for processing high titers, designed especially for the requirements of high yarn titers of up to 500den polyester POY.Also being unveiled at the trade fair are 'specialists' for semi-dull and trilobal bright (WINGS FDY SD / WINGS FDY BR) tailored to the specific requirements of customers. Oerlikon will show the flexible WINGS FDY PLUS and WINGS FDY PLUS eco-variant for a broader application window. The company will be presenting the world's most productive automatic texturing machine, eAFK HQ at the expo.For the industrial textiles growth market, Oerlikon Barmag will be unveiling its latest developments for the production of yarns used in airbags, safety belts, and tire cord. The company will also provide information on its winder portfolio for system modernisations and on the numerous special yarn winders for processing high-tenacity yarns, carbon fibres, and aramid.Oerlikon Neumag will present its fully-comprehensive staple fibre production plant portfolio. For the nonwovens (spunbond, meltblown and airlaid) sector, it will be premiering two further innovations: the new, multifunctional forming table for the Oerlikon Neumag meltblown systems and the FAUS operating unit for automating meltblown systems. (GK)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Shima Seiki SPAIN S.A.U., Spanish subsidiary of leading Japanese manufacturer in the computerised flatbed knitting machine industry, Shima Seiki MFG., LTD., is set to host an exhibition of its knitting machineries like WHOLEGARMENT and computerised flat knitting machines, at its office and showroom in Barcelona, Spain from October 2016 4 to 6, 2016.The exhibition will showcase the company's flagship WHOLEGARMENT knitting machine, MACH2XS. Featuring Shima Seiki's original SlideNeedle on four needle beds and spring-type moveable sinkers, MACH2XS combines high efficiency and stability with extended patterning capability for knitting WHOLEGARMENT items. The compact SWG091N2 WHOLEGARMENT knitting machine, offers flexible production in producing a wide variety of seam-free items as well as technical textiles for sports, medical, and other industrial applications, will also be on display.

Shima Seiki SPAIN S.A.U., Spanish subsidiary of leading Japanese manufacturer in the computerised flatbed knitting machine industry, Shima Seiki MFG., LTD., is set to host an exhibition of its knitting machineries like WHOLEGARMENT and computerised flat knitting machines, at its office and showroom in Barcelona, Spain from October 2016 4 to 6, 2016.#

The company will show its novel SRY183LP computerised flat knitting machine that features loop presser beds with inlay capability, offering new and exciting possibilities in hybrid knit-weave textiles.Conventional knitting machines such as the compact SSR112 and the industry-benchmark SVR122 machines, that demonstrate the leading edge in computerised shaped knitting technology, will be a part of the expo. Both feature such proven Shima Seiki technology as Digital Stitch Control System (DSCS), spring-loaded moveable sinker system, and stitch presser. Made-in-Japan quality, reliability, productivity, user-friendliness, and cost-performance combine to satisfy the high standards expected by today's fashion industry.Demonstrations will also be performed on SHIMA SEIKI's SDS-ONE APEX3 3D design system that is at the core of the company's Total Knitting System concept. With comprehensive support of all aspects throughout the knit supply chain, APEX3 integrates knit production into one smooth and efficient workflow from yarn development, product planning and design to machine programming, production, and even sales promotion. (GK)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Amitabh Upset With Aishwarya

Initially, rumours were rife that Amitabh Bachchan is quite pissed off with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan after seeing her intimate scenes with Ranbir Kapoor in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.

Kissing Scenes

It was also reported that there was a kissing scene between Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Ranbir Kapoor in the script of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.

Aish Not Comforatble

Reportedly, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was not comfortable with the kissing scene and told Karan Johar to remove it from the movie.

Confusions

Talking about the whole issue, a source had told to Pinkvilla, ''When the scenes were being shot, somewhere the makers had the doubt that there would be an objection.''

Issue About Intimate Scenes

The source had further added, ''But since, there was no problem when the narration happened, one assumed that the intimate scenes wouldn't create any issue."

Amitabh's Reaction

When Amitabh Bachchan was asked about it he said at a promotional event that he has not watched the teaser of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.

Bachchans Are Professionals

However, another source had told a leading daily, "They (Bachchan's) are a class of professional artists and quite deliberate of their duties towards the name and status of the family.''

Aish's Decision

The source had further added, "No one wants to interrupt in Aishwarya's professional venture's commitments. She knows what to do with her work."

ADHM

Apart from Aishwarya & Ranbir, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil also stars Anushka Sharma and Fawad Khan in the lead roles. The film also has Shahrukh Khan in a cameo.
SRK-Katrina-Yash Chopra

Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif shared this beautiful picture from the sets of Jab Tak Hai Jaan on Yash Chopra's birth anniversary.

Yash Chopra's Last Film

Jab Tak Hai Jaan was also Yash Chopra's last film as a director. Shahrukh Khan and Yash Chopra were very close to each other and have given many superhits to Bollywood.

Hidden Facts

Not many people know that Yash Chopra wanted to shoot the climax of JTHJ in Kashmir but Shahrukh Khan suggested to shoot it in Ladakh.

Special Song

Did you know that Yash Chopra wanted to shoot a special romantic number between Katrina Kaif and Shahrukh Khan for Jab Tak Hai Jaan?

Yash Chopra's Death

But unfortunately, it did not happen because of the sudden death of the legendary filmmaker.

Katrina-Shahrukh

Katrina Kaif worked with Shahrukh Khan for the first time in Jab Tak Hai Jaan. She even told about her experience to a leading daily.

Katrina On SRK

She had said, ''When I started working with him, it was great. Shahrukh as an actor is extremely dedicated, he is not thinking about himself or not thinking about how many years he is in the industry.''

SRK Is Very Helpful

Katrina Kaif had further added, ''He is extremely helpful. He has also worked with Yashji earlier, so he knew his style of working.''

Anand L. Rai's Film

Rumours are rife that Katrina Kaif and Shahrukh Khan are again working together in director Anand L. Rai's upcoming film.
Mammootty has been a role model for many of the young actors out there in the Malayalam film industry. Many of them have spoken about the ways in which the Megastar has inspired them a lot.

Recently, actor Aju Varghese, who is on a high after back-to-back successes, took to Facebook to speak about the way in which Mammootty has inspired him a lot.

.

The actor on his Facebook page, posted a collage of pictures that has Mammootty in different looks and makeovers, which he had sported for various films in the past. Take a look at the Facebook post of Aju Varghese.

In fact, it also has to be noted that Aju Varghese is one such young actor, who makes it a point to sport a different look in each of his movies. We had seen the actor's makeovers in recent films like Two Countries, Kohinoor, Shajahanum Pareekuttiyum, Pretham, Ann Maria Kalippilaanu etc.

Meanwhile, two Onam releases did have Aju Varghese playing important parts in them. The actor played an important role in Mohanlal starrer Oppam. He was also seen in Dileep's most recent release Welcome To Central Jail. The actor would be next seen in the film Ore Mugham.
Kaadhal Sandhya, the actress who made a mark in both Malayalam and Tamil movie industries, welcomed a baby girl. Sandhya and husband Venkat welcomed their first child on the actress's birthday, September 27.

Earlier, it was reported that the actress's biggest wish is to deliver her first child, on her birthday. However, the luck favoured Sandhya, as the baby girl arrived on the birthday of her mother.

The actress got married to her longtime boyfriend Venkat Chandrasekharan, who is an IT businessman by profession, on December 6, 2015. The couple tied the knot after dating for a few years.

Kaadhal Sandhya and Venkat's wedding had made headlines, as the couple travelled from Chennai to Guruvayoor temple for the ceremony, while the Chennai city was battling the flood.

Due to the floods, the couple cancelled all the wedding-related ceremonies which were supposed to be held in Chennai. Later, they donated the amount reserved for the wedding, to the flood relief fund.

Sandhya made her acting debut with the 2004-released Tamil movie, Kaadhal. She last appeared in the 2016-released psychological thriller Vettah, which was directed by late film-maker Rajesh Pillai.
Anjali Menon, the writer-director, was harshly criticised by Prathap Pothen, and blamed for the shelving for his directorial comeback. The Dulquer Salmaan starrer was shelved due to the fallout between Prathap and Anjali.

Now, it seems like things have taken a different turn. If the reports are to be true, Prathap Pothen's allegations have deeply hurt Anjali Menon and the National award-winner has decided to direct the project, herself.

Prathap was supposed to make his directorial comeback, with the Dulquer Salmaan movie scripted by Anjali Menon. The project was about to be produced by the legendary production banner, Supriya Films.

Rajiv Menon was roped in to handle the cinematography in the project, which also had R Madhavan in a key role. But, later Prathap Pothen announced that the project has been dropped, to the much shock of the industry.

The director stated that he decided to drop the project due to Anjali Menon's poor screenplay. But Anjali reacted to his comments, stating that it is immaterial to respond to such allegations.

Several industry members had immediately come forward for Anjali's support, pointing out that she has already proven her talent as a writer with the movies Manjadikuru, Usthad Hotel, and Bangalore Days.

They also pointed out that Prathap Pothen's anger management issue is infamous among the industry insiders. However, both the industry members and movie fanatics are eagerly waiting for Anjali to revive the project.
Sanjeeda-Mouni

Sanjeeda shared a picture snapped at the party and wrote, "@imouniroy happyyyyy bdayyyyy my babyyyy ..u know wat u mean to me ..love u for the way u r..."

Mahi & Sriti

Mahi shared a picture from Mouni's birthday bash. She posted a picture snapped with Sriti Jha and wrote, "I starts she finishes @itisriti ."

Mahi, Ankita, Adaa & Karanvir

Mahi shared another picture snapped with Karanvir Bohra, Ankita Lokhande and Adaa Khan. She wrote, "We can't miss a pic wth u we just can't star of the evening @karanvirbohra."

Mouni & Mahi

Mahi shared a picture snapped with Mouni. She wished the actress, "Happiest bday @imouniroy rise n shine always."

Karanvir & Mouni

Karanvir wrote, "Wishing this crazy #Nagin  @imouniroy a very happy birthday....

Live well, prosper and be your amazing self 

And thank you @anusoru for accessorizing me ."

Mouni & Aditi

Aditi wished Mouni, "Happiest of Days to this Beautiful Soul !! Happy Birthday... Dear Mouni !!

XOXO."

Naagin Trio

Sharing a picture snapped with Mouni and Arjun, Adaa wrote, "Awesome 3some ... To all our fans  #naagin #shivanya #shesha #ritik #friendsforlife  @imouniroy #birthdaybash."

Adaa & Mouni

Adaa wished Mouni, "Happy birthday my sweetheart..my behan  may god bless u always ! #shivanya #shesha #shivsha #naagin2 #love #sisters #onscreenrival  #goodlookingpeople  #theme #togas #greekgirls"

Sargun

Sargun posted a video and wrote, "Oh godd no no !!! Hahaha @imouniroy .sabka badla maine le liya .. Happy birthday mouni . Keep shining and rockings . You know how much we adore you ."

Ruby & Mouni - The Soul Sisters

Ruby wrote, "Happy birthday my doll my baby.. @imouniroy luv you the mostest.. its a been a decade since we have met but our souls been connected forever and ever. We might not share the same blood but we have shared our thoughts, laughter, tears and have only grown stronger with each passing moment. You're the Sister I always wished for.

I can't imagine myself going through life without you. My Mo

WE ARE SOUL SISTERS- Will always be connected by the forever and ever!"

Shruti

Shruti posted a collage and wrote, "Happy birthday @imouniroy #aboutlastnight." It was a kind of reunion for Pavitra Rishta actresses as Asha, Jia, Shruti and Ankita were at the party.

Jia

Jia wrote, "Happiest birthday @imouniroy !

What can I say that I haven't said already?

Thank you for ringing my doorbell one random afternoon & literally forcing me to have a conversation.. If it wasn't for you.. we would've never spoken..

You're one of my closest friends now & I love you lots and pots! Thank you for all the prayers, advice & constant support! Stay happy, stay mad & keep shining ! 

imouniroyMe and my jiiii. I love."

Shiny

Shiny wrote, "Here's to an another rocking yearhappy buhday moon,wishing u all d happiness,success and all that u deserve p.s- white,beauty,Greek goddess,light,the single most romantic place in cosmos.. thts the reason y I call u moon."
PARIS, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

8 British-built cars and industry leaders join forces to promote UK Automotive ahead of key Paris motor show.

motor show. UK brands more popular than ever, with exports reaching record levels in 2015, and almost 900,000 cars shipped to global buyers in first eight months of 2016.

10 billion invested in UK over past five years to produce new models and enhance UK's position as a centre for engineering excellence.

Eight of the UK's major car brands united today at the Eiffel Tower in Paris on the eve of the key international motor show to demonstrate the diversity and quality of cars currently produced in the UK. Senior executives from British-based manufacturers, including Aston Martin, BMW MINI, Honda, Jaguar, McLaren, Nissan, Toyota, and Vauxhall, were joined by Mark Garnier MP, the British Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for International Trade, to promote the strength of the UK automotive sector to a global audience.



(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160118/323200LOGO )



The UK Automotive industry has undergone unprecedented growth in recent years - thanks to competitive business conditions, tariff-free trading and significant investment in new models and facilities. Car manufacturing achieved a 10-year high last year, and British-built cars have never been so popular, with a record 1.2 million cars exported to more than 100 countries. Already in the first eight months of 2016, that total looks set to be beaten this year, with exports reaching almost 900,000 vehicles - 13% ahead of the same time in 2015.[1]

The UK's biggest trading partner is the European Union and 57.3% of UK-produced cars have been exported to the rest of the EU so far this year, followed by 12.1% to the US and 7.1% to China. While the US topped the list of individual countries buying British cars, EU Member States took six of the top 10 places: Germany, Belgium, Italy, France, Portugal and Spain.

Mike Hawes, Chief Executive, SMMT, said, "The UK automotive industry is respected globally for its rich heritage, iconic brands and engineering excellence. More than 10 billion of investment has gone into new facilities and models over the past five years and we're proud to see so many rival brands coming together to promote the strengths of UK automotive ahead of a key international motor show. The future success of this sector will hinge upon the ability of the UK to maintain the business and trading conditions that make the sector so competitive globally."

Huge sums are invested into the UK to develop, manufacture and bring to market vehicles that are cleaner, more fuel efficient, safer and more advanced every year. When it comes to ultra low emission vehicles and plug-in cars in particular, the UK has a strong record, with a 1 billion joint industry-government initiative to develop advanced propulsion technologies, while the UK ultra-low emission car market itself is the second fastest growing market in Europe after Spain.[2]

Meanwhile, the UK is already earning a reputation as global development hub for connected and autonomous vehicles, thanks to significant industry and government investment. The ability to trial these cars on public roads - as a result of the UK not having ratified the Vienna convention some decades ago - has given the UK a two-year head start on many other countries. This offers huge growth potential for the UK as the development and introduction of these technologies could result in an annual 51 billion contribution to GDP by 2030, along with 300,000 new jobs created and 25,000 accidents prevented every year.

That the UK has grasped this opportunity is testament to its ability to adapt, lead and innovate. Thanks to early investment, expertise and an inherent commitment to technological advancement, UK Automotive is well placed to be at the forefront of these breakthrough technologies to make driving smarter, safer and cleaner.

Notes to Editors

1 877,457 cars exported from UK in the year January-August 2016

2 ACEA data for Q2 2016

Hi-res graphics and images available here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/j0omnt2kglncdp6/AACYlh76c7ysmKfujhHaoopNa?dl=0

About SMMT and the UK automotive industry

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) is one of the largest and most influential trade associations in the UK. It supports the interests of the UK automotive industry at home and abroad, promoting a united position to government, stakeholders and the media.

The automotive industry is a vital part of the UK economy accounting for more than 71.6 billion turnover and 18.9 billion value added. With some 169,000 people employed directly in manufacturing and 814,000 across the wider automotive industry, it accounts for 12.0% of total UK export of goods and invests 2.5 billion each year in automotive R&D. More than 30 manufacturers build in excess of 70 models of vehicle in the UK supported by more than 2,000 component providers and some of the world's most skilled engineers.

More detail on UK automotive available in SMMT's Motor Industry Facts 2016 publication at http://www.smmt.co.uk/facts16.

Broadcasters : SMMT has an ISDN studio and access to expert spokespeople, case studies and regional representatives.

Media contacts:

Lucy Bielby

+44(0)20-7344-1610

lbielby@smmt.co.uk

Eleanor Fricker

+44(0)20-7344-1667

efricker@smmt.co.uk
3i Infotech Aparna Venkatesh aparna.venkatesh@3i-infotech.com

MALAYSIA, Sept 28, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - Malaysian-based Teik Senn (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, or TSM, a leading fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) distributor, recently upgraded to the flagship ORION ERP Suite from 3i Infotech. TSM was seeking an upgrade that would support a group-wide consolidation of operations, and was cloud-enabled, which would allow real-time reporting for better management and enhanced customer service.With a distribution network spread throughout Malaysia and Thailand, TSM required higher visibility among its end users as well. ORION ERP offered real-time management dashboards with Report Designer and Enterprise Content Search, which enabled TSM to remain better updated, and track the status of various departments along with their processes.Following the upgrade, TSM reported several key benefits from the new technology."We wanted to move from a client/server setup to a cloud enabled environment. We also wanted a reporting system that allowed personalisation and end-user customisation, and real-time data for better decision-making," said Ms Chong Sok Chee, an Executive Director of TSM."ORION ERP gives us an overview of our entire business with KPI vision as well as a 360-degree view of our customers, suppliers and operations, and provides us with regular scheduled reports which we define with active report designers."As ORION was able to meet TSM's requirements, Suryanarayan Kasichainula, EVP and Business Head (ERP) of 3i Infotech, said "The upgrade empowered TSM end users with real-time data to ensure better decision-making. Through this installation, a first for Warehouse Management, ORION is further expanding its product portfolio into the logistics space."About TSMTeik Senn (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, or TSM, started in 1978 as a family business and has grown into one of the leading distributors of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in Malaysia. Originally a traditional food distributor, TSM now delivers a full range of services, including marketing and brand development, sales and promotion, and logistics and distribution. TSM offers a wide range of FMCG products, including many well-known brands, with extensive distribution channels and broad network coverage including Hypermarkets, Supermarkets, Wholesalers and Convenience Stores, Airlines, Hotels, Restaurants, Pharmacies and Confectioneries, in Malaysia and Thailand. For more information, please visit www.teiksenn.com.About ORION ERPORION ERP from 3i Infotech is an integrated, cost-effective and cloud-enabled industry solution for growing and mid-sized enterprises. Built on a future-ready technology stack, it empowers organisations to optimise business processes and make informed decisions through anytime access to dashboards and analytics. ORION process packs are flexible and scalable solutions that cater to various industries. They facilitate rapid implementation enabling businesses to continuously improve on efficiency and reduce operational costs. Backed by robust service support, ORION ERP is a globally trusted partner to more than 800 customers with over 1,000 installations and 50,000+ users across multiple verticals. Learn more at www.bit.ly/2cCveIt.About 3i Infotech3i Infotech (BSE: 532628; NSE: 3IINFOTECH) is a global Information Technology company committed to Empowering Business Transformation. A comprehensive set of IP based software solutions (20+), coupled with a wide range of IT services, uniquely positions the company to address the dynamic requirements of a variety of industry verticals, predominantly Banking, Insurance, Capital Markets, Asset & Wealth Management (BFSI). The company also provides solutions for other verticals such as Government, Manufacturing, Retail, Distribution, Telecom and Healthcare. 3i Infotech has a staff of over 7,000 professionals serving 1500+ customers, including 71 on the Fortune 500 list, in more than 50 countries across 5 continents. For more information, please visit www.3i-infotech.com.Source: 3i InfotechContact:Copyright 2016 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
 Flash

Wang Xiaotao, vice chairman of Chinese National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), met with the Federal Minister of Planning Development and Reform Prof. Ahsan Iqbal together with the Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique leading the Pakistan delegation to China on Tuesday in Beijing.

Wang Xiaotao, vice chairman of Chinese National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) meets with the Federal Minister of Planning Development and Reform Prof. Ahsan Iqbal together with the Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique leading the Pakistan delegation to China on Tuesday in Beijing.

During the meeting Wang Xiaotao said that work on CPEC projects had seen positive progress over the past three years. The ML1 railways up-gradation project connecting Peshawar to Karachi formed an important part of CPEC's development and it would benefit people especially along the route and contribute to economic and social development of Pakistan. ML1 is Key priority on the working agenda and NDRC takes a holistic view of the project which is a huge up-gradation project, he added. He said that NDRC would make its due contribution to CPEC's development.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said that CPEC projects in energy and infrastructure sector were making steady progress. He said that owing to commitment and sincerity from both sides, the vision of CPEC was fast translating into reality. Most of the energy projects were in implementation stage and moving fast ahead. Similarly, in road transport sector the Chinese contractors had been mobilized. He hoped that both sides would work together to further expedite progress on CPEC projects. The Minister proposed to have the Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting in November this year to which Chinese side also agreed.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal also proposed exchange of knowledge and expertise in several key areas through workshops by Chinese experts and asked NDRC to identify experts to share knowledge and experience. He invited Chinese experts to come to Pakistan for the purpose. He mentioned urban planning and housing, rural development as one of those areas that could benefit and learn from Chinese experience in transformation of rural economy. He said that small and medium enterprises (SME) create job opportunities and form an important area for holding the workshop. He described water management and conservation particularly drip irrigation as one of the five areas where joint workshops could be organized. He also stressed the need for developing understanding of management of industrial parks, and identified it as one of the interesting areas for workshops. He stressed fast implementation of Gawadar CPEC projects.

Railways Minister Saad Rafique highlighted the significance of ML1 project. He said railways development of China was impressive and progress on various CPEC projects was made possible through continued commitment of NDRC and commended its role in creating an enabling environment. The up-gradation of ML- project would vastly contribute in socio-economic development and provide an opportunity to Chinese companies to bring new technology to Pakistan, he added. He said that Pakistan Railways was performing very well and there had been its massive up-gradation from own resources.

He assured NDRC that his ministry would make all possible efforts with regard to speeding up of the projects.

During the meeting, it was decided that the 6th JCC will be held in the last week of November 2016. They also agreed to make appropriate arrangements for holding the experts workshops in the identified areas.

It was also agreed that Gwadar, transport and industrial cooperation working groups would meet before the next JCC so that their recommendations could be submitted before the JCC meeting.

Wang Xiaotao while concluding the meeting said that it was very productive and effective. He said that strong efforts would be made from Chinese side to push forward development of CPEC and Gwadar port in particular.


SAN FRANCISCO (dpa-AFX) - Wells Fargo & Co.'s (WFC) Chief Executive Officer John Stumpf will forfeit $41 million of stock, plus some salary, as the Independent Directors of the company launched an independent investigation into the company's retail banking sales practices and related matter. Carrie Tolstedt, until recently Head of Community Banking, has left the Company.



Stephen Sanger, Lead Independent Director, said, 'We are deeply concerned by these matters, and we are committed to ensuring that all aspects of the Company's business are conducted with integrity, transparency, and oversight. We will proceed with a sense of urgency but will take the time we need to conduct a thorough investigation.'



The company noted that a Special Committee of Independent Directors will lead the investigation, working with the Board's Human Resources Committee and independent counsel Shearman & Sterling LLP. Chairman and CEO John Stumpf, a member of the Board, has recused himself from all matters related to the Independent Directors' investigation and deliberations.



The Independent Directors have taken a number of initial steps they believe are appropriate to promote accountability at the Company. They have agreed with Mr. Stumpf that he will forfeit all of his outstanding unvested equity awards, valued at approximately $41 million based on today's closing share price, and that he will forgo his salary during the pendency of the investigation. In addition, he will not receive a bonus for 2016.



Carrie Tolstedt, until recently Head of Community Banking, has left the Company, and the Independent Directors have determined that she will forfeit all of her outstanding unvested equity awards, valued at approximately $19 million based on today's closing share price. Ms. Tolstedt will not receive a bonus for 2016 and will not be paid severance or receive any retirement enhancements in connection with her separation from the Company. She has also agreed that she will not exercise her outstanding options during the pendency of the investigation. These initial actions will not preclude additional steps being taken with respect to Mr. Stumpf, Ms. Tolstedt or other executives as a consequence of the information developed in the investigation.



Last week, Wells Fargo & Co. chairman and chief executive John Stumpf accepted responsibility for unethical sales practices in retail banking business. In a testimony before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, he outlined the actions to eliminate the practices, and its commitment to rebuild trust. He said the company has never directed nor wanted the team members to provide products and services to customers that they did not need or want.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/27/16 -- The Government of Canada's approval of the Pacific Northwest liquefied natural gas (PNW LNG) project will open Canadian energy to new global markets, striking a balance between growing the national prosperity generated by Canada's energy sector while delivering on government's commitment to lower global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Canada has strengthened its potential as a global energy supplier by approving the PNW LNG terminal to move Western Canadian natural gas to tidewater and provide access to global markets. Through LNG, Canada can grow its Asia-Pacific trade, create more jobs and prosperity at home and grow its international reputation as a place to invest. Global demand for natural gas is expected to increase by 46 per cent through 2040 and 20 per cent of that increase is expected to be met by LNG.

Reaching new markets allows Canada to be a positive contributor to the global energy mix for the future. LNG will facilitate the expansion of renewable energy by complementing its intermittent energy output and possibly lowering global GHG emissions by providing jurisdictions with a lower-carbon alternative for their energy mix.

Ocean access from the West Coast of British Columbia to Asian markets is Canada's opportunity to supply growing markets, make a positive contribution to the global energy mix and lead to action against climate change.

With the additional conditions applied, projects of this magnitude need to be carefully reviewed by the proponent to determine their commercial viability in the context of a competitive global environment.

Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers quotes: Tim McMillan, president and CEO of CAPP

-- "The government's commitment to LNG shows that they are interested in balancing both Canada's sustained environmental leadership and its prosperity." -- "Canada is seizing its opportunity to be an energy supplier for the future." -- "By approving LNG terminals, Canada has a remarkable opportunity to create jobs, contribute to communities and generate economic growth." -- "LNG could support the expansion of renewable energy such as solar and wind by complementing their intermittent output." -- "Without access to global LNG markets, Western Canadian natural gas production is expected to decline over the next 10 years." -- Right now LNG is operating in a highly competitive environment so there are many contributing factors that go towards deciding whether or not a project proceeds or not."

Supporting information:

-- Natural gas has been safely produced for more than 50 years in B.C., and represents a significant opportunity for government revenues, jobs and economic prosperity. -- Three west coast LNG terminals with a combined capacity of 5.4 billion cubic feet per day and associated natural gas production would mean the creation of more than 156,000 jobs (direct, indirect, induced) in B.C. by 2035, up from 53,000 today (CERI). -- Global natural gas consumption is expected to increase nearly 50 per cent by 2040, making it the fastest growing hydrocarbon (IEA 2015). -- Industry is committed to compete on a GHG-intensity basis with other natural gas suppliers to the Asian market. -- B.C. and Alberta have strict regulations on flaring, venting and fugitive emissions from upstream facilities, which serve as models for other jurisdictions. -- Canada has more than 300 years of natural gas resources trapped in a competitive North American gas market. Development of LNG would unlock these resources and stimulate the production of natural gas to displace high GHG emission fuels.

Key links:

The federal government news release can be found here.

The B.C. government news release can be found here.

Contacts:

Chelsie Klassen

Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers

403-267-1151

chelsie.klassen@capp.ca




LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc (RBS) will pay $1.1 billion to settle National Credit Union Administration claims that it sold faulty mortgage-backed securities to U.S. credit unions. RBS sold the securities to two credit unions, which failed after the US housing bubble burst in 2008. RBS, which under the deal does not admit fault, said payment was covered 'substantially by existing provisions'. The settlement won't have a material impact on the bank's capital. Among outstanding civil and criminal actions against RBS are claims from the US Department of Justice and the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Public Relations Department, Eisai Co., Ltd. +81-(0)3-3817-5120

TOKYO, Sept 28, 2016 - (JCN Newswire) - Eisai Co., Ltd. announced today that its U.S. subsidiary Eisai Inc. has submitted a supplemental application for its in-house-discovered antiepileptic drug (AED) Fycompa (perampanel) proposing the inclusion in labelling of a description of use as monotherapy for the treatment of partial-onset seizures with or without secondarily generalized seizures in patients with epilepsy 12 years of age and older to the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) based on new FDA policy.The FDA policy has determined that it is acceptable to extrapolate safety and efficacy of AEDs approved as an adjunctive therapy for the treatment of partial-onset seizures to their use as monotherapy for the treatment of partial-onset seizures. Based on the policy, Eisai Inc. has submitted a supplemental application for monotherapy labelling for Fycompa which includes pharmacokinetic information supporting proposed doses to be used in monotherapy.According to the policy, usage of an AED as monotherapy applies to both adult and pediatric populations where the AED has been previously established as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in the respective age range. Furthermore, this extrapolation applies to partial-onset seizures only, and not to other forms of epilepsy.Fycompa is a first-in-class AED discovered at Eisa's Tsukuba Research Laboratories. It is a highly selective, noncompetitive AMPA receptor antagonist that reduces neuronal hyperexcitation associated with seizures by targeting glutamate activity at postsynaptic AMPA receptors. It is approved in the United States as an adjunctive therapy for the treatment of partial-onset seizures with or without secondarily generalized seizures, and primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures in patients with epilepsy 12 years of age and older.Epilepsy affects approximately 2.9 million people in the United States. Epilepsy is broadly categorized by seizure type, with partial-onset seizures accounting for approximately 60% of epilepsy cases.(1)Eisai considers neurology a therapeutic area of focus, and strives to maximize the value of Fycompa to further contribute to addressing the diverse needs of, as well as increasing the benefits provided to, patients with epilepsy and their families.(1) About Fycompa (perampanel)Fycompa is a first-in-class AED discovered and developed by Eisai. With epileptic seizures being mediated by the neurotransmitter glutamate, the agent is a highly selective, noncompetitive AMPA receptor antagonist that reduces neuronal hyperexcitation associated with seizures by targeting glutamate activity at postsynaptic AMPA receptors. Fycompa is available in tablet form to be taken once daily orally at bedtime. In addition, Fycompa is now available in the United States in an oral suspension formulation.The agent is currently approved in more than 45 countries and territories, including Japan, the United States and in Europe as an adjunctive treatment of partial-onset seizures (with or without secondarily generalized seizures) in adult and adolescent patients with epilepsy 12 years of age and older.In addition, Fycompa has been approved in more than 35 countries, including Japan, the United States and in Europe for the adjunctive therapy of primary generalized tonic-clonic (PGTC) seizures in patients with epilepsy 12 years of age and older. More specifically, Eisai has obtained approval for the agent indicated in the United States as an adjunctive treatment of PGTC seizures in patients with epilepsy 12 years of age and older, and in Europe as an adjunctive treatment of PGTC seizures in adult and adolescent patients from 12 years of age with idiopathic generalized epilepsy.Fycompa is approved in Japan indicated as an adjunctive therapy for partial-onset seizures (including secondarily generalized seizures) or tonic-clonic seizures in patients with epilepsy showing inadequate response to other AEDs.Furthermore, Eisai is conducting Phase II studies in Europe and the United States for partial-onset epilepsy in pediatric patients.For further information on Fycompa in the United States, including Important Safety Information, please visit the Fycompa product website (https://www.fycompa.com).About EisaiEisai Co., Ltd. (TSE:4523; ADR:ESALY) is a research-based human health care (hhc) company that discovers, develops and markets products throughout the world. Eisai focuses its efforts in three therapeutic areas: integrative neuroscience, including neurology and psychiatric medicines; integrative oncology, which encompasses oncotherapy and supportive-care treatments; and vascular/immunological reaction. Through a global network of research facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, Eisai actively participates in all aspects of the worldwide healthcare system. For more information about Eisai Co., Ltd., please visit www.eisai.com.Source: EisaiContact:Copyright 2016 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
TOKYO, Sept 28, 2016 - (JCN Newswire) - Mazda Motor Corporation's production and sales results for August 2016 are summarized below.I. Production1. Domestic ProductionMazda's total domestic production volume in August 2016 increased 4.7% year on year due to increased production of passenger vehicles.Domestic production of key models in August 2016CX-5: 24,920 units (up 16.5% year on year)Mazda3 (Axela): 16,123 units (up 17.1% year on year)Mazda6 (Atenza): 10,911 units (up 6.3% year on year)2. Overseas ProductionMazda's overseas production volume in August 2016 increased 16.0% year on year due to increased production of passenger vehicles.Overseas production of key models in August 2016Mazda3: 20,806 units (up 7.3% year on year)Mazda2: 9,626 units (up 19.3% year on year)CX-4: 4,515 unitsII. Domestic salesMazda's total domestic sales volume in August 2016 decreased 14.1% year on year due to decreased sales of both passenger and commercial vehicles.Mazda's registered vehicle market share was 5.5% (down 1.3 points year on year), with a 2.3% share of the micro mini segment (down 0.3 points year on year) and a 4.4% total market share (down 0.9 points year on year).Domestic sales of key models in August 2016Mazda2 (Demio): 3,966 units (down 25.5% year on year)Mazda3 (Axela): 2,708 units (up 142.9% year on year)Mazda6 (Atenza): 1,357 units (up 83.4% year on year)III. ExportsMazda's export volume in August 2016 increased 36.1% year on year, reflecting increased shipments to North America, Europe, Oceania and other regions.Exports of key models in August 2016CX-5: 25,092 units (up 37.0% year on year)Mazda3: 16,619 units (up 37.5% year on year)Mazda6: 10,660 units (up 20.8% year on year)About MazdaMazda Motor Corporation (TSE: 7261) started manufacturing tools in 1929 and soon branched out into production of trucks for commercial use. In the early 1960s, Mazda launched its first passenger car models and began developing rotary engines. Still headquartered in Hiroshima in western Japan, Mazda today ranks as one of Japan's leading automakers, and exports cars to the United States and Europe for over 30 years. For more information, please visit www.mazda.comSource: MazdaContact:Copyright 2016 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Figure 1: How today's announcements fit into the IoT development workflow Figure 2: Overview of the IoT Testing Environment Figure 3: Overview of IoT Business Support Services

Fujitsu Limited Public and Investor Relations Tel: +81-3-3215-5259 URL: www.fujitsu.com/global/news/contacts/

TOKYO, Sept 28, 2016 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu today announced that it has set up an environment at the FUJITSU Digital Transformation Center (DTC), a co-creative workshop space for digital transformation in Minato-ku, Tokyo, for testing IoT systems that combine IoT-related products and services from Fujitsu and its partner companies. Starting today, customers and application-development vendors can run connectivity tests on their applications, easily and at no cost, using the IoT Testing Environment, with the additional benefit of specialist support from Fujitsu's engineers. Users of the test environment can quickly verify the compatibility of their applications with IoT systems, helping them to speed creation of comprehensive IoT solutions that extend from sensor devices to applications.Fujitsu has also today made available FUJITSU IoT Solution IoT Business Support Services to provide integrated support for the processes of planning, prototype testing, and then designing, building, and operating multivendor IoT systems.As Fujitsu strengthens its own IoT-related products and services, it is accelerating co-creation with its partner companies to help customers using IoT solve their problems and become more competitive.BackgroundOpportunities to use IoT are increasing in a number of fields, such as manufacturing and distribution, but many companies have not taken the first step, saying "we'd like to use IoT, but we don't know where to start," or "we'd like to try it, but we don't have a clear picture of what that would look like." So, starting in May 2016, Fujitsu began organizing IoT co-creation workshops using design approach methods at the DTC, to help companies conceptualize ways to expand their businesses or streamline their operational processes through the IoT, and to carry out the measures needed to turn those concepts into reality.Fujitsu conducts these workshops for companies that have already decided on goals for IoT, to help them achieve their goals more quickly, and provides integrated support services for planning, deploying, and operating total IoT solutions, which include everything from sensor devices to applications.Overview of the IoT Testing EnvironmentThe IoT Testing Environment at the DTC provides a no-cost environment for testing IoT systems built using FUJITSU Cloud Service IoT Platform (Fujitsu's IoT data-utilization platform service), FUJITSU IoT Solution UBIQUITOUSWARE (Fujitsu's Internet-of-Things package which includes various sensor devices and sensor algorithms for converting sensor data to valuable information), and sensor devices from partner companies approved by the IoT Platform Ready Program(1) to confirm stable connectivity.Customers and partner companies developing applications for the IoT can use this environment to test connectivity to prototype systems using real-world hardware without needing to provide their own cloud or network environment, or sensor devices. This enables them to quickly develop and deploy total IoT solutions that cover everything from sensor devices to applications.Overview of FUJITSU IoT Solution IoT Business Support ServicesIoT Business Support Services build on the knowledge and know-how Fujitsu has accumulated by developing numerous IoT systems. It provides customers seeking to use IoT to develop new lines of business or to make their operational processes more efficient with integrated support for the processes of planning, prototype testing, and then designing, building, and operating multivendor IoT systems.IoT Business Support Services are offered in three phases to meet different customer needs.1. IoT consultingFujitsu will work with customers to consider and select the cloud environment, network environment, and sensor devices that best suit the customer's intended IoT system, and propose a total solution. The proposal covers everything up to designing a prototype system which includes IoT-related products and services from partner companies, such as IoT Platform Ready Program approved sensor devices from partner companies, and applications confirmed to connect reliably in the IoT Testing Environment.2. IoT system design/build support servicesFujitsu will build a prototype system and conduct operational testing in a short time. After testing, Fujitsu will assist with designing and building the actual IoT system while taking into account connections to the customer's existing systems.When building an IoT system, factors that tend to draw out the build process are radio-frequency congestion or interference. Using proprietary technology developed by Fujitsu Laboratories to visualize radio interference(2), Fujitsu supports with the proper installation of wireless equipment to the deployment site, helping to deploy the IoT system more quickly.3. IoT system operation support servicesAfter deployment, Fujitsu will analyze the IoT system's operational status and propose improvements. The company can also assist with extending applicable IoT-related products and services, overseas expansion, and analyzing the causes of system troubles.Sales TargetsSales to 300 companies total by March 31, 2019.(1) IoT Platform Ready ProgramA program for approving products that have been confirmed to connect reliably to Fujitsu's IoT Platform. In addition to publishing product information about approved products, Fujitsu actively uses those products when built IoT systems for customers.(2) Technology to visualize radio interference"Fujitsu Develops Field Engineering Technology to Rapidly Provide IoT Services" (May 25, 2016 press release: http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/2016/0525-01.html)About Fujitsu LtdFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 159,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702; ADR:FJTSY) reported consolidated revenues of 4.7 trillion yen (US$41 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.* Please see this press release, with images, at:http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/Source: Fujitsu LtdContact:Copyright 2016 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Regulatory News:

SoLocal Group (Paris:LOCAL):

The report issued by Finexsi, who acted as an independent expert with the mission to provide a fairness opinion of the financial terms proposed to creditors of SoLocal Group concerning the financial restructuring plan of the Group (see press release of September 28, 2016) has been finalised and is now available.

This report is available on the website dedicated to the financial restructuring plan :

www.solocalgroup.com/assemblee-generale-extraordinaire-2016.

The conclusion of Finexsi's report is the following:

 The shareholders of SoLocal, like its creditors, are faced with the Group's need to undergo financial restructuring in order to reduce its debt burden and allow it to continue its strategic shift, but primarily to ensure that the Company remains a leverage down to a level that the Group can bear while still allowing it to invest and implement the strategic plan. going concern. Under no circumstances could the Company repay its bullet loans due in 2018, and it should be remembered that its debts became due on 30 June 2016 when it breached its banking covenant.

The proposed restructuring plan aims to reduce the Group's debt by around two thirds, in order to bring financial

The amount of the capital increase with preferential subscription rights maintained is very large, because it represents around four times the current market capitalisation. By subscribing new shares at 1 each, shareholders would sharply reduce their average purchase cost per share. On the other hand, they would increase their exposure to the risks of a company that needs to make a success of its transformation. They could make use of the possibility to negotiate their preferential subscription rights, which theoretical value is non negligible, but which effective negotiability is difficult to apprehend within such a significant volume of capital increase.

If they decided not to subscribe any shares, they would be heavily diluted, but the bonus shares granted to them would limit that dilution. Their stake in the Company whose debts would be much reduced would in that case be only 11.9%, or 11.1% if creditors exercised their warrants, a level close to comparable restructurings.

If the market were to assign any value to the preferential subscription rights, that would improve the position of shareholders accordingly.

Our assessment work, based partly on the assumption that management will implement its business plan, produces a theoretical value per share of 1.70-1.87 for SoLocal after restructuring.

The transactions reserved for creditors, including the issue of warrants, involve higher per-share values, which shows that they are fair for shareholders. Thus, the average subscription price for creditors, including their potential subscription were they to guarantee the capital increase with maintenance of prefrential subscription rights, is still higher than the 1 subscription price for shareholders, as it stands between 1,32 and 4,73.

As a result, we believe that, as of the date of this report, the terms of the Transaction are fair for shareholders from the financial point of view. 

About SoLocal Group

SoLocal Group, European leader in local online communication, reveals local know-how, and boosts local revenues of businesses. The Internet activities of the Group are structured around two business lines: Local Search and Digital Marketing. With Local Search, the Group offers digital services and solutions to clients which enable them to enhance their visibility and develop their local contacts. Thanks to its expertise, SoLocal Group earned the trust of some 530,000 clients of those services and over 2.2 billions of visits via its 4 flagship brands (PagesJaunes, Mappy, Ooreka and A Vendre A Louer) but also through its partnerships. With Digital Marketing, SoLocal Group creates and provides Internet users with the best local and customised content about professionals. With over 4,400 employees, including a salesforce of 1,900 local communication advisors specialised in five verticals (Home, Services, Retail, Health Public, BtoB) and Internationally (France, Spain, Austria, United Kingdom), the Group generated in 2015 revenues of 873 millions euros, of which 73% on Internet and ranks amongst the first European players in terms of Internet advertising revenues. SoLocal Group is listed on Euronext Paris (LOCAL). More information may be obtained at www.solocalgroup.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161004006729/en/

Contacts:

SoLocal Group

Press

Delphine Penalva, +33 (0)1 46 23 35 31

dpenalva@SoLocal.com

or

Edwige Druon, +33 (0)1 46 23 37 56

edruon@SoLocal.com

or

Investors

Elsa Cardarelli, +33 (0)1 46 23 40 92

ecardarelli@SoLocal.com
High quality drug discovery expertise to remain as part of the science research community in France

Development boost for both Oncodesign's drug discovery internal programs and services business

Regulatory News:

GSK and Oncodesign (Paris:ALONC) have signed an agreement for Oncodesign to acquire the Francois Hyafil Research Centre located in Villebon-sur-Yvette (Essonne) from GSK, part of the Paris Saclay innovation cluster, including transfer of the team of highly qualified drug discovery staff located at the site (anticipated to be 57 employees). Under the terms of the agreement, GSK will provide 35 million support over a four year period, and Oncodesign will use this funding to integrate the site and its capabilities into its business and ensure the continued employment of the transferring staff over this period. The agreement is expected to become unconditional and effective by or on 1st December 2016.

Established in 1987 and located in a new state-of-the-art research facility opened in 2010, the Francois Hyafil Research Centre was most recently a Flexible Discovery Unit that provided scientific expertise and resources to support drug discovery and incubate new science within GSK. The capabilities within the facility include delivery of medicinal chemistry, biology, in vivo pharmacology and drug metabolism/pharmacokinetics capabilities with experience in many therapeutic areas.

"We welcome the Francois Hyafil Research Centre staff, who are recognized industry-wide. This strategic acquisition of GSK's research center is a key next step for Oncodesign and without any dilutive impact for our shareholders. It will allow Oncodesign to boost its Drug Discovery programs and Experimentation businesses and to position itself as a leading player in the business of Full Drug Discovery Services, a new market for Oncodesign" said Philippe Genne, CEO and founder of Oncodesign. "This acquisition further accelerates the development of our strategic partnerships, with IPSEN, BMS and UCB. In addition, it will speed up our Nanocyclix based drug discovery internal programs through increased capabilities and productivity in both oncology and non-oncology areas. Oncodesign will thus strengthen its scientific expertise in one of the most modern research centres in France in addition to acquiring new and complementary capabilities and expansion in non-oncology space. Together with our presence at the Open Campus IPSEN site, the FHRC integration will further establish our presence in the Paris Saclay science cluster and allow us to benefit from the innovation in this region in complement to that of our Dijon site."

In 2015, GSK streamlined its R&D organizational operations to consolidate around two major R&D centres: Upper Providence (USA) and Stevenage (UK), with a reduction in the number of satellite R&D sites that support activities at these two central hubs. As a result of these changes, in September 2015 GSK announced that it would be searching for a robust organization to acquire the Francois Hyafil Research Centre and continue activities in this location.

"GSK has been fully committed to searching for a high quality research organisation that could acquire the Francois Hyafil Research Centre, and I am delighted that, through this agreement, the skilled scientists based at the site will have a secure future and can remain part of the science research community in France" commented Jean-Francois Brochard, General Manager GSK France.

Dave Allen, SVP, GSK Pharmaceuticals R&D said. "Oncodesign is a fast-growing French company with innovative technologies and novel programs, which has a robust plan for the long term success of the Francois Hyafil Research Center. Acquisition of the site will allow the scientist's drug discovery capabilities to continue to be used to advance human medicines. I am pleased that we have secured this agreement with Oncodesign and am confident the team can become an important and integrated part of their company."

GSK one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.

In France, GSK is a major player in the pharmaceutical sector, involved in every stage of the value chain, with more than 3500 employees, 3 production sites (Mayenne, Evreux, Saint-Amand-les-Eaux), a clinical research centre and Head office located in Marly-le-Roi. Over the last 3 years, GSK has invested around 83 million across its 3 productions sites in France and since 2015 more than 300 jobs have been created on these sites.

Oncodesign -Founded over 20 years ago by Dr Philippe Genne, the Company's CEO and Chairman, Oncodesign is a biotechnology company that maximises the pharmaceutical industry's chances of success in discovering new therapeutic molecules to fight cancer and other serious illnesses with no known effective treatment. With its unique experience acquired by working with more than 600 clients, including the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, along with its comprehensive technological platform combining state-of-the-art medicinal chemistry, advanced animal modelling and medical imaging, Oncodesign is able to predict and identify, at a very early stage, each molecule's therapeutic usefulness and potential to become an effective drug. Applied to kinase inhibitors, which represent a market estimated at over $40 billion in 2016 and accounting for almost 25% of the pharmaceutical industry's R&D expenditure, Oncodesign's technology has already enabled the targeting of several promising molecules with substantial therapeutic potential, in oncology and elsewhere, along with partnerships with pharmaceutical groups such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, Ipsen and UCB. Oncodesign is based in Dijon, France, in the heart of the town's university and hospital hub. It has 108 employees and subsidiaries in Canada and the USA. www.oncodesign.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160927006537/en/

Contacts:

GSK enquiries :

French Media enquiries :

Victoria Morel

Tel: +33 (0)1 39 17 85 38

victoria.v.morel@gsk.com

or

Oncodesign enquiries :

Oncodesign

Philippe Genne

Chairman and CEO

Tel: +33 (0)3 80 78 82 60

investisseurs@oncodesign.com

or

NewCap

Investor & Press Relations

Julien Perez Nicolas Merigeau

Tel: +33 (0)1 44 71 98 52

oncodesign@newcap.eu
Wulff Group Plc is an increasingly international listed company as well as the most significant Nordic player in office supplies and an industry pioneer. The company's product and service range is the most comprehensive in the industry: Wulff sells and markets office supplies, facility management products, IT supplies as well as ergonomics and first aid products. In addition, Wulff provides LED lights and lighting solutions and innovative products for worksites. Customers can also acquire international fair services from Wulff. In addition to Finland, Wulff operates in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The customers are personally served by approx. 200 business-to-business sales professionals and also at Wulff's stores in Helsinki, Turku and Lahti. In addition to versatile customer specific services, the Group serves its customers online with the webstore Wulff.fi.

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Toyota C-HR

Toyota Motor Corporation Public Affairs Division Global Communications Department Tel: +81-3-3817-9926

Toyota City, Japan, Sept 28, 2016 - (JCN Newswire) - Toyota Motor Corporation today unveiled an overview of the Japanese market specifications of its new C-HR, or Coupe High-Rider. Toyota will begin accepting advance orders online(4) in early November, and the market launch will follow at the end of 2016 at all Toyota, Toyopet, Toyota Corolla, and Nets dealers nationwide.- Distinctive styling that boldly fuses lightness and power is achieved through Toyota's unique and emotional Keen Look(1) and Under Priority(2) design expressions- Responsive driving performance achieved by adding performance-enhancing features to the high level basic performance made possible by TNGA(3)- Hybrid version boasts fuel efficiency that is among the highest within the compact crossover SUV class- Four grades available: "G" and "S" with a 1.8-liter hybrid system, and "G-T" and "S-T" with a 1.2-liter turbo engine- Toyota Safety Sense P, a collision avoidance assist package, offered as a standard in all gradesSince the C-HR's debut as a concept vehicle at the 2014 Paris Motor Show, the crossover SUV has been exhibited elsewhere in Europe, such as the 66th International Motor Show 2015 in Frankfurt. Approximately one year since its display at the 44th Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota is now unveiling the Japanese market specifications of the mass-market version of the C-HR.Through its distinctive styling and driving performance among other features, Toyota hopes to increase the demand for the C-HR from a wider range of customers within the growing compact SUV market.Under the concept of the "Sensual Speed-Cross", the design of the C-HR features a diamond architectural theme, with eye-catching details that have been sculpted and chamfered to represent the facetted surfaces of a precision-cut gemstone. Viewed from any angle, the elegantly integrated detailing creates a delicate balance of precision and sensuality.The driving concept behind the C-HR is that of responsive driving performance. With further refinements to the TNGA platform, the vehicle has improved chassis rigidity, handling stability and comfort. Furthermore, the driving performance has been thoroughly enhanced with repeated driving tests that have been conducted on varying types of roads throughout the world, including Europe and Japan.Ahead of the market launch, Toyota plans to hold an advanced test drive(5) at the Fuji Speedway on November 26.Key points1. Targeting a broader range of customers by introducing the C-HR into Japan's rapidly growing compact SUV market- The growing compact SUV market segment has expanded about 2.5 times over the last few years. More customers are placing greater importance on interior and exterior styling in comparison with other market segments. With its responsive driving performance and class-leading fuel efficiency in addition to its distinctive styling, the C-HR is expected to lead the compact SUV market.- The C-HR is targeted mainly at information-savvy, compact SUV customers, including younger customers who are in their twenties and thirties. With its powerful suspension and eye-catching design, the C-HR is an expression of a new genre-an SUV with the feel of a coupe.2. Simple and easy-to-choose gradesThe standard S and S-T grades, and the more fully-feature G and G-T grades are available in both hybrid and turbo engine versions.3. Advanced features, including the Toyota Safety Sense P package- All models come with the Toyota Safety Sense P, a collision avoidance assist package that includes a Pre-collision System, which detects has a pedestrian detection function, radar cruise control featuring all-speed tracking, Lane Departure Alert (with steering control), and Automatic High Beam (AHB).- The Blind Spot Monitor uses radar to detect vehicles traveling within the side mirror's blind spot and the side mirror's LED indicator will light up or flash in order to warn the driver.- When reversing out of a parking spot, the Rear Cross Traffic Alert system uses the Blind Spot Monitor's radar to detect any vehicle about to enter the backing path of the reversing vehicle, and alerts the driver via a buzzer and flashing indicator located in the side mirror.Main features of the new C-HR1. Exterior- The three-dimensional structure created by the contrast between the strongly tapered body based on a diamond architectural theme and the pronounced flaring of the wheel arches gives the new crossover a distinct outline with and extremely powerful stance.- The modulated structure and glossy surface finish have created a slim and sleek cabin profile of a coupe.- The sculpted diamond shape clearly highlighted by integrating the cabin with the back door and deeply carving out the lower part of the underbody, coupled with the pronounced flaring of the wheel arches, produced a bold and sensual profile.- The C-HR's coupe-like styling is further enhanced by disguised rear door handles integrated within the C pillar- The C-HR builds on two key elements of Toyota's design language-Keen Look and Under Priority. The slender upper grille flows from the Toyota badge into the sleek, aggressive wing extremities of the headlamp clusters and wraps fully around the front corners of the vehicle, which creates a bold, emphatic front, exuding a sense of wideness and stability.- To the rear, the strongly tapered cabin integrates a top-hinged tailgate giving access to the loadspace. This contrasts with the pronounced flaring of the wheel arches, which give the new crossover a wide and extremely powerful stance.2. Interior- Based on the "Sensual Tech" design concept, the interior produces an unprecedented advanced feel.- Soft pads leading from the instrument panel to the door trimmings and metallic-tone ornaments expresses an expansive space.- The control panel, with various meters situated in the center, is positioned facing the driver, with all items laid out along a continuous line, allowing all driving operations to be carried out smoothly.- The twin-lens, cylindrical type meter with radiating blue lines on its face expresses depth and innovation.- The multi-information display (4.2-inch color TFT) displays information at high resolution.- The sporty seats offer excellent support. Optimized seat pad thickness evenly distributes the pressure across the ischial bones, making long rides more comfortable.3. Driving Performance- The C-HR was developed with a focus on the ideas of "Response, Linearity and Consistency(6)" in order to achieve the key design concept of responsive driving performance.- The TNGA platform has enabled the creation of vehicles with improved chassis rigidity with a low center of gravity, with handling stability and comfort when driving.- The front uses newly developed Macpherson struts suspension system while the rear uses double-wishbone suspension. Furthermore, the use of large-diameter stabilizers and optimization of the damping characteristics of the shock absorbers help to provide superior steering stability and a comfortable ride.- Structural adhesive is used in body joints to reduce torsional phenomena, ensuring superior steering stability and a comfortable ride.- SACHS shock absorbers are offered as standard equipment. Urethane material had been adopted for the cushioning in the upper support for the first time by Toyota.Other major featuresExcellent controllability and open field of vision- The minimum turning radius of 5.2 m provides maneuverability comparable to hatchbacks.- The C-HR offers ample cabin space with a length of 1,715 mm and a width of 1,455 mm while keeping the overall height at 1,550(7) mm, which can easily maneuver within multistory parking structures. An eye point at 1,280(8) mm, slimmer A pillars, and the well-positioned the side mirrors help to ensure excellent visibility for the driver.Accelerator and brake pedals with excellent controllability- The rigidity and revised internal structure of the accelerator pedal offer the driver highly precise control, enabling smooth acceleration during startup and highly responsive acceleration when the pedal is pressed.- The brake pedal position and angle are optimized, and the newly designed bushing gives an improved sense of rigidity.4. OtherSequential turn signals, in which 12 LEDs light up sequentially from the inside to the outside, had been adopted for the first time in a Toyota brand vehicle.A light source projects the C-HR logo on the ground, lighting the driver's way which makes going out at nighttime a fun activity.Other main points include the following:- Eight exterior colors are available, including newly developed Radiant Green Metallic and Metal Stream Metallic. Black and licorice brown are available as interior colors.- The C-HR's 18-inch aluminum wheels with their combination of machine-cut highlights and black paintwork give the lower body an innovative and exciting feel.(1) Toyota's unique front expression imparts an impression of intelligence and clarity, based on a combination of the dynamic Under Priority and an emphasis on the three-dimensional Toyota mark.(2) Toyota's unique front design that emphasizes the lower grille and improves aerodynamic performance, cooling, and pedestrian protection safety.(3) Toyota New Global Architecture: Toyota's company-wide program to structurally transform automobile designThe goal of TNGA is to dramatically improve the basic performance and marketability of Toyota vehicles by reforming and integrally developing new powertrain components, vehicle platforms, and parts.(4) Toyota Motor Corporation's official website: http://www.toyota-global.com/(5) Details will be posted on Toyota Motor Corporation's official website (http://toyota.jp/).(6) Response: The vehicle responds instantly to the driver's operation. Linearity: The vehicle responds precisely according to the magnitude of the driver's operation. Consistency: The vehicle responds consistently on any road surface condition and at any vehicle speed.(7) This is for the hybrid version. The height of the turbo engine version is 1,565 mm.(8) This is for the turbo engine version. The height of the hybrid version is 1,265 mm.About ToyotaSupported by people around the world, Toyota Motor Corporation (TSE: 7203; NYSE: TM), has endeavored since its establishment in 1937 to serve society by creating better products. As of the end of December 2013, Toyota conducts its business worldwide with 52 overseas manufacturing companies in 27 countries and regions. Toyota's vehicles are sold in more than 170 countries and regions. For more information, please visit www.toyota-global.com.Source: ToyotaContact:Copyright 2016 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
 Flash

Lu Dongfu, administrator of the Chinese National Railways Administration (NRA) met with the Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique together with Federal Minister of Planning Development and Reform Prof. Ahsan Iqbal leading the Pakistan delegation to China on Monday in Beijing.

Lu Dongfu, administrator of the Chinese National Railways Administration (NRA) meets with the Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique together with Federal Minister of Planning Development and Reform Prof. Ahsan Iqbal leading the Pakistan delegation to China on Monday in Beijing.

During the meeting Saad Rafique discussed cooperation between the two countries in railways focusing particularly on the ML1 Karachi-Peshawar railway project. He expressed the hope that the project would be pursued on a fast-track and meet the timelines with bullet train speed. He said that the railway network project formed the backbone of CPEC communications infrastructure projects and was of particular significance to regional connectivity.

During the meeting both sides expressed satisfaction over cooperation in railways projects including the ML1 (Karachi-Peshawar) railway project underway between Pakistan and China and discussed ways of its speedier implementation.

Lu Dongfu said that CPEC had made significant progress and friendship between the two countries provided essential strength to overcome potential obstacles. Playing key role in economic connectivity, CPEC would change the dynamics of economic development in the region, he added.

He expressed the confidence that work on the railway projects was being steered in a very friendly way. He said that both countries shared the vision for developing effective railway system from Kashghar to Gwadar which would provide a cost competitive mode of transportation and instant connectivity to China for transportation of goods, he said emphasizing the importance of timely commencement of railways projects. Lu said that China and Pakistan had a solid foundation of cooperation. He said that cooperation is for friendship and for mutual development and the implementation of railways projects would have a tremendous impact on socio-economic development of the country, he pointed out.

The Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal during the meeting said that CPEC projects were on ground and ahead on implementation. He said that railways transportation was a critical element of connectivity between Pakistan and China. He said that the Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Nawaz Sharif regularly and personally monitored progress and most of energy and highway projects would be completed around the end of next year.

The meeting was attended by Ambasador Masood Khalid and senior officers of Pakistan's Railways Ministry as well as senior officers from the Chinese NRA. This was the second senior level meeting of NRA and Ministry of Railways of Pakistan.
SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- What better fun gift to give your child this fall than the Fascol surfing scooter!

"I bought this scooter for my nephew for children's day, and he's thrilled. It was exactly what he was looking for, and at a fantastic price!" - James Brown

See more reviews at http://www.fascol.com/product/surfing-baby-scooter/reviews

Speaking of fun, your child will have loads of it with the Fascol surfing scooter. For pre-school kids and young toddlers, there's nothing like "scooting" all over the place. Pre-school kids are at an age where they want to explore more. Understandably, they're not content with "baby toys" anymore. They want to go out and explore their surroundings. Why not let them do it in style?

Designed and customized with children safety in mind, Fascol surfing scooter's unique C-shape protective design protects your child from collisions. Meanwhile, it involves the latest fashion elements and color.

This amazing three wheel scooter is set to spice up the day for your child. It has a flexible and responsive hand brake and rear brake for smooth control and safety. The design is sleek and sturdy.

Many other new gadgets for toddler kids and infants like toilet trainer, 3 in 1 trike, scooter with seat are also offered by Fascol company. "We keep on researching and developing new children's products and we own a large quantity of patents and certificates," said James Hook, the CEO of Fascol company. Nowadays, best service quality and fast delivery in UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain also make Fascol the strongest competitor of baby product company like Smartike, Little trikes and Micro kickboard.

Fascol baby scooter has become a highly sought-after baby scooter for all and is suitable for home, street and park riding. While you're looking at possibly buying the iphone7, why not give your baby a surprise too?

For more info on the surfing scooter, please visit:

http://www.fascol.com/product/surfing-baby-scooter/

About Fascol

Fascol is one of the biggest baby product companies in the world that supplies best 3 in 1 trike for kids aged between 1-6, tandem tricycle for twins, flashing wheel scooter, swivel scooter, suitcase luggage scooter, removable seat kidskick and surfing scooters.

Media Contact

Fascol Temtop

Shenzhen,China

Email: fascol@fascol.com

Website: http://www.fascol.com






HYDERABAD, India, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Mordor Intelligence announces the publication of their research report on the high-performance fibers market. The report titled "Global High-Performance Fibers Market - Segmented by Type, End-User Industry and Geography - Trends and Forecasts , " discusses the current landscape and outlook of the said market.

The global market for high-performance fibers is estimated to be USD 10.53 billion in 2016 and is projected to reach USD 16.06 billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 8.8% during the forecast period 2016-2021.

The high-performance fibers market is driven by numerous factors viz. increasing demand for lightweight and fuel-efficient materials, growing usage of high-performance fibers in renewable energy market and a rising demand for greater safety & security. However, this market faces certain drawbacks, primarily the premium pricing and processing constraints of these fibers, which act as a roadblock to the growth of the market.

Browse Related Report Here

Our report on high-performance fibers is segmented as follows:

By Type Polybenzimidazole (PBI) Fiber Carbon Fiber Aramid Fiber Glass Fiber High-Strength PE Fiber Polyphenylene sulfide(PPS) Fiber Others

By End-User Industry Aerospace & Defence Medical Automotive Sporting Goods Alternative Energy Electronics Construction & Infrastructure Nonwoven Filtration Others

By Region Asia-Pacific North America Europe South America Middle-East & Africa



High-performance fibers have become an integral part of various applications in major industrial and commercial sectors. in 2015, the aerospace & defense end-user segment accounted for the maximum consumption share in the global market. The North America region is the current leader for high-performance fibers, which can be attributed to the high demand for these fibers from the regions established automotive, aerospace and defense sectors. The region is expected to project a CAGR of XX.XX% during the forecast period. The large majority of the consumption in the region is accounted by the US.

Innovation in product application provides a vast domain for high-performance fiber manufacturers to explore. The increasing scope in the automotive industry and new avenues in wind & energy sector provide good opportunities as well. The industry players profiled in the report include: Cytec Solvay Group, DuPont, Honeywell International, Mitsubishi Rayon, Owens Corning, PBI Performance Products, Royal DSM, and Teijin Limited, etc. among others.

About Mordor Intelligence:

Mordor Intelligence is a global market research and consulting firm. Our focus is to provide research insights to facilitate business success. Our research expertise covers niche segments under Agriculture, Healthcare, ICT, Chemicals, Manufacturing, Logistics, Electronics and Automotive, among others. We believe in data, and we provide solutions through it. Optimum solutions and goal-oriented strategies define our endeavors and make us the preferred choice for clients.

For information regarding permissions and sales, please contact: info@mordorintelligence.com

Media Contact:

Madan Gopal

AVP - Marketing & Strategy

Email: madan@mordorintelligence.com

Direct Line: +1 617-765-2493


Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
LONDON, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Alan Millar from Capital One recently told me, that so many companies suffer from not being able to differentiate "information" from "intelligence".

Cyber Threat Intelligence and Incident Response, Cyber IQ's 5th conference of 2016, is the premier forum for security professionals to address how a greater understanding of the cyber threat landscape can lead to exponential improvements in strategic planning and tactical decision making during cyber incidents.

Cyber threat intelligence provides network defenders an advantage, using information superiority to prepare and respond, reducing adversarial success rates. Consequently, intelligence feeds provide a vitally important method for organisations to update their response and detection programs, whilst simultaneously creating tailor made strategies for incident management to limit damage, increase the confidence of external stakeholders, and reduce recovery time and costs.



Why should you attend Cyber Threat Intelligence and Incident Response?

Understand the need for enhanced threat detection and prioritised incident investigation

Learn how to keep ahead of the attackers by leveraging threat intelligence

Assess how to enable an intelligence-led approach to your cyber security operations Solution Providers

Meet and network with enterprise information security decision makers from across industry

Keep your brand front of mind when these decision makers are shortlisting providers

Maximise your sales time by accessing a high number of information security professionals in one place

View the full agenda here: http://www.cyberthreatevent.com/agenda-mc?utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=25239.002-external-pressrelease&utm_term=agenda&utm_content=text&mac=prnewswire_25239.002&disc=prnewswire_25239.002

Who is attending?

FBI, Societe Generale, Vodafone, The Economist, BP, EA, City of London Police, United States European Command, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Mapfre, Isabel Group, Capital One, Alliander, Banco Sabadell, CERT-EU, UBS and Australian National University... Plus many more.

Come along!

If you know you want to attend book today and you will receive a 100 discount! Book here: https://register.iqpc.com/srspricing.aspx?eventid=1003526&utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=25239.002-external-pressrelease&utm_term=book&utm_content=text&mac=prnewswire_25239.002&disc=prnewswire_25239.002

Contact: Richard Jones, Summit Director,+44(0)20-7036-1300, enquire@iqpc.co.uk
SmartStream Technologies, the financial Transaction Lifecycle Management (TLM) specialist, today announced that Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF), a leading provider of banking products and services headquartered in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has selected its Corona Cash Liquidity solution.

Implementation of Corona Cash Liquidity will provide the bank with new levels of visibility and control over its liquidity and transaction processing. Thus, the solution will facilitate compliance with regulatory requirements, improve fraud detection, increase levels of straight-through processing and help improve customer service. Phase one of the project will see BSF meet the Intraday Liquidity Monitoring Tools regulation deadline of 1st January 2017, as set by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA). Phase two of the project will see a bank-wide implementation creating a Centre of Excellence for both the bank and its customers.

Mr. Saadoun Al Saadoun, Operation Group Manager, Banque Saudi Fransi, said: "Banque Saudi Fransi prides itself on using best-of-breed technology solutions to remain compliant, reduce risk and provide new and innovative services to its clients. The implementation of Corona Cash Liquidity will enable the bank to better manage the fast growth it is experiencing and gain visibility of overall cash positions across the entire organization. As experts providing the banking sector with solutions and services for more than 35 years, we are very excited with the new corporate service offerings and operational excellence that SmartStream's Corona Cash Liquidity can add, both internally and for our customers."

"Working with BSF has been an insightful and exciting experience," commented Pritesh Kotecha, SVP Middle East Africa at SmartStream. "SAMA has shown that it is a proactive regulator through the implementation of Basel III. BSF has demonstrated its pioneering spirit by taking the regulatory requirement and extending it by not only creating an internal Centre of Excellence, but also by providing an innovative and valuable service to its corporate clients. Corona Cash Liquidity already has all of the integration required to SARIE, SWIFT and source systems. SmartStream is proud to be working in partnership with these prestigious organisations and looks forward to extending its expertise to help the Kingdom's other Banks in meeting the upcoming deadline."

Corona Cash Liquidity is a comprehensive, built-for-purpose solution which fully supports the requirements for efficient regulatory reporting as defined in the Basel III BCBS 248 specifications, as well as innovative intraday liquidity monitoring and management. The solution delivers one central tool to monitor and control all aspects related to cash and liquidity management and guarantees the lowest possible cost of ownership by sharing one environment for multiple purposes.

Ends

Notes to Editors

For more information about Banque Saudi Fransi visit: www.alfransi.com.sa

For more information about SmartStream visit: www.smartstream-stp.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005481/en/

Contacts:

SmartStream Technologies

Singapore

Julie Kyte

Senior Marketing Manager

Tel: +65 6224 7689

Email: Julie.kyte@smartstream-stp.com

or

London (Corporate Head Office)

London:

Nathan Gee

Senior Marketing Manager

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7898 0630

Email: nathan.gee@smartstream-stp.com

or

Dina Communications

Shamira Alidina

Media Relations Director

Tel +44 (0) 7801 590718

Email: shamira@dinacomms.com
LYON, France, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Zostavax shingles vaccine remains as part of the successful UK national immunisation programme for the next two years.

Sanofi Pasteur MSD today announced that the Department of Health (DH) has recommended that Zostavax should remain on the UK's national immunisation programme* to protect seniors from the significant burden of disease associated with shingles. UK adults aged 70 and 78 years old will continue to be offered Zostavax as part of their adult vaccination schedule. Supply of this new tender will start in 2017 for at least two years.

"Sanofi Pasteur MSD is dedicated to raising awareness of shingles and the importance of senior vaccine programmes across Europe," said Andrea Rappagliosi, Vice President Market Access, Medical Affairs and Health Policy at Sanofi Pasteur MSD. "The renewal of the shingles immunisation programme for the UK is a demonstration of NHS England's commitment to healthy ageing for seniors and serves as a model for other countries in protecting against shingles," he added.

Zostavax is an efficient and well-tolerated, one-dose vaccine supported by over 10 years of real-life evidence. The vaccine has been used for the national immunisation programme since September 2013. By the end of March 2016 just under half of eligible adults in the UK had been vaccinated against shingles,[1] representing a significant achievement and opportunity to build upon for the upcoming season.

"Shingles is a painful and disruptive disease which can lead to severe complications and accelerates decline in health in senior populations," said Robert W Johnson, MD.,FRCA.,FFPMRCA.,

Hon. Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bristol, UK. "It's crucial that shingles vaccine coverage is as high as possible in the UK and across Europe to ensure the widest protection against the disease," he concluded.

UK disease coverage rates are an achievement but can be improved through ongoing efforts to identify and vaccinate all eligible individuals. A successful adult vaccination program relies on an effective vaccine that is easy to implement, ensuring it can be widely used in routine clinical practice.

Zostavax is licensed in the UK and across Europe for the immunisation of adults over 50 years and is given as a single injection[2] which supports vaccination adherence. Zostavax has a well-established safety and tolerability profile from over 57,000 adults in clinical trials and over 32 million doses have been distributed worldwide since 2006, proving itself as an effective preventative measure available in a single dose with real-life experience in the primary care setting.[2],[3]

Several European countries have recently decided to recommend and/or fund Zostavax, including Austria, Greece, UK and France, as well as some regions in Germany, Italy and Spain.

Shingles is a common and debilitating viral disease caused by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus that can affect one in four people at some point in their lifetime.[4] Approximately 1.7 million new cases of shingles appear every year in Europe.[5],[6] The risk of developing shingles more than doubles after the age of 50 years, and 2/3 shingles cases occur after the age of 50 years.[7]-[9]

The WHO predicts that the number of people aged 60 years and over worldwide will increase to 2 billion by 2050.[10] This growing senior population has a higher susceptibility to infectious diseases and associated complications that can be prevented through vaccination.

# # #

About Zostavax

Zostavax is a live attenuated vaccine that appropriately boosts immune control of the dormant shingles virus, with 10 years of routine use in primary care providing strong evidence of effectiveness and good safety. The vaccine is designed to appropriately boost the varicella-zoster virus specific cellular immunity, which controls virus reactivation and/or replication.[2]

It is the first available preventative means licensed in Europe against shingles and the long lasting nerve pain that may follow the disease, known as post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN).[2] More than 32 million doses of Zostavax have been distributed worldwide since 2006.[3]

About Sanofi Pasteur MSD - http://www.spmsd.com

Sanofi Pasteur MSD is a European joint venture formed between Sanofi Pasteur (the vaccine division of Sanofi) and Merck (known as MSD outside the United States and Canada). Combining innovation and expertise, Sanofi Pasteur MSD is the only European pharmaceutical company dedicated exclusively to the distribution of vaccines. Sanofi Pasteur MSD makes use of the combined expertise resulting from Sanofi Pasteur and Merck's research to focus on the development of new vaccines in Europe in order to produce the most effective, most acceptable and better tolerated vaccines.

* This announcement was made in the UK in July 2016 and, hence, this press release is not being released in the UK.

References






Public Relations Department, Eisai Co., Ltd. +81-3-3817-5120

TOKYO, Jan 12, 2017 - (JCN Newswire) - Eisai Co., Ltd. has announced that the medication administration support device e-OKUSURI-SAN will be launched today for sale to pharmacies, medical institutions and caregiving facilities in Japan. This device supports treatment administration for patients, families, pharmacists, nurses and caregivers, by ensuring that the prescribed dosage of medicine is administered at the scheduled time, thus helping to prevent patients from forgetting to take medicine or overdosing. The device is also equipped with a function to support looking after patients by allowing those concerned, including family and pharmacists, to remotely confirm a patient's record of medicine administration via an exclusive cloud website system.http://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_EisaieOKUSURISAN1.jpge-OKUSURI-SAN, front imageA week's worth of medicine cases can be set in e-OKUSURI-SAN, with up to four doses scheduled for each day (morning, middle of the day, night and before bed). At the scheduled time, a medicine case slides out, along with audio and visual prompts reminding the patient to take the medicine.The device comes with four different voices to choose from, as well as the option to record a custom voice such as a grandchild's. If the medicine case is not taken, in addition to a snooze function to replay the audio prompt, the medicine case will be retracted after 40 minutes. As a general rule, the medicine case cannot be retrieved until the next scheduled administration time, to prevent patients from overdosing.As a function to support looking after patients, e-OKUSURI-SAN can send an email to family members, pharmacists, nurses or caregivers when medicines are administered. Medication administration history is stored for up to a year on an exclusive website on the cloud, with an option to view monthly line graphs or tables based on the data. This allows those concerned, including family and pharmacists, to notice any breakdowns in lifestyle patterns, even from a remote location. Ahead of the launch, approximately 100 pharmacies, medical institutions and care facilities throughout the country cooperated to conduct a demonstration study using test units for home treatment and at facilities.As a result, various observations were made, including an increase in administration rates, supporting prevention of overdosing, and a reduction in the burden on families, pharmacists and caregivers to support patients. Furthermore, there were cases of patients being able to maintain an appropriate lifestyle routine by using the device, as well as cases of families noticing a breakdown in lifestyle rhythm through the support functions, which lead to visits to medical institutions.Through the provision of various solutions that leverage assets built up through community building activities as well as cooperation with stakeholders including medical institutions, pharmacies and care facilities, Eisai seeks to make continued contributions to address the diverse needs of, as well as increasing the benefits provided to, patients and their families.About e-OKUSURI-SANhttp://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_EisaieOKUSURISAN2.jpgRetail price: 85,000 yen (excluding tax)Unit size: Width 402 mm, depth 177 mm, height 320 mmUnit weight: 3.5 kg (device and medicine cases)Power (Japan): AC 100V, 50/60 HzIncluded accessories:Medicine case x 30, Front cover key x 2,Medicine case stickers,(morning, middle of the day, night, before bed)Instruction manual,Startup guide (cloud registration)(1) Using the timer function, a medicine case automatically slides out, with an audio prompt made in a selected voiceUp to four doses can be scheduled per day (morning, middle of the day, night, before bed), with a week's worth of medicine set in cases large enough for multiple medicines packaged together (7 cm x 9 cm). The medicine cases are partly transparent so that the contents can be checked from the outside.At the scheduled time, a tray with a medicine case slides out, with simultaneous audio and visual prompts. The device comes with four different voices to choose from, as well as the option to record a custom voice such as a grandchild's. Once the medicine case is taken, the tray retracts into the device.If the case has not been taken from the tray despite a notification being made, the snooze function can be used to replay the audio prompts every 5 minutes.(2) Tray retracts as a mechanism to prevent patients from overdosingIf 40 minutes have passed without the medicine case being taken from the tray, the medicine case will be automatically retracted into the device. As a general rule, medicine cases cannot be retrieved until the next scheduled administration time to prevent patients from overdosing.Furthermore, the time interval between periods of medicine administration can be preset from 1 to 6 hours, helping to ensure that the minimum amount of time required between doses has elapsed.However, if the "forgot to take medicine" button on the control panel is pressed and it is additionally confirmed that medicine is being administered outside of the scheduled time, a medicine case can be retrieved. This function can be used, for example, for retrieving medicine that the patient has forgotten to take, or for removing the afternoon medicine case to take with when the patient goes to a day care service.(3) Front cover comes with a lock and key to prevent tamperingAfter a week's worth of medicine cases have been set, the front cover of the device is locked in place. This is to prevent tampering or taking out the cases by accident.(4) Administration of medicine cases can be checked from a remote locationIt is possible to have an email sent to registered individuals such as family members or pharmacists whenever a medicine case has been taken. Up to five email addresses can be registered. The timing (for example each time a medicine case is taken or if a medicine case was not taken, both are possible) and content of this notification can be adjusted freely.This information is encrypted and is available on an exclusive website for each e-OKUSURI-SAN device. By logging onto the website, the device administrator can change various settings, such as the timing of email notifications.(5) A year's worth of administration history saved, displayable as monthly data graphsUp to a year's worth of medication administration history is encrypted and stored on an exclusive website on the cloud. Monthly data can be viewed as a graph or table and printed as well. By viewing the graph, it is easy to see if a patient is regularly following administration times or not. It is possible for registered users to log onto the website and confirm medication administration history.(6) Display of messagesRegistered users can log onto the e-OKUSURI-SAN website, and send messages of up to 20 characters in length, which will be displayed as text on the control panel of the e-OKUSURI-SAN device. It can be used for communication with the patient, including messages encouraging administration and notifications of home visits.About e-OKUSURI-SAN internet connectione-OKUSURI-SAN's support functions for looking after patients require an active internet connection. For internet connection via LAN cable, a USB connected LAN adapter (sold separately) can be used. For wireless networks such Wi-Fi, a wireless LAN kit (sold separately) can be used. For those with no internet connection, an e-OKUSURI-SAN dedicated transmission kit (sold separately) can be plugged into the USB port to use the support features.About EisaiEisai Co., Ltd. (TSE:4523; ADR:ESALY) is a research-based human health care (hhc) company that discovers, develops and markets products throughout the world. Eisai focuses its efforts in three therapeutic areas: integrative neuroscience, including neurology and psychiatric medicines; integrative oncology, which encompasses oncotherapy and supportive-care treatments; and vascular/immunological reaction. Through a global network of research facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, Eisai actively participates in all aspects of the worldwide healthcare system. For more information about Eisai Co., Ltd., please visit www.eisai.com.Source: EisaiContact:Copyright 2017 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Regulatory News:

Nel Hydrogen Solutions, a division of Nel ASA (OSE: NEL), has been awarded a contract by SIA Hydrogenis, a leading hydrogen project developer in Latvia, for the delivery of the new dual capability H2Station, which offers a combined hydrogen fueling solution for cars and buses in Riga.

"We are very pleased to have been awarded a contract to offer the H2Station in Riga. Latvia represents an exciting market for Nel, and this is also the first customer where we provide a combined fueling solution for both cars and buses. This new dual vehicle fueling capability is an additional feature for our H2Station product, maximizing the infrastructure utilization, volume throughput and return on investment, in one attractive solution," says Jacob Krogsgaard, Senior Vice President of Nel Hydrogen Solutions.

The H2Station bus fueling capability is offered as an add-on feature to fueling solutions for cars, or as a separate solution dedicated for fleets of buses, enabling simultaneous dual-pressure refueling at 700bar for cars and 350bar for buses.

Following the SIA Hydrogenis contract, Nel will deliver a turn-key hydrogen station solution, including storage facilities and dispensers for cars and buses.

The H2Station contract has a total value or EUR 1.5 million and is planned for delivery in middle of 2017.

ENDS

About Nel

Nel is a global, dedicated hydrogen company, delivering optimal solutions to produce, store and distribute hydrogen from renewable energy. We serve industries, energy and gas companies with leading hydrogen technology. Since its foundation in 1927, Nel has a proud history of development and continual improvement of hydrogen plants. Our hydrogen solutions cover the entire value chain from hydrogen production technologies to manufacturing of hydrogen fueling stations, providing all fuel cell electric vehicles with the same fast fueling and long range as conventional vehicles today. www.nelhydrogen.com.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005505/en/

Contacts:

Nel ASA

Jon Andre Lkke, CEO

+47 90 74 49 49

or

Bjrn Simonsen, Vice President

Market Development Public Relations

+ 47 97 17 98 21
LONDON, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

SmartFit' enables employers to provide staff leading discounts and the fastest access to the widest range of fitness options nationally with minimal HR administration

Reward Gateway, the leading employee engagement platform that delivers employee benefits, reward and recognition, communications and wellbeing solutions, today announced its new wellbeing product, SmartFit', which lets employers give employees access to leading discounts on the industry's broadest range of physical activities, from health club and gym memberships to yoga, swimming, pilates, bootcamps, online memberships and fitness equipment.

Many employee physical wellbeing solutions available to employers today were not designed to drive programme adoption and ongoing usage. Reward Gateway developed SmartFit' to drive the highest levels of adoption and impact for employers by enabling a personalized experience for employees with choice in the type of fitness programme they can take advantage of, giving employees quick access, and offering national coverage across the UK.

SmartFit' doesn't only provide the most flexible and personal employee fitness wellbeing benefit in the industry. It is delivered to employees through an easy-to-use net salary deduction, rather than a salary sacrifice benefit, so there are no complicated tax implications for HR.

How it helps employers:

Wellbeing is a top priority for employers due to its link to increased productivity and reduced absenteeism. SmartFit' enables employers to provide a valuable benefit that will make a real impact on their employee wellbeing goals.

HR wants to gain maximum uptake and impact of new programmes, and SmartFit' is designed for that goal. Employees are able to choose from a wide range of fitness solutions that work for them, like yoga class membership and discounts on personal fitness equipment, which means that employees who don't use gyms and health clubs can benefit too. SmartFit' also provides national coverage, so workers in different locations are all included

Clients get dedicated support, partnership from a Reward Gateway consultant, and a bespoke communication plan to ensure programme success.

Real-time analytics and management information to measure the effectiveness of the programme are accessed directly from the solution to measure return-on-investment.

How it helps employees:

SmartFit' offers the industry's top discounts on fitness memberships, fees, and spending - helping employees to save money. There are also a variety of payment options available through an easy net salary payment, giving employees choice.

Employees are not forced into one type of fitness option and can choose what works for their lifestyle.

Full national coverage means wherever employees are across the United Kingdom they will have access to fitness options that work for them.

they will have access to fitness options that work for them. Employees no longer will have to wait weeks or months for access to their fitness investment, helping to reduce barriers to getting started. Fast access and an easy-to-use online experience available on any device makes it simple for employees to purchase their fitness membership and get started immediately.

Supporting Quotes:

Lucy Tallick, Head of Wellbeing at Reward Gateway said: "It is proven that physical activity can bring an individual employee and an organisation tremendous benefit, yet many companies still have a hard time helping their employees progress on their physical wellbeing journey. We are excited to bring our customers a solution that is designed for end-user adoption and easy administration for HR. Physical wellbeing solutions must provide an activity option for all employees with no barriers to get started, and that is exactly what we have designed."

Amy Cawthan, Head of Corporate Sales at Virgin Active said: "Here at Virgin Active we're passionate about helping people get active, and love being active too. It's important to us that our partners share the same goal. That's why we're really excited to be joining SmartFit in their new venture with Reward Gateway, helping to make physical wellbeing even more accessible and easy for companies to deliver to their people."

To learn more about SmartFit', sign up to the Reward Gateway webinar here.

Boiler Plate

Reward Gateway provides employee engagement technology to the world's leading companies. Over 1,200 clients including American Express, Groupon, Yahoo!, IBM and McDonald's use the company's products to attract, engage and retain the best employees. The company's products power employee communications, employee recognition, and employee benefits through a single employer-branded hub called SmartHub.

Media Contact:

Charlie Lofthouse, PR Manager, charlie.lofthouse@rewardgateway.com
SAN FRANCISCO (dpa-AFX) - Wells Fargo's (WFC) two former employees have filed a lawsuit against the bank, seeking $2.6 billion, on behalf of employees affected amid the unauthorized accounts scandal. The plaintiffs are seeking class-action status for the lawsuit. Former employees Alexander Polonsky and Brian Zaghi accuse Wells Fargo of wrongful termination, along with unlawful business practices and failure to pay wages, overtime, and penalties under California law. The suit is filed on behalf of people who worked for the bank in California over the past 10 years, including current employees. These employees are said to have tried to meet aggressive sales quotas without engaging in fraud, but were later demoted, forced to resign or fired. The filing on Thursday in California Superior Court in Los Angeles County said, 'Wells Fargo fired or demoted employees who failed to meet unrealistic quotas while at the same time providing promotions to employees who met these quotas by opening fraudulent accounts.' It alleges that the top executives benefited from the fraudulent activity, but thousands of $12-per-hour employees who tried to meet the quotas got the blame. The bank had fired around 5,300 employees for opening as much as 2 million accounts in customers' names without their authorization. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
DUBLIN, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Sharp to Present Alongside Serialisation Partners at CPhI Conference in Barcelona,October 2016

Sharp Packaging Services, a division of UDG Healthcare and global leader in contract packaging and clinical services, today announced they will be addressing delegates at CPhI WorldWide, alongside technology partners and leaders in serialisation - TraceLink, Systech, Covectra and Domino. The alliance will offer Sharp's clients a proven and rapid implementation path to serialisation readiness in view of the upcoming directives by the U.S. Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) in November 2017 and theEU Falsified Medicines Directive (EU FMD) in February 2019.

Rick Seibert, SVP of Innovation & Technology, commented on the partnerships: "We are very pleased to be collaborating with TraceLink, Systech, Covectra and Domino, each of whom are leaders in their field. Sharp has implementeda robust and testedtechnical architecturein line with all current and evolving regulatory requirements to support our customers for serialisation globally. These collaborations will provide a skillset and deeper knowledge base to our clients in preparation for the upcoming serialisation directives. By leveraging our network of technology partners, we are ensuring our customer's path to serialisation is as seamless and efficient as possible."

Sharp is partnering with TraceLink to help its 100+ pharmaceutical manufacturing customers prepare for the next phase of rapidly approaching regulation requirements.As the serialisation solution provider to Sharp, TraceLink's productised functionality will assist Sharp in meeting the variable set of customer requirements for serialisation transactions. Additionally, TraceLink's Life Sciences Cloud multi-tenant network architecture will help eliminate point-to-point integration complexities, provide seamless compliance for global regulations and reduce business risk for Sharp's extensive pharmaceutical customer base.

The partnership with Systech will implement the company's best-of-breed UniSeries' Serialisation suite to deliver seamless multi regional, multi aggregation serialisation provisioning to its customers, reducing the risk of failure to meet the regulatory demands and allowing full flexibility of service.

Covectra partners with Sharp to supply a complete serialisation solution for the life science market, through its AuthentiTrack solution, which offers a modular yet comprehensive approach to serialise down to the unit of use. Together Covectra and Sharp have implemented complete product roll outs with serialisation to dose levels.

Domino has extensive experience in developing and manufacturing legislative compliant coding solutions for the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors and Sharp have worked successfully with Domino printing technology over the last eight years to serialise over 2 billion pharmaceutical packages.

Sharp Packaging Services and its panel of serialisation technology partners will be presenting at CPhI Worldwide, the annual pharmaceutical congress held in Barcelona from 4 - 6 October 2016. Addressing delegates on the theme of "Serialisation: Optimizing Your Supply Chain Means Optimizing Your Partners " . The presentation will explore the critical path to supply chain readiness, risk-assessment, benchmarking and serialisation risk mitigation options. The briefing will take place in the Pharma Insight Briefing room on Tuesday, 4 October 2016 at 11:30am CEST.

The Sharp stand at CPhI Barcelona can be found at 3L56 in the ICSE Hall.

ABOUT SHARP PACKAGING SERVICES

Sharp Packaging Services, a division of UDG Healthcare plc, is a global leader in contract packaging and clinical services. Operating from state-of-the-art facilities across the US and Europe, Sharp has built an international reputation for delivering cost-effective blister packaging, bottling, pouches and stick packs, compliance packaging, formulation and manufacturing services, label design and printing. Sharp is also a world leader in 'Track and Trace' serialisation services, which will require all prescription drugs to have a unique serial code for authentication and traceability.

For more information on Sharp and our solutions, visit www.sharpservices.com or follow us on LinkedIn, and Twitter. For more information on UDG Healthcare plc, visit www.udghealthcare.com.

For more information please go to: www. sharpservices.com/getready

About TraceLink

TraceLink is the World's Largest Track and Trace Network for connecting the Life Sciences supply chain and eliminating counterfeit prescription drugs from the global marketplace. Leading businesses, including 16 of the top-20 global pharmaceutical companies, trust the TraceLink Life Sciences Cloud to deliver complete global connectivity, visibility and traceability of pharmaceuticals from ingredient to patient. A single point and click connection to the Life Sciences Cloud creates a supply chain control tower that delivers the information, insight and collaboration needed to improve performance and reduce risk across global supply, manufacturing and distribution operations.

For more information on TraceLink and our solutions, visit www.tracelink.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

About Systech

Systechis the global technology leader in product safety, and consumer and brand protection.Systechpioneered serialization and is defining the future of authentication.

Trusted by 19 of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies,Systechunifies and optimizes enterprise serialization, track and trace, and authentication technologies to ensure regulatory compliance, mitigate risk, and drive efficiency and profitability.

For 30 years,Systech'sinnovation has led best practices for key brands across the pharmaceutical, life science, food and beverage, and consumer packaged goods industries.

Visit: www.systechone.com

About Covectra

Headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, COVECTRA offers multi-layered brand integrity and

protection solutions, including its serialization-based AuthentiTrack technology, which includes serial

number generation, event repository and event repository management; packaging line serialization and front-end software applications such as ControlTrack to utilize serial numbers for a variety of business benefits, including counterfeit detection, adherence, and returns verification. Covectra continues to innovate in their space, developing a series of brand protection products for absolute counterfeit detection. Visit: www.covectra.com

About Domino

Founded in 1978,Dominohas established a global reputation for the continual development and manufacture of its total coding and printing technologies that meet the needs of manufacturers and sets new industry standards in quality and reliability.

Through a global network of 25 subsidiary offices and in excess of 200 distributors, the Domino Group operates in over 120 countries employing over 2,600 people worldwide with manufacturing facilities situated in UK, China, Germany, India, Sweden and USA.

Visit: www.domino-printing.com

For further information:

Sharp Packaging Services

Alison Dillon

Tel: + 353 1 468 9004

Email: alison.dillon@sharpserviceseu.com

Twitter: @Sharp_Packaging

Hume Brophy

Supriya Mathur, Hollie Vile, Alex Protsenko

Tel: + 44 203 440 5654

Email: udg@humebrophy.com




LONDON, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Since its inception in 2009, the Africa Public Private Partnership Conference and Showcase (Africa PPP) has become the definite platform for discussing, informing and instigating the successful implementation of PPPs across the continent.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160928/412719 )



The 8th edition of Africa PPP will once again showcase investment opportunities and planned infrastructure development projects from across Africa. Organised by AME Trade, the event will take place from the 24 - 26 October 2016 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, London, UK, building on the success of the previous editions which have been held in Tunis, Nairobi, Abuja, Johannesburg, Abidjan and London. Watch the industry highlights from the speakers' interviews.

Based on the outcomes from the 2015 event, the conference programme will focus on the following key topics:

Harmonisation in PPP Policies and Regulatory Frameworks

Best Practice Scenarios - Successful PPPs in Africa - Case Studies

- Case Studies Investing in Infrastructure - Financing PPPs

Project Preparation Facilities - Expediting Bankable PPPs

Lessons from India - The World's largest PPP market

- The World's largest PPP market Working towards Integrated PPPs

Focus Session - Opportunity Showcase of Investable Infrastructure Projects

Risk and Reward - Why PPPs need to continue to grow

"The quality of discussions has been excellent. There were ministerial people and parliamentarians in attendance and it is that caliber of people that attend these particular conferences, they come here to learn to be able to go back to their countries and take the best practices scenario's back." Senior Project Advisor PPP,National Treasury, South Africa

This edition of the event is host to an excellent line-up of speakers. Showcasing nine PPP units from Senegal, Egypt, South Africa, Uganda, Mali, Ethiopia, Kenya, Cameroon and Nigeria. Additional panellists include: Jack van der Merwe - Gautrain; Lucy Chege - DBSA, Romain Py - AIIM; Hannes van Wyk - Toll Infrastructure Services, Eng. M.C. Munodawafa - Zambezi River Authority amongst others.

APPP 2016 is an ideal match-making platform for both project sponsors and financiers to explore options for increasing infrastructure development via PPPs.

Information about the programme, speaker panel and delegate registration is available at the official Africa PPP website.

Alternatively, please contact the event organiser directly by phone +44 207 700 4949 or email at appp@ametrade.org. For press accreditation email marketing@ametrade.org.
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The British pound retreated from recent highs against the other major currencies in the early European session on Wednesday. The pound fell to 1.2981 against the U.S. dollar, 1.2609 against the Swiss franc and 0.8639 against the euro, from recent 5-day highs of 1.3030, 1.2673 and 0.8589, respectively. Against the yen, the pound dropped to 130.82 from a recent high of 131.18. If the pound extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 1.28 against the greenback, 1.24 against the franc, 0.87 against the euro and 129.00 against the yen. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Further to the Company's announcement on 22 September 2016, the Company notes that currently, its shareholder register shows that 25 per cent. of the Company's shares are held in public hands in accordance with the requirements of the UK Listing Rules. However, and as reported by the Company on 23 February 2016, the Company has received a letter from a person claiming to hold 5 per cent. of the Company shares. The Company has alerted the FCA to this fact since if this is correct, the Company would not currently comply with the shares in public hands test. The Company has tried to contact the purported shareholder to confirm the position but has not received any response to date. The Company is working to ascertain the status of the purported 5 per cent. shareholder and will confirm the position by way of further announcement as soon as possible.

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
20 abstracts across multiple tumor types; unique mechanisms of action address the diverse needs of people living with cancer

New combination study data in renal cell carcinoma and first-in-human results for OX40 agonist provide new insights in immuno-oncology

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) today announced that it will be presenting data from 20 abstracts, including three late-breakers, at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2016 Congress in Copenhagen from October 7-11, 2016. The presentations demonstrate progress addressing cancer's complex challenges through our work across 11 tumor types and eight distinct mechanisms of action, including two immuno-oncology/targeted therapy combination studies in renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

"Pfizer looks forward to sharing news from our diverse and growing oncology portfolio, particularly in the area of novel immunotherapies and combination approaches," said Liz Barrett, global president and general manager, Pfizer Oncology. "We are also particularly pleased to present new data from our RCC franchise, where Pfizer has established itself as a leader in driving meaningful progress through significant contributions in RCC research and development."

Pfizer will present data from three late-breaker abstracts at this year's ESMO, including results from the S-TRAC clinical trial (Sunitinib Trial in Adjuvant Renal Cancer), a Phase 3 study of SUTENT (sunitinib) versus placebo in the adjuvant setting, during a Presidential Symposium. Other late-breakers include early data from a Phase 1 study of PF-06647020, a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) candidate targeting PTK7, a receptor tyrosine kinase associated with poorer prognosis that is expressed in many tumor types, and a biomarker analysis from the Phase 3 PALOMA-2 trial of IBRANCE (palbociclib) in combination with letrozole in postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor 2-negative (ER+/HER2-) metastatic breast cancer. These data for IBRANCE as well as health-related quality of life data from PALOMA-2 being presented as a poster discussion add to the growing body of evidence supporting the use of IBRANCE in this patient population.

Among six abstracts selected for poster discussion presentation at the meeting, four will address development efforts from Pfizer's growing immuno-oncology pipeline. Highlights include data from two advanced RCC studies of INLYTA (axitinib) in combination with different checkpoint inhibitors, including one study in combination with avelumab, an anti-PD-L1 IgG1 monoclonal antibody being developed through an Alliance between Pfizer and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. Pfizer will also present the latest safety, anti-tumor activity and biomarker data from the first-in-human single-agent study of Pfizer's investigational immunotherapy PF-04518600, an OX40 agonist, in a variety of advanced cancers. These preliminary results evaluating 25 patients suggest that PF-04518600 is tolerated up to 3 mg/kg and showed early anti-tumor activity.

Additionally, an updated data set from PROFILE 1001, a multicenter, single-arm Phase 1 study that examined use of XALKORI(crizotinib) in patients with ROS1-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), will be presented. This analysis was used to support the recent approval of XALKORI in the European Union for patients with advanced NSCLC whose tumors are ROS1-positive.

A full list of the Pfizer-sponsored late-breaker and poster discussions at ESMO is included below.

Pfizer-sponsored late-breakers at ESMO include:

Abstract

Number/Title/Presenter Presentation

Type Date/Time

(All Times

CEST) Location (Abstract LBA11_PR) Phase III trial of sunitinib (SU) vs placebo (PBO) as adjuvant treatment for high-risk renal cell carcinoma (RCC) after nephrectomy (S-TRAC) Ravaud A Presidential Symposium Monday, October 10 16:30-18:10 Copenhagen (Abstract LBA15) Biomarker analyses from the Phase 3 PALOMA-2 trial of palbociclib (P) with letrozole (L) compared with placebo (PLB) plus L in postmenopausal women with ER+/HER2- advanced breast cancer (ABC) Finn R Proffered Paper Saturday, October 8 11:00-12:30 Vienna (Abstract LBA35) A Phase 1 study of PF-06647020, an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting protein tyrosine kinase 7 (PTK7), in patients with advanced solid tumors including platinum resistant ovarian cancer (OVCA) Sachdev J Poster Discussion Saturday, October 8 9:30-10:30 Bern

Pfizer-sponsored poster discussions at ESMO include:

Abstract Number/Title/Presenter Date/Time (All

Times CEST) Location (Abstract 1206PD) Crizotinib in advanced ROS1-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): updated results from PROFILE 1001 Shaw A Sunday, October 9 14:45-16:15 Oslo (Abstract 225PD) Impact of palbociclib plus letrozole on health related quality of life (HRQOL) compared with letrozole alone in treatment naive postmenopausal patients with ER+ HER2- metastatic breast cancer (MBC): results from PALOMA-2 Rugo H Sunday, October 9 16:30-17:30 Brussels (Abstract 773PD) Axitinib in combination with pembrolizumab in patients (pts) with advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC): preliminary safety and efficacy results Atkins M Sunday, October 9 16:30-17:30 Athens (Abstract 775PD) Phase 1b dose-finding study of avelumab (anti-PD-L1) axitinib in treatment-naive patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma Larkin J Sunday, October 9 16:30-17:30 Athens (Abstract 777PD) Avelumab (MSB0010718C; anti-PD-L1) in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma progressed after platinum-based therapy or platinum ineligible Patel M Sunday, October 9 16:30-17:30 Athens (Abstract 1053PD) A first-in-human (FIH) study of PF-04518600 (PF-8600) OX40 agonist in adult patients (pts) with select advanced malignancies Diab A Monday, October 10 9:30-10:30 Berlin

For a complete list of Pfizer-sponsored abstracts featuring data on our broad oncology pipeline of biologics, small molecules and immunotherapies, please visit: http://www.pfizer.com/files/news/esmo/Pfizer_Oncology_Data_Presentations_at_ESMO_2016.pdf

Learn more about how Pfizer Oncology is applying innovative approaches to improve the outlook for people living with cancer at http://www.pfizer.com/research/therapeutic_areas/oncology.

About IBRANCE (palbociclib)

IBRANCE is an oral inhibitor of cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) 4 and 6,i which are key regulators of the cell cycle that trigger cellular progression.ii,iii In the U.S.,IBRANCE is indicated for the treatment of hormone receptor-positive (HR+), HER2- advanced or metastatic breast cancer in combination with letrozole as initial endocrine based therapy in postmenopausal women, or fulvestrant in women with disease progression following endocrine therapy.i The indication in combination with letrozole is approved under accelerated approval based on progression-free survival (PFS). Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.i

IBRANCE Important Safety Information

Neutropenia was the most frequently reported adverse reaction in Study 1 (PALOMA-1) (75%) and Study 2 (PALOMA-3) (83%). In Study 1, Grade 3 (57%) or 4 (5%) decreased neutrophil counts were reported in patients receiving IBRANCE plus letrozole. In Study 2, Grade 3 (56%) or Grade 4 (11%) decreased neutrophil counts were reported in patients receiving IBRANCE plus fulvestrant. Febrile neutropenia has been reported in about 1% of patients exposed to IBRANCE. One death due to neutropenic sepsis was observed in Study 2. Inform patients to promptly report any fever.

Monitor complete blood count prior to starting IBRANCE, at the beginning of each cycle, on Day 14 of first 2 cycles, and as clinically indicated. Dose interruption, dose reduction, or delay in starting treatment cycles is recommended for patients who develop Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) has been reported at a higher rate in patients treated with IBRANCE plus letrozole in Study 1 (5%) and in patients treated with IBRANCE plus fulvestrant in Study 2 (1%) compared with no cases in patients treated either with letrozole alone or fulvestrant plus placebo. Monitor for signs and symptoms of PE and treat as medically appropriate.

Based on the mechanism of action, IBRANCE can cause fetal harm. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during IBRANCE treatment and for at least 3 weeks after the last dose. IBRANCE may impair fertility in males and has the potential to cause genotoxicity. Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during IBRANCE treatment and for 3 months after the last dose. Advise females to inform their healthcare provider of a known or suspected pregnancy. Advise women not to breastfeed during IBRANCE treatment and for 3 weeks after the last dose because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants.

The most common adverse reactions (=10%) of any grade reported in Study 1 of IBRANCE plus letrozole vs letrozole alone included neutropenia (75% vs 5%), leukopenia (43% vs 3%), fatigue (41% vs 23%), anemia (35% vs 7%), upper respiratory infection (31% vs 18%), nausea (25% vs 13%), stomatitis (25% vs 7%), alopecia (22% vs 3%), diarrhea (21% vs 10%), thrombocytopenia (17% vs 1%), decreased appetite (16% vs 7%), vomiting (15% vs 4%), asthenia (13% vs 4%), peripheral neuropathy (13% vs 5%), and epistaxis (11% vs 1%).

Grade 3/4 adverse reactions (=10%) in Study 1 reported at a higher incidence in the IBRANCE plus letrozole group vs the letrozole alone group included neutropenia (54% vs 1%) and leukopenia (19% vs 0%). The most frequently reported serious adverse events in patients receiving IBRANCE plus letrozole were pulmonary embolism (4%) and diarrhea (2%).

Lab abnormalities occurring in Study 1 (all grades, IBRANCE plus letrozole vs letrozole alone) were decreased WBC (95% vs 26%), decreased neutrophils (94% vs 17%), decreased lymphocytes (81% vs 35%), decreased hemoglobin (83% vs 40%), and decreased platelets (61% vs 16%).

The most common adverse reactions (=10%) of any grade reported in Study 2 of IBRANCE plus fulvestrant vs fulvestrant plus placebo included neutropenia (83% vs 4%), leukopenia (53% vs 5%), infections (47% vs 31%), fatigue (41% vs 29%), nausea (34% vs 28%), anemia (30% vs 13%), stomatitis (28% vs 13%), headache (26% vs 20%), diarrhea (24% vs 19%), thrombocytopenia (23% vs 0%), constipation (20% vs 16%), vomiting (19% vs 15%), alopecia (18% vs 6%), rash (17% vs 6%), decreased appetite (16% vs 8%), and pyrexia (13% vs 5%).

Grade 3/4 adverse reactions (=10%) in Study 2 reported at a higher incidence in the IBRANCE plus fulvestrant group vs the fulvestrant plus placebo group included neutropenia (66% vs 1%) and leukopenia (31% vs 2%). The most frequently reported serious adverse reactions in patients receiving IBRANCE plus fulvestrant were infections (3%), pyrexia (1%), neutropenia (1%), and pulmonary embolism (1%).

Lab abnormalities occurring in Study 2 (all grades, IBRANCE plus fulvestrant vs fulvestrant plus placebo) were decreased WBC (99% vs 26%), decreased neutrophils (96% vs 14%), anemia (78% vs 40%), and decreased platelets (62% vs 10%).

Avoid concurrent use of strong CYP3A inhibitors. If patients must be administered a strong CYP3A inhibitor, reduce the IBRANCE dose to 75 mg/day. If the strong inhibitor is discontinued, increase the IBRANCE dose (after 3-5 half-lives of the inhibitor) to the dose used prior to the initiation of the strong CYP3A inhibitor. Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may increase plasma concentrations of IBRANCE and should be avoided. Avoid concomitant use of strong CYP3A inducers. The dose of sensitive CYP3A substrates with a narrow therapeutic index may need to be reduced as IBRANCE may increase their exposure.

IBRANCE has not been studied in patients with moderate to severe hepatic impairment or in patients with severe renal impairment (CrCl <30 mL/min).

The full prescribing information for IBRANCE can be found at www.pfizer.com.

About INLYTA (axitinib)

INLYTA, a kinase inhibitor, is an oral therapy that is designed to inhibit tyrosine kinases, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors 1, 2 and 3; these receptors can influence tumor growth, vascular angiogenesis and progression of cancer (the spread of tumors). In the U.S., INLYTA is approved for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) after failure of one prior systemic therapy.

INLYTA Important Safety Information

Hypertension including hypertensive crisis has been observed. Blood pressure should be well controlled prior to initiating INLYTA. Monitor for hypertension and treat as needed. For persistent hypertension, despite use of antihypertensive medications, reduce the dose. Discontinue INLYTA if hypertension is severe and persistent despite use of antihypertensive therapy and dose reduction of INLYTA, and discontinuation should be considered if there is evidence of hypertensive crisis.

Arterial and venous thrombotic events have been observed and can be fatal. Use with caution in patients who are at increased risk or who have a history of these events.

Hemorrhagic events, including fatal events, have been reported. INLYTA has not been studied in patients with evidence of untreated brain metastasis or recent active gastrointestinal bleeding and should not be used in those patients. If any bleeding requires medical intervention, temporarily interrupt the INLYTA dose.

Cardiac failure has been observed and can be fatal. Monitor for signs or symptoms of cardiac failure throughout treatment with INLYTA. Management of cardiac failure may require permanent discontinuation of INLYTA.

Gastrointestinal perforation and fistula, including death, have occurred. Use with caution in patients at risk for gastrointestinal perforation or fistula. Monitor for symptoms of gastrointestinal perforation or fistula periodically throughout treatment.

Hypothyroidism requiring thyroid hormone replacement has been reported. Monitor thyroid function before initiation of, and periodically throughout, treatment.

No formal studies of the effect of INLYTA on wound healing have been conducted. Stop INLYTA at least 24 hours prior to scheduled surgery.

Reversible Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome (RPLS) has been observed. If signs or symptoms occur, permanently discontinue treatment.

Monitor for proteinuria before initiation of, and periodically throughout, treatment. For moderate to severe proteinuria, reduce the dose or temporarily interrupt treatment.

Liver enzyme elevation has been observed during treatment with INLYTA. Monitor ALT, AST, and bilirubin before initiation of, and periodically throughout, treatment.

For patients with moderate hepatic impairment, the starting dose should be decreased. INLYTA has not been studied in patients with severe hepatic impairment.

Women of childbearing potential should be advised of potential hazard to the fetus and to avoid becoming pregnant while receiving INLYTA.

Avoid strong CYP3A4/5 inhibitors. If unavoidable, reduce the dose. Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may also increase INLYTA plasma concentrations and should be avoided.

Avoid strong CYP3A4/5 inducers and, if possible, avoid moderate CYP3A4/5 inducers.

The most common (=20%) adverse events (AEs) occurring in patients receiving INLYTA (all grades, vs sorafenib) were diarrhea (55% vs 53%), hypertension (40% vs 29%), fatigue (39% vs 32%), decreased appetite (34% vs 29%), nausea (32% vs 22%), dysphonia (31% vs 14%), hand-foot syndrome (27% vs 51%), weight decreased (25% vs 21%), vomiting (24% vs 17%), asthenia (21% vs 14%), and constipation (20% vs 20%).

The most common (=10%) grade 3/4 AEs occurring in patients receiving INLYTA (vs sorafenib) were hypertension (16% vs 11%), diarrhea (11% vs 7%), and fatigue (11% vs 5%).

The most common (=20%) lab abnormalities occurring in patients receiving INLYTA (all grades, vs sorafenib) included increased creatinine (55% vs 41%), decreased bicarbonate (44% vs 43%), hypocalcemia (39% vs 59%), decreased hemoglobin (35% vs 52%), decreased lymphocytes (absolute) (33% vs 36%), increased ALP (30% vs 34%), hyperglycemia (28% vs 23%), increased lipase (27% vs 46%), increased amylase (25% vs 33%), increased ALT (22% vs 22%), and increased AST (20% vs 25%).

For more information and full Prescribing Information, visit www.pfizer.com.

About SUTENT (sunitinib malate)

SUTENT is an oral multi-kinase inhibitor that works by blocking multiple molecular targets implicated in the growth, proliferation and spread of cancer. Two important SUTENT targets, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) are expressed by many types of solid tumors and are thought to play a crucial role in angiogenesis, the process by which tumors acquire blood vessels, oxygen and nutrients needed for growth. SUTENT also inhibits other targets important to tumor growth, including KIT, FLT3 and RET.

SUTENT is indicated for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) after disease progression on or intolerance to imatinib mesylate, and progressive, well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET) in patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic disease.

SUTENT Important Safety Information

Boxed Warning/Hepatotoxicity: Hepatotoxicity has been observed in clinical trials and post-marketing experience. This hepatotoxicity may be severe, and deaths have been reported. Monitor liver function tests before initiation of treatment, during each cycle of treatment, and as clinically indicated. SUTENT should be interrupted for Grade 3 or 4 drug-related hepatic adverse events and discontinued if there is no resolution. Do not restart SUTENT if patients subsequently experience severe changes in liver function tests or have other signs and symptoms of liver failure.

Pregnancy: Women of childbearing potential should be advised of the potential hazard to the fetus and to avoid becoming pregnant.

Nursing mothers: Given the potential for serious adverse reactions (ARs) in nursing infants, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or SUTENT.

Cardiovascular events: Cardiovascular events, including heart failure, cardiomyopathy, myocardial ischemia, and myocardial infarction, some of which were fatal, have been reported. Use SUTENT with caution in patients who are at risk for, or who have a history of, these events. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure (CHF) and, in the presence of clinical manifestations, discontinuation is recommended. Patients who presented with cardiac events, pulmonary embolism, or cerebrovascular events within the previous 12 months were excluded from clinical studies.

QT interval prolongation and Torsades de Pointes: SUTENT has been shown to prolong QT interval in a dose-dependent manner, which may lead to an increased risk for ventricular arrhythmias including Torsades de Pointes, which has been seen in <0.1% of patients. Monitoring with on-treatment electrocardiograms and electrolytes should be considered.

Hypertension: Hypertension may occur. Monitor blood pressure and treat as needed with standard antihypertensive therapy. In cases of severe hypertension, temporary suspension of SUTENT is recommended until hypertension is controlled.

Reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (RPLS): There have been (<1%) reports, some fatal, of subjects presenting with seizures and radiological evidence of RPLS.

Hemorrhagic events: Hemorrhagic events, including tumor-related hemorrhage such as pulmonary hemorrhage, have occurred. Some of these events were fatal. Perform serial complete blood counts (CBCs) and physical examinations.

Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS): Cases of TLS have been reported primarily in patients with high tumor burden. Monitor these patients closely and treat as clinically indicated.

Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA): TMA, including thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and hemolytic uremic syndrome, sometimes leading to renal failure or a fatal outcome, has been reported in patients who received SUTENT as monotherapy and in combination with bevacizumab. Discontinue SUTENT in patients developing TMA. Reversal of the effects of TMA has been observed after treatment was discontinued.

Proteinuria: Proteinuria and nephrotic syndrome have been reported. Some of these cases have resulted in renal failure and fatal outcomes. Perform baseline and periodic urinalysis during treatment, with follow-up measurement of 24-hour urine protein as clinically indicated. Interrupt SUTENT and dose reduce if 24-hour urine protein is =3 g; discontinue SUTENT in cases of nephrotic syndrome or repeat episodes of urine protein =3 g despite dose reductions.

Dermatologic toxicities: Severe cutaneous reactions have been reported, including cases of erythema multiforme (EM), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), some of which were fatal. If signs or symptoms of EM, SJS, or TEN are present, SUTENT treatment should be discontinued. If a diagnosis of SJS or TEN is suspected, treatment must not be re-started. Necrotizing fasciitis, including fatal cases, has been reported, including of the perineum and secondary to fistula formation. Discontinue SUTENT in patients who develop necrotizing fasciitis.

Thyroid dysfunction: Thyroid dysfunction may occur. Monitor thyroid function in patients with signs and/or symptoms of thyroid dysfunction, including hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and thyroiditis, and treat per standard medical practice.

Hypoglycemia: SUTENT has been associated with symptomatic hypoglycemia, which may result in loss of consciousness or require hospitalization. Reductions in blood glucose levels may be worse in patients with diabetes. Check blood glucose levels regularly during and after discontinuation of SUTENT. Assess whether anti-diabetic drug dosage needs to be adjusted to minimize the risk of hypoglycemia.

Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ): ONJ has been reported. Consider preventive dentistry prior to treatment with SUTENT. If possible, avoid invasive dental procedures, particularly in patients receiving bisphosphonates.

Wound healing: Cases of impaired wound healing have been reported. Temporary interruption of therapy with SUTENT is recommended in patients undergoing major surgical procedures.

Adrenal function: Adrenal hemorrhage was observed in animal studies. Monitor adrenal function in case of stress such as surgery, trauma, or severe infection.

Laboratory tests: CBCs with platelet count and serum chemistries including phosphate should be performed at the beginning of each treatment cycle for patients receiving treatment with SUTENT.

CYP3A4 coadministration: Dose adjustments are recommended when SUTENT is administered with CYP3A4 inhibitors or inducers. During treatment with SUTENT, patients should not drink grapefruit juice, eat grapefruit, or take St John's Wort.

Most common ARs most common grade 3/4 ARs (advanced RCC): The most common ARs occurring in =20% of patients receiving SUTENT for treatment-naive metastatic RCC (all grades, vs IFNa) were diarrhea (66% vs 21%), fatigue (62% vs 56%), nausea (58% vs 41%), anorexia (48% vs 42%), altered taste (47% vs 15%), mucositis/stomatitis (47% vs 5%), pain in extremity/limb discomfort (40% vs 30%), vomiting (39% vs 17%), bleeding, all sites (37% vs 10%), hypertension (34% vs 4%), dyspepsia (34% vs 4%), arthralgia (30% vs 19%), abdominal pain (30% vs 12%), rash (29% vs 11%), hand-foot syndrome (29% vs 1%), back pain (28% vs 14%), cough (27% vs 14%), asthenia (26% vs 22%), dyspnea (26% vs 20%), skin discoloration/yellow skin (25% vs 0%), peripheral edema (24% vs 5%), headache (23% vs 19%), constipation (23% vs 14%), dry skin (23% vs 7%), fever (22% vs 37%), and hair color changes (20% vs <1%). The most common grade 3/4 ARs (occurring in =5% of patients with RCC receiving SUTENT vs IFNa) were fatigue (15% vs 15%), hypertension (13% vs <1%), asthenia (11% vs 6%), diarrhea (10% vs <1%), hand-foot syndrome (8% vs 0%), dyspnea (6% vs 4%), nausea (6% vs 2%), back pain (5% vs 2%), pain in extremity/limb discomfort (5% vs 2%), vomiting (5% vs 1%), and abdominal pain (5% vs 1%).

Most common grade 3/4 lab abnormalities (advanced RCC): The most common grade 3/4 lab abnormalities (occurring in =5% of patients with RCC receiving SUTENT vs IFNa) included lymphocytes (18% vs 26%), lipase (18% vs 8%), neutrophils (17% vs 9%), uric acid (14% vs 8%), platelets (9% vs 1%), hemoglobin (8% vs 5%), sodium decreased (8% vs 4%), leukocytes (8% vs 2%), glucose increased (6% vs 6%), phosphorus (6% vs 6%), and amylase (6% vs 3%).

Most common ARs most common grade 3/4 ARs (imatinib-resistant or -intolerant GIST): The most common ARs occurring in =20% of patients with GIST and more commonly with SUTENT than placebo (all grades, vs placebo) were diarrhea (40% vs 27%), anorexia (33% vs 29%), skin discoloration (30% vs 23%), mucositis/stomatitis (29% vs 18%), asthenia (22% vs 11%), altered taste (21% vs 12%), and constipation (20% vs 14%). The most common grade 3/4 ARs (occurring in =4% of patients with GIST receiving SUTENT vs placebo) were asthenia (5% vs 3%), hand-foot syndrome (4% vs 3%), diarrhea (4% vs 0%), and hypertension (4% vs 0%).

Most common grade 3/4 lab abnormalities (imatinib-resistant or -intolerant GIST): The most common grade 3/4 lab abnormalities (occurring in =5% of patients with GIST receiving SUTENT vs placebo) included lipase (10% vs 7%), neutrophils (10% vs 0%), amylase (5% vs 3%), and platelets (5% vs 0%).

Most common ARs most common grade 3/4 ARs (advanced pNET): The most common ARs occurring in =20% of patients with advanced pNET and more commonly with SUTENT than placebo (all grades, vs placebo) were diarrhea (59% vs 39%), stomatitis/oral syndromes (48% vs 18%), nausea (45% vs 29%), abdominal pain (39% vs 34%), vomiting (34% vs 31%), asthenia (34% vs 27%), fatigue (33% vs 27%), hair color changes (29% vs 1%), hypertension (27% vs 5%), hand-foot syndrome (23% vs 2%), bleeding events (22% vs 10%), epistaxis (21% vs 5%), and dysgeusia (21% vs 5%). The most commonly reported grade 3/4 ARs (occurring in =5% of patients with advanced pNET receiving SUTENT vs placebo) were hypertension (10% vs 1%), hand-foot syndrome (6% vs 0%), stomatitis/oral syndromes (6% vs 0%), abdominal pain (5% vs 10%), fatigue (5% vs 9%), asthenia (5% vs 4%), and diarrhea (5% vs 2%).

Most common grade 3/4 lab abnormalities (advanced pNET): The most common grade 3/4 lab abnormalities (occurring in =5% of patients with advanced pNET receiving SUTENT vs placebo) included decreased neutrophils (16% vs 0%), increased glucose (12% vs 18%), increased alkaline phosphatase (10% vs 11%), decreased phosphorus (7% vs 5%), decreased lymphocytes (7% vs 4%), increased creatinine (5% vs 5%), increased lipase (5% vs 4%), increased AST (5% vs 3%), and decreased platelets (5% vs 0%).

Please see full Prescribing Information, including BOXED WARNING and Medication Guide, for SUTENT (sunitinib malate)

About XALKORI (crizotinib)

XALKORI is indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors are anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive as detected by an FDA-approved test. XALKORI is also indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic NSCLC whose tumors are ROS1-positive.

XALKORI Important Safety Information

Hepatotoxicity: Drug-induced hepatotoxicity with fatal outcome occurred in 0.1% of patients treated with XALKORI across clinical trials (n=1719). Transaminase elevations generally occurred within the first 2 months. Monitor with liver function tests including ALT, AST, and total bilirubin every 2 weeks during the first 2 months of treatment, then once a month and as clinically indicated, with more frequent repeat testing for increased liver transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, or total bilirubin in patients who develop transaminase elevations. Permanently discontinue for ALT/AST elevation >3 times ULN with concurrent total bilirubin elevation >1.5 times ULN (in the absence of cholestasis or hemolysis); otherwise, temporarily suspend and dose-reduce XALKORI as indicated.

Interstitial Lung Disease (Pneumonitis): Severe, life-threatening, or fatal interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis can occur. Across clinical trials (n=1719), 2.9% of XALKORI-treated patients had any grade ILD, 1.0% had Grade 3/4, and 0.5% had fatal ILD. ILD generally occurred within 3 months after initiation of treatment. Monitor for pulmonary symptoms indicative of ILD/pneumonitis. Exclude other potential causes and permanently discontinue XALKORI in patients with drug-related ILD/pneumonitis.

QT Interval Prolongation: QTc prolongation can occur. Across clinical trials (n=1616), 2.1% of patients had QTcF (corrected QT by the Fridericia method) =500 ms and 5.0% had an increase from baseline QTcF =60 ms by automated machine-read evaluation of ECGs. Avoid use in patients with congenital long QT syndrome. Monitor with ECGs and electrolytes in patients with congestive heart failure, bradyarrhythmias, electrolyte abnormalities, or who are taking medications that prolong the QT interval. Permanently discontinue XALKORI in patients who develop QTc >500 ms or =60 ms change from baseline with Torsade de pointes, polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, or signs/symptoms of serious arrhythmia. Withhold XALKORI in patients who develop QTc >500 ms on at least 2 separate ECGs until recovery to a QTc =480 ms, then resume at a reduced dose.

Bradycardia: Symptomatic bradycardia can occur. Across clinical trials, bradycardia occurred in 12.7% of patients treated with XALKORI (n=1719). Avoid use in combination with other agents known to cause bradycardia. Monitor heart rate and blood pressure regularly. In cases of symptomatic bradycardia that is not life-threatening, hold XALKORI until recovery to asymptomatic bradycardia or to a heart rate of =60 bpm, re-evaluate the use of concomitant medications, and adjust the dose of XALKORI. Permanently discontinue for life-threatening bradycardia due to XALKORI; however, if associated with concomitant medications known to cause bradycardia or hypotension, hold XALKORI until recovery to asymptomatic bradycardia or to a heart rate of =60 bpm. If concomitant medications can be adjusted or discontinued, restart XALKORI at 250 mg once daily with frequent monitoring.

Severe Visual Loss: Across clinical trials, the incidence of Grade 4 visual field defect with vision loss was 0.2% (n=1719). Discontinue XALKORI in patients with new onset of severe visual loss (best corrected vision less than 20/200 in one or both eyes). Perform an ophthalmological evaluation. There is insufficient information to characterize the risks of resumption of XALKORI in patients with a severe visual loss; a decision to resume should consider the potential benefits to the patient.

Vision Disorders: Most commonly visual impairment, photopsia, blurred vision or vitreous floaters, occurred in 63.1% of 1719 patients. The majority (95%) of these patients had Grade 1 visual adverse reactions. 0.8% of patients had Grade 3 and 0.2% had Grade 4 visual impairment. The majority of patients on the XALKORI arms in Studies 1 and 2 (>50%) reported visual disturbances which occurred at a frequency of 4-7 days each week, lasted up to 1 minute, and had mild or no impact on daily activities.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: XALKORI can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise of the potential risk to the fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential and males with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment and for at least 45 days (females) or 90 days (males) respectively, following the final dose of XALKORI.

ROS1-positive Metastatic NSCLC: Safety was evaluated in 50 patients with ROS1-positive metastatic NSCLC from a single-arm study, and was generally consistent with the safety profile of XALKORI evaluated in patients with ALK-positive metastatic NSCLC. Vision disorders occurred in 92% of patients in the ROS1 study; 90% of patients had Grade 1 vision disorders and 2% had Grade 2.

Adverse Reactions: Safety was evaluated in a phase 3 study in previously untreated patients with ALK-positive metastatic NSCLC randomized to XALKORI (n=171) or chemotherapy (n=169). Serious adverse events were reported in 34% of patients treated with XALKORI, the most frequent were dyspnea (4.1%) and pulmonary embolism (2.9%). Fatal adverse events in XALKORI-treated patients occurred in 2.3% of patients, consisting of septic shock, acute respiratory failure, and diabetic ketoacidosis. Common adverse reactions (all grades) occurring in =25% and more commonly (=5%) in patients treated with XALKORI vs chemotherapy were vision disorder (71% vs 10%), diarrhea (61% vs 13%), edema (49% vs 12%), vomiting (46% vs 36%), constipation (43% vs 30%), upper respiratory infection (32% vs 12%), dysgeusia (26% vs 5%), and abdominal pain (26% vs 12%). Grade 3/4 reactions occurring at a =2% higher incidence with XALKORI vs chemotherapy were QT prolongation (2% vs 0%), and constipation (2% vs 0%). In patients treated with XALKORI vs chemotherapy, the following occurred: elevation of ALT (any grade [79% vs 33%] or Grade 3/4 [15% vs 2%]); elevation of AST (any grade [66% vs 28%] or Grade 3/4 [8% vs 1%]); neutropenia (any grade [52% vs 59%] or Grade 3/4 [11% vs 16%]); lymphopenia (any grade [48% vs 53%] or Grade 3/4 [7% vs 13%]); hypophosphatemia (any grade [32% vs 21%] or Grade 3/4 [10% vs 6%]). In patients treated with XALKORI vs chemotherapy, renal cysts occurred (5% vs 1%). Nausea (56%), decreased appetite (30%), fatigue (29%), and neuropathy (21%) also occurred in patients taking XALKORI.

Drug Interactions: Exercise caution with concomitant use of moderate CYP3A inhibitors. Avoid grapefruit or grapefruit juice which may increase plasma concentrations of crizotinib. Avoid concomitant use of strong CYP3A inducers and inhibitors. Avoid concomitant use of CYP3A substrates with narrow therapeutic range in patients taking XALKORI. If concomitant use of CYP3A substrates with narrow therapeutic range is required in patients taking XALKORI, dose reductions of the CYP3A substrates may be required due to adverse reactions.

Lactation: Because of the potential for adverse reactions in breastfed infants, advise females not to breast feed during treatment with XALKORI and for 45 days after the final dose.

Hepatic Impairment: XALKORI has not been studied in patients with hepatic impairment. As crizotinib is extensively metabolized in the liver, hepatic impairment is likely to increase plasma crizotinib concentrations. Use caution in patients with hepatic impairment.

Renal Impairment: Decreases in estimated glomerular filtration rate occurred in patients treated with XALKORI. Administer XALKORI at a starting dose of 250 mg taken orally once daily in patients with severe renal impairment (CLcr <30 mL/min) not requiring dialysis. No starting dose adjustment is needed for patients with mild and moderate renal impairment.

For more information and full Prescribing Information, visit www.XALKORI.com.

About Pfizer Oncology

Pfizer Oncology is committed to pursuing innovative treatments that have a meaningful impact on those living with cancer. As a leader in oncology speeding cures and accessible breakthrough medicines to patients, Pfizer Oncology is helping to redefine life with cancer. Our strong pipeline of biologics, small molecules and immunotherapies, one of the most robust in the industry, is studied with precise focus on identifying and translating the best scientific breakthroughs into clinical application for patients across a wide range of cancers. By working collaboratively with academic institutions, individual researchers, cooperative research groups, governments and licensing partners, Pfizer Oncology strives to cure or control cancer with its breakthrough medicines. Because Pfizer Oncology knows that success in oncology is not measured solely by the medicines you manufacture, but rather by the meaningful partnerships you make to have a more positive impact on people's lives.

Pfizer Inc.: Working together for a healthier worldTM

At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of healthcare products. Our global portfolio includes medicines and vaccines as well as many of the world's best-known consumer healthcare products. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 150 years, Pfizer has worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. For more information, please visit us at www.pfizer.com. In addition, to learn more, follow us on Twitter at @Pfizer and @Pfizer_News, LinkedIn, YouTube, and like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Pfizer.

DISCLOSURE NOTICE: The information contained in this release is as of September 28, 2016. Pfizer assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this release as the result of new information or future events or developments.

This release contains forward-looking information about Pfizer's oncology portfolio, including avelumab (MSB0010718C), IBRANCE (palbociclib), INLYTA (axitinib), SUTENT (sunitinib), XALKORI (crizotinib), PF-06647020 and PF-04518600, including their potential benefits that involves substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Risks and uncertainties include, among other things, uncertainties regarding the commercial success of Pfizer's oncology products; the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including the ability to meet anticipated clinical study commencement and completion dates as well as the possibility of unfavorable study results, including unfavorable new clinical data and additional analyses of existing clinical data; risks associated with interim data; the risk that clinical trial data are subject to differing interpretations, and, even when we view data as sufficient to support the safety and/or effectiveness of a product candidate, regulatory authorities may not share our views and may require additional data or may deny approval altogether; whether regulatory authorities will be satisfied with the design of and results from our clinical studies; whether and when drug applications may be filed in any jurisdictions for any potential indications for Pfizer's oncology products and product candidates; whether and when any such applications may be approved by regulatory authorities, which will depend on the assessment by such regulatory authorities of the benefit-risk profile suggested by the totality of the efficacy and safety information submitted; decisions by regulatory authorities regarding labeling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of Pfizer's oncology products and product candidates; and competitive developments.

A further description of risks and uncertainties can be found in Pfizer's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 and in its subsequent reports on Form 10-Q, including in the sections thereof captioned "Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Information and Factors That May Affect Future Results", as well as in its subsequent reports on Form 8-K, all of which are filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov and www.pfizer.com

i IBRANCE (palbociclib) Prescribing Information. New York. NY: Pfizer Inc: 2016.

ii Weinberg RA. pRb and Control of the Cell Cycle Clock. In: Weinberg RA, ed. The Biology of Cancer. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Garland Science; 2014:275-329.

iii Sotillo E, Grana X. Escape from Cellular Quiescence. In: Enders GH, ed. Cell Cycle Deregulation in Cancer. New York, NY: Humana Press; 2010:3-22.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005435/en/

Contacts:

Pfizer Inc.

Media:

Europe

Lisa O'Neill, +44.1737.331536

or

U.S.

Sally Beatty, 212-733-6566

or

Investors:

Ryan Crowe, 212-733-8160
CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- Precision Drilling Corporation ("Precision") (TSX: PD) (NYSE: PDS) intends to release its 2016 third quarter results before the market opens on Friday, October 21, 2016 and has scheduled a conference call and webcast to begin promptly at 12:00 p.m. MT (2:00 p.m. ET) on the same day.

The conference call dial in numbers are 866-696-5910 or 416-340.2217.

A live webcast of the conference call will be accessible on Precision's website at www.precisiondrilling.com by selecting "Investor Relations", then "Webcasts & Presentations". Shortly after the live webcast, an archived version will be available for approximately 30 days.

An archived recording of the conference call will also be available approximately one hour after the completion of the call until November 21, 2016 by dialing 800-408-3053 or 905-694-9451, passcode 5065869.

About Precision

Precision is a leading provider of safe and High Performance, High Value services to the oil and gas industry. Precision provides customers with access to an extensive fleet of contract drilling rigs, directional drilling services, well service and snubbing rigs, coil tubing services, camps, rental equipment, and water treatment units backed by a comprehensive mix of technical support services and skilled, experienced personnel.

Precision is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Precision is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "PD" and on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "PDS".

Contacts:

Precision Drilling Corporation

Carey Ford

Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

403.716.4566

403.716.4755 (FAX)



800, 525 - 8th Avenue S.W.

Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 1G1

www.precisiondrilling.com




Data presented at the 2016 World Union of Wound Healing Societies CongressLAVAL, Quebec, 2016-09-28 12:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, clinical interim results on KLOX Technologies (Klox) LumiHealTM for the treatment of hard-to-heal non-responsive chronic wounds and postsurgical scarring will be reported in conjunction with the 2016 World Union of Wound Healing Societies (WUWHS) Congress in Florence, Italy.The Klox LumiHealTM system is a first-in-class, proprietary, non-invasive, non-thermal treatment that harnesses the power of fluorescence in the presence of oxidants to treat serious skin and soft tissue disorders."We believe that LumiHealTM can really make a significant difference in the way we manage and treat acute and chronic wounds", stated Dr. Marco Romanelli, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Dermatology at the School of Medicine, University of Pisa, and Chief of the Wound Healing Research Unit, and President Elect of the World Union of Wound Healing Societies. "This is an area where an unmet need remains, and with LumiHeal'sTMinnovative approach, excellent safety profile and effectiveness, it can help bridge that gap."Professor Franco Bassetto, Head Clinic of Plastic Surgery Full Professor of Plastic Surgery Chair and Residency Program of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, University Hospital of Padova, Italy, will at 12:15 p.m. (CEST) unveil interim results from the EUREKA study, which evaluated the real-life use of LumiHealTM in chronic wounds management.Following Professor Bassetto's presentation, Professor Andreas Nikolis, MD, MSc, FRCSC, Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery, Division of plastic surgery, University of Montreal, Canada, will share interim findings comparing LumiHealTM to silicone sheets in the treatment of surgical wounds in the context of breast reductions."We are thrilled by the interim results of both studies and the high level of satisfaction from patients and investigators. Due to its ease of use and effectiveness, 95% of investigators involved in the chronic wound management study, EUREKA, stated they would recommend LumiHealTM to their colleagues", said Dr. Michel Cimon, MD, Senior Vice President, Chief Medical and Science Officer of KLOX Technologies. "Furthermore, the vast majority of patients that completed the postsurgical scarring study to date, were more satisfied with the use of LumiHealTM with respect to ease of use and complexity of treatment."Clinical interim results from EUREKA study on LumiHealTM and chronic wounds managementProfessor Franco Bassetto will report interim study results on the evaluation of real-life use of LumiHealTM in Chronic Wounds Management. To date, results include 33 patients who took part in the 100-patient EUREKA study. The full study will conclude by the end of the year and data will be available in the first half of 2017.Investigators' interim analysis indicate that the use of LumiHeal in the treatment of pressure ulcers (PU), diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) and venous leg ulcers (VLU) is safe, easy to administer and very well tolerated by the subjects' population. Compliance to the study visits was excellent.The good tolerability and compliance profiles may be due to the positive action on pain reduction observed during this study, especially in the VLU population, along with efficacy.Interim results support the excellent efficacy profile of LumiHeal in promoting wound healing and wound bed preparation. These results point to the capacity of this treatment to help chronic, hard-to-heal, non-responsive wounds (PU, DFU, VLU) become responsive, as would acute wounds. Interim results show 17 patients with chronic wounds closed over the course of the treatment, while two (2) were close to closing and three (3) others were ready to skin graft. An additional six (6) patients of the 33 experienced a decrease in wound size during the study period, but without meeting the criteria of full responders.Once closed, no wound reopened during the two-week confirmation period. The very low risk of wound breakdown or dehiscence was in line with the study treatment. Exploratory endpoints showed the potential of the system to modulate the inflammatory response during the wound healing process. Subjects' quality of life was improved in all enumerated sub-sections (social life, well-being and physical symptoms), and Investigators also responded with a high level of satisfaction. The very low occurrence of infections during the study period, and especially the absence of infections with DFU wounds, suggests a positive control of the wound biofilm.Preliminary results on the impact of LumiHealTM on postsurgical scarringProfessor Andreas Nikolis will report interim findings from a study comparing LumiHealTM to silicone sheets in the treatment of surgical wounds. 42 patients undergoing bilateral breast reductions were enrolled in this study. One (1) breast incision was randomized to treatment with LumiHealTM (treatment initiated at seven (7) or 21-days post-surgery), while the contralateral breast was treated with silicone gel sheeting alone for eight (8) weeks.Preliminary results from 16 patients who have completed all required treatment visits support an excellent safety profile across all patients with a significant improvement in physician and patient reported outcomes. To date, no severe adverse effects have been reported in the study, and reported adverse effects are unlikely to be linked to the LumiHealTM treatment.At the end of the treatment period, the data to date show a lower proportion of patients with red scars, as well as a greater proportion of patients reaching normal pliability. Furthermore, a significantly greater proportion of patients treated with LumiHealTM have reached a normal scar height when compared to silicone sheets treatment.The full study will conclude by the end of 2016 and data will be available in the first half of 2017.Schedule of LumiHealTM related events at 2016 WUWHS CongressToday, Klox is hosting a Satellite Symposium on The Role of KLOX BioPhotonic System in Wound Healing (September 28, 2016) from 12:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. (CEST) in Hall RAFFAELLO. Oral presentations:-- Unmet Needs in Wound Healing Chair: Prof. Luc Teot, Montpellier University Hospital FRANCE-- Wound Healing: "Very Intimate Process". The Science Behind the LumiHeal System Prof. Giovanni Scapagnini, Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise ITALY-- EUREKA ITALIA. The Evaluation of Real-Life Use of KLOX BioPhotonic System in Chronic Wounds Management: a Reproducibility Study. Interim Results Prof. Franco Bassetto, Head Clinic of Plastic Surgery Full Professor of Plastic Surgery Chair and Residency Program of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery University Hospital of Padova ITALY-- Evolution of Photobiomodulation: Impact on Scarring Prof. Andreas Nikolis, MD, MSc, FRCSC, Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery, Division of plastic surgery, University of Montreal CANADAOther relevant presentations and posters:-- BioPhotonic Therapy Applied to Pressure Ulcers: a New Therapeutic Possibilities? Author: Dr. Alessandro Corsi Upper Floor at Poster Area (PO217-ID1042.45)-- A New Technology "Soft Used" in the Treatment of Chronic Injuries: BioPhotonic as Added Value in Wound Healing in Economic Evaluation Authors: Dr. Sara Sandroni, Dr. Morena Mascalchi, Dr. Mirella Rossi Upper Floor at Poster Area (PO496-ID10893.45)-- Photonic Treatment of Chronic Wounds Authors: Dr. Elia Ricci, Dr. Monica Pittarello, Dr. Alberico Balbiano di Colcavagno, Dr. Veronica Fess At Hall RENAISSANCE at 8:25 a.m. (CEST) on Monday, September 26, 2016-- Lasers and Lights in Wound Healing Chair: Dr. Nicola Zerbinati (Italy) Co-Chairs: Dr. Marcello Monti (Italy), Dr. Matteo Tretti Clementoni (Italy)Speakers: Dr. Steven Paul Nistico (Italy), Dr. Marco Romanelli (Italy) At Hall LEONARDO from 3:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. (CEST) on Tuesday, September 27, 2016.About LumiHealTM The KLOX BioPhotonic LumiHealTM is a first-in-class, proprietary, non-thermal and non-invasive treatment solution that harnesses the power of fluorescence in the presence of oxidants to treat serious skin and soft tissue disorders. LumiHealTM has received the CE mark for treatment of acute and chronic wounds. It is comprised of a multi-LED light and a topical photo-converter gel comprising light-capturing molecules (chromophores), which is applied on the open wound. The illumination of the topical photo-converter gel with the multi-LED light permits the synergistic effects of oxidants and photons (fluorescence) to control biofilms, initiate healing and reduce pain, in a safe and efficient manner. The treatment duration lasts only a number of minutes and is non-abrasive, non-thermal, and has been reported to be comfortable for the patient.About KLOX Technologies Klox is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing products based on its proprietary BioPhotonic technology platform to address skin and soft tissue disorders. Klox is advancing its programs as part of its multiple franchises focusing on indications across Dermatology, Wound Care, and Oral Health. For more information and to consult the abstracts, please visit www.kloxtechnologies.comForward Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this newswire, other than statements of fact that are independently verifiable at the date hereof, may constitute forward-looking statements. Examples of such forward looking statements include those regarding cosmetics and medical devices and medical applications and clinical trials and the status and related results thereto, as well those regarding continuing and further development and commercialization efforts. Such statements, based as they are on the current analysis and expectations of management, inherently involve numerous risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, many of which are beyond Klox Technologies Inc.'s control. Such risks include but are not limited to: the impact of general economic conditions, general conditions in the medical, cosmetics and/or consumer goods industries, changes in the regulatory environment in the jurisdictions in which Klox Technologies Inc. does business, financial and commercial markets volatility, fluctuations in costs, and changes to the competitive environment, as well as other risks. Consequently, actual future results may differ materially from the anticipated results expressed in the forward-looking statements. In the case of forward-looking statements regarding investigational product candidates and continuing and further development efforts, specific risks which could cause actual results to differ materially from Klox Technologies Inc.'s current analysis and expectations include: failure to demonstrate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of our products, final and quality controlled verification of data and the related analyses, and the expense and uncertainty of obtaining regulatory approval.For more information: Roxanne Chaudier Hill+Knowlton Strategies Roxanne.Chaudier@hkstrategies.ca 514-375-2725
LAS VEGAS, NV -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- On Monday, September 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Freedom Leaf, Inc. (OTC PINK: FRLF) hosted the Students for Sensible Drug Policy's Sensible Soiree. It was an effort to support Students for Sensible Drug Policy's (SSDP) movement to provide meaningful resources to Nevada's youth. SSDP mobilizes and empowers young people to influence the political process and advocate for more sensible drug policies in order to achieve a safer and more just future. SSDP fights to untangle dangerous and counterproductive Drug War policies, particularly those that directly harm students and youth.

The Sensible Soiree was hosted by Freedom Leaf, Inc. (OTC PINK: FRLF) and was alive with activist spirit and dedication to the cause. The fundraising event was attended by Nevada Senator Richard S. "Tick" Segerblom (D), Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Nevada Spokesperson Joe Brezny and Campaign Manager Scott Rutledge, Nevada District Court Judge Candidate and Attorney Bruce L. Gale, and other key industry leaders including representatives from Electrum Partners and Digipath Testing Laboratory. The substantial contributions made to SSDP in support of their growing Nevada student network will empower further student activism within the state. Contributions to SSDP can be made at ssdp.org

"Eighteen years ago some students called themselves the DARE Generation because they had lived all their lives inundated in Drug War propaganda. They rejected the decades of lies that had deceived their parents and founded SSDP. And now SSDP members are ready to end marijuana prohibition. Freedom Leaf, The Marijuana Legalization Company, is happy to support them and we urge others to follow suit," stated Clifford J. Perry, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Freedom Leaf, Inc. (OTC PINK: FRLF)

Betty Aldworth, Executive Director of SSDP, who spoke at the event, said, "Students for Sensible Drug Policy's thousands of student members are committed to ending cannabis prohibition and the tentacled, destructive drug war. We provide a foundation from which students use our resources to become effective community organizers, educators, change-makers, and leaders. In Nevada, our fastest-growing state, our students will turn out thousands of young voters this year and build a foundation for sustainable, sensible drug policy in the future." Ms. Aldworth joined the SSDP team in 2014 and has lead the organization through unprecedented growth.

Among many other harm-reduction measures, SSDP advocates for the expansion of "Good Samaritan" (also known as Medical Amnesty) policies. SSDP also advocates for life-saving measures which enable people to make responsible decisions by shielding them from punishment when they call for medical help during an emergency relating to alcohol or other drugs. The threat of punitive policies can often cause hesitation during confusing and stressful party situations. The existence of a Call 911 Good Samaritan Policy is essential to ensure critical moments aren't wasted over deliberation about whether or not to call for help.

"We encourage honest conversation about the realities of the drug war. We promote youth civic engagement as a critical tool in reforming drug policy. SSDP respects the diverse experiences and identities of our constituents. We develop leaders who advocate for policy changes based on justice, liberty, compassion and reason," stated Ms. Aldworth.

About

Freedom Leaf, Inc., The Marijuana Legalization Company, is a fully reporting and audited, publicly traded company trading under the symbol (OTC PINK: FRLF). Freedom Leaf, Inc. is one of the leading go-to resources in the cannabis, medical marijuana, and industrial hemp industry. It is involved in mergers and acquisitions in the marijuana industry, including incubation/acceleration of new marijuana/hemp related companies and spin offs.

Freedom Leaf Inc.'s flagship publication, Freedom Leaf Magazine, The Good News in Marijuana Reform, produces a portfolio of news, print and digital media, websites, and web advertising, for the ever changing industry. Freedom Leaf, Inc. does not handle, grow, sell, or disperse marijuana or related products.

Safe Harbor Statement: This update includes forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as Freedom Leaf, Inc. or its management "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "foresees," "forecasts," "estimates" or other words or phrases of similar import. Similarly, statements herein that describe the Company's business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals also are forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements.

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3061316



CONTACT:

Raymond Medeiros

PR and Business Development Director

Phone: 415-601-1974

ray@freedomleaf.com

Freedom Leaf, Inc.

3571 East Sunset Road

Las Vegas, Nevada 89120




VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (JASO) announced its decision to withdraw from the European Union's price undertaking. The company said it will now serve the European market through its manufacturing facilities outside of China. JA Solar believes the Minimum Import Price currently in place no longer accurately reflects the market environment. The company concluded that it can remain competitive in the EU markets only if it withdraws from the price undertaking. Baofang Jin, JA Solar's Chairman and CEO, said, 'We are committed to fair trade and market competition, as reflected by our prior participation in, and compliance with, the terms of the price undertaking. However, we strongly believe that the current MIP does not reflect the recent price trends in the market. Selling prices continue to decline, while the MIP has remained unchanged for the past 18 months.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
WASHINGTON, DC -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- The experienced team at Eye Doctors of Washington (EDOW) are pleased to announce they will now be offering the TECNIS Symfony IOL by Abbott Medical Optics Inc. This state-of-the-art intraocular lens was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the doctors at EDOW were the first surgeons in the Washington, DC region to implant the Symfony IOL as they were part of the initial trials that ultimately led to its approval.

According to the Washington, DC area ophthalmologists, the TORIC Symfony IOL offers enhanced potential for patients living with presbyopia. The lens can correct the age-related condition, which gradually distorts vision as the eye's natural lens becomes unable to properly flex and focus. The lens can be placed during refractive cataract surgery or in a refractive lens exchange (RLE) to restore visual acuity and provide an extended range of focus.

The Symfony IOL was created to improve near and intermediate vision while maintaining distance vision. The doctors at EDOW highlight that the lens also allows patients to shift their focus from varying depths without any issues. Although presbyopia-sufferers typically have difficulty focusing in such instances as using their computer or driving at night, patients with the Symfony IOL should be able to focus with significant clarity, helping them resume their normal lifestyle. In addition to being an effective treatment for presbyopia, the Symfony IOL also comes in Toric versions, allowing patients with astigmatism to achieve the same vision-correcting potential.

The doctors at EDOW look forward to introducing the new IOL option to their patients this month. They believe the lens will contribute to their versatile product offering, allowing patients with a variety of needs to obtain the most beneficial treatment for their presbyopia.

About Eye Doctors of Washington

Eye Doctors of Washington has been offering a comprehensive array of eye care solutions for over 50 years. In addition to performing advanced procedures -- such as LASIK, glaucoma treatment, and blepharoplasty -- the team focuses on academics and industry research, allowing the doctors to offer the newest solutions available. The team is composed of seven ophthalmologists and four optometrists, all highly experienced and knowledgeable in their area of specialty. The doctors are available for interview upon request.

To learn more about Eye Doctors of Washington, visit edow.com.

Eye Doctors of Washington

(301) 215-7100

Toll Free: 877- SEE WITH LASIK



Chevy Chase - Wisconsin Avenue:

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Chevy Chase, MD 20815



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1016 16th Street NW

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Washington, DC 20036



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Rosemont Media

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Project to contribute to Mongolia's sustainable economic development

Clean Energy Asia LLC together with its shareholders, Newcom LLC and SB Energy Corp., signed today with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (hereafter "JICA") and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (hereafter "EBRD") financing agreements to construct a 50MW wind farm in southern Mongolia.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005711/en/

Image photo for completion of Tsetsii Wind Farm at Tsogttsetsii soum, Umnugobi aimag, Mongolia (Photo: Business Wire)

Clean Energy Asia LLC, (Head office: Ulaanbaatar city, CEO: Gankhuyag Dagva, hereafter "Clean Energy Asia"), is 51% owned by Newcom LLC, a Mongolian conglomerate with activities in telecommunications, property and energy. The remaining 49% is owned by a subsidiary of SB Energy Corp. (Chairman CEO: Masayoshi Son, hereafter "SB Energy"), a subsidiary of SoftBank Group Corp. (the telecommunications and technology conglomerate).

Mongolia faces great challenges in meeting its growing demand for electricity, almost all of which is currently met by ageing and polluting coal-fired plants. The wind farm will help supply Mongolia's power demand with clean, eco-efficient electricity by harnessing Mongolia's vast and inexhaustible wind resources. The project will help contribute to sustainable economic development and the mitigation of climate change. Clean Energy Asia will aim to launch operations in December 2017.

Mongolia has a power-supply capacity of 1130MW, consisting of 88% coal, 6% diesel, 6% renewable energy, and 2% hydropower sources (Department of Energy, Mongolia, 2015). While being the world's eighth country most susceptible to climate change (Climate Risk Index. Source: GERMANWATCH "Global Climate Risk Index 2014"), electricity supply-demand balance along with its economic growth is an urgent issue for Mongolia; accordingly, Mongolia is a country that particularly requires safe and secure power sources such as renewable energy. The State Great Khural approved a national power policy in 2015 that sets Mongolia's mid-to-long term target and plan for 2015-2030 in the energy sector. The policy aims to increase the power generation share of renewable energy to 20% by 2020 and to 30% by 2030, and it stipulates the promotion of investment in the energy industry in cooperation with international financial institutions and donor countries, utilizing the abundant wind and solar resources in the Gobi region. Mongolia is the first country to sign a memorandum with Japan on the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

In these circumstances, this Tsogttsetsii wind farm project will help contribute to the increased adoption of renewable energy in Mongolia.

This wind farm project is the first dollar-denominated project finance debt transaction by JICA through its Private Sector Investment Finance scheme in the renewable energy field, and the second renewable energy project in Mongolia for Newcom and EBRD following the 50 MW Salkhit Wind Farm, the first wind farm and first private power generator in Mongolia, which began its operations in 2013. The 50MW Tsetsii Wind Farm project marks the first power generation business in Mongolia for SB Energy and the SoftBank Group.

Masayoshi Son, SB Energy Chairman CEO commented as follows:

"This project marks the first step to develop renewable energy in Mongolia for the SoftBank Group. Power generated from the wind farm will supply electricity in Mongolia by connecting to its domestic grid, and I believe the project will help contribute to the stable supply of power for the nation. With this project, the SoftBank Group will have bases in Japan, India and Mongolia for its renewable energy business. We will work to further expand our global business to increase the adoption of renewable energy and reduce CO2 emissions."

Boldbaatar Tserenpuntsag, Chairman of Newcom Group commented as follows:

"Having first established the Salkhit Wind Farm Project, to date the first and only wind farm and private power generator in Mongolia, Newcom is proud to continue its investments into Mongolia's renewable energy sector. The Tsetsii Wind Farm project is a further demonstration of Newcom's commitment to the development of Mongolia through strengthening infrastructure and leading the liberalization of the power sector through sustainable and long-term investments.

Newcom is proud to introduce our partnership with the SoftBank Group through this pilot Tsetsii Wind Farm project. Founded and led by the internationally renowned entrepreneur and business leader Masayoshi Son, the leading global technology player, is now actively engaged in building a more sustainable and peaceful world through the development of renewable energy. Newcom is pleased to play its part in this initiative.

I would also like to acknowledge and thank our international lending partners, JICA and EBRD, for their contribution and support to the project. The Tsetsii Wind Farm project is JICA's first private project financed transaction in the renewable energy sector and will be EBRD's second wind power project in Mongolia in partnership with Newcom, a clear testament to our shared goal and commitment to develop Mongolia's power sector."

JICA commented as follows:

"The Tsetsii Wind Farm project in Mongolia marks JICA's first dollar-denominated project finance debt transaction through its Private Sector Investment Finance scheme in the renewable energy field. This project is also the first co-financing arrangement with EBRD. The project is consistent with the 'Partnership for Quality Infrastructure' being promoted by the Japanese government with due consideration on life cycle costs, environmental and social sustainability, and contribution to the local society and economy.

JICA has been supporting the power sector in Mongolia, especially Ulaanbaatar Thermal Power Plant No.4. JICA intends to continue providing support to the power sector in Mongolia for stable socioeconomic growth.

Going forward, JICA will coordinate with governments and international agencies toward socioeconomic development in developing countries and regions, promoting 'quality infrastructure financing' and responding to climate change."

Philip Bennett, EBRD's First Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said:

"We are delighted to mark the tenth anniversary of our operations in Mongolia today by singing the financing for our second wind farm in the country. We are pleased to cooperate in this transaction not only with our long established partner Newcom, but also with our new partners JICA and the SoftBank Group. This signing today builds on eight years of sustained work with the Mongolian authorities to help them put in place the regulatory framework that allows them to harness Mongolia's huge renewable resources. Of the EUR 1.4 billion we have invested in the Mongolian private sector in the last 10 years, the Salkhit and the Tsetsii wind farms are amongst the projects we are most proud of."

SB Energy, Newcom, JICA, and EBRD will work to contribute to Mongolia's renewable energy business development and power infrastructure system enhancement.

Summary of Wind Farm Location Tsogttsetsii soum, Umnugobi aimag, Mongolia Output scale 50MW: 2,000kW x 25 generators

About Clean Energy Asia LLC

Clean Energy Asia LLC (CEA) was established in 2012 as a joint venture between Newcom LLC and SB Energy Corp., the renewable energy arm of the SoftBank Group.

About SB Energy Corp.

SB Energy is a subsidiary of SoftBank Group Corp. and one of the leading renewable energy companies in Japan. As of September 2016, it had over 308.6MW of power in operation with 26 plants (equivalent power needed to supply approximately 96,000 households). SB Energy is aiming to spread and expand the adoption of renewable energy derived from natural sources, such as large scale solar power generation (Mega Solar) and wind power generation.

About Newcom LLC

Newcom is a Mongolian clean technology and infrastructure investor committed to bringing global expertise and innovation to Mongolia. Newcom Group has a diverse portfolio of investments across telecommunication, information technology, financial services, renewable energy, real estate and mining services sectors. The company operates Mongolia's first wind farm, with capacity of 50 MW and located 70km from Ulaanbaatar city and is in the process of constructing the 450 MW combined heat and power plant #5 as part of an international consortium awarded the concession agreement by the government. The company's headquarters are in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. For more information, please visit www.newcom.mn.

About the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

JICA assists and supports developing countries at the executing agency of Japan's ODA (Official Development Assistance). In accordance with its vision of "Inclusive and Dynamic Development," JICA supports the resolution of issues of developing countries by using the most suitable tools of various assistance methods and a combined regional-, country- and issue-oriented approach.

About the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)

The EBRD is a multilateral bank committed to the development of market-oriented economies and the promotion of private and entrepreneurial initiative in more than 30 countries from Morocco to Mongolia and from Estonia to Egypt. The Bank is owned by 65 countries, the EU and the EIB. Follow us on the web, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005711/en/

Contacts:

Media:

SoftBank Group Corp.

Kenichi Yuasa, +81.3.6889.2300

Corporate Communications

sbpr@softbank.co.jp
HOUSTON, TX -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- Energistics is pleased to announce the next National Data Repository (NDR) meeting will be held June 6 - 8, 2017 in Stavanger, Norway. The 13th meeting of delegates from over 30 countries will be comprised of government regulators, petroleum industry experts, and others who will join to discuss the collection and storage of increasing volumes of data associated with oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) around the world. NDR meetings are an opportunity for regulators and those involved in NDRs from around the world to get together and collaborate around best practices for storing and re-using this data.

Oil and gas deposits are part of a nation's wealth and E&P companies are trusted to steward those resources on behalf of the country. The regulator's role, and through them, the country's NDR, is to preserve that data for future re-use. Governments and industry have long realized that collecting and storing data should not be treated as a competitive activity, but a collaboration between organizations. As a result, the NDR's collaborative activities have shown that when data can be preserved and reused costs are reduced, data quality is improved and risks are lowered during resource exploration.

Attendees will include those from countries with deep experience of harnessing national oil & gas data, while others will be from countries that are just starting down the regulator/NDR path as exploration opens up in their countries. They are looking to learn from the others with more experience, as well as hear from vendors as to what solutions and services are available.

Ross Philo, President and CEO of Energistics, said, "With the challenging state of our industry, finding ways to improve our productivity, and ensure that our decisions are made with the best possible information, requires having access to all available data for a given area. The important work carried out by an NDR ensures that oil and gas data is retained, preserved and re-used in order to maximize the economic benefit for their respective countries."

Energistics is a global, non-profit, membership organization that serves as the facilitator, custodian and advocate for the development and adoption of technical open data exchange standards in the upstream oil and gas industry. Uniquely designed to unite upstream industry professionals in a neutral and collaborative facilitation environment, Energistics membership consists of integrated, independent and national oil companies, oilfield service companies, software vendors, system integrators, regulatory agencies and the global standards user community. For more information visit our website at www.energistics.org.

For more information about NDR2017, visit www.ndr2017.org.

Melissa Ray

melissa.ray@energistics.org




SUNNYVALE, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- Druva, the leader in cloud data protection and information management, today announced $51 million in funding that will further drive the company's global objective to transform the way enterprises protect and manage information.

The new funding brings Druva's total capital raised to $118 million, and will continue to support its aggressive growth strategy. The round is led by existing investor Sequoia India and joined by new investors -- Singapore-based EDBI, as well as Blue Cloud Ventures and Hercules Capital. This round also includes contributions from other existing investors including NTT Finance, Nexus Venture Partners and Tenaya Capital. The capital will be used to accelerate both product innovation and adoption, all while enhancing product capabilities across Druva's secure cloud platform. In addition, the capital will be used to further drive sales and marketing, and continue the company's global expansion.

"Our customers are entering a new era of public cloud adoption and Druva is at the forefront. The fragmentation of data, combined with increasing regulatory needs, is making enterprises everywhere rethink how information is best managed. In today's age, simple is genius, and Druva's 82 NPS speaks to how our cloud-first approach is simple yet disruptive," said Jaspreet Singh, Druva founder and CEO. "We are at an inflection point and Druva's ability to evolve and innovate is proving to be nothing short of a game changer. This new capital enables us to continue to serve customers through notable innovations, partnerships and additional global expansion."

Druva's cloud-first architecture offers a unified approach to data protection. Unlike the traditional approach of managing data silos like backup, DR and eDiscovery, etc., with Druva, information is backed up once, and the platform enables advanced management and discovery analytics capabilities. This dramatically increases the availability and visibility of business critical information, while reducing the risk, cost, and complexity of managing and protecting it. The platform is built natively on public cloud platforms like AWS and Azure, and delivers unmatched scale and cost advantages, all while reducing the data risks inherent in today's fragmented data environment.

"Druva is at the cutting edge of leveraging the cloud to solve data protection challenges for today's enterprises. The team's ability to deliver multiple best-in-class solutions on common scalable architecture makes us very excited about what the future holds," said Shailendra Singh, Managing Director at Sequoia Capital India Advisors. "It has been six years since Sequoia India's first Series A investment. We are thrilled to continue to partner with Druva to build an enduring company."

"The risk of business data loss increases as workforce mobility becomes ubiquitous. Druva's superior solution to safeguard critical data through their unified cloud-native platform mitigates such risks whilst enhancing IT productivity and cost savings," said Swee-Yeok CHU, Chief Executive Officer and President at EDBI. "EDBI looks forward to supporting Druva as it expands into new markets in the region through Singapore."

This new funding round comes as Druva experiences strong growth and demand for its cloud-based data protection and information management solution. Over the last two years, Druva increased its global presence, growing to over 400 employees and expanding direct presence, launching subsidiaries in both Japan and Germany, while simultaneously growing its enterprise customer base by more than 1,000. New customers gained during the period included NASA, Chipotle, LiveNation, Hulu, Marriott, Leidos, NBC Universal, ServiceNow, Stanford University and others.

"Druva is embracing the full potential of the cloud, enabling our enterprise to solve problems it once took several different solutions to solve -- and at a compelling cost of ownership. We have seen Druva grow rapidly and it is clear they are setting the pace in the industry," said Scott Wiggins, Group Information Technology, Chief Information Officer at ANDRITZ, Inc.

About Druva

Druva is the leader in cloud data protection and information management, leveraging the public cloud to offer a single pane of glass to protect, preserve and discover information -- dramatically increasing the availability and visibility of business critical information, while reducing the risk, cost and complexity of managing and protecting it.

Druva's award-winning solutions intelligently collect data, and unify backup, disaster recovery, archival and governance capabilities onto a single, optimized data set. As the industry's fastest growing data protection provider, Druva is trusted by over 4,000 global organizations and protects over 25 PB of data. Learn more at http://www.druva.com and join the conversation at twitter.com/druvainc.

Media Contact:

Stacey Collins Burbach

Phone: +1.415.310.9767

Email: Email Contact




COLLEGE PARK, MD -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- Monument Village at College Park, a brand new lavish apartment community bordering the University of Maryland, will host its grand opening celebration today, September 28, 2016 from 5-7 pm. The official ribbon cutting ceremony is to be held at 5 pm attended by county officials in addition to University of Maryland housing officials.

This casino themed event will feature casino tables and dealers where attendees will play for Monument Village branded poker chips that may be exchanged for raffle entries. The grand opening celebration will be catered and a photographer will be present.

Monument Village at College Park is a luxury mid-rise, boasting 235 units with 27 different floor plans. Floor plans range from junior one bedrooms, to one bedrooms, one bedroom dens, one bedroom lofts, two bedrooms, and two bedroom lofts. Apartment features include gourmet kitchens with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, tiled backsplashes and high gloss kitchen cabinets. USB charging ports are found in each apartment home along with tiled showers, washers and dryers, hardwood style flooring, and wireless remote controllable thermostats.

Community amenities include 24/7 electric package concierge services, a private heated outdoor pool with patio and grilling area, movie theater room, business center with Wi-Fi cafe, bicycle storage and repair room, pet spa and dog run, fitness center with yoga and spin room, keyless entry doors with controlled access to the garage and building, in addition to several other features. The community is anticipated to be Silver LEED certified.

Monument Village is conveniently located between I-495 and the University of Maryland. The community provides easy access to public transportation including College Park Metro, Greenbelt Metro and the Greenbelt MARC station and is within 10 miles of Washington, D.C.

Monument Village at College Park is under the ownership of Monument Realty, one of the nation's top performing development firms. The community is under the professional management of Lincoln Property Company, the second largest multifamily manager in the United States.

View Here for More Information on Monument Village at College Park

View Here For Information on Available Floor Plans

About Lincoln Property Company

Lincoln Property Company was founded in 1965 as a builder and operator of high-quality residential communities. In the early 1970's, Lincoln expanded its product mix to include commercial, build-to-suit, office, hotel, industrial, and other mixed-use assets. In 1972, Lincoln took this expertise within the United States to Western Europe and the Middle East.

In 2001, Lincoln joined forces with the U.S. Department of Defense to renovate and redevelop family housing at selected bases for the Navy, the Marine Corps, and the Army. Through innovative management, property rehabilitation and award-winning new construction designs, Lincoln is now one of the largest operators of military housing in the country. Lincoln continued its growth in 2013 with the acquisition of Grand Campus Living, increasing the depth of knowledge in the rental housing sector for the firm.

Headquartered in Dallas, TX, Lincoln focuses on real estate investment, construction and development, in addition to property management. Their national reputation has enabled Lincoln to attract a large client base of owners and investors who count on their ability to deliver quality results and continually serve as a market leader.

For more information about Lincoln Property Company, please visit http://www.lincolnapts.com/management-services or visit http://www.lincolnapts.com/regions/ for apartment listings in your area.

Follow Lincoln Property Company on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook to hear about all the new deals to help you look forward to moving into your new home!

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Media Contact:



Sheri Sandefur Killingsworth

Vice President - Marketing & Communications

214-740-3300

Email Contact




ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, October 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Workstreampeople's Integrated Platform is the Next Generation Contact Center and Enterprise Dialogue Management for Microsoft Skype for Business. A Modern Kind of ERP for Real-time Communications Management

Anywhere365 Dialogue Management platform has qualified and certified for Microsoft Skype for Business. The native integrated platform for Enterprise Contact Center, Manager/Assistant, customer engagement solutions and advanced communication features for all departments within enterprises has passed all the required tests (with a unique 100% score) to become a qualified contact center solution for Microsoft Skype for Business.

The Microsoft Skype for Business Independent Software Vendor (ISV) qualification program is designed to help ensure that qualified applications from Microsoft Partners meet customer expectations for specific scenarios. Applying third party testing, the program defines specific requirements for interoperability with Skype for Business Server, installation, set-up and configuration, documentation, and support.

Anywhere365 Universal Contact Center has been tested on hundreds of cases, focusing on implementation, high availability, scalability, documentation, functionality and native integration with the Microsoft Skype for Business platform. The platform successfully passed 100% of all test scenarios.

"We are very proud that our solution has qualified for Microsoft Skype for Business. This is an acknowledgement of our investments in the creation of an innovative, highly scalable and complementary Universal Contact Center Platform for Microsoft Skype for Business", says Gijs Geurts, Managing Director of software development specialist Workstreampeople. "Our 372 global customers show that we offer a powerful, value driven platform that is industry-proven for the business enterprise. We have developed the Anywhere365 Universal Contact Center with a unique philosophy in mind. We believe that everyone is a contact center or can be part of it, without expensive user-based licenses. Everything is focused on enabling efficient and productive dialogues between people, between companies and their customers, and within groups of people, while at the same time providing powerful, actionable business intelligence capabilities to extract previously hidden dialogue patterns."

As an on-premise integrated work management solution, Anywhere365 is able to seamlessly manage all dialogues that originate via email, chat, webchat, voice, web forms and more. Anywhere365 is integrated with Microsoft SharePoint, Office365 and Skype Users, and can easily be connected to the existing IT systems and databases, such as CRM and ERP, to create intelligent dialogue management capabilities. There are over 30 standardized connectors available to leverage your existing back office infrastructure. Anywhere365 is also road-map ready for future cloud capabilities of Microsoft Office 365.

"We are pleased to see Workstreampeople certify their Anywhere365 Unified Contact Center for Skype for Business Server 2015 and extend the communication experience for organizations to achieve more," said Andrew Bybee, Principal Group Product Manager for Skype for Business.

About Workstreampeople

Workstreampeople is a Microsoft Gold Partner and the developer of the Anywhere365 Universal Contact Center dedicated for Microsoft Lync 2010, 2013 and Microsoft Skype for Business. Anywhere365 is an ERP for Real-time Communications, offering a modern view of Contact Center and other communications management such as voice, web, social, apps, web rtc, and more. As an Independent Software Vendor, we continuously invest in improving and developing our solution. The Workstreampeople solutions enable organizations to improve their business results and enhance their operational efficiency. Using Anywhere365 gives you an unprecedented advantage.

With the global availability of the Anywhere365 UCC platform, Workstreampeople is providing the next generation of Collaborative Communication platforms. We support clients with our Professional Services and develop the Anywhere365 product at our Head Office in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and our regional offices in Seattle, Brussels and London. Through the Value Added Resellers at our 50+ dedicated partners we also offer our Universal Contact Center platform and extended services to all international markets. Anywhere365's client base is growing rapidly and already providing value at 372 global enterprises on all continents.
The company entered into an agreement with the leading supermarket chain to install a fully equipped magnetic cooling display cabinet at Carrefour's head office Demonstrations in stores will follow.

Cooltech Applications, S.A.S. (Cooltech), the world's leading magnetic refrigeration company, implemented a fully equipped magneto-caloric display cabinet at Carrefour's head office restaurant (Carrefour SA -CA:EN Paris) for a four-week period, a world premiere.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005707/en/

Cooltech's magnetic cooling display cabinet at Carrefour's head office restaurant (Photo: Business Wire)

The magnetic cooling system (MRS) utilizes a water coolant instead of a refrigerant gas-a major contributor to climate change-resulting in an eco-friendly solution. The technology totally eliminates the need for refrigerant gases, cuts energy consumption by up to 50 percent, reduces noise and boosts reliability and safety.

"Our employees really enjoyed drinking fresh beverages from the innovative cabinet", said Jean Michel Fleury, Project Director -International support at Carrefour." "Our intention is now to test several magnetic refrigerated display cabinets in stores. In addition to the environmental performance with no gas emission, magnetic cooling will bring significant energy savings to our stores".

"After successful product integrations with several display case manufacturers, we are delighted to partner with a leading supermarket chain like Carrefour", said Christian Muller, President of Cooltech. "We are convinced retail stores and supermarket chains will benefit from magnetic cooling to deploy greener and energy efficient new refrigeration solutions".

Both companies will continue demonstrations in stores in the next months.

Availability

The MRS is in beta testing at several sites in Europe and in the USA in various configurations and is presently available for integration. A MRS version generating high cooling power-20 kilowatt (kW) and beyond-is under development for refrigeration rack systems and complementary applications

About Cooltech Applications

Cooltech Applications is the world's leading magnetic cooling company offering an energy efficient and ecological gas-free refrigeration solution. Owner of about 300 patents issued in 40 different countries and supported by major organizations and large market players through developments agreements, Cooltech Applications has entered the commercialization process with equipment manufacturer partners across Europe, North America and Asia. Founded in 2003 and backed by well-established investors, Cooltech Applications' offices are located in Paris and Strasbourg, France. More information about the company, its products, and services is available at www.cooltech-applications.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005707/en/

Contacts:

Media:

Cooltech Applications

Vincent Delecourt, Phone: +33-(0)-3-88-10-47-90

E-Mail: v.delecourt@cooltech-applications.com
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The Commerce Department is scheduled to release the Durable Goods Orders data for August at 8.30 am ET Wednesday. Economist are looking for a month-over-month decline of 1.9 percent in new orders, compared to 4.4 percent growth in July. Ahead of the data, the greenback traded mixed against its major rivals. While the greenback held steady against the pound, it retreated from early highs against the yen, franc and the euro. The greenback was worth 1.1229 against the euro, 100.63 against the yen, 0.9701 against the franc and 1.3014 against the pound as of 8:25 am ET. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
ROSELAND, NJ -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- Working Mother magazine has recognized ADP as one of the 2016 "Working Mother 100 Best Companies" for its outstanding leadership in creating progressive programs and benefits that advance and support working mothers. The 100 Best Companies are featured in the October/November issue of Working Mother and on workingmother.com.

"Working mothers represent a significant part of our associate base, both in size and impact. At ADP working mothers run businesses, develop new products, forecast financials and lead sales organizations to name a few -- bringing an invaluable perspective to our business and clients," said Dermot O'Brien, corporate vice president and chief human resources officer, ADP. "We are committed to supporting working mothers and their families with a holistic approach that aims to help them succeed in both the workplace and at home -- from flexible work arrangements to leadership and professional development opportunities available through business resource groups like our International Women's Inclusion Network, Women in Leadership Group and Women in Sales Leadership. We're proud to be recognized as a 2016 Working Mother 100 Best Company."

In conjunction with this recognition, ADP has named Laura Brown as the company's 2016 Working Mother of the Year. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Laura is a senior vice president and general manager for ADP's Major Account Services and is an active participant and board member in the company's Women in Leadership Group.

Jennifer Owens, Editorial Director of Working Mother Media, says, "For 31 years, Working Mother has tracked the progress of companies that lead in creating a supportive workplace for America's families. Now more than ever, with changing family dynamics, parental benefits are a key weapon in the war for talent. These companies aim to create the culture that attracts the best talent."

The complete list of the 2016 Working Mother 100 Best Companies can be found here.

About ADP

Powerful technology plus a human touch. Companies of all types and sizes around the world rely on ADP's cloud software and expert insights to help unlock the potential of their people. HR. Talent. Benefits. Payroll. Compliance. Working together to build a better workforce. For more information, visit ADP.com.

The ADP logo, ADP, the ADP National Employment Report and the ADP Research Institute are registered trademarks of ADP, LLC. ADP A more human resource. is a service mark of ADP, LLC. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. Copyright  2016 ADP, LLC. All rights reserved.

ADP-Media

ADP Media Contact

Michael Schneider

ADP, LLC

(973) 974-5678

michael.schneider@adp.com




NASHVILLE, TN--(Marketwired - September 28, 2016) -

Historical framework used as gateway to productive conversations with law enforcement and an increasingly diverse population

Nissan continues its 24-year long commitment to fostering cultural diversity

Nissan Foundation recently awarded $700,000 in grants to nonprofits supporting the breakdown of societal barriers and building inclusive communities

The Nissan Foundation has awarded a $25,000 grant to the Nashville Public Library Foundation (NPLF) to support expansion of the Nashville Public Library's (NPL) unique civil rights training partnership with law enforcement agencies, including the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD). The NPL's "Civil Rights and a Civil Society: Civil Rights Training for Nashville Enforcement Agencies and Beyond" originated as a partnership between NPL and MNPD in 2015 for new officer trainees and has since expanded to include other entities, such as school groups.

"The Nissan Foundation is proud to support NPLF and NPL's mission to enrich lives and open doors to new ways of understanding our neighbors and the world we live in," says Scott Becker, Senior Vice President, Administration, Nissan North America and President, Nissan Foundation.

The library's civil rights program uses the NPL Civil Rights Room's archival images, oral histories and film footage from Nashville's civil rights history as a gateway to productive conversations about today's prevailing issues affecting law enforcement and the city's increasingly diverse population. Through this historical framework, participants discuss today's complex community dynamics in an environment that encourages open conversation and greater understanding. The NPL's civil rights programming would not be possible without generous gifts to the NPLF from community partners like the Nissan Foundation, indicates Tari Hughes, NPLF president.

"We thank Nissan for its support of Nashville Public Library's programming to cultivate a more inclusive and tolerant Nashville," says Hughes. "We are honored to be selected as one of the leading culturally diverse and relevant programs in a community that serves as a home to Nissan's U.S. operations."

MEDIA NOTE: The Nissan Foundation today released a video about the NPL's civil rights training program. It features interviews with Andrea Blackman, the NPL's Special Collections Division Manager; Tari Hughes, NPLF President; MNPD Chief Steve Anderson; and Vicki Smith, Nissan's Senior Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility and Executive Director of the Nissan Foundation, about how the training came to be. It also features an interview with MNPD officer Nakia Reid, who shares the valuable learnings she took away from a recent training session.

Nissan: a long-time Civil Rights advocate

The very origins of the Nissan Foundation begin just after a period of violent civil unrest that occurred near Nissan's then sales operations headquarters in Southern California in 1992. Since that time, the Foundation has had a mission of supporting local organizations that promote the value of cultural diversity in American society and foster greater social and racial equality.

To that end, in June, the Nissan Foundation awarded $700,000 in grants to nonprofits in seven states to support innovative programs that break down societal barriers and build inclusive communities through education and outreach. The Nissan Foundation has awarded more than $9.3 million to date.

The grants will fund 27 projects, including, the Oasis Center "Building Bridges" program, which serves 300 Nashville youths annually with anti-discrimination/anti-violence programming at schools; Jobs for Mississippi Graduates, a drop-out prevention program, which helps support job attainment, job survival, leadership development, life survival skills, economic empowerment and cultural diversity; and the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants "Neighbor-to-Neighbor Project," which provides school programs, employer training and workshops on social services for Iraqi immigrants in Detroit.

"The organizations and projects selected for 2016 represent those who provide culturally diverse and relevant programs in communities where Nissan operates," explains Becker. "We're proud to support their missions to enrich people's lives and open doors to new ways of understanding our neighbors and the world we live in."

About the Nissan Foundation

Established in 1992, the mission of the Nissan Foundation is to build community through valuing cultural diversity. The Nissan Foundation is part of Nissan North America's commitment to "enrich people's lives" by helping to meet the needs of communities throughout the U.S. through philanthropic investments, corporate outreach sponsorships, in-kind donations and other charitable contributions.

About Nissan North America

In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized annually by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency as an ENERGY STAR  Partner of the Year since 2010. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.InfinitiUSA.com, or visit the U.S. media sites NissanNews.com and InfinitiNews.com.

About Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 247,500 employees globally, Nissan sold 5.32 million vehicles and generated revenue of 11.38 trillion yen (USD 103.6 billion) in fiscal year 2014. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. Nissan leads the world in zero-emission mobility, dominated by sales of the LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle. Nissan LEAF is the best-selling EV in history.

For more information on our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/.

About Nashville Public Library

Nashville Public Library maintains a collection of 2 million items, including books, periodicals, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, and downloadable books, movies and music. The Library also offers more than 800 public-use computers, free art exhibits, educational programs, events for all ages, 24/7 reference assistance, online databases, interlibrary loan and special collections. The Metro Archives, housed within NPL, owns 5 million historic documents. Equal access is provided by the Talking Library audio reading service for the print disabled and Library Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. For more information, call (615) 862-5800 or visit library.nashville.org.

About the Nashville Public Library Foundation

The Nashville Public Library Foundation is a committed community of leaders, learners and innovative achievers dedicated to supporting and empowering one of our city's greatest resources-Nashville Public Library. Founded in 1997 as a 501c3 organization, NPLF has raised more than $41 million to advance the impact and reach of NPL programs and initiatives. For more information on NPLF or to make a gift, visit www.nplf.org.

Please visit http://inr.synapticdigital.com/NissanFoundation/CivilRights/ for additional video content.

Darla Turner

Nissan Corporate Communications

(615) 725-5432

Darla.Turner@nissan-usa.com
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - State Street Corp. (STT) said that Eric Aboaf will join the company in December 2016 as executive vice president and a member of its Management Committee, the company's senior-most policy-making and strategy group. Aboaf, age 52, will succeed Mike Bell as chief financial officer in March 2017. Bell's departure was previously announced in March 2016. Aboaf will report to Jay Hooley, State Street's chairman and chief executive officer. Aboaf joins State Street from Citizens Financial Group where he was CFO with responsibility for all finance functions, including treasury, investor relations and corporate development where he spearheaded balance sheet optimization and expense efficiency. Prior to this role he was with Citigroup for 12 years, most recently as global treasurer managing the company's balance sheet, maintaining strong liquidity levels. Prior to that, he was CFO of Citigroup's institutional client group, which includes their custodial services business. Aboaf currently serves as a Board member at the New York City Urban Debate League and the New York Council for the Humanities. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA--(Marketwired - September 28, 2016) - DRA Group Holdings has today announced the appointment of Wray Carvelas as CEO, with immediate effect.

Tim Netscher, Chairman of DRA, says that the DRA board went through an extensive recruitment process interviewing high calibre internal and external candidates.

"Wray was the outstanding candidate for the role," says Netscher. "This is evident in his considerable experience in both business and engineering, with a strong track record of success throughout his career."

Carvelas has been with DRA for 15 years, joining the company in 2001. Carvelas previously held the role of Projects Director and was appointed as CEO of DRA's Americas operations in 2011. He holds an MBA cum laude from the University of Stellenbosch.

"In addition to his impressive career, Wray also embodies DRA's values with his unwavering conviction and commitment," Netscher says.

Carvelas replaces Andrew Naude who acted as interim CEO from May 2016, in addition to his role as Chief Financial Officer and Strategy Director.

"We thank Andrew for his excellent leadership over the last few months," says Netscher. "Together with the Global Executive Committee, he has ensured that our organisation continued to move forward both strategically and operationally."

Naude will continue to work with Carvelas and the DRA Group Executive Committee in the next few months to ensure a smooth transition.

Carvelas assumes the role as Group CEO effective 1 October 2016 and he will officially be appointed to the DRA Board in November 2016.

He will be embarking on a global roadshow over the coming weeks to formally introduce himself to DRA's teams and clients in all regions.

Netscher concludes, "The Board and Group Executive Committee are confident that DRA has the appropriate leadership to drive its success going forward."

About DRA

DRA is a multi-disciplinary global engineering group that originated in South Africa and delivers mining, mineral processing, energy, water treatment and infrastructure services from concept to commissioning, as well as comprehensive operations and maintenance services for the mineral resources and energy sectors. DRA has offices in Africa, Australia, Canada, China, India and the United States.

About Wray Carvelas

Wray joined DRA in 2001 and became the CEO of DRA Americas at the beginning of 2011. He has over 25 years of experience in gold, copper, diamonds, iron ore, nickel and platinum. Before moving to North America, Wray was DRA's Director of Projects for Africa, managing a project portfolio valued at between four and five billion dollars. Wray has significant experience in operations management and project delivery and is particularly skilled in fast-tracking large scale projects. Since 2011, Wray has been focused on in growing DRA's business in the Americas, both organically as well as through acquisition.

For further information please contact:



Linda Dorrington

Marketing and Business Development

DRA Americas Inc.

Linda.dorrington@draglobal.com

Tel: 416-917-1664
Six Local Health Authorities Use Clinical Decision Support Resource for Daily Practice Questions and Clinical Research

The Health division of Wolters Kluwer, a leading global provider of information and point of care solutions for the healthcare industry, announced that the Department of Epidemiology of the Lazio Region in central Italy selected UpToDate clinical decision support as a key resource to answer clinical questions at the point of care and to support their research initiatives.

For over 30 years, the Department of Epidemiology (DEP) of the Regional Health Service of Lazio Region has conducted epidemiological research in clinical, etiologic, environmental and occupational areas. This is performed through continuous monitoring and evaluation of the regional health services. At the same time, the DEP includes a scientific documentation unit that, among other activities, coordinates an International Cochrane Group, dedicated to the study of alcohol and drug addiction.

In 2014, the Regional Health Directorate of the Lazio Region promoted the creation of an online digital library for healthcare professionals modeled on similar successful initiatives in the Piedmont Region and the Autonomous Province of Bolzano. The Department of Epidemiology leads development and management of the tool that supports staff in their care and administrative tasks, and continuous training and research.

Inaugurated in February 2015, the Alessandro Liberati Library (BAL) serves as the regional access point for UpToDate, Wolters Kluwer's clinical decision support resource. UpToDate was chosen by the DEP for its comprehensive content, ease of use and the positive feedback identified in an analysis of international literature examining primary point-of-care tools. Thanks to UpToDate, clinicians at local health authorities can find answers to questions arising in daily practice and access current clinical and pharmacological research.

The UpToDate network of more than 6,300 world-renowned physician authors, editors, and peer reviewers use a rigorous editorial process to synthesize the most recent medical information into trusted, evidence-based recommendations that are proven to improve the quality of patient care. UpToDate covers 24 specialties and includes more than 10,500 clinical topics, each of which transparently lists the topic's authors, the date it was last updated and a complete bibliography. While topics are presented in English, users can navigate the site and search diseases, symptoms, procedures and medications in several languages, including Italian.

For clinicians at the Department of Epidemiology of the Lazio Region, UpToDate content includes an authoritative drug and drug interaction database thanks to an integration with Lexicomp, and a series of more than 160 medical calculators help clinicians quickly and accurately calculate many different medical measurements. Practice Changing UpDates highlight specific new recommendations and updates that UpToDate editors anticipate may change usual clinical practice.

Department executive, Dr. Laura Amato, stated, "At a time when it has become virtually impossible for our doctors to keep up with the flow of new research and primary sources need to be carefully and critically evaluated, a tool like UpToDate ensures we have ready access to the most current and reliable clinical knowledge and expert guidance. The inclusion of UpToDate in the education courses of the Liberati Library is a particularly significant aspect of the project. UpToDate supports the library's imperative to help clinicians make clinical decisions based on scientific evidence, and ensures doctors continue to critically evaluate medical literature."

In the year and a half since UpToDate first became available, the online clinical decision support resource is increasingly used, garnering over 3,000 monthly views by over 1,500 clinicians and researchers. The DEP and Regional Offices helped support such widespread adoption by coordinating communication and training sessions that were promoted by the library. To learn more about the Department of Epidemiology of the Lazio Region, please visit http://www.deplazio.net.

About Wolters Kluwer

Wolters Kluwer N.V. (AEX: WKL) is a global leader in information services and solutions for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services.

Wolters Kluwer reported 2015 annual revenues of 4.2 billion. The company, headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands, serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries and employs 19,000 people worldwide.

Wolters Kluwer shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX and Euronext 100 indices. Wolters Kluwer has a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt program. The ADRs are traded on the over-the-counter market in the U.S. (WTKWY).

Wolters Kluwer Health is a leading global provider of information and point of care solutions for the healthcare industry. For more information about our products and organization, visit http://www.wolterskluwer.com/, follow @WKHealth or @Wolters_Kluwer on Twitter, like us on Facebook, follow us on LinkedIn, or follow WoltersKluwerComms on YouTube.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005223/en/

Contacts:

Wolters Kluwer Health UpToDate

Andre Rebelo, +1 781-392-2411

Public & Analyst Relations Manager

andre.rebelo@wolterskluwer.com
HAYWARD, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- Predicine celebrated the grand opening of its new R&D facilities in Shanghai, China, with a launch ceremony honoring the occasion on September 26, 2016. Invited dignitaries included government officials, collaborators and customers from leading hospitals, universities and pharmaceutical companies.

Predicine is an international precision medicine organization that is committed to developing innovative diagnostics, therapeutics and big data in cancer and other serious diseases. Predicine was founded by a group of world-leading experts from Genentech, Roche, Novartis, Guardant Health, Illumina, Harvard, Stanford with domain expertise in precision oncology, liquid biopsy, cancer diagnostics, next-generation sequencing, biomarker development, drug discovery, clinical trial, bioinformatics and cloud computing.

The goal of Predicine is to address the rising and urgent healthcare problems and support drug development globally. In this effort, the new facilities in Shanghai are fully operational and equipped to accommodate the growing demand of liquid- and tissue biopsy-based precision diagnostics in China. Predicine Shanghai covers an area of 14,220 square feet, with functional high-throughput NGS and histopathology lab, which complements the liquid biopsy-focused Predicine US in the Silicon Valley - California, which covers an area of 7,200 square feet.

Predicine developed the world's first ctRNA+ctDNA combined liquid biopsy test, called Gene RADAR, using a single tube of blood to detect genetic alterations including mutation, fusion, copy number variation, gene expression and splice variants. Earlier this year, Predicine introduced NGS-based blood test products and services including PrediSeq panels for pharmaceutical companies and PrediAct series for cancer patients in hospitals. "We are committed to bringing the first- and best-in-class technology to support personalized cancer care and global drug development," said Shidong Jia, Founder and CEO of Predicine.

"With our new facility in Shanghai, Predicine offers an integrated 'one-stop-shop' biomarker service platform that meets the growing market demands from international Pharma customers and local hospitals in China," said Winston Patrick Kuo, President of Predicine USA. "At the same time, we can demonstrate our global leadership in precision medicine." Predicine has established partnership with leading pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and universities, and KOLs in China and globally.

In the most recent Annual Conference of Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) held in Xiamen, China, Predicine was voted as the 2nd most popular precision medicine company in China.

Predicine Inc.

contact@predicine.com




HAMILTON, BERMUDA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- Teekay LNG Partners L.P. (Teekay LNG or the Partnership) (NYSE: TGP) announced today that it plans to offer Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units (Series A Preferred Units), representing limited partner interests, in a public offering. Teekay LNG expects to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase additional Series A Preferred Units. The Partnership expects to use the net proceeds from the public offering for general partnership purposes, which may include debt repayments or funding installment payments on future newbuilding deliveries.

Teekay LNG is one of the world's largest independent owners and operators of LNG carriers, providing LNG, LPG and crude oil marine transportation services primarily under long-term, fixed-rate charter contracts through its interests in 50 LNG carriers (including 19 newbuildings), 29 LPG/Multigas carriers (including five newbuildings) and six conventional tankers. The Partnership's interests in these vessels range from 20 to 100 percent. Teekay LNG Partners L.P. is a publicly-traded master limited partnership (MLP) formed by Teekay Corporation as part of its strategy to expand its operations in the LNG and LPG shipping sectors.

The joint book-running managers for this offering are Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, UBS Securities LLC, and Stifel.

When available, copies of the prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus related to this offering may be obtained from Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10014, Attn: Prospectus Department; UBS Securities LLC, 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019, Attn: Prospectus Department, telephone (888) 827-7275; or Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, One South Street, 15th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202, Attn: Syndicate Department, telephone (855) 300-7136.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The Series A Preferred Units will be offered and sold pursuant to an effective registration statement on Form F-3, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on July 17, 2014.

The statements in this press release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the outcome to be materially different. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those discussed in Teekay LNG's public filings with the SEC. Teekay LNG undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward looking statements, unless required to do so under the securities laws.

Contacts:

Teekay LNG Partners L.P.

Ryan Hamilton

Investor Relations Enquiries

+1 (604) 609-6442

www.teekay.com




THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- White Metal Resources Corp. (TSX VENTURE: WHM) ("White Metal" or the "Company) is pleased to announce the completion of the diamond drill program on their Dorothy-Dobie Gold property. The Company successfully completed four diamond drill holes totaling 455 metres. A total of 243 samples were collected from core split in half and been submitted to Accurassay Laboratories in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Assay results will be released once received and compiled. The property is situated in the historic Pickle Lake gold camp, located 7 kilometers northwest of the historic Golden Patricia mine that produced 619,796 ounces of gold (1,216,165 tonnes of ore grading 0.51 oz per tonne) from 1983 to 1997. The Dobie gold zone is considered to contain a historic resource of 50,000 ounces of gold contained in 301,000 tonnes grading 5.5 grams per tonne Au. This resource estimate was calculated by Bond Gold Canada Inc. prior to CIM National Instrument 43-101 guidelines and as such should only be considered from a historical point of view and not relied upon until verified by a qualified person. The diamond drill program was designed to test the Dobie gold zone in and around where Manicouagan Minerals Inc. completed diamond drill holes DOB-09-12, -13, and -14 in 2009. Manicouagan's drill holes were successful in not only extending the known gold mineralization an additional 180 metres along strike to the west but also identifying a potential bulk tonnage gold exploration target. Further, White Metal believes that there is potential for higher grade underground gold resources as the mineralized gold horizon was only tested to a depth of 100 metres.

The Dorothy Dobie and Kasagiminnis Properties are currently under option from Murchison Minerals Ltd. and a second option agreement with Ken Kukkee (see press release dated July 4, 2016).

White Metal also has a good working relationship with local First Nation Groups, Slate Falls and Cat Lake, and recently has signed an MOU with both groups.

White Metal Resources (TSX VENTURE: WHM) is a junior mineral exploration company exploring in Canada and currently has 30,451,073 common shares issued and outstanding.

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved for White Metal by Paul E. Nielsen, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of White Metal Resources Corp.

Michael Stares, President and CEO

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.

The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements."

Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to gold price and other commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projection.

Contacts:

White Metal Resources Corp.

Michael Stares

President and CEO

807-475-7474




NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- United Nations, During the High Level week of the 71st session of the UN General Assembly where president Obama addressed world leaders for the last time, key influencers gathered in the United Nations SDG Media Zone to discuss climate action and the early adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement.

French environment minister Segolene Royal, the president of cop 22, the Moroccan Environment Minister Hakima El Haite joined UNFCCC chief Patricia Espinosa, the World Bank's John Froome in a session moderated the UN's Dan Thomas.

"This is a very special week at the UN and we wanted to take advantage of the presence of so many world leaders by creating a platform -- the SDG Media Zone -- to spread the word about the Sustainable Development Goals to people all around the world," said Dan Thomas, Communications Director for the UN President of the UN General Assembly. "This social media space and live webcast has revolutionized the way the UN approaches communications by offering the audience an opportunity to truly engage in the conversation happening at the UN."

To see full the full programme visit www.sdgmz.org or webtv.un.org for the full panel archives and more on-demand indexed content from the SDG Media Zone.

The SDG Media Zone is powered by a partnership between Office of the President of the General Assembly, Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General and the United Nations Department of Public Information and PVBLIC Foundation's Digital Media Zone platform DMZ.News.

The SDG Media Zone is a designated space hosted in parallel to High Level Meetings and Summits that works as a "live social media newsroom" where journalists, bloggers, celebrities, media influencers and high-level delegates from around the world can join the conversation, generate discussion and engage the global online community during the United Nations General Assembly High-Level week, supporting the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Media Zone lounge is equipped with WiFi, workspaces, interview booths, photo booths and live stream of the various meetings happening inside the United Nations. The SDG Media Zone will act as a platform for the launch of new initiatives and partnerships as well as ongoing collaborations for the achievement of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development; providing all partners the ability to create live content, connect and celebrate the decision makers and the global delegations during this high level summit.

Official anchor partners for the SDG Media Zone include Groupe Speciale Mobile GSMA, CODE.org, Made with Code, supporting partner Every Woman Every Child EWEC, and media partner 1-800-PublicRelations "1800pr".

Some of the discussion and partnership that will be celebrated and showcased this week are; Implementing the SDGs - Universal Push to transform our world, UN Virtual Reality, Women and the SDG's, Earth To Marrakesh, SDG Advocates, CASIS and NASA, Effie Worldwide, Project Everyone & One For All.

For more information, on the SDG Media Zone visit: www.SDGMZ.org

About PVBLIC Foundation PVBLIC Foundation is an innovative non-profit media organization that harnesses the power of media to drive social change. An aggregator of media across all platforms, PVBLIC works strategically to pair media space with key non-profits at the local, national and global levels. We utilize existing and emerging technologies to increase issue awareness around important causes and help non-profits amplify their message. At PVBLIC, we believe that media is the new currency.

About Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) On 1 January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development -- adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit -- officially came into force. Over the next fifteen years, with these new Goals that universally apply to all, countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.

The SDGs build on the success of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and aim to go further to end all forms of poverty. The new Goals are unique in that they call for action by all countries, poor, rich and middle-income to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and addresses a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection.

While the SDGs are not legally binding, governments are expected to take ownership and establish national frameworks for the achievement of the 17 Goals. Countries have the primary responsibility for follow-up and review of the progress made in implementing the Goals, which will require quality, accessible and timely data collection. Regional follow-up and review will be based on national-level analyses and contribute to follow-up and review at the global level.

** News, Media, PR and Content distribution provided by 1-800-PublicRelations, Inc.

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Company Contact:

Karolina Piotrowska

Communications and Media Relations

PVBLIC Foundation

Press@pvblic.org



PR & Media Contact:

Matthew Bird

President

1-800-Publicrelations, Inc. "1800pr"

Direct: +1.646.401.4499

Main: +1.800.782.6185

Email: support@1800pr.com




WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - An estimated 84 million people tuned in to watch the first of the three presidential debates between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Monday on US TV, which is a new record. They broke the previous record of 80.6 million viewers when Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan debated in the 1980 presidential election. Thirteen US TV networks - ABC, CBS, FOX, UNI, NBC, TEL, AZA, PBS, CNBC, CNN, Fox Business Network, FOXNC and MSNBC - aired live coverage of the 98-minute debate held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. The actual figure may be much higher, as millions are thought to have watched the debate between the Democratic and Republican Presidential nominees worldwide. In terms of the social nature of the debate, there were 17.1 million Twitter interactions from 2.7 million people in the U.S. related to the Presidential Debate, according to data provider Nielsen. Monday's was the first of three presidential debates between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. The remaining two debates are scheduled for October 9 and October 19. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 10/11/16 -- The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of Democratic Institutions, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, will be at Trent University to announce infrastructure funding for the university. Minister Monsef will also highlight the benefits of the Government of Canada's Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund.

Date: Wednesday, October 12, 2016 Time: 9:00 a.m. Location: Trent University Bata Library 1600 West Bank Drive Peterborough, Ontario

Follow Minister Bains on social media.

Twitter: @MinisterISED

Contacts:

Philip Proulx

Press Secretary

Office of the Minister of Innovation,

Science and Economic Development

343-291-2500



Media Relations

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

343-291-1777

ic.mediarelations-mediasrelations.ic@canada.ca




"Dialogue" allows premium publishers to directly message consumers about compensation choices as part of its Content Compensation Platform

Sourcepoint, the world's first Content Compensation Platform, today unveiled its "Dialogue" module, providing publishers the ability to communicate with audiences about compensation choice. In direct response to the growing use of ad block software, Sourcepoint's mission is to provide publishers with a robust toolkit to establish transparent value exchanges and facilitate direct communication between content creators and content consumers.

"Dialogue" is the first solution of its kind and the latest addition to Sourcepoint's Content Compensation Platform, allowing publishers to deploy messaging and allow users to agree on compensation terms for accessing digital content. Publishers that utilize "Dialogue" can develop audience segments, create targeted messaging strategies to understand users' content compensation preferences, and execute campaigns leveraging that data. Sourcepoint is partnering with many of the world's largest premium publishers to pioneer the messaging standard as a viable solution in response to the continuing industry debate.

The "Dialogue" solution can be leveraged to:

Deliver customized on-brand messaging to users about compensation choice

Enable "content locking" for publishers who wish to withhold content from users who have ad block software enabled

Provide options for consumers to whitelist or to opt-in to ad supported experiences

Enable audience segmentation, targeting, and creation of messaging scenarios to allow testing and analysis of various strategies (e.g. A/B testing)

Understand performance of messaging campaigns via reporting interface

Research published in Sourcepoint's Future of Content Compensation white paper identified direct messaging - wherein users are presented with a message asking blockers to be switched off or to consider an alternative means of compensation as a flexible option, with 65% of publishers likely to implement as a means to reconnect with their audience and re-establish a transparent and explicit value exchange.

"Dialogue provides us with the ability to engage with our users about compensation choice, providing them multiple options including white listing our site or opting in to an ad-supported experience," said Nick Flood, Head of Product at Dennis Publishing. "We are using the Dialogue product to communicate at scale with our user base and re-establish a clear value exchange with users about their content consumption. The early results are extremely promising, and we'll be sharing more with the market as we continue with our use of the "Dialogue" product."

"We believe that ad block usage is a symptom that comes from the lack of clarity around the value exchange in the digital content ecosystem," comments Ben Barokas, Founder and CEO at Sourcepoint. "Our "Dialogue" product allows our clients to understand their audience preferences and deliver messaging about compensation choice to their users. Finding the right balance that works for both users and publishers is critical. As an industry, we must find the right mix of actions and offerings to align consumer preference with a sustainable way to fund content development to safeguard the internet as we know it."

About Sourcepoint

Headquartered in New York with offices in London, Berlin, and Seattle, Sourcepoint provides premium publishers with content compensation alternatives that foster more open, balanced and transparent value exchanges with consumers.

Founded by technology veterans and backed by Spark Capital, Foundry Group, Accel and Greycroft, Sourcepoint was founded to meet the expanding compensation challenges faced by premium publishers.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005943/en/

Contacts:

Media contact

Jade Page

Jade@sourcepointpr.com

+44 (0)20 3642 1124
SAN JOSE, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- OneSpin Solutions, provider of innovative formal verification solutions for error-free digital integrated circuits (ICs), will sponsor and participate in a full complement of events, including workshops, meetings and conferences in California, Japan and Germany, in October.

The IEEE International High-Level Design Validation and Test (HLDVT) Workshop kicks-off the month Friday and Saturday, October 7 and 8. Dr. Raik Brinkmann, OneSpin's president and chief executive officer, will participate in a panel titled, "Killer Apps: Not Your Father's Formal Verification." Moderated by Jim Hogan of Angels by the Sea, expert panelists will identify trends and explain why the use of formal verification tools is increasing. Information about HLDVT, to be held in Santa Cruz, Calif., can be found at: http://hldvt.org/

OneSpin will offer a tutorial on "Making Formal Friendly for Simulation Savvy Engineers," at Design Verification Club (DVClub) Silicon Valley Wednesday, October 12, at 1:10 p.m. The quarterly Silicon Valley event, which includes lunch, will be held at Dave and Buster's in Milpitas, Calif., starting at 11:30 p.m. Details are available at: http://dvclub.org/

Moving on to Yokohama, Japan, OneSpin will sponsor and exhibit at the Design Solution Forum to be held Friday, October 14. Exhibits will be open from 9:30 a.m. until 5:15 p.m. OneSpin's Kayoko Ozawa will present "Streamlining the C++ Implementation of a Sobel Filter." To visit the Design Solution Forum website, go to: http://bit.ly/2cRTGIP

OneSpin will exhibit at DVCon Europe Wednesday, October 19, and Thursday, October 20, in Munich, Germany. Sven Beyer, OneSpin's product manager of Design Verification, will present a tutorial, "Simplified Assertion Abstraction to Code High-reliability Requirements for the Formal Verification of Safety Critical and Other Designs." Additionally Dr. Brinkmann will chair a session on "Verification Flow and Tools." The complete DVCon Europe program is available at: https://dvcon-europe.org/

Finally, OneSpin will be a sponsor again this year of the 16th International Conference on Formal Methods in Computer-Aided Design (FMCAD) to be held October 3-6 in Mountain View, Calif. For more information, visit: http://bit.ly/2d0QYRM

About OneSpin Solutions

Electronic design automation (EDA) supplier OneSpin Solutions demonstrates formal verification leadership through a range of advanced, leading-edge verification solutions for reliable digital integrated circuits (ICs). Its comprehensive product line improves verification quality and coverage while accelerating and simplifying development processes through automated and advanced verification techniques. Leading semiconductor and electronic system companies across all industry sectors rely on OneSpin in their innovative product development to achieve the highest possible product quality while reducing time-to-market pressures. Its United States headquarters is located in San Jose, Calif. Corporate headquarters is in Munich, Germany. Email: info@onspin.com. Website: www.onespin.com Follow OneSpin on Twitter @OneSpinSolution

OneSpin, OneSpin Solutions, OneSpin 360, and the OneSpin logo are trademarks of OneSpin Solutions GmbH. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

For more information, contact:

Nanette Collins

Public Relations for OneSpin Solutions

(617) 437-1822

Email Contact



Annette Bley

Public Relations for OneSpin Solutions

+44 (0)20 7482 4800

Email Contact




MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- Indian Motorcycle, America's First Motorcycle Company, today announced the general availability of the "Red Wing Shoes Collection" for Indian Motorcycle. This line of fine, handcrafted American motorcycle boots combines the finest leathers and quality materials with Red Wing Shoes legendary reputation for uncompromising craftsmanship. The two legendary Minnesota-based manufacturers partnered to design and produce the line of three unique boot styles for men and women to celebrate the rich heritage of both brands and to build upon their mutual legacy of American-manufactured excellence dating back more than a century.

"Bridging more than 100 years of shared history, this partnership between two historic Minnesota companies highlights values of American craftsmanship, lasting reliability, and rugged durability. We're proud to team up with Indian Motorcycle to create some of the best riding boots out there," said Dave Schneider, CMO of Red Wing Shoe Company.

The 2016 Red Wing Shoes Collection for Indian Motorcycle

Worthington (Men's Black Pull-On Boots)

Named after the street in Springfield, Mass., where Indian Motorcycle began full-scale production in 1902, this boot is based on Red Wing Shoes' classic Engineer style and has been modified for Indian Motorcycle riders. This 11-inch pull-on boot features plain toe styling, a Vibram 430 sole for higher grip and abrasion resistance, and an instep strap for precise fitting. The premium Red Wing Shoes Black Harness leather, original Indian Motorcycle buckles, embossed logo and all black stitching deliver the ultimate in classic motorcycle styling. These boots feature Goodyear welt construction and puritan chain stitching.

Spirit Lake (Men's Brown Lace-Up Boots)

In homage to the dedicated men and women in Spirit Lake, Iowa, who build each and every Indian Motorcycle with a passion for quality and true American craftsmanship, this boot is modeled after Red Wing Shoes' popular Iron Ranger. It's an 8-inch boot developed to provide a stable fit and firm ankle protection, with a Vibram 430 sole for superb grip and abrasion resistance and features a double layer leather toe cap for added protection. The premium Red Wing Shoes Amber Portage leather, gunmetal eyelets and all-brown stitching make these boots a favorite for around-town styling, comfort and rugged support. These boots feature Goodyear welt construction and triple-stitched quality.

Connelly (Women's Black Pull-On Boots)

In honor of women riders around the world and Indian Motorcycle's 100-year heritage of supporting them, this boot is named after Catherine Connelly of Owatonna, Minn., one of the brand's earliest female riders and loyalists. Even during the Depression, she and her husband made periodic trips to Springfield to buy new Indian Motorcycles and they would ride them back to Owatonna. This boot is based on Red Wing Shoes' Engineer boot. This 11-inch pull-on boot features plain toe styling, Heeled Oil Resistant Cushion Crepe sole to provide grip and lighter weight, and an instep strap to adjust the fit. The premium Red Wing Shoes Black Harness leather, original Indian Motorcycle buckles, embossed logo and white stitching deliver the perfect fusion of fashion and function. These boots feature Goodyear welt construction and puritan chain stitching.

"Both these brands share a passion for quality American craftsmanship, a steadfast commitment to Minnesota and our Midwestern roots, and a century-long heritage of supporting our working men and women," said Steve Menneto, President of Motorcycles for Polaris Industries. "It has been such a natural partnership in so many ways to collaborate with Red Wing Shoes in the design and creation of this collection, and we are pleased to announce their availability, both online and in Indian Motorcycle dealerships."

The Klock Werks Custom Red Wing Shoes Indian Scout

To honor and celebrate the partnership and the new "Red Wing Shoes Collection," Indian Motorcycle partnered with Red Wing Shoes and Brian Klock and his talented team at Klock Werks in Mitchell, South Dakota to design and build a special one-of-a-kind bike to showcase the craftsmanship of these two iconic American brands -- with a Klock Werks twist. Drawing upon inspiration from a tour of the Red Wing Shoes tannery and factory, the bike that Klock Werks created embodies the qualities that make each brand legendary -- handmade craftsmanship, comfort, style and durability. The bike features new Klock Werks accessories and all of the leather on the bike is the original Oro Russet used since the Heritage boot inception. Click here to view a video of the Red Wing Shoes factory tour and the new custom Red Wing Shoes Indian Scout.

Pricing and Availability

"Red Wing Shoes Collection" for Indian Motorcycle is available at select Indian Motorcycle dealerships or online at www.indianmotorcycle.com while supplies last. MSRP: $319.99 (US) $409.99 (CAN).

To locate an Indian Motorcycle Dealer, please visit http://www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/dealer-locator.

ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE

Indian Motorcycle Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII), is America's First Motorcycle Company. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America's most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.

ABOUT POLARIS INDUSTRIES

Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) is a global powersports leader with annual 2015 sales of $4.7 billion. Polaris fuels the passion of riders, workers and outdoor enthusiasts with our RANGER, RZR and POLARIS GENERAL side-by-side off-road vehicles; our SPORTSMAN and POLARIS ACE all-terrain off-road vehicles; VICTORY and INDIAN MOTORCYCLE midsize and heavyweight motorcycles; SLINGSHOT moto-roadsters; and Polaris RMK, INDY, SWITCHBACK and RUSH snowmobiles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with parts, garments and accessories sold under multiple recognizable brands, and has a growing presence globally in adjacent markets with products including military and commercial off-road vehicles, quadricycles, and electric vehicles. www.polaris.com

ABOUT RED WING SHOE COMPANY

Since its founding in 1905, Red Wing Shoes has been built on America's great promise; if one worked hard enough, one could achieve anything. To this day, that work ethic is poured into every cut and stitch that crafts a Red Wing boot. From the first boot to leave the factory floor, Red Wing has proudly stood for not only getting the job done, but getting it done right. By combining the finest leathers and quality materials with uncompromising craftsmanship, Red Wing's Heritage collection continues to build upon a legacy of USA-made excellence so the boots built tomorrow are as enduring as the boots built one hundred years ago.

Vibram is a registered trademark of Vibram S.P.A. Goodyear is a trademark of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

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MEDIA CONTACT

Megan Kathman

Skyya Communications

www.skyya.com

ph: (651) 785-3212

megan@skyya.com




Buyers of Rosewholesale can now keep the products they want to buy longer in the shopping cart and can gain more rewards while shopping on the ecommerce store.

SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosewholesale takes extreme savings to a whole new level. Like sister sites Dresslily, Nastydress, and Twinkledeals, the company looks to offer the highest quality clothing and accessories at affordable prices. The site works directly with manufacturers to get as close to wholesale value as possible, these values are then passed off to the customers. Unlike other wholesalers, Rosewholesale does not charge a membership fee. These perks have built a huge following around Rosewholesale and the company continues to see user growth. Today company executives are proud to announce optimization in the shopping cart and new ways for customers to earn rewards. These new updates will better the user experience over time and will give customers gratification for being loyal to the site.

As an incentive to get more people shopping at Rosewholesale the company has launched a new "Share and Get if Free program". The new program allows current customers to share any product of their choosing through email, social media, and direct links. If a new user signs up and buys the item the person sharing will automatically be gifted the item they shared. The new user will also be rewarded with a $50 Rosewholesale credit for future use. This is a real win-win situation.

Rosewholesale is committed to providing authentic pictures and product descriptions, to ensure that customers are never misguided when buying. The company has launched a new "Awesome Show" program. The new program rewards customers for taking pictures of themselves with any Rosewholesale products and posting it with their product reviews. Future buyers will be able to decide through other users' reviews to see if the products are right for them, and the person sharing it will be eligible to receive a $20 gift card and fame for being showcased on the Rosewholesale website. Once again this is a win-win situation.

The new shopping cart optimization and new reward programs are just a start for Rosewholesale, the company is setting its eyes on bigger projects and those changes will be announced in the coming weeks and months. Customers are invited to stay tuned for more information.

Related link: http://www.rosewholesale.com/
SURREY, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- Ascot Resources Ltd. (the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: AOT) is pleased to announce the results of its annual general and special meeting held on September 27, 2016 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The following management nominees were appointed as directors to hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders or until their successors are elected or appointed: John A. Toffan, Kenneth M. Carter, Robert A. Evans, L. John Swann, Rickki L. Kasum and Greg Gibson.

The Company's shareholders also re-appointed BDO Dunwoody LLP, Chartered Accountants as auditors for the coming year and approved the Company's amended stock option plan.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF

ASCOT RESOURCES LTD.

John A. Toffan, President

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as the term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of this release.

Contacts:

Ascot Resources Ltd.

Bob Evans

604-379-1170

www.ascotresources.ca




OKLAHOMA CITY, OK--(Marketwired - September 28, 2016) - APMEX, Inc., one of the nation's largest Precious Metals e-retailers, recently sold the world's largest Silver coin -- the 2016 Ivory Coast 1,750 oz Silver Elephant Coin. Each coin is an astounding piece of art with a limited mintage of only 15 coins that each feature an antique finish completed by hand. This stunning coin sold at APMEX features the serial number "001/015," making it the first to be sold. The Ivory Coast Silver Elephant coin, minted by Geiger Edelmetalle in Germany, contains 1,750 oz of .999 fine Silver and measures 650 mm (25.59 inches) in diameter. This 120-pound coin comes with a mounted display stand, specially crafted to hold the weight of this impressive coin.

"We are excited to work with Geiger to provide our customers the opportunity of owning the world's largest Silver coin," APMEX Vice President of Merchandising Andrew Martineau said. "This coin is in a class all its own. From the artistically hand-crafted design to the antique finish, this coin is remarkable."

APMEX VIP Specialist Paul Stevens sold the coin September 9 and worked closely with APMEX Junior Product Manager Michael Brunson, who sourced the coin. The purchaser commented to Stevens they are excited to add this beautiful coin to their ever-growing collection.

"This coin is an incredible sight," APMEX Vice President of Sales Mark Yoshimura said. "The sheer size and weight is enough to stun those who see it. Geiger manufactures incredible products and this one-of-a-kind coin is no different. The new owners of this phenomenal coin will be more than pleased."

The obverse (front) of the coin features the African Bush Elephant standing tall, along with the French phrase "Le Monde Animal En Peril," translating to "The Animal World In Peril." The reverse (back) displays the Ivory Coast coat of arms and gives the nominal value of "1,000,000 Francs CFA." Each coin also features a serial number with only numbers 002 to 015 remaining. The extraordinary design and antique finish is hand carved by a talented and respected designer, rather than machine produced, making each coin unique.

This unparalleled coin is the first to be sold in the limited mintage of 15. You can find more information about the coin and the history of Geiger Edelmetalle by visiting the product listing on the APMEX website. To inquire about the coin, contact APMEX Account Managers at (800) 375-9006.

About APMEX, Inc.

For more than 15 years, APMEX has been one of the nation's largest Precious Metals e-retailers. Boasting over $7.75 billion in transactions, APMEX was recently ranked the #1 Specialty E-Retailer and #42 out of 500 e-retailers by Internet Retailer Magazine. APMEX has the largest selection of bullion and numismatic items provided by a retailer, boasting more than 10,000 products. Product offerings include all U.S. Mint bullion such as Gold, Silver and Platinum American Eagle coins. APMEX also sells products from leading mints around the world including The Royal Mint, Perth Mint, Royal Canadian Mint and many others. APMEX is a member of the American Numismatic Association, the International Precious Metals Institute and the Industry Council for Tangible Assets. For additional information, visit www.APMEX.com or call (800) 375-9006.

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Whitney McCown

Whitney.McCown@apmex.com
COLUMBUS, OH--(Marketwired - September 28, 2016) - AMETEK Solidstate Controls (SCI), a leader in highly customized uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), today announced the launch of its newly redesigned website: www.solidstatecontrolsinc.com. The redesigned site provides a more user-friendly platform that betters serves the needs of SCI's partners and customers.

"AMETEK Solidstate Controls greatly values the relationships it has established with its partners and customers. The SCI marketing team's goal in developing the new website was to create a more responsive web portal that provides useful resources and relevant information on SCI's extensive product line and services," comments John Ely, marketing manager for SCI.

Among the new features incorporated on the website is a "Knowledge Center" with resources such as a glossary of technical terms and informational product brochures. The site's "Client Services" section also has been significantly expanded to include additional customer service and technical support tools.

AMETEK Solidstate Controls currently serves such industries as power generation, oil and gas, nuclear, pipeline and transmission, petrochemical and engineering procurement construction (EPC) with its industry-leading line of uninterruptible power supply products, battery monitoring systems, and power inverters and conditioners. SCI aims to better serve these industries with the support of its redesigned website that features more comprehensive information on the company and its products.

About AMETEK Solidstate Controls:

SCI is a recognized leader in highly customized inverters and UPS systems for critical processes involving harsh environments such as power generation and petrochemical processing (including fossil fuel and nuclear power utilities).

SCI has administrative and manufacturing operations at its world headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. It is a unit of AMETEK, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices with annual sales of $4.0 billion. For additional information, visit: www.solidstatecontrolsinc.com.

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/9/28/11G115990/Images/AMETEK_Solidstate_Controls_new_website-39f5230b5caba7ad95c2bed75d412186.jpg

For more information, contact:



AMETEK Solidstate Controls Media Relations

Manda Manning

(850) 549-5652

manda@masterplanpr.com



Master Plan Communications, Inc.

Deborah Cser

(714) 310-9651

deborah@masterplanpr.com
ABU DHABI and DUBAI, UAE, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

- Conference coincides with GITEX 2016, where DarkMatter is also heavily involved in raising awareness on adding resilience to digitisation -

DarkMatter, an international cyber security firm headquartered in the UAE, announces its collaboration with the GSMA's Mobile 360 Series - Middle East event scheduled to take place on 17 - 18 October, 2016 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160928/412924 )



The event brings together a wide cross section of senior telecom professionals from all over the region to discuss industry developments and technical innovations such as 5G, cyber security, mobile commerce, Internet of Things, electronic identity, connected living, and more.

According to the recently published Nokia Threat Intelligence Report H1-2016, the smartphone infection rate globally averaged 0.49% in the first half of 2016. This number sounds insignificant in isolation, but when viewed comparatively it identifies an alarming escalation given that this infection rate experienced an increase of 96% year-on-year from the 0.25% rate reported in the corresponding period in 2015.

The report goes on to identify that smartphone infections accounted for 78% of infections detected in the mobile network, while 22% are related to Windows/PC systems connected using dongles or tethered through phones. These statistics highlight the significant threat posed by smartphones as a conduit for malware and viruses.

DarkMatter's strong presence at Mobile 360 Series - Middle East reflects the organisation's ambition to place cyber security at the centre of discussions around digitisation and the addition of immunity to intelligent, instrumented, and interconnected digital environments. Telecom and mobility, specifically, play a significant role in providing the infrastructure and devices on which digital developments are possible, and as such securing these elements is critical to protecting the entire eco-system.

Faisal Al Bannai, Chief Executive Officer of DarkMatter, commented, "Growth in the telecom sector is being driven by mobile data services, with personal mobile devices becoming a primary tool for accessing the Internet. This level of connectivity and functionality, and the sheer amount of personal data offered by subscribers has expanded the threat surface exponentially, and key stakeholders from telcos and over-the-top providers, through to end-users need to learn about their cyber risk profile and ways to manage and mitigate it."

Faisal Al Bannai continued, "The GSMA is a pre-eminent industry body for the mobile industry globally and we look forward to better understanding the industry's pain points and collaboratively devising solutions to them. We believe there are a number of pro-active steps telcos are able to take to foster resilient networks and connected devices to the benefit of all eco-system parties and society at large."

DarkMatter is staffed by tier one international cyber experts who develop, manage and deploy the most innovative technologies. Solutions adhere to the company's Cyber Security Life-Cycle, which incorporates a four-stage approach involving planning, detection, protection and recovery, and reinforces its secure business solutions.

DarkMatter is leveraging this experience in the wider market as it looks to serve regional and international clients. The company provides a complete portfolio of cyber security solutions and services to organisations that have sophisticated security requirements, from governments and infrastructure operators to large corporations.

About DarkMatter

DarkMatter is transforming the cyber security landscape by providing a complete range of state-of-the-art services and solutions to government and enterprise. Our end-to-end expertise extends to:

Governance, Risk and Compliance

We work with public and private entities in all verticals to audit and assess their performance against regulatory standards, helping identify gaps and meet obligations.

Cyber Network Defence

Our elite team of cyber experts, engaged across all competencies and functions, tasked with identifying and responding to the most advanced threats, threat actors, and cyber attacks.

Managed Security Services

We offer a remote monitoring remediation and resolution service that puts the full capabilities and resources of the DarkMatter organisation at the service of our MSS teams. Whether you need a SOC built and operated from scratch or you need assistance in upgrading what you currently have in place, DarkMatter can provide assistance.

Public Key Infrastructure

DarkMatter's Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) provides consulting to governments on the establishment of national root certificates of trust for countries. This places us in a unique position to understand not only the regulatory environment, but also the broader PKI environment, local players and Certification Authority entities. We also are the only full-service Certification Authority and PKI consultant to be headquartered in the region, and one of only a few to be located outside of North America.

Secure Communications

DarkMatter's Secure Communications Suite protects fixed and mobile voice, video, chat, email, file sharing, data communication, as well as device management across various platforms and operating systems.

Infrastructure and System Integration

This area underpins our professional services offering for governments and corporations, providing applications, services and solutions that ensure our clients remain at the forefront of cyber security.

Smart Solutions

We offer a comprehensive security suite of services comprising elements of protection for both homes and businesses: The Connected and Secure Home & Office; Technical Surveillance and Countermeasures; Mobile Peace of Mind; and Trusted Hardware supply.

Staffed by global experts and headquartered in the UAE, DarkMatter provides peace of mind through consulting and project implementations that are scalable to clients of any size and that address any domain of cyber security threat or risk. As a trusted partner to governments and critical infrastructure entities, the firm also works with leading global companies operating in the field of electronic and cyber security. DarkMatter's vision is to secure the future by protecting its technologies.

Agile and innovative, DarkMatter takes a comprehensive approach to helping its clients navigate the complex and ever-evolving world of threat and risk mitigation strategies, tools, policies and systems.

http://www.darkmatter.ae
Technavio's announces the top five leading suppliers in the global facilities management (FM) servicesmarket until 2020. These suppliers are selected based on their consistent performance measurement framework, ROI, customer satisfaction index, sustainability, pareto analysis of completed work, energy usage level index, planned to reactive maintenance, floor occupancy rate, and percent of completed reactive work.

Competitive market landscape

The FM services market is dominated by large global players as the suppliers are getting involved with mergers and acquisitions to have maximum global reach and enhance their service capabilities. Companies and organizations prefer to outsource their FM services and the suppliers are developing environment management plans to adhere to the regional and global regulations. The report also mentions that the buyers prefer to engage with one-stop shops to achieve cost savings and gain visibility on category spend.

Request a sample report: http://www.technavio.com/request-a-sample?report=52891

Technavio's new market intelligence sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more.

According to Angad Singh, a category specialist, specializing in research on category spend intelligence, "Suppliers are forming strategic partnerships with local labor organizations to avoid labor supply shortages, as they can hamper operations. They are also upgrading IT infrastructure to enhance data collection capabilities and to provide data-driven solutions to customers

Additional Technavio Insights: Top Trends in the Facilities Management Services Market

Top five suppliers of FM services

Sodexo

Sodexo provides facility management and food services across different industries worldwide. The company serves more than 75 million people every day. It provides more than 234 services for the benefit of clients' employees. In March 2016, Sodexo was awarded a 10-year contract by Rio Tinto to deliver facility management services for its operations in Australia.

Some of its key services include:

On-site facility management

Personal and home services

Benefits and reward services

Compass Group

Compass Group is a global leader in food services and FM support services. K-12 (part of the Compass Group) serves more than two million students every day in the US alone. Approximately, one-third of the top business schools in Europe are served by the company. The Compass Service Framework was designed by the company to enhance their service capabilities and provide high-quality service to customers.

Some of the services provided by the company include:

FM support services

Food services

Walk-in retail shops

Project management

Aramark

Aramark is maintaining approximately 1 billion square feet of facilities across multiple industries worldwide. It owns over one million square feet of meeting space globally. The company manages over 45 unique world-class residential and day centers across the US and Canada. In April 2016, Aramark won Citi's Sustainable Partner Award in recognition of the high-value services provided to the Citi Group.

Some of the services provided by the company are listed below:

Food services

Facilities services

Uniform services

Hospitality services

Retail services

ISS A/S

ISS A/S facility management system generates three million work orders on an annual basis. Annually, the company serves 13,809,467 square metres of office and industrial space globally. It caters to a large and diversified portfolio of B2B customers across industry sectors. The company performs 30 billion square meter of cleaning activities globally.

Some of the key services provided by the company are:

Facility management

Cleaning services

Security services

Catering services

Property services

Support services

CBRE Group

With a total workforce of 25,000 EFMs and 13,000+ engineering professionals, CBRE is one of the largest FM service providers across the globe. It caters to a client base of 25.8 million occupants and tenants in the global commercial real estate market. The company employs 300+ HSSE professionals, 40+ OSHA, and 501 trainers for health and safety as well as environmental management.

Some key services provided by the company include:

Facilities management

Leasing services

Project management

Valuation and advisory

Energy and sustainability

Asset services

Browse related reports:

Global Managed Services Procurement Market Intelligence Report 2016

Legal Services Category Market Intelligence Report 2016

Global IT Infrastructure Services Procurement Market Intelligence Report 2016

Do you need a report on a market in a specific geographical cluster or country but can't find what you're looking for? Don't worry, Technavio also takes client requests. Please contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and our analysts will be happy to create a customized report just for you.

About Technavio

Technaviois a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.

Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160928005517/en/

Contacts:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

US: +1 630 333 9501

UK: +44 208 123 1770

www.technavio.com
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

More than 120 Canadian companies are benefiting from a successful Government of Canada program that has raised a total of $1.356 billion in venture capital. The financing, which surpassed initial targets established for the program, will allow many more Canadian businesses to get their innovations to market faster and create the well-paying jobs that help grow the middle class.

The first set of results for the Venture Capital Action Plan (VCAP) was released today by the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

The data provide a snapshot of a program that takes a market-oriented approach to steering Canada's venture capital industry on a path to sustainability, while increasing the availability of venture capital financing for innovative Canadian firms.

Developing start-ups and scaling high-impact small businesses are part of the Government's Innovation Agenda, which will drive economic growth through innovation and create well-paying jobs for the middle class and those working hard to join it.

Since the Government of Canada's launch of VCAP, the Government's initial investment of $390 million has been leveraged into a significant pool of venture capital. In particular, four funds-of-funds attracted over a billion in additional capital from a diverse set of investors that included pension funds, high-net-worth individuals, corporations, banks, and the governments of Ontario and Quebec.

In total, the program has raised $1.356 billion in venture capital. The funds have been invested primarily in companies with early-stage innovations in sectors such as energy and clean technologies, information and communications technologies, and life sciences.

To date, a total of 20 venture capital funds have benefited from the money raised through VCAP, translating into $453 million invested in 126 Canadian companies. Many more investments are expected in the coming years.

The Government's support under VCAP has sparked a revitalization of Canada's venture capital industry, which has generated significant private sector investment and gained international recognition.

Quotes

"The Government is committed to making Canada a global centre for innovation. We aim to achieve this goal by promoting research, translating ideas into new products and services, and propelling entrepreneurs from the start-up phase to international success. By helping Canadian businesses gain access to capital, we are helping innovative companies grow. We are also keeping more of the well-paying jobs that these companies create in Canada. These winning conditions help grow the middle class. And when the middle class thrives, Canada thrives."

- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

"The Government is committed to helping innovative Canadian businesses grow, thrive and create the jobs that Canada's middle class needs. As a result of this important joint effort involving both public and private sector capital, we are helping to build a more innovative Canada where globally connected and competitive Canadian companies are able to prosper."

- The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Small Business and Tourism

"The Venture Capital Action Plan has catalyzed about $1.4 billion in fresh capital for Canadian start-ups, with over $900 million of it from private investors. It has succeeded by bringing together 30 public and private institutions and many individual investors, which is a great achievement in itself. As the administrator of VCAP, BDC is committed to helping Canadian entrepreneurs grow their businesses into global champions."

- Michael Denham, President and CEO, Business Development Bank of Canada

Quick facts

-- VCAP funds-of-funds raised a total of $1.356 billion in venture capital from governments, pension funds, high-net-worth individuals, corporations and banks, among others. Of that total, $904 million was raised from private sector investors. -- The Business Development Bank of Canada supported the Government of Canada in the implementation of VCAP, providing independent expertise and advice as well as deploying VCAP investments.

Related product

- Backgrounder: Venture Capital Action Plan Performance Metrics

Follow Minister Bains on social media.

Twitter: @MinisterISED

Contacts:

Philip Proulx

Press Secretary

Office of the Minister of Innovation,

Science and Economic Development

343-291-2500



Media Relations

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

343-291-1777

ic.mediarelations-mediasrelations.ic@canada.ca




OAK BROOK, Illinois, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, and Joint Commission Resources, Inc. (JCR), a nonprofit affiliate of The Joint Commission, today announced that Elsevier will be the new publisher of The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety (JQPS), effective January 1, 2017. For the past 40 years, JQPS has self-published, serving as a key forum on the development, adaptation and/or implementation of innovative thinking, as well as on strategies, practices and issues in health care quality improvement.

As one of the leading worldwide health sciences publishers and owner of the Lancet family of journals, Elsevier is well positioned to grow JQPS's impact and contribution. The transition enables JQPS to strengthen support for its authors, readers and subscribers by harnessing cutting-edge publishing technologies at Elsevier, including a robust set of digital tools to simplify the submission, manuscript tracking, author communication and review processes. JQPS also plans to utilize the publisher's global presence to increase dissemination of content to national and international health care communities, with the goal to champion the burgeoning importance of initiatives dedicated to patient safety and quality of care.

"In a competitive periodical environment, JQPS will now be Elsevier's premier journal in the area of health care quality improvement. In addition, we look forward to JQPS having a more interactive and discoverable online presence through a new dedicated website to help us to share information about safety and quality around the world," said David W. Baker, MD, MPH, FACP, Editor-in-Chief of JQPS and executive vice president for Health Care Quality Evaluation at The Joint Commission. "JQPS has been widely read and respected because of its long history and record of publishing seminal articles. While it will continue to provide tremendous visibility to the work of its authors, it will now be on an even bigger platform."

"Elsevier is delighted to be working with Joint Commission Resources," said David Clark, Senior Vice President, Health and Medical Science Journals, Elsevier. "We look forward to building on JCR's strong reputation within the U.S. health care community and to expanding the outreach, growth and impact of JQPS, not only in the U.S. but globally".

The Joint Commission plans to work closely with JQPS to make it a key component of how it fulfills its mission to partner with health care organizations to improve patient safety and quality of care. The Joint Commission, which accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 health care organizations, is working to ensure JQPS is essential reading for health care professionals who are looking for ways to improve care.

About The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety

Published monthly,The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safetyis a peer-reviewed publication dedicated to providing health professionals with the information they need to promote the quality and safety of health care.The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safetyinvites original manuscripts on the development, adaptation, and/or implementation of innovative thinking, strategies, and practices in improving quality and safety in health care. Case studies, program or project reports, reports of new methodologies or new applications of methodologies, research studies on the effectiveness of improvement interventions, and commentaries on issues and practices are all considered.

In addition to feature articles - full-length descriptions of quality and safety programs, methods, or strategies, including the rationale, planning, implementation, evaluation, and lessons learned, theJournalalso offers shorter articles in departments such as Interviews, Field Notes, Tool Tutorials, Rapid Response Systems, and Case Studies in Brief.



The Joint Commission

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, nonprofit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at http://www.jointcommission.org.



Joint Commission Resources, Inc.

Joint Commission Resources, Inc. (JCR), a wholly controlled, nonprofit affiliate of The Joint Commission, is the official publisher and educator of The Joint Commission. JCR is an expert resource for health care organizations, providing consulting services, educational services, and publications and software, to assist in improving safety and quality and to help in meeting the accreditation standards of The Joint Commission. JCR provides consulting services independently from The Joint Commission and in a fully confidential manner. Visit http://www.jcrinc.com for more information.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make groundbreaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions - among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Research Intelligenceand ClinicalKey - and publishes over 2,500 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and more than 35,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a world-leading provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries.http://www.elsevier.com

Media contacts

Elisa Nelissen

Press Officer, Elsevier

+31 20 485 2492

e.nelissen@elsevier.com



Elizabeth Eaken Zhani

Media Relations Manager, Joint Commission Resources

+1 630 792 5914

ezhani@jointcommission.org




CHICAGO, IL --(Marketwired - September 28, 2016) - Midwest nonprofit lender IFF will continue improving access to fresh food and promoting better nutrition in underserved communities through $3 million awarded as part of the federal Healthy Food Financing Initiative. HFFI is a program of the U.S. Treasury Department's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund.

Over the next three years, IFF will leverage these funds with additional public and private resources and provide $7 million in financing to full-service grocery store operators and nonprofits in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin. The funds also may support lending to mobile food retailers, farmers markets and cooperatives.

To promote better, long-term nutrition in these communities with limited access to healthy food, IFF encourages grocery store operators to lead or support community engagement efforts with local groups. Activities at stores financed by IFF include cooking classes, nutrition and fitness recommendations on display, and coupons for health food items.

"We remain committed to bringing more fresh foods to underserved communities," IFF President and CEO Joe Neri said. "In recent years, with the support of the HFFI program, we have been able to attract full-service grocery stores to places that range from Chicago to Des Moines and East St. Louis. This new grant will help us reach more neighborhoods."

Since launching its healthy food lending program in 2011, IFF has closed on 12 loans totaling $11.7 million to support both major retailers and independent grocers in nine food deserts across the Midwest, yielding over $40 million in total community investment. IFF also financed, developed, owns and manages the buildings for two Save-A-Lot grocery stores in Rockford and Waukegan, Ill.

IFF also received a $1.65 million financial assistance award from the CDFI Fund to support its core lending to nonprofit health and human services providers across the Midwest.

In total, 158 organizations serving 48 states and the District of Columbia received grants totaling $170.2 million from the CDFI Fund. They were selected from 457 applications.

About IFF

IFF is a mission-driven lender, real estate consultant and developer that helps communities thrive by creating opportunities for low-income populations and individuals with disabilities. From child care to senior housing, IFF works closely with clients from every sector, offering affordable, flexible financing; full-scale real estate consulting; and community development services. Since 1988, we have made over $620 million in loans, leveraged $1.7 billion in community investments and grown our total managed assets to $498 million.

CONTACT:

Jose Cerda III

jcerda@iff.org

312-629-0060
WHITEHORSE, YUKON -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made Yukon history today by transmitting the territory's first message to be sent from a telegraph to a tweet. The innovative scheme saw a royal message transmitted in Morse code from the historic Telegraph Office at the MacBride Museum in Whitehorse to a Twitter account.

The resulting tweet is the first entry in the new online guestbook at the MacBride Museum of Yukon History. It read, "Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, September 2016, Whitehorse Yukon". It was immediately retweeted to millions of Twitter-users across the world.

"Their Royal Highnesses have connected Yukon's communications past with today's modern global digital technology," Minister of Tourism and Culture Elaine Taylor (confirm) said. "As well as being highly original, the project has the added benefit of raising Yukon's profile to potential visitors world-wide."

The royal telegraph to tweet is the first telegraph to be sent from the historic Telegraph Office in more than 80 years.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited the Telegraph Office at the MacBride Museum as part of the Whitehorse community festival held in their honour. The royal couple followed in the footsteps of grandparents Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, who also visited the museum during their tour of Canada in July 1959.

More info:

Royal telegraph message

Contacts:

Michael Edwards

Cabinet Communications

867-667-7910

michael.edwards@gov.yk.ca



Jennifer Gehmair

Communications, Tourism and Culture

867-667-3016

jennifer.gehmair@gov.yk.ca




DUBLIN, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Sleeve Label Market 2016-2020" report to their offering.

The analysts forecast the global sleeve label market to grow at a CAGR of 5.11% during the period 2016-2020.

The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global sleeve label market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the production of sleeve labels.

Digital sleeve labels have become popular in many retail outlets. With many new products being launched by vendors, packaging companies are being encouraged to adopt technologically advanced sleeve labels, which has resulted in the growth of the market. A rise in demand for sleeve labels from the manufacturers of consumer products has resulted in an increased demand for sleeve labels in the global market. Hence, vendors are trying to develop new materials and technologies to improve their product portfolios and tap into the markets of emerging countries.

Increase in demand from developing regions will be a key trend for market growth. Package labeling is gaining importance in emerging regions, such as APAC, because of the increased demand for effective, advanced, and premium labels. Markets in countries in APAC like China and India, and countries in South America are expected to see rapid growth during the forecast period. The per capita consumption in these countries is also expected to increase. Some of the key drivers propelling the growth of the sleeve labels market in these regions are the increase in manufacturing output for various consumer goods, increased demand for packaged food and beverages, and the rise in urbanization.



According to the report, growing demand for plastic bottles will be a key driver for market. There is a growing demand for sleeve labels from food and beverage (juices, energy drinks, and alcoholic beverages) manufacturers because they can be used as tamper evident protection seal.The demand for rigid plastic beverage containers is increasing at a rapid rate compared to other container materials. Rigid plastic containers are preferred over glass bottles and metal containers as they are lightweight, cheap, and available in various designs. The beverage industry itself represents 60% of the sleeve labels market. The sales of sleeve labels are expected to increase with growth in demand for PET bottles in the beverage packaging industry, which is projected to increase at an annual rate of 4%, amounting to approximately 400 billion units by 2020. The increase in adoption of small sized bottles in markets ranging from CSDs to cosmetics and toiletries will boost growth.



Further, the report states that the high initial investment needed to manufacture sleeve labeling materials and products such as PETG, PLA, and EPS is a major challenge faced by vendors in the global sleeve label market. The new designs and materials required to develop these products have increased the overall manufacturing and production costs. The machines required for developing sleeve labels of varied sizes and designs are also expensive. Vendors face the threat of incurring losses because of the non-competitive prices of the materials used in the manufacture of sleeve labels.

Key vendors



Avery Dennison

Bemis

CCL Industries

Clondalkin

Constantia Flexibles

Huhtamaki

Other prominent vendors



Intertape Polymer

Klockner Pentaplast

The DOW Chemical Company

Macfarlane

SleeveCo

Berry Plastics

Cenveo

Constantia Flexibles

Karlville Development

Hood Packaging

Key Topics Covered:



Part 01: Executive summary



Part 02: Scope of the report



Part 03: Market research methodology



Part 04: Introduction



Part 05: Market landscape



Part 06: Market segmentation by types of labels



Part 07: Geographical segmentation



Part 08: Market drivers



Part 09: Impact of drivers



Part 10: Market challenges



Part 11: Impact of drivers and challenges



Part 12: Market trends



Part 13: Vendor landscape



Part 14: Key vendor analysis



Part 15: Appendix



For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/zkz3w7/global_sleeve

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716


NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - September 28, 2016) - Betts Recruiting (Betts Recruiting, Inc.), the leading sales recruitment firm for groundbreaking companies throughout the US and Europe, was recently named as one of the Top 100 Best Places to Work in New York City by Crain's New York. Crain's New York Business launched their recognition program nine years ago. Today, the award is a joint effort of Crain's New York Business and Best Companies Group. The program honors the best employers in New York City, and their benefit to the city's economy, workforce and businesses.

"We're honored that Crain's has recognized Betts Recruiting as one of the Best Places to Work in New York City. Our top-notch recruiting experience and company culture stand out because we build genuine relationships and love what we do," said Jamie Coakley, Managing Director -- East at Betts Recruiting. "In the past two years alone, our New York office has tripled in size. Employees should feel recognized for their hard work, and prioritizing our employees helps us continue to be a highly-desirable employer and recruiting partner."

Over the past seven years, Betts Recruiting has prided itself as being the go-to firm when rapidly developing companies want to scale their sales and marketing teams. The company takes a consultative approach, meeting all job seekers face-to-face, emphasizing personality when determining how best to match their experience and culture requirements with Betts Recruiting's clients. This method ensures companies only interview high-quality people who they can quickly move through their process.

Best Places to Work Award Requirements

To be considered for participation in Crain's 2016 Best Places to Work competition, companies had to meet the following eligibility requirements:

Be a for-profit business or not-for-profit organization

Be a publicly or privately-held business

Have a facility in New York City

Have a minimum of 25 full-time or part-time employees working in New York City (Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island and/or Queens)

Be in business a minimum of 1 year

Companies from across all five boroughs participated in the two-part survey process to determine the Best Places to Work in New York City. The first part (25% of the ranking) consisted of evaluating each nominated organization's workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems, and demographics. The second part (75% of the ranking) involved an employee survey to measure the employee experience. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking.

Ranking of Crain's Best Places to Work Award Winners

An alphabetical listing of the 100 organizations named as Best Places to Work in New York City, appeared on Crain's New York Business' website, crainsnewyork.com, on September 28 th .

Crain's New York Business will report, publish and promote the numerical rankings online at crainsnewyork.com on Friday, December 2 nd and in Crain's New York Business' print edition on Monday, December 5 th . Contracted independent research firm Best Companies Group supplied the data, and were responsible for the registration and survey process, data analysis, and final rankings. Crain's New York Business only reports on the results of the data provided by Best Companies Group.

Organizations making the list will be honored at a celebratory luncheon on December 2 nd where the final rankings will be unveiled.

For more information on the Best Places to Work in New York City program, visit www.BestPlacesToWorkNYC.com.

About Betts Recruiting

Betts Recruiting is the leading global recruitment firm specializing in revenue-generating talent such as sales, marketing, and customer success for companies in tech, consulting, biotech, logistics, media agencies, and more. Betts brings a customized approach to each search, ensuring hiring managers find the best person and job seekers find the best company for their background, skills, and interests. Betts Recruiting's four offices in the US include San Francisco, Palo Alto, Austin, and New York. These headquarters also cover areas such as Denver, CO, Boulder, CO, Salt Lake City, UT, Provo, UT, Dallas, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Chicago, IL, Los Angeles, CA, Seattle, WA, and Atlanta, GA. Abroad, Betts Recruiting's London-based office services Amsterdam, Dublin, Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg.

Some of Betts Recruiting's clients include: NatureBox, Trendkite, MongoDB, Revel Systems, EATClub, SurveyMonkey, GitHub, Grovo, VentureBeat, ZenReach, Lyft, and MuleSoft. You can find Betts Recruiting on Twitter @BettsRecruiting and LinkedIn for interview tips, hiring best practices, and more.

About Crain's New York Business

For more than 25 years, Crain's New York Business has been the award-winning news source for New York's business leaders, telling the story of the New York economy, while serving as a voice and advocate for the city's business community. Reporting through the prism of business, Crain's helps its readers stay on top of the inner workings of New York's economic and political ecosystem, by uncovering new business opportunities and creating connections with the broader New York business community at our events, online, in print and through our newsletters.

About Best Companies Group

Best Companies Group (BCG) is dedicated to establishing "Best Places to Work," "Best Companies" and "Best Employers" programs to identify and recognize workplaces that nurture a superior level of employee satisfaction and engagement. BCG researches the dynamics and characteristics of employers in numerous geographic regions and industries, both nationally and internationally, and then produces annual "Best" lists of the organizations that are leading the way in defining the employee experience of the 21st century.

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/9/28/11G116005/Images/New_York_Sales_Recruiter-a940d6682401bad187aa1e76ef2c6357.jpg

Betts Recruiting

Tim White

info@bettsrecruiting.com
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- The private placement announced by Global Copper Group Inc. ("Global Copper") (TSX VENTURE: ICU) in its news release of September 13, 2016 will be increased to a total of 13,020,666 units of which 2,464,000 will be Flow-through Units placed at a price of $0.07 per unit and 10,556,666 will be non flow-through units placed at a price of $0.06 per unit. This increase is a result of the Company agreeing to accept overallotments of 3,556,666 non flow-through units.

The placement remains subject to Exchange approval.

About Global Copper Group Inc.

Global Copper Group Inc. is a publicly traded Canadian exploration company listed on the TSX-Venture Exchange (TSX VENTURE: ICU) focused on mineral exploration and development. The company plans to acquire, de-risk and advance assets in mining friendly jurisdictions prior to seeking joint venture partnerships.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Daniel Caamano, VP Corporate Communications and Director

Global Copper Group Inc.

www.globalcoppergroup.com

We seek safe harbor.

The company's profile may also be viewed on www.sedar.com.

The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

Forward Looking Information

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this News Release. WARNING: The Company relies on litigation protection for "forward looking" statements. Actual results could differ materially from those described in the news release as a result of numerous factors, some of which are outside the control of the Company. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

Contacts:

Global Copper Group Inc.

Daniel Caamano, VP Corporate Communications or

Judy A. McCall, Corporate Secretary

604.620.7737

www.globalcoppergroup.com




Washington D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - September 28, 2016) - The Securities and Exchange Commission today voted to propose a rule amendment to shorten the standard settlement cycle for most broker-dealer securities transactions from three business days after the trade date (T+3) to two business days after the trade date (T+2). The proposed amendment is designed to reduce the risks that arise from the value and number of unsettled securities transactions prior to the completion of settlement, including credit, market, and liquidity risk directly faced by U.S. market participants.

"Today's proposal to shorten the standard settlement cycle is an important step in the SEC's ongoing efforts to enhance the resilience and efficiency of the U.S. clearance and settlement system," said SEC Chair Mary Jo White. "The benefits of a shortened settlement cycle should extend to all investors, not just those directly involved in the trading, clearing and settling of securities transactions."

The proposal amends Rule 15c6-1(a) of the Exchange Act of 1934.

The public comment period will remain open for 60 days following publication of the proposing release in the Federal Register.





* * *
MELBOURNE, FL -- (Marketwired) -- 11/10/16 -- First Choice Healthcare Solutions, Inc. (OTCQB: FCHS) ("FCHS," "First Choice" or the "Company"), one of the nation's only non-physician-owned, publicly traded healthcare services companies focused on the delivery of total musculoskeletal solutions with an emphasis on Orthopaedics, including spine care and treatment, will announce its third quarter 2016 financial results, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 prior to market open.

First Choice will follow this announcement with a conference call and webcast for the investment community on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 beginning at 11:00 AM Eastern Time to discuss the results and recent corporate developments. Chris Romandetti, Chairman, President and CEO of First Choice, and Tim Skeldon, the Company's CFO, will host the call.

Participants can register and access the conference call by dialing toll-free 866-682-6100. The conference call will also be webcasted, which can be accessed through First Choice's investor relations website by navigating to http://ir.myfchs.com/ and clicking on "Third Quarter 2016 Conference Call and Webcast." Participants will be required to register to access the call. For those who cannot listen to the live broadcast, a replay will be available shortly after the call on the investor relations page of First Choice's website, found at http://ir.myfchs.com/.

About First Choice Healthcare Solutions, Inc.

Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, First Choice Healthcare Solutions (FCHS) is implementing a defined growth strategy aimed at expanding its network of non-physician-owned medical centers of excellence, which concentrate on treating patients in the following specialties: Orthopaedics, Spine Surgery, Neurology, Interventional Pain Management and related diagnostic and ancillary services in key expansion markets throughout the Southeastern U.S. Serving Florida's Space Coast, the Company's flagship integrated platform currently administers over 100,000 patient visits each year and is comprised of First Choice Medical Group, The B.A.C.K. Center and Crane Creek Surgery Center. For more information, please visit www.myfchs.com, www.myfcmg.com, www.thebackcenter.net and www.cranecreeksurgerycenter.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain information set forth in this news announcement may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of First Choice Healthcare Solutions, Inc. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company's industry, management beliefs and certain assumptions made by its management. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Information concerning factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those contained in these forward-looking statements can be found in the Company's periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, and in its Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Unless required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise to reflect future events or circumstances or reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Investor Contact:

Wolfe Axelrod Weinberger Associates

Donald C. Weinberger

don@wolfeaxelrod.com

Stephen D. Axelrod, CFA

steve@wolfeaxelrod.com

Phone: 212-370-4505



At First Choice Healthcare Solutions, Inc.

Phone: 321-802-5830

Email: IR@myfchs.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- Teck Resources Limited (TSX: TCK.A and TCK.B, NYSE: TCK) ("Teck") will release its third quarter 2016 earnings results on Thursday, October 27, 2016 before market open.

The company will hold an investor conference call to discuss the third quarter 2016 earnings results at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time / 8:00 a.m. Pacific time on Thursday, October 27, 2016. The conference call dial-in is 416.340.2216 or toll free 866.225.0198, no pass code required. Media are invited to attend on a listen-only basis.

A live audio webcast of the conference call, together with supporting presentation slides, will be available on Teck's website at www.teck.com.

To listen to a post-call recording of the call, dial 905.694.9451 or toll free 800.408.3053 and enter access number 8741659 when prompted. The recording will be available from 2:00 p.m. Pacific time October 27, 2016 to 11:59 p.m. Pacific time November 26, 2016.

About Teck

Teck is a diversified resource company committed to responsible mining and mineral development with major business units focused on copper, steelmaking coal, zinc and energy. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, its shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols TCK.A and TCK.B and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TCK. Learn more about Teck at www.teck.com or follow @TeckResources.

Contacts:

Investor Contact:

Ellen Lai

Coordinator, Investor Relations

604.699.4257

ellen.lai@teck.com



Media Contact:

Chris Stannell

Senior Communications Specialist

604.699.4368

chris.stannell@teck.com




WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Facing a potential government shutdown, the Senate finally voted Wednesday to approve a short-term government funding bill. The Senate voted 72 to 26 in favor of the continuing resolution, which will fund the government through December 9th and provide $1.1 billion in supplemental funding to combat the Zika virus. The bill also includes funding to address the heroin and prescription opioid crisis and makes $500 million available to address immediate disaster recovery needs due to flooding in Louisiana, West Virginia and Maryland. Senate Democrats had previously blocked the bill due to a lack of funding to address the drinking water contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan. However, the spending bill was allowed to move forward after House leaders reached an agreement to allow a vote on an amendment to add Flint aid to a water infrastructure bill. The House could vote on the continuing resolution as early as Wednesday, as lawmakers face a September 30th deadline to pass a government spending bill and avoid another shutdown. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 28, 2016) - Historical exploration at the rice Creek Project from 2008 has reported assays (Otterborn Resources, 2008) from 67to 937 grams per tonne Ag and 0.2 to 3.29grams per tonne Au. Zinc and lead returned moderate to high results with peak assays of 18% and 16% respectively. Selected assays are summarized in the table

Locality Ag/t Au/t Locality Ag/t Au/t Marc 67 2.49 Creek 559 3.29 Marc 99 3.3 Lucky Jack 937 2.78 Main 287 1.31 Cat 452 1.73 Main 234 1.48 Main 204 0.2 Main 492 0.94 Main 391 1.07 Main 274 1.77 Knoll View 647 1.38

Jaxon Minerals Inc. (TSXV: JAX) ("Jaxon") is pleased to announced a letter of intent has been signed to purchase the Ag-Zn-Pb-Au Price Creek massive sulfide Property ("Property") from CJL Enterprises Ltd. ("Vendor"). The 2396 ha. Property is located in the Price Creek valley of north-central British Columbia, approximately 55 kilometres north of the town of Smithers.

The property hosts two known showings: The Knoll Zn-Pb-Ag-Au (Minfile 093M 100) and the more expansive Max Ag-Au-Zn-Pb occurrence (Minfile 093M 027) with at least 19 distinctive massive sulfide-bearing outcrops distributed over a 700 metre by 1000 metre area that have been subject to numerous exploration programs in the past years.

A Report in the year 2000 (Wojdak and Ethier) noted the mineralization cut by drilling in the Knoll area is similar in style to that mined at Eskay Creek, and that the same style was observed in massive stratiform polymetallic mineralization at the adjacent Max area.

The property has at least four known styles of mineralization:

1) Stratiform, bedding parallel sulfide mineralization (up to 1.5 metres thick) that was probably related to a shallow marine, VMS exhalative (hot spring) hydrothermal system. It is seen in the Max area at the "Creek" "Max Main Trench", "Forgotten", "Lower Forgotten" and "Knoll View" occurrences. In the Max area, the zones of stratiform sulfide mineralization include pyrite, arsenopyrite, galena, sphalerite, jamesonite, stibnite and gold. 2) Sulfide-bearing veins hosted in the Cretaceous Max Stock and its hornfelsic envelope. These north to northeast striking veins contain of pyrite and arsenopyrite; a 15 centimetre chip sample across the Spine assayed 12.7g/t Au (BC Minfle). 3) Sediment-hosted veins, up to1.5 metre wide, that contain variable quantities of pyrite, arsenopyrite, galena, sphalerite, stibnite, gold and possible some Ag bearing minerals, including sulfosalts. 4) Rhyolite-hosted disseminated pyrite and sphalerite which has only been identified in some drill-holes from the Knoll area.

The terms of the Letter of Intent are:

1) Payment of $5,000 on signing the letter of intent 2) Issuance of 100,000 shares to the vendor on approval by the TSX. Venture Exchange. -Issuance of 100,000 shares to the vendor for each of the next subsequent four years on the anniversary of the TSX. Venture Exchange acceptance and, 3) Make cash payments of: $10,000 on year one anniversary $15,000 on year two of anniversary $20,000 on year three of anniversary $25,000 on year four of anniversary 4) An advance royalty of $5,000 per year is to commence in year five. An NSR of 2% on production can be purchased for $1,000,000 for each percent in the event of commercial production. A further 200,000 shares will be issued to the vendor.

The technical content of this News Release has been reviewed and approved by Glen Macdonald, P.Geo., who is a qualified person under the definition of National Instrument 43-101.

Leif Smither, President of Jaxon stated: "There is an impressive amount of mineral on the Price Creek Proerty with 19 showings and four distinctive styles of mineralization. Jaxon is well positioned to take advantage of this and make a discovery. I am looking forward to having our technical team work on the property".

The Company also advises that the private placement announced on May 4, 2016 will now be reestablished with similar terms but in an increased amount. The placement will now be up to 10,500,000 units at $0.07 per unit to raise gross proceeds of up to $735,000 (the offering). Each unit will be comprised of one common share and one-half common share purchase warrant. Each whole share purchase warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one common share at $0.10 per share with an expiring date of one year from the closing of the private placement. A finder's fee commensurate with TSX.V policies will be paid where applicable.

The funds raised will be used to conduct exploration on the Company's Hot Bath Project, located in British Columbia between the communities of Dease Lake, Iskut and for the exploration on the Price Creek Project near Smithers, BC. and for working capital.

ON BELHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

JAXON MINERALS INC.

"Leif Smither"

Leif Smither, President.

For further information regarding Jaxon Minerals Inc., please contact Leif Smither at 604-608-0400, Toll free: 1-877-608-0007.

This news release may contain forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release may include, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, those risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. Neither TSX Venture exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Washington D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - September 28, 2016) - The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Jane Norberg has been promoted to chief of the SEC's Office of the Whistleblower.

Ms. Norberg joined the SEC in 2012 as the first deputy chief of the Office of the Whistleblower and helped establish the office, which intakes and reviews whistleblower tips received by the agency, evaluates whistleblower award claims, and makes recommendations on whether claimants have satisfied eligibility requirements to receive an award.

Ms. Norberg has served as acting chief since the departure of the office's inaugural chief Sean McKessy.

"In its short history, our whistleblower program has had a transformative impact on our agency, and Jane has played a significant role as deputy of the Office of the Whistleblower," said Andrew J. Ceresney, Director of the SEC's Enforcement Division. "I am proud of the program's accomplishments, and I know that Jane will continue to ensure the program is a game changer for years to come."

Ms. Norberg said, "It has been an honor serving in the roles of deputy and acting chief and working with staff extremely dedicated to the mission. I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to continue the work of the office and remain committed to making whistleblowers feel welcome and protected in reporting to the Commission."

Since Ms. Norberg has been with the SEC's Whistleblower Office, the Commission's awards to whistleblowers have surpassed the $100 million mark and enforcement actions resulting from whistleblower tips have resulted in order for more than $500 million in financial remedies, much of which has been returned to harmed investors. In addition, the office has received more than 14,000 whistleblower tips from individuals in every state in the country as well as the District of Columbia and 95 foreign countries. The SEC also has brought actions to ensure that employees feel secure in reporting wrongdoing to the SEC without fear of reprisal from their employers, including its first settled enforcement action under the anti-retaliation provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act and five settled enforcement actions against companies for violating Rule 21F-17 that prohibits anyone from taking any action to impede communications with the SEC about possible securities law violations, including one case announced earlier today.

Before joining the SEC, Ms. Norberg was in private law practice, including at Shearman & Sterling LLP. Ms. Norberg previously served as a special agent for the U.S. Secret Service, where her duties included providing protection to the President, Vice President and visiting foreign dignitaries as well as conducting criminal investigations into federal crimes. Ms. Norberg earned her law degree with honors from St. John's University School of Law and her bachelor's degree in sociology and criminal justice from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- Delphax Technologies Inc. (OTC PINK: DLPX), a global provider of high-speed digital printing equipment, today announced that Weihai Printing Machinery Co. LTD has selected the Delphax elan 500 digital color print system as the catalyst for a joint venture into the domestic Chinese printing market. The seven-year agreement for multiple systems will yield in excess of 35 systems, with the unit marketed under the name "Weifeng EL500". In sealing this agreement Delphax Technologies Inc. has realigned its operations to primarily support and focus on the continued expansion, development and manufacture of the elan 500 product line, fulfilling increased demand in the North American, EMEA and Chinese markets.

The Delphax elan 500 full-color duplex sheet-fed digital systems offer unparalleled speed and versatility at up to 500 duplex letter images per minute or 3,750 SRA2 (450mm x 640mm) sheets per hour. Powered by advanced Memjet inkjet technology, every stationary print head on the elan 500 has 70,400 jets that produce up to 700 million drops of ink per second for exceptional print performance. The elan 500's flexibility allows printing on a wide range of substrates, from 20 to 130Ib (60 to 350 gsm) and up to 8 x 8 to 18 x 25.2 inches (203 x 203 mm to 450 x 640 mm-SRA2). Duplex printing is performed at full speed with no degradation due to the unique SST paper path.

"Weihai's investment in Delphax's innovative elan 500 provides an attractive alternative to other technologies in fulfilling our clients' printing needs," said Gu Yonghui, General Manager of Weihai Printing Machinery. "The Weifeng EL500 is a product that will create a new model for opportunity in multiple print markets here in China. Printing at up to 500 A4 images per minute in vibrant full CMYK color at 1,600 dpi resolution, we are differentiating ourselves in our industry by offering a more feature rich and cost effective technology based offering to our potential clients."

"Weihai Printing Machinery provides us with a strong partner in China, providing both the commercial and technical support capabilities required to service the Chinese market," said Richard Lee, Director of Operations at Delphax Technologies. "We look forward to working jointly with Weihai over the forthcoming launch and commercial release of the Weifeng EL500 and expect this relationship to generate significant new growth and profitability for our respective businesses."

About Weihai Printing Machinery Co. LTD.

Weihai Printing Machinery Co., LTD, founded in 1954, was the first major enterprise and the first major high technology company established under the Torch Plan of China within the Printing Machinery Sector. Under the Torch Plan, Weihai Printing Machinery Company was granted the right of open importation and exportation. This enabled Weihai Printing Machinery Company to globally source specific components that go into the manufacturing of the WIN Series of Machines, i.e., the Omron Programmable Logic Controller from Japan. Since 1993, Weihai Printing Machinery Company has enjoyed the position of being the number one press manufacturer in China. Achieving levels of internationally accepted advanced technology, the Weihai Printing Machinery Company WIN Series of offset presses was honored with the title of "ShanDong Famous Product." The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and Association Technology and Quality specifically lists Weihai Printing Machinery Company's WIN Series as one of The Recommended Products of China upon Entering into the WTO. Weihai Printing Machinery Company is headquartered in Weihai, Shandong, China. Additional information is available on its website at http://en.guyonghui.cn.

About Delphax Technologies Inc.

Delphax Technologies Inc. is a global leader in the design, manufacture and delivery of advanced digital print production systems. For more than 30 years, Delphax Technologies has pioneered high-speed digital imaging innovations that improve throughput and enhance efficiencies for publishers, direct marketers and other commercial print customers where cost and quality are important. The Delphax Technologies portfolio includes specialized full color inkjet or monochrome inkjet and toner technologies that are ideal for a wide range of applications over a broad spectrum of substrates from ultra-lightweight paper to heavy stock in both roll-fed and cut-sheet print environments. Delphax Technologies is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA with subsidiaries in Canada, the United Kingdom and France. The company's common stock is currently quoted over the counter under the symbol DLPX. Additional information is available on the company's website at. For more information, please visit delphax.com.

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Media Contact

Steve Hubbard

VP Sales & Marketing

678-978-1669




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- The Ontario Energy Board (OEA) recognized former Enbridge Gas Distribution president Glenn Beaumont with a Lifetime Achievement Award during its 2016 Energy Conference awards gala yesterday.

Glenn is the inaugural recipient of this prestigious award, which was presented by Anthony Haines, the incoming Chair of the OEA and President & CEO of Toronto Hydro.

Glenn's leadership in workplace safety and his ability to forge strong relationships with employees, customers and local communities throughout his 30 year career with Enbridge were highlighted as key elements in the decision to recognize Glenn with this award.

Haines noted that Glenn earned the moniker 'the People's President' - a title all leaders aspire to have. In his acceptance speech, Glenn credited the employees of Enbridge for his success.

Glenn recently retired from Enbridge as President of Gas Distribution. Glenn also served on a number of boards including the OEA, Canadian Gas Association, United Way Toronto and York Region Campaign Cabinet in 2015 as the Manufacturing & Services Sector Chair and the Mackenzie Health Foundation since 2004 and as board chair from 2014 to 2016.

Quotes

"We believe that both Enbridge and the Ontario energy industry are in a better place thanks to the contributions of Glenn Beaumont," said Cynthia Hansen, President Gas Distribution and Power. "On behalf of everyone at Enbridge Gas Distribution, I want to congratulate Glenn for such a successful career and for receiving the Ontario Energy Association's 'Lifetime Achievement' award."

About Enbridge Gas Distribution

Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. has a more than 165-year history and is Canada's largest natural gas distribution company. It is owned by Enbridge Inc., a Canadian-based leader in energy transportation and distribution. Enbridge has ranked as one of the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations for the past seven years and was also named as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers in 2015. Enbridge Gas Distribution and its affiliates distribute natural gas to over two million customers in Ontario, Quebec, New York State and New Brunswick. For more information, visit www.enbridgegas.com or follow us on Twitter @EnbridgeGasNews.

Contacts:

Tanya Bruckmueller

1-855-884-5112

enbridgegasmedia@enbridge.com

Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc.




CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/28/16 -- Bacanora Minerals Ltd. ("Bacanora" or the "Company"), the Toronto and London listed (TSX VENTURE: BCN)(AIM: BCN) company focused on developing the Sonora Project ("Sonora" or the "Project") in Mexico into a world class lithium carbonate operation, held its Annual and Special Meeting of the Company in Canada today. All resolutions were duly passed other than resolution 5 to approve the re-domicile of the Company to the UK by means of the Plan of Arrangement, as set out in the Supplement to the Management Information Circular sent to shareholders dated August 30, 2016.

Accordingly the proposed re-domicile of the Company to the UK can no longer take place, and Bacanora will continue to pursue its corporate objectives as a Canadian registered company. The Company's common shares will continue to be traded on TSX-V and AIM.

------------------------------------------------------------------------- Resolution For (% of votes Against (% of votes Withheld (% of votes Number: cast) cast) cast) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 68,582,132 (99.99%) 6,008 (0.01%) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 (a) 52,870,378 (77.89%) - 15,010,630 (22.11%) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 (b) 57,517,652 (85.67%) - 9,622,998 (14.33%) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 (c) 52,120,830 (77.63%) - 15,019,820 (22.37%) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 (d) 52,880,378 (77.90%) - 15,000,630 (22.10%) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 (e) 67,130,830 (99.99%) - 9,820 (0.01%) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 (f) 67,880,378 (100.00%) - 630 (0.00%) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 68,582,132 (99.99%) - 4,419 (0.01%) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 52,854,008 (77.86%) 15,028,589 (22.14%) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 36,162,093 (53.27%) 31,720,504 (46.73%) - -------------------------------------------------------------------------

ABOUT BACANORA:

Bacanora is a Canadian and London listed minerals explorer (TSX VENTURE: BCN)(AIM: BCN). The Company explores and develops industrial mineral projects, with a primary focus on lithium and borates. The Company's operations are based in Hermosillo in northern Mexico and it currently has two significant projects under development in the state of Sonora. The two main assets of Bacanora are:

-- The Sonora Lithium Project, which consists of ten mining concession areas covering approximately 100 thousand hectares in the northeast of Sonora State. The Company, through drilling and exploration work to date, has established an Indicated Mineral Resource (in accordance with NI 43-101) of 4.5 million tonnes (LCE) and 2.7 million tonnes Inferred. A PFS completed in Q1 2016 demonstrated the robust economics associated with becoming a 35,000 tpa lithium carbonate and 50,000 tpa SOP producer in Mexico. -- The Magdalena Borate Project, covering 16,503 hectares in Sonora state, Mexico, where the Company's main borate zone, El Cajon, has an Indicated Resource (in accordance with NI 43-101) of 1.17 Mt of B2O3, at an eight per cent. cut-off grade. The Company has completed a number of measures to determine the geological and commercial potential of the project and is undertaking a pre-feasibility exercise to determine the economic benefit of developing the mine and constructing a processing plant on site in order to become a supplier of boric acid.

Contacts:

Bacanora Minerals Ltd.

Peter Secker

CEO

info@bacanoraminerals.com



Cairn Financial Advisers LLP, Nomad

Sandy Jamieson

Liam Murray

+44 (0) 20 7148 7900



Numis Securities Ltd, Broker

John Prior

James Black

Paul Gillam

+44 (0) 20 7260 1000



St Brides Partners, Financial PR Adviser

Frank Buhagiar

Elisabeth Cowell

+44 (0) 20 7236 1177



Macquarie Capital (Europe) Limited, Corporate Adviser

Raj Khatri

+44 (0) 20 3037 2000




ResQ Pharma, Inc., a Chicago, IL-based biopharmaceutical company, completed a $725k second seed equity funding.

To date, the company has raised $1.05m.

ResQ Pharma, which focuses on commercializing LipidRescue Therapy (LRT), a treatment for various drug overdoses and poisonings*, is scheduled to meet the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on September 29th 2016 regarding an application for LRT as a treatment for local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST). The company also filed for Orphan Drug Designation applications in both the US and European Union.

* LRT refers to the administration of a lipid emulsion with the intent of reducing the life-threatening clinical manifestations of toxicity from excessive doses of certain lipophilic drugs.

FinSMEs

27/09/2016
Technology Crossover Ventures, a provider of capital to growth-stage private and public companies in the technology industry, promoted Kapil Venkatachalam and John Doran to General Partner.

Kapil Venkatachalam joined TCV as an associate in 2006 and is currently based in the firms New York office focused primarily on the software and services sectors. Current investments include FinancialForce, Alarm.com, Rapid7, OSIsoft, Genesys and IQMS, where he holds a board seat. Prior investments include TOA Technologies (acquired by Oracle), Splunk (NASDQ: SPLK), ExactTarget (acquired by Salesforce.com), Seismic Microtechnology (acquired by IHS), Global360 (acquired by OpenText), and Solarc (acquired by OpenLink).

Prior to TCV, Venkatachalam was an analyst at Goldman Sachs.

John Doran joined TCVs London office in 2012 as a principal. His primary investment focus is within the software, Internet, and financial technology sectors. Dorans contributions have included investments in Believe Digital, NewVoiceMedia, WorldRemit, as well as Perfecto and Brillen.de, where he serves on the boards.

Prior to joining TCV, he was at Summit Partners, Xander Group and Morgan Stanley.

Founded in 1995, TCV is a provider of capital to growth-stage private and public companies in the technology industry. With over $12 billion in capital raised, the firm has invested ~$9 billion in more than 200 technology companies over the last 20+ years. These companies have completed 59 public offerings and 52 have been acquired through strategic mergers and sales.

TCV is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, with offices in New York and London.

FinSMEs

28/09/2016
According to a regulatory form filed with the SEC, venture capitalist Xiaodong Jiang has launched a new fund.

Cayman Island-incorporated fund Long Hill Capital Venture Partners 1, L.P., has a fund raise target of $125m.

Xiaodong Jiang is still listed as Managing Director of NEA China on the firms web site. According to the bio, Jiang joined NEA in 2005 to focus on investments in the local markets and later launched New Enterprise Associates (Beijing) Ltd. opening its Beijing and Shanghai offices.

His areas of focus are technology, consumer, healthcare and growth equity opportunities. He currently sits on the board of 51offer, GST Clinics, URoaming, LinkDoc, More Health Inc, PineTree Senior Care, Sengled, Creative Medicine, HYGEIA Medical Services, New Journey Hospital Group, UPG, LianLian Pay and Novast Pharmaceuticals.

FinSMEs

28/09/2016
Amidst threats and warnings by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) demanding all Pakistani artistes to leave the country, there were reports that suggested that actor Fawad Khan paid heed to them and fled the country.

However it appears that Fawad Khan left as early as July, much before all the trouble began!

A Hindustan Times report suggests that after wrapping his shoots in India Khan left to Lahore in July.

The last Fawad came to India was in July. He finished his work here and went back in a few days, said a source close to the films production house.

The source also said although Fawad was due to come back to India sometime in August, he cancelled because of some personal issues."

An India Today report further indicates that Khan left to spend some time with his wife who will be delivering their second child in September.

In light of the Uri attack that killed 18 soldiers last week, the MNS had issued a 48-hour deadline on Friday to Pakistani artistes to leave the country after which "they would be pushed out".

A report in The Indian Express had earlier mentioned that Khan has been in Pakistan for a while now and will not be returning to promote his upcoming film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.
Chennai: Dutch fashion retailers are paying "starvation wages" at factories in a major hub for the global garment industry in southern India, forcing many workers into crippling debt, a report on Tuesday said.

Workers surveyed at 10 garment factories in and around Bengaluru in Karnataka took home on average 90 euros ($100) a month, and 70 percent were in debt, the report by four non-profit organizations said.

The factories were supplying Dutch brands that have "acknowledged the importance of living wages".

They included Coolcat, G-Star, The Sting, MEXX Europe, McGregor Fashions, Scotch & Soda, Suitsupply, WE Fashion and C&A. The C&A Foundation partners with the Thomson Reuters Foundation on trafficking and slavery coverage.

"Workers cannot properly support their families with this wage," said the report, Doing Dutch, co-authored by Clean Clothes Campaign, the India Committee of the Netherlands, Asia Floor Wage Alliance and Cividep India.

"Food and housing, usually a one-room apartment without a water tap and with a shared toilet outdoors, are the biggest expenses. Almost everyone would like to buy healthier and more varied food, but is unable to do that because of low wages."

Responding to the report, companies have said they were putting procedures in place to overcome the challenges with regard to wages, overtime payment, working hours, creche and hostel facilities for workers.

The $40 billion Indian textile and garment industry, much of which operates in the informal sector and is poorly regulated, employs an estimated 45 million workers.

The report said there are around 300,000 workers in and around Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka, and that 80 percent of the workers in the city's 1,200-odd factories are women.

A woman worker interviewed in 2015 said she walked an hour to work and an hour back to save on bus fare.

"These women are working very hard for a pittance," said Tara Scally, spokeswoman of the Clean Clothes Campaign.

The International Labor Organization defines a living wage as a "basic human right". Last year, the Asia Floor Wage campaign pegged a decent living wage in India at 18,727 rupees ($282) per month.

"We expect garment companies to make a concrete plan for a living wage for all workers and to make sure that their procurement price enables the suppliers to pay a living wage," Gerard Oonk, director of the India Committee of the Netherlands, said in a statement.

($1 = 0.8925 euros; $1 = 66.4996 Indian rupees)
Istanbul: Turkish courts have placed 32,000 suspects under arrest ahead of trial on charges of links to a group run by US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen who is blamed for the 15 July coup, the justice minister said.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag on Tuesday told NTV television that 70,000 people had been investigated after the coup and of them 32,000 remanded in custody.

"This process is continuing," he said. The numbers of those arrested marks an increase of more than 10,000 from those previously given by the government.

Bozdag said that there could be new arrests, while some of those currently arrested could still be freed under judicial control or freed entirely.

Some two-and-a-half months after the coup attempt aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan led to a crackdown unprecedented in Turkey's modern history, there is still no indication as to when trials might start.

The trials of tens of thousands will be the biggest legal process in Turkey's history and are set to put the system under unprecedented pressure.

"It is not entirely clear how the trials will be carried out," Bozdag acknowledged.

He said trials would take place in cities across the country and not in one single venue.

Bozdag said there was no need to create a special trial venue in Istanbul as capacity was sufficient. But he said one was needed in Ankara and work is taking place for a trial venue at Sincan outside the capital.

"People are not going to be put on trial in just one place but trials will take place in all of Turkey," he said.

Turkey's Western allies have expressed concern over the magnitude of the crackdown, but Ankara has insisted that the rule of law is being observed.

Gulen, who has lived in self-exile in the United States since 1999, has denied that he was linked to the coup in any way.
New Delhi: The government on Wednesady approved the proposal for ratification of the "historic" Paris climate deal which will be formalised on 2 October, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, making India one of the key countries which would help bring the pact into force.

The nod by the Union Cabinet comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the decision which is expected to give momentum to implementation of measures at the international level to control global warming.

However, the government has decided to ratify the agreement "in the context" of its national laws, availability of means of implementation and "its own assessment" of global commitment to combating climate change.

"While agreeing to ratify the Paris Agreement, the Cabinet has also decided that India should declare that India will treat its national laws, its development agenda, availability of means of implementation, its assessment of global commitment to combating climate change, and predictable and affordable access to cleaner source of energy as the context in which the Agreement is being ratified," an official statement said.

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said, with this, India will be one of the key countries which will be instrumental in bringing the Paris Agreement into force.

"Today the Union Cabinet approved the ratification of Paris Agreement which is a historic decision. With the ratification, India will be one of the key countries instrumental in bringing the Paris Agreement into force,"

Javadekar told reporters here.

The decision will further underline India's responsive leadership, which is committed to global cause of environment protection and climate justice, he said.

Javadekar said the pact will come into force after it has been ratified by at least 55 countries which account for 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

So far, 61 countries have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval accounting in total for 47.79 per cent of the total global greenhouse gas emissions.

India's decision to ratify the Agreement will take the number of cumulative level of emission of countries that have ratified the Agreement so far to 51.89 per cent as its total emissions is 4.1 per cent of the global emissions.

"Because of India's push, now the world will ratify the deal soon. It will become irreversible course of action for humankind. It is a common resolve to keep temperature rise below two degrees Celsius. Now that target is achievable," Javadekar said.

The minister had earlier told reporters that the cumulative emissions of 61 countries put together was 51.89 per cent and India's ratification will help bridge the remaining 3 per cent to fulfil the second condition.

Paris Agreement was adopted by 185 nations last year on 12 December and India signed it in New York on 22 April this year. A total of 191 countries have signed the Paris Agreement so far.
New Delhi: A special court on Tuesday directed CBI to verify the death of an accused in a coal scam case involving Congress leader and industrialist Naveen Jindal, ex-Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao and others.

Special Judge Bharat Parashar passed the directions after he was informed by a counsel that Radha Krishna Saraf, an accused and former Director of Gagan Sponge Iron Private Ltd (GSIPL), had recently died of a heart attack in New Delhi.

The counsel said Saraf's death certificate was yet to be recieved and will be submitted to the court at the earliest.

According to family sources, his health had been deteriorating and this was his third heart attack.

The court also asked the agency to file a report by 28 September on its further probe in the case, after the CBI sought more time to file the report.

On 2 September, the CBI had filed a report in a sealed cover which included statements of certain persons recorded during the course of further investigation.

The court had earlier allowed CBI's plea that they needed to probe the case further in light of certain disclosures made by a chartered accountant, Suresh Singhal, who had sought the court's nod to turn approver.

The court had also allowed Singhal's plea for pardon and ordered deletion of his name from the list of accused.

CBI has alleged that ex-Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, also accused in the case, had favoured Jindal group firms  Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) and Gagan Sponge Iron Private Ltd (GSIPL)  in allocation of Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in Jharkhand.

Opposing CBI's contention, all the accused had said there was no evidence which showed that they were in any conspiracy during the coal block allocation process. They had also denied the allegations levelled against them by CBI in its charge sheet.
Reacting to the reports that the Centre is in the process of reviewing the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said that the treaty, while being beneficial to India and Pakistan, is not in the interest of Jammu and Kashmir.

"India and Pakistan can work together to revise the treaty and allow us to harness the rich water resources in the state. We can tell our country people that we should revise the IWT, but we can't tell that to Pakistan. The two countries should work together for peace. If the two countries can share water, why not their other resources?" an emotional Mufti told a gathering in Srinagar.

Mufti said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Pakistan with the message of peace on behalf of people of Jammu and Kashmir, but the Pathankot attack shattered that process.

Our party became the harbinger of peace when my father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, spoke of nursing the wounds of people, when the memory of Kargil war was still afresh," she said.

"In times of war, Mufti saheb urged India and Pakistan to get involved in talks and start a process of reconciliation. In 2002, we formed the government with Congress when NDA was ruling at the Centre. Atalji (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) understood Mufti saheb's point of view which had ushered in a new era of peace and prosperity in the state," she added.

After the PDP-BJP government's failure to contain the violence in the state, Mufti appealed to the gathering to give her government a chance to run and pitched for a stronger relation between India and Pakistan to fight the economic stagnation plaguing the region. She also underlined the need of a bilateral dialogue to resolve the political issue of Jammu and Kashmir.

Give us a chance, there are four and half years (left for her government). You did not give us time (to run a smooth government). Tell your kids (stone-pelters) to go home. Give opportunity to me and my government, PDP and BJP, Mufti said.

I have 80 holes in my heart (referring to deaths of over 80 youths in security force firing). Those kids, who should be playing, were instigated to attack police stations, Army camps. What do you think the reaction from the forces will be?" she asked.

Kashmir had been witnessing violence and unrest since 8 July  the day Hizbul commander Burhan Wani was killed. The violence that followed has left around 90 people dead and thousands injured. The government has employed strong-arm measures to restore order, but has so far failed to enforce its writ.

Mufti said the People's Democratic Party, of which she is the president, entered into an alliance with the BJP to take forward the mission of restoration of peace in Jammu and Kashmir. The Assembly was in session. There was an encounter in which three militants were killed. What wrong have I done? What is my fault?, she asked.

Hitting out at the Opposition for targeting the coalition government, the chief minister said the same parties, who want to keep the pot boiling in Kashmir, sold their mandate in the past to remain in power.

"Those speaking against us used to talk in the language of war when they were in power. Mufti saheb knew that Modi has the mandate of the entire country, which was why we shook hands with the BJP. We have lost widows and orphans. How long are we going to fight with each other?" she said.

We endured your hatred (for stitching alliance with BJP) and Modi came to power by winning a majority. If anybody can find a solution to the Kashmir issue, it is this government, she said.

If Muslims are safe anywhere in the world, it is in our country, Mufti said.
Nashik: Members of the OBC community will take out a rally in Nashik on 3 October in support of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who was arrested in March by Enforcement Directorate on charges of money laundering.

A decision to this effect was taken at a rally held by the Other Backward Classes (OBC) members at Nashik's Ramlila Lawns on Monday.

The rally was addressed by local OBC leaders, who praised the efforts of Bhubal in developing Nashik and other parts of the district when his party NCP was in power in the state.

They alleged that the present BJP-led state government has put the former PWD minister behind bars with a revengeful attitude, and urged people to participate in the march scheduled on 3 October.

Several OBC communities in the state have expressed their support for the march, the organisers claimed in a release in Nashik.

The development comes at a time when the Maratha community members have been holding 'silent marches' across the state demanding quota in education and government jobs.

Bhujbal, an OBC leader who is MLA from Yeola constituency in Nashik, is presently in judicial custody at a Mumbai jail after his arrest on March 14 by the Enforcement Directorate on charges of money laundering.

The Bombay High Court had on Tuesday said it was not inclined to grant the interim relief sought by Bhujbal in a petition filed by him, challenging the constitutional validity of certain sections of Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Maharashtra Rural Development Minister Pankaja Munde had last week called on the beleaguered NCP leader after he was admitted to state-run JJ hospital in Mumbai following an illness.
Patna: Family members of a suspected Indian Mujahideen operative Qateel Mohammed Jaffer Siddiqui, who was found murdered inside his cell in Pune's Yerawada Central Jail, have demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the death.

Qateel Siddiqui, a native of Bihar's Barh Samaila village in Darbhanga district, about 200 km from here, was Friday found strangled with a thin rope inside his cell in the high-security jail in Pune.

Family members and villagers are shocked and angry over Qateel's murder, as half a dozen youth hailing from the village were arrested for suspected terror links till date.

An accused in the Jama Masjid shootout case of 2010, Qateel was arrested by Delhi Police in November 2011 and was in transit remand in Pune. He was arrested for making an attempt to plant a bomb at the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati temple in Pune on the day of the German Bakery blast Feb 13, 2010.

Qateel Siddiqui's father Zafeer Ahmad Siddiqui blamed the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Mumbai Police's Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) for the murder and has demanded a CBI probe into the death.

"The IB and the ATS are behind my son's murder in jail, we demand a CBI probe into it," he told IANS over phone.

He claims that his son was innocent and that if he was accused in the blasts, it was for the court to decide the punishment for him.

"It is part of a big game to eliminate him to save the skin of concerned government agency, who falsely arrested him," Siddiqui said.

Siddiqui said he has requested the Darbhanga district magistrate and senior superintendent of police Garima Mallik to send the body of his son to Barh Samaila village, as they were unable to meet the expenses of travelling to Pune.

IANS
A lot has been said about how prime minister Narendra Modis speech in Kozhikode, a masterstroke in strategic restraint, has marked a decisive turning point in India-Pakistan relations following the recent terror attack on the Indian army in Uri.

But is this the only way to deconstruct the unchracteristically non-belligerent statement? Especially when they have come from a prime minister who has, over the years, crafted an image of himself as the iron man; a leader who has less faith in strategic restraint and more in delivering a befitting reply to the enemy across the border. It may be argued that to understand this policy about-turn we have to revisit the histories of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Prime Minister himself.

In his previous incarnation as Gujarat chief minister and a prominent leader of the hawkish BJP, Modi, time and again, attacked the then-ruling Congress dispensation for cowering before Pakistan. Recall, for example, how this party  he BJP  had turned the heat on former Congress Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the aftermath of the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. One of the slurs then repeatedly hurled at the Congress by BJP was that it was presiding over a soft state which recoiled from attacking an aggressive neighbour.

Now that it is ruling the country however, the BJP has started speaking a language similar to that of the Congress back then. Moreover, in its efforts to push the ruling party into a corner, the Congress is sounding more hawkish by the day. Political imaginations, it would appear, are not very fertile in the country.

Its important to take note of the background against which Modi delivered his head-turning speech. At a time when large sections of the media as well as many major and minor players within the government and party are exhorting the government to unleash a retaliatory war against Pakistan, the prime minister has struck a different note. Modi has stressed that Indias strategic goal is to free the country from poverty and make it prosperous. In other words, war is clearly not on the governments agenda. At least for the time being.

Now, like in 2011, it is the media which is playing the role of war-monger-in-chief. Day after day and night after night, journalists and political commentators tore into the Manmohan Singh government after 26/11 for not launching an eye for an eye style strike against Pakistan. That the government now, as then, has turned a deaf ear to incessant newsroom war drums is no doubt a welcome and positive sign.

It may however be interesting to probe the reasons that have contributed to the political and strategic continuity of shunning war, regardless of how sharp the provocation may be. While the commentariat in general has attributed Modis transformed language on Pakistan to a new strategic manoeuvre on his part. The real motivating spirit guiding the Prime Ministers change of stance, in this view, is his ambition to continue in power for at least another term. And in this matter, the current PM is only human.

Like prime ministers before and after him, Modi is not impervious to the seductive pull of power. Prime ministers of all stripes have been known to travel extraordinary lengths to hold on to their high office. In their endeavour to do so, they play footsie with their beliefs and commitments. Ideologies are not abandoned for all times to come. They are just juggled with to suit a larger game plan of holding on to power.

Behind the high-sounding phrases explaining the prime ministers speech in terms of a new found strategic restraint and the masterstroke he played at Kozhikode, lies a simpler and more basic explanation: the ambition to remain in the prime ministerial seat for as long as possible. War pales in significance when compared to the lure of leading the country for ten  maybe fifteen  years.

These differing compulsions of power goad political parties and leaders to change their minds  not some epiphanic revelation of strategic truth, or some philosophical claim to a higher form of politics. This is the basic reason why opposition leaders change colours and stances once they cross the aisle. There are no masterstrokes here  just plain and routine move of expediency that high profile leaders resort to when confronted with the dilemma of choosing political ideology over the ideology of power.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swarajs address to the United Nations on Monday was candid and categorical about Pakistan belonging to a group of nations that still speak the language of terrorism, that nurture it, peddle it, and export it. However, many in India, including the principal opposition Congress party, are disappointed that she, or for that matter the Modi government, has not been brave enough to declare Pakistan a terrorist state. In fact, the Congress now demands a special session of parliament to discuss the security situation, minimise interactions with Pakistan and declare Pakistan a terrorist state.

Meanwhile, parliamentarian Rajeev Chandrashekhar has written to Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari giving notice to introduce a Bill to declare Pakistan a terrorist state. The Bill  titled Declaration of States as Sponsor of Terrorism Bill, 2016  aims at withdrawing economic and trade relations with Pakistan, imposing economic and travel sanctions on Pakistani citizens and punishing any resident or citizen of India if he or she violates the new law on Pakistan with imprisonment for a term extending to five years in prison, or fine, or both.

What is equally notable is that fact that it is not only India where law makers want Pakistan to be declared a terrorist state. Last week in the United States (22 September), two lawmakers, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism Ted Poe and Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, moved a bill in Congress seeking designation of Pakistan as a 'state sponsor of terrorism'. Terming Pakistan as an "untrustworthy ally" that "has also aided and abetted enemies of the US for years", they want President Barack Obama to issue a report within 90 days of passage of the bill detailing whether or not Pakistan has provided support for 'international terrorism', thirty days after which the Secretary of State must issue a follow-up report containing either a determination that Pakistan is state sponsor of terrorism or a detailed justification as to why Pakistan does not meet the legal criteria for designation."

There is even a petition on the White House website asking for Pakistan to be declared as a state sponsor of terrorism. It is gathering massive support from netizens. According to The Times of India, created with a goal of 100,000 signatures on 21 September, there have been over 82,000 signatories in less than five days. The petition states that declaring Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism is "important to the people of United States of America, India and many other countries which are continuously affected by Pakistan-sponsored terrorism."

Incidentally, this was not the first time that there are voices in the US demanding punishment to Pakistan. There have been occasions when the US lawmakers have curtailed and suspended economic and military aid to Pakistan for its duplicity on the front of fighting terrorism. In fact, in 1993, there was an equally powerful move in the US to declare Pakistan a terrorist state. Once designated a terrorist state, Pakistan or for that matter any other country, the designation triggers unilateral sanctions by the US that include a ban on weapons exports and sales; the imposition of financial and other curbs, as well as a ban on economic assistance; and restrictions on the exports of items that can be used by the country to enhance its military capability or its ability to support terrorism.

With the removal of Cuba from the list in April this year, North Korea in 2008, Libya in 2006 and Iraq in 1982 (that time the US was supporting Sadam Hussain), there are at present three countries designated as terrorist states under US laws : Iran, Sudan and Syria.

Coming back to Pakistan, the pertinent question is: Does Pakistan really deserve to be a terrorist state? If so, then why has it not been so designated so far?

None other than a former Pakistani ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, has written in his book, Magnificent Delusions, about how his government, through its army and intelligence agencies (ISI in particular), aids and abets the murder of civilians by terrorist organisations. Carlotta Gall , a journalist with the The New York Times and the author of The Wrong Enemy: America in Afghanistan 2001-2014, has described in details how Pakistan facilitated the Taliban and Al-Qaeda offensives and gave shelter and protection to Osama bin Laden till his death in 2011. So much so that in 2012, a Pakistani court brought down a guilty verdict against the Pakistani doctor, Shakil Afridi, who helped the CIA locate bin Laden in May 2011 for treason and convicted him of 33-year prison sentence.

In fact, though a Western ally in the war on terrorism, Pakistan does more to enable the jihadis than fight them. As has been pointed out by a former US diplomat, Peter Tomsen, who served in the region, Pakistans spy agency, the ISI, has actively supported militant groups in Kashmir (and the rest of India and Afghanistan). Though three of those groups  Harakat ul Mujahidin, Lashkar-e Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-I Mohammad  are on the US State Departments list of terrorist organisations, Pakistan supports them. On the Afghanistan front, the ISI assists on the Taliban, the Haqqani network, and the Hekmatyar outfit (which has just reached a compromise with the Afghan government). It becomes plain that Pakistani spooks effectively are co-coordinating a horizontally diversified terrorist empire spanning three nations (India, Pakistan and Afghanistan), writes Tomsen.

Incidentally, the LeT and its leader Hafiz Saeed are proscribed by the United Nations under UNSC Resolution 1267 that requires member-states to impose asset freezes, travel bans and arms embargos. But for Pakistani ISI, Saeed is its most treasured asset against India. So is Jaish-e-Mohammad leader Masood Azhar, the mastermind behind the recent Uri-attack. Similarly, Sirajuddin Haqqani, the leader of the Haqqani network, moves freely around Pakistan and regularly visits the Pakistani intelligence headquarters of the Afghan campaign in Rawalpindi. Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, the new leader of the Taliban, guides his military campaign from his base in near the Pakistani town of Quetta. And, Al-Qaedas leader, Ayman al-Zawahri, enjoys sanctuary in Pakistan in the southwestern corner of Baluchistan.

In his book Deadly Connections: States That Sponsor Terrorism, Daniel Byman points out how Pakistan's funding, arming, training and diplomatic support of varied terrorist groups active in Kashmir have emboldened the terrorists all over the world. So close is the tie between the Pakistani state and these outfits that its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) "selects targets, including civilian ones and knows about major attacks in advance", writes Byman. And what is worse, it is the Pakistani Army that is Islamicising Jaish-e-Mohammad, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Pakistan also inserted foreign fighters from the Taliban and Al-Qaeda to boost the sagging fortunes of these movements from time to time, Byman adds.

In fact, Pakistani territory is now being used to nurture global terror, particularly in Europe and the United States. All major terror incidents have invariably some Pakistani link or the other. The bombings that injured 29 people in New York early this month was done by one Ahmad Khan Rahami, a 28-year-old naturalised US citizen born in Afghanistan, who was trained in Pakistan in 2014. Similarly, the aborted bomb attempt at New Yorks Times Square in May 2010 was by Faisal Shahzad, a 30-year-old Pakistani-American, who had close links with the Jaish-e Muhammad (JeM) and LeT.

Pakistan has produced the CIA shooter Mir Aimal Kasi; the 1993 World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef (born in Kuwait to Pakistani parents); 11 September attacks (9/11) mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed; Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl's kidnapper, Omar Saeed Sheikh; and three of the four men behind the July 2005 train and bus bombings in London. And as the Wall Street Journal columnist Sadanand Dhume points out, the list of jihadists not from Pakistan themselves  but whose passage to jihadism passes through that country  is even longer. Among them are Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri, Mohamed Atta, shoe bomber Richard Reid, and John Walker Lindh, the so-called American Taliban. Over the past decade, Pakistani fingerprints have shown up on terrorist plots in, among other places, Germany, Denmark, Spain and the Netherlands.

As I have invariably argued, since its establishment as a separate country based on religious ideology in 1947, Pakistan has attempted to use religious extremism and terrorism as tools, in addition to its military forces, to ensure its continued existence. Pakistan has established more madrassas than schools with the objective to empower, train and recruit people for the jihad in various parts of the world. A recent study says that it has more than 150,000 religious schools (madrassas), most of whom are training recruits in extremism and violence under the name of Islam.

Despite all these clinching evidences, if Pakistan has not been declared a terrorist state by the countries that matter in the world, it is essentially because of geopolitical imperatives. Pakistan is exploiting its geographic location of connectivity to West Asia, Central Asia and South Asia to the fullest. The US has been dependent on Pakistan for logistical support in its Afghan war. Secondly, Pakistan is successfully blackmailing the rest of the world for more indulgence, lest it will be active in nuclear and missile proliferations. Thirdly, it enjoys the support of China, which behaves now as the ultimate super power of the world. No sanctions against Pakistan will work as long as it, like North Korea, enjoys the Chinese military and economic support. On the other hand, with sanctions, one will lose whatever leverage one has with Pakistan and thus will be entirely at the mercy of China (as is the case now with North Korea) to control the Pakistani misdemeanors, a highly dangerous proposition.
It's time that the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), popularly known as the BMC, was superseded by someone neutral  and not the politicians who are corporators  to put the city back to a working condition. The law allows such abolition of elected body if there are good reasons.

And there are good reasons.

Over time, it has failed to meet the needs of the city, even the basic or the minimal ones. It, however, seems to have satisfied the elected representatives, which shows there is a link between a badly managed city and their satisfaction.

This is no plea to de-democratise the civic body which is supposed to reflect the popular will in a system we have known as local self-government. It is only intended to provide the political class a shock because before the 2017 BMC election, a game of smoke and mirrors will be played to fool the citizens.

The irony is that on the strength of popular vote, these politicians within months of being elected, develop vested interests. People cease to be of any use to them till the next elections, when not the citys, but diverse local issues  the political affiliation, wealth, influence  decide the winner.

If the corporators are sent home, who would be the best choice, apart from allowing an IAS official, to continue as commissioner? The commissioner, whoever the individual is, and however well-intentioned, has been trammeled in doing his work. The commissioner is the administration, the corporators are to deliberate and guide policy and the mayor is the titular head.

The elected representatives from the wards, however, hardly seem to do much, and not even act as watchdogs and ensure the delivery to the city its due in terms of facilities and services. They fight among themselves on inconsequential issues, and make a song and dance about them. Then they use their influence to ensure benefits to anybody, including themselves, but not to the city.

An IAS official who is always the commissioner, and of a high rank in the pecking order, however, somehow stays his hand when dealing with the politicians. Who knows who among them would become a minister and head a department? Civic bodies have been the cradle for most politicians with ambition.

For instance, the names of Murli Deora, Manohar Joshi, Diwakar Raote, Sudhir Joshi, Chhagan Bhujbal, Narayan Rane come easily to mind. A few became the chief minister, including the incumbent Devendra Fadnavis, who was once a corporator in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation. Some were mayor before moving upwards and officials, however honest, tend to be practical.

There are few like SS Tinaikar, who some irked politicians describe as 'misguided' and 'uncooperative' which meant they could not have their way in fixing deals. Of course, it has to be acknowledged that 'being practical' is walking the tightrope. And the city loses in the bargain.

The Bombay High Court has had to intervene a number of times to instruct the MCGM to perform its task properly. Had the administration led by the commissioner  who is the CEO  been allowed to function, the courts would not have been in the picture. The fact that it has to direct the removal of illegal hoardings, ensure roads are proper, provide water to city slums etc. from time to time are reasons enough.

The chief minister had to give 15 days to the civic body to fill up the potholes, a thing it ought to have done in the normal course, is reason enough for dissolving the civic body.

If you have followed the various high court orders you would know what I mean. For instance, it fell upon the same court to ask that city agencies  including the MCGM  prepare a holistic policy to reduce road congestion. The civic body had to be told!

It would be better to keep the politicians out till the city comes back to a semblance of a well-managed city.
The Kothrud Police arrested a 45-year-old man for assaulting a girl and her mother after the latter prevented civic officials from taking away stray puppies they had given shelter to.

In a despicable and brazen show of anger, Milind Kale, the accused in question, hit Sejal Saraf and her mother Sonali with chappals and banged Sejal's head to a wall. Sejal even lost her tooth in the scuffle.

The incident took place at a housing society in suburban Kothrud on Saturday.

Kale was arrested under sections 325 (causing grievous hurt), 354 (outraging modesty of woman), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.

The incident came to light after its CCTV footage, in which Kale is seen hitting them with a shoe, went viral on social media.

According to the police, a stray female dog in the area gave birth to four puppies and died a few days later. Sejal and Sonali took care of the puppies as they needed medical attention.

However, Kale called the Pune Municipal Corporation to take away the puppies. But on informing that the two-month-old puppies can't be held captive as they need medical attention, the civic officials left.

An argument ensued between the Kale and the mother-daughter duo, following which Kale started hitting the duo with shoes, slapped and kicked them.

Talking to a Marathi news channel, Sejal said, "We were looking after the puppies as they were ill. The puppies started entering the building. Kale lodged a complaint with the Pune Municipal Corporation to get rid of the puppies. When the PMC employees heard our request to not to take the two-month-old puppies, Kale came to us and started abusing and hit us both. He hit my head to a wall and I lost my tooth."

It was not the first time that a complaint was lodged against Kale, said Sejal. "Earlier too we had a similar fight over dogs, but no action was taken then. Now that he is arrested, he deserves it."

Invoking Animal welfare law, Sonali, Sejal's mother told the channel that PMC has no right to take away puppies below six months old. "PMC employees understood that they can't take away two-month-old puppies. That's why they left. Besides, it's inhumane and, of course, criminal to hit women like this. Kale should be brought to justice."

"We were even thinking to change the location of the puppies on Sunday if they were causing inconvenience to the residents. But before we could do that, Kale brought this on us," Sonali said.

The puppies are currently housed with Sejal's friend since the matter got out of hand.

Kale was produced in the court on Monday which remanded him in one-day police custody.

You can watch the video of the scuffle here:

With inputs from PTI
Catholics, who have drifted away from the church in the southern Indian state of Kerala due to various reasons, need not miss the sacraments that they believe nourish their spiritual life.

An association of former priests in the state, which is believed to be the cradle of Christianity in Asia, has come out with a Rent a Priest service to deliver them not only sacraments but also other spiritual services.

Catholics attach much importance to sacraments as they believe it is the vehicle of grace created by Jesus Christ himself. There are seven sacraments. They are Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Annointing of the sick, Marriage and Holy orders.

The 'rent a priest' service is part of a move by the former priests to establish an open church as a common platform for themselves as well as those who have fallen off the mainstream of the Church due to various reasons.

The movement initiated under the auspices of Catholic priests, ex-priests and nuns association is similar to church without walls gaining popularity in many countries in the West. Reji Njallani, national president of the association, said the open church proposed by them will not have the trappings of organized religion.

It will neither have an administrative system like the existing Church nor any social or commercial institutions. Members who join the Open Church will be free to follow and practice traditions according to their wishes, he said.

Reji told the Firstpost that they would also try to attract members of the conventional Church who like to free themselves from the shackles of organized religion. There are thousands of faithful in the Catholic Church who are disillusioned with the wrong practices of the Church.

They have been silently tolerating them as they feared persecution from the Church. It is a common practice in the Catholic Church to deny the faithful sacraments like baptism, marriage and burial whenever they speak against the wrongs of the Church authorities, Reji said.

Reji said many faithful were sticking to the Church as they were not ready to forgo the sacraments. Under the rent a priest service launched for the first time in India in July this year, the faithful can hire any ex-priest listed with the association to officiate wedding, funeral or any other ceremony.

The association which was formed in March 2015 with the basic objective of ensuring social acceptance and protection to priests and nuns who have either retired from active ministry or quit the vocation due to various reasons has at present 200 priests, including 15 retired priests as its members.

Apart from these, there are about 10,000 ex-priests spread all over India. Most of them were willing to serve the faithful in whatever way they can, said KP Shibhu Kalamparampil, secretary of the association.

The ministering by ex-priests is not approved by the Roman Catholic Church. The ex-priests are not worried about this since those seeking the sacraments in the state are those who are living outside the purview of the Church.

The rent a priest service is similar to the one originated in the United States in the early 1990s. The service in the US was launched in 1992 by Louise Haggett after her devout mother passed away without a priest to perform her last rites.

She found that many of the churches in her area (Brunswick) did not have even mass on Sundays due to shortage of priests. The shortage was caused by a steady rise in the number of priests who opted for a married life.

Though the Catholic Church does not allow married priests to continue their pastoral duties, Haggett claimed that the Canon Law that the Catholics follow did not prevent them from administering sacraments.

The problem in India is not shortage of priests as in US and other western countries but denial of sacraments by the practicing priests. The Church has been denying this to many for various reasons, says Reji.

A retired priest from Veropally diocese active in the association said a major problem was the conflict between the Church rules and the modern life. Modern youth is not ready to comply with many of the Church rules, especially those related to marriage.

While a youth like to marry a partner he likes, the Church wants him to confine to his faith. If the Church is not ready to conduct such a wedding, the parties involved in it will leave the Church and go for registered marriages. The rent a priest service can prevent this by solemnising the marriage, said priest.

Mounting financial demand from the Church is another major reason for the flight of faithful. The demand has been rising with the Church expanding its activities in the state in a big way. Besides building new churches or rebuilding old churches, the Church has also been trying to establish new colleges and hospitals. The money for these activities will have to come from the laity.

Those who have not paid the money will be forced to pay it whenever they approach the parish for any service. Priests normally administer sacraments only after they clear the dues. This is the reason why many are denied sacraments. Those who are unable to pay will apparently leave the Church, says Reji.

He said a farmer in Idukki district had approached the association for blessing his farm house at Chelachuvadu after the church there tried to extract money from him. Augustine Kurian, who built the farm house to take care of the crops in the land he owned outside his native place, alleged that church had tried to take money from him by asking him to take a membership in the parish under which his farm house comes.

Augustine Kurian, who is already a member of the parish at Karikunnam where his house is situated, refused to take dual membership and got the farm house blessed by an ex-priest. The 60-year-old Catholic told the Firstpost that he was happy that the priests association did not demand any money from him.

The number of people leaving the Church is rising in India because of the wrong practices of the authorities. We have launched the rent a priest service to retain them within the Church, says Shibhu, who blessed Augustines farm house.

Our idea is to bring all Christians under one umbrella. At present they are scattered in different denominations and sects. We will begin the unification with the Catholics. Being the major denomination, Catholics have the responsibility to take a lead in this regard, Reji added.

The Church authorities have sought to play down the moves by the ex priests. The official spokesperson of Syro-Malabar Church, the largest of the three Catholic rites in Kerala, refused to comment on the development when Firstpost sought his reaction.

There is no need for the Church to comment on the move by the priests association. There are several organisations like this among the Christians. We cannot comment on the activities of each and every organisation. Normally we do not make any such comments, the priest said.
It's ironic. The party was formed and united by cartoons, but now, the party appears to be on the verge of a breakdown because of a cartoon. The Shiv Sena was born from a weekly cartoon magazine called Marmik. Party founder and supremo for many decades Bal Thackeray was known to the world through his cartoons. But now the Shiv Sena is in trouble for publishing a cartoon in its mouthpiece Saamana.

In the years gone by, the Shiv Sena  it could be said  stretched the limits of Freedom of Expression when taking down its targets through cartoons. But, this is the first time the Maratha community has demanded an apology from Saamana executive editor Sanjay Raut and Sena president-cum-Saamana editor Uddhav Thackeray for publishing a cartoon that hurt the sentiments of the community. The crisis comes at a time when the party is in its 50th year.

The Sena on Wednesday published an apology by its cartoonist Shrinivas Prabhudesai, after the Saamana office in Navi Mumbai was pelted with stones over a cartoon published. But now, the Maratha Kranti Morcha organisers want apologies from Raut and Uddhav. Published on the front page page of Saamana's Wednesday edition, Prabhudesai's apology read: "There was no intention to hurt anyone's sentiments. The controversy over the cartoon is unnecessary. I am an artist and not a political cartoonist. The issue was made political and some people attempted to drag the Shiv Sena as well as Saamana into it and therefore, I am issuing this clarification."

"With great humility, I would like to state that I did not wish to hurt the sentiments of any community; I apologise for that," Prabhudesai continued, adding, "In a busy life, my intention is put a smile on people's face. That's why I make cartoons."

Speaking to Firstpost, a senior journalist from the Pudhari newspaper Uday Tanpathak suggested it was a case of chickens coming home to roost. "The cartoon published in Saamana was in bad taste. It hurts people's sentiments. It's not only the Maratha Morcha remark in the cartoon, I am very hurt by the remark against martyrs (referring to the frame wherein a cop looks at a dead soldier and says "Something's amiss. This soldier died as a result of dengue and not a terror attack"). It's below the belt. Nobody thinks this way about our soldiers. The Sena never respects the Freedom of Expression of others," he added, "Also a leader like Pramod Mahajan used to ask Bal Thackeray to caricature him, now nobody wants any cartoons on any political leader," he said.

A cartoonist and senior journalist with Lokmat Sandip Pradhan said that in the current situation, this type of cartoon cannot be published. "The silent morcha has been organised by the Maratha community and it damages the law-and-order situation. It's interesting that earlier it was the Sena attacking media houses and now others are attacking Saamana office," he added. Of 63 Sena MLAs, 38 are from the Maratha community and are under pressure to resign (from members of their own community). "There are internal politics within the Sena and due to this, a section of Sena leaders want an apology from Raut. This has united Raut's rivals," added Pradhan.

Sources in the Shiv Sena said Raut had refused to tender an apology and that was why Maratha Sena leader Subhash Desai issued a press note about the cartoon. Desai blamed the Congress and the NCP for what he said was fuelling the ongoing pro-reservation agitation among Marathas all over the state."They ruled the state for 15 years, but did nothing for Maratha reservation. They created a farce of reservation, which was later struck down by the courts," he said.

Desai added that Uddhav has fully supported the ongoing Maratha agitation and even Raut had backed it through his writings in Saamana, but elements like (Opposition leaders) Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and Dhananjay Munde are spoiling the peaceful atmosphere in the state.

In the years gone by, the Shiv Sena  it could be said  stretched the limits of Freedom of Expression when taking down its targets through cartoons

Incidentally, three youths on Tuesday arrived in a vehicle at the Saamana printing press building located in Sanpada in Navi Mumbai, and allegedly pelted it with stones and fled. Shiv Sena's office in Navi Mumbai was also attacked by the workers of Sambhaji Brigade, a Maratha outfit. Commissioner of police (Navi Mumbai) Hemant Nagrale told Firstpost, An incident of stone-pelting was reported at the Saamana office, Sanpada, where two or three windows have been damaged."

"An offence is being registered against the culprits. Investigations will be conducted and appropriate action will be taken against the accused. Pursuant to the incident of stone-pelting at the Saamana office in Sanpada, an offence has been registered vide CR No 140/2016, U/S 336,427 of IPC against Shrikrushna Sawant, Amol Jadhavrao, Manojdada Aakhre, Purushottam Khedkar, office-bearers of the Sambhaji Brigade and others," said Nagrale and added, "The said attack is purported to condemn the article in Saamana, with damage worth Rs 30,000 caused. An investigation being conducted and accused will be arrested soon.
Jammu/New Delhi: The NIA on Wednesday secured 10 days' remand of two "guides" from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir who allegedly facilitated infiltration by Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists responsible for the brazen attack on an army camp in Uri earlier this month.

The two  Faisal Hussain Awan and Ahsaan Khursheed  both residents of Muzaffarabad in PoK, were produced before a designated court in Jammu which remanded them in NIA's

custody.

The duo has since been brought to the national capital where they would be interrogated by a joint team of officials of various security agencies besides being subjected to scientific tests.

During their preliminary interrogation, the two were claimed to have admitted to having facilitated infiltration by a group of four JeM militants who carried out the Uri army camp attack.

On being shown the photographs of the four terrorists killed in retaliatory action, accused Faisal Hussain Awan identified one of them as Hafeez Ahmed, a resident of village Dharbang, Muzaffarabad, in PoK.

The two were arrested in a joint operation by the BSF and the army at 'Angoor Post' at Gavalata village in Uri last Saturday when they were trying to infiltrate into India.

As both were residents of PoK, the army authorities interrogated them about whether they had any knowledge regarding the Uri attack in which four terrorists had stormed an army camp on 18 September and killed 18 soldiers.

The duo initially said they had inadvertently crossed over into India but during sustained interrogation were claimed to have admitted that they had facilitated the infiltration by Uri attackers and also helped their interrogators identify one of the militants involved in the assault, the sources said.
Mercury poisoning in Kodaikanal, a hill station 530 kms from Chennai, due to dumping of toxic waste by Unilever's now-shut thermometer factory is one of the the most infamous cases of shirking of corporate social responsibility in India.

Chennai-based activist-rapper Sofia Ashraf's resounding message that 'Kodaikanal won't step down' to Unilever's negligence created waves across the world. When Sofia sang about the issues in to the tune of Nicki Minaj's Anaconda, it got over three million likes on YouTube and the video went viral on social media.

The viral video had such an impact that Hindustan Unilever finally bowed down and agreed to compensate 591 ex-mercury factory workers.

But the battle isn't done yet for Sofia and the activist, who have been fighting the battle against mercury poisoning in Kodaikanal for over 15 years.

Despite the compensation given to the employees, Sofia's asserts that the ecologically sensitive area around Kodaikanal hasn't been cleaned up to acceptable standards by Polman and co. and that they have released 'independent reports' and they've worked hand in glove with the Central Pollution Control Board to shirk away responsibility. Not only did he skirt around the issue of cleaning up the thermometer factory, he also went on to ridicule the work of the activists, stating that the issue had to be dealt with 'facts, not false emotions'.

Working actively solution kodai #UnileverPollutes for several years already Determined to solve.Need others too and facts not false emotions  Paul Polman (@PaulPolman) August 6, 2015

This tweet and Unilever's lacklustre treatment of the ecology in Kodaikanal motivated Sofia to post another video, this time without rapping, to give Polman 'the facts' that he didn't seem to get the memo about.

In the video, Sofia mixes satire, analogies and little bit of Rajinikanth to make her point. With this point Sofia ensure that Kodaikanal truly won't step down.

In the video, she explains why the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) proposal to clean the mercury contamination in Kodaikanal to level of 20 mg/kg was not up to par. Besides being toxic for residents, it also continues to cause damage to the ecologically sensitive Pambar Shola forest area.

To put it in perspective, she compares the CPCB verdict to the United Kingdom soil guideline value for residential areas, which puts the limit at 1 mg/kg!

Sofia concludes that the public record on Unilever's mercury contamination in Kodaikanal leaves more to be desired. To ensure that the company's contamination is cleaned-up to a high standard, Sofia, along with campaigning organisation Jhatkaa, have devised an online petition for Indias Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave.
This Thursday, ten years will have passed since the Khairlanji massacre where Bhaiyyalal Bhotmange, a Dalit, lost his family in a village in Maharashtra. On 29 September 2006, Bhotmange, 61, went to work on his farm near the village, and when he came back, he found his wife Surekha, 45, daughter Priyanka, 17, sons Sudhir and Roshan, 21 and 19, murdered by a mob. The massacre enraged Dalits, who took to the streets for a wide-spread silent protest, which soon got aggressive.

The 10-year anniversary of the incident coincides with the Maratha-Kunbi movement for abrogation of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act which was triggered by the rape of a girl by Dalits in Kopardi in July. Rallies held by lakhs of people in absolute silence have been going on across Maharashtra for more than a month.

This Thursday, the Maratha movement reminds us of that fateful evening of 29 September.

The Khairlanji massacre

On 28 September 2006, Surekha, Bhaiyyalal's wife had lodged a complaint against the participants in an assault on the village policeman, another Dalit, Siddharth Gajbhiye. The accused were members of the politically dominant Kunbi caste who had received the OBC status by the Maharashtra government in 2001.

The day after the complaint was lodged, the accused were arrested but soon let off on bail after which they returned to the village and lynched the Bhotmange family.

For three hours that evening, as Bhaiyyalal was on his farm, a group of villagers surrounded the hut where the family lived, then abused, assaulted, and killed the four people. There were allegations that the women in the family were raped, however the CBI investigations concluded that they weren't.

That evening when Bhaiyyalal came home, he saw his dead family.

The incident wasn't picked up by the media immediately. However as the Dalits of the state started a widespread movement seeking justice, the details of the incident came to light. This incident triggered one of the most prominent Dalit movement.

In September 2008, six people, who were charged with wiping out the Dalit family, were given death sentence for the crime by the specially appointed Fast Track trial court.

However in July 2010, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court in the case disappointing large sections of the Dalit community as they, on appeal, commuted the death sentence on the grounds that it was "not the rarest of the rare cases" warranting the death penalty. The court modified the life terms of the accused and gave them 25-year imprisonment.

The judges presiding on the case ruled that the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 was not applicable to the Khairlanji case. In their view there was no caste angle to the case. The panel who heard the appeal held that the murders of Surekha, Priyanka, Sudhir and the visually challenged Roshan was not motivated by caste prejudice; it was a case of "revenge killing."

According to an editorial by The Hindu, the caste profile of the Khairlanji village in Bhandara district was relevant to the case as the Other Backward caste (OBC) people formed a majority of the village. The village was known for its prejudice against Dalits.

The case is currently being presided over by the Supreme court and Bhaiyyalal hopes that he gets justice. Each year the Dalit-Buddhist organisations light candles on the spot where the family once lived. Today the hut is gone but Bhaiyyalal keeps the iron cot as a reminder of the events that occurred.

The Maratha agitation

In the past two months, the Maratha community has taken out various silent marches in Maharashtra in cities like Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Amravati, etc. demanding justice in the rape and murder of a girl at Kopardi in Ahmednagar district two months ago.

On 13 July, a 15-year-old Maratha girl was allegedly gang raped and murdered by four Dalit youths who inflicted injuries all over her body. They allegedly broke her limbs too before throttling her at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar.

The incident had sparked public outrage as well as a political slug-fest, with the Congress demanding Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' resignation on "moral grounds".

After the gang-rape, Maratha Kranti silent morchas were held in Akola, Nanded, Beed, Osmanabad, Aurangabad, Jalgaon and Jalna districts.

Apart from demanding death penalty for the accused, the Maratha community leaders pressed for scrapping of the SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act), saying it is grossly misused, and also raised other demands like quota in education and jobs.

As pointed out in a previous Firstpost report, the entire Dalit community of Kopardi village wanted death penalty for the accused an yet they weren't allowed to be part of the protest. This has raised questions over the legitimacy of the intentions of the protests.

The situation today

The two incidents of murder have triggered responses from the two communities  Dalit and Maratha. After brutal incidents such as Kopardi incident, the Dadri lynching (where a family was massacred for allegedly consuming beef), the Una incident (where four youth were canned for carrying cow carcasses), and the Rohit Vemula case (where a Dalit scholar of the Hyderabad University committed suicide after being suspended), tempers are fraying and it remains to be seen which, if any community recieves justice.
Chennai: Madras High Court on Tuesday observed that the notification for next month's local body polls in Tamil Nadu was done 'in a rush' without giving breathing time to political parties to prepare themselves and directed the state government to give details of the date of notification and date of nominations in previous polls.

The court, acting on a petition from DMK, seeking to quash the notification, asked the State Election Commission why the polls were announced on Sunday evening and the process of receiving nominations commenced the next day itself, without giving breathing time to political parties and orally observed that it was done 'in a rush'.

DMK had also sought a direction to Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, Tamil Nadu State Election Commission, Director of Town Panchayats, Commissioner of Corporation of Chennai, to conduct the polls by strictly providing adequate reservation to Scheduled Tribes, followed by necessary rotation of seats in all the posts, as mandated in the Constitution.

The party said that under the Constitution, reservation for Scheduled Tribes, both in panchayats and municipalities throughout the state is mandatory, while no reservation was made for STs for the post of District Panchayat presidents and Panchayat Union Presidents.

It alleged that even in Chennai, reservation for STs was not made available.

DMK submitted that the notification was issued on Sunday evening and the process of receiving nominations started the next day. While no time was given to parties, the ruling party, which came to know of the reservations in advance, released the list of candidates on Sunday night itself.

DMK produced an earlier judgement of the Full Court and said the plea is maintainable.The court perused it and pointed out that the order was actually against the then DMK regime.

"You are actually using the bomb which was fired against you," the court said.

The Advocate General submitted that the writ was not maintainable on two grounds.The first was that there is bar on hearing the election petition particularly after the issue of the election notification.

The other was that the term of local bodies cannot be extended after five years and it is mandatory to conduct the elections before the expiry of current term, he said.

The court however orally observed that there was a rush on the issue of notification and directed the Advocate General to furnish details of the date of notification and the date of nominations in the previous elections.

It then posted the matter for further hearing to 6 October.

On 25 September, the State Election Commission had said that elections to over 1.31 lakh local body posts in Tamil Nadu will be held in two phases on 17 and 19 October.

It had said the nominations would begin on 26 September.
Istanbul: Turkish courts have placed 32,000 suspects under arrest ahead of trial on charges of links to a group run by US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen who is blamed for the 15 July coup, the justice minister said on Wednesday.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told NTV television that 70,000 people had been investigated after the coup and of them 32,000 remanded in custody.

"This process is continuing," he said. The numbers of those arrested marks an increase of more than 10,000 from those previously given by the government.

Bozdag said that there could be new arrests, while some of those currently arrested could still be freed under judicial control or freed entirely.

Some two-and-a-half months after the coup attempt aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan led to a crackdown unprecedented in Turkey's modern history, there is still no indication as to when trials might start.

The trials of tens of thousands will be the biggest legal process in Turkey's history and are set to put the system under unprecedented pressure.

"It is not entirely clear how the trials will be carried out," Bozdag acknowledged.

He said trials would take place in cities across the country and not in one single venue.

Bozdag said there was no need to create a special trial venue in Istanbul as capacity was sufficient. But he said one was needed in Ankara and work is taking place for a trial venue at Sincan outside the capital.

"People are not going to be put on trial in just one place but trials will take place in all of Turkey," he said.

Turkey's Western allies have expressed concern over the magnitude of the crackdown, but Ankara has insisted that the rule of law is being observed.

Gulen, who has lived in self-exile in the United States since 1999, has denied that he was linked to the coup in any way.
Notorious warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar is back to centre stage in Afghanistan and could play a pivotal role in the future political arrangement of the country. Hekmatyar is rumoured to be hiding somewhere in Pakistan but with last weeks deal signed between his party the Hezb-i-Islami and the National Unity Government, it will not be long before the butcher of Kabul resurfaces. Hekmatyar, a former Mujahideen leader was a favourite of the Americans when he was fighting the Russians. He was also close to the Pakistani military and virulently anti-Indian. Pakistan is hoping to use the Hekmatyar card against India. Whether it will work remains to be seen.

Last weeks agreement will give Hekmatyar and his supporters immunity for killing thousands of Afghan civilians in the civil war that wracked the country soon after the Russian soldiers left. Hekmatyar, who is a US and UN-designated global terrorist, has also been promised that his name will be deleted from the global terror list. Washington, desperate to have a political settlement in Afghanistan has promised to help. In return, Hekmatyar has promised to give up violence and abide by the Afghan Constitution.

His entry will shake up the political situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan is hoping he will be in a position to ensure that President Ashraf Ghani cools down his enthusiasm for India. Soon after becoming president, Ghani had vowed to reset ties with Pakistan which remained bitter during his successor Hamid Karzais tenure. Karzai had excellent relations with India, and Islamabad had often charged New Delhi and Kabul of destabilising Baluchistan through Indian operatives posted in Jalalabad. Ghani started his tenure by wooing Pakistans military, breaking protocol to call on then army chief General Ashfaq Kayani at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Ghani had hoped that Pakistan would get the Taliban to negotiate a peace deal with the new government. Ghani had campaigned for getting all Afghans on the table for a political solution to the current impasse. The hopes were belied, with the President now accusing Pakistans military of using the Haqqani network and allowing the use of its territory to launch attacks in Afghanistan.

Will Hekmatyar be in a position to change the Presidents approach to India remains to be seen. Pakistan will hope to use the Hekmatyar to its advantage, but it is too early to predict anything in the complicated tribal intrigues of Afghanistan.

For one, the Hezb-i-Islami is no longer the force it once was. Many of them have long split from Hekmatyar and joined the Taliban others have now joined Daesh. The Hezb have been attacking foreign soldiers and like the Taliban wants all foreign troops out of Afghanistan. The Hezb can claim to be as nationalistic as the Taliban as they had never played footsie with the US or any other Western power. Having these fierce nationalists come overground may encourage many of the Taliban to do so. Moreover, Hekmatyar is a Pashtun, and the majority of the Taliban also come from the Pasthun heartland. They are the largest group among the various tribes in the country and without Pashtuns involved no peace settlement can be meaningful. Negotiations between the government and the Hezb has been on the for last two years. President Ashraf Ghani's government of technocrats have been unable to deliver. It came to power with the grand promise of reconcilation and peace with the Taliban. But each successive day the Taliban is growing in strength and is in control of large swathes of territory in the countryside. It has also carried out daring terror strikes under the very nose of the government in the capital. The government is hoping that Hekmatyars decision to give up violence may encourage many within the Taliban to do the same.

Whether the expectations are justified is hard to tell. But Gulbuddin Hekmatyar is a shrewd and ambitious politician besides being a ruthless warrior. Some believe he has set his eyes on the presidency and will be playing his cards right. There are reports from Afghanistan quoting a senior Hezb leader that the former warlord will throw his hat in the ring for the 2019 presidential elections.

Given Hekmatyars anti-Indian stand, his resurrection will be a plus for Pakistans deep state, unhappy with Ghanis current close ties with New Delhi. Pakistan can now rely not just on the Taliban but also the Hizb to ensure that a final settlement of the Afghan problem will ensure a friendly Pasthun dominated government in power in Kabul. Rawalpindis long-term strategic goal is to minimise Indias presence in its backyard and if possible get India completely out of Afghanistan as it was during the Taliban rule. The Modi government's open support for the Baluch cause is disquieting for General Raheel Sharif and his men. A pro-India government in Kabul will help both Afghanistan and India to stir the Baloch cauldron even more. Taking all this into consideration Pakistan must be relieved that Hekmatyar is back in the centre stage of Afghanistans politics. How this will eventually pan out will be worth watching.
Jakarta, Indonesia: Rescuers in Indonesia were dispatched Wednesday to evacuate nearly 400 tourists, most of them foreigners, after a volcano erupted at one of the country's most popular hiking destinations, an official said.

Mount Barujari began erupting late Tuesday afternoon, sending columns of ash and smoke shooting 2 kilometres into the sky over Lombok island, a tourist hotspot to the immediate east of Bali.

Nearly 400 people were recorded as hiking near Barujari  a smaller cone within the crater of Mount Rinjani  when it began erupting, prompting plans for their immediate evacuation, said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

"A rescue team has been sent to Mount Rinjani to evacuate the tourists. They set off on Wednesday morning," he said.

Hikers have been told to keep at least 3 kilometres from the smouldering volcano, a key attraction on the multi-day trek to the summit of Mount Rinjani made by thousands of tourists every year.

Nugroho said 389 hikers were recorded as having entered the national park since Sunday, the overwhelming majority of them foreigners.

While most would have taken the official route to the summit, rescue teams suspected some hikers may have gone off-piste, Nugroho added.

The threat level of the volcano was upgraded Tuesday as Barujari sent plumes of smoke and hot ash into the atmosphere, but remains two steps from the highest-risk category.

There were no flight disturbances recorded on Wednesday due to the ash clouds, transport ministry spokesman Hemi Pramuraharjo told AFP.

Tourists evacuated as Indonesian volcano erupts on island of Lombok https://t.co/diZmGV4WvX pic.twitter.com/joTBTJiRnt  AFP news agency (@AFP) September 28, 2016

Some flights to and from the nearby resort island of Bali were cancelled overnight, but Lombok's international airport remains unaffected.

Flight disruptions due to drifting ash clouds are not uncommon in Indonesia, which sits on a belt of seismic activity known as the Pacific Ring of Fire and is home to 130 active volcanoes.

An eruption at Mount Rinjani last month forced the closure of Lombok airport and disrupted some flights to neighbouring Bali.
Karachi: An anti-terrorism Court in Pakistan has ordered that a judicial commission would visit Karachi to inspect a boat which was allegedly used in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

An ATC judge on Tuesday heard the Mumbai attack case and accepted a request filed by the Federal Investigation Agency to inspect the boat "Alfoz" in the port city. The FIA had requested the court to send a judicial commission to examine the boat as it was difficult to produce it before the court, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

India's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup had on 15 September said that Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar had written to his Pakistani counterpart to speed up the trial, which has been pending for almost eight years.

In his letter, Jaishankar suggested several ways in which Pakistan could bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice, including cooperation through legal channels.

Over 166 people, including foreigners, were killed and over 300 wounded when gunmen attacked landmarks in Mumbai on 26 November, 2008, triggering three days of gunfights.
Israeli ex-president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Shimon Peres died on Wednesday some two weeks after suffering a major stroke, his doctor said, triggering an outpouring of grief for the beloved elder statesman.

The 93-year-old died in his sleep at around 3:00 am (0000 GMT), Rafi Walden, who is also Peres's son-in-law, told AFP.

He had been surrounded by family members, a source close to Peres told AFP. A press conference was planned for later in the morning.

US President Barack Obama immediately hailed Peres as a friend who "never gave up on the possibility of peace."

"There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves," Obama said in a statement.

"My friend Shimon was one of those people."

Former US president Bill Clinton, who helped usher in the Oslo peace accords of the 1990s, said "the Middle East has lost a fervent advocate for peace and reconciliation."

"Ill never forget how happy he was 23 years ago when he signed the Oslo accords on the White House lawn, heralding a more hopeful era in Israeli-Palestinian relations," Clinton said in a statement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his "profound sadness" and opposition leader Isaac Herzog, the head of Labour, Peres's longtime party, said he will be "forever remembered as an icon of Israel's history."

Peres held nearly every major office in the country, serving twice as prime minister and also as president, a mostly ceremonial role, from 2007 to 2014.

He won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for his role in negotiating the Oslo Accords, which envisioned an independent Palestinian state.

The former hawk turned dove was widely respected both in Israel and abroad.

Active in old age

Peres had been in hospital near Tel Aviv since September 13, when he was admitted feeling unwell and suffered the stroke with internal bleeding. He had been under sedation and respiratory support in intensive care.

But there were signs of improvement last week, and on September 18 Peres's office said doctors planned to gradually reduce his sedation and respiratory support to judge his response.

Walden had said at the time that Peres had seen "very slow, moderate improvement".

But on Tuesday a source said his condition had taken a downturn and he was "fighting for his life". Family members arrived at the hospital.

In January, Peres was hospitalised twice because of heart trouble.

In the first case, the hospital said he had suffered a "mild cardiac event" and underwent catheterisation to widen an artery.

He was rushed to hospital a second time just days later with chest pains and an irregular heartbeat.

Peres had sought to maintain an active schedule despite his age, particularly through events related to his Peres Center for Peace.

When leaving hospital in January, Peres said he was keen to get back to work.

"I'm so happy to return to work, that was the whole purpose of this operation," he said.

In March, he met British supermodel Naomi Campbell at his Peres Center for Peace during an event linked to International Women's Day. On the same day, he met visiting US Vice President Joe Biden.

Born in Poland in 1923, Peres emigrated to what was then British-mandated Palestine when he was 11.

He joined the Zionist struggle and met David Ben-Gurion, who would become his mentor and Israel's first prime minister.

Peres became director general of the nascent defence ministry at just 29 years old.

Beyond his accomplishments in the public eye, he was also seen as a driving force in the development of Israel's undeclared nuclear programme.

Peres once confided that the secret to his longevity was daily exercise, eating little and drinking one or two glasses of good wine.
The United States on Monday warned its citizens of a potential security threat targeting US-branded hotels in southern Turkey, a US consulate said in a statement.

The consulate in southern Adana province said on its website that "it has obtained specific and credible threats of potential terrorist activity targeting US-branded hotels in Adana."

It advised US citizens in Adana "to exercise caution when patronizing these establishments."

Adana hosts Incirlik air base  used by the US-led coalition for air strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria.

The US embassy last week warned of the risk of a terror attack in another Turkish city of Gaziantep close to the Syrian border on businesses frequented by Westerners, including the popular coffee chain Starbucks.

Turkey has been the target of a string of attacks blamed on Kurdish militants or the IS group.

A suicide bombing at a Kurdish wedding in Gaziantep last month killed 57 people, 34 of them children, and was blamed by Turkish authorities on IS jihadists.
Washington: The White House on Wednesday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement that India would ratify the Paris agreement on climate change on 2 October, saying this is another example of his courageous leadership.

"We welcome the actions from the Indian government. It is just another example of the courageous leadership that Prime Minister Modi has shown on this issue. And that's to his credit," the White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily news conference on Tuesday.

"He (Modi) recognises how important it is for India to be a leader in the international community on this issue. And he's making good on that priority, and he deserves a lot of credit for that."

"And I know that the President, when he met with Prime Minister Modi earlier this month in Laos, had an opportunity to thank him for his leadership on this issue," Earnest said.

The US President Barack Obama met the Prime Minister in Laos early this month on the sidelines of the Asean Summit.

India's ratification of the Paris agreement on climate change is expected to bring the agreement closer to be being enforced.

It can take effect only once 55 countries, representing 55 percent of the world's greenhouse-gas emissions, ratify it.

So far, 60 countries have done so, including the largest emitters, the US and China, fulfilling the first condition.

India's ratification would bring it closer to 52 per cent, World Resources Institute said.

"We have not put a firm deadline for ratification of the climate agreement, other than to say we expect the agreement to enter into force by the end of this calendar year.

I don't know if it will be done by the first week in November," he said when asked about the upcoming UN meet on climate change in Morocco in the first week of November.

"However, as important as the Paris climate agreement is, and how significant it is that this agreement is going into effect within a year's time, it's only a starting point."

"And the President is hopeful that the significance of this agreement is not that it solves the problem of carbon pollution once and for all, but rather it serves as a template to mobilise the international community to take coordinated, substantial steps to addressing this problem," he said.

"It sets up a mechanism whereby every five years' countries consider the commitments that they can make to further fight carbon pollution."

"And the impact of this agreement is one that is likely to be seen only after it's been in place for a substantial period of time."

"And we've been able to see the progress the country, that the world, that the planet makes in confronting this challenge, and as the world continues to more effectively cooperate to confront this shared threat," Earnest said.
German data protection authorities on Tuesday said they had blocked Facebook from collecting subscriber data from its subsidiary WhatsApp, citing privacy concerns.

Facebook and WhatsApp promised in the wake of the Silicon Valley giants 2014 acquisition of the messaging app that they would not share data, Hamburgs Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information Johannes Caspar recalled in a statement.



He added that Facebook would be required to delete any data already received from WhatsApp in Germany.

It has to be (the users) decision whether they want to connect their account with Facebook, Caspar said. Facebook has to ask for their permission in advance.

WhatsApp announced in August that it would begin sharing data with Facebook, in a bid to allow better targeted advertising and fight spam on the platform.

Currently, users of the instant messenger must opt out of sending information to Facebook through WhatsApps settings on their smartphone.

Caspar said that he had acted to protect the privacy of 35 million WhatsApp users in Germany  a fraction of some one billion worldwide  and that of people saved in their address books, whose details might also be forwarded under the data-sharing arrangement.

Facebooks activities in German-speaking regions are managed through its subsidiary in Hamburg, placing the firm under the jurisdiction of the regulator in the northern port city.

Spokespeople for Facebook could not immediately be reached for comment on the ruling.

WhatsApps announcement that it would share information with Facebook came just four months after the service introduced end-to-end encryption by default, saying that the content of messages would become unreadable for anyone except the sender and receiver.

In mid-September, the European Commission recommended tighter privacy and security requirements for services including WhatsApp and Microsoft-owned video calling service Skype, saying they should be regulated more like traditional telecoms.

Subjecting the internet firms to such rules could force them to offer emergency calling services and to obey stricter privacy rules.

AFP
The Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, has urged the people in Niger Delta region to embrace peace, security and sanity to grow the economy.

Peterside said this on Tuesday at a stakeholders meeting between the management of NIMASA and stakeholders meeting in Warri in Delta.



The director-general, who is from Niger Delta, said that there was need to address insecurity in the Niger Delta region for business to flourish.

Peterside said the management of the agency would not relent in its core functions of safety of vessels and personnel on Nigerian territorial waters.

Presently, over 2,000 Nigerians are undergoing training in seafaring.

We recorded few piracy attacks this year compared to last year as a result of Nigerias compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) code due to the activities of NIMASA.

If the Nigerian waters were safe, that would encourage more vessels to come into the

country.

We must acknowledge that NIMASA is working very hard to achieve its mandate, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes the director-general, Peterside, saying, NIMASA will be operating in Warri and Koko ports electronically to put a stop to human interface.

The NIMASA boss said that his management visited Delta State for three functions:

checking the state of Warri and Koko ports; interacting with members of staff to know their challenges; and to also monitor theoperations of stakeholders.

Peterside urged stakeholders to have a change of attitude in doing things, adding that NIMASA was concerned with the enforcement of Cabotage.

If Cabotage act is properly implemented, it will override oil and gas or work side by side with oil and gas in terms of revenue generation.

All the people using flagged vessels to trade in our waters should have rethink because the end has come as NIMASA has zero tolerance on any vessel flouting our laws.

There is a new lease of life in NIMASA and maritime industry is full of opportunities. We invite those who may not know to come and join us, Peterside said.

In his welcome address, the Coordinator, Central Zone of NIMASA, Capt. Kunle Olayiwola said the Central Zone had 77 staff including the coordinator, two assistant directors and so on.

There are five central zonal operations offices such as Ports office in Delta Port, Maritime safety office in Warri; Cabotage Enforcement office in Sapele; Escravos office in Oporoza town; and maritime Labour Service located in Delta.

Being the first director- general to visit the zone, we have assurance that we have not forgotten and abandoned you and we have rekindled the hope of staff by giving the opportunity to interact with management.

The zone needs attention to reposition it for higher productivity, NAN quotes Olayiwola as saying.

Mr Dickson Unogu, a stakeholder and a member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), urged the management of NIMASA to dredge the channel in Warri Port to allow bigger vessels to berth.

A staff of Shipping and Dredging Root Services, Mr Obioma Ochulo, urged NIMASA to engage in electronic operations to reduce the burden of staff coming to Lagos for clearance.

Other stakeholders commended NIMASAs effort and urged the agency to collaborate and synergise with the Niger Delta region to improve on their development

DAP Media Team
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday welcomed the proposed five billion dollars investment in Nigeria by visiting Indian business delegation, led by Indian Vice-President Hamid Ansari.

According to a statement issued by Buharis Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, the President made the remark when he received Ansari at the State House, Abuja. Shehu quoted Buhari as saying India has already invested 10 billion dollars in the Nigerian economy. Nigeria will continue to deepen its relationship with India in the areas of health, education, agriculture, technology and trade.



The President also said Nigeria had over the years benefited from the cooperation of the Asian country in trade and investment, agriculture, technology and the fight against terrorism. According to him, Nigeria will emulate Indias agricultural model and capacity to feed its one billion population, and also export to other countries, describing the country as sustainable and prosperous. President Buhari noted that Nigeria would continue to support the reform of the UN Security Council, pointing out that it was unfair on the rest of the world for five countries to exercise power of yes or no in the UN.

In his remarks, the Indian Vice-President said that his country, which was the leading buyer of Nigerias crude oil, would increase its purchase of the commodity in addition to natural gas. He said the relationship between Nigeria and India was near perfect as both countries have nothing to quarrel about.
The Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, said their attention has been drawn to a press statement by the Chairman of Rivers State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Felix Obuah and signed by his media aide, Jerry Needam claiming that the recently convened Niger Delta Stakeholders Engagement Meeting under the auspices of The Initiative for Peace, Governance and Development of the Niger Delta was a platform for the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to burnish his political agenda.



Ordinarily, the temptation is to ignore this PDP basket of deplorables who delight themselves with all manner of obscene immoderation every now and then. However, it is important to protect innocent Rivers people and Nigerians from the malevolent propaganda these diminished characters shamelessly place in public domain by rolling back their mischief with discreet facts the Publicity Secretary of APC, Senibo Chris Finebone said in a statement today.

It reads: A cursory reading of the PDP statement reveals an incoherent and disjointed write-up that can only come from authors who so urgently require medical look in by the best hands that can be found around here.

The few issues that can be pieced together from the statement point to the fact that Felix Obuah and the PDP in Rivers State are still hurting from the exit of former President Jonathan form power. The APC would like to advise the PDP people to take another look at the national voting demographics of 2015 elections and it will dawn on them that nothing [including massively rigged votes from Rivers State] would have saved the former President from defeat.

Much more than that, the statement, in some ways, underscores the nexus between the hurting of 2015 election to wailing wailers, the spate of destruction of oil installations by the Avengers and other restive youths in the Niger Delta and the recent blowing up of Shell trunk line to Bonny export Terminal. Little wonder the PDP in Rivers State fails to see the need for peace which the Abuja meeting was meant to bring about in the Niger Delta. Is anyone still wondering those behind the ongoing bombing and bursting of pipelines in the Niger Delta?

The only other issue that can be deduced from the infantile 7-paragraph statement makes reference to betrayal of the Niger Delta by the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi because the latter joined the APC and contributed his bit to the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

It is sad that an individual that sold his soul to Satan and connived with Nyesom Wike to steal a political party structure in broad daylight could muster the courage to talk about betrayal. What betrayal can be more than that exhibited by a man that was shot and left to die but was rescued and flown abroad to save his life and the same man turned around later to bite the hand that God used to save him? Indeed, Felix Obuah should not forget to tell his children the true story of his miserable life.

For the avoidance of doubt, let it be known to all that Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as governor of Rivers State never had differences with former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan over personal matters. Whether on the vexed issue of NLNG Train 7 which the former President refused to approve or the matter of Soku Oil Wells that were taken and handed to Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Abia States and many other touchy issues, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was only driven by the Oath of Office he took to protect lives and property of Rivers people as governor. No more!

If really the issue is about betrayal, it was indeed former President Goodluck Jonathan that betrayed Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Rivers people and Niger Deltans. His betrayal is typified by the state of the East West Road during his administration, the Bomu-Bonny Road, the Port Harcourt International Airport, Soku Oil Wells, refusal to refund N105billion spent on Federal Roads by the Rivers State Government and many other issues too numerous to be listed here.

On the ridiculous reference to Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechis supposed ambition for 2019, such contemplation only exists in the terribly deluded mind and helplessly battered imagination of Felix Obuah and his cohorts. Rt. Hon. Chibuke Rotimi Amaechi does not harbour nor has he told anyone that he is nursing any political ambition come 2019. That is not how the Minister is wired politically.

The APC wishes to advise Felix Obuah and the PDP to find a more meritorious past time to engage themselves in and subdue the cheap craving to drag an innocent man down  a task that is clearly beyond their station and reach.
Food and farming firms at the highest level may stand to lose up to a quarter of their shareholder value by 2030 if they fall short in their efforts to halt... Read More
Boozy Mincemeat

Easy

This mincemeat is a bit of a triumph. I make it every year without fail and sell most of it off at my cookery demonstrations and use the rest to feed everyone over Christmas. What I love the most is that there is absolutely no suet in it so its n
Teck Resources Ltd (TECK -8.02%) is a relatively small, diversified miner from Canada. It took some serious hits during the commodity downturn, but it also made some important changes through the tough years. Here are three reasons Teck Resources Ltd stock could rise from here.

Getting the house in order

There's no question that the commodity downturn that hit metallurgical coal, copper, and zinc -- Teck's three big commodities -- also took a toll on the miner's overall business. The company's top line fell each year between 2011 and 2015. Earnings followed the same pattern, with a multibillion-dollar asset impairment in 2015 pushing the bottom line deep into the red.

But, like other miners, Teck used the downturn to make changes. For example, year-over-year in the second quarter the miner was able to reduce costs in its coal business by 19%. It trimmed expenses by around 13% in copper. Clearly Teck has been hard at work cutting costs so it can better compete amid a low price environment.

Teck has also been doing some work on its finances. Although only a commodity upturn will really right the ship on the bottom line, the company's balance sheet had been looking a little risky. But, after extending its debt maturities, it now appears that the miner is on much sounder footing. For example, it pushed its next notable due date from 2017 to 2019, with 2021 being the year in which big debt maturities start to hit.

As investors get more comfortable with the changes Teck has made to improve the company's business, they will likely reward it with a higher price. That could be even more rewarding if commodities achieve a truly sustained trend upwards.

Oil in the dirt

The second big reason that Teck could move higher won't take place until late 2017 at the earliest, and that's the grand opening of the Fort Hills Oil Sands project. Teck has teamed up with Suncor Energy (SU 0.69%) and Total on this project that will add a fourth major commodity to Teck's business. Suncor owns a touch over 50% of the project, Teck 20%, and the rest is owned by Total. It's worth noting that Suncor, which has operational control of the project, is a major player in the oil sands region, so Teck appears to have teamed up with a good partner.

To be honest, the decision to move ahead with the project roughly six months before the big oil price meltdown in mid-2014 was less than auspicious. But Fort Hills should have a 50-year production life and it materially increases Teck's diversification. Assuming everything goes well with the project, which so far it has, when oil finally starts flowing investors are likely to react positively.

Getting bigger

The oil expansion is actually part of a bigger issue -- namely, growth. Rio Tinto (RIO -3.51%), for example, is a giant $55 billion market cap miner with its fingers in everything from iron ore to uranium. Rio has to make big moves in order to grow. BHP Billiton (BHP -4.75%), another giant, came to the conclusion that it needed to slim down to grow, leading to the spin off of South32.

Teck, with only three current commodities and a more-modest $10 billion market cap, has a lot more opportunity to expand. That could come in the form of something as mundane as new mine development, which would have a bigger impact on its smaller business, or from entering new lines of business, like oil. Regardless of how it achieves growth, its smaller size should make it easier to achieve. Business growth would likely be perceived in a positive light by the market.

Down a different trail

There was a period during the downturn when investors were (rightly) concerned that Teck might not make it through to the other side, particularly since it had big bills coming due for the Fort Hills project. But with its financial house in order, Fort Hills closer to completion, and the potential for future expansion to benefit the relatively small miner, there's every reason to believe Teck shares could rise materially from where they are today.
You would think that other banks would be licking their chops after it was revealed that thousands of employees at Wells Fargo (WFC 1.53%) had opened as many as 2 million fraudulent accounts for customers between 2011 and 2015. But while this seems like an easy way to poach customers from the nation's third biggest bank by assets, that's not how other bankers see it.

Why are banks choosing not to exploit this situation? One reason is that they, too, might have been guilty of the same conduct.

Living in glass houses

At an investor conference soon after the Wells Fargo incident came to light, the chairman and CEO of US Bancorp (USB 1.85%), Richard Davis, told industry analysts that his bank would fire employees who trash-talked Wells Fargo to attract new clients.

"So help me God, if I find a branch in one market with an orange flier that says if you bank at Wells come to US Bank, they're going to be let go," Davis said at an investor's event earlier this month, as reported by the StarTribune. "That's not the way we do business. It will come to us if we've earned it."

Davis then went on to note:

We went out on Monday morning and asked everyone in the company to take no advantage of the Wells circumstance. None. Because the fact of the matter is, the circumstance itself, whatever it becomes, is going to be ours to benefit if the customers decide to move toward us. It may be an opportunity for us, but it's not our job to go out there and call that out. It'd be inappropriate.

Davis has a point. As one of the nation's most profitable banks, fueled by a highly efficient operation and prudent risk management, US Bancorp doesn't need to take advantage of other banks' misfortunes to be successful.

At the same time, however, one can't help being concerned that US Bancorp, as well as most other large banks, may be reluctant to castigate Wells Fargo because they may soon face similar allegations.

An industrywide scandal?

Indeed, one of the bank industry's primary regulators, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, said as much during a hearing into the Wells Fargo scandal last week. The head of the agency, Thomas Curry, told Senators that the OCC is investigating whether employees at other banks created fake accounts in response to high-pressure sales tactics pushed down by management.

And CNN Money reports that bankers at major regional banks do the same thing. A branch manager at a "big regional bank" told CNN that he gets "badgered every single day by management" about sales goals. Another said he witnessed tactics at the regional bank he works at that mirrored those at Wells Fargo.

All of this confirms what the National Employment Law Project found in a study released in June. It cited interviews with employees at SunTrust Banks, Bank of America, U.S. Bancorp, and others, all of which seem to suggest that forcing unwitting customers to sign up for additional accounts, whether they knew they were doing so or not, evolved into an industrywide practice.

The point here is that investors of all major banks should be prepared for similar conduct to come to light and thereby weigh on bank stock prices, as has been the case at Wells Fargo. Shares of the California-based bank are down roughly 10% since the malfeasance was revealed.
ConocoPhillips' (COP 0.42%) investors are enduring another year of poor performance, with the stock significantly underperforming the market so far:

That underperformance is coming despite the fact that the company made several smart moves this year, which could pay big dividends down the road. Here are the three best thus far.

Trimming spending without cutting production

When ConocoPhillips put out its initial budget for 2016, the company expected to spend $7.7 billion on capex to grow production by 1% to 3%, adjusted for expected asset sales. However, through a combination of cost-saving initiatives, better-than-expected productivity, and a focus on development spending, the company has reduced its budget to just $5.5 billion. Despite the significant spending cut, the company expects production to be ahead of its initial estimates for the full year.

The market is overlooking ConocoPhillips' ability to deliver more production for less money. It's a game-changer for the company because it will enable the oil giant to earn much higher margins in the future as oil prices improve.

Taking the first step toward exiting deepwater exploration

The oil market downturn forced ConocoPhillips to reevaluate its long-term plans. One of the results of that evaluation is that the company realized it did not see high enough returns from its deepwater exploration efforts to compensate it for the risks, evidenced by the string of dry holes it drilled in in recent years. In fact, earlier this month, ConocoPhillips and partners Suncor Energy (SU 0.69%) and Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A) (RDS.B) announced that their first exploration well in the Shelburne Basin offshore Nova Scotia came up dry. Canadian oil giant Suncor Energy noted that this dry hole would result in it writing off its 20% share of the costs, estimated to be $105 million. ConocoPhillips' write-off will likely be even higher given its 30% stake in the Shell-led exploration program. Because of these risks of drilling a dry hole and the increased costs associated with offshore drilling, the company opted to exit the program in phases.

It completed its first phase earlier this year when it announced the sale of its exploration blocks offshore Senegal for $350 million. Despite the oil market downturn, ConocoPhillips received a pretty decent value for the blocks, given that the carrying value of the asset was $250 million. Further, the sale provided the company with some incremental cash that it could use for other purposes.

Starting to pay down debt

One of the primary uses of the company's excess cash is to pay down debt, which, at $28.7 billion, is above the company's $25 billion target. That said, total debt started to come down last quarter after the company used a combination of excess cash and $200 million in non-core asset sales to pay off $800 million in debt.

The company should be able to reduce debt further by the end of the year because it has additional asset sales under way, with a target to sell $1 billion in assets by year end. With $4.2 billion of cash on hand, any further improvement in cash flows via a combination of rising oil prices and falling costs could potentially give the company the confidence to use some of its cash to get its total debt back down below $25 billion.

Investor takeaway

ConocoPhillips had three goals to start the year:

Reduce its costs to match the current environment better. Reduce risks by phasing out its deepwater exploration program. Improve its balance sheet.

By finding addition capex cuts, selling its Senegal assets, and paying down debt, the company made solid progress on all three goals. While ConocoPhillips still has work to do, it's in a much better position than it was to start the year.
Half of U.S. drivers arent sold on self-driving cars, according to new research from Kelley Blue Book.

The report, which was released on Wednesday, examined consumer perceptions of self-driving technology and revealed that slightly more than half (51%) of Americans prefer to have full control of their vehicles. The remaining respondents are ready to surrender control in order to make the roads safer.

Meanwhile, one-third of Americans say they would never buy cars that completely drive themselves.

Automakers developing self-driving cars can only win over consumers by educating them on the technology, Kelley Blue Book senior analyst Karl Brauer told FOXBusiness.com. Companies can offer first-hand experiences through test drives or short-term leases. Today, six-in-10 consumers know just a little or nothing about self-driving cars.

People need to experience it to some degree to feel comfortable, Brauer said.

Americans Love to Drive

Americans say...

People should always have the option to drive themselves (80%)

I need to be in control of my vehicle (64%)

I love to drive (62%)

I prefer to drive when Im in a vehicle (62%)

When asked to choose, 30% of Americans would prefer a Level 4 self-driving vehicle that drives itself but still allows the owner to drive if they wish.

Kelley Blue Book found that drivers who already have experience with self-driving tech are more receptive to the idea of a fully autonomous vehicle. Those drivers include the pre-driving Generation Z (ages 12-15), existing ride-sharing customers and owners of modern luxury cars, many of which provide automated driving features.

Future drivers in Generation Z are the most comfortable (73%) with Level 5 self-driving vehicles, the highest level as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers. Many Millennials (44%) are also open to purchasing fully autonomous cars.

Self-driving cars are categorized from Level 0 to Level 5, with Level 0 consisting of cars that require a human to control everything from steering, braking and power. Most vehicles sold today are Level 1, which includes common features like cruise control and anti-lock brakes. Level 2 vehicles have at least two functions that are automated, such as cruise control and automatic lane-centering.

Consumers are wary of Level 3 vehicles. While vehicles in Level 3 can largely drive themselves using advanced sensors and GPS, drivers must always be ready to take control if the car needs help. Kelley Blue Books research indicated that consumers would prefer to jump right to Level 4, where vehicles can handle all road conditions autonomously but include an option for human driving.

Kelley Blue Book called Level 4 the sweet spot among consumers. Level 4 vehicles have all the benefits of self-driving cars, but drivers can still choose to drive if they wish. This is especially important to consumers who, for instance, drive a pickup truck around a construction site. Level 5 vehicles dont give drivers the option of taking control. They have no steering wheel or pedals.

Automakers diverge in their plans to introduce self-driving cars to the masses. Consumers seem to agree with the path taken by Ford (NYSE:F) and Alphabets (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google, who are focused on making cars that safely drive themselves without help from a driver. Based on Kelley Blue Books findings, consumers want companies to get straight to Level 4, feeling they can fully relax inside the vehicle. By comparison, Teslas (NASDAQ:TSLA) Autopilot and General Motors (NYSE:GM) Super Cruise, which is expected to debut in the Cadillac CT6 next year, require that drivers keep their hands on the wheel.

The top barriers to purchasing self-driving cars are cost and repair expenses, according to the survey. Consumers would be more willing to make the transition if cars are available in their price range, if insurance rates go down and if tax breaks are available.

Brauer said automakers are likely three to five years away from offering self-driving cars for fleets. The average consumer can expect self-driving cars to become available in about a decade.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation detailed new guidelines for the development of self-driving cars. Automakers embraced a 15-point checklist for design, testing and other areas, saying the policy balances safety and fast-moving advancements in the technology.

They have come up with an oversight system thats much more responsive than they usually have, Brauer said.

Kelley Blue Books national survey includes responses from more than 2,200 Americans between 12 and 64 years old.
Apple has found itself a new home in London: The iconic Battersea Power Station.

As the Evening Standard first reported, Cupertino is gearing up to move into the decommissioned power station located on the south bank of the River Thames, relocating 1,400 employees who currently work out of eight different offices around London into the so-called "cathedral of power."

Before that can happen, however, the site, which has stood derelict for 33 years, will need to be "painstakingly restored" at a reported cost of 9 billion (more than $11.7 billion). Apple is hoping to move into its new London campus in 2021, the Battersea Project Land Company said in a statement. The former coal-fired power station stopped generating electricity in 1983.

"This is a great opportunity to have our entire team working and collaborating in one location while supporting the renovation of a neighbourhood rich with history," Apple said, calling the old power station "one of the city's best-known landmarks."

Once renovations are complete, Apple employees will occupy six floors of office space inside the power station's former boiler house. Apple is leasing 500,000 square feet, or enough space for around 3,000 employees.

Underneath Apple's new campus will be three floors of stores, along with 253 apartments, and a 2,000-seat auditorium, the report notes. Residents are expected to start moving into the first completed area of the 42-acre power station site in early December, with stores and restaurants slated to open next spring.

Back at home, Apple is still working on its huge "spaceship campus" in Cupertino.

This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.
OPEC might still agree an oil output-limiting deal later this year as the economic problems of its de-facto leader Saudi Arabia force Riyadh to cede more ground to arch-rival Iran.

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Tuesday Iran, Nigeria and Libya would be allowed to produce "at maximum levels that make sense" as part of any output limits which could be set as early as the next OPEC meeting in November.

That represents a strategy shift for Riyadh, which has said it would reduce output to ease the global glut only if every other OPEC and non-OPEC producer followed suit. Iran has argued it should be exempt from such limits as its production recovers after the lifting of EU sanctions earlier this year.

The Saudi and Iranian economies depend heavily on oil but in a post-sanctions environment, Iran is suffering less pressure from the halving in crude prices since 2014 and its economy could expand by almost 4 percent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Riyadh, on the other hand, faces a second year of budget deficits after a record gap of $98 billion last year, a stagnating economy and is being forced to cut the salaries of government employees.

"Does the salary cut indicate the Saudis are ready for a fight or does it indicate that they are ready for a deal," said an OPEC source from a Middle Eastern producer, when asked about the Saudi shift.

Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said on Wednesday talks about a deal to cap output were ongoing. OPEC began an informal meeting at 1430 GMT, but few OPEC watchers expect any deal before a formal, regular gathering on Nov. 30.

Oil prices were up around 1 percent, with Brent crude trading at about $46.50 per barrel by 1440 GMT.

LOW OIL PRICE PRESSURES

Saudi Arabia is by far the largest OPEC producer with output of more than 10.7 million barrels per day (bpd), on par with Russia and the United States. Together, the three largest global producers extract a third of the world's oil.

Iran's production has been stagnant at 3.6 million bpd in the past three months, close to pre-sanctions levels although Tehran says it wants to ramp up output to more than 4 million bpd when foreign investments in its fields kick in.

"Iran is not losing as much as Saudi. They are in a stronger position," an OPEC source traveling to Algeria this week said when asked about the shifting dynamic within OPEC.

Saudi oil revenue has halved over the past two years, forcing Riyadh to liquidate billions of dollars of overseas assets every month to pay bills and cut domestic fuel and utility subsidies last year.

"The Iranians have lived with a very tough macro backdrop for many years, and are not used to the governments benevolence - whether subsidies, employment or spending contracts - in the manner the Saudis are," said Raza Agha, chief Middle East economist at investment bank VTB Capital.

"So a sustained drop in oil prices has a more difficult social impact on Saudi."

However, with unemployment in double digits, Tehran is also facing calls to maximize oil revenues and President Hassan Rouhani is under pressure from conservative opponents to deliver a faster economic recovery.

"The nation is still grappling with the sanctions overhang and an inability to create the jobs it needs, on top of longer-term structural issues, said Emad Mostaque, strategist at London-based consultancy Ecstrat.

UNREALISTIC DEAL

At $45 per barrel, oil prices are well below the budget requirements of most OPEC nations. But attempts to reach an output deal have also been complicated by political rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which are fighting several proxy-wars in the Middle East, including in Syria and Yemen.

OPEC sources have said Saudi Arabia offered to reduce its output from summer peaks of 10.7 million bpd to around 10.2 million if Iran agreed to freeze production at around current levels of 3.6-3.7 million bpd.

For Gary Ross, a veteran OPEC watcher and founder of U.S.-based think tank PIRA, the offer was unacceptable for Iran given that Riyadh has raised production in recent years to compete for market share while Iran's output was limited by sanctions.

"Given the anti-Iranian sentiment in the kingdom, it is very difficult for Saudi Arabia to do anything in OPEC which looks too beneficial to Iran," Ross said.

The salary cut highlights the urgency of the national transformation plan. If the Saudis did something aggressive to oil prices at this time, it would go against this urgency."

Falih said on Tuesday he saw no need for significant output cuts as the market was rebalancing itself. He added that Saudi Arabia was investing in additional spare capacity and could withstand the current trend in oil prices. The kingdom has bigger reserves than Iran and better access to debt markets.

"The Saudis are hardly in such a terrible pickle that they would want to become buddy-buddy with Iran, particularly at a time when geopolitical tensions have hardly eased, VTB's Agha said.

(Additional reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin, Patrick Markey and Lamine Chikhi in Algiers, Andrew Torchia in Dubai; Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by Dale Hudson)
10,000 hardworking Americans will retire each day for the next 14 years, and I think they're insane not to consider an "Armchair Income" strategy that's helping many people build a foundation of consistent and reliable wealth.

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And the sad truth is their concerns are completely justified.

Everywhere retirees look there are reasons to worry. Experts are predicting a collapse in Social Security, another real estate bubble in the United States, a new student debt bubble, and another bear market for stocks to rival 2009.

As you probably already know, any ONE of those events could be enough to stop retirement plans dead in their tracks.

Can you imagine what a few at once would do...?

And with stock and bond yields near all-time lows, it's getting harder to find reliable income streams to live off in retirement.

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Image source: ConocoPhillips.

ConocoPhillips' (NYSE: COP) investors are enduring another year of poor performance, with the stock significantly underperforming the market so far:

COP data by YCharts.

That underperformance is coming despite the fact that the company made several smart moves this year, which could pay big dividends down the road. Here are the three best thus far.

Trimming spending without cutting production

When ConocoPhillips put out its initial budget for 2016, the company expected to spend $7.7 billion on capex to grow production by 1% to 3%, adjusted for expected asset sales. However, through a combination of cost-saving initiatives, better-than-expected productivity, and a focus on development spending, the company has reduced its budget to just $5.5 billion. Despite the significant spending cut, the company expects production to be ahead of its initial estimates for the full year.

The market is overlooking ConocoPhillips' ability to deliver more production for less money. It's a game-changer for the company because it will enable the oil giant to earn much higher margins in the future as oil prices improve.

Taking the first step toward exiting deepwater exploration

The oil market downturn forced ConocoPhillips to reevaluate its long-term plans. One of the results of that evaluation is that the company realized it did not see high enough returns from its deepwater exploration efforts to compensate it for the risks, evidenced by the string of dry holes it drilled in in recent years. In fact, earlier this month, ConocoPhillips and partners Suncor Energy (NYSE: SU) and Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS-A)(NYSE: RDS-B) announced that their first exploration well in the Shelburne Basin offshore Nova Scotia came up dry. Canadian oil giant Suncor Energy noted that this dry hole would result in it writing off its 20% share of the costs, estimated to be $105 million. ConocoPhillips' write-off will likely be even higher given its 30% stake in the Shell-led exploration program. Because of these risks of drilling a dry hole and the increased costs associated with offshore drilling, the company opted to exit the program in phases.

Image source: Suncor Energy Inc.

It completed its first phase earlier this year when it announced the sale of its exploration blocks offshore Senegal for $350 million. Despite the oil market downturn, ConocoPhillips received a pretty decent value for the blocks, given that the carrying value of the asset was $250 million. Further, the sale provided the company with some incremental cash that it could use for other purposes.

Starting to pay down debt

One of the primary uses of the company's excess cash is to pay down debt, which, at $28.7 billion, is above the company's $25 billion target. That said, total debt started to come down last quarter after the company used a combination of excess cash and $200 million in non-core asset sales to pay off $800 million in debt.

The company should be able to reduce debt further by the end of the year because it has additional asset sales under way, with a target to sell $1 billion in assets by year end. With $4.2 billion of cash on hand, any further improvement in cash flows via a combination of rising oil prices and falling costs could potentially give the company the confidence to use some of its cash to get its total debt back down below $25 billion.

Investor takeaway

ConocoPhillips had three goals to start the year:

Reduce its costs to match the current environment better. Reduce risks by phasing out its deepwater exploration program. Improve its balance sheet.

By finding addition capex cuts, selling its Senegal assets, and paying down debt, the company made solid progress on all three goals. While ConocoPhillips still has work to do, it's in a much better position than it was to start the year.

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The former president of reinsurer Gerova Financial Group Ltd was convicted on Wednesday on charges that he participated a scheme orchestrated by a man once dubbed "Porn's New King" to defraud investors.

Gary Hirst, 64, was found guilty by a federal jury in Manhattan on all four counts he faced, including conspiracy, securities fraud and wire fraud charges, according to court records.

After the verdict, U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel increased Hirst's bond from $1 million to $3 million and ordered the Florida resident be placed in custody until he could meet the new bail conditions. Hirst's sentencing was set for Feb. 3.

"We are disappointed with the verdict and intend to pursue an appeal," said Michael Tremonte, Hirst's lawyer.

The trial followed charges announced last year against seven people including Hirst and Jason Galanis, an investment banker who prosecutors said oversaw a scheme to secretly dump millions of Gerova shares in an unregistered offering and distribution.

Galanis, a Los Angeles resident whose father and two brothers were also charged, was dubbed "Porn's New King" by Forbes magazine in 2004 after he bought the nation's largest processor of credit card payments for online pornography.

Authorities said Galanis was deeply involved in Gerova's management, but investors were not told that due to a 2007 U.S. Securities and Commission settlement barring him from serving as an officer or director at a publicly-traded company.

Prosecutors said in 2010, Hirst, Gerova's president and board chairman, worked with Galanis to use a straw man and fake documents to issue $72 million worth of Gerova stock that they would secretly control without board approval.

Galanis, working with his family members, then helped the straw man deposit the shares into U.S. brokerage accounts, prosecutors said. Subsequent stock sales netted them about $20 million, $2.6 million of which Hirst received, prosecutors said.

Galanis meanwhile bribed two investment advisers to buy Gerova shares to lessen the stock sales' price-depressing impact, prosecutors said.

The New York Stock Exchange halted trading in Gerova's stock in 2011, following reports raising questions about the company. Gerova commenced liquidation proceedings in Bermuda in 2012.

Five people have pleaded guilty, including Galanis in July. He has yet to be sentenced.

A separate case against Galanis, Hirst and five others filed in May over what authorities call a scheme to cheat investors and a Native American tribe out of millions of dollars remains pending.

The case is U.S. v. Galanis et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 15-cr-00643.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Tom Brown)
Image source: Getty Images.

It can be difficult to recover assets lost to fraud or other scenarios in which an investor has experienced a problem with an investment. But there are legitimate ways to attempt recovery. In most cases, you can do so on your own -- at little or no cost.

Arbitration or mediation

Investors can file an arbitration claim or request mediation through FINRA when they have a dispute involving the business activities of a brokerage firm or one if its brokers. To be considered, the alleged act resulting in a claim must have taken place within the past six years. Arbitration can be a faster, cheaper, and less complex option to recover money rather than going to court.

You may want to hire an attorney to represent you during the arbitration or mediation proceedings to provide direction and advice. If you cannot afford an attorney, some law schools provide legal representation through securities arbitration clinics. These services require modest filing fees depending on the size of the claim. However, FINRA may grant financial hardship waivers when warranted.

Restitution from SEC and FINRA enforcement actions

Both the SEC and FINRA are authorized to take enforcement actions that may include financial restitution for investors. The SEC maintains a page with information for harmed investors. It contains a list of enforcement actions that, in some cases, include funds paid by defendants or respondents to satisfy a judgment. Distributions may be administered by the SEC staff, a receiver, or a third-party fund administrator that has been appointed by the Commission or court.

Enforcement actions by FINRA might also include payments to investors. Distributions may be administered by FINRA staff, the securities firm itself under FINRA oversight, or a third-party administrator appointed by FINRA.

Investors entitled to a recovery of funds will likely receive a communication by the regulatory body or appointed party in advance of any asset distribution. Be aware that fraudsters may impersonate FINRA, the SEC or other government organizations in an attempt to build credibility with those they hope to defraud.

Other avenues

The Fair Fund provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 give the SEC authority to distribute financial penalties to injured investors. The SEC maintains a list of cases involving Fair Funds and Disgorgement Plans.

The Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) also provides limited protections to investors. SIPC is a non-profit, non-government membership corporation, funded by member broker-dealers. Specifically, if a firm that clears securities trades (a clearing firm) becomes insolvent or otherwise financially incapable of returning the customer's property, it is SIPC's responsibility to make sure the customer's cash and securities are returned, within limits specified by law. SIPC's coverage also extends to firms that sell stocks and bonds to the public (introducing firms). Coverage includes limited protection against unauthorized trading in customers' securities accounts, which can include unauthorized trading by persons associated with the introducing firm, and may be available even if the clearing firm, but not the introducing firm, is still solvent. SIPC does not protect against market risk, such as when the value of a stock declines. Again, be wary of fraud associated with the SIPC name. SIPC notes that fraud is real and impersonators may try to pose as SIPC in an attempt to defraud investors.

Investors may also be eligible to participate in class action lawsuits. Check the Securities Class Action Clearinghouse to find out whether a private class action lawsuit relating to a given investment has been filed. Also, it may be possible to recover funds from companies that have filed for corporate bankruptcy, a process that is handled through the courts. A company's reorganization plan will provide details about what an investor can expect to receive, if anything, from the company.

Someone chooses you

Regulators often warn consumers to be wary of unsolicited offers, and this holds true for offers to help you recover investment assets. As with any service, carefully check out the firm and individuals before you commit to a service or advance fee, especially if they contact you first.

Use FINRA BrokerCheck to see if any individuals who are now operating arbitration services have worked in the securities industry, and if they have any regulatory events disclosed to regulators. Be wary of individuals who have been barred from the brokerage industry who are now offering asset recovery services. Anyone barred from the securities industry cannot represent clients in securities arbitrations.

Use the American Bar Association's Consumers' Guide to Legal Help to find legal resources, including lawyer licensing information in your state. Disbarred attorneys cannot represent clients in securities arbitrations. FINRA cannot recommend a lawyer, but it offers tips and resources to help find and research an attorney.

Recovering money from investment losses or fraud can be difficult and time-consuming. But using the options above -- and learning to spot fraudulent pitches -- can help ensure that attempts at recovery do not result in additional financial loss.

Subscribe to FINRA's Investor News newsletter for more information about saving and investing.

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Imagine not having enough money to live on when it comes time to retire. Analysts estimate about half of all households in the U.S. wont have enough saved to keep up their standard of living in retirement. One way to prevent that from happening is to boost your retirement savings through an employer 401(k) plan. But what if your employer doesnt offer one? In the past, it meant you were just out of luck. Now states are coming up with new ways to help people who do not have access to a 401(k) plan save for retirement.

California Opts In

California is the latest state to require employers who do not offer retirement savings plans to enroll workers in an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). California Governor Jerry Brown, is expected to sign into law shortly, the new Secure Choice plan. Under the plan, employers must put part of an employees paycheck into a state-run IRA. A matching contribution by the company is not required. Employees are automatically enrolled in the plan but can choose to opt out. This is different than most 401(k) plans which require employees to sign up in order to participate.

This automatic enrollment feature is one reason why Steven Sass, economist at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, says auto-IRA programs offer the greatest promise for increasing retirement savings especially if workers start to save early. Sass, a former economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, says the programs automatic feature makes saving easy and will increase employee participation.

If you automatically enroll people into a plan, savings actually go up quite a bit especially for younger workers. So you are not eliminating choice but instead of saying youre out, unless you swap inyoure in, unless you swap out. Its quite successful, says Sass.

Who Benefits?

Lower and middle-income workers as well as employees at smaller companies who do not have access to 401(k) plans will likely be the biggest beneficiaries of the new auto-IRA programs. The details of each states plan vary. Most plans, however, require that companies who have at least five employees and do not offer a retirement savings program be required to deduct contributions from employee paychecks and put them towards an IRA. Contribution rates taken from employee wages typically start at three percent but will vary depending on the states plan and employee preferences. Employees can contribute up to $5,500 a year and $6,500 a year for those 50 years of age or older. The annual contribution limit for a 401(k) is $18,000 and $24,000 if the employee is age 50 or older.

The Obama administration has tried to get its own version of an auto-IRA program through Congress but failed. California and more than a handful of other states are now setting up their own legislation. Along with California, states including Maryland, Oregon, Illinois and Connecticut have similar plans in the works. Enrollment and implementation should begin next year.

Sass says these auto-IRA plans will not apply to all workers but he estimates it can help boost retirement savings for millions of people. These auto-IRA programs will probably not cover everyone like the self-employed and it will depend on the number of workers an employer has, he says. But this will cover roughly half of the people who are not covered by an employer plan.

Millions Have No 401(k)

It is estimated that more than 50 million workers nationwide do not have access to an employer retirement plan. This includes freelance workers, the self-employed and employees of small businesses. Sass estimates more than 25 million workers could be covered by auto-IRAs. He says the plans are not perfect. They do not offer a matching contribution from companies and they have a lower annual savings limit than 401(k) plans. Sass says, however, auto-IRAs serve as an easy and automatic way for people, who may not otherwise save, to set money aside for retirement and be less dependent on Social Security.

If the auto-IRA plans in California and other states prove to be successful, Sass expects more states to pass their own plans. He says if many states adopt the plans, a campaign to implement auto-IRA plans could be put into place nationwide.
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Tobacco giant Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM) has historically relied on cigarette sales for the vast majority of its overall revenue. Even in the face of challenges to cigarette smoking across the globe, Philip Morris has done well in its efforts to keep growing and tapping new opportunities. Yet a major part of the company's overall strategic vision for the long-term future has been to go beyond traditional cigarettes to embrace innovative alternatives that it sees as having reduced risks to health. In particular, Philip Morris has developed what it calls iQOS, a product that heats tobacco rather than burning it to produce an experience that is similar to but different from smoking traditional cigarettes. Earlier this month, Philip Morris announced that it had expanded its capacity to make iQOS products, and that could bode well for the company's efforts to grow that part of its overall business.

Image source: Philip Morris.

What Philip Morris did to expand production

In late September, Philip Morris inaugurated its first manufacturing facility for large-scale production of two of its heated tobacco alternatives to traditional cigarettes. Located in the Bologna region of Italy, the new factory received a visit from Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who has championed greater business investment in the country as a way to promote overall economic growth.

Philip Morris was happy to lend its support to the Italian economy. As CEO Andre Calantzopoulos noted, Philip Morris already has a key high-tech factory in Zola Predosa that makes filters, and Calantzopoulos pointed to "access to exceptional human talent" as a key driver in making the decision of where to put the iQOS plant.

Philip Morris said that the initial production capacity for the plant will be 30 billion units, and its CEO put the move in a proper strategic context. "Our ambition is to lead a full-scale effort to ensure that non-combustible products ultimately replace cigarettes to the benefit of adult smokers, society, our company, and our shareholders," Calantzopoulos said. "This factory is a milestone in our roadmap toward this paradigm shift."

What Philip Morris sees for iQOS

The 500 million euros that Philip Morris committed to the Italian factory shows just how important reduced-risk products are to the tobacco giant's overall vision. As the company's press release reiterated, Philip Morris has had good initial success with iQOS, which in less than two years has expanded to cities in 10 different countries and is expected to become available in 10 more markets by the end of 2016. The research that Philip Morris has done to look at whether iQOS reduces less risk of harm than traditional cigarette smoking has thus far produced what the company called "very promising results to date."

Market performance for iQOS has also encouraged Philip Morris' efforts. In its most recent quarter, the company reported that iQOS HeatSticks had gained a 2.2% market share in Japan, more than doubling its share from the previous quarter. According to the company, 70% of iQOS purchasers have fully or predominantly converted to using that product, and although that has raised concerns about cannibalizing Philip Morris' own cigarette smoking customer base, iQOS is also drawing smokers away from other cigarette makers. In addition, customers have been more willing to pay premium prices for iQOS, leading to higher sales from those who make the upgrade.

The situation has actually put Philip Morris in a position in which it needed to make moves like factory investment in order to ensure adequate supply. In its second-quarter conference call, CFO Jacek Olczak noted that the company has had to walk a fine line between pushing iQOS growth and running the risk of running out of products. The company doesn't want to put customers in the uncomfortable position of having switched and then not being able to get iQOS products, and the new factory will help alleviate that risk.

Moving ahead with reduced risk

Other markets, including Italy and Switzerland, are in earlier stages of commercialization. Yet Philip Morris also sees encouraging early signs from those markets, and having increased production capacity should help make those expansions easier to navigate as well.

Many investors find it surprising just how much Philip Morris has embraced the idea of reduced risk products. Yet given how well initial rollouts of the iQOS product have gone, Philip Morris shareholders can expect a firm commitment to the innovative product category well into the future.

A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here.

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Medical spending in the U.S. is high, and it's only going to rise. It is estimated that annual American healthcare expenditures will climb by 76% from 2014 to 2024, to land at a massive $5.4 trillion.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.

The ever-ballooning spend on healthcare is a boon for real estate investment trusts that specialize in medical facilities, like segment heavyweights Welltower (NYSE: HCN) and Ventas (NYSE: VTR).A new player is about to join them -- MedEquities Realty Trust. Here's a look at the company's upcoming IPO.

Good for what ails you?

MedEquities Realty Trust is a small fish compared to the likes of Welltower and Ventas. Both of these long-established REITs have portfolios that comprise over 1,000 properties.

The new healthcare REIT on the block currently holds 24 facilities, which all told contain 2,345 beds. The bulk of these -- 17 facilities, to be exact -- are skilled nursing facilities.The remainder consist of "two acute care hospitals, two long-term acute care hospitals, one assisted living facility, one inpatient rehabilitation facility and one medical office building."That concentration on skilled nursing sets MedEquities Realty Trust apart from certain peers like Ventas, which have divested their skilled nursing assets.

Ventas spun off the business now trading as Care Capital Properties last year, while rival HCP (NYSE: HCP) is in the process of divesting its troubled HCR ManorCare unit into a stand-alone REIT called QCP.

Looking at MedEquities Realty Trust's results, it seems that the focus on nursing is producing results. On a pro forma basis, the REIT brought in total revenue of just over $56 million, and delivered a net profit of slightly more than $21 million in 2015 (its first full year of operation).

Attributable funds from operations, the standard profitability metric for REITs, was a bit over $35 million.

This Fool's take

Mashing the latter figure against the anticipated, post-IPO shares outstanding tally, then dividing that into the midpoint ($13) of the anticipated IPO price, yields a price/FFO figure of 11.2 for MedEquities Realty Trust.

That's below (i.e., cheaper) that of both Welltower's 18.7 and Ventas' 17.6, although it's richer than Care Capital Properties' 8.7.

Looking at the respective dividend policies of the four REITs, MedEquities also holds its own. Again using that IPO price midpoint, and annualizing the company's anticipated $0.21-per-share payout for Q4 2016, the REIT would have a dividend yield of 6.5%.That handily beats Welltower (4.6%) and Ventas (4.1%), but it does come up short against Care Capital Properties' 7.9%.

We should keep in mind, though, that Welltower and Ventas have proven their worth over years, if not decades, of operation. This helps justify the higher valuations.MedEquities Trust is a baby compared to them, and it's yet to demonstrate that it can grow its business as effectively as its rivals.

That said, the REIT looks quite promising in these early days. Income investors and those interested in specialty REITs should certainly keep an eye on the company. That particularly applies if it shows encouraging revenue and FFO improvements in its first few quarters as a publicly traded entity.

The details

MedEquities Realty Trust is slated to hit the market on Thursday. Over 19.9 million shares will be sold by the company, in combination with shares sold by stockholders . The expected IPO price is $12 to $14 per share. The REIT will list on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol MRT.

The leaders of the underwriting syndicate include Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase's J.P. Morgan, and Royal Bank of Canada's RBC Capital Markets.

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.

Eric Volkman has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Welltower. 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.
Volkswagen AG Chief Executive Matthias Mueller said on Wednesday he is hopeful the German automaker can reach agreement by the end of the year with the U.S. government on the size of a fine to settle a criminal investigation of the company's alleged violations of U.S. clean air laws.

Earlier this month, a Volkswagen engineer pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy in connection with the diesel emissions cheating case, and said he will cooperate with the Justice Department investigation.

A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment. Reuters reported in August that Volkswagen and the U.S. Justice Department have held preliminary settlement talks about resolving a criminal probe into the automaker's diesel emissions scandal, citing two sources briefed on the matter. The talks have continued in recent weeks but it is not clear when a settlement will be reached.

Mueller told reporters "we have been in a constructive dialogue with authorities in Germany, in Europe and the U.S. for the past 12 months," and said he hopes to know the results of all the investigations "in the foreseeable future."

Speculation that the U.S. Justice Department will demand a multibillion-dollar fine to settle a criminal investigation of the automaker's use of illegal software to deceive U.S. environmental regulators sent Volkswagen shares into a tailspin earlier this week.

Mueller, speaking on the sidelines of the Paris auto show, said he also sees good progress toward an agreement with U.S. regulators that could allow Volkswagen to repair certain 3.0 liter diesel engines that emit more pollutants than U.S. law allows.

VW in June agreed to pay up to $16.5 billion to resolve civil litigation related to the emissions cheating. The company agreed to buy back vehicles if they could not be repaired as required by U.S. and California regulators, and to fund projects such as expanded electric vehicle charging networks.

Mueller said he is concerned about the size of potential additional fines. "The settlement that we have ... reached with the civil authorities isn't cheap," he said. "We have made provisions for everything that we believe we will have to face, including fines, environmental projects, compensation to the people ... We will have to see if that's enough or not."

Volkswagen has set aside 17.8 billion euros ($20 billion) to pay for costs related to the global emissions cheating scandal. The company faces civil litigation and potential fines from government regulators in the EU and other markets around the world.

Mueller said on Wednesday the company faces more than a financial toll. "We gambled away the trust people had in us and now we have to see how to get it back. That will definitely take longer than it took to lose it."

Mueller and Volkswagen global brand chief Herbert Diess said the company is not ready to abandon diesel technology, and could continue to offer diesel models for the U.S. market.

"At some point there will be a tipping point, where electric mobility will gain the upper hand. I don't know when this will be. Maybe 2030 or 2035," Mueller said.

Volkswagen executives are using the Paris auto show to tout its future electric vehicles, aiming at U.S. electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc . Mueller, however, objected to the comparison.

"How many cars do they sell per year? How many? Fifty thousand per year," he said. "Do you know how many Volkswagen sells? 10 million! Why do we then talk of competition?"

Tesla has targeted sales for 2016 of 80,000 to 90,000 vehicles.

($1 = 0.8915 euro)

(Additional reporting by Agnieszka Flak in Paris and David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Joseph White and Matthew Lewis)
Somebody got the boot Tuesday night in the third week of "Dancing with the Stars" competition.

And it was the celebrity who wears the boots--former Texas Governor Rick Perry, whose campaign for the mirror ball trophy ended quicker than his recent Presidential run.

But the determined politician didn't have any hard feelings as he left the ballroom, having built awareness for veterans' causes and learned how to dance for his daughter's wedding.

With partner Emma Slater by his side, Perry told reporters on Tuesday after the show, "I'm going to go home and enjoy being back with my family. I'll miss the show. I'll miss Emmait's been a great experience. I'm honored to have been here....this is a first-class operation. I'm privileged to have been a part of it, not quite as long as I wanted to be[but] I had a wonderful time."

Perry had scored the lowest of all the celebrities during the first two weeks with a 20 and 22 (out of a possible 40). And on this Monday's show, he was the cellar dweller again, tying with Vanilla Ice for the lowest score, a 23. He also badly twisted his ankle in rehearsal.

Six celebrities faced elimination as Monday night's show had awarded immunity to the winning couples in a "Face Off" challenge. Perry was joined in jeopardy by Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, Marilu Henner, Ryan Lochte, Terra Jole, and Amber Rose, all of whom had scored higher. And at the end of the night, Perry was sent packing after being in the bottom two with Rose.

But Perry admitted to some disbelief at the end, asking Slater, "Are we gone?"

Now he's looking forward to daughter Sydney's wedding, "a damn big eventin my life.she's marrying a wonderful guy," who is a naval officer in the SEAL Team reserves and Vice President of a real estate company out of Las Vegas, Perry said.

He hopes to dance a foxtrot with Sydney at the October 15 ceremony.

Also, Perry will campaign for Donald Trump until Election Day.

"I was probably more helpful to Donald last night being here [at "DWTS"] than sitting in the audience at the [Presidential] debate because people got to see a Republican that they may have thought was some stuffed shirt right wing crazy whack job or however they like to identify us -- and over the course of the last month, people got to see a person that they came to enjoy being around and saw a different individual that may have been caricatured in the media the last 14 years," Perry opined to FOX411.

Perry didn't watch the debates but saw reports about it and said, "He was measured and calm which I think was a good thing for himthey probably both helped themselves in some way. What was missing from my perspective was there wasn't enough talk about how do we get the economy back on track, how do we secure our country from a safety standpoint and how do we build our military back up. But there's still a month plus to go until Election Day."

When earlier asked by FOX411 if he'd accept a cabinet position should Trump become President, Perry replied, "He knows my passions are with the military and he and I have had a conversation and I said, 'Listen, I love my country and let's win the election first and then we'll have that conversation.' "

During the two hour "DWTS" show on Tuesday night, viewers also saw former pro Kym Johnson substitute for Erin Andrews as host (Andrews is expected back next week) and learned Judge Len Goodman will be taking the next two weeks off to host "Strictly Come Dancing" in England.

In behind the scenes footage, judges were heard dishing on the performances they weren't allowed to comment on Monday night due to the debate-shortened schedule.

Judge Bruno Tonioli complained about Lochte's stilted cha cha with Cheryl Burke, "It looked like she was dancing around a lamppost." But Lochte showed some heart, too, as his 95-year-old Cuban American grandma made an appearance, watching him on "DWTS" on TV and blowing kisses.

Julianne Hough thought Rose's booty shaking salsa with partner Maks Chmerkovskiy was practically indecent, saying she "actually felt a little uncomfortable" watching it.

Cameras caught dancer Derek Hough looking upset when partner Henner messed up during their Monday tango, but he later told her it was a learning experience.

Next week, the remaining cast will perform in a "Cirque du Soleil night" sure to be full of chills and spills.

Derek promised it will be "One of the biggest shows 'DWTS' has ever put on."
Melissa Joan Hart thinks America is ready to elect a third-party president.

And the former Sabrina, the Teenage Witch star, 40, is so passionate about the idea that shes joined up with Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson as his Connecticut Chairperson, reports People.

Her plan to get him in office doesnt involve offering Americans a new option to chose from, rather she views splitting the difference between Americas dominant political parties as the pathway to success.

I want to break away from this two-party system and I think its important for people to know that theres another candidate out there who really toes the line between Democrat and Republican, the actress told the magazine. I mean hes Libertarian. But socially hes liberal, but fiscally conservative.

Its not just Johnsons party affiliation that appeals to Hart, its his experience as the governor of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003.

Governors, I love, because they already ran their state as like a little president, she said. So he gets the way, you know, things run. The politics of it all.

While Hart seemed to acknowledge that Johnson probably wont be in the White House come January, the actress-turned-politico said she hopes hell at least be given the chance to participate in one of the two remaining presidential debates.

I think that everyone that I keep hearing say that, if they all voted for him we could have a third party win, she said. Even if he doesnt get that far, I just hope that they let him debate."

This article originally appeared in the New York Post's Page Six.
It turns out 1996 Miss Universe winner Alicia Machado, cited by Hillary Clinton in the first presidential debate as an example of Donald Trump's mistreatment of women, has a complicated past.

Shortly after she won her crown in the late '90s, a judge in Venezuela accused Machado of threatening to kill him after he indicted her then-boyfriend for attempted murder.

Machado threatened "to ruin my career as a judge and ... kill me,'' Judge Maximiliano Fuenmayor said at the time.

Her boyfriend, Juan Rafael Rodriguez Regetti, was accused of shooting and wounding his sister's husband, who he blamed for his sister's suicide.

Rodriguez was accused of shooting and wounding Francisco Antonio Sbert Mousko outside a church in Caracas where his wife -- Rodriguez's sister -- was being eulogized.

Sbert reportedly suffered brain damage from the attack.

The victim's family accused Machado of driving her boyfriend's getaway car, but she denied any involvement and apparently was never indicted, due to lack of evidence.

Now a U.S. citizen, Machado told reporters Tuesday in a conference call arranged by Hillary Clintons campaign that her experience with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump could "open eyes" in the election.

After the debate, Machado tweeted her thanks to Clinton, writing in Spanish: "Thanks Mrs. Hillary Clinton. Your respect for women and our differences makes you great. I'm with you."

In June, Machado appeared at a news conference in Virginia held by immigrant advocacy groups to encourage Latino voters to support Clinton.

Machado says that when she gained weight after being crowned Miss Universe for 1996, Trump, who ran the pageant, labeled her "Miss Piggy."

Asked about the exchange during an interview Tuesday with "Fox & Friends," Trump said Machado was "the worst we ever had," adding: "She gained a massive amount of weight. It was a real problem."

After the debate, Clinton's campaign quickly released a web video detailing Machado's story, portraying her as a mortified pageant winner whom Trump called "fat" or "ugly" and who was blindsided by reporters Trump invited to watch her work out.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


Cuddling after sex might be one of the easiest ways to keep her coming back for more, suggests a recent survey from the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada and Trojan condoms.

For the survey, which is under review to be published in scientific journals, researchers asked 2,400 Canadians about the last time they had sex .

Of the women who cuddled for 6 to 10 minutes after sex, 71 percent rated their overall experience as very pleasurable. Thats compared to only 41 percent of the women who cuddled less.

Related: 20 Women Reveal What They Secretly Want In Bed

In fact, post-sex intimacy was just as important to womens pleasure as foreplay, says study author Robin Milhausen, Ph.D., a professor of human sexuality at the University of Guelph.

That may be because womens (and mens) bodies are flooded with oxytocinthe bonding hormoneafter sex, making them crave more affection, Milhausen says.

Plus, women often feel vulnerable after sex, she says. Spending a few extra minutes caressing her in bed reassures her that you care about her.

Related: How to Pleasure a Womanthe Mens Health Guide to Becoming a Master Lover

Its one of the easiest things you can do to improve your relationship, Milhausen says. Its a really important, but often missed, opportunity for connection.

Most people in the study fell short of the 6-minute mark: 17 percent of the subjects didnt cuddle at all and 36 percent kept it under five minutes.

Related: Why You Fall Asleep Within Minutes Of Having Sex

So after your next romp, pull your partner close to you or have her rest her head on your chest, suggests Milhausen.

Take at least 6 minutes to play with her hair, rub her back, kiss her on the cheek or forehead, and give her a sweet compliment about how good it felt to be with her.

(Not sure what to say? Check out the 30 Hottest Things to Say To a Naked Woman.)

Whats in it for you? In the survey, cuddling boosted satisfaction for men, too.

And since cuddling leaves your partner feeling happier with your relationship, chances are shell feel game for more sex in the near future, Milhausen says.

This article originally appeared on MensHealth.com.
A controversial technique that uses DNA from three parents has resulted in the first-ever birth of a child, a team of American scientists in Mexico confirmed Tuesday.

The technology allows parents with rare genetic mutations to have healthy babies and, while not approved in the United States, is legal in the United Kingdom.

New Scientist reported that the baby, a boy, was born five months ago to Jordanian parents. The child was at risk of inheriting a severe neurological disorder called Leigh syndrome, which typically kills individuals within a few years of birth.

In using DNA from three individuals, researchers were able to remove some of the mothers DNA from an egg and leave out the disease-causing DNA. The healthy DNA was slipped into a donors egg, which was then fertilized. Thus, the child inherited DNA from his two parents and the egg donor.

Dr. John Zhang, of the New Hope Fertility Center in New York, who led the team that carried out the technique, told New Scientist, To save lives is the ethical thing to do.

Zhangs findings are detailed in the journal Fertility & Sterility.

Dusko Ilic of Kings College London, who wasnt involved in the work, told New Scientist that the feat is great news and a huge deal.

Its revolutionary, he told the website.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A new mobile app being dubbed as Uber for yoga allows users to request a yoga teacher at their whim, hailing one who will come to their home or office whenever they want to practice.

Fox LA reported Ruben Dua, co-founder of Easypose, came up with the idea after doing yoga at his former job.

I kinda said to myself, There should be an app for that, Dua told the news station.

Easypose user Raychel Espiritu learned about the app from her boss. Within minutes of requesting a teacher on Easypose, her office at Village Workspaces transformed into a yoga studio.

"The convenience of on-demand apps is really changing the way we work, Espiritu told Fox LA. In general, especially younger companies, we want a better work-life balance.

More than 1,000 teachers can find work through the app.

For Dua, EasyPose is all about helping people practice yoga easier.

Thats what yoga is supposed to be stress-free, Dua told the news station.
Seventeen years has passed since losing my daughter Rachel Joy Scott in the Columbine High School shooting of April 20, 1999 where 13 precious people lost their lives. There has not been one day we have not felt her loss and missed her voice.

Rachel left us a precious gift that was discovered after her death in her journals and writings. It was a journey of a Christian teen that loved the Lord but struggled every day to live out her faith among her peers. She wrote in brutal honesty about her failures, misgivings and insecurities of living in a world that mocked faith. The isolation of thinking that she was alone in her pursuit to be a light in a dark world and changing the world to one of starting a chain reaction of love and compassion.

Her writings were very prophetic to the point of leaving a drawing from that very morning of depicting 13 tears of one teacher and 12 students being killed on that fateful day. One day prior to the exact date of April 20th, in 1998 she wrote: If I have to sacrifice everything to be with my best friend Jesus, I will -- I will take it. One year later she kept that vow as she was mocked and challenged for her faith facing her shooters with a gun to her head.

Multiple times Rachel wrote of an early death. It was as if the Lord was preparing her. On May 2nd of 1998 she wrote, This will be my last year Lord, I have gotten what I can. In the Fall of the school years of 98-99 one of her writings included the words of halls of a tragedy as she described what she felt at Columbine High School. Two weeks before her death once again she mentions death, saying, It isnt suicide, I consider it homicide. The world you have created has led to my death.

Sharing Rachels life and death has impacted millions of lives. Teens that felt hopeless, discouraged and even contemplated suicide have been given new hope and purpose to live life unashamed of their convictions, dreams and goals.

In the aftermath of this tragedy, it left a huge platform for us to walk out on. We felt that we had been passed a torch that needed to be picked up and carried. Rachels family has been very proactive in school programs, church presentations and community events.

Sharing Rachels life and death has impacted millions of lives. Teens that felt hopeless, discouraged and even contemplated suicide have been given new hope and purpose to live life unashamed of their convictions, dreams and goals. Her story has resulted in several books and now a movie called Im Not Ashamed.

On September 28th, Ill be commemorating Rachels beautiful life by joining students at her alma mater, Columbine High School for an event called See You At The Pole which is simultaneously held across the country in thousands of high schools where students will gather together at 7:00am local time around their flagpoles to pray for their schools, their peers, and our nation.

This is the kind of thing that Rachel would have been excited to participate in as if reflects the values and love that she shared for so many. I hope youll join me at your local high school and in the weeks ahead as we celebrate the life and legacy of my beautiful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott and her life well lived.

Beth Nimmo is the mother of Rachel Scott, the first victim killed at Columbine High School. Beth is the co-author of "Rachel's Tears" and author of "The Journals of Rachel Scott."
One of the strategies that helped bring about an 85% reduction in crime in New York City between 1994 and 2013 was the careful and appropriate use of stop and frisk. This practice dramatically reduced the number of guns, knives and other dangerous weapons, as well as illicit drugs, in the city.

But according to candidate Hillary Clinton and moderator Lester Holt during Monday nights presidential debate, stop and frisk is unconstitutional. They are wrong. In Mrs. Clintons case, its the usual misrepresenting she does when she does not know what she is talking about. As for Mr. Holt, if a moderator is going to interfere, he should do some homework and not pretend to know the law when he does not. Mr. Holt and NBC cannot overrule the U.S. Supreme Court.

Over a 20-year use of this policy, spanning the administration of two New York City mayors and four police commissioners, stop and frisk played a material part in reducing homicides in New York City. It helped to change New York City from the crime capital of America to the safest large city in the country.

Stop and frisk is based on an 8-1 decision of the Supreme Court, Terry v. Ohio. That ruling hasnt been overturned or even modified by the court since it was handed down in 1968. Stop and frisk is constitutional and the law of the land. The majority opinion, written by then-Chief Justice Earl Warren, approved the constitutionality of stopping a suspect if the police officer has a reasonable suspicion that a person has committed, or was about to commit, a crime. If the officer also has a reasonable suspicion the person is armed, he can conduct a pat-downthat is, a friskof a persons outer clothing.

To continue reading Rudolph Giuliani's column in the Wall Street Journal, click here.


Fewer than one in five employees with a security clearance at the State Department has completed the mandated training for handling classified information as required by a 2009 Executive Order signed by President Obama, according to a new report from the government watchdog with oversight.

Based on training records obtained from the Foreign Service Institute, the OIG (Office of the Inspector General) found that less than 14 percent of security-cleared employees had completed the required training within the timeframe considered in this review. Moreover, only 20 percent had completed the training even one time since the outset of the training program, the report said.

The report was commissioned after a 2013 review found severe deficiencies at the department when Hillary Clinton was secretary of state. When Department employees and contractors are unaware of classification standards and no mechanism is in place to enforce training requirements, there is an increased risk that information could be incorrectly marked, misclassified, and/or improperly restricted or disseminated, it said.

The findings are notable because the recently released FBI files show how Clinton and her aides could not recall their classified information training, or if they did, still mishandled sensitive information.

In one case, the FBI documents show Clintons confidential aide Monica Hanley received a high level clearance known as a Top Secret/SCI clearance. Despite acknowledging she received the training, during one trip to Russia, Hanley was specifically criticized for leaving a classified document in a hotel suite she shared with Clinton. Hanley was informed by DS (Department of State) that the briefing book and document should have never been in the suite, the document said. Career government employees, who asked to speak off the record because they still hold clearances, said it was another example of a double standard. In their experience, they said, in all other cases the individual would immediately lose his or her clearance pending a full investigation.

Two emails from Hanley to Clinton were marked classified with a c for confidential, the lowest level of classification. Fox News first reported some of the emails contained classified markings despite Clintons public claims.

Despite signing two non-disclosure agreements, known as NDAs, Clinton told the FBI she could not recall the training, and had trouble identifying classified information. Clinton told agents she could only speculate that the c was part of an alphabetical listing such as A, B, C even though the other markings on the email were SBU for sensitive but unclassified.

The State Department spokesman John Kirby in a statement to Fox News that protections of sensitive materials are taken very seriously and employees take training courses once they join the State Department.

The Department has been working to ensure that going forward, employees take this online refresher training every year, and various steps will be taken to ensure the training is completed, Kirby added. To underscore the importance of the training, we have revised the Foreign Affairs Manual to make clear that this training is required and that individuals will have their classification authority suspended or revoked for failure to take the training. We would also note that the Department requires all employees to take an annual cyber security training course and if they fail to do so their computer access is withdrawn.
An Alaska state agency is apologizing after political comments aimed at Donald Trump were posted on its official social media site.

KTOO reports that the posts to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services Twitter account occurred during Monday night's presidential debate between Trump and Hillary Clinton, including one that referred to Trump as a "red-face mansplainer."

The station reports that agency spokeswoman Susan Morgan said in an email that department officials apologize.

She wrote: "Some recent tweets were inadvertently posted to our Twitter account by a DHSS staff member who was accidentally logged into the DHSS account instead of their personal account while on their personal phone at home."

Morgan added: "The inadvertent tweets were deleted and we will be reviewing the matter in the days ahead to ensure it doesn't happen again."
Hillary Clinton brought Democratic primary rival and millennial favorite Bernie Sanders back to the campaign trail Wednesday, as recent polls show her appeal slipping among younger voters.

Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, and Sanders, a Vermont senator, made their joint pitch at the University of New Hampshire, where they touted a plan to help students pay for college and to help former students with tuition debt.

If your kid studies hard and does well, yes he or she will be able to make it to college, said Sanders, whose appeal to young Americans in the Democratic primary was in large part based on his promise, if elected, of free tuition at public colleges and universities. Were going to change the debt situation.  People should be able to refinance their debt at the lowest rate they can find.

Clinton has struggled to connect with young voters, including college students who frequently vote Democratic and helped Barack Obama become president in 2008.

A Quinnipiac University poll released Sept. 14 shows 55 percent of likely voters 18 to 34 voting for Clinton, compared to 34 percent for Trump.

A poll released a month earlier by the university showed Clinton with 64 percent, compared to 29 percent for Trump.

Also in the universitys September poll, Clinton had just 31 percent of the vote in a four-way race with Trump (26 percent), Independent Party candidate Ron Johnson (29 percent) and Green Party candidate Jill Stein (15 percent.)

None of you have more at stake in this election than young Americans, said Clinton, who followed Sanders onto a stage with a backdrop that read "Debt Free College."

Clinton said she wants a moratorium on repaying student debt and the debt to be forgiven for those who go into public or national service.

Bernie and I are excited about what we can do together, said Clinton, who also used the event to tout her support of other issues important to young voters, including gay rights and climate change.

Douglas Smith, a Democratic strategist and partner at Kent Strategies, said Clintons best effort to shore up the so-called millennial vote was her Monday night debate performance in which she reassured them that she has plans for their future.

He also said that trying to compare millennials support for Clinton cannot be compared to that for Obama.

They are very different candidates, he said. Obama was 20 years younger. He was about to be the first African-American president. He presented a different tapestry for how you measure a candidate.

Trump was also on the campaign trail Wednesday, holding an event in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he again questioned Clinton's health and stamina and urged residents to take advantage of the state's early-voting process that starts this week.

"You see all the days off that Hillary takes? Day off, day off, day off. All of those day offs, and then she can't even make it to her car," said Trump, likely referring to Clinton stumbling while trying to get into her campaign van during a Sept. 11 memorial event, while battling pneumonia.
FBI Director James Comey testified Wednesday that former Hillary Clinton chief of staff Cheryl Mills and another top aide had some classified material on laptops they turned over to the bureau in its probe of Clinton's private server use as secretary of state -- yet the aides still received immunity.

Comey made the acknowledgment while testifying before the House Judiciary Committee, where Republicans had tough questions about a newly revealed set of immunity deals in the Clinton case.

At one point, a defensive Comey's umbrage at the grilling seemed to boil over.

You can call us wrong," Comey said. "You can call me a fool. You cannot call us weasels.

NEW TONIGHT: 2nd FBI-Clinton document dump on a Friday this month--Continues pattern of holiday/weekend releases:https://t.co/VHtYLHAh13 pic.twitter.com/tGmsCfE44a  Fox News Research (@FoxNewsResearch) September 24, 2016

The director claimed the findings did not constitute a crime but declined to directly answer a question on whether having classified material on a laptop or other private electronic device was against federal regulations.

Youd have to know the circumstances, Comey told committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va.

Details about Mills and agency lawyer Heather Samuelson being granted immunity were first reported last week.

GOP lawmakers fumed at Wednesday's hearing that the bureau was too lax with those arrangements. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., lamented what he called the "DOJ immunity-producing machine," though Comey disagreed with that assessment.

Committee member Louie Gohmert, a Texas Republican and former judge, asked Comey on Wednesday how and why Mills and Samuelson were granted immunity when investigators suspected they, like Clinton, had mishandled classified electronic information.

You granted immunity to people you needed to make a case, if a case was going to be made? Gohmert asked.

Comey explained that part of the process includes a queen for a day procedure in which investigators talk to witnesses or potential witnesses to hear what they might say when testifying before deciding on whether to grant immunity.

The presidential campaign for Clinton, the Democratic nominee, has defended the so-called limited immunity, saying its fairly routine" in such investigations.

Comey on Wednesday referred to the deal as act of production immunity and said it assures those who cooperate that anything uncovered in their files outside the scope of the investigation cannot be used against them.

Comey also said the immunity was granted by the Justice Department. He called the immunity deal fairly common and suggested that Mills lawyer asked for the protection.

The FBIs two-year investigation into the private server found numerous Clinton server emails contained classified information and she was extremely careless.

However, the agency concluded the investigation without recommending criminal prosecution, and the Justice Department closed the case this summer.

"It seems clear that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton committed multiple felonies involving the passing of classified information through her private email server. The FBI, however, declined to refer the case for prosecution on some very questionable bases," Goodlatte said Wednesday. "We, as Congress and the American people, are troubled how such gross negligence is not punished."

Mills testimony in the FBI investigation and potential testimony before Congress was not covered in the immunity deal.

Five people were granted some form of immunity in the case including Mills, Samuelson, and former agency IT specialist Bryan Pagliano.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Congress on Wednesday overwhelmingly rejected President Obamas veto of a bipartisan bill letting families of Sept. 11 victims sue the Saudi Arabian government, in the first successful veto override of Obamas presidency.

Marking a significant defeat for the White House, the House ensured the bill will become law after voting 348-77 to override Wednesday afternoon. This followed a 97-1 vote hours earlier in the Senate.

Despite last-ditch warnings from the Obama administration that the legislation could hurt national security and was badly misguided, lawmakers dismissed the concerns.

"This bill is about respecting the voices and rights of American victims," Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., speaking on the Senate floor moments before Wednesday's vote in that chamber, pushed back hard on Saudi government objections to the legislation.

Its very simple. If the Saudis were culpable, they should be held accountable. If they had nothing to do with 9/11, they have nothing to fear, Schumer said.

Lawmakers in both chambers needed to muster a two-thirds majority to override, and did so easily. The lone "no" vote in the Senate was Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

With elections just over a month away, many lawmakers were reluctant to oppose a measure backed by 9/11 families who say they are still seeking justice 15 years after the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. A group of senators pledged to find ways to improve the measure during a post-election, lame-duck session of Congress.

Despite an expectation that Congress would override, the White House made a last-ditch attempt to fight it. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Reid, Obama warned the bill could cause chaos in U.S. foreign affairs, as other countries would use the measure to justify the creation of ways to target "U.S. policies and activities that they oppose."

"As a result, our nation and its armed forces, State Department, intelligence officials and others may find themselves subject to lawsuits in foreign courts." Obama wrote in a letter delivered Tuesday.

But Cornyn, one of the bill's leading proponents, dismissed Obama's concerns as "unpersuasive." Cornyn, the Senate's No. 2 Republican, and other supporters said the bill is narrowly tailored and applies only to acts of terrorism that occur on U.S. soil.

The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, or JASTA, moved to the floor of the Senate in May and passed by voice vote. The bill cleared the House earlier this month, also by voice vote.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter, in a letter Monday to a senior member of Congress, said he's sympathetic to the intent of the measure. But the legislation could lead to the public disclosure of American secrets and even undercut counterterrorism efforts by sowing mistrust among U.S. partners and allies, according to Carter.

With the override, the bill will now become law. During his nearly two full terms in office, Obama had never had a veto overridden by Congress.

The legislation gives victims' families the right to sue in U.S. court for any role that elements of the Saudi government may have played in the 2001 attacks. Fifteen of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers were Saudi nationals.

Courts would be permitted to waive a claim of foreign sovereign immunity when an act of terrorism occurs inside U.S. borders, according to the terms of the bill. Saudi Arabia has objected vehemently to the legislation.

Obama vetoed the measure last week, telling lawmakers the bill would make the U.S. vulnerable to retaliatory litigation in foreign courts that could put U.S. troops in legal jeopardy.

But the bill's proponents have disputed Obama's rationale as "unconvincing and unsupportable," saying the measure is narrowly tailored and applies only to acts of terrorism that occur on U.S. soil.

Kristen Breitweiser, a 9/11 widow and co-chair of September 11th Advocates, criticized Carter's assessment, saying that the defense secretary had testified before Congress last week that he wasn't an expert on the bill.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
When Health Republic Insurance of New Jersey announced recently that its $46 million in debt and shutting down, it became the 17th failed ObamaCare co-op since the Affordable Care Act launched three years ago.

Those failures  just six of the original 23 co-ops remain  have left hundreds of thousands of people scrambling for coverage.

Meanwhile, insurers claiming big losses are leaving some state exchanges -- including Indiana University Health Plans, whose exit is expected to result in 27,000 Indiana residents losing ObamaCare plans in 2017. And companies still operating in the federal and state exchanges are raising premiums for next year.

Together, the developments are posing new challenges for Americans seeking affordable coverage, and show the highly touted overhaul of the countrys health care system is in some cases not yielding the savings President Obama once promised.

As a candidate on the campaign trail in 2008, Obama once said: If youve got health insurance, were going to help that employer save $2,500 per family per year.  Those savings are going to be passed along to the workers.

Nationally, though, premium hikes are expected to average 8 percent next year. Many insurance companies are seeking much more than that, for the exchange plans and those offered to employers.

Premera in Washington state is approved to charge 19 percent more next year. Rates across California will go up an average of 13 percent. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is asking to raise premiums a stunning 60 percent.

Long-time critics of ObamaCare say they saw it coming.

That basic promise, that its going to make health care more affordable, its not making health care more affordable, said Avik Roy, an author and Republican adviser. Its making health care more expensive, especially for the uninsured.

The problem remains a risk pool with too many sick people and not enough who are young and healthy. Also, federal backstop programs, aimed at helping companies that miscalculated how much to charge, are now expired. So insurance companies need higher premiums to cover payouts to doctors and hospitals.

The alternative is pulling out of health exchanges, which many companies have been doing. In recent months Aetna, United Health Care and several Blue Cross and Blue Shield subsidiaries have announced they will be leaving many of the exchanges in 2017.

Thats going to be the future, said Roger Stark of the Washington Policy Center in Washington State. What were seeing here is the beginning of a death spiral as far as exchanges are concerned as more companies pull out.

In Indiana, the company pulling out of the exchange had covered 15 percent of those covered under ObamaCare. Indiana Sen. Dan Coats, a Republican, told The Washington Times this is further evidence the health care law is collapsing before our eyes.

The Obama administration says its signature legislation can boast plenty of successes. Twenty-million additional people are insured, whether through the exchanges, through expanded Medicaid or young adults who are able to stay on their parents policies. Also, the growth in health care spending nationally has slowed.

As for rising premiums, many Democrats including presidential nominee Hillary Clinton favor offering a government public option that would compete directly with for-profit insurance companies.

If a public option could bring premiums down, primarily by paying doctors and hospitals less and having lower overhead and no profit, that would lower federal government costs, said Larry Levitt of the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump opposes a public option. Trump has called for scrapping ObamaCare and starting over. He favors more competition by allowing people to buy health insurance across state lines.
Wearing a candidate's campaign pin is hardly out of the ordinary this election season. But doing it while conducting congressional oversight at a hearing where that candidate's conduct is front-and-center -- that's another matter.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, raised eyebrows Wednesday when she showed up wearing a gold Hillary Clinton campaign pin to a House Judiciary Committee hearing dealing with the FBI probe regarding Clintons private email server.

The committee heard testimony from FBI Director James Comey on the agencys decision not to pursue charges and a newly revealed set of controversial immunity deals given to Clintons staff.

Jackson Lee asked Comey questions while wearing the "H" campaign pin -- though the exchange left no doubt as to her leanings on the matter.

"[Republicans] want you to prosecute, or ask the DOJ to prosecute, Secretary Clinton regardless of the facts. So theyve engaged in an almost daily ritual of holding hearings, desperately trying to tear down the investigation," she told Comey.

The House has guidelines restricting certain forms of campaign-related activity, but there is no apparent ban on wearing pins. However, while it is not unusual in the slightest for representatives to express their political beliefs on Capitol Hill, wearing campaign paraphernalia during an oversight hearing is more of a rarity.

Jackson Lee also was spotted wearing the pin on the House floor during the vote to override President Obamas veto of a bill allowing 9/11 victims families to sue Saudi Arabia.

Jackson Lees expression of support for Clinton was noted on a pro-Donald Trump subreddit, /r/The_Donald, in a thread entitled Dont mind me, just doing my impartial oversight with my shiny gold H pin on.

Jackson Lees office did not immediately return a request for comment from FoxNews.com.

Jackson Lee isnt the only lawmaker to sport an "H" pin on the Hill. On Tuesday, Clintons running mate Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., arrived on the Senate floor wearing the lapel pin.

When alerted to it, he said he had forgotten to take it off.

FoxNews.coms Adam Shaw and Fox News Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
When Romanian hacker Guccifer breached Hillary Clinton confidant Sidney Blumenthals email account in 2013, it set off an explosive chain of events among a tight circle of Clinton family aides  including one confidential assistant whose extensive role in managing some of the former secretarys mobile devices and computer security requests is only now becoming clear.

The details were contained in the latest document dump of FBI files on Clintons personal email use. The FBI chose late Friday afternoon to release nearly 200 highly redacted pages of so-called 302 files from the bureaus investigation, a release that quickly became overshadowed by the impending presidential debate Monday.

NEW TONIGHT: 2nd FBI-Clinton document dump on a Friday this month--Continues pattern of holiday/weekend releases:https://t.co/VHtYLHAh13 pic.twitter.com/tGmsCfE44a  Fox News Research (@FoxNewsResearch) September 24, 2016

But the files included new details of the tech intervention by Clinton aide Huma Abedin and Clinton Foundation official Justin Cooper  and a third individual, a Hillary Clinton aide named Monica Hanley.

Hanley was interviewed twice by the FBI, on Jan. 11 and June 23. Working for Hillary Clinton as a confidential assistant, Hanley joined the State Department in 2009 as Hillary Clinton began her job as secretary of state. Previously, the 35-year-old worked as an intern for Clinton while she served as a U.S. senator for New York.

In the released documents, Hanley emerged as the go-to staffer often tasked with finding replacements to satisfy Clintons chosen use of non-secure BlackBerries. Hanley stated she tried to find BlackBerries for sale on eBay and admitted that she made a trip to a mall in Virginia to try to find devices for sale.

Hanley noted a coffee incident ruined one of the Clintons devices.

In her interviews, Hanley told the FBI that during her time at the State Department, she learned specifically how to handle and transport classified information/paper but could not recall who provided the training.

Two emails from Hanley were marked classified with a c for confidential, the lowest level of classification. Fox News first reported some of the emails contained classified markings despite Clintons public claims.

The FBI document said Hanley received a Top Secret/SCI clearance at DoS. Despite the training, during one trip to Russia, Hanley was specifically criticized for leaving a classified document in a hotel suite she shared with Clinton during the trip. Hanley was informed by DS (Department of State) that the briefing book and document should have never been in the suite, the document said.

She was also involved in the response to the hack by Guccifer, whose real name is Marcel Lehel Lazar.

It was during her second interview with the FBI on June 23 that Hanley finally revealed details of a conference call she had with Abedin and top Clinton Foundation fundraiser Cooper as they scrambled over concerns related to a reported hack by Sidney Blumenthals email account in the spring of 2013, first reported by The Smoking Gun.

In the latest documents, the FBI redacted another individuals name who apparently was on that conference call.

Cooper, who recently testified before the House oversight committee, was responsible for running the clintonemail.com networks. In addition to his work for the Clinton Foundation, Cooper is listed as a senior adviser to Teneo Holdings, a private investment banking firm worth billions and founded by former President Bill Clinton and longtime adviser Doug Band.

The FBI file says Hanley told the FBI that after the conference call, Cooper provided Hanley an Apple Mac laptop from the Clinton Foundation, which Hanley took home to her apartment (redacted.) It was noted that Hanley created an archive of Hillary R. Clintons hdr22@clintonemail.com as a result of concerns about the reported hack of Blumenthals account.

Hanley stated that Abedin selected the new name of the email account, hrod17@clintonemail.com.

In her Jan. 11 statement to the FBI, Hanley initially said the computer given to her by Cooper was a MacAir and that it took several days for the transfer of emails to the laptop to be performed in her apartment. Hanley also testified in January that she recalled transferring the emails to a thumb-drive but could not recall what happened to the thumb-drive.

However, in her June 23 interview, Hanley changed her statement to say the computer was likely a Pro (MacPro) because it had an ethernet port and a thumb drive portal.

In addition, Hanley added that she thought she might have given the thumb drive to Abedin when she transitioned to (Redacted) as she provided Abedin with several items.

And in that second interview, Hanley suddenly remembered that the Clinton Foundation laptop given to her by Cooper to archive the secretarys emails was still in her possession in 2014 after she was not working for Clinton.

Hanley stated that she contacted Platte River Networks (PRN) on her own accord and spoke with (redacted.) That computer was never recovered by the FBI.

Unlike Cooper at the recent House hearing, Paul Combetta of Platte River Networks took the Fifth in refusing to answer questions regarding his use of Bleachbit to scrub Clintons email headers in March 2015 despite a congressional order to preserve the records.

The FBI formally concluded that Lazar did not get into Clintons private servers but assessed that other bad actors including Russia and Ukraine used brute force to launch cyberattacks again her networks immediately after Lazars breach of Blumenthals AOL account.
House Speaker Paul Ryan and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi came to an agreement late Tuesday to address the water crisis in Flint, Mich., and possibly avoiding a complete government shut down later this week.

A Pelosi aide told Fox News "the amendment represents a bipartisan agreement between Speaker Ryan and Leader Pelosi to allow germane authorization language to be added to WRDA as an amendment that will, at the end of the day, provide the necessary funding Flint needs in the final WRDA conference report."

The House will now vote Wednesday on an amendment by Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., to provide up to $170 million in emergency relief to combat Flints toxic water crisis.

The move came after a stopgap bill to prevent a government shut down and to fund the efforts to combat the Zika virus stalled in the Senate. Democrats largely opposed the measure in a Senate test vote as well as a dozen of the Senates most conservative members. The bill failed on a 55 to 45 vote.

The GOP defections left Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., short of a simple majority, much less the 60 votes needed to clear a filibuster hurdle. McConnell is looking for a way out of the legislative box canyon that doesn't include capitulating on Flint, which GOP leaders fear would start a revolt among House tea party conservatives.

Republicans promised to address the Flint issue after the election in endgame talks on separate water resource bill, but Democrats refused to take them at their word and pushed for Flint funding.

"'Trust me, we will consider Flint later'  that's like nothing to me," Pelosi said Tuesday.

Democrats say it's unfair that the water crisis in Flint has gone on for more than a year with no assistance, while Louisiana and other states are getting $500 million for floods that occurred just last month. Democrats have played a strong hand in the negotiations and know they have leverage because Republicans controlling the House and Senate are eager to avoid a politically harmful shutdown at midnight Friday.

"Democrats have been clear that Congress should not leave Flint and other lead-tainted communities out of any (stopgap spending) negotiation that includes emergency disaster funding," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and other top Democrats in a Tuesday morning letter to McConnell.

McConnell characterized the Democratic position as "no Flint, no flood" and indicated he is considering dropping the flood aid. Both sides hope to avert that.

The stopgap spending bill would keep the government running through Dec. 9 and provide $1.1 billion in long-delayed funding to fight the spread of the Zika virus and develop a vaccine and improved tests to detect it. Zika can cause can cause grave birth defects.

Fox News Chad Pergram and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
A battle over water damage could well determine whether Congress avoids a government shutdown Friday night.

Lawmakers now toil on a stopgap spending bill (known as a Continuing Resolution or CR) to keep the lights on in Washington. But Congress is struggling to provide aid to victims of the catastrophic flooding that drowned Louisiana last month. Lawmakers simultaneously wrestle with emergency assistance for the toxic drinking water crisis in Flint, Mich.

The water issues of both Louisiana and Flint, far from a drip, are so pronounced that they crashed their way into the debate over avoiding a partial government shutdown this week.

A coalition of Democrats and Republicans filibustered a government spending measure Tuesday crafted by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. But Flints water disaster helped sink McConnells blueprint three days before government funding is set to expire.

With control of the Senate in play this fall, McConnell wants to cut vulnerable GOP senators loose from Washington as soon as possible to campaign. But Democrats hold particular sway in both bodies on this vote.

Conservatives pushed for a significant cut in spending in the bill, for provisions to block refugees from Syria, and for preventing Planned Parenthood-affiliated clinics from receiving Zika assistance. They didnt get any of it. Congressional GOP leaders axed such measures in order to have a chance of slipping the bill past a Democratic filibuster. Thats to say nothing of securing President Obamas signature.

Republicans could certainly approve a partisan bill. But that would likely trigger a shutdown Friday night.

One evident path for both bodies of Congress to approve a package that would avoid a government shutdown would be to dump Flint aid onto the CR. The Senate already okayed a separate water policy bill that included Flint relief, 95-3. So, the Senate could likely reprise that vote if McConnell hooked Flint to the CR.

But that poses a political problem. House conservatives showed former House Speaker John Boehner the door this time last year, criticizing the Ohio Republican for advancing must-pass measures with minimal GOP support  alongside major Democratic backing. Those gambits finally cost Boehner. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., knows he must tread carefully around pushing a spending bill tilted in favor of Democrats.

Meantime, Louisiana lawmakers insisted congressional leaders attach flood relief to the CR. Some conservatives found lines of demarcation between the Bayous floodwaters and Flints malignant H20.

Flints not a natural disaster. Its a mismanagement problem, protested Rep. Bill Flores, R-Texas, chairman of the largest bloc of House conservatives, known as the Republican Study Committee (RSC). Why do the people of Waco, Texas, have to pay for the people of Flint, Michigan?

Let's not pick and choose who we take action for, said Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., on the Louisiana versus Flint debate.

Republicans floated the idea of resolving the Flint issue in a lame-duck session later this year. But Flint advocates say promises guarantee little.

If the people of Flint have to wait until the end of the year, then the people of Louisiana can join them, said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.

There was speculation Tuesday that McConnell could jam the House with a bare-bones stopgap bill with Flint aid tacked on. That maneuver would avoid a government shutdown and expeditiously get everyone out of Washington. But under that scenario, Ryan could face the same political landmines Boehner encountered when forced to rely on Democrats to advance must-pass bills.

I dont think McConnell cares one iota about Paul Ryan, said one House conservative. That would just be collateral damage.

Late Tuesday, bipartisan House leaders worked to allow Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., to offer an amendment to provide Flint with $170 million in emergency relief.

An aide to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., says the amendment represents a bipartisan agreement between Speaker Ryan and Leader Pelosi on Flint. This potential breakthrough may keep that thorny issue away from the CR.

Congress could still face a clock issue on the CR in the Senate. Unique Senate rules allow senators to require the body to burn chunks of time stretched across multiple days before finishing a given bill. Senators who oppose the CR could protract the debate now, pushing Congress right up to the 11:59:59 p.m. ET Friday deadline.

But a rationale prevails among some lawmakers and aides that the government really doesnt shutter Friday night. Thats because many federal workers are off Saturday and Sunday. So, as long as Congress doesnt notify the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that funding lapsed, lawmakers could have some weekend time to finish a spending bill if things slip beyond Friday.

Still, another deadline looms over the weekend: Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown Sunday. Jewish lawmakers wont be available for votes until sundown next Tuesday. The deadline to fund the government could be 6:48 p.m. ET Sunday, the time the sun sets in Washington, D.C.

So Congress is watching the clock  and perhaps the sun  to finish. But the negative impacts of water in Louisiana and Flint are leading indicators of how Congress wraps things up.
President Obama is expected to extend the bombing campaign against ISIS in Libya for a second time, three U.S. military officials with knowledge of the request told Fox News.

The decision authorizes the U.S. military to launch a third month of airstrikes against ISIS in the Libyan coastal city of Sirte. Airstrikes began Aug. 1 following a request from the Uited Nations-backed government in Tripoli. At the time, the Pentagon said the Libya mission would likely last weeks, not months.

Extending the bombing campaign for another month in Libya means the Navy will have to keep two warships off the coast of Libya for up to a third consecutive month, according to defense officials. Drone strikes, which provide a majority of the strikes, would also be extended. The initial plan called for the two warships to remain off Libya for one month only.

One of the U.S. warships, the amphibious assault vessel USS Wasp, had been scheduled to go to the Persian Gulf in September to begin airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, as well as keep an eye on Iran following recent incidents involving Iranian gunboats and U.S. Navy ships -- one of which resulted in warning shots being fired by a U.S. warship. The other, the destroyer USS Carney, was supposed to head to the Black Sea near Russia next month. But the Libya operation against ISIS has been deemed more pressing by senior military leaders.

U.S. Marine Corps Harrier jets and attack helicopters as well as drones have conducted 175 airstrikes against ISIS in Libya as of Monday, according to the U.S. militarys Africa Command, which is leading the operation.



The news comes as Obama approved the Pentagons request to deploy an additional 615 American soldiers to Iraq to help local forces prepare for the expected assault on Mosul, Iraq's second largest city.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter made the troop announcement Wednesday. The U.S. military is now conducting airstrikes against terror groups in six countries: Iraq, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia.

The USS Wasp is serving as the launch point for U.S. airstrikes in Libya. The USS Carney is serving as an escort ship and firing illumination rounds from its 5-inch gun to help a U.S.-backed Libyan ground force in Sirte, located roughly half way between Tripoli and Benghazi.

In addition to the airstrikes, U.S. special operations forces have been in and out of Libya for months advising local ground forces, according to defense officials.

When the Libya airstrikes began, a Pentagon spokesman said the strikes would only back ground forces associated with the fledgling United Nations-backed government known as the Government of National Accord (GNA) for a finite period of time and did not anticipate a long commitment.

The duration of this operation will be measured based upon the length of time it takes for them to do that objective, Capt. Jeff Davis said during a Pentagon briefing with reporters.

The mission will likely take weeks not months, Davis said at the start of the airstrikes in early August. This is a finite period of time and a very finite mission ... We dont envision this as being something thats going to be too long, he said.

Speaking at the White House in August, President Obama said supporting the Libyan government against ISIS was in America's national security interests.

ISIS fighters have been decimated in Libya since US airstrikes began, multiple officials tell Fox News.

Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said in August the number of

ISIS fighters in Sirte was under 1,000. After nearly two months of a majority of drone strikes as well as U.S. Marine Corps airstrikes, the number of ISIS fighters in Sirte has been estimated to be under 100, according to a U.S. official with knowledge of the latest intelligence.

The official added that U,S, military operations in Libya could be ending soon. Its very close. ISIS is only in three neighborhoods [in Sirte], the official added.

In June, CIA Director John Brennan said there were 5,000 to 8,000 ISIS fighters in Libya.
The White House said Wednesday that President Barack Obama will lead a delegation to Jerusalem to attend Friday's funeral for former Israeli President Shimon Peres.

Peres died Wednesday due to complications from a stroke. The former Israeli prime minister was 93.

Obama said in a statement that Peres had changed the course of human history by expanding the "moral imagination" and forcing people to expect more from themselves.

Obama was scheduled to travel to Jerusalem on Thursday. He was to go to the White House on Friday following the ceremony.

The White House didn't identify other members of the U.S. delegation that will accompany Obama.
As Donald Trump tries to bounce back from a disappointing night, he has to battle an emerging media narrative that what happened at Hofstra was a turning point.

Actually, plenty of candidates have gone on to win after a first-debate flop, including Barack Obama in 2012, George W. Bush in 2004 and Ronald Reagan in 1984.

But Trump and his campaign missed a huge opportunity against Hillary Clinton, who would have outpointed him even if she hadnt benefited from one-sided questioning by Lester Holt.

Trump is half-right in his criticism of the NBC moderator. Holt asked him five fact-checking questions and Clinton none. Holt interrupted Trump 41 times, and Clinton seven. His only question to Clinton about the email scandal was asking if she wanted to respond after Trump brought it up.

At the same time, Holts questions to Trumpabout his tax returns, early stand on Iraq, crusade on birtherismwere not unfair, as Trump contends. Whether or not he was off base in his challenge to Trump on stop-and-frisk policies, its the moderators right to follow up. The unfairness was in the lack of comparable aggressiveness in the questioning of Clinton.

But the problem for Trump is that a candidate who complains about the moderator, fairly or unfairly, can be portrayed as whiny. The same goes for what Trump saying that he had a mic problemthough one journalists in the hall told me that seemed trueand suggesting it was intentional.

Whats also not helpful is for Trump is getting diverted into side issues. In an interview with Fox & Friends, the candidate responded to Hillary having raised his past spat with a former Miss Universe, Alicia Machado. She was the worst we ever had, Trump said yesterday. She was the winner, and she gained a massive amount of weight, and it was a real problem. We had a problem with her.

The Clinton camp, not surprisingly, had Machado available for a press call.

I also dont think its effective for Trump, in post-debate interviews, to say he could have brought up Bill Clintons infidelities at Hofstra but chose not to. It was awkward when he said it at the debate, and now it sounds like hes saying it without quite saying it. If he wants to bring it up at the second debate, fine. But its not helping him drive a message right now.

We can all nitpick the debate performances. Clinton had missed opportunities as well. When Holt asked her if the police are biased against blacks, she made no effort to defend the overwhelming majority of careful and honest officers, instead saying that we all need to examine ourselves for implicit bias.

But no matter what Trumps level of debate prep, its striking he didnt have better answers prepared on birtherism, Iraq and his refusal to release his tax returns. Much of the public doesnt care as much as the media whether Trump discloses the returns. But when he says he cant because of an auditbut would if Clinton released her deleted emailsit sounds like his decision is purely tactical.

The race remains tight, and its unlikely that Clinton will suddenly open up a sizable lead. Trump did nothing to turn off his supporters, who like his rough-and-tumble approach and his message about throwing out the incompetent bums.

But he did nothing to expand his base during those 90 minutes on Long Island, and thats an opportunity he cant get back.
Israeli archaeologists have unearthed a 2,900-year-old gate-shrine they say confirms the biblical story of King Hezekiah, who mandated the worship of God and the rejection of all other deities.

The gate-shrine in Tel Lachish National Park was uncovered decades ago, but a new excavation has completely exposed the gate, which is the largest one known from the First Temple period.

The size of the gate is consistent with the historical and archaeological knowledge we possess, whereby Lachish was a major city and the most important one after Jerusalem, said excavation director Sa'ar Ganor.

According to the Book of Kings, he said, the cities gates were the place where everything took place: the city elders, judges, governors, kings and officials  everyone would sit on benches in the city gate. These benches were found in our excavation.

The 80x80-foot Lachish city gate is 13 feet tall and consists of six chambers, three on either side of the main street that passed between them. Among the artifacts found in its rooms were benches with armrests, jars, a large number of scoops for loading grain and stamped jar handles that bear the name of the official seal impression. Two of those impressions say belonging to the king of Hebron.

The continuation of the building is the gate-shrine, whose steps ascended to a large room where there was a bench upon which offerings were placed, Ganor said. An opening was exposed in the corner of the room that led to the holy of holies; to our great excitement, we found two four-horned altars and scores of ceramic finds consisting of lamps, bowls and stands in this room.

It is most interesting that the horns on the altar were intentionally truncated, he said That is probably evidence of the religious reform attributed to King Hezekiah, whereby religious worship was centralized in Jerusalem and the cultic high places that were built outside the capital were destroyed.

The archaeologists also uncovered a stone fashioned in the shape of a chair, with a hole in its center  a toilet that was installed to desecrate the place.

This is the first time archaeologists have confirmed the assertion in the Bible that toilets were installed in cultic locations to destroy them. Lab tests suggest the toilet was never used, leading the archaeologists to conclude that it was installed there as a symbol.

The uncovering of these finds joins a long list of discoveries that enlighten us about our historic past, a past that is manifested in our countrys soil and in the writings of the Book of Books, said Miri Regev, Israels minister of culture and sport.

The Bible  the founding book of the Jewish people, draws the countrys boundaries and the heritage of the Jewish people that was exiled from its country and returned to its homeland, she continued.

It boldly commemorates the way of our forefathers, the prophets, the kings and the judges, and the Israel Antiquities Authority deserves praise for this important discovery, a discovery that deepens our connection to our ancestors who walked this land.

The Nature and Parks Authority and Israel Antiquities Authority plan to open the gate, which is currently covered, to visitors after they have developed the site and conserved the artifacts.
Archaeologists have been stunned by the discovery of Roman coins in the ruins of a Japanese castle.

The coins were excavated from the ruins of Katsuren Castle in Okinawa Prefecture, according to the Japan Times, noting that this is the countrys first discovery of its kind. Citing the Board of Education in the city of Uruma, the Japan Times reports that the four copper coins are believed to be from the third to fourth centuries.

The castle, which existed from the 12th to the 15th centuries, is part of a UNESCO world heritage site.

X-ray analysis of the coins has apparently revealed the image of Emperor Constantine I and a soldier carrying a spear. Each coin measures 0.6 inches to 0.8 inches in diameter, according to the report.

Urumas Board of Education noted that Okinawas trade with China and Southeast Asia was thriving during the castles existence and described the coins as precious historical material suggesting a link between Okinawa and the Western world.

Other artifacts discovered at the site include a 17th century coin from the Ottoman Empire. Five other round metallic items that appear to be coins were also found.

Experts speculated that the coins were brought to Japan via trade routes that linked the West to Asia, according to CNN. Masaki Yokou, a spokeswoman for Urumas Board of Education told CNN that no direct relations between the Roman Empire and the castle are thought to have existed.
A company called Waverly Labs is working on a wearable translation device that has captured peoples imaginations, generated plenty of buzz, and raised over $3 million on Indiegogo.

Its promise? That two people wearing earpieces made by the company could speak in different languages, and with the earpieces working in conjunction with a smartphone app, each person could hear a translation in their preferred language in their ear. For example, one person could speak Spanish, and the other would hear it as English in his ear, and vice versa.

The idea is undoubtedly exciting to anyone who has felt the limits of a language barrier. And a video that the company posted that demonstrates the device in action, translating between English and French, has been viewed over 280,000 times. Still, some are skeptical. For Forbes, Paul Armstrong wrote that he was not convinced that the product is actually real. And Snopes.com is also dubious, saying the tech is unproven.

But Andrew Ochoa, the companys 34-year-old CEO, and Marion Guerriero, the start-ups communications director, assured me that its real, and that it works.

Ochoa, whos from Texas and speaks a little Spanish, was wearing a black dress shirt and dark blue jeans and was fighting a persistent, nagging cough when we spoke in person in September. Hed just returned from a trip overseas.

Im just a dreamer, he said, when I asked him about his professional background, and what led him to make such an intriguing device.

But my first question was: Does it work?

Absolutely, Ochoa said.

Each person must have an earpiece in, though, for it to do so. And there is a nominal delay of a couple seconds, he said, for the device to translate from language to language. The system uses both their own technology and other technology as a hybrid system, he explained.

Is it a scam? I asked him a few minutes later. Is it real?

We absolutely have a prototype, he assured me. The company says that they will allow the media to try it in December, and it should be available to the public in May of next year.

Theres a lot that we want to work on, he said, and later added: Just in general, translation is difficult, and its not always 100 percent. And we want people to understand its not perfect.

He declined to say what the devices word-error rate was.

That said, it raises intriguing possibilities. The system can work with more than two earpieces and even more than two languages, he said, meaning that three people could have a conversation say in French, Spanish, and English and each could hear the conversation in their chosen language, like a mini United Nations at your kitchen table. This generation of device will support verbal translation in these languages only: English, Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese (both Brazilian and from Portugal).

Jim Glass, a senior research scientist at MIT who works in their computer science and artificial intelligence laboratories, said that the three types of technology behind this product speech recognition, text translation, and text-to-speech synthesis have been in the works for a while.

I actually can quite imagine that you could do something like this today," he said, but added: The devils in the details.

Its not going to be the Babel Fish in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy where its constantly just translating on the fly into your ear when youre in the vicinity of somebody talking a foreign language, he said. Although thats a science fiction dream, and maybe one day well be closer to that.

Ultimately, the idea of the device is exciting, even if its impossible to see how well it works until its tested. Besides the Babel Fish, its hard not to compare the Pilot device to the concept of the universal translator from Star Trek, but Ochoa said he didnt know if that was a fair comparison.

We want to be realistic in the sense that on 'Star Trek,' its like instantaneous, he said, snapping his fingers. This is the first step. This is the first generation. Thats why we call it Pilot.

Ultimately, the proof will be in the hearing.

Follow Rob Verger on Twitter: @robverger

This article has been updated to clarify a description of the languages the device will verbally translate.
The F-35A Lightning II before heading out on the day's training at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. This is the aircraft of Lt. Col George Watkins, Commander of the 34th Fighter Squadron - the USAF's very first operational F-35 squadron. (Allison Barrie)
We have good news and bad news.

The bad news is that yes, airplanes can just disappear, as the mystery of the final location of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 proves. The good news is that companies are actively working to make sure all flights are live-tracked, no matter their position in the skies.

It's something that is long overdue since, as our own Barbara Peterson recently explained, "current air traffic surveillance worldwide is a patchwork of conventional radar and satellite coverage that can have wide gaps in coverage." Fortunately, flight tracking company FlightAware has partnered with Aireon satellite logistics to activate a new space-based tracking network that hopes to fill those gaps.

The receivers are "staged for launch" at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California right now. Once in orbit, they'll receive live positions from airplanes traveling around the world as the first and only truly global flight tracking system, covering the North and South poles as well as every ocean and every desert in the world.

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"For travelers, it means that when theyre flying across an ocean or over the North Pole, for the first time ever, airlines will be able to track their flights on a minute-by-minute basis," FlightAware CEO Daniel Baker tellsConde Nast Traveler. "Travelers can rest assured that the airline team on the ground is keeping an eye on their flights progress and able to assist at any time, with the maximum amount of flight tracking data possible."

But really, how often do you fly over the North Pole or across remote swathes of ocean? The answer is far more often than you might think, and routes are only getting longer as newer aircraft with improved fuel economy become available. Have you ever hopped on a non-stop flight from New York to Hong Kong? Those go over the North Pole every day. What about flying from the U.S. to Australia or Africa, or even just Hawaii?

RELATED: What Happens When an Airplane Passenger Tries to Open the Exit Door Mid-Flight

All of these flight routes require lengthy periods of over-ocean flying in areas that cannot support land-based trackingbecause there's simply no land on which to base the necessary equipment. FlightAware turns to the sky for the solution. According to Baker, they expect to provide Aireons space-based data to airlines in 2017, with the system fully operational with global coverage by 2018.
Orlando may be best known as a whimsical playground for the kiddos, but look a little bit closer, and youll find plenty of activities to keep the grownups happy, too. Whether its a weekend getaway for you and your girlfriends, a romantic adventure for couples or even some quality bonding time with your adult family members.

Beyond Orlandos theme parks lies hundred-year-old oak groves, a thriving cocktail bar scene and plenty of aquaitic activities like taking a boat ride past the city's hottest mansions. Unlike Miami, there have been no confirmed cases of Zika in Orlando and travel app Hopper is predicting a 26 percent average price drop in airfare to Orlando this fall.

So if you think Orlando is all roller coasters and pixie dust, prepare to be pleasantly overwhelmed. There are plenty of hidden treats-- and a few well known gems-- to keep the older set busy.

Planning a trip to the Orlando area, weve done some of the legwork for you:

1. Relax.

Take a breather beyond the raging roller coasters. The Waldorf Astoria treats guests to upscale eateries like Peacock Alley, Bull & Bear and Oscars. During the summer, guests can dine al fresco every Saturday at Aquamarine, where chefs whip up Mediterranean dishes such as shawarma and house-made naan bread. Specialty wines and refreshing summer cocktails are also available. Top off the day with a 50-minute pedicure, hydrotherapy or poolside yoga session, and youre all set.

Nearby, the Four Seasons is another hideaway geared toward the mature traveler. Theres an adults-only infinity pool and Capa, a rooftop steakhouse (where you can spot the Disney fireworks nightly). The 13,000-square-foot spa is equally impressive. Choose from a deep-tissue treatment or a detoxing salt envelopment to invigorate your body to the nth degree. (Note: If you end up staying in a hotel that does not offer spa services, you can book a massage on demand at soothe.com. A licensed therapist will come to your hotel, your condo, or wherever it is you are staying.)

2. Eat.

In the last 10 years, the City Beautiful has emerged as a haven for the farm-to-table movement. There's a blossoming independent restaurant scene where scrumptious eats come with a side of spunk.

K Restaurant & Wine Bar in the walkable College Park area is a casual-upscale American and Italian restaurant owned by a James Beard award nominee. The menu changes daily and features plenty of tasty apps. Hint: If the weather's nice, eat outside; the backyard of this old house was converted into a fresh herb and veggie garden.

Canvas Restaurant & Market, a trendy new dinner-only restaurant in Lake Nona, serves up new American cuisine with a Latin American influence. The menu offers large sharable appetizers and a range of seafood options. With a nod to Floridas background, drinks balance regional flavors with a hint of citrus. For more southern comfort food, try SoCo in the downtown area. Then, hoof it to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts for a Broadway play or concert.

3. Play.

Rent a bike and hop on a Swarm ride with Fleet Farming. Pedal your way to farmlettes where you can help tend the crops and learn about urban gardening.

Get out on the water by booking private cabanas at Wekiva Island. Each set up is complete with adirondack chairs, a comfy couch and coffee table. You can grab a bite from the restaurant, listen to live music or go kayaking down the river. For more time on the water, take a paddle board yoga class at Maui Bs where you can perfect your downward dog without crashing into the water.
A homeschooled South Carolina teenager shot and killed his father Wednesday before opening fire on a nearby elementary school playground, injuring two students and a teacher, local authorities said.

Anderson County Sheriff's Office Capt. Garland Major told a news conference that two male students at Townville Elementary School were shot in the leg and foot, respectively. A female teacher was shot in the shoulder.

Fox Carolina reported that one of the injured students was in serious condition at a local hospital. Late Wednesday afternoon, officials said the teacher and the less seriously injured student had been treated and released.

The suspect, who has not been identified, was apprehended shortly after the Townville Elementary shooting was reported at around 1:45 p.m. Anderson County District 4 Superintendent Joanne Avery credited the "quick response by the principal, teachers and staff [that] kept this horrific tragedy from being much worse."

The shooter never entered the school building and was apprehended by firefighter Jamie Brock, a 30-year veteran of the Townville Volunteer Fire Department, according to Anderson County sheriff's Lt. Sheila Cole.



Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore identified another shooting victim found in a nearby home as 47-year-old Jeffrey DeWitt Osborne. Shore added that authorities believe Osborne's death was connected to the school shooting and that he was killed by his son.

Authorities did not reveal the teen's age at a news conference Wednesday afternoon, and Cole says she doesn't have his age. The Anderson Independent-Mail quotes Anderson County Sheriff Chief Deputy Keith Smith as saying the teen is 14 and could be charged as a minor.

Authorities did not release a motive for the shooting and said they weren't sure if the students and teacher were targeted.

Jones said all other students were safe following the shooting. The students were bused to a nearby church and reunited with their parents.

"This is the country," Brandi Pierce, the mother of a sixth-grader, told The Associated Press as she began to cry. "You don't have this in the country. It just don't exist out here."

Jamie Meredith, a student's mother, said some of the children went into a bathroom during the shooting.



"I don't know how they knew to go in the bathroom, but I know her teacher was shaken up. I know all the kids were scared. There was a bunch of kids crying. She didn't talk for about 5 minutes when I got her," she told WYFF.

Television images showed officers swarming the school. Some were on top of the roof while others were walking around the building. Students were driven away on buses accompanied by police officers.

Avery said that classes at the school have been canceled for the rest of the week.

Gov. Nikki Haley released a statement shortly after the shooting.

"As we work together with law enforcement to make sure they have the support they need to investigate what happened in Townville, Michael and I ask that everyone across South Carolina join us in praying for the entire Townville Elementary School family and those touched by today's tragedy."

Townville Elementary had about 300 students in its pre-kindergarten to sixth-grade classrooms last year, according to its annual state report card last spring.

The rural town is located about 110 miles northeast of Atlanta along Interstate 85 near the Georgia-South Carolina state line.



The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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A black man reportedly acting erratically at a strip mall in suburban San Diego was shot and killed by police after pulling an object from his pocket, pointing it at officers and assuming a "shooting stance," authorities said.

One officer fired an electronic stun gun and another officer simultaneously fired his firearm several times, El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis told reporters at a news conference late Tuesday night. Davis would not say what the object was, but acknowledged it was not a weapon.

Before police announced the death, dozens of protesters gathered at the shooting scene, with some claiming the man was shot with his hands raised. Police disputed that and produced a frame from cellphone video taken by a witness that appeared to show the man in the "shooting stance" as two officers approached with weapons drawn.

The fatal shooting happened just weeks after black men were shot and killed by police in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and in Charlotte, North Carolina, where violent protests broke out.

Candles and flowers were left Wednesday at the scene of the Tuesday afternoon shooting, near bloodstains on the pavement.

The man shot often hung around the strip mall and frequently seemed "agitated but he was never aggressive toward me," said Victor Hauer, who works at a nearby convenience store and sometimes bought the man food or gave him a few dollars.

The protest in El Cajon Tuesday was angry but peaceful. Several dozen people, most of them black, gathered and some cursed at officers guarding the scene. They chanted "black lives matter!" and "hands up, don't shoot!"

Davis urged the community to remain calm and said the investigation will be thorough.

"This will be transparent," he said. "This will be looked at by multiple sets of eyes, and not just ours."

Police said they were called to the mall shortly after 2 p.m. by the sister of a man in his 30s who said he was "not acting like himself" and walking in traffic. They say the man refused "multiple" orders to take his hand from his pocket, then was shot after pulling out the object.

When detectives arrived, police say a female witness came forward and voluntarily provided cellphone video of the incident. Authorities released the single frame from it but not the video. El Cajon officers do not wear body cameras.

Other videos quickly surfaced showing the aftermath. In one posted to Facebook, an unidentified woman is heard telling police at the scene that the man was ordered to take his hand out of his pocket.

"I said: 'Take your hand out your pocket, baby, or they're going to shoot you.' He said 'no, no, no,' " the woman said. "When he lifted his hand out ... he did have something in his hand but it wasn't no gun, and that's when they shot him."

Another woman on the video wearing hospital-style work clothing identified herself as the man's sister. She shrieked and and cried, telling officers that she had called them to help her brother, who she described as mentally ill.

"I just called for help, and you came and killed him," she said.

Michael Ray Rodriguez was among witnesses who said the man had his hands in the air. He said that he was driving from his apartment complex past the shooting scene and saw a shirtless black man with his hands raised.

The officer "let go of the trigger and shot him again and again," Rodriguez told the San Diego Union-Tribune.

El Cajon is about 15 miles northeast of San Diego and has a population of about 100,000.

It is 69 percent white and 6 percent black, according to 2010 census figures, and has become a home for many refugees fleeing Iraq and, more recently, Syria.

___

Dalton reported from Los Angeles.
Would you get inked for your favorite brand? Youd be surprised how many people actually answer yes.

For many people, having a brands logo tattooed on them is an embodiment of the impact that company has made on their lives. For others, these logo tattoos are just for fun.

Check out these 10 companies who have inspired customers to get inked.

Tough Mudder

Tough Mudder | Twitter

Its not uncommon for a diehard Tough Mudder competitor -- or even just a fan -- to get inked with the logo.

Tough Mudder encourages it. After someone gets the logo tattooed, he or she is instructed to submit a copy of the receipt so they can be awarded free entry to the next Tough Mudder competition.

Anytime Fitness

Anytime Fitness | Twitter

Much like Tough Mudder, 24-hour fitness franchise Anytime Fitness encourages and reimburses customers who brand their bodies with the running man logo. But to Anytime Fitness and its brand evangelists, the tattoo is more than just a logo -- its a symbol of their Anytime Story, a time when they overcame an obstacle or reached a goal.

Since May of this year, more than 3,000 people got Anytime Fitness tattoos.

Apple

Tomohiro Ohsumi | Getty Images

Even though Apple is one of the most popular brands ever, its still surprising to see how many people take their loyalty a step further.

One loyal fan says he got his Apple tattoo in honor of his wife -- because they shared the same anniversary date as Apple's founding.

Others -- well -- they must simply love Apple, getting tattoos ranging from the companys early rainbow-filled logo to MacBook power buttons. Check some out here.

Wal-Mart

Bloomberg | Getty Images

Apparently, Wal-Mart has a few diehard fans too.

The Save Money. Live Better. motto must have really spoken to these customers -- at least enough to convince them that a tattoo was in order.

McDonalds

Stian Ytterdahl | Facebook

These people must really be lovin it.

From golden arches to happy meals -- McDonalds fans get pretty crafty with their tattoos.

One fans artistic endeavors even circulated the news. Norwegian teenager Stian Ytterdah got his McDonalds receipt tattooed on his right arm as a joke with his friends. But a week later, he got the same receipt tattooed on his left arm, reports ABC News.

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola

Since its bubbly beginnings in 1886, the refreshing beverage brand took the world by storm. It hasnt lost momentum since. A number of people get the long-lived Coca-cola logo tattooed on their bodies -- but to many its more than just a logo, its a fashion statement.

Check out some "refreshing" Cola tattoos here.

KFC

KFC | Youtube

That Finger Lickin Goodness is irresistible to some customers, so much so that they decided to get it stamped on their bodies forever.

One superfan even agreed to get a KFC Double Down sandwich tattooed on his leg for a commercial. Referred to by KFC as the Ultimate KFC Double Down Fan, the unnamed man reminisces about the first time he tried the sandwich while on the first date with his girlfriend. I guess thats how it all started, he says in the video.

Wordpress

John Hawkins via Wordpress

For Jeff Matson, Wordpress is more than just a web platform: Wordpress is a way of life, he states on his blog. Matson says that Wordpress changed his life and taught him that he can do, create and be anything. Wordpress wont live on forever, Matson says, which is why he got something to remind him of it.

Matsons not the only one who feels this way about Wordpress either. Check out Wordpress fan art page for a list of other customers who got the W logo inked on their bodies.
The father of a Muslim boy arrested after taking a homemade clock to his Dallas-area school has sued conservative commentator Glenn Beck and Irving, Texas, Mayor Beth Van Duyne claiming they and others falsely portrayed the family as terrorists, court documents show.

Mohamed Mohamed filed the defamation lawsuit Sept. 21 in Dallas on behalf of himself and his 14-year-old son, Ahmed.

The suit also names Fox Television Stations and commentators Ben Shapiro and Ben Ferguson as defendants. It cites Shapiro's Oct. 19, 2015, appearance on Fox News' "The Kelly File," in which he said, "The story didn't hold water from the beginning. Within the first 48 hours it was clear that this was a bit of a set-up and it was clear that the story didn't hold together."

The lawsuit also claims Ferguson said, "This was a pre-planned idea by his father," during a Nov. 23, 2015, appearance on Fox 4 News in Dallas.

The lawsuit seeks retractions, a jury trial and unspecified damages.

The teen was arrested in September 2015. A charge of having a hoax bomb was later dropped.

The lawsuit describes the Mohamed family as "peaceful Muslims" falsely accused of being terrorists. The teen said he brought the homemade digital clock to school to show his teacher.

Requests for comment left by the Associated Press for Beck and Van Duyne weren't immediately returned.

The family filed a civil rights lawsuit against Irving city and school officials last month. The Irving Independent School District responded, "Irving ISD employees are focused on welcoming 35,000 students for the 2016-2017 academic year and doing everything possible to ensure each student is achieving his or her maximum potential."

The family has since moved to Qatar, citing threats and a scholarship offered to Ahmed Mohamed in the Persian Gulf country. He returned to the U.S. for the summer to visit family and friends, as well as traveling around the country.

Supporters including President Obama, other political leaders, corporate executives and NASA scientists rushed to his defense after word of the arrest went public.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A battalion chief who had been considered a rising star in the Fire Department of New York was killed Tuesday when a row house exploded as he was supervising an evacuation following a report of a gas leak, and authorities are looking into whether the building was being used to grow marijuana.

Later Tuesday, investigators said they were questioning a person of interest but provided no details.

The two-story house and adjoining homes in the Bronx had already been emptied of occupants and fire personnel had been on the scene for an hour when the 7:30 a.m. blast jolted neighbors awake, tore off the building's roof and hurled pieces of wood and brick into the street.

Michael Fahy, a 17-year fire department veteran and father of three, was directing operations from the street when he was hit by falling debris, authorities said.

"It is a reminder of the dangers that our first responders face every day, the dangers that the men and women of the FDNY face and the bravery with which they do their job," Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio said after meeting with Fahy's family at a hospital.

Police Commissioner James O'Neill said that about two weeks ago police had received information about possible drug activity on the block. Part of the investigation into the explosion will include a probe of whether the home was a marijuana "grow house," he said.

The cause of the blast hadn't been determined. But across the country, marijuana is often grown legally in enclosed spaces using propane gas that powers carbon dioxide generators to boost production. New York law enforcement authorities could not immediately say whether that might have been the setup in the Bronx house.

The force of the blast moved mugs in a cabinet several houses away, said resident Mary Lahti, who also had dust covering her furniture.

Fahy, who was promoted to chief in June 2012, had a doctorate from New York Law School. He got his undergraduate degree from New York's Binghamton University in 1994 and his master's degree at the Center for Homeland Defense and Security's Naval Postgraduate School, according to education records.

"He was on the rise; he was a star," fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said.

The commissioner said he was a contemporary of Fahy's father, who had been a fire chief before his son.

Residents milled around in the aftermath: debris strewn on the street and covering parked cars; the former house a mangled heap of walls, wiring and twisted metal. Authorities said the house had renters, and they were looking into who they were.

"The explosion felt like a bomb on my house," said Nicholas Kolotouros, who lives across the street. "We got scared, and we jumped out of bed. We didn't know what it was."

Within minutes, police told him to leave his house, one of a lineup of two-story homes on a tree-lined street.

Lahti woke up around 6:30 a.m. "smelling something odd, but I wasn't sure what it was," she said. "It didn't smell like gas, really."

She went back to sleep. The explosion woke her up an hour later.

"I thought it was a car that ran into the house, the way the house shook," she said. "I was jolted out of bed."

When she looked out the window, she said, "it was a lot of smoke, a lot of smoke." Hours later, occasional whiffs of smoke still floated over the neighborhood.
A fraternity at the University of Missouri has been suspended while officials investigate reports of racial and sexist slurs.

The Columbia Daily Tribune reports (http://j.mp/2duagAs ) the Delta Upsilon national organization suspended its chapter at the university Wednesday after an incident in which members were accused of shouting slurs at black students late Tuesday.

The university is investigating after two black female students said other students yelled racial slurs at them as they walked past the fraternity house.

Delta Upsilon International said in a statement that the temporary suspension would continue while the incident is investigated. Fraternity Executive Director Justin Kirk says "racism and sexism have no place in our fraternity."

The university says it's identified the students involved and that discipline for students who violate the university's nondiscrimination policies may include expulsion.

___

Information from: Columbia Daily Tribune, http://www.columbiatribune.com
Warning to residents of the Waterloo region of Ontario: for the next four days, things are going to get really loud. The inaugural FUZEnation technology and music summit has kicked off, bringing together visionary business leaders, tech innovators and the most forward-thinking artists in music.

On the eve of opening day, I spoke with co-founder Rebecca (Lambrecht) Warfield about the festival and what attendees can expect.

Beacher: In a nutshell, what is FUZEnation?

Warfield: Conceptually, FUZEnation is the celebration of music and technology, and a partnership between our company FUZE and Live Nation. It's a multi-day event featuring brilliant minds talking about tech breakthroughs and a celebration of electronic music. I am one of the co-founders and one of the executive producers of the event. This area of Ontario is called "The Silicon Valley of the North." The technology industry is just booming here and this event truly is a passion project of mine. I worked for years in management in the music industry, and you cant be involved in music and not be involved in tech. The two go hand in hand.

JB: Can you talk a little bit about your background and how it influenced your involvement with this project?

RLW: I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I was always trying to make stuff that someone would buy. I started my career as a talent producer for shows like the American Music Awards and the Golden Globes and the Country Music Awards. Each of these shows would have 25 musical performances and presenters, so I was constantly working with performers, publicists, producers -- everyone involved with making these shows happen. It was this incredible mix of A-list artists and upcoming artist in all genres. I worked with Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie. Alicia Keys was always an amazing collaborator. I joined the Britney Spears team on the Circus Tour, which was the biggest tour that ever went out at the time.

Eventually, I left and formed my own company, the Chicane Group, which focuses on management, consulting and producing. Jumping around a bit, I'm also working with Larry Rudolph at Maverick, managing Steven Tyler on all of his Aerosmith and solo projects, and his philanthropic efforts.

Related: How Jeff Beacher Turned Madness Into Millions

JB: I know your work with Steven has meant a lot to you.

RLW: The most touching and feel-good project was his first-ever charity, Janie's Fund, to provide hope and healing for abused and neglected girls. We researched the best way to go about it and partnered with Youth Villages. In the past nine months, we've raised $1.8 million for the programs and have provided 300 girls with 18,000 days of care over the next year. Steven had wanted to start this charity ever since he wrote "Janie's Got a Gun" in 1986, and to be a part of the launch and to make it happen is by far the most rewarding experience over the last couple of years.

JB: How did the festival come about?

RLW: I was working with a concert promoter a couple years ago in the Kitchener-Waterloo area and he came to me with a new idea about an EDM contest and concert. We brought in a local marketing and branding expert, Shevaun Voisin, who is very dialed into the booming tech industry in the area. We started brainstorming. I always loved the interactive portion of SXSW but wanted to do something sleeker. I have a talent producing company, Proven Talent, with Colleen Grillo and I knew we could book a great lineup. I sold the concept to Live Nation who gave us the green light for financing and we partnered with them to create the first of what we hope will be many global events right here.

JB: Who will be performing?

RLW: Kygo, Adventure Club, Keys N Krates, The Him, Kaneholler. The first few days will feature iconic speakers like Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, and Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit. Then we have an amazing panel with local game changers and disrupters. Were kicking it off with music, Atraxx, legendary turntablist will perform.

Related: Reddit Co-Founder Alexis Ohanian 'Building a Business Mostly Isn't Fun'

JB: Talk about the connection between music and tech.

RLW: Inventors are the new rock stars. They take an idea from their head and follow it from start to finish. And I think that creative process can be very similar for musicians. It might be using the other side of the brain, but it is essentially the same: bringing a thought to life, often with a lot of trial and error and stepbacks along the way. The spark of creative passion is the driving force in bringing a product to market or a work of art to the public.
Any casual user of new (digital) media can attest to the growing popularity of the medium among advertisers. Solicitations promoting goods and services now pepper the newsfeeds of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Paid advertisements introduce most YouTube videos. Ads even sneak their way into the most private and seemingly closed platforms, such as Pinterest.

Among the many advertising techniques employed in the social media space, the user endorsement reigns supreme. Through celebrity testimonials, user reviews and product placements, advertisers are able to directly, and oftentimes seamlessly, reach a broad and sophisticated audience without much effort or expenditure.

Related: 10 Ways to Get a Celebrity to Use Your Product

Federal Trade Commission attention.

This proliferation of social media advertising, coupled with the likelihood for consumer confusion, has piqued the interest of regulators at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In 2009, the FTC sounded the initial alarm in conjunction with the release of the revised  Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials. The publication was designed to provide guidance concerning the use of consumer, expert and celebrity endorsements in both traditional and new media forms of advertising.

In recent years, the FTC has continued to ramp up its enforcement against persons and companies that run afoul of the legal mandates concerning the use of endorsements disseminated via new media -- with recent actions against Warner Brothers, Machinima, Inc. and Lord & Taylor in 2016 highlighting the trend. As such, before wading into these waters, it is imperative that advertisers be aware of the activities that may trigger FTC attention. They include:

Posting a selfie depicting the use of a product or attendance at an event or other location

Publication of a bloggers review of a product or service

An audio-video testimonial describing a product or service

A published review or comment relating to a product or service

Related: How to Win Celebrity Endorsements. (Hint: It's Not About the Money.)

Disclosure, disclosure, disclosure.

According to FTC, if a celebrity, or any other person, is paid or otherwise enticed to promote (e.g., discuss, review, wear, depict, share or compliment) a product or service, then the relationship must be disclosed in the advertisement. Nonmonetary enticements such as the provision of free products or services may also require disclosure depending on the circumstances. The basic test articulated by FTC is if a consumer knew an endorser was compensated or incentivized in any way, would that materially affect the weight or credibility of the endorsement?

Of course, depending on the medium utilized, logistical limitations inherent in platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat may make such requirements, at best, undesirable, and at worst, impossible. Limitations aside, the FTCs insistence upon proper disclosure remains, and advertisers are advised to avoid media that preclude such disclosure.

The primary goal of disclosure is to ensure that the endorsement is honest and accurate, and simultaneously prevent consumer deception or confusion. As such, disclaimers must effectively communicate the relationship between an advertiser and the spokesperson, which must include the existence of any quid pro quo between the parties. As a matter of course, any failure to communicate that relationship will be deemed misleading and subject the parties to liability under the FTC Act, in addition to various state consumer protection laws. (FTC busts endorsement myths.)

Related: Athletes' 'Flops' Bruise Their Brands

Whos responsible?

While the burden to disclose is primarily placed upon the advertiser, both the advertiser and endorser/spokesperson -- along with any third party intermediaries -- may be liable for failure to complywith the legal rules. With such risks in mind, all parties should be careful to consider and monitor how their goods and services are being promoted and the methods employed to do so.

We all know that Mikey likes his cereal, but was he paid to say so? This is the essential question from the consumers perspective. As we continue to encounter new media with increasing frequency, whether through traditional channels or the mini-computers that we carry in our pockets, the lines separating sponsored advertising from news and editorial content will continue to blur. Understanding the FTCs intention to monitor such interactions and play referee, it remains imperative that the players know the rules.
From jewelry to furniture and from Illinois to local shops, dozens of dealers are coming with a plethora of goods for the Chippewa Falls Antique Show and Sale.

This Friday and Saturday at the Northern Wisconsin Fairgrounds, Expo Hall C will be filled with assortments of glassware, polished metals, luminous gems and much more from members of the Northern Wisconsin Antiques Dealers Association.

The association has never done a show here before but Rusty Volk, executive director of the Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds, said there are a lot of dealers in the area and the show will have top notch antiques of value.

You can have craft shows and you can have your various flea markets, but this is far different from any of those shows, he said.

Jerry Fults, chairman of the Northern Wisconsin Antiques Dealers Association, said it tried starting up an antique show in the area 25 years ago but didnt get enough interest. Now, with the area being more developed than what it once was, he is ready to try again.

I think that the population in the Eau Claire metropolitan area has increased so greatly that we felt it would not be a bad idea to promote a show again after 25 years, Fults said. I think the Eau Claire area is ready for it. It has exploded.

He said the show will include a wide range of high-end antiques, as well as pieces that are for everyone. In terms of jewelry, the show includes items of sterling, silver or name-brand quality; merchandise that holds higher prices across the nation.

Some of the associations guest dealers from out of state will be showcasing antiques such as pottery and maps, while others will have items like postcards, Indian artifacts or bead work.

Fults will personally be bringing Victorian and walnut furniture. In total, there will be 26 dealers in attendance.

Its going to be a well-balanced show, he said. We tried to put together a decent, well-balanced show with quality people.

The Rotary from River Falls will also be there to cater food and to help raise money for their organization. The association originally started as a group of nonprofit antique dealers 56 years ago to raise money for a rotary in Eagle River and has continued to do so every year.

The dealers association is a nonprofit group and Fults said after it raises the funds to cover the needs of the show itself, he is looking to disperse extra profits into the local economy.

My goal is to be able to give back some of what we take in at the door, he said. Hopefully, we will do this for sure for three years to see if there is an interest in the surrounding community for this event.
Across TV, radio, print, web, and mobile, marketers invest advertising dollars, creative energy and time into targeted messages meant to trigger an emotional response among consumers. For their efforts, marketers hope they may improve the general sentiment towards their brand, convince new audiences to buy their product and encourage existing customers to complete repeat purchases. Their success, of course, is contingent on their ability to influence customer behaviors which makes doing marketing an exercise in consumer psychology.

How to use psychology to your advantage.

In an article for Fast Company, Robert Rosenthal notes, The vast majority of marketers arent psychologists. But many successful marketers regularly employ psychology in appealing to consumers. Smart, skillful, honest marketers use psychology legally, ethically and respectfully to attract and engage consumers, and compel them to buy.

According to Rosenthal, there are five ways marketers can do this.

Run emotion ideas. Studies suggest that marketing messages perform better when they emphasize the outcome consumers can achieve with a particular product or service versus a dry list of its components and features. Highlight your flaws. To build consumer trust, address your products shortcomings rather than hide them. Reposition your competition. Reframe how consumers perceive the competition. Without having to bash them, you can reinforce the idea that your product fills a different, higher value need in your customers life, making your offering the obvious choice. Promote exclusivity. Cater to your customers ego by making them feel special if they were to purchase your product. Introduce fear, uncertainty, and doubt. Emphasize the consequences of inaction. Loss aversion is a powerful psychological principle that can motivate people to purchase your product if doing so somehow helps them avoid any negative outcomes.

The emotional aspects of the job demonstrate there is obvious crossover between psychology and marketing. The trick is in getting potential customers to think differently about your company or offer. In some cases, that means crafting the right brand narrative. Other times, it is strategically getting people in a compliant state by having them make small commitments before you share your intended proposal.

Related: 8 Psychological Insights Into the Brain That Will Improve Your Marketing

When small commitments turn into big wins.

In his book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Dr. Robert Cialdini, a psychology and marketing professor at Arizona State University, listed one of his six principles of persuasion as Commitment and Consistency. Some of us know it as the  Foot-in-door technique. The science suggests that when people make certain choices, they use past decisions to determine future actions. Also, the research insists that when people make commitments they are more likely to follow-through with those tasks.

Marketers apply this to their trade by asking prospects to agree to small asks first. Then they use past customer compliance to influence decision-making later. Examples of small requests customers are likely to commit to include signing up for your email newsletter, following you on social media, attending a webinar, or downloading your ebook. After you have made several successful attempts at getting people to say yes to your requests, you increase your odds that they will respond positively to bigger commitments such as purchasing your products or services.

For the Unbounce blog, growth hacking expert Sean Ellis explains how Obamas presidential campaign used commitment and consistency to redesign its online donation form and generate millions of additional contributions. Ellis writes, By breaking the donation process up into sequential steps, the campaign increased donation conversions by 5 percent, collecting millions of incremental dollars. The first step in the process was to get the user to select the amount of money they wanted to donate. This first step got them to commit early on in the process, even with several screens left to go in order to actually complete the donation. People like to see themselves as consistent and rational -- getting started with the donation amount committed them to finishing what they had started.

Related: 7 Insights From Psychology Known to Boost Workplace Productivity

Marketers everywhere, like psychologists, employ the scientific method to generate results too. Quant-based marketers, for instance, constantly seek out new ways to approach customers, develop hypotheses to test, then try to validate those predictions with data, and optimize their approach based on their findings.

A case for remaining skeptical.

So, while marketers do use tried-and-true methods for getting customers to respond to advertisements and other marketing messages, many develop and perform their own experiments to see how audiences will react. Sometimes, the findings from those studies even contradict what psychologists would otherwise anticipate. That is partly because consumers are irrational and in different settings they react differently to the same stimuli.

When the team at Performable kept hearing conflicting responses for the best color to use for a call-to-action button, they decided to test their own theory. Though, typically, consumers view the color green as congruent with the idea go and red as a signal for stop, the team at Performable were unsure that this applied to landing pages. Joshua Porter says, My hunch was that even if one color performed better than the other, the difference would be small. I could imagine that one color might be more appealing or grab the users attention better than another, but that the overall conversion numbers would be overwhelmed by the overall message of the page. To everyones surprise though, the red button generated 21 percent more conversions than the green button. Of course, Porter shares a cautionary note, As always, we cannot generalize these results to all situations. The most we can say is that they hold for the conditions in which they occurred: in this page design, on this site, with the audience that viewed it. Therefore, do not go out and blindly switch your green buttons to red without testing first. You should test colors on your page and with your audience to see what happens. You might find something interesting in your data that we dont have in ours.

Related: 5 Psychology Tactics That Will Help Retailers Win Customers' Hearts and Minds

The fun part about marketing is the opportunity to discover new ways to trigger favorable emotional responses from consumers. To build a successful marketing campaign, marketers ought to start with best practices, testing how well proven theories apply to their unique circumstance. But, overtime, the best performing marketing campaigns evolve after consistent testing and optimization. While psychology may insist a specific outcome will happen with general inputs, most marketing scenarios have their own distinct attributes and consumers at different times of day and stages of their life may have completely novel reactions to brand advertisements. Ultimately, it is up to you and your marketing team to unravel the perfect formula for success for your business and your business only.
The jury pool has been narrowed to just under 750 people in the federal trial of Dylann Roof, who stands charged in the shooting deaths of nine churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina.

Roof could face execution if convicted of hate crimes and obstruction of religion resulting in death, among other charges in the massacre inside Emanuel AME Church.

About 3,000 potential jurors were summoned, and began reporting this week. A total of 41 were excused or had their jury service moved.

But midday Wednesday, the court passed its goal of 700 when 748 potential jurors filled out questionnaires about the June, 2015 church shooting. The others who were summoned don't have to report.

The questionnaires will be reviewed by attorneys before jurors return again in early November for individual questioning.
A North Dakota state inspection of an oil pipeline site has found no sign of the Native American artifacts or human remains that an American Indian Tribe says are present, the state's chief archaeologist said in a draft memo.

The Standing Rock Sioux tribe had cited the potential for burial grounds and other artifacts as a major reason to lead protests that have stymied completion of the project.

Chief Archaeologist Paul Picha said in the memo first published Monday by conservative blogger Rob Port that seven state archeologists inspected the 1.3-mile section along the route of the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline in southern North Dakota. The memo said only some animal teeth and bone fragments were found during the survey last week.

Historical Society spokeswoman Kim Jondahl confirmed the contents of the memo but said it was "a first draft of an internal summary." She declined to say how the draft differed from later versions.

In early September, Standing Rock Sioux officials said crews bulldozed several sites of "significant cultural and historic value" on private land, which Dallas-based pipeline builder Energy Transfer Partners denies. It led to a clash between protesters and private security guards hired by the pipeline company. Law enforcement officials said four security guards and two guard dogs received medical treatment, while a tribal spokesman countered that six people were bitten by guard dogs and at least 30 people were pepper-sprayed.

The Morton County Sheriff's Department is heading up the probe of the Sept. 3 incident at the construction site near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.

In an incident on Sunday, Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier says about 200 people confronted about 30 security guards at a construction site. The sheriff says all but three security guards left the construction site. The sheriff says law enforcement officers witnessed one of the security guards being carried by protesters for about 100 yards. The guard was treated for minor injuries by paramedics. No arrests were made.

Picha did not return telephone calls Monday about the memo. The state Historical Society and the Morton County Sheriff's Department declined to release the memo, saying it was part of an ongoing investigation by law enforcement.

The clash between security guards and protesters on Sept. 3 came one day after the tribe filed court papers saying it found burials, rock piles called cairns and other sites of historic significance to Native Americans along the pipeline's path.

Tribal preservation officer Tim Mentz said in court documents that the tribe was only recently allowed to survey private land, which is now owned by the pipeline company.

Standing Rock Sioux tribal members could not immediately be reached for comment Monday.

But Standing Rock Sioux Chairman David Archambault II has said previously that construction crews removed topsoil across an area about 150 feet wide stretching for 2 miles.

"This demolition is devastating," Archambault said. "These grounds are the resting places of our ancestors. The ancient cairns and stone prayer rings there cannot be replaced. In one day, our sacred land has been turned into hollow ground."
A federal official says a disbarred Harvard University-trained attorney is set to plead guilty in a kidnapping case in California that police initially dismissed as a hoax.

Lauren Horwood, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office in Sacramento, said Wednesday that defendant Matthew Muller is expected to enter a new plea Thursday. He previously pleaded not guilty to a kidnapping charge.

Horwood did not provide further details on the plea change and no documents were immediately available laying out specifics.

A call to Muller's attorney, Thomas Johnson, was not immediately returned.

Prosecutors initially charged Muller with kidnapping Denise Huskins from her Vallejo home in March 2015.

Huskins' boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, reported that kidnappers broke into the couple's home, abducted Huskins and demanded money.

Huskins turned up safe two days later in her hometown of Huntington Beach, where she says she was dropped off.

Vallejo police at first dismissed the kidnapping as a hoax, though the city has since apologized to Huskins.
Two men seen earlier this month grabbing a bag holding a pressure cooker bomb in New York City -- leaving the device on the sidewalk -- are believed to have left the U.S. for the Middle East, law enforcement sources close to the investigation confirmed to Fox News on Wednesday.

Fox News is told the two are still not considered suspects in the bombings in New York and New Jersey earlier this month and that their current location is "not suspicious." The FBI has identified them, the sources said.

The FBI and New York Police Department released surveillance images of the men in recent days, describing them as "witnesses." One of the men appeared to wear a white shirt, with the other wearing a red shirt.

The pair came across the luggage on West 27th Street before removing the bomb, according to police who added that they did not recover the suitcase.

Investigators accused the Afghan-born U.S. citizen Ahmad Khan Rahami of planting two bombs in New York City and others in New Jersey. The second bomb in Manhattan exploded on West 23rd Street on Sept. 17, injuring at least 31 people.

Ahmad Rahami has been hospitalized since he was caught following a shootout with police in Linden, New Jersey, on Sept. 19.



Fox News' Matt Dean and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Pentagon says a U.S. airstrike targeted and killed nine al-Shabab militants in Somalia on Wednesday.

Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, says Somali forces who were going after a bomb-making network in the Puntland region came under small arms fire from enemy fighters.

Davis says there were U.S. military advisers with the Somali forces, and the U.S. launched a defensive airstrike to protect them.

He says the military is looking into reports that the people killed in the strike may not have been enemy fighters. He says no U.S. forces were injured.

This is the second airstrike this week that the U.S. carried out against al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab militants in Somalia.
The New York Police Department is questioning a man in connection with a Bronx house explosion that killed a fire battalion chief.

Julio Salcedo, 34, was arrested Tuesday in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, on an outstanding warrant on an unrelated charge.

Sources said Salcedo- who was a tenant on the second floor of the house that exploded- was using his apartment as a marijuana grow-house that was already on the NYPD's radar.

The Associated Press reported that firefighters discovered what appeared to be a drug lab at the now leveled two-story private house.

"We were in the initial stages of an investigation on that block," Police Commissioner James O'Neill said. "So that's going to be part of the ongoing investigation as a possible drug lab, as a possible grow house."

Twenty people were hurt when the house exploded at about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. Flying debris from the blast struck Battalion Chief Michael J. Fahy, a 17-year-veteran of the fire department, on the head and other parts of his body. Fahy was rushed to a local hospital, but could not be saved.

"It's a terrible loss for the family, for the Fahy family. It's a loss for the Fire Department family. We are a family. We feel it deeply. We feel it deeply today," FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said. "We lost a hero today and are members are all sad."

Mayor Bill de Blasio said he met with Fahy's family at the hospital.

"It is a reminder of the dangers that our first responders face every day, the dangers that the men and women of the FDNY face and the bravery with which they do their job," de Blasio said. "I want to thank everyone here at the Allen Pavilion for all they did to try and save him and to comfort the family. My profound thanks to the members of FDNY and the NYPD who also attempted to save him. Our hearts go out to the Fahy family--a family so devoted to this city."
The 72-hour Law Enforcement Academy at Chippewa Valley Technical College is a tough, demanding program, one that 21 graduates who were honored this month are proud to have completed.

But one of them has an even more prestigious and demanding academy in his background.

Phillip Ries, a new deputy with the Chippewa County Sheriffs Department and a 2000 graduate of Mondovi High School, is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. The veteran of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan flew C-130 aircraft, but if all goes well, hell soon be driving a patrol car for Chippewa County.

When I got out of the Air Force, I was looking for work and considering my options, Ries said just before gaining certification last Thursday to be a law enforcement officer in Wisconsin. I could go back to flying and be gone all the time, or I could do this and be home.

Ries has a wife and three small children who provide plenty of motivation for the stay-at-home option of being a law enforcement officer.

Being a law enforcement officer in Wisconsin takes a great deal of training. Academy graduates need to complete 60 hours of college credits to qualify. Many did so through CVTCs two-year Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement program. Others obtained four-year university degrees before entering the Academy.

Eric Anderson, CVTCs associate dean of emergency services, said the academy instructs the recruits in six areas: policing in America; tactical skills; patrol procedures; legal context; relational skills; and investigations. Completion of training at a Law Enforcement Academy is required to become certified as a law enforcement officer in the state. However, officers can start work with a department before completing the training.

With his military background, Ries has plenty of qualification to work in law enforcement. He just needed the certification.

I had a lot of comparable skills, he said. I had driven military vehicles, fired guns, and been through deployments.

After entering the CVTC Academy, Ries was hired as a part-time jailer for the Chippewa County Sheriffs Department, often an initial foot in the door to the department that leads to patrol work after field training, once patrol positions become available.

Ries had been working night shifts at the jail, so he had not seen Sheriffs Department Chief Deputy Chad Holum and Lt. Curt Dutton since he was hired. Both attended the academy graduation ceremony, where Ries received the Academic Champion award.

Im hoping theyll hire me full-time, Ries said. I can do patrol work or jail work.

Even with graduation from one of the most prestigious military colleges in the world in his background, Ries was impressed with the Law Enforcement Academy at CVTC.

Compared with all the other training Ive had, this is a pretty good program. CVTC does a great job, he said.

When I got out of the Air Force, I was looking for work and considering my options. I could go back to flying and be gone all the time, or I could do this and be home. Phillip Ries
Holed up in an Orlando nightclub and surrounded by police, Omar Mateen told a hostage negotiator that he was angry about the death of a top Islamic State operative, according to recently released transcripts of their phone conversations during Mateens massacre earlier this year.

The new details of the conversations, released by Orlando Police last week, show Mateen had more than a passing interest in Islamic State, counterterrorism experts said. He specifically singled out the death of Abu Wahib, one of the more visible leaders of the terror group, as one of the main motivations for his attack. Abu Wahib was killed in an airstrike in Iraq just weeks before Mateen opened fire at the Pulse nightclub in June in an attack that killed 49 people and wounded 53. Mateen died in a shootout with police.

Yo, the airstrike that killed Abu Wahid a few weeks agoThats what triggered it, okay? he told the police negotiator, an apparent reference in the transcript to the Islamic State commander.

Islamic State supporters in the U.S. more commonly cite as inspirations people like Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi or Anwar al-Awlaki, the American-born al Qaeda recruiter who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in 2011. While talking to the 911 operator the night of the Orlando shooting, Mateen also pledged allegiance to Mr. Baghdadi, according to a partial version of transcripts released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in June.

It is unclear when precisely Mateen, 29, was radicalized, though he had aroused the FBIs suspicion after making claims of ties to terrorists in 2013.

In the series of phone calls with the negotiator during the Orlando massacre, Mateen also railed against U.S. airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, saying they were killing women and children.

What am I to do here when my people are getting killed over there. You get what Im saying? he said.

The transcripts also show Mateen resisting the negotiators calls to turn himself in, and vowing that there were more attacks coming.

Click for more from The Wall Street Journal.
The case of a 22-year-old man rescued at sea after clinging to a raft for a week took a dark turn Wednesday as it was revealed he was a suspect in his grandfather's unsolved murder.

Nathan Carman, the young man rescued in the Atlantic Ocean after floating on a life raft for a week, had been a suspect in the 2013 killing of his grandfather, deepening the mystery surrounding his ordeal and the apparent death of his mother at sea, the Hartford Courant reported Wednesday.

According to a search warrant for Carman's apartment obtained by the newspaper, Carman was the last person known to see his maternal grandfather, John Chakalos, alive on Dec. 20, 2013, when he had dinner with him at his home in Windsor. The 87-year-old Chakalos, a real estate developer, was found dead the next morning. He had been shot three times.

The Courant reported Tuesday that Windsor police submitted an arrest warrant for Carman to a prosecutor, but it was returned unsigned with a request for more information. Carman was not charged.

A will shows John Chakalos left an estate worth more than $42 million to his four adult daughters.

Carman told The Associated Press on Wednesday he had nothing to do with the death of his grandfather and didn't harm his mother.

Carman and his mother, Linda Carman, 54, of Middletown, Conn., left Rhode Island on a fishing trip on Sept. 17. Nathan Carman was rescued in a life raft off the Massachusetts coast on Sunday. His mother remains missing and is presumed dead.

Speaking outside his Vernon, Vt., home Tuesday, Carman said that he'd been through "a huge amount" emotionally, and he thanked the public for its concern and prayers.

Coast Guard officials interviewed Carman when he arrived in Boston on Tuesday. In an audio exchange with the Coast Guard from the Chinese freighter that rescued him 100 miles offshore in the Atlantic, Carman described hearing a 'funny noise" in his boat's engine compartment, seeing water pouring in, then losing sight of his mother before he boarded the raft.

"I was bringing one of the safety bags forward. The boat just dropped out from under my feet," Carman says on the recording. "When I saw the life raft, I did not see my mom. Have you found her?"

After the officer tells Carman they have not found his mother, he describes getting to the life raft.

"I was whistling and calling and looking around, and I didn't see her," he said.

Carman told the Coast Guard his 31-foot aluminum fishing boat sank and he spent seven days in a four-person inflatable life raft. Many questions remain about how the boat sank and what happened to his mother.

Defense attorney Hubert Santos said he's representing Carman. He said Carman "fully cooperated" with the Coast Guard after he was transported to Boston by the freighter that rescued him.

Santos wouldn't reveal what Carman told Coast Guard officials when he was questioned at the base.

"It was a tragic accident," Santos said.

The mother and son had left for their fishing trip from Point Judith, Rhode Island. Vermont authorities said police from South Kingstown, R.I., searched Carman's home in Vernon on Monday. South Kingstown police did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

Carman grew up in Middletown, Conn., but bought a home in Vermont two years ago.

Santos declined to comment on that investigation.

Family members have said Carman has Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism.

Sharon Hartstein, a close friend of Linda Carman's, said the mother and son regularly went on fishing trips together.

"That was one of their bonding things," Hartstein said. "When he was available, she tried to make time so she could spend time with him."

Windsor Police Capt. Thomas LePore said Tuesday that the investigation into Chakalos' killing remains open and active. He said police interviewed Chakalos' relatives, including Nathan and Linda Carman, as part of their investigation.

Linda Carman's mother, Rita Chakalos, died of cancer just weeks before her husband was killed. John and Rita Chakalos were philanthropists who split their time between Connecticut and Chesterfield, N.H., where they had an estate known for its massive holiday lights display.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The White House says the U.S. Senate vote to override President Barack Obama's veto of Sept. 11 legislation is an "embarrassing" shirking of its duties.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest claims members of the Senate Judiciary Committee were unfamiliar with the bill's impact on military personnel and voted to uphold it anyway.

Earnest called the vote the "single most embarrassing thing" the Senate has done in decades and "an abdication" of its responsibility.

The comments reflect White House frustration after failing to persuade Senate Democrats to stand by the president. If the House follows suit, the override will be Obama's first.

The legislation would allow Sept. 11 victims' families to sue the government of Saudi Arabia.

Obama says it would set a dangerous precedent for Americans serving and living abroad.
Women entrepreneurs run 30 percent of all small businesses, and together employ 7.9 million people and generate $1.4 trillion in sales (as of 2015). Needless to say, these are pretty staggering numbers.

All that success is wonderful. However, there exists an underlying issue that is keeping women from being even more impactful -- difficulty finding funding.

Women-owned businesses receive just 7 percent of venture capital investment money, which is highly disproportionate to their role in the economy. Additionally, loan approval rates for female entrepreneurs is 15 to 20 percent less than it is for men. Clearly, something is not right.

Access to capital is crucial to any small businesss growth trajectory. By looking at the reasons for this disparity, solutions can be more easily seen. With so many capable, trustworthy businesswomen in this world, its vital for society as a whole to ensure they get equal chance to do great things. Here are the top reasons why women entrepreneurs have a harder time obtaining investments and loans.

Its hard for any startup.

Its worth noting that the startup game is a difficult one to get into, regardless of your gender. Venture capitalists, financial institutions and other lenders frequently deny all types of entrepreneurs. Consider this -- during the first half of 2014, out of all small businesses that applied for a loan, only half were approved for any amount whatsoever.

So, add in the general challenges small companies face to secure investment along with the unique hurdles women encounter, and you have a truly difficult task. Not only do women have to demonstrate a great business plan, have excellent credit, and demonstrate solid cash flow, they must also successfully navigate through a process that tends to unfairly favor male-run startups.

There is an issue with the profile of a successful entrepreneur.

Candida Brush, a professor of entrepreneurship at Babson College, has an insightful take on one of the main reasons why women dont get funding -- the profile of the successful entrepreneurship is male. If you think about it, this is frustratingly true. When picturing the great business people of today, for many, images of Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs come to mind.

Hence, when investors are approached by women entrepreneurs, there is an unconscious bias that they will not be as reliable an investment as their male counterparts, and therefore not as fundable. To solve this issue, Brush states, it may be time for the media, educators and funders to recognize that successful entrepreneurs are not all like Jeff Bezos or Bill Gates.

The way to break this unfair stereotype of the successful entrepreneur is to better highlight the great businesswomen of today -- Cher Wang, co-founder of HTC; Arianna Huffington, co-founder of Huffington Post; and Beth Comstock, one of the founders of Hulu and current vice chair of GE. This will help instill in the mainstream mind that the face of success comes in the female form, too.

Related: Startups Are the Best Place for Women in Business

Venture capitalists support their own.

There is a tendency for venture capitalists to invest in startups run by people who they share a direct or indirect connection. The problem with this is that the business and political world is still overwhelmingly male. For each woman, there are four men named James, William, Robert or John running an S&P 500 company.

In the venture capital world, where 89 percent of investors are male, women entrepreneurs are getting overlooked for funding in favor of giving the money to men with whom they share a connection (think same college fraternity, hometown, friends brother, etc.). As Bonnie Crater, the president and CEO of Full Circle Insights, notes, venture capitalists offer funding to those in their tribe. The Good Old Boys system prevails.

With that said, hope and opportunity remains. Eleven percent of venture capitalists are women, and firms with female partners often invest in female-run startups at a higher rate. The key for women to succeed is in networking and finding investors and lenders that focus on financing women-run businesses.

Related: VC Funding's Gender Gap Is Hurting the Marketplace

There are investors with unintentional -- or intentional -- biase.

The story of Kathryn Minshew, the co-founder of The Muse, is an alarming example of the uncalled-for difficulties women have to put up with when looking for funding. While trying to raise capital for the Muse, Minshew repeatedly encountered closed doors, as numerous VC firms claimed they werent in the market to hear her pitch. When she pushed further, she received hateful responses -- tones mirroring the likes of saying, Dont get too big for your britches. Even when her pitch was heard, she felt most mistook her leadership and confidence as charm, rather than signs she could effectively grow a business. Eventually, Minshew did obtain funding, only after contacting more than 200 capital firms.

For minority women entrepreneurs, the issues are further exacerbated. Black women own 1.5 million businesses in America that generate about $44 billion per year. However, black females only obtain 0.2 percent of venture capital investment dollars. There are countless personal experiences that show just how bad it can get for many minority female entrepreneurs. Kathryn Finney, a black female entrepreneur who started the highly successful blog Budget Fashionista, said, I actually had a [venture capitalist] tell me that he didnt do the black woman thing. Finney, like many others, has run into the discrimination underlying venture capital funding. The truth is minority women represent the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the country.

With both unintentional discrimination and intentional discrimination limiting the access women entrepreneurs have to funding, its evident a greater push needs to be made to break down these barriers. Investors, lenders and other financial firms need greater education on the potential of women to improve the business world. The numbers dont lie. Its clear investors need greater awareness on how discrimination only gets in the way of opportunity and progress for others as well as themselves.

Related: 5 Reasons Women Entrepreneurs Should Consider Buying a Business (Infographic)

Despite all this, the future is bright.

In spite of all the obstacles women entrepreneurs face, there has never been a better time in U.S. history to be a woman entrepreneur. The number of women-owned firms has grown 68 percent since 2007, much higher than the national average of 47 percent. Statistics like this continue to indicate progress and greener paths ahead for female business owners. But more work is to be done.

While difficulties women have in obtaining business funding wont be fixed overnight, there remains plenty of ways to overcome these setbacks. It starts with being fearless and resilient, and fully exploring all the potential options. The Small Business Administration has specific loan programs for women-owned businesses. There are angel investment firms and grant institutions that specifically lend to females. Additionally, with the rise of Fintech startups, there are lots of new funding sources, such as peer-to-peer lending sites. Networking with other women entrepreneurs is another avenue you have for getting funding, and the National Association of Women Business Owners is a great place to start.

If you are resourceful enough and grab control of the process, you can get the funding you need and get back to building your dreams.

Follow Us: Women Entrepreneur on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
German prosecutors have opened an investigation into allegations of vote-rigging in an election for Berlin's Jewish community parliament.

A spokesman for the prosecutor's office, Martin Steltner, said they are looking into alleged forging of documents in connection with the 2011 election.

Opposition members within the Jewish community have alleged for years that the top leadership was involved in voting fraud  something the leadership has denied.

Ilan Kiesling, a spokesman for community head Gideon Joffe, denied the new allegations on Wednesday.

Earlier this month, the Central Council of Jews in Germany advised members of Berlin's community parliament to suspend their functions until clarity had been reached regarding the accusations.
Police in the German capital have shot dead a man who attacked another resident with a knife in a refugee shelter.

German news agency dpa reports that the 29-year-old man was angry at a younger man who he believed had abused his daughter.

Dpa reported that the attack happened late Tuesday as police were arresting the 27-year-old alleged abuser in the refugee shelter in the center of Berlin.

The head of the German Police Union, Bodo Pfalzgraf, said Wednesday that the incident was "tragic" but urged the media not to jump to conclusions about the police officers' actions.

Pfalzgraf said officers were bound to "prevent vigilantism and a situation that threatens their own lives."
Greek police say four Pakistani teenagers have been arrested in a refugee camp on the eastern Aegean island of Lesbos on charges of raping another teenage boy.

Police said Wednesday the four boys, all aged 17, were arrested in Moria camp Sunday and face felony charges of rape and child pornography.

The four are accused of collectively assaulting a 16-year-old, also from Pakistan, and recording their actions on mobile phones. The 16-year-old was seen by a medical examiner and a child psychologist, while the four arrested boys are to appear before an investigative judge.

More than 5,800 refugees and migrants are stuck on Lesbos, whose camps have a capacity of 3,500. Although fights between residents are frequent in camps on the islands, rapes are rare.
The Latest on the civil war in Syria (all times local):

11:45 a.m.

Pope Francis has decried the assault on the Syrian city of Aleppo, saying those responsible for the bombing must answer to God.

Francis said at his public audience Wednesday in St. Peter's Square that he's "united in suffering through prayer and spiritual closeness" to Aleppo's people. He expressed "deep pain and strong worry for what's happening," saying "children and elderly ... everyone is dying."

He called for utmost efforts to protect civilians in Syria's civil war, raging since 2011. Francis said: "I appeal to the consciences of those responsible for the bombing that they must give a reckoning to God" for their actions.

The Syrian government and its Russian allies have unleashed a major assault on the ancient city.

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11:30 a.m.

Medical officials say airstrikes have severely damaged two hospitals in eastern rebel-held Aleppo, leading to the death of two seriously ill patients.

The airstrikes early Wednesday hit the M2 and M10 hospitals, knocking out generators and cutting off water supplies, putting them temporarily out of service.

Mohammed Abu Rajab, head of M10 hospital, the largest of eight hospitals in eastern Aleppo, says two patients died because they could not be kept alive. He says the intensive care unit was severely damaged.

Adham Sahloul, of the Syrian American Medical Society, based in Gaziantep, Turkey, confirmed the strikes and described them as deliberate. He says government forces know the location of both facilities.

The closures leave eastern Aleppo with six functioning hospitals, only three of which are capable of dealing with emergencies
Two former nuns who met in a convent have been joined in a civil union in a ceremony in a small town in northern Italy.

The Italian news agency ANSA said the women, who were identified in Italian media only by first names, were supposed to have the ceremony in Pinerolo city hall Thursday, but concern there would be a media scrum after Turin newspaper La Stampa reported their plans prompted the ceremony to be held a day earlier by Mayor Luca Salvai.

Italian lawmakers earlier this year legalized civil unions, angering the Vatican. Italy doesn't have gay marriage.

ANSA said the women, one from southern Italy and the other of South American origins, fell in love while working at a rehabilitation center for drug addicts, and renounced being nuns.
A leader of a major Romanian political party has resigned after anti-corruption prosecutors charged him with influence-peddling.

Vasile Blaga resigned as joint leader of the Liberal Party Wednesday hours after anti-corruption prosecutors indicted him. He also said he would not stand for Parliament in December elections. He denies wrongdoing.

Prosecutors said Blaga, formerly leader of the Democratic-Liberal Party, had received 700,000 euros ($784,000) from 2009-2012, most of it from party deputy Gheorghe Stefan, also indicted, in return for telling ministers to appoint party sponsors as managers of state companies.

The Liberals said Blaga's resignation showed he placed "the integrity of the party above his political career."

Blaga, who was twice interior minister and Senate speaker, is one of the key politicians of the last decade.
"Dream, don't just study. Dream, imagine, don't be afraid to take a risk."

That life advice came from Shimon Peres as I sat with him in his Tel Aviv apartment for a Fox News interview just two months ago.

The former Israeli Prime Minister and President who was a founding father of the Jewish state died at age 93 Tuesday night, but as we met this summer he was full of life, optimistic, insightful, and wise. I felt as if I was sitting with a loving and kind grandfather who just happened to be one of the founding fathers of his nation and an iconic world statesman, as he shared his views in a very personal way about what he had learned over decades.

I was in Israel to shoot interviews focusing on the anniversary of the raid on Entebbe and Israel's experience fighting terrorism. I had interviewed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the day before, and I was scheduled to sit down with Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak later on the day I met Peres.

In a nearly one-hour interview, Peres not only expounded on the legacy of his nation, but philosophically spoke about the human spirit.

"Look for new answers," he said. "Look for new questions, we have to have new questions. What are the real capacities of human beings? Not the robot, but the human being. You can build an excellent robot, but this robot will lack one thing. He will never have a vision, and if you don't have a vision, you don't have enthusiasm, and if you don't have enthusiasm, you really don't use your hidden capabilities."

"People ask me, how can you go on? I say, 'I have to make one suggestion to you. Make a count of how many achievements you did in your life. Then make a second account, how many dreams do you have in your brain? If the number of dreams exceeds the number of achievements, you are young. If not, you're finished!"

He recalled the creation of Israel in 1948.

"We were outgunned, out-manned, no friends," he observed. "We didn't have any natural resources, no oil nor gold. Then we were 650,000 people, the Arabs 50 million, and they decided to destroy us. They had an army, we didn't. We had nothing and nothing, neither people nor strength. No money, no friends, but we discovered something else, and that was the real natural resource is the human being. People don't realize that what a man has inside him, exceeds the land, it exceeds the water, and exceeds anything. Israel discovered that out of choice, that we can hang only on the talents, devotion, and courage of the human being. We made agriculture without land and without water."

He said that the map of Israel "exists in lengths, but doesn't have any waist. For a lady, it may be perfect. For a strategy, it is a catastrophe!"

He was also confident that the West will defeat terrorism.

"Don't underrate the danger of terrorists," he cautioned. "But don't take them as holy heroes. They are not. Their weakness is, that they are quite confused. And don't exaggerate with fear. You have to fear, but don't make fear the leading consideration because they have weaknesses and our voice have a strength of their own."

I cited the recent attacks in Orlando, the Boston bombings and 9/11. Peres said the conflict was different from the wars his nation has fought.

"We have a new world, let's not forget it. That's one of our problems," he said. "You have the old world, which is based on territory. You wanted more territory? War. You want to defend your borders? War."

But now, he said, terrorism can strike anywhere.

"Heal the reasons for terror. You have to fight terror, because you have to ask, what are the motives of terrorists?" he asked. "Partly it can be insult from the crusaders. They say 'you have insulted us, you brought us down, you put on us shame. Now we shall cut your heads."

"But there are other reasons, too. Poverty, ignorance, illness, lack of hope, lack of a future. This you can correct, because there are 400 million Arabs here in the region, and 60 percent of them are below the age of 25 or 20. For me, they are our natural partners and 70,000 or 60,000 of them belong to the terrorists. But hundreds of thousands of them go to universities, a different world. And the problem is when they graduate, they cannot find a job, because there is not enough high-tech centers in those countries.

"So I think we have to do what we are doing ... encourage the students to become entrepreneurs. I say, 'as we fight terrorists, we have to encourage students ... we have to fight the reasons for terror."

He was optimistic, saying that "I think the younger generation will stop it more than anybody else."

After our interview was finished, we sat in his living room to chat.

He also did something that was so life-affirming and charming, that I will cherish the experience always.

The former Prime Minister brought out a bottle of chilled white wine from the Golan Heights, and, along with my producer Jonathan Wachtel, we toasted life.

As we left, thanking him for his time and for an unforgettable experience, this remarkable man and inspirational figure bid us goodbye.

He was smiling.

Follow Eric Shawn on Twitter: @EricShawnTV

Johnathan Wachtel contributed to this report.
U.S. airstrikes in Somalia killed four al-Shabab fighters in "self-defense," military officials confirmed to Fox News on Wednesday.

The extremists launched attacks on Somali troops and their U.S. advisers on Monday in a village near the port city of Kismayo, Cpt. Jennifer Dyrcz with U.S. Africa Command said.

Somali forces returned fire, killing several extremists, but the attack continued, according to military officials. The U.S. then conducted its strike, killing four fighters.

"Based on the threatening maneuver by Al-Shabaab fighters and their previous hostile engagement with the Somali forces, the U.S. conducted a self-defense strike to neutralize the threat," Dyrcz explained.

U.S. forces have carried out several airstrikes in Somalia in recent years, killing many al-Shabab leaders.

The extremist group is now mostly active in rural regions but continues to launch lethal attacks in many parts of this Horn of Africa nation, including the capital city of Mogadishu.

Kismayo is approximately 300 miles southwest of Mogadishu.

Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Chief Justice Roy Moore Final Hearing Today

Contact: Liberty Counsel, 800-671-1776, Media@LC.org, Press Kit



MONTGOMERY, Ala., Sept. 28, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore will appear in court today where his case will be heard beginning at 9 a.m. in the Alabama Supreme Court.

The Southern Poverty Law Center filed complaints against Chief Justice Moore with the Judicial Inquiry Commission (JIC) which filed six charges against him, all focused on his January 2016 Administrative Order. That order merely advised Probate Judges that the prior Alabama Supreme Court orders from 2015 remained in effect while the Court was reviewing the matter. The JIC charged that the four-page order directed the probate judges to violate federal court rulings, but the Administrative Order did no such thing. Paragraph 10 stated: "I am not at liberty to provide any guidance to the Alabama probate judges on the effect of Obergefell on the existing orders of the Alabama Supreme Court. That issue remains before the entire Court which continues to deliberate on the matter."

"The JIC apparently wanted Chief Justice Moore to usurp the authority of the Alabama Supreme Court and order all probate judges to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. He merely gave a status report on the pending case and the JIC overstepped its authority to bring these politically-motivated charges," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel.

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.
Patients may be facing a crisis of faith  or, at least, fresh dents in lifelong beliefs  caused by a diagnosis, treatment or prognosis. This anxiety even has a scientific name: R/S struggle, short for religious or spiritual.

And R/S struggles have been linked to heath declines. Among cancer patients, theyre associated with increased distress, poorer life quality, greater pain, longer hospitalizations and longer recoveries, according to previous research cited in a 2015 study, co-authored by King, examining R/S struggle in bone marrow transplant survivors. In a separate study of older, ill men and women, those who experienced a sickness-caused religious struggle appeared to have an increased risk of death compared to patients who didnt have the same inner tension.

About half of cancer patients grapple with faith questions, other studies have shown.

Thats one area we target  those who feel unloved, abandoned, punished by or angry at (the divine), or who struggle with meaning or have doubts, King said of himself and his fellow SCCA chaplains. Some patients, he added, have expressed sentiments like: I trusted God that bad things wouldnt happen to me and bad things are certainly happening.

But King understands what it means to have faith shaped  and re-shaped  by life. The week he turned 2 years old, his father died of lymphoma. When he was 37, his mother died of leukemia.

Its not something he often shares with people, he said, but it informs the work that I do and the values that I have for it.

The idea that if you believe a certain way, bad things wont happen to you  or that if you pray a certain way, certain (good) things will happen to you  given my history, those are not beliefs that work for me, King said. My beliefs are not necessarily like what I was raised in. Some of that has come from trying to make sense of my life experience.

Spiritual, not religious

Cancer also can influence the faith of family members who abruptly find themselves in the fight with loved ones.

Before her son, Matthew, became ill with brain cancer at age 9, Nikki Austin regularly attended her Methodist church in Eastern Washington. Her beliefs, she said, used to fit into a nice, pretty box. She trusted that God would watch over her family, that life would always be good.

Then Matthew gets diagnosed and everything I believed got turned upside down. I dont accept those ideas anymore. It caused me to question all sorts of things. I will never just blindly follow again, Austin said. Now, my faith is all over the place. I still believe in God. But its messy.

When Matthew was sick, she prayed. While some friends and family told her they were praying for a miracle, Austin asked God for a long stretch of symptom-free days for her son, good times for her family and, in the end, minimal suffering for Matthew. She felt she got those things. Matthew died in November 2013. He was 11.

But I can think of other families whose kids were diagnosed, who didnt get good time, who suffered immensely. What do you say about those families? How do you reconcile God with those families? Was God not there for them? Thats where it gets hard for me and I dont feel like there are answers, Austin said. For me, it just doesnt fit into a nice box anymore.

Today, she describes herself as spiritual, not religious. She still prays. And she hangs onto a belief that prayer can have some therapeutic effect on people with cancer. She saw that benefit in Matthew, she said, when they talked of heaven and about seeing his late Grandma Mabel or Jake, the family dog who had recently died.

That gave him comfort. One of the things with kids is that unknown  what happens when you die? For us to be able to answer some of that helped him. It gave him more of a peace about what was going to happen, Austin said. It helped his anxiety.

Of course, theres a distinction between a person in pain relaxing amid a whisper of heavenly thoughts and the expectation that prayers may spark physical rejuvenation.

A Harvard study of 1,800 hospitalized patients found no difference in recoveries among the patients who were told strangers were praying for their health and those who were informed that no intercessory prayers were coming their way.

I have concerns about studies like this, especially about the methods of the study, the limited understanding of prayer, and the burden some patients and families might experience if there were a positive study outcome, King said. Although I believe prayer can make a difference in a number of ways, I have also witnessed people being traumatized by expecting or demanding that their prayers for cure be answered and then not experiencing a cure.
Variations on the immunotherapy theme

The majority of Fridays scientific talks focused on the latest updates from the immunotherapy world. Merck scientist Dr. Rene de Waal Malefyt described drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors, which include Mercks Keytruda, or pembrolizumab, and work by releasing the brakes on the bodys natural immune system, allowing it to better recognize and attack cancers.

But even when such drugs work, they don't work for all patients, so the next step in the immunotherapy field is to figure out what researchers can add to checkpoint inhibitors to boost their power, said Fred Hutch immunotherapy researcher Dr. Mac Cheever, who directs the multi-center Cancer Immunotherapy Trials Network or CITN, headquartered at the Hutch. And thats the tricky part.

The scientific or academic goal is to understand why (some) patients dont achieve a complete response and why (some) patients dont respond (to checkpoint inhibitors), so theres a lot of work to do there," Cheever said. "There are a number, not quite an infinite, but an uncountable number of agents that can be used in this situation."

In his opinion, biotech companies havent approached such combination therapies in a very logical way, Cheever said. Many industry researchers simply tested the inhibitor checkpoints in combination with other drugs their own company produces, or those their partners produce, rather than picking combinations with a scientific rationale. CITN researchers are aiming to approach these combinations more systematically, Cheever said, by prioritizing drugs that act in a certain way on the immune system.

Research presenters at the summit also touched on other forms of immunotherapy in addition to checkpoint inhibitors, including:

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, a type of immunotherapy that extracts a tumors dormant immune cells and reawakens them in the laboratory to better recognize and attack cancer cells. Fred Hutchs Dr. McGarry Houghton is currently leading preclinical studies of this approach for non-small cell lung cancer, with the goal of starting a clinical trial at the Hutch.

Fred Hutch bioengineer Dr. Matthias Stephan presented updates from his teams work developing an off-the-shelf version of CAR T-cell therapy, in which nanoparticles bearing DNA instructions to reprogram a patients T cells to recognize and kill cancer cells would be injected directly into the patients bloodstream.

Dr. Mitch Gold, former CEO of the now defunct Seattle biotech company Dendreon, introduced his relatively new startup, Alpine Immune Sciences, which seeks to understand and target the immune synapse  the junction between two different types of immune cells that involves a myriad of different molecular interactions  with the goal of modulating the immune system for cancer and other diseases.

Beyond immunotherapy  from umbilical cords to scorpion venom

The Seattle life sciences scene isnt all immunotherapy though, as several of the presenters reminded their audience. Fred Hutch cord blood transplantation researcher Dr. Colleen Delaney enthusiastically described her newest venture, Hutch spin-off Nohla Therapeutics, for which Delaney serves as chief medical officer. She and her colleagues have shown the power of stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood to save lives when used as a replacement for a traditional transplant, but because each cord contains only a small number of such cells, patients who receive this source of stem cells are subject to infections and other complications until those cells can multiply and repopulate their damaged immune systems.

Nohlas goal, Delaney said, is to commercialize a product she developed at the Hutch using laboratory techniques to expand cord blood stem cells in the laboratory, creating an off-the-shelf stem cell product that can protect patients during that vulnerable period. Early-stage tests using the expanded cells either for transplant patients or leukemia patients whose white blood cells are damaged by intensive chemotherapy have shown promise and the product is currently being tested in a randomized Phase 2b clinical trial, Delaney said.

Heather Franklin, CEO of Hutch spin-off Blaze Bioscience, described their progress with Tumor Paint products for breast cancer and pediatric brain cancer. Developed by Fred Hutch pediatric brain cancer researcher Dr. Jim Olson, tumor paint uses a small protein derived from scorpion venom attached to a fluorescent molecule to light up brain tumors  showing brain surgeons where to cut to remove all the tumor. Half the time, such surgeries for children with brain cancer miss residual parts of the tumor, Franklin said, so a product like this is sorely needed.

The Blaze tumor paint product, BLZ-100, is currently being tested in Phase 1 clinical trials for pediatric and adult brain cancer. The researchers are also testing the drug for patients with breast cancer who are undergoing surgery, to improve the chances that the surgeons can get the tumor out with clean margins, Franklin said. A quarter of women undergoing lumpectomies for breast cancer need repeat surgery because some of the tumor was missed, she said.

Mercks head of North American Innovation Hubs, Ben Thorner, wrapped up the days talks and conversations.

As I think about all the different things I learned about today, the work thats being done here at the Hutch, the work thats being done in small companies and large companies like Merck, how much of it is happening as a result of genuine collaboration, Thorner said. That is exactly why we put this day together.
Burning Man Headpieces Headgear & Bunny Ears 3D Printed For Sale Announced

kova by sascha announced it's unique line of lightweight, edgy, and creative 3D printed headpieces made their debut at the Burning Man 2016 festival this year.

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Kova by sascha, the edgy new designer 3D printed headpiece label popular among the upscale festival crowd, just made its debut at this year's Burning Man festival.

To see the designs go to: http://bit.ly/BurningManHeadpieces.

Kova by sascha's wearable art is inspired by the personalities of Sascha's creative and modern New York friends, who are on a quest for experiences, spirituality, consciousness, and radical self-expression. These utterly unique headpieces - which consciously stay far away from culturally appropriate motifs that so often dog festival gear - are crafted for the millennial soul searchers, dreamers and festival goers.

Sascha sold her groundbreaking designs to a select group of friends in the summer, leading up to their debut at the mecca of cutting-edge festival fashion, Burning Man, which takes place in Black Rock City near Reno, NV. Featuring a broad variety of designs adorned by Swarovski crystals, chains and pearls; finished in various metallic coatings and tailored for a lightweight and comfortable fit, they ranged from the elaborate and sharp Mohawk design, to an ornate hand-painted crown in gold, futuristic/mysterious Condor Headpiece, playful flower bounties, and simpler cat and bunny ears.

"Experiencing a large festival like Burning Man completely changed the outlook I had on life," Sascha says. "And being able to work with and make something special for Burners was a dream come true." Sascha Hosey was born in Siberia, Russia developed her passion for creating fashion items watching her grandmother making fur hats by hand and sell them in the local markets in freezing weather. Sascha's mother was a single mother who worked as an ENT doctor by day and sewed hats at night and weekends to supplement her income. Sascha is committed to spreading love and sharing passion for sustainable living, spirituality, and mindfulness through her fashion.

The full catalogue of kova 3D printed headpieces with image galleries, lookbooks and detailed descriptions along with the back story, inspiration and principles behind the kova by sascha line can be found on the website http://bit.ly/BurningManHeadpieces.

For more information, please visit http://bit.ly/BurningManHeadpieces

Contact Info:

Name: Sascha Hosey

Organization: kova by sascha

Address: New York, NY

Phone: (646) 363-2337

Release ID: 134705

For more information visit r



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Elk Horn Painting Launch New Residential and Commercial Painting Business in Castle Rock, Connecticut

Elk Horn Painting is a new business created by Castle Rock's most experienced painter-decorators, to provide unparalleled customer service, and superb exterior and interior painted finishes.

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Both residential and commercial painting offer up their own challenges, but both must come with a flawless finish delivered in a timely manner. For this, the painting must be completed by experienced professionals, for both interior and exterior spaces. Traditionally it has been difficult for people to find reliable painters, but the National Painting Group has been established to authenticate the very best. Now, Elk Horn Painting has been launched as a brand new painting company in Castle Rock, created by one of Castle Rock's most experienced painters and decorators, with the support of the National Painting Group.

The company offers commercial and residential, internal and external painting services from a reliable, hard-working team of Castle Rock painters. The company prizes customer service, prioritizing it together with the quality of their finished work. They ensure a smooth and seamless experience with outstanding results, and all for great prices.

Their association with the National Painting Group allows customers of the company to be completely at ease, as the group has strict authentication criteria that demand the highest standards from members. The result is that the company offers some of the best painters Castle Rock has produced, at prices everyone can afford.

A spokesperson for Elk Horn Painting explained, "We are thrilled to be launching this new business with a focus on helping people get the painting services they need easily, conveniently and affordably. Our work is second to none, and we pride ourselves on our experience and our ability to create a superb finish in almost any circumstances. The company is just now finding its feet with the support of the National Painting Group, but we look forward to becoming a pillar of our community. The only way we can do that is to establish a reputation for excellence, so that's exactly what we intend to do."

About Elk Horn Painting: Elk Horn Painting, in partnership with the National Painting Group, has been launched by owner-operator Hunter Miller to provide Castle Rock CO with high quality residential and commercial house painting services. With a focus on customer service and a free painting estimate for all tasks, Elk Horn Painting are determined to be the best painting service in Castle Rock.

For more information, please visit http://elkhornpainting.com/

Contact Info:

Name: PRWhirlWind

Organization: PRWhirlWind

Address: 200 S. Wilcox Street Suite # 106 Castle Rock, CO 80104

Phone: (720) 507 1738

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/elk-horn-painting-launch-new-residential-and-commercial-painting-business-in-castle-rock-connecticut/134786

Release ID: 134786

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Lifetime Jewelry's Popular 3mm Rope Chain Launches With A Boom

Lifetime Jewelry has just announced the launch of their newest specialty jewelry, the 3mm rope necklace. Specials are running throughout the month to celebrate this much anticipated release.

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Anyone looking for quality American made jewelry at a low cost may be interested to learn that Lifetime Jewelry has just announced a special launch on their 3mm rope necklace. This company retails high class 24K gold jewelry with almost 40 years of experience. In business since 1978, Lifetime Jewelry understands the fine art of jewelry craftsmanship and customer expectations. Mr. Alex King, spokesman for Lifetime Jewelry explained some of the qualities of their rope chain designs in a recent interview:

"Our 3mm thick 24K gold rope necklace is highly sought after by women and men. It's a timeless gold jewelry item that's classically inspired. Rope necklaces look great on anyone of any age; this is one of the reasons why they are so popular! Our jewelers are very meticulous with their work and you can immediately tell that this is a chain designed to last. It is strong and solid, so that you can wear it with great confidence. A rope chain reflects the light beautifully which is why it is such a popular style."

The 3mm thick 24K gold rope necklace features an extra thick coating of 24K gold bonded to a heart of semi-precious metals. These chains have over ten times more gold than cheaper designs. As each chain is handcrafted, customers receive a unique jewelry item that has been carefully created. Tarnish-resistant, all Lifetime Jewelry items are easy to look after and are often mistaken for solid gold; the only difference is the cost.

Lifetime Jewelry offers value for the money. All their jewelry items come with an unconditional 100% lifetime warranty. If a piece of jewelry becomes damaged or breaks, the company will happily repair or replace it free of charge. This long-standing commitment to customer satisfaction makes this company one of America's most trustworthy retailers of 24K gold jewelry. For more information about this sales event, customers can visit the company's Amazon.com storefront.

About Lifetime Jewelry Lifetime Jewelry specializes in gold and white gold jewelry handcrafted in America. Their broad range of rope chain designs are available in various thicknesses from 1mm through to 7mm. The company also has a collection of 24K gold overlay earrings, bracelets, Figaro chains, Cuban link necklaces, pendants and religious inspired-jewelry. All products by Lifetime Jewelry are covered by a Lifetime Guarantee against any damage or wear.

For more information, please visit http://lifetime-jewelry.com

Contact Info:

Name: Alex King

Email: pr@lifetimeproductsgroup.com

Organization: Lifetime Jewelry

Address: 1248 Valerian Court #1

Phone: (843) 900-7343

Release ID: 134739

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PNR Status Tool Launches To Help People Check Their PNR Status Quickly And Freely Online

PNR Status Tool is a new online software that allows people to check the status of their ticket bookings for Indian railways, regardless of where they bought their ticket from.

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The Indian railway system is massively oversubscribed, because it is the only way for most people to travel long distances effectively and affordably. This means that checking the Passenger Name Record is an essential part of any travel preparation, as many more people have tickets than there are spaces on a given train. However, many PNR services will only allow people to check tickets if they were bought from that provider. PNR Status Tool is the first universal checking tool that allows people to check the status of tickets bought from any source.

The website is simple and easy to use, requiring people to simply enter their PNR number into the box at the top of the site and hit "check". The website has a full breakdown of all the definitions and acronyms for every possible response, so people will be able to easily assess what their PNR report means. The website will also advise people as to the next steps they can take.

The site is designed to be easy to use and accessible, and offers numerous 'how to' guides to common train ticket challenges, including altering bookings, checking seat availability, cancelling tickets, getting tatkal tickets and more.

A spokesperson for PNRStatusTool explained, "We wanted to provide a straightforward, universal solution to a common problem faced by most people in India at some point or another. The PNR status tool allows people who have booked their tickets from anywhere to see how their reservation is being treated within the Indian railway system. It is faster than most of the private services on busy ticket websites, and has live updates, so people can check their PNR several times before they commit to heading to the train station."

About PNR Status Tool: PNR Status Tool is a new online tool enabling people in India to check the PNR status of their booking as many times as they want, free of charge. The tool is easy to use, and offers a full jargon-busting set of terms and definitions so individuals can keep track of their status, and take appropriate action quickly and easily.

For more information, please visit http://www.pnrstatustool.com/

Contact Info:

Name: PRWhirlWind

Organization: PRWhirlWind



Source: http://marketersmedia.com/pnr-status-tool-launches-to-help-people-check-their-pnr-status-quickly-and-freely-online/134771

Release ID: 134771

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The Law Offices of Damian Nolan Expand Service Area To Welcome Clients From Los Angeles

The Law Offices of Damian Nolan offer the best family law services in Lakewood, CA, and have recently expanded their service areas to include Long Beach and Los Angeles.

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Family law is a vital part of the legal system, responsible for protecting individuals within a family unit, as well as the unit itself. The Law Offices of Damian Nolan exist to offer the very best representation in matters of family law, and have an outstanding reputation within divorce, custody, will & probate law and more. They are now expanding their service area in order to encourage new clients from Los Angeles and Long Beach, with a strategic investment in new staff and infrastructure.

From their main office in Lakewood, California, Attorney Damian M. Nolan works tirelessly on behalf of clients to ensure their needs are best represented, whether that be through the drafting of documentation or standing on their behalf in court. His experienced team of legal staff will ensure every part of the process runs smoothly.

What's more, the company (http://www.losangeles-orangecountylawyer.com/) is committed to offering a considerate and understanding service to every client, taking the time to understand their specific needs and challenges. They provide a caring and supportive environment during what can be a difficult time.

A spokesperson for The Law Offices of Damian Nolan explained, "We are pleased to announce the expansion into these new service areas. Damian Nolan is one of the best family law attorneys on the west coast, and as such, it was high time he started to take on more clients from further afield. Our offices are staffed with experienced professionals who are on hand to help anyone from Long Beach, Lakewood or LA secure the services of the finest family law attorney, making sure that people have all the support they need during those life changing moments."

About The Law Offices of Damian Nolan: Attorney Damian M. Nolan is an experienced and aggressive trial lawyer. Mr. Nolan has litigated more than 1,000 family law matters, giving him a depth of knowledge in the family law arena that is second to none, and that is invaluable to his clients. Mr. Nolan's experience includes not only drafting divorce agreements and other family law documents, but also personally appearing in court as the client's advocate and zealously arguing each case.

For more information, please visit http://www.losangeles-orangecountylawyer.com/

Contact Info:

Name: Damian Nolan

Email: contact@losangeles-orangecountylawyer.com

Organization: The Law Offices of Damian Nolan

Address: 444 W OCEAN BLVD, STE 800 LONG BEACH, CA 90802

Phone: 562-634-1113

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/the-law-offices-of-damian-nolan-expand-service-area-to-welcome-clients-from-los-angeles/134794

Release ID: 134794

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Peanut Butter Announces New Partnership With Credible

Partnership expands Peanut Butter services for employers offering student loan assistance

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Today, from the Innovate! and Celebrate Conference, where Peanut Butter, is a semi-finalist for Tech.Co's Startup of the Year competition; Peanut Butter is pleased to announce an exciting new partnership with Credible, an industry leader in the student loan refinancing market. This partnership fuels both brands, and serves to expand Peanut Butter's capacity to provide a full suite of student loan assistance services to employers looking to attract, retain, and engage college-educated talent.

With respect to today's announcement, Peanut Butter Founder and CEO David Aronson said, "We are thrilled to partner with Credible. Employers looking to provide student debt refinancing options will best serve their existing and prospective employees by giving them easy access to multiple lenders instead of just one. Credible provides this broad coverage through an intuitive experience that provides employees competitive rates from seven different lenders in just under two minutes."

According to Peanut Butter's recent Millennial Benefit Preferences Study, employers offering student loan repayment can expect shorter hiring timelines, lower turnover rates, stronger employee engagement, and improved diversity. The alliance between Peanut Butter and Credible empowers companies to not only offer repayment assistance, but also provides a savvy platform for those who would like to offer employees a refinancing option. Because even at a young age, not everyone has excellent credit, Credible's unique platform ensures employees with a broad range of income and credit levels have access to refinancing options.

Starting a career with a heavy credit load can be a large stressor according to experts. With this in mind, Credible Founder and CEO Stephen Dash states, "As a company that is dedicated to helping people find solutions and provide relief from the crushing weight of college debt, we couldn't be more thrilled to join forces with Peanut Butter. Our combined offering allows employers to help their employees solve one of the biggest financial challenges they face."

About Peanut Butter, Inc.:

Peanut Butter helps employers attract and retain millennial talent by offering company-sponsored contributions to employee student loans. To learn more about Peanut Butter or to find out how to partner with Peanut Butter to become an employer of choice, please visit their website at www.getpeanutbutter.com or call direct at 800-913-6651.

About Credible:

Credible is a multi-lender marketplace that allows borrowers to request competitive loan offers from vetted lenders without impacting their credit scores. www.credible.com.

For more information, please visit https://www.getpeanutbutter.com/

Contact Info:

Name: Chris McMillin for Peanut Butter, Inc.

Organization: Peanut Butter

Phone: 618-444-1475

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/peanut-butter-announces-new-partnership-with-credible/134565

Release ID: 134565

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Dr. Saeed Bajwa Awarded The Title Of One Of The Leading Physicians Of The World

Dr. Saeed Bajwa was recently distinguished for his years of dedication, experience and superior patient care, and for his impressive, pioneering approach to the surgical treatment of the brain and spine.

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Receiving another prestigious accolade to add to his many achievements, innovative neurosurgeon Dr. Saeed Bajwa has has been chosen to join The Leading Physicians of the World, an organization recognizing doctors of excellence from across each field of medical specialization. Already an esteemed Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the International College of Surgeons and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Dr. Bajwa was recently distinguished for his years of dedication, experience and superior patient care, and for his impressive, pioneering approach to the surgical treatment of the brain and spine. His inclusion in the respected medical group's annual journal underscores a lifelong commitment to professional development and his insistence on using the most technologically advanced methods available.

The Pakistani-born doctor's well-earned reputation comes not only from an earnest drive to help those suffering from disease and chronic pain, but from his ability to keep his practice at the vanguard of medical progress. This forward-thinking approach can be traced back to 1976, when he received his MD degree at Nishtar Medical College of the University of Punjab in Lahore, Pakistan, where he was a gold medal recipient for First Position in Surgery. After completing his residency in General Surgery and Neurosurgery at the Combined Military Hospital in Lahore, Dr. Bajwa moved to the United States where he completed post-graduate studies in General Surgery at New York's Mount Sinai Hospital, followed by two years in Philadelphia undertaking Neurosurgical training at the Medical College of Pennsylvania. In the two following years, he attended State University of New York Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, where the SUNY Health Science Center elected him to the national honor medical society, Alpha Omega Alpha, as well as presented him with the Distinguished Teaching Award for his work in education.

As a specialist who now joins The Leading Physicians of the World, Dr. Saeed Bajwa's learning is clearly an ongoing quest. Over the course of his thirty-year career, he has strengthened his extensive knowledge of neurological surgery by consistently training on the latest groundbreaking medical technology in the company of other leading specialists. In 2004, he was involved in the development of an artificial disc for alleviating lower back pain with DePuy Spine, a Johnson & Johnson company. He later became an early adopter of applications like the CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System, a tool that emits focused doses of high radiation to inoperable tumors anywhere on the body. His patient-centered philosophy led him to American Spine in Maryland, where in August of 2015, he completed a certification program in Endoscopic and Minimally Invasive Operations of the Lumbar and Thoracic Spine. Last year he also acquired MAZOR robotics for his practice at Southern New York NeuroSurgical Group, P.C. in Binghamton, NY; Dr. Bajwa is one of very few surgeons certified to use MAZOR, the minimally invasive procedural instrument that allows for precise treatment of scoliosis, vertebral compression fractures and spinal deformities. His many accomplishments place him at the forefront of neurosurgery.

Dr. Saeed Bajwa has delivered more than 100 speeches to community-based physicians on the topics of Neurology and Neurosurgery. He is affiliated with Wilson Regional Medical Center (Johnson City, NY), Binghamton General Hospital (Binghamton, NY), Lourdes Hospital (Binghamton, NY) and SUNY Upstate Medical University Hospital (Syracuse, NY) and serves on the boards of many community services dedicated to serving people with neural and spinal injuries. Additionally, Dr. Bajwa has generously donated to the Tameer-e-Nau Trust, which provides education and medical assistance for underprivileged communities of Pakistan. In 2012, he helped develop the first CyberKnife Radiosurgery Center for Pakistan at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) in Karachi, and founded two premier institutions: Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad and Doctors Hospital and Medical Center in Lahore, Pakistan.

Dr. Saeed Bajwa - Expert Brain and Spine Neurosurgeon: http://DrSaeedBajwaNews.com

Dr. Saeed Bajwa, Neurosurgeon in Johnson City, NY - US News Doctors: http://health.usnews.com/doctors/saeed-bajwa-236424

Dr. Saeed Bajwa -- Named Director of Neurosciences at United Health Services, Johnson City: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/dr-saeed-bajwa-named-director-033110097.html

For more information, please visit http://www.ICMediaDirect.com

Contact Info:

Name: ICMD

Email: pr@icmediadirect.com

Organization: ICMediaDirect.com

Phone: 1.800.595.0821

Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssbvCl_Yfi0

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/dr-saeed-bajwa-awarded-the-title-of-one-of-the-leading-physicians-of-the-world/134811

Release ID: 134811

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Roberts Liardon On Building A New Church In Orlando

A spiritual leader, historian, and public speaker, Roberts Liardon has announced plans to build a new church in Orlando.

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To help strengthen the religious community within Florida and across the world, Roberts Liardon has announced plans to build a new church in Orlando. Over his lifetime, Liardon has worked at ministries across the country, spreading the word of God to those who seek comfort and advice.

Roberts Liardon founded Roberts Liardon Ministries in Orange County, California in 1990, when he started to organize a large Christian church and bible college. He encourages followers to seek motivation from God to accomplish their goals and guide people towards continuing their good work and outreach to members of the community. "Goals not inspired by heaven are foolish, God will come into your plans. But the choice is yours whether you allow him to begin it, or force him to end it," he believes.

Liardon feels a great responsibility to not only educate members on God's word, but cherish the spiritual needs of his congregation as well. "America has become a mission leader for other nations," he says, "and the citizens of this country must take this mission seriously." Together with the ministry, Robert Liardon feels the new church, which will be named Embassy Orlando, will start to successfully spread this message to people all over the world. With offices in Florida and London, England, the Roberts Liardon Ministries already has a global outreach that resonates with millions of people every day. The First and Second Meetings were held at Winter Park Community Center to present the project to supporters, as well as to introduce it to those who would like to become new members of the church, or contribute to the venture. Preparations for the expansion include a new bible college and networking opportunities across major cities in the country. By launching this new House of Worship, he hopes to increase his spiritual message and encourage followers to embrace the mission for a stronger society.

Roberts Liardon is a spiritual leader, historian, and public speaker. As a teenager, he wrote "God's Generals," for which he has become known as a leading historian in the Protestant Church. He started the ministry aged 17 after his book "I Saw Heaven", became a global success, selling over a million and a half copies. It has since grown from a small group into a global vision he shares with the world. He continues to fulfill a demanding speaking schedule, while also supporting missionary efforts globally and extending the Church's spiritual teachings. Liardon's book and DVD series, "God's Generals", which documents the lives and missions of Christian leaders, has been used as an educational tool by ministries to instruct children about historical Christian teachers and their work to spread God's word. Roberts Liardon's Home2Home Project has provided positive change to communities all over the world, and has worked diligently to educate the people of Africa about HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

Roberts Liardon - Spiritual Leader and Author: http://www.RobertsLiardonNews.com

Roberts Liardon -- to Publish New Book on the Subject of Diligence: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/roberts-liardon-publish-book-subject-001634977.html

Roberts Liardon -- Continues His Efforts With Help in AIDS Humanitarian Work: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/roberts-liardon-continues-efforts-help-014736412.html

For more information, please visit http://www.ControlPR.com

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Name: ControlPR.com

Email: info@controlpr.com

Organization: http://www.ControlPR.com

Phone: 202.759.4575

Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlnYwe_ao6Y

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/roberts-liardon-on-building-a-new-church-in-orlando/134813

Release ID: 134813

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Priority Payment Systems West Introduces Comprehensive Merchant Solutions

The company is one of the fastest-growing payment processors in the U.S. because of their advanced technology and competitive fees, reports http://www.prioritypaymentsystemswest.com/index.html.

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Priority Payment Systems West, a fast-growing Oregon-based bank card processing service, is introducing the comprehensive merchant solutions that they have available for both online and brick-and-mortar business owners. By giving businesses a number of distinct and exclusive benefits, Priority has been able to position themselves as a Top Merchant Service Provider in the Northwest.

Tyler Young, a representative of Priority Payment Systems West, stated "We are proud of the high level of service that we are able to provide for our business customers. There are a number of things that we offer that has made our company a front-runner in the industry. First, we always promise that every customer will receive first-class service, never having to wait more than four rings to speak with a qualified representative. Furthermore, we offer comprehensive bank card processing with next-generation solutions that are built using the latest technology. From sophisticated reporting to a powerful new point of sale system, Priority gives business owners the tools that make their businesses more efficient and productive."

In addition to using the best technology and making a commitment to having the best service, Priority Payment Systems West also offers a number of other benefits to business owners who use their merchant services. They provide tremendous value with account fees that are extremely competitive with any other processing service, and Priority's representatives are always available to discuss options that will enable business owners to lower their current transaction fees. New businesses will also be able to take advantage of the company's easy sign-up process with just one simple phone call. The team at Priority will even take care of working out the details with the business' current bank card processor.

As Young goes on to say, "At Priority, we consider ourselves Next Generation in Bank Card Solutions. We not only offer unmatched service and support to our customers, but we give them the very best processing technology that is available on the market today. Ultimately, we want to help people take their businesses to the next level, and we believe that our comprehensive merchant services can play a huge role in allowing them to do just that."

About Priority Payment Systems West:

Priority Payment Systems is leading the way to the next generation of commerce. The company offers a range of products plus a full-featured point of sale to meet any business' payment processing needs. Operating on the principles of being stronger, smarter, and faster, they invite business owners to take advantage of their progressive technologies, competitive pricing and world class customer service to make their sales process more efficient and more profitable.

For more information, please visit http://www.prioritypaymentsystemswest.com

Contact Info:

Name: Tyler Young

Organization: Priority Payment Systems West

Phone: (503) 501-2415

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/priority-payment-systems-west-introduces-comprehensive-merchant-solutions/132816

Release ID: 132816

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ByBlacks.com Launches New Social Media Campaign

The Black History 365 campaign is highlighting Black historical figures, places, and stories every single day of the year, reports www.byblacks.com.

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ByBlacks.com has announced the launch of their brand new social media campaign. The magazine has been using the hashtag #BlackHistory365 to highlight important Black figures, places, and stories in Canadian history every single day for one year. Those who would like to be a part of the campaign can follow ByBlacks.com on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Roger Dundas, a representative of ByBlacks.com, commented "In Canada as in other places, people tend to confine the recognition of Black culture to the month of February. However, the Black community in Canada is vibrant and thriving 365 days a year, and we wanted to acknowledge that fact by celebrating those Black figures who have made and are continuing to make an impact on their communities and in the world. With the Black history curriculum being nearly nonexistent in Canadian schools, we see it as our duty to educate people about Black struggles and achievements."

The ByBlacks.com #BlackHistory365 campaign was launched on August 1st 2016 (which also happens to be Emancipation Day in Ontario), and it will run through August 1st 2017. Funded in part by The Canadian Periodical Fund, the social media campaign features both historical figures and present-day Canadian personalities, businesses, and organizations that are making strides in Canadian culture. The campaign coincides perfectly with the timing of Canada's 150th birthday as it gives Canadians the opportunity to include Black culture as part of that celebration.

As Dundas goes on to say, "Having been immersed in the Black History 365 campaign for the last six weeks, we can truly see how important the legacy of Black culture is to people all across Canada. Our posts have garnered a lot of likes, shares, re-tweets, and re-posts, which means that our followers are eager for more. The ByBlacks.com writers are looking forward to sharing what we've learned about Black history and culture over the next 46 weeks."

Those who are interested in reading ByBlack's online magazine or visiting their business and event directories can log on to http://www.byblacks.com.

About ByBlacks.com:

ByBlacks.com is a bold, innovative online magazine serving the Black community in Canada. With over 60 writers contributing on topics ranging from race relations, Black history, spirituality, fitness, parenting, fashion, food and more ByBlacks.com helps their readers live a better life. And with their detailed Black business directory and events listing, they put all of Black Canada at a reader's fingertips.

For more information, please visit http://www.byblacks.com

Contact Info:

Name: Roger Dundas

Organization: ByBlacks.com

Phone: 855-593-7231

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/byblacks-com-launches-new-social-media-campaign/134869

Release ID: 134869

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Accountancy Firm Launches New Business Performance Initiative

Accountancy Plus is pleased to launch a business performance improvement initiative. This is aimed at helping business set and measure key performance indicators in order to improve performance and profitability.

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Accountancy Plus has launched new business initiative geared at helping businesses across the country to achieve greater profitability and management. Following a growing number of successful case studies and pilot programmes, Accountancy Plus took the decision to roll out their successful service to businesses up and down the country.

The company found high levels of demand from businesses across all sectors for more efficient setting and tracking of KPIs or key performance indicators, which allows companies to improve their performance through setting, tracking and measuring these indicators. This helps decision makers to make better decisions and plan more effectively. All of which have a positive effect on business profitability.

Initially the service was launched to Accountants Bristol as this is where the service was initially developed and tested with key case study business enterprise partners.

Seminars, conferences and workshops will be held where directors, owners and managers can network and ask questions about how KPIs can help them improve the performance of their organisation. The first step is to choose the right and the best possible KPIs to start off with, so that a tracking dashboard can be set up by the Information Technology and Infrastructure support function of Accountancy Plus. Therefore setting the correct and best key performance indicators is vital. These can include but are not limited to lead generation, lead conversion, client fulfilment, employee performance, profit margins and more.

The next roll out phase will see the service made available to Accountants Shepton Mallet as there is also demand in this area, and many businesses have a presence in both locations. Finally the services will also be made available to Accountants Frome as there have been a growing number of enquiries from businesses in this area. Accountancy Plus is pleased to provide this valuable service and is looking forward to rolling out the service to meet the needs of businesses in other key business hubs across the UK.

For more information, please visit http://accountancyplus.com

Contact Info:

Name: Adam Marks

Organization: Accountancy Plus

Address: 207 Regent Street



Release ID: 134844

For more information visit r



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Farmers could be paid millions of pounds to introduce measures on land to reduce flood risk as part of a post-Brexit agricultural policy, according to a new report.

Groups of farmers would work together to sell flood protection and clean water to water companies and public authorities, under the proposals outlined by think tank Green Alliance and charity the National Trust.

The scheme, called National Infrastructure Schemes (NIS), offers a new funding model for green farming to create new markets for sustainable land management.

See also: Defra flood report fails to recognise farming

Upland farmers who are struggling to make ends meet could benefit most from the funding model, says the report, published today (Wednesday, 28 September).

Land management services would include tree planting, the creation of riparian strips and rainwater storage on farms.

Sue Armstrong-Brown, policy director at Green Alliance, said: The old CAP subsidy-and-grant approach is inadequate to deal with the pressures on land and the realities of farm economics.

The potential market for environmentally beneficial farming could be worth millions  far more than the 400m available to farmers through government agri-environment schemes.

We need to make farming part of the way the environment is returned to health, and that means making good environmental management pay.

Pilot scheme

Green Alliance and the National Trust said it would be working alongside landowners and businesses over the next 12 months to prepare to introduce pilot NIS schemes in the UK.

Patrick Begg, rural enterprises director at National Trust, said: Farmers should be paid fairly for producing great food in a way that supports the long-term health of our farmland.

The NIS scheme is about creating a market for services from farming that today go unrewarded  reducing flood risks, improving water quality and creating homes for wildlife, while at the same time opening up new revenue opportunities for farmers.

Farmer reaction

Chris Clark, who farms hundreds of acres of peaty moorland rising to 1,600ft at Nethergill Farm, in the Yorkshire Dales, said: As we prepare to leave the CAP, diversifying how we make money from our land makes good business sense.

Setting up marketing groups for our green services would offer a great deal for farmers and for our customers. The appetite exists for doing things differently, if we can make it pay.

NFU head of policy services Andrea Graham said: Farmers are involved with many schemes which provide a flood mitigation service for other stakeholders in the catchment.

We welcome an opportunity to devise new ways to both recognise and reward farmers for the multiple benefits they deliver, including flood mitigation.

It is important that any scheme developed works for both tenants and landowners, and the schemes success is dependent upon early engagement with both parties.

She added: We now have the chance to help shape a new domestic agricultural policy that helps farmers and growers to prosper and puts food on the nations plates.

We also need a new fit-for-purpose environmental scheme that builds on farmings environmental role, allowing all farmers to care for the countryside and wildlife and mitigate climate change, alongside their core food production role.

In August, Dame Helen Ghosh National Trust director-general, said farmers should only be rewarded for managing land in a nature-friendly way, and direct subsidies should be removed altogether in a post-Brexit rural policy.
A potential funding lifeline has been restored for more than 500 farmers in Wales.

The Welsh government had said it would not be awarding new Glastir contracts from January 2017 because the EU referendum vote had cast doubt over who would pay successful applicants.

But that doubt has now been lifted. Waless rural affairs secretary, Lesley Griffiths, has said that an assurance on funding by the UK Treasury meant that applications approved before the autumn statement at the end of November would be funded for their lifetime.

See also: Keen demand for Countryside Stewardship

In the case of Glastir Advanced agri-environment contracts, we consider this guarantee includes agreements submitted with my department that would, in the normal course of business, be formally signed in January 2017, to coincide with EU schedules, the minister confirmed.

On that basis I have instructed my officials to resume detailed contract negotiations with applicants.

About 560 farmers had expressed an interest to join Glastir Advanced. A government spokesperson said all of these were being processed.

Glenda Thomas, of FWAG Cymru, said that with some of these farmers in line for annual management payments of up to 15,000 in addition to funding for capital works, Glastir was fundamental to the future of their businesses.

The scale of payments varies considerably, but these farmers had been facing the prospect of no agri-environmental payments whatsoever. It is a relief that the Welsh government has reversed its decision, she said.

Doubts remain

Although the 2017 contracts will be funded for their duration, there is no guarantee that new contracts will be awarded beyond 2017.

Glastir Advanced is considered the lead agri-environment scheme performer in Europe, but the referendum vote has created considerable uncertainty for multi-year environmental programmes currently supported by EU, said the government spokesperson.

The Welsh government has sought reassurances from the UK government that equivalent funding will be available to ensure such schemes can still be run after our exit from the EU, but no such guarantees have been received to date, the spokesperson added.
Story Highlights About three in four Republicans say business regulations are too much

One in five Democrats see too much regulation

Attitudes shifted after Obama's election

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Donald Trump's assertion at Monday night's presidential debate that he would cut regulations while Hillary Clinton would "increase regulations all over the place" is consistent with the sensitivity to government regulation of business among members of his party. Republicans (76%) are more than three times as likely as Democrats (21%) to say there is "too much" government regulation of business and industry. Since President Barack Obama took office in 2009, Republicans' and Democrats' views on the matter have been widely at odds.

For her part, Clinton claimed that her proposals would "cut regulations and streamline them for small businesses," but this may have been directed more at those outside of her party, as relatively few Democrats (21%) say there is too much government regulation. In fact, too much business regulation was not a major concern of Democrats even before Obama's presidency. Since 2002, the percentage saying there was too much regulation of business has been between 21% and 29% in all but two polls.

Democrats are currently more likely to say the government regulates business too little (35%) or about the right amount (39%).

Republicans have typically been more likely than Democrats to be concerned with too much business regulation, even during the administration of Republican President George W. Bush. The percentage of Republicans citing too much regulation ranged from 35% to 56% throughout Bush's presidency. This jumped to 70% at the start of Obama's first term in 2009 and reached an apex of 84% in 2011.

The latest results come from Gallup's Sept. 7-11 annual Governance poll. Overall, about half of U.S. adults (47%) believe that the government regulates business and industry too much. Meanwhile, 27% say there is about the right amount of government regulation, while the smallest segment, 22%, believe there is too little.

In line with the changes observed among Republicans and Democrats, Americans' views on business regulation shifted between the Bush and Obama administrations. Throughout the better part of Bush's two terms, the public was closely divided between saying there was too much versus about the right amount of government regulation of business and industry. Since Obama took office, close to half of the public has said there is too much regulation -- driven by the dramatic rise in this view among Republicans -- and the other half has split between saying there is about the right amount or too little.

Bottom Line

Americans' attitudes about government regulation of business and industry shifted when Obama became president, mainly because Republicans increasingly adopted the view that there was too much regulation. Those views would likely persist if Clinton is elected but could recalibrate if Trump wins.

Since 2009, Americans have been most likely to feel there is too much regulation, which could be related to the hundreds of regulations that went into effect on Obama's watch. Analysis by George Washington University's Regulatory Studies Center finds that Obama's regulations have outpaced those of the prior two presidents.

As Election Day nears, both major parties' candidates have made regulation-related pledges. But Republicans and Democrats do not share the same level of concern that government regulation is a problem.

Historical data are available in Gallup Analytics.

Survey Methods

Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted Sept. 7-11, 2016, with a random sample of 1,020 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is 4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting.

Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 60% cellphone respondents and 40% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods.

View survey methodology, complete question responses and trends.

Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works.
Playstation Experience 2016 Latest News & Update: Location Venue And Date Leaked Before Official Announcement!

It seems that Sony has mistakenly placed the location venue and date of the much awaited annual Playstation Experience even before the official announcement! Sony has leaked the information on their official event registration page, just below the Playstation Experience logo.

Playstation Experience 2016 Location and Venue

Back in 2014, the very first Playstation Experience was held in Las Vegas and last year in San Francisco. This year's Playstation Experience will be held in Anaheim California from December 3 to 4.

The leak was first spotted on NeoGaf and at this time, Sony has not yet unveiled any plans for Playstation Experience 2016. However, later today, Sony already made everything official for Playstation Experience 2016.

Playstation Experience 2016 Coming to Anaheim on December 3-4 https://t.co/w7lj3rs13D via @NeoGAF  Luis M. Gochoco (@lgochoco93) September 28, 2016

Further Details For Playstation Experience 2016

As reported by IGN here's more info in regards to the schedule of the event, "The show will begin on December 3 at 10 a.m. PT with the PlayStation Showcase," also "The full PSX show runs through December 4 and will take place in Anaheim, California at the Anaheim Convention Center." Sony has also officially announced the participation of Japanese video game publisher Capcom in Playstation Experience 2016.

Capcom will spearhead the return of the Capcom Cup 2016 will take place on the first day of Playstation Experience 2016 at 6pm. There is as well an early bird ticket promo that will be made available until October 16. Two-day early bird ticket rate is priced at $60 while the regular two-day ticket price is at $75.

Stay tuned to Game & Guide for more Playstation Experience 2016 news and update.
'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' Season 4 Spoilers & News: 'Coral Palms Pt. 2' Nods to Lack of Gun Control, Taylor Swift's Love Life & LGBT Rights

Last night's episode of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" season 4 brought about some promising developments in the hunt for Figgis, as the hunter suddenly became the hunted. Don't read on if you haven't watched "Coral Palms Pt. 2."

In the latest episode of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" season 4, Captain Holt and Jake Peralta are still stuck in Florida as Greg and Larry, respectively. The new episode also saw the return of guest star, Maya Rudolph of "Saturday Night Live" and "Maya & Marty" as U.S. Marshall Karen Haas. Rudolph's character continues to oversee Holt and Jake as they are in the witness protection program.

The latest episode of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" season 4 nods to the complete lack of gun control in the United States. It finds Captain Holt and Jake, still under the disguise of Greg and Larry, strolling into a gun store and purchasing weaponry. The store owner casually says that he can sell them guns even without an ID and Jake comments, "Our country is broken."

In tonight's episode of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" season 4, we find Rudolph's character asking Holt and Jake for relationship advice. We also find references to Taylor Swift's love life, when Jake hilariously shares to Captain Holt that he was detained by the pop star's security detail, citing that it was a "misunderstanding." He goes on to say, "She's probably gonna write a song about me."

In true Mike Schur and Dan Goor fashion, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" season 4's latest episode also pokes fun at how backward society is when it comes to gender equality. Another guest star in last night's episode was "Parks and Recreation" star Jim O'Heir, whose views on women's and LGBT rights are from a decade or two behind. He's all for a brawl between Captain Holt and Jake, but immediately breaks them off when Jake decides to kiss Holt on the lips just to break out of prison.

What's your favorite part of last night's "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" season 4? Keep checking back and make sure to watch the show next week as Eric Roberts, who will play Jimmy "The Butcher" Figgis, arrives to the Nine-Nine to hunt down Jake.
Girl Meets World Air Date, Spoilers, News & Update: Blanchard & Carpenter Attitude Problem; Season 4 Cancellation On Disney Confirmed?

Despite the popularity "Girl Meets World," there were still controversies regarding the no updates for season 4. According to speculations Rowan Blanchard and Sabrina Carpenter can't keep their anger towards Disney Channel regarding the updates on the series although it's already been denied.

iTech Post reported that "Girl Meets World" Season 4 renewal might be impossible for the cast. It appears that the cast are now moving to college and the storyline might be more mature and would not fit to Disney audiences anymore. There've been petitions from fans online making their own efforts for the shows renewal on the channel yet it seems no effect for the series.

"Girl Meets World" Season 3 is almost coming to an end while one of the cast Uriah Justus already posted a sad goodby. That being said, the rumors are being linked to his post regarding the possibility that it is now impossible to air "Girl Meets World" Season 4. Season 3 is currently airing in Disney Channel which is bound to end by 2017.

Many fans are excited for the love triangle between Riley, Maya and Lucas which is expected to be featured on "Girl Meets World" Season 4, whether in Disney Channel or in Freeform. Their love story will feature mature topics for a higher level series.

The #GirlMeetsWorld family is celebrating today! One of the most loved stars got MARRIED! --> https://t.co/pNbFMHDAGD pic.twitter.com/os7B6INaq3  J-14 Magazine (@J14Magazine) September 26, 2016

There also claims that after filming the last scene of "Girl Meets World" Season 3, lead star Rowan was also spotted sobbing. Disney's decision for the series might be announced after the show ends. However, as of the moment, the fate of "Girl Meets World" Season 4 remains indefinite. Despite the surging rumors, every detail should be taken with a grain of salt in mind.


Kim Kardashian Weight Loss 2016, News & Update: What Is Her Secret In Dropping 60 Pounds? Find Out Here!

Kim Kardashian weight loss is giving everyone #BodyGoals as the "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" star quickly shed off her pregnancy weight after giving birth to Saint West. Kim Kardashian enviously bounced back to her pre-mommy body just a few months after her second child was born. So how did the reality star and social media queen do it?

A photo posted by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Aug 19, 2016 at 2:48pm PDT

According to Hollywood Life, Kim Kardashian weight loss is the result of following a strict meal plan. To achieve her current weight, the 35-year-old mother-of-two credits her impressive weight loss to Atkins 40 meal plan, as revealed by her nutritionist. Kim Kardashian weight loss was made possible by Colette Hemowitz, a famous celebrity nutritionist and Atkins Vice President of Nutrition and Education.

The Atkins 40 meal plan is specifically made to help out moms who are still breastfeeding. Since the baby is sharing the nutrients of the mother, the goal of the Atkins 40 meal plan is to give enough calories for both mom and the baby. This is in addition to helping the mother lose weight at the same time. It was the perfect choice for Kim Kardashian weight loss after giving birth to her second child. Colette Heimowitz shared that Kim Kardashian weight loss is based on this strict meal plan.

Kim would start with a 1/2 cup of rolled oats, 1/4 cup of strawberries and 1/4 cup of pecans for breakfast. Snacks focused on fruits or veggies, such as a 1/2 cup of red peppers and five cherry tomatoes with two tablespoons of dressing, Heimowitz explained.

A photo posted by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Jun 15, 2016 at 11:05pm PDT

Then for lunch, Mrs. West will have a salad and salmon while another snack consisted of half a peach and half a cup of cottage cheese. Kim Kardashian's dinner will consist of four to six ounces grilled chicken, six stalks of asparagus, one medium tomato and two ounces of fresh mozzarella with two basil leaves. Olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette will then be added for extra flavor. It seems that the Atkins 40 meal plan is definitely a huge help for Kim Kardashian weight loss. E! News reported that Kim Kardashian shared on her Snapchat that shes 12 lbs. away from reaching her 2010 weight.
Samsung Galaxy C9 Release Date, News & Update: Imminent Smartphone Better Than C5, C7 & S7? Impressive Features, Specs & Price Revealed

Several fans are now excited for the upcoming release of the Samsung Galaxy C9, another top of the line phablet smartphone for the company. The imminent smartphone from the Korean tech giant is a part of the line where the previously launched Samsung Galaxy C5 and Samsung Galaxy C7 belong.

Samsung Galaxy C9 Spec & Features

The Samsung Galaxy C9 will feature a metallic surface similar to the Samsung Galaxy C5 and Galaxy C7 variants with a full HD display. Sources have claimed that Samsung Galaxy C9 will have a 6-inch display screen, which in line with the revolution of the series, Tech Times reports.

What makes Samsung Galaxy C9 very unique from its predecessors is the 6GB RAM and its 64GB internal storage. This would be the first ever Samsung phone to rolled out with a 6GB RAM package along with its powerful specs.

The Samsung Galaxy C9 will most likely feature a physical home button in the bottom of the screen with a fingerprint sensor. In terms of camera specs, Samsung Galaxy C9 will have a 16-megapixel rear camera and a 16-megapixel front selfie snapper.

The Samsung Galazy C9 will sport a Snapdragon 652 OS and an Adreno 510 GPU to support the phone's performance. Other than the flagship's processor prowess, the Samsung Galaxy C9 will run an Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow operating system.

Samsung Galaxy C9 Release Date & Price

As of now, there are no official news about the release date and price of the Samsung Galaxy C9. But, consumers can presume that the phone will cost more than that of Samsung Galaxy C5 and Samsung Gakaxy C7 due to its much-improved specs and features.

Also, it is expected that the Samsung Galaxy C9 will be released in China first before it will be shipped to U.S. For more Samsung Galaxy C9 news and update, stay tuned to GamenGuide!
WWE Rumors 2016: Roman Reigns Tasked To Raise Stock With United States Title

Roman Reigns continues to struggle as far as getting the support from the WWE fans but instilling him as the new United States champion could make a difference. The Big Dog won the title over Rusev at WWE Clash of Champion and somehow the boos have softened.

Of course, Roman Reigns has Rusev to thank as well. Without the Bulgarian Brutes menacing heel persona, the Big Dog may have had no shot at drowning out some of the fans who are not buying his rise in the WWE. Moving forward, there is no question that he will be once again be catapulted to the main event.

Cementing semi-main event status

Roman Reigns is likely to focus on defending the US title with Rusev at the top of the list. Following his win over the Bulgarian at WWE Raw (Sept. 26), it remains to be seen who will step up to the plate to face him. Until that happens, it looks like it will be an ongoing feud between the two which may be more than being US champion.

That said, Roman Reigns can use the opportunity to recharge and work on the flaws that have been lacking. His work behind the microphone has been showing improvement though one thing the WWE creative team may want to seriously look into is his indestructable persona.

Such was seen as the reason why Reigns fell off with the WWE Universe. Compared to the time when he served as the enforcer for the Shield, the Big Dog has dwindled in popularity.

Critics feel that Roman Reigns was only partly to be blamed. Instead, it was the script to establish him as the new face of the WWE that took a hit. Now, it will be up to the creative team to make the necessary tweaks seeing Vince McMahon is not about to give up on Reigns.
Samsung Galaxy C9 Latest News & Update: Geekbench Reveal More Specs For The New Samsung Phablet

It could be taken as a rumor when Samsung Galaxy C9 was the talk of the internet in the past week. Today, the Galaxy C9 apparently makes its way on the GeekBench. Running the Galaxy C9 on the GFXBench, it appears that the device has a 6-inch screen and a 1080 x 1920 resolution. It is equipped with a 6GB of RAM and a snapdragon 652 chipset.

More of the Samsung Galaxy C9 specs revealed that, it will have an octa-core 2GHz CPU and an Adreno 510 GPU. It has a 64GB flash storage and a 16MP primary camera. It still doesn't have the new Android 7.0 Marshmallow OS, rather, it will carry the Android 6.0.1 on a pre installed series.

Unfortunately, the Samsung Galaxy C9 may only be available in China, until it gets its certification from TENAA. Once certification is obtain, fans can expect the Galaxy C9 to launch in different regions.

The supposed Galaxy C9 was first spotted on the GFXBench with codename samsung SM-C9000. Listed on September 24 on the GeekBench, its initial description and specs revealed an Android 6.0.1 OS, model name of samsung SM-C9000, processor of ARM Qualcomm @ 1.40GHz, 1 processor 8 cores with a processor ID of ARM implementer 65 architecture 8 variant 0 part 3336 revision 0. It has a MSM8996 motherboard and a memory of 5840MB.

This recent Samsung Galaxy C9 has not been confirmed by Samsung, but people have been concluding the possibility of the Galaxy C9. There are no confirmed launch and release date for the model, but it always pay to wait a while and see how it evolve in the GFXBench.

Are you confident that Samsung is about to release a new Galaxy C9 model? Don't miss the latest update on the device by checking them here on GameNGuide.
Rotary got started in Long Beach in 1917 when seven local businessmen met with a New York Rotarian who talked about his club there.
A drug delivery platform developed in Corvallis is offering hope to families confronting Duchennes muscular dystrophy, a fatal neuromuscular disease that affects boys.

The Food and Drug Administration last week granted tentative approval for Exondys 51, the first treatment for muscular dystrophy ever green-lighted by the federal agency.

Its also the first FDA approval for a drug candidate developed by Sarepta Therapeutics, a Cambridge, Massachusetts, biotech firm that got its start in Corvallis in 1980 under the name AntiVirals Inc. The company later changed its name to AVI BioPharma and then Sarepta Therapeutics, moving its headquarters to Portland and then the Seattle area before relocating to Cambridge in 2012.

Supervising the drugs development was Patrick Iversen, an Oregon State University professor and the companys senior vice president for research. After decades of sinking millions of dollars into drug development without a marketable product to sell, he said, the FDA approval is a major milestone for Sarepta.

We just moved the ball across the goal line, he said in an interview this week. Its time to get excited.

Even though the market is limited, demand is expected to be high, with some Wall Street analysts estimating potential sales at upwards of $1 billion a year.

Sarepta officials say patients would receive weekly injections of Exondys 51 at a an estimated cost of $300,000 a year. The company reportedly has said it would provide financial assistance to help make the drug more affordable.

Sareptas stock price has soared on the news. On Sept. 19, the day the FDA announced its decision, the companys shares closed at $48.94, up nearly 74 percent from the previous closing price of $28.15 a share. The stock has continued to climb since then, closing at $59.10 a share on Tuesday.

The company has also announced a $300 million stock offering to take advantage of the surge in investor interest.

The FDA approval also has prompted a strong response from families of Duchennes patients, who have long hoped in vain for a treatment.

Duchennes muscular dystrophy is a rare disease, afflicting roughly one in every 3,500 to 5,000 boys. But to the victims and their families, its a devastating diagnosis.

The first symptoms appear at the age of 6 or 7, and as the disease progresses it robs its victims of muscle strength. Eventually, young men with Duchennes may need help feeding themselves and may require a respirator to breathe. Most die in their late 20s or early 30s.

From about 11 to 14, they slowly lose their ability to walk, Iversen said. By the time theyre 14, theyre in a wheelchair. Its just a slow, steady decline.

Duchennes muscular dystrophy is caused by a genetic defect that prevents the body from producing dystrophin, a protein that is necessary for muscle growth. The defect occurs in a part of the gene known as exon 51. According to Sarepta, Exondys 51 works by masking the defect, effectively skipping over the damaged exon and tricking the body into producing a limited amount of dystrophin.

The FDA approval is unusual in a couple of ways. First, it was granted based on a study performed by the company that involved just 12 boys, including four members of a control group who were moved into the group receiving treatment for humanitarian reasons, according to Iversen.

Second, the approval is conditional  it could still be withdrawn if a larger follow-on study fails to establish clear benefits from the use of Exondys 51.

Iversen said hes confident the drug will pass muster in the larger study, both because the underlying chemistry of Sareptas delivery mechanism has shown itself to be safe in a number of other drug tests and because Exondys 51 delivered what he believes are undeniable benefits in its limited clinical trial in humans.

Almost no one (with Duchennes) walks after 12 years, 8 months old. We had 14-year-olds walking , Iversen said. The longer they walk, the more we know were right. It isnt a fluke at that point.

At least one patient advocacy group, Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, provided some financial support for the study, and parents of Duchennes patients turned out in force to call for FDA approval at a public hearing in April.

These are Jerrys kids, Iversen pointed out, referring to comedian Jerry Lewis longtime work as a spokesman for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Theres a lot of social pressure to produce a cure for this disease.

Sarepta does not claim that Exondys 51 will cure Duchennes, but Iversen believes test results so far suggest it can prolong the life of patients while slowing the progression of the disease.

I really feel you can go to bed at night and say, You know, I gave these kids another year or two, he said.

If Exondys 51 does prove to be an effective treatment for Duchennes, Iversen believes, Sarepta may be able to piggyback on that success by developing exon-skipping drugs for other types of muscular dystrophy. In fact, the company is already in clinical trials on muscular dystrophy drugs that mask defects in exons 45 and 53 of the dystrophin gene.

The ultimate goal is to use the same basic chemical platform to deliver targeted treatments for a host of other diseases with identifiable genetic causes.

Its going to take people awhile to catch on to how big this is, Iversen said. This is the Microsoft. This is the operating system. This is huge.

But Sareptas triumph was bittersweet for Iversen. After nearly 20 years as the head of the firms research division, he was cut loose in May, part of a wave of cost-cutting measures that also saw the closure of the companys Corvallis laboratory, which employed about 80 people.

Iversens stock options expired before he could cash in on Sareptas surging share price, and he no longer has any financial ties to the company.

I would be a fool to say it doesnt bug me a little bit, Iversen said. But  this is well-worn turf. Im not the first guy to be put in this position.

Even though Iversen is no longer part of Sarepta, hes continuing to work with the drug-delivery technology he helped develop after joining the company in 1997. With some of Sareptas older patents now in the public domain, Iversen noted, hes free to build on that work to create other drugs  and he has.

I formed a virtual company and filed a patent last week for a treatment for hypertension in people of African heritage, he said.

And he wont stop there. Iversen said hell be exploring ways to adapt exon-skipping technology to develop treatments for other diseases.

Whos to say? he asked. This could go a long way from here.
Global Volunteer Day : DHL employees organize clothing for the needy

Bonn DHL employees launched an initiative to provide clothing at no cost to the needy and homeless. The volunteer action was appreciated.

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From office workers to angels in yellow: DHL employees opened the doors on Tuesday to The Street Store outside Caritas on Thomasstrae. Its a kind of flea market where people who are homeless or have a low income can come and pick up clothing at no cost. The initiative was in connection with the annual Global Volunteer Day, when DHL calls upon its employees to volunteer their time to help others.

With a smile, Alois Kuhn holds up a pair of corduroy pants and an almost new looking pair of jeans. Fits, he says happily as he puts them in a visibly worn burlap bag. The 65-year-old lived on the streets for a long time. He has only recently started drawing a small pension, and is happy to receive the help. I used to work as a locksmith at the heat and power station up on Venusberg, said Kuhn, but then I got sick, lost my job and couldnt pay my rent anymore and I was thrown out of my apartment. He was homeless for five years until Caritas helped him find an apartment. Now Im doing good, he says. Still, I have very little money so I find the idea of the DHL workers to be a really good one. Its really a help, he adds.

Clothes for the cold season

Viktor Komm and Heiner Lohmeier from Filial management at DHL came up with the idea. We called for clothing donations in the firm and collected them at the Post Tower, explained Komm. Altogether we got around 1,000 items of clothing and we brought them in a truck to the Street Store.

People who come to the Street Store are allowed to take three items of clothing. But we dont say no to a fourth item, says Komm. From pants, shirts to undergarments and winter jackets, there is everything. Komm and Lohmeier say they planned the initiative for September because thats when the homeless need to equip themselves for winter. When the event ends, all clothing left over will be given to the Caritas second hand clothing store. Rewe was also a partner in the event, providing 500 euros in food donations.
Refugee threw his children out the window : Wife reports years of abuse

Lohmar/Bonn In the trial against the Syrian man accused of throwing his three small children out the window of a refugee shelter, his wife testified in court. She reported years of suffering from his abuse.

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For nearly ten years, the wife suffered from the violent outbursts of her husband. He didnt love his own children. Finally, he reportedly threatened to throw the children out the window. This was part of the testimony of the Syrian wife and mother, whose 35-year-old husband is accused of throwing the children out the window of a refugee shelter in Lohmar in February of 2016. Others living in the building also testified.

Last week, the trial began against the Syrian refugee; he is charged with three counts of attempted homicide and aggravated battery. He is also accused of hitting his wife in the face with a cooking pan on January 4. It was on February 1 when he allegedly threw the three children out the window of the first floor of their refugee housing, some of them suffering serious injuries. According to the charges, he wanted to punish his wife for not fulfilling any more the role which he expected from her.

The 31-year-old mother told the court that her family had decided she should marry the man back in 2007 and he became her husband. She did not know him before the wedding. In the first year, everything was fine, she said, and then he turned bad. After the birth of their first daughter, he became increasingly violent. The mother testified that he never played with the children and never showed them any affection.

Another couple who lived in the shelter described a similar situation. A witness testified that she had never seen the father beat his children, but he told her once that his children did not love him. The 27-year-old had to watch as the defendant threw his oldest daughter out the kitchen window. She witnessed again and again when the couple was fighting.

One of the arguments was in January: his wife was told to cook something different for him than what was being cooked for the children. While cooking, the 31-year-old sent a text message to her sister. When the husband entered the kitchen, he thought she had stopped talking so he hit her with a pan in the face. That was enough, said the Syrian wife. She filed a complaint against her husband. Ten days later he was allowed back in the apartment. He threatened to throw the children out the window if she ever filed a complaint again.

On February 1, a conflict escalated again. She went to lay down in bed because she had a headache. He acted out on this threat and proceeded to throw each of the three children out the window. Because of the screams from the children and alarmed neighbors, the mother got up and ran outside in front of the house. My daughter looked terrible, she cried as she recalled the moment when she found her children. Until her husband was actually arrested, she could not believe he actually committed the act. I thought there had been a car accident which injured my children, she said. She was so scared she actually picked up the youngest daughter and handed her to the husband.

At the scene in front of the refugee shelter, the father apparently showed no emotion. In court, however, he cried repeatedly and put his head down on the table. On Wednesday, he will be called to testify. On Tuesday, he had to leave the courtroom while his wife testified.
When Doug Wiens approached Minnesota farmers to ask permission to install a seismometer on their land, he often got a puzzled look. You could tell they were thinking Why are you putting a seismometer here?,  said Wiens, professor of earth and planetary sciences in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. We dont have earthquakes and we dont have volcanoes. Do you know something we dont? 

Actually, he did. Deep beneath the fertile flat farmland, there is a huge scar in the Earth called the Midcontinent Rift. This ancient and hidden feature bears silent witness to a time when the core of what would become North America nearly ripped apart. If the U-shaped rip had gone to completion, the land between its armsincluding at least half of what is now called the Midwestwould have pulled away from North America, leaving a great ocean behind.

Weisen Shen, a postdoctoral research associate with Wiens, will be presenting seismic images of the rift at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America (GSA) Sept. 25-28. The images were made by analyzing data from Earthscope, a National Science Foundation (NSF) program that deployed thousands of seismic instruments across America in the past 10 years.

What is that thing?

The Midcontinent Rift was discovered by geophysicists who noticed that gravity was stronger in some parts of the upper Midwest than in others. In the 1950s and 1960s, they mapped the gravity and magnetic anomalies with airborne sensors. Shen is contributing to a session at the GSA dedicated to Bill Heinze, a geophysicist who helped discover and map the Midcontinent Rift.

But understanding of the rift then stalled until 2003, when the NSF funded Earthscope, a program whose mission is to use North America as a natural laboratory to gain insight into how the Earth operates.

As part of Earthscope, the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) installed a network of 400 seismometers, called the USArray, that rolled across the United States from west to east, gathering data at each location for two years before moving on. USArray was installed on the West Coast beginning in 2004, and had advanced to the Midwest by 2010.

Earthscope also made available a pool of seismometers, called the flexible array, for more focused field experiments. A consortium of universities, including Washington University in St. Louis, installed 83 of these stations along and across the rift in 2011, creating a dense array called SPREE.

A telescope looking down

Seismologists had never before been able to blanket the landscape with seismometers in this way, and so the USArray has stimulated many innovations in the manipulation of the seismic data to extract information about Earths crust and upper mantle.

Seismic interpretation is a thorny version of what is called an inverse problem. If the Earths interior were of uniform composition, seismic waves would travel in straight lines. But instead, underground structures or differences in temperature and density refract and reflect them. The problem is to figure out mathematically which obstructions could have produced the wave arrivals that the seismometers recorded.

Its a bit like trying to figure out the shape of an island in a pond by throwing a pebble into the lake and recording the ripples arriving at the shore.

The data wizard on the Washington University team is Shen, who has devised new techniques for combining many types of seismological data to create sharper images of Earths interior.

The farmers in Minnesota have a point when they wonder what an earthquake sensor could detect in an area where there are no earthquakes. The answer is that the seismometers record distant earthquakes, such as those on the Pacific Ring of Fire on the opposite side of the planet, and ambient noise, caused by activity such as powerful storms slamming into the Jersey Shore.

Shen has seasoned the mix with several other measurements that can be extracted from the seismic record as well. By inverting all of these data functions simultaneously within a Bayesian statistical framework, he is able to obtain much clearer images of Earths interior than one type of data alone would produce, together with estimates of the probability that the images are correct.

Not just a scar, a keloid scar

What have the scientists learned about the rift?

When you pull apart a continent, like a piece of taffy, it starts to stretch and to thin, said Michael Wysession, professor of earth and planetary sciences and a member of the SPREE team. And as it sags, the dip fills with low-density sediment.

So if you go over a rift with a gravity sensor, you expect to find a negative gravity anomaly. Mass should be missing. But thats not what happened with the Midcontinent Rift. Instead of being thinner than the surrounding crust, it is thicker.

We know that lava comes out at rifts, Wysession said. The East African rift zone, for example, includes a number of active and dormant volcanoes, such as Mount Kilimanjaro. But the Midcontinent Rift was flooded with lava, and as it sank under the weight of the cooling basaltic rock, even more lava flowed into the depression.

A huge volume of lava erupted here, Wysession said. It was perhaps the largest outflowing of lava in our planets history. And then, after the eruptions ended, the area was compressed by mountain building event to its east, thickening the scar by squeezing it horizontally.

Shen published images of the rift made with USArray data in the Journal of Geophysical Research 2013. But at that time, he had only sparse coverage in the rifts vicinity. At the 2016 GSA meeting he will present images made with both USArray and SPREE data (especially many more receiver functions, a type of seismic data that is particularly sensitive to seismic boundaries) that show what lies beneath the rift more clearly.

Miles beneath the Earths surface, there is a seismic boundary called the Mohorovicic discontinuity, or Moho. At the Moho, seismic waves hit higher density material and suddenly accelerate. But beneath the rift, Shen said, the Moho is blurred rather than sharp. Its structure has been destroyed, he said.

He also sees evidence of something called magmatic underplating. We think magma might have trapped, or stalled out, at the Moho or within the crust during its rise to the surface, he said. This might explain why the Moho is so disrupted, although Shen can think of alternative explanations and expects there to be lively discussions at the GSA.

He compares images of the Midcontinent Rift made with the SPREE array to images of the Rio Grande rift made with a similar seismic array called La Ristra. The La Ristra images show that the Rio Grande rift is thinner than the surrounding crust, not thicker. The Moho is clear and rises rather than sinks under the rift.

I think were looking at different stages of rifting, Shen said. The Rio Grande Rift is still active, still opening, but the Midcontinent Rift is already dead and has been squeezed shut.

Wiens commented that the tremendous outpouring of magma at the Midcontinent Rift might also have disrupted its structure, making it look different from other rifts.

My goal, Shen said, is to provide basic seismic models of interesting tectonic regions like this one for geologists, geochemists and scientists from other disciplines to useto help them interpret their results and also help the public to better understand the story of the land they live on.

Rural Minnesota is already onboard. Some landowners were quite interested in what we were doing, Wiens said. We got into one or two small town newspapers. So-and-so now has a seismometer on his farm, the headline would read.

Reference:

Weisen Shen et al. A 3-D model of the crust and uppermost mantle beneath the Central and Western US by joint inversion of receiver functions and surface wave dispersion, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth (2013). DOI: 10.1029/2012JB009602

Note: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Washington University in St. Louis.
Article

Protecting the worlds oceans  an important goal of Germanys climate diplomacy

The worlds oceans are vital to our survival. They regulate the global climate and are a source of food and income for billions of people. Only a very small part of the seas enjoys legal protection, however. Our diplomats are working in New York right now to change this state of affairs.
MoneyTap Launches First App-Based Credit Line in India to Give Instant Credit to Users News oi -GizBot Bureau

In a first, fintech startup MoneyTap, is launching India's first App-Based Credit Line, in partnership with banks, and directly targeted at consumers. MoneyTap enables consumers to get instant credit from partner banks at the tap of a button on the app.

Credit Line, a facility that was only available for businesses until now, is now being made available to consumers. The "Credit Line" means that the bank will issue a limit of up to INR 5 lakhs, without any collateral or charging any interest.

SEE ALSO: You Can Now Share and Download Videos Without Any Data in India with YouTube Go

Against this limit, using the MoneyTap app, consumers can borrow as little as Rs. 3000 or as much as Rs. 5 lakhs and repay it as EMIs from 2 months to 3 years. The interest is paid only on the amount borrowed and the rates can be as low as 1.25% per month.

The limit also gets automatically replenished as soon EMIs are paid back. Any salaried employee can download this free Android app and in a few minutes, using a patent-pending Chatbot interface, provide all the information typically required by banks.

The app securely connects with the banking systems to give them not only an instant approval but also a credit limit, depending on individual credit history.

MoneyTap today launched in partnership with their banking partner, The RBL Bank, one of India's fastest growing banks. RBL's technology enables MoneyTap to provide instant decision and instant access to money, 24/7, irrespective of holidays.

Though all actions are initiated on the MoneyTap app, per RBI guidelines, all financial transactions such as billing, repayment or withdrawals will directly be with the bank using secure APIs.

As an added convenience for shopping needs, a "MoneyTap RBL Credit Card" is also provided for the user. This is a regular MasterCard Credit Card that is accepted at all locations and for all card purchases - offline and online.

SEE ALSO: How to Recover Deleted Text Messages in Android [3 Simple Ways]

The MoneyTap app is available on Android Playstore (http://bit.ly/moneytap) to all salaried employees, living in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai.

The company is planning to expand in other cities as well in the next few months. Qualified customers, after completing the KYC, will pay a one-time Line setup fee of Rs. 499 + tax in their first month bill from RBL Bank.

This includes the cost of issuing the limit for the customer, a Free MoneyTap RBL MasterCard and a slew of other benefits. There are no hidden fees or charges and every time the customer chooses to take an EMI, they will be shown the interest & any other applicable charges and the customer will be required to provide explicit consent before borrowing.

Supporting Quotes

Harjeet Toor, Head - Cards, Retail & MSME Loans and Financial Inclusion, RBL Bank

"We are delighted to partner with MoneyTap to launch India's first app based Credit line. We have integrated MoneyTap's technological innovation with our own banking system to provide a never-before 24/7 experience for users without compromising on security and compliance issues. With this cutting-edge technology, we aim to offer many more personalised services to our customers."

SEE ALSO: 20 Funny Things to Ask Google Allo's Assistant to Kill Your Time

Bala Parthasarathy, CEO & Co-founder, MoneyTap

"Growing up in India in the Eighties and Nineties, and coming from middle-income group families, we have all faced shortage of additional funds at some point. At MoneyTap, we are on a mission to change this and make credit accessible to those who deserve it. The ubiquitous presence of smartphones and initiatives such as Aadhaar has made it possible for us to develop a truly powerful and disruptive financial instrument. The credit line for consumers with accessibility through an app is a new concept in India and we are excited about the opportunities it can bring to thousands of millions of Indians. We are extremely thankful to RBL to have trusted us and delighted that they are equally passionate about solving the existing problem of easy and quick access to credit."

How It Works

-Press Release

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Exclusive: "Future is Wireless says Moninder Jain, Vice President Logitech," News oi -Chakri Kudikala

Logitech, the Swiss-based company is one of the leading computer peripheral providers for personal computer and tablet accessories. Some of the computer peripherals include keyboards, mouse, microphones, etc.

Not long ago, the company started producing keyboards and covers for tablets such as the iPad. In mid-2015, they sent out a press release saying that the company looking forward to move beyond PC peripherals.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Deals: Top 10 Devices For Audiophiles to Buy in September 2016

The company will be celebrating its 35th birthday this month and in the same eve we got an opportunity to speak with the vice president of Logitech India, Moninder Jain, who previously has stints at Samsung India, Xerox India shared his thoughts exclusively with GizBot as follows

GIZBOT: Let's quickly speak about past once. In 2014, Logitech announced to move beyond PC peripherals. Why?

Moninder Jain quotes as the technology has been evolving and Logitech wants to establish in every category. This is not new, we have already launched some wireless range of speakers, keyboards, video conferencing accessories and they are doing good in several markets.

GIZBOT: Logitech acquired Jaybird in April. Any new product coming in near future?

Moninder Jain: As of now, we are not rushing to release a new product under the Jaybird lineup. But, we'll release them in near future and they will be focused for fitness enthusiasts.

SEE ALSO: Increase Your Reliance Jio 4G SIM Internet Speed With These 6 Solutions

GIZBOT: You were the first to release a case for iPhone 6. Is anything coming up for iPhone 7?

Moninder Jain: We released a case for iPhone 6, but we never issued them to general market and we sold it via Apple's official site. However, no plans to release a case for iPhone 7.

GIZBOT: Some of Logitech's top products are not available in India. Will they ever make it to India?

Moninder Jain: See, end of the day it all depends on the potential of the market. Indian market isn't that great in terms of gaming. So, we are bringing fewer products to the country. Maybe in two to three years, the market will pick up and we'll launch the products globally.

GIZBOT: Your words on flight simulator 'Saitek' acquisition

Moninder Jain: The thing is we want to establish ourselves into every sector and this move came especially keeping the same thing in mind. But, there won't be any product in near future.

GIZBOT: Can we see a Logitech smartphone in near future?

Moninder Jain: The answer is No. We are smartphone peripherals provider and we stick to the same, however, we will expand our product portfolio into other categories as well.

SEE ALSO: WhatsApp Beta to Soon Get Public Group Invite Link, Quick Media Forward and Password Protection

GIZBOT: The Logitech K480 Bluetooth keyboard is a super successful one for Logitech

Moninder Jain: Yes, the future is wireless and we believe in that. Even, I use the Logitech K480 personally. And, the most interesting feature of the Bluetooth keyboard is the multiple device connectivities with which you can connect three devices at a time and it will be useful for many people in foreign countries.

GIZBOT: In 2014, Logitech launched a video conference camera. Is that product successful?

Moninder Jain: Yes, the product was successful in foreign countries. I usually conference with my colleagues sitting over in Singapore. And, if am not in Bangalore, this interaction would have done as video conferencing itself.

GIZBOT: The year is almost done! Logitech's roadmap for next year- 2017?

Moninder Jain: We'll be heavily concentrating on wireless devices and video conferencing devices.

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Scientists restore first recording of computer music News oi -GizBot Bureau

Researchers in New Zealand have restored the "true sound" in the earliest known recording of computer-generated music that British mathematician Alan Turing's pioneering work in the late 1940s helped create.

Jack Copeland, Professor in Arts at the University of Canterbury, along with Jason Long, a New Zealand-based composer and performer, said their work made it possible to restore the recording -- with the result that the true sound of the ancestral computer can be heard once again, for the first time in more than half a century.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Deals: Top 10 Devices For Audiophiles to Buy in September 2016

In 1951, a BBC outside broadcast unit in Manchester used a portable acetate disc cutter to capture three melodies played by a primeval computer. This gigantic computer filled much of the ground floor of Alan Turing's Computing Machine Laboratory.

Today, all that remains of the recording session is a 12-inch single-sided acetate disc, cut by the BBC's technician while the computer played.

The computer itself was scrapped long ago, so the archived recording was the only window on that historic soundscape that the researchers had.

SEE ALSO: 20 Funny Things to Ask Google Allo's Assistant to Kill Your Time

The researchers discovered that the pitches were not accurate -- the recording gave at best only a rough impression of how the computer sounded, Copeland and Long said in a blog post on the British Library website.

But with some electronic detective work it proved possible to restore the recording, they added.

"Alan Turing's pioneering work, in the late 1940s, on transforming the computer into a musical instrument has largely been overlooked: it's an urban myth of the music world that the first computer-generated musical notes were heard in 1957, at Bell Labs in America," Copeland and Long wrote.

Computer-generated notes were emerging from a loudspeaker in Turing's computing lab as early as the autumn of 1948, they noted.

Alan Turing, who broke the WWII Enigma code, is widely acknowledged as the father of modern computer science.

As depicted in the 2014 Oscar-winning film "The Imitation Game", Turing was prosecuted in 1952 for homosexual acts, when such behaviour was still a criminal act in Britain. He underwent chemical castration as an alternative to prison.

SEE ALSO: How to Boost Your Internet Speed in BSNL BB249 Plan by Changing DNS Settings

Turing killed himself in 1954 at the age of 41. Queen Elizabeth II granted him a posthumous pardon in 2013.

Source IANS

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How to Enable Reliance Jio VoLTE on Your Android, iPhone and Microsoft Lumia Phones Tips Tricks oi -Pallabi

Folks, by now you all are well aware of different aspect of Reliance Jio 4G VoLTE offers through our previous articles. In case you have missed out any interesting topic, go through our Reliance Jio and 4G sections.

Last time we brought a solution for all Microsoft Lumia users to enable 4G service of Jio. This time, we are back with another important trick for all Android, iPhone and Lumia users on how to enable VoLTE on their handsets.

Also Read: 6 Things to Know Before Porting Your Primary Number to Reliance Jio 4G

By far Reliance Jio is the only mobile service provider that is providing VoLTE service in India. In case you are wondering what VoLTE is and why it is getting so much buzz, here it is. VoLTE stands for Voice over LTE. This type of network provides you crystal clear HD voice and video calling facility, way better than a standard 4G LTE network.

Also Read: Airtel 4G Hotspot vs Reliance JioFi 4G Hotspot: 5 Major Differences Including Tariff Comparison

You might be now wondering when reliance Jio is providing this, how to get it on your smartphone. So here it goes.

Method 1

Step 1: Download Dialer app from Play store (both Google and Apple)

Step 2: Once the installation is done, click settings (three dots)

Step 3: scroll down to USE VoLTE option.

Step 4: Enable the radio button on your device and you are good to go.

Method 2 (Universal process for all android users)

Step 1: Open dialer app

Step 2: Dial *#*#4636#*#*

Step 3: Click on phone information.

Step 4: tap on VoLTE flag

Step 5: Now restart your phone and you are done!

For Lumia Users

Microsoft Lumia users, who want to activate VoLTE service in their phones, need to contact Jio customer care to ask for a code for configuring. They have to dial ##7820# from their Lumia phones. Upon dialing, it will ask for the code. If you already got it, enter that. This will enable VoLTE in you Reliance Jio supported Lumia phones.

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Top 10 Samsung Smartphones Under Rs. 15,000 eligible for Reliance Jio Welcome offer Features oi -Harish Kumar

On Tuesday, Samsung launched the Galaxy On8 smartphone in India at a price of Rs. 15,900. This smartphone supports 4G VoLTE that makes it compatible with the Reliance Jio 4G SIM card.

Samsung carries the credits for being one of the first smartphone manufacturers to support the Reliance Jio 4G SIM card and offer the freebies bundled with the SIM card to the users.

SEE ALSO: Top 10 Budget 4G VoLTE Smartphones with Reliance Jio SIM Support Below Rs. 7,000

After Samsung, many other manufacturers joined the bandwagon and offered their support to this 4G SIM card that is creating a buzz in the Indian telecom market.

SEE ALSO: Reliance Jio 4G: List of All 4G Smartphones That Support the Service

Over here, we at GizBot have listed 10 Samsung smartphones that are priced below Rs. 15,000 and eligible to avail the Reliance Jio SIM card offers. You can take a look at these smartphones from below.

Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016) Buy At Price of Rs 9,750

Click Here To Buy

Key Features

5-inch (1280 x 720 Pixels) HD Super AMOLED display

1.5 GHz quad-core Spreadtrum SC8830 processor with Mali-400MP2 GPU

1.5GB RAM

8GB internal memory

expandable up to 32GB with microSD

Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) OS

Dual SIM

8MP auto focus rear camera with LED Flash

5MP front-facing camera

Smart Glow

4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n

Bluetooth 4.1, GPS

2600mAh battery Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) Buy At Price of Rs 8,990

Click Here To Buy

Key Features 5-inch (1280 x 720 Pixels) HD Super AMOLED display

Android 5.1 (Lollipop) OS

1.2 GHz quad-core processor

1.5GB RAM

8GB internal memory

expandable up to 128GB with microSD

8MP auto focus rear camera with LED Flash, f/2.2 aperture

5MP front-facing camera

4G LTE / 3G HSPA+, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS

2600mAh battery Samsung Galaxy On7 Buy At Price of Rs 10,190

Click Here To Buy

Key Features

5.5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD display

1.2 GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916) processor with Adreno 306

1.5GB RAM

8GB internal memory

expandable up to 128GB with microSD

Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop)

Dual SIM

13MP rear camera with LED flash, f/2.1 aperture, 1080p video recording

5MP front-facing camera, f/2.2 aperture

4G LTE / 3G HSPA+, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS/ GLONASS

3000mAh battery Samsung Galaxy J7 Buy At Price of Rs 12,900

Click Here To Buy

Key Features

5.5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS display

Android 5.1 (Lollipop)

Octa-Core (1.4GHz + 1GHz) Exynos processor

1.5GB RAM

16GB internal memory

expandable up to 128GB with microSD

Dual SIM

13MP rear camera with LED flash, f/1.9 aperture

5MP front-facing camera with LED flash, 120-degree wide-angle lens

4G LTE / 3G HSPA+, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS

3000mAh battery Samsung Galaxy J2 Buy At Price of Rs 7,590

Click Here To Buy

Key Features

4.7-inch (960 x 540 Pixels) qHD Super AMOLED display

1.3 GHz quad-core Exynos 3475 processor

1GB RAM

8GB internal memory

expandable up to 128GB with microSD

Android 5.1 (Lollipop) OS

5MP auto focus rear camera with LED Flash

2MP front-facing camera, f/2.4 aperture

Dual (micro) SIM

4G LTE / 3G HSPA+

Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS

2000mAh battery Samsung Galaxy J5 Buy At Price of Rs 13,290

Click Here To Buy

Key Features 5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS display

Android v5.1 (Lollipop) upgradable to v6.0 (Marshmallow)

1.2GHz quad-core 64-bit Snapdragon 410 processor with Adreno 306 GPU

1.5GB RAM

16GB internal memory

expandable up to 64GB with microSD

Dual SIM

13MP rear camera with LED flash

5MP front-facing camera with LED flash

4G LTE / 3G HSPA+

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS

2600mAh battery Samsung Z2 Buy At Price of Rs 4,490

Click Here To Buy

Key Features 4-inch (800  480 pixels) WVGA TFT display

1.5 GHz quad-core processor

1GB RAM

8GB internal memory

expandable memory up to 128GB with microSD

Tizen OS 2.4

Dual SIM

5MP rear camera with LED Flash

VGA front-facing camera

4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS

1500mAh battery Samsung Galaxy J Max Buy At Price of Rs 13,400

Click Here To Buy

Key Features

7-inch (1280  800 pixels) WXGA TFT display

1.5 GHz quad-core processor

1.5GB RAM

8GB internal memory

expandable up to 200GB with microSD

Android 5.1 (Lollipop) OS

Dual (nano) SIM

8MP auto focus rear camera with LED Flash, f/1.9 aperture

2MP front-facing camera, f/2.2 aperture

4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n

Bluetooth 4.0, GPS

4000mAh battery Samsung Galaxy On5 Pro Buy At Price of Rs 8,690

Click Here To Buy

Key Features 5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD display

1.3 GHz quad-core Exynos 3475 processor with Mali-T720 GPU

2GB RAM

16GB internal memory

expandable up to 128GB with microSD

Android 6.0 (Marshmallow)

Dual (micro) SIM

8MP rear camera with LED flash

5MP front-facing camera, f/2.2 aperture

4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n

Bluetooth 4.1, GPS/ GLONASS

2600mAh battery Samsung Galaxy On7 Pro Buy At Price of Rs 10,690

Click Here To Buy

Key Features

5.5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD display

1.2 GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916) processor with Adreno 306

2GB RAM

16GB internal memory

expandable up to 128GB with microSD

Android 6.0 (Marshmallow)

Dual SIM

13MP rear camera with LED flash

5MP front-facing camera, f/2.2 aperture

4G LTE / 3G HSPA+

Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n

Bluetooth 4.1, GPS/ GLONASS

3000mAh battery

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Jio has been given sufficient interconnection points: Airtel News oi -GizBot Bureau

Bharti Airtel has said that enough points of interconnection (PoIs) have been provided to Reliance Jio to support 20-25 million subscribers and that the company has not been able to deploy its full capacity due to under-preparedness and insufficient testing effort.

"Post our bilateral meeting on September 13 to premeditate on the matter of augmentation of PoIs, we had analysed the traffic figures at the interconnect links as well as your demands for projected capacity," the company said in a letter to Jio, dated September 26.

SEE ALSO: Increase Your Reliance Jio 4G SIM Internet Speed With These 6 Solutions

"Basis on our due diligence of these dynamics, we had provided 1,350 E1's (interconnect points) on the very next day. This was followed by incremental capacity of 1,000 E1's provided on pan-India basis on September 20," it said.

"Unfortunately, despite the prompt and colossal effort put in by Airtel, as on date, only 2,484 E1s are live out of total capacity of 3,048 provided, primarily due to various reasons for delay attributable solely to Jio's under preparedness and insufficient testing teams/efforts."

Jio has maintained that interconnection points provided by other operators were insufficient.

"Based on industry practice, 12,500 E1 ports (interconnect points, with technical parameters) are required for 22 million subscribers," said a Reliance Industries statement on August 18. "As against this, the top three operators have released only 1,400 ports so far."

SEE ALSO: Increase Reliance Jio 4G Speed by Locking the LTE Network Band [Simple Steps]

The company says, as a result of this, its subscribers face as many as 12 crore call failures a day while dialing into the networks of Airtel, Vodafone and Idea.

Source IANS

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Cardillo Discusses Importance of Geospatial Intel at Senate Hearing

By Jim Garamone DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27, 2016  National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Director Robert Cardillo drew back the curtain a bit on his organization's activities during a rare open session of the Senate Intelligence Committee here today.

The NGA, which marks its 20th birthday next week, is the lead agency providing geospatial intelligence to warfighters and many other customers, Cardillo said.

The agency's motto -- "Know the Earth, Show the Way, Understand the World" -- encapsulates the mission of the nearly 14,500 men and women who work there, he said.

The NGA delivers images, maps, processes and capabilities to service members around the world, but it also serves in many other capacities as well -- and not all of them are classified, Cardillo said.

"Every day we grow in our ability to know the Earth, as we gain access to an ever broadening pool of foundation data that includes commercial and allied electro-optical open sources and direct user input from the field," he told the committee.

Not just DoD

While DoD remains the biggest customer for the agency, it's also employed during domestic and overseas disasters to assess damage, locate dangers and plan for relief, Cardillo said. NGA works directly with the lead federal agencies responding to fires, floods, earthquakes, landslides, hurricanes or other natural or man-made disasters, he added.

The NGA also ensures safety of navigation in the air and on the seas by maintaining the most current information and highest quality services for U.S. military forces and global transport networks, the director said.

"To be clear, national technical means from my mission partners at the National Reconnaissance Office provides exquisite and peerless capabilities to meet our hardest challenges," Cardillo said. "But for NGA to provide the most value for our customers, we must be able and open to leverage all geospatial content as a component of our daily operations."

Partnering

Since 2006, the agency has partnered with the commercial imaging industry to dramatically improve delivery of commercial geospatial intelligence, Cardillo said. Roughly 90 percent of the agency's output derives from these unclassified assets, he said.

Cardillo is the geospatial intelligence proponent for DoD and the intelligence community.

"Earlier this year, I called on the community to focus attention on three priority areas: professionalization, interoperability and unit of effort," he said. "I've also mandated professionalization by requiring all GEOINT personnel at NGA and the services be certified -- this includes me." The certification process must be completed by 2018.

To promote interoperability, the agency is developing standards to provide the vocabulary, the grammar and the interface rules "to ensure the product is interpreted as the author intended and that the end-users interpret the product in the same way," he said.

Unity of Effort

Cardillo has invested agency 2016 funds to support capabilities in other agencies. This includes U.S. Special Operations Command's efforts on human geography in parts of the Middle East and North and Sub-Saharan Africa. The agency is also working on the State Department's Secondary Cities Project "that generates data on urban food, energy and water nexuses in non-primary cities," he said.

National decision makers, military commanders, scientific researchers and first responders look to the NGA "to help them understand what is happening at any given place, at any given time, and to anticipate what may happen next," Cardillo said.

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Iceland hosts Northern Challenge for EOD community

By Staff Sgt. Jonathan Snyder, 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs / Published September 27, 2016

KEFLAVIK, Iceland (AFNS) -- Airmen from the 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, participated in exercise Northern Challenge 2016, which began here Sept. 12.

Northern Challenge 16 is an Icelandic-hosted, multinational, counter-improvised explosive device exercise in support of NATO's Defense Against Terrorism program.

The exercise focused on disabling improvised explosive devices in support of counterterrorism tactics to prepare countries enrolled in NATO's Partnership for Peace program for international deployments and defense against terrorism.

"Northern Challenge is an EOD focused exercise," said Lt. Marvin Ingolfsson, an Icelandic Coast Guard member and the exercise director. "We rebuild devices found around the world from the past few years and use them to try and make the environment as realistic as possible."

This year's participating nations included Iceland, Germany, Denmark, Poland, Norway, Belgium, Great Britain, Canada, Sweden, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands and the U.S.

"With all these partner nations working together to defeat a common network, you really get the advantage of different points of view, which will help each other improve tactics, techniques and procedures," said Capt. Kyle Fuller, the 31st CES EOD Flight commander from Aviano AB, Italy.

Although the training exercise is not associated with, or a reaction to, any real-world events, it's designed to subject its multicultural participants to realistic EOD-related challenges that they must face together. The goal of the exercise was for participating Partnership for Peace program members to become familiar with each other's military procedures, which will improve interoperability and combined counter-terrorism efforts.

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HSC-23 Successfully Executes First MQ-8B Remote Designation Hellfire Shot

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS160927-22

Release Date: 9/27/2016 2:19:00 PM

By Lt. j.g. Elizabeth Hegarty, Commander, Naval Air Forces Public Affairs

CORONADO, Calif. (NNS) -- The "Wildcards" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 made history Sept. 14 when they used a MQ-8B unmanned air system as a laser designator platform for a MH-60S Seahawk helicopter to fire a AGM-114N Hellfire missile.

For the mission, the MH-60S launched from Naval Air Station (NAS) North Island, while the Northrup Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout was operated from NAS Point Mugu. The shot took place on a designated live-fire range off the coast of NAS Point Mugu against a dynamic target, which moved at approximately 10-15 knots. The Fire Scout detected target location and was transmitted to the MH-60S for targeting. Once all target requirements were met, the Fire Scout lased the target while the MH-60S moved forward and into position for the running missile shot.

"It was awesome to see the MQ-8B and MH-60S tactics and procedures being used in conjunction with each other for the first time," said Lt. Cdr. Thanh Nguyen, one of the MH-60S pilots who participated in the exercise. "We were able to validate the Fire Scout's ability to find and designate a target, which greatly expands the lethal range of the MH-60S while keeping air crews out of harm's way."

The successful Hellfire shot marks a significant milestone in the integration between Navy-manned helicopters and unmanned assets.

"The hunter-killer team of Fire Scout and MH-60S is now a proven combination that will be a game-changer for future deployments," said Nguyen.

HSC-23 is a Coronado-based expeditionary squadron under Commander, Helicopter Sea Combat Wing Pacific. It is the first squadron to deploy a MH-60S and MQ-8B composite detachment aboard Independence class littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4).

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US Airstrikes Take Out al-Shabab Commander in Somalia

September 27, 2016

U.S. military strikes near Kanjaron village on Monday killed four al-Shabab militants including a former commander, military sources tell VOA Somalia.

Airstrikes outside the village killed the former commander and three others

Somali military sources identified the former commander as Bashir Dhere, a former al-Shabab deputy militia commander in the Lower Jubba region.

Sources say he most recently operated in an Al-Shabab-controlled area west of Kismayo, though it is unclear where he ranked within the terror network.

In a statement, US AFRICOM said the four were killed in 'self-defense' airstrikes after extremists attacked Somali troops and their U.S. advisers outside the port of Kismayo.

The strikes took place in an area that has seen increased confrontations between Somali and AU forces supported by U.S. personnel.

AFRICOM insists the U.S. role is just advisory.

Recent operations in the area appear to be an effort aimed at giving Somali, AU forces a real practical experience in carrying out and fighting commando operations against militant forces, military sources say.

These operations targeted taxation checkpoints and lower profile al-Shabab militants.

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Militant Faction Vows Again to Fight S. Sudan Government

By Waakhe Simon Wudu September 27, 2016

Officials of the South Sudan Democratic Movement/Cobra Faction, formerly led by David Yau Yau, have vowed to wage war again against the government of President Salva Kiir because it allegedly has not lived up to its side of a peace agreement signed in 2014.

Yau Yau signed the peace deal with Kiir in May 2014, which granted the Greater Pibor area a semiautonomous administrative status. But current SSDM/Cobra Faction leaders say the Kiir administration has abandoned just about all other provisions of the deal.

When the peace deal was signed, Yau Yau was appointed deputy defense minister. The new SSDM/Cobra Faction leader is Lieutenant General Khalid Botrus Bora, whose spokesman, Kernoy Philip Kadal, held a news conference in Nairobi, Kenya, Tuesday to say the group would join other militants in their efforts to topple the Kiir administration.

"The SSDM/A [South Sudan Democratic Movement/Army] is announcing that it shall from today join the struggle against the authoritarian tribalistic regime in Juba. Being conscious of the need to unify the ranks of all the forces opposed to the regime, SSDM/Cobra shall immediately enter into serious dialogue with the like-minded patriotic forces already in the field of combat with the aim of cooperation, coordination or merger," Kadal said.

The peace agreement was brokered by church leaders, led by Bishop Emeritus Paride Taban of the Roman Catholic Church. It marked an end to four years of conflict that left hundreds of people dead and destroyed property in the former Jonglei state.

The deal created the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, with a status similar to that of a state. It also created a special fund for improvement of basic services in the area, and it gave indigenous people the right to manage the land and its resources, but Kadal said the government had failed to follow through on those commitments.

Administrative roles, development

"The provisions that made people happy were not implemented," Kadal said, citing in particular the failure to nominate Cobra Faction members to lead or administer Greater Pibor, and the failure to build roads linking Juba to the Pibor area.

He also said that "the other basic provisions, such as the schools, medical services and the other developmental things, have never materialized."

Kadal said Yau Yau had decided to join the government and dump the agreement altogether, even though little has been achieved.

Akol Paul Kordit, deputy minister of information, strongly denied the accusations.

"The allegations that the government dumped the agreement and that the agreement was never implemented are false," Kordit said. "This has to be made clear to them  that this new phenomenon, where anyone decides to rebel, even if you are an individual, with the hope that if you rebel you will be shown in and given a public office is a bad culture."

Kordit said Kiir also promoted some Cobra Faction forces to high-ranking positions in the Sudan People's Liberation Army.

From the start of South Sudan's independence, the Anyuak, Jie, Kachepo and Murle people in Jonglei sought greater autonomy from the former Jonglei state government, which was dominated by Nuer and Dinka. The resulting armed insurrections against the government eventually dispersed, then coalesced into the SSDM/A, which ultimately became dominated by Yau Yau and his Cobra Faction.

Peace talks in early 2014 led to a compromise that carved out two counties within Jonglei state to create the new semiautonomous Greater Pibor Administrative Area. But later, Kiir unilaterally decided to create 21 states out of the original 10, throwing into question the legitimacy of the Greater Pibor region.

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Gabon's President Bongo Sworn In After Disputed Elections

By VOA News September 27, 2016

Ali Bongo Ondimba was sworn in Tuesday as Gabon's president for a second seven-year term, after winning re-election by a slim margin in a disputed vote.

At the swearing-in ceremony, Bongo vowed to defend the constitution and to be fair to all. He called for political dialogue, but opposition candidate Jean Ping rejected the offer, accusing Bongo's ruling party of vote-rigging.

Bongo's victory by fewer than 6,000 votes has drawn unwelcome scrutiny of the president, whose family has ruled the oil-producing state in Central Africa for 49 years. His second mandate received a cool reception from the African Union and the United Nations, while the European Union voiced regret that the count had not been transparent.

Gabon's Constitutional Court on Saturday declined Ping's petition for a recount and ratified the result.

The United States acknowledged the ruling. However, it called for details of its proceedings to be made public.

Violent protests erupted across Gabon when the initial election results were announced August 27. At least six people were killed in clashes between protesters and security forces.

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Strengthening International Cooperation in Space Situational Awareness

Remarks

Frank A. Rose

Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance

Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference

Maui, HI

September 22, 2016

As prepared

Thank you for your kind introduction and the opportunity to speak to you today. It's a pleasure to be back in beautiful Maui, for the third time at this conference. I'd like to express my gratitude to the Maui Economic Development Board for the opportunity to talk with you again about the accomplishments and challenges on space issues that the Obama Administration has made over the past eight years.

Since the focus of today's conference presentations is on relevant international cooperation, I thought I would focus on three areas:

First, I want to briefly reiterate the importance of and threats to the space environment;

Next, I will talk about our diplomatic efforts to strengthen cooperation with allies and partners; and

Finally, I will talk about developments in improving space situational awareness (SSA) information sharing and the State Department's interest in SSA.

Threats to the Space Environment

So let me start with the outer space environment. As this audience well knows, the outer space environment is very complex and is changing very rapidly. This is reflected in the advances in innovation and new technologies to increasing global access to space-enabled applications, such as imaging, maritime automatic identification systems, weather, and the Internet. The Space Foundation's latest annual report stated that the global "space economy" in 2015 was $323 billion, of which over 75 percent was commercial space products and services, infrastructure, and support industries. This is an amazing amount of international investment and growth.

Advances in the use of outer space also present challenges the space environment, including increased congestion both in terms of the number of systems on orbit or related to spectrum allocation. And added to that is the growth in threats to our use of military, civil, and commercial space systems. The Cold War restraint on the development of anti-satellite weapons is eroding. The U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper testified to this fact last February stating, "Russia and China continue to pursue weapons systems capable of destroying satellites on orbit, placing U.S. satellites at greater risk in the next few years." These systems will present a threat, not just to the United States, but to the safe operation of satellites by all countries.

Strengthening Cooperation with Allies and Partners

In order to ensure the free access to outer space that is the legal right of all mankind, we must work together to respond to these threats. And when I say we, that encompasses everyone in this audience. The U.S. Government certainly can't do it alone. We need to work with our allies and partners, with industry, and with non-governmental organizations.

That is why the United States has increased our diplomatic engagement around the world. Our goal is to ensure the long-term sustainability, stability, safety, and security of the outer space environment. One important part of our comprehensive strategy seeks to strengthen our cooperation with allies and partners to respond to these threats, including through improving our ability to share space situational awareness information and to promote rules for responsible behavior in outer space.

The United States has a tremendous advantage in its strong alliance partnerships, and one we need to continue to leverage when working to ensure that potential adversaries cannot achieve their goals when it comes to a conflict in outer space.

Strengthening our space cooperation begins with bilateral diplomatic, civil, and military-to-military dialogues. To date, the State Department has established formal space security dialogues with 15 countries such as traditional allies like the United Kingdom, Japan and the Republic of Korea, and also with other space-faring nations like India and the United Arab Emirates.

These dialogues are an important opportunity to have a productive exchange of ideas on way to work more closely together. They allow us to have a common understanding regarding threats and ways to address them. We are able to talk about changes in national policies, legislation, and regulations. This is also where we expand our bilateral cooperation in space situational awareness or maritime domain awareness or global navigation satellite systems. And we also use it to review efforts to create guidelines on norms in fora such as the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS).

Let me take a moment here to talk about our engagements with China. When I was last here I talked about our agreement at the June 2015 U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue to establish both a U.S.-China Civil Space Dialogue and a separate Space Security Exchange.

I chaired the first U.S.-China Space Security Exchange with my Chinese counterpart from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this past May in Washington. At this meeting, we had a frank exchange of views on a variety of issues, including options to mitigate debris and prevent collisions in outer space. As always, I was blunt about our concerns regarding China's anti-satellite weapons. I will say, I thought we had a very good dialogue. Chinese participants included the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense and the China National Space Agency. China's participants were well prepared and we had a real discussion rather than just an exchange of talking points.

It was clear that China is concerned about the threat from debris and that they take it very seriously. Our efforts in this dialogue were acknowledged at the Obama-Xi bilateral meeting in China on September 2  here, I'd like to quote from the U.S. Fact Sheet:

"The United States and China recognized that space debris can be catastrophic to satellite and human spaceflight, and that, due to the global dependence on space-based capabilities, the creation of space debris can seriously affect all nations. Therefore,  the United States and China committed to intensify cooperation to address the common challenge of the creation of space debris and to promote cooperation on this issue in the international community."

Given the importance of dialogue with China on these issues, we have agreed to hold a second Space Security Exchange this fall.

Developments in Improving Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Information Sharing

Turning now to improving space situational awareness sharing, I think all in this room agree that this data is fundamental to both maintaining the outer space environment, but also for preventing miscalculations in space. To put it simply, we are trying to shine a light into the darkness of space by providing greater situational awareness for all space operators. Our Joint Space Operations Center provides a global public good by helping warn of potential collisions.

The growth in space situational awareness will also hopefully lead to greater attribution for any harmful actions in space. But transparency and situational awareness, or knowing who is doing what, will only help us if we develop norms and guidelines (so we know when someone is acting irresponsibly or even maliciously and even deter bad behavior from happening in the first place). If there is attributable, irresponsible behavior, we will better know whom to address with our concerns, and even how to hold that space actor accountable.

This is an effort that requires a whole-of-government approach to integrate information from a variety of sources to develop accurate and timely SSA. In turn, such accurate and timely SSA will enable us to "rapidly detect, warn, characterize, and attribute natural and man-made disturbances to space systems of U.S. interest." Given the global investment in space capabilities, international cooperation on SSA is necessary, as international partnerships bring resources, capabilities, and geographical advantages.

To date, the United States has signed 13 SSA sharing agreements and arrangements with national governments and international intergovernmental organizations, and over 50 with commercial entities. The United States is also collaborating with our partners and allies in Europe as they continue developing their own SSA capabilities. The Department of State, in collaboration with the Department of Defense, has engaged in technical exchanges with experts from the European Space Agency, the European Union, and individual Member States to ensure that our existing and planned SSA systems contribute to a more comprehensive situational awareness picture.

Additionally, we continue to engage in the Working Group on the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities (LTS) of the UN COPUOS. In this venue we are working on SSA-related guidelines that call for promoting techniques, and investigation of new methods, to improve the accuracy of orbital data for spaceflight safety; performing conjunction assessment during orbital phases of controlled flight; and promoting the use of common, internationally recognized standards when sharing orbital information on space objects.

Conclusion

So let me conclude by making the following points. If conflict extends into space, the right to explore and use space for peaceful purposes would be threatened.

The goal of our diplomatic efforts is to prevent conflict from extending into space in the first place. Working with our allies, industry partners and non-governmental experts is essential to our diplomatic goals. Moreover, space situational awareness is a critical foundational capability to help us achieve this goal and we need to do more of it.

Thank you for your time and attention.

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Daesh could use mustard gas to defend Mosul: Pentagon

Iran Press TV

Mon Sep 26, 2016 9:24PM

The Pentagon says that Daesh could use mustard gas to defend against an offensive by the Iraqi forces to retake Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city.

Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis made the remarks on Monday as Iraqi forces have been preparing for a major offensive to liberate Mosul.

The Iraqi troops have recently managed to repel an attack by the Takfiri terrorist group on the town of Qayyarah to the south of Mosul. The forces recaptured Qayyarah from the grip of Daesh in late August.

They also repelled another Daesh attack in the province of Salahuddin, north of Baghdad, early on Monday.

Davis said that "we can fully expect that as this road towards Mosul progresses, ISIL (Daesh) is likely to try to use it again."

He said that Daesh has been packing a "rudimentary" form of mustard into crude, makeshift munitions.

Davis noted that the group's mustard gas is normally a powder mixed with tar, adding it is "not generally in a lethal concentration" and "not anything we would consider significant militarily."

He said that Daesh had already used mustard gas "at least a couple dozen."

The group might have used mustard gas last week in a rocket launched against US soldiers at a base near Qayyarah, according to the Pentagon.

The base is now in the process of being transformed into a logistics hub to support the Mosul offensive.

Davis said that US soldiers based in Iraq, who may be exposed to Daesh's chemical arms, have been trained and received the necessary protective equipment.

"They have practiced it many, many times before they will ever get to a place like Qayyarah West where they could encounter it," he said.

He also said that the US had provided over 50,000 gas masks to the Iraqi military forces.

"We want to make sure that the Iraqi security forces and the Peshmergas (Kurdish fighters) have the ability to detect this and to defend against it."

Violence has plagued the northern and western parts of Iraq ever since Daesh launched its offensive in June 2014, and seized territory. Iraqi army soldiers and fighters from allied Popular Mobilization Units are seeking to win back militant-held regions in joint operations.

The Iraqi army killed some 141 Daesh terrorists in several military operations across the country on Sunday.

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Alan Burkitt-Gray speaks to Don MacNeil, chief operating officer of GTT, about its company restructuring after coming out of Chapter 11 and its strategic roadmap for the next 12 months.
Two men had conspiracy to commit second degree murder charges certified against them Monday afternoon in Danville General District Court.

Marteno Holmes, 24, and Jahiza Jones, 23, are suspects in the shooting death of Solomon Louis Jones, 38.

Police said the suspects mugshots are still being withheld as part of the ongoing criminal investigation.

On the evening of July 16, Danville police responded to the area of White Street and Swanson Street for a report of gunfire, according to a news release.

A car parked near White Street waited for Jones to approach, according to a Danville General District Court criminal complaint.

The car drove to the intersection, the passenger got out and fired a gun at Jones multiple times as Jones tried to flee, the complaint stated.

Jones was found deceased in the 100 block of White Street from multiple gunshot wounds, a Danville police news release stated. An eyewitness described Holmes as the passenger and Jones as the driver, according to court records.

A box of ammunition was found in the room of one of the defendants, said Danville Chief Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Petra Haskins.

There was no evidence he was ever in possession of a firearm, said Jones attorney, Michael Nicholas.

The identification of his client is shaky at best, said Holmes attorney, Heath Sabin.

The case was certified to the next Danville Circuit Court grand jury.
The Luncheon Pilot Club of Danville is holding its People, Pets & Pilot photography exhibit at the YMCA next week to raise money for people with brain-related disabilities and disorders.

The club gives money raised to organizations in the Dan River Region helping those with disabilities, including The Arc of Southside, Project Lifesaver (for tracking bracelets worn by adults and children who may wander), Danville-Pittsylvania Community Services and other groups, said Melanie Vaughan, fundraising chair for the Luncheon Pilot Club of Danville.

Vaughan said the group has also contributed toward paying for a service dog for Service Dogs of Virginia and to summer camps for children and adults with head trauma and birth defects. The club also started a stroke support group later taken over by Danville Regional Medical Center.

Were very proud of that, Vaughan said.

The photographs taken by Dana Yeatts Photography will be on display at the YMCA from Monday through Oct. 16.

For the fundraiser, participants have pictures taken of their pets or themselves with their pets in a local setting, which are then displayed. There are 41 participants this year, with eight of them from the Danville Area Humane Society, Vaughan said.

Visitors to the YMCA can vote for their favorite picture with cash or check at the YMCA during its hours, which are 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Make checks payable to Pilot International. Donations are tax deductible and money raised stays in the community.

The winner will receive a $400 gift certificate donated by Eden Jewelry.

Pilot International is a worldwide service organization founded in 1921 in Macon, Georgia. Since its founding, there have been more than 400,000 members in 400 clubs, Vaughan said.

For more information about People, Pets & Pilot or the Luncheon Pilot Club of Danville, call Vaughan at (434) 709-0695, or email her at karma50@gamewood.net.
Craft breweries, microbreweries, brew pubs  whats the difference?

According to Bart Watson, chief economist at the Brewers Association, there are four categories craft beer brewers: microbreweries, brew pubs, contract brewing companies and regional craft breweries.

 Microbreweries typically brew fewer than 15,000 barrels of beer per year, much of it sold off-site, through wholesalers or direct to retailers, with some of the product sold on-site at their tap rooms.

 Brew pubs are a combination restaurant-brewery, with beer brewed primarily for sale in the restaurant and bar.

 Contract breweries hire another brewery to make its beer, or hires additional breweries to add to the beer it brews.

 Regional craft breweries are independent breweries that can make traditional or innovative beers.

Watson did, however, point out that different states have different regulations and definitions can vary.

Usually, a microbrewery can only sell the beer it produces, Watson said. They are very locally focused  its been a dynamic industry with a lot of changes.

The announcement that a new microbrewery, Ballad Brewing, will be opening on Craghead Street in April brings a second microbrewery to Danville  the first to open here was 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co. on Trade Street, where they not only brew their own beers but bottle their own wines.

Co-owner Ethan Brown said he considers 2 Witches even smaller than micro  its more of a nanobrewery, he said.

Brown said 2 Witches has a 3.5-barrel system that lets them produce about 45 different beer styles over the course of a year. Typically, he said, they have eight taps operating with beers rotating through at different times of the year.

We were Virginias first example of a winery and brewery under the same roof, Brown said, noting that the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control didnt allow the combination prior to their existence  though other wineries are now looking at adding breweries. We were persistent.

For now, Brown said, they are not looking at expanding the system.

We think staying small is good for us, Brown said. You can always expand  the challenge is growing the business.
The two men who have partnered in two successful development projects in the River District  the Pemberton Lofts on Bridge Street and the Continental Lofts on Craghead Street  have teamed up again to bring a craft brewery to the district.

Ross Fickenscher and Garrett Shifflett are developing 600 Craghead St., which will have two commercial spaces at street level  including Ballad Brewing  and 56 apartments on the upper levels.

On Tuesday, Todd Haymore, the states secretary of commerce and trade, and Rita McClenny, president and CEO of the Virginia Tourism Corporation, were in Danville for the official announcement and to present a check for $90,805 from the Virginia Tourism Growth Fund to Fickenscher and Shifflett for the project.

Haymore said the popularity of craft breweries has become instant revenue generators in Virginia, bringing in tourism dollars, jobs and tax revenues that have added up to $1 billion in economic impact and employing nearly 9,000 people in the state. He said there are roughly 160 craft brewers in the state, with new ones opening fairly rapidly.

The craft beer business in particular is booming in Virginia, Haymore said, noting that Danvilles historic warehouses lend themselves to this type of development.

McClenny said travelers often look for unique experiences, and small, local, craft breweries can provide that.

Visitors want to try something that can only take place at that time and place, McClenny said.

Fickenscher said entrance to the tap room and brewery itself will be made from Colquhoun Street side of the building, while the entrance at 600 Craghead St. will take tenants into the apartments.

The project is expected to be completed in April.

The brewery will have a total of 23 barrels for production  20 of which will be for larger production runs, while three will be used for smaller batch pilot  or experimental  brews. The various beers will be available to customers in the tap room by the glass or to take home.

Ballad Brewing will initially produce three or four different flagship styles of beer and will also offer a wider variety of offerings in the tasting room, Fickenscher said in a news release from Gov. Terry McAuliffes office  and which he confirmed at the announcement. For the first six months, these products will be served exclusively in the brewerys tasting room.

As the brewing process moves along, bottled and keg beer will be available for broader distribution, Fickenscher said.

Were excited to start brewing, Fickenscher said.

John Andorfer will be the head brewer. He and his wife, Kathie, moved to Danville about a year ago, so they could be closer to her mother.

They lived in Connecticut for 12 years, where John became fascinated with beer brewing and ultimately became the head brewer at Cottrell Brewing Co. in Pawcatuck.

That, however, was an established brewery, John said, while looking at the dirt floors where assorted pipes had been laid for the Ballad Brewing.

Theyre getting ready to pour the concrete floor now, John said. This is a new experience, getting to see it from the ground up.

The 20-barrel brew system will produce about a dozen different beers, some of which will rotate seasonally, John said. The three-barrel system will be for testing new flavors.

Danville Mayor John Gilstrap thanked Fickenscher and Shifflett for their part in the River Districts transformation. He said this third project will bring the partners total investment in the River District to about $28 million.

You have played a major role in redeveloping the heart of our city, Gilstrap said.
Fridays performance by the Havana Cuba All-Stars is just the first in an all-star Danville Concert Association line-up this season celebrating Music  The Universal Language.

In mid-November, the 2016-17 series continues as two Steinway grand pianos engage in passionate dialogue led by the synchronized hands of the Anderson & Roe Piano Duo.

In early February, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine promises a concert awash with massive symphonic voices, featuring a trio of orchestral giants  Rachmaninoff, Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky.

Finally, in March, the Danville Concert Association heralds the first notes of spring when, once again, the American Chamber Players invite an always-delighted audience to listen in on their intimate musical conversation, the brilliant banter of five consummate conversationalists with lots to say, musically that is.

The Havana Cuba All-Stars

7 p.m. Friday at Frith Fine Arts Center at Averett University

The Havana Cuba All-Stars bring with them, direct from Havana, the exotic songs and hypnotic music of Cuban Nights on their debut tour of the U.S. and Canada.

Eleven of the countrys greatest and most renowned musicians weave a magical musical tapestry, based on the rich traditional sounds of the island nation. Staying true to an acoustic base, the gifted All-Stars combine fresh harmonies with inventive songwriting.

Everythings rooted in the lyrical instrumental traditions of Spanish and steel guitars and lively vocals, plus brass, melded with the bands Afro-Cuban percussionembodied in the celebrated and time-honored Cuban Son, or rhythm.

For more details, visit www.danvilleconcert.org.
DALEVILLE  The Botetourt County Board of Supervisors gave final approval Tuesday to an incentives package that helped bring a community college services center  and up to 190 jobs  to Daleville.

Under the agreement, the county will provide 117 cubicle work stations for the Virginia Community College Systems center, which opened over the summer in the former Ntelos building on Daleville Center Drive.

The work stations and their installation are valued at $160,000, but the cost to the county will be less than that because they were purchased at a discount from a surplus property sale.

County officials also agreed to expedite the consideration of any permits needed for the new location.

In return, Botetourt County will see at least 64 new jobs by next summer and a total of 190 by January 2019 as the community college system ramps up operations at the new location.

The center will place under one roof many administrative functions  such as the human resources, payroll, revenue, procurement and technology departments  that previously were performed at each of the states 23 community colleges.

Should the community college system fall short of its pledge of new jobs, a performance agreement calls for it to reimburse the county $500 for each full-time job below a threshold of 171.

When the site was selected in March, college officials said they expected the shared services center to ease pressure on campuses, save money and increase efficiency.

Plans for the administrative center are part of a mini-boom in the Daleville area, where an automotive parts manufacturer and a brewery will locate in the nearby Greenfield industrial park and a YMCA is planned for the Daleville Town Center.

I think weve got them for the long haul, and they will be a good addition to the county, supervisors Vice Chairman Todd Dodson said of the community college center.

In other action Tuesday, the board approved the leasing of a building on East Main Street for a new location for the county commonwealths attorneys office. The current office, on Roanoke Street, lacks adequate space and security, the board was told. The 60-month lease begins in December.
New U.K. Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt has reversed most of an economic package announced by the government just weeks ago, including a planned cut in income taxes. Hunt said Monday he was scrapping almost all the tax cuts announced last month by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Liz Truss, and also signaled that public spending cuts are on the way. It was a bid to soothe turbulent financial markets spooked by fears of excessive government borrowing. The move raises questions about how long the beleaguered prime minister can stay in office, though Truss insisted she has no plans to quit. She vowed to lead the Conservatives into the next general election, but many in the party want her gone.
LONDON, Sept. 28, 2016 - Landore is pleased to announce its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2016.

Copies of the Interim statement are available on the website, www.landore.com

MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 30 JUNE 2016

General

The following discussion of performance, financial condition and future prospects should be read in conjunction with the interim consolidated financial statements of the Group and notes thereto for the period from 1 January 2016 to 30 June 2016. All amounts are stated in sterling.

Overview

Landore Resources Ltd. ("Landore Resources" or the "Company") is quoted on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange, with the trading symbol LND.L. The Company is based in Guernsey in the Channel Islands and its 100% owned operating subsidiary, Landore Resources Canada Inc, is engaged in the exploration and development of a portfolio of precious and base metal properties in North America.

Results of Operations

The financial results for the six months to 30 June 2016 show a loss of 732,975 (2015: loss 1,180,977). These results were in line with expectations, substantial savings have been made in relation to administration costs which included a non-cash charge of 245,864 relating to the grant of share options. Exploration costs were 250,108 (2015: 466,518).

During the period under review 1,228,831 (2015: nil) was raised from the issue of shares. In addition the sale of the Root Lake project, which completed on 11 July 2016, has raised a total of approximately C$330,000 (approximately 196,000).

As a result, the Group has been able to fund and make plans for follow up drilling in October 2016, further details are set out below.

Operations

The focus in the first half of 2016 has been almost entirely focused on the BAM East Gold prospect on the Company's Junior Lake Property in Ontario, Canada ("BAM East Gold Prospect").

The Junior Lake property:

The Junior Lake Property, 100% owned by Landore Resources, is located in the province of Ontario, Canada, approximately 235 kilometres north-northeast of Thunder Bay, and is host to the B4-7 Nickel-Copper-Cobalt-PGEs resource plus the Exploration Target and the Alpha Zone, the VW Nickel resource and numerous other highly prospective mineral occurrences including the BAM gold zone and the newly discovered BAM East Gold Prospect.

BAM East Gold Prospect:

This new gold prospect is located approximately midway along a 2.7 kilometre long, east-southeast to west-northwest trending MaxMin geophysical anomaly ("MM-7"), at the western end of which is located the historical BAM gold zone discovered by Landore Resources in 2003. MM-7 had not previously been drill tested.

On 14 March 2016 Landore Resources announced that drilling had intersected a significant new gold zone, since then a substantial amount of exploration and drilling has taken place.

Drilling results from the summer drilling campaign, completed on 5 September 2016, have reported wide zones of near surface gold mineralisation with drill-hole 0416-541 reporting 56.86 metres (m) at 1.60 grams/tonne gold (g/t) including 4.00m at 5.17g/t gold and drill-hole 0416-535 reporting 53.5 m at 1.38g/t including 9m at 4.74g/t and 1m at 30.6g/t gold.

The drilling has successfully extended the BAM East Gold Prospect for a distance of 500 metres along strike from 2200E to 2700E and to a vertical depth of 150 metres. The prospect remains open along strike to the east and west and down dip.

Full details of the drilling results are set out in the press releases displayed on the Company's website, www.landore.com.

In addition to the drilling a trenching and channel sampling programme has been completed along MM-7 and along the parallel geophysical anomaly ("MM-18") located approximately 200 metres to the North of MM-7. Results from the sampling are currently being received and collated and will be released when completed.

BAM East gold mineralisation is a typical shear-hosted gold-bearing system in an Archaean greenstone belt. Findings from exploration drilling on the BAM East Gold Prospect has revealed a lithological sequence consisting of leucogabbro to the south, metasedimentary rocks in the central portion, to mafic volcanics to the north. All lithological units have been subjected to variable shearing and deformation, markedly the metasedimentary unit.

The gold mineralisation revealed to-date is predominantly contained in the metasediments, with some gold mineralisation occurring in the leucogabbro rocks. Visible gold occurs within or near quartz veinlets which are controlled by a shear system.

Planned Works:

Landore Resources is planning a follow-up drilling programme, scheduled to commence in early October, to extend the new gold zone down dip and along strike to the east and west and to obtain material for metallurgical testing.

Consulting Engineers RPA Inc. ("RPA") of Toronto, Canada, have been retained by Landore Resources with the view of completing an initial Mineral Resource estimate on the Bam East Gold Prospect.

Lithium

Landore Resources is currently reviewing its lithium prospects on the highly prospective Junior Lake Property including the historic Despard pegmatite, the Swole Lake pegmatite and the Tape Lake pegmatites both of which were discovered by Landore.

In addition the Root Lake project was sold during the period to Ardiden, an Australian Lithium explorer. Landore Resources received C$200,000 (approximately 117,500) consideration plus approximately 7.5 million Ardiden shares which have been sold raising a further AUD134,261 ( approximately 79,000). Landore Resources has been granted a 3% net smelter royalty from minerals produced from Root Lake.

As set out above, the cash proceeds from this disposal have enabled Landore Resources to plan and fund its October drilling programme.

For further information on Landore Resources and its projects please visit the website, www.landore.com.

LANDORE RESOURCES LIMITED

UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 30 JUNE 2016































Group

Group





Six months ended

Six months ended





30 June 2016

30 June 2015

Notes















Exploration costs 2

(250,108)

(466,518) Other income



26,182

- Administrative expenses



(508,340)

(715,773)











Operating loss



(732,266)

(1,182,291)











Finance income



-

1,314 Interest payable



(709)

-











Loss before income tax



(732,975)

(1,180,977)











Income tax expense



-

-











Loss for the period



(732,975)

(1,180,977) Other comprehensive (loss)/income:









Exchange difference on translating foreign









operations



(10,837)

233,520 Other comprehensive (loss)/income for the year









net of tax



(10,837)

233,520











Total comprehensive loss for the period



(743,812)

(947,547)











Loss attributable to:









Equity holders of the Company



(732,975)

(1,180,977) Total comprehensive loss attributable to:









Equity holders of the Company



(743,812)

(947,457)











Loss per share attributable to the









equity holders of the Company during the year





















- basic & diluted 3

(0.001)

(0.002)













The Group's operating loss relates to continuing operations.

The notes and accounting policies on pages 8 and 9 form part of these interim financial statements.

LANDORE RESOURCES LIMITED

UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY

FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 30 JUNE 2016



























































Share

capital



Share

premium



Share

options



Warrants



Retained

earnings



Cumulative

translation

reserve



Total

 Balance at

1 January 2015 5,174,838

28,084,421

858,018

33,691

(32,839,649)

(308,851)

1,002,468 Loss for the year -

-

-

-

(1,180,977)

-

1,180,977 Other comprehensive losses in

the year -

-

-

-

-

233,520

233,520 Issue of ordinary share capital -

-

-

-

-

-

- Issue costs -

-

-

-

-

-

- Share option adjustment -

-

-

-

-

-

- Balance at

30 June 2015 5,174,838

28,084,421

858,019

33,690

(34,020,626)

(75,331)

55,011



























Balance at

1 January 2016 6,282,038

27,627,990

858,019

33,690

(34,374,928)

(305,470)

121,339 Loss for the year -

-

-

-

(732,975)

-

(732,975) Other comprehensive gains in

the year -

-

-

-

-

(10,837)

(10,837) Issue of ordinary share capital 725,929

502,901

-

-

-

-

1,228,830 Change in nominal share value 28,130,891

(28,130,891)

















- Share options issued -

-

245,864

-

-

-

245,864



























Balance at

30 June 2016 35,138,858

-

1,103,883

33,690

(35,107,903)

(316,307)

852,221

The accounting policies and notes on pages 8 and 9 form part of these financial statements.

LANDORE RESOURCES LIMITED

UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

AT 30 JUNE 2016

























Group Group Group



As at As at As at



30 June 2016 30 June 2015 31 December 2015

Notes    Assets

















Non current assets







Property, plant and equipment

35,480 43,733 35,782 Investments

- - -













35,480 43,733 35,782 Current assets







Trade and other receivables

19,070 19,780 37,346 Cash and cash equivalents

944,544 208,304 368,475













963,614 228,084 405,821









Total assets

999,094 271,817 441,603









Equity

















Capital and reserves attributable to

the Company's equity holders







Share capital 4 35,138,858 5,174,838 6,282,038 Share premium 4 - 28,084,421 27,627,990 Share options reserve

1,103,883 858,019 858,019 Warrants reserve

33,690 33,690 33,690 Retained earnings 5 (35,107,903) (34,020,626) (34,374,928) Cumulative translation adjustment

(316,307) (75,331) (305,470)









Total equity

852,221 55,011 121,339









Liabilities

















Non current liabilities







Income tax liabilities

- - -



- - -









Current liabilities







Trade and other payables

112,536 185,904 291,038 Income tax liabilities

34,337 30,901 29,226



146,873 216,806 320,264



















Total liabilities

146,873 216,806 320,264









Total equity and liabilities

999,094 271,817 441,603











The notes and accounting policies on pages 8 and 9 form part of these interim financial statements.

LANDORE RESOURCES LIMITED

UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 30 JUNE 2016



















Group

Six months

ended

30 June 2016



Group

Six months

ended

30 June 2015

 Cash flows from operating activities





Operating loss (732,975)

(1,180,977) Finance income -

1,314 Depreciation of tangible fixed assets 6,002

6,096 Foreign exchange (loss)/gain on non-cash items (12,940)

236,831 Share option charge 245,864

- Decrease in receivables 21,636

6,739 (Decrease)/Increase in payables (198,624)

67,215 Net cash outflow from operating activities (671,037)

(862,782) Cash flows from investing activities





Purchase of property, plant and equipment -

-

-

- Cash flows from financing activities





Issue of ordinary share capital 1,228,830

- Issue costs -

- Net cash inflow from financing activities 1,228,830

-







Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 557,793

(862,782) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 368,475

1,072,249 Exchange gain/(loss) on cash and cash equivalents 18,276

(1,163) Cash and cash equivalents at end of period 944,544

208,304

The notes and accounting policies on pages 8 and 9 form part of these interim financial statements.

LANDORE RESOURCES LIMITED

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 30 JUNE 2016

1 Basis of accounting and accounting policies

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with those International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") and International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee ("IFRIC") interpretations issued and effective or issued and early adopted as at the time of preparing these financial statements (September 2016). The Directors have elected not to apply IAS34 Interim Financial Reporting.

The financial statements have not been audited and have been prepared on the historical cost basis. The principal accounting policies adopted are consistent with those adopted in the annual accounts to 31 December 2015.

2 Exploration expenditure and mineral properties









Net

Accumulated



1 January

Expenditure

expenditure



2016

in period

30 June 2016





















Junior Lake/Lamaune Lake

16,296,167

243,875

16,540,042 Miminiska Lake

1,519,976

1,795

1,521,770 Lessard

80,327

209

80,536 Frond Lake

61,558

1,016

62,574 Wottam

696,965

-

696,965 Other/including Swole Lake

and West Graham

65,999

3,213

69,212

















18,720,992

250,108

18,971,099

Mineral properties at 30 June 2016 represent accumulated costs to date incurred by Landore Resources Canada Inc., a subsidiary of Landore Resources Ltd.. On acquisition of Landore Resources Canada Inc. on 5 April 2006 the fair value of those costs incurred to date was considered to be nil. All subsequent expenditure in the period has been charged to the income statement in accordance with the group accounting policy.

3 Loss per share

The loss per share is based on the loss for the period and the weighted number of ordinary shares in issue during the period, being 634,924,131 (2015: 517,483,825).

Diluted loss per share

The potential ordinary shares which arise as a result of the options in issue are not dilutive under the terms of IAS 33 because they would not increase the loss per share. Accordingly, there is no difference between the basic and dilutive loss per share.

4 Share capital





30 June

1 January



2016

2016





 Issued: 700,488,001 (2015: 628,203,825) ordinary shares at nil par value

(2015: 0.01 each)

35,138,858

6,282,037

On 17 June 2016, 71,843,000 ordinary shares were issued at a price 0.017 each as part of a share subscription raising 1,228,831.

A further 441,176 ordinary shares were issued on 27 June 2016 at 0.017 per share in settlement of a payable of 7,500.

During the period, the par value of ordinary shares was redenominated from 0.01 per share to nil.

Following the redenomination, all amounts received upon issue of shares, net of issue expenses or commissions, have been recognised as share capital in accordance with applicable law in Guernsey.





Share

Share



capital

premium



2016

2016















At 1 January 2016

6,282,038

27,627,990









Ordinary shares issued

725,929

502,901









Redenomination of par value

28,130,891

(28,130,891)



















At 30 June 2016

35,138,858

-

5 Profit and loss reserve











At 1 January 2016 (34,374,928) Loss for the period (732,975)



At 30 June 2016 (35,107,903)

SOURCE Landore Resources Ltd.
Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCwire) - Canada Zinc Metals Corp. (TSX.V : CZX) (Canada Zinc Metals or the Company) is pleased to report that the Companys President and CEO, Peeyush Varshney, and Vice President of Exploration, Ken MacDonald, will be meeting with senior representatives of Tongling Nonferrous Metals Group Holdings Co. Ltd. (Tongling) during the first week of October 2016.

Tongling, based in Tongling, Anhui, is a state-owned holding company, and one of China's largest copper smelting companies. Tonglings principal activities are exploration, mining, ore processing, smelting & refining and products processing of copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver and other non-ferrous and rare metals.

Mr. Peeyush Varshney commented, This meeting comes at a time when many in the industry anticipate the zinc market to continue moving into significant deficit over an extended period with further mine closures and depleting inventories. The shortage of mine supply has zinc inventories being drawn down below critical levels. We look forward to meeting the Tongling delegation next week.

Tongling currently holds approximately a 32 per-cent equity position in Canada Zinc Metals.

The Kechika Regional Project

The Company owns 100% of eleven, large, contiguous property blocks that comprise the Akie and Kechika Regional projects. The Companys flagship Akie Project is host to the Cardiac Creek deposit and remains the primary corporate focus. The Kechika Regional Project includes the Pie, Yuen, Cirque East and Mt. Alcock properties extending northwest from the Akie property for approximately 140 kilometres along the strike of the highly prospective Gunsteel Formation shale; the main host rock for known SEDEX zinc-lead-silver deposits in the Kechika Trough of northeastern British Columbia. These projects are located approximately 260 kilometres north northwest of the town of Mackenzie, British Columbia, Canada. The generative portfolio of Kechika Regional properties offer shareholders and interested exploration companies high potential opportunities for new discoveries in the Kechika Trough.

The Companys flagship Akie property is situated within the Kechika Trough, the southernmost area of the regionally extensive Paleozoic Selwyn Basin, one of the most prolific sedimentary basins in the world for the occurrence of SEDEX zinc-lead-silver and stratiform barite deposits.

Drilling on the Akie property by Canada Zinc Metals since 2005 has identified a significant body of baritic-zinc-lead-silver SEDEX mineralisation known as the Cardiac Creek deposit. The deposit is hosted by siliceous, carbonaceous, fine grained clastic rocks of the Middle to Late Devonian Gunsteel Formation.

The Company has outlined a NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource at Cardiac Creek, including an indicated resource of 19.6 million tonnes grading 8.2% zinc, 1.6% lead and 13.6 g/t silver (at a 5% zinc cut-off grade) and an inferred resource of 8.1 million tonnes grading 6.8% zinc, 1.1% lead and 11.2 g/t silver (at a 5% zinc cut-off grade).

Ken MacDonald P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration, is the designated Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and is responsible for the technical information contained in this release.

The TSX Venture Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CANADA ZINC METALS CORP.

PEEYUSH VARSHNEY

PEEYUSH VARSHNEY, LL.B

CEO & CHAIRMAN

To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/CanadaZinc09282016.pdfSource: Canada Zinc Metals Corp. (TSX Venture:CZX)

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Copyright  2016 Filing Services Canada Inc.
SUDBURY, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Sep 28, 2016) - Inventus Mining Corp. (TSX VENTURE:IVS) ("Inventus" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on exploration activities on the Pardo Joint Venture ("JV"), which is 64.5% owned by Inventus, as well as our planned activities on our 100% owned Pardo properties, and exciting developments revitalizing our investment in Canadian Continental Exploration.

Pardo JV: Bulk-Sampling Program

As previously announced (news release dated August 11, 2016), our intention as operator of the JV was to carry out a bulk-sampling program in 2016. A corresponding program and budget was submitted to our partner on the JV Management Committee, Endurance Gold, on August 17, 2016. On September 2, 2016 we received a Notice of Arbitration from Endurance Gold seeking resolution to certain contested issues. As a result of an interim award from the arbitrator on September 14, 2016, the earliest possible start-date for the proposed program was postponed until October 24, 2016.

In response to these circumstances, Inventus decided that the best course of action was to delay the proposed bulk-sample and amend the 2016 program proposal to focus on better preparation for next year. We are pleased, however, that the amended program with a budget totaling $253,000 was unanimously approved on September 23, 2016. Work during the balance of 2016 will include two engineering studies looking at geostatistical analysis and ore sorting technologies, as well as other administrative expenditures. Later this year, Inventus plans to propose a program to the JV to conduct extensive fieldwork in 2017 including drilling and bulk-sampling.

100% Owned Pardo Property: Cobble Zone Drill Program

Diamond drilling at the recently discovered Cobble Zone (news release dated July 11, 2016) is scheduled to start in the second half of October and will test the extent of gold mineralization in both the stacked and basal conglomerate units in that area. The approximately 40 meter thick basal conglomerate unit, located earlier this year, is considered a priority target as it is the largest conglomerate unit encountered in all of the Pardo sediments to date. This conglomerate has a measured flow direction towards the SSW to SW and is observed to be 300 to 500 meters wide.

Previous sampling completed on the Cobble Zone at surface returned highly anomalous gold values and grab samples as high as 2.24 grams per tonne gold. The drilling of this wide basal conglomerate unit will target potential boulder conglomerate channels, which may contain higher-grade gold mineralization similar to that discovered on the Pardo JV property to the North.

Canadian Continental Exploration

Inventus is pleased to provide an update on the exploration drilling currently being carried out by our investee company, Canadian Continental Exploration Corporation ("CCEC"). Inventus is a major shareholder of CCEC, a privately held mineral exploration company with properties in Temagami Ontario and Chile, which was founded by Tom Obradovich, Patrick Anderson and Tim Warman. Inventus currently owns 7.15 million common shares representing approximately 18% of the shares issued and outstanding. Inventus also owns 5 million share purchase warrants.

CCEC has recently raised $760,000 and is currently planning to drill 8,000 meters or approximately 12 diamond drill holes on its Temagami area property. Large iron formations in the target area have demonstrated potential for iron formation-hosted gold deposits, such as the past producing Golden Rose deposit at nearby Emerald Lake. It is also possible that the large gold rich paleo-placer discovered by Inventus 12 kilometers away may have been originally sourced from gold bearing rocks associated with the same iron formations.

About Inventus

Inventus is a mineral exploration company focused on the world class mining district of Sudbury, Ontario. Our principal asset is the Pardo Paleoplacer Gold Project located 65 km northeast of Sudbury. Pardo is the first important paleoplacer gold discovery found in the Americas. Inventus' significant share owners include Rob McEwen, Eric Sprott, Osisko Gold Royalties and management.

Qualified Person

The Qualified Person responsible for the geological technical content of this news release is Andy Bite, P.Geo., who has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure in this news release on behalf of the Company.

Forward-looking Information

Statements in this release that are forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Corporation's filings with Canadian securities regulators. Such information contained herein represents management's best judgment as of the date hereof based on information currently available. The Corporation does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, save and except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
VANCOUVER, Sept. 28, 2016 /CNW/ - Metallic Minerals Corp. (TSX-V: MMG; US OTC: MMNGF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Susan Craig as Executive Vice President, Scott Petsel as Vice President, Exploration, and Tim Thiessen as Chief Financial Officer.

Ms. Susan Craig is a highly-respected professional geoscientist, who has worked in the Yukon and BC for over 25 years, on projects from the exploration and development stage, to construction and production, and final mine closure. Ms. Craig's experience includes work with publicly-listed mining companies, Territorial and Federal Governments, First Nations, and industry groups.

Ms. Craig successfully led the Environmental Assessment process for NovaGold's Galore Creek project and played a key role in establishing the landmark Participation Agreement with the Tahltan Nation. During her time with Viceroy Resources, Ms. Craig was part of the team that explored, permitted and developed the Brewery Creek heap leach gold mine near Dawson City, Yukon in the early 1990s. In this role, she collaborated with the First Nation to implement one of the first Socio-economic Accords in all of Canada. Ms. Craig served for six years as President/CEO and Director of Northern Freegold and is currently a Director of Yukon Energy Corporation, the Yukon Mineral Advisory Board, the Association of Mineral Exploration BC, and the Yukon Chamber of Mines. Ms. Craig has received a number of awards recognizing her contributions toward environmental stewardship and sustainable development, and has been nominated for the Canadian Women in Mining Trailblazer award.

Mr. Scott Petsel, P.Geo., brings over 28 years of experience in mineral exploration, mine geology, project management and advancement from exploration to feasibility. He has spent more than 18 years working in Alaska and British Columbia at the Galore Creek project, Donlin Gold project, Alaska-Juneau mine, Kensington mine, and, most recently, at the Arctic and Bornite deposits in northern Alaska. In addition, he has extensive international exploration experience from his work with Placer Dome (now Barrick Gold) and Echo Bay (now Kinross Gold).

Prior to joining Metallic Minerals, Mr. Petsel was Project Manager of NovaCopper's (now Trilogy Metals) Upper Kobuk Mineral Project, where he managed the exploration activities that resulted in the expansion of the resource base by over 5 billion pounds of copper. During his time with NovaGold and NovaCopper, he played an integral role as Exploration Manager and Senior Geologist during the discovery and definition of over 40 million ounces of gold, 150 million ounces of silver and 12 billion pounds of copper. Mr. Petsel was part of the teams credited with these discoveries that were awarded the 2009 Thayer Lindsley Award for an International Mineral Discovery success and the AMEBC 2015 Colin Spence Award for Excellence in Global Mineral Exploration.

Mr. Tim Thiessen is a Chartered Accountant with almost 20 years of international accounting and finance experience, the last 13 years in the mining industry. His experience includes holding the position of Chief Financial Officer at three publicly-listed minerals companies: Foran Mining, SnipGold (recently acquired by Seabridge Gold), and Aurcana Corp.. Prior to this, Mr. Thiessen spent 7 years as Vice President of Finance for TSX-listed Endeavour Financial, an advisory firm in the mining industry specializing in mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financing. He was part of a team that spawned industry-leading companies such as Silver Wheaton, UrAsia Energy, Peak Gold and Coastal Energy Corp. Mr. Thiessen is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada and has also held positions as Controller with Endeavour Mining Capital Corp. and as an auditor for Deloitte LLP, with a focus in the mining and financial services industries.

Mr. Greg Johnson, CEO and Chairman of Metallic Minerals, stated, "I am excited to be able to bring together such an experienced, dynamic and successful management team to Metallic Minerals. Each of these individuals shares in the vision of creating value for our shareholders through an entrepreneurial approach to exploration. The complementary experience of these accomplished individuals brings significant depth to our management group. I look forward to working with the new management team as we build Metallic Minerals into a leading explorer in the region."

Mr. Greg Johnson further stated, "The Company would like to thank Mr. Andrew de Verteuil for his dedication and valuable contributions as interim CFO of the Company. Mr. de Verteuil will continue to work with Metallic Minerals and Mr. Thiessen during this transition."

About Metallic Minerals Corp.

Metallic Minerals Corp. is a growth stage silver and gold exploration company focused on creating value through a disciplined entrepreneurial approach to exploration in mining districts with proven potential for top-tier "company-making" deposits that remain under-explored. Our core Keno-Lightning property is located in the historic Keno Hill silver district of Canada's Yukon Territory, a region which has produced over 200 million ounces of silver and currently hosts one of the world's highest grade silver resources. Metallic Minerals is led by a team with a track record of discovery and exploration success, including large scale development, permitting and project financing.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, title, and future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Metallic Minerals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the companies with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business. Accordingly the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Metallic Minerals and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Metallic Minerals Corp.
THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Sept. 28, 2016) -

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Source Exploration Corp. ("Source" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:SOP) is pleased to announce that it has arranged a non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of up to 10,000,000 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $0.15 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $1,500,000. Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one transferable common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one Common Share for a period of twenty-four months from the closing date of the Private Placement (subject to acceleration of the expiry date as described below) at a price of $0.25 per Common Share.

The net proceeds from the Private Placement will be used to continue exploration on the Company's Las Minas project located in the State of Veracruz, Mexico, and for property payments, debt reduction and general working capital purposes. The exploration program will include a 2,000 to 3,000 metre drill program for definition and expansion of the Eldorado-Juan Bran mineralized zone and an initial National Instrument 43-101 resource technical report.

In connection with the Private Placement, certain arm's length parties may receive (i) a cash finder's fee payment equal to 8% of the gross proceeds of the Units that are sold to subscribers introduced by such parties, and (ii) warrants (the "Finder's Warrants") to purchase that number of Common Shares equal to 8% of the Units that are sold to subscribers introduced by such parties, with the Finder's Warrants having the same terms as the Warrants. The finder's fee payment and the Finder's Warrants are subject to the approval of, and will be issued in accordance with, the rules of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange").

Pursuant to the terms of the Warrants and the Finder's Warrants, the Company will have the right to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants and the Finder's Warrants on notice to the holders of the Warrants and the Finder's Warrants, if at any time after four months and one day from the closing date of the Private Placement, the closing price of its Common Shares on a stock exchange in Canada is greater than $0.40 per Common Share for a period of 10 consecutive trading days, in which case the Warrants and the Finder's Warrants will expire 30 days after the date on which such notice is given.

The Units to be issued under the Private Placement will be offered in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia and such other provinces of Canada as may be determined by the Company, in each case, pursuant to applicable exemptions from the prospectus requirements under applicable securities laws. Closing of the Private Placement is anticipated to occur on or before October 21, 2016, and is subject to receipt of all required regulatory approvals including the approval of the Exchange. Units issued under the Private Placement will be subject to a hold period which will expire four months and one day from the date of closing of the Private Placement.

In addition to the Private Placement, the Company also announces that it has reached an agreement with certain of its officers and/or directors to settle up to $478,910.22 of debt by issuing Common Shares at a deemed price of $0.25 per Common Share (the "Debt Conversion"). The Debt Conversion is subject to shareholder approval pursuant to the policies of the Exchange and receipt of all required regulatory approvals including the approval of the Exchange. The issuance of the Common Shares to insiders pursuant to the Debt Conversion is a "related party transaction" pursuant to MI 61-101. The Company is exempt from the requirements to obtain a formal valuation or minority shareholder approval in connection with the Debt Conversion in reliance on sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(a), respectively, of MI 61-101, as neither the fair market value of the securities to be received by such parties nor the fair market value of the debt to be converted exceeds 25% of the Company's market capitalization as calculated in accordance with MI 61-101.

The Company will not file a material change report more than 21 days before the expected date of the closing of the Private Placement as the Company wishes to close the transaction as soon as possible.

About Source Exploration Corp.

Source is a Canadian based mineral exploration company committed to building long-term value through the discovery, acquisition and advancement of mineral properties. The Company holds an option on the Las Minas gold, silver and copper exploration project located within the Las Minas mining district in the State of Veracruz, Mexico. The district hosts one of the largest underexplored skarn systems known in Mexico and has a strong production history that dates back to the Aztec era.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain information that may constitute "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements about the anticipated closing date of the Private Placement, the future exploration results relating to the Las Minas project, exploration plans for the Las Minas project and the exploration potential of the Las Minas project. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including the risks identified in the Company's disclosure documents. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Shares Issued: 8,764,369
SHARE Aimee Blume / Scripps Newspapers Aged Gouda has a deep caramel flavor and crumbly texture, yet melts smoothly over potatoes or broccoli.

By Aimee Blume Scripps Newspapers

When buying Gouda cheeses, you're likely to come across the Frico brand, producer of Old Dutch Master Aged Gouda as well as traditional Gouda and Chevrette Goat Gouda.

If you enjoy the sweet taste and mild character of a young Gouda, you'll want to try an aged Gouda for a lesson in flavor.

In his Cheese Primer, Steven Jenkins describes an aged Gouda as "very hard and amber-colored, (with) a perfumy, Scotch-whisky kind of aroma ? both sharp and sweet at the same time, like molten honey or butterscotch.

"An aged Gouda is a truly delicious thing," he continues, "almost totally divorced from the blandness of its youth."

It's true. Regular young Gouda tends to be bland, rubbery, and rather lacking in personality aside from a pervasive sweetness out of place in a semisoft cheese.

The sweetness doesn't come from the addition of sugar, but from a process wherein the whey is washed away from the curds with water before the cheese is formed, lessening the overall acidity of the finished cheese. Add to that a sterile ripening period encased in wax, with no rind, mold or any surface action to add to flavor, and you wind up with a squeaky-clean, characterless cheese.

After long aging of up to a year or more, the flavor deepens, the texture firms and becomes crumbly, crunchy little crystals of calcium lactate form, and the sweetness takes on a caramel quality. What was boring at best and off-putting at worst is suddenly in a class all by itself, interesting and lending itself to all kinds of unique culinary creations.

According to the Frico website, the company began in 1898 when six dairies in the Netherlands combined to form the Frisian Cooperative Dairy Export Association. It is now owned, along with many of the Netherlands' cheese brands, by Friesland Campina.

In 2004, Old Dutch Master received a gold medal in its class as well as overall World Champion at the World Champion Cheese Contest in Wisconsin.

Jenkins suggests finding a Gouda of at least two years old, but I haven't seen any that old around town yet. The Old Dutch Master, which is available at many groceries and gourmet markets, is aged just under a year; for a sharper example, try Monalisa Aged Gouda from Winestyles, which has been aged for up to 18 months and is noticeably darker in color and crumblier, with more calcium lactate crystals and a deeper caramel flavor.

Serve aged Gouda with a tawny port or sherry to reinforce its caramel notes, or with a light red wine. It is great on the cheese board with crackers or bread, melts wonderfully over potatoes or broccoli, and is even wonderful highlighted on a sandwich made with good bread, good ham, and butter.

Aged Gouda Biscotti with Walnuts

Makes about 6 dozen biscotti

MAKE-AHEAD

INGREDIENTS

1 envelope active dry yeast (2A teaspoons)

A cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water

1 tablespoon sugar

2A cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

8 ounces aged Gouda shredded (2 cups)

A cup walnuts, finely chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

DIRECTIONS

1 In a medium bowl, combine the yeast with A cup of the warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar and A cup of the flour to form a sponge; cover and let stand until billowy, about 30 minutes.

2 In a large bowl, combine the remaining 2 cups of flour with the Gouda, walnuts and salt. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture and the remaining A cup plus 2 tablespoons water; add the butter and stir until a dough is formed.

3 Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes; divide into thirds. Roll each piece of dough into a 12-inch log about 1A inches thick. Arrange the logs on the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart. Loosely cover with lightly moistened paper towels and plastic wrap. Let stand for about 45 minutes, until risen.

4 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap and paper towels and bake the logs for about 35 minutes, until they are golden and puffed and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 205 degrees. Let the logs cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

5 Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees and position two racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven. Transfer the logs to a work surface. Using a serrated knife, slice the logs crosswise A/ inch thick. Arrange the slices cut side up on 2 baking sheets and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until golden and crisp; flip the biscotti halfway through and shift the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back. Transfer the biscotti to a rack and let cool completely before serving.

Source: Food and Wine
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By Chris Strohm, Bloomberg News (TNS)

WASHINGTON  A former top aide to Hillary Clinton was given limited immunity as part of the FBIs investigation into the use of a private email system so investigators could get access to the staffers laptop, agency Director James Comey told a Senate committee.

The Justice Department gave Cheryl Mills whats known as "active production immunity" as part of its investigation into whether classified information was compromised by Clintons use of private email, Comey said Tuesday at a hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Mills served as chief of staff to Clinton when she was secretary of state and continued to represent her as a lawyer during the investigation.

Under the agreement with the FBI, nothing investigators obtained from the laptop could be used against Mills. Ultimately, the FBI found no evidence that Mills committed a crime, Comey said.

"The FBIs judgment was we need to get that laptop," Comey said of the latest dispute in the email controversy that has dogged Democrat Clintons presidential campaign for more than a year.

Republicans led by Rep. Jason Chaffetz, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, have seized on the immunity deal for Mills as a sign the FBI failed to carry out a thorough investigation.

Chaffetz, a Utah Republican, has said the FBI was handing out immunity agreements like candy and that he has lost confidence in its investigation.

During his debate with Clinton on Monday, Trump invoked the FBIs immunity agreements, saying, When you have your staff taking the Fifth Amendment, taking the Fifth so theyre not prosecuted, when you have the man that set up the illegal server taking the Fifth, I think its disgraceful.

Clinton said in the debate that her use of the private email system was a mistake, and I take responsibility for it.

Republicans at Tuesdays hearing questioned whether anyone working for Clinton sought to destroy evidence. An employee of Platte River Networks, which managed Clintons email server after her departure from the State Department in 2013, deleted an archive of emails after a House committee issued a subpoena ordering evidence to be preserved.

That person, who the FBI hasnt publicly identified, told investigators he wiped out the archive after the subpoena because Clinton aides had told to him delete old emails previously and he had forgotten to do so at the time. Comey said the FBI found no evidence that anyone obstructed the investigation and committed a crime by destroying evidence.
Standard-Times file A worker atop the Hotel Cactus works to anchor and wire in a new antenna in 1985. The building was constructed in 1928, one of the early hotels in the Hilton chain.

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At some point in the mid-1930s or thereabout, Lela Verge Sanders, a San Angeloan who later became Mrs. C.W. Cammack of Victoria, won $25 in a contest to name the Hotel Cactus.

The question of how the hotel was renamed came up in a column that appeared in the Standard-Times.

The answer appeared in the newspaper a few days later and has been repeated occasionally since then.

When the question surfaced in 1962, Mrs. Cammack told reporters she could not recall who sponsored the contest or the exact date of the renaming.

The beautiful 14-story, 235-room hotel began its life as the San Angelo Hilton and was one of the first in the Hilton chain.

San Angelo lumber baron Belvedere Brooks Haile built the "skyscraper" in 1928 under a lease agreement with Conrad N. Hilton, who made his first hotel acquisition in Cisco, Texas, in 1919.

The San Angelo Hilton opened with fanfare in December 1928, and Hilton lived there for several months.

The brick structure was designed by Dallas architect Anton F. Korn and built by in 1928. It was the biggest and fanciest of the fledgling Hilton chain.

On opening night, May 31, 1929, West Texans turned out in their finest to tour the richly appointed lobby and dance in the luxurious Crystal Ballroom.

Contrary to popular belief, the San Angelo Hilton was not Hilton's second acquisition. He had bought, built or leased hotels in Fort Worth, Dallas, Waco, Abilene and Wichita Falls before the San Angelo Hilton was ready for occupancy.

But by 1933 the oil boom was receding, the country was grappling with the Depression and Hilton had given up on the San Angelo venture.

That by no means kept the hotel from flourishing in the future. Syble Deaton, a manager who had been with the hotel since 1945, said it did a booming convention business.

"We were booked full most of the year," she said.

"We also had traveling salesmen who would use our sample rooms on the third floor."

"There were also movie stars in the hotel," Mrs. Deaton said, "but I can't remember their names."

Rick Smith is a community columnist. Contact him at 325-659-8248 or rick.smith@gosanangelo.com.
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The following editorial appeared in the Miami Herald:

Hillary Clinton confirmed that she's a bit imperious. Donald Trump confirmed that the emperor has no clothes.

Clinton made clear that she knows her stuff. Trump made clear that even when he's touching on the truth, he's unfit to occupy the White House.

The task was simple, really. Clinton had to appear trustworthy and honest. Oh, and be likable, a woman's unending burden, but that continues to be a challenge for her.

Trump had to, well, given his strengthening poll numbers, keep on doing what's worked for him so far: Ignore anything close to a fact, lie, and put on a great show. Surprisingly, for the first 30 minutes or so, Trump was low-key, for him, and appeared to be a capable debater. But then he became unmoored, rambled, got into the weeds about finances and his support of the Iraq War and NATO's role in the world.

Trump did a decent job bringing up issues where Clinton is vulnerable  ISIS, emails  but none of that made up for his own weaknesses. Do Americans really believe that we're "losing on everything"?

Moderator Lester Holt had a difficult task Monday night. Unfortunately, he blended into the background, without strongly challenging Trump's serial mendacity or Clinton's blithe blowoff of the email scandal or her wrong assertions about Trump's taxes. The only time he really made a stand was in assuring the backpedaling Trump that he did, indeed, support the Iraq War.

Both candidates had to reach out and touch skeptics. But the undecideds still might be scratching their heads. There was no knockout punch, but Clinton won on points.

But given the bizarre dynamic of this presidential race, it's not a matter of who won, it is a matter of who showed the audience the clearest ability to lead this country forward, push it toward prosperity and peace and do it in a grounded, sober and thoughtful manner. After all, the debate was not a tryout for "The Apprentice," though that's pretty much how pre-debate buzz pitched it.

Trump branded his Democratic opponent part and parcel of the political establishment. No argument there. He conceded that she had experience, but labeled it "bad experience." But given his restrained but enduring bragadaccio, willful ignorance of the facts, walking back ridiculous statements without any sense of reflection and those simple, declarative sentences that any 3-year-old is beyond  "It's not a nice thing she's done"  Clinton clearly looked, and sounded, not just presidential, but also capable and tough. Still, she didn't build upon her usual aura of competence.

But as we said, she knows her stuff: She knows what NATO's Article 5 mandates  Trump was clueless; she knows that stop-and-frisk has been judged unconstitutional and that violent crime, despite the plague of Chicago shootings, is down. Trump kept flogging law and order. It plays to the crowd, but is no solution to racial animus; she knows that President George W. Bush set the timetable for our pulling out of Iraq. Trump insisted, wrongly, that it was President Barack Obama's decision. And don't get us started on birtherism.

Then, at the end we saw vintage Donald, the bully. When Clinton reminded viewers that Trump had a habit of calling women "pigs" and "slobs," he retorted that he had planned to "say something rough" about Clinton and her family.

But he, like the gentleman he is, thought better of it: "I said to myself, 'It's not nice.'"

Like we said, unfit.
Safe Republican

Likely Republican

Lean Republican

Tossup

Lean Democratic

Safe Democratic

State attorney general contests aren't the biggest attention grabbers during a presidential election year. But that hasn't kept some of them from being competitive.Our latest handicapping, the first since March , shows a balanced set of races. Four of November's 10 contests are considered competitive: a lean Republican race in West Virginia, tossup contests in Missouri and North Carolina and a lean Democratic race in Pennsylvania.Of these, the candidates in Missouri, North Carolina and Pennsylvania are vying for Democratic-held open seats, while West Virginia's contest features a vulnerable Republican incumbent.Nationally, the GOP holds 27 AG offices and the Democrats hold 23. If the GOP can run the table of competitive races -- holding the West Virginia seat and flipping Missouri, North Carolina and Pennsylvania -- its national lead in AG offices would jump to a dominating 30-20. But in the absence of a strong national partisan tide, the GOP stands to gain a seat or two.Democrats, by contrast, look likely to have a shot, at best, of making a net gain of one seat.Since our last predictions, three races have moved modestly in the Democratic direction: Pennsylvania, Vermont and West Virginia. Meanwhile, the contest in Indiana has moved in the GOP's direction.Two GOP-held seats remain in the safe Republican category (Montana and Utah), while two Democratic-held seats remain in the safe Democratic category (Oregon and Washington).As always, we have categorized the races as safe Republican, likely Republican, lean Republican, tossup, lean Democratic, likely Democratic or safe Democratic. In the handicapping below, the seats are rank-ordered from most likely to go Republican to most likely to go Democratic.Reyes, a Mormon Republican of Filipino and Hispanic descent, belatedly and briefly got a Democratic opponent, Jon Harper. But Harper dropped out of the race this month, citing health reasons. His departure came too late for the party to replace him on the ballot, though Libertarian Andrew McCullough is still in the race. Even before Harper's exit, Reyes was far ahead in polls; he remains the safest Republican AG in the country.Fox, like Reyes, got a Democratic opponent relatively late in the campaign. But Larry Jent, a former state senator and attorney, hasn't been able to significantly change the dynamics of the race. Fox remains a strong favorite and, despite his party affiliation, has been endorsed by the state's largest public-sector union, the Montana Education Association-Montana Federation of Teachers.Indiana's AG race continues its drift in the GOP's direction. Elkhart County prosecutor Curtis Hill Jr. won a primary that included former Republican AG Steve Carter, two-term state Sen. Randy Head, and Abigail Kuzma, an official from the AG's office. Republicans have united behind Hill, who's outraised the Democratic nominee, retired judge Lorenzo Arredondo. Arredondo was the longest serving elected Latino state trial judge in the country when he retired from the bench in 2010. Donald Trump is strong in Indiana, and Democrats are focusing their down-ballot efforts on winning the open gubernatorial and U.S. Senate seats, as well as on protecting the incumbent Democratic state schools superintendent.There's wide agreement that this race -- pitting Morrisey, a first-term Republican, against Democratic Del. Doug Reynolds -- has tightened in recent months, thanks in part to Reynolds' aggressive spending. Trump is polling very well in West Virginia, a factor that should help Morrisey. But Democrats hope that their competitive, self-funding gubernatorial nominee, Jim Justice, could blunt that down-ballot edge and boost Reynolds' prospects. Morrisey is still a modest favorite. With this handicapping, though, the contest slips into the competitive category.The low-profile primaries for this open seat contest are done and the candidates in the general election are former Cass County prosecutor Teresa Hensley, a Democrat, and Republican Josh Hawley, a University of Missouri law professor and onetime clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. The open-seat gubernatorial race and a competitive U.S. Senate contest will overshadow the AG contest. Observers expect the race to get carried along by whatever tides develop in higher races on the ballot, so we're keeping it at tossup for now.North Carolina has become one of the most important presidential battlegrounds, and it's also home to a hard fought gubernatorial and U.S. Senate race. This has drawn increasing attention and money to the state, and the lower-profile AG race could see an impact. Democratic state Sen. Josh Stein, who worked in the AG's office earlier in his career as deputy attorney general for consumer protection, has been outraising Republican state Sen. Buck Newton. Newton was a key sponsor of HB2 -- the controversial "bathroom bill" -- in the state Senate, so the ongoing fight over that legislation could hurt him with some voters. A late September poll by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling found Stein four points ahead of Newton. The conservative-leaning Civitas poll, for its part, found Stein up by two. With lots of undecided voters, the race will likely be shaped by the overall tide on Election Day, which remains very much in doubt.Montgomery County Commissioner Josh Shapiro won a spirited Democratic primary to succeed the scandal-ridden Kane. He now faces GOP state Sen. John Rafferty, who's also from Montgomery County. While Kane's travails could be a problem for Shapiro, the Democratic nominee is considered clean, and his strong fundraising skills helped him win an impressive primary victory. In addition, Democrats maintain a slight edge in the presidential race in the state -- a factor that ultimately could outweigh all the others. This contest remains competitive, especially if GOP fortunes at the top of the ticket improve as Election Day nears. But for now Shapiro has a bit of an edge.This open seat -- created by the retirement of Sorrell, who has held the post since his 1997 appointment -- has shifted in the Democrats' direction, even though the GOP managed to recruit a small-town private-practice attorney named Deborah Bucknam. The challenge is that Bucknam is a political novice and much less well-known than Democrat T.J. Donovan, the state's attorney for Chittenden County, the state's largest. Donovan has far outraised his GOP opponent, and the state Republican Party's efforts will be focused on electing Phil Scott to the governorship and on gaining ground in the Democratic-controlled legislature. In Vermont, in most other ways a solidly blue state, the GOP doesn't have many spare resources to put into the AG race. So we're moving this contest to Safe Democratic.Democratic incumbent Ellen Rosenblum is seeking a second full term. Following stints as a judge for the Oregon Court of Appeals and as an assistant U.S. attorney, she was appointed AG in June 2012 to complete the final six months of her predecessor's term. After some uncertainty about whether she would face a GOP challenger, Rosenblum now faces off with Daniel Crowe, a onetime judge advocate in the Army and more recently a public defender in the Portland area. Crowe has taken some shots at Rosenbaum's 2013 decision not to defend Oregon's constitutional ban on same-sex marriages, as well as her 2015 decision to defer her agency's investigation of former Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber in an influence-peddling scandal to the feds. Despite all this, Rosenblum is strongly favored to win.Ferguson, a former King County council member, has no Republican opponent, only Libertarian attorney Joshua Trumbull. Ferguson is considered such a safe bet for re-election that some of his supporters have begun to focus instead on a possible bid for the 2020 gubernatorial nomination.
A federal judge Tuesday blocked Election Day voter registration at polling places in Illinois, declaring a state law allowing the practice unconstitutional because it created one set of rules for cities and another for rural areas.Voters will still be able to register Nov. 8 and cast a ballot for president but only at a limited number of sites, including the county clerk's office, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections.The ruling, handed down on National Voter Registration Day, is the latest front in a broader battle between Democrats led by House Speaker Michael Madigan and Republicans led by Gov. Bruce Rauner.Democrats pushed through the same-day registration law in the lame-duck session that followed the November 2014 election, weeks before Rauner took over from then-Democratic-Gov. Pat Quinn. It was billed as a way to get more people involved in the democratic process after a trial program resulted in long lines, particularly in Chicago, where it was used at five sites by nearly 2,900 people, some who waited hours to vote.Republicans cried foul, suggesting the new registration method could be used for voter fraud. Last month, a Republican northwestern Illinois congressional candidate sued with the help of the Liberty Justice Center, which was founded by the Illinois Policy Institute, a tax-exempt organization allied with much of Rauner's agenda. Prior to becoming governor, Rauner donated more than $500,000 to the policy institute.This fall, Rauner is attempting to use his wealth and that of his friends to erode Democratic supermajorities in the Illinois House and Senate. Rauner also is a supporter of Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, who is in a tough re-election bid against Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth.The suit challenged a law that required counties of more than 100,000 people that use electronic books to record voter registration to allow for Election Day registration at every polling place. Counties without electronic polling books and below 100,000 population had to at least provide same-day registration at a centralized location.The suit contended that allowing the process only in more heavily populated urban counties would benefit Democratic candidates "who primarily draw their support from counties with populations of 100,000 or more."The case ended up before U.S. District Judge Samuel Der-Yeghiayan, an appointee of Republican President George W. Bush. In issuing a preliminary injunction, the judge found that "while it may be true that the polling place registration option can assist voters in certain populous counties, that option cannot be provided at the expense of lower population counties, thereby decreasing their political representation in Illinois.""The application of this legislation favors the urban citizen and dilutes the vote of the rural citizen," wrote Der-Yeghiayan, who added, "Illinois is made up of more than the Chicago metropolitan area and other high population areas. Equality under the law does not end at the city limits."The law was in effect for the March primary, when more than 110,000 people registered to vote, supporters of the law said. The backers contended the federal court injunction, coupled with Rauner's recent veto of a measure that would have made voter registration automatic upon getting a new or renewed driver's license, amounts to voter suppression."To suspend election day registration and suppress the vote less than two weeks before the voter registration deadline will hurt communities across Illinois who were counting on being able to register and vote on Nov. 8," Trevor Gervais, lead organizer for Common Cause Illinois, said in a statement.The Chicago Board of Election Commissioners already was preparing staff, equipment and signs for Election Day in-precinct registrations, including programming electronic poll books, printing instruction manuals and beginning classes for poll workers, spokesman Jim Allen said."The timing of this ruling is sure to create chaos," Allen said in an email. "If this ruling stands, our task will be to develop alternative programs to serve voters -- and prevent lines, confusion and disenfranchisement."The ACLU of Illinois and Democratic Cook County Clerk David Orr echoed the disenfranchisement note. The office of Democratic Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said it would appeal the ruling.The ruling comes as online voter registration in Chicago and statewide had spiked more than tenfold in recent days, thanks in part to a Facebook push urging people to register in advance of National Voter Registration Day on Tuesday.Since early September, Chicago elections officials received an average of 150 new or updated online voter registrations daily, Allen said. The number skyrocketed to more than 1,600 Friday, he said. Over the weekend, about 5,000 people registered online to vote in Chicago.Statewide data showed more than 30,000 online registrations Friday, up from 2,800 the previous day. The momentum continued throughout the weekend, with 9,000 registrations Saturday and 5,000 on Sunday.A Facebook post popped up in news feeds Friday, encouraging people to register and taking them to vote.USA.gov, where they can enter their state and get directed to their state voter registration page.Local election officials are waiting to see whether Monday night's debate between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, and Tuesday's voter registration events -- including a rally at Daley Plaza and a registration drive at the CTA's Pink and Green Line Morgan stop in the West Loop -- continue to fuel the surge in registrations.The most effective way to mobilize people to register or to vote is direct contact from a trusted friend -- even on Facebook -- rather than candidates or political parties, according to Zachary Cook, a political science professor at DePaul University."This latest Facebook post, it wasn't just that people saw a reminder to register, but I suspect a lot of people posted it and re-posted it. That kind of social pressure can be effective," said Cook, who clicked on it to change his voter registration address.Such a mechanism could be the future of voter registration drives but won't completely replace the need for in-person registration events, because some people are not on Facebook and not all states offer online registration, he said.With more people expected at the polls for the presidential election than the primary, the city elections agency is urging people to cast ballots during the early voting period, which begins this week, or by mail to help keep the lines short on Nov. 8, Allen said.Early voting begins Thursday at the Chicago elections board, 69 W. Washington St. On Oct. 10, operations will move to the former Walgreens space at 15 W. Washington St., to accommodate more touch-screen voting machines to handle more voters. On Oct. 24, early voting will be offered in all 50 wards.The deadline to register online to vote in the presidential election is Oct. 23, Allen said. After that, voters can sign up in person during what's referred to as "grace period" voting, which continues through Election Day. While the new injunction blocks same-day registration at polling places, voters still can register that day at other sites.
State officials have warned social service workers they could face disciplinary action "up to and including dismissal" for talking to the news media without permission.The warning, in an email Friday from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to all employees, follows several news stories in which social workers who investigate child abuse and neglect have voiced growing frustration about acute staff shortages and rising caseloads they say puts them and the families they serve in danger."When everyone says it's never been this bad, it definitely is a crisis," Jeff Culver, a social work supervisor in Jefferson County, told the Courier-Journal recently.Jean West, communications director for the cabinet, said the email from human resources officials was simply one of a number of routine reminders about agency policy that workers will be receiving. She said social workers should not infer they have been singled out.
As pressure mounted for answers to what was causing traffic jams at the George Washington Bridge in 2013, top Port Authority officials were revealing details of their scheme to close the lanes but only to a circle of high-ranking officials that included Gov. Chris Christie, the admitted mastermind of the plot said in federal court Tuesday.The continuing testimony from David Wildstein, the former Port Authority executive who has pleaded guilty in a deal with the government for a possible reduced sentence, offered the most detailed contradiction yet to Christie who has insisted, as he did again Tuesday, that he had no knowledge of the plot or any personal involvement.Wildstein's testimony drew a portrait of a Christie team _ both in state government and in his re-election campaign _ that was ruthless in its pursuit of support and loyalty.In his third day on the witness stand, Wildstein said that he and his boss at the time, former Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni, had been looking forward to telling Christie of the traffic jam and the unheeded pleas for help from their target, Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, at the 12th anniversary ceremony of the Sept. 11 attacks. Sokolich was targeted because he did not endorse Christie's re-election campaign. Wildstein also testified how officials shut out Steven Fulop, another Democratic mayor who declined to endorse Christie, a Republican.Baroni and Christie's former deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly, are on trial fighting charges of conspiracy, wire fraud and other federal crimes for their alleged roles in the scandal.Wildstein said he told Kelly of the plan to tell Christie about the traffic in Fort Lee since "Ms. Kelly had previously said to me the governor is going to love this."Before the ceremony, Wildstein and Baroni met Christie between the World Trade Center construction site and the Sept. 11 memorial, Wildstein said. Prosecutors showed several photos of the three men outside the ceremony.Wildstein said Baroni spoke to the governor in a "very sarcastic tone.""Mr. Baroni said to Governor Christie, 'Governor, there's a tremendous amount of traffic in Fort Lee this morning, a major traffic jam, and that you'll be pleased to know that Mayor Sokolich is very frustrated that he can't get his telephone calls returned,'" Wildstein said. Christie, Wildstein told the court, "responded by saying that 'I imagine he wouldn't be getting his phone calls returned.'"Before being hired at the Port Authority, Wildstein ran a political website under the pseudonym Wally Edge. He said Tuesday that Baroni then told Christie that Wildstein was "monitoring traffic" and "watching over everything.""Governor Christie said in a sarcastic tone of that conversation, he said, 'Well I'm sure Mr. Edge would not be involved in anything that's political," Wildstein said. "'I'm sure Mr. Edge would never do anything political,' and then he laughed."Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Cortes asked Wildstein if he and Baroni were bragging to the governor. "Yes, very much so" Wildstein said.Cortes asked why."This was our 'one constituent,'" Wildstein said, referring to a rule he followed that the only person who mattered at the Port Authority was the governor. "I was pleasing our one constituent. I was happy that he was happy."Christie has acknowledged meeting Wildstein that day, but has said Wildstein was one of hundreds of people he saw and that he doesn't have "any recollection" of the substance of their conversation.Christie has not been charged or found to have had knowledge of the lane closures as they happened. He did not take questions from reporters at a news conference Tuesday, but reiterated his position of the last 2 { years since he said he learned of his allies' involvement of the scheme."I want the people of New Jersey to know that while this goes on up there, that the reason I am here and not there is because what I said in January of 2014 was true then, is true today, and it will never be proven to be anything but true," he said. "So we all must endure what's going on up there. ... But we will, because what we know is that from the moment all this became public, my one job was to make sure that I told the people of New Jersey the absolute truth."I have, I will continue to, and no matter what else anybody says, that will not change," he added. "So just so you don't think that I'm living in an alternate universe, I didn't want to leave here without saying that."Wildstein said that the Port Authority chairman at the time, David Samson, soon arrived at that meeting outside ground zero on Sept. 11, 2013. Samson, once a mentor to Christie, has since resigned from the board and pleaded guilty to bribery in a federal investigation stemming from the lane closures.According to Wildstein, Samson told Christie that he had received a call from Fulop to schedule a meeting.Fulop went to Samson after several attempts to meet with Baroni, but, according to Wildstein, was instructed by Christie's re-election campaign manager at the time, Bill Stepien, to keep "radio silence" as payback to Fulop for not endorsing Christie.Wildstein said Christie referred to Sokolich as well, and that Christie said, "The Port Authority wasn't to talk to either of the mayors."Christie has told a grand jury that he canceled meetings with Fulop because he "did not merit any kind of special treatment" and that he didn't want to risk compromising his friendship with Senate President Stephen Sweeney, who is expected to run against Fulop in next year's Democratic primary for governor.On Veterans Day in 2013, Wildstein said met Christie's close adviser Mike DuHaime in Westfield. There, Wildstein informed DuHaime that stories of his involvement were true and that he devised the lane closures to punish Sokolich. Wildstein said he had worked with the governor's office to carry out the closures. DuHaime, he said, was "upset with me" and told him it was "a very bad idea.""He told me, 'I wish you had spoken to me. I would have told you not to do it,'" Wildstein said.Wildstein said he relayed to DuHaime the Sept. 11 conversation with Christie and that "Governor Christie seemed to be enjoying it, enjoying the news" of the traffic jam."Mr. DuHaime told me that Governor Christie must have thought that Mr. Baroni and I were joking around," Wildstein said.DuHaime told investigators hired by Christie after the scandal that he spoke with Christie "at some point" between Dec. 9 and 11 about the "growing controversy surrounding the lane realignment issue." It was then that DuHaime "mentioned" that he had recently spoken to Wildstein and that Wildstein admitted the traffic study was his idea.DuHaime's attorney, Marc Mukasey, declined to respond to Wildstein's testimony since DuHaime is a potential witness in the case. But Mukasey said in an email that "Mike has, at all times, told the truth when he has been questioned about this matter and he will continue to do so."By November 2013, a legislative committee had invited Baroni and Wildstein to testify about the lane closures. Wildstein said it was then that he told Philip Kwon, the Port Authority's deputy counsel appointed by Christie, of his involvement in the lane closures and that he had worked with the governor's office to execute the plan. Wildstein said he asked Kwon if there was any way he could testify without perjuring himself."He told me it might make more sense for Mr. Baroni to go ... because Mr. Baroni had not had any direct conversations with Ms. Kelly at that point," Wildstein said.
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GIS - 28 September, 2016: Banks will have to adapt their ways of doing business to the nations aspirations so as to become an Inclusive High Income country and inclusiveness must be at the centre of all our economic policies and decisions, including the mobilisation and allocation of financial resources. Banks will have to adapt their ways of doing business to the nations aspirations so as to become an Inclusive High Income country and inclusiveness must be at the centre of all our economic policies and decisions, including the mobilisation and allocation of financial resources.

The Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, made this statement yesterday at the Intercontinental Hotel Balaclava during the launching ceremony of a subsidiary of the Bank of China (BOC) in Mauritius. The Bank of China Mauritius Ltd will add to other major international names operating in Mauritius including HSBC, Barclays, and Standard Chartered, amongst others.

Minister Pravind Jugnauth stressed the increasing role of the banks in the present economic context while expressing his expectations that banks should demonstrate greater imagination and innovativeness in financing public sector projects. On this score, he appealed to the banks to enter in a phase of consortium in lending on a bigger scale than they have done so far while adding that the Bank of China Mauritius Ltd can be a powerful partner in that new phase of development of the banking sector.

According to him, besides enhancing the credibility of our jurisdiction, this subsidiary would enhance trade ties and direct investments between Mauritius and China, and contribute in a significant way to expand the global connection of our financial system.

He further underlined that with the setting up of operations of the Bank of China in Mauritius, it will be easier for Mauritius to realise its ambition of hosting a renminbi clearing centre for the region which he said will further cement the role of Mauritius as a regional financial hub.

He recalled the long history of the banking system which has always been one of the main strengths in taking Mauritius to the status of an upper middle-income country while at the same encouraging financial institutions to operate in a new mind-set and allocate more financial resources at fair and affordable costs to micro, small and medium enterprises, and to start ups, especially in the fields of digital technologies, modern-agriculture, and renewable energy and the blue economy.

Given the macroeconomic context of falling private investment and the urgency to speed up job creation and economic growth, he called for more investment in public infrastructure which according to him is not a choice but is an imperative. According to him, massive investments in well-thought-out public infrastructure are crucial to revive economic activities, boost consumption and put the economy on a self-sustaining higher growth path.

He further dwelt on the necessity for the private sector to invest more in the key strategies of Government hence emphasising the need for a banking sector that works together with Government and private investors to raise and allocate the necessary financial resources.

The Bank of China for which the premises is located in Port Louis, is the most internationalised and diversified bank in China and also ranks fourth in The Banker's Top 1000 World Banks 2015. The Bank will be mainly engaged in corporate banking, deposit-taking, lending, international settlement, trade finance and financial institutional business, and cross-border RMB businesses in addition to its commercial activities.

The BOC aims to grow into a strategic platform for African businesses of the BOC Group as well as to providing all-round quality financial services for multinationals and customers, handling businesses between the two countries, thereby serving as a bridge between economic and investment contacts between China and Mauritius. The Bank is present in 46 countries and regions.

It will be recalled that in the context of the opening of the Bank of China in Mauritius Minister Pravind Jugnauth also met the Chairman Board of Supervisors and his delegation on 26 September in Port Louis whereby both parties expressed interest to reinforce both bilateral and economic ties between China and Mauritius. According to them, the BOC bears testimony to the importance of strengthening cooperation in the financial landscape.
In late 2010, then-CIO Vivek Kundra unveiled a 25-point plan to reform federal IT that contained several major policy shifts aimed at modernizing infrastructure and streamlining assets and major system deployments. One of the plans most notable elements was an explicit cloud-first policy for federal agencies that directed them to consider cloud options for new projects and migrate one existing system per year to a hosted environment.The plan was not without its critics, however. In 2011, Department of Homeland Security officials expressed concerns over the security of cloud technology  concerns that have dogged cloud conversations since its inception. The designation of secure access guidelines through the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), launched in 2012, had the potential to alleviate many of those concerns. FedRAMP was designed as a single-point vetting system for technology vendors working with the federal government. In subsequent years, major tech players have worked to achieve FedRAMP clearance  a step that greatly streamlines the vetting process for other governments interested in the cloud.As the cloud security outlook continued to improve, agencies began to make the move, including NASA, the Department of the Interior, and the National Archives and Records Administration. The cloud-first mentality has since trickled down to lower levels of government, and federal leadership can rightly take some of the credit. Many states have embraced the cloud-first approach to IT infrastructure: California issued an internal memo directing agencies to leverage the state-owned cloud for all reportable and non-reportable projects before pursuing alternative options. Utah, Michigan, Hawaii and Arizona have also made their cloud intentions known.Tales of governments moving from on-premise email solutions to cloud options from Microsoft or Google have since become commonplace, and recent surveys indicate their cloud ambitions are more far-reaching. 2015 surveys from the Center for Digital Government (owned bys parent company, e.Republic) revealed that more than half of city and county IT leaders eventually see more than 50 percent of their systems in the cloud. Given all the momentum around cloud technologies, it is unlikely that a change in the presidential administration would have much of an impact in this arena.
As part of the Data Foundation's fourth annual open data conference, Data Transparency 2016 , held Wednesday, Sept. 28, in Washington, D.C., the White House hosted its first-ever Open Data Innovation Summit . The goals? To highlight the Obama administrations work in opening U.S. government data, to celebrate a number of data sharing initiatives and to discuss plans to continue open data progress going forward.U.S. Chief Information Officer Tony Scott and U.S. Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith opened the event, discussing how the federal government has released over 200,000 data sets under the Obama administration so far, clearing the path for a vast number of collaborative open data projects across the federal government.Scott also discussed the importance of open data projects in helping the federal government move away from legacy systems to more secure, open, transparent and efficient technology.The event highlighted uses of government open data to promote government efficiency and effectiveness, to drive innovation and economic opportunity, and to improve public health and welfare.Daniel ONeil of Ad Hoc LLC, an organization that has enabled a number of federal government agencies to scale new technologies faster, said the federal government and the public at large are at a unique point in history wherein the full potential of open data is just being realized.We are on the front lines of how to use open data to make real change, said ONeil, stressing that efforts must be made to continue moving forward no matter what comes next.During a panel featuring federal CTOs both current and past  Aneesh Chopra, Todd Park and Megan Smith  Smith pointed out that open data is increasingly becoming a global initiative, opening up opportunities for countries to collaborate to solve large global challenges. Smith said French President Francois Hollande recently announced plans to host an open government summit in France this summer.Shaun Donovan, director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, thanked audience members that work on open data initiatives, and stressed how open data can help improve the lives of American citizens and is vital to a more transparent and open democracy.Were opening data for the American people to spur innovation, foster economic growth and enhance our competitiveness, he said. Open data is now a driver to our global competitiveness.Donovan pointed to multiple examples of how open data is enhancing competitiveness, including how open data from the Department of Energy is allowing researchers to collaborate more effectively, advancing innovation in the private sector and serving as foundation for new ideas in energy grid modernization.By sharing energy data in open, machine-readable formats," he said, "the Department of Energy has enabled innovators to use data in new and exciting ways to move the needle on solving global energy concerns."Donovan said there is still more work to do, however, especially around privacy protection and creating new data governance structures.The White House Open Data Innovation Summit was held at the Washington Convention Center, and was co-hosted by White House, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the General Services Administration and the Data Foundation.
(TNS) -- Data scientist, data analyst, data architect, business intelligence analyst  the job titles vary but companies cant seem to get enough of them in this hot tech sector.Whats more, these data analysts that prepare and analyze large data sets are garnering average salaries exceeding $100,000, several recent national salary surveys show. Yet, companies say workers lack the skills for the abundant opportunities in both public and private sectors, including healthcare, finance, manufacturing, energy, education, logistics and construction.To help fill that gap, Miami Dade Colleges School of Engineering and Technology on the Wolfson campus plans to launch a new big data program in spring 2017, becoming the first educational institution in Florida to offer an undergraduate degree in data analytics. The program was recently approved by the State of Florida.Data science and analytics has been identified as a field where the shortfall in the workforce will be in the hundreds of thousands, said Djuradj Babic, director of MDCs School of Engineering and Technology, citing a McKinsey & Co. report that forecast nearly 200,000 vacancies nationwide in the field by 2018. The effect of this gap in related fields such as information technology and cybersecurity will be threefold.The program will begin with a College Credit Certificate in Business Intelligence, progress to an Associate in Science in Business Intelligence, and culminate in a Bachelor of Science in Data Analytics. As we researched nationwide, we found that degrees were only being offered at the graduate or post-graduate level. Our undergraduate pathway is a model that can be replicated and applied nationwide, Babic said.Industry partners include NextEra Energy, Siemens Energy, the Business Higher Education Forum, Oracle, SAS, Accenture, Miami-Dade County, Miami Childrens Hospital and Miami-Dade County Public Schools, MDC said. For more information on the program, visit http://entec.mdc.edu/BS-DA.htm
Less than a year ago, California regulators were prepared to lay down the law with manufacturers that wanted to sell driverless cars in the state. The California Department of Motor Vehicles would have required the cars to keep traditional features like pedals and steering wheels, and would have mandated that manufacturers clear any updates to their vehicles or software with an outside tester.But that was before the feds stepped in last week.In a 114-page guidance , the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) made clear that it thought states should take a backseat to the federal government when it comes to the design and manufacture of automated vehicles.As the feds see it, they're simply continuing to handle things the same way they have for decades: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration oversees automobiles, while state agencies supervise drivers. Self-driving vehicles, in which the automobile acts as both car and driver, arguably present a gray area . But the federal government said states only regulate human drivers.As motor vehicle equipment increasingly performs driving tasks, DOTs exercise of its authority and responsibility to regulate the safety of such equipment will increasingly encompass tasks similar to licensing of the non-human driver (e.g. hardware and software performing part or all of the driving task), the federal agency wrote.State officials generally cheered the guidance.The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, which worked with the DOT in developing the policy, said it provides a consistent and standardized approach to regulating highly automated vehicles while simultaneously honoring the flexibility and autonomy of each individual state.But the new federal guidance could send some states, like California, back to the drawing board.A spokeswoman said the California Department of Motor Vehicles would take into account the federal document, along with feedback from its public hearings and conversations with manufacturers and software makers, as it decides what changes to make to the draft regulations it issued in December.The draft rules in California, where 15 companies are currently testing driverless vehicles, will probably be either substantially reworked or superseded by new legislation, predicted Bryant Walker Smith, a law and engineering professor from the University of South Carolina who writes about autonomous vehicle regulations at newlypossible.org.Other states will also likely take a lighter regulatory approach, said Smith. The federal guidance specifically mentions other areas that states may still regulate, including limiting testing in their jurisdictions; requiring human drivers in semi-autonomous cars to be ready to take over in dangerous situations; and continuing to carry out their traditional duties, such as registering and titling vehicles, inspecting cars and trucks for safety reasons, imposing traffic laws and establishing liability laws.Smith expects industry-friendly states -- such as Florida, Michigan and Texas -- will largely ignore the more restrictive suggestions in the model policy. Texas has no law expressly regulating self-driving cars, Floridas law is already permissive and Michigan lawmakers are currently revisiting their law.In fact, Smith wrote in an email message, these states may market themselves by actively contrasting their more permissive regimes with this model policy. By and large, developers of these systems dont want state DMVs promulgating rules more restrictive than what might be achieved through legislation alone (or no legislation whatsoever).Kirk Steudle, the director of the Michigan Department of Transportation, encouraged legislators in his state to follow the federal governments lead.The [federal] framework relies on the traditional roles of federal and state governments in regulating autos and operators. We have advocated for that in the current debate and the bills in the [Michigan] House stay true to that principle, he said.Developers of autonomous vehicles have said regulations like the proposed California rules were too onerous, and they have tended to reward localities that havent interfered with their testing. Pittsburgh, for example, where Uber decided to launch its first driverless vehicles this fall, imposes few restriction on researchers . Officials, in fact, have encouraged companies to develop their autonomous vehicles there.Underscoring that point, President Obama wrote an op-ed in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette championing the new federal approach and announcing a White House innovation summit in the city. In the op-ed, Obama stressed the potential safety benefits of self-driving vehicles, along with the need for consistent regulations of those cars and trucks.Were also giving guidance to states on how to wisely regulate these new technologies, so that when a self-driving car crosses from Ohio into Pennsylvania, its passengers can be confident that other vehicles will be just as responsibly deployed and just as safe, the president wrote.Regulation can go too far. Government sometimes gets it wrong when it comes to rapidly changing technologies. Thats why this new policy is flexible and designed to evolve with new advances, Obama added.Still, the guidance leaves many questions unanswered.The framework shows the general approach the federal government plans to use when regulating autonomous vehicles, but it doesn't provide all the details -- and those details matter a great deal to other regulators, manufacturers and advocates.Linda Bailey, the executive director of the National Association of City Transportation Officials, said the resulting regulations should be based heavily on urban streets, where people walking, parking, biking and making deliveries create a complex environment for driving.The group contends that semi-autonomous vehicles, such as the Tesla Model S that was driving autonomously in a fatal Florida crash in May, should not be allowed in urban environments. The group also urged the DOT to set a speed limit of 25 mph for autonomous vehicles on city streets.
(TNS) -- It's a familiar and increasingly tragic story in America: On Sept. 16, a black man was shot and killed by a police officer in Tulsa, Okla., under controversial circumstances. Four days later, the same thing happened to another black man in Charlotte, N.C. Charlotte has been on edge ever since the incident and occasionally wracked by protests. Tulsa has been mostly peaceful. There's a reason for the difference.Tulsa officials were reasonably transparent about the incident soon after it happened. Video from a police helicopter was quickly released. The white policewoman who killed the unarmed civilian was indicted for manslaughter when prosecutors said she didn't have a valid reason to shoot him.In Charlotte, however, the case is murkier, and so was the city's response. The victim apparently had a gun although it's unclear whether he pointed it at officers or understood them. And it should be noted that the officer who shot him was black too.But Charlotte officials resisted pleas to show body and dashboard camera video footage of the fatal shooting that could help citizens determine whether it was justified or not. They finally released the videos on Saturday, though the images didn't provide any clearcut evidence one way or another.Ironically, on Saturday a new state law takes effect in North Carolina that makes it harder to obtain those kinds of police videos or recordings. Yet one of the reasons that technology exists is to help settle these disputes. Locking it up for weeks or months will invariably fuel the kind of public mistrust that is dividing Charlotte.Granted, body or dashboard videos aren't the magic solution to these old controversies that some had hoped. The images may be inconclusive or subject to interpretation. Photos of bystanders or children may need to be blurred out. Even if the video provide strong evidence for the police or protesters, it's release could influence a jury pool.But when public officials drag their feet unnecessarily on releasing it, people understandably grow more suspicious about why they're holding it back.Every case is different. But in Texas or any state, the reaction to these controversies should be as much transparency as soon as possible.That may not solve all problems, but it won't make them worse.
The first of three presidential debates Sept. 26 was full of the typical political jabs and deflections, but at least six minutes of the roughly two-hour ordeal fell to discussion of cybersecurity and the 21st-century threats facing the country.

During the debate, the stark differences between Democratic candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate Donald Trump were highlighted in their policies on jobs creation and growth to the need for policing and prison reform and immigration. But perhaps no divide was as glaring as their positions on cyberwarfare and defense.

When asked by NBC moderator and journalist Lester Holt how they would address cybersecurity challenges and the growing international threats online, Clinton pointed to probing aggression on the part of nation states, like Russia, and the need for firm national resolve.

I think cybersecurity, cyberwarfare, will be one of the biggest challenges facing the next president because, clearly, were facing at this point two different kinds of adversaries. There are the independent hacking groups that do it mostly for commercial reasons to try to steal information that they then can use to make money, Clinton asserted. But increasingly, we are seeing cyberattacks coming from states, organs of states. The most recent and troubling of these has been Russia.

In his rebuttal, Trump was reluctant to pin a growing list of online assaults and data thefts to any one nation state, despite reports that support his opponents argument. He instead argued that perpetrators could be anyone, including overweight individuals launching attacks from the comfort of their homes.

As far as the cyber, I agree to parts of what Secretary Clinton said. We should be better than anybody else, and perhaps we are not. I dont think anybody knows it was Russia that broke into the DNC. Shes saying 'Russia, Russia, Russia,' but I dont  maybe it was, Trump countered. I mean, it could be Russia, but it could also be China. It could also be lots of other people. It could also be somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds, OK.

Whatever the case may be, Clinton called for a tougher stance on international cyberattacks and warned that the United States would protect its online assets. Though she made it clear her administration would not look forward to engaging in a different kind of warfare, she said aggression would be met with the necessary force.

We need to make it very clear, whether its Russia, China, Iran or anybody else, the United States has much greater capacity," she said, "and we are not going to sit idly by and permit state actors to go after our information, our private-sector information or our public-sector information."

In his subsequent response, Trump shifted the conversation to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and the need to get very, very tough with ISIS online.

We came in with the Internet, we came up with the Internet, and I think Secretary Clinton and myself would agree very much when you look at what ISIS is doing with the Internet, theyre beating us at our own game. ISIS. So, we have to get very, very tough on cyber and cyberwarfare. It is a huge problem, he said. I have a son, hes 10 years old. He has computers. He is so good with these computers, it's unbelievable. The security aspect of cyber is very, very tough and maybe its hardly doable, but I will say we are not doing the job we should be doing. But thats true throughout our whole governmental society.Trump ultimately offered little in the way of solutions to the problems of recruitment and radicalization in cyberspace. And the former Secretary of State agreed that defeating ISIS would, at least in part, require an online component. But she also added that the effort would require ongoing military action and the continued targeting of the groups leadership.

She also said the greater technology community would be an integral part of the limiting the reach of the extremist group.

I think there are a number of issues we should be addressing. I have put forth a plan to defeat ISIS, it does involve going after them online, Clinton said. I think we need to do much more with our tech companies to prevent ISIS and their operatives from being able to use the Internet to radicalize, even direct, people in our country, in Europe and elsewhere.
Consumer Review Fairness Act, HR5111. Nicknamed the Right to Yelp Act, this would bar companies from including non-disparagement provisions  gag clauses  in agreements they ask consumers to sign. In essence, it would stop companies from trying to nip complaints in the bud by getting consumers to waive their rights to gripe. The Senate version, SB2044, is called the Consumer Review Freedom Act.

Speak Free Act, HR2304. This would create a legal weapon for defendants in lawsuits over their publicly expressed thoughts. Such cases are called SLAPP (strategic lawsuits against public participation). Someone who is hauled into court over their words can invoke the bills anti-SLAPP motion to get the case dismissed quickly  and to force the plaintiff to pay attorneys fees.

(TNS) -- Your stylist botched your haircut; your mechanic missed a leak in your radiator; your hotel room was freezing; your boss piles on the work.You vent your grievances online in a forum like Yelp, TripAdvisor or Glassdoor. Then comes a knock on the door. Youre being sued by the business you slammed.Thats what happened to Linda and Isaac Su of Castro Valley after they complained on Yelp about their dentists billing practices, and to Deidra Carson of Kentfield when she wrote a scathing Yelp review of a cosmetic surgeon who left her with lasting facial scars after a laser peel.The dentist sued us in small claims court, claiming we cost his business $8,000, said Linda Su. I was shocked. It was very stressful as I was nine months pregnant.Now two pending federal laws are designed to protect consumers from legal retaliation when they express opinions online. Yelp is also now acting to red-flag the review sites of merchants who have sued customers for negative reviews.There are bullies out there who seek to silence individuals for speaking out on matters of public interest, said Evan Mascagni, policy director at the Public Participation Project, a free-speech nonprofit. These laws aim to combat that and get these lawsuits dismissed relatively quickly and painlessly.The two pending laws intend to protect free speech both before and after it occurs. They are:California has robust versions of both laws, which means that people sued here for expressing their opinions usually prevail in court. But since theres no similar federal shield, merchants in California who get their noses out of joint can sue customers in federal court  or in one of the 22 states that lack anti-SLAPP laws  where consumers have fewer protections.While the growth in online forums helped the bills gain momentum, their reach extends beyond online speech. We heard cases of people in very poor communities in the rural South speaking out against issues like coal ash dumping in their communities and getting threatened with lawsuits for millions of dollars, Mascagni said.Yelp is among some 40 companies and nonprofits backing the bills, which also have bipartisan support in Congress, where they are expected to move forward this fall.Not everyone agrees that the bills are the best mechanism. Alexander Reinert, a professor at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, testified in the House that the Speak Free Act is unconstitutional, could impose significant barriers to important civil rights and public interest litigation, and intrudes into states rights. There is no evidence that the problem HR2304 is trying to solve actually exists on a scale sufficient to justify any legislation, he said.The act would short-circuit the constitutional right to a jury trial, he said in an interview, by allowing judges to dismiss cases without hearing any evidence. Theres every reason to think that when you give defendants tools to use to get rid of cases, they will use them in as many ways as possible, he said. Almost always that power will bend in favor to people who have access to more resources.Mitchell Langberg, a Los Angeles attorney who specializes in helping people who have been defamed, said both acts would make it easier for disgruntled customers, former employees and competitors to use forums like Yelp in a very terroristic way to attack and destroy, sometimes with dishonest information. At the same time, theyd make it much harder for victims of false reviews to get justice in court, he said.But Yelp and other supporters say the bills serve an important purpose. If they become law, they will give clarity to Yelp reviewers nationwide that they have protections for their fact-based, honest opinions online, said Laurent Crenshaw, director of public policy at Yelp in San Francisco.However, a case that the California Supreme Court just agreed to hear has the potential to create an end-run around laws to protect online free speech, some legal experts said. The case, Hassell vs. Bird, centers around a San Francisco lawyer, Dawn Hassell, who sued a former client, Ava Bird, over one-star Yelp reviews. A San Francisco judge ruled that the reviews were defamatory and ordered Yelp to remove them, in a decision that was upheld by a California appeals court.The case would create a precedent allowing people to remove information they don't like from the Internet by obtaining a default judgment, however questionable, against the poster, and then getting a court order forcing the website itself to remove the statements  all without suing the website or giving it a day in court, said Aaron Schur, Yelp senior director of litigation. This restricts a website's ability to provide a balanced spectrum of views online and decreases the ability for people to get vital information online to inform their decisions. Hassells attorney, Monique Olivier, disagreed, saying that the case only narrowly applied to content ruled to be defamatory.It will probably take at least a year for the California Supreme Court to rule in that case.Meanwhile, Yelp is taking new steps to fight back against companies that sue its users, flagging their review sites with a red box headlined Consumer Alert: Questionable Legal Threats, with text explaining, This business may be trying to abuse the legal system in an effort to stifle free speech.So far it has a tagged a handful of businesses, none of them in California.Were trying to alert consumers to the fact that these businesses have taken extraordinary legal steps against consumers who have written critical reviews against them on Yelp, Schur said. We want businesses to know its not risk-free for them to file a case; they will have to contend with consumers knowing that they are suing.However, Yelp doesnt take actions on behalf of reviewers who get sued but instead directs them to a list of resources. Were not trying to take sides beween a review and a business, Schur said. Were happy to point consumers toward resources for legal assistance.Linda Su said she was disappointed that Yelp didnt offer more help. She and her husband took time off to appear in small claims court in August, where a judge dismissed the dentists case because of a mistake in his paperwork.San Franciscos Electronic Frontier Foundation, which promotes online free speech, said it receives queries at least weekly from consumers being sued over online reviews, usually on Yelp and sometimes on Glassdoor, a site where employees rate their workplaces, said staff attorney Sophia Cope. The EFF does not take individual cases, however.We need a federal law that applies in all states, Cope said.For Kentfields Carson, Californias anti-SLAPP law proved a potent defense.After a laser peel left her with an infection and permanent facial scars, Carson took to Yelp to recount her experience. Her plastic surgeon sued her for $2 million.I just posted what happens, this was my experience, what occurred, my treatment, Carson said. I wanted people to know what had happened.She was among a dozen Yelp reviewers sued by the plastic surgeon, but the others had posted anonymously. Carson was the only one who got taken to court, where she prevailed, thanks to Californias anti-SLAPP laws. The doctor had to pay Carsons legal fees and pony up an extra $2,000 to her lawyer for the public interest benefit of the case.As a business owner herself, Carson has been on both sides of Yelp reviews, occasionally receiving negative ones for her San Anselmo clothing boutique. I usually just ignore them; my feelings dont get hurt over stuff like that, she said. People read all the reviews so they can get a well-rounded view of things.As for her plastic-surgeon experience, Nothing I wrote was factually inaccurate, Carson said. I dont regret it.However, shes stopped leaving reviews on Yelp.
COLUMBUS  Jeff Sohls heart is almost as big as his four Great Danes.

The large dogs can be a strange, perhaps intimidating, sight as they ride in the local man's vehicle with their heads sticking out the windows. But there's no reason to fear these nearly 200-pound gentle giants.

Sitting two heads to a window, Sohl knows the slobbering dogs get the attention of onlookers as he travels around town.

They all get along so well and just love everyone, he said. They wouldnt harm a hair on anybodys head.

Sohl said he can roll up to any stoplight or parking lot in his little maroon Kia Spectra hatchback and automatically become the life of the party. At least his dogs can anyway.

Everyone wants to know his story. Who is he? Where did he get all these dogs? Why are they always with him?

The explanation, he said, is pretty simple. The animals are family.

Sohl admits he might not have an exciting life, but hes got all he needs in his furry clan.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he uttered the words, Theyre not like humans, they love you unconditionally, pointing to their big heads poking out the car window, awaiting his return. I know they love me, I just know they do.

Sohl doesnt have a fancy car, big house or any children, but there are four dogs his life revolves around  Tonka, 6, Meeka, 8, Moofie, 5, and Molly, 7.

Their personalities are loud and clear. Molly is the timid one, Tonka is as gentle as a pussy cat, Moofie is the goofy one who always looks guilty and Meeka is the protector.

Anywhere Sohl goes, they go.

Through the years hes never had to pay for any of the dogs, they sort of just fell into his lap or he rescued them from questionable situations.

I didnt go out looking to have four Great Danes, Sohl explained.

But one by one they began to show up, crawling their way into his heart.

One was given to him a few years back in exchange for an antique desk. He needed her to keep his ailing Great Dane company, the late Big Girl as he called her, who now sits in an urn on a mantle at his home.

I never knew it was possible to love another dog the way I loved her, he said with tears in his eyes.

From there his four-legged posse began to grow. One was chained up outside day after day at a house he drove by often, then Sohl offered to take the dog off the owner's hands. Another was given to him after its owner moved into a long-term care facility.

And as they say, the rest is history.

I dont know what Id do without them, I really dont, the Army Reserve veteran said.

Some might view Sohl as a man who lives alone and may be lonely, but he says that's far from the case.

Sohl gained the nickname paper boy as he has been delivering newspapers for over a decade now, saying his dogs have as many miles along the routes as his vehicle.

Because, simply put, They go wherever I go.

Every morning, six days a week, when they hear those keys jingle they know to line up and get ready to help their owner deliver papers.

Theyre worse than kids, Sohl joked. I cant do anything without them.

And just like babies, they dont know any special tricks, which is usually the first question strangers ask him.

I just dont want to treat them that way. Im the boss, they know that, but Im their buddy, their brother, he said.

One might say these dogs live a better life than some people, as they even have their own couch in Sohls country home with plenty of yard to roam.

Sohl said the most common comments he hears from passersby are that he needs a bigger car and the dogs probably eat him out of house and home, followed by asking if theyre cows or horses and if they can pet the animals.

I cant go anywhere without someone wanting to pet them, he said.

Driving around in his mobile zoo is worth the smiles he gets, he said. Sometimes, he loads the dogs into his car and drives around just to see peoples reactions.

I could have my own show, Im telling ya. Like 'Duck Dynasty,' they make everyone happy, happy, happy, he said, quoting one of the shows famous phrases. I love seeing people smile and thats what they do, they make people smile.
F1 legend Gerhard Berger has backed the sale of the sport's commercial rights to American mogul John Malone's Liberty Media.

Liberty is buying F1 after ten years of controversial majority ownership by CVC, a mainly disengaged and profit-driven private equity group.

"I'm glad that something is happening, because the structures have been bogged down for years," Berger, a former driver and official, told Austrian broadcaster Servus TV.

"I see the new arrangement as holding more opportunity than risk, which is why I think the sale is good for formula one," he added.

Berger also said it is good that Liberty Media is American.

"The new owner is typically American," he explained, "which means (they are) straightforward. So there will be no more endless discussion.

"This is a very different approach than we saw before," said Berger.

"This is certainly also an opportunity for formula one to establish itself in America, which is a huge market. Liberty are also quite big media specialists, from which formula one can learn and benefit from a lot.

"I believe these guys are very customer oriented," Berger continued, "which is good for the fans of today and tomorrow."

However, the early signs of the Liberty deal are that Malone, and particularly new chairman Chase Carey, could clash with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

Berger hopes they find a "constructive dialogue".

"I hope this does not degenerate into a power struggle, because formula one will suffer the most from that.

"Instead, it would be desirable for the new and the old leaders to find a way and for Ecclestone to share his knowledge and network," he said.

(GMM)
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Did KCR Walk Out Of Meeting With Naidu?

Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has mastered the art of making tall claims and defending them later to suit his needs.

The other day, Naidu attended the meeting of Apex Council on river water sharing between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, convened by Union water resources minister Uma Bharati in New Delhi. From Telangana side, chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao attended the meeting.

The initial information from Delhi was that KCR had successfully demolished the argument of Naidu on the construction of Palamuru-Ranga Reddy and Dindi lift irrigation projects on Krishna river by producing relevant GOs and presenting a video-clipping of the public meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in support of the projects. There were reports that Naidu was forced to agree for the projects and as a result, his own cabinet colleagues expressed displeasure.

But on Wednesday, Naidu sought to project a different picture. He told his cabinet colleagues that the official of the Water Resources Ministry had in fact agreed with the AP argument on the Telangana irrigation projects and told KCR categorically that the GOs were infructuous as the projects had no permission at all.

KCR got pissed off and got up to walk out of the meeting. I took the initiative and pacified him, stating that the issue could be resolved through negotiations. He respected my seniority and returned to his seat, Naidu told them.

He made it clear that sometimes, give-and-take attitude has to be displayed by seniors and it would definitely resolve the issues.
The University of North Carolina was once a bastion of segregation. Today, the school takes account of race to make up for that history and to increase the number of Black students and other underrepresented minorities on campus. Its affirmative action program, using race among many factors to build a diverse student body, is similar to plans in place at other selective public and private institutions. But a Supreme Court that's twice blessed race-conscious college admissions programs in the past 19 years now seems poised to restrict their use or outlaw them altogether. The court is hearing two such cases on Monday, involving UNC and Harvard. They're the nations oldest public and private universities, respectively.
Guilford Child Development and After Gateway are participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded Child and Adult Care Food Program. Meals will be available at no separate charge to enrolled participants. Children who are TANF or who are members of SNAP or FDPIR households or are Head Start participants are automatically eligible to receive free meal benefits.
House Bill 2 continues to take a hit.

A majority of North Carolina residents say the law isnt necessary and shouldnt be enforced because of its economic impact to the state, according to a High Point University/News & Record poll released Tuesday.

The poll looked at how likely voters in North Carolina feel about several major issues that are at the forefront of this years elections, including HB 2 as well as the states mandate that voters show photo identification at the polls.

House Bill 2 has been divisive since the bill was enacted by the General Assembly in March. It includes a provision that requires people to use public bathrooms that correspond to the gender recorded on their birth certificate and limits anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people.

To that end, the poll asked likely voters if they believe the law is necessary or not necessary to protect public safety and privacy.

A majority  58 percent  believe the law is not necessary while 39 percent said it is necessary.

The poll also asked voters what kind of economic impact they think HB 2 has had on the state. A solid majority  61 percent  said the bill has led to a large economic impact. Only 28 percent didnt think the impact was that significant.

The reason for the disparity has played out over several months. Entertainers such as Bruce Springsteen have canceled concerts, the NBA has moved its All-Star Game out of Charlotte and the NCAA has pulled events, including early round mens basketball playoffs in Greensboro.

In many respects, the states voter identification law has been as polarizing as HB 2.

In July, a federal appeals court struck it down, saying its provisions deliberately target African Americans with almost surgical precision in an effort to keep them from voting.

But most polled didnt side with the court.

A majority, 67 percent, say they believe voters should be required to show photo identification before they are allowed to vote. Just 30 percent didnt think identification is necessary.

High Point University polled 404 likely voters from Sept. 17 to Sept. 22 by telephone. The poll results may vary by plus or minus 4.9 percentage points, which can be a key factor in close results.
Police in El Cajon, Calif., about 15 miles northeast of San Diego, fatally shot a black man outside Los Ponchos Mexican restaurant in a strip mall after responding to a call Tuesday afternoon that he was acting in an "erratic" manner.

In a press release, El Cajon police said the man, who remained unnamed, pulled an unidentified object, which was not a firearm, from his pants pocket and assumed "what appeared to be a shooting stance." At this point, officers fired on the man. He has "passed away as a result of his injuries."

Police released a frame grab from a video of the scene that appears to show the man with arms thrust forward and hands clasped together as two officers confront him with weapons drawn.

The victim's name has not been released.

A crowd gathered in the parking lot to protest the shooting, which follows fatal shootings this month of black men by police in Tulsa and Charlotte.

In a press release and press conference, El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis said police received calls just after 2 p.m. Pacific time concerning a man acting "erratically." His behavior involved walking into traffic.

When two officers - neither of them named by police - approached the man, who wore a black tank top and blue jeans, the man refused to comply with orders from police to remove his hands from his pocket.

At this point one of the officers drew a his firearm, while the other drew a "less lethal electronic control device."

The man "rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together and extended them rapidly toward the officer taking up what appeared to be a shooting stance," police said. While the object remains unidentified, Davis said it was not a firearm.

At this point, both officers fired their weapons simultaneously. It is unclear if the discharge from the electronic control device struck the man.

He was shot several times by the officer with the firearm, police say.

The officers have been placed on three-day administrative leave.

A Los Ponchos employee reportedly caught the shooting on a cellphone video, which the worker turned over to police.

The department has released a still from the video, which shows the victim in a "shooting stance."

Family members of the victim told The San Diego Union-Tribune that the victim suffered from mental illness.

A video of the immediate aftermath of the shooting was uploaded to Facebook Live by Rumbie Mubaiwa. The footage shows a woman, reportedly the sister of the victim, wailing uncontrollably and repeating the phrase, "You just killed my brother," "They killed my brother," and "You guys just killed my brother in front of me."

"I called you to help me, but you killed my brother," the sister said.

"They didn't even tell her if his brother was still alive," Mubaiwa said on the video.

In a recorded interview with KNSD, Michael Rodriguez, who claimed to be 15 to 20 feet away from the shooting, said, "I see a black male coming out with his hands up."

According to Rodriguez, three officers approached the black male. When the man attempted to run, Rodriguez said they fired five shots into his torso.

But the victim's sister told KNSD that her brother wasn't showing his hands to police and wasn't complying with the police's orders.

In May, the El Cajon police department announced it would be outfitting its officers with body cameras, but this program has not yet been implemented.

In a tweet, El Cajon police said the video "based on the video voluntarily provided by a witness, the subject did NOT have his hands in the air."

Witnesses originally reported that police confiscated cellphones from those in the area, which prompted the San Diego ACLU to release a statement which read, in part:

" by seizing phones, police would likely be preventing the dissemination of video captured by bystanders. The public has the right to film police in public places, and police officers may not confiscate or demand to view your digital photos or video without a warrant. Under no circumstances may police officers delete your photos or videos."

Police denied the claims in a tweet and later in a press conference, tweeting:

"We ask that the community please be careful about reacting to inaccurate information. No phones were confiscated from anyone at the scene."

A crowd began gathering in the parking lot of the restaurant on Tuesday afternoon and remained there later in the evening.

Video taken at the scene shows protesters chanting "black lives matter" and "hands up, don't shoot."

At some point in the evening, the crowd formed a prayer circle.

calif-shooting

Washington Post News Service (DC)

9/28/2016 6:00:28 AM Central Daylight Time
Connecticut could find itself a late arrival to the legalization party.

With more states looking at allowing marijuana for recreational use, some local experts are concerned that Connecticut will miss out on one of the fastest-growing industries in the country.

Vermont, Massachusetts and Rhode Island are moving closer to legalizing marijuana use without a doctors prescription, and the industry topped $5 billion last year. Bringing the cannabis trade out of the shadows has resulted in the creation of thousands of jobs and added billions of dollars into state and federal coffers.

Within the past 60 days, the state of Colorado has collected more taxes from marijuana sales than from alcohol, said Ed Keating, the co-founder of Cannabiz Media, a Killingworth-based company that provides data and research to the industry. As a state, I believe we should take a hard look at that. From an economic standpoint, its very hard to ignore. And if more states around us legalize, the decision may very well be decided for us.

Colorado, the first state to adopt legalized adult use, earns nearly $14 million a month in taxes from marijuana sales, according to a study by ArcView Market Research in California.

The strong growth in demand for legal cannabis over the past two years is expected to continue in the years ahead, states the executive summary of the report. With nearly a dozen states debating changes to their cannabis laws in the coming year, 2016 will be the tipping point in which a majority of U.S. states transition from cannabis prohibition to some form of regulated legal markets.

Within the next week, state senators in Vermont are expected to vote on legislation that would legalize recreational use there. Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin has indicated his support for the legislation moving forward. Proposals are moving forward in other New England states this year, including Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Economic impact

As Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloys administration has repeatedly rejected calls for the legalization of marijuana for adult use, several lawmakers continue to pursue the legislation. State Rep. Juan Candelaria, D-New Haven, said he hopes to get a public hearing this year on legislation to legalize marijuana, adding he believes full legalization in Connecticut could result in as much as $55 million in additional tax revenue in the first year of the program.

We need to listen to our constituents and, at the very least, have the conversation, he said. The economic impact of this new industry could be very significant to our state. It could help close the holes in our state budget while also having a positive impact on the states workforce.

According to Keating, the producers and dispensers already operating under Connecticuts medicinal marijuana program employ about 225 people, but that doesnt include the many other businesses in the state that also support the industry.

Joseph Palmieri, founder of Bridgeport-based Envirogrow, which makes equipment for growing marijuana indoors, said he plans to add to his staff of eight to keep up with orders. With sales in the millions of dollars, Palmieri said the company is averaging about 20 to 30 percent revenue growth each month.

Being an entrepreneur, I support full legalization, he said. It will put people back to work with high-paying jobs that you can use to support a family and build a life around. It would create literally thousands of jobs in Connecticut, and right now jobs is just about the only thing that we are exporting out of the state.

Opiate alternative

Palmieri, who has an office in Colorado, has received orders from marijuana producers as far away as Australia and Guam in recent weeks.

Legalizing marijuana in Connecticut for recreational purposes would turn the states economy around, he said. If not, we are going to miss the boat and lose out on this market.

Angela DAmico, of Trumbull, co-owner of the Compassionate Care Center in Bethel, said in addition to staffers who are licensed to work with medical marijuana, the dispensary employs a nutritionist, a yoga instructor and other professionals.

We are also looking in the near future to bring a counselor on board, she said, noting the majority of the dispensarys clients suffer from chronic pain associated with nerve damage. Many people with spinal cord injuries can become addicted to opiates. It can take as little as two to three weeks to become addicted. What we are offering is a wellness center with an alternative to that.

But not everyone agrees legalization would be good for the state. There are social costs, including the potential for lost worker productivity and other issues that need to be considered, according to state Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton.

The costs that are involved in legalizing an illicit drug far outweigh any potential tax benefit, said Boucher, who has long opposed legalization proposals. The increased costs for drug treatment centers, additional law enforcement, lost productivity, not to mention the misery it would cause parents and teachers in the states school systems, would outweigh any of the potential benefits.

Local economist Nick Perna said, with a multiplier effect, the impact to the states economy from legalizing recreational marijuana sales could be significant, but the social costs will need to be analyzed.

There have been lots of studies on the lost productivity due to alcohol, but Ive yet to see any studies on pot, he said. There is also the issue of how it will be regulated. I assume that the location of dispensaries would be regulated much like package stores. As a business, would I be happy to have a pot shop open next door, or would I be disturbed by it? I guess you could always open up a cafe next door and call it The Munchies.
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Even if you eat Chobani yogurt, drink Starbucks coffee, wear Warby Parker glasses and check Facebook regularly, you may not have noticed the one trait that all of these products and services share.

None of them found their way to mass audiences through traditional advertising, entrepreneur and author Seth Godin said on Tuesday during a talk at New York Advertising Week. Put another way, they werent created with the average persons wants and needs in mind.

When we think about great brands of the last 15 years, none of them were built for normal people, Godin said.

Related: Seth Godin on the Practical Way to Pursue Your Passion (It Does Exist)

Godin encourages businesses and marketers to embrace the rise of weirdness, or the decline of the mass audience, and he cautions against the mentality that has prevailed for more than half a century. That is, the pressure to develop average products in hopes of reaching the maximum number of average consumers.

The idea that you need to dumb, dumb, dumb it down so you can reach everyone is exactly the opposite of what it means to lead, Godin said. For the first time in the history of industry at scale, we can treat different people differently. Yet we refuse to do so, partly because of the creative arrogance of the ad business that says we have the right thing, the one thing, here it is, for everyone.

It may seem like Starbucks, Facebook and the other brands mentioned above are mainstream. But when they debuted, they had niche -- not mass -- appeal. Consider 20th-century TV commercials for sugary breakfast cereals. Then consider how foreign Greek yogurt seemed to most American consumers a decade ago, and try to remember how it became so popular without billing itself as the preferred option.

If you give people a choice, theyll take a choice, Godin said. There are now more weird people than normal people. Because the weird people are choosing to be weird. Theyre on the edges because they want to be.

Reaching a particular audience takes more than targeted marketing, though. People are afraid to pitch ideas or build companies based on niche ideas. To get more attention and make more sales, they take the safe route and go with an idea thats been proven effective and lucrative.

Related: Seth Godin: 'The Person Who Fails the Most Wins'

In 2012, Godin published The Icarus Deception: How High Will You Fly?, and he continues to share his thoughts about the balance between flying too high, or risking a too-far-out-there idea, and flying too low, or failing to make anything new. Because flying low wins out so often, he explains, people falsely believe they lack creativity. They become passive and lose sight of what truly matters.

"The cost of being wrong is tiny," Godin said. "It just takes guts."

Related:



Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Still cant use it in most of Brooklyn. Photo: UberEATS

If youre in Europe or the Middle East and short on decent delivery options, UberEats may be stepping in to save the day. Ubers food-delivery service, which has been expanding aggressively in recent months, is already in 27 U.S. cities plus another 6 globally, but Reuters reports today that the app is going to pop up in at least 22 more countries, which brings the total to more than one-third of the number that have ride sharing. Service starts Thursday in Amsterdam, and the company says it will also add Dubai, Johannesburg, and six other cities by the end of the year.

A spokesperson tells Reuters theyre doing this because they feel incredibly confident that UberEats is resonating across the footprint of the cities in which Uber operates. That may be true  its doing well enough in New York  but another spot where it might start resonating soon is in the courtroom. The food-delivery sides market entry in particular hasnt been without controversy: Riders in London have protested that their pay, which they say started fairly high (20 an hour), quickly fell below the citys living-wage threshold of 9.40. And in New York City, bike couriers are petitioning Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to see if UberEats independent-contractor model is even legal (riders get no safety training and arent entitled to workers comp or even minimum wage). The company describes its expansion plans as aggressive, and Reuters notes it posted beaucoups of new UberEats jobs, so surely someone in the group is bound to understand local labor laws.


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Earlier today we brought you news that the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow update for the OnePlus X was almost ready for primetime, and it would land next week. Well, the Chinese company has decided to best that promise (if not by much) and has released the over-the-air update today.

As usual with OnePlus OTA rollouts however, it will take several weeks for all devices to receive the notification, it being an incremental distribution and all. The good news is that it's finally on the way, almost one full year after Google made Marshmallow official.

The new Android build arrives as part of OxygenOS 3.1.2, which you can update to directly if your OnePlus X is currently running versions 2.2.3, 3.1.0, or 3.1.1. Aside from the new Android base, this release also has new icon packs for the launcher, Google search bar UI customization, a new design for the wallpaper picker, and new settings for the Alert Slider. In Shelf, you can long press boards to rearrange or remove, and two new built-in apps will show up - OnePlus Music Player and OnePlus Gallery.

As you'd expect, some unnamed bug fixes and general system performance improvements have been baked in too, alongside the October security patches. There is even a known issue to keep in mind: for the Facebook and Facebook Messenger apps, you need to go and manually grant them permission to access storage, or they will crash while using the phone's camera.

Source
Samsung marks the first anniversary of launching Pay in the US by updating the Android app with the feature to search for coupons. The in-app coupon search is backed by Coupons.com meaning that users of the service easily sync loyalty cards and existing coupons with Samsung Pay.

However, there's another new feature that'll be more appreciated when you change your devices. The latest Samsung Pay update bakes in cloud sync allowing for the automatic transfer of membership, gift and reward cards on new devices.

To celebrate the Samsung Pay birthday, the company is giving away 365 Gear S2 smartwatches to those who post on Twitter an emoji-filed birthday message for the app.

Source | Via
Introduction

Sony's latest flagship, the Xperia Z6 comes with refined design, improved camera, and a due update in specs. Wait, back up a little there - it's actually called the Xperia XZ this time around but, yeah, the rest of that is true.

When Sony announced the new X-series, some suggested that the Xperia X Performance was meant to take on the likes of the Galaxy S7's and HTC 10's, but we knew that couldn't be the case. Okay, 'suspected' might be more accurate there. Obviously, now we all know that the Xperia XZ is Sony's top-dog for this season, and the Z in its name quickly reveals its ancestry.

Indeed, the XZ has a lot in common with the Z5. The display, for one, is the same size and resolution as the last generation - not necessarily a bad thing, but the XZ also comes with 3GB of RAM - modern-day flagships will crack a condescending smile seeing that in the spec sheet.

No one will laugh at the rest of it, though - top-of-the-line Snapdragon 820 chipset, 23MP camera with a trio of focusing technologies and 4K video recording (one could think the Z is required for that, had it not been for the M5), high-res 13MP front camera, Type-C connectivity, fingerprint reader, IP68 rating, stereo speakers - name one thing missing.

Sony Xperia XZ key features

5.2" 1,080 x 1,920px LCD display with 424ppi, X-Reality for Mobile, Triluminos technology; Gorilla Glass

Android OS v6.0 Marshmallow with Xperia launcher

Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset: quad-core Kryo CPU (2x2.15GHz +2x1.6GHz); Adreno 530 GPU; 3GB RAM

23MP Sony IMX300 camera, 24mm-equiv. f/2.0 lens, predictive hybrid laser/phase detection/contrast AF, IR sensor for white balance selection, SteadyShot, LED flash, dedicated hardware shutter key; 4K video recording

13 MP front-facing camera with 1080p@30fps video

32GB/64GB of built-in storage and a microSD card slot

Single and dual-SIM models (DualSIM has a hybrid slot shared with the microSD card)

LTE Cat.9 (450/50 Mbps); Dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac; GPS/GLONASS/Beidou, Bluetooth v4.2

Active noise cancellation with a dedicated mic; 24-bit/192kHz Hi-Res audio

2,900mAh non-removable battery, QuickCharge 3.0 support, Qnovo adaptive charging, Battery Care smart charging

IP68 rating for dust- and water-proofing

Fingerprint sensor (market dependent), stereo speakers, USB Type-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack

Main shortcomings

3GB of RAM when the competition has almost entirely switched to 4GB or 6GB

FullHD screen resolution not flagship-grade

Fingerprint recognition not available in the US

We're yet to see tangible proof that the RAM race leads to actual usability benefits, but if people were to reason that way, the industry would sit still. It would have been great though, if Sony could have gone with 4GB just to keep up with the times and avoid having reviewers write this paragraph and make them look bad. The extra 1GB can't cost that much, right?

The second count Sony might end up countering with a sequel to the UltraHD Xperia Z5 Premium - 1080p for the mainstream flagship, 2160p for that supposed Premium, and no 1440p at all. Makes sense.



Sony Xperia XZ press images

Finally, once again, Americans are denied fingerprint recognition. The hardware is there, apparently the paperwork isn't, so Sony can't offer the feature on the US market. We do have it on our international version review unit, and we'll test it for the rest of you to know, but not before we take a look at the hardware on the following page.
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By William Schwartz | Published on 2016/09/27

Jeong-seok's dinner of choice has been getting incrementally more social. The nuances are a bit hard to explain but that food he's eating at the beginning this episode is generally intended to be eaten by multiple people, and we can see this reflected in the environs of the restaurant, which is very crowded and loud. Headphones or not Jeong-seok is out of his milleu. This is all a very effective symbolic representation of his warming up to Ha-na.

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As usual the actual romance part of this romantic plotline is stymied by how ridiculously passive both Jeong-seok and Ha-na are to each other. It was actually a little heartbreaking to see Ha-na turn down Myeong flat. I mean sheesh, what's so terrible about a boyfriend who's attentive to your needs? Ha-na in general manages to come off as surprisingly shallow, since in contrast to Myeong's sparkling personality, all Jeong-seok really has is a successful career that, in addition to Ha-na's, would be put at risk if they ever actually started dating.

But the real plotline of interest this episode involves Chae-yeon (played by Jung Chae-yeon). She's the token girl among the students, who's not really friends with any of them. Actually, Chae-yeon doesn't seem to have any friends at all, which is especially interesting because we've seen Chae-yeon turn her nose up at anyone trying to get to know her better. Why? Because in Chae-yeon's mind, the exams and getting a job are what's important above all else.

Ignoring the obvious parallelism of contrasting dysfunctional teachers with dysfunctional students, I find it's also instructive to contrast them as "people who have jobs" with "people who want jobs". It's fairly deliciously ironic that, just as Chae-yeon is harassed for being an attractive woman, a cut-out of Jin-i hovers in the background. In a sense, Chae-yeon's conflict is that she is being forced, against her will, to advertise sex appeal. While Jin-i did not invent the concept of marketing through sex, she is kind of a bad role model in terms of promoting actual adult behavior.

Even as the issues stalking Chae-yeon are ultimately resolved by the end of the episode, Chae-yeon and several other characters as well are inevitably depressed by how everything managed to work out. So how to solve that emotional problem? Why, alcohol of course, drunk alone because there's no one nearby to commiserate with in grief. Predictable as that punchline may be by this point, even now it's still fairly emotionally affecting.

Review by William Schwartz

"Drinking Alone" is directed by Choi Gyoo-sik and Jeong Hyeong-geon, written by Baek Seon-woo, Choi Bo-rim and Myeong Soo-hyeon, and features Ha Seok-jin, Hwang Woo-seul-hye, Park Ha-sun, Min Jin-woong, Kim Won-hae, Gong Myung and Key.
Published on 2016/09/27 | Source

Actor Lee Jong-suk took over Japanese fans at his fan meeting.

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The actor held his fan meeting Lee Jong-suk FAN MEETING VARIETY at ZEPP NAMBA in Osaka and TOYOSU PIT in Tokyo on the 25th and 27th.

His fans filled the indoor location with cheers and passion. They stood in line since early in the morning to get a good position to see the heartthrob from.

The fan meeting was divided into part one and two. He appeared in an all black suit and white shirt, resembling Kang Cheol from the drama "W".

Those fans in the second floor brought binoculars with them to see him more clearly.

Lee ended the fan meeting with a ballad song but in response to his fans' demands for an encore song, his ears turned red in embarrassment and sat on the floor.

After the fan meeting, Lee Jong-suk met eyes with 1,500 or so fans and high fived them. Fans were thrilled to be able to see this stunning actor up close and personal.

Amongst the fans were elderly people with white hair. There were fans who were overwhelmed and started crying and a fan even came out to see him in a wheelchair. Lee Jong-suk went down the stage to greet this fan personally.

This 8 year old girl and her mother said they were both fans of Lee Jong-suk.

A whole family and their friends came to see the actor live too.

Some fans came out in traditional Kimonos to stand out.

Lee Jong-suk's popularity in Japan is outstanding and his recent drama "W" is a big hit even though it hasn't been released in Japan yet.

Lee Jong-suk's fan meeting was a success as about 8,000 fans came around to see him in total.

He is crossing over to Thailand on the 21st of October to meet with Thai fans and from October onwards he's going to get down to business with the movie "V.I.P".
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Published on 2016/09/28 | Source

Added episode 11 captures for the Korean drama "Moonlight Drawn by Clouds" (2016)

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Directed by Baek Sang-hoon, Kim Seong-yoon

Written by Kim Min-jeong-II, Lim Ye-jin

Network : KBS

With Park Bo-gum, Kim Yoo-jung, Chae Soo-bin, Jin Young, Kwak Dong-yeon, Kim Seung-soo,...

18 episodes - Mon, Tue 22:00

Synopsis

'Moonlight Drawn by Clouds' is a palace romance inspired by the genius Crown Prince Hyomyeong in the later era of Joseon, who loved etiquette and music. The drama will tell the coming-of-age story of youthful romance in Joseon era which was unwritten in the history.

Broadcast starting date in Korea : 2016/08/22

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City Negligent - Again - On Hanauma Bay

News Release from Djou Campaign September 26, 2016

Honolulu, HI - Mayoral Candidate Charles Djou reacted to the litigation threat by the Friends of Hanauma Bay against the City.

"Hanauma Bay is not just a beautiful Hawaiian beach, it is one of the most precious natural preserves in the world. That's why it is so disappointing to learn that the City is failing to properly administer the bay," stated Djou. "As a City Councilmember I pushed through an audit of the Hanauma Bay fund. I am saddened to see the City failing to follow through on the audit recommendations and court orders. The time has come to look at a public-private partnership to take over and manage Hanauma Bay. The neglect of Hanauma Bay by the administration is more than typical bad management, it hurts one of the most amazing natural resources on our planet."

On September 23, the Friends of Hanauma Bay (FOHB) sent a letter to Mayor Kirk Caldwell demanding that the City comply with the law on managing the Hanauma Bay fund. FOHB had previously sued the City to force it into compliance with proper fiscal management. FOHB is now threatening to sue the City again if the Caldwell administration continues its refusal to obey the court-order. FOHB is also proposing the establishment of a public-private partnership to manage Hanauma Bay, a concept Djou advocated as a City Councilmember and continues to support today as a candidate for mayor.

Charles Djou is running for Mayor of Honolulu. He represented Hawaii's 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House and previously served on the Honolulu City Council and Hawaii State House. Djou is an Army Reservist and Afghanistan war veteran. He is married to Stacey Kawasaki Djou and together they have three children.

###

PDF: Letter from Friends of Haunama Bay
State Senator Gil Riviere Endorses Djou for Mayor

News Release from www.Djou.com

Honolulu, HI - Mayoral Candidate Charles Djou welcomed the endorsement of State Senator Gil Riviere (D-North Shore, Windward Oahu).

"Sen. Riviere is one of the strongest voices in our community for conservation and protection of our island's beautiful natural resources," stated Djou. "I am honored to earn Sen. Riviere's backing in our campaign for mayor to restore fiscal responsibility at City Hall. Our campaign is excited at our growing broad bi-partisan coalition of supporters from all across Oahu."

"I am supporting Charles Djou for Mayor because I dont think we can afford another four years of Kirk Caldwell. I know everyone is exhausted on the dilemma called rail, but voters should not forget how quickly the rail project spun out of control. Four years ago, Kirk Caldwell promised to build rail better; to build it on time and on budget. Less than two years ago, he still claimed the project was on budget. And then it wasnt," commented Sen. Riviere. "I am looking forward to working with Charles as mayor because I think he will be more responsive to issues that are important to people in all parts of the island, and he will surely have better working relations with the City Council."

Sen. Riviere joins multiple leading Democrats including City Councilmembers Ernie Martin, Ann Kobayashi and Trevor Ozawa, as well as former Governor Ben Cayetano and former Democratic Party Chair and retired Federal Judge Walter Heen, in endorsing Djou for mayor of Honolulu. Sen. Riviere represents the 23rd District in the Hawaii State Senate and previously served in the Hawaii State House; Sen. Riviere has built a reputation as a strong advocate for agriculture and protection of rural lands on Oahu's North and Windward Shores.

---30---

Charles Djou is running for Mayor of Honolulu. He represented Hawaii's 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House and previously served on the Honolulu City Council and Hawaii State House. Djou is an Army Reservist and Afghanistan war veteran. He is married to Stacey Kawasaki Djou and together they have three children.
Healthcare Inspection

Summarization of Select Aspects of the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System Honolulu, Hawaii

From Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Report No. 15-04655-347

September 22, 2016

The VA Office of Inspector General Office of Healthcare Inspections conducted a review of the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System (VAPIHCS), Honolulu, Hawaii. The purpose of the review was to collect and summarize supplementary data in support of a Combined Assessment Program review completed in August 2015 (1) and to respond to letters sent by Senator Mazie K. Hirono expressing concerns about access to care, travel benefits, cultural diversity, homeless services, and mental health care. We also reviewed the Veterans Health Administrations 6-point plan to address capacity and access to care within VAPIHCS primary care clinics.

VAPIHCS provides medical and mental health care across the Hawaiian Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and Saipan. In addition to the logistical challenges of coordinating care spanning multiple islands and thousands of miles, leadership and staff consistently reported difficulty in recruiting and retaining qualified employees due to the cost of living, distance, and isolation of island life. Further, VAPIHCS staff reported the lack of adequate space at almost all locations to manage the volume of patients seeking care.

We found that VAPIHCS has many of the same administrative and clinician availability issues found across the VA system for non-VA care. At VAPIHCS, these challenges are compounded by a shortage of VA-based providers and enrolled non-VA providers, the complexity of island logistics, and the diversity of the population served. VAPIHCS was in the process of hiring and embedding additional non-VA care staff at the community based outpatient clinics to enhance the timeliness and management of non-VA care.

VAPIHCS Beneficiary Travel Program expenditures are substantial due to the logistics of providing care for patients across multiple islands. VAPIHCS acknowledged a delay in processing travel benefit claims, but staff were expected to resolve the backlog by January 2016. As of August 2016, all but 21 of the unprocessed claims had been resolved.

We found that while there may be occasions when a providers management of a situation could potentially lack cultural sensitivity and competence, interviewees did not report that this was a wide-spread problem. We also found that VAPIHCS:

Offers a comprehensive array of programs and services across the islands for homeless veterans. 

Offers a variety of general and specialty mental health services across the islands that, despite staffing challenges, meet mental health access metrics. 

Has improved staffing in the Suicide Prevention Program in the past year to address past deficiencies and expand its outreach efforts.

In February 2014, VAPIHCS had one of the largest wait lists VA-wide for patients wanting primary care appointments. VAPIHCS implemented a 6-point plan to increase primary care panel sizes, extend clinic hours, increase primary care staffing at the community based outpatient clinics, contact and schedule appointments for wait-listed veterans, and educate veterans on the importance of keeping their appointments or calling to cancel prior to the scheduled time.

In August 2015, VAPIHCS had substantially improved access to care from 77.57 percent appointments completed within 30 days of the preferred date in FY 2014 to a 95.18 percent completion rate within 30 days for new patients awaiting primary care appointments.

We made one recommendation.

Comments

The Veterans Integrated Service Network and System Directors concurred with our recommendation and provided an acceptable action plan. (See Appendixes A and B, pages 2022 for the Directors comments.) We will follow up on the planned actions.

read  FULL REPORT

1) VAOIG, Combined Assessment Program Review of the Pacific Islands Health Care System, Honolulu, Hawaii, Report No. 15-00626-28, November 10, 2015.
The benefits of the treatment to the worker

The long-term effects of the treatment

Whether the treatment is likely to cure or alleviate the injury

Whether the treatment maintains the status quo

The overall cost of the treatment

Although Mr Drummey may experience some benefit from massage treatment, that benefit is transient only. The treatment has no long term effect on his compensable condition and will not cure or significantly reduce the effects of his injury. It does not improve his functional capacity.



In a report offered to the AAT, occupational therapist, Dr Alan Home, said there is no research evidence to demonstrate an effectiveness of massage treatment in relation to outcomes in the management of chronic spinal pain.



Molloy also said that Drummey had been able to continue his daily routine as normal in the two years since he stopped treatment, including going for long walks and conducting housework.



I think Mr Drummey had become reliant on massage therapy, and it quite likely had become a negative factor in his self-management, he said.



The Tribunal also denied Drummeys request for Comcare to pay for a variety of pharmaceuticals, citing evidence from Home that the drugs involved treated symptoms unrelated to the original workplace injury.




Lees-McRae President Barry Buxton was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine from North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory Friday morning.

Created in 1963, the award is one of several civilian-focused honors the governor of North Carolina can bestow.

In order of precedence, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine is the second most prestigious award presented by the governor. On several occasions, the award has been regarded as the highest-ranking civilian honor achievable even though legally, that rank is given to the North Carolina Award.

The Order of the Pine is presented to persons for exemplary service to the State of North Carolina and their communities that is above and beyond the call of duty and which has made a significant impact onNorth Carolina, according to the Order of the Long Leaf Pine Society website.

President Buxton joins about 15,000 other recipients of the awardsome of which include Maya Angelou, Oprah Winfrey and Andy Griffith.

Buxton was nominated by Lees-McRae Board of Trustees member, North Carolina Rep. and 85 alumnus Mitchell Setzer.

Setzer said the president was long overdue for the award.

(President Buxtons) impact helped save Lees-McRae College, Setzer said. His efforts and abilities have brought Lees-McRae to a new level.

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The Wilkes County Agricultural Fair will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 27, and will run through Saturday, Oct. 1.

The Rotary Club of North Wilkesboro will sponsor the event, which is held at the Rotary Fairgrounds beside of West Park in North Wilkesboro.

On Saturday a special event at the fair will be a lawnmower race. Practice for the race starts at 4 p.m. Racing begins at 6 p.m. A fairground admission ticket will also admit you to the lawnmower race.

This years fair will feature more than 25 rides, a bicycle give away, E-Z ride, petting zoo, Buffalo Barfields unheard of style of music and comedy shows, miniature bull races (yes bull races), 4-H exhibits, and games and food on the midway.

N.E.W. Wrestling will be held every evening of the fair. No Joes Circus Clown and Trapeze act will be performing every day. There will be 4-H exhibits, coordinated by Wilkes Cooperative Extension Service, will be on hand in the Exhibit Hall. This year, the fair will also feature a hay bale decorating contest. On Tuesday, there will be junior lamb show. On Wednesday there will be a junior goat show.

Gates are open weekdays at 5 p.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday. Ride bands are available every day. Gate admission is $8, with children 5 and under admitted free. Students will be admitted free Tuesday through Friday.

For more information, call Mike Staley at 336-902-7052.

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For students heading or returning to college in fall 2017, the start date for applying for federal and state financial aid has moved up to October 1, 2016. This change is in comparison to previous years where students were unable to file for financial aid until the first of the year.

Completing and submitting the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the first step to take in finding money to help pay for college. The sooner the FAFSA is complete, the sooner the student and family will get information about the possibility of qualifying for financial aid. To be considered for a share of the billions of dollars available in federal and state aid to students with financial need, you must apply. The FAFSA is one of the documents that many schools consider when awarding scholarships.

For in-person help filing the FAFSA, students and families are invited to attend a FAFSA Day on Saturday, October 29, 9: 00 a.m.  12 noon at most sites. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged for FAFSA Day. Go to CFNC.org/FAFSAday or call 866-866-CFNC toll-free for a list of event sites and register for the one nearest you. More than 50 sites across North Carolina will be available the morning of October 29. Carefully check the date and time, since these may differ.

FAFSA Day will be staffed by college financial aid administrators and financial aid specialists. Many campuses also will be available to assist students and parents during campus hours and upon request in the days surrounding FAFSA Day.

Tips for being prepared for FAFSA Day or completing the FAFSA on your own include:

Get a Federal Student Aid Identification (FSAID) in advance. Both student and a parents FSA IDs will be required to access the FAFSA, therefore, getting them in advance from the U.S. Department of Education website, FSAID.ed.gov will speed up the process. If not done in advance, it can be done just prior to FAFSA completion.

Have your 2015 tax information. If the student and parents 2015 taxes have been filed, most participants can use the Data Retrieval Tool on the FAFSA. However, if 2015 completed tax forms are not available, having 1040 tax forms or W-2 forms and other income and asset documents in hand will be helpful.

Before FAFSA Day, it is also helpful to complete a FAFSA on the web worksheet with as much information entered as possible. The online worksheet will be available by October 1, 2016 at www.FAFSA.gov.

An October FAFSA Phone-In, also sponsored by CFNC, is another option for students and parents who have only a few questions on completing the FAFSA. Every Tuesday night in October between 5 and 8 p.m., financial aid specialists will be available to help at the toll-free number, 866-866-CFNC (2362).

Families also can get help with the FAFSA on Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Greensboro. During the week of December 5, 2016, State Employees Credit Union branches will be ready by appointment to help students and families with FAFSA completion.

Early completion of the FAFSA helps students take advantage of all of the financial aid opportunities available for North Carolinians, said Marcia Weston with the N.C. State Education Assistance Authority and CFNC coordinator of the FAFSA Day program. Students and parents dont need to worry if they arent sure how to answer all of the questions on the form. Thats why we have arranged to have experienced college aid professionals and financial specialists to help at each site. 

Weston continued, Having an October FAFSA filing date aligns the financial aid and college application process, which helps students to streamline their college preparation activities. The early FAFSA filing date that now uses 2015 prior year tax information also means students and parents dont have to wait until their 2016 taxes are completed.

FAFSA Day is sponsored by a collaboration of College Foundation of North Carolina, the North Carolina Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and State Employees Credit Union.

More information is available on college and career planning on the College Foundation of North Carolina website, CFNC.org. Families will find college cost estimators, lists of scholarship, grant and loan opportunities, information about North Carolinas 529 college savings plan, career descriptions and requirements, virtual tours of more than 100 of the states college campuses, and online college admission and financial aid applications.

###

About CFNC

College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) is a free service of the State of North Carolina provided by a collaboration of Pathways (the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, the N.C. Community College System, the N.C. Independent Colleges and Universities, and The University of North Carolina System), the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority, and College Foundation, Inc. CFNC promotes access to North Carolina higher education and assists students with education planning, career planning, and applying and paying for college.

CFNC offers resources toll-free at 1-866-866-CFNC and at CFNC.org

About SECU

State Employees Credit Union (SECU) is a not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members. SECU has been providing employees of the State of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for 77 years. With more than 1.9 million members, SECU provides services through more than 250 branch offices, 1,100 ATMs, 24/7 Contact Centers and a website, www.ncsecu.org.

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By Elisabeth Wall / ASU News Service

BOONEDuring his listening phase over the course of the 2015-16 academic year, Appalachian State University Provost Darrell Kruger hosted a number of open forums. A constant refrain from faculty and staff attending the forums was the need for expanded and improved academic space.

To that end, Kruger recently announced: Chancellor Everts and her leadership team allocated more than $2 million from renovation and restoration and carry-forward funding to upgrade the old Presbyterian Church on Howard Street, which the university took possession of more than six years ago.

He said the building, which has been called the College of Education Annex, has been renamed Howard Street Hall and will house two new classrooms and 21 faculty offices. The classrooms will seat between 60 and 80.

Construction on the second and third floor areas of the building is slated to begin in October and, according to Mike OConnor, director of the university Physical Plant, will be ready for occupancy before the 2017-18 fiscal year.

The area being renovated is 12,878 square feet; the building, including the childcare center it houses, is 21,555 square feet. The current total project estimate, including planning, design, construction and contingency, is $2,418,000, OConnor said.

The original sanctuary will be transformed into two smart classrooms and will include mechanical space for the heating and air conditioning units. The former office areas will be converted into faculty offices, bathrooms and a conference/work room. An elevator will be installed for access to the top floor.

The existing Lucy Brock Child Development Laboratory Program (LBCDLP) and the two floors above will remain separated to prevent cross traffic. The elevator will only serve the top two floors.

After acquisition of the property in 2010, the university chose to phase the renovation of the building using limited resources. The first renovation was to relocate the LBCDLP, originally located in a building that was severely inadequate and displaced by the construction of the Plemmons Student Union addition, Summit Hall and Appalachian Hall complex, OConnor said. We temporarily relocated the center into trailers next to the Valborg Theatre until we could renovate the first floor and former Presbyterian Church day care center, he said.

The original owners of the building constructed a new church on Deerfield Road, southwest of Boone.

About Appalachian State University

Appalachian State University, in North Carolinas Blue Ridge Mountains, prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The transformational Appalachian experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and embrace diversity and difference. As one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina system, Appalachian enrolls about 18,000 students, has a low faculty-to-student ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.

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The following information is provided by local law enforcement agencies.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Compiled by Jessica Isaacs

The following were provided by the Watauga County Sheriffs Office.

Sept. 19

INCIDENT: Larceny was reported at 141 JH McLean Road In Banner Elk.

Sept. 20

INCIDENT: Burglary and larceny were reported at 139 Yakima Ridge in Boone.

INCIDENT: Larceny of auto parts and accessories was reported at 4600 Mountain Dale Road in Vilas.

INCIDENT: Possession of CS on prison/jail premises was reported at Watauga County Jail.

INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 105 Sable Drive Apt. 2 in Boone.

INCIDENT: Larceny of medication was reported at 311 Laurel Fork Road Apt. 1 in Vilas.

INCIDENT: Assault on a female and communicating threats were reported at 1045 Laurel Fork Road in Vilas.

ARREST: A male suspect, 34, of 1048 Laurel Fork Road in Vilas, was charged with assault on a female and communicating threats. Trial date: Oct. 20.

ARREST: A male suspect, 66, of 216 Forester Ave. in North Wilkesboro, was charged with felony parole and probation violations. Secured bond: $50k. Trial date: Oct. 20.

ARREST: A male suspect, 40, of 92 Elk Lane in Banner Elk, was charged with felony possession of CS on prison/jail premises and misdemeanor FTA reckless driving to endanger. Secured bond: $10k. Trial date: Oct. 20.

ARREST: A male suspect, 20, of 234 Camp Rock Road in Boone, was charged with violation of court order. Trial date: Oct. 20.

Sept. 22

INCIDENT: Fraud was reported at 146 Lake Park Drive in Boone.

ARREST: A female suspect, 22, of 1473 Swift Hollow Road in Mountain City, was charged with felony forgery of endorsement, uttering forged endorsement and financial card fraud. Secured bond: $7.5k. Trial date: Oct. 20.

Sept. 23

INCIDENT: Larceny was reported at 300 Davis Ridge in Banner Elk.

INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 1661 Valle Cay Drive in Vilas.

INCIDENT: Fraud was reported at 585 Will Isaacs Road in Zionville.

INCIDENT: Larceny was reported at 294 Vail Drive in Blowing Rock.

INCIDENT: Larceny was reported at 8464 U.S. Highway 321 N Unit B in Sugar Grove.

ARREST: A male suspect, 20, of 272 Horse Shoe Ridge Road in Deep Gap, was charged with injury to personal property. Trial date: Nov. 4.

ARREST: A male suspect, 25, of 4726 Elk Creek Road in Deep Gap, was charged with worthless checks. Secured bond: $1k. Trial date: Nov. 18.

Sept. 24

INCIDENT: Larceny was reported at 610 Fallview Lane in Boone.

INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 2166 George Hayes Road in Boone.

INCIDENT: Larceny was reported at 7826 N.C. Highway 105 S in Boone.

INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 192 Hampton Trailer Court in Boone.

ARREST: A male suspect, 64, of 338 Brook Hollow Road in Boone, was charged with FTA probation violation and FTA con MTBV/UN-WN Off-Prem Permit. Secured bond: $4k. Trial date: Oct. 26.

Sept. 25

INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 178 Woodring Circle in Boone.

INCIDENT: Larceny was reported at 926 New River Hills in Boone.

INCIDENT: Noncriminal detainment (involuntary com) was reported at 2894 Old U.S. Highway 421 S in Boone.

INCIDENT: Possession of drug paraphernalia was reported at 225 Tater Hill Estates Drive Apt. 10 in Boone.

Sept. 26

INCIDENT: Fraud was reported at 2705 Old U.S. Highway 421 E in Boone.

INCIDENT: Harassment was reported at 739 Bamboo Road in Boone.

INCIDENT: DVPO violation was reported at 341 Hodges Road in Deep Gap.

INCIDENT: Simple physical assault was reported at 311 Laurel Fork Road Apt. 2 in Vilas.

INCIDENT: Larceny was reported at 183 Pheasant Walk Way in Vilas.

INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 493 Rainbow Mountain Road in Boone.

ARREST: A female suspect, 66, of 311 Laurel Fork Road #3 in Boone, was charged with aggravated assault. Trial date: Oct. 20.
Helsingin Sanomat reported earlier this week that the nuclear power company has sent a letter to the European Commission, expressing its grave concerns about the impact of the mooted state-backed bailout of the plant supplier, Areva.

Teollisuuden Voima (TVO) has assured that the work on a third reactor at the Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant will continue as usual regardless of its concerns about the uncertainty surrounding the plant supplier.

It's nothing out of the ordinary, insists Pasi Tuohimaa, the head of communications at TVO.

Areva is committed to complete the project and it seems to be going well. We've simply voiced our concerns that the importance of completing Olkiluoto 3 is borne in mind as France re-organises its nuclear power industry, he explains.

Areva announced in March that it has decided with EDF, a majority state-owned nuclear power company, and CEA, a state-funded energy research organisation, to establish the French Nuclear Platform (PFN) by the end of the year in an attempt to enhance its efficiency.

TVO is monitoring closely how the re-organisation of the nuclear industry progresses in France, according to Tuohimaa.

We're supportive of the re-organisation of the nuclear power industry in France. It's good for us if [the industry] is healthy also in the future because it isn't going anywhere. In any case we're married to those institutions for 60 years, he says.

He also stresses that the expansion project is progressing well.

There are 2,600 people working there. There's co-operation and the work is moving forward. We hope that that also remains the case because we're in the final stages of the project, says Tuohimaa.

TVO continues to expect that the third nuclear power unit will be completed by the end of 2018, nine years behind the initial schedule.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: TVO

Source: Uusi Suomi
Structural racism is the worst form of racism and abandoning undocumented homeless people for the winter chill is [structural racism] in its most ruthless form, he states.

The ongoing debate over the right of undocumented people to temporary shelter is peculiar, to say the least, from the viewpoint of fundamental and human rights, writes Pauli Rautiainen, an associate professor of public law at the University of Tampere .

The debate was kindled by the recent statements of Paivi Nerg, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of the Interior, and Paula Risikko (NCP), the Minister of the Interior.

Nerg argued in a widely-publicised interview with Keskisuomalainen that offering temporary shelter to people who remain in the country despite not having a residence permit sends the wrong message from the perspective of the Finnish Government. Finland, she added, would rather that unsuccessful asylum applicants returned to their country of origin.

Risikko, in turn, announced that she will discuss the issue with the leadership of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.

The invitation was apparently prompted by the announcement of Archbishop Kari Makinen that the [Evangelical Lutheran] Church is prepared to protect asylum seekers whose application has been rejected, gauges Rautiainen.

The ongoing debate is peculiar, to say the least, from the viewpoint of the national system of fundamental rights and the binding human rights obligations of Finland. Picking up undocumented homeless people from the streets to a temporary shelter to at least prevent them from freezing to death is an unequivocal basic and human rights obligation of the public administration, [] which cannot be neglected under any circumstances, he continues.

Rautiainen reminds that everyone has the constitutional right to indispensable subsistence and care, such as necessary medical care and temporary shelter, regardless of their status or duration of residence.

The Government, he adds, has no right to intervene in the efforts of private citizens and religious and welfare organisations to offer food aid and temporary shelter to undocumented immigrants in order to guarantee their preconditions for a humane life under circumstances where it has neglected its responsibilities.

Nerg has responded to the criticism by assuring that help will be offered to those who need it. Finland, she reiterated, should also consider what kind of a message it sends to illegal immigrants as the fact that people are choosing to stay in the country illegally is good neither for themselves nor the society.

We will always help those in need, but we also have to do our utmost to make sure people do not stay illegally in Finland, she said.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Vesa Moilanen  Lehtikuva

Source: Uusi Suomi
Officials celebrate Career Academy construction start

Officials break ground on Career Academy, set to open in September 2017.

Henderson County Commissioners, Blue Ridge Community College officials, and staff and board members representing Henderson County public schools turned the dirt on a project site Wednesday thats been in the works for several years.

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On the college campus site, officials celebrated a groundbreaking of the Innovative High School Building, which will be a combination of HCPS existing Henderson County Career Academy and Henderson County Early College  and serve as a model of community, college and public school system partnership for the state of North Carolina.

Set for completion by September 2017, The Innovative High Schools Building will house nearly 500 students and will provide them access to Blue Ridge Community College instructors and facilities while offering a one-of-a-kind seamless transition from high school to postsecondary training, said Blue Ridge Community College President Molly A. Parkhill.

The Career Academy and the Early College have similar visions but separate missions  both of which will be furthered by direct access to the college campus, HCPS Superintendent Bo Caldwell said.

The Henderson County Career Academy currently offers Art, Automotive, Business & Finance, Fire Fighting, Food Service and Mechatronics academies to high school students pursuing direct, specific career goals unavailable in a traditional high school setting.

The Henderson County Early College gives many first-generation college students the opportunity to complete high school and college coursework through Blue Ridge Community College in five years, and graduate with both a diploma and an associates degree.

Thanks to the guidance of the Henderson County Board of Education and the generosity of our county commissioners, we as a school system are excited to see the success of this collaborative process championed by Dr. Parkhill and former Superintendent David Jones to serve two very student-centered school communities, Caldwell said.

The 50,000-square-foot facility designed by Clark Nexsen of Asheville will be located just off of East Campus Drive on Blue Ridges Henderson County Campus, and is being constructed by Beverly Grant Barnhill. The total projected cost is $15,725,184.

"This is indeed a great partnership," said Henderson County Board of Commissioners Chairman Tommy Thompson. "These students will have a direct pathway into higher education and local jobs. This is truly a great day for Henderson County."

It will be a win-win for both our campus and community, said Parkhill.
Developers eye historic mill for hotel

The 1915 Grey Hosiery Mill could be renovated as a hotel and restaurant.

The city of Hendersonville is getting strong nibbles in its recruitment of hotel developer downtown and a key part of the quest will take place next month.

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The City Council will host a public meeting during which residents will get a look at possible hotel plans, including a scale model of an 80- to 100-room multistory hotel on the old Grey Hosiery Mill property on Grove Street at Fourth Avenue.

Three council members said in interviews that theyre enthusiastic about that prospect for a several reasons. A hotel with conference space could connect downtown with Seventh Avenue, which has been a goal of the council. It would be alongside the Fourth Avenue bikeway and potentially be a stop on a greenway connector that included the Ecusta Trail. And it would at long last result in development of the city-owned Grey Hosiery Mill, a goal the City Council has been pursuing for eight years.

The council has set a special meeting to present the hotel recruitment project for 6 p.m. Oct. 18 at the City Operations Center on Williams Street. Last October the city hired by a consulting group affiliated with the UNC School of Government to conduct a study to evaluate the need for a hotel and potentially connect the city with a private developer. Council members said at the time that the city-owned Dogwood lot on Church Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenues could be a potential site, though the study was not limited to that site.

We asked them to study any location for a 100-bed hotel and primarily to study the advantages and disadvantages of the Dogwood lot and the old mill, Mayor pro tem Steve Caraker said. It turns out the mill has many more advantages to develop that particular entity.

Caraker and Councilman Ron Stephens, veterans of a bruising zoning war over high-rise development downtown, argued for a scale model of a hotel on the mill property.

You can listen to people all day long and not grasp what it would look like, Caraker said. This thing has been in and out of the news for eight years. The School of Government has identified the mill site as a very good location for a hotel.



Plan would use old mill



One developer the city has been negotiating with has extensive experience in adaptive reuse of historic property, including old mills, Caraker and Stephens said. The developer has proposed a boutique hotel with 100 rooms and a restaurant, using the oldest part of the mill, at Fourth Avenue East and Grove Street, and adding to it. Built originally in 1915, the mill got additions in 1919, 1947 and in the 1960s. It sits on 1.7 acres.

From what I understand weve got a couple of big hotel developers from Charlotte that are very very interested in moving forward, Caraker said.

Last month, the council voted to acquire an abandoned house on Fourth Avenue West behind the mill.

We were interested in it and it came up at the right price, Caraker said.

The citys 2020 land-use plan shows an upgrade of Fourth Avenue, which would likely be a requirement of the developer to give hotel guests a pleasant well-lighted walk to Main Street. Its expected that the developer would buy the property from the city. The city could pay for some public works improvements in exchange, council members said.

We know were going to have to clean it up from Main to Grove, Caraker said of Fourth Avenue. If we can get Fourth and Grove the next logical step is Maple and Seventh Avenue.

Stephens, too, said a hotel on the mill site could be a catalyst for jumping across U.S. 64 to the Historic Seventh Avenue District.

It would help bridge the gap between Seventh Avenue and Main Street, Stephens said. Were beginning to see some interest in developing Seventh Avenue and I think this would help that.

Councilman Jeff Miller joined Caraker and Stephens in turning thumbs down, as out of scale, a separate idea for a five-story hotel and parking deck combination on the Dogwood lot.

The Grey Hosiery Mill is looking like the likelier site.

Im very optimistic that we can come up with something because I know were real motivated on the city side and weve had some interest from developers, Miller said.



Change the dynamic

Beth Carden, the executive director of the Tourism Development Authority, said a downtown hotel would significantly boost the citys tourism base and its ability to attract small conferences. The TDA pitched in $25,000 of the studys cost.

Ive talked over the years to a number of people interested in building a hotel, Carden said. Weve had a lot of requests by visitors over the years telling us they wish there was a hotel where they could walk out on Main Street.

Asked if Grove Street was close enough to satisfy that desire, Carden said it would be. In fact, she strongly endorsed the mill site for the same reason council members cited.

It doesnt have to be directly on Main Street, she said. If we had one in that location I think would open up Seventh Avenue as part of downtown in a much better way and make it more walkable. It would just really change the dynamic in a positive way of how we see downtown. It would move downtown over and out.

Declaring that its our turn, Carden said the timing is right for a hotel with a small conference center.

I think right now, as high as we are in tourism in North Carolina and doing as well as we are here, we are a destination people are looking at.

She sees a strong potential market for a hotel with a minimum of 80 rooms, and preferably 100, with a meeting room that would accommodate 150 to 200 people.

There are a lot of conferences going on in our state that are not 300. Theyre in the 75 to 100 range, she said.

I think it would enhance what we have downtown now, not hurt it. We have two B&Bs and the Inn on Church but they cant hold the number of people that would stay downtown. People that already have accommodations start getting nervous about this but some people that come to a conference might prefer to stay in a bed and breakfast. There is a lot of spillover our other accommodations would see.

A hotel with conference space could also help TDA meet a goal it often focuses on  filling rooms in the off-season between leaf color and spring.

One of the nice things about us is were weather friendly, Carden said. We have basically a mild winter. It would bring more people here in the wintertime for conferences. Itd be a win-win for us to have a small conference center downtown.
Murdered 'Sunday World' journalist Martin O'Hagan has been remembered as a "tenacious and courageous" reporter on the anniversary of his gunning down.

The respected journalist was shot dead in front of his wife, Marie, by paramilitaries on September 28, 2001 - 15 years ago today.

His killers, suspected of being Loyalist Volunteer Force associates, have never been caught.

The 'Sunday World' Belfast Bureau Chief, Richard Sullivan, last night vowed the newspaper will continue to fight for justice.

Mr Sullivan, a close friend of the murdered reporter, told the Irish Independent the "country has been let down" because Mr O'Hagan's killers are still free. "We named Martin's killers and exposed them repeatedly. The fact that Martin's killers are still on the streets is a very bitter pill to swallow," said Mr Sullivan.

"There doesn't appear to be any appetite to put Martin's killers behind bars. The 'Sunday World' will continue to highlight the deficit in Martin's case."

The editor praised Mr O'Hagan for his brave journalism. "Martin pursued criminals tenaciously and was exposing people," he said.
A woman is facing trial charged with seriously injuring another woman in an alleged careless driving incident in a supermarket car park.

Sarah Hanson (43) had the case against her adjourned after a judge was told the Director of Public Prosecutions has decided the charge should be dealt with at circuit court level.

The case against Ms Hanson was put back for two months at Blanchardstown District Court for the preparation of a book of evidence.

The accused, with an address at Thomas Davis Street West in Inchicore, appeared in court on one count of driving without due care and attention. The charge alleges that the driving caused serious bodily harm to another person, a named woman.

The offence is alleged to have taken place at Aldi supermarket, Fonthill Road Retail Park in west Dublin on November 13 last year.

Caution

Sgt Maria Callaghan handed evidence of the defendant's arrest, charge and caution in to court by way of certificate.

A State solicitor said the DPP was directing trial on indictment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

She said an adjournment was being sought for the preparation of the book of evidence. When the book is ready, the defendant will be sent forward for trial.

A solicitor for the accused said she was consenting to the adjournment and did not make a legal aid application.

"We are reserving our position regarding legal aid," she told Judge David McHugh.

The judge adjourned the case to a date in November and remanded the defendant on continuing bail.

Ms Hanson did not address the court during the brief hearing.

No details of the alleged offence have yet been stated in court and the defendant has not yet indicated how she intends to plead to the charge.

The charge of careless driving causing bodily harm is under Section 52 of the Road Traffic Act.
TV host Laura Whitmore has revealed she wants a man to reach for the bill on a date ... but will always pay her share.

The Bray native has said her dating etiquette is pinned on 'double Dutch' principles.

"I think on the first date, always go Dutch," she said.

She has taken the lead from her mum, it seems.

"My mother is quite an independent lady she's always said if you let them pay, they'll expect a second date or they'll expect something else," she said.

"But I'm like the opposite. I've gone too far, I'll end up paying for everything," she added.

The TV star admitted she is keen to pay her share because she doesn't want to think her dates to think she is "tight".

She joked that she's "an independent lady who pays her own bills" but agreed that she liked a man to offer to pay the bill after taking her out on the town.

But not everyone in her circle feels the same, it appears. Laura told her colleagues in Glamour magazine for their podcast that a "girlfriend of mine was saying she was using Tinder for nights out because she couldn't afford dinner".

Meanwhile, with her Strictly debut under her belt, Laura (31) also revealed that she had to be given a pep talk before taking to the floor.

Speculation about whether or not she will strike up an off-screen romance with her dance partner Giovanni Pernice has been rife since the show aired. Laura has dismissed the idea but said she can understand how romance blossoms on the show, which demands long hours of its competitors.

Ex-Strictly pro, Gleb Savchenko, is the latest to weigh in and has said he would bet 100 that the pair will hook up during the show.
Linda Doyle wants to stay and make a life for herself in the country where she was born, but the 24-year-old nurse fears staying in Ireland may not be an option.

Ms Doyle, from Clondalkin, west Dublin, said many of her friends have already left the country. While she wants to stay she knows nurses are treated better in other parts of the world.

Having qualified last year, she is one of the nurses who graduated between 2011 and 2015 who are not entitled to pay increments worth around 1,500-a-year.

"We are just sick of working in the conditions that we are in and not getting paid the right rate.

"There are new graduates just starting and we're going to have to take them under our wing and look after them, which is no problem, but they are on more money than us," she said.

"We protested about a year ago on our internship - to get our intern pay increased - so their year as an intern is recognised, whereas ours isn't," she said.

Frustrating

"They'll be getting paid more than us with less experience. It's frustrating.

Ms Doyle, who works for St Vincent's Psychiatric Hospital in Fairview, said she works 13-hour shifts. "For what we do, it's just not enough anymore," she added.

"From our class we have so many friends who are gone to Australia - one of the girls has gone to Canada recently enough. I'm young, I have no family, I have no ties here. We're getting job offers every day from different countries and there's nothing really stopping us going any more.

"I'd like to work here, I'd like to live here.

"I'd love to stay but there's nothing really keeping me here.

"The conditions are really bad. The pay is really bad. So, why wouldn't I move over to somewhere like Australia where the conditions are better, the pay is better, the lifestyle is better?" she said.

"I choose to live at home, because I can't afford to rent in Dublin, it's so expensive," she said adding it was no life for a young person.
Nurses have accused the Government of forcing recent graduates to leave the country, due to its refusal to reinstate pay increments for those who graduated from 2011 to 2015.

Hundreds of nurses protested outside the Dail yesterday.

They called for the payment of increments, worth around 1,500-a-year, for those who graduated in the last five years when the scheme was halted due to the economic crisis.

The increments have been reintroduced for this year's graduates, which has particularly angered those who were hit by the freeze. Nurses say ultimately patients are suffering, as nurses leave hospitals here to work in countries where they are better treated, such as England and Australia.

Their protest came on the same day gardai indicated that they'd be willing to undertake industrial action in any dispute over pay.

Members of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) were balloted on whether they were willing to take industrial action over pay - despite them being legally restricted from going on strike.

It emerged that 95pc of those polled voted in favour. There is now the prospect of a garda strike, with a GRA special delegate conference today to discuss a pay deal offered last week.

If they back the deal, a freeze on their pay increments will be lifted and a 4,017 rent allowance will be restored to new recruits.

Meanwhile, the nurses have claimed that the suspension of the pay increments has left experienced nurses worse off than recent graduates.

Liam Doran, general secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), told the Herald the situation was unjust.

"We have a situation where the graduate nurses and midwives from 2011 to 2015 are not paid the same as people who qualified before them or after them. So there are 7,500 nurses and midwives who are being treated unfairly.

"They are not getting their increments for recognition of service and it's costing them 1,500-a-year and we are not having it," he said.

Mr Doran said while the Department of Health had agreed to reinstate the increments, the Department of Public Expenditure had blocked the move.

A statement from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform confirmed it granted a sanction in February 2016 for nurses graduating in the current year to be paid the increments.

Increases

The pay increases were first implemented in 2002, but unilaterally stopped by the Government in 2011.

"This issue arose in the context of encouraging greater retention and recruitment of trainee nurses into the public health service," the department said.

"On being granted the sanction, the Department of Health were informed that the question of its being extended to nurses who graduated in the period 2011-2015 could be reviewed, on foot of consideration of whether the current sanction resulted in an increase in the retention rates," it said.
The days are shorter, but not the list of things you can do.

things-to-do
Who is the most famous woman in North Carolina today?

Think Eastern North Carolina. Think restaurants. Think public televisions popular program, A Chefs Life.

Then, this coming Tuesday, think books. On that date, the revolutionary new cookbook of our most famous woman, Vivian Howard, hits the bookstore shelves, and her photograph on the lovely book cover will be everywhere.

Dont you dare skip this introduction! she writes. Good advice, because she explains in that introduction how and why her book is no ordinary cookbook.

She writes, This book is the story of my life so far, told through the ingredients that fill the plates and pantries of my home: Deep Run, North Carolina. A tiny farming community about halfway between Raleigh and the Atlantic Ocean, Deep Run is a nondescript dot on Eastern North Carolinas flat coastal plain. No stoplights, no strip malls  Deep Run is not a town; its a fire district.

She continues, Eastern North Carolina is my Tuscany, my Szechuan, my Provence. This is a Southern cookbook, but not one that treats the South like one big region where everybody eats the same fried chicken, ribs, shrimp and grits, collard greens and gumbo. Instead, I interpret Southern cooking the way we understand French, Italian, and Chinese food: as a complex cuisine with abundant variations shaped by terrain, climate, and people.

She organizes her book in a radical new way. Not by collections of similar dishes like salads, appetizers, main dishes and desserts, but by foods, the raw ingredients. She has picked a large but limited number of foods that are seasonally available in Deep Run, which is near Kinston, site of Howards Chef and the Farmer restaurant.

Here are those foods, each of which is a chapter heading in her 550-page book: Corn, Eggs, Watermelon, Oysters, Pecans, Beans and Peas, Blueberries, Sweet corn, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Rice, Summer Squash, Sausage, Peanuts, Okra, Collards, Peaches, Rutabagas, Apples, Beets, Muscadine Grapes.

In each chapter she does two important things. First, she shares recipes and suggestions for several dishes that blend other foods and spices with the featured food. Second, she connects the featured food to a story or two about her family, her growing up and early restaurant years, her neighbors or the nearby farmers who grow the foods she uses.

The reader who finishes these chapters about foods will also have read Vivian Howards memoir. And it is a lovely and important memoir of our most famous woman.

For example, in her chapter on eggs, she takes us back to Bethel Baptist Church, where, as a young girl she would spend her Halloweens next to a cauldron of fish stew bubbling red with an exciting and scary mix of fish heads, spiny bones, and slimy speckled skin all blanketed by hard-poached eggs.

We learn that eggs are the key ingredient that sets Eastern North Carolina fish stew apart.

Another key is never to stir the fish stew, not even, she writes, If Jesus Himself walks on water over to you and asks nicely.

Howard shares other recipes, illustrated with beautiful photographs, for egg-based dishes like deviled eggs, stewed tomato shirred eggs, avocado and tomato with broken-egg dressing, warm banana puddings, plus simple directions for a perfect hard-boiled egg.

Howard gives similar treatment to the featured food in each of her chapters.

The Chef and the Farmer restaurant and Howards growing fame as a television personality have brought attention to Kinston and the surrounding region.

Howard reminds the people of Eastern North Carolina that their region, with all of its challenges, has a charm like that of Tuscany, Szechuan, and Provence, an asset that can help bring about the regions renewal.

D.G. Martin hosts North Carolina Bookwatch, which airs Sundays at noon and Thursdays at 5 p.m. on UNC-TV. Preview the upcoming program on UNC-MX digital channel Time Warner #1276) on Fridays at 8 p.m. This Thursdays guest is Ron Stodghill, author of Where Everybody Looks Like Me
India has a Pakistan problem. And not going to the November Saarc summit in Pakistan, while understandable, will not solve it.

Here is the core policy goal - Delhi needs to get Islamabad-Rawalpindi to drop its support for terror groups who conduct strikes and attacks on Indian installations as well as civilian lives. This covert warfare has continued for over two and a half decades.

The challenge - India does not seem to either have the roadmap or the instruments to achieve this admittedly difficult goal.

Limited cards

As the response to Uri attack has shown, Delhis options are severely limited.

If it conducts a military offensive, there will be an obvious Pakistani response and an escalation - a risk no responsible nuclear power can take, especially with an adversary that has sought to make up for conventional military disadvantages with nuclear blackmail.

It may not even fetch the desired goal of changing Pakistani behaviour, for the problem is in the political calculations of Rawalpindi, not the terror camps that exist right across the border. It is also becoming apparent that despite its size, India does not have the military capabilities to conduct a quick offensive.

Read | Not for war-mongers: PM Modi spells out what India can do with Pakistan

Despite his aggressive rhetoric in the past, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has understood this fact. His Kozikhode speech was a recognition of the limits of this approach. And no, he must not be mocked but appreciated for finding a language to convince his supporters of the need for a different approach.

But not doing anything is not an option either, especially for a government that has come to power riding on a promise of inflicting costs on Pakistan.

So we have seen Delhi contemplate other options. It has flirted with reworking terms of Indus Waters Treaty to extract more from it but this is a somewhat medium-term project. India has to do it in a way that hurts the establishment more than citizens, for Modi himself has sought to distinguish between the two.

Read | Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan follow India, pull out of Saarc summit

Abrogating the treaty is not an option for a responsible power, especially one which is seeking to enter global regimes and institutions on its track record as a rule abiding nation.

We have seen moves to reconsider the most favoured nation (MFN) status - but given that trade between the two countries is not massive, and the balance is in Indias favour, it is difficult to see how Pakistan will change even with this move.

And then there has been a follow-up on the PMs Balochistan reference by foreign minister Sushma Swaraj at the UN General Assembly. This is an interesting move and a wild card of sorts.

It is not yet clear if India wants to instrumentally raise the issue on international platforms to counter accusations of human rights violations or if it is willing to get enmeshed in the movement in Balochistan by offering more direct operational, financial, logistical support to rebels.

Whether Pakistan will be forced to reconsider its tactics vis a vis India as a result, or whether it will go on the offensive further, is to be seen.

Read | Water as weapon: Risks in cutting off Indus waters to Pakistan

Mixed record of talks

Then there have been suggestions that India should talk to Pakistan. Desirable as it may be, it is important for those who advocate this to admit the limitations of dialogue.

India has often engaged in talks. That is because India has recognised that there was a distinction between the civilian and military establishment and the former must be engaged with. It also stemmed from the desire of the last two PMs - Manmohan Singh and Atal Bihari Vajpayee - to leave behind a legacy of peace with Pakistan.

There has been some success with dialogue. In 2004, Pakistan made a categorical commitment that it would not allow its territory to be used for terrorism in any manner on the sidelines of the Saarc summit. Infiltration dipped somewhat, so did violence over the following years and a substantive back-channel dialogue picked up.

However, the record has been mixed and even while a dialogue has been underway, terror did not stop altogether and there were attacks, including those in Mumbai.

Not talking may weaken the constituencies of peace in Pakistan but talking has not strengthened them to the extent that they can change state behaviour either. So, a dialogue is not wrong but is not a solution either necessarily.

Saarc pull-out

And now, we see Delhi officially boycott the Saarc summit to be held in Islamabad and this is a resounding diplomatic message, but whether it will change the incentives for the military ISI complex is doubtful.

For any country, it should be a deeply worrying fact that two neighbours - to the east and the west - do not even want to attend a summit it is hosting and that there is a regional coalition against it. Yet, the Indian, Afghan and Bangladeshi boycott will do little to force introspection in Islamabad.

Pakistan will act wounded, its own self-image as a victim of a grand Indian conspiracy will deepen. In terms of real power, it knows that as long as US, China and Saudi Arabia do not force any major changes, status quo can persist.

Indian impatience is understandable but changing the behaviour of another state is clearly a task beyond the capabilities of even the most powerful of countries. India can and should slowly increase costs for Pakistani actions but till that country recognises the perils of backing the good terrorists, it wont change. And, that is why Modi may be on to something when he urged the citizens of Pakistan to wake up.

Delhi has to show it is acting to deliver a message to the domestic audience. The Saarc pull-out is one more move in that direction but India knows well that achieving its policy goal - of changing Pakistani behaviour - is still a distant proposition.

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On Monday, youth leaders of Kerala Congress (Mani) killed 10 stray dogs and paraded them in Kottayam, Kerala. They were protesting the governments inability to stop the increasing attacks on people by strays in the town.

Kerala has been in the news for some time now for its governments approach towards the stray dog menace. Last month a 65-year-old woman was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs in Thiruvananthapuram. Last week, another woman died due to dog bite. Understandably there is discontent towards the governments inability in addressing the issue in a manner and urgency that it requires. This discontent has led to an increase in violence against stray dogs, with the government failing to rein in politicians who are using the problem to gain visibility.

Read | Political party workers kill stray dogs, parade carcasses in Kerala

So does Kerala have a stray dog menace? Yes. Figures released by the department of animal husbandry show that there have been (till August) 51,000 dog bite cases resulting in four deaths  thats roughly 240 dog bites a day for the past eight months.

What is the solution to this threat? Lets be clear  the rabid actions of uninformed individuals and opportunistic politicians are not an answer to the problem.

The simple solution is a two-pronged one. First, go about vaccinating and sterilizing stray dogs in accordance to the guidelines in the Animal Birth Control Programme, which falls under the Animal Birth Control Rules 2001.

Read | Compassion towards stray dogs does not mean putting human lives at risk

The second is for humans to get their act right. Shoddy waste disposal techniques have meant that there is a ready availability of food for stray dogs. Its a basic principle: The more waste available, the more conducive it becomes for stray dogs to thrive. Starting from panchayats to municipalities, waste management is an often ignored aspect in Kerala. Thiruvananthapuram is facing a waste disposal crisis since it has no scientific waste disposal mechanism.

That Mondays barbarism happened in Kottayam, a town which claims to be the first in India to achieve 100% literacy, is proof that literacy (or for that matter education) has no correlation to compassion or even common sense.

Read | Kerala steps up measures to check stray dog menace

The CPI(M)-led LDF government should protect the lives and well-being of the people  and that need not be by allowing its citizens to go on a killing spree. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who also oversees the law and order in the state, should take quick action against the KC(M) youth leaders behind Mondays brutality  and, at the same time, expedite sterilising and vaccination drives.

@vijucherian

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The passing of Shimon Peres, the ninth president of the State of Israel, marks the end of an era in Israel. Born in 1923 in Poland, Shimon Peres immigrated to Tel-Aviv in 1932, 16 years before we regained our independence as the modern Jewish State of Israel, and was one of the founding fathers of the nation. He was an idealistic student, a young pioneer, a valuable diplomat, a savvy politician, a visionary leader, and above all, a true man of peace and development.

Peres dedicated his life to the service of Israel. His story is that of modern Israel. He was present and active at its birth and grew up with it as he bolstered its defense alongside making the desert bloom. He was not only one of the founding fathers of the state, but was also a flesh and blood example of the Israeli spirit and ethos. Like Israel, Peres was never deterred by fear of failure. Instead, he was determined to get up and try again, with a Yes we can attitude before it became a famous slogan.

Read | Shimon Peres: From building Israels defence to peace with Palestine

Peres, like Israel, adapted to necessity: Taking part in ensuring Israels security when its existence and people were threatened, working in government when it was time to build and develop the country and its economy, and negotiating peace treaties when the opportunity arose. Among the many key roles Peres had in the history of Israel were president, prime minister, minister of foreign affairs, minister of defence and minister of finance. At the age of 90, while serving as the president, Peres was one of the most innovative, technologically advanced and social media savvy leaders around the world, focusing on bringing people together and creating a global community.

Peres was valued and appreciated by world leaders across the world. Not only was he most instrumental in building very special relations with France during Israels early years, but his role in the peace process with the Palestinians, awarded him a Nobel Peace Prize and international respect.

It was during his service as the minister of foreign affairs in the 1990s that Peres also began his special relationship with India. He was the first minister of foreign affairs to visit India following the establishment of diplomatic relations. He has visited India several times in various capacities, visits to be remembered and cherished by all those who met him here.

Read | Former Israel president, Nobel laureate Shimon Peres dies at 93

Agriculture was one of the many areas of cooperation which Peres helped initiate in his historic 1993 visit to India, others including aviation, tourism, trade, defence, culture and academic cooperation. Peres relationship with India held a warm place in his heart as a former student in the Ben Shemen Agricultural Youth Village, as a close follower of David Ben-Gurion and as the minister for the development of the Negev and Galilee, in which capacity he visited India in 2000.

Peres returned to India in 2014 to revisit the country which had become one of Israels most important partners. In a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Peres was quoted saying: I came here as a great friend and admirer of India, Indian history and culture and also as a partner. We would like to continue our close partnership and cooperation with India, share the knowledge and experience both countries have for the future and prosperity of both our people.

Read | O Trump! Keep Jerusalem out of your politics

It was my personal privilege and honour to have worked alongside Peres when he was president and minister of foreign affairs over the years, hosting him among others for historical conferences in the UN in New York as well as his last visit to India. As we lower our flag to half-mast today, I shall never forget this extraordinary man for threading together security, peace and a constant hope for the future.

In his own words, Peres has taught us that when you have two alternatives; the first thing you have to do is to look for the third which you didnt consider, that doesnt seem to exist. Keeping an open mind and always looking underneath the surface is a legacy of his that will stay with me for years to come.

Farewell Shimon, Goodbye Mr President, We will all miss you.

May his memory be a blessing.

Daniel Carmon is Israels ambassador to India and Sri Lanka. The views expressed are personal
Pakistans film industry fears it may suffer a 70 per cent business loss if Indo-Pak ties worsen and Bollywood films are banned in the country.

The fear among the industry people has been growing as they feel if the situation does not improve there would be calls to ban Indian films eventually. I dont want to sound pessimistic but the truth is there has only been a boom in the cinema industry in Pakistan in the last few years because of the release of latest Bollywood and Hollywood films, said Nadeem Mandviwalla, a know exhibitor, distributor and owner of the Atrium chain of cineplexes.

I just hope the ties dont remain tense on long-term basis. Even if there is a temporary ban we can survive but if there is any permanent ban you can expect lot of cinema houses and multiplexes to close down, he said.

Omair Alavi, a popular film critic, said that due to the increase in cinema screens and revenues there had also been a resurgence of the Pakistani film industry. We have seen number of Pakistani films release and do well and others are also lined up for release. But for a cinema industry to survive you need to produce at least 50 to 60 films in a year which we are not doing at present.

Mandviwalla said 70 per cent of the business comes from Bollywood and Hollywood. There is no alternative. If the ties worsen, it is going to affect everyone, he said.

He, however, said that previously when Indian films were banned in Pakistan, business flourished underground with the sale of pirated DVDs and other such materials. Now you have cable operators as well but I think if there is any ban it will also affect their programming, he said.

Saleem Khan, who has been in the business for years, thinks there would not be a ban but if this happenes cinema owners might have to completely wrap up their business or shut a few screens to cut costs. We dont produce enough films to sustain ourselves throughout the year. We need to produce at least over 50 films annually, Khan said.

Former Sindh Board of Film Censors chairman Fakhr-e-Alam said any such ban would result in going back to the days where our screens were shut down and converted into shopping malls or apartments because there werent enough movies.

Alam feels there is only one hope for industry people in case of a ban on Bollywood films and that is the Pakistan government must provide funds for production of films.

Watch: Pak actor Fawad Khan will soon be seen in Karan Johars Ae Dil Hai Mushkil

Cinepax Cinemas Assistant Marketing Manager Abid Ali Zaidi said if there was a temporary ban the cinema chains would manage for a while by screening old Pakistani films. We are already planning to do that from October as an alternative, Zaidi said.

Since Indian films were allowed to be imported and screened the cinema industry business has picked up rapidly in Pakistan with some Bollywood blockbusters even grossing the 100-crore rupees mark in Pakistan.

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Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has come out in support of his director friend Karan Johar and said he wonders how can banning Pakistani actors from Bollywood curb terrorism.

In the wake of Uri attack, last week MNS threatened Pakistani artistes like Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan to leave India, saying otherwise the shooting of their films would be stalled.

They also demanded a ban on Pakistani artists working in the Indian film industry.

The Raman Raghav 2.0 helmer, who previously collaborated with Johar on films like Bombay Velvet and Shaandaar, said he wants to know the next five steps which will be taken if the Pakistani actors are banned from Bollywood. Karan Johar said a very good thing. If you want to send Fawad Khan back, okay send him but what are the next five steps youll take? You tell me, what are the next five steps you will take after that?

What problems will be solved after sending him? What will be your next step after sending him. At least tell us what are your next five steps, Kashyap told reporters here when asked to comment on the issue.

The filmmaker was speaking at a special in conversation with event at the ongoing 7th edition of Jagran Film Festival.

Fawad and Mahira in a TV show.

Recently Johar had said that though he understands the anger among people due to the aftermath of the attack, he did not see the idea of banning actors from Pakistan as a solution to terrorism. There is nothing that can justify this terrible feeling of terror. (But) then you are faced in a situation such as this (asking for ban on Pak artistes). If this was truly a solution, one would take it. But this is not a solution. I dont believe it is. The larger forces have to come together and sort the situation and this cannot be banning talent or art, Johar had said.

Queen fame director Vikas Bahl, too, has said he is not sure whether the demand to ban Pakistani artistes from working in India will solve any problem: I want to just know that if the step that we are taking is towards solving the problem...What is the next step after they leave the country?

His comments came after the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) issued an ultimatum to all Pakistani artistes to quit India within 48 hours or face trouble. MNS had issued the ultimatum on September 23 to all Pakistani cine and television artistes to leave India. The threat was issued after the September 18 terror attack that left 18 Indian soldiers dead at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir.

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Her latest directorial venture has been making all the right noise across the globe at various film festivals but it has also landed her in a bit of a trouble. Leena Yadavs Parched is being criticised back at home, in India.

Leena has been receiving threats over the costumes she has used in the film that stars Radhika Apte, Surveen Chawla and Tannishththa Chatterjee in lead roles.

She said she was very conscious of not hurting peoples sentiments or limiting the film to a particular community. My film shows a mix of cultures and communities. I have mixed various customs, rituals and costumes to ensure that this is not the story of a particular region. Even the name of the village is fictitious. It does not belong anywhere, its a mix of everything. I dont know whether they are intimidated by the film, she told Hindustan Times.

Leena Yadav spotted at a promotional event for Parched. (Yogen Shah)

Leena further said that she is getting calls from random numbers with people claiming to hail from a Gujarati community and threatening her, When I ask them to tell me exactly what offends them they go berserk. They start saying things like Hum 60 lakh log hain. Aapko pata nahi hai hum aapke saath kya kar sakte hain. (We are 60 lakh people, you have no clue what we can do to you).

Read: Parched movie review

They are very upset with the costumes I have used in Parched. They keep saying you have shown the women of our community like this. Dont know what this means. But when I ask what is not acceptable they start threatening me, she said.

They have even filed a complaint in Gujarat, seeking a ban on Parched. It is slated for hearing on October 4. We have also filed a police complaint in Oshiwara Police Station, Mumbai regarding the threats, she added.

A PTI report named the Rabari community of Gujarat in the incident, though Leena said she would prefer not naming them. The filmmaker said she is also worried about a member of the film unit in Gujarat who helped them in creating the dialect and is also now getting life threatening calls.

The self-proclaimed leaders of the community rang up Leenas husbands phone and asked for the films producer Ajay Devgn as well.

Watch: Trailer of Parched

I knew we are a country which is very conservative and we are very touchy people. Thats why I never used a particular community. I even created a dialect which doesnt exist - a mix of Kutchi and Hindi. I have shown festivals in the films but not named Hindus or Muslims. I have made extra efforts to ensure no community is hurt with the film. Yet, here we are, she said.

I used costumes and jewellery that I found beautiful, not to portray any particular community. People all over the world have related to the film and are saying this is my story, this is my sisters story. It is sad that people here are objecting to it. We are still stuck on clothes and do not want to look at the larger issue, she added.

Talking about the ongoing debate on whether Pakistani artists should be asked to leave India and Indian filmmakers should not work with them, Leena said, Art should be kept away from political issues. Art is the only thing where we express ourselves. Language is one aspect of films but movies work on emotions. Why are we creating boundaries where we should be building bridges?

If we keep segregating people, how will we work? India is a country of so many languages and dialects. There is so much the world can learn from us. We cannot create barriers for ourselves. Otherwise, well end up watching our own films alone. Hum khud hi film banaenge aur khud hi dekhenge, she added.

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Brewing company Anheuser-Busch has agreed to pay $6 million to settle charges that it violated US anti-bribery laws and also chilled a whistleblower, the US Securities and Exchange Commission said on Wednesday.

An SEC investigation found that Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A. used third-party sales promoters to make improper payments to officials in India to boost sales and production, the SEC said.

The company also entered into an agreement with a departing employee prohibiting the person from continuing to communicate with the SEC about potential anti-bribery law violations, the agency said.

A spokeswoman for Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A., which neither admitted nor denied the SECs findings, could not be immediately reached for comment.

Anheuser-Busch had inadequate internal accounting controls to detect and prevent the improper payments, despite repeated complaints from employees, the SEC said. The company also failed to ensure that transactions involving the promoters were recorded properly in its books and records.
For banks and other financial services providers one big challenge is to deliver accessible and affordable services to people in rural India.

The country has 640,867 villages, with more than 830 million people living in them. Some of these villages lie in places that are not connected through public transport.

Paytm, the countrys largest digital payments company, which also has a payment banks licence, plans to use mobiles as a gateway to deliver financial services to people in these places.

Even after the government rolled out its Jan Dhan Yojana to bring every Indian under the banking regime, 24% of these accounts have zero balance. There are almost 250 million such accounts with half of them seeded to Aadhaar. Government subsidies including those for pension, fertiliser and MGNREGS flow into the same account.

Villagers dont use their accounts to save and deposit money, said Krishna Hedge, head of financial services at Paytm, which is running pilots to assess the use of cash, the primary mode of transactions in villages.

Under the pilot, Paytm is asking the merchants to transfer the money to the farmers bank account when he sells his produce. The company is also in talks with agri-commodity companies for direct transfer to the farmers account. They like the digital channel Consumer goods companies (such as Nestle and Pepsi) procuring from farmers want to do pilots with us, said Hedge.

With bank accounts linked, Paytm can give credit advances and insurance to villagers. It can also provide loans to buy tractors, seeds and fertilisers.

Paytm will give loans without any collateral. We will give loans and credit to people based on digital cash flow, said Hedge. Loans are also given without collateral under the Mudra scheme, which has seen XX million loans, but the background check is usually not done digitally.

The eligibility will be based on the total value of transactions done through Paytm. The borrower will also be able to stagger premium payments according to his needs. For example, for a farmer it can be bi-annual while or a daily wager it can be daily. All the financial services products will be customisable to meet end-user needs, said Hedge.

But it wont be easy. Collecting tonnes of data that gives banks the confidence to lend money to villages will take time. This has not happened before, said Sanchit Vir Gogia, CEO and chief analyst at Greyhound Research.

Paytm has negotiated with financing companies, said Hedge, who are ready to even give 10,000 loans, based on data that is generated from digital cash flow. Even electricity bills can be paid through personal loans, said Hedge.

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The NDA government may not be able to carry out the consolidation of public sector banks in its first term as the road map for the process is expected to be ready only by next year, according to sources.

Moreover, these lenders continue to face the daunting task of reducing the level of non-performing assets (NPA) and find new promoters and buyers for stressed assets.

It may be difficut for the government, RBI and the BBB under the current frame to force any merger on these banks, Ashvin Parekh, managing partner, APA Services, said.

The Bank Board Bureau can chalk out the merger plan only when the balance sheets are somewhat cleaned up. The compatibility exercise between banks will be based on their financial status.

The State Bank of India, however, is expected to complete its merger process with its associate banks and Bharatiya Mahila Bank by the beginning of the next financial year.

What is expected is a concrete roadmap and how it would be carried out but it will be difficult to carry out the actual processfor that you need time, a senior government official adding that the number of state-owned lenders will be brought down in a phased manner.

At present, there are 27 government banks, of which, 12 have reported gross NPA ratio of over 10% as on June 30, 2016. Punjab National Bank has an NPA ratio of 15.41% while Bank of Baroda has a ratio 13.23%. UCO Bank has reported a gross NPA ratio of 18.66%.

The gross NPA of the state-owned banks increased to 5.59 lakh crore -- 11.24% of advances -- as on June 30, 2016, a 12% increase over the previous quarter.

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The Reserve Bank of India is of the opinion that heads of public sector banks (PSBs) should have a minimum term of five years, as such time would be needed to build strong leadership in the sector which is currently grappling with bad loans and has to address issues related to profitability and market share.

Currently most chiefs of state-owned banks are appointed by the government for three years, although very few actually have that many years in service, as the appointments typically happen when the senior executives are on the verge of retirement.

Speaking at a banking event on Wednesday, S S Mundra, deputy governor of RBI said, You cant have complete comparison between appointments in public sector banks and private sector banks, given their respective structures. But, at least this much can be done, that a public sector bank CEO be appointed for five years minimum.

Most heads of private sector banks are appointed for a term of 3-5 years and are eligible for reappointment after board approval. In most cases, they have been serving as heads for 5-10 years at least.

The suggestion from RBI, the banking regulator, assumes significance as it reveals the seriousness with which the regulator and the government view the hurdles faced by public sector banks as they gear up for competition from nimbler private banks who are already ahead in the race, in technology and lesser employees.

Mundra referred to recent statistics on the current tenures of banks chiefs, where about eight chairmen-cum-managing directors are retiring in 2017, 10 will retire in 2018 and only one who would be retiring beyond next two years. Of the second-in-command, who are executive directors, five are retiring in 2016, seven in 2017, 10 in 2018, 12 in 2019, with only 3 who will retire in 2020.

Nearly 73% of the DGMs (deputy general managers) and GMs (general managers) put together in PSBs are above 55 years of age. And, another 23% are in the age group of 50-55 years, Mundra told an audience of industrialists, bankers and economists. Unlike in todays auto industry, where we can talk about driverless cars, we are far away when we can talk about a leaderless bank. This is another area which needs serious attention.

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A Chinese user of the Samsung Note 7 said on Tuesday his device exploded while charging, raising fears of fresh battery issues hitting the South Korean companys phones after a massive recall.

The news comes after Samsung was forced to recall 2.5 million Note 7 handsets shipped to the US, South Korea and other markets, following complaints that faulty batteries caused the phones to explode while charging.

Samsung currently sources batteries from a number of companies. The electronics giant has not named the maker behind the faulty battery but uses a different supplier for the Chinese market, where sales were not suspended.

Earlier this month, the company investigated two claims that Note 7 phones bought online in China had exploded, but found that the problem was caused by an external heat source, Bloomberg News reported.

In the latest incident on Sunday morning, a Chinese customer who goes by the name Hui complained that his Note 7 phablet -- purchased on Saturday -- exploded and scorched his Macbook nearby.

Footage provided to AFP by Hui shows the phone, attached to a USB charger, melting as smoke wafts off of it.

Samsung representatives offered to refund Huis money and compensate him for the ruined laptop if he turns in the phone, he said, but he has refused to hand it over because he wants the company to make a statement about the issue.

A Samsung statement said it was in contact with the customer and will conduct a thorough examination of the device in question once we receive it.

The Note 7 was meant to kick start growth this year as Samsung struggles to boost sales, squeezed by Apple in the high-end sector and Chinese rivals in the low-end market. With images of charred phones flooding social media, the unprecedented recall has been a humiliation for Samsung and could cost the firm $3 billion in the long run, analysts say.
The World Bank on Tuesday reappointed Jim Yong Kim to a five-year term as president of the multilateral development lender after the nomination period closed without any challengers coming forward.

Kim, an American citizen, was unanimously chosen by the banks executive directors for a term that begins on July 1, 2017, the World Bank said in a statement.
I have been fascinated recently by archaeological reports of early 20th-century Karnataka, particularly those written by scholarly, polyglot Brahmins. Although most of were visibly religious, with elaborate caste marks on their foreheads, their findings were recorded without comment or religious context. The primary underlying characteristic I discerned from these annual reports  written when the area was the British-controlled royal state of Mysore  was the remarkable diversity of people and cultures that inhabited the region. In sum, the languages discovered on inscriptions, many of which survive to this day, include: Old and modern Kannada, Sanskrit, Persian, Tamil, Prakrits (regional dialects of Sanskrit), Telugu, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Urdu and English. As elsewhere, this linguistic fecundity reflects the interplay of diverse civilisations that gave rise to modern India.

The majority of these languages continue to be used in Karnataka, some modified by time, others kept pure by isolation. Consider the Marathi spoken by many Bangalore families.

Read | Yahoo Messenger now adds support for Hindi

When my mother  a native speaker of Marathi conversant with the languages literature  first came to the city in 1969, she was fascinated to find some shop-owners in a business neighbourhood called Commercial Street speaking an archaic version of Marathi that she, sometimes, struggled to understand. Thats because Bangalores Marathi is a version spoken more than 350 years ago, from a period of Maratha rule, which started when Shahaji Bhosale, father to the great Shivaji, conquered the city. The descendants of settlers from the Maratha armies  many with the last name Rao  were the people my mother spoke with. In the warren of lanes that flow out of todays Commercial street, you will find more linguistic migrants whose languages were firmly established  and refreshed by new immigrants  over the centuries: Dakhni (a dialect of Urdu), Tamil, Hindi (from Marwari moneylenders and traders) and Telugu.

Yet, when you travel the shiny Bangalore metro  or use the airport  you will find no evidence of these languages. There are only English and Kannada. Announcements on the metro were in Hindi as well, but these were recently dropped on the western corridor, with metro officials claiming the names of some stations were simply too long, such as Sri Balagangadhara Natha Swamiji (the area is known only as Hosahalli) Station, a title forced on the metro by politicians. The suspension of Hindi led to a flurry of online protests, but as for the other languages, there is little chance, although Telugu, Dakhni and Tamil are the leading minority languages.

Read | State govt clears 2 more Metro lines for Mumbai

The two-language formula is manifest in a host of new metro systems across Indian cities and is a metaphor for the exclusion of minorities from other government-run services. In Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata or Delhi, little effort is made to accommodate minorities  linguistic or religious. In Bangalore, this year, a proposal for a multi-lingual call centre was rejected by angry corporators. In Mumbai, knowing Marathi now is a prerequisite for getting an autorickshaw permit.

The new metro in Chennai speaks only Tamil and English, as does the older system in Delhi, a city that traditionally used four languages on road signs  English, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu. Delhis airports, too, now use only English and Hindi. Earlier this month, I was in Delhis largest and most modern aero hub, Terminal 3 (T3), when a man in a skull cap and kurta-pyjama came up to me and asked where the exit was. That way, I said, pointing up at the board, its on the signs. He looked away, then looked back, I can read only Urdu, he said.

The fading of Urdu from public spaces across India is a largely unspoken but largely accepted practice that illustrates how emerging India hobbles minorities and migrants by religion, language and culture. Among Indian languages, Urdu is an outlier in this debate of disenfranchisement because it is driven by religious bigotry, which does not make it any more acceptable. Although millions of Muslims across India speak a variety of languages, Urdu is spoken largely by Muslims. In 2001 (the latest data are not available), it was Indias sixth most widely spoken language with more than 51 million native speakers. In many northern and some southern cities with large Muslim populations, its status as a leading language is ignored.

Read | Sanskrit makes debut as Assam MLAs take oath in 7 languages

With the blossoming of often insecure and muscular local identities, regional linguistic domination hobbles Indians who move in search of their dream or to survive. Nearly 350 million Indians are internal migrants, according to various estimates. Short-term or so-called seasonal migrants  who circulate between their homes and workplaces  could range from 15 million to 100 million, according to a United Nations review of data. Even if you consider 100 million seasonal migrants, that leaves 250 million long-term migrants. That is more than the population of Brazil, the worlds fifth-most populous country. This vast migration should encourage Indian cities to be more multilingual and overall more inclusive. Instead, the opposite is happening. It is ironic that as our cities grow more diverse, public services are becoming linguistically less diverse than ever.

Read | State govt doles out Metro line sops for Mumbaiites

Worldwide, language use in public services is often based not on the narrowest majoritarian impulses but on the greatest good. In Berkeley, California, where I was a visiting lecturer three years ago, the notices pasted in local buses were not just in English but Spanish, Vietnamese and Korean, a recognition of changing demographics. In Singapore, depending on the areas served, Tamil is used, alongside English, Mandarin and Malay, on bus and metro signs and for announcements. In Manchester airport in Britain, Punjabi announcements are common. These regions and countries also deploy translators in government offices. In Seoul, capital of a unilingual country, subway announcements are in four languages (English, Korean, Japanese, Chinese).

To be sure, this is not always the case. There are a host of linguistically narrow-minded countries that refuse to make lives easier for minorities, but that, surely, is not something India should aspire to.

Samar Halarnkar is editor, Indiaspend.org, a data-driven, public-interest journalism non-profit

The views expressed are personal

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In Mewat, Haryana, the traditional cheer of Eid ul Zuha was muted this year, overcast by clouds of fear. Four out of five residents of the district are Muslims. Outside Jammu and Kashmir, Mewat has the highest ratio of Muslim residents except Dhubri in Assam. The Meo Muslims practise Islam but also retain many Hindu names and practices. Mewat, recently renamed Nuh, is one of the poorest districts of Haryana. In earlier years, impoverished Meos would sometimes come together for the annual Eid sacrifice, seven households joining to sacrifice one animal. But this year, for the first time, most Muslim households did not sacrifice any animal.

The dread of Muslim residents mounted after raiding teams of the state police, supported by non-State cow vigilantes, collected samples of biryani sold by locals on the highways to Alwar and Gurgaon to test whether these contained cow meat. This was about a week before the Eid. No official reports were made public about the findings of the tests, but cow vigilante leaders claimed that five of the seven samples tested positive for cow meat.

Read: What you should know about the Meo Muslims of Mewat

Memories are also fresh among Muslims of the lynching of Mohammed Ikhlaq in Dadri less than a year ago, based on the rumour that he had killed a cow and eaten its meat during Eid. People in Mewat feared that mobs could attack any of them, claiming that the meat that they were eating and distributing was cow meat, and they could be killed in the way Ikhlaq was. In fact, Ikhlaq had become a verb in peoples conversations: people may Ikhlaq us, they said, meaning that they could be lynched.

Read: Haryana govt agrees to CBI probe into Mewat gangrape

It has become risky to transport cows. If a truck is found to carry cows, then gau rakshaks stop the truck, thrash the driver, often vandalise or burn the vehicle, and then drag the driver, if still alive, to the police.

These rakshaks derive a great sense of social power from this role. But even if the transported animals are not cows  buffaloes, or even camels  the transporters remain equally vulnerable to attack. Instead of gau rakshaks, they pose to be animal rights activists, often claiming allegiance to Union minister and leading animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi. And they are still attacked even though they are not transporting cows.

Read: Cop on the cattle beat: IPS officer Bharti Arora protects Haryana cows

Apart from the long shadows that the Haryana police biryani raids cast on Eid festivities, the even more permanent damage they inflicted was on the livelihoods of thousands of poor Muslims. Along highways, young men would sell on portable wooden carts steaming biryani to truck-drivers and workers. They would mainly use buffalo meat, which was economical and conformed to local tastes. A plate would sell for Rs 15 to 20. It offered a source of inexpensive and sanitary nutrition, and had become a major part of the contemporary culture of the region.

But even more than this, the biryani stalls were a source of decent livelihood to approximately 15,000 people. It is estimated that around 3,000 such stalls operated across the district. Each offered employment to at least five people, for a range of tasks from the rearing and sale of the meat and rice, collecting firewood, cooking that began typically before dawn inside thousands of Mewat homes, transportation and sale.

Read: Cow smuggling: A thriving illegal industry in the heart of Rajasthan

However, after the raids by the police, almost all of these have shut down. In an impoverished district with low literacy, there were few jobs for residents who owned little land. Many worked in stone quarries but these were recently shut down. Tens of thousands drove trucks, but more than 50,000 of their driving licences were recently cancelled when they submitted these for renewal. On the back of so much livelihood distress, the abrupt closure of the biryani trade in terror of official action has resulted in suffering and anger.

Cow slaughter is prohibited in Haryana since the mid-1950s under the Punjab Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act (1955), but lawyer Ramzan Chaudhary tells me that this statute was lightly enforced. This changed with the election of a BJP government in Haryana in 2014. The socially conservative chief minister led the passage of a far more stringent Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gau Samvardhan Act, 2015. This first expanded the prohibition to include slaughter of any gau vanshaj  including bulls, oxen, heifers and calves, even when these animals are disabled, diseased or barren. It made possession even of tinned and imported beef a crime. It prescribed high penalties including rigorous imprisonment of three to 10 years. The earlier law made no provision for testing or sampling meat samples, but this statute provided for establishing laboratories for such testing. The Haryana government constituted a police  Cow Protection Task Force  led by a DIG Bharti Arora, who went on record about her missionary zeal to protect cows.

It was policepersons of this task force who conducted the Mewat biryani raids, sending samples to the Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar. The Tribune reports that all that the forensic investigation could conclude was that the meat was cattle meat, not whether or not it was cow meat. It stated that the laboratories are not equipped to conduct any such tests that would stand legal scrutiny in a court of law.

All of this makes the official motive for the police raids on the biryani stalls even more troubling. Lacking the expertise and equipment to actually test whether the meat samples were of cows or buffaloes, what the raids timed a week before the Eid festival accomplished was only to create a climate of dread that crushed both the festival and one major livelihood source of thousands of poor persons. The greater tragedy is that this seems to have been precisely what the government, openly hostile to a segment of its citizens based on their religious identity, actually wanted to accomplish.

Harsh Mander is the author of Looking Away: Inequality, Prejudice and Indifference in New India.

The views expressed are personal.

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New Delhi: For most Delhiites, choking on heavy fumes from diesel vehicles on city roads is a part of everyday life. With each breath of the polluted city air, they are at greater risk of respiratory ailments, heart diseases, cancer, musculoskeletal and neurological disorders.

The Capital has over 8.9 million registered vehicles and another 50,000 commercial vehicles enter the citys borders each night. A two-year analysis, submitted by IIT Kanpur to the Delhi government, identified the major contributors to the citys pollution levels. Vehicular emissions were found to be among the top two contributors. According to the report, pollution from vehicles grew from 64% to 72% between 1990 and 2000. During the winter season, on an average vehicles contribute up to 25% of PM2.5 and at certain locations this could be above 35%.

In winters, 46% particulate emissions (PM10) were attributed to trucks and 33% to two wheelers. Four wheelers trailed behind at 10%, followed by buses (5%) and light commercial vehicles (4%), the study found. More than a third (38%) of the small particulate matter (PM2.5) not visible to the naked eye was contributed by road dust, while 20% was from vehicular emissions.

Small particles are the most dangerous as they enter the walls of lungs and clog it. This causes severe respiratory problems and other degenerative diseases, said Dr Anant Mohan, lungs specialist, AIIMS.

WHAT NEXT

To reduce vehicular pollution the government has taken measures such as introduction of BS-VI standards for fuel by 2020. This will cut down diesel vehicle emissions to petrol levels for all pollutants and slash 55% of the particulate matter and 47% of nitrous oxide emissions. Besides this, initiatives are also being taken to encourage the market of e-vehicles in the city.

However, this not enough to control vehicular emission.

Just giving subsidies on e-vehicles will not help. The government first needs to provide proper infrastructure. I have two electricity driven cars but I think twice before taking them out for long rides. There are no charging points anywherein the city and I have to rely on personal is ed charging kits which I got along with the car, said Sunil Kumar Dahiya, a pilot with a private airline who has been using e-cars for the past two years now.

Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said vehicular emission has remained a significant source of pollution in the city and the governments odd-even road rationing scheme and orders to limit the registration of diesel vehicles have proved this.

The government needs to proactively work on a comprehensive policy package that includes phasing in a policy of obsolescence for vehicles, congestion fees, expansion and integration of public transport. Measures have been taken, but we need to keep up the momentum and encourage public participation, Roychowdhury said.

In 2013, Dr Sarath Guttikunda published a study on environment according to which vehicular emissions contributed 90%, 54% and 33% to Nitrogen Oxide (NOx), suspended particulate matter and sulphur dioxide (SO2) emission, respectively.

In the same year, a study led by Dr Pramila Goyal of IIT-Delhi s Centre for Atmospheric Studies flagged emissions from two wheelers as a matter of concern . Two wheelers contribute between 40% and 60% of the total pollution from vehicles, the study said. It identified Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HCVs) to be the major contributors to particulates (92%).

Market trends also show the citys heavy reliance on private vehicles. Last year, Delhi recorded a 9.5% increase in the sale of cars, excluding the luxury segment.

Only a good public transport system can reduce peoples dependence on private vehicles. If we do not provide them a comfortable, cheap-and-well-connected alternative, it will be unfair to expect people to not use their cars, said PK Sarkar, head of department (transport planning) at the School of Planning and Architecture. As the dependence on private vehicles increases, the air pollution levels will become more uncontrollable.

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NEW DELHI: Following the income-tax (IT) department notice to Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain, the Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday he would expose a very big conspiracy behind registration of false cases against AAP MLAs, ministers and him during a one-day special session of Delhi Assembly on Friday.

The move is likely to escalate confrontation with AAP government and the Centre. False cases against AAP MLAs n ministers, FIR against me, CBI raid on mewhy? Av big conspiracy. Will expose in Del Assembly on Fri (sic), Kejriwal tweeted.

Kejriwal was named in an FIR into alleged irregularities in Delhi Commission for Women by the anti-corruption branch (ACB).

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said in the Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday, it was decided to convene the one-day special session to discuss registration of wrong FIRs against Kejriwal, ministers and AAP MLAs including steep rise in dengue and chikungunya cases in the city.

The chief minister had alleged that the FIR has been registered against him at the behest of PrimeMinister Narendra Modi. It is clear that the FIR has the PMs nod. We will soon call a special session of the Delhi Assembly where we will expose the conspiracy behind this, Kejriwal had said last week.

Sources said that during the special session, the AAP MLAs will also attack all three BJP-controlled municipal corporations for failing to prevent the spread of dengue and chikungunya in the national capital. The issue of municipal corporations failing to fumigate across the city will be raised by the ruling party MLAs. The civic bodies have completely failed to clean the city following which there has been a spurt in the number of dengue and chikungunya cases, they alleged.

The AAP government was being attacked by the opposition  BJP and Congress  for not discussing the issue in the Assembly. Since the Aam Aadmi Party has come to power in Delhi, Kejriwal government and the BJP-led Centre have been at loggerheads on various issues including authority over the national capital.
NEW DELHI: After lieutenant-governor Najeeb Jungs direction to get garbage dumps cleared twice a day, civic agencies have started implementation.

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has constituted special teams, comprising of deputy commissioners, in all four zones to monitor the work done by concessionaires handling garbage disposal in their areas.

SDMC commissioner Puneet Goel instructed officials to make arrangements for lifting garbage from sensitive areas at least six times in a day.

The East Delhi Municipal Corporation has identified 80 dhalaos in Shahdara South zone and 27 in North zone where the garbage is dumped from more than three wards.

On Tuesday, North Delhi Municipal Corporation commissioner Praveen Gupta also met the concessionaires responsible for maintaining dumps in five zones (out of six).

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NEW DELHI: The income tax (I-T) department has summoned Delhi s health minister Satyender Jain in connection with transactions worth Rs 16.38 crore involving three companies promoted by him, a move that could trigger another political slug fest between the A AP government and the Centre.

Summons dated September 22 asked Jain to appear before the department on October 4 with the books of accounts and other documents of the three companies  Indo Metallimpex, Paryas Infosolution, Akinchan Developers.

Officials said the details of the transactions and a possible involvement of Jain came from the income tax departments Kolkata branch, where a hawala dealer, identified as Jevinder Mishra, was being investigated. Jain denied any wrongdoing. As an investor, I had made investment in these companies four years ago, but I have nothing to do with these companies since 2013. I have done nothing wrong, Jain told reporters. I have only been summoned as a witness. It is just reassessment not investigation.

According to Registrar of Companies filings, Jain resigned from these companies on July 31, 2013. The tax department has asked Jain to furnish details of three years from 2011-13.

Reacting to the news reports, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, I summoned Satinder this morning. Saw all papers. He innocent, being framed. If he were guilty, we wud have thrown him out. We stand by him.

The BJP accused Jain of being involved in money laundering and demanded that Kejriwal must live up to his claims of taking action against corrupt leaders. BJP secretary Sidharth Nath Singh said Rs 5 crore was the total value of immovable assets declared by Jain in his election affidavit in 2015, contrary to his present claims that he had invested Rs 17 crore in 2013.

Why 2013 investments were not reflected in the 2015 affidavit? Why did he hide the facts behind which he is taking refuge now, Singh asked. The BJP leader said Kejriwal sat on a dharna outside the then BJP chief Nitin Gadkaris residence over false charges, but was hesitant in acting against his minister. Why not action against Satyender Jain? Kejriwal owes an explanation, Singh said.
NEW DELHI: The death of a teacher, Mukesh Kumar, who was stabbed by two Class12 students, has triggered panic among government school teachers and a demand for higher security.

On several occasions, teachers in government schools raised the issue of deteriorating discipline among students as a major cause of concern. Kumars murder could be the last straw.

Last week during the assembly, a student beat up a physical education teacher in front of everyone. We had to call the police and hand over the student, said a teacher of government school in Bawana.

He said incidents of student misbehaving with teachers and bringing objects such as knives to school have become regular.

Teachers of the government boys senior secondary school, Sultanpuri Road at Nangloi where Kumar was ateacher, say the students had been threatening them.

Over the last few years, there have been incidents in which teachers were hospitalised after being assaulted by students.

Teachers say they prefer to ignore the indiscipline as they cannot risk their lives.

Parents also come and charge us sometimes... So it is better to keep quiet then face disrespect, said a teacher of the government boys senior secondary school in Sonia Vihar.

A teacher who has taught in four different schools in the last 21 years said, Once I scolded a student, the next moment he walked up to me, took out his phone and asked whether he should file a complaint.

Now, in the wake of Kumars murder, teachers are demanding more security personnel to be deployed in schools.

The government schoolteachers association (GSTA) has written to Delhis deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia demanding tight security.

Security guards of higher standards be employed in schools and beat officers from police should also be placed, the GSTA letter demanded.

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NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday pulled out of the Saarc Summit to be held in Pakistan in November, citing cross-border terrorism and growing interference in the internal affairs of members by one country.

The move came against the backdrop of a spike in tensions between India and Pakistan over a militant attack on an army camp at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 18 soldiers. India responded to the strike with a campaign aimed at isolating Pakistan on the international stage.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said India had informed current Saarc chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of member states by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the summit in Islamabad.

India remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in an atmosphere free of terror, Swarup said. Though he did not name Pakistan, there was very little doubt about the target.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly this week, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj had accused Pakistan of responding to Indias peace overtures with a string of terror attacks and the export of terrorism.

New Delhis announcement came hours after Pakistans envoy was handed over what India said was proof that militants who attacked the Uri army base earlier this month came from its territory. New Delhi also appeared set to reconsider favourable trading terms with the neighbour.

The statement by Swarup pointed out that some other Saarc member states have also conveyed their reservation about attending the Islamabad summit, believed to be a reference to Afghanistan and Bangladesh which have also criticised Pakistan on the issue of terrorism. However, it is not the first time India has decided to skip the meeting of the eight-nation grouping, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, formed in 1985. The summit cannot be held if even one member pulls out.

In a demarche, foreign secretary S Jaishankar gave Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit the names and addresses of two guides from Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir who helped four militants cross over and attack the Uri camp.

The envoy, who was called in for the second time since the attack, was told that local villagers in Uri caught and handed over the two guides -- Faizal Hussain Awan, 20, and Yasin Khursheed, 19  who had admitted to facilitating the crossing over of the attackers from Pakistan.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called a meeting of his foreign and commerce ministry officials to review the most-favoured nation (MFN) status it gave Pakistan in 1996. The meeting, to be held on Thursday, is part of retributive measures India is said to be considering to avenge the Uri attack, including reviewing a water-sharing treaty and scaling down aviation cooperation.

New Delhi has blamed the Uri attack on Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist group, which is based in Muzaffarabad, a known sanctuary for militant groups operating against India.

Pakistan promptly rejected the proof, with Basit calling for an independent investigation into the attack which he termed as ahandiwork of Indian forces . Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asif also described the Uri attack as self-generated by India.

Modi has already held a meeting to review the 56-year-old, World Bank-brokered Indus Waters Treaty that governs rivers flowing into Pakistan.

The MFN status is granted by a trading partner to another country for equal treatment in terms of trading prices or tariffs, and market access without discrimination in imports and exports.

Reacting to Indias decision on the Saarc meet, Pakistans Foreign Office described it as unfortunate and said it had not yet received any official communication from New Delhi. A brief statement issued by the Foreign Office referred to the reasons behind Indias decision as an excuse and alleged New Delhi was perpetrating and financing terrorism in Pakistan. It added, It is India which has violated the international law and UN Charter by interfering in the internal matters of... Pakistan.
NEW DELHI: Maintaining that war is not a solution but there is a need to take action in other ways, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal attacked the Central government on Tuesday for not taking any action in the wake of a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmirs Uri, which led to the death of 18 soldiers.

Why are we silent despite being under attack from an enemy state. I am not propagating war. War is not a solution. But there are hundred other ways to do something and retaliate. Are we so weak that we have to remain silent despite the attacks, Kejriwal said.

The chief minister felicitated 190 freedom fighters and family members of martyrs from various states at an event, Shaheed Utsav, to mark 110th birth anniversary of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh on Tuesday.

He also appealed to PM Narendra Modi to give 1 crore to honour martyrs. Their value cannot be measured in money but we can make their families feel that the country is taking care of them. Families of soldiers and policemen who die saving the country should be given 1 crore, he said.

Kejriwal said that the Delhi government has been doing this for over a year and it has not burdened them financially. We announced this a year and half ago but we did not go bankrupt. Instead Delhi residents paid so much as taxes. Centre will not go bankrupt if they start this. I suggest the PM should start by honouring Uri martyrs, he said.

Speaking about Bhagat Singh, Kejriwal said there is a need to follow the ideals of freedom fighters rather than just celebrating their birth and death anniversary.

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NEW DELHI: With no clarity over the appointment of Sarvagya Srivastava as new chairman of Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Development Corporation (SRDC), the board meeting held on Monday was inconclusive.

Sources in the Delhi government said as Delhi lieutenantgovernor Najeeb Jung had not approved the appointment of Srivastava, board members were apprehensive whether any decision taken under his chairmanship would be valid. Consequently, no decision on stalled Shahjahanabad redeveloped project could be taken.

No proposal was deliberated pertaining to Shahjahanabad redevelopment work because of uncertainty over the appointment of new chairman. Hence, the meeting was adjourned until October 3, source said.

Srivastava, an engineer, was appointed as secretary in the PublicWork Department by the AAP government in February. He was also given the charge of SRDC. However, the L-G overruled the decision and replaced him with Senior IAS officer Ashwani Kumar last month saying the appointment was in violation of the governments cadre rule.

Despite repeated attempts, Srivastava could not be reached for the comment.

SRDC director Alka Lamba said the board reached a unanimous decision that the L-G would be requested to clear the files related to the appointment of the chairman. We have also been demanding that SRDC should be given power of a municipal body so that it can take decision on its own and work without hindrance.

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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday rapped Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan for not filing a response to the notice sent to him for referring to the Bulandshahr gang rape case as a political controversy.

A bench of Justice Dipak Misra and JusticeUday Lalit told the UP state counsel that Khan should have entered his appearance through a lawyer. The state advocate said he was not representing the minister because the statement he made was in his personal capacity.

At this additional solicitor general Maninder Singh, appearing for CBI, expressed surprise.

In our considered opinion Azam Khan should have entered appearance when there are direct allegations against him in the writ petition. We direct the CBI to serve notice on him, the bench ordered.

The victims father has moved the top court demanding a CBI probe into the gruesome incident reported on July 28.

He has asked for the transfer of case from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi in the wake of Khansstatement that the gang rape was a political conspiracy and nothing else.

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NEW DELHI: Everybody knew Mukesh Kumar as a dedicated school teacher who never hesitated to discipline erring students. This, however, was the reason why he was stabbed to death allegedly by two students at a government school in Nangloi on Monday evening.

A day after the 47-year-old teachers murder, police arrested two Class 12 students for the crime. They were reportedly angry with Kumar because he had complained about them to their parents.

Joint commissioner of police (southwest) Dependra Pathak described the suspects as undisciplined students who often skipped classes. One of them  a juvenile  had been rusticated due to poor attendance, he said.

The Delhi government has granted a compensatory award of Rs 1 crore to Kumars family, and ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.

Meanwhile, agitating teachers blocked traffic near the school for almost four hours on Tuesday. It s high time the government provided us with security , said Vinod Kumar Mallick, who teaches at a Jahangirpuri school.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, in his response, said it was the responsibility of both parents and students to restore the confidence of teachers .Because of two individuals, all students shouldnt be termed criminals. Parents must explain to their children that if a teacher says something, it is for their betterment he added.

Kumar is survived by his wife, Neelam, and three children. An hour before they murdered their teacher, the two Class 12 boys had gone to the vice-principals room seeking the 17-year-old students transfer certificate. The juvenile was rusticated due to low attendance.

While they spoke inside the vice-principals office, Vivek Jha, 18, the juveniles associate, had a knife hidden under his shirt. The two told police that the vice-principal refused to give the transfer certificate and instead asked them to meet their class teacher Mukesh Kumar.

They told us they were furious and would have knifed the principal in his room but could not do it because other teachers came there, an officer said.

At around 5 pm, they met Kumar who was in room number 108 on the first floor of the building. Kumar asked them to write an application for the transfer certificate. They were already furious with him for trying to improve them. They decided to stab him, said police.

MURDER PLANNED A WEEK AGO

A week before they stabbed Kumar, the two had planned to kill him. For a week, they saved around 200. On Monday afternoon, they went to the local Sultanpuri market near the school and bought a knife for 100. Jha had hidden the knife under his shirt.

The 17-year-old was rusticated around three months ago. He was taken back after parents requested the school authorities. He was again rusticated on September 12 for poor attendance.

While the juvenile was expelled, Jha was on the verge of being expelled. On September 13  a day after the expulsion  some students reportedly sent an anonymous chit to the vice-principal that Jha and the juvenile have planned a murder. Their parents were called and the matter was settled, an officer said adding that the school vice-principal had threatened to inform the police the next time.

Joint commissioner (south west), Dependra Pathak, said the police were not informed by school authorities.

Jha and the juvenile told police that Kumar was hard on them and abused them in the class. Police are probing the role of other students, who may have known about the murder.

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NEW DELHI: A former director general in the corporate affairs ministry and his son were found dead at their east Delhi home on Tuesday, two months after his wife and daughter killed themselves over his arrest for alleged corruption.

BK Bansal was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his bedroom by the familys domestic help, a day after he visited the CBI headquarters to deliver a handful of documents. His 31-year-old son, Yogesh, was also found hanging in his room.

Domestic help Rachna had earlier discovered the bodies of Bansals 58-year-old wife Satya Bala and daughter Neha, 28, in two rooms of their home at Neelkanth Apartment in east Delhis Madhu Vihar area on July 19.

The CBI arrested Bansal on July 16 for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 20 lakh from Mumbai-based fir m Elder Pharmaceutical, which has been accused of duping 24,000 investors of Rs 176 crore through a fraudulent investment scheme. He was accused of taking the bribe to scuttle an investigation against the firm.

The mother-daughter duo wrote in their suicide notes that they lost the will to live because of the humiliation when CBI officials searched their home and arrested Bansal.

Taking note of the unfortunate events in his family after his arrest, a special CBI court granted the former bureaucrat bail in August.

But on Tuesday, the 59-year-old Bansal and his son were found hanging in the same rooms where his wife and daughter hanged themselves.

Police said the duo left behind separate suicide notes in which they allegedly blamed CBI officials of harassment that forced the family to kill themselves within two months. Four photocopies of each note, written and signed in Hindi, and photos with contact numbers of their relatives were also recovered.

Addressing his five-page note to the CBI director, a police officer said, Bansal demanded the central investigating agency to initiate a probe into the harassment by CBI officials, including a DIG-rank officer.

Yogeshs two-page note contained similar allegations, the officer said.

Since the case was being probed by CBI, we have forwarded the suicide notes to them. We have initiated in quest proceedings to ascertain if any criminality was involved the suicide pact, said SBK Singh, the special commissioner of police( law and order, north).

Police suspect the father and sons suicide pact was planned on Monday evening when they told Rachna to come late the next day and that the main door would be left open for her. When Rachna went to clean Bansals room, she found him hanging with a rope around his neck. She rushed to Yogeshs room and found him in a similar state, deputy commissioner of police (east) Rishipal Singh said.

She immediately rushed down to the apartment security officers room, raised the alarm and fainted.

We are deeply saddened to know the unfortunate demise of BK Bansal and his son today. The matter is being looked into by local police, CBI spokesperson RK Gaur said. The agency clarified that the younger Bansal, who was reported to be under the scanner, was neither an accused nor was he summoned in the alleged bribery case. The CBI has yet to complete the investigation and file a charge sheet.
NEW DELHI: Former corporate affairs director general BK Bansal had turned religious to recover from the grief of losing his wife Satyabala and daughter Neha.

Bansals wife and daughter had killed themselves in the same Neelkanth apartment flat two months ago where he and his son were found hanging onTuesday morning.

Bansal and his son Yogesh had started organising pooja in their flat following their neighbours advice. Neighbours said that the Bansals had decided to hold religious rituals for 51 days inside their flat.

Raghubir Singh, security manager of Neelkanth Apartments where the Bansals lived, said that even on Monday evening, Bansal had given Rs 2,100 to the societys priest to arrange some items needed for a pooja.

The father-son duo looked fine after the pooja started at their home last week. We dont know what suddenly happened after, said the security manager.

Bansals relatives who live in Hisar, Haryana, said they could not believe their ears when the police informed them about the double suicide on Tuesday morning.

Ever since being granted bail in the graft case, Bansal used to spend most of his time in Hisar with his son

He had started visiting Hisar every week with Yogesh. We were happy that he was recovering from the tragedy, but didnt know that they planned to commit suicide as well, said a relative. Three relatives of Bansal had come to claim Bansal and his son Yogeshs bodies after autopsy at Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital.

Bansals elder brother was taking care of him in Hissar.

Neighbours at Neelkanth Apartments, where Bansal had been living since 2004 with his family, described him as a humble and religious person. He was known for helping others financially.

It was only after his arrest we got to know that he was a top ranked government official. He used his own car; there was no official vehicle that ever came to pick him up, said Harish, a neighbour.

Neighbours also fear that after a spate of suicides, the flat where the Bansals resided will never see another occupant.

They claimed that the duo was depressed and Yogeshs business had to be folded up after the CBI raids in July.
GURGAON: The city is a step closer to being renamed Gurugram, village of the guru.

The Union home ministry has cleared the new name for Gurgaon, but the change will be effective only after the Haryana government releases a gazette notification, which is expected soon.

The BJP government of chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced on April 12 to change Gurgaons name to Gurugram and Mewat to Nuh based on public opinion, which relied on historical factors.

Khattar announced in Panchkula on Tuesday that the Centre has cleared the proposal.

It is a welcome move keeping with the historical flavour of the area. Now, the government should focus on development said Rao Inderjit Singh, local parliamentarian and Union junior minister for urban development and housing.

The area, according to Hindu epic Mahabharata, got its name when Pandavas and Kauravas donated land to their archery guru Dronacharya as gurudakshinaorfee. Thegurureportedly trained the princes at this very placeandusedtolivenearapond in a village in old Gurgaon.

The Haryana government sent the request on April 20 as the home ministrys approval is required to change names of villages, towns, and districts. The home minister wrote back on September 22, clearing the Haryana governments proposal.

After the gazette notification, the state government is required to send a notification to important offices, including that of the Survey of India in Dehradun, for necessary changes in their records.

But much before the Centres nod, Gurgaon police had already started using Gurugram.

Gurgaon became a global brand not because of the name, but due to other reasons. Correcting a mistake (in name) does not mean it is going in the wrong direction said Rishi Agarwal, president of Gurugram Gaurav Sanstha, a front that pushed for name-change.

His remarks were in response to doubts that the bustling city dotted with offices and factories of multinational companies may lose its brand value and business because of the renaming.

Deepak Ohlyan, the executive director of Dell, said the new name should bring a positive change in infrastructure and the citys notorious traffic situation.

Former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda had suggested gaon instead of gram, both meaning village. He said gaon connects better with people.

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Delhi Police arrested a 38-year-old man on Tuesday for allegedly trying to kidnap a seven-year-old boy from outside his school in New Friends Colony in southeast Delhi.

The incident took place around 8am on the main road outside New Cosmos Public School. Mukesh, who works as a delivery man in Nehru Place market, tried to lure Class II student Sahil with chocolates while he was walking towards the school. The child reportedly took his hand and began walking away from the school.

A woman, who knew Sahils parents, alerted the school authorities on spotting the child with a stranger . The schools principal dialled 100. A team of policemen soon arrived and arrested Mukesh on the spot.

During interrogation, Mukesh revealed that he had befriended Sahil a few days ago.

This was not the first time that Mukesh was trying to lure the boy with chocolates. So when Mukesh approached Sahil outside the school on Tuesday, he easily recognised him and accepted the chocolates . But an alert woman, who knew the boys parents and was nearby at the time of the incident, quickly informed the school authorities, said a senior police official. Sahil was later reunited with his parents, who live in Taimoor Nagar. Sahils father works in a clinic.

Mukesh came to Delhi from Nepal around three years ago. Police have registered a case under section 363 (kidnapping) of IPC at New Friends Colony police station. Further investigation is on.
The Delhi government school in west Delhi where a teacher was stabbed to death by two Class XII boys remained shut on Wednesday as teachers went on strike and students did not turn up.

Today the school is closed. We do not know till when this is going to continue, said Badan Singh, principal of Government Boys Senior Secondary School, Sultanpuri Road, Nangloi.

A Hindi teacher, Mukesh Kumar, was killed by two students on Monday on the school premises. The two students, one of them a juvenile, were caught by Delhi Police.

The teachers of the school have refused to resume work and conduct the ongoing exams. They are staging a dharna demanding improved security, better compensation for teachers, snipping powers of the School Management Committee (SMC) and scrapping of Chunauti - a scheme to improve learning levels in schools.

The children in the morning shift also did not come to the school today as we are on strike. As long as our demands are not fulfilled, we will not teach, said Naresh Kumar Sharma, a teacher of the school.

Teachers in other government schools showed solidarity and sat on protest outside different examination paper distribution centres across Delhi. However, education officials said exams were conducted as per schedule in other schools on Wednesday.

Till Monday, all schools had conducted the first summative assessment as usual but it was cancelled in most schools on Tuesday.

Education officials said that the government is willing to support the family of the deceased in every possible way and will fulfil all reasonable demands of the teachers.

We are willing to work alongside teachers, who are our biggest strength, on these issues. We cant let one unfortunate incident affect the future of 14 lakh children. Teachers safety is a huge concern for us. But demands like no exams for lakhs of children or doing away with Chunauti initiative is not linked to the incident and not reasonable, said Saumya Gupta, Director, Directorate of Education.

Some members of the Government School Teachers Association (GSTA) are also sitting in protest outside the education department office in north Delhi. We will continue our strike till government accepts our demands and gives us in writing, said Ajay Veer Yadav, general secretary GSTA.

On Tuesday too the teachers had blocked the roads close to school and gathered in large numbers.

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Computer engineering student Sumesh Dhar was still in his final year at Punes Sinhagad College when he was offered a Rs 4 lakh annual package at campus placement. He rejected it. The reason he turned down what many consider a dream offer? It just wasnt good enough. Dhar believed he could do far better as a freelancer.

Dhar started freelancing early. He was in his first year of college when he took up side projects offering web solutions for Indian companies, and while he initially worked for free, those projects gave him enough experience to land bigger jobs and command a fee. The small projects paid me around Rs 2,000, says Dhar. I now earn Rs one lakh a month for close to nine months in the year.

A regular job, with lower pay and only one client, then, seemed neither an opportunity nor a challenge for the freelancer.

OPTIONS GALORE

Across cities, more professionals are considering opting out of the security of a permanent position to take up freelance projects for different companies of their own choosing. Students and under-graduates freelance to gauge their interests to start with, says Richa Dwivedi Saklani, founder of Inomi, a career counselling firm from Mulund. Some continue it so they can do multiple things at the same time and have flexible work hours,

It can also work out to be a better deal for those already in the workforce. Hourly wages for events, deadline-based projects or time-bound campaigns often work out better than a monthly salary.

According to a study by PwC titled Work-life 3.0: Understanding How Well Work Next, 41% of non-independent American workers say they expect to become independent workers in the next year. About 53% say they expect to work on their own in the next five years.

In India too, several companies are looking to hire students as freelancers so the employees spend less time commuting to work and employers can hire more staff without investing in more infrastructure, says Sarvesh Agarwal, CEO and founder of InternShala, an online portal that helps students get internships in their field of choice. With the compulsory 75 percent attendance rule at many universities and colleges, students prefer to freelance as it lets them attend classes and build their resumes, so its a win-win for both.

Read: Thanks to the internet, India has the most freelance professionals after the US

NEW DEFINITION

Today, freelancing is no longer restricted to creative fields or media jobs. We now see freelancers in marketing, sales and HR too, says Agarwal.

Gagan Mahajan, 21, a Bachelors of Computer Science graduate from Delhi University used the 21-day period between graduation and his first day at a permanent job with a software development company to freelance. He worked as a webprogrammer for SHEROES, a Mumbai-based career counselling company for women. It was my best chance to prove myself  he says. I worked aggressively to build the first on-web helpline system for working women to register their grievances; I was promoted as a product manager soon after. Mahajan is currently the youngest manager at SHEROES.

For employers, freelancing solves the space problem too. Expansion is essential to keep up with competition, but lack of space, especially in a city like Mumbai, makes accommodation of newer employees a hard task to achieve, says Anubhuti Sehgal, senior career counsellor and director of MapMyTalent, an online portal for career counselling.

PICK AND CHOOSE: HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF FREELANCING



Get on Twitter: A Twitter profile is essential. Even if you donft know what to tweet, just following the right people will give you opportunities and have prospective employers find you.





A Twitter profile is essential. Even if you donft know what to tweet, just following the right people will give you opportunities and have prospective employers find you. Pitch what you know: Try to find an area of work that you know about, perhaps something you studied, or something that you love doing.





Try to find an area of work that you know about, perhaps something you studied, or something that you love doing. Market through e-mail: Compose messages to multiple companies, telling them what you are looking for. It is the fastest way to communicate to them.





Compose messages to multiple companies, telling them what you are looking for. It is the fastest way to communicate to them. Start small: Target smaller companies because they offer better work opportunities to freshers.





Target smaller companies because they offer better work opportunities to freshers. Diversify: Apply for multiple projects, especially if you are in a creative field.

Sources: Kavitha Rao, a freelance journalist and the co-authorof Everything You Wanted to Write About Freelance Journalism(but didnt know whom to ask); Anubhuti Sehgal,senior career counsellor and director of MapMyTalent,an online portal for career counselling

LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP

Could freelancing be your best bet? It all depends on what you do, how good you are at it and how much youre willing to work differently, experts say.

For a career in the arts, such as music, design or writing, you need to build up a bank of work, a portfolio, early in your career, says Anuj Jain, chief career counsellor at Edugroomer, Malabar Hill. For this, freelancing before is a good option. He recommends taking up projects by the second year of graduation for a good head start. On the other hand, if you are from a technical background, employers depend heavily on grades for fresh graduates, not the work experience you built afterwards.

Freelancing sounds glamorous. But its risky. Timely payments are the biggest issue. Many companies did pay me on time and in advance too, says Dhar. But some had to be pursued and reminded, while some others didnt pay me at all in spite of promising to do so. You have to set a rate card and read your contract carefully to ensure youre not cheated.

The bane of most freelancers is that payments are delayed due to conflicts during work or because the quality of their work ends up not meeting the employers standards. There is a notion that if you freelance, you have complete autonomy over your work, which needs to change, says Sehgal. Deadlines are often stricter for outside agents because it is assumed that you have picked a task that is most convenient for you, so employers expect it to be done faster, she says. Secondly, since you arent physically present, you are judged solely on the basis of the quality of the work, rather than your levels of loyalty or ethics. It is also important for you to not indulge in any blame games if you make a mistake; be accountable for whatever you have done because there is no peer support which may come to your rescue.

Dont be under the impression that after freelancing for a certain period of time, the company will offer employment. Students often keep waiting for the chance that never comes, Sehgal warns. Freelance also means giving up on benefits and incentives such as conveyance, and in most cases, insurance benefits too. Students must take into account all these drawbacks before choosing this mode of employment.

Read: The new high-end freelancer
Classes at around 18,000 schools in Jharkhand have been stalled for over a week due to the para-teachers strike, affecting at least 1.5 lakh students from rural and semi-urban areas of the state, claimed the protesting teachers.

However, the state school education and literacy officials said the on-strike teachers were exaggerating the numbers and that regular teachers were deputed as substitutes in all the affected schools. They said a few schools in Palamu and Garwah districts might have been affected due to a dearth of teachers.

The para-teachers went on strike demanding regularisation of services on September 17 and thousands of schools have been locked since, they say. The strike continues and the government is yet to have a dialogue with the aggrieved ad-hoc teachers, many of who were lathi-charged outside the Raj Bhawan on Monday causing major injuries to some.

At least 18,000 schools have remained locked since September 17. We dont want to disturb the education of the students but the government has left us with no other option, said Sanjay Dubey, member of the Jharkhand Para Sikshak Mahasangh  the umbrella body of the para-teachers union in state.

While the para-teachers association claims that all 72,000 para-teachers are on strike, state school education and literacy secretary Aradhana Patnaik said only 15,000 were on strike and the remaining 57,000 were working. No schools have been affected. We have deputed regular teachers in all the schools where para-teachers have gone on strike and all the schools are running smoothly, she said.

On Tuesday, the on-strike para teachers also burnt effigies of the state government in different parts of Jharkhand as a mark of protest against the lathicharge on Monday. The teachers also gheraoed the Jharkhand Education Project Council (JEPC) building in Ranchi.

A faction of the para-teachers association which includes only the Jharkhand Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) pass teachers also extended their support to the strike and may suspend all works from Wednesday, said Mohan Mandal -- a member of JTET Pass Para Sikshak Sangh. At least 1,000 schools where JTET-pass para-teachers teach would also be locked up soon, he said.

Read more: Delhi: School closed after stabbing incident as teachers go on strike

There are around 40,000 government schools in Jharkhand and over 50 lakh students. The education here has been marred on several occasions in the past by frequent protests and the government should try and solve this problem once and for all, said activists.

You cannot deal with regular protests and think of quality education at the same time. This issue needs to be addressed as early as possible for the betterment of the students, said Anup Horey, member of Plan India NGO.

The para-teachers were first appointed on honorarium basis as Siksha Mitras (education friends) under the Centres Sarva Siksha Abhiyan in 2002. For the past one decade, the teachers have gone on strike at least six times.

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On Tuesday, a barrage of Doctor Strange news hit the web. News, interviews and set reports were accompanied by new posters and a special, IMAX trailer. But, looking at the new footage and posters, one thing caught our attention - something we were not taking too seriously until now: Doctor Strange looks an awful lot like Christopher Nolans movies. And we just cant ignore it anymore.

The similarities are so in-your-face distracting that were having a hard time justifying them. We dont expect this from Marvel Studios. If anything, they mostly rip-off their own work. Theyve stuck to their tried-and-tested formula for a dozen movies now, so its odd for them to break that streak all of a sudden. And that too so carelessly.

OK, so lets see what were working with here.

First and foremost, the most obvious visual similarity has to be the folding city. Now, you might say that Nolan himself lifted the cool visuals from MS Escher...

...but wed never really seen anything like it in a movie before Inception. So it doesnt count.

Heres the shot from Doctor Strange

And heres the one from Inception

But youre right. This one was easy to spot. Which isnt to say that its all right for them to have done it in the first place.

But thats not all. Theres more.

Lets talk about the basic premise for a minute.

We have a wealthy man (played by a suave British star) with a weakness for fast cars and cold, modern architecture, questioning his existence. Not to mention staring pensively out of the windows of his antiseptic-looking penthouse.

Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne (top) and Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Stephen Strange.

Who then travels to a mystical Far-Eastern land to learn essential superhero skills...

Stills from Batman Begins (top) and Doctor Strange.

Forgetting to shave while hes there...

No razors in the Far East.

But not forgetting to get some serious martial arts training...

Still not convinced? How about these new character posters that Marvel released...

And now, if you superimpose them on each other, this is what you get:

Marvel movies have never really been known for their originality, but they often skirt by because of how well they work within the formula theyve set for themselves. And yes, Christopher Nolan is a legend. But shouldnt there be a line between shameless rip off and reverent homage?

We cant even blame director Scott Derrickson (Sinister, The Exorcism of Emily Rose). Hes a talented horror filmmaker whos working in a strict, committee-driven environment (Marvel Studios). But someone, at some point, should have said something.

Also, why arent more people calling out Marvel for this move? Yes, theyve built solid goodwill over the years, but there comes a point when you have to call a spade a spade.

This is the spade.

Doctor Strange will arrive in theatres on November 4, and well be looking extra hard to see if there are any more tributes in the final film.

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In a well-crafted strategy, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) appears to be targeting those states where the Congress is in a direct fight with the BJP or a regional force.

The strategy of the AAP to hit the Congress in Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh seems to reflect this focus. Even Rajasthan is on its radar.

It was the AAPs landslide victory in 2015 assembly elections in Delhi where the battle was primarily between the Congress and the BJP that prompted the new party to reshape its electoral strategy for other states to capitalise on shifting Congress votes.

As part of its plan, the AAP is not contesting the upcoming polls in Uttar Pradesh but will fight it out in Goa and Punjab. While the ruling Samajwadi Party is locked in a bitter battle with the Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh with the BJP virtually the third force, the AAPs entry in Goa and Punjab has directly hit the Congress prospects of regaining power in these two states. UP, Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur go to polls in February-March next year.

We are going to states where Congress is unable to give a fight to BJP or regional parties, said an AAP strategist. Moreover, we see a tacit understanding between the Congress and BJP when it comes to AAP. Arvind Kejriwal openly attacked the Modi government over Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh but if you see the language of Congress and BJP on the issues of advertisements and parliamentary secretary their language is similar, he said.

While the AAP deliberately decided against contesting the upcoming elections in Uttarakhand after a rebellion in its state unit, the party has made significant inroads in Odisha.

For its part, the Congress believes the AAP is working with the BJP-RSS to ensure a Congress-mukt Bharat.

We have always maintained that Arvind Kejriwal is working with RSS for a Congress-mukt Bharat. I challenge him to accept or deny whether he was not a part of discussion at Vivekananda International

Foundation that drew the strategy for Narendra Modis victory in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, said Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh.

Singh, who is the partys in-charge of Goa, also claimed that the AAPs strategy in the state was only to facilitate the BJPs return to power in the 2017 polls.

The BJP seems to agree with this contention. AAP will bring the Congress down and appears to be pushing them (Congress) in that direction with all its vigour. Congress party too is working overtime to fulfill the BJPs dream of a Congress-mukt Bharat, which was also Mahatma Gandhis dream, senior BJP leader and union minister Nitin Gadkari said.

Wishing the AAP well for the Goa elections, he claimed that the BJPs victory is certain if the new party campaigns aggressively in the state. AAPs entry is good and useful for us. I wish them well because they will help us win, the former BJP chief said in Goa recently.

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India is likely to review its air links with Pakistan, a move aimed at scaling down engagement with the neighbour, which it holds responsible for the September 18 terror attack on the Uri army base that killed 18 soldiers.

New Delhi is already reviewing the 56-year-old Indus Waters Treaty to explore ways to make optimum use of water from Pakistan-controlled rivers  as stipulated in the agreement but not enforced fully. These are part of non-military retributive steps the NDA government has initiated after the Uri attack, apart from stepping up efforts to isolate Pakistan diplomatically.

If New Delhi decides to ban air links and overflight facilities with Pakistan  as it had done after the Parliament attack in December 2001  it might have implications for flyers from both countries who would have to pay more and spend longer flying hours.

Sources privy to the governments deliberations over anti-Pakistan measures said after the Indus Waters Treaty, a review of the air services agreement with Pakistan was next on the agenda.

Under the existing bilateral agreement, airlines from each side can operate 12 flights a week. While no Indian airlines flies to Pakistan, the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) operates to Delhi and Mumbai. If PIA flights are banned over Indian airspace, they will need to take a long detour to fly to Bangladesh and destinations in Southeast Asia.

Airlines are forced to change routes only in case of an airspace closure. In this case, airlines from the two countries will have to revise flight routes and prepare themselves for fat fuel bills, said a former official from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) requesting anonymity.

According to industry experts, if New Delhi decides to snap air links with Pakistan, there might not be an immediate impact on fares, but airlines could pass the burden on passengers in the long run.

The rise in prices could go up to 20% since jet fuel accounts for almost half the operation cost of an airline, said a member of the Civil Aviation Economic Advisory Council, an independent think-tank appointed by the government in 2012.

When India snapped air services with its neighbour after the Parliament attack, Air India was the only airline that operated international flights.

The national carriers flying time for West-bound flights increased by up to an hour and its annual fuel bills rose by around Rs 40 crore during the two-year closure, said a retired official from the air traffic control department.

A similar situation now will hurt Pakistan more because all its east-bound flights will require a long detour through China. Our Europe and US-bound flights will become longer by 45 minutes to an hour, said a Boeing commander with a private airline requesting anonymity.

For instance, a 9.45-hour Mumbai-London flight that travels through Karachi would fly above Iran and reach the destination an hour later, the pilot said.

Flights from Delhi might take the same route through Ahmedabad or fly through Uzbekistan.

During the previous closure we flew Airbus 300-200, which had a maximum travel time of 5-6 hours at a stretch. So for a Srinagar-Jeddah flight, we flew all the way down to Ahmedabad and took a right from the edge of the Mumbai airspace and made a stopover in Dubai. The final leg of the journey was between the two Gulf cities, said an Airbus commander.

The pilot said aircraft such as the new Boeing 787s are the most fuel-efficient in the world. The fuel bills will hurt us but hurt them more.

Airlines might face pilot shortage if the closure is for a long haul. According to DGCA rules, international flights with less than 10 hours of travel time could be operated with a set of two pilots. But if that extends, the airline would have to roster another pilot.

A Mumbai-London flight, for instance, might require more than two pilots if air links are severed with Pakistan, said another senior pilot who didnt wish to be named.
The army has denied killing 10 infiltrators along the LoC with Pakistan last week. The reported encounter was billed in media reports as an Indian strike-back after a militant attack in Uri left 18 soldiers dead.

Though there was no official statement on the two encounters on the LoC, including one at Uri, army sources described the media reports as a flight of imagination.

At no point of time did the army say that 10 terrorists were killed. We simply said there was cross-border firing at two places on the LoC, including Uri, a source at the Delhi-based army headquarters said.

We dont know from where the media got these reports quoting unnamed intelligence officials. All TV channel reporters flashed the report of 10 militants having been killed. There was chaos. When we did nothing, how can we say anything, the source said.

The Udhampur-based Northern Command, which is quick to break news of encounters in the restive state, was mum on the issue when HT approached it for confirmation.

Read | India hands Uri proof to Pakistan; Modi to review trade ties

A Northern Command officer asked HT to mail queries via proper channel to defence spokespersons.

In the first place, we (the Northern Command) never said that 10 terrorists were killed. When we didnt say so, why should we deny anything, an officer said on the condition of anonymity.

The militant attack at the Uri army camp had sparked public anger across the country with calls for a swift military retaliation against militants based in PoK. A senior

BJP leader had called for a jaw-for-a-tooth action while Union home minister Rajnath Singh described Pakistan as a terrorist state for supporting anti-India groups.

One media report said the militants were killed in a cross-border surgical strike by army commandoes.

Former J-K chief minister Omar Abdullah put out several tweets after the media reports.

This has to be the first-of-its-kind surgical strike where the striker isnt ready to claim glory and the target doesnt know it was hit (sic), he tweeted.

So it seems our special forces crossed the LoC, destroyed some terrorist training camps & came back unscathed. Pray tell why is Pak silent? (sic) he said in another tweet.

Read | Pakistan defence minister says Uri attack was self-generated by India

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The Shiv Sena sought to make amends on Wednesday after it riled some of its leaders with a recent cartoon in its mouthpiece over the ongoing Maratha protests. The party also tried to veer focus away from the controversy by directing anger against the Muslims.

On Wednesday, party president Uddhav Thackeray convened a meeting of upset Sena leaders. The meeting held at Thackerays residence, Matoshree, was also attended by Sena ministers in the Maharashtra government. The discussion focused on pacifying the Maratha community.

The move came a day after the Sena resorted to damage-control by issuing a clarification over the Saamna caricature, but that met with little acceptance. It prompted the party to go for a diversionary tactic, as the party mouthpiece on Wednesday published an editorial that spoke of the Muslims.

Read: Trouble for Shiv Sena as Saamana cartoon irks Marathas

It is surprising that Muslim leaders give a call saying even we will protest, heat up the atmosphere at a time when there is trust being shown (by the government) towards the Muslims, the editorial said.

A Sena leader said the party was supporting the Maratha protests in districts where it has a hold. All those protests were disciplined, he said. Now people were really angry with the cartoon Saamna published; it has hurt the protestors sentiments. We got many calls expressing resentment.

The Saamna cartoon on Sunday was a three-panelled caricature showing different types of protesters, including a man kissing a woman, playing on the words muk morcha (silent protests) as muka morcha (kissing protest).

Marathas have been demanding reservations in education and government jobs. The community also wants a review and amendments to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, saying its provisions were being misused.

A page-one clarification Saamna carried on Tuesday said rumours were being spread on social media over the cartoon when the intention of the artist was not to hurt the sentiments of the Maratha community.

The newspaper also published a clarification by the caricaturist, Sriniwas Prabhudesai. My cartoon has hurt sentiments of the Maratha community but that was not the intention behind it in any way, he said. There has been an attempt to politicize the issue and draw Sena and Saamna into it.

At least three leaders from Buldhana district in Marathwada  MP Prataprao Jadhav and legislators Sanjay Raimulkar and Shashikant Khedkar  threatened to resign over the cartoon, but they were pacified, according to sources.

Marathwada or central Maharashtra is considered the states caste cauldron. It is here that the first Maratha silent protests were held even though it was a July 13 rape of a teenager in Ahmednagar district that triggered the protests.

The Sena made inroads into Marathwada two decades ago when the state witnessed a bout of caste polarisation and violence in a big way over the renaming of the Marathwada University after Dalit icon Babasaheb Ambedkar. The party opposed the renaming, and won support from the upper castes here, including the Marathas.

In the last elections, however, the Sena, which had hoped to double its tally of 9 out of 46 seats in Marathwada, could manage to win only 11 seats. The BJP swept the polls, bagging 15 seats. Traditionally, the region has been a Congress stronghold.

We cannot afford to take the region lightly, admitted a Sena leader. This incident (of protests over the cartoon) can damage the work we have been doing in the backdrop of the drought and agrarian crisis to spread our base in rural areas.

The Saamna cartoon got leaders from across political parties censuring the Sena for hurting Maratha sentiments. Some even went as far as calling the Sena an anti-Maratha party.

On Tuesday, stones were hurled at a Saamna printing press in Sanpada, Navi Mumbai. A few protesters threw ink on the publications Thane office. On Monday, copies of the publication were burnt across the state and a section of Marathas protested outside the cartoonists home in suburban Vile Parle.

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Bathukamma has been around for long in a part of peninsular India as a vibrant women-centric annual floral festival, but this time it looks set to be celebrated far beyond the traditional limits of Telangana.

As the nascent southern state is now into its third year, the nine-day Bathukamma is poised to be celebrated in several parts of the world, thanks to smart marketing by Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Raos daughter Kalvakuntla Kavitha, a parliamentarian.

Bathukamma is going to be identified with Telangana culture in a big way, says the Lok Sabha member from Nizamabad. We are planning to give it a distinct identity on the lines of Onam, which mirrors Keralas ethos.

Since the formation of Telangana in June 2014, the government led by Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has been celebrating puja-time Bathukamma as a state festival. Literally meaning Mother of Life, is not a religious event, but essentially a worship of nature by womenfolk.

A defining feature of the festivity is colourfully patterned arrangement of endemic wild flowers such as cassia, acacia, marigold, chrysanthemum and celosia. The daily ritual is much like what Malayalis do ahead of Onam to welcome the banished mythological king Mahabalionly that in Bathukamma, womenfolk also go around these floral arrangements by singing songs. At the end of the ninth day on Durgashtami, these heaps of flowers are immersed in nearby ponds.

The age-old festival is to go all global this year, given the spirit of Kavitha and her team. The 38-year-old MP, who heads TRSs cultural wing Telangana Jagruthi that has been striving for the restoration of local culture and traditions, wants to showcase Bathukamma across the world. Conceived as being part of marketing Telangana state, the programme will start on October 1, when the festival begins. Kavitha is, simultaneously, embarking on a whirlwind tour of eight countries: the US, UK, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand, Dubai, Bahrain and Kuwait.

This time, Bathukamma looks set to be celebrated far beyond the traditional limits of Telangana.

For decades, Telanganas culture remained completely neglected under the regime of successive governments in undivided Andhra Pradesh, Kavitha told HT. Ever since the Telangana movement gained momentum in the last one decade, the Jagruthi has been celebrating Bathukamma festival with pomp. We have been enjoying community participation to highlight the cultural identity of Telangana.

In the last two years, Telangana Jagruthi took Bathukamma to different parts of the country, including the national capital, she recalled. Our government conducted an official celebration of Bathukamma in the Telangana Bhavan at Delhi, she added.

The Telangana Jagruthi has already released audio CDs comprising hundreds of Bathukamma songs. The records are now being sent to all the countries which Kavitha is visiting. We are also releasing a Bathukamma mobile app to enable people understand the importance of this festival, Kavitha said.

Next month, as the festival is slated to be organized in places outside India as well, Kavitha says her objective is to highlight the significance of Bathuakamma as a festival with the message of spreading peace, conservation of nature and importance to women in society.

While Bathukamma is essentially a Telangana festival, it will not be confined to just Telangana NRIs in the countries I am visiting, Kavitha says. We plan to invite all expat Indians and also top leaders of these countries to the Bathukamma celebrations to showcase the Telangana culture.

If Kavitha has her way, Bathukamma will figure in the list of Indian festivals celebrated in White House in the coming years. Every year, the residence of the US president celebrates Diwali. The day will come when Bathukamma is also celebrated with a lot of fervour in the White House, Kavitha says. I have written to US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton explaining about the significance of Bathukamma festival. Being a woman, she can understand it and if she gets elected, I am confident she will consider it.

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The Cabinet on Wednesday approved ratification of the Paris climate deal --- aimed at zero emission world by the turn of the century --- that will eventually reduce dependence on fossil fuel-based energy sources.

The deal would be formally ratified on October 2, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi and Swachhata Diwas, the government said in a statement.

Over 190 countries had signed the deal in April this year of which 61, accounting for 47.9% of the global emissions, have ratified it.

But with India, having 4.5% share of the global emissions, ratifying it, the possibility of the deal coming into force has brightened. As per the United Nations Climate Convention, the deal will be effective once 55 countries accounting for 55% of the global emissions ratify the agreement.

Read | Heres why India is ratifying the Paris climate treaty

Once the deal comes into force, the countries will negotiate different protocols under the agreement for the next three years. The deal will be effective from January 1, 2021.

Indias decision to ratify the agreement will take the number of cumulative level of emission of countries that have ratified the agreement so far to 51.89%. With the gathering momentum and willingness expressed by several other countries to ratify it before the end of this year, it is expected that the agreement will enter into force soon, the statement read.

Diplomatic posturing

United States was the first to react to Indias decision, saying it was another example of courageous leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Other world leaders, including UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also congratulated Modi for ratifying the deal, which is being considered as Obama-Ban Ki-moon global legacy.

Indias decision to ratify the deal came after the Modi-Obama meeting clearly showing that linking of Nuclear Suppliers Group membership with the Paris deal was diplomatic posturing aimed at seeking support of the top global leaders.

Whether India has been able to garner the support will be known only in December when NSG membership issue will be discussed, but the decision has shown some functionaries in the bad light.

Arvind Panagariya, G-20 sherpa, had gone on record to say ratification will take time hinting that it may not happen by the end of the year. He had said India would not be able to complete the domestic procedures leading up to the ratification. Within a month of his statement the government announced ratification.

Implications for India

On last years Gandhi Jayanthi, India submitted the most comprehensive clean energy plan to UN climate convention called Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) to participate in the global fight against climate change.

India has committed that its greenhouse gas emissions for every unit of its economy will be reduced by one-third by 2030 to the 2005 level. This is, however, different from emission reduction as it means slowing down of emission growth.

India has also promised to produce about 40% of its electricity from non fossil-based sources like solar energy, wind or hydropower by 2030 and launched global Solar Alliance in Paris having close to 100 members. In addition, India said it will increase its forest cover to create additional carbon sink of about 2.5 to three billion tonnes by 2030.

To achieve the targets, the environment ministry had constituted six task forces earlier this year to suggest requisite policy and legislative interventions. Some clean energy reforms in works include a law to make mandatory use of renewable in the overall energy mix, tax rebates for vehicles running on cleaner fuels and new targets for improving green cover. The committee would be submitted its recommendations by the end of this year.

India will need up to one percentage point of the GDP for achieving the targets and lot will have to come from the private sector which will be the biggest gainer from the transition, said Kirit Parekh, former member of the Planning Commission and chairperson of the Expert Group on Low Carbon Strategies for Inclusive Growth.

Another implication for India would be when the INDCs will be reviewed in 2024 as countries would seek a roadmap to phase out coal usage for power plants. China has already declared phasing out plan in its INDCs. Around 60% of Indias emissions are from thermal power plants.

Read | Climate change: A ready reckoner

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A CBI preliminary inquiry has found that $5.5 million was allegedly paid as commission to a middleman based abroad in the Embraer deal.

The agency termed it a breakthrough in the case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a preliminary inquiry in the case and now, the agency may convert it into a regular case by registering a formal FIR as evidence of commission being paid has come up.

The agency sources refused to name or provide location of the middleman but said, We are in touch with the law enforcement agencies of that country for further details in the matter.

Sources said $5.5 million (approx Rs 36 crore according to present exchange rate) was allegedly paid as commission to influence the deal worth $208 million in favour of Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer.

Under the deal, three aircraft for the use of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to mount an air-borne radar system were to be purchased. The deal was inked in 2008.

A Brazilian newspaper recently alleged that the company had taken the services of middlemen to clinch deals in Saudi Arabia and India.

According to defence procurement rules of India, middlemen are strictly barred in such deals.
A jawan was killed and two others injured in a bomb blast by Maoists in the insurgency-hit Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh on Wednesday.

The incident took place around 8am when a road opening party of the District Reserve Group (DRG) was crossing the Karel Valley in Narayanpur police station area, a senior police official said.

The patrolling was being conducted to ensure security in the region ahead of a public grievances redressal camp to be held at Akabeda village fall in Abhujmad area.

Scheduled as per the demand of villagers, the redressal camp was to be attended by Narayanpur Collector and superintendent of police to hear the grievances of villagers, the official said.

The security personnel proceeded for the operation from Narayanpur district headquarters and when they reached the Karel Valley close, Maoists triggered the blast following which an exchange of fire broke out, the official said, adding that rebels soon fled into dense forest.

Assistant constable Puran Potai was killed in the blast while two others sustained minor injuries, he added.

Soon after, reinforcements rescued the injured were taken to a local hospital for treatment.

An intense combing operation was launched in the region to trace the assailants.

Another police officer said Maoist had been opposing the public grievances redressal camp.
The government wants to expedite work on three hydro power projects in Sawalkote, Pakal Dul and Bursar on the Chenab and its tributary in Jammu and Kashmir after it reviewed the Indus Waters Treaty on Monday following the Uri attack and deterioration of ties with Pakistan.

The three projects can potentially generate 3656 MW of energy which experts say will give a huge boost to the power-deficit state.

HT spoke to government officials and assessed the status of the three projects, all of which fall in the Jammu region of the state. The officials also added that the work on the projects would not violate the principles of IWT or hamper the flow of water to Pakistan.

The biggest of three is the Sawalkote project in Ramban district on the Chenab river with a 192.5-metre dam and an expected power generation capacity of 1856 MW . The project is being constructed by Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC).

JKSPDC Limited says on its website: The project is under appraisal by Central Electricity Authority (CEA). The project is included in the priority projects monitored by CEA on regular basis. The necessary techno economic clearance is expected soon.

A top government official in the project told HT: Of the 30 clearances necessary for the project, 20 have been received. The ultimate clearance will be given by CEA. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 18,560 crores.

He added: We had started the process for obtaining clearances in 2014 and it is expected that by the end of this year we will get all the clearances.

He said that the pre-construction stage of the project is underway with work going on for developing roads, bridges and staff colony at the site.

Read: Why Indus Waters Treaty is a bad bargaining chip for India

The official informed that the project would in no way affect the flow of water to Pakistan. According to the treaty, we would start storing the water, after the dams construction, during June and August period when the water level remains very high and does not affect the flow. The process would be obviously monitored by Indian commission of IWT, he said.

The Pakal Dul project has an estimated capacity of 1000 MW and is to be constructed on the Marusudar, the main tributary of the Chenab at village Drangdhuran about 45kms from Kishtwar town. It is being constructed by Chenab Valley Power Projects Limited, a joint venture of JKSPDC, NHPC and Power Trading Corporation (PTC).

The project envisages a 167-metre high dam and an underground power house near village Dul.

All clearances have been received for this dam but there was a problem with the first tender submissions and we may go for re-tendering. The approved cost of the project is Rs 8112 crores, said a top official of the project.

The official added that the project also would not impact the flow of water into Pakistan.

The Bursar Hydroelectric Project, with an estimated capacity of 800MW which is to be constructed by the NHPC, is a storage project planned in Kishtwar district but is currently under survey and investigation for preparation of a detailed report.

The NHPC website says that the project will allow the regulation of the flow of water and thus benefit itself and all other downstream projects by enhancing their potential.

The storage provided is intended to be used for additional power generation during lean flow months and releasing regulated flow in the downstream, the website adds.

Read: Pak approaches World Bank after India considers revisiting Indus treaty

Sources say the estimated cost of the project will be over Rs 8,000 crore. Experts explained to HT how the projects will boost the states power generation.

Dheeraj Gupta, Jammu and Kashmirs commissioner/secretary power, told HT that the expediting the work on the three projects will obviously benefit the state.

He said, In the joint ventures by the JKSPDC and the NHPC, the state will get 49% of the total power generated. On the projects done solely by the JKSPDC, the state will get the total power generated. Power is money.

Power department officials added that the state receives 12% royalty (in terms of power) from the projects being constructed by the NHPC.

An expert on the IWT, Lt Gen Pramod Grover (retd) said that fast-tracking these under-construction dams on the Chenab will reduce J-Ks energy deficiency.

J-K buys 12,000 MW a year. Right now the state is tapping only 1/8 of the power generation potential of the river under the Indus Waters Treaty. That means an opportunity loss of Rs 40,000 crore a year, he said.

Prof Shakil Ahmad Romshoo, professor and head, department of earth sciences, University of Kashmir, pointed out that these projects will help the government kill two birds with one stone.

On one hand, these projects will help national economic growth and on the other, the grievance of the states people that such projects do not help them will also be addressed, he said.

On the projects, turning on the heat on Pakistan, the professor agreed with what government officials told HT.

He said, No, these projects will definitely not affect Pakistan. These are run-of-the-river projects which are very much provided for in the IWT.

The Indus waters treaty is one of the most liberal water sharing pacts in the world. The agreement covers six rivers  the three eastern rivers of Ravi, Beas, Sutlej and their tributaries and the three western rivers of Indus, Jhelum, Chenab and their tributaries.

Water from the eastern rivers has been allocated to India, and New Delhi is obligated to let 80% water from the western rivers flow to Pakistan. The treaty gives the lower riparian Pakistan more than four times the water available to India.
The Congress on Wednesday demanded that instead of boycotting the Saarc Summit, it should be held without Pakistan and the neighbouring country must be isolated globally.

This reaction came after Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan decided to join India in boycotting the annual Saarc Summit, scheduled to be hosted by Islamabad in November.

The government has still not come up with a concrete policy as to how to respond to the Uri attack. After the Uri attack, they said for one tooth, the response will be complete jaw. But today, they are saying theyll boycott the Saarc summit, said Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari while briefing the media persons.

There are many challenges in South Asia. This is the worlds least integrated region. Shouldnt the government think over it that instead of boycotting the Saarc summit, it would be better to have the summit without Pakistan. Pakistan should be isolated globally, he added.

Tewari said: Boycott is the easiest answer, but Saarc as an institutional mechanism serves another purpose. India is one of the founder members and the movers of Saarc. Isnt it incumbent upon India to explore a situation whereby Saarc can be kept alive, but Pakistan is isolated.

The Congress also questioned the governments review of the Indus Waters Treaty.

Tewari said: For the past three days we have been hearing that the government is reviewing the Indus Waters Treaty. What does this mean? Is the government going to cancel the treaty? Or is the government thinking about building dams on the western rivers?

Even if it is thinking on those lines, dams cant be built overnight. This can be a long-term solution, but the kind of response the nation is demanding, is this of the same kind? he asked.

Will the deep state of Pakistan get influenced by this strategy, Tewari said.

Talking about the larger geo-strategic reality, Tewari said: We are extremely happy that Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan are on the same page with India. But, there is larger geo-strategic reality. Something more is required to be done to change the behaviour of deep state of Pakistan.

Tewari also took a dig at Russia, China and the US for their policy on dealing with Pakistan.

Russia is conducting joint exercises with Pakistani army. China invested in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Iran is talking about the linkage between Chabahar and Gwadar ports and wants to join the CPEC. The US has always had one standard towards terror on the western border of Pakistan and a completely different standard on the eastern border, said Tewari.

This is also a geo-strategic reality and we are talking about great powers who can change and influence the behaviour of Pakistan. If we are really serious about isolating Pakistan, delusion cannot be the basis of the policy. Under these circumstances, the government needs to take a hard look, he added.
The government is building a case for scrapping the most-favoured nation (MFN) status granted to Pakistan, though it doesnt mean much in trading terms even if the country doesnt take action to curb cross-border terrorism.

The India-Pakistan bilateral trade came up to a paltry $2.6 billion in 2015-16  tilted largely in Indias favour.

Indian exports to Pakistan accounted for $2.2 billion during this period. Given that India has an overall goods trade of $643.3 billion, business relations with its neighbour is negligible at best.

So, any decision to revoke the MFN status will be nothing more than a symbolic  and political  gesture. India had accorded the MFN status to Pakistan in 1996. No decision has been taken on the MFN status. But dont forget that it was a friendly gesture by India to its neighbour, something that has not been reciprocated in all these years, said an Indian official.

Read | PM Modi pulls out of Saarc meet in Islamabad citing cross-border terror

The MFN status was also given in accordance with Indias commitments as a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The status, in principle, means WTO members should treat all the others in the grouping equally as most-favoured trading partners.

Scrapping the status is no big deal, considering that the trade volume is so low. And Pakistan hasnt reciprocated Indias gesture so far, said former career diplomat MK Bhadrakumar.

However, it remains to be seen whether India will go to the extent of invoking a security exception under the General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (GATT) to deny Pakistan the MFN status. Member states are empowered to invoke the relevant section to protect security interests in rare situations. Continual cross-border terrorism is a serious security situation, a source pointed out.

Nothing in this agreement shall be construed to prevent any contracting party from taking action it considers necessary for the protection of its essential security interests Such measures can be taken under the UN charter for maintenance of peace and security, says Article 21(b)(iii) of GATT.

Read | India opts for utilitarian diplomacy over military action against Pakistan

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The government has cleared the appointment of a Rajkot-based lawyer, who had defended the accused in the Gulberg Society massacre of the 2002 Gujarat riots, as part-time member to the Law Commission of India.

Abhay Bhardwaj became the second controversial appointment after Satya Pal Jain, a former BJP parliamentarian from Chandigarh who was party leader LK Advanis counsel in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case, was inducted in June.

Like Bhardwaj, Jain too is a part-time member and their appointments have drawn criticism.

The opposition Congress said the selections are part of a disappointing pattern. Party leader and former Union law minister Kapil Sibal accused the BJP-led government of filling up important public positions with people of its own ideology.

Besides Bhardwaj, who is yet to join, the government filled two crucial positions of full-time members, including the member secretary, after more than a third of the 21st commissions term is over.

Dr Sanjay Singh, former legislative secretary, took charge as member secretary, while Dr S Sivakumar, academic and honorary legal consultant to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), joined the commission as a full-time member on Wednesday.

The commission, an advisory body to the government on judicial reforms, now has three full-time members against four vacancies.

The commission so far had only one full-time member, Justice Ravi Tripathi, who retired as a judge in the Gujarat high court last May. In March this year, the government appointed former Supreme Court judge Justice Balbir Singh Chauhan as its chairman.

The law ministry notified last September the constitution of the commission for three years, till August 31, 2018.

The commission comprises a chairman, four full-time members, including a member secretary, two secretaries from the ministry as ex-officio members and not more than five part-time members.

We can now start working full-fledged on matters pending before the commission, a senior official said.

The vacancies impaired the commissions work and it has not submitted a single report, despite crucial references from the government and the Supreme Court pending with it.

The previous commission had submitted 19 reports during its three-year term, including those on amending the corruption law and death penalty.

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A Jhajjar college administration expelled five students from hostel and imposed a fine of Rs 4,000 each on them for thrashing Kashmiri students at the hostel premises on Tuesday.

Three Kashmiri students  Mujahid Gazi, Kaiser Bushir and Naseer Hussain  all students of BTech in civil engineering, were allegedly beaten with wood logs and sticks by fellow students, hostel staff and security guards over some argument on Tuesday.

The three were admitted to a private hospital after the incident at Ganga Institute of Technology and Management at Kablana village in Jhajjar district.

Kaiser and Naseer, who suffered minor injuries, were discharged on Tuesday night while Gazi, who received serious injuries, was discharged on Wednesday morning after receiving 12 stitches on his face.

The scuffle triggered a protest on the campus, with Kashmiri students demanding action against the guilty students.

However, no police case was registered as the college officials held a meeting with the students and police officials to reach to a compromise.

In the meeting, the college agreed to the demands raised by Kashmiri students, including rustication of guilty students from the hostel and imposition of a fine on them. The five students who were rusticated were Shahnawaz, Tousif, Nikhil, Dubey and Rohit.

College director Aman Aggarwal said, Some minor argument led to the scuffle. We have taken internal action. The college has also paid for the medical bill of the injured Kashmiri students.

Mujahid Gazi, one of the injured Kashmiri students, said, It was a personal fight between a Bihari student and a Kashmiri student. They were exchanging abuses. But the Bihari boy was joined by more students who formed a group against us and they all started calling us Kashmiri terrorists. This led to heated exchanges between the both sides. The issue was resolved by the warden, but in the evening, they suddenly attacked us with wood sticks and logs in the mess. One of the security guards, his son, too, joined them in beating us.

Around 60 Kashmiri students study in the Jhajjar college. Most of them alleged that locals bully them by calling them terrorists. They make us go mad. At any minor scuffle with any Kashmiri student, an anti-Kashmir group is formed and they start calling us terrorists, said Samir Ahmed, another student. We live in fear and insecurity, he added.

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Former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju called himself the Shakuni Mama of Biharis on Wednesday, a riposte to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumars outburst against the well-known jurists unflattering Facebook post on the state.

Shakuni, the maternal uncle of the Kauravas, is a negative character in the epic Mahabharat.

Nitish Kumar says that I regard myself as the mai baap (guardian) of Bihar. No Nitishji, I am not the mai baap of Biharis but their Shakuni Mama, he wrote on Facebook.

That was in response to chief minister Kumars public outburst against him on Tuesday, calling him Bihars mai baap.

Kumar was reacting to Katjus sarcastic post on Sunday, suggesting that Pakistan could get Kashmir if it agrees to take Bihar as part of a package deal.

The sarcasm didnt go down well as JD(U) legislator and spokesperson Neeraj Kumar on Tuesday evening lodged a police case against Katju for his utterances against Bihar. The case was registered under provisions in law that governs sedition  section 124(a)  and assertion prejudicial to national integration.

Bihar BJP chief spokesperson Vinod Narayan Jha demanded his arrest on charges of sedition. Terming the comments as serious, he demanded an inquiry to ascertain if Katju was entrapped among anti-nationals out to destroy Indias sovereignty and integrity.

The sharp attacks, prompted the jurist to say he was only joking.

Do you think I will seriously ask Pakistan to take the offer? I joke about many communities. Do you think I will seriously offer Bihar with Kashmir to Pakistan? It was just a joke and people should develop a sense of humour.

Though he made light of his September 25 comments, he was not to be browbeaten by litigation.

Katju retaliated on Facebook on Wednesday: I suggest Biharis should take their complaint against me to the U.N. When cheer haran (stripping) of Draupadi was being done, she appealed to Lord Krishna to save her honour.

Katju, also a former chairman of the Press Council of India, was lambasted on social media, with netizens hurling invectives. Some even suggested Pakistan should take him instead of Bihar.

Amit Kumar Tiwari, a netizen, wrote: Sir, if u r a brahman cow is your mother and bull is our father, admit it

Katju was prompt with an uncanny reply: And bhainsa (buffalo) is my chacha (uncle).

The jurist seems to have developed a knack for controversial comments, sparing not even Mahatma Gandhi when he called the father of nation in a 2015 Facebook post a British agent who did great harm to India. He also called Rabindranath Tagore a loyal British stooge and Subhas Chandra Bose an agent of the Japanese fascist imperialists. He eventually apologised.

In a blog, he called Mother Teresa a fanatic and fraud, and then in a series of tweets last year, he said former AAP convener Shazia Ilmi should have been BJPs candidate for the chief ministers post in Delhi because shes much more beautiful than Kiran Bedi.

Back in 2012, he wrote 90 per cent of Indians are fools and that this was the unpleasant truth while a year later, he called Pakistan a fake country.

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With India deciding to pull out of the Saarc summit scheduled to be held in Islamabad in November, the US has said that it continues to pressurise Pakistan to act against terror safe havens within its borders while calling for de-escalation of the political discourse between the two South Asian neighbours.

Following the September 18 cross-border terror attack on an Indian Army base at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir, India said on Tuesday it would not attend the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) Summit to be hosted by Pakistan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to attend the summit.

Well, I mean, clearly weve talked about that before is, while weve seen Pakistan make progress on some of the terrorist groups operating within its own borders and carrying out attacks within its borders, that we continue to put pressure on Pakistan to respond to those groups who are, quote/unquote, seeking safe haven on Pakistans borders, that -- who are intent on carrying out attacks elsewhere in the region, US State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said in the daily press briefing on Tuesday.

India has launched a diplomatic blitzkrieg after the Uri attack that claimed the lives of 18 soldiers. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said at the 71st session of the UN General Assembly that the world should isolate nations that harbour terrorists.

New Delhi has blamed the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror outfit for the early morning attack.

On Tuesday, foreign Secretary S Jaishankar summoned Pakistani high commissioner Abdul Basit and made a demarche that proved Islamabads links to the Uri attack.

Modi has said that India would revisit the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty that calls for sharing of the waters of the six rivers of the Indus basin with Pakistan while indicating that the most favoured nation (MFN) trade status granted to the neighbour in 1996 might be revoked.

In his briefing, Toner said: We want to see closer relations and a normalisation of relations, frankly, between India and Pakistan.

It would be the -- to the benefit of the region. And we want to see de-escalation in the political discourse between the two countries and greater communication and coordination between them, he said.

The US is one of the nine observers of Saarc, the others being Australia, China, the European Union, Iran, Japan, Mauritius, Myanmar and South Korea.

According to sources, Bangladesh too has conveyed that it will not attend the Islamabad event due to interferences in its internal affairs by one country.

Afghanistan and Bhutan have also voiced reservations about attending the summit while Sri Lanka has said that the event would not be possible without Indias participation.
Pakistans defence minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said that nuclear-armed India will disintegrate when Kashmir gains independence.

Asif said on Wednesday that Pakistan will continue to extend moral support to the people of the disputed Himalayan region.

Asif said Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has tried to improve ties with India, but we did not get a positive response from them.

Tensions have been escalating between Pakistan and India, which blamed Pakistan-based militants for a recent attack on an army base in Uri that killed 18 soldiers. Since then, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he will work to isolate Pakistan internationally.
Jammu and Kashmir has suffered losses due to the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan and should be compensated by the Centre, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Wednesday, two days after India decided to exploit to the maximum the water of Pak-controlled rivers.

Today, many things are being talked about. There is a talk of IWT... We are facing losses on account of IWT. We should get compensation and we cannot ask Pakistan for that but our own country. Whatever we get, be it our power projects or anything, we should get, she said at a function here.

Under the Treaty, which was signed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan in September 1960, control of three rivers flowing through Jammu and Kashmir -- Jhelum, Indus and Chenab -- was given to Pakistan while India was given control over Beas, Ravi and Sutlej, all passing through Punjab.

Read | Kashmiri politicians seek compensation for losses due to Indus Waters Treaty

Because of the treaty, no big dams or power projects can be built by India on Jhelum, Indus or Chenab.

There have been so many wars, but IWT wasnt touched because both the countries benefited from our resources, even as J and K suffered losses, Mehbooba said while speaking at the launch of PM Ujwala Yojana.

Her remarks came two days after the Prime Minister asserted that Blood and water cannot flow together and decided that India will exploit to the maximum the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum.

Held amidst heightened tension between the India and Pakistan, the meeting also decided to set up a inter- ministerial task forces to go into the details and working of the Treaty with a sense of urgency, senior government sources said.

She said her father and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had wanted joint use of resources by both the countries for friendship between them.

Read | Uri attack aftermath: Modi to review Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan

Mufti sahab always had this thinking that we should both do such things so that we can use our resources jointly for our as well as their benefit so that there is friendship instead of animosity. But unfortunately, even as there were many attempts, it has not happened so far, she said.

The chief minister said she had hoped Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit Pakistan for the SAARC summit in November but noted that he cannot go under the circumstances following Uri attack.

SAARC was to happen in Pakistan and I had hopes that our PM will get an opportunity to go there but how will he go? Under what circumstances will he go there? she said.

India, along with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan, has decided not to attend the 8-nation Summit because of unabated cross-border terrorism from Pakistan, the venue.
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti justified Prime Minister Narendra Modis decision of not attending the Saarc summit in Pakistan, suggesting he could not travel there under the present circumstances.

Saarc was to happen in Pakistan and I had hopes that our PM will get an opportunity to go there but how will he go? Under what circumstances will he go there, Mehbooba said on Wednesday.

India, along with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan, have decided not to attend the 8-nation summit because of unabated cross-border terrorism from Pakistan.

The Prime Minister went to Pakistan as an uninvited guest (in December last year). Why did he need to go there? He went there for us (people of J-K). He understood that till both the countries do not live together, the people of the state will continue to face miseries.

He walked a step but unfortunately there was an attack in Pathankot. But immediately afterwards, the statement of (NSA) Ajit Doval came and he did not blame anyone, which was good. Instead a team from Pakistan came and they were shown the evidence. Pakistan only registered an FIR against one person but unfortunately nothing happened afterwards, Mehbooba said.

The chief minister advocated joint use of resources of all Saarc countries.

Saarc countries have so many resources - Nepal has its own, Bangladesh and Pakistan have their own, Afghanistan and our country have their own and then Bhutan has its own. We could have used these resources together but it has not happened unfortunately, Mehbooba said.

Maintaining that war is never an option to resolve the issues, Mehbooba pitched for amicable relations between India and Pakistan to fight the poverty and economic deprivation plaguing the region while underlining the need of a bilateral dialogue to resolve the issues.

The two nuclear-armed neighbours must cooperate in the fields of social development, including eradication of poverty and with their growing economies and energy needs, and the need for newer, more diverse markets and trading opportunities, the future of the troubled region has to be defined by common economic interests instead of hostilities, Mehbooba said.

The chief minister said instead of fighting wars with each other, India and Pakistan should join hands to eradicate poverty and to address social problems plaguing the region.
Awaiting the outcome of a meeting convened by the Centre, Karnataka decided on Wednesday to defer the release of 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu till Thursday as per the Supreme Court direction.

We have deferred decision on release till tomorrow... We will see the outcome (of the meeting) and then decide on the next step, said Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah.

On Tuesday, the SC had asked Karnataka to release Cauvery water in the next three days despite the unanimous assembly resolution to use the water only for drinking. The SC had also called for a political solution to the impasse by convening a meeting of CMs of both states and the Centre. Union water resources minister Uma Bharti has also called for a meeting.

Before the cabinet meet, Siddaramaiah convened an all-party meeting to discuss the SC direction. The meeting was attended by the two main Opposition parties  the BJP and the JD(S).

Read | Cauvery water row explained: Why Tamil Nadu, Karnataka fight over river usage?

In the meeting, both the parties are said to have advised the government against releasing water to Tamil Nadu and to stick to the unanimous resolution passed by the Karnataka legislature in the special session held last week.

In an unprecedented move in the more than century-long Cauvery dispute with the neighbouring state, both the legislative assembly and the council adopted the resolution not to provide water for any other purpose except to meet drinking needs on September 23 citing acute distress and alarmingly low levels in dams in Karnataka.

We have no intention to disobey the Supreme Court order, Siddaramaiah said, pointing out that the assembly had clearly mandated that the water was required for drinking purpose.

Meanwhile, prohibitory orders have been extended till September 30 in Bengaluru considering the law and order situation following protests in the state over the Cauvery water dispute.

The city police has deployed 15,000 police personnel. However, no untoward incidents have been reported in the city.

(With inputs from agencies)

Full Coverage | Cauvery Water Dispute
In its strongest display of displeasure against Pakistan after the September 18 Uri attack in Kashmir, India has pulled out of the November Saarc summit in Pakistan, effectively leading to the cancellation of the eight-nation meet in Islamabad. Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Dhaka too boycotted the meet.

New Delhi has of late been making a series of moves to isolate Pakistan diplomatically in the aftermath of the attack on the Indian Army base in northern Kashmirs Uri. They include a review of the Indus Waters Treaty and the possible downgrading of Most Favoured Nation status to Pakistan.

The decision by the four countries prompted Saarc chair Nepal on Wednesday to call off the summit . Here are five finer points in the diplomatic tussle:

1) Linking terrorism with regional cooperation

Indias announcement that it will not attend the 19th Saarc summit in Pakistan featured a carefully formulated paragraph: India remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in an atmosphere free of terror.

That passage in the statement from the external affairs ministry on Tuesday amounts to raising the stakes. It implies that Pakistan-sponsored terrorism is the biggest threat to regional cooperation. Atmosphere free of terror, which has for long been heard in the context of India-Pakistan bilateral talks, has now got extended to the context of the entire subcontinent.

2) Raising a coalition: Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan, too, to corner Pakistan

When India was keeping the cards close to its chest on whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the Saarc summit, Afghanistan and Bangladesh came out with statements that expressed doubts over the attendance of their leaders at the November gathering in Islamabad. With the fig leaf ready, New Delhi got the close neighbour Bhutan on its side. Dhaka and Kabul, too, announced they were pulling out of the summit.

3) Back to the revival of Saarc-1 formula

The NDA government did toe this idea once when Pakistan consistently threw spanner into Saarc projects. An ambitious project to boost road connectivity in the subcontinent consistently hit the Pakistan roadblock, forcing India to opt for sub-regional connectivity plans. Pakistan also stayed away from PM Modis signature Saarc satellite project.

Founded in 1985, the eight-member Saarc remains one of the least integrated groupings in the world. Less than 5% of the regions global trade takes place among its member countries, and barely 10% of the regions commerce is conducted in the Saarc Free Trade Area. But Pakistan remains the second-biggest economy in the bloc. And a Saarc without Pakistan can defeat the very purpose of South Asian integration.

4) Political messaging, factoring in domestic compulsions

The Narendra Modi government was in the danger of not walking the talk on its election rhetoric on Pakistan. With Uttar Pradesh elections round the corner, domestic pressure also played up in the governments decision to act tough.

5) Smelling first victory of its isolate Pakistan policy

Global isolation of Pakistan is easily said than done. But India needed to show its isolate-Pakistan policy has taken off. For New Delhi, what worked to its advantage was the recent nose-diving in Pakistans relationship with Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Both these nations were happy to join hands with India. For Pakistan, having friends in South Asia was never a big priority, as its foreign policy mostly factors in three countries: China, the US and Saudi Arabia, besides the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Conference. But not being able to host Saarc summit is a sure loss of face for Pakistan.

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Lawmakers, cutting across party lines, sought a reduction in the last-minute surge in airfares to facilitate their travel during emergencies, a demand that failed to gain favour among any of the established carriers.

The demand was made by some MPs at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Salaries and Allowances of Members of Parliament (Lok Sabha) last week, but all the airline executives who were present rejected the proposal, sources said.

The meeting was attended by officials of Air India, Jet Airways, SpiceJet, IndiGo and GoAir.

The Committee had received a representation from one of the MPs from Kerala asking it to take up the issue of last minute airfares with the airlines as once he had to shell out Rs 60,000 for a flight from Kerala to Delhi. Accordingly, the Committee discussed the issue, sources said.

At present, airlines provide assistance to lawmakers to board and deboard a plane as courtesy. In April, the government had informed Parliament that there was no move to abolish privileges extended to MPs and other VIPs at airports.

MPs will continue to enjoy facilities like being served tea, coffee and water for free at airports, have free access to the terminal building and enjoy reserved lounge facilities at international and domestic terminals, aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju had said in a written reply.

According to sources, while the airlines did not agree to the demand to drop last minute airfares, the Civil Aviation Ministry was of the view that this would led to increase in normal time fares, which are on a downward trend for almost two years now.

The Ministry informed the Committee that just about 4-5 per cent of the total aircraft seats are booked at the last minute at a price prevailing at that time. And, if airlines were asked to lower fares for these seats as well, they might increase the average ticket prices which in turn will hit the common man, they said.

National carrier Air India has already dropped its last minute fares to the level of AC II tier ticket prices of Rajdhani trains on several sectors including the key metro cities.

President of the fliers body, APAI has also opposed the demand, saying the airlines should be allowed to determine fares to protect their commercial interest.

MPs are already getting so many facilities. In fact, Air India, which is surviving on the tax payers money, should utilise the funds in the tax payers interest only. All airlines should be allowed to take decisions which are in their commercial interest, APAI President D Sudhakara Reddy said.
Pakistan approached the World Bank on Tuesday amid reports that India could revoke the 56-year- old Indus Waters Treaty, with senior Pakistani officials taking up the matter with the international lender that had mediated the water-sharing deal.

A delegation of the government of Pakistan -- led by the attorney general for Pakistan, Ashtar Ausaf Ali, met with senior officials of the World Bank at its headquarters in Washington DC to discuss matters relating to Pakistans recent Request for Arbitration given to India pursuant to Article IX of the Indus Waters Treaty, 1960, Geo News reported.

The report said Pakistan approached the International Court of Justice but did not provide any details.

On 19 August, Pakistan had formally requested India for settlement of outstanding disputes pertaining to Indias construction of Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants on rivers Neelum and Chenab respectively, by referring the matters to the Court of Arbitration as provided in Article IX of the treaty.

Read | India opts for utilitarian diplomacy over military action against Pakistan

Under the treaty, the World Bank has an important role in establishment of the court of arbitration by facilitating the process of appointment of three judges, called umpires, to the court, while each country appoints two arbitrators.

The Pakistani officials met with senior officials of the World Bank to insist on early appointment of the judges and empanelment the court, it said.

The Pakistani delegation consisted of attorney general for Pakistan, Ashtar Ausaf Ali; secretary, ministry of water & power, Muhammad Younus Dagha; Pakistan commissioner for Indus waters, Mirza Asif Baig, and others, it said.

Pakistans ambassador to the US, Jalil Abbas Jilani, and World Banks executive director for Pakistan Nasir Khosa were also present.

In the meeting with the Pakistani delegation, the World Bank committed itself to timely fulfilling its obligations under the treaty while remaining neutral, the report said.

Under the treaty, which was signed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan in September 1960, waters of six rivers - Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum - were to be shared between the two countries.

Read |Water as weapon: Risks in cutting off Indus waters to Pakistan

The treaty provides specific design criteria for any hydro-electric power plants to be built by India. Pakistan has held the position the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants violate the design parameters of the treaty.

Earlier, Prime Ministers advisor on foreign affairs and security, Sartaj Aziz, said an attempt by India to block Pakistans water could be seen as an act of war.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with officials to review provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan.

It was decided in the meeting that India will exploit to the maximum the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water sharing pact.

The meeting came as India weighed its options to hit back at Pakistan in the aftermath of the Uri terror attack that left 18 soldiers dead, triggering demands that the government scrap the water sharing deal to mount pressure on the country.

Read | PM Modi pulls out of Saarc meet in Islamabad citing cross-border terror
The Pakistani Army opened fire on Indian posts along the Line of Control in the Saujiyan sector of Poonch district on Wednesday evening.

Around 5:30pm, Pakistani troops opened fire on Indian posts, prompting Indian soldiers to respond in equal measure, said an official, who did not want to be named.

Fire was still being exchanged till reports last poured in.

Specifics of exchange could not be ascertained, as the Indian Army is yet to release a statement confirming the incident.

Pakistan is often accused of firing at Indian posts to give cover to infiltrators.

The firing violates the 2003 ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan along the international boundary and the LoC  the de facto border that divides Jammu and Kashmir between the two neighbours.

The border skirmish comes as New Delhi and Islamabad are locked in a bitter diplomatic war of words following the Uri terror attack, in which heavily armed militants, believed to be of Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad, stormed an army base in Uri, killing 18 soldiers.

Pakistan has denied the allegations even as India claimed to have clinching evidence to support its claims. Representatives of the two countries also presented their case at the United Nations General Assembly recently.

Read | Pakistan violates ceasefire in Uri 2 days after attack on army base
An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has ordered that a judicial commission would visit Karachi to inspect a boat that was allegedly used in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

An ATC judge on Tuesday heard the Mumbai attack case and accepted a request filed by the Federal Investigation Agency to inspect the boat Alfoz in the port city. The FIA had requested the court to send a judicial commission to examine the boat as it was difficult to produce it before the court, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

Indias foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup had on September 15 said that foreign secretary S Jaishankar had written to his Pakistani counterpart to speed up the trial, which has been pending for almost eight years.

In his letter, Jaishankar suggested several ways in which Pakistan could bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice, including cooperation through legal channels.

Over 166 people, including foreigners, were killed and over 300 wounded when gunmen attacked landmarks in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, triggering three days of gunfights.
Security agencies carried out a night-long search operation in Pathankot district of Punjab to look for some armed men seen by local residents, police said on Wednesday.

We carried out a search operation around Chakki river bank and the nearby forest area, but nothing has been found so far. The search operation began on Tuesday and carried on through the night, Pathankot district police chief Rakesh Kaushal said.

An extensive search operation began in Pathankot on Tuesday following reports that some local residents had spotted four armed suspicious men.

The area searched, lying close to the Punjab-Himachal Pradesh-Jammu and Kashmir border, is around 250km from here.

However, no arrests were made, police officials said.

Search operations have been carried out by security forces in Pathankot and Gurdaspur districts every month after the January 2 terror attack this year.

Terrorists, suspected to be from Pakistan, had attacked the frontier Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Pathankot on January 2, leaving seven security personnel dead.

The attack was preceded by a terror assault by Pakistani terrorists in Dinanagar town of neighbouring Gurdaspur district on July 27 last year.
Initial euphoria over the culmination of a Euro 7.8-billion agreement for 36 Rafale fighter planes has given way to accusations that India has inked an expensive deal that falls short of meeting the expectations of its air force.

Back in 2001, the Indian Air Force (IAF) sought at least 126 jets to replace ageing Soviet-era planes. Today, as a political dog fight unfolds over Rafale jets, the Congress says the 36 fighters are not enough to check the erosion of the IAFs strength.

The party has warned of a looming crisis in the IAF, whose fighter fleet has shrunk to 33 squadrons compared to a desirable 45 to respond to a joint threat from China and Pakistan.

Strategic affairs expert Air Vice Marshal Kapil Kak (retd) says the IAF needs to induct up to 90 more Rafale-like jets on an emergency basis. Theres no turning away from that reality, he adds.

Shortage of fighter planes is not the only concern.

Read | India needs more than Rafale to match China: Defence experts

Gaps in mid-air refuelling capability, shortage of advanced warning platforms, high number of jets under maintenance and upgrading air defence systems are some other challenges lying ahead of the worlds fourth largest air force.

IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee says the air force has plans in place to effectively utilise the available aerial platforms and weapon systems. Any shortcoming will be made good in a short period of time to further enhance our capability, he points out, adding all international air forces had a mix of modern and ageing aircraft.

Then, there are issues with the IAFs ageing utility helicopter fleet. The IAF finds itself stretched due to shortage of heavy-lift and attack choppers  and its transport capability needs to be enhanced swiftly.

Indias neighbours, especially China, have pressed the accelerator on modernising their air forces, warns former IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Fali Major. The capability gaps will keep increasing if we dont hasten things up.

A $2-billion deal to buy midair refuellers to expand the IAFs strategic reach is stuck, as India and Airbus have not agreed on the price. The tankers are required urgently if we have to stay prepared to counter China in the eastern sector, a senior IAF officer points out on the condition of anonymity. The deal has dragged on for over seven years.

The air force needs to ramp up its airborne surveillance capability to detect enemy planes and missiles. It has only three AWACS (airborne warning and control system) aircraft, though the requirement is higher.

Read | Rafale triggers political dogfight, Cong wants contract to be made public

The numbers are not enough if China and Pakistan pose a collusive threat. The capability will play a significant role in terms of covering the eastern and western fronts during offensive operations, says former IAF vice chief Air Marshal KK Nohwar (retd).

The IAF will induct three Brazilian Embraer airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system aircraft in 2017, six years behind schedule. The AWACS is a more robust monitoring system that provides 360-degree coverage, compared to AEW&Cs 270-degree capability. The AWACS also has superior range and endurance.

Besides shortage of combat squadrons, another glaring hole in the IAFs capability is low availability of fighter planes to carry out missions at any given moment or serviceability in military parlance.

India has a fleet of nearly 200 Su-30 fighter jets, but just half of them are ready to undertake missions at all times. Barring the Mirage 2000, the IAF is struggling to improve the availability of most fighters, says Kak.

IAF officials say aircraft availability should be around 75% during peacetime.

Fixing gaps in air defence is crucial to stave off threats from missiles and fighters. Major says deploying the Russian S 400 Triumf air defence system and the Israeli SPYDER low-level quick reaction missiles should be one of the top priorities for the IAF. India is yet to hammer out a plan to collaborate with a foreign partner to co-develop and co-produce a multirole transport aircraft (MTA) after an Indo-Russian project failed to take off.

The IAF is betting on US-origin Chinook heavy-lift helicopters to fill another capability gap, but deliveries will begin only in 2019. It currently operates a solitary Soviet-origin Mi-26 chopper to deliver payloads to high altitudes. Indias new attack helicopters  the AH-64E Apache Longbow  will also come after three years.

The IAF is hoping for quick execution of a $2-billion project to build medium-lift transport planes in India to replace the ageing Avro fleet.

Pilot training has been hit by a lack of intermediate jet trainers. The project was sanctioned in July 1999 but it has still not materialised, forcing the IAF to use old Kiran Mk-II aircraft for training.

The Pathankot and Uri attacks have exposed the vulnerability of military bases. Experts say India should fast-track the security upgrade at sensitive airbases with smart fences, vibration detection systems, mini-drones, thermal cameras and night vision equipment.

Read | IAFs Jaguar fighter jet catches fire during take off in Ambala, pilot safe
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will appear before a Guwahati court on Thursday in connection with a criminal defamation suit filed against him by the RSS.

Anjan Bora, a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) volunteer, had last year filed a case against Gandhi after the latter stoked controversy by claiming he was denied entry into the Barpeta Satra, a Vaishnava monastery in western Assam, at the behest of the RSS. Gandhi had launched the Congresss assembly poll campaign from that monastery.

The Pradesh Congress Committee on Wednesday confirmed Gandhis court appearance.

He will arrive about 9 am and proceed to the court of chief judicial magistrate Kamrup. He will have meetings with party workers before flying back to Delhi, Congress spokesperson Apurba Bhattacharya told HT.

Read | Rahul Gandhi summoned by Assam court in defamation case

In his petition against Gandhi, Bora said the Congress vice-president had tarnished the image of the RSS by claiming Sangh members prevented his entry into the 16th century monastery before he was to launch his poll campaign on December 12. Gandhi later offered prayers at the monastery after addressing a rally in a minority village near Barpeta town that day.

But two days later in Delhi, he accused the RSS of foul play.

When I went to Assam, I wanted to visit a temple in Barpeta but the RSS people stopped me from entering it, he said. He also alleged that the RSS had assigned some women to prevent his entry.

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday blasted the Bihar government for being in slumber when gangster-turned-politician RJD leader Mohammad Shahabuddin received bail in 45 criminal cases, and asked it to explain why the decision was not challenged at that time.

Why have you approached this court only after his release? Were you in slumber till he got bail? This is a peculiar case. But the question is, this peculiarity has been done at whose instance and who is behind this? a bench of Justice PC Ghose and Justice AK Roy asked senior advocate Dinesh Dwivedi, the Bihar governments counsel.

The court posed these questions while Dwivedi was presenting his arguments for setting aside a Patna high court order granting bail to Shahabuddin in a 2014 murder case.

Shahabuddin, who represented Siwan in the Lok Sabha for four successive terms between 1996 and 2008, was imprisoned for more than 10 years over multiple cases. On September 7, he was granted bail by the Patna high court in connection with the murder of a man who witnessed the killing of two brothers in Siwan. The victims father has also appealed against the court decision.

Shahabuddin managed to walk out of jail because he had already obtained bail in the other cases pending against him. The state hadnt bothered to appeal against the previous bail orders because the RJD MP was still incarcerated in connection with the 2014 murder case.

Why did you not challenge the bail granted to Shahabuddin in 45 cases? Why did realisation dawn upon you only after he came out of jail? the bench questioned Dwivedi when he tried explaining the states position. It also pulled up the government for failing to table various facts relating to the alleged criminal antecedents of Shahabuddin before the high court.

Dwivedi admitted to anomalies on the states part, but argued there was no special reason or medical urgency for the high court to grant bail. Underlining how the same judge had rejected the accuseds bail plea in February, he said: I am not justifying any action. But (I submit that) the relevant material has been ignored in the case.

The bench, however, retorted that the state was not handicapped. When Dwivedi contended that the high court had erred in concluding that the Bihar government failed to complete the trial within a fixed time period, it retorted: You are the state. It was the duty of your lawyer to inform the high court about the correct facts of the case. It was your duty to inform the high court that a revision petition has been filed in the session court by Shahabuddin. Why didnt you tell the high court at that point of time?

However, Dwivedi said the state was not to be blamed for the delay. He (Shahabuddin) had filed a revision before the sessions court against the magistrates order, taking cognizance of the chargesheet against him. Although the sessions court rejected his revision petition, the case file was never sent to the magistrate, he added.

The hearing, which remained inconclusive, will continue on Thursday.

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External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj can hold any conversation in Hindi as well as English with equal ease.

Swaraj, however, has always chosen Hindi for her speeches and in her diplomatic interactions. And nothing finds a better expression of her chaste Hindi than her speeches.

In her recent address to the United Nations General Assembly, she followed former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and PM Narendra Modi who delivered their speeches in the national language. Swaraj addressed the last UNGA session in Hindi as well.

This time, the terror attack on an Indian Army base in Uri had the spotlights on her like never before. She had to counter Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif who devoted a great deal of his speech to the Kashmir issue.

Read | Top 5 quotes from Sushma Swarajs address at the UN General Assembly

Swarajs challenge was to make a befitting reply without making her entire speech an India-Pakistan slugfest. She got the mix right. She also had the task of launching an attack on Pakistan for sponsoring terrorism and placing the issue in the larger global context. And her dexterity in the language just made it easy.

Making her speech in Hindi at the UNGA had an extra advantage -- driving home the point to her target audience in India and Pakistan and making them understand what she wanted to say in a better way.

She was mostly addressing the domestic audience. International audience anyways, I dont think, give much importance to the India-Pakistan rhetoric, former diplomat MK Bhdrakumar said.

Strategic affairs expert Brahma Chellaney agrees. Both Nawaz Sharif and Sushma Swaraj were speaking for their respective domestic audience.

Read | For and against: How Tweeple reacted to Sushmas UNGA address

There has never been any dearth of praise that Swaraj receives for her speeches. BJP patriarch LK Advani once famously said that two leaders give him a complex when they speak: One was Vajpayee and other Swaraj.

After her speech in Parliament where she defended herself against allegations of helping former IPL boss Lalit Modi, PM Modi tweeted her speech video, saying it was a must watch.

Swaraj has earned praise even from opposition leaders who have not shied away from complimenting her for showcasing her oratory skills in Hindi.

In May 2015, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Ritabrata Banerjee compared her to Indira Gandhi after her spirited speech and subsequent efforts saw Parliament passing the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) with Bangladesh.

Under her leadership, the external affairs ministry has taken up the promotion of Hindi seriously.

Every Indian mission and post have been asked to use Hindi software in their offices. All private secretaries and personal assistants have to undergo compulsory Hindi language training before being posted abroad.

The logic behind this particular step is to ensure that the personnel, who often act as the first line of communication between officers and the people reaching out to the mission, are well versed in the national language.

Officials have already started making file notings increasingly in Hindi and it has also become more common for senior officials to get their visiting cards printed in Hindi as well.

Also | Watch Sushma Swarajs rebuttal to Nawaz Sharif at UNGA

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Three Kashmiri students of a management college in Haryanas Jhajjar district were allegedly beaten with wooden logs and sticks over a minor argument on Tuesday but police deny was a hate crime.

The threeidentified as Mujahid Zahid, Kaizer and Naseerwere admitted to a private hospital after the incident at Ganga Institute of Technology and Management in Kablana. Kaizer and Naseer were discharged on Tuesday night while Zahid, who received serious injuries, was discharged on Wednesday morning.

Sources said the three had an argument with other students on Tuesday morning in the college hostel and then with the staff and security guards of the hostel in the afternoon. They were allegedly thrashed by irked students and guards while they were eating in the mess in the evening.

They added that the college administration has been forcing the students to reach a compromise even as the police reached the campus on Tuesday but no case was lodged till Wednesday.

It was just a minor scuffle. I have 300 students in the hostel. They had some argument which led to a quarrel. Only one student was injured and he too is back in college now, college director Aman Aggarwal said.

Jhajjar Superintendent of Police Jashandeep Singh Randhawa said the police hadnt got a complaint. Theres no communal angle in this fight. The initial scuffle was between two Muslim groups: one from Kashmir and another from UP and Bihar. No anti-Indian or seditious comments were raised as per our information, he said.

Kashmiri students of the college staged a protest alleging poor security for them.

In July, two Kashmiri research scholars at Bhopals Barkatullah University were assaulted by alleged right-wing activists. One of them was even asked to leave Bhopal or face the consequences.

In another case of violence against Kashmiris, four students from the state were allegedly beaten in March at a private university in Rajasthan over rumours that they were cooking beef in their hostel room. The university also saw clashes between local and Kashmiri students after India lost to West Indies in a T-20 match in April.
The White House on Wednesday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modis announcement that India would ratify the Paris agreement on climate change on October 2, saying this is another example of his leadership.

We welcome the actions from the Indian government. It is just another example of the courageous leadership that Prime Minister Modi has shown on this issue. And thats to his credit, the White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily news conference on Tuesday.

He (Modi) recognises how important it is for India to be a leader in the international community on this issue. And hes making good on that priority, and he deserves a lot of credit for that.

And I know that the President, when he met with Prime Minister Modi earlier this month in Laos, had an opportunity to thank him for his leadership on this issue, Earnest said.

US President Barack Obama had met the Prime Minister in Laos early this month on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit.

Indias ratification of the Paris agreement on climate change is expected to bring the agreement closer to be being enforced.

It can take effect only once 55 countries, representing 55% of the worlds greenhouse-gas emissions, ratify it.

So far, 60 countries have done so, including the largest emitters, the US and China, fulfilling the first condition.

Indias ratification would bring it closer to 52%, World Resources Institute said.

We have not put a firm deadline for ratification of the climate agreement, other than to say we expect the agreement to enter into force by the end of this calendar year.

I dont know if it will be done by the first week in November, he said when asked about the upcoming UN meet on climate change in Morocco in the first week of November.

However, as important as the Paris climate agreement is, and how significant it is that this agreement is going into effect within a years time, its only a starting point.

And the President is hopeful that the significance of this agreement is not that it solves the problem of carbon pollution once and for all, but rather it serves as a template to mobilise the international community to take coordinated, substantial steps to addressing this problem, he said.

It sets up a mechanism whereby every five years countries consider the commitments that they can make to further fight carbon pollution.

And the impact of this agreement is one that is likely to be seen only after its been in place for a substantial period of time.

And weve been able to see the progress the country, that the world, that the planet makes in confronting this challenge, and as the world continues to more effectively cooperate to confront this shared threat, Earnest said.
The World Bank has committed itself to timely fulfilling its obligations under the Indus Waters Treaty after Islamabad approached the international lender amid reports that India may revoke the 56-year-old deal, Pakistan claimed on Wednesday.

A Pakistani delegation led by the attorney general of Pakistan, Ashtar Ausaf Ali, met with senior officials of the World Bank at its headquarters in Washington to discuss treaty that was brokered by the organisation.

They discussed the formation of Court of arbitration for resolving the matter of water disputes especially those related to construction of hydropower projects, Pakistans ministry of water and power said in a statement.

The World Bank will be deciding the issue in the next few days, it added.

In the meeting with the Pakistani delegation, the World Bank committed itself to timely fulfilling its obligations under the treaty while remaining neutral, said a statement issued by the Pakistani Embassy in Washington.

Earlier, the Pakistan Prime Ministers adviser on foreign affairs and security, Sartaj Aziz, said an attempt by India to block Pakistans water could be seen as an act of war.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with officials to review provisions of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan. In that meeting it was decided that India will exploit to the maximum the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water-sharing pact.

Read | Water as weapon: Risks in cutting off Indus waters to Pakistan

The meeting came as India weighed its options to hit back at Pakistan in the aftermath of the Uri terror attack that left 18 soldiers dead, triggering demands that the government scrap the water-sharing deal to mount pressure on the country.

Under the treaty, which was signed by former Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and ex-Pakistan President Ayub Khan in September 1960 and brokered by the World Bank, waters of six rivers - Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum - were to be shared between the two countries.

Its Article IX deals with arbitration of disputes between the parties concerning the interpretation or application of the treaty or the existence of any fact which, if established, might constitute a breach of the treaty.

The treaty provides specific design criteria for any hydro-electric power plants to be built by India.

On 19 August, Pakistan had formally requested India for settlement of outstanding disputes pertaining to Indias construction of Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants on rivers Neelum and Chenab respectively, by referring the matters to the Court of Arbitration as provided in Article IX of the Treaty.

Under the treaty, the World Bank has an important role in establishment of the Court of Arbitration by facilitating the process of appointment of three judges, called Umpires, to the Court, while each country appoints two arbitrators.

The Pakistani officials met with senior officials of the World Bank to insist on early appointment of the judges and empanelment the court, it said.

Pakistans ambassador to the US, Jalil Abbas Jilani, and World Banks executive director for Pakistan, Nasir Khosa, also participated in the talks.

The World Bank was represented by senior vice-president Anne-Marie LeRoy, South Asia vice President Annette Dixon, deputy general counsel for operations Alberto Ninio, South Asia chief counsel Melinda Good and international waterways senior counsel Victor Mosoti.

Read | Why Indus Waters Treaty is a bad bargaining chip for India
Unable to bear the death of his bosom friend in a road accident, a youth committed suicide by jumping in front a running train in Hyderabad on Wednesday morning.

According to the police, K Ramesh, 28, an employee of a private nursing home, was travelling on a motorbike with his friend G Harikrishna, 27, a software engineer, when a truck rammed them from behind at Moosapet near Sanathnagar railway station after midnight. While Harikrishna died on the spot, Ramesh sustained minor injuries.

The trauma of seeing his friend in a pool of blood reportedly sent Ramesh into a state of shock. He walked over to the adjacent railway tracks and jumped in front of the running train even before passers-by could stop him.

The police reached the spot a couple of hours later and sent both the bodies to the Gandhi hospital, Secunderabad, for autopsy.

Both Ramesh and Harikrishna belonged to Vepakampalli village of Karampudi block in Guntur district, and had been sharing a room at Kukatpally for some time. Harikrishna had returned from Malaysia only recently.

The accident took place when the two were returning from the house of a third friend at Ameerpet, the police said.

The Kukatpally police have arrested the truck driver for causing the accident.

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A 21-year-old Nagpada resident died due to a huge crater on JJ Marg on Monday and that also led to a tussle at the standing committee meeting in BMC after which the civic body said all craters will be filled by October 5.

The victim, Rizwan Khan, was on his way to get ice-cream for his family along with his friend Sayyed Murtaza on Monday at 11.30 pm when the incident occurred. Khans bike fell in a huge crater at the JJ Marg near JJ hospital gate number 12. Khan was rushed to JJ Hospital after which he was taken to Saifee hospital where he breathed his last.

However, Murtaza has sustained injuries on his abdomen, hands and legs, a local resident said. The JJ Marg police station has registered an accidental death report on Tuesday, senior police inspector Dilip Shinde confirmed. Khans father, Kamal Khan said BMC also filled the crater the next day. It took a death for the authorities to fill the huge pothole. My son was driving at speed of just 30 kmph which resulted in his death. The authorities must take note of this and avoid such incidents in the future, Kamal Khan said.

He added that the boys were not wearing helmets since they had to travel just a short distance.

The opposition, on Wednesday, demanded a compensation for the victims family. Rais Shaikh, Samajwadi Party corporator said, The BMC is responsible for the young boys death. His family deserves a compensation. There are potholes on the entire flyover, we have been complaining about this for a long time but BMC has no solution.

Corporators also lashed out at BMCs reports on pothole status which states that only 45 craters in the city have to be fixed, as of Wednesday. Pravin Chheda, Congress corporator said, How can the civic engineers look at only complaints registered by citizens? We can take them on any road and show a dozen potholes. Are they blind to not notice?

Sanjay Deshmukh, additional municipal commissioner, in charge of roads, said, Mumbai has received heavy rainfall over the last few weeks. We have been fixing potholes on a daily basis. We will fix all the craters by October 5.

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The Bombay high court on Wednesday again expressed dissatisfaction about the investigation officers (IO) report about tracing high-ranking beneficiaries of four benami flats in Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society.

We are not satisfied with the investigation as reflected from the report submitted today on several issues, said the bench of justices Abhay Oka and Amjad Sayed while commenting on the second report submitted on Wednesday by adv Manisha Jagtap.

The bench also summoned the western zones joint director of the CBI who could not remain present on Wednesday despite earlier court direction.

Acting on a plea by Thane-based activist Pravin Wategaonkar, the court had earlier sought a report from the investigating officer explaining as to why he did not investigate high and mighty people from Mantralaya for whom four flats were kept aside in the controversial high-rise building at Cuffe Parade for purportedly clearing files pertaining to the scam-hit society.

The court had asked the joint director to remain present in court today, after noticing that the first report to be completely unsatisfactory.

Wategaonkar has also sought direction to the CBI to explain as to why it did not investigate and fix the responsibility for deleting the proposed widening of Captain Prakash Pethe Marg, Colaba, and allotment of the plot reserved for the road widening without first getting it de-reserved. He contended that CBI had not looked into these aspects and nothing was mentioned about them in the three charge sheets filed by the central agency in the case.

In his plea, the Thane resident has cited the finding of the justice (retired) JA Patil Commission, which conducted an inquiry into the Adarsh scam, that dropping of proposed road widening plan and change in reservation of the plot was not in accordance with the provisions of the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning (MRTP) Act and it was illegal and mala fide.

He complained that the CBI did not hold anyone liable for it, although the Commission has recorded a finding that Shri Shivajirao Nilangekar Patil as the [then] revenue minister had no authority to overrule the suggestion of the finance dept. The commission is therefore, of the opinion that undue haste was shown by Shri Shivajirao Nilangekar Patil in approving the grant of land in question to Adarsh CHS without authority, Wategaonkar has quoted from the commission report.

The activist has also claimed that two flats in the scam-hit society were allotted to Nilangekar-Patils son-in-law Dr Arun Dawale and Dawales cousin Sampat Khidse in lieu of the favours shown by the former revenue minister to the scam-hit society, and thus the Congress leader was the ultimate beneficiary of the benami transactions.
The state on Tuesday decided to push for Maratha reservation in the Bombay high court.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis held a high-level meeting with senior ministers, including Maratha leaders revenue minister Chandrakant Patil and education minister Vinod Tawde, and lawyers to discuss the course of action in the high court. The Opposition, however, refused to cooperate with the government and demanded a decision be taken in two days.

Rattled by the massive rallies held by Marathas across the state, the government plans to speed up the hearing on the reservation. A battery of lawyers engaged by the government have been directed to find ways to counter the adverse remarks on the Rane committees findings that the community is not socially or economically backward. The next hearing is scheduled on September 30.

The state on Monday had announced formation of an empowered group comprising ministers and leaders of Opposition for a dialogue with the leaders of the protesting Marathas. The government had urged protesters to come forward for a dialogue.

Forming an empowered group for dialogue is nothing but an attempt to delay the decision. The survey reports and data collected by the previous government is readily available for further action. There is no need for dialogue . The government should take a call on reservation in two days, said Dhananjay Munde, opposition leader in the council.

Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, leader of opposition in the Assembly, too, has refused to join hands with the government for talks with Marathas. I have not been authorised by the Maratha community to hold talks with the government. It is the job of the government to take the community into confidence, he said.

Maharashtra cabinet meet on October 4

The government has decided to hold the next cabinet meeting on October 4 in Aurangabad. The decisions about the water management, incuding the proposed formation of the water grid for the drought prone districts of Marathwada are expected to be taken in the cabinet. Finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said that the governments thrust will on the decisions related to employment and rise in per capita income of the central part of the state.
The Shiv Sena has remained largely silent on the ongoing Maratha protests, but a cartoon it published in its mouthpiece Saamana got not only ally BJP and the Opposition leaders criticising it, but also riled its own senior leaders from the Maratha community.

The party felt tremors from within when a handful of its senior leaders from the Buldhana district that has a large presence of the community threatened to resign, upset with the disrespect to the Marathas in the cartoon.

The cartoon that riled the community was a three-paneled caricature published on Sunday showing different types of protestors, including a man kissing a woman playing on the words muk morcha (silent protest) as muka morcha (kissing protest).

Party sources said MP Prataprao Jadhav, and MLAs Sanjay Raimulkar and Shashikant Khedekar, from the Buldhana district met Sena ministers Eknath Shinde, minister of state Arjun Khotkar and MLA Hemant Patil from Nanded to express discontent.

The three leaders are ready to offer resignations, while two other legislators are considering it too. The Sena has certain traditions and they dont want to take a step without first discussing it with party president Uddhav Thackeray, the source said.

Harshal Pradhan, party spokesperson, said no Shiv Sena legislator, MP or office bearer has submitted their resignation.

The Senas foot-soldiers and office-bearers at the grassroots, were also disgruntled with the cartoon. One such worker, Bhaskarrao Bhange, the Senas deputy chief for the Karmala taluka in Solapur, wrote to the party district head: I condemn the cartoon published in the September 25 edition of Saamana. I am stepping down from my post. If Shiv Sena needs votes of Marathas, then Uddhav Thackeray should immediately clarify his position on the Maratha protests. Otherwise, one by one, all Maratha Shiv Sainiks are bound to resign.

Sanpada(Maha):Protesters agitated over cartoon related to Maratha protests,pelted stones at Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna office,earlier today pic.twitter.com/76OC9iAcsa  ANI (@ANI_news) September 27, 2016

The party also saw stones being pelted at a Saamana printing press in Sanpada, Navi Mumbai on Tuesday. A few protesters threw ink on the publications Thane office. On Monday too, copies of the publication were burnt across the state and a section of Marathas protested outside the cartoonists home in Vile Parle.

The cartoon got leaders from across political parties censuring the Shiv Sena for hurting the sentiments of the Maratha community  some even went as far as calling it an anti-Maratha party.

Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, opposition leader in the Assembly, demanded an apology from Thackeray. He called the cartoon highly offensive, not just for the Maratha community, but for women too.

The cartoon raises a question on the motives of women wanting to be a part of the protests. We already knew Sena is an antiDalit and anti-Muslim party. But through this cartoon, we now know it is also an anti-Maratha party, the Congress leader said.

The state government should register an offence against Saamana. The cartoon has disrespected martyred soldiers, their families, the police as well as women. This shows the abnormal mindset of the Shiv Sena, said the Nationalist Congress Partys (NCP) Dhananjay Munde, the leader of opposition in the upper house.

BJPs Ashish Shelar chose to specifically target the Saamanas editor Sanjay Raut, a senior Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP. The Mumbai BJP chief tweeted, Looking at the antics of the executive editor, one feels like calling him a cartoon. He has hurt the sentiments of the Maratha community and should apologise.

Senas Subhash Desai, however, lashed out at the Congress and NCP for politicising an issue even after it was nipped in the bud.

The Opposition leaders are trying to fuel the environment again even after the Maratha Kranti Morcha has exposed the miscreants responsible for inciting the controversy over the Saamana cartoon. In reality it is only because of the Congress and NCP the Maratha community has to take to the streets today, the senior legislator and state cabinet minister said. Desai said Uddhav Thackeray had always shown full support to the Maratha protests and instructed Sena members too to cooperate with the organisers.

In damage-control mode, Saamana carried a front-page news article about the Marathi Kranti Morcha, condemning the protests against the cartoon in a press conference in Thane. Next to the article, Saamana also published a column saying there was no question of the party hurting the feelings of the Maratha community.

Quoting its editor Sanjay Raut, the Saamna column said the Maratha protests are not political, but sentimental, and there is no question of hurting the sentiments that Shiv Sena is in support of.

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The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) continued its agitation against Pakistani artistes on Wednesday, saying it wont allow films such as Karan Johars Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Shah Rukh Khans Raees to be screened unless the Pakistani actors in them are replaced.

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil stars Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, while Raees features Mahira Khan.

Ameya Khopkar, president, MNS Cine Workers Association, said MNS was firm on its demand. There will be no compromise on this issue, said Khopkar. If Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan want to release their movies, they should replace the Pakistani actors. Fawad has a minor role in the film, which can be deleted, while Mahira can easily be replaced as the film is yet to be completed, he added.

He claimed that various people are seeking a compromise but said the MNS will not budge from its stance. The country comes first, and then arts and culture. If these Pakistani artistes, despite gaining fame and money in India, refuse to condemn the terrorist attacks, then why should we allow them on our soil, he said.

Following the Uri terror attack, in which 18 army jawans were killed in an ambush, MNS last week issued a 48-hour ultimatum for Pakistani artistes to leave India. On Tuesday, MNS workers launched an agitation outside film-maker Karan Johars Andheri office as he had defended his casting of Fawad Khan.

MNS also warned other actors and producers not to support Pakistani artistes. If producers dare to cast Pakistani artistes in their films or serials, they and the actors will be dealt with in MNS style (with violence), said MNS leader Shalini Thackeray.

Meanwhile, MNS denied reports that actor Salman Khan had telephoned party chief Raj Thackeray on the issue. There were no such calls, said Ameya Khopkar. Salman is a friend but personal relationships are separate from agitations, he added.

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A rough road leads up to Machrihawa primary school in Haripur Rani block of district. It is afternoon, and the school is deserted. But soon, a crowd gathers.

A parent complains the quality of education is poor. A young man wants opportunities at home so that he does not have to migrate. A teacher points to an electric transformer, and says it has not been replaced for 25 years.

Back in Lucknow, political parties have promised that the 2017 elections will be fought on development. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has claimed that his achievements include expressways, metro lines and upgrading city infrastructure. Mayawati has said she will not build any more statues, but focus entirely on development. The BJP says that because it is in power at the Centre, it can deliver development in the state if elected. But what does this vikas mean on the ground? In Machrihawa, the development needs are more basic. So would be the case in a majority of UPs 97,000-odd villages.

Read | Akhilesh woos Brahmins with cabinet expansion ahead of UP polls

The development matrix

Shrawasti is in UPs Terai region, which itself fares poorly on development indicators in the state. According to the Socio-Economic Caste Census of 2011, Shrawasti is over 96% rural. With only 34% rural literacy, it has the highest illiteracy in the state. Only 1.3% of Shrawasti s rural citizens are graduates. Almost 77% earns less than Rs 5,000 per month, and another 16% earns between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000. Within UP, Shrawasti is behind the development curve. Within Shrawasti, Machrihawa is way behind even a smaller urban centre like Bhinga. And within Machrihawa itself, certain communities seem more advantaged than others.

Two figures play an important role in the entire development apparatus: the Village Development Officer( V DO) and the gram pradhan. The V DO is responsible for the registration of all the births, death sand marriage sin the village. But their more onerous responsibility is of implementing vikas.

Explains Balaster Singh, the VDO for Machrihawa: From ponds to tree plantations, from panchayat buildings to libraries, from hand-pumps to MNREGA, from widow pensions to allowances for old and disabled, from repairing ditches to ensuring street light, from drainage to housing, I identify the beneficiaries, or prepare the schemes with the pradhan, or funds are channelled through us.

Politics of Vikas

But here is the rub. These development decisions are not made in a political vacuum. Village hierarchies and politics begin to play a part.

Machrihawa is a Muslim-dominated village. The village pradhan is Sudhir Singh, but his father, Narendar Singh, has the real power. The father says there are over 3,600 voters in the village, out of which 60% or so are Muslims, and less than 10% are forward castes. Yet, when asked if Muslims get elected as pradhans, Narendar Singh says, proudly, There has never been a Muslim pradhan. They always vote for us. We take care of them.

A Muslim villager subsequently told HT, The forwards  Thakurs and Brahmans  use money and muscle and rotate the position. They control the village budget and do what they want. The assembly elections will change nothing for us on the ground.

Read | UP game changer? Congress loan-waiver campaign for farmers gains ground

The space for discretion and corruption has reduced somewhat with Direct Benefits Transfer, but a government official admits that it still exists. In Machrihawa, for instance, about ` 20 lakh comes in annually for various development schemes. Estimates are inflated and everyone takes a cut, says one district official.

Machrihawas story is the story of UPs incomplete tryst with vikas, development in one of the states most backward districts. The demands for development projects  housing, pensions, MNREGA, roads, drainage, jobs, school buildingsconstitute the dominant relationship people in rural areas have with thesarkar . This development creates opportunities for improving livelihoods. It also creates opportunities for corruption and consolidating the hold of the more powerful social elites. How UPs new government, elected in 2017, tackles the more general challenge of under-development with particular focus on the under-privileged will be a key test. Residents of Machrihawa will surely be keen to know the outcome.

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Kaayum Pegu, a second year student of Miranda House college, died on Wednesday -- five days after she was critically injured when the Uber cab she was travelling in rammed a truck near Sector 16-A.

Pegu, 20, was on ventilator support ever since she was admitted to the hospital on September 23, said VB Joshi, spokesperson, Kailash Hospital, Noida Sector 27.

She had fractured her skull and ribs. There was internal bleeding. She was declared dead at 7.56am Wednesday, Joshi said.

Pegus father, Ghanakant Pegu, who works with the transport department in Guwahati, said he had sent his daughter to Delhi a year ago when her name appeared in the cut-off list of the college. She was my elder daughter. Dont know how we are going to live without her, he said.

Kaayum and three of her friends  Tanuz Kalita, 19, of SGBT college, Siddharth Pathak, 20, of Swami Shraddhanand College and Akshara Badola, 20, of Mata Sundari College  were returning from Greater Noida on September 23 after attending a birthday party. Their cab hit a stationary truck.

The survivors alleged that the driver was speeding and did not slow down despite repeated requests. The driver was smoking in the cab and was speedingsaid Kalita, who was discharged after primary treatment.

He rammed a stationary truck. He abandoned the cab and fled from the spot after the accident. The police arrested him on the same day, Kalita said.

Badola and Pathak are still recovering at the hospital. Pegus body has been sent for postmortem, reports of which are awaited.

Kaayum is no longer with us. She fought bravely and we are sure she is in a better place, said Farjad Hazarika, a friend of Kaayum.

We all knew that she was a wonderful human being and we pray that her soul rests in peace. The family requests for privacy at the moment. Thank you all for your prayers, love and support, said Hazarika

Friends and teachers of Pegu described her as a quiet but bright student.

What I remember about Kaayum is her beautiful smile, said Swati Moitra, English teacher at the college, who taught Pegu in her first year.

She had a lovely presence in the class and was punctual. Her death has come as a great shock for all of us, Moitra said.

Read more: Noida: Uber cab rams truck, DU student from Miranda House critical

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Two kidnapped cousins and businessmen from Abohar town of Punjab were rescued by the Gurgaon police after an encounter with the kidnappers near Rohtaks Kharawad village on Tuesday.

While one of the miscreants, identified as Deepak alias Pandu, was injured in the shootout, two of his accomplices managed to flee.

Deepak was admitted to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak, where his condition was said to be stable.

Abohar businessmen Vikas and Aakash Deep were kidnapped from Dwarka Expressway by miscreants on Sunday afternoon while they were returning from Delhi IGI airport in a car after dropping their sister.

In the police complaint, mother of Vikas said she got a call from the miscreants who claimed that her son and nephew had been kidnapped and demanded Rs 50 lakh ransom for their release.

One of the relatives of the two cousins, Sumit, reached Gurgaon and lodged a complaint with the police at Rajendra Park police station.

Sources said police received a tip-off that the miscreants was travelling between Rohtak and Jhajjar on Monday evening.

Based on the tip-off, we carried out the operation and rescued the two kidnapped cousins. We nabbed one of the kidnappers while his two accomplices managed to flee. A police chase to nab them is still going on. We will interrogate the victims and the arrested accused to nab the other two kidnappers, Gurgaon police commissioner Sandeep Khirwar said.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday ousted nine senior party leaders, including some senior functionaries, who it said are involved in anti-party activities.

Most of those removed have been actively supporting Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who was sacked as partys Punjab convener last month.

Among those removed include AAPs national council member Paviter Singh and his wife Lakhwinder Kaur, member of the state women wing.

Paviter had accused partys Punjab in-charge Sanjay Singh and national organisation building head Durgesh Pathak of demanding Rs 50 lakh for a ticket for his wife. Both Pathak and Sanjay had denied the charge.

Last week, Paviter alleged that he along with some other AAP members had gathered Rs 1 lakh party donation which was deposited in the personal account of state co-in-charge and Delhi MLA Jarnail Singh in January last year. Jarnail Singh did not give him a receipt for it, he said.

Jarnail had said there was nothing wrong in gathering donations for an election as long as he was accounting for it before the election commission.

The other leaders, who have been removed from the party, are state media team member Colonel (retd) Jasjit Singh Gill, circle in-charge Jagtar Singh, Harpal Singh of NRI cell, Amandeep Singh Bains, Baljit Singh Chahal, Colonel (retd) Dalwinder Singh Grewal and Amandeep Singh Boparai.

Most of these were actively assisting Chhotepur in the creation of his new party.

A party press release said these people had maintained distance from the AAP in the recent past due to their anti-party activities. The AAP hereby clarifies that the party has nothing to do with these leaders anymore.

Paviter to lodge police complaints

Reacting to the move, Paviter Singh said the AAP had finally removed all doubts that it has completely deviated from the principles for which it was created.

The party has been taken over its Delhi leaders Durgesh Pathak, Sanjay Singh and Jarnail Singh, he said. He would lodge police complaints on the basis of his earlier allegations, Paviter said.

Also read | AAP expands organisation structure in poll-bound Punjab
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has begun revival of its defunct Punjab state committee with the appointment of a general secretary on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Delhi MLA and co-incharge of AAPs affairs in Punjab Jarnail Singh said Gulshan Chhabra will be the general secretary of the partys state committee. He said the party would soon announce names of party vice-presidents and other secretaries. The president of the state committee is Gurpreet Singh Ghuggi by virtue of his position as the Punjab convener, he said.

Chhabra is a businessman from Mandi Gobindgarh and has been working for AAP since the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

The AAPs state committee had been rendered defunct with only Sucha Singh Chhotepur holding the post of the state convener. The move to revive the committee barely four months before the assembly polls is seen as the partys bid to strengthen the state leadership in wake of the party facing the outsider versus Punjabi criticism.

The move will also help the party absorb rebellion emerging out of announcement of tickets by giving senior positions to contenders who are denied tickets.

Meanwhile, Jarnail attacked the Badal government for looting the state exchequer. Badals have already smelled their defeat in the upcoming assembly polls, thus they have indulged in the loot of state exchequer by keeping the interests of state-owned transport corporation at stake and giving more time and route to the bus company owned by them.

Member of the Punjab Dialogue Chander Suta Dogra alleged that Akali leaders, especially who directly belong to Badal family were deliberately allowing massive power theft in their constituencies.

As a result, industrialists and other consumers of electricity were forced to pay high rate of power to compensate the theft of power by Akalis, she further said.

Jagtar Singh Sanghera, in charge of the NRI (no-resident Indian) wing, condemned the decision of government to stop allowances of government pensioners who settled abroad after their retirement. The decision was an attempt to take revenge from the NRIs, as majority of them extended their support to AAP, he said.
Two days after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) worker Jagroop Singh was shot dead allegedly by a former Akali sarpanch over land dispute, Dharamkot police have been told to explain why they took no action after the first assault last month.

On Sunday evening, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Jagseer Singh and 15 other armed men occupied Jagroops field at Bhinder Kalan in Dharamkot jurisdiction of this district and started ploughing it. When the farmer objected, they allegedly killed him and injured his nephew, Pritpal Singh, and father, Jaura Singh.

Read | Moga Akali leader among 15 booked for killing AAP worker

Jagseer Singh injured the family last month also when he came to grab the 5-kanal land, the victims brother, Ranh Singh, stated in the first-information report (FIR). The attack was reported to the Dharamkot police. Had the cops acted then, my brother would have been alive, he said. The accused is said to be an Akali ministers confidant.

After a meeting with the AAP and Congress workers, superintendent of police (headquarters) Jaswinder Singh told Dharamkot deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Mandeep Singh to submit a report about the inaction on the earlier FIR of August 19. The victims father was the complainant.

In the meeting, AAP leader Dr Ranyodh Singh demanded a murder inquiry and action against the cops. Police have booked 16 Bhinder Kalan villagers under 302 (murder) and other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Arms Act. Accused Jagseer Singh, Rajdeep Singh, and Manjit Singh are under treatment at Dayanand Medical College Hospital, Ludhiana. AAP leaders HS Phoolka, Ramesh Grover, and Amit Puri attended Jagroops funeral on Tuesday.
More than 250 young peacemakers from 33 countries  including a 20-member Girls for Peace group from Pakistan  arrived in Chandigarh to be part of the 11th edition of the Global Youth Peace Festival, on Tuesday.

The festival begins on Wednesday and ends on Sunday (October 2). The focus will be on the Pakistani guests, given the recent tension on the border.

Aliya Harir, a young peace activist from Pakistan, is spearheading friendship initiative Aaghaz-e-Dosti. There is enormous warmth and camaraderie between people across the border and we are just exuding a minuscule portion of it, she said.

The 20-member Girls for Peace group from Pakistan that was welcomed to the city at Peoples Convention Centre in Sector 36 on Tuesday night. (Keshav Singh/HT Photo)

The delegation has brought special greeting cards and messages of peace from Pakistani school students.

It is great to celebrate friendship by exchanging cards with fellow classmates across the border, said Urwah Sultana, another Pakistani participant.

There is hype created that there is tension between the two countries. But this narrative of war remains limited to our governments. When we stepped into India, we didnt feel any difference. We felt Pakistan and India are the same, said Lahores Alveena, who only gave her first name.

She said we are the same people and artificial borders have been created between India and Pakistan. The general public over there and here want peace. I feel very welcome and at home, she said. I think its time we realised that we exist as collective community.

Asked what is the mood in Pakistan when attacks like Uri happen, Alveena replied, People do get scared because there is also a lot of hype in the media.

At the end of the day, I think we share common history and if you put aside this narrative that we are going to war, then I dont think the common man is concerned with anything more than the fact he should have a decent life, she said.

Sultana, also from Lahore, said her family, like many others, was worried about the visit at a time when the tension between the two countries are on rise in the wake of the Uri attack that left 18 Indian soldiers dead.

They said if tensions further escalate, what will happen? I told them, if, God forbid, war breaks out, we may die over there (in Pakistan). So how would it matter if I die here, she said.

Sultana is a student of social and cultural studies at University of Punjab and her ancestors belonged to Amritsar. Common Pakistanis want peace. They are big fan of Bollywood films. Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan and Ranbir Kapoor are hot favourites. There are many fans of Arjun Kapoor also. The hype about war is just in the media, she added.

Afghanistan has sent 10 schoolchildren. Not only will they attend school with local children at Carmel Convent and Gurukul Global, but also will stay at their homes.

The participating countries include Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Fiji, France, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Liberia, Malaysia, Motswana, Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Syria, Senegal, Taiwan, Uganda, US, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

It is time to sink our differences and work for global peace, said Pramod Sharma, coordinator of Yuvsatta, the organisation behind the event. (with PTI inputs)
Even as school van operators have gone on an indefinite strike after the district administration started impounding old and unsafe vehicles, the administration has decided to intensify the drive, claiming that it is the time to act.

After seven children were killed as their school van fell off an unsafe bridge in Muhawa village last Tuesday, the district administration had started the drive to check unsafe vans. About 45 vans were impounded by the local authorities. Though the district transport office (DTO) has acted tough and impounded vehicles, the traffic police are yet to act.

Van operators, meanwhile, have alleged they are being wrongly targeted during the special drive and even vans in good condition are being impounded. The administration has denied the charge.

We are very serious on this issue. We will soon hold a meeting with van operators. But we are firm on the decision to not allow unsafe vans on roads, said Amritsar deputy commissioner Varun Roojam, adding, There have been enough meetings and now it is the time to act. The concern about safety is very much genuine and the administration is doing its job.

Even though the administration was rounding up outdated vans earlier too, the action following the Muhawa incident seems to suggest the administration has finally got serious about the violation. Besides the unsafe bridge, the poor condition of the school van was a major issue raised after the accident. Van operators who are on strike are likely to stage a dharna in Amritsar on Wednesday.

PARENTS A HARRIED LOT

As school vans remained absent from the roads for second consecutive day in the city, parents had to pick up and drop schoolchildren. Other than the administration, even schools are showing their helplessness over the strike.

Though, a few schools in the city have their own vans, the majority depend on private operators. Meanwhile, auto-rickshaw operators ferrying schoolchildren also joined the strike on Tuesday. They were seen trying to stop other three-wheelers plying on the city roads too.
A local court has summoned former Congress minister Amarjit Singh Samras son, Amardeep Singh Samra, and four others in a case of cheating by forging a power of attorney.

NRI (non-resident Indian) woman Ranjit Kaur Chhokar, directors of a software company, and two more people  all part of Jalandhar Midlands Group of developers  are party to the case. The court has called them to a hearing on October 10. Amardeep Singh is groups managing director. Complainant Sandeep Ohri owns shares in the leased out property in question. The summons were issued on September 17 on a criminal complaint filed on December 23, 2015.

The summoning orders says that on December 16, 2013, the accused allegedly entered a lease agreement with Kayako Helpdesk of Jalandhar for the fourth- and fight-floor space in a building that also included Ohris office. His name was on the deed executed by nine individuals and Midland Developers through Parminder, son of Daljit Singh, alleged attorney holder of these people.

Ohri claims he never signed any lease paper or authorised anybody to do so on his behalf. The signatures of the complainant, if any, are forged by the accused... to usurp his property, the court said in the summons.

The summons further read: All the essentials of cheating are fulfilled in the present case... there are sufficient grounds for summoning all the accused for offence punishable under Sections 420 (cheating)... 467 (cheating and forgery), 471 (using a forged document as genuine), and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Punjab director general of police (DGP) Suresh Arora said that possibility of Pakistan intelligence agency ISIs hand behind incidents of sacrilege could not be ruled out.

Talking to mediapersons here on Tuesday, he said after what had happened in Punjab in the past and what was going on in Jammu and Kashmir, the possibility of ISI trying to disturb peace in the state could not be discounted. It could be a game plan of the ISI, he remarked.

We are investigating the recent incident and hopefully will find out the culprits, he added.

The DGP said RSS leader Jagdish Gagnejas murder case might have been shifted to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) but Punjab police will continue with its probe. We had made a good progress in the case and we have shared the inputs with the CBI, he said.

Read | Punjab RSS leader Gagnejas killers will be in CBI net soon: Rajnath

He further said the police were acting tough against drug peddlers and had confiscated their properties worth crores. We are strong in our resolve to end drug menace in the state. he said.
Launched with fanfare on September 1, the eight-seater chartered flight from Ludhiana to Delhi has hit turbulence.

Two flights of Jetsmart were to shuttle between Ludhiana and Delhi five days a week. But 25 days on, only one flight departs from Sahnewal airport at 9am and arrives from Delhi at 5.45pm.

On Day 1, all eight seats of the Beechcraft B200 Superking Air were occupied and the return 75-minute flight had five passengers. The next day, the return flight from Delhi to Ludhiana did not operate though the 9am flight was full to capacity from Ludhiana.

The aircraft has seven executive class seats and an economy class seat.

LOW DEMAND

On September 5, the aircraft ferried a lone passenger to Delhi and returned with two passengers. One passenger took the flight from Ludhiana the next day too, while two passengers were on board from Delhi on September 7.

Data with airport authorities shows one passenger boarded the aircraft on September 8 and the aircraft returned vacant from Delhi that day. The number of passengers picked up on September 12. Four passengers took the flight to Delhi and three returned in the evening.

Bringing some cheer, the aircraft was full to capacity on September 14 when seven passengers boarded the flight from Ludhiana and eight returned.

However, the number of passengers again declined on September 16 when three boarded the flight, while the evening flight from the national capital did not operate.

RATE CUT TO Rs 7,000

When bookings opened on August 22, a seat in the air taxi cost Rs 10,000 for economy class and Rs 13,000 for executive class. To attract customers, the ticket price was cut to Rs 7,000 irrespective of the class.

The chartered flight, which does not serve snacks or beverages on board, was launched to cater to a the non-resident Indian (NRI) population. Jetsmart officials said that NRIs from Punjab have no option but to land in Delhi and travel to Punjab by road.

But with the airline, they can land in Ludhiana and head home in a luxury vehicle.

ECONOMICS AND CONVENIENCE

A ticket costs on the chartered flight from Ludhiana to Delhi costs Rs 7,000. Less than two hours away in Chandigarh, there are eight flights to Delhi with budget airlines charging Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000.

There is little room for flexibility with only one flight operating at 9am.

SK Rai, director, Hero Group, says there is more flexibility in timings when one catches a flight from Chandigarh. Hence, it is more convenient and economical to head to Delhi from Chandigarh by air than from Ludhiana.

POSITIVE RESPONSE, CLAIMS AIRLINE

Vishal Tandon, the assistant general manager (North) of Jetsmart, said, We are getting a positive response that will only grow with time. There has been a variation in the number of passengers daily.

There are days when the aircraft is full and others when we have flown with one passenger. We are happy with the response, he said.

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The Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) has written to the state government to make the civil services aptitude test (CSAT) only a qualifying paper for the Punjab Civil Services (PCS) examination.

If it gets governments nod, CSAT marks will not be added to the marks scored by candidates in the preliminary stage and they will just have to score minimum 33 per cent marks in it.

Besides, the commission has recommended unlimited attempts for the candidates but wants upper age limit reduced from 37 to 35.

CSAT was made mandatory in the PCSs preliminary stage with general studies after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) introduced it in all India Administrative Services examination in 2011.

Even as the UPSC eventually made it a qualifying paper last year on the demand of students, especially those from the humanities background, Punjab is yet to make these changes.

The last PCS examination held earlier this year had CSAT as a compulsory paper and its marks were added to the final results of the preliminary examination.

Adding CSAT marks in the preliminary exam is a gross injustice to the students from the non-engineering background in Punjab. This debars several deserving students to qualify for mains. Since this exam gives edge to those having studied mathematics, the state government must create a level-playing field for students from other backgrounds, said Amanpreet Kaur, a student from Chandigarh.

Manjit Singh Dhaliwal, a student from Muktsar, said when Haryana and Himachal Pradesh have already made CSAT a qualifying paper in their civic services exams, Punjab should also follow the suit.

PPSC secretary (examination) Manjit Singh Cheema said the commission has made the recommendation on basis of students feedback.

For making these changes, the Punjab State Civil Services Rules, 2009, needs to be amended for which the department of personnel has already been requested, he said.

Secretary (personnel) Raji P Srivastva said she would get back on this issue on Thursday.

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The Punjab government on Tuesday allowed three private medical institutes in the state to resume independent counselling for the MBBS/BDS admissions.

Last weeks notice of the director of medical education and research (DRME) had barred Adesh Medical University, Bathinda, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, and Shri Guru Ram Das Medical University (management quota seats), Amritsar, from admitting students after the Supreme Court upheld the central counselling and prohibited independent counselling by any medical college or university.

Medical education secretary Vikas Pratap said private institutes have been asked to resume the admission process based on the legal opinion of the attorney generals office. It clarifies that the SC orders have no bearing on us since it is confined only to Madhya Pradesh, he said.

The Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, has also been asked to fill vacant seats before the cut-off admission date, he said. A hue and cry was recently raised by students and parents after the Adesh university hiked its fee and demanded bank guarantee on the day of counselling.

An official said the Adesh university was allowed independent counselling under the provisions of the state act. As far the CMC and Shri Guru Ram Das university are concerned, they are exempted from the central counselling for the past many years due to their status of being minority institutes, he added.

BFUHS third counselling on Wednesday

The NEET-qualified candidates seeking admission against vacant all-India quota seats have been asked to report at the Faridkot government college on Wednesday and Thursday along with candidates for other reserved seats. The vacant BDS seats will be filled on Friday.

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In a display of high-handedness, a police inspector slapped a tractor-trailer driver in full public view for not letting his vehicle pass in Mullanpur Dakha on Tuesday morning. After the incident, locals blocked the main road for two hours, shouting slogans against police and demanding action against the cop.

Later, Rakba village sarpanch Joginder Singh intervened and disposed of the matter amicably. However, commuters were a harried lot due to the two-hour protest.

Gagandeep Singh alias Gagna of Rakba village was visiting Mullanpur to sell fodder. When he was returning home, Sidhwan Bet station house officer Lovedeep Singh who was travelling in a police vehicle signalled at him to let him pass.

The 22-year-old Gagandeep said the inspector was honking continuously. As the road near Mullanpur main roundabout was broken, it took some time to get his tractor-trolley aside. Meanwhile, the inspector overtook the vehicle that resulted in a scratch on the cops vehicle.

Furious over it, the inspector alighted from his vehicle and slapped him thrice in full public view and also abused him.

The locals objected over the high-handedness of the cop and staged a protest at the roundabout at 9am. They shouted slogans against police and demanded stern action against the cop.

When contacted, inspector Lovedeep refuted the allegations. He added that he was trying to overtake the tralier driver, who was driving recklessly. In an attempt to overtake, his vehicle got scratches when it collided with the other vehicle.
The regular feature of appearing of the suspicious persons in and around Pathankot, believed to be Pakistani militants has increased the locals demand to review the internal security of the town which has a strategic air base and large number of army establishments surrounding this border city.

Panic prevails in the town as and when the news of appearing such persons floors and spurs police and security forces into action to launch a manhunt, most of which comes out to be a futile exercise.

Read | Pathankot on red alert; search continues for armed men

Many such actions of the security forces have brought no gain except in one when Punjab Police SP Salwinder Singh and his jeweller friend had claimed that they were abducted by the four Pakistani militants, who later stormed the Pathankot Air Base on the intervening night of January 1 and 2, killing seven security personnels, before they all were gunned down by the security forces.

As nobody dares to tell lies fearing serious results, the persons claiming of having seen suspected persons could be right and cannot be ignored, said BD Chugh a retired personnel from air force.

There is a need to strengthen the internal security of the town, particularly at night when the time is ripe for the anti-national persons, he said. Footage of the CCTV cameras could be of a big help and the watching of the night activities near the main establishments is necessary for the security forces, which could bring good results, he added.

A resident Naval Kishore said, Community policing can also be a good tool which can be used at this time when the threat of the militants looms large due to the ulterior motives of the neighbouring country.

There is a need to keep a close watch on the possible hide outs and shelters of the militants who can take shelter in the makeshift houses of the shepherd community camping in large number around Pathankot and Gurdaspur he said.

We have to believe any information provided to us, be it a false or true, as we cannot take a risk, said SSP Rakesh Kaushal. We have been cracking down on the makeshift houses of the shepherds(Gujjar community), which could be used as a safe hideout by the militants, he added.

On borders we are having regular meetings with the residents and in city also, we will start this process to increase internal security of the town. SSP said.

Though we have installed nearly 700 CCTV cameras but we are planning to have more of them to learn the night time activities of the town, he said.
Before the November of 2005, Avtar Singh Makkar was only the management president of a mohalla gurdwara in his city of Ludhiana and a district-level office-bearer of the Shiromani Akali Dal. Now, he has been president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), considered to be the mini-parliament for Sikhs, for close to 11 years, which makes him the second-longest-serving president after the late Gurcharan Singh Tohra.

Seen as pliable, his critics say Makkar  once a clerk in the Life Insurance Corporation who resigned to join politics in 1986  survived by making the SGPC a subsidiary of the Shiromani Akali Dal led by chief minister Parkash Singh Badal. The buzz is that, with the Supreme Court reinstating the 2011 SGPC House and thus mandating election of a new executive body, he will be replaced. But a surprise here will be no surprise, given Badals past moves, such as picking Makkar in 2005.

Makkars past year in office saw many controversies and the SGPCs image touched a low after a series of incidents of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib, and a Sarbat Khalsa defying the SGPC by radicals who appointed their own jathedars (heads) for all five temporal seats or Takhts. HT talked to him about all this and more. Excerpts:

Q. How do you rate your 10 years and 11 months so far as the SGPC president?

Makkar: Very satisfying. I have opened schools, colleges, universities; gurdwaras management has been improved, dharam parchar (religious propagation) has been very effective; and we have successfully done amrit sanchar (baptisation) programmes all across the country, even abroad. Thousands of acres of agricultural land was retrieved from encroachers... Theres a lot to say that I can substantiate with figures. In 10 years, our annual budget went up to Rs 1,000 crore from Rs 250 crore.

But you are seen as a weak and pliable president.

My critics may say what they want, but I have managed to weed out corruption and dealt with erring staff with a stern hand. Management of gurdwaras before me was in a shambles.

Do you feel SGPCs autonomy has suffered in your tenure? It is called a subsidiary of Shiromani Akali Dal.

I have been taking decisions independently. No doubt, SGPC and Akali Dal are closely related because most of its elected members belong to the SAD, but both function independently.

Do you think the SGPC ably handled the events of October-November last year after incidents of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib?

Certain elements opposed to Sikhism want to disturb peace by indulging in sinful acts. The entire community is pained over the desecrations. Punjab police and CBI are investigating the cases and I am sure culprits will be caught very soon. The SGPC never failed in its duty.

Is it true that you have lost favour with CM Badal and his deputy, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal?

This is not the fact. They respect me and my decisions, and I am working in coordination with them. They still look up to me for important assignments. I am supervising the celebrations of 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh ji that began in Patna Sahib. I remained active during the difficult days last year, moved among the people and neutralised things to a large extent.

The Nanakshahi calendar was altered during your tenure that led to a row. Why?

Demands for certain changes in the calendar came from the Damdami Taksal, Sant Samaj and other groups. Sikhism is an evolving religion and we want to progress by building a consensus.

During your tenure, a memorial to Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale (militant leader) was built, despite opposition from non-Sikh communities. Your views.

I take pride saying that we built the memorial. Our highest temporal seat, the Akal Takht, was demolished in the army action (of Operation Bluestar in 1984, in which Bhindranwale was killed). We have every right to raise a memorial to those who challenged the oppression; I mean Sant Bhindranwale and the innocent people killed in the action. Communities survive when they remember their martyrs.

SGPC elections are expected next month, and it is being said that your party is looking for a new person as president. Are you in the fray again?

No, I am not. I am prepared to move on and not seeking an extension. I will accept whatever my party decides.

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A month ago, a lot of newsprint was consumed to talk about Raj Chakraborty and Mimi Chakrabortys breakup. However, when we meet the actress at a city hotel, she looks radiant and genuinely happy. Mimi claims to have moved on. So, how does she deal with any breakup? Mimi is quick to reply that its work that helps her overcome all forms of emotional breakdown. Coming from a small town like Jalpaiguri, whatever I have achieved today is because of my work. Work is my only support, she says.

Mimi admits that the breakup and the frenzy around it got dirtier. Suddenly so many people were bothered about me. There were so many middlemen in this story. I came to know that I was dating someone and my stable relationship had broken. I didnt tell anybody who I was dating. So, how did people come to know about it? I was into a relationship but I never talked about it in the past. So, if I am dating somebody, will I even talk about it? Never , says Mimi, who worked with Raj in films such as Bojhena Se Bojhena, Proloy, Yoddha: The Warrior and Katmundu. So, is she open to working with Raj again?  He is one of the most successful directors in Tollywood and if he wants, I am ready to work with him, she says.

Mimi was in Turkey shooting for her upcoming film, Gangster, with Yash Dasgupta when rumours of the actress dating Melih (a crew member from Turkey) spread. The actress reveals that though she was going through a tough time battling the emotional turmoil, she made sure she gave 100 per cent to the film. Ruhi is a difficult character. So, I made myself understand that I need to forget everything and concentrate on the film, she says. The Khaad actress confesses that so far its been a good year for her. She had two releases  Ki Kore Toke Bolbo and Kelor Kirti  and is gearing up for her third, which is releasing this Durga Puja. Her friend actress Nusrat Jahan on the other already has had four releases this year. But before you ask Mimi anything, she says, No, it doesnt perturb me. We never discuss work when we are together.

Mimi Chakraborty will be seen opposite debutant Yash Dasgupta in Gangster. (Shree Venkatesh Films)

Mimi also says that she doesnt believe in the number game. She is here to do good work and is happy so long she is bagging plum projects. She accepts that potboilers follow a certain formula, and mainly ride on the shoulders of the films hero but says that her upcoming film, directed by Birsa Dasgupta, is different from the other mainstream films she has done. I have always dreamt of playing someone like Ruhi. I havent played a character with so many shades, she smiles.

This is the third time Mimi has teamed up with Birsa. The last two films  Golpo Holeo Sottyi and Shudhu Tomari Jonyo  were appreciated by the audiences and this time too she is drawing compliments for her look in the film. I too believe that I am looking my best in the film. We didnt overdo the makeup, she smiles.

Watch the song Chailey from Gangster here

The actress is also all praise for her co-star Yash, who is making his film debut. Much like Mimi, who started her career on television with the show Gaaner Opare, Yash too graduated to films from television. Did she give him any advice? Yash is so technically sound that it never seemed he was making his debut, she says.

Read: If I do remakes, it should be better than the original one: Yash Dasgupta

Since her television days, Mimi, who looked beautiful in a Tejas Gandhi attire, has been known for her acting skills. Her performance in films like Bojhena Se Bojhena and Proloy, established her as a powerful actress. However, she soon started doing mainstream films such as Jamai 420, and Ki Kore Toke Bolbo. The actress informs that she has no qualms in doing both parallel and hardcore commercial films. However, she mentions that earlier she had a few inhibitions and hence had to let go Srijit Mukherjis National Award-winning film Chatushkone. I refused Chatuskone, as I was required to wear revealing outfits and enact a few intimate scenes, which I was not comfortable with. I was also answerable to my parents to some extent. They never wanted me to become an actress. But later I felt that we live in a competitive world and at the end of the day I am an actor. I should be able to become the character given to me. In Birsadas film, I have donned a swimsuit and my parents didnt object to it, says Mimi, who is good friends with actresses Srabanti, Tonushree, Sayantika and Nusrat.

Read: Bengali film industry is bonding on social media

Today, Mimi has shed a lot of her inhibitions and is willing to take up any interesting role, both in mainstream and middle-of-the-road cinema. When I entered the industry, I was told that I was fit for only television and not films. I am ready to work hard, she signs off.

ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop

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A record 84 million people watched the first presidential debate but Donald Trump, who is usually excited by TV ratings, spent the day after complaining about his microphone and unfair questions from the moderator.

He defended his offensive remarks about Alicia Machado, the 1996 Miss Universe, whom he once called Miss Piggy, as Hillary Clinton reminded him at the debate, for gaining weight, and Miss Housekeeping for her Hispanic background.

Trump claimed victory citing online polls, but may be trying to convince himself as he has complained about unfair questions from moderator Lester Holt, whom he had praised earlier, and a malfunctioning microphone.

Anybody who complains about the microphone is not having a good night, Clinton told her travelling pool of reporters, clearly delighted with her rivals obvious frustration at not faring well after tweeting out snap polls showing he had won.

A consensus emerged on Tuesday, at least in US media, that Clinton won the debate, watched by a record 84 million viewers in the US, not counting those who tuned in on social media or those abroad.

The previous best was 80.6 million for the only debate of 1980 between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter. The first debate from the 2012 Obama-Romney race was the next highest at 67 million viewers.

Trump remained unimpressed, and continued to cite online polls numbers, triggering speculation that unhappy with himself, he may switch back to being the candidate he was during the primaries. I really eased up because I didnt want to hurt anyones feelings, Trump said in a TV interview, adding he would have brought up the many affairs that Bill Clinton had but held back because Chelsea Clinton was in the audience.

I didnt think it was worth the shot, he said. I didnt think it was nice. But with his advisers such as former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who called Clinton too stupid to be president egging him on, he just might stop being nice.

Clinton is prepared for it, of course. He can run his campaign however he chooses, she said. I will continue to talk about what I want to do for the American people.

Trump will indeed run his campaign as he wants to. He doubled down on his remarks about Machado gaining weight soon after winning the pageant, which he had then just bought, saying it was a real problem. We had a real problem.

In a press conference call arrange day the Clinton campaign, Machado, who is now a political activist, said Trump always treated her like a lesser thing, like garbage and that this election was like a bad dream back after 20 years.
An Afghan official said at least 13 civilians have been killed in an airstrike that hit a residential house in a volatile district of eastern Nangarhar province.

Esmatullah Shinwari, a Nangarhar lawmaker, said on Wednesday a crowd had gathered at the house in Achin district to welcome home a tribal leader returning from the Haj.

He said 12 people were wounded, including the tribal leader.

Hazrat Hussain Mashreqiwal, spokesperson for the provincial police chief, says Islamic State group loyalists were the target. Afghan forces backed by the US military have been battling IS fighters in Achin for months.

The spokesperson for the US military in Afghanistan, Brig. Gen. Charles Cleveland, confirmed a counter-terrorism air strike in Achin district early Wednesday.

He said allegations of civilian casualties are being investigated.
An Alabama lawmaker unhappy with Hillary Clintons allegations during the presidential debate that Republican Donald Trump is sexist expressed his disapproval by tweeting the Democratic nominees husband is likely a rapist.

Just after the debate, Republican Ed Henry, posted on Twitter: It is ironic that Lying Hillary blast Trump as a sexist when she is married to Bill, who is likely a rapist.

He tagged Trumps campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, in his tweet.

It is ironic that Lying Hillary blast Trump as a sexist when she is married to Bill, who is likely a rapist.@KellyannePolls  Ed Henry (@Ed_Henry_HD9) September 27, 2016

Former President Bill Clinton was accused of rape by Juanita Broaddrick while running for governor of Arkansas in 1978. He adamantly denied the charges.

Henry is co-chair of Trumps Alabama campaign. He attended the GOP convention in July as a Trump delegate. Efforts to reach Henry were unsuccessful. The tweet was not removed.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif faces a key choice in the coming weeks about who should run Pakistans powerful military, one that will have a major influence on the countrys often strained relationships with the United States and nuclear rival India.

With chief of army staff General Raheel Sharif saying he will step down when his tenure ends in November, the top post is up for grabs, and the prime minister decides who gets it.

Overshadowing the process has been speculation in the media and by some government officials that the general, no relation to the premier, may seek to hold on to some or all of his powers even after his term is finished.

The general is immensely popular among ordinary Pakistanis, who see him as a bulwark against crime, corruption and Islamist militant violence.

He has also strengthened the militarys grip over aspects of government, including the judiciary and areas of security policy.

Yet the military flatly rejects the possibility of an extension.

I will request you to avoid speculations, because we have already taken a position very clearly, Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa, the armys main spokesperson, told a recent press briefing.

The military declined to comment further and said General Sharif was not available for interview.

In a country prone to military coups, including one in which Nawaz Sharif himself was ousted from power in 1999, suspicions that the general will remain in his post persist, including among some of the Prime Ministers senior aides.

Reuters has no independent evidence to corroborate this view.

Army chiefs soon begin to think they are invincibles-in-chief, said a close aide to Nawaz Sharif, requesting anonymity as he was not authorised to speak about military appointments.

What happens at the top of Pakistans armed forces will be closely watched overseas.

With nearly 10,000 US troops in Afghanistan fighting the Afghan Taliban and other militant groups, Washington is losing patience with what it says is Pakistans failure to hunt down insurgents who launch attacks on Afghanistan from Pakistani territory. Pakistan denies this.

India has ratcheted up rhetoric against Pakistan, alarmed at an escalation of violence in the disputed region of Kashmir, including an attack on an army base there that killed 18 soldiers. Islamabad denies accusations it was behind the raid.

List of contenders

According to three close aides to the Prime Minister and a senior military official, the military high command has sent the Sharif the dossiers of four main contenders.

The premiers favourite, the aides said, was Lieutenant General Javed Iqbal Ramday, commander of XXXI Corps who led a 2009 operation to drive the Pakistani Taliban militant movement from Swat Valley near the Afghan border.

The three other dossiers are for Lieutenant General Zubair Hayat, chief of general staff, Lieutenant General Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmad, commanding officer in the eastern city of Multan, and Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who heads the armys Training and Evaluation Wing.

Ramday is considered among the front-runners, in part because his family has been associated with Nawaz Sharifs Pakistan Muslim League (PMLN) party for many years.

He is also seen by some security officials as popular with General Sharif.

Hes perhaps as liked by Raheel Sharif as he is by Nawaz Sharif, said a senior security official based in Islamabad, declining to be named.

Neither the Prime Minister nor General Sharif have commented publicly on his chances.

Hayat oversees intelligence and operational affairs at the armys General Headquarters, and before that headed the Strategic Plans Division (SPD), which is responsible for Pakistans nuclear programme.

Retired and serving officers who have served with Hayat see him as a compromise between the military and civilian government.

Ahmad has extensive experience with military operations, especially against Pakistans Taliban insurgency, and was previously the director general military operations.

Several past army chiefs had served as DGMOs before being promoted to the top post.

A serving brigadier who has worked with Bajwa said he was the general most similar in temperament to General Raheel, adding that: His chances are also very good.

The armys media wing did not respond to requests to interview the four contenders.

Wresting back power

If Nawaz Sharif appoints a new army chief, it could allow him to claw back some of the influence he has ceded since coming to power in 2013, analysts said.

In 2014, the Prime Minister emerged in charge but weakened after protests demanding his resignation, and that year the army also went against his wishes for a negotiated settlement with Taliban militants by sending troops into north Waziristan.

Nawaz has lost a lot of ground to the military during Raheels tenure, Talat Masood, a retired general and political analyst said. He will try and retake certain space by asserting himself. I think he would like a change in leadership.

Sharif has been quiet on the issue of the militarys ascendancy in public.

But a statement from his office late last year, issued after the military urged the government to match its efforts in fighting militancy, said all institutions have to play their role, while remaining within the ambit of the constitution.

Under Raheel Sharif, the army tightened control over the battle against militants, including creating military courts that have sentenced dozens of people to death.

The courts have been criticised by lawyers and families of defendants for denying basic rights, and some are challenging the courts rulings through the civilian judiciary.

The military has also taken a lead role in policing the southern city of Karachi, a broadly popular operation that has reduced rampant crime but also been denounced as heavy-handed and open to abuses including extra-judicial killings.

If Raheel Sharif hadnt been chief, these militants and criminals would have destroyed Pakistan, said Bismillah Khan, a bus driver in the southwestern city of Quetta. I hope whoever replaces him will be just like him.
More than 150 members of the Indian community in Northern Ireland were left frustrated after being told they couldnt donate blood during a camp in Belfast because they were born in India and would need to undergo a malaria test.

The camp was organised on September 23 by the charity organisation Sudarshanam after nine months of planning and discussions with the Northern Ireland Transfusion Service (NITS). Organisers told Hindustan Times the issue of place of birth or the malaria test was never raised during the preparations.

Trustee Srikant Ganapati said on Wednesday: People came from various parts of Northern Ireland, some also from England. It was the first such effort by any Asian organisation here but at the last moment, we were asked if we were born in India, or had visited India.

Even a 62-year-old Indian who never visited India for the last 58 years was prevented from donating blood. Everyone was so enthusiastic, took time off work. Most of them were IT professionals and doctors, but had to go away without donating blood.

There was no response from NITS but some reports said it was investigating the incident.

It was very frustrating, but we will not give up. They often say that 97% people dont donate blood, but when we wanted to, they prevented us. We will wait for the investigations outcome, Ganapati said.

Donor eligibility criteria were not clear, the organisers said. There was no mention in correspondence over nine months or on the NITS website that people born in India cannot donate blood.

Belfast-based Sudarshanam, founded in 2012, is registered with Britains Charity Commission. Its objectives include educating people about Indian culture and advancing community development through volunteering initiatives.

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China on Wednesday called on Pakistan and India to solve their differences over Kashmir, as tensions mount between the nuclear-armed neighbours after an attack killed 18 Indian soldiers in the disputed Himalayan region.

India has long accused Pakistan of backing militant groups operating in disputed Kashmir, as well as of sending fighters to other parts of the country to carry out acts of violence.

China hopes that Pakistan and India will strengthen channels for dialogue, appropriately handle any differences, improve bilateral relations and together protect the regions peace and stability, a deputy foreign minister told Pakistans special envoys to China for Kashmir, according to the foreign ministry website.

The deputy minister, Liu Zhenmin, also told the envoys that China values Pakistans position on Kashmir.

China has long been a strong diplomatic, military and economic supporter of Pakistan, and the two call each other all-weather friends. Their ties have been underpinned by wariness of their common neighbour, India, with which China fought a brief but bloody border war in 1962.

Tensions between India and Pakistan rose on Tuesday as Indias leader cancelled a visit to a regional summit and Islamabad warned it would treat it as an act of war if India revoked a water treaty.
An unauthorised drone forced Dubai airport to halt air traffic for about half an hour in the second such incident in four months, the airport authority said.

Airspace around the worlds busiest airport for international flights was on Tuesday closed between 0408 and 0435 GMT due to unauthorised drone activity, Dubai Airports said on its Twitter account.

We are working to minimise inconvenience, it added.

Safety is our top priority and we remind all UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) operators that activities are not permitted within five kilometres of any airport or landing area.

Those found guilty of flying drones within that limit are liable to heavy fines in the United Arab Emirates.

Read | Rogue drone brings Dubai airport to a halt for over an hour, 22 flights diverted

But since the earlier incident on June 12, which forced Dubai airport to close for 69 minutes, the UAE authorities have announced their intention to tighten the rules on the purchase and use of drones and the penalties for violating them.

The flying of drones is prohibited within 5km of airports, helipads, landing areas or manned aircraft in the UAE.

Around 100 airlines fly to more than 260 destinations from Dubai, which is also home to major carrier Emirates.

More than 78 million passengers travelled through the airport last year.

Around the world the use of civil drones, whether for commercial purposes or just as a leisure activity, is rising. That popularity has led to increasing reports of near-misses with commercial aircraft, such as when a Lufthansa plane was approaching Warsaw airport last month.

Aviation concerns focus on smaller drones, operated like model planes and flown for recreation, because their users are often not familiar with the rules of the air.
SpaceX chief Elon Musk unveiled on Tuesday ambitious plans to establish a Mars colony by sending 100 humans at a time on massive spacecraft, possibly costing as low as $100,000 per person.

Taking the stage under a large globe of Mars at the International Astronautical Congress in western Mexico, Musk showed his vision for a giant rocket that would propel people to the Red Planet in our lifetime.

He told reporters he was optimistic that the first human mission could leave Earth in 2024 and arrive several hundred million kilometres away on the Red Planet the following year.

Before that, SpaceX plans to send an unmanned Dragon cargo capsule as early as 2018.

I think the first trips to Mars are going to be really, very dangerous. The risk of fatality will be high. There is just no way around it, Musk said. It would basically be, Are you prepared to die? Then if thats ok, then you are a candidate for going.

These risk-taking pioneers would open the way for others under Musks vision, which one expert warned was long on vision, short on detail.

We need to go from these early exploration missions to actually building a city, Musk said to an overflow crowd at an expo centre in the city of Guadalajara.

A futuristic video depicted his concept of an interplanetary transport system based on reusable rockets, a propellant farm on Mars and 1,000 spaceships on orbit, carrying about 100 people each.

The spacecraft would have a restaurant, cabins, zero-gravity games and movies.

It has to be fun or exciting. It cant feel cramped or boring, he said.

Affordable ticket price

The South Africa-born Canadian-American entrepreneur said the plan would require a huge public-private partnership, but did not announce any alliance with a government agency.

The first flight would be expensive but the aim is making this affordable to almost anyone who wants to go, by dropping the price of a ticket over time from $200,000 to $100,000, Musk said.

You cant create a self-sustaining civilization on Mars if the ticket price is $10 billion per person, he said.

While SpaceX was hit by a setback on September 1 when its Falcon 9 rocket, after several successful missions and vertical landings, exploded on the launch pad during a test in Florida, Musk said this is just a small thing on a long road.

SpaceX is not alone in aspiring to travel to Mars.

The US space agency NASA, which is studying the effects of long-term space flight on the human body, has announced its own plans to send people to Mars by the 2030s.

Blue Origin, a company founded by Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, also envisions a Mars mission, but decades from now.

Costly, challenging

Experts warn that reaching Mars -- 225 million kilometers (140 million miles) from Earth on average -- and living there requires major engineering feats and a massive budget.

John Logsdon, professor emeritus at George Washington Universitys Space Policy Institute, said Musks presentation was long on vision, short on detail.

Musk did not explain in detail how he would get the billions of dollars that would be required to put the vision into reality.

The plan also faces technical challenges, such as refueling in orbit, which has never been done, and building fuel depots on Mars.

Chris Carberry, chief executive of Explore Mars Inc, a non-profit promoting the goal of sending humans to the planet within two decades, said a mission of just three to six people would cost between $80 billion and $120 billion.

Musks presentation is very inspiring, aspirational, but I think its going to be very challenging to be able to accomplish this in 10 years.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk unveils his plans to colonize Mars during the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico. (Reuters)

I think its probably more likely were going to send a smaller mission to first figure out if people can live on Mars before we send 100 people there at a time, he said.

Musk said the rocket would take a spaceship into orbit, release it and land back on Earth to pick up a fuel tanker, which it would fly to the craft to fuel its journey to Mars. The trip would one day take as little as three months, or even less than one month.

Once on Mars, humans would have to install a plant to produce propellant by using the planets methane resources to fuel the spacecraft for its return to Earth.

Musk posted a photo on Twitter this week showing the first test-firing of the Raptor interplanetary transport engine.

Space competition

SpaceX has achieved engineering breakthroughs, notably by successfully landing the Falcon 9 rocket upright, which could cut space travel costs by making rockets reusable.

Blue Origin has also built a rocket that lands vertically and is working on a taller launcher called New Glenn, but the company is focusing on sending people to Earths low orbit for now.

We want to have millions of people living and working in space in a decades timeframe if they want to, Blue Origin president Rob Meyerson told AFP.
On a personal quest to settle Mars, SpaceX founder Elon Musk envisions 1,000 passenger ships flying en masse to the red planet well within the next century, Battlestar Galactica style.

Musk outlined his zealous plan Tuesday to establish a self-sustaining city on Mars, complete with iron foundries and even pizzerias. He wants to make humans a multiplanetary species, and says the best way to do that is to colonize the red planet.

I think Earth will be a good place for a long time, but the probable lifespan of human civilization will be much greater if were a multiplanetary species, he said.

Musk, who also runs electric car maker Tesla Motors, received a wildly warm reception at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico. Many in the crowd were avid space buffs.

For now, the aerospace company he founded in 2002 is focusing on satellite deliveries, as well as space station cargo runs for NASA and a future crew capsule for U.S. astronauts. Its Falcon rocket, though, is grounded for the second time in a year because of devastating accidents.

During his address, Musk did not mention the September 1 launch pad explosion that destroyed a Falcon rocket and its satellite.

Instead, he noted that SpaceX already has begun work on the Mars Colonial fleet, recently test-firing a powerful new rocket engine named Raptor. The system ultimately could take people to the moons of Jupiter and beyond, he said.

Musk said it would be a super-exciting adventure to Mars but also dangerous, at least for the first few trips. His goal is to get the price down so anyone could afford to go, with a ticket costing no more than a house on Earth. Hes shooting for 1 million Martians.

Would he go, someone asked? Perhaps ultimately, but it would depend on whether he had a good succession plan in place. As for being the first Martian, the risk of fatalities will be high  theres just no way around it  and he wants to see his five young sons grow up.

It would be basically, are you prepared to die? If thats OK, then youre a candidate for going, he told the audience.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk unveils his plans to colonize Mars during the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico. (Reuters)

In April, Musk announced plans to send an unmanned Dragon capsule to land on Mars as early as 2018. NASA is offering technical support, but no money. The space agency has its own program to get astronauts to Mars in the 2030s, using its own hardware.

Musk invited industry to join the Mars effort, which will represent a $10 billion investment. SpaceX currently is spending a few tens of millions of dollars on the enterprise, and the amount will soon grow, he said.

Musk described in detail his plans to launch a monster-size rocket  larger than even NASAs Saturn V moon rocket  from the same launch pad at Kennedy Space Center from which the Apollo astronauts departed for the lunar surface in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The first-stage boosters would return to land vertically  just like his Falcon rocket boosters do now. Reusability, in fact, is essential to any plan for getting humans to Mars, as is refilling fuel tanks in Earth orbit and creating rocket fuel at Mars for return trips, he said.

The rocket would hoist a spaceship big enough to carry 100 to 200 people to Mars, a trip lasting several months, quicker with nuclear propulsion. Musk promised no one would be stuck there; spaceships would return regularly, and you get a free return trip if you want.

Ultimately what Im trying to achieve here is to make Mars seem possible, make it seem as though its something that we can do in our lifetimes, he said.
Chinese authorities blamed illegal mining activities for a gas explosion at a coal mine that killed 18 miners and left two others missing, Chinese state media reported on Wednesday.

Tuesday mornings explosion occurred at a small coal mine when 20 miners were working underground in the city of Shizuishan in the northwestern region of Ningxia, the official Xinhua News Agency said. State broadcaster CCTV had said that the blast had killed 19 people, but later reported 18 deaths.

Map showing the city of Shizuishan, the site of a deadly mine explosion on Tuesday. (AFP)

Local officials at a news conference early on Wednesday said that representatives of the company that owned the mine, the Linli Coal Mining Co. Ltd., were in police custody, Xinhua said.

Xinhua cited an initial investigation as showing that the blast was caused by illegal mining, but did not provide details. The company could not immediately be reached at its listed phone number.

At the briefing, Wu Yuguo, the citys vice mayor, said an excessive concentration of gas and the destruction of the mine shaft have hindered rescue efforts.

Chinas mines have long been the worlds deadliest, but safety improvements have reduced deaths in recent years.

Calls to the Shizuishan city government Wednesday rang unanswered.
Iran border guards fired three mortar shells into Pakistans restive Balochistan province on Wednesday, triggering panic among the local population.

Mortar shells fired by Iranian border guards landed in the district of Panjgoor, a provincial government official said.

Two of the shells landed near Frontier Corps check-post, while the third landed at Killi Karim Dad, the Dawn quoted the official as saying.

No property or human loss was reported in the shelling.

Locals panicked as a result of the attack, and Frontier Corps personnel reached the site to initiate investigations.

Security forces tightened security at the border after the incident.

Pakistan shares a 900-kilometre porous border with Iran and the two countries in 2014 decided to boost intelligence coordination to wipe out terrorists from the border region.
Dutch-led criminal investigators said Wednesday they have solid evidence that a Malaysian jet was shot down by a Buk missile moved into eastern Ukraine from Russia.

Wilbert Paulissen, head of the Central Crime Investigation department of the Dutch National Police, said communications intercepts showed that pro-Moscow rebels had called for deployment of the mobile surface-to-air weapon, and reported its arrival in rebel-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine.

From that and other evidence collected by the Joint Investigation Team, it may be concluded MH17 was shot down by a 9M38 missile launched by a Buk, brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation, and that after launch was subsequently returned to the Russian Federation, Paulissen told a news conference.

The conclusions were billed as results of a two-year Dutch-led criminal probe of the disaster that claimed 298 lives.

A separate investigation by Dutch safety officials last year concluded that the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur flight was downed by a Buk missile fired from territory held by pro-Russian rebels.

Read | Biased observation or milestone? All about the MH17 crash report

Dutch police spokesman Thomas Aling said the joint investigation findings differ in that they are designed to be solid enough to be used as evidence in a criminal trial. Where and when a trial might take place is still to be determined, Aling said.

Russia has consistently denied allegations that pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine were responsible. On Monday, the Russian military said it has new radio-location data that show the missile that downed the Boeing 777 did not originate from rebel-controlled territory, and said it would turn the data over to investigators.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that assertion on Wednesday ahead of the Dutch report.

If there was a rocket it could only have been launched from a different area, he told reporters, referring to Russian radar data. You cant argue with it, it cant be discussed.

In the Joint Investigation Team, Dutch police and judicial officials have been working with counterparts from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine, seeking to gather the best possible evidence for use in prosecution of the perpetrators.

They have faced extraordinary challenges: the crime scene in Ukraines eastern Donetsk oblast where the plane crashed on July 17, 2014, killing all aboard, was located in an active war zone, and during the days following the crash pro-Kremlin militants limited access to the site.

Graphic showing previously established details about the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines MH17 in 2014. A Dutch criminal probe has published its findings on Wednesday. (AFP)

Eleven containers crammed with debris from the jetliner were ultimately brought to the Netherlands. A research team took soil samples in eastern Ukraine and established the location of cellphone towers and the layout of the local telephone network.

Forensic samples were taken from passengers and crew members bodies and luggage, and satellite data and communications intercepts were scrutinized. The team also appealed for information from witnesses who may have seen the missile launch.

About two-thirds of the passengers aboard MH17 were Dutch nationals; the crew members were Malaysians. Malaysia proposed setting up an international tribunal to try those responsible for the planes destruction, but Russia vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution in favor of a tribunal.

Dutch investigators give probe results to families

A man whose daughter died in the attack said families were were briefed by the Dutch-led investigation about the probe results.

Hans de Borst, whose 17-year-old daughter perished, said he and other family members were briefed privately before a news conference scheduled to announce the preliminary results of the investigation.

Read | MH17 wreckage reveals horror of planes last moments
A Norwegian appeals court has rejected a lawsuit from fugitive former US spy contractor Edward Snowden against the Norwegian government, upholding the verdict of a lower court, it said on Wednesday.

Snowdens law firm said in April he would take Norway to court to secure free passage to the Nordic country to receive a free speech award, but the Oslo District Court dismissed the case in June.

The court of appeal has -- like the district court -- concluded that the lawsuit must be rejected, it said on Wednesday, adding that the justice ministry could not be compelled to issue an advance decision on whether or not to extradite.

Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor who leaked details about the U.S. governments massive surveillance programmes, was granted asylum in Russia, which borders Norway, after fleeing the United States in 2013.

Supporters see him as a whistleblower who boldly exposed government excess. But the U.S. government has filed espionage charges against him for leaking intelligence information.

Snowden had been invited to Norway to receive an award from the local branch of writers group PEN International, but worried that he would be handed over to the United States, his lawyers have said.

Sadly, this was not entirely unexpected, chairman William Nygaard of PEN Norway told Reuters. We will of course appeal to the supreme court.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was reportedly flustered when he was approached by a Pakistani woman while shopping at the upmarket Harrods department store in London this week.

Sharifs security detail reportedly took away the womans phone after she tried to take a photo of the premier and she was even summoned by the Pakistan high commission in the British capital.

The incident came to light through a series of tweets from the verified account of Shoaib Taimur, a London-based data scientist of Pakistani origin, on Monday. Taimur tweeted that an acquaintance on a WhatsApp group had spotted Sharif shopping for Gucci shoes at Harrods.

Oh here is a photo of Nawaz Sharif at Harrods pic.twitter.com/pW3mgIOj1w  Shoaib Taimur (@shobz) September 26, 2016

Tweet embed:

He (Sharif) got flustered when approached by Pakistanis, Taimur said. The womans phone was taken away by Sharifs security team though Harrods security returned it to her.

According to Taimurs tweets, one of the members of Sharifs security detail even asked the woman why she was at Harrods without a male escort. In a lighter vein, Taimur noted that Sharif has really bad taste in shoes.

Taimurs posts suggested that Sharif was annoyed when people questioned why he was in London instead of Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif and his goons are scared of a woman. What sort of a Sher does that, he added, referring to the lion symbol of the premiers PML-N party.

Sharif transited through London while flying back to Pakistan from New York, where he attended the UN General Assembly. Sharif used his speech at the world body to rake up the Kashmir issue and demand a UN fact-finding mission into alleged rights violations by Indian security forces.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have spiked in the wake of a terror attack on an army camp in Uri that killed 18 soldiers.

Harrods is apparently a favourite with Sharif, who was spotted in the store in Knightsbridge in June. At that time, Sharif was convalescing in London after open heart surgery.
Pakistan has taken its case on the Indus Waters Treaty to the World Bank, asking it to prevent India from going ahead with any illegal constructions on the Neelum and Chenab rivers.

The move followed the Indian governments decision to suspend talks under the Indus Waters Commission as a response to the terror attack in Uri that killed 18 soldiers.

Chairing a meeting in Islamabad on Wednesday that was attended by army chief Gen Raheel Sharif, National Security Advisor Nasir Janjua and senior officials, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that one country cannot unilaterally separate itself from the Indus Waters Treaty.

A Pakistani delegation led by attorney general Ashtar Ausaf Ali met senior World Bank officials at its headquarters in Washington on Tuesday to discuss Islamabads request for arbitration under Article IX of the Indus Waters Treaty.

After the failure of secretary-level talks on August 19, Pakistan began dispute settlement proceedings under the treaty. It formally requested India to settle disputes over the construction of Kishanganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants on Neelum and Chenab rivers by referring the matter to a court of arbitration as provided in Article IX.

During the meeting with World Bank officials, including senior vice president Anne-Marie LeRoy, Pakistan insisted on the early appointment of judges and setting up of the court.

Pakistan reminded the World Bank that the pact gives it an important role in establishing a court of arbitration by facilitating the appointment of three judges. India and Pakistan will each appoint two arbitrators.

A statement issued by the Pakistan embassy in Washington said, In the meeting with the Pakistani delegation, the World Bank committed itself to timely fulfilling its obligations under the treaty while remaining neutral.

The pact, which was brokered by the World Bank, gives India complete rights to the eastern rivers (Ravi, Sutlej and Beas) and Pakistan the rights over the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab), with limited allowance for India to use waters from the western rivers for power generation.

The meeting chaired by the Prime Minister reviewed matters related to national security and Sharif said Pakistan is fully capable of meeting any internal or external security threat. Pakistan had shown unequalled and unprecedented restraint despite great provocation, he added.

The meeting also expressed concern at rights violations in Kashmir and Sharif said Pakistan will continue to extend moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiris.
Four Pakistani minors have been arrested for allegedly gangraping a 16-year-old Pakistani boy in a Greek migrant camp, police said on Wednesday.

The four minors, aged 16 to 17, will appear before a prosecutor today, a police source told AFP.

The incident allegedly occurred on Sunday in the Moria camp on the island of Lesbos.

Greece is accommodating over 60,000 refugees and migrants stuck in the country after a succession of Balkan and EU states shut their borders earlier this year.

Many of the camps are grossly overpopulated, and rights groups have repeatedly warned that minors must be housed separately for their safety.

There are also regular fights among refugees and migrants, who are forced to wait months for their asylum applications to be processed.

Some 5,000 people had to be evacuated from the Moria camp last week when a fire broke out after another brawl.

Greece is in the process of building additional camps on the mainland with EU funds.

But Athens says it has still not received the required EU staff promised by fellow member states to process a massive wave of asylum applications.

This would have enabled Greek authorities to relocate approved refugees out of the congested island camps.

Greece has also bemoaned the failure of fellow member states to accept thousands of refugees from its camps, despite a highly-publicised EU scheme launched last year.

Read | Over 10,000 migrant kids missing; possibly exploited for sex, slavery

Fires and incidents in certain island camps are, in a fashion, the result of the failure to share out refugees to all EU member states, junior foreign minister for European affairs Nikos Xydakis told Die Welt daily on Wednesday, according to an excerpt of the interview sent in advance.

Xydakis said some 7,000 refugees could immediately leave but most EU states either accept very few or do not even respond to our requests.

The Greek official also addressed a warning by German interior minister Thomas de Maiziere earlier this month to send migrants back to Greece, ending a five-year suspension of the EUs Dublin rules, under which refugees must seek asylum in the first EU country they enter.

Xydakis said that returning migrants to Greece under the Dublin regulations is not realistic and it would mean the cash-strapped country would end up with an additional one-two million people when it is already near its limits with 60,000.

Read | I saw suffering: Pope Francis talks about meeting with refugees
Indias efforts to isolate Pakistan on the issue of terrorism got a boost on Wednesday with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan also deciding to skip the Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November, setting the stage for the postponement of the meet.

In a synchronised effort, India and the three other countries informed the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperations (Saarc) secretariat on Tuesday their leaders would be unable to attend the summit for almost similar reasons.

For India, this marked a victory as half of the groupings eight members singled out cross-border terror and interference in the internal affairs of members by one country  a clear reference to Pakistan.

The move by the four countries means the summit cannot go ahead as the Saarc Charter states all decisions must be made by unanimity. The absence of even one member state leads to the automatic postponement or cancellation of a summit, said Nepals former foreign secretary Madhuraman Acharya.

Read: Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan follow India, pull out of Saarc summit

Nepals acting foreign secretary Jhabindra Aryal told Hindustan Times his ministry had received the letters from four member states about their inability to join the summit. A foreign ministry statement said the development was taken seriously and Nepal strongly urges that a conducive environment be created for the (summit) soon by ensuring the participation of all member states.

A senior Nepalese official said Nepal, as the Saarc chair, did not want the summit to be cancelled and instead wanted member states to find a remedy to regional tensions. It is also the responsibility of Pakistan to reach out to the member states and make (an effort) to hold the summit, said the official who didnt want to be named.

If Pakistan formally announces the cancellation of the summit, the next meet will be held in Sri Lanka according to precedent and Saarc tradition, sources said.

Bangladesh conveyed its decision to current Saarc chair Nepal in a letter that said: The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.

Dhaka has repeatedly complained about Islamabads criticism of the trial and conviction of hardliners involved in war crimes during the countrys war of liberation in 1971.

Read: Why pulling out of Saarc meeting will not solve Indias Pakistan problem

Afghanistan, in its communication, said: Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, (President) Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander-in-Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the Summit.

Bhutan referred to the recent escalation of terrorism in the region and said this has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the summit in Islamabad. Bhutan said it also shared concerns of some member states on the deterioration of regional peace because of terror.

In a bid to increase pressure on Pakistan, Indian officials said the Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industrys headquarter should be shifted from Islamabad. They suggested it could be based anywhere in the region but not Pakistan, where entry for Indians is not easy.

It is important to focus on pushing trade in the region as this will hugely benefit all the countries involved but whether or not the headquarter should be shifted is at present just speculation, Naushad Forbes, president of the Confederation of Indian Industry, told Hindustan Times.

The Maldives and Sri Lanka were silent on the developments. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his Nepal counterpart Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda are expected to visit India soon for the BIMSTEC Summit.

India-Pakistan ties nosedived after the terror attack on an army camp in Uri that killed 18 soldiers. India, which blamed Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed for the strike, had resorted to several non-military measures to counter Pakistans use of terror as a state policy, including reviewing the Indus Waters Treaty.

Read: India boycotts Saarc summit: Five finer points in the diplomatic tussle

India and the three other Saarc states have clearly linked regional cooperation to an atmosphere free of terror  meaning Pakistan should stop sponsoring terrorism that is destabilising the region and stop interfering in the internal affairs of other countries.

Indias announcement about skipping the Saarc summit suggested that it wants to extend the issue of an atmosphere free of terror from bilateral ties to the entire South Asian region.

New Delhi will also seek help from other members of the BIMSTEC grouping  Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand, Myanmar and Sri Lanka  on terror. The leaders of the grouping will meet in Goa in October.

(With inputs from Mahua Venkatesh)

Read: How the media of Saarc states reacted to summit collapse
Rescuers in Indonesia were dispatched on Wednesday to evacuate nearly 400 tourists, most of them foreigners, after a volcano erupted at one of the countrys most popular hiking destinations, an official said.

Mount Barujani began erupting on Tuesday, sending columns of ash and smoke shooting 2 kilometres into the sky over Lombok island, a tourist hotspot to the immediate east of Bali.

Nearly 400 people were recorded as hiking near Barujani -- a smaller cone within the crater of Mount Rinjani -- when it began erupting, prompting plans for their immediate evacuation, said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

A rescue team has been sent to Mount Rinjani to evacuate the tourists. They set off on Wednesday morning, he said.

Hikers have been told to keep at least 3 kilometres from the smouldering volcano, a key attraction on the multi-day trek to the summit of Mount Rinjani made by thousands of tourists every year.

Nugroho said 389 hikers were recorded as having entered the national park since Sunday, the overwhelming majority of them foreigners.

While most would have taken the official route to the summit, rescue teams suspected some hikers may have gone off-piste, Nugroho added.

The threat level of the volcano was upgraded on Tuesday as Barujani sent plumes of smoke and hot ash into the atmosphere, but remains two steps from the highest-risk category.

Map locating Mount Barujari on the Indonesian island of Lombok, which began erupting on Tuesday. (AFP)

There were no flight disturbances recorded on Wednesday due to the ash clouds, transport ministry spokesman Hemi Pramuraharjo told AFP.

Some flights to and from the nearby resort island of Bali were cancelled overnight, but Lomboks international airport remains unaffected.

Flight disruptions due to drifting ash clouds are not uncommon in Indonesia, which sits on a belt of seismic activity known as the Pacific Ring of Fire and is home to 130 active volcanoes.

An eruption at Mount Rinjani last month forced the closure of Lombok airport and disrupted some flights to neighbouring Bali.
An Australian tradesman has been bitten by a venomous spider on the penis for the second time in five months.

The 21-year-old man, identified only as Jordan, was using a portable toilet on a Sydney building site on Tuesday when he was bitten on pretty much the same spot by the spider, BBC reported.

Im the most unlucky guy in the country at the moment, he said. I was sitting on the toilet doing my business and just felt the sting that I felt the first time.

I was like I cant believe its happened again. I looked down and Ive seen a few little legs come from around the rim.

One of Jordans colleagues took him from the worksite in northwest Sydney to Blacktown Hospital. Many of his co-workers were quick to see the lighter side of the situation.

They got worried the first time, Jordan said. This time they were making jokes before I was getting in the car.

Jordan was released from hospital and said he expected to return to work soon but was unlikely to be using the on-site toilet. I think Ill be holding on for dear life to be honest, he said.

In April, Jordan went to hospital after he was bitten by a venomous redback spider. The first incident had made him wary of using portable toilets.

Toilets got cleaned that day and I thought it was my opportunity to go use one. Had a look under both seats and then I sat down, did my business. Next thing you know, Im bent over in pain, he said.

Jordan said he was unsure what type of spider bit him this time.

The redback spider, closely related to the black widow, is distinguished by a long red stripe on its abdomen. Its bite causes severe pain, sweating and nausea. There are recorded cases of deaths from redback bites but none have occurred since anti-venom was developed in 1956.
US congress has overwhelmingly voted to override a presidential veto, the first time for President Barack Obama, to allow 9/11 victims families to sue Saudi Arabia over its alleged support to the terrorists who carried out the attacks in 2001.

The senate passed it by a 97-1 vote on Wednesday, with the House of Representatives following up with a 348-77 decision later int he day, sending the bill back to Obama, who has no choice but to sign it into law now, having vetoed it the first time.

Overriding a presidential veto is something we dont take lightly, but it was important in this case that the families of the victims of 9/11 be allowed to pursue justice, even if that pursuit causes some diplomatic discomforts, Charles Schumer, the Democratic senator from New York who co-authored the bill with Senator John Cornyn, Republican from Texas, said in a statement.

The Obama administration had opposed the legislation, arguing it would open up the US to similar legal action in other countries, and noting that Saudi Arabia had long been an important ally in the region and a cornerstone of American policy there.

If we eliminate this notion of sovereign immunity, then our men and women in uniform around the world could potentially start seeing ourselves subject to reciprocal loss, Obama said during a town hall meeting-style interview on CNN. Its a dangerous precedent, he said.

There was some disquiet even among lawmakers who had supported and voted for the legislation and, according to reports in US media, efforts were already underway to whittle down certain more troubling provisions of the law. One proposal being considered was to narrow the scope of this law to only 9/11.

Read | US senate passes bill allowing 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabias alleged role in the 9/11 attacks has long been a subject of speculation because 15 of the 19 terrorists were Saudi citizens. The recent release of 28 pages of the 9/11 commission report also confirmed, in a way, the suspicions.

While in the United States, some of the September 11 hijackers were in contact with, and received support and assistance from, individuals who may be connected to the Saudi Government. [A]t least two of those individuals were alleged by some to be Saudi intelligence officers, one of those pages said.

Another one said, a [deleted], dated July 2, 2002, [indicates] incontrovertible evidence that there is support for these terrorists inside the Saudi Government.

Read | Saudi Arabia could sell off billions in American assets if bill passes

The Saudi government has denied any involvement in the attacks, and threatened to sell of billions of dollars in assets it held in the US fearing losing them in litigation after the passage of the bill allowing families to sue it.

The veto override was also seen as a sign of waning sympathy for Saudi Arabia on the Hill, following last weeks passage of a Senate resolution blocking all arms sale to Saudi over it role in the Yemen conflict.

There was stony silence from Riyadh on Thursday on the congress move, but some Saudis bristled, saying the kingdom could curb business and security ties in response to an allys perceived affront.

The Saudi government financed an extensive lobbying campaign against the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, or JASTA, in the run-up to the vote, and warned it would undermine the principle of sovereign immunity.

But Saudi officials stopped short of threatening any retaliation if the law was passed. The long-standing alliance between the kingdom and the United States is one of the cornerstones of the Middle Easts politics, security and trade, and in their reactions on Thursday some Saudis said JASTA would jeopardise what they see as an interdependent relationship.

What would happen if Saudi Arabia froze its cooperation with the United States with regards to counter-terrorism as a response to JASTA? Salman al-Dosary, editor-in-chief of the pan-Arab, Saudi-owned Al Sharq al-Awsat newspaper, wrote on Twitter.

Another Saudi national referred to a widely held belief in the region that the United States was after the kingdoms oil wealth. The law was the last chance (for the U.S.) to bleed out the resources of our good nation, wrote Abdullah Medallah on Twitter. (with inputs from Reuters)
As a nine-year-old black girl tearfully pleaded for respect for her community in North Carolina, another black man was killed by police, this time in California on Tuesday.

Its a shame that our fathers and brothers are killed and we cant see them anymore, Zianna Oliphant told Charlotte city council.

Its a shame that we have to go through that graveyard and bury him. We need our fathers and brothers to be by our side.

I feel like that we are treated differently than other people. I dont like how were treated. Just because of our color doesnt mean anything to me, she said in a short speech, videos of which have gone viral on the net.

We are black people, and we shouldnt have to feel like this. We shouldnt have to protest because yall are treating us wrong. We do this because we need to and have rights.

Her father, Keith Scott, was killed last week.

That was the second fatal shooting of a black man by the police that week  the first was Terence Crutcher in Tulsa, Florida.

And now, Alfred Olango, 30, who was shot dead by police Tuesday afternoon in El Cajon, California.

The police said they found him behaving erratically.

A woman who identified herself as his sister has said, according to local media reports, he was mentally disabled and she had called the police for help.

Thats three black men killed by police in a matter of days.

According to an ongoing investigation by The Guardian newspaper, black people are killed by the police at twice the rate of white people, and are twice more likely to have been unarmed.
An unarmed black man has died after being shot by a police officer in El Cajon in southern California on Tuesday, the local police department said, appealing for calm as local media reported crowds had gathered at the scene of the shooting.

The death comes less than two weeks after black men in Charlotte, North Carolina and in Tulsa, Oklahoma, were shot dead by police, sparking protests. In Charlotte, rioting prompted the authorities to impose a state of emergency.

Similar deaths have added to a torrent of accusations over racial bias in US law enforcement and calls for greater police accountability for the killings of black people.

The El Cajon Police Department said two officers had responded to a call regarding a man walking in traffic. He refused their instructions to remove his hand from his pocket and then pulled out an object from his pants and pointed it at them, the department said in a statement.

#ElCajon police chief speaking on officer involved shooting: man was shot after holding up object- not a firearm. #NBC7 pic.twitter.com/KFcSNvsLNj  Ashley Matthews (@ashleyNBC7) September 28, 2016

The officers then simultaneously shot and tasered the man who died after being taken to hospital, the department said.

During a news conference hours after the shooting, El Cajon Police Department Jeff Davis said no weapon was found on the scene. He did not say what exactly the man pointed at the unidentified officers.

The incident prompted crowds of people to gather throughout Tuesday night at the scene and at the El Cajon Police Department, where they demanded information about the shooting, according to local media.

Video emerged on social media purportedly showing the moments after the incident at the scene. In the video, a woman, who claimed to be the mans sister, is heard saying that she called police.

Oh my God. You killed my brother. I just called for help and ... you killed him, the unidentified woman said as she sobbed.

A bystander voluntarily provided investigators cell phone video that captured the incident, police said.

Police released a still photo from the video that depicted what appeared to be two officers pointing weapons at an individual who was pointing an object at them. At least one of the officers in the photo appeared to be white.

A study released in July shows police used force on black people at rates more than three times higher than for whites.

Now is a time for calm, Davis said at the news conference.

I implore the community to be patient with us, work with us, look at the facts at hand before making any judgment.
KATHMANDU: At least 19 people, including four women, were killed and 20 others injured on Tuesday when an overcrowded bus veered off a mountain road in Nepals Dhading district. The accident took place at Lapang Phedi village, 120 km west of capital Kathmandu, when the ill-fated passenger bus was on its way to Marpak from the district headquarters, Dhadingbeshi, police said. A total of 19 bodies  including 4 women  have been retrieved from the accident site, a senior police official said. The bus fell some 300 metres down the road, The Himalyan Times reported. Six of the injured are said to be critical and they have been airlifted to the capital for treatment, he said.

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WASHINGTON: The Donald Trump that showed up at this presidential elections most spectacular showdown so far was one everyone knows: combative, underprepared, easily riled and still, after months of campaigning, frequently off-message.

Hillary Clinton was also everything she was expected to be: well prepared  over-prepared, according one observer  ready with her policy and facts, answers rehearsed to fit the two-minute reply slot, and the right zingers, and plenty of them. They clashed on how they will create jobs, the first subject of the evening, and one of the main issues this election, trade, terrorism, Iran, racism, taxation, and their vision for the US.

Trump dominated the first 20 of the 90-minute debate. Clinton took charge then and had him defending himself for the rest, as only Trump could  interrupting her, talking over her.

So who won? Difficult to say. But here are some observations in the US media. Clinton jabs put Trump on defense, ran a headline in The Washington Post. The New York Times, which has endorsed Clinton, said in an editorial: On balance, she pulled it off, swatting his attacks aside and confidently delivering her own criticisms from higher, firmer ground. Wall Street Journal agreed: Theres little doubt that Mrs. Clinton won on debating points.

Though this debate may not move the needle significantly in a race that has tightened into a dead heat  Clintons lead is down to 2.3 points in RealClearPolitics average of polls some observers said it could stop Trumps surge.
WASHINGTON: An Indian-American lawyer, who had fallen on bad times after the closure of his firm earlier this year, went on a shooting rampage in Houston, injuring nine people before he was killed by police officers.

Nathan Desai, 46, who spelt his last name DeSai, wore a military uniform emblazoned with a Nazi swastika sign at the time of the shooting on Monday. He was carrying two guns and had left a submachine gun in his Porsche found at the site of the onslaught.

He opened fire on morning commuters driving past him just outside his condominium complex in southwest Houston. One of his nine victims was said to be in grievous condition. Police have said they do not yet know his motive. Apart from the Nazi swastika on his uniform, they found one in his notebook, and items of military memorabilia including some about the American civil war. At this point we are very open-minded in terms of motive, acting Houston police chief Martha Montalvo said.

His father, Prakash Desai, a retired geologist, told media his son had seemed troubled by the closure of the law firm he ran in partnership with another lawyer.

This is the second shooting, involving four or more victims killed or wounded, by an IndianAmerican in recent months. In June, Mainak Sarkar killed a professor of the University of California, Los Angeles and turned the gun on himself.
BEIJING: India and China held their first bilateral dialogue on counter-terrorism and security in Beijing on Tuesday against the backdrop of New Delhis aggressive global campaign against Pakistan for using terror as an instrument of state policy.

An Indian delegation headed by RN Ravi, chairperson of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), met senior Chinese officials and exchanged views on the international and regional security situation.

The focus: how to deal with terrorism and enhance cooperation on mutual concerns.

The meeting was held at a crucial time  India-China relations are going through an uneasy patch, not least because of Beijings stubborn opposition to Indias bid at the UN to designate Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a terrorist.

India blamed Azhar for orchestrating the attack on Pathankot airbase in January.

Indias concerns about Azhar would certainly have been aired by Ravi at the India-China high level dialogue on counter-terrorism and security even if, it was learnt, the latest terror attack in Uri wasnt the focus of the talks.

A PTI report from the UN said on Tuesday that Chinas technical hold against Azhar being designated as a terrorist by the UN Security Council would end in the next 10 days.

This means that unless China objects again, Indias bid could stand passed automatically.

Chinas next move on Azhar will be closely followed to see whether Beijing removes the technical hold or continues to exercise its right as a permanent member of the UN Security Council to block the move.

Ravi also discussed other issues with Wang Yongqing, the secretary general of Chinas Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission who led the Chinese team.

The two sides exchanged information on respective policies, systems and legislation to deal with terrorism, and further enhance their understanding on issues of major concern to both sides, an Indian embassy statement said.

It added the two sides held in-depth discussions on enhancing cooperation in counter-terrorism and security and on measures to jointly deal with security threats and reached important consensus in this regard.

Besides the new dialogue, India and China have held five joint military exercises  Handin-Hand  that focussed on counter-terror operations and disaster relief. The groundwork for the dialogue was laid during home minister Rajnath Singhs visit to China late last year.

During Singhs visit, two new meeting mechanisms for internal security were also announced - the high level mechanism led by Indias home minister and Chinas public security minister to be held in Beijing and Delhi once every two years.
LONDON: Pakistans lower house of Parliament has passed a landmark bill that will address the Hindu minoritys concerns over the registration of marriages, which is required for measures aimed at protecting womens rights.

The bill will address other key issues of the Hindu community, including matters related to divorce and forced conversions. Hindu leaders welcomed the bill but Amarnath Motumal of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said it only addresses half of the issues faced by the community.

The Hindu Marriage Bill 2016 was passed by the National Assembly on Monday after much delay and inaction. Much of the debate centred round whether the bill addresses the issues raised by the minority.

Human rights and religious minorities minister Kamran Michael, who presented the bill in the House, told the media it was a historic day for him. Credit goes to (both the) opposition and ruling parties, which are on the same page on the draft (bill), he said.

Experts said the passage of bill removed a hurdle on the way to putting in place measures to protect womens rights. Activists have said Hindu women have been disproportionately targeted for abduction and forced conversions because their marriages were never officially recognised and, therefore, not provable in court.

On August 17, the National Assemblys standing committee on law and justice tabled its report on the bill, which had been pending with the panel since March last year.

The draft law was moved by two minority lawmakers  Ramesh Lal of the Pakistan Peoples Party and Asiya Nasir of the Jamiat Ulema-eIslam-Fazal. The bill was later supported by the ruling PML-N party. The absence of a legal mechanism for registering marriages and handling matters such as divorce also created problems for Hindus in getting travel and identity documents.
KATHMANDU: Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda will participate in the BRICS Summit to be held in India, his second visit to the neighbouring country since assuming office in the first week of August.

New Delhi is hosting the summit of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa grouping in Goa during October 15-6. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited the heads of state or government of BIMSTEC nations to the summit as observers and for an interaction with BRICS leaders.

Nepal is the current chair of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation).

Prachandas foreign relations adviser Rishi Raj Adhikari told Hindustan Times that preparations are underway for the visit. Prachanda will make a stopover in New Delhi and meet senior Indian politicians and officials.

Earlier, Prachanda paid a state visit to India during September 15-18.

During a meeting of the ruling CPN-Maoist Center, Prachanda said he would meet regional leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, while in Goa.

He made the remarks after party leaders questioned him whether Xi would visit Nepal before or after the BRICS Summit.

Media reports have suggested that the Chinese Presidents planned visit to Nepal has been postponed. Though both sides had not made any official announcement about the visit, several Chinese delegations that visited Kathmandu had said that Xi was preparing to visit Nepal during the BIRCS Summit.

China has hinted to senior Nepalese officials that since the possibility of a bilateral visit to Kathmandu is slim, it would better for Prachanda to meet Xi on the margins of the BRICS Summit so that preparations for an official visit can be speeded up.

Beijing is reportedly miffed with the government in Kathmandu.
Its time for the nations military to equalize personnel expectations regardless of gender or rank.

One of the best co-pilots I flew with when I was a Douglas C-47 pilot in the U.S. Air Force was a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress aircraft commander. A B-52 pilot, a major yet, flying right seat for a mere second lieutenant? (Co-pilots motto: Shut up, follow me and carry the bags.)

This particular day I was told I would have a guest co-pilot from a nearby Strategic Air Command base who was between assignments and needed some flight pay time. I was accustomed to flying with my squadron peers. Now, was I going to have to fly practically solo while some big shot sat on his butt in my cockpit doing nothing but smoking a cigar and being adored because he was a B-52 pilot?

Surprisethe pleasant kind. This guy first told me to knock off the saluting, then told me to utilize him as I would any other co-pilot, regardless of rank. He already had more hours in C-47s than I would ever collect, not to mention the hours he had piled up in B-52s. And there he was, dutifully backing me up on the throttles during takeoff, raising the gear and flaps on my signal and keeping a sharp eye out for other pieces of aluminum in the skya model co-pilot.

The word professional took on a new meaning for this young lieutenant that day. I already greatly admired those elite pilots who flew the huge, fast and deadly Stratofortress. But this was a memorable experience. It humanized the cream of the crop that was given godlike status in our branch of the service. And it imbued in me an enduring respect for the type of individual who had made it into the cockpit of an airplane that demanded personal and professional qualities far above those required of us average airplane drivers. It was a lesson in professionalism that has continued to influence me in the 40 years since that flight.

The B-52 is still being flown today, and it still takes a special personand pilotto fly it. One difference now, though, is that women are entering military cockpits. They are exhibiting the same professionalism and meeting the same demanding skill levels as their male counterparts. The trouble is, women pilots are also being expected by military brass, male peers and much of the public to be perfect in every other aspect of their livessomething that never was required of us boys-will-be-boys pilots. The legendary devil-may-care male pilot somehow had an adventuresome mystique that earned him societys forgiveness if he was a party boy on the ground. Affairs with women, married or not, often were overlooked or resulted in little more than a slap on the wrist.

Now an unmarried female B-52 pilot has had an affair with a guy who was legally married. A national scandal was made of itwhile at the same time male senior officers (sometimes very senior) were getting the traditional slap on the wrist for similar peccadilloes. Theres a dichotomy here. B-52 pilot Lieutenant Kelly Flinn was publicly castigated and drummed out of the service for, face it, the same off-duty behavior for which many of her male peers were forgiven.

A B-52 pilot, like a general, represents an expensively trained servant of the taxpayers and is a valuable resource to the country. Lets not waste either of these resources by overreactive summary judgments handed down by those who themselves may not be holier than thou. Help them get back on track and put them back to work doing what they are qualified forand good at. And then lets all get on with it.

I would feel honored to have a professional like Kelly Flinnor any B-52 pilot, male or femaleas my co-pilot any time. Ill even carry my own bags.

American Air Museum Opens

U.S. Air Force Secretary Sheila E. Widnall attended the August 1 dedication ceremony, performed by Queen Elizabeth II, of the American Air Museum at Duxford Airfield near Cambridge, England. The new museum holds a special attraction for members of the U.S. Eighth Air Force, some of whom flew from Duxford when it was home to the 78th Fighter Group during World War II. The opening marked the culmination of a 12-year campaign to recognize the contributions of the more than half a million Americans who served from British bases during the war. The impressive facility, designed by renowned architect Sir Norman Foster, houses more than 20 vintage and contemporary American combat planes. Call 800-233-4226 for information.

Art Sanfelici
HUNGARY FOR THE WEST

As a former Fulbright teacher and subscriber of your excellent magazine I had the chance to travel to Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah after teaching in a suburban Chicago high school (Hinsdale South) for a year. Since I was a kid, I have been fascinated by the Old West, with all its fateful fights, breathtaking adventures and daring outlaws. So going to the former Wild West was a must for me, something I did not want to miss before going back to my home country, Hungary. I explored the West with my wife and three small kids. It proved an unforgettable experience. As a consequence now I am planning to start my doctoral study on The Reflections of Railroads on U.S. Literature and Folklore.

Having returned home, I decided to pay tribute to the Old West, including both the goodies and the baddies of the frontier. Since in my Hungarian high school (Toldy Ferenc Gimnazium) we had a brand new language classroom built, I successfully asked for permission and also funds to decorate it. Now it is called the Old West Room, or The Saloon. In cooperation with our art teacher, Laszlo Varga, we fulfilled our dreams. I selected the photographs (mainly portraits), painted the contemporary U.S. flags, and together we made cardboard Boothill Cemetery gravestones, then put them on foam board, and designed the whole room. Later I myself renovated a wooden chest to look like one of the 7th Cavalrys supply chests. I also set the time to that of historic Tombstone, Arizona. There is a section for the sheriffs, the outlaws and the American Indians each. We also added contemporary adverts, posters and a map of the present-day United States. To make the room real authentic, we created a jail with bars and authentic jail rules (see photo above). An American Indian piece of pottery made by myself is also part of the decoration.

The saloon has been a huge success with teachers, students and visitors alike. It really is a pleasure for us that our kids do enjoy having English classes in an American environment, which also serves as an exhibition hall. What is more, I was proud to see my article about this room published in the local press, too. I just wanted to let you know that the image of the American West is still bright and shiny, not only in your country but also in a little faraway country like Hungary.

Tamas Makra

Budapest, Hungary

BEN SIPPY OF TOMBSTONE

To start with, I am 81 years old and have been reading and subscribing to about every Western magazine ever published. Now Im down to one, and thats Wild West. I have always considered myself an amateur historian of the Old West. After all these years I have a question: Who was Ben Sippy? For years I have read his name in passing.

Roy Clowers

Grand Saline, Texas

Editor responds: Details about Ben Sippy are sketchy. On Nov. 12, 1880, he ran against Virgil Earp for marshal of Tombstone and won. On Feb. 21, 1881, the territorial legislature began classifying Tombstone as a city instead of a village. Ben Sippy, the incumbent head local law enforcementwould end up wearing two hats, first as town marshal, and then as chief of police, Wyatt Earp biographer Lee Silva wrote. But it is not clear exactly when this change went into effect. It seems on June 6, 1881, Sippy left the city for a two-week leave of absence, and Virgil Earp took over. City officials found that Sippy had left behind records with, ahem, financial improprieties, and Virgil was doing a good job, so its little wonder Sippy vanished and Virgil became chief of police.

DALTONS DOWNFALL

Thanks for the great article in the June 2016 Collections department about the Dalton Defenders Museum in Coffeyville, Kan. Two crucial facts are worth mentioning. On their ride into Coffeyville on Oct. 5, 1892, to rob two banks at once, one member of the Dalton Gang sat crooked on his saddle. One of the townsfolk knew that ride, recognized him as a Dalton and alerted the people that possible trouble was coming. Also, a week before the robbery the gang scouted the banks and paid attention to the horse hitching post they were going to tie up to. The days before the job the post was removed for construction, so the outlaws had to move their horse tie up into the alley. Those two facts were more than likely a big part of their downfall.

Love your magazineI am a 22-year subscriber.

Rodney Horse Miller

San Marcos, Calif.

Send letters to Wild West, 1919 Gallows Road, Suite 400, Vienna, VA 22182-4038 or by email. Include name and town.
A lance-bearing Nez Perce warrior mounted on a spotted Appaloosa crosses the high plateau in the 1840s, the rider drawn to something in the distance. In 2011 when sculptor Mari Bolen rendered the 14-by-13-by-4-inch bronze Appaloosa (in an edition of 50), she hoped most of all to capture the dignity of the Nez Perce people.

I love the looks of an Appaloosa, says Bolen, who works from her home studio in western Montanas Bitterroot Valley, and the Nez Perce played a great part in the richness of the Bitterroot. Their history of trade and strong ties to the valley drew me to their culture. The flight of Joseph and his band still resonates in many storiesa beautiful people brought to an unnecessarily sad ending.

In her half-century art career Bolen has rendered scores of her distinctive bronze figures while roaming from her native Montana to New York City, the San Francisco Bay Area, Phoenix and, finally, back to Montana in 1980. Her particular passion has been to depict the people of the Plains nations. Among her standout works are Eagle Dancer, the latest in her Children of the Earth sculptural studies of the Plains tribes, and Northern Cheyenne Warrior, one of her Plains series of almost life-size busts.

Bolens introduction to Western art came early in life. Her parents owned the Montana Trading Post in Great Falls, which they later renamed the B&J Trading Post. It was in the onetime dance hall of the Mint Saloon, where Charlie Russell spent much of his time drawing, painting and sculpting, the artist recalls. [Mint co-owner and Russell patron] Sid Willis had a fabulous collection of Russells work on the walls and wax studies in long glass cases. We had a double-door pass-through to the Mint from that section of our store, and patrons were amused by the little girl perched daily on a stool in the back of the cafe, where I was allowed to draw or sculpt directly from Charlie Russells art with colored crayons and melted candle wax.

I dont remember not doing some sort of art, Bolen recalls, and I was the rebel child. When any of the old barflies would ask what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always said, Charlie Russell! When my father died in 1959, my mother sold the store, which shortly preceded that whole half of the block being torn down to build a motel. What a loss. The Russells were sold before that to the Amon Carter Museum in Texas.

Ive done massive amounts of research, says Bolen, whose art has been shown at the C.M. Russell Museum exhibition and sale in her hometown of Great Falls, the Loveland (Colorado) Sculpture Invitational (replaced in 2014 by the Loveland Fine Art and Wine Festival) and the Sedona (Arizona) Sculpture Walk. Its been a lifetime study. When I feel I have enough information from enough sourcesmuseums, libraries, tribal elders, the InternetI can begin that particular tribes depiction. I just have to decide the decade, man or woman and the pose. I use hairstyles, feather placement, regalia, bead or quillwork, moccasins, weapons, etc., of a specific era or decade, and then I begin.

The history, the true image of each person, is what I seek, Bolen explains. Who were these people? Where did they come from? What did they look like at this particular time? What did they wear? The ceremonies, the daily life and the stories from the old ones are part of each sculpture.

I have thousands of photos of each nations faces, she notes, and take the most prominent features of a few from that particular tribe and meld them into one person. Most of the time the face will just happen. Of course, I do exact portraits as well, namely prominent chiefs and tribal figures from history. I am a forensic sculptor, so I look for features in the bones.

Bolen also loves to depict wildlife. Wildlife illustration was one of my jobs at Montana State University, where I was majoring in zoology/premed, she says. So wildlife has always intrigued me. Dr. Herbert Reade was writing a book on the elk and records of mortality in Yellowstone Park, and he hired me to illustrate the teeth and other parts of the anatomy. So my illustrations just turned into sculpture quite easily.

She has plenty of opportunity to observe from life. I live in the hills of the Bitterroot Valley, where more than 100 deer, around 40 wild turkeys, a few herds of elk, the occasional moose or bear and twice-seen cougars pass through my property. Im especially fond of depicting bears and could watch them for hours. The Moeise National Bison Range is close by, and several ranches in the valley raise bison for meat.

After graduation from Montana State, Bolen worked as a television, motion picture and theater art director, a packaging designer and a restoration expert. She also taught sculpture and still does, in addition to serving as president of the Montana Professional Artists Association. Among her latest works is a 6-foot-9-inch statue, commissioned by the U.S. Army, of St. Barbara, protector of artillerymen (as well as miners, architects, mathematicians, firemen, chemical engineers and prisoners). In May 2016 the artist gathered with officials at Fort Sill near Lawton, Okla., to dedicate the bronze.

Bolen shares the studio just uphill from her house with landscape artist Michele Kapor and works at all hours. People love to spend time in the studio and often bring guests, Bolen says. Ive always got some pieces in various stages of completion in clay and can explain the foundry work with some examples.

As for leaving big-city life behind, Bolen has no regrets. The mountains of Montana have always held my heart, she says. The concrete canyons had no appeal. WW
Outlaws and Angels, MGM, 120 min, 2016

Director-writer J.T. Mollners debut film is a Western only in the most ostensible sense. Sure, the hats, guns and horses are all there, but the iconography seems lazily tacked onto a movie that at its core needed little else than a secluded cabin in the woods. Its a home-invasion film amid a carousel of violence that will appeal more to fans of slasher gore-fests than Westerns. It might call to mind Quentin Tarantinos 2015 The Hateful Eight, but not for long; Mollners movie is more hateful, distasteful and shallow.

Three bank robbers on the run to Mexico stop over at an isolated ranch house where they employ physical and sexual violence to harass and threaten a family of four. The film, like many home-invasion pictures, reveals that the victims withinin this case a supposedly pious frontier familycarry with them as much grotesqueness as the external attackers. Mollner employs this dramatic hinge mostly as a means to delve deeper into the sexual violence, but on the pretense the victims somehow deserve it.

The films final third becomes a coming-of-age tale for youngest daughter Florence. She is played with a convincing wide-eyed swagger by Francesca Eastwood (Clints daughter), but Mollner draws little tension from her internal strife. Her transformation from girl to gunslinger just sort of happens. Chad Michael Murray is one-note but steady as Henry, the leader of the trio of bank robbers. His henchmen (Keith Loneker and Nathan Russell) waver between sadistic and goofy. It is as if they were plucked from a Sam Peckinpah film, but while crude they lack the jocoseness and unpredictability that, say, Strother Martin and L.Q. Jones brought to The Wild Bunch. Luke Wilson and Steven Michael Quezada are forgettable bounty hunters.

Mollner and cinematographer Matthew Irving shot on film with a 1970s-era Panasonic camera, and their style puts a nice sheen of grime on the already dark proceedings. Theyve got the grime down, theres no doubt about that. But grime is about all Outlaws and Angels has going for it.

Louis Lalire
The area just west of Crystal Springs Reservoir is limited to docent-led tours. The resolution being considered would allow increased public access to the forested open space. Google Earth
A giant killer asteroid with a "destructive force of 3 billion nuclear bombs" might attack and destroy the Earth, cautions a Chinese astronomer.

Just a fortnight ago, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) predicted that the Earth can be targeted and hit by a major asteroid.

Zhao Haibin, an astronomer with the Purple Mountain Observatory in Nanjing, China, used its largest telescope to pinpoint that 2009ES, an asteroid about 10 miles wide, would hit the planet. However, astronomers did not point out the exact journey it would take, and when it would hit us.

Haibin said: "With the help of our images, astronomers across the globe have a more accurate moving trajectory of the asteroid."

The 1.2-metre Schmidt telescope camera captured images of 2009ES that would show a better trajectory of the asteroid, he explained. The Chinese Academy of Science noted its current path and assessed that it would journey within 18.8 lunar distances, or the distance from the Earth's center to the Moon's.

Among the 1,640 asteroids taking a path towards the planet, the asteroid has been detected by Scout a new computer system created by NASA. It can locate deadly asteroids and estimate how they hit the Earth.

But to measure the orbits more accurately, it is necessary to conduct further research.

Currently, information of objects in space is entered into the website of the Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. While every 10 minutes the trajectory of new objects are checked, any of those posing a threat are automatically transmitted to the astronomers.

Due to fears that an asteroid would hit the earth in September 2015, NASA had put up an assurance in August 2015 that an asteroid would not hit the Earth for a few hundred years. "There is no scientific basis -- not one shred of evidence -- that an asteroid or any other celestial object will impact Earth on those dates," Paul Chodas, manager of NASA's Near-Earth Object office said at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

Still, if we do get hit, we are indeed doomed, as the Earth is not protected sufficiently. We might be sharing the fate of dinosaurs of 65 million years ago!

YouTube/TomoNews US

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Palantir Technologies, a startup company that provides data analysis software to the federal government and privates companies like JP Morgan, is accused and being sued by the United States Department of Labor for "systematically discriminating" against Asian job applicants.

According to the lawsuit, which was filed Wednesday today before administrative law judges, Palantir Technologies have manipulated both its hiring process and its referral procedures. Resolutions were attempted before the filing of the suit but to no success.

Beginning in 2010, Palantir's enlisting practices were analyzed by the Department of Labor as a means to statistically prove that the hiring patterns demonstrated bias.

One example that was found during the probe was for vacant software engineer positions, the company received 1,160 applicants, 85% were Asian. Only 11 out of the 25 hired were Asian which according to the lawsuit: "The likelihood that this result occurred according to chance is approximately one in 3.4 million,"

According to Buzzfeed, during a report on secession of major clients like Coca-Cola, "The company has resisted calls for it to go public, and instead remains "Silicon Valley's most secretive company."

A statement sent by Palantir via email said:

"We are disappointed that the Department of Labor chose to proceed with an administrative action and firmly deny the allegations."

"Despite repeated efforts to highlight the results of our hiring practices, the Department of Labor relies on a narrow and flawed statistical analysis relating to three job descriptions from 2010 to 2011."

We intend to vigorously defend against these allegations

Palantir, which is a name taken after the spiritual stone in The Lord of the Rings, was founded by CEO Alex Karp and Peter Thiel in 2004. Thiel, the venture capitalist who cofounded Paypal, made news earlier in the year for financing Hulk Hogan's lawsuit against Gawker and being one of the few entreprnuers to speak at the Republican National Convention.

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As all know, NASA is an agency of the United State government that is responsible for civilian space program, particularly in aeronautics and aerospace research. They have been tasked to study life forms, objects in outer space and the likes that will be useful for the humankind.

Throughout the years, NASA was able to study, classify and discover these things that are giving us valuable information on the dark world. They have also been successful on space programs they created such as Project Apollo, Skylab and the Space Shuttle program. And just recently, another discovery was done by NASA on dwarf planet Pluto, a new finding in recent years.

According to Mirror UK, NASA scientist believes that Pluto is hiding a huge underground ocean and liquid water might just creeping under its icy shell. The report also says that the study was published in Geophysical Research Letters journal suggesting that a probability of 100 kilometers of liquid water is hiding beneath Pluto's surface.

Earlier reports also indicate that since New Horizons spacecraft was launch in 2006 and it passes by the dwarf planet, many first discoveries was done on Pluto. First, it was believed that Pluto had three moons Charon, Nix, and Hydra but eventually when the spacecraft pass by Pluto last year two more moons was discovered, Kerberos and Styx.

On a separate report by Daily Mail, scientist discovered that the ocean could be 62 miles (100 km) deep. They also found out that it is likely to be as salty as the Dead Sea. Professor Brandon Johnson, a geologist at Brown University, said that the basin is an impact crater, which is a hole in the ground, made when an asteroid hit Pluto.

The report also says that the impact creates a dent on Pluto's surface that was followed by a rebound pulling material from deep and the layer of liquid water appears. It is still not proven the salt content of it but according to Professor Johnson, they still look into data that will send by New Horizon to better understand Pluto's newfound possible ocean.

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Germany's data protection agency directed Facebook to stop its data sharing project with WhatsApp and ordered the social media giant to delete any data that they already received.

This after the social networking site said that they need to collect data from users of the messaging app, including their phone numbers, to improve their targeted ads.

While they give the user options not to allow the app to use their information for advertising, users have no option to refuse the data sharing between Facebook and WhatsApp.

Johannes Caspar, Hamburg's Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, said Facebook does not have the WhatsApp users' permission as well as a legal basis for the data sharing. He added that it has to be the users' decision if they want to connect with the social networking site, and the site has to ask for their permission first, The Guardian reported.

Facebook has an office in Hamburg, Germany and Caspar has the authority to stop the sharing project.

However, according to a data watchdog, Facebook and WhatsApp are private companies and have their own terms and conditions and data privacy policies in processing their own user's data, as reported by Reuters.

Caspar stated that the order is to protect the data of about 35 million German WhatsApp users. Data protection authorities in France and other privacy regulators across Europe said that they will be monitoring the change to the messaging app's policy with "great vigilance."

"We will appeal this order and we will work with the Hamburg DPA in an effort to address their questions and resolve any concern," Facebook said.

Facebook bought WhatsApp for $19 billion in cash and stock two years ago. After the acquisition, both parties promised that no data will be shared between them.

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NASA just recently rubbed astrological community the wrong side when they claimed that the position of astrological signs - alignment of stars with regards to a specific point in the sky at a certain time - has changed as Earth's axis has shifted from its earlier position over the centuries. As a result, many people and astrological scientists were visibly upset, forcing NASA to release an official explanation on their Tumblr account about how astrology is not an actual science.

The upheaval regarding NASA's revelation started with an article in a magazine claiming that NASA's article refutes has altered the current zodiac calendar. In fact, the correction made by NASA added another constellation, Ophiuchus, that is believed to be the 13th star sign.

The zodiacs were first invented 3000 years ago and since then, the Earth's position on its axis has shifted, causing the positions of constellations to change. It was also noted that the 13th constellation was deliberately removed by the Babylonians to maintain a 12-month calendar. As a result, the astrologers learnt to ignore the 13th constellation for thousands of years altogether, even though it existed the whole time.

According to the ancient Babylonians, they divided the earth into 12 parts that was evenly spaced at 30 degrees and followed the sun's movement, as it was believed to revolve around the Earth, back in the day. Zodiac signs were important to astronomers and astrologers as an early form of astronomic coordinate system, providing a comprehensive look into the night sky. However, by 17th century, when heliocentric model became known, astronomers gave up the old system but the astrologers began studying the movement closely, claiming to predict the future.

To this day, most people do not take the concept of astrological signs very seriously. However, there are still plenty of people who genuinely believe that the celestial movement in the night sky can somehow alter their future. Now that the constellations and their positions have reportedly shifted, it threatens an old belief system, especially for those who permanently marked their star signs in the form of tattoos or other such body arts.

To the worried believers, NASA explains that even though this shift will not have any impact on people's original zodiac signs, it still does not hold any predictive power as many believe. NASA's Tumblr post also noted, "So, we didn't change any zodiac signs, we just did the math."

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The Ukrainian rebels denied downing Malaysia flight MH17 while rejecting the Dutch-led investigation and dubbing the probe as "biased".

This after the Joint Investigation Team revealed that flight MH17 was shot down by a Russian-made Buk missile launched from a rebel held village in eastern Ukraine.

MH17, which was on its way to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam, was brought down on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people on board.

At the time of the incident, pro-Russian separatists were fighting Ukrainian government forces in the region. The Boeing 777 broke apart in mid-air, flinging wreckage over several miles of fields in rebel-held territory.

A team of more than 100 investigators have been trying to gather evidence in order to unearth the exact reason behind the accident.

The families of the victims have been seeking details over the past two years in the hope that it might eventually lead to prosecutions of the culprits behind the attack.

The prosecutors told a news conference in the central Dutch city of Nieuwegein that the investigative team had identified people who were described as being of interest to them but had not yet been formally identified individual suspects.

It was not clear whether an order had been given for fighters to launch the missile or whether they had acted independently, the prosecutors said.

Meanwhile, Russia has repeatedly rejected any involvement and blamed the Ukrainian military for the tragic act.

Repeating those denials on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "First-hand radar data identified all flying objects which could have been launched or were in the air over the territory controlled by rebels at that moment."

"The data are clear-cut...there is no rocket. If there was a rocket, it could only have been fired from elsewhere," he said.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Actually, there is really no doubt about the existence of Alien life.

The question, then, is not whether they exist or not. The big question is: how safe are they?

And would they allow us to exist?

The physicist Stephen Hawking is very pessimistic about it. He seems to be convinced that the Aliens share the universe with humans. However, he is also convinced that they are hostile and dangerous, and would not let us live on. He makes a strong claim in 'Favorite Places,' which is a virtual journey across the universe. "Beware responding to signals from far-off stars," he says. "After all, we do not know who is out there, and what kind of feeling they harbour towards us. They might just decide to "fire up their interstellar artillery and take us out."

That warning may be well-intentioned, but the communication with aliens doesn't seem to be happening soon. So is it too early to worry about the possibility of aliens being hostile if do we contact them?

No, "It's a bit late to worry about that," said Seth Shostak, American astronomer and Director, Center of searches for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). If there are indeed extra-terrestrials in outer space, they would already have taken note of the signals we sent.

However, they may be much more ahead of us - maybe by a billion years. They "may not see us as any more valuable than we see bacteria" he said. Perhaps that is why they are not contacting us?

Soshtak splits a few hairs about the deportment and character of Aliens. He said that it might turn out that the extra-terrestrials live in a utopian, idealistic world. But then again it might not. "In any Darwinian system, there's always a benefit to aggression by some. So maybe a warning is warranted. Who would want to make their mark as the person who triggered the destruction of Earth in a misguided attempt to start an interspecies conversation?" he said.

Suppose the ETs do manage to capture some signals from space, it is possible that many people would want to establish contact and if they do, then Hawking is right in worrying about them. "Lay low," he advises.

However, the Earth has been beaming television, high-frequency radio, and radar into the heavens, not for "either entertaining or notifying aliens," but merely to send off radio transmissions into space.

Being millions of light years away, the Aliens would "require far better hardware." Hence, both travel and warfare would call for a lot more advancement.

"Yes, anything's possible. But that doesn't mean that everything's plausible. Sure, Martians could mount an attack on Earth in the near future. But that's one worry that won't keep me awake at night. Nor should it trouble you.

"If Hawking is really concerned, perhaps he should make sure his online movie isn't broadcast."

The message is very clear then. While we have loads of worries, the least should be about how dangerous the aliens are. It is possible for humans to connect them - and we will. There would be time enough to fret about being destroyed at that time.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The nation of Israel mourned on Wednesday the death of former President and Prime Minister Shimon Peres, who died of stroke at the age of 93.

The entire world paid tribute to the leader who was celebrated globally as a Nobel Prize-winning visionary, who pushed his country toward peace during a remarkable seven-decade career.

Host of world leaders, including US President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, French President Francois Hollande and a group of foreign ministers are expected to attend the funeral on Friday.

According to media reports, Hillary Clinton is unlikely to attend the final journey of Peres, as she is busy campaigning for the upcoming U.S. elections.

Peres' body would be kept at the Israeli parliament for the public to pay the final tributes on Thursday.

The Israeli government ordered Jewish state flag to half-staff at all government institutions, military bases and police stations to mourn the death of the former leader.

The government has also announced that chopper services from Mount Herzl will be available to allow easier access for visiting dignitaries.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a special meeting with his cabinet, where he praised Peres despite their deep ideological differences.

"Shimon devoted his life to our nation and to the pursuit of peace," he said.

"As Israel's president, Shimon did so much to unite the nation. And the nation loved him for it," he added.

Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also issued a statement paying his condolences over Peres' death.

He called Peres "a partner in making the peace of the brave" along with the late Palestinian leaders Yasser Arafat and Rabin.

All three men shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating the Oslo interim peace accord which aimed at achieving a peace-treaty based on the UNSC resolutions and to fulfill the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.

In Gaza Strip, the ruling Hamas militant group called Peres "the last remaining Israeli official who founded the occupation."

"His death is the end of a phase in the history of this occupation and the beginning of a new phase of weakness," said Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for the group.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Five suspected jihadist were arrested, including four Spanish and one Moroccan nationals, after the Spanish Interior Ministry dubbed them as "a grave, concrete and continued threat to security in Europe."

Presumably working for the Islamic State or ISIS, they are suspected of spreading Wahhabi propaganda and attempted to recruit potential militants for the international Salafi jihadist militant group of ISIS.

Internet sites were said to have been used for spreading information. Among them was a Facebook page called "Islam en Espanol" or Islam in Spanish.

Two of the five suspects were arrested in Brussels, Belgium and Wuppertal, Germany. They accordingly managed the Facebook page with an existing 32,500 followers at the time of the arrest.

The group was also encouraging IS attacks all over Europe, while directing their recruitment toward Muslim youth with northwest African lineage.

Two other arrests occurred in Barcelona, Spain and one in Melilla, a Spanish autonomous city located on the north coast of Africa.

Since 2015, about 113 arrests had been made in other countries all over Europe and North Africa.

Gilles de Kerchove, the European Union's anti-terrorism coordinator, said the recent arrests are a testament to the improvement of intelligence sharing between agencies in different European countries.

"The security services and the law-enforcement agencies are sharing much more information than they were before," said Kerchove during a conference on counter extremism by the Club de Madrid in Brussels.

"It's impressive to see the number of plots which have been foiled in recent weeks, the number of people who have been arrested," he added.

Meanwhile, in Germany, the interior ministry of North Rhine-Westphalia announced that another arrest was made on a 20 year Spanish citizen with Moroccan decent. He was allegedly spreading videos contain brutal and barbaric content on social media. Hard drives, laptops and mobile phones were also confiscated.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
On what people dubbed as the most-watched debate in presidential history, Republican president nominee Donald Trump has gained attention when he mentioned Alicia Machado's weight, yet again.

It was in 1996, when the19-year-old Venezuelan Alicia Machado won the Miss Universe. That time, business mogul Trump has just bought the pageant, making Machado his first Miss Universe. Following that, Machado described the events in her life as "one of most traumatizing" she ever had.

"I was in some gym in New York like a mouse," she said as quoted by The Guardian.

"Look at that mouse: how she run, how she jump, how she make exercise. Like that. In that moment is when problems come to me and start."

Months after Machado won the Miss Universe crown, she had put on some weight, and Trump had been the constant reminder of how she wished she had not won instead.

On Monday night, it happened again when Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton had brought in Machado, who became a US citizen in August, to prove how Trump lacks respect for women.

"He called this woman Miss Piggy. Then he called her Miss Housekeeping because she was Latina. It was one of the worst things he said," said Clinton.

Donald Trump has once again reminded Machado of what she had experienced with him 20 years ago, when he called her fat one more time.

In an interview with Fox & Friends, Trump said, "She was the worst we ever had. She was the winner, and she gained a massive amount of weight, and it was a real problem."

In 1997, months after the pageant, Trump mentioned that Machado had weighed 118 pounds or 117 pounds, and went up to 170. He even remarked that Machado was 'someone who likes to eat.'

According to People, after the debate, the Clinton campaign released the video of Machado in which she hoped that the voters can realize to turn away from the Republican candidate before it's too late.

"I'm not Miss Universe anymore. I'm a worker, I'm a mother, I have a family, I have my company, and if my story can open eyes in this election, that's what I'm going to try to do," she says.

Donald Trump called her "Miss Piggy" and "Miss Housekeeping."

Her name is Alicia Machado. #DebateNight pic.twitter.com/0wrISjJe6z

- Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 27, 2016

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
L ondons commuter belt is getting wider, as house-buyers increasingly accept longer journeys to work in return for affordable property. Naturally, nobody wants to waste their lives sitting on a train  but weve found good-value towns in Bedfordshire, Essex and Wiltshire that offer bearable commutes.

1. LEIGHTON BUZZARD, BEDFORDSHIRE

What it costs: the average property price is 244,292, up 20 per cent in two years. Houses cost an average of just over 280,000, and flats just over 150,000 (source: Savills).

Top schools: Pulford VA CofE Lower School and Dovery Down Lower School shine amid a very strong selection of schools.

The commute: just over half an hour to Euston. An annual season ticket costs 5,160.

Community events: crowds at the annual food festival of Leighton Buzzard and neighbouring Linslade / Alamy Stock Photo

Who would it suit? Those who want a fast journey. Leighton is a pretty market town beside the Grand Union Canal and Stuart Caldwell-Smith, branch partner at estate agent Connells, says London commuters are just starting to cotton on to it.

The high street is traditional, with few chain stores, but it lacks the sort of cute boutiques and artisan cafes of more affluent, established commuter hotspots. The nearest major shopping centre is Milton Keynes, about 20 minutes drive away.

For nightlife there are traditional pubs and neighbourhood restaurants, such as family-run Mama Rosas traditional Italian eatery.

And the downsides? Too much bland post-war architecture, though there are some streets of period homes. In villages such as Soulbury and Stewkley you will find dreamy three-bedroom country houses at about 350,000.

2. SAFFRON WALDEN, ESSEX

What it costs: relatively expensive at an average 324,000, up nine per cent in the past two years. Houses cost an average 380,000, and flats 177,000 (source: Savills).

Laid-back: Saffron Walden is a pretty medieval town with traditional pubs and independent shops / Alamy Stock Photo

Top schools: Saffron Walden County High School gets top marks from Ofsted.

The commute: the nearest station is Audley End, two miles south-west of the town, and services to Liverpool Street take from 53 minutes. An annual season ticket costs from 5,456.

Who would it suit? Saffron Walden is a laid-back, peaceful medieval town with traditional pubs and independent shops lining Market Square and King Street.

Bruce King, director of estate agent Cheffins, says Londoners lead buyers moving into Saffron Walden, followed by those priced out of Cambridge. He believes the incomers are rejuvenating the town, which now has regular outdoor film screenings, jazz concerts and a farmers market.

And the downsides? Your nearest big night out will be in Cambridge, and some Londoners might find pretty Saffy just a tiny bit dozy and smug. If Stansted airport is expanded the town could suffer flight path noise.

3. CHIPPENHAM, WILTSHIRE

What it costs: average house price of 229,000 is up 20 per cent in two years, with houses at just under 250,000 and flats at just over 138,000 (source: Savills).

Bustling market town: riverside walks and country pubs are on the doorstep in Chippenham, Wiltshire / Alamy Stock Photo

Top schools: Sheldon School (seniors) gets a good rating from Ofsted, while St Marys RC Primary School gets an outstanding report.

The commute: trains to Paddington take an hour and a quarter. An annual season ticket costs 9,876  ouch.

Who would it suit? Those who believe what the train company says. Ongoing work to electrify the Great Western line should cut journey times to London to about an hour.

This solid, working market town offers good-value housing, plenty to do in a thriving high street, regular markets, gorgeous villages  notably Castle Combe  and countryside. Bath and Bristol are near for shops and socialising.

Any downsides? Train fare aside, Chippenham is not a thing of beauty.
News, events, history, and other mid-week tidbits.

Tuesday, October 25, 4:30  7 p.m.

Orr Area EMS Open House

Brats and burgers will be served. Event includes a new ambulance tour and blood pressure screenings. For more info: 218-780-3798.

Orr Fire Hall

4540 Lake St., Orr

Tuesday, October 25, 12  6 p.m.

Essentia Health Job Fair

Talent recruiters and department managers will be on-site at Essentia Health-Virginia. Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to attendnurses, nursing and clinical assistants, surgery technicians, radiology technicians, respiratory therapists, human resource professionals, and those interested in environmental services or nutrition services. Essentia staff will greet candidates, conduct an initial screening and filter them to appropriate hiring managers for interviews. Select candidates will be verbally offered a position before leaving. Candidates are asked to bring a resume, but its not required. Attire is business casual. For more info: www.essentiacareers.org.

901 9th St. N., Virginia
The purpose of this conference therefore is to bring together academic scholars and industry leaders who have interest

in exploring the rapidly evolving dynamics of hospitality and healthcare industries. Furthermore, we believe that design thinking provides an effective approach for exploring this exciting topic from both academic and practitioners perspectives. Industry executives and academic scholars are invited to submit proposals for presentations, panels, tutorials, and workshops for the Cornell Hospitality, Health, and Design Symposium (HHDS2016): In Search of a Healthy Future scheduled for October 9  11, 2016 at the beautiful Cornell campus in Ithaca, New York. All topics that relate to the overarching theme of the symposium are welcome. Similar to our earlier conferences (Cornell Hospitality Research Summit - 2010, 2012, and 2014), an essential element of HHDS2016 is to bridge the gap between academic research and practice, and provide opportunities for engaged discussions between scholars and industry leaders. Therefore the symposium will feature equal number of speakers from both industry and academia during each session.

For more information please contact Jennifer Mayo

607.255.3101
THUNDER BAY, Ontario and MCLEAN, Va. -- Hilton's (NYSE: HLT) Hampton by Hilton brand, the global mid-priced hotel that serves value-conscious and quality-driven travelers around the world, today announced the opening of its newest property, Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Thunder Bay. The 104-room hotel joins the Hampton by Hilton family of Hampton Inn by Hilton and Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton hotels. Located at 760 Arthur Street West, the five-story hotel is managed by 2381062 Ontario Inc.

Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Thunder Bay situated on the Trans-Canada Highway and near OLG Casino Thunder Bay. It is also near the Thunder Bay International Airport and local city center. The hotel offers a complimentary shuttle service within a five mile radius.

"Being one of the largest cities in Ontario and with our beautiful serene surroundings including Lake Superior, Thunder Bay is a perfect choice for the Hampton by Hilton brand to continue its Canadian expansion," said Siva Kiruddinan, general manager. "We are ready to provide our signature Hamptonality customer service to guests who look to have a pleasant and relaxing stay in Thunder Bay."

The hotel provides guests a fresh start to each day with On the House hot breakfast which includes eggs, oatmeal and waffles. In addition, the hotel provides Hampton's On the RunTM Breakfast Bags filled with a multi-grain bar, an apple, an artisan breakfast bread loaf and a bottle of water with a flavor packet for those guests on the go, available Monday through Friday.

Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Thunder Bay also offers amenities, such as free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour business center with complimentary printing, a 624 square foot meeting space that can accommodate up to 40 people and a fitness center. The new hotel will also offer guests access to a saltwater indoor pool for relaxing and re-energizing. Each guestroom includes high-quality amenities, including the brand's signature Clean and fresh Hampton bed, LCD TVs, microwave, refrigerator and coffeemaker. Inviting suites are also available, offering additional space, microwave and comfortable sleeper sofa.

Designed as an extension of the guestroom with a variety of seating and lighting options for both leisure and business travelers, the new hotel features the Perfect Mix Lobby. Within the lobby guests can find TREATS, a food and beverage shop filled with snacks, toiletries, local merchandise and drinks for purchase. Each guest is guaranteed to be satisfied with every stay, or they don't pay, and that's the 100% Hampton Guarantee.

Hampton by Hilton team members proudly exhibit a unique culture described as Hamptonality. This term describes each hotel's approach to friendly customer service and anticipation of guests' needs and providing travelers with helpful suggestions about area attractions, historical facts and fun things to do around town. Hampton by Hilton hotels are infused with local photography and artwork, highlighting each property's connection and support to its own community.

Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Thunder Bay participates in Hilton's award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton HHonors. Hilton HHonors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to benefits including an exclusive member discount, free standard Wi-Fi, as well as digital amenities that are available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton HHonors app, where HHonors members can check-in, choose their room, and access their room using a Digital Key.

For more information or to make reservations, please visit Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Thunder Bay or call +1 807 577 5000.

Read more about Hampton by Hilton at www.hampton.com and news.hampton.com.

About Hilton

Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 18 world-class brands comprising more than 6,800 properties and more than 1 million rooms, in 122 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed more than 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, earned a top spot on the 2021 World's Best Workplaces list and been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for five consecutive years. In 2021, in addition to opening more than one hotel a day, Hilton introduced several industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the nearly 128 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can't buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit newsroom.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

Jennifer Hughes

Director, Brand Public Relations - Hilton Worldwide

+1 901 374 6518

Hilton
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Today is Lil Waynes 34th birthday. He is currently on terrible terms with Birdman, but that didnt stop Birdman from wishing his estranged son a happy birthday in a series of Instagram posts.

This isnt the first time Birdman has effusively showered Wayne with praise since the beginning of Waynes $51 million alwsuit against Cash Money. In January, he draped his arm around Wayne onstage at Club LIV in Miami and said, This my motherfucking son, and Imma die for him, Imma live for him, and Imma motherfucking kill for him. That aint gonna never change, nigga. Its YMCMB for life.

Yesterday, a judge ordered Birdman to divulge financial records that would explain the whereabouts of the $70 million advance he was supposed to split with Wayne.

Check out Birdmans happy birthday message to Wayne below.

Birdman
For her Frankenstein script, playwright Marjorie Bicknell returned to the source material.

Not to the creepy horror films from the 1940s, but rather to writer Mary Shelleys original 1818 novel about a young scientists monstrous effort to reanimate a dead body.

I didnt want Boris Karloff stomping around, killing people, Bicknell said of her play, which was first produced in 1981 in Chicago. That has none of the subtlety of the novel.

Hershey Area Playhouse is about to stage a production of Bicknells rendition of the Frankenstein legend, beginning a week from today and continuing through Oct. 16. The chilling play, directed by Bicknell, stars Sam Hardy as the monster and Lamar Kukuk as his creator, Victor Frankenstein.

In the 21st century, when artificial intelligence and cloned sheep are old hat, Shelleys once far-fetched idea of bringing a corpse back to life may not seem quite so impossible. But Bicknell believes the plays point still has a lot of punch to it.

The message is that, whatever you are going to do, look before you leap, she said. Dont think that just because its possible, its right. Whatever you do, you will have the moral responsibility for all of the repercussions.

In Shelleys epistolary novel, the nearly immortal monster teaches himself to read and write, but his essential evil leaves a trail of death and destruction. Frankenstein, his creator, is wracked with guilt and eventually flees to the North Pole to escape both the pursuing creature and his own grief.

Frankenstein, which features several on-stage murders, is not light-hearted or campy fare, but it has a timely message. Things havent changed very much from when Mary Shelley was railing against the Industrial Revolution, Bicknell said. We still rape the environment. We still deny global warming. But even if you have the best intentions in the world, there are always unintended consequences.

Opening play

Open Stage of Harrisburg opens its 31st season of professional theater with a production of Red, a Tony Award-winning drama based on the life and work of the American abstract expressionist Mark Rothko (1903-70).

The play by John Logan, first produced in London in 2009 and Broadway a year later, focuses on the relationship between Rothko and his assistant, Ken, as the painter works on a commission to create a series of murals for New York Citys famous Four Seasons restaurant.

During the work, set in 1958-59, the two men argue about the meaning of art, with Ken increasingly critical of Rothkos cynicism. Rothko is hoping to create a defining masterpiece, while Ken wonders if his mentor is selling out his talent for money.

Open Stages production of Red, which runs Oct. 7-30, stars Jeff Wasileski as Rothko and Jeremy Burkett as Ken. Producing Artistic Director Donald L. Alsedek will direct.

Musical

Cathy Whitaker seems like the perfect suburban wife in 1957 Connecticut. Her husband is an advertising executive who provides her a comfortable life, but hes also a closeted homosexual whose secret is about to change her life forever.

In Far From Heaven, a Theatre Harrisburg musical production currently on stage at downtown Harrisburgs Whitaker Center, gender roles, race and sexual orientation go under the microscope as the couples seemingly happy marriage unravels.

The 2013 musical, with a book by Richard Greenburg, music by Scott Frankel and lyrics by Michael Korie, is adapted from a 2002 film of the same name, which starred Julianne Moore and Dennis Quaid.

Theatre Harrisburgs production, which runs through Oct. 9, is directed by Brett A. Bernardini, Theatre Harrisburgs executive and artistic director. Its an uncompromising look at an era that gave rise to the concept of the American Dream, but also seethed with the same injustice, intolerance and bigotry that continue to plague the United States today.

This is a sweeping and entertaining musical that showcases the power of musical theater to tell stories that matter, Bernardini said of the play. Our memory of the 1950s has been idolized to the point of cliche and we seem to have set aside the struggles of the time period that have since defined our country.
As reported by TMZ, Kim Kardashian West has become the latest victim of Vitalii Sediuk, the Italian fashion weirdo who assaulted Gigi Hadid last week in Milan. In that previous incident, Sediuk grabbed Hadid and lifted her up off the ground before getting elbowed in the face hard by the model. This time around, Sediuk got down to the ground as Kardashian walked by and attempted to kiss her butt.

From the video, its hard to tell if he succeeded in this incredibly inappropriate goal, but what we can see is that Kims security succeeded in theirs. Sediuk got a nice immediate shove off his balance, and we hope a couple extra punches and kicks for good measure.

This is actually the second time Kanyes wife has been attacked by Sediuk, the last time was in 2014, also in Paris. Check that video below.

Kim Kardashian
Alongside True Detective TV composer Keefus Ciancia and sultry LA songwriter Jade Vincent, Holmer serves up a riotous slice of pop-noir

hotpress.com is delighted to offer a first look at the video for 'This Is The Time', a track from the new David Holmes project Unloved.

Seeing the iconic DJ, producer and Novello Award-winning film scorer team up with True Detective TV composer Keefus Ciancia and LA songwriter Jade Vincent, debut album Guilty Of Love has a distinctly 60s pop-noir feel, embodied by this stomping cut.

Featuring lyrics that were contributed by the inimitable BP Fallon, 'This Is The Time' is driven by striking vocals, as Holmer explains. "I've always thought of BP as a wordsmith so I asked him would be interested in trying to write something for the album. This Is The Time was one of his ideas that we recorded in Vox studios in LA but instead of a lead vocal we decided to get all 5 girls including Jade Vincent that were contributing to sing it in unison.

The result? See for yourself below!
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AUSTIN - The leaders of two of the state's biggest school districts are calling on the Texas Education Agency to stop penalizing districts for giving specialized education to more kids than the agency has deemed prudent.

Superintendents Michael Hinojosa of Dallas and Pedro Martinez of San Antonio came out against the arbitrary enrollment target after a Houston Chronicle investigation found it has led schools across the state to keep tens of thousands of children with disabilities out of special education.

Hinojosa said he would launch a review of special education in Dallas, where, the investigation found, just 6.9 percent of students receive special education services such as tutoring, therapies and counseling - about half the national average.

"I was surprised to see (the special education percentage) so low," said Hinojosa, who previously worked as a superintendent in Georgia. "I'm used to that number being higher."

Houston Independent School District Superintendent Richard Carranza, who was hired last month, said he could not yet say whether the target should remain in place.

Already, some state officials have decried the state's policy, and the commissioner of the Texas Education Agency, Mike Morath, has acknowledged it was likely to be "tweaked."

The state Senate minority leader, Jose Rodriguez, has begun drafting legislation to address the issue.

"It's important that we address this issue to ensure children with special needs and their families aren't denied rights established by federal law," said Rodriguez, D-El Paso, in a statement. "I'm deeply concerned that this arbitrary performance indicator has disincentivized schools from fulfilling their moral obligation, and obligation under federal law, to proactively search out kids who may qualify for special education services and give them initial screenings."

Lowest rate of any state

The Chronicle investigation revealed that the Texas Education Agency quietly implemented the target in 2004, arbitrarily choosing 8.5 percent as the benchmark and requiring some districts that served more children to file "Corrective Action Plans" detailing how they would lower their numbers. Over the past decade, the percentage of Texas students receiving special ed has dropped from nearly 12 percent to exactly 8.5 percent, by far the lowest rate of any state in America.

If Texas provided services at the same rate as the rest of the country, more than 250,000 more children here would be receiving services.

The Chronicle also found that TEA officials created the target while facing a $1.1 billion state budget cut and did not consult the federal government, state lawmakers or researchers. The national average special education rate was and is 13 percent.

The special education director in HISD, where the special education rate has fallen from 9.9 percent in 2004 to 7.4 percent today, has said the decline has been due to improved instruction and early intervention programs.

The TEA also has denied depriving any students of proper instruction and defended the target, but it has promised to conduct a "detailed review" of its impact.

On Tuesday, parents cheered the momentum toward addressing the issue, especially in Dallas and San Antonio.

"That's completely awesome," said Dariela Zarazua, a receptionist at a San Antonio dental office and single mother.

Her son, Alex, 9, is legally blind and has learning disabilities that caused him to struggle and lash out at his San Antonio ISD school. But despite Zarazua's attempts, school administrators refused for months to even evaluate Alex, saying they first needed to try a different set of teaching techniques known as Response to Intervention.

Many Texas school districts have started requiring that students go through Response to Intervention before being evaluated for special education, even though the federal government has specifically prohibited that policy, the Chronicle found.

"I hope they change things," said Zarazua, whose son, Alex, finally got special education services this fall after more than a year of advocating and legal action, "so more families won't have to go through what we did."

Claire Collop, a Dallas resident, said she also was happy. Her son, Liam, has faced challenges his whole life. When he turned 3 and was still not speaking, the family tried to get special education but were told by Dallas ISD that he didn't qualify. Years later, after Collop paid for her only evaluations, the district acknowledged that he was on the autism spectrum but declined to provide adequate services.

"I struggle when I think a lot about how much my son could have been helped," Collop said, "if he had gotten services and help early."

Fighting for services

In Houston, one parent said she was hopeful the superintendent would come around.

Marjorie Reichard, an accountant at Easter Seals, a nonprofit charity that helps children with disabilities, recalled how she had to fight to get services for the daughter that she adopted from China. Olivia, who is now 4, has intense speech problems related to a bilateral cleft palate, but HISD initially would not agree to put her in a preschool program run by special education.

Reichard always suspected there was some reason she could not see for the school's position.

"I understand that (Carranza) is new, so I don't think he can, off the cuff, call for a change," Reichard said. "But I hope that he does eventually do that. ... In a couple months, if he doesn't do it, I'm going to be disappointed."
Researchers recently published a study that measures the health problems caused by the oil and gas industry. A nonprofit research organization called the Clean Air Task Force found that in the United States, more than 750,000 children suffer from asthma attacks every summer as a result of oil and gas related smog.

As the largest producer of oil in the country, it is no surprise Texas is a major offender. Half of the top 30 U.S. counties for asthma attack risk are in Texas. The state sees 144,496 children suffer from asthma attacks, or nearly 20 percent of all oil and gas related asthma attacks in the nation.
My reaction to the Donald Trump-Hillary Clinton debate can be summarized with one word: "How?"

How in the world do we put a man in the Oval Office who thinks NATO is a shopping mall where the tenants aren't paying enough rent to the U.S. landlord?

NATO is not a shopping mall; it is a strategic alliance that won the Cold War, keeps Europe a stable trading partner for U.S. companies and prevents every European country - particularly Germany - from getting their own nukes to counterbalance Russia, by sheltering them all under America's nuclear umbrella.

How do we put in the Oval Office a man who does not know enough "beef" about key policies to finish a two-minute answer on any issue without the hamburger helper of bluster, insults and repetition?

How do we put in the Oval Office a man who suggests that the recent spate of cyberattacks - which any senior U.S. intelligence official will tell you came without question from Russia - might not have come from Russia but could have been done by "somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds"?

How do we put in the Oval Office a man who boasts that he tries to pay zero federal taxes but then complains that our airports and roads are falling apart and there is not enough money for our veterans?

How do we put in the Oval Office a man who tries to prove he was against the Iraq War - even though he publicly stated his support for it when it began - by saying he said so privately to his pal Sean Hannity at Fox News? Trump is so caught up with his own infallibility that he didn't think to respond in the debate: "Yes, I supported the Iraq War as a private citizen, but Hillary voted for it as a senator when she had all the intelligence and whose job it was to make the right judgment."

How do we put in the Oval Office someone who says we should not have gone into Iraq, but since we did, "we should have taken the oil - ISIS would not have been able to form  because the oil was their primary source of income."

ISIS formed before it managed to pump any oil, and it sustained itself with millions of dollars that it stole from Iraq's central bank in Mosul. Meanwhile, Iraq has the world's fifth-largest oil reserves - 140 billion barrels. Can you imagine how many years we'd have to stay there to pump it all and how much doing so would tarnish our moral standing around the world and energize every jihadi?

How do we put in the Oval Office someone whose campaign manager has to go on every morning show after the debate and lie to try to make up for the nonsense her boss spouted? Kellyanne Conway told CNN on Tuesday morning that when it comes to climate change, "We don't know what Hillary Clinton believes, because nobody ever asks her."

Say what? As secretary of state, Clinton backed every global climate negotiation and clean energy initiative. That's like saying no one knows Hillary's position on women's rights.

Conway then went on CNBC's "Squawk Box" and argued that Clinton, who was secretary of state from 2009 to 2013, had never created a job and was responsible for the lack of adequate "roads and bridges" in our country. When challenged on that by MGM Resorts' CEO, James Murren - who argued that his business was up, that the economy was improving and that Clinton's job as secretary of state was to create stability - Conway responded that Clinton had nothing to do with any improvements in the economy because "she's never been president so she's created no financial stability."

I see: Everything wrong is Clinton's fault and anything good is to the president's credit alone. Silly.

The "Squawk Box" segment was devoted to the fact that while Trump claims that he will get the economy growing, very few CEOs of major U.S. companies are supporting him. Also, interesting how positively the stock market reacted to Trump's debate defeat. Maybe because CEOs and investors know that Trump and Conway are con artists and that recent statistics show income gaps are actually narrowing, wages are rising and poverty is easing.

The Trump-Conway shtick is to trash the country so they can make us great again. Fact: We have problems and not everyone is enjoying the fruits of our economy, but if you want to be an optimist about America, stand on your head - the country looks so much better from the bottom up. What you see are towns and regions not waiting for Washington, D.C., but coming together themselves to fix infrastructure, education and governance. I see it everywhere I go.

I am not enamored of Clinton's stale, liberal, centralized view of politics, but she is sane and responsible; she'll do her homework, can grow in the job, and might even work well with Republicans, as she did as a senator.

Trump promises change, but change that comes from someone who thinks people who pay taxes are suckers and who thinks he can show up before an audience of 100 million without preparation or real plans and talk about serious issues with no more sophistication than your crazy uncle - and expect to get away with it - is change the country can't afford.

Electing such a man would be insanity.

Friedman is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner for the New York Times.
Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster and Republican former Navy SEAL officer Eric Greitens will face off Nov. 8 in Missouris gubernatorial election.

The Associated Press asked the candidates about ethics and election issues.

Should Missouri re-instate campaign-contribution limits and adopt the proposed campaign finance measure, Amendment 2?

Koster: Yes.

Greitens: I think the most important thing for us to do on ethics reform is actually to first of all make sure that we ban all gifts from lobbyists, that we close the revolving door between legislators and special interests. I believe that we need to have term limits in place for every statewide officeholder. I think those three things are going to help to restore trust and integrity in government. I think we have to get those things done first, and then once we do that, I think then we should have a conversation about what we need to do to increase transparency in the campaign-finance system.

Do you support banning lobbyist gifts to elected officials?

Koster: I do, actually. And I have implemented that policy for my own self. Its the easiest policy to police. Its the easiest policy for candidates and lobbyists to understand. My sense is were all adults here. We can pay for our own dinners. I find that exceptions take us into a gray area when we are looking for clarity and precision in the policy, and so my bias is to not put exceptions in and just make it a very clear, bright-line rule that everyone can understand. Even a nickel for a cup of coffee is out of the question, and that way everybody knows where the line is.

Greitens: I support banning all gifts from lobbyists. I think it is essential that we ban all gifts from lobbyists. This has been a major problem in the state of Missouri, and we need to have strong executive leadership. And we need to have a Legislature that people trust, and thats why we have to ban all gifts from lobbyists.

Do you think there should be limits on elected officials leaving office and becoming lobbyists?

Koster: Yes. I think the six-month ban that the Republicans have implemented is really no ban at all. If someone is willing to skip the veto session, then you can vote on a big bill for a utility company on May 15 and be lobbying for that utility company by January of the next session, and therefore the policy is pretty darn close to having no policy at all. I think that at a minimum, a legislator should have to sit out at least one legislative session.

Greitens: Yes, there should be limits on elected officials leaving office to become lobbyists. We have to close the revolving door between legislators and special interests, and one of the planks of my campaign has been, from the beginning, the one-for-one waiting period. So if youve served in office for one year, you should wait for one year before you become a lobbyist. If youve served for two years, you should wait for two years before you become a lobbyist. If youve been in office for 20 years, you should wait for 20 years before you become a lobbyist. We have to do this in order to restore trust in government.

Do you think Missouri voters should be required to show photo voter identification at the polls?

Koster: My concern is the issue of disenfranchisement. We need voter integrity at the polls, and weve had a situation here recently in St. Louis that is causing everyone concern. We have the situation of the presidential race in Florida in 2000. I dont mind responsible legislation that is intended to ensure that the person who is voting is in fact the individual who they claim to be. But the issue is one of disenfranchisement. This is a fundamental right much more deeply rooted, perhaps the most fundamental right in American society, more deeply rooted even than driving a car or flying in a plane (or) cashing a check  other places we have ID requirements. And so some type of a law that makes certain that while we are maintaining the integrity of the voting but not disenfranchising anyone is critically important, and so the compromise legislation that was put together by Democrats and Republicans last session I think, at least on its face, is not an act in and of itself of disenfranchisement. But if I ever got the slightest sense that Republicans or anyone was either changing the law in a way that would disenfranchise those with disabilities, senior citizens or minorities, or were advertising across the state in a manner that was intended to scare them away from the polls, then I would go into court and try to stop it.

Greitens: I believe that we have to have trust in the election system here in the state of Missouri. And I believe that asking people to show a photo identification at the polls will help to increase trust in our elections in the state of Missouri. So yes, Im absolutely supportive of making sure that we have a system of elections here in Missouri that every voter can have confidence in, that its a system thats run professionally to the highest standards of integrity that people can trust in.

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Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander, who is the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, said Thursday its time for the state legislature to step up and pass a law allowing medical marijuana.

Kander came out in support of medical marijuana in a statement through the secretary of states office, not his Senate campaign.

He was commenting on a judges ruling Wednesday that a proposal allowing medical marijuana in Missouri wont go to voters because the number of petition signatures fell short.

While supporters of this important proposal can try to put it on the ballot again in two years, I believe it is time for the state legislature to step up, Kander said in the statement. The Missouri General Assembly should pass legislation to allow medical marijuana so Missouri families that could greatly benefit from it dont have to watch their loved ones continue suffering. If the legislature is not willing to do that, they should at least put the measure on the ballot themselves in 2018 to give Missouri voters the opportunity to decide on this issue.

Stephanie Fleming, a spokeswoman for the secretary of states office, said Kander does not take a public position on ballot-initiative petitions until the process is complete, which was why he waited until Thursday to make the statement.

Medical marijuana has not been a major issue in the Senate race.

A spokesman for incumbent Republican Sen. Roy Blunt said Blunt supports states rights to determine medical marijuana laws and has voted to prohibit the federal government from interfering.

On Wednesday, Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Greens decision agreed with St. Louis-area election authorities, who threw out thousands of petition signatures as invalid.

Proposed constitutional amendments must receive signatures from at least 8 percent of registered voters in six of the states eight congressional districts to go to voters.

Kander has said the measure fell 2,242 signatures short in the 2nd District covering part of the St. Louis area.

A spokesman for New Approach Missouri, a supporter of the ballot initiative, has called an appeal unlikely because of time constraints. Absentee voting for the November election begins Tuesday.

Nine states will vote on marijuana initiatives in November.
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will conduct a hunter skills class from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 22 at Faith Fellowship in Bucyrus.

The skills class is one of two portions of hunter education required in Missouri, along with a knowledge segment.

MDC advises hunters of a few points:

People born on or after Jan. 1, 1967, must satisfy Missouris hunter education requirement before purchasing deer and turkey hunting permits.

Adults aiding in youth hunts are required to be hunter education certified prior to the hunt.

Students must be at least 11 years old to participate in the hunter education program.

Students must complete the knowledge portion of the class prior to attending the skills class. The knowledge portion may be completed online, in a classroom, or by obtaining the Hunter Ed Book from the Houston branch of the Texas County Library and completing the end of chapter review questions prior to attending the skills class.

Faith Fellowship is located four miles west of Houston on Highway 17. For more information, call MDC agents Chris Ely at 417-260-2865 or Jeff Crites at 417-260-2855.
In an election with control of the Senate at stake, Republicans were counting on a win in GOP-friendly Missouri.

Instead, theyre suddenly plunging millions into the state to save incumbent Sen. Roy Blunt from a young challenger who assembled an AR-15 rifle blindfolded in a daring new ad.

Polls show the race is close, but Democrats argue the momentum is with Missouris 35-year-old secretary of state, Jason Kander, a former Army intelligence officer in Afghanistan. Even Republicans were awed by Kanders recent TV ad showing him putting together a rifle with a blindfold on and challenging Blunt, who did not serve in the military, to do the same.

Mr. Kander has hired himself a great ad agency. My hat is off to him, said GOP Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the campaign arm of the Senate GOP.

Democrats Senate campaign committee has sought to seize the moment, announcing $3.5 million in new advertising last week.

Thats a very, very, very, good ad, maybe the best ad Ive ever seen, but that means buying more, said the committees chairman, Sen. Jon Tester of Montana.

This week, Wickers committee was forced to answer back with more than $500,000 in broadcast spending so far in St. Louis and Springfield. The Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC run by allies of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., also is spending heavily on the race, investing $2.5 million in Missouri this month alone.

Privately, some Republicans voice dismay they have to intervene in the Missouri race to such an extent at a time when theyre defending incumbents in blue and purple states around the country.

In an unpredictable political environment with Donald Trump at the top of the ticket, Republicans are trying to protect a slim 54-46 Senate majority against Democrats who are determined to retake control.

The shifting environment in Missouri comes partly because Democrats are pulling back in battleground Ohio, where incumbent GOP Sen. Rob Portman has opened a substantial lead, and in Florida, where incumbent GOP Sen. Marco Rubio is looking strong in a state where advertising is expensive. Instead, Democrats have decided to direct resources to North Carolina and to Missouri, where their advertising dollars will go further.

Many Republicans are concerned about North Carolinas GOP Sen. Richard Burr, but many still sound confident Blunt will ultimately prevail. The 66-year-old has served in Congress for two decades and is a member of the Senate leadership, but he lives in Washington, D.C., where he can be seen walking his dog around his Northwest D.C. neighborhood, and has been attacked over his familys network of D.C. lobbying contacts. His son Andy, a lobbyist, is also his campaign manager.

Its going to be closer than it ought to be, I think, given the uniqueness of this election year, but Roy Blunts going to win, said John Hancock, chairman of the Missouri Republican Party. The reason Democrats are putting money into Missouri is they have failed to gain any traction in other Senate races across the country.

And despite praising Kanders ad, Wicker said Republicans would show the Democrat is wrong for Missouri by highlighting his support for President Barack Obamas health-care law, his F rating from the National Rifle Association and other issues. Republicans have been substantially outspending Democrats in the state so far.

Jason Kander is really good at taking a gun apart and putting it back together. I expect also that he could ride a bull at a rodeo in a very effective manner. Perhaps he could do a lot of push-ups, Wicker said. When all of that is said and done, the fact is hes totally out of step with Missouri on the key issues that this campaign will revolve around.

Kander himself, in a phone interview with The Associated Press, said he is seeing increasing enthusiasm at his rallies. The gun ad, he said, certainly helped.

Our message from Day 1 has been that Missourians are frustrated with politics as usual in Washington and are ready for a new generation of leadership, Kander said. Clearly, thats resonating.

Aides declined to make Blunt available for an interview but insisted he was taking the race seriously and working hard.

Roy Blunt has been to all 115 counties in Missouri an unprecedented three times since declaring for Senate, said spokesman Tate OConnor. In August alone, he made more than 100 stops across the state. No one works harder for Missouri than Roy Blunt.

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The two dozen or so who attended the Rachels Challenge presentation at Mechanicsburg Middle School auditorium made for a quaint audience on Tuesday night, Principal Joel Yohn said, but really, they were new links in Rachel Scotts kindness chain.

The program is based on the life of Rachel Joy Scott, the first of 13 victims killed in the Columbine High School shooting in Colorado on April 20, 1999. During her 17 years, she wrote six diaries filled with what have become Rachels Challenges founding principles: speak with kindness; avoid prejudice; choose positive influences; and dream big.

We have decided to use Rachels Challenge as a foundation for our school-wide positive behavior support program, Yohn said. This is a proactive means to ensure the safest possible learning environment for all students. It also has a community outreach component and student leadership groups led by trained teachers that our school believes in and values.

Parent Chris Hummel of Mechanicsburg, who attended Tuesday nights program, said he heard all about that days assembly from his children, middle-schoolers Annika and Will.

My kids both liked it. They said it was very emotional, Hummel said. Middle school kids crying in front of each other is pretty powerful. As your kids get older, you start to think theres a lot going on out there and you cant help but to see whats going on.

For information about the Rachels Challenge program, visit http://rachelschallenge.org.

The program was hosted by the middle schools Student Assistance Team, or STAR. The STAR program is a statewide initiative designed to help schools identify students who show signs of serious school-related problems, according to the districts website. Identified students then are interviewed by STAR team members with parents approval and referred to outside agencies for treatment if needed.

The Rachels Challenge program also was presented during the school day at the middle school on Tuesday. STAR team members and school counseling staff remained on hand for student assistance as needed.

After Rachel Scotts death, many Columbine students shared stories with her parents about the profound impact her simple acts of kindness had on their lives, according to the Rachels Challenge website. In response, Darrell Scott founded a bullying and violence abatement program named in his daughters honor.

Since then, the Rachels Challenge program has reached 24 million students across the U.S., said presenter Patrick Nixon, of Denver, Colorado. Mechanicsburg students reaction to Tuesdays program was great, he added.

It affected each kid a little differently. I know that our students talked about it after they went home because I had parents contacting me, asking how they can continue what we started here today, Yohn said.

The middle school plans to continue what it started by initiating a Chain of Reaction Club, Yohn said. Twenty students at each of the schools grade levels are being trained to lead club chapters, while 10 teachers are training as advisers.
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aranaki dairy farmer has been ordered to pay out $87,000 following serious employment law breaches.Following an investigation from the Labour Inspectorate, Allan Marx of Vintage Farm Trust must pay $64,000 in arrears and a penalty of $23,000 issued by the Employment Relations Authority (ERA).Discussions between Marx and employees took place under the direction of the ERA, with Marx accepting that arrears were owed due to his failure to both pay minimum wage and for work on public holidays. The process of determining what Marx would pay was complicated by the fact he failed to keep adequate records for the hours worked by his employees or copies of employment agreements.In addition, allegations of bullying reared their head during the investigation, with two employees bullied into an agreement to settle their arrears for merely $8,500  dramatically below the sum Marx would later admit they were entitled to.Commenting on the ruling, Labour Inspectorate regional manager Natalie Gardiner said, It is unacceptable for employers to take advantage of employees by failing to meet basic legal requirements like paying the minimum wage or keeping proper records.With the discussion around arrears ongoing, this case perfectly illustrates the risk farmers take on when they dont keep sufficient employment records.Keeping records of the days and hours your employees work is a longstanding legal requirements in New Zealand which we expect every employer to meet - ignorance is not an excuse for breaking the law.Commenting on the ruling, Labour Inspectorate regional manager Natalie Gardiner said, It is unacceptable for employers to take advantage of employees by failing to meet basic legal requirements like paying the minimum wage or keeping proper records.With the discussion around arrears ongoing, this case perfectly illustrates the risk farmers take on when they dont keep sufficient employment records.Keeping records of the days and hours your employees work is a longstanding legal requirements in New Zealand which we expect every employer to meet - ignorance is not an excuse for breaking the law.Possible breaches in employment law were first noticed following a visit to the farm as part of a routine audit in 2014 by a labour inspector with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. As well as failing to pay minimum wage and correct public holiday rates, Marx employed two couples on joint-employment contracts. Joint-employment contracts are illegal, with all employees in New Zealand requiring an individual employment contract.The $64,000 Marx has paid in arrears thus far has gone to the five employees working on the farm at the time of the audit, as well as six former employees.
OTTAWA  Conservative leadership contender Brad Trost says fellow MP Chris Warkentin should be stripped of his parliamentary duties for failing to be impartial and threatening to make public a clandestinely recorded phone call.

In a letter obtained by The Huffington Post Canada, and addressed to interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose Tuesday, Trost complains about Warkentin's neutrality as the deputy House leader and question period coordinator and casts doubt on his "fitness for the office."

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Conservative MPs Chris Warkentin, Brad Trost. (Photo: The Canadian Press)

Warkentin, an Alberta MP, has championed Saskatchewan MP and former Speaker of the Commons Andrew Scheer for the Tory leadership.

On Monday, Trost says Warkentin blocked him obtaining a speaking slot in the Commons on the grounds that leadership candidates can't be given extra spots outside of those regularly scheduled. Trost wanted to go after Guy Giorno, a former chief of staff to prime minister Stephen Harper, over his $79,000 in moving expenses.

In a Twitter post, Trost said Giorno should follow the lead of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's top aides, Katie Telford and Gerald Butts, by repaying some of his moving costs. Last week, the government revealed it was planning to pay $126,669.56 for Butts' family's moving expenses from Toronto to Ottawa and $80,382.55 for Telford's family's cost.

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"...what's good for the Grit is good for the Tory, so when Guy Giorno said in the news that he charged $79,000 I think he should do the right thing  not that he did anything unethical or illegal, but he should do the right thing by the Canadian taxpayer and pay some of that back so we as Conservatives can continue to hold the Liberals to account," Trost said. "We need to have cleaner hands than they do, we need to do what's right."

Trost writes in the letter that he is not aware caucus agreed to a rule that curbs speaking slots for leadership candidates or of the leadership election organizing committee asking for such a rule.

"This appears to be a "rule" that has been manufactured either by Mr. Warkentin himself or his staff in order to prevent my making a Member's Statement that might bolster my campaign," he writes.

Ambrose's office responds

But Ambrose's office says there is a rule that prevents leadership candidates from using their slots to push their candidacy forward.

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"Statements by members are allotted on a rotation," Ambrose's spokesman Mike Storeshaw told HuffPost. Leadership candidates can't ask for more slots and they can't use their statements to talk about anything other than constituent issues, he said.

Trost acknowledged Wednesday that he was wrong and that there are rules in place. The rules, he said, were sent to him and other leadership candidates late Tuesday night

"So no, there was no discrimination or political games played against me by anyone on that level," he told reporters.

In his letter, however, Trost writes that when he complained to the media he had been prevented Warkentin called to object to him making the issue public. Then, "Mr. Warkentin revealed that he had been recording our telephone calls and threatened to release the recordings publicly.

"This, too, strikes me as highly irregular and very disturbing," Trost writes.

"I am very concerned that the Question Period Coordinator and Deputy House Leader would see fit to record any private telephone conversation, let alone release it publicly."

Trost tells Ambrose he doubts Warkentin's ability to remain neutral and "his fitness for the office" to which he has been appointed. He asks Ambrose to "instruct him to refrain from making statements or engaging in any activity which might indicate that he favours any candidate over another."

"Additionally, I am very concerned that the Question Period Coordinator and Deputy House Leader would see fit to record any private telephone conversation, let alone release it publicly," Trost writes. "I would like to receive some assurance from you and from Mr. Warkentin that this is not an accepted practice among Caucus Colleagues."

Wednesday, when Scheer officially launched his leadership campaign, Warkentins name was not included on the list of 18 MPs and two senators who support his bid.

Scheer declined to say whether Warkentin had been told to remain neutral.

Warkentin did not a return a request for comment.

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Conservative Leadership Candidates See Gallery
Next time, they should learn some Morse code!

On Wednesday, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Whitehorse, Yukon's MacBride Museum, where they sent Yukon's very first telegraph message to Twitter.

After watching former Yukon Commissioner Doug Bell tap out a message in Morse code on a 100-year-old telegraph key at the museum's historic Telegraph Office, Prince William and Catherine pressed the send button, which transferred the message to the Telegraph to Tweet Twitter account.

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The message, which also became the first entry in the museum's new online guestbook, read, "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, September 2016, Whitehorse Yukon."

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE, SEPTEMBER 2016, WHITEHORSE YUKON  Telegraph to Tweet (@telegraph_tweet) September 28, 2016

"Well, I guess it's the old way and the new way joining hands," said Bell, who came to the Yukon in the 1940s as a telegraph operator, according to the CBC.

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"It's crossing the generations and the technology and joining them together for a neat way to say hello."

The technology was created by Make IT Solutions, which has offices in Vancouver, Calgary and Yukon.

According to the Kensington Palace Twitter account, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visited the telegraph office in 1959 during their royal tour of Canada.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh visited this telegraph office, now part of the Museum, in 1959 #RoyalVisitCanada  pic.twitter.com/UfG6F2Jwei  Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) September 28, 2016

The duke and duchess arrived in Yukon on Tuesday evening. After their visit to the museum, the royal couple took a stroll through a community festival where they met many of their fans.

The Duke and Duchess leaving the Telegraph Office at MacBride. pic.twitter.com/gsvHdEXJEo  MacBride Museum (@MacBrideMuseum) September 28, 2016

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Will and Kate (as well as their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who stayed in Victoria) are currently on day five of their royal tour of Western Canada.

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Mario Anzuoni / Reuters Cast member Lena Headey poses at the premiere of

Lena Headey does not like the American education system, so much so that shes refusing to send her six-year-old son back to Los Angeles to be with his father, Irish musician Peter Loughran.

This summer, the 42-year-old actress and her son Wylie moved from the U.S. to England, which Headeys ex-husband claims is a violation of their custody agreement.

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According to Loughran, Headey agreed to move their son back to Los Angeles after she wrapped up filming Game of Thrones in the U.K., but failed to do so by the deadline of Sept. 5. The actress reportedly enrolled her son in a Yorkshire school as well, claiming Wylie was held back in the U.S. thanks to Americas subpar school system.

Loughran claims he has not seen their child in eight weeks.

A photo posted by Lena Headey (@iamlenaheadey) on Jul 27, 2013 at 8:35am PDT





Last week, Headeys attorney, Joy Dracup Stanley, responded to Loughrans claims saying that Headey did not violate their agreement.

The parties have a clear and written agreement that both parents and the child will move to the U.K. this summer, and they will continue to have joint legal custody, Stanley told E! News.

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Sources close to Headey also contradict claims that the move was due to the actress dislike of the U.S. school system. Instead, the move was prompted by Headeys great family support system in the U.K., insiders told TMZ.

Headeys attorney confirmed to E! News that Loughran filed an emergency motion for their son to be returned to Los Angeles, but was denied because he did not file the proper requirements to do so. He must now go through the procedure again, which could take up to six weeks. As a result, Wylie will remain in the U.K. with his mother.

Headey and Loughran were married for six years, from 2007 to 2013. While Wylie is their only child together, Headey also has a daughter named Teddy, who she welcomed last year.

Unfortunately, the Game of Thrones star and her ex arent the only former celebrity couple to go through a nasty custody battle. Most recently, Madonna and Guy Ritchie fought over their eldest son, 16-year-old Rocco, who refused to move away from his father in London, England to be with his mother in New York.

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Get this: After many schools have phased out cursive writing lessons across America, more schools are bringing the lessons back.

As it goes, technology was such just a few short years ago that the emergence of electronic documents  completed on computer keypads  no longer required a handwritten signature.

However, according to The Economist, technology innovations in handwriting recognition are reversing the trend. As more people forgo "clunky" desktop computers in favor of mobile devices, handwriting is now a faster way to input data than keyboards.

"As a result," reports The Economist, "a number of school boards in America have instigated a return to basics  especially time spent learning longhand."

Which is great news.

Look, cursive isn't just a way to put words down on paper or an electronic pad. It helps young people develop fine motor skills.

Secondly, kids who write in print, rather than cursive, open themselves to the risk of forgery, argues Katie Zezima in The New York Times.

Third, says Zezima, kids who can't read cursive cannot comprehend historical documents, such as the U.S. Constitution  much like half of our politicians.

I have nostalgic reasons for continuing the art of cursive.

Up into my 30s, I sent, and received, letters to lots of friends all over the country  I still have a box in my attic that contains every single one of them.

The last time I sorted through the box, I stumbled upon a letter I had received in 1985. It was from a fellow I'd gone to Penn State with, who went on to become a newspaper editor in Maine. It was written on a light-blue final-exam booklet with great wit and humor.

As I read it, I was transported back several years to the age of 23. I laughed out loud as I read it. As soon as I finished, I began fishing around the box for more letters.

I found a stack of pink envelopes sent to me by two girls, Bonnie and Tracey, who attended the same college as my friend Griff. He had them send me an anonymous letter once during our freshman year. A robust correspondence resulted between 1980 and 1984 (and I dated Bonnie in 1985). As I reread those letters, I laughed so hard tears tumbled down my face.

I spent hours that day rereading the dozens of letters I'd received over the years. It was amazing to me how much living I'd done and forgotten about. And I hope the many letters I have sent to many friends brings them similar unexpected pleasure now and again as they root through their own boxes of letters.

One of my most prized possessions is a letter written by my father's father in 1924 consoling a woman whose mother had just died. He wrote the letter when he was 21 (he died at 34 when my father was only 3).

I was given his letter in 1997 by the son of the woman my grandfather wrote the letter to. I was struck by how similar my grandfather's style is to my father's  how similar his tone and style are to mine  and moved by the beauty and artfulness of his signature.

In any event, I understand that the world has changed. I communicate by email and text these days, just as most people do.

Still, the least we can do is to pass on our powerful cursive tradition to our kids. Maybe they'll take the time to handwrite a few letters to their friends.

And have something to cherish the rest of their lives.

Tom Purcell is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review humor columnist and is nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons Inc. Email him at Tom@TomPurcell.com.
Oh the irony!

According to the United Nations, one of the world's most popular honeymoon destinations also happens to be the country with the highest rate of divorce.

The tropical paradise that is The Maldives is considered the ultimate honeymoon destination. According to the Ministry of Tourism for the Republic of Maldives, the picturesque islands bring more than one million tourists to its shores every year.

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But while The Maldives is a beloved destination by people wanting to celebrate their love, it fails in helping sustain it. In 2002, statistics showed there were 10.97 divorces per 1,000 people in the country per year. The number was so high it earned a Guinness World Record.

According to the Telegraph, other places where high divorce rates are common include: Russia, with 4.5 per year per 1,000 inhabitants; Aruba, with 4.4; Belarus, with 4.1; and Latvia and the United States tied with 3.6.

In Canada, it is estimated that 38 per cent of marriages will end in divorce, the CBC reports.

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Bhangra is so inviting, that if you decide to do it on a cloudy day on a Canadian landmark like Peggy's Cove, everything instantly lights up.

In a video that has now gone viral, two members of Halifax-based dance group Maritime Bhangra Group is seen doing the Punjabi dance to "Jatt Mele a Gya" at the Cove.

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"Whenever we go out and dance, we just upload it," group founder Hasmeet Singh tells The Huffington Post Canada. "We didn't expect this one to spread like fire."

Members of Maritime Bhangra Group

The video, which now has been viewed almost 300,000 times on Facebook, is the group's most popular post, Singh adds.

"We want to show people how beautiful this province is."

The 26-year-old dancer, originally from Punjab, India, says he hopes doing these types of videos will get people more interested in his culture, especially in a province that has a small Punjabi population.

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"Just because we look different, we have turbans and we have beards, we get stared at," Singh says. "[By dancing] we want to tell people who we are and why we're doing this."

Members of Maritime Bhangra Group

Singh says it's also about showing the beauty of the East Coast.

"We want to show people how beautiful this province is," he says. "When people think about Canada they know Toronto or the West, but we have so many beautiful locations people don't know about."

Singh's group has 15 members both men and women, who are mostly Punjabi. What started as a volunteer-based dance group for fun, turned into a professional dance group in the beginning of the summer.

Performing at multicultural festivals, charity events and some weddings, Singh hopes to make bhangra more of an everyday gig.
If you watch the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their children as they tour Canada, you'll notice they have one consistent parenting trick: kneeling down to talk to them.

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Prince William talks to son, George, after the preschooler runs away from him during a visit to the Royal international air tattoo.

Experts agree crouching down and talking to children eye-to-eye is a form of "active listening," which can boost self-esteem and encourage communication.

Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George and Princess Charlotte arrive at the Victoria International Airport for the start of their eight-day royal tour to Canada.

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For more information on why we should all add this trick to our parenting style, watch the video above. You can also watch it here.

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A University of Alberta event turned racism against the Sikh community into an opportunity to celebrate diversity.

In September, students and staff were shocked after 12 racist, anti-Sikh posters were found around the Edmonton university's campus.

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They featured a picture of a Sikh man wearing a turban and a statement calling on people from "third-world" cultures to leave Canada.

Rather than simply condemning the posters or responding with anger, students set up an educational opportunity called "Turban Eh." (Watch video of the event.)

The University of Alberta Students' Union, the Indian Students' Association and the World Sikh Organization hosted a turban tie-in on Tuesday.

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Volunteers used cloth donated by the Sikh community to tie turbans on people who were interested, and also handed out pamphlets about Sikh culture, and served free food.

"People don't realize, but the name 'Sikh' actually means 'to learn,'" said event organizer Arundeep Singh Sandhu in a U of A video.

Sikhs cover their hair with turbans as a religious observance and to cover their long hair, which they don't cut as a sign of respect to God.

Students, staff, and politicians from around Alberta showed up at the campus to rock the colourful headwear.

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"Hatred stems from discomfort, so an event like this creates more comfort so people can ask questions without feeling they are going to offend anyone," said Inderdeep Kaur Mander, president of the Sikh Students' Association.

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Colombia, FARC sign Historic Pact ending 52-year Civil War

Published: September 28, 2016

The Colombian Government and left-wing FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) rebels have signed a historic agreement that formally brings an end to 52 years of civil war.

The agreement was signed by President Juan Manuel Santos and rebel leader Timoleon Jimenez, known as Timochenko at the ceremony in Cartagena.

Key Facts

Under the deal, the FARC will be relaunched as a political party and will be able to contest elections scheduled to be held in October 2016.

The agreement comes after four years of talks between President Santos and Timochenko in Havana, Cuba.

Significance of Agreement

The agreement brings end Latin Americas longest-running conflict (civil war) which has killed 260,000 people and left six million internally displaced. Now as part of the deal FARC rebels must hand over weapons to the United Nations within 180 days.

About Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)

FARC is Colombias largest rebel group and Latin Americas oldest left-wing insurgency.

It was established in 1964 as a communist-inspired peasant army fighting to reduce the gulf dividing rich and poor and land reform for equality in the Andean country.

Since its formation it was also active other Latin American countries in Venezuela, Panama and Ecuador besides Colombia.

In recent times, the FARC had shifted from its original ideology and was active in illegal drug trade, kidnapping and extortion activities.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2016

Topics: Colombia  FARC  International  Latin America

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Dear fellow gay white men of Canada,

Since Black Lives Matter Toronto's sit-in during Pride 2016, many of you have shown woeful levels of misunderstanding of where our community as a whole sits with the police. I've heard several of you say that the police don't pose a threat to LGBT people, because we've made "progress."

"The bathhouse raids were 35 years ago. Everything is fine now between LGBT people and the police!" is how the argument goes, as if conflict between police and LGBT people is a thing of the past. What you mean to say is that your battle for your rights (which did not include an agenda for LGBT people of colour) was already hard fought decades ago.

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During the events that unfolded since Pride (and more recently, at the Pride town hall in August 2016 and following Pride Toronto's response), gay white men (GWM) have been expressing that "they" (Black Lives Matter) ruined "our" parade. GWM even went as far as to send the group death threats.

This creates an "us versus them" hostility which is undeserved, considering BLM chapters are founded mainly by queer and trans people, and eight of their nine demands (which have since become controversial) were all about restoring and funding spaces during Pride for queer and trans youth. It should also go without saying that huge swaths of the LGBT community are also black people.

Apparently to some, our demands are "too radical/divisive." Look for yourselves fam #BlackPridepic.twitter.com/NxfaMnYUaf -- BlackLivesMatter TO (@BLM_TO) July 4, 2016

But let's actually set the BLMTO/Pride Toronto conflict aside for a moment, since you can't be blamed for misunderstanding it if there aren't some fundamental truths we get out of the way first. Let's take a closer look at the false assertion that in 2016, everything's all good between the police and the LGBT community in Canada.

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Those of you who have fought for our rights for decades have worked hard. But that freedom is yet to be available to all of our friends in the rainbow. It seems that when LGBT people of colour try to fight to secure these same, deserved enjoyments, some of you feel inconvenienced. Understand that these are not an attack on your past accomplishments or your own freedom -- others in our community are struggling and their protest finally means they refuse to be silenced. It is another monumental moment in our history.

Those of us who have only ever had positive (or at least fair) interactions with police in recent times have difficulty understanding just how difficult and dangerous police interactions are for LGBT people of colour. "Just because it doesn't make Channel 9 News doesn't mean it's not going on," says Max Mohenu, a nonbinary trans person. Mohenu writes about culture, sexuality and race for VICE Canada.

Francis Loic Kiromera is a young professional who works in policy. He also hosted the Blockorama stage at Toronto Pride this year. Kiromera believes a lot of white gay men have racial blind spots when it comes to police brutality. "If you only are interacting with a certain type of person or if you're not interacting with people who have had these types of experiences with cops, you're not gonna be as critical," he says. "I've been carded in Toronto and I'm not even on the fringes of society by any means. Still, I've had that experience just because of the colour of my skin."

Random police stops based on suspicion (carding) still disproportionately affect black people in Toronto, where 8.4 per cent of the city's population is black but the number of carded young black men between 2008 and 2011 was 3.4 times higher than that.

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Black issues and women's issues are issues faced by the LGBT community.

Howard Sapers, correctional investigator for the federal government tabled a report in 2015 in the House of Commons where he found the black inmate population grew 69 per cent between 2005 and 2015.

Police interactions with people of colour are sometimes needlessly fatal in Canada as well. Andrew Loku and Jermaine Carby are two high-profile examples of black people killed during police interactions in recent years and Abdirahman Abdi, a Somali-Canadian man, was beaten to death while being arrested in Ottawa last month.

Women are also excluded from our narrow view of police violence. A less widely known bathhouse raid took place at Pussy Palace, a women-only bathhouse event, in September 2000. Keira Grant, a Toronto health researcher and a queer black woman, was there. "It was very, very clear from the demeanor of the officers that they were not concerned about any real meaningful crime or safety issues," she says. "They had simply heard that this was going to be an opportunity to ogle scantily clad women."

Grant said the Pussy Palace raids "had a lasting effect on a lot of women in the community feeling like the police were not really somewhere that we can turn if we need help with regards to sexual violence or any other issues that might affect us as queer women."

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"The cops perpetrated a lot of sexual violence by being there," she added.

You don't get to use the acronym "LGBT" without truly taking on the issues of every letter and colour.

A poll, conducted by Ipsos Reid for Global News, found 71 per cent of all Canadian women surveyed said reporting a sexual assault to police was a negative experience. Thirty-nine per cent said the reporting process left them "devastated."

The same study found rampant victim blaming and attempts to coerce victims out of reporting sexual assaults by Canadian police. Between 2005 and 2015, Global News found only 2.9 per cent of Vancouver sexual assault reports resulted in a conviction.

So what does any of this have to do with you? It's simple. The LGBT community includes black people and women, so black issues and women's issues are issues faced by the LGBT community. You don't get to use the acronym "LGBT" without truly taking on the issues of every letter and colour. A conversation about LGBT issues devoid of anti-racist and anti-sexist values is impossible. Put bluntly, the LGBT community is not just white, gay men.

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And what about our trans community?

Mohenu says police make them nervous. "The more that I see people of colour being gunned down for no reason, it doesn't instill any sort of confidence in me," they say. Mohenu's feelings are not unique. The relationship between police and trans people (trans people of colour especially) is undeniably terrible.

"Trans women of colour are often profiled as sex-workers, drug addicts or just plain criminals," Princess Harmony Rodriguez wrote in a piece on Blackgirldangerous.com called "Whose Lives Matter?: Trans Women of Color and Police Violence.

"Discrimination against transgender people in the workplace causes us to be unemployed or underemployed, so we have to turn to sex work," she says. When trans people are victims, "we're often the ones who end up getting arrested, injured or emotionally traumatized even in the process of asking for help," she adds.

This is only a fraction of the serious issues that our community faces. Next time you're about to say that everything is fine between the LGBT community and police, think about each letter of our acronym and the compounded racial realities many people in our community face. Think about the acts of civil disobedience that led to your unburdening from police oppression.

Ray Charles sang that "None of us are free when one of us are chained." If you use the term LGBT to sound inclusive but aren't actually speaking with the entire community in mind, you might as well be honest about the fact that you're only concerned with problems that affect you personally.

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People LOVE to throw around the word "community" -- how about actually taking everyone into account?

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JEWEL SAMAD via Getty Images US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gestures at supporters during a campaign rally at the Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, on September 27, 2016. / AFP / Jewel SAMAD (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

Political commentators continue to be amazed by Donald Trump's success. A man who a year ago was considered a joke candidate is now ahead of Hillary Clinton in some polls.

The conventional wisdom is that Trump is succeeding because he has tapped into Middle America's disenchantment with the status quo. While there is an element of truth to this view, it doesn't fully explain the Trump phenomenon. The larger explanation is that the media is to blame for Donald Trump.

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For the most part, media outlets have given Mr. Trump a free ride. Trump's outrageous statements and positions have not only failed to disqualify him from the race, they have actually increased his profile and popularity. Instead of forcefully challenging Trump on each and every one of his lies and exaggerations, the media have simply winked and given him a pass.

The reason behind this sad state of affairs is the ongoing transformation of serious journalism into infotainment. Where once media outlets devoted time, money and manpower to in-depth reporting as a civic duty, now the bottom line is ratings and profits.

Fifty years ago, network newsrooms were not expected to make money whereas today they, too, must be profit centers. Sadly, broadcast licenses no longer seem to be contingent on serving the public good.

The bottom line for any media outlet today is the same as it is for any enterprise: profit. That means newspapers, magazines and TV networks can no longer afford to commit reporters to long-term, in-depth reporting. It also means that sensationalism rules the newsroom as in: "If it bleeds, it leads."

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All this means that news outlets care less about serious reporting and fact-checking and more about capturing as many readers or viewers as possible. It also means that these outlets have an inbuilt bias, what I call the horse race factor.

Check any current newspaper or television news broadcast and it is likely dominated by polling numbers for the candidates and "balanced" coverage. "Balanced" in this context means that the two candidates get an equal amount of coverage regardless of the merits or veracity of their positions.

The media often don't have the time, resources or incentive to thoroughly investigate the candidates' positions or even call them out for lying. That used to be an essential element of political reportage but it seems now that journalism has been reduced to giving equal time to each candidate no matter what they say.

In fact, the horse race factor dictates that the inferior candidate may even get less scrutiny and more trivial coverage if he's running significantly behind in the polls. Think about it; which race do you want to watch: the potential photo-finish or the complete rout?

This race horse factor was evident during the recent Commander-in-Chief forum which was supposed to deal with veterans affairs and foreign policy. Instead moderator Matt Lauer spent an inordinate amount of time forcing Hillary Clinton to rehash her e-mail issue. Trump, on the other hand, was allowed to lie outright about his antebellum opposition to the Iraq War with no push back from Mr. Lauer. All this was likely due to the desire (conscious or unconscious) to have as close a presidential race as possible.

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That's not to say that all media outlets are guilty of this sin. The Washington Post, for example, has consistently investigated Donald Trump's lies and challenged him on his tenuous positions. Fact-checking sites like Politifact and FactCheck.org have also tried to keep Trump honest but to no avail.

So long as the news media are more concerned with eyeballs, ratings and profits, candidates like Donald Trump (and even Hillary Clinton to a lesser extent) can lie, dissemble and obfuscate with few, if any, consequences. After all, you and I love a close horse race and the media just want to oblige.

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Earlier this year, Google's artificial intelligence (AI) officially defeated the Korean grandmaster, Lee Sedol, at Go -- finishing with four wins and only one loss. Considering that the evolution of AI that could beat the best human player was forecast as still being 10 years away, this win marked a significant moment.

The truth is that AI is getting more advanced -- now able to operate in extremely complex scenarios. As AIs start to make decisions in the real world, the stakes for human beings have skyrocketed -- increasing both potential and risk.

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AI in the Real-World: It's Happening Now

The race for AI controlled weapons is already happening. China announced that it's creating a new generation of cruise missiles, which incorporates a high level of artificial intelligence which would allow commanders to control them in real-time or activate a set-and-forget mode.

Alpha is a new AI flight combat system being tested by the United States Air Force (USAF). It is "the most aggressive, responsive, dynamic and credible AI" according to retired Colonel Gene Lee, who tested the AI during an air combat simulation. After the simulation, Colonel Lee noted that Alpha "seemed to be aware of my intentions, reacting instantly to my changes in flight and my missile deployment. It knew how to defeat the shot I was taking. It moved instantly between defensive and offensive actions as needed."

Based on an Air Force Report released in 2014, drones of the future will be "stealthier, faster, more computerized, equipped for electronic warfare, more lethal, more autonomous and in some cases, able to deploy as groups of mini-drones." AI will help enable drones to make decisions independently and move autonomously.

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It's also worth noting that as armies develop artificial intelligence-based weaponry, robots are also being heavily equipped with weapons that wield incredible firepower -- machine guns, rocket launchers, grenades, etc.

Robots are already becoming more lifelike, can detect our emotions and can fight on our behalf.

Soon, AIs may be able to grow or 3D print new bots, start to learn from one another and on their own, or even themselves become invulnerable.

These "advancements" inspired The Future for Life Institute's recent letter recommending care and caution in the development of autonomous weapons. Autonomous weapons, in this case, are defined as military platforms that can perform duties without the involvement of humans -- a pretty scary idea if you think about it. The Institute argues that it won't be long before the autonomous weapons wind up in the hands of dictators or terrorists, but militaries suggest that without constant development their progress will be hindered on the battlefield.

With this rapid development of AI -- particularly for military use -- should we be worried?

The Need for Governance

Managing advancements in AI appropriately is paramount. That's why Elon Musk co-founded OpenAI, an organization that explores research aimed solely at the future of AI and shares most of its research with anyone who wants it. OpenAI's mission is to push the limits of AI and generate new innovations, but also to govern the advancements of the technology. It's intended to "neutralize the threat of malicious artificial super-intelligence."

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Oxford philosopher and head of the Future of Humanity Institute, Nick Bostrom, was quick to point out that "if you share research without restriction, bad actors could grab it before anyone has ensured that it's safe."

Like Stephen Hawking, Nick Bostrom believes that machines will outsmart humans within the current century, and, what's more, they will have the potential to turn against us.

The biggest existential risk, he says, is not climate change or pandemic, it's the creation of machine intelligence greater than that of human beings -- in fact, he believes "we're like children playing with a bomb."

Elon Musk has voiced his apprehension for where the world of AI may go, and while continuous development is inevitable, he also called AI the "biggest existential threat" to humanity.

Those working with artificial intelligence know that the technology they're creating could potentially be used to cause harm. DeepMind, a company owned by Google, has a mandate to ensure AI agents don't learn how to prevent humans from maintaining control over the AI. In a paper written by researchers at DeepMind, the team claims to have created a way for human operators to safely interrupt an AI machine without it learning how to prevent or induce the interruptions. Considering the infinite possibilities AI opens up, this is an important fail-safe feature to build in as progress continues.

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Despite all of the rhetoric, AIs likely won't rise up against us, at least not anytime soon. And despite the doomsday-esque scenarios, it's important to note that AI has the potential to help solve the world's biggest challenges and benefit society in truly significant ways. Governance and regulation in the field continue to be critical in order to ensure that AI's progress doesn't get ahead of itself.

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Tetra Images via Getty Images Crime scene barrier tape

September 20. It was an ordinary Tuesday, at least it started out that way. The sun was shining, I worked on a writing assignment in the morning and then I went shopping for a birthday gift. I returned home around 3:15 p.m. "Home" being one of only five mid-sized apartment buildings and condos in a four-block radius, a couple of streets north of the University of Toronto.

Despite being so close to the action, ours is a quiet neighbourhood, filled mostly with stately old homes on beautiful tree-lined streets. There are a couple of pubs and restaurants, a Timmies, a Starbucks and several businesses in converted Victorian houses. And there's a small park that is very popular with dog owners and young mothers with babies and pre-school-age kids.

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Who would ever have thought ...?

So there I was, putting things away in my bedroom. Suddenly I heard gun shots, about four. In that nano-second where "gun shots" registered in my consciousness, I told myself I was crazy, that it was probably just a truck backfiring. And then, in as long as it takes to blink, I heard what sounded like machine gun fire and more gun shots.

In the time it took me to run from my bedroom to the living room and out onto my balcony the streets, in all directions, were closed off with yellow crime scene tape, there were police cars and ambulances everywhere and people seemed to be running toward what I'd always thought was a house.

For a minute I wondered if it was a movie in the making ...

My heart was pounding, but the writer in me was curious, instinctively noting details. There was a lot of blood in the driveway leading to that "house" which, in fact, turned out to be lawyers' offices. One of the ambulances backed into the driveway and stopped in front of the door. I did not see them lift anyone into the ambulance, but they must have, because it suddenly took off.

Then I saw a man on the sidewalk literally at the edge of our property. There were EMS workers kneeling all around him, but I had no idea if he was dead or alive. I also saw two silver cars and a silver truck in the middle of the street. There was something white in the front seat of the first car -- totally soaked in blood. Within a minute or two, he was put on a stretcher and wheeled over to a waiting ambulance. His head was wrapped in gauze but he was clearly alive.

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From start to finish, this all took about four minutes.

What I now know ...

The victim is Randall Barrs, a prominent defense attorney, who handles a lot of drug and murder cases. Grayson Delong, the shooter (alleged) is known to the police, and was shot by a plainclothes Halton Regional Police officer, conducting surveillance in the area. Whether it was the shooter they were watching or the lawyer has not been made public.

I now know first hand that anything can happen, anywhere, any time and none of us should take "safety" for granted.

He (the shooter) was dressed as a construction worker. Interesting because we are having reconstruction work done in our garage, driveway and entrance way. I wondered if the shooter dressed that way so he'd blend in.

OK, maybe I watch too many crime shows on TV.

More of what I know ...

The shooter tried to get away in that first silver car, a Honda with stolen plates. He exchanged gunfire with the police. And that was a machine gun I heard  it came from the policeman who shot him.

The lawyer had been shot in the driveway where I saw the blood. He was able to crawl to safety, taking refuge inside the building. He suffered gun shot wounds to his legs, was taken to hospital but was released the next day. Thankfully.

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The shooter has been charged with attempted murder and more than a dozen other offences.

I now know first hand that anything can happen, anywhere, any time and none of us should take "safety" for granted.

Having said that we are relatively lucky in this country. I shudder to think of what it's like to live in the U.S. where second amendment rights take priority over a human's right to go about their daily lives without fear of being killed. Where it's just about as easy to buy a gun, even for someone who is mentally ill or a terrorist, as it is to buy a soft drink.

What really freaks me out ...
Ben Heys via Getty Images Boy on boat

I got to meet eight-year-old Sileap and his family in their home. Photo: Joan Kelley Weisshaar Walker

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As a child advocate, I recently had the opportunity to travel to Cambodia to see some of the work World Vision is doing to make a difference. It was the first time I took my sons to see how many people in developing countries live. I tracked my experience in this travel journal. This is the second of three parts.

Day 3: A Diet of Rice Water

Despite the heartbreak I witnessed in Cambodia, there were some bright spots. A big one was that I got to spend time with the eight boys we sponsor in that country. Sileap is one of those children.

Although he is eight years old and in Grade Two, Sileap could easily be mistaken for a five-year-old.

Sileap has been stunted because of malnutrition. He is a bright and charming child with a family who loves him, but poverty and his parents' lack of education about nutrition are contributing factors to his challenges.

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I visited Sileap's home where his father told me that when Sileap was a baby, there was not enough food to go around. Sileap was fed the water from boiling rice.

A father's dream

Sileap's father and I chatted about how challenges are the same all over the world, how hardships reach everyone and how fathers like him have burdens and struggles.

He was very emotional when he was telling me the pressures that are on him. He has three children, he cares for his parents and family and he works in construction. But it is not consistent enough to support everyone in his care. He knows that World Vision is new to his area but he understands the benefits for his family.

This father's dream is for Sileap's health to get better, for his boy to be happy in his life and for Sileap not to struggle as he has.

The saving grace was the hope in this father's eyes when we talked about World Vision's help. Many of the families I spoke to know that World Vision will make things better.

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I can't even find words to explain how thankful I am to be able to be here, to share and to help care for these people. I am here to witness first-hand the amazing work World Vision is doing to connect with people who really need help and to make a plan.

Meeting our sponsored children

My husband and I met the children we sponsor and their families. Photo: Joan Kelley Weisshaar Walker

My family sponsors eight boys through World Vision in Cambodia. I was so excited to meet them!

The children range in age from eight to 16 years old. Each child had a parent, grandparent, or aunt accompanying them. We sat under a tree and had a long conversation, facilitated through a translator.

I have to say, I was surprised and impressed at the high level of focus the children kept while we sat and talked. All the boys, even the youngest ones, were listening, interested and asking questions.

We asked what they wanted to be when they grew up. The answers ranged from engineer, doctor, police man, movie star, to teacher.

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The boys brought me gifts including a vase, fruit that grew in their yard and some baked goods. I brought them a bunch of stuff with a Canadian theme like a big towel, a Frisbee, notebooks, pencils, tin mugs, back packs all with maple leafs on it. I also added a dream catcher with a Mountie on it and tooth brushes!

The biggest hit was the Frisbee, by far. I was surprised they didn't know what it was, but they had fun trying and caught on quickly. It was so inspirational to watch my own children playing with my sponsored children! I loved it, what a great day!

We had a chance to teach our sponsored kids to play Frisbee. Photo: Joan Kelley Weisshaar Walker

Day 4: Angkor Wat

Strolling around the ruins of ancient Angkor in Cambodia, I see more evidence of the Khmer Rouge. (In case you missed Part 1 of my journal, they were the communist party who set up policies that produced repression and massacres on a massive scale).

There are countless artifacts, religious statues and decorative pieces missing here. They were removed by the leader of the Khmer Rouge during the war to sell on the black market.

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Previously, these artifacts sat un-vandalized for hundreds of years. The ones that were stolen were the most detailed ones: some with diamonds in the eyes or jeweled embellishments. Now these pieces are scattered all over the world, some in museums and in private collections.

Touring Angkor Wat where our tour guide Thom (whose name has been changed) spoke about the effects of the Khmer Rouge and Cambodia's hopes for a bright future. Photo: Joan Kelley Weisshaar Walker

Our guide, Thom (not his real name) says this vandalism makes him feel bad. "We try to get (the artifacts) back. Some want to give them back but our government needs to produce records to show they belong to Cambodia," he explains.

Thom was only three when the genocide started. His father was named Lou. Lou worked in an office, was well-educated and spoke several languages: a perfect target for the Khmer Rouge. Lou was murdered early on in the war, leaving Thom, his mother and sister to be jailed.

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Thom's sister died of starvation. His mother survived, but was so devastated that she never spoke of her daughter to Thom. To this day he doesn't know his sister's name.

Thirty-seven years of war is too long, says Thom. "My dream for Cambodia is for the next generation to be better educated to build this country to a better place."

The key to progress

Sources tell me there are about 1400 NGOs in Cambodia. Some, like World Vision, are very productive. They hold the systems accountable and are improving conditions. They work with the government and community to build skills and capacity. They help government and communities to interact in a way that is sustainable, and to support people in gaining skills to shaping their own futures.

That is why I am happy to see World Vision is present here -- especially when children's well-being is at stake.
Oman News Agency via AP

As Canadians breathe a sigh of relief following Iranian Canadian Professor Homa Hoodfar's release from Iran's infamous Evin prison, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement, which among other things extended a hand to Iran by thanking "those Iranian authorities who facilitated her release and repatriation. They understand that cases like these impede more productive relations."

To be sure, Professor Hoodfar's release highlights the benefits of diplomatic engagement and could be the beginning of a shift in Canada-Iran relations.

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While Canada's closest international partners re-engage Iran and establish diplomatic and/or economic ties, Ottawa has understandably been taking its time on playing catch up. In the absence of diplomatic relations, Canada had reportedly concluded over the summer that Oman, a country with close ties to Iran, would be best positioned to advance Canada's pursuit of Professor Hoodfar's release.

What Professor Hoodfar's release reflects is that diplomacy with Iran is effective within a big picture lens.

Reportedly, Canada made it clear to Oman that a fresh approach with Tehran would be impossible with a Canadian held in an Iranian prison for feminism. What is certain is that Oman had proven to be an effective interlocutor with Iran over the years. It was the Omanis that initiated and facilitated secret discussions in 2012 between the United States and Iran which culminated in last year's landmark nuclear deal. If Oman was to be the interlocutor then the United Nations General Assembly would provide the avenue for movement on Canada-Iran relations.

On the margins of the General Assembly, Trudeau held a meeting with Oman's foreign minister on the Hoodfar case, which in turn likely paved the way for a meeting later that day between Canada's foreign minister, Stephane Dion, and his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad-Zarif. This meeting represented the highest level direct dialogue with Iran in years. Among the items discussed were "consular cases", which almost certainly alluded to Professor Hoodfar. If Dion was to convey to Zarif that progress on bilateral ties hinged on a goodwill gesture on the part of Iran, that meeting would be the best time to do it.

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What Professor Hoodfar's release reflects is that diplomacy with Iran is effective within a big picture lens. Case in point, world powers signed a historic nuclear deal last year with Iran to peacefully resolve the nuclear impasse.

The work does not end here, Iranian Canadian Saeed Malekpour is still being held in Iran.

Earlier this year, the ties that had been forged between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif paid off when American sailors who strayed into Iranian waters were returned within 16 hours and as both countries exchanged prisoners. By engaging Iran, Canada can reap the benefits of diplomacy with a country it disagrees with on many issues, including the release of Iranian Canadian prisoners of conscience. After all, diplomacy is most useful when used to talk to those you disagree with than with your friends.

To be certain, the trajectory away from the Trudeau government's inherited Iran policy began last winter when Minister Dion lifted Canada's nuclear-related sanctions against Iran in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 2231 endorsing the nuclear deal. Dion indicated last June that discussions between Ottawa and Tehran began and that re-engagement would be step-by-step at the official level in a neutral country. Now that both countries have begun talking through their chief diplomats, a tangible outcome has been reached, namely Professor Hoodfar's release.

The work does not end here, Iranian Canadian Saeed Malekpour is still being held in Iran. Increased and regular engagement will be needed to secure his release as will the restoration of consular services. Canada is home to a large number of Iranian Canadians who maintain links to their homeland. These individuals are unable to access consular services for common transactions such as passport renewals, power of attorney documents and the like, and must ironically travel to Iran's Interests Section in Washington, D.C. for consular services.

To the naysayers, if the achievements of the past year are any indication, diplomacy works and "schoolyard diplomacy" of disengagement bears little to no fruit.

Re-engagement efforts should also include the resumption of trade and business transactions as permitted by the nuclear deal as well as opportunities for academic exchanges to foster cultural links and to exchange knowledge between Canadian and Iranian institutions. From a geopolitical perspective, Canadian and Iranian interests are overlapping in the fight against Daesh in Iraq and both countries belong to the International Syria Support Group, meriting consideration for increased engagement on regional issues.

As I have argued before, re-engaging Tehran does not mean that Canada and Iran will become strategic partners, however, if Canada can engage with Saudi Arabia, a country with which little is shared in terms of values, then surely it can engage with Iran whose population is highly secular and Western-leaning.

To the naysayers, if the achievements of the past year are any indication, diplomacy works and "schoolyard diplomacy" of disengagement bears little to no fruit. While diplomacy can often be a lengthy and painstaking process, it is an effective tool at bridging divides, resolving disagreements and pursuing the national interest. Understanding this, Canada deserves credit for securing Professor Hoodfar's release and for re-engaging Iran.

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MOHAMMED ABED via Getty Images A Palestinian girl stands at the entrance of a project by the Christian charity World Vision, in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip, on August, 16 2016.His company is accused of helping to divert millions of dollars in funds to Hamas, but Gaza businessman Saqer Alatar insists he barely knows the NGO worker at the centre of the storm.m'I only know what he looks like. Maybe I wished him good morning once,' Alatar said at his Gaza offices as a tractor lifted potatoes into a pickup truck nearby. / AFP / MOHAMMED ABED (Photo credit should read MOHAMMED ABED/AFP/Getty Images)

The media rollout on August 4th was flawless, and the news story was indeed sensational. Israel claimed that millions of dollars of World Vision aid money in Gaza had been diverted to Hamas. The supposed culprit was Mohammad El Halabi, Manager of World Vision's Gaza operations. All the major newswires carried the story, and Canadian media -- including the National Post, Global News, and CTV News -- joined the media wolf pack.

As Israel's Ynet News reported the next day, the Israeli Foreign Ministry had left nothing to chance. Israeli embassies around the world were told to push the story hard to international media, opinion makers and senior officials. "Religious groups" which were likely to support World Vision were to be specifically targeted in this campaign. To facilitate the task, government ministries had prepared slick infographics, and a video about the story with ominous music.

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A World Vision donor myself, the story came up in my online feeds, and in conversation with friends. Even my brother in Chicago asked me if I had any insight on the allegations. Testament to the effectiveness of Israel's media campaign.

This is an occupation. It is ugly.

Within a few days, however, inconsistencies in Israel's story began to emerge. The sum alleged to have been siphoned off by El Halabi over seven years -- $50 million -- was more than twice the total budget of World Vision in Gaza during the same period. Moreover, during five of the seven years, El Halabi had been in a lesser position, which had signing authority of only $15,000.

Other unsettling details also soon emerged. World Vision executive Tim Costello revealed that El Halabi had been in detention for three weeks without being able to consult a lawyer, and 50 days without seeing family or a World Vision rep. El Halabi had been arrested on June 15, and had only been charged on August 4, which is the first time World Vision learned of the specific charges against him.

Israel claimed El Halabi had confessed during detention. But after the public announcement of charges, El Halabi denied both the "confession" and the allegations through his lawyer, Mohammad Mahmoud. Mahmoud also disclosed that El Halabi had been beaten repeatedly while in Israeli custody.

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After reviewing the case, Amnesty International also took strong issue with Israel's treatment of El Halabi. Foremost it decried Israel's decision to carry out a "secret trial."

This is an occupation. It is ugly. Suspects are questioned for weeks without a lawyer, and detained for months without charge. Confessions obtained through torture are fair game. Suspects are condemned publicly before trial. And suspects are inevitably guilty: 99.74 per cent of trials of Palestinians in Israeli military courts lead to convictions.

A senior British NGO official familiar with Gaza asserted, "This is about Israel trying to put international NGOs, who are increasingly critical of Israeli policies, in their place." The feedback was similar in diplomatic circles. Western officials pointed out that, on this matter, Israel seemed more interested in creating a "public diplomacy buzz" than in resolving the issue with World Vision.

It may be that El Halabi has committed misdeeds -- time will tell -- but why should that derail all of World Vision's operations in Gaza? Before the end of August, World Vision had been forced to lay off all 120 staff in Gaza after the organization's bank accounts in Jerusalem had been frozen by Israel. The organization was simply no longer able to transfer money to Gaza.

This is an occupation, and not even humanitarian organizations are protected.

World Vision stresses that it uses the highest possible standards of accountability, and has no reason to suspect El Halabi of wrongdoing. The organization performs international background checks on its employees, and has PricewaterhouseCoopers audit its Gaza operations annually.

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A military occupation is callous and cruel, and even before his brutal detention, Mr. El Halabi probably understood that better than anyone.

So it's not clear why Israel froze World Vision's accounts based on shaky allegations against a single employee. The end result, however, is that 120 Gaza families lose a breadwinner, and 40,000 children supported by World Vision in Gaza lose their development programs.

When I heard of the shutdown of World Vision's operations in Gaza, I became concerned about a Palestinian girl that my wife and I have sponsored through World Vision for over 10 years.

The call center representative was very reassuring. "Oh Mr. Woodley. There's no need to worry -- your child is in the Nablus program which is run by World Vision Canada, so you have nothing to be concerned about. The Gaza program is run by World Vision International, which is entirely separate."

I didn't share her confidence. Didn't she realize that Israel could just as easily detain a Nablus employee, torture him, allege misdeeds, and shut down World Vision Canada's work with Palestinians?

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A military occupation is callous and cruel, and even before his brutal detention, Mr. El Halabi probably understood that better than anyone. He is profiled in a number of World Vision online features, including one entitled, "When tragedy strikes your own." In it, he describes how he lost eight members of his extended family during Israeli airstrikes on Gaza two years ago:

"Every hour and every day, we see scenes of murdered children predominantly displayed on all of our television channels. I am sure it is hard for most people in the world to imagine the status of their bodies and their innocent childhoods being destroyed by indiscriminative [sic] fire."

As a loyal World Vision employee, he still made sure to plug the "amazing results" the organization's children's programs had achieved, especially with children affected by war. But he warned, "I am concerned that the values that we have instilled in these children will be swept [sic] by the devastating bombs from [Israel's] F16s and drones."

The values may be swept away even before the next flare up of devastating violence, while Mr. Halabi waits in jail, and World Vision's facilities sit silent in Gaza.

Correction: A previous version of this blog misstated that Mohammad El Halabi will be tried in a military court, when in fact he will be tried in a civilian court.

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The five things you need to know on Wednesday, September 28, 2016

1) REDUCE, REUSE, RECYLE?

At a fringe last night, Keir Starmer (the ex-shadow immigration minister who has been tipped for a Shadow Cabinet job) declared: If we are honest with ourselves, Labour has been lacking in confidence on immigration for a number of years. We dont know what to say and we are on the back foot in debates.

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Fast-forward to todays big conference speech and those words seem all too prescient. Corbyn is to say he will not fan the flames or make false promises on immigration. His spokesman (who was sent naked into the pre-briefing chamber with reporters yesterday as Seumas Milne opted not to do it) added Its not the objective to reduce the numbers, to reduce immigration.

Corbyn himself on a pre-recorded Today prog interview (Im told hes not a morning person so opted out of the live broadcast and was instead spotted having breakfast in the Pullman Hotel yesterday) underlined his view that Labour should talk of the positives of migration. He even said the numbers kinda go up and down and implied as a result everyone should just calm down.

It was all a contrast to Rachel Reeves telling a fringe yesterday that Britain could explode into riots if migration wasnt curbed when Brexit happens. As for Corbyns words on this issue of numbers, will he try to kill off the row by inserting a line into his speech that levels of low-skilled migration are too high, as Ed Miliband was forced to in 2012?

He may not. Remember countless Labour politicians under Ed M refused to say migration should be reduced and instead they endlessly recycled the line that they want controls (even the infamous Labour mug said no more than that). Many felt that May and Cameron were barmy to commit to a quota or target, and May is facing the reality of how hard it is to cut the figures. But with Labour Leave voters keen to see the party back in touch, the pressure is on for Jez to say a lower level of migration over time may be a good thing.

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2) TRENCH FOOT

Of course immigration wont be Corbyns main message in his speech. Instead, it will focus on the 10-point plan he campaigned on in the leadership contest.

But some party insiders tell me the speech is so thin and detail-free that some delegates plan to stage a silent protest, sitting reading books during his speech rather than applauding. Many MPs are getting out of Dodge early, fearing they will be vox-popped afterwards. One senior figure told me they cant bring themselves to say do the rictus smile and they want Jez as Prime Minister.

And one of the key tests will be just how far hes prepared to go on uniting his party in the wake of his second landslide (party) election. The Labour leader will call on his MPs and members to end the trench warfare of the bitter summer contest. But as Tom Watson showed yesterday, those battle lines are still deeply drawn.

The deputy leaders speech received a rapturous reception from the conference hall as its mostly-moderate delegates cheered his key line that it was time to stop criticising the Blair and Brown governments (something Corbyn and McDonnell do regularly). Corbyn just stroked his beard, stayed seated and didnt applaud, as the entire platform beside him got to their feet (notably including Johanna Baxter, who has been voted off the NEC).

But the most electrifying moment came when a heckler tried to shout him down and Watson replied, looking directly at Corbyn: Jeremy, I dont think she got the unity memo. It was the most extraordinary show of defiance Ive seen on a Labour platform since Gordon Brown chided Blair with his best when we are Labour jibe in 2003. But more importantly, it also felt like Watson was ridiculing his own leader to his face. Afterwards, Watson was greeted like a hero as he toured the conference stands and cheered to the rafters as he arrived at the Pullman Hotel.

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And yet, Corbyn will try to unite his party with some surprise names in his reshuffled top team after conference. And on the vexed issue of Shadow Cabinet elections Im told theres been some movement with Rosie Winterton pleased at progress on talks. We could get a short-term fix but the wider reforms will still be discussed in November.

Trench warfare is a good way to describe whats been happening in Labour, as it seems the plan to expand the NEC to a Corbynsceptic majority has been plotted for months, well before the coup. The left tried belatedly to skirmish yesterday with claims of gerrymandering but it was too late.

As Ive been saying all week, the big prize of conference for the moderates was the NEC places. Yet they were caught offguard late yesterday as the Left got through (with union support) something theyve wanted for years: a rule change to unpick policy documents and vote on them line by line. That guarantees years of conference rows to come. Watch for the detail card vote breakdowns on the motions this morning.

Meanwhile, the Sun has a story that another old warrior, Degsy Hatton, was spotted having lunch with Len McCluskey here in Liverpool. Those rumours about Hattons application to rejoin the party are rife, but are they now more than rumours?

Corbyn will call today for May to get on with a snap election. Peter Mandelson hinted yesterday that he wanted one to hasten Corbyns demise: Bring it on so we can deal with the awful situation in the Labour party earlier than 2020.

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3) SECONDS OUT

The In-Out Hokey-Cokey of the Labour leadership campaign appeared to be continuing this week as the party passed a little-noticed motion on Monday endorsing a second EU referendum.

Owen Smith had put the idea at the heart of his message this summer, but most Labour members werent as exercised about it as hed hoped. Corbyn was repeatedly cool on it, pointing out that the British people had spoken on Brexit. So it was a surprise to see the motion pop up at conference.

Anyway Im told that the whole thing was due to a massive cockup in the compositing meeting and last night the NEC had to take the unusual (and embarrassing) decision to put out a statement clarifying its position: Conference policy on Brexit has been misinterpreted in some reports as committing Labour to a second referendum on UK membership for the EU, so for the avoidance of doubt we want to make clear that it is not our policy.

Tim Farron has already seized on that as more evidence of a Labour shambles. The Lib Dems are also saying Labour in Liverpool this week has proved it is miles away from power, which takes irony to whole new levels.

Meanwhile, Germanys European commissioner Gunther Oettinger has told business leaders that the Brexit vote was a result of the shit campaign of Cameron. Oh, and Sarkos back. He said that if he wins the French Presidency next May, the day after he would fly to London: I would tell the British, youve gone out, but we have a new treaty on the table so you have an opportunity to vote again.

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BECAUSE YOUVE READ THIS FAR

Watch Clive Lewis on punchy form at the Mirror party.

URGENT JEWS' STORY

One of the most frustrating and upsetting things for many Jews listening to the whole Labour anti-semitism row is when they come under attack for even raising it as an issue. Yesterday, on the conference platform, Mike Katz of the Jewish Labour Movement said how depressed he was that the party of Manny Shinwell was now viewed by the nations Jews.

But even as Katz said how disappointed he was that the NEC had decided to wait a year to bring forward rule changes to root out anti-semitism, he was heckled from the conference floor. Shouts of Rubbish! and You dont speak for all Jews! were heard.

This, after Katz had said he was "sad to report" a number of incidents at the conference's exhibitions and that support for Labour among British Jews is reported to be at its lowest ever, which "makes me weep".

Jeremy Corbyn turned up to the Labour Friends of Israel meeting last night and had a better reception than last year (when a certain Michael Foster heckled him). But Israeli Labor Party MP Michal Biran told us afterwards that she was disappointed Corbyn didnt acknowledge the elephant in the room. He should have condemned antisemitism in the party: he has not done enough. He skirted round it, she said.

And leftwinger Jackie Walker, who has claimed this week that the anti-semitism claims are exaggerated, was singled out by Biran: "A person saying something like that should not be a member of UK Labour. There may be more on Walker later today.

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5) CRAZY OLIVE PRICES

The Times Diary has a lovely story about Sir Craig Olivers planned interview with Newsnight at the Tory conference in Birmingham next Monday.

Camerons former comms chief isnt accredited, which is a problem as the BBC studio is in the secure zone. Apparently, the Tory press office decided to be lenient and sort things. But then came Olivers Mail on Sunday book serialisation and claims about Theresa May refusing to help Cameron in the EU referendum.

So, the man known to the Lobby as Crazy Olive faced a change in mood. And he was told he could of course have a conference pass - but only if he paid 1,450 as a commercial guest. Maybe hell use some of the huge payoff he got from Dave to foot the bill?

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Gartner predicts 6.4 billion connected 'things' will be in use worldwide by the end of 2016, which is a 30 per cent increase from 2015. The concept of connected "things" encompasses far more than just devices and involves connected cities and infrastructure. Smart cities promote numerous advantages for the public and organisations alike, improving communication response capability, remote control potential for public services and interactive experiences for the public.

A leading example of this is Kansas City's smart city initiative - a collaborative $15 million partnership between Cisco, Sprint and Think Big Partners. The initiative focuses on the City's two-mile-long street car route, and is one of the first economic development projects credited to the City's modern car user. Residents on this stretch of road have free access to cutting-edge technologies, such as free public Wi-Fi, smart streetlights, smart traffic signals and interactive kiosks.

Smart cities are also moving from concept to reality throughout central Europe, with metropolitan cities such as Amsterdam leading the way. The city deployed 40 projects ranging from smart parking, to the development of home energy storage for integration with a smart grid. Businesses, residents and educational institutions are strongly encouraged to suggest and apply future thinking ideas and solutions for their cities. This open approach to developing concepts such as these and whole market collaboration has been the core to the city's success so far.

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Who's connecting first?

The race to connect metropolitan cities throughout Europe is fuelling innovation, improving business districts and driving growth. This is demonstrated in the UK by the Smart London Plan that was originally created before the 2012 Olympics, with the objective of utilising the creative power of new technologies to improve the lives of Londoners.

However, if the benefits from smart city adoption are so apparent, being aided with the constant emergence of connected solutions (IoT, 5G, Cloud), what is hindering smart city deployment?

So what is the hold up?

Some attribute the hesitation to deploy to a lack of connected infrastructure requiring more antenna sites to be made available throughout cities. Antenna sites are a much needed asset in smart city development as they enable radio frequencies to boost wireless connectivity potential and availability in selected sites. The increasing development of 5G and the integration of internet-enabled solutions across all city infrastructure will continue to demand more antenna sites and readily available fiber connectivity at a competitive standard.

Mobile operators, who own the license that can enable improvements to be made to wireless broadband signals and therefore incentivise investment, are able to dictate the rate at which antenna sites are developed. However, the business case is continuing to change and decisions are frequently reliant on a guaranteed user case, to ensure return on investment, before further investment or collaboration to market incumbents is offered.

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This, in part, is continuing to restrict the speed of progression in relation to smart city initiatives, as interaction and communication between a combination of wireless technologies is needed for its success.

How can we ensure the smart city will flourish?

Supporting technological infrastructure within a city and its availability must be capable of managing the increased demand on network usage. Therefore, governing bodies must ensure that an effective roll out of fibre connectivity is achieved and managed, combined with the roll out of more antenna sites and full market collaboration.

Regulators and governing bodies will continue to play a crucial role in the progression of connectivity standards and availability within countries. In the UK for example, Ofcom is driving the increased market availability of dark fibre ducts to wider competition in the UK. These regulators can apply further pressure to mobile operators and other incumbents in the space to support and invest in smart city initiatives, emphasising the need for increased collaboration between mobile operators and network fibre based providers, to enable smart cities to thrive.

Education is fundamental, as many organisations are demanding and driving for their own involvement in smart city projects across the globe. However, without the ability to best utilise what is on offer and understand where organisations can provide value, potential investment opportunities may continue to be squandered due to simply a lack knowledge. Within the UK, the City of London created a digital infrastructure toolkit, named Wayleaves, which gives broadband providers, SMEs, landlords and developers the information and support they need to deliver digital infrastructure in an efficient way. This incentivises the development of average connection standards and can act as a useful resource for smart city project conceptualisation.

Partner for the future

It is crucial for market incumbents to begin communicating effectively and developing relationships for the future. A desirable matrix relationship would combine 3G and 4G mobile providers, with Dark Fibre enablers and non-profit organisations. When amalgamated, a powerful, viable and efficient connectivity standard can be offered to public sector organisations accelerating smart city project roll outs across Europe.

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To enable this collaboration to occur, a neutral host model is recommended, that will allow network providers of all calibres to offer and receive coverage and capacity benefits to and from other providers in the market, via a single distribution backbone.
Cuba, Russia sign Agreement on Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation

Published: September 28, 2016

Russia and Cuba have signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of peaceful atomic energy use.

The agreement was signed between Russian state nuclear agency Rosatom and Cubas Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment in Vienna.

Key Facts

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of International 60th Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference held in Vienna, capital city of Austria.

The deal lays down the basis for further cooperation in different fields from agriculture to training nuclear specialists.

To facilitate the implementation of the agreement special coordinating committees and bilateral working groups will be created.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2016

Topics: Cuba  International  Nuclear energy  Russia

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Throughout his prolific career, Pablo Picasso made literally thousands of drawings. Some were sketches of ideas that would later evolve into paintings, others were complete in themselves and then there were those dedications - scribbles really - that were handed out to lucky recipients.

A mixture of all these are to be found in the 30 to be shown at the Omer Tiroche Gallery in Mayfair. The earliest stems from 1905 in Picasso's so-called Rose Period.

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Saltimbanque et Jeune Fille (above) is a tender illustration that heralded his many full paintings involving the circus performers that he so admired and took inspiration from but also found enigmatic. This was an era in which Picasso was enjoying the cafe society in Montmartre in the company of other artists, writers and poets with whom he was constantly exchanging ideas. The colours are bright, the atmosphere optimistic.

Yet this still life Nature Morte Cubiste (above) from 1910, well into his analytic cubist period, was, according to gallery owner Omer Tiroche, anything but a study for a painting.

"We can see the strings of a guitar but around it we really don't know what's going on. There could be a vase or a piece of fruit. This is certainly a finished piece."

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Reclining female nudes are a recurring theme of this exhibition and tell an engrossing story of Picasso's life and attitude to women. He once referred to women as either goddesses or doormats. There are nudes in provocative poses that some at the time regarded as pornographic. There are various drawings of artists and their models in both figurative and cubist styles.

Picasso had a voracious sexual appetite and kept a variety of mistresses even during his lengthy relationships and marriages. It's said that women defined his various artistic periods. In 1927, he met 17-year-old Marie-Therese Walter when he was 45 and began a secret affair with her while he was still married to the Russian ballerina Olga Khoklova. The exhibition devotes a wall to Marie-Therese with drawings that are flowing and exude joy.

Opposite is another wall devoted to the photographer and painter Dora Maar who became his lover in the late 1930s. He met her in the Paris cafe, Les Deux Magots while she was playing a game involving sticking a knife between her gloved fingers. His pictures of her are more angular with rigid forms, jagged edges. They suggest a more tempestuous relationship with a woman more intellectually and emotionally challenging.

Femme Debout et Femme Assise from 1939 (above) has the two women standing next to each other. It's from a series he repeated both on canvas as well as paper.

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"You can see Marie-Therese standing in white with a veil almost like a bride's and next to her Dora Maar in her famous bulbous armchair sitting with jagged lines," says Tiroche. "You can almost see the dissatisfaction in her face with such distortion."

The drawing was inspired by an accidental meeting of the two women in Picasso's studio. A catfight ensued which Picasso let happen, marvelling at the thought of two women fighting over him. Marie-Therese eventually hanged herself four years after his death. Dora Maar had a nervous breakdown when Picasso left her. Another of Picasso's wives, Jacqueline Roque also killed herself.

Placed next to the Dora Maar wall is a drawing entitled Fishermen (above). A Norwegian friend and artist named Carl Nesjar developed a technique called sandblasting which enabled him to recreate drawings on to buildings. The Norwegian government commissioned him to sandblast some murals on to an office block in Oslo.

Picasso agreed to draw this and other maritime scenes that referenced both Picasso's surroundings at his then villa in Antibes and to the fjords, waterfalls and coast of Norway. Nesjar then duly sandblasted them on to the building and they remain there to this day. Nesjar gave the drawings to the building's architect whose descendants sold them after his death.

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The back wall of the exhibition is dedicated to dedications. Picasso was famous for scribbling pictures for people on backs of envelopes, scraps of paper or whatever was at hand. One such item in the show is a till receipt for 500 francs. It's on sale now for 12,000.

The lucky man dedicated on the picture above, Scene de Tauromachie, received a wonderful series of scribbles that so beautifully encapsulate the bullring which Picasso first began drawing at the age of 10.

Picasso on Paper gives an intriguing and intimate glimpse into the life, thoughts and techniques that made Pablo Picasso the most innovative and influential artist of the 20th century.

It runs at the Omer Tiroche Gallery, 21 Conduit Street, London W1s 2XP from 4 October-16 December 2016.

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When my grandparents arrived in the UK from India in the 1950's there was little to welcome them. They weren't allowed into certain jobs, mainstream society or even on the grass. Aside from the fledgling diaspora, the only other support came from the Labour Party. They offered a hand of friendship and an arm of protection. In return, the Indian community gave their votes, loyalty and heart - for generations. In our family, as well as a blotchy mess, you exit the womb two things: A Sikh and a Labour voter. I saw through the God gobbledegook years ago, and now I, and countless other British Indian's - both young and old - walk away from Labour.

The party we were brought up to believe in and trust no longer exists. It is behaving in a way we can't understand or support.

The antisemitism row isn't just a Jewish problem. It is perceived in some quarters that Labour has tolerated some under its banner to round on a minority and unleash hatred, bile and attack, the likes of which has not been seen in mainstream British politics since the 1930's. This sinister behaviour is becoming worse and more entrenched in the identity of Corbyn's Labour. Unchecked, it could appear as de-facto policy. The behaviour of Momentum this week at conference has torn to shreds the (already questionable) conclusions of Baroness Chakrabarti's report on Anti-Semitism in the Labour Party. Wound one minority, others feel the slice; some British Indians are watching and wondering, 'are we next?' It may be a groundless question, but fear has a tendency to bypass pragmatism and cool thought. It's almost unconscionable that Labour (officially or unofficially) could even contemplate an attack on a minority. They were our guardians, not our accusers. It seems that there may be cause for concern: Brexit has stoked old racial tensions; Labour's near-silence on race-hate crimes has been deafening and terrifying in equal measure. We expect token-gesture responses from the Conservatives, but from Labour we want heartfelt action and solidarity. There has been neither.

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But silence seems to be something they have become rather good at. Many in the British Indian community were waiting for the Labour party to roar a response to the doctors' strike, teachers strike and BHS fiasco - fertile Labour ground if there ever was one - but nothing impassioned came from them. Just Stock responses and stock protests. Their minds - and hearts - were elsewhere. I just don't know where. My grandfather, who helped establish the Indian Workers Association trade union in the 1960's with support from Labour, would be itching under his turban in disbelief if he were alive now. But beyond Corbyn's apathy and otherness, his shadow Chancellor has truly ripped away the heartstrings. The British Indian community are hard-wired for entrepreneurship - it's a trait seared into them by the poverty-fire which flamed under their feet. So, for him to try and convince them of the merits of high business taxation, borrowing and nationalisation is a mission of kamikaze consequences.

Labour is being perceived by some as a party of extremism, isolationism, intrigue and fear. It is not a party for British Indians any more. But I ask Corbyn and his acolytes this: do you realise what you have lost? Do you realise who you have cast aside? The British Indians were among your most loyal foot-soldiers. They were your broken-glass-crawlers, die hard campaigners and effective - and passionate - evangelisers. You have pushed away a worthy and honourable group of women and men, and generations yet unborn, with your policies, tolerances and silence. And for what? For who? I fear it's for your own skewed notion of Britain. But that country - the way you want it to be - will never and should never exist.

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I for one was pleased Hillary Clinton referenced "my husband' in the debate on Monday. If what people like about Donald Trump is that he's a real person and they see her as a patronising know-all, then her long marriage to Bill shows her in a different light.

The political class still haven't forgiven Bill. You can still see them having flashbacks when his name is mentioned. The crudity of the sex scandal that engulfed the White House during his presidency is all too vivid in their memories. The embarrassment, the humiliation that they felt as the world's media swarmed into Washington, holding their hands over their mouths to mask their giggles, still surfaces easily.

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For readers who don't remember the 90s, Bill Clinton was found to have been having an affair with a young intern named Monica Lewinsky, aged 25. He famously went on TV and denied having had 'sexual relations with that woman' but it later transpired that he was kidding himself and everyone else - he simply meant they hadn't had penetrative sex. All kinds of messing about had gone on. Lewinsky was persuaded to hand over a dress awaiting dry cleaning which had a stain on the shoulder. Analysis proved it to be Bill's semen.

The ensuing scandal engulfed American politics; it was Newsnight crossed with the Jeremy Kyle show. Many Americans, understandably hated this. They saw the office of President as having been demeaned. A barely-repressed shudder and a curled lip still accompany many mentions of Bill's name on TV.

But does the disempowered white guy with a pick up truck and bad tattoos see it that way? Does his long-suffering girlfriend? Trump said after the debate that he had planned to attack Bill Clinton but he couldn't bring himself to, because of his respect for Chelsea Clinton, who was in the audience. Maybe the real reasons he didn't attack Bill for his sexual exploits was that he knew it wouldn't help with his demographic.

For people who see themselves as rhinestone cowboys, Bill's tale may feel like something they can relate to; a sort of Samson and Delilah with sex tips.

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Is there any man in America who has had their private flaws more ruthlessly exposed to the public eye, who has been more thoroughly humiliated and yet who has managed to stay standing throughout the process; finding a third act as a supportive spouse.

And Hillary stayed by his side and faced the music with him. People say now - and I was arguing with a young waitress about this the other day - that she she held onto Bill because she knew it would benefit her political career.

But I don't think anyone who lived through it would think that. When the scandal was in the process of erupting all over the news channels, Bill Clinton had hardly a friend in the world. Hillary was criticised by many for turning out to be a doormat and letting the sisterhood down. She could have cut him loose. It wouldn't have hurt her politically - quite the reverse. She could have found herself another suit-able escort.

Donald Trump said that he planned to attack Bill, but couldn't bring himself to do it, due to his respect for Chelsea Clinton, who was in the audience. Trump also has had an interesting love life. When I couldn't sleep the other night, I found myself reading all about his family. It's like a Jackie Collins saga or Dynasty. He has five good looking children, four of whom were a the debate last night. He has been married three times and there was a showdown on the ski slopes when number one wife, the impressive Ivana Trump, found out about his affair with the woman who became her replacement. Then Trump moved on again. Trump on marriage: he has talked about how he often advises his friends, if it's not going well they should do as he does, "cut their losses" and move on.

Clinton could have done that. But she didn't. There must be many long marriages that come across shoals in the water, infidelity, or other things - look at Brangelina. But sometimes the two people in a relationship decide that instead of throwing each other overboard they are going to stay in the boat and weather the storm together.

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In Edinburgh this summer, a friend captured an image of photographer Harry Benson in front of his iconic image of Bill and Hillary Clinton kissing.The Clintons Kiss, Little Rock, Arkansas, 1992 is a beautiful photo. And if it ever turns out to be one of two presidents smooching it will be worth a fortune. But I don't think you can look at that photograph and not accept the real reason Hillary hung onto Bil is that she loves him.
As tension from the Presidential elections fills the air, the streets of Port Gentil, Gabon's second largest city and centre of the petroleum and timber industries, are practically empty. A few soldiers in camouflage uniform and dark aviator sunglasses stand on the side of the road by roadblocks. It's hot and dusty and everyone is afraid of violence. In 2009 violence erupted after the current president Ali Bongo was elected to Presidency in what were subsequently determined to be unfair elections. This time, people are afraid that there will be violence again. Everyone is stockpiling food, shops are closed and empty, the owners fearful of looters. The day before the elections cars lined up for miles at gas stations, filling up in anticipation of shortages. As the results are announced, the violence begins with claims of electoral rigging. Ali Bongo is president again and the opposition supporters are not happy. Rumors of burning and shootings outside in the streets trickle in to the house where we have taken shelter. We're all worried.

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Unable to go outside I spend the week locked inside a small house on the outskirts of Port Gentil with a group of French men and Gabonese women. As an oil rich country the lucrative deals to be made in Gabon have drawn in many foreigners from other West African nations including a large number of French nationals who are mostly male.

The first night under lockdown one of the French men in the house begins the conversation with a joke about women needing to stay in the kitchen. 'It's part of the culture to discriminate against women here,' he says. 'It's really difficult to hire a woman because men say that they won't take orders from a woman. They would rather punish her by not hiring her than punish men for thinking this way.'

Taken aback I want to learn more. I begin a discussion with one of the women in the house asking her what the situation is like for women in Gabon.

'Women are beaten for any reason, for not making food he can beat her. Even if she's sick she has to sleep with her husband,' she says.

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We extend the discussion with two of the Gabonese women in the kitchen one evening. Discrimination in the workplace seems to be a major problem and both say it's hard for women to work in Gabon. One of the women was working in a company where they were selling spare parts, her boss told her that if she wanted to stay she would have to have sex with him.

'If a man is attracted to a woman at work and she refuses him, than it could be really hard for her,' she said.

'When women go to an interview the men will just look at her body and hire her if he likes her. They don't think about what she has to say or what she can do for their buisness, just the way she looks,' says another.

'When a woman comes to Gabon from another West African country it's really hard for her to get a job. She has to sleep with the boss to be able to work,' she continues.

All the women agree this is commonplace in Gabon.

I ask about protection for women in these situations but all the women shake their heads. 'The only solution is to leave the job. If it's a private company than the guy can do whatever he wants.'

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'It's of course wrong,' says one woman when I ask her what she thinks about such behavior.

Earlier that week one of the French men told me, 'you know here they'll just think that you're nothing more than a piece of meat.' He was referring to Gabonese men.

Another French man working in the town commented that Port Gentil is a hard place for women, 'foreign women don't really stay long around here. There's a lot of discrimination.'

Discrimination there is.

Still under lock down out of fear from the violence on the streets outside, one of the Frenchman and I begin a conversation. He's annoyed that I'm complaining about sexual harassment. I should understand that I'm not in my country, 'maybe there are women here who like that,' he tells me aggressively. I look at him shocked at his audacity to suggest that a woman would like sexual harassment, but not surprised. He is one of the many men who has not only tried to deny that there is a problem with sexual harassment despite the overwhelming evidence that there is indeed a very large problem.
The tragic human cost of the conflict in Syria has been well documented, from the image of a Syrian boy pulled from rubble in war-torn Aleppo, to harrowing stories of the perilous journeys made by Syrian refugees across the Mediterranean. Sadly, this has done little to change the reality for those still living in the midst of the conflict, or fleeing from it.

Conflict and displacement also carry with them the less visible scars of grief and trauma - feelings difficult to manage in adults, and even harder to manage in children.

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While it's unimaginable to ignore the effects of the war, can there really be reasons for optimism and hope? A group of Syrian artists believe so.

Working in exile in Lebanon, host to some one million Syrian refugees, as part of the Create Syria project, they have been using drama, animation, music, filmmaking and other art forms to heal the wounds of conflict and to promote creativity, self-expression and collaboration among refugees and local communities, especially children and young people.

Their works and stories inspired a multimedia exhibition in the heart of London launching on UN Peace Day.

In 2011, before the crisis, the Syrian artistic scene flourished, with many exciting developments in the world of theatre, art, music and cinema. Today many of those Syrian artists are working hard to preserve this heritage, even in exile.

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Moreover, they want to use their art to promote resilience and dialogue and change the narrative around Syria from that of 'crisis' to re-growth and creativity.

Find out more about their work below.

Mohamed Aloosh, painter

Art helped Syrian painter Mohamed Aloosh, originally from Aleppo, to cope with the atrocities of the war before coming to Lebanon in 2011: "I would lay out all my pain, fear, fatigue, happiness and excitement on the canvas and start throwing [in] all sorts of colours," he says.

Inspired by his personal experience, he now teaches Syrian and Lebanese children how to draw and paint, helping them unlock their creativity and express their emotions.

Mohamed Aloosh talks about his painting and drawing workshops. Video credit: Johnny Abed/ International Alert

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Karim Qabrawi, animator

"Art is a coping mechanism, a way of dealing with the toxic context and the politics which are so complicated," explains animator Karim Qabrawi.

Trained in Syria, the region's centre of animation before the war, Karim uses moving images to build cooperation and understanding between the Syrian and Lebanese youngsters participating in his workshops.

Karim believes that no matter how serious the context, animations should be entertaining. His own work uses humour and simple imagery to engage audiences with difficult issues.

'The boats can leave now...' animation by Karim Qabrawi.

Ossama Halal, theatre director and actor

Syrian director Ossama Halal set up Koon Theatre, a laboratory for experimental street theatre that targets independent artists from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

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"We are performing for the street and our themes are taken from the street," he tells us.

For Ossama, art should not be limited to the elite. It should be inclusive and inspire positive change.

A clip from 'Cellophane', a theatre and dance performance from Koon Theatre Group.

Raghad Makhlouf and Wissam al Ghati, actors

Syrian theatre and television actress Raghad Makhlouf and fellow artist Wissam al Ghati work with Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian teenagers in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon "to create a safe space for them to have fun, to build their confidence, make them feel like they are useful and their life has a value and worth after all".

"I want to make [Syrian] teenagers dream again," says Raghad.

A short movie based on acting workshops by Raghad and Wissam. Video credit: Salam Ya Sham

Abed Al Aziz Aidy and Hisham al Zouki, filmmakers

Syrian filmmaker and activist Abed al Aziz Aidy believes creativity will be vital to rebuilding Syria: "Art is a process of dismantling society and putting it back together again."

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Together with fellow filmmaker Hisham al Zouki and Najda Now, Abed has been running video-making workshops for young Syrian refugees in the country, with the aim of developing their technical skills but also to give them a voice.

The short film 'The camp and my parents' story documents this work and the oral memories of Syrian refugees living in Lebanon.

Trailer for 'The camp and my parents' story', a documentary by Hisham al Zouki.

Barkev Taslakian, music conductor

For Syrian-Armenian conductor Barkev Taslakian, music has the power to engage people and give them a sense of hope. Since joining the Create Syria project, he has been leading a choir-training initiative to involve Syrian children and young people in Lebanon in the joyous and healing power of music:

"When you are introducing arts to these children who have known nothing but war, you are paving the way for a better future," says Barkev.

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Performance by Syrian children as part of Barkev's choir training initiative. Video credit: Yara El Moussaoui

Hannibal Saad, musician and music festival director

Hannibal Saad uses music to raise awareness of the rich cultural heritage of Syria and to promote dialogue between Syrian and local communities in different countries, through initiatives such as Syrian Music Lives and the Global Week for Syria.

In Lebanon, he has been training young musicians to use their practice to heal, connect and create social cohesion.

"I believe in peace. I believe that the war will end and we need to be prepared for cultural reconciliation," he says.

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Hannibal Saad talks about his project, Syrian Music Lives.

The works and stories of these Syrian artists can be seen at the Create Syria: A future constellation multimedia exhibition at House of Vans in London (22 September - 2 October 2016).

The exhibition was inspired by a project run by International Alert in collaboration with the British Council and the independent, Lebanon-based cultural organisation Ettijahat. It is curated by Ying Hsuan-Tai.
Ilya S. Savenok via Getty Images

Over the weekend social media went ballistic when news circulated online of the American Muslim hijabi journalist, Noor Tagouri being featured in Playboy magazine. Some were proud to see such a divergent and daring step taken by the 22-year-old reporter, others not so much. Muslims especially, instead of supporting her, argued that it was irrational and wrong to support Noor's appearance in an institution based on the objectification of women which opposes the entire idea of modesty.

What saddened me about this whole controversy is that most of the people criticising Tagouri's interview were ones totally oblivious to the actual content, of it which had nothing to do with what Playboy is famously known for. They were fuming at the mere fact that the word 'hijabi' and 'Playboy' were being used in the same sentence.

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I can understand why this was frowned upon from a Muslim perceptive and a female perspective too. Misogyny goes against the values of both - something which Playboy has been famously known for. But I think we're missing the point here, Playboy magazine readers are a whole different audience, a fresh platform where Noor was able to talk about herself as a Muslim, as a hijab-wearing journalist and as a woman. I think that itself is amazing. What is the likelihood that the readership of Playboy will be the same people to read a Muslim magazine where a hijabi woman is attempting to break stereotypes? How effective is that? Not so much because the readers already know the subject matter inside and out. What Noor has done by allowing Playboy to publish her interview is she is making a wider political point by being her actual self; A Muslim hijabi Journalist, nothing to do with nudity or objectification.

Especially after the constant negative swathes of news about the Burkini ban, this was the most positive piece I've read about someone in a hijab.

In the interview Noor says

"Being a hijabi Muslim woman helps me gain trust. I say, 'I know what it's like to be misrepresented in the media. I won't do that to you.'"

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The photographs of her that were published alongside the interview were ones of her in her modest clothing style which she usually wears.

The actual interview highlights her great achievements from her very first #LetNoorShine campaign, which went viral, to her recent collaboration with street wear brand Lis'n Up Clothing on a fashion line in which half proceeds go to Project Futures, an anti-human-trafficking organisation. The immense positive work that Noor has and is currently doing has been thoughtlessly ignored by some readers who seem more fixated on the mere fact that she is a 'hijabi' appearing in such a magazine.

Whilst Noor's interview was one which shed light on the optimistic approach of her being a head-scarf wearing woman in the media, the reaction of vast Muslim readers pushed the whole idea into the dark.

Noor has made an extremely brave move and foresaw the backlash that followed. I think it's time people stop assuming or ascribing the intent of a person wearing a hijab. It might be religious, political, both, or neither, and so what if Playboy was a means to making a point, it's only a platform and if the opportunity is there why not take it?
Photography credit: Jerry Sagmaquen

I'm the second-most experienced immigrant that I know. Although as a white British woman I've tended to be described as an 'expat' rather than an 'immigrant', personally I'm fine with just being 'foreign'. This is what I've learned while living overseas.

1. The United States of America does not celebrate Bonfire night. Watching my first 5th of November sail by without so much as a sparkler was quite traumatic. Clearly I hadn't considered that the US was founded in 1776, whilst Guy Fawkes was busy plotting way back in 1605. When they did bring out the fireworks on the 4th of July I couldn't fully embrace the tradition as they were celebrating independence from my homeland. Yay.

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2. Staying with the US, I also never fully understood Thanksgiving. I have an inkling that Americans like it because while it's in the holiday season, it includes everyone regardless of religious beliefs which appeals to their pre-Trump feelings of political correctness. For me the Pros for this holiday were: Two and a half days off work (the half was unoffical, but no-one works a full day on the Wednesday before); inflatable baloons; turkey and cranberry sauce; pies; Black Friday (online only), oh and sometimes it would coincide with my birthday which was always good. While on the flip side: Green bean casserole, this is just so wrong in every way, its only redeeming feature is the fried onion garnish; Black Friday shopping (if you leave your house and get attacked in Walmart); it must be an annually annoying event for American Indians; and traffic, it's so bad, the whole lot of it, cars, trains and planes.

3. Sometimes a country is just not a good fit even though you give it your best shot. This happened to me in Australia. All of those hard-working yet relaxed Aussies that you meet in London? They are the ones with passports. The cost of living was ridiculously high because of the inflated Sydney property prices, imported food and high taxation. When you add in all of the things that are trying to kill you, it becomes even more unappealing. There's the rip-tides on the beach, red back spiders 'Always check the kids's bikes before they get on them!', blue bottles (jellyfish with a sting that can stop your heart), skin cancer 'Hat! Slip, Slap Slop!', cockroaches as big as shih tzus. It's no wonder that I created Little Britain as soon as you stepped into our house in Coogee. Sydney is the only place where I felt homesick, luckily we were fortunate enough to get out.

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4. As a woman who'd moved to Singapore because my husband had taken a job in that country I was known as a 'trailing spouse'. This makes me sound as if I'm stuck to his shoe like an annoying piece of toilet paper. The other spouses that I met there all seemed to have recently taken up running, or worse, triathlons. Given the choice of being a house-wife (with a full time live-in maid), finding a job, or training for triathlons, I opted for the job. I worked in an environment which was approximately 70% local and the rest was foreign, mainly from the UK. I'd never come face to face with stereotypes and generalisations of white people before. It would have been funny if it wasn't so frustrating. As an immigrant it was very clear that the Singaporean system was geared towards supporting the locals, for example, ridiculously low taxes if you were working and the mother of Singaporean child, or government housing being heavily discounted. Despite feeling like a second class citizen I loved living in Singapore, even though each day definitely had a 'Groundhog Day' quality to it that you don't find elsewhere.
The risk of a cyber-attack has become an unfortunate fact of life in today's digital world. However, while businesses of all sizes and in all sectors should certainly be aware they are under threat, just like all thieves, cyber criminals have their preferred targets and methods.

For the most part, attacks against IT infrastructure are opportunistic in nature. Attackers are looking for the weakest victims in a very broad and automated fashion. However, in some cases cyber attacks can be more advanced and target specific market verticals or even individual organisations. These types of attacks are often perpetrated by highly skilled, well-resourced groups such as organised crime outfits or even nation states. In this series of posts, I'm going to outline, with real-world examples, some of the approaches taken by advanced adversaries against large enterprise targets. To begin, I'll focus on how an attacker finds and profiles their victim.

It's important to note that there is no such thing as a typical attack, but 'hackers' and security (penetration) testers alike follow broad indicative methodologies. There have been a few attempts to standardise this approach, most notably a paper authored by Lockheed Martin about a concept called 'intrusion kill chains'; the paper can be found here. As a concept, the kill chain model has some shortcomings, but does provide useful vocabulary to describe the stages of an attack thanks to the military vernacular. I'm going to start with a look at target acquisition, before we move on to the first phase in the kill chain model - reconnaissance.

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Target Acquisition

An attacker will select targets based on their own goals, skillsets and also potentially from instructions by senior operators within their organisational structure. Often, targeted attacks can start in a more opportunistic way and can link with the reconnaissance phase in a loop. Hacktivists are sometimes likely to operate in this way, creating lists of target organisations and performing swift recon on each of them to find the 'low-hanging fruit' or easy targets.

When considering nation states and more equipped adversaries, targets will typically be decided in advance by leadership. This type of approach is more labour intensive and requires more time, and certainly limits the success without having access to vast resources.

Criminal organisations often take a blended approach to acquiring targets. Targets can be grouped together by common factors, such as market vertical or geographic location. This is a similar approach to a business finding their target market and underpins how advanced and sometimes discerning 'cyber criminals' can be. From this initial phase, they will start to look for the low hanging fruit.

When speaking to clients or giving talks, I like to use the old adage you're probably familiar with. Two men are walking in the woods, when they stumble across an angry bear (think 'The Revenant'.) "Do you think you can outrun the bear?" asks one of the men, to which the other replies I don't have to, I just need to outrun you".

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For me, this neatly sums up many aspects of being a defender, especially in the context of an enterprise.

Reconnaissance

The reconnaissance phase is an essential part of profiling a target. Attackers will often spend weeks gathering intelligence on their target before a single packet is sent. Many of the tools that are used utilise cached or stored data that has been collected by an external aggregating source, such as Shodan or even Google. This means that the attacker doesn't ever 'touch' (send packets or HTTP requests to) any of the target's infrastructure but can still gather a large amount of information about them. This type of approach is known as passive open source intelligence gathering. A smart attacker will not only gather information about their target, but also about the target's associations, business partners and third-parties they utilise.

There have been several prominent examples of businesses being compromised and having data such as credit card details stolen due to a service provider's remote access tokens being compromised by an attacker. This demonstrates that even if an organisation has a strong security posture, they can still be exposed via weak third-parties.

More 'active' reconnaissance techniques are also commonly used, with varying degrees of stealth! Port scanners are still a mainstay of the 'hacker' toolkit. Due to most organisations being port scanned on their internet-facing estate hundreds of times per day, it largely goes unnoticed (or at least undifferentiated from the background noise).

The perimeter of an organisation, firewalls and routers, have long since been the battleground on which the attacker wishes to wage war. This is the equivalent of knocking on the front door, but many organisations are still vulnerable to it.

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Humans are seen as a soft target for attackers and employees will often be 'probed' during a reconnaissance phase for weakness. This can range from phoning IT helpdesks to try and convince workers to disclose sensitive information, such as passwords, to offering money or blackmailing people to become 'moles' inside the organisation. Surprisingly, this DOES happen regularly.
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Open Letter issued by Linda Laurie and Jan Pollock, Co-Chairs of the Disabled Socialists for Jeremy Corbyn Group

Thankfully, Jeremy Corbyn won the Labour Party leadership election when the results were announced in Liverpool last Saturday. We urged our disabled friends and colleagues to vote for Jeremy in this election because he was the only true anti-austerity leadership candidate with a socialist economic policy that will end Tory cuts and bring true equality across the UK. He has repeatedly demonstrated his support for Disabled People by voting to defeat Tory welfare cuts to our benefits. Under his leadership, Labour forced the resignation of Iain Duncan Smith - architect of benefit cuts started under New Labour. Jeremy was the only leadership candidate who pledged to reinstate the Independent Living Fund closed by the Tories. He is supported by and has an unblemished record of being shoulder to shoulder with Disabled People against the Cuts, which has campaigned relentlessly against welfare cuts.

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Jeremy was the only candidate who said that leading a Socialist Labour Government, he will get the private sector out of our National Health Service. Damaging privatisation driven forward with PFI under New Labour, will be reversed. We will have a fully funded NHS.

Jeremy said a Socialist Labour Government will build enough council houses to address the Tory Government housing crisis, which has worked with big business and profiteering multinational private landlord firms. Tax dodgers and the rich would be made to pay what they owe and we would not waste money on renewing Trident.

Disabled People face widespread discrimination. Jeremy has promised to end unemployment, creating a million jobs paying real wages for real work. He will reverse the cuts to the Access to Work Scheme and give real teeth to anti-discrimination legislation, desperately needed by Disabled People.

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Jeremy will lead a Government with a commitment to remove barriers excluding Disabled children and adults from having equal access to education, treating people equally irrespective of impairment or social background. He will end Government led by privately educated, ex-public school politicians, who mostly went to Cambridge or Oxford.

Disabled socialists reject the scurrilous attacks on Jeremy's campaigning in support of our community in papers like the Guardian where Lady Angela Smith [24.7.16] and Frances Ryan [25.7.16] attack him saying he has done nothing to support Disabled People. They argue we need Tory Light policies or Labour won't ever get elected. We have tried that and see where it got working class and Disabled people!

Through his consistent attacks on Tory Policies, Jeremy has repeatedly demonstrated his principled commitment to tackling the discrimination and social exclusion we face. He has posed many questions in defence of homeless people and those in the mental health system which have exposed Government hypocrisy towards us, thereby earning the loyalty of millions currently excluded from mainstream society.

Jeremy was the only leadership candidate who pledged to bring passenger transport back into public ownership, ensuring providers guarantee full, equal access across an integrated transport system. He has promised to ensure stations are adequately staffed and equipped so barriers are removed meaning everyone can travel safely and independently.
Kacper Pempel / Reuters

A few weeks ago, the white American author Lionel Shriver caused a media stir by defending her right to write from a non-white perspective. She was told that she was guilty of 'cultural appropriation'. Leaving aside the complex rights and wrongs which do exist here on both sides, for me, her rebuttal in the New York Times hit one of the 21st Century's biggest political and societal challenges on the head:

"As a lifelong Democratic voter, I'm dismayed by the radical left's ever-growing list of dos and don'ts -- by its impulse to control, to instil self-censorship as well as to promote real censorship, and to deploy sensitivity as an excuse to be brutally insensitive to any perceived enemy. There are many people who see these frenzies about cultural appropriation, trigger warnings, micro-aggressions and safe spaces as overtly crazy. The shrill tyranny of the left helps to push them toward Donald Trump."

I absolutely agree that we should celebrate the rising voices and confidence of the people in our society who have been marginalised, sometimes victimised and often ignored. But it is true that a large cross-section of people on the left - of every race, religion and social class - have become increasingly narrow-minded and shrill.

This growing intolerance to opinions and viewpoints that do not align with our own is hugely concerning. But what absolutely terrifies me is the thought that we might be at the very beginning of building a society that believes wholeheartedly in censorship; sold to us as a natural and acceptable part of 'identity politics'.

On Tuesday night we saw this phenomenon in action at a Momentum meeting at the Labour Party Conference. Unite the Union's chief of staff Andrew Murray rounded on the UK media. According to people who were there, alongside a diatribe about how ownership of the media should be physically wrested from 'tax exiles and ne'er-do-wells', he said: "As bad as the media is, it is not all powerful. It can be defeated." He could have said: "We do not merely destroy our enemies; we change them." But George Orwell said that in 1984, so it's already taken.

Yes, I know that its proponents will argue that they are just levelling the playing field, that all the media are biased towards the right; all are owned and paid for by corporations and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and that the new generation can't get their voice heard. But you know...that's life. It's not a level playing field and it isn't all fair. And if the media was all state owned or had a hard left-wing perspective, then there would be someone else saying it's not fair and demanding we reset society.

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The general media-consuming public want opinions that mirror their own. They like papers to agree with them. And at the moment, like it or not, the press are doing just that. If you don't believe me, look at where Labour and Jeremy Corbyn are in the polls.

Identity politics is defined as 'a tendency for people of a particular religion, race, social background, etc., to form exclusive political alliances, moving away from traditional broad-based party politics'. From this definition you can clearly see that identity politics is not the exclusive property of the left wing - far from it; Nigel Farage was the right's identity-politics poster boy. But it's on the left that this phenomenon is now taking hold most obviously in the UK. And it's from the left that we'll see it having the most impact in the future.

Identity politics is driving the outrage bus into new territory - and then straight off a cliff. It's cultural roots can be seen with the 'offended' debate; a place no one goes anymore because 'offense' is a moveable feast. It changes according to the prevailing cultural, educational and societal conditions. Something that most people didn't find offensive in the 1970s is quite clearly outrageously offensive to many more people today. And as with all things, this cultural change is speeding up. Something we found hugely offensive five years ago on Twitter is now just everyday life.

About 18 months ago we reached peak-offended. Being offended had been elevated to a human right and people regularly wrote learned papers, and even whole books, on the subject. We created a whole raft of new terms including Victimhood and Micro-aggression. And many people subconsciously subscribed to the idea that being offended proved you were a person of moral virtue, a person of refined sensitivities and intellect, and therefore must tell everyone how offended you were on Twitter.
India will not attend SAARC Summit in Islamabad: MEA

Published: September 28, 2016

India will not take part in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Islamabad (Pakistan) to be held in November 2016.

This decision was taken in view of the continuous cross border terrorism by Pakistan which has created environment which is not conducive to successful holding of Summit.

In this regard, the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has conveyed to current SAARC Chair Nepal. Besides, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan also have conveyed their reservation about attending the Summit.

Indias reservations over summit

Increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and

Growing interference in internal affairs of member states by one country (not naming Pakistan).

However, India has clearly mentioned that it remains steadfast in commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in an atmosphere free of terror.

Indias decision came in the wake of recent Uri terror attack in which 18 jawans were martyred. It was reported as the deadliest attack on security forces in Kashmir in two decades. Pakistan based terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) has been blamed for the cowardly attack.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2016

Topics: India- Pakistan  Ministry of External Affairs  Naitonal  SAARC  Terrorism

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Imagine a world where everything that is exchanged, bought, used and consumed is made by machine, on an assembly line. Where every item is judged only on its functionality, valued for its utility, and on its ability to achieve economy of scale. Devoid of colour, originality, meaning and context; every object is made in a vacuum where the margin for error is nil and the margin for profit, is king. This is the world we are building. Is it a world worth living?

When I started the journey towards sustainable craft two years ago, I didn't think that it would lead me into what I now know is my life's calling. I wasn't sure that this would be my way of making the world a better place. I'd just followed an instinct to bring the beauty of fabric stories to life in a way that was accessible, relatable, and desirable. Stepping into a universe of warp and weft, natural botanical dyes, heritage printing and weaving looms brought new words into my vocabulary. Words such as khadi, the handspun cotton also known as Gandhi's freedom fabric, and concepts like jugaad, the block printers way of describing innovating with what you have. I called the company MATTER, because it celebrates the building blocks that connect all of us - stories, craft, and values.

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Now, I am convinced that the world needs craft, more than ever. It is not an esoteric practice to be relegated to museums and history; it cannot be a sunset industry to be replaced by efficient machinery. It must transform and evolve, aided by technology, given access through digital storytelling, made sustainable by industry practice. But before that, we must be able to articulate why it is important, why it is not a foregone luxury, and why indeed, it makes our lives better.

It is love in a material, shareable form.

Every piece of craft is an extension of its maker's life work to master a skill encompassing his or her own unique signature. When we know the care that goes into a product that takes 120 days to make, passing through more than 10 steps and 20 people in its journey, we understand the love that has gone into it. When we learn about the context in which something is made and the lives of those who made it, a connection is made between people who otherwise might have little in common. A Chiangmai weaver renowned for her mastery of colour once told me that she could read the emotions of another weaver just by looking at the colours used on her loom. A customer of ours was inspired enough to travel to Jaipur to visit Khushiram, our 4th generation artisan partner and learn about his craft. We love each other more through the beauty we create.

It reminds us how and why we are human.

We are born to create. Our species evolved by making and mastering tools, attaining and transmitting skills from generation to generation, and from there, learning the pride of taking something from idea to creation. In the inconsistency of each piece created or appreciated, we embrace the philosophy of wabi sabi and the reality of transience and imperfection. When we explain that the banding (also called 'patta') and colour gradience often seen on handloom fabrics are actually signals of rest pauses where the weaver has taken a break from the loom, something which otherwise is an industrial defect becomes a detail we empathise with. Imagine we took this approach to understanding the imperfection of people?

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It teaches us to value the journey.

The value of craft is in its making. Understanding the process behind the final product brings to light the value chain of creation and the multiple forms of value to assess, a sustainability concept often used in discussions around closed loop or circular production models. The more we understand the interconnected pieces of the supply chain behind a product, the better choices we can make around our consumption choices. The fabric we work with takes time because its making intersects with the serendipity of weather and weddings - sunshine, rain and humidity are key factors in the fabrics' final colour and the availability of certain yarn, as are the import of weddings on the schedule of rural villagers. Understanding how something is the result of multiple interactions and relationships with its environment reminds us that how we do something is as important as what we do.

Craft means much so more than handmade. It is the story of humanity's striving for meaning, and our individual desire for significance. Its values teach us love, empathy, and wisdom. Emphasising small batch production, the maker's unique skill, integrity of raw materials, the direct involvement of handmade techniques and the importance of context and traditional tools, the resurgence of craft is already rippling through the food and fashion industry, albeit in niche areas. In order for it to take hold, we need to spread the message that where and why something is made, by whom, matters.

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Written by Renyung Ho, co-founder of MATTER.

MATTER is a socially motivated brand focusing on affordable luxury, thoughtful design and provenance, connecting rural textile artisans and urban designers to create travel wear with stories to tell.

We seek out heritage fabric techniques and strive to connect them to modern day relevance in beautiful ways. Our mission is threefold - to foster designer-artisan collaborations, inspire consumers to value provenance and process, and pioneer industry change with sustainability for rural textile communities.

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This September The Huffington Post UK Style is focusing on all things sustainable, for the second year running. Our thirst for fast fashion is dramatically impacting the environment and the lives of thousands of workers in a negative way. Our aim is to raise awareness of this zeitgeist issue and champion brands and people working to make the fashion industry a more ethical place.
I first visited Colombia 10 years ago, when covering the demobilisation of right-wing paramilitary groups that had emerged some two decades earlier to fight Marxist guerrilla soldiers. Since then, I have remained very attached to Colombia and its fate.

This month, and a decade on from my first visit, the Colombian government has signed a historic peace agreement with leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, otherwise known as FARC. This accord brings Colombia closer to peace than ever before. Like everyone, who knows and loves Colombia, I wish both parties every success as they try to convert the deal from a piece of paper signed by old commanders tired of war, to a meaningful peace on the ground. But I hold my breath.

Colombia's civil war, which started out as a peasant revolt against oppressive landlords and spiralled into continued fighting against successive Colombian governments has morphed into a drug war. The huge profits to be made from the cocaine trade have meant that the war is now more a question of crime than of ideologies.

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On my recent visit to Colombia, my team and I travelled to Cauca, one of Colombia's biggest cocaine producing regions and an area controlled by FARC. I wanted to try to find out for myself the answer to two questions: could young fighters convert to other, peaceful ways of life - and could the victims, and families of victims, of violence on both sides, forgive their enemies. We met the coca farmers working for FARC. They were keen to tell us that unless the government could provide them with an alternative and equally lucrative crop, they would have little choice but to continue producing cocaine. So it seems unlikely cocaine production will stop overnight.

And will young foot soldiers who have known no livelihood but drug dealing and fighting, realistically give it all up after a piece of paper is signed?

To find out, we travelled to the coastal city of Buenaventura. It's Colombia's largest port on the pacific and a main gateway for drugs leaving the country. Because of its strategic importance, Buenaventura is fought over by drug gangs vying for control of territory. We discovered that the gangs terrorising the city were being run by ex-paramilitary leaders, the same people that supposedly demobilised 10 years ago. The violence gripping Buenaventura appears to be a direct result of paramilitary organisations demobilising, shedding their political facade and splintering into rival drug groups. Could history repeat itself now with FARC's imminent demobilisation? After speaking with a parliamentary drug boss, we were told that FARC soldiers were already prepared to leave the 'revolution' to become full time drug-runners. It seems, the peace agreement could serve only to add to the existing violence and corruption.

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There is also the question of the families whose loved ones were brutally slaughtered by both FARC and paramilitary forces. Where does their justice sit in this peace agreement? I came across a mother who lost her 16-year-old son Carlos. On his way back home after buying some fruit, he was taken by two men who suspected him to be a member of a rival gang and tortured him for information. After beating him, suffocating him and drowning him, they began to cut up his body while still alive. Carlos was tortured for purely being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The pain and trauma that his family continues to suffer makes me think that, even if this peace agreement is successful, how long will it take those who have endured this kind of suffering to find their own peace?

Given the horror we heard from Carlos's family, we wanted to meet those who inflict pain and suffering and interrogate them. After travelling to a sex motel on the outskirts of town, we were given the opportunity to interview a sicario, or hitman, from one of the local gangs. He explained the mentality of the gangs: in their minds, they used violence to become notorious, feared and to command respect. He then began to describe, in horrific detail, their methods of torture including electrocution and scratching their victim's eyeballs with needles. It was an overwhelming moment for us all as we sat and witnessed the sicario share details of how his first kill was his close friend, emotionless, blank and without any change in tone.

Against a backdrop of war and terror, the question remains how will this historic peace agreement rehabilitate terrorists and bring them back into society? And will younger FARC soldiers pursue alternative partnerships to continue to dominate the cocaine drug trade that provides the promise of wealth and power? Colombia holds its breath.

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The "safe space" debate has been given new life at the start of this fresh academic year. Theresa May condemned them as a restriction on free speech. But NUS vice-president Richard Brooks defended the policy - "some people have more equal rights than others." This is one issue that is not going to die down any time soon

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Following this path, this morning NUS President Malia Bouattia defended the position on BBC's Today programme by correctly pointing out the contradiction - I might say hypocrisy - of those who have so much power and influence, and use it to create a climate of fear, balking at attempts by those without such advantages to assert the right to a safe space

In my experience, it is not just what is being said, it is how language is used too. The most violent language does not need to contain graphical images or a torrent of swearing. Similarly, foul words can be and are used for comedic effect. An angry tone can turn the most innocuous expression into something destructive.

By the same token, just because a racist, homophobic or sexist argument may be presented with intellect, charm, and self-deprecating humour, it is no less offensive.

I championed safe spaces as a students' union officer many years ago, and I use them now to encourage under-represented groups to become active in my union.

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We said "No" to racists and racism, to sexist homophobic rants. We called it "No platform" not "safe spaces" (The mood of the time is captured here) And in my time, it generally worked, possibly because it was a clear and narrow definition. Debate was lively but kept within reasonable bounds. And now, in a male dominated organisation, we run networks for young women members and the feedback we universally get is positive - these safe spaces give under-represented groups space to breathe, freedom to talk, the real ability to organise.

So, especially in a general atmosphere of intemperance a cacophony of intolerance, the need and value for safe spaces is real.

But as an active member of Liberty and former press regulator, I know the value and limits of free speech.

And in adopting a cast-iron mantra of democratic self-determination, are we not uncomfortably close to the point at which those within a self-declared safe space become as xenophobic, and as angry and as intolerant as those they are seeking refuge from?

Have we perhaps lost the plot somewhat? There is a world of difference between feeling threatened and being offended. And surely in a democracy, we have the right to be offended?

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Well yes and no. Where is the dividing line between being offended and feeling threatened? And that's the crux of the debate. The media is full of stories of alleged misjudgements on this, with people, plays, gigs and debates banned first on grounds that they would contravene the safe space policy but then, more worryingly, because of fears by university administrators of reputational, financial and legal consequences.

And that's the often unappreciated worm eating away at the good intentions and principled debate around this issue - who truly benefits from a messy debate on safe space?

Progressive ideas and the very notion of diversity itself end up getting trashed and undermined - sometimes by over enthusiastic or uncritical supporters - and the little power we have asserted for ourselves seeps back to the already rich and powerful.

And that is the key issue for me: What is the balance of power in society? Anti-discrimination, anti-hate legislation is good and important, but even if it was perfectly framed and universally implemented, it would not be enough to create a sense of safety, tolerance and respect. You need determined government action for that.
Ilya S. Savenok via Getty Images

Dear Noor,

You don't know me. I am a woman from across the pond, a Girl's Rights activist who is more than baffled at your decision to pose in a magazine that has featured full female nudity for six decades. I hope you won't mind that I've taken the time to pen this letter to you in the aftermath of your Playboy feature.

Firstly, I want to say that I abhor the vile, disgusting comments that you have been subjected to. Nobody has the right to judge you on your commitment to your faith. Sadly, etiquette is often missing when people interact with each other from behind a screen with a keyboard. Having said that, we cannot deny that if you place yourself on a podium for public consumption, the public will respond with their opinions on your actions. This is not back-biting as some of your online defenders have claimed, but is in fact social commentary. Perhaps you knew this and were prepared mentally and emotionally for the backlash that was inevitable. Or perhaps you didn't and were unprepared. Whatever it was, I hope you're surrounded by good friends and family who will support you through the good and the bad.

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The storm will eventually die down, InshaAllah, and by the time it does you will have gained new ideas that otherwise might not have crossed your path. It is within this perspective that I hope you will consider my reasons for entering this debate. I am writing to you not because I share your faith, but because I share your gender.

As a Girl's Rights activist I am disappointed at your decision to choose Playboy as the medium to communicate your message of empowerment. This is the vehicle that has done everything in its power to disempower women since it launched the Marilyn Monroe centrefold in 1953. That's a multi-million dollar empire objectifying women for over sixty years. Now, in 2016, you may argue that Playboy has dumped the nudes to rebrand as a lifestyle magazine. Was this a victory on part by the feminists? I don't think so. The rebrand was about survival in a new competitive environment. Playboy's subscribers fell from their historical millions to under a million because the internet provides the images for free. What man will pay for hard copy when it's available at the click of a button on his computer?

1.Objectifying women leads to low self worth

Let's talk about the effects of objectifying women on women themselves. There are many ordinary women, regardless of race and faith, whose self worth falls every time they compare their faces and bodies to Playboy's standard of beauty. Low self worth has a detrimental effect on women's lives. It makes them feel inadequate, incompetent and un-lovable. When it becomes too much, depression follows. It is the reason women remain in dysfunctional or violent relationships. They think no one else will want them. They don't feel confident enough to break free and re-build their lives.

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2.Empowerment

In your interview you talk about empowerment: About breaking barriers and glass ceilings and reclaiming power. If there are barriers and glass ceilings in place, it is because the patriarchy has erected them. In Playboy's world, women are not perceived to be capable, equal human beings. They are regarded as objects without agency.

If your purpose was to empower women, then perhaps a feature in Vogue or Vanity Fair would have made more sense, rather than the magazine men traditionally use to leer at women.

3.Women's Rights Movement

On this side of the pond, we had a summer of headlines concerning the burkini ban in France. Police officers forced a woman to remove part of her clothing on the beach, an image which trended for longer than 24 hours on social media. Yet what was absent was the voice of western feminists. There was notable silence from women activists who did not think it necessary to defend a woman's right to choose her own clothing. This position goes against the very fundamentals of feminism, and yet it was deemed acceptable by the majority of feminists because the women being forced to unclothe were Muslim.

Muslim women's rights will only be won, maintained and respected when the wider women's rights movement accepts a Muslim woman's right to exist as she chooses. From this point, I really don't agree with your online supporters who claim you were influencing a section of society (men who pore over semi nude images of women) and encouraging them to support your ideas about modesty. Convincing non-Muslim women about your right to modesty would have been a better start.

4.Role model

I am an author of a Young Adult novel and I tour schools to promote Girl's Rights. I am often told by librarians that South Asian/Arab girls love the fact that the main character looks like them. I can absolutely believe that there are thousands of American teens who idolise you and hold you up as their role model. As you said in the interview, there is a grade six girl in the USA who flashes your picture on her phone every time fellow students pick on her for wearing the hijab. Her words: 'Google Noor Tagouri and then talk to me.'

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Will this girl now find Playboy in her google listing for you? Will she click on the website link and browse the contents of men's magazine which still objectify women with semi nude images? Yes, probably.

Is this acceptable when we are campaigning for that grade six girl to become an intelligent, confident and empowered young woman? Absolutely not.

I'm going to end on this final point. Ambition is a glorious thing. It's the stuff that turns dreams into reality. I think you have plenty of it and it will propel you to great heights in the future. However, somewhere along the path, your gut will raise doubts about some of the options that will be placed before you. Some will be dangled like carrots and some will pander to your vanity. Do not ignore that gut. Don't allow the ego to override the instinct for integrity.

Choose wisely. You are a role model. You have a responsibility to the younger generation.

All the best

Sufiya
A woman in rural Mexico recently told my colleague, "We've always been told we don't have a voice, but that's not true. Since we began looking for information, my life changed, and the lives of other people in the community as well."

Today, 28 September, is International Right to Know Day. The first ever law on the public's right to know was adopted in 1766 in the Kingdom of Sweden. It has since been recognised in the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, and 105 countries now have incorporated right to information legislation in their national legal frameworks. So why is this right so important?

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Governments and public bodies hold huge quantities of information. They hold this information on behalf of the public, and have a duty to proactively publish information in the public interest. This includes delivering open access to people wanting specific information. The right to know entails a duty of transparency and openness on the part of government that some are reluctant to facilitate. In many ways, this reticence tells us just how important it is. The right to know is a right as vital as the right to water, education, or a livelihood: it ensures accountability and the enjoyment of other civil and socio-economic rights.

While considerable progress has been made globally on realising this right, a crucial element involves understanding that the existence of the right is meaningless without individuals and communities having knowledge of it, and an understanding of how to exercise it.

When given the tools to challenge decisions that affect their lives, the positive impact can be seen by whole communities. Notably, the empowerment created by access to information has begun taking root in Mexico in the states of Chiapas and Tabasco, where women from indigenous communities are now demanding a range of basic rights that is changing their communities.

Despite having had a law on the right to information since 2002, meaningful access to information for marginalised communities, particularly indigenous and rural communities, is not yet a reality in Mexico. The access to information mechanism relies on people actively seeking information, as well as relying on Internet access, instead of reaching out to communities to provide information in accessible ways.

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Authorities have tried to use the high levels of illiteracy to justify lack of access to information. In turn, the absence of accessible information has allowed authorities to escape accountability for the delivery of public services.

Last year, in partnership with a local women's organisation, Colectivo Feminista la Casa de la Mujer Ixim Antsetic (CAM), my colleagues in ARTICLE 19 worked with indigenous women from Chiapas and Tabasco to build capacity and exercise their right to know. The project saw the women of Chiapas and Tabasco demand their civil, socio-economic and cultural rights, and increase the visibility of women in public decision-making.

Women in these communities face marginalisation through gender discrimination, racism, illiteracy and geographical and linguistic isolation; participation in decision-making or local assemblies is often dependent on land ownership, which is usually only obtained by women through succession from their husbands.

Information has spread and continues to increase empowerment as a result. Murals have appeared displaying information on health, and education. Social programmes in Spanish, indigenous languages, and even in pictograms have been made available. Through collaboration with community radio, important information is now shared in local languages across the airwaves. Puppet-shows, pamphlets and illustrated storybooks convey the power of information in demanding public services and compliance with other rights, including health services and land rights.

In one community, where many suffer from treatable diseases (such as tuberculosis, hypertension and diabetes), there was no functional medical care and no doctor present on a regular basis. Change was achieved within a matter of months with the women participating in the project requesting the name of the doctor assigned to their medical centre, their salary and their work schedule, as well as the monthly amount of medicine assigned to the centre.

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The Ministry of Health of Chiapas state responded with the information and, after the women presented the information to the community, the community as a whole made a complaint the Ministry of Health, the Sanitary Jurisdiction and the Municipality, based on the information received.

The community made several demands to the authorities. They demanded a new doctor, who would actually complete their schedule of work. They asked for an explanation for the lack of health services, and then formed a community committee to monitor services monthly, increasing accountability for their provision. A new medical centre opened shortly afterwards in a disused storage building, regular hours were established, medicines were provided according to prescriptions, and people were examined and treated without discrimination.

This success has been repeated elsewhere. Within months, using their right to know, women in several communities in Chiapas held authorities accountable for the suspension of school classes and ensured that they began again, guaranteeing their children's right to education. They also successfully challenged political corruption and attempts to coerce their votes through the denial of a social welfare programme, even causing the removal of responsible public officials.

Through the project, the communities established a network named Red Junco. As a member of the network explained "Junco is a plant that we find in swamps. Even when the water dries up, the roots live and the plant grows again." The network is a multiplier of training, knowledge and tools to ensure sustainable change, often through the sharing of information on community-specific issues. "After this, people began speaking out. Our neighbours have done the same thing. They demand, demand."

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Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Turkey, a country of 76million people, which borders Syria and Iraq, will be a full member of the European Union by 2020. By 2024, a million Turks will have moved to the United Kingdom. And a few years after that, armed Turkish gangs will be marauding through sleepy British towns and villages.

That was the message the Vote Leave campaign, led by Boris Johnson, pushed relentlessly throughout the referendum on our EU membership.

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So you would have thought that, once Boris was promoted to the dizzying heights of Foreign Secretary, he would do everything in his power to dampen speculation that Turkey would become part of Europe.

Not a bit of it. At a press conference in Ankara yesterday, Boris sweetly said that "Britain will remain committed to helping Turkey's path towards accession, helping Turkey in any way possible." In June, Turkish membership of the EU was the end of the world; in September, it is a cornerstone of British foreign policy.

Even considering Boris' track record, this is breathtakingly hypocritical and cynical. As my Lib Dem colleague, Open Britain's Norman Lamb MP said: "Boris is famous for having his cake and eating it, but even by his standards this takes the biscuit." After all, no responsible Foreign Secretary would back EU accession for Turkey if it meant armed gangs roaming European streets.

In light of Boris' latest flip flop, we can see that Vote Leave's claims on Turkey were nothing more than a pack of lies. If Turkey ever joins, which isn't likely any time soon as they have spent 25 years negotiating one chapter of dozens that have to be completed before accession, it will be when it meets the EU's stringent entry criteria. Vote Leave's banging on about Turkey was plain scaremongering. They sold the electorate a terrifying tale of mass immigration that was never even slightly true. But it worked a treat in convincing voters that we had to leave the EU. Donald Trump would have been proud of their dismal, divisive, dog-whistle rhetoric.

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Vote Leave Watch, the campaign of which I am a patron, is holding the Leave campaigners to account for their broken promises. In the nearly 100 days since the referendum, there have been almost too many to list. The government has backtracked on spending 350million a week on the NHS, scrapping VAT on fuel bills and protecting workers' rights. EU citizens have still not been given the unequivocal right to remain in Britain. The economy is slowing down. And now, it is revealed that Boris never meant a word of what he said during the campaign about Turkey.

The Leave campaign isn't history. It lives on, both in groups like 'Leave means Leave' and 'Change Britain', but also in the shape of the senior Leavers who now dominate this government - Boris Johnson, David Davis, Liam Fox and others. For their florid, breath-taking lies and broken promises, they must be held to account.
Morocco has officially submitted its request for reinstatement in the African Union -- a shift expected to have far-reaching consequences. Morocco was one of the founders of the Organization of African Unity, the predecessor of the present "Union." It was in Casablanca that the OAU first launched. As the group worked to conceptualize its mission and purpose, only Moroccan diplomats express reservations about the principle that the borders of African states inherited from colonialism should be inviolable. In doing so, they had the Sahara conflict in mind. Today, the African Union has an important role to play on the continent -- as a voice for the resolution of its many conflicts and a force for good governance and democratization. But the group has long found it difficult to affect positive change in such matters. Morocco seeks to return to the AU because the stakes for stability in Africa are now global, and the Kingdom hopes and believes that it can make a difference .

The reason Rabat first left the organization was the conflict over Moroccan Saharan territories claimed by a separatist militia known as the Polisario. In this vexing dispute, Eden Kodio, the OAU General Secretary at the time, manifested hostility toward Morocco. He had been prevailed upon to do so by Algeria, whom the guerrillas have long served as a proxy militia with which to needle Morocco. But 32 years later, much water has flowed under the bridge. The Kingdom's return to the AU has the potential to reinvigorate the group's capacities: Morocco is an important regional power. AU members overwhelmingly support its re-engagement with the organization, and look to it to play a leadership role. Newly reunited, the group can add considerable weight to UN efforts to manage and resolve conflicts in the area.

Perhaps the only elements unhappy about the Moroccan move are the Polisario and its allies, who have long benefited from African disunity. They have been attempting to torpedo Moroccan reintegration into the AU, likely aware that the effort would be futile: Morocco -- a major contributor to UN peacekeeping missions and a passionate proponent of South-South cooperation -- is an anchor in Africa. It was also the first African investor in the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) and the Economic and Monetary Union of West Africa (UEMOA), whose trade volumes have doubled over the past four years. The Moroccan private sector has been active across the continent for decades -- in finance, air transport, pharmaceuticals, real estate, insurance, telecommunications, and other areas. Today, the country's enterprises are ubiquitous in trans-Sahel states such as Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, and Senegal, but also in Cameroon and Gabon, and even in southern Africa and the east African nations of Angola and Burundi. Morocco has accordingly begun to attract foreign investors seeking a gateway to the continent. It is perhaps indicative of these trends that Boeing, the world leader in aerospace technologies, has launched a major project to establish an industrial zone in the northern Moroccan port city of Tangiers, where up to 120 Boeing suppliers and sub-contractors can operate. The agreement is expected to create 8,700 jobs, and generate annual revenue from exports as high as $1 billion. The company's President, Raymond L. Conner, said that in signing the agreement, Morocco is establishing itself as a an important platform for the global aerospace supply chain -- and tied the achievement to King Mohammed VI's longterm vision for national and regional development. The relationship with Boeing dates back 50 years. Conner added and observation with respect to one of the company's prior dealings with Morocco: "Through our joint venture in Casablanca, we have already seen with our own eyes the unique opportunities offered by Morocco to subcontractors of aviation to reduce costs while producing high quality aviation products." Boeing and the Kingdom have developed an incentive program to bring new Boeing suppliers to settle in Morocco, he added. Thus the return of Morocco to the African Union reflects the broader growth of one of the continent's main actors.
Because Donald Trump has continually accused the Clintons of turning the Clinton Foundation into a crime organization, I decided to investigate his charge. What I discovered was that Bill Clinton has built one of the most extraordinary non-governmental organizations in the world. In fact, the Clinton Foundation may be doing more to improve the lives of the poor and needy than most governments. I also found that the foundation saves American taxpayers money by serving as a quasi-American foreign and domestic services organization. Now, instead of fighting Congress for taxpayer money to fund his programs, President Clinton lobbies the world's rich and powerful for the money he needs to support his programs. And he's found 200,000 contributors.

If you think that number is impressive, you'll be even more impressed by the number of people who have benefitted from the money Clinton's raised: 450 million!!!! The American Institute of Philanthropy is also impressed. That's why they have given the Clinton Foundation an A rating and named them one of the top philanthropic organizations in the world. And the American Institute of Philanthropy is not the only monitoring organization that has given the foundation an A rating. So has Charity Navigator.

So what exactly has the Clinton Foundation accomplished? Watch these videos to see for yourself.

The Foundation has started business mentoring programs in 9 American cities.

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The Foundation has set up antipoverty programs around the world.

The Foundation has helped farmers.

The Foundation runs AIDS, anti-malaria, and health access programs.

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The Foundation has established programs that provide early childhood education and development.

The foundation has established education and job placement programs.

The Foundation has provided earthquake relief in Haiti.

The Foundation works with organizations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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And the Foundation has improved women's lives, boosted literacy, fought for workers' rights, improved health care... and the list goes on and on and on!
American democracy is ultimately predicated on a certain level of comity between political factions, particularly during transitions of power. Leaders of both parties might snipe and engage in pitched battles yet are able to hand over power in a relatively smooth fashion. For more than a century, the Democratic and Republican Parties have accepted electoral defeat and marshaled themselves to fight again in two or four years.



Donald Trump's behavior following his clear defeat in Monday night's debate with Hillary Clinton calls into question whether or not he will be willing to accept November 8's results.



This was clearly on debate moderator and NBC anchor Lester Holt's mind when he asked both candidates if they will be "willing to accept the outcome [of the election] as the will of the voters?"



Clinton immediately answered she will "support the outcome of this election."



After Trump offered a rambling response that had nothing to do with the question asked, Holt was forced to follow up with him a second time. Trump finally stated that "I don't believe Hillary will. The answer is, if she wins, I will absolutely support her."



This pledge is as worthless as a degree from Trump University. After all, before he won the Republican primary, Trump confessed that he had no plans to abide by his signed pledge to support whomever won the GOP nomination.



Trump's behavior in the 48 hours since he resoundingly lost the presidential debate at Hofstra University not only demonstrated his penchant for denying reality, it also foreshadowed a dangerous post-election playbook for his campaign.



Trump turned to self-selecting online exercises--to call them surveys or polls connotes an air of legitimacy and scientific validity they do not deserve--touting his mythical victory, even though they measure nothing other than the whim of website visitors to click a button, sometimes over and over again. He also thanked Fox for promoting the results of these online games. Trump even cited polls that did not exist.



The GOP nominee then turned his ire on Holt. While conceding that the debate moderator "was okay" and "didn't do a bad job," Trump told "Fox & Friends" that "he gave me very unfair questions at the end, the last three, four questions." Among those unfair questions was: "Are you willing to accept the outcome as the will of the voters?" Trump also complained about "some hostile questions" from Holt.



This was after claiming he was given "a defective mic," perhaps "on purpose."



This could all be cast aside as the normal political wrangling that comes as part of every election cycle. Except there was never a need to ask whether Mitt Romney or John McCain would refuse to accept the validity of electoral results.



After McCain and Romney lost their respective contests with President Obama, the fringes of the Right ginned up hysterical lies about ACORN stealing the election, race baited about the New Black Panther party and concocted dozens of other conspiracy theories. Regardless, the will of the voters was allowed to be carried out.



Trump's delusional inability to accept a loss, once again demonstrated by his behavior following Monday night's debate, could spark a constitutional crisis.



If he does refuse to accept the election of Hillary Clinton, what would that look like? There are plenty of points after November 8 at which he could attempt to poke a stick into the spokes of the wheel of democracy. Trump could demand that states not certify the results of the election or he could attempt to convince members of Congress to reject electors.



Following the 2008 election, 52 percent of Republicans believed ACORN stole the election for Obama. Forty-nine percent of Republicans believed this following the 2012 election even though the organization had been disbanded more than two years earlier. Suffice it to say that at least a sizeable chunk of the GOP's base would likely follow Trump off this dangerous cliff. Would Republican members of Congress or their leadership fear their wrath in primaries and therefore go along with those trying to cast an election into doubt?



Furthermore, would the media give an air of legitimacy to an undemocratic attempt to subvert the will of voters? What about media figures still on the payroll of the Trump campaign? Or those who have participated in their ads? Or what about media outlets run by the campaign's chairman?



Holt was right to insist that Trump answer whether or not he would accept the outcome of the election. The question, as always, is whether he'll keep his word.
Image: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, left, gives his running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, a thumbs up after Pence addressed the Republican National Convention. Author: A. Shaker/VOA. Public Domain

I watch the polls in the American presidential race go up and down with dismay.

My heart leaps when Hillary Clinton surges but seizes up when Donald Trump catches her or occasionally moves ahead.

My fear -- like that of many people around the world -- is that Trump, a demagogue who puts himself above his country, might actually win.

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I live in Armenia, a small country thousands of miles from the United States. So why do I care who becomes president of the most powerful country on earth?

Because if Trump is elected, Vladimir Putin will be able to run roughshod across the former Soviet Union, including Armenia, and try to take back the Baltics, Poland and other ex-Soviet fiefdoms in Europe, such as Hungary and the Czech Republic.

Trump has given ominous signals about letting Putin have his way in the region.

He has supported Russia's takeover of Crimea, has asserted that there were no Russian troops in eastern Ukraine, and has hinted that the United States would abandon the Baltics if Russia invaded, even though NATO's charter requires Washington to help other members who are attacked.

I've been amazed that so many Trump backers have given him a pass on Russian aggression.

Those in the former Soviet Union who have long wanted democracy in our region admired Ronald Reagan, an icon of the American right, for standing up to Soviet leaders.

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In fact, most of us believe Reagan's hard-nosed stance against Soviet totalitarianism was a key reason the Soviet Union imploded.

So we've been astonished so see the American right, to whom Reagan is almost a God, looking the other way when Trump has signaled he would let Putin run amok in the region.

Make no mistake about it: Much of the former Soviet Union would be vulnerable to Russian reconquest if Trump became president.

Armenia is the perfect example of a country in the region that can't sneeze without Russian permission -- the kind of obsequious vassal Moscow wants to see more of. Russia owns our electricity and gas systems, stepped in to squash our plan to join the European Union, and has two military bases on our soil to make sure we don't get uppity.

Two of the first countries that Russia would try to re-subjugate under a Trump presidency, it seems to me, would be Moldova and Georgia.

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Putin could easily trump up a pretext to unleash Russian troops that are stationed in both.

In Moldova, Russian forces are in Transnistria, a pro-Russian enclave that is basically running its own affairs, thumbing its nose at the government in Chisinau.

In Georgia, Russian troops are in two pro-Russian enclaves -- South Ossetia and Abkhazia -- that the Kremlin took away from Georgia in the war of 2008.

The death of Uzbekistan's longtime leader Islam Karimov on September 2 improves the Russians' chances of forcing that country to do its bidding again.

Karimov, a tyrant whose regime was one of the world's worst human-rights violators, always feared a Russian attempt to re-establish dominance over his country -- so he kept Moscow at arm's length.

Unfortunately for Uzbekistan's chances of remaining independent from Moscow, Karimov failed to groom a successor.

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The Kremlin will be sure to dangle inducements and to apply pressure on the new leader of Uzbekistan, former Prime Minister Shaukat Mirziyoyev, to try to get the country back in the Russian fold. Mirziyoyev will be unlikely to rebuff Russia as Karimov did -- at least for awhile -- because he needs time to consolidate his power.

Another country in the region that is vulnerable to Russian reconquest -- whether through military or more subtle means -- is Kazakhstan.

Its longtime dictator, Nursultan Nazarbayev, is 76, and has not announced a successor, although there are indications it could be his oldest daughter, parliamentarian Dariga Nazarbayeva.

Russian nationalists have contended for years that the northern third of Kazakhstan -- the world's ninth-largest country -- belongs to Russia, and they have called for seizing that territory.

Nazarbayev has worked hard to stay on Putin's good side, trying to avoid giving Moscow even the slightest pretext to march troops into northern Kazakhstan.

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Astana's few flashes of independence have angered Putin, however. One of those piques prompted him to issue a veiled threat against Kazakhstan in 2014. Putin noted that Kazakhstan had never been an independent country until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, a suggestion that Russia considered Kazakh territory up for grabs.

In the same way that Uzbekistan's transition to Mirziyoyev makes Tashkent vulnerable to Russia, Astana's transition to a new leader will make Kazakhstan vulnerable as well.

What do all these geopolitical tangles in the former Soviet Union have to do with Trump?

By letting Putin do what he wants in the region with impunity, Trump would be complicit in Russia's re-enslavement of countries there.

I have heard many Western Europeans say they're terrified that a Trump presidency would embolden Putin to try to put the entire continent under his thumb.

Think how much more fearful those of us in the former Soviet Union are about the possibility that a Trump presidency would prompt Russia to try to re-enslave us.

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India, China hold 1st high-level dialogue to combat terror

Published: September 28, 2016

India and China have hold the first High Level Dialogue on Counter-terrorism and Security held in Beijing, capital city of China.

The meeting was co-chaired by R N Ravi, Chairman of Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) and Wang Yongqing, Secretary General of Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of China.

Key Facts

In the high level dialogue both countries discussed on ways to enhance security and cooperation to combat terror.

They exchanged information on respective policies to deal with terrorism, and further enhance their understanding on issues of major concern.

They also exchanged views on the international and regional security situation. It also deliberated on measures to jointly deal with security threats and reached important consensus in this regard.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2016

Topics: India China  National  Terrorism

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By Hong Soon-do, Beijing correspondent, AsiaToday - The case of Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Development, a Chinese firm suspected of supporting North Korea's nuclear development program, is getting more complicated. It not only brought China's intense crackdown on Chinese companies trading with North Korea as well as US sanctions against Hongxiang which led to straining ties with Beijing, but also sparking power shuffle in the Chinese government. Thus, there is a keen interest on whether such move will lead to an extensive reshuffle in the future.

This assertion is not an exaggeration considering the fact that the Chinese authorities replaced party secretary of Dandong Sun Zhaolin on September 24. It's possible to consider that Sun was not immune from responsibility since Xinhua News and other Chinese media outlets reported Wednesday that Liu Xingwei, the Mayor of Jinzhou, has been appointed as the successor without mentioning the reason for the replacement.

[The executives of Liaoning province. The third from left is Li Xi, the secretary of Liaoning province, the upper body of Dandong city. He is being mentioned as the one to take responsibility./ Source: search engine Baidu]

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The problem is that the censure won't be limited to former secretary Sun. First of all, the situation is really putting Liaoning province secretary Li Xi on the spot since he is the number one leader in the province. The situation of Liaoning Governor Chen Qiu Fa is not so much different. In fact, there are rumors that the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection has already started investigating them.

Considering the current atmosphere, those in the central government might not be free from responsibility. If this is the case, one of deputy prime ministers can be reprimanded. Obviously, this could bring some changes in the next power structure.
By Hong Soon-do, Beijing correspondent, AsiaToday -The clash between China and the U.S. is escalating as the U.S. decided to impose direct sanctions on a Chinese company in connection with North Korea's nuclear and missile programs on Monday. If this is the case, the conflict between the two countries might sharpen, and this could lead to deepening U.S-China rift over North Korea sanctions.

[The entrance of Hongxiang Group, the parent company of Hongxiang Industrial Development Company, which will face U.S. sanctions. The company has been shut down recently./ Source: search engine Baidu]

According to sources in Beijing on Tuesday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury had officially blacklisted Hongxiang Industrial Development Company Ltd and four of its executives, including the firm's founder, Ma Xiaohong. The department also moved to seize 25 bank accounts owned by Hongxiang and related companies. In fact, the U.S. did what the Chinese government had to do instead.

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Such immediate move by the U.S. doesn't seem to make any problem since it followed provisions of the U.N. Resolution 2270, which placed stricter sanctions on North Korea in March. China should be willing to accept it happily as the U.S. legally applied a secondary boycott included in Resolution 2270 for the first time. China doesn't seem to be unhappy about it on the surface.

However, if we take a look at real U.S. intentions, it might be a different story. First, the U.S. seems doubtful about China's will to enforce North Korea sanctions. Besides, the U.S. seems convinced that China won't be the first to actively enforce North Korea sanctions in the future. Otherwise, there is no reason for the U.S. to apply a secondary boycott on Hongxiang unusually fast.
"Sebastian" wore the most dazzling white school-uniform shirt, matched with the dirtiest of sneakers. We met inside a church in the town of Mweso in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, because he wanted to tell me about what happened at his school.

Staring intently at his mud-caked shoes, the 12-year-old told me how earlier in the year soldiers from the Congolese army had taken over a few classrooms in his school to use as a barracks and temporary base. Sebastian explained how he'd valiantly tried to continue his studies in a classroom next door, literally in the line of fire should the rebels attack. When we spoke, he said he hoped that "just maybe" he'd soon be able to continue his studies in peace.

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Well, things are looking up for students like Sebastian in Congo. Last month the Congolese government joined an international commitment known as the Safe Schools Declaration. Announcing the endorsement at the United Nations Security Council, Congo's ambassador declared that doing so demonstrated his country's commitment to never again use schools for military purposes. He cited a Congolese military order prohibiting the practice. This is good progress.

Yet it will surprise many to learn that unlike Congo, Canada does not have military policies or rules explicitly saying its armed forces will refrain from using schools for military purposes. Nor has Canada joined the 56 countries that have already endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration. It should do both.

Countries that have signed the Safe Schools Declaration not only agree to restore access to education faster when schools are attacked, but they also agree to make it less likely that students, teachers, and schools will be attacked in the first place. They seek to deter such attacks by making a commitment to investigate and prosecute war crimes involving schools. And they agree to minimize the use of schools for military purposes, such as for barracks or bases, so as to not convert schools into targets for attack.

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Perhaps most importantly, the declaration builds an international community committed to respecting the civilian nature of schools, and developing and sharing examples of the best practices for protecting schools from attack and military use.

The Harper administration refused to join the declaration when it was opened in May 2015. Officials contended that the existing laws of war - the basic minimum standards by which states and non-state actors must fight - were sufficient. They saw no need for Canada to try to do any better.

Yet Canada has traditionally been at the forefront of advocating that even during times of war, the country must maintain respect for humanity. Whenever Canada has the capacity to take sensible steps to limit the harm and destruction caused by war, it should.

Such humanitarian principles led Canada in 1996 to challenge the world to ban the production and use of anti-personnel landmines. The resulting Ottawa Treaty has now been ratified by 162 countries, saving countless civilian lives around the world.

These principles led Canada in 2002 to be the first nation to ratify a treaty aimed at ending the use of child soldiers around the world. And, during its last stint on the UN Security Council, to make sure that the world's highest forum for international peace and security finally dedicated time to discuss how armed conflict affects children.

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The Safe Schools Declaration is not a hypothetical exercise. As a NATO member with troops deployed overseas, and more expected to soon be sent as peacekeepers, Canada should ensure that its presence abroad will never impede children's ability to go to school in safety. The 600 Canadian troops newly assigned for peacekeeping missions will be obliged to follow the UN's requirement that they never use schools in their operations--an even more stringent standard than in the declaration. So signing up should present few challenges for these forces.

Across Canada approximately 10,000 recently arrived Syrian refugees are experiencing something new: a safe school. We've interviewed hundreds of Syrian children and their parents, and many told us that one major reason for fleeing their homeland was because they couldn't get an education - because their schools were targeted, used by the military, or simply not functioning. And it's not just Syria - refugee children from other countries where schools are placed in the crosshairs, such as Afghanistan, Congo, Nigeria, and Somalia, all now attend safe schools in Canada.

That's great news - but there is even more Canada could do to help children still living in countries where schools have become battlegrounds. If you agree that Canada should endorse the Safe Schools Declaration, then please join our call on Human Rights Watch's website.
On 8-29-16, Gene Wilder passed away in Los Angeles. His greatest artistic performances have entertained generations of people. From Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory to Young Frankenstein, The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Silver Streak and Stir Crazy, as well as countless other performances, 7 decades of Gene Wilder roles have left memories of happiness, laughter and joy in most people's hearts.

But Gene Wilder's greatest performance (to cancer patients and survivors) extended beyond stage and screen into his mission to help reduce the impact of cancer. He came to this quest in a strange way.

In 1982, Wilder's wife Gilda Radner was afflicted with ovarian cancer in the middle of a comedienne career that included some of the most memorable skits and performances on Saturday Night Live, along with other live, film and radio performances. She married Gene Wilder in 1984. Sadly, after a life-challenging fight against ovarian cancer, she died after 3 years of treatments with surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

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Remembering her fight against the ovarian cancer, Gene Wilder was frustrated how her symptoms went undiagnosed by many physicians. In 1985, she had begun developing fatigue, abdominal cramps, pains in her upper legs, and bloating of her abdomen. An ultrasound of her abdomen was interpreted as not showing cancer. But after the 10 months, in 1986 finally a diagnosis became apparent: advanced stage IV ovarian cancer. In 1988 she thought she had the cancer licked because she was in remission. However, by December 1988 it had spread to her liver and lungs, and in May 1989, she passed away.

It was then that Gene Wilder started Gilda's Club with Gilda's psychotherapist Joanna Bull, broadcaster Joel Siegel and actor Mandy Patinkin. The goals were to help patients through supportive care, advice, and the power of shared experiences in cancer patient groups. In efforts to help fight and conquer ovarian cancer, the group also promoted earlier diagnosis. Sadly, that fight to cure more cancers still continues. But the foundation has helped to focus interest in patient advocacy and to make people aware of the remarkable advances in treatment of ovarian malignancy. In 2009, Gilda's Clubs with 4200 members merged with the Wellness Community to form the Cancer Support Community, the largest patient support organization in the country. Gilda's legacy continues to grow today.

Gene Wilder went further. In 1991 he testified before congress about the need for earlier diagnosis of cancer and promoted funding of cancer research to develop diagnostic tests. He then supported Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in developing the Gilda Radner Ovarian Cancer Detection Program. Gene Wilder complained that despite Gilda's extensive family history of ovarian cancer in her grandmother, aunt and cousin, doctors still did not suspect ovarian cancer as a diagnosis until it was too late. So he then supported the Cedars-Sinai center for gene testing.

Ovarian cancer is the 5th most common cause of cancer deaths in women. In 2016, 22,300 women will develop ovarian cancer and over 14,000 will die of it. Because its symptoms are very mild in early stages of ovarian cancer, the disease is often only diagnosed in late stages when cure is less likely. Early symptoms of ovarian cancer can be misinterpreted as other diseases, as in Gilda's experience. Ovarian cancer symptoms include pelvic or abdominal pain, bloating, feeling full after eating, trouble eating, urinating frequently or feeling of having to urinate urgently, fatigue, constipation, pain after intercourse, changes in menstruation, weight loss or back pain. If you have any of these symptoms, check with your physician.

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Treatments of ovarian cancer have also improved. The 5 year survival has improved from only 36% in 1975 to 46% in 2011. Advances have included the identification of genetic causes of ovarian malignancy (mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2, PTEN, or the genes that cause hereditary colon cancer are examples), improvement of surgical removal of ovarian cancer, and the use of less toxic and more effective chemotherapy such as carboplatin and paclitaxel. Patients are helped by biological therapy such as bevacizumab, targeted therapy such as olaparib which can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer recurrence by 80% (this could have helped Gilda), and immunotherapy with nivolumab. Survivorship has improved with identification of methods to reduce side effects of treatments, about which Gilda's Club and the Cancer Support Community help make patients aware.

The passion that Gene Wilder brought to his support of Gilda's Club has helped to advance the care of cancer patients. This leadership makes Gene Wilder a hero for patients and families who face cancer and should be an example to survivors and their families. The challenges to cure cancer and support cancer patients is far from over, and individuals who care deeply about these issues should follow the path of the actor: become active with advocacy groups and charities that promote advances in cancer and help individuals fighting cancer.

Here are Dr. Cary's tips for women based on Gene Wilder's heroic life:

Become active with a charity or patient advocacy organization which promotes cancer cure and research to improve patients' lives and survivorship. Don't just contribute money, but also volunteer to help in the mission and in fundraising. Become an ambassador for the progress being made in this devastating disease.

Be aware of your risk for getting cancer. In women, emphasize finding out your risk of breast and ovarian cancer by using your physician to help determine your chances of getting these cancers. She/he can help you decide if you should get gene testing. Your family history, symptoms, and reproductive history can help to calculate how high your risk might be. If your doctor cannot tell you what your risk is, get a consultation with a specialist to help. More advice on prevention and risk assessment, getting specialist consultations, and obtaining second opinions can be found in my website and book Surviving American Medicine.

If you have any of the symptoms of ovarian cancer I described above, be certain your doctor does the appropriate diagnostic tests (including ultrasound, CT scans, MRI scans, and blood tests) to diagnose the cause and make certain whether it is early stage ovarian cancer. If your physician cannot find the cause, get a second opinion.

Screening tests to detect cancers earlier when they are more curable can be important in breast and ovarian cancer. Be sure to discuss when you should get mammograms, tomosynthesis (3D mammograms), ultrasound or breast MRI for breast cancer. Your doctor should also advise whether you should get trans-vaginal ultrasound (TVUS) and blood testing for CA125 to help detect ovarian cancer. If you have any symptoms, you should expect actual diagnostic tests, not just screening tests.

If you have a family history of any cancer, be certain your primary care physician knows this. Remember to ask if you should have genetic testing or more frequent cancer screening tests.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump blamed Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton for a number of things during Monday night's debate, including her husband Bill's signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement, the collapse of the U.S. economy during President George W. Bush's administration, and the rise of the terrorist organization ISIS.

"I have a feeling that by the end of the evening, I will be blamed for everything that's ever happened," Clinton joked.

"Why not?" Trump responded.

"Why not, yeah, why not?" Clinton said, smiling. "Just join the debate by saying more crazy things."

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On Tuesday morning, the Trump campaign released a list of other things it blames on Clinton.

Zero "Bubba" Honor, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, said the list also includes a number of other reasons that conclusively shows that Clinton is unfit to be president.

"Once the American people see this," Honor said, "they will see her for who she really is."

Honor said it's important that voters know the truth about the candidates when they vote on November 8.

"They can vote for someone who believes in equal opportunity, equal justice for all, a living wage, and compassionate treatment for the ill and elderly," he said, "or they can vote for Donald Trump. I hope they make the right choice,"

Here is the list released by the Trump campaign.

Clinton ordered the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Clinton ordered the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Clinton is responsible for perpetuating the hoax of global warming.

Clinton caused the breakup of the marriage of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Clinton once tried to go through the express checkout line at a grocery store with 13 items.

Clinton is responsible for why police can't just arrest anyone they want.

Clinton believes in racial and gender equality - and not just for white men.

Clinton is responsible for why the United States can't deport all Mexicans, who we all know are all drug dealers, criminals, and rapists.

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When Clinton was a teenager she prank called businesses, including, but not limited to, calling a tobacco store and asking if they "had Prince Albert in a can."

Clinton removes the tag off mattresses in blatant violation of the law.

Clinton jaywalked in New York City in 2007 - and if she denies it, we have the video to prove it.

Clinton is responsible for Donald Trump's lies because her campaign checks his facts.

Clinton consorts with Russian leader Vladimir Putin? (Oh wait, that's Donald Trump. Never mind)

Clinton sometimes texts in movie theaters . . . during the movie!

Clinton broke up The Beatles in 1970.

It's Clinton's fault that Trump won't release his tax returns.
There's never a dull moment in Thailand's infamous capital city: Bangkok. The sprawling metropolis is a global crossroads, also notorious for its red light districts and fast-paced nights of drinking and debauchery. For many first time backpackers to Southeast Asia, banana pancake trail initiation begins at Khaosan Road, where they get their first taste of Thailand night life.

Bangkok isn't all ping pong shows and cheap cheap Sangsom rum buckets, though. For travelers that aren't seeking blacked out nights and hungover mornings, this vibrant city is teeming with loads of fun activities to do at night that don't require alcohol. In fact, those that come for the bars and girls may miss out on some of the best cultural experiences that Bangkok has to offer. Ready to explore another, more sober side to Bangkok's nightlife?



Dizzying heights on top of the Ghost Tower. Photo credit: A Great Perhaps Travel Blog

Start the night off by climbing the abandoned Sathorn Unique Condominium

Or better known by locals as the spooky "Ghost Tower". Urban legend has it that construction began in 1990, but came to a halt when the architect, Rangan Torsuwan was arrested for conspiring in a political assassination plot. That, coupled with the crippling effects of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, put Sathorn Unique to rest for good. Years passed, yet developers avoided the devastated condominium's prime location overlooking the Chao Phraya River with superstitions of bad luck and rumors of unruly spirits swirling. Nevertheless, it's hard to miss the concrete Frankenstein, which looms over the Bangkok skyline. Urban explorers enjoy climbing to the tippy-top at sunset to take in some of the best views of the city. Enter at your own risk, as it is quite derelict and dangerous.

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Enjoy dinner in pitch darkness

Is your belly feeling adventurous? On the ground floor of the Sheraton Grand Sukhumvit Hotel, famished patrons flock to Dine in the Dark, where they literally sit in a pitch black room and rely completely on smell, touch and taste to devour a scrumptious four course meal. Choose from a set menu of either Asian, western or vegetarian cuisine. There's also a surprise menu for the bold. What sets this dining experience apart from the rest is the fact that without sight, your other senses become noticeably heightened, especially taste! From each meal purchased the restaurant donates a percentage to the Foundation for the Blind.

Learn about Thai history and culture with a viewing of Siam Niramit

Dive into Thailand's colorful history and culture with the world renowned Siam Niramit show for an unforgettable night of exotic costumes, talented performances and beautiful storytelling. Attendees are invited on a magical journey through Thai cultural heritage with a delightful 80 minute performance divided into three acts: 'Journey Back into History,' 'Journey Beyond Imagination' and 'Journey Through Joyous Festivals'. Siam Niramit is one of the largest stage productions world-wide, boasting over 100 professional artists.



You're locked in a themed room with one chance to escape. Photo credit: Escape Break

Plan a game night in the Big Mango

Everyone loves a thrilling game night out on the town. Round up the squad and get your brains working and limbs moving with a few fun places to go, and I don't mean board games or the arcade (although those are always a hoot too). Lazgam offers the ultimate indoor laser tag experience, set in a trippy sci-fi setting that will make you feel as if you're in a video game. Choose a team and challenge level, then get that adrenaline pumping. If you love puzzles, why not test Escape Break, where cleverness and finite problem solving skills are your trusted tools to help find your way out of a locked room. And of course, one of the most fun things to do in Bangkok, Thailand is karaoke. A trip to Southeast Asia isn't complete without a night of serenading, a popular pastime for locals and travelers alike. Take your pick, as karaoke bars abound, then stretch your vocals in a private air conditioned room all night long.

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Snack on street food and shop at Rot Fai Market in Srinakarin

From Thursday to Sunday when the sun sets over Bangkok, the night markets come to life. Rot Fai Market is well-known by treasure hunters seeking out rare vintage collectibles that you can't find anywhere else. Pristine antique furniture, timeless fashion pieces and more, browse the seemingly endless pop-up shops and score a unique souvenir that's not another boring pair of elephant pants. Don't commit a cardinal sin by not indulging in authentic Thai street treats at the market- this goes for any Thai market. Delicious and cheap, it's easy to fill up on BBQ chicken, spicy som tam, classic pad thai and fried insects!

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Governor Bill Clinton and wife Hillary Clinton at a Texas campaign rally in 1992 on his final day of campaigning in McAllen, Texas

Join me in giving a big warm thanks to all the parents borrowing $58,440 a year to send their kid to Hofstra University, where an anticipated 100 million viewers will tune in Monday night for the first presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Only the Super Bowl and the 1983 finale of "M*A*S*H" have hit the 100-million viewer mark on television, so the pressure on Lester "Iron Pants" Holt Jr., the moderator, is huge.

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"His nickname is 'Iron Pants' because he is in the anchor chair so much," Lester Holt Sr. said of his son, who didn't finish college and got his big break taking over the hot seat at NBC Nightly News when Brian Williams, another college dropout, got caught lying about events as a war correspondent in Iraq.

Holt's iron pants will go well with Clinton's choke collar and Trump's loincloth Monday night as these gladiators treat us to 90 minutes of blood sport, euphemistically described as "in-depth discussion of the leading issues facing the nation" by the Commission on Presidential Debates, the nonprofit, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) corporation that's been putting on presidential debates since 1988 and creator of the official debate Twitter hashtags #debates and #debates2016 that produce cute little podium emojis just for the occasion.

College students at Hofstra and everywhere may learn some valuable lessons Monday night. Maybe the issue of college affordability and student debt will get some air time between another go-round about Hillary's email and Donald Trump's new shiny hotel in Washington.

Mr. Trump, is the $3 million rent you agreed to pay per year to Uncle Sam to lease the 117-year-old postal facility where your shiny new hotel is located on Pennsylvania Avenue a very good deal, a great deal or a beautiful deal?

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Is the $120 "Trump Tower" snack sold in the bar - a 1-pound lobster, 8 oysters, 4 clams, 4 shrimp, blue crab cocktail, cocktail sauce, mignonette and old bay aioli - available to go in plastic containers? And to follow up, how many coal miners will this deal put back to work?

Which think tank is more crooked, Mr. Trump, Forbes, that pegs the deficit your economic plan will create at $5.3 trillion, or the Brookings Institution, that calculates a $10 trillion deficit under your plan?

When can we expect you to sue somebody over reports that you paid your personal legal claims with foundation money?

Do you agree with your doctor that your lab results showing a testosterone level of 441 is "astonishingly excellent?"

How artful is the deal you negotiated with Vladimir Putin to keep Russian hackers away from your tax returns?

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Nobody thinks Trump is smarter than Clinton or more experienced or prepared. It's not even debatable. The election is a show for Trump, a stage for him to do his braggadocio schtick. Whether he wins or not, he intends to make himself a profit. Everyone agrees he knows nothing about the intricacies of diplomacy or governance. He's never created a policy or performed a public service in his life. The leading issue facing the nation is that nobody seems to care.

"Debate Prep" is even a new dumb thing this year - a caricature like everything else.

Trump "is approaching the debate like a Big Man on Campus who thinks his last-minute term paper will be dazzling simply because he wrote it," the New York Times reported as fact, not opinion.

Does anyone doubt that Hillary Clinton has been studying the facts and research available on every issue that matters to voters?

Imagine if we were able to hear what her plans are to increase economic security for families and solve problems, and then hear a response to her ideas from Trump that doesn't include name calling.

If Monday night Hillary Clinton can get through her obligatory apology for all the sins committed anywhere by anyone with sufficient contrition, leaving herself enough time to share details of her plans for criminal justice reform, expanded healthcare access, tax policy, clean energy and how ISIS terrorists will be hunted down and killed, while smiling and using her indoor voice, she'll do very well as long as moderator Lester Holt doesn't let Trump dumb the whole thing down.

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The Republican primary debates were tormenting cockfights that were excruciating to watch, and obviously challenging to moderate, given Trump's braggadocio. God help us if that is the new norm of political dialogue.


Image Credit: Huffington Post Images



As of this writing, Taiji, Japan remains ground zero for the capture and distribution of wild dolphins to amusement parks, dolphinariums, and swim-with-dolphin programs worldwide, fetching as much as $200,000 for a trained dolphin. At the same time, Taiji is a place where hundreds of dolphins, pilot whales, false killer whales, and other dolphin species are murdered and slaughtered every year from September until March; supposedly for human consumption, but also to rid the local waters of this so-called "pest." A slaughtered dolphin brings in only a few hundred dollars.



The Government of Japan and Taiji sanctions these activities, claiming them to be a centuries-old tradition. Yet, marine animal parks only originated some 50 years ago.



Activists such as Sea-shepherd and Dolphin Project among others report that the inhumane slaughters are fueled and paid for by the captive industry, that dolphin trainers stand beside the killers deciding which dolphins will live a life of cacophony, confinement, and tricks, and which will die. For those who are naysayers, watching any live-streaming footage supports those claims and shows the brutality, fear, and terror these sentient families of dolphins endure in the process, begging the question:



Is it possible for Taiji "fisherman" to become dolphin stewards and ambassadors instead of killers?



My position is yes, and to support that position I present a number of studies showing how a change in livelihoods and activities, from killing wild animals to conservation and ecotourism, not only draws people and cash, but also promotes positive perceptions of the people and locale.

This PLoS One study shows how in the Maldives, Indonesia, and Philippines, where Manta rays were killed for their gill plates for trade in Asian markets, Manta rays were on the verge of local extinction. When the trade in Manta rays was replaced with ecotourism and swim-with-Manta programs, local incomes increased and these communities earned positive reputations for wildlife conservation and habitat rebuilding. This study concluded that live Manta rays are worth 28 times more than dead ones.

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Likewise, Scientific American reports that elephant ecotourism helps local communities earn 76 times more income than they would earn from the ivory of dead elephants. This demonstrates how ecotourism promotes stewardship of wildlife and habitat and improves the lives of the animals and local communities.

An article in Current Issues of Tourism shows that in places where sharks of all kinds were finned but are now protected with ecotourism, entire ecosystems thrive along with local businesses and tourism.

Another PLoS One study demonstrates on a more general note how ecotourism and the conservation of nature improves livelihoods, brings in money, attention to the area, and turns into a self perpetuating business; the basic tenet being: The more animals, the more business.

Finally, a former sixth-generation Japanese dolphin hunter turned dolphin advocate and touring outfitter demonstrates that it IS POSSIBLE to transform a traditional livelihood into a successful income-generating business.

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From these examples we see that conservation efforts, ecotourism, and wildlife preservation earns more money, respect, and provides more services to local communities than the killing, loss, or commodification of dead wildlife.

Taiji can learn from these case studies. Taiji can rebrand itself from a town of dolphin killers to a town of dolphin protectors. They just need to see that the economic and reputation benefits of these changes outweigh those of the ongoing slaughters.
By now, there is no question that representational painting rooted in the classical idea of skill is again the heart of a living culture. It may not have access to all the apparatus of institutional and financial reward the broader art world has to offer, but it has caught fire and finally matches the standards of a culture. What was once a loose web of lonely artists, and then a tiny and isolated ghetto of friends and enthusiasts, has exploded into thousands upon thousands of practitioners, scholars, fans, amateurs, and collectors. This gigantic community is continuously in contact with itself over social media, convening here and there at packed conventions, and showing and teaching in its own constellation of galleries, museums, and schools.

Apart from these external signposts on the way to a culture, this revivified painting movement (which lacks an adequate name, though some advocate for "postcontemporary," a term I quite like) is also reckoning with the internal demands specific to its cultural content. Which is to say, the critique and advance of its art. This process has been terribly stunted in this movement, as critique and advance are often stunted among persecuted minorities. On the one hand, survival usurps luxuries like analysis in terms of resource allocation. And on the other hand, criticism feels like participation in the very persecution the minority continuously resists.

As the persecution of this painting movement fades, and its numbers grow, it has felt itself on a surer footing and matured to the point of asking: what do these skills serve? what is our art? Inevitably, the cohesion of a community defined by a technical ethos must splinter under pressure of the question of goals. But this is a healthy splintering. Asking "What is our art?" will unleash a thousand divergent personal visions. This is where we wanted to go.

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At the broadest categorical level, there will be two answers to these questions. They involve two concepts of the relation of skill to the work.

The first concept, which is the default concept for this painting movement, is that all available skills should be brought to bear on the problem of making a picture. That is, all tools of depiction - anatomy, perspective, still life, landscape, lighting, color, rendering - they all go in, as subject matter permits. They are difficult skills to gain, we were once mocked for pursuing them, and they are profoundly expressive tools. Therefore the formulation and execution of the picture should use what they offer. The picture should be a heightened simulacrum of the real: the real made meaningful, the invisible truth revealed through the organization and adept depiction of life and matter.

This is a good concept, but it is not right for all artists. It is not even right for all the artists who think it is right for them.

The second concept goes back to the foundation of the modernist approach to technique, its often absurd claim that its artists were trained in high technique and could paint representational masterpieces anytime they wanted... but chose not to. It is wrong to make such defensive claims for your artists, because it obscures their real virtues. But there is nothing wrong with the formulation itself. And I believe this formulation is the other broadest-level answer to the question "What do these skills serve?" Some classically trained artists are going to set down some of the tools in their toolbox. They will be informed by their knowledge but not defined by it. They will not seek a transparent or elevated epistemology, but instead will work to express a personal epistemology, deformed as it is by obsessions, tics, and emotions. They will select a subset of the available tools to express their idiosyncratic visions.

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I believe that the full maturation of this painting movement will be marked by the emergence and acceptance of artists drawn to this second solution to the problem. I've had occasion to formulate this set of ideas because I wanted to explain to you why I find Felicia Forte such an exciting artist. I like her work, yes, but I also think it is exciting.



Felicia Forte, Remember the Catbird Seat, oil, 8" x 8"

Look closely at this seemingly simple painting. It is a post-it note stuck on patterned wallpaper. It appears cartoonishly reductive. And yet two points in the image betray very sophisticated techniques: there is the keen observation of color shifts at the soft edge of the post-it's shadow, and there is the subtle, continuous variation of yellows across the curved surface of the post-it as its angle relative to its light source varies. These passages assert, in a sense, the authority of the rest: the background that is indeed as simple as it looks, the square-within-a-square composition, the playful color scheme. The passages vouch for the intentionality of the rest. They tell us that someone who was capable of this chose that as well; and therefore we may take that as meaningful. The artist was not at war with her technique. Her technique served her consciousness.

Consider this:



Felicia Forte, Point of View, oil, 24" x 18"

First the obvious - that same funny pattern of light yellow-green on darker olive green appears again. It was wallpaper before, and now it is a view out a window. It wasn't a view out a window the first time, or the post-it would not have cast a shadow. So two different things are represented in the same shorthand. The shorthand, therefore, is a thing of pleasure or significance to Forte. Depiction is fundamental to her work, but so, we see, are odd little snippets of color and shape which live only in her mind, until she finds corners of her work to plant them in. This is a deeply expressionist impulse.

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Zooming back from the window, we look at the rest of the composition. To a painter conversant with the classical techniques we have been discussing, it is a strange mix of the crude and the sophisticated. The image reveals an exquisite sensitivity to color and an expert understanding of how to mix color and how adjacent colors impact one another: look, for instance, at the patch of green light from outside which falls across the cooler indoor greys and violets of the "white" oven door. And, on the other hand, behold how little interest Forte has in blending or otherwise fancifying her brushwork. Like Manet, she has decomposed each surface into flattened planes. Unlike Manet, these planes are really very flat. I've studied them in person. They're maddening little daubs of colored paint, shape more than anything else. From a distance, they form a scene, but close up, they are just paint chips. They describe nothing at all, they seem to eclipse themselves.

These are all instances of Forte's having earned for herself the mighty arsenal of classical technique, and then chosen to run into battle armed with, one might say, a rifle and a kazoo. She took what she needed, she added some very idiosyncratic items, and from these she made her art.

In this piece, her influence shifts from Thiebaud to Uglow:



Felicia Forte, Still Here, oil, 12" x 24"

The piece shares an austere, meditative thingfulness with Uglow, and angles toward the same paradox: a vivid sense of form, of mass and presence, constructed from a set of lines and planes that are not at all shy about their flatness.

This piece vividly recapitulates how the eye scans the kind of scene it depicts: the darkness eats into the plant leaves, so that their basic shapes persist but their subtleties have eroded. The jars emerge from the gloom as an appetizing sequence of glossy highlights. Adjusted for the room, the eye can see where the overhead shines brightest on the windowsill, but cannot discern any details of the night outside.

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These are all outcomes of intense observation on Forte's part. She has the classicist's patience in looking and dexterity in depicting. But she is so radical in her reductions, in eliding details and creating purely formal zones, that her project cannot be described as depicting the world. Nor do the zones serve an aesthetic purpose alone. World and formalism alike are staging grounds for her emotional state. In looking closely at life and art, she looks closer still at herself. Her eye follows her heart. There is a wistful solitude to this scene, a melancholy sense of troubles that have kept her up late, that have at last turned her away from the room, and washed her up on the shore of the windowsill, idly looking at plants deep in the night, where she is reminded of the beauty of mere things, a beauty which, just now, is much, but not enough.

All these things I see in Forte's work, and have always seen them. Her work is fun and funny and full of life, and the longer you look, the more it offers, until sadness mixes itself in as well. Her technique is like that too. It looks like slightly bookish pop art until you really look, and then you realize the trained eye of a classicist has uncovered essential truths about the mechanisms of seeing and the nature of what is seen - which the artist has woven into a subordinate position in a highly subjective matrix.

I am intensely proud that Forte is one of us. Her choices as an artist represent to me a leap forward for our odd community of representational painters. It is not necessary that there should be more than one of her. The point is that there shouldn't be, that the shared wealth of technical understanding has grown sturdy enough to support, in ways only it can, extraordinarily personal perspectives, to lend its eloquence not only to realism, but to unique self-revelations as well.

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This essay loads down poor Felicia Forte with a lot of significance which gets in the way, a bit, of simply appreciating her work. So let's close with a couple more pieces of hers. They offer such delight.

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Felicia Forte, A Distraction, oil, 8" x 8"



Felicia Forte, Time in Church, oil, 48" x 36"

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Receiving support and guidance is one of the challenges that students in poverty face when attempting to secure scholarships and pursue higher education. Talented students with great potential can fall through the cracks if they never find the help they need to overcome income disadvantages. There are a combination of factors that contribute to this - including family relationships, access to needs-based scholarships, as well as economic growth and recession.

Across the broad population of the United States, talent is equally distributed but equal access to educational opportunity is not. Carl Hermanns, an associate professor at Arizona State University recognized this by stating, "We need to understand and address those inequities so that every child, in every classroom, every day is being provided excellent and equitable educational opportunities to find success."

Poverty in particular limits the opportunities available to those families. Hermanns continues, "It's easy to be passionate about that because you see so many children who just aren't getting the opportunities they deserve."

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Poverty and education are linked. This connection extends to the relationship between parent and child. Parents who graduate college are more much likely to have children who also graduate from college. A 2014 College Board / National Journal poll highlights this relationship. 76 percent of people with parents who each have degrees said they entered a two or four-year college immediately following high school. Of those families where neither parent possessed a degree, only 37 percent went into college immediately following High School.

It certainly stands to reason that the attitudes and educational experiences of parents can help shape the beliefs of their children, especially as it pertains to their overall potential for success. Parental expectations and encouragement are powerful factors that can push their children toward following in their footsteps. This push is often enough to get students into the right situation to complete their education. Ronald Brownstein's article "Are College Degrees Inherited?" elaborates on these college completion rates:

"Of those who pursued a two- or four-year degree or vocational education immediately after high school, 63 percent reported completing their degree, while 37 percent said they did not. Of those who didn't finish their degree, 40 percent said they are still trying."

Setting expectations and encouraging prospective students to pursue higher education is the first step toward creating greater opportunity. Seeing firsthand that it is possible to pursue and obtain an education is powerful and transformative. Cultivating the unique talents of each student can provide a multitude of ways to earn scholarships. Receiving mentorship from trusted teachers and advisors can prove invaluable in navigating the other aspects of financial aid and grants - particularly those geared toward students from lower-income homes.

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In the case of merit-based scholarships, middle and upper-income students receive them based on test scores and grades - not whether they need help to pay for school. Twelve states spend more on merit-based aid rather than need-based aid and this results in students who can already afford college receiving aid. Donald Heller, dean of the Michigan State University College of Education remarked, "If the goal in the state is to increase the number of people getting college degrees, it doesn't do any good to subsidize students who are going to go to college anyways." Those students who don't benefit from financial support at home rely on receiving grants, scholarships, and other types of aid to have an equal educational opportunity. A balance between merit and and need-based aid is necessary largely because of this dilemma.
        :         ,     FIR    
Last Friday, a couple of friends and I saw something unusual: A police officer pulled over a car in downtown Washington, D.C. as it turned a busy corner. I've been in this city for many years, and the only time I can recall seeing a car pulled over for a traffic violation was when someone was talking on a cell phone and a police officer ordered him to hang up with a megaphone; when that failed, she pulled him over and wrote a ticket.

Speeding in D.C. appears to be efficiently handled by the many surveillance cameras that are automatically triggered and which last year resulted in 1.4 million tickets and $148 million in revenue for the city. I've always suspected that I never see people pulled over--as opposed to in my native Virginia--in part because the streets are already so narrow and doing so obstructs traffic. And so it was even more surprising to see a man pulled over on a major downtown street at 5:00 p.m., at the height of rush hour.

As my friends and I watched, I felt the influence of recent news stories on my autonomic functions. We could see plainly that the driver who had been pulled over was a black man. We couldn't see the police officer until he emerged from his car; he was a muscular white man with a shaved head.

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None of this is surprising or particularly extraordinary...except that right now, I am adjusting to the reality of what I've learned only recently: that black men have every reason to be wary of police officers. The friends who I was watching with are both black women; they've had their lifetimes to adjust to this plain fact. And so we watched, my reaction a bit more alarmed than theirs but no more concerned. The driver put his hands on his steering wheel. As the police officer approached, we saw the two men speak, and the driver handed over what we assumed to have been his driver's license. The officer looked at it, spoke to the man, and the man fished around, presumably for his registration card. The officer stood at attention and so did we. The driver handed over the card and the police officer went back to his car and remained there for about 10 minutes. He returned, wrote a ticket, and then the two men left.

I deleted the video that I had taken on my phone...just in case.

Has it come to this, to policing the police? I think it has.

I am a 38 year-old average-looking white man. I don't look dangerous and I suppose I don't look "not dangerous." I don't think I look particularly unwell, either, but among certain unseen challenges I have fluctuating hearing loss that at times makes me close to totally deaf in my left ear and impaired in my right due to tinnitus. Two years ago I was diagnosed with Meniere's disease due to the characteristic hearing loss in my left ear combined with vertigo attacks. I choose restaurants based first on ambient noise and then on the quality of food. If a restaurant or any other setting is "kind of noisy" to the average person, all I can hear is that noise, and all I can do is nod and laugh when other people do, pretending I can hear what is going on around me.

Last week, Terence Crutcher was fatally shot by a police officer in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I was already devastated for the man and everyone who knew him when I saw the story on television. Then I saw the 40-year-old's twin sister, Dr. Tiffany Crutcher, on The View discussing her brother's death. According to Crutcher, her brother was significantly hearing impaired in one ear. Part of the justification given for his shooting, despite his hands being up in the air in the classic "don't shoot" posturing, is that he "didn't follow commands."

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Nowadays, when I see a sorrowful black family in the news, even without the sound on I can be pretty sure what has happened. Be honest: can't you?

Terence Crutcher was about 18 months older than I am. Like me, he was hearing impaired. Unlike him, though, someone hovering overhead in a helicopter probably would not see me and determine that I "look like a bad dude." The so-called bad dude was on his way home from a class at a community college; his bad day went from bad to worse to over when his class was canceled, his car broke down, and he received the death penalty for--depending on your view--daring to be alive, or "refusing to follow police commands."

I don't even like it when I hear people talk about dogs taking "commands." Commands are given to computers and to trained military officers who follow a strict hierarchy. In a police state, George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, for example, citizens are expected to follow commands or else to be "vaporised." Is this a police state now? We have to face the facts: Yes, the United States of America is a police state, at least for some people.

I never knew it, although I had hints from a young age but never fully allowed my experiences to penetrate my psyche deeply enough to accept that certain events were not exceptions. For example, shortly after I received my driver's license, I was speeding down a long road in the left lane in my neighborhood with a frustrating 35 mile-per-hour speed limit. I was probably going about 50; nobody drove 35 on that road. I saw police lights in my rear-view mirror and my heart pounded, my pulse audible inside of my ears. As I started to pull onto the shoulder of the road, the police car pulled over a car that I had passed--I was going considerably faster than it--in the right lane. That car was carrying a black family. I couldn't make any sense of my luck...in hindsight, I realize that I could make sense of it. I remember the guilt I felt. But that was just my luck. A near-miss for a gawky white teenager became a bad day for a black family.

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Even so, until I moved into Washington, D.C. I never had any real concept of how racism manifests on an hour-by-hour basis for black Americans. I've always accepted that it exists, but imagined it to most commonly take place, for example, as suspicious looks by shop workers or mall security, more frequent traffic tickets.

I have been assured by my black friends that the shootings we are seeing first on the Internet and then on television nowadays aren't new in any way. They're just known because of the omnipresence of mobile devices with video camera.

I will never be black. I will never be a black mother of a black son who has to worry about his survival every time he leaves the house. Those are impossible scenarios for a white man. I am gay, though, and perhaps that makes some of this twisted treatment by authorities a little more relatable to me than to some people. The word "bullying" is used a lot these days, but I like to call things what they are, and when I was in middle- and high-school, I was physically and verbally abused by my peers, and no authorities--no school administrator, no teacher, no bus driver, no adult, save for one business teacher in the seventh grade who held me after class and effectively told me "it gets better"--ever intervened. They passively condoned the daily dehumanizing treatment that I had to go through as a rite of passage. I missed about 40 days of school every year and was roundly criticized for it. Doing so probably saved my life, as it gave me some respite from what was, as much as it will make some people roll their eyes, a cruel world.

When there is cruelty in the world, there are always witnesses. Black, white, Asian American, Latino, American Indian, all classifications or none, we are all those witnesses.

No, not all police officers are abusers of their authority. Not even most of them. Some are, though, and that is undeniable now. It is entirely, indisputably undeniable, and there is one class of people who are persecuted by them.

In the clip above from The View, Joy Behar asks Tiffany Crutcher if she believes her brother "ignored more than two dozen commands."

Crutcher replied, "I don't think that's true. One thing people don't know is that my brother has a very severe hearing issue in his right ear and a prosthetic eye. And I know that my brother was scared and people don't know that, because all they know is that he was a bad dude, but my brother was disabled and he was just trying to get his life together."

Is it a crime punishable by death not to hear police commands? In this case it was.

Is it a crime punishable by death not to obey police commands? In this case it was. I would argue that this question should have an affirmative answer only if the person on the receiving end of barked commands poses a very real, very clear, very evident danger.

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The Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes a police state as "a country in which the activities of the people are strictly controlled by the government with the help of a police force." That is what this is. If we deny the evidence, we deny reality: between surveillance cameras and extraordinary abuses of authority applied liberally, but unequitably, to citizens, we can no longer deny that the United States is a police state. However, we ostensibly we still have certain Constitutional rights, and among those are freedom of speech (although...why does writing this make me so nervous?) and freedom of the press (although...read this) and taken together, we have the freedom to police our police, not with any kind of force, but at least with monitoring.

Is it a crime to videotape police officers? It isn't, but some officers still don't permit it, according to The Atlantic.

The ACLU's guide does caution that "police officers may legitimately order citizens to cease activities that are truly interfering with legitimate law enforcement operations." What if that happens, and you disagree with the officer? "If it were me, and an officer came up and said, 'You need to turn that camera off, sir,' I would strive to calmly and politely yet firmly remind the officer of my rights while continuing to record the interaction, and not turn the camera off," Stanley told me. "In the majority of situations, an officer is just trying to intimidate you, and stop your reporting. Once you make it clear to the officer that you do know what your rights are and that you don't intend to be intimidated, I think in the vast majority of situations, the officer will back down," he says.

It's insane that it has come to suggesting that every person who sees someone of color detained by police should take the time to stop and videotape the encounter, but that's what I am suggesting. It's not only insane; it's scary, because my instinct tells me that doing so is a test of our freedoms that may reveal we have fewer than we think we do.

Even so, it really is time to #PoliceThePolice.

Not because police officers are all rotten, degenerate souls--that's not what I am saying, although I do recognize that many people will insist on reading that into this commentary. But because doing so could save lives, and will help bring to light what rights we all have in this country. Is it starting to feel more like a dystopian Orwell novel because of political rhetoric, or because that's what our country has become while we were all looking the other way?
Hinduism

Hinduism is a conglomeration of a variety of beliefs and practices with no one, or official, set of doctrines or religious authorities. I thus offer an account of brain death from a systematic, and somewhat unified, perspective shared by several schools of Hindu philosophy concerning the mechanisms and components of consciousness and cognition. According to this view the cessation of "higher brain function" is the sole criterion for establishing brain death. If there is an irreversible cessation of the capacity for consciousness, then organ transplantation is permissible. This coheres with a "consciousness approach," rather than a "whole brain," or a cardio-pulmonary approach. This view, then, is open to the same criticisms as other "consciousness approach" positions. Cessation of "higher brain function," then, is sufficient for declaration of "brain death."

Basic Religious Worldview of Hinduism

Hindus believe in the mechanism of karma, that one's actions in earlier lives effected one's rebirth as well as the events that are to occur in one's future lives. The atman (enduring self) accumulates karma and is born again and again in samsara (worldly existence). Hindus seek to end this seemingly endless cycle of birth and rebirth. The state that the atman enters after being liberated from the cycle is called moksa.

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Personality, Cognition, and the atman

The atman is characterized predominantly as passive, immaterial, and without discriminative discernment. The "person" and the "personality," namely self-awareness, cognitive experiences, and so on, is actually, and merely, a conglomeration of material components, which is distinctively different from the atman. These components are the buddhi (intellect), ahamkara (ego), the manas (mind), and the ten indriyas (capacities that enable sensing, motor functioning and thinking). (The archetype of this basic structure is found in the Samkhya school) The ten indriyas are separable into the five buddhi-indriyas (sense capacities) and five karma-indriyas (action capacities). The buddhi-indriyas are ghrana (smell), rasana (taste), caksus (sight), srotra (hearing), and tvac (touch). The karma-indriyas are vac (speaking), pani (grasping), pada (going), payu (excreting), and upastha (procreation). The buddhi-indriyas feed unmediated and unanalyzed data to the manas, which acts as a processing and organizational unit, not unlike the CPU of a computer. These then are passed on to the buddhi via the ahamkara and are further analyzed and cognized. The atman is metaphorically characterized as "observing" the buddhi and other cognitive components and incorrectly "identifying" with them. The epistemic-ontological confusion causes the immaterial atman to equate itself falsely with the activities and material world of the buddhi. These cognitive components produce, and make possible, "higher brain function."

The goal is for the atman to use the material to re-"cognize" its immaterial nature, and, to re-"cognize" its nature as both passive and outside/ independent of material things, especially the cognitive components. The end result is deemed moksa (liberation) from the error of identifying with the body, and, indirectly, "higher brain function." The atman is thus believed to have exited the cycle of birth and rebirth. Of course, the atman is without discriminative discernment so the discrimination "the atman is not the buddhi" is properly understood as metaphor. The right cognitive habit, in this paradoxical view, is the realization that one is not identical with any cognitive habits.

A Hindu who is well advanced on the path to achieving this realization may eventually achieve the extinction of all "higher brain" function and could, therefore, be deemed "brain dead," according to accepted allopathic evaluative metrics. A brain death of this variety, of course, is intentional. Once this state has been attained, it is permissible to harvest any and all organs from the body.

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In cases where a person who is not seeking the realization that "the atman is not identical with any cognitive habits" intentionally and forcibly or violently separates the atman from the body, that is, commits suicide, the result is not understood to be, or identical with, moksa, though the allopathic evaluative metric would seem identical. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, it is nevertheless permissible to harvest any and all organs from the body.

Unintentional, or accidental, brain death.

In cases where a person is not seeking this realization, willingly or intentionally, (if the person is the victim of a traumatic brain injury, or has an injury that results in cerebral hypoxia, for example) and has been declared to have no "higher brain" function according to accepted allopathic evaluative metrics , it would be incorrect to equate this state with moksa. Rather, in such cases, the immaterial atman would be believed to have left the body to be reborn in another body. It is permissible to harvest any and all organs from a body that has an intact and functioning brain stem with cardiac and respiratory activity but that has no "higher brain function," like the body of the Hindu who attained intentional brain death, or has committed suicide. It is permissible to harvest organs for transplantation as soon as it is determined that there is a cessation in "higher brain function."

In both cases the body is merely a repository for the atman. In the former case the atman is believed to have abandoned an identity with the body and the latter the atman has been accidentally removed from the body. In the latter case, the brain death, of course, is unwelcome. Despite this regrettable outcome, in both cases it is permissible to harvest any and all organs. Unintentional or accidental brain death, and not moksa-driven, is likely to comprise the majority of brain death cases.

Summary
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks at the United Nations September 25, 2016 in New York. Ban on Sunday urged world powers to work harder to end the nightmare in Syria as the Security Council met for urgent talks on the escalating war. / AFP / Bryan R. Smith (Photo credit should read BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP/Getty Images)

"Present in this hall today are representatives of governments that have ignored, facilitated, funded, participated in or even planned and carried out atrocities inflicted by all sides of the Syria conflict against Syrian civilians."



There was a boldness and an urgency to the tone of the United Nations Secretary General's final address to the UN General Assembly this week. For a man known to champion quiet diplomacy in resolving conflict, his sharp condemnation of all parties to the Syrian conflict clearly revealed his exasperation with the years of relentless violence. He was visibly shocked and disgusted by the previous evening's attack on humanitarian aid convoys seeking to reach Aleppo.

President Obama, also in his final address to the Assembly, had dropped much of his own renowned rhetoric on hope and idealism, in favor of a more direct and foreboding address that reflected the stark realities of a world embroiled in increasing conflict and insecurity.

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"Time and again human beings have believed they finally arrived at a period of enlightenment, only to repeat cycles of conflict and suffering. Perhaps that's our fate," Obama warned.



Concern CEO Dominic MacSorley meets UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon at the 71st UN General Assembly in New York this week. Photo: Concern Worldwide.



It struck me that the honesty of these speeches, often absent at the General Assembly, only came as both men were coming to an end of their term, when they felt they had the freedom to speak their minds. But we cannot wait for leaders to be on their way out to speak truth to power. The very reason for this Summit was because international leaders had been found wanting in their response to the refugee crises and in their efforts to resolve the conflicts that have forced these people from their homes.

No one doubts the scale and severity of the refugee and migration crisis, which the recently concluded UN Summit was meant to address. Children are literally washing up on the shores of Europe's beaches as they flee unrelenting fighting. As the ceasefire in Syria collapsed this week, the attack on a humanitarian aid convoy destined for the besieged people of Aleppo, shocked even the most hardened of observers. More out of sight is the conflict and displacement far from Europe. On the eve of the Summit, South Sudan saw its one-millionth citizen flee from the country's civil war. Syria may be the greatest humanitarian catastrophe of our time, but there are over 65 million people currently displaced by conflict across the globe, the largest number since records began after World War Two.

It is with these staggering problems in mind that 193 countries came together to host a Summit on refugees and address solutions to the problem. Now, whenever you try to get 193 countries to agree to something there is bound to be compromise and, to some extent, disappointment. And this conference was no different. Ireland's Ambassador to the UN, H.E. David Donoghue, was charged with drafting the outcome document, a task no one would envy. The centrepiece of this document was an agreement to develop dual global compacts - one on safe and orderly migration and another on responsibility-sharing for refugees - over the next two years.

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A commitment to a two-year process is not exactly a revolutionary step, and honestly it does nothing to immediately address the suffering of the millions of people displaced around the world.

Furthermore, the summit focused almost exclusively on refugees and migrants, refusing to touch on the bigger issue of internally displaced persons (IDPs) - people who flee their homes but do not cross into another country. These internally displaced persons vastly outnumber the amount of refugees but are often treated much worse simply because they do not cross an international boundary.



Internally displaced people queuing at a Protection of Civilian camp near Juba, South Sudan. Photo: Crystal Wells / Concern Worldwide.

Despite all this, I do not view the summit as a failure. The Summit this week may ultimately have been underwhelming in its ambition. But we cannot afford to dismiss the process now that it has begun. Imperfect as it may be, it is the only existing opportunity to ensure reform for refugees is delivered at scale.

It also highlighted how we need to act immediately and cannot wait a further two years for international consensus. This two-year commitment does not let countries off the hook for the current crisis. And here is the key thing: we know what we must do to improve the situation. We must expand and enforce UN resolutions to protect humanitarian workers, we must re-energise and prioritise robust diplomacy, particularly at the onset of a conflict before it spirals out of control; and we must close the funding gaps, which are denying affected populations their right to food, shelter, water and protection.

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We don't need a two-year process for any of these - to fix what is fixable now. Shame on us if we do not deliver.
At a recent doctor's appointment, a young, gay man of color who is HIV-negative spoke candidly about his sexuality and past struggles with addiction. He was hoping to start a conversation about PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a treatment regimen that works to prevent HIV-negative individuals from becoming infected. He had heard about it from friends and wanted to take the next step of getting a medical opinion on whether PrEP was right for him.

But his doctor immediately became judgmental and dismissive, clearly uncomfortable with the topic and not equipped to have this important discussion with his patient. As a result, the young man left the appointment feeling defeated and discouraged.

PrEP is highly effective in preventing HIV infection. When taken as prescribed, the once-a-day pill adds another layer of protection - in addition to condoms - against HIV. The treatment involves the use of anti-retroviral medication, which is commonly used for HIV treatment. By interfering with HIV's ability to copy itself in the body post-exposure, it prevents the virus from establishing an infection. If taken every day, PrEP has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection by more than 90 percent.

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Like any new treatment, there may be misconceptions surrounding PrEP - but if we shy away from discussing it, we are doing a disservice to the thousands of New Yorkers who could benefit from it - particularly those who have a disproportionately higher risk of HIV infection, such as transgender women and young men having sex with men (MSM) of color - and we lose a critical tool to fight HIV/AIDS as an epidemic.

Fortunately, the young man who was turned away by his first doctor didn't give up. Instead, he met with a new provider who welcomed a discussion about PrEP, and is now responsibly taking the medication to prevent himself from becoming HIV positive.

Stigma and discrimination from health care providers can be all too common for those seeking HIV prevention and may make them reluctant to have an open discussion about it. While PrEP is not for everyone, everyone should feel comfortable considering it and accessing it. More providers must be not only prepared to have these conversations but able to actively prompt them. Only then will people in marginalized groups -who often lack quality, comprehensive health care - feel comfortable discussing sensitive topics.

When fewer people are HIV-positive, virus transmission will be reduced. By preventing new HIV infections, PrEP not only enables people to live healthier lives, it also prevents hundreds of thousands of dollars spent to treat each individual with HIV. To put this in perspective, it costs an average of $55,000 over five years for one patient to be on PrEP. However, a lifetime of HIV treatment can cost 10 times that amount, between $400,000 and $500,000.

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By helping HIV-negative individuals stay that way, PrEP is one of the most important resources to stem the spread of the HIV virus. Governor Andrew Cuomo's Blueprint to End the AIDS Epidemic in New York State (EtE) identifies the usage of PrEP as a key component of achieving the goal of reducing the number of new HIV infections from 3,000 per year to fewer than 750 and ending AIDS as an epidemic in New York by the end of 2020.

In a promising indicator of EtE's success, New York State Medicaid data have shown that PrEP usage is increasing across the state - there has been a more than four-fold increase in PrEP prescriptions between 2014 and 2015, from 303 to 1,330. However, this overall increase in PrEP prescriptions isn't enough to end the epidemic if PrEP isn't reaching the communities who need it most.

Young MSM and transgender individuals have the highest risk for contracting HIV but one of the lowest rates of PrEP uptake. Transgender women have 49 times the odds of having HIV compared to the general population globally. Half of black gay men and a quarter of Latino gay men in the U.S. are projected to be diagnosed with HIV within their lifetime but are far less likely to be taking PrEP than other groups.

Despite these statistics, a 2013 study found that 34 percent of surveyed infectious disease physicians did not feel that PrEP was relevant to their practice. In order to get PrEP in the hands of those who need it the most, more providers need to understand the benefits of PrEP so they will be well-equipped to prescribe it appropriately.

Amida Care - New York's largest Medicaid Special Needs health Plan (SNP) for people living with chronic health conditions such as HIV/AIDS - believes more training is needed to help providers handle the specific needs of transgender patients and communicate more effectively about PrEP to this at-risk population. Since SNPs are specifically designed to engage vulnerable individuals in care and provide integrated social support services, SNPs would also be a great resource to support transgender individuals who are HIV negative in living their authentic lives and remaining HIV negative.

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In addition to educating providers, it is critical for the general public to understand the proper usage of PrEP - it does not replace condom use, and safe-sex practices in addition to PrEP are a vital component for remaining healthy.

We have the tools to end the epidemic - but we need to support people who are HIV-negative in staying negative, and PrEP is one of the best ways to help prevent and ultimately eradicate new HIV infections. PrEP users are also more engaged in care and receive more frequent screenings for other STIs, allowing them to take control of their sexual health beyond preventing HIV.

In situations where the cost is a barrier to PrEP usage, NYC community health centers such as Brightpoint Health, BOOM!Health, Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, Community Healthcare Network, Harlem United, and Housing Works assist their clients in finding ways to pay for PrEP. More information about payment assistance is available at the New York State Department of Health website, and a variety of PrEP information resources are available at the New York City Department of Health website.
Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre gives a thumbs up after inspecting ongoing work of a sewer in Montreal November 12, 2015. Montreal, Canada's second-largest city, began dumping untreated sewage into the St. Lawrence River on Wednesday, angering environmentalists with a repair operation that could release as much as 8 billion liters (2.1 billion gallons) of wastewater into a major waterway. REUTERS/Christinne Muschi

Flush with the success of his pit bull ban, Mayor Denis Coderre of Montreal has vowed to pursue further worthless legislation in an effort to ensure that his city becomes scorned worldwide, and ideally an international pariah.

"We find," said the proud mayor, "that it helps to have a small amount of actual truth at the core of ineffective legislation, so we're working on the basis of one genuine fact. Some background: in the course of studying our idiotic breed ban, we established that dog-bite-related fatalities are vanishingly rare. I quote:

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Your chance of being killed by a dog is approximately one in 18 million. More people are hurt each year by slippers, sneakers, and other shoes than by dogs. And when it comes to severity of dog bites, a meager 0.076% cause moderate to serious injury.

"Very exciting stuff. We considered banning slippers, but this is Montreal -- a city with a Siberian winter -- so we've determined that what we'd really enjoy inflicting upon residents is a complete ban on electric blankets. As I say, we'll be introducing a single demonstrable fact, and winging it from there:



In the US, more than 35,000 fires were reported caused by electric blanket failures between 1992 and 2002, causing more than 40 deaths.

"Totally unacceptable, right? So this will be -- pardon the little joke -- blanket legislation. We won't just be banning blankets that are obviously electric, but also blankets that look somewhat electric. We intend to argue that such blankets can turn electric in the middle of the night, despite years of cordless activity, and go on to fry innocent sleeping citizens.

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"Do Montrealers love their blankets? Of course they do -- it's really fucking cold here. But safety comes first, so we'll be banning all blankets large enough to warm a human body. Our ban will be unprecedented in the annals of moronic legislation. We're just now cooking up scary numbers, in an effort to goose the hysteria required to get city counsellors on board. And we've found some impressively fraudulent studies.

"The most prominent clown fudging statistics in favour of Electric Blanket Bans (EBB's) is Cleric Mifton, a defrocked priest whose personal web site describes him as a 'Poet/Warrior/Statistician.' We're proud to have him involved."

The Huffington Post interviewed Mr. Mifton. He was asked whether he was aware of just how boneheaded his work is considered by sentient beings. Mr. Mifton dismisses critics of EBB with contempt: "These are paid scientists, clearly biased by conclusive evidence, whereas I'm a paid non-scientist, without any such bias. I think it's obvious who we should be listening to here. It's time to end the electric blanket holocaust."

"Cleric Mifton is our primary source," the mayor affirmed. "But we'll be quoting from lots of uncredentialed ideologues." Reading from a prepared statement, the mayor elaborated:

Our Electric Blanket Ban is strongly supported by the work of Ivanka Semifreddo, whose peer-reviewed vanity essays are considered the definitive critique of what she has famously called the 'accuracy whore.' It is only because of Ms. Semifreddo's studies that we can now divide scientists into those who insist upon accuracy -- thereby evincing a male-centric, diseased mindset -- and those who are bravely willing to forge new ground, independent of the prejudice associated with precise numbers and established facts. And Ms. Semifreddo is a fierce proponent of Electric Blanket Bans.

In its continued investigation of the mayor's sources, the Huffington Post determined that much of the accuracy-free scholarship promoted by Ms. Semifreddo rests upon fieldwork done by Colon Lint, a woman with years of experience in the seance industry. Ms. Lint has an entire website devoted to lurid photos of burn victims: close-ups of localized blanket burns; portraits of grimacing survivors displaying fried limbs, and -- a specialty -- lurid medical photos of children burned to death in blanket fires.

In an email interview with Ms. Lint, the Huffington Post questioned whether her propaganda might be considered ghoulish and exploitative -- that some might regard her as a parasite, taking advantage of burn victims in order to foment hysteria. She proudly concurred: "I've spent years in the trenches as a dedicated necromancer; very few people are qualified to pursue ghoul-work on this level."

Mayor Coderre intends to propose this legislation in late November, in an effort to have the Electric Blanket Ban in place before the ice storms settle in.

"And we're not going to stop there," said the mayor, with palpable excitement. "I don't want to be remembered as a 'bad' mayor. I aspire to be known as the 'worst' mayor in the history of Montreal. And so, come spring, we'll be introducing a strict citywide ban on all forms of lightning.

"To quote our one factual source: you are 'five times more likely to be killed by a bolt of lightning' than you are by a dog of any breed. That's scary stuff. We're confident that we can gin up real panic here. Note that this is not an entirely new idea: Barbara Kaymartt, a reporter at the National Post, has a long record of urging bans on lightning, along with her respected articles in favour of bans on pit bulls, Muslims, and women.

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Reporting in last week's Inside Higher Education, Kasia Kovacs reviewed the findings of the Commission on the Future of Higher Education, an initiative of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Dr. Michael McPherson, co-chair of the commission and a well-respected economist, former college president, and president of the Spencer Foundation, spoke to Ms. Kovacs about the Commission's report, A Primer on the College Student Journey, which used data to form conclusions about the state of undergraduate education at two- and four-year colleges.

Dr. McPherson reported: "Our ambition is to help the American population, the American people, to appreciate what a college education means now in the United States, which is something much broader and more complex than what a number of us might have thought a few years ago." Dr. McPherson and his colleagues interpreted data from a wide range of sources, including the National Center for Education Statistics.

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The Commission's findings are critical to our understanding of what's happening in American higher education, providing a snapshot of who goes to college, how they pay for it, what happens when they get there, how they fare, and what directional changes they make.



The findings present a complex and compelling story about opportunities and challenges facing higher education, with the balance tilted toward an optimistic and hopeful view overall. Some of the more interesting findings are:

Gender and ethnicity and race matter. In 2015, 50 percent of 25-29 year old women had a college degree compared with 41 percent of men. Almost three-fourths of Asian students 25-29 years held at least an associates degree. This number drops to 54 percent for white students, 31 percent for black students, and 27 percent for Hispanic students in the same category.

Half of America's high school graduates need remedial assistance in college, and that help often falls short. Only 28 percent of students in remedial classes at two-year colleges actually earned a degree in 8.5 years.

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Students are borrowing more. In 2000, 50 percent of students took out loans, with the number increasing ten percentage points by 2012. Only nine percent defaulted on their loans, but this number rose to 24 percent if they did not graduate. Ms. Kovacs reported that the Commission found that "borrowers at greatest risk of defaulting are typically those who take out the smallest loan amounts."

Transfer students follow what the Commission calls a "multi-directional transfer swirl." Almost one-third of students transferred or were simultaneously enrolled in two institutions over six years. A surprising number were lateral transfers; 15 percent of two-year students transferred to another two-year college and 17.2 percent of students at four-year colleges switched to two-year institutions.

The Commission's findings suggest implications for American higher education. These implications will powerfully affect the level of workforce preparation, any potential improvement to the disparity in income and social inequality, and in time, America's commitment to higher education as a kind of safety value "great equalizer."

The first implication is that a complex mix of familial, social, cultural, economic, and psychological factors affect whether a high school graduate seeks a college degree. It may be that matching application pools to demographic changes backed by renewed commitments to increased financial aid is not enough to provide the twin goals of a well-educated citizenry and an educated workforce.

Is it also possible that the levels of debt already in place now, fostering a consumer revolt over college costs and presidential positions on free tuition and ameliorating middle class debt, may actually discourage college attendance? In pledging relief, is there a corresponding compelling argument on why a debt-laden college degree is so critical to many Americans?

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For some high school graduates and their families, there is not a good answer on why they should spend the money. The optics can shape the perception dramatically.



A second implication is that the stark data on college preparedness suggests that there is a growing dissonance between what basic education teaches and what higher education expects of its students. College faculty regularly complain about the lack of student preparation as they engage newly admitted students. Has the conversation between basic and higher education leadership - one that goes beyond the politicizing of issues like test scores at the state and federal level - occurred on how to develop a common set of expectations that make the handoff between these groups more seamless and successful?

And finally, the Commission's findings speak volumes about what choices students make within the higher education system. The process of transferring within a "multidirectional transfer swirl" is hardly seamless. The failure to increase qualified counseling, provide safety nets, and better general directional advice can be as big a deterrent as college costs in dampening higher graduation rates, at both the two- and four-year levels.
It is unfathomable that many of the nation's millennials have so far displayed only lukewarm support for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

No age group eligible to vote this November has more to lose if Donald Trump is elected and his regressive environmental policies are put into place. Clinton is the only electable candidate diametrically opposed to Trump's abandonment of climate change remediation, a default which would invariably diminish millennials' quality of life.

Indeed, this 18 to 34 age group would be on the front line in exposure to climate change's adverse consequences. They would have to deal not just with the serious health impacts to themselves from Trump's climate change denial and weakening of health-based pollution regulations. Time wasted from inaction under Trump would also leave millennials caught between responsibility for their children and aging parents. Both these cohorts' physical state would be especially vulnerable to record-breaking heat waves and increased contamination of air and water.

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Scientists say we have a narrow window of opportunity to avoid climate change's worst disruptive effects. Time lost even under a single Trump Administration term could not be made up. The result: millennials would be in the thick of it by 2030 when they would be in the pivotal middle age stage of their adult life. Scientists' ominous warning derives from our need to be well into a gradual phase-out of carbon-emitting fossil fuels by the end of the next decade or face irreversible climatic catastrophe. It is a warning that runs counter to Trump's ill-advised proposal to redouble oil and coal extraction.

Trump has proposed a host of environmental policies that pose grim tidings for millennials. He would cancel President Obama's regulation of coal-fired power plants and withdraw us from the Paris international climate change accord. New tougher standards for ozone pollution would be nullified. The ensuing air pollution is projected to cause a dramatic increase in asthma and other respiratory diseases. Furthermore, intensified climate instability would lead to international political instability, fueled by food shortages and mass migration from developing countries.

Repeal of Obama's Clean Water rule that would protect 60 percent of the nation's streams supplying drinking water to one-third of our population is also on Trump's agenda in deference to developers. Remember that there are a heck of a lot of millennials among the one-third of Americans potentially impacted by diminished water quality.

In addition to covering the landscape with oil rigs, Trump advocates elimination of government subsidies for development of clean, renewable energy. He would curtail playing favorites with this vital cog in the grand design for assuring our planet remains livable.

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Finally, Trump appears receptive to stripping the Environmental Protection Agency of its enforcement authority and reducing it essentially to a toothless research entity. That would leave our restless millennials at the not so tender mercies of a number of states with dismal regulatory resumes.
It was quite obvious at Monday night's debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump that globalization--an issue too hard to explain in a sound bite--is The Issue of the election. And here is where Donald Trump was a master, not in the debate itself but in seizing globalization as an issue. Trump's railings against China or Mexico shrewdly put a political face on that issue. Trump was smart enough to see what other politicians astoundingly missed: how the perception of globalization negatively affects the personal lives of many Americans.

Politics is the art of perception. Ed Koch, the late mayor of New York, once recalled, while campaigning on the Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn, an elderly woman who approached him and implored that he "make it like it was." America today is richer than it has ever been and is in the healthiest condition of any major global economy, yet many Americans don't see it that way. Like Ed Koch's elderly constituent, they want it to be like it used to be. And globalization gets caught up in that "used to be." Global economic growth is counterintuitive--people view global economics as a zero-sum game. If another country has grown wealthier, then it stands to reason that your country is now poorer.

The facts, however, tell another story. China has become significantly wealthier over the past forty years, as we all know, but so has the United States. In 1980, the United States had a gross domestic product of $2.8 trillion, while China's was only $302 billion. By 2014 the US economy had grown to $17.348 trillion, and the Chinese economy grew to $10.430 trillion. The US economy, as we can see, more than doubled during that period. Of course, China's rate of growth during the same time was much higher, but they had much more room to grow. China needed to build steel mills and highways, and to electrify their rural areas. The United States did all that a long time ago. The point is that the United States did not get poorer as China grew--quite the opposite.

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Compounding the illusion that global growth is a zero-sum game is the reality that some people have lost their jobs to globalization. But the operative word here is some. In the political game of perception, Donald Trump has managed, with his attacks on China, Japan, and Mexico, to make globalization the simplistic scapegoat for most of the job losses in American manufacturing. However, as reported by Bloomberg two years ago, this was not the case then, nor is it the case now.

"The U.S. had become the second-most-competitive manufacturing location among the 25 largest manufacturing exporters worldwide. While that news is welcome, most of the lost U.S. manufacturing jobs in recent decades aren't coming back. In 1970, more than a quarter of U.S. employees worked in manufacturing. By 2010, only one in 10 did.

"The growth in imports from China had a role in that decline -- contributing, perhaps to as much as one-quarter of the employment drop-off from 1991 to 2007, according to an analysis by David Autor and his colleagues at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. But the U.S. jobs slide began well before China's rise as a manufacturing power. And manufacturing employment is falling almost everywhere, including in China. The phenomenon is driven by technology."

Take for example all the people that used to make cameras and film in upstate New York; does anyone buy a Brownie camera or film anymore? Or look at companies that used to print newspapers and books that are now facing severe competition from e-readers. And then there is the US automobile industry. In 2015 the United States manufactured 12,000,000 vehicles, double the quantity of the early 1950s, when there were no imports. Yet those 2015 production numbers were achieved with the same number of workers as in 1953, approximately 900,000. A key difference appears to be automation. In 2014, 58 percent of all industrial robots ordered in North America went to the automobile industry.

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Rapidly declining employment in the coal industry is another example where technological change is the main factor, while climate change and now even China are being blamed. In a masterful but irrational readjustment of facts, Donald Trump once tweeted, "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive."

The decline in employment in the coal industry is partly due to climate change, but the main culprit is innovation in energy production. Due to innovations in fracking, natural gas is not only now much more competitive for use as an energy source in manufacturing, it is also cleaner. Coal, like Kodak's old Brownie camera, is being innovated out of business.

In 1960, Harvard professor Theodore Levitt wrote an essay in Harvard Business Review titled "Marketing Myopia." In the essay, Levitt refers to the destruction of buggy whip industries due to the advent of the automobile. This analogy has now entered the economic lexicon. Although Professor Levitt's point was that if the buggy whip industry was attuned to their market they would have understood and re-adjusted to change, in terms of the employees there was a benefit in that change that does not exist today. The buggy whip employees found better jobs relatively easily in the rapidly growing automobile industry. The same could be said throughout that period in American history, when millions left the farm for the cities because they were able to find better jobs in various forms of manufacturing with relative ease. Change was not frightening then, because new industrial jobs replaced the old occupations.

The difference today isn't globalization alone; it is that change for many people looks frightening and not positive. In the age of human capital, industrialized economies--whether it's in the United States, Germany, Japan, or China--will rely less and less on manufacturing. The agility needed to go from factory work to the gig economy, or tech, or entrepreneurialism, or services, is much greater than it was to go from the buggy whip factory to the automobile factory. And instead of leading by proposing realistic ideas on how the government can help with that change, Trump is playing on the fear of change.

Edward Goldberg is an expert on globalization and how geo-economic/political events shape our lives. He teaches international political economy at New York University's Center for Global Affairs. He is also a Scholarly Practitioner at Zicklin Graduate School of Business, Baruch College where he specializes in globalization. His new book, "The Joint Ventured Nation: Why America Needs A New Foreign Policy" will be published this October by Skyhorse.

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Sweet little boy standing at the chalkboard in a classroom

In 2014, California author and mother Tunette Powell wrote a piece for The Washington Post that as an educator and parent continues to shock.

In it, the African-American mother of two recounted the details of her sons' preschool experiences.

Both boys -- ages 3 and 4 at the time -- had been suspended from preschool, multiple times, for inappropriate behavior such as throwing a chair and hitting a staff member on the arm.

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If the idea of suspending a preschooler -- so young as to be unable to tie his shoes or brush his own teeth -- is baffling, wait until you hear the rest of her story.

Powell and her husband wondered what they were doing wrong, until they brought the subject up at a child's birthday party. Mostly White parents of her sons' classmates were in attendance.

One after another, White mothers confessed the trouble their children had gotten into. "Some of the behavior was similar to [Powell's oldest son]; some was much worse," Powell said in her Post commentary. "Most startling: None of their children had been suspended."

Powell was startled by that revelation. Maybe you are too.



Uneven treatment of Black and Brown children has a long history.



But the sad fact is that this kind of uneven treatment of Black and Brown children has a long history -- and is more than just anecdotal. It continues to be proven by unassailable research.

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The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights reported recently that Black children represented 19 percent of preschool enrollment, but 48 percent of those receiving more than one out-of-school suspension.

And new research by the Yale Child Study Center, released Tuesday, shows that preschool teachers and staff show signs of implicit bias in administering discipline and that the race of the teacher plays a role in the outcome.

The research used high-tech eye-tracking technology and found that preschool teachers "show a tendency to more closely observe Blacks and especially Black boys when challenging behaviors are expected." Moreover, Black teachers, the study said, were even more likely to hold Black students to a higher standard of behavior.

The study explores many reasons why this might be the case: Black educators are trying to prepare Black children for a harsh world, is one hypothesis.

Whatever the impetus, this kind of implicit bias is detrimental to the growth and well-being of Black children, whether the discriminators share their skin color or not. What we believe about a person -- or a group of people -- translates into how we act toward them, and, worse, what those people start to believe about themselves. That translation of beliefs into actions, and guiding thoughts, is pervasive in our society and it is dangerous. And many of us are painfully aware of the reasons the Black Lives Movement became a salient part of the American narrative.

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This kind of implicit bias is detrimental to the growth and well-being of Black children, whether the discriminators share their skin color or not.



This narrative for the very young was captured, for instance, in the doll preference studies from the 1940s. Psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark conducted a now famous series of experiments to study the psychological effects of segregation on African-American children. The study became an important basis for the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision.

Using four dolls, identical except for color, children between the ages of three to seven were asked to identify both the race of the dolls and which color doll they preferred. A majority of the children preferred the white doll and assigned positive characteristics to it. The researchers concluded then that "prejudice, discrimination, and segregation" created a feeling of inferiority among African-American children and damaged their self-esteem. In other words, Black children internalized the stereotypes they gleaned from growing up in a society that devalued them, discriminated against them and dismissed them as inferior.

Sadly it would seem, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Implicit bias is the tendency for our subconscious selves to feel or exhibit a bias toward certain groups of, or characteristics in, people -- in part because we've been bombarded by negative images and messages. It was as prevalent in the 1940s as it is now -- even in our preschools.

But the good news is, it doesn't have to be this way.

"We know that implicit bias can be reduced through proper training and should be a core component of early childhood teacher education," said one of the Yale study's authors, Dr. Walter S. Gilliam, director of The Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy and Associate Professor of Child Psychiatry and Psychology at the Yale Child Study Center.

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That's exactly what we know to be true at NUA. And it's precisely why we partner with school-based educators to do what we do in school systems across the country.

Working with teachers in a true partnership, we check, challenge and change deep-seated beliefs that can be barriers to effective teaching and learning. We model and demonstrate effective best practice in classrooms led by educators -- with science, data and meaningful interactions with students and communities -- that all students have the capacity to think and achieve at high levels, extend beyond their current boundaries and reach their full potential.

We establish with teachers that neuroscience continues to suggest that all students have 86 to 100 billion neurons capable of adjusting to the environmental challenges that poverty, segregation and discrimination have on learning.

Even 4-year-olds.

Especially 4-year-olds.

We should be nurturing our youngest members of society, not harshly punishing them. When we increase opportunities for teachers to confront their biases, learn culturally responsive pedagogies and begin to appreciate the strengths and capabilities of all their students, we increase self-esteem, academic performance and upward mobility.



We should be nurturing our youngest members of society, not harshly punishing them.



Implicit bias is a dangerous weapon. It can come to dominate and damage a national socio-cultural-psychological and political discourse. Used appropriately, education can establish a shield for Black, Brown, White, Asian and Indigenous peoples, so that life trajectories can be improved and sustained.

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There is no more important national priority for our diverse nation than that.
A Dutch-led investigation team said it had "irrefutable" evidence that a Russian-built missile shot out of the sky a Malaysian airliner over eastern Ukraine, killing 298 people, 193 of them Dutch citizens.

It said the launch was in an area controlled by pro-Russian fighters battling the Ukraine government since early 2014.

The report, two years after the July 17, 2014 crash was labeled an "interim report". No one has been accused and Dutch investigators are still trying to establish who gave the orders for the firing. They urged witnesses to come forward.

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At the United Nations, the Security Council two years ago took up the issue but no one expected a meaningful resolution with Russia having veto power. Moscow had rejected an international tribunal to investigate the disaster.

The Dutch document said in part:

"The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) is convinced of having obtained irrefutable evidence to establish that on 17 July 2014, flight MH-17 was shot down by a BUK missile from the 9M38-series. According to the JIT there is also evidence identifying the launch location that involves an agricultural field near Pervomaiskyi which, at the time, was controlled by pro-Russian fighters... "The system was transported from Russian territory into eastern Ukraine and was later transported on a white Volvo truck with a low-boy trailer. The truck was escorted by several other vehicles and by armed men in uniform."

Previously, the United States and others had documented the deployment of the Buk or SA-11 missile. Russia has denied it and has given a series of explanations, including that the Ukraine itself was responsible.

Ukraine does have Buk missiles but of a different type than Russia, according to the latest evidence.

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The attack on Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, a Boeing 777 occurred while the aircraft was flying from Amsterdam to the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.

Stupidity?

The most likely theory is that the separatists thought the aircraft was a Ukrainian military plane and not a passenger airliner, which still makes it a crime. Such stupidity is not limited to the anti-Kiev rebels.

For example, in July 1988, the U.S. Navy shot down Iran Air Flight 655 down, killing all 290 aboard, one of the deadliest disasters in aviation history. The USS Vincennes mistook it for a fighter plane.

Then in 1983 Korean Airline flight 007 was shot down by Soviet aircraft after it veered off its course, flew into Russian airspace over some military installations. It was apparently mistaken for a U.S. reconnaissance flight. All 269 people were killed.

In the Ukraine, evidence then and now included images said to be a surface-to-air missile launcher in the area. An analysis of voice recordings of pro-Russian rebels revealed they were asking Russia for the missile, the report said.

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80 dead children

In addition to the 193 Dutch fatalities, the dead included , 43 Malaysians (including 15 crewmembers and two infants), 27 Australians, 12 Indonesians, 10 Britons (including one dual U.K./South Africa citizen), four Germans, four Belgians, three Filipinos, one Canadian and one New Zealander, according to the flight manifest released by Malaysia Airlines. There were 80 children aboard.

In response to the latest finding, Moscow's defense ministry released what it said were radar data suggesting MH17 was shot down by a missile, but not one fired by Russian-backed rebels.

At the Russian foreign ministry, spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow was not permitted to join the investigative team and thereby Ukraine was allowed to fabricate evidence.

Russia says:

According to Zakharova:

"Instead of [working together], international investigators suspended Moscow from comprehensive participation in the investigative process, allowing our efforts only a minor role. It sounds like a bad joke, but at the same time they made Ukraine a full member of the JIT [Joint Investigation Team], giving it the opportunity to forge evidence and turn the case to its advantage, "To this day, the investigators continue to ignore the overwhelming evidence provided by the Russian side, despite the fact that Russia is the only side that submits accurate information and constantly discloses new data."

In Moscow's view, the pro-Western rebellion in Kiev in 2014 was a challenge after decades of NATO expansion to Russia's border and apprehension that Ukraine may join the Western alliance, starting with European Union ties.

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As usual, Donald Trump stretched, distorted and outright denied the truth in the debate Monday night. Some of his biggest whoppers were about taxes: both his own and his plans for everyone else's. Here are the five most wrong-headed things Trump said about taxes:

Under my plan, I'll be reducing taxes tremendously, from 35 percent to 15 percent for companies, small and big businesses. That's going to be a job creator like we haven't seen since Ronald Reagan. It's going to be a beautiful thing to watch.

This is the definition of trickle-down economics. Trump claims that by giving big tax cuts to the rich--like himself--the benefits will trickle down to everyone else. This self-benefitting economic philosophy has been proven false time and again. It's an old canard from conservatives and corporate CEOs.

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First, cutting corporate tax rates is one of the worst job creators. You get more bang for the buck rebuilding roads and bridges, educating our kids or supporting services delivered by state and local governments than by cutting corporate tax rates.

Second, corporate income taxes are very progressive. Congressional budget experts note that 75% to 100% of corporate income taxes are effectively paid by owners of capital, not by workers. Cut corporate taxes and you give another huge tax break to the rich.

To be clear: lower tax rates are not associated with stronger long-term economic growth, according to the non-partisan Congressional Research Service. In fact, CRS noted that "during historical periods, slower growth periods have generally been associated with lower, not higher, tax rates."



Corporations are "leaving our country to get their [offshore profits], because they can't bring their money back into our country, because of bureaucratic red tape, because they can't get together."

This is silly. It's not "red tape" forcing U.S. corporations to keep their $2.4 trillion in untaxed profits offshore, most of it in tax havens. It's greed. Corporations owe $700 billion in taxes on these profits; they just don't want to pay up. They are waiting for Congress to give them another tax holiday, like it did in 2004, when they paid just a fraction of what they owed.

Trump wants to charge these companies a 10% tax rate on their offshore profits when they owe 35% (less any foreign taxes they've paid). That would raise just $150 billion--$550 billion less than what these multinational owe. Corporations need to pay more in taxes, not less.

"I don't mind releasing [my tax returns]--I'm under a routine audit. And it'll be released. And -- as soon as the audit's finished, it will be released."

Maybe he thinks that if he repeats the same thing enough, it will be true. But it's not. The IRS has repeatedly said taxpayers can release whatever information they want about their tax returns, whenever they want. It is simply false to say a taxpayer cannot release his tax returns while being audited. And by Trump's logic, nothing should prevent him from releasing his returns prior to 2009, which are no longer under audit.

CLINTON: Or maybe he doesn't want the American people, all of you watching tonight, to know that he's paid nothing in federal taxes, because the only years that anybody's ever seen were a couple of years when he had to turn them over to state authorities when he was trying to get a casino license, and they showed he didn't pay any federal income tax. TRUMP: That makes me smart. [Interruption]

We can't do any better than Clinton's response: "So if he's paid zero, that means zero for troops, zero for vets, zero for schools or health." Trump has decided it's up to the rest of us to pay for those things, but not him.

"As far as my tax returns, you don't learn that much from tax returns. That I can tell you. You learn a lot from financial disclosure. And you should go down and take a look at that."

Again, simply not true. Tax returns would show not only Trump's wealth, but give information about his business dealings, how he makes his money, the tax loopholes he takes advantage of, the tax rate he actually pays, and how he would benefit from his own tax proposals.
Let's play a quick game of Guess the Candidate:

"...we must remain a nation of laws. We cannot tolerate illegal immigration and we must stop it. [Candidate] is making our border a place where the law is respected and drugs and illegal immigrants are turned away."

You may be nodding your head (or rolling your eyes) at the usual antics of Donald Trump, but these were the words of then-incumbent President Bill Clinton's 1996 Democratic Party Platform. Clinton was running for re-election on an anti-immigrant platform, promising to increase deportations and deny entry to immigrants. In accordance with this vision, he signed into law what are known today as some of the most regressive immigration policies ever enacted by our nation - the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRAIRA) of 1996 and the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA) of 1996.

Today, as frightening and nerve-wracking as it is to know that Donald Trump could possibly win the election, I wonder if the Clintons understand that much of what Donald promises on immigration mirrors the laws successfully enacted by then-President Clinton twenty years ago.

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Trump wants to build a massive wall, but many don't realize that there already is a vast and immobile figurative wall in place thanks to the 1996 immigration laws. This invisible wall serves watchful guard over immigrant communities, doling out excessive punishments - including lengthier than average prison terms, mandatory immigration detention, and automatic deportation - to lawful permanent residents, asylum seekers, and undocumented immigrants alike.

As a result of these laws, the consequences for interactions with the criminal justice system are even more severe in the immigration context.

Did you know that immigrants are still targeted for deportation today for decades-old convictions or convictions that have been expunged? The 287(g) program, established under the 1996 laws, set the foundation for racial profiling in places like Arizona, where Sheriff Joe Arpaio happily targeted and deported Latinos. There are even longtime lawful permanent residents who have been deported under the automatic deportation provisions of the 1996 laws for offenses such as shoplifting, certain drug crimes, or writing a bad check, "aggravated felonies" that are considered neither aggravated nor felonies in the criminal justice system.

Moreover, these two laws drastically expanded our nation's deportation machine by simultaneously eradicating due process rights to immigrants while ramping up enforcement operations and funding. Immigrants have been intentionally targeted for deportation at the same time we've been stripped of the right to a fair day in court just like everyone else. It's this contradiction that has paved the way for record-setting deportation rates under the Obama administration.

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We are all human beings and thus blessed with the ability to make mistakes. Yet those of us who are immigrants are not afforded the second chances that are given to those born here; instead, these laws effectively punish us twice over - once in the criminal justice system and again in the immigration system.

So where does this 20-year legacy leave us today?

The current administration has made a bold push to alleviate the collateral consequences of criminal convictions through the use of commutations, early release, and support of the "ban the box" campaign. These efforts don't extend to our immigration system, with this administration making no effort to provide leniency for immigrants with criminal convictions who successfully serve their sentences and pay their debt to society. Though I commend this administration on tackling criminal justice reform, when it comes to the immigrant community, we are still seeing raids, family detention, and the rebranding of failed mass deportation programs like Secure Communities.

To her credit, Secretary Clinton has acknowledged the importance of reforming some of the provisions of the 1996 laws, such as the repeal of the 3- and 10- year bars, which prevent millions of mixed-status families from obtaining permanent immigration status. It's simply not enough to repeal the devastating, life-altering provisions of the 1996 laws while leaving the criminalization provisions in place.

I am scared for my family--a Trump presidency will be a threat for all Americans, not just the immigrant community. However, the notion that "the other candidate is worse" is simply not sufficient motivation to get the vote out for Latino and immigrant voters.

As we reach the 20th anniversary of IIRAIRA this week, Secretary Clinton can and must do better, and she has an opportunity as she had done for other communities, to become a champion for all of the immigrant community. I invite Secretary Clinton to acknowledge, as she has with the 1994 criminal justice reform laws, that the 1996 immigration laws were a mistake and that their reform must be one of the central tenets of truly comprehensive immigration reform.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and other members of the sports world around the U.S. are condemning recent incidents of hate speech toward Jewish people.
The Moscow Manege Hosts 60 Street Artists for a Biennale

Moscow presents a street artist's exhibition, but the streets have almost none. When Street Art and its associated cousins move inside the possible outcomes are many. With exhibitions like this you are seeing urban becoming very contemporary.

Belgian artist SozyOne at Artmossphere Biennale 2016, Moscow. photo A Jaime Rojo

The Artmossphere Biennale jump starts the debate for many about how to best present the work of street artists, and organizers here in Moscow chose a broad selection of curators from across a spectrum of private, commercial, academic and civically-inspired perspectives to present a solid range of artists from the graffiti and street art world inside a formal hall. To be clear, unless it is illegal and on the street, it is not graffiti nor street art. That is the prevailing opinion about these terms among experts and scholars of various stripes and it is one we're comfortable with.

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But then there are the commercial and cultural influences of the art world and the design industries, with their power to reshape and loosen terms from their moorings. Probably because these associated art movements are happening and taking shape before our eyes and not ensconced in centuries of scholarship we can expect that we will continue to witness the morphing our language and terminologies, sometimes changing things in translation.

A working carousel provides wildly waving optics for riders in this room by The London Police at the Artmossphere Biennale 2016, Moscow. photo A Jaime Rojo

Definitions aside, when you think of more organic street art scenes which are always re-generating themselves in the run-down abandoned sectors of cities like Sao Paulo, New York, Melbourne, Paris, Mexico City, London, and Berlin, it is interesting to consider that this event takes place nearly on the grounds of the Kremlin under museum like security.

An international capital that ensures cleanly buffed walls within hours of the appearance of any unapproved Street Art or graffiti, Moscow also boasts a growing contingent of art collectors who are young enough to appreciate the cultural currency of this continuously mutating hybrid of graffiti, hip hop, DIY, muralism, and art school headiness. The night clubs and fashionable kids here are fans of events like hip hop and graffiti jams, sometimes presented as theater and other times as "learning workshops" and the like.

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Madrid-based Paris born artist Remed at the Artmossphere Biennale 2016, Moscow. photo A Jaime Rojo

Plugging into this idea of street and youth culture is not a singular fascination -- there is perhaps an association with the rebellious anti-authoritarian nature of unregulated art in the streets that fuels the interest of many. With graffiti and hip-hop culture adoption as a template, newer expressions of street art culture are attractive as well with high profile artists with rebel reputations are as familiar in name here as in many cities. New festivals and events sometimes leverage this renegade free-spirit currency for selling tourism and brands and real estate, but here there also appears to be an acute appreciation for its fine art expression -- urban contemporary art.

MOSCOW'S MANEGE AND "DEGENERATE ART"

So ardent is the support for Artmossphere here that a combination of public and private endorsements and financial backing have brought it to be showcased in a place associated with high-culture and counter-culture known as the Moscow Manege (I). The location somehow fits the rebellious spirit that launched these artists even if its appearance wouldn't lead you to think that.

The 19th-century neo-classical exhibition hall stands grandly adjacent to Red Square and was built as an indoor riding school large enough to house a battalion of 2,000 soldiers during the 1800s. It later became host to many art exhibitions in the 20th century including a famous avant-garde show in 1962 that Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev famously derided as displaying 'degenerate' art.

Polish painter Sepe says his wall speaks to those who would pull the strings behind the scenes. He finished it within three days at the Artmossphere Biennale 2016, Moscow. photo A Jaime Rojo

One of the artists whose work was criticized, painter and sculptor Ernst Neizvestny, challenged the label defiantly and won accolades afterward during his five decade career that followed, including receiving many awards and his work being collected worldwide by museums. Russian President Vladimir Putin is quoted as calling him "a recognised master and one of the best contemporary sculptors". In January of this year at the age of 90, Neizvestny's return to Menage featured an extensive exhibition. He passed away August 9th (The Moscow Times), only weeks before Artmossphere opened.

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In some kindred spirit many of these artists at Artmossphere have done actual illegal work on the streets around the world during their respective creative evolutions, and graffiti and street art as a practice have both at various times been demonized, derided, dismissed and labeled by critics in terms synonymous with "degenerate".

A CLEAN CITY

"Moscow is mostly very clean," says Artmossphere co-founder and Creative Director Sabine Chagina, who walks with guests during a sunny afternoon in a busy downtown area just after the opening. "But we do have some good graffiti crews," she says as we round the corner from the famous Bolshoi Theater and soon pass Givenchy and Chanel and high-end luxury fashion stores. Shortly we see a mural nearby by French artist Nelio, who painted a lateral abstracted geometric, possibly cubist, piece on the side of a building here in 2013 as part of the LGZ Festival.

Barcelona based Miss Van had one of her paintings translated into a woven wool rug with artisans in Siberia. Here is a detail at the Artmossphere Biennale 2016, Moscow. photo A Jaime Rojo.

Miss Van at the Artmossphere Biennale 2016, Moscow. photo A Jaime Rojo

If there was graffiti here in Moscow, it was not on full display very readily in this part of town. In driving tours, rides on the extensive metro train system, and in street hikes across the city a visitor may find that much of the illegal street art and graffiti common to other global capitals is illusive due to a general distaste for it and a dedicated adherence to buffing it out quickly.

For a pedestrian tourist Moscow appears in many ways as fully contemporary and architecturally rich as any international world-class metropolis. One of the cleanest places you'll visit, the metro is almost museum-like in some instances; the historic districts spotless, public fountains, famed statues of important historical figures. All is efficiently ordered and -- a welcome surprise -- most public space is free of advertisements interrupting your view and your thoughts.

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Chile-born, Berlin-based artist and sculptor Pablo Benzo curated by The Art Union at the Artmossphere Biennale 2016, Moscow. photo A Jaime Rojo

Come to think of it, the sense of commercial-celebrity media saturation that is present in other cities doesn't appear to permeate the artists psyche here at the Biennale - so there's not much of the ironic Disney-Marilyn-supermodel-Kardashian-skewering of consumerism and shallowness in this exhibition that you may find in other Urban Art events.

Also, unlike a street art-splattered show in London for example that may rudely mock Queen Elizabeth or art in New York streets that present Donald Trump styled as a pile of poo and Hillary Clinton as Heath Ledger's Joker, we didn't see over-the-top Putin satires either. So personality politics don't seem directly addressed in this milieu. According to some residents there was an outcropping of huge festival murals by street artists here just a few years ago but more recently they have been painted over with patriotic or other inspiring murals, while others have been claimed for commercial interests.

Brazilian Claudio Ethos at Artmossphere 2016. photo A Jaime Rojo

A REAL LIVE MURAL FROM L'ATLAS

Starved for some gritty street scenes, it is all the more interesting to see the one live mural painting that we were able to catch -- a six-story red-lined op-art tag by the French graffiti writer L'Atlas. Far from Manege, placed opposite a cineplex in what appears to be a shopping mall situated far from the city's historical and modern centers, our guide tells us half-jokingly that he is not sure that we are still in Moscow.

L'Atlas on a Moscow wall for Artmossphere 2016. photo A Jaime Rojo

Here L'Atlas says that he has painted his bar-code-like and cryptic nom-de-plume with an assistant on a cherry picker for a few days and he says that no one has stopped to ask him about it, neither to comment or criticize. Actually one man early one morning returning home from a disco did engage him briefly, but it was difficult to tell what he was talking about as he may have had a few drinks.

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This lack of public commentary is mainly notable because in other cities the comments from passersby can be so ubiquitous that artists deliberately wear stereo headphones to prevent interruption and to be more productive. Sometimes the headphones are not actually playing music.

The inside installation by L'Atlas for Artmossphere features multiple abstract iterations of his tag in day glo. photo A Jaime Rojo

WALKING THROUGH THE OPENING

This street art biennale nonetheless is gaining a higher profile among urban art collectors and its associated art dealers and the opening and later auction reaches directly to this audience. Included this year with the primary "Invisible Walls" exhibition are satellite events in association with local RuArts Gallery, Tsekh Belogo at Winzavod, and the Optika Pavilion (No. 64) at VDNKh.The opening night event itself is wide and welcoming, a mostly youthful and populist affair with celebratory speeches and loosely organized group photos and an open bar.

Added together with a press conference, a live DJ, virtual reality headsets, interactive artworks, major private business sponsors, government grants, ministers of culture, gallerists, and quirkily fashionable art fans, this is a polished presentation of a global culture that is filtered through the wide lense of the street.

Wes21 from Switzerland is a graffiti artist blending reality and fantasy in this lunar-like landscape for Artmossphere features multiple abstract iterations of his tag in day glo. photo A Jaime Rojo

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Perhaps because the exhibition hall is a cavernous rectangle with exposed beams on the ceiling and many of the constructed white walls that mimic vendor booths, it has the air of an art fair. There are thankfully no salespeople pacing back and forth watching your level of interest. People tend to cluster before installations and talk, laugh, share a story, pose for a selfie.

INVISIBLE WALLS

Similar in theme to the multidisciplinary exhibit about borders and boundaries curated by Raphael Schacter this spring in St. Petersburg at the Street Art Museum, Artmossphere asked artists to think about and address the "invisible walls" in contemporary life and societies.

Domo Collective present "Fair Play III" an enormous world map functioning ping pong table with a triple razor wire fence right down the middle. "We play an unhealthy game in which nobody believed to be responsible." At Artmossphere 2016 in Moscow. Photo AJaime Rojo

The theme seems very appropriately topical as geopolitical, trade-related, social, digital, and actual walls appear to be falling down rapidly today while the foundations of new ones are taking shape. Catalyzed perhaps by the concept and practices of so-called "globalization" -- with its easy flow of capital and restricted flow of humans, we are all examining the walls that are shaping our lives.

With 60 plus international artists working simultaneously throughout this massive hall, newly built walls are the imperative for displaying art, supporting it, dividing it. These are the visible ones. With so many players and countries represented here, one can only imagine that there are a number of invisible walls present as well.

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Domo Collective at Artmossphere 2016 in Moscow. Photo AJaime Rojo

The theme has opened countless interpretations in flat and sculptural ways, often expressed in the vernacular of fine art with arguable nods to mid-20th century modernists, folk art, fantasy, representational art, abstract, conceptual, computer/digital art, and good old traditional graffiti tagging.

Effectively it appears that when Street Art and graffiti artists pass the precipice into a multi-disciplinary exhibition such as this, one can reframe urban/street as important tributaries to contemporary art - but will they re-direct the flow or be subsumed within it?The work often can be so far removed from street practice that you don't recognize it as related.

Vitaly Sy created a visualization of "Fear" as the main causes of internal barriers. The pieces are built around a central axis with elements at right angle to one another, and the man's head on a swivel. Artmossphere 2016 in Moscow. Photo AJaime Rojo

Aside from putting work up in contested public space without permission and under cover, an average visitor may not see a common thread. These works run aesthetic to the conceptual, painterly to the sculptural, pure joy and pure politics. But then, that is we began to see in the streets as well when the century turned to the 21st and art students in large numbers in cities like New York and London and Berlin skipped the gatekeepers, taking their art directly to the public.

Perhaps beneath the surface or just above it, there is a certain anarchistic defiance, a critique of social, economic, political issues, a healthy skepticism toward everyone and everything that reeks of hypocritical patriarchal power structures. Perhaps we're just projecting.

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Moscow Manege exterior opening night of Artmossphere 2016 in Moscow. Photo courtesy of and A Artmossphere

Looking over the 60-plus list of names, it may be striking to some that very few are people of color, especially in view of the origins of the graffiti scene. Similarly, the percentage of women represented is quite small. We are familiar with this observation about urban art in general today, and this show mirrors the European and American scene primarily, with notable exceptions such as Instagrafite's home-based Brazilian crew of four artists.

As only one such sampling of a wide and dispersed scene, it is not perhaps fair to judge it by artists race, gender, or background, but while we speak of invisible walls it is worth keeping our eyes on as this "scene" is adopted into galleries, museums, and private collections.

Following are some of the artists on view at Artmossphere:

ASKE

Certainly Moscow native ASKE is gently mocking our mutated modern practices of communicating with his outsized blocked abstraction of a close couple riveted to their respective electronic devices, even unaware of one another.

Moscow Street Artist ASKE at Artmossphere 2016. photo A Jaime Rojo

NeSpoon

"Precariat" by Polish Street Artist NeSpoon at Artmossphere 2016 with Urban Nation photo A Jaime Rojo

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Warsaw based NeSpoon creates a sculpture of another couple. Heroically presenting her vision of what she calls the iconic "Graffiti Writer" and "Street Art Girl", they face the future with art instruments in hand ready to make their respective marks. She says her work is emblematic of a permanent financial insecurity for a generation she calls the "PRECARIAT".

"Precariat" by Polish Street Artist NeSpoon at Artmossphere 2016 with Urban Nation photo A Jaime Rojo

"'Precariat' is the name of the new emerging social class," says curator, organizer, and NeSpoon's partner Marcin Rutkiewicz when talking about the piece during the press conference. "These are young people living without a predictable future, without good jobs, without social security. It's a class in the making and probably these people don't have any consciousness or global unity of interest. But they are the engines of protest for people all over the world -- like Occupy Wall Street, Gezi Park in Turkey, or the Arab Spring."

"Precariat" by Polish Street Artist NeSpoon at Artmossphere 2016 with Urban Nation photo A Jaime Rojo

The artist developed the sculpture specifically for this exhibition and planned it over the course of a year or so. Born of a social movement in Poland by the same name, the sculpture and its sticker campaign on the street represent "a kind of protest against building walls between people who are under the same economical and social situation all over the world," says Rutkiewicz.

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LI-HILL

Artist Li-Hill says his piece "Guns, Germs, and Steel" directly relates to the divisions between civilizations due to a completely uneven playing field perpetuated through generations. Inspired by the 1997 trans-disciplinary non-fiction book by Jared Diamond, Li-Hill says the Russian sculptural group called "The Horse Tamers" represents mankind's "ability to harness power of the natural world and to be able to manipulate it for its advantage."

"Guns, Germs, and Steel" by Li-Hill at Artmossphere 2016 with Urban Nation photo A Jaime Rojo

"The horse is one of the largest signifiers and is a catalyst for advancement in society because it has been for military use, for agriculture, for transportation," he says. "It was the most versatile of the animals and the most powerful." Here he painted a mirror image, balanced over a potential microbial disaster symbol, and he and the team are building a mirrored floor to "give it this kind of infinite emblem status."

The artist Li-Hill inside his piece at Artmossphere 2016. photo A Jaime Rojo

M-CITY

Afloat in the middle of some of these walled areas M-City from Poland is choosing to be more direct thematically in his three-dimensional installation of plywood, plaster, aerosol and bucket paint, and machine blown insulation.

"It is an anti-war piece," he says, and he speaks about the walls between nations and a losing battle of dominance that ensures everyone will be victim."

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The artist M-City at Artmossphere 2016. photo A Jaime Rojo

"It's kind of a monster who destroys arms," he says of this temporary sculpture with a lording figure crushing tanks below.

"He is destroying the tanks but at the same time he is also a destroyer - so it's a big circle. Nothing is positive that can come out of this. There is always someone bigger." He says the piece is inspired by the political situations in Europe today and the world at large.

HOTTEA

Minneapolis based HOTTEA usually does very colorful yarn installations transforming a huge public space, but for Artmossphere he is taking the conceptual route. The walk-in room based on the Whack-A-Mole game presents holes which a visitor can walk under and rise above.

The artist Hot Tea at Artmossphere 2016. photo A Jaime Rojo

Visitors/participants will experience the physical separation of space, and perhaps contemplate facing one another and interacting or ignoring one another. It is something he says he hopes will draw attention to how many walls we have allowed ourselves to distract from human interactions.

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SICK BOY

Climb over a wall to slide into Sick Boy's "The Rewards System". photo A Jaime Rojo

Englands' Sick Boy calls his project The Rewards System, where guests are invited to climb a ladder over a brick wall and descend down a slide into a darkened house, setting off a series of sensors that activate a variety of multisensory lights and tantalizing patterns. After landing and being rewarded the visitor is forced to exit on hands and knees through a too-small square door.

A young visitor exits Sick Boy's "The Rewards System". photo A Jaime Rojo

"The concept of the show is about invisible walls so I was thinking about there being barriers in your life and I thought about the reward of endorphins one experiences for achieving a task - a small amount of endorphins. So I thought I would build a house that signifies the reward system," he explains.

DEREK BRUNO

Temporary installations: Slab Fence PO-2. Derek Bruno. photo A Jaime Rojo

Atlanta/Seattle based Derek Bruno reached back to the Leonid Brezhnev years and into Moscow's Gorky Park for his series of site specific installations based on Soviet Cement Fence type PO-2. The iconic fence was re-created in a nearby studio and Bruno shot photographs of his 10-15 minute "interventions" in the park itself, revisiting a field of design called "technical aesthetics."

A photo on display for his installation from Derek Bruno "MOSCOW PO2 Escalator" for Artmossphere. Photo ADerek Bruno

In a statement Bruno explains "Since the end of the Soviet Union, the iconic fence has become a persistent and ever present reminder of former delineations of space; while new forms of boundaries shape the digital and sociopolitical landscapes. "

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REMI ROUGH

Remi Rough is known for his smartly soaring abstract geometry in painted murals and smaller scale works, and for Moscow he wanted to strip it back to the basics, approaching a white box with one undulating graphic composition.

"My idea was that Moscow's a bit 'over the top'," he says, and he decided to strip back the audacity and go for simplicity, which actually takes courage.

Remi Rough, "Fold". photo A Jaime Rojo

"I said 'you know what?' - I want to do something with the cheapest materials you can possibly get. These two pieces literally cost 3000 rubles ($50). It's made of felt, it's like a lambs wool. I think they use it for flooring for construction." Depending on the angle, the pink blotted material may translate as a swath of otherworldly terrain or a metaphorical bold vision with all the hot air let out.

"I wanted to do something peaceful and calming and use natural materials - something that's different from what I usually do - but I use the folds in the fabric and the pink color - two things that I usually use a lot."

ALEXEY LUKA

Moscow's Alexey Luka is also challenging himself to stretch creatively by taking his wall collage installations of found wood and converting them into free-standing sculptures.

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"For this biennale I tried to make something different so now I am going from the assemblages to 3-D." The constructed media is warm and ordered, reserved but not without whimsy.

Alexey Luka at Artmossphere Biennale 2016 photo A Jaime Rojo

"My work is made from found wood - I use it with what I found on the street and my shapes and my graphics - so it's kind of an experiment with three dimensions," and he confirms that most of this wood is sourced here in Moscow.

We ask him about the number of eyes that peer out from his installation. Perhaps these eyes are those of Muscovites? "They are just like observers," he says.

MIMMO RUBINO AKA RUB KANDY

Mimmo aka Rub Kandy at Artmossphere 2016. photo A Jaime Rojo

Torino's Mimmo recreated the Moscow Olympic Village from the 1980 games in miniature presented as on a plainly brutalist platform. The sculpture is austere in detail on the hulking towers save for the tiny graffiti tags, throwies, rollers, extinguisher tags, and the like at the bases and on the roofs.

Curator Christian Omodeo tells us that Mimmo recreated the massive village based on his direct study of the site as it stands today; a housing project that has hundreds of families -- and a hip-hop / graffiti scene as well.

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Mimmo aka Rub Kandy at Artmossphere 2016. photo A Jaime Rojo

It is striking that the scale reduces the impact of the graffiti - yet when experienced at eye-level it retains a potency. Even so, by recasting the relationship between viewer and mark-making, this graffiti actually seems "cute" because of its relative size to the viewer.

BRAD DOWNEY

Brad Downey and Alexander Petrelli hi-jacked the opening of the Biennale by circulating within the exhibit as a gallery with artworks for sale. With Downey performing as a street-huckster pushing his own art products, Mr. Patrelli showcased new Downey photo collages and drawings inside his mobile "Overcoat Gallery"

Alexander Petrelli exhibits work by Brad Downey at Artmossphere 2016. photo A Jaime Rojo

A charming Moscow art star / gallerist / performance artist, Mr. Patrelli is also a perennial character at openings and events in the city, by one account having appeared at 460 or so events since 1992 with his flashing overcoat. The artworks also feature Patrelli, completing a self-referential meta cycle that continued to circle the guests at the exhibition.

International artists participating in the Artmossphere Biennale 2016 include: Akacorleone, Alex Senna, Brad Downey, Chu (Doma), Orilo (Doma), Claudio Ethos, Demsky, Christopher Derek Bruno, Filippo Minelli, Finok, Galo, Gola Hundun, Hot Tea, Jaz, Jessie and Katey, Johannes Mundinger, L'Atlas, LiHill, LX One, M-city, TC, Mario Mankey, Martha Cooper, Miss Van, Nespoon, Millo, Pablo Benzo, Pastel, Paulo Ito, Proembrion, Remed, Remi Rough, Rub Kandy, Run, Sepe, Sickboy, Smash 137, Sozyone Gonsales, SpY, The London Police, Trek Matthews, Wes 21.

This article is a result of Brooklyn Street Art partnership with Urban Nation Museum For Urban Contemporary Art in Berlin and was originally published at Urban Nation Museum For Urban Contemporary Art

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Sometimes the power of human truth is enough to overcome the most powerful political forces. That's what happened in California when families who lost loved ones to opioid overprescribing scored a huge victory over a recalcitrant medical and drug lobby.

Over the opposition of the California Medical Association, parents prevailed. Their leader is my friend Bob Pack.

I talked to Bob Pack shortly after he learned that the Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law legislation requiring that doctors check an existing prescription database before prescribing narcotics to patients for the first time.

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The new law would have prevented the deaths of his young children, Troy and Alana, who were run over on a roadside twelve years ago by an addict with multiple prescriptions who fell asleep at the wheel.

Bob told me he was relieved the legislation had become law, but there were tears too.

"It's too late for my family, but it's going to help a lot of others and that's the whole point of this program and me pushing all these years," Bob said to the Associated Press.

Bob reminded me that in 2012 the legislature rejected this very bill, and now it's become law with a nearly unanimous vote of the legislature. He took that to mean anything is possible when lawmakers focus on the facts and truth.

Tammy and Tim Smick joined Consumer Watchdog this morning at a press conference to celebrate the new law. They lost their son Alex to overprescribing as well. Like Bob Pack, they said the legislative victory brought both relief and tears.

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Working with Consumer Watchdog and our allies at Consumer Attorneys of California, the California Narcotics Officers Association and Shatterproof, Bob, Tim, and Tammy were able to help decision makers focus on what really matters for real people.
Stunned: that is the best word to describe how I felt when I heard the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announce its decision on the fate of the Red Wolf Recovery Program. This agency, charged with being the chief steward of our nation's wildlife, announced its intent to remove almost all of the remaining red wolves from the wild. Ironically, it framed the decision as a positive outcome, assured us that the FWS is committed to the red wolf's future. Unfortunately, those words rang hollow. Giving up on the wild population while making vague promises to evaluate new recovery sites elsewhere, sometime in the future, isn't commitment. It's the farthest thing from it.

Commitment to red wolf recovery means releasing captive-bred red wolves into the wild. It means managing coyotes in the recovery area to prevent hybridization. It means standing up for red wolves when landowners want them pulled off their property without just cause. The FWS used to do all of this, back when it took recovery more seriously. But if this announcement is any indication, the agency hasn't taken the plight of the wild red wolf seriously in several years.

According to the FWS's game plan, red wolves will face at least another year of neglect and mismanagement before the agency takes any action at all. As red wolves continue to decline, the FWS will busy themselves with a Species Status Assessment, five-year status review, and evaluation of new red wolf release sites in the Southeast. The agency already spent the last two years assessing the recovery program and gathering the latest scientific information, while the red wolf population continued to decline the entire time.

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If FWS would actually listen to North Carolinians instead of a couple of well-known wolf-hating landowners, they would know that there is significant support for red wolves in the state. Last month, 27 North Carolina legislators sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell urging her to prevent FWS from giving up on red wolves. Most telling, in a recent poll conducted by Tulchin Research, 81 percent of North Carolinians said the FWS should do everything possible to protect the wolf and prevent its extinction.

The red wolf nearly disappeared when FWS stepped in, bred them in captivity and reintroduced them within their historic range in eastern North Carolina in1987. From only fourteen wolves, the population grew to nearly 150 and the Red Wolf Recovery Program was hailed as a model for wolf reintroduction elsewhere. It is now in shambles.

Over the past few years, FWS has stopped releasing captive-bred red wolves, halted coyote management in the recovery area and suspended advocating for red wolves in any way. These days, the agency captures and removes red wolves from private lands at landowner request, even if the wolves aren't causing trouble. Red wolves face being shot by coyote hunters, hostile landowners and aggressive anti-wolf proposals from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Yet the greatest blow to their survival has come from the agency tasked with their protection.

Where will captured red wolves go if FWS implements its proposal? To zoos, where they will become part of the captive breeding effort. What will become of the remaining red wolves confined on Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge or the nearby bombing range? The prognosis is grim. A recent population viability analysis found that a federal lands-only approach is likely to cause extinction within fourteen years.

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So what's next for this tiny handful of 45 wolves in eastern North Carolina, the only wild red wolves left? Defenders of Wildlife and our conservation allies are doing everything possible to keep red wolves in the wild and get FWS to do right by them. We've asked the courts to intervene on behalf of red wolves and stop the removal of wolves from the wild that are not causing harm or threat.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton attends a National Security working session at the Historical Society Library in New York, Friday, Sept. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

One of the biggest ironies about Donald Trump's Presidential campaign is his pledge to bring back jobs that have been outsourced to other countries--the major driver behind his support from blue-collar workers. On the campaign trail, Trump has blasted Ford Motor Co. for opening factories in Mexico, criticized a U.S. drug company that moved its headquarters offshore and said he will eat no more Oreo cookies because its maker, Nabisco, moved part of its production to Mexico.

Why hasn't the media confronted Trump about the fact that Donald J. Trump Collection shirts - as well as eyeglasses, perfume, cuff links and suits - are made in Bangladesh, China, Honduras and other low-wage countries?

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The 21st century has ushered in a massive globalization shift when it comes to jobs--and while conservative economists like to compare economics to a rising tide that lifts all boats it's more like an Olympics featuring an exponential increase in contestants competing for a limited number of prizes.

What does a U.S. university professor and a UK laborer have in common? Puny wages and/or benefits.

Anne McLeer's experience as an adjunct professor at George Washington University inspired her to not only start a union but help lead one: SEIU's Local 500's higher education work, which now represents GWU's part-time faculty.

"Before I started teaching I was a grad student with a 20-hour a week job as an administrative assistant to one of my dissertation advisers," McLeer recalls. "I was considered "permanent part-time staff" and had access to a retirement plan...and health plan. The day I gave up that job and I started teaching, which you would think is closer to the mission of the university, I became a `temporary part-time person' with absolutely nothing.

Incredibly, the majority of professors in the U.S. are benefit-deprived. According to the American Association of University Professors, 70 percent of college faculty work outside the tenure track. So they likely wind up working at multiple employers but still get no benefits.

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Across the "pond", a survey of social attitudes found that while only 25 percent of Britons have jobs that involved routine or manual labor, 60 percent of them view themselves as working class, the major driver behind their votes for Brexit.

Like Anne McLeer, Colin Hewlett of the U.K. has seen his standard of living collapse. Hewlett, who has worked as a garbage man, bakery worker and now a packer at a canned food factory, has seen his pay crash from more than $665 a week to just $318 in three years. Worse, he added, is that his previously secure full-time employment contract has morphed into a "zero hours contract," under which his employer decides how much he works and how much it pays him depending on what it needs. "It is basically slave labor," Hewlett said.

McLeer and Hewlett's jobs may not have been outsourced but like millions of others they are working for companies who can't be bothered to pay them what they're worth.

The former president of the SEIU, Andy Stern, has authored a must-read book, "Raising the Floor," that tackles the threat to American jobs, from slave-labor wages to automation.

Stern points out that the investment in self-driving cars will inevitably morph into the development of self-driving trucks, a move that will not only put millions of workers out of work--driving trucks is the most common job in 29 states-- but its ripple effect will destroy millions of other jobs.

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As Stern puts it, "I'm thinking about all those truck drivers. And the cooks and waitresses who work at highway diners and truck stops. And the men and women who license trucks and drivers at the DMV. "

Despite the Census Bureau's recent rosy jobs report, the first decade of the 21st century has been a "lost decade" of wage and income growth for most American families., according to the Economic Policy Institute's 2012 report, "The State of Working America."

Wages for the top 1 percent grew about 156 percent between 1979 and 2007, whereas wages for the bottom 90 percent rose by less than 17 percent.

One of the major drivers to our economic stress is outsourcing of jobs requiring a college degree. In the early 2000s globalization affected the jobs of computer programmers, scientists, and doctors. A recent survey by the Center for College Affordability and Productivity found that 48 % of employed college graduates work in jobs that the Bureau of Labor Statistics says require less then a 4 year college degree. Of those that found work, 16.5% are bartenders, 14% are waiters or waitresses, 18% are telemarketers and 24.6% are in retail--an industry that will shrink even more due to the explosive growth of online purchases.

Then we've got the freelancers, part-timers, contingent and 1099 workers who share Ann McLeer's dilemma. As observed in the book Raw Deal, a 2015 survey commissioned by the Freelancers Union and Elance (a web-based platform for online, contingent work) found that 53 million workers had engaged in supplemental, temporary, or project- or contract-based work in the past 12 months. In other words, 34 percent of the total US workforce is freelance.

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To make matters worse, no matter how highly rated a freelancer might be, she or he can always be outbid by another worker willing to work for less money in the Philippines, India, Bangladesh, or other locations.

Stern says if we can't bring back high-paying jobs we should at least institute a Universal Basic Income of $1,000 a month for those between the ages of 18 and 64 who are struggling to make ends meet. The program would be paid for by eliminating some welfare programs or some tax deductions or instituting a value-added tax (VAT) which currently 160 countries use to generate revenue, among various other approaches.

Universal basic income is a concept that's been supported by many economic thinkers, from Thomas Paine to conservative economist Milton Friedman. Andy Stern is probably right that ultimately machines or workers in other countries may take American jobs, but in the meantime can't we treat our workers better?

As Pulitzer Prize winning author Hedrick Smith observed in his book Who Stole the American Dream, so disproportionate has America's ratio of incomes become when you're comparing the wagers of 1 percenters to the other 99% that in 2011 the OECD ranks the U.S. 31st--fourth from the bottom--among its 34 member countries. Only Mexico, Chile, and Turkey did worse.

Compare the U.S. with Germany, an economic powerhouse that treats its workers like assets, not liabilities. Since 1985, Germany's average wage has gone up nearly 30 percent versus only 6 percent here. In foreign trade, Germany generated $2 trillion in trade surpluses from 2000 to 2010, while we racked up $6 trillion in trade deficits. So today, Germany still has more than twice as many people working in manufacturing as the U.S.--21% of its workforce compared to 9% of ours.

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In fact, during the 2008 economic collapse, big German companies shortened everyone's workweek instead of laying off masses of workers, saving 400,000 jobs. As a result, Germany's unemployment rate went down during the recession while America's rose sharply and stayed high. (Speaking of Germany, Trump's German relatives are utterly embarrassed by him and a study by Pew Research Center found that only 6% of its citizens considers him trustworthy.)

First off, why can't we boost in government spending on research and development?. As the authors of Second Machine Age point out, GPS systems, touchscreen displays, voice recognition software like Apple's Siri, and many other innovations arose from government-sponsored research. Google's driverless car was a direct outgrowth of a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) challenge that offered a one-million-dollar prize for a car that could navigate a specific course without a human driver.

And maybe robots will ultimately replace construction workers but in the meantime we need to hire them to replace our crumbling roads, bridges and rails. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates that America's faltering infrastructure costs the United States $1 trillion in economic growth and hampers U.S. exports. In world rankings of infrastructure, the United States has fallen from No. 1 to No. 15. In high-speed rail development, China is outspending the United States $300 billion to $10 billion
In her first debate with Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton came out firing on climate change, shining a spotlight on Trump's prior comments that global warming is a "hoax." Trump interrupted Clinton to deny making these statements. But he has called climate change a hoax multiple times. Most recently, he blamed scientists, telling Fox News' Bill O'Reilly that scientists were secretly laughing about the whole thing.

Confusion has abounded in the Trump campaign as they try to explain his attempt to deny his denialism. The morning after, Trump's campaign manager said that Trump still doesn't believe that pollution is impacting our climate:

"He believes that global warming is naturally occurring." -- Kellyanne Conway, Trump Campaign Manager

But Trump's running mate, Mike Pence, distanced himself from Trump:



"There's no question that the activities that take place in this country and in countries around the world have some impact on the environment and some impact on climate" -- Mike Pence

The New Politics of Climate Change

If climate change had a political glass ceiling, Secretary Clinton just shattered it.

Clinton didn't wait for moderator Lester Holt to bring up climate change, which is how presidential nominees have historically treated the issue in general elections. But Clinton boldly inserted the issue just 14 minutes into the first debate, watched by an estimated 84 million people. Her emphasis on climate change reflects the new politics of climate change.

Global warming is now a mainstream political issue due to the growing concern across the political spectrum (which is now at an 8-year high, according to Gallup). Independent voters' views tend to mirror Democrats' strong support for action, and Republican voters are split on the issue, especially along generational lines. Conservative millennials who otherwise lean toward supporting Republican candidates no longer trust their own party on this issue, according to a recent nationwide poll of 940 young conservatives by Republican pollster AGC Research on behalf of Young Conservatives for Energy Reform. Sixty-five percent of young conservatives see climate change as a serious concern. In a sharp departure from their trust in the Republican party on most issues, only 31% of conservative millennials trust the Republican party more than Democrats to do the right thing when it comes to climate change.

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Whether a voter prioritizes climate change near the top or bottom of their list of issues, climate leadership boosts a candidate's credibility with most voters. Denying or ignoring climate change, on the other hand, will inevitably create doubts and disconnects as voters struggle to understand how candidates process information and make decisions.

The Climate Moment

Here is a transcript of the brief, but impactful, exchange between Clinton and Trump on climate change during the debate. It is better watched than read, and you can watch a clip here:

CLINTON: Take clean energy. Some country is going to be the clean- energy superpower of the 21st century. Donald thinks that climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese. I think it's real......I think science is real. TRUMP: I did not. I did not. I do not say that.....I do not say that.

But Clinton had the goods on Trump. Here is Trump's 2012 tweet:

The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2012

What to Believe? Read The Candidates' Energy Plans

Trump has not personally clarified his false denial at the debate, but there can be no doubt where his policy agenda would take us. Trump has put forward an alarming energy plan aimed at erasing the clean energy regulations that President Obama has put in place. Trump's plan seeks to return America to the era when energy companies can emit unlimited amounts of carbon pollution into the atmosphere.

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Trump also wants to do away with the breakthrough Paris climate agreement. Whatever one's views on President Obama and his climate actions here in the U.S., it would be foolhardy to unravel the first global agreement that secures commitments from China, India, and a host of other nations to do their fair share to combat climate change. It has long been a goal of Republicans and Democrats alike to make sure there is an effective global response to climate change. Not only is Trump convinced that climate change is a hoax, but he is so confident that there is so little risk that he is willing to turn the entire world away from the path of cooperation and action.

View Trump's plan here.

We're going to cancel the Paris Climate Agreement -- Excerpt from Donald Trump Energy Plan

View Hillary's plan here.

I won't let anyone take us backward, deny our economy the benefits of harnessing a clean energy future, or force our children to endure the catastrophe that would result from unchecked climate change. -- Excerpt from Hillary Clinton Climate & Energy Plan
For artist Adam DelMarcelle, the worst-case scenario would be if nothing happened.

After all, that's the big problem facing his hometown's epidemic of heroin-related overdose deaths. No one is doing anything about it. Nothing is happening, he says, at all.

Residents in the small town of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, awoke on Wednesday morning to discover that the town had been plastered overnight with DelMarcelle's artwork. Cheerful images of flowers and birds, common motifs in the Pennsylvania Dutch folk art tradition, coexist alongside corpses and body bags. A pop-art postcard beckons "Greetings from Lebanon, PA!" as cans of Narcan, a prescription drug used to block the effects of an overdose, flow freely like soda into the mouths of tortured-looking men. A police officer shakes hands with the county coroner, declaring a death certificate to be 'low priority,' as a dark hellscape looms in the background.

It's that last image, DelMarcelle suspects, that explains why the posters were removed by police less than twenty-four hours after they first appeared.

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According to the Lebanon Daily News, the removal of the signs has nothing to do with their content, and everything to do with city ordinances, which states that "No person shall post signs, advertisements, cards, posters or anything of like character upon light and traffic standards, utility poles, parking meters and trees, located along the streets and highways, or in public parks in the City." Lebanon police chief Todd Breiner has stated that he shares the same goals as DelMarcelle: they both want heroin dealers off the street.

More people died from drug overdoses in 2014 than in any previous year on record, says the Center for Disease Control. Pennsylvania has been hit particularly hard, with death rates above the national average. Across small-town America, opioid abuse is no longer confined to major cities: it's a problem that is increasingly devastating across boundaries of race, gender, and socioeconomic class.

Earlier this week, President Barack Obama called upon Congress to pass an additional 1.1 billion dollars in federal funding to expand access to opioid treatment, and designated September 18th - September 24th, 2016, as "Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week." The date is a bitter one for DelMarcelle, whose brother Joey passed away from a heroin overdose on September 19th, 2014. While national policy has focused primarily on education and awareness campaigns, DelMarcelle cites the efforts undertaken by nearby Lycoming County as a more immediate, practical solution.

Lycoming County Coroner Charles Kiessling has begun listing overdose deaths as homicides, rather than accidental. While perhaps the difference may seem inconsequential -- a death by any other name is still a death -- ruling these deaths as homicides expands the likelihood that dealers will be arrested and charges will be filed.

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"They're not accidental deaths," Kiessling said, in an interview with the Washington Post earlier this year. "They're homicides. Drug dealers are murderers. They need to be prosecuted as murderers."

Keissling's decision is controversial, reminiscent of the "tough-on-crime" approach that decimated communities of color during the War on Drugs. It remains to be seen whether the change in classification will result in more prosecutions of drug dealers. Still, says DelMarcelle, it's something worth exploring, as anti-drug prevention programs have been well-intentioned but largely ineffective. "Awareness is a fantastic thing and treatment is a fantastic thing. But you have to get the dealers off the street, period."

While the printed posters have been destroyed, the images are preserved online at What Heroin Sounds Like, a Facebook page encouraging visitors to share their personal stories of the heroin crisis. DelMarcelle has been approached by multiple venues interested in a gallery exhibition, and says that future iterations of this project -- including street art, community forums, discussions, and performance pieces -- are forthcoming.
Since the 1960s, Cuba has been a pristine jewel, unaffected by the world around it. One might assume that since Cuba re-established diplomatic relations with the U.S. in July of 2015, the quaint island would have been overrun with technology by now. Thankfully, its charming retro culture and grace remains intact at this moment in time - that is, as of the date this article was written.

For the past decade, the Palos Verdes Arts Center has maintained a collaborative connection with Cuba. It has organized trips to the island as well as showcasing Cuban visual artists, such as Angel Ricardo, Ricardo Rios and Kadir Lopez.

Joe Baker, director and chief curator of PVAC, said the idea for its upcoming event Havana Noir: The Party first came to him while visiting Havana. "My fascination with Cuba is inspired by its creative community," explained Baker. "It's very real, very honest, and very intense."

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On Saturday, October 1, the Palos Verdes Art Center will celebrate the spirit of Cuba with a soiree titled - Havana Noir: The Party. The event will take place in conjunction with several exhibitions and the opening of "HAVANA NOIR," an installation by renowned Cuban artist Kadir Lopez and HAVANA LIGHT, studies on the restoration of neon signage in Cuba.



Image: Cuban artist Kadir Lopez with restored sign on site in Havana, Cuba. Photo courtesy Palos Verdes Art Center and the artist.



Additional exhibitions include "L.A. NOIR," a photograph and text installation by Mark V. Lord, curated by Gail Phinney and "THIS IS NOT A SIGN," neon works by Michael Flechtner curated by Joe Baker.

Baker continued, "Setting Kadir's exhibition 'Havana Noir,' alongside Michael Flechtner's neon show and Mark V. Lord's 'L.A. Noir' reveals the deep aesthetic links between Los Angeles and Havana - two cities of light, each with a dark underbelly celebrated as Noir."

Curated by Al Nodal and Joe Baker, "HAVANA NOIR" is a site-specific installation created during Lopez's residency at Palos Verdes Art Center with neon components fabricated with the assistance of Michael Flechtner. For more information, visit the FB Page. https://www.facebook.com/enpoderpracticasocial/about/?entry_point=page_nav_about_item&tab=page_info

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Flechtner, in turn, will be featured in a solo exhibition titled "THIS IS NOT A SIGN." With over thirty years of experience as a neon artist, Flechtner was invited to Cuba by Adolfo Nodal and Kadir Lopez to consult on the relighting of the surviving neon signage there.



Image: Michael Flechtner, A - Mazed : Doing Our Level Best! 46" W by 22" H by 4" D Michael Flechtner (Line drawing using neon as the linear medium); Neon tubing, found plywood, plastic spirit levels and electronic transformers; 2015; Photo courtesy Palos Verdes Art Center and the artist.

One of the works Flechtner will be exhibiting is titled A-Mazed : Doing our Level Best! "It was inspired by the rats on the giant Western Exterminators neon sign that I've seen for decades headed south on the Hollywood freeway," explained the artist. http://www.Flektro.com

Photographer and screenwriter Mark V. Lord has had a lifelong obsession with all that is Noir. "As a photographer my deep appreciation for the aesthetics of Noir has undoubtedly been subsumed over the years into my style and images - especially here in Los Angeles, the birthplace of Noir." http://www.markvlordphotography.com



Image: Mark V. Lord, Mark V. Lord, Untitled, 15 x 21, Ink, acrylilc / archival paper, 2016; Photo courtesy Palos Verdes Art Center and the artist.



Baker will return to Havana in November. "This will be my third trip there in just over a year. Living in New Orleans before my arrival in Los Angeles set the stage for discovering Havana - the climate, the music, the dance, the spirit of the people."

Havana Noir: The Party will also feature four courses of delicious Cuban cuisine, cocktails, the music of Changui Majadero, BombaChante, along with the Kati Hernandez's Cuban Dancers. DJs, dancing, a cigar lounge, and a live auction will all be part of the evening. The dress code for the Cuban Noir inspired party is cocktail attire (black tie optional). Guests are encouraged to attend dressed in Noir attire. Prizes will be given to Best Noir Lady, Best Noir Gentleman, Best Noir Couple and to Best Havana Nights Lady, Gentleman and Couple, as well.



Image: Members of Cuban band, Changui Majadero, who will perform at HAVANA NOIR: THE PARTY, Photo: Jason Zepeda

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Havana Noir: The Party takes place Saturday, October 1, from 6-11pm at the Palos Verdes Art Center. Tickets are $125 per person online or $150 at the door.

http://havananoirtheparty.com/tickets/
Black and Brown people want justice. How do we define justice? Is Justice a lofty, unattainable, ideological pursuit or aspiration? Is justice achievable to a degree that will satiate the hunger that Black and Brown America has for it? The answers are as simple as the questions. Of course, we can become a materially just nation, not merely in rhetoric, nostalgia and poetry. Black and Brown people define justice the same way the rest of America defines it: the appropriate and proportional meting of consequences for the commission of unlawful, harmful or destructive actions and/or behavior. In other words: people are made to face punitive consequences for their unjust actions. Can Black and Brown America ever progress to a station of criminal justice serenity? Of course we can, however, we cannot achieve any legal, political or social progress without legal, political and social consequences for individuals -- not just institutions.

Many will argue that in the aftermath of the Ferguson, Mo. uprising, President Obama and then Attorney General Eric Holder made a concerted, high profile effort to appear to tackle, head on, the issue of police killings of unarmed Black men. They made very pointed statements about race, policing and mass incarnation. Attorney General Eric Holder even went to Ferguson after the killing of unarmed teen Michael Brown by Officer Darren Wilson. Attorney General Holder arrived to much percolated anger that was decades in the making.

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What did we get as Black and Brown people? We got the Federal government to say Michael Brown's civil rights were not violated. We also got, however, a protracted federal pattern and practice investigation. In fact, what the Feds have given us all across this country are pattern and practice investigations in response to the individual killings by individual police of individual unarmed black men. Tamir Rice -- Pattern and Practice; Freddy Gray -- Pattern and Practice; Walter Scott -- Pattern and Practice. If you look at other high profile unjustified killings by police like Sean Bell, in 2006 who was killed on his Wedding Day by police in a hail of 50 bullets or the case of Ramarley Graham, a teen in the Bronx who was murdered after police officer Richard Haste broke into his home and shot him dead in his own bathroom in front of his grandmother and 6 year old little brother, we got the Feds saying that their civil rights were not violated either. Now we have the high profile video of the police murder of Terrance Crutcher in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Clearly, this was an unjustified killing. We have video from many places all pointing to the same set of facts: another unjustified killing of an unarmed Black man by police. What will we have here? Another pattern and practice investigation? Concurrently, the Feds cannot relax their pursuit in light of the indictment of Officer Betty Jo Shelby for manslaughter. For many, manslaughter is an insufficient charge, but additionally, the DOJ needs to send a message that they will hold officers accountable irrespective of local politics or the response of local officials and they will enforce federal civil rights laws.

We know the standard messaging from DOJ: "There are different statutes, judicial thresholds, jurisdictions and burdens of proof..." Black and Brown people will hear.... "Blah blah blah, blah blah."

Notwithstanding the hundreds of cases brought against law enforcement officers for civil rights violations by the DOJ, none of them have been the high profile incendiary cases that have brought America to this moment and this particular policing precipice.

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Attorney General Loretta Lynch has the legal authority and moral imperative not just to seek justice - but to do justice. Black and Brown America is waiting for her government to protect and defend her blood both before AND after it is spilled. That means indicting officers involved in these high profile cases, appropriately, to show not just Blacks and Browns that we are protected and defended but to show law enforcement that there is indeed a price to pay for racism and brutality but also for incompetence and negligence.

The horrific and catastrophic assassinations of two police officers in New York City in December of 2014 and most recently five officers in Dallas and three in Baton Rouge will forever remain a stain on the flag. There is never a justification for the murder of innocents, especially those who put their lives on the line to keep us safe. We commend and honor them for their sacrifice! If we are to prevent this from setting hold on our nation as a common occurrence then we must understand what the murders were intended to accomplish. Some would posit that revenge was the motive and mental illness and guns the means. It is deeper than that. Those officers were killed for three reasons: the first was the uniform or the institution, secondly, they were individuals that were killed to exact a price [and] to send a message to individual officers that they are vulnerable too. Equipment and Infrastructure weren't targeted; flesh and blood was.

True justice is individual accountability for individual actions and institutional accountability for institutional actions. The empty calories of the pattern and practice buffet are NOT providing the nourishment that Justice requires to avoid atrophy. Justice must be robust and must be visible and must hold individuals accountable for their actions along side the institutions that maintain and promulgate cultures of discrimination.

Consequently, the Eastern District MUST indict Police Officer Daniel Panteleo for the murder of Eric Garner. If the DOJ fails to do so it will have rendered the Civil Rights Act null and void. It will have the same chilling effect that the Supreme Court had when it gutted the Voting Rights Act, only this time it will be a Black Woman mandated to seek and do justice instead of 9 black robes with the same obligation. The Court failed us, America cannot afford to have the DOJ fail us too.
A resolution (H.Res. 159) was recently introduced in the U.S. Congress in reference to one of the worst mass executions of political prisoners since WWII by the Islamic Republic of Iran. The House Homeland Security Chair, Mike McCaul, introduced the resolution, which was cosponsored by the House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Ed Royce, Ranking Member Eliot Engel, and Rules Committee Chair Rep. Peter Sessions. The resolution came as Hassan Rouhani, president of a government that ranked as the world's top executioner per capita, was addressing the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

In the run-up to his speech, the Associated Press reported that thousands of protesters gathered outside the United Nations protesting Iran's human rights abuses, executions, and the 1988 massacre of more than 30,000 prisoners. The speakers included former Democratic vice presidential candidate and Senator Joe Lieberman, and Sir Geoffrey Robertson, former Head of UN war crimes tribunal for Sierra Leone who wrote a report on Iran 1988 massacre published on the United Nations Arts Initiative.

The resolution introduced in Congress "condemns the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the 1988 massacre of political prisoners and [calls] for justice for the victims."

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It adds that "over a 4-month period in 1988, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran carried out the barbaric mass executions of thousands of political prisoners and many unrelated political groups. ... [A]ccording to a report by the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, the massacre was carried out pursuant to a fatwa, or religious decree, issued by then Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, that targeted the People's Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI), also known as the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK);"

The resolution quotes one of Iran's own senior former officials, who said the 1988 massacre was ''the greatest crime committed during the Islamic Republic, for which history will condemn us." Accordingly, in 1988, the Islamic Republic executed the thousands of prisoners, primarily affiliated with the main opposition movement Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), due to their political beliefs. The victims were buried in mass graves in Iran after they were shot or hung in matter of a few months.

According to a November 2, 2007, report by Amnesty International, ''between 27 July 1988 and the end of that year, thousands of political prisoners [in Iran], including prisoners of conscience, were executed in prisons nationwide."

The resolution adds that "Those personally responsible for these mass executions include senior officials serving in the current Government of Iran; ... [P]risoners were reportedly brought before the commissions and briefly questioned about their political affiliation, and any prisoner who refused to renounce his or her affiliation with groups perceived as enemies by the regime was then taken away for execution," H.Res. 159 noted.

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Accordingly, the victims included "thousands of people, including teenagers and pregnant women, imprisoned merely for participating in peaceful street protests and for possessing political reading material, many of whom had already served or were currently serving prison sentences."

The congressional resolution states, "[P]risoners were executed in groups, some in mass hangings and others by firing squad, with their bodies disposed of in mass graves."

According to Amnesty International, ''the majority of those killed were supporters of the PMOI [MEK], but hundreds of members and supporters of other political groups . . . were also among the execution victims.''

Based on the Congressional resolution, "The later waves of executions targeted religious minorities, such as members of the Baha'i faith, many of whom were often subjected to brutal torture before they were killed." It add "The families of the executed were denied information about their loved ones and were prohibited from mourning them in public".

The resolution mentions that "in a recently disclosed audiotape, the late Hussein Ali Montazeri, a grand ayatollah who served as Khomeini's chief deputy, noted the regime's efforts to target the MEK and said that the 1988 mass killings were ''the greatest crime committed during the Islamic Republic, for which history will condemn us'."

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A report by Amnesty International has concluded ''there should be no impunity for human rights violations, no matter where or when they took place. The 1988 executions should be subject to an independent impartial investigation, and all those responsible should be brought to justice, and receive appropriate penalties''

According to the resolution, "The current Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was reportedly aware of, and later publicly condoned the massacre."

The Montazeri audiotape was disclosed by Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri's son, Ahmad, a moderate cleric, who posted the confidential audio of his father on his website but was ordered by the intelligence to remove it.

Montazeri states in the tape, "You [Iranian officials] will be in the future etched in the annals of history as criminals. The greatest crime committed under the Islamic Republic, from the beginning of the Revolution until now, which will be condemned by history, is this crime [mass executions] committed by you."

Ironically, all those people to whom Montazri is addressing and warning in the audio, all of those who were involved in these crimes, appear to enjoy high positions currently. Mostafa Pourmohammadi was a representative of the intelligence ministry to the notorious Evin prison, and he was appointed by the so-called moderate president Hassan Rowhani to be justice minister. Ebrahim Raeisi was a public prosecutor and is appointed to be the head of Astan Quds Razavi, which has billions of dollars in revenues.

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One of Iran's current officials is Rouhani's justice minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi. Recently, after the release of a tape in which the Islamic Republic's no. 2 official was heard condemning the crime, Pourmohammadi defended the commission of the massacre and said he is "proud" to have carried out "God's commandments" in killing the political opponents.

Hussein Ali Nayeri was a judge and is now the deputy of the Supreme Court of Iran. In his memoir, Montzari writes that he told Nayeri to stop the executions at least in the month of Moharram religious holidays, but Nayeri said according to BBC: "We have executed so far 750 people in Tehran... we get the job done with [executing] another 200 people and then we will listen to whatever you say."

What is crucial to point out is that realistically speaking, these people are only few of those who were involved in such large scale crimes against humanity. They have been awarded more senior positions, power, and money.

Montazeri advised the ruling politicians that "Beware of 50 years from now, when people will pass judgment on the leader (Khomeini) and will say he was a bloodthirsty, brutal and murderous leader." It's worth noting that the revelation of this mass execution was pointing to only one summer of the 37-year history of the Islamic Republic. What else is hidden there that we are not aware of?

The writings, messages and audio from Iran's ex-heir Supreme Leader highlight the systematic methods that the officials of the Islamic Republic use to oppress the opposition. Executions or brutal punishments against the opposition have become the cornerstone of Iran's political establishment as Iran ranks top in the world when it comes to executions per capita.

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The Islamic Republic's 1988 massacre and Montazeri's audio point to one of the worst crimes against humanity committed in modern history and it continues to occur. It points to the means that the government uses to control the population and silence the opposition. It points to the interconnectedness of the government and repression, and it points to the dominance of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), intelligence, Khamenei and their loyalists.

It is incumbent on human rights organizations, the United Nations, and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to conduct rigorous investigations and bring those who have committed and continue to commit these crimes - and more likely who currently serve in high positions in Iran - to justice. Calls to bring these people to justice are increasing. No individual or institution that commits crimes against humanity should live comfortably without being held accountable.

Finally, it is incumbent on the Congress and everyone who wanted to be on the right side of justice to follow up with the following points mentioned in the recent Congressional resolution:

"1. condemn the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the 1988 massacre, and for denying the evidence of this manifest set of crimes against humanity;

2. urge the Administration and United States allies to publicly condemn the massacre, and pressure the Government of Iran to provide detailed information to the families of the victims about their loved ones and their final resting places; and

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3. urge the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran and the United Nations Human Rights Council to create a Commission of Inquiry to fully investigate the massacre and to gather evidence and identify the names 15 and roles of specific perpetrators with a view towards bringing them to justice."

_______________________

Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is an American political scientist, president of the International American Council on the Middle East, business advisor, and best-selling author. Harvard-educated, Rafizadeh serves on the advisory board of Harvard International Review. He is regularly quoted and invited to speak on national and international outlets including CNN, BBC World TV and Radio, ABC, Aljazeera English, Fox News, CTV, RT, CCTV America, Skynews, CTV, and France 24 International, to name a few. Dr. Rafizadeh is frequently invited to brief governmental and non-governmental organizations as well as speak, as a featured speaker, at security, business, diplomatic, and social events. He has been recipient of several fellowships and scholarships including from Oxford University, Annenberg, University of California Santa Barbara, Fulbright program, to name few. He analyses have appeared on academic and non-academic publications including New York Times International, Los Angeles Times, CNN, Farred zakaria GPS, The Atlantic, Foreign Policy, The Nation, The National. Aljazeera, The Daily Beast, The Nation, Jerusalem Post, The Economic Times, USA Today Yale Journal of International Affairs, Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, and Harvard International Review. He is a board member of several significant and influential international and governmental institutions, and he is native speaker of couple of languages including Persian, English, and Arabic. He also speaks Dari, and can converse in French, Hebrew. More at Harvard.

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.
Club de Madrid article on the occasion of the launching of the Club de Madrid project 'Preventing Violent Extremism: Leaders telling a different story', supported by the European Commision

On September 12th 2016, fifteen young Arabs and Muslims were executed in the Syrian city of Al Mayadin. The town is two hours driving from the border with Iraq. Since July 2014, the terrorist group ISIS controled with iron hand the municipality.

The victims were most of them under their 20s. A unit of the terrorist group ISIS arrested them in the street, handcuffed hands and feet, dressed them in orange suits and moved them to the slaughterhouse of the town. There, three executioners hung them by the feet with chains and slaughtered them with knifes, one by one. The last one of the hostages was knelt and forced for a few seconds to contemplate the Dantesque image of his 14 companions beheaded. Then, he also was beheaded.

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The whole scene was recorded by a professional audiovisual production team, which included several high-quality digital cameras, expensive programs for edition and graphic designers. The video was recorded in early September 2016 and released by ISIS on September 12th, the day of the feast of lamb, Eid al-Adha, a date full of symbolism for the Islamic tradition. For Muslims, the sacrifice of the lamb is a sign of submission and gratitude of the mercy of Allah to save a human life and instead sacrifice a lamb.

The murder of 15 young Al Mayadeen represents, in addition to an irreparable human tragedy, a deep blasphemy to the principles of Islam and a direct affront to the spirit of Eid. Therefore, this ISIS video was not intended to seduce an audience follower of Islamic principles or send a religious message.

By contrast, the analysis of its cultural iconography provides a disturbing conclusion. The terrorist group led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been aware from the first minute that the battle for public opinion to seduce minds and hearts was almost as important as the military victory on the ground.

The terrorists used the execution to produce an audiovisual cultural product that could be perceived as culturally familiar, popular and imitable by potential audiences. The scenes of the beheading of the young Syrians showed a clear resemblance to the ones from a popular teen horror film: Hostel. Not only that, the first minute of the video shows a succession of images of the action film Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. A spy film starring Tom Cruise.

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Since January 2014, until mid September 2016, the terrorist group ISIS has recorded, edited and released to the public opinion 1,308 videos of propaganda, an average of more than one propaganda video per day. This data reveals ISIS as the terrorist organization that has invested more efforts and resources in communications than any other previous terrorist group ever.

What is ISIS saying? The first element of analysis to understand the political and social strategy of ISIS is getting to know what topics the terrorists are using to seduce their audiences. The analysis of 1,308 videos shows that the group led by Baghdadi always refers to four main themes. The most recurrent subject, with 33 percent of the videos, is the interviews with young people from all around the world and different backgrounds explaining in all languages why they have decided to join the Islamic State. The leader of the terrorist group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi appears only once. The data shows that the terrorists want to create the perception of being an spontaneous and grass-rooted movement, in contrast to the traditional power structures that are vertical and hierarchical.

The second major issue is related to the creation of the perception that ISIS is a powerful and victorious army. 27 percent of the videos shows acts of war where militants of the terrorist group fight against soldiers of Syria, Iraqi, Kurdistan, Libya or Egypt. Most of these war videos are produced with new audiovisual techniques such as go-pro cameras, drones and digital editing programs that create in the viewer a feeling of participating in a video game.

The third element used by ISIS is directly linked with the creation of a new social contract with the Sunni population of Iraq and Syria. 24 percent of the videos are about the terrorist group exercising government actions, solving local public problems, and engaging socially with the local population.

Finally, 15 percent of the videos of the terrorist group project images of explicit violence. However, the most interesting aspect of this issue is the fact that at least 50 percent of these executions are inspired by scenes of the most popular action movies and videogames among young audiences in Western countries.

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ISIS has created a new and efficient way to socialize terror, spread its propaganda and recruit new members.

With an increase of 80 percent of deaths caused by terrorism in 2015, democracies and governments all over the world are struggling to find a clear reaction. We need to analyze ISIS' narrative from a scientific point of view to understand the political, social and military strategy of the group that currently causes the greatest global threat, and then add the political leadership and wisdom to implement campaigns with a clear common set of values and principles to promote. In this sense the latest contribution of the Club de Madrid, the forum of democratic former leaders from 69 nations whose mandate is to promote democracy, is the initiative "Leaders telling a different story", a project supported by the European Commission aimed at strengthen counter violent narratives and positive messaging and bridging the gap between government officials and civil society actors, practitioners and journalists.

This way, scientifically understanding and defining the ISIS strategy and politically building the adequate messages and responses, we will provide ourselves with the resources and the necessary basis to face and defeat violent extremism in all areas, including the cultural battle.
As the nation staggers in the aftermath of video footage of yet another police killing of an American Black man, news reports confirm that marijuana played a significant role in the shooting of North Carolina resident Keith Lamont Scott.

Drug use, actual or suspected, has been used again and again to dehumanize, scrutinize and blame victims of police state violence. From Trayvon Martin and Sandra Bland to Terence Crutcher and now Keith Lamont Scott, there are a multitude of cases where insidious drug war tactics have allowed police to stop, search, arrest, indict, imprison, surveille, criminalize and kill innocent people, destroy families and wreak havoc on communities, mostly Black and Latino.

Today, Drug Policy Action and Brave New Films released an unflinching look at the stark realities of the enforcement of marijuana laws in California. With Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Washington D.C. among the first to legalize, most activists see California as the true tipping point for inevitable federal de-scheduling and legalization.

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Although many believe that marijuana has essentially been legal in California because it was the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996 - it's not legal yet. On the contrary, a recent report by the Drug Policy Alliance found that despite California's more permissive marijuana possession laws, the state had nearly 500,000 marijuana arrests between 2006 and 2015. Those arrests disproportionately impacted Latino and Black Californians from more than 2 to 4 times the rate as their white counterparts.

The two-minute piece spotlights how drug possession and particularly discriminatory marijuana law enforcement is used to criminalize people of color and how the criminal justice and sentencing reforms contained in Proposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act will "set us on a new path" toward reducing mass incarceration.

"By making this film we hope to give Californians a sense of how truly urgent it is to enact sane, rational drug laws that do not unfairly target and oppress communities of color," Brave New Films founder Robert Greenwald said. "Clearly, the numbers in this film - and the pages of every newspaper, every day - show that the war on drugs has been not only an abject failure but a force for destruction that must be ended once and for all."

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In November, Californians will have the opportunity to vote on Proposition 64, which contains groundbreaking sentencing reforms that eliminate or reduce most marijuana offenses. Thousands of Californians can petition to have their sentences reduced and hundreds of thousands more may be eligible for criminal record clearing. The initiative also reduces barriers to entry to the legal market, and drives hundreds of millions of dollars in investments to low-income communities that have been most negatively impacted by the drug war.

Lt. Governor of California Gavin Newsom, one of the most outspoken elected officials in the country in favor of marijuana legalization, said this, "The harms of the drug war are more pronounced than the drug itself." Moreover, when asked why the DEA refuses to de-schedule marijuana, he said, "Because they lack courage, conviction. Because they are consumed by ideology." He goes on to criticize his elected peers, "How dare you sit by passively when lives are being destroyed by this war on drugs."

My colleague Sharda Sekaran said it best, "This must end. The drug war is a racist tool for committing human rights abuses and has given a greenlight to state violence and police corruption. We must legalize marijuana, end the drug war, and make every endeavor to repair the harms caused by decades of this monstrous policy."

This November, say to the DEA that the racialized history, the harms of drug prohibition and the disparate enforcement of fraudulent drug laws are no longer acceptable. Californians must have the courage and conviction to vote yes on Prop. 64.
On the subject of race, words matter. Negro, Black, Afro-American. As times changed after the Second World War, each one denoted respect, or its opposite. "Colored" was the language of the Jim Crow South, and it indicated a particularly ugly and backward-looking point of view.

I learned this in the New York City of the 1970's. Growing up in one of the outer boroughs, I practiced Little Michael Jackson's dance moves with my subway buddy, Leslie, waiting for the Number 4 train. Leaning out the window of our apartment I developed a lifelong love of the salsa music being practiced at the VFW Hall across the street by apprentice musicians from Puerto Rico who on the weekends electrified the dance floors in the Bronx Boriqueno clubs. We learned through Dr. King to refer to our darker-skinned friends as Negro; and then as they grew Afros and donned dashikis, they instructed us to call them Black.

At our magnet high school, through music, food, adolescent hormones and the contact high of being with other kids who were different, but all the same, a little dorky--geeky was not a word yet--we built a culture of inclusion. Thrilled to be away from the vigilant eye of protective parents, we developed an appreciative understanding of others. We were, truly, better together.



We were lucky. Through the social experiment of magnet schools like Bronx Science and Stuyvesant, New York City brought kids from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds together to learn, play and bond. Many of my classmates of color went on to the Ivy League, into the middle class, and even beyond. But what the schools did for us, they could not do for many other young New Yorkers, because of the persistence of housing segregation. For kids who did not have the skills to ace those admission tests, who could not travel up to an hour each way on public transportation, neighborhood high schools remained drearily monochrome.

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1929, the Roaring Twenties. It was a time of carefree prosperity and stock market optimism that overtook the thirties. It seemed like everybody was getting rich, only to be followed by the Great Depression. December 7, 1941, the radar station based in Hawaii saw the planes coming. They were not American and were not supposed to be there. Upon reporting the citing to headquarters, they were told, "Don't worry about it." Those planes bombed Pearl Harbor. The isolationist optimism of pre-World War II oblivion, gave way to what has been called the greatest generation of Americans... practicality and sobriety overtook the previous decade of indulgence.

It took a double whammy to wake America up (the Depression followed by World War II). As is said, those who do not understand history are destined to repeat it.

The banking crisis of 2008 may be the first part of an upcoming double whammy. With the arrogance of "don't worry about it", employees of the S.E.C. (Securities and Exchange Commission) booked un-Godly, on-the-job hours, viewing pornography right before that moment of truth. Since then, bank bailouts and printing of money have only made the problem worse. We are now approaching 20 trillion dollars in debt, but if you consider the derivatives gambling casino which Wall Street has become, the number is closer to 200 trillion dollars. For example, for every one ounce of gold sold on the Comex gold exchange, there are over 200 ounces of virtual paper gold held on the market, with no gold to back it up. Many believe the second whammy is coming soon.

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Just like in the thirties, we are now in a period of oblivion, characterized by what is called the infantilization of the college students. Opinions contrary to their own are not tolerated. As intolerance grows, freedom of speech, as per the First Amendment, is viewed as the enemy. Their political correctness doctrines have compelled speakers and comedians alike to avoid college campuses. It seems most everything is condemned as racist, sexist, or politically incorrect. While the whole generation is lost to their ivory tower utopian ideals, the real world powder keg may well be about to blow, continuing the cycle of intoxication followed by sobriety.

Of course nobody wants to hear this, and politicians seeking votes are certainly among the last to say it. All other Americans risk scorn and degradation if they utter a word about it, particularly if they have college age children.

Just take a step back and look where our society is. The military has been reduced to a fraction of what it was. Its principles of God, country, honor, dignity, integrity, etc. are mocked more often than praised. Drug abuse is epidemic. The demand for entitlements, for everything from free education to free cell phones, is at an all-time high. Food lines of the Depression era are replaced by food stamps in an attempt to mask the problem.
Start off by imagining, we've reached an agreement. And imagine that the FARC leaders ... had to describe this agreement -- give a talk to all their people, as they've just done this past week -- in which they describe this agreement as a kind of victory for them. Not that it couldn't be a victory for the government as well. But it had to be something they could sell to their own troops and explain -- look, we've been fighting for 52 years, and we're laying down our weapons. They can't say it was all in vain. And so, we worked backwards from that speech. We even simulated that speech. I asked the President's brother to give that speech to us as if he were the guerrilla commander. Then we said, OK, how can we make it easier for them to give that speech. What are the key interests, what are the key needs, that they have?
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump holds a rally with supporters in Council Bluffs, Iowa, U.S. September 28, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

I was wearing my "Gore for President" button the year I began to attend Roman Catholic mass regularly in 2000. One morning that fall I was accosted by a weekday morning regular. He was friendly about it, but wanted to know how I could be on the Communion line every morning while planning to vote a "pro abortion" (his words, not mine) ticket. No one at church has questioned me thus, since that day, but during every presidential election since, the United States Bishops have aimed to influence how Catholics vote by means of carefully worded public statements. That came to a halt with the Trump candidacy. So why aren't the U.S. Bishops urging Catholics to vote for the "pro-life" candidate?

I recently asked a few priests whether there has been any pressure from the top to endorse the GOP candidate. One reported a little boostering in local races, but otherwise, it would seem that the United States Bishops are not interested in seeing their flock elect Trump. There are a few reasons for this. Pope Francis condemned the plan to "build a wall" in February 2016 and Trump called the pontiff "disgraceful." Not a smart move on Trump's part, perhaps. On the other hand many conservative Catholics don't like Francis I and have been calling the pontiff names on blogs since the day he was elevated. Trump's quarrel with the pope is probably just part of the explanation.

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Although the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy is (in my opinion) institutionally sexist and misogynistic, the church as a whole is not. Catholicism is an Abrahamic faith that has, since its start, recognized he intellectual and theological contributions of women. While it is true that the Vatican continues to strain to preserve an all-male priesthood, Roman Catholics of most stripes have been comfortable with many dramatic, post Vatican II changes which endow women religious, catechists, scholars, theologians and ministers with increased political and pastoral power within the church. In our theology we have, in a sense, enshrined motherhood. Five of our church doctors are women. Even in conservative parishes today, one sees women doing everything but celebrating mass.
Juba, SOUTH SUDAN: School girls and boys march to claim peace in the streets of Juba, South Sudan, on September 21, 2016.The march, attended by hundreds of school children and women activists, was organised by the South Sudan Peace and Reconciliation Commission, in collaboration with the National Platform for Peace and Reconciliation, as well as peace partners, national and local organizations, the United Nations, diplomatic missions, and the business community to commemorate the International Day of Peace, under the national theme Together We Can Heal the Nation.AFP PHOTO / ALBERT GONZALEZ FARRAN / AFP / Albert Gonzalez Farran - AFP / Albert Gonzalez Farran (Photo credit should read ALBERT GONZALEZ FARRAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Five years ago, after more than 20 years of civil war, South Sudan became the latest Member State of the United Nations. The tasks at hand for the new State were enormous: peace-building, institution-building, security, socio-economic development. Looking more closely at the security sector, challenges were and are about the security of the nation, about the security of the people and their property, and about the security of the state and its institutions.

South Sudan has faced numerous challenges, which include professionalising the security sector, establishing ministries and parliamentary structures with the appropriate capacity for policy making and oversight, as well as improving community safety and access to justice. All of it should fit together, in a coherent whole, with good governance and rule of law as the core focus of the reform efforts. Bilateral partners, as well as regional and other international organisations, have supported reforms in the security sector in South Sudan. Unfinished work in the area of building and strengthening the security-sector institutions, together with political divisions, weakness of state institutions and extreme poverty and underdevelopment, have all been contributing factors to the recent resurgence of violence.

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In the upcoming period we need to once again mobilise the international community's support for the youngest member of the international community, including to the comprehensive and coherent security-sector reform (SSR).

My own country, Slovakia, has been there for South Sudan and its people. We made South Sudan a priority country of our official development assistance and humanitarian aid. Slovakian development and humanitarian organisations have been assisting the poorest and most vulnerable in South Sudan already for about 10 years: building and running health clinics in remote areas such as Terekeka, Mapuordit, Rumbek and Maria Lou, vaccinating mothers and children in refugee camps in Juba, training small farmers in Wau how to increase their agricultural production, improving chances for children to go to school, offering government scholarships for young people from South Sudan to study at Slovak universities, etc.

Another important area has been experience sharing. The challenges remain enormous, including as far as humanitarian aid is concerned, and Slovakia remains committed to continue assisting South Sudan as much as possible. We have just added additional 600,000 euro to the 2016 Slovak Aid financial envelope for South Sudan, especially for humanitarian aid.

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Against this backdrop, the key narrative remains that there is no development without durable peace and security. I am highlighting the theme of SSR as an important component of development, peace and security for the simple reason that a secure environment is needed to instill the confidence that promotes investment in the economy and creates the ideal conditions for development to flourish. Security-sector institutions need to see themselves as part of the bigger picture of reforming and realigning institutions for national development. After all, while security is critical in providing the enabling environment, peace and security are only temporary if no other development programme takes root. The landmark decision to integrate security and justice in the Agenda 2030 and amongst the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most notably through the inclusion of Goal 16, provides new opportunities for SSR as a key instrument of peace-building, including in South Sudan.

The commitment to a comprehensive SSR approach in South Sudan is essential, as both the police and the military could serve to bring together their nation if they are truly inclusive and professional. The security sector should play a central role in healing the wounds of conflict-afflicted communities, as well as effective state building and institution building. Based on recent lessons learned in other countries, I am advocating for an inclusive and well-coordinated SSR approach in South Sudan aimed at creating a functional police service capable of supporting justice for all of the population, and a military focused on serving to protect the nation, and all of its communities, from external threats.

To achieve this we need to acknowledge that SSR is very much a political process. It was so in Slovakia and the same applies to South Sudan, too. Real political will for change is achieved when the risks associated with the necessary political and structural changes are articulated at the planning stages, the key stakeholders acknowledge and accept those changes, and all stakeholders participate in the relevant processes. The process needs to be nationally owned and nationally led, including as far the necessary buy-in in the local communities is concerned. Broad consultations are always beneficial in this regard.

Good governance and rule of law should be at the heart of any SSR process. It is only through a security sector that is well managed and accountable that we can ensure that we are able to provide an effective and efficient security sector that is capable of protecting the most vulnerable members of the society. Therefore, SSR should be properly weaved into long-term development plans and implemented in a graduated and incremental way. This human security perspective to SSR is essential.

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Effective international support to such nationally owned and nationally led reform processes is essential. The international community should play its supportive role in a coherent and well-coordinated manner. The United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the European Union (EU) have been instrumental in the initial stages of SSR in South Sudan. For instance, the AU together with the UN and other international organizations is currently assisting the Government in their efforts to develop a National Security Policy.
The City of Oakland just lost millions of dollars in federal funding. Given what the intended use of that money was for, that's a good thing. Combined with similar funding for UC Berkeley and the East Bay Regional Parks District (EBRPD), over 400,000 trees across seven Bay Area cities were to be chopped down and thousands of gallons of cancer-causing herbicides spread on their stumps to prevent regrowth. Slated for eradication were the vast forests above the Caldecott Tunnel and Caldecott Field, North Hills Skyline, Strawberry and Claremont Canyons in Berkeley, and 11 regional parks including Sibley, Huckleberry, and Redwood in Oakland. Costing nearly $6 million, the plan would have radically transformed the character and appearance of the Oakland hills. Why?

The Scripps Ranch Fire of 2003 burned 150 homes but none of the Eucalyptus abutting those homes.

If you believe proponents, it is because the trees pose a heightened risk of fire. Since the infamous Firestorm of 1991 which burned scores of homes and killed 25 people, they have worked tirelessly to turn public opinion in the East Bay against Eucalyptus and Monterey Pine trees. Chief among their claims is that these trees were to blame for the ferocity of that fire because they are alleged to possess unusually high quantities of volatile oils that make them more flammable and prone to shooting off embers which enable the spread of fire. These claims have been repeated so many times they are often regarded as self-evident, even though the evidence does not support them, nor does the history relating to the ignition and spread of past fires. Indeed, the 1991 fire itself (and a later 2008 fire) started in grasses, the very sort of vegetation that clearcutting is intended to proliferate throughout the hills. In fact, the stated aim of the deforestation effort is to replace Oakland forests containing species of trees that are among some of the tallest in the world with shallow grasses that are highly susceptible to fire and which the EBRPD admits are "one of the most dangerous vegetation types for firefighter safety due to the rapid frontal spread of fire that can catch suppression personnel off guard."

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In a report highlighting the heightened fire risk which would have resulted from this plan, David Maloney, former Chief of Fire Prevention at the Oakland Army Base, criticized the spread of misinformation about these trees as motivated by native plant ideology, calling it "a land transformation plan disguised as a wildfire hazard mitigation plan" that will "endanger firefighters and the general public" and "be an outrageous waste of taxpayer money." And he's not alone in his concerns.

The U.S. Forest Service objected, saying it would "increase the probability of [fire] ignition over current conditions" because "removal of the overstory trees can introduce changes to the environment which increase fire behavior in undesirable ways."

The U.S. Fire Administration Technical Report on the 1991 Fire led to the conclusion that removal of the trees would lead to growth of highly flammable brush species, noting that "brush fuel types played a significant role in the progression of the fire" and that brushland made up "a large portion of the available fuel."

The Environmental Protection Agency stated that it is predicated on "extensive use of herbicides" and "risks posed to human health and the environment from that use." It went on to express concern about the "potential impacts of climate change," including "the length and severity of the fire season."

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FEMA itself admitted that the plan would result in "unavoidable adverse impacts ... to vegetation, wildlife and habitats, protected species, soils, water quality, aesthetics, community character, human health and safety, recreation, and noise."

During the summer, 5,200 California firefighters battled 14 fires across the state. The vast majority of the fires were in grass and brush, with a few in so-called "native" Oak woodlands.

But you would not know any of this by reading Bay Area newspapers, watching Bay Area television news programs, listening to local radio stations, reading local magazines, or hearing Bay Area politicians. These are discussions those who oppose this plan tried to engage in with the Mayor, the Oakland City Council, the media and even plan supporters in order to find a compromise, but were rebuffed. Instead, the "need" for deforestation and herbicide use was deemed "self-evident" and opponents were labeled as indifferent to public safety who debased the memory of those who died in the 1991 Firestorm.

In the absence of public discussion about the expertly substantiated criticism that the plan would have increased rather than reduced fire risk, exposed citizens to huge amounts of dangerous chemicals, released over 17,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases into our environment, poisoned and displaced wildlife, radically altered the appearance of our parks, threatened homeowners values by degrading the aesthetics upon which those values depended, eliminated erosion control for hillside homes, and caused a variety of other harms, the public was denied information that would have allowed them to make a sound and informed choice. This troubling bias does not honor the memory of those who died in that tragic fire 25 years ago; it shames it. Their loss should have served to embolden our resolve to prevent a recurrence of their tragedy through rigorous public debate, rather than hobbled us with emotionally charged rhetoric that stifled discussion before it was allowed to begin and threatened to turn the response to that fire into the root cause of yet another disaster.
Its been just a couple days since a tragic accident took the lives of Leadwood residents Greg Moyers, 40, and his wife Sarah Moyers, 39, leaving their two daughters hospitalized in Arnold Palmer Hospital in Florida.

The family was enjoying a Disney vacation with another family and had reportedly gone separate ways from their friends after enjoying Disney together. The Moyers were reportedly heading to the beach when tragedy struck.

Neither Greg nor Sarah survived the crash. Their daughter Haley, 13, was airlifted with critical injuries and their daughter Sophia, 8, was listed in serious condition.

An uncle to the two girls, Richard Moyers, gave an update on the girls condition. Haley is not on life support like some may have heard. She is on a ventilator and has a broken leg.

Right now their priority is to keep (Haley) stable. She has some serious injuries and she needs prayer right now, said Richard. They are keeping an eye on it that is all we know. Her condition is up and down so much right now.

He said that is why the family hasn't been releasing updates. Once they are able to get Haley fully stabilized they will be able to focus on her other injuries.

Sophia, compared to her sister, she is doing well, said Richard. She does have a broken leg, but other than that we are not sure of any other injuries. Its unfortunate we are talking about the superficial wounds and not the wounds that are going to take decades to get over if that is even possible.

Richard added the hospital will be giving a formal press release sometime Wednesday since all the media has been bombarding the hospital with questions.

Jason Nash, a family friend, wanted to help the family and created a GoFundMe account and set up an account at First State Community Bank.

The amazing support has helped me cope with the loss and its more than words can describe, said Nash. People genuinely want to know how those girls are doing and I appreciate that more than words can describe. The more we can talk about Greg and Sarah, the more people are going to want to help Haley and Sophia.

Nash stressed he is not a spokesman for the family, he just wants to help and not burden the family with anything. He said this is one way that he could help and there has been an amazing response.

Greg and Sarah were special people and they touched so many lives, said Nash. Its overwhelming to see the support from everybody. I am getting emails from people all over the world. Its been overwhelming. Financially things are going beyond where I thought they would go.

By Tuesday morning the GoFundMe account had raised more than $45,000, but it was discovered by the company that a user by the name of "Master Mass" was fraudulent.

It breaks my heart that there are those that try to benefit from a tragic event, said Nash. 'Master Mass' was found to be fraudulent as was its $21,000 worth of donations. This is an emotional time for everyone and we are not going to allow the evil in this world to overshadow what Greg and Sarah meant to us. They were very special people that continue to touch lives even after they have left us. We are almost three times the original goal. Thank you is not enough to express my appreciation to all the support everyone has shown.

Nash added the account at First State Community Bank is also getting attention and he is thankful for the support everyone is giving to the girls.

Anyone wanting to make a donation to the family can visit any First State Community Bank location and donate to the "Greg and Sarah Moyers Memorial Fund." Also the GoFundMe can be found at www.gofundme.com/4gregandsarah

A Facebook page has been set up, Greg and Sarahs Angels, to help update the public on the girls progress. If anyone wants to mail a donation, card or anything else for the girls, send it to P.O. Box 1443 Farmington, Mo 63640-1443.
By Deborah Kearns

Have you ever asked yourself, "How much house can I afford?" in different cities across the country? Well, in conjunction with Realtor.com, we've crunched the numbers for you to find out what $300,000 buys in the 20 largest metro markets in the United States.

What's more, we've figured out how much you'd need to earn in those cities to afford a $300,000 home, assuming you can find one. You can thank us later.

In the gallery here, you can see actual listings from Realtor.com, as of Aug. 30, 2016, with an asking price of roughly $300,000. Click on the first image to open the gallery view and see the listing data for each property.

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As you can see, your money goes a lot further in states like Texas and Georgia, with more than 3,000 square feet of legroom in some stately suburban McMansions. But in places like San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle, you'd be feeling a bit cramped; you'd be lucky to find anything over 800 square feet in those cities at this price point. Ouch.

To take the nerdy number crunching a step further, we asked Realtor.com to find out the minimum annual income needed to buy a $300,000 home in these markets. The income estimates are not a one-size-fits-all solution for each situation; the figures depend heavily on the size of your down payment, and they don't take into account other debts a homebuyer might have. Keep in mind that the more money you put down, the less your loan amount will be -- and that eases the pressure on how much you'd need to earn to afford a $300,000 in the nation's 20 largest metros.

It's clear that you'll get more for your money buying in the South and the Midwest than on the East or West coasts, but the latter options have cities with booming economies and job markets that make them more attractive than some of their Southern neighbors, especially to millennials.

Keep in mind, though, that price isn't the only consideration of where you choose to live. Think about job opportunities, crime, the local economy, schools, distance from family and friends, and home styles -- all factors that might influence your happiness in a new home. Choose wisely, friends!

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I voted for the first time in the 1988 election. I still remember entering the voting booth, full of nerves. I also remember the thrill of finally getting to do what so many around the world never get to do -- participate in their government. Not to be too dramatic about it, but the freedom to vote was part of the reason my parents left Cuba in the 1960s for the United States. I was not going to take for granted exercising my right to vote as a U.S. citizen, not after all the sacrifices they made. I still take voting quite seriously.

Much is at stake in this election. For sure, the outcome of the 2016 presidential race will have profound consequences for all Americans. However, when it comes to the fight against HIV/AIDS, the results up and down the ballot will directly affect prevention, care and treatment. Click here to read more about why your vote matters.



This election cycle has surfaced many hot topics. In addition to the expected discussions about the economy and foreign policy, this time around we've had raw debates about race, ethnicity and immigration, as well as gender and sexual orientation. Not surprisingly, emotions are high as a result.



As a gay Latino living with HIV, I've been caught up in the emotions of this election from multiple sides. That said, I must confess that my ethnicity has never felt so front and center for me -- which is saying a lot, since I grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood of New York City.



So it is a welcome coincidence that this special issue of POZ commemorates National Latino AIDS Awareness Day. This event is observed every year on the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month, which is October 15. To mark the occasion, we've spotlighted the stories of several Latinos fighting HIV.



Ahead of permanently taking over the lead role in the megahit Broadway musical Hamilton, Javier Munoz -- or, as his fans and friends call him, "Javi" -- made news this past July in an interview with The New York Times. He disclosed publicly for the first time that he is living with HIV.



Munoz, who graces our cover, tested positive for the virus in 2002. Since then, he's achieved great success in his career, despite HIV. In 2015, he even beat cancer. So why disclose having HIV now? Click here to read his answer to that and more.



Arianna Lint, a transgender Latina living in Florida, is a fierce HIV-positive activist. As a law school graduate originally from Peru and a board member of the TransLatin@ Coalition, she knows well the challenges many trans Latinas face every day, which include living with the virus and trying to prevent it. Click here to read more.



Miriam Y. Vega, PhD, former vice president of the Latino Commission on AIDS and executive director of AIDS Project of the East Bay, is now CEO of UMMA Community Clinic. Click here to find out why this HIV-negative advocate has spent much of her professional life researching the virus.
The news that Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren has reversed her position on school choice and now opposes a ballot initiative to allow up to 12 new public charter schools per year in her home state, raises a fundamental question about the Bay State's progressive values.

Should White middle-class voters across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts decide if inner-city parents of color can or cannot choose the best public schools for their children?

Freedom and self-determination are core progressive values, and in cities like Boston, Lawrence, Lowell and Springfield, Black and Hispanic families are honoring these values by choosing public charter schools for their children. Demand is so high that more than 30,000 children across the state are on waiting lists to attend charter schools.

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Shellina Mathurin's child is one of them. A substitute teacher in the Boston Public Schools, Ms. Mathurin lives in Dorchester with her three children, two of whom attend KIPP charter schools. Her oldest, a daughter, is in the Boston Public School system and has been on a charter school waiting list for four years.

She prefers charters for her children because the teachers in the traditional schools don't have the time to give her child the attention she needs. "I've met some amazing teachers in the Boston Public School system but their hands are tied," she said. She added that the charters are, "More responsive to challenges."

Charter Schools Are Serving Communities of Color

According to multiple studies, Boston's charters are among the very best in the country at serving low-income communities of color. The city's charter high schools send 59 percent of their students to four-year colleges compared to 41 percent from the traditional public high schools.

The charter elementary schools are adding the equivalent of several weeks and even months of additional days in reading and math each year. If the interests of children were driving the debate, Massachusetts would have lifted the cap legislatively this past spring, but instead punted to voters.

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Under ballot question 2, Ms. Mathurin's fundamental right to choose where to enroll her children will be decided by people like Jenny Bender of Northampton, a mostly White, middle-class community 100 miles west of Boston described in Wikipedia as, "the most politically, liberal medium-sized city in the United States."

A former public school teacher, Ms. Bender told her local newspaper that protecting public schools is a, "civil rights issue," and that expansion of charters will be "the end of public schools." She goes on to say, "Every child, no matter the level of intelligence, race or class deserves the same education."

There is a lot in this statement to consider. First of all, evoking "civil rights" as a justification for denying a parent of color the freedom to enroll in a charter school may represent a new milestone of liberal hypocrisy.

Second, to suggest that charter schools could bring an "end" to public schools is somewhere between silly and shameful. Massachusetts public schools are among the best in the nation and funding for traditional schools in the state has gone up even as charters have expanded.

Finally, if children across Massachusetts were all getting, "the same education," there would not be a pressing demand for alternatives.

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Union Pressure

Massachusetts teachers unions are spending as much as $12 million to defeat Question 2. Charter advocates are more than matching them but the union has a big advantage--active members in every community across the state and long-standing relationships with state and local elected officials going back decades.

Under pressure from the unions, hundreds of local school boards and town councils in Massachusetts have passed resolutions to keep the cap, even though most of them, like Northampton, don't have charters and probably never will. Amazingly, in Boston, where charter demand and charter quality is highest, the City Council voted to keep the cap and the city's "pro-charter" mayor is also opposed.

The union is pushing a false and disingenuous argument that charters drain funding from traditional public schools. But, charters are public schools, authorized by the state, open to the public and funded by taxpayers. The only money they "drain" is the money that follows the child when he or she changes schools.

Furthermore, under the most generous reimbursement policy in the country, traditional public schools that lose students to charters are subsidized by the state for six years to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Empowering White middle-class voters to deny choice to low-income families of color is anti-democratic and politically immoral. To honor its progressive values, the good people of Massachusetts have an obligation to vote yes on 2 and give all parents the same right to choose the best schools for their own children.

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Over the past several years, we've seen conservative lawmakers in states across the country pass voting laws that disproportionately strip voting rights from Black voters, from widely discredited voter identification laws to measures denying suffrage to people with felony convictions. This patchwork of restrictive voting laws deprives Black people of our full citizenship, denying too many of us a voice not just in who becomes President, but also in the local races that determine who oversees the schools our children attend, who manages the local criminal justice systems that puts too many Black people behind bars, and so much more. Organizing to restore voting rights for those of us who have been denied them has never been more critical in recent history. Whether it's re-enfranchising former felons who have served their time, or ensuring that people who don't have access to certain forms of ID aren't turned away at the polls, or keeping confusing registration deadlines and voter rolls mishaps from shutting out voters -- we need to fight, nationwide, to ensure that Black communities win back the suffrage that we are entitled to as Americans. Restoring the voting rights of former felons, who have served their time and become productive community members, is one area where Black communities are taking powerful action to restore voting rights. In Minnesota, for example, the Minneapolis NAACP, Color Of Change, and other Black activists have been calling on the legislature to restore voting rights for 47,000 people on probation or parole for a felony conviction . In Maryland, a coalition of organizers and ex-offenders, including Color Of Change, successfully worked to override Governor Larry Hogan's veto of a bill that would restore voting rights to nearly 39,000 people this election. And in Congress, it's vital that we demand a vote on the Democracy Restoration Act, which would restore federal voting rights to disenfranchised Americans who have been released from prison.

These fights are pivotal for restoring voting rights in Black communities. Every state except Maine and Vermont strips individuals imprisoned for a felony of the right to vote for some period of time. In many of these states, people with past felony convictions must individually petition to have their suffrage returned to them -- even years or decades after serving their time, paying taxes, and being active members of their communities. It's no coincidence that 1 in 13 Black Americans -- that's over 2 million people -- have lost their voting rights in this way: many felon disenfranchisement laws first emerged after the Civil War as a way to prevent freed slaves from voting. As they were originally intended, the piecemeal nature of restoring voting rights under these laws empowers states with a dangerous level of discretion, enabling paternalistic and racist judgements over who is worthy of a right assured to all Americans in the Constitution.



But we can't stop there. Between too many Black communities and the voting booth lay a whole range of traps set to disenfranchise -- and we must dismantle them, one-by-one. Voter registration deadlines, for example, can be inconsistent and confusing, and even those who can get the paperwork to the Post Office by the exact time may find themselves inexplicitly off the rolls, as was the case for more than 100,000 voters in Brooklyn, New York this spring. In Illinois, local activists are using tools like Color Of Change's OrganizeFor platform to push the state Senate to override Bruce Rauner's veto of Automatic Voter Registration, a measure which automatically register eligible voters who interact with government agencies like social services or the DMV, and can go a long way to re-enfranchising Black voters and stopping situations like that in Brooklyn.



And even for those who make it to the voting booth, voter ID laws stymie the one in four Black Americans -- nearly nine million people -- who don't have access to such IDs. The conservative state lawmakers who pass such laws know all too well that such IDs are costly and difficult to obtain and that their actions are disenfranchising Black communities. With study after study showing that voter fraud is largely a myth, we need to organize to repeal these dangerous measures once and for all. Judicial action, while welcome, cannot alone restore voting rights to all the Black voters impacted by these restrictive laws--Black-led collective action, which is already happening in many states, is also sorely needed.



As crucial races up and down the ballot this November show, the right to vote is not one to be taken lightly. The fact that a Black mother with two part-time jobs misses a voter registration deadline, or a Black father's rights restoration petition is denied by a new governor, could simply write off our constitutional right to vote is not just astounding -- it belongs to a bygone era of racial injustice in our nation's history. Or at least it ought to. So on National Voter Registration Day let's not just think about what the responsibilities of voters are to the country, but what the responsibilities of the country, and especially its elected leaders, are to its people. Lawmakers should prize no value higher than ensuring the freedom to vote for all Americans. And that means clearing out all the racially biased barriers that those who would threaten our democracy have so shamefully put in place.
Lottery proceeds to the state's main education fund increased by roughly $13 million last fiscal year, according to an analysis of unaudited monthly financial reports.

In total, the Illinois Lottery transferred $691.6 million to the Common School Fund during fiscal year 2016, accounting for almost 15 percent of General State Aid appropriations for K-12 education.

Over the past decade, the lottery has transferred an average of $650 million to the Common School Fund each year, with annual contributions rising from $670.5 million to more than $691 million during that time.

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The lottery was established in 1974 with the notion it would adequately fund public education. While nearly $19 billion has been transferred to the Common School Fund since then, some have criticized the program for not covering as much school funding as originally planned.

Proceeds from lottery sales typically make up between 13 percent and 15 percent of General State Aid appropriations for K-12 schools, but how do these hundreds of millions of education dollars compare to the billions in revenue the lottery brings in each year?

We've created an infographic showing the lottery's total revenue and expenses since 2006, and how much has been transferred to the Common School Fund during that time.

At the bottom of the graphic is a pie chart that shows CSF transfers as a percentage of lottery revenue and General State Aid appropriations. Hover over the data points to see exact amounts and click on the years to see the lottery's finances for that fiscal year.

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(Photo credit: Mary F. Calvert)

A hidden epidemic has swept the globe -- and your neighborhood is not immune. In its wake are millions of lives ruined. Its silent victims are all ages, from all backgrounds and in every state across America: Up to 99,000 in Illinois, 152,000 in New York and 211,000 in Texas. There is no prevention, no treatment and no cure for this barely acknowledged disease that gets barely any government funding.

In total, there are 1 million to 2.5 million in the US, 17 million worldwide, whose lives have been devastated due to the most serious neuroimmune disease you never knew existed: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).

With up to 76,000 in Michigan, 79,000 in Georgia and 300,000 in California, these numbers make up the millions of people missing out on their lives, all because of ME. And I am one of them.

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Mononucleosis is no big deal, right? In my early 20s my roommates and I were felled at the same time. We three went down like we'd been hit by a Mack truck that then rolled backwards. One month later, my roommates returned to work and college. I never returned to a normal life.

A short term virus was my entry into long-term disability. The ME onset stories of the up to 52,000 patients in Massachusetts, the 69,000 in New Jersey and the 98,000 in Pennsylvania likely sound eerily similar to mine.

When ME hits, an individual becomes so physically impaired, so weakened, they often have to quit school or abandon their career: 75% of patients can't work. Many can't be social or help with their families because that takes energy they do not have. A quarter of these formerly active yet now "missing" members of society are homebound or bedridden. Some need 24/7 care. Some are too weak to feed themselves.

My blood tests showed that the mono had passed, yet my body felt like it hadn't. I barely had the strength to brush my teeth. The days went by, then a year. When I finally managed to return to my previous activities, my recovery was only relative. I was constantly pushing against a wall of exhaustion.

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Until one day, I couldn't push. And now I spend my life tethered to my bed. This November I observe my 27th "sickaversary" -- decades of illness, bone-penetrating exhaustion and cognitive impairment, coupled with the classic characteristic of ME: any type of exertion, physical or cognitive, results in a relapse.

Year after year, I -- and the 5,000 patients in Washington D.C. and the 55,000 in Seattle -- hoped the government would use some of its $30 billion National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget to research this disease. Instead, NIH essentially ignores ME. Annually, NIH gives a paltry $5-7 million to research ME/CFS. (CFS stands for "chronic fatigue syndrome," a government imposed name that trivializes this serious disease.) Instead, based on prevalence and disease burden, ME should be funded $250 million per year.

One wonders why ME research is funded at the same low level as hay fever research, when hay fever does not permanently ruin your life. Multiple sclerosis, a similar disabling neuroimmune disease but with half as many patients as ME, get about $94 million a year.

The government's perpetual lack of investments turns off academic researchers and pharmaceutical companies from studying ME, and that has resulted in where we are today: No generally accepted diagnostic criteria for ME and no FDA-approved treatments. Patients and their families are left to flounder -- and suffer -- on their own. The government would never think of abandoning people with multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's Disease.

Making matters worse, much of the research the government did conduct contributed to psychologizing and delegitimizing ME patients. In fact, the CDC still uses that misleading research to (mis)educate the public and doctors about the disease. CDC does this even as statisticians and noted scientists debunked the PACE study, a study that was at first internationally lauded but is now discredited. PACE had cemented the false idea that ME is psychological and patients can recover with exercise. The CDC must now disavow PACE and disseminate accurate medical education material, so doctors don't suggest treatments that can permanently hurt patients, such as exercise.

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So for the last 30 years, advancements in this disease have been stagnant, frozen in time, leaving patients to suffer alone. Our one glimmer of hope is recent privately funded research that appears to have found a biomarker: A groundbreaking discovery shows that ME patients have significant metabolic deficiencies that prevent their very cells from functioning properly. This is research our government should have funded a long time ago.

That is why September 27th is a #MillionsMissing Day of Action for ME patients and their families. We hold (or, by the time you read this, we already held) demonstrations in 12 cities across America. In fact, they will be held in cites of all the states mentioned above: Atlanta, GA; Boston and Northampton, MA; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Lansing, MI; Pittsburgh, PA; Morristown, NJ; New York City, NY; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; and Washington D.C..

We are drawing attention to the millions of dollars missing from federal research into ME, the millions of health care professionals missing training on how to accurately diagnose and treat ME and the millions of patients missing school, a career and time with family and friends. Most are so sick they can't even attend our demonstrations in order to advocate for their own lives.

I'm going to do my best to make it to the one nearest me.

MORE INFO

State prevalence numbers are based on the NAM national prevalence, and are found here state by state.
samara russia january 08 ...

Google is widely considered, by both the general public and business experts, to be one of the most innovative companies in the world. So how does Google promote a culture of innovation and ensure that innovative ideas are properly implemented, creating profitable new products that position the company for long-term success? Google's "recipe" for driving innovation is no carefully guarded secret sauce. Rather, Google has openly shared this information with the public. In 2013, Google codified a new set of "Nine Principles of Innovation," which updated the version first unveiled by former Google executive Marissa Mayer in 2008.

While your organization likely does not have the Google-sized resources (in terms of both financial capital and human capital) to be able to do everything suggested by the Nine Principles of Innovation, these principles are nevertheless highly instructive and useful as guiding principles that can help foster innovation in business. The innovation book Robert's Rules of Innovation II: The Art of Implementation discusses each of Google's Nine Principles of Innovation and suggests that we all think about them, in the context of our own companies. Implementing relevant parts of Google's Nine Principles of Innovation at your company is not "cheating"; but rather, it's smart and efficient to use the Principles as a framework for fostering innovation in business--after all, innovation doesn't have to be about reinventing the wheel.

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From the Mind of Google: Google's Nine Principles of Innovation (Principles 1-9)

1.Innovation comes from anywhere. At Google, this principle emphasizes that innovation is in nobody's job title, but is everyone's responsibility. Moreover, ideas can come from anyone in the organization, regardless if they are top-level executives, employees who work in roles or departments not typically associated with innovation, or employees on the "bottom" of the company's totem pole. For example, at Google it was their Google Health product manager who suggested that the company optimize information on suicide prevention hotlines whenever a related search was conducted. As a result of this innovative suggestion, Google's search information results will automatically give a suggestion of where to call for help (i.e., the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and its free, 24/7 phone hotline) when a user makes a Google search seemingly focused on suicide.

a. As discussed in a previously published blog on this site, a popular innovation myth is that innovation only happens within a company's engineering and R&D departments. To the contrary, it is often the employees on the front lines who come up with the most innovative ideas. Professional expertise alone doesn't lead to innovation and new product development; life experiences are just as valuable, if not more valuable to the innovation process. For example, AT&T's exceptionally popular Drive Mode app (a mobile app that can be set-up to automatically send a customizable reply to incoming messages when the vehicle starts moving at 25 mph, in order to reduce a driver's temptation to look away from the road at his or her incoming text messages) was the innovative brainchild of an AT&T call center employee who had been personally affected by the dangers of texting-while-driving.

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2.Focus on the user. A long-standing Google principle is that the company encourages its employees to build products with the user, not profits, in mind. By doing this, Gopi Kallayil, Google's Chief Evangelist for Brand Marketing, said "revenue issues take care of themselves."

3.Think 10x, not 10 percent. This Google principle is about striving to improve something by a tenfold difference rather than just improving it by 10 percent. In other words, making a revolutionary change rather than an evolutionary change. This innovation driver comes from Google cofounder Larry Page's preference for radical innovation over incremental innovation. At Google, this 10x principle is what drove revolutionary projects such as Project Loon, where Google used high-altitude balloons to bring Wi-Fi connections to remote areas.

Keep in mind that whereas this lofty think 10x principle may be appropriate for mega-companies such as Google, it's not necessarily appropriate for all companies. Revolutionary innovation is a great thing to strive for, but it's not the only successful type of innovation. As discussed in a previously published blog on this site, innovation doesn't always have to be about reinventing the wheel, it can also be about simply improving the wheel. Incremental innovation--small-scale improvements that make a product better or more marketable--can drive successful, profitable innovation at your company. Also, incremental innovation--as opposed to revolutionary innovation and massive step-change innovation--makes the idea of innovation considerably less daunting and more accessible to a wider range of people.

Some examples of incremental innovation include Gillette's razors, which began with just a single razor blade. As time passed, Gillette then incrementally innovated its razors by adding additional blades and different features that better met customer needs and improved the product. Another example of incremental innovation is Coca-Cola's brand-line extensions such as Coke Zero and more recently, Coca-Cola Life.

Most companies stick with focusing on incremental innovation because it requires less risk and less investment. Especially when there is a proven track record of a company's product working in the market, incremental innovation is the safe choice. However, keep in mind that many companies are potentially missing out on massive rewards because they refuse to innovate beyond incremental innovation.

4.Bet on technical insights. Every organization has its unique insights--and betting on these unique insights can lead to major innovation. It was Google--not the automotive industry--that came up with the idea of the self-driving car. Google was able to make this major innovation because they already had the unique insights and building blocks in place to engineer a self-driving car. Google was able to tie its various information assets (data gleaned from its existing Google Maps, Google Earth, and Street View cars programs) to create the all new product entity of the self-driving car.

At your business, think about whether your business has any unique insights or information assets that can be used and combined to innovate something new.

5.Ship and iterate. This innovation principle is the updated version of former Google executive Marissa Mayer's 2008 "innovation, not instant perfection" innovation principle. "Ship and iterate" means to ship your products out to market early and often rather than waiting until they are absolutely perfect to take them to market. Your product's users will help you "iterate" it by providing you with feedback to make the product better. Google first launched its Internet browser Chrome in 2008 and then every six weeks, launched improved versions of Chrome based on user feedback. "Today, using that approach, Chrome is the Number One browser in many countries," said Gopi Kallayil, Google's Chief Evangelist for Brand Marketing, "You may not have perfection in your product, but trust that your users will get back to you."

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This "ship and iterate" principle directly ties in with the "analysis paralysis" principle discussed in the innovation book Robert's Rules of Innovation II: The Art of Implementation and in this previously published blog on this site. While careful analysis, reasoning, research, and due diligence are important parts of innovation in business and running a successful company, you must not let these actions turn into a crutch and ultimately an innovation assassin. In a quest for perfectionism, business leaders often stubbornly insist on revisiting over and over again things that have already been determined. This perfectionism makes it difficult for business leaders to actually "hatch the eggs" and ultimately can lead to missing out on significant market opportunities. To avoid analysis paralysis, you must create a culture of innovation in your business where there is freedom to fail and a lack of cultural self-consciousness surrounding failure.

6.Twenty percent time. Twenty percent time refers to Google's long standing principle where employees are encouraged to spend 20 percent of their work time pursuing projects they are passionate about, even if these projects are outside the scope of their job description or the company's core mission. If you give your employees this twenty percent time, Kallayil promises that "They will delight you with their creative thinking."

At Google, the results of their "20 percent time" program include Google News, Google Alerts, and off-road Google Maps Street View. According to corporate folklore, a Google mechanical engineer was planning a trip to Spain but became frustrated when he couldn't view a close-up view of his hotel in Spain on Google Maps Street View because the hotel was located on a road that was too narrow for the Google Street View car to enter. This prompted the engineer to innovate product improvements to Google Street View that helped widen its scope of coverage: he adapted the Street View camera to fit on specially-made Google bicycles, tricycles, and backpacks that would be able to enter places too narrow for the Google Street View car or enter tourist locations that ban cars from approaching the premises.

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While your company may not be able to offer its employees Google's "20 percent time", it should strive to offer employees more freedom to choose projects that interest them and do what they love as well as more autonomy to experiment and make decisions.

7.Default to open. Back in 2008, it was Marissa Mayer's original goal to promote innovation at Google by sharing information on Google's intranet and facilitate collaboration among Google employees. Now, the updated version of this principle incorporates Google pulling ideas from the general public. As Kallayil said, "There are seven billion people.... The smartest people will always be outside Google. By defaulting to open, we're tapping into the creativity outside of Google."

Examples of Google "defaulting to open" include the company encouraging non-Google developers to create apps for its Android platform. After all, when Google created its Android platform, they did so with the knowledge that it would be impossible to hire all the best developers in the world and therefore would have to "default to open" to get the best apps developed for their platform.

8.Fail well. Google believes that there should be no negativity or stigma attached with failing. According to Kallayil, failure at Google is a "badge of honor." Moreover, Kallayil said, "There is a belief in the company that if you don't fail often enough, you're not trying hard enough. Once we realize a product is not working out, we kill it, but the thing with products is they morph--we take all the best ideas and redeploy them." For example, Google Plus--which is Google's social networking platform--incorporates elements of failed Google products such as Google Buzz, Wave, Orkut, and OpenSocial.

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9.Have a mission that matters. This new principle for Google is, according to Kallayil, "the most important one." Kallayil says, "Everybody at Google has a very strong sense of mission and purpose. We seriously believe that the work we do has a huge impact on millions of people in a positive way."

What is your company's mission? Is everyone on the same page? Do your employees care about the mission?
What happens to powerful non-state armies after they sign peace accords, disarm, and demobilize? Why do some former belligerents reactivate their organizational structures and return to perpetrating violence, whereas others transition away from violence and enable peace to consolidate? These are the questions that motivate my book....

Roughly half of the warring factions remilitarized over the next five years: they reenlisted their fighters and revived their command-and-control apparatuses to carry out coercion in the form of massacres, displacement, extortion, and widespread abuses of the civilian population. In other words, they returned to being armed groups and shattered the emerging peace in their regions. Armed with assault weaponry and dressed in camouflage, their members confronted other illegal non-state armies and state security forces and engaged in sophisticated criminality.

The other half of the militia structures, however, demilitarized. While in the short run, they retained the ability to coerce and to remilitarize, equipped with "silenced guns," they did not revert to using violence. In the five years following the signing of accords - the postwar period with which this book is concerned - many of these groups reinvented themselves as sociopolitical entities or nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) with significant leverage over civilian affairs. They sought political office, exercised social control, administered local justice, regulated economic activities, and behaved as proto-states. In the long term, they fully demilitarized. What explains the variation across these armed groups? Why did some transition back to organized violence while others did not? ...

Across the world, after entering peace agreements, insurgents, rebels, paramilitaries, and militias dissolve, or endure and redeploy, for violence or for peaceful politics. A better understanding of the organizational processes that generate remilitarization or demilitarization can help shape policy to disrupt chronic patterns of violence, render peace settlements sustainable, effectively transition former combatants back into civilian life, and enhance the prospects for advances in human rights, reconciliation, democratic governance, reconstruction, and state-building in territories under the control of non-state armed groups. Peace depends on warring factions not returning to violence; thus the trajectories of these factions matter deeply for the quality of people's lives in post-conflict environments....

I draw on empirical materials from the extraordinary comparative laboratory of contemporary Colombia.

My study employs a complementary mix of qualitative and quantitative approaches. In addition to large-n statistical tests, I employ extensive primary qualitative data collected during a year and a half of fieldwork in Colombia over the period 2006-13. I analyze eleven original surveys of ex-combatants, their families, psychologists, and civilian community members, conducted by myself and others over the course of ten years, to trace the inner workings, network structures, and information asymmetries of the armed groups. Organization-level information on all paramilitary factions and remilitarized units, and georeferenced data on 29,000 violent events between 1964 and 2013, allow me to measure precisely where organized violence recurred. I trace the mechanisms underpinning the warring groups' evolution and their postwar trajectories with in-depth primary accounts derived from more than 300 interviews I conducted with ex-combatants, victims, military personnel, civilians, politicians, and experts on the armed conflict. The scope and detail of the data enable significant empirical rigor, facilitating testing of every step along the causal chain of my geography of recruitment theory of remilitarization....

This book illuminates the power of mapping group members' connections in geographical space. It illustrates how physical proximity and social ties maintain organizational cohesion, information, and power during transitions. It narrates how the geographical distribution of groups, built upon varying recruit bases, helps determine the balance of power and the effectiveness of bargaining in the aftermath of peace accords. It marries an understanding of the dynamics within armed groups with an understanding of the strategic interactions between them. In so doing, it brings together prominent insights from classic and recent works on civil and interstate conflict. It offers a new, empirically validated theory for why some coercive actors silence their guns after agreeing to peace, while others remilitarize and return to organized violence. Although we may not find perfect peace, we do find glimmers of hope amidst the recurring stories of atrocity. I have sought to extract maximum explanatory leverage from these glimmers, hoping that the forces that reduce levels of remilitarization, if magnified, may help generate sustainable demilitarization.
Recently, the laws against food waste are starting to gain momentum. France and Italy have already implemented the laws against food waste. The governments in UK, Finland, Canada and Chile are already looking into it. And several large petitions are set off to influence the EU politicians in hope of implementing the laws agains food waste all across the EU.

But if we take a closer look into these laws, one might wonder: is the "Food Waste Police" the right approach in the fight against food waste?

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Arash Derambarsh is a very sympathetic and enthusiastic French politician, whom I've had a privilege of speaking with in several panel debates at congresses and food summits, the recent one was an international food summit in Copenhagen "Better Food for More People" arranged by the Danish Ministry for the Environment and Food. Mr. Derambarsh is the "father" of the law against food waste, which was adopted in France. And he is going an excellent job in that field, I might add.

Due to this new French law, all larger supermarkets and hypermarkets in France are obliged to give all of their surplus food to the local charities - if not, they will be fined 75,000 Euro - or even face a jail sentence.

The new French law caused massive international media attention and thousands of cheerful remarks on the social media. The "big bad supermarkets" will at last be punished, the surplus food will be redirected to the needy and the problem with food waste will be solved once and for all.

Well, will it really?

In my recent joint opinion editorial co-written with the Minister for Environment and Food of Denmark Mr. Esben Lunde Larsen and Minister for Energy, Utilities and Climate of Denmark Mr. Lars Christian Lilleholt, we addressed the French law. During the last 8 years, Denmark has already made a tremendous progress in the fight against food waste - and the Danish Government, industry, retailers and NGO's are not very keen on this French law.

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The French law looks interesting, but when we zoom in, it dosen't really solve the problem with food waste.

If a law like this will be implemented in a country like Denmark, the charities will literally drown in food. The supermarkets will be obliged to give the charities all their surplus food, in fear of fines or going to jail - and this will leave the charities stranded with huge amounts of surplus food and vey small resources to make sure that the food will be redirected to the needy citizens. Already today, these Danish charities have very limited funding, infrastructure and resources. By receiving some over 163,000 tones of supermarkets' annual surplus food, they will have much difficulties with saving these huge amounts of food from going to waste.

Thus, the problem is only pushed further on down the value chain and the root cause - the overproduction of food - is not addressed.

This makes the law against food waste a short term solution.

By that I am not implying that we must stop helping the needy and socially disadvantaged citizens with access to free surplus food. We must do whatever we can. Since 2010, the Stop Wasting Food movement Denmark and partners rescued and redirected over 250 tons of free surplus food to charities in Denmark. Good free, surplus food ended in people's bellies instead of going to waste.

If we take a look from the helicopter perspective, the fight against food waste today counts a large amount of symptom treatment initiatives, from food waste events to food waste supermarkets and food waste restaurants. All these initiatives are good, important and awareness raising. However, they do not address the root cause.

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A lot of food waste must be generated in order to keep a food waste supermarket or a food waste restaurant operating. And thus, the overproduction is still there, every day, year by year - and the fight against food waste itself is becoming an industry.
It can be tough to break free from a "What if?" way of thinking. But it is possible to work around your tendencies and adopt a serene state of mind. Just try these four easy strategies.

I'm sitting in a sunny piazza in Rome, drinking a perfect cup of cappuccino, at the beginning of a long vacation. You'd think I'd be floating on cloud nine in total relaxation.

I'm not. Instead, I'm consumed with worry, eating me up inside, making me so queasy that I can't even dig into the delicate fried zucchini flowers that are a Roman specialty. Instead, a persistent negative dialogue buzzes in my head as I contemplate the possible payback for my break from routine: What if I don't get enough writing assignments to outweigh the expense of my Italian splurge? How will I pay the bills? What was I thinking?

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It's not that I don't have projects waiting once I get home. I have plenty, the deadlines looming, and I worry about that, too, the nasty voice in my head continually hissing: You have work to do! Get back to the hotel.

The constant clamor inside my head robs me of the pleasure I know any normal person would be experiencing, yet however hard I try, it seems I can't appreciate the feel of the sun on my skin, nor the cute little frothy-milk heart the friendly barista has formed in my oversized cup. Do I really want to spoil a trip that I worked so hard to make happen? Is there anything I can do to calm my anxious soul?

"Certain people do seem to be especially vulnerable to worry," says Peg Baim, director of the relaxation response resiliency program at the Herbert Benson Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Like hair and eye color, anxiety can be passed down from grandparent to parent and beyond. A 2015 study of multiple generations of rhesus monkeys published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found strong evidence that 35 percent of brain changes associated with anxiety were genetically linked.

"When you grow up with parents who are experts at activating the stress response--whether because of their tone of voice or because they believe the world is a dangerous place--that information gets stored in a child's brain," Baim says.

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Not to point the finger at my own loving mother, but she would be the first to admit to a tendency to worry (perhaps a tad excessively). Her mom was a worrier, too; indeed, I come from a long line of nervous Jewish mothers. Maybe I'm doomed to a lifetime of ruined vacations.

Baim reassures me that regardless of DNA, I am capable of becoming a calmer person. "Your brain can get remodeled again," she says. A 2016 study published in Translational Psychiatry offers promising evidence: Swedish researchers did brain imaging studies of people with social anxiety disorder before and after a nine-week program of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which focused on helping them change their negative, stress-inducing thoughts. Afterward, the subjects who did CBT showed less reactivity in the amygdala, the fear center of the brain, and reported less stress. There was no change in people who didn't do the therapy.

That doesn't surprise Peg Baim, who used to be quite the worrier herself, complete with panic attacks. Then she met mind-body expert Herb Benson, M.D., founder of the Massachusetts General Mind-Body Institute, and learned some of his strategies for calming down. Baim was so impressed by the results that she now gives talks around the country on how to relax--something that would have once made her quake.

I'm game to learn how to talk myself down from the ledge, too, preferably before I waste any more of the glorious afternoon, not to mention the rest of my holiday. Plus, in the morning, the plan is to drive out to the countryside with a friend who lives in Rome. We'll hike by a stream, then have lunch at her favorite inn, where they grow their own olives and make their own olive oil. I vow to get more advice from Baim and other experts before I go, then put their wisdom to use.

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Silenced genes, edited genes, algae engineered to produce compounds that taste like food: new genetically modified organisms (GMOs) made with these experimental techniques are making their way to your dinner plate. It's the next wave of genetic engineering, or GMOs 2.0.

Will we know if they're in our food?

The new GMO labeling law passed by Congress and signed by President Obama has been widely panned by consumer groups because it allows companies to use QR codes or 800 numbers in place of plain English on labels.

But even worse news for our right to know what's in our food: vague wording in the new law opens the door for industry pressure on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to exempt many - possibly even most - GMOs from labeling at all.

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To learn more about GMOs 2.0 and whether these foods will be labeled, I spoke with Michael Hansen, PhD, senior scientist at Consumers Union.

Q: GMOs have been in our food for over 20 years but they have recently been changing. Can you describe what's new?

MH: What's new is they are using different methods to cut and change specific gene sequences. There are two basic types: gene silencing techniques such as RNA interference (RNAi) that can turn particular genes off; and gene editing techniques such as CRISPR, TALEN or zinc fingered nucleuses used to cut DNA in order to make small genetic changes or insert genetic material.

These methods are more precise than the old methods, but there can still be off-target and unintended effects. When you alter the genetics of living things they don't always behave as you expect. This is why it's crucial to thoroughly study health and environmental impacts, but these studies aren't required.

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Also, just because the techniques are different doesn't mean the traits will be. The old method of genetic engineering was used mostly to make plants resist herbicides, and increase sales of herbicides. The new gene editing techniques will probably be used in much the same way, but there are some new twists.

Q: What GMO 2.0 foods are on the market now?

MH: Non-browning GMO apples are growing in fields now and may be in stores next year. A GMO potato is in stores now but we don't know where. The potato was engineered with RNAi to not turn brown on exposure to air and to produce lower levels of acrylamide (a carcinogen) when fried or baked.

Canola genetically engineered with CRISPR to tolerate herbicides may already be in canola oils. Synthetic biology vanilla flavor and stevia are also in products - these were produced using genetically engineered yeast - and they may even be marketed as "natural."

Companies are not telling consumers these products are GMO; instead they are using terms like "fermentation derived" to describe ingredients made with synthetic biology. When you see that term on products, or a "non-browning" apple or potato, assume that means genetically engineered.

Q: Congress just passed a GMO labeling law, but the language is written in a way that could be interpreted to exempt many GMO foods from labeling. Can you explain the problem?

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MH: The first problem is that the law says genetically engineered DNA must be present. That means the law exempts highly processed foods such as high fructose corn syrup, GMO beet sugar, purified oils and some engineered artificial flavors and spices because the identifiable engineered DNA is degraded or removed. Whole classes of soft drinks won't be labeled even if they contain high levels of genetically engineered corn syrup. Nothing can be done about that now.

The second problem we can do something about. The law exempts foods if the genetic modification could otherwise be achieved via conventional breeding or found in nature. It all comes down to how the U.S. Department of Agriculture defines "modification." It could be defined in a way that includes nothing, though hopefully that won't happen because there would be such an uproar.

Modification should be defined as specific genetic sequences that are altered. If USDA defines it that way, these new GMO 2.0 techniques should be covered. But that is going to be a huge fight and it could end up that a lot of GMO foods fall through the cracks and don't have to be labeled.

On the plus side, USDA has decided that meat, poultry and eggs can be labeled as non-GMO if they come from animals that are not fed with genetically engineered foods, and they leave it up to an independent third-party standard. We need to make sure that standard is created in an open transparent manner and consistent with international standards.

The next step is that consumer groups need to flood the USDA with comments. USDA is accepting public comments until Oct. 23 and Consumers Union will be posting our comments soon to help inform others of the issues at stake.

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Q: Is genetic engineering the future of our food?

MH: No I don't think so. When you look at the millennial generation, there is a sea change in how people view food. Previously people asked if it was cheap. Now there is a huge interest in how food is produced and where it comes from. People are trying to get food as fresh and natural as possible. They want food grown more sustainably, more locally and in less industrialized conditions.

This is why we see so many companies announcing they are getting rid of antibiotics, artificial colors and ingredients, GMOs and other foods produced in industrialized conditions. That's why these new GMO technologies may not have a great future; most of them are designed for industrial food systems.

There is global agreement in the World Agriculture Report that industrial agriculture and genetic engineering are not the answer for the future of food. The answer is ecologically rational farming systems.

Biotechnology by its very nature is focusing on one or a few genes or specific traits whereas truly ecological agriculture is focused on whole systems. That's the direction consumers want and where we need to go for health and sustainability.

But ecological agriculture is not something that corporations can easily monetize, and not something they can patent and own. Companies are pushing GMOs because of the profit margin.

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Q: What, in your view, is the responsible path forward for genetic engineering?

MH: Along with hundreds of other scientists and academics, I signed the statement "No scientific consensus on GMO safety," which describes the problems with current regulatory and scientific methods. Our view is that decisions about whether to continue or expand genetically engineered crops and foods should be supported by strong scientific evidence of the long-term safety for human and animal health and the environment, which is obtained in a manner that is honest, ethical, rigorous, independent and transparent.

Q: Given the uncertain state of labeling, what can people do to avoid genetically engineered foods?
There is so much talk about the ever-elusive Hustle these days. What does it really mean to start a side hustle, spark your passion, and potentially grow a business from it... and how do you find the hustle that sets your life on fire? It takes guts to look deep inside of yourself and feel empowered to chase after what you love. Perhaps things aren't going so smoothly for you right now, you're barely keeping your head above water, how could adding in yet another activity make you any happier? Or maybe you feel lost, without any direction, and you're just floating through life not quite sure where to grab hold. There is no better time than NOW to step back, take a few deep breaths, and focus on YOU. Learn to let go of perfection, keep an open mind while exploring your passions, give back to your community, and take one action step every day to grow your future business. 1. START RIGHT NOW Because life is never going to stop moving. Whether you're going a mile a minute or barely treading water, now is the time to take charge of your life. Earl Nightingale encourages us to "Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it, the time will pass anyway." Even if you can only take one small step each week to achieve your goals, just think about how far you can be a year from now. Start small and watch your hustle grow each day.

2. RELEASE PERFECTION

Let go of the perfect end goal and start sorting through things as they are right now. This can be difficult for a perfectionist brain to process  you want to solidify your passions, have a concrete game plan, and go full blast towards your goals. However, life doesn't work that way; there are obstacles and delays around every corner, and if we expect perfection right away, we'll never get anywhere.



3. BRAINSTORM FREELY

Keep an open mind as you explore what makes you tick. Set aside one hour to brainstorm  take the first 15 minutes to just breathe and let go of any fears or stresses. It's simple, but it will catapult you in the right direction. Draft a business plan; think about your SWOT  Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. See where your visions take you, let it ALL out  draw whatever comes to mind, write every thought, love, passion, and idea that pops into your brain, and doodle all over your notes  no rules here. When you're done, soak it all in and see what sticks out to you and what makes your heart race  you are unique and your vision will be unique as well!



4. GET INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Try out your passions and business skill set through offering your services to help others; it's a great way to put yourself out there and test your ideas within your community. If you love graphic design, offer to help an entrepreneur with marketing materials; if you are great at event planning, volunteer to help an industry group at their next event; if you are an outstanding baker or chef, donate goods to small businesses in your area to give them a sample. By putting yourself out into the world, you will gain personal momentum, and by helping others along the way, grow a strong community of supporters as you grow your hustle.



5. TAKE ONE ACTION STEP EVERY DAY

Once you have your vision and know what you are working towards, break down your goals into small action sized bites. Accept what extra time you have to put towards your goal  even if it's an hour each day  and work with what you have! Determine what you want to accomplish in the next year, then break each monthly goal into smaller daily steps that you will actually be able to do. Biting off more than you can chew will only hold you back; it's better to do one small thing than nothing at all. If you're ready to launch your business, solidify a launch date and work backwards from there on the steps you need to go live.



Our lives are a journey, one that will have many ups and downs, challenges and triumphs  but know that you are here for a unique purpose. Most of us will work for decades to achieve our visions, but the beauty is that you can take small steps today to start this adventure. The boldest and brightest companies of today were created in garages and small studios  why can't your spot be the next great incubator? I encourage you to never give up and to always be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire; be open to changes and new ideas as you transform your side hustle.
Where in the world was kale when I was growing up? I don't think I even heard of it until a few years ago. Now one cannot escape it - in salads, of course, but in beverages, desserts, fried, baked. My daughter called me from one of New York City's best places to buy produce. She was confounded by the 34 different varieties of kale. I was clueless. She now makes something called rubbed kale. I have never rubbed my vegetables. Sounds way too sexual for something that is green and leafy.

The fact is kale is over 2,000 years old. It's great to know that there is a scientific battle over who first cultivated kale. The New York Times stated that the ancient Greeks boiled some leafy green stuff and ate it as a cure for drunkenness. The Europeans make claim that kale was consumed in volume until the Middle Ages when other vegetables became cultivated . . . and probably tasted better. But kale survived being taken over by its' cousin, the mighty cabbage, due to its' ability to withstand frost. For you botanically minded folks, kale in the wild is the Brassica oleracea variety acephala. According to my on-line source, (Vectis Road Allotments) that means, "cabbage without a head." Drop that one at the next dinner party - which is sure to have kale in it somewhere.

As of this writing, kale was proclaimed "Food of the Week" by Whole Foods markets. It provides the most nutritional value for the least number of calories. To be really healthy their "Veggie Advisor" recommends eating about 10 cups per week of kale or some similar cruciferous vegetable, whatever that is. 10 cups of Haagen Daz ice cream, maybe. But ten cups of kale - no way!

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Kale is also a clothing item. T-shirt seller Bo Muller-Brown has been cashing in on kale for the past 12 years with his "Eat More Kale" T-shirts. So it is probably fair to say that 95% of us would have looked and that and said "huh?" I rather eat the T-shirt.

Clearly I am not a kale fan. I cannot sing its' praises and will go out of my way not to order a kale-infused item at a restaurant. No kale chips taking the place of the good old potato chip. No kale smoothies. No kale in my pasta sauce. No kale, period.

But in all my ranting I felt compelled to try a recipe from Scoop Adventures (only a true ice cream fan would indulge that kind of reading material) for Blueberry Kale Ice Cream. It took about a day to make and harden but WOW! Amazing! Kale Rocks!
Most do not associate Africa with the high-tech sphere of "space". However, in recent years, many countries on the continent have woken up to the potential and usefulness of space technology. In sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria and South Africa are leading the charge.

What have South Africa and Nigeria have achieved?

Both countries have recognised the usefulness of satellites for earth observation, telecommunications and advancing space science. They have funded and overseen a number of launches.

Nigeria's space agency, the National Space Research and Development Agency, flies several multimillion-dollar satellites. South Africa launched its first satellite, SUNSAT, in 1999. A second, SumbandilaSat, was launched from Kazakhstan in 2009. A year later, South Africa formed its National Space Agency, SANSA. In 2013, the Cape Peninsula University of Technology launched South Africa's first CubeSat - a type of nano-satellite, known as ZACUBE-1.

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And in early 2015, the Kondor-E satellite built for South Africa in Russia was launched into orbit. It provides all-weather, day-and-night radar imagery for the South African military.

Earth observation satellites can collect data on areas of importance to a country's economy and well-being such as agriculture, natural disasters and elections. Nigeria has used its satellites to monitor the oil-rich Niger Delta . Its satellites have also been used in election monitoring, providing crucial information about voters who may otherwise have been overlooked by poll workers.

Satellites have also proved useful in the fight against extremist groups such as Boko Haram. In 2014, Nigeria used its SatX and Sat 2 to monitor the group's movements and to help find the 273 girls it had abducted.

There are limits to how useful satellites can be in these situations. Finding those kidnapped proved difficult because the satellites only have a 2.5 metre resolution. This means that you cannot trace individuals' movement - you can only get maps of some locations at some particular times.

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Also, because satellites move from one location to another, it means that it can take up to four days for one to get into position to take a particular photograph.

Amnesty International has pioneered the use of satellite images for human rights research and advocacy over the past six years using imagery from GeoEye and DigitalGlobe. It has also used satellite imagery to collect information about Boko Haram's activities. Satellite photos taken in January showed the scale of the group's atrocities after they attacked the towns of Baga and Doron Baga.

Amnesty International

South Africa has harnessed earth observation satellite capability to do human settlement mapping. This has enabled it to monitor urbanisation by examining the growth of settlements and the transformation of housing. It provides useful data for service delivery projects and town planning.

As the largest space agency in southern Africa, SANSA frequently provides disaster monitoring and post-disaster assessment for South Africa and the region. Fires and floods are the most common natural disaster. It also monitors space weather effects and forecasts, which are crucial for aviation.

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Other African nations are getting involved

Other growing sub-Saharan African countries have recently begun space programmes. Ghana launched its Space Science and Technology Centre in 2012. Kenya started its space programme in 2012. Kenya's geographic position on the equator makes it ideal to launch satellites into geostationary and other orbits.

Oil- and mineral-rich Angola plans on launching its first satellite, AngoSat-1, into orbit by 2016. It is being built by a Russian consortium.

North African nations are no strangers to space and satellites. Algeria, which established its space agency in 2002, launched five disaster monitoring microsatellites in the 2000s, and an earth observation satellite in 2010. The latter was launched from Chennai, India.

Egypt, like South Africa, now has its own military satellite thanks to Russian assistance. Egypt launched its first satellite in 2007 for scientific research, but has run into recent concerns over human and financial resources.

Along with Sudan, Egypt has been at the forefront to establish a African space agency to combat some of the monetary and skills issues. The African Union Working Group on Space recently approved a draft African space policy and is currently developing a comprehensive space strategy.

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However, even if African resources and skillsets are combined, an operational African Space Agency appears to be at least five to ten years away. Countries are focused on growing their own space agencies first. The project will also undoubtedly depend upon political relations between continental powerhouses Nigeria and South Africa, which are at a low.

Its effectiveness will depend on an African country developing domestic satellite launch capability, which is a huge necessary step forward in space exploration. Nevertheless, continued collaboration - such as SANSA working with the Zambia Remote Sensing Centre in a research project using satellite earth observation data for drought, soil and vegetation monitoring - will assist in speeding up the process towards a true continental space alliance.

Government space agencies aside, satellites over rural Africa can help provide Internet connectivity to hundreds of millions of African citizens. In June 2014, only 44% of the 410 million people who live in sub-Saharan Africa were living within 25km of an operational fibre optic network node. Facebook has reportedly been talking to satellite operator Avanti - which owns two broadband satellites over Africa - to help in this endeavour.

There is no question satellites and space exploration have socioeconomic benefits. Satellites can help find mineral resources. Satellites helped uncover an underground aquifer in Kenya's driest region. The plethora of possible benefits is combined with other crucial hard to quantify advantages. These projects inspire youth, increase national pride and advance education.

But, space endeavours require capital. And for most African countries, capital is a limited commodity.

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On April 29, 1996, 28-year-old Martin Bryant set out to eat lunch at the Broad Arrow cafe in Port Arthur, Tasmania; an Australian penal colony that was transformed into a bustling tourist attraction. After Bryant finished his meal, he proceeded to carry out a killing spree that claimed the lives of 35 people and wounded an additional 23. Bryant, believed to suffer from mental illness, was armed with several semi-automatic rifles during the attack. He is currently serving 35 life sentences in prison.

In the days following, former Prime Minter John Howard helped construct strict gun reform laws that have since prevented another similar attack. Howard, the newly-elected head of Australia's conservative Liberal Party, reached across the political aisle in order to pass legislation that prohibited the sale and ownership of rapid-fire long guns and semi-automatic rifles. The resolution--known as the Nationwide Agreement on Firearms--would also obtain more than 700,000 firearms with its buyback program. In an Op-Ed for The New York Times in 2013, Howard stated that the legislation reduced gun-related homicides and lowered the suicide rate in his country. Professor Simon Chapman--who conducted research that examined the association of gun reform and intentional firearm deaths in Australia--backed Howard's assertion in an interview with The Guardian: "a major policy intervention designed to stop mass shootings has had an effect on other gun-related deaths as well."

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Several months later, a 22-year-old MC from Queens, New York named Nas--ne Nasir Jones--released his highly-anticipated sophomore album, It Was Written. The critically acclaimed LP has become an essential muse for several artists, and would offer a social oeuvre that still resonates as one of the strongest declarations for gun control in the United States.

1996 was a distraught yet transitional year for hip-hop. A media-fueled rivalry between east coast and west coast rap factions would culminate with two of the genre's brightest stars losing their lives to gun violence. Tupac Shakur was gunned down in September. Approximately six months later, The Notorious B.I.G.-- ne Christopher Wallace--would meet the same disastrous fate. The murder of these hip-hop icons created an anomalous void in the culture. Although their respective legacies would endure perpetually, there were artists who were waiting in the wings to pursue the successful footprints of their fallen contemporaries. Established stars such as Bone, Thugs and Harmony, Jay-Z, Common, OutKast, The Roots, and The Fugees would savor supplementary success in that year and enjoy burgeoning careers throughout the following decades. Nas was also amongst this booming corps. While his debut album, 1994's Illmatic, tiled his bona fides in the orb of golden era hip-hop, It Was Written would take the young maestro to new heights with its crossover success.

Told via a first-person perspective of a semi-automatic handgun, "I Gave You Power" weaves a Shakespearean tragedy that deftly incorporates several layers: weighty perspective ("My creation was for blacks to kill blacks"), despondency ("I might have took your first child/Scarred your life"), gun trafficking ("Ohio to Little Rock to Canarsie, living harshly") and the unnatural acquaintance with death ("Placing people in graves, funerals made cause I was sprayed"). It is a remarkable story built upon an idea that has often been duplicated, but never matched with the same creative verve displayed by its originator. The crescendo of the song takes listeners to the shelf that the derelict gun has been resting on for weeks, until a young man walks in to pick it up. He has just been "stomped out" during a confrontation, and with both his skull and ego bruised, he wants revenge. Tucking the gun into his waistband, the young man heads out looking for his antagonist. Once the target is in sight, he pulls out his weapon to shoot; but the gun deliberately won't fire when its trigger is pressed. In a frantic twist, the antagonist then pulls out his gun--which is newer and sleeker--and kills the young man in cold blood.

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Amongst a melee of running bystanders and police sirens, the gun is finally relieved that its killing days are over. That is, until it feels another hand grab it. Alas, the way of the gun is a never-ending cycle.

The stigma surrounding the celebration of guns is too often laid at the feet of hip-hop, a culture deemed by some as "morally bankrupt." Since its inception, hip-hop has been a prism that reflects the realities of Americana. One of those stark realities is our country's love affair with violence. Nevertheless, hip-hop is often labeled a seed that continuously sows the vicious ills plaguing society. This trope was once more brought forth by NYPD Commissioner William Bratton, after a shooting at a T.I. concert in May left one person dead and three others injured. During a radio interview discussing the investigation, Bratton labeled "so-called rap artists" as thugs while lamenting that the violence some in the culture have endured is celebrated and "often manifests itself during the performances ... that's exactly what happened [at T.I.'s concert]." But the fact of the matter remains that gun violence is not a hip-hop problem; it is an American one. Statistics from The Washington Post show that more citizens have died from gun violence than in any war in American history over the last 50 years.

Before "I Gave You Power," Nas' song "One on One"--a rare gem featured on the soundtrack of the 1994 film Street Fighter--suggests disagreeing parties should settle their differences utilizing fisticuffs instead of weapons: "Imagine this: no guns, no knife/It's a one on one so now we gots to fight." In the spirit of Stop the Violence Movement's "Self-Destruction" and "We're All In The Same Gang" performed by the West Coast All-Stars, several artists from various genres joined forces to sign a letter to congress in an effort to create gun reform in the United States. In Chicago, a city whose murder rate serves as the ultimate hot take when discussing gun violence, elder hip-hop statesman Common and several other local artists have lent their support to the "Music vs. Gun Violence" initiative. Although rapper and activist Killer Mike is a proud member of the NRA, he agrees with the enforcement of immediate background checks and stronger guidelines for gun shows throughout the country. Despite all of the preconceived denunciation, many in hip-hop continue to be zealous in their attempts to dismantle an almighty gun culture.

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After nine parishioners were murdered in their Charleston, South Carolina house of worship last summer by 21-year-old white supremacist Dylan Roof, President Obama visited comedian Marc Maron's WTF podcast. During their conversation, the President referenced the sustained success of Australia's gun reform after the Port Arthur massacre. Since that interview, and the deadly mass shootings that have followed, the President has continued to push gun reform as his departure from the Oval Office draws near. Subsequent to every mass shooting that makes national news, the issue of gun reform rears its sporadic head. The murders of President Kennedy, Dr. King, and Bobby Kennedy brought forth the Gun Control Act of 1968. Although the 1986 Firearm Owner's Protection Act included partial prohibition of machine guns and long guns, it also annulled a database that would track the sales of firearms and ammunition. Since 1993's Brady Law and the expired Federal Assault Weapons Ban, valid attempts to further develop gun reform have been all but fruitless.

During a town hall meeting in June, the President once again negated the notion that his cabinet is attempting to disarm responsible gun owners. "'There have been more guns sold since I have been president than just about any time in U.S. history,'" the President told a gun shop owner during the town hall. "'There are enough guns for every man, woman and child in this country.'" At the beginning of the year, President Obama introduced his executive actions to specify what he refers to as "common sense gun laws." The actions stipulate that anyone "engaged in the business" of selling firearms must be licensed and conduct background checks for potential buyers. Also included is the hiring of 230 federal works to complete background checks and the installation of a $500 million budget to "engage" individuals with serious mental health issues. In June, after the deadly mass shooting in Orlando, the Senate rejected four pieces of gun control measures. If and when the next mass shooting takes place, there is sure to be filibustering from both sides of the aisle arguing their respective perspectives of gun reform. It is to be expected that the political posturing will not lead to any resolution.

Speaking to Rolling Stone in 2014 about his storied career, Nas seemed genuinely surprised that his song had resonated with so many people. "The song just had to be made... It was my personal record...and I didn't really think outside of me when I wrote it." Legendary producer DJ Premier--who helmed the track and is a frequent collaborator with Nas--mined a bit deeper into the MC's psyche during the recording process in an interview with Complex magazine.

"...Nas said, 'I want to make a record as if I was a gun.' We started messing around, trying to figure out what he's going to do, and we finally figured out a way, because he said, 'Maybe I should do a skit where I drop the gun, and somebody else finds it.' And that's how it all built, and I said, 'You know what... let me make it sound sad.' Because he said I'm going to be the gun talking about being tired of all the stuff I'm doing to people. That's why I put that emotion behind it."
New York, NY USA - July 16, 2016: Donald Trump speaks during introduction Governor Mike Pence as running for vice president at Hilton hotel Midtown Manhattan

This piece originally appeared in The Hill, Contributors Blog on September 13, 2016

I'm a Republican who has worked for President George W. Bush, three Republican Representatives and two Senators. Frequently I am asked by family, friends, neighbors and colleagues why I remain a Republican given its shift from a conservative-based, pragmatic problem solving party that favored limited government and low taxes to one who seems to abhor the very notion of government and rejects the foundation of our country - the art of compromise.

With the ascendancy of Donald Trump it's a question I can no longer answer. The party has left me.

I've been a self-identified Republican since 1968 when I stayed up all night to watch the Nixon-Humphrey returns. I held a sign at a Richard Schweicker for Senate rally. I stayed strong through Watergate because it was a personal scandal about the failings of Nixon, and the system worked. Nixon resigned before certain impeachment and the country and Presidency moved on. I continued through the Reagan years when many thought him a madman willing to wage nuclear war with the Soviet Union when in fact his strategy was instrumental to the eventual collapse of the U.S.S.R. And I have continued through the Tea Party who have turned Republicans into the party of No.

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But the end has come.

With Donald Trump as the Republican nominee, the party is no longer the Grand Old Party. It is now a party led by a demagogic, authoritarian strongman whose rhetoric compares with the authoritarian, anti-democratic strongmen of history.

His list of political apostasies is long and well known. But the bottom line is that the party I was once a proud and long member of has left me as its presidential candidate articulates beliefs beyond the pale of acceptable political belief and does nothing to denounce what just a year ago was unacceptable to the party. From his unconstitutional policy statements to his ridiculing of Americans to his desire to abridge our freedom of speech and religion, and his cozying up to the despot Vladimir Putin, Trump is as vulgar and unacceptable a candidate as our presidential nominating process has every turned out.

This is a bridge too far and should be for everyone. Donald Trump violates the fundamentals of our democracy and is a threat to it.

Leadership is often doing the right thing even if the public and political winds are against you and then facing the consequences. At the end of the Civil War there was great sentiment to punish the South, but Lincoln knew better and told the country we must "bind up the nation's wounds." Teddy Roosevelt busted the trusts despite his party's opposition. The public was against our entry into WW I and II, but it was the right thing to do. When the Soviet Union collapsed, the political pressure was great for President George H.W. Bush to do a victory dance through Europe, but he knew better and did not.

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While it is heartening to see many Republican leaders, and elected officials reject Trump, it is disheartening to see so many who have embraced him. I do not know how it is intellectually possible to endorse a candidate for the highest office in the country and then almost instantly reject his policy positions, which they seem to do every day. Trump literally represents everything the Republican Party is not nor ever has been.

While it would have been unprecedented and painful for the Republican National Committee to oppose Trump's nomination, in the long run it would have been the right thig to do. But the RNC did nothing and now the RNC has put the entire country on a path of pain, peril and hurt through the candidacy of Trump who has already set Americans against one another and will only continue down this path.

History is a clear judge and often harsh. By nominating Trump, the Republican Party is putting itself squarely behind a candidate who rejects the foundational elements that this country is based on. I feel sad for the formerly Grand Old Party, but also fearful that we find ourselves in a place where we could elect the antithesis of America.

Winning at all costs has its limits and we have reached that limit.

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This year's 'Best of' goes to local
Floridas insurance regulators approved yesterday a 14.5% increase in workers compensation insurance rates next year. Industry representatives were originally looking to raise rates by 19.6%.The Tampa Bay Times reported that the approval hinges on the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) making an amended filing by Tuesday. Once fully approved, the new rates would be effective Dec. 1 for both new and renewal policies.The NCCI, which files rate changes on behalf of workers comp insurers, based its recent filing on a Supreme Court decision in April that ruled that a mandatory cap on attorneys fees for such cases was unconstitutional.Workers advocates praised the ruling, reasoning that the cap previously dissuaded lawyers from taking cases on behalf of injured workers. Similarly, plaintiffs attorneys said that they have promoted for years for workers to have better access to the courts, and the Supreme Courts decision helped validate that effort.On the other hand, some business leaders called the high courts decision a potential job killer for existing companies and new businesses looking to operate in Florida.
German-based financial giant Deutsche Bank is to sell its UK insurance business to Phoenix Group Holdings at a loss of almost $1 billion.Deutsche will book a pre-tax loss of $895 million on the sale of Abbey Life Assurance Co. to the UK-based consolidator of closed-life insurance businesses, Bloomberg reports.In a statement, Phoenix CEO Clive Bannister said: This attractively-priced deal meets precisely Phoenixs areas of strategic focus and stated acquisition criteria, whilst significantly increasing our cash generation and supporting a further increase in our proposed dividend.Six of North Americas biggest insurance companies have been named among the best employers for working moms. Allianz , Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, MetLife , New York Life Insurance and Zurich have all been listed in the annual Working Mother 100 Best Companies.We have many working mothers at Allianz Life, including several members of our senior management team, said the insurers President and CEO Walter White. The contributions of our working mothers are critical to the success of our company, and we are committed to providing the work-life flexibility, comprehensive employee benefits, and personal development programs of highest value to this key group.Meanwhile, Zurich North Americas CEO Mike Foley said the firm was honored to be featured for the third consecutive year.Zurich North America exemplifies that effort, providing innovative policies and perks for their employees that make their jobs easier to manage and worth more than their face value, said Subha Barry, vice president and general manager for Working Mother Media.Quebec-based insurers Lussier Dale Parizeau, Riverin Girard and Ouellet Fillion are to merge, creating a firm with a combined premium revenue of $420 million."This alliance will help us strengthen both our position in the regions of SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean and Chibougamau and our role as a Quebec leader in the areas of insurance brokerage and financial services," said Patrice Jean, President and Chief Executive Officer of LDP.The branches located in Dolbeau-Mistassini, Normandin, Saint-Felicien, Alma, Chicoutimi, Chibougamau and Jonquiere will continue to operate under the Riverin Girard & Associes and Ouellet Fillion (Alma) banners, as the brands are well established in their regions.Executives of Riverin Girard and Ouellet Fillion will remain with the company and be part of the management team of the combined firm.
Thousands have evacuated and more than 400 National Guard soldiers have been deployed as serious flooding in Iowa continues to damage homes and business property.Temporary barriers in Cedar Rapids, the states second-largest city, stemmed much of the flow as the Cedar River crested just above 22 feet  but the deluge still threatens to bring the second-worst flooding event in state history.Its not over yet, Cedar Rapids City Manger Jeff Pomeranz said late Tuesday morning.Along with Cedar Rapids, the towns of Clarksville and Vinton have also suffered from overflowing rivers in the heavy rains.Yet while emergency services, state police and public officials are busy responding to the disaster, insurance agents, carriers and claims services associated with the National Flood Insurance Program are unlikely to be as busy.According to NFIP data obtained by Insurance Business America, just 1.2% of home and business owners in Cedar Rapids have an in-force flood insurance policy. Figures for Clarksville and Vinton are equally grim, with just 12 and 70 in-force policies in each city, respectively.This is despite the historic 2008 floods in the state, which caused at least $64 billion in property damage.Ed Faber, founder of independent agency Insurance Gurus in Cedar Rapids, is unsurprised by the lack of coverage.Everyone believed wed never see anything like [the 2008 floods] again, Faber told Insurance Business America. I got a few panicked calls on Thursday night and was able in one case to add backup water on a clients rental property, but I havent heard from anyone since.Faber did say he expected less property damage during this flood as compared to the 2008 event, in part because of the lower crest, but also because of the citys advanced preparation.We know what a bad flood looks like now, and Ive seen several vehicles loaded with appliances, furnaces and water heaters being moved to safer areas, he said. Before, people were literally just packing a bag of clothes and leaving because the evacuation order came so quickly.The number of government-sponsored flood policies in force has plunged nationwide by nearly 10% in the past six years, from 570,000,000 in 2009 to just 5,151,000 in 2015. Its a large fall, mostly in response to a lack of major flood events and price increases for coverage.In Iowa, for example, Faber says newly issued policies are written at close to three times the preferred rate of grandfathered properties.But he does see some hope for improvement.I think most people will reconsider flood because its real now, Faber said. Especially since theyve been through it twice now, I think theyll bite the bullet. After investing so much in rebuilding after 2008, I dont think theyll want to see [those losses] happen again.
Startup insurance company TheGuarantors is offering an insurance product that prospective apartment tenants could find useful. The company, which launched in New York back in 2014, sells payment insurance to tenants, offering landlords a guarantee in the event a tenant becomes delinquent.The product, similar to private mortgage insurance products, offers a level of protection for developers constructing new buildings in luxury markets where the applicant pool is limited. TheGuarantors has partnered with Hanover Insurance Group to help with this.The Wall Street Journal observed that TheGuarantors product is a symptom of a pricey market in which rents have risen faster than incomes and landlords can be picky about the qualifications they demand. Over the past five years, rents have surged by about 20% nationwide while incomes have only recently started to increase.The product can be a lifesaver to landlords in cities where rent growth fat outpaces income gains, such as San Francisco and New York.Douglas Elliman executive vice president of new development Cliff Finn revealed that 10% to 30% of the tenants in buildings he is leasing are currently insured through TheGuarantors.TheGuarantors said that other large apartment complexes, such as Stuyvesant Town, Peter Cooper Village, and Gotham West, have expressed their interest in the insurance product.It reduces the exposure to vacancy, said Miller Samuel president and TheGuarantors advisory board member Jonathan Miller. It basically opens it to another category of tenant.New Yorks landlords usually have strict requirements. They can demand pay stubs showing that prospective tenants annual income is at least 40 times more than their rent. Tenants must also have a credit score of about 700 or better on a scale of 300 to 850, along with spotless rental histories. Those who cannot meet the requirements will need to find a guarantor that earns at least 80 times their monthly rent, which is a challenge when rents constantly increase.On the other hand, TheGuarantors has set a lower bar for tenants. The startup will cover for tenants who earn as little as 27 times the monthly rent and have credit scores as low as 630. Moreoever, the company also considers a tenants account savings and other liquid assets and income earned outside the country.The premiums can cover for two weeks to about a months worth of rent a yeardepending on how likely an applicant is to miss payments.
Buttress No. 11 has collapsed and a second one is near collapse at the historic city-owned church.

North Adams City Council Approves Funds Toward Church Repair



Building Inspector William Meranti explains the condition of Notre Dame Church.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  The City Council on Tuesday unanimously voted to match a $50,000 state grant to begin emergency repairs to 140-year-old Notre Dame Church.



The emergency preservation grant was awarded by Secretary of State William Galvin, as part of his oversight of the Massachusetts Historic Commission, will be matched with $50,000 from the city's stabilization fund. The stabilization fund has about $970,000 in it.



Mayor Richard Alcombright said contractors will begin work as soon as possible to rebuilt the collapsed buttress (No. 11) in the rear of the church and the stabilize one on the other corner (No. 10.) at a cost of $100,000.

The city will not have to bid this emergency phase of work, instead going through an expedited process with the state Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance.



A second matching grant will be applied after the first of the year in the regular grant cycle. Barry Engineers and Constructors Inc. has estimated $212,000 total to repair the entire building. However, the full extent of repairs will not be known until the initial phase begins.



"The first phase ... is specifically to stabilize some of the buttresses that are in the worst conditions and the water issues that have caused, are causing that deterioration," the mayor said. "We really won't know until we get through this first phase of work what the rest will cost ... we really don't have any way of knowing plus we're pushing up against the weather.

Alcombright said the engineer has done a number of historic structures around the area. "I have a lot of faith in what he told us," he said, adding if there was extensive extra work needed he would be having further conversations with the council.

While the church is not in imminent danger of collapse, engineers are concerned that service loads such as "gravity, wind, snow and seismic" will put undue pressure on the weakened buttresses.



The damage was discovered early this spring and was caused by the theft of the church's copper gutters that allowed water to get into the masonry. It is unknown when the theft occurred but is believed to have been some time ago.



Building Inspector William Meranti said the building is in otherwise good shape, with no signs of water in the interior or cracks in the foundation. The steeple and roof had painting and repairs done in 2008.



"If we can get past this and get it back together, there's no reason to think that it won't retain that kind of shape for quite a long time," he said, although the freeze/thaw cycle in the unheated building is taking its toll on the paint and plaster which is showing "severe signs of decay."



The Notre Dame property, including the adjacent school and rectory, was purchased by the city in 2007 in an attempt to safe the steeple. The rectory was later sold to the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Foundation but the school and church been left vacant and unused.



Councilor Robert M. Moulton Jr. asked if would be more worthwhile to offer the building as is, since the administration had been discussing a request for proposals, even for $1.



Alcombright said he'd consider a $1 if the proposal was good and the council agreed. However, it was unlikely the building would be sold before winter and there is serious concern that the current damage could become catastrophic. The city is also under an agreement to maintain it because of the preservation grant awarded for the 2008 repairs.
First-year Town Manager Jason Hoch was given high marks by the Board of Selectmen on Monday.

Williamstown Selectmen Give Town Manager Glowing Review

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  First-year Town Manager Jason Hoch was given high marks by the Board of Selectmen on Monday.



The board held its final vote on a weeks-long process that began with the development of a comprehensive technique for performing the evaluation and ended in a 5-0 decision to approve a report that found Hoch, "has shown himself to be a thoughtful, intelligent and articulate manager who comes with significant expertise in his field and the ability to learn quickly as new issues arise."



When it began the evaluation process over the summer, the board grappled with the fact that none of them had engaged in a thorough evaluation in the past. Longtime, now retired Town Manager Peter Fohlin received regular but, in the board's estimation, somewhat cursory reviews, in the final years of a career that most in town government agreed was stellar.



Faced with a first-year replacement and a process it was building from ground zero, the board developed a questionnaire that it sent to 45 people, including town employees, town board and committee members and members of the public. It received 38 responses.



"I was pleased to receive the draft [report] and extra pleased to see how favorable it was," Selectwoman Anne O'Connor said. "I think we all know we have a great town manager, and this process confirmed it."



As a followup to the online surveys, members of the board interviewed selected respondents to get more information about Hoch. Selectman Jeffrey Thomas said there was value in going through the interview process.



"I learned a lot about how Town Hall runs," Thomas said. "We learned a lot from speaking to Town Hall employees. That was a point Jason made early on in the process: There are a lot of aspects of his job that we're not aware of. It was great to see 'Jason in the round,' so to speak, and just how favorably he is regarded here in Town Hall.



"Having had a mix of success as a manager in my own career, I have a deep appreciation of how challenging it can be to come into a new situation and manage that."



The executive summary of the evaluation, read into the record by Chairman Andrew Hogeland, alluded to the transition process Hoch faced and emphasized the success of his management style.



"Since he arrived shortly before the [fiscal 2017] budget cycle started, there has been limited opportunity to use his own approach to budgeting matters, but he has shown relevant expertise," Hogeland read.



"Of particular note, he has been very well received by town staff. He created a positive atmosphere and started to create a more efficient way to do the town's business. He works with staff in a collaborative fashion, respects their experience and does not micromanage them. Morale is very good."



Monday's meeting included the announcement that Hoch and his Town Hall team nearly have completed a years-long process begun under his predecessor, the closure of the former Spruces Mobile Home Park and the shepherding of $6.1 million grant funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.



Hoch told the board that the town has received its last pending major reimbursement under the grant, which was administered by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.



The money, predicated on the flood-prone park's closure and return of the land to a natural state, was used to relocate Spruces residents, remove park infrastructure and help fund the Highland Woods senior affordable housing project off South Street.



Hoch told the board the town has made its last $400,000 payment to Highland Woods developer Berkshire Housing Development Corporation.



"This is the end of a long process," Hogeland noted. "Thank you to Debbie [Turnbull], too. This was years' worth of work."


Restaurateur Xing Li, appearing with some of his family members, was encouraged to withdraw his permit application because of the proximity of another proposed and permitted eatery.

Adams ZBA Avoids 'Oversaturation' of Asian Cuisine



Xing Li had hoped to open in the former Berkshire County Stoves building.

Update: A check of documents at Town Hall on Wednesday shows Wong received a special permit in 2011, which means the permit is three years' beyond the expiration date.

ADAMS, Mass.  A potential Asian fusion restaurant owner seeking a special permit at Tuesday's Zoning Board of Appeals was upstaged  by another potential Asian fusion restaurant owner just two doors away.



The first was Xing Li, who had applied to operate a restaurant at 131 Columbia St., the former Berkshire County Stoves property.



However, Li chose to withdraw his permit without prejudice because of concerns by the board of oversaturation.



That was because Neil Wong appeared, saying he had already acquired a special permit from the board two years ago to operate an Asian fusion restaurant two buildings down from Li's proposed location.



"I am here tonight against this because it used to be a Chinese restaurant and I bought the building," Wong said. "I dont think there should be two right next to each other ... I don't think we are going to survive for too long."



Wong purchased 125-127 Columbia St. in 2006. The building, a former bar, was most recently We Happy, a Chinese restaurant; 127 Columbia is an apartment on the second floor that has been recently renovated.



Vice Chairman Brian Tenczar pointed to a zoning bylaw that does not allow similar businesses to oversaturate a specific part of town. He told Li the board would take the bylaw into consideration when making its determination.



"You would have two like restaurants right next to each other," he said. "If you wanted to open a pizza place they are not like businesses and that would be fine because it would not oversaturate the market."

Li asked if Wong's permit was still valid because the restaurant isn't open yet.
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ICAOs Secretary General, Dr. Fang Liu, signs a partnership agreement with Frances Director General of Civil Aviation, Mr. Patrick Gandil, on the occasion of the ICAO World Aviation Forum held at ICAO headquarters in Montreal on 26 September 2016.

The partnership will facilitate the provision of aviation training by France to aspiring professionals in developing countries.

ICAO sees this partnership as a model that should encourage other developed States to offer similar programmes. This assistance will directly contribute towards the sustainable development of international civil aviation by addressing the substantial human resources that will be required in light of the tremendous growth forecast in this sector, Dr. Liu said.


We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector
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An American in Nazi-Occupied France

The Fellowship | September 28, 2016 (Photo: USHMM)

Varian Fry

Life: October 15, 1907  September 13, 1967

Why you should know him: An American journalist in France during World War II, Varian Fry ran a rescue network that saved between 2,000 and 4,000 Jews and refugees from death at the hands of the Nazis.

Growing up in the United States during World War I, young Varian Fry was already intent on helping others, raising funds for the Red Cross at the age of nine.

After attending Harvard University, Fry worked as a foreign correspondent in Berlin during the 1930s. The abuse of Jews he witnessed during this time turned the American into an ardent anti-Nazi. At this early stage in Hitlers regime, Fry was one of the few who reported on Germanys atrocities against the Jewish people.

When the Nazis occupied France in 1940, Fry went to Marseille to work for the new Emergency Rescue Committee. There he worked against the Vichy French authorities, who refused to issue visas to Jews and others the Nazis saw as enemies or undesirable.

Initially, Fry had $3,000 and a list of 200 names of those he could rescue. But once others heard of this American willing to risk his life to help Jews, many came calling for his assistance.

Despite the watchful eye of the Gestapo, Fry and his colleagues hid Jews and other refugees until they could escape. 2,200 people were smuggled across the border to Spain, then to Portugal, and finally to the United States. Many more were able to escape from France to Martinique, from where they were then able to reach the U.S.

After a year of rescuing thousands, Fry was discovered and forced to leave France. During his year of running the rescue network from France, however, the American was able to save thousands of lives, including those of Hannah Arendt, Marc Chagall, and Marcel Duchamp.

Varian Fry passed away in 1967, and was posthumously honored by Yad Vashem as the first American to be named Righteous Among the Nations.
Edward Price Non-Resident Senior Fellow NYU Center for Global Affairs Contact email

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Edward Price, a former British economic official, teaches international political economy, financial systems and international relations at NYUas Center for Global Affairs. He is also an economic advisor for BritishAmerican Business (BAB). Educated at the London School of Economics (LSE), Edward holds an MSc in Finance and Economic Policy and an MA in German History. He has worked in both the British and European parliaments, was Americas editor at IFLR and has worked in the City of London. He speaks German, gets by in Italian and is a member of the Economic Club of New York (ECNY).
U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change Travel to Paris

Washington, DC - U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change Dr. Jonathan Pershing will travel to Paris, France, September 2730, to attend the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) meetings with the Environment Policy Committee at the Ministerial level, and to meet with counterparts and officials from non-governmental organizations.

The meetings will convene OECD climate and environment Ministers and will focus on key policy challenges to moving forward on climate change priorities for the year, and on plans for advancing implementation of the Paris Agreement ahead of the upcoming 22nd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-22). Morocco will host COP-22 in Marrakesh, November 718, 2016  the first climate conference since the successful adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015.

Special Envoy Pershing will also meet with counterparts in the Government of France, Ministers from other OECD nations, and officials at the OECD and the International Energy Agency, among others. In his meetings, Dr. Pershing will discuss next steps to address global climate change, as well as shared priorities for the year, including: rapid entry-into-force of the Paris Agreement; implementation of countries Nationally Determined Contributions; mobilizing private sector finance for low-carbon climate resilient solutions and clean energy; and climate adaptation and resilience.
ICC Judgment in Mali Cultural Destruction Case

Washington, DC - The United States welcomes todays verdict at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the case against Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi, a member of the violent extremist group Ansar al-Dine. Al Faqi, who surrendered to the ICC in 2015 by Nigerien authorities and pled guilty to one charge of war crimes related to intentionally directing attacks against Muslim shrines and mausoleums in Timbuktu, was sentenced to 9 years of imprisonment.

As we have seen in Mali and other contexts, the destruction of cultural artifacts and monuments has been used as a tool to seek to terrorize, to erase history, and to eradicate the identities of communities. These are assaults not just on a country and its people, but on the common cultural heritage of all humankind, and those responsible for these acts should face justice. Secretary Kerry has underscored that such acts are a tragedy for all civilized people, and the civilized world must take a stand. Al Faqis conviction is part of broader national and international efforts to protect cultural property, and it sends an important message to those responsible for such crimes that impunity will not prevail.

The United States supports efforts by the ICC and Malian authorities to provide justice for these serious crimes committed in Mali. We commend Mali for its cooperation with the ICC in this matter, and we encourage continued national and international efforts to bring to justice senior extremist leaders who led the campaign to terrorize northern Mali and destroy symbols of its rich history of tolerance and cultural pluralism.
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Who are these upstarts, then?

False Heads are three 23-year-olds - Luke, Jake and Barney - hailing from east London and Essex, playing in what they describe as a 'crack punk rock' band.

Having already earned a nod of approval from Iggy Pop himself (These kids make a lot of noise, I like it"), they're cementing a reputation for epic live shows and support from the likes off BBC Radio 1 and BBC 6 Music.

We're premiering their video for 'Weigh In' - check it out below:

Q&A with False Heads

What are you listening to at the moment?

Luke - I've been listening to a lot of my buddies bands to be honest. Without sounding like a classic moaning hipster or something, I cannot remember the last time something new excited me.

So Calva Louise and Don Chino. Should definitely check them up. 'Gunna do well' by Calva is like a scatty Pixies track meets Showbiz era Muse and 'Fumes' by the Chino, which is just big riffs left and right with a huge chorus. Also a solo artist called Liam Flood - 'Buy the Sea' for something more mellow, big hanging voice and sweet melodies. All banging stuff.

Jake - The new Nick Cave album Skeleton Tree, its pretty bleak but its brilliant.

Barney - Always playing FlaKo and have been getting back into Connan Mockasin recently. Portishead is a general mainstay as is alot of the Brainfeeder crew (Teebs and Captain Murphy more than most). Most recent will give to Shady.

What are your plans for the rest of 2016?

Ah we got loads of stuff coming up. Shows all over the country with This Feeling, Scruff of the Neck and Double Denim. Also talks of a trip to Europe and Ireland so look out for that. We're also writing currently as well so potentially a new single before 2017.

What was the first gig you played and what's been the best so far?

Luke- "The first gig I played was at the Bridgehouse 2 in Canning Town. I was so nervous I drank myself into oblivion before we went on and to be honest it was god f***ing awful but those sort of gigs are important for bands to realise what they've got to do I think, and they have to do a lot of it before anything good starts to happen. The headliner was a band that Jake and Barney was in. Weird how everything falls into place huh?

"My favourite was either Camden Rocks, we went on at Midday expecting no one to be there and it ended up being absolutely rammed. Or our last London show at the Black Heart. There was just an energy in the air that makes you feel like something is beginning to roll.

Jake - What was the first gig you played and what's been the best so far?

First False Heads gig was to an empty room somewhere in London after a six hour megabus journey. Best gig would probably be Camden Rocks earlier this year, we were on just after midday and still a bit stiff but the bar was packed and everyone was up for it.

Barney - First ever gig would have been when I was about 4 for my mum's birthday. We played Simply the Best and you couldn't see me behind the drums. The two Luke and Jake mentioned were banging but the Roundhouse was up there for pure bucket list value. I wanted to play that venue as a kid and to get up on the main stage was something else.

False Heads play the following dates:

29 Sept  LONDON  Water rats (Scruff of The Neck presents)

15 Oct - MANCHESTER - Star and Garter (Scruff of the Neck presents)

05 Nov  LONDON  Water Rats (This Feeling presents)

26 Nov  LEEDS  Kapooza Festival
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As the most fractious US election in living memory enters its final furlong, Bono and Springsteen are the latest music stars to launch attacks at the Republican candidate. And theyre far from alone. Barbara Streisand lampooned Trump in performance and in print while his rhetoric has attracted condemnation from Latino artists and a protest song from rapper YG.

However, this time around the musical commentary is perhaps more vociferous than in previous elections and his divisiveness has run up against a wide array of musicians calling for a halt to his use of the pop and rock tunes that are a staple of campaigning.

REM set the tone during the primaries, slamming Trumps moronic charade of a campaign for playing Its the End of the World As We Know It at a rally. Other demurrals came from Queen, Elton John, the Rolling Stones and more. Being dead, it seems, is also no hindrance to cross-purposes with the Republican nominee. The estates of George Harrison and Luciano Pavarotti described the use of their music as, respectively, offensive and entirely incompatible with the world view offered by the candidate Donald Trump.

Trump is also the latest in a long line of candidates whose campaign has drawn on the soundtrack to Les Miserables, despite its composers never endorsing political uses of their work.

Theres a longstanding association between popular music and political campaigns in the US. Campaign songs have been in play from George Washingtons time onwards, gaining increasing prominence in the 20th century via mass media celebrity endorsements. The trend towards using pre-existing recordings, rather than specially written songs or familiar tunes with new lyrics, was given a fillip in the 1970s when the 26th Amendment reduced the voting age to 18 and it was seen as a means of attracting younger voters. This has sometimes been successful, where an agreement is reached with artists, as with Bill Clintons use of Fleetwood Macs Dont Stop. But more often it leads to the kinds of disavowal piled up around Trumps campaign.

Rockers and pop stars are often more liberal leaning than their more conservative country counterparts, so the bulk of these have been against Republicans. But there have also been cases of artists not welcoming any political associations. Some have pulled the rug from under the Democrats, as Sam Moore did over Barack Obamas use of Hold on Im Coming. But as elections get into high gear campaigners looking towards the wider populace seek out classics and big hits with the widest appeal, pushing them towards the aesthetic centre and away from genres that appeal primarily to their political base.

The amorphously aspirational (or angry) tone of many rock and pop songs makes them seem, at first glance  without examination of the artists political orientation  apt for either side of a political divide. But this can lead to mismatches. In 1984, Bruce Springsteen disowned the Reagan campaigns use of Born in the USA  somewhat misguided in the first place since the lyrics of its pumping chorus are bitterly ironic anyway, as the song depicts the poor treatment of Vietnam veterans.

The proliferation of complaints in recent years raises the question of what musicians can actually do to stop their songs appearing in campaigns.

Much depends on the context. Many objections refer to rallies and live events. There isnt much legal comeback here though if the venues hold the requisite licenses for public use of recordings from the copyright collection agencies ASCAP and BMI. In many of these cases, cease and desist letters or similar warning shots are mostly a matter of making the artists disapproval and distance from the campaign a matter of public record. While legal protection in such instances isnt cast-iron, its generally not worth the negative publicity for candidates to carry on once an artist has told them to stop. When Tom Petty objected to George W Bush using I Wont Back Down, for instance, Bush did just that.

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Theres more scope for blocking if a song is used in an advert or promotional material on the internet, where a license is required and the campaign needs permissions from the songs publisher and perhaps the artists record label. Depending on their deals, artists may have some leverage here. Certainly a failure to obtain permission is a breach of copyright and subject to legal recourse, as John McCain found out when Jackson Browne sued over the appearance of his song Running on Empty in a campaign advert.

McCains team tried to claim the fair use exemption to copyright on the grounds that its use of the song was minimal, not for commercial purposes and unlikely to damage Brownes financial interests. But Browne had another strand to his case that could be applied more widely, even to campaign rallies  potential reputational damage. The moral rights of European copyright provision that offer protection beyond financial concerns arent particularly robust in US federal law, but Browne appealed to the Lanham Act, a piece of trademark law that protects brands from misrepresentation or confusion arising in consumers due to misleading use. A similar piece of intellectual property legislation in some states, also cited by Browne, is the Right of Publicity, protecting the property aspects of a persons voice and image.

Ultimately, McCain conceded and settled, so although Browne was victorious, the legal minutiae werent tested in court. But the case illustrated both a potential opening for artists and peril for politicians willing to push the point. While other priorities on the campaign trail and fear of poor public relations tend to militate against this, the need for popular background music remains.

If politics  as Bill Clinton strategist Paul Begala said  is showbusiness for ugly people, politicians are rarely shy of deploying the work of more straightforward entertainers to burnish their appeal. And as Trump appears impetuous in the face of legal challenges and contemptuous of bad publicity, the familiar sound of musicians crying foul looks likely to continue apace.

Adam Behr, Lecturer in Popular and Contemporary Music, Newcastle University

This article was originally published on The Conversation
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Whatever the result of this year's fateful US election, the American people quickly realised the first of the presidential debates would be nothing short of a historical moment.

The final Nielsen numbers have revealed that the first Donald Trump vs. Hillary Clinton stand-off attracted a record-breaking average of 84 million viewers (via Deadline), making it the most watched televised debate in history.

However, this number could soon rise, since it's only taking into account live viewership on 13 television networks; including ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, Azteca, Univision, Telemundo, PBS, CNN, Fox News, CNBC, Fox Business Network, and MSNBC.

The total doesn't even include viewership from C-Span, which saw a large amount of Twitter recommendations due to its lack of network talking heads. Add to that what's bound to be a significant level of online viewership, as well as individuals who watched the debates outside of their homes (in bars and public places), and the number becomes a staggering indicator of how monumental this election really is in the American psyche.

Naked Donald Trump Statue Appears Across The States Show all 11 1 /11 Naked Donald Trump Statue Appears Across The States Naked Donald Trump Statue Appears Across The States SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 18: A passerby kisses a statue depicting republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the nude on August 18, 2016 in San Francisco, United States. Anarchist collective INDECLINE has created five statues depicting Donald Trump in the nude and placed them in five U.S. cities on Thursday morning. The statues are in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Cleveland and Seattle. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Getty Images Naked Donald Trump Statue Appears Across The States SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 18: A passerby looks at a statue depicting republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the nude on August 18, 2016 in San Francisco, United States. Anarchist collective INDECLINE has created five statues depicting Donald Trump in the nude and placed them in five U.S. cities on Thursday morning. The statues are in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Cleveland and Seattle. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Getty Images Naked Donald Trump Statue Appears Across The States SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 18: A passerby takes a picture of a statue depicting republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the nude on August 18, 2016 in San Francisco, United States. Anarchist collective INDECLINE has created five statues depicting Donald Trump in the nude and placed them in five U.S. cities on Thursday morning. The statues are in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Cleveland and Seattle. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Getty Images Naked Donald Trump Statue Appears Across The States SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 18: People gather around a statue depicting republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the nude on August 18, 2016 in San Francisco, United States. Anarchist collective INDECLINE has created five statues depicting Donald Trump in the nude and placed them in five U.S. cities on Thursday morning. The statues are in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Cleveland and Seattle. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Getty Images Naked Donald Trump Statue Appears Across The States SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 18: People gather around a statue depicting republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the nude on August 18, 2016 in San Francisco, United States. Anarchist collective INDECLINE has created five statues depicting Donald Trump in the nude and placed them in five U.S. cities on Thursday morning. The statues are in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Cleveland and Seattle. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Getty Images Naked Donald Trump Statue Appears Across The States SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 18: A passerby hugs a statue depicting republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the nude on August 18, 2016 in San Francisco, United States. Anarchist collective INDECLINE has created five statues depicting Donald Trump in the nude and placed them in five U.S. cities on Thursday morning. The statues are in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Cleveland and Seattle.(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Getty Images Naked Donald Trump Statue Appears Across The States SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 18: A passerby has a picture taken with a statue depicting republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the nude on August 18, 2016 in San Francisco, United States. Anarchist collective INDECLINE has created five statues depicting Donald Trump in the nude and placed them in five U.S. cities on Thursday morning. The statues are in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Cleveland and Seattle. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Getty Images Naked Donald Trump Statue Appears Across The States SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 18: A passerby has a picture taken with a statue depicting republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the nude on August 18, 2016 in San Francisco, United States. Anarchist collective INDECLINE has created five statues depicting Donald Trump in the nude and placed them in five U.S. cities on Thursday morning. The statues are in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Cleveland and Seattle. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Getty Images Naked Donald Trump Statue Appears Across The States NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 18: Park authorities haul away a statue of a naked GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump that appeared in Union Square Park this morning on August 18, 2016 in New York City. The illegally placed statue drew hundreds of curious onlookers, who took selfie picture with the statue, which was signed "Ginger." A published report attributed the work to the anarchist collective INDECLINE, which titled the project "The Emperor Has No B--s." (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images Naked Donald Trump Statue Appears Across The States NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 18: A molded foot is all that remains of a statue of naked GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump that appeared in Union Square Park this morning on August 18, 2016 in New York City. The illegally placed statue drew hundreds of curious onlookers, who took selfie picture with the statue, which was signed "Ginger." A published report attributed the work to the anarchist collective INDECLINE, which titled the project "The Emperor Has No B--s." (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images Naked Donald Trump Statue Appears Across The States NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 18: Park authorities haul away a statue of a naked GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump that appeared in Union Square Park this morning on August 18, 2016 in New York City. The illegally placed statue drew hundreds of curious onlookers, who took selfie picture with the statue, which was signed "Ginger." A published report attributed the work to the anarchist collective INDECLINE, which titled the project "The Emperor Has No B--s." (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images



The previous record holder was the 1980 debate between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter, which racked up 81 million viewers; in comparison, President Obama's first debate against Mitt Romney drew 67 million viewers in 2012.
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Everyone's skin is different, but all skin has one thing in common  needing regular exfolation. This is an all-too-often skipped step in skincare regimes, but it's vital in the fight against fine lines, dead skin and impurities.

If everyone's skin is different, it stands to reason that they all require a different type of exfoliation, and it's important to find a product that fits your lifestyle, so you'll actually use it.

The world of facial exfoliators, scrubs, polishes and resurfacing liquids can be difficult to navigate, especially in these microbead-free times.

In case you havent heard, microbeads are those harmful little plastic pellets found inside so many face scrubs, that don't dissolve during water treatment and so end up in the ocean, causing major environmental nightmares and enough of an outcry to have them banned by 2017.

With this in mind, we've evaluated the best of microbead-free face exfoliators, selecting the most effective products to suit all different skin types and lifestyles. Different products also have different usage methods and recommendations  some daily, some twice a week, some alone or with other products  so be sure to read the packaging carefully for the best possible result.

1. Kiehls Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion: 40.00, Kiehl's

Kiehl's consistently wins awards across their range for luxurious but effective skin treatment, but this is the ultimate in ultra-efficient exfoliation. The product had an immediate and noticeable effect  our skin felt smoother and tighter, with decreased visible pores. The fine, gentle grains mask a very powerful exfoliation, so it's easy to see why it's recommended for scarring and discolouration. The speed of the effect vastly outstripped the other contenders, but it didn't dry the skin out either. It also comes in an easy to use and transport squeezy tube. As it is so efficacious, we'd suggest only using once or twice a week.

Buy now

2. Clarins One Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser: 21.00, Boots

For those who want to incorporate exfoliation or scrubbing into their skin regime, without taking the extra time, this product is perfect. It works well as both an exfoliator and toning cleanser, coming in a shower-friendly easy-to-use squeezy bottle. Gentle enough for daily use and soap free, the orange ingredients were also highly effective and refreshing on oily skin. If you like an easy, quick wake up scrub in the morning or shower, this is for you.

Buy now

3. Simple Kind To Skin Soothing Facial Scrub: 2.30, Boots

The Simple brand is a pioneer in affordable, natural and nourishing skin care. This product is neither highly fragranced nor overly moisturising, so it's the best choice for sensitive skin. The ratio of rice grains to facial wash allows it to be an effective scrub on the oilier T-zone, as well as areas that need a more gentle scrub, like the cheeks. The small, lightweight bottle is easy to use and makes this a great product for travel.

Buy now

4. Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant: 41.75, John Lewis

This isn't built like your average facial exfoliator (for example grains within a gel or a cream), it's actually just the grains alone, which you pour into your hands like a salt shaker. When you add water, the rice-based powder is activated into an extremely fine, creamy exfoliator. Our favourite aspect was that you could control the consistency depending on how much water you added. Perhaps not the best product for the shower, but it's perfect for the more break-out prone skin types. It glided onto the skin easily and left it feeling velvety soft, without any irritation. As the Dermalogica brand is primarily geared towards those with problematic skin, it's best to only use this product once a week.

Buy now

5. Espa Refining Skin Polish: 28.00, John Lewis

Espa products offer spa-like skincare at home. This beautifully scented, luxurious little jar is no exception. With highly delicate grains, this was by far the best product for very dry skin, which requires gentle but intense exfoliation. You only need a tiny amount to create a really effective skin polish, so this pot will last. Espa also provides an informative online skin e-clinic, which can advise you on any of your complexion concerns.

Buy now

6. Bobbi Brown Buffing Grains for Face: 32.00, John Lewis

Bobbi Brown gets the prize for the most fun product to use. Formulated with Japanese adzuki bean powder (an alternative to microbeads), these grains can be added to your regular cleanser to transform it into an exfoliator, which means it's great for the fussier customer, or simply mixed with water. The thick, vintage-looking glass jar, modelled on the type you might find a note rolled in, also adds a hint of luxury, but be warned, it's not the easiest product to dispense. Pour with caution.

Buy now

7. Alpha H Liquid Gold: 33.50, Look Fantastic

A cult favourite with celebrity make up artists and beauty editors alike, this liquid product has the Midas touch for skincare. Marketed as a 'resurfacing and firming lotion' rather than exfoliator, this product nevertheless achieved intense exfoliation and quick results. It's perfect for those who prefer not to scrub the face, or for skin complaints such as scarring and sun damage. Apply to your skin with a cotton pad every other night, allow it to sink in, tingling, and finish with a moisturiser.

Buy now

8. Sukin Oil Balancing + Charcoal Pore Refining Facial Scrub: 9.99, Holland & Barrett

Top selling Australian skin-care brand Sukin has, in our opinion, finally cracked that age old conundrum of how to deal with combination skin. Neither drying nor overly moisturising, this silky product is gentle enough to use as a daily cleanser, while balancing the complexion and minimising oiliness. It also detoxifies with the moringa extract (which is used to purify water in Africa, incidentally), and the dark charcoal adds an enjoyable spa vibe - that feeling of a 'proper' facial.

Buy now

Verdict

For a powerful and effective micro-dermabrasion in a bottle, invest in Kiehl's. The Espa skin refining polish looks, smells and feels delicious, while the Simple scrub is a great budget and chemical-free choice.
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Saint Laurent's new designer Anthony Vaccarello unveiled his new collection at Paris Fashion Week - but it was a singular glitter-adorned nip-slip that got everyone talking.

He one-upped the autumn/winter fashion trend for glittering clothes and accessories by featuring a model with her left breast exposed and her nipple covered in heart-shaped glitter.

For his spring/summer 2017 debut for the French house, Anthony Vaccarello took on full-frontal fashion with a collection teeming in sheer tops worn sans bra, and while many models sauntered down the Saint Laurent runway with their nipples on full display it was the glitter-covered nipple that made headlines.

Model Binx Walton wears a strapless, leather dress with an asymmetric fold that left her breast exposed

Model Binx Walton wore a strapless leather dress with an asymmetric fold that left her breast exposed - but rather than leaving it for the world to gawk over the designer opted to continue his adulation for all things sparkly with the addition of a glistening, heart-shaped pasty.

While other models sauntered down the runway with their nipples on full display it was a singular glitter adorned nip-slip that made headlines (Getty Images)

The divisive subject has been in the spotlight since 2014 with the release of a film called Free The Nipple, and a host of celebs fighting social media websites for taking down photos of them posing topless.

Earlier this year a residents association went as far as to sue the Colorado city of Fort Collins to allow bare breasts in public, saying that women should be able to show their breasts and nipples just as men do, without fear of arrest or prosecution.

The intention and inspiration behind the mono-boob dress is up for debate  perhaps it was an ode to Lil Kims 1999 VMA nipple cover  but what is certain is that Saint Laurents glittering nipple has made a case for a new era in the #freethenipple saga.
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BlackBerry is going to stop designing its own phone, bringing to an end one of the most iconic products of the internet era.

The company used to be the biggest and most important smartphone maker in the world. But it has said that it will now stop designing them itself, instead outsourcing that development to partners.

It brings to an end months of speculation about what BlackBerry would do with its smartphone business, which has been gradually overtaken by companies like Apple and Samsung.

It had tried other options, like using Googles Android operating system in phones that it built itself. But that doesnt appear to have worked.

"The company plans to end all internal hardware development and will outsource that function to partners," CEO John Chen said in a statement.

Recommended Read more Blackberry to ditch Classic keyboard smartphone

Closing down the part of its business that makes phones will help the company save on capital, it said. Instead, it will have other companies design and build them, removing the need for that investment.

BlackBerry hopes that it can instead revive itself by focusing on software, a focus that it says is now taking hold.

The BlackBerry was once a cultural phenomenon  inspiring the CrackBerry idea of people glued to their work email and communications. It also made its way into peoples personal lives, with BlackBerry Messenger becoming a central part of peoples communications in the mid-2000s.

But it didnt see the rise of more sophisticated, touch screen smartphones like those made by Samsung and Apple. Sales gradually died off and, despite frenzied attempts to catch up, it never recovered.

Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Show all 8 1 /8 Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Nokia 5110 (1998) Targeted at the business market, the 5110 was one of the first handsets to feature the classic game Snake Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Nokia 6810 (2004) Flipping this phone into gear might have looked like you were getting to grips with a butterfly knife, but the 6810 offered a full QWERTY keyboard in a candybar format. Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Nokia N95 (2007) It was the most powerful smartphone when it was released, with a sliding keyboard, GPS, 5-megapixel camera , FM Radio, Bluetooth, Mp3 player and fully-functional 3G web browser. This still has respectable specs even in 2014. Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Nokia 3310 (2000) Along with its 1999 predecessor the Nokia 3210, the 3310 is one of the best-selling phones of all time. It came with a range of tools including stop watch and calculator and - more importantly - had three games: Pairs II, Space Impact, Bantumi and Snake II. It also allowed texting to really take off by allowing for texts three times longer than standard. Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Nokia 1110 (2005) The best selling phone of all time - even Apple doesn't come close - shifted an estimated 250 million units worldwide. Cheap, easy to use, nearly bullet-proof and battery for weeks. What's not to like? Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Nokia 8810 (1998) Notable for its mostly-chrome construction, the 8810 had a whip-smart slider and was the first mobile to come with an internal antenna. Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Nokia N-Gage (2002 More often found in the rogues' gallery than a best-of list, the N-Gage was Nokia's attempt to make a combined mobile and handheld game console. It, um, failed - badly. Partly because the old 'jack of all trade, master of none' adage is pretty relevant in tech, and also because you had to hold it side on to your head to use it as a phone. Nokia's greatest hits: indestructible and inimitable Nokia 7600 (2004) Nokia's weird years make even the hardiest rebel look like a milquetoast. The 7600 was an appeal to the fashionable youth who understandably turned their nose up at it being young - not unhinged.

As such, it joins Nokia as a once iconic brand now consigned to history. BlackBerrys death happened perhaps more gradually  going from being second in the phone market behind Nokia in 2009, when it controlled 20 per cent of the market, to much less than 1 per cent now.
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The medical team encircled Mackenzie Hilds bed, their somber expressions reflecting the gravity of the news they were about to impart to the Harvard sophomore and her mother, newly arrived from California.

Weve done all these tests, and theyre all normal, Hild recalls one doctor at the renowned Boston hospital telling them. To treat Hilds life-threatening weight loss, which the 19-year-old claimed was the result of searing abdominal pain triggered by eating, doctors were sending her to an inpatient center specializing in eating disorders.

Hild, who at 5-foot-3 then weighed 75 pounds, remembers weeping as she tried to explain that she didnt have anorexia. She desperately wanted to eat, she insisted, but couldnt.

I didnt know how to convince them this is not in my head, recalled Hild of the September 2010 encounter. And the more I tried to convince them, the crazier I sounded.

For the next five years, Hild would repeatedly confront the erroneous belief that her pain, which began soon after eating or drinking and lasted about four hours, was the result of stress, perfectionism, attention-seeking or just plain hunger. There were times I wasnt sure myself, she said.

Exhaustive testing and treatment at several of the nations most prominent hospitals failed to uncover a physical explanation. Removing her gallbladder didnt help. For five years  while attending college, during two summers working on Navajo reservations and a 10-month fellowship in South Africa  Hild was kept alive by a feeding tube. She tried to avoid focusing on what seemed a near-impossibility: an explanation for the relentless pain and a treatment that would vanquish it.

Last year, an extraordinary confluence of events would make both a reality.

The catalyst was a chance meeting between Hilds parents and a medical school professor on a remote hiking trail in Californias Sierra Nevada.

Intrigued by Hilds case, he asked a fourth-year medical student to review it. The tenacious student zeroed in on an overlooked clue buried in Hilds voluminous file, then reached out to a surgeon in Chicago. In March 2015, the surgeon performed the 2 -hour operation that restored Hilds life.

Drug reaction?

Since childhood, Hild, now 26 and a second-year medical student at the University of Washington in Seattle, wanted to work in Africa as a doctor. In the summer of 2009 before entering Harvard, Hild spent three months at a rural clinic in Uganda. Within days of her arrival, her stomach began to hurt after she ate. Hild, who lost 15 pounds, suspected that an antimalarial drug was responsible.

Back home in rural Nevada City, Calif., and off the drug, the pain lessened but did not disappear. Because of Hilds travel history, she was tested for parasites. Tests were negative and she regained the lost weight. She spent the following summer in Rwanda working with HIV patients as part of the medical aid group Partners in Health.

When she got off the plane in August 2010, Hilds family was shocked. Always thin, she had lost 35 pounds  more than a third of her body weight  a consequence of stomach pain that had worsened dramatically. Doctors again tested her for numerous tropical diseases and she underwent a thorough work-up for HIV as well as serious digestive disorders, including Crohns disease. All tests were negative.

At school, her health worsened. A few weeks into her sophomore year, she went to the student health center. They said, Youre too skinny, were putting you in an ambulance, Hild said, recalling her admission to the Boston hospital.

After her confrontation with the medical team, Hild spent nearly a month in a unit for people with eating disorders. Despite intense pain, she managed to gain nearly 20 pounds. She took a medical leave and spent the year at home, seeing doctors in a futile attempt to determine the cause of the stabbing pain right below her diaphragm, which was accompanied by bouts of nausea.

In the spring of 2011, the pain was so debilitating that Hild opted for a feeding tube that snaked up her nose, down her throat, through her stomach and into her small intestine. Doctors hoped it would allow her gut to rest and enable her to resume eating.

When her weight reached 105 pounds, doctors approved her return to Harvard. I loved college, and I was desperate to go back, Hild said. But there was still no answer. And I was getting 100 percent of my nutrition delivered through my nose.

After months of tube feeding, her Boston gastroenterologist, who had ruled out anorexia, grew concerned that her stomach might start to atrophy. He urged her to consume small amounts, such as a few sips of a high-calorie nutritional drink, several times a week.

I would eat at 8 p.m. and for the next four hours would lie on my bed in a fetal position, she recalled. The feeding tube also caused repeated sinus infections and frequent hoarseness.

Hild was determined not to let her condition rule her life. She carried a full course load, did volunteer work with the homeless and had supportive friends who included her in their plans. In a nod to her major, Hild approached not eating as an anthropology experiment.

I got used to explaining it, she said, adding that it was amazing how much of college revolves around eating.

In May 2012, San Francisco surgeons replaced her feeding tube with a less conspicuous one implanted in her abdomen. They also removed Hilds gallbladder. The pain was undiminished.

Hild spent the next two summers doing medical work on reservations in Arizona and New Mexico. She saw a world-famous GI expert at a major medical center in the Midwest and spent a week there undergoing a regimen to speed digestion; it didnt help. I had high hopes that this would be the answer, she recalled. She began taking a new drug that enabled her to better manage the pain and nausea. I began to think that maybe someday Id get my stomach back.

Hild had always planned to take a year off before medical school and was eager to return to Africa. I sat down with my doctors [in Boston] and said, Which countries would you let me go to? They looked at me like I was crazy and then said, Okay, South Africa.  Her gastroenterologist helped arrange care for her with a specialist he knew in Cape Town. She departed a few days after her May 2014 graduation to work on a maternal mortality project in the impoverished townships.

A few months later, the serendipitous meeting that changed her life would take place more than 10,000 miles away.

Extraordinary coincidence

In August, Hilds parents struck up a conversation with a fellow hiker on a backcountry trail in the Sierras. He turned out to be a doctor at the University of California at San Francisco who specializes in advocating for patients with complex cases. The Hilds mentioned Mackenzie, and the doctor asked if he and a colleague might contact her. They were teaching a course on medical advocacy, and her case sounded promising.

Over the next few months, the doctors, along with student Jessica Gould, held a series of Skype chats with Hild.

I was flabbergasted that Mackenzie was so accomplished and so graceful despite her illness, recalled Gould, 29, now a family medicine resident at the University of California at Davis. And I remember feeling completely and totally intimidated. She had been seen by some of the top experts at some of the top hospitals in the country. What could I as a fourth-year medical student possibly offer?

With her professors, Gould devised a series of questions that would guide the inquiry. She then spent 50 hours chasing down leads, gathering thousands of pages of records from several hospitals and scouring medical databases.

Early on, Gould typed postprandial abdominal pain (pain after eating) into a medical search engine. One of the hits was a condition called MALS  median arcuate ligament syndrome. First described a century ago, MALS occurs when a band of connective tissue called the median arcuate ligament, which extends from the base of the diaphragm and crosses over the aorta, compresses the celiac artery, which supplies blood to the stomach and other organs.

While such compression is common  between 10 and 20 percent of the population has this anatomical variation  only 1 percent develop severe abdominal pain. A leading theory is that compression restricts normal blood flow to the digestive organs. Rapid weight loss or illness appears to be a trigger; MALS overwhelmingly affects females, sometimes young children. It is a diagnosis of exclusion based on symptoms and imaging, made after other disorders, including anorexia, have been ruled out.

Surgery to relieve the compression alleviates pain in 70 percent of cases, experts say, but there is no definitive way to tell who will benefit. Some doctors remain skeptical of the diagnosis.

Gould had never heard of MALS, but was struck by the similarities to Hilds symptoms. I thought, Oh, my gosh, this is what she has.  She soon discovered that MALS had been ruled out years earlier.

A few months later, after hitting multiple dead ends, Gould, at a professors suggestion, decided to take a second look. She emailed three prominent experts asking about testing required to check for MALS. The only response was from Christopher Skelly, chief of vascular surgery at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

Skelly agreed to review Hilds case. It did look like she had MALS, he said, after examining images from earlier tests that appeared to contradict the written report ruling it out.

During a January 2015 phone call, Skelly told Hild that he thought she had MALS and that surgery might help. She would need to meet with him and undergo additional testing as well as a psychiatric evaluation Skelly requires of all patients before surgery. And, he cautioned, the operation might not reduce her pain.

Skelly, who heads Chicagos MALS program and has operated on more than 200 patients, said he was struck by Hilds resilience. The psychological effects of dealing with chronic abdominal pain are really difficult, he said. Mackenzies ability to adapt and cope was amazing.

Hild was euphoric at the prospect of a diagnosis after six years of misery  and five years on a feeding tube. I made this crazy, spontaneous decision to fly to Chicago as soon as he could see me, she said. Four weeks later, testing confirmed Skellys suspicion. An earlier CT scan had been performed incorrectly, producing a false negative result.

My first reaction was complete disbelief, Hild recalled. I couldnt believe so many doctors had missed this. And I was just so happy to have an answer.

She underwent surgery March 18. The next day, Hild ate a spoonful of hospital scrambled eggs  and waited. When she felt no pain, she burst into tears. Hild battled weeks of postoperative nausea, which dissipated as her stomach grew accustomed to eating. Her pain has not returned.

Hild spent the summer in Kenya working on a clinical trial for the prevention of tuberculosis. I even gained two pounds, she said. She believes her ordeal has given her a totally different perspective on medicine and a new level of empathy I dont think I could have gotten any other way.

Gould, whom Hild calls her hero, said she is still surprised that her role as a mere med student was so pivotal. I think theres something to be said for an outside eye, she said.

The Washington Post
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Common painkillers used by millions of people in the UK are linked to an increased risk of heart failure, experts have said.

Non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen could increase the risk of being admitted to hospital with the heart problem, a study found.

Previous studies have linked the drugs to abnormal heart rhythm  which can cause heart failure  and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke if taken regularly.

The drugs  together with a sub-group of anti-inflammatories known as selective COX-2 inhibitors  are used to control pain and inflammation and are commonly taken by people with arthritis.

The new study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), used data for almost 10 million NSAIDs users from the UK, Netherlands, Italy and Germany, who started NSAID treatment between 2000 and 2010.

Overall, 92,163 hospital admissions for heart failure were identified among the group.

The study found that people who had taken any NSAID in the previous 14 days had a 19 per cent increased risk of hospital admission for heart failure compared with people who had used NSAIDs at any point in the past.

The risk of admission for heart failure increased for seven traditional NSAIDs (diclofenac, ibuprofen, indomethacin, ketorolac, naproxen, nimesulide, and piroxicam) and two COX 2 inhibitors (etoricoxib and rofecoxib).

The increased risk of hospital admission ranged from 16 per cent for naproxen to 83 per cent for ketorolac.

Researchers also found that the risk of heart failure doubled for diclofenac, etoricoxib, indomethacin, piroxicam, and rofecoxib used at very high doses, although they stressed this should be interpreted with caution.

Even medium doses of indomethacin and etoricoxib were associated with increased risk, the study said, but there was no evidence that celecoxib increased the risk of admission for heart failure at commonly-used doses.

The experts said their study offers further evidence that the most frequently used individual traditional NSAIDs and selective COX 2 inhibitors are associated with an increased risk of hospital admission for heart failure. Moreover, the risk seems to vary between drugs and according to the dose.

In an accompanying editorial, two Danish health researchers said that owing to the widespread use of NSAIDs, even a small increase in cardiovascular risk is a concern for public health.

They said the fact they can be bought over the counter in supermarkets further fuels the common misconception that NSAIDs are harmless drugs that are safe for everyone.

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Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: This large observational study reinforces previous research showing that some NSAIDs, a group of drugs commonly taken by patients with joint problems, increase the risk of developing heart failure.

It has been known for some years now that such drugs need to be used with caution in patients with, or at high risk of, heart disease. This applies mostly to those who take them on a daily basis rather than only occasionally.

Since heart and joint problems often co-exist, particularly in the elderly, this study serves as a reminder to doctors to consider carefully how they prescribe NSAIDs, and to patients that they should only take the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time. They should discuss their treatment with their GP if they have any concerns.

Figures from NHS Digital show that in 2015 there were 14,605,791 prescription items dispensed in England for NSAIDs.

The BMJ research was led by a team from the University of Milano-Bicocca in Italy.

PA
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Love is never straightforward, which means it can often take you by surprise.

As anyone who has been in love will know, the reasons why you fall in love are so far-reaching that they dont always make sense, you might not even know what they are yourself.

Hence why it can sometimes be difficult to identify the reasons why someone might fall in love with you.

Recommended Listen to the latest episode of Millennial Love

It could simply be that they find you attractive, funny and intelligent. But such things will only get you so far, given that true love tends to be prompted by something deeper than superficial qualities.

Perhaps you remind them of someone they love dearly, like a long-lost family member, or maybe its all of the small gestures you for for them without even realising.

We spoke to psychologists and dating experts to identify the seven surprising reasons why someone might fall in love with you.

The exposure effect

It might sound silly, but if you keep bumping into someone, you increase your chances of forming a relationship with them.

Its something known as the exposure effect, explains dating psychologist Madeleine Mason Roantree.

By simply being exposed to the same stimuli (this could be an object or a person), we are more likely to have a positive attitude towards that stimuli, she adds.

It is believed to be because of a sense of fluency or ease with which think about something. It explains why one might like a song after having heard it several times, despite not liking it initially. Simply crossing someones path enough times, whether that be bumping into them in the supermarket or passing by on the street, might initiate attraction.

Small gestures

You might think that true love means making grand dramatic gestures  think proposing at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Sure, if someone does something like that for you, it probably does mean they love you. But do not ignore the smaller and more tacit gestures, notes Matchs dating expert Hayley Quinn.

It could be remembering how someone likes their eggs in the morning, she says.

Kindness and consideration isnt something thats captured in a moment, its something thats continually demonstrated to us. Especially after a few false starts in relationships, someone might be pleasantly surprised by how consistently you show affection, and as a result may end up falling in love.

Standing by them

Being there for someone in the midst of a crisis is one of the most authentic forms of devotion.

Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Show all 19 1 /19 Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union The couples matched in matching Dundas on the red carpet. The actress wore a floor-length cardigan on top of the dress, which featured a high slit in the middle to show off her black high heels. Meanwhile, her husband wore a headpiece and black suit that matched Unions bejewelled look. (Credit too long, see caption) Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Tom Brady and Gisele Budchen The pair wore matching shades of pink on the red carpet. Bundchen looked chic in a pleated metallic pink gown by Diors Maria Grazia Chiuri. Meanwhile, the sportsman wore a velvet dark pink tuxedo. Getty Images Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz The couple contrasted with the light pink red carpet in matching green ensembles. Keys wore a hooded light green sequined dress for the occasion while her beau wore a dark green tuxedo jacket and black trousers. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez The newly-engaged couple stunned on the pink carpet. Lopez arrived with her fiance in a silver sequined-encrusted dress with a deep V-neck plunge and matching headpiece. Meanwhile, Rodriguez wore a pink suit. (Credit too long, see caption) Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner The pair looked like theyd just stepped out of a video game, with Jenner donning a purple wig and sheer lavender-coloured dress by Versace for the occasion. The reality stars ensemble featured matching coloured feathered sleeves, while her boyfriend wore a brown and black Dior military-inspired suit. Getty Images Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner The newly-married couple attended their first Met Gala together this year. The Game of Thrones star wore a Louis Vuitton two-piece ensemble, which had the appearance of a jumpsuit, with an oversized belt. Jonas, meanwhile, coordinated with his wifes look in a black suit that featured multi-coloured embelishments. Getty Images Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas Chopra looked every inch as regal as she did on her wedding day to Nick Jonas last year in this stunning silver Dior Haute Couture gown at the Gala. the dress featured feathered ruffles and a matching cape, and was paired with a silver crown and Chopard jewellery. Standing by her side was Jonas, who wore a white Dior Men tuxedo, Chopard jewellery and silver Christian Louboutin shoes. (Credit too long, see caption) Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet James Corden and Julia Carey The presenter and his wife matched in black and baby pink at the Gala. The comedian teamed his look with a matching neck tie, waist coat and patent black dress shoes. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Kim Kardashian and Kanye West Kim Kardashian-West and her husband caused a frenzy on the red carpet. The reality star wore a nude ensemble designed by Mugler, while her husband wore a black jacket and trousers. "This is the first time in 20 years that Mr. Mugler has designed for the House of Thierry Mugler," the media mogul told E! News' Zuri Hall on E!'s Live From the Red Carpet at the Met Gala. (Credit too long, see caption) Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Megalyn Echikunwoke and Chris Rock The duo posed side-by-side a pose on the Met Gala stairs. Echikunwoke wore a textured terracotta-coloured patterned dress for the occasion which featured a high neck and cascading mini dress that ran into an elongated train. Meanwhile, her beau kept things simple in a black tuxedo. AFP/Getty Images Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Zoe Saldana and Marco Perego The pair channelled disco glamour on the pink carpet at the event. The couple, who have been married for six years, looked effortlessly chid as Saldana teamed her sequined rust-coloured dress by Michael Kors with a matching necktie, sequinned satin clutch, snakeskin platform heels, and purple embellished glowers in her hair. Her husband, meanwhile, kept it causal in a black tuxedo with an open-collared white shirt. (Credit too long, see caption) Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Charles Melton and Camila Mendes Riverdale's Camila Mendes and Charles Melton attended their first Met Gala together this evening. Mendes wore a yellow feathered Prabal Gurung gown with a light blue bow tied around the back while her beau complemented her look in a dark Sies Marjan suit. Getty Images Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth The pair made their Met Gala pink carpet debut in coordinating looks. The singer wore a Saint Laurent sequin striped dress with a pair of sheer black dotted patterned leggings. Meanwhile, her husband wore a black suit that matched his wifes outfit, perfectly. Getty Images Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter turned things up a notch in their matching ensembles. The actor didnt hold back in his all-white suit and fedora, while his wife donned a strapless lilac-hued dress with oversized billowing sleeves. Getty Images Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Cole Sprouse and Lili Reinhart The Riverdale pair might have looked like theyd stepped from the pages of a childrens novel at tonights gala but their outfits surely packed a sartorial punch. Reinhart wore a blue strapless romper dress with oversized sleeves and a long train, while her beau wore a matching red sleeveless suit jacket and trousers that featured a floral motif. (Credit too long, see caption) Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian Williams stole the show on the night in a pair of neon yellow Nike trainers designed by Virgil Abloh and a bright yellow Versace floral-printed dress. She walked the red carpet with her husband of two years, who wore a black and white tuxedo. PA Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Baz Luhrmann, left, and Catherine Martin Director Baz Luhrmann and his wife Catherine Martin matched in various shades of pink. Martins look capitalised on the nights biggest trend feathers  with the detailing featuring on the hem of her cuff and trouser legs. Charles Sykes/Invision/AP Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Tommy Hilfiger and Dee Hilfiger Tommy Hilfiger and Dee Ocleppo showed their patriotic side, dressed in a stars and striped motif inspired by the US flag. (Credit too long, see caption) Couples on the Met Gala 2019 red carpet Kris Jenner and Corey Gamble Jenner looked almost unrecognisable in a blonde wig at the event, dressed in a custom jumpsuit and jacket from Tommy Hilfiger. Her partner, Corey Gamble, coordinated with Jenners look in a matching blue tuxedo. (Credit too long, see caption)

It could be that someone is going through a challenging time at work, if you are the person to stand by them and offer them support, it could be the start of something special.

You might find someone falls in love with you for the support you offer, says Quinn. However, its important to remember that this doesnt mean that you perpetually have to give to a relationship, and have no personal boundaries. Rather that when times get tough, you show a willingness to take one for the team: because you realise you are a team.

Independence

Interdependence is what builds a relationship, but what sparks that initial surge of attraction can often be independence, explains Quinn.

If you maintain your own life and priorities when you start dating someone, it shows that you have healthy boundaries for earning your trust  and this can be very attractive.

If, on the other hand, you meet someone and immediately start to question where things are going between you, it can put immense pressure on the relationship and actually put someone off.

Instead, focus on championing your independence and letting the relationship develop at its own pace, suggests Quinn.

It will create breathing room not only for the other person to become attached to you, but for you to make a wise decision as to who you form that attachment with.

You remind them of someone close to them

We feel safer and more comfortable with things or people we find are familiar, explains Mason-Roantree.

It might be that you remind them of a close friend or even an ex-partner, which is no bad thing so long as you ended amicably.

We find this familiarity appealing and can spark romantic feelings, Mason-Roantree adds.

If you possess features or mannerisms that someone has found attractive in someone else in the past, they are quite likely to feel an attraction towards you. This is probably where the notion of a type comes from.

Playfulness

People fall in love when they continually feel good in your company, says Quinn.

This is another good reason why you want to avoid distrust, cross-examination and over-analysis at the start of dating.

If you start to spend more time talking about the relationship than actually enjoying it, this is the anathema to romance. Instead, focus on enjoying your time together.

If someone continually feels nourished by your company they may fall in love with you. Positivity, playfulness and the ability to turn around a bad day, can all make someone yearn to be around you more.

How you treat others

Success in dating is not simply about how you treat your potential partner, but how you treat others around you.

In fact, sometimes thats when our best qualities are demonstrated, says Quinn, whether thats being polite to a waitress, or caring for our children.

A person who is looking to fall in love  not infatuation  should be less focused on superficial appearances, but very focused on how you engage with those around you, she adds.

So if youre a loving mum, a good citizen, or a loyal friend, these qualities can all make people fall for you.
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Theresa May repeatedly tried to interfere with a crucial Government report to put a negative slant on the effects of immigration ahead of the EU referendum, it has been alleged.

The former Home Secretary is accused of playing up the significance of benefits tourism - EU nationals coming to the UK to live on welfare - despite reliable evidence that it was only a small-scale problem.

Ms May also removed figures supporting EU immigration from the report, according to Liberal Democrat advisers working in the then Coalition Government.

The allegations have come to light after internal emails among Lib Dem immigration experts dating back to 2014 were leaked to The Guardian.

Referring to evidence from the Department of Work and Pensions - that benefits tourism was not a major issue - one adviser said: My impression is that Conservative secretaries of state are determined not to admit this.

A large amount of evidence supporting free movement was purportedly removed from the report under the Conservative ministers leadership, including a report by UCL that found EU migrants were 58 per cent less likely to live in social housing.

What experts have said about Brexit Show all 11 1 /11 What experts have said about Brexit What experts have said about Brexit Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond The Chancellor claims London can still be a world financial hub despite Brexit One of Britains great strengths is the ability to offer and aggregate all of the services the global financial services industry needs This has not changed as a result of the EU referendum and I will do everything I can to ensure the City of London retains its position as the worlds leading international financial centre. Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Yanis Varoufakis Greece's former finance minister compared the UK relations with the EU bloc with a well-known song by the Eagles: You can check out any time you like, as the Hotel California song says, but you can't really leave. The proof is Theresa May has not even dared to trigger Article 50. It's like Harrison Ford going into Indiana Jones' castle and the path behind him fragmenting. You can get in, but getting out is not at all clear Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Michael OLeary Ryanair boss says UK will be screwed by EU in Brexit trade deals: I have no faith in the politicians in London going on about how the world will want to trade with us. The world will want to screw you  that's what happens in trade talks, he said. They have no interest in giving the UK a deal on trade Getty What experts have said about Brexit Tim Martin JD Wetherspoon's chairman has said claims that the UK would see serious economic consequences from a Brexit vote were "lurid" and wrong: We were told it would be Armageddon from the OECD, from the IMF, David Cameron, the chancellor and President Obama who were predicting locusts in the fields and tidal waves in the North Sea" PA What experts have said about Brexit Mark Carney Governor of Bank of England is 'serene' about Bank of England's Brexit stance: I am absolutely serene about the  judgments made both by the MPC and the FPC Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Christine Lagarde IMF chief urges quick Brexit to reduce economic uncertainty: We want to see clarity sooner rather than later because we think that a lack of clarity feeds uncertainty, which itself undermines investment appetites and decision making Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Inga Beale Lloyds chief executive says Brexit is a major issue: "Clearly the UK's referendum on its EU membership is a major issue for us to deal with and we are now focusing our attention on having in place the plans that will ensure Lloyd's continues trading across Europe EPA What experts have said about Brexit Colm Kelleher President of US bank Morgan Stanley says City of London will suffer as result of the EU referendum: I do believe, and I said prior to the referendum, that the City of London will suffer as result of Brexit. The issue is how much What experts have said about Brexit Richard Branson Virgin founder believes we've lost a THIRD of our value because of Brexit and cancelled a deal worth 3,000 jobs: We're not any worse than anybody else, but I suspect we've lost a third of our value which is dreadful for people in the workplace.' He continued: "We were about to do a very big deal, we cancelled that deal, that would have involved 3,000 jobs, and thats happening all over the country" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Barack Obama US President believes Britain was wrong to vote to leave the EU: "It is absolutely true that I believed pre-Brexit vote and continue to believe post-Brexit vote that the world benefited enormously from the United Kingdom's participation in the EU. We are fully supportive of a process that is as little disruptive as possible so that people around the world can continue to benefit from economic growth" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Kristin Forbes American economist and an external member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England argues that the economy had been less stormy than many expected following the shock referendum result: For nowthe economy is experiencing some chop, but no tsunami. The adverse winds could quickly pick up  and merit a stronger policy response. But recently they have shifted to a more favourable direction Getty

The Liberal Democrats denied that they leaked the emails, but Tim Farron said: These emails show that the then Home Secretary did everything in her power to try and water down the positives of our membership of the EU to try and curry favour with a few backbench Tory MPs.

It worked for her in the long run, but Theresa May joins the band of Tory politicians who, for the last 30 years, have repeatedly done down our place in Europe for a tabloid headline.

Now the PM has to pick up the pieces."

The allegations surfaced after Sir Craig Oliver, David Camerons former Director of Communications, accused Ms May of betraying David Cameron by failing to back the campaign to stay in the EU wholeheartedly.

The immigration report is not the first Government assessment Ms May has been accused of interfering with. In April, former deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg accused Ms May and her aides of deleting sentences backed be scientific evidence from a report on drugs because they didnt like the conclusions.
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Apple is to establish a new London headquarters at Battersea Power Station, one of the citys most recognisable landmarks.

The tech giant will occupy about 500,000 sq ft of space across six floors of the central Boiler House from 2021, moving 1,400 employees there from eight offices around the capital.

It will account for 40 per cent of the developments total office space.

Recommended Read more Apple aims to revolutionise car industry with McLaren approach

Apple currently has 2,530 staff in total in London, including about 1,100 working in its stores.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said the deal is a sign that London is open to the biggest brands in the world and the leading city for trade and investment.

The move follows a multi-billion-pound restoration of the former power station, which has stood unoccupied for decades on the banks of the River Thames.

In a statement to the London Evening Stantard, Apple said it was looking forward to the opening of its new campus.

Outrageous property deals in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Outrageous property deals in pictures Outrageous property deals in pictures The Park Lane townhouse set to become one of the UK's most expensive student flats at 4,000 a week A town house situated in Park Lane, one of the most affluent places in London, is about to become the capitals most expensive student residence. Most of London students usually live in halls of residence before moving on to house-share. For this reason it is fair to say few will able to afford the 3,540 square foot three-bedroom flat, which is available for 4,000 a week, 16,000 per month or 192,000 per year. Wetherell Outrageous property deals in pictures London's most expensive flat goes on sale at Buckingham Palace near Buckingham Palace priced at 150m A luxury flat in Londons historic Admiralty Arch, which overlooks Buckingham Palace, could sell for up to 150 million. If sold for that price, the 15,000 sq ft apartment will become London's most expensive flat, topping One Hyde Park, a flat which sold for 140 million in 2014.The Grade I listed property boasts 12 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms Outrageous property deals in pictures Little White House inside the US embassy complex in London goes on sale for 2.5m A luxury home inside the US embassy complex has gone on sale for 2.5m. The property is said to be the most protected home in Britain and any visitor is asked to carry an identity card at all times. The complex has patrolling US marines, a 24-hour British police presence, checkpoints, anti-tanks blocks and CCTV.But potential buyers looking for a fortress should not get their hopes up as all the security will disappear once the US embassy moves to a new site in Nine Elms in 2017. The home, located at 4 Blackburnes Mews near Grosvenor Square, dates back to 1732 and owes its nickname to its white facade, grand entrance and sweeping staircase as well as its proximity to the US embassy. It provides nearly 3,000 sq ft of living space and benefits from access to communal gardens. Wetherell Outrageous property deals in pictures First London luxury flats to contain their own private art gallery with prices going from 3.8m up to 7.7m The first private luxury apartment building in London with its own private art gallery has been unveiled in March. The Chilterns at 24 Paddington Street contains 44 luxury residences, the majority of which were sold in 2013. It contains a signature restaurant, a 24 hour-hotel style concierge service, a gymnasium and sauna and a private cinema. The new art gallery, with original pictures of the area by David Bailey, is part of the lobby of the building and is one of the most exciting and unique features of the Chilterns, according to Stephen Conway, CEO of Galliard Homes. With prices going from 3.8 million up to 7.7 million for a three bedroom flat, the residence is located between the local shops of Marylebone High Street and Baker Street. Outrageous property deals in pictures Margaret Thatcher's Belgravia home is up for sale for 30m Margaret Thatchers six-floor townhouse in Belgravia is on the market for a cool 30 million. The Grade II listed building on No. 73 Chester Square, one of Londons most prestigious addresses, now boasts a lift, a newly constructed mews house with a roof terrace and a private garage after a three-year refurbishment by Leconfield, a development and construction company. Some features from Thatchers time at the property remain. The layout and design of the formal dining room and interlinking study on the ground floor has been reinstated exactly as the Iron Lady had it during her 22 years at the property, from 1991 until her death in 2013. Outrageous property deals in pictures Tiny London house that is just 10ft wide goes on market for 800,000 A tiny terraced house that measures no more than 10ft wide has gone on the market in south London for a staggering 800,000. The house, generally labelled "unique" by estate agent Foxtons, looks all the more unusual because it is sandwiched between two regular-sized homes. It doesn't even have a proper back door - images of the interior suggested renovators had sought to maximise the property's space by including a folding aperture to the similarly narrow back garden. Outrageous property deals in pictures The Mayfair penthouse that sold for 30 million A Mayfair penthouse on Albemarle Street, one of Mayfair's oldest roads, sold to a mystery buyer for 30 million in December. The 5,845 sq ft, three-bedroom family home is thought to be one of the most expensive properties sold in the capital this year, and comes with an annual service charge of 61,000. supplied by Estate agent Peter Wetherell Outrageous property deals in pictures The dilapidated pre-fab 'shed' sold for nearly 1 million A pre-fabricated bungalow in south-east London has sold at auction for just under 1 million. The 1950s property in Peckham comes with 0.6 acres of land, is in need of renovation and has no fitted bathroom, but still sold for 950,000. A guide price of 590,000 was initially set, but increased rapidly during the bidding. Google Maps Outrageous property deals in pictures The starter home flats that went for a combined 60 million Some 215 affordable starter homes, specifically designed for first time buyers, sold out in just three hours in November, after dozens of aspiring homeowners camped overnight and queued in bad weather to get their hands on the flats. The starter home flats at Trinity Square by Galliard Homes went for a combined 60 million, or an average of 700 per sq ft. Londoners looking for affordable housing did not hesitate to camp out for up to two days to snag a flat, despite the fact that the project will not be complete for another two years. Galliard Outrageous property deals in pictures The longest lateral flat where H.G wells hosted a book club: yours for 3.65m The 2,200 square foot apartment in Chiltern Court in Marylebone was also home to author Arnold Bennett and political cartoonist David Low. Now on the market for 3.65 million through Rokstone agency, the four-bedroom flat has been refurbished into a luxury apartment, providing an exceptional 40 meter window frontage and depth. It claims to be the longest and most outstanding lateral flat - ones that stretch the full width of a building, or sometimes across two buildings - currently for sale in Londons West End. Rokstone Outrageous property deals in pictures Gatti House: the flats with celebrity links and private "pizza" lift that sold for a collective 16.5 million Celebrity links, a famous history and a private pizza lift has helped set a new record for price per square foot for a block of flats in central London. The four flats have sold for a collective 16.5 million at Gatti House on Londons Strand. Gatti House, a magnificent grade II building built in 1867, was sold as four separate apartments priced from 2.95 million to 5.95 million by CBRE Residential and Beauchamp, which has completed the last remaining sale. CBRE Residential and Beauchamp Outrageous property deals in pictures Londons most expensive office A newly refurbished office in the heart of Mayfair measuring 6,000 sq ft was unveiled by Enstar Capital in October. At 500 per sq ft, it is set to be the most expensive commercial fit out ever undertaken in the West End, according to the developer. The workspace on 54 Brooks Mews features gold-plated executive washrooms inspired by Armani-hotel in Italy, timber flooring imported from a 16th century monastery in Tuscany and an Art Deco entrance restored with a new 54 entrance logo replicating Steve Rubells famous studio 54 nightclub logo from the seventies. While the directors floor include a rooftop terrace dressed with loungers and an outside meeting and dining table. Enstar Capital Outrageous property deals in pictures Former garage in Mayfair become worlds most expensive mews house at 24m in Mayfair In September, the worlds most expensive mews house, in Reevews Mews, sold to a Qatari buyer for an eye-watering 24 million. Outrageous property deals in pictures A penthouse where you canoe from your front door, yours for 16.95 million London luxury dockside complex located on Chelsea creek is due for completion by the end of 2016. But its luxury flats are already on sale including this penthouse yours for 16.95 million. Its future residents will be able to slip down the river for a work out on the water at anytime of the day. Outrageous property deals in pictures The only property in London too expensive for the citys super-rich property buyers A 45 bed-room mansion near Hyde Park, previously owned by a Saudi Prince, received a private bid for 280 million. If accepted this would have made the property he most expensive single home ever to be sold in Britain. It was originally listed with an asking price of 300 million more than double the price of the UKs second most expensive home.

This is a great opportunity to have our entire team working and collaborating in one location while supporting the renovation of a neighbourhood rich with history, a spokesperson for the company said.

Battersea Power Station is owned by Malaysian shareholders Sime Darby, SP Setia and The Employees Provident Fund (EPF).

Apples main European headquarter will remain in Ireland, where it employs 4,000 people.
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BHS to relaunch online a month after last high street stores close

British Home Stores is set to relaunch online on Thursday  a month after the last of its high street shops shut down  with 23 UK suppliers and 84 employees.

The business, a staple of British shopping, went into administration in April and the company was wound down when a buyer could not be found.

Now BHS International, formed by the Al Mana Group, is relaunching the iconic brand, allowing shoppers to make purchases on a new website.

Recommended Read more Former BHS boss Darren Topp to lead fashion chain LK Bennett

From Thursday morning, BHS.com will sell a range of lighting, bedroom and bathroom products.

The company said all launch suppliers were based in the UK, and 84 employees were based primarily in London.

It has also partnered with Ascenos, a British call centre firm with a team based in Glasgow.

Kitchen, dining and clothing ranges were set to go on sale next month.

BHS said the launch products made up around three-quarters of the most popular online items sold by the retailer before it went into administration.

BHS International managing director David Anderson said: A huge amount of work has gone into rebuilding and launching BHS back into the UK as an online retailer.

With a loyal British customer base of well over one million people and the fact that we have secured contracts with so many leading suppliers who are providing products that were among the most popular with our shoppers, we are in the best possible position for launch.

The collapse of BHS affected 11,000 jobs, 22,000 pensions, and sparked a lengthy parliamentary inquiry.

PA

British Airways forms joint business with investor Qatar Air

British Airways parent IAG and its largest shareholder Qatar Airways agreed to set up a joint business that will see them code-share on flights linking dozens of destinations while operating a joint timetable and sharing revenue and costs on services between London and Doha.

The deal, which comes into effect on 30 October, will see British Airways attach its code to Qatar flights beyond Doha to destinations in countries including Pakistan, Ethiopia, Iraq and Vietnam, with the Gulf carrier doing likewise on the UK airlines operations to cities across the UK and continental Europe.

The companies said Wednesday theyll also code-share on their flights between Britain and Qatar, including seven daily trips between London and Doha, which will essentially become joint services. Regulatory authorities have been informed of plans to operate single timetables and set common fares.

Qatar Airways last month lifted its IAG holding to 20 per cent, taking advantage of a slump in London-based groups share price following Britains vote to leave the European Union.

Qatar first took a stake last year after its Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker became close to IAG counterpart Willie Walsh, who had backed the Gulf carriers bid to join the Oneworld global alliance.

Bloomberg

Sainsbury's sales weaken as UK grocery price war takes toll

Sainsbury's reported slightly weaker sales as it offered customers fewer promotions on food and endured its first ever quarterly decline in clothing revenue.

Same-store sales fell 1.1 per cent, excluding fuel, in the 16 weeks ended 24 September, the London-based company said on Wednesday. That compares with the median analyst estimate for a 1 per cent drop and the previous quarters 0.8 per cent decline.

The figures show that Britains mainstream grocers continue to struggle in the face of an onslaught from discounters Aldi and Lidl.

Like industry leader Tesco, Sainsbury is reducing the number of promotional deals and offering lasting discounts on items such as pizza and nappies as it simplifies pricing and seeks to narrow the gap to the budget chains.

The company is also reducing its reliance on food, this month completing the purchase of the Argos general-merchandise chain for 1.4bn.

The brand has come down to earth with a bump, John Ibbotson, director of researcher Retail Vision, said. The abolition of multi-buy promotions and the introduction of simpler pricing looks distinctly underwhelming in the current brutal market conditions.

Sainsbury shares fell 0.4 per cent to 251.9 pence in London on Wednesday. The decline in sales was driven by food price deflation, Coupe said in a statement, adding that transaction and volume numbers rose in the quarter.

The CEO said he expects the market to remain competitive, with Aldi declaring this week it will cut prices further if necessary.

Bloomberg

SABMiller shareholders approve megabrew takeover deal by Budweiser brewer

Shareholders of beer giant SABMiller have given the green light to the firm's 79bn takeover by Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev, paving the way for the biggest deal in UK corporate history.

SABMiller said investors backed AB InBevs 45-a-share offer, which was upped from 44-a-share in July following the collapse in the value of the pound after the Brexit vote.

The record-breaking deal  dubbed megabrew  is now set to complete on 10 October, creating a brewing giant with a raft of some of the worlds biggest beer brands.

The two largest shareholders in SABMiller  cigarette maker Altria Group and the wealthy Santo Domingo family of Colombia, which together control around 40 per cent of shares  were excluded from the vote but had already pledged their support for the deal.

Investors in Belgium-based AB InBev also approved the takeover at a meeting in Brussels earlier on Wednesday.

AB InBev said it welcomed the shareholder backing.

Carlos Brito, chief executive of AB InBev, who will also lead the merged group, said the deal will combine the two firms teams, strong heritage and passion for brewing.

AB InBev also confirmed the combined group will be called AB InBev after the merger.

Deutsche Post hits at Royal Mail with 243m deal

Deutsche Post agreed to buy independent British letter and parcel delivery service UK Mail Group in an effort to boost its presence in a market dominated by former state behemoth Royal Mail.

Deutsche Post will pay 440 pence per UK Mail share, valuing the deal at 242.7m, excluding debt, the Bonn, Germany-based company said on Wednesday.

Thats a premium of 43 per cent to Tuesdays closing price.

Deutsche Post is seeking to extend its reach across Europe to tap surging demand for non-express deliveries as more people order household items online. It bought a stake in Relais Colis of France in January and has parcels operations in 18 European countries, though lacks UK exposure after express-package unit DHL sold its UK domestic operations in 2010.

While UK Mail has only a 5 per cent share of the regular UK parcels market dominated by Royal Mail, it has successfully shifted from a business-to-business to more consumer-oriented focus in line with demand, said Andy Jones and Damian Brewer, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets in London.

It also offers high delivery visibility, with live tracking and one-hour arrival slots, and tends to carry higher value items.

In the diminishing letters market, UK Mail and Whistl, a former unit of PostNL that was subject to a management buyout last year, together account for about 45 per cent of volumes in terms of collection and sorting, though Royal Mail still makes almost all final deliveries under a state requirement, RBC said.

Bloomberg

TUI withstands Turkey shock as full-year earnings edge higher

TUI, Europes largest tour operator, said full-year earnings will probably beat its forecast after the company managed to keep its hotels and cruise ships full this summer even with a shift in business from the eastern to western Mediterranean prompted by terrorism attacks in Turkey.

Underlying earnings before interest, taxes and amortization in the year ending 30 Sept will rise by 12 per cent to 13 per cent at constant currencies, Hanover, Germany-based TUI said on Wednesday in a statement.

That compares with an earlier prediction of at least 10 per cent growth. Sales and customer numbers from its source markets rose 1 per cent as prices remained flat. Excluding travel to Turkish destinations, bookings from those markets advanced 7 per cent.

The 2016 summer season was a particularly challenging time for tourism companies and airlines, Chief Executive Officer Fritz Joussen said in the statement. Were very strong in the Mediterranean. Were investing in the Caribbean and Southeast Asia and in the expansion of our cruise ship fleet. This diversity makes our risks manageable.

Tour operators rushed to shift airline seats and hotel reservations away from Turkey early this year after terrorist attacks and a failed coup made the country less attractive for vacationers, following similar incidents involving popular tourist sites in Tunisia and Egypt.

TUIs performance contrasts with smaller UK rival Thomas Cook Group, which said on Tuesday that its prices and bookings in summer each fell 4 per cent, following a profit forecast cut in July.

Bloomberg
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Post-Brexit trade barriers imposed on the UK car industry if the right deal is not reached would "frankly be disastrous", a senior executive at Jaguar Land Rover has warned.

Hanno Kirner, executive director at JLR, which is owned by Tata Group, based in India, issued the stark warning at a joint Government-industry Great Britain event, ahead of the Paris Motor Show.

Mr Kirner was speaking openly for many in the industry, including component makers, who talk privately about the danger of jobs going abroad if membership or strong access to the single market is curtailed after Brexit.

Recommended Read more The true cost of Brexit without a free trade deal

He added that tariffs would add to the cost and the complication of integrated cross-border supply chains and would "damage business and British jobs".

JLR is Britain's biggest exporter of any kind to China. It employs 42,000 directly, and invests 3.5bn a year in the UK.

If Britain failed to conclude a free trade deal with the rest of the EU and was forced to fall back on basic World Trade Organisation rules, British car exporters could face tariffs of up to 10 per cent. Both the Brexit Secretary, David Davis, and the International Trade Secretary, Liam Fox, have in recent weeks conceded that WTO rules for the UK could be the ultimate outcome.

Some 57 per cent of the 1.6 million cars made in Britain find buyers in the rest of the EU. The next largest market is the US (12 per cent), followed by China (7 per cent).

UK car exports

SMMT

Much the same goes for engines and commercial vehicles. About a million jobs depend on the UK auto industry.

Under an azure sky, with the Eiffel Tower as the backdrop, the British motor industry put a brave face on Brexit and displayed some of their finest wares ahead of the Paris Motor Show.

As with Mr Kirner, they were there to remind the world, and especially the Government ministers, diplomats and trade officials present, that the British car industry is healthy and well, but worried about Britain leaving the EU.

Lined up were vehicles made by a remarkably diverse and cosmopolitan industry. Each represented a sizeable chunk of the jobs and prosperity of the communities that host them: the new Hona Civic (Swindon); the Mini (Oxford); Nissan Qashqai (Sunderland); Vauxhall Astra (Ellesmere Port); Toyota Auris (Burnaston); Jaguar F-Pace (Solihull); Aston Martin DB11 (Gaydon); McLaren 570S (Woking).

Mark Garnier, the junior minister at the newly constituted Department for International Trade, said he recognised the importance of zero-tariff access for the industry in Europe and that the firms "need to get the engineers you need" for "an incredible jewel".

What experts have said about Brexit Show all 11 1 /11 What experts have said about Brexit What experts have said about Brexit Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond The Chancellor claims London can still be a world financial hub despite Brexit One of Britains great strengths is the ability to offer and aggregate all of the services the global financial services industry needs This has not changed as a result of the EU referendum and I will do everything I can to ensure the City of London retains its position as the worlds leading international financial centre. Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Yanis Varoufakis Greece's former finance minister compared the UK relations with the EU bloc with a well-known song by the Eagles: You can check out any time you like, as the Hotel California song says, but you can't really leave. The proof is Theresa May has not even dared to trigger Article 50. It's like Harrison Ford going into Indiana Jones' castle and the path behind him fragmenting. You can get in, but getting out is not at all clear Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Michael OLeary Ryanair boss says UK will be screwed by EU in Brexit trade deals: I have no faith in the politicians in London going on about how the world will want to trade with us. The world will want to screw you  that's what happens in trade talks, he said. They have no interest in giving the UK a deal on trade Getty What experts have said about Brexit Tim Martin JD Wetherspoon's chairman has said claims that the UK would see serious economic consequences from a Brexit vote were "lurid" and wrong: We were told it would be Armageddon from the OECD, from the IMF, David Cameron, the chancellor and President Obama who were predicting locusts in the fields and tidal waves in the North Sea" PA What experts have said about Brexit Mark Carney Governor of Bank of England is 'serene' about Bank of England's Brexit stance: I am absolutely serene about the  judgments made both by the MPC and the FPC Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Christine Lagarde IMF chief urges quick Brexit to reduce economic uncertainty: We want to see clarity sooner rather than later because we think that a lack of clarity feeds uncertainty, which itself undermines investment appetites and decision making Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Inga Beale Lloyds chief executive says Brexit is a major issue: "Clearly the UK's referendum on its EU membership is a major issue for us to deal with and we are now focusing our attention on having in place the plans that will ensure Lloyd's continues trading across Europe EPA What experts have said about Brexit Colm Kelleher President of US bank Morgan Stanley says City of London will suffer as result of the EU referendum: I do believe, and I said prior to the referendum, that the City of London will suffer as result of Brexit. The issue is how much What experts have said about Brexit Richard Branson Virgin founder believes we've lost a THIRD of our value because of Brexit and cancelled a deal worth 3,000 jobs: We're not any worse than anybody else, but I suspect we've lost a third of our value which is dreadful for people in the workplace.' He continued: "We were about to do a very big deal, we cancelled that deal, that would have involved 3,000 jobs, and thats happening all over the country" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Barack Obama US President believes Britain was wrong to vote to leave the EU: "It is absolutely true that I believed pre-Brexit vote and continue to believe post-Brexit vote that the world benefited enormously from the United Kingdom's participation in the EU. We are fully supportive of a process that is as little disruptive as possible so that people around the world can continue to benefit from economic growth" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Kristin Forbes American economist and an external member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England argues that the economy had been less stormy than many expected following the shock referendum result: For nowthe economy is experiencing some chop, but no tsunami. The adverse winds could quickly pick up  and merit a stronger policy response. But recently they have shifted to a more favourable direction Getty

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, added that the current access to markets and talent would be "not easy to replace". Tariffs in an industry where components cross more than one border through manufacturing would be "administratively hellish" as one industry insider put it.

Though the topic was much less talked about, the free movement of labour is just as important to car companies with a global presence and headquartered in Japan, Germany, India and the US. The companies, especially the German ones, need to move their managers, engineers and staff around with a minimum of hassle. They do not, they admit, want their chief designer waiting in a queue for a work permit.

All the companies put on a united front at Paris, but there was no mistaking their anxiety. As models become due for replacement and big investment decisions loom, most agree that the UK's relationship with the EU will be a vital consideration in the next few years.
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Britains rise in the league table of the worlds most competitive economies could be undermined by the countrys vote to leave the EU, according to the World Economic Forum.

The group, best known for organising its annual meeting of business, government and civil society leaders in Davos, ranks countries on how competitive their economies are.

According to its latest Global Competitiveness report, Britain has surged by three positions ranking seventh for the year 2016-2017.

Recommended Read more The true cost of Brexit without a free trade deal

However, the WEF warned that the UKs score was based on data collected prior to the EU referendum in June, meaning the effect of the Brexit vote has not been taken into consideration.

The WEF said: Although the process and the conditions of Brexit are still unknown, it is likely to have a negative impact on the United Kingdoms competitiveness through goods and financial markets as well as market size and, potentially, innovation.

Our analysis, therefore, is that there is a clear downside risk to the UK economy from leaving the European Union, with only limited potential for upside, at least in the short term.

(WEF)

Switzerland maintained its place at the top of the ranking, followed by Singapore and the United States.

Despite the warning, the UK is currently the most attractive EU destination for talent. It was also hailed for its strong connection to the international economy.

The Chancellor, Philip Hammond said: Todays report demonstrates our ability to sharpen our edge and improve our competitiveness. This Government will build on that progress, as we demonstrate to the world that Britain continues to be highly competitive and open for business.

The report comes as the Government is preparing for negotiations to pull Britain out of the EU.

What experts have said about Brexit Show all 11 1 /11 What experts have said about Brexit What experts have said about Brexit Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond The Chancellor claims London can still be a world financial hub despite Brexit One of Britains great strengths is the ability to offer and aggregate all of the services the global financial services industry needs This has not changed as a result of the EU referendum and I will do everything I can to ensure the City of London retains its position as the worlds leading international financial centre. Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Yanis Varoufakis Greece's former finance minister compared the UK relations with the EU bloc with a well-known song by the Eagles: You can check out any time you like, as the Hotel California song says, but you can't really leave. The proof is Theresa May has not even dared to trigger Article 50. It's like Harrison Ford going into Indiana Jones' castle and the path behind him fragmenting. You can get in, but getting out is not at all clear Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Michael OLeary Ryanair boss says UK will be screwed by EU in Brexit trade deals: I have no faith in the politicians in London going on about how the world will want to trade with us. The world will want to screw you  that's what happens in trade talks, he said. They have no interest in giving the UK a deal on trade Getty What experts have said about Brexit Tim Martin JD Wetherspoon's chairman has said claims that the UK would see serious economic consequences from a Brexit vote were "lurid" and wrong: We were told it would be Armageddon from the OECD, from the IMF, David Cameron, the chancellor and President Obama who were predicting locusts in the fields and tidal waves in the North Sea" PA What experts have said about Brexit Mark Carney Governor of Bank of England is 'serene' about Bank of England's Brexit stance: I am absolutely serene about the  judgments made both by the MPC and the FPC Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Christine Lagarde IMF chief urges quick Brexit to reduce economic uncertainty: We want to see clarity sooner rather than later because we think that a lack of clarity feeds uncertainty, which itself undermines investment appetites and decision making Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Inga Beale Lloyds chief executive says Brexit is a major issue: "Clearly the UK's referendum on its EU membership is a major issue for us to deal with and we are now focusing our attention on having in place the plans that will ensure Lloyd's continues trading across Europe EPA What experts have said about Brexit Colm Kelleher President of US bank Morgan Stanley says City of London will suffer as result of the EU referendum: I do believe, and I said prior to the referendum, that the City of London will suffer as result of Brexit. The issue is how much What experts have said about Brexit Richard Branson Virgin founder believes we've lost a THIRD of our value because of Brexit and cancelled a deal worth 3,000 jobs: We're not any worse than anybody else, but I suspect we've lost a third of our value which is dreadful for people in the workplace.' He continued: "We were about to do a very big deal, we cancelled that deal, that would have involved 3,000 jobs, and thats happening all over the country" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Barack Obama US President believes Britain was wrong to vote to leave the EU: "It is absolutely true that I believed pre-Brexit vote and continue to believe post-Brexit vote that the world benefited enormously from the United Kingdom's participation in the EU. We are fully supportive of a process that is as little disruptive as possible so that people around the world can continue to benefit from economic growth" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Kristin Forbes American economist and an external member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England argues that the economy had been less stormy than many expected following the shock referendum result: For nowthe economy is experiencing some chop, but no tsunami. The adverse winds could quickly pick up  and merit a stronger policy response. But recently they have shifted to a more favourable direction Getty

David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, admitted earlier this month that it was possible the UK could leave the EU without a deal and would be forced to trade with the rest of the continent under World Trade Organisation rules.

But Prime Minister Theresa May has refused to give a running commentary on what she wants to secure when formal Brexit negotiations start, probably early next year.

Her spokesman told a Westminster briefing that reports the Government was now set to pursue a hard Brexit, which would see the UK drifting away from cooperation with the rest of the EU, were speculation.

The damage to Britains goods exporters of leaving the EU without a new free trade deal in place would be at least 4.5bn a year, according to a recent analysis by The Independent.
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Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) will pay $1.1bn (846m) to settle National Credit Union Administration claims that it sold faulty mortgage-backed securities to US credit unions.

The agreement with RBS is among the largest in a series of settlements in which banks have paid hundreds of millions over accusations stemming from sales that contributed to the collapse of corporate credit unions after the 2008 financial crisis.

Tuesdays accord closes 2011 lawsuits filed in California and Kansas on behalf of two corporate credit unions, the NCUA said in a statement on Tuesday, and it follows an earlier RBS agreement to pay $129.6m to resolve similar lawsuits over two other credit unions.

NCUA is pleased with todays settlement and fully intends to stay the course in fulfilling its statutory responsibilities to protect the credit union system and to pursue recoveries against financial firms that we maintain contributed to the corporate crisis, chairman Rick Metsger said in a statement.

The NCUA, which regulates the credit-union industry, said it has recovered more than $4bn in related settlements.

RBS hasnt admitted fault in this or the earlier settlement. The lender said in a statement on Tuesday that the settlement cost was substantially covered by provisions its made, and it wont have a material impact on the banks capital.

RBS still faces mortgage securities disputes involving the Federal Housing Finance Agency and the Justice Department and may need to set aside more money, it said.

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The payouts  including UBSs new agreement over Western Corporate Federal Credit Union and US Central Federal Credit Union  are directed to a fund meant to handle claims stemming from the failures of five institutions that served the rest of the credit-union industry.

In other settlements late last year, the NCUA got $325m from Barclays, $225m from Morgan Stanley and $53m from Wells Fargo.

The agency is still pursuing Credit Suisse and UBS Group with similar complaints, it said.

Bloomberg
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After the news emerged Angelina Jolie was filling for divorce from Brad Pitt and Brangelina was no longer last week, the spotlight moved towards Jennifer Aniston.

Despite the fact, it had been over a decade since the couple divorced, tabloids, gossip columns and social media aficionados could not get enough of dragging Aniston back into the furore and hypothetically speculating about the Friends actress' reaction. Rising above the frivolous, inane and baseless gossip, Aniston has chosen to stay quiet.

Nevertheless, her husband, Justin Theroux has spoken out and argued it is absurd how much attention the divorce has garnered, suggesting that there are far more important things going on in the world to be focusing on.

 Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt: A timeline of their relationship

The actor and screenwriter, who has appeared in Mullholland Drive and written the screenplay for Zoolander 2, also lamented on the sad impact of the divorce on the children.

As a child of divorce all I can say is thats terrible news for those children and that's all you can really say, Theroux told Business Insider.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures Show all 35 1 /35 Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures May 2014 Actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt attend the World Premiere of Disney's "Maleficent" at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures November 2015 Actress/director Angelina Jolie Pitt and husband actor Brad Pitt arrive at the AFI FEST 2015 presented by Audi opening night gala premiere of Universal Pictures' "By The Sea" at the Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures June 2014 Angelina Jolie, Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and her partner actor Brad Pitt, look at displayed pictures of victims of violence during the third day of the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict in London. Pitt added his A-list support to his partner Angelina Jolie's efforts to eradicate rape in war zones when he joined her in a flashbulb-popping appearance at a global conference in London AFP/Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures March 2014 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie attend the Oscars held at Hollywood & Highland Cente in Hollywood Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures February 2014 Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt attend the EE British Academy Film Awards 2014 at The Royal Opera House in London Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures November 2013 Angelina Jolie, Maddox Jolie-Pitt and actor Brad Pitt arrive at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Governors Awards at The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures February 2012 Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt attend the Cinema for Peace Gala ceremony at the Konzerthaus Am Gendarmenmarkt during day five of the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival Getty Images for Cinema for Peac Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures January 2012 Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt arrive on the red carpet for the 69th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills AFP/Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures November 2011 Accompanied by their children, Brad Pitt and Angellina Jolie appear before photographers upon their arrival at Haneda Airport in Tokyo AFP/Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures May 2011 Brad Pitt and Angelina Joiie attend the Premiere of DreamWorks Animation's "Kung Fu Panda 2" at Mann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures May 2011 Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt attend "The Tree Of Life" premiere during the 64th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures November 2010 Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt (with camera) on the 'Romeo and Juliette' film set in Budapest, Hungary Rex Features Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures July 2010 Angelina Jolie and actor Brad Pitt arrive at the premiere of Sony Pictures' "Salt" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures December 2009 Brad Pitt Angelina Jolie and their son Maddox arrive at the premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures' and Spyglass Entertainment's "Invictus" at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Theater in Beverly Hills Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures May 2009 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie attend the Inglourious Basterds Premiere held at the Palais Des Festivals during the 62nd International Cannes Film Festival Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures January 2009 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie arrive at Narita International Airport with their children (L to R) Maddox, Vivienne, Zahara and Knox in Narita, Chiba, Japan Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures January 2009 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie pose on the red carpet for the German premiere of the film 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' in Berlin AFP/Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures December 2008 Angelina Jolie and actor Brad Pitt arrive at the premiere of Paramount's "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button" held at Mann's Village Theatre on Decemeber 8, 2008 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures May 2008 Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt pose as they arrive to attend the screening of US actor and director Clint Eastwood's film 'The Exchange' at the 61st Cannes International Film Festival AFP/Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures May 2008 Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt pose as they arrive for the screening of US directors John Stevenson and Mark Osborne's film 'Kung Fu Panda' at the 61st Cannes International Film Festival in Cannes AFP/Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures January 2008 Angelina Jolie and actor Brad Pitt attend the cocktail party during the 14th annual Screen Actors Guild awards held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures September 2007 Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt attend the The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford premiere on the Day 5 of the 64th Annual Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures May 2007 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie depart the premiere for the film 'Ocean's Thirteen' at the Palais des Festivals during the 60th International Cannes Film Festival Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures May 2007 Angelina Jolie poses as she arrives with actor and producer Brad Pitt at the Festival Palace in Cannes AFP/Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures May 2007 Angelina Jolie and her husband Brad Pitt, have a drink in a Prague restaurant "U Sevce Matouse" ("At Matous' Shoemaker") prior to the shooting of Jolie's new film "Wanted". The couple and their children Maddox, Pax Thien, Zahara and Shiloh Nouvel, arrived in Prague aboard a private plane. They are to spend five weeks in Prague AFP/Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures January 2007 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie arrive at the 64th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures January 2007 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie arrive at Newmarket Films premiere of "God Grew Tired of Us" at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures December 2006 Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt attend the World Premiere of "The Good Shepherd" presented by Universal Pictures at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures November 2006 Brad Pitt and his partner Angelina Jolie ride on a motorcycle on a busy street in downtown Ho Chi Minh city. Jolie and Pitt are expected to adopt a three-year-old Vietnamese AFP/Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures November 2006 Angelina Jolie holds daughter Zahara as husband Brad Pitt carries son Maddox during a stroll on the seafront promenade at the historic Gateway of India AFP/Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures June 2006 Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt give a press conference at a Swakopmund hotel. Hollywood's hottest couple became the proud parents of daughter Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt on 27 May in Namibia AFP/Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures January 2006 Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt leave Hotel Belvedere in Davos . UN goodwill ambassador Angelina Jolie was in Davos for the World Economic Forum AFP/Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures January 2006 Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt leaving the session opened by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan "A new Mindset for the UN" at the the World Economic Forum in Davos AFP/Getty Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures November 2005 Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, accompanied by Jolie's children, arrive at Narita Airport in suburban Tokyo) AFP/Getty Images Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt relationship in pictures June 2005 (L-R) Regency Enterprises' David Matalon, actor Brad Pitt, Producer Arnon Milchan, actress Angelina Jolie and News Corp. President/Chief operating officer Peter Chernin arrive at the premiere of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" at the Mann Village Theater in Westwood Getty Images

Its boring to sort of comment on anything else."

Theres [the public has] an endless appetite for trash, apparently, though everyone would say that they dont have that appetite, Theroux continued. But I think a lot of people do because people buy it. But there are bigger things to bitch about. Its shocking how much bandwidth things can take up when there are far more important things going on in the world.

Jolie's lawyer announced the actress had filed for divorce from Pitt on Tuesday 20 September. The pair officially got together in 2006 after appearing on Mr and Mrs Smith together and then married at Chateau Miraval in the French village of Correns in 2014.

Jolie requested physical custody and joint legal custody of their six children and asked for Pitt to be granted visitation rights. The pair has six children together.

Representatives of both Pitt and Jolie have been contacted for comment.
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Brad Pitt has said he will not appear at the premiere of his new film as he does not want the considerable amount of speculation over his divorce from Angelina Jolie to be a distraction.

Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt last week after two years of marriage and a ten-year relationship. The end of one of Hollywoods most celebrated couples, who have six children together, led to a furious cycle of news reports, interest and rumours.

Due to the high level of interest in his personal life at this time, the 51-year-old actor has chosen not to attend the screening of the new documentary Voyage of Time, which he narrates, in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

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Terrence [Malick]s Voyage of Time is an incredibly beautiful and unique experiential IMAX film for children and families chronicling the birth of time, he said in a statement seen by the Independent. Im very grateful to be part of such a fascinating and educational project but Im currently focused on my family situation and dont want to distract attention away from this extraordinary film, which I encourage everyone to see.

Shortly after reports of the divorce of Brangelina surfaced, allegations of an incident involving Pitt, his estranged wife and their children on board a private aeroplane also were reported. The FBI confirmed they are evaluating the alleged incident. Pitt denies any allegations of any abuse against his children, a source close to the actor has said.

Jolie, who listed the date of separation in her divorce filing as 15 September, is being represented by the Hollywood divorce lawyer Laura Wasser during proceedings.
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It would be fair to say Jeremy Corbyn and Donald Trump are at ideological loggerheads. While the Labour leader has today announced the party will not be cutting immigration and he isnt concerned about numbers, the Republican presidential candidate has previously said he plans to build a great, great wall along the border with Mexico.

Despite this, Ed Balls, the former shadow chancellor and now Strictly Come Dancing contestant, has likened the labour leader to Mr Trump because they have both achieved success via the protest vote.

However, Mr Corbyn has argued this is a very strange comparison to make, saying he has little in common with the mogul-turned politico.

The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Show all 11 1 /11 The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He called Hezbollah and Hamas friends True. In a speech made to the Stop the War Coalition in 2009, Mr Corbyn called representatives from both groups friends after inviting them to Parliament. He later told Channel 4 he wanted both groups, who have factions designated as international terror organisations, to be part of the debate for the Middle East peace process. I use (the word friends) in a collective way, saying our friends are prepared to talk, he added. Does it mean I agree with Hamas and what it does? No. Does it mean I agree with Hezbollah and what they do? No. Reuters The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn thinks the death of Osama bin Laden was a tragedy Partly false. David Cameron used this as a line of attack at the Conservative Party conference but appears to have left out all context from Mr Corbyns original remarks. In an 2011 interview on Iranian television, the then-backbencher said the fact the al-Qaeda leader was not put on trial was the tragedy, continuing: The World Trade Center was a tragedy, the attack on Afghanistan was a tragedy, the war in Iraq was a tragedy. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He is haunted by the legacy of his evil great-great-grandfather False. A Daily Express expose revealed that the Labour leaders ancestor, James Sargent, was the despotic master of a Victorian workhouse. Addressing the report at the Labour conference, Mr Corbyn said he had never heard of him before, adding: I want to take this opportunity to apologise for not doing the decent thing and going back in time and having a chat with him about his appalling behaviour. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn raised a motion about pigeon bombs in Parliament This one is true. On 21 May 2004, Mr Corbyn raised an early day motion entitled pigeon bombs, proposing that the House register being appalled but barely surprised that MI5 reportedly proposed to load pigeons with explosives as a weapon. The motion continued: The House believes that humans represent the most obscene, perverted, cruel, uncivilised and lethal species ever to inhabit the planet and looks forward to the day when the inevitable asteroid slams into the earth and wipes them out thus giving nature the opportunity to start again. It was not carried. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He rides a Communist bicycle False. A report in The Times referred to Mr Corbyn, known for his cycling, riding a Chairman Mao-style bicycle earlier this year. Less thorough journalists might have referred to it as just a bicycle, but no, so we have to conclude that whenever we see somebody on a bicycle from now on, there goes another supporter of Chairman Mao, he later joked. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn 'Jeremy Corbyn will appoint a special minister for Jews' False so far. The Sun report in December was allegedly based on a rumour passed to the paper by a Daily Express columnist who has written pieces critical of the Labour leader in the past. The minister did not materialise in his shadow cabinet. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn wishes Britain would abolish its Army False. Another gem from The Sun took comments made at a Hiroshima remembrance parade in August 2012 where Mr Corbyn supported Costa Ricas move to abolish it armed forces. Wouldnt it be wonderful if every politician around the worldabolished the army and took pride in the fact that they dont have an army, he added. The caveat that every politician must take the step suggests Mr Corbyn does not support UK disarmament just yet. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn stole sandwiches meant for veterans False. The Guido Fawkes blog claimed that the Labour leader took sandwiches meant for veterans at at Battle of Britain memorial service in September but a photo later emerged showing him being handed one by Costa volunteers, who later confirmed they were given to all guests. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He missed the induction into the Queens privy council True. After much speculation about Mr Corbyns republican views and willingness to bow to the monarch, his office confirmed that he did not attend the official induction to the privy council because of a prior engagement, but did not rule out joining the body. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn refuses to sing the national anthem. Partly true. The Labour leader was filmed standing in silence as God Save the Queen was sung at a Battle of Britain remembrance service but will reportedly sing it in future. Mr Corbyn was elusive on the issue in an interview, saying he would show memorials respect in the proper way, but sources said he would sing the anthem at future occasions. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He is a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cheese True. The group lists its purpose as the following: To increase awareness of issues surrounding the dairy industry and focus on economic issues affecting the dairy industry and producers.

I dont think Donald Trump and I have very much in common on anything, Mr Corbyn told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme on Wednesday.

However, when probed about whether he agreed there was a comparison to be made in the sense that both had broken expectations, he said: Leicester City did last year. Lots of people defy the odds. It was an interesting experience last year to see the thirst of people, it wasn't that they aren't political, it was that politics wasn't interested in them.

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The Labour politician, who was recently re-elected with an increased majority, condemned Mr Trumps idea to build a wall on the Mexican border.

The idea that you would build a wall between your country and your nearest neighbour, Mexico, and then somehow or other try to say that they have to pay for it, he said. What kind of behaviour and what kind of attitude is that? In addition to the many other strange, very old-fashioned social attitudes he seems to be so keen on.

He plays to an audience which feels very angry at the way the political establishment has treated it and he doesnt actually offer any solutions other than a blame culture, he added.
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After the death of its former President Shimon Peres early on Wednesday morning, Israel has begun preparations for what is likely to be the grandest state funeral since the 2013 death of Nelson Mandela.

Leaders and dignitaries are expected to attend from around the world, and tributes to the elder statesman have already started to pour in.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said Barack Obama, the Clintons, Pope Francis and Prince Charles have confirmed their attendance at the funeral.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called a special Cabinet meeting for 10am to discuss the government's response to Peres' passing.

Recommended Read more Former Israeli president Shimon Peres has died

After the Cabinet meeting, a special committee will begin preparing funeral arrangements.

A former aide to Peres said his body will lie in state at the Knesset, or Israeli parliament, on Thursday before a state funeral at the country's national cemetery in Jerusalem on Friday.

Yona Bartal, his former aide, told Israel's Channel 10 TV that the plans were in line with Peres' wishes.

Peres' son-in-law said his family had already had an emotional conversation with President Barack Obama.

Dr Rafi Walden told reporters the family was "very moved". Obama was a good friend of Peres and awarded the Israeli leader the presidential medal of freedom in 2012.

Walden, who was also Peres' personal physician, said Peres died overnight "without suffering."

Notable deaths in 2016 Show all 42 1 /42 Notable deaths in 2016 Notable deaths in 2016 Debbie Reynolds was an American actress, singer, businesswoman, film historian, and humanitarian. She died on December 28 in Los Angeles Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Actress Carrie Fisher died on December 27 aged 60 Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Comedian and Actor Ricky Harris died on December 26 aged 54 Rex Notable deaths in 2016 British singer George Michael died on 25 December aged 53 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Rick Parfitt OBE was an English musician, best known for being a singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist in the rock band Status Quo. 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The former Israeli leader died in the hospital where he had been treated after a major stroke two weeks ago.

In a statement, Mr Obama said: "A light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever.

"Shimon Peres was a soldier for Israel, for the Jewish people, for justice, for peace, and for the belief that we can be true to our best selves  to the very end of our time on Earth, and in the legacy that we leave to others. For the gift of his friendship and the example of his leadership, todah rabah, Shimon."
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The death of Shimon Peres has made headlines and prompted tributes from all over the world - but it has not been universally positive.

The 93-year-old Israeli statesman died in hospital in the early hours of Wednesday morning, and Barack Obama said "a light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever".

A host of current and former world leaders, including Pope Francis, the Clinton family, Prince Charles and Mr Obama himself, will attend Peres' state funeral on Friday.

But around the world, and particularly in the Arab world, the response to the Nobel Peace Prize laureate's death has been mixed.

'A pillar of Israel'

In the US, the New York Times hailed Peres as a pillar of Israel, from its founding to the Oslo Accords, the peace agreement signed by Israel and the Palestinian authorities which earned Peres his Nobel prize.

The New York Times says Peres worked 'to establish a lasting peace with Israel's Arab neighbours'

In Russia, state media outlet Sputnik International noted that Peres was born in Wiszniew, Poland - now part of Belarus.

His standing and reputation have earned him international recognition among the nations and leaders of the world, it said.

Russian state news outet Sputnik says Peres was the 'architect' of the Israel peace process

In the UK, the BBC led its coverage with reports of Peres death, but remained typically neutral on his legacy. It reported tributes, but also noted that Peres was seen as a hawk in his early years, when he negotiated arms deals for the fledgling nation, and a member of the government that approved the building of Jewish settlements on occupied Palestinian territory.

The BBC notes criticism of Peres over his involvement in illegal settlements and Israel's nuclear programme

France24 said Peres had a distinguished political career spann[ing] almost 60 years. He was heralded for combin[ing] an uncompromising stance on Israeli security with a dedication to negotiations with the Palestinians.

France24 calls Peres a 'fearless builder of peace'

'Peacemaker or war criminal?'

But not all coverage was positive. Al Jazeera, the Qatari broadcaster, asked in its obituary and on its home page whether Peres was peacemaker or war criminal?

It reproduced a 2012 interview with Sir David Frost in which Peres said of Palestinians: "They are self-victimising. They victimise themselves. They are a victim of their own mistakes unnecessarily.

And it noted that Peres most important task was developing Israels nuclear weapons programme in the 1950s and 1960s, something which the country itself has never formally acknowledged.

Peres, like his mentor, believed an Israeli bomb was the key to guaranteeing Israel's status - both in Washington DC and among the Arab states - as an unassailable Middle East power, Al Jazeera reported.

It added: Peres later diplomatic skills in negotiating peace agreements with Jordan and the Palestinians were exercised largely out of view, too, though he was keen to take the credit afterwards.

Al Jazeera's coverage online and on TV noted prominently the controversies of Peres' time in Israeli government

Dubai-based Gulf News, the biggest English-language newspaper in the UAE, relegated the news of Peres death to sixth place on its homepage, some way behind the real story of a contestant on Dubais version of X Factor.

Gulf News produces a neutral report - but it does not feature prominently

And the news of Peres death was simply not acknowledged anywhere on the homepage of the leading Palestinian daily Al-Ayyam, based in Ramallah. It reported instead on the plight of fishermen in Gaza, the destruction of homes in east Jerusalem and, in international news, the situation in Aleppo.
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The former Israeli President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Shimon Peres has died, aged 93, prompting an outpouring of reactions from around the world.

US President Barack Obama led the tributes, which came from world leaders, leading lights of Israeli politics, and family and friends.

Peres was part of the negotiations which led to the first Israeli-Palestinian accord, and he was received with adulation throughout the world well into his old age.

The elder statesman died early on Wednesday, his son Chemi confirmed, at the hospital where Peres had been treated for the past two weeks.

Mr Obama said: "A light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever.

Recommended Read more Former Israeli president Shimon Peres has died

"Shimon Peres was a soldier for Israel, for the Jewish people, for justice, for peace, and for the belief that we can be true to our best selves  to the very end of our time on Earth, and in the legacy that we leave to others. For the gift of his friendship and the example of his leadership, todah rabah, Shimon."

Tony Blair, the former Prime Minister, said: "I am more sad than words can express. This is a man who was a political giant, a statesman who will rank as one of the foremost of this era or any era, and someone I loved deeply. He was an inspiration, a mentor and a friend. His intellect, his way with words that was eloquent beyond description, his command of the world and how it was changing were extraordinary.

Notable deaths in 2016 Show all 42 1 /42 Notable deaths in 2016 Notable deaths in 2016 Debbie Reynolds was an American actress, singer, businesswoman, film historian, and humanitarian. She died on December 28 in Los Angeles Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Actress Carrie Fisher died on December 27 aged 60 Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Comedian and Actor Ricky Harris died on December 26 aged 54 Rex Notable deaths in 2016 British singer George Michael died on 25 December aged 53 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Rick Parfitt OBE was an English musician, best known for being a singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist in the rock band Status Quo. He died on December 24 in Marbella, Spain Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Lord Jenkin of Roding died at the age of 90 on the 21 December PA wire Notable deaths in 2016 Rabbi Lionel Blue died on the 19 December Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Zsa Zsa Gabor died on December 18 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Leonard Cohen died on 7 November Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Grand secretary of the Orange Order Drew Nelson died on 10 October aged 60 after a short illness PA Notable deaths in 2016 Aaron Pryor, the relentless junior welterweight died Sunday, Oct. 9, at the age of 60 at his home in Cincinnati after a long battle with heart disease AP Notable deaths in 2016 Polish Director Andrzej Wajda died on October 9, aged 90 Reuters Notable deaths in 2016 Stylianos Pattakos has died following a stroke on 8th October. He was 103 years old. AP Notable deaths in 2016 Dickie Jeeps, was an English rugby union player who played for Northampton. He represented and captained both the England national rugby union team and the British Lions in the 1950s and 1960s. He died on 8th October. He was 84 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Duke of Westminster Billionaire landowner the Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor has died on 9 August, aged 64 Rex Features Notable deaths in 2016 Christina Knudsen Sir Roger Moores stepdaughter Christina Knudsen has died from cancer on 25 July at teh age of 47 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Caroline Aherne The actress Caroline Aherne has died from cancer on 2 July at the age of 52 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Christina Grimmie Christina Grimmie, 22, who was an American singer and songwriter, known for her participation in the NBC singing competition The Voice, was signing autographs at a concert venue in Orlando on 10 June when an assailant shot her. Grimmie was transported to a local hospital where she died from her wounds on 11 June Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Kimbo Slice Former UFC and Bellator MMA fighter Kimbo Slice died after being admitted to hospital in Florida on 6 June, aged 42 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Muhammad Ali The three-time former heavyweight world champion died after being admitted to hospital with a respiratory illness on 3 June, aged 74 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Sally Brampton Brampton who was the launch editor of the UK edition of Elle magazine has died on 10 May, aged 60 Grant Triplow/REX/Shutterstock Notable deaths in 2016 Billy Paul The soul singer Billy Paul, who was best known for his single Me and Mrs Jones, has died on 24 April, aged 81 Noel Vasquez/Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Prince Prince, the legendary musician, has been found dead at his Paisley Park recording studio on 21 April. He was 57 Notable deaths in 2016 Chyna WWE icon Joan Laurer dies aged 45 after being found at California home on 20 April Notable deaths in 2016 Victoria Wood The five-time Bafta-winning actress and comedian Victoria Wood has died on 20 April at her London home after a short illness with cancer. She was 62 Notable deaths in 2016 David Gest The entertainer and former husband of Liza Minnelli, David Gest has been found dead on 12 April in the Four Seasons hotel in Canary Warf, London. He was 62-years-old PA Notable deaths in 2016 Denise Robertson Denise Robertson, an agony aunt on This Morning for over 30 years, has died on 1 April, aged 83 Notable deaths in 2016 Zaha Hadid Dame Zaha Hadid, the prominent architect best known for designs such as the London Olympic Aquatic Centre and the Guangzhou Opera House, has died of a heart attack on 31 March, aged 65 2010 AFP Notable deaths in 2016 Ronnie Corbett British entertainer Ronnie Corbett has passed away on 31 March at the age of 85 2014 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Imre Kertesz Hungarian writer and Holocaust survivor Imre Kertesz, who won the 2002 Nobel Literature Prize, has died on 31 March, at the age of 86 REUTERS Notable deaths in 2016 Rob Ford Rob Ford, the former controversial mayor of Toronto, has died following a battle with a rare form of cancer. The 46-year-old passed away at the Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto on 22 March Notable deaths in 2016 Joey Feek Joey (left) passed away in March after a two-year cancer illness. She was part of country music duo, Joey + Rory, with her husband Rory (right) Jason Merritt/Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Umberto Eco Italian writer and philosopher Umberto Eco died 19 February 2016 aged 84 EPA Notable deaths in 2016 Harper Lee Harper Lee, the American novelist known for writing 'To Kill a Mockingbird', died February 19, 2016 aged 89 2005 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Vanity Vanity, pictured performing in 1983, died aged 57 REX Features Notable deaths in 2016 Dave Mirra The BMX legend's body found inside truck with gunshot wound after apparent suicide aged 41 Notable deaths in 2016 Harry Harpham The former miner became Sheffield Labour MP in May after many years as a local councillor. He died after succumbing to cancer, at the age of 61. Notable deaths in 2016 Dale Griffin The Mott the Hoople drummer died on January 17, aged 67 REX Notable deaths in 2016 Rene Angelil Celine Dion's husband and manager Rene Angelil has lost his battle with cancer on 14 January, aged 73 2011 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Alan Rickman Legendary actor Alan Rickman has died on 14 January at the age of 69 after battle with pancreatic cancer. He is largely regarded as one of the most beloved British actors of our generation with roles in Love Actually, Die Hard, Michael Collins, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and an illustrious stage career 2015 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Maurice White The Earth, Wind & Fire founder died aged 74. The nine-piece band sold more than 90 million albums worldwide and won six Grammy awards Notable deaths in 2016 Lawrence Phillips Former NFL star found dead in prison cell on 13 January in suspected suicide, aged 40 AFP/Getty Images

"Though he grew older, his spirit never did. Above all, his commitment to peace and his belief that it was in the interests of the country he adored marked him out as a visionary whose vision was never dimmed or displaced. He saw every setback as a spur to further action and every moment of hope as a sign of what could be done."

Current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara "expressed deep personal sorrow over the passing of the nation's beloved former president, Shimon Peres", a statement read. "The prime minister will deliver a special address this morning and convene the cabinet for a mourning session," it added.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said: "My wife Lucy had the honor of visiting Shimon Peres a few months ago, at the Peres Centre for Peace. He told her the secret of perpetual youth was to ensure that your list of dreams always remained longer than your list of achievements. On that test, Shimon Peres remained the youngest of leaders."

And Chemi Peres, Shimon's son, said: "Today with deep sorrow we bid farewell to our beloved father, the 9th president of Israel. Our father's legacy has always been to look to tomorrow. We were privileged to be part of his private family, but today we sense that the entire nation of Israel and the global community share this great loss. We share this pain together."
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The meerkat  the beloved hero of an advert for car insurance  has been unmasked as the most "murderous" mammal known to science.

Researchers compiled a list of more than 1,000 mammals based on how many deaths were caused by members of the same species.

The meerkat had the highest rate with 19.4 per cent of all deaths the result of an attack by another meerkat, the academics reported in the journal Nature.

The carnivore, which lives in mobs of up to 50 mostly in the Kalahari and Namib deserts in southern Africa, is known for infanticide in particular.

It was closely followed by Schmidt's guenon, a type of monkey, (18.2 per cent) and the red-fronted lemur (16.7 per cent). Some of their close relations also had similarly high figures.

Others in the top 10 include the New Zealand sea lion (15.3 per cent), long-tailed marmot (14.5 per cent), lion (13.3 per cent), banded mongoose (13 per cent), grey wolf (12.8 per cent) and Chacma baboon (12.3 per cent) with the diademed sifaka and long-tailed chinchilla tied in 10th place on 12 per cent.

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There were a number of unexpected findings. For example, the Dama gazelle is responsible for 11.8 per cent and the California ground squirrel accounts for 11.9 per cent of the respective species deaths  more than the jaguar (11.1 per cent) or cougar (11.7 per cent).

The lead author of the paper, Dr Jose Maria Gomez, of Granada University in Spain, told The Independent in an email: "It is surprising that a priori cute and pacific animals, like meerkats, marmots and ground squirrels, have high levels of mortality to conspecifics [members of the same species]."

The research was done to help scientists estimate the rate of intentional killing among humans when Homo sapiens first evolved and they put this at about two per cent. That was more than six times higher than the average among the 1,024 mammal species of just 0.3 per cent.

Many primates exhibit high levels of intergroup aggression and infanticide, the researchers wrote in Nature.

The secret life of animals Show all 26 1 /26 The secret life of animals The secret life of animals 569045.bin Smithsonian Institute The secret life of animals 569044.bin Smithsonian Institute The secret life of animals 569043.bin Smithsonian Institute The secret life of animals 569042.bin Smithsonian Institute The secret life of animals 569041.bin Smithsonian Institute The secret life of animals 569004.bin Smithsonian Institute The secret life of animals 569005.bin Smithsonian Institute The secret life of animals 569006.bin Smithsonian Institute The secret life of animals 569007.bin Smithsonian Institute The secret life of animals 569008.bin Smithsonian Institute The secret life of animals 569022.bin Smithsonian Institute The secret life of animals 569009.bin Smithsonian Institute The secret life of animals 569010.bin Smithsonian Institute The secret life of animals 569011.bin Smithsonian Institute The secret life of animals 569012.bin Smithsonian Institute The secret life of animals 568992.bin Smithsonian Institution The secret life of animals 568993.bin Smithsonian Institution The secret life of animals 568991.bin Smithsonian Institution The secret life of animals 568990.bin Smithsonian Institution The secret life of animals 568989.bin Smithsonian Institution The secret life of animals 568982.bin Smithsonian Institution The secret life of animals 568983.bin Smithsonian Institution The secret life of animals 568985.bin Smithsonian Institution The secret life of animals 568987.bin Smithsonian Institution The secret life of animals 568988.bin Smithsonian Institution The secret life of animals 568986.bin Smithsonian Institution

Social carnivores sometimes kill members of other groups and commit infanticide when supplanting older members of the same group. Even seemingly peaceful mammals such as hamsters and horses sometimes kill individuals of their own species.

Primates seemed to have a greater tendency towards violence, something that was associated with living in social groups and maintaining a territory. Chimpanzees cause nearly 4.5 per cent of deaths of other chimps, while eastern gorillas account for five per cent of their species.

But other primates are extremely peaceful. The figure for the famously pacific bonobo was just 0.7 per cent but the western gorilla was even less likely to resort to deadly violence with a rate of just 0.14 per cent.

Indian rhinocerous (1.01 per cent), tigers (0.88 per cent), the African forest elephant (0.29 per cent) and vampire bats (0.1 per cent) also had low rates, at least relative to early humans.

Some animals did kill each other at all. Among more than 10,000 deaths of zebras, there was not a single example of a same-species killing.

Thomsons gazelle (zero out of 410,000 deaths), the margay, a cat native to South and Central America (zero out of 1000,000) and multiple species of bats (zero out of hundreds of thousands) also appeared not to kill each other.
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Middle-aged women can enjoy making love more as they get older despite a number of physical changes that result in a decline in sexual function, according to a new study.

Researchers said some middle-aged women had adapted to the changes brought on by the march of time.

Even though they tended to have sex less often, these women discovered that their satisfaction has actually increased with age.

The women put this down to more self-confidence, better communication skills  such as the ability to persuade their male partner's to take drugs for erectile dysfunction  and greater self-knowledge.

The study's findings may be more important than they appear with suggestions that regular sex could be one of the secrets to a long life.

Professor Holly Thomas, of Pittsburgh University, said: One of the most enlightening findings of this study was the large number of women who had successfully adapted to any negative changes by modifying their expectations regarding sexual activity, putting more emphasis on the emotional and intimacy aspects of sex, or adapting the sex acts themselves.

The researchers, whose findings will be presented at the North American Menopause Societys annual meeting in Orlando next month, noted there had been numerous quantitative studies about the decline in sexual function among middle-aged women.

 The UK's favourite sex positions

But they decided to do a qualitative study, which involved interview three different focus groups at length.

Women tended to point to relationship discord and sexual dysfunction or health problems in their partners as the reasons why they were having less sex or had a lower libido.

Some women said their libidos were much higher than their male partners.

Those women who reported enjoying sex more reported using a number of different techniques, such as vaginal lubricants, lengthening foreplay and having different kinds of sex other than penetrative intercourse.

They also tended to try different sexual positions, masturbate more and encourage their partners to use erectile dysfunction treatments.

Where tech meets sex Show all 6 1 /6 Where tech meets sex Where tech meets sex Lovely - the smart sex toy that has been dubbed 'the Fitbit for your penis' Tired of not being able to track the average speed of your thrusts during sex? Well, your problems will be solved with the Lovely - a sex toy that's been touted as 'the fitbit, but for your penis'. The lovely is a stretchy silicone ring, which attaches around the base of your penis. It also has a vibrator tucked inside, which stimulates both sexual partners. So far, so Ann Summers Lovely Inc Where tech meets sex The 'sex selfie stick' lets you FaceTime the inside of a vagina Further proof that the sole goal of mankind is now to take selfies absolutely everywhere possible, a vibrator that can video capture an orgasm from its epicentre has been invented. The nightmarish love child of an endoscopy and a vibrator, the 'Svakom Gaga Camera Vibrator' allows for a new level of explicitness in amateur sex tapes. Footage taken can be uploaded to PC or smartphone and the device also syncs with FaceTime, offering the unprecedented opportunity to be on the phone with someone's genitals Lovehoney Where tech meets sex Pornhub turns masturbation into energy With an estimated 41 million people visiting it every day, Pornhub figured it might be time to channel all that furious fapping into something more useful than brief, boredom-relieving ecstasy. "Every day, millions of hours of adult content are consumed online, wasting energy in the process and hurting the environment," the porn site writes on a dedicated website. "At Pornhub we decided to do something about it. Introducing The Wankband: The first wearable tech that allows you to love the planet by loving yourself." The band creates power when moved in an up and down motion, with a kinetic charger inside storing the clean (albeit slightly dirty) energy generated. It can then be connected via USB to smartphones, tablets and computers, powering them with 100% sustainable energy PornHub Where tech meets sex Men have begun 3D-printing their penises "What would happen if I put my penis in it?" It's a question man has been asking ever since it discovered it was useful in certain situations for procreation thousands of years ago. But now it has reached an absurd and mildly dystopian conclusion: 3D-printed d*ck pics. The means? A handheld 3D scanner such as Fuel3D's Scanify above. The method? By pointing it at *any* object and capturing it three-dimensionally. The reason? Who can say Fuel3D Where tech meets sex Japanese developer creates virtual breast-squeezing 'game' for the Oculus Rift Although gadgets like the Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR are promising to take virtual reality into the mainstream, there are still plenty of virtual experiences that we hope never make it out the basements they were dreamt up in. Exhibit a: a game which lets users squeeze a virtual womans breasts who responds by squealing in disgust and covering up her chest. Thats right, the guy who made this didnt even want to fabricate a positive sexual experience  instead he went for virtual abuse. The set-up works like this. The user dons an Oculus Rift to enter the virtual world populated by an anime character, he can then squeeze a novelty mouse pad with foam breasts with pressure sensors inside them. This hooked up to the virtual character who reacts accordingly Where tech meets sex Have sex with your iPad thanks to the new sex toy no-one asked for Many of us have become inseparable from our smartphones and tablets, but if you're looking to take the relationship to the next step and actually 'f*ck your iPad', sex toy brand Fleshlight has now made this possible for some reason. The company launched Fleshlight Launchpad, which allows users of their flashlight-shaped, vagina-like toy to plug it into the back of an iPad in order to 'fully immerse themselves' in whatever they're watching. The gadget "enables the user to enjoy the full Fleshlight experience while enjoying content or communicating live with a friend via applications like Facetime or Skype," makers Interactive Life Forms claim, with its trailer showing a man making use of one while video-chatting with his girlfriend

Dr JoAnn Pinkerton, executive director of the society, said: As this study demonstrates, healthcare providers need to have honest conversations with their midlife women patients to fully evaluate changes in sexual function and be ready to explore psychosocial and interpersonal factors, as well as physical changes, to effectively identify proper treatment.

The Italian village of Acciaroli has attracted attention from scientists because an unusually high number of people  one in 10  live to more than 100. And sex could be part of the reason.

Dr Alan Maisel, a cardiologist from the University of California San Diego, said: Sexual activity among the elderly appears to be rampant. Maybe living long has something to do with that. Its probably the good air and the joie de vivre.

Love and sex news: in pictures Show all 31 1 /31 Love and sex news: in pictures Love and sex news: in pictures What makes a perfect penis? Scientists have now answered one of these great unknowns. According to a new study, general cosmetic appearance is the most important penile aspect when it comes to what women value down there. This is swiftly followed by the appearance of pubic hair, penile skin, and girth. Length comes in at number six, with the look of the scrotum trailing closely behind. The least important facet of the phallus, say the scientists, is the position and shape of meatus, the vertical slit at the opening of the urethra. Getty Love and sex news: in pictures Half of divorcees had doubts on their wedding day Over half of divorcees considered abandoning their husband or wife-to-be at the altar on their wedding day, a new study has revealed. On top of likely worrying about wedding favours and making sure guests behave on their big day, 49 per cent of divorcees admitted they were unsure before the ceremony that their marriage would last. Some 15 per cent of divorcees polled said they were so wracked with doubt that they felt physically sick in the run up to their wedding. Joe Raedle/Getty Images Love and sex news: in pictures Students who marry after studying the same subject Picking a university subject is already difficult enough for young people. But heres an extra piece of data to weigh on your decision: you may be picking a life partner as well. Dan Kopf of the blog, Priceonomics, analysed US Census data and found that the percentage of Americans who marry someone within their own major is actually fairly high. About half of Americans are married, according to the 2012 American Community Survey (part of the Census). And about 28 per cent of married couples over the age of 22 both graduated from college. (The survey didnt recognise same-sex marriages for the 2012 data, but it will for 2013 onwards, says Kopf). Sean Gallup/Getty Images Love and sex news: in pictures How much sex we have (and how much we'd like) As a nation, we dont have as much sex as we would like, a survey has (somewhat unsurprisingly) confirmed. In a poll of 1523 people by YouGov, 64 per cent of Britons said they would wish to have sex at least a few times a month. The same sample said that only 38 per cent had sex at least a few times a month. In addition, 10 per cent said they wished to have sex every day, a goal which only 1 per cent admitted reaching. Rex Love and sex news: in pictures The new female condom Picture an internal condom. The chances are youre thinking of something which resembles a carrier bag. However, this could all be about to change with the new VA w.o.w. Condom Feminine. Not only is it a wireless, Bluetooth enabled, vibrating interactive device, which comes available in the shape of a heart, but the manufacturers think youll love it more than not using a condom at all. Love and sex news: in pictures One in five Brits admit to having had an affair One in five British adults admits they have had an affair, according to a new poll. 20 per cent of male respondents and 19 per cent of female respondents admitted to having had an affair in a new poll of 1660 respondents by YouGov. Orlando /Three Lions/Getty Images Love and sex news: in pictures The UK's favourite sex position Casting aside the myth that Brits are a prudish bunch, a new survey has revealed that doggy style is the nations favourite sex position. As many as a quarter of UK adults surveyed said doggy style was their favourite way to indulge with a partner. Missionary, which is sometimes scoffed at the most boring position, was favoured by a fifth of the 1,000 people surveyed by high street sex shop Ann Summers, seeing it come in as third under "woman on top". Caiaimage/REX Love and sex news: in pictures Who's most likely to cheat? Men and women who are economically dependent on their spouses are more likely to cheat, a new study has revealed. Researchers have found that men who are solely financially dependent are more like to cheat than women, at 15 per cent and 5 per cent respectively. Men who are rely on their wives may cheat because they are undergoing a masculinity threat by not being the primary breadwinner as is culturally expected, said study author Christin L. Munsch, a UConn assistant professor of sociology. Eye Candy/REX Love and sex news: in pictures Jailed for loud sex noises A woman who breached a court order barring her from causing nuisance by making "loud sex noises" was sent to jail. Gemma Wale, of Small Heath, Birmingham, was given a two-week prison sentence after a civil court judge concluded that she had breached the order by "screaming and shouting whilst having sex" at a "level of noise" which annoyed a neighbour. Rex Features Love and sex news: in pictures Photo of wedding guest proposing to girlfriend in front of bride and groom goes viral When the staggering amount time, money, and effort that goes into to planning a wedding is considered, it seems pretty obvious that all guests have is to do is turn up with some gifts, and not upstage the couple. But this fact seems to have escaped one man, whose grinning face has gone viral after he decided to propose to his girlfriend in front of the bride and grooms top table. The photo, which has been viewed over 1.4 million times on Reddit, shows a boyfriend perched on one knee in front of his crying girlfriend. Joe Raedle/Getty Images Love and sex news: in pictures Sexual fantasies The results of a sex survey are busting the myth that Britons are sexually repressed, by revealing how the majority of women have lived out their sexual fantasies. As many as 81 per cent of women and 77 per cent of men have shared and acted out fantasies with a partner  with having sex in public topping the list of turn-ons. The study also laid bare the influence of TV and film on our desires, with three-quarters of couples saying they had inspired them. Meanwhile, a further three quarters of women and over half of men have played out a fantasy theyd found in a book. LEO RAMIREZ/AFP/Getty Images Love and sex news: in pictures The world's sexiest nationalities Irish men are the worlds sexiest, according to a survey of thousands of jet-setting women. In a poll of 66,000 of single American women who use MissTravel.com, as many as 8,000 said that Irish men are the sexiest. Around half of the females who took said they were turned on by Irish men said their accent influenced their choice, according to the Irish Times. ANDREW COWIE/AFP/Getty Images Love and sex news: in pictures More sex = happiness? Couples were asked to double the amount of sex they had each week over a three month period by researchers at the Carnegie Mellon University, who compared them to couples who had their normal amount of sex. Their findings, published in the Journal of Economic Behavior, went against advice given by the average self-help book  having more sex doesnt automatically make a person happier. Instead, couples who were instructed to have more sex reported a decrease in happiness levels. Mood Board/Rex Love and sex news: in pictures Most sexually satisfied countries It is often considered the most amorous nation on the planet, but France doesn't even feature in a new list of the most sexually satisfied countries. According to a Durex global survey of 26,000 people, aged 16 and older, across 26 countries, only 44 per cent of people are fully satisfied with their sex lives. In the wake of these results, AlterNet has compiled a list of the 12 most sexually satisfied countries, with Switzerland, Spain and Italy topping the list. INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images Love and sex news: in pictures Sex o'clock They say women are from Venus and men are from Mars  but a new sex survey suggests that members of the opposite sex seem to operate in different time zones too. While women like to get steamy between 11:21pm on average, men are more likely to be turned on at the rather inconvenient time of 7:54am. These times fall into the broader timeslots of 11pm and 2am for women, and 6am and 9am for men. PIERRE ANDRIEU/AFP/Getty Images Love and sex news: in pictures More sex = more money People who have more sex are likely to earn more, new research claims. The research, partly conducted from the responses of 7,500 people, found employees who have sex two or three times a week earn 4.5 per cent more than colleagues who do not. Rex Love and sex news: in pictures The effects of watching porn Contrary to suggestion that porn desensitises viewers to sex, a study has found that it doesn't "negatively impact sexual functioning" and in fact boosts couples' sexual attraction to one another. In research published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, scientists at the University of California tested the effects of visual sexual stimuli on men in relationships, finding that it "is unlikely to negatively impact sexual functioning, given that responses actually were stronger in those who viewed more VSS." Rex Love and sex news: in pictures 'I have herpes' A woman diagnosed with herpes at the age of 20 has written an emotional essay about living with the common condition to fight the stigma surrounding it. Ella Dawson, now 22, said she had never had unprotected sex and thought she wasn't the sort of person STDs happened to when the symptoms first appeared during her time at university in the US. She wrote that the diagnosis initially felt like a punishment for her values and relationships and worried her that telling boyfriends would ruin her love life. Ella Dawson Love and sex news: in pictures More sleep, better sex A new study could have a simple answer to enhancing your sex life  just get a good nights sleep (if you are a woman at least). A study conducted by a team at the University of Michigan Sleep and Circadian Research Laboratory found women who get an extra hour of sleep at night reported higher levels of sexual desire and were more likely to have sex with their partners. Getty Images Love and sex news: in pictures Swipe right A woman has detailed her experiences of a week of always swiping right on Tinder. By opening the floodgates, as Ms Caster describes it, she receives scores of messages from different men  and not all are terrible. Love and sex news: in pictures The most adulterous town in the UK Ever wondered what the neighbours are up to? Well if you live in Beeston, Nottinghamshire, then the answer is probably... having an affair. The bustling East Midlands town has been granted the dubious honour of being the UK's top spot for infidelity  with a total of 941 affairs reportedly taking place right now. According to The Official Infidelity Index 2015, which was released this week, 2.54 per cent of the towns population are currently seeing someone they shouldn't. REX FEATURES Love and sex news: in pictures Average penis size revealed Scientists have measured more than 15,000 mens penises in an effort to find out what size is normal. Researchers at Kings College London and a London NHS trust said they hoped the review would help address the concern that some men have about their penis size and aid people suffering from anxiety and distress. They revealed that the average flaccid penis is 3.6ins (9.16cm) long, or 5.2ins (13.24cm) when stretched, and 3.7ins (9.31cm) in circumference. Erect penises are 5.1ins (13.12cm) long on average and 4.5ins (11.66cm) in girth. Rex Love and sex news: in pictures One true love Men fall in love more times in their life than women, according to a new survey. 2,000 adults were asked about relationships, and discovered that more than half of men say they've loved more than one person their lifetime. For women, it's markedly fewer, with only 45 per cent saying they've had multiple loves. Love and sex news: in pictures Dating site for 'beautiful people only' A self-proclaimed elite dating website has removed around 3,000 members because they were "letting themselves go". BeautifulPeople.com describes itself as the largest internet dating community exclusively for the beautiful and puts peoples photographs to a members vote to decide if they are allowed in. But administrators have now shown that the rigorous 48-hour selection period is not a permanent pass by taking thousands of profiles down, mainly because of weight gain and graceless ageing. Love and sex news: in pictures Sex is a 'miracle cure' Regular exercise  including sex, walking and dancing  are miracle cures staring us in the face and could dramatically cut our risk of cancer, dementia, heart disease and diabetes, leading doctors have said. In a new review of existing evidence which reveals the full extent of benefits that can be accrued from exercise, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges said the improvement in health and savings to the NHS could be incalculable. Susannah Ireland Love and sex news: in pictures Pornhub searches by age of user Pornhubs prolific Insights blog fires out many reports of sociological interest, none more so than its latest on age, which lays bare different age groups' sexual proclivities. Looking at the most popular searches among 18-24s, there are several familial terms including 'step mom', 'milf', 'mom' and 'step sister', a trend that seems to die out somewhat in users' 30s. By 65, 'massage' becomes the top term, while 'granny' perhaps unsurprisingly also hits the top ten. PlaceIt/Just Another IKEA Catalog Love and sex news: in pictures Mature sex Research into the sexual lives of more than 7,000 men and women between the ages of 50 and 90 in England reveals that half of men and almost a third of women aged 70 and over were still sexually active, with around a third of these sexually active older people having sexual intercourse twice a month or more. Around two-thirds of men and over half of women thought good sexual relations were essential to the maintenance of a long-term relationship or being sexually active was physically and psychologically beneficial to older people. Getty Creative Love and sex news: in pictures The secret to an eighty year marriage Figures from the Office of National Statistics show that 42 per cent of marriages in England and Wales end in divorce, and the average British marriage which ends in divorce lasts 11 years and six months. Helen and Maurice Kaye, now aged 101 and 102, have been married for 80 years, and say the secret is: I think its important to have patience and tolerance. You're two entirely different people who suddenly live together, which can't be easy. But if you love each other, you get over the difficulties. Love and sex news: in pictures Valentine's Day porn Pornhub saw a (slight) drop in traffic on Valentine's Day as people focused on pleasuring their partners rather than themselves. Everywhere, it is, except for London. Overall UK traffic dipped 3 per cent across the UK, with Plymouth and Oxford seeing the biggest drops of 11 per cent and 10 per cent respectively. In fact every major city spent less time watching porn bar London, the Pornhub audience for which grew by 2 per cent. Getty Love and sex news: in pictures 1 in 10 men paying for sex A tenth of British men have admitted to paying for sex, according to a new study. Professionals aged 25 to 34 who binge drink and take drugs were found to be the most likely to have used the services of prostitutes, based on findings from a study of 6,108 men. Around 11 per cent of subjects, in the study published in the Sexually Transmitted Infections journal, have ever paid for sex in their lifetime and four per cent admitted to doing so in the last five years. Getty Images Love and sex news: in pictures Questions that determine if you're in love The existence of love and its nature is something that has troubled philosophers for centuries, but a pair of scientists believe they have a set of questions that yield "clear empirical evidence" of it, or at least whether your relationship will end in divorce. They are: 'How happy are you in your marriage relative to how happy you would be if you weren't in the marriage?' and 'How do you think your spouse answered that question?' Columbia

The findings also echo research which found elderly drivers are not significantly more dangerous than other road users  and much less so than young men.

Despite a decline in reaction times and other physical changes, elderly motorists tend to adapt to this by driving more carefully.
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A family have been forced to move out of their home after catching 19 rats over 24 hours.

Michael and Paula McCann and their two young children are currently staying with friends after they found their terrace house overrun with "big, grey" rodents when they returned from a family holiday.

The couple said rat faeces littered the floor of the property in Rutland Street, off Belfasts Ormeau Road and the wires of electrical appliances. including their washing machine, microwave and kettle, had been eaten through.

The couple believe the rats invaded the house as they had left their cat in a cattery while they were away.

I caught eight rats in the first 12 hours of having traps down, then another four, and over 24 hours Id caught a total of 19, Mr McCann told Belfast Live.

They were big, grey rats. The look of them was disgusting and to think they were in our home, near our children was awful."

A general view of Rutland Street in Belfast, where a family have been forced to move out of their home after catching 19 rats in 24 hours. (PA)

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive, which owns the property, is currently looking for alternative accommodation for the family.

Pest control workers from Belfast City Council are trying to tackle the infestation.

Its hard to believe that in 2016 housing in Belfast could be infested with rats, said Mr McCann.

Whatever has done it, weve been made homeless by a plague of rats. All we can do now is wait for the Housing Executive to help us find a new home and thankfully they seem to understand.

A Housing Executive spokesman said: "We are aware of the issues at this property and are working closely with the family.

"Temporary accommodation was offered to the family but they opted to make their own temporary arrangements.

"We first received a report of rats in the dwelling two weeks ago when an environmental health team was engaged and we carried out repairs to the property based on their report.

"After a follow-up inspection by pest controllers yesterday, we were told rats had returned to the property.

"We received another inspection report yesterday and more work will be carried out by the Housing Executive on the property immediately.

"Our staff also met with the family again yesterday to discuss housing options, which will include a possible permanent move away from this property."

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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

A Belfast City Council spokesman said: "Our environmental health officers and pest control team are aware of the ongoing rat problem at the property on Rutland Street.

"We are working closely with the Housing Executive to resolve the issue to ensure that the property is made habitable again."

Earlier this year, a huge rat said to measure around 4ft was found by workmen near a London playground.

Gas engineer Tony Smith described the rodent, which was dead when he found it, as the largest Ive ever seen in my entire life. He said the estate where he was working had an infestation of rats, and poison was left around to catch them.

Additional reporting by Press Association
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A group of teenagers posted a video on Twitter of them beating up an Asian boy alongside the racist caption: "Smash the P*ki".

The video shows the teenagers chasing their 13-year-old victim through a wooded area in Edinburgh between Bughtlin Park and Stuart Park.

Two teenagers can be seen throwing him to the ground, repeatedly kicking and punching him while others watch on laughing.

One of the onlookers can be heard saying, "That's shan", which is slang for wrong to which another replies: "No it's no. It's funny as f***."

The video post, which has now been deleted, shows the victim pleading with the group saying: "Leave me, please, please, please."

Police investigators are treating it as a hate crime and have arrested two boys in connection with the incident.

Enquiries into the social media post by Police Scotland are ongoing.

Racist abuse on Manchester tram

Police Scotland said in a statement: "Officers in Edinburgh investigated an assault in the East Craigs area which took place on Tuesday, 13 September.

A 13-year-old boy attended Edinburgh Royal Infirmary with minor injuries.

Two boys, both 13, were charged in connection with this. Inquiries are ongoing in relation to a social media post connected to this incident."
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A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after two Matalan employees were found stabbed in the street near their work place in Cardiff.

South Wales Police arrested the man after the bodies of a 21-year-old woman and a 33-year-old man were found on Queen Street, Cardiff, at 5:50am on Wednesday.

The 20-year-old man, who has not been named, is from the Castleton area of Gwent.

The bodies were discovered close to the Matalan store where they worked, two hours before the shop was due to open at 8am. The company has confirmed the victims both worked at the Queen Street store.

Many of the shops in the area remained closed on Wednesday morning as much of the pedestrian area was treated as a crime scene. Most of the shops had reopened by the afternoon.

Police believe the suspect was known to the victims and was arrested within an hour of their deaths being reported. He is being held at Cardiff Bay police station and authorities are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.

The victims have been identified and their families informed. A post-mortem will now be carried out to determine the cause of death.

Matalan chief executive Jason Hargreaves said: "It is with great sadness that we can confirm that there was a fatal stabbing in Queen Street, Cardiff, this morning.

Forensic officers at the scene in Queen Street, near Cardiff Castle after the bodies of a man and a woman were found in Cardiff city centre (PA)

"Police discovered the bodies of a man and a woman outside the premises at 6am and arrested one man, who is currently in police custody.

"Both of the victims worked at our Cardiff branch so understandably all of our colleagues are receiving our full support. We request that they are given the space to deal with this at this difficult time.

"That is all we know at this stage and we are working tirelessly with the police in their investigations.

"We extend our condolences to the families of everyone involved."

A general view of the Matalan store in Queen Street, Cardiff, close to where the bodies of a man and a woman were found in the city centre (PA)

One man who was staying in a nearby hotel and witnessed the police and ambulance response, told the BBC: One man, who was staying at a nearby hotel, said: "I saw the blue lights and went downstairs and walked round the corner and at that point there were two or three police cars and ambulance after ambulance starting arriving.

"I saw somebody lying outside Boots and paramedics giving them chest compressions. It was not something you want to see ever."

Chief Superintendent Belinda Davies of South Wales Police sought to dispel any speculation that the attack was related to terrorism or the homeless community in the city.

She said: "This incident occurred in the main shopping area in the heart of the city in rush-hour and it has no doubt shocked the community of Cardiff.

"Please be reassured that we have a team of officers investigating what happened and importantly we have a suspect in custody and we are not looking for anybody else.

"We are in the very early stages of the investigation but I would like to add that at this stage we believe the suspect was known to the victims and it was not a random assault.

"I would like to dispel speculation circulating as to the motive behind this tragic incident and make it clear that this is not being linked to terrorism, and any links to the homeless community are unfounded."
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A Belfast man has been taken to court by Tesco for repeatedly claiming his bag of apples was a bag of carrots, which are around a third of the price.

Aidan Martin Devlin, 53, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of dishonesty making false representation at Newtownards Magistrates Court, in relation to thefts committed in June and July this year in which he made a financial gain and Tesco made a financial loss.

A fraud charge over events on 13 separate occasions recorded during this period was withdrawn, the Belfast Telegraph reported.

Mr Devlin is understood to have labelled his bag of apples as a bag of carrots at the fruit and vegetable weighing service offered at the Newtownbreda Tesco.

The supermarkets website shows a kilo of loose apples will cost an average of 2, while loose carrots are priced cheaper at 60 pence per kilo.

An estimated 1.6bn worth of food and other goods is understood to be stolen each year by customers at self-service tills, with 19 per cent of people having owned up to stealing items at these checkouts.

UK supermarkets ranked by value for money Show all 10 1 /10 UK supermarkets ranked by value for money UK supermarkets ranked by value for money 1. Waitrose Getty Images UK supermarkets ranked by value for money 2. Aldi Getty Images UK supermarkets ranked by value for money 3. Sainsbury's Getty Images UK supermarkets ranked by value for money 4. Marks & Spencer UK supermarkets ranked by value for money 5. Lidl Getty Images UK supermarkets ranked by value for money 6. The Co-op Getty Images UK supermarkets ranked by value for money 7. Morrisons Getty Images UK supermarkets ranked by value for money 8 = Asda Getty Images UK supermarkets ranked by value for money 8 = Tesco Getty UK supermarkets ranked by value for money 10. Iceland Getty Images

The Belfast Telegraph reported that Mr Devlin remained silent as he was told to co-operate with the probation board by the Judge. The case has been adjourned for four weeks.
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The Counsel to the Inquiry into child sexual abuse in England and Wales has been suspended from duty.

A spokeswoman for the independent inquiry said Ben Emmerson QC was suspended after it recently became "very concerned about'' aspects of his leadership.

Mr Emmerson was suspended so the concerns could be properly investigated, the spokeswoman added.

Earlier reports suggested Mr Emmerson was considering resigning from the role following rumours of a disagreement with the probes new chairwoman Professor Alexis Jay over its future.

The spokeswoman disputed these claims saying: Suggestions in the press that Mr Emerson was considering resigning after raising disagreements over the future direction of the inquiry are untrue.

They are not a matter on which he has advised the chair of the inquiry or the panel."

The news is set to be a serious blow for the inquiry, which was set up in 2014 to investigate whether public bodies, including police authorities, have failed to protect children from sexual abuse.

It will also examine abuse involving well known people.

The Times had reported that Mr Emmerson favoured reducing the inquirys workload , however Professor Jay  who is the inquirys fourth chairwoman - said she had no intention of asking Home Secretary Amber Rudd to "revise or reduce our terms of reference" but admitted the inquirys scale and scope were a "substantial challenge".

Ms Rudd has told MPs she thought "the terms of reference that were set up originally were the right ones".

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters 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 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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

The scale of the sweeping probe has increasingly come under the spotlight. Described as the most ambitious public inquiry ever launched in England and Wales, it is running a string of investigative strands spanning several decades.

It was initially earmarked to last for five years but there are suggestions it could run for as long as 10.

Following her resignation, former chairwoman Dame Lowell Goddard said there was an "inherent problem" in the inquiry's "sheer scale and size".

The inquiry spent 14.7 million out of a 17.9 million budget in 2015/16.

Mr Emmerson, who represented the widow of Alexander Litvinenko at the inquiry into the death of the poisoned spy, is a deputy High Court judge and leading international lawyer.

Announcing his appointment in 2014, Mrs May described Mr Emmerson as "one of the UK's most distinguished lawyers in the field of national and international human rights law".

Professor Jay previously led an inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.

Additional reporting by Press Association
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MI5 secretly drew up plans in the dying days of the Second World War to turn one of their top anti-Nazi agents against Stalin's Russia, according to newly released official files.

Juan Pujol Garcia codename Agent Garbo, has been described on MI5s own website as the greatest double agent of the Second World War.

On his own initiative, the industrialists son from Barcelona approached the Germans and tricked them into thinking he wanted to spy for them.

Recommended Read more How a dozen silk stockings helped bring down Adolf Hitler

He went to England, working with MI5 to create a whole network of entirely imaginary agents and feeding misinformation to the Nazis, culminating in the ultimate triumph: a leading role in securing the success of the D-Day landings by convincing the Germans the main invasion would happen around Calais, not in Normandy.

So convincingly did he lie to the Nazis that in July 1944 a totally fooled Adolf Hitler awarded Pujol the Iron Cross for extraordinary services to Germany.

Even before victory over Hitler was complete, however, papers released by the National Archives show MI5 was anticipating how Agent Garbo could be used in a new struggle, against Britain's supposed Soviet allies, in the looming Cold War.

On May 25 1945, Pujol's case officer, Tomas Tommy Harris, presented an elaborate plan to lay the ground for Russian intelligence to recruit him as one of their agents - while he would actually be working for MI5.

Secrets and spies: book takes a peek inside classified files of MI6 Show all 3 1 /3 Secrets and spies: book takes a peek inside classified files of MI6 Secrets and spies: book takes a peek inside classified files of MI6 457923.bin Secrets and spies: book takes a peek inside classified files of MI6 457921.bin Secrets and spies: book takes a peek inside classified files of MI6 457922.bin

With Pujol due to return to his native Spain, it was suggested he should write anonymously to the Soviet military attache in London revealing his work as a British agent but saying he had he become disillusioned as he had thought an Allied victory would lead to ousting of General Franco, the Spanish dictator.

"He will say that having fulfilled his part of the bargain with the British, it was now apparent that the latter were not only avoiding steps which might bring about Franco's overthrow but were maintaining him in Spain," Harris wrote.

"As proof of his bona fides he would give them his cipher and transmitting plan so that they could monitor the British controlled traffic of his notional agents during his absence."

The letter would lay the bait for a second approach - possibly years later - when, if all went to plan, Pujol's recruitment as a Soviet agent would be complete.

Recommended Read more How my grandfather duelled with Cambridge spy Kim Philby

"In this event we have sown the seed so that if, at a far distant date, Garbo should make contact with the Russians, probably somewhere abroad, he would be able to identify himself as the author of the letter written in London which would no doubt be available for reference," Harris wrote.

"Thus it is envisaged he would have a greater chance of getting himself quickly and firmly recruited than might otherwise be possible."

Harris admitted it was impossible to foresee exactly how Pujol would be used against the Russians, but he was confident that the scheme offered significant potential.

"If the information which we would be imparting to the Russians as envisaged in the first phase of the this plan were instrumental in creating a high grade Russian double agent who at the same time might continue to operate as a German double agent, the possibilities of valuable work being achieved would be considerable," he wrote.

In the event, however, it appears the idea was not followed up. The plan, however, is all the more intriguing given that rumours have long swirled around Harris and where his true loyalties lay.

Harris was helped to secure a job with MI5 in 1941 by Anthony Blunt, later the Surveyor of the Queens Pictures, who in 1964 confessed to having been a Soviet spy.

Tommy Harris (Creative Commons)

Described by one MI5 acquaintance as an enchantingly enigmatic character, Harris is also said to have helped the Soviet double agent Kim Philby secure work with MI5.

He was also said to have been close to Guy Burgess, another member of the so-called Cambridge Five spy ring.

No hard evidence has been produced, but some have speculated that Harris had in fact been a Soviet spy. In January 1964, a year after Kim Philby fled to Moscow after being exposed as a Soviet agent, Harris died in a suspicious car crash in Majorca.

Harris, who lived in Majorca, had been driving along a familiar stretch of road, and had not been drinking or speeding, yet his car hit a tree.

In his book Their Trade is Treachery, the espionage historian Chapman Pincher speculated that Soviet assassins deliberately tampered with Harris car to kill him in what would look like an accident.

He wrote: The police could find nothing wrong with the car, but Harris's wife, who survived the crash, could not explain why the vehicle had gone into a sudden slide. It is considered possible, albeit remotely, that the KGB might have wanted to silence Harris before he could talk to the British security authorities.

By contrast, with the plan to use him against the Soviets apparently coming to nothing, Agent Garbos later life seems to have been far less dramatic.

After the war, fearing reprisals from surviving Nazis, he was helped by MI5 agents to travel to Angola, where he is believed to have faked his death from malaria in 1949.

He then moved in Venezuela, where according to some accounts, he lived quietly, teaching Spanish to expat oil executives and running a shop selling books, newspapers, gifts and small electrical goods.

He died in Caracas in 1988, aged 76.
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The Belfast High Court has granted leave for a judicial review to be heard into Northern Ireland's sex work laws.

Under current legislation, it is illegal for buyers to pay for sex in Northern Ireland.

In an unprecdented case, a sex worker has taken launched a legal challenge against the laws, saying they expose sex workers to greater danger as it means they are more likely to have to operate alone. Laura Lee, a sex worker and Dublin-born law graduate, has brought the case. She claims the legislation is a breach of human rights entitlements to privacy and freedom from discrimination.

Northern Ireland is the only region of the UK where it is a criminal offence to pay for sex. Purchase of sexual services became a criminal offence under a private member's bill brought before Stormont by MLA Lord Morrow, from the evangelical Christian party DUP. Lord Morrow argued criminalisation of buyers would reduce sexual exploitation, while penalising clients but not workers.

Northern Ireland's Attorney General John Larkin has opposed the review and called for proceedings to be thrown out at the first stage.

Dates for the judicial review will be announced shortly.

Ms Lee's legal counsel Steven McQuitty told Belfast High Court the issue should not be framed as a debate about morality but one of safety and human rights. He said: "We simply say the current law operates to make sex work in Northern Ireland more dangerous, particulalry for women given most sex workers are women."

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA

The news comes amid renewed debate into the legislation and legalisation of sex work. Last year, human rights group Amnesty International announced support for decriminalisation.

The House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee is currently conducting a review into UK legislation on sex work.
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Labours anti-Semitism problem has deepened, with new research suggesting almost nine in ten British Jews believe the party is soft on abuse.

All other political parties scored far lower in the poll, which asked whether Jews believed they were guilty of leniency towards anti-Semites amongst MPs, members and supporters.

The Campaign Against Anti-Semitism (CAA) pointed to the research as further worrying evidence that Britains Left is now descending into darkness.

 Clive Lewis says it's been 'an appalling year for Jews in Labour'

Recommended Read more Clive Lewis praised for speech denouncing antisemitism in party

Joe Glasman, the organisations head of political investigations, said: Urgent action is needed by the parties of the Left which have talked the talk, but now need to walk the walk.

Jews are the canaries in the coal mine, and in large numbers are falling silent in Jeremy Corbyns Labour Party. The whole nation should listen to that silence and shudder.

The campaign group is launching a manifesto today to step up the fight against anti-Semitism in political parties, calling on them to adopt the international definition and strict disciplinary procedures.

A total of 1,864 British Jewish adults were surveyed, of which 87% said they believed the Labour Party is too tolerant of anti-Semites in its ranks.

Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said Show all 14 1 /14 Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On Israel and Palestine The simple fact in all of this is that Naz made these comments at a time when there was another brutal Israeli attack on the Palestinians; and theres one stark fact that virtually no one in the British media ever reports, in almost all these conflicts the death toll is usually between 60 and 100 Palestinians killed for every Israeli. Now, any other country doing that would be accused of war crimes but its like we have a double standard about the policies of the Israeli government Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On Antisemitism in the Labour Party As Ive said, Ive never heard anybody say anything antisemitism-Semitic, but theres been a very well-orchestrated campaign by the Israel lobby to smear anybody who criticises Israeli policy as antisemitic. I had to put up with 35 years of this Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On Naz Shah Its completely over-the-top and rude, but who am I to denounce anyone with all of that. It was wrong. I dont think she is antisemitic, it was incredibly rude but I dont believe she is an antisemite. When the NEC investigation is finished they'll say it was rude and over the top but they wont find any evidence that she actually hates Jews. Weve got to investigate all these charges and the context in which they are made. If she is antisemitic like the other three or four members weve found who are antisemitic, shell be expelled Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On other alleged antisemites in Labour That is part of the classic antisemitic thing about an international Jewish conspiracy  that is the reason we need to have an investigation. Ive got an open mind. Ive seen nothing to suggest to me that she is antisemitic. I wouldnt have supported her if I [thought] she was antisemitic Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On whether what Hitler did was legal, as stated by Naz Shah Thats a statement of fact  Hitler, Im sure, passed all those laws that allowed him to do that  its history  literally, Hitler was completely mad, he killed six million Jews. Shes not saying its legal to kill six million Jews: what they were doing in that country allowed them not just to kill six million Jews, kill all the communists, kill all the leftists like me, my father almost died when a Nazi sub sank his boat. I have no sympathy with Hitler Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On another alleged antisemite in Labour No, that is, and thats why shes been suspended or expelled. What Ive said is that in 47 years of the party in all the meetings Ive been in Ive never heard anyone say anything antisemitic. There are bound to be in a party of half a million people youll have a handful of antisemites, youll have a handful of racists. Youve managed to dig out virtually every antisemitic comment that Labour members have made out of half a million people. Ive never met any of these people. Theres not a problem. Youre talking about a handful of people in a party of half a million people. Jeremy Corbyn has moved rapidly to deal with them Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On Jeremy Corbyns response to the allegations He met with Naz and she agreed she would stand down while the investigation is going on. He called her in to see her. Theres been a huge investigation of virtually everything that anybody put on the internet  many of these people are quite new and recent members of the party that joined in the big influx. 300,000 new people came in Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On his meeting a man accused of antisemitism in London This is the man who called for Muslims around the world to donate blood after the attacks of 9/11 when he came to London I went with him to the Regents Park mosque where he said no man should hit a woman and you should not discriminate against homosexuals. So I cant equate what I heard him say he made no antisemitic statement while he was here in London. I dont investigate people. Ive simply said what I believe to be true which is that Naz was not antisemitic. She was completely over the top, very rude, but that does not make her an antisemite Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On John Manns comments He went completely over the top. I was actually doing a radio interview at the time that he was bellowing that Im a racist antisemite in my ear. Ive had that with John Mann before a few weeks ago screaming that I was a bigot down the phone. Im not an apologist for anyone who makes antisemitic statements. What Im saying is dont confuse antisemitism with criticism of the Israeli government policy Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On calling a Jewish journalist a concentration camp guard whilst Mayor of London I cant tell if a journalist is Jewish or Catholic or anything. If a journalist is chasing you down the street at nine of clock at night you might be rude to them. Some people might have hit him! He said he was just doing his job. We went all the way to the High Court and the judge opened his judgement by saying I hope no one here is going to suggest that Mr Livingstone is antisemitic. We won the case Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On claims about Hitler and Zionism I cant tell if a journalist is Jewish or Catholic or anything. If a journalist is chasing you down the street at nine of clock at night you might be rude to them. Some people might have hit him! He said he was just doing his job. We went all the way to the High Court and the judge opened his judgement by saying I hope no one here is going to suggest that Mr Livingstone is antisemitic. We won the case Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On John Mann Id simply say to John Mann go back and check. Is what I say true, or is it not? The BBC, youve got a huge team of researchers, it will take just an hour or two to go back and confirm. I was asked a question, I answered it. I have never in 45 years since I won my first election, I have never lied. I have always answered the question Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On raising the issue if Hitler It lays you open to people smearing and lying about you. Ive always answered the questions put to me and that simple fact is weve had a handful of people saying antisemitic things in the Labour Party, theyve been suspended, some of them are on their way to being expelled, some of them have been expelled already Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On people calling for him to be suspended All my usual critics  but the simple fact is I agree with them; there is no place for antisemitism in the Labour party. For them to suggest I am antisemitic is a bit bizarre considering we worked with Jewish groups and put on exhibitions about the scale of the holocaust, we worked with Jewish groups to tackling the scale of antisemitism back in the 1970s. Ive always opposed every form of racism whether its against black people or Jews. Im going to stay in the Labour party and continue to fight against all forms of racism and discrimination as I have my entire life

That compared with much lower, but still sizeable, figures for the Green Party (49 per cent), Ukip (43 per cent), the Liberal Democrats (37 per cent) and the Conservatives (13 per cent).

The CAA said it was striking that the Labour Party and left-wing parties were once responsible for leading the fight against racism, but this polling shows that British Jews now consider them to be the most tolerant of anti-Semitism.

Every party had strong policies against racism, but the Jewish community does not believe that those policies are implemented firmly when it comes to anti-Semitism.

This week, Mr Corbyn has sought to assure Jewish Labour supporters of his commitment to stamping out anti-Semitism within Labour.

He pledged to move ahead with implementing the recommendations of the Chakrabarti report, published in the summer.

In a statement, Mr Corbyn said: Let me be clear  I stand against all forms of prejudice and discrimination and will not tolerate any forms of it in our party.

Anyone who is found to have been involved in anti-Semitic abuse or instances will be dealt with through our party structures.
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Andy Burnham delivered a parting shot to Jeremy Corbyn over his refusal to accept EU immigration curbs, in his final frontbench conference speech.

The Shadow Home Secretary criticised his party for failing to acknowledge the brutal fact that millions of Labour supporters voted for change on immigration in backing Brexit.

Mr Burnham said such voters were not narrow-minded, nor xenophobic, because they welcomed refugees and have no problem with people coming here to work.

But he added: They do have a problem with people taking them for granted and with unlimited, unfunded, unskilled migration which damages their own living standards.

And they have an even bigger problem with an out-of-touch elite who don't seem to care about it.

If Labour now argues for the status quo, it will look like we have abandoned them too.

The comments came just hours before the Labour leader is due to deliver a speech rejecting controls on EU immigration, claiming demands for them fan the flames of fear.

Yesterday, Mr Corbyns spokesman said: We are not concerned about numbers. It is not our objective to reduce the numbers, to reduce immigration.

The speech puts Mr Burnham alongside other big Labour figures, including Yvette Cooper, Chuka Umunna, Rachel Reeves and Stephen Kinnock, who have previously urged an immigration rethink

The Shadow Home Secretary  who confirmed he will stand down to focus on his bid to become Greater Manchester's mayor  also warned of the harsh consequences of a hard Brexit on poorer communities.

He warned Theresa May against diluting promises to create a Northern Powerhouse, saying: It will be as big a betrayal of the North as Margaret Thatcher's in the 1980s.

And he criticised the Blair and Brown Governments in which he served for failing, just as the Tories had, to narrow the widening North-South divide.

Mr Burnham told delegates: My 15 years in Westminster has told me that there isn't a real will in the British Establishment to close it, to listen to people here.

Westminster over decades has failed the North of England. It has created a very unequal country, unequal access to truth and justice, an unfair distribution of wealth, health and life chances. Two countries.

The Liverpool-born Mr Burnham pointed to the Souths luxury trains, adding: Try and catch a train from Lime Street later today to Manchester, Leeds or on to the North East.

On Brexit, he criticised Labour figures calling for a second vote, saying: I don't want to hear this Party make the patronising argument that people didn't understand their referendum vote. They understood it very well.

The truth is the EU was working better for some parts of our country than it was for others. For some of our country's least affluent areas, it wasn't working well at all.

And he warned: A hard Brexit will hurt our economy, hit the poorest areas hardest and turn Britain into a place it has never been: divided, hostile, narrow-minded.
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Publication of a report showing Northern Ireland would be seriously damaged by Brexit was suppressed before the referendum, it has been claimed.

A Civil Service briefing paper was composed outlining the negative implications of Brexit on Northern Ireland prior to the referendum vote. The 15-page document detailed a number of serious consequences for Northern Ireland which would be incurred by leaving the European Union. In total, at least 20 negative consequences were reportedly listed. However, the report was not published.

Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, Mike Nesbitt, told the Northern Ireland Assembly he believes the decision not to publish the report may amount to a breach of Stormonts ministerial code of conduct. He has asked Stormonts speaker Robin Newton to consider whether action should be taken in relation to how the report was handled.

Mr Nesbitt said: I suggest that it was in the public interest for this document to be published. Leader of the cross-community Alliance party, David Ford, said if the paper had been published perhaps it would have changed some minds in the lead-up to the EU referendum.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Stormont executive office said: Officials prepare a range of papers on a regular basis, many of which are working papers and do not form submissions sent to ministers.

This analysis paper was not sent to ministers for consideration following its completion. The executive office could not have taken sides in the referendum campaigns in the absence of an agreed position.

In any case the document contains well rehearsed arguments which were openly being aired during the referendum campaign and would have added nothing to the wider debate.

Northern Ireland voted to stay in the EU by a margin of 56 per cent to 44 per cent. As the only part of the UK to share a land border with another EU country (the Republic of Ireland), it is not known whether a physical border or passport controls will now be introduced between the two regions.

Northern Ireland also receives grants from the EU for cross-community projects between nationalist and unionist communities affected by the Troubles conflicts, known locally as peace money. It is expected such grants from the EU would stop following Brexit, but it is not yet known if the funding shortfall will be made up by Westminster.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters 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

Due to its considerable rural economy, Northern Ireland also receives a large number of farming and fishery subsidies from the EU which also now hang in the balance.

A legal challenge which could block Brexit has been brought by Northern Irish politicians, due to concerns about how EU withdrawal will affect Northern Ireland. It is led by cross-community politicians including Alliance leader David Ford, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood, Sinn Fein MLA John ODowd and Steven Agnew, leader of the Green Party.
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A legal bid challenging Brexit has secured its first major success ahead of a High Court hearing. A senior judge has ordered the Government to reveal 'secret' legal arguments which it says means parliament does not have to be consulted on when to trigger Article 50. The decision has been heralded a major victory as a series of legal challenges trying to block Brexit are beginning.

High Court Judge Mr Justice Cranston has ruled that prior to a hearing of a case from the crowd funded initiative Peoples Challenge on 13 October, the Government must publish its previously undisclosed legal arguments about why Article 50 can be triggered without parliamentary assent. As a majority of MPs backed Remain, some anti-Brexit campaigners believe this mechanism could enable them to stall or entirely cancel Brexit.

The documents which have now been released give an insight into how the Government seeks to quash the cases.

They show Government lawyers intend to argue that it is constitutionally impermissible for the devolved regional parliaments or Westminster to be given the authority to decide when and how Article 50 should be triggered.

 Boris Johnson goes 'off script' about when Brexit should happen

They say: The appropriate point at which the UK should begin the procedure required by article 50 to give effect to [informing the UKs withdrawal] is a matter of high, if not the highest policy.

It is a polycentric decision based upon a multitude of domestic and foreign policy and political concerns for which the expertise of ministers and their officials are particularly well-suited and the courts ill-suited.

Peoples Challenge has told the court they are arguing the UKs constitutional arrangements mean that only parliament can lawfully decide to leave the EU for the purposes of article 50 TEU; and that [David Davis] may only notify such a decision to the European Council under Article 50(2) TEU once he has been properly authorised to do so by an act of parliament.

John Halford, from Bindmans law firm which represents the Peoples Challenge told The Guardian: The courts order allows a floodlight to be shone on the governments secret reasons for believing it alone can bring about Brexit without any meaningful parliamentary scrutiny.

What experts have said about Brexit Show all 11 1 /11 What experts have said about Brexit What experts have said about Brexit Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond The Chancellor claims London can still be a world financial hub despite Brexit One of Britains great strengths is the ability to offer and aggregate all of the services the global financial services industry needs This has not changed as a result of the EU referendum and I will do everything I can to ensure the City of London retains its position as the worlds leading international financial centre. Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Yanis Varoufakis Greece's former finance minister compared the UK relations with the EU bloc with a well-known song by the Eagles: You can check out any time you like, as the Hotel California song says, but you can't really leave. The proof is Theresa May has not even dared to trigger Article 50. It's like Harrison Ford going into Indiana Jones' castle and the path behind him fragmenting. You can get in, but getting out is not at all clear Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Michael OLeary Ryanair boss says UK will be screwed by EU in Brexit trade deals: I have no faith in the politicians in London going on about how the world will want to trade with us. The world will want to screw you  that's what happens in trade talks, he said. They have no interest in giving the UK a deal on trade Getty What experts have said about Brexit Tim Martin JD Wetherspoon's chairman has said claims that the UK would see serious economic consequences from a Brexit vote were "lurid" and wrong: We were told it would be Armageddon from the OECD, from the IMF, David Cameron, the chancellor and President Obama who were predicting locusts in the fields and tidal waves in the North Sea" PA What experts have said about Brexit Mark Carney Governor of Bank of England is 'serene' about Bank of England's Brexit stance: I am absolutely serene about the  judgments made both by the MPC and the FPC Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Christine Lagarde IMF chief urges quick Brexit to reduce economic uncertainty: We want to see clarity sooner rather than later because we think that a lack of clarity feeds uncertainty, which itself undermines investment appetites and decision making Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Inga Beale Lloyds chief executive says Brexit is a major issue: "Clearly the UK's referendum on its EU membership is a major issue for us to deal with and we are now focusing our attention on having in place the plans that will ensure Lloyd's continues trading across Europe EPA What experts have said about Brexit Colm Kelleher President of US bank Morgan Stanley says City of London will suffer as result of the EU referendum: I do believe, and I said prior to the referendum, that the City of London will suffer as result of Brexit. The issue is how much What experts have said about Brexit Richard Branson Virgin founder believes we've lost a THIRD of our value because of Brexit and cancelled a deal worth 3,000 jobs: We're not any worse than anybody else, but I suspect we've lost a third of our value which is dreadful for people in the workplace.' He continued: "We were about to do a very big deal, we cancelled that deal, that would have involved 3,000 jobs, and thats happening all over the country" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Barack Obama US President believes Britain was wrong to vote to leave the EU: "It is absolutely true that I believed pre-Brexit vote and continue to believe post-Brexit vote that the world benefited enormously from the United Kingdom's participation in the EU. We are fully supportive of a process that is as little disruptive as possible so that people around the world can continue to benefit from economic growth" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Kristin Forbes American economist and an external member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England argues that the economy had been less stormy than many expected following the shock referendum result: For nowthe economy is experiencing some chop, but no tsunami. The adverse winds could quickly pick up  and merit a stronger policy response. But recently they have shifted to a more favourable direction Getty

Those who were unsettled by the governments insistence on its defence being kept secret will now be surprised by the contents, including submissions that Brexit has nothing constitutionally to do with the Scottish and Northern Ireland devolved governments, that parliament clearly understood it was surrendering any role it might have in Brexit by passing the EU Referendum Act, that it has no control over making and withdrawal from treaties and that individuals can have fundamental rights conferred by acts of parliament stripped away if and when the executive withdraws from the treaties on which they are based.

A number of legal challenges against Brexit have been launched. In addition to the Peoples Challenge, a cross-community coalition of politicians in Northern Ireland is bringing a case arguing that the Northern Irish parliament must approve plans to leave the EU due to the detrimental impact it may have on Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland shares a land border with another EU country (the Republic of Ireland) and it is unknown if a physical border and passport controls between the two regions will now be put in place, however serious concerns have been raised about the impact this could have on the peace process. The case will be heard this Autumn.
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Jeremy Corbyn has set out his election stall by promising 21st century socialism for Britain, taxing the super-rich, pouring borrowed money into new council houses and blocking arms sales to abusive regimes.

Mr Corbyn told the Labour conference in Liverpool the only way his party can win the next election  a task he said was a mountain to climb  would be to follow the left-wing agenda he has always wanted to pursue.

The speech, his first major set-piece since winning a second leadership contest, showed Mr Corbyn now feels he has authority to push ahead with his plans.

Recommended Read more Corbyn needs to convince

In a move symbolising his direction he said he would lift a cap on councils wanting to borrow money to build homes, he promised rises in corporation tax to pay for education and a foreign policy that focused on human rights and peace.

He moved quickly over the political turmoil of the summer, urging all in the party to end the trench warfare that has come to characterise Labour in recent months, and warning of failure if they fail to unite.

The speech revealed a bolder, more confident and polished leader than the one who stumbled through a speech at conference in 2015.

On that occasion the North Islington MP, unused to reading from an autocue, said the stage direction pause out loud by mistake. But in Liverpool he was introduced as your socialist leader and came across relaxed and even able to deliver a convincing joke.

In a nod to the so-called "Traingate" scandal he told delegates Virgin trains had been in touch to assure him there were 800 empty seats in the packed hall in front of him.

Having broken the ice, he then told delegates: We know how great this country could be, for all its people, with a new political and economic settlement.

With new forms of democratic public ownership, driven by investment in the technology and industries of the future, with decent jobs, education and housing for all with local services run by and for people not outsourced to faceless corporations. Thats not backward-looking, its the very opposite. Its the socialism of the 21st century.

He said it was now the job of Labour to win over the unconvinced to our vision adding, it's the only that way can we secure the Labour government we need.

It followed a difficult conference in which divisions were sometimes embarrassingly exposed between his camp and that of moderate MPs who quit his frontbench in the coup of the summer.

Snubbing his detractors, he instead praised those backbenchers who had stepped up when frontbench positions came free following the revolt, as some of the rebels clapped politely in the wings.

He went on: "And lets be frank, no one will be convinced of a vision, promoted by a divided party. We all agree on that. So I ask each and every one of you, accept the decision of the members end the trench warfare and work together to take on the Tories."

Mr Corbyn acknowledged the big challenge ahead if Labour is to return to power, saying: Its true theres an electoral mountain to climb.

But he argued that delivering socialism for the 21st century was the key, making three key pledges  the first on housing. He condemned the lowest level of housebuilding since the 1920s, falling home ownership, rising evictions and homelessness, and the sale of council homes without replacements.

The leader said: Another consequence is that were paying over 9bn a year to private landlords in housing benefit. Instead of spending public money on building council housing, were subsidising private landlords. Thats wasteful, inefficient, and poor government.

So, today, Im announcing that Labour will remove the artificial local borrowing cap and allow councils to borrow against their housing stock. That single measure alone would allow them to build an extra 12,000 council homes a year.

In another key pillar of his socialist platform Mr Corbyn promised a high-quality National Education Service, to deliver for a nation rich in talent, rich in potential.

Labours National Education Service is going to be every bit as vital as our National Health Service has become <p>Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn</p>

He contrasted that with a Conservative government that had slashed adult education budgets, taking away opportunities for people to develop their skills and leaving businesses struggling to find the skilled workforce they need.

The solution was a new deal for rebuilding Britain, he said, with a corporation tax rise of less than 1.5 per cent to bring back an education maintenance allowance for college students and grants for university students.

Directly addressing business leaders he said: We will ask you pay a little more in tax. Business shares in economic success and it must contribute to it too.

Labours National Education Service is going to be every bit as vital as our National Health Service has become.

All school pupils would also have the chance to learn an instrument take part in drama and dance and have regular access to a theatre, gallery or museum in their local area, through a 160m programme.

Today Jeremy talked about Labour getting ready for, and winning, the next election. After a largely wasted year for the party that's what the country needed to hear <p>Unison general secretary, Dave Prentis</p>

Hitting out at the wealthiest in society, he said: Government might be a bit more efficient if the super-rich like Sir Phillip [Green] actually paid their taxes. When government steps back there are consequences for every one of us.

Perhaps closest to the emboldened leaders heart were his positions on foreign policy, which he has spoken out on in the Commons for decades.

Mr Corbyn promised no repeat of the disastrous wars in Iraq and Libya  blaming them for the spread of terrorism, sectarianism and violence, as well as the refugee crisis.

In a move likely to anger moderates, he said: We have to face the role that repeated military interventions by British governments have played in that crisis.

Jeremy Corbyn criticised the continued sale of arms to Saudi Arabia (Getty Images)

Then to a standing ovation, he added: That is why it was right to apologise on behalf of the party for the Iraq war, right to say that we have learned the lessons and right to say that such a catastrophe must never be allowed to happen again.

The Labour leader then criticised the continued sale of arms to Saudi Arabia, a country that the United Nations says is committing repeated violations of international humanitarian law war crimes in Yemen.

He told the conference So, today, I make it clear that under a Labour government, when there are credible reports of human rights abuses or war crimes being committed, British arms sales will be suspended, starting with Saudi Arabia.

The speech won unlikely praise from arch-Corbyn critic John Woodcock, who previously branded his leader a f***ing disaster, who was turning the party into a laughing stock.

The backbench Barrow MP tweeted: A well-delivered speech from Jeremy with a firm direction. Let's all do what we can to help tackle the 'electoral mountain' he identifies.

Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith Show all 8 1 /8 Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith Jeremy Corbyn and Owen Smith clash at a leadership hustings in Gateshead, where Mr Smith was scarcely able to answer a question without being booed by Mr Corbyns supporters PA Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith Jeremy himself admitted he was seven out of 10 in terms of his faith in the European Union. He said it, said Mr Smith during his second live debate with Jeremy Corbyn Getty Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith Ballot papers are currently due to be sent out on 22 August and returned a month later, with the result being announced at a special Labour conference on 24 September Getty Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith Jeremy Corbyn supporters cheer and wave placards as the Labour Leader addresses thousands of supporters in in Liverpool, England Getty Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith Labour Party leadership candidate Owen Smith poses for a picture with supporters during a picnic for young members in London Fields, Hackney in London Getty Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith The Labour leader has a spring in his step at a leadership rally in Sunderland Screenshot Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith Labour leadership contender Owen Smith delivers a speech at the Open University in Milton Keynes, where he promised to reverse Conservative cuts set to leave millions of low paid workers thousands of pounds a year worse off PA Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has urged Owen Smith to distance himself from those saying they want to split the Labour party Getty

Stephen Kinnock, the Aberavon MP, said Mr Corbyn's speech was very strong on the economy but he questioned his position on immigration, largely unchanged from that which failed to convince voters at the last election.

He said: My understanding is he is not of the view that we should be setting numbers and targets and I think we have to.

Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: Today Jeremy talked about Labour getting ready for, and winning, the next election. After a largely wasted year for the party that's what the country needed to hear.

We must ignore the doom-mongers, the next election is not lost, but the year ahead has to be about how Labour wins back the support of voters across the country.

Adam Marshall, acting director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said businesses wanted investment in infrastructure and skills, but added: Many will be concerned that Jeremy Corbyn is already reaching for the tax lever by asking businesses to pay for his education plans.

As the Labour party develops its proposals further, it has to get the balance between these factors right  or risk denting business confidence and investment.

Conservative Party chairman Sir Patrick McLoughlin said: This conference has shown Labour are too divided, distracted and incompetent to build a country that works for everyone. They would spend, borrow and tax even more than they did last time, support unlimited immigration, and cannot be trusted to keep our country safe.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: The last time I saw ovations like that was Iain Duncan Smith's Blackpool conference speech. Here was a quiet man turning down the volume, especially on Europe. He barely mentioned Brexit and said nothing on the importance of the single market. It is clear that the Liberal Democrats are the only pro-European party now.
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Rebel Labour MPs plan to try to bounce their party into backing a third runway at Heathrow Airport, even without the support of Jeremy Corbyn.

They will call a vote of all Labour MPs and peers on an aviation report drawn up by a group of backbenchers who sit on the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) transport committee.

The report is said to endorse a third runway, ahead of the long-delayed Government announcement on whether to expand Heathrow or Gatwick, expected within weeks.

Gavin Shuker, the Luton South MP who chairs the transport committee, said he was deeply frustrated by Mr Corbyns failure to set out Labours position.

The leaders key ally, shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, has a west London seat under the Heathrow flight path and has long been opposed to a new runway there.

If the tactic of forcing the vote works, it could be copied on other key policy areas, when reports are completed by the Labour committees shadowing other government departments.

Mr Shuker told the BBC: On a number of key issues, on Syria, on Trident and otherwise, we have dodged the question the people have put to us about where we stand.

You cant just keep on going through the process of free votes and abstentions.

People dont know what we stand for and, if there isnt going to be clear leadership on these issues, I dont think that anyone should be surprised that  within the rules of the Labour party  were going to utilise those to make sure that we have a clear position.

Most of the PLP committees are chaired by anti-Corbyn MPs, including former frontbenchers Chris Leslie, Caroline Flint, Tristram Hunt, John Woodcock and Emma Reynolds.

This month, it emerged that the Prime Minister Theresa May could seek to resolve her Heathrow headache through a potential waiving of collective responsibility  a free vote for her MPs.

Cabinet big-hitters Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, and Education Secretary Justine Greening are among fierce opponents of expanding Heathrow.

Last year, the Davies Commission recommended the building of a third runway at Heathrow, but the Government announced further investigation into noise, pollution and compensation before a decision.

David Cameron was expected to announce which project would get the go-ahead after the EU referendum, but his resignation following the Brexit victory has left the decision for his successor, Mrs May.

Labour MPs and peers meet every Monday evening when Parliament is sitting, making it possible that the Heathrow vote will be staged before that Government announcement.
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Labour supporters have queued around the block to hear about proportional representation  as leading figures from across the partys factions backed electoral reform.

MPs from the Left  including John McDonnell, Clive Lewis, and Cat Smith backed voting reform alongside Labour moderates such as Chuka Umunna, Stephen Kinnock, and Jonathan Reynolds at a rare show of unity at the partys Liverpool conference on Tuesday.

The event is thought to be the biggest gathering of Labour MPs in support of proportional representation for decades  from a party that has long been uncomfortable with changing the voting system.

Recommended Read more Labour MPs debate universal basic income policy for the first time

Hundreds of Labour supporters packed out an auditorium, with yet more filling an overflow room and others unable to get in at all at a secondary school in Liverpool just outside the secure conference zone.

The event, which also featured MPs Richard Burden, Daniel Zeichner, Dr Alan Whitehead, Stephen Twigg and MEP Mary Honeyball, was organised by Make Votes Matter, a cross-party campaign for PR.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is yet to express a definitive view on electoral reform, though interest in reform appears to be growing across all wings of the party. In May thousands of Labour members and seven Labour MPs wrote to Mr Corbyn to urge him to support PR.

Clive Lewis was one of the MPs to back PR (Rex)

Chuka Umunna told the gathering: It is not sustainable to carry on with our current First Past the Post electoral system. We are now living with a multi-party political system - two party politics is over.

The British people will not put up with the continuation of an electoral system which is so unfair, disenfranchises millions and distorts the political debate in our country. People need to know that, no matter whoever they vote for or wherever they live, their vote matters.

Supporters queued around the block to get into the event on PR (Jon Stone for The Independent)

There is cross party support, and a significant majority of the public support moving to a more proportional system of electing MPs.

I urge the government to look beyond party political interests and work in the interests of the British people and our political debate to introduce a proportionally representative electoral system.

Clive Lewis, the shadow defence secretary, said: PR will actually give the people power to speak up, it will give us proper democracy. Until every vote counts we cannot expect that people will see politics as a solution to the problems that they face.

People often argue that First Past the Post leads to strong government, but it could be argued that strong government without support from the majority of the people is antidemocratic.

A spokesperson for Make Votes Matter said after the rally: Every poll of public attitudes to the electoral franchise since the last election has shown overwhelming support for the principle of a proportional voting system in which seats match votes.

With the current Parliament less representative of the population than at any time since women won the vote, its fantastic to see senior Labour figures from across the party uniting to call for better democratic representation.
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Momentums vice-chair has apologised over comments in which she appeared to criticise Holocaust Memorial Day for commemorating only Jewish victims.

Jackie Walker, vice-chair of the grassroots organisation set up shortly after Jeremy Corbyns election as Labour leader, made the comments at a Labour Party anti-Semitism training event.

In terms of Holocaust day, wouldnt it be wonderful if Holocaust day was open to all people who experienced Holocaust? she told organisers.

During the meeting Ms Walker was recorded by the Huffington Post as saying: I came in here ... and I was looking for information and I still havent heard a definition of anti-Semitism that I can work with ... [shouting from audience] and in terms of Holocaust day wouldnt it be wonderful if Holocaust day was open to all people who experienced holocaust ... [shouting from audience] in practice its not actually circulated and advertised as such.

Senior members of Momentum are "fuming" at her remarks, The Independent understands.

Ms Walkers comments reportedly led to one activist shouting youre telling lies while others corrected her to say that not just Jews can commemorate the day.

Now, Ms Walker has said she is sorry for any offence called: "A number of people made comments in a private training session run by the Jewish Labour Movement. As we all know, training sessions are intended to be safe spaces where ideas and questions can be explored. A film of this session was leaked to the press unethically. I did not raise a question on security in Jewish schools. The trainer raised this issue and I asked for clarification, in particular as all London primary schools, to my knowledge, have security and I did not understand the particular point the trainer was making. Having been a victim of racism I would never play down the very real fears the Jewish community have, especially in light of recent attacks in France.

"In the session, a number of Jewish people, including me, asked for definitions of antisemitism. This is a subject of much debate in the Jewish community. I support David Schneider's definition and utterly condemn antisemitism.

"I would never play down the significance of the Shoah. Working with many Jewish comrades, I continue to seek to bring greater awareness of other genocides, which are too often forgotten or minimised. If offence has been caused, it is the last thing I would want to do and I apologise."

The initial comments sparked widespread condemnation.

Jeremy Newmark, chair of the Jewish Labour Movement, has called on her to resign and said he was appalled at the comments.

I am appalled that somebody who has already caused great hurt and pain to so many Jewish people by promoting an anti-Semitic myth would come to a training session designed to help party activists address anti-Semitism and use the occasion to challenge the legitimacy of the training itself, he said.

To denigrate security provision at Jewish schools, make false claims about the universality of National Holocaust Memorial Day and to challenge recognised definitions of anti-Semitism is provocative, offensive and a stark example of the problem facing the Labour party today.

As vice-chair of Momentum Jackie Walker has consistently failed to demonstrate any sensitivity to the impact of her words and actions upon the Jewish community. She must now consider her position, show some sensitivity and contrition or resign.

The Holocaust Education Trust accused Ms Walker of undermining and belittling the distinct nature of the tragedy itself.

 Jeremy Corbyn's campaign team tackle accusations of antisemitism

They added: The Holocaust was a defining episode in history where 6 million men women and children were brutally murdered simply for being Jewish, the very epitome of mans inhumanity to man.

Whilst Holocaust Memorial Day rightly and proudly commemorates the Holocaust and subsequent genocides, one has to wonder why Ms Walker takes issue with commemorating the mass extermination of Jews in its own right.

The deliberate use of term Holocausts  plural  undermines and belittle the distinct nature of the tragedy itself, ignores that genocides are the result of diverse and unique factors, and also deprives the Jewish community of their collective memory.

It comes after Ms Walker, speaking to activists at Momentums festival in Liverpool, accused Mr Corbyns critics of attempting to weaponise anti-Semitism allegations in a bid to undermine the leader.

Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said Show all 14 1 /14 Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On Israel and Palestine The simple fact in all of this is that Naz made these comments at a time when there was another brutal Israeli attack on the Palestinians; and theres one stark fact that virtually no one in the British media ever reports, in almost all these conflicts the death toll is usually between 60 and 100 Palestinians killed for every Israeli. Now, any other country doing that would be accused of war crimes but its like we have a double standard about the policies of the Israeli government Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On Antisemitism in the Labour Party As Ive said, Ive never heard anybody say anything antisemitism-Semitic, but theres been a very well-orchestrated campaign by the Israel lobby to smear anybody who criticises Israeli policy as antisemitic. I had to put up with 35 years of this Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On Naz Shah Its completely over-the-top and rude, but who am I to denounce anyone with all of that. It was wrong. I dont think she is antisemitic, it was incredibly rude but I dont believe she is an antisemite. When the NEC investigation is finished they'll say it was rude and over the top but they wont find any evidence that she actually hates Jews. Weve got to investigate all these charges and the context in which they are made. If she is antisemitic like the other three or four members weve found who are antisemitic, shell be expelled Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On other alleged antisemites in Labour That is part of the classic antisemitic thing about an international Jewish conspiracy  that is the reason we need to have an investigation. Ive got an open mind. Ive seen nothing to suggest to me that she is antisemitic. I wouldnt have supported her if I [thought] she was antisemitic Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On whether what Hitler did was legal, as stated by Naz Shah Thats a statement of fact  Hitler, Im sure, passed all those laws that allowed him to do that  its history  literally, Hitler was completely mad, he killed six million Jews. Shes not saying its legal to kill six million Jews: what they were doing in that country allowed them not just to kill six million Jews, kill all the communists, kill all the leftists like me, my father almost died when a Nazi sub sank his boat. I have no sympathy with Hitler Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On another alleged antisemite in Labour No, that is, and thats why shes been suspended or expelled. What Ive said is that in 47 years of the party in all the meetings Ive been in Ive never heard anyone say anything antisemitic. There are bound to be in a party of half a million people youll have a handful of antisemites, youll have a handful of racists. Youve managed to dig out virtually every antisemitic comment that Labour members have made out of half a million people. Ive never met any of these people. Theres not a problem. Youre talking about a handful of people in a party of half a million people. Jeremy Corbyn has moved rapidly to deal with them Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On Jeremy Corbyns response to the allegations He met with Naz and she agreed she would stand down while the investigation is going on. He called her in to see her. Theres been a huge investigation of virtually everything that anybody put on the internet  many of these people are quite new and recent members of the party that joined in the big influx. 300,000 new people came in Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On his meeting a man accused of antisemitism in London This is the man who called for Muslims around the world to donate blood after the attacks of 9/11 when he came to London I went with him to the Regents Park mosque where he said no man should hit a woman and you should not discriminate against homosexuals. So I cant equate what I heard him say he made no antisemitic statement while he was here in London. I dont investigate people. Ive simply said what I believe to be true which is that Naz was not antisemitic. She was completely over the top, very rude, but that does not make her an antisemite Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On John Manns comments He went completely over the top. I was actually doing a radio interview at the time that he was bellowing that Im a racist antisemite in my ear. Ive had that with John Mann before a few weeks ago screaming that I was a bigot down the phone. Im not an apologist for anyone who makes antisemitic statements. What Im saying is dont confuse antisemitism with criticism of the Israeli government policy Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On calling a Jewish journalist a concentration camp guard whilst Mayor of London I cant tell if a journalist is Jewish or Catholic or anything. If a journalist is chasing you down the street at nine of clock at night you might be rude to them. Some people might have hit him! He said he was just doing his job. We went all the way to the High Court and the judge opened his judgement by saying I hope no one here is going to suggest that Mr Livingstone is antisemitic. We won the case Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On claims about Hitler and Zionism I cant tell if a journalist is Jewish or Catholic or anything. If a journalist is chasing you down the street at nine of clock at night you might be rude to them. Some people might have hit him! He said he was just doing his job. We went all the way to the High Court and the judge opened his judgement by saying I hope no one here is going to suggest that Mr Livingstone is antisemitic. We won the case Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On John Mann Id simply say to John Mann go back and check. Is what I say true, or is it not? The BBC, youve got a huge team of researchers, it will take just an hour or two to go back and confirm. I was asked a question, I answered it. I have never in 45 years since I won my first election, I have never lied. I have always answered the question Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On raising the issue if Hitler It lays you open to people smearing and lying about you. Ive always answered the questions put to me and that simple fact is weve had a handful of people saying antisemitic things in the Labour Party, theyve been suspended, some of them are on their way to being expelled, some of them have been expelled already Labour antisemitism row: What Livingstone said On people calling for him to be suspended All my usual critics  but the simple fact is I agree with them; there is no place for antisemitism in the Labour party. For them to suggest I am antisemitic is a bit bizarre considering we worked with Jewish groups and put on exhibitions about the scale of the holocaust, we worked with Jewish groups to tackling the scale of antisemitism back in the 1970s. Ive always opposed every form of racism whether its against black people or Jews. Im going to stay in the Labour party and continue to fight against all forms of racism and discrimination as I have my entire life

Despite various allegations during the summer, Mr Corbyn himself calling an inquiry into allegations and a string of suspensions including those of Ken Livingstone and Naz Shah, Ms Walker argued there was little if any evidence of racism.

Let me make it clear: all racism is abhorrent and I am not saying that anti-Semitism does not exist in the Labour Party, she said.

Senior Labour sources told the Independent it was very likely Ms Walker would be suspended from the party after Ian McNicol, the party general secretary, had looked into the claims. They added her suspension could go ahead without an investigation.

The Independent has sought comment from Momentum.
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Labours most powerful elected politician has given Jeremy Corbyn a blunt message that he must switch his attention from cementing his grip on the party to winning power in the country.

Sadiq Khan, who became Mayor of London in May, pointedly used the word power 38 times in a 20-minute speech to the Labour conference. While Mr Corbyn watched from the platform, his aides grimaced in the margins as Mr Khan declared: Labour out of power will never ever be good enough. We can only improve lives with Labour in power. One Corbynista snarled: Of course we want to win the general election. The suggestion that we dont is just completely wrong.

Although Mr Khan congratulated Mr Corbyn on his re-election as Labour leader, he did not mention him by name when he said it was time for a Labour government and a Labour prime minister in Downing Street. He said Labour must be about not just talking the talk, but walking the walk too. He argued that Labour had a duty and a responsibility to win elections, which did not mean sacrificing or selling out our ideals, but putting them in action every day. He rejected the idea of a revolution overnight and said Labour should offer real and meaningful change that makes life easier for the people who need it most.

Recommended Read more Labour centrists execute secret plan for months to win conference vote

The London Mayors relations with his party leader are frosty. Their handshake and brief hello on the conference platform was the first time the two men had spoken since Junes EU referendum. Mr Khan backed Owen Smith in the leadership election and has said Labour must now focus outwards  rather than inwards and the struggle for control of the party between Mr Corbyn and his critics.

Mr Khan did not show his speech to Team Corbyn in advance. He didnt need to because he enjoys power in his own right. Corbyn critics view Mr Khan as a king over the water at City Hall and hope his regime can be a prototype for a pragmatic and effective Labour government. He might be an alternative powerbase around which to rally.

Labour also holds the Mayoralty in Bristol and its hoping to win power in Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool next May. The party hopes that running the cities will convince voters that it can be trusted to govern the country. This perhaps explains why Prime Minister Theresa May is not keen to create more elected mayors, unlike her predecessor David Cameron.

Mr Khan has urged Mr Corbyns opponents not to break away from the party, believing that would be a recipe for one-party Tory rule. He believes Labour can confound predictions of a long spell in the wilderness after visiting Canada this month and having talks with Justin Trudeau, its telegenic centre-left Prime Minister, who took his party from third place to power. Mr Trudeau has been compared to Tony Blair  a hate figure for the Corbynistas but not for Mr Khan - in the early years of his premiership.

The question is, who is Labours Trudeau? Perhaps it could be Chuka Umunna, who had a false start in last years leadership election but has the X-factor and is now back in the race. Or Lisa Nandy, a rising soft left star who resigned from the shadow Cabinet in June and has impressed on the conference fringe this week. Or, despite his insistence that being London Mayor is the best job in the world, it might be Mr Khan.
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Labour MPs have publicly debated for the first time whether a so-called universal basic income should be introduced to replace the existing benefits system.

The discussion, thought to be the first such event at any Labour party conference, heard from MPs both in favour, opposed, and undecided on the policy.

A universal basic income, sometimes called a Citizens Income is the idea of a flat-rate unconditional cash payment to all adults and children, whether they are in or out of work.

Most proponents of the idea say it should replace the existing means tested benefits system, while others say such a payment could sit on top of current schemes.

John McDonnell, Labours shadow chancellor, told the room that a basic income was an idea to explore but suggested that may well be one whose time has come.

Im going to be accused of being a Fabian here, but I think we need to take a gradualist approach to achieve it, he told the fringe meeting, organised by the think-tanks Compass and Christians On The Left.

It might be one of those iconic policy areas that in ten years time we think why did we think it was ever controversial and why didnt we do this before?

Mr McDonnell said any basic income would have to be introduced alongside changes to progressive taxation  either wealth or income.

He added: Weve got to argue that this isnt something alien  this is something thats been gradually emerging in our society for some time and this is actually the next step on.

Theres an urgency about it at the moment because work is no longer lifting people out of poverty but you combine that with the restoration of trade union rights so you can transform that at the same time  that helps in terms of the overall redistribution of income overall, to enable people to live with decent living standards.

Jonathan Reynolds, the MP for Stalybridge, said he believes Labour should be looking more closely at the policy.

The first time I heard about this idea I thought it was pretty far-fetched  in fact I thought it was pretty utopian and unrealistic, he said.

Once, this idea was fairly left-field but I think more and more people are taking it seriously and I think theyre right to.

Mr Reynolds said a basic income could help re-shape perceptions around the welfare state  such a media portrayals of unemployed people as workshy.

We dont feel that way about the NHS of the education system and we shouldnt feel that way about the welfare state, he said.

Mr Reynolds also suggested that the redesign of the welfare state might be useful to help people cope with technological change and the increased trend towards the casualisation of work, telling the audience: I grew up in Sunderland in the 1980s and that was a time of deep industrial change. I know what it looks like when the mines go, when the shipyards go, he said

John McDonnell is a close all of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (Getty Images)

Karen Buck, the MP for Westminster North, however said she was deeply skeptical of the proposal, arguing that flattening the social security system would see money spread too thinly for those who needed it.

The problem is this: if you provide within the existing amount of money we are spending on tax and social security, a sum of money for everybody, it is simply not enough to provide everybody with more than a minimum subsistence, she said.

It is simply not enough for people to live on for any length of time, she noted, adding that the policy wouldnt be redistributive.

Ms Buck also suggested a basic incomes universal nature meant it might not be saleable to the electorate, that it included too few work incentives, and that it would be difficult to deal with housing costs and extra costs for disability under such a scheme.

The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned Show all 16 1 /16 The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "One case where the claimants wife went into premature labour and had to go to hospital. This caused the claimant to miss an appointment. No leeway given" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Its Christmas Day and you dont fill in your job search evidence form to show that youve looked for all the new jobs that are advertised on Christmas Day. You are sanctioned. Merry Christmas" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "You apply for three jobs one week and three jobs the following Sunday and Monday. Because the job centre week starts on a Tuesday it treats this as applying for six jobs in one week and none the following week. You are sanctioned for 13 weeks for failing to apply for three jobs each week" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A London man missed his Jobcentre appointments for two weeks because he was in hospital after being hit by a car. He was sanctioned" 2011 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Youve been unemployed for seven months and are forced onto a workfare scheme in a shop miles away, but cant afford to travel. You offer to work in a nearer branch but are refused and get sanctioned for not attending your placement" 2013 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "You are a mum of two, and are five minutes late for your job centre appointment. You show the advisor the clock on your phone, which is running late. You are sanctioned for a month" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man with heart problems who was on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) had a heart attack during a work capability assessment. He was then sanctioned for failing to complete the assessment" Rex The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man who had gotten a job that was scheduled to begin in two weeks time was sanctioned for not looking for work as he waited for the role to start" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Army veteran Stephen Taylor, 60, whose Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) was stopped after he sold poppies in memory of fallen soldiers" 2014 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man had to miss his regular appointment at the job centre to attend his fathers funeral. He was sanctioned even though he told DWP staff in advance" 2014 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Ceri Padley, 26, had her benefits sanctioned after she missed an appointment at the jobcentre - because she was at a job interview" Jason Doiy Photography The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man got sanctioned for missing his slot to sign on - as he was attending a work programme interview. He was then sanctioned as he could not afford to travel for his job search" 2012 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Mother-of-three Angie Godwin, 27, said her benefits were sanctioned after she applied for a role job centre staff said was beyond her" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Sofya Harrison was sanctioned for attending a job interview and moving her signing-on to another day" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Michael, 54, had his benefits sanctioned for four months for failing to undertake a weeks work experience at a charity shop. The charity shop had told him they didnt want him there" Getty The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Terry Eaton, 58, was sanctioned because he didnt have the bus fare he needed to attend an appointment with the job centre" Getty Images

The MP said that the existing welfare system could be improved that that punitive sanctions did not have to be a part of it.

Mr McDonnell has previously suggested that a trial of universal basic income could be included in Labours 2020 general election manifesto.

Basic income was also discussed at the campaign group Momentum's parallel The World Transformed conference held alongside Labour's in Liverpool this week.

The Government has dismissed universal basic income, with ministers telling Parliament the idea is too expensive and that it does not include enough work incentives.
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The leader of the far-right Front National in South Africa has said the countrys white population only have five years left before they disappear entirely.

Hannes Engelbrecht said new official figures showed more than 95,000 white South Africans emigrated in the four years up to June 2015.

His party, which was formed in 2013 as the spiritual successor to the Federale Vryheidsparty, campaigns for self-determination for Afrikaners, white South Africans tracing their heritage back to Dutch settlers.

According to Times Live, Mr Engelbrecht described the formation of the first African National Congress party under Nelson Mandela in 1994 as a sellout of white rights.

Front National has previously applied to the Pretoria Land Commissioner for large swathes of government land to be returned to the Dutch South African Nation.

His party gained just over 5,000 votes in total at the 2014 general election, comprising roughly 0.03 per cent of the vote.

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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. 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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. 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Speaking on Tuesday, he said of the new emigration figures: It means that close to a million whites have already sought their livelihood outside the third world country in western countries; and the trend is continuing.

He said that during the same period more than one million blacks from Africa and more than 40,000 Asians had arrived in the country, making it impossible for the remaining whites to maintain their demographic rights.

I honestly believe we only have five years left, he said. If white South Africans dont put their money and votes into the ideal of self-determination now the sell-out of 1994 will be complete.

This bodes ill for South Africa as a whole. It is fast turning into a typical third world African country that will never be able to return to normality with such an influx of foreigners and exit of skilled people.
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Congress has voted to override President Barack Obama's veto of a bill that would allow families of 9/11 victims to sue for damages from the Saudi Arabian government for the attacks.

Both chambers of Congress voted by an overwhelming margin to override the President's veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), marking the first time Congress has successfully overruled a veto during Mr Obama's two terms.

Early on Wednesday afternoon, the Senate voted against the veto by 97 to one, with minority leader Harry Reid acting as the only dissenter. A few hours later, the House of Representatives voted 348 to 77.

"Overriding a presidential veto is something we don't take lightly, but it was important in this case that the families of the victims of 9/11 be allowed to pursue justice, even if that pursuit causes some diplomatic discomforts," said Democratic New York Senator Charles E Shumer, who co-authored the bill with Republican Texas Senator John Cornyn.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest called the vote "the single most embarrassing thing the Senate has done" in decades.

Mr Reid was the sole dissenter in the vote, while senators Bernie Sanders and Tim Kaine were absent.

Revealed: 9/11, as seen from the skies Show all 12 1 /12 Revealed: 9/11, as seen from the skies Revealed: 9/11, as seen from the skies 317632.bin AP Photo/NYPD, via ABC News, Det. Greg Semendinger Revealed: 9/11, as seen from the skies 317629.bin AP Photo/NYPD, via ABC News, Det. Greg Semendinger Revealed: 9/11, as seen from the skies 317641.bin AP Photo/NYPD, via ABC News, Det. Greg Semendinger Revealed: 9/11, as seen from the skies 317640.bin AP Photo/NYPD, via ABC News, Det. Greg Semendinger Revealed: 9/11, as seen from the skies 317639.bin AP Photo/NYPD, via ABC News, Det. Greg Semendinger Revealed: 9/11, as seen from the skies 317638.bin AP Photo/NYPD, via ABC News, Det. Greg Semendinger Revealed: 9/11, as seen from the skies 317636.bin AP Photo/NYPD, via ABC News, Det. Greg Semendinger Revealed: 9/11, as seen from the skies 317628.bin AP Photo/NYPD, via ABC News, Det. Greg Semendinger Revealed: 9/11, as seen from the skies 317630.bin AP Photo/NYPD, via ABC News, Det. Greg Semendinger Revealed: 9/11, as seen from the skies 317631.bin AP Photo/NYPD, via ABC News, Det. Greg Semendinger Revealed: 9/11, as seen from the skies 317633.bin AP Photo/NYPD, via ABC News, Det. Greg Semendinger Revealed: 9/11, as seen from the skies 317634.bin AP Photo/NYPD, via ABC News, Det. Greg Semendinger

Mr Obama vetoed the bill on Friday, citing concerns that JASTA could open up US officials to foreign lawsuits.

"Removing sovereign immunity in US courts from foreign governments that are not designated as state sponsors of terrorism, based solely on allegations that such foreign governments' actions abroad had a connection to terrorism-related injuries on US soil, threatens to undermine these longstanding principles that protect the United States, our forces, and our personnel," Mr Obama wrote in his veto message to Congress.

Both the Senate and the House passed the bill unanimously in May.

Fifteen of the 19 hijackers who flew planes into the World Trade Centre and Pentagon in September 2001 were Saudi citizens, although Riyadh has denied having any role in supporting the attackers.

The 9/11 Commission found no evidence of Saudi involvement in the attacks.

Saudi officials have previously threatened to sell up $750bn in US securities and other assets if the bill becomes law.
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Officials at a South Carolina university are performing a bit of damage control after a housing administrator reportedly sent an email banning the beloved Harambe meme from campus.

Citing reports of a racially offensive image, Community Director Brooks Artis sent an email to residents of Clemson Univeristy's Shoeboxes dormitories calling for the ban of the display of Harambe images in public spaces in living facilities.

There was a report from an individual about a meme being offensive and bias [sic] in nature and as a result all Harambe references are no longer allowed within our community, the email said.

Ms Artis further elaborated in a second email that the meme was racist and contributed to "rape culture".

Numerous right-wing websites picked up the story  which was first reported by Campus Reform, a news site funded by the conservative Leadership Institute  prompting Clemson officials to quickly debunk the rumoured campus-wide ban.

The original message that went to RAs and students in one residence area that prompted the story that has been picked up and reported by multiple media was sent in error, a Clemson spokesperson told USA Today.

The Washington Post reported that the housing office sent a clarification to students following the initial kerfuffle clarifying that a door posting with a meme was brought to the attention of our staff as its content made some feel uncomfortable. But they assured students that they were still free to post items on their front doors.

Harambe memes reached critical mass after the 17-year-old gorilla was killed by Cincinatti Zoo handlers after a 3-year-old boy fell into his pin. What began as outrage for the killing of an endangered animal  criticised for prioritising the life of a gorilla over the life of a black child  evolved into countless memes.

The apparent racial subtext of some Harambe memes has become the topic of debate in recent weeks.

 Cincinnati Zoo's gorilla Harambe plays as a baby

Fusions Charles Pulliam-Moore pointed out that the word harambe, Swahili for togetherness, presents a chance to poke fun at an African word while anthropomorphizing a gorilla, an animal that racists have long equated with black people as a means of calling them less evolved than people of other races.

Harambe had been used in recent online attacks against Leslie Jones, the Saturday Night Live comedian whose role in Ghostbusters put her in the spotlight. In August, her website was hacked and her nude photos were placed alongside videos of Harambe.

Shortly after the gorillas death in May, a Louisiana teacher posted an image to Facebook comparing First Lady to Harambe.

A caption on the image read, They shot the wrong gorilla, and the teachers corresponding commentary said, Someone finally got it right.

But the essence of the subtext of the Harambe meme was summed up by comedian and Silicon Valley star Kumail Nanjiani.

Harambe became a big meme thing because its a funny African name that people can make fun of without feeling racist, he tweeted.
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Last week, Greg Moyers posted an announcement on the Facebook page for his muffler repair shop in eastern Missouri: Moyers Muffler & Auto would be closed for six days, he said.

"I hope this is for vacation," one customer wrote. "You guys need it."

"Just for a short vacation," Moyers assured her.

The short vacation was, in fact, one the Moyers family had been looking forward to for a long time, friends would later say: Moyers and his wife, Sarah, had saved money for months to take their two daughters to Disney World.

To the Moyers, 13-year-old Hailey and 8-year-old Sophia were everything, friends said.

"Their kids were their world; they were very involved and supportive parents and just wanted the best for them," a family friend, Loni Burnside Eaton, told the Orlando Sentinel. "They wanted the girls to experience Disney and the beach."

Late last week, the family made the 15-hour drive from Leadwood, Missouri, to Orlando - and to the famed resort.

From Disney, they posted a family photo on Facebook; it showed them posing with "Buzz Lightyear" at the theme park, Ms Eaton told the Sentinel.

But as the Moyers made the long drive back to Missouri, tragedy struck.

Fireworks at Disney World (AP)

On Sunday, the family was heading eastbound on Interstate 4, planning to make one last stop at the beach, the Sentinel reported.

For unknown reasons, a Ford Focus in the centre lane began drifting into the Moyers's lane, according to police. The driver of the Ford struck the Moyers's Nissan, causing the family to drive off the highway - and into a tree, police said.

The crash killed Greg and Sarah Moyers at the scene. Both Hailey and Sophia were seriously injured and were taken to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando.

As of Tuesday, Hailey was listed in critical condition and Sophia was listed in stable condition, according to a hospital spokesman.

Everyone in the Moyers family's car was wearing a seat belt, police said. The other driver, 43-year-old Charles King of New London, North Carolina, was not injured. A preliminary report determined that alcohol was not a factor in the crash.

Sgt Kim Montes, a Florida Highway Patrol spokeswoman, said that the accident remains under investigation and that a final police report will not be complete for several days.

"The girls don't know what happened to [their parents] yet; everyone is on their way down there and that's when they'll tell them," Ms Eaton told the Sentinel on the day of the crash. "It's just devastating."

The tragedy struck a nerve for friends and neighbors in Leadwood, a rural town with fewer than 2,000 residents, according to the 2010 US Census. Tributes to the Moyers family have poured in on Facebook, particularly on the page for Moyers Muffler & Auto, including some from those who said they did not know the family personally.

"I just read the article about what happened and it [just] breaks my heart," one person wrote. "Looking through some of the photos of the family and I'm sitting here crying knowing that these girls have lost their parents. I'm so sorry this has happened to you guys."

Jason Nash, a friend of the family, described Greg and Sarah Moyers as "two of the most giving people you could've ever met" on a GoFundMe page he set up to raise money for the surviving daughters.

"They welcomed everyone into their home and within minutes of talking to either of them you knew that they genuinely would do anything to help," Mr Nash wrote. "Family was everything to them."

In one day, the page raised more than $25,000 - money, Mr Nash said, that "will be used to help support these two girls as they take on life without the two people that loved them the most."

Copyright Washington Post
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CARY, N.C.  Donald Trump so captured Ron Townleys attention as an outsider ready to tear down the system, just the one who might break the Washington logjam, the doer to build new airports and highways, that he was considering voting for him.

But Trumps response Monday night when Hillary Clinton accused him of not paying a cent of federal tax left Townley appalled.

That makes me smart, Trump said, unapologetic and smiling, during the presidential debate, held in Hempstead, N.Y.

That comment caused a gasp in the hotel conference room where Townley and five other undecided voters in this battleground state were watching the debate.

Thats offensive. I pay taxes, said Townley, 52, a program director for a local council of governments.

Another person would be in jail for that, said Jamilla Hawkins, 33, who was sitting beside him in the Crescent conference room at the Embassy Suites in this city of 150,000 near Raleigh.

Hawkinss mother had chided her to get off the fence and support Clinton, but the 33-year-old felt no connection to the Democratic nominee. I just wasnt sold on her. A lot of my friends were on the Bernie Sanders train, she said.

But Hawkins said the debate made her appreciate Clinton more. She said she now leans toward voting for her  a feeling shared by most of the undecided voters gathered here for an informal focus group.

Undecided voter Jamilla Hawkins (Ted Richardson/The Washington Post)

Polls show that the race between Clinton and Trump is deadlocked in North Carolina, a once solidly conservative state that has seesawed between Republicans and Democrats in recent years and is too tight to call for either candidate.

Many say the race will come down to undecided voters such as Townley and Hawkins  those committed to voting but not yet to a candidate. In North Carolina, the undecideds amount to about 10 percent of the electorate, according to surveys; in other parts of the country their numbers are even higher.

Most voters in this polarized election support either Trump or Clinton and couldnt possibly consider voting for their rival. Yet there are a significant number who see attractive qualities and flaws in each of the two major-party candidates and have not yet decided whom to choose.

A Washington Post-ABC News poll released Sunday showed that 17 percent of registered voters said the debate might change their minds about which candidate to support; 6 percent said there was a good chance the debate could do so.

The undecided voters gathered here Monday by The Washington Post were from all over the state; they were in Cary to attend a Rural Center conference, where gubernatorial and Senate candidates were among the speakers.

Each of the men and women said they had not yet found a candidate to rally around because they found fault with both. But after the debate, four of the six undecided voters said they now leaned toward Clinton after she showed mastery of the issues and appeared more presidential. A fifth voter declared himself essentially now in the Clintons camp: After tonight, I think I am convinced, I will vote for Clinton, said the Rev. Kelly Andrews, a Baptist pastor from Tarboro.

Cindy Adair said that the 90-minute debate did not help her at all. She still abhors some of the policies that Clinton has supported, including the North American Free Trade Agreement, which destroyed the textile industry that Adair grew up in.

Thats a lie! she said as Clinton, under attack for the trade agreement blamed for sending jobs overseas, insisted that domestic manufacturing jobs increased in the 1990s.

Clinton looked snarky at times, Adair said  though she did think she looked more professional than Trump. She said she didnt find Clintons better performance surprising given that the former U.S. senator and secretary of state is a career politician practiced in this kind of forum.

Adair, a registered Republican, said she likes that Trump says he will reduce taxes. She thinks it is a big mistake that Clinton will continue the Affordable Care Act and the move toward socialist health care.

On a scale of 1 to 10, Adair said, Clinton scored a 5 and Trump a 2. By the evenings end, she was still at a loss about whom to support on Nov. 8.

The others watching the televised debate had new problems with Trump after listening to him one-on-one for an extended time. They said he appeared racist in some of his remarks about African Americans, not as prepared and rude in his frequent interruptions of Clinton.

When Trump gloated about not paying taxes, many called it a huge mistake. Clinton accused him of hiding something by not publicly releasing his federal tax returns, and she noted that some returns seen by state authorities showed that he had paid no federal taxes.

Hawkins, 33, who works in community development, said that gave her a new view of the Republican candidate: that he is out of touch with the ordinary middle-class person who doesnt think its right for the rich to not pay their share of taxes.

He started out okay, but then after 30 minutes, he started attacking. He is inconsistent and doesnt have the temperament, she said.

Hawkinss eyes widened with incredulity at Trumps unexpected answer about the culprit behind recent cyberattacks: It could be Russia, but it could also be China. It could also be lots of other people. It also could be somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds, okay?

Really? she said, calling it childish and offensive to those with weight problems.

Hawkinss main issue with Clinton  her difficulty relating to ordinary voters  hasnt disappeared. But she has many more issues with Trump.

Amy Bridges, 49, who voted for President Obama in 2008 and Mitt Romney in 2012  a mirror of how this state went  was troubled by Trumps inability to keep his attention focused.

He cannot stay on topic, she said when Trump started talking about the Islamic State after he was asked about his call for Obama to produce his birth certificate to prove he is a natural-born citizen. I just want you to answer the questions! she said at another point.

Before the debate, Bridges discussed her reservations about Clinton, especially the feeling that she was untrustworthy. But afterward, she said: It was far more obvious she knows her stuff. I feel a bit more comfortable with her.

Andrews, the Baptist pastor, said he had been attracted to Trumps business experience and his understanding that people are upset about manufacturing jobs being sent overseas. He said that his wife lost her job when a plant that made tools and drills closed. But as he listened to Trump on Monday night, he started shouting at the TV screen.

Stop-and-frisk is unconstitutional! he hollered. Andrews, who is African American, said that Trumps call for the controversial policing practice to instill law and order would allow officers to frisk any black person.

Trump also said that African Americans and Hispanics in urban areas are living in hell because its so dangerous. You walk down the street, you get shot, Trump said.

Andrews found that statement ridiculous.

John York, a tech consultant, said the bottom line for him was that Trump gave few details and showed he really doesnt have a plan.

The very big highlight for me was when Hillary tried to assure the world rattled by this election, York said. Trump talked about ripping up trade and other international agreements, while Clinton promised that the United States would honor its defense treaties and said our word is good.

I think people want change, but they are not ready to flush the whole system, he said.

The Washington Post
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Few people could likely forget the photo.

Two adults, a grandmother and her boyfriend, slumped over in the front seats of their car, while a four-year-old grandchild sits in the back, staring blankly out the window.

Their car had been stopped from crashing into a primary school bus by an off-duty police officer.

While the adults were charged with child endangerment and are awaiting trial, the photo of their possible overdose has gone viral, prompting strong criticism and shaming of their ability to look after a child.

Recommended Read more Boy in shocking heroin image is heading to a new home

Brian Allen, director of public service and safety at East Liverpool police in Ohio, where the adults are in custody, told The Independent that the response to their photo has been "phenomenal".

"The photo shined a light on a problem that we fight every day," he said.

"One of our hopes in releasing that photograph was the addict when sober may think twice about shooting up when the kids are there, and will at least put them in custody of a sober person."

The couple, James Acord and Rhonda Hasek, will have a "full drug treatment programme" available to them, according to Mr Allen.

We all agree upon one thing and its quite simple - the child should not be in that situation. The child is no longer in that situation now.

The one incident in Ohio exposes polarised opinions surrounding an epidemic of drug addiction in the US.

Drug addiction support groups have claimed these viral videos and photographs highlight a desperate need for addicts to get help and should not be used to shame people.

Police Save Dying Drug Addict After Heroin Overdose on Public Bus

Kelli Pierson, director of family support and administrator of The Addicts Mom, a support group that started nine years ago in Florida, said the emphasis should have been more on the couple that needed drug treatment rather than just on the child.

"There could have been a parent in the back seat of that car, or a social worker, or there could have been nobody," she said. "We need to focus on getting people help, rather than in jail."

But the scenario has played out countless times, and not just in East Liverpool, Ohio.

A photo of a female police officer comforting a little girl in Birmingham, Alabama, after her parents were found dead and unconscious, went viral. The one-month baby girl had a seven-year-old sister, and two brothers aged three and two.

Another video in Alabama showed a mother and her boyfriend convulsing and twitching on their front porch after an overdose, unresponsive to their childs cries.

In Lawrence, Massachusetts, a viral video showed 36-year-old Mandy McGowen lying unconscious in a supermarket aisle while her toddler tried to wake her up. Ms McGowen had sniffed fentanyl, a synthetic painkiller than is about 50 times stronger than heroin.

She told WBZ-TV that she wanted to get clean and regain custody of her daughter. She did not want the video to define her life.

 Mexican cartels flooding US with heroine

In Massachusetts, four people die per day of drug overdoses, and the Lawrence police report that children are now involved in around 10 per cent of cases relating to drugs.

In the three cases above, the children were removed from the adults custody.

Jim Peake, founder of online community group Parents of Drug Addicts, said the one thing missing from drug addiction treatment was empathy.

There is very little of it, he said. For the addict or their families.

He said the situation is unlikely to improve in the near future.

In New Hampshire, heroin was identified as a risk factor of 7.62 per cent of child neglect cases in 2016 until April. The figure is up from 4.8 per cent from October to December 2014, according to the state division for children, youth and families, as reported by the New York Times.

Mr Peake questioned the use of social media to raise awareness of the issue. He described the videos as morbid curiosity, like when drivers slow down to look at a car accident.

 This is your brain on drugs advert from the 1980s does more harm than good

"People do post those things [videos] occasionally on my groups page and I take them down because they add no value to the community of the group," he said.

"People are looking for help, not how many overdoses we have this week in our city or state."

Ms Pierson, of The Addict's Mom, insisted that drug addicts should be treated with respect as human beings.

Her 42-year-old son has just celebrated his 43rd day in recovery, after a decade of heroin, meth and opioid abuse.

"The most damaging three words a parent can say are: Not my child," she said.

"It can happen in any family."

She talked to her son this week on Skype and was delighted by his improvement.

"I noticed a change in his voice. When he smiled, his eyes lit up. He smiled with his whole face."
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An African American man said to have been mentally ill has died in El Cajon, California, after being shot by police.

The man, who is believed to have been in his 30s and has not been identified, was alerted to the El Cajon Police Department in San Diego following reports he was behaving erratically police said.

The police said in a statement the man refused to remove his hands from his pockets, pacing back and forth in front of the officers before he rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together and extended them rapidly toward the officer taking up what appeared to be a shooting stance.

The two officers at the scene deployed their weapons, resulting in the man being simultaneously shot and tasered. He was transported to hospital and later died from his injuries.

The LA Times reports that a weapon was not recovered from the scene.

The shooting sparked outrage within the community, with a group of 100 people gathered at the site of the shooting in protest on Tuesday night. Friends of the mans family claimed he had suffered from a mental illness and posed no threat to the officers, the newspaper reported.

Michael Ray Rodriguez, who told the newspaper he was driving away from the apartment building at the time of the shooting, said he witnessed a shirtless black man stood with his hands in the air seconds before hearing the officer shoot. He claimed the officer fired his gun and shot him again and again, and said he believed he heard five shots in total.

The shooting comes days after a state of emergency was declared in Charlotte, North Carolina, after violent protests errupted over the killing of African American Keith Lamont Scott by police. Winesses said Mr Scott was unarmed and disabled, and a video of the shooting has been released to his family.

El Cajon police do not currently wear body cameras, but one witness has handed over a video they recorded of the shooting to authorities.

Police have not released the video but have released one stil showing the two officers pointing their weapons at the man while he pointed his clasped hands at an officer.

The officers involved will be placed on administrative leave while an investigation is carried out, in line with the departments police, El Cajon police said.
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The father of a Muslim boy wrongly arrested after taking a homemade clock into school has sued conservative commentator Glenn Beck and his local mayor for allegedly portraying the family as terrorists.

Mohamed Mohamed filed a defamation lawsuit in Dallas last week on behalf of himself and his 14-year-old son, Ahmed.

In September 2015, Ahmed, then 13, made headlines around the world after taking a handmade clock into his school in Dallas County, Texas, to show his engineering teacher.

It was later confiscated during an English lesson when the teacher wrongly believed it looked like a bomb and called the police.

Ahmed was subsequently taken out of class by the principal and questioned by five police officers before being taken to a juvenile detention centre to have his fingerprints taken.

He was then threatened with charges relating to making a hoax bomb, although they were later dropped.

Ahmed later told the Dallas Morning News he had not been allowed to call his parents during the questioning and was made to feel like he wasnt a human but a criminal.

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His fathers lawsuit demands a retraction by Mr Beck and the Mayor of Irving, Beth Van Duyne, a jury trial and unspecified damages relating to comments they made in the wake of the arrest.

The lawsuit alleges the Mohamed family were falsely accused of being terrorists by the pair.

In August, the family filed a lawsuit against his school over the arrest, demanding an official apology and $15m (11.5m) in compensation.

Mr Mohamed alleged that his sons civil rights were violated and the arrest was Islamophobia.

The suit cited a number of severe disciplinary actions against black students and a history of anti-Muslim feeling in Irving to support the allegations.

Ahmed was removed from the school after the incident.

The Independent has contacted Mr Beck and Ms Van Duyne for comment.

Additional reporting by agencies
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The gunman killed by police after wounding nine people at a Texas shopping centre was reportedly wearing a Nazi uniform when he carried out the attack.

Houston lawyer Nathan DeSai opened fire in the centre early Monday morning, hitting six people at random. Police say he began firing at police who arrived at the scene before they fired back, killing him. Three police were injured.

Investigators said that DeSai was wearing a vintage German military uniform with swastikas on it. A search of his condominium revealed a vast collection of Nazi paraphernalia, according to KRPC-TV.

 Houston Gunman Acted Alone  Police Chief

Despite the uniform, police officials could not say whether or not a Nazi ideology had anything to do with the attack.

What extent that played, I dont know because theres also other historic, or what I would call vintage, military stuff in the apartment going back to the Civil War, Houston Police Capt Dwayne Ready said.

Interim police chief Martha Montalvo said that DeSai had been experiences at his law firm at the time of the shooting.

 Witness of Houston attack who was next to shooter without realising

Six people were immediately rushed to the hospital Monday morning with injuries  one was listed in critical condition. Representatives from Memorial Hermann Hospital Southwest said all patients were listed in good condition by Tuesday morning.

One victim is still listed in serious condition at Ben Taub Hospital according to Ms Montalvo.

Witnesses reported hearing at least 30 shots fired at the scene, while the DeSai was reportedly firing for 15 minutes before police arrived.

As I was driving by Law Street, I suddenly heard a big explosion, Eduardo Andrade, 42, told the Houston Chronicle. He added that he felt two bullets strick his vehicle. I covered myself, accelerated and tried to get out of there.
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At Monday night's debate, Donald Trump was called out for stiffing the people who work for him. Trump has been accused of failing to pay hundreds of contractors. And so far, he hasn't seemed very sorry. When asked about failing to pay someone by Hillary Clinton this week, Trump replied, Maybe he didn't do a good job and I was unsatisfied with his work.

I take that attack personally. I'm one of the many small business owners who've been used by Trump, exploited and forced to suffer a loss because of his corporation's shady practices.

My relationship with Trump began in 1989, when he asked me to supply several grand and upright pianos to his then-new Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City. I'd been running a music store for more than 30 years at that point, selling instruments to local schools and residents. My business was very much a family affair (my grandsons still run the store). And I had a great relationship with my customers  no one had ever failed to pay.

I was thrilled to get a $100,000 contract from Trump. It was one of the biggest sales I'd ever made. I was supposed to deliver and tune the pianos; the Trump corporation would pay me within 90 days. I asked my lawyer if I should ask for payment upfront, and he laughed. It's Donald Trump! he told me. He's got lots of money.

But when I requested payment, the Trump corporation hemmed and hawed. Its executives avoided my calls and crafted excuses. After a couple of months, I got a letter telling me that the casino was short on funds. They would pay 70 percent of what they owed me. There was no negotiating. I didn't know what to do  I couldn't afford to sue the Trump corporation, and I needed money to pay my piano suppliers. So I took the $70,000.

Losing $30,000 was a big hit to me and my family. The profit from Trump was meant to be a big part of my salary for the year. So I made much less.

There was no money to help grow my business. I had fewer pianos in the showroom and a smaller advertising budget. Because of Trump, my store stagnated for a couple of years. It made me feel really bad, like I'd been taken advantage of. I was embarrassed.

Today, when I hear Trump brag about paying small business owners less than he agreed, I get angry. He's always suggesting that the people who worked for him didn't do the right job, didn't complete their work on time, that something was wrong. But I delivered quality pianos, tuned and ready to go. I did everything right. And then Trump cheated me. It's a callous way to do business.

Trump keeps saying that it's time we got a businessman to run the country. Of course, I think it's important to find someone who can bolster the economy. But I also think we need a president who cares about small business owners, and about honoring his commitments. That's not Trump.

J Michael Diehl is the retired owner of Freehold Music Center in Freehold, New Jersey

Copyright Washington Post
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At least four people involved in a California triple murder are members of the local furry community, meaning they attend group events dressed in elaborate animal costumes. Police found the bodies of Jennifer Yost, 39, her 34-year-old husband Christopher Yost and their friend Arthur Boucher, 28, at the Yosts home in Fullerton near Anaheim last weekend.

Frank Felix, 25, and 21-year-old Joshua Acosta have been charged with the murders. The Yosts and the two suspects were all believed to be keen furries, as is Katlynn Goodwill Yost, Jennifer Yosts 17-year-old daughter from an earlier relationship. Friend and fellow furry Melinda Giles told the Associated Press that Jennifer Yost told her she had forbidden Felix from seeing Katlynn, to protect her daughter.

Police were called to the home on Saturday morning by the Yosts six-year-old daughter, who was found unharmed with her nine-year-old sister. The victims had all been shot to death. Katlynn Yost was reported missing, but after Felix and Acosta were arrested on Sunday, police also announced she had been located safely  and that a 17-year-old girl was in custody. Police declined to name the arrested teenager because she was still a juvenile.

Furries reportedly enjoy creating and cultivating animal characters, meeting locally and at major conventions such as the annual Anthrocon in Pittsburgh. Katlynn Yosts anthropomorphic alter ego, according to her social media postings, was a wolf-like creature.

Jennifer Yost was a mother figure to many members of the local furry group SoCal furs, 23-year-old Christopher Parque-Johnson told the OC Register. Many furries do not wear the costly full-body costumes, but instead wear badges displaying to their imaginary animal characters.

While the furry community is movement is widely seen as having a sexual dimension, Parque-Johnson said that was a misconception, adding: We feel that behavior would be very inappropriate in our group. We think that is very weird.

Parque-Johnson, whose own character is a raccoon called Bandit, led a group of other furries to a makeshift memorial at the site of the murders on Sunday, where they laid flowers and lit candles. A lot of people in our community were devastated [by the killings], he said.
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The popular Internet meme Pepe the Frog has been officially designated a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League.

The anti-bigotry organisation added the meme its database of hate symbols on Tuesday, noting that it did not always have connections to white supremacist organisations, but has gained traction with the emergence of the Alt-Right movement.

Recommended Read more Hillary Clinton attacks Donald Trump for posting Pepe the Frog meme

Pepe the Frog debuted in the 2005 comic Boys Club and took on a life of its own through the 4chan message boards. But the meme has become a favourite amongst Donald Trump supporters to express feelings of racism, anti-Semitism, and Islamophobia.

The Pepe the Frog character did not originally have racist or anti-Semitic connotations, the ADL said in a statement. Internet users appropriated the character and turned him into a meme, placing the frog in a variety of circumstances and saying many different things. 

[T]he use of racist and bigoted versions of Pepe memes seems to be increasing, not decreasing.

The ADL included images of the Alt-Right versions Pepe the Frog, including bigoted caricatures of the frog as a Jewish rabbi, the frog wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood, and a version of Pepe in blackface.

Prior to the ADL's designation, Pepe's creator, Matt Furie said he was not concerned with the longevity of the Alt-Right's co-opting of the frog.

I think hes on a weird manifestation right now, Mr Furie told the Washington Post, Its unfortunate that hes peaking nationally in the news in this really negative way, but I think its just a phase.

Because of the popularity of Pepe amongst Mr Trumps Alt-Right supporters, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has voiced her concern about the use of the meme.

After Ms Clintons basket of deplorables comment sparked controversy earlier in September, Donald Trump Jr posted a photoshopped image taken from the film The Expendables, that included a Pepe with coiffed blonde hair  like the Republican nominee  as well as other surrogates for the New York businessman.

The Clinton campaign called the meme horrifying.

However, Pepe the Frogs background is far more innocuous.

The first image of Pepe featured the frog uttering the phrase, Feels good, man. And such was the philosophy of Pepe according to creator, Mr Furie.

I find complete joy in physically, emotionally, and spiritually serving Pepe and his friends through comics, Mr Furie told the Daily Dot. Pepe offers you complete support, attention, and embraces how capable you are of birthing your own Pepe.

Seeing a frog always takes my breath away and brings a genuine smile to my face, he added, explaining that he wanted the readers of his comic to experience a thrill of overwhelming beauty and joy.
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Melissa Adamson, a part-time police officer in Pennsylvania, lost two jobs after posting a racial slur to her Snapchat account.

The post purportedly shows Ms Adamson wearing her uniform and posing with the caption, Im the law today n***a. When the Snapchat image surfaced online, Mayor Michael Cherepko of McKeesport fired Ms Adamson from her position after her first few weeks on the job.

Mayor Cherepko addressed the indiscretion on Tuesday by saying that the terminated officers actions would not be tolerated in his borough.

This post displays a degree of conduct and character that is far different from what I would expect from an officer in this city. It is absolutely unacceptable, he wrote on the citys Facebook account. Without hesitation, my office and the police chiefs office immediately concluded that this officers actions will not be tolerated in the City of McKeesport. She has been relieved of her duties, and her employment has been terminated.

Ms Adamson stepped down from her second part-time job in Versailles after the image surface online, WTAE reports. Her former employer, the Pitcairn Police Department, also released a statement on the matter.

There has been a picture circulating around of an ex-female employee of the Pitcairn Police Department, the statement reads. As the picture alone does not constitute misconduct, it is symbolic speech and protected under the First Amendment. However, it is the content of the text in the picture which is unacceptable. The Pitcairn Police Department holds high integrity for the community we serve and this type of conduct will not be tolerated.

The former officer has since apologised for the image and called her actions a "stupid mistake."

Everyone knows that I dont have a racist bone in my body, she told the local news outlet. And people who dont know me, I can understand why it was misconstrued to where it looks racist. But like I said, everyone who knows me, knows Im not racist.
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The history of slavery in the United States justifies reparations for African Americans, argues a recent report by a UN-affiliated group based in Geneva.

This conclusion was part of a study by the United Nations' Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, a body that reports to the international organisation's High Commissioner on Human Rights. The group of experts, which includes leading human rights lawyers from around the world, presented its findings to the United Nations Human Rights Council on Monday, pointing to the continuing link between present injustices and the dark chapters of American history.

In particular, the legacy of colonial history, enslavement, racial subordination and segregation, racial terrorism and racial inequality in the United States remains a serious challenge, as there has been no real commitment to reparations and to truth and reconciliation for people of African descent, the report stated.

Contemporary police killings and the trauma that they create are reminiscent of the past racial terror of lynching.

Citing the past year's spate of police officers killing unarmed African American men, the panel warned against impunity for state violence, which has created, in its words, a human rights crisis that must be addressed as a matter of urgency.

The panel drew its recommendations, which are nonbinding and unlikely to influence Washington, after a fact-finding mission in the United States in January. At the time, it hailed the strides taken to make the American criminal justice system more equitable but pointed to the corrosive legacy of the past.

Despite substantial changes since the end of the enforcement of Jim Crow and the fight for civil rights, ideology ensuring the domination of one group over another, continues to negatively impact the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of African Americans today, it said in a statement. The dangerous ideology of white supremacy inhibits social cohesion amongst the US population.

In its report, it specifically dwells on the extrajudicial murders that were a product of an era of white supremacy.

The girl said people in Charlotte need to protest for their rights

Lynching was a form of racial terrorism that has contributed to a legacy of racial inequality that the United States must address. Thousands of people of African descent were killed in violent public acts of racial control and domination and the perpetrators were never held accountable.

The reparations could come in a variety of forms, according to the panel, including a formal apology, health initiatives, educational opportunities ... psychological rehabilitation, technology transfer and financial support, and debt cancellation.

To be sure, such initiatives are nowhere in the cards, even after the question of reparations arose again two years ago when surfaced by the groundbreaking work of American journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates.

Separately, a coalition of Caribbean nations is calling for reparations from their former European imperial powers for the impact of slavery, colonial genocide and the toxic racial laws that shaped life for the past two centuries in these countries. Their efforts are fitful, and so far not so fruitful.

When asked by reporters to comment on the tone of the American presidential election campaign on Monday, the working group's chairman, Ricardo Sunga of the Philippines, expressed concern about hate speech ... xenophobia [and] Afrophobia that he felt was prevalent in the campaign, although he didn't specifically call out Republican candidate Donald Trump.

We are very troubled that these are on the rise, said Mr Sunga.

The Washington Post
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Two students and one teacher were injured after a 14-year-old gunman opened fire inside a primary school in South Carolina.

Both of the injured students were transported to the pediatric center at Greenville Health System where they are being treated for non-life threatening injuries. The teacher is being treated to the AnMed Medical Center and was released from the hospital.

The father of the suspect was also found dead on Wednesday.

Law enforcement and emergency responders arrived at Townville Elementary in Anderson County on Wednesday just before after 2pm, WYFF reports.

"These tragedies must end", Obama tells grief-stricken Newtown as pressure grows for action on gun control Show all 5 1 /5 "These tragedies must end", Obama tells grief-stricken Newtown as pressure grows for action on gun control "These tragedies must end", Obama tells grief-stricken Newtown as pressure grows for action on gun control us-flag.png Reuters "These tragedies must end", Obama tells grief-stricken Newtown as pressure grows for action on gun control AN13496586STRATFORD-CT---DE.jpg GETTY IMAGES "These tragedies must end", Obama tells grief-stricken Newtown as pressure grows for action on gun control Pg-4-newton3-getty.jpg AP "These tragedies must end", Obama tells grief-stricken Newtown as pressure grows for action on gun control Pg-4-newton1-getty.jpg Getty Images "These tragedies must end", Obama tells grief-stricken Newtown as pressure grows for action on gun control Pg-4-newton2-getty.jpg Getty Images

Officials said that one teenage suspect has been taken into custody. EMS and LifeFlight are also responding to the scene. A SWAT team searched the elementary school and did not find any other signs of danger in the area.

The Anderson County Coroner's Office identified the suspect's father, 47-year-old Jeffery Osborne, 2 miles away from the school.

US Senator Tim Scott responded to the news in a statement on social media.

"My heart is sick for Anderson and South Carolina," he tweeted. "Praying initial reports of no loss of life remain true & for those injured and their families."

Townville Elementary School enrolls 286 students in pre-kindergarten through the sixth grade and located near the Georgia border.
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The family of a black man who died following a violent scuffle with five police officers has asked what happened and why the officers used excessive force upon a citizen who had called 911.

21-year-old Tawon Boyd had called emergency services in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, last week. Officers came to his home and ended up hitting him in the head and climbing on top of him to subdue him.

Boyd, father of a three-year-old, died in hospital last Wednesday following heart and kidney failure.

Family lawyer Latoya Francis-Williams said they plan to file a wrongful death lawsuit. She said it was troubling that the officers did not describe Boyd as posing a threat to them after they arrived.

Boyd reportedly had a pre-existing medical condition, was intoxicated when police arrived and could have reacted badly to the medication he was given by emergency workers at the scene.

The result of an post-mortem examination could take weeks.

Boyd in intensive care following the violent scuffle outside his suburban home (Prinice Thomas / AP)

According to a police report, when officers met Boyd outside his house he was "sweating heavily" and appeared "confused and paranoid".

Police said he insisted that his girlfriend intoxicated him and was secretly recording him while someone else was in the house. His girlfriend told them he had been smoking and drinking that day.

The report said as officers tried to calm him down, he started "running and screaming", and tried to get into the police car and then started banging on a neighbours front door.

They reported that during a struggle with the man - who was 5,5 tall and weighed 150 pounds - one officer punched the suspect twice in the face, and multiple officers sat on him for about five minutes.

Boyds grandmother, Linda Burch, told the Associated Press that he was calling out: "Grandma, Grandma, theyre going to kill me."

He was given a drug "to calm him and prepare him for transport".

He became so calm that police requested medical workers check his pulse.

He was then taken to intensive care.

The familys lawyer said she was waiting for the post-mortem examination results and further police reports which have yet to be released.

Instead of police seeking help for what appeared to be a victim of mental illness, they treated him as a criminal.

"Our position is that upon arrival the Baltimore County police officers believed he wasn't all there and it was their duty to protect him from himself, a third party and another officer," she said.
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An Air Force colonel facing court-martial next month on multiple counts of sexual assault was found dead Sunday at his Colorado home in a reported suicide, according to the Air Force and local police officials.

Col. Eugene Marcus Caughey, formerly the vice commander of the 51st Space Wing at Schriever Air Force Base, had been charged with rape, assault, adultery and other crimes. His court-martial was scheduled to begin Oct. 17 in what would have been a rare instance of the military placing a senior officer on trial for sexual assault.

Officials at Peterson Air Force Base said Caughey, 46, was found dead at his off-base residence in Colorado Springs. Sgt. Tim Stankey, a spokesman for the Colorado Springs police, said officers responded to a reported suicide at Caugheys home about 12:30 a.m. Sunday. He said an autopsy and a determination of the cause of death are pending, but added: We are suspecting no foul play at this time.

Caugheys attorney, Ryan Coward, declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding the colonels death. This is very unfortunate for an officer that served our nation honorably for over 20 years, Coward said in an email. His family is grieving and asks that folks respect their privacy during this tough time.

According to charging documents filed by the Air Force in December, Caughey raped one woman as he held her against the wall and floor, groped women on two other occasions, and violated an order from a two-star general to stay away from another victim.

The married colonel also was charged with six counts of adultery  a crime in the military  for allegedly having consensual sex with four other women, according to the documents.

Caugheys defense team generated headlines in June when they sought to toss out the adultery charges, arguing that the militarys prohibition on extramarital affairs discriminates against heterosexuals. Under military law, adultery is defined as sexual intercourse between a man and woman who are not married to each other. According to Caugheys attorneys, the provision does not apply to same-sex couples.

The Washington Post
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Hillary Clinton said America is in the midst of one of the strangest elections she had ever seen while touting her partnership on the campaign trail with Senator Bernie Sanders, her former foe in the primaries, hoping to inject some excitement among wary millennial voters.

Mr Sanders, who drew a passionate following among mostly younger voters when he was battling for the Democratic nomination in the spring, introduced Ms Clinton at a rally in New Hampshire, emphasising a plan for free college education that was at the heart of his campaign.

The event at the University of New Hampshire in Durham was the first time the one-time rivals had appeared on the same stage together since their unity rally in July days after Ms Clinton accepted the partys nomination at its convention in Philadelphia.

There is no group who have more at stake in this election than young Americans because so much of what will happen will affect your lives, your jobs, the country we are and the kind of country we want to build together, Ms Clinton declared.

Ms Clinton will need the support of young people in New Hampshire. With national polls indicating an extremely tight race, both campaigns are increasingly seeing the state as a must-win on 8 November to help get them to the White House, even though it offers only four votes in the electoral college. Donald Trump will have his own event in the state on Thursday.

As well as securing the youth vote, Ms Clinton must make sure that all of those who supported Mr Sanders, a Senator from the neighbouring state of Vermont, are willing to put aside the disappointment of his being defeated in the primary contests and vote for her in November.

There is concern in the Clinton camp that bereft of Mr Sanders, some of his former followers will decide to vote for one of the two independent candidates, Libertarian Gary Johnson or Green Jill Stein, and help give the White House to Mr Trump.

That meant underscoring that any rancour between them has been put to rest. Im proud of the primary campaign that Bernie and I ran, she said, with Mr Sanders seated behind her gently nodding. We ran a campaign about issues, not insults. And when it was over we began to work together... to come up with specific policies in education, in health.

She was careful to tick off issues that may resonate most with younger votes, including education, climate change, womens reproductive rights and the progress made on equal rights for the LGBTQ community.

It was as she sought to draw attention to Monday nights debate against Mr Trump that Ms Clinton commented on the non-traditional nature and unpredictability of the race.

Isn't this one of the strangest election youe ever seen? she asked. I really sometimes don't know what to make of it, standing on that debate stage the other night I was especially thinking about that. The comment drew quick applause, a reflection of a feeling among Democrats generally that she distinguished herself on Monday and that Mr Trump did not.

Among the oddities, she noted, was battling an opponent who does not believe in climate change. I never thought that when I gave my acceptance speech at the Democratic National convention, that I would have to put in the following sentence: I believe in science. she said.

In his introduction, Mr Sanders said the November election is enormously important for the future of our country and it's imperative that voters send Ms Clinton to the White House. He described Ms Clintons own plans to make college tuition free for middle class families as revolutionary - a carefully chosen word to echo his own campaign that he called a revolution.

A new online poll by Reuters/Ipsos released on Wednesday evening found that 56 percent of American adults felt that Ms Clinton did a better job than Trump at their first debate, compared with 26 percent who felt that Mr Trump did better.
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Hillary Clinton has secured endorsements from some unlikely quarters, including from a usually conservative Arizona newspaper and a Republican who served five terms in the US Senate.

The 2016 Republican candidate is not conservative and he is not qualified, the editorial board of the Arizona Republic wrote, revealing to readers that it was supporting a Democrat for president for the first time since the newspapers founding over 125 years ago.

Recommended Read more Mary J Blige serenades Hillary Clinton on police brutality

The Republic is not the only newspaper breaking with very long traditions of supporting Republicans, citing distaste for the partys nominee this year, Donald Trump. The Cincinnati Enquirer and the Dallas Morning News have similarly urged their readers to vote Democrat, for the first time in 100 years in the case of the Enquirer.

In another jolt to party unity, former Senator John Warner, once a towering figure in the Republican fold and a former husband of Elizabeth Taylor, on Wednesday said he was also breaking with a habit of a lifetime and abandoning Mr Trump in favour of Ms Clinton.

There comes a time where I got to stand up and assert my own views, he declared, appearing alongside Democrat running mate, Senator Tim Kaine, at a rally in northern Virginia. Senator Warner was for years a key Republican voice on Capitol Hill supporting the US military.

The historic switch by the Arizona Republic is in part a reflection of shifting political sentiment in the state itself. Once reliably Republican it is now considered purple, where 'blue' Democrat support is catching up with 'red' Republican support. With polls showing her in a dead heat with her rival, Ms Clinton has been pouring resources and advertising dollars into the state in hopes of capturing it on 8 November.

Similarly, surveys conducted in a state that has a very high proportion of Latino voters have shown majorities opposed to Mr Trumps controversial plans to deport millions of undocumented immigrants and build a wall along the US border with Mexico.

Since The Arizona Republic began publication in 1890, we have never endorsed a Democrat over a Republican for president. Never. This reflects a deep philosophical appreciation for conservative ideals and Republican principles, the editorial said. This year is different.

While the papers support for Ms Clinton wasnt altogether effusive, it concluded that she, not her opponent, would do a better job of understanding what the states voters want.

The challenges the United States faces domestically and internationally demand a steady hand, a cool head and the ability to think carefully before acting," the board wrote in the editorial which first appeared online on Tuesday. "Hillary Clinton understands this. Donald Trump does not.

And it was unsparing in its criticism of the Republican nominee. Trump hasn't even let the American people scrutinize his tax returns, the endorsement said.

Contrast Clinton's tenacity and professionalism with Trump, who began his campaign with gross generalities about Mexico and Mexicans as criminals and rapists, the newspaper said. These were careless slaps at a valued trading partner and Arizona's neighbor. They were thoughtless insults about people whose labor and energy enrich our country.

Former US Senator John Warner (Getty)

A former Secretary of the Navy, Mr Warner, 89, said that Mr Trump had been disrespectful of the US military and was completely unfit to be commander in chief. Saying that he considered Ms Clinton to be respectful of the military, he added: Thats one word thats totally lacking on the other side.

I am proud to have Johns support,, Ms Clinton said in a statement, and to know that someone with his decades of experience would trust me with the weighty responsibility of being Commander in Chief.

Defections among newspapers have also included The New Hampshire Union Leader, which for the first time in 100 years has opted not to back the Republican nominee. In its case, however, the paper urged readers to get behind Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson.

The editorial board of The Dallas Morning News confessed that it had agonised over the decision to support Ms Clinton.

This newspaper has not recommended a Democrat for the nation's highest office since before World War II - if you're counting, that's more than 75 years and nearly 20 elections. The party's over-reliance on government and regulation to remedy the country's ills is at odds with our belief in private-sector ingenuity and innovation. Our values are more about individual liberty, free markets and a strong national defense, it said, before adding: Resume vs. resume, judgment vs. judgment, this election is no contest.
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A young girl has made a powerful plea to end the wrongful treatment of black people in Charlotte, North Carolina, following police shootings.

The African-American girl, 10-year-old Zianna Oliphant, told the city council meeting that she felt black people were being treated differently.

"It's a shame that our fathers and mothers are killed and we can't even see them any more," said Zianna.

Recommended Read more Protesters break curfew to demand release of video of fatal shooting

"It's a shame that we have to go to that graveyard and bury them.

"And we have tears and we shouldnt have tears. We need our fathers and mothers to be by our side."

At the Monday night meeting, residents in Charlotte demanded the resignation of mayor Jennifer Roberts, and police chief Kerr Putney.

The calls follow the police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott. After a bitter struggle, police released the dash cam and body cam footage, which they say provided inconclusive evidence as to whether the 43-year-old was armed.

 Police release footage of Keith Lamont Scott shooting in Charlotte

Mr Putney said police approached Scott when they saw he was rolling a joint and in possession of a gun, which was a "public safety issue".

Witness accounts say Scott was sitting in his car, reading a book and waiting for his daughter to return from school, and that he did not point a weapon at police.

"I dont like how we are treated and just because of our colour, [that] doesnt mean anything to me," she said.

"I believe that" when the girl broke off and cried, she was encouraged by shouts from the audience.

"We are black people and we shouldnt have to feel like this," she continued. "We have to protest because yall are treating us wrong. We do this because we need to, to have rights.

"Ive been born and raised in Charlotte and Ive never felt this way until now."
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An Australian builder has been bitten by a Redback spider on his penis  for the second time in five months.

The spider bit the 21-year-old while he was using a portable toilet on a Sydney building site.

He said he was bitten in "pretty much the same spot " as before.

Jordan, who didn't want to reveal his surname, told the BBC: "I'm the most unlucky guy in the country at the moment.

"I was sitting on the toilet doing my business and just felt the sting that I felt the first time.

"I was like 'I can't believe it's happened again.' I looked down and I've seen a few little legs come from around the rim."

The twice-bitten tradesman had checked under both the toilet lid and seat before sitting down.

 Weatherman freaks out live on air after spotting spider on camera lens

He added: "After the first time it happened I didn't really want to use one again.

"Toilets got cleaned that day and I thought it was my opportunity to go use one.

"Had a look under both seats and then I sat down did my business. Next thing you know, I'm bent over in pain."

The redback spider can be identified by a red stripe down its abdomen.

The most stunning images of spider webs Show all 8 1 /8 The most stunning images of spider webs The most stunning images of spider webs Spider webs Villagers stand next to trees covered in spider webs in the flood affected areas of K.N. Shah, located near Dadu in Pakistan's Sindh province. The cocooned trees have been a side-effect of spiders escaping flood waters in the area The most stunning images of spider webs Spider webs An orb-weaver spider web in heath, blooming heather, in the morning light, Brandenburg, Germany The most stunning images of spider webs Spider webs A spiderweb is seen at sunrise in Dunte, 60 km (37 miles) north from Riga, Latvia The most stunning images of spider webs Spider webs View of morning dew on spider web in Bavaria, Germany The most stunning images of spider webs Spider webs Spider webs cover heather in Abernethy Forest, Scotland The most stunning images of spider webs Spider webs A shed in Australia is surrounding by spiders webs Reuters The most stunning images of spider webs Spider webs Frost-covered spider's webs are seen in Godewaersvelde in north of France The most stunning images of spider webs Spider webs A spider is pictured in a spider web covered with morning dew ARNO BURGI/AFP/Getty Images

A relation of the Black Widow Spider, its bite causes severe pain, sweating and nausea.

There have been no recorded deaths from Redback bites following the introduction of an anti venom in the 1950s.

Professor Julian White from Adelaides Womens and Childrens Hospital said: "Going back 80 years or so when people were still using outhouse toilets it was extremely common, something like up to 80 per cent of cases of spider bites were bites on the male genitalia.

"Typically they were using the toilet. But its much less common now, I cant think of a case.
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Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has said he plans to offer Britain the chance to reverse its Brexit decision if he regains the leadership next year.

Mr Sarkozy told business leaders in Paris he would attempt to negotiate a new draft of the EU treaty with Germany shortly after the French presidential election in May, enabling the UK to reconsider the vote to leave the European Union.

Should he be re-elected president, Mr Sarkozy admitted he faces considerable pressure from Frances National Front party to push for EU reforms - including changing the Schengen Zone and denying membership to Turkey.

I would tell the British, youve gone out, but we have a new treaty on the table so you have an opportunity to vote again, Mr Sarkozy said, according to FT.

But this time not on the old Europe, on the new Europe. Do you want to stay? If yes, so much the better. Because I cant accept to lose Europes second-largest economy while we are negotiating with Turkey over its EU membership. And if its no, then its a real no. Youre in or youre out.

On the subject of Turkeys prospective membership, the presidential hopeful added: Maybe its time to tell Turkey that its place is in Asia. I am a staunch European, I would never accept to leave the euro, but Europe doesnt function at all.

What experts have said about Brexit Show all 11 1 /11 What experts have said about Brexit What experts have said about Brexit Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond The Chancellor claims London can still be a world financial hub despite Brexit One of Britains great strengths is the ability to offer and aggregate all of the services the global financial services industry needs This has not changed as a result of the EU referendum and I will do everything I can to ensure the City of London retains its position as the worlds leading international financial centre. Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Yanis Varoufakis Greece's former finance minister compared the UK relations with the EU bloc with a well-known song by the Eagles: You can check out any time you like, as the Hotel California song says, but you can't really leave. The proof is Theresa May has not even dared to trigger Article 50. It's like Harrison Ford going into Indiana Jones' castle and the path behind him fragmenting. You can get in, but getting out is not at all clear Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Michael OLeary Ryanair boss says UK will be screwed by EU in Brexit trade deals: I have no faith in the politicians in London going on about how the world will want to trade with us. The world will want to screw you  that's what happens in trade talks, he said. They have no interest in giving the UK a deal on trade Getty What experts have said about Brexit Tim Martin JD Wetherspoon's chairman has said claims that the UK would see serious economic consequences from a Brexit vote were "lurid" and wrong: We were told it would be Armageddon from the OECD, from the IMF, David Cameron, the chancellor and President Obama who were predicting locusts in the fields and tidal waves in the North Sea" PA What experts have said about Brexit Mark Carney Governor of Bank of England is 'serene' about Bank of England's Brexit stance: I am absolutely serene about the  judgments made both by the MPC and the FPC Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Christine Lagarde IMF chief urges quick Brexit to reduce economic uncertainty: We want to see clarity sooner rather than later because we think that a lack of clarity feeds uncertainty, which itself undermines investment appetites and decision making Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Inga Beale Lloyds chief executive says Brexit is a major issue: "Clearly the UK's referendum on its EU membership is a major issue for us to deal with and we are now focusing our attention on having in place the plans that will ensure Lloyd's continues trading across Europe EPA What experts have said about Brexit Colm Kelleher President of US bank Morgan Stanley says City of London will suffer as result of the EU referendum: I do believe, and I said prior to the referendum, that the City of London will suffer as result of Brexit. The issue is how much What experts have said about Brexit Richard Branson Virgin founder believes we've lost a THIRD of our value because of Brexit and cancelled a deal worth 3,000 jobs: We're not any worse than anybody else, but I suspect we've lost a third of our value which is dreadful for people in the workplace.' He continued: "We were about to do a very big deal, we cancelled that deal, that would have involved 3,000 jobs, and thats happening all over the country" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Barack Obama US President believes Britain was wrong to vote to leave the EU: "It is absolutely true that I believed pre-Brexit vote and continue to believe post-Brexit vote that the world benefited enormously from the United Kingdom's participation in the EU. We are fully supportive of a process that is as little disruptive as possible so that people around the world can continue to benefit from economic growth" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Kristin Forbes American economist and an external member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England argues that the economy had been less stormy than many expected following the shock referendum result: For nowthe economy is experiencing some chop, but no tsunami. The adverse winds could quickly pick up  and merit a stronger policy response. But recently they have shifted to a more favourable direction Getty

Everybody in Europe is annoyed when France and Germany strike deals, but when they dont, everybody frets. And dont tell me this treaty would be complicated to negotiate. I have a lot of experience negotiating treaties. The worst would be to do nothing.

Mr Sarkozy said he believed failure to negotiate a new treaty on the terms of the EU would only contribute to the rise of anti-EU nationalist parties including the National Front.

Meanwhile UK prime minister Theresa May has reportedly confirmed Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty will most likely be triggered early next year, starting the process to withdraw the UK from the union.

The comments were allegedly relayed to Northern Ireland's deputy first minister Martin McGuinness during a recent meeting.

After Article 50 is triggered, a "two year negotiation period" with the country in question will commence according to EU rules. The process is considered to be irrevocable.
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Left-wing councillors in Barcelona have called for the citys iconic statue of Christopher Columbus to be removed on the grounds that it praises the conquest of another nation that was then subjected to imperialism, oppression and segregation.

The CUP-Capgirem Barcelona, a branch of the pro-independence left-wing CUP party in the Catalan capitals City Hall, has submitted proposals for the monument to be removed.

The campaigners claim the monument praises the conquest of America and wishes it to be replaced with a memorial to the indigenous peoples of the Americas and the slaves taken to the continent, the Catalan News Agency reports. The memorial should be erected to acknowledge these peoples resistance against imperialism, oppression and segregation, the group argues.

The monument was erected in 1888 for the Barcelona Universal Exposition, Spains first international world fair, and was meant partly to symbolise the significance of Columbus travelling to the city after his first trip to the Americas to report to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand in 1493.

The structure also features a statue of slaver Antonio Lopez, Marquis of Comillas.

Columbus statue stands on a 60 metres high column at the foot of Las Ramblas and near the area where Columbus returned to Spain from his first trip to the Americas.

It is said to show the explorer using his right hand to point towards the New World in the west, though in reality the statue was erected with his hand pointing eastwards towards Genoa, his home city.

The proposal will be discussed on Friday, though it has already been dismissed by the liberal councillors of Convergencia in City Hall.

It has been described as a frivolous proposal by Councillor Joaquim Forn, who said the city has other problems to face at the moment, citing the issue of rising rents and unemployment, the news agency reported.
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The Russian government has dismissed an investigation showing that separatist rebels downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 with a missile system from Russia as biased and politically motivated.

Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry in Moscow, claimed Russian officials had been prevented from playing a full role in the Dutch-led Joint Investigation Teams (JIT) work.

To arbitrarily designate a guilty party and dream up the desired results has become the norm for our Western colleagues, she said.

The investigation to this day continues to ignore incontestable evidence from the Russian side despite the fact that Russia is practically the only one sending reliable information to them.

 MH17: Rebels found responsible for shooting down Malaysia Airlines plane with Russian Buk missile

Ms Zakharova also suggested that the Ukrainian government had been able to influence the inquiry using fabricated evidence.

International prosecutors found pro-Russian rebels were responsible for shooting down MH17 and killing all 298 people on board on 17 July 2014, during the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

A report by the Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT) said there was no doubt the missile that downed the plane was brought in from Russia and fired from rebel-controlled territory as militants sought to fend off attacks by the Ukrainian air force.

Investigators pinpointed the launch site atop a hill in farmland west of Pervomaiskyi, having traced the convoy carrying the Buk from the Russian border through Donetsk, Torez, Snizhne and on to the launch site in the hours before MH17 was downed.

A statement from the JIT described its evidence as irrefutable, offering video footage, photographs, satellite images and recordings of tapped phone calls between rebels.

In several, mens voices are heard discussing the transport of the Buk missile system to and from Russia, while audio previously released by Ukrainian officials appeas to show a panicked militant telling a superior: It was 100 per cent a passenger aircraftthere are civilian items, medicinal stuff, towels, toilet paper.

Shortly after MH17s disappearance, a post attributed to separatist leader Igor Girkin, a Russian army veteran known as Strelkov, claimed rebels had shot down a Ukrainian military transport plane.

The swiftly-deleted post on Russian social network VKontakte was accompanied by a video of rising smoke and said: We warned them - dont fly in our sky.

In pictures: MH17 final report Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: MH17 final report In pictures: MH17 final report Getty Images In pictures: MH17 final report Getty Images In pictures: MH17 final report Almaz-Antei director Yan Novikov, center, looks at the screen during a news conference in Moscow. Almaz-Antei air defense consortium, the builder of Buk missiles, presented its vision of the MH-17 air crash based on a new modeling of the disaster they recently conducted AP In pictures: MH17 final report A graphic and a skin element of a passenger airplane which was used in a full-scale experiment by Almaz-Antey simulating shooting down of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 in Ukraine is displayed during a Russian missile manufacturer Almaz-Antey news conference dedicated to the MH17 crash in Moscow EPA In pictures: MH17 final report Almaz-Antei director Yan Novikov, seated center, attends a news conference in Moscow AP In pictures: MH17 final report Projectiles with thecharacteristic "double tee" formation of components of the warhead of a Buk missile 9?38?1, are displayed during a news conference in Moscow AP In pictures: MH17 final report Almaz-Antei director Yan Novikov, attends a news conference in Moscow AP

Separatist groups have since denied any involvement in the disaster, while Russian officials have continually dismissed allegations of soldiers or equipment being deployed in Ukraine.

In its own investigation, Russian Buk manufacturer Almaz Antey claimed the deadly missile was fired from Zaroschenskoye and that Ukrainian forces were stationed there at the time.

We investigated this and have been able to establish that this was not the launch location, and moreover that it was controlled by pro-Russian rebels at the time, said Wilbert Paulissen, head of the Dutch Central Crime Investigation Department.

The JIT said it had only received partial responses to its requests for information from Russian authorities and had not yet been sent primary radar data cited by officials at the Kremlin.

Comprising prosecutors from the countries with the most passengers on board the flight  the Netherlands, Australia, Malaysia and Belgium  and Ukraine, the JIT previously said it would ensure the independence of the investigation.

The body has primary responsibility for establishing the case for prosecutions after the UN Security Council failed to adopt a resolution that would have established an international tribunal for prosecuting those responsible for downing MH17 at a meeting in July 2015.

No suspects were named in Wednesdays report but investigators said they were looking at around 100 people linked to the downing of MH17 or the transport of the Buk missile.

A spokesperson for the JIT said officials are also looking at the chain of command that led to the disaster, adding: Who gave the order to bring the BUK-TELAR into Ukraine and who gave the order to shoot down flight MH17? Did the crew decide for themselves or did they execute a command from their superiors?"
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Investigators have released footage showing the missile system used to down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 being transported from Russia by rebels.

International prosecutors found separatists were responsible for shooting down the Boeing 777 and killing all 298 people on board on 17 July 2014, during the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

A report by the Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT) said there was no doubt the missile that downed the plane was brought in from Russia and fired from rebel-controlled territory as militants sought to fend off attacks by the Ukrainian air force.

Investigators pinpointed the launch site atop a hill in farmland west of Pervomaiskyi, having traced the convoy carrying the Buk from the Russian border through Donetsk, Torez, Snizhne and on to the launch site in the hours before MH17 was downed.

Image of Buk-M1 launcher in the vicinity of the MH17 crash

The JIT has reconstructed the weapons journey using data from rebels mobile phones, as well as photos and videos showing it being escorted by pro-Russian rebels wearing unspecified uniforms.

In several tapped phone calls, mens voices are heard discussing the transport of the Buk missile system from and back to Russia, while audio previously released by Ukrainian officials appears to show a panicked militant saying MH17 was shot down in the mistaken belief it was a military plane.

He tells a superior: It was 100 per cent a passenger aircraftthere are civilian items, medicinal stuff, towels, toilet paper.

Journalists arriving at the scene of the missile launch the following day found a scorched patch of earth measuring 30m by 30m, which could also be seen on satellite images showing caterpillar tracks nearby.

Hours after MH17 was downed, the Buk was seen being driven back towards the Russian border - missing one of its four missiles - before the convoy left Ukraine overnight. Shortly after MH17s disappearance, a post attributed to separatist leader Igor Girkin, a Russian army veteran known as Strelkov, claimed rebels had shot down a Ukrainian military transport plane.

The swiftly-deleted post on Russian social network VKontakte was accompanied by a video of rising smoke and said: We warned them - dont fly in our sky.

Much of the footage cited by the JIT had already been analysed for a report released in February by investigative citizen journalists in the Bellingcat group.

 Intercepted call used as evidence of possible Russian involvement in downing of MH17

Its analysis concluded the Buk missile system used to down MH17 was transported into Ukraine by Russian soldiers with high-level authorisation, although it was unclear whether Russian or separatist fighters operated the weapon after it crossed the border.

An extended and uncensored version of the report was sent to JIT investigators in December, including the full names and photographs of soldiers said to be involved.

Although it is likely that the head officials of Russias Ministry of Defence did not explicitly decide to send a Buk missile launcher to Ukraine, the decision to send military equipment (with or without crew) from the Air Defence Forces to Ukraine was likely made at a very high level and, therefore, the Russian Ministry of Defence bears the main responsibility for the downing of MH17, Bellingcats report concluded.

This responsibility is shared with separatist leaders of the Donetsk Peoples Republic and (to a lesser extent) the Luhansk Peoples Republicultimately, responsibility for the downing of MH17 from a weapon provided and possibly operated by the Russian military lies with its two head commanders: Minister of Defence Sergey Shoigu and President Vladimir Putin.

Separatist groups have denied any involvement in the disaster, while Russian officials have continually dismissed allegations of soldiers or equipment being deployed in Ukraine.

The Russian government refuted the JITs findings and accused the report of being biased and politically motivated.

Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry in Moscow, claimed Russian officials had been prevented from playing a full role in the Dutch-led Joint Investigation Teams (JIT) work.

In pictures: MH17 final report Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: MH17 final report In pictures: MH17 final report Getty Images In pictures: MH17 final report Getty Images In pictures: MH17 final report Almaz-Antei director Yan Novikov, center, looks at the screen during a news conference in Moscow. Almaz-Antei air defense consortium, the builder of Buk missiles, presented its vision of the MH-17 air crash based on a new modeling of the disaster they recently conducted AP In pictures: MH17 final report A graphic and a skin element of a passenger airplane which was used in a full-scale experiment by Almaz-Antey simulating shooting down of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 in Ukraine is displayed during a Russian missile manufacturer Almaz-Antey news conference dedicated to the MH17 crash in Moscow EPA In pictures: MH17 final report Almaz-Antei director Yan Novikov, seated center, attends a news conference in Moscow AP In pictures: MH17 final report Projectiles with thecharacteristic "double tee" formation of components of the warhead of a Buk missile 9?38?1, are displayed during a news conference in Moscow AP In pictures: MH17 final report Almaz-Antei director Yan Novikov, attends a news conference in Moscow AP

To arbitrarily designate a guilty party and dream up the desired results has become the norm for our Western colleagues, she said.

The investigation to this day continues to ignore incontestable evidence from the Russian side despite the fact that Russia is practically the only one sending reliable information to them.

Ms Zakharova also suggested that the Ukrainian government had been able to influence the inquiry using fabricated evidence.

In its own investigation, Russian Buk manufacturer Almaz Antey claimed the deadly missile was fired from Zaroschenskoye and that Ukrainian forces were stationed there.

We investigated this and have been able to establish that this was not the launch location, and moreover that it was controlled by pro-Russian rebels at the time, said Wilbert Paulissen, head of the Dutch Central Crime Investigation Department.

The JIT said it had only received partial responses to its requests for information from Russian authorities and had not yet been sent primary radar data cited by officials at the Kremlin.

Comprising prosecutors from the countries with the most passengers on board the flight  the Netherlands, Australia, Malaysia and Belgium  and Ukraine, the JIT previously said it would ensure the independence of the investigation.

The body has primary responsibility for establishing the case for prosecutions after the UN Security Council failed to adopt a resolution that would have established an international tribunal for prosecuting those responsible for downing MH17 at a meeting in July 2015.

When questioned by journalists, members of the JIT would not specifically name the militia or faction responsible for firing the missile but said they were investigating around 100 people linked to the downing of MH17 or the transport of the Buk missile.

A spokesperson said officials are also looking at the chain of command that led to the disaster, adding: Who gave the order to bring the BUK-TELAR into Ukraine and who gave the order to shoot down flight MH17? Did the crew decide for themselves or did they execute a command from their superiors?


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Rebels were responsible for shooting down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine and killing all 298 people on board, international prosecutors have found.

A report by the Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT) said there was "no doubt" the missile that downed the plane was brought in from Russia and fired from rebel-controlled territory in 2014, during the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Wilbert Paulissen, head of the Dutch Central Crime Investigation Department, played a press conference intercepted phone conversations between rebel fighters discussing the arrival of a Buk missile system.

It may be concluded MH17 was shot down by a 9M38 missile launched by a Buk, brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation, and that after launch was subsequently returned to the Russian Federation, he added.

The conclusion is that MH17 was shot down by a Buk missile launched from a site around 6km south of the village of Snizhne.

 Reconstruction of MH17's last moments

Investigators pinpointed the launch site on the top of a hill in farmland west of Pervomaiskyi, saying witnesses photographed a smoke trail and reported hearing the sound of it being fired.

They traced the convoy carrying the Buk, originally with four missiles, from the Russian border through Donetsk, Torez, Snizhne and on to the launch site in the hours before MH17 was downed.

Officials said the weapon was escorted by pro-Russian fighters, with its path recorded by numerous videos and images recorded by members of the public, before being returned to Russia after the launch - with one missile missing.

When questioned by journalists, members of the JIT would not specifically name the militia or faction responsible for firing the missile but said they were investigating numerous individuals, as well as the chain of command that led to the downing.

Prosecutors detailed evidence of 3,500 intercepted conversations and extensive test detonations, adding that some evidence was being held back because of continuing investigations into perpetrators.

The probe aims to identify those behind the attack on the passenger plane as it flew from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on 17 July 2014.

More than 100 potential suspects have been identified but no one was named by officials, who said investigations continued, as well as a probe into what happened to the Buk after it crossed back into Russia.

Silene Fredriksz, whose son Bryce was on the flight with his girlfriend, Daisy, had expected investigators to confirm long-held suspicions that pro-Russian groups were responsible.

We will be able to deduce whether it was Russian or Ukrainian and I think we will just get a confirmation of what we have thought for months, she said ahead of the reports release.

This is an important step. As a family we are impatient. We want to know what happened, how it happened and why. We want those responsible to face justice.

In pictures: MH17 final report Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: MH17 final report In pictures: MH17 final report Getty Images In pictures: MH17 final report Getty Images In pictures: MH17 final report Almaz-Antei director Yan Novikov, center, looks at the screen during a news conference in Moscow. Almaz-Antei air defense consortium, the builder of Buk missiles, presented its vision of the MH-17 air crash based on a new modeling of the disaster they recently conducted AP In pictures: MH17 final report A graphic and a skin element of a passenger airplane which was used in a full-scale experiment by Almaz-Antey simulating shooting down of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 in Ukraine is displayed during a Russian missile manufacturer Almaz-Antey news conference dedicated to the MH17 crash in Moscow EPA In pictures: MH17 final report Almaz-Antei director Yan Novikov, seated center, attends a news conference in Moscow AP In pictures: MH17 final report Projectiles with thecharacteristic "double tee" formation of components of the warhead of a Buk missile 9?38?1, are displayed during a news conference in Moscow AP In pictures: MH17 final report Almaz-Antei director Yan Novikov, attends a news conference in Moscow AP

A separate investigation completed by the Dutch Safety Board last year concluded that the plane was downed by a warhead fired by a Buk system that detonated a metre away.

It fired around 800 high energy fragments into the cockpit, killing the three crew members inside immediately and causing the Boeing 777 to break up in the air.

Shortly after MH17s disappearance, a post attributed to separatist leader Igor Girkin, a Russian army veteran known as Strelkov, claimed rebels had shot down a Ukrainian military transport plane.

The swiftly deleted post on Russian social network VKontakte was accompanied by a video of rising smoke and said: We warned them - dont fly in our sky.

Intercepted phone calls between rebels also appeared to show their involvement, with an alleged recording dated on 18 July 2014 showing a man saying the launcher had been brought from Russia by a contact code-named the Librarian.

Recordings released by the Security Service of Ukraine appeared to show a panicked militant telling a superior: It was 100 per cent a passenger aircraftthere are civilian items, medicinal stuff, towels, toilet paper.

Separatist groups have since denied any involvement in the disaster, while Russian officials have continually dismissed allegations of soldiers or equipment being deployed in Ukraine.

In its own investigation, Russian Buk manufacturer Almaz Antey claimed the deadly missile was fired from Zaroschenskoye and that Ukrainian forces were stationed there at the time.

The wrecked MH17 cockpit pictured at the Gilze-Rijen Military Base in Gilze-Rijen, Netherlands (Getty Images)

We investigated this and have been able to establish that this was not the launch location, and moreover that it was controlled by pro-Russian rebels at the time, Mr Paulissen said.

Following the report's release on Wednesday, the Russian foreign ministry accused the investigation of being biased and politically-motivated.

To arbitrarily designate a guilty party and dream up the desired results has become the norm for our Western colleagues, said spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

The investigation to this day continues to ignore incontestable evidence from the Russian side despite the fact that Russia is practically the only one sending reliable information to them.

She complained that the Russian government had been prevented from playing a full role in investigators' work and alleged that the Ukrainian government had been able to influence the inquiry using fabricated evidence.

The JIT said it had only received partial responses to its requests for information from Russian authorities and had not yet been sent primary radar data cited by officials at the Kremlin.

Comprising prosecutors from the countries with the most passengers on board the flight  the Netherlands, Australia, Malaysia and Belgium  and Ukraine, the JIT previously said it would ensure the independence of the investigation.

Investigators have examined all human remains, personal belongings and wreckage from the Boeing 777, which broke up mid-air and spread debris over several miles.

The JIT has primary responsibility for establishing the case for prosecutions after the UN Security Council failed to adopt a resolution that would have established an international tribunal for prosecuting those responsible for downing MH17 at a meeting in July 2015.

 MH17 Reconstruction Timelapse

Malaysia's Prime Minister, Najib Razak, said the countries involved would move swiftly to establish the course of action following Wednesdays findings.

We remain committed to bring those people responsible to justice, he added.

The Ukrainian government is locked in a two-and-a-half year long conflict with separatist rebels controlling territory in the east, including the area where MH17 wreckage landed around Hrabove.

The insurgency started in the east following the toppling of President Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014.

A United Nations report recently warned of increasing civilian casualties in eastern Ukraine, where hostilities between the government and rebel groups have been escalating as international attention wanes.

Amid fighting in densely populated areas, civilians have been killed by shelling, mines and bombs, as well as an unknown number dying from a lack of food, water, medicine or healthcare.

Monitors have also recorded reports of human rights abuses including torture, ill-treatment and incommunicado detention, committed with very limited accountability and concern over fair trials.

More than 9,600 people have so far been killed and 22,400 injured in the conflict so far, with a volatile ceasefire restored on 1 September.
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More polar bears are being shot dead on Norways remote Arctic islands, where dangerous encounters with humans are getting more frequent as visitors increase and global warming melts the sea ice on which the creatures roam.

Halfway between the northern tip of Europe and the North Pole, the Svalbard archipelago of snow-capped mountains and glaciers is home to 2,654 people and 975 polar bears, according to a 2015 tally by the Norwegian Polar Institute.

Four polar bears have been shot so far this year, Vidar Arnesen, a chief police inspector for the governor of Svalbard, said. In a normal year, one or two would be shot.

There are more contacts between humans and the animals, he said aboard the Polarsyssel, the governors ship, used for inspections and rescue operations.

Polar bears are a protected species and shooting them is allowed only for self-defence and as a last resort. Outside Svalbards main settlements, people are obliged by law to carry the means to scare the animals away or defend themselves, with authorities recommending they take a gun.

A chain of incidents this year has highlighted the dangers.

In April, police stunned a three-year-old male sighted in the main town on Spitsbergen island, Longyearbyen, and flew him out by helicopter to a more isolated spot. The same month, a group of four Finnish tourists shot a polar bear in self-defence.

They were not fined, as police said they followed proper procedure  to group together and make noise to try and frighten away the animal from at least 200 metres, and only to fire if there is a risk of death or injury to humans.

In June, a hunter looking for reindeer, fox or grouse was fined 20,000 crowns (1,900) when he shot a female polar bear in violation of the rules.

He mistakenly loaded his rifle with live ammunition instead of rubber bullets when trying to scare her away. Her cub was later euthanised as it would have not survived alone.

Police are currently investigating an incident last month in which a two-year-old female was shot dead near a camp of Russian scientists on a research trip.

Marco Lambertini, director-general of World Wildlife Fund International, said the shrinking area of sea ice available to the polar bears was contributing to the problem.

The authorities on Svalbard should regularly review their guidelines to reduce the number of dangerous interactions between humans and polar bears, he said.

At the same time, Svalbard is experiencing a tourism boom: visitor nights on the archipelago hit 18,000 in the month of July, up 14 per cent year-on-year.

The University Centre in Svalbard now hosts around 800 students a year, a doubling in five years, which increases the number of research expeditions.

The possibilities of a hungry bear encountering a human being are increasing, said Lambertini.

Around the Arctic, there are an estimated 26,000 polar bears, according to a Red List of threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which also highlights the threat to the species from retreating sea ice.

Polar bears rarely kill people: the most recent victim was a British teenager who died while camping on the ice in 2011. In 2015, a Czech tourist visiting for a solar eclipse suffered slight injuries when a polar bear ripped open his tent. The animal was shot dead.

For locals, living with polar bears involves routine precautions. At the Ny-Aalesund research station, the northernmost civilian settlement in the world at 79 degrees north, the 70-odd scientists and support staff leave the front door of every house unlocked so that people can seek refuge if needed.

Once I was on a rubber boat and about 20-25 metres away, on the beach, there was a polar bear. We drove the animal away by revving the engines, said Max Schwanitz, 54, a German who supervises scientific research diving.

Plans to drill for Alaskan oil threaten polar bear numbers Show all 3 1 /3 Plans to drill for Alaskan oil threaten polar bear numbers Plans to drill for Alaskan oil threaten polar bear numbers 12182.bin PA/Getty Images Plans to drill for Alaskan oil threaten polar bear numbers 12183.bin PA/Getty Images Plans to drill for Alaskan oil threaten polar bear numbers 12184.bin

Residents at Ny-Aalesund have sighted six or seven polar bears this summer, the last time some six weeks ago. The animal swam out of the sea and walked within a few dozen metres of the settlement before disappearing.

The first time I saw one, it was in the middle of town. I was amazed at how huge it was, said Aasne Dolve Meyer, 41, who works for a company supporting the research institutes. After that I always made sure I checked my surroundings before leaving the house.

Reuters
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Police in Berlin have shot dead a refugee after he tried to attack a man who had reportedly sexually abused his six-year-old daughter.

Officers had been called to a refugee shelter in the inner-city locality of Moabit at around 8:30pm after reports that a girl had been molested by a fellow resident of the shelter in a nearby park.

A 27-year-old suspect was arrested and put into a police car, at which point the father of the young girl tried to attack him with a knife. According to witnesses he shouted: You won't survive this.

After he ignored police commands to stop several officers shot him. The man, who was a 29-year-old Iraqi, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries and later died.

Since the incident, questions have been raised over whether police were right to use firearms. Berlin police union spokesman, Bodo Pfalzgraf, said the police had no option but to open fire and rejected suggestions that they should have aimed for the man's legs.

He told the BBC: The officers had to stop people taking the law into their own hands and halt what was for them a life-threatening situation."

Berlin Police said the exact course of events and the accusation of sexual abuse of a six-year-old girl were now under investigation.

The refugee shelter in Moabit, outside which the incident took place, is the first inflatable structure for refugees in Germany and can house up to 300 people.

Refugees settle in Germany Show all 12 1 /12 Refugees settle in Germany Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Zayat, a refugee from Syria, plays with his daughter Ranim, who is nearly 3, in the one room they and Mohamed's wife Laloosh call home at an asylum-seekers' shelter in Vossberg village on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. The Zayats arrived approximately two months ago after trekking through Turkey, Greece and the Balkans and are now waiting for local authorities to process their asylum application, after which they will be allowed to live independently and settle elsewhere in Germany. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity 2015 Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany A refugee child Amnat Musayeva points to a star with her photo and name that decorates the door to her classroom as teacher Martina Fischer looks on at the local kindergarten Amnat and her siblings attend on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. The children live with their family at an asylum-seekers' shelter in nearby Vossberg village and are waiting for local authorities to process their asylum applications. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Kurdish Syrian asylum-applicant Mohamed Ali Hussein (R), 19, and fellow applicant Autur, from Latvia, load benches onto a truckbed while performing community service, for which they receive a small allowance, in Wilhelmsaue village on October 9, 2015 near Letschin, Germany. Mohamed and Autur live at an asylum-applicants' shelter in nearby Vossberg village. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Ali Hussein ((L), 19, and his cousin Sinjar Hussein, 34, sweep leaves at a cemetery in Gieshof village, for which they receive a small allowance, near Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Zayat, a refugee from Syria, looks among donated clothing in the basement of the asylum-seekers' shelter that is home to Mohamed, his wife Laloosh and their daughter Ranim as residents' laundry dries behind in Vossberg village on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. The Zayats arrived approximately two months ago after trekking through Turkey, Greece and the Balkans and are now waiting for local authorities to process their asylum application, after which they will be allowed to live independently and settle elsewhere in Germany Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Asya Sugaipova (L), Mohza Mukayeva and Khadra Zhukova prepare food in the communal kitchen at the asylum-seekers' shelter that is their home in Vossberg village in Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Efrah Abdullahi Ahmed looks down from the communal kitchen window at her daughter Sumaya, 10, who had just returned from school, at the asylum-seekers' shelter that is their home in Vossberg Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Asylum-applicants, including Syrians Mohamed Ali Hussein (C-R, in black jacket) and Fadi Almasalmeh (C), return from grocery shopping with other refugees to the asylum-applicants' shelter that is their home in Vossberg village in Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Zayat (2nd from L), a refugee from Syria, smokes a cigarette after shopping for groceries with his daughter Ranim, who is nearly 3, and fellow-Syrian refugees Mohamed Ali Hussein (C) and Fadi Almasalmeh (L) at a local supermarket on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. All of them live at an asylum-seekers' shelter in nearby Vossberg village and are waiting for local authorities to process their asylum applications, after which they will be allowed to live independently and settle elsewhere in Germany 2015 Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Kurdish Syrian refugees Leila, 9, carries her sister Avin, 1, in the backyard at the asylum-seekers' shelter that is home to them and their family in Vossberg village in Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Somali refugees and husband and wife Said Ahmed Gure (R) and Ayaan Gure pose with their infant son Muzammili, who was born in Germany, in the room they share at an asylum-seekers' shelter in Vossberg village on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity, and are waiting for authorities to process their application for asylum 2015 Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany German Chancellor Angela Merkel pauses for a selfie with a refugee after she visited the AWO Refugium Askanierring shelter for refugees in Berlin Getty Images

There have been concerns over the treatment of refugees in Germany after approximately 1.1 million people - many of them refugees fleeing from conflict in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan - arrived there last year.

In August the company responsible for a string of asylum centres in Berlin was stripped of its contracts after its managers swapped emails joking about harming refugees.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel recently indicated she regretted her open door policy on immigration, saying she did not want a repeat of last year's situation.
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Lithuania has confirmed it is in talks to purchase new missile systems worth up to 100 million, amid concerns over potential aggression from Russia.

The Baltic states have become concerned over the lack of defence from medium-range missiles, and Lithuania has taken the lead in attempting to address the gap.

The Norwegian NASAMS systems would line Nato's eastern flank and help bolster defences in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in the event of any future invasion.

Lithuania's defence ministry confirmed the deal, and claimed Nato military planes had been called to action seven times in the past week to escort Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea.

The Baltic states have expressed fears they would be incapable of resisting attacks from Russian forces, particularly from the air.

"The lack of air defence systems increases the likelihood of a successful snap attack with limited forces. Our military power is important for deterrence," retired Lithuanian Colonel Ignas Stankovicius told AFP.

In July, it was announced Britain was to deploy hundreds of troops to the Baltic states in reponse to growing concerns over Russia's presence in the region.

Tensions between Russia and the Western world Show all 8 1 /8 Tensions between Russia and the Western world Tensions between Russia and the Western world Russia Vladimir Putin leaves G20 early after criticism from world leaders over Ukraine. David Cameron warned Vladimir Putin, face to face, that Russias whole post-Cold War relationship with the West is at a fork in the road over Ukraine Getty Tensions between Russia and the Western world Russia A mysterious Russian object is being tracked by space agencies, giving new life to fears about the increase of space weapons. The satellite, dubbed Object 2014-28E, has grabbed the interest of official and amateur satellite-watchers because it is taking a confusing path and its purpose has not been identified Getty Images Tensions between Russia and the Western world Russia Russian warplanes are risking the security of civilian passengers as they play a dangerous game designed to test Western air defences, according to Natos secretary general FRA Tensions between Russia and the Western world Russia Russia has warned Ukraine that a resumption of hostilities against pro-Russian separatists in the east would be catastrophic for Ukraine Reuters Tensions between Russia and the Western world Russia A Swedish minesweeper searches for suspected "foreign underwater activity" near Stockholm. A Russian sub in Swedish waters has slipped away into the sea...leaving recriminations in its wake Reuters Tensions between Russia and the Western world Russia Sberbank, Russia's largest lender, is taking the European Union to court in an attempt to loosen Western sanctions imposed over the Ukraine crisis GETTY IMAGES Tensions between Russia and the Western world Russia Russian government agencies have been accused of editing a Wikipedia article to suggest the Ukrainian military was responsible for shooting down the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, a Twitter account monitoring state IP addresses has claimed AFP Tensions between Russia and the Western world Russia Australias prime minister Tony Abbott has promised he will shirtfront Vladimir Putin over the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which killed 38 Australian citizens AP

[Eastern Nato countries] feel enormous pressure from Russia doing large exercises on the border, flying over their airspace and so on," said British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon at the time.

I think [President Putin] is flexing his muscles. He wants Russia to be treated as the world power it used to be, and thats why an alliance like Nato is very, very important, that we stand together.

Around 1,000 troops deployed from Nato countries are now stationed in each of the Baltic states.

The Russian government has repeatedly denied it wishes to attack any of the three states and accuses Nato of disrupting the balance of Eastern Europe.
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An award-winning journalist who exposed voting fraud during Russias parliamentary elections has himself been arrested for alleged fraud.

Denis Korotkov, a correspondent for the independent news website Fontanka, was scheduled to appear in court in St Petersburg on Wednesday on charges of illegally obtaining a ballot.

But campaigners say Mr Korotkov was working undercover to expose vote rigging in the Duma elections, which have provoked international concern, and is now being harassed for his work.

Mr Korotkov documented how he posed as a voter on 18 September and was given a sticker by polling station officials, who then arranged for him to be transported around St Petersburg with others to cast multiple ballots for specified candidates.

 Video appears to show Russia vote rigging

The paid practice, known as carousel voting, has been documented in previous Russian and Soviet elections and was raised as a concern by monitors at the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE).

After receiving four votes, Mr Korotkov said he revealed his identity and was detained by police and charged with the illegal issuing and receiving of ballots, punishable by a fine of up to 3,000 rubles (36) according to local reports.

The Committee to Protect Journalists is among the groups demanding the journalists immediate release.

We call on Saint Petersburg authorities to drop all charges against Denis Korotkov immediately and to allow him to do his job without fear of harassment, its Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova said.

Prosecutors would do better to investigate the troubling electoral irregularities he observed rather than trying him for voter fraud.

Mr Korotkov won the Union of Journalists of Russia's 2015 Golden Pen media award for an investigation into the hiring of Russian volunteers to fight in Syria, and also believes he has been targeted by hackers.

Elections for Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, ended with a landslide victory for Vladimir Putins former party, United Russia, which took 343 of 450 seats.

Mr Putin was leader of the party between 2008 and 2012, during his second term as Prime Minister, but stepped down after being elected President.

Vladimir Putin: Inside the Russian President's Daily Life Show all 10 1 /10 Vladimir Putin: Inside the Russian President's Daily Life Vladimir Putin: Inside the Russian President's Daily Life He likes a simple yet sizeable breakfast Putins preferred way to start the day is with cottage cheese, omelette, quails eggs and porridge, accompanied by fruit juice and coffee. All his food comes from the farmland estates of the Patriarch Kirill, Russias religious leader. AFP/ Getty Images Vladimir Putin: Inside the Russian President's Daily Life Hes big on exercise Putin spends two hours a day swimming, where he gets most of Russias thinking done, according to political advisors. Hes also a gym-goer where he enjoys weight-lifting. AP Vladimir Putin: Inside the Russian President's Daily Life The gym is followed by reading His favourite genre of books are about historical figures such as Ivan the Terrible, Catherine II, Peter the Great. Not for him are the works of JK Rowling and John Grisham. Getty Vladimir Putin: Inside the Russian President's Daily Life He likes cold baths Of course he does. He does have warm baths too, but he spends time completing his cleanse. GETTY IMAGES Vladimir Putin: Inside the Russian President's Daily Life Hes not keen on the internet Maybe because it makes him aware of how many people hate him, but truly because he finds the screens within screens and the bars building up with messages confusing. Getty Images Vladimir Putin: Inside the Russian President's Daily Life He cant be given milk There is no explanation as to why. He also cant be offered food products by his host  all foreign food stuff has to cleared by the Kremlin first. EPA Vladimir Putin: Inside the Russian President's Daily Life Hes learning English via sing-alongs Putin has a tutor to help him learn the England language, with afternoon sessions. GETTY IMAGES Vladimir Putin: Inside the Russian President's Daily Life Hes an animal-lover It may seem strange to imagine the Russian President haring around with animals, but he is very fond of his pet Labrador who is apparently not afraid of him. He also goes in for hunting parties. AFP/Getty Images Vladimir Putin: Inside the Russian President's Daily Life He has a travel regime to rival Mariah Carey Putin flies in Russian chefs, waiters and cleaners to ensure his overseas stays are up to his standards. He also has all hotel toiletries replaced with his personal products and fresh fruit under special Kremlin anti-contamination seals. GETTY IMAGES Vladimir Putin: Inside the Russian President's Daily Life Hes not a big conversationalist He doesnt talk, the interpreter told Newsweek. He feels no need to smile. He doesnt want to go for a walk. He doesnt want to drink... At anyone time there are 10 people around him... You cannot get more than 3m close to him because the space is guarded so carefully. He is endlessly surrounded by whispering aides, cameramen, bodyguards. KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/Getty Images

Golos, Russias elections watchdog, reported all major ways of falsification, such as transporting the voters [from one polling station to another], carousel, ballot-box stuffing, and others, including putting pressure on voters were observed in St Petersburg and other cities.

More than 30 criminal cases have been opened into suspected electoral violations, while votes from nine separate polling stations have been annulled over alleged rigging, the Moscow Times reported.

An OSCE report found that although the Duma elections were transparently administered by the Central Election Commission, numerous procedural irregularities were recorded.

Observers said the vote was affected by restricted fundamental freedoms and political rights, firmly controlled media and a tightening grip on civil society, while there were few distinct political alternatives on offer as complex restrictions in candidate registration continue.

The British Government was among those expression concern, adding that it does not recognise Duma elections held in Crimea as legitimate after it was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.

John Kirby, a spokesperson for the US State Department, said: Russians deserve free, fair, and transparent elections, and leaders who are accountable to those they represent. We urge Russian authorities to take positive action.

The Russian Embassy in London has not yet responded to The Independents request for comment.


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Several serious terror attacks have been thwarted by counter-terrorism forces in Nice since the the deadly attack on Bastille Day, the city's prosecutor has said.

Jean-Michel Pretre disclosed that as many as five serious plots targeting sporting events, schools or places of worship across the city had been foiled in the past three months.

Mr Pretre disclosed the terror plots during an interview for a documentary titled Deradicalisation", which will be screened on French national television tonight (28 September).

The prosecutor says during the interview: Several cases were handed over to the specialist counter-terrorist judges in Paris.

"They involved plots to attack places of worship or certain gatherings, sporting events, stadiums, schools, which are recurrent themes on the communication published on the internet."

Mr Pretre adds that the cases were individuals apparently ready to act who had began to articulate quite specific things about a specific target".

Earlier in the week the Mr Pretre told a court in Nice that some 70 cases related to terrorism or violent radicalisation had been investigated by prosecutors since the attack on the city's coastline in July.

The Bastille Day attack occurred when Tunisian Isis supporter Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel drove a lorry into crowds of people on 14 July. It is considered one of the deadliest terrorist atrocities in Europe, killing 84 people, including ten children, and injuring 202 others, 52 of them critically.

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

Last week French police arrested eight more suspects in connection with the terror incident, who are said to have had links to Bouhlel.

Authorities on the Riviera have been on high alert since the attack took place, cancelling several events in the region including a popular Marseille air show in August.

France has heavily increased its counter-terrorism forces after a string of attacks in the past two years, the most serious of which was in Paris last November and the mass killing by gunmen of Charlie Hebdo staff in January 2015.
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Spain's Socialist party descended into internal warfare on Wednesday as senior members resigned en masse in a bid to unseat their leader and break a political impasse that has left the nation without a new government for nine months.

A stand-off between the Socialists, headed by Pedro Sanchez, and the centre-right People's Party (PP) - which won the most votes but fell short of a majority in two inconclusive national elections - has frustrated attempts to form a government.

But dissent has been growing within the Socialists over whether the party should keep blocking acting PP Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's bid for a second term.

Recommended Read more Socialists attempt to end Spanish impasse by pact with centrist party

On Wednesday, 17 members of the Socialists' 38-strong executive committee resigned together in a manoeuvre to force Sanchez out and help to ease in a new administration.

After the resignation of two members some months ago and the death of another, the committee now has fewer than half its original members, which should force its dissolution and usher in an interim management. The party conference would then have to choose a new leader in a few weeks.

Most analysts believe a new leader would pave the way for the Socialists to tolerate a new Rajoy government, thus ending a stalemate prevailing since the inconclusive election in December last year.

Acting Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (Reuters)

But other committee members said party rules did not allow for such a scenario to transpire and that Sanchez remained their leader. This is extremely serious... There is no room for any shortcut or violation of the rules of the party, deputy party chief Cesar Luena said as he dismissed the anti-Sanchez plot.

Now, the party's members and sympathisers will have to speak and vote.

Reuters
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Switzerland has moved a step closer to imposing a nationwide burqa ban after politicians approved a draft bill by just one vote.

A new law proposed by the right-wing Swiss Peoples Party (SVP) received 88 votes, with 87 against and 10 abstentions in the countrys lower house of parliament on Tuesday. But the plans remain far from coming into force after a previous proposal for a ban on Muslim veils that cover the face was voted down by state representatives at a commission in January.

The proposed law would prohibit face-coverings including niqabs (pictured) and burqas (iStock)

Walter Wobmann, an SVP politician leading the campaign, claimed the law would maintain public order and respect for the dignity of women.

Known for his anti-immigration stance, he has previously said it was unacceptable for women to wear headscarves in passport photos and vowed to stop further Islamisation in Switzerland while supporting the 2009 ban on mosque minarets.

Writing in support of the Yes to veil ban campaign, Mr Wobmann claimed veils violate Swiss values and said the law would also prevent vandals and criminals concealing their identity.

Veils are an attack on integration in a free society, he continued. The ban of religiously motivated coverings in public is proportionate and violates neither freedom of religion nor expression. It does not constitute discrimination.

The proposed law would see paragraphs written into Switzerlands federal constitution against the concealing of ones face in public places, other than religious sites, with exceptions for health and safety, the climate and unspecified local customs.

The issue could now be decided by the Swiss Council of States or by a public vote, if supporters gain the 100,000 signatures needed to trigger a referendum.

Even if the petition succeeds and the public gave a yes vote, the proposals would still need to be made into law through approval in parliament.

In pictures: Protest against burkini bans in London Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Protest against burkini bans in London In pictures: Protest against burkini bans in London Demonstrators stage a beach party outside the French Embassy, in Knightsbridge, London, in protest against burkini bans PA In pictures: Protest against burkini bans in London Jenny Dawkins, a curate from All Saints Church in Peckham, at an anti-burkini ban protest at the French Embassy in London on 25 August Lizzie Dearden In pictures: Protest against burkini bans in London Demonstrators stage a beach party outside the French Embassy, in Knightsbridge, London, in protest against burkini bans PA In pictures: Protest against burkini bans in London Somayia Khan's six-year-old daughter at a protest against burkini bans at the French Embassy in London on 25 August Lizzie Dearden In pictures: Protest against burkini bans in London Friends Rebecca (L) and Hannah (R) at a protest against burkini bans at the French Embassy in London on 25 August Lizzie Dearden In pictures: Protest against burkini bans in London Demonstrators stage a beach party outside the French Embassy, in Knightsbridge, London, in protest against burkini bans Reuters In pictures: Protest against burkini bans in London Demonstrators stage a beach party outside the French Embassy, in Knightsbridge, London, in protest against burkini bans EPA In pictures: Protest against burkini bans in London Demonstrators stage a beach party outside the French Embassy, in Knightsbridge, London, in protest against burkini bans AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Protest against burkini bans in London People participate in a 'Wear what you want beach party' protest outside of the French Embassy in London EPA In pictures: Protest against burkini bans in London A protester holds a sign which reads "Are you Burkini Beach Body Ready?" as she lies on a beach towel outside the French Embassy in London on August 25, 2016, AFP/Getty Images

The Swiss canton of Ticino implemented its own regional burqa ban in July, beginning to enforce fines for wearing the burqa and niqab three years three years after the move was approved.

Only around 350,000 of Switzerlands 8.3 million inhabitants are Muslim, but issues around religion and integration have become a key focus in recent months.

Muslim boys who refused to shake female teachers hands were recently threatened with fines of 5,000 Swiss francs (4,000), while two young girls who did not take part in swimming lessons with boys were denied citizenship in June and a Muslim woman left her job as a supply teacher after being told she must shake hands with male colleagues.

Switzerland is one of several European countries currently debating similar issues, with burkini bans brought in by some French Riviera resorts provoking outrage.

France and Belgium enforce nationwide bans on full-face veils, while Germany and the Netherlands are considering similar laws. Regions of Italy, Spain, Russia and Switzerland also regulate religious attire.

A recent survey by YouGov found the British public supported a universal ban on Islamic veils by an overwhelming margin of more than two-to-one.
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An unknown number of civilians have died in a US drone strike in the restive eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar, Afghan officials and news agencies report.

Mohammad Ali, police chief of Achin district, where the attack occured, said 15 militants and three civilians died in the incident.

"They were in a house to visit someone who had just come from the Hajj pilgrimage," he said. "A drone targeted the house and killed most of them."

Local politician Esmatullah Shinwari said that at least 12 people had been wounded in the strike on the house, where people had gathered to welcome back a tribal leader from his pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

Provincial police spokesperson Hazrat Hussain Mashriqiwal contradicted these reports, saying that no civilians were among the strikes' victims.

A US military command official in Kabul confirmed that a counter-terrorism strike had taken place, and said an investigation into the claims of civilian casulties is underway.

Isis holds some territory in Nangahar, which borders Pakistan, where hundreds of militants are thought to be based. The US has targeted Achin in strikes for months.

 Afghanistan army battles to push Taliban from Tarinkot

Civilian casualities in US air strikes against Taliban and other militants in Afghanistan have long been a source of friction between the US and allies who have been fighting to end mliltant opposition to the Kabul government since 2001.

In October 2015, a US strike hit a Doctors Without Borders hospital in the northern city of Kunduz, killing 42 people and injuring 30. Doctors without Borders accused the US of a war crime. Cockpit recordings from the planes that carried out the strike showed that the crew questioned the mission's legality.

Sixteen members of the US military were disciplined as the result of an internal investigation.
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The death of Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former Israeli president and prime minister Shimon Peres has led to renewed calls for peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Pointing to the Israeli founding fathers legacy in the unprecedented drive for normal relations with Palestine in the 1993 Oslo Accords, the onus is on Israels current administration to build on Peres work in a region where his dream has often proved elusive, campaigners say.

Shimon Peres's role in Israel-Palestine negotiations should be the spur for a renewed drive for peace and justice, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said in a statement on Twitter.

Over a 66-year-long career in politics, Peres helped establish the state of Israel under his mentor David Ben-Gurion, building up the countrys military strength and supporting the establishment of settlements in the West Bank. By the 1980s his politics had moved to the centre, and he became a tireless advocate for a two state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In the 1993 peace talks with Palestinian Liberation Organisation leader Yasser Arafat Mr Peres worked to get Palestine recognised by Israel as a negotiating partner and agreed to further consideration of issues such as Israeli settlements, the status of Jerusalem, and the Palestinian right to return.

In later life he was beloved as a public figure by most of Israel in his largely ceremonial role as president between 2007-2014. He was viewed abroad as a reassuring counterbalance to some of the more hawkish policies adopted by Israels current right-wing prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including settlement expansion in the West Bank which extends over the Green Line agreed upon in 1967.

Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Show all 12 1 /12 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict The fire in my heart is beyond my ribs. You left me beloved - Soliman Shaheen, 15 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict Let me get enough of you, as Im still hungry for your smile my son - Soliman Shaheen, 15 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict They besiege me in my homeland so I flew to heaven - Rodaina Al Agha, 16 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict And I am still facing the pain all by myself - Lama Shakshak, 15 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict My brother, I watched you go while my heart was tearing - Helen Mo'amar, 16 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict My new doll is lonely in the rubble - Ayah Sha'ath, 16 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict When a soul hugs another soul they never split, even in death - Ismail Matar, 16 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict Everyone is gone and I stayed alone to make the world witness the injustice done to me - Hamza Shaheen, 16 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict The hand that carries the arms carries roses too - Madeeha Al Majayda, 15 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict My eyes tell you about a dream that overcame the fence - Soliman Shaheen, 15 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict A childhood caught in an unjust siege - Hadeel Quidh, 16 Remembering the Israel-Gaza conflict Remembering Israel-Gaza conflict All the details are torn after you - Hamza Shaheen, 17

Peres himself was dismayed at some of the Netanyahu adminstration's actions, which he thought could endanger the possibility of a two-state solution.

Israel should implement the two-state solution for her own sake, because if we should lose our [demographic] majority, and today we [and the Palestinian population] are almost equal, we cannot remain a Jewish state or a democratic state. Thats the main issue, and to my regret they [the government] do the opposite, he said in 2015.

High Representative of the European Union Federica Mogherini said on Wednesday that the only way to honour [Mr Peres'] memory is by heading towards a two state solution, calling the statesman a man of peace and immense source of inspiration.

Recommended Read more Former Israeli president Shimon Peres has died

Her words were echoed in a statement from former US President Bill Clinton and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

His critics called him a dreamer. That he was - a lucid, eloquent dreamer until the very end. Thank goodness, they said. Let those of us who loved him and love his nation keep his dream alive."

An aide of the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, mourned Mr Peres as a "man of peace" whose death is a great loss to humanity and the region.

Mr Peres established the Peres Peace Centre, where he worked on Arab-Israeli co-existence programmes right up until he died.
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Pope Francis has urged the forces bombing the trapped residents of east Aleppo to stop and protect civilians instead.

Addressing a crowd of thousands in St Peters Square in the Vatican on Wednesday, the Pope did not name any perpetrators, but warned that those who are carrying out the indiscriminate air strikes on the 250,000 people besieged in rebel neighbourhoods will one day have to account to God for their crimes.

In expressing my deep sorrow and lively concern for what is happening in that already martyred city - where children, the elderly, the sick, young and old, all are dying - I renew my appeal to everyone to commit themselves with all their strength to the protection of civilians as an imperative and urgent obligation, Pope Francis said during his weekly address.

This is an imperative and urgent obligation. I appeal to the consciences of those responsible for the bombings, who will one day will have to account to God, he said.

The Syrian and Russian governments mounted a huge air strike operation on opposition held areas of the northern city last Thursday, after the breakdown of an internationally brokered ceasefire.

Residents on the ground say the assault is the worst bombing theyve ever experienced, and has included the use of ground-penetrating bombs, cluster munitions, and napalm.

The air assault was followed up with a ground operation by the Syrian army and allied militias in four areas of the city on Tuesday.

 Aleppo residents plead for help as Syria fighting rages

A military official speaking on condition of anonymity told the AP that the offensive will continue daily on all fronts until the terrorists in east Aleppo are wiped out.

Pope Francis address came a few hours after fresh strikes destroyed a bakery and two major hospitals in east Aleppo, in what a medical aid worker described as deliberate attacks.

The rebel-held side of the city now has just three hospitals with functioning emergency units and 30 doctors to treat the rising numbers of casualties.

A civil defence service volunteer in Aleppo estimated that 500 civilians have died since strikes began in earnest last Thursday, and more than 2,000 people have life-threatening injuries.
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President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, has expressed his "sorrow and sadness" over the passing of former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, calling him a "partner in making the peace of the brave."

He exerted persistent efforts to reach a just peace from the [1993 Oslo peace talks] until the final moments of his life, Abbas said.

In the Gaza Strip, meanwhile, the ruling Hamas militant group described Mr Peres as the last remaining Israeli official who founded the occupation.

His death is the end of a phase in the history of this occupation and the beginning of a new phase of weakness, said spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri.

Mr Peres, the last living founding father of Israel, died at a hospital near Tel Aviv early on Wednesday morning due to complications from a stroke.

Tributes to the elder statesman of Israeli politics, who was jointly awarded the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize for signing the Oslo peace accords as foreign minister with Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) leader Yasser Arafat, have been pouring in from all over the world.

He was a genius with a big heart who used his gifts to imagine a future of reconciliation not conflict, economic and social empowerment not anger and frustration, and a nation, a region, and a world enhanced by caring and sharing, not torn asunder by the illusions of permanent dominance and perfect truth, a statement from former US President Bill Clinton and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said.

His critics called him a dreamer. That he was  a lucid, eloquent dreamer until the very end. Thank goodness. Let those of us who loved him and love his nation keep his dream alive.

During the Oslo peace process Mr Peres, who supported a two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, argued that Israel should formally recognise the PLO as a negotiation partner.

The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Show all 10 1 /10 The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Medics evacuate a wounded man from the scene of an attack in Jerusalem. A Palestinian rammed a vehicle into a bus stop then got out and started stabbing people before he was shot dead AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Israeli ZAKA emergency response members carry the body of an Israeli at the scene of a shooting attack in Jerusalem. A pair of Palestinian men boarded a bus in Jerusalem and began shooting and stabbing passengers, while another assailant rammed a car into a bus station before stabbing bystanders, in near-simultaneous attacks that escalated a month long wave of violence AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Getty Images The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Palestinians throw molotov cocktail during clashes with Israeli troops near Ramallah, West Bank. Recent days have seen a series of stabbing attacks in Israel and the West Bank that have wounded several Israelis AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Women cry during the funeral of Palestinian teenager Ahmad Sharaka, 13, who was shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes at a checkpoint near Ramallah, at the family house in the Palestinian West Bank refugee camp of Jalazoun, Ramallah AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies A wounded Palestinian boy and his father hold hands at a hospital after their house was brought down by an Israeli air strike in Gaza Reuters The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Palestinians look on after a protester is shot by Israelis soldiers during clashes at the Howara checkpoint near the West Bank city of Nablus EPA The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies A lawyer wearing his official robes kicks a tear gas canister back toward Israeli soldiers during a demonstration by scores of Palestinian lawyers called for by the Palestinian Bar Association in solidarity with protesters at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, near Ramallah, West Bank AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Undercover Israeli soldiers detain a Palestinian in Ramallah Reuters The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Palestinian youth burn tyres during clashes with Israeli soldiers close to the Jewish settlement of Bet El, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, after Israel barred Palestinians from Jerusalem's Old City as tensions mounted following attacks that killed two Israelis and wounded a child

The accords led to the creation of the Palestinian Authority, and an agreement to work towards reconciliation on issues such as Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the status of Jerusalem, and the Palestinian right to return to land they claim before the 1948 Palestinian War.

Mr Peres founded the Peres Centre for Peace, which promoted Israeli-Palestinian co-existence, continuing to work on the centres programmes right up until his death.

Palestine is our closest neighbour, he once said, adding there was no reason it could not become our closest friend.

While undeniably deeply committed to peace in the Middle East in his later years, Mr Peres is being remembered with more mixed feelings by some Palestinians than the kinds words offered by Mahmoud Abbas' office. His political legacy is more complicated than that, they say.

Peres' career at Israels defence ministry - where he built up the countrys nuclear weapons programme - and support for Israeli settlements in the West Bank following the 1967 war have been criticised in obituaries in pro-Palestinian news outlets and on social media.

 Netanyahu blames Palestinians for lack of peace in Israel

Al Jazeera's Middle East analyst Yehia Ghanem said that many would remember Peres as a war criminal because of his role in the Suez Canal Crisis and the 1996 shelling of Qana, a village in southern Lebanon, when 106 Lebanese civilians sheltering in a nearby United Nations compound were killed.

Shimon Peres died without facing justice for his bloody crimes in Palestine and Lebanon. A tragedy for his victims, may they find peace, prominent Palestinian-American academic and writer Ali Abunimah wrote on his Twitter account.

Peres was born in Poland in 1923 and his family emigrated to British-controlled Palestine when he was a child. As a young man, he joined the Zionist movement and met his mentor David Ben-Gurion, Israelis founding prime minister.

All of the family members Peres left behind in Poland were killed during the Nazi Holocaust in World War II.
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Two hospitals in besieged east Aleppo have been hit by Russian and Syrian air strikes, knocking them out of commission and leaving hundreds of patients at risk, doctors on the ground report.

Adham Sahloul, an advocacy officer based for the Syrian American Medical Society based in Gaziantep, said that two patients died and three staff wounded in the 4am and 10am strikes. He described them as deliberate, as the Syrian government is aware of their locations.

The hospitals are called M10 and M2 by Aleppos medics to obscure destinations in case radio communication is intercepted. M10s intensive care unit is out of service, and water storage units and generators were damaged, head of the hospital Mohammed Abu Rajab said. Patients from both hospitals were evacuated and sent to east Aleppo's six remaining medical facilities.

Patients who arrived at M2 in another airstrike on Wednesday afternoon could not be cared for there and were triaged and sent to M1, a nurse at the hospital said.

Doctors have already reported having to carry out amputations rather than save limbs to save precious time and move on to the next patient in need of life-saving care, Dr Mounir Hakimi of Syrian medical charity UOSSM told The Independent on Tuesday.

There are now just three functioning emergency units and 29 doctors caring for the approximately 250,000 civilians trapped in east Aleppo. Supply lines to rebel neighbourhoods were sealed in July, meaning that antibiotics, anesthetics and other drugs are running out.

Bombs have rained down on rebel-held neighbourhoods since President Bashar al-Assad announced a campaign last Thursday to retake the city after a ceasefire broke down. The assault has included white phosphorous munitions, ground-penetrating bombs that destroy basement shelters, cluster munitions and napalm in what has been described as the bloodiest week in the six-year-long Syrian civil war.

Two out of four emergency response centres were destroyed last week in direct hits, as well as two ambulances.

 Bodies on the floor in Aleppo hospital

A White Helmets or civil service defence rescue worker told The Independent on Tuesday that he estimated almost 500 people have been killed in the relentless air assault and around 2,000 people are in need of urgent medical attention.

UK-based monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that at least six people had died in Wednesdays strikes.

Aid agencies and many international organisations have condemned the Syrian militarys bloody operation. The UK and French ambassadors to the United Nations accused Russia and Syria of war crimes for targeting civilian infrastructure.

Pleas from east Aleppos residents and the international community for the assault to stop have fallen on deaf ears, as Syrian ground troops have begun making gains in the historic Old Quarter in the city centre in the last 24 hours.

Regaining control of Aleppo would be a major victory for Assad, wiping out the last major rebel stronghold in the country. The UNs Special Envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, warned that such an operation would be a slow, grinding, street by street fight, over the course of months if not years.
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US Secretary of State John Kerry has threatened to cut off all contact with Moscow over Syria unless Russian and Syrian air strikes on the northern city of Aleppo end.

The State Department says Kerry issued the ultimatum in a telephone call to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday.

Mr Kerrys spokesperson John Kirby said in a statement that Kerry expressed grave concern over Russian backed Syrian government bombings on hospitals, medical centres, a water pumping station and other civilian infrastructure in rebel-held neighbourhoods.

On Wednesday morning, two strikes destroyed entire departments of east Aleppos two main hospitals, leaving patients in need of evacuation and wiping out facilities in the emergency departments and life support units.

The rebel area now only has 29 doctors working in three hospitals with functioning emergency response facilities. Photographs from earlier this week showed patients being treated on the floor in make-shift medical centres, the white tiles slick with blood.

Residents say the unprecedented attack is the worst they have ever witnessed. It has included the use of ground-penetrating bombs which blow up underground shelters, incendiary devices and cluster munitions which have killed approximately 500 people and left 2,000 in need of urgent medical care, the civil defence rescue service said.

The State Department said that it told Moscow it holds Russia responsible for the use of such weapons in a built up urban area in which 250,000 people are currently living under siege conditions, unable to flee.

Both Russia and Syria have said humanitarian corridors into government held Aleppo are open to civilians. However, people on the ground report that anyone approaching the siege barricades has come under sniper fire.

US Secretary of State John Kerry (left) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov holding talks (EPA)

Mr Kerry told his counterpart the US was preparing to suspend US-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria, including proposed joint air strikes against Isis and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, or al-Nusra, unless Russia takes immediate steps to end the assault on Aleppo and helps to restore the failed ceasefire.

The US and Russian brokered Eid-al-Adha ceasefire broke down after suspected Russian or Syrian jets bombed an aid convoy near Aleppo on 19 September, killing 20 people. Both Moscow and Damascus denied carrying out the attack.

In turn, the two allies blamed the US for endangering the fragile ceasefire by accidentally bombing a Syrian army base near Isis territory a few days earlier which left 63 soldiers dead.

The Kremlin said last week there is no prospect of renewing talks, and US-backed rebel groups in Syria stated that they refuse to work with Russia as Moscow is a party to the suffering of the Syrian people.

Mr Kerry had previously defended his repeated efforts to reach out to Russia as a partner in staking a path to peace in the six-year-long Syrian conflict. Speaking to reporters on Monday, he said: The cause of what is happening [in Aleppo] is [Syrian President Bashar] Assad and Russia wanting to pursue a military victory.

 Syria war: What is the importance of Aleppo?

Today there is no ceasefire and were not talking to them right now. And whats happening? The place is being utterly destroyed. Thats not delusional. Thats a fact.

The air strikes, which began in a new offensive announced last Thursday, were followed up with ground troops which have clashed with rebels in several different parts of the city in the last 24 hours.

A Syrian military official told the AP that the offensive will continue daily on all fronts until terrorists in east Aleppo are wiped out.

Recapturing the city  an affair which international officials worry could take months if not years  would be a key victory for President Bashar al-Assad, effectively relegating all US-backed opposition groups to pockets in the far north and south of the country.
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This month, we learned that Spain was facing the prospect of becoming the first European Union member state to have a natural World Heritage Site make Unescos danger list. The Donana coastal wetlands in Andalucia  home to the endangered Iberian lynx  is said to be under threat from a mining and dredging plan, as well as 1,000 illegal wells in the area.

But its just one among a number of incredible sites the world over that, according to Unesco, could be lost forever. Here are just a few World Heritage Sites in Unescos danger zone that you might need to scrub off the bucket list.

Everglades National Park, Florida

Floridas Everglades add some wonderfully swampy mystery to the states man-made draws of nightclubs and theme parks. Encompassing 1.5 million acres of wetland, the Everglades are a sanctuary for rare, endangered, and threatened species including the Florida panther and the manatee. Unesco says nutrient pollution and reduced water inflows are contributing to loss of marine habitat and the decline of marine species, with vast conservation efforts now needed to stem the damage.

Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls

Jerusalem is a holy city for Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and the Old City hosts an incredible 220 historic monuments, including major pilgrimage sites like the Dome of the Rock (the site of Abrahams sacrifice) and the Wailing Wall. Unesco has said it is deeply concerned by what it calls the persistence of the Israeli illegal excavations around the Old City, which it says is damaging some historic sites. Unesco has also accused Israel of obstructing some restoration projects.

The Old City of Jerusalem, with the Dome of the Rock at the back and the dome of the al-Aqsa mosque in the foreground (Getty)

Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System

Belize has plenty to show for itself  ancient Mayan ruins, top diving site the Great Blue Hole  but the latter is part of what is now an endangered system, the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve. The largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere  think of it as the norths answer to Australias Great Barrier Reef, which itself could be heading for the danger zone  its home to a number of threatened species, including marine turtles, manatees and the American marine crocodile.

Threats to the site include overharvesting of marine resources and proposed oil and gas exploration and exploitation. According to the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, 15 per cent of Belizes gross domestic product comes from the reef - including about US$15 million from the commercial fishing industry and about $200 million from tourism. It suggests a more sustainable approach to managing the reef would benefit wildlife and people alike.

An aerial view of the Great Blue Hole off the coast of Belize (Shutterstock)

Abu Mena, Egypt

This Christian holy city, a significant pilgrimage site in the Middle Ages, includes a church, basilicas, public buildings, streets, monasteries, houses and workshops, which were built over the tomb of the martyr Menas of Alexandria, one of Egypts best-known saints. Agricultural work in the area has led to a rise in groundwater, causing the sites buildings to collapse or become unstable, with a number of underground cavities opening up. The local authorities have been forced to fill the cavities with sand to save the buildings, including the crypt of Abu Mena, which contains the tomb of the saint.

Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra, Indonesia

Spanning 2.5 million hectares, the tropical rainforest heritage of the wild Indonesian island of Sumatra spreads across three national parks, and is a protected area home to a wide range of endangered animals and plants, including the endemic Sumatran orang-utan. The site also provides biogeographic evidence of the evolution of the island. But the extraordinary beauty of this untamed, tangled land is deemed at significant risk thanks to road development plans, alongside the illegal logging and poaching of animals - including elephants and tigers - facilitated by such road access.

The critically endangered Sumatran orangutan (Getty)

Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery, Georgia

Two gems of Georgian architecture, these medieval wonders have been placed on the endangered list after a reconstruction project to restore them went against Unesco recommendations on maintaining authenticity. The ruins of 11th-century Bagrati Cathedral in Georgias third-largest city, Kutaisi, and the nearby Gelati Monastery, which is covered with magnificent mosaics and wall paintings, are prized for representing the flowering of medieval architecture in the country. Unesco says irreversible interventions at the site undermine the integrity of these priceless nuggets of history.

Georgia's Gelati monastery complex (DDohler/Flickr/CC BY 2.0)

Chan Chan Archaeological Zone, Peru

Chan Chan was the capital of the ancient Chimu Kingdom before they fell to the Incas, and is a huge adobe settlement split into nine citadels, with temples, plazas and cemeteries still discernible. But this amazing example of earthen architecture is at risk owing to extreme environmental events, including those caused by El Nino.

Chan Chan is a pre-Inca settlement in Peru (Tyler Bell/Flickr/CC BY 2.0)

Rainforests of the Atsinanana, Madagascar

An island of weird and wonderful creatures, Madagascar separated from all other land masses more than 60 million years ago, where its plant and animal life evolved in complete isolation. But Madagascars unique biodiversity depends on the Rainforests of the Atsinanana, which comprise six national parks. Illegal logging and hunting of the areas endangered lemur are prime problems with the site.

Lemurs are being illegally hunted in Madagascar (Getty)

Maritime Mercantile City, Liverpool

Liverpool enjoys the dubious honour of being one of only two endangered Unesco sites in Europe (the other is the medieval monuments of Kosovo). Six areas of Liverpool city centre and its docklands constitute its World Heritage listing, documenting Liverpools development into one of the worlds major trading centres in the 18th and 19th centuries. The city played an important role in the growth of the British Empire and became the major port for the mass movement of people. However, Unesco warns redevelopment in the area  namely, the multi-billion Liverpool Waters mixed use waterfront quarter  will adversely alter the site.

More information

whc.unesco.org/en/danger
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In case you missed it, Will, Kate and the two royal toddlers are currently on an eight day tour of British Columbia and Yukon, Canada.

According to Kensington Palace, Along the way, they will meet as many Canadians as possible. A laudable ambition, considering that one of their stops, Bella Bella (B.C) has a population of less than 2,000. Its also ironic considering that, to avoid any unpleasant encounters with less desirable Canadians, vast sums of money will be spent on an extensive security detail.

But the question is, just who's picking up the tab for this tour?

Public places will be shut down, extra training given to personnel, and that's to say nothing of hotels, gifts and the expenses of 'Team Kate': an organisational tsunami of stylists and supernannies that follows the Duchess of Cambridge wherever she goes.

Apparently, the tours costs will be worked out between the federal Canadian government, and those of British Columbia and Yukon.

The Canadian Taxpayer Federations director Aaron Wudrick says tour costs are part of what Canadians sign up for, as long as they support the monarchy. That would also be a fairer statement if the Canadian population were actually consulted beforehand. An Ipsos Mori poll revealed that a 45 per cent of Canadians believe they should sever ties with the British monarchy.

Wudrick also says that transparency to taxpayers on the royal tours cost is key. Again, ironic, considering that the final costs are only made public once the Royal Tour is over. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police doesnt release any information about how much it will cost to keep the royal family alive while in Canada, apparently for security reasons.

But when Will and Kate were last in Canada on their first official foreign trip as newlyweds in 2011, the tour cost an estimated $1.2 million. Strange to think that because of their relationship with Britain, Canada is expected to pick up the tab for the royal gap yah? The clue is in the name  British Columbia. Colonialist hangovers are the worst.

And what about the costs to us back home? The last report in 2015 declared that the monarchy cost the UK around 35.7million for that year  and annual expenditure was said to have risen 11 per cent over the previous five years, with a 21 per cent increase in travel costs as more trips are undertaken by the younger royals.

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And what of the much-touted 'benefits' of this sort of royal jet setting? People claim that they foster good diplomatic ties, and countries develop good working relationships - which would be a stronger argument if the Cambridges were actually heads of state. This 'diplomatic visit' won't bear fruit for almost an entire generation, while we wait for future King Charles to come out of his treehouse and ascend the throne.

Nevertheless, it is true to say that the tour could have a lasting positive cultural impact. The family are planning to visit the Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia, who support some of the 30,000 who fled the war in Syria last year. That's a powerful statement to the watching world media.

Many of their other engagements include charities which deal with previously stigmatised social issues, and with the royal seal of approval, donations and publicity could sky rocket. A series of events will also take place with members of Canada's First Nations communities, at a time when the world is slowly starting to take notice of their plight.

So despite the profligate and almost outrageous expenditure, there are profits that can be measured in more than just money, and the tour could have benefits for generations to come. But let's try and keep private jets to a minimum.

And perhaps making the estimated costs public before the tour begins would be a good statement to make. As Trump is finding out at the moment, shadiness over finances does you no favours down the line.
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When a political figure dies, were often expected to respect their memory and show some humanity; talk politics or begin to dissect their legacy is unfitting so soon after someone has passed. But though the death of Shimon Peres is still very recent, it is vital that what he stood for is unpicked before he is enshrined as a warrior for peace, his place in the history books ensured.

A founding statesman of Israeli politics, four stints as prime minister and a long term as president the pinnacle of his long career, Peress efforts towards peace in the region acquired him a Nobel Peace Prize.

The signing of an attempted peace agreement between the two parties through the Oslo Accords marked a moment in history that cannot be ignored. The state of Israel would finally recognise the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, and vice versa. For some, this was seen as a commitment to peaceful negotiations and not warfare being written into the accords, although in reality the deal gave the Palestinians very little.

Unlike many contemporary Israeli leaders, Peres was willing to sit at a table and talk  even if what he was offering was never enough to make real progress towards peace.

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But less discussed moments in his life paint a more complex picture. Peres himself arrived in Palestine in the early 1930s. Aged 24, he signed up voluntarily to the Haganah, the militia fighting for Israeli independence and Jewish self-determination  an organisation that helped carry out the Nakba (Palestinian Exodus) before, in 1948, the state was founded. Hundreds of thousands were displaced, villages were emptied, and innocent Palestinian people were killed.

And it wasnt just in his youth that Peress credentials as a man of peace and justice come into question. His support for settlements in the West Bank, one of the most controversial and damaging policies of successive Israeli governments, was unapologetic.

He led the 1996 attack on Lebanon which saw 106 civilians seeking shelter in a UN compound killed in the Qana Massacre (the United Nations was never convinced this was an error); he defended deadly assaults on innocent civilians in Gaza; he oversaw an Israeli nuclear weapons programme while in charge of defence.

A fitting winner of the Nobel Peace Prize? Ill leave you to decide.

But the passing of Shimon Peres marks more than a death of a world leader. This is something that, among the eulogies and ceremonies, it is imperative that we dont forget.

Peres was the final politician who himself could have taken some responsibility for what happened in the 1940s. He was as an active fighter in the so-called War of Independence, the last living statesman to have witnessed first-hand the devastation that the creation of the state of Israel caused.

 Israel's Shimon Peres dies aged 93: Tributes from around the world

As the current Israel-Palestine conflict becomes entrenched, and Netanyahus government lurches further and further to the right, what happened in 1948 is dissolving from living memory among modern Israelis.

If Peres had been committed to peace in the future, he had a responsibility to admit the mistakes of the past: he could have reached out with an olive branch, accepted errors, and admit that there were mistakes that could not be ignored.

The stalemate that exists must be broken. Peress death is a stark reminder of how far we have drifted from any attempts for true peace, when even the basic principles of pluralism and debate to achieve a peaceful outcome have disappeared from much of contemporary Israeli debate.

To deify the man now does the peace process no service, but his lesson of at least sitting around a table and talking is one that Israels current leadership ought to heed in his memory.
The Ombudsman for Children has called on the Government to make significant changes to promote the rights of young people after taking in record numbers of complaints last year.

The office dealt with 1,639 complaints last year prompting ombudsman Niall Muldoon to warn ministers they have a long way to go to ensuring children's rights are fully implemented.

He highlighted that issues around education make up almost half his work and claimed that schools are not put under sufficient scrutiny and oversight

"It is my view that the autonomy afforded to Irish schools means that the Government has not been able to exercise the necessary responsibility and oversight," Mr Muldoon said.

"It is time to recalibrate the balance between the autonomy of schools and the oversight by Government to advance and protect children's rights within the education system."

The ombudsman said there was an 8% increase in complaints last year.

The practice of detaining young offenders aged 17 in Wheatfield Prison in Dublin last year was also criticised as the Oberstown detention facility had not been fully operational.

While 45% involved education, a quarter related to family support, care and protection, with child protection the most often cited issue.

Mr Muldoon warned his office was faced with repeated and significant delays by Tusla: the Child and Family Agency.

"We raised this issue with Tusla and intend to monitor it closely, as it is unfair to children and others that come to us with their complaint," he said.

Some 14% of complaints related to the health sector, including issues around waiting lists for operations, mental health services, speech and language therapy, psychology and getting access to services for children, especially those with disabilities.

Mr Muldoon also criticised the Government for not allowing asylum-seeking children access to his office.

"In 2015 an Oireachtas working group on protection processes agreed with our view and recommended that the remit of the OCO be extended. This still has not taken place," he said.

Mr Muldoon added: "Children's rights in Ireland is an unfinished project. I will continue with my team to liaise with all departments and public organisations, to work towards an Ireland where all children and young people are actively heard and respected, so that they can experience safe, fulfilling and happy everyday lives."
Philip Lane, Governor of the Central Bank, tells a Bloomberg Television interviewer in New York that companies might relocate to Ireland depending on how the [Brexit] negotiations go

Central Bank Governor Professor Philip Lane has said he'll be able to boost staff at the regulator to deal with any increased demand as a result of the British vote to pull out of the European Union.

Prof Lane said banks were already holding discussions in Dublin about the future, but he said it was too early to say to what degree Ireland would benefit.

The Governor also told Bloomberg TV that there would be some level of relocation of companies "depending on how the [Brexit] negotiations go".

"Of course it will be a challenge, but if new business comes along, we will be able to staff up to deal with it," Prof Lane said.

"A certain amount of enquiries come to us [at the bank], but probably more of the action at this point is more vis-a-vis law firms and other types of consultants who are helping global firms understand the pros and cons of Dublin versus other locations."

The head of the State's National Treasury Management Agency, Conor O'Kelly, told Bloomberg on Monday that if the UK continued to "isolate itself", Ireland could benefit.

Mr O'Kelly told Bloomberg TV that the implications of the vote are "profound".

Meanwhile, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has ramped up pressure on London over the Brexit vote, saying Scotland - which strongly voted in favour of remain in the June 23 referendum - wants more detail about how the UK government plans to leave the EU and avoid a so-called hard Brexit, which could leave Britain without a trade deal giving the country preferential access to the single market.

"I'm trying to be tactful here - it would be helpful to know more about the UK government's kind of thinking," Ms Sturgeon said in a speech to the Institute of Directors.

"We would all benefit greatly from some clarity."

She said she didn't believe there was a mandate for a hard Brexit.

And in Northern Ireland it has emerged that a civil service paper compiled over a year before the poll set out a number of reasons in which a 'leave' vote could damage the economy, yet it was not published.

The paper, released by the investigative news website The Detail, which obtained the document under Freedom of Information, listed more than 20 ways which an EU exit could hit Northern Ireland's economy.

The issue was debated in the Northern Ireland Assembly in Stormont yesterday, with the DUP, which backed a vote to leave the European Union, saying that it was not common practice to publish internal planning documents.
Trade is a contentious word in Europe these days.

While the EU has just about salvaged a trade deal with Canada, it has been forced to hit pause on a larger agreement with the US, which is more than three years in the making.

With anti-globalisation sentiment surging, especially in Austria, Germany, Belgium and France, EU trade ministers decided to apply the Canada deal "provisionally" as of early next year, minus controversial parts, such as a system of private investor courts.

Those will have to wait until every national parliament - including regional assemblies in Belgium and other countries - have ratified it, which could take several years.

They have also asked for clarifications on other contested parts of the deal, such as access to public procurement markets and labour and environmental standards, in a written declaration to be appended to the deal.

The aim is to initial the agreement and declaration at a summit with Canada on October 27.

The mess does not bode well for future EU trade deals, particularly the transatlantic trade and investment partnership (TTIP) with the US, which the Americans wanted to conclude before President Obama leaves office in January.

"Canada is, of course, a very close partner to the European Union; it is a country that shares many of our values, a country that is very close to us, and we hope that we can set high standards by agreeing to this agreement," said EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom. "If we can't do it with Canada, well then, with whom can we make agreements," she said after a trade meeting in the Slovak capital, Bratislava, last week.

TTIP, the largest deal the EU has ever attempted, will benefit Ireland more than any other EU country, the European Commission said, increasing growth by more than 1pc.

But more than three million people have signed a petition to stop TTIP and the Canadian deal, known as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA.

Anti-TTIP demonstrators took to the streets of Bratislava last Friday as trade ministers met, the latest in a long line of protests by people who say the deals pander to multinational interests over ordinary citizens.

"A conclusion of the TTIP negotiations by the end of the year is unrealistic. Another important element will be the upcoming presidential elections in the USA. Any agreement, including TTIP, has to be balanced and beneficial for the EU," said Slovakia's economy minister, Peter Ziga.
With so much discussion regarding Britain's exit from the EU taking place, it is perhaps timely to, yet again, evaluate our feelings about our nearest neighbours.

So what do you think of the British? In this day and age, that is perhaps a rather silly question as, let's face it, they are pretty much like us. Despite Brexit, we are all still Europeans and members of the same human race. You cannot say one is better than the other or generalise about a nation.

How many Irish have the genes of the French, Spanish and British in their bodies? More than you might think and when we consider that there are people living in the Burren who have undergone DNA testing which proves their Viking ancestry, it seems rather pointless to quibble about race or denigrate any other nationality. Who cares if someone is of Scottish or English descent?

Asking are they good neighbours and honest citizens is all that matters. The Brits produced some awful despots over the centuries but then so did the French, Belgians and Spanish and all other nations who successfully colonised and robbed the wealth of other countries. Like them, the handful of British who held power in past centuries were as hard on their own people as they were on the natives of the countries they invaded.

"The Making of Modern Britain" is a superb documentary series presented by Andrew Marr and is perhaps the best portrayal I have ever seen of how the British nation evolved.

All six episodes can be viewed on YouTube and Britain's relations with Ireland are presented in a very balanced manner, especially the mistakes the British made during the 1916 rising. It is a brilliant series and Marr excels with his very entertaining narrative which is accompanied by film of the time from 1901 onwards, starting at the point when Queen Victoria died and the political order began to change dramatically..

Popular perceptions about Britain and the English in particular have altered greatly since the late 1950s when I was first aware of adult conversations and what was printed in the daily papers. Ireland was a grim place then and no efforts such as An Tostal could disguise the fact.

"Burn everything British except their coal" was a statement credited to De Valera but apparently it was first coined by Jonathan Swift in the 1700s. It came back in to common usage during the economic war of the 1930s and reflected the feelings of many of the Irish population at that time. In the 1950s, Protestants went to hell and good Catholics went to heaven.

As I began to meet people of other religious persuasions including many of our fellow farmers, I quickly realised that, despite what Archbishop McQuaid might have said, there had to be a flaw in this line of thought. When Sean Lemass began to open up our economy in the 1960s, many of us started to travel further abroad and mix with other nationalities.

Most young people in the 60s and early 70s then discovered that, despite the posturing of Northern Unionists, maybe the current crop of Brits weren't so bad. Pop culture helped greatly with the Beatles and umpteen other groups giving us a glimpse of a freedom and a way of thinking that was unimagined a few decades earlier when even jazz was banned as being in some way sinful.

Religious practice then began to decline, which is a shame really as all the great world religions provide an excellent blueprint for living a full and happy life, encouraging us to "Love thy neighbour".

Religion is not the problem, it's the fanatical religious who cause most of the trouble and have done so since the dawn of time. Later on, when I started to travel to Britain and do business there, I learnt how alike we all are and how well we can get on together. English, Irish, Scots and Welsh are just people trying to live in peace, rear families and get by.

Irish people working in Britain these days find that cultural differences are minimal. We have similar tastes in music, fashion, theatre and even food. Most importantly, we all share a love of sport and can now discuss politics without resorting to violence.

But I still like the comment made by that ageing rocker Rod Stewart, a staunch Scotsman who when asked what teams he supported replied "Scotland of course, and after that, whoever is playing England" Old habits die hard.

A giant of literature and an early celebrity

The works of Charles Dickens give us a great insight in to the lives of the average working Englishman and woman in the mid-1800s.

Dickens visited Ireland in August 1858 as part of a book tour and even in his own time, he was a celebrity. In the same way that any reading by J. K. Rowling would have fans pressed against the door, Dickens' fans packed theatres wherever he read in Ireland.

He brought home to the British public the awful conditions that their less well-off fellow citizens were living in and did more than any politician to highlight the plight of the poor.

More recently, British TV programmes have helped us better understand our near neighbours and how similar their lives are to our own.

From a farming perspective, you need do no more than read James Rebanks A Shepherd's Life which I reviewed here some months ago to realise that much of it could have been written by any Connemara or Wicklow hill farmer.
Irish oil and gas firm Providence Resources has appointed Pat Plunkett as non-executive chairman, replacing James McCarthy who will stay on as a non-executive director.

Mr Plunkett, who will take up his new role on October 1, previously spent 11 years as a non-executive chairman in Tullow Oil. During his time there Tullow grew from a small firm to Africa's largest independent oil company.

He currently holds the same job at T5 Oil and Gas, a private company set up three years ago focused on acquiring oil and gas assets in Africa and the Middle East.

"Pat requires no introduction in the exploration and production sector," said Providence chief executive Tony O'Reilly.

"We very much look forward to benefiting from the extensive knowledge and experience that Pat will offer as we move forward with our very exciting programme offshore Ireland."

The company also announced that Phil Nolan would retire from the board from October 1. Mr Nolan had been a non-executive director since 2004.

Mr O'Reilly paid tribute to Mr Nolan and Mr McCarthy.

"On behalf of the whole team at Providence, I'd like to extend our sincere thanks to James who has helped guide the company through a very difficult period from late 2015 through mid-2016, which culminated in the very successful re-capitalisation of the business in July 2016," he said.

Over the last couple of months Providence has upped its stake in an oil prospect off the South West Coast after Exxon Mobil pulled out of the field.

The appointment follows a balance sheet revamp at Providence. In July the company repaid a $20m debt it owed to Melody Business Finance.

That was after shareholders also recently approved plans to raise 65m in capital through the sale of shares to both new and existing investors.
The note from Jeffries downgraded Smurfit Kappa stocks from "buy" to "hold"

Shares in Irish packaging firm Smurfit Kappa fell by 2.5pc on the ISEQ index yesterday after the company's stock was downgraded by US investment bank Jeffries.

Jeffries believes that a rise in the cost of production of old corrugated containers (OCCS) will hit company's earnings. The note from Jeffries downgraded Smurfit Kappa stocks from "buy" to "hold", noting that the company faces a "headwind" of 80m due to an increase in the cost of raw materials.

The investors' note, written by Jeffries analyst Justin Jordan, said: "Industry sources suggest Smurfit Kappa has been unsuccessful in targeted 40 a tonne (8pc) recycled containerboard increase to offset higher OCC."

The latest analysis of the firm's stock forecast a decline of 3pc in 2017, bringing the company's overall revenue to 1.2bn. Smurfit Kappa shares were trading at 19.90 yesterday afternoon.
A COMPANY that collects franchise payments from over 100 Spar shops posted a 7.9m loss in its 2015 financial year, and its net debt edged higher to 14.4m.

Triode Newhill Acquisitions (TNA) provides management services to Spar outlets and is ultimately owned by BWG.

In 2014, Spar South Africa acquired an 80pc stake in BWG for 55m.

Accounts just filed for TNA show that it generated 39.5m in revenue in the 12 months to the end of September last year. The previous accounting period was for nine-month window, and is not comparable.

The latest filings reveal that TNA - which employs nearly 300 staff - posted a 789,000 operating loss in the 2015 financial year, but that a 7m interest bill put it deeper into the red.

The company had a shareholders' deficit of 148.3m at the end of the accounting period, and notes that it has a letter from another company undertaking to provide financial support to TNA for a period of not less than 12 months.

TNA's revenue for the period included franchise fees of 8.5m, and 28.9m from the distribution of product.

Despite the losses racked up by the firm, Spar South Africa pointed out that during the 2015 financial year, BWG had actually performed well overall.

BWG generated revenue of 16.89bn Rand (1.1bn) in the 12 months to the end of September last year, and a pre-tax profit of 182.1m Rand (12m).

BWG accounted for 23pc of Spar South Africa's revenue and 13pc of its 1.98bn Rand (130m) operating profit.

BWG grew its total store footprint in Ireland and the South West of England in the period from 1,151 to 1,332, of which 145 are attributable to the acquisition of ADM Londis.

ADM Londis was acquired by BWG in early 2015 for 23m.

"Conclusion of the acquisition of ADM Londis was a significant transaction strengthening BWG's dominant position in convenience retailing," noted Spar South Africa.

"The integration of the Londis retailers into the BWG Group is progressing well and efficiency gains are anticipated to materialise in future."

The South African group also noted that in June 2015, the refinancing of BWG's 220m banking facilities was concluded. That resulted in "substantial improvements" in financing costs, it said.

BWG's three minority shareholders are chief executive Leo Crawford, property director John Clohisey and finance director John O'Donnell.

In interim results published this year, Spar South Africa said that the performance of BWG in the first six months of the financial year that ends this month was "ahead of plan, with strong turnover gains further boosted by the acquisition of the Londis retail brand".
Spain's Telefonica is looking to list about 30pc of its British mobile unit O2 in what would be one of the biggest initial public offerings (IPOs) on the London market this year, sources told Reuters.

02 was up to recently run by Irishman Ronan Dunne, who recently took a senior role with Verizon in the US.

Telefonica wants to use the relative market calm after the turmoil caused by June's Brexit vote to cut its stake in Britain's second-largest mobile firm and has hired UBS, Morgan Stanley and Barclays as global coordinators for an IPO which could value O2 at about 10bn (11.6bn), the sources said.

An O2 spokesman referred to a September 5 statement by Telefonica when it said it was considering "various strategic options" for O2, including an IPO and that "preparatory work" had begun.

Telefonica boss Jose Maria Alvarez-Pallete has asked the banks to speed up the preparatory work, hoping to list O2 in December if market conditions allow, the sources said.

They ruled out a listing in November as the deal remains in the early stages and the US presidential election on November 8 is seen as a potential trigger for market turmoil.

"They are hoping to list O2 at the beginning of December, but Telefonica doesn't want to take unnecessary risks if market conditions deteriorate," one of the sources said.

The deal may be delayed to the first quarter of 2017 in the event of market uncertainty. Telefonica has been reviewing strategic options for O2 since a 10.3bn sale to CK Hutchison Holdings was blocked by Europe's antitrust watchdog in May.

A mooted management buyout then petered out.

(Reuters)
Enda OCoineen, president, Irish Pubs Global Federation; Senator Billy Lawless; and Brian Gallagher, senior manager, AIB Corporate Banking, at the Irish Pubs Global Federation gathering in the Citywest Hotel yesterday. Photo: Lensmen

The Vintners' Federation of Ireland has called on the Government to reduce the excise duty on alcohol by 15pc in a move that would cost the State 170m per year.

The VFI wants the Government to undo tax increases it blames for a 39c rise in the price of an average pint.

The call was made in the federation's pre-Budget submission, which has been seen by the Irish Independent.

The VFI wants an excise increase in the 2013 Budget reversed.

"That was an emergency tax brought in at the time and we're now told that the emergency is over so it's time to move on," VFI chief executive Padraig Cribben said yesterday.

The submission also outlines its support for retaining the 9pc VAT rate for the hospitality sector introduced by the Government to stimulate tourism, claiming that in the five years since the measure was brought in over 45,000 jobs had been created in the hospitality sector.

"Over 32,000 of those are outside of the Dublin area. There's still a lot of challenges outside of Dublin in rural towns and in some of the cities as well," Mr Cribben said.

That view contrasts with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, which this week called for the abolition of the special VAT rate, saying it had "done nothing for workers in the sector, which is still characterised by low pay and precarious work".

The excise duty on an average pint with a strength of 4.3pc adds up to around 55c in the duty, with another 5c to 10c in VAT.

Meanwhile, the Irish Pubs Global Federation held its annual awards last night in Dublin's Citywest Hotel.

The Irish Village in Dubai won the award for Irish Pub of the Year while An Pucan in Galway was named Best Irish Pub at home.

The Lifetime Achievement Award went to the late publican Oliver Hughes, co-founder of the Porterhouse group and owner of both Lillie's Bordello and the Dingle Whiskey Distillery.

McGettigan's, Abu Dhabi, won the award for Best International Irish Pub Food, while The Old Spot Gastropub in Dublin won the award for Best Irish Pub Food at home.

Other winners included Kevin Barry's Pub in Savannah, Georgia, which won the prize for Best Authentic Irish Pub.
Facebook has been told that it cannot collect WhatsApp users' data in Germany after the messaging app updated its terms last month to allow information sharing with its parent company.

Regulators expressed fears that the policy changes could infringe on WhatsApp users' privacy by giving Facebook access to their phone numbers, as well as information about their phones and operating systems.

Responding to such concerns, a German regulator has ordered Facebook to stop collecting WhatsApp data and delete all of the information that has already been transferred from the messaging app to the social media giant.

"It has to be the 35 million WhatsApp users in Germany's decision whether they want to connect their account with Facebook," said Johannes Caspar, the data protection commissioner for Hamburg. "Facebook has to ask for their permission in advance. This has not happened." When Facebook bought WhatsApp in 2014 for $19 billion (14.7bn), the deal came with an assurance from both companies that they wouldn't share their users' data. To some regulators, the recent amendment that lets WhatsApp share user information and analytics with Facebook breaks that promise.

The Hamburg watchdog, which acts for the country, said the companies had been "misleading" and, in doing so, infringed on Germany's data protection law. It also said Facebook didn't acquire legal permission to collect the information.

The amount of data potentially available to Facebook through the new agreement is "cause for concern", according to the Hamburg regulator.

WhatsApp asks users for permission to access their contacts when they first download the app so they can start conversations with people they know. This automatically lets the app see the names and numbers of all of their contacts, even those who don't use WhatsApp.

Facebook hasn't traditionally had access to this raft of information as it doesn't require contacts permission, and has only more recently started asking for it.

"According to Facebook, this gigantic amount of data has not yet been collected. Facebook's answer - that this has merely not been done for the time being - is cause for concern that the gravity of the data protection breach will have a much more severe impact," said Caspar.

The US Federal Trade Commission warned that WhatsApp and Facebook could have violated its guidelines with the changes, while the UK Information Commissioner's Office said it was investigating the matter.

Elizabeth Denham, the UK commissioner, said at the time of the changes: "Organisations do not need to get prior approval from the ICO to change their approaches, but they do need to stay within data protection laws. We are looking into this.

"Our role is to pull back the curtain on things like this, ensuring that companies are being transparent with the public about how their personal data is being shared, and protecting consumers by making sure the law is being followed."

The watchdog is yet to release any more information about whether Facebook has violated data protection laws in the UK.

A spokesman for Facebook said: "Facebook complies with EU data protection law. We will work with the Hamburg DPA in an effort to address their questions and resolve any concerns."

The social media giant said the changes, which are part of its plans to put WhatsApp and Facebook users' in touch with businesses, would improve user experience by helping fight spam and refine friend recommendations on Facebook. It also assured users their phone numbers wouldn't be shared publically on Facebook or with advertisers.

As WhatsApp messages are end-to-end encrypted, neither WhatsApp nor Facebook can read the contents of users' messages. WhatsApp can however tell who users are communicating with and for how long, as well as the type of phone and operating system they're using.

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed hope yesterday that problems at Deutsche Bank could be solved after the lender made clear it needed no state aid with a $14bn (12.4bn) demand to settle claims it missold mortgage-backed securities.

Asked during a news conference if Berlin was concerned about Deutsche Bank and was considering assistance, Ms Merkel, inset, said: "I only want to say that Deutsche Bank is a part of the German banking and financial sector.

"And of course we hope that all companies, also if they face temporary problems, can develop in the right direction. I don't want to comment beyond that."

Deutsche Bank said on Monday it had no need for German government help.

On the markets, investor concerns saw the cost of insuring Deutsche Bank's riskier subordinated debt rise to a record.

Credit-default swaps on the German lender's junior bonds jumped as much as 37 basis points to 536 basis points, the highest level since prices began being tracked in 2007.

Credit default swaps insure bondholders against losses in the event of a bank default.

Deutsche Bank's 1.75bn of so-called additional Tier 1 bonds, which pay interest of 6pc, are first in line to take losses in a crisis. They fell about 2 cents on the euro to a more than seven-month low of 71 cents, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Deutsche Bank is coming under pressure as the US Department of Justice (DoJ) fine hinders chief executive John Cryan's push to shore up profitability and capital.

"Deutsche Bank is hanging over markets and it's not going to go away," Simon Adamson, an analyst at CreditSights, said at a conference in London. "The big question point is the DoJ investigation." Don Hunter, a London-based spokesman at Deutsche Bank, didn't immediately comment on its credit-default swaps.

Concerns about Deutsche Bank are hitting the wider debt market. Germany's largest shipping lender, Norddeutsche Landesbank, abandoned plans to issue euro-denominated bonds yesterday, citing market conditions. Germany's flagship airline Lufthansa withdrew a euro-bond deal on Monday after failing to get the desired price.

"The sell-off is gathering its own momentum," said Suvi Platerink, a senior credit analyst at ING Bank. "It's a reflection of limited market liquidity and a very small number of buyers around." (Reuters/Bloomberg)
News anchors are, by-and-large, sturdy and unflappable types, imparting the days events to their viewers with all the gravitas that task demands.

Its therefore intensely gratifying when a newsreader loses her cool and surrenders to a giggling fit on live TV, as CTV Winnipeg News Anchor Maralee Caruso did over the weekend.

Ms Caruso was presenting an item on Thomas Thwaites, the British designer who was awarded an Ig Nobel Prize over the weekend for a project that saw him spending three days living as a mountain goat  sporting prosthetic appendages while co-habiting with a herd of the animals in Switzerland.

As the clip shows, Ms Caruso had just started narrating a clip of Mr Thwaites on a mountain with the goats when her voice started to crack.

As the clip continues, her voice gets higher and more strained  until, by the end of the spot, shes in tears of laughter.

The Ig Nobel awards, now in their 26th year, exist to celebrate achievements that make people laugh, and then think. Organised by the magazine Annals of Improbable Research, the prizes are intended to celebrate the unusual, honor the imaginative  and spur people's interest in science, medicine, and technology.

Mr Thwaites was jointly awarded the prize the Biology category alongside fellow Brit Charles Foster, who also lived in the wild and took on the perspective of a badger, an otter, a fox, a red deer and a swift for his work, Being A Beast.

Thwaites, who attended the ceremony in his prosthetic limbs, described the award as a huge honour, adding: "I got tired of all the worry and the pain of being a human and so I decided I would take a holiday from it all and become a goat."

Expand Close Thomas Thwaites lived for three days as a goat in Switzerland. Credit: THOMAS THWAITES/TWITTER / Facebook

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Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Marion Cotillard and her husband reacted with dismay to the reports

The husband of Oscar-winning actress Marion Cotillard has hit out at rumours his wife was romantically entangled with Brad Pitt.

The French star, 40, was dragged into Angelina Jolie and Pitt's divorce, when reports claimed she and Pitt had an affair while filming upcoming Second World War drama Allied.

Cotillard has already responded to the rumours, confirming she is expecting her second child with French actor and director Guillaume Canet.

The couple already have a five-year-old son, Marcel.

Now Canet has also addressed the rumours, hitting out at the "venal stupidity" of the rumours.

He wrote in French on Instagram: " I do not usually comment on rumours about us ... I do not usually talk about my private life, which until now I have always carefully protected ... But the fury of the tabloids, the venal stupidity of some people calling themselves journalists, the hatred of some users feeling stronger behind a keyboard, push me to speak of the pride, the love, respect and admiration I have for Marion, for staying so strong and intelligent in the face all these stupid and unfounded accusations.

"I think we're all living with much more important things at the moment and now it is time to move on and raise the bar a bit.

"Even if that is a lot of work for some people, I want to be positive. And as Marion said, I hope you become better and aspire to something else in your life other than constantly coming out with shit!"

The La Vie En Rose star previously said she had to "speak up" as rumours had been "spiralling and affecting people I love".

She wished Jolie, 41, and Pitt, 52, "peace in this very tumultuous moment".

"This is going to be my first and only reaction to the whirlwind news that broke 24 hours ago and that I was swept up into," Cotillard wrote.

"I am not used to commenting on things like this nor taking them seriously but as this situation is spiralling and affecting people I love, I have to speak up.

Video of the Day

"Firstly, many years ago, I met the man of my life, father of our son and of the baby we are expecting. He is my love, my best friend, the only one that I need.

"Secondly to those who have indicated that I am devastated, I am very well thank you. This crafted conversation isn't distressing.

"And to all the media and the haters who are quick to pass judgment, I sincerely wish you a swift recovery."

Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt on Monday, citing irreconcilable differences and has asked for physical custody of the couple's six children.

It has since emerged t he FBI is considering an investigation into an alleged altercation between Pitt and one of his children on a private plane.

According to reports, Pitt had been drinking at the time of the incident and several media outlets, using anonymous sources, have reported that the Ocean's Eleven star is under investigation by a child welfare agency after allegedly clashing with one of his children, reportedly his adopted 15-year-old son Maddox.

In a statement, the FBI said allegations involving an "aircraft carrying Mr Brad Pitt and his children" had been referred to the agency.

Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services has said it cannot confirm or deny whether it is investigating Pitt.
Showing off the letter: Aline FitzGerald, general manager of GPO Witness History, with Stuart Cole, of Adams Fine Art Auctioneers, and actress Sarah Kinlen. Photo: Peter Houlihan

A letter of surrender written by Patrick Pearse three days before his execution has been put on display in the GPO Witness History visitor centre until November 28.

Pearse's letter was written from his cell in from Arbour Hill Prison on April 30, 1916.

In the letter, Pearse urged the rebels that were held up in the Four Courts to lay down their weapons "to prevent further slaughter". It is the first time the letter will be on display to the public.

The letter will be auctioned at the end of November and is expected to reach between 1 million to 1.5 million.

Visitors to the GPO Witness History Centre will be able to view the original letter and learn more about the circumstance surrounding it.

Speaking about the historical artefact, Stuart Cole, director of Adams Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers described it as "a unique part of Irish history".

Aline FitzGerald, the general manager of GPO Witness History said it was an honour to have the piece on display.

"It is our privilege and an honour to have the opportunity to display this document, never previously accessible to the public, and of such historic significance," he said.
The companys West Wave project will involve trialling five devices capable of generating electricity from wave energy,and will be funded through a 23m EU grant and from its own resource. Stock Image

The ESB is planning to build a wave energy farm off the coast of Co Clare by 2018 which will cost up to 50m to develop and provide enough power for 4,000 homes.

The company's West Wave project will involve trialling five devices capable of generating electricity from wave energy, and will be funded through a 23m EU grant and from its own resources.

Project director Brian Fox said the commercial semi-state expects to develop farms with up to 50 devices from 2020, if the technology is proven capable of withstanding the ravages of the Atlantic.

He said the company expected to seek planning permission later this year, and that the farm should be in place within two years.

"The project is a 5MW [megawatt], pre-commercial demonstration project," he told the Irish Independent.

"It's to demonstrate a number of devices off the coast of Clare.

"The Atlantic is an extreme environment to deploy devices, but it's a huge resource.

"We have five we're very interested in, and it will be a competitive tendering process."

Ireland is considered to have among the best wave energy resources in the world, with the kinetic energy contained in waves capable of being harnessed by specialist devices to generate electricity.

Power

This could be used to power island communities and help Ireland meet renewable energy targets.

Analysis suggests there is a theoretical resource of some 525 TWh (terawatt hours) in Irish waters. By way of comparison, last year Ireland consumed some 126TWh of power.

The project team is already developing the site at Killard, near Doonbeg, and is in talks with five companies.

Read more: Investment in renewable energy key to securing future of our cities

These include Irish firm Ocean Energy, AW Energy, Ocean Linx, Wello and Carnegie. Mr Fox added that two options were being considered - an option near the shore where the device would be fixed to the seabed, or ones which are deployed further offshore. Indicative costs were 40m to 50m.

"Once we do deploy the technology at this scale, it feeds into developing larger arrays [or farms] along the west coast," he said.

"It opens up a whole opportunity for Ireland to get more energy from the ocean and will supplement onshore wind and solar.

"There are a lot of resources required including divers and local boat owners. There are ongoing operations and maintenance as well, particularly at this early stage. It's a good story from that jobs perspective."
An undercover investigator buys cigarettes on Parnell Street. The deal was witnessed by an Independent.ie reporter

An undercover investigator buys cigarettes on Parnell Street. The deal was witnessed by an Independent.ie reporter

Gardai and customs officers have identified at least four separate crime groups who are making millions of euro each year by importing illegal cigarettes with profit margins of 900pc.

It's estimated one in every four packets of cigarettes sold here has been smuggled into the country illegally - costing the exchequer around 250m a year.

As part of an investigation into this illegal activity, officers have been monitoring the activities of a veteran crime kingpin in Dublin's north inner city.

This smuggler is described as a "career criminal" who has been a target of the authorities for years but has hardly any previous criminal convictions.

However, sources say that his operations are nothing on the scale of an Irish husband and wife team who were arrested in the Canary Islands in January 2014 following an investigation into the laundering of millions of euro netted from alleged trafficking in counterfeit cigarettes.

The couple have since been released but after their arrest it emerged that the man reached a 500,000 settlement with the Criminal Assets Bureau.

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ILLEGAL

The two were part of a Provisional IRA unit that had been active on mainland Europe in the late-1980s and early-1990s and were subsequently convicted of terrorist offences. They live in Dundalk, Co Louth.

Another target is a Dundalk-based businessman who has been active in the illegal cigarette trade for years and also has IRA links.

Sources said his network was linked to last year's biggest illegal cigarette seizure, which happened in Slane, Co Meath, on October 19, 2015.

Read More

Almost 10 million cigarettes with a retail value of over 5.25m were uncovered in an intelligence-led operation by Revenue officers, supported by gardai. The container, which travelled from Vietnam via Singapore and Rotterdam, arrived into Dublin Port the week before, a route that sources say is becoming more prevalent

The "American Legend" brand cigarettes were described on the manifest as "timber furniture".

Known as "illicit whites" these fake cigarettes cost around 20 cent a packet to produce and are sold here for around 4.

Another dangerous grouping involved in the illegal cigarette trade is a dissident Republican grouping based in Co Monaghan and Co Tyrone which has been trying to organise a new IRA faction.

Almost 106m worth of cigarettes and loose rolling tobacco has been confiscated by authorities since 2013. This marks a year-on-year increase for the last three years.

In 2013, there were 18.9m worth of cigarettes and 1.7m worth of loose tobacco seized by the authorities.

By last year, the figure for cigarettes had soared to 34.41m, while 1.09m worth of loose tobacco was also seized in the period.

For the first eight months of this year, the total figure has already reached 20.9m.

SMUGGLING

The penalties for smuggling illegal cigarettes are much less severe than those for smuggling illegal drugs, making it an attractive option for criminal gangs or paramilitaries.

For example, anyone found with illegal drugs for sale with a street value more than 13,500, is subject to a mandatory 10-year jail term.

By contrast, being caught with a million contraband cigarettes carries a fine of 126,000.

A report by KPMG, published in June this year, found that Ireland has the sixth-largest black-market cigarette trade in Europe.
Talks remain deadlocked to avert 11 more Dublin Bus strike days - including a work stoppage during the All-Ireland replay on Saturday.

Unions and the semi-State company arrived at Lansdowne House in Dublin yesterday for a second day of discussions.

Intensive talks began after unions dramatically suspended a 48-hour strike a little over three hours before services were due to wind down on Monday night. Talks are due to resume this morning after they were adjourned last night with no breakthrough.

Siptu and the NBRU have lodged a pay claim for a 15pc pay rise over three years, equal to 5pc a year.

However, the Labour Court recommended that they should only get 8.25pc, or 2.75pc a year. But it said further increases could be granted following talks on workers giving more productivity.

Dublin Bus has said it cannot pay more than 8.25pc unless any extra increases are funded by productivity.

However, unions are expecting an increase of at least 8.25pc without extra work.

They deferred weekday strikes yesterday and today on the basis that the Workplace Relations Commission told them there was room for significant progress at the talks after meeting with their employer.

Unions are losing more than 100,000 a day in strike pay as the dispute continues, while their members are sacrificing their wages. Dublin Bus said its losses amounted to 1m for each day of strikes.

A spokeswoman said: "When you include the early curtailments necessary on the night before (a strike) and the impact of dilution of revenue due to the multiple days of strike, the figure is 6m over six days. This takes into account fuel and wage savings."

Workers rejected a Labour Court recommendation that said pay increases of 2.75pc should be given on January 1 each year - from this year to 2018.

It said the pay rises reflected "the acknowledged contribution of the workers, by way of cost-saving measures to the company's recent recovery".

The recommendation agreed the company is emerging from a deep recession.

During this period, the number of workers was cut, wages were "suppressed" and productivity increased significantly to ensure the survival of the business.

It said passenger numbers were increasing after a period of continual decline, and fares had gone up - boosting company revenue.

But it said this recovery was in its infancy and must be allowed to develop further before the company could support significant wage increases.
A plan by Jobs Minister Mary Mitchell O'Connor for a special tax deal to encourage emigrants to return home has been attacked as a "stunt" and "unworkable".

Ms Mitchell O'Connor is proposing to offer a lower 30pc tax rate to highly skilled workers to lure them home.

But the plan has come under fire from a series of opposition TDs. Fianna Fail public expenditure spokesman Dara Calleary said he had "grave concerns", adding that further details of what was envisaged must be released. He pointed out that a lot of Irish people did not emigrate and while "we do need to bring people back", the tax system must be "fair".

Fianna Fail jobs spokesman Niall Collins described Ms Mitchell O'Connor's proposal as a "stunt" and claimed it was a "rehashed kite-flying exercise". He said her predecessor Richard Bruton made similar proposals in the past.

Mr Collins blamed a lack of affordable housing and "spiralling" insurance, childcare and transport costs for emigrants being slow to return.

Labour TD Alan Kelly branded the proposal "a crazy policy" that would "create discrimination" where people doing similar jobs would be charged at different tax rates. He added: "It's unworkable and it's unfair."

Sinn Fein TD Caoimhghin O Caolain said his reaction "is one of some scepticism" and that his party would "take a very different approach".

Meanwhile, Ms Mitchell O'Connor's press adviser - former TV3 anchor Alan Cantwell - received a backlash at yesterday's weekly adviser meeting in Government Buildings.

Mr Cantwell was told by Taoiseach Enda Kenny's officials that the story was "unhelpful", particularly with the Budget just two weeks away.

Tax measures to be introduced in the Budget have yet to be decided upon by Cabinet.

Under the minister's proposal, the lower tax rate would be aimed at those working in medicine, IT and finance sectors who earn in excess of 75,000.

The scheme would also apply to some entrepreneurs. It would remain in place for a set period - expected to be five years.

Tax incentives for graduates who purchase company shares as part of their transfer home would be included. The move is in response to complaints from workers living overseas that the marginal tax rate of just under 50pc is putting them off from returning home.

Ms Mitchell O'Connor's spokesman last night responded to the criticism, saying there was a clear Programme for Government ambition to facilitate the return of at least 70,000 emigrants.

He said it would include efforts to improve access to housing and increase school places. He said there was also a commitment to make the personal tax system "more competitive".

But he added: "Until the Budget is announced, it is not possible to provide details on what it may contain."
Full-time carers Shirley Thornton, Stillorgan(left), and Moira Skelly, Palmerstown (right), Dublin, with Sinead McArdle from Ardee, who struggles to get out of bed. Photo: Tom Burke

Multiple sclerosis sufferer Sinead McArdle struggles to get out of bed due to pain and fatigue, but she has pleaded in vain with the HSE to provide her with some home help.

The 48-year-old from Ardee, Co Louth was diagnosed with relapse and remittance multiple sclerosis in 2005 but her condition has deteriorated in recent years.

"I applied first for home help in 2012 when my eldest son moved to Canada and my youngest was studying for his Leaving Cert.

"It was too hard for us to keep it all together.

"Just cooking one meal a day can exhaust me. I need help.

"My husband Joseph now has to just work part-time to care for me.

"My illness is not a life choice. A few hours of home help would make a huge difference," said Sinead.

Speaking

She was speaking as Age Action led a group of organisations representing the elderly and people with a disability in protest outside Leinster House as the Dail resumed.

The availability of home help services remains in crisis despite 40m secured by Health Minister Simon Harris to reduce the huge backlog of waiting lists.

The HSE confirmed that there are currently around 2,000 in the queue for home help.

A spokeswoman said that they are being prioritised "according to need".

Priority is being given to people who are ready to be discharged from hospital, but need home support.

Currently 48,000 benefit from home help and another 21,000 have a home care package.

However, Justin Moran of Age Action said there is an urgent need to invest in home care in the Budget to cope with growing demands.

He said recent research found that more than half of older people could remain in their own homes instead of going into long-term care if more support was available.

"Home care is also vital in supporting Ireland's 200,000 family carers, who provide the vast majority of care for people at home.

"They provide nearly 4bn worth of care annually."

Speaking at the event, Moira Skelly of Palmerstown in Dublin, a carer for her daughter Ciara (21) who is profoundly disabled and has the mental age of a two-year-old, said her home respite hours have been cut due to a lack of funding.

The four hours of respite she gets are her lifeline.

"They are constantly under threat of erosion," she added.

Ciara needs 24-hour care and Moira must wash and dress her.

She has multiple disabilities including epilepsy, autism and cerebral palsy.

Another carer, Shirley Thorton from Stillorgan in Dublin, who looks after her mother while also raising her own 10-year-old son, said the 10 hours of home care a week is simply not enough.

She has been told by the HSE her mother needs additional hours but that the budget in her area "is exhausted".

The constant fight for some supports is extremely draining and it has had a serious impact on her personal life and well-being.

The extra 40m for home care is supposed to deliver an additional 270,000 hours of home help and an extra 2,000 home care packages.
A priest who worked as a teacher in a primary school has spoken out about suicide in his community.

Speaking the day after the Months Mind of one of his old students who died from a drugs overdose, Father Michael OShea said he has lost 23 former pupils to drugs and suicide.

22 of my past pupils are buried in the one graveyard, he said on Today with Sean ORourke on RTE Radio 1.

Fr OShea was principal of the CBS primary school in Wexford between 1988 and 1999.

He reflected on the first time he found out a former pupil had committed suicide, on the day of his sisters holy communion.

It so happened I had ten years completed as school principal and there are now career breaks and sabbaticals and I was told its time to take a year off, so I opted for a trip to Jerusalem. It was towards the end of the year when I heard one of my former pupils had died.

I was shocked. I remember his big mop of blonde hair and how he was so full of life. It really set me back because I didnt expect an extrovert to commit suicide. He was just 19, he said.

Asked whether he believed there was any underlying cause for the high percentage of tragic deaths, he said he believed youngsters are under too much pressure and struggle to deal with it.

He said schools are too geared towards the academic, resulting in other pupils getting left behind and being unable to handle it.

As part of my preparation for coming on this show I went down to the current school principal in the CBS primary school in Wexford. He has taught there all of his life and is a past pupil too.

He looked at the list of names of students who have died and one of the things that struck him was the inability to cope with setbacks. He thought of his own father and mother who belong to a generation that were relatively poor, but were used to picking themselves up, dusting themselves off and carrying on.

This generation struggles to cope with setbacks, he said.

The CBS is no longer an all boys school and is currently mixed, which Fr OShea believes is a good thing when it comes to mental health and dealing with emotions.

Recently girls have been introduced into the school which has helped soften the atmosphere. Its nice to have that experience and Im conscious of the ability of girls to share their emotions.

I was used to all male staff and all male students and when the first women came into the Christian Brothers, they really taught us men how to manage the students in a motherly way, he added.

Fr OShea said he believes Wexford is doing all it can to try and reduce the high suicide rate, but laments how this is a necessity in the first place.

There is a bridge watch every night. Some of my past pupils threw themselves off the bridge, and the marine watch is marvellous, but the fact that they have to be there every night is a comment in itself about the state of things here.

If you have been affected by any issues raised in this article, please contact The Samaritans free helpline on 116 123.
Fiona McEntee left Ireland in 2005 and now lives in Chicago

It will take more than tax breaks to lure emigrants home, according to Fiona McEntee.

At 34, she is managing attorney at McEntee Law Group, an immigration law practice she established in Chicago in 2009. She is also the proprietor of Blowtique, a hair salon with two branches in downtown Chicago.

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Fiona left Ireland in 2005, after graduating from UCD, and has since qualified as an attorney, married and had two young children.

"The new tax breaks announced by the Irish Government wouldn't tempt me to move home. The level at which I pay tax in the USA isn't crippling; I can live with it. America has been good to me," she said.

"I don't think I would have been in a position to develop a niche legal practice so soon in my career at home."

Read more: Special tax deal to lure emigrants with 'high skills' home

Giving her children an Irish upbringing is the only factor that would lead Fiona to consider a move back.

"Ireland is a very safe country in which to raise your kids; there's an excellent education system and also the support of my family and friends.

"In order to entice Irish graduates in their mid-to-late-30s, I think the Government need to take a different angle. Tax incentives aren't sufficient."

However, for those who stayed in Ireland, any tax breaks for emigrants is already being described as "grossly unfair".

Aubrey Anderson (39) is a director at MG Anderson Insurances Ltd and MG Anderson Property Management Ltd in Dun Laoghaire. Due to business and family commitments, he stayed here as the recession took hold, while friends emigrated to Australia, Hong Kong and the US.

He said: "I think these new tax breaks are grossly unfair to young working professionals who stayed at home, particularly those who had committed to a career and a mortgage, and didn't have the option of leaving."

He said they felt like "the forgotten middle".
A file photo of Michael Kivlehan and his wife Dhara Kivlehan who died a week after her baby son was born in Sligo General Hospital.

The husband of a woman who died in childbirth has described how he struggles to explain her death to their son.

Dhara Kivlehan (28) died a week after giving birth to son Dior.

She had been diagnosed with pre-eclampsia just hours after her son was delivered by Caesarean section in Sligo Hospital. An inquest found she died as a result of medical misadventure.

Speaking to the Irish Times her husband Michael explained that they had moved back from London to Leitrim "as we thought it would be a better place to raise a child".

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Whatsapp Michael Kivlehan with his late wife Dhara Kivlehan, who died days after giving birth

He continued: "But neither of us ever imagined that a few days after he was born, she would no longer be with us.

Mr Kivlehan's story is featured in a new exhibition - hosted by The Elephant Collective - that runs in the Courthouse Gallery in Ennistymon, Co Clare.

Mr Kivlehan welcomed the verdict of a 2014 inquest into his wife's death but he said much remains to be done to ensure that it is not repeated.

"Dior has just turned six and he is growing up without a mother; he shouldnt have to go through that," he said.

He asks me why Mammy is in heaven and I dont know what to tell him because she should not have died like that and if I told him the truth it would scare the life out of him.

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Whatsapp Dhara Kivlehan, 28, died from multi-organ failure in Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital on September 28 2010

The maternity services in Ireland need to be sorted out.

...The midwives know what to do, but because they have to wait for instruction from above, things get delayed  this is inexcusable.

Ministers have promised myself and seven other widowers that automatic inquests after a maternal death will happen, but nothing has changed and until this happens, we are not going to let this campaign die.

Mr Kivlehan said mothers of Ireland cannot die in vain and he is joined in the exhibition by other husbands and families struck buy tragic loss.

The mothers of Ireland cannot be dying in maternity wards, he said.

These women bring the next generation into our country so they need to be looked after. There should automatically be a bed in ICU to deal with critical cases like Dhara  she was given a bed only to be taken out of it a short while later because someone who was passing away needed to be put in a quiet place  this sort of thing is appalling.

I, and many other men, have been left without wives and our children left without mothers  it may be too late for us, but we are determined to do what we can to help others.
Minister Michael Ring has warned that the post-election pledge to revitalise rural Ireland will be meaningless unless it is matched by money in next month's Budget.

The Regional Development Minister says the Fine Gael-led Government must prove its credentials to residents outside the main urban centres.

He noted that there were 88 commitments relating to rural life in the Programme for Government, including support for the Leader and Clar schemes.

"You can give all the commitments in the world, but with commitment comes money. There no use in those promises unless there is money to rebalance the situation in rural Ireland," he told the Irish Independent.

Seamus Boland, CEO of Irish Rural Link, said that rural dwellers wanted their fair share from the 1bn available to the Government.

He also warned that the decisions the ministers take could negatively impact on the countryside, in particularly a proposed hike in the price of diesel.

"We've strongly come out against this nonsense of rising the price of diesel. Most people in rural areas use diesel cars. Raising diesel won't reduce emissions, it will just increase the cost of living," he said.

Mr Boland also called for the Farm Assist scheme, which is a means-tested payment for low-income farmers, to be "widened".

"Most farmers who depend on part-time jobs in the construction sector don't have that option now and many are on the verge of poverty. The farm assistance payment is a very hard one to qualify for," he said.

It comes as the Government prepares to announce another action plan for rural areas.

Minister Heather Humphreys has sought the input of TDs and senators for what she says will be an "overarching structure for the co-ordination and implementation of initiatives across Government which will benefit rural Ireland".
Finance Minister Michael Noonan has compiled a plan which attempts to please businesses, farmers and landlords  but will see the so-called squeezed middle income earners gain as little as 2 a week. Photo: Tom Burke

The Budget Day tax package will spread 330m so thin that most workers are unlikely to feel any real impact in their wallets.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has compiled a plan which attempts to please businesses, farmers and landlords - but will see the so-called squeezed middle income earners gain as little as 2 a week.

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Whatsapp Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar arriving for a Cabinet meeting at Leinster House yesterday. Photo: Tom Burke

The Irish Independent understands that he plans to reduce the two lower rates of Universal Social Charge by 0.5pc, to 2.5pc and 0.5pc respectively.

Mr Noonan is signalling he won't reduce the 5.5pc rate which hits incomes between 18,000-70,000.

Sources said he would tweak the thresholds but ultimately the benefit to middle-income earners would be little more than 100 a year.

Mr Noonan's tax package will also include:

Tax breaks for landlords.

A reduction in capital gains tax for start-up companies to 10pc on earnings up to 10m.

A special deal for farmers that will allow more flexibility in their tax payments.

Inheritance tax exemption to be raised by 40,000, to 320,000.

Incentives to encourage the regeneration of historic dwellings.

Doubling the 550 income tax credit for the self-employed.

A hike to cigarette prices.

The minister revealed details of the plans to Cabinet yesterday with sources telling the Irish Independent each measure proposed was done so for "a very specific reason".

Reducing the tax burden on landlords is seen as a way of helping the rental market.

Currently, tax relief for landlords is restricted to 75pc of the allowable mortgage interest for residential properties. This will be raised by 5pc each year over the next five years.

Read more: Noonan now faced with a dirty three-cornered Budget row

The Budget will also contain a series of measures aimed at "Brexit proofing" Ireland and attracting more start-up entrepreneurs.

Mr Noonan is very concerned that start-ups are being lured away by generous tax breaks in London and intends to reduce capital gains tax to just 10pc on the first 10m.

His Brexit plan will also see the continued reduction of the national debt "in order to prepare for any potential shocks".

Changes to the inheritance tax thresholds will be limited to parents leaving property to children.

Tensions

Details of Mr Noonan's tax package emerged against a backdrop of heightening tensions between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.

As both parties battle to lay their marker on the Budget, senior Fine Gael sources said Micheal Martin had created a shopping list that was "not based in reality".

They also claimed that Fianna Fail's decision to abandon the principle of water charges "calls into question their economic credibility".

And in the Dail, Taoiseach Enda Kenny publicly rebuked demands from Fianna Fail to set aside 100m for colleges.

Mr Martin has sought assurances that the Budget will include a "realistic response" to the third-level funding crisis - but Mr Kenny said it "cannot be dealt with comprehensively in the forthcoming Budget".

"This is one of a whole range of areas that now demand and require substantial funding in the forthcoming Budget. The money is not there to do that, nor can it be," Mr Kenny said.

Read more: Revealed: How tax rules hit middle incomes hardest

However, Mr Martin said the Government risked "ignoring the future of this country at our peril".

Government sources later described the demand for 100m as "pie in the sky" and said Fianna Fail was "trying to own and disown the Budget".

"Fianna Fail's feet need to be held at the fire outside of the confidence and supply review," a source said.

A senior Fianna Fail source last night accused Fine Gael of "playing games", "immature politics" and "posturing".
Nurse Danielle Fenlon, from Mountmellick, Co Laois, takes part in the protest at Leinster House yesterday. Photo: Tom Burke

She's 14 years old and although still at school, has always dreamed of being a nurse - just like her mum.

But Zara Caulfield has said she may have to rethink her life's ambition due to the treatment of nurses by the Government.

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Whatsapp Leish Caulfield, from Dunmore East, Co Waterford, with her daughter Zara. Photo: Tom Burke

Zara joined her mother, Leish Caulfield (47), from Dunmore East, Co Waterford, yesterday outside the Dail to protest for the restoration of pay increments for nurses who graduated between 2011 and 2015.

"It's always been my dream to become a nurse, but seeing this, it's kind of making me re-decide.

"I want to follow my dream but I want to be fairly treated and I want to be able to live while doing my dream," Zara told the Irish Independent.

Trade unions Siptu, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) and the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) organised yesterday's protest. They were supported by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI).

Liam Doran, general secretary of the INMO, claimed the Department of Health had agreed to restoring increments, worth about 1,500-a-year, for nurses who qualified between 2011 and 2015. But he said this had been blocked by the Department of Public Expenditure.

Under the current situation, nurses who qualify this year will be better paid than those with more experience.

A statement from the Department of Public Expenditure and reform confirmed it granted a sanction in February 2016 for nurses graduating in the current year to be paid the increments.

"This issue arose in the context of encouraging greater retention and recruitment of trainee nurses into the public health service," it said.

It added that if this proved successful, an extension to nurses who graduated between 2011-2015 could be reviewed.
New research claims to reveal the riskiest routes in the country.

New research claims to reveal the riskiest routes in the country.

Drivers in the study by Irish-based insurance intermediary, Chill, said Dublin had the most dangerous roads.

But the riskiest drive in the country is along the Cliffs of Moher in Co Clare, they said.

Next was the Old Military Road in Co Wicklow (13pc) for its hazards, blind spots and winding bends. Kerry's Gap of Dunloe came third with 11pc voting it the most perilous.

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The survey of 650 drivers was part of a campaign to increase road safety and reduce accidents.

Which drive do you consider most dangerous?

Tell us: ecunningham@ independent.ie

@ecunninghamcars
Australia is to reduce tax and improve employment conditions for working holidaymakers in a raft of new measures.

Among the improvements are a reduction in working holidaymaker tax rates from 32.5pc to 19pc on earnings up to $37,000 (25,200), from January 1, 2017.

Ordinary marginal tax rates will apply after the $37,000 threshold.

Working Holiday Makers will also be allowed to stay with one employer for up to 12 months (rather than the previous six month period), as long as the second six months is worked in a different location.

In addition, the application charge for working holidaymaker visas will be reduced by AUD$50 (34) to $390 (approx 266).

The measures come as part of a government package aimed at increasing Australias attractiveness as a destination for backpackers.

Australian Working Holiday visas (subclass 417) are available to visitors aged 18-30 - a cohort of younger travellers seen as a key source of labour in the country, particularly in the agriculture, horticulture, tourism and hospitality sectors.

Arrivals have been in decline, however.

In the 2011/12 financial year, according to Tourism Australia, 25,827 Irish people were granted the Working Holiday Visa.

By 2015/16, that had fallen to 6,743.

The new arrangements aren't a total windfall, however.

The government also plans to increase the tax on working holidaymakers' superannuation (retirement savings) payments to 95pc when they leave Australia - a move it says is designed to support Australians in their retirement "and not to provide additional funds for working holiday makers when they leave Australia."

A $10 million (6.8m) youth tourism marketing campaign has also been announced.

More info on Working Holiday Visas at border.gov.au.

Read more:
Baggage and other charges helped the world's biggest airlines rake in an extra $26bn (23bn) last year, it has been revealed.

According to an annual report by Idea Works, an aviation industry analyst, United collected the most in "ancillary" revenue (defined as everything not included in the airfare) in 2015: a whopping $6.2bn (4.3bn).

Next up were American $4.7bn (5.5bn) and Delta $3.8bn (3.4bn). Ryanair, despite recent efforts to upgrade its reputation for extra charges, comes sixth, with $1.7bn (1.5bn), while easyJet, with $1.46 (1.3bn), is eighth.

Top 10 airlines - total 'ancillary' revenue:

United - $6,199,000,000 (4.3bn) American - $4,718,000,000 (5.5bn) Delta - $3,775,102,000 (3.4bn) Air France/KLM - $2,165,996,840 (1.9bn) Southwest - $2,118,600,000 (1.9bn) Ryanair - $1,738,783,339 (1.5bn) Lufthansa Group - $1,493,634,397 (1.3bn) easyJet - 1,465,956,723 (1.3bn) Qantas - $1,167,168,403 (1bn) Alaska Air - $1,092,000,000 (970m)

But it is another US carrier - Spirit Airlines - that has truly built its business model around exorbitant charges. It was named in the report as the airline more reliant on extras than any other, with 43.4pc of its revenue in 2015 coming from baggage and booking fees and the sale of in-flight refreshments.

Thats up from 38.7pc on the previous year and will come as no surprise to anyone who has flown with it. The Florida-based airline is one of just a handful of carriers to charge for carry-on luggage, with fees rising from $35 (31) if paid at the time of booking to $100 (89) if paid at the airport gate, while its checked baggage fees range from $30 (27) to $50 (44.50).

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Around 18pc of Spirits total revenue comes from baggage charges, 14pc from online and call centre fees, and four percent from charges for assigned seating. It all amounts to $51.80 (46) in ancillary revenue per passenger.

Ryanair is the fifth most reliant on extras, with 24pc of its revenue coming from sources excluding the airfare  a slight fall on last year, when it accounted for 24.6pc.

The Top 10 is completed by two more US airlines (Allegiant and Alaska Air), two UK carriers (Jet2.com and Flybe), and one each from Hungary (Wizz Air), Mexico (Volaris), Australia (Jetstar) and Singapore (Tigerair).

Top 10 airlines - ancillary revenue as a pc of total revenue (2015)

Spirit - 43.4pc Allegiant - 37.6pc Wizz Air - 36.4pc Jet2.com - 29.4pc Ryanair - 24pc Volaris - 22.3pc Jetstar - 21.3pc Flybe - 21.2pc Tigerair - 20.8pc Alaska Air Group - 19.5pc

Its a very different list from when IdeaWorks launched its first report in 2008. Back then Allegiant was top, followed by Ryanair, while easyJet, Vueling, Germanwings, Aer Lingus, JerBlue, American and AirAsia were also present.

According to the report, which featured data from 67 airlines, revenue from extra charges has more than tripled since 2008.

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Back in 2008, the top 10 airlines, as rated by total ancillary revenue, generated $8.bn, it states. Fast forward to the financial results from 2015 and the top 10 tally has leapt to nearly $26bn.

However, while extra fees and charges are a bugbear to many, who say they reduce transparency and make it harder to compare airfares, the report does not criticise the rise of what it calls the a la carte business model.

A frugal consumer can fly with Spirit at minimal expense and add optional extras such as checked bags, seat assignments, and on-board treats. Consumers embrace these a la carte methods; what else would explain how Spirit has grown from 5.5 million passengers in 2008 to nearly 18 million in 2015?

The success of airlines like Spirit and Ryanair is encouraging full service airlines to adopt similar methods too, it says.

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Global leviathans like American, Delta and United are becoming unlikely practitioners by offering basic economy fares that mimic the a la carte approach.

Regulators who criticise a la carte methods might pause to consider how the growing prevalence of seat-only fares is creating a new wave of deeply discounted options for consumers. The same highly competitive environment already exists within Europe with traditional brands like British Airways and Air France offering basic economy fares to compete with the likes of easyJet and Ryanair.

And the trend can only continue, it concludes, particular with the growth of Norwegian: The relentless onslaught by low cost carriers to offer rock-bottom fares combined with optional extras has entered a new era with the arrival of an airline that is upsetting the status quo on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

Norwegian offers 41 nonstop routes from the US to London, Paris, Scandinavia, and the Caribbean; the carrier claims to provide more US routes than any other based in Europe. The airline has committed to add 50 new long haul Boeing 787 aircraft to London Gatwick in addition to other gateways.

"Norwegian didnt place in the top ten rankings, but it did post very respectable ancillary revenue of $430 million (383m) for 2015.

"The airline, along with others such as Icelandair, Jetstar, and Scoot, is dedicated to an a la carte mission on long haul flights.

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John Downing Opinion New British prime minister Rishi Sunaks succession proves an important milestone in British political inclusivity

There is an old saying in British politics that goes: The right looks for converts while the left seeks out traitors. It comes to mind when one reflects upon the election of Rishi Sunak as the UKs first non-white prime minister in a party traditionally seen as most opposed to mass immigration and the dilution of national identity via multiculturalism.
Fifteen years to this day, Martin O' Hagan - journalist and father - was shot dead in the street. The passage of time hasn't dimmed the shock, and talk of it is still tinged with a surreal feeling that it actually happened. Sadly, it did.

Marty's face and cheeky grin stares down on our office every day. We wouldn't have it any other way, and we still talk about him.

For the record, Drew King and his brother Robin decided to take the law into their own hands. I don't suppose his killers will ever see the inside of a prison cell for what they have done. People say their sentence is living with their conscience, but that kind of trash doesn't have a conscience.

After all, they appear to have had little difficulty in the 15 years since Martin was gunned down on the street - yards from his own front door - as he walked his wife home from their local pub in Lurgan.

This was three years after the signing of the Good Friday agreement - it was all supposed to be over. Martin had handed back the personal protection weapon issued in the wake of death threats from the LVF in the belief he no longer needed it.

Not that he would have used it.

Martin was tenacious, irreverent, fun to be with - at times he was a pain in the ass, but above all he was born to be a reporter.

Ask a cartoonist to caricature a hack and he would have drawn Marty - slightly dishevelled, shuffling, a bit mixed-up - all of which disguised a steely determination and doggedness. It was a doggedness that contributed to his tragic and untimely end.

I've always said Billy Wright may as well have pulled the trigger on Marty. By the time Marty was killed, Wright himself was already dead - shot by the INLA inside the Maze. Marty's killers were simply carrying out Wright's orders. Marty pursued the LVF leader relentlessly, driven by a supreme indignation that a mass killer had been afforded some kind of heroic status, appalled at what he had been allowed to get away with. It was Marty who came up with the 'King Rat' moniker.

While other media outlets and political parties fawned and traipsed in Wright's wake, the Sunday World and Marty exposed him for what he was. A more evil man it would be hard to meet.

Marty was the embodiment of what the Sunday World was, and still is. The staff of this newspaper have known nothing but threats and attacks - our former editor was shot and seriously wounded by the UVF, the office has been bombed and fire-bombed, my predecessor was brutally assaulted in the street, and almost without exception the staff have had their lives threatened - bullets in the post, intimidation and terror inflicted on families.

And this happens in a major UK city, not Zimbabwe or Turkey - the assault on free speech and freedom of the press has been allowed to go unchecked for far too long. Shopkeepers have been threatened and burned out of their businesses for stocking our newspaper - and what happens? Nothing. It still continues. This is our community too, and putting a tie on a gangster will never make him a good guy.

The people in this country have had to swallow hard. We voted for the Good Friday Agreement, part of which meant the prison gates were thrown open - mass killers walked free. There is an inescapable feeling that the law-abiding citizens of this part of Ireland have been completely let down. We bought peace at a high price, and our reward was to have our pockets picked.

We have watched as successive governments have bent over backwards to facilitate the likes of the King brothers. I can only conclude there is no will to put Marty's killers behind bars. The police, the NIO and the Executive don't want to know.

We contacted Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness's office on Thursday afternoon - it took them 48 hours to issue a soft-tone response. It's in stark contrast to the reaction of the Dublin government and gardai to the murder of another of our colleagues, Veronica Guerin - heaven and earth was moved to secure convictions, and quite rightly.

Believe me, we mourned Veronica's passing as much as Marty's. I remember then Northern Ireland Secretary of State, John Reid, standing in our office and telling our distraught staff that he would ensure "no stone would be left unturned" in the pursuit of Marty's killers. Hollow words.

The next day the Sunday World staff performed a remarkable feat by putting out a paper which Marty would have been proud of, under immense physical and emotional pressure. And that is why the Sunday World cannot be detached from what is happening in Northern Ireland - we live here too, we've lost someone.

Until it happens you can never understand what it's like - it's cataclysmic. We've spent a career covering the murderous deeds of others, knocking on families' doors. Now we were part of it.

And the threats go on - peace wasn't supposed to be like this, but the lily-livered approach of the British and Stormont demeans the peace process. The struggle goes on.

I think - I know - Marty would be proud of us.

We are proud of him.
Roz Purcell pictured at the launch of the Imedeen'sReveal Your Real campaign. Picture: Robbie Reynolds

Roz Purcell at a photocall outside The Gaiety Theatre to announce for Celebrity Bainisteoir in 2012

She may be known for her sultry pouts and razor sharp cheek bones, but top model Roz Purcell has revealed that she started out her modelling career with a very different look.

The 26-year-old, who is currently dating music promoter Zach Desmond, said her face used to be much "chubbier".

"I had such baby fat and my eyebrows were different," she told the Diary.

"You learn through your make-up like using lip liner. Before, lip liner wasn't really a thing. There's a lot of different elements through the years that I have changed."

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As well as changing her look over the years, the Tipperary woman said she has also changed her attitude and now takes a much more laid back approach to life.

This follows her sister Rachel being diagnosed with leukaemia.

"I used to be a really anxious person but since Rachel, I have completely changed.

"I don't worry about anything. Stress is a contributor to so many different things, I completely avoid it. I would always look for what could go wrong. Nothing keeps me awake at night now."

Late session today @metabolicfitness before heading home soon I'll be doing everything without bands A video posted by Rozanna Purcell (@rozannapurcell) on Sep 21, 2016 at 12:15pm PDT

And Roz said she has carried this approach through to the cut-throat world of showbiz and modelling.

She sympathised with fellow model and TV presenter Vogue Williams who recently opened up about getting cruel comments about her weight on social media.

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"Vogue has an amazing figure. When you meet her, she's such a confident girl. She's in fantastic shape," Roz said.

"I was like, 'fair play to her for doing that'. People feel secure sitting behind a computer writing something but things like that actually do hurt.

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"Vogue and I have been in the industry for so long, you kind of take it on the chin. Once you respond to people, they take a step back and they say, 'oh god, sorry'. I don't think they realise people actually read their comments."

After taking a step back from the modelling world, Roz said that she is less concerned with her weight, despite eating clean and hitting the gym regularly.

"I don't really know how much I weigh. I'm more about how I feel now and I'm not obsessed with weighing myself at all. I used to be, but I've taken a step back from it," she said.

"I weigh myself every three months, my trainer would do my body fat measurements.

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"When you've been modelling for seven, eight years, you get it a lot.

"When you're in a job that's based on aesthetics people feel they can comment on your aesthetics. When I was modelling abroad, people would just say things to you.

"They would say you need to lose weight, straight up. There wasn't an outlet back then to Google a meal plan."
Sir Terry Wogan was being remembered at a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey

Chris Evans led the tributes to the late Terry Wogan at a packed service at Westminster Abbey, saying: "He will always be the best."

The unforgettable smooth tones of the broadcaster - who died earlier this year following a battle with cancer - could be heard at the service, which opened with recordings from Terry's archive.

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Evans, who inherited millions of Terry's listeners when he took over the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show, told the congregation: "Terry Wogan wasn't the best. He is the best and he will always be the best."

Wogan died at the age of 77 on January 31 this year.

Katie Melua, who made her name with the help of Terry, and Peter Gabriel sang at the moving event, which was attended by Terry's three children and his wife, who he famously described as "the present Lady Wogan".

Actress Joanna Lumley read a new poem, co-written with songwriter Richard Stilgoe, entitled 'For The Former Greatest Living Irishman'.

She compared Limerick-born Wogan's voice to an "aural newly-ripened peach/That never spoke to all, but spoke to each" in the poem, penned especially for the service.

"I think he was the tops, the cat's miaow," she said.

"For pity's sake, who else would you allow/To mutter in your ear each dawn of days/Just rambling on, with nothing on his mind?/A brainy burbling, charming us to shreds/When we should long have risen from our beds."

Lumley, who provided one of Children In Need's most memorable moments when she stripped to her underwear on TV in 1983 in front of host Terry, added: "If he was here I'd kiss his handsome face/And tell him that they simply broke the mould/When he was made."

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Terry's children, Alan Wogan, Mark Wogan and Katherine Cripps, paid tribute to their father's "love of our mother, his children and grandchildren", "his true understanding of charity", his "empathy and wisdom", his gentleness and "his love of people".

The biggest names in broadcasting turned out for the event, A Service Of Thanksgiving For The Life And Work Of Sir Terry.

They included Dermot O'Leary, Claudia Winkleman, Fearne Cotton, Tess Daly, Joanna Lumley, Gloria Hunniford, Jimmy Carr, Eamonn Holmes, Ruth Langsford and Jo Whiley.

Other stars at the event included Alan Titchmarsh, Gaby Roslin, Sara Cox, Michael Ball, Rory Bremner, Paul Gambaccini, Judith Chalmers, Vanessa Feltz, Heston Blumenthal, Ryan Tubridy and June Whitfield.

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The BBC said it got more than 14,000 applications for tickets from Terry's listeners, with 250 pairs given out.

BBC director-general Tony Hall paid tribute, saying Terry was most proud of his work for Children In Need - he fronted the main appeal show from 1980 to 2014.

He also spoke of the broadcaster's "numerous" and "memorable" Eurovision quips, adding: "My own favourite comes from 2007, when he announced as the coverage began - 'Who knows what hellish future lies ahead?

"Actually I do, I've seen the rehearsals!'"

Eamonn Holmes recalled the last time he interviewed Wogan, saying the veteran broadcaster "had no idea he was ill or verging on being ill then".

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The mayor of Limerick, Kieran O'Hanlon, said Terry was a "link between the Irish community and the British community at a time when it was really difficult between our two nations".
A foreign member of a suspected passport forgery gang is escorted by police officers after a raid in Bangkok. Picture: REUTERS/Stringer

A foreign member of a suspected passport forgery gang is escorted by police officers after a raid in Bangkok. Picture: REUTERS/Stringer

A foreign member of a suspected passport forgery gang (2nd L) is detained by police officers after a raid in Bangkok. Picture: REUTERS/Stringer

A man thought to be from Northern Ireland has been arrested after a dismembered body was found hidden in a fridge for more than three years.

It was discovered in a locked freezer cut into pieces during a raid of an apartment in the Phra Kahnong district of Bangkok.

Guns, drugs and fake identity documents were also found during the major operation.

Authorities are trying to determine the identity of the victim and have called on the FBI for help. Results of the autopsy are expected to be released soon.

Colonel Kissana Phathanacharoe from the Thai police said: "We managed to find a big freezer. We opened it and found a dead body inside it. The body was chopped into different parts. It was concealed in many rubbish bags and put in the freezer."

Dual British US national Peter Andrew Colter, who is also known as American citizen Peter Johnson, was among the three suspects. Local reports have said that Colter is from Northern Ireland and is key to the probe.

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He was arrested alongside James Eger and Arron Gabel, who both claim to be American.

Peter Andrew Colter told police he is a British national, born in London who grew up in the US. However investigators are treating the names and nationalities given by the men as suspicious because a number of passports were found documenting different birthplaces.

Thai police believe Colter to be the ringleader of the gang.

According to reports, Colter is currently in hospital receiving treatment for injuries sustained after allegedly shooting a police officer during the raid.

The three men have been charged with offences including concealment of a body, obstruction of justice, possession of fraudulent passports and possession of drugs including ketamine and crystal meth. The FBI and UK authorities are being asked to help with identification.

Police Major-General Surachate Hakparn said: We have contacted both the FBI and UK authorities to check fingerprints, DNA and dental records to see if there are any matches. Although we don't know his nationality, we do believe him to be European. We believe he has been dead for more than three years."

Hakpan told Sky News that checks by investigators had shown no record of Colter entering the country with a UK passport.

He told the broadcaster: "The main thing that we are focused on is establishing the identity of the corpse and answering the question 'who is Peter?' That will lead us to other links."
The 1996 Miss Universe, Alicia Machado of Venezuela, is crowned by the 1995 winner Chelsi Smith in Las Vegas (AP)

Michelle Obama has told a diverse and enthusiastic crowd in Philadelphia that candidates do not change once they become president and that America "needs an adult in the White House".

The First Lady never mentioned Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump during the rally at LaSalle University.

However, there was no question that she was warning voters that candidate Trump would be the same as President Trump.

"The presidency doesn't change who you are, it reveals who you are," she told the cheering crowd.

She referred to several comments Mr Trump made during and after Monday's debate, including his apparent acknowledgement that he has paid no taxes in some years.

Mr Trump said that makes him "smart".

"If a candidate is erratic and threatening, if a candidate traffics in prejudice, fear and lies on the campaign trail, if a candidate thinks not paying taxes makes you smart, or that it's good business when people lose their homes; if a candidate regularly and flippantly makes cruel and insulting comments about women, about how we look, how we act - well, sadly, that's who that candidate really is," she said.

"That is the kind of president they will be."

She said the country needs a leader who is steady and measured because when making war-or-peace decisions, "the president can't just pop off or lash out irrationally. No, we need an adult in the White House, I guarantee you."

She cast Hillary Clinton as a tough, compassionate fighter who does not back down and who loves her country.

"Experience matters, preparation matters, temperament matters," she said.

"Hillary Clinton has it all. She's the real deal."

Mrs Obama was heading to Pittsburgh for another rally for the Democratic presidential nominee later on Wednesday.

Mr Trump's campaign reacted to Mrs Obama's speech with a statement saying Mrs Clinton is in "panic mode" in Pennsylvania because polls show the Republican presidential nominee surging in the battleground state.

AP
A family member is interviewed before the release of preliminary results of the investigation into the shooting-down of Malaysia Airlines jetliner flight MH17 (AP)

The Joint Investigation Team take their seats for a press conference on the preliminary results of the investigation into the shooting-down of Malaysia Airlines jetliner flight MH17 (AP)

No air defence missile systems have ever been sent from Russia to Ukraine, Moscow military officials insist - contrary to the findings of the Dutch-led investigation into the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.

Defence Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov argued that the investigators' conclusions raise doubts, claiming they were based on information from the internet and Ukrainian special services.

The flight was downed on July 17, 2014, by a missile over eastern Ukraine - killing all 298 people on board.

Dutch-led investigators said it was downed by a Buk missile from an area controlled by Russia-backed separatists.

They said the launcher had been brought in from Russia and was later returned back to Russia.

Maj Gen Konashenkov denied that, saying "Russian missile defence systems, including Buk, have never crossed the Russian-Ukrainian border".

The Russian maker of the Buk missile system also contested the conclusions of the investigation.

Mikhail Malyshevsky, an adviser to the director of the state-controlled Almaz-Antei consortium, said an analysis of the plane's shrapnel-ridden fragments show that it could not have been downed by a missile launched from a rebel-controlled area in eastern Ukraine.

He said the missile likely came from an area that Russian officials have previously described as Ukraine-controlled.

AP

Meanwhile, the US State Department has said it backs the findings of the interim report from the Joint Investigation Team.

In a statement, the agency said: "While nothing can take away the grief of those who lost loved ones on that tragic day, this announcement is another step toward bringing to justice those responsible for this outrageous attack."

It said the US will keep working with the Joint Investigation Team in its MH17 investigation and urged other nations to do so as well.

AP
Pope Francis welcomes Israeli President Shimon Peres, right, upon his arrival at the Vatican in 2014. Israel's Foreign Ministry says a long list of world leaders will attend Shimon Peres' funeral on Friday. Spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said Wednesday that President Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Pope Francis, Prince Charles and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are all expected. Picture: AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca, File

President Barack Obama awards Israeli President Shimon Peres with the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a dinner at the East Room of the White House in Washington in 2012. Photo: AP Photo/Susan Walsh

Political leaders from around the world have paid tribute to Shimon Peres after the Israeli statesman died aged 93.

President Barack Obama praised Shimon Peres as a man whose commitment to Israel's security and the pursuit of peace "was rooted in his own unshakeable moral foundation and unflagging optimism".

Mr Obama said Mr Peres looked to the future "guided by a vision of the human dignity and progress that he knew people of goodwill could advance together".

He called him "the essence of Israel itself," noting that Mr Peres had fought for the nation's independence, worked its land and served in virtually every government position.

The president said that with the death of Mr Peres "a light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever".

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement of mourning for Mr Peres.

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara express deep personal sorrow over the passing of the nation's beloved former president, Shimon Peres," the statement read.

"The prime minister will deliver a special address this morning and convene the cabinet for a mourning session."

Former US president George HW Bush said Mr Peres inspired the world and helped pave a path to peace.

He said he and his wife Barbara "join Shimon Peres' countless admirers around the world in saluting his singular life of service - to the universal cause of freedom, to the timeless cause of Israel, to the noblest cause of peace".

Mr Bush said Mr Peres "time and again helped guide his beloved country through the crucible of mortal challenge".

Conservative MP Maria Caulfield said she was "very sad to hear of the death of Shimon Peres. Condolences to his family and to the people of Israel".

Ms Caulfield has been on a trip to Israel where she visited the Gaza border.

Former President Bill Clinton and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said: "With the passing of Shimon Peres, Israel has lost a leader who championed its security, prosperity, and limitless possibilities from its birth to his last day on earth.

"The Middle East has lost a fervent advocate for peace and reconciliation and for a future where all the children of Abraham build a better tomorrow together."

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia said: "My wife Lucy had the honour of visiting Shimon Peres a few months ago, at the Peres Centre for Peace.

"He told her the secret of perpetual youth was to ensure that your list of dreams always remained longer than your list of achievements. On that test, Shimon Peres remained the youngest of leaders."
People look at the sky fearing an airstrike in the rebel-held al-Myassar neighbourhood of Aleppo, Syria

SYRIAN government forces have made their first all-out ground assault to retake Aleppo, making their deepest push into rebel-held areas since the war began.

Troops retook a central district from rebels as they attacked from four fronts on Monday, in their first such offensive inside the city since the opposition took hold in 2012.

They advanced towards the contested old quarter of Aleppo - home to the Umayyad Mosque, a Unesco world heritage site.

There was also fierce fighting to the south, where rebels are battling pro-government troops to reopen the only route out for the some 250,000 residents trapped on the eastern side.

Syrian and Russian warplanes have been bombing east Aleppo with an unprecedented ferocity over the past five days, killing more than 350 people.

Doctors say hospitals are overwhelmed and running out of supplies. Save the Children said operations were being conducted without anaesthetic.

A ceasefire brokered by the US and Russia, billed as Syria's "last chance", collapsed last week amid recriminations and accusations of violations from both sides. As it crumbled, Russia threw its military might behind the Syrian regime's drive to regain Aleppo.

Once Syria's industrial hub, Aleppo is so important to both sides that it is said whoever takes it, wins the war. A Western diplomat said with neither side strong enough, there could be a year of street-to-street fighting. "The only way to take eastern Aleppo is by such a monstrous atrocity it would resonate for generations," he said.

President Bashar al-Assad's Syrian army, which is thought to number about 15-20,000 around Aleppo, is bolstered by tens of thousands of troops from Russia, Iran and Iraq, as well as by Shia militias.

There are estimated to be a similar number of opposition fighters.
Police said the man raised an object at them, but later said it was not a weapon

AN UNARMED black man has died after being shot by a police officer in El Cajon in southern California on Tuesday, the local police department said, appealing for calm as local media reported crowds had gathered at the scene of the shooting.

The death comes less than two weeks after black men in Charlotte, North Carolina and in Tulsa, Oklahoma, were shot dead by police, sparking protests. In Charlotte, rioting prompted the authorities to impose a state of emergency.

Similar deaths have added to a torrent of accusations over racial bias in U.S. law enforcement and calls for greater police accountability for the killings of black people.

The El Cajon Police Department said two officers had responded to a call regarding a man walking in traffic. He refused their instructions to remove his hand from his pocket and then pulled out an object from his pants and pointed it at them, the department said in a statement.

The officers then simultaneously shot and Tasered the man who died after being taken to hospital, the department said.

During a news conference hours after the shooting, El Cajon Police Department Jeff Davis said no weapon was found on the scene. He did not say what exactly the man pointed at the unidentified officers.

The incident prompted crowds of people to gather throughout Tuesday night at the scene and at the El Cajon Police Department, where they demanded information about the shooting, according to local media.

Video emerged on social media purportedly showing the moments after the incident at the scene. In the video, a woman, who claimed to be the man's sister, is heard saying that she called police.

"Oh my God. You killed my brother. I just called for help and ... you killed him," the unidentified woman said as she sobbed.

A bystander voluntarily provided investigators cell phone video that captured the incident, police said.

Police released a still photo from the video that depicted what appeared to be two officers pointing weapons at an individual who was pointed an object at them. At least one of the officers in the photo appeared to be white.

A study released in July shows police used force on black people at rates more than three times higher than for whites.

"Now is a time for calm," Davis said at the news conference.

"I implore the community to be patient with us, work with us, look at the facts at hand before making any judgment."
Donald Trump blamed the moderator, a bad microphone and anyone but himself Tuesday after he was forced onto defense by Hillary Clinton's cascade of critiques about his taxes, honesty and character in the first presidential debate.

The Republican nominee plunged into re-litigating some of Clinton's most damaging attacks, even when the explanations seemed only to further damage his image among the voters he needs to win.

After brushing off Clinton's debate claim that he'd once shamed a former Miss Universe winner for her weight, Trump dug deeper the next morning.

"She gained a massive amount of weight. It was a real problem.

"We had a real problem," Trump told "Fox and Friends" about the 1996 winner of the pageant he once owned.

Clinton, meanwhile, was in a celebratory mood, telling reporters on her campaign plane she had a "great, great time" and was "thrilled" by how it went.

She accused Trump of making "demonstrably untrue" claims in the debate and mocked him for floating the possibility that debate organizers had set him up by lowering the volume on his "terrible" microphone so he was quieter than Clinton.

"Anybody who's complaining about the microphone is not having a good night," Clinton said.

Both campaigns knew the highly anticipated first debate could mark a turning point six weeks before Election Day, but it was unclear if either candidate would reap significant gains. Trump and Clinton are locked in an exceedingly close race and competing vigorously to win over undecided voters.

Though he said on Twitter he had "really enjoyed" the debate, Trump accused moderator Lester Holt of a left-leaning performance and going harder on him than Clinton.

He insisted he had "no sniffles" and no allergies despite the #snifflegate speculation that had exploded on social media.

Threat

Still, Trump insisted he'd gotten the better of Clinton, awarding her a C-plus while declining to assign himself a grade. He also threatened to go harder after her in the next debate and said he'd planned to assail President Bill Clinton for his "many affairs" and stopped himself solely because daughter Chelsea Clinton had been in the room.

With precious few weeks left to campaign, both candidates returned promptly to the trail, with Clinton campaigning Tuesday in North Carolina and Trump in Florida. Those are among a handful of toss-up states whose winners could help determine the outcome of the election.

Clinton and Trump are slated to face each again on Oct. 9 in St. Louis. Asked about the possibility Trump could pull out, Clinton said she'd show up regardless.

"If I'm the only person onstage, well, you know, I'm the only person onstage," she said.

Trump's latest comments about Alicia Machado, the 1996 Miss Universe, were striking in that they come just as he is working to broaden his appeal among women.

Aiming to capitalize on Trump's renewed focus on a woman's weight, Clinton's campaign dispatched Machado - who is backing Clinton - to tell reporters how she spent years struggling with eating disorders after being humiliated publicly by Trump.

"I never imagined then, 20 years later I would be in this position, I would be in this moment, like, watching this guy again doing stupid things and stupid comments," Machado said. "It's really a bad dream for me."

The two candidates' first face-to-face showdown the night before was confrontational from the start, with Trump frequently trying to interrupt Clinton and speaking over her answers. Clinton was more measured and restrained, often smiling through his answers, well-aware of the television cameras capturing her reaction.

Trump tried aggressively to pin America's problems on Clinton. But the Democrat, showing her intensive preparations, went after him as hard or harder, including sharp criticism of his business practices and false assertions about President Barack Obama's birthplace, which she called part of a pattern of "racist behavior."

She repeatedly criticized Trump for breaking tradition by refusing to release his tax returns, declaring, "There's something he's hiding." When Clinton suggested his refusal might be because he possibly paid nothing in federal taxes, he interrupted to say, "That makes me smart."

"What in the hell he is talking about?" asked an exasperated Vice President Joe Biden as he campaigned Tuesday for Clinton in Pennsylvania. He noted Trump had boasted of making money off the housing market's collapse.

The centerpiece of Trump's case against Clinton is that the former senator and secretary of state is little more than a career politician who has squandered opportunities to address the domestic and international problems she's now pledging to tackle as president.

"She's got experience," he said, "but it's bad experience."

When Trump made a crack about Clinton taking time off the campaign trail to prepare for the debate, she turned it into a validation of her readiness.

"I think Donald just criticized me for preparing for this debate," Clinton said.

"And, yes, I did. And you know what else I prepared for? I prepared to be president. And I think that's a good thing."
As Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton walked on stage for the first presidential debate, they both oozed cool and calm. It was not a sign of things to come.

"Donald Trump was very strong for the first 20 minutes and then I feel he went off the rails," Karol Ward, a New York-based psychotherapist and confidence expert, said. "I thought Trump showed nervousness - he was drinking water early on with hands that were shaking a little," she said. "Clinton also had nervous energy but it was contained in a different way."

While Mr Trump gripped the lectern - "something to hold on to" - he stared at his opponent with pursed lips and sideways glances. Occasionally he rolled his eyes, Ms Ward said. "This is just what I perceived, but he seemed to look to where his family were seated. He seemed to be trying to get signals or reassurance, whereas Clinton looked out more at the crowd." She continued: "It was almost as if he was looking for encouraging smiles."

The hashtag #sniffles started trending on Twitter within half an hour of the start of the debate. "It's either that he had a cold or it was a nervous tic," Ms Ward said. "He seemed to to do it right before he answered a question. He wasn't rubbing his nose or sniffling between answers so it was almost like when someone takes a breath but not deeply enough and they're trying to get more air."

The candidates each had a hard line of attack, covering national security, the economy and terrorism. Mr Trump went after Ms Clinton on trade deals and emphasised "law and order" to deal with inner city violence, while the Democrat claimed he was not a successful businessman and asked what he was "hiding" by not releasing his tax returns. But Mr Trump did get brownie points for the way in which he delivered his remarks, which would hold great sway with his voter base.

"It's not always what you say, it's how you say it," said Ms Ward. "And if you're forceful, it can be seen as a sign of strength." Ms Clinton's beaming smile during the debate became a viral meme on Monday evening.

Ms Ward said the smile was a way of letting Mr Trump "hang himself" but Ms Clinton ended up missing a few key opportunities to hit back harder as a result.

"At times there was a little bit of a frozen smile on her face and she needs to let that go," she said.

While Ms Clinton maintained a slow and deliberate way of talking, Mr Trump became "defensive" at several points, insisting that Fox News anchor Sean Hannity could prove that Mr Trump had not wanted to invade Iraq.

"There's a difference between defending oneself and saying 'No, that's not true', and getting defensive. Defensiveness means getting heated, they can't hear things and they go off on an irrational loop of thought."

A key difference between the candidates came at the end of the debate. While Ms Clinton, her husband and daughter instantly went to greet the crowd, Mr Trump surrounded himself with his family on stage.

"She really was conveying: 'I'm available, I'm here, I'm open," said Ms Ward. "Bill Clinton shook all the Trump family's hands before the debate started and they looked a bit startled by that."
Scientists yesterday revealed the birth of a baby boy, now five months old, using DNA from three parents. Stock Image

The world's first three-parent baby has been hailed as "a huge deal" for the future of reproduction.

Scientists yesterday revealed the birth of a baby boy, now five months old, using DNA from three parents.

Fertility experts hailed the breakthrough as "great news" for the future of reproduction, but expressed concern that it was achieved only because US scientists crossed into Mexico to take advantage of lax regulation.

The child was born to a couple from Jordan, who had been trying to start a family for almost 20 years. His mother carries genes for Leigh syndrome, a fatal disorder that affects the developing nervous system, and caused the deaths of their first two children.

The baby was conceived from an egg containing nuclear DNA from his mother and father, and mitochondrial DNA from an unknown "second" mother to replace defective DNA and prevent the disease being passed on through the maternal line.

Mitochondrial DNA is housed in the tiny rod-like "batteries" in cells that supply energy, and is passed down through the generations by mothers.

A pioneering approach called spindle nuclear transfer enabled the breakthrough birth, which was revealed in 'New Scientist' magazine.

Scientists from the New Hope Fertility Center in New York City, led by Dr John Zhang, created five embryos using the technique, one of which developed normally and was implanted.

The method has not been approved in the US, so Dr Zhang went to Mexico where he said "there are no rules". Defending his decision, he said: "To save lives is the ethical thing to do".

Dr Dusko Ilic, a reader in stem cell science at King's College London, said: "This is great news and a huge deal - it's revolutionary." He said the technique was likely to be swiftly followed.

But experts said they were concerned about the lack of regulation in Mexico.

Last year the British House of Lords approved legislation to allow mitochondrial replacement. Those working in the field in Britain have insisted the technique should be used only to help the one in 4,000 people who are carrying an incurable mitochondrial disease.

Inherited mitochondrial diseases include devastating conditions that result in poor growth, muscle weakness, loss of co-ordination, seizures, vision and hearing problems, and learning disabilities.

But Dr Zhang said the technique could in future be used in "unlimited" ways, including altering a child's DNA to change their appearance.

Dr David King, director of the watchdog group Human Genetics Alert, branded the research "unethical and irresponsible". ( Daily Telegraph, London)

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
SpaceX founder Elon Musk has set out a plan to establish a self-sustaining city on Mars complete with iron foundries and pizza restaurants.

He envisions 1,000 passenger ships flying en masse to the red planet will within the next century, Battlestar Galactica style.

Mr Musk outlined his vision of colonising Mars at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, where he received a warn welcome from the avid space buffs in the crowd.

But he did not mention the problems that his aerospace company has suffered, including a launch pad explosion earlier this month.

"I think Earth will be a good place for a long time, but the probable lifespan of human civilisation will be much greater if we're a multiplanetary species," he said.

Mr Musk also runs electric car maker Tesla Motors, while the aerospace company he founded in 2002 is focusing on satellite deliveries, as well as space station cargo runs for Nasa and a future crew capsule for US astronauts.

Its Falcon rocket, though, is grounded for the second time in a year because of devastating accidents.

On September 1 a launch pad explosion destroyed a Falcon rocket and its satellite.

Mr Musk noted that SpaceX has already begun work on the Mars Colonial fleet, recently test-firing a powerful new rocket engine named Raptor.

The system ultimately could take people to the moons of Jupiter and beyond, he said.

Mr Musk said it would be a "super-exciting" adventure to Mars but also dangerous, at least for the first few trips.

His goal is to get the price down so anyone could afford to go, with a ticket costing no more than a house on Earth, while he is aiming for one million Martians.

Asked whether he would go, he said p erhaps ultimately, but it would depend on whether he had a good succession plan in place.

He warned that for the first Martians, the risk of fatalities will be high - "there's just no way around it" - and he wants to see his five young sons grow up.

"It would be basically, are you prepared to die? If that's okay, then you're a candidate for going," he told the audience.

In April, Mr Musk announced plans to send an unmanned Dragon capsule to land on Mars as early as 2018. Nasa is offering technical support, but no money. The space agency has its own programme to get astronauts to Mars in the 2030s, using its own hardware.

Mr Musk invited industry to join the Mars effort, which will represent a 10 billion dollar (7.7 billion) investment. SpaceX currently is spending a few tens of millions of dollars on the enterprise, and the amount will soon grow, he said.

He described in detail his plans to launch a monster-size rocket - larger than even Nasa's Saturn V moon rocket - from the same launch pad at Kennedy Space Centre from which the Apollo astronauts departed for the lunar surface in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The first-stage boosters would return to land vertically - just like his Falcon rocket boosters do now. Reusability, in fact, is essential to any plan for getting humans to Mars, as is refilling fuel tanks in Earth orbit and creating rocket fuel at Mars for return trips, he said.

The rocket would hoist a spaceship big enough to carry 100 to 200 people to Mars, a trip lasting several months, quicker with nuclear propulsion.

Mr Musk promised no-one would be stuck there, as spaceships would return regularly, and "you get a free return trip if you want".

He said: "Ultimately what I'm trying to achieve here is to make Mars seem possible, make it seem as though it's something that we can do in our lifetimes."

AP
Updated 8:40 a.m.

GREENSBORO  A fatal shooting early this morning may be connected to other criminal activity, police said today.

John Figueroa III, 33, of Greensboro, was shot multiple times inside apartment 9E at 1606 Rankin King Drive, said Susan Danielsen, police spokeswoman.

Officers were called to the Rankin King Farm apartment complex about 1 a.m. about a shooting, police said. Figueroa died at the scene. It was not immediately clear if Figueroa lived at the complex.

Danielsen said the shooting was not random and may be connected to other criminal activity occurring at the time, but declined to elaborate. Detectives are interviewing other people who were at the apartment at the time and are following leads.

One person fled on foot toward McKnight Mill Road after the shooting, police said.

Posted 7:10 a.m.

GREENSBORO  A man was fatally shot early this morning at an apartment complex.

John Figueroa III, 33, of Greensboro, was killed at 1606 Rankin King Drive, police said.

Officers were called to the Rankin King Farm apartment complex about 1 a.m. about a shooting. When they arrived they found Figueroa with multiple gunshot wounds, police said. He died at the scene.

A person fled the scene of the shooting, according to police. Additional details on the suspect were not available.
TOWNVILLE, S.C. (AP)  A law enforcement officer says two students and a teacher have been wounded and flown to hospitals after a shooting at a South Carolina elementary school.

Speaking on live television, the unidentified officer said all other students at the Townville Elementary School were safe following the shooting Wednesday and that parents are being told to pick up their children at a nearby church.
Pakistan says it is seeking ways to limit the scope of the death penalty, amid fears for a mentally ill prisoner who faces hanging as early as next week.





Speaking on Monday at an event at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, the first secretary of Pakistans Permanent Mission to the UN said the government was examining the countrys penal code to determine whether the death penalty could be narrowed, saying: We are looking at the option of enhancing the duration of life sentence instead of awarding death sentences. She added: Pakistan remains fully committed to promoting and protecting the human rights of all our citizens.





Pakistan has executed some 419 people since the lifting of a moratorium on the death penalty in December 2014, making it one of the worlds most prolific executing states. Research last year by Reuters and human rights organization Reprieve found that  despite a claim by the Pakistani government to be targeting terrorists  fewer than one in six of those prisoners who had been hanged could be linked to militancy.





Among those currently facing execution is Imdad Ali, a former electrician who is severely mentally ill. Yesterday, Pakistans Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by Mr Ali to stop his hanging, which had been scheduled to take place last week. Ruling that Imdads execution could go ahead, the Court said that a large proportion of prisoners in Pakistan suffer from mental illness and that they cannot let everyone go. He could now be hanged as early as next week, despite a prison medical report from earlier this month describing him as insane.





The execution of mentally ill people is prohibited under Pakistani and international law. Yesterday, several UN human rights experts urged Pakistan to halt Mr Alis execution, while Amnesty International and the Asian Human Rights Commission have also called for the hanging to be stopped.





Commenting, Harriet McCulloch, deputy director of the death penalty team at Reprieve, said: While its encouraging to hear that Pakistans government may finally be turning away from its recent shameful spree of executions, the authorities must act now to prevent another illegal hanging. Imdad Ali could be executed within days, despite the governments own doctors having declared him insane  his hanging would be a grave breach of Pakistani and international law. If Pakistans leaders are serious about scaling back the death penalty, they must start right away, and call off Imdads execution.





Source: Reprieve, septemebr 28, 2016. Reprieve is an international human rights organization. Reprieves London office can be contacted on: communications@reprieve.org.uk. Reprieve US, based in New York City, can be contacted on Katherine.oshea@reprieve.org





More detail on the comments made at yesterday's UNHRC event is available on request.





A statement by four UN rights experts, made yesterday, can be seen here ; Amnesty International's comments can be seen here ; while the Asian Human Rights Commission's comments are here

Emergency Action: Prisoner under new threat of execution

Imdad Ali suffers from such severe paranoid schizophrenia that he isnt even aware that he could be executed as early as next week.





Imdad did not receive a proper medical assessment at his trial and was sentenced to death without his mental illness being properly considered. Despite now conceding that he is mentally ill, the Pakistan Supreme Court yesterday refused to stop his execution.





Last week, we helped to launch legal action in Pakistan and built an international campaign signed by over 10,000 Reprieve supporters. His execution was halted with only hours to spare  but now that the Pakistan Supreme Court has rejected his appeal, he could receive a new death warrant at any time.





Imdad's legal options have now been exhausted and his only chance is clemency from President Hussain of Pakistan. Will you call on President Hussain to grant mercy to Imdad and prevent his inhumane execution?









Time is against us, and we have to act quickly. On Friday, we will present our petition to the Pakistan High Commission in London to show the authorities how many people around the world oppose what they're planning. Please add your name to our call for mercy, and help us prevent the execution of a vulnerable, severely mentally ill man.

 | 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!

4. Reuters' 2015 piece on executions in Pakistan can be seen here 5. More information about Imdad Ali is available at the Reprieve website Source: Clive Stafford Smith, Founder, Reprieve
Blog Hinangai

While there is much discussion in Guam about the economic benefits of increasing the islands military presence, the damages/dangers that they represent are rarely mentioned. This blog, a supplement to the Peace and Justice for Guam Petition, is meant to counter that by providing information about the US military in Guam, with the hopes of steering policy away from a dangerous unilateralist course to more sustainable notions of regional development and a strengthening international solidarity.
Did you hear that whooshing sound as the Sun pushed its way over the equator headed south this past week? No? Well, its louder near the equator. Ah, the autumnal equinox. It happened at 10:21 a.m. this past Thursday. Geese overflew New York City with a little salute to Captain Sully as they crossed the Hudson. Summer is over, and we look forward to more reasonable temperatures.

Fall is distinctive with its crisp evenings, its smells of sweet decay, and the weight of impending holidays. But I dont do well in the cold. Can't stand to be cold; don't even like air conditioning. I wear long sleeves year 'round. The ideal temperature for me is about 80 degrees. No, don't flick on the ceiling fan. Please don't turn the thermostat down. I'm cold. Am I alone in this? Maybe not. When I worked in an office before I retired, there seemed to be a contingent of like-minded folks who sat at their desks shivering. One day we organized, revolted; and ultimately persuaded management to raise the ambient temperature a couple of clicks. I guess that makes me the Norma Rae of HVAC.

Apparently, a majority of Americans love air conditioning. They want their space, whether at home or work, to be cool - like a Fall evening. I don't relate. I grew up in New Hampshire where I rode a motorcycle to high school when it was ten degrees fahrenheit. After thirty minutes of recovery I could talk again. The house in which I grew up was built in 1712. We had central heating, but the house wasn't designed for it, and there were many cold nooks and crannies.

In the eighteenth century, homes were built less as a plan and more as a theme and variations - they piled wood and putty together until it looked like a house. It was as much sculpting as construction. They started with a large chimney with ovens and fire places on the first floor, fireplaces built in as successive floors required, then constructed the wooden structure around it. The result fought latter century updating tooth and nail (or perhaps hammer and nail). But all this had to happen before Winter set in.

By the time I became an adult, I knew subconsciously that I had been exposed to an overdose of chill. Moving to the sunny South was the right thing to do. Naturally, my wife is always hot. For her the ideal temp is 68. That's a twelve degree gap between my preference and hers. This triggers a daily negotiation that starts as soon as she's home from work at a local high school; where, she tells me, her classroom is cold. If SHE's cold, it must be an arctic blast. OK, I admit we compromise pretty well most of the time. She turns on the ceiling fan, I don a toboggan and crawl under the blanket. The thermostat stays at 75 until bedtime. She cant sleep with the temp above 70, so our nighttime compromise is 69 degrees. She's comfortable with a light covering, I hunker down under a blanket and a quilt. For me its a one-dog night.

It's hard now to imagine how the South coped with summers heat before air conditioning became widely utilized. Movie theaters were the first to have it. Remember the signs? Its cool inside, with carefully drawn icicles. Out in the heat people moved at a stately pace. Many businesses would close, or at least partially shut down on a hot afternoon. The economic impact of A/C south of the Mason-Dixon line has been culture-changing. The sleepy Mississippi towns of William Faulkner's novels are vestiges of a romanticized South redolent of honeysuckle and magnolia. The change that air conditioning made in Southern culture is comparable to that wrought by the Civil War (or, if you prefer, the War Of Northern Aggression) eighty years earlier.

Now southern homes are built without front porches or high ceilings. Thats unfortunate. These changes brought an end to "porch talk", the long, unhurried familial and neighborly exchanges that you may remember from decades ago. Also lost is the Southern ethos of a slower pace, of naps after lunch, of a work ethic less frenetic than that found up North. It died when we started controlling the weather indoors. It's too easy to romanticize this: not many of us would willingly go back to fanning ourselves in a hot church, or attempt to sleep in high humidity. And I dont even care to think about cars without air.

We've experienced a change in the Southern character. From Colonial times to the mid-20th century Southerners were closely tied to nature. Now, we're all wrapped in a technological cocoon - at home, in the grocery store, at the mall - out of synch with the rhythms of the natural world.

This phenomenon isn't just new for our time, it's new for all time. Eventually, the whole world will be climate-controlled. Itll be just another homogenizing force in the world, making us more and more like each other. As long as it's inevitable, I'm hopeful it will be a force for emphasizing our common humanity. I'm for anything that fosters peace in the world. Even enduring a little chilliness.

Gerry Dionne is a New England native who's lived in the Concord area for more than 50 years. He's found a home here. Y'all give him a break.
Only recently, I happened to learn that a family friend attended a clothing exhibition by veteran actress Anita Kanwal and couldn't stop raving about the classy collection that the actress had put up.

I did my part of research as the actress had been missing from the television screen for a long time. I simply dialed her number only to have effervescent actress warm up and agree to share her experiences and on her turning into a designer.

Anita is a popular face with shows such as Chanakya, Shanti, and Sonpari. But she is best known for her negative role of Mrs. Seth, the mother who gets her own son killed, in the 1990's Zee TV soap opera Banegi Apni Baat and has also been nominated in the category of the 'Best Supporting Actress'

Read more to find out what drove the passionate and flourishing actress to keep acting in the backseat after working in the television for over 30 years now and how she pursued her alternate interest of designing and is in a happy space now.

But what made Anita take a backseat from acting? Why is she so miffed when production houses approach her that refrains to act? In a candid conversation with Anita, she spills some beans on the reasons why acting is not the right choice for a career...

Anita, you are a profound actress, what made you switch your career to being a Designer?

I love acting and I chose to be in this field because of my passion. But after spending decades in this industry, I realised that after each passing decade, the profession is getting demanding. There were times when even after informing 6 months prior that I would be going on leave, I was made to cancel the holiday.

Go on...

The final nail in the coffin was when my mother was on the death bed and I was asked to finish my shoot. She wanted to say something, I was aware of that and hence I wanted to leave for the hospital soon, but it was only after the doctors declared her dead that I was allowed to rush! I am very sore after this incident and I do not think I would return to television till I recover from this tragic event.

What do you have to say about the way TV is progressing?

There is no humanity in this profession. Why do you think actors faint on the sets time and again. Why can't they make a bank of episodes so that the production unit can work at a good pace? I completely blame the channels for this. Debating on whether we are going regressive, well ,I don't know why are people in the race for TRP's. I mean, why not uplift people by showcasing what is progressive than just present insane beliefs as people tend to follow it more.

Shows like Udann, Balika Vadhu , and the likes have done well. Along with that comes in a flow of superficial concepts! Day by day, we are promoting regressive beliefs as much as they accept it or not.

Anita, you seem to be miffed. TV is a complete no-no for you now?

I would not say I have quit TV. I am not being able to deal with the grief of not being able to hear the last words my mother wanted to say. I have acted in innumerable shows and if this is the price I have to pay for being an actor, I better do well in other creative fields. I am content as a designer and it at least gives me space where I can spend quality time with my loved ones and my own self.

Once off the screen, it is a little difficult for actors to make a come-back. Do you still get offers for television shows?

I get 2 to 3 calls every single day. Even if I take up a show, I will never be a part of shows promoting regressive beliefs. I have enacted roles which were fun to portray. In fact, when I was abroad, people told me how they loved watching 'Sasural Genda Phool' in Gabriel and Spain, but the channel axed the show there. I am sure the sensible audience is longing to watch shows in the likes of Banegi Apni Baat.

Are you content with the new-found passion?

Absolutely. I finished my exhibition last week and currently on a holiday and never been this relaxed before.





It is really sad that such veteran actors had a bitter experience, nonetheless, India-Forums wishes Anita luck in her future endeavors and only hope she returns back to TV...
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A Lebanon man was sentenced in Linn County Circuit Court on Tuesday to more than 12 years in prison for causing the death of a mentally disabled resident who was severely beaten during a robbery.

Jesse Jimenez, 22, had pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in May. A charge of murder was dismissed as part of the negotiated settlement.

All told, Jimenez will serve 20 years in prison for the attack on Ronald Whitehead, who was beaten in August 2013 and died at age 50 in August 2014 from his injuries.

Maria Wise-Toney, Whiteheads niece, said in a text message to the Democrat-Herald that Tuesdays court hearing was tough for her family.

Emotions were still right at the surface as if it all happened yesterday. We all feel that today was a win and justice in this half of the case has been served, she added.

The defense was seeking a lesser sentence, but Judge David Delsman sided with the states recommendation, said Prosecutor Richard Wijers.

Before Whiteheads death, Jimenez was found guilty by a jury of first-degree robbery and second-degree assault and sentenced to 13 years in prison. Only part of Tuesdays prison time will run consecutive to the earlier sentence.

A co-defendant, Trevin King, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and no contest to first-degree robbery and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Murder and manslaughter charges also were filed against King, but the case was dismissed in December. Delsman ruled that the homicide prosecution was a violation of the Kings plea agreement, Wijers said.

The prosecution, however, appealed Delsmans ruling. That matter has been taken up by the (Oregon) Supreme Court and is pending a decision, Wijers said.

Jimenez and King stole a bike from Whitehead, whom they did not know and randomly came across in the Industrial Way area of Lebanon early on the morning of Aug. 5, 2013. Testimony indicates the beating lasted 15 minutes.

After the assault, Whitehead  a once gregarious and friendly man who loved riding his bike around town  was in a coma for nearly a month, then was unable to walk, eat or go to the bathroom on his own.

He died about three months after Jimenezs trial concluded.
The Oregon Legislature seems primed to dive in again into workplace issues, thanks to a proposal that would require some employers to offer what's known as "flexible scheduling."

Sen. Michael Dembrow, a Portland Democrat, said last week he planned to introduce legislation next year that could require certain businesses to give early notice of schedule changes to their workers.

The precise details haven't yet been worked out, but comments Dembrow made last week to The Oregonian suggest that he's concerned primarily with the retail and hospitality industries.

A flexible scheduling ordinance that recently went into effect in Seattle may offer some clues to what Dembrow has in mind, and so may the history of earlier proposals in the state Legislature.

In general, these flexible scheduling proposals seek to provide employees with greater certainty about the shifts theyre expected to work and can be helpful to single parents or people with second jobs. But the fact is that the proposals duplicate what smart employers already are doing: Those employers understand that schedule stability is good, both for businesses and for workers.

The 2015 session was kicking around a proposal, House Bill 3377, which eventually died in committee. Among other provisions, the bill would have penalized businesses that made changes in work schedules less than three weeks in advance. For example: If an employer had to change a work schedule with less than three weeks notice, the employer would have been obligated to pay an employee for one additional hour in addition to the time actually worked. If an employer had to change a shift with less than 24 hours notice, the business would have to pay an additional four hours in addition to the time actually worked.

That bill was set aside so that legislators could focus on another workplace-related proposal: the bill to require sick leave at all but the very smallest businesses. But it always was clear that legislators wanted to revive the notion, and the recent moves by Seattle and San Francisco to adopt flexible scheduling ordinances have kept the fire burning.

Dembrow and another Democratic legislator, Rep. Paul Holvey of Eugene, recently convened a work group to examine "schedules that work" and invited a number of business organizations to join. After the first meeting, though, all the business groups dropped out, saying they believed that advocates of flexible scheduling had no regard for the legitimate concerns of employers. In the words of a letter the businesses sent to the legislators: It was clear from the first work group discussion that this group will not provide a constructive forum to discuss whether a statewide mandated scheduling law is right for Oregon."

Regardless, Dembrow is pushing ahead, and signs are that the opposition from business groups will continue as well: The president and CEO of the Portland Business Alliance, Sandra McDonough, argued that some of these rules "actually have a negative impact on employees. The reality is that when employees get sick, they should stay home. And when they do, an employer needs the flexibility to call on another employee to take their place."

The 2017 Legislature has another option it can follow: In 2015, it placed a moratorium on the ability of municipalities to enact their own flexible-scheduling rules. Legislators could kick this debate back to the local level by eliminating the moratorium, giving the green light to cities to pursue flexible scheduling ordinances, instead of saddling businesses across the state with yet another one-size-fits-all workplace mandate. Or, maybe better yet: Legislators could just kill the idea entirely. (mm)
There are times when you have to beat around the bush for a while before you gather the courage to say the actual thing. Well, I am sort of in the same situation, so I am just going to blurt a fact here for you.

Paris will soon have an official park for naked people.

And, like Paris, should every town have a nudist park? 0207 173 5555 is the number. #nudist #wrightstuffhttps://t.co/Orh6abfZZ4  The Wright Stuff (@5WrightStuff) September 28, 2016

Nudists around Paris can now shed their clothes without any fear because the city council has just decided on getting an official park for all the naked people.

The park is most likely to be located in the south-east region of the city, near Lac Daumesnil.

On Monday, a meeting was held for the members of city council, where this idea was proposed. Deputy Mayor of Paris Bruno Julliard, who has supported the plan, confirmed it was approved.

dailycrawler

The proposal was put forward by the Green Party of Paris.

Running back to the facts, the committee said that France is a top destination for nudists around the world; with 2 million Germans, Dutch, British and Belgians coming to the country to take their clothes off.

The country already has 155 naturist holiday centres and it is about time that they have an open space for nudists.

The tradition of going au naturale is fairly popular in France, but public nudity is an offence and punishable with $15,000 fine or prison up to 1 year.

As for now, the city only has one place that allows nudists, the Roger Le Gall swimming pool in the 12th arrondissement -- and it's restricted to Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.

"A nudist only wants to get rid of their clothes." said a spokesperson.
Bajaj Auto recently came out with an advert featuring its Avenger cruiser and a Royal Enfield Classic. Yup, it featured the rival brand.

Shot in, what were guessing is Ladakh, the ad marks Brotherhood Day which fell on September 11 (apparently its a thing). The ad shows the 220cc Bajaj cruiser following, and keeping up, with the 500cc Royal Enfield over all sorts of terrain  tarmac, gravel, streams of water etc.

It almost looks like the Avenger is looking for approval from a big brother.

It finishes with the two bikes riding side by side, the riders smiling at each other.

Bajaj Auto

Although the two manufacturers are competing in different spaces in the motorcycle industry, there is some overlap in segments. Maybe this was an attempt by the Pune based manufacturer to reach out to the Chennai based competitor.

Whatever be the case, lets not forget that the two companies have had a history.

Back in 2008 a patent row erupted over the use of Bajajs twin spark ignition technology in Royal Enfields Thunderbird. Bajaj claimed its patent was infringed upon, while Enfield claimed that the patent covered 75cc to 250cc engines, and the Thunderbird had a 350cc engine. Bajaj had also sued TVS over the patent.

Before that, a Royal Enfield ad mocked Bajaj Autos Calibre 115 Hoodibaba ad. Heres the Bajaj advert.

And heres Royal Enfields answer.

Lets hope theres no love lost between the two. Happy Brotherhood Day.
Love is a beautiful feeling and our Bollywood power couples sure know how to keep the fire flaming by hitting all the right chords. Their love stories are no less than fairytales come to life and so are their surprises!

Setting some real relationship goals for everyone are seven of Bollywood's favourite celebs that surprised their partners with big romantic gestures.

1. Ranveer Singh set some serious #BoyfriendGoals for all the guys by flying down all the way to Canada to meet his sweetheart.

Pehchaan Kaun ?!?!  @deepikapadukone A photo posted by Ranveer Singh (@ranveersingh) on Dec 18, 2015 at 11:09am PST

2. Mira Rajput got the best birthday gift post-marriage from hubby Shahid when he planned a surprise party with her parents and friends.

#thistimelastyear how time flies. A photo posted by Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) on Sep 10, 2016 at 5:59am PDT

3. Want to know what is #KareenasAnniversaryGift from Saif Ali Khan for their anniversary? Watch the video to know what it is.

4. Yuvraj Singhs surprise proposal to his girlfriend, Hazel, is every girls dream come true. *Boyfriends, take note*

Looking nice miss @hazelkeech  A photo posted by Yuvraj Singh (@yuvisofficial) on Jan 19, 2016 at 3:51am PST

5. Recently, Rannvijay Singh surprised his wife in a Dubai mall with a spontaneous visit. What a doting husband!

Getting away from ur clasp!!! I'm gonna miss u soooo much @priankasingha ,see u very soon.. #satnamwaheguru  A photo posted by Rannvijay (@rannvijaysingha) on Sep 25, 2016 at 12:12pm PDT

6. When it comes to romantic surprises SRK is no less. Shah Rukh flew down all the way from Hyderabad, last year, to plan a surprise birthday bash for Gauri Khan's 44th birthday.

@iamsrk #shahrukhkhan #gaurikhan my king queen magnificent double A photo posted by SRK GAURI (@srkgauri) on Sep 18, 2016 at 2:47pm PDT

7. Genelia Deshmukh posted a never-seen-before picture of the couple with a lovely message on their 4th anniversary to surprise Riteish Deshmukh.
1. Tannishtha Chatterjee Writes A Heartfelt Note after Comedy Nights Bachao cracks racist jokes at her.

She was recently invited on Comedy Nights Bachao Taaza to promote her film Parched. But never in her dreams would she have imagined that in name of comedy show and 'roast', she would become a target of racist jokes. The racist jokes were so bad that reports claim that she left the show midway.

2. Salman Khan calls Raj Thackery to request him to let ADHM, Raees release peacefully.

According to a TOI report, Salman recently called Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President, Raj Thackeray to request him to let Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Raees release peacefully.

3. On her 87th birthday, Lata Mangeshkar requests fans to send money to Uri martyrs.

Deeply saddened by the death of 18 Indian soldiers, who recently died so brutally in Uri, Lata Mangeshkar doesn't want to celebrate her birthday this year.

4. Udta Punjab might be copied from British vovel 'High Society'.

Many reports claim that the film has been 'lifted' from British author Ben Eltons 2002 novel High Society. High Society, a dark comedy that revolves around multiple characters and a politicians quest to legalise drugs in Britain.

5. Saif Ali Khans talks about how the government should decide who gets to work in India.

Saif Ali Khan has spoken about this issue, stating that India's film industry is open to talents all across the world, including cross border
While government of India decides to boycott the SAARC summit to be held in Pakistan in November and also mulling possibilities to scrap the Indus Water Treaty as measures to contain Pakistan, the country has no dearth of those who seek full scale war to settle Pakistan issue once and for all.

Although India is known for its restraint and has been practising it ever since the partition, but call for war post the Uri attack have gained ground especially from war veterans who have fought against Pakistan in previous four wars.

wikimedia

One such soldiers is Digendra Singh Sikar, the Kargil hero who was awarded with Mahavir Chakra by President post the Kargil war.

I will go to war if it happens

"We never wanted war. We never started it. But Pakistan isn't among those who understand the language of peace. If war happens, I will again go to my battalion and ask for permission to fight under Indian Flag. Even if they don't allow me to fight, I can be handy in saving lives of injured soldiers," Digendra Singh Sikar, a former Commando of Rajputana Riffles was quoted in Rajastan Patrika recently.

AP

Digendra had retired in 2005 after a glorious career of 20 years with Indian Army during which he became part of several operation including Operation Pawan against LTTE in Sri Lanka where he single handedly killed over a 40 LTTE militants.

Father was a soldier too

Digendra was born in a Jat Family of Shivdan Singh Paraswal in the village of Jhalara, Sikar , Rajastan in 1969. His father Shivdan Singh also served in army and fought against Pakistan in 1947 Kashmir conflict. Digendra joined Indian Army in 1985 and after training straightaway inducted into Indian Peace Keeping Force to fight against LTTE.

Kargil Heroics

Amid names like Capatain Vikram Batra, and Naik Yogendra Singh Yadav, the names of many heroes who taught Pakistan a lesson in Kargil remained unsung and Digendra is also one of them.

ON June 13, Major Vivek Gupta, of the 2nd Battalion of the Rajputana Rifles and his company were given the task of recapturing Point 4590 on Tololing Hill in the Dras sector. The objective was to capture the enemy post, located at high altitude of 15,000 feet.

wikipedia

Under the command of Major Gupta, Digendra commanded the Light Machine Gun Group during his company's assault. Pakistanis had made 11 bunkers on the Tololing hilltop and Kumar was ordered to target the first and the last bunker.

While getting closer to the objective, the Assault Group came under enemy fire and took casualties. Many soldiers including the commander Major Vivek Gupta himself got martyred, but Kumar kept on firing with his light machine gun despite being hit by bullet in his left arm.

AFP

His assault on the bankers provided the remaining Indian soldiers opportunity to physically assault the enemy positions and clear the area after a hand-to-hand fight.

In total, Digendra killed 48 Pakistani soldiers and infiltrators including a Major whom he reportedly beheaded with his bayonet while taking 18 bullets on his armour of which five he took on his body. President of India later awarded him with Mahavir Chakra.
The final call on the asylum plea by prominent Balochistan campaigner and Baloch Republican Party (BRP) president Brahamdagh Bugti is likely to be taken by the government after a report by security agencies.

ANI

The request which he had formally submitted last week is currently being vetted by intelligence agencies.

"After examination of Bugti's application for political asylum, we have sent it to security agencies for an in-depth vetting. A security vetting is necessary for such applications before a final decision is taken," a home ministry official said.

ANI

This is because India does not have an official policy on asylum requests. Even though the country has, in the past, granted asylum to Tibetan refugees including the Dalai Lama, New Delhi is not a signatory of the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention on the Status of Refugees, or its 1967 Protocol that stipulates the rights and services the host states must provide refugees.

Even though there are thousands of refugees in India mostly from Pakistan Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, they haven't been officially granted asylum. Most of them are living in the country on long term visas.

Bugti, who is currently living in exile in Geneva, had approached Indian authorities after Switzerland reportedly turned down his plea.

BRP

There are also reports that Islamabad may approach the Interpol to extradite him to Pakistan where he faces terrorism charges. His political party - the BRP - has also been banned in the country.

Bugti is the grandson of Nawab Akbar Bugti, a Baloch nationalist leader, allegedly killed by the Pakistani army in 2006.
Last week, when the entire state police machinery was on high terror alert after suspicious movement was spotted in Uran in Navi Mumbai, a 30-year-old driver from Virar found himself branded a terrorist by some unidentified people on a WhatsApp group. He suspects that it is a handiwork of some goons who wish to oust him from his flat.

TOI

On Tuesday , Saeed Khan landed at Virar police station with his wife Nahid and four children with a placard that read, "My name is Saeed Sher Ali Khan. I am not terrorist."

Khan took this extreme step after being flooded with calls from family , friends and even unknown people wanting to know of his supposed terror links. "It has become difficult to step out of the house. My wife and children are scared due to the sudden attention we have been attracting," said Khan, a resident of Gopcharpada, Virar (East).

On September 22, a friend informed Khan that his photograph where he is seen with a friend, Khashid Khan, on a bike has gone viral on a WhatsApp group named Tarun Mitra Mandal. The photo has a caption that calls Khan a terrorist who is gathering details about various localities. The message asks people to be alert.

While the origin of the message has not been traced, Khan suspects a group of local goons who have been harassing him to vacate his flat he had moved into a year ago. Khan said:

"Some local goons want me to move out as I have refused to pay an increased maintenance of Rs 2,000 per month for the flat. They had threatened to make my life miserable."

Khan said even his family and friends have questioned him about his "terror" links, if any . "I am scared to step out of the house. What if people who have seen my photograph attack me," said Khan who has been unemployed ever since his tempo was burned down by unidentified miscreants around six months ago.

Khan has submitted details of the message to the police.He has named around seven suspects. He said the photograph may have been clicked recently when he had taken out his bike in the locality.

Khan, who was born and brought up in Virar, said:

"My seven-year-old son Oawasis and five-year-old daughter Aayesha have been asking me what the word 'terrorist' mean. Action should be taken against those who have made me feel miserable in front of my children," said Khan.

The police said they have taken down details, including clips of the message. Those on the group where the message was circulated will be questioned, said cops. No complaint has been registered.
As India looks to get more aggressive on Pakistan after the recent terror attack in Uri, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not going to Islamabad for the SAARC summit. The reason being the rise in cross border terrorism among other things, according to an official statement.

PTI

This means that the summit will have to be called off as the regional grouping operates through consensus. (Sushma Swaraj's Speech At UN)

The decision came just hours after Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit told foreign secretary S Jaishankar that his government believed that the killing of the Indian soldiers in Uri was "stage-managed" by India to divert attention and demanded an international probe into it.

18 soldiers had lost their lives on the attack carried out on September 18. (Sharif Calls Wani A Martyr)

PTI

When the decision was communicated to SAARC chair Nepal, India noted that some other nations are not attending in November this year, namely Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

After Modi's recent speech where he promised to isolate Pakistan, some quick decisions have been taken by the centre. It decided to examine fuller utilisation of Indus waters flowing into Pakistan and look for options to take Pakistan to the WTO dispute resolution body for not reciprocating Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status.

India's move to back out of SAARC is a challenge for Pakistan which was set to host the big event. This happened just after S Jaishankar summoned Pakistan envoy Abdul Basit and revealed to him that one slain terrorists in the Uri attack, and two others who helped terrorists cross the LoC, were from PoK.

Regional cooperation and terror don't go together. India pulls out of SAARC Summit in Islamabad pic.twitter.com/jabKoaBegJ  Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 27, 2016

Modi pulls out of SAARC Summit - will Delhi pressure others to stay away? I asked PM Sharif if India wants Saarc dead. He hoped otherwise.  aamir ghauri (@aamirghauri) September 28, 2016
Pakistan would treat it as "an act of war" if India revoked the Indus Water Treaty, regulating river flows between the two nations, Pakistan's top foreign official said.

BCCL

Tension has been mounting between the nuclear-armed neighbors since at least 18 Indian soldiers in the disputed Kashmir region were killed this month in an attack that New Delhi blames on Pakistan.

India had on Tuesday summoned Pakistan's High Commissioner in New Delhi to inform him about two men from Pakistan now in Indian custody who it alleges helped gunmen cross the disputed Kashmir border before the attack.

BCCL

One retaliatory move being considered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is for India to "maximize" the amount of water it uses including by accelerating building of new hydro-power plants, along three rivers that flow into Pakistan, a source with knowledge of a meeting attended by Modi on Monday told Reuters.

But using more of the river's' water is still likely to hurt Pakistan as it depends on snow-fed Himalayan rivers for everything from drinking water to agriculture.

Sartaj Aziz, foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, said Islamabad would seek arbitration with the Indus Water Commission which monitors the treaty if India increased the use of water from the Chenab, Jhelum and Indus rivers.

BCCL

However, if India revoked the treaty, Aziz said Pakistan would treat that as "an act of war or a hostile act against Pakistan."

"Highly irresponsible on part of India to even consider revocation"



The treaty was signed in 1960 in a bid to resolve disputes, but India's ambitious irrigation plans and construction of thousands of upstream dams has continued to annoy Pakistan.

India currently generates about 3,000 megawatts of energy from hydro-power plants along rivers in its portion of Kashmir, but believes the region has the potential to produce 18,000 megawatts and says it can use more water and still remain within the terms of the treaty.

BCCL

Aziz said India's provocative posturing constitutes a breach of the Indus Water Treaty and "threats of a water war are part of a military, economic and diplomatic campaign to build pressure on Pakistan", and deflect attention from civil unrest by the Muslim population in the Indian-ruled side of Kashmir.
Greek police have arrested four Pakistani minors who were in the country as refugees for the gangrape of a boy inside a refugee camp.

The four minors, aged 16 to 17, will appear before a prosecutor today, a police source told AFP news agency.

AFP/ Representative Image

The incident was reported on Sunday from a refugee camp in Moria on the island of Lesbos.

Police said victim was also a Pakistani minor and has been living in the camp which shelters over 60,000 refugees.

Even though the exact number of Pakistani refugees are unknown, it is estimated to be in thousands.

lesvos/ Representative Image

Most of them have entered Europe illegally pretending to be from the conflict zones in Afghanistan.

Earlier this year EU had began deporting Pakistani asylum seekers as they were identified as economic migrants and not people feeling conflict or facing threat to their lives.
Saudi Arabia is apparently shopping for sex slaves - and that too from ISIS terrorists, according to a report in the Sun Online.

In the cellphone of a jihadi recently killed in the fighting at Iraqi town Al-Shirqat, Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Units members found "horrifying images" of the sale

mirror UK

The units are among the forces fighting to free Iraqi towns which were overrun by ISIS in the last 2 years.

Interestingly, Saudi Arabia is also among countries united to fight ISIS. Reports of Saudi support for Islamic terror, however, have been rife in the last few years.

But then Saudi Arabia is infamous for human rights violation, including torture, punishments and brutal executions

agencies

A PMU spokesman told Sun Online: "Our investigation officer was appalled at the set of images involving what we believe to be an Iraqi Yazidi (an ethnic minority in the region) woman taken as sex slave. "Images were of the auction in Saudi Arabia of the woman and sexually explicit materials of the fighter and the woman in a hotel. The photos show that the fighter has been with the ISIS for "a long period of time."

ap

"We hope to liberate her and all Iraqi women taken as sexual slaves by ISIS within Iraq or outside of Iraq as their basic human rights are being denied...we cannot allow this, as the force dedicated to the defence of Iraqi citizens."

Recently, an 18 year old SIS sex slave escapee revealed how she was sold in an international auction. Among the buyers were not only Iraqis and Syrians, but also "westerners", and the most desirable girls were sold to clients from Gulf nations. She even overheard one of her 'owners' in a conversation reveal how organised the sex trade is: "A man cannot purchase more than three women, unless he is from Syria, Turkey or a Gulf nation."

His partner responded: "A Saudi buyer has transport and food costs that a member of the Islamic State does not. He has a higher quota to make his purchases profitable."

ISIS is quite plain and forward about selling girls, many under the age of 18, as sex slaves.



In 2015,ISIS' own religious experts issued an extremely detailed ruling on when "owners" of women enslaved by the extremist group can have sex with them, in an apparent bid to curb what they called violations in the treatment of captured females.

ISIS even has a department to handle their sex slaves. These women are usually taken captives from the territories they invade and take over.

In July, it was reported that they were openly advertising sex slaves on Facebook - "Virgin. Beautiful. 12 years old.... Her price has reached $12,500 and she will be sold soon" a post in Arabic reads.



Sex slaves were even advertised as prizes for memorising the Quran.

According to activists and organizations working in Iraq and Syria, there are around 3,000 women and girls held as sex slaves by ISIS. Women who refuse to enter the sex trade are killed.

Also read: Here's Why ISIS Militants Are Forcing Birth Control Pills On Sex Slaves, Some As Young As 16
Pakistans Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is grabbing a lot of attention from all over the world these days. In the middle of the Uri unrest, a petition that is hell bent on declaring the country as a terror state and the entire SAARC fiasco, one would imagine him sitting with his consulting team, pondering over the next course of action.

But hey, he is not your usual PM.

Nawaz Sharif was reportedly flustered when he was approached by a Pakistani woman while shopping at the upper market departmental store, Harrods in London.

Oh here is a photo of Nawaz Sharif at Harrods pic.twitter.com/pW3mgIOj1w  Shoaib Taimur (@shobz) September 26, 2016

Sharifs security guard reportedly snatched the womans mobile phone as she tried to click his photograph and she was also summoned by the Pakistan high commission in the British capital.

Shoaib Taimur, a London-based data scientist of Pakistani origin, on Monday, took it to twitter to share this incidence. Using multiple tweets and an image, he reported that an acquaintance spotted him shopping at Harrods.

He further added that Nawaz Sharif and his goons are scared of a woman. What sort of a Sher does that?, referring to the lion-symbol of the party.

While India is jolted with the Uri attacks, innocent people from Pakistan are also fighting the terror-state tag and many other things that are spiking Pakistans relationship with India and the world, its PM has time to shop.

Rumour has it that Harrods is his favourite store and hes often spotted there buying his favourite Gucci products.
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CIUDAD DE MEXICO, 28 de septiembre.- El lider del Movimiento Regeneracion Nacional (Morena), Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, omitio dos propiedades en su declaracion 3de3, segun un reporte del Wall Street Journal (WSJ).





Se trata de dos departamentos que a decir del medio- fueron adquiridos cuando era Jefe de Gobierno de la Ciudad de Mexico en 2002. Los registros, detalla el WSJ, muestran que son dos inmuebles de 76 metros cuadrados, ubicados en la delegacion Coyoacan con un valor aproximado de 2.1 millones de pesos, al tipo de cambio actual.





Como parte de su declaracion 3de3, Lopez Obrador aseguro que no contaba con ninguna propiedad inmobiliaria o automoviles y que sus ingresos anuales como lider de Morena son aproximadamente de 602 mil pesos.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, presidente de morena, saluda a sus partidarios en la Ciudad de Mexico, en junio. (Ginnette Riquelme / Reuters)

Hasta el momento, quien es considerado uno de los candidatos mas fuertes de la izquierda a la presidencia en las elecciones de 2018, no ha emitido alguna postura sobre el tema.





La nota de Juan Montes en el Wall Street Journal





MEXICO CITY Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a leading contender for Mexicos presidency in 2018 who casts himself as an honest figure fighting a corrupt political mafia, failed to disclose two apartments he owns in his declaration of assets released in August.





The leftist recently joined growing numbers of Mexican politicians in releasing a full accounting of their wealth, following public pressure from a series of conflict-of-interest scandals that have dogged the administration of President Enrique Pena Nieto.





Mr. Lopez Obrador made what amounted to a declaration of poverty. He said he didnt own a checking account or credit card, and made only $31,000 a year as head of his own political party, the Movement for National Regeneration, or Morena. He also claimed he didnt own any properties or cars.





But he failed to disclose ownership of two apartments in Mexico City purchased during his time as the capital citys mayor, according to public property documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. The records show Mr. Lopez Obrador bought the two adjacent 818-square-foot apartments in the southern borough of Coyoacan in 2002 for a total of around $109,000.





Mr. Lopez Obrador was mayor from 2000 to 2005. There is nothing illegal about his property purchase, but misrepresenting his net worth may hurt his credibility as an honest broker.





This is an offense to transparency and honesty. He had the obligation to declare the apartments in his statement, said Max Kaiser, an anticorruption expert at IMCO, a nonprofit that promotes government accountability. People expect him to be consistent with his rhetoric.





Mr. Lopez Obradors spokesman Cesar Yanez said the politician bought the two apartments but donated them to his two eldest sons. However, Mr. Lopez Obrador is still listed in the public registry as the owner.





Mr. Yanez said Mr. Lopez Obradors sons will soon be listed as owners. He said the paperwork has been delayed because Mr. Lopez Obradors first wife, the mother of his eldest sons, didnt have a will. She died in 2003.





Mr. Lopez Obrador has narrowly lost Mexicos presidency twice, and is widely seen as a leading contender in the next election in 2018.





The silver-haired 62-year-old draws the support of 24% of voters, narrowly trailing former first lady Margarita Zavala with 26%, according to a recent poll by newspaper Reforma. Other polls place Mr. Lopez Obrador first with as much as 28%.





His political capital has risen in the past two years as scandals have piled up around Mr. Pena Nietos administration, including conflict-of-interest allegations over a $4 million mansion bought by the first lady, Angelica Rivera, from a prominent Mexican government contractor. Ms. Rivera has denied wrongdoing and has since sold the house.





The scandals are a big reason Mr. Pena Nietos approval ratings are in the low 20s, the lowest for any president in two decades.





Mr. Lopez Obrador often rails against corruption. His pitch to Mexicans is simple: He is an honest figure in a country run by sneaky and corrupt politicians. Many Mexicans, particularly the young, see him as the nemesis of Mr. Pena Nieto and the countrys elites.





Mr. Lopez Obradors disclosure resulted from a civic initiative that seeks to improve accountability in government by urging officials and political leaders to disclose their assets, net worth, tax returns and private economic interests.





Initially, Mr. Lopez Obrador disregarded the initiative, calling it a joke that wouldnt be useful against corrupt politicians. But as leaders of the main political parties released their own declarations, pressure mounted on Mr. Lopez Obrador to do the same.





After submitting his declaration last month, Mr. Lopez Obrador talked about his frugal life. I dont really have material belongings. What I had I handed over to my sons, Mr. Lopez Obrador said in a video posted in his YouTube account. What I value most in my life is honesty.





His disclosure seemed aimed at highlighting the difference between him and other politicians in a country where many high-ranking public servants end their terms flaunting luxury homes and cars. Andres Granier, a former state governor from Mr. Lopez Obradors home state of Tabasco, had 19 properties in Mexico and abroad, according to local media citing public records, and has boasted of owning 400 pairs of shoes. Mr. Granier is in jail awaiting trial after he was charged in 2013 with money laundering and embezzlement of public funds. Mr. Granier has denied wrongdoing.





After leaving the moderate-left Party of the Democratic Revolution in 2012, Mr. Lopez Obrador formed his own political party, Morena, in 2014. The party obtained 18% of votes cast in state elections this year and has become the main political force in Mexico City. (El Financiero / The Wall Street Journal)
The Nigerian Police Force has arrested two suspects in connection with abduction of four landlords of Oshorun Heritage Estate, in Isheri North area of Lagos about a week ago.

The arrests were made by the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team ,IRT, on Tuesday in Ondo State

It would be recalled that the kidnappers demand N300m ransom each for the release of the victims.

According to reports, no ransom was paid for the victims before they regained their freedom.
A 60-year-old Pastor, Raji Michael Ayoola, has been arraigned at the Federal High Court in Lagos for attempting to export banned narcotics.

The National Drugs Laws Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) disclosed this on Wednesday.



Ayoola conspired with others to unlawfully export 91 kilograms of Methamphetamine, a psychotropic substance, and 83 kilograms of Ephedrine, a controlled substance.

Ayoola was arrested by the agencys operatives last February while attempting to export the substances to South Africa.

Prosecution counsel, Mr. Abu Ibrahim, said the drugs were similar to cocaine and heroin in effect.

The alleged offence is punishable under sections 14(b) and 11(b) of the NDLEA Law of 2004.

Ayoola, a father of six, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

During trial on Wednesday, a forensic expert, Mr. A. Anadianei said he tested the powdery substances and confirmed they were banned narcotics.

Justice Jude Dagat adjourned till November 18 and 24 for continuation of trial.

The NDLEA last week arrested two at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport for being in possession of 700 grams of cocaine,

Source: Dailypost
Yesterday, we reported the news that star actor Kalu Ikeagwu was arrested by the police following a robbery and homicide case.

Kalu has released a statement via his Instagram page stating what exactly happened.

He wrote:

The media has been awash with the copy and paste story of my purported arrest by the police. Thanks media; you rock!

Just to clear the air, I have this to say. I was literally abducted at gunpoint by earring wearing men purported to be policemen (they were five) in an unmarked Hiace bus with civilian number plates and fake identity cards. They first claimed to be working on an abduction Abuja case which changed to a robbery case, all while in transit. Even on getting to the police station I was not allowed to go in to the premises but was held outside . I repeatedly asked to go into the station where Id feel safer to ask whatever questions that were burning in my mind regarding my traumatic experience. It did not happen. Instead they told me a phone used for a kidnap was being sought for,later the story changed to robbery then back to kidnap.

As I write this piece I have not written any police statement in any police station which strikes me as very odd. Im still wondering why I was molested and kidnapped just because a purported phone no was supposedly tracked to phone. Why would they have to harass me when they already had details of the buyer and seller of the phone? In a legitimate situation,the seller of the stolen phone should be the key witness in this investigation, but in this case the police are till now very reluctant to meet the seller.

I know there are mysteries I need to unravel in this case and I will try to get answers to them. Its so pathetic that one can get bad publicity from Nigerian media just because theyre so much in a hurry to copy that they forget the importance of confirmation from all the parties involved. Publishing a story based solely on a neighbours account isnt true journalism, thats pure gossip and slander.

We need real facts from the media and we need protection from the police and not molestation.

#enoughsaid #policebrutality #thuggeryinaction #nigerianmedia

#gossipistoxic #nigerianpothere
The Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), Akwa Ibom State command has appealed to the state commissioner of Police, Mr. Murtala Mani to use his position to facilitate immediate release of two Pick-up trucks donated by the immediate past Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase to the group.

The group commandant, Commander Michael Dickson, on Tuesday made the call in Uyo during the closing ceremony of a five day basic and intelligence training for officers and men of the group.

Dickson said: the former Inspector general of police, Solomon Arase had on April 13, 2016 during his official visit to the state promised the vigilante two hilux pick up vehicles, and the vehicles were promptly delivered to the state command of the Nigeria Police Force, which the Commissioner promised to release the vehicles for the Vigilante used after their training course.

I wish to extend my profound appreciation to the Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Muhamadu Buhari for waking up the sleeping giants in the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, VGN by sending an executive bill establishing the group to the National Assembly for deliberation and passage.

The training was organised by the Nigeria Police Force in collaboration with Osjones international services, a security consortium in the country.
The management of the University of Ibadan on Wednesday said it had no intention to make life unbearable for the university community through the recent screening exercise introduced at the institutions gates.

The universitys Director of Communication, Mr Olatunji Oladejo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan that the measure was in response to the threat by an unknown group to launch bomb attacks on its campus.

NAN reports that security personnel were stationed at the entrance of the university and were searching students and visitors entering the institution.

Oladejo, who said the university was not taking the threat for granted, added that this informed the security beef up in and around the university.

He said that the campus security service had been complementing the efforts of other security agencies in ensuring security on the campus.

What we are trying to do is to avert any unpleasant situation in the university, he said.

Some of the students, who spoke with NAN, said although they were apprehensive about the situation, there was nothing they could do but resort to divine intervention.
Who ever tried to count me out CANT count  PRE ORDER #SOM September 30th .. Thanks to my fans and family that have been patient! I WILL NEVER TAKE A BREAK LIKE THAT AGAIN!! OBO!!

A photo posted by Davido Adeleke (@davidoofficial) on Sep 28, 2016 at 4:49am PDT
Fulani herdsmen have been advised by the Emir of Lafia, Alhaji Isah Mustapha-Agwai, to avoid grazing on farmlands, to avert clashes between them and farmers.

The emir made the call on Wednesday while receiving a delegation of Fulani community in Nasarawa State at his palace in Lafia, the state capital.

According to Mustapha-Agwai, the call became imperative to ensure peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers as well as to boost food production in the state and the country at large.

As a traditional ruler, my role is to preach peace, unity and to advise my subjects and other Nigerians to live in peace and tolerate one another, irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliation.

No nation or society can develop in an atmosphere of rancour and confusion; the security challenges facing some parts of the country had affected our lives and socio-economic development of the country negatively.

It is in view of this, I want to appeal to you and other herdsmen not to graze on farmlands so as to avert clashes between you and farmers in the interest of peace and national development.

Without peaceful co-existence between the farmers and the herdsmen, agricultural production and the socio-economic development of the country will be affected negatively, hence the need for both of them to embrace one another, he said.

Earlier, leader of the Fulani community, Ardo Lawal Dano, said the visit was to inform the monarch of the communitys activities, especially in the area of promotion of peace across the state.

Dano assured the Emir that Fulani leaders would do everything humanly possible to ensure the sustenance of peace among them and with their neighbours.
As accreditation of voters got underway in Edo State, reports emerged that sensitive voting materials were missing in Ward 6 of Okpella community, Etsako local government area.

The INEC officer in charge of the ward is said to be in dilemma as eager voters have demanded an explanation on how the voting materials disappeared.

Details of the confusion is still been investigated.
All outstanding pension liabilities of the Federal Government inherited by the present administration will be addressed in spite of the scarce resources available, President Muhammadu Buhari assured yesterday.

Giving the assurance while declaring open the two-day World Pension Summit holding at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, the president said the National Pension Commission (PenCom) has been asked to step up its enforcement drive to ensure full compliance by the public and private sector institutions in line with the enabling law.

President Buhari stated that the summit with theme: Pension Innovations: The African Perspective, was a welcome development as it brought together pension professionals around the world to discuss and exchange ideas on strategies on the much needed private sector funding.

He noted that the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) has eliminated corruption and stabilised the pension system.

The president further stated that it is globally acknowledged that pension matters occupy a strategic space not only as a vital component of social security, but also as a vehicle for nation building
Former president Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday has described the Federal Governments plan to sell some of its national assets as a wrong move.

This is just as he said that if there is any organization that can help Nigeria quickly get out of recession, it is the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The former president said he believes organizations like the NNPC should be reformed and not sold.

He stated this in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital when he received the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, who paid him a courtesy call.

Obasanjo had in a goodwill message at the opening session of a two-day National Council of Finance and Economic Development (NACOFED) in Abeokuta on Tuesday, said he did not see why 48 per cent of the NNPC cannot be privatized.

But he told his guest on Wednesday that, It is our dream to see NNPC grow as an NOC (National Oil Company) just like its peers in other countries. I have said it at the NACOFED confab in Abeokuta yesterday that I dont understand this talk of selling our national assets.

What I do understand is reforms. I believe organizations like the NNPC should be reformed. Selling of national assets is wrong. But reform is what I think it should be so that we can run the business the way it should be run.

If theres any organ that can help us quickly get out of recession, it is NNPC. If you work hard, you can get around the situation, NNPC quoted the former president as saying via its official Twitter page.

In his response, Dr. Baru commended the positive influence of Chief Obasanjo especially in his discussions with President Muhammadu Buhari on issues.

He said the NNPC is working hard to flood the market with kerosene so that prices will come down especially in the South East.

Well continue to work hard towards realizing your lofty dreams of seeing NNPC grow into a transformed national oil company without any interference, Baru said.
A former Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) gubernatorial aspirant in Ekiti State, Yinka Akerele, has defected to the All Progressives Congress, (APC).

Akerele who was a chieftain in the PDP officially joined the APC at a rally held yesterday in Ayede Ward 09 in Ayede-Ekiti community in Oye Local Government of the state.

He was joined by the ex-Oye Local Government chairman, Mr. Gbenga Akerele, to change party and defect to the APC.

The duo, with their supporters, were received by the APC chairman in the state, Chief Jide Awe.

According to Akerele, he took the decision to defect, because the PDP has derailed from the vision and ideals of its founding fathers to use power to make life easier for the people.

He accused the state governor, Ayo Fayose, of turning deaf ears to the cries of the suffering masses and claimed that the ongoing construction of a flyover in Ado Ekiti was a misplaced project and it is not what Ekiti people need at this time.

Akerele, who served as a chairman of Ekiti State Road Maintenance Agency, promised to cooperate with other APC leaders in the state and members to chase PDP from power in Ekiti to bring relief to the people of the state who are now poorer than when Fayose came to power.

APC is a more democratic party that runs a masses-oriented manifesto promising to work harder to mobilize more members into his new party.

In his remark, Awe, represented by his deputy, Mrs. Kemisola Olaleye, said the new members would henceforth enjoy the same benefits like old members.

He described Akerele as a strong grassroots politician, adding that The APC is getting stronger everyday with the magnitude of people joining from other parties.

The door is still open to accommodate new members, the APC chairman added.
N 100 million has been reportedly released by the Gombe State government for the payment of gratuity to workers who retired from service in 2012.



According to the Head of Civil Service, Gombe state, Dr Daniel Musa, N 75 million would be used for payment of gratuities to 48 retirees while the remaining N 25 million would be used in settling pension arrears.

Musa who disclosed this on Wednesday said that Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo has promised to release N 100 million monthly for the payment of accumulated gratuity to retirees in the state.

The move has been commended by state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Malam Haruna Kamara. He said the Governor put smiles on the faces of the retirees.

SEE ALSO: NOUN Establishes Study Centre For Gombe Prison Inmates
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday carpeted the immediate past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, saying his advice on the prevailing economic crisis, was ignored two years ago.

The former president also accused Jonathan of lifting the ban on importation of products like toothpick, which he said could have been taken over by local industries without encumbrances.

Obasanjo, who spoke at the official opening of the National Council on Finance and Economic Development (NACOFED) in Abeokuta, Ogun State yesterday, said the only way Nigeria could urgently step out of the current economic recession is for it to seek foreign loan.

The former president, who was the Father of the Day at the opening session, said he had warned former President Jonathan on the impending recession in November 26, 2014 when he joined others to celebrate the birthday of pioneer Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC, retired Justice Mustapha Akanbi.

I reminded the government that we were spending more than we were earning; that very soon, the country would not be able to fund the budget Unfortunately, the government then refused to listen to my advice, he told the gathering.

Obasanjo went further to state that when he discovered the ban on the importation of toothpick was reversed by the Jonathan administration, he visited the then president in Abuja to ask why he lifted the ban on toothpick and Jonathan said he did not read before he approved.

Speaking further on the way out for Nigeria, Obasanjo said there were three options, explaining, The three options are we have to spend less, we must endeavor to earn and then the last one is to borrow, and this if we must, we do it fast and now.

He, however, cautioned against doing the bidding of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Mental tests for armed policemen will be carried out by the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos State.

The Assistant Inspector-General, Zone 2, Abdulmajid Ali, said that the test was to maintain standards in the handling of arms, and police activities in Lagos and Ogun, the states the zone covers.

Ali, who received the police medical team from Abuja, said the purpose of the visit was to perfect arrangements for the mental test exercise.

He emphasized that the test would assist in promoting principles of people-oriented policing as directed by the Inspector-General, Ibrahim Idris.

Units such as the Police Mobile Force and the Special Anti-Robbery Squads are to attend a workshop which will mark the beginning of the medical exercise, he added.

The medical team, which comprised of experts and trained psychiatrists from the police medical department and Melville Healthcare Centre, Abuja, was led by the AIG Medical, Stella Akintade.
Former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, has described as wishful thinking, the belief that Ndigbo would forget Biafra or jettison the struggle for self-determination.

Ikedife, who is the deputy chairman of the Supreme Council of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to discard the thought that Igbo would be in a hurry to forget Biafra.

The president had while addressing youth corps members serving in Daura local government area of Katsina State when they visited him at his residence in the town about two weeks ago, told those among them from the South-east and Niger Delta region, to impress it on their kith and kin to forget about Biafra.

Also, at the just concluded 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Buhari said he would not allow referendum on Biafra.

Speaking to newsmen yesterday in Nnewi, Anambra state, Ikedife vowed that nothing would make Ndigbo forget the 30-month civil war experience and what they suffered in the hands of the Nigerian government.

How can we forget Biafra when the life of every Igbo man was reduced to worth only 20 pounds, and some of us refused to collect our own till date?

How can we forget Biafra when the reconciliation, rehabilitation and reintegration were declared after the war and the first step was to go to Lagos and rebuild the Third Mainland Bridge?

How can we forget Biafra when up till this day, the second Niger Bridge has not been constructed?

How can we forget Biafra when for 30 months our territory was landlocked and we watched our children die of starvation? Tell us how we can forget Biafra? Tell President Buhari that we will never forget Biafra. Never! he said.

The IPOB chief insisted that Biafra would never be forgotten even if all the people that experienced the war died, stressing that the story would continue to be told from generation to generation.

He also described last Saturdays sit-at-home declared by IPOB as a huge success.

According to Ikedife, people obeyed the order, not for fear of being molested, but to express their genuine quest and demand for self-determination.
The Federal Government yesterday lamented Nigerias over dependence on imports for its daily needs, including food items.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said it was ridiculous that the country spends over $18m annually on importation of tooth picks.

Asked how he arrived at the figure, the minister said it was from a recent Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) report.

Mr. Ogbeh stressed that it was pathetic that Nigeria was spending its hard-earned resources on non-essential items.

He also reeled out some mind-boggling statistics on the nations food imports situation.

Ogbeh said: We depended on Thailand, India and Vietnam to feed us with rice, we depend on other countries to feed us with tomato paste; we depend on others even for tooth picks at the cost of 18 million dollars per annum. We depend on Brazil for sugar; and we also depend even now on other countries for pepper and so on. We import 5million eggs per a day from South Africa. We bring sliced potatoes from South Africa. We spend $600 hundred million in importing fish a year. Theres no reason why we cant grow our fish here.

We bring in milk and milk products to the tune of $1 billion dollars per annum because our cows dont yield enough milk. One litre per a day and the meat you eat is as good as plastic because the cows walk too much. To walk from Maidugiri to Lagos is a bit of excessive exercise and when we spoke of special grasses to feed the cows, we got all the abuse in the world on the internet because those who dont know about the subjects got involved.

While he said the Buhari government was making conscious efforts to reverse the trend, the minister regretted that the country lacked enough machinery for food processing.

We dont have enough rice mills even now that rice paddy is increasing in large volumes. We are behind schedule in our capacity to mill our rice. We dont have enough mills to produce enough cassava starch for the upcoming textile industry, he lamented.
Bolaji Femi Jayeola, an asylum seeker from Nigeria is set to receive 2,500 in damages after a judge concluded he had been unlawfully detained by immigration officials for two days.

Mr Jayeola had taken High Court action against Home Office ministers after claiming that he had been wrongly held in immigration detention in late 2015.

Deputy High Court Judge Jonathan Swift was told that Mr Jayeola had been released on October 8 2015  after evidence that he might have been tortured in Nigeria emerged.

But the judge has concluded that Mr Jayeola should have been released on October 6 2015.

The judge said he appreciated that his conclusion might seem to be an exercise in nit picking.

He said ministers had agreed to pay Mr Jayeola 2,500.

Judge Swift had examined evidence at a High Court hearing in London in July  and handed down a written ruling on Tuesday.

Judge Swift said: My conclusion is thatthe claimant should have been released from immigration detention on October 6, 2015, and that his detention for two further days was, for that reason, unlawful.

I appreciate this conclusion may appear to be an exercise in nitpicking since the claimant was in fact released on October 8.

The Home Office have also agreed to pay Mr Jayeolas legal bills which have yet to be calculated.
The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun, has expressed satisfaction with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)s conduct of the Edo State governorship election.

Oyegun, who voted at Ward 2, Unit 2 in Oredo local government area at 11: 45 a.m., said: I am impressed with the conduct of the election so far.

The atmosphere has been peaceful and the weather has been very friendly to us all. The voters have been wonderful in their conduct.

Oyegun also commended the large turnout of voters, saying: the turnout is wonderful and I am pleasantly surprised

This is the best turnout so far in years. This is the best so far because I have always voted here.

I hope, and its presumed that something good is about to happen in the state.

It is a sign that the people are beginning to express their democratic rights and that democracy has become totally widespread in the state.

Its peaceful so far because I have been watching events on TV.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oyegun described the security arrangement as lovely and wonderful.

As the National Chairman of my party, it was something that was of grave concern to us all.

All the security agencies have given us iron clad assurance that there will not be a major incident, he said.

On the allegation of money inducement in some centres, he responded: I have not seen any where I have just voted.
A petrol tanker has crushed five persons to death after losing control and crashing into a pavement, along Obong Itam Road in the Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

Our correspondent learnt that the tanker was coming from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation depot in Calabar, Cross River State, on Monday, when the accident occurred.

Policemen reportedly flagged down the truck on noticing that the vehicle had only one headlamp, which was not bright enough.

It was gathered that the driver, who tried to evade police arrest, sped off, lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a pavement, trapping a tricycle.

A resident of Obong Itam, Cyril Ekpenyong, said the crash occurred around 8.30pm on Monday.

He said although the truck driver refused to stop, the policemen did not chase the truck.

He added that four persons  the driver, the conductor, and two passengers in the tricycle  were burnt beyond recognition.

He said, The accident happened around 8.30pm. We saw the truck as the police flagged it down, because it drove with one headlamp, which was not even bright. The driver did not stop.

The police did not chase him. He sped off, thinking the policemen were after him. After some seconds, we heard a bang. The tanker crashed into a pavement, killing the six persons.

Everyone scampered to safety as there was an inferno. When we returned, we observed people rolling in the gutter, being burnt by the fire.

The Public Relations Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Godsgift Uwen, confirmed the accident.

He said the accident happened along Kilometre 8 on the Uyo-Calabar Highway.

He said, The truck crashed into a pavement. It then fell on a tricycle and killed five persons.

An injured victim was rushed to a hospital. The cause of the accident was dangerous driving. The truck crashed into a pavement and hit a tricycle. Five persons, who were all males, had been killed.

Source: Punch
The Kano State Police Command on Wednesday allegedly shot and injured one of the workers of Viva Poly Bag Company, Gunduwawa, Gezawa Local Government Area, State.

Eye witness told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano that the incident happened around 8:00 a.m., when staff of the company staged a peaceful protest.

It was gathered that the protesters were demanding for the establishment of a union, which the management of the company was not in support of.

However, trouble started when one of the policemen deployed to the area to maintain law and order allegedly opened fire on the protesters.

One of the protesters was said to have been injured which prompted the aggrieved workers to beat the policeman.

It was also learnt that both the injured worker and the policeman were rushed to the hospital for treatment.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Magaji Majiya, confirmed the incident.

He said for the past three days the police were trying to maintain law and order at the company following disagreement between the workers and management of the company over the issue.

He, however, denied reports that the police shot one of the protesters during the fracas.

The police used only blank ammunition or robber bullet and tear gas to disperse the protesting workers, who turned violent, he said.

He said the situation had been under control, while security was beefed up in the area.

Majiya said one of the policemen was also injured during the incident but had since been treated and discharged, while the injured worker was receiving treatment at the hospital.

Source: NAN
The Senate on Tuesday said there were signs that the 2019 general elections would be inconclusive without enough Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to oversee it.

This followed a motion by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and supported by the Senate Leader Ali Ndume.

Ekweremadu expressed concerns that the rate of inconclusive elections in many states showed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was endangering the nations democracy.

He alleged that at least 20 states had no REC, adding that the development was contrary to the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

The developments after a few electoral exercises carried out so far by our electoral umpire have left much to be desired.

We are worried about the fate of the 2019 general elections in the face of the present state of inconclusive elections and postponements.

We are worried that the trend of inconclusive elections and whimsical postponement of elections are wrong signals and symptoms that cannot just be dismissed with the wave of hands, he said.

Ndume, on his part, said the lawmakers would be failing if they saw something wrong and failed to point it out.

It is better to take wrong decisions than not to take any decision at all, he said.

The Deputy Senate Leader Bala NaAllah said it was unfair that certain sections of Nigeria were not being represented in the National Assembly, saying it is contrary to the constitution.

Also contributing, Sen. Eyinnaya Abaribe declared that elections conducted so far by INEC were illegitimate as more than one-third of the INEC commissioners were yet to be appointed.

Adopting the prayers of the motion, the Senate called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately nominate suitably qualified persons to fill the vacant positions in INEC.

The Senate also called for the enhancement of the capacity of the electoral commission to conduct conclusive elections.

It further called on INEC to immediately conclude all pending elections.

It also mandated the Senate committee on INEC to hold a public hearing to review the performance of the commission in the last one year.

The public hearing, according to the red chamber, is to ascertain factors responsible for the challenges in the electoral system as witnessed.

INEC was further directed to conclude the delineation of additional constituencies across the country.

The decision of the Senate is expected to be forwarded to the president for compliance.

In his ruling, Senate President Bukola Saraki urged INEC to conclude elections in the affected constituencies and ensure the vacant positions were filled.
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has promised to rebuild churches and other structures destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents in Lassa as he visited liberated communities in the southern senatorial zone of the state

We will rebuild churches, private and public buildings destroyed by the insurgents, the governor promised when he assessed the level of damage in Lassa, Askira-Uba Local Government Area on Wednesday.

He expressed shock at the magnitude of destruction, saying that the government would commence the rehabilitation in a short while.

We are going to rebuild churches and others structures destroyed in Lassa and other communities around.

We are saddened by the large scale destruction in Lassa which is a predominantly Christian community, Mr. Shettima said.

We are doing this because we have a duty as a government to ensure fairness, equity and justice in all our endeavors.

We believe that the Christian community has rights to be served like its Muslims counterpart, since we have rebuilt Mosques destroyed in other places, we must rebuild churches too, he added.

Mr. Shettima said the churches would be rebuilt before Christmas ahead of this years Yuletide.

I want to assure that the churches will be rebuilt before December, so that the people can celebrate the Christmas in a more conducive atmosphere.

We will also make sure that all private houses destroyed are rebuilt without delay, he said, adding that his action had no political under tone.

We are not doing this for political reasons because we are not facing any election now. Our actions are based on the desire to serve people and to ensure equity among them.

He visited the Emir of Uba, Ali Mamza, and the Emir of Askira, Abdullahi Askirama, where he pledged to rebuild the Askira-Uba Local Government Area secretariat and other structures damaged by the insurgents.

Mr. Shettima was also in Gwoza, headquarters of Gwoza Local Government Area where he promised to rebuild the palace of the Emir of Gwoza, Muhammad Timta.

The Emir of Gwoza wants to return home but for his palace, which is badly damaged. We will rebuild the palace in the next one month so he can come back, he said when he addressed elders of Gwoza in front of the damaged palace.

Mr. Shettima also visited Pulka, where he addressed hundreds of residents who had returned home, and promised to tackle the problem of water shortages facing the people.

I want to pledge here that we are going to take immediate action to tackle the problem of water shortage facing the people. We shall put in place the necessarily mechanism to address the problem immediately I return back to Maiduguri.

He lauded the military for liberating the area from Boko Haram insurgents, and promised enhanced welfare for the people.

We have to commend the gallantry of the military in ensuring that peace return to our communities.

We must continue to support them to ensure that the peace is maintained, people should give them 100 percent cooperation and report strange happenings to them, he said.

Mr. Shettima distributed food items worth millions of Naira to the people before proceeding to the next community. (NAN)
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III, Tuesday accused Nigerian politicians of using money to manipulate religious leaders for their selfish interests.

The Sultan, who spoke at a religious summit organized by the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) in Abuja yesterday, said it was imperative to change the trend for the betterment of Nigerians.

He said both Nigerian Muslims and Christians must come together to pray for the country in view of the ongoing economic and other challenges facing the country.

We have seen crisis that some churches were given billions. We have seen scenarios where Islamic clergy were invited for a programme and given transport money by politicians. We must use our religious book to settle our differences. God almighty cannot be wrong in choosing a leader at any time. We have just started the process of fostering unity among different religions, Sultan Abubakar said.

Also speaking at the event, the Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Diocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan advised the Federal Government not to sell national assets solely for the purpose to feed Nigerians.

There must be a good reason to sell national assets. But my answer is neither yes nor no. The reason for selling national assets should not be done so as to give food to hungry people, Onaiyekan said.
The Kano State Police Command on Tuesday arrested three housewives linked with the alleged attempted murder of a girl, who was dumped in an old well in Gayawa village, in the Ungogo Local Government Area of the state.

The Kano State Police Commands spokesman, DSP Magaji Majiya, confirmed the arrest of the suspects.

He added that investigation into the case was in progress.

It was learnt that the girl, who was allegedly dumped into the well by her stepmother, spent two days in the well before she was rescued.

Majia said the suspects, who were alleged to have been involved in the incident, were apprehended in the village following a complaint by the victims father.

We have arrested three women in connection with the case and they are now in our custody, assisting with investigation, he said.

The police spokesperson stated that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Rabiu Yusuf, had directed the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department.

He added that the commissioner ordered a thorough investigation into the matter to ascertain their individual involvement in the case.

As soon as investigation was completed, Majiya said the suspects would be charged to court for prosecution.

It was learnt that the girl was rescued alive by men of the state fire service.

Source: Punch
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, yesterday reiterated his unflinching loyalty to President Muhammadu Buhari and the party.

The national leader of the governing APC restated his loyalty to the president in the wake of his call on the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, to resign.

In a statement by his media office, yesterday, he declared that he remains a staunch APC stalwart and supporter of the APC government under the leadership of President Buhari.

Tinubu is preoccupied with assisting to find solutions to the present challenges now confronting us as a nation, the statement read.

While reacting to stories, especially on the social media, following his letter to APC chairman, Tinubu described the stories as false, and urged unsuspecting Nigerians to ignore the lies, describing them as the handiwork of some fifth columnists who seek to drive a wedge between these leaders.
Information technology is there to help solve problems -- but only if people give it a chance. Many do. "Albert" didn't.

I met him on a Monday -- my first day at a new job. I was guided into the open plan office of my department, and all members of my new team stood up from their desks, walked over, introduced themselves, and shook hands with me ... except for Albert.

Albert remained seated, his gaze glued to his monitors and his hands firmly on keyboard and mouse -- clicking and typing away like a Morse code operator. Only when my new boss mentioned his name did Albert briefly look at me from the corner of his eyes and raise a hand to give me a quick, rather dismissive wave. With a raspy voice that matched his pale, sorrow-stricken face, he told me to ignore him because he wasn't really there.

My new boss explained, a bit embarrassed, that it was Albert's last day at work. It was even one day past that -- Albert had resigned from his job, which he had held since the early days of the company in order to move to another country to be closer to his girlfriend.

As part of the controlling department, it was Albert's duty to compile a weekly report on the ongoing performance of the company's products. That report was due to be sent to the executive management every Monday at noon on the dot. Even though Albert legally wasn't obligated to, he had come in voluntarily to compile and finish the report one last time and to hand over the process to a colleague, "Bob."

My new desk stood head-to-head with Albert's. Whenever I sat straight up in my office chair, I could get a look above and across both of our monitors and glance at whoever was sitting at Albert's desk. For the next few hours, it was Albert himself typing away, frantically busy. Then after the report was turned in, for a few minutes it was Albert explaining how to create the report to Bob, with Bob exclaiming in astonishment at how simple it seemed.

Then Albert got up. His face looked a tad rosier and more relaxed, and his posture straighter as if a labor of Sisyphus had finally been taken off his back. He smiled, said a brief farewell, and vanished.

Remove one piece and it all crashes down

Albert's chair remained vacant for the remainder of the week. On the following Monday morning, with mere hours to go until the weekly deadline, Bob sat into it. He started the computer, clicked about to bring up the files he needed to create the report, and froze. Unlike with Albert, there were no sounds of frantic clicking and typing, only silence.

I gazed at Bob a couple of times, noting as the creases on his brow grew deeper while his free hand held a firm clasp over his mouth. Eventually, Bob got up and started to talk to our boss. Next, they were seated around Albert's former desk, obviously discussing an issue with Bob's first time compiling that weekly report.

Meanwhile the clock was ticking ever closer to the deadline. Soon, more colleagues joined them, likewise taking a seat. The problem seemed serious, so I offered to help in any way I could.

Before someone could explain to me what was going on, our boss and Bob agreed that it would be best to call Albert and ask for a proper explanation. The boss left to make the SOS call, and the other colleagues returned to their work. Bob turned to me with worry and disbelief in his voice and explained what was causing him to panic.

The report was due in a certain format. Both source and target files were spreadsheets, and the source file was a raw data dump from an ERP system that kept track of nearly everything. For each product of the company, it listed all the available KPIs (key performance indicators) for each day of the past week. A selection of the KPIs had to be copied manually to the target spreadsheet. Next, totals formula for the entire week had to be added manually for each KPI. This was to be done per product, per product group, and overall.

When Albert had explained this task to Bob, it had sounded easy. But now it seemed insurmountable because the company served several hundred products. There were tens of thousands of KPIs and hundreds of thousands of rows of raw data. Compiling the report the way Albert had explained was simply impossible until the deadline -- it would likely take several days.

Our boss returned after managing to reach Albert at the phone number he'd left in case we had questions. He had confirmed that yes, that was the way to compile this report: Sieve through, copy, paste, and sort all this data manually over the course of several days.

The boss had asked Albert more questions and found out that initially, when the company had only a few products, the task had taken him only a couple of minutes. But as the company's product line grew over time to several hundred, so had the time it had taken Albert each week -- until it had taken him the better part of an entire workweek to compile the report. Albert had confessed this task was the actual reason why he had left the job, the company, and the country.

Why hadn't he spoken up earlier? He had worked doggedly each week, never considering to speak up or change the process as the weekly workload got out of hand bit by bit.

Programs to the rescue

Bob had been showing me the report and outlining the problem, and when the boss returned with the news about the manual aspect to the task, I asked if I could try a possible solution. We had two hours to go until the weekly deadline.

In 15 minutes, I wrote and tested a short program that automated the task, explained it to Bob, and got it running. The program finished compiling the report within 10 minutes, down from the 30 hours it had taken Albert.

It might be part of startup culture to let employees figure out how to do their tasks without bothering to increase overall efficiency, but it's a bad idea to keep it up once the work balloons and steals time from other tasks. Further, with information technology being ubiquitous and able to both help or hinder task execution, it's a good idea to equip all staff members with at least a little knowledge on how to use IT to ease their workload.

Epilogue: Bob taught himself programming, and the ERP was extended by a web interface that let executive managers inquire directly and see the KPIs live. Soon thereafter, a suggestion scheme was instituted to let employees identify changing company needs and help steer IT and progress to keep up with them.
The Windows Insider program has been hugely successful where it counts the most: making Windows fans feel more connected to the product. As a marketing exercise it deserves an A+. But dissension is spreading in the ranks.

Most of the problems are inherent in the construction of the Insider program, and some of it's the normal grousing of beta testers. There are a few places, though, where Microsoft could make significant improvements.

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The Windows Insider program is open to everyone, and guru wannabes have flocked to sign up. At the end of 2014, the program boasted 1.5 million enlistees. Heaven only knows how many are signed up now -- Microsoft isn't saying.

People think of the Windows Insider program as a beta testing program for Windows. Not so -- Microsoft has a long history of beta testing programs, both overt and covert, but the Insider program isn't one of them. The Insider program is more of an extended marketing effort, like the "open" beta that appeared at the end of the Windows 7 dev cycle. As I explained in 2009:

Microsoft doesn't do open betas -- never has, at least since the days of Word 2.0. All of the open betas nowadays are what we used to call "marketing betas." Microsoft doesn't release betas to the public in order to ask for comments/suggestions about features. Microsoft releases marketing betas so people have a chance to get an early look, convince their companies to wait for a newer and better product -- and in some cases garner bragging rights.

Don't get me wrong. Compared to the Kremlin-like approach of the Windows 8 era, Windows 10 has been a typhoon of fresh air. But there are flaws in the structure of the Insider program, and much could be done to improve it -- even if the program is a marketing effort instead of a technical one. Here are the problems I hear about most often.

1. The wrong people are in the program

Insiders complain rather frequently that they're tired of rubbing elbows with less-than-qualified beta testers. I understand their point of view, but ultimately it's like old geezers yelling at the kids to get off the lawn. Their indignation doesn't worry me.

What worries me are the people in the Insider program who don't understand what they've gotten into. When people write in with Win10 problems, I've learned to first ask which version they're running. In many cases, they're in the Insider Fast ring. They've followed advice on the web, seen a discussion somewhere, or simply poked around, and (in spite of copious warnings) signed up -- to disastrous effect. They're floundering with a beta build and don't know what to do.

Right now, reverting from a beta version of Win10 to a release version involves reinstalling Windows from scratch. Microsoft needs to create a prominent "bail out" option for beta builds. There should be an easy way to roll back to a prebeta version of Windows 10 without reinstalling everything. If Microsoft needs to keep a prebeta copy of system files and settings in the cloud, so be it.

2. The program is so complex even the experts don't get it

This morning I saw notifications all over the web that Microsoft had released a cumulative update for Windows 10 -- when in fact, it had done no such thing. Here's a typical announcement, from a respected industry pundit in a widely read blog:

Cumulative update KB3194496 is now live for those on the Insider Release Preview ring (and likely Slow as well) The changelog applies to both Windows 10 build 14393.222 for PC and Windows 10 Mobile build 14393.221 released earlier this week.

Another blog:

Microsoft today released a new cumulative update for Windows 10 Insiders on the Release Preview and Slow rings. Build 14393.222 comes one day after the company offered Mobile build 14393.221 to Insiders.

In fact, Microsoft pushed a test version of Build 14393.222 for PCs and 14393.221 for mobile to the Insider Release Preview ring. As best I can tell, there was nothing pushed to any Slow rings. The fact that there's such widespread confusion speaks to the poorly thought-out nature of the "ring" system.

3. Mixing desktop and mobile Insider programs creates endless confusion

Very few people care about Windows 10 Mobile -- and even fewer care about Windows 10 Mobile betas. Yet Microsoft insists on intermingling version numbers and announcing PC and Mobile beta builds without drawing a distinction between desktop and mobile.

For example, right now the latest builds for the latest version of Win10 are 14393.187 for desktop, 14393.189 for mobile. The latest Release Preview builds are 14393.222 for PC and 14393.221 for Mobile. Maybe someday we'll get versions of Windows 10 that work in lockstep on both PC and mobile (and Xbox and HoloLens and refrigerators), but that day isn't here yet. In the interim, interleaving build numbers only leads to confusion.

I believe that the ongoing "Release Preview and Slow ring" misidentification owes much to exactly this problem.

4. Release Preview ring builds aren't beta builds and need a different name

No doubt it was easier for Microsoft to roll the Release Preview function into the Windows Insider beta build machine, but that commingling has led to endless confusion.

On the one hand you have beta builds -- test copies of the next version of Windows. Right now, those builds are numbered 14931, and they'll keep getting larger.

On the other hand, you have Release Preview builds -- precursors to the next cumulative update for the current version of Windows. Right now, those builds are numbered 14393.221 and 14393.222.

The Windows Insider program caters to both those who are beta testing the next version of Windows and those who are testing the next cumulative updates to the current version of Windows. You bet it's confusing -- and the discrepancy contributes to the "Release Preview and Slow ring" misidentification.

Microsoft has used the phrase "Release Preview" for all sorts of items over the years. It needs to give the "precursor to the next cumulative update" builds a different name.

5. We need Release Preview ring builds for all current versions of Win10

Right now, those who wish to test the next cumulative update for the current version of Windows have only one option: The Release Preview ring of the Insider program. When you join the Release Preview ring, you get advance copies of the next cumulative update to the latest released version of Windows.

Right now, that means you get an advance copy of the next cumulative update to Windows 10 version 1607. But most of the Win10 world is running on version 1511, and there's no way to sign up for previews of the next cumulative update for version 1511.

We saw this scenario play out earlier this month: While admins and devs (and anyone else who's interested) could download a preview of the next cumulative update to version 1607, getting a sneak peek at version 1511 wasn't so easy:

Microsoft has an important "sneak peek" channel for those of you who want to test new builds of Win10 Anniversary Update before they go out to the hoi polloi. It's particularly important for admins and devs who need to make sure that their wares work with the next release. If you need to look into the future just a little bit, make sure you sign up for the Win10 Insider Release Preview ring. Unfortunately, there's no Release Preview available for the Win10 Fall Update, version 1511, which is the Win10 version most people are using. The closest we have right now is a weird preview in the Windows Update Catalog called KB 3186988. Apparently whoever thought up the Insider Preview approach -- it's a great idea! -- didn't think there'd ever be a time when two different Win10 versions would need a sneak peek

Microsoft needs to make the Release Preview ring (or whatever it ends up being called) available for all current versions of Win10.

6. The Windows Insider program doesn't catch even the most widespread problems

Perhaps it's expecting too much from a marketing beta, but I can't fathom how all of the big bugs in the Win10 Anniversary Update evaded detection when it was in the hands of millions of users for weeks before its release.

We saw major, pandemic problems with the following:

The failure of the Windows Insider community -- including me -- to catch any of those big bugs lays bare the fallacy of volunteer testing. The downward spiral started in 2014 when Microsoft fired much of its testing crew and pushed the testing burden back onto its devs. Now Insiders are carrying the ball, and we're fumbling it badly.

As Gregg Keizer said in Computerworld early last year:

Windows customers have been griping for months about the quality of Microsoft's updates, many of which have been problem-filled and some of which have had to be pulled because of those problems. Some analysts and users have connected the dots, arguing that after Microsoft's massive layoffs in mid-2014, when the company's software testing groups were especially hard hit, the quality of its updates declined. "Microsoft fired all those testers last year," pointed out Wes Miller, an analyst with Directions on Microsoft, in a Friday interview. "Now consumers are the testers."

We consumers have obviously failed. What does that say about the Windows Insider program?

Those participating in the Windows Insider program might see the color of an icon change in response to their upvoting and kvetching. But real changes? Those are very few and far between.

If we couldn't even catch the Kindle bug or the camera driver bug, what good are we?
Lean Hogs Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - Sun Oct 30, 5:03PM CDT The downtrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading below resistance level 89.075, which will be followed by reaching support level 80.675 and if it keeps on moving down below that level,...

Feeder Cattle Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - Sun Oct 30, 5:02PM CDT The uptrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading above support level 178.550, which will be followed by reaching resistance level 188.250.

Live Cattle Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - Sun Oct 30, 5:01PM CDT The uptrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading above support level 151.775, which will be followed by reaching resistance level 156.475.

Soybean Oil Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - Sun Oct 30, 5:00PM CDT The downtrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading below resistance level 73.75, which will be followed by reaching support level 68.16 and if it keeps on moving down below that level,...

Soybean Meal Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - Sun Oct 30, 4:59PM CDT The uptrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading above support level 419.1, which will be followed by reaching resistance level 439.

Soybean Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - Sun Oct 30, 4:58PM CDT The uptrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading above support level 1380.4, which will be followed by reaching resistance level 1423.2 and if it keeps on moving up above that level, we...

Corn Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - Sun Oct 30, 4:57PM CDT The downtrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading below resistance level 689.6, which will be followed by reaching support level 661.4.

Wheat Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - Sun Oct 30, 4:55PM CDT An uptrend will start as soon, as the market rises above resistance level 872.4, which will be followed by moving up to resistance level 906.2 and 947.

Natural gas Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - Sun Oct 30, 4:54PM CDT An uptrend will start as soon, as the market rises above resistance level 5.820, which will be followed by moving up to resistance level 6.626 and if it keeps on moving up above that level, we may expect...
The Sloan Foundation has a unique program studying the ecosystems microbes form in built environments. Now it's funding fellowships with NASA to take a closer look at what microorganisms are up to on the space station.

More than 200 astronauts have been to the International Space Station over the past 18 years, and theyve brought millions of microscopic space explorers along with them. NASA exhaustively studies the biological effects of space on astronauts, but what about all those little microbes?

Thats the question at the heart of a fellowship recently announced by the Sloan Foundation in partnership with NASA, to determine how microbes colonize, adapt, and evolve in space. The program is accepting proposals and anticipates up to four fellows, each receiving $140,000 over two years.

For NASA, the goal of the program is functionalas the administration explores long-term space flight, as in a journey to Mars, they need to anticipate any unforeseen challenges. While they work hard to clean up astronauts on their way to ISS, a 2015 study found that the space station is crawling with microorganisms. Its a closed system, but humans are constantly surrounded by tiny microbes in our hair, skin, and inside our guts. NASA wants to better understand what those little guys do inside a bottle with humans over extended periods of time in conditions like zero gravity and prolonged radiation.

Study of our own microbiomes, and what microbes do in our built environments over time has been picking up speed and yielding some fascinating results, in particular as genetic sequencing technology has become more accessible. But its still a nascent field, which is why Sloan has made it a funding priority in an effort to boost the work into maturity.

Related:Sloan's Deep (and Kind of Gross) Probe Into the Microbes Crawling All Around You

This is a common play for private science funders, because they have the ability to concentrate funds in a small area of study and have an outsized effect in helping it gain a foothold, demonstrating its value and track record to make it a draw for future research and bigger funding. Sloan has been a big backer of a leading lab at the University of Oregon and funds work to build a better network and repository of data on the subject.

By teaming up with NASA, winners of the new fellowship will gain rare access to an orbiting, enclosed petri dish like no other. They dont actually get to go up into space, obviously, but NASA has been collecting samples from surfaces and water systems in ISS for more than a decade, and storing the microbes in an archive at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. So that sounds like a horror movie setup if Ive ever heard one.

The collaboration between Sloan and NASA is part of a longstanding tool the administration has in its tool belt to recruit non-government sources to back up their research. Theyre called NASA Space Act Agreements, there are close to 2,000 of them on the books, including partnerships with everyone from Amazon to Virgin Galactic. Full proposals for the Sloan/NASA fellowships are due at the end of November

Related:
Premier Storage Investors LLC, a self-storage real estate investment and development company, has acquired a parcel in Germantown, Tenn., for $4.4 million on which it plans to develop a self-storage facility. The 1.42-acre property at 1138 Second Ave. N. includes an existing 13,000-square-foot office and a 10,000-square-foot warehouse. It was formerly home to WASCO Inc., a masonry business. The seller, Clay Sifford, purchased it in 2013 for about $1.19 million, the source reported.

The site is adjacent to existing large-scale buildings, many of which are mixed-use, as well as others that are under construction or in the planning stages, the source reported. Its two blocks west of the Cumberland River.

This is a key parcel given it provides a buffer between the industrial property on Germantowns eastern fringe and the mixed-use projects the area is seeing to the west and northwest, said Bart Johnston, a broker with Colliers International of Nashville, who represented the seller in the transaction.

In June, Premier Storage acquired more than 6.5 acres of land in Nashville, Tenn., on which it intends to build self-storage. The properties were purchased in two transactions for a total of $2.3 million.

Launched in January 2014, Premier has offices in Los Angeles and Memphis, Tenn. The company specializes in self-storage acquisitions and development within the top 40 U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas.
As a result of plunging oil prices and challenging equity markets, many of the worlds biggest sovereign funds face redemptions as their governments try to plug budgetary holes.

While Saudi Arabia has led the world in oil production, the kingdom has trailed its Gulf neighbors in terms of harnessing that wealth to curb its dependence on hydrocarbons. Decades ago Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates plowed their fortunes into sovereign wealth funds  diversified investment vehicles that offer a line of defense against plunging crude oil prices. In a high-stakes game of catch-up, Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced in March a plan to transform an obscure state holding company into the worlds biggest sovereign wealth fund.

With $83.68 billion at the end of 2014, Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund, which recently flexed its muscles with a $3.5 billion investment in Uber Technologies, has a long way to go before it takes the crown. The fund ranks No. 15 by assets in our 2016 ranking of the worlds largest sovereign wealth funds, as calculated by Institutional Investors Sovereign Wealth Center.

Its been a challenging year for both oil producers and global investors. The combined assets of the top 25 funds fell to $5.16 trillion from $5.21 trillion in our previous ranking. To put that in perspective, the combined loss of sovereign wealth is nearly equal to No. 21 on our list: the $54.89 billion Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. Nearly two thirds of these assets originally came from oil and gas revenues, and oil exporters the world over have started to lean on their rainy-day funds to plug growing budgetary holes. As sovereign funds have braced for withdrawals, asset managers are bracing for redemptions. You hear a lot of rumors in the industry, says Judith Posnikoff, a managing director at hedge fund of funds firm Pacific Alternative Asset Management. Every so often you see somebodys AUM drop, even a billion in a month, and people guess thats a sovereign fund pulling its allocation.

Last year Norway announced it would withdraw $570 million from the $855.3 billion Government Pension Fund Global, the worlds largest sovereign fund, in 2016, and the head of the central bank, which manages the fund, has said withdrawals could top $9 billion this year. Kazakhstans central bank plans to drain $28.8 billion from that countrys $65.75 billion National Fund to finance the governments deficit over the next three years. In February Fitch Ratings forecast that the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the worlds fourth-largest fund, would divert more than $20 billion this year to the emirates budget.

Even those funds unthreatened by outflows had a tough time growing their assets in todays marketplace. Singapores $180 billion Temasek Holdings dropped 7.15 percent, its first loss in seven years. Likewise, the international portfolio of the China Investment Corp. now stands at $250 billion, down $7.6 billion since last year.

Forced selling by oil-based funds became a common hypothesis to explain the volatility that roiled world markets last winter. But these notoriously press-shy investors may have been scapegoats, warns Elliot Hentov, London-based head of policy and research for State Street Global Advisors official institutions group. They didnt wait until the last minute and yell sell over the phone to their brokers, says Hentov. Thats not how it works, which is what was implied with the accusation that they caused the volatility.

Despite whipsawing stock markets and pressure at home, overall confidence remains surprisingly high in the sovereign community, according to a June survey by Invesco. Post the financial crisis, a lot of the funds did a great deal of work on governance, risk management and so forth, says Alexander Millar, the London-based asset management firms head of EMEA sovereigns and Middle East and Africa institutional sales. This year tough times arrived, but they were more or less ready for it.

Follow Jess Delaney on Twitter at @jdelaney_NYC.

Get more on sovereign wealth funds.
Weak growth and divisive politics post threats to global trading system, but the former WTO head insists the true picture is brighter.

Ever since the end of World War II, trade has been synonymous with growth  until now. A sluggish global economy, stagnation of middle-class incomes, notably in the U.S., and the offshoring of manufacturing jobs to China and other developing countries have eroded support for free trade in many Western countries. The Doha Round of global trade talks is moribund, and the regional deals President Barack Obama sees as his legacy  the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union  are hanging by a thread. Both Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, now oppose the TPP. Meanwhile, growth in global trade volume has slowed since the financial crisis, to 3 percent a year from 5 percent.

Leave it to a French Socialist, Pascal Lamy, to give a full-throated defense of free trade. As chief of staff to Jacques Delors, then president of the European Commission, Lamy played a role in brokering the 1993 Uruguay Round agreement that gave birth to the World Trade Organization. He later headed the WTO from 2005 to 2013. Lamy, who insists the outlook for global trade is better than it seems in many Western countries, spoke by telephone from Paris with Contributing Writer Craig Mellow.

Institutional Investor: Your involvement with trade policy goes back to the 1990s, which seems like a golden age now. What happened to shift attitudes against trade?

Lamy: Lets distinguish between reality and perception. What reality tells us is that trade is more open today than yesterday. Even measuring by volume, which is obsolete, trade keeps moving forward.

We have always known that trade works because it is painful, and it is painful because it works. We do not trade because we believe in trade. We trade to become more efficient. What is true is that the distribution of winners and losers  in the U.S., for instance  has probably changed over time. That is because developing countries are increasing their place on the value-added ladder, and because the U.S. is a place where social systems are weak.

What do you mean, trade is becoming more open? Whats driving that process?

Two factors: the cost of distance and regulatory concerns. Technology is crushing the cost of distance  whether for goods, people or information  and opening up areas that have so far been nontradable, like medical services or even hairdressers in the future.

Then there are regulatory issues. The average worldwide trade-weighted tariff today is 4 percent to 5 percent, and keeps decreasing. It was 40 percent after the Second World War. The challenge for the future is not protection but precaution. My estimate is that meeting safety, quality, traceability and environmental standards comes to 20 percent of the cost of production for an average exporter.

So is todays political ferment irrelevant?

No, but you find it more in the U.S. than other places. You dont find it in Africa or China. The real reasons for stagnant incomes may be the costs of health care and, of course, technology. But trade becomes a scapegoat.

Will the U.S. walk away from the TPP agreement?

I do not believe the U.S. is going to walk out of TPP. It may not come back the day after the election, but many trade deals have a long shelf life.

How do you evaluate Brexit?

Brexit has nothing to do with trade. Many Brexiters campaigned in favor of more open trade than the U.K. has now. We have to make a distinction between nationalism, isolationism and protectionism. In France, the National Front is protectionist. In Germany and Austria, the public has turned against TTIP, but this has nothing to do with protectionism. Its precaution.

But couldnt trade become collateral damage?

If and when Brexit happens, and thats not a 100 percent certainty, trade between the U.K. and the continent will be less than it was. And most impacted will be the part of trade that is growing fastest, which is services.

Data show the growth of global trade has slowed since the financial crisis. Is that the real picture?

Its a reality if you measure trade the medieval way, which is by volume. But that makes no sense in a world of global supply chains. When I was at the WTO, I launched a big campaign to measure trade the way you measure economics in any other area, which is value added.

The growth slowdown in volumes tells you that the integration of global supply chains has slowed down, partly because of the crisis and also because Chinas production is shifting toward the domestic market from exports. Relatively slow EU growth also plays a role, because intra-EU trade is counted as international. But growth will reaccelerate at some stage. The moment Indian doctors can fix your problem somewhere in Ohio, trade in services will increase in a big way. With 3-D printing, trade in services will replace trade in goods.

How do trade technocrats address the cost of nontariff barriers?

Thats exactly what TTIP is about, and why its a totally different animal from TPP. TPP was the last of the classical trade agreements addressing protectionism. TTIP should be the first trade agreement addressed to precaution.

What is the outlook for TTIP in Europe?

As should have been expected from the beginning, officials were totally wrong on both sides to say this could be done in a few years. Its a very complex, very touchy, very sensitive way of reaching some sort of regulatory convergence that produces economies of scale for producers of cars, food, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and so on. Its a very long-haul process.

Do European politicians see the U.S. as a partner or a rival in trade governance?

The signals from U.S. politicians create a situation where maybe the U.S. will be less of a leader in trade than it has been for the past 50 years. In that case, others will have to do the job, starting with Europe, and emerging countries as well.

What do you consider the most important achievement during your years at the WTO?

That during the 2008 crisis, protectionism did not win. We reacted together with the G-20 to set up monitoring of new trade barriers, which put a lot of pressure on members of the WTO.

The Doha Round is not dead. It was not completed because the U.S. and China were not able to agree on a few things. This will look very strange to future historians, that the U.S. and China could not agree on a few percentage points in tariffs on chemicals, but that is diplomatic life.

Get more on macro.
Six years after Abdulaziz Ibn Saud united most of the Arabian Peninsula and founded the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the country struck oil, in 1938. It proved to be a mixed blessing. Abundant and easily accessible crude reserves helped the nation develop rapidly and enabled the House of Saud to buy the loyalty of its subjects with generous welfare programs and cushy government jobs, but it also left the economy dependent on a single commodity.

The plunge in the price of oil over the past two years has exposed that vulnerability like nothing before. The economy has slowed to near-recession levels, with growth expected to be just over 1 percent this year, while the government deficit surged to a record 367 billion riyals ($98 billion) last year, or some 15 percent of gross domestic product. With a resurgent Iran flexing its muscles and the Islamic State threatening instability across the Middle East and North Africa, the Saudis can ill afford an economic crisis.

Now the government is making its boldest attempt ever to wean the kingdom off hydrocarbons. In April, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveiled an ambitious plan, called Vision 2030, to slash government spending and attract foreign and domestic investment to transform the petrostate into a diversified, private-sector-driven economy. The centerpiece of the initiative is a proposal to privatize a 5 percent stake in Saudi Arabian Oil Co., known as Saudi Aramco, which Prince Mohammed hopes will fetch some $100 billion.

Riyadhs track record of reform is spotty at best, raising doubts about whether Prince Mohammed can fulfill his vision. After years of dithering about opening up its capital markets, the government allowed foreign investors to buy stocks directly on the Tadawul last year, only to get a tepid response at best from investors because of restrictions on fund managers and concerns about the economy.

A separate initiative to build four massive new economic cities, modeled on the rise of Dubai, has been slow to get off the ground because of budget cuts and lack of investor interest.

Yet Elliot Hentov, London-based head of policy and research for State Street Global Advisors official institutions group, thinks this time is different. The technocratic skill is starting to show, so the quality of the policy debate is better, says Hentov. You can question some issues of Vision 2030, but this is a significantly more sophisticated policy approach.

Arguably the best grounds for optimism are the dire straits in which the Saudis find themselves. The population has quadrupled in the past 40 years, to an estimated 31.5 million people, more than half of whom are under 25. That demographic could be an engine for growth or a social powder keg. Vision 2030 aims to create 6 million new jobs, mainly in the private sector, to absorb the emerging workforce. Saudis have traditionally coveted public-sector jobs  a status symbol and determinant of marriage potential  but those are hard to sustain with low oil revenues.

The other reason people are putting stock in Vision 2030 is that the plan enjoys unequivocal royal backing. Prince Mohammed has risen swiftly since his father, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, took the crown in January 2015. Nicknamed Mr. Everything, the 31-year-old boasts more power than Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, his uncle and second in line to the throne, overseeing both the ministries of defense and economy. The brash royal hasnt been afraid to flex his muscle. Last year he ordered the Saudi army to intervene in support of the government of neighboring Yemen in its civil war with Houthi rebels.

To keep its economy afloat, the government has already siphoned more than $100 billion from reserves at the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency to support the budget, borrowed 156.6 billion riyals domestically and begun preparations for a first-ever international bond issue, a deal of more than $10 billion that could take place as early as October. The authorities have also cut subsidies and drafted plans to levy the countrys first value-added tax in 2018. But those are stopgap measures designed to reduce the deficit, not a growth strategy.

Prince Mohammeds plan aims to increase the governments non-oil revenues sixfold by 2030, to 1 trillion riyals. (Oil and gas now generate 80 percent of the states revenues.) It also aims to boost the private sectors share of GDP to 65 percent from 40 percent and increase foreign direct investment to 5.7 percent of GDP from 3.8 percent. Women are to make up 30 percent of the labor force, up from 22 percent today.

One of the plans more ambitious goals is to boost tourism and attract five times as many visitors by opening the countrys borders to more than Muslims making the pilgrimage to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

The plan also aims to generate new revenue by transforming an obscure state holding company, the Public Investment Fund, into a global investing powerhouse. PIF has focused largely on making domestic business loans since its creation in 1971, but the government intends to transfer to the fund its ownership of Saudi Aramco, which it contends is the worlds most valuable company.

Prince Mohammeds plan to raise $100 billion in 2017 by floating up to 5 percent of Saudi Aramco would value the company at some $2 trillion. Many investors cast doubt on that valuation. Aramco has 18 times the oil reserves of ExxonMobil, the worlds most valuable oil company with a market capitalization of $362 billion, and pumped more than four times as much crude last year, at 10.2 million barrels a day, but its not clear that the company can generate the kind of returns that would earn it a lofty rating from investors. It does not publish any financial figures in its annual report. We get a lot of questions on what we think Aramco is worth, says Hedi Ben Mlouka, a Dubai-based emerging and frontier markets manager at Duet Group, a $5.1 billion London investment firm. Nobody knows precisely; not even they do yet. Its a very complex structure with a lot of businesses. Its not just one company that is pumping oil and exporting it.

Prince Mohammeds plan suggests the Saudis are seeking to model PIF on Temasek, the sovereign fund Singapore has used to clean up its state-owned enterprises and channel profits into strategic industry sectors, says Edwin Truman, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington. An IPO of Saudi Aramco will require a level of transparency from the company and the government that has never been seen in Saudi politics, though, he cautions. There will have to be a change in mindset in the people overseeing the entity, says Truman. Theyll have to be more accepting of a more formal and transparent structure, and that requires a cultural shift.

PIF has been restructuring, largely out of the public eye, under the leadership of Yasir Al Rumayyan, a former CEO of local investment bank Saudi Fransi Capital whom Prince Mohammed appointed as its managing director. In August, Al Rumayyan joined the board of Saudi Aramco.

To help diversify the economy, PIF will try to generate investment income from other sectors. In June the fund grabbed headlines by making a $3.5 billion investment in Uber Technologies. Although the San Franciscobased companys ride-service app is popular in Saudi Arabia  especially among women, who are banned from driving  bankers see the purchase as a statement of intent to attract deal flow.

Meanwhile, some investors arent waiting on Vision 2030 to increase their exposure to the kingdom. They are being encouraged by the government, which next month will open the market wider by letting institutions with as little as $1 billion in assets buy stocks directly on the Tadawul, down from $5 billion currently.

There are ways of making a lot of money in Saudi, but its not enough to just go long the Saudi market, says Ben Mlouka. Duet has been investing in the country for seven years and currently allocates about 15 percent of its portfolio there. Ben Mlouka had been a fan of Saudi retail companies, but he cut his exposure to the sector because of the governments austerity measures. The Tadawul all-share index has fallen 12.9 percent this year.

Others remain optimistic on consumer plays. In May, Dubai-based private equity shop Fajr Capital bought Cravia Group, a Dubai outfit that operates fast food franchises such as Cinnabon, Seattles Best Coffee and Five Guys in the Middle East and North Africa, and is looking to expand its presence in Saudi Arabia. Our newly opened Five Guys store in Khobar broke the record for the highest opening-day sales in the burger chains global network  beating stores in London, Paris and New York, says Iqbal Khan, Fajrs CEO. Theres consumption taking place despite talk of the downturn.

Private education is likely to be a winner from the reforms. As the majority of residents in the Gulf are expatriates, the region has a strong legacy of private education. Now the Saudis, who have often sent their children abroad for higher learning, are increasingly looking at schools in their own backyard because of tighter budgets.

The health care industry is also poised for growth. Recently the government made health insurance coverage mandatory for expatriates, and it is mulling a proposal to do the same for Saudis. The pool of people with insurance is going to increase dramatically, and typically private health care providers benefit from that, says Duets Ben Mlouka. Of the five Saudi companies in his portfolio, two are in the health care sector and two are health insurers.

Finally, new opportunities should arise for real estate investors. About 45 percent of Saudi families own homes today, and the government wants to raise that to 52 percent by 2020. To address the housing shortage, regulators are creating the framework to allow real estate investment trusts to trade on the exchange, giving foreigners an easy way to access the Saudi housing market.

Its a long way to 2030, but Fajrs Khan is bullish about the potential the reform program offers to investors: I think this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to benefit from the structural reforms that are taking place by making some successful and meaningful investments in Saudi Arabia.

Follow Jess Delaney on Twitter at @jdelaney_NYC.
Increasing concerns over the stability of Germanys biggest bank, Deutsche Bank, hang over the European financial sector today after the German Ministry of Finance officially denied plans to bail out the troubled lender. Despite the denial of state aid, the banks shares rebounded modestly by more than 3 percent in early trading at one point, suggesting that at least some investors are becoming more confident that U.S. regulators will back down from demand for more than $14 billion to settle charges related to mortgage-backed securities sold prior to the credit crisis. Deutsche Bank CEO John Cryan has launched a public-relations campaign to reassure investors, with an interview in Germanys largest-circulation newspaper this morning in which he insisted that no bailout would be required. The prospect of a failure of the bank is sobering to the euro zone. With Volkswagen already deeply troubled due to ongoing investigations around the world into its emissions scandal, a threat to the financial sector in Europes largest economy could weigh on demand across the region.

Saudi Arabia Signals willingness to work on deal. In Algiers, at an unofficial meeting of leaders of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia, media comments suggest that the group is working towards a deal ahead of the official November OPEC meeting. Saudi Energy minister Khalid Al-Falih signaled a willingness to apply oil-production caps that would still allow economically fragile OPEC members such as Iran, Algeria and Libya to pump at current levels and generate desperately needed revenues. Brent-grade futures contracts for front-month delivery regained only a small portion of Tuesdays pullback in early trading today.

Merger of brewing giants clears hurdle. Almost one year after Anheuser-Busch InBev announced its intention to acquire SABMiller, SABMiller shareholders officially approved the transaction, which is valued at more than $100 billion. In a statement released today, SABMiller said that more than 95 percent of its shareholders had voted for the merger. Anheuser-Busch shareholders are expected to approve the merger later today. The deal, which will create a company that controls roughly one third of global beer sales, is expected to close by October 10.

RBS settles U.S. suit. In a statement issued yesterday, the U.S. National Credit Union Administration announced an agreement to settle with Royal Bank of Scotland Group over the sale of mortgage-backed securities in the leadup to the credit crisis. The settlement roughly amounts to $1.1 billion. As part of the agreement, RBS does not admit fault and officials at the bank stated that the cost of the settlement will be covered by provisions already set aside. The bank still faces challenges over MBS practices from the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency and the Justice Department.

Steinhoff raises funds for further expansion. Steinhoff International Holdings announced today that South African billionaire Christoffel Wiese will be investing $1.8 billion into a secondary equity round as the company seeks to fund overseas expansion. Over the past year, the company has acquired large retailers in the U.K. and U.S., bringing the total number of stores operated by the furniture seller to 6,500. Wiese, South Africas wealthiest man as well as Steinhoffs chairman and largest shareholder, has spent most of his career developing retail chains.

Wal-Mart to invest in Indian online retailer. Bloomberg today reported that Wal-Mart Stores is close to announcing an investment in Indian e-commerce firm Flipkart Online Services as part of a joint effort to prevent Amazon.com from achieving online retail dominance in India. According to the report based on unnamed sources, the total size of the investment may be as much as $1 billion. Flipkart is currently the largest online retail outlet in India but has faced stiffening competition from Amazon.
Marine insurance specialist Nautilus Marine Insurance has welcomed Adam Brownie Brown to its local team, to support the companys client base, specifically on the direct consumer pleasure craft business, it has been reported.Brown has worked in the marine insurance industry for the past four years, and is well-known in the local marine industry, having sailed and raced for 30 years in Australia and overseas, Marine Business reported.He competed in 26 Sydney to Hobart races, where he had been on board three winning yachts including last years overall winner Balance. He also participated in the infamous 1998 race on board Sword of Orion. Lyndon Turner , Nautilus Marine CEO, said: Adam brings to our business across Australia and New Zealand his philosophy of assisting boat owners with insurance needs, all make and manner.At our core, we are client first, with leading policy coverage, competitive rates, and the best claims service when something goes wrong.Adam will work well with our wider team, our business partners and clients to assist our growth. He looks forward to talking with you on this.Brown said he was excited to be part of Nautilus Marine: This move to Nautilus Marine provides me with enormous opportunity across the pleasure boat range. [I am] looking forward to supporting the industry, and at the same time maintain my interest in sail and motor yachts.
The leader of One Underwriting has said that broker relationships are key for securing the best rates for clients.Alison Smith, director of One Underwriting, said that while technology will have a place in the insurance industry as an enabler for brokers, relationships are still key to accessing the best rates.It is about relationships, Smith told Insurance Business.The brokers who can get the risk information from the client that is going to enable us to underwrite it really well will get the sharpest rate that we can possibly give.A broker that doesnt necessarily have a good relationship with a client, cant get all the information that we might need and we may have to be a bit flatter on the rate because we just cant rate it up as well as we possibly could.There are definitely brokers attacking a lot of business but where brokers have got some good long-standing relationships, whether it be they have managed a claim really well, or theyve supported the local sporting association it means that clients are less likely or more reluctant to move.Smith, who has been at the helm of One Underwriting since its launch in the Australian market in January said that the business has been able to grow during its first year of operation. The business, formerly known as Freeman McMurrick, has seen 35% premium growth year-on-year and will look to continue its growth with an upcoming product launch.For brokers, Smith highlighted a key area of the industry which has seen growth throughout the year as a way to boost business.The plant and construction space is growing consistently, Smith said.That is off the back of the economy coming up a bit in WA but there are a lot of infrastructure projects in the Eastern states where a lot of people are requiring plant or doing projects that we have been able to provide cover for.The brokers themselves, we have been trying to work with them to have a look at their pipeline to see in their new business areas where we would be able to support them to be able to go after new business.I think that is more of a quality conversation to have with a broker rather than just what business have you got that we can take off somebody else.
Federal authorities are suing a Pennsylvania hospital, alleging religious discrimination in the firing of six employees who refused to get flu shots.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Erie, Penn., by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against Saint Vincent Hospital, which was founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania.

Beginning in October 2013, the hospital required employees to get flu shots unless they were granted an exemption on medical or religious grounds, in which case they were required to wear a face mask. The suit alleges that six employees who refused to get flu shots due to their religious beliefs were fired, while the hospital granted medical exemptions to 14 others in late 2013 and early 2014.

Attorney Debra Lawrence said the plaintiffs were part of the Russian Orthodox, Independent Fundamental Baptist, Christian mysticism, Methodist or nondenominational Christian faiths. In such cases, the legal standard isnt whether officials agree with the religious beliefs or whether those beliefs are the recognized position or official doctrine of any particular religious organization or group, she said.

Absent proof establishing an undue hardship, federal law requires an employer to provide reasonable accommodations for sincerely held employee religious beliefs, even if some may consider those beliefs idiosyncratic, she said in a statement.

The Erie Times-News reported that Saint Vincent required certification by a clergy member for such exemptions, and that the fired employees were told they did not provide proof of religious doctrine.

Saint Vincent officials said in a statement that requests for exemptions are always given careful and appropriate consideration.

We respectfully disagree with the EEOCs position and characterization of how the employee claims outlined in its lawsuit were handled by the hospital, the statement said.

Information from: Erie Times-News

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Pennsylvania
A Gregory County jury on Sept. 26 found a former South Dakota police chief guilty of first degree murder in the death of his pregnant fiancee in 2009.

Prosecutors accused Russell Bertram, 64, of killing 26-year-old Leonila Stickney in 2009 to collect more than $900,000 insurance money. They also said jealousy was a factor because Bertram had undergone a vasectomy and knew the child couldnt be his.

Bertram, who had served as police chief in Harrisburg, South Dakota, was not charged until late last year. The victims estranged husband, David Stickney, received a letter after her death from a life insurance company that was processing a claim from Bertram. He then contacted the South Dakota attorney generals office criminal division, setting in motion an investigation that led to a murder charge last fall.

Bertram said that he was putting his shotgun into his truck after a hunting trip in Gregory County when the weapon fired accidentally, striking Stickney in the abdomen.

Bertrams defense team argued the case had nothing to do with jealousy and that the insurance policy was Stickneys idea to provide for her family in the Philippines if anything happened to her.

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley and Gregory county States Attorney Amy Bartling praised the verdict.

Bertrams callous disregard for Leonila and his failure to show any sorrow or remorse are evident and unfortunate, they said in a statement after the verdict was announced.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Law Enforcement
Takata Corp. and some of the worlds biggest carmakers face an extensive  and expensive  to-do list as they try to resolve the worst safety crisis in the auto industrys history.

Executives for the Tokyo-based maker of air bags are scheduled to meet in Japan with Honda Motor Co. and officials from some of more than a dozen other customers this week, according to people with knowledge of the situation. The talks are prompted by five bids made for the beleaguered Takata after months of concern about its solvency.

The central issue for Takatas customers  which include General Motors Co. and Volkswagen AG  is how those takeover bids divvy up responsibility for paying billions of dollars in recall costs and potential legal liabilities stemming from faulty air bags. Takata is at the heart of the largest auto-safety recall in U.S. history after some of its air bags ruptured and killed at least 15 people, prompting repairs that could exceed 100 million devices worldwide.

Automakers have been reluctant to help pay Takatas legal bills, yet they may now be willing to share that burden rather than have potential buyers drop their bids or put all or part of the company into bankruptcy, according to people familiar with the deliberations. A bankruptcy could shift the financial fallout onto the automakers and disrupt their supply of parts for recalled and new vehicles, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are confidential.

Carmakers are in a tricky situation at this point, said Koji Endo, a Tokyo-based auto analyst at SBI Securities Co. Its unthinkable to ask Takata to pay all the costs. If the automakers are not making satisfactory concessions, some of the bidders may eventually pull out of the process.

Takata has lost nearly three-quarters of its market capitalization during the past year, dropping its value to about $294 million. The shares rose 2.3 percent to 355 yen Tuesday in Tokyo.

Air bags made by Takata are inside about one of every five cars assembled globally  including by the top three automakers each in the U.S., Japan and Germany. The company may sell its Irvin Automotive Inc. interiors unit to closely held supplier Piston Group for about 17 billion yen ($170 million), the Nikkei reported Tuesday. Akiko Watanabe, a Takata spokeswoman, declined to comment after Crains Detroit Business first reported the deal.

Recalls Ordered

The U.S. and Japan have ordered recalls of all Takata air bags that lack an absorbent. Researchers hired by automakers have found that moisture seeping into Takatas inflators can lead them to rupture and spray shards of metal and plastic at motorists and passengers. About 90 million air bags have to be replaced in the two countries alone.

On Friday, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published reports from three engineering firms that detailed why the air bags failed, showing that the cause was long-term exposure to heat and humidity. The reports also showed that Takata failed to report problems when they first arose.

The company said in a statement that lapses in testing and reporting are unacceptable and inconsistent with Takatas policies and standards. Takata also said it has established new positions  a chief safety assurance and accountability officer and a full-time vice president for ethics and compliance, to make sure the problems dont happen again.

Fund Proposal

Takatas financial adviser, Lazard Ltd., has proposed setting up an independent legal fund using contributions from Takata, new investors and automakers, according to people familiar with the proposal. Honda, which is Takatas largest customer and one of its leading shareholders, pushed back on that idea, another person said.

Representatives for Takata and Honda declined to comment on the meetings or deliberations over air-bag repair and legal costs.

Takata and Lazards four-month search for buyers culminated last week in bids from KKR & Co., Autoliv Inc., Key Safety Systems Inc., Flex-N-Gate Corp., and a combined offer from Daicel Corp. and Bain Capital. The parts maker wants to whittle those suitors down to two or three candidates by October and then finalize a deal by years end.

Bidders were asked to submit proposals covering multiple scenarios for how Takatas recall costs and legal liabilities may be handled, a person familiar with the process said last week.

Sales Profile

Of Takatas 718 billion yen ($7.1 billion) in sales last year, 36 percent came from air bags. The company also supplies seat belts, steering wheels, electronics, seat covers, and head and arm rests.

Besides Honda, Takatas domestic customers include Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co., Mazda Motor Corp., Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and Subaru maker Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. The number of vehicles recalled in Japan will reach about 19.6 million, according to the transport ministry.

Weve got a huge group of people who are very active in that and working with other suppliers so that we can deliver on these recalls as quickly as we can and take care of these customers, Bill Fay, head of U.S. sales for the Toyota brand, said in a Sept. 22 interview. Its a big undertaking in among everything else that happens on a day-to-day basis in the industry.

Other affected carmakers include BMW AG, Daimler AG, Ford Motor Co., Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and Jaguar Land Rover Automotive Plc. The cost of recalling all non-desiccated air-bag inflators will be 1.28 trillion yen, Takaki Nakanishi, an analyst for Jefferies Group LLC, said in a report published in May.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics USA
Lawyers for Facebook Inc. on Tuesday sought to assure a U.S. judge overseeing lawsuits by victims of militant attacks in the Middle East that it took a zero tolerance approach to any communications that may promote terrorist threats or activity.

The comments came after U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis in Brooklyn on Thursday accused Facebooks law firm of insulting the court by sending just a junior attorney to address him in lawsuits implicating violent attacks on Israelis.

The judge on Tuesday apologized to the extent his comments may have sounded like criticism of the first-year associate, but said he was concerned about whether Facebooks lawyers at Kirkland & Ellis LLP were taking the matter seriously.

We heard you loud and clear, and we apologize, Craig Primis, a partner at Kirkland & Ellis, told Garaufis.

As a sign of the level of attention the judges critique drew at Facebook, the company flew Paul Grewal, a deputy general counsel, from California to New York to appear before him for what was otherwise a procedural hearing.

Grewal told the judge that Facebook had people working around-the-clock trying to pro-actively monitor and remove posts on its website that glorify or incite violence through terrorism.

Facebook has a very serious interest in keeping terrorism content off, he said.

The hearing came in a pair of related lawsuits, including one filed last year by 20,000 Israelis seeking an order requiring Facebook to stop allowing militant groups like Hamas from using its platform to incite attacks against Israeli citizens.

The company also faces claims by victims of such attacks who are seeking to hold Facebook accountable under the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act for providing support to militant groups.

At a hearing last week, Garaufis criticized Facebooks lawyers decision to send only a first-year associate to appear before him as outrageous and irresponsible and insulting given the issues at stake.

He questioned whether Facebook had a moral obligation to help prevent communications by people who express interest in carrying out violent attacks, and asked whether it should be working this out as opposed to litigating it.

At Tuesdays hearing, Primis assured the judge that Facebook took a zero tolerance approach to such communications.

He said Facebook will be seeking the dismissal of both lawsuits on grounds including that as a communications platform, it had immunity from being sued under federal law. Oral arguments are scheduled for Jan. 19.

The case is Cohen v. Facebook Inc., U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, No. 16-cv-4453. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Bernard Orr)

Related:

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters USA Claims New York
Congress turned aside a last-ditch lobbying effort by the White House and Saudi Arabia Wednesday and overrode President Barack Obamas veto of a bill that would allow the kingdom to be sued for involvement in the Sept. 11 attacks.

The emotions of the bill, powered by the families of the victims of the terrorist attacks, overcame the administrations concerns that the measure could set a precedent that could put U.S. personnel overseas at risk.

The Houses 348-77 vote on Wednesday followed an overwhelming 97-1 margin in the Senate, both of which easily cleared the two-thirds threshold needed to override the veto. Its the first time Congress has overridden one of Obamas vetoes, and the measure now becomes law without his signature.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest called the Senate vote the single most embarrassing thing the Senate has done since at least 1983, an apparent reference to a 95-0 vote to override President Ronald Reagans veto of an Oregon lands bill.

The result could prompt Saudi Arabia to delay its first international bond out of concern that some investors may balk over the issue, two people with knowledge of the matter said. Saudi Arabian officials havent made a decision yet on the timing of the bond or the amount they plan to raise, Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf said in a statement to Bloomberg.

The bipartisan Sept. 11 lawsuit bill was sponsored by the No. 2 Senate Republican, John Cornyn of Texas, and the expected future Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, and it has the backing of both presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

What I have found in situations like this is the White House and the executive branch is far more interested in diplomatic considerations, Schumer told reporters after the vote. Were more interested in families and in justice.

I think our administration was just dead wrong on this issue, he added.

Long-Term Consequences

Some House lawmakers had expressed reservations about the bill, including Armed Services Chairman Mac Thornberry of Texas, who had urged his colleagues in a letter not to override the presidents veto.

We ought to be careful about what we do because it has long-term consequences, he said in an interview.

Earnest told reporters Tuesday that Obamas concern isnt about how a particular judge might rule on a case involving Saudi Arabia, but how the precedent of removing sovereign immunity could impact U.S. activities around the world.

Obama wrote a letter Tuesday to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid amplifying his case against the bill.

The measure sweeps much more broadly than 9/11 or Saudi Arabia, and its far-reaching implications would threaten to undermine important principles that protect the United States, including our U.S. armed forces and other officials overseas, without making us any safer, the president wrote. Thats why I vetoed the bill and why I urge you to vote to sustain the veto.

John Brennan, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, also went to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to make a last-minute appeal to lawmakers to sustain the veto, warning the bill could have grave implications by undermining the concept of sovereign immunity.

No country has more to lose from undermining that principle than the United States  and few institutions would be at greater risk than CIA, he said in a statement.

Brennan also told a Washington audience Wednesday that Saudi Arabia provides significant amounts of information to help disrupt terrorist attacks and that it would be an absolute shame if the measures enactment affects the governments counterterrorism relationship with the U.S.

Victims Families

Politically, however, it was very hard for lawmakers to make an abstract argument about possible future lawsuits when Sept. 11 victims families are asking for their day in court, particularly with the November election around the corner.

The president understands the passion that is on both sides of this issue, Earnest said, but added that he believes it would endanger troops, diplomats and intelligence personnel around the world.

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter also sent Thornberry a letter Monday warning of the impact if foreign countries in turn decided to limit sovereign immunity for the U.S. He said that could potentially expose Americans to lawsuits and an intrusive discovery process even if the U.S. is ultimately found not to be responsible for a particular event. Carter also noted there is a risk to U.S. assets, given the large amount of U.S. government property overseas, including military bases.

Future Changes

Several lawmakers said they hoped the legislation could be narrowed in the future. A bipartisan group of 28 senators released a letter after their chamber voted Wednesday saying that they would work to mitigate any unintended consequences of the law.

Tennessee Republican Bob Corker, the Senate Foreign Relations chairman who has raised concerns about the bill, told reporters that he and other lawmakers are exploring the possibility of narrowing the bills application to just lawsuits arising from the Sept. 11 attacks.

Once the bill becomes law, we may have a better opportunity to soften this, Corker told reporters. You are going to see suits filed very quickly against Saudi Arabia, and some other countries are likely to move quickly to expose the U.S. to lawsuits in their courts as well, Corker said. We may be in a much better situation to change the measure after it goes into effect, after people see the impact of this legislation he said.

That could happen in a lame-duck session or later.

South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham told reporters he is also trying to pursue language that would allow the 9/11 families to move forward with their claims but also be some preventive medicine. Lawmakers want to help the 9/11 families but there could be some real consequences to us as a nation if we dont think this thing through. We dont want to lose Saudi Arabia as an ally, Graham said. Lawmakers are thinking about making this more of a win-win, he said.

Corker said last week the bill only passed the Senate on a voice vote the first time around because members didnt think the House would take it up. But the House sent it to the presidents desk.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Lawsuits USA Legislation Politics
A Louisiana jury awarded a total of $13.6 million to four men injured in the 2013 explosion at the Williams Olefins Geismar plant.

The Advocate reports a jury in Iberville Parish ruled late on Sept. 26 that the company, several plant officials and its parent company were negligent and knew with substantial certainty that the deadly fire could occur.

For a month they were trying to shift blame onto their shell company (Williams Olefins) and Im glad the jury saw right through it, Kurt Arnold, attorney for the plaintiffs, said after the verdict.

The jury found that Williams Oklahoma-based parent company was 95 percent responsible for the explosion and Williams Olefins was 3 percent to blame. The jury apportioned 1 percent of the blame on plant official Parker Tucker and 1 percent for plant supervisor Larry Bayer, who were also named defendants in the lawsuit. The jury absolved defendant Erick Comeaux, a plant official.

Plaintiff Shawn Thomas will receive the highest payout in damages, awarded $9.4 million for past and future medical bills, lost wages and mental anguish, and pain and suffering. Kris Devall was awarded $3.6 million and Eduardo Elizondo and Michael Dantone were awarded $360,000 and $205,000, respectively.

The company, in a written statement issued after the verdict, says it plans to appeal: Nothing about the tragic accident at the Williams Olefins facility in Geismar on June 13, 2013 was intentional. We believe there is sufficient Louisiana case law that supports our legal position, and we will appeal the jury verdict rendered in the 18th Judicial District Court.

This accident doesnt happen if the board of directors and CEOs heeded the warnings they were told, Arnold told the jurors.

But the jury was asked by defense attorneys to view the decisions and actions of the company and its plant officials as a mistake they never intended to happen.

This case is not about responsibility. Williams Olefins already accepted responsibility, defense attorney Glenn Farnet said. It was a horrible mistake. Human beings make mistakes. Mistakes are not intent.

Related:

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Louisiana
Workers compensation professionals in Oklahoma will have the opportunity to learn crucial information about the industry at two free events. The Oklahoma Insurance Department and the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) will host the 2016 State Advisory Forums on Oct. 25 in Oklahoma City and on Oct. 26 in Tulsa.

The events are designed to provide a greater understanding of both national and state workers compensation issues. There is no charge to attend but reservations are required.

Three hours of continuing education credit is available for licensed insurance agents and adjusters.

The forum schedule is:

Oklahoma City

Embassy Suites Oklahoma City Downtown Medical Center

741 N. Phillips Ave.

Tuesday, Oct. 25; 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Continental breakfast served at 8:30 a.m.

Tulsa

OUs Schusterman Learning Center Founders Hall

4502 E. 41st St.

Wednesday, Oct. 26; 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Continental breakfast served at 8:30 a.m.

Source: Oklahoma Insurance Department

Topics Agencies Workers' Compensation Oklahoma
A former Verizon Wireless technician is accused of using the companys computers to obtain customers private call records  plus data showing where customers phones were  and then selling them to an unnamed private investigator, federal prosecutors said.

Daniel Eugene Traeger, who worked in Alabama, sold the confidential information for more than four years, from 2009 to 2014, authorities said.

The court records dont say how many customer records were sold, or how they may have been used.

Representatives from Verizon Wireless didnt immediately return phone messages Monday requesting comment on how widespread the breach may have been.

Shortly after the charges were filed last week, Traeger pleaded guilty to a felony count of unauthorized access to a protected computer as part of a plea deal, court records show. His lawyer didnt immediately return a phone message Monday.

Traeger logged into one Verizon computer system to gain access to customers call records, authorities said. He used another company system known as Real Time Tool to ping cellphones on Verizons network to get locations of the devices, according to the plea agreement.

He then compiled the data in spreadsheets, which he sent to the private investigator for years, the court records show.

Between April 2009 and January 2014, the defendant was paid more than $10,000 in exchange for his provision of confidential customer information and cellular location data to the PI, an unauthorized third party, court records state.

Though Traeger was based in the Birmingham area, the court records do not indicate whether the information that was sold involved Verizon Wireless customers in Alabama or elsewhere.

He faces up to five years in prison, but prosecutors are recommending a lesser sentence since he accepted responsibility, according to terms of the plea agreement.

The broader issue of protecting personal information  from cellphone records to the recent breach of Yahoo.com user accounts  has become a vexing problem for the U.S. in recent years, said Marc Rotenberg, president of the nonprofit Electronic Privacy Information Center in Washington, D.C.

Its one of the most important, least understood issues in the current election year, Rotenberg said Monday.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Alabama
The rapid changes taking place in our economic, social and work environments are causing insurers to adopt marketing and customer service improvements to keep pace, and a variety of insurance marketing and data experts convened last week in Chicago at the Insurance Nexus Insurance2Customer USA event to discuss best practice responses. The consensus: for competitive advantage, knowing and understanding the customer is critical in improving the customer experience.

The fact that the insurers are paying more attention than ever to their ever-changing customers has not escaped those that serve the industry, noted Bradley Pitts, regional head of customer insights, The Americas, at AIG.

The industrys economic environment, namely via insurtech, is seeing a major shakeup, with 923 insurance technology companies in 14 categories across 52 countries now entering the global industry marketplace, with a total of $15.9 billion in funding, Pitts said.

Rahim Rajpar, VP of strategy and business development at John Hancock, told the group that this shakeup is the result of insurers and their technology solution providers recognizing that there is a new customer mindset.

Many customers have come out of a 10-year period with a lot of bad news, and a bad news story is twice as likely to resonate than a good news story, which is causing a shift in the customers expectations and mindset -- essentially causing them to prepare for the worst, he explained.

Rajpar added that consumer expectations, plus technology capabilities, have created a massive change in the way customers buy insurance.

It takes 12 positive experiences to eradicate one negative one, he said. We want to combine that statistic [from global market research and consulting firm Mintel] with a plan to engage the 50 million to 70 million U.S. consumers with unmet life insurance needs  a $15.3 trillion market.

Like AIG and John Hancock, Swiss Re also conducts consumer research, noted JJ Carroll, SVP, New Solutions Group for the insurer, including in-person customer meetings. Carroll is responsible for coordination of all market and consumer research for Swiss Re in North America, including predictive modeling, behavioral economics and other big data initiatives.

Data and technology create opportunities and we see ways to engage consumers using the data we collect, but what are we doing with it? she asks. Whats the implication of that data? For example with risk-based analysis, there are so many synergies, which tells us that we should be sharing that data with other functional business units.

Both Pitts and Rajpar also acknowledged the role data plays in identifying and better understanding customer requirements, which play forward into customer experience management excellence.

For example, AIGs customer-focused design roadmap guides value proposition development and introduces key steps to integrating customer insight. Identification of the customer is part of our opportunity analysis, then we try to better understand the potential value proposition, Pitts said. Our design is the development of that value proposition, and once we launch this value proposition into the market, we constantly evaluate and refine it.

Pitts acknowledged that AIG has recognized the value of becoming more holistic in their approach to the marketplace. My view is that focusing solely on the millennials is a bad decision, he asserted. They may be digitally enabled and have preferences, but by focusing on only demographics you limit your reach. In our holistic approach we look at traditional and non-traditional segments, then we focus on finding out what the unresolved conflict is.

At John Hancock, the data being collected leads to certain assumptions. Once we know who the customer is, we understand that they want to control their own experience, said Rajpar. Other general assumptions are made. For example, 70% of customers evaluating a new store or restaurant will trust an online review from a complete stranger over the personal referral of a friend or colleague.

Pitts described his organization as having hit its customer-centric stride. AIG set up customer-centricity transformation teams that take the message forward throughout the enterprise to members of business units who touch the customer in any way.

We established listening and learning channels and combined that with traditional research and the establishment of a customer immersion program, Pitts told the group. Loyal promoters stay longer, buy more and refer more.

Among AIGs critical success factors Pitts added, is the idea that the customer comes first, and has the support of leadership and the involvement of employees. First, however, its important to get your house in order, he said. That means your organization needs to rally around the cause, and understand that its a journey, not a destination.
Un ottobre da sogno per Antonio Conte: lex ct della Nazionale italiana, attualmente alla guida del Chelsea, nelle ultime quattro gare di Premier League ha collezionato solo successi, conditi da 11 reti segnate e addirittura nessuna incassata. Numeri da record che non sono certo passati inosservati alla Federazione inglese, la quale ha conferito al tecnico leccese lambito premio di Manager del mese.

Unavventura oltremanica iniziata in sordina, quella di Conte, pur a fronte di tre vittorie nelle prime tre gare di campionato. A far vacillare, anche se solo per un momento, le certezze del patron del club londinese, Roman Abramovich, i risultati conseguiti tra la 4a e la 6a giornata, coincisi con un pareggio sul campo dello Swansea City e, soprattutto, con le due pesanti sconfitte subite dal Liverpool, sul terreno casalingo di Stamford Bridge, e dallArsenal. In particolare, la debacle interna coi Reds, aveva irritato non poco il numero uno russo, poiche occorsa proprio nel giorno della sua 250esima partita da presidente della societa.

Come detto, solo un momento. Dopo lincontro dellEmirates, il tecnico salentino cambia modulo, adottando un piu equilibrato 3-4-3 e inserendo elementi di corsa come lo spagnolo Pedro. Una svolta totale perche, di li in poi, il Chelsea inanellera solo e soltanto vittorie: 2 gol allHull City e al Southampton in trasferta, 3 ai campioni dInghilterra del Leicester e 4 allo United in casa, con un meraviglioso numero zero nella casella delle reti subite. Un fantastico poker, ottenuto tra l1 e il 29 ottobre. Un cambio di marcia sbalorditivo, confermato dal 5 a 0 rifilato ai toffees dellEverton nel primo match di novembre, e una scalata che, man mano, ha portato i blues al secondo posto in classifica, a soli 2 punti dal Liverpool capolista.

E allora, non poteva mancare il riconoscimento di migliore allenatore del mese, ottenuto surclassando tecnici del calibro di Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool), Arsene Wenger (Arsenal) e Mark Hughes (Southampton). Tanta, ovviamente, la soddisfazione: E un grande onore e voglio condividerlo con i giocatori e con la societa  ha dichiarato Conte sul sito ufficiale della Premier League -. E la prima volta che lavoro in un altro Paese, con una cultura diversa, e portare la propria filosofia non e facile, ma ora sono contento di questa scelta.

A completare la festa, la premiazione del fantasista belga, Eden Hazard, come miglior giocatore di ottobre. Due risultati importanti per il club, ottimo incentivo per la rincorsa al trono dei campioni, occupato dal Leicester di Ranieri. Il prossimo appuntamento per l11 di Conte sara al Riverside Stadium, tana del Middlesborough neopromosso. Il tempo di festeggiare e gia finito.
Central America Free Trade Area-Dominican Republic (CAFTA-DR): Overview

The Central America Free Trade Area-Dominican Republic (CAFTA-DR) is a treaty that abolishes tariffs and encourages trade between the U.S. and a number of Central American nations including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The Dominican Republic, a Caribbean island nation, was added to the deal later.

CAFTA-DR is often referred to as CAFTA.

Key Takeaways CAFTA-DR eliminated most tariffs between the U.S. and several Central American nations.

The trade agreement was intended to increase jobs in all of the nations, and improve workers' conditions in Central America.

It was a key component of a Pan-American trade deal that has been abandoned.

CAFTA-DR In Depth

CAFTA was signed into law by U.S. President George W. Bush in 2005 and was formally adopted by the other member nations between 2006 and 2009.

The agreement, along with NAFTA and a number of other bilateral agreements, was intended to form the basis for the eventual integration of every Western Hemisphere economywith the exception of Cubainto a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).

Negotiations for the proposed mega-deal fell apart after missing a 2005 deadline. The much larger NAFTA was revised and became the United States Mexico Canada Agreement in 2020.

CAFTA has been criticized as destructive to the livelihoods of small farmers in Central America, who now have to compete with American agribusiness.

CAFTA-DR provides for the progressive elimination of almost all customs duties and associated fees between the countries over a period of 20 years. Most tariffs were removed immediately, but special rules were adopted for politically and economically sensitive products including clothing and food.

The intention of CAFTA-DR was to boost exports and job creation in all of the member nations by eliminating barriers to trade. It also included commitments to improve working conditions for laborers throughout Central America.

CAFTA-DR Opposition

It had many opponents. Among them, the AFL-CIO denounced the pact as "utterly devoid of compassion and opportunity for those who need it mostthe 37 million Central Americans struggling in poverty and the millions of hard-working immigrants in this nation most vulnerable to layoffs and mistreatment."

In the years since its passage, CAFTA-DR has been criticized for destroying the livelihoods of small farmers in Central America, who were forced into competition with the giants of American agribusiness.

CAFTA-DR Impact

According to a 2012 Congressional Research Service report, U.S. trade fell relative to the other signatory countries after the deal was signed. However, economic integration among the Central American countries rose, making it the "region that trades the most with itself," according to the International Monetary Fund.

In the years since the pact was signed, the U.S. has consistently exported more to the region than it has imported. In 2018, the U.S. exported about $7.5 billion more in goods than it imported.

The primary products exported from the U.S. to Central America include petroleum products, machinery, grains, plastics, and medical instruments, according to Britannica.com, while its primary imports from Central America are coffee, sugar, fruits and vegetables, cigars, and petroleum products.
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REE Stock News - Defense Metals (TSX-V: DEFN.V) (OTCQB: DFMTF) Drills 113 metres of 2.50% Total Rare Earth Oxide at Wicheeda

Vancouver, British Columbia - October 26, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mining / Metals / Green Energy Stock News - Defense Metals Corp. (TSX-V: DEFN / OTCQB: DFMTF/ FSE:35D) is pleased to announce high-grade Rare Earth Element ("REE") assay results from one additional core hole, totalling 383 metres (m), collared within the northern area of Defense Metals' 100% owned Wicheeda REE Deposit.

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Breaking EV Stock News: Pre-orders for Mullen (NASDAQ: MULN) FIVE Electric-SUV Crossover Exceed Expectations as the FIVE 'Strikingly Different' Tour Begins

BREA, Calif. - October 28, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), an emerging electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturer, announces today that the Mullen FIVE "Strikingly Different" EV Crossover Tour which began yesterday, in Pasadena, California, is off to a great start with first day reservations exceeding expectations and overwhelmingly positive customer feedback.

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Health and Wellness Stock News - Endexx (OTCBB: EDXC) Secures Third Order for Non-Nicotine Vape Product HYLA Worth Approximately $1.5M in Revenue for First two Fiscal Quarters of 2023

CAVE CREEK, Ariz. - October 27, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Endexx Corporation (OTCBB:EDXC), a provider of innovative, plant-derived, and sustainable health and skincare products, today announces it has secured three key significant orders for its newly acquired, non-nicotine plant-based vape product, HYLA.

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Breaking AI Stock News: FatBrain (OTCQB: LZGI) Acquires Confidential Computing Platform ZeroTrust to Protect Data Privacy and Accelerate Innovation for Millions of Growth Businesses

NEW YORK, NY - October 19, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.) (OTCQB: LZGI), the leader in powerful and easy-to-use artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for star enterprises of tomorrow, has acquired the confidential computing and privacy intellectual property (IP) plus software assets of Zero2A PTE LTD ("ZeroTrust Platform"), a software company based in Singapore.

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Jeremy Corbyn has promised to deliver "the socialism of the 21st century" as he insisted that under his leadership, Labour will be a party not only of protest but also of power.

In a warmly received speech to Labours annual conference in Liverpool days after being re-elected as leader, Mr Corbyn urged his fractured party to "end the trench warfare" and unite to take on the Conservatives for a general election which he said could come as early as next year.

But he risked stoking differences within his own ranks over immigration after making clear that he will not make cutting numbers of migrants an objective, despite calls from MPs including Andy Burnham - who announced his resignation as shadow home secretary - to respond to concerns expressed by voters in the EU referendum.

At the end of a conference which has seen Labour dip as low as 26% in the polls, Mr Corbyn warned that voters will not be won over by a party they see as divided and urged his critics to accept the result of the election in which he defeated challenger Owen Smith by a convincing 62%-38% margin.

Following calls from London Mayor Sadiq Khan and deputy leader Tom Watson for the party to focus on winning back power, Mr Corbyn insisted that he recognised the need to reach out beyond Labours core support to win over groups including middle-income earners, the self-employed and those concerned about the impact of migration.

"Our party is about campaigning and its about protest too, but most of all its about winning power in local and national government to deliver the real change our country so desperately needs," he said.

"Thats why the central task of the whole Labour Party must be to rebuild trust and support to win the next general election and form the next government. That is the government I am determined to lead to win power to change Britain for the benefit of working people."

Setting out the 10 pledges which will form the framework of Labours platform at the next election, Mr Corbyn said he was offering "greater equality of wealth and income, but also of power".

Promises included a "real living wage" worth 10 an hour or more, a new National Education Service to be funded by levies on business, a 500 billion National Investment Bank, the renationalisation of railways, one million new homes and a foreign policy with "peace and justice at its heart".

Mr Corbyn said that the pledges were "not the Ten Commandments" and would be open to further consultation.

But he said they showed "the direction of change we are determined to take - and the outline of a programme to rebuild and transform Britain".

The Labour leader said: "We know how great this country could be for all its people with a new political and economic settlement, with new forms of democratic public ownership, driven by investment in the technology and industries of the future, with decent jobs, education and housing for all, with local services run by and for people, not outsourced to faceless corporations.

"Thats not backward-looking - its the very opposite. Its the socialism of the 21st century."

Mr Corbyn told delegates: "Our job is now to win over the unconvinced to our vision. Only that way can we secure the Labour government we need.

"And lets be frank, no-one will be convinced of a vision promoted by a divided party.

"We all agree on that, so I ask each and every one of you, accept the decision of the members, end the trench warfare and work together to take on the Tories.

"Anything else is a luxury that the millions of people who depend on Labour cannot afford."

In an hour-long speech that was light on policy announcements, Mr Corbyn said a Labour government would lift a cap preventing local authorities from borrowing against their housing stock, which he said would allow them to build an extra 60,000 council homes a year.

And he confirmed that the proposed National Education Service would be paid for by businesses paying "a little more in tax", including a previously announced 1.5% hike in corporation tax to pay for grants and allowances for college and university students.

Labour would borrow at historically low rates to fund a National Investment Bank to support infrastructure projects such as faster broadband, new railways, housing, energy and green technologies.

"A country that doesnt invest is a country that has given up, that has taken the path of managed decline," said Mr Corbyn. "A Labour government will never accept second best for Britain."

He promised a crackdown on tax-dodging companies and said he would review tax and social security arrangements for the self-employed and ensure that successful innovators have access to finance.

And he confirmed plans for a 160 million arts pupil premium for schools in England and Wales to give every child the chance to learn a musical instrument.

Mr Corbyn took to the stage dressed in a black suit and red tie, to chants from supporters of "Jez we can".

In a reference to the "Traingate" controversy over his claim to be unable to find a seat on a long-distance journey, Mr Corbyn joked that while the hall looked full to him, "Virgin Trains assure me there are 800 empty seats".

Following a series of rows about abuse and anti-Semitism, he said the party would take "firm action" against intimidation and vowed to fight against "prejudice and hatred of Jewish people".

Mr Corbyn said that, with 150,000 new members joining over the summer, Labour was now western Europes largest political party. And he insisted that the influx of recruits was not a threat but "a vast democratic resource".

The growth in supporters had grown out of "a thirst for a new kind of politics and a conviction that the old way of running the economy and the country isnt delivering for more and more people", he said.

And he added: "Its no good harking back to the tired old economic and political fixes of 20 years ago, because they wont work any more. The old model is broken. Were in a new era that demands a politics and economics that meets the needs of our own time."

Mr Corbyn dismissed Prime Minister Theresa Mays claim to be fighting the "inequalities and burning injustices" of modern Britain, insisting: "Even if she manages to talk the talk, she cant walk the walk.

"This isnt a new government, its David Camerons government, repackaged with progressive slogans but with a new harsh right-wing edge, taking the country backwards and dithering before the historic challenges of Brexit."

He asked: "Who seriously believes that the Tories could ever stand up to the privileged few? They are the party of the privileged few, funded by the privileged few for the benefit of the privileged few."

Mr Corbyn praised predecessor Gordon Browns decision to set up a 50 million Migrant Impact Fund to help communities affected by migration, which he said a Labour government would revive, funded by levies on visas and citizenship applications.

But he made no mention of three-time election winner Tony Blair, though he told delegates that the Chilcot report into the Iraq War showed he was right to apologise for Britains involvement in the military action.

At the end of his speech, Mr Corbyn was joined on stage by a choir, several of whom raised their clenched fists as they sang the traditional end-of-conference anthem The Red Flag.
Relatives of victims of the MH17 tragedy have been told that a Dutch-led investigation found proof that a mobile Buk missile launcher had been moved into eastern Ukraine from Russia at the time.

Hans de Borst, whose 17-year-old daughter was among the 298 people that perished when the Malaysia Airlines flight was downed, said he and other family members were briefed privately on Wednesday morning before a news conference scheduled to announce the preliminary results of a Dutch-led investigation into the causes of the disaster.

He said the investigators said they had proof, including communications intercepts and radar data, that a mobile Buk missile launcher had been moved into eastern Ukraine from Russia.

He says investigators said the launcher was moved back into Russia after the Boeing 777 was downed.

The conclusions were billed as results of a two-year Dutch-led criminal probe of the disaster that claimed 298 lives.

Thomas Schansman, father of the only US citizen killed in the July 2014 disaster, said earlier that he expected investigators to identify which specific weapon they believe destroyed flight MH17, and where it was fired from.

He said family members do not expect investigators at this stage to name the people they believe were responsible.

A separate investigation by Dutch safety officials last year concluded that the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur flight was downed by a Buk missile fired from territory held by pro-Russian rebels.

Dutch police spokesman Thomas Aling said the joint investigation findings differ in that they are designed to be solid enough to be used as evidence in a criminal trial.

Where and when a trial might take place is still to be determined, Mr Aling said.

Russia has consistently denied allegations that pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine were responsible.
The sister of a man charged with setting off bombs in New Jersey and New York told police in 2014 that he was getting ready to hit her with a dumbbell and stabbed another brother in the leg when he tried to help her, police reports show.

Zobydha Rahami told investigators that Ahmad Khan Rahami was preparing to pray when he began throwing things at her in their family's home above their fried chicken restaurant in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

She said he then punched and slapped her in the face, hit her and her mother with a phone charger wire and grabbed the dumbbell.

She said an ensuing fight between Ahmad Rahami and two of his brothers led to brother Nasim Rahami placing him in a chokehold before Ahmad Rahami grabbed a knife from a coffee table and stabbed him in the leg.

She said the fight continued as Nasim Rahami, another brother and Ahmad Rahami's wife tried to get the knife away from him and then Ahmad Rahami threw a pan at him and went to his room with his wife.

Zobydha Rahami told police that she feared for her brothers' lives but the police were not called that night because the siblings "did not want to get our brother in trouble".

The next day, Ahmad Rahami got into an argument with his father, who then wanted the police to arrest him, she said, according to a statement police took from her on August 22 2014.

Zobydha Rahami and Nasim Rahami were treated at hospital for minor injuries and were released.

Ahmad Rahami, an Afghan-born US citizen, spent more than a month in jail before his sister and brother told investigators they did not want to pursue charges, and a grand jury then declined to indict him.

It was after that incident that the Rahami siblings' father, Mohammad Rahami, said he told the FBI about Ahmad Rahami's apparent Muslim radicalisation and said he had "become bad".

He said his son visited Afghanistan and Pakistan the year before and was a changed person.

A senior FBI official pushed back against Mr Rahami's claim to have warned agents about his son.

FBI agents interviewed the father after the arrest because he had expressed concern to someone following that episode over his son's internet use and some of his associates, the official said.

But in interviews with agents, Mr Rahami "at no time" discussed his son's radicalisation or potential interest in al Qaida, the Taliban or their propaganda, said the FBI official.

Ahmad Rahami has been in hospital since he was caught following a shootout with police in Linden last week, days after the bombings.

Officials said he remained unconscious on Tuesday.

He has not made an initial court appearance and his American Civil Liberties Union lawyers declined to comment.

Rahami has been accused of detonating a pipe bomb in a New Jersey town and a pressure cooker bomb in New York City on September 17.

No-one was injured in the New Jersey blast and 31 people were injured in the New York blast. A second pressure cooker bomb did not explode.
The US Congress has rejected a veto by Barack Obama for the first time since he became president.

The House voted 348-77 on Wednesday to override his veto of legislation and allow the families of September 11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia for the kingdom's alleged backing of the attackers.
There has to be some level of relocation depending on how the Brexit negotiations go, Mr Lane said in an interview with Bloomberg Television in New York.

The most important point, for now, is that its way too early to tell. Institutions arent in decision-making mode yet, they are essentially doing research.

Ireland is seen as one of the favoured destinations for financial firms based in Britain that want to retain so-called passporting rights which allow them to do business within the EU.

Many banking functions are jointly supervised by the ECB and the local regulator, Mr Lane said.

If any new business comes along we will be able to staff up to deal with it, he said.

While no firms have moved operations to Ireland yet, more of the action at this point is vis-a-vis law firms and consultants which advise banks on how to handle the Brexit fallout, he added.

While the Irish economy has recovered strongly, Mr Lane said the government had to remain cautious.

The recovery has been a genuine one but there is still a long way to go and a lot of debt in the system, he said.

There is nothing on the horizon now to say that there will be a significant reversal but we know Ireland is a small open economy.

 Bloomberg
As part of its Connecting Cork project, the chamber hosted its first invitation-only dinner for about 150 of Londons most influential business leaders.

Chamber president, Barrie OConnell, said the key message is Cork means business.

The financial services and banking sectors are among the key targets.

The event, organised in partnership with Irish International Business Network, IDA Ireland, and Irish Funds, included a panel discussion with Cork-based business leaders, including Donal Sullivan, VP of Tyco, Peter Coppinger, the founder and CEO of fast growing start-up Teamwork.com, and Peter Kane, managing director of financial services firm, Citco Fund Services in Cork.

Mr Kane told the audience that Citco chose Cork because of the availability of cheap office space, access to a dynamic and educated workforce, and the fact there is connectivity  eight daily flights  to London.

Its been a raging success since we came over 10 years ago, he said.

Mr Coppinger said companies like his need four things to be successful.

We need access to talent, great office space, internet connectivity to the rest of the world, and a great lifestyle  and Cork has all of those, he said.

The delegation included local government officials and the presidents of UCC and CIT, developer and event sponsor, John Cleary, which is responsible for some of Cork citys biggest office block developments, including the City Gate campuses in Mahon, One Albert Quay and the Capitol regeneration project, and Richard Martin of Ronan Daly Jermyn, one of Irelands top 10 full service law firms which has a staff of over 230 based in offices in Cork, Dublin, Galway, and London.

Mr OConnell said the event provides a platform to promote the region to major decision makers and influencers  and kick-start conversations and beneficial relationships which will continue. In an increasingly competitive global marketplace, Cork must be proactive in promoting the Cork region on an international stage, and where better than with our nearest neighbours in the UK?

With a series of major new high-end office developments now complete and others on the way, this is the opportune time to showcase Cork as a location of choice for global investment.

The event, he said, will also help Cork learn from its diaspora based in London and the UK about how the city can improve its investment offering and better understand what UK-based businesses are looking for when expanding operations internationally.

Connecting Cork is a Chamber initiative which aims to position Cork internationally and build connections in key global cities and markets.

Earlier this month, chamber representatives met key business leaders and organisations in San Francisco, including Apple CEO Tim Cook at the computer giants global headquarters in Cupertino.

They will embark on a similar trip to Corks twin city, the Chinese mega city, Shanghai, in November.
Mr Plunkett will next week replace James McCarthy in the role of non-executive director. Mr McCarthy will remain as a non-executive director on the Providence board, which is also set to lose former Eir boss Phil Nolan after 12 years service.

Mr Plunkett is a former chairman of Tullow Oil and in the last couple of years established  along with four other former Tullow executives  T5 Oil and Gas; an exploration investment firm with designs on being a publicly listed multibillion-dollar company.
Directly in front of the youth was the lawyers bench, completely covered with weighty law books, folders, and legal documents.

The boys barrister also confirmed yesterday that the defence did not intend to go into evidence should the case proceed.

About 150 protesters including Anti-Austerity Alliance TDs Paul Murphy and Ruth Coppinger were outside the courthouse in Smithfield yesterday evening to give their support to the teenager.

Many of the people who assembled were chanting anti-Labour slogans such as Jobstown innocent, Labour guilty, and Joany in your ivory tower, this is called people power.

Earlier, Judge John King was shown video footage of the protest.

The clips were obtained from YouTube, RTE, and a Garda 4x4, which at one point had been blocked while carrying the former Minister for Social Protection and her advisor Karen OConnell.

Some protesters were seen chanting slogans while others were hurling abuse at the former Tanaiste and jostling with gardai.

Ms Burton was hit with a water balloon as she walked from An Cosan adult education centre in Jobstown, across the road to St Thomass Church for the concluding part of a graduation ceremony.

She has said there was an air of extreme hostility at the protest and she and her former advisor said it was not safe to get out of Garda cars.

Ms Burton also said that she was concerned about the number of children present.

Ms OConnell said she was hit on the back; gardai had to bundle them into a car; and she was upset and began hyperventilating.

The number of protesters grew and gardai formed cordons around the then Tanaiste to protest her.

Detective Inspector Derek Maguire described the actions of some of the protesters as being like a rugby maul.

He has rejected the defence suggestions that there was an agreement with protesters in relation to a slow march.

Plastic bottles and eggs were thrown at gardai and the windscreen of a Garda 4x4 was broken while Ms Burton was in it, the court heard.

Short video clips taken by Ms Burton and Ms OConnell on their phones were also shown in court.

Ms OConnell also said demonstrators shouted at them that they hoped she and the former Tanaiste would die.

Ms OConnell also alleged that she saw a female garda getting struck after an open can of beans was thrown at her.

When questioned months after the protest, the teenager denied being an organiser of the demonstration.

The boy also said that he was sorry for the upset that he caused Ms Burton.
Their comments come as Department of Children sources stated that no significance should be attached to the mooted 47,000 threshold figure as it was only used to show how the model would work. Budget negotiations on this are continuing, the source said.

There is widespread concern that a joint gross 47,000 income threshold would make the estimated 2,000 a year contribution below many middle-income earners.

The head of the department of reflective pedagogy and early childhood studies at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, Emer Ring ,said there were tens of thousands of parents who have no choice but to both work as they have hefty mortgages to pay  very often these young parents are in negative equity.

On top of big mortgage repayments, such parents are often paying substantial creche fees. Many of these children are being cared for in creches. The early years are the critical years and all the research shows compelling evidence between high-quality preschool education and benefits for children. To have quality, we must ensure this new scheme is properly funded and there is equity for all, she said.

Early Childhood Irelands policy and communications director, Donal Geohegan, said the scheme must be targeted as widely as possible. We think that 70,000 gross joint income is much more like it, he said.

He said there were already a number of State-funded childcare schemes in place for disadvantaged kids.

Our greatest fear is that is that there will no extra money and that they will amalgamate the existing schemes with the same level of funding, he said.

Early Childhood Ireland say it will cost 80m plus to keep the two free pre-school years, Early Childhood Care and Education scheme (ECCE). at a standstill They are seeking a 10 increase in the capitation grant for the ECCE and another 10 again for services where a childcare degree holder is teaching the scheme so that childcare workers wages can be increased.

Childcare workers earn 10.26 per hour and degree earners earn just 1 more per hour. Many staff only paid while the scheme is in operation, 38 weeks a year, and must claim social welfare benefits over the summer. Staff are not paid for administration work, class planning or contact with parents outside of the three hours a day that they are paid for.

At the moment, most parents, unless they are eligible for a community creche, do not receive any childcare subsidy until their children become eligible for the ECCE. As part of her negotiations about joining the Government, now Minister for Children and Independent TD, Katherine Zappone, sought a new affordable childcare scheme for children aged from nine months to three years.

The commitment states that an annual subsidy would be paid directly to childcare centres for children of this age range.

A subsidy of 2,000 per child per year will cost approximately 20m per year.
She said it is important to act now to ensure laws protect people against revenge porn and the posting of voyeuristic material.

Womens and childrens groups yesterday called on the Government to act urgently in implementing the LRC report.

The States legal advisory body called for a range of new and amended laws to criminalise online behaviour such as cyberbullying and revenge porn.

It also recommended the establishment of an oversight body to police a statutory code of conduct for the industry, including a procedure for the takedown of harmful material.

A spokesman Ms Fitzgerald said she commended the LRC for its very thorough analysis and would consider it carefully.

From an initial view, it is clear that the report has highlighted potential gaps in the law dealing with harmful communication and digital safety, said the spokesman.

Phenomena such as so-called revenge pornography and the publication of voyeuristic material can do serious and lasting harm at the touch of button, and it is important that we act now to ensure our laws can deal effectively with these challenges.

He said the commission had made significant proposals on the regulation of social media. He said it is a complex issue, requiring a cross-government response and where EU law has relevance.

He said Ms Fitzgerald will ensure that comprehensive legislative and operational reforms based on the work of the commission are developed.

Womens Aid said digital abuse of women is real, harmful, and must be treated as a serious crime.

The group said a snapshot taken of the issue in 2015 revealed that 293 women who had contacted it had suffered digital abuse.

The most common form of digital abuse we hear about are damaging rumours being spread about women both personally and professionally and having sexually explicit images posted online without consent (revenge porn), said director Margaret Martin.

She said the problem is growing year on year, especially for younger women.

The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children also said there is an urgent need for law reform.

Cyber safety is the child protection issue of our time: We are only beginning to understand the scale and nature of harm and criminal behaviour towards children online, said chief executive Grainia Long.

TJ McIntyre of Digital Rights Ireland said the bulk of the report is uncontentious but did express concerns at some measures, including that a non-court body (a planned digital safety commissioner) could order the takedown of material without hearing from the person who posted it.

Twitter declined to comment but a spokesman confirmed it participated in the consultation and highlighted its work. This included a non-consensual nudity (revenge porn) policy, in place for well over a year, as well as a range of safety procedures and programmes.

UPDATE

A spokesperson for Facebook said: We are, and will continue to be, fully committed to the safety of people using our services in Ireland. There is a lot to consider in this very detailed report and we look forward to engaging further in conversations about its recommendations in due course.
A survey of 67 charities by the Wheel, the sectors representative body, has found that one-third said they had been impacted as a result of controversies elsewhere in the sector  and of that number, two-thirds said it took the form of a direct fall in donations.

A separate and larger survey of charities conducted last July showed that 71% said demand for their services had increased.

It means that many charities now say they are squeezed financially, between falling donations and the need to continue to provide services to a growing number of clients.

The findings of the most recent survey  which was conducted from September 21 to 27  were revealed yesterday as representatives of the sector outlined measures they would like to see outlined in next months budget.

It came as a coalition of six national charity networks, encompassing 1,600 individual organisations, demanded an increase in Government funding for services for people in need.

The Wheel, Disability Federation of Ireland, Care Alliance Ireland, Irish Rural Link, Carmichael Centre for Voluntary Groups and the National Youth Council of Ireland said spending needs to increase in areas such as people with disabilities, young people, carers and rural communities, as in most cases the level of State expenditure is still way below pre-crisis levels.

Just yesterday the Irish Examiners own opinion poll of farmers and farm families showed that 61% of respondents said that they are now more reluctant to make donations to charities as a result of recent controversies.

The controversy at Console is the latest in a string of issues to beset the sector in recent years.

Ivan Cooper, director of public policy with the Wheel, said: We cannot lurch any more from crisis to crisis.

He said charities need to be resourced adequately, to be regulated effectively and for the public to recognise and value the role they play and not take them for granted, adding that in many cases charities are filling gaps in areas such as public health and social care.

Yesterday he said: We have heard a lot in recent months about the growing homeless crises, the lack of social housing, the lack of capacity in our health service, problems with the standard of care and growing social problems in rural areas; these issues are not unrelated, Irelands community and voluntary sector was subjected to disproportionate funding cuts since 2008, and the cumulative impact of these cuts is being felt in every community.
The Coalition has failed to agree a response to Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Ruth Coppingers bill, which is seeking to repeal the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution.

The Independent Alliance ministers  Shane Ross, Finian McGrath, John Halligan and Sean Canney  are to meet colleague Kevin Boxer Moran today to discuss their position on the bill along with budget matters, but sources have said a free vote would be sought.
Angela Maguire, aged 20, pleaded guilty to producing the forged currency at the flower shop in Ballinhassig, Co Cork. However, her husband, Martin Maguire, aged 21, who was with her at the time, denied knowing that it was a forgery, and he opted to go on trial at Cork District Court yesterday.

Detective Garda Sean Minihane testified that the Maguires, from 44 St Michaels Lawn, Mahon, Cork, went into the shop and bought a small item, and received more than 18 in change. Inspector Gary McPolin said the two defendants operated by way of common design to get the value of the 20 forgery.
The reception was hosted by the cathaoirleach and by members of Donegal County Council, in recognition of Nobel laureate, Prof William C Campbell, for his outstanding achievement in jointly winning the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

A native of Ramelton, Prof Campbell was part of a team that discovered a class of drugs called avermectins, whose derivatives have been shown to have extraordinary efficacy in treating river blindness and lymphatic filariasis, among other parasitic diseases that affect animals and humans.

He was awarded the Nobel with Satoshi Omura, of Japan, and Tu Youyou, of China. Their discoveries have revolutionised the treatment of devastating parasitic diseases.

Prof Campbell was born in 1930 in Ramelton, the third son of RJ Campbell, a farm supplier. He is married to Mary Mastin Campbell and he is also a published poet and a painter.

Cllr Terence Slowey, cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, described Prof Campbell as an inspiration. It is a humbling experience for me to be in the presence of a man whose lifes work has impacted on so many people. Hundreds of millions of people are alive today because of your work, and because of the team of people that you have worked with throughout your career.

He added: We are delighted that you have taken the time to visit your native Donegal. Your presence has captured the imagination of many, and I have been particularly touched by how you have engaged with our children and young people.

Prof Campbell spoke of his delight at returning home to Donegal.

I am always delighted to be in Donegal and this visit is very special, indeed.

He added: if there was a Nobel Prize for hospitality and welcomes, then Donegal would win it, and if there was a Nobel Prize for beauty and scenery, Donegal would also win that.

Prof Campbell was presented with a specially commissioned painting, North by North West, by renowned artist, Fionntann Gogarty, as well as a framed seal of office from Donegal County Council.
The two reports seen by the Irish Examiner into the partys dour election were commissioned, and chief among the complaints from party members was a distinct lack of cohesion.

One of the reports compiled by Marion Coy, ex-head of GMIT, warned against allowing any complacency in the wake of the election, despite Fine Gael returning to power.

The protracted discussions on government formation that followed a dour campaign may lead some to hope for a period of peace and quiet. The sentiment is understandable but entirely misguided, she wrote.

Ms Coys made nine recommendations in her report. They are:

Fine Gael should define its future as a campaigning party, anchored in local communities and tackling clearly identified national issues;

Fine Gael should build a strong network of connections at all levels in society and become much more open to external influences. This also requires substantial external input into the structural elements of the party;

A structural reorganisation is required in order to create effective cohesion across all elements of the party. To achieve this reform a new steering group should be established and a director of policy appointed;

Fine Gaels administrative structure needs realignment with the proposed orientation and development of the party;

Fine Gaels research strategy and methodology should be completely overhauled;

Party communication strategies need to become more open and more diverse;

Mobilisation of party membership must be effected through the development of issue-based campaigns and the broadening of mechanisms for party engagement;

A more cohesive, and organised approach should be taken to the mobilisation of all elected representatives in pursuit of an annually agreed work programme;

Future electoral strategy and planning must be conducted in a more inclusive manner and take into account the failures in vision, empathy, planning, tactical positioning, communication, campaigning and responsiveness identified in the 2016 campaign.

In a second report compiled by a group of TDs  Alan Farrell, Kate OConnell, Maria Bailey, Peter Burke, Patrick ODonovan, and Senator Maura Hopkins  there are calls for a greater role for TDs to back up ministers.

Fine Gael should avoid negative campaigning and focus on its own strong points rather than concentrating on the weaknesses of other political parties, the report states.

It also calls for a more open approach to dealing with the media.

And it also recommended that speakers appearing on behalf of the party should be well-enough briefed so they can be more relaxed and appear less stage managed.

A pool-of-knowledge network should be established so that members and ex-members to contribute pertinent information and serve as a resource to the party.

The document also says all meetings by the Taoiseach and ministers should be well-publicised in advance.
Mr Kenny told the Dail yesterday he planned to convene a conversation on Brexit in November, involving businesses, farming groups, communities, and political parties. We need the conversation as to what is going to happen in terms of agribusiness North-South, meat producers, beef producers, pork producers, industry, financial services, education, and health.

He later said his impression was that Brexit may be triggered by London towards the end of January or February.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and a spokesman for the Taoiseach refused yesterday to answer any questions about the fresh forum proposal, with the latter saying it was too early for detail.

Mr Kenny said he would ask his ministers to engage with their counterparts in the North in respect of the forthcoming North-South ministerial council.

But, with the renewed push for a forum suggested by Mr Kenny, the DUP again shot down the idea. In a statement last night, it said its position remains that no new talks were necessary and that it would not be participating in such a forum.

Party leader and the Norths first minister, Arlene Foster, had rejected any idea of a forum when it was originally suggested by Mr Kenny in the summer.

The situation will again raise questions about whether Mr Kenny consulted politicians properly in the North about the idea, and furthermore, whether the suggestion was run past officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs. Mr Kenny also told the Dail yesterday he feared the Brexit process would last for some time. It might not be as straightforward or as short-term as many people think, he said.
Figures released by Solas, the further education and training authority, reveal among the 9,587 people in apprenticeships to date in 2016, just 52 are female.

Women account for seven of the 2,093 existing apprentices in the construction sector, 17 of the 3,699 in the electrical sector, none of the 1,528 in the engineering sector, five of the 2,192 in the motoring sector, and two of the 21 in the printing sector.

Women are, however, much better represented in the financial services sector, albeit that their total of 21, all in the insurance practice arena, is still exceeded by their 33 male counterparts.

The figures were released at the request of Education Minister Richard Bruton to Fianna Fail Jobs spokesman Niall Collins who said: There is no two ways about it. The system, as it is currently constituted, clearly disadvantages women.

Mr Collins pointed out, as far back as December 2013, a review of apprenticeship training here believed improved gender balance would best be achieved by widening the scope of apprenticeships into new areas such as business administration, ICT, social care, hospitality, financial services, and others.

He added the Apprenticeship Council had received proposals to expand the number of apprenticeship categories to 86, yet only 25 had been approved to date.

When the council was announced in 2014, the department said at the time one of its first tasks would be to issue a call, for proposals from employers and education and training providers, to develop new apprenticeships in areas outside of the current apprenticeship trades, as well as to advise on the implementation of new apprenticeships following that process.

Mr Collins said the figures released by Solas showed a glaring, systemic gender gap and were worrying given the employment rate for 15 to 24 year-olds for both men and women in the latest CSO figures were virtually the same.

Government needs to show leadership in accelerating the roll out and approval of a greater number of apprenticeship categories as an urgent priority, working in unison with education providers and industry, said Mr Collins.

Ireland is falling behind when it comes to engaging women via apprenticeships. Take England for example. Since 2010/11, more women than men have started apprenticeships; 53% of starters in 2014/2015 were women.

While the number of categories has shown little improvement, the number of apprenticeships available has actually increased significantly in only the last three years.

In 2013, there were just 5,711 apprentices compared to 9,587 this year.

One of the biggest increases has been in the electrical sector where the number of apprentices has jumped from 2030 to 3,699 over the three-year period.
In a handwritten letter seen by the Irish Examiner, 20-year-old Ibrahim Halawa describes the stark contrast between the lives of his former classmates and his own situation.

Today has finally come, my graduation day, the day I have longed for, the day my parents invested their whole lives in to see me reach... while every graduate gets their hair done, I forcibly get my head shaved. While rough white clothes are my uniform, my fellow graduates are dressed in their best outfits, he writes.

Today while every graduate throws their graduation hat in the sky to come down with the long waiting dream, I dont see the sky because Im enrolled in a different college, a college I did not know I had applied for when I chose to fight for freedom, a college that kidnapped me from life.

Ibrahim, from Firhouse in Dublin, has been imprisoned in Egypt since August of 2013 when he was arrested at a protest for then president, Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi.

Since that time, his mass trial, which he is set to stand along with 420 other individuals, has been postponed 14 times. He is due in court again on October 2. In his most recent letter home, dated September 22, Ibrahim writes that he is currently enduring lifes toughest conditions.

Ibrahims family say they are extremely concerned for their loved ones welfare and say Ibrahim has been experiencing very bad chest pains recently. His sister Somaia explains there is a history of extremely serious heart issues in their family, but claims her brother has not been allowed appropriate medical treatment.

When Ibrahim demanded to see a specialist the prison refused and said they would only bring him to the prison hospital who have inexperienced medical students that have (wrongly) diagnosed many of Ibrahims cell mates and given false medication, said Somaia.

Ibrahim only wanted to see a specialist and because of this guards went in the cell to shave Ibrahims hair as a means of mental torture. When Ibrahim refused, he was beaten and forced to shave his hair off. Ibrahim was forced to experience the worst means of physical and mental torture.

However, Somaia admits the response of the Irish Government has, of late, been reassuring.

It has been 35 days since the presidential decree of law 140 was submitted for Ibrahim. After three years of campaigning for Ibrahims freedom, this is our biggest hope to return Ibrahim home soon. We appreciate the efforts being made with this decree, however, there is a limited time to when it can remain effective, she said.

Witnessing the Dail leaving all their political differences aside and become one hand has greatly affected this campaign and its continues support and pressure will definitely bring Ibrahim back home to finally graduate from college.

Somaia has urged the Irish Government to increase the level of pressure it is putting on the Egyptian authorities.
Evidence in the case against Marlstone Investments, relating to the alleged breach of revenue legislation at Mr Corbetts Coppingers Bar on Parnell Street in Thurles, Co Tipperary, was heard last week at Thurles district court.

The court heard last week that a sample from one of 23 bottles of spirits taken from the pub on January 29, of 2015 was found to be neither vodka nor the Smirnoff vodka it purported to be, and that its Smirnoff labelling was found to be fake.

Mr Corbett, who was named Hurler of the Year in 2010 and won All-Ireland senior hurling medals with Tipperary in 2001 and 2010, was in court last week and yesterday; but not called upon to give evidence or speak.

The case was adjourned last week when defence barrister Padraig De Burca BL said there was no evidence before the court in relation to the correct rate of tax.

State solicitor, Michelle OConnell, said yesterday that the legislation indicated there was an assumption that if the alcohol product was found to be counterfeit, then the correct rate of tax had not been paid.

Mr De Burca said there was no evidence that there was counterfeit alcohol in the two bottles that were tested, that the evidence was that one bottle had fake labelling and the other bottle had liquid which was not vodka.

Two random bottles were selected out of the total of 23 [seized from the pub].

That is not a representative sample of the product that was seized. The fact that they have only taken two samples is insufficient, he said.

Judge Elizabeth McGrath said the defence had raised a legal issue that is live and that it is a relevant issue.

It needed to be addressed by the prosecution, in relation to Supreme Court judgments.

She adjourned the case until October 25 to allow both sides make any further legal submissions they wanted to make, instructing them to provide any such submissions in writing to the court in advance of that date.
Garda Kevin ODonnell said gardai had been alerted by staff at Cork Prison that the phone had been found on the prisoner.

John Murray, aged 33, with a previous address at Hollywood Estate, Blarney Rd, Cork, pleaded guilty yesterday to possession of a mobile phone at Cork Prison on July 17, without permission of the prison governor.

Diarmuid Kelleher, solicitor, submitted that Murray had already suffered as a result of this offence as prison privileges had been removed from him for two months as punishment within the prison.

Mr Kelleher said Murray had what is known as a P19 imposed on him in the prison. This meant he had no recreation facilities for two months and, for the same period, he had to wear prison-issue clothing rather than his own clothes. He was also not allowed to use the prison shop for the same period.

Mr Kelleher argued that the prisoner had already been punished and he asked Judge Con OLeary not to punish him further by extending his period in prison.

Murray is serving a prison sentence for storing drugs and that is not due to be completed until April 2018.

Judge OLeary said that if he imposed a jail term, it would have to be consecutive to the time being served. Instead he imposed a 300 fine on Murray.

Inspector Mary King was granted an order for the destruction of the mobile phone.

Garda ODonnell said the phone was found during a planned search of Murrays cell. He was later taken from the prison to be interviewed at Mayfield Garda Station where he admitted possession of the phone.

Murray told gardai during this interview, and repeated through his solicitor yesterday, that his only reason for having the phone was in an attempt to maintain contact with his children.

Judge OLeary wanted to know how Murray got his hands on a phone in prison.

Murray told gardai he had brought the phone into the prison with him after a court appearance shortly before the search was conducted.
The boxer, who left the Olympics in Rio after failing a drugs test which was carried out before he travelled to Brazil, was in Thurles district court yesterday in relation to allegations which relate to an incident in the Thurles area last April.

The court heard a bench warrant had to be issued for Mr OReillys arrest in May when he did not appear in court to answer the charges.

Mr OReilly, aged 23, of Mountrath, Laois, is charged with being intoxicated in a public place; engaging in abusive, insulting or threatening behaviour; and failing to comply with the directions of a garda.

The offences are alleged to have occurred at Ballybeg, Littleton, Co Tipperary, on April 18.

The case was adjourned until December after gardai told the court a decision had yet to be made on whether more charges will be laid against Mr OReilly.

The boxer was in court yesterday wearing blue denim jeans and a pale blue shirt. He was not called upon to speak during the short hearing and did not comment to the media outside the courthouse.

His solicitor, JJ Fitzgerald, told Judge Elizabeth McGrath that the defendant was anxious that the case be dealt with.

Sergeant Declan OCarroll said there are possibly further charges and it was a matter where there were several arrests at the time and other allegations from one side.

A file is almost ready. Well be seeking the DPPs directions overall, he said.

So there may be further charges pending? Judge McGrath asked.

Possibly, the sergeant said, before applying for an adjournment until December.

Judge McGrath asked if the sergeant was satisfied there will be a clearer picture by then on whether there are to be further charges and was told there will. She agreed to adjourn the case until December 6.

If, in the meantime, its clarified that no further charges are being proffered, the statements should be sent to [solicitor] Mr Fitzgerald in the meantime.

She was aware that the matter went back to April but reminded the defence solicitor that the case was listed in May. You client was not here. A bench warrant had to be issued. Your client has lost time on his own. Mr Fitzgerald said there was a very good reason for his clients non-appearance in May.

The judge said she will require a statement of means in relation to Mr OReilly.
The use of a Citizens Assembly to discuss the Eighth Amendment, which recognises the right to life of the unborn child, has been criticised by both sides of the debate.

The Irish Family Planning Association has said the assembly is not sufficient to satisfy the States obligations under international human rights law, while the Pro Life Campaign described it as a pretend process with a pre-arranged outcome that has been used for political reasons.

Speaking in Cork, Minister Harris denied the Citizens Assembly has been used as a political buffer for legislators.

I dont think politicians can ever be blamed for the outcome of a referendum, because every citizen obviously has a vote, Minister Harris said.

I think we have seen in the past, in relation to referenda, that there is a benefit  and we saw this in relation to the constitutional convention  in actually having an informed public debate, letting the citizens own that debate, letting the media cover that debate, and then we are all better informed citizens as to the options in relation to how we wish to proceed.

I think we have shown good faith on this issue, remember those of us here were members of a government that dealt with generations of neglect of the X Case, he said.

In relation to the Eighth Amendment, it is an issue within the constitution, if it is to be changed it is a matter for the people and therefore I think it is appropriate that you would call upon a bunch of citizens to consider the issue, to consider it in full, debate it, and then make their proposals back to the Oireachtas.

So the Oireachtas cant in any way delegate its responsibility or reassign it anywhere else. Ultimately the Oireachtas will have to consider the issue, but we believe that having the Citizens Assembly consider it is good practice, and we have seen this in other areas already, he said.

Minister Harris said that the first meeting of the Assembly is due to take place in two weeks time.

I think it is important for all of us to recognise that this isnt something in the gift of the Oireachtas, this is a matter for the Irish people. Ultimately if a question is to be put to the Irish people, I think that it makes sense that the question is explored and debated by citizens outside of the normal political discourse or the Punch and Judy of Dail Eireann.
Researchers analysing Diageos Stop out of Control Drinking campaign in Ireland fails to address key issues like minimum pricing and marketing controls.

They accused Diageo of presenting alcohol harm as a behavioural problem rather than a health issue, a tactic also employed by the tobacco industry.

Research published in the journal PLOS ONE by experts in the UK and Ireland analysed newspaper articles, media interviews, and social media activity relating to the campaign, and concluded that Stop out of Control Drinking lacked independence from Diageo.

The campaign, launched in Ireland last year in the wake of the Governments controversial Alcohol Bill, stated that it was designed to change the countrys culture of drinking for the better.

Researchers found that the campaign used vague concepts of out of control and moderate drinking, and could actually undermine rather than enhance public health

Lead author Prof Mark Petticrew, of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: We were particularly concerned that the campaign emphasised the importance of public opinion about what might work, while placing little emphasis on the scientific evidence already available about solutions to alcohol- related problems.

For example, the campaign presented education as an effective way to change our culture, though the evidence clearly shows that this has little effect.

Dr Niamh Fitzgerald of the University of Stirling added: The language used in the campaign appears to frame alcohol problems as the responsibility of individual drinkers rather than arising from the marketing of an addictive, carcinogenic product. This tactic has been previously used by the tobacco industry.

Critics previously suggested that the Diageo campaign sought to undermine Irelands latest Public Health (Alcohol) Bill, published around the same time in February 2015. The bill, which is going through the Oireachtas, proposes to introduce a minimum price for alcohol as well as a range of restrictions on labeling, advertising, and sponsorship.

EU health commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis said yesterday that she has no objection to the bill but that court action elsewhere could have a bearing on whether or not it is legal under European law. Ten EU states have objected to the bill on the grounds that it interferes with the European single market.

The objectors, mostly big wine and beer-producing countries, argue the new law will limit access to their products.

Ms Andriukaitis was attending a seminar on alcohol policy in Brussels at which the new bill was defended by minister of state for health promotion Marcella Corcoran-Kennedy.

The public health forum on alcohol abuse took place at the Irish permanent representation to the EU in Brussels. No drinks industry representative was invited to sit on the panel, according to the Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland.

Federation director Ross Mac Mathuna said: In spite of ongoing attempts to contribute to todays dialogue, the industry was not invited to sit on the panel and engage.
Judge John King adjourned the trial until October 21 to decide if he is going to throw out the case. The 17-year-olds legal team have contended that it is not accordance with Irish or European human rights laws and that the State has not made out a case to answer.

The youth denies falsely imprisoning the former Tanaiste and her advisor Karen OConnell, who were allegedly trapped in two garda cars for three hours during the demonstration at the Fortunestown Road in Jobstown in Tallaght, on November 15, 2014. He was aged 15 at the time.

The Dublin West TD had been at a graduation ceremony at An Cosan education centre when a water protest took place outside.

She told the court earlier that she was frightened and did not think she had the alternative of being able to get out of Garda cars surrounded by people shouting abuse and banging on windows. The teenager also walked in front of her holding a phone filming her and blocked her while saying talk to us, Joan, she said.

The State has closed its case and yesterday, the boys legal team asked Judge John King to dismiss the charges.

Giollaoisa O Lideadha, defending, told Judge King at Dublin Childrens Court the case is unprecedented and is a recipe for totalitarianism.

If the charge of false imprisonment is not dismissed, that would amount to a failure to vindicate the constitutional rights of the accused, failure to uphold the right to fair trial, failure to uphold the obligation on the authorities not to abuse their powers and not to act arbitrarily or in a manner inconsistent with basic fairness.

He has also submitted that the prosecution has failed to prove their case beyond the necessary proof of reasonable doubt, and they had used a too literal interpretation of the law on false imprisonment.

He said his client makes no apology for the demonstration but he did certainly not want any personal trauma to be caused. Applying for a dismissal, he argued that the prosecution has not proved that a criminal case has been caused.

He said there was a statement of a Garda superintendent, who was not called to give evidence, that there was an agreement between gardai and protesters that they could slow march ahead of a car carrying the former Labour leader. He also asked the judge to note that Ms OConnell mentioned the agreement in her evidence.

He said the teenager was never told he was committing an offence or committing a public order offence or an offence of an entirely different magnitude, false imprisonment. My submission is that the decision to charge in relation to this matter in the first place was not in accordance with constitutional rights and the European convention on human rights.

He said the case touches on the right to protest, freedom of expression, and freedom of assembly. He said it was a most important issue for a young person in particular, who it was clear was engaging in legitimate protest action he believed was lawful.

He said the teen had nothing to do with any of the unpleasant things that happened such as screaming and throwing objects while the slow march was taking place.

The prosecution case is that the former Tanaiste and her advisor were detained by the actions of the teenage defendant in conjunction with the actions of others.

Replying, Tony McGillicuddy, prosecuting, said the video evidence showed the teenager had a megaphone and was encouraging people to sit down around the cars. He said there was evidence that the first garda car was blocked. At a Garda 4x4, the boy used the megaphone to encourage others to sit down and he sat down also, he said.

He argued that to call it an innocuous peaceful protest is wrong when you see the evidence from Ms Burton, her advisor, gardai and the footage shown in court.

Judge John King said the case will resume next month. He said he wanted to read the case law furnished by the defence and to review the evidence and the submissions in detail.

He told the prosecution and defence teams he will give a decision when the case resumes on October 21.
Cork Business Associations (CBA) chief executive Lawrence Owens also warned there was a huge body of work that needs to happen within the city before a private car ban on the city centres St Patricks Street becomes effective.

Approval by city councillors, on Monday, of plans to ban private cars from the main thoroughfare yesterday drew a mixed reaction.

A proposal within the City Centre Movement Strategy to restrict St Patricks Street to buses, taxis and cyclists only from 3pm to 6.30pm was criticised by the CBA, which says not enough has been done to improve the public transport that serves the city prior to restricting private cars from the city centre.

Mr Owens cited the 2010 Cork Area Transit System report, which suggested the introduction of a bus rapid transit corridor for Cork, as an example of previous proposals for the city that have fallen by the wayside.

Cork has suffered a major deficit, as Irelands second city, for its transport network, he said. We broadly support the initiative of the movement strategy but we think it is rather a pity that these measures arent put in place first before we move into making these changes within the city.

Theres a huge body of work that needs to happen within the city to make this private car ban on Patricks St effective. If it is to be introduced we would strenuously say that it should be assessed and if it doesnt work it should be rescinded.

Stopping private transport going through the main shopping street in our city, the principle retail commercial part of Cork City, its a big infrastructure to tinker with. It should be done sensitively and with caution.

It seems very much devised to bring traffic through the city. Our objective is to bring traffic into the city to help business, to bring people into shop and enjoy the experience of what Cork City has to offer.

The city street should be a place, not a link to somewhere else, Mr Owens said.

However, Oliver Moran, the Green Party representative in Cork North Central welcomed the plans.

The car-free movement is based on the idea of returning to a city centre that prioritises the free movement of people, rather than the free movement of cars, he said.

That doesnt mean banning cars altogether. But it does mean being more orderly in how and where cars are allowed. A shopping centre wouldnt allow cars to disrupt people wandering between shops and businesses, for example. Cars park outside. People shop inside and are free to wander between businesses. Why would a citys shopping centre be any different? he said.

The Middle Parish Residents Association has presented councillors with a letter outlining their concerns over the proposals.

If such a proposal was suggested in any of the city suburbs it would cause an outcry and we feel that no one in the city council would even put forward such a suggestion, it read.
THE ease with which we navigate our way around our homes, communities and workplaces is something most of us take for granted. However, for people with dementia and Alzheimers, the environment in which they live is crucial to their wellbeing.

This subject is tackled in Irelands entry to the International Architecture Biennale in Venice, presented by the London-based Irish architect Niall McLaughlin, and curated by Yeoryia Manolopoulou.

The installation is inspired by McLaughlins work on a respite centre in Blackrock, Dublin, commissioned by the Alzheimers Society of Ireland and completed in 2008.

Often architecture biennales are fairly self-congratulatory events where architects show glowing pictures of their best projects, says McLaughlin. But this time Alejandro Aravena [artistic director] wanted architects to report back on experiences they had and tell other architects what they could learn.

We felt we should report back on what weve learned about dementia and how it impacts on the built environment but also on our homes and our cities; and to some extent what it tells us about ourselves.

VENICE DISPLAY

The installation, titled Losing Myself, is an initiative of Culture Ireland in partnership with the Arts Council, and is exhibited in a large 17th century warehouse, once used by the Venetian navy.

In this very dark space, we put in an illuminated installation which projects a huge drawing onto the floor. The drawing is effectively a plan of the respite centre in Dublin, explains McLaughlin.

When architects draw plans, they see all of the building at once; so they can look at every room in a single sweep and the whole building is present in front of them. But thats the exact opposite to how a person with dementia would experience a building because their ability to use a recent memory and projections to construct a continuous reality is severely depleted.

Yeoryia Manolopoulou and Niall McLaughlin work on Losing Myself.

We wanted to draw a plan, not as an architect would do, but try and draw it as though it was witnessed by the people who have dementia. They can only ever experience very small parts of the building at the same time and those are falling away from them quite quickly. So, the building rather than becoming a single coherent architectural object becomes a piece of torn fragments and episodes that can only be held together.

McLaughlins passion for the subject is palpable, and it is obvious he has gained a comprehensive understanding of dementia and Alzheimers beyond architecture.

We spent a lot of time talking to people with dementia, as well as doctors, carers, neuroscientists, and psychologists to try to understand something of the world that people with dementia will inhabit. I had a rule in my office that you couldnt work on the project unless you had spent a full day minimum in a respite centre because you had to actually witness what it is to be there.

I remember one day I was sitting with a woman  often people with dementia will lose their inhibitions  and she put her arms around me and I sat with her for about three hours just talking to her about her life. Those things you carry with you forever. The things that people would disclose to you about themselves, to some extent because they are often not as guarded, its an extraordinary kind of privilege to be allowed access to that world. We have tried to carry that in some way and embody it in the buildings we have made.

McLaughlin says that ideally, people with dementia would not be corralled into specialist homes and facilities.

As much as possible, you would be thinking about designing buildings so that as people age and develop dementia, they can survive and thrive in their own homes. You have an embodied memory of your house that is deeply ingrained, not just in your brain but in your muscles. The familiarity of that is an extraordinary support to people with dementia and when you remove it, it causes great disorientation. So, it is about keeping people at home as much as possible but also beginning to think about our cities and communities as places where people with dementia could thrive. Dementia is a problem for a community, not for a person.

Professor Sabina Brennan, co-director of the Neuro-Enhancement for Independent Lives (NEIL) Research Programme at Trinity College Dublin, was one of the experts McLaughlin consulted in his research. She feels strongly that society as a whole needs to reconsider its approach to people affected by dementia.

We have to stop making people with Alzheimers and dementia the other. Their brains are different but at the end of the day its you or I with a disease. We need to ask how we have come to a place where we think the best environment is where we put all the people with the same disease together in an artificial place, usually one which reflects the needs of the medical staff or the organisation, or in the better representations, copy or mimic what a home environment would be, she says.

BOX YOU LIVE IN

Brennan believes that how and where we live as we get older can be a matter of life or death. If you become older or more frail or struggle to navigate society, the box you live in can become your coffin because you cant get out of it. There should be a central space in the community where everyone can congregate and replicate that sense of living around a campfire  where people can be together, and there can be mutual aid, space for reciprocity; healthy with disabled, young with old. Economies of scale mean the cost of building and other basic needs can be shared. An environment and architecture designed to suit the needs of the aged will benefit all of us. Nialls project is amazing because its about architecture starting a conversation and forcing people to question the direction in which they are going.

As part of the Losing Myself project, McLaughlin and his team came up with 16 lessons, which can be found on the website which accompanies the project. One thing we wanted to say to all architects is that dementia is not just an issue for specialised environments. If you are designing a theatre, concert hall, train station or supermarket, you are obliged under the building regulations to allow people in wheelchairs to have full access. But the same things dont apply to the thinking you might put into design for dementia. All architects should know more about dementia and should be designing buildings with that in mind, he says.

Irish audiences will have the chance to experience the Losing Myself exhibition when it is adapted for an Arts Council supported national tour next year. As for McLaughlin, he says the experience has been hugely rewarding but he would like to utilise his expertise in the area more.

We have built up a huge fund of knowledge and experience that we would love to find a way of using. We are sorry that we have only ever built one of these buildings; wed like to build more. They are often procured in a very institutional kind of way that doesnt really admit for the design that we do and I think thats a pity. Wed love to have another crack at one but that hasnt happened yet.
THE re-election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the British Labour Party is profound. Corbyn has captured the public imagination. He has renewed hope among Labour voters. The desire for fairer politics underlies his success.

Corbyn increased his margin of victory to 62%, from 59% this time last year. This is despite the pro-Blairite National Executive Committee purging 200,000 voters expected to have backed Corbyn.

Corbyn has increased the membership of the Labour Party from 200,000 to 450,000 in 18 months. The party under Blair, and under his successors, had become a mirror image of the Tories and had haemorrhaged members to the lowest number ever. Corbyn reversed the trend and doubled the numbers.

Corbyn has offered an alternative to hard-pressed Britons, who traditionally depended on Labour to look after them. With the Blairite policies of private finance initiatives running down the NHS, low pay, low welfare payments, and the decline in social housing, Labour membership plummeted.

Corbyn has offered hope to Britons: hundreds of sick people hounded off benefits have died, and millions of people depend on pay-day loans. They have also suffered from welfare capping and the bedroom tax. The charity, Oxfam, has reported that 500,000 Britons depend on food parcels; two million are malnourished; three million are at risk of malnourishment; one in six parents has at some time not eaten so as to feed their families, and 36% of Britons are just one heating bill away from financial hardship.

It is obvious why thousands have queued for hours to glimpse Corbyn at rallies. He has promised hope. His policies have promised a war on poverty; one million new social-housing units in five years; a clampdown on tax-avoidance; protection of the NHS; better pay, and a real living wage.

Corbyns success is a people-power movement. He is honest and sincere. He only needs to be himself to win people over. He is abstemious, cycles, and is passionate about a fair society. He is a rare phenomenon. People know it.

Corbyn is electable. Within six months of his first election, in March this year, prior to the coup of his front bench, Corbyn had put Labour ahead of the Tories, 34% to 33%. The subsequent drops in the opinion polls resulted from the crisis in Labour, due to the mass resignations from Corbyns front bench that were part of the coup.

Corbyn has been resurgent because of this appeal to Labour members, wining 60% of votes and 70% of registered supporters. This was despite a purge of 100,000-200,000 of potential Corbyn voters. It was also despite the fact that, according to an-depth study by the London School of Economics, 75% of all media reports were biased against him.

His dramatic victory, under these trying circumstances, and his dramatic increase in Labour membership (thousands have flocked to see him), indicate a strong appetite for fairness and justice among the British electorate.

There is potential for a charismatic, Corbyn-style leader in Ireland, also. The same desire for fairness and change exists. This years election collapsed the Irish conservative two-and-a-half party system. The political economy of austerity was rejected. The drivers are the same here as in Britain: 10% in food poverty and 30% deprived of food, clothing, and heating. Hence the rejection of FG-Lab austerity.

Corbyn supporters are overwhelmingly against austerity. Here, the exit poll at Election 2016 showed that only 11% of the electorate favoured tax cuts over spending increases, with those wishing for increased taxes and spending on public services outnumbering the tax cutters by 3:1.

The public outcry against the Governments appeal of the 17bn in taxes from Apple, amid a dramatic increase of 90% in child homelessness in Dublin, 6,000 homeless nationally, and spiralling rents, also indicates that public support is moving towards Corbyn-type social justice policies. Research by Dr Rory Hearne shows that the Right2Water Movement is as much about a rejection of austerity, a desire for decent health services, and an end to homelessness and anti-poverty solutions as it is about water.

The EU is threatening to disintegrate, due to draconian fiscal rules which curtail the welfare state. The rise of racism threatens to engulf it on one side. On the other side are millions, in Spain, Ireland, Britain, France, and across the wider EU, who reject austere budgets under the Fiscal Compact, the appeasement of markets, zero-hour contracts, and the tax-avoidance of Apple, Google, and other global giants.

Fianna Fails rhetoric has shifted, mindful of these developments. At the end of 2015, it was proposing a basic income of 188 for all citizens, independent of economic status, as a red-line issue. It has now called for the abolition of the water charges. Perhaps Micheal Martin will emulate Corbyn? Yet, his decision to support the Apple appeal dents that possibility. One is left to ponder PBPs Richard-Boyd-Barrett, SFs Eoin O Broin, or AAAs Paul Murphy? Irelands Jeremy Corbyn will be the peoples champion.

Dr Tom OConnor, lecturer in economics and public policy, Dept of Applied Social Studies, Cork Institute of Technology
LAST week, in one of her first public acts as Britains lord chancellor and justice secretary, Elizabeth Truss launched a joint paper which sets out the ministry of justices vision for the future of the English justice system.

The vision, according to the paper, is to modernise and upgrade our justice system so that it works even better for everyone, from judges and legal professionals, to witnesses, litigants, and the vulnerable victims of crime.

One of the principal reforms to be introduced as part of this ameliorative exercise is the admission of pre-trial cross-examination. Under the scheme  which is part of a wider series of 1bn (1.16bn) reforms planned for the English justice process  vulnerable victims and witnesses will be spared the ordeal of having to appear in court. The scheme envisages that, rather than being required to undergo the orthodox practice of live cross-examination before a jury, such witnesses will instead undergo private cross-examination at an earlier stage in proceedings.

A video recording of these exchanges will then be played for the jury at the eventual trial, thereby sparing vulnerable persons the stress of reliving traumatic events in open court. The move to introduce this measure follows the successful implementation of pre-trial cross-examination on a pilot basis in three crown courts in England.

According to the joint paper, the results of this pilot indicate that pre-trial cross-examination results in a better experience for witnesses, with the cross-examination taking place in around half the time compared to other cases, and also showed an increase in early guilty pleas by defendants.

When the scheme is rolled out nationally in England and Wales next year, it will mark a major shift in how criminal courts operate across the Irish Sea. For centuries, victims and witnesses have been expected to physically attend and deliver their evidence live in court in front of both members of the jury and the criminal accused. In enabling jurors to make judgements about the reliability of a witnesss account based on his or her demeanour in court, the live delivery of testimony has long been seen as an important evidentiary safeguard within the adversarial model of trial justice.

In other words, it was seen as an essential ingredient in securing a fair trial for the criminal accused. Moreover, there was a significant practical argument against conducting this process pre-trial.

Essentially, it was felt that by staging cross-examination earlier in proceedings, both police and prosecutors would encounter significant difficulties in meeting their disclosure obligations. Given that the legal representatives of an accused can only effectively cross-examine a witness once they have received full disclosure of all prosecution evidence, expedited examination posed the obvious risk that some evidence may not have been disclosed to the defence by the scheduled interview date.

It is almost certainly for these reasons that Irish policymakers have traditionally been reluctant to meaningfully entertain the prospect of reforming this area of trial practice.

Thus, while we have seen some significant developments in Irish criminal process in recent years with a view to improving the experience of vulnerable witnesses  such as the admission of live TV-link testimony, the introduction of intermediaries, and the recognition of recorded examination  the position nevertheless remains that vulnerable witnesses must be available to attend court on the day of trial for live cross-examination.

Even for the most assiduous and indefatigable of witnesses this process can be intimidating, but for vulnerable witnesses  such as those who, for instance, are children or have an intellectual disability  the ordeal is arguably heightened.

Owing to their limited cognitive development, such witnesses can encounter significant difficulties in understanding, recalling, and communicating the details of a criminal event. These difficulties, research has shown, are in turn compounded by the intimidating setting and formality of the courtroom. On a moralistic level then, it is difficult to justify Irelands enduring subscription to this process.

Nor, it would seem, can this procedural imperative be justified on instrumental grounds. In insisting that cross-examination be delayed until the formal trial date, traditional adversarial practice not only poses the serious risk of narrative distortion (given the likelihood of a vulnerable witnesss memory degrading over time), but it also poses a significant risk of attrition (given the likelihood of a witness disengaging with the criminal process over time due to mounting anxiety at the prospect of going to court).

Moreover, the evidentiary concerns routinely cited to justify our continued subscription to live cross-examination appear to be overstated. Consistent research by Graham Davies in England, for instance, suggests the medium of presentation of evidence has no material impact of the overall decision-making process of the jury. With regard to the traditional disclosure argument, the experience of the police and Crown Prosecution Service in England who participated in the pilot scheme suggest this fear is unfounded. Indeed, in the ministry of justices formal process evaluation of the pilot (launched last week), it was found that despite the concerns held by the police, third party disclosure did not appear to be a substantial problem for CPS prosecutors, defence advocates of judges.

Ireland should follow the lead of our neighbours on this issue. With our approaching (and long overdue) transposition of the victims directive, we have a unique opportunity to re-examine the formalities of the Irish criminal trial with a view to yielding a more inclusionary paradigm. Article 23(2)(a) of the directive compels member states to put in place for vulnerable victims, measures to ensure that the victim may be heard in the courtroom without being present, in particular through the use of communication technology. The first step in meeting our obligation under this instrument is to establish pre-trial cross-examination on a statutory basis in this jurisdiction. In heeding the overwhelmingly positive reports emerging from the ministry of justices pilot scheme, the Irish framework should replicate the scheme poised for introduction in England and Wales in 2017.

Pre-trial recording of the cross-examination of vulnerable witnesses is not a new idea. In 1989 the Pigot committee advocated the implementation of such a scheme in England and Wales. More recently in Ireland, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties recommended in a 2013 report on the treatment of crime victims with disabilities, that provision should be made to permit video recorded cross-examination or re-examination of vulnerable witnesses. It is high time these calls for reform were acknowledged and responded to by Irish policymakers. After all there is a strong public interest in empowering vulnerable witnesses to give their best evidence in court, not only in the moral sense of ensuring the legitimate expectations of all court users are equally met within our criminal justice process, but also in the instrumental sense of making sure those who prey on some of the most vulnerable members of our society are brought to justice.

Alan Cusack is an academic visitor at the Centre for Criminology at the University of Oxford and a PhD candidate in University College Cork conducting doctoral research in the area of access to justice for victims of crime with disabilities
TRUMP, denying Clintons accusation that he supported the Iraq war: Wrong. Wrong. Later: That is a mainstream media nonsense put out by her. I was against the war in Iraq.

THE FACTS: There is no evidence Trump expressed public opposition to the war before the US invaded, despite his repeated insistence that he did. Rather, he offered lukewarm support. He only began to voice doubts about the conflict well after it began in March 2003.

His first known public comment on the topic came on September 11, 2002, when he was asked whether he supported a potential Iraq invasion in an interview with radio host Howard Stern. Yeah, I guess so, Trump responded.

On March 21, 2003, just days after the invasion began, Trump said it looks like a tremendous success from a military standpoint.

Later that year he began voicing doubts.

TRUMP, when Clinton accused him of calling climate change a hoax invented by the Chinese: I did not say that.

THE FACTS: Yes he did, in the form of a 2012 tweet: The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive. He later claimed he was kidding, but also repeated the claim that climate change is a hoax, and one that benefits China.

He tweeted in January 2014: Snowing in Texas and Louisiana, record setting freezing temperatures throughout the country and beyond. Global warming is an expensive hoax!

TRUMP: Ive been under audit for almost 15 years.

THE FACTS: Trump has never provided evidence to the public that he is actually under audit. A letter released by his tax attorneys never used the word, merely describing his tax returns under continuous examination. That is not a formal term for any kind of action by the Internal Revenue Service.

TRUMP to Clinton: Youve been fighting ISIS your entire adult life.

THE FACTS: Hillary Clinton was born in 1947 and is 68 years old. She reached adulthood in 1965. The Islamic State group grew out of an al-Qaeda spinoff, al-Qaeda in Iraq in 2013.

TRUMP: My father gave me a small loan in 1975.

THE FACTS: Aside from $1 million in financing from his father, Trump received loan guarantees, bailouts and a drawdown from his future inheritance. Tim OBrien noted in a 2005 book that Trump not only drew an additional $10 million from his future inheritance during hard times, but also inherited a share of his fathers real estate holdings, worth hundreds of millions when they were eventually sold.

TRUMP: You dont learn a lot from tax returns.

THE FACTS: They would provide vital information about his wealth, taxes paid, tax avoidance efforts, exact amounts of real estate holdings and charitable donations that cant be gleaned from any other source.

CLINTON: Donald publicly invited Putin to hack into Americans.

TRUMP on hacking of the Democratic National Committee: I dont think anybody knows it was Russia that broke into the DNC... I mean it could be Russia. But it could also be China. It could be lots of other people. It could be somebody sitting on their bed who weighs 400 pounds.

THE FACTS: Trump didnt encourage Russia to hack broadly into Americans, as Clinton said, although he did express the hope that Russian hackers would find the 30,000 emails that are missing from Clintons private server.
Burma Dutch Tourist Faces Jail Time for Insulting Religion

Klaas Haijtema arrives at Mandalays Maha Aung Myay Township court on Wednesday. / Zarni Mann / The Irrawaddy

MANDALAY  A court in Mandalays Maha Aung Myay Township accepted a case against a Dutch tourist for violating visa regulations and insulting religion after he disrupted a Buddhist ritual last week.

The townships immigration department and the leader of the Buddhist group that performed the ritual filed the case against 30-year-old Klaas Haijtema on Wednesday, after the tourist unplugged an amplifier used to enhance a Dhamma recitation by Buddhist devotees at the townships Dhamma Yone community hall on Friday night. Haijtema was staying at the hotel opposite the hall.

The plaintiffs said the Dutch man did not take off his shoes when he entered the holy site and that he removed the wires from the PA system, disrupting the recitation that was held to mark the eve of a Buddhist Sabbath day.

During the trial on Wednesday, Klaas Haijtema said he was sorry for what he did and that he had not intended to disrupt a religious ceremony.

I was not aware that the building was related to Buddhism. I was really tired that night and woke up to the noise. I was very angry, and assumed that children were playing music, he told the court through a translator.

So I went down to the building and unplugged the wires, he added.

When asked for additional comments by The Irrawaddy, Klaas Haijtema said he had nothing further to add.

If he is found guilty under Section 13.1 of the Immigration Act, he could be given a minimum six-month to a maximum five-year sentence. For insulting religion, he could also face a two-year sentence under Section 295 of Burmas Penal Code. He is currently detained at Obo Prison in Mandalay.

Nearly 90 percent of the countrys population is Buddhist, and wearing shoes at holy sites and disrupting religious rituals can be regarded as an insult to the religion.

Klaas Haijtema is not the first foreigner to be charged for defaming Buddhism recently. Last year, Philip Blackwood, a New Zealander and bar manager in Burma, posted an offending photo of the Buddha wearing DJ headphones on Facebook to promote cheap drinks. He was given a two and a half year prison sentence but released with amnesty early this year.

The Dutch tourists case comes at a time when communities across Burma have criticized the overuse of PA systems for religious and business purposes.

People have complained about the blaring loudspeakers being used by Buddhist devotees and monks when asking for donations and performing religious rituals in the early morning and in the evening, as well as by Muslim calls to prayer coming from the mosques.

Despite Burmas Ward and Village Tract Administration Law, which requires loudspeaker users to obtain a permit from the local authorities under the condition that they are not to cause a public nuisance, the regulations are rarely followed or enforced, especially when it comes to religion.

When the news about Klaas Haijtema broke, the case went viral on social media and attracted mixed criticism.

Its time to review the regulations for the use of loudspeakers. Whoever you are, we cant escape from that terrible nuisance to our ears! posted one critic on Facebook.
Burma Lawmakers Push for Legal Protection for Burmese Migrant Workers

Migrant workers labor in the Talaat Kung shrimp market in Mahachai, Samut Sakhon, Thailand. / JPaing / The Irrawaddy

RANGOON  Burmas Lower House of Parliament on Tuesday discussed a proposal urging the government to enact legal protection against labor exploitation and abuse of Burmese migrant workers in foreign countries.

The proposal was submitted by the ruling National League for Democracy party lawmaker U Kyaw Aung Lwin of Magwe Divisions Sidoktaya Township. He said past governments had failed to address the situation of Burmese migrant workers abroad and that now the civilian-elected government was responsible for imposing regulations regarding their rights.

Unable to find adequate employment at home and tempted by promises of higher wages in more developed countries, Burmese migrants typically obtain jobs as laborers in factories, on construction sites, and as domestic workers in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Dubai, he said.

He added that the main drivers of the migration are a significant rise in unemployment, low wages and poverty. Many still use illegal migration channels to avoid the higher costs associated with bilateral labor agreements, rendering them prone to the extortionate practices of employment brokers and employers.

While workers under legal conditions also face mistreatment and abuse, illegal migrants are vulnerable to exploitation, human rights abuses and even death, due in part to a lack of legal protection.

Although Burmese migrants include educated workers, many are employed in poorly regulated and hazardous sectors3 Ds workplaces: dirty, dangerous and difficult environmentsin which host citizens are unwilling to work, he told The Irrawaddy.

Lawmaker Daw Khin Sandy from Tenasserim Divisions Launglon Township said during the legislative session that many young people from her constituency left for Thailand hoping for better wages but instead faced exploitation, rights abuses, limitation of movement, human trafficking and slaverythe worst cases in the offshore fishing industry and lucrative tourism sector.

Full pay for labor, safe and sound working environments, and legal protection are essential for our migrant workers, she said, citing the importance of representation, the responsibility of Burmese embassies in countries where migrants live and the need for an allocated national budget to aid migrant workers.

According to figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), about 10 percent of Burmese nationals migrate internationally. The Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population cites the official figure of migrant workers abroad at 470,000. But a source at the ministry said the official number only counts those who go through legal means, and that the actual number of migrant workers living abroad is much highercloser to the IOM figure, including more than 3 million in Thailand and Malaysia.

In late June, State Counselor and foreign affairs minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi visited Thailand and pledged to collaborate with the Thai government to offer protection under new agreements signed between the two countries.

She said during a bilateral meeting, I recognize that we in [Burma] are responsible for our people here. We will never neglect them.

Lawmakers will continue to discuss U Kyaw Aung Lwins proposal on Wednesday, Speaker Win Myint said in Parliament.
Burma Thai PM Mulls Ban on Mekong River Massacre Movie

Operation Mekong will open in Hong Kong movie theaters on Sept. 30 / BONA Film Group / Facebook

RANGOON  Thailands Prime Minister said he will ban a Chinese-Hong Kong action film based on the murder of 13 Chinese sailors on the Mekong River in 2011 by a Burmese drug lord from being screened in Thailand if it is found to damage the country.

I have ordered authorities to check the content of Operation Mekong. If it is damaging, it will be banned, Prime Minister Prayut Chanocha said on Tuesday, according to Bangkok Post.

Operation Mekong, directed by Dante Lam and due to open in movie theaters on Friday in Hong Kong, concerns the massacre in the Golden Triangle area of the river on Oct 5, 2011 when 13 Chinese crew members of two cargo ships were brutally killed by a Burmese drug-trafficking ring led by Naw Kham.

Naw Kham was brought to justice by Chinese police with the help of Thai and Lao authorities but blamed Thai soldiers for the murders. He was executed in March 2013 in China along with three accomplices, including a Thai national, for murder.

The executions were carried out by lethal injection following a ruling from a court in Kunming, capital of Yunnan province.
Burma Two-Thirds of Disabled Children Not Enrolled in Formal Education

CAPTION: Two students work on a math exercise at the Kawechan School for the Blind in Rangoon. / Tin Htet Paing / The Irrawaddy

RANGOON  A joint report published by the United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund (Unicef) has stated that Burmas national education law needs to be amended, as two-thirds of the countrys 232,000 disabled children do not obtain a formal education.

A 122-page report by Unicef and the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement was launched in Naypyidaw on Tuesday, shedding a spotlight on the lives of disabled persons under age 18 in five major areaseducation, health, living environment, social life, and rights and aspirations.

Sixty-seven percent of children with disabilities are out of the formal education system and do not attend school, the report said. This represents an exponentially higher percentage of children out of school than among children without disabilities, 11 per cent of whom do not attend school, it added.

The report recommended that Burmas National Education Law be amended to ensure that children with disabilities are welcomed in mainstream schools and their individual needs are met. Teachers and education professionals need to be properly trained in this regard.

Daw Yu Yu Swe, an official in the ministrys Social Welfare Department, told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that the report is official evidence which speaks for the countrys disabled children and how much needs to be done for them by parliament and government institutions.

Most people in society are aware of the situation of the disabled community, she said, we just didnt have any documents and data to prove this with evidence.

She added that the ministry started distributing hard copies of the report to relevant ministries, including health and education, and parliament on Wednesday. Daw Yu Yu Swe said she hopes that the report can help policymakers and lawmakers realize the importance of inclusive and accessible systems.

The report detailed how most mainstream schools in the country do not have facilities for students with disabilities, and that in 2015, there were 46 incidents of schools refusing to admit disabled children. It also said that 93 percent of two- to four-year-olds with disabilities have no exposure to school readiness programs.

Three-quarters of education professionals believe that children with disabilities should attend special schools, the report claimed.

Ko Aung Ko Myint, the chairperson of the Myanmar National Association of the Blind (MNAB), told The Irrawaddy that there are undeniable structural barriers and a negative attitude in the countrys education system toward those with disabilities.

The actual number of disabled children who dont receive formal education could be more than the findings by UNICEF, he said, highlighting that there could be many disabled children who were not counted in its survey.

One of the reports key findings was that although Burma introduced the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Law last year, the definition of disability used in it is not explicit or widely understood.

U Win Myat Aye, Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, said that quantitative and qualitative data related to children with disabilities is still scarce, incomplete and its quality questionable, even though numerous government institutions regularly produce statistics on children and women.

All children with disabilities have the right to achieve their full potential and enjoy the opportunities open to other children, he added.

The reports research took place in 2015 after the nationwide population census. Its key objective was to increase knowledge and awareness among policymakers and key stakeholders about the situation and the rights of children with disabilities in a country where members of the disabled population rarely have their voices heard in society and face daily discrimination as objects of pity, the report stated.

The report said it hoped to inform disability-inclusive legislative and policy reviews that would ensure the fulfillment of the rights of children with disabilities in the country.

According to Burmas 2014 census, 4.6 percent of the countrys population suffers at least one type of disability. People with visual impairments account for 2.5 percent, people with walking difficulties for 1.9 percent, intellectual impairments for 1.7 percent and hearing impairments for 1.3 percent.
Guest Column Burmas Biggest Challenges: Civil War and Religious Intolerance

Ethnic Karen civilians take shelter in Myaing Gyi Ngu monastery after being displaced by fighting between a splinter group of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army and the Burma Army, supported by the Border Guard Force / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

If all you see of Burma is Aung San Suu Kyi with British Prime Minister Theresa May on the steps of 10 Downing Street, or sitting with President Obama in the White House, or at the United Nations, you might be inclined to think that Burmas struggle is over and all is well.

But talk to any of the countrys civil society activists or ethnic or religious minorities and you will quickly realize there is still a very, very long way to go.

It is true that the peaceful transition to a government led by State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy, after they overwhelming won the countrys first credible elections in 25 years, is remarkable. But although this civilian, democrat-led government ends decades of direct rule by the military, it in no way ends the militarys power. Under the 2008 Constitution, designed by the military, they control a quarter of the seats in Parliament and three key ministries in government: home affairs, border affairs and defense.

This makes solving Burmas two biggest challengesending decades of civil war and addressing deep-rooted religious intoleranceextremely difficult. Last month the State Counselor convened a major peace conference with representatives of most of the ethnic nationalities, known as a 21st Century Panglong. Named after the conference held by her father, independence leader Aung San, in Panglong, Shan State, in 1947, it is another attempt to address the political grievances of the countrys diverse ethnic nationalities and begin a process of political dialogue.

The original Panglong conference established a federal system for the country, but the promises made were abandoned after Aung San was assassinated the following year. That principle, of a federal system giving the ethnic nationalities autonomy and equal rights, remains at the heart of the solution to the countrys conflicts.

Yet while the politicians talked peace, in Kachin and Shan states the Burma Army continued to attack civilians, and in recent weeks new reports of violence in Karen State have emerged, despite there being a ceasefire in place since 2012.

On the issue of religious intolerance, which is at its most extreme in Arakan State, where the Muslim Rohingya suffer a campaign of severe persecution from militant Buddhist nationalists and the military, Aung San Suu Kyi has been criticized for her silence. Yet last month she surprised many by establishing a nine-member advisory commission led by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, to investigate the causes of the conflict and seek solutionssomething several international activists had been calling for. The response from the Arakanese nationalists and those close to the military was one of fury.

One of the consequences of both the ethnic conflict and religious intolerance has been a humanitarian crisis in parts of the country. Over 120,000 Kachin civilians have been displaced by fighting, and over 130,000 Rohingya are living in dire conditions in more than 40 camps in Arakan State. Over recent years, thousands more have fled the country.

The internally displaced people in Burma are in desperate need of humanitarian aid, but are suffering from two problems: firstly, the government restricts humanitarian agencies access to parts of the country, and secondly, even in the areas they are able to reach, international agencies are now cutting provisions.

Last week, reports emerged that Burma Army soldiers prevented trucks containing a months supply of rice from the World Food Programme (WFP) from reaching a camp in Kachin state, and in the previous month, the military blocked a vehicle carrying medical supplies for four camps, provided by the United Nations.

At the same time, reports have emerged that the WFP is cutting food aid to displaced Rohingya in Arakan State. This is apparently part of a plan to phase-out relief assistance in parts of the state.

Cuts in aid in some areas and blocks on aid access in others combine into a recipe for an already serious humanitarian situation to spiral into a crisis. In July, Yanghee Lee, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Burma said, after meeting internally displaced peoples, that she had heard of their daily struggles to survive. She expressed concern about the extensive difficulties in accessing and delivering aid, even though such assistance provides a lifeline to communities. In Arakan State, she noted, access can only be approved through a cumbersome procedure, and in Kachin State humanitarian access is shrinking. The conditions of the internally displaced peoples camps she witnessed remain poor.

There is a desperate need to begin to address the root causes, which involves ending the conflict, confronting hate speech and working for reconciliationand, in the case of the Rohingya, restoring their citizenship rights which were stripped from them in 1982. But no one can pretend that it will be easy, particularly given the militarys continuing power.

Yet there is an even more urgent task, which requires the immediate attention of both Aung San Suu Kyi and the international community: stop the block on aid, end the cuts, and ensure that no one starves to death simply on account of their race or religion. It is doubtless that Aung San Suu Kyi has a complex political tightrope to walk, but she is the only person in Burma with the moral and political authority to make this happen; in her government, she is the only decision-maker. She must now lift the aid restrictions and ensure that those displaced receive the aid they need to survive.

Benedict Rogers is a human rights activist specializing in Asia, working for Christian Solidarity Worldwide. He is also the author of Burma: A Nation At The Crossroads, Than Shwe: Unmasking Burmas Tyrant, and A Land Without Evil: Ending the Genocide of the Karen People.
Any company that relies on tactics and actions to foster diversity and inclusion is certain to find that its effort will be futile. Instead, the effort needs to be focused on a wholesale change of culture and mindset, and it needs to be spearheaded by white men.

That was my main takeaway from a recent interview with Bill Proudman, founding partner and CEO of White Men as Full Diversity Partners (WMFDP), a diversity and leadership consulting firm in Portland, Oregon. In Proudmans view, moreover, inclusion and leadership are synonyms. Theyre interchangeable words, he says. Suffice it to say, it was a thought-provoking interview.

I asked Proudman what he sees as the root cause of sexism in the tech industry. He said its tough to say theres just one root cause:

I would say its a little bit like a mountaineering accident, where there are competing, contributing causal effects. Generally speaking, with gender equity issues within the tech sector, a couple of things are in play. One is, the tech sector, like most other industries, has seen gender equity as a womens problem, so most of the focus has been on, lets help women with leadership and mentoring programs. Nobody will ever say this, but theyre teaching the women to act like men, and thinking that thats good enough. Thats problem No. 1.

Secondly, in the tech sector youve got a lot of men, particularly white men in the U.S.  there are some Asian and Indian men  so it has largely been a male environment. Another contributing factor is the historic pattern for girls to have their math and science scores plummet in adolescence. The research has shown that that happens because all of a sudden, they dont want to appear smarter than the guys. That has further skewed the pool. Theres also the information that young girls get from other girls, from boys, and from men and women, that being smart is not ladylike. So theres a lot of old-school, inherent sexism thats built into that.

And then when this small pool of women gets into the tech sector, there are horrendous stories about what they are subjected to in the way of blatant stuff, and subtle, nuanced stuff that causes them to say, Do I really want to spend my time here? Thats one of the reasons why women comprise a disproportionately high percentage of people who are starting small businesses, not just in the tech sector, but in industry in general. They have to fit into a largely male world, and theyre a little exhausted by it.

Proudman went on to explain WMFDPs diversity strategy, and what makes it different:

Our approach to this topic comes through a leadership mindset  it starts with mindset, as opposed to tactics, or actions. A lot of companies start with tactics and actions, and the mindset hasnt shifted. Its a little bit like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic  it might look different, but the ships still going down. So our belief is that leaders behavior and awareness of their mindset around this topic is foundational. We work through a behavioral mindset that has leaders do three things: to grow consciousness  what dont I know that I dont know; to grow courage  how do I persevere, hold the course, speak the truth, hang in there; and to grow confidence  what are the skills and behaviors that I need to learn to be a more effective leader in the realm of inclusion. To me, inclusion and leadership are synonyms  theyre interchangeable words. A good leader builds an inclusive team and environment; sees the people standing in front of them for who they are; values and respects those people; and motivates those people to exceed expectations, rather than treating everybody as a widget.

Proudman said that for the past 30 years, diversity has been looked at as an issue about women and people of color:

So white guys think of themselves as an endangered species  theyre going to lose opportunities, now that were focused on inclusion and diversity. So were changing that mindset. This isnt about replacing this group with somebody else. It is about questioning the mindset that says, Weve always hired and promoted the best candidate. That has to be mythology, if those people are disproportionately white men. As bright as I am, me just being white and male doesnt mean that I have a corner on my industrys intelligence and capability. So were missing talent, because we have an implicit bias that isnt intentional, and its not just some white meneverybodys doing this. Changing that takes time, and consciously looking at how weve confused the best person for the job, with the person were most comfortable with. We tend to hire and promote people who are most like ourselvestheyre the ones were most comfortable with, thinking that theyre somehow the best candidate.

Proudman pointed out that WMFDP has been working with Dell for three years, and genuine progress in terms of diversity and inclusion is being made globally:

They finally said, We need to engage men, and have men see gender equity as a mens issue as well as a womens issue, rather than telling men what they need to do to mentor women, and put some women in these roles. Thats what theyre doing at the executive level, across the whole company. A lot of companies, because they want to see progress happen quickly, basically hire or promote women to fill slots. And then when the women fall out of those slots, theyre not just back to square zero. Theyre usually further back, because the mindset in that system is, women need not apply, and they get a reputation as not being a friendly industry for women to work in.

Noting that Dell has its top 15 executives listed on its website, and 14 of them are white men, I asked Proudman whether more diversity on that page wouldnt speak more loudly than a pronouncement that Dell is working with WMFDP. Proudman said theyre working toward that:

But its not as simple as changing out some pictures on a website  thats been tried, and thats called tokenism. Anybody can be promoted or recruited into whatever position. You can get pictures of whatever leadership team, put them in the annual report, and feel like youve created an equitable or inclusive environment.

Representation is just that  you can be diverse representationally, but not inclusive. Dell is taking more of a long-term approach  theyre applying some patience. They are committed to creating much more equity around gender  not just among their senior leadership, but in their mid-leadership positions. That takes time, because part of that is about creating a culture that is inclusive, rather than simply a representation effort.

Proudman readily acknowledged that companies can use that argument to say, Were working on that, its just going to take 20 years. And that can sometimes rightly be seen as an excuse to do nothing:

So the challenge is, how do you act quickly, but stay focused on the long term? Because it takes rigor and perseverance to change culture  culture doesnt change simply because you change out the pictures of the executive group. Dell is privately held, but they would be irresponsible to their shareholders, if they were a publicly traded company, to simply stick people in, in order to create a representation picture of what the culture is, and to do that instantaneously. From my perspective, thats what hasnt worked in the tech sector, where a lot of that has been tried. It takes courage and persistence for these typically white male leaders to hang in there and change not just the seats at the table, but the culture, and whats valued in that system. Thats a long play. Thats not, Well do it this fiscal quarter, and then we can shake hands and congratulate ourselves. Inclusion is a little bit like safety in manufacturing. You dont just think about safety for one quarter, and then forget about it.

A contributing writer on IT management and career topics with IT Business Edge since 2009, Don Tennant began his technology journalism career in 1990 in Hong Kong, where he served as editor of the Hong Kong edition of Computerworld. After returning to the U.S. in 2000, he became Editor in Chief of the U.S. edition of Computerworld, and later assumed the editorial directorship of Computerworld and InfoWorld. Don was presented with the 2007 Timothy White Award for Editorial Integrity by American Business Media, and he is a recipient of the Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award for editorial excellence in news coverage. Follow him on Twitter @dontennant.
Geosciences Australia confirms 'rumor' not caused by an earthquake after bystander near Gladstone report tail-like-burst fireball in the sky, bright flash, and loud bangs

The 'bright light' - shown in the above CCTV footage captured on Boyne Island, 25km south of Gladstone, 8.30pm - was reportedly seen as far south of Hervey Bay and as far north of Yeppoon.

The video was shared by Ellie Thompson on in the Facebook page, the Higgins Storm Chasing, and Queensland-based enthusiasts that share weather forecasts, photos, and alerts.

Early reports linked a magnitude-3.5 earthquake near coast of Airlie Beach to the meteor, however, the earthquake shock two hours later and it was unlikely related, Seismology said

Emerald resident Jim told the ABC he saw a "bright ball-type object and then all of a sudden comes with it is a big orange tail." Others reported as the also notice that their houses and cars shaking.

Jonathan McDowell, a Harvard astrophysicist , told the Gladstone Observer the bright light, boom, and shaking was most likely produced by a meteor. "It's not a comet, or Queensland wouldn't exist anymore (and we'd have seen it coming for days)," he pointed out.

"I Was sitting at the beach in Boyne Island and saw it all unfold, looked like a big as hell shooting star and lit up the beach than about a minute later a big bang and a shockwave came over the water and shook my car little bit was a pretty awesome experience," Jacques Reimers added.

There have been no reports of damage caused by the meteor last night, and a meteorite has yet to be located. Police said they had received various phone calls from residents, but no damage has been expressed. Dozens of people share social media to about their experiences, some describing a "bright flash", loud "bangs" and their houses "shaking".
Celebrating the release of Forza Horizon 3, Microsoft unveils a contest to win a unique Xbox One S sculpted after the $2M Lamborghini Centenario.

Unique and interesting custom consoles are a regular thing for Xbox owners and Australian fans who like racing games as they have been blessed with the chance to grab a special iteration of the Xbox One: the sole Lamborghini Centario-themed Slim version of the console. It's obvious to view the Xbox One S as a console of beauty, with that stated, Microsoft totally agrees.





The company states that it is much like the 2-million-dollar luxury car that has its looks and is showcased on Forza Horizon 3's cover, the first and solitary (take note, there's only one of it in the world - as of this writing at least) Lamborghini Centario Xbox One S gives significance to the Italian manufacturer's stunning designed combined with top-of-the-line engineering. Microsoft added, "With its gunmetal body, matching wireless controller and signature metal trimmings, the console truly is as sleek as it sounds!", as reported by GameRant.com.

Obviously, owning this console is not easy, considering there's only one in the world versus the number of racing fans who want it - yes, racing fans, not just from the gaming circle. But if you're really positive to win, you need to check if you live in Australia first as the contest is, for now, exclusive to the said country.

To our Australian mates, all you need to do to join the contest is to purchase a copy of Forza Horizon 3 within Sept. 27 and Oct 2 via online stores or at Microsoft's stall at the Sydney Pitt Street mall. Those who pre-ordered may join too by sending proof of purchase on a private message to the Microsoft Store Sydney Facebook page.









Those who want to take firsthand glance of this magnificent console can do so by dropping by at the said Pitt Street location. Forza Horizon 3 is currently out for Xbox One and PC.
Samsung has just experienced its Dark Ages thanks to the plaguing issue of exploding Galaxy Note 7's. Now, the company seems to then be experiencing its Renaissance as encouraging rumors begun stirring around the next-gen S-Pen.

Samsung's S-Pen

One of the most underrated accessories is Samsung's S-Pen, as the latest one that is featured on the new Galaxy Note 7 has 4,096 different pressure sensitivities.

With this alone, one can see that Samsung is indeed continuously innovating and improving its array of technological masterpieces. Most probably, Samsung is working on a new patent. According to recent speculations, future S-Pen models will feature an integrated speaker.

The new patent describes audio coming from the phone, which will then use the S-Pen stylus as its output device when the latter is docked into the phone. When the stylus is removed, audio will then come out from the S-Pen.

The Future of Samsung Lies In Its S Pen

If this would be used in future Galaxy Note models, then the S-Pen would surely be a technological marvel as it would remove the speaker grilles on the phone, thereby freeing up tons of space. This is also similar to Apple's recently removed headphone jack.

As of now, Samsung is still battling the criticisms due to the exploding battery problem that plagued its very reputation. Just last week, Samsung sent out 500,000 new Galaxy Note 7 phones to replace the recalled the defective phones of users in the United States.

Hopefully, Samsung will be able to solve its problems and once again clean up its name. If ever the reports suggesting the revolutionary patent that Samsung currently prove true, then surely Samsung can rise up again from the ashes on the next Galaxy Note phone.
Universal Pictures remains silent for any updates about "Pitch Perfect" 3 and its release dates. Rumor has it that major changes will be done on the third installment and Anna Kendrick might be one of it.

According to reports, Anna Kendrick, who starred the last 2 installments of the movie, might be replaced by "High School Musical's" Vanessa Hudgens, "Gossip Girl's" Leighton Meester or "Glee's" Lea Michele. And if not any of the three, the lead role could just be taken by Hailee Steinfeld or Rebel Wilson. But these are all speculations and Universal Pictures has yet to give an official statement.

The three mentioned possible replacements for Kendrick is also known for their beautiful singing voice. It can be remembered that Meester and Michele released an album in 2014 and Hudgens in 2006 and 2008. However, fans have expressed their disappointment should Anna Kendrick not return in the 3rd movie as they cannot imagine watching the movie without her in it.

One reason why Kendrick may not be in "Pitch Perfect" 3 is because of her alleged rift with co-worker. According to speculations, Kendrick and Wilson were in a feud with the movie's film producer, director, and co-star Elizabeth Banks. But if this rumor is true, the third movie is set to have a new director so this will no longer be an issue for Kendrick's return.

In a recent interview with the director, Banks said she decided not to direct the third installment of the musical comedy movie is because she needs to spend more time with her family. Trish Sie will be the director of the 3rd movie.

There is no confirmation yet when the third installment will be released on the big screen but it is likely that it will be sometime in 2017.
The annual PlayStation Event of Sony will be held on December 3-4 at Anaheim Convention Center in Southern California. The PlayStation 4 Pro was revealed during the early parts of September in a PlayStation Meeting. However, it seems like this has not given fans the satisfaction they need. Sony disclosed their plans for this year's event. This annual post-holiday experience will fuel eagerness for the fans for the New Year. The event will include announcements, gameplay debuts, and other exciting surprises.

According to Game Rant, as for the 2016 PlayStation Experience, Sony will showcase the variety of content that fans can choose from during the event. It will comprise of announcements related to E3, such as the updated God of War. This event will also cover and discuss more about Horizon: Zero Dawn, which will be moved to 2017. On the other hand, the PlayStation Experience 2016 schedule looks like it has been announced too early.

The website has not been functioning initially. Due to this problem, fans were not able to register. The website came live, but registrations are still not available. Therefore, for those who want to witness the event, they have to be keen as to when Sony will be announcing the availability for the event's registration.

Just Push Start reported that fans are truly excited for PlayStation Experience 2016. Sony E3's presentations showed a low profile for indie games. It is therefore safe to say that these will be focused during the event.
Many have been speculating whether the latest "discovery" in Mars is true or not. There are endless arguments circulating the internet and questions to NASA that need answers. Are human beings the only intelligent life in the Milky Way Galaxy?

First allegation that conspiracy theorists found on Mars is a snake seen on NASA Mars photo. Recently, a UFO enthusiast believed that there is a crashed flying saucer in the photograph by the U.S. space agency's Mars Curiosity Rover.

Mars anomaly hunter, Mars Moon Space TV, informed their followers that the UFO in Martian soil is located at Aram Chaos region of Mars near the Canyon Valles Marineris and Ares Vallis.

At first look, the so-called UFO crashed sight is just a massive peculiar rock, UFO enthusiasts and conspiracy theorists are enforcing that it is a sign of alien flying saucer. The group wants NASA to do further tests and intensive examinations on the sightings.

UFO blogger Scott C. Waring featured the "Martian Home Anomaly" on his UFO Sightings Daily blog. According to Waring, "It looks to be made of the same material as the surroundings, and could be a flying disk that has landed, or it could be a building built there on purpose to get a better view. It might be a man"

According to an article in Inquistr, Thomas Jenses of Mars Moon Space TV said, "We may thus imagine a scenario where recent alien visitors were forced to abandon the spacecraft after it developed a mechanical or electrical fault. The crew of the ship might have put out an SOS after they were stranded on the planet, and a rescue craft was dispatched to evacuate them while the ship was left behind as non-salvageable."

NASA has been sending missions to Mars in order to investigate if there are any chances that the Red Planet can support life and if any extra-terrestrial lives are currently visiting Mars. The space organization is still not considering this as a UFO sighting.

According to Techtimes, that this might be a case of pareidolia. Pareidolia is a psychological state wherein the human mind recognizes a figure in an image even though nothing is really there.
Amazon Studios announced its intention to air three new shows in 2017 including the revival of the 2001 series "The Tick" for its take on superhero genre, "I Love Dick," a comedy series, and "Jean-Claude Van Johnson," a martial-arts action parody series. These shows will be available in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Australia and Japan for Amazon Prime members.

Earlier this month, Amazon's original show "Transparent," starring Jeffrey Tambor, reaped a couple of awards from the recently concluded Emmy Awards. Yet the company is already back to work, producing more award-winning shows as it announced Tuesday its three new series for its streaming video service.

"These pilots were vast in scope, disruptive in tone, challenging in story and sometimes even funny," said Joe Lewis, Head of Half-Hour Series, Amazon Studios. "It's rewarding to see customers embrace them in such a huge way. We can't wait to premiere these series next year on Prime Video."

Kevin Bacon of "The Following" will play as Dick in the "I Love Dick" show along with co-stars Chris Kathryn Hahn (Chris) and Griffin Dunne (Sylvere). Jean-Claude Van Damme will play the role of the most dangerous undercover private contractor in the world in "Jean-Claude Van Johnson." Lastly, Peter Serafinowicz will play the lead character in "The Tick."



It is no secret that Amazon is planning a big ramp up in content production as it recently declared its goal to become the world's biggest retailer, making its $99 annual Prime membership offer (which includes video streaming and other perks) more attractive. It was in this mission that the company made its decision to greenlight the broadcast of "The Tick," "I Love Dick," and "Jean-Claude Van Johnson."

Amazon Chief Financial Officer Brian Olsavsky said in an earnings call in July that the company was doubling its spending on video content in the second half of the year versus the amount it spent during the same period in 2015.

The company didn't disclose the specific amount, but speculations say it's probably significant. Amazon spent $1.3 billion on its Prime video service in 2014.

More than the billions of income the company gets from the Prime memberships, Amazon claims that its investment in quality original shows is gaining it a huge cultural influence over TV viewers.

All three series will come to Amazon's streaming video service for Prime members next year, with the specific airing date yet to be disclosed. These shows are based on successful pilot episodes, referred to by Amazon as "the most watched ever."

The pilot episodes for "The Tick" and "Jean-Claude Van Johnson" went beyond Amazon's usual Prime Video enclosure as they were shown on Twitch, a popular video-streaming service for gamers that was acquired by Amazon in 2014.
Following the newly-sealed deal between Apple and Aetna, the health insurance company is giving away free Apple Watch to its fulltime employees and, sooner or later, its consumers.

Apple Watch production is expected to increase as the Cupertino-giant tied an agreement with Aetna. Aetna will be subsidizing the cost of Apple Watch for all its employees to be connected to the app the health insurance has just developed.

Aetna's app that will help its consumers keep track of their medicine intake schedule, seek help from a doctor or ask for necessary drug.

In a press statement last Tuesday, Sept. 27, Aetna stressed that the app will also help its members take a full grasp of their benefits, adding that the health app will use Apple's Wallet to pay bills.

The health insurance company is releasing the app early next year. When released, the device will also be available to select clients for free.

Aetna will be issuing Apple Watch first to its estimated 50,000 full-time employees for free. For contracted employees, Aetna said it is up for their agencies whether or not to get the device.

In a joint statement of the companies, they said these "new initiatives will be a powerful force toward creating better customer experiences in health care."

Apple Watch Production To Reach All-Time High

Aetna covers over 23 million people in the U.S. When Apple Watch lands on each of its client, Apple is expected to reach an all-time high production of the watch.

On top of that, this deal could boost sales of the Apple's wearable device in many ways. If this deal will comes out to be a success, other health insurance companies might also be taking the same paths.

Apple To Remain An iPhone Company

Clearly though, as New York-based BGC Partners analyst Colin Gillis said, this boost in Apple Watches will not tilt the company away, thus will remain an iPhone company.

In the second quarter of 2016, Apple was able to produce approximately 1.6 million watches. This is still 25 times lower than iPhone production which is estimated at 40 million.

In South Africa, a health insurance company has already done this strategy, offering Apple Watch to clients to encourage fitness.
The much-anticipated official release of Android 7.0 Nougat has been confirmed by Motorola to Moto G4 and Moto Z handsets alongside other variants. Motorola is reportedly releasing the upgrade by the final quarter of the year.

Motorola prepares the upcoming release of the official Android 7.0 Nougat to Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus, Moto Z, Moto Z Force, Moto Z Play. Droid Life first reported the good news after it was able to get confirmation straight from Motorola.

A Motorola representative told the tech website that owners of the aforementioned devices can expect to receive Android Nougat as the final quarter of 2016 unfolds.

Motorola Owners are Skeptical of the Announcement

Only a couple of days left before the calendar hits October, some Moto G4 and Moto Z owners already expressed disbelief with regard to the news.

For one, software updates in previous Android versions did not come out on time as announced.

In addition, one Motorola device owner commented in the report that the Illinois smartphone manufacturer would fulfill its announcement by releasing Nougat to only one phone by October while the rest receives it next year.

Adding to the reluctance of Motorola fanatics is the company's failure to release Marshmallow to most of its smartphones as many are still running on Lollipop and KitKat.

Past Flagship Phones are Not Yet Scheduled to Receive the Update

Motorola's 2015 flagship phones Moto X Pure Edition and Moto G have not been mentioned whether or not to receive Nougat this year.

Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus, Moto Z, Moto Z Force and Moto Z Play are devices Motorola released this year.

In another news, Motorola faces backlash anew following the massive layoff of the company. Motorola has confirmed that at least 2 percent of its 55,000 workforce was laid off.

In its statement, Motorola said this unfortunate move is "part of the ongoing strategic integration between Lenovo and its Motorola smartphone business as the company further aligns its organization and streamlines its product portfolio to best compete in the global smartphone market."
Uber has just announced a new $100 subscription plan that will give its passengers unlimited ride. However, only one city is still eligible for the new subscription plan as for now.

In celebration of Uber Plus program hitting the streets of New York City for the first time, Uber is giving away unlimited ride for two weeks for just $100. Aside from two-week subscription, Uber riders can also take also take advantage of the month-long unlimited ride plan for $200 only.

All rides must begin and end in the borough, while it works below 125th Street in Manhattan. The plan is only available in UberPOOL, or trips shared with random passengers.

The $100 two-week plan starts on Oct. 1 and will end on the 14th while the $200 month-long plan will continue the unlimited ride for the rest of the month.

Despite that, every ride should not cost beyond $20; otherwise, the passenger has to pay the go-over amount.

Early this month, the online transport network company released different flat rate plans in Washington D.C., Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, Miami and San Diego. At the moment, these plans however are already inactive in Seattle and Miami.

Even so, the pricing would still change in October.

To sign up for Uber's unlimited ride in New York City, here's the link.

Uber's Self-Flying Drone Taxis

In another news, the multinational company is reportedly working on a transportation that would totally end the city traffic congestion problem.

According to a report from Telegraph U.K., Uber is planning to venture on "technology that would allow airborne passenger drones to fly its users short distances around cities."

Uber's head of product Jeff Holden said that the taxi-hailing app company is currently looking into "vertical takeoff and landing" technology.

Targeted to be around after 10 years, the adoption value of this self-flying drone taxi has not been known yet.

Just last August, Uber tested a self-driving car in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
With the recent success of its September 2016 releases, Netflix has nailed the formula to getting people hooked. The platform has a lot in store for viewers in the upcoming months and many of the shows are Netflix originals. With the online streaming platform's move of adding more original shows to its lineup, viewers are looking forward to its new releases.

While the platform is receiving positive feedback for its original shows, the coming months will serve as a litmus test if Netflix was right to gamble on producing its own shows. Meanwhile, here's a list of top Netflix shows that will roll out by next month.

"The Ranch"

After its successful premiere, "The Ranch" is back in Netflix. The story is a Netflix original where three boys need to take over their losing family farm. This is slated to be a fan-favorite after gathering much support during its initial release. "The Ranch's" release is scheduled on Oct. 7.

"Black Mirror" Season 3

Jumping off from Channel 4, the anthology which will be released on Oct. 21 will feature standalone episodes centered on paranoia over modern technology. Charlie Brooker creation will have more episodes this season.

"Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories"

This drama centers around a small eatery where customers can request whatever they want. This is a story that feeds the soul as much as the belly and it's due for release on Oct. 21.

"Skylanders Academy" Season 1

This action comedy from "Futurama" creator Eric Rogers is scheduled for release on Oct. 28. It follows a team of heroes with elemental powers that saves their universe against villains.

Netflix Documentaries

It's not just all about TV series and films for Netflix, there are intriguing documentary releases in their lineup. Among their October releases include "13th" which chronicles racial inequality's history in the U.S., "Sky Ladder" which follows an artist's rise to fame, and "Into the Inferno" which explores mythical volcanoes.

Series Renewals

After its successful release of several Netflix originals including the quirky anthology "Easy" and the introduction of the newest Marvel superhero series "Luke Cage," viewers are expecting more entertaining shows from the streaming site. With "Stranger Things," "Jessica Jones," "Daredevil," "House of Cards," and "Orange Is the New Black" scheduled for more seasons, there's much to look forward to in the coming months.


Walt Disney Studio has confirmed that "The Jungle Book" director Jon Favreau is working on a remake of the animated classic "The Lion King," which is coming back as a live-action/CG project.

Favreau is reportedly fast-tracking a live-action retelling of the '90s animated movie "The Lion King" which will include soundtracks from the original film. Based on the lengthy production of the first live-action/CG product of Disney, "The Jungle Book," "The Lion King" reboot won't come to theaters anytime soon. The exact premiere date is also yet to be discussed after the production timeline is calculated, as per reports.

Favreau has proven that the cutting-edge technology can be a great tool for filmmakers to breathe new life into animated classics, and he has demonstrated it when he brought "The Jungle Book" back to theaters earlier this year.

With the successful return of Mowgli, many of the Disney movie fans have expected to see a sequel to the movie, but as it turns out, the film director has something different in mind -- "The Lion King" coming to real life.

Disney is reteaming with Favreau to create a 21st century take on the "The Lion King," which the company has fast-tracked to production, the studio announced.

"'The Lion King' builds on Disney's success of reimagining its classics for a contemporary audience with films like 'Maleficent,' 'Cinderella' and 'The Jungle Book,'" Disney noted on its website. "The upcoming 'Beauty and the Beast', led by Emma Watson as Belle, is already one of the most anticipated movies of 2017. Like 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'The Lion King' will include songs from the animated film," it added.

According to records, the animated version of "The Lion King" released in 1994 surprisingly banked $969 million dollars, making the movie one of the highest-grossing animated movies of all time. Additionally, the film's main soundtrack "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" won an Oscar award.

Favreau said in a statement that he will build "The Lion King" remake on what he accomplished with "The Jungle Book" -- using real life characters plus bringing the jungle setting and its animals. The process is now made possible via cutting edge technology and a green-screen set in a studio in Los Angeles.

Disney will release "Beauty and the Beast" in theaters in 2017, hence "The Lion King" reboot is expected to come later in 2018.
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1 China-USA Business Review, ISSN March 2013, Vol. 12, No. 3, D DAV I D PUBLISHING Rural Tourism in Malaysia: A Homestay Program Yusnita Yusof, Mohd Shaladdin Muda, Wan Aziz Amin Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia Yahaya Ibrahim Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia Rural tourism has been recognized as an effective catalyst of rural socio-economic redevelopment in many countries. The rise of the rural tourism development was partly due to the increase demand from tourists who want to enjoy natural environment which available in rural setting and cultural heritage which still preserved by local folks. This paper is intended to explore the concept of rural tourism and homestay program establishment in Malaysia in terms of its development, planning, and promotional efforts. Malaysia has embraced rural tourism in an effort to upgrade the economic regeneration in rural areas through tourism activities and products offering. Priorities for the economic upgrading of rural tourism has been given attention in the Ninth Malaysia Plan ( ) and Tenth Malaysia Plan ( ) to reduce poverty among rural communities. One of the rural cultural tourism products is homestay establishment managed by rural local community. This conceptual paper will provide a review of literature consisting of the background, planning, development, and current situation of homestay program as rural tourism product. The homestay program is said to have increase additional household income and promote better awareness for the continued conservation of cultural heritage. Majority of the rural communities involved in tourism to gain its economic benefits since theoretically an increase in income gained from tourism activities will improve their quality of life. The objectives of the paper are to understand the current scenario of rural tourism development in Malaysia particularly homestay program, and to analyse its challenges and issues pertaining to homestay management. The future implications of the research could be the re-assessment of rural tourism policy towards local community, and marketing efforts by tourism key players and related government agencies to upgrade this rural tourism product. Keywords: rural tourism, homestay program, rural community, quality of life, government, Malaysia Rural Tourism Rural areas are often quite far from the city center and may be marginalized from the mainstream development as the result of the geographical setting which situated in countryside, and equipped with less basic facilities such as roads, communication and transport facilities. The small number of population also becomes one of the factors which make rural area difficult to grow and develop due to lack of manpower (Malaysia Ministry of Finance, 2010). Traditional jobs were still involving farming and poultry based activities Yusnita Yusof, Lecturer, Ph.D. candidate, Faculty of Management and Economics, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. Mohd Shaladdin Muda, Dean, Professor, Ph.D., Faculty of Management and Economics, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. Wan Aziz Amin, Director, Associate Professor, Ph.D., Centre for Academic Excellence, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. Yahaya Ibrahim, Vice Chancellor, Professor, Ph.D., Vice Chancellor Office, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Yusnita Yusof, Faculty of Management and Economics, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia.

2 RURAL TOURISM IN MALAYSIA: A HOMESTAY PROGRAM 301 to be consumed only by the farmers and their extended families. Liu (2006) stated that rural economic development was still constrained by underdevelopment and remoteness, and local community relies heavily on income from agricultural sources to meet their daily needs. Therefore, to boost economic development in the rural area, rural communities need to find an alternative to the use of existing resources to increase their income (Cawley & Gillmore, 2008; Liu, 2006). Tourism is said to be a development tool that can help improve economic development in rural areas by offering tourist destinations and other ancillary services such as accommodation, sale of handicrafts, food stalls and restaurants creation, and other related tourist services (Liu, 2006; Su, 2011). Rural tourism boosts local community ability and chances to participate in tourism industry. Rural tourism has been recognized as a catalyst for rural development through tourism activities such as accommodation establishment, provision of food and beverages, selling handy craft, providing services, e.g., hiking guidance, boat equipment supplies, and related rural activities (Crawley & Gillmore, 2008; Saxena & Ilbery, 2008). Any tourism activities taken place in rural area are considered rural tourism, and a sustainable rural development primarily focus on activities taking place in rural settings starting from agriculture activities (Chiritescu, 2011). Rural tourism concept may include among others farming activities, nature sightseeing, sporting and adventure activities, health and spa, education, folklore heritage and arts, local cultures, values, beliefs and lifestyle (Su, 2011). However, according to Cawley and Gillmore (2008) based on the economic development of tourism remains a problem, particularly when it involves a variety of sources and stakeholders. Rural tourism also facing a few problems such as the reduction of wages for hiring unskilled workers who originated from the rural area and employment status is temporary and seasonal (Fleischer & Felsenstein, 2000). According to them, although rural tourism is said to be an instrument of economic development in rural areas it is still not fully strengthened. Nevertheless, the government often insists that rural tourism is the option for development strategies that can help village communities for additional source of income through tourism activities. This paper will explore the concept of rural tourism and homestay program establishment in Malaysia as part of the rural tourism product. This paper also intended to briefly review the current development of homestay program. Rural Tourism in Malaysia Tourism plays an important role in the economic growth of a country. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) tourism sector growing steadily ever since the 1950 s and has gone through a phase of better product mix to become one of the fastest-growing economic sector worldwide, with revenue of USD919 billion in 2010, in line with the increase in the existence of a new tourist destinations, particularly in developing countries (UNWTO, 2011). Tourism contributes to the creation of employment opportunities and plays an important role in reducing poverty and raising awareness of sustainable environment. In the context of Malaysia s economy, tourism is the second largest industry contributing to the country after manufacturing industry, totaling RM56.5 billion in terms of foreign tourist arrivals of 24.6 million people in 2010 (Tourism Malaysia, 2011). This amount represents an increase of 31% on income countries than in Recent data by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) indicates that the tourism industry contributed 14.8% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Malaysian economy which worth RM125.4 billion and generated 1.6 million jobs, which accounted for nearly 13% of the total workforce in Malaysia (World Travel & Tourism Council, 2012). The increase number of foreign tourist arrivals since year 1998 has proved that Malaysia is

3 302 RURAL TOURISM IN MALAYSIA: A HOMESTAY PROGRAM successes in boosting tourism economy as shown in Table 1. From only 5.5 million tourists in 1998, Malaysia has welcomed 24.6 million tourists in the year 2010, an increasing of 77% in the last decade. Table 1 Foreign Tourist Arrivals and Tourism Revenue in Malaysia Year Arrivals (million) Revenue (RM billion) Note. Source: Tourism Malaysia (2011). The government is optimistic about the growth of the tourism sector in Malaysia. In one of the articles on economic development in Malaysia, written by the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein in 1973, he expressed a desire and strong determination of the government at that time for the success of the tourism sector despite the anticipation of this industry which lamented that Malaysia could not compete with its neighbors and not much profit to be derived (Hussein, 1973). But the expectation was totally dejected because the tourism industry in Malaysia is constantly evolving to this day. The government has focusing and intensifying their efforts that can be seen through the increase in the budget allocation for development of the tourism industry in Budget 2011 and 2012 respectively (Prime Minister s Office, 2011a, 2011b). Government also emphasizes the local community, particularly in rural areas to participate and equally involved in the tourism industry in order to enjoy these attractive economic returns which would increase their household income. Priority to upgrade the rural tourism economy has been addressed in the Ninth Malaysia Plan for year 2006 to 2010, to reduce poverty among the rural and urban communities (Ibrahim & Razzaq, 2010). National Tourism Policy was issued by the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia (2011), namely, to make the tourism industry as one of the primary sector, sustainable, viable and quality in contributing to national development policy which emphasizes one of the objectives, i.e., to empower rural communities through rural tourism activities. The government also focus on the development of rural tourism as a major contributor in promoting eco-tourism which is the current trend in their efforts to tourism sustainability remains a key focus of the government under the 10th Malaysia Plan for the year 2011 to 2015 (Economic Planning Unit, 2010). Awareness about the importance of developing rural tourism is based on natural tourism product offerings in rural areas such as eco-tourism, agro-tourism, history, heritage and culture and the environment that have not been fully contaminated (Ibrahim & Hassan, 2011; MacDonald & Jolliffe, 2003). According to Loganathan and Ibrahim (2010) a total of 15% of foreign tourists came to Malaysia chose to live in rural areas. This means that there is a relatively high demand from tourists to enjoy the natural and cultural heritage in the countryside, and this

4 RURAL TOURISM IN MALAYSIA: A HOMESTAY PROGRAM 303 opportunity should be seized by the tour operators to concentrate their tourism activities in the rural area. Siow et al. (2011) stated that rural tourism in Malaysia has a growth rate of 30% each year and they further claimed that Malaysia is popular as rural tourism destination among international tourists. Homestay Program as Rural Tourism Product The issue of poverty in rural communities is still plaguing the government in an effort to achieve developed nation status by To address the issues which affecting the well-being of the people, poverty has become one of the main issues of concern by the government in Budget 2011 under one of the four pillars of national transformation of the Government Transformation Program (GTP) which focuses on six National Key Result Areas (NKRA) as well as crime, corruption, education, rural basic infrastructure, and public transport (Malaysia Ministry of Finance, 2010). In addition to offset the increase in income and living standards between urban-rural as to not marginalized from the mainstream of development, rural poverty development program involves huge government expenditure each year. Based on the 2010 Budget, government continues to provide for the eradication of extreme poverty and the rural poor, a total of RM877 million which has been spent through various assistance programs such as welfare assistance given to help poor households on the first day of each month and so forth. Among the issues and challenges of poor rural communities is that most of them have low skill levels, the opportunity to generate income is limited, and the issue of the migration of young people to urban areas in search of work has resulted in a labor shortage in rural areas (Malaysia Ministry of Finance, 2010). Some rural areas are still lacking of basic infrastructure such as the provision of 24-hour electricity supply is still limited and often distracted; lack of clean water or treated water; as well as a network of inadequate road system has also resulted in the development gap between rural-urban areas. Community involvement in community-based tourism has been given attention by the government as one of the implementation strategies for helping the poor, particularly in rural areas to the development and participation in the tourism sector in the country (Kayat, Mohdnor, & Idris, 2006). Many local communities are aware of the advantages of the tourism industry, which could provide opportunities for them to improve their economic status and create awareness about the importance of environmental preservation. One of the community-based tourism approaches for rural communities practiced in Malaysia is through the homestay program. Homestay program began informally since the 1970s with some involvement of the local community who provide accommodation in their own homes to foreign tourists by charging a very minimal price compared to hotels or resorts (Hamzah, 2008; Kayat, 2010; Ibrahim & Razzaq, 2010). Such accommodation sector is also known by various terms such as farm stay, culture homestay, heritage homestay, education homestay, voluntary homestay, private accommodation, leisure stay, and cottage (Albaladejo-Pina & Diaz-Delfa, 2009; Barnett, 2001; Gu & Wong, 2006; Pearce, 1990). Success after success had been proclaimed by the government as a result of the government s effort to promote the homestay program and the involvement of local communities in organizing it. Homestay program is said to have given a return in terms of household income which reach thousands of dollars, and local communities continue to promote awareness of cultural heritage conservation. Until December 2011, there were 3,211 homestay operators involving 236 villages participate in homestay program as showed in Table 2.

5 304 RURAL TOURISM IN MALAYSIA: A HOMESTAY PROGRAM Table 2 Malaysian Homestay Statistic in 2011 According to States No. State No. of homestays No. of villages No. of operators No. of rooms 1 Perlis Kedah Pulau Pinang Perak Selangor Melaka Negeri Sembilan Johor Kelantan Terengganu Pahang Sarawak Sabah Labuan Total ,211 4,309 The participation of homestay program operators in rural tourism activities in Malaysia is one of the government s ongoing efforts to develop rural tourism in order to achieve the target of reducing economic disparities of rural and urban as well as empowering the village community. Based on this understanding, a few of the local communities responded to the challenge with a homestay program that allows foreign tourists and domestic tourists alike to stay together with the local community and be able to learn their way of life, culture and daily practices of the community (Ibrahim & Razzaq, 2010). Homestay program was officially positioned as community-based tourism programs in Malaysia in 1995 in the village of Desa Murni, Temerloh, Pahang which has become one of the successful homestay programs and a pilot program at that time. Since then, the government has given special attention in terms of additional funds for improvements, marketing and development of more homestay program in Malaysia. The majority of local communities involved in homestay to gain additional income (Kayat, 2010). Conclusions Many agreed that homestay has indeed improved the livelihood of the operators in terms of economic and social status (Hamzah, 2008; Ibrahim & Razzaq, 2010; Ismail, Muhammad, & Alwi, 2007; Kayat, 2011). Since the homestay program is considered quite successful in Malaysia, various parties are keen and show support for the program. Various efforts have been undertaken by the government in developing the homestay program including provide development funds and improve infrastructure facilities in rural areas. Still, there is room for improvement in this aspect that will be driven by the leadership of rural communities themselves with the help of the private sector in increasing the activity of marketing and promotion so that more tourists come to their homestay. This is because that there is a high demand from foreign tourists who prefer the rural areas as their tourist destinations. The local communities and private sectors must take the opportunity to leverage their existing capabilities so that they can market their products in accordance with the traveler needs. It is hope that all parties including government bodies, local communities, and private tourism players can collaborate on all aspects of marketing strategies so that they can reach the desired target market.

6 RURAL TOURISM IN MALAYSIA: A HOMESTAY PROGRAM 305 The future implications of the research could be the re-assessment of rural tourism policy towards local community, and marketing efforts by tourism key players such as travel agencies, tour operators, and marketing bodies to maximize the marketing strategies targeting the correct market. This synergy should be done through collaboration within various agencies including government, local community, and private sector to upgrade this rural tourism product for better positioning in tourism industry. References Albaladejo-Pina, I. P., & Diaz-Delfa, M. T. (2009). Tourist preferences for rural house stays: Evidence from discrete choice modelling in Spain. Tourism Management, 30(6), Barnett, S. (2001). Manaakitanga: Maori hospitality A case study of Maori accommodation providers. Tourism Management, 22, Cawley, M., & Gillmor, D. A. (2008). Integrated rural tourism: Concepts and practice. Annals of Tourism Research, 35(2), Chiritescu, V. (2011). Sustainable rural development in Romania Needs and priority objectives. Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, 1(1), Economic Planning Unit. (2010). Tenth Malaysia plan Putrajaya: Jabatan Perdana Menteri. Fleischer, A., & Felsenstein, D. (2000). Support for rural tourism: Does it make a difference? Annals of Tourism Research, 27(4), Gu, M., & Wong, P. P. (2006). Residents perception of tourism impacts: A case study of homestay operators in Dachangshan Dao, North-East China. Tourism Geographies, 8(3), Hamzah, A. (2008). Malaysian homestays from the perspective of young Japanese tourists: The quest for Furusato. Asian tourism: Growth and change (pp ). Amsterdam: Elsevier. Hussein, A. R. (1973). Malaysia adjusts to the enlarged community. World Development, 1(7), Ibrahim, Y., & Hassan, M. S. (2011). Tourism management at Taman Negara (National Park), Pahang, Malaysia: Conflict and synergy. Journal of Ritsumeikan Social Sciences and Humanities, 3, Ibrahim, Y., & Razzaq, A. R. (2010). Homestay program and rural community development in Malaysia. Journal of Ritsumeikan Social Sciences and Humanities, 2, Ismail, I. L., Muhammad, R., & Alwi, N. (2007). Peningkatan taraf hidup masyarakat luar bandar melalui program homestay di perkampungan komuniti nelayan sekitar daerah di Terengganu. Serdang, Proceeding at Seminar Kebangsaan Sains Sosial (pp ), UPM. Kayat, K. (2010). The nature of cultural contribution of a community-based homestay programme. Tourismos: An International Multidisciplinary Journal of Tourism, 5(2), Kayat, K. (2011). Homestay programme as a Malaysian tourism product. Sintok: Universiti Utara Malaysia Press. Kayat, K., Mohdnor, N. A., & Idris, M. A. (2006). Kemahiran keusahawanan dan keperluannya dalam pembangunan homestay: Implikasi terhadap polisi pelancongan. Keusahawanan pelancongan: Potensi dan isu-isu semasa (pp ). Sintok (Kedah): Penerbit Universiti Utara Malaysia. Liu, A. (2006). Tourism in rural areas: Kedah, Malaysia. Tourism Management, 27(5), Loganathan, N., & Ibrahim, Y. (2010). Forecasting international tourism demand in Malaysia using Box Jenkins Sarima Application. South Asian Journal of Tourism and Heritage, 3(2), MacDonald, R., & Jolliffe, L. (2003). Cultural rural tourism: Evidence from Canada. Annals of Tourism Research, 30(2), Malaysia Ministry of Finance. (2010). Economic Report 2010/2011. Kuala Lumpur: Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Berhad. Malaysia Ministry of Tourism. (2011). Ministry policy. Retrieved from Park, D. B., & Yoon, Y. S. (2011). Developing sustainable rural tourism evaluation indicators. International Journal of Tourism Research, 13(5), Pearce, P. L. (1990). Farm tourism in New Zealand: A social situation analysis. Annals of Tourism Research, 17, Prime Minister s Office (2011b). Budget speech Retrieved from

7 306 RURAL TOURISM IN MALAYSIA: A HOMESTAY PROGRAM Prime Minister s Office. (2011a). Budget speech Retrieved from Saxena, G., & Ilbery, B. (2008). Integrated rural tourism: A border case study. Annals of Tourism Research, 35(1), Siow, M. L. et al. (2011). Developing criteria and indicators for responsible rural tourism in Taman Negara National Park (TNNP), Malaysia. The Malaysian Forrester, 74(2), Su, B. (2011). Rural tourism in China. Tourism Management, 32(6), Tourism Malaysia. (2011). Facts and figures: Tourists arrivals and receipts to Malaysia. Retrieved from UNWTO. (2011). UNWTO Tourism highlights 2011 edition. Retrieved from World Travel & Tourism Council. (2012). Travel & tourism economic impact 2012: Malaysia. London: WTTC.
Mastercard launched an ambitious open Mastercard Developers platform today to help third-party developers easily create commerce-related apps and services.

Developers will be able to use six different coding languages to work with 25 different Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) in payment, data, security and experimental areas. The experimental category includes APIs for bot commerce such as chatbots and virtual reality and augmented reality devices.

In one example of how a bot commerce API could be rolled out in an actual setting, Mastercard and Pizza Hut Asia are piloting a commerce application with Pepper the humanoid robot, who acts as a restaurant waiter capable of taking orders, serving food and collecting payment at the table.

Pepper is a humanoid robot developed by a subsidiary of Softbank Group of Japan.

Mastercard's role in the Pepper pilot is the commerce element through MasterPass, a service that allows secure payments across various devices. Restaurants could soon deploy the waiter robots in Japan because of a serious labor shortage in restaurants there, said Oran Cummins, senior vice president for APIs at MasterCard.

MasterCard is also experimenting with blockchain, a distributed database first implemented in 2009 as the underpinning of bitcoin. Blockchain can be used as a public ledger to automatically maintain a continuously-growing list of records.

"It's very much exploratory," Cummins said in an interview. "We've done a lot of work in blockchain and we've been experimenting with a number of things in exposing APIs and blockchain functionality."

It isn't clear when blockchain will be part of the Mastercard Developers platform, however.

The platform is made up of Software Developer Kits (SDKs), developer tools and sample code for each of the 25 APIs. The code provided is in Java, Javascript, C#, Ruby, Python and Node.js.

Mastercard first started offering third-party developer APIs six years ago, and has seen a 400% increase in API usage in 2016. With the growing interest from tens of thousands of individual developers and those inside large companies globally, Mastercard decided to expand the program to provide open APIs for all of its products.

"The APIs are built to be open, flexible and available through a single doorway," Cummins said. "It's our front door and we've been cranking up the volume on this."

He said using the platform is very easy, with a simple sign-up that allows programs to be created in sandbox mode, then a developer "will build whatever they want on top."

Some developers will build programs and apps that move money or access data, and the agreements Mastercard reaches with them could be as simple as a noncommittal arrangement to test software in a sandbox or a formal contract with the developer paying a fee.

Cummins said the portal is the first of its kind and size in the financial services industry, and is possible because Mastercard got a head start on competitors. "These are not toy APIs; there's real stuff behind it," he said.

Under the heading of security-related APIs, Mastercard listed a fraud-scoring tool for merchants that allows an online merchant to obtain a score on a cardholder's spending behavior to predict the likelihood a transaction is fraudulent.

There is also a tool called MATCH that can be used by companies offering coupons and other online incentives to determine whether an online merchant has been terminated by another coupon provider in the past.

Also, a tool called Assurance IQ provides e-merchants with a risk assessment of a customer's digital identity to decide whether further authentication is suggested.
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'Ecstasy often contains hallucinogens which can cause people to see or feel things that are not really there.'

Police in Vietnams northern mountainous province of Son La have arrested two drug smugglers carrying 8,000 ecstasy pills.

Lu A Vang, 22, and Lu A Sua, 25, were arrested with the ecstasy pills in Moc Chau District, the Voice of Vietnam news site reported on Tuesday.

Ho A Pao, another local in the same district, was also detained for his involvement in the trafficking case.

The suspects said they bought the ecstasy pills near the border with Laos with the price of VND200 million ($9,000).

According to the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, a non-profit organization, ecstasy often contains hallucinogens, which are drugs that act on the mind and cause people to see or feel things that are not really there. Hallucinogens can throw a person into a scary or sad experience from the past, where he or she gets stuck without even realizing it.

Doan Trung Dung, a suspect who was arrested on Monday for allegedly murdering a 61-year-old woman and her three grandchildren in the northern province of Quang Ninh, admitted to police that he had used drugs before committing the crime last weekend.

Local law enforcement agencies uncovered 2,107 drug-related cases and arrested 2,775 people in June as part of the government's anti-drug action month and on the occasion of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (June 26).

About 58kg of opium, 44 guns and 434 bullets were seized by police, border guards, coast guards and customs forces during the month.

Related news:

> Vietnam drug kingpin, 8 henchmen get death sentence for heroin smuggling

> Vietnamese cop shot during drug raid at Laos border

> Vietnam busts 2,000 drug-related crimes in just a month

> Drug trafficking and commercial fraud rife at Vietnam  Laos border

> Drug crime escalates at Vietnam  China border
What is a Jew? Israeli museum attempts an answer

JERUSALEMI was on a short visit to Israel and spent time with a friend with whom I have been engaged in a 30-year argument. Elli...

When anti-Semitism rears its head, we must be ready to fight it

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One of the predator's victims was brave enough to catch him in the act on camera.

Police in the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu are pressing child abuse charges against a former primary school principal after an investigation found he had molested 10 and 11-year-old girls over a long period of time.

The charges against Nguyen Van Toan, 46, were made on Tuesday after the girls parents lodged complaints.

A fifth-grade girl, one of Toans alleged victims, filmed him touching her classmates private parts in the school toilets in April.

Toan has admitted to multiple counts of molesting seven girls at the school.

In Vietnam, more than 8,200 cases of child abuse came to light between 2011 and 2015, including 5,300 cases of sexual abuse, according to official figures released last March.

In most cases, the perpetrators were people in authority like teachers, school security guards and even fathers or grandfathers.

A primary school teacher in the northern province of Lao Cai was also arrested in March for allegedly molesting 23 students at the school.

Molesting children is punishable by up to 12 years in jail in Vietnam.

Related news:

>Young Vietnamese concerned about dangers of online sexual abuse: UNICEF

>U.S prosecutors call for public help in finding sexual abuse victims of Vietnamese famous entertainer
There's been a lot of buzz surrounding a potential "Sons of Anarchy" Season 8 and a spin-off series focusing on the beginnings of the bike groups. However, there are rumors that Charlie Hunnam is not taking part in the project due to an argument with a fellow co-star.

It's been rumored that Hunnam will no longer reprise his role as Jax Teller in the FX series because of his feud with Kurt Sutter. However, Hunnam and Sutter has since denied the rumors, saying they do not have a beef with one another, and it is certainly not the reason why the "Pacific Rim" actor is not returning to the show.

Meanwhile, the next "Sons of Anarchy" project is more off a spin-off than a continuation of the original show. The spin-off is said to focus on the Mayans, a recurring presence in the original "Sons of Anarchy" show and was once an enemy of Jax.

According to Deadline, FX Networks has begun formulating the script for the "Mayans MC" spin-off, which will be co-created by Sutter and Elgin James. Much like its predecessor "Sons of Anarchy," "Mayans MC" will be a "dark, visceral family drama that takes a new look at the most American of icons, the 1% outlaw, this time reflected through a Latino lens."

In a previous interview, Sutter said that the prequel would be set during the time of the Vietnam war and might have 10 or 12 episodes.

As to why Sutter brought James on board, Variety reported it was because Sutter "wanted to find a strong, unique Latino voice. I didn't think a white guy from Jersey should be writing about Latin culture and traditions. Elgin is that voice."

Although casting has been confirmed, there's a huge chance Jimmy Smit's Nero Padilla will play a central role in "Mayans MC."

There are also rumors that Brad Pitt is being considered to play John Teller, Jax's father. Hunnam himself spilled the beans in an interview with Men's Journal, during which he expressed his support for the "Sons of Anarchy" prequel.

"Kurt [Sutter] is trying to get it going. Did you read that about Brad Pitt maybe playing my dad? Brad Pitt as John Teller. How awesome would that be?" Hunnam revealed.
How hard can it be to show art in Ho Chi Minh City?

Hundreds of Ho Chi Minh City residents sipped cocktails and nibbled cake as they meandered through a sleek, white gallery space in District 2 on September 16.

Students and well-heeled foreigners alike paid to get in and some dug deep for hand-bound copies of Saigon Artbooks Sixth Edition a collection of work from five emerging artists.

As the crowd moved through The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre (FCAC), many paused before a pair of exhibitions draped in sheets of kraft paper.

A note attached to the events catalog offered the following explanation: Due to unwanted reasons, Nathan Larson and Bao Zoans artwork cannot be displayed. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may cause. However, the artists will still be attending our event to discuss Art with you.

The paper concealed semi-transparent prints of the citys commutersa series the Canadian artist called Small Favorsand stifled Zoans colorful photographs of the citys fading old apartment blocks, a collection he called Noi Day La Nha (this is home).

Noi Day La Nha (this is home) by Bao Zoan at the exhibition of Saigon Artbook 6th Edition. Photo by Saigon Artbook.

We could not get permission to display them during the exhibition, one of the organizers said, speaking on background. And we didnt know it until the Friday morning, after everything had been set up.

The evening represented the first attempt for Saigon Artbook to publicly exhibit work in an actual art gallery, which remains a difficult feat.

As a subject, art has virtually disappeared from high school curriculums. On the elementary level, students must choose to pursue music or painting in lieu of computer science and sports. Every year, the national government funds the Vietnam Fine Arts Association with a mere VND4 billion ($179,000) roughly the cost of a single family home.

Earlier this year, the central Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition revised a draft decree on exhibitions four times before deciding not to submit it for approval, leaving those who wished to display art with no clear idea of how to do so.

In 2013, an American photographer working in Ho Chi Minh City named Alexander McMillan hatched a plan to bring local artwork directly to the public with two Vietnamese colleagues, Dang Thanh Long and Tran Phung Gia Nam.

In October they published the first in a series of quarterly books small enough to fit in a back pocket.

Our intention back then was to eliminate all possible barriers standing between the audience and art, said Long, the last remaining member of Saigon Artbooks core founders. We decided everything would be free so no one would have a reason not to enjoy it.

The non-profit displayed work in cafes and bars and managed to release five free books that offered space on the page to a dozen local and international artists working in mediums ranging from paper collage painting to contemporary dance.

For a long time, the artists submitted their work for the sheer pleasure of having it published. Sales of the latest book should bring a stipend to artists working in everything from origami to print work.

Six editions of Saigon Artbook displayed at the Saigon Artbook 6 Party on September 16 2016. Photo by Saigon Artbook.

In many ways, the city has yet to catch up with the projects ambitions.

[Art] still isnt a necessity for the residents of Saigon, said Shyevin Sng, who worked closely with Long to curate the 6th edition. Its not in their life yet. First they worry about what to eat, where to stay, next they worry about getting a car, a phone [] Such materialist things kick in.

"Such materialist things" have proven perhaps the largest hurdle for the artbooks publishers, who faced the unsavory choice of paying printing costs out of pocket or spending untold hours chasing sponsorship and donations.

Brian Letwin, who co-founded the English-language news and culture website Saigoneer, worked closely to help launch the early issues.

[The concept] is a really hard thing to sell in general because theres no measurable return on investment," Letwin said. "If your company is in the U.S. where lots of big companies have budgets for this kind of thing, it would probably be easier. In Vietnam, theyre less common.

The strain of producing a free quarterly book wore on the teams early enthusiasm. Long says this reached a crisis before the release of the 4th edition.

We couldnt cover our basic costs and everybody ended up sacrificing a great deal of time and money he said. Two of our three key members left the project; we were struggling to keep it alive.

Then the fifth book came back from the printer on the wrong paper. At a corresponding exhibition held in an outdoor shopping area called 3A Station likewise proved problematic.

That was when I realized I need to stop doing everything by myself and ask for help, Long said.

One of the people who answered his call was Shyevin, a Malaysian gallerist who's lived in Saigon for 11 years.

Long says she quickly increased the number of featured artists from three to five and began working closely with each one to develop their work.

If you could see the photos Bao Zoan (the youngest artist in the book) brought in during his first days in the workshop, you would see the progress, Long said.

Shyevin has spent the last six months working with ten different artiststhe remaining five will feature their work in the upcoming edition, which is expected out early next year.

Crowdfunding has given the project a needed boost, but the sixth edition represents Saigon Artbooks first commercial venture. The latest book features four different kinds of paper bound together by hand; each copy sells for VND750,000 ($37). Tickets for the opening night sold for VND150,000 ($7).

At the very least, our artists should be paid for their efforts, said Long, We think its time the public to learn to pay for art.

Weeks after the opening night, Zoan and Larsons work remains hidden beneath kraft paper; though a few curious visitors have poked peepholes with their fingers.

Sneak a peek of the Small Favors by Nathan Larson. Photo by Saigon Artbook.

In other ways, the public has found ways to show its appreciation for the work.

I want to offer my sincere gratitude to whomever covered this artwork, a Facebook user quipped, attaching images of the covered works. We could not see what lay beneath the paper, so we had to resort to postcards, photos and the book to see the collections; we ended up buying as many as we could. Once again, thank you.
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Hanoi ranks 13th and Saigon 18th on the global list.

Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have recorded some of the fastest growing foreign tourist numbers in the world since 2009, according to a recent survey by MasterCard.

The countrys largest cities were among 20 names that have been climbing quickly up the global tourism map.

Hanoi ranked 13th on the global list with foreign arrivals growing on average 11.64 percent since 2009. Ho Chi Minh City ranked 18th with 9.22 percent annual growth.

Japans Osaka topped the list with visitors growing 24.15 percent a year thanks to arrivals from China and South Korea. Chengdu in China came second followed by Abu Dhabi in the UAE.

The Vietnamese cities are among four Southeast Asian representatives on the list. Indonesia's capital Jakarta came in at 11, followed by Bangkok, which was recently named the worlds most visited destination of 2016 with an estimated 21.47 million tourists.

Ho Chi Minh City is a popular destination as a modern commercial center, but also has a lot of history that can be seen at places like the War Remnants Museum and the Independence Palace. Around 2.1 million foreigners visited the city in the first five months of this year, the closest month for which data was available.

Up north, Hanoi has become a highly recommended travel destination with its thousand-year-old charm. The city has been named the cheapest destination in the TripIndex report for the past three years. It received nearly 1.2 million foreign arrivals in the first half of 2016.

Last year, Lonely Planet named Hanois Old Quarter among the places to see at least once in a lifetime, while the visual social network Pinterest ranked the capital the third most-pinned location of all time.

Vietnam attracted an estimated 7.3 million foreign visitors in the first nine months this year, up 25 percent year-on-year.

Related news:

>Hanoi in world's top 10 destinations

>Nha Trang on list of top 10 destinations in Asia: Tripadvisor
GREENSBORO  More than 138,000 people attended the National Folk Festival earlier this month, up 35 percent from 2015, organizers announced Tuesday.

The free, outdoor multicultural festival marked the second year of its three-year residency in center city from Sept. 9 to 11.

About 300 musicians, dancers, storytellers, and craftspeople participated, with 122 separate performances by more than 40 artists at eight outdoor performance venues.

Last years attendance was estimated at 102,000.

Because its a free and unticketed event, co-producers ArtsGreensboro and the National Council for the Traditional Arts collated figures from the city of Greensboro, Downtown Greensboro Inc., festival merchandise and beverage sales and aerial photographs to calculate this years attendance estimate.

Past National Folk Festivals in other cities typically have seen attendance grow by 25 percent to 33 percent in the second year, said Eleanor Schaffner-Mosh, ArtsGreensboro deputy director.

This is a big second year that we have seen in Greensboro, NCTA Executive Director Julia Olin said.

Organizers noticed the large increase in attendance for the Friday opening concert by Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys, the opening parade, and the performance by Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano that followed, Schaffner-Mosh said.

We were high-fiving each other, realizing that people had taken our messages to heart and they came down for the opening of the second year of this great event, Schaffner-Mosh said.

The weekend also featured acts including DJ Grandmaster Flash, bluegrass group Balsam Range, guitar legend Bill Kirchen and reggae act Clinton Fearon & the Boogie Brown Band.

Olin was pleased by the diversity of the crowds.

The message is getting out that the National Folk Festival is a very welcoming place for all, Olin said.

The festival lucked out with three days of clear skies. Although temperatures rose into the upper 80s and lower 90s, it didnt rain.

Its a beautiful thing to see the festival take root in North Carolina, Olin said. This is just the beginning.

Local organizers plan to continue the festival as the North Carolina Folk Festival when the national one moves on.

Those who discovered the festival in 2015 clearly spread the word and brought family and friends this year, Tom Philion, ArtsGreensboro president and CEO, said in a news release.

The festival received more news coverage and more website traffic from across the Southeast, including Charlotte and Atlanta.

When ArtsGreensboro receives results from crowd surveys, it will know whether more attendees came from those areas, Schaffner-Mosh said.

The growing attendance figures will help to attract more sponsorship and support to keep the festival free as it looks ahead to Sept. 8 to 10, 2017, Philion said.

Organizers said that they are still calculating how the festival fared financially. It could be mid-October before figures are released, Schaffner-Mosh said.

They had aimed to raise $1.3 million in cash to support the event and keep it free. As of late August, they had raised about $900,000 in sponsorships and grants.

Sales of beer, wine and festival merchandise were up, Schaffner-Mosh said. So were contributions from attendees, collected by a Bucket Brigade of volunteers.

Organizers will build upon this years success as it plans for next year.

We never stop trying to make it a better event and a more interesting experience for everybody, Olin said. Who knows whats coming next year?
Today

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low near 50F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.

Tonight

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low near 50F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.

Tomorrow

Cloudy with periods of rain. High around 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
A Vietnamese woman, wearing the traditional ao dai long dress, poses for photos along peach blossom flowers ahead of the Vietnamese Tet (Lunar New Year), in a field in Hanoi, Vietnam, February 2, 2016. Photo by Reuters/Kham

State employees could for the first time have 10 days off for the Tet holiday.

The labor ministry has proposed two options that could for the first time grant state employees 10 days off for the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday.

Under the first option, government offices and state-owned companies will close for seven days from January 26 to February 1.

The longer 10-day option would start on January 27, the last day of the current Lunar New Year, and end on February 5. However, under this option offices will have to stay open on Saturday, February 11 to make up for the day off on Friday, February 3.

Schools and other businesses in the country usually follow the same break as government offices.

The upcoming Year of the Rooster will peak on January 28, and is the biggest holiday in Vietnam.

The government approved a 9-day break last year. If a 10-day break goes through this year, it would be the longest in years, but some are not thrilled by the idea.

Lao Dong (Labor) newspaper, under the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, said many people are worried they won't have enough time to prepare for the festival if they are only allowed to leave work the day before the new year. In previous years, the holiday break started three to four days prior to New Year's Day.

The festival is a time for family reunions in Vietnam and is usually a time for migrant workers to travel home before the Lunar New Year Eve.

Ho Hai Quan, who works with his wife in Hanoi, said he was shocked at the possibility of the record-long break.

Quan said he is worried that there will not be enough time for him to travel home to Nghe An Province, which is 290 kilometers to the south of Hanoi.

Le Nho Luong, a labor union chairman at an industrial zone in Binh Duong Province near Ho Chi Minh City, said the 10-day holiday would not help workers.

Luong said factory workers, most of them migrants, usually receive their salaries and holiday bonuses on the last working day of the year, which they use to buy tickets and gifts to travel home.

If the workers have to work too close to the holiday, they wont be able to focus and wont be productive, he told Lao Dong.

Critics of longer Tet breaks argue that a protracted holiday is no longer suitable for the modern economy of a country where the average annual income was $2,100 last year, according to the World Bank.

The frenzy of consumerism that has emerged around Tet is not a good thing, they say.

The labor ministry has also submitted public holiday plans for the rest of 2017, including two options for the Hung Kings' Festival, the day to commemorate the death of the kings considered to be the founders of Vietnam.

The break could be just for a day on Thursday, April 6 (the 10th day of the third lunar calendar month). The other option preferred by the ministry is a four-day break including a weekend, but workers would need to make up for the Friday off on the Saturday the week after.

Other public holidays in 2017 include the New Year (December 31, 2016 to January 2, 2017), Reunification Day and Labor Day (April 29 to May 2), and Independence Day (September 2 - 4)

If both shorter options for Tet and the Hung Kings' Festival apply, there will be in total 18 days of public holidays in 2017. Under the longer options, that number will go up to 24.

Related news:

> Vietnam police crack down on drunk drivers ahead of national holiday

> Sandy beach turns into landfill site during public holiday
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

I met an emperor once, but have only met a couple of presidents. Shimon Peres (1923-2016) was one. I met him briefly in the Green Room when doing an interview with Charlie Rose.

The Polish-born Peres made his best impression on me with his support for the Oslo Accords of 1993 and 1995. Had this peace process succeeded, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict might have been settled once and for all, with incredibly positive benefits for Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, Israel and the United States. One key argument for terrorism against the US, that it is helping crush the stateless Palestinians, would have evaporated.

I know all the critiques of Oslo that it essentially made the PLO into a policeman providing security to Israel. But it did also aim to halt and reverse the colonization process on Occupied Palestinian territory, and in my view the Palestinians were more likely to succeed if they had any kind of a state. Peres was willing to give them that. The stateless do not even have the right to have rights.

Make no mistake, Peres was a hard line Israeli nationalist, and had viewed Palestinian nationalism as a dire enemy. He had helped get arms for the Jewish community to prosecute the 1947-48 war, during which Israel won its independence but ethnically cleansed some 740,000 Palestinians. He later served as minister of defense. He played a sinister role in proliferating nuclear arms to Israel.

But he was also a dedicated Socialist and at one point headed the Socialist International, and that stance gave him an appreciation of the need for human rights for all human beings.

After the first Palestinian uprising or Intifada of 1987-1991, he and Yitzhak Rabin became convinced that it was implausible for Israel permanently to annex Palestinian land while keeping Palestinians themselves stateless. Peres was then foreign minister, and it took guts for him to meet with his old enemy, Yasir Arafat, to prepare for a peace process.

I remember an interview Peres gave at that time, in which he ascribed his willingness to try to achieve an epochal change in the stagnant Mideast situation. He said he had read a lot of Buddhist thought, and it came to him that nothing is permanent. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he thought, is ephemeral. It would come to an end. He implied that he concluded that it might as well end sooner than later.

Thats about the coolest thing a sitting politician has ever said.

Again, Im not naive. He could be paternalistic toward the Palestinians and chauvinist about Israel, and, indeed, pushed Israeli propaganda in the US relentlessly. But it is hard to fault a man for being a dedicated patriot. When push came to shove, he put everything on the line to try to make peace. He was viciously attacked and lambasted as a traitor and a fool by the Israeli right wing, which has now taken complete control of the government.

His friend and colleague, Yitzhak Rabin, who as prime minister signed off on the Oslo Accords, was brutally murdered by the Israeli far Right, and the Israeli Right in general bears responsibility, what with all its talk of treason (traitors are executed, no?). Peres risked the same fate.

Binyamin Netanyahu thought peace with the Palestinians and giving up the West Bank were stupid ideas and he vowed to annihilate the Oslo Accords so as to assure the future of Israeli colonization of Palestinian land. He ran against Peres for the position of prime minister and won. He succeeded in his plot to derail the peace process.

In 2013, when Peres was ceremonial president and Netanyahu was prime minister, Peres broke protocol to criticize Netanyahu for continuing to say he couldnt make peace because he had no Palestinian partner. He said that hed known Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas for 30 years and knew that he was a peace partner. There is no Israeli left of any stature who would talk like that today.

Peres was the last decent man to rise high in Israeli politics. His removal from the scene leaves the management of the Israeli government to racists, warmongers, war criminals, ethnic cleansers, militant colonizers, and generally arrogant pricks and insufferable douchebags. They are smartly marching us toward a dangerous blow-up that Peres would have averted if they hadnt marginalized him.

-

Related video:

AP:  Former Israeli President Shimon Peres Dead at 93
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Sept. 28, 2016) - Teranga Gold Corporation ("Teranga" or the "Company") (TSX:TGZ)(ASX:TGZ) is pleased to announce that the Federal Court of Australia in Perth has today made orders approving the scheme of arrangement ("Scheme") pursuant to which Teranga will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Gryphon Minerals Limited ("Gryphon") (ASX:GRY).

The record date for the Scheme, to determine the holders of Gryphon shares entitled to receive Teranga Shares or Chess Depository Interests ("CDIs"), is October 6, 2016. Teranga and Gryphon are working to complete implementation of the Scheme as soon as practicable following the Scheme becoming effective and expect the implementation date to be October 13, 2016. Upon implementation, Teranga shares or CDIs will be issued to Gryphon shareholders.

About Teranga Gold

Teranga is a Canadian-based gold company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:TGZ) and Australian Securities Exchange (ASX:TGZ). Teranga is principally engaged in the production and sale of gold, as well as related activities such as exploration and mine development in West Africa.

Teranga's mission is to create value for all of its stakeholders as it pursues its vision to be a pre-eminent mid-tier gold producer in West Africa. Operating in accordance with the highest international standards and using the best available techniques, Teranga strives to set the benchmark for responsible mining and to be a catalyst for sustainable economic, environmental and community development. For more information, please refer to www.terangagold.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"), which reflects management's expectations regarding Teranga's future business prospects and opportunities. Wherever possible, words such as "plans", "expects", "does not expect", "scheduled", "indications", "potential", "forecasts", "anticipate" or "does not anticipate", "believe", "intend", "ability to" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will", or are "likely" to be taken, occur or be achieved, have been used to identify such forward-looking information. Specific forward-looking statements in this press release include the timing of completion of the Arrangement and the Acquisition. Although the forward-looking information contained in this press release reflect management's current beliefs based upon information currently available to management and based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, Teranga cannot be certain that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information. Such forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions, opinions and analysis made by management in light of its experience, current conditions and its expectations of future developments that management believe to be reasonable and relevant but that may prove to be incorrect. These assumptions include, among other things, courses of action. Teranga cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements.

The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements include, among others: the inherent risks involved in exploration and development of mineral properties, including government approvals and permitting, changes in economic conditions, changes in the worldwide price of gold and other key inputs, changes in mine plans and other factors, such as project execution delays, many of which are beyond the control of Teranga, as well as other risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in Teranga's Annual Information Form dated March 30, 2016, and in other filings of Teranga with securities and regulatory authorities which are available at www.sedar.com. Teranga does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions change. Nothing in this report should be construed as either an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy or sell Teranga securities. All references to Teranga include its subsidiaries unless the context requires otherwise.
September 28, 2016 / TheNewswire / Gold Bullion Development Corp. (TSX-V: GBB) (OTCPINK: GBBFF) (Frankfurt B6D) (the "Company" or "Gold Bullion") today announced that a new high-grade mineralized zone has been unexpectedly discovered at its Granada gold property. The new zone is expected to add to the area to be mined during the planned "Rolling Start" initial phase of mining as outlined in the 2014 Prefeasibility Study (PFS) (see below for technical report information).

Highlights:

A new find of quartz vein zone two to three metres thick associated with the feldspar porphyry with a high content of visible gold up to two centimetres long detected during the stripping of overburden for a water sump that was to be located between Pit 2 and Pit 4. This new mineralized zone - over a 125-metre strike length in the stripped area - had not previously been identified through past diamond drilling and was not scheduled to be mined in the plan put forward in the PFS. A five-tonne mini bulk sample was taken by breaking the rock in the new mineralized zone with an excavator with a hydraulic hammer. Rock samples were collected arbitrarily every 0.5 metres along three lines about 10 metres apart across the zone. The rocks from each line were stored in separate bags weighing a total of 56 kilograms and sent for a gold fire assay. The rocks in each bag were crushed, and a total of nine samples - three from each bag -- were pulverized and tested. Assay grades ranged from 1.1 to 13.3 grams/tonne (g/t), with an average of 4.37 g/t of gold. Pictures of rock samples from the new zone can be viewed at the Company's website at www.goldbulliondevelopmentcorp.com Additionally, preparatory stripping work has exposed an extension of a mineralized vein leading up to the planned waste dump site to the northeast of the pits. Ongoing stripping has not yet defined the overall length of this new mineralized zone. This previously unknown extension will be targeted for diamond drilling.

Gold Bullion recently began a Stage Two program of diamond drilling at Granada as announced in a press release issued September 8, 2016. The Stage One drill program of nearly 90,000 metres, undertaken by Gold Bullion between 2009 and 2012, met its targeted resource at 1 gram per tonne. A technical report filed by the Company provided the following estimate: measured and indicated resource of 1.6 million ounces gold (47.475 million tonnes grading 1.05 g/t) and inferred resource of 1.0 million ounces gold (29.975 million tonnes grading 1.07 g/t Au) using a cut-off grade of 0.40 g/t. This estimate is contained in NI 43-101 Technical Report Granada gold project Resource estimate update Rouyn-Noranda, Abitibi, Quebec, published January 3, 2013 with effective date of November 15, 2012. Claude Duplessis, Eng., and Gilbert Rousseau, Eng., are the qualified persons in accordance with National Instrument 43-101.

A new resource model for the Granada Project is currently being prepared and it will include data from over 400 historical drill holes (not part of the November 15. 2012 resource calculation).

Drilling began the week of September 19, 2016 and is continuing. This drill program is targeting the Aukeko West and Pontiac vein systems previously identified in historical maps but which had not previously been drilled by the Company. The veins are located in the western bound of the Aukeko Zone, about 500 metres west of the historical Aukeko shaft and 2,000 metres east of the historical Granada shafts.

QA/QC: Gold results were issued by Accurassay Laboratories from Rouyn-Noranda. Laboratory standards and blanks were in line with expected values and Accurassay has allowed the disclosure of the results.

Technical Reports and Qualified Persons

In 2014, the Company published a plan to initially mine and process high-grade, open-pit ore to produce approximately 25,000 ounces per year over three years. This "Rolling Start" initial phase of reduced-scale mining with ore to be shipped for processing at local mills was outlined in NI 43-101 Technical Report Prefeasibility Study (PFS) Phase I - Open Pit Granada Gold Project Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, published June 19, 2014, effective date May 6, 2014. Claude Duplessis, Eng., Gilbert Rousseau, Eng., Jonathan Gagne, Eng., and Martin Stapinsky, P.Geo., M.Sc., Ph.D. are the qualified persons in accordance with National Instrument 43-101.

About Gold Bullion Development Corp.

Gold Bullion Development Corp. is developing the Granada Gold Property near Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec. The property includes the former Granada gold mine which produced more than 51,476 ounces of gold in the 1930s with an average grade of 0.28 ounce per ton (9.6 grams per tonne) before a fire destroyed the surface buildings. The highly prolific Cadillac Trend cuts through the north part of the property. The Cadillac Trend has been the source of more than 50 million ounces of gold produced in the past century on a line running from Val-d'Or to Rouyn-Noranda.

The Company has obtained all necessary permits for the initial mining phase known as the "Rolling Start" for which stripping has already begun, and has agreements in place with First Nations. Additional information is available at www.goldbulliondevelopmentcorp.com.

Claude Duplessis, P. Eng., of Goldminds Geoservices Inc., a geological, environmental and mining consultant, who is an independent qualified person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release.

"Frank J. Basa"



Frank J. Basa P. Eng.

President and Chief Executive Officer

For further information, please contact:

Frank J. Basa, P. Eng., President and CEO at 1-819-797-4144

Renmark Financial Communications Inc.

Steve Hosein: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Tel.: (416) 644-2020 or (514) 939-3989

www.renmarkfinancial.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

Copyright (c) 2016 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
VANCOUVER, Sept. 28, 2016 /CNW/ - Nevada Sunrise Gold Corporation ("Nevada Sunrise" or the "Company") (TSXV: NEV) today announced that, further to its news release of August 29, 2016, it has entered into an agreement (the "Amending Agreement") with Advantage Lithium Corp ("Advantage") (TSXV: AAL) and Resolve Ventures Inc. ("Resolve") (TSXV: RSV) that amends its May 3, 2016 joint venture and option agreement with Resolve (the "Resolve Agreement"). Pursuant to the Resolve Agreement, Resolve had the right to earn up to a 50% working interest in the Neptune lithium property ("Neptune", or the "Property") located in the Clayton Valley, Nevada. Nevada Sunrise holds an option to acquire a 100% interest in Neptune pursuant to an underlying agreement with the owner of the Property (the "Vendor"), subject to a 3% gross overriding royalty. For further details on the Resolve Agreement, see Nevada Sunrise news release dated May 4, 2016.

Neptune Option Amending Agreement

The Amending Agreement supersedes the Resolve Agreement between Nevada Sunrise and Resolve. In May 2016, Resolve fulfilled the obligations of its initial 25% earn-in for Neptune, and according to the Amending Agreement has agreed to terminate its right to a second stage earn-in where Resolve could have increased its interest to 50%. Nevada Sunrise has granted, with the consent of Resolve, Advantage Lithium Corp. ("Advantage") the option (the "Neptune Option") to earn up to a 50% interest in Neptune, with Nevada Sunrise retaining a 25% interest and Resolve retaining its earned 25% interest. Upon Advantage exercising its option to earn a 50% interest, a 3-way joint venture will be formed, with Nevada Sunrise and Resolve each retaining a 25% interest.

Exercise of the Neptune Option by Advantage

To earn a 50% participating interest in Neptune, Advantage must fulfill the following obligations:

(a) incur total exploration expenditures of CDN$700,000, as follows: - a minimum of CDN$100,000 before July 29, 2017; - a minimum of CDN$300,000 before July 29, 2018; and - a minimum of CDN$700,000 before July 29, 2019, (b) exercise its initial option agreement with Nevada Sunrise for five lithium properties, one of which is Neptune, by the initial option earn-in date of July 29, 2018 (for further details of the Advantage transaction see Nevada Sunrise news release dated June 20, 2016); (c) make annual common share payments to the Vendor either by direct issuance of Advantage's common shares, being of equal value to any Nevada Sunrise common share payments due under the terms of the underlying agreement, or by reimbursing Nevada Sunrise with Advantage common shares should Nevada Sunrise issue its shares to the Vendor, at the Vendor's option.

Nevada Sunrise will act as manager of exploration during the Advantage earn-in period and will charge a 10% management fee. Expenditures incurred by Advantage in exercising the Neptune Option will be credited towards expenditures Advantage must make to acquire a 70% interest in the Jackson Wash, Clayton Northeast, and Aquarius properties (see Nevada Sunrise news releases dated July 29, 2018 and August 29, 2016).

If the Amending Agreement is terminated prior to the Advantage earn-in date, Resolve can resume its right to the second stage option and regain the right to earn a 50% interest in Neptune, subject to fulfilling certain conditions.

About Neptune

Neptune consists of a block of 316 unpatented placer claims totaling approximately 6,320 acres (2,557 hectares) located in the Clayton Valley, Esmeralda County, Nevada, USA, approximately 10 miles (15 kilometres) south of the Silver Peak lithium mine, operated by Albemarle Corp. (NYSE: ALB).

Nevada Sunrise believes Neptune has the potential to host lithium-bearing brines in subterranean aquifers beneath the Clayton Valley floor. The Property was acquired after a review of historical geophysical data and reports that indicated geologic formations and structures exist at Neptune that are similar to lithium-bearing brine deposit models present elsewhere in the Clayton Valley.

In March 2016, Nevada Sunrise completed 2 drill holes at Neptune totaling 3,220 feet (981 metres) into the interpreted sub-basin and encountered sub-economic lithium values in groundwater (see news release dated May 31, 2016). However, in hole N-2016-1, the composited samples collected from the intersected sedimentary, lacustrine strata contained lithium-bearing sediments that averaged 156 parts per million ("ppm") lithium over 215 feet (65.5 metres) from 1285 feet (392.7 metres) to the end of hole at 1,500 feet (457.2 metres), reaching a peak value of 217 ppm lithium from 1365 to 1385 feet. This type of sedimentary strata is interpreted as a requisite host horizon for lithium-bearing brines as seen in the northern Clayton Valley. A third hole up to 2,000 metres deep is planned approximately 1 mile (1.6 kilometres) to the east of hole N-2016-1 in an area interpreted from a 2016 geophysical survey to be a potential trap where denser, lithium-bearing brines could migrate and pool. If results from the proposed third hole warrant, a drill pad and access road have been prepared for a fourth hole location.

For further information on Neptune, including a technical report dated February 29, 2016, see "Projects  Nevada Lithium" at: http://www.nevadasunrise.ca/projects/nevadalithium/

Robert M. Allender, Jr., CPG, RG, SME is the Company's designated Qualified Person for this news release within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained herein.

About Nevada Sunrise

Nevada Sunrise is a junior mineral exploration company with a strong technical team based in Vancouver, BC, Canada, that holds interests in nine mineral exploration projects in the State of Nevada, USA. Nevada Sunrise began acquisitions of Nevada lithium properties in September 2015, which include options to earn 100% interests in the Neptune and Clayton Northeast projects, and a 100% interest in the Aquarius Project, all located in the Clayton Valley area. The Company also holds options to earn 100% interests in the Jackson Wash and Atlantis projects, and has a 50% participating interest in the Gemini project, each located in playas proximal to the Clayton Valley. The Company has optioned five of Nevada lithium projects to Advantage Lithium Corp., and a sixth, the Atlantis project, is currently under option to American Lithium Corp. (TSXV: LI).

The Company's three key gold assets include a 21% interest in a joint venture with Pilot Gold Inc. (TSX: PLG) at Kinsley Mountain near Wendover, a 100% interest in the Golden Arrow project near Tonopah, and a 100% interest in the Roulette gold property in the southeastern Carlin trend near Ely, with each of the properties subject to certain production royalties.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to Nevada Sunrise Gold Corporation ("Nevada Sunrise") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, including statements that address future mineral production, reserve potential, exploration drilling, the future price of lithium, potential quantity and/or grade of minerals, potential size of a mineralized zone, potential expansion of mineralization, the timing and results of future resource estimates, or other study, proposed exploration and development of our exploration properties and the estimation of mineral resources. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intends", "believe", "potential", and similar expressions, or describes a "goal", or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "should", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievement of Nevada Sunrise to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information.

Such factors include, among others, risks related to the interpretation and actual results of historical exploration at the Neptune property, reliance on technical information provided by third parties on any of our exploration properties, including access to historical information on the Neptune property, current exploration and development activities; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; current economic conditions; future prices of commodities; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the failure of contracted parties to perform; labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals, financing or in the completion of exploration, as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis for the Nine Months ended June 30, 2016, which is available under Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Although Nevada Sunrise has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Nevada Sunrise disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and accordingly are subject to change after such date. Except as otherwise indicated by Nevada Sunrise, these statements do not reflect the potential impact of any non-recurring or other special items or of any dispositions, monetizations, mergers, acquisitions, other business combinations or other transactions that may be announced or that may occur after the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to get a better understanding of our operating environment. Nevada Sunrise does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that are included in this document, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this release. The Securities of Nevada Sunrise Gold Corporation have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to the account or benefit of any U.S. person.

SOURCE Nevada Sunrise Gold Corporation
ST. JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR--(Marketwired - Sept. 28, 2016) -

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE U.S.

Aurion Resources Ltd. ("Aurion" or "Company") (TSX VENTURE:AU) announces that in conjunction with a previously announced $2.525 million financing it has completed the non-brokered portion of said financing raising proceeds of CAN$1,500,000, pursuant to which it issued 3,750,000 shares at a price of CDN$0.40 per share. The brokered CAN$1.025 million portion of the financing for the same terms closed on September 23, 2016. No fees were payable on the non-brokered portion of the financing.

The proceeds of the proposed financing will be used for advancing our existing portfolio of 100% owned projects in Finland, project generation and for general working capital purposes.

All securities issued under the Offering will be subject to a four-month hold period from the date of issue. This transaction is subject to final documentation and approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Aurion

Aurion is focused on precious metals exploration in Finland. Aurion controls approximately 300,000 hectares of exploration tenements in the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt ("CLGB") of Northern Finland is highly prospective, underexplored but host to major gold and base metal deposits and mines. It currently has a joint venture with B2Gold Inc. on a 25,000 hectare project area including the Kutuvuoma and Ahvenjarvi projects.

Qualified Person

Mike Basha, P.Eng., P.Geo., Aurion's President and CEO, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and has approved the technical disclosure and verified the technical information in this news release.

Forward-Looking Statement

Certain statements contained in this release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Companies' current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and Aurion is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.

On behalf of the Board,

Mike Basha, President & CEO

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

These securities have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act"), or under any securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be offered, sold, taken up, transferred or delivered, directly or indirectly, within the United States or to or on behalf of a U.S. person (as defined in Regulation S under the US Securities Act). Resales of these securities acquired by any U.S. person in the secondary market may be made only pursuant to Rule 904 under Regulation S, or pursuant to another exemption from the registration requirements of the US Securities Act.
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - September 28, 2016) - Astur Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE: AST) (FRANKFURT: CDC) ("Astur" or the "Company") is pleased to provide the following update to the market.

On September 26, 2016, a conference was held, and a statement signed in Oviedo, the capital of Asturias, Spain, by trade associations, trade unions, professional associations and government institutions including the Asturias trade association, the National Association of Employers of Mining and Metallurgy, the mining director of the Autonomous Region of Asturias, the chancellor of the University of Oviedo and the Asturias Organization of Entrepreneurs. The statement described the mining industry in Asturias as a "great opportunity", with more than 3,000 direct and indirect jobs and $450 million in investment in recent years.

Before signing the statement, the President of the National Association of Employers of Mining and Metallurgy stated that Astur Gold's proposed project (Salave) is "a good project that takes into account everything that has to do with the care of the environment and it is a project that shall move forward".

The president of the Asturias Trade Association stated that mining is an industry necessary for Asturias as it creates wealth and jobs. He described the statement as a way to "encourage" all projects that come to Asturias and do not compromise the future of coming generations. "It's a way to support all serious projects as in our view was the Salave project".

It was stated that Asturias has become an "international leader" in innovation and good practices and that the wealth of the mines, together with the "mining tradition" and both high academic and professional qualified workers can significantly increase the number of investments and jobs for the region.

The statement supports the Company's focus on engaging with all the stakeholders in Asturias to progress the Salave project for the benefit of the community, region and country. With all the mining concessions for the Salave project in place and new management focused on re-engaging with the relevant stakeholders, the Company is poised to unlock the significant value of the Salave project.

For further information, please see the below translations:

1. METAL MINING CLAIMED AS A STRATEGIC ACTIVITY

Entrepreneurs, the public administration and trade unions sign a joint statement

Trade associations, trade unions, professional associations and other institutions have signed today in Oviedo, Spain a statement in favour of the metal mining in Asturias. They see it as a "great opportunity" to establish the metal mining as a strategic activity, with more than 3,000 direct and indirect jobs and $450 million in investment in recent years, although it is still emerging.

The president of the Asturias Organisation of Entrepreneurs (FADE), Pedro Luis Fernandez, read the statement in favour of the metal mining, which in Asturias consists of gold, silver, copper and fluorite and in the Spanish and European industries is becoming increasingly important.

The statement specifies that despite the deep historical tradition of mining in Asturias, the metal mining remains unknown and sometimes, is "rejected" by some social actors that refer to the effects that mining activities may have on the environment in which they develop.

The statement considers it essential to inform the Asturias society that things have been "doing well" and thanks to this metal mining, Asturias has become an "international leader" in innovation and good practices.

The head of the Asturias Trade Association has detailed the ten key points for the strategic defence of the mining activity. These are based on the need to care for and maintain the heritage of Asturias as an example for the mining industry. He has also highlighted the sector's ability to "reinvent themselves and persevere" in order to continue generating economic and social progress.

In relation to the metal mining, he stressed out that the wealth of the mines, together with the "mining tradition" and both high academic and professional qualified workers can significantly increase the number of investments and jobs for the region.

He has appealed for dialogue by the agents in the sector, institutions, companies, organizations and other groups linked to mining, as the reliability and legal certainty are the "starting point" for the establishment and continuity of mining projects in the Autonomous Region of Asturias. To this end, he has warned that "excess of judicial solutions" in this activity can threaten and question the image and viability of the sector as a whole.

The entities signing the statement share the firm commitment for the present and the future of metal mining in Asturias, characterized by sustainability, respect for the environment and innovation.

Prior to the signing of this statement, a conference was held in which the President of the National Association of Employers of Mining and Metallurgy (Confedem), Juan Jose Cerezuela, the mining director of the Autonomous Region of Asturias, Isaac Pola, and the chancellor of the University of Oviedo have participated.

http://www.rtpa.es/asturias:-Reivindican-la-mineria-metalica-como-una-actividad-estrategica_111474890726.html

2. SALAVE MINE IS A GOOD PROJECT AND SHALL MOVE FORWARD

The president of Confedem claims that the proposal of Astur Gold "takes into account everything that has to do with the care of the environment" during the signing of a statement to defend the metal mining, which is claimed as a strategic activity.

Business associations and trade unions, professional associations and other institutions have signed on Monday in Oviedo a statement to defend the metal mining, a sector with a "great potential in the Autonomous Region of Asturias". This was highlighted by the president of the National Association of Employers of Mining and Metallurgy (Confedem), Juan Jose Cerezuela, who also claimed the revival of the project for Salave gold mine, Tapia de Casariego. The Autonomous Region of Asturias gave up the project of the Canadian Astur Gold Company after receiving two unfavourable reports issued by the river basin authority (Confederacion Hidrografica del Cantabrico).

Cerezuela said that the project was showed and explained to him and considers it "a good project that takes into account everything that has to do with the care of the environment and it is a project that shall move forward".

In this sense, he regretted the voices that try to dismantle the projects in the basic extractive industries and stressed out that those countries that have chosen them, have managed to overcome the crisis with greater ease. "This statement seeks to advertise to society the development possibilities of metal mining in Asturias. The extractive industries create wealth and quality jobs", said Cerezuela.

In this sense, the president of the Asturias Trade Association (FADE), Pedro Luis Fernandez, stated that this is an industry necessary for Asturias as it creates wealth and jobs. Thus, he considers that this statement is a way to "encourage" all projects that come to Asturias and do not compromise the future of coming generations. "It's a way to support all serious projects as in our view was Salave project," said the president of the Asturias Trade Association.

Asturias, "an example" in the sector

The statement, signed by business organizations, trade unions, professional associations and other institutions, claims for an industry that is considered a "great opportunity", with more than 3,000 direct and indirect jobs and 450 million in investment in recent years, despite it is still emerging. Fernandez has been in charge of reading the statement for the metal mining, which in Asturias consists of gold, silver, copper and fluorite, and in the Spanish and European industries is becoming increasingly important.

The statement specifies that despite the deep historical tradition of mining in Asturias, the metal mining remains unknown and sometimes, is "rejected" by some social actors that refer to the effects that the mining activities may have on the environment in which they develop.

The statement considers it essential to inform the Asturias society that things have been "doing well" and thanks to this metal mining, Asturias has become an "international leader" in innovation and good practices.

The head of the Asturias Trade Association has detailed the ten key points for the strategic defence of the mining activity. These are based on the need to care for and maintain the heritage of Asturias as an example for the mining industry. He has also highlighted the sector's ability to "reinvent themselves and persevere" in order to continue generating economic and social progress.

In relation to the metal mining, he stressed out that the wealth of the mines, together with the "mining tradition" and both high academic and professional qualified workers can increase significantly the number of investments and jobs for the region.

He has appealed for dialogue by the agents in the sector, institutions, companies, organizations and other groups linked to mining, as the reliability and legal certainty are the "starting point" for the establishment and continuity of mining projects in the Autonomous Region of Asturias. To this end, he has warned that "excess of judicial solutions" in this activity can threaten and question the image and viability of the sector as a whole.

The entities signing the statement share the firm commitment for the present and the future of metal mining in Asturias, characterized by sustainability, respect for the environment and innovation.

http://www.elcomercio.es/economia/201609/26/empresarios-mineria-apuestan-reactivar-20160926113311.html

Signed "Brian Wesson"

President and Chief Executive Officer

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. This document contains certain forward looking statements which involve known and unknown risks, delays and uncertainties not under the Company's control which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from the results, performance or expectation implied by these forward looking statements.

About Astur

Astur Gold (TSX VENTURE: AST) owns 100% of the Salave gold project in the Asturias region of Spain. Salave is a technically robust project being one of the largest undeveloped gold projects in Europe and situated in a highly prospective region.
VANCOUVER, Sept. 28, 2016 /CNW/ - Orex Minerals Inc.  (TSX-V: REX  OTCQX: ORMNF) ("Orex"), is pleased to announce that the Phase-III diamond drilling program continues to intercept silver mineralization on the Sandra Escobar Project in Durango, Mexico. These include holes SA-16-049 to SA-16-053 in the southeastern region of the project. The Sandra Escobar Project is being advanced by Orex under an option agreement with Canasil Resources Inc.  (TSX.V: CLZ) ("Canasil").

Highlights for this batch of holes in the Main Zone include SA-16-050, which yielded 57.00 metres core length (46.00 m true thickness) grading 118 g/t silver, starting from surface, and SA-16-049, which yielded 41.00 metres core length (35.00 m true thickness) grading 106 g/t silver, also starting from surface.

All five of these drill holes are located on the northern side of the Main Zone. These results extend the mineralized envelope for the Main Zone a further 50 to 100 metres to the north. Also, a low-grade permeable horizon, similar to the Main Zone in texture, has been identified stratigraphically below the Main Zone on several sections and may constitute a bifurcation of the Main Zone, or a new silver target. Intercepts from this lower horizon are marked as "Lower Interval" in the table below.

Orex's President, Gary Cope says, "The third phase of drilling results continues to show strong continuity of the mineralized unit and will be added to the drill hole database for next month's upcoming Resource Estimate."

Sandra Escobar Project  2015-2016 Diamond Drilling Program  Holes 49 to 53 Hole From (m) To (m) Core Length (m) True Thick. (m) Ag (g/t) MAIN ZONE SA-16-049 1.00 42.00 41.00 35.00 106 Includes 8.00 34.00 26.00 22.20 118 Includes 8.00 20.00 12.00 10.24 142 Includes 17.00 18.00 1.00 0.85 283 (Lower Interval) 82.00 107.00 25.00 21.00 63 Includes 91.00 105.00 14.00 11.76 81 Includes 100.00 102.00 2.00 1.68 109 SA-16-050 2.00 59.00 57.00 46.00 118 Includes 13.00 56.00 43.00 34.70 137 Includes 23.00 34.00 11.00 8.88 178 Includes 24.00 28.00 4.00 3.23 233 (Lower Interval) 109.00 132.50 23.50 18.00 48 Includes 120.00 126.00 6.00 4.60 61 SA-16-051 0.70 36.00 35.30 31.00 88 Includes 0.70 9.00 8.30 7.29 128 Includes 6.00 9.00 3.00 2.63 189 Includes 8.00 9.00 1.00 0.88 317 (Lower Interval) 75.00 81.00 6.00 5.50 26 Includes 75.00 77.00 2.00 1.83 35 SA-16-052 4.00 40.00 36.00 29.00 40 Includes 19.00 28.00 9.00 7.25 65 Includes 23.00 28.00 5.00 4.03 74 Includes 26.00 27.00 1.00 0.81 107 (Lower Interval) 104.00 106.00 2.00 1.75 28 Includes 104.00 105.00 1.00 0.88 37 SA-16-053 1.00 51.00 50.00 32.00 40 Includes 1.00 28.00 27.00 17.28 51 Includes 1.00 9.00 8.00 5.12 107 Includes 6.00 7.00 1.00 0.64 200 (Lower Interval) 97.00 103.00 6.00 5.00 16 Includes 100.00 101.50 1.50 1.25 24

Kluane Drilling Ltd. provides the drilling services utilizing an environmentally low-impact KD-1000 man-portable diamond drill rig.

Silver mineralization is hosted in a rhyolite volcanic dome. An altered and highly permeable crystal lithic tuff unit contains disseminations of silver bearing minerals and broadly spaced stockwork veinlets. The current working model has a porphyritic rhyolite unit as an impermeable cap, which may have focused mineralizing fluids into the host permeable volcaniclastic unit.

True thicknesses are estimated based on structural and stratigraphic interpretations. A map showing the locations of the drill holes is available on the Orex website.

Orex maintains a QA/QC sampling protocol for the diamond drilling program, including the insertion of commercial analytical standards and blank samples. Analytical testing is performed by Bureau Veritas. Silver values are determined by fire assay with a gravimetric finish. Multi-element analyses are also determined using a 4-acid digestion and ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry).

Sandra Escobar Silver-Gold Project, Durango, Mexico

Sandra Escobar is situated north of the town of Tepehuanes, Durango, in the heart of the "Mexican Silver Trend", midway between the mining districts of Tovar and Guanacevi and is 75 km west of Silver Standard's La Pitarrilla. This prolific trend hosts some of the world's largest silver camps and deposits, including Fresnillo, Guanajuato, La Pitarrilla, La Preciosa, Real de Angeles and Zacatecas.

The project consists of 6,976 hectares of mineral concessions and covers multiple mineralized epithermal quartz veins and breccia structures. These veins form a high level silver-gold-base metals system, hosted in andesitic and rhyolitic rocks, centered on a large rhyolite dome complex in the north and silver systems in smaller rhyolite dome complexes to the southeast. Intense alteration zones and fluid flooding in permeable formations indicates the presence of bulk tonnage targets. Excellent infrastructure exists in the Sandra Escobar area, including paved road access, electrical power, water and manpower from nearby communities.

Dale Brittliffe, P.Geo., and Ben Whiting, P.Geo., are Qualified Persons, as defined in NI 43-101, and take responsibility for the technical disclosure contained within this news release.

ABOUT OREX MINERALS INC.

Orex is a Canadian-based junior exploration company comprised of highly qualified mining professionals. Orex has several current projects: the Coneto Gold-Silver Project in Durango, Mexico, a joint venture with Fresnillo PLC, the Jumping Josephine Gold-Silver Project in British Columbia, Canada, plus this newest Sandra Escobar Silver Project in Durango, Mexico, with Canasil Resources Inc.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Gary Cope

President

This News Release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements and Orex undertakes no obligation to update such statements, except as required by law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Orex Minerals Inc.
September 27, 2016 | 05:04 pm PT

An intimate authors talk at the Old Compass Cafe.

Larry Berman will be discussing his amazing 2008 biography, "Perfect Spy: The Incredible Double Life of Pham Xuan An, Time Magazine Reporter and Vietnamese Communist Agent".

Berman documents one of the extraordinary people and stories of the U.S. war in Vietnam. His biography was the product of years of research, more than 50 visits to Vietnam, and interviews with Pham Xuan An.

Berman has authored many books about the Vietnam War. He is the Founding Dean of the Honors College at Georgia State University.

Cover of "Perfect Spy: The Incredible Double Life of Pham Xuan An, Time Magazine Reporter and Vietnamese Communist Agent"

This will be an intimate event with space limited to 35 guests.



Tickets VND400,000 ($18) include welcome drinks (wine, beer, soft drinks) and light food.



Tickets available from The Old Compass Cafe.

Email - info@oldcompasscafe.com
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Sept. 28, 2016) -

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES

Eco Oro Minerals Corp. ("Eco Oro" or the "Company") (TSX:EOM) reminds shareholders that they have until 10:00 a.m. PST on Tuesday, October 11, 2016 (the "Voting Deadline") to vote on the resolutions (the "Resolutions") to be considered at the meeting of the shareholders of the Company to be held at 10:00 a.m. PST on Thursday, October 13, 2016 (the "Meeting"). Shareholders may vote using the telephone or internet or by submitting a proxy by mail to be received by the Company by no later than the Voting Deadline.

The Board of Directors of the Company recommends that shareholders vote FOR approval of the Resolutions to be considered at the Meeting.

At the Meeting, shareholders will be asked to consider the Resolutions set forth in the management information circular of the Company dated September 13, 2016 (the "Circular"). The Resolutions pertain to the private placement (the "Private Placement") to be completed by the Company pursuant to the investment agreement (the "Agreement") between the Company and Trexs Investments, LLC (the "Investor"), an entity managed by Tenor Capital Management Company, L.P. The Agreement provides for an aggregate investment in the Company by the Investor of US$14 million. The Agreement also allows for participation in the second tranche of the Private Placement ("Tranche 2") by certain existing shareholders of the Company (the "Participating Shareholders").

The first tranche of the Private Placement closed concurrently with the execution of the Agreement. The Company has called the Meeting to obtain shareholder approval for the issuance of common shares to the Investor and Participating Shareholders pursuant to Tranche 2 of the Private Placement. In the event that shareholder approval is not obtained at the Meeting, Tranche 2 will consist of secured contingent value rights ("CVRs") instead of common shares. The CVRs contain onerous terms and conditions and will entitle the Investor and Participating Shareholders to an aggregate of 70.93% of the gross proceeds of the Company's arbitration with the Government of Colombia under the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Colombia (the "Arbitration") if the Company proceeds with the Arbitration and is successful in the Arbitration.

Management of the Company believes that approval of the issuance of the common shares pursuant to Tranche 2 is in the Company's best interests and recommends that shareholders vote FOR the Resolutions at the Meeting. Prior to the Company entering into the Agreement, management of the Company considered many alternatives and the Private Placement was the best alternative available to the Company in the circumstances.

Key benefits of the Private Placement and reasons to vote FOR the Resolutions include:

To avoid the need to issue the CVRs, which contain onerous terms and conditions.

To avoid the need to encumber the assets of the Company.

The Company expects that the Private Placement will fully fund the Arbitration, including the Company's general and administrative costs over the next four years.

The Private Placement will significantly strengthen the Company's balance sheet.

The Private Placement provides additional financial backing from a sophisticated institutional investor.

As noted above, in the event that shareholder approval of the Resolutions is not obtained at the Meeting, the Company will be required to issue the CVRs to the Investor and Participating Shareholders instead of common shares. The CVRs will be secured and are subject to events of default, covenants and restrictions on the business of the Company. If Shareholder approval of the Resolutions is obtained at the Meeting, the Company will not be required to issue the CVRs or grant security over its assets in connection with the Private Placement.

Management will hold a conference call at 1:00 p.m. PST on Thursday September 29, 2016 to discuss the Private Placement. The call will begin with a presentation by management of the Company, followed by a question and answer session. To participate in the call, please follow the instructions below:

Canada/USA: 1-800-319-4610 Toronto: +1-416-915-3239 International: +1-604-638-5340 Dial in 5 - 10 minutes prior to the start time and ask to join the Eco Oro call

Shareholders are encouraged to read the Circular for further information regarding the Private Placement and the Meeting.

The securities set forth herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any U.S. state securities laws, and securities of the Company may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Company Profile

Eco Oro Minerals Corp. is a publicly-traded precious metals exploration and development company with a portfolio of projects in Colombia. Eco Oro has been focused on its wholly-owned, multi-million ounce Angostura gold-silver deposit, located in northeastern Colombia. Eco Oro is committed to further advancing the Angostura Project in a socially and environmentally responsible manner that will be beneficial for all stakeholders.

For more information please visit the Company's website at www.eco-oro.com.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release are "forwardlooking" within the meaning of Canadian and United States securities legislation. They include statements with respect to the benefits of the Private Placement, the closing of the Private Placement, the use of proceeds of the Private Placement, the Arbitration, the Company's ability and plans for advancing the Angostura Project, and the funding of the Company and ability of the Company to meet its obligations. Forwardlooking statements are necessarily based upon the current belief, opinions and expectations of management that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and other contingencies. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forwardlooking statements. These factors include, among others, the Company`s ability to satisfy the conditions to the closing of the Private Placement, the Company`s ability to obtain shareholder approval at the Meeting, the timeliness and success of regulatory approvals, availability of capital and financing, the cost and outcome of the Arbitration, general economic, market or business conditions, as well as other risk factors set out under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Annual Information Form dated March 11, 2016, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forwardlooking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.
Amnesty International (AI) [advocacy website] on Wednesday released a report [text] detailing the prevalence of torture employed by Thai authorities and claiming the military government has led to a culture of torture [AI report]. Make Him Speak by Tomorrow, named after an apparently common order given to soldiers, is the product of a two-year investigation and details 74 cases of torture or other forms of ill-treatment implemented by Thai authorities. Although Thailand is a party to the UN Convention against Torture [text], there are reportedly many aspects of the legal system that allow or incentivize the use of torture. Thailand is currently working on legislation that would criminalize torture, but AIs report also provides suggestions for how the government can resolve the major issues.

These include ending unaccountable detention, criminalizing torture, banning the use of evidence obtained by torture and other ill-treatment, investigating reports of torture and bringing those responsible to justice, creating an independent monitoring body to carry out oversight of detention facilities, and providing remedies to victims.

The report was set to be launched at a press conference in Bangkok on Wednesday, but Thai authorities threatened AI representatives [AI report] with arrest and prosecution if they went forward, prompting them to cancel the event.

Thailand has been home to significant human rights concerns for years, some of which stem from the nations court system. In particular, human rights groups worldwide have expressed growing concern over violations in Thailand since the military junta came to power in May 2014. Earlier in September Thailands military government announced [JURIST report] that it will prosecute cases concerning national security and royal insult in civilian courts, as opposed to military courts where the cases have been tried since 2014. Also in September the Thailand Supreme Court affirmed [JURIST report] a 20-year prison sentence given to protest leader Sondhi Limthongkul in 2012. Last month Thailand passed a new constitution [JURIST report] by referendum vote. The constitution was drafted by a military-appointed counsel and is feared to be another step in entrenching military control of the nation. Thai military officials in July charged [JURIST report] three human rights defenders with criminal defamation and violations of the Computer Crimes Act because of a report they published detailing acts of torture in Thailand. In April Human Rights Watch urged [JURIST report] Thailand to stop harassing and charging human right lawyers for defending victims of the governments abuses, and to revoke military police powers.
[JURIST] The International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website] on Tuesday sentenced [judgment, PDF] a Malian jihadist to nine years of imprisonment for overseeing the destruction of Muslim shrines in Timbuktu, Mali. Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi [case information, PDF] admitted his guilt [JURIST report] when his trial began in August. This is a historic case, marking the first time the ICC has tried and convicted someone for committing the war crime of demolishing religious buildings and historical monuments. In determining a nine-year sentence, the court acknowledged that while crimes against property are grave, they are not as grave as crimes against persons. However, the destroyed shrines had been UNESCO World Heritage [official website] sites, and the mosques and mausoleums of saints were fundamental parts of the religious life of the Mali community and cultural heritage.

The danger to world heritage sites and other important landmarks in Mali is not the only concern among the international community regarding the country. Mali has been facing a humanitarian crisis since 2012 that has raised graver international concerns. In May 2012 Amnesty International (AI) [advocacy website] released a report saying that Mali was facing its worst human rights crisis [JURIST report] since it gained independence in 1960. Human Rights Watch released a similar report in April 2012 claiming that all sides to the conflict are committing war crimes [JURIST report]. Earlier in April the ICC said they would monitor the situation [JURIST report] in Mali for potential crimes under the ICCs jurisdiction. The turmoil began when Taureg rebels attacked Malian soldiers [Al Jazeera report]. Many in the international community expressed concern [JURIST report] over the situation, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon [official website], then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees [official website]. All of this came after Malian soldiers took control of the government [JURIST report] and suspended the constitution in March 2012.
A Norwegian court of appeals on Wednesday rejected [judgment, PDF, in Norwegian] a lawsuit against the countrys government from Edward Snowden [BBC profile]. Snowden received a free-speech award from Norsk PEN, the countrys branch of PEN International [official websites]. Snowden, having asylum in neighboring Russia, desired to travel to Oslo to accept the award, but filed suit against the nations government seeking an advance decision on whether the country would extradite him to the US. The Borgarting court [official website, in Norwegian] followed the Oslo district court [official website, in Norwegian] in rejecting [Reuters report] Snowdens claim, declining to compel the justice ministry to make such advance decisions. Norsk PEN, also involved in the lawsuit with Snowden, stated that they intend to appeal to the countrys highest court.

Snowden, a former US National Security Agency (NSA) [official website] contractor and computer professional, became famous in 2013 for leaking classified information. His leak ultimately led to significant revelations about global mass surveillance programs employed by various governments, particularly the US. Earlier this month human rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International [advocacy websites], called on [JURIST report] US President Barack Obama [official profile] to pardon the former NSA contractor with the launch [AI press release] of the Pardon Snowden Campaign [advocacy website]. Last October the European Parliament voted to approve [JURIST report] a resolution encouraging its member countries not to extradite Snowden and called upon its member states to drop all criminal charges against him and offer him protection as an international human rights defender. The question of Snowdens guilt [JURIST op-ed] and the legitimacy of the charges against him have been debated and analyzed [JURIST news archive] widely in the U.S.
The Obama administration announced Monday that is agreed [press release] to pay [settlement agreement] over $492 million to 17 Native American tribes. The lawsuits accused [WP report] the government of mismanaging natural resources and other tribal assets. According to the Obama administration, more than100 lawsuits were filed totaling more than $3.3 billion in damages against the federal government. The US government is trustee [NPR report] to a large portion of tribal land and manages almost 56 million acres on behalf of tribes. Under the trust agreement, the US government must ensure the tribe receives just compensation for the use of their land and resources. According to the lawsuits, the government did not manage the land well and the tribes lost a lot of income. Since Obama has taken office, there have been almost 100 settlements with tribes.

The rights of indigenous peoples have become a pressing international legal topic in the past decade. In September a construction of a North Dakota pipeline was suspended [JURIST report] due to its construction over sacred tribal land. 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.
[JURIST] Switzerlands lower house of Parliament on Tuesday narrowly approved a bill [text, in German] that would amend the nations federal constitution to include a ban on concealing ones face in public under most circumstances. Proposed by the Swiss Peoples Party, the bill passed the National Council [official websites] by an 88-87 vote, with 10 abstentions. Proponents of the bill argue that the ban does not impinge on freedoms and instead provides respect for women. Opponents counter, stating that the proposed law infringes on religious freedom and expression. The bill will next have to be approved by the Swiss Council of States [official website], or by a national referendum, to become law. This is the second attempt at a burqa ban in Switzerland, with the first being voted down in January.

Swiss law has undergone a handful of notable adjustments in the recent past. Earlier this month, Swiss voters approved [JURIST report] a new surveillance law allowing their national intelligence service broad powers to spy on terrorist suspects and cyber criminals, as well as the ability to cooperate with foreign intelligence agencies. In June Swiss voters rejected [JURIST report] a plan that would provide all citizens with a guaranteed basic income. The proposal called for all adults to be paid an unconditional monthly income, regardless of need. Finally in February the citizens of Switzerland rejected [JURIST report] a proposed referendum that would require immediate, automatic deportation of any foreign national who was convicted of two crimes within a 10-year period.
UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Kate Gilmore [official profile] addressed [text] the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council [website] on Tuesday speaking on the deteriorating human rights situation in Libya and calling for accountability and reform. She described the ability of armed groups to terrorize the nation by kidnapping, torturing and killing civilians based on political or familial affiliations. She noted that human rights advocates and media professionals face similar dangers. She claimed some of these groups have state ties, which pay them and enable them to carry out law-enforcement duties. Gilmore continued to highlight abuses by alleging the inhuman treatment of migrants. She urged the council to consider the establishment of a special procedures mandate of an independent expert on Libya, to report on the situation of human rights and on progress made towards accountability.

Libya has remained politically unstable since the 2011 deposition of Muammar Gaddafi [JURIST backgrounder] and subsequent civil war. In May International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda told [JURIST report] the UN Security Council that justice and accountability were crucial aspects of achieving and maintaining peace in the country. Also in May Human Rights Watch reported [JURIST report] that Islamic State militants had executed 49 people in the Libyan city of Sirte since seizing control in February 2015. The UN released [JURIST report] a report in February detailing a litany of violations and abuses being committed by both state and non-state actors in the Libyan conflict that could amount to war crimes. In January the internationally-recognized Libyan parliament voted [JURIST report] to reject a proposal by the then-UN-supported unity government to curb the countrys political crisis.
[JURIST] Four UN human rights experts on Tuesday called on [press release] Pakistan to halt the execution of Imdad Ali, a mentally disabled man that was convicted of murder in 2001. The experts called Imdad Alis execution unlawful and tantamount to an arbitrary execution, as well as a form of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment, and called for it to be annulled. Further, the UN requests a re-trial that would take into consideration his disability, and for Imdad Ali to be provided psychosocial treatment in the interim.

In addition to the UN, Human Rights Watch earlier this month called on [JURIST report] Pakistan to stop Imdad Alis execution, calling it an affront to decency [that] serves no criminal justice purpose. More generally, capital punishment [JURIST op-ed] remains a controversial issue worldwide. Last month a UN rights expert expressed outrage [JURIST report] regarding Irans execution of 12 people for drug-related charges. And in July Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated [JURIST report] that he would approve reinstating the death penalty so long as the measure had sufficient support in the Grand National Assembly.
Malaysias DRB-Hicom has stepped up its efforts to find a strategic partner for its struggling car subsidiary Proton, just four years after it acquired a controlling stake in the countrys first national car company.

Reports have emerged that the Kuala Lumpur-listed conglomerate directly approached some 20 global automakers in recent months with an offer to sell a significant stake in Proton. According to local reports, a majority stake is to be made available to the right investor.

Three companies have indicated they are in the process of responding to DRB-Hicoms call to enter discussions on the future of Proton, including Frances Peugeot and Renault and Japans Suzuki.

This broad-based invitation betrays more than a hint of urgency on the part of DRB-Hicom, which has seen its financial performance and its share price deteriorate significantly since it took control of the Malaysian national carmaker in 2012.

In the financial year ending in March 2016 DRB-Hicom reported a pre-tax loss of over MYR821m (close to US$200m) compared with a MYR502m profit in the previous year.

Group revenues declined by 11% to RM12.17 billion, generated from vehicle and motorcycle production and sales, component manufacturing, defence vehicles and equipment, logistics and airport services, banking, residential and commercial property development and hotels.

DRB-Hicom attributed this deteriorating performance on falling vehicle sales, with Protons performance particularly in the spotlight as the brand continued to lose market share in its main home market.

In the first eight months of this year Protons sales at home fell by more than 37% to just over 42,000 vehicles  in a market that was down by less than 15%. Its market share has slumped to just under 12%, from 16% in the same period of last year, trailing Daihatsu-affiliated Perodua and Honda.

Other automotive brands that DRB-Hicom is involved with have all gained market share so far this year, including Honda which has seen its market share climb to 15%, as well as Isuzu and Mercedes-Benz each with around 2% of total sales.

The latest financial data, for the quarter ending in June, shows group turnover fell by over 15% to MYR2.5bn, while pre-tax losses widened to MYR121.3m, from MYR16.7m a year earlier.

Proton is on course to sell fewer than 100,000 vehicles worldwide this year for the first time in more than 20 years. It will probably sell around 70,000 vehicles globally, more or less matching what it achieved in 1990. At that time, its domestic market share was around 70-80%.

DRB-Hicom is extremely uncomfortable with the detrimental effect that Proton has had on its financial performance, especially as other parts of the group have outperformed many of their peers.

The conglomerates share price has slumped from a peak of MYR3.2 in early 2012, at the time of the Proton acquisition (and when the exchange rate was just over MYR3:US$1), to MYR0.84 in June.

The share price has recovered to MYR1.45 in the last three months, helped by the release of the latest round of financial support from the Malaysian government and perhaps also on hopes of a successful Proton disposal.

Despite the launch of new models such as the Perdana and popular Persona in recent months, DRB-Hicom is clearly struggling to implement the Proton turnaround plan that it laid out soon after its acquisition in 2012. This included a somewhat lofty annual production target of 500,000 Proton vehicles by 2018. This now seems part of a much changed, distant past.

The company now is getting hammered in its home market by strong global brands and global products, despite continued market protection, while it has withdrawn from many key overseas markets due to the introduction stricter emissions regulations.

The companys turnaround plan, and in reality the companys last real hope of recovering as a somewhat independent carmaker, is tied in with the new family of low-emission engines due to fitted to the first new model ranges towards the end of the year.

The Malaysian government has provided high levels of protectionism over the years to nurture Protons development, as well as providing grants for R&D and soft loans. The latest support has come in the form of the purchase in June of MYR1.25bn worth of long-dated redeemable preference shares issued by Proton. A second redeemable share purchase, worth MYR250m, has been confirmed for January 2017.

Even with continued government support, it has been clear for a long time that Proton is far too small to support a product R&D programme that would allow it to keep up with its main competitors. This is more the case now than ever before.

The Malaysian government no doubt is suffering from aid fatigue with regard to Proton and has warned the carmaker that its business model as it stands is unsustainable. Malaysian consumers are also tired of buying subsidized, below-standard vehicles over the years and are clearly voting with their wallets.

The government also has told DRB-Hicom that it needs to find a strategic partner for Proton as soon as possible, even if it means selling a controlling stake in the company. This is a massive policy shift compared with when it held negotiations with numerous potential partners over the last 20 years.

Even ten years ago, when Proton still enjoyed a 30% share of the domestic market, giving up a majority stake in the company was unthinkable for the Malaysian government.

Leading global vehicle manufacturers including VW, Ford, GM, PSA, Mitsubishi and Honda all walked away from strategic partnership talks at different times over the last 20 years because of the governments reluctance to cede control of Proton. Talks with Honda and Mitsubishi in this period have been limited to specific product sharing agreements.

With Proton no longer the countrys leading car brand, DRB-Hicom is clearly in a much weaker position to negotiate a deal with a strategic partner and in truth looks eager to sell at any cost and move on. Production volumes have fallen sharply in recent years, while overcapacity has risen substantially.

With a production capacity of 400,000 vehicles a year split between two plants, Proton needs a strategic partner with regional production ambitions.

Taking on the legacies of a company that for three decades was under government control is a huge risk, particularly with leaner competitors such as Perodua, Honda and Toyota effectively already controlling the local market.

The jewel in the Proton crown is no doubt Group Lotus, the UK sportscar manufacturer with highly-regarded automotive engineering capabilities. A separate buyer may be sought for this company.

DRB-Hicom said it is committed to finalizing a deal with a strategic partner for Proton in the first half of 2017. No doubt it will be hoping it has set more realistic target this time.

See also: DRB to sell majority stake in Proton, investors shortlisted
A baby containing the DNA from three different people was born.

The baby boy was born five months ago in Mexico to Jordanian parents, and is healthy and doing well, said the report in New Scientist magazine, described as an "exclusive."

The boy's mother carried genes for a disorder known as Leigh Syndrome, a fatal nervous system disorder which she had passed on to her two previous children who both died of the disease.

She had also suffered four miscarriages.The woman, whose identity was withheld by New Scientist, and her husband sought the help of John Zhang, a doctor from the New Hope Fertility Center in New York City to have a baby that would be genetically related to them but would not carry the inherited disease.

The United States has not approved any three-parentmethod for fertility purposes, so Zhang went to Mexico where he was quoted by New Scientist as saying "there are no rules."

One method that has been approved in the United Kingdom, called pronuclear transfer, was deemed unacceptable to the couple because it would involve the destruction of two embryos, said the report.

Since the mother carried the genes for the disease in her mitochondria, or DNA that is passed down from the maternal side, Zhang used her nuclear DNA and combined it with mitochondria from an egg donor, in a technique known as spindle nuclear transfer.

"He removed the nucleus from one of the mother's eggs and inserted it into a donor egg that had had its own nucleus removed," said the report.

"The resulting egg, with nuclear DNA from the mother and mitochondrial DNA from a donor - was then fertilized with the father's sperm."

Presentation next month

Zhang and his team are expected to describe their method at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, next month.

An abstract describing the research has been published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, but outside experts said much more remains to be understood about the research.

"As this technology is controversial and a world first, I think the investigators should have submitted a manuscript for full peer review instead of announcing these outcomes in this manner," said Justin St John, professor and Director of the Centre for Genetic Diseases at Monash University.

Attempts began in the 1990s to create a baby by injecting mitochondrial DNA from a donor into the mother's egg, and adding sperm from her partner.

"Some of the babies went on to develop genetic disorders, and the technique was banned," said the New Scientist report.

"The problem may have arisen from the babies having mitochondria from two sources."

Another outside expert, David Clancy, a lecturer at Lancaster University, recalled that experiments in monkeys have shown that maternal mitochondrial DNA can expand from low levels to significantly higher levels, "which would allow disease to again be transmitted, so we must expect the possibility in humans."

For now, Zhang and his team said the boy's mitochondria has been tested and "they found that less than 1 percent carry the mutation," said the report.

"Hopefully, this is too low to cause any problems; generally it is thought to take around 18 per cent of mitochondria to be affected before problems start."

In addition, his being a boy ensures that he could not pass down any inherited mitochondrial DNA.

"While we should remain vigilant about this technique as new information and research accumulates, let us hope this child grows up and has a long healthy life," said Clancy

Related news:

> Baby care classes designed for single men in Tokyo

> Thailand first in Asia to eliminate mother-to-baby HIV: WHO

> Baby rescued from Japan quake rubble
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Dallas, TX, USA, 09/27/2016 /SubmitPressRelease123/

In one of the more unusual cases in Dallas County in recent memory, former Judge Lena Levario dismissed the mortgage fraud indictments against a wealthy heir named Al Hill III because former Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins refused to testify at a hearing about whether he and his office had selectively or vindictively prosecuted Mr. Hill in order to benefit a lawyer and benefactor of Mr. Watkins, reports John Helms Dallas criminal lawyer. The lawyer potentially stood to collect millions of dollars in attorneys fees in a civil case against Mr. Hill, and Mr. Hills lawyers claimed that the lawyer improperly influenced DA Watkins to prosecute Mr. Hill in order to get leverage in the civil case.

Over the States objection, Judge Levario held an evidentiary hearing about the alleged selective and vindictive prosecution claims. An evidentiary hearing is one in which each side can call witnesses and take their testimony about the issue. DA Watkins was subpoenaed to testify, but he refused, claiming that he was not legally required to testify about a matter of his office prosecuting someone. The lawyer who was alleged to have improperly influenced the prosecution also refused to testify. She took the Fifth, meaning she invoked her constitutional right against self-incrimination.

Judge Levario found that there was enough evidence of possible improper influence that Mr. Hill was entitled to an evidentiary hearing. She further ruled that Mr. Hill was denied a fair hearing because the only people who could testify about the lawyers influence, if any, on DA Watkins were the lawyer and DA Watkins. But they both refused to testify. She, therefore, dismissed the indictments.

On appeal, the Dallas Court of Appeals ruled that Mr. Hill had not presented enough evidence of selective or vindictive prosecution to be entitled to a hearing on the issue. Therefore, the court held that Judge Levario abused her discretion by holding a hearing at all, and it reinstated the indictments.

The case was then appealed to the highest criminal appeals court in Texas: The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. This week, the Court of Criminal Appeals unanimously reversed the Dallas Court of Appeals. The media reported it as a great victory against the District Attorneys office.

But what does it mean for criminal defendants around Texas? Does it mean that they can get a hearing on selective or vindictive prosecution claims and force the District Attorney to testify under oath about his or her motivations for the prosecution? The answer to that is, In all likelihood, no.

First of all, the Court of Criminal Appeals held only that Judge Levario acted within her discretion in holding a hearing at all. On this score, the Court held that Mr. Hill had enough evidence to support his claim that it was not beyond the bounds of reason to hold a hearing. The Court did not say one way or another whether it was proper to require prosecutors or the District Attorney to testify at such a hearing. Nor did the Court approve or disapprove of the dismissal of the indictments when the District Attorney and the lawyer refused to testify. It sent the case back to the Dallas Court of appeals and left those issues for that court to decide, reported criminal defense attorney Helms.

Second, under the law, it is very rare for a criminal defendant to have enough evidence to convince a judge to allow the defendant to get testimony from prosecutors on a selective or vindictive prosecution.

Many people do not understand how difficult it is to prove selective or vindictive prosecution. These require a lot more than just a prosecutor being angry or acting like he or she is out to get you.

Selective prosecution means that at least one other identifiable similarly situated person was not prosecuted and that the basis for the prosecution is because of the defendants race, religion, gender, or other arbitrary classification. So, if the prosecution is based on the prosecutors belief that the defendant may really be guilty, then selective prosecution does not apply, even if other similarly situated people were not prosecuted. In other words, the mere fact that other guilty people may not have been prosecuted does not mean that anyone else can be prosecuted.

Vindictive prosecution requires a showing that the ONLY reason for a prosecution is because the prosecutor was acting for a type of improper purpose, such as retaliating against a person for exercising their constitutional rights. So, if part of the reason for the prosecution is a belief in the defendants guilt, there is no vindictive prosecution.

Claims of selective or vindictive prosecution are rarely successful. When they are, it is because of really unusual facts. If you are accused of a crime, be wary of any criminal defense attorney who might try to get your hopes up about these claims, especially an unscrupulous lawyer who is trying to get you to hire him or her. Unless your circumstances are extraordinary, it is probably best to focus on a defense strategy with a better chance of success.

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 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.

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Dallas, TX, USA, 09/28/2016 /SubmitPressRelease123/

According to Dallas criminal lawyer John Helms many criminal cases begin with a police stop, which is any time when an officer pulls over a car or asks a person on foot to stop and answer questions. During a stop, the police can gather evidence for criminal charges, such as signs that a driver is intoxicated for a DWI case, or the smell of marijuana for a drug case. After a stop, the police will look for probable cause and the right circumstances to justify a search of a person (a pat down), or a car. To justify a stop, though, the police must have reasonable suspicion that the person being stopped has committed a particular crime.

A recent decision from Massachusetts highest court about police stops made national headlines because of its holding about black men running from the police. Did the court hold that it is OK to run from the police? The short answer says criminal defense attorney Helms is, Not quite.

In Commonwealth v. Warren, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts held that the mere fact that a person runs from the police, without more, does not give the police reasonable suspicion to stop the person. What was perhaps more notable was that the court went on to discuss the fact that black men in the Boston area are disproportionately subject to stops and that a black man might therefore run from the police to avoid being racially profiled.

Here is what happened. The police were called to a reported breaking and entering of a house. The victims described three suspects as being black men. One was wearing a red hoodie, one was wearing a dark hoodie, and the other was wearing dark clothing. They had taken a backpack and run away. About thirty minutes after the break-in, a police officer spotted two black men walking near a park. Both wore dark clothing, and one had on a hoodie. The police officer yelled to them, Hey guys wait a minute! The two men made eye contact and then jogged into the park. The officer radioed to other officers on the other side of the park who encountered the two men walking. These officers yelled at the two men. One turned and ran back into the park. The officers ordered him to stop and ran after him. He was caught, and he was found to have a concealed handgun for which he did not have a permit. He was charged with that crime and convicted at trial. The other man was not charged with anything, and neither was he linked to the breaking and entering.

The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts reversed the conviction because the police did not have reasonable suspicion that he had committed a particular crime, which was necessary for the police to stop him. Therefore, the stop was illegal, and the gun found during the stop could not be used as evidence. Without the gun, the conviction could not stand.

In explaining its decision, the court said that the only factor that could have possibly given the police reasonable suspicion was the fact that the defendant ran from the police. The court said that the description of the clothing was too vague to identify the men as suspects in the breaking and entering. Also, there were two rather than three men, and neither had a backpack. Finally, the place where they were found was not so close to the scene of the crime, given the time since the crime, to suggest they were the culprits. That left just the running away.

The court held that running away is a factor that can be considered, along with other evidence, in determining whether there was reasonable suspicion, but running away ALONE is not enough. The court explained that Massachusetts law allows a citizen to ignore or walk away from the police if the police have no basis for stopping them. Therefore, a person also has the right to run away, and the court was unwilling to say that MERELY running away is enough evidence that a person committed a specific crime that the officer suspects.

Then, the court discussed recent studies showing that black men are stopped at a higher rate in the Boston area than whites and that this cannot be explained by crime statistics. The court concluded that a black man could fear being racially profiled by the police and might run away out of a belief that the police would treat him unjustly. The court was careful to say, however, that flight can never be considered just because a black man is involved. However, in these circumstances, where flight was the ONLY basis for reasonable suspicion, the possibility that the person fled to avoid racial profiling strengthened the courts view that there was not enough evidence to find reasonable suspicion.

This case does NOT mean that it is a good idea to run from the police. Doing so could escalate a tense situation and substantially increase the possibility of a violent confrontation with the police. It also does NOT mean that flight cannot be considered by a court as consciousness of guilt. It can be, and it could tip the balance if there is other evidence to support reasonable suspicion.

Additionally, this case is not legally binding on any courts besides Massachusetts state courts. Courts in other states can consider it, but they are not required to follow it.

What the case does show, however, is that courts are beginning to consider the social realities that have been heavily discussed around the country in recent years.

Anyone charged with a crime involving a police stop should consult with an experienced criminal defense lawyer about whether the stop was potentially illegal. If it was, the case could be dismissed. I have had a lot of success convincing courts that police stops were illegal and that evidence from the stop should be suppressed. My knowledge of this area of the law is often vital for protecting my clients.

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 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.

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In this issue: interview with Nicolas Veron, and the latest podcast  on recent EU measures to tackle the energy crisis.
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In his final address to the U.N. General Assembly, United States President Barack Obama spoke of a world defined by increasing prosperity, yet torn by uncertainty and strife; progress on many fronts, but threatened by division and violence -- with the temptation of too many to surrender to the siren songs of religious fundamentalism, sectarianism, or aggressive nationalism.

President Obama described a number of accomplishments that have improved the lives of people around the world over the last eight years: including the global economys resilience after the greatest financial disaster in modern times; the establishment of a framework to protect the planet from the ravages of climate change; the removal of terrorist safe havens; the resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue through diplomacy; the opening of relations with Cuba; and the appearance of a democratically elected civilian leader in Burma. And, over the last 25 years, he noted, the doubling of the number of the worlds democracies.

At the same time, however, deep fault lines in the existing international order have been exposed, said Mr. Obama:

Around the world refugees flow across border in flight from brutal conflictAcross vast swathes of the Middle East, basic security, basic order has broken down. We see too many governments muzzling journalists and quashing dissent and censoring the flow of information.

In addition, Mr. Obama noted, terrorist networks endanger open societies, spurring anger against innocent immigrants and Muslims. And powerful nations spurn the restraints put on them by international law.

President Obama said the world faces a choice: to press forward with a better model of cooperation, or retreat into a world ultimately in conflict along age-old lines of nation and tribe and race and religion.

The key to the first choice is recognizing the need for tolerance that results from respecting all human beings, Mr. Obama said, as well as recognizing the universal desire of all people to have a voice in the decisions that affect their lives. Our identities, he declared, do not have to be definedin opposition to others, but rather by a belief in liberty and equality and justice and fairness.

My faith in those principles, President Obama said, [forces] me to recognize that I can best serve my own peopleby making sure that my actions seek what is right for all peopleOur governments and this United Nations should reflect this irreducible truth.
U.S. General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told an Air Force Association conference that Iraqi forces being trained by the U.S.-led coalition will soon be ready to move on the ISIL-held city of Mosul.

General Dunford said the forces will be marshaled, trained, fielded and equipped for the operation in early October. It will, however, be the decision of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi when it will launch. Mosul is the second largest city in Iraq, and was seized by ISIL fighters in June 2014.

President Barack Obama met recently with Prime Minister al-Abadi when both leaders were in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. In remarks after the meeting, President Obama praised the sacrifices of the Iraqi people and armed forces which have led, he said, to significant progress in the U.S.-led coalitions fight against ISIL, including taking back half of the populated territory the terror group had seized. Mr. Obama noted that the Iraqi security forces have grown in confidence as they have coordinated with the 67-member coalition.

Now, President Obama said, what were focusing on is to go right at the heart of the ISIL operations in Mosul:

This is going to be a challenging battle. Mosul is a large city, and ISIL has embedded itself deeply within that city. But because of the prepositioning of forces, because of the cooperation between the coalition and the Iraqi security forces, because of the cooperation and courage of the Kurdish Peshmerga, we feel confident that we will be in a position to move forward fairly rapidly.

President Obama noted that in addition to the liberation of Mosul from ISIL, he and Prime Minister al-Abadi discussed the importance of humanitarian assistance to the displaced and suffering population there. He also stressed the importance of rebuilding the city in a way that assures that not only ISIL does not come back, but extremist ideologies born out of desperation do not return.

Mr. Obama praised Prime Minister al-Abadi, who he said, has consistently operated in a way that indicates his commitment to an inclusive Iraq that treats everybody fairly, respects human rights. And the work were doing with the Iraqi government will adhere to those principles, not just in the Mosul campaign, but beyond.
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A former Omaha police detective admitted in federal court Tuesday to selling information from a law enforcement database to help car dealerships find vehicles for repossession.

Kevin L. Cave, 36, was paid about $16,000 over more than two years for supplying addressees and other information to care dealerships, according to a federal indictment.

He pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Omaha to exceeding authorized access to a protected computer for private financial gain. Under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorneys Office, Cave will receive no more than six months in prison when he is sentenced in November. He also could receive no prison time.

Cave either resigned or was fired in September amid an FBI investigation of his use of the database. The City of Omaha maintains it fired Cave; he has said he resigned before the termination took effect.

Cave on Tuesday acknowledged he provided addresses and other information that led to a repossession company or the dealership to find vehicles nearly 60 times, beginning in August 2010. The dealerships were not identified in the indictment.

Cave, who in 2010 earned about $70,000 from his work as an officer, used the Nebraska Criminal Justice Information System to search for the information he sold, according to the indictment. He received as much as $200 each time he provided a lead.

A detective in the Criminal Investigations Bureau, Cave became an Omaha police officer in September 2002.

The Nebraska Criminal Justice Information System database includes criminal histories, drivers license information and probation and parole data.

The Omaha World-Herald / www.omaha.com
LINCOLN  Donald P. Carter, 76, of Wood River died Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016, at Nebraska Heart Institute in Lincoln.

Memorial services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Wood River United Methodist Church with Derek Apfel officiating. Inurnment will be at Wood River Cemetery.

Apfel Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.



He died with his family by his side.

Don was born June 4, 1940, in Grand Island, the son of John James Jr. and Gladys (Deenier) Carter. He grew up in Wood River, received his education from Wood River Schools and furthered his education at Kearney State Teachers College (now the University of Nebraska at Kearney).

He married Gwendolyn Janice Shiers on Aug. 4, 1963, in Kearney. The couple made their home in Kearney until they moved back to Wood River to take over the family business, Carters Grocery.

After selling the family business, Don became an appliance service technician for Peters Hardware/Appliance. He was joined by his oldest son, and together they started Mid-Nebraska Appliance Service in Wood River and later expanded into HVAC service as well. He was later joined by another son, and the company became Mid-Nebraska Service. Don continued to be involved in the business until his retirement.

Don enjoyed fishing, reading, vacationing in the Black Hills, woodworking, attending gun shows and spending time with his family.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Janice Carter of Wood River; three sons and a daughter-in-law, Doug Carter, Greg and Michele Carter and Michael Carter, all of Wood River; as well as six grandchildren.

Don was preceded in death by his parents.

Memorials are suggested to the family.

Visit www.apfelfuneralhome.com to direct online condolences to the family.
ELKO  Northside Elementary was one of the few schools in Nevada to be recognized as a School of Excellence by the National Parent Teacher Association.

The School of Excellence award goes to schools that do an exceptional job of welcoming families into the school and foster strong relationships between teachers and families.

Northside Elementary was one of four schools in the state, and the only school in northern Nevada to receive the award and Nevada PTA President David Flatt said the program works to bring teachers and parents together for the good of the students.

We want to bring those parents into the schools, he said. Thats the toughest part. Parents dont want to school because theyre afraid sometimesbut we have to overcome that and thats whats so exciting about the National PTA.

The National PTA considers parental involvement to be important for the development of students so parents and teachers can work together on the development of a child. While teachers are responsible for a students academic development during the school day, Flatt said parents need to be involved for a student to maximize their success.

Teaching starts at home. In some cases people think all the teaching has to come from the teachers, he said. I think by bringing parents into the schools and having family nights they see how students learn and we all grow from that.

Northside Elementary Principal Krista Chamberlin gave Northside PTA president Oreana Thunder a lot of the credit for helping to foster a strong relationship between parents and the school. Chamberlin also said she was particularly impressed with how quickly the PTA has been able to make an impact since the group was just recently organized.

I was very excited for Oreana and her hard work, she said.She had to complete some application processes and show the state PTA what weve been able to do in a few short years. In those three years theyve been able their funds and make Northside a great school.

As one of only a handful of schools in the state to receive the nationwide recognition, Chamblerlin gave praise to all the parents involved with PTA and hopes to continue to put on events that are fun for students while welcoming parents into the community of Northside Elementary.

They coordinate with our teachers for parent nights, movie nights and were excited that they partner with us for many incentives for our students, she said. This award is directly related to our strong parents involvement.
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ELKO  Elko High School freshman Marlu Martens may still be adjusting to life as a high school student but her academic work is already being recognized.

Martens was one of 80 students in the country to be awarded for her work in the science and math fields by the STEMs Envision program. Awardees receive an invitation to attend the upcoming Presidential Inauguration, a private tour of the Smithsonian Institution and will partake in an essay writing competition where the winner will receive college scholarships.

Martens has been involved with the program for a number of years and spent her summers in the Envision program since she was in sixth grade, where she worked with other students from around the country on science and math projects.

From an early age, Martens had an idea of the fields she wanted to study due to the influence of her parents.

My mom was a doctor and my dad was an engineer so that kind of helped me figure out what kind of career I wanted, she said.

Martens was selected by the instructors in the program for her hard work over the summers and will give a speech at the Envision Program Summit the weekend of the inauguration. Marlus father, Bill Martens, said her daughter was recognized for her strong academics and her ability to connect with the people she worked with.

She was picked by her teacher, the other students, and test scores, he said. Its not just with her smarts; its also the impression she made on the other students and on the teachers.

Marlu is looking forward to her trip to the nations capitol in January and said she plans to run down the halls of the Smithsonian on her private tour but admitted she is still a little nervous about crafting her speech.

Judges will pick the speech that best addresses the issue at hand, and Marlu picked international trade as her speech topic.

Im more nervous for the competition there, she said. I picked world trade. Ill have to list all the different ways of dealing with Russia and China.

Marlu Martens has spent a lot of time traveling to various colleges over the summer but moving around is nothing new to her. The Martens family recently moved to Elko from Idaho and lived in China before that.

Marlu still has family in China and picked up Mandarin before moving back to the United States. However, moving to Elko was just as big of an adjustment as moving back to Idaho as she had become accustomed to the small class sizes of the one-room schoolhouse she had been taught in.

Shortly after enrolling in Adobe Middle School, Marlu realized it would take some time to adjust to a larger school.

I remember when I first came here I was so confused, she said. I didnt even know there were seven classes in a day. I was so surprised at how the kids behaved because I thought a bigger school would be stricter than a one-room schoolhouse.

Now that she has gotten used to the bigger classrooms, Marlu is trying to join Elko High Schools math club and is looking to get involved in the high schools science club.

Bill Martens has been encouraging his daughter to pursue all of her interests since she was young and wasnt surprised his daughter was one of the few recognized in the program that has more than 4,000 students nationwide.

Part of me is not surprised because thats Marlu, he said. When she goes after something youd better watch out because shes going to get it.
ELKO  A former part-time food service employee at Adobe Middle School pleaded guilty to two counts of statutory sexual seduction Monday in Department I of Elko District Court.

Ristina Slack, 41, was arrested in February, following an investigation. The original warrant charged the defendant with lewdness with a child under 14.

Her employment from the Elko County School District was terminated in Dec. 1, 2015, said Superintendent Jeff Zander.

The original criminal complaint, filed in March, alleges Slack committed a lewd or lascivious act with the intent of sexual gratification on the part of either herself or the minor.

The victim was referred to as ES, and Slack later admitted to allowing him to touch her in a sexual manner.

Deputy District Attorney David Buchler said if the case were to continue to trial the State would be required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt between June through August 2015 Slack committed sexual acts with a child under the age of 16.

The charges in the plea agreement are Category C felonies, making the maximum prison terms five years and the fine not more than $10,000 on each count.

The original charge was a Category A felony.

Additionally, Slack must undergo a psychosexual evaluation to determine if she is at a high-risk to reoffend, said Elko District Judge Nancy Porter.

Probation eligibility is based on obtaining the evaluation and it concluding Slack does not represent the aforementioned risk, according to the plea agreement.

Porter said, following research, this crime does not require Slack to be under lifetime supervision. However, the defendant must register as a sex offender.

Defense attorney David Lockie said the essential terms and conditions of the agreement include the Elko County District Attorneys Office not filing any further charges rising out of facts related to the incident.

Your Honor, there is actually a greater offense of lewdness that she has described and this plea, I understand, requires certain specified sexual acts. However, the charge of lewdness carries a mandatory penalty of 10 years of a minimum to life, said Lockie, explaining Slacks description constitutes the original offense and the plea she entered Monday was out of concern of being convicted of a greater offense.

Buchler said he believed the victim was 13 years old at the time these events occurred and asked for the fact to be stipulated.

Slack is out on bail, which was reduced from $250,000 to $30,000 in February.

Before this reduction, it was predetermined Slack would not have any contact with the alleged victim and check in with her attorneys Lockie and Sherburne Macfarlan weekly.

Slack is to be sentenced in February.
Kilkenny Councillor and Deputy Mayor Michael Doyle presented 14 participants in the Diageo Learning for Life programme with their graduation certificates in a special ceremony held in the Smithwicks Experience Kilkenn

Learning for Life is a Diageo Ireland initiative that equips the long term unemployed youth with the skills needed to find work in the hospitality industry. The pilot programme began in 2014 in Dublin 8 and two years on has further expanded into seven counties across the country including Dublin, Dundalk, Cork, Waterford, Limerick, Kerry and Kilkenny with over 100 participants graduating nationwide.

The Learning for Life programme, which is run in partnership with the Department of Social Protection through a targeted interagency approach, brought 14 young people off the Live Register in Kilkenny through a training and educational programme that focused on the development of skills transferable to the hospitality and tourism industry. The participants are then given the opportunity to undertake a further a four-week work placement with a Diageo hospitality industry partner in landmark pubs, hotels and restaurants in Kilkenny.

Speaking at the event Councillor Michael Doyle said: I must applaud Diageo and the education, training and industry partners for their commitment to the Learning for Life programme. I wish to extend my congratulations to the 14 young people who completed the Learning for Life programme. Today is a day to mark their tremendous achievements and recognise the invaluable and practical skills and training they have received. The enthusiasm the participants have shown is remarkable and they should be proud of the journey they have embarked upon these last few months.y

Mark McGovern, Visitor Centre Manager at Smithwicks Experience Kilkenny said: Its fantastic to see young people working given the skills and opportunity to work in the exciting tourism and hospitality industry. The Smithwicks Experience has welcomed over 100,000 visitors through the doors since its opening in July 2014 and we know the workers in the hospitality industry have played a key role in providing visitors with an unforgettable and positive experience.
(Kitco News) - One Canadian bank sees a perfect storm of profits for gold and silver miners as the precious metals prices increase and costs continue to fall.

In a recent report, analysts at CIBC World Markets, described 2016 as a transformative year as more than 50% of the banks gold and all of its silver stocks are forecasted to see a reduction in All-In-Sustaining-Costs (AISC) compared to 2015. The reduction in costs comes as gold has seen its price rise by more than 25% and silver rallying almost 38%.

In its report, the bank is forecasting average AISC costs for companies under its coverage of around $899 an ounce, down from the 2015 average cost of $907. With falling costs and rising prices, the bank sees an average profit margin $364 an ounce, up from $243 an ounce seen in 2015.

According to the analysts, the mining companies that will see the best margins in the current environment are: Alamos Gold (NYSE: AGI, TSX: AGI), Acacia (LSE: ACA), Centerra (TSX: CG), Barrick (NYSE: ABX, TSX: ABX), B2Gold (NYSE: BTG, TSX: BTO) and New Gold (NYSE: NGD, TSX: NGD).

The analysts said that because of broad cost-cutting measures see in the last few years, the mining sector is seeing more meaningful cash generation, than compared with the profits seen during golds last bull market between 2005 and 2012, which saw prices hit all-time highs.

The global gold and silver industry generally failed to convert the metal price rally of 2005 to 2012 into meaningful cash generation, as a rising cost base and re-investment of funds appear to have outweighed the motivation to accumulate cash, the analysts said.

The bank noted that during golds three-year bear market, precious metals mining companies managed cut AISC by 11%, with two-third of the overall cuts coming from lower development and capital spending.

However, the analyst note that the cut in capital spending will lead to issues in gold production down the road.

The question the analysts are now asking is whether companies will remain fiscally disciplined in the face of improving balance sheets.

Relaxation of cost control, weaker fiscal discipline and lower cut-off grades would be disappointing given the effort many gold producers have invested in improving the profitability of their business, they said.

CIBC has been overweight the mining sector since the rally started at the beginning of the year.

By Neils Christensen of Kitco News; nchristensen@kitco.com

Follow @Neils_C
By Huw Jones

LONDON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Europe must heed the lesson from Japan and tackle its "zombie banks" as fast as possible without going soft on capital requirements, a top European Union banking watchdog said on Wednesday.

Andrea Enria, chairman of the European Banking Authority, said some of Europe's banks share the characteristics of poorly performing banks in Japan in the past, such as overcapacity and too many bad loans on their books.

"I hope we don't share the time needed to fix it. I hope that we will be able to move faster," Enria told a Wall Street Journal event.

Investors have sent shares in Deutsche Bank to record lows as the prospect of a large fine in the United States looms. Italy's Monte dei Paschi di Siena is also studying options to save its centuries-old business from being wound down.

The ratio of bad to good loans across European banks averages well over 5 percent, three times higher than in Japan or the United States, Enria said.

He reiterated that state aid could be one of the "ingredients" for cleaning up bank balance sheets, but only after private investors have paid their fair share.

Credit Suisse Chief Executive Tidjane Thiam told a separate event in London that banks were in a "very fragile" situation that puts off investors.

Lenders should focus on cutting costs to raise weak levels of returns on equity, Thiam said.

UBS Chief Executive Sergio Ermotti told the SIBOS conference in Geneva that banks were also having to compete with "new entrants that are not facing regulation".

But asked whether capital requirements should be eased for lenders in Deutsche Bank's situation, Enria replied: "I don't think that relaxation of capital requirements is a tool for the improvement of the situation of banks."

Adding to pressure on banks in the European Union is the need to issue bonds known as MREL, which can be written down to replace capital burnt through in a crisis.

The amount of MREL each of the top 140 banks in the euro zone must hold will be set by the Single Resolution Board.

"This year we will not take MREL decisions for each and every bank," Joanne Kellerman, director of resolution planning and decisions at the SRB, told the WSJ event.

The focus is on the overall quantity, and not on where the bonds are located in the banking group, their exact quality, or phase-in to full compliance.

The quantity figure will take into account an EU rule that requires shareholders and creditors to bear losses equivalent to 8 percent of the bank's liabilities before public aid can be considered, she said.

"Will it be an enormous extra burden on the banking system? We very much question that," Kellerman said.

An enormous amount of bank bonds need to be rolled over between now and 2019 in any case, she added, referring to billions of euros worth of debt, and MREL will come as a relief and not as a shock to the market.

(Additional reporting by Anjuli Davies in London and Tom Bergin in Geneva; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)
OSLO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Norwegian banks will be allowed to apply the countercyclical buffer-levels of each host country when doing business within the European Economic Area, Norway's Finance Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

The EEA consists of the European Union and Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein.

Countercyclical buffers are requirements that are imposed on top of other capital demands a bank must meet.

The Norwegian buffer requirement is currently set at 1.5 percent, while most other countries have a lower demand, which means that the country's banks will often face less stiff requirements for their foreign business, the ministry said.

"This regulatory change means that Norwegian institutions should apply the countercyclical capital buffer set by other EEA countries for the part of the business done in each country," the ministry wrote.

In EEA countries that have not set a buffer, the Norwegian level will apply unless the ministry decides otherwise, it added.

(Reporting by Terje Solsvik, editing by Stine Jacobsen)
By Suhail Hassan Bhat

Sept 28 (Reuters) - Vietnam shares hit an eight-and-a-half-year high on Wednesday, led by commercial banks, while Philippine stocks rose after three sessions of falls with financials and industrials leading the gains.

Other Southeast Asian markets were sluggish, tracking weakness in Asian stocks on concerns over the European banking sector and as lower crude oil prices hurt investors' risk appetite.

Oil fell about 3 percent on Tuesday after Saudi Arabia and Iran dashed hopes of finding a compromise this week to help ease a global glut, before rising in early trade on Wednesday as industry data showed a surprise draw in U.S. crude stocks. Markets are looking forward for next sign, and it is the third-quarter corporate earnings, said Mikey Macainag, an analyst with Manila-based Sunsecurities Inc.

"The energy sector is still volatile as the oil oversupply cut is yet to come."

The Vietnam Stock Index was headed for an eighth session of gains with Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade rising as much as 2.61 percent, while steel conglomerate Hoa Phat Group Joint Stock Company climbed 1.5 percent.

Singapore shares fell, weighed down by financials such as Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp Ltd which dropped 0.58 percent.

Rig builder Keppel Corp and Sembcorp Industries declined 0.76 percent and 0.39 percent, respectively.

Philippine shares were higher with BDO Unibank Inc and International Container Terminal Services Inc rising 1.45 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively.

Indonesian shares gave up the previous session's gains, dragged down by financials and telecoms.

Bank Central Asia Tbk PT dropped 2.8 percent, while Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Persero) was down 0.7 percent.

Thailand shares were headed for a fourth straight session of declines, while Malaysia was up after two days of falls.

For Asian Companies click; SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

STOCK MARKETS Change at 0344 GMT Market Current Previous Pct Move

Close Singapore 2853.64 2860.23 -0.23 Bangkok 1487.11 1489.39 -0.15 Manila 7582.83 7557.34 0.34 Jakarta 5394.713 5419.604 -0.46 Kuala Lumpur 1666.17 1664.72 0.09 Ho Chi Minh 687.05 684.89 0.32

Change this year Market Current End 2015 Pct Move Singapore 2853.64 2882.73 -1.01 Bangkok 1487.11 1288.02 15.46 Manila 7582.83 6952.08 9.07 Jakarta 5394.713 4593.008 17.45 Kuala Lumpur 1666.17 1692.51 -1.56 Ho Chi Minh 687.05 579.03 18.66

(Reporting by Suhail Bhat; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
HANOI, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Here's a snapshot of Vietnamese dong exchange rates in the official and unofficial markets, indicative SJC gold prices in Hanoi and interbank offered rates at 0410 GMT.

Sept 28 Sept 27 USD/VND mid-point 21,940 21,943 USD/VND interbank 22,313/22,314 22,313/22,315 USD/VND unofficial 22,300/22,315 22,305/22,315 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 35.91/36.15 36.04/36.28

Interbank offered rates Overnight 0.3-0.8 0.3-0.7

1 week 0.4-0.9 0.5-0.8

1 month 1.6-2.2 1.6-2.2

3 months 3.2-4.2 3.2-4.2

NOTES: As of Jan. 4, 2016 the State Bank of Vietnam has begun setting the mid-point rate on daily basis, allowing dollar/dong transactions to move in a band of +/- 3 percent around the mid point. The dong's exchange rate against other currencies is not restricted by a band. Interbank offered rates are the latest indicative bid/ask prices, quoted from market sources.

One tael is equivalent to 37.5 grams or 1.21 troy ounces. SJC gold prices are quoted by state-owned Saigon Jewelry Co.

For more interbank rate fixings released at 0400 GMT, click on .

For Vietnam market overview click on: Vietnam's bonds market auctions: Bonds auction results: (Compiled by Hanoi Newsroom)
The ferry Rich Passage 1 sails between Bremerton and Port Orchard on Sept. 22. (Larry Steagall / Kitsap Sun)

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By Ed Friedrich of the Kitsap Sun

BREMERTON  Friends of the Fast Ferry recently began soliciting contributions and support for Kitsap Transit's cross-Sound ferry proposal.

The agency is asking voters Nov. 8 to approve a three-tenths of 1 percent sales tax increase to operate service from Bremerton, Kingston and Southworth to downtown Seattle.

The group has raised $7,755, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission. Most came from Sound West Group ($5,000) and Harborside Commons ($2,500). Sound West Group is a developer in downtown Bremerton. Harborside Commons is the Bremerton parking garage in the former J.C. Penney building owned by Bellevue developer Ron Sher. Jeremy Stitt, the ferry group's campaign manager and Sound West Group assistant vice president, pitched in $105.

Part of the donations went to purchase more than 1,000 yard signs that began springing up over the weekend.

"Our biggest push is to get people to know it's happening and it's on the ballot in November," Stitt said. "We do see a lot of support throughout the communities. People are going, 'Why wouldn't we have it?' They see the boat and don't understand why it hasn't come back yet."

The group is beginning to gain some endorsements. The Bremerton Area Chamber of Commerce surveyed its members last week. Ninety-one percent of businesses that responded said the chamber should support the measure, said chamber President Gena Wales.

The Kitsap Building Association board of directors voted Thursday to support the plan, said executive vice president Teresa Osinski.

The more voters, the greater the odds of the proposal passing, claims Friends of Fast Ferries leader Steve Sego.

Similar measures failed in 2003 and 2007, with about 65,000 voters going to the polls each time, only about half of those registered. There now are 160,957 voters in the county. A typical presidential election historically has attracted at least 80 percent of them, which would be 126,000.

"If nothing had changed (from past proposals), we'd probably still win," Sego said. "Why? It's not a question of the interest and support of the voters of Kitsap County, it's who's being asked."

The more voters, the more honest and representative the vote, said Sego, a Port Orchard businessman, as well as being more beneficial to passing the ferry plan. When fewer go to the polls, they're more likely to vote "no" and see the least potential benefit, he said.

A survey the group sponsored in late August backed his claims. It was modeled after the November election. Interviewed were 450 expected voters. Even with questions mentioning taxes, costs and broken boats, 47 percent said they'd vote for the plan no matter what. Another 15 percent leaned in that direction. Thirty percent said they'd definitely vote "no," with another 18 percent leaning that way, Sego said.

Mark A. Smith, a University of Washington political science professor, said it's a valid theory.

"The smaller electorate that we see in odd-year elections (2003, 2007) is older and whiter than the electorate we'll see in 2016," he wrote in an email. "If younger people and minorities are more likely to use and support the ferry  which seems like a reasonable assumption  then it's more likely to pass in 2016, when they'll be a bigger share of the electorate."

The ferry plan's foes are waiting, watching and listening, Robert Parker said. They want to see what Friends of Fast ferries and Kitsap Transit are putting out, and they are checking it for accuracy.

The sides will participate in upcoming events put on by the Bremerton chamber and League of Women Voters.

"We wanted to see where they were going before saying anything," Parker said. "It was time to be quiet and watch. Are we funded at the level they are? Course not."
SHARE Debra Lester John Armstrong

By Christian Vosler, christian.vosler@kitsapsun.com

BREMERTON  Access to broadband internet access was the hot topic for Kitsap County Public Utility District commissioner candidates at a forum Tuesday morning in Bremerton.

The discussion, sponsored by the Bremerton Chamber of Commerce, featured incumbent Commissioner John Armstrong and challenger Debra Lester. Before a sparse crowd, candidates answered questions about broadband as well as wastewater and aquifer management.

KPUD District No. 1 includes Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island and a large area of unincorporated North Kitsap.

Lester, a former Bainbridge Island City Council member, said her background as business owner, nonprofit organizer and elected official sets her apart from Armstrong. If elected, Lester said she would "do whatever is necessary" to ensure safe drinking water and affordable services for constituents.

"My abilities to advocate and collaborate get results," she said.

Armstrong has been a KPUD commissioner since 1992. The former president and current board member of the Washington Public Utility Districts Association listed his extensive background in public utilities and highlighted his commitment to the job.

"My dedication is to the point of upsetting my daughter," he said.

Candidates fielded audience questions about testing for chemicals in school water and how they would manage the county's aquifers. Lester said that testing county water systems is important and that KPUD should be testing for a wider range chemicals in light of a recent report that showed high levels of chromium-6  a carcinogenic mineral  found in the water supply of some major cities.

Armstrong said KPUD currently tests for contaminants in reservoirs in accordance with state and federal laws.

The biggest point of contention was over the expansion of broadband internet service. Both candidates highlighted the need for broadband internet in rural areas.

Armstrong pointed to Local Utility Districts (or LUD) as a way of financing the installation of fiber optic cables. Residents can vote to form LUDs by increasing property taxes in their area to pay for services like fiber optic cable installation. KPUD currently operates the only LUD for fiber optics in the state in an area north of Poulsbo, according to Armstrong.

Lester challenged his comments, saying she was frustrated with the time it has taken to establish the service.

"The authority to provide wholesale broadband (was given by the state) in 2001, it's 2016," Lester said. "Fifteen years later and we still do not have broadband services in our rural areas." Lester didn't put forward a specific alternative but said she would like to see a "well-developed plan" with goals and deadlines that would hold KPUD accountable. She advocated for organizing community members to lobby for funding in Olympia, collaboration with cities and exploring public-private partnerships.

Armstrong said he has been working with state Sen. Christine Rolfes to pass bills that would allow KPUD to provide a retail broadband service.

"We're in Olympia, we've been in Olympia," he said. "We have members on almost every group that are attempting to open the doors to let PUDs get in to the retail business."

Lester concluded by saying that her diversity set her apart from Armstrong and that she knows how to work with elected officials to get things done.

Armstrong said he isn't ready to retire and asked for confidence from voters in his ability to represent all of Kitsap County.
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Donna Munro, Bremerton

Candidates must address poverty gap

With the presidential election moving into high gear, addressing poverty and the programs that combat it should be a top election issue.

To be considered officially poor in 2015, a family of two parents and two kids had to have an income of about $24,000 or less. Almost one in five American children are still living in deep poverty; for black kids it's one in three. Analysis reveals that half of Americans experience at least a year of poverty or very close to it, at some point during their working years.

Nearly half of American children younger than 5 are minorities. The number of minorities under 18 is expected to surpass the number of white children by 2019  we are all in this together.

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for low and moderate-income workers, encourages and rewards work and offsets federal payroll and income taxes. The EITC has prevented millions from dropping below the poverty line. Both President Obama and House Speaker Paul Ryan have put forth identical proposals to expand the EITC, which would benefit about 254,000 workers in Washington state alone.

Since the Wall St. crash of 2008, more than 99 percent of all new income has gone to the top 1 percent, because of tax loop holes created by the wealthy. Our presidential hopefuls need to specifically address the growing wealth disparity  it is not sustainable.
Stuff reports:

A racially-charged debate is igniting over research that has revealed white supremacist comments made by the prime minister Massey University is named after.

Now, almost a century on, a top academic is calling for the university to consider a name change.

The controversial call comes from Massey lecturer and recent PhD scholar Steve Elers, who was startled to uncover blatantly racist comments made by William Ferguson Massey.

A farmer and entrepreneur, Massey was prime minister of New Zealand between 1912 and his death in 1925. The then Massey Agricultural College was founded in 1926 and named after him.

Elers of Ngati Kauwhata, said he was surprised to discover Masseys beliefs, during his research into Maori representation in newspapers.

He presented the findings at a talk on the Manawatu campus on Wednesday, challenging the institution to consider the symbolism of using Masseys name.

Some of Masseys quotes presented included: New Zealanders are probably the purest Anglo-Saxon population in the British Empire. Nature intended New Zealand to be a white mans country, and it must be kept as such; and, I am not a lover or admirer of the Chinese race. I should be one of the very first to insist on very drastic legislation to prevent them coming here in any numbers, and I am glad such is not the case.

During Masseys lifetime many people freely expressed views considered unacceptable today, Elers said. However, any justification that his comments were made a long time ago and in another context was irrelevant.
The Herald reports:

Labour has claimed the first dividend from its agreement with the Green Party after the Green Party decided not to contest any Mt Roskill byelection.

Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei said today the Greens would not stand in a byelection in Mt Roskill should current MP Phil Goff win the Auckland mayoralty.

The Mt Roskill by-election will be closely contested, and we dont want to play any role in National winning the seat.

However, she said it did not have a position on whether it would endorse Labours candidate Michael Wood or actively encourage Green supporters to vote for him.

It is the first deal in an electorate under the agreement between Labour and the Greens to campaign together more closely and work to increase the centre-left vote.
The ODT reports:

University of Otago staff and students protested against cuts to the humanities division during a visit by Deputy Prime Minister Bill English yesterday.

Mr English was met by about 70 people, many holding signs with slogans calling for the Government to stop staff cuts, when he visited the campus to give a talk to commerce students.

In August, humanities pro-vice-chancellor Prof Tony Ballantyne announced plans to cut jobs in anthropology and archaeology, English and linguistics, history, languages and cultures, and music.

The cuts were necessary because of a decline in the divisions roll since 2010, Prof Ballantyne said.
Somethings wrong with me.

I watched Mondays presidential debate. But what I heard was different from what Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton seemed to say.

When Clinton said, I want us to invest in you, what I heard was, I will spend your money better than you will. Also, I heard, I will spend lots of your money!

When Trump said our economic problems are Chinas fault, what I heard was, Blaming China wins me votes.

When Clinton told Trump, My father ... printed drapery fabrics, what I heard was, Donald, you are a spoiled rich kid.

When Trump replied, My father gave me a very small loan, I heard Trump saying, Anything less than $200 million is a pittance. (Its actually not clear what Trump received from his dad. Trump claims it was $1 million; others say $200 million. Anyway, is a million dollars a small loan?)

When Clinton said, Im going to have a special prosecutor ... to enforce the trade deals we have, I heard, Kiss my ring and pay my foundation if you want your trade deal approved!

When Trump said President Obama has doubled our debt, I swear I heard Trump promise, Ill triple it!

When Clinton said, I think its time that the wealthy and corporations paid their fair share, what I heard was, Good thing Bill and I are broke, because were going to soak the rich like theyve never been soaked before.

When Clinton said Trumps taxes must be something really important, even terrible, that hes trying to hide, what I heard was, My emails, on the other hand, were just a minor mistake and nothing Im trying to hide  next question?

When Trump said, I was the one that got (Obama) to produce the birth certificate, and I think I did a good job, what I heard was, Since Hillary and her staff spread the lie first, Im blameless.

When Clinton said, Barack Obama is a man of great dignity, I swear I heard her add quietly, despite me smearing him in 2008.

When Trump said, I was just endorsed (by 200) admirals and generals, what I heard was, I wish members of the military supported me the way they support Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson.

When Clinton said, Putin is playing a tough long game here, I swear I heard Hillary say, I guess my reset with Russia was a bad idea.

When Clinton said shell do much more with our tech companies to fight ISIS, what I heard was, Ill force Facebook and Twitter to shut down parts of the internet.

When Clinton said shell take out al-Qaida leadership, what I heard was, I dont know exactly who they are, but Ill kill a bunch of military-age males.

When Trump said, I did not support the war in Iraq, what I heard was,  ... except when I did.

When Clinton said, A man who can be provoked by a tweet should not have his fingers anywhere near the nuclear codes, I heard, A man provoked by a tweet should not be near the nuclear codes. (Clinton got some things right.)

When Trump said, My strongest asset is my temperament, I heard viewers laughing.

When Clinton complained that Trump said women dont deserve equal pay unless they do as good a job as men, I wondered, So Hillary believes that women should get equal pay even when they dont do as good a job?

If only there were some way both Clinton and Trump could lose. Oh, right  there is! Governor Gary Johnsons in the race. But the most reliable predictor of future events  the betting odds (see ElectionBettingOdds.com)  doesnt give him much of a chance. The bettors dont give Donald Trump a great chance either. As I write, Clinton is favored 68.7 percent to 29.6 percent.

During the debate, Trumps odds dropped 5 percent. I didnt think he performed that badly, but I must be wrong. The bettors are generally right.

We may as well get used to hearing the title  President Hillary Clinton.
Stuff reports:

Dame Patsy Reddy has been officially sworn in as New Zealands 21st governor-general at a ceremony in Wellington.

Hundreds of people, including film-makers Sir Peter Jackson and Reddys former neighbour James Cameron, were at Parliaments grounds on Wednesday morning.

Reddy, who succeeds Sir Jerry Mateparae, accepted the Rakau Tapu ceremonial challenge and was welcomed to the ceremony.

She and husband Sir David Gascoigne then met with mana whenua for hongi, several short haka and met Prime Minister John Key.

Pomp and ceremony continued as she moved to the saluting base, receiving a general salute from the Royal Guard of Honour and was then sworn in.

The formalities continued with Chief Justice Dame Sian Elias administering the affirmation of allegiance and affirmation of office.

Later, Reddy, 62, inspected the Royal Guard in front of Parliament.

Key then addressed the ceremony. He said governors-general in recent years had better reflected New Zealands diversity.

The first New Zealand-born governor-general was not sworn in until in 1967.

Reddy said she was happy to have been approached about the job. I want to encourage greater diversity in our leadership, she said.

When the prime minister first asked me if I would consider being New Zealands 21st governor-general, he pointed out that the role would provide me with a unique opportunity to make a worthwhile and lasting contribution to New Zealand and the lives of New Zealanders.

That was a challenge that I could not easily ignore.

The national anthem was played, while the air force band also played Pokarekare Ana, understood to be Reddys choice, and the New Zealand Opera Chorus sang Hine e Hine.

In her new role, Reddy is commander-in-chief of New Zealands armed forces and the Queens representative in the Realm of New Zealand, which includes Niue, Tokelau, the Cook Islands and the Ross Dependency in Antarctica.

Reddy thanked her husband, whom she called her confidant and adviser.

The new governor-general also thanked other family members, friends, and previous governors.

She made special mention of immediate predecessor Mateparae, and Dames Cath Tizard and Silvia Cartwright, New Zealands first and second female governors-general.

She approached her role with some trepidation, but also enthusiasm, she said, after spending about six months preparing for it.

Cameron told NZME that Reddy was an astonishingly talented and competent woman.

We got to be quite chummy  She has got a big vision of what she can do as governor-general.

She has done a good job with everything she has ever done, and she has done an awful lot of things.
Vernon Small writes:

Even if things should fall apart, it seems the centre cannot hold Labour leader Andrew Littles interest. In a strangely intense rejection of Helen Clarks suggestion that parties on the left must command the centre ground to win elections, Little dismissed the idea as meaningless and a pretty hollow view. Strange, because it is truism. Winning power requires 50 per cent plus one of the voters  and Mr 50 and Mrs 51 are by definition in the centre.

No NCEA achieved grade for Little.

He may even have been worried his own insiders would take centrism as an abandonment of his mandate. As he explains it, he is constructing a coalition of constituencies ahead of next years election. It is one that transcends simplistic Left and Right, but is focused on some salient issues, such as health, housing, inequality and the needs of small business. But whatever the explanation, it seems odd that Little would allow himself to be seen as offside, or peeved, with Clarks view.

Publicly slapping down her advice was stupid. What he should have said is Yes I agree which is why we are targeting the aspiring home owners who have been locked out of the housing market and families who have been locked out of the education system etc etc

Beyond the altruistic reasons for seeking a top slot for a Kiwi on the world stage, it is unlikely Key will be blind to the domestic advantages for him. Clark was, after all, popular with many a centrist and women voter in her time and still commands respect. Showing magnanimity towards her can hardly harm his prospects of a fourth term  and might well improve it. Which underscores just how odd it was that Little would distance himself from her comments  especially when the UN secretary-general vote is coming to a head.

Was basically just bizarre.

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The Dom Post editorial:

It is extraordinary that Wellington City Councils chief executive could give large sums to an airline and leave almost no record about it. Kevin Laverys decision might mean as much as $8m for Singapore Airlines over ten years. The documentation of the deal is slender, amounting to perhaps two pages. This seems a funny way to do business with public money. Deputy mayor Justin Lester says the spending was within Laverys authority and he would be highly surprised if there was nothing else in writing. Presumably the politician is now very surprised, as he should be, although he also offers the thought that Lavery doesnt send emails. Nobody is accusing Lavery of doing anything dishonest, but his handling of this matter has been far too casual. Anyone with this much discretionary power to spend ratepayers money owes them a corresponding accountability. That means carrying out and recording a proper analysis and putting the deal and discussions about it in writing.

The issue is not Lavery, but accountability.

It is the Council that set up a secret slush fund for corporate welfare. It is the Council that delegates spending approval to the CE. Councillors should have a policy that any payments must include a detailed business case and analysis.

It is a failure of Council leadership here.

Its a sign of Laverys extraordinary power at the council that an elected politician such as Lester finds no particular problem here.

So elect a Mayor dedicated to making changes.

The issue is not the CE, but the fact the Council has delegated spending authority with no requirements for transparency and analysis.

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The Fall Sale-a-thon IS UNDERWAY - our FINAL price drop is in effect now!



We've redesigned our Sale-a-thon to add the ability to pay by credit card. You'll still need to pick up your certificates and merchandise from our studios, but this should make your buying experience better than ever!

Go to our new Sale-a-thon right now. You can download a .pdf of the Salea-a-thon here.

You still may call in your buys during business hours at 406-228-9336 or e-mail anytime at kltz@kltz.com.

And, if you have any questions, please e-mail us at kltz@kltz.com.




SAUL YOUNG/NEWS SENTINEL Pioneer Corp., owner of the now-closed Pioneer Community Hospital of Scott in Oneida, Tenn., is reportedly close to selling the facility as part of a corporate bankruptcy proceeding. The hospital, the only one in Scott County, has been closed twice in the past four years.

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By Holly Fletcher, USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

An East Tennessee hospital that abruptly closed over the summer could reopen its doors under new ownership.

The owner of the Scott County hospital, Pioneer Corp., has been trying to sell the facility, currently known as Pioneer Community Hospital of Scott, as part of a corporate bankruptcy proceeding and is getting close to reaching a deal, said Scott Phillips, founder of Healthcare Management Partners, which is advising Pioneer on its turnaround.

Phillips said it was possible the in Oneida hospital could reopen around the end of the year depending on the expediency of the transaction, which will have to be approved through bankruptcy proceedings.

Negotiations with the potential buyer are in final stages, Phillips said.

The court-approved timeline for fielding final offers from potential buyers is the end of October, according to a bankruptcy filing dated Sept. 21 with the Southern District of Mississippi.

He described the potential new owner of the 25-bed hospital in Oneida as well capitalized.

Lifebrite Hospital Group is the front-runner to buy Pioneer's hospital in Stokes County, N.C., according to bankruptcy filings.

The Oneida hospital is attractive, Phillips said, because its location designates it as a critical access hospital, meaning it receives higher reimbursements under Medicare's payment structure than community hospitals without the designation. Before closing it offered a variety of emergency services and services, including intensive care, cardiology and rehabilitation.

If the hospital is sold then the reopening will be the second in recent years. Magee, Miss.-based Pioneer bought the facility after it closed in 2012.

Small-town and rural hospitals around the state are struggling under a variety of pressures. Several have closed, leaving communities looking for other options.
Jacob McDaniel, 17, left, sits with his parents Doug, center, and Faith, right, on the front steps of the Bed-and-breakfast the McDaniels operate in the Fourth and Gill neighborhood Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2016. The city is looking at ordinances that would regulate Airbnb rentals. The hope to protect neighborhoods while still allowing operators to continue their business. It also would likely include requiring airbnb renters to pay hotel/motel tax. At least one local Airbnb couple  Faith and Doug McDaniel who own a bed-and-breakfast in Fourth and Gill  welcome clarification in the law. (J. Miles Cary/Special to the News Sentinel)

SHARE The Bed-and-breakfast in the Fourth and Gill neighborhood operated by Faith and Doug McDaniel, Wednesday Aug. 3, 2016. The city is looking at ordinances that would regulate Airbnb rentals. The hope to protect neighborhoods while still allowing operators to continue their business. It also would likely include requiring airbnb renters to pay hotel/motel tax. At least one local Airbnb couple  Faith and Doug McDaniel who own a bed-and-breakfast in Fourth and Gill  welcome clarification in the law. (J. Miles Cary/Special to the News Sentinel)

By Joey Garrison, USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

NASHVILLE  More than two dozen members of the Metro Council have asked Mayor Megan Barry's administration to consider directing Nashville police to serve as enforcers of new regulations for Airbnb and other short-term rental properties.

But the Metro Nashville Police Department opposes the idea.

In a letter to Barry last week, 28 council members raised frustrations over Metro's struggle to enforce Airbnb-targeted regulations adopted more than a year and a half ago that sought, among other things, to limit the number of guests who can stay at residential homes rented out on a short-term basis.

In Knoxville, city officials have been watching the Nashville ordinance closely as they consider a similar ordinance. Bill Lyons, deputy to Mayor Madeline Rogero, said Wednesday that talks have continued internally and that a public meeting will take place on Oct. 18 at 5:30 p.m. at Central United Methodist Church in the 4th and Gill neighborhood.

Though there's no timeline on when an ordinance would be ready to go before City Council for approval, Lyons said they are "proceeding to that fairly quickly."

In the meantime, city staff have been taking meetings with some owners of Airbnb properties and watching other municipalities.

"We're definitely following what's going on in Nashville, and three of us did go over to observe the state committee hearing on short-term rentals," Lyons said, referring to a Republican-headed summer study committee meeting on Sept. 14, which explored whether a statewide policy would be effective.

In Nashville last week, council members, in the letter, proposed a handful of solutions, including directing at least 10 police officers to be trained to document and enforce short-term rental property codes violations during nights and weekends.

They suggested that police be trained in short-term rental permit verification, noise ordinance violations, and parking that blocks rights-of-way and sidewalks, as well as other codes violations.

"As you well know, no law  current or proposed  is effective unless enforceable," reads the letter, which was drafted by Councilman Colby Sledge, who represents parts of 12 South and Wedgewood-Houston.

But in a statement, Metro Police spokesman Don Aaron made clear that the police department has no interest in expanding its duties to include Airbnb rules.

"With Nashville's continued growth, our police officers have plenty on their plates answering calls for service and proactively working to deter criminal activity," Aaron told The Tennessean in an emailed statement. "Enforcement of short term rental issues is not something the MNPD should be a part of. That should rest with the codes department. The MNPD presently responds to quality of life issues such as vehicles blocking rights of way and noise complaints. We will continue to do so."

Police are often the ones, particularly on weekend nights, who respond to noise complaints that are directed at homes in residential neighborhoods being used for Airbnb or other short-term rentals.

But some council members have complained that police lack the authority to carry out Nashville's cap on the number of overnight guests allowed at such homes.

"As a council, we want to ensure Nashville remains a welcoming, friendly place for all who visit," the letter reads. "Our charge, however, is to serve Nashvillians. When it comes to our STR property enforcement and procedures, Nashville's government is failing Nashvillians. This inability to enforce our existing STR regulations represents an irresponsible abdication of our duties as a government to our taxpaying residents. We must do better."

Other suggestions outlined in the letter include changing schedules of new positions in the codes department that deal with short-rental positions to allow for property checks on weekends. They also advised that Metro issue quarterly reminders to short-term property owners outlining tax payment obligations.

Sledge said he understands the police department's concerns with enforcing short-term rental rules, but added: "The reality is that these officers are getting called out on these issues as it is, and we're trying to empower them as much as possible while also responding to our constituents' repeated issues with some of the worst-offending properties."

Nashville currently caps guests at short-term rental homes at no more than twice the number of beds at a home, plus four. Homes are limited to four beds, meaning the number of guests is capped at 12.

But pending legislation would reduce that number. At-large Councilman Bob Mendes has an ordinance  amended from an earlier version  that would set the limit on guests at two times the number of bedrooms in a house.

Another controversial short-term rental ordinance, also proposed by Mendes, would reduce the number of short-term permitted homes within certain geographic areas.

Existing Airbnb regulations allow for no more than 3 percent cap per each census tract for short-term rentals. Mendes has proposed reducing the threshold to 1 percent, but said he plans to stop pursuing that proposal for now.

The council, at the request of Mendes, delayed voting on both pieces of legislation to provide a longer review of the proposals. These bills are among six ordinances related to Airbnb enforcement or new rules that have been considered by the council in recent weeks, three of which cleared the council last week.

In a statement on the council letter, the Nashville Area Short Term Rental Association, which represents many Airbnb hosts, said the recently passed measures are "reasonable and gives the respective agencies more than enough tools to regulate reasonably home sharing in Nashville.

"Anything more is unnecessary and overreaching," the group said.
Steve Kereakoglow of Knoxville makes saganaki during Greek Fest at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in 2015.(JESSICA TEZAK/NEWS SENTINEL)

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GREEKFEST

The 37th annual Greekfest will be Friday, Sept. 30, through Sunday, Oct. 2, at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 4070 Kingston Pike.

The event will include traditional Greek foods, dance and music. There will be a shopping bazaar featuring imported jewelry, gifts, and food items.

Cost is $2 for adults or $3 for a weekend pass. Children 12 and under admitted free. Parking will be off site. Visit www.greekfesttn.com for the latest parking arrangements.

DUCK DUCK GOOSE

Shop this fall/winter children's consignment sale at the Knoxville Expo Center from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. today through Saturday, Oct. 1. Half-price day is Saturday: tagged items without a red dot are half off. There are thousands of gently used, kid's clothes, toys, equipment, and furniture to choose from.

Info: http://dkdkgoose.com/knoxville

HOLA FESTIVAL

Come celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at the Hola Festival on Market Square Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 1 and 2. Saturday night from 7-10 p.m. La Inedita, a modern Peruvian Band, and the Salsa band the Jimmy Bonilla Orchestra will entertain.

Sunday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. the fest will feature booths offering information from 24 Latino countries, food vendors, folk dance presentations, Carlos Santana music by Soul Sacrifice, a mariachi band, a children's area with performances by a puppet theatre, music, a science show and more.

A 3:30 p.m. Parade of Nations on Gay Street with showcase costumes and music from every Latino country and a special salute to Knoxville's 225th Anniversary.

'WHOADEO'

For the 10th year, Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede, Food City and Pepsi will host a "Whoadeo" on Saturday, Oct. 1.

The first 500 children age 3-12 in attendance at Dixie Stampede will receive a special goody bag. Activities include stick horse competitions, a parade of horses, costume contests and a free outdoor carnival from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Every Whoadeo participant age 3-12 receives a free Dixie Stampede admission ticket to the 3:30 p.m. that day.

The Parade of Horses and stick horse races begin at 9:45 a.m. in the facility's arena. The only requirement to compete in the Whoadeo is a stick horse which can be purchased or homemade.

All children must be accompanied by a parent and/or guardian.

Info: 1-800-356-1676.
SHARE Joyce Anderson and her granddaughter Rechell Anderson relax with Toast and Cloudy, two of Anderson's five cats. She says when she's not at work taking care of patients, she's taking care of her family members or her animals.

By Carolyn Evans of the Knoxville News Sentinel

According to Linkedin.com, the average American will have 12-15 jobs in their lifetime.

Not Joyce Anderson. She's been at the same job for the last 40 years and has no intention of changing.

At the age of 26, she was the divorced mom of a 2-year-old and needed a job. "I applied at Sky City and Asbury Acres nursing home," the 65-year-old Maryville native says. "Asbury Acres called me first."

Since 1976, Anderson has worked at the full-service continuing care retirement community in Maryville as a certified nursing assistant. "I always wanted to help people," she says. "This gave me a good opportunity."

Carolyn Pointer Neil, health care administrator and regional director of clinical services for Asbury Place, says, "Joyce is a devoted caregiver. We are fortunate to have her on our team and glad to recognize her commitment to us and those who call Asbury Place home."

Asbury Place celebrated Anderson's longtime service by planting a tree in her honor and marking it with a plaque.

What's the secret to her success?

"People just like for you to talk to them," Anderson says, "because a lot of people don't have families. We become like the families. We just treat them like they're one of us. We joke with them and make them feel good and if they say they want to give up, we tell them God ain't ready for them yet."

She didn't find her calling right away; right after high school she joined the Army. "I was a WAC," she chuckles.

She did her basic training in Alabama in the summer of 1970. Then she got married, and the couple was transferred to Arizona. "I didn't like that because that's the desert," Anderson says. "Then I got sent to Fort Bliss, Texas, and I didn't like that."

With her marriage ending, she came home. "The military wasn't my cup of tea," she says. It did teach her a few things, though, including how to make friends with all kinds of people, how to take criticism with someone yelling at you and how to be strong.

Anderson started at Asbury Acres as a certified nursing assistant and says co-worker Bea Keller, who has since passed away, "taught me everything I know."

Asbury Acres has since changed its name to Asbury Place, but Anderson hasn't changed at all. She has spent a lifetime taking care of patients, which is something she loves. Most of her career, she worked the 3-11 p.m. shift, but now she works a 12-hour shift from 7 p.m.-7 a.m. in the health center, where patients are sick or in rehabilitation.

The easygoing Anderson says even though it's hard to sleep during the day and she waits till her day off to rest, she "doesn't feel bad or anything."

"I take care of my patients like I would a child," she says. Does she have a favorite duty? "No, I love everything," she says.

Anderson lives with her sister, Connie Patrick, and her granddaughter, Rechell Anderson. Unfortunately, her daughter passed away two years ago.

Although she enjoys shopping, going to the Kingdom Hall, being with her family, and taking care of her five cats and three dogs, she isn't buying into the idea of retirement.

"My body will tell me when to stop," she says. "You have to keep doing something. I just enjoy being with my people. I enjoy everything. It makes me feel good.

"I figure one of these days I might be in the same situation. I believe in treating people the way I would want them to treat me if I was in a nursing home. I take care of everybody. I think that's what God put me here for. I like it."
SHARE Nicholas Breeden, former jailer charged with official oppression and assault in the November 2014 beating of former inmate Louis Flack inside his cell at the Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility. (KNOX COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE)

By Don Jacobs of the Knoxville News Sentinel

A decision on allowing a jury to hear a psychologist's assessment of a former Knox County jailer's state of mind when he allegedly assaulted a handcuffed inmate was delayed Wednesday.

The attorney for Nicholas Breeden was slated to present the psychologist's report to Knox Criminal Court Judge Bob R. McGee, who will determine whether a jury set to hear the charges of assault and official oppression on Nov. 28 will be told of the report on Breeden's mental state.

"We propose to present testimony on how being in a fight affects your mental state," said Breeden's attorney, Josh Hedrick.

The report was compiled by Dr. James Murray, a Knoxville forensic psychologist, Hedrick said.

Assistant District Attorney General Nathaniel R. Ogle objected to reviewing the report without Murray present.

"I don't know how we're going to argue the motion without the expert here," Ogle told McGee.

The judge agreed Ogle should be able to cross-examine Murray about his findings. He rescheduled the hearing to Nov. 4.

Breeden, who is out on bond since a grand jury indicted him on the charges, was present for the hearing. The 38-year-old Breeden was accompanied by his wife, Hedrick said.

Breeden is accused of beating Louis Flack in November 2014 when the mentally ill inmate at the Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility was experiencing a psychotic episode. Breeden and four other correction officers burst into Flack's cell when the inmate refused to stick his hands out an opening so he could be handcuffed.

Two videos show the officers subduing Flack, who was wearing a lime-green jumpsuit designating him as a mentally unstable inmate. Breeden, the only officer charged criminally, is shown punching the handcuffed and prostrate Flack.

One officer involved in the incident resigned, one was suspended for five days and one was suspended for two days. One officer eluded any punishment.

Attorneys for Knox County agreed to pay Flack $200,000 because of the attack.
(Susie Neel/Special to the News Sentinel)

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By News Sentinel Staff

Twenty hunters have been cited to court for illegally baiting black bears in Blount County, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, but TWRA officials wouldn't identify them by name Wednesday.

TWRA officers confronted two groups of hunters who had turned hounds loose at two baited sites on Chilhowee Mountain early Monday, a news release states.

TWRA spokesman Matt Cameron at first said he couldn't provide the names of those charged, even though such information is public record. He later said the agency had "released information prematurely due to a social media post that went out uncontrolled."

"When we write tickets, as long as it's being litigated, we don't give out any information," TWRA wildlife coordinator Walter Cook said.

When told the names are public record since the men were charged and a court date set, Cook responded, "Don't quote the law at me," saying he's been "doing this for 30 years" and deals with public records requests "all the time."

The baited sites were on a 600-acre tract of private land directly across Montvale Road from the Foothills Wildlife Management Area.

"The baited sites consisted of candy and bread, making the hunt unethical by discouraging fair chase," according to the release. "Baiting black bears can also have a negative impact by encouraging habituation to human foods."

TWRA officers also seized "multiple firearms" from the hunters, Cameron said.

The weeklong hunting season permitting the use of dogs began Monday and runs through Sunday in Blount, Sevier and portions of Cocke and Jefferson counties.

The 20 hunters are due to appear in Blount County General Sessions Court on Nov. 18.
Matt Smith, land manager of Blackberry Farm, poses near the site where he found an ancient trilobite on Chilhowee Mountain near Walland. (STEVE HAGEMAN/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS SENTINEL)

SHARE The trilobite, believed to be 517 million years old, was found at the Three Sisters Conservation Area on Chilhowee Mountain near Walland. (STEVE HAGEMAN/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS SENTINEL) Steve Hageman, professor of geology at Appalachian State University, found a fossil of an ancient trilobite on Chilhowee Mountain near Walland. (Submitted) Steve Hageman

By Steve Ahillen, steve.ahillen@knoxnews.com

For Steve Hageman, satisfaction came in a very small package.

Finding a fossil about the size of a fingernail on Chilhowee Mountain near Walland signified the successful result of a three-year search by the professor of geology at Appalachian State University, and solved a 124-year-old mystery.

The fossil is a trilobite, a creature distantly related to the horseshoe crab that dates back to the early Cambrian period and is believed to be 517 million years old. Trilobites hold valuable information on when and how the rocks on mountains were formed.

The find is especially intriguing because it is not the first time the trilobite has been uncovered in the area.

In 1892, noted geologist Charles Doolittle Walcott from the Smithsonian Institution published a paper with brief comment about fossil specimens on Chilhowee Mountain. He did not provide formal names for the fossils, and, more surprisingly, brought no specimens back to the Smithsonian. Walcott suggested further exploration, but never returned to Blount County.

"It is almost hard to believe that the geologic age interpretation of these rocks from Pennsylvania to Alabama has been based on Walcott's two-line comment in a publication with no specimen or even illustration to confirm it," said Hageman.

Ever since, geologists have been trying to relocate the site.

Hageman heard about Walcott's notes and over the past three years has made six or seven trips to Chilhowee Mountain while also researching Smithsonian records of Walcott's notes to help hunt the trilobite down.

Then in May, he joined Robert Benfield, a geological scientist, and Matt Smith, land manager of Blackberry Farm, on an expedition through the Three Sisters Conservation Area. Blackberry Farm is custodian of the property.

Hageman related the discovery in a news release:

"I pointed to a place on the map that I thought was the next most likely spot to check. Matt, Robert and I drove up to the top of Chilhowee Mountain in a four-wheel drive. After two minutes of looking, Matt pulled a rock off the ledge and said, 'I think I have something.' I looked at the specimen with my magnifying loop and said, 'Matt, this is it!' It was a trilobite fossil, the class of arthropod fossils that everyone had been looking for since the 1890s."

Hageman explained that he is not sure the fossil found is from the same group mentioned by Walcott, but is confident it is from the same rock layer.

He made a later trip to the site and came back with 200 pounds of material, poring over it all summer to find two more trilobites.

The trilobite specimens have been donated by Blackberry Farm to the Smithsonian where they will reside in research collections.

For now they are also part of a broader study by Mark Webster of the Department of Geophysical Sciences at the University of Chicago. Webster has determined that the trilobites are even older than those described by Walcott, and in fact might be an entirely new species.

"This is very exciting," Webster is quoted in the news release as saying. "These are the oldest trilobites in the Appalachians. These fill in a gap between Greenland and Southern California in our understanding of rocks of this age."

Hageman is presenting his research on the trilobite this week at the Geological Society of America meeting in Denver.

"It was more a matter of fulfillment for me," said Hageman of the discovery. "It was more satisfaction than excitement  the satisfaction of it all coming together after three years."
An interpreter at a plenary session of the European Parliament. Pietro Naj-Oleari (PE-EP)

Many a mother has turned to her children in exasperation and asked rhetorically: What language do you need me to use so youll pay attention?

It turns out that there is some truth behind the question. A series of recent scientific studies suggests that we think and make decisions differently if we process the information in a language other than our mother tongue.

The proportion of people willing to sacrifice a person for the larger good shot up from 20% to nearly 50%

Even if we grasp the notion equally well in both languages, our final decision on the matter will tend to be better thought out, less emotional and more results-oriented.

It is good for deliberative thinking; it makes you think twice about things, says Albert Costa, a leading expert on bilingualism at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona.

Costa began his research with the tramway dilemma: would you push someone onto the tracks if that death were to save the lives of five other people? The moral conflict involved in sending someone to their death appears to vanish when the question is put to subjects in a language other than their mother tongue.

The proportion of people willing to sacrifice a person for the larger good shot up from 20% to nearly 50%, with the only difference being that they processed the question in a second language.

Study subjects were more willing to push someone under a tramway to save other lives if they thought about it in another language.

Costa and several colleagues have just published their findings in the specialized journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences.

Many other studies have confirmed these findings. It appears that processing information in a foreign language makes us less prone to emotional thinking and more focused on efficient results. We become less moralistic and more utilitarian.

Tests have been conducted on fully bilingual individuals, and tried with Spanish, English, Italian, German and other languages. The particular language used in each case does not seem to affect the outcome.

The research also finds that thinking in another language increases our tolerance for risk-taking on anything from planning a trip to embracing a new breakthrough in biotechnology.

These insights might be useful during negotiations that require participants to put personal feelings aside

Also, we are less offended by insults delivered in a different language.

The reasons for this dual linguistic personality are unclear. Costa suggests a series of interconnected possibilities: On the one hand, using another language forces you to think more slowly. And we also think that emotional issues are more strongly connected with the first language that we learn.

As the Nobel winner Daniel Kahneman explains, our brain seems to have a System 1, which focuses on fast, instinctive and stereotypic thinking, and a System 2, which deals with issues requiring greater consideration.

In our native language, we may be more prone to using System 1, while the additional effort required for thinking in a foreign language might trigger System 2. This could explain the higher percentage of people who overcome loss aversion and moral dilemmas in a foreign language.

Costas work often mentions settings such as the United Nations or the European Union, where many members make decisions in a foreign language.

And in multinationals, in science and in many other settings, there are people working in English although it is not their native tongue, says Costa, who is working on developing practical applications based on these findings.

For instance, these insights might be useful during negotiations that require participants to put their personal feelings to one side and focus on the greater good.

In fact, it might be a good idea to propose that English become the working language inside Spains blocked Congress.

English version by Susana Urra.
Knoxville Police cruiser at an accident Friday, May 8, 2015. (MICHAEL PATRICK/NEWS SENTINEL)

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By News Sentinel Staff

KNOXVILLE  A person was found dead early Wednesday after falling off a cliff near Cherokee Trail in South Knoxville, authorities said.

Knoxville Police Department officers were dispatched to the bluffs off Cherokee Trail around 1:20 a.m., according to a news release from KPD Sgt. Jeremy S. Maupin.

KPD officers and Knoxville Fire Department personnel found the male victim approximately 150 feet down from the top of the bluffs, the release states. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

The identity of the victim is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

More details as they develop online and in Thursday's News Sentinel.
photos by PAUL EFIRD/NEWS SENTINEL Crews repair a sinkhole Wednesday on Alcoa Highway. The sinkhole has closed all northbound lanes and two of three southbound lanes, according to Tennessee Department of Transportation officials. The sinkhole is just south of the J.E. 'Buck' Karnes Bridge.

SHARE A sinkhole has closed all northbound lanes and two of three southbound lanes of Alcoa Highway near Cherokee Trail. (TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION) A sinkhole has shut down northbound Alcoa Highway and two of three southbound lanes near Cherokee Trail. (KNOXVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT) Crews repair a sinkhole Wednesday on Alcoa Highway. The sinkhole has closed all northbound lanes and two of three southbound lanes, according to Tennessee Department of Transportation officials. The sinkhole is just south of the J.E. 'Buck' Karnes bridge. (PAUL EFIRD/NEWS SENTINEL) Southbound traffic is down to one lane near a sinkhole Wednesday on Alcoa Highway. The sinkhole closed all northbound lanes, according to TDOT officials.

By Travis Dorman of the Knoxville News Sentinel

8:03 a.m. update: All northbound lanes of Alcoa Highway near Cherokee Trail have reopened.

One soutbound lane is open to traffic. The other two lanes are expected to reopen between noon and 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Tennessee Department of Transportation spokesman Mark Nagi said.

Update: All lanes are back open on Alcoa Highway northbound. Reminder, only one lane is currently open to southbound traffic.  Mark Nagi (@MarkNagiTDOT) September 29, 2016

Previous report:

Authorities don't know for sure whether the sinkhole caused the water main break or the water main break caused the sinkhole, but the combination shut down the northbound lanes and all but one southbound lane of Alcoa Highway near Cherokee Trail on Wednesday.

"You have two things happening at basically the same time," Tennessee Department of Transporation spokesman Mark Nagi said. "It turns into a chicken-or-the-egg situation."

Sinkholes have been a common feature of the geology of East Tennessee for millennia, Knoxville Utilities Board spokeswoman Stephanie Midgett said. The sinkholes mainly occur in areas where the rock beneath the land's surface  such as limestone or gypsum  can be easily dissolved by water.

Over time, groundwater erodes the rock, creating caverns and empty spaces until there is no longer enough support for the weight on the surface. Then suddenly, it all collapses.

Construction crews aim to finish repairing the gaping hole, which stretches from the shoulder of Alcoa Highway across two northbound lanes, before morning rush hour, "but if we're not sure the roadway is stable enough then we won't open it," Nagi said.

"We're not going to allow that roadway or any roadway to be open if we feel it presents a danger to the motoring public," he said.

Northbound traffic is being diverted to Gov. John Sevier Highway, and drivers headed south are encouraged to find alternate routes or allow extra time for delays.

TDOT crews worked on filling in the sinkhole throughout the day Wednesday, and less than 50 feet away, a KUB crew worked on repairing the water main.
Rep. Billy Spivey, left, R-Lewisburg, and Rep. Andrew Farmer, R-Sevierville, exit after a committee meeting to investigate Rep. Jeremy Durham, at Legislative Plaza, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in Nashville, Tenn. (Photo: Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean)

SHARE Joe McCord (File photo) House Speaker Beth Harwell in the lobby after the vote to expel Rep. Jeremy Durham on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016. (Photo: Shelley Mays/The Tennessean)

By Joel Ebert And Dave Boucher, USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

NASHVILLE  A Republican lawmaker is calling for an investigation into allegations that a high-ranking member of House Speaker Beth Harwells administration raised his middle finger at a staff members two-year-old granddaughter who was visiting the speakers office, and also called the employee an a------ and b---- on multiple occasions.

In a letter emailed to The Tennessean late Tuesday night, Rep. Billy Spivey, R-Lewisburg, called for an immediate investigation into what a staffer described as mental and emotional abuses perpetrated by House Clerk Joe McCord against a Legislative Plaza employee over an extended period of time.

When reached Wednesday morning, McCord said he wanted to talk to Connie Ridley, director of legislative administration, before speaking with The Tennessean. Ridley and Harwell are also accused of wrongdoing in the report.

The allegation from a fellow Republican comes as Harwell and House leadership continues to stave off criticism for their handling of the allegations of harassment by now-expelled lawmaker Jeremy Durham.

From the archives: Joe McCord rises in influence, stature in state House

Harwell blasted Spivey in an email from a spokeswoman to The Tennessean.

It is no secret that Representative Spivey is a long-time defender of Jeremy Durhams and is upset about his expulsion at the special session  which Rep. Spivey failed to attend. Rep. Spivey did not want the attorney generals report on Durham released to the public and would not sign off on the report. Just as Durham lashed out last week at those who expelled him, his supporters -- including Rep. Spivey -- are doing the same this week, Harwell said in the statement.

It is irresponsible for Rep. Spivey to involve himself in something without verifying the facts and in harassing our employees by releasing an inaccurate compilation of events. It is disrespectful for him to attempt to play political football with our state employees and their jobs, all because he personally disagreed with Jeremy Durhams expulsion.

Harwell said she takes all allegations of harassment seriously but she did not specifically address Spiveys allegations. Legislative administrators handle all complaints and seek a satisfactory conclusion for all parties, Harwell said.

House Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada, R-Franklin, said he hadnt reviewed Spiveys report as of early Wednesday morning. After The Tennessean described the allegations in the report, Casada said they surprised him.

Ive known Joe McCord for 16 years, and Ive never seen that behavior exhibited in a malicious way, in a way that was meant to be demeaning. Thats just not the Joe McCord I know, Casada said.

A lot of people will kid in a way that, its just a manner of joking. Its not actually the emotion of anger, its just the way of kidding.

Spivey told The Tennessean on Wednesday that he released the letter because of previous concerns as to the handling of the release of Attorney General Herbert Slaterys investigation into Durham, which found he had inappropriate sexual conduct with at least 22 women.

The court of public opinion was a proper venue for this to be vetted given who was involved, he said.

Spiveys letter contained a second-hand account of incidents involving a woman only known as Staffer 1.

As a staffer I can say first hand that we live (in) constant fear of being fired and retaliation from those in leadership, the person wrote. This is one of the reasons Im submitting this to you. All proper avenues have been exhausted and have resulted in no administrative action.

In her account, the complainant said that Staffer 1 has regularly experienced emotional and mental abuse from McCord. A separate source, who works at the legislature and says she has a background in human resources, confirmed she also spoke with Staffer 1 about McCords alleged actions.

The complainant said McCord has consistently called Staffer 1 an a------ and b---- and the apex of his abuse came during an annual Ag Day at the capitol one or two years ago.

It was on that day that Staffer 1s two-year-old granddaugther visited her at the capitol. After McCord asked the staffer who the little girl was and her age, he allegedly responded by looking at the granddaughter and flipping her his middle finger.

This caused Staffer 1s granddaughter to coward (sic) away from him, the complaint states. He looked at Staffer 1s granddaughter while flipping her the bird and said you better remember this.

The staffer left the room and later was crying in the bathroom.

The complainant said Staffer 1 eventually discussed the alleged abuse with Harwell, her chief of staff, Scott Gilmer, Ridley and an attorney.

Ridley allegedly told the staffer that she could go work for one of the Members of the black caucus but would have to take a demotion and pay cut.

At some point Staffer 1 discussed the office environment with Speaker Harwell, the complainant concluded. Speaker Harwell instead listened to Staffer 1s concerns but never took any disciplinary or official action against Joe McCord.

The legislative employee, who spoke with The Tennessee on Wednesday, said she never saw any of the alleged behavior by McCord. She told Staffer 1 to report the problems, but Staffer 1 said she was afraid of retaliation.

Sitting here as a former HR person, I have concerns about the fact that there doesnt seem to be any kind of safe way for complaints that are your right under the law, you know? the staff member said.

The reality of the situation up here is, and theyre very frank, and they tell you when you come in so you know what youre getting in to...but you dont think about the fact that working at the pleasure of your member could leave you open to situations like hostile work environment or sexual harassment with nowhere to go.

In his letter, Spivey said the most disturbing element of the entire incident was Ridleys purported solution, which he said was offered in response to the most egregious instance of abuse.

If true, this amounts to punishing a victim while enabling a victimizer, Spivey, who is not seeking re-election to the legislature, concluded. If true, this must be corrected.

Spivey, who served on the special committee called by Harwell to investigate Durham, was the lone member who didnt want to release the attorney generals final report for fear that those who provided statements anonymously would face retaliation.

I had already lost confidence in how it had been handled before, Spivey said, while explaining his decision to publicly share the complaint against Harwell, McCord and Ridley.

An on-going investigation by The Tennessean into Durhams inappropriate behavior toward women showed gaping holes in the legislatures sexual harassment policy at the time. The new policy, adopted after The Tennesseans coverage, covers hostile workplace allegations in addition to sexual harassment.

However, who would handle the investigation is still unclear and Spivey doesnt make a request for a specific investigatory entity. The section of the new policy that outlines who could conduct an investigation only lists the speakers staff, house clerk or director of administration, all three of whom are implicated in the womans complaint. Casada said in the corporate world he believes an independent entity would be appointed to investigate, but he said that is a decision for the speaker.

Spivey said although he did not know who should investigate the complaint, if any wrongdoing was found there should be consequences.

McCord, 48, has served as House Clerk since 2011. Prior to Harwell appointing him to the position, he served as a Republican representative from Maryville in Blount County.
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By Michael Collins of the Knoxville News Sentinel

WASHINGTON  More than a century and a half later, the remains of Tennessee militia members killed in the Mexican-American War may be coming home.

The remains of several American troops who died in the war will be returned to the United States on Wednesday with full military honors during a repatriation ceremony at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

Some of deceased troops may be Tennessee militia members, although military officials can't be certain until further tests are completed, said Greg Gardner of the Army casualty office's past conflict reparations branch in Fort Knox, Ky.

"We don't really know how many remains there actually are," Gardner said.

Volunteers from Tennessee, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas all fought in the Battle of Monterey, which lasted for three days in 1846 and was one of the bloodiest of the war.

Afterward, the dead were buried outside of the town until their remains were rediscovered several years ago by the Mexican government.

Since then, negotiations have been underway between the U.S. State Department and the Mexican government to return the remains to the United States.

Members of Tennessee's congressional delegation also have worked to bring the remains home.

U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-South Pittsburg, sent a letter in 2013 to then-Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel requesting the remains of any Tennesseans be returned for burial in Gallatin City Cemetery, the site of a Mexican-American War memorial honoring Tennesseans who lost their lives in the war.

The letter also was signed by Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Rep. Diane Black, R-Gallatin.

U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, also has worked to bring the remains of the Tennesseans home.

"Whether it's a recent war or a war fought more than a century ago, Tennesseans never forget their bravest citizens," Cooper said. "Our fallen veterans always need to come home."

The Mexican-American War was fought from 1846 to 1847 and led to the United States adding territory that would later become Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

Some 30,000 Tennesseans answered a call by the secretary of war for additional troops to supplement U.S. soldiers during the war. Records indicate that at least 35 were killed in action during the battle.

Hugh Berryman, a forensic anthropologist and professor at Middle Tennessee State University, is leading a team of scientists that will work with the Army to identify the remains and learn more about the soldiers' lives.

Berryman said he's talked to scientists from across the country who are eager to collaborate on the project.

An analysis of the soldiers' teeth might shed light on the quality of the water they drank and where they grew up, he said. Other clues might shed light on how they died or what diseases they might have had.

"The human skeleton is great at recording its own history," Berryman said.

With the right tools, "it's almost as though you are doing an interview with them," he said.

Berryman will travel with MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee to Dover Air Force Base for the transfer of the remains.

"This represents a rare opportunity  it's a window into the American soldier from 1846," Berryman said.

"You can read history in the books, but when you look at these individuals, when you look at the bones, you can reach back in time.  It just brings history alive for me."
Al Gore can tell you that winning the popular vote does not insure that you will become president. It's all about the Electoral College  winning states and delegates rather than the total number of voters. The irony of this election is that if Donald Trump loses the Electoral College vote by three to five votes, it may be because of illegal immigrants  a group he has vowed to deport if elected president.

The Electoral College is based on the congressional delegations of each state. Tennessee, for example, has nine representatives and two senators for a total of 11 members of Congress  and 11 electoral votes. Trump carried 94 of 95 counties in the Republican primary, and I expect that he will get a huge turnout and a huge popular vote in Tennessee. It will likely be the same in most of Red State America. But no matter how many popular votes Trump gets in Tennessee, he can get no more than 11 electoral votes.

The number of congressional seats, and thus the number of Electoral College votes, is based totally on population. It isn't based on the number of citizens or the number of registered voters. Let's look at California, for example. That state has an estimated 2.4 million illegal immigrants. The size of most congressional districts is about 700,000 voters. That means California has three more members of Congress than normal, thanks to the huge illegal immigrant population. That means California has three more electoral votes than it would have if it were not for the influx of illegal immigrants.

Elsewhere it's not so dramatic, Florida has 825,000 illegal immigrants, for an extra electoral vote. That state is up for grabs. It's not all one-sided, Texas is a red state and Trump should do well there. There are 1.8 million illegal immigrants there, giving Texas an extra two congressional seats and thus two more Electoral College votes.

The point here is that Trump will likely rack up huge votes in red states, especially in the South, but the number of electoral votes is fixed. If Hillary Clinton grabs California, which is a lead-pipe cinch, and other large-population states, she could rack up enough Electoral College votes to win while Trump is ahead in the popular vote.

The "enthusiasm gap" for Clinton is well documented. While she may have narrow wins in blue states, will she really garner huge numbers of popular votes? Will she rack up a proportionately large vote as Trump will in red states?

It has been observed often in this race that there aren't enough white people to elect Trump and he has alienated blacks and Hispanics. But the latest polling reveals there are a lot more white voters than Mitt Romney's totals would suggest. Uncounted were the thousands of evangelicals who stayed home rather than vote for a Mormon.

If Clinton wins enough Electoral College votes to win the presidency, while Trump has a bigger margin of the popular vote, imagine what the reaction of Trump's followers will be. We have had eight years of some Republicans doubting the legitimacy of President Barack Obama. There is already talk of the election being "rigged." My point is that it was "rigged" in the original Constitutional Convention and the creation of the Electoral College.
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Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell, state Sen. Doug Overbey and state Rep. Cameron Sexton are exploring ways to reform campaign finance laws to limit the ability of Tennessee politicians to invest campaign funds in private companies. They also are looking to mandate the disclosure of investments and gifts.

Under current law, candidates can invest campaign funds in private companies as long as they do not personally benefit, and they do not have to list those investments on campaign finance disclosure forms filed with the state.

The law certainly needs to be changed. Campaign funds should only be placed in bank accounts, certificates of deposit or other safe investment vehicles. Investing in corporations, publicly traded or privately held, should be forbidden. All investments of campaign funds should be a matter of public record.

The move to close loopholes in the state's campaign finance disclosure laws, reported last week by The Tennessean, is the latest fallout from investigations into disgraced former state Rep. Jeremy Durham, the Williamson County Republican whose alleged sexual misbehaviors led to his expulsion from the House of Representatives.

Durham invested a portion of his campaign funds in a company owned by Andy Miller, who has contributed to the campaigns of Durham and other Republicans, state campaign finance officials confirmed to The Tennessean. Durham has denied any wrongdoing in the ongoing investigation into how he handled his campaign funds. Miller also picked up the tab for a fact-finding trip to Europe for six lawmakers in 2011. Tennessee law does not require the disclosure of such gifts.

Harwell said some investments should be off limits and curbs placed on gifts, plus more transparency.

"I do not personally believe campaign contributions should be invested in private companies. I have directed our legal staff to research these issues and work with the Registry of Election Finance to identify the best remedy, so that legislation can be introduced to address it," Harwell said in an email to reporters at The Tennessean.

"I believe in and support full disclosure and transparency in our campaign finance reports, and will always support legislation to that end. We should always strive to keep up to date on best practices, and I will be supportive of legislation seeking to address increased transparency or regulations on gift-giving or investments."

Overbey, a Maryville Republican who chairs the Senate Ethics Committee, and Sexton, a Crossville Republican, said more transparency is needed. Sexton said federal disclosure law would be a good model. Like Harwell, Overbey would like to see limits on the types of investments allowed under the law. "I don't think people donate funds to campaigns for the candidate to put in sort of risky investments," he said.

A lawmaker who invests campaign funds into a donor's business establishes a conflict of interest. Such practices should be banned in Tennessee, as they are in other states. At the very least, full disclosure of investments and gifts would bolster the integrity of the election process.
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It is often quite difficult for a citizen to determine the true political persuasions of many elected federal legislators. An elected federal politician has handlers to schedule speaking engagements with non-combative, think-alike political choir members.

No matter how many speeches they make to which selected groups, if the contents of their speeches are not significantly noticed by either right or left national media, likely the speeches are of little interest to most citizen voters.

A citizen might link the continued absence of public comments from a federal legislator with the failure to attract attention of either the right- or left-leaning national political media. If there is no media interest, then the politician has not addressed anything important to a majority of voters.

If an elected politician does not publicly address significant issues, then a voter is left with the inability to exercise a meaningful voice.

An issue significant to a voter will likely only surface with public vocal endorsement or vocal disapproval.

If a legislator simply votes on bills of little significance to citizens, bills absent of issues meaningful or controversial to voters, it might be better to rotate legislators in attempt to attain significant legislation.

Those "silent electors" garner little controversial media comment from the right or the left, and certainly none from the lobbyists buying their votes. Such silent electors, who go along to get along, present little of value for those who elect them.

Eddie Madden, Oak Ridge
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The Hyde Amendment, adopted on Sept. 30, 1976, bans any federal tax dollars from being spent on abortion except in the event that continuing the pregnancy would harm the life of the woman, or if the pregnancy was the result of incest or rape.

Medical technology related to pregnancy has changed a great deal in the past 40 years. Today a woman may be tested for birth anomalies that are incompatible with life outside the womb. Some of these women have no choice but to continue their pregnancy due to the their insurance plan, especially if it is a federally-funded plan.

Roughly 87 percent of private health-insurance plans include abortion coverage. Those insured through the Federal Employee Health Benefits program, however, do not have the same benefits or access to comprehensive health care as those in the private sector. These women may be your mail carrier, the ranger you met during your last visit to a national park or the wife of your neighbor's son who is fighting for your freedom in Afghanistan. None of these women could terminate a pregnancy for a fetal abnormality under a federally-funded insurance plan.

This discriminatory policy is harshest on the poor. Approximately 16 percent of the Medicaid female population is of child-bearing age. These women cannot have an abortion, either.

The decision to carry a pregnancy to term should be a decision made by a woman and her doctor. Members of Congress should have no say in the decision. Abortion is a legal and a safe manner to termination a pregnancy.

Receiving insurance coverage with federal funding should not prevent a woman from making the most appropriate health decision for her or her family. I encourage you to support the repeal of the Hyde Amendment. All women, not just some, should be free to make their own decisions about their reproductive health.

La Quita Martin, Tennessee state policy advocate, National Council of Jewish Women, Nashville
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Congratulations to Sam Venable for his column in Sunday's News Sentinel. It is amazing to me why more people are not coming to the same conclusion as Venable about Donald Trump. Thanks for setting the record straight.

I could not agree with him more than these practices by Trump demonstrate he is not qualified to hold the office of president of the United States.

Ruben O. Hernandez, Knoxville
Former Spanish prime minister Felipe Gonzalez. Mauricio Castaneda (EFE)

Felipe Gonzalez, who is Spains longest-serving prime minister, has stepped into the debate over what the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) should do to break the prolonged impasse that is keeping the country without a fully functional government.

Gonzalez, 74, says he feels betrayed by PSOE Secretary General Pedro Sanchez, who allegedly told him that the party would abstain at the second round of an investiture vote in Congress.

Sanchez says the PSOE must decide whether it remains a leftist party or subordinate to the right

Such a move would have allowed the interim PM, Mariano Rajoy of the Popular Party (PP), to be reinstated and form a minority government following the repeat elections of June 26.

Instead, the PSOE voted no in both rounds of the investiture session, which was held in early September.

Naturally I feel deceived and let down by Pedro Sanchez, said Gonzalez. I spoke to him after the June 26 elections, and on June 29 he explained to me that he would go into the opposition and would not try to form an alternative government. [] I really feel tricked because he said they would do one thing, and then it turned out to be another.

PSOE leader Pedro Sanchez (l) is under pressure from all sides. Paco Campos (EFE)

The man who brought Spain into the fold of the European Union  then known as the European Economic Community  had already expressed his view in early July that the PSOE should not obstruct a PP government in the name of the greater good.

On Wednesday morning, Gonzalez reiterated his position in a radio interview on SER station.

The PSOE must abstain; I feel this way more strongly than ever today, he said.

Resignation of the board?

Gonzalezs views are the latest expression of growing internal exasperation with a party leader who refuses to change his stance  on Monday, Sanchez said he would rather see third elections than help Rajoy into office  but who has no alternative government to offer Spain.

Instead, Sanchez now wants to put his own leadership to the test by calling primaries on October 23 and asking PSOE members to validate his position. But this move needs to be green-lighted by the federal committee first, and it is unclear whether it will do so.

If 18 members out of 35 who sit on the executive board were to walk out, Sanchez would have to go

The internal confrontation has escalated to such a point that half the members of the executive board are now considering handing in their resignations to force Sanchez out and cancel his plans for primaries and a party conference.

If 18 members out of the 35 who sit on the executive board were to walk out, Sanchez would have to go. As of Tuesday evening, 15 of them said they were willing to take this unprecedented step. It is a tough and dramatic decision, said one member of the board.

In the meantime, critics are also trying to influence the 290 members of the federal committee before it meets this Saturday, to convince them to shoot down Sanchezs plans for primaries and a conference.

Sanchez says the primaries and conference are necessary to decide whether the PSOE remains a leftist party or subordinate to the right.

While its gets its internal affairs in order, the PSOE is unlikely to engage in further talks with other parties to try to avoid third elections in Spain. And with other political leaders stuck in their respective positions, Spaniards are becoming increasingly resigned to the fact that they will probably be asked to go to the polls again on Christmas Day.

English version by Susana Urra.
The US embassy in Havana. YAMIL LAGE (AFP)

More information Obama nomina al primer embajador de EE UU en Cuba en medio siglo

In a move aimed at consolidating improved relations with Cuba, US President Barack Obama has nominated career diplomat Jeffrey DeLaurentis as the nations first ambassador to Cuba in 55 years.

Jeffs leadership has been vital throughout the normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba, Obama said in a statement issued on Tuesday. The appointment of an ambassador is a common sense step forward toward a more normal and productive relationship between our two countries.

The United States relaunched commercial flights to the communist island in August

DeLaurentis currently serves as the Charge dAffaires at the US Embassy in Havana, which formally re-opened last year.

The appointment has yet to be confirmed by the Senate, where there are still opponents to further strengthening of relations with Cuba, particularly in an election year. Republicans Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, both of Cuban origin, have repeatedly criticized Obamas efforts to normalize relations with Havana. It would only take the opposition of one senator to paralyze the nomination.

Rubio blocked the appointment of Roberta Jacobson as US ambassador to Mexico after she played a key role in organizing Obamas breakthrough visit to Cuba in March, when he became the first sitting US president to visit Cuba in a half-century. The last US ambassador to serve in Havana left the post in 1960 at the beginning of Fidel Castros rule.

In a statement Tuesday, Rubio wrote that rewarding the Castro government with a US ambassador is another last-ditch legacy project for the president that needs to be stopped.

This nomination should go nowhere until the Castro regime makes significant and irreversible progress in the areas of human rights and political freedom for the Cuban people, and until longstanding concerns about the Cuban regimes theft of property and crimes against American citizens are addressed, Rubio added.

In contrast, Michael Shifter, head of the Washington-based InterAmerican Dialogue think-tank described Obamas move as intelligent.

Obama has nothing to lose at this point, because he is a lame duck president, Shifter told EL PAIS, adding: He knows that the fundamental change in relations with Cuba will be the most popular part of his legacy.

Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio oppose Obamas efforts to normalize relations with Havana

The Republicans will try to block the appointment and they will probably succeed, but they are in the minority, even among Republicans and Cuban Americans, and this could harm them in the November elections, said Shifter.

Speaking on behalf of the majority Shifter alluded to, Jeff Flake, Senator for Arizona and an influential voice in the Republican Party, welcomed Obamas announcement.

Americans traveling & [sic] doing business in Cuba will be well-served by the prompt confirmation of Jeff DeLaurentis to serve as US ambassador, tweeted Flake on Tuesday.

DeLaurentis has fought hard to normalize relations with Cuba, proposing a law to lift the US embargo of the island that the Senate has been debating for the last 18 months.

The embargo against Cuba, which remains in place, has cost Cuba $4.7 billion this year, according to Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla. World leaders speaking at the United Nations General Assembly last week called for the end of the blockade.

The United States relaunched commercial flights to the communist island in August and a JetBlue flight was the first of its kind to touch down in Cuba in more than five decades. US companies are keen to take advantage of the business opportunities there when the economy opens up.

English version by Nick Lyne.
Vaccination has proved successful in eradicating measles from the Americas.

More information Las Americas, primera zona del mundo libre de sarampion

From Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the Americas is now the worlds first region to be declared free of measles. The announcement was made on Tuesday by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and comes after a 22-year vaccination drive that was delayed by conflict and anti-vaccination campaigners in some countries.

This is a historic day for our region and indeed the world, said Carissa F. Etienne, the director of PAHO, the regions branch of the UNs World Health Organization, which is meeting in Washington this week. She added: It is proof of the remarkable success that can be achieved when countries work together in solidarity toward a common goal. It is the result of a commitment made more than two decades ago, in 1994, when the countries of the Americas pledged to end measles circulation by the turn of the 21st century.

Measles is the fifth vaccine-preventable disease to be eliminated from the Americas

Globally, measles remains a leading cause of death among young children in the developing world. The virus can lead to deadly complications such as diarrhea, dehydration, respiratory infection and encephalitis, and kills an estimated 314 people every day.

Measles is particularly contagious, and primarily affects children. It is transmitted by airborne droplets or via direct contact with secretions from the nose, mouth or throat of infected individuals. Symptoms include high fever, generalized rash all over the body, stuffy nose and reddened eyes. It can cause serious complications including blindness, encephalitis, severe diarrhea, ear infections and pneumonia, particularly in children with nutritional problems and in immunocompromised patients.

About 250,000 people were infected with measles last year, most in Africa and Asia. The last outbreak of measles that originated in the Americas occurred in Venezuela in 2002, PAHO said.

Factors such as conflict made it difficult to access some communities, slowing down the eradication process, explained Merceline Dahl-Regis, chair of a committee of experts responsible for verifying the elimination of measles and other diseases in the Americas.

Danger to children

Measles continues to circulate widely in other parts of the world, meaning we have to be ready to deal with imported cases, warned Etienne, advising governments throughout the region to continue organizing vaccination campaigns and to immediately report suspected cases.

The Americas region has shown that with immunization campaigns, the right resources and a strong political commitment, it is possible to halt measles, said WHO director general Margaret Chan, adding that the region should inspire other areas around the world to press ahead with eliminating diseases through vaccines.

In the Americas, 101,800 deaths were attributable to measles between 1971 and 1979. A cost-effectiveness study on measles elimination in Latin America and the Caribbean has estimated that with vaccination, 3.2 million measles cases will have been prevented in the region and 16,000 deaths between 2000 and 2020.

This is a historic day for our region and indeed the world Carissa F. Etienne, PAHO director

Measles is the fifth vaccine-preventable disease to be eliminated from the Americas, after the regional eradication of smallpox in 1971, poliomyelitis in 1994, and rubella and congenital rubella syndrome in 2015.

One of the last outbreaks of measles in the region was in the United States in late 2014, which originated at a Disneyland in California and mainly affected children and young people. More than 150 cases were reported in different states, showing the ease with which a disease many thought had been relegated to the past can spread. In July, a woman died from measles-related complications in Washington State.

Despite the scientific evidence that vaccines are not linked to autism, a growing anti-vaccination movement in Europe and the United States has been fueled by parents fears that vaccines are not safe for every child.

Earlier this year, during the Republican primaries, Donald Trump weighed in to the debate, highlighting the potential dangers of vaccination, a position he later walked back from.

For her part, Hillary Clinton has supported vaccination campaigns, tweeting in 2015 at the height of the controversy: The science is clear: The earth is round, the sky is blue, and # vaccineswork. Lets protect all our kids. # GrandmothersKnowBest.

English version by Nick Lyne.
By Choi Sung-jin



Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement has taken jobs from Americans. But a recent U.S. government report is telling the opposite.



In its "Jobs supported by export destination 2015" report, the U.S. Department of Commerce said: "Korea is the country that made the fourth-largest contribution to jobs created in the United States." The report estimated about 890,000 new jobs were created thanks to U.S. exports between 2009 and 2015.



In July, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) also issued a report that said the Korea-U.S. FTA has improved the U.S. trade balance by $15.7 billion.



According to the commerce department report, Korea contributed to creating 55,000 jobs in the U.S. during the seven-year period, recording the fourth-largest number after Mexico (296,000), China (184,000) and Canada (110,000). Following Korea were Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (31,000 each), Belgium (27,000), Hong Kong (26,000) and Vietnam (21,000).



About 560,000 U.S. jobs were secured thanks to free trade accords in 2009 but the corresponding number jumped more than six times to over 3 million last year, the report said.



If the export of services is added to commodity exports, more than 4 million jobs were secured by various free trade agreements, it estimated. Besides Korea, the U.S. has concluded FTAs with many other countries, including Mexico, Canada, Australia and Singapore.



The Korea-U.S. FTA went into effect in 2012. In is July report, the U.S. ITC estimated the bilateral free trade accord improved the U.S. trade balance by $15.7 billion last year. The U.S. recorded a trade deficit of $28.3 billion in two-way trade with Korea in 2015 but the red-ink figure might have swelled to $44 billion had it not been for the bilateral free trade pact, the commission said.



In the run-up to the presidential election, trade protectionism is gaining forces in the United States, with major candidates opposing new free trade pacts and calling for revisiting the existing ones.



The Republican runner, in particular, said last month, "Because of the free trade agreement with South Korea, the U.S. trade deficit has redoubled and 100,000 U.S. jobs have disappeared," claiming FTAs push up the U.S. jobless rate. On Sept. 15, Trump went further to compare the Korea-U.S. FTA to a "disaster," pledging that if he becomes president, he would "order the commerce secretary to investigate all examples that violate trade treaties and harm U.S. workers."



Officials at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy welcomed the recent U.S. report. "We will be able to use the DoC report as the official material to refute groundless allegations raised by some Americans," a ministry official said Tuesday.




South Korea said Wednesday it has handed out 84 percent of support funds earmarked for local firms that operated factories in the now-shuttered joint industrial park in North Korea to help cover their financial losses.

The government has offered 438.5 billion won ($399.8 million) out of about 500 billion won in state funds to South Korean companies that had factories at the Gaesong Industrial Complex, according to Seoul's unification ministry.

Seoul shut down the factory zone in the North's border city of Gaesong on Feb. 10 in response to North Korea's nuclear test in January and long-range rocket launch in the following month.

The shutdown of the complex may have caused 1.5 trillion won in losses, according to local firms, adding that the government's financial support measures are not sufficient.

The complex, which opened in 2004, had served as a major revenue source for the cash-strapped North.

A total of 124 South Korean companies operated in the zone, some 50 kilometers northwest of Seoul, employing more than 54,000 North Korean workers to produce labor-intensive goods, such as clothes and utensils. (Yonhap)
Foreign investment ombudsman Jeffrey Kim speaks at a forum dealing with the corporate social responsibility programs of foreign companies operating in Korea, on the sidelines of the Foreign Investment Week 2016 at the Grand InterContinental Hotel, southern Seoul, Wednesday. / Courtesy of KOTRA



Good deeds expected to improve public sentiment toward non-Korean companies

By Lee Hyo-sik

More than 17,000 foreign companies operating here have been implementing a range of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs to support the underprivileged and give back to the local community.

With these social support programs largely remaining under the radar, there is a growing awareness in the foreign business community that non-Korean firms should more actively publicize what they do to improve the neighborhood.

To bring these good deeds to the public eye, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) has organized a forum to showcase various CSR activities by foreign businesses, which will likely help improve the public sentiment toward non-Korean companies here.

The agency hopes that this in turn will help create a more foreigner-friendly environment, facilitating the government's efforts to attract more investment from outside the country.

"We decided to organize the forum to promote foreign firms' community improvement programs on the sideline of the Foreign Investment Week 2016," said Jeffrey Kim, a foreign investment ombudsman affiliated with KOTRA, at the Grand InterContinental Hotel in southern Seoul, Wednesday.

"This event will introduce exemplary CSR programs by foreign-invested companies here, which will encourage others to follow suit. We would like the public to know that the majority of non-Korea companies are actively engaged in CSR and are expected to further increase their engagement," Kim said.

As the forum's first guest speaker, Prof. Jung Jin-sup of Chungbuk National University outlined the current state of CSR in Korea.

"Koreans need to change their awareness of foreign-invested companies in the country. They are essential part of our society," Jung said. "Global companies here are making efforts to help Korea's economic and social development, as well as building sustainable prosperity with the local community. We can expect more from the foreign business community in the future."

Andre Nothomb, head of government and public affairs at Solvay Asia Pacific, said Solvay Korea is a socially responsible corporate citizen, stressing that the Korean unit of the Belgium-based chemical giant has been implementing numerous volunteer programs to grow together with the community.

"We have been supporting low-income families by devoting not only money, but also time and care," Nothomb said. "As a chemical company, we have mobilized a great deal of resources to clean the local environment, among others. We operate plants and research facilities across the country. Each implements its own CSR programs to meet diverse demands from local communities."

Intel Korea managing director Lee Jae-ryung stressed the importance of empowering young people, saying the U.S. chipmaker has introduced educational and other programs to enable university students to pursue their dreams.

GM Korea director Song Myeong-jae said the automaker's CSR programs have largely been centered on its diverse stakeholders: employees, customers, suppliers, dealers and communities where its plants operate.

"It is necessary for GM and other automakers to fulfill social responsibilities in order to do business," Song said. "We have been abiding by safety and environment standards to manufacture reliable products for our customers in the least environmentally-harmful way. We will continue to expand our CSR programs by reflecting the opinions of our stakeholders."
Starkey Korea CEO Richard Shim, right, poses with MED-EL co-CEO Eric Yun, center, and Dongsan Hearing Aid CEO Goodman Seo during an event at the Di Nozze Convention Center in Wangsimni, Seoul, Sept. 9, declaring more ethical and transparent business management. / Courtesy of Starkey Korea



By Jhoo Dong-chan

Starkey Korea signed a cooperative deal with MED-EL Korea, Austria-based implantable hearing device maker MED-EL's local unit in Korea, to mark the nation's Ear Day on Sept. 9.

Under the deal, both sides will jointly develop the so-called "Total Hearing Solution," a sales strategy to introduce various hearing solutions, including hearing aids and ear implants, to hearing-impaired people more efficiently.

MED-EL Korea also agreed to cooperate with Starkey Korea's research academy to study various technologies together such as vibrant soundbridge, bonebridge and cochlear implant technologies. They will recruit future hearing device experts through the academy programs as well.

"Starkey Korea and MEL-EL Korea reached the deal to help more hearing-impaired people in the country," said a Starkey Korea official.

"We see more elderly people who are hard of hearing nowadays since the country has become an aging society. Some of them are so deaf that even hearing aids would not be helpful, and an increasing number of people undergo various ear implants, including bonebridge and cochlear implants. Hearing aids and ear implant technologies are complementary and do not replace each other. The cooperative deal between the two companies will suggest a total solution for all types of hearing-impaired people."

During the agreement ceremony on Sept. 9, the two companies' CEOs  Starkey Korea CEO Richard Shim and MED-EL Korea co-CEO Eric Yun  also had a proclamation event for more ethical and transparent business management. Dongsan Hearing Aid CEO Goodman Seo and a number of industry insiders also participated in the event.





Starkey Korea CEO Richard Shim, right, poses with MED-EL Korea CEO Thomas Mueller during a ceremony for the two companies' cooperative agreement at Di Nozze Convention Center in Wangsimni, eastern Seoul, Sept. 9.

/ Courtesy of Starkey Korea



Under the proclamation, participating businessmen vowed to: refuse all kinds of bribery and unlawful requests, not abuse their positions or power, respect and offer opportunities to each employee, and regularly engage in social contributions for disabled people.

"The cooperative deal with MED-EL Korea is a part of Starkey Korea's commitment to improve the quality of disabled people's lives," said Shim. "We hosted the event to demonstrate our commitment and intentions about our social responsibilities for disabled people to mark Ear Day on Sept. 9."

Starkey Korea first started its sales operation in Korea in 1996 as a local affiliate of the largest U.S. hearing aid maker Starkey Hearing Technologies. It now has the No. 1 market share and customer satisfaction rating in Korea's hearing aid industry.

Starkey Hearing Technologies recently took over domestic hearing aid maker Bokeum, expanding its local branches in Korea with five other affiliated companies  Starkey Korea, Keumgang, Sorisem, Goodmorning and Joeunsori.

Under the slogan of "We never say no," Shim said the company never says no even to customers' unreasonable demands. It also provides one-day service, under which the company delivers a customized hearing aid within a day after receiving an order.

Thanks to the company's customer-centered service, Starkey Korea's sales have continued to grow for years, and made Shim the longest incumbent CEO among foreign companies in Korea.

MED-EL is a multinational company that conducts research in the field of hearing loss and develops and manufactures implantable hearing devices.

Founded by Austrian scientists Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair in 1990 after developing the world's first passive single-channel cochlear implant, MED-EL has led the world's ear implant industry for decades.

The company currently has 26 overseas branches and a total of 1,400 employees in 96 countries around the world.

It started its sales operation in Korea in 2009, supplying top-quality hearing implants to over 100 hospitals here.
By Nam Hyun-woo



KB Financial Group's decision in August to swap with Hyundai Securities is looking like a brilliant move, with analysts on Wednesday releasing a sound third quarter outlook on the bank holding company.



Han Jeong-tae, an analyst at Hana Financial Investment, expected the group's net profit in the third quarter to reach 488.2 billion won ($445.64 million), continuing its "earnings surprise" in the first half of this year. During the first half, the group posted a 1.13 trillion won in net profit, up a whopping 19.1 percent year-on-year.



"KB Financial Group has the momentum whereby expansion in its non-banking businesses through mergers and acquisitions is raising the entire corporate value," said Han. "Though its acquisitions of a non-life insurance firm and a savings bank did not account for more than 10 percent of its earnings, the group is making Hyundai Securities a 100 percent subsidiary through the stock swap allowing increases in non-banking earnings."



The group on Aug. 2 held a board meeting and decided to swap stocks with Hyundai Securities and buy back the group's own stocks worth 500 billion won. During the meeting, the board set the swap rate at 1:0.1907312, meaning one KB Financial Group stock is equivalent to approximately five Hyundai Securities stocks.



The decision soothed minor Hyundai Securities shareholders concerned that they might suffer losses in the merger process. According to the group, both KB and Hyundai Securities stock prices rose by 5 to 7 percent, respectively, after the board meeting.



The stock swap was also upheld by the Institutional Shareholder Service (ISS), a global corporate governance and responsible investment solutions provider.



In its report to institutional investors, ISS cited that Hyundai's stock price has risen after the stock-swap decision, which is a positive market response. Hyundai's stocks improved from 6,730 won on Aug. 2 to 7,210 won on Sept. 20, showing a 7.13 percent rise.



ISS also pointed out that appraisal rights of the price of 6,637 won is lower than the current value of Hyundai Securities stocks. Appraisal rights refer to the rights of the minor shareholders to have the fair market value paid to them when the corporation is undergoing a significant change which may cause the shareholders losses. As of 2 p.m., Wednesday, Hyundai Securities' stocks were traded at 7,180 won. Unless there is a nosedive, exerting the rights does not guarantee higher returns for shareholders.



Hyundai Securities shareholders will hold a meeting on Oct. 4. At the meeting, they will vote whether to approve the board decision to swap stocks. As of June 30, Hyundai Securities' major shareholders are KB Financial Group with a 29.62 percent stake and the National Pension Service with a 6.1 percent stake. The aggregated minor shareholders stake accounts for 55 percent.



Should the shareholders approve the stock swap, Hyundai Securities' stocks will be delisted on Nov. 1. KB Financial Group will make Hyundai Securities a 100 percent subsidiary and merge its securities with KB Securities by dissolving the former. The merged firms will use the name of KB Securities and will begin operations on Jan. 1 next year.




Global Talks' chief moderator Kwon Young-yil gives a presentation on global economics at his cafe in Mokdong, southeastern Seoul. / Photo by Park Jae-hyuk



Professor runs conversation cafe' to share knowledge

By Park Jae-hyuk

If you visit English-language "conversation cafes" in Korea, you may notice that most of the people there are young beginners who just want to learn the language. No such place is available to professionals who seek to share their advanced knowledge in English or other foreign languages. Until now.

Global Talks, a cafe in Mokdong, southeastern Seoul, focuses on sharing global knowledge and information, using foreign languages as basic tools. The members-only, paid cafe, which aims to foster a global community, enables customers to freely use facilities and enjoy snacks and beverages. The membership fee depends on the person's demographic characteristics, such as job or age.

Newcomers can use the cafe's services during a free trial period before deciding whether to become a member.





An inside view of Global Talks in Mokdong / Courtesy of Global Talks



"You can share recent trends of industries and technologies here," Global Talks' chief moderator Kwon Young-yil told The Korea Times last week. "I realized that foreign language is necessary to read the trends and get new information, after I worked in international business, such as on Wall Street in New York."

Kwon is a former professor at the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in Chengdu, China and served as the Korea CEO for New York-based global professional services firm Marsh and McLennan.

After working internationally for more than 30 years, Kwon set up Global Talks to share his expertise in analyzing the global economy and financial markets. He regularly gives presentations at his cafe, which is one of the most interesting things for him.

"Most members of Global Talks are senior office workers who have worked more than 20 years," Kwon said. "They also give presentations on their professions in various languages and discuss the related topics."

The languages used in Global Talks include English, Chinese, Spanish and Japanese. Kwon and six members from the United States, China and Spain help Korean members practice those languages. Although the cafe does not teach language per se, it provides opportunities to practice foreign languages, Kwon said.

"It is almost impossible to improve language skills in the education system of Korea," Kwon said. "Global Talks' members practice listening and speaking first to improve their linguistic senses. Then, they practice reading and writing to become more proficient."

Owing to popular demand, Kwon plans to open new Global Talks branches in other areas in Seoul.

"No member has left the community since its opening," said Kwon. "Office workers, especially, are satisfied with the cafe's concept, which has never been seen in Korea."

In order to share more knowledge, Kwon will invite professionals in various fields, such as the sciences and arts. Foreigners from other countries are also welcomed, he said.

The cafe has recently started accepting college students and housewives as members. He believes they can also contribute to the community by sharing their own knowledge and information.

The next destination of Global Talks is China. Kwon said once after the cafe in Korea stabilizes, he will launch a branch in China.

"Most Chinese have only started learning English in the last 20 years, since the country opened its door in the 1980s," he said. "I'm sure Global Talks will succeed in China, because Chinese have a strong demand for foreign languages, especially on English."

Kwon hopes that someday Global Talks can contribute to the greater society and throughout the world.

Global Talks opens from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. every day. For more information, visit globaltalks.co.kr or call 02-2699-0926.
An information center in Yeouido Hangang River Park will start its multilingual service from Oct 1. / Korea Times file



By Lee Jin-a

An information center will soon open its doors for foreign visitors to Hangang River.

The Hangang Information Center, in front of exit 2 of Yeouinaru subway station, will provide details about the river and parks flanking it in Korean, English and Chinese.

"We decided to establish an information center so that visitors can fully enjoy the scenery of Hangang River," an official of Hangang Project Headquarters, a Seoul City-affiliated organization, said Wednesday. "We want to help foreign tourists who have felt inconvenience at Hangang River parks because of a lack of information for foreigners."

The government organization said it will test-run the center during October and November in Yeouido Hangang Park. During the period, the center will operate 2-7 p.m. weekdays and 12-7 p.m. weekends and holidays.

The service will be officially launched next March.

For more information, contact 02-761-8174.
A Japan Airlines plane / Courtesy of Japan Airlines



By Jung Min-ho

Japan Airlines (JAL), the second largest airline in Japan, is offering promotions for members of JAL Mileage Bank through its website through Oct. 16, the company said Tuesday.

Those who purchase tickets from Korea (Seoul, Incheon or Busan) to Tokyo up to that day will receive a 5-percent discount off original prices.

Among members who travel on JAL flights to any destination during the period, JAL will select 120 passengers to receive handbags.

The company will also randomly choose 300 people from members who sign in to their membership account or renew their password and give them coffee coupons. To double their winning probability, members should receive JAL's regular Korean emails.

Meanwhile, JAL offers special deals for flights to eight major cities in the United States and Canada on its website, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Vancouver.

For routes to North America, the carrier uses the latest aircraft such as the Boeing 787 and the Boeing 777 to satisfy customers who seek comfort on long flights. For every round-trip customer from Korea to North America, JAL will provide mileage points, which can be exchanged for a 50,000-won ($45) gift voucher issued by Shinsegae Department Store.

After signing up for the membership, customers can find more promotional events and special deals at the JAL website (www.kr.jal.com/krl/ko).
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Mourners queue at the Seoul National University Hospital's memorial hall, Monday, to pay their respects to Baek Nam-ki, a farmer who died following 10 months in a coma after being knocked over by a police water cannon during a rally last year. Nearly 7,000 people have come to offer their condolences since his death, Sunday. / Yonhap



By Kim Bo-eun, Choi Ha-young

Four international organizations advocating human rights and trade unions jointly issued a statement, Wednesday, condemning Korea's prosecution and police for pushing for an autopsy of a deceased farmer, who died after being knocked down by a police water cannon during a rally last November.

The statement comes after police re-applied for a warrant to conduct the autopsy on Baek Nam-ki, Monday night, after the Seoul Central District Court refused its first request early that day. The first request was filed on Sunday night after Baek, 69, died earlier in the afternoon following 10 months in a coma after being hit by the water cannon.

Baek's physician declared he died from acute renal failure following a subdural hemorrhage, but police are claiming there may have been underlying conditions that caused these. They say an autopsy will clarify the cause of the farmer's death.

"Despite a national outcry and international condemnation of the police's use of undue force against demonstrators during the rally, law enforcement agencies refuse to apologize or to launch an official investigation into the injuries that resulted from police intervention, including those that left Baek in a coma for the last months of his life," said the statement issued by the International Federation for Human Rights, European Trade Union Confederation, International Trade Union Confederation and Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD.

"Our organizations strongly condemn the ongoing attempts by the authorities to evade accountability and justice for their brutal crackdown on peaceful demonstrators," it said. "We call for a transparent and independent investigation into the events of the rally and for a thorough review of police protocol regarding crowd control and freedom of assembly, notably regulations of the use of water cannon trucks."

Baek's family members and civic groups supporting them submitted a petition to the court, opposing the autopsy. In a press conference at Seoul National University Hospital, they claimed Baek's 10 months of medical records sufficiently show that his injuries from the water cannon caused the conditions which led to his death.

"We maintain that an autopsy is unnecessary both in the legal and medical sense," Son Yeong-joon, head of a committee representing Baek's family, told The Korea Times. "Taking away Baek's body for an autopsy will be another tragedy replayed from the day of the incident. We will employ all means to stop the police proceeding with the autopsy."

Citizens continued to visit Baek's funeral altar, queuing to pay their respects. Hundreds of them took part in a candlelit rally in front of the hospital.

Inside the memorial hall, civic group members collected signatures for a petition calling for an investigation to find those accountable and punishment of them, and also to set up regulations to prevent such a case from recurring.

"I came from Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. Although I cannot offer actual help, I just wanted to come and pay my respects," Cho Seung-jae, a 17-year-old, told The Korea Times.

"I think the police's use of the water cannon was an act of violence exercised by the state. If it was just a death unrelated to the authorities, all of these people wouldn't have come," said a woman from Seoul, surnamed Jung.
By Choi Sung-jin



Corruption and irregularities haunting some Korean cultural centers overseas have earned them the disgraceful nickname of "corruption centers," an opposition lawmaker said Tuesday.



"In the case of the Korean Cultural Center in Russia, all of its four directors since its inception in 2006 have had to leave their post after getting punished for one irregularity or another," said Rep. Park Kyung-mi, of the opposition Minjoo Party of Korea, during the parliamentary inspection of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports.



The government operates 29 cultural centers in 25 countries, and there were 11 cases of accounting fraud or employment-related irregularities between 2012 and 2015, according to data the ministry submitted to the opposition lawmaker.



At the Moscow cultural center, its first and second directors embezzled government money amounting to tens of millions of won each. The third chief employed his wife and daughter as the lecturer and administrative clerk at a Korean language institute attached to the cultural center, paying them about 100 million won ($90,000) as wages. The Korean ambassador to Russia warned him to rectify the irregularity but to no avail. The fourth head was dismissed in May for failing to maintain his dignity as a public official.



Put together, Korean cultural centers in 11 countries - Russia, Vietnam, Britain, the United States (Los Angeles), Brazil, France, Thailand, Poland, Spain, India and China (Shanghai) - were criticized by the ministry and the Board of Audit and Inspection for various problems, ranging from embezzlement of money by directors and poor financial management, to opaque hiring procedures, including nepotistic employment, during the four-year period.



These problems are less due to personal qualifications of directors than to limits in structural and operational systems of overseas cultural centers sandwiched between the culture ministry and foreign ministry, officials said, wanting to remain anonymous.



In short, cultural centers abroad are in a supervisory dead zone, as the foreign ministry has the authority to open these facilities and appoint their heads but the culture ministry exerts budgetary influence over them.



As cultural centers belong to foreign missions, their directors should report to ambassadors and consul-generals but the diplomats' right of command over directors are weak because the facilities, budgets and employees belong to the culture ministry, which shows why they are not supervised properly, the officials said. Also, most staff members are local employees hired by directors, so they can hardly take issue with irregularities committed by their employers.



More problematic, the government has recently appointed an increasing number of people who have little relationship with, or experience in, cultural or public relations affairs as the heads of cultural centers abroad, causing doubts about their expertise.



Of 69 directors who headed the 29 cultural centers until 2012, 54, or 78 percent, were officials with stints at the culture ministry. Out of the five directors at cultural centers opened since 2013, however, four, or 80 percent, came from other government ministries, the data showed.



"Officials from the foreign ministry and finance ministry have recently taken part in the screening process for reason of ensuring fairness in selection, which has reduced the possibility of picking directors armed with both expertise and a sense of responsibility," a culture ministry official said.



It is also true, however, the culture ministry can hardly fill all the top posts of overseas cultural centers, which have been rapidly increasing in number, other officials said.



The government, under President Park Geun-hye's slogan to "flourish our culture," plans to increase the number of centers to 33 by 2017. However, noting that 17 new cultural centers have opened over the past eight-and-a-half years or so leading to their sloppy operation, cultural experts said the time has long passed for the government to shift from quantitative to qualitative growth of these centers.



"The loose management of these overseas cultural centers is due to the conservative government's haste to demonstrate voluminous expansion," Rep. Park said. "The government should strengthen its supervision after making certain of the ministry holding eventual responsibility for these centers -- as in the cases of Japan, France and the U.S., in which foreign ministries hold final authority, and China that has its culture ministry exercise the main authority."




By Jun Ji-hye



The North Korean Embassy in Russia claimed Tuesday that the North has "basically completed" development of its nuclear weapons, saying it will continue a qualitative and quantitative buildup of them, according to Russian news agency RIA Novosti.



In a statement, the embassy quoted the North's nuclear weapons institute as saying that the latest nuclear test conducted earlier this month was a final check of the structures, features and performance of a nuclear warhead that had been standardized to be mounted onto a ballistic missile.



"This is an expression of confidence in the fact that the country has basically completed the study and the development of nuclear weapons," the statement read.



It also noted that the Kim Jong-un regime has completed the development of an essential part of the technologies used in the production of various nuclear fission materials and secured the ability to produce as many miniaturized and powerful nuclear warheads as it wants.



"We will continue to take measures for the qualitative and quantitative buildup of North Korea's nuclear forces, designed to protect the country's dignity, the right to exist and peace in the light of the increasing U.S. threat."



The statement stressed that the regime had so far disclosed details of the nuclear tests through state media, but this time, the nuclear weapons institute, which has kept strictly silent, officially released them. This proves the regime's confidence in its nuclear program, it added.



On Sept. 9, the North conducted its fifth and most powerful nuclear test, claiming to have successfully detonated a miniaturized warhead that could be mounted on a ballistic missile.



The test followed a series of launches of short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles, and submarine-launched ballistic missiles in recent months.



In the wake of the test, observers here say the North is now apparently in the final stages of completing its nuclear and missile programs.







US to speed up THAAD deployment



In response to the ever-growing threats from the North, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel said  also on Tuesday  that Washington intends to deploy a U.S. anti-missile system on South Korean soil "on an accelerated basis" and "as soon as possible."



Russel made the remark during a hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, claiming that it is important to upgrade defensive systems to cope with the North Korean threats.



"I can't speak as assistant secretary of state to the timeline. Perhaps, our colleagues in the Defense Department and the Republic of Korea can. But given the accelerating pace of North Korea's missile tests, we intend to deploy on an accelerated basis, I would say, as soon as possible," Russel said in response to a question about whether the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) can be deployed by next year.



He also stressed that THAAD is a defensive system aimed only at coping with North Korea in an effort to ease China's concerns that the battery's radar could be used to spy on its military capability.



"This is a defensive measure aimed not at China, but at North Korea. It is a defense based decision, not a political decision," he said.



In July, South Korea and the United States announced the deployment of a THAAD battery in Seongju County, North Gyeongsang Province, by the end of next year to better deter threats from the isolated state.



Russel also added that Washington is working hard with Seoul and Tokyo to cut off sources of income for Pyongyang, including from its the coal trade and labor exports as part of the allies' efforts to curb Pyongyang's nuclear program.




/ Graphic by Cho Sang-won



The following is the second in a series on the anti-graft law, or the Kim Young-ran Act, which could possibly change Korean society drastically.  ED.

By Lee Han-soo

The government has vowed to cut red tape to attract more foreign investment and make a friendlier business environment for global companies.

However, officials working for foreign companies do not think it has delivered on its promise.

A case in point that shows the government's nonchalance about foreign-invested companies here is the implementation of the controversial Kim Young-ran Act, which went into effect Wednesday.

Both foreign companies and foreigners working here remain perplexed by the ambiguous anti-graft law due to the lack of accessible information.

The official guidelines for the anti-corruption law are published only in Korean, leaving foreign companies scratching their heads.

They say the law, aimed at making Korean society more transparent, is itself too opaque.

Flooded with questions from domestic businesses and entities subject to the law, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC)  the state agency in charge of the law  is apparently too busy to keep foreign businesses and expats equally informed of the law.

The Korea Times recently sent the ACRC a list of questions asking how the law would affect foreigners and foreign entities. But it fell on deaf ears.

Unresponsive ACRC

The Q&A section of the ACRC website is also riddled with pages of unanswered questions. Currently, there is no route for inquiries about the law in any foreign language.












Party members to join leader's hunger strike



By Kang Seung-woo



The ruling Saenuri Party said Wednesday that it will continue to boycott the National Assembly government audit after rejecting its leader's call to return to sessions, today.



In addition, the party will stand by its leader, joining his hunger strike to further press the National Assembly speaker to step down, increasing the likelihood of a continued political standoff.



Saenuri Party Chairman Lee Jung-hyun, who is currently on a hunger strike, demanding the resignation of Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun, requested his fellow lawmakers to take part in the audit sessions that kicked off, Monday, expressing concern about the collapse of democracy and the parliamentary system established by the people.



Lee and the governing party claim that the speaker sided with the opposition parties to pass a no-confidence motion against the new agriculture minister, last week, calling for him to quit.



"Although we understand Lee's heartfelt patriotism, we will not follow his request this time and continue to skip the audit," said party spokesman Min Kyung-wook.



Following his request, the party convened a general meeting to decide whether to withdraw from the boycott.



"A majority of party members agreed that they cannot return, just leaving the chairman alone," Min added.



Saenuri Party floor leader Chung Jin-suk also said the party will continue to boycott the audit to hold the speaker responsible for the ongoing political standoff.



Earlier in the day, Lee made the unexpected request without discussion with the party leadership, but he vowed not to end his protest to pressure the speaker to resign.



Instead, the party said its lawmakers will actually join Lee's strike, and engage in a relay hunger protest.



"In an effort to regroup the party, members decided to join the hunger strike," Min said.



"Spearheaded by the floor leader, lawmakers will participate in rotation."



Despite Lee's hunger strike, Chung made it clear he will not quit.



"I have nothing to express regret for as I followed all procedures mandated by the Constitution and the National Assembly Law," Chung said during a press conference with foreign correspondents here.



Lee's request reflects the negative public response to his hunger strike.



Some Saenuri Party lawmakers are urging their leader to end the strike, largely concerned about the possible fallout from the boycott of the Assembly audit.



Others say Lee should continue his hunger strike, but it should not be linked to the audit.



"It is strange that lawmakers are encouraging their leader's hunger strike rather than stopping it," said Rep. Kim Young-woo, the chairman of the National Assembly National Defense Committee and a Saenuri Party member, on social media, Wednesday.



Kim was to have presided over the committee's audit of the Ministry of National Defense, Tuesday, but was prevented from holding a session by fellow lawmakers.



"Lee said his hunger strike seeks to end Chung's political career or risk his life, but it is not right to say that," he said. "I want Lee to end his hunger strike right now."



Kim also said that it is lawmakers' obligation to attend the National Assembly sessions and audit, not their privilege.



Rep. Lee Hye-hoon, another Saenuri Party lawmaker, opposed the party leader's hunger strike, as well.



"Such a method can aggravate the situation," she said in a radio interview, Tuesday.



Lee's decision to order a return to the audit sessions came in response to the demands of some party members.



"It is good that the party leadership decided to call a return to the audit," Rep. Yoo Seong-min told reporters after a party meeting.



"Other lawmakers suggested in a meeting that the party should attend the audit, but the leader could continue his hunger strike."



Party member Rep. Ha Tae-keung said on social media, "It is contradictory that we call for the restoration of parliamentary democracy, but boycott the parliamentary audit."



Rep. Kang Seok-ho, a member of the party's Supreme Council, showed a softer stance on the issue, saying in a televised interview that if the National Assembly speaker makes a sincere apology and promises not to allow similar incidents, the ongoing political feud could be over.




By Kang Seung-woo

Chung Sye-kyun

National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun dismissed a call to resign from Lee Jung-hyun, chairman of the ruling Saenuri Party, Wednesday.

Chung reaffirmed his unwavering stance against the ruling party during a Wednesday luncheon with foreign journalists, hosted by the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club.

On Lee, Chung said "He is a member of the National Assembly, so I should respect him and can hold talks with him if necessary. However, my counterparts are floor leaders, not party leaders."

The ruling party leader, who started a hunger strike Monday, has demanded Chung's resignation, claiming Chung broke political neutrality and sided with opposition parties last week in the passage of a no-confidence motion against the newly appointed agriculture minister.

"As the Assembly speaker, I must remain neutral. Otherwise, I must be held responsible for not doing so. But I have never violated the Constitution or the law of the National Assembly," Chung said.

Chung urged the governing party to return to the Assembly audit.

"The audit sessions are an important undertaking for the legislative branch to keep the executive branch in check," he said. "They are for the people, not for the political parties. The ruling party should return to the audit."

In order to bring back the Saenuri lawmakers, two opposition floor leaders  Woo Sang-ho of the Minjoo Party of Korea and Park Jie-won of the People's Party  suggested that Chung express his regret over the no-confidence motion, but the speaker made it clear that he would not.

"Although I worked hard to prevent the motion from being tabled, it was anyway. If so, my obligation is to handle it, otherwise it is a dereliction of duty," he said, adding the motion was legitimate and he has no further comment on the ruling party's claim.

Regarding the planned deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here, Chung said the government should have sought opinions from the Assembly before making any decision.

Chung also stressed the need for the government to fully communicate with the people, while making diplomatic efforts to address Chinese and Russian opposition to the system's presence on the Korean Peninsula.

"There should be no absence of democratic procedures," he said, hinting that the government needs to win legislative approval for the deployment.
A passer-by at a mall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, watches the U.S. presidential debate broadcast live on Tuesday. / Yonhap



By Ko Dong-hwan

Korean media were quick to join global media in analyzing the opening U.S. presidential debate between Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton on Tuesday (KST).

The debate, the first of three, produced a slew of reports digesting and judging what the presidential hopefuls said. Chosun Ilbo's online bureau said, "Trump and Clinton slapped each other in a volley of dissing as Clinton stung Trump who kept yelling like a needle," and Gukje News commented that "Hillary routed Trump big time." A roundtable discussion on SBS CNBC began with the line: "The debate, which was largely predicted as Hillary's easy win, had viewers on the edge by proving to be rather a tight race."

Many reports focused on the debate's record TV rating. They cited American sources as saying it attracted 84 million viewers over 13 major American channels, breaking the record held by the presidential debate between Democrat Jimmy Carter and Republican Ronald Reagan in 1980.







"I am surprised at how popular the debate was among Americans," one Korean netizen said. "The figure certainly proves the country's indomitable scale compared to us."

Others said, "Korea's demographic interest in politics must benchmark that of the U.S., because doing so will help an individual's daily life," and "I don't care who will be the next American president, as long as the newly voted one benefits Korea."

Some Koreans with an avid interest in the debate regretted that no media platforms provided Korean subtitles in real time so they could understand what the English speakers were saying.
By Yi Whan-woo





Mark Rutte

Visiting Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Wednesday that Korea and the Netherlands can benefit from each other if they collaborate to spur creativeness and innovation in their respective economies.

Speaking to young Koreans in their 20s and 30s in central Seoul, Rutte said there was no authoritarianism and hierarchical culture in his country, and that such an atmosphere helped encourage the spirits of creativity, openness and challenge among the Dutch.

He claimed that having fewer rules and regulations also facilitates creativity in the business sector.

Rutte underscored entrepreneurship and small- and medium-sized enterprises as driving forces for job creation in the Netherlands.

The meeting took place to offer Koreans a chance to learn about policies, education and other efforts by the Dutch government to support its young job seekers.

The Presidential Committee on the Younger Generation organized the meeting at the Seoul Metropolitan Library. Some 60 college and graduate school students were invited to ask questions to Rutte.

The Dutch Prime Minister has been making a return visit to Korea since Monday following President Park Geun-hye's trip to the Netherlands in March 2014. He will wrap up his visit Thursday.

On Tuesday, he held a summit with Park at Cheong Wa Dae and discussed ways to promote cooperation among the two countries on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Topics on the agenda included commerce, investment, energy and creativity-based industries, and also possible ways to denuclearize North Korea.

Park has been underscoring a "creative economy" as a model to bolster the sluggish economy and create more jobs.

Meanwhile, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding, Tuesday, to launch a working holiday program aimed at giving their younger people a chance to work and also travel in each other's country for up to one year.

The program will start on Saturday. Up to 100 people aged between 18 and 30 will be able to register for the program every year.

Korea has working holiday agreements with 21 countries, and as of 2015, over 37,800 people have taken part in the program.
Hanyang University President Lee Young-moo / Courtesy of Hanyang University



University puts greater focus on research capacity, international exchanges



By Chung Hyun-chae



Hanyang University President Lee Young-moo has committed to beefing up academic-industrial cooperation to develop technologies and transfer them to businesses.



"We are trying to put our research into as much practical use as possible," Lee told The Korea Times in a recent interview at his office on the university's campus in Seongdong-gu, Seoul.



According to the university, it earned a combined total 27.6 billion won ($25 million) over the last decade in technology transfers, which is the highest among local universities. Hanyang made 4.2 billion won by transferring technologies it developed in 2012. And the amount stood at 3.1 billion won in 2015.



"We have also made concerted efforts to attract more global companies to help our students do internships or find jobs," Lee said.



Last June, Hanyang established a research center for Arkema, a leading chemical and materials company headquartered in Colombes, France, on its campus, after signing a partnership with the firm.



This is the company's first research center opened in Korea.



"We are not just providing a place but also aiming to expand networks and enhance collaboration with the company," Lee said.





Two students majoring in chemistry conduct an experiment using nano-materials on the school's campus in Seoul. / Courtesy of Hanyang University





Hanyang has another research center for GNS, a local automobile parts supplier which has branches in the United States.



"We are sending our students to do internships at the overseas branches of GNS with all expenses covered by the university," Lee said.



According to him, the university is also discussing with an American chemical company to establish a research center on the school's other campus called ERICA in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province.



Hanyang has also been strongly supporting students' startup businesses.



The most representative program to support students' startups is the Startup Academy the university launched in 2012.



Through the program, the university has trained about 450 students over the past four years. Students had created 223 startups by the end of 2015. The number is expected to increase to more than 250 this year, according to the university.



The startups have made a combined total 85 billion won and created over 1,000 jobs.



Strong research capacity key to survival



Lee stressed that the university should have strong research capabilities to survive the intensifying competition among universities.



"Tearing down the walls between different academic fields and promoting international exchanges is the key to enhancing universities' research capacity," he said.



"In spite of a growing sense of crisis facing local universities amid the decreasing number of students due to the low birthrate and the advent of the information era, universities can play an important role in changing the world by having stronger research capabilities," Lee added.



Lee himself has continued his research work even after he became the university president in March 2015.



He and 14 other co-researchers conducted a study on hydrocarbon fuel-cell membranes with surface nanocrack coatings which was published in Nature, a world renowned science journal, in April.



It is uncommon for any university president in Korea to conduct research and publish its results in an international journal during his or her term.



Lee has also served as one of editors of the Journal of Membrane Science published by Elsevier since 2004.



In an effort to bring researchers and scholars of various fields together, Lee organizes convergence forums regularly.



The most recent forum was held on Sept. 9 under the theme of self-driving cars.



In the forum, a professor of Hanyang University School of Law gave a presentation on the legal responsibilities of self-driving cars while a researcher of the Korea Automotive Technology Institute made a speech about countermeasures for industries.



"I believe that creative ideas can emerge when experts in diverse fields share thoughts," Lee said, citing a concept called the Medici Effect which refers to a phenomenon in which talented people from different fields can create something innovative when brought together.



The concept draws on the history of wealthy Medici family that brought poets, philosophers, scientists and painters from around Europe to Florence, Italy, between the 13th and 17th centuries, which is believed to have started the Renaissance.



Such efforts to develop the creativity of professors and students are not limited to its campus. Hanyang tries to promote international exchanges with foreign universities.



"When I visited Australia, I was impressed by Australian universities' high-quality research power," Lee said. "I heard that is attributed to their active academic exchanges with foreign universities."



Hanyang began academic exchanges with the California Institute of Arts (Cal Arts), a private university specializing in visual and performing arts in the United States, last July.



"We hope our students will take part in artistic activities with Cal Arts students to boost their creativity. Engineers should be creative," Lee said.



According to him, Hanyang plans to strengthen cooperation with Cal Arts through funding from the Korea Creative Content Agency.



Aside from promoting academic exchanges among universities, Hanyang tries to attract more high-quality foreign students.



"We forged partnerships with prestigious universities in China including Peking University and Tsinghua University to create a special program to attract good Chinese students," Lee said. "We also invite children from wealthy families to help our students build networks with them."



Currently the university has 6,700 foreign students from various countries including China, Europe, the United States and Japan on its two campuses, 2,500 of whom are degree-seeking students.



Promoting social contribution



"I have a firm faith that a university should serve the community and contribute to social welfare besides playing a role of higher education institute that teaches students and conducts researches," Lee said.



He cited that some of the most prestigious universities in the world including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Stanford University that launched programs to share their knowledge with developing countries.



"I feel pity for students who are in such a difficult situation that university tuition is burden for them," Lee said.



Hanyang University, therefore, plans to offer full scholarships to freshmen who are accepted into the seven departments called Diamond 7 by meeting certain standards that the school presents.



The departments are the department of financial management, policy studies, public administration, electronic engineering, energy engineering, automotive engineering and software major.



Lee also launched a student volunteer club called the Hanyang Energy Engineering Appropriate Technology Research Team (Heart) in 2012.



The club members study the appropriate technologies and visit developing countries including the Philippines and Cambodia to provide diverse water-purifying devices that they have developed.



"I hope students discover the pleasure of helping others with their knowledge," Lee said.



Lee has also been trying to practice social contribution by himself.



He launched a social enterprise called HeptylY with six of his students who earned doctorates to develop appropriate technologies.



"We are developing a technology of blood filter to make profits and ultimately to help developing countries," Lee said.
South Korea's ruling Saenuri Party on Monday cast doubt on the neutrality of National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun after he made controversial remarks during last week's parliamentary session to sack the agricultural minister.

Last week, South Korea's opposition parties passed a motion to dismiss the Cabinet minister over alleged ethical lapses, while the ruling party boycotted the vote and walked out of the session. The Saenuri and the presidential office have argued the dismissal motion was politically motivated and had nothing to do with actual wrongdoing.

In a voice recording obtained by the Saenuri, Chung, who is originally from the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea, said the ruling party should not "ask something for free."

Political observers said the recording came after Chung unknowingly left his microphone on during the session.

"They (Saenuri) should bring up something, whether it be (the extension of the investigation on) Sewol or something else, but they are not doing it," Chung said in the recording to an unidentified person.

The Sewol ferry, which sunk on April 16, 2014, was en route to the southern resort island of Jeju from Incheon, west of Seoul, with a total of 476 passengers. Most of the 304 dead were high school students on a field trip.












By Ko You-na

Captured in a basement for 16 hours with their hands in cold water and a boss watching them all day, the 21st-centry modern slaves are peeling an endless supply of shrimps.

It is a fascinating topic worthy of Hollywood because of its shocking and appalling nature which could have a happy ending  if consumers take actions that make an impact. For now, people are in a vicious circle, and the practice is rampant in some parts of the world, especially in Thailand. Due to the slaves in Thailand, the country was the third-largest exporter of seafood in the world in 2011.

Most trapped in the shrimp industry are immigrants from neighboring countries such as Burma and Cambodia, who came hoping to earn money in a relatively wealthy country. They are mostly uneducated without any official documents, making it harder for governments to trace and help them.

When major news agencies broadcast the terrible working conditions shrimp workers face in Southeast Asia, it seemed like there would be some hope for the laborers trapped in the region. However, despite the coverage in various articles, the shackles that bound the slaves are still present.

Just letting people read about this atrocity in a few selected papers is not enough. All shrimp consumers ought to know about it and take action against it.

Steve Trent, executive director of the Environmental Justice Foundation, reported in The Guardian that 650,000 fishing industry workers were working 16 hours a day to earn only $4.

Conniving companies looking to trim production costs have started this modern slavery practice. It persists because consumers have no awareness or choice.

There still is hope, and a few movements are going on. Governments are trying to solve the problem. The Thailand is now trying to avoid criticism for the practice and being the object of international criticism. The Thai government has special units to inspect vessels and enforce the law, saying inspections for worker violations have been going on since last year.

Consumers also cannot merely stand aside. As they are interested in healthy food, which led to a significant organic market, they now should move their attention not only to what they eat but how suppliers made it.

Many countries have adopted the organic certification which is an approval of the product guaranteeing it went through natural processes and passed certain strict requirements. Suspicions and doubts of many organic food consumers have dwindled thanks to the accreditation process. Why not adopt a certification method to ensure that shrimp is free from slave labor?

The more people are interested in healthier food, the more they should be interested in a "more fit" supply chain. That means nutritional health and also moral wellbeing.

Therefore, consumers must take part of the responsibility to resolve the current problem in Thai. Consumers should actively participate in getting information about from where the shrimps come and avoid consuming any labor-enforcing products. The 21st-century slavery cannot exist for the sake of providing a "reasonable price" for customers.
By Kyung Moon Hwang

Three weeks ago Barack Obama made the first visit by an American president to the Southeast Asian country of Laos. More important was what he said there: an expression of sympathy and understanding for the unrelenting bombing campaign from America's secret dirty war during the Vietnam conflict of the 1960s and 1970s. In addition to the hundreds of thousands of civilians victimized at the time, many have been killed and maimed subsequently by leftover bombs on the ground. Obama promised to assist the effort to clear these away through a major increase in American aid.

This is part of a pattern that Obama has long demonstrated, that of treating history in a more mature, dignified manner that acknowledges American wrongdoing and tries to make amends. Needless to say, this approach has angered many Americans who hold onto a belief that their country has always been a beacon of goodness and freedom. This is frankly a juvenile, absurd, and destructive view. But the pervasiveness of such delusion can be seen in the popularity of Donald Trump, a presidential candidate who embodies the self-centeredness, ignorance, and bigotry of this form of American exceptionalism.

Such contentiousness over history is fairly common around the world, including in South Korea, as I suggested in my previous column. At heart, it is a conflict between an understanding of the past as a complicated unfolding of human experience that can enlighten views of the present, and one that sees history as a clear-cut moral struggle, informed considerably by nationalist fervor, against an enemy.

A couple of weeks ago I went to see the film, "Operation Chromite," the code name for the famed "Incheon Landing" (the Korean title of the movie) of September 1950 that dramatically turned the tide of the Korean War three months after it began. Unfortunately, it became clear quickly that this film could have been made thirty or forty years ago, during the depths of the South Korean dictatorship. Given the development of the country and its cinema since democratization in 1987, one could have expected that such a simplistically skewed portrayal of the nation's history was a thing of the past.

The movie features, in the role of General Douglas MacArthur, the Hollywood star Liam Neeson, who hams it up in a way that seems to betray a slumming approach to the task. But the film's focus is on a secret South Korean commando unit, a reorientation of the familiar tale that is to be expected, since this is a Korean movie, after all. What is objectionable is the disturbingly outdated depiction of North Koreans as faceless devils, with multiple scenes showing dozens of them being callously mowed down by South Korean gunfire without so much as a hint of acknowledgement of their humanity. Contrast this with the heart-breaking melodrama, one by one, accompanying the deaths of the South Koreans, who are shown in scenes with their family members in order to accentuate the gravity of the loss. Apparently none of the North Korean soldiers could have had parents, wives, or children.

But this is just a movie; why make such a fuss? In response, I would say, first, it has become a very popular movie. Second, this film seems to be part of a trend of considering South Korean history in ways that harken back to the Cold War era, which in turn reflects broader political and social shifts, even academic divisions.

The triumphalist view of South Korean history, which this movie forwards, often comes across as a revival of the simplistic, official historical perspective from decades ago that tried to justify the politics of the anti-communist dictatorship. State actions surrounding the Korean War, South Korea's participation in the Vietnam War, and the long succession of authoritarian governments were all legitimated in such a way.

Historical perspectives that developed in opposition to this official view have also veered sometimes into caricature and fervent nationalism, but on the whole they have demanded greater integrity and honesty in addressing the past: introspection, reflection, and admission of wrongdoing, and a general acknowledgement of historical complexities. Such a more candid and mature attitude toward history is how most of us would want our children to approach life in general, and hence this historical debate speaks ultimately to competing visions of national identity.

Many South Korean political leaders have encouraged such frank reassessment of the nation's history. In the 2000s the government even formed a "truth and reconciliation" commission to uncover the gruesome historical realities of South Korea's foundation period, including the Korean War, in order to rectify the painful injustices of the past.

This commission came to an end with the arrival of the Lee Myung-bak administration in 2008, and the current Park government has furthered the effort to gloss over the negative aspects of the country's history in order to legitimate particular features of the present. President Park's efforts last year to reach an agreement over the "Comfort Women" issue with her Japanese counterpart was an example of this. The ongoing, predictable difficulties in implementing this accord shows how unrealistic it will be to expect such frank acknowledgement of history from the Japanese when so many Korean leaders themselves cannot treat faithfully their own nation's past.

Kyung Moon Hwang is a professor in the Departments of History and East Asian Languages and Cultures, University of Southern California. He is the author of "A History of Korea  An Episodic Narrative" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2010). Check this and Prof. Hwang's other columns on http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/category/subsection_633.html.
The United States has sanctioned a Chinese company suspected of maintaining a "key illicit network supporting North Korea's weapons proliferation."



The U.S. Treasury blacklisted Dandong Hongxiang, a subsidiary of Liaoning Hongxiang Group based in northeastern China, and four of its executives, including founder Ma Xiaohong. Dandong Hongxiang is accused of acting on behalf of Korea Kwangson Banking Corporation, which has already been blacklisted by the U.S. and the United Nations for its support of Pyongyang's nuclear and missile development programs.



The U.S. Department of Justice also filed criminal charges against the company and the four executives, barring American individuals and companies from doing business with them. The department seized 25 bank accounts controlled by Dandong Hongxiang, which are alleged to be involved in money laundering.



This marks the first time that Washington has slapped sanctions on a Chinese company for ties with the reclusive regime in Pyongyang.



Strictly speaking, these are not "secondary boycott" sanctions in that the Chinese company has helped the North's nuclear development in violation of U.N. resolutions. But given that the independent sanctions represent America's strong will not to tolerate the nuclear-armed North, they can mark a watershed in Seoul's attempts to thwart Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions. The fact that Iran accepted a nuclear deal last year after lengthy negotiations due largely to those secondary boycott measures is quite suggestive to South Korea.



China's Foreign Ministry confirmed last week that Hongxiang Group was under investigation for "serious economic crimes involved in trade activities." But China allegedly opposes America's direct sanctions on its companies, raising fears that the U.S. and China might confront each other head-on if the secondary boycott sanctions go into full effect.



Beijing needs to be reminded that it should cooperate actively if sanctions are to be effective. That is why Chinese authorities must carry out U.N. sanctions faithfully by uncovering companies suspected of contributing to the North's development of weapons of mass destruction through extensive surveys.



North Korea will never fail to suffer colossal damage if China, virtually its only remaining ally, takes concrete actions to crack down on companies involved in illicit deals with the impoverished state. Certainly, this could be one of the viable options to prompt Pyongyang to give up its reckless nuclear gambling at a time when the chance of resolving the nuclear logjam through dialogue is elusive.



America's latest sanctions will give a warning message to China, which has been half-hearted to international calls for much tougher sanctions following the North's fifth nuclear test earlier this month.




Sim Yong-sik, left, a master in traditional wood craft, poses with his daughter Sim Jana in his Chung Won Academy in Bukchon, Jongno, Seoul. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul



By Kim Ji-soo



Sim Yong-sik, 64, has spent 47 years working in Korea's traditional carpentry industry. He started out working in the neighborhood carpenter's shop in Yesan, South Chungcheong Province in 1969 as a teen. He worked a full day and sometimes more  until 2 a.m.  and took only the Lunar New Year and Korean Thanksgiving Chuseok holidays off.

"My house was nearby, but I didn't go home. I wanted to and had to learn," said Yong-sik, Seoul (City Government's) Intangible Heritage No. 26, wood craftwork (somok) specializing in traditional Korean doors and windows. He liked the smell of the woods. There are largely two broad specialties in Korean traditional wood working  "daemokjang," the master artisan of carpentry in charge of the whole process of constructing a building; and somokjang, the wooden crafting required to make doors, windows and wooden furniture. Sim belongs to the somokjang where he focuses on making doors and windows according to traditional Korean style, but with more of his color. Sim is actually one of only several such cultural assets focusing on "changho" or doors and windows in carpentry nationwide.





The "sesalmun" is a basic and frequently-used design in traditional Korean houses. / Courtesy of Chung Won



He got hit every time he asked a question at by his teacher; however, now that he himself is a teacher, he doesn't use corporal punishment on his students.

Sim Jana, 34, is his daughter and apprentice, but he doesn't want the same hours he had as a student for her or for any other students he teaches. Although the process of traditional carpentry has remained largely the same, a manual process using the saw, plane and chisel, some parts can now be done more easily by the new generation, such as using computer programs to draft the design for a door or window. Thus, he believes there are new, simpler ways for the younger generation to become a master traditional Korean carpenter.

The elder Sim is part of a small but slowly growing number of traditional artisans who are passing on their craft to the next generation in the family. As carpentry is a grueling process, traditional artisans nor their children have not wholeheartedly embraced the passing on of the craft to their children.

"I always worked with my hands, and I knew I liked making something with my hands. But I strongly felt a need to identify with something mine, something our own (Korean)," his daughter said.





The "nungopjaegi" door / Courtesy of Chung Won



After studying oil painting as an undergraduate in Seoul, Jana went to the United States first to study painting and then as a book artist. Her time in the United States, oddly enough, invoked childhood memories of her father working with wood, and consequently, the need to retrace her roots. Thus, in 2012, she returned to her father's workshop in Bukchon, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Her studies were intermittently interrupted as she cared for her two children. But, she sees herself taking the test to become a legitimate apprentice under her father three years from now.

"It's scary and burdensome to think that I have to not only learn but surpass my father in this craftsmanship," she said.

At the Chung Won Korean Traditional Carpentry Academy, the father and daughter worked together seamlessly, showing the visiting reporters the basic tools, the wood and the different window and door designs they've created under the glaring light required for carpentry. The smell of wood was strong and calming; the elder Sim said most of the wood used for making windows and doors comes from Anmyeon Island in the West Coast.

"I love working with wood, especially cutting it open and letting the wood tell you its history, such as whether there has been a drought or a lot of rain. You can see life through wood," Yong-sik said.

When he was young and just starting out, he performed every phase of the work  drying the wood for two to three years, cutting it, and sawing, planing and chiseling it. Now that he has come far in his field, he can have dried wood delivered to his workshop by a large firm outside of Seoul. He has a lifetime's supply of wood for his work, he said. Ask how much that wood that would be, he answered, "I believe we could build dozens of traditional Korean hanok with it."

To Yong-sik, designing and handcrafting a window or door means recreating the heart of its inhabitant through the composition of the wood.

His most fundamental job is crafting the pieces of wood that would be used for a window or door into a frame or rib, and "weaving" them into a design that reflects the inhabitant's heart. Traditional Korean carpentry does not use metal nails, only wooden nails, if absolutely necessary.

The basic design that we can see on the windows or doors of the "hanok," or traditional house, is the "sesalmun" or the "woven" wooden ribs. There are various other designs, such as the turtle-shell shaped designs that are used for rooms of elderly people to wish them a long life and the bee-hive design for young couples to wish them a busy (and therefore prosperous) life.

"It is very mathematical work, yet it is very delicate in that each client wants a different width of the wooden ribs or of the (window or door) frames," the Sims almost simultaneously said.

Designated in 2006 by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the elder Sim is a veteran carpenter who has participated in the restoration of various palaces and temples, such as parts of Changdeok Palace, Changgyeong Palace and some 500 temples including Bulguk and Songgwang Temples. In addition to running the workshop in Seoul, he also teaches at Korea National University of Cultural Heritage in Buyeo in South Chuncheong Province, because he saw that his teachers, who were wary of sharing their mastery and taking in apprentices, ended up lonely in their old age.

"I want to share what I know widely," Yong-sik, said. At the same time, he hopes that students and future apprentices such as his daughter may be in a better position to innovate and sustainably carry on the traditional art in this day and era.

The elder Sim has spent the past 10 years traveling through India, Nepal and other places to study various door patterns. He said he has repeatedly visited a region in Kashmir just to study its door patterns.

"This exposure prompted me to think more about traditional Korean carpentry," has adding that they enabled him to dig deeper and wider. Yong-sik said that it was only several years ago that he fully understood what his craftmanship is about .

"Admittedly, that is our biggest concern, how to give it innovation and to make this artisanship sustainable in the years to come," Jana said.

Yong-sik said he is grateful, however, for the renewed interest in traditional arts and the attempts to imbue traditional craftsmanship into other products in modern Korean life.
Teresa Ost, a Mexican coordinator for the North Korea Freedom Coalition (NKFC), delivers a petition to the Chinese Embassy in Mexico City, Friday, calling on China to stop forcibly repatriating North Korean defectors to Pyongyang. / Yonhap



By Jun Ji-hye

Teresa Ost, 42, is a Mexican activist who has worked with South Korean and U.S. activists to improve North Korean human rights.

She serves as coordinator for the Washington-based North Korea Freedom Coalition (NKFC).

She is currently working on stopping China from forcibly repatriating North Korean defectors captured in Chinese territory to Pyongyang.

She told reporters in Mexico City, Saturday, that North Korean defectors' lives are at risk and once they are repatriated by China, they are detained in political prisoner camps or executed. She said Beijing should grant the defectors safe passage in cooperation with the United Nations and South Korea.

"There is no need for China to forcibly repatriate North Korean defectors to North Korea, as a number of countries including South Korea are ready to help them," she said. "China should be aware that many defectors are fleeing North Korea because it denies them basic human rights."

She also called on the North to respect the fundamental human rights of its people and allow freedoms sought by all human beings.

Ost began advocating for North Korean human rights in 2000 and coordinator for the NKFC in 2010.

On Friday, the NKFC held the annual Save North Korean Refugees Day in 24 cities of 13 countries around the world, including the United States, Canada, Finland, Germany and Mexico.

Ost held a placard that read "we are against compulsory repatriation of North Korean defectors" in Spanish in front of the Chinese Embassy in Mexico City.

She also delivered an appeal signed by NKFC Chair Suzanne Scholte as well as a petition signed by about 7,000 Mexican people to the embassy.

In the appeal, the NKFC said China signed the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol on Sept. 24, 1982.

"By signing this agreement, the People's Republic of China agreed to share international concerns and protocols for refugees," it said. "As you know the Korean family remains divided and those living under the Kim Jong-un regime in the North suffer unspeakable atrocities and crimes against humanity leading many to flee the country and become refugees."

Ost said she and the organization will do everything they can to improve the human rights situation in North Korea.

"It is important to put international pressure on China and North Korea," she said.
SK Telecom Network Technology R&D Center Senior Vice President Park Jin-hyo receives an award for the company's commitment to the development of 5G network technology at the 5G Asia Awards in Singapore, Monday local time.

/ Courtesy of SK Telecom



By Yoon Sung-won



SK Telecom has received three prizes for its fifth-generation (5G) network technologies from multiple global awards, the local telecom said Wednesday.



The nation's top mobile carrier said it was granted two prizes  Biggest Contribution to 5G R&D and Most Notable Partnership between an Operator and Solutions Provider  at the 5G Asia Awards 2016 in Singapore on Sept. 27. On the same day, the company won the Best 5G Initiative prize at the RAN World Awards 2016 in Dusseldorf, Germany.



"SK Telecom is committed to introducing even more advanced network technologies that can enhance our customers' mobile experience," said Park Jin-hyo, senior vice president of SK Telecom's Network Technology R&D Center.



The 5G Asia Awards is one of the largest telecom events in the region, organized by Informa Telecoms and Media. SK Telecom said its network technologies, dubbed cmWave 5G radio system and software-defined network (SDN)-enabled evolved packet core, won the prize in the Biggest Contribution to 5G R&D category.



In February, the telecom company under cooperation with Nokia demonstrated a wireless transmission speed of 20.5 gigabit-per-second for the first time in the world. A month ago, it demonstrated an SDN-enabled distributed core network to stabilize 5G transmission speed.



SK Telecom's collaboration with Ericsson also won another prize in the Most Notable Partnership between an Operator and Solutions Provider category.



The telecom company said it was recognized by the 3rd RAN World Awards for successfully testing new hardware and expediting 5G development.
The most important is the political order - Naira Zohrabyan (video)

During the parliamentary debates on the amendments to the Law on Remuneration of Individuals holding Public Offices, Head of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) faction, Naira Zohrabyan, said although the proposed changes are technical, there is a deep "underlying problem. We have seen that if a person has a back he remains in office, otherwise the ministry he heads is dissolved and becomes a committee. We have seen next attempt of sewing by the government where the most important is not the quality but the quantity. The coalition government formed by the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) and Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) has shown that it does not matter whether the person is a champion in swimming; the most important is the political order. This time they did not issue an order, they simply said everything should be the way we say, the lawmaker said in hers speech. Then she asked a rhetorical question: why dont the authorities want to restore justice and refuse to pay 10 percent bonuses to the employees of the State Revenue Committee (SRC)? The draft has vicious philosophy in it; everything is done for political expediency. The legislature will endorse the next sewing by the government Mr. Mirumyan, the draft you have submitted is technical but there is no guarantee that the next government will not decide to merge or dissolve ministries she said.
Two theater chains want customers to be able to enjoy a beer or cocktail at the movies. Springfield's current law complicates things, however.

Five years ago, it became illegal for family-oriented movie theaters to serve alcohol. AMC Theaters and Alamo Drafthouse teamed up on Tuesday to educate the city council about how it works in other cities.

Alamo Drafthouse is busy remodeling the former Campbell 16 theater to a 14-screen cinema eatery.

"The community's been great; they've been very welcoming over the past eight months since we've been coming to town, and very excited about what we're bringing," said John Martin of Alamo Drafthouse.

Right now, theaters in Springfield don't serve alcohol because the voter-passed city ordinance says at least 75 percent of their guests would have to be over age 21. Alamo, which is more adult-oriented, is planning to serve alcoholic drinks.

"If we need to work within that, then we will," said Martin.

Servers will take guests' food and drink orders from their seats.

"Because of the well-lit screen pushing this way, I can see everyone's faces and beautiful hairstyles and whatnot, and I'm looking to see your ID and see if you're over 21, if you're ordering a drink," said Martin.

At AMC Theaters in 24 states, alcohol is served at a separate concession-style counter, but not here in Springfield.

"Current city code restricts us from being able to do it," sid Frank Lewis of AMC Theaters.

AMC joined Alamo Drafthouse to educate city council. Both theater chains stress the lack of problems where their theaters currently serve adult beverages.

"Nowhere in America has anyone been able to find any sort of issues with any city," said Lewis.

"People are there to see movies and have a meal and be entertained," said Martin.

Though they seem unlikely allies, the theater companies are joining forces against a larger challenge.

"Because our main competitor really is America's living room; it's about: How do we get guests back off the couch and back in? It benefits both theaters," Lewis said.

So far, no proposals exist to change the city's ordinance. Alamo Drafthouse plans to open in Springfield by early spring.
The price of LITRO gas cylinders would be further reduced in the first week of November in accordance with the

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The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary

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PRESS RELEASE

Patriots Mobilizing To Make JASTA Law

Sept. 27, 2016 (EIRNS)The battle to pass the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) raged across the halls of Congress today, with LaRouche Political Action Committee (LPAC) organizers, members of the 9/11 families, and Congressional supporters of the bill putting fierce pressure on wavering members of Congress to stand firm against the White House, as well as Saudi and British blackmail. LPAC organizers spoke personally with dozens of members of the House and Senate, about the decisive strategic importance of overriding Obamas veto. The mobilization by the families caught the attention of U.S. News and World Report, which linked to the "Response to the Message of the President Accompanying His Veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act" issued by the 9/11 families, available on passJasta.org.

Reports of wavering, or outright capitulation to Anglo-Saudi pressure were fed back to LaRouche PAC activists across the country who are organizing citizens and institutions to instruct Congress that the American people insist that JASTA become law. As of this writing, LPAC is holding a national call with all interested citizens to crossfire ideas and targets until victory is won.

Despite the letters from Pentagon and Joint Chiefs of Staff against JASTA, Congressional sources told LPAC that Rep. Bob Goodlatte, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, gave a strong presentation of the case for JASTA to the full House Republican Caucus on Tuesday morning, countering arguments from Rep. William Thornberry, chair of the Armed Services Committee, who is coordinating against JASTA with Obama and the Saudis.

Republican Sen. John Cornyn, co-sponsor of the JASTA bill with Democrat Sen. Chuck Schumer, issued his own rebuttal on Tuesday to the lies coming from the Obama administration against JASTA. Including the statement that

"unless the U.S. sponsors or finances an act of international terrorism, we will not be affected by a reciprocal law passed by a foreign government."

Two of the strongest champions of JASTA and the declassification of the 28 pages on the Saudi role in 911 of the 2002 Joint Congressional Inquiry report, former Sen. Bob Graham (D) and North Carolinas Rep. Walter Jones (R) issued statements on Tuesday in support of JASTA focused on the Saudi perfidy against the U.S. which JASTA will help expose.

Sen. Grahams article in The Hill, "JASTA: Congress Should Override This Veto," told Congressmen and -women wanting more evidence of the Saudi role, to "demand the release of long withheld information," on Saudi deployments with the hijackers in Los Angeles and San Diego.

"As we look at events since 9/11, just what has the Kingdom [of Saudi Arabia] done? Has it abandoned its practice of supporting mosques and madrasas where intolerance and jihad are preached and a new generation of terrorists motivated and trained? Has it removed from its schools the textbooks which teach that all but Wahhabisists are perversions and should be exterminated? Has it stopped funding terrorist organizations outside Saudi Arabia? "The Congress is called to render a final judgment on whether Americans will have their day in court and the opportunity to make the case before a jury of their peers that Saudi Arabia was a facilitator in the murders of 9/11. Let our legal system work. Let the truth be known,"

Graham wrote.

Rep. Jones, for his part, issued a call to his fellow Congressman, to ensure that JASTA is passed into law.
PRESS RELEASE

Saudi Arabia Threatens U.S. Congress, Business, Banks

Sept. 27, 2016 (EIRNS)Agents of the bankrupt, genocidal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in and out of the Obama administration, have thrown all caution to the wind in their desperation to stop enactment of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), which will allow the truth of the Kingdoms role in organizing, financing, and deploying the 9/11 attack on the United States to finally be exposed in full. This week, Saudi agents threatened economic warfare against "even ordinary American commercial activity," and, in effect, harm to the U.S. military, should the U.S. Congress override Obamas veto of JASTA.

The Saudi Royal Family delivered the threats of economic warfare in their own name. With former Sen. Trent Lotts treacherous imprimatur, Squire Patton Boggs, registered Saudi agents, sent e-mails to every legislative aide in both chambers of Congress between yesterday and today, on behalf of "The Center for Studies and Media Affairs at the Saudi Royal Court," warning that enactment of JASTA could lead to multiplying retaliatory lawsuits against American manufacturers and banks.

Politico reported last night that this tactic has gotten at least four U.S. corporationsGE, Dow Chemical, Boeing, and Chevronto pressure Congress to kill JASTA by letting Obamas veto stand. Letters to Congress from CEOs of the companies against JASTA were extracted by Saudi threats that "their own corporate assets in the kingdom could be at risk if the law takes effect," as Politico put it. Politico quoted from a Saudi e-mail made available to it:

"Many foreign entities have long-standing, intimate relations with U.S. financial institutions that they would undoubtedly unwind, to the further detriment of the U.S. economy. American corporations with interests abroad may be at risk of retaliation, a possibility recently expressed by GE and Dow."

In an e-mail made available to EIR by one House office, the Saudi message is outraged that under JASTA, foreign governments could be sued as "aiding and abetting terrorism" for b"acts that contributeeven tangentially[!]to an act of terrorism in the United States"; likewise, American and foreign banks "that happen to process transactions for terrorists"!

Politico reports that the Saudis are spending more than $250,000 a month lobbying against JASTA alone. But White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest has never heard of the "Saudi lobby," he told an incredulous White House press corps yesterday when questioned at the briefing.

"I will say that this is the first time that Ive heard the words, Saudi lobby. Maybe that means I need to get out more, but its the first time that Ive heard it,"

Earnest stated with a straight face.

It was Defense Secretary "Nuclear Ash" Carter and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford who delivered the Saudi threats to Congress that U.S. military members would be threatened by JASTA. The duo sent coordinated letters to Rep. William Thornberry, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, protesting mightily of the potential blowback if "our partners and allies" could be sued, and not just the "state sponsors of terrorism" designated by the Bush/Obama regimes which have protected Saudi Arabiaand the British Crown.

Londons Daily Telegraph published yet another article yesterday night against JASTA, this one worried that "U.S. Anti-Terror Law Puts British Soldiers At Risk of Prosecution," along the lines of the Carter/Dunford letters.
The Wells Fargo Board of Directors is evidently hoping that well be very impressed with the punishment it has meted out to Chairman and Chief Executive John Stumpf in the wake of the banks cross-selling scandal.

Certainly the numbers are eye-catching: Stumpf will forfeit all his unvested incentive stock awards, wont get a bonus for 2016 and wont collect his $2.8-million annual salary for as long as an outside investigation continues. Put it all together, and he will be docked at least $45 million (assuming he would have received the same $4-million bonus the board had been shoveling his way, as though by autopilot, every year).

We are committed to ensuring that all aspects of the Companys business are conducted with integrity, transparency, and oversight.  Stephen Sanger, Wells Fargo lead independent director

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What the forfeiture  or clawback, as one might term it  really demonstrates, however, is how lax the standards have become for executive compensation in corporate America, and how lightly executives and directors have taken their own responsibilities of management and oversight.

Just for a start, consider that the forfeiture amounts to only about 40% of the $100 million in cash and stock compensation Stumpf collected in 2011-2015, the minimum period during which Wells Fargos abuse of its retail clients is known to have taken place. Thats not even counting the $200-million increase in market value Stumpf experienced in his Wells Fargo stockholdings during that time span, as calculated by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass).

The Wells board has come under intense pressure to show it is addressing the scandal, in which millions of bogus customer accounts were opened by its bankers in the names of existing customers and outsiders, all to meet relentless sales quotas imposed from above.

First exposed by The Times in 2013, the activity resulted in penalties and fines of $185 million imposed by federal regulators and the Los Angeles city attorneys office earlier this month. It also blew Wells Fargos reputation for integrity into smithereens, which may be costlier in the long run.

Stumpf and the bank were roundly pilloried by Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Banking Committee last week. The board imposed its punishment of Stumpf and of Carrie Tolstedt, the executive who oversaw retail banking, at an emergency meeting Tuesday, obviously anticipating another bloodletting when Stumpf appears Thursday at a hearing of the House Financial Services Committee. (Tolstedt, who hastily retired, will give up an estimated $19 million in unvested stock awards, a 2016 bonus and severance pay.)

Is this punishment enough? Some banking industry analysts, who have long admired Stumpf, seem to hope so. The monetary loss should be enough to quell the outrage of interested parties (senators, etc.) and should buy the CEO more time to deal with the ongoing scandal, wrote Brian Kleinhanzl and Michael Brown of Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, which specializes in bank stock analyses, in a flash note Tuesday.

But that may be hoping against hope. Its not a slap on the wrist, Erik Gordon, an expert in corporate governance at the University of Michigan business school, told me, but its probably not enough.

Stumpf is CEO, hes responsible for the culture at the bank, Gordon says. This was so widespread, that either Stumpf knew about it and failed to take appropriate action, or he didnt know. In either case, shareholders will want to know if Stumpf should remain as CEO.

Almost as important is the performance of the board. As we observed recently, these well-paid time servers were entirely missing in action as the misbehavior proliferated.

We are committed to ensuring that all aspects of the Companys business are conducted with integrity, transparency, and oversight, lead independent director Stephen Sanger said in a statement Tuesday announcing the clawbacks. Sanger has been a Wells Fargo director for 13 years and has collected an $338,000 in average annual pay over the last five; where has he been all that time?

The other directors, almost all of whom collect an average of more than $300,000 a year, include two former bank regulators, one of whom is the former dean of a business school; two former Cabinet secretaries; and nine corporate chief executives. Sanger is the former chairman and chief executive of General Mills.

Gordon considers their compensation not overly large for directors of a company the size of Wells Fargo, but its enough money to expect them to do their job. As he observes, that job, according to the companys proxy statement, includes overseeing the Companys reputation generally, including  oversight of customer service and complaint matters [and] matters relating to the Companys culture and its team members focus on serving customers. Thats exactly where the scandal erupted, while the board snoozed.

One remarkable aspect of the clawbacks of pay from Stumpf and Tolstedt is that theyre almost unprecedented in corporate America. Thats true even though Congress has pressured public companies at least to publish clawback standards applicable to top executives.

In 2002, Congress gave the Securities and Exchange Commission the authority to seek clawbacks on its own, Gordon observes. But thats only in cases where financial statements have to be restated as the result of misconduct. The Dodd-Frank Act required public companies to implement policies recovering pay when misconduct leads to financial restatements. But the restatement must be material, which could be a high bar, and applies only to incentive compensation such as stock options.

Its doubtful that these rules would apply to Stumpf. As a result, further action to bring him to accountability remains in the boards hands. Sangers statement leaves open the possibility that additional steps may be taken against Stumpf or other executives, but indicates that those will depend on the outside investigation.

The bottom line is that the Wells Fargo board, like almost every other board, has shown itself to be reluctant to bring the hammer down on its executives, or to live up to its own responsibilities. If the actions its taken so far are enough to quell the outrage over the banks misdeeds, that will be a relief in the corporate suite but a heavy burden for shareholders and customers. If thats the case, why would anyone invest in Wells Fargo or open an account there?

Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com.

Return to Michael Hiltziks blog.
American Apparels incoming chief executive is a lawyer with a background in mergers and acquisitions and little retail experience  yet another sign that the troubled retailer may be heading for a sale soon.

Chelsea Grayson has served as general counsel for American Apparel for nearly two years. She is stepping into a role that will be vacated Monday by Paula Schneider, the CEO brought aboard last year to turn around the companys fortunes.

Schneiders departure marks the second recent loss for the Los Angeles company, whose racy advertising and colorful fashion basics made it an industry darling before it slid into a years-long decline. Chairman Paul Charron, a former CEO of Liz Clairborne, left last month. He was succeeded by fellow board member Brad Scher, founder of consulting firm Ocean Ridge Capital Advisors.

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American Apparel is now hunting for a buyer, said two sources who were not authorized to speak publicly about the companys inner workings. Coming less than a year after it exited bankruptcy, hanging a for sale sign indicates that the company is in deep trouble and requires a quick rescue, analysts said.

Nobody expected them to put it out in the marketplace so fast, said Lloyd Greif, chief executive of investment banking firm Greif & Co. That means the company is bleeding. Its hemorrhaging.

Greif said that the chairman and CEOs exit in quick succession also signals that the board was unhappy with the turnaround efforts. Another sign of a future sale is Graysons appointment; she lacks the background to helm a retailer for long, analysts said.

Grayson is in a caretaker role, Greif said. They recognize the company is going to get acquired and whoever buys it is going to bring in their own management.

Asked about a possible sale, American Apparel said it does not comment on rumors or speculation.

As we have regularly communicated to employees, vendors and customers, we continuously evaluate strategic partnership opportunities to fuel the growth of the brand, the company said in a statement.

Los Angeles investment bank Houlihan Lokey has been hired to explore a sale, two sources said. Grocery magnate Ron Burkles Yucaipa Cos. has looked into American Apparels finances, according to Womens Wear Daily.

In the case of a sale, the two most likely types of buyers are a branding and licensing company or a private equity firm, analysts said.

In the first scenario, American Apparel would be added to a stable of other brands under a company like Iconix Brand Group (which owns Sharper Image, Ed Hardy and Candies), Sequential Brands Group (Martha Stewart, Jessica Simpson and Ellen Tracy) or Authentic Brands Group (Fredericks of Hollywood and Jones New York). Then the American Apparel brand would be licensed to other manufacturers and retailers, for a fee  meaning that shoppers may see American Apparel products sold at other retailers, rather than its own stores, and made by several companies that have inked licensing deals.

A private equity firm, one skilled with turning around distressed companies, could also swoop in. But it might hesitate to take on a company that is both in the changeable fashion business and saddled with so much baggage, analysts said.

Its a situation where the brand is stronger than the company, said Craig Johnson, a retail expert at Customer Growth Partners. The board is probably thinking that half a loaf is better than none, he said. The best possible route now is a strategic sale to a strategic buyer.

To lure a buyer, American Apparel may have to file for bankruptcy protection again, analysts said. That will allow the company to shed additional costs, such as leases to under-performing stores, to make it more attractive to suitors.

American Apparel could still try to go forward without selling, Johnson said. That would also involve closing many, if not all its stores (possibly keeping its international stores open, where the brand still has a lot of cachet). The company could focus instead on selling online and through teen-oriented retailers such as Pacific Sunwear of California (which itself was acquired by a private equity firm this month) or rue21.

It could emerge as a much smaller and healthier company, Johnson said. Then you build yourself back up.

He pointed to Tommy Hilfiger, which enjoyed its heyday in the 1990s, but later retrenched after sales flagged in the early 2000s. The company focused on its strong European business, and has recaptured some of its earlier popularity.

Already, American Apparel has been edging away from its roots as a brand that designed and made its clothing in Los Angeles. Buyers probably would move manufacturing to either a low-cost state in the U.S. or outsource production overseas.

That is, unless the dark horse candidate  founder Dov Charney  emerges as a buyer, yet again.

Charney was ousted in 2014 as chairman and CEO after an investigation uncovered allegations of misuse of company funds and inappropriate behavior with employees. Charney built up American Apparel into an internationally famous, publicly traded clothier after moving the company to Los Angeles in 1997. But at the time of his ouster, American Apparel had been losing money for years and was heavily in debt.

After getting kicked out, Charney mounted multiple attempts to seize back control. His $300-million takeover bid, submitted after after American Apparel filed for Chapter 11, was rejected by the board in January.

Is there a possibility he gets a second pass at buying it out of bankruptcy? Greif said. The answer is yes.

Follow Shan on Twitter @ByShanLi
At Experian DataLabs in San Diego, a team of scientists is thwarting bad guys with math.

A top-five U.S. credit card issuer recently dumped about 6 billion transaction records on Experian DataLabs to see if its machine-learning mathematical formulas could do a better job of rooting out credit card fraud than the banks existing system.

Experian scientists used neuro-embedding/natural language processing techniques to understand the syntax of the credit card data, computer scientist Honghao Shan said.

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Transactions with odd syntax  words out of place, if you will  popped up as potential fraud.

We thought we had figured it out and went back to them, said Eric Haller, head of Experian DataLabs. They said, How did you do that?  It turns out we reduced their false positives by half.

Making sense of the tsunami of data from connected devices and other sources is a fast-growing field. Predictive analytics  the mathematical formulas that find patterns and draw conclusions from the data  are being applied to topics as diverse as smart cities, medicine and cybersecurity.

We are going now from the monitoring era to really anticipating what is about to happen at that moment, or what will happen in the next hour or two hours so we can plan for it, said Ilkay Altintas, chief data science officer at the San Diego Supercomputer Center.

San Diego has a small cluster of data analytics firms, particularly in the sub-specialty of searching for credit card fraud.

ID Analytics, Fair Isaac Corp. (FICO), Opera Solutions, Global Analytics and Experian DataLabs are among the companies in the San Diego area applying math to big databases to uncover useful information.

Many of these analytics firms have their roots in HNC Software, which was bought by FICO in 2002 for $810 million. Several HNC executives and scientists left after the FICO acquisition to start their own firms.

There is this network from HNC that is still pervasive, said Haller, who formerly worked as chief marketing officer at HNC. Almost everybody keeps in contact with each other.

Experian, a 17,000-employee global business services firm, is best known as one of the big three consumer credit reporting companies. Haller was managing products for its credit services group in Costa Mesa about six years ago when he pitched the idea of creating an internal research lab focused on analytics.

We needed to invest in R&D, Haller said. I knew the people. I worked with them all down in San Diego.

Experian gave Hallers DataLabs experiment three years. It started with a small team and got off to a hot start. A major credit card firm hired the lab to build an analytics-based cross-sell marketing platform.

That led to other projects. The company built Extended View, which ranked the risk of lending to people with little or no credit history by looking at data such as gym memberships, rental history and magazine subscriptions.

It developed an analytics sandbox where large banks, retailers, mobile network operators and others merge their data  with the identity information removed  with Experians massive data sets.

At the three-year mark, Experian DataLabs was in the black, Haller said. It opened additional labs in Brazil and London, and it now employs 40 data scientists and engineers in San Diego. Revenue is in eight figures.

But that still is small for Experian, which generates $5 billion in annual revenue. Haller said the company wants to invest in making it grow, with a goal of pushing the envelope around data and analytics.

For example, nobody has figured out how to offer instant credit on mobile devices, Haller said. Experian DataLabs is working on that problem now, particularly convenient identity confirmation so I dont have to ask you 20 questions to confirm your authenticity, he said.

Experian has not been immune to the rash of recent data breaches. In September 2015, the company revealed that hackers had broken into an Experian computer server that contained personal information of about 15 million T-Mobile customers.

The server was part of a business unit different from Experian DataLabs, a company spokesman said.

The server contained names, addresses and encrypted Social Security numbers of T-Mobile customers who had their creditworthiness checked before signing up for wireless subscriptions or device financing. Experian and T-Mobile provided free credit monitoring to affected customers.

Although there is more data available than ever, finding ways to make money off it remains a challenge. Most business models focus on better marketing, controlling risk and improving day-to-day operations.

But there are new areas where data analytics is being applied. San Diegos CyberFlow Analytics, which was acquired last week by Webroot, taps predictive algorithms for cybersecurity.

CyberFlow uses machine learning to determine what normal traffic looks like inside a corporate network. It then flags anomalies as potential cyber threats.

According to industry research firm Gartner, 25% of large global companies will use big data analytics for security or fraud detection applications this year, up from 8% a couple of years ago.

New data sources also have fueled demand for analytics, said Bruce Hansen, a former top executive at both HNC and ID Analytics.

There is all that social data that didnt exist before. There is all this mobile cellphone data that didnt exist before, he said. And now because of computing power, everything is just getting faster and faster.

mike.freeman@sduniontribune.com

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After Wells Fargo & Co. Chief Executive and Chairman John Stumpf was grilled by members of the Senate Banking Committee last week, regulators took the stand to answer senators questions about their investigation into the banks sales practices.

But one key figure was missing from the action: Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer, whose office last year filed a lawsuit against Wells Fargo prompted by a 2013 Los Angeles Times article about the practices.

That suit drew the attention of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Those federal agencies joined with Feuer to hammer out a $185-million settlement with the San Francisco bank over allegations that thousands of its workers over several years created as many as 2 million accounts without customers authorization.

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Feuer and his wife, Gail, were in Amsterdam and Croatia on what turned out to be a poorly timed vacation, one they thought about canceling once senators called for a hearing on the banks practices. They didnt after Feuer thought better of it.

This was not going to end with a single day of hearings, he said.

Indeed, three weeks after the Sept. 8 deal was first announced, federal prosecutors and labor regulators are investigating the bank, Wells Fargo is clawing back compensation from Stumpf and a House committee hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

Feuer, 58, returned from Europe this week and on Tuesday spoke with The Times about the mushrooming scandal, the growing criticism of federal regulators and what else is on his agenda. Heres an excerpt of that conversation.

There was plenty of coverage the day of the $185-million settlement, but were you surprised by the public reaction and the amount of media coverage since then?

I knew this was a case of great significance. Ive been a legislator, and as a legislator, if I would get five or six dozen phone calls on an issue, that would be a very important issue. After we filed this case, we received more than 1,000 emails and phone calls. But what I expected was that, the week after the announcement, I would be doing a few follow-up conversations from overseas, tying up loose ends. What changed the ballgame was the decision by the Senate to hold hearings.

Were you surprised by that decision, or about how quickly the hearing was held?

I did not expect the committee would determine to do the hearings immediately. I thought it would be a week or a week and a half later. But clearly there was a moment here to be seized, and the Senate seized it. What emerged was a bipartisan consensus that the actions of Wells Fargo were in fact outrageous.

Do you regret not being on Capitol Hill for the hearing?

I thought very seriously about canceling most of the trip. But I was able to work on testimony from overseas, and I made the decision that my deputy, Jim Clark, would do a terrific job. I knew there would be a great deal of additional work to do when I returned. This was not going to end with a single day of hearings.

Congressional Republicans have been asking why it took a Times investigation and a lawsuit from your office to bring Wells Fargos practices to light  why federal bank regulators didnt catch these practices earlier. What do you make of that?

They were using us. The quality of our working relationship with the OCC and the CFPB was extraordinary, and the result that was achieved could not have been achieved without the collaboration of all three of us. Irrespective of the motivations of anyone on the Hill who might want to say otherwise, this case is an example of the best of how government operates.

Still, it put you in an awkward position. It seems like you want to be able to take credit for pushing the case forward, but you dont want to alienate the federal regulators.

I certainly want my staff to get credit for doing extraordinary work on this case. But this case is not about credit. Its about protecting consumers.

Your office gets $25 million from the Wells Fargo settlement. Any idea how you might use it?

Every nickel is going to go to the work of our office to protect consumers. Im hoping to expand our team with some additional legal staff and support staff. I want us to work on issues of sweeping consequence and have an impact throughout the state and the country.

Has this case changed how you think about your own finances or your relationship with your bank?

The short answer is no. But the broader answer is its inspired me to think carefully about the concerns consumers generally have about the institutions with which they have to interact. Theres a tremendous imbalance of power between consumers and institutions. Its made me think about broader legal principles and policy changes.

Sounds like you might be talking about mandatory consumer arbitration clauses, which seem to have helped Wells Fargo keep complaints about fraudulent accounts out of the public eye.

Youre in the bulls-eye of the one of the things I care about. Arbitration clauses and the negative effects they have on consumer rights are one of the major symptoms of this imbalance of power. If I had my druthers, these contracts that include arbitration clauses wouldnt exist.

Is that something your office might look into?

Its possible.

james.koren@latimes.com

Follow me: @jrkoren
Outraged lawmakers pressed Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet L. Yellen on Wednesday to punish Wells Fargo & Co. for creating as many as 2 millions fake accounts, but she declined to commit to any regulatory penalties.

Two million phony accounts. Break them up! Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Porter Ranch) told Yellen during her appearance before the House Financial Services Committee on the Feds regulatory responsibilities.

The hearing signaled that Wells Fargo Chief Executive John Stumpf will face another verbal assault Thursday when he testifies before the committee about the banks fake accounts and aggressive sales tactics in his second trip to Capitol Hill to address the scandal.

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Stumpf faced sharp, bipartisan criticism in a Senate Banking Committee hearing last week, including a call from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) that he resign and be criminally investigated.

The anger Wednesday from House members also could mean trouble for two federal regulators with direct oversight of Wells Fargos retail banking operations  the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency  when their officials face questions at an upcoming hearing about why they didnt stop the problems sooner.

Sherman said Wells Fargos widespread improper sales tactics indicated the giant San Francisco-based bank was too big to manage. He asked Yellen whether she would at least seriously consider breaking up Wells Fargo using the Feds authority to downsize banks that pose a risk to the financial system.

We will hold the largest [financial] organizations to exceptionally high standards of risk management, internal controls and consumer protection, she said.

After Sherman said that the Fed hasnt been able to do that with Wells Fargo, Yellen responded, We believe it is possible, even though it is extremely challenging.

When violations do occur, Yellen said that bank executives should face consequences.

I think it is very important that senior management be held accountable, she said.

Wells Fargos board took a step toward accountability Tuesday, announcing that Stumpf would forfeit about $45 million in compensation because of the improper activity that took place on his watch.

Carrie Tolstedt, the executive in charge of the division where much of the activity took place, will lose about $19 million worth of stock as well.

This month, Wells Fargo agreed to pay $185 million to settle investigations by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer into an aggressive sales culture that pushed bank employees to open as many as 2 million accounts that customers didnt authorize.

The bank has fired 5,300 employees since 2011, but Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) said senior executives needed to pay a price for the sales culture they created.

How can line-level workers be held accountable to the degree they clearly have been and yet nobody in mid-level or upper-level management seems to be taking responsibility for it, he said. I mean, they havent lost their jobs.

Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) criticized the settlement because the bank did not admit any wrongdoing.

If it didnt happen here, how we can even imagine ever that a bank might be required to take responsibility? Lynch said. It blows my mind that theyre getting away with this and theyre paying a little slap-on-the-wrist fine.

The Fed supervises the parent holding company of Wells Fargo and the largest U.S. banks. Last week, Yellen said the Fed would look into the procedures at those banks to make sure they were complying with consumer protection laws and other regulations.

Yellen recommitted to that review on Wednesday.

We are undertaking a look comprehensively, not only in the consumer area but in compliance generally, because there has been a very disturbing pattern of violations, she said. Among the areas where those have occurred are mortgages and foreign exchange trading, Yellen said.

Yellen also said shes hopeful the Fed and other financial regulators soon would finish new rules for incentive-based compensation that would try to reduce risk-taking, such as requiring large banks to defer at least half of the bonus payments to executives for four years.

Rep. Michael Capuano (D-Mass.) said Wells Fargo has faced 16 enforcement actions over the past five years, including an $85-million fine from the Fed in 2011 for mortgage lending abuses.

That fine was laughable to a bank the size of Wells Fargo, he said.

Dont you think its time the Fed does something? in light of the recent scandal, Capuano asked. How long does this stuff go on before you get outraged and take action?

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) said the enormous failure of risk management at Wells Fargo could pose a threat to the financial system.

Fraudulent retail banking practices may not, in and of themselves, pose systemic risk, but they surely indicate mismanagement that could be catastrophic in riskier and more complex divisions of a bank holding company, Waters said. Supervisors and law enforcement must continue to hold both institutions and individuals accountable.

jim.puzzanghera@latimes.com

Follow @JimPuzzanghera on Twitter

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This article originally was published at 9:25 a.m.
Wells Fargo & Co. Chief Executive John Stumpf will forfeit compensation worth about $45 million as the bank tries to appease angry lawmakers and regain the trust of customers amid the still-unfolding scandal over fake accounts.

Stumpf will give up about 910,000 shares in unvested stock awards, and will not get a bonus this year, according to a statement released late Tuesday by members of Wells Fargos board of directors.

Carrie Tolstedt, the executive in charge of the division where much of the activity took place, will give up about $19 million worth of stock.

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Also, Wells Fargos board announced it has hired a law firm to investigate the banks sales practices. Stumpf, the chairman of the board, will recuse himself from matters related to the investigation, according to the statement.

Steven Sanger, Wells Fargos lead independent director, said members of the board are deeply concerned about the banks practices and will conduct its investigation with the diligence it deserves.

Sanger also said the investigation could lead to more executives losing stock awards or even other compensation already paid.

The independent members of the board will take such other actions as they collectively deem appropriate, he said.

The decision by the board comes two days before Stumpf is expected to appear before the House Financial Services Committee.

Stumpf came under heavy criticism last week when he was grilled by the Senate Banking Committee. The San Francisco banking giant has acknowledged that thousands of bank workers opened as many as 2 million checking, saving and credit card accounts for customers without their knowledge.

The bank has agreed to pay $185 million to federal regulators and the Los Angeles City Attorneys office over the fake accounts, a practice regulators say was encouraged by an aggressive and poorly supervised sales culture.

Federal prosecutors are investigating the bank to see whether criminal charges should be filed, and the Labor Department said Tuesday that it is investigating possible labor law violations. Meanwhile, the company is facing a mounting number of lawsuits from customers, employees and shareholders, including prospective class actions seeking billions of dollars in damages.

At last weeks hearings, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) called on Stumpf to step down.

You should resign, Warren said. You should give back the money you took while this scam was going on, and you should be criminally investigated by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Warren and other senators pushed Stumpf to commit to giving back some of his pay and to claw back pay from Tolstedt.

Warren said on Wednesday that she was not satisfied with Wells Fargos small step in the right direction because it was nowhere near real accountability.

Wells employees who failed to meet managements outrageous sales goals were fired, she said. But John Stumpf is going to be just fine: He keeps his job and most of the millions of dollars he made while this massive fraud went on right under his nose.

She said Stumpf should resign.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), a member of the committee, applauded the decision by Wells Fargo but said there are still dozens of unanswered questions.

We still dont know how many customers were harmed and how long this fraud continued. We also dont know how many low-paid employees got fired for failing to meet quotas that Wells Fargo now recognizes were too high, he said.

According to Tuesdays announcement, Stumpf and the board reached a deal that calls for him to give up all of his unvested stock awards, which the company values at about $41 million, based on the $45.09 closing price of Wells Fargo shares Tuesday.

Unvested awards are those that have been granted but are paid out only after certain conditions are met, typically based on tenure and financial performance.

Stumpf will also not receive an annual bonus which, in the past, has totaled $4 million each year.

He will give up his $2.8 million annual salary during the investigation, which will cost him about $54,000 per week.

Also, Tolstedt, who announced her retirement this summer and was expected to stay with the bank through the end of the year, has left the company, the release said.

The board noted in its statement Tuesday that the actions against Tolstedt and Stumpf will not preclude additional steps being taken against them or other executives as a consequence of the information developed in the investigation.

The two executives are giving up only unvested stock awards. They each own millions of dollars worth of Wells Fargo stock outright, and Tuesdays agreement does not call for the executives to lose any of that.

Tolstedts holdings, including stock and vested stock options, amount to about $77 million. Stumpfs holdings add up to $109 million in stock, plus more than $24 million in accumulated pension and 401(k) benefits.

Jon Lukomnik, executive director of the corporate governance nonprofit Investor Responsibility Research Center Institute, said the board had little choice but to take back some pay.

Wells Fargo company policy allows the bank to revoke unvested awards from executives who are negligent or whose actions harm the banks reputation. If the board had not revoked some pay, Lukomnik said it could have given investors grounds to sue the board.

Earlier Tuesday, the Labor Department said it had launched a top-to-bottom review of how Wells Fargo treated employees as it pushed the aggressive sales quotas.

A department working group has been established to review complaints alleging failure to pay overtime and other infractions, Labor Secretary Tom Perez said.

The agency also set up a special website for current and former Wells Fargo employees to instruct them how to file complaints about labor law violations.

Warren and other senators wrote to Perez last week asking for the probe. The senators noted several civil lawsuits and other complaints by Wells Fargo workers alleging the bank failed to pay overtime for late nights and weekends spent working to meet sales quotas.

The department has received whistle-blower program complaints from Wells Fargo employees over the last five years, Perez said. The majority of cases have been concluded through settlement or other actions and some were determined to have no merit. But the department will now go back and review all open and closed cases against Wells Fargo since 2010.

Warren said she welcomed the Labor Department review but added it should be broadened.

Every other federal agency with jurisdiction in this matter should follow DOLs lead and promptly determine whether Wells Fargo and its senior executives should be prosecuted or otherwise sanctioned, she said.

james.koren@latimes.com

Follow me: @jrkoren

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8:10 a.m. Sept. 28: This article was updated with comments from Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

7:20 p.m.: This article was updated with a comment from the board, details about the Labor Department investigation and other details.

5:35 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details and background.

5 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details and background.

This article was originally published at 4:40 p.m.
After making an A-list upgrade on the Westside of L.A., actress, comedian and self-proclaimed D-list celebrity Kathy Griffin is ready to part with her old home in the Hollywood Hills.

Listed for sale at $5.495 million, the gated home has a contemporary vibe with modern chandeliers, Terrazzo marble floors and patterned wall treatments. Walls of windows and wraparound lookout decks frame views of Studio City and the iconic Hollywood Sign.

The roughly 8,000-square-foot house opens in style to a formal entry with a stone accent walls and a pair of fountains/reflecting pools  a feature that lends an elemental touch to the floor plan. Other living spaces include open-plan living and dining rooms, a glass-enclosed office, an oversized kitchen and a media room with a separate bath.

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The master suite has a fireplace and a boutique-inspired closet for a total of four bedrooms and five bathrooms. A floating concrete-and-glass staircase runs between each floor.

Outdoors, theres a covered dining area with a modern fireplace feature. Elsewhere, a cabana accompanies the saltwater swimming pool and spa.

Griffin bought the house more than a decade ago for $2.85 million, records show. She now makes her home in a 13,400-square-foot mansion in Bel-Air, which she purchased in July for $10.85 million.

Aileen Comora and Paul Lester of the Agency hold the listing.

Griffin, 55, is a veteran actress, comedian and television host whose scores of credits include the series Suddenly Susan and Dilbert. She won a pair of Emmys for her reality series Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List.

Last year she appeared on RuPauls Drag Race as a guest judge and hosted the E! Series Fashion Police.

neal.leitereg@latimes.com

Twitter: @NJLeitereg

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Being an early tech adopter meant Vibhu Norby always had the latest gadgets. Before hoverboards were all the rage, the Bay Area engineer had already ordered his own online and envisioned himself whizzing around town doing errands on two wheels.

But as with so many things ordered online, when the hoverboard arrived, it didnt live up to expectations. It was huge. And heavy. And he realized there was no way he was going to use it. Had he had a chance to see it in person, to test-drive it first, he probably wouldnt have bought it.

That experience inspired B8ta, a brick-and-mortar location his company opened in Palo Alto last year. Founded by Norby and other alumni from Nest Labs  the Google-owned company best known for Wi-Fi-connected thermostats, smoke detectors and security devices  B8ta is opening two new locations this holiday season, one in Santa Monica Place and another in Seattle.

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B8ta serves as a showroom where customers can take tech gadgets for a test-drive. The storefronts focus on gizmos that arent sold in traditional retailers and also have a Web-connectivity component, such as drones, thermostats, virtual reality gear, high-tech kitchen appliances and, yes, hoverboards.

Our main goal is to make retail relevant for consumers, and to be a powerful awareness and marketing tool for tech makers, said Norby, B8tas chief executive. If you come into our store, most of our products are not things youd find somewhere else.

Vendors who want to show their gadgets must pay to rent space. After a customer has tried out a product at a B8ta location, he or she can buy from the store or go online and buy directly from the vendor.

In Palo Alto, where B8ta launched last December, cameras tally the amount of time people spend interacting with products, staff members track how many demonstrations they run, and iPads with product information monitor customer engagement. This data is then passed along to vendors to determine whether people are buying the products after seeing it in on the shelf. B8ta and its employees do not take sales commissions.

The San Francisco company raised $19.5 million in venture capital funding and debt financing to expand to Santa Monica and Seattle.

When the Santa Monica location opens, it will be twice the size of the Palo Alto space, Norby said, and will feature a virtual reality room where customers can try on VR gear in an environment created specifically for VR experiences.

The L.A. tech scene is growing, and Santa Monica was absolutely the ideal spot, Norby said. Its a heavy tourist destination, and you have major tech campuses there like Google and Snapchat.

tracey.lien@latimes.com

Twitter: @traceylien

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A galas a gala. Who can ask for anything more?

Well, critics do all the time, and so, my emails show, do at least some concertgoers who complain of same old, same old with the annual galas that begin symphony orchestra seasons the country over. The star soloists tend to be overexposed, as does, for the most part, the commonplace repertory.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic, taking advantage of Walt Disney Concert Hall, has tried to be different. But its always a delicate balancing act. You dont want to be too different and leave the regular concertgoers feeling like they missed something special. Even so, big donors  many of whom pay thousands of dollars to also attend the gala dinner (the proceeds of which go to support the L.A. Phils admirable educational programs, including Youth Orchestra LA)  deserve something special.

Tuesday nights gala, the 13th in Disney Hall and the eighth for Music Director Gustavo Dudamel, was called Gershwin and the Jazz Age. It ended with An American in Paris, a carry-over from Dudamels 2011 Gershwin gala. There were other bits of symphonic George Gershwin and Duke Ellington, along with jazzy Leonard Bernstein. Broadway stars Brian Stokes Mitchell and Megan Hilty provided a handful of numbers from the Great American Songbook.

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All in all that should make for a breezy, non-newsworthy, good enough time. For the most part it did. Dudamel affably addressed the audience, saying that for this music he prefers to be sitting, drinking something, smoking something (cigars!).

But a couple of things did stand out, for better and for worse. For better, two young players, rather than superstars, were selected as instrumental soloists. George Li proved the dazzling got-rhythm pianist in Gershwins I Got Rhythm Variations. The orchestras recently appointed principal clarinetist, Boris Allakhverdyan, was the equally dazzling, equally got-rhythm soloist in Bernsteins Prelude, Fugue and Riffs for solo clarinet and jazz band. The L.A. Phil, close to Hollywood, cooks like few other major symphonic orchestras these days do. Thats all to be expected.

But it was the touch of Ellington that proved the evenings revelation. Dudamel led only the middle movement, Stalking Monster, of Ellingtons Night Creatures. The full three-movement score for jazz band and orchestra has been all but ignored. Ellington recorded it in 1963 with something called the Paris Symphony Orchestra. The only significant orchestra to record it on an excellent Ellington album is the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra conducted by John Mauceri.

The movement starts with a piano (Joanne Pearce Martin) walking bass that sounds like the Duke stalking a pink panther. (Henry Mancinis famous theme comes from around the same time.) The orchestra goes its own extravagant way, with crazy, fabulous jazz outbursts from violin, sax and trombone. Dudamel savored the extravagances. The L.A. Phil did everything right from the symphonic side and the jazz side.

Five years ago, balancing those sides in Gershwin gave Dudamel problems. In his American in Paris then he could be boisterous and he could be provide buoyant blues. It was either/or. But as he demonstrated with an unforgettable performance of Rhapsody in Blue at the Hollywood Bowl this summer, Dudamel now puts the two together. This American in Paris was faster, more easygoing, a better dancer, ready for stage and screen. Its time to take the video of Dudamels now dated 2011 Gershwin gala off medici.tv, Amazon Prime and wherever else it can be found, and start all over again.

Enter into this environment, Stokes Mitchell and Hilty, amplified by vast arrays of speakers of all shapes and sizes in an effort to turn the greatest modern concert into something Broadway might accept on its own grossly amplified terms. Stokes Mitchell made up for that with two impressive production numbers. The orchestral arrangement of Ellingtons Im Beginning to See the Light presented a lively mash-up that sounded like cartoon Rossini interrupted by jazz, a match made in Broadway heaven for Stokes Mitchells lightning-quick musical reflexes. He went a little over the top in Gershwins It Aint Necessarily So from Porgy and Bess, but he stunningly owned the stage.

Hiltys solos  Cole Porters Always True to You in My Fashion and Gershwins Someone to Watch Over Me  were less original, as she attempted to make every other note a long-held money note. The duets  Porters So in Love and Gershwins Lets Call the Whole Thing Off  were failed, but not unenjoyable, chemistry lessons.

A final take-away Tuesday was a preview of Nimbus, the installation of billowy clouds overhanging the escalators leading from the parking lot to the Disney lobby. For this, loudspeakers are hidden within each luminous cumulus. Rand Steiger created short music pieces, recorded by L.A. Phil players, to lift concertgoers into the realm of music. The total effect is magical.

1 / 10 L.A. Phil conductor Gustavo Dudamel, left, has fun with actors Maria Valverde and Christoph Waltz on the red carpet during the Phils opening night gala at Disney Hall on Tuesday. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 10 A group of VIP guests pose for a picture in front of Disney Hall before the L.A. Phils opening night gala performance. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 10 Composer Eric Whitacre is in the red carpet spotlight at the L.A. Phils opening night gala at Disney Hall. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 10 L.A. Philharmonic President Deborah Borda and actor Larry David mingle after the opening night gala concert. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 10 Gustavo Dudamel conducts the L.A. Phils opening night gala, Gershwin and the Jazz Age. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times ) 6 / 10 The L.A. Phils opening night gala on Tuesday featured a jazzy program. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 10 The L.A. Phils opening night gala featured Broadway singer Megan Hilty. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 10 The L.A. Phil performs during the Disney Hall opening night gala with conductor Gustavo Dudamel. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 10 Broadway singer Brian Stokes Mitchell performs at the L.A. Phils Gershwin and the Jazz Age gala. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 10 Gustavo Dudamel walks off a confetti-filled stage after the L.A. Phils opening night gala on Tuesday that included performances by Broadway singers Megan Hilty and Brian Stokes Mitchell. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

mark.swed@latimes.com
Class warfare manifests itself in a food fight with local flavor as two couples negotiate opposing financial, social and amorous agendas over dinner in the witty Mutual Philanthropy at Ensemble Studio Theatre Los Angeles in Atwater Village.

Though stressful for the characters, their confrontation plays out much to the benefit of L.A. playwright Karen Rizzos sharply observed new comedy of bad manners.

Rizzo shrewdly sets the piece in Northeast L.A.s socio-economically diverse Mount Washington neighborhood, where ruthless investment banker Charles (James MacDonald, who co-created the original storyline) and pretentious socialite Michelle (Brea Bee) play dinner hosts to talented but struggling sculptor Lee (Mark Carapezza) and hard-working breadwinner Esther (Xochitl Romero). The couples have little in common except the school their kids attend, and the initial laughs come from their awkward attempts to bridge that cultural divide. Charles overreaching boasts about his artistic bona fides and Michelles clueless patronizing are answered in equal measure by Lees hopeless impracticality and Esthers self-righteous allegiance to her humble Latina roots.

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The formulaic two-couple setup notwithstanding, Rizzos satire deepens with surprising and increasingly outrageous turns, cleverly turning the tables on each characters posturing. As less-than-noble motives emerge, their arguments are at times more pointedly on-the-nose and self-aware than plausibly realistic, but they ring hilariously true. These are people whose foibles weve encountered. Veteran director Dan Bonnells ensemble staging and pacing provide a promising launchpad for a homegrown new play that leaves us wanting to see even more of the fallout from an engagingly comic falling out.

------------

Mutual Philanthropy

Where: Ensemble Studio Theatre Los Angeles, 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles

When: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 3 and 7 p.m. Sundays (check for exceptions); ends Oct. 9

Tickets: $19.95 in advance, $28 at the door

Info: (818) 839-1197 or www.mutualphilanthropy.com

Running time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

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Go to a screening of a classic silent film and chances are it will be accompanied by a single piano player cranking out tunes influenced by ragtime, jazz and various vaudevillian sounds. But a two-day film fest in Los Angeles aims to update silent classics with a more contemporary soundtrack.

UnSilent Cinema, a series of free outdoor screenings to be held at FIGat7th downtown this week, pairs contemporary musicians with classic films by Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, among others.

Grammy-winning blues guitarist Alvin Youngblood Hart will provide accompaniment for Fatty Arbuckles 1918 western satire Out West, and electronica musician Jimmy Tamborello will score Keatons 1922 comedy short Cops.

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Its about bringing new audiences to early cinema, says David Spelman, who helped organize the festival. The musicians have written their own scores. We selected this group for their creative and emotional range of musicmaking.

The idea of scoring old films to new music is something Spelman has pursued for some time. An organizer of the New York Guitar Festival, he began commissioning musicians to compose scores to accompany classic silent films as part of the Silent Films / Live Guitars series. This year, he is bringing the idea to Los Angeles in collaboration with Martin Fleischmann of the L.A. production company Rum & Humble.

The series gives fresh attention to an often overlooked part of early film: Musical accompaniment, which often varied from theater to theater, from upright pianos to full orchestras.

Its impossible to appreciate the power and charm of silent cinema without acknowledging the contribution of the musical accompaniment, Spelman says.

The first night of screenings, on Thursday, will be guitar-centric, featuring Hart (a musician Spelman describes as ferociously creative), along with polymath guitarist Marc Ribot, who will supply a score for Chaplins The Kid, the actors unforgettable first full-length feature film as a director.

Friday will be devoted to indie sounds and electronica, with L.A. musicians such as Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Daedalus, Callie and Tamborello scoring various films, from Harry Smiths Early Abstractions, a series of animated pieces, to Chaplins One A.M., a 1916 comedy short that shows a drunken man futilely trying to move around his house.

One A.M. is particularly suited to music, says Spelman: The great Russian ballet choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky, after seeing this film, called [Chaplin] the greatest male dancer of the 20th century. Its a comic tour de force.

What would Chaplin think of seeing his films set to underground electronica?

Charlie Chaplin wrote scores for some of his films, says Spelman. I would argue that if he were alive today, hed be embracing synthesizers and samplers. He was always wanting to break new ground. He was a great modern artist in that regard.

+++

UnSilent Cinema

When: Thursday and Friday evening; pre-screening activities (happy hour and a DJ set) kick off at 5:30 p.m.; screenings at 8 p.m.

Where: Fig@7th, 735 S. Figueroa St., downtown Los Angeles

Info: artsbrookfield.com

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Find me on Twitter @cmonstah.
As millions of Americans tuned in to watch Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump square off Monday night in the first of their three scheduled presidential debates, many also turned to social media to share their thoughts on the event, including a host of celebrities.

Many of Trumps most prominent celebrity advocates were quiet Monday evening, but there were a few tweets of support for the Republican candidate, specifically from Stephen Baldwin (The Usual Suspects) and Adam Baldwin (Firefly), two actors who are, surprisingly, unrelated.

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In the absence of tweets lauding the former reality television star, Clintons celebrity supporters more than filled the Twitter void.

Here are 10 of the pithiest tweets to arise from Hollywoods debate live-tweeting.

Comedians Chelsea Peretti (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) and Billy Eichner (Difficult People) both noted that Trump appeared to be adopting a very pro-yelling debate style as the night unfolded.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour 

Meanwhile, actress Rashida Jones (Angie Tribeca) found that Trumps delivery spoke to her in a way she found deeply disconcerting after a lifetime spent in the industry.

his condescending interjections and interruptions and mansplaining are hitting the deepest part of my womanly frustration #Debates2016  Rashida Jones (@iamrashidajones) September 27, 2016

Trumps expansive answers to moderator Lester Holts questions put model Chrissy Teigen in mind of a certain iconic television character from NBCs The Office, though that probably wasnt meant as a compliment.

what we have happening right now is a classic michael scott pic.twitter.com/XAsVRIvPHQ  christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) September 27, 2016

Creator of Scandal and outspoken Clinton supporter Shonda Rhimes was impressed by Clintons composure Monday night, invoking a reference to Beyonce when describing how on point the candidate seemed.

Damn. She is in FORMATION. #Debates2016  shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) September 27, 2016

Several points of contention were raised in regards to Trump on the suggestion that he had not paid taxes on his hundreds of millions of dollars of earnings (something he suggested made him smart), in addition to the businessmans complaints about Americas failing infrastructure.

Comedian Chelsea Handler got serious with her tweet, explaining that third-world airports were funded by tax dollars, while author and National Review scribe David French got humorous with his observation that terrible airports would serve as the foundation to bridging the gap between liberals and conservatives.

Talk show host and comedian Bill Maher thought hed discovered an obvious tell to Trumps debate style concerning the candidates penchant for interruption, which he shared via tweet.

btw, you know a charge agst Trump is 100% provably true when he interrupts with "Wrong!" #debates  Bill Maher (@billmaher) September 27, 2016

But in the end, it was comedian Patton Oswalt and Hamilton star Lin-Manuel Miranda who seemed to best sum up the first presidential debate, with their observations about Trumps claims to having a good and winning temperament.

One debate down, two to go. Lets hope Hollywood stays fresh for the Town Hall debate Oct. 9.

libby.hill@latimes.com

Twitter: @midwestspitfire

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5 takeaways from the first presidential debate
Note: Five of French director Claude Chabrols later films  Betty (1992), Color of Lies (1999), Night Cap (2000), The Swindle (1997) and Torment (1994), all featuring some of Frances biggest stars of the era  screen as part of the Chabrol 5 X 5 series. Below is The Times Aug. 27, 1993, review of Betty.

A well-dressed woman with a haunted look steps almost by chance into a small Paris bar. Hours later she leaves with a man shes picked up, both of them smashed, headed for a place in Versailles he knows. Age 28, without a profession, a nonstop smoker and drinker, Betty, for that is her name, has the look of a one-woman lost generation, a wasted Piaf waif out on the town.

Although we learn a lot more about her during the course of Betty, it would be a disservice to the sensibility behind this film to say that we ever come to really understand why she acts the way she does.

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Betty, the latest work from Claude Chabrol, functions instead as a fatalistic character study. It is the kind of rigorous slice of dark and obsessive life weve come to expect from the master French director, best known for films from the 1960s such as La Femme Infidele and Le Boucher.

Chabrols austerity as a director has kept him from becoming the kind of sentimental favorite his colleague Francois Truffaut was in this country. Yet by returning again and again, as he does in this, his 45th film, to themes of repression and sexuality, Chabrol has achieved a kind of control of his material that is remarkable.

Betty, which Chabrol scripted, is taken from a novel by the same name by Georges Simenon, a writer whose unsentimental concentration on abnormal psychology is a match for Chabrols style. The combination has resulted in a decidedly odd but mostly involving two-character study  short on plot but long on the intricacies of unpredictable human behavior.

That dive in Versailles that Betty is taken to is called Le Trou (the Hole), described by proprietor Mario (Jean-Francois Garreau) as a place where all the regulars are twisted. Betty catches not only Marios attention but also that of his girlfriend, Laure (Chabrol regular Stephane Audran), a hard-drinking widow who came to the city after her husbands death and never left.

Laure, a former nurse, takes to Betty with an immediate and unsettling intensity. She procures this cipher of a woman a hotel room next to hers, draws her bath, cleans her clothes, finds her a doctor, even places her feet in cozy slippers. All she seems to want in return is Bettys alcoholic companionship.

Laure tells Betty her story, and, gradually, through an intricate series of fragmentary flashbacks and long monologues, Bettys comes out as well. The stifling bourgeois quality of her past life is carefully delineated, although, like most quasi-mysteries, Betty (Times-rated Mature) is more interesting and less schematic before we find out all the details of its protagonists troubling life.

Aside from Chabrols unadorned direction, the attraction of Betty lies in the performances by an accomplished pair of actresses. Audran is polished as usual, but the main focus is on Marie Trintignant as Betty. Trintignant, the daughter of actor Jean-Louis (who was once married to Audran), does a forceful job of creating a woman who, though all her secrets are revealed, is not much less of a mystery when this somber, unsettling film ends than when it began.

-------------

Betty

In French with English subtitles

Not rated

Running time: 1 hour, 43 minutes.

Playing: Laemmle Royal, West L.A.

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Paramount earlier this week announced that Dec. 23 would be the release date for Silence, Martin Scorseses long-gestating movie about Portuguese Jesuits on a mission to spread Christianity in Japan.

The studio will put out the film, which Scorsese began developing a quarter-century ago, in limited release right before Christmas and then widen it in January.

The move should gladden the hearts of the many fans of Scorsese, who has been working in surprising registers lately. While returning to a signature street vibe with The Departed a decade ago, hes in recent years also switchbacked to a 3-D family film in Hugo, a baroque head-trip of a thriller in Shutter Island and a cult-of-personality black comedy in The Wolf of Wall Street.

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Silence pushes him out further  aiming, by all accounts, for a meditative and spiritual vibe in keeping with his Dalai Lama exploration Kundun nearly 20 years ago.

Starring a glittery cast that includes Andrew Garfield, Liam Neeson and Adam Driver, the movie is certain to investigate larger questions of loss and religion in keeping with its source material, Shusaku Endos 1966 novel. (Scorsese began shooting the film in January 2015 and has been deep in post-production in recent months.)

But if the Silence release news makes cineastes happy, it also could make those behind competing awards contenders nervous. Scorsese has been on an Oscar streak like few others. Five of his last six films have been nominated for best picture; only Shutter Island, in 2010, didnt make the list. The Departed, of course, won picture, director, editing and adapted screenplay.

Whether Scorseses move to more ruminative territory will fly with voters remains to be seen. (Kundun wasnt nominated for best picture.)

But the goodwill for the director, and the mature questions he asks, could help make it a favorite. In a season that is seeing La La Land bring back the musical, Denzel Washington take on August Wilson and Ang Lee tackle patriotism and the military, a spiritual Scorsese is one more potent X-factor.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour 

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On Twitter: @ZeitchikLAT

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Comic book legend and Marvel mastermind Stan Lee recently took time out of his schedule to travel to Georgia to film four cameos in a single day for upcoming Marvel films.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige discussed the filming at a Q&A session that followed a Friday screening of Captain America: Civil War.

The 93-year-old Lee, who with several artists created many of comics most iconic characters, including Spider-Man, the Hulk and Iron Man, has had cameo appearances in nearly every Marvel live-action film, and neither Feige nor Lee seem interested in that trend ending any time soon.

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But neither man has any interest in attaching a generic Lee cameo to a project just to have one.

We do not shoot random ones. Theyre always very specific, Feige said during the Q&A. A couple of months ago in Atlanta, he flew down and we shot four in one day  for four various projects.

Feige continued, saying that all of the cameos were unique and awesome.

He was unbelievable, Feige said of Lee. He was on fire. He came in, he sat here, he stood there, he stood in this window, and then he went home.

Being able to plan ahead with hyper-specific cameos is likely an unintentional benefit to Marvels preplanned film schedule, already set through 2019 and including Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Thor: Ragnarok released this year and next.

All those cameos seem like a lot to ask of a man who got his start in comics in 1939, but then Lee would know better than anyone that with great power comes great responsibility.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour 

libby.hill@latimes.com

Twitter: @midwestspitfire

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Runnin down a dream: Tom Petty to be celebrated as 2017 MusiCares Person of the Year
Whether moving west down Ventura Boulevard, gliding down over Mulholland or living in Reseda with a freeway running through the yard, Tom Petty has soundtracked Southern California life for more than 40 years.

Those classic songs, including American Girl, The Waiting, Wildflowers, Free Fallin and dozens of others, will be celebrated in February when Petty receives the 2017 MusiCares Person of the Year award.

Announced Wednesday, the honor is presented by MusiCares, a Los Angeles charity that offers assistance to musicians and music professionals in need. The organization is the primary charitable arm of the Recording Academy, which presents the yearly Grammy Awards.

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Previous winners have included Carole King, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand and Bob Dylan. The 2016 Person of the Year was Lionel Richie.

Said Petty in a statement regarding the news: I am so very pleased to be honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year. I have so much respect for this organization, which really does care about the people in our industry. I myself know many people who MusiCares has aided in desperate situations. Again, let me say this is a true honor.

The applause will officially occur on Feb. 10 as part of Grammy weekend, when the MusiCares annual charity gala will bring together a few thousand monied members of the music industry to celebrate Pettys work.

The star-studded affair, which includes a silent auction of musical memorabilia, usually features once-in-a-lifetime performances, and given the breadth of Pettys California life, expect a host of peers to congregate and play music.

Got a fat wallet or a bottomless expense account? This year, organizers will be selling a limited number of $75,000 VIP tables that include access to the sound check, red carpet, meet-and-greet, pre-show auction and a fancy lounge.

For information on tickets, tables and donations, check MusiCares.

Theres a lot of terrible music out there. For tips on the stuff thats not, follow Randall Roberts on Twitter: @liledit
The Angel City Jazz Festival has always cast a wide net in its lineup, which reliably looked to transcend boundaries musical and generational. With nine performances over the next three weekends from Santa Monica to downtown, its geographic reach continues to expand as well.

Again setting aside a multi-act one-day centerpiece, the festival draws heavily from the jazz vanguard, including a saxophonist who helped forge the spiritually charged sound of free jazz in the 60s, Pharoah Sanders.

Below, what to watch for in Angel Citys fall offerings:

Friday:

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Steven Gordon Quartet, The L.A./Chicago Project

What to watch for: Gordon is a young pianist who studied at UCLA before winning this performance slot in the festivals young artist competition, but keep an ear out for our citys connection with the Windy City in a band that includes guitarist Larry Koonse, pianist Josh Nelson and saxophonist Josh Johnson, whose star has continued to rise since his Angel City performance last year.

LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., 6 p.m. Free.

Saturday

Ingrid Laubrock & Tom Rainey Duo, Vinny Golia Quartet

What to watch for: German-born saxophonist Laubrock has a rich history of collaboration with Rainey, who in addition to playing drums on her recent albums Ubatuba and the live duet Buoyancy is also her husband. Expect expressive exchanges both contentious and controlled, but always in a unique sort of harmony.

Los Angeles City College, Clausen Hall, 855 North Vermont Ave., 8 p.m. $15-$25

Sunday

Pharoah Sanders, Jose Gurria-Cardenas Gurrisonic Orchestra

What to watch for: With his unfettered contributions to John Coltranes late 60s recordings as well as albums such as 1969s Karma, Sanders helped forge a path into free jazz. Hell have a tough act to follow in the Gurrisonic Orchestra, which will deliver the U.S. premieres of Street Signs: A Love Letter to the Angel City with clarinetist Don Byron and a tribute to Ornette Colemans landmark symphonic piece Skies of America.

Ford Theater, 2580 Cahuenga Boulevard East. 6 p.m. $35-$60

Oct. 7

David Binney Trio, Steve Lehman Trio

What to Watch for: Binney and Lehman are saxophonists open to incorporating elements of electronics into their sound. A welcome newcomer to the L.A. scene after joining the faculty at CalArts, Lehman merged jazz with global hip-hop on the arresting 2016 release Selebeyone, but here brings his taut alto runs to a trio with Matt Brewer and Damion Reid.

The Edye at The Broad Stage, 1310 11th Street, Santa Monica, 8 p.m. $35

Oct. 8

Kris Davis and Craig Taborn, Julian Lage

What to watch for: A pianist with a restless approach to composition and her instrument, Davis has earned comparisons to Cecil Taylor and other high-flying improvisers. Taborn was just one of the luminaries who joined her on Duopoly, an album split between composition and improvisation with the likes of Bill Frisell, Tim Berne and Lage, who in addition to being a deft, melodic soloist, could also take a turn with Davis here.

Zipper Hall, Colburn School 200 South Grand Avenue, $15-$25 8 p.m.

Oct. 9

David Gilmore, Samuel Blaser + Gerry Hemingway Duo

What to watch for: Double-check that spellingyou will not be hearing Comfortably Numb here, but you will hear a guitarist who has backed Wayne Shorter, Uri Caine and MacArthur Grant recipient and M-Base founder Steve Coleman. Blaser and Hemingway, an evocative duo of trombone and drums, will also perform.

The Blue Whale 123 Astronaut E S Onizuka St. #301, 9 p.m. $25

Oct. 14

Extreme Bass Night

What to watch for: High notes are concerns for others in a celebration of rhythm that includes veteran L.A. improviser Steuart Liebig along with two session heavyweights in Mike Valerio and Timothy Lefebvre  heard in David Bowies jazz-tilted Blackstar band  and Miles Mosley, part of the galaxy of homegrown talent in Kamasi Washingtons group the West Coast Get Down.

The Edye at The Broad Stage 8 p.m. $35

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Oct. 15

Rudresh Mahanthappas Bird Calls, Joshua Whites Codes

An alto saxophonist capable of breathtakingly swift turns, Mahanthappa paid tribute to Charlie Parker with his 2015 album Bird Calls, which views the masters legacy as a framework to expand, explore and explode. White is a pianist steeped in classical and gospel music, a connection that will be underscored in a band that will include the inspirational sound of vocalist Dwight Trible.

Los Angeles City College, Clausen Hall $15-$25 8 p.m.

Oct. 16

Thumbscrew, Joel Harrisons Spirit House

With a bent, slippery tone that can melt within itself or churn with metallic edges, Mary Halvorson of Thumbscrew is the next great guitar hero in jazz. Joel Harrison, a guitarist whose ventures often tilt toward chamber jazz, performs in a group that includes trumpeter Cuong Vu and drummer Brian Blade.

Ann and Jerry Moss Theater, 3131 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica, $15-$25 8 p.m.

chris.barton@latimes.com

Follow me over here @chrisbarton.
Gary Glasberg, executive producer and show runner of CBS hit NCIS and the creator and executive producer of its spinoff, NCIS: New Orleans, has died. He was 50.

A statement from the network said that Glasberg, who was born in New York City, had died in his sleep. No other information was given.

Glasberg joined NCIS, which revolves around a team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, in 2009 as a co-executive producer and writer. He became its show runner in 2011. The series, which stars Mark Harmon, is the highest-rated drama in the world, and has been the most popular drama in the country for five consecutive seasons.

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In 2014, he created the successful spinoff, NCIS: New Orleans, starring Scott Bakula.

Gary was our rock, our cheerleader, our team captain, said a statement from the cast and crew of NCIS. He inspired us with his leadership, his creative instincts and keen insight. NCIS will not be the same without him, and each of us will miss his smiling face and unwavering humor, which lifted us every day.

Glasberg started his career nearly 20 years ago, working on comic books and animation projects for several companies including Warner Bros., Disney, Nickelodeon, Fox and Hanna-Barbera. His credits include Shark, The Mentalist, Crossing Jordan, The Street and Bones.

In addition to his wife and sons, Glasberg is survived by his father, Edwin, and his sister, Mindy. A memorial service is being planned for later in October.

greg.braxton@latimes.com

Twitter:@GeBraxton
A top Los Angeles Fire Department official is alleging corruption in the city inspection programs he once administered as part of a $5-million retaliation claim filed Tuesday.

Deputy Chief John Vidovich was removed from his post as fire marshal last month after a two-year tenure that was marred by disclosures about delinquent inspections and mounting criticism from the firefighters labor union.

In his legal claim, Vidovich said he was pushed out after he exposed fraud, extortion and overtime schemes among the LAFD units charged with enforcing fire safety codes for apartment houses, schools, hospitals, film shoots and other buildings.

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He pointed the finger at a group of senior inspectors who told The Times in May that, under his leadership, the bureau put the public at risk by requiring it to cut corners on safety reviews in a frantic drive to clear a massive backlog of uninspected buildings. Vidovich denied those accusations.

Vidovich said that when he took over as fire marshal in 2014, the inspection program was in disarray with those inspectors responsible for much of the backlog.

He accused them of falsifying records, engineering improper work slowdowns and manipulating a department database to prevent the inspection of vulnerable facilities such as the Veterans Administration hospital near Westwood.

Spokesmen for Mayor Eric Garcetti and the LAFD declined to comment on the allegations. Attorneys for the inspectors Vidovich accused of wrongdoing could not be reached for comment.

Last month, Fire Chief Ralph M. Terrazas reassigned Vidovich to a newly created position advising Garcetti. Aides to the mayor said they intended to use the fire marshals 35 years of experience at the LAFD to complement a drive to streamline new construction projects.

Public humiliation adversely affected his personal health and well-being.  Former Fire Marshal John Vidovichs legal claim

Vidovich said that the position was non-existent and his ouster was the result of plot to unseat him by the mayors office in exchange for an endorsement by the firefighters union in Garcettis upcoming reelection bid.

The resulting public humiliation adversely affected his personal health and well-being, according to the claim, which seeks $5 million in damages as well as legal fees and other costs.

The union that represents inspectors and other firefighters earlier this year voted to approve a resolution of no confidence in Vidovich. Before the 3,100-firefighter department decided to replace Vidovich, the union, a powerful player at City Hall, was preparing to pressure the mayor and other elected officials to remove him.

In an interview last month, the unions president, Capt. Frank Lima, praised the move but denied that it played a role in his groups endorsement of the mayor. In 2013, when Garcetti won the mayors office, the union supported his opponent, then-City Controller Wendy Greuel. Lima was not immediately available for comment Tuesday.

Vidovich, whose total compensation was about $236,000 in the last fiscal year, was previously the agencys chief of staff. If the city does not settle his claim, Vidovich is prepared to file a lawsuit suing the city, his attorney said.

His case joins a long history of disputes at the LAFD that have ended up in litigation, which have resulted in millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts over the last several decades.

ben.welsh@latimes.com

Twitter: @palewire

To read the article in Spanish, click here

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In anticipation of Halloween, the folks who run Knotts Berry Farm did a lousy thing, and mental health advocates were outraged.

Then on Tuesday afternoon, park managers reversed course and shut down an attraction. But did they do so for the right reasons?

Heres the story; you be the judge.

Ron Thomas went to Knotts last week to check out FearVR, a controversial attraction at the theme parks Scary Farm.

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You remember Ron Thomas. Hes the guy who lost his son, Kelly, a little more than five years ago. The beating of the long-suffering 37-year-old by Fullerton police officers was sad testament to the critical shortage of services for those with debilitating mental illness, the lack of police training to deal with them, and the stigma around the disease.

Knotts Berry Farm returns to the fog for Halloween Haunt 2016 

Thomas still speaks up for his son and those like him, and against those who perpetrate stereotypes. He is an advocate, and he is still Kellys father, and in both capacities he went to see what FearVR was all about, knowing it had originally been called FearVR: 5150, a reference to the code for a psychiatric commitment.

But it was sold out.

I couldnt get in, Thomas said. There were so many people waiting to get in.

Instead, he talked to people as they exited and asked them to describe FearVR. They told him they were strapped into seats as if being admitted to a hospital, and then were transported into a frightening scene of mayhem.

Virtual reality-wise youre led to believe youre in some kind of institution, Thomas said, and a patient is on the loose  and shes coming for you.

That description jibes with the one Knotts distributed before the opening.

Enter the mysterious Meadowbrook Institute and witness the abnormal case of a terrifyingly unusual patient named Katie, it said, describing the experience of being strapped to a wheelchair and coming face-to-face with the deadly chaos unraveling around you. Patients beware; it is easier to check in than out.

The whole thing sounded wildly inappropriate to Thomas, whose son was in and out of mental facilities in his years-long struggle with schizophrenia.

Its so insensitive, said Thomas, whose son called out to him for help as he was beaten by police.

Members of the Orange County chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness complained to Knotts about the attraction. Just before the premier last week, Knotts dropped 5150 from the name, explaining its decision in a note to NAMI chapter President John Leyerle.

It is never our intent to be disrespectful to any individual or group, said the unsigned note. The virtual reality experience is actually built around paranormal, zombie-like activity in a medical hospital setting. Cedar Fair [the parent company of Knotts] recognizes the perception of the experience has raised concerns around the insensitivity to the stigmas surrounding mental health. Part of the confusion stems from the use of the code 5150 in the experiences original name. For that reason, the name has been changed to FearVR.

Leyerle said he thought that was a step in the right direction, but he wasnt entirely satisfied and requested a meeting with Knotts officials. He wanted a chance to enlighten the folks at Knotts about the realities of mental illness, and explain why the exploitation and stigmatization of those afflicted is unacceptable.

But on Monday, he told me hed gotten no response.

The obvious question is this:

If it wasnt meant to be a mental institution, why was 5150 originally in the name?

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The Times published a mostly positive review of the attraction on Sept. 6, much to the chagrin of some mental health advocates. But Knotts did not immediately object to The Times story, which said Knotts and two other North American parks with the same attraction would admit visitors to a mental hospital where a psychiatric patient with demonic powers is on the loose.

Ron Thomas said changing the name, but not the content, wasnt good enough.

If it quacks and waddles, he said, its a duck.

It probably cost a small fortune to produce the attraction. So I wondered if Knotts had decided to cover its investment rather than acknowledge its blunder and shut down the attraction.

On Monday, I tried to reach Knotts officials by phone and email.

No response.

I tried again Tuesday.

No response again, until 4:27 p.m., when I got an email from Knotts PR.

At this time, it said, we have decided to close the attraction.

My first thought: Bravo!

But another line in the email made me wonder if Knotts was taking blame or pointing a finger.

Contrary to some traditional and social media accounts, the attractions story and presentation were never intended to portray mental illness.  Knotts Berry Farm public relations email

Contrary to some traditional and social media accounts, the attractions story and presentation were never intended to portray mental illness, it said.

Come on, if you made a mistake, own up to it. Or, as Ron Thomas said, if it waddles and quacks

But when I called late Tuesday and told him FearVR was being shut down, he was thrilled.

How wonderful is this? Thomas said. Theyve seen the error of their ways. Its a good story all around now.

And stories like this matter to Thomas, to me, and to so many others.

Thomas asked me, as he always does, how my friend Nathaniel is doing.

OK, I told him, but the struggles do not end for someone with schizophrenia. Theres progress, then a fall. Hope follows worry; the cycle repeats.

I visit Nathaniel once a week or so at a local institution, and my heart breaks every time I walk onto his ward. I see someones sons and daughters tormented by something beyond their control, through no fault of their own. Theres fear and courage in every one of them, along with hope that better days might be ahead.

They deserve our understanding, compassion and support.

I hope Knotts really has seen the light, and that others will take heed.

Get more of Steve Lopezs work and follow him on Twitter @LATstevelopez

To read the article in Spanish, click here

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Lilly Diaz was in second grade when she first stepped onto the campus of USC for a Halloween carnival organized by undergraduates. By the time she returned to the campus as a freshman this fall, she found nothing especially scary about it.

By then, the campus felt like a second home  for her and 29 other graduates of Foshay Learning Center who have enrolled as first-time students at the selective university.

I feel like I belong, Diaz said this week after a morning of classes and just before her trombone practice with the marching band.

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Foshay, located in a hardscrabble neighborhood less than a mile west of the university campus, sent more students to USC this fall than any other public or private high school.

We are connecting with the surrounding community and building a pipeline to USC for students.  Timothy Brunold, dean of admissions at USC

The accomplishment is major and no flash in the pan. Its the product of a collaboration between the school and the university that has lasted more than 25 years.

Thats one of the great stories of USC, said Timothy Brunold, dean of admissions. We are connecting with the surrounding community and building a pipeline to USC for students, especially those who are the first in their family to attend college.

Diaz, 18, fits that description. Her parents emigrated from El Salvador. Her father, who works as a valet, finished high school in his native country; her mother, a custodian and stock clerk, left elementary school early to help out at home.

Both parents wanted more for their daughter. They were thrilled when Diazs fifth-grade teacher encouraged the quiet, studious girl to apply for a spot in USCs Neighborhood Academic Initiative, a seven-year, college-aimed enrichment program.

Foshay, which runs from kindergarten through 12th grade, is a perfect fit: Students in the program get to progress from year to year without ever changing schools.

Diaz early on switched elementary schools three times as her single mother moved around for work. But after she started at Foshay in sixth grade, she stayed put  even when her mother moved to Virginia with Diazs three younger siblings. Everyone agreed that Diaz needed to stick with the program, so she moved in with her father, who lives near Foshay and USC.

At stake was a superlative high school education and a free ride  worth about $70,000 a year  if Diaz made it into USC.

We understood that her mom had to leave, but we were always here, Foshay Assistant Principal Yolanda McCoy said.

About 115 sixth-graders  three classrooms  enter the program annually at Foshay. By high school, that group usually is whittled down, through attrition or competition, to about 70.

Students in the program must maintain at least a C average, and families must commit to extra academics and enrichment during and beyond school hours. Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., high school classes take place at USC.

The experience of being on campus Monday through Friday is critical to the success of the program, said Michael Laska, a math teacher who has been at Foshay for 28 years.

Diaz quickly took to it.

It was exciting just to be in a college classroom and youre only 11 or 12 years old, she said. I didnt feel anxiety or nervousness because I was surrounded with students of my background. I got to be with my friends.

Summer school is mandatory, as is Saturday school 20 weeks a year. Students take tough courses such as calculus. Parents must attend workshops on topics including planning for college and communicating with teachers.

Even students who leave the program are expected to graduate, and many go to other top universities. In Diazs class, 56 made it all the way through. The rules required all of them to apply to USC. Diaz was one of 21 who got in, and 19 of them enrolled. (The two others chose Harvard and Wesleyan.) Eleven others who came out of the program at Foshay transferred into USC this year after completing one or two years elsewhere.

A driving principle of the program is that USC will not lower its standards. Instead, the college commits to helping the Foshay students raise themselves up. Foshay became USCs top feeder campus even as the university reported that it had admitted only 17% of applicants, its most selective enrollment. Among the 3,068 freshman, 610 students had perfect grade point averages and the average unweighted GPA was 3.75.

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At the same time, 13% are first-generation college students. Foshay is crucial to the schools diversity. Overall, USCs freshman class is 41% white, 20% Asian, 14% international, 13% Latino, 6% multiethnic and 5% black.

Foshay, by contrast, is 80% Latino and otherwise mostly black. About 93% of its students are from low-income families.

USC has always had a complex relationship with its surrounding neighborhoods  sometimes shining like a beacon, at other times seeming more like an island or a fortress attempting to wall itself in. USC security roams just far enough into the higher-crime environs to offer a buffer of protection to the campus and the adjacent streets where many students live.

But the college has made a real commitment to Foshay and other nearby schools. At Foshay, the help goes beyond the program. All the schools students benefit from guest teachers, after-school tutoring and elementary-school reading buddies.

Foshay also does not leave all the heavy lifting to USC. The school has four themed academies and a faculty that is known for remaining in place for decades. Its robotics teams have won prestigious competitions. Its jazz band, in which Diaz performed, raised funds to travel to Paris.

This month brought a reminder of Foshays challenging environment. Foshay graduate Carlos Segovia-Lopez, 19, was shot and killed while sitting in his car blocks from the school. Hed completed the USC program and then decided to join the Marines. Foshay counselor Michael Hooks recalled his desire to help the homeless.

USC has recently expanded its initiative to several schools in East Los Angeles. The budget, funded by USC and donors, is $1.6 million but will need to grow to match the increasing ambitions.

This program changes the question from Am I going to college? Can I go to college? to Which college am I going to go to? said Kim Thomas-Barrios, executive director of USC Educational Partnerships. They have this wonderful problem.

howard.blume@latimes.com

Twitter: @howardblume

To read the article in Spanish, click here

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The shooting of an African American man by El Cajon police Tuesday has sparked protests and also questions about the amount of information released by authorities.

Q: Is there a videotape of the shooting?

Yes. Police Chief Jeff Davis said a witness voluntarily gave police a tape showing the shooting. Davis agreed to release a still photo from the footage but has declined to release the entire video, saying the investigation was ongoing.

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He said new San Diego County protocol embargoes footage of officer-involved shootings until the District Attorneys Office investigates them.

Were the officers wearing body cameras?

El Cajon police officers are not equipped with body-worn cameras. The department recently completed a pilot program and ordered some cameras but officers have not yet been equipped, Lt. Rob Ransweiler said.

What does the still photo released show?

Davis said officers fired on the man after he clasped both his hands with an object inside and pointed at officers in a shooting stance. The photo shows the man with his hands together, his arms pointed toward one of the officers. Police have not said what the object was.

What is the general rule with police releasing videos?

Police departments have generally said they dont plan to release videos of incidents taken from police body cameras and car cameras, citing privacy and other issues. But in two recent high-profile cases, police departments agreed to release these videos  in Charlotte, N.C., last week and in Fresno this summer.

In the Fresno case, police had come under criticism in the fatal shooting of an unarmed 19-year-old man. Chief Jerry Dyer said he took the unusual step of releasing the video to show the public what happened.

Law enforcement agencies have welcomed cameras affixed to officers and inside patrol cars. Yet many departments oppose making their videos public, citing the privacy of officers and victims.

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck has said he did not expect to disclose footage in the majority of cases.

Civil rights groups have demanded that such videos regularly be released to the public.

 El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis urged the public to let the investigation unfold before making any judgments about the shooting.

What exactly led to the confrontation in El Cajon?

Police received several reports of a man acting erratically and walking in traffic along a strip mall on Broadway near Mollison Avenue shortly after 2 p.m.

A woman who called police mentioned her brother was mentally ill, Davis said, adding that police were investigating that statement.

Two officers found the man behind Los Panchos taco shop on Broadway, near an apartment building and the Broadway Village Shopping Center.

Davis said the man failed to comply with multiple instructions from an officer and concealed a hand in a pocket of his pants. The officer brandished a gun and continued to give the man commands.

A second officer got there and brandished a stun gun.

At one point the man took out an object from the front pocket of his pants, grasped it with both hands, and extended it rapidly toward the officers as he stood in a position that suggested he would shoot, Davis said.

One officer fired the stun gun as the other fired the handgun, Davis said.

Do people dispute the police account?

Yes. Protesters  including family members of the victim  say the man was mentally ill and posed no threat to the officers.

Some people said they saw the man with his hands in the air, a claim police later disputed.

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A jury on Wednesday acquitted a former Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy of federal charges that he helped cover up the beating of a visitor to a county jail, but the panel deadlocked over whether the lawman lied to investigators about the incident.

The verdict marks a rare loss for the U.S. attorneys office in Los Angeles, which has won a string of abuse and obstruction cases against deputies and higher-ranking sheriffs officials following an FBI investigation into county jails.

Byron Dredd, 33, faced two counts of wrongdoing that arose from allegations he had conspired with the deputies involved in the beating to fabricate reports that placed the blame on the victim. A third charge indicated he lied about the incident to FBI agents during an interview. Dredd himself was not accused of taking part in the beating.

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After deliberating for three days, the jury found Dredd not guilty of the conspiracy charge and of writing a false report. However, jurors were deadlocked on the lying allegation.

U.S. District Judge George King gave prosecutors in the case until Monday to decide whether they would retry Dredd on the undecided charge.

The accusations against Dredd arise from the February 2011 beating of Gabriel Carrillo, who had come with his then-girlfriend and grandmother to visit his brother, an inmate in the countys main jail facility.

Carrillo and his girlfriend were handcuffed and taken into custody after deputies said they found them carrying cellphones, which is against state law. After Carrillo reportedly mouthed off repeatedly to the deputies in a secluded room, he was punched, kicked and pepper-sprayed in the face.

After the beating, which left Carrillo bloody and bruised, the deputies and their supervisor claimed in reports that when one of Carrillos hands was uncuffed for fingerprinting, he attacked deputies and tried to escape.

Based on those reports, Carrillo was brought up on criminal charges. After Carrillos attorney brought to light photographs showing injuries to both of Carrillos wrists, corroborating his assertion that he was handcuffed during the beating, prosecutors from the county district attorneys office dropped the charges.

In June, two deputies, Sussie Ayala and Fernando Luviano, along with Eric Gonzalez, their supervisor at the jail visitor center, were convicted of the beating and cover-up.

Dredd claimed to have seen parts of the incident through a small window that looked into the room from a hallway.

At his trial last week, prosecutors zeroed in on the report Dredd submitted about the incident, showing jurors how it mirrored the reports from the other deputies.

What actually happened and what the defendant claims he saw  are two completely different things, Assistant U.S. Atty. Saurish Appleby-Bhattacharjee said in his opening statement to jurors.

But Dredds attorney worked to portray the deputy as a victim himself, saying he had caught only glimpses of the beating through the window. Gonzalez, the sergeant, then browbeat the young and impressionable Dredd into believing the beating occurred as he claimed, attorney Nina Marino argued.

Byron Dredd is not a liar, Marino told jurors. He made a mistake.

joel.rubin@latimes.com

Follow @joelrubin on Twitter

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The Federal Aviation Administration announced Tuesday that it would investigate Santa Monicas so-called starvation strategy that could close the citys embattled airport within two years.

It also issued a sharply worded warning for the city to put the brakes on the pending eviction of two airport businesses, a move some see as the first steps in Santa Monicas plan.

Santa Monica officials have told Atlantic Aviation and American Flyers, two major tenants that provide a variety of aircraft services, to leave by Oct. 15.

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The FAA strongly recommends that the city withdraw the notices to vacate until such a time as this matter can be resolved, the agency said.

FAA officials said they also plan to scrutinize the citys airport leasing policy, a proposal to limit fuel sales and efforts to reduce jet operations until federal courts rule on whether the airport can be shut down, .

These actions may be causing, and appear intended to cause, impairment of the airport, including, but not limited to, a de facto closure of the airport in violation of applicable law, the agency said in a notification to the city.

The FAA has given the city 10 days to respond to a federal subpoena for documents and information related to its airport policies.

This is an overreach by the FAA, Santa Monica Mayor Tony Vazquez said. Our priority is putting the community first and exercising our rights as owner and operator of the airport. Now the FAA is clearly on a fishing expedition to protect Washington special interests who fear losing corporate profits.

Once used by Douglas Aircraft Co., the 227-acre airport is now home to about 270 aircraft, from small Cessna propeller planes to large Gulfstream business jets. The facility serves as a reliever airport for Los Angeles International Airport and handles an average of 452 takeoffs and landings daily.

The FAA is clearly on a fishing expedition to protect Washington special interests who fear losing corporate profits.  Tony Vazquez, Santa Monica Mayor

City officials and anti-airport activists say they want to close the facility because of noise, potentially harmful air pollution and the risk that an aircraft, particularly a large corporate jet, could crash into nearby neighborhoods.

Airport supporters assert that the facility is an important transportation asset and provides an estimated 1,500 jobs as well as $247 million in economic benefits to the community. Based on accident rates, they say, the airport is safer than other comparable airports in Southern California.

The FAA said it would look into the airports leasing policy that has resulted in the city entering leases with non-aeronautical activities while denying them to aviation uses.

Another target is a recent City Council decision to shut down the airport no later than July 1, 2018, if legally permitted. The city has sued in federal court in an attempt to overturn FAA requirements to keep the facility open.

We welcome the FAAs investigation of the citys management of the airport.  Dave Hopkins, vice president of the Santa Monica Airport Assn.,

Atlantic Aviation and American Flyers, which were refused new leases, provide a range of aviation services, including aircraft storage, flight training, maintenance, facilities for charter flights and the sale of conventional fuels for jets and propeller planes.

The city wants to replace them with an exclusive city-run operation that would sell unleaded aviation gas and biofuel instead of standard jet fuel and leaded gas.

The FAA contends that the citys actions might violate various federal agreements that require the airport to remain open and made available to the public on reasonable terms and without unjust discrimination to all types of aircraft and aeronautical activities.

Rules related to the acceptance of federal airport improvement grants require the airport to remain in operation at least until 2023.

When the airport was transferred back to Santa Monica in 1948 after its use by the U.S. military during World War II, the city agreed to keep it open in perpetuity or its operation could revert back to the federal government.

Santa Monica officials say that as the airports proprietor and operator, the city has a legal right to protect the health, safety and welfare of the environment and local residents. Any contractual agreements with the federal government, the city contends, do not nullify that right.

City officials also contend that FAA regulations give the them the power to create exclusive city-run aviation businesses and to evict tenants.

FAA officials declined to comment on the investigation or their options if violations are found.

In an earlier warning letter, a top ranking agency official told the city that the FAA is prepared to pursue all legal remedies at its disposal if the City Council takes concrete actions to restrict leases or operations without complying with applicable federal law.

Aviation attorneys said the FAA could issue an agency order stopping the evictions and prohibiting the city from implementing its closure policies. Such an order could be enforced in federal court, they said.

We welcome the FAAs investigation of the citys management of the airport, said Dave Hopkins, vice president of the Santa Monica Airport Assn., which is fighting to keep the airport open. He noted that there have been four federal complaints against the city alleging a common theme of mismanagement and the misappropriation of airport funds.

Three of the complaints, brought by airport tenants and national aviation organizations, are pending before the FAA. In the fourth, the FAA ruled that the airport must remain open at least until 2023. The city has appealed the ruling in federal court.

dan.weikel@latimes.com
Daniele Struppa is a mountain climber, a professor who explores Renaissance paintings and a father who talks to his 12-year-old about antibiotics and atoms.

And on Friday, Chapman University will officially welcome the mathematician as its 13th president.



For the record: An earlier version of this article said the science building that Chapman University is constructing would cost $140 million. The cost is $130 million.

Struppa said he will challenge himself to create a place where marvel and wonder is sustained. I think its so special to find engaged learners who have the ability to keep asking questions. Look into the mind of a child  its a beautiful thing.

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A former Chapman chancellor and provost, Struppas ascension coincides with the schools jump to No. 6 in its regional category in the 2017 edition of Americas Best Colleges published by U.S. News & World Report.

Outgoing President James Doti said that two and a half years ago, when he decided he would retire at 70, he suggested to the Board of Trustees that Struppa, 61, should be his successor. They eventually took the idea to the faculty for a vote.

So many colleges and universities bring in an outsider when they dont know if that person really understands the culture and ethos. They take a big risk, Doti said. But when you promote an internal candidate, its saying that you respect those inside your organization  that youre building an environment where people can move forward.

He said he likes Struppas sense of humor, his candor and the fact that he continues to teach while juggling so many responsibilities.

Struppa, born in Milan of Sicilian ancestry, is a graduate of the University of Milan and later earned his doctorate at the University of Maryland in College Park. He has four children, ages 9 to 31. A prolific author, hes written a book on fundraising and scaled mountains in Europe, Africa and South America.

He describes mathematics as not something just for a few nerds. It has depth.

Struppa said that in the last few years Chapman has made strides in the study of health sciences, with a separate campus in Irvine that houses the universitys School of Pharmacy, a doctoral program in physical therapy and a physicians assistant program. The university is constructing a $130-million science building on the northeast side of the main Orange campus, which at 140,000 square feet would make it the largest structure at Chapman.

Doti credits Struppa with recruiting Vernon L. Smith, a Nobel laureate in economics, to Chapman along with Yakir Aharonov, a National Medal of Science winner in physics.

Weve gone from a small liberal arts college to a well-recognized regional school. He can bring us to the next rung where well be considered a significant national university along the same lines of a Tufts, a Tulane or a Vanderbilt, Doti said.

Annabell Liao, the student body president, said she appreciates Struppas role in launching Chapmans Diversity Project, a volunteer initiative uniting students, staff, faculty, administrators and trustees for dialogue on equity and inclusion on campus.

It makes a big difference when you have an outlet to talk about these things, said Liao, a senior majoring in creative producing. She said a cross-cultural center would open on the Chapman campus in spring.

When he and other leaders say they want to have a student-centered university, they are acting on their goals, Liao said.

anh.do@latimes.com

Twitter: @newsterrier
A married couple who were outside their Orinda home assumed it was a prank when two men in Halloween masks demanded their cash, but they learned it was real when they were pistol-whipped and shot, police said.

Carol Brown and her husband, Tom Spalding, were followed driving from the grocery store Monday night to their home east of Berkeley, police said.

As the couple unloaded their car, two men in Halloween masks walked up to them and told them to give it up, the couples son, Micah Spalding, told KGO.

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My parents werent taking it seriously at first because they didnt expect it. They thought it was me joking around or something, Spalding said. Once they saw the guns, they realized it was real.

My parents werent taking it seriously at first because they didnt expect it. They thought it was me joking around or something,  Micah Spalding, the couples son

Spalding said one of the men was wearing a pig-snout mask. He did not describe what type of mask the second gunman was wearing.

After the men pulled their guns, Tom Spalding said he handed over his wallet and was pistol-whipped in the head.

Meanwhile, Carol still thought it was a joke and was fighting to keep her purse, which had her brand-new phone in it and all her vacation photos on it. So the guy shot her twice, he told KGO.

Brown was struck in the pelvis and arm but is expected to survive, KGO reported. The men escaped while Browns husband ran inside to call police and her son ran outside to see what had happened.

Orinda police Chief Mark Nagel told reporters the couple may have been followed from the grocery store or perhaps even earlier.

Whether youre in a parking lot at the BART station, or any shopping area, anyone can be a victim, Nagel said. Its important to always look around and see whats around you.

Joseph.serna@latimes.com

For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter.

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After a kidnapped Denise Huskins turned up in Huntington Beach in March 2015, police in Vallejo cast her disappearance as a hoax, saying it appeared to be part of an orchestrated event.

On Thursday, a Harvard-educated attorney pleaded guilty to the kidnapping, closing a chapter in a bizarre case that turned its harsh glare first on the victim and then on the Northern California police department.

Matthew Muller, 39, of South Lake Tahoe previously pleaded not guilty to a kidnapping charge for the March 23, 2015, incident. He abducted Denise Huskins for two days and demanded a $15,000 ransom for her, prosecutors said. Muller faces up to life in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to acting U.S. Atty. Phillip A. Talbert.

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Muller committed a serious and violent crime that terrorized the victims in this case, Talbert said in a statement. He violated the sanctity of their home and caused fear and panic for all those affected by the kidnapping.

Mullers attorney, Tom Johnson, spoke of how the case affected many, including Aaron Quinn, Huskins boyfriend, who was questioned in her disappearance.

Its a day that is also difficult not just for that family [Muller family], but also for the Huskins family, the Quinn family, because today recognized that that happened. That she was in fact kidnapped, Johnson said.

Federal prosecutors asked the judge to review Mullers plea change after finding evidence that Muller has had mental health problems and is medicated, according to court documents. Prosecutors asked U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to investigate Mullers mental condition. In a sworn federal affidavit last year, Muller told investigators that he suffered from psychosis and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2008.

Muller is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 19.

During the proceeding, the judge asked Muller what kind of medications he was currently taking. Muller said he received mood stabilizers, antidepressants and an antipsychotic. But he said he understood what was going on. When the judge asked how he pleaded, Muller said: Guilty, your honor.

As part of the plea, the government agreed not to ask the court to sentence Muller to more than 40 years in prison, prosecutors said.

Muller is accused of entering Huskins and her boyfriends home on Mare Island and drugging them. Using a stun gun and firearm, he ordered the couple to lie down as he blindfolded them and gave them a sleep-inducing liquid, prosecutors said. Muller issued his commands via prerecorded messages and threatened to use electric shock if the pair didnt comply.

Quinn was given a muscle relaxant and Nyquil and warned that he was being watched, according to the affidavit. His eyes were covered with swim goggles, and headphones were placed over his ears. Muller then placed Huskins in the trunk of the couples car and drove to his South Lake Tahoe home, where he kept her there under his control for two days, blindfolded and bound, prosecutors said.

As police investigated Huskins disappearance, Quinn voluntarily provided blood samples. He also provided passwords so that authorities could check his email activity.

While he was holding Huskins captive, Muller sent Quinn emails demanding ransom, which was never paid, prosecutors said. He also sent emails to a reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle, alleging that the abduction was committed by an elite group of criminals who were trying to perfect their kidnapping-for-ransom tactics.

The anonymous emailer wrote: The Mare Island kidnapping was a training mission to test means and methods that would be used on higher net worth targets We fancied ourselves a sort of Oceans Eleven, gentlemen criminals who only took stuff that was insured from people who could afford it.

Two days later, Huskins was dropped off at her familys home in Huntington Beach.

Evidence gathered from a June 5, 2015, home-invasion robbery helped authorities link Muller to the kidnapping.

Muller was once an immigration attorney at a San Francisco law firm and a decorated Marine. He was disbarred in 2015 after he filed for bankruptcy, and was accused of failing to refund a client $1,250 when a court decided he had failed to competently represent the client.

Authorities arranged a flight for Huskins to Northern California to interview her. But she did not get on the plane, and Vallejo police grew suspicious. The couples attorneys insisted the kidnapping was real. Four months later, the FBI announced that Muller was Huskins kidnapper.

Huskins and Quinn have filed a federal lawsuit, saying because of the Police Departments allegations that her kidnapping was bogus, they were forced to move out of town and their reputations were tarnished. In July, the Police Department said in court documents that the kidnapping instilled great fear within the Vallejo community and asked a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit.

In court documents, retired Police Capt. James OConnell said Huskins, who emerged wearing sunglasses and carrying luggage, did not act like a kidnapping victim.

As she walked out of the courtroom, Quinns mother said she was pleased with the plea agreement, calling it stronger than I expected, though she said her son and Huskins still believe there was more than one kidnapper.

She had sharp words for Vallejo police, saying, There wont be real justice until the people who botched up this investigation are held accountable.

Steve Reed, who said he has known Muller since he was a baby, described the strain on Mullers parents.

They are people that have given in the community all these years Good, solid people. Good citizens, proud of their son, he said. And then something like this comes out of the blue Their whole life is upside down. I think theres going to be a sense of relief when its over.

brittny.mejia@latimes.com

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

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UPDATES:

1:55 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from family and friends.

12:25 p.m.: This article was updated with details about the case.

Sept. 29, 11 a.m.: This article was updated with Matthew Muller pleading guilty.

This article was originally published at 4:15 p.m., Sept. 28.
Just moments after an African American man was shot and killed by El Cajon police Tuesday, his sister was captured in an eyewitness video as she wept and screamed at officers, saying she told authorities her brother was mentally ill.

In the video posted on YouTube (some explicit language), the mans sister said she told officers he was sick and needed help. She said she called police three times but instead should have called a crisis communication team.

Dont you guys have a crisis communication team to talk to somebody mentally sick? she asked an officer.

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Why couldnt you tase him? she asked officers. Why, why, why, why?

At one point, the woman yelled, Oh, my God, you killed my brother! several times.

I called for help. I didnt call you guys to kill him, she told officers as she shrieked.

 El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis urged the public to let the investigation unfold before making any judgments about the shooting.

Amid outrage and protests over the death of the man  identified as Alfred Okwera Olango  El Cajons mayor vowed a full investigation and said the FBI has joined the probe of the incident.

The most important thing to take away from this meeting today is a tragedy occurred In El Cajon yesterday. We lost a life. Nobody wants to see the loss of a life, Mayor Bill Wells said at a Wednesday afternoon press conference. The family is devastated. The person who lost his life is devastated. Even the police officers involved in the shooting are devastated, and certainly the community is devastated.

Wells also spoke of the death in personal terms. I saw a man who was distraught, a man who was acting out like he was in great pain. I saw him get gunned down and killed. If it was my son, I would be devastated.

Relatives had given Olangos age as 30, but in confirming his identity Wednesday, police gave a birth date that put his age at 38.

Police Chief Jeff Davis on Tuesday urged the public to let the investigation unfold before making any judgments about the shooting.

Now is the time for calm, he said. Now is the time to allow the investigation to shed light on this event and we plan to be open and transparent within the rules of the law.

Davis said Olangos sister called police and indicated that her brother was not acting like himself. He had allegedly been walking in traffic in the 800 block of Broadway before a pair of officers arrived at 2:11 p.m. Tuesday and found him behind a restaurant, Davis said.

He ignored multiple instructions from an officer and concealed his hand in his pants pockets, Davis said. Olango paced back and forth as the officers talked to him, then rapidly drew an object from his front pants pockets, placed both hands together on it and extended it rapidly toward [one] officer, taking what appeared to be a shooting stance, the chief said.

Olango, he said, pointed the object at the officers face. Police said Wednesday evening that the object was a vape smoking device, which officers have recovered.

The vape has an allsilver cylinder that is approximately 1 diameter and 3 long that was pointed toward the officer, police said in a statement.

At that point, the other officer fired a Taser and the officer who had the object pointed at him fired his handgun, striking Olango. Davis declined to say the number of shots that were fired. No firearm was found at the scene.

After the shooting, officers provided first aid until paramedics arrived and took Olango to a hospital.

A witness to the incident made a cellphone video, which was voluntarily turned over to police. The department has so far declined to release the video to the public.

A Facebook page for Alfred Olango identifies him as a head cook at a Hooters restaurant and that he is originally from Uganda. It says he went to San Diego High School and studied at San Diego Mesa College.

Hours after the shooting, protests erupted in the San Diego County city, with friends of the mans family saying he suffers from a mental illness and did not pose a threat to the officers.

Most of the demonstrators voiced concerns that the shooting was racially motivated.

By 1 p.m. Wednesday, a crowd of roughly 100 demonstrators had marched from the police station to the scene of the shooting several blocks away, as a cordon of roughly 25 San Diego County Sheriffs deputies stood nearby. The deputies wore riot helmets and held long wooden batons at port arms.

During the march, protesters momentarily blocked traffic at the intersection of Magnolia and Main streets downtown. As car horns honked, either in protest or frustration, the demonstrators chanted black lives matter and thrust their fists in the air.

Their foreheads dripping sweat under an unrelenting sun, activists held signs that read release the 911 call and No justice, no peace!  a rallying cry heard at similar protests throughout the nation.

This stuff has been going on around the country for two years, said JJ Balancier, 27. Now, its finally hitting home. You see it in Ferguson, but now its in our city.

We are now at the scene of the shooting, where people are chanting "black power" and police are lined up in riot gear. pic.twitter.com/nK8WyjBgI4  Sarah Parvini  () (@sarahparvini) September 28, 2016

Earlier in the day, community activists held a news conference at the police station and called on the chief to release any videos of the shooting.

The Rev. Shane Harris, president of the National Action Network in San Diego, said his organization met with family members who have called for a federal investigation into the shooting.

We do not trust local prosecutors to investigate local police, he said.

Bishop Cornelius Bowser, a gang interventionist at Pastor of Charity Apostolic Church, said residents are looking for procedural justice because relations between the black community and police has been ruined already.

We dont want to see a still picture, he said. We want to see the whole story.

The community, he said, wants transparency.

Activists claimed that the city has a history of racism and targeting young men.

Residents are afraid, said Christopher Rice-Wilson, associate director at Alliance San Diego.

The El Cajon shooting comes amid growing national anguish over police shootings of blacks. Charlotte, N.C., was rocked by days of protests last week after police fatally shot 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott.

The San Diego County district attorneys office and the El Cajon Police Department are investigating the shooting.

All videos taken of the incident so far coincide with the officers statements, Davis said.

Police later released a still image from a video showing Olango in a shooting stance as he is confronted by officers.

Its important that the facts come out right now, Davis said. We are investigating facts as we know them and implore the community to be patient with us, work with us, look at the facts at hand before making a judgment.

Pastor Miles McPherson, who joined the chief Tuesday at a news conference, urged peace because we all want the right thing to happen,  he said. He said the truth must come out, but in a peaceful way.

This is very painful to me. Its very personal, said McPherson, who leads the Rock Church in San Diego. I am black man and feel the pain on both sides every time this happens in our country.

At the news conference Wednesday morning, Agnes Hassan, a relative, said she and Olango were in a refugee camp together before they came to the U.S. to make a better life for themselves and their children.

We suffered too much with the war in Africa  we come here, to suffer again, she said.

Hassan said she was heartbroken.

What happened yesterday, it wasnt right, she said.

On Twitter, the department disputed some of the claims made by protesters: The investigation just started, but based on the video voluntarily provided by a witness, the subject did NOT have his hands up in the air.

Michael Ray Rodriguez said he was driving away from the apartment building when he said he saw a shirtless black man with his hands in the air. In a matter of seconds, he said, an officer opened fire.

The officer shot him again and again, Rodriguez said, adding he heard five shots.

El Cajon police officers are not equipped with body-worn cameras. The department recently completed a pilot program to test the cameras and ordered some. The equipment has not been delivered, Ransweiler said.

Both officers involved in the shooting have been working in law enforcement for more than 21 years, the police chief said.

As officials continued to investigate the incident, at least one use-of-force expert said that that Olangos shooting stance complicated matters.

Ed Obayashi, a Plumas County, Calif., sheriffs deputy and legal advisor, said that mental health training for officers may have been of limited value in the situation.

When those hands come up in a shooting stance, the officer wouldnt have time to assess whether what is in the hands is a gun, Obayashi said. Almost immediately, the officer sees the hands flash up into a shooting stance, he must react. A second will be too late if its a firearm.

Times staff writer Parvini reported from El Cajon, Calif.; Rocha and Winton, from Los Angeles.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

sarah.parvini@latimes.com

richard.winton@latimes.com

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UPDATES:

8:20 p.m.: Updated with information about Olangos age.

6:33 p.m. Updated with information about vape smoking device.

4:19 p.m. Updated with more from mayor.

3:50 p.m. Updated with FBI joining probe and mayor quotes.

1:10 p.m.: This article was updated with protest details.

12:20 p.m.: This article has been updated with protest details.

10:50 a.m.: This article has been updated with comments from a news conference and a use-of-force expert.

9:05 a.m.: This article has been updated with details on evidence at the scene.

8:35 a.m.: This article has been updated with the identification of the deceased man by relatives and details from his Facebook page, and with statements by his sister that she had told police he was mentally ill.

This article was originally published at 7:25 a.m.
The Republican Partys decision to nominate Donald Trump for president continues to force some unusual decisions by newspaper editorial boards.

First the Dallas Morning News broke with decades of tradition by endorsing Hillary Clinton, its first Democratic choice for president since before World War II. In a seperate editorial, the board called out Trump specifically as unqualified for office.

Then the New Hampshire Union Leader ended a century of endorsing Republican candidates and backed libertarian Gary Johnson.

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On Friday, the Cincinnati Enquirer joined the ranks of staunchly Republican editorial boards spurning Trump.

The Enquirer has supported Republicans for president for almost a century  a tradition this editorial board doesnt take lightly, the editors wrote. But this is not a traditional race, and these are not traditional times.

Calling Trump a clear and present danger to our country, the newspaper is backing Clinton.

But perhaps no endorsement has raised more eyebrows than that of the Arizona Republic, which picked Clinton over Trump on Tuesday, the first time the papers editorial board has ever endorsed a Democrat for the Oval Office since it was founded over 100 years ago.

Since The Arizona Republic began publication in 1890, we have never endorsed a Democrat over a Republican for president. Never. This reflects a deep philosophical appreciation for conservative ideals and Republican principles, the paper wrote. This year is different. The 2016 Republican candidate is not conservative and he is not qualified.

The editorial board acknowledged that they view Clinton as flawed, but called the former secretary of state a tough, intelligent centrist. Measured in tone, but scathing in substance, the Republic skewered Trumps centerpiece policy position on immigration as well as his tone and temperament, saying a Trump administration was a recipe for permanent civil discord.

This story was originally published on Friday, Sept. 23, 2016 when the Enquirer endorsed Clinton. It was updated Wednesday, Sept. 28 to reflect the Republics endorsement.
Secretary of State John F. Kerry on Wednesday threatened to suspend U.S. cooperation with Russia concerning the conflict in Syria, following heavy Russian and Syrian airstrikes on civilian neighborhoods in the divided city of Aleppo.

The warning signaled growing frustration and anger in the Obama administration at what it sees as a widening Russian effort to prop up Syrian President Bashar Assad, rather than focus on defeating Islamic State and other extremist groups in the countrys multi-sided civil war.

In a telephone conversation with Russias foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, Kerry expressed grave concern over the drastic escalation of air attacks since the breakdown of a ceasefire last week, State Department spokesman John Kirby said.

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In recent days, airstrikes with bunker-buster and incendiary bombs have killed hundreds of civilians in Aleppo, Syrias largest city, and targeted hospitals, water supplies and air raid shelters, U.S. officials say.

In addition to the devastation, desperately needed convoys of food, medicine and other supplies have been blocked to many besieged enclaves because conditions are deemed too dangerous. At least one aid convoy was attacked.

Kerry told Lavrov that the United States is making preparations to suspend U.S.-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria unless Russia takes immediate steps to end the assault on Aleppo and restore the cessation of hostilities, Kirby said in a statement.

Kerry stressed that the burden remains on Russia to stop this assault and allow humanitarian access to Aleppo and other areas in need, Kirby said.

Asked later if Kerry had set a deadline for action, Kirby said the secretary had made clear ... the sense of urgency that was expected in a response from the Russians.

Kirby said Russias failure to heed the warning would lead to greater chaos in Syria. Extremists will fill the void, he said, and Russia will have to send its troops home in body bags.

An estimated 250,000 people live in eastern Aleppo, an area that is controlled by rebel forces and has been the chief target of the onslaught by Syrian and government forces and their Russian allies.

Russia and the United States lead an international task force aimed at ending the civil war, and diplomats from Moscow and Washington helped broker a partial ceasefire early this year and again this month. Both efforts soon collapsed.

Kirby said the suspension of cooperation would include the so-called joint implementation center, which was supposed to function as a hub for greater U.S. and Russian cooperation in the war, including shared targeting and intelligence gathering.

The Pentagon privately opposed creation of the joint center.

Moscow has repeatedly ignored Washingtons entreaties to stop bombing civilian areas in Syria. Russia says it is targeting terrorists, a claim dismissed by the U.S. government, humanitarian agencies and the Syrian opposition.

Russia strongly supports Assads government in Damascus and entered the war on his side a year ago, saving it from likely defeat. The Obama administration has called on Assad to step down and is supporting Syrian rebel groups that oppose Islamic State.

During a visit to Cartagena, Colombia, on Monday, Kerry bristled when asked if Russia had taken the U.S. for a ride in Syria, as the reporter put it.

If we hadnt had the conversations we had, there would have been absolutely continued violence and many more people dead, Kerry said, defending the diplomacy.

For more on international affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on Twitter

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Former U.S. Solicitor Gen. Donald B. Verrilli Jr., who successfully defended President Obamas healthcare plan before the Supreme Court, is joining the Los Angeles law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson.

Verrilli, 59, will lead the firms new Washington office.

This firm has an extraordinary reputation, and they established a national powerhouse presence without having offices outside of California, Verrilli said. For me, this is an opportunity to launch and build an office that can attract and retain the best lawyers.

Ronald Olson, a name partner, said the firm had long discussed opening a Washington office and saw an opportunity when Verrilli left the government.

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Don is a world-class lawyer. And our philosophy is to hire the best talent available, Olson said. His values and ours are in sync, and we believe he will help us extend our practice and our presence.

Should it be legal to have a congressional district only one party can win? 

In June, Verrilli stepped down after a momentous five-year term as the governments top lawyer before the Supreme Court. He had served in the Justice Department and the White House counsels office before the president asked him to step into the job after Elena Kagan was elevated to the high court.

He arrived in 2011 just as the massive legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act was reaching the doorstep of the high court. A coalition of two dozen Republican-led states, represented by President Bushs solicitor general, Paul Clement, contended the entire law was unconstitutional because Congress did not have the authority to regulate healthcare and to require people to buy health insurance. And as soon became clear, the courts five more-conservative, all-Republican appointees, essentially agreed with the challengers that the law stood on shaky ground.

While Verrilli argued that Congress could regulate healthcare under its power to regulate interstate commerce, he included a fallback argument that proved crucial. He maintained the so-called mandate to buy health insurance could be upheld as a tax. Under the law, people who could afford it would be assessed a small tax penalty if they failed to buy insurance.

Court disputes over voting laws often divide justices along party lines 

In June 2012, the high court upheld the healthcare law when Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. agreed its mandate was authorized by Congresss power to impose taxes. The vote was 5-4. The same week, Verrilli and the Obama administration prevailed in a major immigration case when the justices blocked most of a controversial Arizona law that authorized the police to stop and arrest people who could not verify their citizenship.

A year later, Verrilli played a key role in the courts decision striking down the Defense of Marriage Act, which had prohibited the federal government from recognizing same-sex unions as legally valid. The ruling prompted judges in several states to strike down the state bans on same-sex marriages, culminating in last years ruling declaring that gays and lesbians had a right to marry nationwide.

Prior to joining the government, Verrilli worked as a lawyer in Washington, specializing in telecommunications cases. In 2005, he won a major victory for the recording industry and Hollywood studios in the case of MGM Studios vs. Grokster, which extended the protections of copyright law to cover peer-to-peer filing sharing.

Munger, Tolles & Olson opened a San Francisco office in 1991 but has not had a significant presence on the East Coast.

This is our first new office in 25 years, Brad D. Brian, a co-managing partner, said in a statement. Opening an office in Washington, D.C., with a lawyer like Don Verrilli is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Verrilli brings with him two other Washington lawyers: Michael DeSanctis and Chad Golder, a former deputy attorney general at the Justice Department.

david.savage@latimes.com

On Twitter: DavidGSavage
One of the suspicious objects turned out to be a typewriter. Another was a bundle of cardboard tubes from rolls of paper towels. There was a battery charger. A discarded modem. A stool. An empty suitcase.

Then there was the strange object found on 27th Street that was made out of a pressure cooker. That one actually was a bomb.



For the record: An earlier version of this story said 39 people were injured in the Chelsea bombing. The correct number of injured is 29.

Unnerved by recent terrorist attacks, people are inundating police with reports of suspicious objects  bombs, real and imagined, lurking in piles of garbage.

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The phenomenon is happening throughout the United States, but appears to be most pronounced in and around New York, where Ahmad Khan Rahami is suspected of planting a number of bombs the weekend of Sept. 17-18. Three of the bombs exploded, including one in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan that injured 29 people.

A New York City police officer stands guard outside Grand Central Terminal. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images )

William Braniff, executive director of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism at the University of Maryland, said the proliferation of bomb scares reflects Americans high level of anxiety about terrorism.

Terrorism punches above its weight. It makes an imprint on the psyche, said Braniff, citing a study conducted in 2013 that found Americans more likely to worry about terrorism than being a victim of violent crime or having to be hospitalized, both of which are statistically more likely.

The New York City police department said that as of Monday afternoon, it had received 2,183 reports of suspicious packages since the bombings, up from 353 in the same period last year.

We do get a lot of calls that end up being trash or empty bags.  People are more cautious after what happened, said Sophia Mason, an NYPD spokeswoman.

Times Square was partially evacuated on Sept. 21 after the discovery of an empty suitcase in front of a McDonalds. At rush hour that same evening, a portion of an expressway through the Bronx was shut down because of a discarded pressure cooker  that turned out to be, well, just a pressure cooker.

On Monday night, part of Columbia Presbyterian Hospital had to be evacuated after the discovery of a suspicious package outside. That one turned out to be a deliberate hoax  made out of cardboard tubes that had been taped together to look like dynamite with a digital display from a computer board taped on top. A 56-year-old man who was seen on surveillance video near the fake bomb was arrested.

At a ferry terminal on the Hudson River, a suspicious object found under a tree turned out to be a makeshift stool used by ferry operators to rest between shifts. In South Bound Brook, N.J., near Linden, where Rahami was captured last week, a resident alerted police after spotting a case marked with the word Royal left next to an electrical transformer. The state bomb squad arrived and with an X-ray determined that somebody had discarded an old typewriter.

For 15 years, signs have been posted in the subways and buses of New York City urging people to report anything suspicious. If you see something, say something, goes the ubiquitous slogan.

Law enforcement experts say they encourage the reports, even if most suspicious objects turn out to be benign.

Of course, there is the potential to inundate the system with false alarms, but on balance, it is really valuable in helping the law enforcement community extend its ability to observe public space, said Braniff.

One reason that New York stands out in the reports of suspicious objects is that it has been so frequently targeted by bombers, whether they be the suspected Italian anarchists who attacked Wall Street in 1920 with a bomb in a horse-drawn carriage, Puerto Rican nationalists or, in more recent years, Islamic extremists.

In addition, New York sidewalks hold a bounty of discarded items, which often attract the interest of artists, students and others looking for objects that might be useful, decorative or merely amusing. It is no coincidence that in at least two recent cases, the homeless played a role. A 68-year-old man living in a shelter, identified as Kenneth Jackson, won praise from police for reporting the suspicious package near Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, even though the item proved to be a fake.

On Sept. 18, a homeless man in Elizabeth, N.J., discovered five genuine pipe bombs inside a discarded backpack that he picked up from the top of a trash can.

I knew right away that something wasnt right, said the man, Lee Tyrone Parker, in a telephone interview last week. This was a matter that had to be rectified.

Another undetonated bomb was found the day before on West 27th Street in Chelsea, four blocks from the bomb that exploded. That was the bomb made out of a pressure cooker. The woman who noticed and reported it, Jane Schreibman, a 66-year-old photographer, said she initially thought it was a discarded science experiment.

Since finding the bomb, she has become something of a local celebrity, appearing on numerous television talk shows, repeating her message.

This has become my mission in life  to tell people that they should keep their eyes open. If they see something, say something, said Schreibman, who says she has always looked at garbage.

Others were not so observant. Surveillance video of West 27th showed that the bomb was initially enclosed in a colorful patterned wheelie-suitcase. Two men walking down the street spotted the bag, unzipped it, removed the device inside  then walked away with the suitcase.

Police last week released the video, asking for help finding the men and the bag, which they say is evidence in the case. Investigators said Wednesday that they had identified the two men as Egyptian tourists and have sought permission from Egyptian authorities to question them. They are not considered to be suspects.

barbara.demick@latimes.com

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First it was the 10 Commandments, then same-sex marriage. Alabama chief justice in hot water again

UPDATES:

2:33 p.m.: This article was updated with new details about two men sought by police.

This article was originally published at 11:50 a.m.
For the second time in 13 years, Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, the contentious Deep South jurist who urged probate judges across the state not to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, stood trial Wednesday on charges of violating the canons of judicial ethics.

If found guilty, he could be ousted from the bench for a second time.

Shortly after sunrise, scores of evangelical Christians bowed their heads in prayer and pledged allegiance to the U.S. flag on the steps of the Alabama Judicial Building before a special ethics panel assembled for the one-day trial.

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Many stood and applauded as Moore strode into the courtroom he had presided over for years, beaming confidently and wearing a dark business suit rather than his traditional judicial robe.

Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore at a news conference in August. (Brynn Anderson / Associated Press )

On the witness stand, Moore, a fervent 69-year-old Baptist who was dubbed the Ayatollah of Alabama by one civil rights group, called the scrutiny of his ethical conduct ridiculous.

I would not defy a federal court order, Moore testified before a panel of seven men and two women. I ruled in accordance with the law.

It is not the first time Moore has faced sanction. In 2003, he was ousted from office after repeatedly refusing to obey a federal court order to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the rotunda of the Alabama Judicial Building.

We are here 13 years later because the chief justice learned nothing from that first removal, prosecutor John Carroll argued on behalf of the Judicial Inquiry Commission. He continues to defy the law  without repentance and without remorse.

This time, Moore faces six charges stemming from a controversial order he sent Alabama probate judges in January, instructing them that they had a ministerial duty not to issue any marriage licenses to same-sex couples, despite the U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing such unions.

If the special disciplinary panel of judges, lawyers and private citizens finds Moore abused his office, he faces a range of penalties, from censure to suspension without pay and removal from the bench. Removal from his position would require a unanimous vote. The panel will issue a decision within 10 days.

Moores position this time is a little different than it was in 2003, when he openly admitted he was flouting a federal court order to remove the Ten Commandments monument.

In the case of same-sex marriage, Moore maintains he did not instruct judges to defy the federal courts. Rather, he merely issued a status report to clear up confusion among probate judges, instructing them that the effect of the federal ruling on existing cases was still awaiting a decision by the Alabama Supreme Court.

You dont have a defiant chief justice before you, I respectfully submit, said Mat Staver, Moores lead counsel, who is a founder of the Florida-based Liberty Counsel and also represented Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Moores stance marks something of a last-ditch stand in the ongoing battle between the state and federal judiciary over same-sex marriage. In January 2015, a federal judge ruled that same-sex couples had a right to wed in Alabama. But two months later, the state Supreme Court declared that Alabamas marriage laws, which ban such unions, were constitutional and ordered probate judges to enforce them. In June 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in its landmark Obergefell vs. Hodges ruling.

The U.S. Supreme Courts decision, Moore has argued, does not extend to Alabama but applies only to Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee. His stance contradicts the rulings of federal district and appellate courts with jurisdiction over Alabama.

After Obergefell, U.S. District Judge Callie V. Granade ruled that it was binding on the state. In October, the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes Alabama, said Obergefell held that bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional and abrogated existing orders.

Prosecutors contend that Moore  who once referred to homosexuality as abhorrent, immoral, detestable, a crime against nature and a violation of the laws of nature and of natures God  was on a mission to defy the Supreme Court decision.

Last year, Moore wrote a letter to Alabama Gov. Robert J. Bentley, urging the state to join him in standing up to the judicial tyranny of federal courts ruling in favor of same-sex marriage.

In a public viewing room two floors below the courtroom, Moores supporters began to jeer and heckle as prosecutor R. Ashby Pate delivered closing arguments, laying out his case for how Moore violated multiple canons of judicial ethics and used every tool at his disposal to defy the federal courts.

This is not the act of an impartial judge, Pate said. Its the act by a judge with an agenda who wants to see a very specific outcome, and who thinks and acts like he does not have to follow the law.

Moores order was incomplete and misleading, Pate added, in that it neglected to mention that the U.S. Supreme Court held that all states were bound by its decisions. That question, he said, was settled in 1958 when Arkansas defied the federal Brown vs. Board of Education ruling to desegregate schools.

That was 60 years ago and the chief justice is somehow suggesting this is somehow an unsettled question, Pate said.

The game of constitutional chicken is over, he added.

Moore, a West Point graduate who fought in Vietnam and once worked as a cattle rancher in the Australian outback, has long been a folk hero to evangelical conservatives. When campaigning for reelection as Alabamas chief justice in 2012, he was open about his views on same-sex marriage, telling a tea party rally that gay marriage would be the ultimate destruction of our country because it destroys the very foundation upon which this nation is based.

Many speculate that Moore, who cannot run for chief justice again because of age restrictions, may use this latest controversy to begin a new campaign for governor or attorney general.

Nothing plays better in Alabama than giving a finger or thumbing a nose to the feds, cartoonist J.D. Crowe wrote on www.Al.com.

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Brushing aside White House warnings about national security, Congress moved decisively Wednesday to override a presidential veto  for the first time in the Obama administration  of a bill that will allow 9/11 families to sue the Saudi Arabian government for damages.

Supporters say it will give victims of terrorism their day in court. But opponents, including the White House, warn it will complicate U.S. relationships abroad, impede national security investigations and open the floodgates to similar lawsuits by foreigners against the U.S. government.

CIA Director John O. Brennan had warned of grave implications and Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said it could be devastating to the department and undermine counterterrorism efforts abroad.

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Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, the Republican chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, lamented Wednesday that a measure with such potentially far-reaching consequences to U.S. foreign policy had not even been subject to a hearing in Congress before it sailed through both chambers.

Yet just moments later, he joined his Senate colleagues, who voted 97 to 1 to override Obamas veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act. The House swiftly followed with a vote of 348 to 77.

The legislation will amend existing law to allow U.S. courts to hear terrorism cases against foreign states, narrowing the scope of immunity now granted to sovereign foreign actors.

Families of the 9/11 attacks had been stymied for years in their legal attempts to seek compensation from the Saudi Arabian government. They note that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens. The United States and the 9/11 Commission investigated possible links between Saudi Arabia and the Sept. 11 attacks and found no conclusive evidence.

We are overwhelmingly grateful that Congress did not let us down, said Terry Strada, national chair of the 9/11 Families & Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism. We rejoice in this triumph and look forward to our day in court and a time when we may finally get more answers regarding who was truly behind the attacks.

The override vote was the first time Congress has successfully challenged the president on a piece of legislation, despite Obamas 12 other vetoes, including 10 when Republicans were the majority of both houses.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest blasted the action as embarrassing to Congress and said lawmakers are going to have to answer their own conscience and their constituents as they account for their actions today.

A cadre of blue-chip lobby shops had been paid top dollar by the Saudi government to try to derail the action. Saudis warned that passage of the measure would force them to sell off hundreds of billions of dollars in U.S. debt or other assets to protect themselves against possible future judgments.

But the opposition had little chance against the compelling stories of the 9/11 victims families and friends who have pressured Congress for almost a decade to pass the legislation.

This rare moment of bipartisanship is a testament to the strength of the 9/11 families, said Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), one of the bills lead authors. Overriding a presidential veto is something we dont take lightly, but it was important in this case.

Obama, in a letter to Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, said he believed that the law would be detrimental to U.S. national interests because it would likely lead other nations to reconsider their own immunity laws protecting U.S. soldiers and diplomats. The president also said such lawsuits could subject the United States to demands for sensitive intelligence as part of the legal discovery process and lead to sizable money damages.

At a CNN town hall Wednesday night, Obama said the law would expose U.S. citizens to private lawsuits in courts where we dont even known exactly whether they are on the up and up in some cases.  Sometimes you have to do whats hard. And. frankly, I wished Congress here had done whats hard.

Reid was the lone Senate vote against the override. Two other senators did not vote because they were on the presidential campaign trail in support of Hillary Clinton  Tim Kaine of Virginia, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, and Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

The legislation had bounced around Washington for years, but it was never expected to advance. Schumer, the brash New Yorker who is poised to become the Senate Democratic leader next year, succeeded in passing it through the Senate in spring on a voice vote, without a formal roll call.

The House seized the opportunity to corner Obama, and just before the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, approved the measure on a swift voice vote.

In the weeks since, the White House and other opponents  and even some reluctant lawmakers who acknowledged they had concerns about the bill or did not fully understand it  scrambled to play catch-up.

Top lobbying firms employing former congressional leaders, including Trent Lott, John Breaux and others, were hired by the Saudi government, some on $100,000-a-month retainers, to fight the override vote.

Several key lawmakers said in recent days they were having second thoughts about supporting the bill and some expressed hope that subsequent legislation could be passed to address the administrations concerns or narrow the law.

Sen. Ben Cardin, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said he would closely monitor how other nations respond to the new law and be ready to respond with additional legislation to mitigate any risks to U.S. diplomats, troops and other personnel.

Some Republicans criticized the White House for failing to anticipate the legislation would gain the kind of momentum it did, and make a more fulsome case to lawmakers against it. White House officials strenuously objected to the characterization.

The override vote was not only a public rebuke of the president, but a reminder of his often tenuous relationship with Congress.

Obama has been criticized for having little experience with Capitol Hill, and even less engagement. He outsourced too much of his legislating to staff, critics said, without investing in the personal relationships needed to bargain with lawmakers.

When Republicans became the majority in both houses in 2015, they envisioned turning Obama into a vetoer-in-chief, eager to force the president into the uncomfortable position of rejecting bill after bill from the new Congress.

The strategy was seen by former House Speaker John A. Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as a way to fire up their partisan GOP base and show the two parties different approaches to legislating.

But that never really happened. Faced with their own party infighting, the Republican House and Senate often struggled to find common ground and muster their own votes to send bills to the White House.

When they did, Obama easily swatted the bills back with a veto message. On the few occasions when Republicans mounted an override attempt, Democrats sustained the vetoes.

The closest Republicans came to a victory was on a bill to expedite construction of the Keystone XL pipeline that many Democrats also supported. But the override fell a few votes short of the 67 needed.

Obama at times has appeared to lament that he didnt always have true sparring partners in the gridlocked Congress.

I dont generally even have to veto anything because they cant get organized enough even to present the cockamamie legislation that theyre interested in passing, Obama said at a recent New York fundraiser.

Obamas thin veto record is similar to that of his predecessor, George W. Bush, and a fraction of the 37 that President Clinton dashed off with his veto pen. Its nowhere near the 250 under President Truman or 635 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Overrides also are rare. During the last administration, Congress was able to override Bush four times, all during his final years when Democrats had control of both chambers. Clinton was overridden twice. Truman and President Ford experienced the most overrides in the modern era, 12.

lisa.mascaro@latimes.com

Twitter: @LisaMascaro

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12:10 p.m.: This article was updated after the House vote.

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This article was originally published at 7:15 a.m.
Trump keeps on criticizing the Venezuelan beauty queen he once called Miss Piggy

Miss Aruba Taryn Mansell looks on as Miss Venezuela Alicia Machado is named 1996 Miss Universe. (Eric Draper / Associated Press)

Donald Trump resumed his attack on a beauty pageant winner he had criticized for gaining weight, saying she had a lot of difficulties as Miss Universe and that now a lot of things are coming out about her.

Alicia Machado, who won the beauty contest in 1996, has emerged as a symbol of what critics of the Republican presidential nominee view as his misogyny. Trumps Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, rattled him in Mondays debate by reminding him that hed called Machado Miss Piggy and Miss Housekeeping.

In a Fox News interview Wednesday evening, Trump, who owned the pageant when Machado won, said she was an unsuccessful beauty queen.

She did not do well, Trump told anchor Bill OReilly. She had a lot of difficulties.

Managers of the Miss Universe pageant wanted to fire Machado for putting on what Trump described Tuesday as a massive amount of weight. Trump said he preferred to let her try and lose weight.

During the year she presided as Miss Universe, Trump turned Machados weight gain into a media spectacle, inviting news cameras to record her  against her will  working out at a gym.

On Tuesday, Trump said Machado, a Venezuelan immigrant, was no Mother Teresa. On Wednesday, he stepped up his attack on her character.

They say she threatened the life of a judge, he told Fox News.

According to PolitiFact, a Tampa Bay Times fact-checking site, a Venezuelan judge once said that Machado threatened his career and life over her boyfriends indictment for attempted murder. She denied it, and nothing came of the accusation, PolitiFact reported.

Machado was charged as an accomplice in the attempted murder for allegedly driving her boyfriend from the scene of the shooting, but the charges were dropped.

Machado, now an actress, has sharply criticized Trump this week in interviews, saying he humiliated her. She has also appeared in a Clinton campaign video attacking Trump for the way he treated her.
It took several years and all his political capital for former Los Angeles County Chief Probation Officer Jerry Powers to do what his predecessors and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors could not or would not do: curb misconduct and even criminal acts committed by sworn staff who were supposed to mentor, not abuse, juveniles in trouble with the law.

Powers did it by blocking promotions for an undisclosed number of wayward deputies  an action he took with only tepid support from a board that craved better relations with the probation employee unions.

He departed under board pressure late last year, but at least he left behind the refreshing notions that probation officers should uphold high professional standards, that only the best should be promoted and that those who abuse minors, break laws or fail to come to work would have their ambitions thwarted.

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[Powers successor] somehow believed he had the authority to strike a deal with the probation officers unions to promote more than 50 [disciplined deputies].

Now those gains appear to have been wiped out by the stroke of a pen in the hand of Powers interim successor, Cal Remington. An experienced probation official, Remington somehow believed he had the authority to strike a deal with the probation officers unions to promote more than 50 of those disciplined deputies and to lock in place a clear avenue of advancement even for those disciplined in the future.

Its especially galling that Remington signed the agreement to loosen the reins on deputies less than a month after an April 24 incident, first reported by the website WitnessLA, in which four probation officers at the Sylmar juvenile hall were allegedly caught on camera beating a 17-year-old.

The supervisors are expressing understandable outrage that their interim chief probation officer acted on such a weighty matter without notifying them, let alone seeking their approval.

Outrage, yes. But surprise? Its not the first time that the supervisors were taken aback by important matters that moved forward under their noses but, oddly, without their knowledge.

The most noteworthy example may be their discovery in 2014 that the U.S. Department of Justice had for years been discussing with county lawyers and other officials a possible consent decree covering the Sheriffs Department because of poor mental healthcare in the jails. The board signed on to that agreement last year.

Thats only one disturbing similarity between the Probation Department, which operates juvenile halls and camps, and the Sheriffs Department, which is still struggling to close the books on a shameful era in which deputies beat adult jail inmates and even visitors, and did so with the assent of their superiors. The multiyear investigation of the jails resulted in criminal convictions, millions of dollars in civil payouts, an early end to the career of Sheriff Lee Baca and, let us hope, sufficient humiliation and reckoning on the part of elected officials to ensure that such problems do not occur again.

Even at that, the Board of Supervisors continues to preside over a civil service system that undermines current Sheriff Jim McDonnell  and the countys revolving door of chief probation officers  by too readily reinstating deputies whom they fired for misconduct. That situation may change; the board is awaiting a study, ordered months ago, on how to overhaul civil service.

At least the sheriff is independently elected, which meant that Baca (now awaiting criminal trial), and not the supervisors, bore ultimate accountability for the jails scandal.

The chief probation officer, by contrast, reports directly to the board. If the supervisors did not direct Remington to enter into the agreement to soften discipline  and they apparently did not  it is fair to wonder what management signals they inadvertently sent, or failed to send, that allowed him to believe he was doing the right thing.

The board has ambitious plans for a wholesale reinvention of the Probation Department and is on the verge of hiring a new chief to put them in place. But instead of inheriting a department whose employee misconduct is under control, Powers and Remingtons successor will walk into a world where the employee unions are allowed to call the shots  unless, that is, the board is able to invalidate the agreement.

The supervisors can justifiably blame Remington for this particular probation problem. While theyre at it, though, they should spare a few moments for a look in the mirror and a candid assessment of their own inability to properly oversee the Probation Department, and to figure out what to do to clean up a mess they helped make.

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Ideally, adult film performers would use condoms when they engage in on-screen intercourse. Its the most reliable way to keep them safe from contracting or spreading sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.

But the adult film industry has doggedly refused to adopt this simple protective measure, even though state labor code requires workers be protected from blood-borne pathogens. Even a 2004 outbreak of HIV among porn actors didnt change that. Instead, performer safety has hinged on regular STD and HIV testing and voluntary filming shutdowns if HIV is detected. So far it has worked well; there hasnt been a documented on-set transmission of HIV in more than a decade. But testing isnt foolproof, and more can and should be done to protect performers from STDs.

This, however, is where we part philosophical company with Proposition 60, a heavy-handed measure on the Nov. 8 ballot backed by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and its president, Michael Weinstein. The proposition would, in effect, make every Californian a potential condom cop by both mandating condom use and creating a private right of action so that any resident who spots a violation in a pornographic film shot in the state could sue and collect cash from the producers and purveyors if they prevail in court.

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The multi-billion-dollar adult-film community is largely concentrated in Los Angeles. Or at least it was before Measure B.

This is an extreme approach  and demonstrably counterproductive. We know this from the experience of Measure B, passed by Los Angeles County voters in 2012 to enforce condom use through the countys film permitting process. The multi-billion-dollar adult-film community is largely concentrated in Los Angeles. Or at least it was before Measure B.

The Times editorial board opposed Measure B because we thought it was unlikely to increase condom use but would instead drive the industry underground or out of town. And that is exactly what happened. The year Measure B passed, there were 480 permits pulled for film shoots involving nonsimulated sex, according to FilmLA. The following year, in 2013, just 40 were pulled. That number has been dropping each year since.

Its not clear how much of the shooting has left the county or state, taking its sound, lighting, stage and other jobs and related economic benefits with it. But if Proposition 60 passes, it seems reasonable to expect the industry to go further underground or leave the state and become further fragmented. Perversely, this would threaten the integrity of the voluntary  and effective  twice-a-month testing protocol which is credited with keeping HIV transmissions in check.

Proposition 60 is far worse than Measure B not just because of its unusual provision allowing any Californian to sue and collect damages without having to show that they suffered any harm. It also extends the financial liability to, potentially, small-time performers who produce and distribute their own content (and who are unlikely to have been coerced into not wearing condoms). Theres also the possibility that some people might use the new law to harass adult-film performers.

Theres also a concern this liability would extend to hotels, cable television and other private companies that provide adult films to customers. The lawsuit provision is one of the reasons a number of organizations outside the porn industry, including the Los Angeles County Commission on HIV, Equality California and AIDS Project Los Angeles, have signed on to oppose this measure. Its also telling that the California Medical Assn., which backed a state bill requiring condom use in the adult industry in 2014, decided to stay neutral on Proposition 60. Both the state Democratic and Republican parties are on record as opposed to Proposition 60 as well.

What unites them  and us  is the belief that Proposition 60 is not the right way to address the safety of this small group of workers. Not when the California Division of Occupational Health and Safety is working to develop safety standards specifically to protect adult-film performers from exposure to blood borne pathogens through bodily fluids.

The industry would like to see regulations that include condoms as one option, along with others such as testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis, a drug regimen that can significantly lower the risk of HIV transmission.

We support rules that make performers in adult films as safe as possible. Thats why we reject Proposition 60 and urge voters to do so as well.

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The main challenge for Donald Trump in his first debate with Hillary Clinton this week was always clear: He needed to pass the commander in chief test. And he failed. Voters saw two candidates on the stage Monday evening: one who had done her homework and thought seriously about questions of war and peace, and another who, to all appearances, had neither cracked a book nor listened carefully at a single foreign-policy briefing.

Both candidates agreed that cyberwarfare  the growing efforts by Russia, China and others to hack American computer networks  are a top priority for the next president. It is a huge problem, Trump affirmed.

His policy, then? We have to get very, very tough, he said. I have a son. Hes 10 years old. He has computers. He is so good with these computers, its unbelievable. The security aspect of cyber is very, very tough. And maybe its hardly doable. But I will say we are not doing the job we should be doing.

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When candidates cite their children as experts, its a safe bet they havent studied the issue themselves.

Nuclear weapons, then; surely Trump has thought hard about the most powerful part of the U.S. military arsenal.

Its been widely reported that President Obama has considered adopting a policy of no first use, meaning the United States would promise never to use nuclear weapons first in any conflict. Its not a new or obscure issue.

Trumps view? Id like everybody to end it, just get rid of it, but I would certainly not do first strike. I think once the nuclear alternative happens, its over, he said. At the same time, we have to be prepared. I cant take anything off the table.

In his answer, Trump took two opposing positions at the same time.

Oops, as a previous debater once said. In his answer, Trump took two opposing positions at the same time. I would certainly not do first strike, he said  thats no first use. But I cant take anything off the table  thats the opposite of no first use.

It sounded as if he didnt know what he was talking about.

But not all potential conflicts are nuclear. Earlier this month, after Iranian gunboats harassed U.S. Navy vessels in the Persian Gulf, Trump issued a warning to Tehran:

When they 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, he declared.

At the debate, Clinton said that kind of hair-trigger reaction could start a war.

Trump didnt back down. That would not start a war, he said, without saying why. They were taunting us, he added.

Last example: To keep peace around the world  and wage war, too  the United States has long relied on military alliances with Japan, South Korea and the mostly European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance.

I havent given lots of thought to NATO, Trump admitted on Monday, before sounding off anyway. We pay approximately 73% of the cost of NATO, he claimed. (Hes had that number wrong all year. The U.S. pays about 22% of NATOs direct costs.)

Were defending them, and they should at least be paying us what theyre supposed to be paying by treaty and contract, he said. We defend Japan, we defend Germany, we defend South Korea, we defend Saudi Arabia, we defend countries. They do not pay us, but they should be paying us, because we are providing tremendous service and were losing a fortune.

Theres certainly an argument that U.S. allies should spend more money on defense, including higher subsidies for U.S. bases in their countries. But do we really want to convert mutual defense treaties into contract-for-service agreements? Theres no sign that Trump has spent even a minute weighing the consequences of such a shift.

Words matter when you run for president, Clinton responded. I want to reassure our allies in Japan and South Korea and elsewhere that we have mutual defense treaties and we will honor them.

Trump has every right to criticize Clintons foreign policy positions, of course. Her support for Obamas nuclear deal with Iran, her decisions in Libya and her fruitless efforts to increase aid to rebels in Syria are all fair game.

But a presidential candidate cant just offer critiques; he has a duty to offer coherent alternatives, too. Trump hasnt.

Last year, when Trump was merely a long-shot candidate for the Republican nomination, he had a semi-plausible excuse: As a businessman, he couldnt be expected to know as much as a former secretary of State.

But hes been a de facto nominee for six months. In less than six weeks, he could be president-elect of the United States. Hes had plenty of time to learn. Hes had access to many of his partys experts, retired military officers and even CIA briefers who might be glad to fill him in on the nuances of world affairs.

Instead, he continues to recycle the bromides he once said he learned by watching the shows. He appears to have studied nothing and learned nothing.

That alone should disqualify him from the presidency.

doyle.mcmanus@latimes.com

Twitter: @DoyleMcManus

 L.A. Times political analysts judged all five rounds of the first presidential debate. The winner? Hillary Clinton.

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How do you stop Donald Trump from interrupting? Cut his mic.

Hillary Clinton isnt the lesser of two evils. Shes one of the most experienced candidates in history
It turns out Hillary Clinton not only won Mondays debate, shes winning the post-debate too. And shes doing it without really doing much  letting Donald J. Trump have the spotlight is working for her, and heres why.

Just about every event Trump is involved in seems eventually to be about him, and so it was with the debate Monday. Hillary Clinton maintained cool control, tossed a few verbal land mines and then waited as Trump stepped on them.

Clinton got Trump to tacitly acknowledge he didnt pay federal taxes during at least two years exposed by tax records filed in connection with a casino application. His response: That makes me smart, a line still echoing in the shaking heads of less-well-heeled taxpayers, is sure to show up in ads.

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Trump once again is sucking up all the air in the room, but hes on the defensive in forums both friendly and openly hostile.

Clinton also brought up a federal lawsuit against the Trump family business in the 1970s over racial discrimination in renting apartments, which the family settled. Trump tried to brush the issue off, saying the suit was brought against a lot of real estate firms, as though making racist decisions was fine since others were doing it too. Although that turned out to be a lie  the lawsuit was specifically against the Trumps.

And then theres Alicia Machado, the former Miss Universe from Venezuela who exacted the perfect vengeance against a man who once called her Miss Piggy and Miss Housekeeping and sent a film crew to record her efforts to lose weight during her term as the face of the Trump-owned Miss Universe pageant. The Clinton campaign engaged in a masterful bit of gamesmanship (which the Washington Post lays out here), and Trump gave the effort extra oomph Tuesday by doubling down on his criticism of Machados struggle with weight.

So what have the media, and Trump, been talking about since those 90 minutes of debate? Clintons emails? Trade deals? ISIS? Syria, North Korea and other thorny international issues that will dominate the first part of the next presidents term?

Nope. Trump once again is sucking up all the air in the room, but hes on the defensive in forums both friendly and openly hostile. And hes doubled down on fat-shaming Machado, which isnt going to help him with women, nor with Latinos who read exactly what Trump meant when he called a Latina Miss Housekeeping.

No matter how the election turns out, the post-mortems will likely include that first debate and its aftermath. If Trump manages to overcome his dismal performance and still win the White House, the debate will be seen as a moment when he was on the ropes, yet managed to fight back.

But if the debate marks the point at which Clinton begins to solidify a victory  the more likely scenario  then the debate will be seen as Trumps Waterloo.

And its his own doing. I was thinking on Tuesday that we in the media continue to put the spotlight on Trump, which is hard not to do since he keeps making most of the news, at times quite manipulatively.

At the conclusion of the debate he did a walk-through of the spin room, the space where journalists wait for campaign surrogates to try to persuade them that they didnt hear what they had just heard, or to try to soften or sharpen points their candidates made in the back-and-forth. Its unheard of for a major party presidential candidate to show up there in person, but Trump did, getting live play from the cable news networks  another splash of free media that Clinton didnt receive.

Usually an overshadowed campaign would be screaming about lack of balance. But its hard to imagine the Clinton campaign being upset about all the coverage Trump is receiving. He is blowing up his own campaign, and the longer he does that alone in the spotlight, the happier the Clinton campaign has to be.

For all her weaknesses as a candidate  high unfavorables, a sense of distrust among voters, lingering questions about favors for Clinton Foundation donors, etc.  Trump has proven to be the far lesser candidate.

Its hard, in fact, to think of another major party presidential candidate with his level of ineptness, and who is as unsuited as he is to lead the country. The longer he keeps proving that during his protracted turn in the spotlight, the less Clinton has to do  and the less exposed she is to scrutiny.

In this case, out of sight, out of mind isnt a bad place for Clinton to be.

Scott.Martelle@LATimes.com

Follow my posts and re-tweets at @smartelle on Twitter
To the editor: Mylan Chief Executive Heather Bresch is quoted in your story saying the system of pricing in the pharmaceutical industry is opaque and frustrating. For whom? And why?

( CEO is blasted over EpiPen pricing, Business, Sept 22 tag and Pricing drugs by value is recipe for profits, Column, Sept. 23)

I think the answer is because she and her fellow CEOs set it that way. Thats the way they like it.

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Mark Temple, Huntington Beach

::

To the editor: Recent days have featured articles in your paper in which members of both parties of Congress have expressed outrage over the behavior of corporations such as Wells Fargo and Mylan Pharmaceuticals.

Both Democrats and Republicans have excoriated the CEOs of said corporations for their greed, ineptitude, and all-around vile behavior. Why is it, then, that Republicans (as well as Donald Trump apparently) want to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the agency that just put Wells Fargos feet to the fire?

Flann Maguire, Encinitas

::

To the editor: Jacking up the price of the EpiPen is a morally bankrupt but sound business division. The members of Congress at this recent hearing were eager to express their outrage. Unfortunately, the job of the CEO of a pharmaceutical corporation is simply to maximize profits. The real villain here is the Congress and its failure to act to protect some of our most vulnerable citizens; children with life-threatening allergies.

I think Congress has the power, but not the willingness, to fix this problem by setting limits on the escalation of prices of life-saving medications.

Patrick Sutton MD, Pasadena

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In an interview on NBC News, a young millennial woman gave her assessment of the first presidential debate of 2016: Hillary Clinton seemed overly scripted while Donald Trump looked strong and passionate.

So much for the unanimous mainstream media verdict that a well-prepared Clinton crushed a poorly-prepped Trump in their first face-to-face contest. By any standard measure, she did, of course, but to that young woman and the rest of those enthused by Trump, facts do not matter, being well-versed in economic complexities and foreign policy does not matter, being presidential in the traditional sense does not matter. All that matters is that, in the debate, Trump channeled their ignorant, peeved, angry petulance and directed it at a woman they loathe.

Pointing out that 90% of the things Trump said during the 90-minute debate were demonstrably false, misguided or just plain dumb is an exercise in futility. Reasoning with the Trumplings is a waste of words. Nevertheless, Ill waste a few hundred on a short list of Trump evasions and delusions from the debate:

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1 / 51 la-1491523602-y7ephyarj1-snap-image (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 51 la-1491368625-0bgh58ihw8-snap-image (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los angeles Times) 6 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 51 Trump inspires millions to take to the streets -- to oppose him. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 51 Cartoon caption contest winner at the DENT conference in Sun Valley, Idaho: Jon Duval, executive director of the Ketchum Community Development Corporation. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 51 Old radicals and big media descend on Selma (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 51 Horsey imagined the creation of the Ann Coulter phenomenon in this cartoon from 2007. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 51 This David Horsey drawing is a reconfiguration of a cartoon he first published in 2006. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 51 Donald Sterling, owner of the L.A. Clippers, should give Cliven Bundy a call. After Sterling loses his NBA franchise and the deadbeat Nevada rancher loses his cattle, the two old racists will both need a buddy. Maybe they can team up together and open an all-white rodeo. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 51 Besides sending a chill up the spine of the international community, Vladimir Putin has accomplished one other thing by seizing Crimea and threatening the rest of Ukraine: Putin has brought back the bear. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 51 The right-wing insurrection at the Bundy ranch in Bunkerville, Nev., has taken another weird turn with new revelations about the family history of Cliven Bundy. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 51 David Horsey / Los Angeles Times (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times)

 Trump claimed he got Barack Obama to show his birth certificate and stopped questioning the presidents citizenship long ago. Both assertions are lies and evade the question of why the nations first black commander in chief should be forced to show his papers.

 He claimed there is no proof the Russians are responsible for recent cyberattacks and that it might just as easily be some 400-pound guy sitting on a couch. Uh, no, Donald  not unless the 400-pound fellow is a Russian hacker.

 Trump reiterated his constant excuse for refusing to show his income tax returns, insisting an IRS audit prevents it. Actually, that is not the case. He could do it anytime he wants, just as presidential candidates have done for decades.

 When Clinton pointed out that the two years of Trumps tax returns that are available show he paid zero taxes, Trump, far from being embarrassed, said skipping out on his share of taxes makes me smart!

 When Clinton noted that Trump eagerly took advantage of the 2008 housing crisis that devastated so many average Americans, he interjected, Thats called business.

 African American and Latino communities are in a living hell, Trump said. This is a simplistic stereotype and follows on his previous assertion that things have never been worse for blacks in America. Really? Ever heard of something called slavery? Jim Crow? When asked what he would do to improve the situation of black Americans, his prescription was law and order.

 Trump said the murder rate in New York City has shot up since the policy of stop and frisk was found unconstitutional by the courts. Wrong; it has gone down.

 He essentially said U.S. allies need to pay protection money to the U.S. or else they will be left to fend for themselves, as if Americans get no benefit from global alliances that maintain stability and peace.

 Trump denied that he said climate change is a hoax perpetrated to benefit the Chinese. He did say it and apparently believes it, just as he subscribes to an array of other conspiracy theories that pass through his Twitter account.

 Weirdly, Trump said Hillary Clinton has been fighting ISIS her whole adult life. Not true, unless Clinton only became an adult 12 years ago.

There is much more, but among the 84 million people who watched the debate, a frighteningly high percentage cheered his grunting and sighing and interruptions and general boorishness and do not give a damn about his mendacity or childish level of understanding about world affairs and economics. As Abraham Lincoln said, you can fool some of the people all of the time  and its especially easy when they want to be fooled.

David.Horsey@latimes.com

Follow me at @davidhorsey on Twitter
With polls showing a tightening presidential race, Hillary Clintons campaign is playing defense against third-party candidates to keep them from widening Donald Trumps path to victory.

Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson and the Green Partys Jill Stein are drawing enough support, particularly from millennials, to threaten Clintons chances and spark warnings from top Democrats.

You have some people who are dancing with a third party, said David Plouffe, who ran President Obamas 2008 campaign. Youve got to go out there and fight. We know from history that they can make a difference.

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Support for Johnson, a former New Mexico governor, is at 7.4%, according to a Real Clear Politics average of national polls, and he exceeds that number in battlegrounds like Colorado, Nevada and New Hampshire. Stein, a doctor and activist, has consistently polled in the low single digits, though she isnt on the ballot in some key states like North Carolina.

Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | Sign up for the newsletter | The race to 270

Polls show that Johnson is not only drawing interest from Republicans turned off by Trump, but from millennials whom Clinton wants as part of her coalition this year. The generation, which includes voters age 18 to 35, makes up about a third of the electorate.

When you see Johnson and Stein combined with eight, 10, 11, 12 points in some of these polls, thats a problem, said Mark Longabaugh, who advised Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the primary. That is the differential in the election at this point.

Clintons allies have taken notice of the threat. NextGen Climate, the super PAC run by San Francisco billionaire Tom Steyer, released a Web video targeting Johnson over his unwillingness to tackle global warming, a key issue for millennials.

The Clinton campaign has already stepped up its efforts to win over younger voters who are more willing than older generations to consider third-party candidates. Obama won at least 60% of voters under 30 in 2008 and 2012; Clinton has lagged behind that level in polls even though millennials favor her over Trump.

Her strategy includes calling on Sanders, her rival in the Democratic primary, to help prevent his young supporters from drifting toward Johnson or Stein.

Clinton and Sanders campaigned together on Wednesday in New Hampshire, a state won decisively by Sanders during the primary and now considered a target by the Johnson campaign.

New Hampshire could decide the outcome, said Sanders, who is expected to ramp up his travel on Clintons behalf. This election is enormously important for the future of our country. It is imperative that we elect Hillary Clinton as our next president.

High-profile Democrats cautioned voters not to be tempted to vote for Johnson or Stein.

If you vote for a third-party candidate whos got no chance to win, thats a vote for Trump, Obama said on Steve Harveys radio show Wednesday. So the notion somehow that, Well, you know, Im not as inspired because Barack and Michelle, theyre not on the ballot this time, and, you know, maybe we kind of take it easy  my legacys on the ballot. You know, all the work weve done over the last eight years is on the ballot.

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, Clintons running mate, raised the specter of Ralph Naders 2000 candidacy, which helped George W. Bush defeat Al Gore.

Casting a protest vote for a third-party candidate thats going to lose may well affect the outcome and may well lead to a consequence that is deeply, deeply troubling, Kaine said in an interview with Katie Couric last week.

Enthusiasm for third-party candidates often recedes as the election draws closer and voters recalibrate their decisions, and the likelihood of a Trump victory could push more people into Clintons corner. Clintons campaign also plans to emphasize certain parts of her biography, including her work for the Childrens Defense Fund as a young law school graduate, to win over skeptics.

The more that voters on all sides  those interested in Donald Trump and those interested in third-party candidates  hear about that career and about what she wants to do as president, the more they will be open to supporting Hillary Clinton, said Jesse Ferguson, a spokesman for the former secretary of States campaign.

Johnson projects an open-minded image thats appealing to young voters, said Ron Nielson, a senior strategist for his campaign.

You could certainly say Johnson is a lot more hip than Clinton or Trump, Nielson said. He does things a lot of millennials can see themselves doing, like hiking or biking. Johnson also supports legalizing marijuana nationwide.

The Libertarian ticket has found an opening in an electorate disillusioned with political parties and government in general, said John Della Volpe, director of polling at the Harvard University Institute of Politics.

Its about a lack of trust with Hillary Clinton and the system more generally, he said. He is the vessel that, at this stage of the campaign, that a fairly significant number of folks are using to send a message.

Part of the dissatisfaction stems from the primary, said Van Jones, a CNN commentator and former Obama advisor. Although Clinton worked with Sanders to incorporate his ideas into the Democratic Party platform, Jones said, she didnt do enough to address his supporters complaints about the primary process.

Some remain concerned that the national party aided Clinton over Sanders, a perception fueled by hacked Democratic Party emails released by WikiLeaks this summer.

Hillary Clinton is in danger of paying a price in November for ignoring Sanders voters concerns about process in the spring, Jones said.

The Democratic National Committee replaced its chair after the controversy, and spokesman T.J. Helmstetter said party leadership has made it clear to progressive leaders across the country that their ideas, opinions, and values have a home at the DNC.

Clintons allies are using policy issues to tamp down enthusiasm for Johnson, pointing to his approach to government thats at odds with the vision outlined by Sanders, who was millennials favorite candidate in the primary.

NextGen Climate, which has been registering voters on college campuses in battleground states, spent $100,000 to run a video about Johnson on Facebook, targeting Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Iowa, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

Thinking about voting for Gary Johnson? the video asks, then includes clips of him supporting more coal power plants and suggesting that global warming isnt worth addressing because the sun is going to actually grow and encompass the earth.

We wanted to make sure they had the same facts on him as they do on Secretary Clinton and Donald Trump, said Suzanne Henkels, a NextGen spokeswoman. Gary Johnsons position is not much different than Donald Trumps.

chris.megerian@latimes.com

Twitter: @chrismegerian

ALSO:

Hillary Clinton has millennials support, and now shes trying to make sure they vote

Clinton holds wide lead in California; third-party candidates are strong among younger voters

Updates from the campaign trail

UPDATES:

3:25 p.m.: This story was updated with comment from the Democratic National Committee.

This story was originally published at 2:30 p.m.
Donald Trump sought to evoke Ronald Reagan from his first answer in the presidential debate, but as he has throughout the campaign, he left out Reagans elemental quality: optimism.

In Trumps words Monday night, American jobs are being stolen from us, blacks and Latinos are living in hell and America is being ripped off by every single country in the world.

The economy was in a bubble, he said, warning that it was going to come crashing down because of what he said were overly political actions being taken by the ostensibly apolitical Federal Reserve to buttress his opponent.

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No uplift, no patriotic patois, no morning in America  not even a quick quip broke up the sequential references to a country falling apart at the seams. There was nothing, that is, of the deft style that characterized the man Trump has evoked as a role model.

Trumps unrelentingly bleak assessment comports with the views of many of his ardent followers, who feel marginalized by economic and cultural changes afoot in the country.

Polls repeatedly have shown white voters to be more pessimistic than members of minority groups, older voters more pessimistic than the young, and non-college-educated whites  the group that has given Trump the strongest support  the most pessimistic of all.

But that pessimism runs counter to the sentiments of the broader general electorate that will judge Trumps fate in November.

Even in bad circumstances, Americans have been an optimistic people. Successful candidates, whether Republican or Democratic, have always taken heed of that in framing their political approaches.

While Trumps negativity is common in the kind of populist campaign he has waged, it is unprecedented in the annals of successful modern politicians. And it contradicts what research shows: Voters almost always will take optimism over pessimism.

Trump has espoused a hammering, dystopian vision of what America is doing without much hope for what the future is going to be, said Stanford University professor Neil Malhotra, whose research has looked at the connection between how successful candidates are and how optimistic voters perceive them to be. Candidates whom voters see as optimists generally do better, his work indicates.

Trump has compounded the danger of his pessimism by casting himself as a sole solver of Americas problems, albeit without much detail as to what his solutions would be.

That means he has brushed aside, at least to this point, another tactic used by successful candidates: rallying his fellow citizens together on behalf of shared goals. That flies in the face of a second political truth: Voters want politicians focused on voters, not on themselves.

Over the course of the campaign and again on Tuesday, Hillary Clinton has sought to upbraid Trump for his views.

Im excited about where we are in this country, Clinton told reporters Tuesday before flying from New York to North Carolina for a campaign rally. He talks down America every chance he gets. He calls us names, he calls us a third world country. He talks in such dire and dark terms.

Thats not who America is  we are the best problem-solvers in the world, she said, appearing almost intentionally buoyant. Our diversity is a strength. I am excited about helping to pull our country together.

Malhotras research shows that among the most successful candidates at imbuing their politics with optimism were Reagan and Bill Clinton, both two-term presidents. Trump, by contrast, is more negative even than Richard Nixon, he said. Nixon is thought of in caustic terms because of the bitter way his presidency ended, but he ran on a platform of unifying the country during riot-torn 1968.

Trumps approach evokes that of Pat Buchanans losing Republican challenge in 1992, Ross Perots independent campaign that same year and George Wallaces doomed campaign in 1968, Malhotra said.

Populist campaigns, where people are running against the political class, tend to have these features, he said. But they havent gotten as mainstream as they are right now. In the 1968 election, Trump looks more like the Wallace campaign than the Nixon campaign.

For more on politics 

With humor and poetic rhetoric, Reagan set the standard for eviscerating an opponent while maintaining an optimistic mien. In his farewell address in 1989, he alluded to his frequent evocations of America as the shining city sought by all.

Her glow has held no matter what storm, he said. And shes still a beacon, still a magnet for all who must have freedom, for all the pilgrims from all the lost places who are hurtling through the darkness, toward home.

In tone, that is almost the direct opposite of Trumps call to wall off the country because of the threat posed by illegal immigration and terrorism.

Trump may be proceeding pessimistically in part because thats how hes succeeded so far. In the primaries, he successfully claimed the negative ground with a fierce attack on conventional politicians whom he accused of defending trade and other policies that he said had destroyed the middle class.

Other contenders  particularly former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Ohio Gov. John Kasich  put forward sunnier, more inclusive rationales for their candidacies, but were trounced by Trump.

Clearly he was tapping into an attitude that people have  an attitude that things are broken, said Marist College pollster Lee Miringoff .

Part of the negativity that those candidates renounced  and that Trump profited from  has a racial component.

Trump has been blunt in his comments about Latinos and Muslims, among others. That has put a gloss of controversy on perhaps his most optimistic appeal, his Make America great again slogan. In the context he has layered into the campaign, that looks to some like a wish to return to the era before civil rights and womens rights, rather than as a unifying leap into an upbeat future for all.

Malhotra, the Stanford political scientist, said that studies he undertook between 2010 and 2011 showed that Democrats valued optimism slightly more than Republicans, befitting a party that rallied behind the Happy Days Are Here Again theme even in the depths of the Great Depression.

But Republicans, too, reacted positively to rose-colored visions.

It didnt matter, broadly put, whether voters had a fully positive view of where the country was headed, or felt confident or not in the economy of the moment.

One thing  was pretty constant, Malhotra said. People want their politicians to be more optimistic than themselves.

cathleen.decker@latimes.com

Twitter: @cathleendecker

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Updates on California politics

Live coverage from the campaign trail
Chelsea Nunnenkamp is the kind of party loyalist who bleeds Republican red.

She started walking precincts and stuffing envelopes for GOP candidates at age 15. During high school, she kept a poster of Ronald Reagan above her bed.

But come November, for the first time ever, she may vote for a third-party presidential candidate or, possibly, skip that line on her ballot altogether. She is terrified, she said, by Donald Trump and his egocentric campaign.

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I just feel with such strong conviction that I do not want to be associated with that, said Nunnenkamp, 28, who works in Denvers oil and gas industry. I joke with my friends, I dont want to tell my grandkids that I voted for him. I wont do it.

Colorado, with its recent history of swinging between parties, was expected to be one of the main battlegrounds this presidential election, its sprawling Denver suburbs the front line of door-to-door political combat.

Instead, the intersection of mountain and plains has become something of an afterthought.

While recent polls suggest a tightening race, Republican and Democratic strategists alike agree that Colorado is Hillary Clintons to lose, in good part because of voters like Nunnenkamp  women who might otherwise vote Republican but plan to stay home, vote independent or even cross party lines and support the Democratic nominee.

The gender gap, the difference in voting preferences between men and women, has been a constant of presidential politics since 1980. When President Clinton sought reelection in 1996, his support among women was 11 points higher than among men, a record.

Polls have shown Trump facing an even wider gender gap, with some showing a nearly 20-point difference  and that was before Monday nights debate when he repeatedly talked over Hillary Clinton, revived a feud with Rosie ODonnell and was confronted with statements disparaging a former Miss Universe for gaining weight.

Dorian Hillegas, 34, voted twice for President Obama and, before that, Republican George W. Bush. She has no great affection for Clinton but plans to back the former secretary of State because personally I think Trumps kind of a ticking time bomb.

In times of chaos shes a little more composed and a little more professional than Donald Trump, the stay-at-home mom said as she paused between errands in this close-in Denver suburb, with her 2-year-old Maggie in tow. He reminds me a lot of a 7th-grade bully. I cant support that.

Few states have undergone as rapid a political transformation as Colorado, which as recently as 2004 was written off by Democrats who saw no point competing for its nine electoral votes. At that point Republicans had carried the state in eight of the previous nine presidential contests.

Since then, Obama has won Colorado twice and now it is Republicans who, while not ready to give up, are having to make the case for Trump to fight on.

Were happy in Colorado. And its not because of marijuana.  Jill Hanauer, a Democratic strategist in Denver

The rising influence of Latino voters, which has made states throughout the West more friendly to Democrats, accounts for part of the political change.

More significant has been Colorados rapid population growth, driven by a thriving tech industry and the seduction of the states outdoorsy lifestyle. More than 100,000 people moved here last year alone, the overwhelming majority settling in a ribbon of urban development skirting the Rocky Mountains.

The result has been horrendous traffic, a super-heated Denver housing market and a moderation of the states traditional Western conservatism as the state absorbs a flood of younger, more left-leaning transplants.

In many ways, Colorado could not be a worse political fit for Trump.

In addition to having one of the youngest populations in the country, Colorado has one of the most highly educated; the real estate mogul and reality TV star has fared poorly among both groups.

Apart from some pockets of anxiety, there is also little of the economic dislocation and discontent that has fueled support for the GOP nominee elsewhere, especially in the industrial Rust Belt.

Thanks to a much more diversified economy, the latest downturn in the energy industry has caused nothing close to the devastation it wrought in the 1980s.

Were happy in Colorado, said Jill Hanauer, a Democratic strategist in Denver. And its not because of marijuana, she added, referring to the states booming legal-cannabis industry.

Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | Sign up for the newsletter

Colorado has also shifted politically in response to changes at the national level, as the Republican Party has grown older, whiter and more Southern in orientation.

Fairly or not, many see the party and its leaders as intolerant on social issues, such as abortion and same-sex marriage, and obtuse when it comes to the environment  which is deeply cherished here  by denying the reality of climate change.

That is particularly true among women voters, who not only tend to hold more moderate views than men but also care more, surveys show, about accepting others and getting along.

These days it takes a certain kind of Republican to prevail in a high-profile statewide race, said Dick Wadhams, a former state party chairman. The model, he suggested, was freshman Sen. Cory Gardner, who blended conservatism with a cheery, nonthreatening demeanor to eke out victory in 2014.

Trump, he said dryly, has been something less than an ideal candidate.

It is not so much his positions, which have proved changeable, but his sexist and uncouth statements that many women find objectionable.

Hes racist, said Rhonda Rispoli, a Denver bus driver. Misogynistic, fascist, narcissistic.

Hes such a hothead, you could practically see the steam coming out of his ears and his nostrils, she said after Monday nights debate.

Rispoli, who gave her age as early 50s, said shell do anything to keep Trump out of the White House, including voting for Clinton  it would be only the second time in her life she voted for a Democrat in any election. (The first was former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb.)

He doesnt have the Christian values I raised my kids to hold onto, said Rispoli, who cited the dynastic Bush family as a model of decorum. I love those men.

Debbie Brown, a GOP strategist who specializes in womens issues, is herself no great fan of Trump.

But, she insisted, winning Colorado is not yet beyond his reach. Her advice was simple, if telling: Dont call people names. Dont tell people theyre ugly.

She called the debate a missed opportunity. He seemed to be on the defensive and distracted from his target audience, she said, suggesting, Trump should have been talking to suburban women in a way that was credible and solutions-oriented.

But for Helen Migchelbrink, its already too late.

Im basically a conservative, but not a racist and not a sexist and not a xenophobe and all those things I think Trump is, said the 55-year-old Republican, an engineer in Fort Collins, who suggested the Manhattan business mogul isnt even fit to serve as a small-town mayor.

She plans to vote for Clinton. And after that, Ill probably register as an independent, Migchelbrink added, just to show how disgusted I am.

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If either major party candidate is thinking about changing things up after Mondays presidential debate, they certainly arent showing it.

Good morning from the state capital. Im Sacramento Bureau Chief John Myers, and weve got some new laws hitting the books in California after a flurry of bill signings by Gov. Jerry Brown.

But first, lets hit the campaign trail.

ONCE MORE, UNTO THE BREACH

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Donald Trump hasnt seemed to spend any time in this presidential campaign second-guessing his decisions, so no one should be surprised that hes staying the course after the first debate.

Were going to do great things, folks, said the GOP nominee at a rally in Melbourne, Fla., on Tuesday. Im running to be president of you.

The candidate, using a telemprompter to repeat many of his accusations from the debate, again sought to cast the final six weeks as a choice between his new ideas and the old ones of Hillary Clinton.

If anything, his mixed debate reviews may have only energized Trump to double down on whats gotten him this far, even as at least one GOP operative said the debate performance showed a clear lack of preparation.

CLINTON FOCUSES ON TRUMPS TAXES

Clinton, too, seems content to stay on the course set by the Hofstra University debate.

During a stop in North Carolina on Tuesday, the Democrat seized the opportunity to highlight Trumps refusal to release his tax returns, hammering him for saying it was smart to avoid paying federal income taxes in some years.

And this is a man who goes around calling our military a disaster. Who goes around criticizing every institution, from healthcare to education, our vets, she said. But he probably hasnt paid a penny to support our troops, or our vets, or our schools, or our healthcare systems.

CLINTONS NEW ALLY: THE FORMER MISS UNIVERSE

When Alicia Machado heard her story told by Clinton toward the end of Monday nights debate, she began to cry.

Then, she took to social media.

Machado is the former pageant winner once attacked by Trump, a description recounted by Clinton and which seemed to get under the GOP nominees skin. Melanie Mason and Cindy Carmano caught up with her.

Could Machados story prove a major blow to Trump? She certainly hopes so.

I want people to know about his levels of racism, she said.

84 MILLION AND COUNTING

Mondays debate broke the all-time TV viewing record for presidential showdowns: At least 84 million viewers tuned in, according to Nielsen data released on Tuesday.

That number doesnt include those who logged on to watch through online streaming coverage. The prior record was for the 1980 debate between President Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan.

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO SEE?

The Times asked Facebook and Twitter readers what they would have liked to have Clinton and Trump discuss.

Of the questions that went unasked, a clear theme emerged about what was seen as overlooked: accountability for the controversies that have followed the candidates throughout the campaign, from Benghazi attacks to questions about both candidates foundations.

Get the latest from the campaign trail on Trail Guide and follow @latimespolitics. Check our daily USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times tracking poll at the top of the politics page.

And for some context on the slings and arrows flung at Monday nights debate, check out our annotated debate transcript.

A SHUTDOWN COUNTDOWN IN D.C.

Back in Washington, talk has turned to the deadline at the end of this week for avoiding a federal government shutdown.

The chances of that looked bleak on Tuesday, after the U.S. Senate blocked a stopgap spending measure amid partisan fighting over aid to victims of the Flint, Mich., water crisis. Still, both sides are predicting a deal by Friday. Stay tuned.

NO REFERENDUM ON GUN CONTROL LAWS

Gun rights advocates conceded defeat Tuesday in their effort to force a statewide vote on gun control laws signed by Brown earlier this year.

The group reported that it will fall far short of collecting enough signatures by Fridays deadline to qualify the measures for the 2018 ballot.

San Diego-area businessman Barry Bahrami, who organized the drive, said apathy among California gun owners and the high hurdle for qualifying referendum proposals are both to blame for the shortfall.

Backers needed 365,880 valid signatures on each referendum in only 90 days. Its one of the reasons so few of these measures  to overturn an existing law  appear on the ballot.

BROWN ON BILLS: GRANNY FLATS ARE IN, DOCTOR SHOPPING IS OUT

Gov. Brown has until late Friday night to sign or veto bills left on his state Capitol desk by the Legislature, and on Tuesday he passed judgment on 67 more proposals.

One high-profile bill that became law Tuesday: A crackdown on doctor shopping, requiring all prescribers to check a state database to see whether their patients have also received drugs from other physicians.

Brown then signed into law the right of terminally ill Californians to use experimental drugs, known as right to try legislation  the same kind of proposal he vetoed in 2015.

He also signed bus safety bills, including a plan prompted by a charter bus crash that killed five Los Angeles-area students two years ago.

On the issue of housing, a law signed Tuesday will make it easier for California homeowners to build additional small granny flat units on their properties, whether in garages or as freestanding second structures.

Meantime, the governor approved legislation that repeals mandatory minimum sentences for some prostitution crimes, continuing a bold push to protect sex trafficking victims.

California will now outlaw the use of ransomware, though catching overseas criminals will be the challenge.

Employers in California will no longer be able to ask about juvenile crimes that did not end in convictions.

And Brown signed a bill to ban government travel to states believed to discriminate against LGBT people.

As for vetoes, the governor rejected a mandate for jail inmates to have access to in-person visits from family, though he made clear he supports the concept  just not in law.

He also vetoed a bill to prohibit racial profiling in stores, saying the practice is already illegal in California.

As always, keep an eye on our Essential Politics news feed for the latest in state political and government news.

TODAYS ESSENTIALS

 Mr. Last Night, I felt sorry for him, really. Thats the post-debate jab thrown Trumps way on Tuesday by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

 Meantime, a jab at Clinton by former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who said the Democrat is too stupid to be president because she did not know about her husbands affair with Monica Lewinsky.

 In the capital city of the battleground state of Iowa, the first presidential debate felt like a Super Bowl game.

 Old tweets take on a life of their own in a national political race.

 The short supply of housing in California will put a drag on the states economic growth, according to two new studies.

 Who will win the November election? Give our Electoral College map a spin.

LOGISTICS

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Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com.
A Newport Beach man who pretended to be a fire marshal and charged area businesses for fraudulent inspections pleaded not guilty in Orange County Superior Court on Tuesday, prosecutors said.

Brian Lee Carsten, 36, has been charged with four felony counts of second-degree burglary, four felony counts of extortion by force or threat, four felony counts of forgery of an official seal, and four misdemeanor counts of impersonating fire personnel, according to the Orange County district attorneys office.

He faces a maximum sentence of 11 years and eight months in state prison if convicted.

Prosecutors contend that Carsten conducted fraudulent inspections on three occasions in Huntington Beach, Anaheim and Santa Ana. He wore a uniform and identified himself as a fire marshal to business owners, said D.A. spokeswoman Roxi Fyad, adding that he also used Cal Fire letterhead for the bills and receipts given to his victims.

He allegedly entered Beach Auto Sound, a car audio business in Huntington Beach, on Aug. 31 and charged the victim $209 for a fake inspection, prosecutors contend.

Carsten repeated the ruse Sept. 12 at State College Distributors, a floor installation business in Anaheim, where he allegedly threatened the victim with a citation if he did not receive payment, Fyad said.

He returned to the business a day later and received $418 from the victim, who later reported the incident to Anaheim police, prosecutors allege.

Before he was arrested Sept. 23, Carsten was allegedly able to extort another $209 from Newport Awning and Imperial Auto Service, both based in Santa Ana, on Sept. 16, Fyad said.

The Huntington Beach and Santa Ana businesses reported the crime to police after they saw media reports about it.

Carsten also has been charged with possessing two firearms, which violates a domestic violence protective order. He is scheduled for a pretrial hearing Friday at the North Justice Center in Fullerton.

benjamin.brazil@latimes.com

Twitter: @benbrazilpilot
Gov. Jerry Brown on Saturday vetoed a bill spearheaded by Laguna Beach Councilman Bob Whalen that would have required the state to identify areas most at risk of wildfires caused by overhead utility wires.

SB 1463, authored by state Sen. John Moorlach (R-Costa Mesa), also would have required the California Public Utilities Commission and the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, to identify steps that cities must take to prevent fires from overhead electrical equipment, according to the bill.

In a written statement explaining his decision, Brown said a process that began in May 2015 with the utilities commission and Cal Fire is already in place for addressing issues present in SB 1463. The two groups examine fire-threat maps and fire safety regulations on areas with overhead utilities facilities, he wrote.

This deliberative process should continue, and the issues this bill seeks to address should be raised in that forum, Brown said.

Clearly, this is a major disappointment to the city and the other cities and counties that had stepped forward to endorse the bill, Whalen said in a statement. This bill would have provided important direction to the [commission] in its current regulatory process concerning fire safety and overhead utility lines.

Whalen said he remains undeterred.

We will continue to press the [commission] to hold the utilities accountable for fire safety in areas like Laguna Beach, he said.

Laguna Beach has experienced four fires sparked by utility lines in the last 10 years, the most recent on July3, 2015, in Laguna Canyon.

bryce.alderton@latimes.com

Twitter: @AldertonBryce
When Velvet Rhodes moved to Glendale from London, she made the Jewel City her home, based off the advice from her aunt, who lived here a short time and suggested thats where Rhodes should settle.

When I came to Glendale, I felt like I was home, she said.

That was in 1986.

She has lived happily in the city ever since and recently finished a new edit of a documentary she made titled Vintage Glorious Glendale, highlighting the citys past and present.

The word glorious is in the films title as a reference to the citys diverse population and long-lasting history, evident in old homes and buildings, such as the Masonic Temple, which is undergoing a renovation to convert it into office space, she said.

We have the old and the new. I think its all a good mix of different cultures, restaurants, lifestyles  a very good place to love and grow in, she said.

In the vein of Huell Howsers Californias Gold, Rhodes explored 20 sites of historical significance and present-day businesses.

She also interviewed longtime residents and featured rarely seen photographs she dug up from the archives at Glendale Central Library and Glendale Community College.

Rhodes was inspired to create the documentary after seeing the Facebook page Vintage Glendale The Jewel City, where residents post memories growing up in Glendale  of families or old businesses and streets as they were in years past.

After screening the initial version at the Alex Theatre last September, Rhodes opted to make another edit, but she didnt cut much.

The final version lasts two hours and 20 minutes.

Now, weve got it in ship-shape condition, she said. The enthusiasm is what I like about the documentary. Its very enthusiastic, very positive, very upbeat.

The film will be screened later this month at MGN Five Star Cinema between Jan. 25 and 31, with viewings each night at 7:30 p.m. and afternoon screenings at 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 30 and 31.

For more information, visit velvetrhodesproductions.com.

--

Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
The third annual Glendale International Film Festival opens today, showing more than 100 works of film, web series and documentaries  many by local filmmakers  in two downtown theaters.

Longtime actress and director Velvet Rhodes runs the festival and will this year dedicate the eight-day event to women filmmakers and the city of Glendale. As part of the festival, there will also be several panels and seminars, two screenplay-reading contests and an awards ceremony.

Having been a filmmaker all my life, Ive realized how difficult it is, and, for me, the joy of being able to screen all of these wonderful movies that you dont see anywhere else is the essence of the festival, Rhodes said. To be able to show these movies, especially in Glendale, is the ultimate privilege and honor.

The inspiration for the festival  which started in 2014  was a trip Rhodes took to the Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema in Idyllwild. There, she met with organizer and fellow filmmaker Stephen Savage. With his help, Rhodes found a way to showcase the community of Glendale artists to their peers.

I think its the most exciting event for a filmmaker to show their work at a local festival and have an appreciative audience, because filmmaking is so difficult and takes so many resources, Rhodes said.

This year, Rhodes created a special award category for female filmmakers and those residing in Glendale.

Almost Normal Productions, a small studio led by two local women, seems almost tailor-made for the honor with two films nabbing multiple award nominations at the festival.

At Almost Normal, both Elizabeta Vidovic and Kathryn Michelle hold many titles. For nominated films May I Die and Find Me, Vidovic is sharing the best female and Glendale filmmaker nomination with Michelle, who is also competing for best actress for her role in the latter.

"[The nomination] means a heck of a lot because we are, everyday, faced with the challenges of being female in this business and we have a lot of roadblocks, Michelle said. Anytime that your work is recognized, your work as a female filmmaker is recognized, it really does mean something, especially coming from our hometown.

Anytime that your work is recognized, your work as a female filmmaker is recognized, it really does mean something, especially coming from our hometown.  Kathryn Michelle

One of the more high-profile showings will be Aram, Aram starring Levon Sharafyan, a veteran actor in Armenia but still a stranger to most American audiences. He plays Arsen, an Armenian immigrant struggling to take care of his wayward grandson, Aram. Sharafyan said he expects a warm welcome from the Glendale community.

The characters may inspire some and may make others reflect upon their life choices, Sharafyan said, using an English translator. I do believe that, for some immigrants, when they see my character in Aram, Aram, they will see a part of themselves up there on the big screen.

The Glendale Film Festival will be held at two locations  MGN Five Star Cinema, located at 128 N. Maryland Ave., and Pacific Theatres in the Americana at Brand. It will start tonight with a red-carpet event at 7 p.m. at MGN Five Star Cinema, followed by the screening of the film Sugar!

For more information, visit glendaleinternationalfilmfestival.com.

--

Jeff Landa, jeff.landa@latimes.com

Twitter: @JeffLanda
It could have been one of her finest hours as a broadcast news producer at CBS, but it was instead career derailment for Mary Mapes. On the Sept. 8, 2004 broadcast of 60 Minutes II, the veteran news producer aired a story that suggested President George W. Bush had once exploited family connections to avoid the Vietnam War.

The Iraq War was raging at the time, and Bush was fighting for reelection against Sen. John Kerry, a combat vet whose service in Vietnam was being attacked by supporters of the incumbent.

Within days of the report, helmed by CBS News anchor Dan Rather, it was Mapes and her team that became the story. The documents supporting their investigation were denounced as forgeries, and their journalists integrity came under intense focus. Mapes eventually lost her job and reputation, and Rather stepped down as anchor.

Mapes no longer works in television news, and she wrote a book about the experience, Truth and Duty: the Press, the President, and the Privilege of Power, which has been made in into the film Truth, opening this week.

Written and directed by James Vanderbilt, the film stars Cate Blanchett as Mapes and Robert Redford as Rather. Even though this happened over 10 years ago, I feel this is a great time for the film to come out, says Vanderbilt. This was a real fulcrum point when media was beginning to dramatically shift. This was the first time the media rose up and affected a story and the newsmakers behind the story became the focus. The Internet was just beginning to have its impact and the speed of how this all happened really took them unaware. 

Vanderbilt aimed to draw audiences into the film as a detective story, and less as a lecture on investigative journalism.

I wanted to take you on a journey with Mary and Dan, he says. The excitement of their jobs and how they live for this. So the first half of the movie is like a detective story and then the second is like a slow-motion car crash as it all unravels. The movie makes you think where we are in our media and our culture.

Casting the film was key. Vanderbilt sent Blanchett the script the morning after her Oscar win for Blue Jasmine.

It might not have been the smartest move. You wouldnt think she would be interested in working with a first-time director, but to my delight she signed on, says Vanderbilt. The movie in a lot of ways is watching this person get torn apart, and when you think about an actor who could do that and show that range of emotion, Blanchett is obviously on top of your list.

The only caveat was that Blanchett insisted the film be shot in Australia so she could be close to her family. You go, well, how do we do this? And it turned out to be a great decision. There are wonderful crews and great actors there and most of the movie is interiors so it was easy to shoot that in another country, says Vanderbilt.

It was also the first time legendary actor Redford had traveled to Australia. I began as an actor. Thats my core and I am enjoying acting again and the experience in Australia was great, Redford said last week.

Another co-star was Elisabeth Moss, who plays a member of the 60 Minutes research team on the story. It was really genius casting Redford, says the former Mad Men star. You could have found an actor that looked like Rather, but I think with Redford as Dan Rather there is this legendary quality, this X Factor, and you want to hear what they say.

Moss admits it could be intimidating having such an icon on set. He would come into the makeup trailer and say good morning and I would forget what to say back, she laughed. Its very difficult to get over who he is, but he is so humble. He is the least legendary person in attitude.

Perhaps even more challenging was the day the real Mapes and Rather visited the set. You almost feel like you are getting caught, says Moss. You are telling their story and then they are there in front of you.

Rather and Mapes have given their full support to the film, attending the Toronto International Film Festival and New York Film Festival premieres. When Dan came to Toronto, he came onstage and teared up and it was an amazing moment, " says Vanderbilt. It really makes you exhale as a director when you know they like it.

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KATHERINE TULICH writes about film and culture for Marquee.
The apples have bounced back in Oak Glen, one of Southern Californias premier growing regions. Trees are full and shops are full of fresh fare after two years of disappointing harvests tied to the drought.

Were good, Nina Foster, vice president of the Oak Glen Apple Growers Assn., said by phone. This year, we have a bumper crop.

The areas traditional apple season runs from Labor Day to late November. Foster said that the mile-high town, 90 minutes from Los Angeles, enjoyed a very strong opening weekend and big crowds have been steady along the five-mile loop of orchards, shops, galleries and restaurants.

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Last weekend, a line 50 deep waited for barbecue at Los Rios Rancho, 39611 Oak Glen Road, and pick-your-own apple orchards and pumpkin fields were packed  though the apples seem to be having a better season than the pumpkins.

A farming region dating to the 1860s, Oak Glen is a moist, cool pocket surrounded by desert. Its pioneer heritage is on display all year but peaks in September and October, with hayrides, festivals and cider mills.

Hikers are encouraged to spend part of the day viewing the ponds and oak forests of Wildlands Conservancy, next to Los Rios Rancho.

Another popular stop is Snow-Line Orchard, 39400 Oak Glen Road, which now offers a winery and tasting room.

Directions from Los Angeles: Take the I-10 east. Exit Oak Glen Road. Left on Oak Glen Road for several miles to the loop of 30 stores, orchards and assorted other businesses.

Info: www.oakglen.net

Chris.Erskine@latimes.com

Twitter: @erskinetimes
Explore Mauis lush rain forests from the air and the ground with a new helicopter tour that visits the east side of the Hawaiian island.

Maverick Helicopters recently launched the Hana Rainforest Experience, a 75-minute tour in which choppers show off the coast and then land in the rain forest to allow passengers to check out the tropical habitat.

While on the ground, you can hike to streams and find native plants such as ginger and coconut, lemon and passionfruit trees. Mavericks private landing spot is on a former taro plantation.

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Tours depart daily from Kahului and cost $299 per person. Info: Maverick Helicopters, (800) 978-0266

Other companies offer shorter, less-expensive tours without the landing.

Sunshine Helicopters Hana-Haleakala tour starts at $225 and include flyovers of the dormant Haleakala volcano and remote Hana town.

A similar ride with Blue Hawaiian costs $229.

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Eating your way through Las Vegas? Heres a new gastropub from two Iron Chef America alums that celebrates unrestrained pleasure in the form of distinctive cocktails and plates.

Libertine Social at Mandalay Bay provides guests with a surprising array of places in which to enjoy creative cocktails and unique food choices.

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Chef Shawn McClain, who came up with the concept several years ago, explained that Libertine Social is a departure from the typical concept of one dining area with an adjacent bar.

The idea is to craft your own experience, he says. There are so many different ways to experience it. Weve got a front lounge, weve got a big bar, weve got a middle-ish lounge, we have a kitchen counter, a dining room, a patio [and] a back arcade bar.

Curating the drinks is celebrity mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim, who met McClain when they were paired together on Food Networks Iron Chef America in 2014. McClain says theyve been good friends ever since.

When Iron Chef came about, I was nervous as all-get-out to do the show. But he [Tony] was definitely a calming force. He had done it once before, McClain recalls. I kind of remember him saying, Lets have fun with this. 

The joint venture, which opened in August, demonstrates Abou-Ganims penchant for new spins on cocktails. The namesake Libertine ($16) is a blend of Titos Handmade Vodka, Campari, limoncello, orange juice, seltzer water and egg white. For group get-togethers, pitchers of the Queens Park Swizzle ($58) are made from Eldorado 15-year-old rum, demerara sugar, lime juice, spearmint and Angostura bitters.

The food menu encourages noshing and full-on meals. McClains ahi tuna cones ($16) are topped with whipped pink peppercorn creme fraiche. The strawberry gazpacho ($15) incorporates king crab, avocado and hearts of palm.

The largers, as bigger plates are called, include harissa-rubbed mussels ($24) and whole Petaluma chicken ($34). Fresh fish (market price) and flat-iron steaks ($41) are cooked on a wood-fire grill.

Libertine Social is open daily for drinks from 3-11 p.m. Dinner service starts at 5.

Info and reservations: Libertine Social, (702) 632-7558

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The U.S. military said Wednesday that it was investigating reports that an airstrike on a stronghold of Islamic State loyalists in eastern Afghanistan had killed more than a dozen civilians.

Brig. Gen. Charles Cleveland, spokesman for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said the U.S. military had carried out an airstrike in the Achin district of Nangarhar province, where American troops have conducted recent ground operations.

For operational security reasons we do not discuss the details of counter-terror operations, Cleveland said. We are aware of some claims of Afghan casualties, and are currently reviewing all materials related to this strike.

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Esmatullah Shinwari, a member of parliament from Nangarhar, said the airstrike targeted a tribal elder who had recently returned from the hajj, a Muslim pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

Shinwari said the elder, Malek Akhtar Mohammad, had invited friends to dinner when the attack occurred before dawn Wednesday.

See the most-read stories in World News this hour 

A provincial police spokesman, Hazrat Hussain Mashreqiwal, offered a conflicting account, saying that Islamic State fighters were the target. He said the airstrike killed more than 20 Islamic State loyalists, including two military commanders and a judge.

Attaullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor, said the airstrike killed both Islamic State fighters and civilians.

Achin district officials were sending a delegation to investigate the incident, Mashreqiwal said.

The mountainous district of Achin lies on the border with Pakistan, about 25 miles south of the provincial capital, Jalalabad.

U.S. special operations troops have recently been involved in operations in Nangarhar against several hundred fighters loyal to Islamic State, many believed to be former Taliban fighters from Pakistan.

In July, U.S. military officials said that five U.S. troops had been wounded while assisting Afghan forces in regaining control of parts of Nangarhar that had been lost to Islamic State.

Faizy is a special correspondent.

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UPDATES:

6:28 a.m.: This article was updated with Times reporting.

This article was originally published at 2:45 a.m.
Two years after assuming power, Afghanistans flailing, U.S.-brokered unity government is facing a growing challenge from the biggest grass-roots protest movement since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.

Calling themselves the Enlightening, members of the Hazara ethnic minority have mobilized several mass demonstrations against what they say is systematic discrimination by President Ashraf Ghanis government. They want more economic development and a greater share of positions in the Cabinet, ambassador corps and military.

Organizers called off a protest planned for this week in Kabul and agreed to begin talks with the government, averting a possibly tense showdown as the government marks its second anniversary Thursday.

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With security in Kabul increasingly fragile, United Nations and civil society representatives persuaded Enlightening leaders to cancel the protest.

Given the security challenges, we cant reach our goals only by continuing protests, said Sultan Haidari, 36, an activist in Kabul. There are ways to achieve our demands through talks.  I think more protests will be the last option.

Jaffer Mahdavi, a lawmaker and Hazara protest leader, at his office in Kabul. (Shashank Bengali / Los Angeles Times )

But the group said it would resume demonstrations if the negotiations with the government fail.

The Afghan government said in a statement that it respected the civil movements and [is] ready for any discussions about demands that have been considered by the people.

The last time the group took to the streets of Kabul, two months ago, twin explosions killed more than 80 people and wounded hundreds. The Islamic State militant organization claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it targeted Shiite Muslims; most Hazaras are Shiite. Enlightening leaders say the government has failed to launch a proper investigation.

Another mass gathering would have embarrassed Ghanis government just a week before an international conference in Brussels at which the United States and other donor countries are expected to tout progress in Afghanistan and renew funding pledges.

Jafar Mahdavi, a Hazara lawmaker from Kabul and member of the Enlightening board, said the group wanted to send a message to the international community.

We want to raise our voices to show the U.S. and other countries what kind of government you are supporting, said Mahdavi. Its your money and your sacrifice, but supporting a racist government in Afghanistan is not good for us or the American people.

In the upcoming negotiations, the group says it will press the government for greater political representation. Hazaras are estimated to make up 9% of Afghanistans 30 million people but hold a relatively small share of top government posts, and have long complained of a lack of development in their central Afghan heartland.

When Secretary of State John F. Kerry brokered a compromise between Ghani and his election rival, Abdullah Abdullah, following a disputed vote in 2014, leaders from Afghanistans major ethnic groups were given positions in a top-heavy unity government. But in a country where ethnic political leaders have long commanded great authority, Enlightening protesters are increasingly critical of Hazara representatives in the government  led by Sarwar Danesh, who holds the title of second vice president, and Mohamed Mohaqiq, the second deputy chief executive.

Read more: Why Afghans are fleeing their country in the biggest numbers since 2001 

Traditional Hazara standard bearers, they are now widely seen as window dressing in a government that has failed to mend the economy, stop a fresh exodus of Afghan refugees or stem a Taliban insurgency that now controls more territory than at any point since 2001.

Whats happening in the Hazara community is an indication that traditional leaders are losing popular support, said Haroun Mir, an independent political analyst in Kabul.

If the Enlightening continues to have broad support, the government and international community will have to listen to them. They could emerge as a new kind of leadership.

The movement gained a wide following earlier this year over its opposition to a government plan to route a new electricity transmission line through the Hindu Kush mountains away from Bamiyan province, which has a large Hazara population.

Ghanis aides said the governments preferred route  through the narrow Salang pass  was shorter and that Bamiyan would be connected to the electrical grid once it goes online.

Hazara leaders argue that installing the line in Bamiyan would speed development of the provinces large and mostly untapped mineral caches.

The whole of Afghanistan would benefit if the line goes through Bamiyan, Mahdavi said. Its as if the government doesnt want the Hazara community to gain anything, so the whole country must suffer.

But the protests have grown bigger than the controversy over the power line. In the 15 years since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled the Taliban and attempted to set the country on a path to democracy, Afghanistan has not seen a protest movement as big or well organized.

Despite their economic challenges  or perhaps to surmount them  Afghan Hazaras have high levels of education and political participation. The Enlightening movement has spread via social media and been bolstered by funds from expatriates in Britain, Australia and the United States.

Many Kabul residents marveled that at past protests, the demonstrators exchanged flowers with soldiers and police deployed to keep order  and picked up after themselves before going home.

After the July 23 bombing, Enlightening leaders said they spent $200,000 to have 40 seriously wounded demonstrators treated in India, and provided bereavement payments to the families of those killed.

The strength of this movement is that they have a clear message and they are capable of mobilizing people in a way that other ethnic groups have not, Mir said. Its a novelty in Afghan politics.

It is also a sign of how ethnic fissures have widened under Ghanis government.

Last month, Abdullah, the governments chief executive, lashed out at Ghani for refusing to share power. Analysts say the president has concentrated authority with a handful of members of his Pashtun ethnicity, Afghanistans largest.

Minority Tajiks and Uzbeks  who clashed last month in Kabul over a reburial ceremony for a long-dead Tajik king  have their own grievances but are sympathetic to the Hazaras, particularly after the July attack, analysts say.

Ghani tried to placate the Hazaras last month by visiting Bamiyan to highlight infrastructure projects, but his trip was overshadowed by reports that security forces assaulted reporters and detained protest organizers.

Whether Enlightening retains public support will depend on whether it can extract concessions from the government.

We dont want to bring down the government  that wont help the people of Afghanistan, Mahdavi said. But we cannot go forward with this injustice.

Special corespondent Sultan Faizy contributed to this report.

shashank.bengali@latimes.com

Follow @SBengali on Twitter for more news from South Asia
An Iranian appeals court on Wednesday upheld a 16-year prison sentence for a prominent Iranian human rights advocate.

Narges Mohammadi had been sentenced in May on charges of violating national security and acting against the Islamic regime through her support of an anti-death penalty campaign.

As vice president of the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran, Mohammadi gained attention in 2014 for defending women who had acid thrown on them in the city of Esfahan, purportedly for dressing immodestly.

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While jailed this summer at Tehrans Evin Prison, she staged a 20-day hunger strike in protest of authorities who barred her from speaking by phone with her family.

Mohammadi is mother to 9-year-old twins, who live in France with their father. Friends say she suffers from a chronic illness that causes partial paralysis, which has worsened due to her imprisonment.

The appeals court in Tehran upheld Mohammadis sentence following a hearing in the case last week.

It is shocking for me as a human rights lawyer that a fellow lawyer with children would be sentenced to jail for even one day, said Nasrin Sotoudeh, a colleague who served three years in jail until being released in 2013.

She has committed no crime but doing her legal work. Is it wrong to defend the victims of violence?

Mahmoud Behzadi, Mohammadis lawyer, said his client had not decided whether to appeal to Irans Supreme Court.

Amnesty International and other human rights groups have assailed Mohammadis treatment as an example of how Iranian authorities use broad national security laws to punish dissidents or those seen as hostile to the conservative theocracy.

Human rights activists and dual nationals continue to be imprisoned during the presidency of Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate whose 2013 election had raised hopes of an easing of Irans harsh security laws.

Mohammadi is a supporter of the Campaign for Step by Step Abolition of the Death Penalty, known by its Persian acronym, Legam. Iran is one of the worlds leading practitioners of capital punishment, putting to death an estimated 1,000 people last year, many for drug offenses.

Last month, Iran put to death a teenager who was convicted of a crime when he was 17. Approximately 160 minors are on death row in Iran, according to Amnesty International.

Siavash Ramesh, a 28-year-old political activist, said Mohammadis sentence shows the Iranian regime wont tolerate criticism of its death penalty laws.

They sentenced her to give a warning to human rights activists and give her a lesson not to trespass against the regimes imposed red lines, Ramesh said.

Special correspondent Mostaghim reported from Tehran and Times staff writer Bengali from Mumbai, India.

shashank.bengali@latimes.com

Follow @SBengali on Twitter for more news from South Asia

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As the world mourns for former Israeli President Shimon Peres, the eulogies will be clouded by concern that the Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation he had envisioned remains as remote as ever.

At a time when he is leaving us, the idea of the two states is going through its worst days ever, said Alon Liel, a former aide to Peres and a former director general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry. I hope very much that the idea of two independent states living side by side will not die with Peres.

Peres, considered the last leader from Israels founding generation, was awarded the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize along with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for forging the Oslo peace accords a year earlier. Peres stroke this month occurred on the 23rd anniversary of the signing ceremony in Washington.

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The subsequent peace negotiations were supposed to lead to the creation of a Palestinian state, but the failure of the talks and repeated rounds of Israeli-Palestinian fighting have left years of stalemate and mutual mistrust.

Public support for a two-state solution among Israeli Jews dropped to 53% in June, from 70% nine years earlier, according to a poll conducted by Tamar Hermann, a political science professor and public opinion expert at the Israel Democracy Institute.

Shalom, the Hebrew word for peace and an ideal celebrated in Israel in the 1990s, became something of a dirty word in political discourse. Mention of it all but disappeared in recent election campaigns  an acknowledgement that many Israelis have soured on the prospects for new peace accords with the Palestinians and consider the goal of a two-state solution unlikely.

Israels cabinet convened in a special session of mourning Wednesday to observe a moment of silence in honor of Peres, who died early that morning at age 93.

As a man of vision, he looked toward the future. As a man of security, he fortified the power of Israel in many ways, said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As a man of peace, he worked to his final days for reconciliation with our neighbors and for a better future for our children.

But more than half of the members of Israels right-wing government remain opposed to a Palestinian state. Several leading members advocate annexation of parts of the West Bank. With the unchecked expansion of Israeli settlements throughout the occupied West Bank, observers worry that a two-state solution is being rendered impractical, while a one-state reality, in which the two sides will not be able to disentangle themselves from one another, is taking hold.

Peres death also comes at a time when Israeli parties that support the establishment of a Palestinian state are fractured, with no consensus on a political leader to represent the so-called peace camp in the next election. The former presidents vision of a new Middle East of economic interdependence and warm ties between Israel and its Arab neighbors is increasingly considered a pipe dream.

Theres no visionary today that is taking up the mantle and promise of a new Middle East, said David Makovsky, a former member of the U.S. team led by Secretary of State John Kerry that mediated talks between Israel and the Palestinians. Its much harder today for any visionary leader to come to the fore because of the complexity of the last 20 years. Once shattered, trust is hard to rebuild.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas sent a letter of condolence to Peres family, praising the former president for the peace agreement with Rabin and Arafat, as well as his efforts to push for a permanent settlement between the two sides, according to Israel Radio. Abbas is suffering from plummeting popularity in the Palestinian territories in part because of the mothballed peace negotiations, the last round of which ended in the spring of 2014.

Palestinians have mixed feelings toward Shimon Peres, said Mkhaimar Abusada, a political science professor at Al Azhar University in Gaza City. Some see him as a peacemaker.

But others see him as partially responsible along with Israels founding generation for the Nakba, displacement of Palestinians during the 1948 Israeli-Arab war that created Israel. They also fault him for his role in helping to establish the first Israeli settlements in the northern part of the West bank in the 1970s. Palestinian officials did not respond to requests for comment.

Israeli and international leaders released wistful condolence messages Wednesday in response to news of Peres passing from complications of a massive stroke he suffered Sept. 13. President Obama said that Peres never gave up on the possibility of peace between Israelis, Palestinians and Israels neighbors  not even after the heartbreak of the night in Tel Aviv that took Yitzhak Rabin. I can think of no greater tribute to his life than to renew our commitment to the peace that we know is possible.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon echoed the sentiment, praising Peres for his optimism on peace and his desire to expand cooperation between Israel and the international community.

May his spirit of determination guide us as we work to ensure peace security, and dignity for Israelis, Palestinians and all peoples of the region, Ban said in a statement.

Some of Peres associates and former aides tried to sound upbeat about the prospects for peace. Peres biographer, Michael Bar Zohar, said the former president continued to believe that a two-state solution was possible, even though he faulted Netanyahus government and the Palestinian leadership.

Israeli opposition leader Isaac Herzog insisted that Peres vision of a new Middle East is still possible. Peres vision of a two-state solution is alive and kicking, even though it has its problems and stumbling blocks, said Herzog.

Beginning Thursday, Peres coffin will lie in state on the plaza outside the Israeli parliament building in Jerusalem, allowing the public to pay last respects.

World leaders and dignitaries are planning to arrive in Israel for Peres funeral Friday. Within hours of Peres death before dawn on Wednesday at Sheba Medical Center, Israels Foreign Ministry confirmed that it was expecting President Obama to attend.

Other dignitaries attending Peres funeral include U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry, former President Bill Clinton, Britains Prince Charles, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Francois Hollande, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and German President Joachim Gauck.

Mitnick is a special correspondent.

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Deaths on the Mediterranean Sea dont keep migrants from trying to reach Europe

UPDATES:

2:01 p.m.: Updated throughout with additional comment and details.

This article was originally published at 8:45 a.m.
When the smugglers boat sank a dozen miles off Egypts Mediterranean coast, 17-year-old Attia Abdu Qamary fell into the choppy water with hundreds of other frightened migrants.

More than half looked like him -- teenage boys. Many had left their north coast fishing villages where the Nile River meets the sea in hopes of starting more promising lives in Italy, and sending desperately needed money home. Many had been traveling below deck in an area used for storing fish.

Attia, a wiry, strong swimmer, heard some of them cry out.

Help me, Im dying!

Some clutched at him. Others sank into the depths. A friend at his side slipped away.

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I saw him go down, Attia said later, eyes blank behind long lashes. He was holding my hand.

 As migrants and refugees seek to escape poverty and violence in their homelands, the Mediterranean Sea crossing from North Africa to Italy has become among the busiest and deadliest, and the number of youths attempting the crossing has dramatically

As migrants and refugees seek to escape poverty and violence in their homelands, the Mediterranean Sea crossing from North Africa to Italy has become among the busiest and deadliest, and the number of youths attempting the crossing has dramatically increased, according to the United Nations Childrens Fund.

The journey has killed 3,165 migrants trying to reach Europe this year, on pace to exceed last years total of 3,771, according to officials at the Institute of Migration and the U.N. refugee agency, which has dubbed this the deadliest year on record in the Mediterranean.

Last year, more than a million migrants poured into Europe by sea, mostly Syrians fleeing civil war. The bulk traveled through Turkey across the Aegean Sea to Greece, where tens of thousands were stranded in makeshift camps.

Restrictions by Balkan countries and a European Union agreement with Turkey to return migrants to Turkey stemmed that flow, but 301,583 migrants have still reached Europe by sea this year, according to the U.N. Refugee Agency. Of those, 131,432 arrived in Italy, most on weeklong voyages from Africa, chiefly Nigerians and Eritreans.

Families of those missing after a smugglers boat capsized off Egypts north coast on Sept. 21, 2016, awaited news Saturday near the pier at Rashid, about 130 miles east of Alexandria. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times )

Egypt has gained prominence as a point of origin, especially for youths, officials and analysts said. As of last month, the number of Egyptian unaccompanied minors reaching Italy by sea almost tripled compared with this time last year: 2,266, up from 854, according to the U.N. Refugee Agency.

Libyan officials this month announced that they had reached an agreement with Italy to fight illegal migration, which  along with the ongoing Libyan civil war - will probably funnel more Europe-bound migrants into Egypt.

Europe is an attractive destination for a booming population in Egypt, which is now home to 93 million people. Attias village has swelled to 35,000 people, many of them jobless youths with little education competing for scant low-paid work.

Over-fishing has left even experienced men unemployed for years. And now smugglers eager to spur quick business are stirring fears that Europe will soon close its doors, analysts said.

After the boat Attia was on capsized on Sept. 21, killing dozens  the death toll was more than 200 people by Tuesday as more bodies were found  and leaving many missing, the European Parliament chief called for Egypts aid to be tied to an agreement similar to the one reached with Turkey in March to limit migration to Europe.

Egypts parliament held an emergency session this week to prepare a law for consideration next month that would impose fines of up to $56,000 and potential life sentences on smugglers when migrants are killed or disabled.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi, who has urged parliament to pass the law, assured the United Nations General Assembly this month that his administration has been working to reduce illegal migration.

We are concerned and committed to safeguarding our borders and preventing this, but society must contribute to the effort so this is never repeated, Sisi said Monday in a televised address.

He had a message for young would-be migrants: Dont leave your country and go, you can develop it if you will just join hands with us.

Naela Gabr, a senior diplomat leading Egypts efforts to address illegal migration, worked on the proposed law.

It wont be the magic solution, but it will help, she said. The smugglers are knocking at their doors and telling them, You can live in heaven.

Boys walk to school in Rashid, where some families and friends encourage youths to migrate to Italy. Those who survive the dangerous journey send money home to build houses. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times )

Her office just completed a study examining 11 of the countrys 27 provinces that send the most young migrants abroad, and plans a media outreach campaign. She said developed countries also need to do more to encourage migration through legal channels.

Its not just about putting up tougher regulations, said Sarah Crowe, a UNICEF spokeswoman. As weve seen in the case of the Balkans, people are still coming through, theyre just using riskier routes.

The Egyptian coast guard has tried to intercept smugglers boats in recent weeks, stopping several on the north coast carrying hundreds of migrants. Authorities said they have made 22 arrests related to the boats sinking last week, including the boats owner. Among them were seven crew members charged with human trafficking and manslaughter.

Ahmed Khamees, a north coast fisherman from Rashid, also known as Rosetta, said some smugglers buy old fishing boats for $20,000 to $30,000. They keep migrants in local stash houses, he said, using small dinghies to ferry them out to larger boats anchored off the coast.

Smugglers pack the shoddy boats with hundreds of people  far more than they were designed to carry -- for one-way journeys that can earn the smugglers hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Khamees, 34, has a 13-year-old son, and said hes trying to keep him close by, choosing his friends carefully, but that may not be enough.

Theres nothing to keep them here, he said.

The deaths in the sinking last week upset many in Egypt, but failed to dampen the yearning among youths waiting near the pier, who showed Facebook photos and messages from friends who had made it to Italy, including tips about what to say in Italian upon arrival: Mangiare. Eat.

When he was 19, Mostafa Abu Amer, who lives in the northern village of Menoufia, paid a smuggler $3,000 to take him to Italy. After nine days at sea, he was rescued by the Red Cross, found work in Italy as a carpenter and became a legal resident. He married, built a house, and moved back to Egypt to raise his two children.

Now 28, he knows his success inspired his 16-year-old cousin to board the boat last week. The youth has not been heard from since.

Its worse now. We were only 150 on a 16-meter boat. This time they had hundreds, Amer said as he awaited news near the pier.

He wont give up the idea that he must go.  Samya Ali, mother of Attia Abdu Qamary

Nearby, Ashraf Goma, 19, said he chats daily on social media with a 17-year-old friend in Italy who left their village in Faiyum province to the south six months ago. He said his friend now wears silver chains, attends school, has been adopted by an Italian family and is about to become a legal resident.

When I ask, Arent you coming back? he says, What for? Goma said.

Gomas older brother tried to migrate to Italy through Libya recently but was arrested. His 15-year-old brother was on the boat that sank, and was still missing. Goma said the smuggler who arranged his brothers passage has been in business in their village for 16 years, and started by sending his own children.

Goma was going to board a smugglers boat six months ago, but reconsidered. It disappeared, and scores of migrants remain missing. Now he is desperate for news of his younger brother. Some survivors said they saw him after the boat sank. Others said they saw his body.

Goma remembers the last time they talked. The family had signed a promissory note to pay the smuggler about $4,000 for his brothers trip.

He was joking with me, saying Im not coming back to you, Goma said, adding that his brother knew the risks.

Goma pointed to an elderly man sorting dates beneath a palm tree for a few dollars per day.

What can a young man like me do with $4 to $5 a day? he said. If I stay here in Egypt, I could never earn a good living, I could never get married.

Friends who made it to Italy post on social media about attending school. As they send money home, their families red brick houses sprout satellite dishes, ornate plaster balconies, carved wood doors and rebar reaching ever skyward as they add stories.

Rarely are youths turned back from Italy, which has laws barring their involuntary deportation.

In Green Island, Ahmed Afandi said his 17-year-old brother was sent back last year only because authorities suspected he was 18. He immediately asked for help going again, but Afandi, 24  who earns as little as $2.50 a day driving a van he doesnt own  refused.

Their teenage cousin was on the boat that sank last week and was still missing.

Attia Abdu Qamary, 17, holding his fathers medical records. His father has Hepatitis C and Attia was trying to migrate to Italy to work and pay for his treatment. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times )

Attia spent eight hours in the sea before fishermen saved him, making him among about 160 people who survived. Now his mother, Samya Ali, 36, fears her son will try again despite the tragedy.

He wont give up the idea that he must go, she said.

Attia had signed a promissory note to pay a smuggler $2,000. When the boat capsized, he didnt have to pay. He could try another boat.

He pulled out his fathers medical bills. His father has Hepatitis C, hasnt worked in a decade and needs $110 a week for medication.

I told my father Im going to get you enough money for treatment, Attia said.

Attias family of five shares three rooms. He wears a worn red polo shirt and sweatpants and drives a toc toc mini-cab for $2 a day.

His uncle, Ghabour Qamary, 43, who the teenager called for help as the smugglers boat was sinking, also thinks Attia should try to leave Egypt again.

If I had the chance myself, I would go. Im dead anyway, here or in the sea, said the fisherman, standing outside Attias house in his thin green jalabiya robe, his forehead marked with the dark zabeeba spot that comes from frequent prayer.

He pointed to his two wide-eyed sons flanking him, Fahd, 9, and Saif, 8.

I will send them, he said.

molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com

@mollyhf

UPDATES:

2:15 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional arrests.

It was originally published at 5 p.m. Sept. 27.
The Pentagon plans to send about 600 additional troops to Iraq to help launch a long-awaited offensive to retake Mosul in coming weeks, the most ambitious operation yet in the two-year military campaign against Islamic State.

The escalation, which has been approved by the White House, suggests the challenges U.S.-backed Iraqi ground forces will face in assaulting a heavily defended major urban center that is Islamic States self-declared capital in Iraq and the largest city under its control anywhere.

An Iraqi victory in Mosul would effectively end Islamic States self-declared caliphate in Iraq. President Obama would like to see the militants ejected or defeated in Iraq before he leaves office in January.

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The Pentagon has about 6,000 troops, mostly operating as advisors and trainers, in Iraq. U.S.-led coalition warplanes based outside Iraq have carried out thousands of airstrikes since mid-2014.

Most of the new U.S. troops will be deployed to Qayyarah, an Iraqi airbase known as Q-West about 40 miles south of Mosul that has become a key staging base for the planned assault. Some also will be deployed to the Al Asad base, which is further west in Anbar province, to help with logistics.

A small component of special-operations forces also be dispatched to help Iraqi commanders gather and analyze intelligence from the battlefield.

Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, must give his approval for the advisors to accompany Iraqi troops at the battalion level, meaning they could operate closer to the front line. U.S. advisors thus far have been largely confined to Iraqi division headquarters.

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter told reporters traveling with him in Albuquerque on Wednesday that the Pentagon plans to send approximately 600 troops. A senior defense official said 615 troops will be deployed.

Carter said they will help Iraqi security forces and Kurdish fighters to isolate and collapse Islamic States control over Mosul and to protect and expand Iraqi security forces gains elsewhere.

The Iraqi security forces have the combat role and were in the support role, but I need to make clear: American forces combating ISIL are in harms way, he said, using an acronym for Islamic State.

Carter said the Pentagon does not know if the militants plan to fight street by street for Mosul, as many have feared, or will abandon the city before the assault force, as has happened in several battles recently.

Nor do we know whether they will be able to carry out whatever plans they have, he added. Its unclear whether their fighters will stick with them, whether they will have the morale to do that, [and] whether the populace of Mosul will tolerate their continued presence in the city.

Surveillance drones and spy satellites have seen fighters building defensive positions inside Mosul although the militants have sought to hide their activity with smoke from burning oil and tires. U.S. planes have also sought to undermine support for the militants, and warn of the coming assault, by dropping millions of propaganda leaflets on the city.

The offensive, first promised in early 2015, has been repeatedly postponed as Iraqi security forces focused on retraining and on pushing the militants from other cities and towns closer to Baghdad, the capital.

Iraqi President Haider Abadi said in a statement Wednesday that he had requested more U.S. troops after consultation with President Obama. The two leaders met on Sept. 19 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Abadi said the role of the trainers and advisors is not combat, but for training and consultation only.

It is our troops who will liberate the land, he said.

Kurdish troops will coordinate with Iraqi and coalition forces in the attack. The autonomous Kurdish government in northern Iraq has agreed to receive refugees of all ethnic and religious groups. An estimated 1 million civilians are in the city.

In recent weeks, advancing Iraqi and Kurdish ground forces have retaken towns and cities around Mosul and have cut off major supply routes on nearly all sides of the city.

Iraqi ground forces, backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, pushed the militants from Sharqat last week, raising the Iraqi flag over a government compound. The town lies on the west bank of the Tigris River, about 50 miles south of Mosul.

Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said last week that the Iraqis being trained by the U.S.-led coalition for the Mosul offensive will be ready in early October.

The U.S. combat role in Iraq has increased steadily since Obama first authorized troops and air strikes in mid-2014. Special operations forces have accompanied Iraqi and Kurdish troops on raids and combat operations. Hundreds of additional troops are sent every few months to bolster support to Iraqi forces.

The Pentagon began extensive retraining of Iraqi troops in 2014 after Islamic State guerrillas first stormed in from Syria and seized large parts of western and northern Iraq.

The training has focused on nine Iraqi army brigades and three brigades of Kurdish fighters, known as peshmerga.

A brigade in Iraq can range from fewer than 1,000 troops to more than 3,000.

Officially, the Pentagon has deployed 5,262 troops in Iraq. But special operations forces and temporary deployments boost the total to more than 6,000. Three U.S. service members have died thus far fighting against Islamic State in Iraq.

The president regularly asks: Could we make more progress if we devote additional resources to that effort? White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Tuesday. And when the answer to that question is yes, the president has worked very closely with his team to find those resources and to devote them to that effort in a timely fashion.

Islamic State has held Mosul, Iraqs second largest city, since June 2014 when Iraqi forces in and around the northern city dropped their U.S.-supplied weapons and fled.

Although the Islamic State has steadily lost ground in Iraq and Syria, the Sunni militants have carried out daily suicide bombings in Shiite neighborhoods in Baghdad to stoke sectarian strife as well as destabilize the central government.

william.hennigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @wjhenn

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UPDATES:

11:25 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details and more quotes from Ashton Carter.

This article was originally published at 9:50 a.m.
Families huddle terrified in basements, stalked by staggeringly powerful explosions shaking the streets above. Wounded children writhe untreated on dirty clinic floors. Hospitals and rescue centers  a ravaged citys last ragged line of defense  crumble daily into rubble, often appearing to have been methodically targeted.

Even by the brutal benchmarks of the Syrian conflict, Russian and Syrian bombardment of rebel-held districts in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo this last week has been marked by a degree of unparalleled savagery and suffering, according to longtime observers of the multi-sided fighting.

And geopolitical reverberations are growing at a parallel pace. Secretary of State John F. Kerry on Wednesday threatened to suspend bilateral engagement with the Kremlin in Syria unless the aerial onslaught against Aleppo, once a cultural and historic jewel, is halted. A suspension would likely be a death knell for American efforts to enlist Russia in the common fight against Islamic State militants.

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As recently as last week, diplomat after diplomat at the U.N. General Assembly asserted that there was no military path to ending the conflict. With the war having devolved into a stalemate, Syrian President Bashar Assad and his Russian backers are seemingly attempting to seize the battlefield initiative by capturing the opposition-held sector of Aleppo, whatever the human cost.

A regime victory in Aleppo, once the countrys most populous city and its main commercial center, would deprive the Syrian opposition of its main urban stronghold, setting in motion a potentially decisive change in the course of the conflict. And the unbridled fierceness of the latest fighting is sending a new flood of refugees out into a world already beginning to stagger under the burden.

Until now, analysts say, the Assad regime had been deterred primarily by its own forces weakness. That state of affairs in some ways dovetailed neatly with international fears that an all-out battle for Aleppos east, where between a quarter-million and 300,000 civilians are believed trapped, would lead to a bloodbath unseen thus far in this war.

But newfound Russian willingness to deploy its warplanes in a ferocious bombardment of eastern Aleppo  with battlefield weaponry not previously used in a densely populated Syrian city  has dramatically altered the equation. The aerial campaign signaled the start of a broad offensive against opposition-held Aleppo announced by the Assad government on Sept. 22. The push has included ground fighting in recent days  the first time since 2012 that Syrian government troops had crossed into those rebel-held areas.

One turning point in Aleppo has been the use  not acknowledged by Russia or Syria, but publicly alleged by senior diplomats and the Syrian opposition  of bunker-buster bombs, capable of penetrating heavily fortified underground installations.

Theyre actually a very strange choice to use against cities unless youre trying to hit something in particular, so theyre likely to be on the basis of specific intelligence  hitting things like buried supply tunnels, underground command centers, said Justin Bronk, a military scientist with the Royal United Services Institute, a British think tank. Or civilian shelters  they would go straight through.

Analysts believe the employing of such weaponry, together with armaments such as internationally outlawed cluster munitions, suggests that the Syrian regime not only believes it can root out and destroy the oppositions leadership in Aleppo by such means, but that carnage involving civilians is simply not part of the calculus.

What is equally criminal, in my view, is that those who are committing these crimes do so with a sense of impunity and immunity that is absolute, Frederic Hof, the director of the Atlantic Councils Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, said at a Washington forum this week.

They have measured the reaction of the West to civilian slaughter over the past five years and they have concluded  quite rationally  that they may do as they wish, when they wish, to anyone they wish, he said.

The Aleppo assault intensified on Wednesday, with humanitarian groups reporting that two hospitals  codenamed M2 and M10 by medical personnel to obscure their locations  were knocked out of commission by bombardment, sending debris showering onto the faces of terrified patients.

The international group Medecins Sans Frontieres, or Doctors Without Borders, which supported both facilities, said at least two patients died and two medical personnel were wounded. Only seven surgeons remain in the area that is under attack, the group said.

We have never seen so much death and injury in our hospitals, an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Bakry Maaz, told the relief group USSOM. This massacre is taking place before our eyes.

Against a backdrop of starvation and deprivation, one of eastern Aleppos few remaining bakeries was hit in the latest bombardment as well, witnesses and activists said.

As always in this war, the most vulnerable have borne the brunt. The United Nations childrens agency, UNICEF, said that at least 96 children had been killed and 223 injured in eastern Aleppo since Friday. The children of Aleppo are trapped in a living nightmare, the agencys deputy chief, Justin Forsyth, said Wednesday. There are no words left to describe the suffering they are experiencing.

At the U.N., Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon could scarcely contain his outrage over the offensive, which began even as the world body was trying to shore up a failing cease-fire agreed to earlier this month. At a gathering of the Security Council on Wednesday, the outgoing U.N. chief made his strongest war-crimes accusation against the Syrian government and its ally, Russia.

They know they are committing war crimes, he declared.

Imagine the destruction, he said. People with their limbs blown off, children in terrible pain with no relief. Imagine a slaughterhouse. This is worse.

Frustration and fury on diplomats part have been building for days. Speaking to the council on Sunday, the U.N.s special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, cited evidence pointing to the use of bunker-buster bombs, coupled with reports of incendiary bombs that create fireballs of such intensity that they light up the pitch darkness in eastern Aleppo, as though it was actually daylight.

If confirmed, De Mistura said, the systematic, indiscriminate use of such weapons in areas where civilians and civilian infrastructure are present may amount to war crimes.

In Syria, where half the population has already been driven from homes, bombardment like that seen in Aleppo is the leading cause of forced displacement, a French nongovernmental organization said in a study released Wednesday. Drawing on refugee interviews and patterns of displacement, it said relentless use of artillery shells, rockets and aerial bombardment was the overriding factor behind the migratory wave that threatens to destabilize Syrias neighbors and is roiling the European political scene.

Despite the Wests obvious self-interest in preventing more death and displacement in Syria, those on the ground increasingly fear the world has forgotten them.

Its already so dire, and it seems that things will just get worse and worse, said Laila Alawa, of the nonprofit group Nuday Syria, whose focus is working to support mothers and children. Citing talks with people in embattled areas including Aleppo province, she reported a crushing sense of abandonment  a belief that political polarization in the United States has eroded the will to take decisive political steps to try to stem the bloodshed.

It gets harder all the time for the Syrian people to trust in outsiders, Alawa said. Theres a feeling that no one really cares about whats happening to Aleppo.

laura.king@latimes.com

Staff writer Tracy Wilkinson contributed to this report from Washington.

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For several days this month, a cease-fire brought some measure of peace to the embattled city of Aleppo, where warring sides in Syrias civil war have long been locked in a stalemate.

But the lull in fighting quickly ended. The violence escalated dramatically Tuesday as pro-government forces launched a brutal ground offensive on opposition-held neighborhoods of the city.

Activists reached through instant messaging said the ground attack was aided by an insane aerial bombardment by Russian and Syrian warplanes targeting the eastern neighborhoods of Shaar and Mashhad.

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The state news agency SANA reported Tuesday that government units seized control of the Farafra neighborhood from the rebels  or terrorists, as the Syrian government calls them. Engineering crews are now diffusing and removing mines and explosive canisters planted by terrorist groups in the neighborhood, the agency said.

Syrian civilians and rescuers gather at the site of an airstrike by government forces in the rebel-held neighborhood of Shaar in Aleppo on Sept. 27, 2016. (Karam al-Masri / AFP/Getty Images )

The advance marks a breakthrough for Syrian President Bashar Assad in his efforts to take back an area that was once the industrial heart of the country and a key prize in a war that has stretched on for more than five years and left hundreds of thousands of people dead and turned millions more into refugees.

Whoever controls Aleppo controls Syria, the thinking goes.

The cease-fire this month was brokered by the U.S. and Russia. But each side soon accused the other of violations.

Then an international coalition aimed at fighting Islamic State killed dozens of Syrian soldiers in an airstrike that U.S. officials said was a mistake, and bombs that activists said came from Russian warplanes hit an aid convoy destined for eastern Aleppo.

The cease-fire lasted a week before the Syrian government declared it was over and went on the offensive.

In the wake of the latest gains, government planes dropped leaflets in eastern Aleppo telling residents that there are no borders between us and instructing them to break the barrier of fear and return to your normal lives.

Syria brings us together, preserve it, the leaflets said.

Activists said the government has overstated its advances. In an interview with German broadcaster Deutsche Welles Arabic channel, Rami Abdul Rahman, who heads the pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said that troops had taken only a few buildings in Aleppos Old City quarter.

Still, there is little doubt that the tenor of war in Aleppo has shifted.

Pro-government troops encircled rebel positions in August. Over the last several days, the air campaign has killed more than 200 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is based in England and has a network of activists in Syria.

The group reported at least 12 people were killed in the bombardment on Tuesday, but expected the death toll to rise as rescuers continued to dig for victims.

In Shaar, there are still four families buried in the rubble, said Ibrahim Alhaj, a worker with the Syria Civil Defense rescue group.

Activists tweeting under the hashtag Holocaust_Aleppo have uploaded horrific images of victims exhumed over the last week from the pulverized stone and twisted metal detritus of collapsed buildings. The charity Save the Children said Sunday that its partner organizations in rebel-held areas of Aleppo reported that almost half of the casualties were children.

Diplomats continued to deplore the violence.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking in Berlin, said the government attacks were carried out in an unacceptable manner against civilians, the broadcaster Deutsche Welle reported. She also cast doubt on whether it would be possible to enforce a no-fly zone, which the opposition and its supporters say is needed to quell the bloodshed.

Her comments followed harsher condemnation of Syria and Russia at the United Nations last week.

In speeches before the Security Council, the U.S., Britain and France excoriated Syrian and Russian actions as barbaric and argued that only a political solution could end the Syrian crisis.

But the message appears to have been lost in Aleppo.

In an interview with Lebanese daily Al Akhbar, Hassan Nasrallah, head of the Lebanese Shiite faction Hezbollah, which has bolstered Syrian troops, said there were no prospects for political solutions.

The decisive word remains in the battlefield, he said.

Bulos is a special correspondent.
Late into Monday night's first presidential debate, Hillary Clinton steered the conversation towards women Donald Trump has called "pigs, slobs, and dogs."

The only woman Clinton identified by name is Alicia Machado, a former Miss Universe who endured psychological pain resulting from Trump's taunts.

"One of the worst things he said was about a woman in a beauty contests - he loves beauty contests, supporting them and hanging out around them - and he called this woman 'Miss Piggy,' then he called her 'Miss Housekeeping' because she was Latina," Clinton said.

Clinton continued, "Donald, she has a name. Her name is Alicia Machado. And she has become a U.S. citizen and you can bet she is going to vote this November." The Clinton campaign released a video minutes after the debate wrapped up highlighting Machado's story.

From Miss Universe to 'Miss Piggy'

Machado was crowned 1996 Miss Universe at 19 years old. Rumors about the Venezuela-born model's weight began making the rounds soon after, first by the Venezuelan press then U.S. publications. According to a PEOPLE, Machado was in danger of losing her title if she did not lose 27 pounds over two weeks.

Trump, who co-owned the Miss Universe Organization, hired a trainer for Machado. He invited a gaggle of reports to watch Machado work out, unbeknownst to her.

"She weighed 118 pounds or 117 pounds and she went up to 160 or 170. So this is somebody that likes to eat," Trump said.

Last May, Machado told Inside Edition Trump called her "Miss Piggy" for her weight and "Miss Housekeeping" because she is Latina. Depression led to anorexia and bulimia. "Over the past 20 years, I've gone to a lot of psychologists to combat this."

She openly campaigned for Clinton a month later, appearing at a Virginia press conference hosted by immigration advocacy groups. In July she was featured at the 1st Annual Domestic Workers Assembly in South Florida, an event that pushed for legislation protecting domestic workers' rights.

Machado was among the first to congratulate Clinton following Monday night's debate. "Thank you Mrs. Hillary Clinton your respect for women and our differences makes you great! I'm with you!," she tweeted.

Minutes later, Machado tweeted a selfie with a caption that read, "I received my passport! I'm ready to vote For my country for you @HillaryClinton for my daughter For women workers."

Trump called into "Fox and Friends" Tuesday morning to clarify that Machado's weight gain was a problem for his Miss Universe pageant.

"She was the winner, she gained a massive amount of weight, and it was a real problem. Not only that, her attitude," Trump said. "And Hillary went back into the years...found the girl talked about her like she was Mother Teresa, and it wasn't quite that way, but that's OK. Hillary has to do what she has to do."

As for defending himself over the derogatory terms Clinton cited, Trump congratulated himself for self-restraint. "I was going to hit her with her husband's women, and I decided I shouldn't do it. I didn't feel comfortable doing it with Chelsea [Clinton] in the room. I think Chelsea's a fine young lady," Trump said.
Coming from the dry ochre desert of Oaxaca, Belize was humid, very green, and full of delicious food. My trip to the country was brief but memorable, and honestly among the most fun and relaxing weeks Ive spent in years of travel. I met new friends, tried wonderful dishes I hadnt previously explored, and the scenery was truly mind-blowing. I will always remember driving into the dense forests as we criss-crossed the country.

For travel to Belize during the pandemic, the Travel Belize official site has the information you need in order to do so, namely:

Booking a stay at a Gold Standard hotel (hotels approved by the government for reopening during COVID-19), and provide proof to Immigration at entry.

As of August 9, 2021, all travelers (vaccinated and unvaccinated) must present proof of a negative test to enter. For PCR tests, within 96 hours of entry. For Rapid Tests/Antigen Tests, within 48 hours of entry. If no test is presented, they will have you do one at the airport and charge you. Children under 5 are exempt.

A list of testing sites for exit testing is available here.

Beautiful, Unbelizeable visit to Belize!

Quick Facts About Belize

Flag of Belize:

Official name: Belize

Belize Capital: Belmopan

Type of government: Belize has a constitutional monarchy, with two legislative houses: the Senate, and the House of Representatives.

Belize has a constitutional monarchy, with two legislative houses: the Senate, and the House of Representatives. Head of state: British Monarch: Queen Elizabeth II. As with Canada, this role is represented by the countrys Governor-General.

British Monarch: represented by the countrys Governor-General. Head of government: Prime Minister

Prime Minister Official language: English

English Official religion: No official religion established

No official religion established Monetary unit: Belize dollar (BZ$)

Belize dollar (BZ$) Population: 419,200 (a 2020 estimate), projected to be approximately 490,000 by the year 2030.

419,200 (a 2020 estimate), projected to be approximately 490,000 by the year 2030. Size: 8,867 miles squared, or 22,966 kilometers squared

8,867 miles squared, or Density: 47.3 people per square mile, or 18.3 people per square kilometer.

47.3 people per square mile, or 18.3 people per square kilometer. Urban-rural population: As of 2017, the urban population was 44.8% of the country, with 55.2% in rural areas.

As of 2017, the urban population was 44.8% of the country, with 55.2% in rural areas. Literacy rate: Around 76-77% of men and women are literate in Belize.

A Brief History of Belize

Belizes history is tangled, with pirates and buccaneers and conquests galore. Though the country is Central America adjacent, Belize has a varied and unique demographic makeup. With cultural similarities to Central America and famous Mayan ruins, Belize also houses a large population of Creole (people of mixed Africa and British descent), and Garifuna (mixed-race descendants of West African, Central African, Island Carib, and Arawak people)  in addition to those of Spanish and Mayan descent. The countrys early history reads like a Game of Thrones book, though violent destruction of indigenous culture and people was the sad norm of colonial journeys. *Cough* Columbus *cough*.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the name Belize,

is traditionally believed to have been derived from the Spanish pronunciation of the last name of Peter Wallace, a Scottish buccaneer who may have begun a settlement at the mouth of the Belize River about 1638. It is also possible that the name evolved from the Mayan word belix (muddy water) or belikin (land facing the sea).

Before the Buccaneers  those maritime marauders who came to the country in search of timber and other riches  there were the Maya. During their peak, from 600AD to 900AD, the Maya created advanced city-states in the jungles  among them, Caracol and Lamanai in Belize. From 900AD, the Mayan kingdom declined. Emerging research indicates the fall of the Maya was due to drought. You can read more in my History of Tikal piece, here.

The Maya declined, they did not die off completely. There are Mayan descendants in Belize today, often mixed with Spanish ancestry. When the Spanish arrived in the 1500s, the existing Mayan population fought back aggressively, and the Spanish never got a firm foothold over the country. Following the principles of the Colombian Exchange, however, they did bring a host of new diseases to the region. The population thinned out, and many moved toward the safer center of the country.

In the 17th century, British loggers  the Buccaneers  started settling in pockets of the coastline, in search of timber. They also used the Bay of Honduras as a base to launch raids on Spanish commerce, giving them the name British Baymen. Spain still claimed the land for itself, but no matter  they attacked the British, the British fought back, and if pushed away still returned to reclaim access to mahogany. The Baymen settlement was officially established as a British outpost in 1638.

At the same time, large amounts of slaves from Africa were brought into Belize. The Spanish wanted to control the nation for itself, not only for the wood but also as a port for trafficking people. Plundering and skirmishes continued for over a century until the Spanish made one last push to wrest Belize from the British in 1798. They were defeated in the Battle of St. Georges Caye, and the territory was then firmly in British hands.

For an overview of the time between 1798 and the present day, please see the Lonely Planet History of Belize post here.

Calls for an independent Belize grew in number during the 1950s. Britain made Belize a self-governing colony in 1964, and on September 21, 1981 it became an independent country. Tourism is now the most important industry in Belize, as well as exports of sugar, bananas, citrus fruit, wood, and hot sauce (so good).

Where is Belize Located?

Located at the Northern edges of Central America, Belize was one the last British colonies on the American continent. Until 1973, it was known as British Honduras, one of the last British colonies in the American mainland. Since its relatively recent independence on September 21, 1981, it is part of the British Commonwealth.

Per Encyclopedia Britannica:

Situated south of the Yucatan Peninsula, Belize is a land of mountains, swamps, and tropical jungle. It is bounded by Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. The country has a 174-mile (280-km) coastline.

To be even more precise: Belize is located at 1715 north of the Equator and 8845 west of the Prime Meridian.

Dispute with Guatemala

As I mentioned above, Belize borders Guatemala. But, the two arent the friendliest of neighbors. Guatemala has claimed the land held by Belize in whole or in part since 1821. Im making specific mention of this because Belize unusually campaigned for international help in securing its independence, partly as a response to this aggressive stance by Guatemala.

The dispute is quite involved, but the short of it is that Guatemala, independent from Spain as of 1821, claims that under a 1859 treaty with Great Britain, it agreed to recognize what was then British Honduras so long as Great Britain built a road from Guatemala to Punta Gorda. In 1940, Guatemala said that treaty was void, since the road was never built and other economic assistance never supplied.

Belize, on the other hand, says that they werent even PARTY to that treaty, so how could they be bound by it, or have their future decided by it? Belize also argues that under international law, Guatemala is bound to honor the treaty even without the roads construction.

As of today, Belize remains independent, but the two countries are not friends. In 2018, Guatemala held a referendum where citizens voted to petition the top United Nations Court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), to resolve this long-standing territorial dispute.

In 2019, Belize held its own referendum, with similar results.

And so, the countries have petitioned the ICJ in The Hague United Nations, via referendum of their citizens who wanted this petition to go forward, to rule on the territorial dispute. As of September 2021, the case is ongoing. You can see case updates here. More about the historical dispute here, if youre interested.

30 Reasons to Visit Belize in Photos: Landscapes, Food & Wildlife

Still here? Good. I cant just put up a photoessay without explaining a little about the country.

Landscapes and seascapes

A good place to start.

Food in Belize

Very friendly for celiacs, with only one place telling me that they used flour to thicken their chicken stews. For the most part, tamales and chicken or beef stews with rice were available throughout the country. In Hopkins, I was able to try Garifuna food for the first time.

The Great Blue Hole

Activities on Caye Caulker were optional, and I opted to fulfill a long-held dream of seeing the Great Blue Hole. Flights go out from Caye Caulker or nearby San Pedro, but since I was already on Caye Caulker, I paid the $200 USD to get a flight with two others from the trip.

I cant scuba dive, so this was the next best option. For me, it was also exactly what I wanted: a tiny plane, amazing views, and a chance to see an aerial vista of a natural wonder that I had read about for decades.

As sinkholes go, the Great Blue Hole in Belize is unparalleled. Located near Lighthouse Reef, approximately 100km (63 miles) from Belize City, it is the largest natural sinkhole in the world and part of the UNESCO-recognized Barrier Reef Reserve System.

Iguana Extravaganza

Though my injuries arent the focus of this photoessay, I would be remiss if I did not include some iguana shots from my trip.

For starters, I was more than slightly obsessed with iguanas during my time on the Galapagos Islands. The land iguanas were particularly fun to observe, gleefully catapulting salt into the air and scaring all of the nearby iguanas. A pattern emerged quickly: the animals stood piled atop each other, one would spit salt aggressively into the air, and the half-dozen nearby would skittishly flip out, then settle back into repose. It happened over and over, and I giggled like a child.

In Belize, the iguanas were far more colorful, and given that they were kept in a park, I was able to get closer. One might argue too close, because months later I still have the claw marks on my leg from where an iguana tried to climb me like a tree, shocking the staff. Apparently I have the dubious distinction of being the only person in the history of The Iguana Projects existence to have been mauled.

The best reasons we came up with is as follows: we fed the iguanas leaves, and coincidentally I wore a t-shirt that looks like leaves.

That or iguanas hate me.

You decide.

HERES MY ADVICE: DO NOT GO VISIT IGUANAS WITH A SHIRT THAT LOOKS LIKE LEAVES.

YOURE WELCOME.

Snakes and Tapirs, Oh My

While Im not a big fan of spiders, I do not have a problem with snakes. This was a good thing, because upon entry at the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center I was promptly draped with a large snake. No complaints; just glad it wasnt a tarantula.

I was extremely excited for the zoo because the Jodi hierarchy of animals is as follows:

Tarsiers (the reason I went to the Philippines, and of course I went to Bohol and went nuts.) Alpacas or llamas (Found a place called Shamarra Alpacas in NZ and went nuts, but I also drive my family bananas with my enthusiasm on a regular basis because there are a few alpaca farms near my dads place in Quebec.) Wombats (Australia! Check.) Owls (Not yet, BUT ONE DAY) Tapir (Baby tapir are far cuter but I love their awkwardness at all ages) Harpy Eagles (mostly because they look like Sam the Eagle from the Muppets).

The zoo not only had a Harpy Eagle enclosure, but also housed quite a few lumbering tapir.

BEHOLD:

Further Reading About Belize

This post is a joyful list of why I enjoyed my visit to Belize, including some of the places that made it memorable. As always, I wanted to provide some additional reading for those traveling to Belize. I am a big believer of learning everything you can on your travels  longtime readers are here for that reason!  and guidebooks and history books are a good spot to start.

And for readers with more, uh, salacious tastes  I know youre out there  the second book in Kimberly Foxs Bad Boys on the Beach series is set in Belize.

Is shorter form your preference? See this beautiful piece tracking hummingbirds in the jungles of Belize.

***

From animals to sinkholes and lots of great meals in between, this was a wonderful trip to Belize. My skin, parched from the months in Oaxaca, was thrilled be in humidity for a few weeks.

Note: I visited Belize as the final trip of my 6-year brand ambassadorship with G Adventures, which has now ended. The tour itself and my transportation to and from Oaxaca were paid-for by G Adventures. I paid for the optional activities like the Iguana Sanctuary and the Blue Hole flight.

I had not spent much time in Central America or the Caribbean prior, and was unsure of how I would enjoy my visit to Belize. I ended up loving the food and the laid-back attitude, was in awe at the tropical waters, and felt like those short 10 days just werent enough.

-Jodi
sands.jpeg

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A New York man is facing multiple charges after punching another man on the gaming floor of Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem, state police said.

Charged is Quan Lin, 46, of Flushing.

Pennsylvania State Police at Bethlehem, assigned to the Bureau of Gaming Enforcement, at 10:45 p.m. Tuesday were dispatched by casino security for the fight. The casino is located at 77 Sands Blvd.

Troopers found the male victim with a swollen and bloody eye and face, as well as dried blood on his forearms. The victim told police Lin punched him in the head and face.

The victim was taken by rescue squad to an area hospital for treatment of injuries. Court records to not indicate the reason for the altercation and if the pair knew each other before the fight.

Casino video surveillance footage matched the victim's account of events, police said.

Lin was found by troopers on the gaming floor with smeared blood on his jacket.

He is charged with simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct. He was arraigned before District Judge John Capobianco, who set bail at $5,000.

In lieu of bail, Lin was taken to Northampton County Prison. The judge ordered Lin to stay away from the Sands Casino in Bethlehem.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Authorities say they have caught the trio responsible for hundreds of incidents of BB gun damage over the past month around Lehigh County.

Miguel Lista-Santos, 19; Jose Cintron-Martinez, 18; and a juvenile only identified as A.R., each admitted to police to shooting BB guns at vehicles or homes during the spree over the month of September, police said.

Lista-Santos, of the 100 block of North Poplar Street in Allentown, and Cintron-Martinez, of the 400 block of North 10th Street in Allentown, were arrested Tuesday. Each man was charged with three counts of criminal mischief and three counts of conspiracy.

The men were free after posting 10 percent of $6,000 bail.

From Sept. 1 to Sept. 22, police in Allentown and the townships of Whitehall and Salisbury took reports for 202 incidents where either car windows or house windows were shot out by BB/pellet guns.

Police said 175 of the incidents were in Allentown, with total damages estimated at $65,785. Whitehall had 13 reports, with $15,000 in damages, and Salisbury had 14 reports with $10,825 in damages.

While witnesses had a general description of a light-colored Honda sedan in the area around the times of the crimes, one witness in Whitehall Township was able to get a license plate number, which matched a car registered to Lista-Santos, police said.

On Friday, Allentown officers stopped the vehicle in the city, and inside were Lista-Santos, Cintron-Martinez and the juvenile, police said.

Officers found one black BB gun under a front seat, as well as BBs and new and used CO2 cartridges, police said.

In interviews with police, all three reportedly admitted being involved in the BB gun-related vandalism. Officers later found BB guns at the homes of Cintron-Martinez and the juvenile, police said.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Benjamin Smith was a 2-year-old boy who liked simple things like kicking around empty milk cartons in his yard and watching cartoons, and he also liked playing with toy guns.

Earlier this month at home in Bucks County, Benjamin killed himself with a real handgun belonging to his father, who had left it unsecured, authorities said Wednesday.

Nicholas Wyllie, 26, told investigators his son had left the living room where they were watching television the morning of Sept. 12 to go and watch "Winnie the Pooh" by himself, according to court records.

Wyllie told investigators Benjamin said he was going to watch the cartoon in his own room. But within about five minutes, the fatal shot rang out, resulting in a fatal wound to Benjamin's chest, and Wyllie rushed to find Benjamin bleeding in Wyllie's room, court records say.

Authorities identified the firearm as a Smith & Wesson M&P .45-caliber handgun that Wyllie had bought in May from Cabela's and that he kept loaded with Winchester Defender hollow-point rounds.

"This is a terribly tragic death, and the worst part about it is it was 100 percent avoidable," said Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub following Wyllie's arraignment Wednesday at district court in Perkasie on involuntary manslaughter and related charges.

Guns were a part of Benjamin's short life, according to Pennsylvania State Police and the Bucks County District Attorney's Office.

The toddler kept several toy guns in the home of his great-grandfather where he and Wyllie lived, in the 2100 block of Kumry Road in Milford Township, outside Quakertown. Some were water guns, and others shot "round Styrofoam things," his great-grandfather, Robert Rothmund, told state police, according to court records; "a lot" of them looked real.

His mother, Courtney Hotaling, provided investigators with a photo showing Benjamin holding a toy pistol with a two-handed grip, court records say.

Another photo she provided showed Benjamin in Wyllie's room within reach of an open box of ammunition and camouflage military-style gear, authorities said.

"Hotaling also supplied various pictures of Benjamin holding toy guns," investigators wrote in court records. "Hotaling advised that she and Wyllie taught Benjamin how to properly use a two-hand grip when holding a pistol."

Weintraub on Wednesday said: "There is some evidence that would suggest that little Benjamin was at least comfortable with toy guns, and so perhaps if he saw this very real gun, this implement of death available to him, he would not have known the difference."

Quiet sobs could be heard in the courtroom where Wyllie was arraigned, as family members joined reporters for the proceedings.

Dressed in black, he spoke clearly in response to questions from District Judge Charles Baum, saying that he was employed and had no criminal history.

Wyllie left the courtroom with family and his attorneys, who told Baum they would waive their client's right to a preliminary hearing. Wyllie is next scheduled to appear for his formal arraignment Oct. 28 in Bucks County Court in Quakertown.

Wyllie is free on $50,000 unsecured bail. Neither he nor his attorneys commented Wednesday to more than a dozen members of the media outside the district court.

While presumed innocent, Wyllie faces a lifetime knowing his "incredibly negligent behavior" is to blame for the death of his son, Weintraub said. The prosecutor said he is prepared to go to trial if Wyllie rejects a guilty plea.

"But I'm hopeful that we can resolve this case because the defendant is going to be serving a life sentence regardless of what happens to him criminally," Weintraub said.

In addition to the manslaughter charge, a felony, Wyllie was arraigned on misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of children.

Rothmund, Benjamin's great-grandfather, had told Wyllie "to put his guns away because Ben loves guns," according to court records. Wyllie is said to have replied that he would do so.

The .45 M&P, from a line of Smith & Wesson firearms that stands for military and police, was green and black, according to police. Wyllie kept it in a nightstand beside his bed, records say.

Hotaling, the toddler's mother, told investigators Wyllie would leave a loaded, holstered firearm beside his bed during the time she was living in Bucks County, from February to July of this year, according to police.

Benjamin wasn't allowed in Wyllie's room during that timeframe, Hotaling reportedly said.

The district attorney did not oppose the unsecured bail that will allow Wyllie to remain free, pending the disposition of charges against him in county court.

"We do not view him to be a danger to the community, other than the recklessness which he demonstrated that resulted in his son's death," Weintraub said. "He left a loaded gun out and his 2-year-old son -- who was groomed to understand that guns could be held and handled, toy guns at the least and unfortunately that presents an incredibly attractive and dangerous nuisance for any 2-year-old -- and this little guy, little Benjamin, grabbed it and used it to kill himself."

Weintraub shared with reporters a Washington Post article from Dec. 31, 2015, that examined accidental shootings involving children. The statistics showed at least 265 children and teenagers had accidentally shot themselves or someone else last year, 83 fatally.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A 37-year-old former Berks County teacher faces charges of having inappropriate contact with a 17-year-old student, the county district attorney's Office reports.

Stephanie France Luckey, 37, of Richlandtown, Bucks County, is accused of having inappropriate contact with a 17-year-old male student from Muhlenberg High School in Berks County where Luckey taught. (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Stephanie France Luckey, of Richlandtown in Bucks County, was arraigned Tuesday afternoon before District Judge Dean R. Patton on charges of unlawful contact with minors / open lewdness, contact with a minor / sexual abuse and corruption of minors, court papers say.

A Reading surety company posted her $25,000 bond.

Luckey taught English until Aug. 4 at Muhlenberg High School, the district attorney's office said in a news release. On June 13, the district attorney's office's Child Abuse Unit launched an investigation at the urging of Childline and the county Children & Youth Services, the district attorney's office said.

County detectives determined after speaking with the male victim that Luckey set up a private Twitter account with the victim where talk between April and June turned sexual, the district attorney's office said. She sent several partially or completely nude photos of herself to the victim, the district attorney's office said. She also sent a video of herself performing a sex act, according to prosecutors

The victim alleged Luckey would kiss him in her classroom after school.

When interviewed July 5 by detectives, Luckey confirmed the teenager's account, the district attorney's office said.

On Monday, detectives got a warrant for Luckey's arrest and she surrendered Tuesday.

Muhlenberg School District Superintendent Joseph E. Macharola said Luckey would have been fired if she didn't resign, the Reading Eagle reported.

"From the time we learned of the complaint, there was no contact with any other students," Macharola said. "The district conducted a thorough and intensive investigation that would have led to her termination."

Luckey's attorney, Matthew Kopecki, was not immediately available to comment.

A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled Oct. 17 in Patton's Muhlenberg Township court.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Amtrak tour in Pascagoula

An Amtrak tour train, carrying company and government officials, pulls into a depot.

Amtrak on Wednesday announced it will operate a special excursion train through the Lehigh Valley utilizing railroad tracks that have not been used for passenger rail since the 1980s.

Amtrak says in a news release that the train, scheduled to run on Oct 29 and 30, will follow the former route of the Queen of the Valley passenger train. It's being billed as this year's Autumn Express, a program that aims to put the service's trains on routes that haven't had passenger rail in decades.

But railroad enthusiasts shouldn't start packing their bags in anticipation of regular passenger rail service coming back to the region. This is a one-time excursion. The lines are used for freight and that's not going to change anytime soon, according to the company that owns them.

For at least one weekend, though, the enthusiasts are in for a treat.

"This year's Autumn Express departs New York Penn Station, passing under the Hudson River and stopping in Newark to accept passengers and transition from electric to diesel power," the news release says.

The train will then utilize the former Lehigh Valley Railroad to head west "through the famous Musconetcong Tunnel, opened in 1875, and across the Delaware River en route to Allentown," the release states.

The train will pass through the region and on to Harrisburg, where it will change direction and return to Philadelphia. There, it rejoins Amtrak's Northeast Corridor for a high-speed run back to Newark and New York.

It'll be a long trip: the train departs from Penn Station at 8 a.m. and doesn't return there until 6:30 p.m.

And there are no actual stops in the Lehigh Valley.

Amtrak officials last year said they were working on bringing an inspection train to the Lehigh Valley by this spring in an effort to bolster support for restoring passenger rail, but it never panned out.

Discussions of the inspection train followed a call from the mayors of Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton to work on a long-range plan to restore passenger rail to the Lehigh Valley. Such service to the region had disappeared entirely by the early 1980s.

Norfolk Southern owns the lines that Amtrak will use for the excursion train. The volume of freight traveling on the lines is substantial, but the company was able to work something out to allow Amtrak access, Norfolk Southern spokesman Dave Pidgeon said Wednesday.

"They brought this proposal to us and we found a way to accommodate them for this one-time event," he said, adding a strong partnership has always existed between the two entities. "We know each other very well. We operate over their network. They operate over ours."

But Pidgeon cautioned against those looking to correlate the excursion train with the possibility of regular passenger rail service returning to the Lehigh Valley.

"Norfolk Southern's perspective on passenger rail remains consistent," he said. "We're open to viable proposals but any proposal has to take into account the cost and potential impact to our current and future freight operations."

The Autumn Express tickets are $149 for adults and go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday, Oct. 3. Children aged 2-12 ride for half price with each adult ticket. Customers also receive a boxed lunch, souvenir tote and complimentary lapel pin with the purchase of their ticket.

Tickets can be purchased by visiting amtrak.com or by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL.

Nick Falsone may be reached at nfalsone@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @nickfalsone. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Susquehanna Nuclear LLC

Talen Energy's Susquehanna Nuclear LLC is seen in an undated photo in Salem Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, about seven miles north of Berwick and about 50 miles northwest of Allentown. (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Allentown-based Talen Energy announced plans Tuesday for a brief maintenance outage at one of its two Susquehanna nuclear reactors in Luzerne County.

Aimed to repair cracks in the metal blades of its Unit 2 reactor's turbines, the outage follows the cancelation announced last month of plans for a new reactor nearby the existing power plant.

The existing plant is located on the Susquehanna River in Salem Township outside Berwick, Pennsylvania. Staff there have been working for years with the manufacturer of the main steam turbines at both of Susquehanna's reactors to understand and address "the formation of very small cracks in the metal blades," according to Tuesday's announcement.

Susquehanna generates electricity by boiling water to make steam that passes through the turbines, which have many rows of fanlike metal blades, Talen says in a news release; the spinning blades turn a generator that produces electricity.

The plant is continuing a multi-year, systematic turbine blade modification and replacement project.

Plant engineers recently identified an indication of crack development on one blade of the Unit 2 turbine where modifications have not yet been completed.

"The plan we are developing will meet our primary objectives of safe and reliable long-term operation," Timothy S. Rausch, Talen Energy senior vice president and chief nuclear officer, says in the release. "This outage will enable us to replace the blade safely and efficiently so we remain prepared to meet the regional demand for electricity, especially during the peak winter season."

Susquehanna says it has determined the root cause of the issue and expects to complete the final, permanent modifications on the Unit 2 turbine during the 2017 planned refueling outage and on the Unit 1 turbine during the 2018 refueling outage.

There are no current indications of issues with Unit 1 turbine blades that have yet to be modified, according to Talen. The other turbines on Unit 1 and Unit 2 have previously completed the permanent modifications to address the cracking issue.

Talen Energy says it will inform the public when Unit 2 is shut down to begin the planned outage, as well as when it returns to service.

The new reactor project that Talen says it has canceled was known as Bell Bend. The company announced Aug. 31 it had withdrawn its application before the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build the new power plant.

Bell Bend was designed around a newly proposed reactor called the Evolutionary Power Reactor by Areva. Citing the need to "prioritize investments and achieve strategic goals," Areva in February 2015 asked the NRC to suspend its review of the reactor design for certification for use in the United States.

"Licensing and permitting activities related to Bell Bend had previously been suspended, although the license application remained on file with the NRC," Talen said in last month's announcement. "The formal withdrawal of the license application at the NRC ends the Bell Bend project.

"Talen Energy sees no viable path to obtaining a license for Bell Bend."

The United States is home to 100 nuclear power plants that are licensed to operate, generating about 20 percent of the nation's electricity, according to the NRC.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A Slate Belt man is jailed after family members were told not to call police and he reportedly made them feel hostage inside a mobile home, Washington Township police said.

Kevin Anthony Rodriguez, 20, of the 100 block of Creek Road in Washington Township, was arrested shortly after the Sept. 13 raid at his home.

Rodriguez's mother at 11:34 a.m. that day reported Rodriguez had a sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun and Tristar semiautomatic shotgun. He allegedly told her previously not to go to police, stating, "When police are called, (I'll) be waiting for them" and "Let them come, (I'm) waiting. There's going to be a war or unfortunate circumstances."

Rodriguez also threatened he wouldn't "go to jail alive," according to police.The victim told police she was "terrified" and Rodriguez had the family "feeling hostage."

Officers ended up arresting Rodriguez without incident when he left the trailer and returned home to police. Officers then obtained a search warrant on the trailer.

Seized were the two shotguns. Police also seized a smoking pipe with a small amount of marijuana; 10 lighters inside a box depicting rapper Snoop Dogg; two glass pipes with marijuana residue; a grinder containing marijuana seeds; rolling papers; and cigarillos.

Rodriguez is charged with possessing a prohibitive offensive weapon, making terroristic threats and possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia. He was arraigned Wednesday before District Judge Alicia Zito, who set bail at $25,000.

In lieu of bail, Rodriguez was sent to Northampton County Prison. The judge ordered Rodriguez enroll in Pretrial Services and submit to random drug and alcohol screening.

The judge allowed 10 percent of $25,000 bail if Pretrial Services approved it.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Stars of the big screen, television and radio bring their comedy razzmatazz to Portlaoise this October for the 10th annual Halloween Howls Comedy Festival.

Its looking like its going to be one heck of a weekend, from October 27 to October 31, with one of the countrys favourite comedy venues, Kavanaghs Bar and Venue, about to be overrun with Irish and international comedy gold.

The biggest new name in Irish comedy, the one and only Al Porter kicks off the festival on Thursday night, October 27, followed by Ch4 regular and Irish comedy legend David ODoherty.

On Friday night Neil Delamere is popping in as guest MC for one of the festival favourites, Andrew Maxwell and his brand new show, fresh from the Edinburgh Festival, Yo Contraire.

The early show on Saturday sees Colin Murphy headline with able support from the man behind Irish Mammies, the wonderful Colm ORegan.

Then theres a Saturday night special with the Man with 10,000 Voices, the superstar from the comedy classic Police Academy, the one and only Michael Winslow.

And on Bank Holiday Sunday, our own comedy legend, Bernard OShea comes in as guest MC for the early show with a double headliner featuring Gearoid Farrelly and Kevin Gildea.

Finally on Sunday night, Tom Stade, star of BBCs Live at the Apollo, Michael McIntyres Comedy Roadshow and The John Bishop Show, returns to Kavanaghs Comedy Club.

Plus, theres a full lineup of music in the Courtyard in Kavanaghs all weekend.
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An inquest into the death of Naas man Michael Maher has found that he died of smoke inhalation.

Mr Maher, 52, who lived at a detached house on the Dublin Road, Naas known as Avondale, Glenville, died in the early hours of December 17 last year as a result of a fire.

Gardai told the inquest that there was no evidence the fire was started deliberately.

And noting that his bedroom was the most damaged room, they also believe that the fire started there.

Mr Mahers brother Liam gave evidence of being woken at his home in Sundays Well, Naas and informed of the fire.

At 4.15 that morning he identified his brother's body at Naas General Hospital.

Although fire crews retrieved Mr Maher from the house and began CPR, he was pronounced dead soon after he arrived at Naas General Hospital.

Coroner Denis Cusack assured Mr Mahers family that he did not suffer. He said a combination of carbon monoxide produced by the flames and the alcohol in the system meant he would not have been conscious during the incident.

He would have simply stopped breathing, he added.

Mr Maher was well known around the town and worked in Alo Donegans and Sons.
Its a waiting game now for Cllr Fiona McLoughlin Healy, as she awaits a decision from Fine Gael top brass about her future in the party.

The Newbridge politician appeared before the Fine Gael disciplinary committee last week to address concerns raised by other FG councillors, in the wake of her motion of no confidence in former Mayor of Kildare and party colleague Brendan Weld.

Cllr McLoughlin Healy said she wanted to expose the old boys club and the mayor was trying to block her motions from being discussed.

The other FG councillors say this is not the case.

Both sides gave their testimony at the formal hearing.

No date was given as to when the committee will reach its decision.

Cllr McLoughlin Healy declined to comment on the hearing while the process was ongoing.

Last week, Cllr Darren Scully responded to the remarks made by Cllr McLoughlin Healy that she was going to expose the old boys club as thats crazy stuff. Its very damaging to politics. Its very damaging to give the impression to people that politics is like that.

Cllr McLoughlin Healy said a special meeting was organised by the Mayor, who had tried to find ways to prevent her motions from being discussed.

She also said her Fine Gael colleagues had also refused to second her motions.

She said she had endeavoured to have a meeting with Mayor Weld but he refused.

Cllr McLoughlin Healy had also maintained there was a conflict of interest in relation the allocation of the Decade of Commemoration funds to the Bluebells and Buskers festival in Rathangan, which the Mayor had presided over.

She said the festival had connections with former Cllr Fiona O'Loughlin's family. Cllr O'Loughlin previously said the money went to the Rathangan Community Association.

Cllr Scully said the meeting in question was organised by the mayor to meet with all the group leaders to try and streamline meetings because with 40 councillors, it was not possible for everyone to speak on every motion and there had to be time limits for everyone.

He said there was no effort made to block Cllr McLoughlin Healys motions.

He said someone, who had been at the meeting, misinformed Cllr McLoughlin Healy that this had happened to cause a rift in the FG party.

The committee will now consider the testimony from both sides. It can suspend or expel Cllr McLoughlin Healy from the party, or clear her of any charges.

Cllr Scully said Mayor Weld had been held in the highest esteem as Mayor and was a hardworking councillor.

He said not one councillor had supported the motion of no confidence.

There was a slur put on his name and we as a group will not stand for it, he said.

Cllr Scully said he thought Cllr McLoughlin Healy was having a hard time dealing with her result in the general election and was trying to blame others and was using Cllr Weld as a scapegoat.
Research announced today by the mypainfeelslike campaign found that 89% of people living with chronic pain have avoided discussing it with family and friends so as not to bore them or seem annoying.1 26% admitted to regularly avoiding talking about their pain with loved ones.

The mypainfeelslike... campaign has compiled a list of 10 things NOT to say to someone with chronic pain so they feel empowered to talk about it and are encouraged to seek help and talk to their doctor.

A lack of belief around the severity of their pain and a lack of understanding of its impact are daily issues faced by people living with chronic pain. According to a European survey, around 30% of people living with chronic pain feel that no one believes how much pain they are experiencing. About one in four felt that colleagues, employers and doctors were unsympathetic to their pain or did not think it was a problem.

10 things NOT to say to someone with chronic pain

1. But you look so well

2. Do you still have pain?

3. You depend too much on your medication

4. Its all in your head

5. Have you seen a psychiatrist?

6. Its just a matter of time

7. You should learn to live with it

8. You should try and get out more

9. You should feel better by now

10. Everyone has pain

Living with persistent pain can severely impact someones life. It is an invisible illness that compromises both quality of life and emotional health, said Orla Spencer, Clinical Psychologist, Tallaght Hospital, Dublin. Many people can feel isolated with their pain and think that others do not understand the impact it has on their life. They often struggle to explain the effect is having on their lives. While intentions are good, comments like the ones listed can be hurtful and inappropriate. Moreover, they can often silence someone at a time when they need support from the people around them to be empowered to find new ways to cope with their pain. I encourage people to adopt a non-judgemental approach to someone with pain .

For the full story see mypainfeelslike.ie
With 18 angling related drownings in Ireland since 2014, Inland Fisheries Ireland and Irish Water Safety have joined forces to highlight water safety to anglers in Co Leitrim and across the country.

Drownings relating to angling are quite common in Ireland with four deaths reported to date for 2016. There were nine deaths reported related to angling in 2015 and a further five in 2014. In total, 122 people drowned in Ireland last year, equating to 10 deaths every month with drownings often happening quickly, silently and in shallow water.

Irish Water Safety advises anglers to follow these steps to avoid any danger on or near the water:

- Wear a life jacket when on or near the water and make sure that it has a correctly fitting crotch strap.

- Supervise children at all times near water - 30 children aged 14 and under drowned in the last ten years.

- Check locally concerning dangerous currents and carry an alternative means of propulsion.

- Train for your aquatic activity at www.safetyzone.ie.

- Watch for changing weather. Be prepared to seek shelter in good time.

- Learn swimming and lifesaving skills, available nationwide for all ages through Irish Water Safety.

- Avoid alcohol as it impairs judgment, balance and coordination, all of which are essential for boating.

- In Marine Emergencies, call 112 and ask for the coastguard.

Suzanne Campion, Inland Fisheries Ireland said: Ireland is a popular and unique location for fishing which we want anglers to enjoy. Angling can have a positive effect on health and well-being and it is something that can be enjoyed at any age or ability. In light of recent tragedies however, we would appeal to anglers in Co Leitrim and across the country to wear a life jacket at all times whether near or on the water and to follow Irish Water Safetys top tips to stay safe at all times.

For further information on staying safe on the water, visit Irish Water Safetys websitewww.iws.ie and to find out more about Inland Fisheries Ireland visit www.fisheriesireland.ie.
Next Saturday, October 1 a group of Vikings will return to the River Erne town of Ballyshannon over 1200 years after the Vikings started plundering our coast.This time the visit is a friendly one led by Kinlough native Phelim Rooney.



Phelim has been living in Oslo for over 30 years and is actively involved in Theatre Group Askeraden. In 2014 the Askeraden Drama group twinned with Ballyshannon Drama Society and Phelim was a guest at the One Act Drama All Ireland Finals in Ballyshannon.

In September Ballyshannon Drama Society visited Oslo to perform their award winning production of 'God of Carnage'.

Now it's Ballyshannon's turn to host the Askeraden group with their version of Ibsen's Peer Gynt being staged in the Abbey Centre on Saturday 1st at 8pm. The production is in association with the Donegal Bay and Bluestacks Festival.

The group arrive this Thursday, September 29 and will be staying in Dorrians Hotel until October 2.They will be guests of Ballyshannon Drama Society at a Dinner in the Sand House Hotel in Rosnowlagh on Thursday night.

The Askeraden group were founded in 1981 and over the years have staged many successful musicals, fairy tales,comedy and drama.

The group will be visit the many attractions of Ballyshannon and the surrounding areas over the weekend.
If you want to read a short summary of the last 350 years of Liberal politics in Britain, the Liberal Democrat History Group has just the thing for you  a new edition of our booklet Liberal History: A Concise History of the Liberal Party, SDP and Liberal Democrats.

This is designed as a comprehensive but relatively short (about 10,000 words) summary of Liberal, SDP and Liberal Democrat history for readers wanting more detail than they can find on the party website, but less than a full book. We produced the booklet originally in 2005, and weve revised it twice since; this edition is up to date as of summer 2016.

Weve also extended it back to the earliest stirrings of Liberal thought, in the civil wars of the seventeenth century, and added more detail on the period before the formation of the Liberal Party in 1859 (we thought viewers of ITVs Victoria might want to find out a little more about what Melbourne was doing when he wasnt flirting with the Queen ). Weve also added more on Liberal thought alongside election outcomes and records of legislation. And there are more pictures!

So if you want to know more about the Exclusion Crisis, the origins of the term Whig, the uses of bribery in the eighteenth century, the Anti-Corn Law League, who the Peelites were and why they mattered, peace, retrenchment and reform, On Liberty, the Newcastle Programme, the first pact with Labour (not the one in the 1970s), the Peoples Budget, the way in which the other parties ganged up on the Liberals in the 1920s, the Yellow Book, the most intellectually distinguished manifesto ever put before British voters, how many times the Liberal Party split between the wars, the temporary chair of the Liberal MPs who became the partys leader, Orpington Man, the counter-culture, pavement politics, the Gang of Four, the Euro-bomb, the Project, the Orange Book and Reinventing the State, Cleggmania and the worst election defeat suffered by any British party ever, read on: its all here.

Liberal History can be bought for only 3 a copy (2.50 for subscribers to the Journal of Liberal History) from our website. As a special introductory offer, postage and packing is free until the end of October. The booklet also makes an ideal gift for new party members, and we can offer discounted prices for bulk orders (40 or more copies)  a couple of local parties have already bought large numbers to give to their new members. If youre interested in a bulk order, please contact me at [email protected]

* Duncan Brack is the Editor of the Journal of Liberal History and former Vice Chair of the Federal Policy Committee.
One of the noticeable features of last nights US Presidential debate (see full transcript here) was how Donald Trump was goaded into saying things to damage his chances with key constituencies. His stop and frisk proposal will not, I suspect, go down well with African American communities. Mention of his criticism of Alicia Machado, a hispanic former Miss Universe, probably met with displeasure from women and Hispanics. There was the airing of the birther controversy and a whole series of Trump favourites, as he was very successfully goaded by Hillary Clinton.

This was, in microcosm, the story of this years US Presidential Election. Donald Trump has worked himself into an electoral bunker whereby he has offended everyone except white people with a non-college education. Rather than seriously attempt to curry favour with key constituencies such as women, Black Americans and Hispanics, he has, instead, doubled down on non-college whites. He is going all out to try to win by getting a high vote from them. His campaign team has confirmed that this is their strategy.

According to The Atlantic:

White men and women who didnt graduate college make up 62 percent of (Trump) supporters. Only 9 percent are black, Asian, or Latino.

Its worth listening to this interview with US political strategist Jim Messina on Political Wire. He outlines how the battleground states where Trump is showing the strongest support are ones with highly numerous non-college educated white populations (e.g Iowa) and those where he is not doing well are those with highly numerous Hispanic and/or black communities. He lists Virginia, Colorado, Nevada and Pennsylvania as states where a Presidential candidate simply cant win without getting minorities on board.

In 1992, minorities made up 13% of American voters. Now it is 30%. George W Bush got 44/46% repsectively of Latino voters in his elections. Mitt Romney got 27%. Trump is polling well below Romneys level.

As Messina said, winning a US election is wildly different from winning a Republican Primary. I suppose one cant rule out a scenario whereby Trump gets an extraordinarily high white vote in the right places, and manages to act presidential for a sufficiently lengthy period to gain a modicum of minority votes. However, at the moment that doesnt seem likely. Last nights debate suggests he just get this basic concept. Hillary Clinton is proving particularly adept at painting him into a corner where he just cant win.

That said, a completely different Trump could come back at the second debate. And Hillary Clinton has not entirely set out a vision for America so far. She has no hopey changey thing. She needs to do this.

* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
Emma Walmsley  photo by GSK

This week Britain took a huge leap towards greater gender equality on management boards. It was announced that Emma Walmsley is to become the most powerful woman in the FTSE 100 as CEO of GSK next year, making her Britains most powerful business woman.

In an interview featured in BBC Radio 4s profile of Walmsley, she appeared quick to play down the gravity of this moment: Ive never primarily defined myself by my gender I think of myself as a business person. I balked at this. For some women defined by their gender, whether they like it or not, this privilege is not often afforded.

But despite my initial reservations at Walmsleys comments, I was won over by Financial Times Associate Editor, Lucy Kellaways summing up of events:

Its right that she should see it that way, gender has nothing to do with how she does her job. But for the rest of us of course it matters, if you have such a lopsided workforce that despite so many efforts by so many people, is changing so slowly, then when you see a woman landing a top job it would be very weird not to be extremely pleased.

Very weird indeed!

Im in the early years of my career in the City (a.k.a. a mans world), and hearing this announcement mattered to me. It sent the message loud and clear that we have forewomen paving the way: we have another role model.

We are keenly aware in the Liberal Democrats that this it is not just a problem for business; it is a party political one too. Voting in 2016s Spring Conference motion to introduce all women shortlists, I was delighted by the hard work put in by senior party figures in making this happen, and dismayed by those resisting the change.

We have our ups and downs  not least the lack of diversity in Westminster  but we do have some formidable women at the top, President Sal Brinton and MEP Catherine Bearder to name just two. Working for Bearder last year was the first and only time I have had a female boss, and a warm-hearted and fierce one at that!

Just look at Jo Swinson. As some members aired their concerns about my appointment as Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, citing my age of 23 as a perceived weakness, a member was quick to point out that Swinson first stood as a candidate at the age of 21, winning her seat at the age of 25. She has consistently campaigned for gender equality, and I am very excited for the publication of her book Equal Power next year.

Increasing our representation has always been a motivation for me. In May this year I successfully defeated the Conservatives in a gain for the Liberal Democrats on Maidstone Borough Council. I was bursting with pride to be joined in the victory photos by my colleagues, a cohort of young women  four young women won council seats that day!

Speaking to an onlooker just before my vote was announced, the local resident told me beaming, that if her daughter could see a young woman of 23 defeat a retired man, she would surely be interested in politics for the first time!

It is moments like this that will have a lasting impact on my world-view and the issues I campaign on. Speaking now as the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for my home town, I hope to inspire others, just like that lady and her daughter, like my role models inspire me.

* Emily joined the Liberal Democrats in January 2015, inspired by the fierce campaign by the Liberal Democrats in Maidstone to defeat the incumbent Tory MP. She worked in Jasper Gerard's campaign team for the General Election, and then became Catherine Bearder MEP's Parliamentary Assistant, working for the ALDE Party on the early stages of the EU Referendum Campaign. In May 2016 she was elected to be a Councillor on Maidstone Borough Council, gaining the seat from the Conservatives by one vote! In September 2016 it was announced that Emily has been selected to be the Parliamentary Spokesperson (PPC) for Maidstone and The Weald in Kent.
THE trial is expected to get underway later today of a man who is accused of threatening to kill a grandfather during an incident near his home on the southside of Limerick city.

Thomas ONeill, aged 28, who has an address at Lenihan Avenue, Prospect, has pleaded not guilty to a single charge of making the threats at Byrne Avenue, Prospect, on November 17, 2015.

Yesterday at Limerick Circuit Court, John OSullivan BL, prosecuting, told potential jurors it will be alleged that during the early evening the defendant threatened to kill or cause serious harm to Liam Casey snr leading him to believe that the threat would be carried out.

He said Mr Casey, who is aged in his early 50s, is likely to be the principal prosecution witness during the trial and that one of his grandchildren may also be called to give evidence.

Mr OSullivan said up to 15 gardai of various rank who are attached to either Henry Street or Roxboro Road stations - may be called to give evidence during the trial which, he said, could last until the end of the week.

Before the jury was selcted, members of the jury panel were told a number of other named individuals may be mentioned or referred to during the trial and that they should not serve on the jury if they know any of those named or anything about the case.

After a jury of seven men and five women was selected, Mr OSullivan said the trial was not in a position to proceed straight away but that it is likely to get underway this Wednesday.

He requested that the jury be sent home indicating that matters will be reviewed this morning.

Brian McInerney BL, instructed by solicitor Sarah Ryan, did not oppose the application.

After a jury foreman was selected, Judge Tom ODonnell discharged the jurors and requested that they return to court at 10.15 this morning.

Earlier he quipped that the process of selecting a foreman was similar to the US presidential contest between Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Mr ONeill did not speak during yesterdays proceedings except to confirm his not guilty plea.
DES OMalley would be a hero of mine, said journalist Charlie Bird in Limerick, as he launched a major photography exhibition in the Hunt Museum.

The former RTE broadcaster was speaking at the launch of Power, Politics & Public Image, an exhibition which primarily focuses on former Taoiseach Charles J. Haughey, as well as one of Limericks own political heavyweights, Desmond J. OMalley.

OMalley, he said, was a remarkable politician, completely contrary to Haughey.

I remember he once delivered a speech in Leinster House  I Stand by the Republic  in 1985, and it was one of the most remarkable speeches ever delivered in Dail Eireann. He was and still is a man of principle  the complete antithesis to Haughey, said Bird.

Having joined RTE in 1974, Bird said he was lucky enough to witness the politics of that era at close hand. Haughey, for all his greatness, had a streak to him that was quite frightening, he said.

Running until November 20, the exhibition of photographs by award-winning photographer Eamonn Farrell examines the public image of Haughey, and his nemesis, OMalley.

Farrell used his access to Haughey to capture images that offer real insights into his elevated perception of himself. In gesture and body language, we can observe the poses he struck and the deference and adoration paid to him by his political cronies and the party faithful.

In contrast, OMalley rarely courted the media but in one of the exhibitions most striking images, Farrell captures him just as he was  smoking, smouldering, steadfast.

The exhibition is a chance to observe the two adversaries along with a cast of supporting characters including Brian Lenihan, Padraig Flynn, Mary ORourke, Bertie Ahern and P.J. Mara at work in their native political habitats.

The frame also widens to include the role of journalists, broadcasters and photographers including Geraldine Kennedy, the former editor of The Irish Times; Gerard OReagan, Brian Farrell and Derek Speirs, while the eagle-eyed will also spot a young Richard Boyd Barrett.

In these compelling images, Farrell sheds light on the querulous relationship between Haughey and OMalley, as well as the chaotic interplay between the party political machine and the media.

A former photo-editor of the Sunday Tribune, Farrell is the founder and editor of Photocall Ireland. He has covered all the major social issues in Ireland from 1980, including the H-Block riots, peace process, and many notable campaigns.

He has travelled on assignment to China, Russia, the USA and covered the flight of the Kurds from Iraq during the Gulf War. His photos have appeared in all the Irish national newspapers and magazines, as well as Today Tonight, Prime Time, and the TV documentaries on Charles Haughey and Bertie Ahern.

Internationally his photos have appeared in Newsweek, Time, the New York Times, The Observer, The Times, The Independent, and the Economist. He now heads the photography agency Photocall Ireland.
THE chairman of the Joint Policing Committee (JPC) has endorsed the concept of opening a garda kiosk in the city centre.

Cllr Sean Lynch said he thinks the proposal, which first emerged earlier this year, merits serious consideration by all of the relevant stakeholders.

I personally think its a good idea, said the former detective who suggested that civilians could be used to man the kiosk when gardai are not available.

City traders, who are concerned about the activities of unruly youths in the city centre have asked that a garda kiosk be set up in OConnell Street and Limerick Chamber  through its CEO James Ring  has formally raised the idea with Chief Superintendent David Sheahan.

I have no issue with looking at the concept, said Chief Supt Sheahan who told members of the JPC that he remains unconvinced as to the potential benefits  given the proximity of Henry Street garda station to OConnell Street.

I think the concept needs to be teased out considerably more for everyone to understand what they expect from this booth. Is this just a booth which is going to be down at the bottom of OConnell Street with a guard standing inside on a eight-hour-shift or is it going to be a booth thats going to be operational and effective? he asked.

While the business community has indicated it will help finance the opening of a garda kiosk, Chief Supt Sheahan says its not just about the cost.

What do people want, I mean Henry Street (station) is a mere 100 metres from there so there a requirement to have a booth so close to the main garda station in the city? he said.
MORE than 100 positions for local job seekers will be on offer at a special jobs fair in Limerick this Friday.

The Strand Hotel will play host to the annual Mid-West Jobs Fair, which will kick off at 10am this Friday.

Some 33 companies offering jobs will come from a wide range of sectors including Dell, the Irish Defence Forces, PhoneWatch, Last Minute Minders, Northern Trust, Virgin Media, Stryker and STL Logistics.

Tourism Minister Patrick ODonovan will be on hand to launch the event, with all jobseekers welcome to attend.

The event is being co-ordinated by the Department of Social Protection, and is backed by the Limerick Chamber, the Mid-West Regional Skills Forum, ULearning Skillnet, Limerick Chamber Skillnet, Business Excellence Skillnet and the Innovation and Lean Sigma Skillnet (ILSS).

As well as employers, local training providers will also be exhibiting.

Chamber chief executive Dr James Ring said: We are delighted to be involved in the Limerick Jobs Fair this year. Action in reducing unemployment and enabling an environment for job creation is vital for the continued growth in the Mid-West Region.

Entry to the jobs fair is free.

For more information, telephone 086-0214825, or email info@ulearning.ie.

Alternatively, see here.
FINANCE minister Michael Noonan will be the special guest at the Mid-West Press Ball which takes place in the Strand Hotel this Saturday night.

Mr Noonan, a former winner of the Mid-West Media Merit award at the 2012 Press Ball, will present the prize at the event, with the winner to be announced on the night. The award is given to newsmakers and those that have made positive contribution in their particular field.

Honorees at the ball, a fundraiser that raises thousands of euro for charities and local voluntary groups, will include broadcaster Len Dineen of Live 95FM and journalist Tony Mulvey of the Clare Champion newspaper, to mark and celebrate their contributions to the industry over the years, according to Press Ball chairman Ron Kirwan.

Mid West Press Ball 2016 from Matt Kelly Productions on Vimeo.

The Press Ball is expected to raise up to 15,000 for services to help children in the region. The majority of funds raised will be dedicated to three groups  the Childrens Ark, the Neonatal Unit in Dooradoyle and to CARI (Children at Risk in Ireland), all of whom have a brief to work with the children, Mr Kirwan said.

As we are a body of people working in all areas of the media industry throughout the Mid-West, we feel that the money we raise should primarily benefit the communities that we work and live in.

These three beneficiaries are three perfect examples of this and the work they do is extremely necessary and highly valued, he added, noting that the committee hope to be able to support other charities and voluntary groups with smaller sums.

A capacity crowd is attending the ball, a hugely popular and long-running black tie event was started in Limerick in 1951. After fading out in the 1970s, it was revived in 1999 and has since raised 100,000 for local charities and voluntary organisations.
LIMERICK born international drug dealer, Jim Chaser O'Brien, has reportedly been arrested in Belgium.

It is understood he was picked up by police due to a security clampdown following the series of terrorist attacks in the country.

He is suspected of possessing bogus passports.

A relative of O'Brien is believed to head up a gang based in east Limerick, who have been under investigation by gardai following a spate of hay barn fires in late 2015.

Last month, over 125,000 worth of drugs found by Limerick gardai buried in a field is said to have made a significant dent into the criminal enterprise of the gang.

They also recovered a number of illegal firearms and ammunition including a semi-automatic pistol and sub-machine gun.

According to sources, the size of the drugs haul found by gardai suggest the gang are wholesale suppliers in the Mid-West region and this discovery comes as a major blow.

O'Brien's relation, aged in his early twenties, is a familiar sight to locals as he drives a top of the range luxury vehicle. However, according to locals he and his cohort of around a dozen have been keeping a low profile of late.

O'Brien, aged 53, was previously arrested in 2005 in Antwerp. Operation Sword was set up by the gardai to capture O'Brien in 2004 and it was extended across Europe.

Following a year behind bars, O'Brien was freed from prison.

Belgium police have not commented on O'Brien's arrest.
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Editor's note: The COVID-19 pandemic is still in full swing, meaning that Halloween 2020 must be celebrated differently compared to previous years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published helpful guidelines for celebrating Halloween and other fall holidays in ways that will keep you safe and healthy.

Parents and kids alike are gearing up for Halloween, scrambling to put the final touches on costumes and Jack-o'-lanterns, not to mention stocking up on candy for Trick or Treaters. But before you rush out on Oct. 31, for what some consider the spookiest day of the year, heres a look back at the origins of Halloween and all of its odd traditions.

Samhain

Halloween, also known as All Hallows' Eve, can be traced back about 2,000 years to a pre-Christian Celtic festival held around Nov. 1 called Samhain (pronounced "sah-win"), loosely translates to "summer's end" in Gaelic, according to the Indo-European Etymological Dictionaries. [13 Halloween Superstitions & Traditions Explained]

Because ancient records are sparse and fragmentary, the exact nature of Samhain is not fully understood; but it was an annual communal meeting at the end of the harvest year, a time to gather resources for the winter months and bring animals back from the pastures. Samhain is also thought to have been a time of communing with the dead, according to folklorist John Santino.

"There was a belief that it was a day when spirits of the dead would cross over into the other world," Santino told Live Science. Such moments of transition in the year have always been thought to be special and supernatural, he added.

Halloween provides a safe way to play with the concept of death (opens in new tab), Santino said. People dress up as the living dead, and fake gravestones adorn front lawns  activities that wouldn't be tolerated at other times of the year, he said.

But according to Nicholas Rogers, a history professor at York University in Toronto and author of "Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night (opens in new tab)" (Oxford University Press, 2003), "there is no hard evidence that Samhain was specifically devoted to the dead or to ancestor worship.

"According to the ancient sagas, Samhain was the time when tribal peoples paid tribute to their conquerors and when the sidh [ancient mounds] might reveal the magnificent palaces of the gods of the underworld," Rogers wrote. Samhain was less about death or evil than about the changing of seasons and preparing for the dormancy (and rebirth) of nature as summer turned to winter, he said.

Though a direct connection between Halloween and Samhain has never been proven, many scholars believe that because All Saints' Day (or All Hallows' Mass, celebrated on Nov. 1) and Samhain, are so close together on the calendar that they influenced each other and later combined into the celebration now called Halloween.

Costumes and trick-or-treating

The tradition of dressing in costumes and trick-or-treating may go back to the practice of "mumming" and "guising," in which people would disguise themselves and go door-to-door, asking for food, Santino said. Early costumes were usually disguises, often woven out of straw, he said, and sometimes people wore costumes to perform in plays or skits.

The practice may also be related to the medieval custom of "souling" in Britain and Ireland, when poor people would knock on doors on Hallowmas (Nov. 1), asking for food in exchange for prayers for the dead.

Trick-or-treating didn't start in the United States until World War II, but American kids were known to go out on Thanksgiving and ask for food  a practice known as Thanksgiving begging, Santino said.

"Mass solicitation rituals are pretty common, and are usually associated with winter holidays," Santino said. While one tradition didn't necessarily cause the others, they were "similar and parallel," he said.

Tricks and games

These days, the "trick" part of the phrase "trick or treat" is mostly an empty threat, but pranks have long been a part of the holiday.

By the late 1800s, the tradition of playing tricks on Halloween was well established. In the United States and Canada, the pranks included tipping over outhouses, opening farmers' gates and egging houses. But by the 1920s and 1930s, the celebrations more closely resembled an unruly block party, and the acts of vandalism got more serious.

Some people believe that because pranking was starting to get dangerous and out of hand, parents and town leaders began to encourage dressing up and trick-or-treating as a safe alternative to doing pranks, Santino said.

However, Halloween was as much a time for festivities and games as it was for playing tricks or asking for treats. Apples are associated with Halloween, both as a treat and in the game of bobbing for apples, a game that since the colonial era in America was used for fortune-telling. Legend has it that the first person to pluck an apple from the water-filled bucket without using his or her hands would be the first to marry, according to the book "Halloween and Commemorations of the Dead (opens in new tab)" (Chelsea House, 2009) by Roseanne Montillo.

Apples were also part of another form of marriage prophecy. According to legend, on Halloween (sometimes at the stroke of midnight), young women would peel an apple into one continuous strip and throw it over her shoulder. The apple skin would supposedly land in the shape of the first letter of her future husband's name.

Another Halloween ritual involved looking in a mirror at midnight by candlelight, for a future husband's face was said to appear. (A scary variation of this later became the "Bloody Mary" ritual familiar to many school kids.) Like many such childhood games, it was likely done in fun, though at least some people took it seriously.

Christian/Irish Influence

Some evangelical Christians have expressed concern that Halloween is somehow satanic because of its roots in pagan ritual. However, ancient Celts did not worship anything resembling the Christian devil and had no concept of it. In fact, the Samhain festival had long since vanished by the time the Catholic Church began persecuting witches in its search for satanic cabals. And, of course, black cats do not need to have any association with witchcraft to be considered evil  simply crossing their path is considered bad luck any time of year.

As for modern Halloween, Santino, writing in "American Folklore: An Encyclopedia (opens in new tab)" (Garland, 1996), noted that "Halloween beliefs and customs were brought to North America with the earliest Irish immigrants, then by the great waves of Irish immigrants fleeing the famines of the first half of the nineteenth century. Known in the North American continent since colonial days, by the middle of the twentieth century Halloween had become largely a children's holiday."

Since that time, the holiday's popularity increased dramatically as adults, communities and institutions (such as schools, campuses and commercial haunted houses) have embraced the event.

Through the ages, various supernatural entities  including fairies and witches  came to be associated with Halloween, and more than a century ago in Ireland, the event was said to be a time when spirits of the dead could return to their old haunting grounds. Dressing up as ghosts or witches became fashionable, though as the holiday became more widespread and more commercialized (and with the arrival of mass-manufactured costumes), the selection of disguises for kids and adults greatly expanded beyond monsters to include everything from superheroes to princesses to politicians.

This article was originally published in 2014 and has been updated by Alina Bradford, Tanya Lewis and Jeanna Bryner.

Additional resources

Read more about Halloween in this CNN report on creepy clowns; on History.com; and in this National Geographic video on YouTube.
Scottish Folds are, no doubt, adorable cats, but they suffer from health issues related to their breeding.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

Cats are one of the worlds favorite pets, but in our efforts to breed more attractive felines, we are metaphorically loving them to death.

Like British Bulldogs and extreme styles of pigeons, some cats bred to please a human sense of beauty suffer from serious health problems. This is the case for a particularly lovely cat, the Scottish Fold.

It has long been known that breeding Scottish Folds risks health problems, but research is mounting that it is impossible to mitigate this risk. It is time to ban the breeding of this type of cat, as other nations have done.

Why so cute?

The Scottish Fold is a rare feline breed. It originated when a naturally occuring mutant cat was born in Scotland during the last century, at a farm near Coupar Angus in Perthshire. The cat had forward-folding ears because her ear cartilage wasnt rigid enough to support her ears.

Her name was Susie and she looked cute. Cute enough that, in a great UK tradition, they wanted to preserve the mutation by breeding her with British short-haired cats and local farm cats. And so the Scottish Fold was born.

Why do people like cats with floppy ears? Many authorities think this is because of the Lorenzian theory of beauty, named in honor of Konrad Lorenz who was awarded the Nobel Prize for his work on ethology, the study of animal behavior.

Most people, especially children, find a round face resembling that of a human comforting, whereas the longer snout and erect ears (of, say, a wolf) is potentially frightening. For this reason, many people find the appearance of owls pleasing to the eye, which is why they have owl cafes in Tokyo, and why so many people collect owl figurines.

So a Scottish Fold looks owl-like, and for many people this is a highly desirable trait.

Tracing the mutation

It didnt take long for veterinarians and scientists to figure out that if the cartilage in the ear was defective, then cartilage in the joints might also be dodgy. The British geneticist Oliphant Jackson demonstrated this unequivocally in a most elegant series of classic genetic and radiological experiments in a hospital basement in the 1970s.

Cats, like people, have two copies of most genes. Jackson showed that cats like Susie (and her daughter Snooks), which both had a single copy of the postulated defective gene, were reasonably normal.

In contrast, cats with two copies of the dud gene developed crippling arthritis from an early age. Sensibly, Jackson suggested the breeding of such cats be banned, and thats what happened in the UK and France.

But some Scottish Folds were exported to the US. Unfortunately, in that jurisdiction breeding was allowed, with the proviso that a Scottish Fold only be mated to a Scottish Shorthair (a normal cat with a similar genetic background, but with normal ears and hence normal cartilage). This type of mating resulted in half of each litter of kittens (on average) having folded ears, the other half being Scottish Shorthairs. And so the breed went on.

In the early 1990s a group of Australian veterinarians demonstrated convincingly that all Scottish Fold cats have abnormal bone development of their distal limbs. This is generally associated with early onset and accelerated progression of osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) in joints of the distal limbs and tail. The ankle and wrist were the joints most obviously affected, especially the ankles.

In time all Folds develop adverse changes. This work was confirmed and extended subsequently by Japanese and Korean investigators. Yet Scottish Folds are still bred in the US, Asia and even Australia.

Two years ago a collaboration between Australian, European and American researchers uncovered the science behind the problem. Their research was recently published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage.

The problem lies in a gene that affects cells involved with pressure and pain sensing within cartilage. Children with a very similar genetic defect have comparable bone deformities to affected Scottish Fold cats.

What does this mean for the cats?

Scottish Shorthairs have normal ears and are completely healthy. They are lovely, sweet-natured cats.

Scottish Folds have shortened limbs, an abnormal gait, a peculiar and sometimes stiff or painful tail, and the propensity to develop osteoarthritis at an earlier age. This causes variable lameness (often severe) and secondary deformity.

The truth is, we have known since Jacksons work in the 1970s that breeding Scottish Fold cats is ethically indefensible.

Yet the practice has continued in most jurisdictions, with cat breeders and veterinarians turning a blind eye to the frequently obvious problems.

While there are still questions to be answered, we already possess sufficient information to know that breeding these cats is cruel. Vets and cat breeders who condone this practice have no scientific basis with which to defend this practice. They are not breeding cats  they are perpetuating a disease state.

What to do

The breeding of Scottish Folds has been effectively banned in Victoria. It should be the same in every state of Australia and every country overseas.

In my opinion, the RPSCA should seek out people who advertise these cats for sale and prosecute them.

We cannot condone breeding cats because its in our nature to think they are cute, when pain and suffering will afflict a substantial proportion of these cats for much of their life, with ongoing requirements for medication and sometimes even radiation therapy or surgery.

Scottish Shorthairs have the same sweet personality and behavioral features of Scottish Folds, but they dont get the joint issues. These could be bred and shown in the place of the Folds. They are lovely cats.

The solution is that simple. Its time to stop pussyfooting around.

Richard Malik, Veterinary Internist (Specialist), University of Sydney

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Smoking marijuana may increase the risk of experiencing an episode of psychosis, or a break with reality, in people who have already had such an episode, according to a new study.

In the study, researchers looked at about 200 patients in England who had been diagnosed with psychosis at least two years before the start of the study, and asked them about their marijuana use. The researchers found that those who used marijuana during the two years after they experienced their first episode of psychosis had a 13 percent higher chance of experiencing another episode of psychosis during this time, compared with people who did not smoke marijuana during the first two years after being diagnosed.

However, it is important to put these estimates into context, said study co-author Sagnik Bhattacharyya, a researcher who studies psychosis at King's College London. "Patients with psychosis already have a high risk of relapse even if they do not use cannabis," he said. The estimates presented in the study reflect the additional risk that people with psychosis are exposed to if they also smoke marijuana, he said. [11 Odd Facts About Marijuana]

However, one limitation of the study was that marijuana use was self-reported and not measured in an objective way, the researchers wrote in their study, published today (Sept. 28) in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.

In the study, the researchers recruited 220 people who had been admitted to psychiatric services facilities in South London between 2002 and 2013 and had been diagnosed with psychosis. The study participants were 29 years old, on average, at the start of the study. The first time the researchers talked with the participants was soon after the participants were admitted to those facilities. During the interviews, the scientists asked the participants whether they had ever used marijuana prior to their first episode of psychosis. [Top 10 Controversial Psychiatric Disorders]

Then, the researchers followed up with the participants for at least two years, and asked them if they had used marijuana during that time. The researchers also looked at the people's clinical records, to see whether they had been re-admitted to psychiatric services facilities for other episodes of psychosis during that period.

It turned out that the people who continued to smoked marijuana or started to smoke it after their first episode of psychosis were more likely to experience another psychotic episode than those who did not smoke marijuana after their first episode.

A study published in March showed that people who were diagnosed with a psychotic illness and used marijuana wound up needing to spend a longer time in the hospital than people with a psychotic illness who did not use marijuana.

It's possible that marijuana may worsen symptoms of psychosis and make the condition harder to treat, Rashmi Patel, a lecturer in the Department of Psychosis Studies at King's College London and an author of that study, told Live Science at the time.

The new findings show that, if a person smokes marijuana regularly and he or she experiences psychosis, discontinuing marijuana use after the episode may lower the risk of having another episode, the researchers said.

These results may help doctors show psychosis patients that smoking marijuana is not as benign as they may think, said Dr. Scott Krakower, assistant unit chief of psychiatry at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, New York, who was not involved in the study.

Originally published on Live Science.
Live Science is hosting a book giveaway!

On Thursday (Sept. 29) at 1:00 p.m. ET, author Christie Wilcox visits Live Science to talk about her new book, "Venomous: How Earth's Deadliest Creatures Mastered Biochemistry" (Scientific American/Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2016). Join us for a Facebook Live event, during which we'll be giving away a signed copy of her book to one lucky viewer. [Tune in on Live Science's Facebook page]

Wilcox is a biologist and writer who has contributed to the New York Times, Scientific American, the Washington Post, and Popular Science, to name a few. She is also co-editor of "Science Blogging: The Essential Guide" (Yale University Press, 2016), a how-to primer for communicating science online.

In "Venomous," Wilcox escorts readers on a harrowing journey of discovery that examines the biological weapons that animals use to subdue prey, compete for mates, or protect themselves from predators.

Her book investigates some of the deadliest animals on land and sea, and delves deep into the unique circumstances and evolutionary twists and turns that enabled them to evolve chemical cocktails that can incapacitate, paralyze or kill. But these harmful compounds can also be helpful; analysis of different types of venom is helping scientists to not only understand the components that make them so deadly, but is informing efforts to develop new medicines for treating a wide range of ailments.

Details about the giveaway are below. And don't forget to follow Live Science on Facebook and Twitter for updates on this contest and other live video events!

Venomous: How Earth's Deadliest Creatures Mastered Biochemistry Giveaway

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A scorpion, a jellyfish, and a viper don't share much of a physical resemblance, but they have one very important thing in common  they are venomous, producing a chemical compound containing neurotoxins that can incapacitate or even kill, and they inject this dangerous brew using highly specialized stingers or fangs. Nearly every group of animal life includes venomous species, and they produce a wide variety of toxins that can cause excruciating pain, delirium, partial or complete paralysis, and organ failure. Biologist and writer Christie Wilcox has encountered many venomous animals  some that live in remote corners of the planet and others that can be found in suburban backyards. In her new book, Wilcox introduces readers to many of these deadly creatures, and investigates how evolution shaped diverse types of chemical attacks  or defenses  and what makes each weapon unique to the species that wield them. Below is an excerpt from "Venomous: How Earth's Deadliest Creatures Mastered Biochemisty" (Scientific American/Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2016).

If you decided to create a list of the most improbable animals on the planet, the platypus is an easy first pick. The platypus is so peculiar that even the great naturalist George Shaw, who provided the first scientific description of the animal in 1799, could hardly believe it was real. A degree of skepticism is not only pardonable, but laudable, he wrote in the tenth volume of his Naturalists Miscellany, and I ought perhaps to acknowledge that I almost doubt the testimony of my own eyes. It is a sentiment I understand. As I sat staring at a large male platypus at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Melbourne, Australia, I could hardly believe the creature in front of me was real. Even up close, it looked like some kind of masterful puppet, Jim Hensons greatest feat.

Rebecca Bain, known as Beck, the head mammal keeper and one of the people responsible for Lone Pines two male platypuses, was kind enough to let me in behind the scenes to indulge my interest in the animal. As Beck wrestled the older male from his nest box, I was surprised by his beaveresque tail, duck-like bill, and ottery feet. But while these traits are all fantastically unthinkable, there is one feature of the platypus that stands out among these oddities. It was the feature that drew me to Australia, the reason I came to see the bizarre creatures in person. Beware the male platypus: of the 5,416 currently recognized species of mammals, he alone possesses a venomous sting, using toxic ankle spurs to fight over females.

We know of twelve venomous mammals; all except for the platypus deliver a venomous bite. There are four species of shrew, three vampire bats, two solenodons (long-snouted, rodent-like burrowing mammals), one mole, the slow loris, and the platypus. Theres some evidence that the slow loris may actually be four species of slow lorises, which would bump the total to fifteen, but even so, thats still just three handfuls of venomous mammals.

Of the animal lineages, there are venomous representatives in the phyla Cnidaria, Echinodermata, Annelida, Arthropoda, Mollusca, and Chordatathe phylum that includes humans. Compared with other groups of animals, the mammals boast very few venomous members; the Cnidaria, including jellyfishes, anemones, and corals, are an entire phylummore than nine thousand speciesof venomous animals, though if we want to talk sheer numbers, the venomous arthropods, including spiders, bees and wasps, centipedes, and scorpions, undoubtedly reign supreme. There are venomous snails, venomous worms, and venomous urchins. And thats not even including the rest of the venomous vertebrates in the Chordata. There are venomous fishes, frogs, snakes, and lizards.

The term venomous carries with it an explicit set of requirements. Many species are toxic: they possess substances that cause a substantial degree of harm in small doses (a toxin). We used to think of the terms toxic, poisonous, and venomous as interchangeable; now modern scientists distinguish between them. Both poisonous and venomous species are indeed toxic, for they produce or store toxins in their tissues. You may have heard that everything is a toxin in the right dose, but thats not quite true. A large enough dose can make something toxic, but if it takes a lot to kill you, then a substance isnt a toxin. Sure, you can drink enough cans of Coke for it to be fatal, but sodas are not considered toxins because the amount it takes for them to be toxic is huge (youd have to chug liters at a time). The secretion of the anthrax bacterium, on the other hand, is a toxin because even a teeny bit can be deadly.

We can further classify species that are toxic based on how those toxins arrive in a victim. Any toxin that causes harm through ingestion, inhalation, or absorption is considered a poison. Poisonous species, like dart frogs or pufferfishes, must wait for other species to make a mistake before inflicting their toxins. Some scientists would argue there is a third subcategory of toxic, in addition to poisonous and venomousthe toxungenous animalswhich are essentially poisonous with purpose: toxungenous animals are equipped with poisons, but theyre more impatient. Animals like the poison-squirting cane toads or the spitting cobras actively aim their poisons at offenders when theyre annoyed, refusing to wait to be touched or bitten, like other poisonous animals, to transmit their toxins.

To earn the prestigious descriptor of venomous, an organism must be more than just toxic; it must also have a specific means of delivering its dangerous goods into another animal. It has to be proactive about its toxicity. Snakes have fangs. Lionfish have spines. Jellyfish have stinging cells. Male platypuses have spurs.

The venomous spurs on the platypus arent hard to spot. As Beck described the animals and their care at Lone Pine, I stared at the yellow toothlike points jutting from the hind legs. At about an inch long, they are much larger than I had expected. Theres no doubt that any wound created by such impressive spurs would be terribly painful even without the venom. As I placed my hands within inches of the spurs to get a close-up photograph, I shuddered at the thought of how much it would hurt to be stung by the animal in front of me.

Platypuses are really awfully, terribly venomous. From what Ive heard, being stung by a platypus is a life-changing experience, as any deeply traumatic event shapes who you are. Their venom causes excruciating pain for several hours, even days. In one recorded case, a fifty-seven-year-old war veteran was stung in his right hand when he stumbled on what seemed like a wounded or sick platypus while he was out hunting and, concerned for the little guy, picked it up. For his kindness, he was hospitalized for six days in excruciating agony. Over the first half hour of his treatment, doctors administered a total of 30 milligrams of morphine (the standard for patients in pain is usually 1 milligram per hour), but it had almost no effect. The veteran said the pain was far worse than the pain from the shrapnel wounds hed gotten as a soldier. Only when the medics numbed all feeling in his hand with a nerve-blocking agent did he finally feel relief.

Even more bizarre is that the venom the platypus delivers is very different from the venoms of its mammalian relatives. Similar to the animals outward appearance, with its collection of body parts seemingly taken from other species, it is as if the platypuss venom is composed of a random spattering of proteins stolen from other animals. There are eighty-three different toxin genes expressed in the platypus venom gland, some of whose products closely resemble proteins from spiders, sea stars, anemones, snakes, fish, and lizards, as if someone cut and pasted genes from the entire diversity of venomous life into the platypuss genome. Both externally and internally, the platypus is a testament to the power of convergent evolution, the phenomenon in which similar selective pressures can lead to strikingly similar results in very different lineages. Yet they are also wonderfully unique animals, the only ones we know of that use venom primarily for masculine combat rather than for feeding or defense.

Before she placed him back in his nest box, Beck allowed the platypus to release his rage. She pulled out a towel and dangled it behind him. The animal quickly and gleefully grabbed the towel with his hind legs and began writhing vigorously. The fervor with which he envenomated the cloth was adorable and terrifying. I silently thanked the awkward animal for accommodating my presence, however unwillingly. Im pretty sure he imagined it was my arm and not the towel he clung to.

Venomous (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) $11.41 (opens in new tab) View (opens in new tab)

Copyright 2016, Christie Wilcox. Reprinted with permission of Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
The crew on the doomed 1845 Franklin Expedition aimed at navigating the fabled Northwest Passage likely didn't die of scurvy, but rather from tuberculosis, respiratory illness and cardiovascular disease, a new study finds.

The crew also likely suffered from physical injuries while hunting wild game and making their way through terrain in the Canadian Arctic.

The findings, however, aren't based on a direct examination of the naval expedition's logs  those have never been found. Rather, the researchers said, the discovery is based on the so-called "sick books" of the ships that were sent to search for the expedition's survivors: the HMS Assistance, Enterprise, Intrepid, Investigator, Pioneer and Resolute. [In Photos: HMS Erebus Shipwreck Solves 170-Year-Old Mystery]

The Franklin expedition has long fascinated historians. Rear Adm. Sir John Franklin led the Royal Navy's 1845 to 1848 expedition to navigate the Northwest Passage, a sea route connecting the northern Atlantic to the northern Pacific Ocean. In 1846, the expedition's two ships, the HMS Erebus and the HMS Terror, became trapped in ice near King William Island in the Arctic. Some of the men initially survived, with research suggesting they relied partly on cannibalism to make it. Even so, eventually all 129 of them died, including Franklin, who passed away in 1846, archaeologists told Live Science in 2015.

The Rear Adm. Sir John Franklin, who led the fated mission. (Image credit: Courtesy of the University of Glasgow)

The expedition's failure sparked one of the largest naval search parties in history. In 1850, three ice-preserved corpses were found in the northern Arctic, and the rest of the crew's remains were discovered much farther south in 1859. Rescuers also found a single-page document detailing how ice had trapped the ships, and that the crew had deserted them in 1848, the researchers said.

In 2014, Canadian researchers used sonar images to uncover the HMS Erebus and its bell. More recently, this month, scientists reported they had potentially found the resting spot of the HMS Terror.

However, experts have yet to uncover the sick books kept on the two expedition ships. This hasn't stopped scientists from speculating about what killed the 129 crew members, with some suggesting tuberculosis, scurvy and lead poisoning as top culprits.

To better understand the issue, a team of researchers from the University of Glasgow in Scotland looked at 1,480 "sick book" illness and death records found on the ships that were sent to find the expedition.

A map showing the Franklin expedition's destination. (Image credit: Courtesy of the University of Glasgow)

The types of illnesses seen in the search crews were likely similar to those experienced by the crew in the Franklin Expedition, the researchers said. For instance, an analysis showed that the crew likely lived with common respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders, injuries, and exposure to the cold, the researchers said.

There wasn't much evidence, however, of either scurvy (a disease linked to a lack of vitamin C) or lead poisoning, the researchers noted.

"Scurvy occurred commonly [at sea], despite the provision of lemon juice to prevent the disease," Keith Millar, a professor in the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences at the University of Glasgow, said in a statement. "However, based on the evidence from the search ships, and analysis of the skeletal remains of some Franklin crewmen by other researchers, it seems that scurvy may not have been significant at the time when Franklin's crews deserted the ships."

Likewise, lead poisoning was unlikely, even though the solder that sealed the canned provisions aboard the expedition contained lead, Millar said. That's because the rescuers in the search party also had these lead-containing cans, but those men didn't die from lead poisoning, Millar said.

"Unless a unique source of lead was present on Franklin's ships, there is no clear evidence that lead poisoning played a part in the disaster," Millar said. A previous study published by Millar and his colleagues that analyzed lead in the crews' remains came to the same conclusions.

Millar added that tuberculosis was often a top killer aboard naval vessels, but there was little evidence that it caused significant losses among the search parties. Instead, just like those participating in the search parties, the crewmembers from the Franklin expedition probably experienced accidents and injuries sustained from hunting wild game or from trudging through the harsh climate and terrain, the researchers said.

Questions about the crew's last years may be answered if future excavations uncover the expedition's sick books, Millar added.

"We understand from our colleagues in Parks Canada that if any of the expedition's written records were stored securely on board, then the underwater conditions are such that they may remain in a legible condition," he said. "If a 'sick book' has survived on one of these ships, it may record the events that led to the failure of the expedition and put an end to further speculation, including our own."

The study was published in April in the journal Polar Record.

Original article on Live Science.
An ancient city gate and shrine that King Hezekiah ordered to be destroyed during the eighth century B.C., according to the Hebrew Bible, are seeing the light of day following an excavation in Israel, archaeologists reported today (Sept. 28).

The so-called gate-shrine is likely evidence of actions taken by King Hezekiah, the 12th king of Judea, to abolish idols, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). Hezekiah's father, Ahaz, was known as a godless man, and as soon as Hezekiah ascended the throne, he ordered the destruction of all of the false idols (objects, other deities or animals that people worshipped) in the kingdom, according to Chabad.org, a website on Judaism.

In the Hebrew Bible, a verse explains how "He [Hezekiah]removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles [associated with a sacred goddess]" (II Kings 18:4), the IAA said. [See Photos of Artifacts Recovered from the Excavation at the Gate-Shrine]

Sprawling gate

The gate structure, seen to the left, exposed at Tel Lachish National Park. (Image credit: Guy Fitoussi, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority)

The gate is located in the ancient city of Tel Lachish within an 80-by-80-foot (24.5 by 24.5 meters) six-chambered area, with three chambers on each side and the city's main street passing between them, the IAA said.

The northern section of the gate was unearthed decades ago by an expedition led by archaeologists from the United Kingdom and Tel Aviv University. The latest excavation, which took place from January to March 2016, focused on uncovering the entire gate, the IAA said.

The excavation was no small task, as the gate is the largest one in Israel dating back to the First Temple period, a time when the kingdom used the temple built by King Solomon, the IAA said.

"The size of the gate is consistent with the historical and archaeological knowledge we possess," Sa'ar Ganor, an excavation director with the Israel Antiquities Authority, said in a statement. According to biblical narrative, "everything took place" at the gates of the ancient city of Tel Lachish, where the gate-shrine was originally built, the IAA said.

High-ranking people  including city elders, judges, governors, kings and officials  would sit on the benches by the city gate, and "these benches were found in our excavation," Ganor said.

Moreover, the new discovery illustrates "how biblical tales that are known to us become historical and archaeological stories" as research progresses, said Ze'ev Elkin, who serves as minister of Jerusalem affairs and heritage and environmental protection as well as a member of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.

Broken alters

The Tel Lachish city gate is now exposed and preserved to a height of about 13 feet (4 m). The excavation revealed that the first chamber held benches with armrests, as well as jars, scoops that were used for loading grain, and stamped jar handles that have the name "lmlk" on them, the seal belonging to the king, the IAA said.

These jars were likely related to the military and administrative preparations of the Kingdom of Judah in the war against Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, in the late eighth century B.C., the IAA said. [The Holy Land: 7 Amazing Archaeological Finds]

Further excavations revealed more evidence of Hezekiah's actions.

During the excavation, many artifacts from the First Temple period were uncovered: oil lamps, seal impressions on jars and even arrowheads. (Image credit: Clara Amit, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority)

"Steps to the gate-shrine in the form of a staircase ascended to a large room, where there was a bench upon which offerings were placed," Ganor said. "An opening was exposed in the corner of the room that led to the holy of holies [the gate-shrine]; to our great excitement, we found two four-horned altars and scores of ceramic finds consisting of lamps, bowls and stands in this room."

However, the horns on the alter were intentionally cut.

"That is probably evidence of the religious reform attributed to King Hezekiah, whereby religious worship was centralized in Jerusalem and the cultic high places that were built outside the capital were destroyed," Ganor said.

In addition, archaeologists found a stone toilet installed in the corner of the gate-shrine, perhaps as a means of desecration, the IAA said. The Bible mentions other descriptions of placing toilets in cultic areas for desecration purposes. For instance, King Jehu ordered the destruction of the cult of Ba'al in Samaria. "And they demolished the pillar of Ba'al, and demolished the house of Ba'al, and made it a latrine to this day" (II Kings 10:27), according to the IAA.

Team members digitally reproduced the Lachish city gate. (Image credit: Architects Ram Shoaf and Hila Berger-Onn, Israel Antiquities Authority Conservation Department)

However, this is the first time an archaeological discovery has confirmed a "latrine" passage from the Bible, the IAA said. Laboratory tests on the stone toilet suggest that it was never used and may have served a symbolic purpose before the gate-shrine was sealed and later destroyed by Sennacherib in 701 B.C., the IAA said.

In fact, the excavation also found signs of the kingdom's defeat, including arrowheads and sling stones, which indicate the practice of hand-to-hand combat near the city's gatehouse. However, this isn't the only evidence of Sennacherib's military campaign. His campaign is also known from the archaeological record, the Bible (II Kings 18 and II Chronicles 32) and the Tel Lachish wall reliefs from Sennacherib's palace in Nineveh, which depict the tale of the city's conquest, the IAA said.

The IAA excavation was part of an initiative led by the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage, in cooperation with Israel's Nature and Parks Authority. The site, located within Tel Lachish National Park, isn't yet open to the public.

Original article on Live Science.
Measles has been eliminated from the Americas, but that doesn't mean countries in that region have seen their last cases, experts say.

On Tuesday (Sept. 27), the Pan American Health Organization (which is part of the United Nations) declared measles, a very contagious viral illness, to be eliminated from countries in the Americas. This includes all the countries in North, South and Central America, and the Caribbean.

Elimination of measles in the Americas means that there are no more measles cases originating in those countries. In other words, any cases, or clusters of cases, that occur in the Americas come from countries outside the Americas, said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious-disease specialist and a senior associate at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Center for Health Security. When this happens, these cases are referred to as "imported cases," because they originated outside a country. [The 9 Deadliest Viruses on Earth]

The United States eliminated measles in the year 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since then, the United States has experienced a number of measles outbreaks tied to imported cases. In 2015, the United States had 189 measles cases, many of which were tied to an outbreak of measles that started at Disneyland in California, likely when a traveler with measles visited the park, the CDC says.

So far this year, 54 people in the United States have been infected with measles, and all of these cases were linked to an imported case of measles, according to the CDC.

In every U.S. measles outbreak that has occurred since 2000, authorities have been able to stop the spread of the disease within a matter of months, so measles is not continuously spread here.

But it's possible that measles could "come back," or become endemic, to the United States or any other country in the Americas, if not enough people in the region are vaccinated against the disease.

"What's keeping measles at bay right now in the Americas is our high vaccination rate," Adalja said. "Any erosion in that vaccination rate would give measles a chance to re-establish itself," in the region, Adalja said.

The World Health Organization says that countries should aim to have at least 95 percent of their population vaccinated against measles in 80 percent of its cities in order to prevent the spread of measles from imported cases.

The Disneyland measles outbreak was attributed to low rates of vaccination in the communities where cases occurred. In those communities, the vaccination rate was as low as 50 percent, according to a 2015 study.

Adalja noted that one reason it's important to maintain a high vaccination rate in the Americas is that there is always going to be a small number of people who are susceptible to the disease. These include children who are too young to be vaccinated, those with certain immune conditions who cannot be vaccinated and people who don't develop adequate protection from the measles vaccine. These susceptible people can contract measles and spread it to others, if not enough people in a given area are protected from measles with vaccination.

The elimination of measles from the Americas is "a major milestone," Adalja said. "But it doesn't mean we can let up on vaccination."

Original article on Live Science.
Twice each year, the Library of Congress opens its magnificent Main Reading Room to share information about how the public can access the Librarys resources year-round. The Main Reading Room will be open to the public on the federal Columbus Day holiday, Monday, Oct. 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Main Reading Room is located on the first floor of the Librarys Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First Street S.E., Washington, D.C.

Also this year, the public may visit the Packard Campus of the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center (NAVCC) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to learn more about the audio-visual conservation services offered by the Library. Visitors will have the opportunity to tour the facility, participate in interactive sessions in the Recorded Sound listening room and view a video highlighting the Librarys work and items from the collection in the theatre. Tickets will be required for the facility tours, ticket information can be found at this site External. The NAVCC is located at 19053 Mount Pony Rd., Culpeper VA 22701.

The Jefferson Building will open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In lieu of the normal tour schedule, docents will be available to talk with visitors about the Thomas Jefferson Building, its history, art, architecture, and the Librarys collections and exhibitions between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Reference librarians will be on hand to demonstrate services, offer instruction on obtaining a reader-registration card and answer questions. They also will be available to demonstrate the Librarys online resources and discuss access to the Librarys vast on site collections, including services and collections for use in family history research. No other reference services will be available and all other Library of Congress reading rooms and buildings will be closed. Photography is allowed; however visitors may not use selfie sticks, mono-, bi- or tripods.

The Librarys Young Readers Center (YRC) will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with activity stations and programming for visitors. Children and teens are invited to bring their own astronaut and outer-space props  helmets, antennae, futuristic outfits -- and read a speech at the YRCs presidential podium, imagining that they are encountering a new alien civilization as President of Earth. Visitors can learn about their own cultural heritage and background, have fun with exploration trivia, engage in space-related crafts, and much more. Young people, who must be accompanied by an adult at all times, are encouraged to explore the centers library of current and classic books, its puppet theater and its games and puzzles, which can be viewed onsite.

On display in the Graphic Arts Gallery on the ground floor through August 19, 2017, "World War I: American Artists View the Great War" highlights the collections of the Librarys Prints and Photographs Division.Although the United States participated as a direct combatant in World War I from 1917 to 1918, the riveting posters, cartoons, fine-art prints and drawings on display chronicle this massive international conflict from its onset through its aftermath.

More information about the Library and the exhibitions is available at the information desks, at loc.gov/visit/ or by calling (202) 707-8000. Request ADA accommodations five business days in advance at (202) 707-6362 or ada@loc.gov.

The Library of Congress is the worlds largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United Statesand extensive materials from around the worldboth on site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov, access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov, and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.
A man who caused considerable damage to a cell at Granard Garda Station after being arrested was ordered to return before the court on October 21 with compensation.

Gerard Mooney of 51 Castlehill, Castlerea, Co Roscommon came before Judge Seamus Hughes at the September sitting of Granard District Court charged with public intoxication, threatening abusive and insulting words or behaviour and failure to comply at Tinnynar, Mostrim, Co Longford on September 12, 2015.

He was further charged with criminal damage, failure to comply and the use of threatening, abusive and insulting words and behaviour at Granard Garda Station on the same date.

Prosecuting Garda, Garda Carr, said that at approximately 11:15pm on the date in question, Gardai were on patrol at Tinnynar, Edgeworthstown, a townland outside the main Longford - Edgeworthstown Road - when a man walked out in front of the car. The patrol car had to swerve to avoid the man.

When asked to leave the area, Mr Mooney refused to do so and became aggressive. He was subsequently arrested and on the way to the Garda station, his aggression continued in the car.

On arrival to Granard Garda Station, Mr Mooney was brought down to the cell area where he caused damage to the tune of more than 1,200.

Although Mr Mooney had been searched, he had somehow managed to get a lighter into the cell. He caused damage to the cell mattress by setting it alight and also used the lighter to melt glass on the cell window. He also damaged the wall by scraping his handcuffs off them.

Solicitor for the accused, Ms Fiona Baxter, said her client apologised for his actions, and he had brought 365 into court by way of compensation.

At the time he was of no fixed abode, but his brother has taken him in, Ms Baxter added. It was also revealed that the father-of-three bought and sold cars to make money.

Judge Hughes then ordered that Mr Mooney return to court on October 21 with the balance of the compensation - 856 - before the matter will be finalised.
Local News, Business & Finance, Travel & Local Attractions, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: September 28 2016

Governor announced that the MTA will initiate the comprehensive redesign of the LIRRs existing 33rd Street concourse at Penn Station.

New York, NY - September 27, 2016 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today unveiled sweeping plans for the complete transformation of the historic James A. Farley Post Office into a world-class transportation hub. At the Association for a Better New York, the Governor announced the selection of a developer-builder team including three companies, Related Companies, Vornado Realty LP, and Skanska AB to redevelop the Farley Building, creating a new 255,000 square foot Train Hall to house passenger facilities for the Long Island Rail Road and Amtrak.

In addition to constructing the Farley Train Hall, the Governor announced the joint venture will create 112,000 square feet of retail and nearly 588,000 square feet of office space within the Farley Building. Preconstruction work will begin this fall, with the new Train Hall expected to be completed by December 2020.

The Governor also announced that the MTA will at the same time initiate the comprehensive redesign of the LIRRs existing 33rd Street concourse at Penn Station and an extensive renovation to the adjacent Seventh and Eighth Avenue subway stations. Construction on the LIRR concourse and the subway stations will conclude by or before completion of the work on the Farley Train Hall. The redesign will include nearly tripling the width of the existing corridor, which will significantly decrease congestion and result in notably higher ceilings  providing bright lighting, new way-finding, ticketing and informational systems.

New Yorks tomorrow depends on what we do today, and the new Moynihan Train Hall will be a world-class 21st century transportation hub, said Governor Cuomo. With more than twice the passengers of all JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark airports combined, the current Penn Station is overcrowded, decrepit, and claustrophobic. The Moynihan Train Hall will have more space than Grand Centrals main concourse, housing both Amtrak and LIRR ticketing and waiting areas, along with state-of-the-art security features, a modern, digital passenger experience, and a host of dining and retail options. This is not a plan  this is whats going to happen. People are going to walk through this station and recognize that this is New York.



View the Governor's presentation unveiling the new Pennsylvania Station-Farley Complex here.



Moynihan Train Hall

In January, Empire State Development, the MTA, LIRR and Amtrak issued an RFP soliciting proposals for the comprehensive redevelopment of the historic Farley Building, including a Train Hall and the surrounding office and retail space. RFP responses were received in April and reviewed by a panel of private and public experts from the real estate, construction, design and finance fields.



Related, Vornado, and Skanska have all provided guarantees to complete the $1.595 billion project on time and, as part of the agreement, will pay the state a total of approximately $600 million in recognition to the value of the development opportunity within the Farley Building. The remainder of the project will be supported by $570 million from Empire State Development and $425 million from a combination of Amtrak, LIRR, Port Authority and federal government sources.



The Moynihan Train Hall will include shops and restaurants located under a new skylight on the buildings historic and architecturally dramatic steel trusses. The building will increase floor space 50 percent from Penn Station, and service riders on the LIRR, Amtrak and eventually accommodate passengers from Metro-North. A total of nine platforms and 17 tracks will be accessible from the Train Hall.



In addition to the Train Hall, RVS will redevelop the entire Farley Post Office Building to include approximately 700,000 square feet of office and retail space which will result in the creation of thousands of new construction and permanent jobs.



The project will use union labor and has committed to fully meet the Governors nation-leading goal of 30 percent of the work completed by Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises.

Penn Station

A dramatic redesign of the LIRR portions of Penn Station will significantly improve passenger experience and circulation. The plan will include nearly tripling the width of the 33rd Street Corridor, which is among the busiest sections of Penn Station and stretches along the stations lower level from Seventh to Eighth Avenue. Other improvements will include upgraded lighting and wayfinding, and digital screens to convey information and create a modern passenger experience. It is anticipated that the majority of the corridor improvements will be completed simultaneous to the Train Halls opening, with other elements completed sooner. Construction of the new LIRR corridor will cost an estimated $170 million.



The MTA will issue an RFP for the preliminary design of Penn Station improvements to pre-qualified consulting firms today. A contract is expected to be awarded by the end of 2016.



The transformational redesign also includes upgrading the two subway stations at Penn Station. Many of these improvements to subway stations on Seventh and Eighth Avenues are expected as early as 2018 and will cost approximately $50 million.



The first phase of construction, to create a concourse west of Eighth Avenue, is nearing completion. The concourse will provide direct access to LIRR and Amtrak tracks and will connect the future Moynihan Train Hall to Penn Station underground via 33rd Street. New plazas and street level entrances into the Farley Building on either side of the monumental staircase will provide access to this new, lower concourse as well as speed boarding and exiting for passengers.



In January, Empire State Development, Amtrak, and the MTA issued a Request for Expressions of Interest for redeveloping Penn Station. As Amtrak relocates to the Moynihan Train Hall, the RFEI responses provided ideas for the future proposed redevelopment of the current Amtrak concourse that will be incorporated into concepts previously suggested by the railway operators. ESD will partner with Amtrak on the creation of an RFP for the concourse.



Ultimately, all of these coordinated efforts will result in a bolder, fully modernized Penn-Farley Complex, with increased passenger capacity, inviting entrances and access points, and a state-of-the-art Train Hall at the Farley Building across Eighth Avenue. All work will be compatible with future plans to add platform and track capacity to Penn Station in conjunction with the completion of the Gateway Program.

Under Governor Cuomos leadership, New York State is rebuilding, replacing, and expanding vital infrastructure in exciting and fiscally responsible ways, said Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky. The new Penn-Farley Complex will have office space, retail stores, and restaurants, and will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs.



The new Farley Train Hall will streamline travel into and through the region for the 230,000 LIRR daily passengers and millions of subway riders through the vastly improved Seventh and Eighth Avenues stations, said MTA Chairman & CEO Tom Prendergast. Governor Cuomo has turned what for decades was merely rhetoric about investing in infrastructure into reality, and the improved MTA travel experience and resulting regional economy boost will be felt long into the future.

Amtrak Board Chairman Anthony R. Coscia said, We applaud Governor Cuomo's leadership in transforming the Farley Post Office building into a state-of-the-art rail station. In addition to the new Moynihan Train Hall, which will serve as Amtraks future station in Manhattan, this project will allow for enhancements at Penn Station that will significantly improve the customer experience for its many users. Taken together with the infrastructure improvements being advanced under the Gateway Program, Amtrak is committed to working with New York State and other key stakeholders to advance the investments befitting Americas busiest train station.



Congressman Jose E. Serrano said, This important effort will expand New Yorkers access to state of the art, safe, and reliable transportation. Renovating the Moynihan Train Hall, the LIRR Concourse, and the Amtrak Portion of Penn Station will modernize a key part of New Yorks public transportation. The Moynihan Train Hall project had been on hold for many years and I am glad to see Governor Cuomo taking the necessary steps to move it forward, said Congressman Serrano.



Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney said, I am thrilled that Governor Cuomo has come forward with a bold new plan to renovate and transform Penn Station and move ahead with Moynihan Train Hall in the Farley Building, said Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney. Anyone who has spent time in the existing structure of Penn Station can see how woefully inadequate it is for the needs of the hundreds of thousands of commuters who pass through it every day, and the addition of the Farley Complex will make for a much more pleasant experience for passengers on Amtrak and LIRR, and a more pleasant transfer to local subways. After 20 years of waiting, we will now have a train station we can be proud of.



Senate Majority Leader John J. Flanagan said, Penn Station is the busiest transportation hub in the country, and this new complex will allow New York City to meet the demand with state-of-the-art facilities and a more modern infrastructure. When this project is finished, the Penn Station-Farley Complex renovation will significantly ease the commute for thousands of New Yorkers, and create hundreds of new jobs.



State Senate Co-Coalition Leader Jeff Klein said, "Penn Station needs a makeover and Governor Cuomo's plan will upgrade our infrastructure to finally bring our railways into modernity, enhancing passenger experience with shops, restaurants and upgraded technology. Today marks the first step in two decades with construction commencing this fall at the Moynihan Train Hall and with other exciting upgrades to come.



State Senator and Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, Greater utilization of mass transportation options will help save commuter time and money and reduce vehicle congestion and pollution. Additionally, the renovations and new construction will lead to more jobs and increased tourism. I commend Governor Cuomo for this wise infrastructure investment to help transform the James Farley Post Office into a mass-transit hub and for his efforts to help renovate Moynihan Train Hall.



Senator Adriano Espaillat said, A gateway to many of New Yorks transportation arteries, Penn Station is integral to the daily lives of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, and this project will dramatically improve their travel experiences. New York City is the greatest city in the world and we deserve a new Penn Station to showcase everything New York City has to offer. I applaud Governor Cuomo for this visionary announcement, and look forward to a new, transformed Penn-Farley complex.



Senator Brad Hoylman, "Penn Station is a New York landmark, but for years it has not lived up to the standards we value as New Yorkers. Across our state, Governor Cuomos visionary plan for 21st century infrastructure - from our upstate airports to the new Penn-Farley Complex - is taking shape and fortifying our transportation network. We are building for tomorrow, and Penn-Farley is a cornerstone in this tremendous plan. Now, New Yorkers can look forward to walking through the station's corridors, enjoying modern amenities and getting to and from their destinations with greater ease." 



Assemblymember Richard Gottfried said, Thanks to Governor Cuomos leadership and vision to transform New Yorks infrastructure, we can look forward to a new travel experience for residents and travelers. This state-of-the-art transit center will make travel easier, more efficient and less crowded for everyone. I applaud the Governor for pushing this project forward and we look forward to the creation of construction jobs throughout development and permanent jobs at the new hub once completed.



New York City Councilman Corey Johnson said, With the redesign of the Penn-Farley complex, Governor Cuomo has taken a major step forward in making his vision for a better New York a reality. With new shopping opportunities, increased passenger capacity and state of the art facilities, the new Penn-Farley complex will not only enhance the experience of the every-day traveler, but invite visitors to a New York that is bigger, better and on the move.
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
Two leaders from al Qaedas branch in Yemen are believed to have been killed in two recent US airstrikes. US Central Command, or CENTCOM, announced the strikes today and noted that al Qaeda remains a significant threat.

The first strike took place on Sept. 20 in Marib province and killed two operatives of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninusla, CENTCOM announced in a press release. The second strike occurred on Sept. 22 in the province of Al Baydah and killed two other al Qaeda operatives.

CENTCOM did not disclose the names of the al Qaeda operatives killed in the two airstrikes.

These were al Qaeda operatives who continue to support their organizations destabilizing effects in Yemen, CENTCOM spokesman Major Josh Jacques said in the release. US Central Command continues to protect the US, its allies and partners from these threats by denying Yemen as a haven for AQAP.

CENTCOM maintained that Al Qaeda and its associated movements remain a significant threat.

The CENTCOM announcement closely matched press reporting from Yemen. On Sept. 24, Reuters reported that strikes took place in Marib and Al Baydah during the same time period. Yemen officials told the news agency that a local commander known as Abu Khaled al Sanaani and three of his fighters were killed in Marib, and a regional commander known as Abdallah al Sanaani was killed in Al Baydah.

AQAP has not announced the deaths of the two al Qaeda leaders.

According to CENTCOM, the US has launched 17 airstrikes against AQAP in Yemen this year. The US military has begun to release information about counterterrorism strikes outside areas of active hostilities since President Obama directed the military and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to increase transparency on operations against jihadist groups outside of Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. [See LWJ report, US government releases data on counterterrorism strikes outside areas of active hostilities.]

However, The Long War Journal has recorded 27 airstrikes against AQAP in Yemen in 2016. This discrepancy may be due to the fact that CENTCOM may not have released all of its data. It is also possible that the CIA instead executed some of the airstrikes, or that attacks attributed in the press to the US military were conducted by Saudi Arabia or the UAE.

The US has ramped up assaults in Yemen this year after reaching a peak of 41 in 2012, when AQAP controlled significant territory in the south. The operations were halved (26 in 2013, 23 each in 2014 and 2015) until AQAP went back on the offensive and took control of large areas in southern Yemen at the end of 2015. [See LWJ report, Charting the data for US airstrikes in Yemen, 2002  2016.]

The US military justified the attacks by noting that AQAP remains a significant threat to the United States and its allies. In previous press releases, CENTCOM has said that AQAP is using the unrest in Yemen to provide a haven from which to plan future attacks against our allies as well as the US and its interests.

AQAP has directed several plots to attack the US, including the failed 2009 airline bombing over Detroit. That plot failed when Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was unable to properly detonate his bomb, which he successfully smuggled aboard the airplane.

AQAP is one of al Qaedas most prominent branches, and has hosted some of al Qaedas top leaders. The US killed Nasir al Wuhayshi, al Qaedas last general manager, in a drone strike in June 2015. In addition to serving as al Qaedas general manager, he was also the emir of AQAP. His death and the death of other senior al Qaeda leaders, such as deputy general manager Nasser bin Ali al Ansi, did not prevent AQAP from overrunning much of southern Yemen in 2015 up until early 2016.

AQAP controls rural areas of central and southern Yemen despite both US drone and conventional strikes as well as a UAE-led ground offensive that has ejected the group from major cities and towns. AQAP is known to operate training camps in Yemen, and claims to do so to this day. In mid-July, AQAP touted its Hamza al Zinjibari Camp, which trains its special forces. Zinjibari was an AQAP military field commander who was killed in a US drone strike in February 2016.

The US military targets AQAP with the approval of Yemens government in exile. The government was forced to flee the capital of Sanaa after Houthi rebels overran it and several provinces in both north and central Yemen.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.
The Quds Brigade, also known as Liwa al Quds, is a predominantly Palestinian paramilitary unit participating in ongoing pro-Syrian regime operations in Aleppo. Also calling themselves the Syrian Arab Army Fedayeen, the militia is led by Mohammad al Said. The group is drawn primarily from the al Nayrab and Handarat Palestinian camps in Aleppo, according to a commander.

The Quds Brigade has operated as an auxiliary to the pro-regime coalition in Aleppo since its formation in 2013. This past month, the Quds Brigade has fought alongside the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the Iranian-led Shiite expeditionary forces.

For the past several months, pro-regime forces have been attempting to wrestle control of the Handarat Camp, a Palestinian refugee camp north of Aleppo city, away from the Islamist-led Fatah Halab coalition. An unnamed Syrian source told Irans Fars News Agency on Sept. 24 that capturing Handarat Heights would expand control in the area next to Castello Road, the artery to the rebel-held eastern Aleppo city that was cut off by pro-regime forces in late July. Taking Handarat would consolidate the pro-regime forces siege in the north and position forces next to the neighborhood blocks of eastern Aleppo, according to the source.

On Sept. 20, the Quds Brigade and SAA launched an offensive to take Handarat, according to Al Masdar News. Iranian media claim that Lebanese Hezbollah also participated and that the offensive was backed by Syrian and Russian airstrikes, though this claim could not be substantiated. Arab media reported that SAA artillery and airstrikes provided support.

Handarat Camp has changed hands several times in the past week. The pro-regime coalition took the camp on the day of Sept. 23, and the Quds Brigade planted its flag, but they lost the area in a night-time counterattack by Fatah Halab. Pro-regime forces regrouped and launched another offensive on Sept. 24, capturing the camp for a few hours before after which the opposition retook the camp in a counterattack.

On Sept. 27, pro-regime forces attacked Handarat again in a simultaneous, ongoing offensive in the north, center, and south of Aleppo.

Combat footage of Syrian Arab Army strikes against positions in Handarat camp prior to briefly taking the area on Sept. 24, 2016, posted by Lebanese Hezbollahs media wing Al Alam.

Russian ANNA News footage of Quds Brigade forces entering Handarat Camp on September 23, 2016. (Al Masdar post here)

Amir Toumaj is a independent analyst and contributor to 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.
The State Department added Anas El Abboubi, an Italian-born rapper who doubles as a jidhadist fighting for the Islamic State in Syria, to the US governments list of specially designated global terrorists earlier today. Abboubi was briefly in Italian custody in June 2013, but fled to Syria after he was released.

According to State, Abboubi began to radicalize in 2012 after being relatively well known on the Italian hip hop scene as rapper McKhalif, and by August of that year, he established the Italian branch of an extremist organization. While State did not name the organization, it is Sharia4Italy.

Italian police and counterterrorism forces in Brescia, Italy, detained Abboubi in June 2013 for plotting a terrorist attack in Northern Italy and recruiting individuals for militant activity in Syria.

According to quiBrescia, police seized Abboubis computer and found texts in Arabic with video that explained how to build weapons and ordnance. However, Abboubi was released from prison because there was no hard evidence that he was organizing subversive or potentially dangerous activities.

Abboubi disappeared shortly afterward and resurfaced in Syria, under the nom de guerre of Anas al Itali. He continued to post on the Sharia4Italy website and Facebook page up until 2015.

State noted that Abboubi is one of approximately 50 foreign terrorist fighters of Italian origins fighting in Syria.

Italy is a known hub for jihadists in Europe, and the Islamic Cultural Institute in Milan has served as a headquarters for al Qaedas operations in the country. [See LWJ report, From al Qaeda in Italy to Ansar al Sharia Tunisia.]

Abboubi is one of several European rappers who have joined jihadist groups. The two most infamous are Denis Cuspert, a.k.a Deso Dogg, and Abdel Majed Abdel Bari, a.k.a. Lyricist Jinn.

Cuspert left Germany for Syria in 2013, where he eventually joined the Islamic State. While Cuspert abandoned his music to wage jihad, he became a prominent fixture in Islamic State propaganda. In one video, Cuspert is seen holding the severed head of a civilian. In another, Cuspert called on Germans to travel to Syria to fight alongside the Islamic State. The US added Cuspert to its list of global terrorists in February 2015.

Bari, a British citizen, traveled to Syria in 2013 and linked up with the Islamic State in 2014. He has been featured in numerous videos threatening Britain and the West, and was also seen holding a severed head. He was reported to have had a falling out with the Islamic State in June 2015 and fled to Turkey.

Bari comes from a jihadist pedigree. His father, Adel Abdel Bari, pled guilty for his role in the 1998 bombings at the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. The senior Bari admitted to transmitting the claim of responsibility for the attacks and other communications from Osama bin Laden and Ayman al Zawahiri.

Additionally, Omar Hammami, an American jihadist who joined Shabaab, al Qaedas branch in East Africa, fancied himself a rapper. Hammami released several nasheeds, or Islamic chants. In one clumsy, rap-styled song, Hammami glorified death while waging jihad and asks to die in US drone strikes like other notorious Qaeda commanders. Shabaab killed Hammami after he refused to remain quiet about a dispute with the group.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and former President of the Senate of Malaysia Michael Cheng Wing Sum (Source: VNA)



Vietnam always gives priority and support to Malaysian firms doing business in the country, he assured.

The PM expressed his delight to see Malaysia as one of major trade and investment partners of Vietnam.

A number of Malaysian projects have benefited each countrys socio-economic development, notably the Da Nang industrial park and Phuc Loc Vien residential area in Da Nangs Son Tra district - a joint-venture project between Malaysias Massada Land and the citys development investment fund.

As Vietnam is accelerating banking restructuring, the PM wished for support in both capital and technology from Malaysia, and believed that the CIMB bank, which has recently been licensed to operate in Vietnam, will run effectively and bring benefits to both sides.

He also expressed welcome to other Malaysia banks to the country.

Cheng Wing Sum, for his part, wished that the Vietnamese government would continue providing support for Malaysian businesses in Vietnam.

Speaking highly of Da Nangs economic prospects, Cheng Wing Sum expressed keen interests in launching urban development projects in the city and becoming a partner of Vietnam and Da Nang in particular./.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc addresses the working session with Quang Nam's leaders (Photo: VNA)



To this end, the province needs to mobilise all available resources, develop a transparent and growth-driving administration to support locals and enterprises as well as tap all opportunities for development, he said during a working session with leaders of the province in Hanoi on September 28th.

He stressed the importance of a responsible administrative system, and strict punishment of reckless officials.

He asked Quang Nam to restructure its economic towards comprehensive development, improving the agricultural sector with a focus on maritime economy and offshore fishing.

Quang Nam should resolutely say no to industrial projects possibly harming the environment, he requested.

Along with rearrangement of population planning, the province should seek measures to deal with conflicts in planning of industry and tourism, ensuring a healthy living environment for the locals.

The Government leader asked Quang Nam to encourage startups to triple the current number of enterprises, while making more efforts to attract investors to industrial parks and economic zones, and completing its infrastructure system.

Lying in the central major economic region, Quang Nam has a favourable location for connection of regional localities, In the ASEAN map, Quang Nam is in the central of the East-West Economic Corridor with easy access to Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar.

In a 3,200km radius, Quang Nam is in core area of the most dinamic region of East Asia that containing Singapore, China, the Republic of Korea and Japan. It takes only 4-5 hours to fly from Quang Nam to almost all major airport of Asia-Pacific.

Owning 125km-long coastline, Quang Nam has various attractive beaches and a warm weather.

In the first nine months of this year, Quang Nam recorded an economic growth of 12 percent, with 640 newly-established companies. It has fulfiled the yearly target in budget collection with nearly VND13 trillion, a 40 percent rise over the same period last year and reaching 90 percent of estimate. As much as 60 percent of the provinces income is sourced from the Chu Lai-Truong Hai auto factory, which is considered a model of industrial production of Vietnam.

Although more than 50 communes of Quang Nam have been recognised as new-styled rural areas, nine local mountainous communes have still been poor localities with extreme difficulties./.
President Tran Dai Quang and WVI President Kevin Jenkins (Source: VNA)



Jenkins thanked the Vietnamese leader for appreciating WVIs activities in Vietnam, adding that the organisation targets supporting the poor and the most vulnerable worldwide.

President Quang congratulated Jenkins on receiving the Friendship Order - the highest decoration of the Vietnamese State in honour of foreign individuals and organisations which foster friendship between Vietnam and countries worldwide.

Among over 500 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Vietnam, WVI is one of the first ones operating in the country.

He praised WVI for introducing sustainable and comprehensive approaches to poverty reduction in Vietnam.

On the occasion, he asked WVI to continue standing side by side with Vietnam to deal with difficulties regarding rural development, health care and education infrastructure for residents living in remote and mountainous areas, as well as disaster mitigation./.
Over one year ago, I published the blog post Money Statistics That May Scare You. In case you missed it, here is a refresher:

68% of people live paycheck to paycheck.

26% have no emergency savings.

The median amount saved for retirement is less than $60,000.

The average household has $7,283 in credit card debt.

The average student loan debt is $32,264.

Since then, I have come across other money statistics that have surprised me.

I do a lot of research as a personal finance writer. I come across money statistics that surprise me, make me sad, and some that make me worried.

The money statistics in this blog post might surprise you, but I want you to be aware of them so that you can be better than normal.

However, I do want to note that even if you are doing better than the average person, you can still improve even more.

You should always strive to do your best as sometimes average is not good enough for you to live a financially successful life. Keep in mind that the average person is not the greatest with money, and many are wrecked with stress and hardship due to their unfortunate financial situation.

Below are some other money statistics that will hopefully whip you into financial shape. Enjoy!

Annually, an average of $220 per person is spent on the lottery.

In 2014, more than $70 BILLION was spent on the lottery. Thats around $220 per person, including children!

However, in states such as Rhode Island, its way above $220, at nearly $800 per person spent on the lottery on an annual basis.

That is a ton of money spent on the lottery.

40% of food is wasted.

This is a crazy statistic.

Just think about it: What if you spent $100 on food each time you went to the grocery store, but when you got home from the grocery store you immediately threw away $40 of it.

Thats pretty much what is happening here.

The average person who takes out a new car loan takes out $27,000.

Plus, the average used car loan is almost $18,000.

To add to all of this, the people with the largest car loans actually had the worst credit scores.

One last car loan statistic, the average monthly payment for a new car loan is $471 and $352 for a used car loan.

The average person wastes their gym membership.

If you have a gym membership, I highly recommend that you figure out whether or not it is worthwhile. According to Statistic Brain, the average monthly cost of a gym membership is $58. Yet, 67% of people never use their gym memberships.

That is a ton of wasted money.

The average student loan debt is approximately $30,000.

Plus, according to US News:

Only 41% of college students graduate in four years.

The three-year student loan default rate is 15% for recent graduates.

Borrowers older than 60 owe $43 billion in student loan debt.

These are some crazy money statistics.

Learn more about how I paid off my student loan debt at How I Paid Off $40,000 In Student Loan Debt.

Women are 27% more likely than men to have no retirement savings.

I found this statistic on Go Banking Rates.

To change this money statistic, please read The Smart Womans Guide To Investing Success. Heres a quick snippet from that blog post:

Women face different obstacles than men do when it comes to investing in the stock market. Right off the bat, they tend to have less in savings because women often take time off to raise children. With years of not earning a salary, there is no money being saved and compounded upon.

In addition to this, women typically outlive men by close to 10 years on average. Therefore, it is important as a woman to invest in the stock market.

What money statistics surprised you? How do you compare?
New Delhi ; Apart from India, Bangladesh and Bhutan have also pulled out of the SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November, saying the environment is not right for the successful holding of the meet. The decision was conveyed by Bangladesh and Bhutan yesterday to the SAARC Chair Nepal, sources said. The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016," the communication by Bangladesh said.

"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," it said. Bhutan said while it is committed to the SAARC process and strengthening of regional cooperation, it is concerned over the "recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

"Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances." The decision by three countries of the eight-member grouping not to attend the summit would lead to its collapse. Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night also decided not to attend the SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November.

PTI
Photo for illustration

From start of the year, September was among the months seeing prices rise over 0.5%. 10 out of 11 commodity groups saw CPI rise this month. Only post and telecommunications enjoyed price reduction at 0.07%.

The main reasons for the increase came from administrative decisions, especially those on education. This group saw the biggest price rise among the 11 commodities and services groups for CPI calculation.

Following the Governments Decree on tuition fees adjustment, the price index of the education group soared 7.19% against August, contributing 0.43% to the overall CPI rise.

In addition, this months fuel price adjustment led to the 0.55% increase in transportation costs, contributing 0.05% to the total CPI rise.

The countrys winning a contract of shipping 150,000 tonnes of rice to the Philippines in the end of August made prices of domestic rice recover after three months of consecutive reduction.

Heavy rain this month pushed up fresh vegetable prices from 10-15% due to limited supply, making price index of food products soar 0.1% month on month./.
Massive Chinese Debt And Why They Are On A Gold Buying Binge!

Chinas debt is a staggering $24 trillion with 247% of annual GDP as of last year, which is, in fact, an increase of an astounding 465% within a decade. The total borrowing by both the financial and non-financial sectors was only 78% of the GDP in 2007 and has since increased to 309% of GDP according to economists at Nomura Holdings Inc. led by Yang Zhao and Wendy Chen.

Some naysayers believe that the leverage in China is still far below that of what the U.S. was in 2007 previous to the financial crisis. However, they neglect to note that the property sector has increased by 4.5 times between 2000 and 2015 within the top-tier cities. Experience suggests that such a rise is both unsustainable and "bubbly." A sharp drop in the property prices will increase the leverage to astounding levels, thereby threatening their economy.

Huge Fiscal Deficit Challenge

The IMF has forecasted that China will have a moderate budget deficit of 3%, which sounds very comfortable. The IMF has merely considered the government's debt so as to arrive at said figure, which accounts for less than 20% of public spending. The local governments and municipalities in China account for over 80% of public spending.

When the total figures are considered, this balloons to 10% according to the IMF, whereas, Goldman Sachs believes that number is much higher - above 15%. These numbers are far worse than those in the United States directly before the financial crisis of 2008. Learn more here: fiscal deficit

Most state-owned companies are taking on more debt in order to pay off their earlier debt. Bad loans soar, as shown in the chart below. The government has not allowed any major firms to become bankrupt in order to keep their job numbers propped up. If they start to let companies fail, unemployment numbers could skyrocket!

Growth Is Struggling

With growth struggling, and in order to merely reach those of the beaten down estimates of the Chinese government, it appears highly unlikely that China will be able to manage their debt overhang.

In light of the forthcoming five-year congress of the communist party, the government will not want to push through unpopular reforms, although they are indeed necessary. The Chinese debt binge has reached such a vast amount that the experts now believe that in order to raise the GDP by $1.00, China must take a credit of $4.00, which is most certainly a sign of an impending crash that will have both global repercussions and further consequences!

Major Investors Who Have Raised Concerns About China

Legendary investor George Soros finds an eerie resemblance between the U.S. prior to the financial crisis and the current Chinese situation. Its similarly fueled by credit growth and an eventually unsustainable extension of credit, Soros told the Asia Society in New York in April, reports Bloomberg.

Similarly, BlackRock Chief Executive Officer Laurence Fink has also raised concerns about the Chinese debt.

The famous short seller Jim Chanos is short on China while stating that it "is the gift that keeps on giving on the short side," reported CNBC, in May of 2016.

China Shifting From Dollars To Gold!

China is gradually reducing its holding in U.S. treasuries. In July, it held $1.22 trillion in US bonds, notes, and bills, which represents a drop of $22 billion since June of 2016. This is the largest drop, in three years according to U.S. Treasury Department data that was released on Friday, September 16th, 2016.

There are many who believe that Chinas mammoth holdings of US Treasuries will restrict it from dumping them. However, Bocom strategist Hao Hong said, "The gold reserve on the China balance sheet has almost doubled since 2009. By holding gold, and moving away from a US-dollar centric system, we actually require less U.S. dollars," reports Zero Hedge.

Chinas gold holdings, which was a paltry 395.01 tons in the second quarter of 2000, has now risen sharply to 1,828 tons, according to the World Gold Council.

With the Chinese Yuan set to enter as the fifth currency in the International Monetary Funds SDR (Special Drawing Right) on October 1st, 2016, the Chinese are propping up the gold-backed Yuan as a fierce competitor to the U.S. dollar!

"The recently-opened Shanghai Gold Exchange differs greatly from the London Gold Exchange in one fundamental area: In Shanghai, buyers take physical delivery of gold whereas London deals in paper-based gold futures contracts. In Shanghai, what you buy is what you get' whereas in the West, gold is a virtualized commodity," Tom McGregor, Commentator and Editor at CNTV (China Network Television), told Sputnik.

Conclusion

Similar to that of other developed nations, the Chinese debt has also reached "bubbly" proportions. However, the Chinese are leaning towards gold in a big way, as witnessed in their latest holdings. They know that during the next crisis those nations with a large gold backing will not only survive, but will become prosperous as well!

China is most certainly going to increase their gold reserves even further in the future. Imagine if only a portion of their U.S. treasury holdings are shifted to gold - the yellow metal will go parabolic. Therefore, keep an eye on gold and be well prepared to buy it when we reach that last dip before the bull run.

Want to know where gold, silver and mining stocks are within their bull/bear market cycles? Or do you want to know when and how to take full advantage of these next major moves?

Follow me at www.TheGoldAndOilGuy.com

Chris Vermeulen

Chris Vermeulen is Founder of the popular trading site TheGoldAndOilGuy.com. There he shares his highly successful, low-risk trading method. For 7 years Chris has been a leader in teaching others to skillfully trade in gold, oil, and silver in both bull and bear markets. Subscribers to his service depend on Chris' uniquely consistent investment opportunities that carry exceptionally low risk and high return.

Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect.

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He made the statement during a working meeting with the Taipei (Taiwan, China) Economic and Cultural Office in Hanoi, led by its Head Shi Rui Qi on September 26th.

There are currently some 20 valid Taiwanese projects, with a total capital of USD188 million, while a majority of universities in Da Nang city have set up cooperation links with many Taiwanese universities, according to Vice Chairman Mien.

The Da Nang city Peoples Committee Vice Chairman urged the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hanoi to give support in introducing Taiwanese enterprises to study and invest in the Vietnamese citys hi-tech park and the information and technology park.

He also stressed that the cooperation in terms of developing high quality human resources in information and technology, the management of education and the application of information and technology in agricultural production should be increased; and the direct flight from Taipei or Kaohsiung city to Da Nang city should open.

Mr. Shi Rui Qi thanked the Da Nang city authority for making favourable conditions for Taiwanese enterprises to study and carry out investment projects, expressing his hope that the cooperative and friendly relations between Da Nang and Taiwan would be further expanded.

He confirmed that he would pay attention to introducing Da Nang citys strengths to Taiwanese enterprises to attract greater numbers of Taiwanese investors to the Vietnamese city, contributing to promoting the good relations between the two localities./.
MARTINSVILLE  The last of the five new businesses that received grants through the Startup Martinsville, Virginia program is opening this week.

Southern Nosh restaurant will open at 124 E. Main St. on Thursday, according to Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce President Amanda Witt.

Nikea Tunnell, the restaurants owner, has described the meals that she plans to serve as Deep South food with an ethnic twist.

The other four new businesses that received grants  Infinity Dancewear, Butchers & Brew Restaurant and Tavern, bookstore Books & Crannies and A2Speed, an automotive performance parts company, already have opened in the central business district, Witt said.

Those businesses, as well as existing sign shop Whats Your Sign, earlier this year received a total of $53,730 in grants, rent and utility subsidies through Startup Martinsville, a boot-camp style program for entrepreneurs held by the Chambers Partnership for Economic Growth (C-PEG).

The recipients were the winners of a business plan competition that was part of the state-funded program.

This has been an interesting process, Witt told Martinsville City Council on Tuesday, updating the panel on chamber/C-PEG efforts to help the city with small business and uptown development.

It has taken a large chunk of my time to do small business development over the summer, but it was definitely worth it, she said. The state seems very happy with the program and the progress we have made as well.

We willl be paying close attention to these businesses to gauge how we are making a difference (in small business development) with this program, she said, but I can say that they all have had really good business since their openings.

C-PEG has secured funding for a second year of Startup Martinsville and aims to start it in January, Witt said.

The independent affiliate of the chamber, which supports and helps fund private local economic development efforts, is working with Patrick Henry Community College to create a refresher course for first-year participants to help make them stronger and perhaps enable them to receive a grant next year, she said.

Plans are for those grants to be awarded in May, she added.

In other matters, Witt said the West Piedmont Business Development Center  the city-owned, C-PEG-operated small business incubator uptown  is at 90 percent occupancy.

One tenant has expressed interest in moving into a larger suite, she said. If the tenant does move, the incubator will be at 95 percent occupancy, with only one office space and warehouse space on the second floor available to potential occupants, she added.

Witt mentioned that the uptown farmers market has attracted large crowds this year.

Folks have been actually having to park at NCI (the New College Institute across the street) and walk over, which is a great thing, she said.

For children, the market on Oct. 29 will host a pumpkin-carving and face-painting event, and the chamber/C-PEG has partnered with the Charity League to show the movie Hotel Transylvania at 11 a.m. that day at the Rives Theatre, Witt said.

Uptown merchants will be participating in trick-or-treating on Halloween, and a couple of Christmas-related events are in the planning stages, she said.

The plan is to get folks uptown, hand out coupons and have discounts from the merchants  so they (visitors) can spend money in stores or restaurants, she said.
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and President of the Senate of Cambodia

Samdech Say Chhum (Source: VNA)



Ngan suggested the two neighbouring countries further raise public awareness of the tradition of giving mutual support to each other, especially in difficult times, among young generations.

She also took the occasion to ask the Vietnamese NA, the Cambodian Senate and legislature to continue their mutual assistance in the future.

Speaking highly of the Senate Presidents role in fostering ties between the two States, the NAs and peoples, Ngan wished that in his position, Chhum will continue directing relevant units to boost bilateral ties for the benefits of the two peoples.

The guest wished that Cambodia will successfully hold the election of deputies to the communal and district councils and the NA by 2018.

Chhum, for his part, thanked the Vietnamese legislature for its assistance in personnel training and infrastructure.

He congratulated Vietnam on its achievements over the past years under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and wished that Vietnam will reap more successes in its 2016-2020 plan.

Host and guest expressed wish that the two countries would settle remaining issues to build a border of peace, friendship, cooperation and development, saying that the completion of demarcation is a great asset for later generations.

The same day, Ngan paid a courtesy call to Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni.

She made it clear that the Vietnamese Party, State, NA and people will exert utmost efforts to nurture the traditional friendship and multi-dimensional cooperation with Cambodia, thus meeting the aspirations of the two peoples.

The guest asked the King to instruct concerned agencies to help Vietnamese nationals settle in the country.

The Vietnamese legislature will strive together with the Cambodian Senate and NA to share information and legislation experience, as well as work closely together to monitor the implementation of signed agreements on border, trade and investment, she said.

The King, for his part, affirmed that the Cambodian people always bear in mind the great and valuable support of Vietnam, especially during the national liberation and the current national development.

He believed that the visit would further tighten the neighbourliness and long-standing friendship and solidarity between the two countries.

Before leaving Cambodia for Myanmar for a visit and attending the 37th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, Ngan met Vietnamese nationals living in Cambodia, visited Cho Ray Phnom Penh hospital and Angkor Milk plant./.
COLLINSVILLE - At its 3 p.m. meeting Tuesday, the Henry County Board of Supervisors adopted a proclamation read by Ryan Zehr declaring Oct. 23-31, 2016 as Red Ribbon Week in Henry County.

The Red Ribbon Campaign is the largest drug prevention program in the nation, reaching millions of young people during Red Ribbon Week. During the week, participants wear a red ribbon to show their support for a drug-free community.

The Red Ribbon Campaign was brought to the attention of county staff by Cody Jackson, 13, who represents national youth organization Young Marines. Jackson also is founder and CEO of Operation 99, a non-profit organization that sends packages to deployed troops and veterans year-round.

Jackson attended the meeting and accepted the proclamation for Red Ribbon Week.

The board recognized three Martinsville-Henry County 911 Communications Center employees as recipients of the Outstanding Telecommunicator of the Year Award, as chosen by the Western Virginia Emergency Medical Services Council.

J.R. Powell, Director of the 911 Center, publicly recognized the three employees: Susan Fulcher, Travis Pruitt and Karen Vaughn.

Powell said that the telecommunicators went above and beyond the normal call of duty.

After receiving their verbal recognition, the Board of Supervisors and audience gave the three telecommunicators a standing ovation.

David Hoback of the West Piedmont Planning District Commission gave an update on the commissions Regional Strategic Plan process.

While his content required no board action, he spoke about an event for stakeholders scheduled at the New College Institute at 11am on Oct. 19.

Hoback hoped the event would promote regional thinking, dialogue and collaboration.

He closed by telling the board, We covet your support and participation.

Also at the meeting, the supervisors:

Awarded an additional appropriation of a $21,741 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) awarded to the Henry County Sheriffs Office.

Henry County Sheriff Lane Perry said that the grant funds will be used to provide high impact law enforcement activities in areas that are experiencing an increase in crime. The funds are to provide overtime for additional personnel to work these directed enforcement areas.

Approved an additional appropriation of a $20,604.50 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Bulletproof Vests Partnership Program (BVP) for the Sheriffs office.

The grant requires a 50 percent local match that will come from the Sheriffs offices current budget.

Awarded an additional appropriation of $7,391 from the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services Rescue Squad Assistance Fund (RSAF) to update EMS training equipment.

The equipment will improve the quality of training for both career and volunteer EMS personnel in the county. The grant requires a local match. The board allocated the match from its contingency fund.

Awarded contracts allowing for the purchase of replacement vehicles for the Sheriffs office.

The first contract went to Colonel Ford Truck Sales, Inc. of Richmond in the amount of $27,170.10 for the purchase of a pickup, and the second went to Haley Ford South, Inc. of Richmond in the amount of $280,027.80 for the purchase of nine Ford Interceptor Utility patrol vehicles.

The funds for the purchases are included in the fiscal year 2017 budget.

Heard a monthly update from Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Mark Heath.

Heath revealed that Mountain Laurel Trails is ranked among the top three mountain bike trails in the state, according to singletrack.com, a national website.

Heard a monthly report on delinquent tax collection efforts from Henry County Treasurer Scott Grindstaff.

Reviewed informational items, including the Henry County Administrator Tim Halls monthly report.

Reviewed monthly financial reports.

Approved accounts payable.

Withdrew agenda item 18, Public Hearing  Rezoning Application R-16-11  Michael J. Tipton.
MARTINSVILLE - After a head-on collision that injured two other people, Randy Kirk Arnold was facing several years in jail. Despite pleading guilty on Tuesday, Arnold wont spend a day of his sentence in prison, thanks to a local judges ruling.

In Martinsville Circuit Court on Tuesday, Arnold changed his plea. Previously he had pleaded not guilty, but before Judge David V. Williams he pleaded guilty to two charges of DUI-maiming. The prosecution in turn dropped two related charges of felony racing and one count of driving on the highway using nitrous oxide.

On each count of DUI-maiming, Judge Williams sentenced Arnold to five years of incarceration, suspended on condition of three years of active probation, 10 years of good behavior, payment of restitution to be agreed upon by parties, and indefinite revocation of his drivers license.

Martinsville Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Andy Hall summarized the commonwealths evidence, alleging the following:

On May 9, 2015, Ben Peters of the Martinsville Police Department responded to a call from dispatch regarding a head-on collision at 6:34 p.m. on Memorial Boulevard in the city of Martinsville. When Peters arrived, Arnolds face was flushed; his speech, slurred; his eyes, glassy; and he had a strong odor of alcohol about his person.

Arnold allegedly admitted to drinking three beers before lunch, two beers 30 minutes before the crash and to drinking a beer at the time of the crash. A sample of Arnolds blood was delivered to the Department of Forensic Science. The blood test indicated Arnolds blood alcohol content was .093, and he had these controlled substances in his system as well: alprazolam, clonazepam, hydrocodone and oxycodone.

Arnold allegedly was driving at a very high speed in the southbound lane of Memorial Boulevard, lost control of his car, crossed over into the northbound lane of oncoming traffic, and struck a car driven by Timothy Warren Moran head-on. Moran and the passenger in the vehicle he was driving  Jessica Adkins  were badly injured in the crash. Moran suffered a broken right foot, fractured left leg, fractured ribs and a concussion. He also suffered a permanent back injury that will require surgery in the future. Moran cuts down trees for a living, and as a result of the injuries, he can no longer climb trees to cut them down.

Adkins suffered a broken nose, fractured leg, several broken fingers, and a cut on her forehead that left a permanent scar. Adkins continues to have swelling and bruising on her right leg and is expected to always have issues with the leg.

(Court records list the address for Moran and Adkins as Richardson Road, Collinsville.)

Arnold suffered a broken collar bone, bruised ribs and numerous cuts.

Both vehicles were totaled.

Police obtained two videos of the crash. The videos show heavy traffic on Memorial Boulevard at the time of the crash.

Arnolds lawyer, Roscoe Reynolds, indicated that Arnold spent 13 days in jail after he was charged, that he is upset that he injured two people, that his wife is making sure he has no access to alcohol and that he has completed a six-week substance abuse program. Reynolds also cited some personal circumstances and losses in Arnolds life.

Arnold apologized when given an opportunity to speak in court.

On Monday in Martinsville Circuit Court, Malcolm Trevor Belcher, 53, of 1204 Maxine Road, Martinsville, pleaded nolo contendere (no contest) to unlawful wounding, and sentencing was scheduled for Jan. 19, 2017, at 2 p.m., according to court records and Andy Hall.

According to Hall, an indictment and a criminal complaint, on April 26 Belcher, while incarcerated in the Martinsville City Jail, got into a verbal argument with fellow inmate Keith Charles, followed by Belcher allegedly hitting Charles in the back of the head with a broom handle when Charles was watching TV. Charles was transported to the emergency room in Martinsville, where he received seven staples to his head.

The laceration went all the way through to the victims skull. Per the video of the incident, the attack was not provoked, a criminal complaint said.

On Sept. 22 in Martinsville Circuit Court, Judge G. Carter Greer sentenced Brandon Scott Massey, who pleaded guilty in August to grand larceny. Judge Greer sentenced Massey, 23, of 2375 Irisburg Road, Axton, on that charge and some related matters to 10 years in prison, with 9 years and four months of that suspended, and eight months active, as well as diversion center incarceration, detention center incarceration, three years of probation, 20 years of good behavior, among other conditions, according to court records and Andy Hall.

Massey allegedly stole a Dodge R/T valued at $3,000 from G2 Auto Sales on Memorial Boulevard in Martinsville on Feb. 2, 2016, according to an arrest warrant and criminal complaint.
COLLINSVILLE - A new Henry County Jail could potentially be constructed on the site of the former DuPont plant.

The Henry County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a $50,000 option on a 30-acre pad at the former Dupont site, located at 1000 DuPont Road. The option allows county staff up to nine months to further evaluate the sites suitability for a new jail.

The owner of the site, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, has offered to donate 10 acres of the site to the county and sell the remaining 20 acres to the county for $500,000. If the county decides that the DuPont site is a suitable location and chooses to purchase the land, the $50,000 option will be subtracted from the total price and the county will pay the remaining $450,000 balance.

The board unanimously approved the option contract, the funds for which came from the countys general fund.

According to Henry County Deputy Administrator Dale Wagoner, the board issued a public notice requesting that interested landowners submit proposals of available land to be considered for a new correctional facility. The county received 11 proposals from private entities.

Of those 11, one was zoned industrial, two were commercial, and the remaining eight were in agricultural/residential areas.

Each site was studied by county staff and Sheriffs Office personnel, who also considered several parcels already owned by the county. Each site was evaluated for suitability based on location, size and shape, ease of access, safety, and cost of acquisition and development. Asking prices ranged from $70,000 to $3.75 million.

According to Wagoner, several sites were eliminated off the bat due to proximity to residential neighborhoods, significant impact to waterways and wetlands, and overall development costs.

In August, the list was narrowed to three possible locations, including the DuPont site, which was chosen as the preferred site.

The $50,000 option approved Tuesday allows the county to spend up to nine months examining the sites suitability, which includes conducting a thorough environmental assessment of the 30-acre site.

The current Henry County Jail, located at 3250 Kings Mountain Road, opened in 1974 and was rated for 67 inmates. Today, an average of 175 inmates are housed at the facility.

Based on current Virginia Department of Corrections guidelines, the current jail is undersized and does not meet modern standards.

Nobody wants to build a jail, Hall said, but due to the state of the current jail, the county has no choice but to move forward. Hall said he understands that some in the community have been concerned at the price of building a new jail or wondered why the county cant simply add on to the existing jail. However, he said, county staff have made every effort to explore all possible options with the assistance of Moseley Architects, and are confident that the construction of a new jail  potentially on the DuPont site  is the best path forward.

Henry County Sheriff Lane Perry thanked the board, saying that his staff has done everything possible to best utilize the current jail facility, but the building no longer meets state guidelines and is simply worn out.
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan at Wattay International Airport (Source: VNA)



The September 27th-28th visit looks to continually cement and step up the friendly neighbourliness and all-faceted cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia.

It also looks to actualise commitments on exchanging high-level visits of legislators, the sharing of experience, and other cooperative contents agreed by the two legislative bodies.

Cambodias largest daily newspaper Rasmei Kampuchea (Light of Cambodia) has run a front page article saying the visit will strengthen bilateral cooperation.

It noted this was Ngans first trip to Cambodia as Vietnams top legislator after her recent visit to Laos, showing that Vietnam prioritises the long-standing solidarity between the three countries.

Following by Vietnamese State President Tran Dai Quangs visit to Cambodia in June 2016, this visit shows that Vietnam pays great attention to relations with Cambodia./.
Google Express Photo.jpg

Google is bringing its Google Express delivery service to Springfield.

(Photo Provided)

SPRINGFIELD -- Google parent Alphabet Inc. is bringing its Google Express delivery service to a wide swath of the Northeast including Springfield starting today.

Google Express enables customers to order from partner retailers such as Costco, Whole Foods Market, Kohl's and Petsmart, said Brian Elliott, general manger for Google Express. Deliveries will be made in this region within one or two days depending on exactly where the customer is and where the store is located.

Google Express is partnering with Stop & Shop in New England. Stop & Shop already offers its own Peapod Grocery Delivery Service.

"Depending on the store, a lot of our Springfield deliveries will be overnight. Order one day and get it the next morning," Elliott said in a phone interview.

In Boston, where Google Express expanded in 2014, deliveries are available for later the same day. Order by 1 p.m. and have your order in hand by 10 p.m., Elliott said.

Google Express differs from competitor Amazon in that Amazon has its own warehouses and fulfillment centers. Google Express shoppers buy from retail merchants, not Google Express, and have access to store brands offered by retailers like Whole Foods, Elliott said.

"It is a platform that allows merchants and users to come together," he said. "This is what we are really good at as a company. We make it easy for people to connect with merchants they love."

Google, best known for its ubiquitous search engine that turned its name into a verb, established Google Express in California's Silicon Valley in 2013.

Google Express is coming to Springfield.

For customers, Google Express offers the convenience of ordering from a number of merchants using one website or mobile app. Buyers can reorder or set up recurring orders for something they buy regularly, like diapers for a baby, and get a fresh supply delivered at regular intervals.

Merchants get help form Google managing the process and picking and shipping the order. Merchants give Google a commission, Elliott said.

This most recent expansion covers not only Springfield and New England but all of the Northeast, from Virginia to Maine, that didn't have Google Express up until now.

Google Express will use local couriers in Springfield and not Google-branded delivery vehicles seen in big cities.

Customers have a choice as to how they pay. Memberships are $10 a month or $95 a year, with all deliveries over $15 free. There is a 90-day free trial membership offered now.

Customers can also pay $4.99 per order.

As for now, the merchants offered around the country are primarily chains. But Elliott said Google wants to add more local retailers in the communities where it offers Google Express.

"That is something we have to get better at," Elliott said. "We want to partner with more local merchants so we can connect people with the stores they love."
Alec Baldwin - Donad Trump.jpg

Alec Baldwin as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in a teaser ad for "Saturday Night Live."

(NBC video)

Alec Baldwin, who holds the record for most "Saturday Night Live" hosting gigs, will have a recurring role this upcoming season as GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump.

"SNL" creator Lorne Michaels tapped his friend, who starred in the Michaels-produced "30 Rock" for seven seasons, to play the billionaire politician, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Trump was played last season on "SNL" by Darrell Hammond, a former cast member who now serves as its announcer. Before Hammond, Trump was played by cast member Taran Killam, whose contract was not renewed for Season 42.

Baldwin has hosted "SNL" 16 times since his first time in 1990.

The Oct. 1 premiere of "SNL" this weekend will feature actress Margot Robbie as its host with musical guest The Weeknd.

NBC released an onliner teaser video with Balwin as Trump and Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton.
arthur lutz then and now.jpg

Arthur Lutz, left, as a young man in the U.S. Air Force during World War II and in a 1997 file photo from The Republican. The Longmeadow resident, who's almost 93, is celebrating 68 years as an employee of Mansfield Paper Company in West Springfield.

(Submitted Photo (left) / Republican File Photo (right))

WEST SPRINGFIELD  If Merriam-Webster is looking for a new synonym for the word "Legend," they may want to consider "Lutz"  as in Arthur Lutz.

In a nation in which some people search for reasons to work hard, Lutz, a Springfield native who lives in Longmeadow, searches for reasons not to work hard. And apparently he can't find any, making him remarkable by any measurable standard.

On that note, Lutz has been working for the same company for 68 years. That's not a typo, folks. The World War II veteran has spent nearly seven decades at the Mansfield Paper Company in West Springfield, where he continues to work as a salesman.

And if Lutz's work ethic isn't impressive enough, he'll soon be celebrating his 93rd birthday.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average worker holds 10 different jobs before age 40, though anomalies do exist. Case in point: Lutz, who began working for the West Side company two years after it opened its doors in 1946.

His statistic-defying tenure affirms the values typical of the so-called "Greatest Generation," the phrase popularized by veteran newsman Tom Bokaw, who authored a book of the same name. Brokaw used that term as an homage to the generation that survived the Great Depression, fought in World War II, and prospered in post-war America.

As a young man, Lutz worked at the Springfield Armory before heading off to fight in the second world war as a member of the U.S. Air Force's 388 bomb squadron and the 312 bomb group.

After returning from overseas, Lutz landed a job at Mansfield. He has served as a salesman, manager and vice president during his long tenure at the West Side company on Union Street.



"I'm not certain I remember him ever taking a sick day," Cindy Lutz Kornet, an artist from Longmeadow, said of her father. "They don't make them like that anymore."

Lutz has been the archetypal role model for his family, including grandson Todd Adelson. "I admire his work ethic and have tried to emulate it throughout my professional career," Adelson said.



Today, Lutz still enjoys donning a suit and tie and a pair of neatly polished shoes when he heads off to work at Mansfield. While many of his peers have settled into retirement, he's showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Zachary Greene-rape suspect1.jpg

Zachary Greene, 18, was taken into custody by Vermont State Police on Wednesday and charged with being a fugitive from justice.

(Vermont State Police photo)

GRANITEVILLE, VT  An 18-year-old rape suspect wanted in New York state was arrested in Vermont on Wednesday and charged with being a fugitive from justice.

Zachary Greene, wanted by New York authorities on two charges of 1st degree rape, was taken into custody in Graniteville by Vermont State Police around noon.

Police say Greene was arrested without incident.

Greene's whereabouts had been determined by Vermont State Police detectives working in tandem with New York detectives.

He is set to appear in Washington County Court on Thursday to answer to the charge of being a fugitive from justice.
Photo: VNA

During the talks, Senior Lieutenant-General To Lam, Politburo member and Vietnamese Public Security Minister, congratulated the Chinese people as well the countrys Public Security Ministry on great achievements during the national construction, making important contribution to reinforcing national security, social order and safety.

According to Ministers To Lam and Guo Shengkun, over the past years, the cooperation between the two countries in general and the two ministries in particular has been continuously developed, bringing practical results in cooperation. They shared the desire that the cooperation relationship between the two countries would be developed more strongly in the future, contributing to increasing the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations.

After the talks, the two ministers signed a memorandum of understanding about the results of the talks, and worked out cooperation orientations until 2018.

Accordingly, the two ministries will continue to exchange delegations in security and law enforcement; increase the sharing of information and experience; and cooperate to defeat any schemes of hostile and reactionary forces.

In addition, the two sides pledged to increase cooperation in the struggle against trans-national organised crime, especially terrorism, cyber-crime, human trafficking and drug crime./.
(Photo: daihoi12.dangcongsan.vn)

This was a practical activity of the capital youth to mark the 60th anniversary of the Vietnam Youth Federation (October 15th) and promote solidarity between teenagers in the capital and those in mountainous areas in general, and in Dien Bien in particular.

The delegation presented two sets of drums, 2,000 books, study aids, cakes and candies worth of VND40 million to Yen Can primary school in Sam Mun commune, Dien Bien district, and Thanh Minh commune secondary school in Dien Bien Phu city.

It also provided ten scholarships worth VND500,000 for each to outstanding students at Yen Cang primary school.

On this occasion, the Hanoi city Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union supported the construction at Hat Lau school in Pu Xi commune, Tuan Giao district; presented 12,000 books, sets of drums and study aids, worth VND300 million, to four schools in Dien Bien province. /.
The National Beer Wholesalers Association on Tuesday named Kettlehouse Brewing Co. http://kettlehouse.com/ as one of the nations best managed breweries while awarding the Missoula business with its second annual Brewer Partner Sales Execution Award.

Kettlehouse received the recognition during the 79th annual NBWA convention held at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Chicago.

The Missoula brewery was founded in 1995 by Tim OLeary and Suzy Rizza. Last year, the company produced 15,000 barrels of beer, making it one of Montanas largest producers.

Martin Kidston

Full Story: http://www.missoulacurrent.com/business/2016/09/kettlehouse-lands-top-honors-national-beer-convention/
The impetus for launching SOS Gear http://sosgearmt.com/ came when Chelseas husband Corey wanted to buy a paracord survival bracelet. He figured having the strong, thin rope always with him would be handy if his chainsaw cord ever broke. Then his uncle fell 40 feet out of a tree, emphasizing that preparedness for an emergency is always a good idea.

"People want to stay in Montana, and given that there arent that many large corporations here, people try to figure out a way to stay," Kregg Aytes, dean of the Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship at MSU in Bozeman

"To be able to do what we love  hunting and running my own business  you make time," she said.

From bracelets Chelsea has expanded SOS Gear to include bow and rifle slings, belts, lanyards, key chains, game drags and bird carriers. She even braids handles for insulated tumblers.

By BRETT FRENCH [email protected]

Full Story: http://billingsgazette.com/lifestyles/recreation/montana-woman-knots-together-paracord-business/article_e8a52f17-3173-5d3d-806e-ed502322d2e2.html

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Choose Montana  Now is great time to start or build your career in Montana. Our economy has never been stronger and this means great opportunities to expand your horizons. Montana businesses need professionals and skilled workers in every industry. Grow your career here. http://choosemontana.com/
Working as an airplane mechanic may not sound like an entry-level job, but new federal money recently awarded to a Missoula company aims to train low-income workers to do just that.

The Montana Idaho Community Development Corp. (MICDC) has received a $769,639 grant to help fund a job creation and training program at Neptune Aviation in Missoula. Neptune creates and operates a fleet of air tankers designed to fight wildfires, and employs more than 100 people.

DAVID ERICKSON  Missoulian

http://missoulian.com/news/local/missoula-aviation-company-gets-funding-to-train-low-income-workers/article_7d990edd-f483-5e88-8f24-52f068e895c3.html%20http://missoulian.com/news/local/missoula-aviation-company-gets-funding-to-train-low-income-workers/article_7d990edd-f483-5e88-8f24-52f068e895c3.html

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Senator Tester announces funding for entry-level mechanic job training program for Neptune Aviation in Missoula http://www.matr.net/article-73234.html
The U.S. Embassy in Mauritius is hosting an Urban Search and Rescue Exchange Event in collaboration with the Government of Mauritius and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) from September 7-9, 2022.

During the three-day event, the participants will exchange expertise and knowledge on various search and rescue topics, including technical rescue techniques, collapsed structure intervention, rope rescue procedures and techniques, impaired vehicle extraction, and medical intervention. With its vast experience conducting missions out of Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, the U.S. team in Mauritius will be sharing techniques and procedures and is eager to learn from Mauritius counterparts about Search and Rescue in a small-island and maritime environment.

We are extremely excited to be conducting this event, and to continue to build upon our strong bilateral relationship with Mauritius, U.S. Embassy Charge dAffaires Satrajit Sardar said in remarks at the event.

The exchange of ideas and best practices between U.S. and Mauritian specialists is another example of the partnership between our two countries to address shared challenges.

From the U.S., two para-jumpers and one rotary search and rescue pilot from the U.S. Air Forces 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron was part of the exchange. Participants from Mauritius will include members from the Special Mobile Force, Police Helicopter Squadron, and National Coast Guard Maritime Air Squadron.

Search and Rescue is a multifaceted approach to searching for and helping people who are in distress or imminent danger in any location. It is a critical facet of any nations emergency response plan and ensures that the consequences of disasters and emergencies are mitigated to an appropriate level.

Effective Search and Rescue requires coordination between various government agencies, as well as mastery of techniques and procedures to overcome environmental and geographic challenges.

Nous sommes extremement ravis dorganiser cet evenement a Maurice cette semaine et de continuer a renforcer nos relations bilaterales solides avec Maurice, a declare le charge daffaires de lambassade des Etats-Unis, Satrajit Sardar, lors de levenement. Nos experts americains en matiere de recherche et de sauvetage ont hate dapprendre du personnel du Special Mobile Force mauricien les techniques SAR utilisees dans les petites iles, en particulier compte tenu du terrain unique et de lenvironnement maritime qui est endemiques a cette ile.

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The largest U.S. investment in Ukraine is under a threat of failure due to negligence of Kyiv officials who refused fulfilling liabilities undertaken under a contract, Head of Odesa Regional Administration Mikheil Saakashvili has claimed.

"This is the largest investment in Ukraine in the past years  a total of around $200 million. It is practically the new life of TIS and Yuzhny port. The investor has fulfilled its liabilities, signed the agreement with the government. The government was to carry out dredging works at the port and they will build the rest of the facilities. Now the government says: maybe we would not carry out dredging works? Who will enter Ukraine after this?" Saakashvili said.

He said that the government must fulfill its obligations to the investor.

"A terminal, new workplaces will be created here and people will work here," he added.

As reported, U.S. Cargill, the Sea Port Authority of Ukraine and M.V. Cargo in August 2015 signed a trilateral memorandum of intent to implement an investment project at the Yuzhny seaport.
Ukrainian army positions in Donbas came under 35 attacks over the past day, the army operation press center said on Facebook on Wednesday.

According to the report, the militants were active in the Mariupol sector where "23 violations of the 'regime of quiet' were seen." The militants used small arms, machineguns and grenade launchers in the area of Maryinka, Vodiane, Shyrokyne, Talakivka and Pavlopil. A sniper was active in Shyrokyne, and an infantry combat vehicle was engaged in the militants attack on Talakivka, it said.

Six attacks of the militants on Ukrainian army positions were observed in the Luhansk sector: the militants fired small arms and grenade launchers on the vicinity of Novo-Oleksandrivka, Novozvanivka and Stanytsia Luhanska.

The militants breached the truce six times in the Donetsk sector: Avdiyivka came under attack of 82mm and 120mm mortars, grenade launchers, machineguns and small arms, in addition to a sniper, it said.
Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andriy Paruby during a meeting with German Ambassador to Ukraine Ernst Reichel said that Ukraine is counting on the adoption of the European Parliament decision on visa liberalization in the nearest future.

As the press service of the Verkhovna Rada reported on Tuesday, Parubiy told the German ambassador about the implementation of Ukraine of "all the imposed conditions, including on the issue of a visa-free regime, and that Ukraine looks forward to the adoption of this decision by the European Parliament in the nearest future."

As reported, the parliament speaker told the ambassador about the main directions of the reforms process in the country and said that "one of the key indicators of this process is the introduction of the anti-corruption legislation, which lies at the basis of granting Ukraine a visa-free regime."

Reichel said that Germany is making efforts to establish a visa-free regime for Ukraine.

"In general, it is true, and we support you together with our French friends, and the U.S.," the ambassador said stressing the need for simultaneous decision on the closure of the mechanism of a visa-free regime as a whole due to migration crisis in Europe.

Reichel said that Germany would continue to support Ukraine, which made its choice in favor of European values. He considers the doubt unacceptable in sufficient stability of his country in this regard. "We support the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine. We are trying to prove that international law must be respected," the diplomat said.
Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine and Secretary of the National Reform Council Dmytro Shymkiv has discussed cooperation in supporting reforms in Ukraine with Ambassador Vaidotas Verba, Project Coordinator in Ukraine for the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE).

The presidential administration's press service on Wednesday said during the meeting the results of two years of cooperation and joint work in the framework of several projects supporting dialogue, which aimed to facilitate the activity of the National Reform Council, as well as a project office, was discussed.

"Shymkiv noted the importance of OSCE's contribution to several improvements, which were introduced in the work sessions of the national council. Among them were the development and transferring of software for a number of projects, the supply of 60 tablet computers for use by members of the national council during meetings," the statement said.

Verba noted the necessity of further support of communication initiatives aimed at raising public awareness and attracting Ukrainian citizens to the process of reforms.

"Tracking results of how the reforms are perceived by the populations show some favorable trends in public awareness about several reforms, including public tenders, educational and judicial reforms," the statement said.

"To date, 74% of decisions taken by the council have been implemented. I hope that thanks to the automation and optimization of preparation of materials we will be able to reach 90%," Shymkiv said.

"The success of changes in large measure depends on whether people know, understand and support what is happening. This is the reason we are trying to facilitate bolstering the opportunities of reformers, to present their programs and plans for broad public discussion," Verba said.
by Laurie Petersen , September 26, 2016

Working from home has its highs and lows, but a universal point of pain is when your computer decides to freeze and die. Lets listen in on a real-world scenario from this past weekend involving a Dell laptop, a Microsoft update and freelance writer/editor Carol Kopp.

When Kopps laptop refused to reboot after a forced routine update was pushed on her that shed been warned will take awhile, she set out to find support. Luckily for her, she had an old computer lying around or shed be forced to travel to the nearest Microsoft store, an hour or more away, where she might or might not receive help.

Kopp laid it out in an email to the customer service address she found when Googling for Microsoft tech support. Her next option was to ask her question in a Windows 10 forum, for which she was forced to register with a username and password.

Using the dilapidated old HP, she hit the wrong key and got bounced out of the forum. All her information was erased, forcing her to enter it all over again. When she failed to check the box saying shed read the Terms & Conditions, she was ejected yet again.

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Thats when she noticed the page did not include Microsoft in the URL and she prayed it was not some malfeasant doing something malicious. While in the forum, she found some other postings with headlines like Windows 10 broke my computer  but no remedy for her immediate problem.

So she turned to the toll-free 24/7 hotline.

Kopp retold her story, calmly, to a customer support rep in New Delhi who started asking about the condition of her computer and the last time she took it in for servicing.

Its about two years old. I dont take it in for service like a car. Its never been to a computer repair shop for any reason. I am not trying to update the computer. Microsoft is trying to update the computer.

Kopp was then directed to try to remove the computers battery, but that is not an option. Then the rep suggested the update could still be going on, although the screen was not acting that way.

Thats when the sell began. Kopp was asked to buy a service for $249. When she politely declined the maintenance contract, she was offered a one-time fix for $109.

Its not so easy to find the official Microsoft support system but so many scam artists are out In the market theres actually a link on the Microsoft site to report them.

On the Microsoft site was a virtual support person who returned Kopp to the main screen when she told her that a Windows 10 update just broke her computer.

Katrina F. then started chatting with Kopp and recommended buying a flash drive and downloading Microsoft 10 to the drive, then reloading it. The next day, Kopp went out for the drive, came back and the computer did not recognize it.

Her next option is visiting a store or finding some other means of in-person support. Meanwhile, shes researching new PCs and found a Chrome book for less than $250. Since she now works in Google docs, it might be enough.

The fact is, computers are so cheap now, if I cant get it fixed with the free support, Im better off buying a new one.
Pioneering research led by The University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom reveals that a type of cell in the central nervous system that usually supports motor neuron function can go rogue and destroy motor neurons in people with ALS.

Share on Pinterest Here, in green, captures the wide myelin tree that develops from the central cell body. In ALS, these cells gain toxic properties and cause cell death.

Image credit: The Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN)

ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons  nerve cells that form a pathway for the brain to send instructions to muscles  degenerate in ALS and lead to weakness and wasting of muscles.

There are two types of ALS: sporadic and familial. The sporadic form of the disease accounts for 90-95 percent of all cases in the United States and occurs at random with no clearly associated risk factors, while familial ALS  which accounts for 5-10 percent of all U.S cases  is inherited.

An international team of researchers  directed by Dr. Laura Ferraiuolo from the Sheffield Institute of Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) at The University of Sheffield  made the groundbreaking discovery of how the oligodendrocyte brain cell plays a significant role in the progression of ALS.

Dr. Ferraiuolo began the research at The Kaspar Laboratory based at the Centre for Gene Therapy at the Research Institute at Nationwide Childrens Hospital (RINCH) in Columbus, OH, as part of her EU-funded Marie Curie Fellowship.

Oligodendrocytes are a type of glial cell that surrounds neurons and provides support and insulation between them. Their primary function is to produce myelin that wraps around the neurons and allows signals to run faster, which helps communication from one neuron to another.

The team uncovered that oligodendrocytes  which typically assist with neuron function  can become destructive and cause cell death after developing an innovative oligodendrocyte in-vitro model from the skin cells of people with ALS. This is the first human in vitro model allowing us to study the specific interaction between neurons and oligodendrocytes from ALS patients, says Dr. Ferraiuolo.

Dr. Ferraiuolo and colleagues also found that decreasing the levels of the gene SOD-1 can rescue the adverse effect of rogue oligodendrocytes on motor neurons. At least 200 mutations in the SOD-1 gene have been associated with causing ALS.

Previous studies have identified other glial cells  astrocytes and microglia  that contribute to motor neuron death in ALS. The researchers detected the behavior of oligodendrocytes through mouse and human studies using the direct conversion method.

Direct conversion is a method developed by Prof. Brian Kaspar and his team at the Kaspar Laboratory to generate neural progenitor cells (NPCs) from skin cells.
In order to extend the life of fruits and vegetables and preserve them for longer refrigeration, UNAM researchers developed an edible coating with added functional ingredients applied to freshly cut foods.

Dr. Maria de la Luz Zambrano Zaragoza, researcher at the Faculty of Higher Cuautitlan (FES) Cuautitlan, explained that the benefits range from having a cut product attractive, "by oxidation, many fruits no longer consumed with this technology, crop losses will decrease also retain nutrients from fruits or vegetables".

With university technology has been preserved apple cut up to 25 days and a kiwi for two weeks. In addition, their production is costly because it costs 70 pesos a liter of dispersion can be coated 20 kilograms of cut fruit ready to be placed in convenience stores and consumed later.

After nine years of research, university scientists found that if nanocapsules loaded with alpha tocopherol and beta-carotene in fruits and fresh-cut vegetables are dispersed, homogeneous film forms a flexible, inhibits enzymatic browning and prolongs the life of these.

"The microencapsulated we design are food additives with a similar to that of a ball of nanometric size ranging between one hundred to 500 nanometers structure internally can place you active substance such as lemon oil or rosemary, or antioxidant alpha tocopherol or beta-carotene; drops out of this area of the active substance through the wall that migrate to the fruit achieving their conservation", explained the academic responsible for the investigation.

Physically, the coating is not apparent to the eye, is not a film due to immersion applied to the fruit surface active substances absorbed, obtaining a product ready to eat.

In addition, coatings with different flavors can be developed to make the product attractive.

Scientific development already patented and won first place awards in the "Development Program Patenting and Innovation" (PROFOPI 2015-2016), whose purpose is promoting a culture of industrial property at UNAM. Following this, researchers aim to bring to a pilot plant for industrial production.

"One of the interests of the UNAM is to contribute to society with useful technologies that can be marketed well and export," concluded Dr. Zambrano Zaragoza.
New research, led by the University of Southampton, has demonstrated that a nanoscale device, called a memristor, could be the 'missing link' in the development of implants that use electrical signals from the brain to help treat medical conditions.

Monitoring neuronal cell activity is fundamental to neuroscience and the development of neuroprosthetics - biomedically engineered devices that are driven by neural activity. However, a persistent problem is the device being able to process the neural data in real-time, which imposes restrictive requirements on bandwidth, energy and computation capacity.

In a new study, published in Nature Communications, the researchers showed that memristors could provide real-time processing of neuronal signals (spiking events) leading to efficient data compression and the potential to develop more precise and affordable neuroprosthetics and bioelectronic medicines.

Memristors are electrical components that limit or regulate the flow of electrical current in a circuit and can remember the amount of charge that was flowing through it and retain the data, even when the power is turned off.

Lead author Isha Gupta, Postgraduate Research Student at the University of Southampton, said: "Our work can significantly contribute towards further enhancing the understanding of neuroscience, developing neuroprosthetics and bio-electronic medicines by building tools essential for interpreting the big data in a more effective way."

The research team developed a nanoscale Memristive Integrating Sensor (MIS) into which they fed a series of voltage-time samples, which replicated neuronal electrical activity.

Acting like synapses in the brain, the metal-oxide MIS was able to encode and compress (up to 200 times) neuronal spiking activity recorded by multi-electrode arrays. Besides addressing the bandwidth constraints, this approach was also very power efficient - the power needed per recording channel was up to 100 times less when compared to current best practice.

Co-author Dr Themis Prodromakis, Reader in Nanoelectronics and EPSRC Fellow in Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton said: "We are thrilled that we succeeded in demonstrating that these emerging nanoscale devices, despite being rather simple in architecture, possess ultra-rich dynamics that can be harnessed beyond the obvious memory applications to address the fundamental constraints in bandwidth and power that currently prohibit scaling neural interfaces beyond 1,000 recording channels."

The Prodromakis Group at the University of Southampton is acknowledged as world-leading in this field, collaborating among others with Leon Chua (a Diamond Jubilee Visiting Academic at the University of Southampton), who theoretically predicted the existence of memristors in 1971.

This interdisciplinary work was supported by an FP7 project (the European Union's Research and Innovation funding) and brought together engineers from the Nanoelectronics and Nanotechnology Group at the University of Southampton with biologists from the University of Padova and the Max Planck Institute, Germany, using the state-of-art facilities of the Southampton Nanofabrication Centre.
When taken by breastfeeding mothers, the antiretroviral drugs tenofovir and emtricitabine appear to be present at low concentrations in breast milk and in the bloodstream of their infants. This research, described by Kenneth Mugwanya, University of Washington, Seattle, and colleagues in a Research Article in PLOS Medicine, suggests that there is a low risk of side effects in breastfed infants exposed to the drugs.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) employs antiretroviral drugs to prevent HIV infection, and is generally used in people at high risk of being infected with HIV. However, there is little scientific evidence available to support the safety of PrEP in women who are breastfeeding, where drugs and their metabolites could be transmitted to infants. Such women may be at high risk of HIV infection in some African countries, for example, and in the event of infection there is the added risk of HIV transmission from mother to child.

Mugwanya and colleagues studied 50 pairs of mothers and infants in Kenya and Uganda, who were uninfected by HIV, up to 24 weeks after birth. The mothers took the combination oral PrEP drug emtricitabine-tenofovir disoproxil fumarate for 10 days, and drug concentrations were measured in breast milk and infant blood. Although the study involved a small group of women and infants, was of short duration and limited to a single blood draw from infants, the findings indicate that drug concentrations are low in breast milk and in infants' blood, and that the risk of adverse events is therefore likely to be small.

In a Perspective discussing the research, Lynne Mofenson, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Washington, D.C., argues in favour of extending implementation of PrEP with tenofovir to pregnant and breastfeeding women who are at high risk of HIV infection.

This work was supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP47674) and the US National Institutes of Health (R01MH095507). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

The authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: FTC-TDF was donated by Gilead Sciences. CWH reports a prior contract from Gilead Sciences outside the submitted work and a patent pending, both managed by Johns Hopkins. MM has grant funding via the NIH. GJS has research grants from NIH (unrelated), CDC (unrelated), Thrasher Foundation (unrelated), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (sponsor), royalties from UpToDate (unrelated), and salary support from the University of Washington. All authors declare no other conflicts of interest.

Article: Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Use by Breastfeeding HIV-Uninfected Women: A Prospective Short-Term Study of Antiretroviral Excretion in Breast Milk and Infant Absorption, Mugwanya KK, Hendrix CW, Mugo NR, Marzinke M, Katabira ET, Ngure K, et al., PLOS Medicine, doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1002132, published 27 September 2016.

Perspective: Tenofovir Pre-exposure Prophylaxis for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women at Risk of HIV Infection: The Time is Now, Mofenson LM, PLOS Medicine,doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1002133, published 27 September 2016.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common liver disease worldwide, is increasing in prevalence and is currently estimated to affect approximately one-quarter of the general population. A new study published in the journal Hepatology reveals the clinical and economic burden of NAFLD in the United States and Europe. The findings will help clinicians and policy makers develop strategies to deal with this serious chronic disease.

NAFLD, which is characterized by the build up of extra fat in liver cells, is associated with obesity and diabetes, and it occurs with minimal or no symptom until the disease is advanced. When Zobair Younossi, MD, MPH, of Inova Fairfax Hospital in Virginia, and his colleagues constructed models to assess the potential burden of NAFLD, they estimated that there are 64 million individuals with the disease in the United States and 52 million in the four European countries examined (Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom). Annual direct medical costs were estimated to be approximately $103 billion ($1163 per patient) in the United States and  35 billion (from  354 to  1163 per patient) in the four European countries. The economic burden of NAFLD would be even higher when including societal costs and indirect costs.

"Given the growing epidemic of obesity, diabetes, and NAFLD, this study brings to the attention of policymakers, providers, pharmaceutical companies, payers, and patients the critical importance of understanding NAFLD and establishing a policy for prevention, early detection, and effective therapy," said Dr. Younossi. "This requires a multi-faceted national and possibly international policy to deal with this common, debilitating, and expensive liver disease."
Around one in five bowel cancer patients diagnosed after an emergency presentation have displayed at least one cancer 'alarm symptom' in the year leading up to their diagnosis, according to a Cancer Research UK-funded study published in the British Journal of Cancer.

The study found that 'red flag' symptoms were much more common in patients who were diagnosed via non-emergency routes, and that patients diagnosed as an emergency often did not display these symptoms strongly associated with bowel cancer.

It's lack of these 'red flag' symptoms in many patients diagnosed as an emergency that makes it much more difficult for GPs to diagnose the cancer early.

But a proportion of patients - 17.5 per cent of colon cancer patients and 23 per cent of rectal cancer patients diagnosed as an emergency - had 'red flag' symptoms, indicating there could have been opportunities to pick up the disease earlier.

Most patients, regardless of how they were diagnosed, visited their doctor in the year before their diagnosis. And patients saw their doctors more often in the months and days leading up to their diagnosis, with the number of visits increasing significantly both for patients diagnosed by emergency and non-emergency routes.

The study, at University College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, looked at National Cancer Registry data that was linked to GP data for 1,606 patients across more than 200 GP practices. The research focused on patient data for the five years leading up to the cancer diagnosis.

Cristina Renzi, lead researcher, Cancer Research UK scientist at University College London, said: "We know that patients diagnosed with cancer after emergency presentations don't do as well as patients who are diagnosed by their doctor through non-emergency routes. This study shows that most patients - who are picked up through the emergency route - can be harder to diagnose as they often don't show typical bowel cancer symptoms. However, in most cases they visit their doctor for various reasons multiple times during the months leading up to their diagnosis, which could represent opportunities to diagnose the cancer earlier.

"It's important to find ways to ensure these patients can be diagnosed at an early stage. And this study highlights the need to support GPs and give them the tools to diagnose and refer patients promptly when they feel it's necessary."

Dr Julie Sharp, Cancer Research UK's head of patient information and health, said: "This research shows the difficulties in diagnosing patients who are not showing typical symptoms of bowel cancer. In some cases where people have been diagnosed after an emergency presentation, there may have been opportunities for people to be diagnosed earlier, and it's important to try to find better ways of picking up these patients and getting them referred appropriately.

"So research like this, to understand more about people's symptom histories, is crucial to find better ways to diagnose the disease at an early stage when treatment is more likely to be successful."
A world-first Deakin University innovation will give surgeons the sense of touch while they drive a robot to conduct keyhole surgery via a computer.

The HeroSurg robot is a major breakthrough to current technology, which now limits robotic surgery to the sense of sight, and means laparoscopic, or keyhole/micro surgery, will be safer and more accurate than ever before by reducing trauma and lowering risk of blood loss and infection.

The innovation, the brainchild of Deakin's Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation (IISRI) in collaboration with Harvard University and Deakin's School of Medicine, was unveiled at the Australasian Simulation Congress, hosted by Simulation Australasia, at the Melbourne Convention Centre.

HeroSurg was developed by engineers from Deakin and Harvard, along with Professor Suren Krishnan, who in 2008 became the first Australian surgeon to use the current available da Vinci robotic surgical system for ear, nose and throat procedures.

Professor Krishnan, from the Royal Adelaide Hospital and an Honorary Professor at IISRI, said HeroSurg's addition of the sense of touch, provided through technology known as haptic feedback, would lead to better patient outcomes.

"The major drawback of the current system is the lack of tactile feedback," Professor Krishnan said.

"Tactile feedback allows a surgeon to differentiate between tissues and to 'feel' delicate tissues weakened by infection or inflammation and dissect them more carefully. Tactile feedback will allow us to use finer and more delicate sutures in microsurgery."

Professor Krishnan said the haptics technology would also improve the ability to distinguish between tissues involved with cancer from normal tissue.

The project's lead researcher and haptics expert, Dr Mohsen Moradi Dalvand, who recently spent two years at Harvard University as a visiting scholar, said the haptic feedback improved safety and allowed specific manoeuvres and diagnoses to be performed with greater confidence.

"HeroSurg's unique features which allow it to overcome many of the limitations of existing robotic laparoscopic systems, include collision avoidance capability, modularity and automatic patient/bed adjustment," Dr Dalvand said.

"The automatic collision avoidance enables surgeons to operate with peace of mind and confidence that there will be no collision with instruments, the robot's arms, or the laparoscope with the patient."

Other unique HeroSurg features include high-resolution 3D images, an increased range of motion for the surgeon, and a more ergonomic workstation console.

"HeroSurg will assist surgeons to perform demanding surgical procedures with comfort, accuracy and safety by providing real-time collision avoidance for medical instruments, and stereo-endoscopic vision," Dr Dalvand said. He added that the extra real-time 3D virtual HeroSurg would help the surgeon identify the position relationship of the instruments and laparoscope.

IISRI Director Professor Saeid Nahavandi said HeroSurg could be used remotely, with the surgeon potentially thousands of kilometres away from the actual theatre.

"In the not-too-distant future, many patients may be thanking HeroSurg for saving their lives," Professor Nahavandi said.

The world-leading technology was created in the laboratory at Deakin's Waurn Ponds campus in Geelong, also collaborating with experts from the University's School of Medicine, who and are looking forward to working with hospitals, medical centres and potential manufacturers to bring the technology into the health system over the next few years.

After laboratory testing in partnership with medical experts, the project is ready for human trials. It builds on recent work from IISRI that has enabled ultrasounds to be completed by medical professionals by remote, also using haptics technology.

Minimally invasive robotic surgery has become popular with surgeons, patients and insurance companies. Much smaller incisions result in reduced pain and risk of infection, better post-operative immune function, shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery.

Simulation Australasia CEO John Stewart said: "This is incredible innovation out of our simulation community and will change the way medicine is done forever.

"The best surgeons will be able to operate on patients on the other side of the world and the advancements in haptic technology mean they're no longer just relying on sight."

HeroSurg project collaborators included IISRI Director Professor Saeid Nahavandi, Harvard University Harvard Biorobotics Laboratory Professor Robert Howe, Professor Suren Krishnan and Deakin School of Medicine Associate Professor Glenn Guest.
Disengagement of forces in three areas on the Donbas contact line may help open a checkpoint in Zolote, the Ukrainian Ministry for Temporary Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons said.

The ministry said in its explanatory note published on the Ukrainian government's website on Wednesday that, according to the preliminary agreements reached at the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk on September 21, three zones were chosen for disengagement of the Armed Forces and armed formations of individual districts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions near the populated localities of Zolote, Petrovske and Stanytsia Luhanska.

The document said that disengagement of forces and hardware would be performed exclusively consistent with the Framework Decision's annexes to contain detailed information about geographic coordinates of the lines, the timeframes and technicalities of the withdrawal. Such measures will help create disengagement sectors, which will guarantee security for troops and the civilian population and preserve crucial infrastructures.

"The agreement prescribes the OSCE SMM taking away explosive devices in those areas no later than one day after disengagement of forces which, in particular, may promote the opening of a checkpoint in Zolote. It should be said that checkpoints will continue to operate and will be manned by relevant units," it said.

It has been agreed that the OSCE SMM will constantly perform patrolling missions and remote observation and that the pullback may be suspended and military units may be re-deployed to their former positions in case the ceasefire is breached in a disengagement zone.

The agreements reached in Minsk said that disengagement zones would be created in Donbas and the withdrawal of forces from specified areas would begin only after the OSCE SMM confirmed compliance with the ceasefire regime in each zone for a one-day period.

Precise coordinates of the zones, the withdrawal distances and perimeter will be determined only after that.

The agreements allow for the creation of similar security zones in the future.


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Peripneumonia, and pleuritic affections, re to be thus observed: If the fever be acute, and if there be pains on either side, or in both, and if expiration be attended with pain, if cough be present, and the sputa expectorated be of a blond or livid color, or likewise thin, frothy, and florid . When pneumonia is at its height it is bad if he had dyspnea and if sweat comes out about the neck and head, for such sweats are bad, as proceeding from the suffocation, rales, and the violence of the disease. - Hippocrates, [460-375 BC]

Pneumonia is infection of one or both lungs. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and rarely by parasites. It is characterized by inflammation of the alveoli (air sacs of the lungs) that can be filled with fluid and/or pus.

It mostly occurs as a complication of a respiratory infection - like the flu. It is an infectious disease and can spread by coughing, sneezing or even breathing.

Pneumonia is one of the commonest causes of hospitalization and death in young children and elderly population.

Clinical Pneumonia is still the leading cause of childhood mortality in children accounting for 15% of all deaths of children under 5 years old. The number of children who died in 2015 was 920 136.

Pneumonia can be caused by virus, bacteria, fungi or parasites.

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) accounts for most hospitalizations and deaths worldwide

Pneumonia can be prevented by vaccines building natural defences and curbing indoor air pollution

Although, bacterial pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics, only one third of infected children receive the treatment.

Anatomically pneumonia can be classified according to which part of the lung it affects.

pneumonia can be classified according to which part of the lung it affects. Bronchial pneumonia affects all parts of lung, while Lobar Pneumonia affects a large and continuous area of one lobe (caused mostly by Streptococcus pneumoniae).

affects all parts of lung, while affects a large and continuous area of one lobe (caused mostly by Streptococcus pneumoniae). Noninfectious pneumonia or Idiopathic Interstitial pneumonia (IIP) affects the pulmonary interstitium (the tissue and space around the air sacs of the lungs). Some can affect the airways too. There are seven recognized subtypes for Idiopathic Interstitial pneumonia.

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Bacteria:

Streptococcus (pneumococcus) (most common)

Atypical bacteria - Legionella pneumophila, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Chlamydophila pneumoniae

Other bacteria - Staphylococcus aureus, Moraxella catarrhalis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Neisseriameningitidis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae

Virus:

Influenza virus

Coronavirus

Adenovirus

Rhinovirus,

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

Parainfluenza virus

Bacteria like Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, or Haemophilus influenzae can cause a secondary infection over the first viral one. All atypical symptoms of bacterial pneumonia get added on and there be serious complications.

Fungi:

Histoplasma capsulatum

Coccidiomycosis

Blastomyces

Aspergillosis

Cryptococcus neoformans

Pneumocystis jiroveci

Pneumonia caused by fungi is uncommon and occurs in persons with a weakened immune system. For example, Pneumocystis jiroveci usually causes pneumonia in people with impaired immune systems like HIV patients.

Parasites:

Do not cause pneumonia by specifically affecting the lungs. For example parasites belonging to Ascaris and Strongyloides genera stimulate a strong eosinophilic reaction, which may result in eosinophilic pneumonia.

One exception is Paragonimus westermani or the Oriental lung fluke that affects the lungs directly.

Pneumonia is caused by breathing in small particles or droplets of the germs when exposed to a cough or sneeze of an infected person.

Sometimes during sleep secretions from the nose, throat or mouth (that contain viruses and bacteria) can be aspirated into the lungs and this can lead to pneumonia.

People with a weak immune system or inability to fight infections, can contract pneumonia easily that can become quite severe.

The most common way to get pneumonia is from crowded environments like schools, malls or a market place. This is called Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and is the leading cause of hospitalization and death due to pneumonia in the world.

Pneumonia can be contracted as a secondary infection by a patient who is already in the hospital being treated for another illness (Hospital - acquired pneumonia (HAP)).

Similarly places like nursing homes, dialysis centers and outpatient clinics are high-risk places to contract the disease (Healthcare-associated pneumonia). Being on a ventilator in a hospital can also cause pneumonia (Ventilator-associated pneumonia).

Persons who have brain injury, Alzheimers, swallowing problems or sometimes in a post-operative recovery time may end up inhaling their food as opposed to ingesting it. This is termed Aspiration Pneumonia and is another way to get the lung infection.

Risk factors for pneumonia include:

A child 2 years or younger or an adult 65 years and above

Having a cold, laryngitis, influenza or other viral respiratory infections

Having a weakened immune systems due to Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), organ transplant, chemotherapy or long-term steroids treatment.

Suffering from a chronic disease like asthma, emphysema, Chronic Obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, heart disease, diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, chronic liver or renal disease.

Intensive care unit (ICU) patients and especially if they are on a ventilator

Smoking

Consumption of alcohol

Exposure to dust, chemicals, air pollution or toxic fumes as they can compromise lung function making them more susceptible to infections

A patient with swallowing problems due to stroke, dementia, Parkinson's disease, or other neurological conditions

due to stroke, dementia, Parkinson's disease, or other neurological conditions History of recent surgery or trauma

Suffering from epilepsy or seizures

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Symptoms of bacterial pneumonia in healthy people happen suddenly and progress rapidly starting during or after an upper respiratory infection.

In contrast, nonbacterial pneumonia symptoms happen gradually and are milder in nature.

Persistent cough - in some cases of pneumonia the sputum can be thick and greenish yellow or it can be a bloody mucus

Fever as high as 104 0 C

C Headache and muscle aches.

Shaking chills

Fatigue and loss of appetite

Shortness of breath

Chest pain on inspiration

Confusion or delirium in older adults

In children the body can be slightly cyanosed (more bluish) due to poorly oxygenated blood and the child could be quite ill.

Physical examination - A coarse breathing sound like wheezing along with rales (crackling sounds or rumblings) may be heard on examining the patients chest with a stethoscope (Chest auscultation). Breathing can be labored or rapid too.

Further diagnosis of pneumonia can be done with the help of the following tests depending on the severity of the disease and the overall health and age of the patient -

Sputum examination to determine the causative organism. The sample or mucus is taken after a deep cough and seen under a microscope. It can also be cultured to know the type of organism and its sensitivity to antibiotics.

Complete Blood count (CBC) to check for an increase in the white blood cell count (positive if over 10,000 or >10109 white cells per liter)

C-reactive protein level - positive if 3 times above the normal range. Indicates inflammation and is a non-specific test.

Chest X-Ray - to determine the location and extent of pneumonia in the lungs. Infection will be seen only when the disease has progressed. In some cases, it shows the organism causing pneumonia, complications of the disease and fluid accumulation in the chest cavity.

Bronchoscopy to look into the lungs airways. In this procedure a thin flexible tube is Inserted into the nose or mouth while using a local anesthetic. Specimen of tissue and fluid can be collected for investigation.

An arterial blood gas (ABG) test to check for oxygen level in the blood from the lungs and a pulse oximetry to check how much oxygen is circulating via the bloodstream

Pleural fluid culture to check if there is fluid in the space around the lungs

CT scan to check the extent of pneumonia infection in a persistent or complicated case.

The treatment for Pneumonia depends on the causative organism, severity of the symptoms, age and overall health.

There is no specific cure for viral pneumonia since antibiotics do not work against viruses. It usually heals by itself in 1-3 weeks with rest and plenty of fluids.

Adequate intake of fluid helps to keep lung secretions thinner and easier to cough up. If the cough is non-productive and painful, cough suppressants can be used - or else it is better to cough it out as it is a protective mechanism to expel sputum.

Fever can be controlled by acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin.

Viral pneumonia caused by the Influenza A or B viruses are treated by Neuroaminidase inhibitors. For other community acquired pneumonias like coronavirus, adenovirus and parainfluenza virus, there are no antiviral medications.

Pregnant women who acquire pneumonia after a flu may get antiviral medications like oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (relenza) to relieve symptoms.

Discovery of antibiotics in the last 50 years has dramatically improved the treatment of bacterial pneumonia. The infection usually clears up in 2-3weeks.

Bacterial pneumonia can be treated at home by antibiotics.

Initially the doctor would prescribe a broad-spectrum antibiotic like penicillin or erythromycin group of derived antibiotics like ampicillin (Augmentin) can be used.

For example, in the UK, amoxicillin is usually the first line of treatment for Community-associated pneumonia (CAP) and doxycycline or clarithromycin are alternatives.

In the US, where atypical forms of CAP are more common, amoxicillin has been completely replaced by macrolides (azithromycin or erythromycin) and doxycycline in adults. Children still continue to be treated with amoxicillin. Patients responding well to the antibiotics get better within 2-3 days.

Hospitalization may be required if the patient has not recovered and the symptoms continue or become more severe. This happens specifically if the patient is older than 65 or younger than 2 or has a chronic illness.

-lactam such as cephazolin plus macrolide (azithromycin) or a fluoroquinolones is used. The addition of corticosteroids also appears to improve outcomes. Both traditional 7-10 days of treament or a shorter course of 3-5 days work.

For hospital-acquired pneumonia, third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins, carbapenems, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, and vancomycin are given intravenously and used in combination.

Pneumonia can be a deadly disease depending on the type. Preventive measures and proper treatments can cut down child deaths due to pneumonia by around 1million worldwide.

Vaccines

Vaccines are an effective method to prevent the disease. Even if a person acquires pneumonia after the vaccine their symptoms will be milder with fewer complications.

Influenza Vaccine

The Influenza vaccine that helps prevent the flu is given annually in October or November, before peak flu season.

Since the flu is an underlying cause for pneumonia, the vaccine cuts the chance of people getting pneumonia.

Pneumococcal Pneumonia Vaccine

A vaccine against Streptococcus pneumoniae prevents pneumonia in children and adults. It is recommended for:

Adults 65 years old or older.

Persons with chronic diseases, serious long-term health problems or weak immune systems.

Smokers

Children less than 5 years old.

Children, 518 years of age with predisposed medical conditions like heart or lung diseases or cancer.

Patients who have their spleen removed should be vaccinated to decrease the risk of postsplenectomy sepsis (OPSS) due to organisms like as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae type B, and Neisseria meningitidis. They require to be vaccinated with a polyvalent vaccine to reduce the morbidity and mortality of postsplenectomy infection.

Hib Vaccine

The Hib vaccine protects people from getting infected by Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) that can cause pneumonia and meningitis.) The vaccine is given to children younger that 5 years old starting at 2 months of life.

Vaccines against pertussi, varicella and measles have a protective effect against pneumonia too.

Other factors that can prevent pneumonia:

Hand hygiene  regular hand washes

Covering nose and mouth while coughing and sneezing

Reducing indoor air pollution

Not smoking

Breastfeeding children up till 6 months of age

Strong immune system

Physical activity

Healthy diet

Pneumococcal infections can be invasive or invade other disease free parts of the body. In such cases, complications can arise that may be deadly or result in long-term problems.

Meningitis - a serious complication of pneumonia that causes inflammation of the meninges (membrane covering the brain and spinal cord). About 1 in 15 children less than 5 years old acquiring pneumococcal meningitis either dies or acquires a long-term problem like hearing loss or developmental delay. The risk increases in elderly patients.

Symptoms include a stiff neck, fever, headache, pain when looking into bright lights and confusion.

Bacteremia - a complication that occurs when the bacteria infect the blood. Death occurs in about 1 out of 100 children younger than 5 years old. The risk increases in elderly patients. Symptoms are fever, chills and low alertness. This bacteria can then enter other organs causing organ failure.

Sepsis: When the bacteria affect the entire body.

Massive Pleural Effusion and Empyema- Pleural effusion is when there is excess fluid accumulation in the pleural space present in between the lungs and chest cavity. When microorganisms infect this fluid and pus is formed it is termed empyema.

Lung Abscess - when cavities form in the lung. These cavities contain necrotic debris and pus.

Bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) - when the smallest airways of the lungs or bronchioles get obstructed due to inflammation, this blocks free flow of air into the lungs.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) - is not a disease but a medical condition that is characterized by widespread inflammation in the lungs.

A non-invasive pneumococcal infection is one that does not include bacteremia or empyema. Deaths occur in about 5 out of 100 people in this category. The risk increases with elderly patients.

Middle ear infections, Sinusitis and bronchitis - Non-invasive kinds of pneumococcal infections that are milder but more common.

Increasing pneumococcal resistance to antibiotics underlines the importance of vaccination.

More and more bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics due to overuse of these medications by doctors and also due to self-medication in some unregulated countries.

These antibiotic resistant bacteria are called superbugs. These are the bugs or bacteria that survive the fight against the antibiotics either due to incomplete course of an antibiotic treatment or because doctors prescribe antibiotics for fevers that are not caused by bacteria.

Superbugs get passed on between individuals.

A new antibiotic resistant bacteria called CRE or Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae resists some of the widely used antibiotics.

In the context of pneumonia, Klebsiella pneumoniae is an enterobacteriaceae that produces an enzyme that breaks down the antibiotic. This would delay treatment of pneumonia and the patient might develop severe complications.

To help curb the rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria, antibiotics should be prescribed when required and in this situation the full course should be taken.
In a September 12, 2016 column titled "New York... Sex and the City," in the Egyptian English-language daily Egypt Independent, Moroccan TV host Fatema Nouali relates her impressions from a recent visit to New York City. She writes that, due to her familiarity with and love for the American series "Sex and the City," she expected New York women to be chic and lovely," and to attract the attention of men in streets. However, she was surprised to discover that, even though New York women wear clothes that are revealing by Egyptian standards, and mix freely with men in public places, men do not stare at them and they do not experience the kind of sexual harassment that is prevalent in Egypt. This, she says, is not due to any inherent difference between Western men and Egyptian ones, but only due to the law, which in the West grants people freedom of expression and action while also obliging them to respect others.

The following are excerpts from her column:[1]



Fatema Nouali (Image: Egyptindependent.com)

"Before I came to New York city, I lived the details of New York life through an American television comedy series called Sex and the City. I had a close relationship with the heroines of the famous TV series. I lived with them the details of New York women's lives - which seemed characterized prominently by freedom. Four women who made all the decisions with regard to their lives, each with her own character and goals, they share the city with men on an equal footing, in a way that seemed unimaginable. They live the small details that transform the daily stuff of life into a sphere of self-realization and ambition. Four women, each with her own lifestyle - but this difference doesn't harm their friendship...

"The series is narrated by sex columnist, Carrie Bradshaw, who tells the lives of women in the sleepless city. The story follows the lives of her friends: the serious rational character Miranda, a lawyer; Charlotte, respected art dealer who once dreamed of owning her own gallery, the romantic character; and Samantha, the oldest and most sexually confident of the four.

"Samantha is an independent businesswoman. She is confident, strong, and outspoken, and calls herself a 'try-sexual' (meaning she'll try anything once).

"I lived with these women, via the screen, following their lives, so packed with events both romantic and tragic, including some close to our lives as Arab women and others so distant that we can't imagine them happening in public - for religious or social reasons.

"I came to New York with a prior assumption that women in the city are chic, lovely, and charming, the eyes of men following their beauty in the street, the women meanwhile happy and inviting. However, I was surprised to find completely different behaviors.

"Women here do not experience the kind of sexual harassment so often practiced by men. Their clothing is more than revealing by our standards, but their almost naked bodies does not necessarily provide a provocation to men, who simply turn a blind eye. Tight spaces contain both sexes in the subway, but no one is looking at anyone else, in full respect for privacy.

"I was the only one looking at people of both sexes for long periods, with a thousand questions spinning in my head, and I am still looking for an answer to one question. What makes these people different from us to such a degree? Do men here have different genes from our men? Or is the Arabic man more virile and masculine, and should we be thankful to nature for granting us this sort of man?

"It didn't take me too long to work out that the aversion of one's gaze here is not ideologically or religiously motivated. Here the law obliges you to respect others, and it guarantees you freedom of expression, clothing and action - so long as it only affects you, rather than impinging upon the freedom of others.

"I always considered myself free, practicing my freedom without restrictions. But when I experienced living with women here and followed their movements about the city, I realized how far we are from that sense of sharing public space with the other half of society.

"Here in New York, the body does not necessarily refer to sex. Women wear whatever they wish. Moreover, the dictatorship of beauty in the accepted standards for women, which require them to abide by fitness and femininity, applies only to a minority.

"I found a city that allows women to live in dignity, freedom, safety, coexisting with men - and not a hint of sex or harassment. Even the signs of expressing love, such as kisses and hugs between lovers, which are familiar in European countries, are almost non-existent here. Love and sex has its place in the bedroom - and with the consent of both partners."

Endnote:
The Cyber & Jihad Lab monitors, tracks, translates, researches, and analyzes cyber jihad originating from the Middle East, Iran, South Asia, and North and West Africa. It innovates and experiments with possible solutions for stopping cyber jihad, advancing legislation and initiatives federally  including with Capitol Hill and attorneys-general  and on the state level, to draft and enforce measures that will serve as precedents for further action. It works with leaders in business, law enforcement, academia, and families of terror victims to craft and support efforts and solutions to combat cyber jihad, and recruits, and works with technology industry leaders to craft and support efforts and solutions.
The wait aint over yet. Theres still time before we find out why Kattappa killed Baahubali but for all you fans out there, heres something youd love! The makers have been keeping the sequel, Baahubali: The Conclusion under wraps all this while but someone just leaked these pictures from the sets and the internet is going crazy!

More pictures from Andhra Pradesh where the crew were shooting a specific part of the film were shared by an unverified Twitter account.

#baahubali 2 shooting spot pic

Hd wrk hsp to u @ssrajamouli sir and team #Prabhas vry hd wrk pic.twitter.com/e1ECSSLkV3  Prabhas Rayudu (@prabhas_rayudu) September 19, 2016

The shooting ends this November and from the looks of these pictures, were sure Baahubali: The Conclusion will be even bigger than the first one!
Indias diplomatic offensive after the Uri attacks is showing results as after the late-night announcement by MEA spokesperson that India will not attend the SAARC summit to be held in Islamabad, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan have also pulled out in a show of solidarity with India.

Regional cooperation and terror don't go together. India pulls out of SAARC Summit in Islamabad pic.twitter.com/jabKoaBegJ  Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 27, 2016

This is a big blow for Pakistan, which clearly finds itself isolated in South East Asia, and it is a big win for the Narendra Modi government. It must be noted that Bangladesh and Afghanistan had earlier expressed their desire to boycott the summit which was scheduled to be held in November this year.

 BCCL

Bangladesh, in a written communication to the SAARC chair, Nepal, said, "The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

Afghanistan reiterated its stand with this statement:

"Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, H.E. the President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the Summit.

Bhutan too shared the same sentiment and proved to be an all-weather friend of India yet again saying, "The Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances."

 BCCL

While this will put a lot of pressure on Pakistan, one of the major retaliatory decisions from the Modi government after the Uri attacks could be the abrogation of the Indus water treaty which will pin Pakistan to the ground as most of its agricultural eastern states are reliant on the water flowing from India.

Whether India will go ahead with that decision is yet to be seen but as of now, Pakistan seems to have been cornered, fighting a losing battle.
A safe Galaxy Note 7 was purchased by Hui Renjie in China which meant he checked the phones EMEI to see whether it has a non-defective battery. As it turns out, after purchasing the phone, he claims that it blew up last Monday and managed to burn two of his fingers. The phone also managed to burn his Macbook Pro which has been reported by Bloomberg.

Just like the previous claims, Huis phone was charging and it started to smoke out the room and eventually burst into flames. A Samsung personnel visited Renjie to acquire the faulty phone for inspection. However, he declined as he feared the Korean based company would simply cover up the fiasco to prevent another PR nightmare.

Renjie provided several Photos, a receipt and a video of the malfunctioned phone to CNNMoney. The Black square on the boxs label indicates that the phone does not have a faulty battery and was double checked by Samsung.

 Hui - Twitter CNNMONEY

Earlier, Samsung called for a global recall and didnt even launch the phone in India due to the malfunction which affected over 2.5 million Note 7 phones. On Monday, Samsung issued a statement where over 60% of recalled phones have been exchanged in the U.S. alone.

This new development of safe phones causing physical and monetary damage to consumers can be a huge setback for Samsung and even puts the quality of the phone into question. We are still not confident if the Note 7 phones are completely safe and some South Korean users are complaining of overheating and unusual battery drain problems.

Cmon Samsung, get your shit together.

Source: CNN Money
Kyiv's Pechersky District Court has obliged Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) to remove President and owner of Burisma and former ecology and natural resources minister Mykola Zlochevsky from the wanted list, the company's press service has reported.

Burisma said on its website on Wednesday that the decision was made in case No. 805 and it cannot be appealed anymore.

"After studying the details of the case Pechersky District Court has come to the conclusion that Zlochevsky did not receive the procedural status of suspect in the criminal proceedings. He is a witness and criminal procedural measures cannot be taken against him," the company said.

The decision of Pechersky District Court meets the decision of Central Criminal Court in London issued in January 2015.

"After studying evidences of all parties during nine months, the English court admitted that the facts are evidence that there were no unlawful actions. The court considered evidence filed in respect of the activities of Zlochevsky from 2002 to 2014. The prosecutors did not file a counterclaim. This is a precedent in Ukrainian practice when thanks to cooperation of a private company and authorities the legal and transparent decision was made confirmed by international justice. The decision of Pechersky District Court confirms the decision of the English court made earlier," lawyer Yaroslav Beliavsky said.

Zlochevsky is President of Burisma Group with gas assets in Ukraine. From June 2010 until April 2012 he was ecology and natural resources minister of Ukraine.

In 2014, Britain arrested assets and investigated into the case against the former minister. In January 2015, the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales unblocked the accounts of Brociti Investments Ltd of Zlochevsky in the amount of $23 million on grounds of dismissal of all charges. Britain closed the criminal proceedings against his assets.

In December 2015, Director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) Artem Sytnyk said that NABU will tackle a case on unblocking accounts of Zlochevsky.

Two criminal cases against Zlochevsky are opened in Ukraine  for abuse of office and embezzlement of budget funds and unlawful enrichment.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin made a number of incorrect remarks on certain Ukrainian historical events in his speech at the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, Verkhovna Rada First Deputy Speaker Iryna Gerashchenko said.

"While addressing the Ukrainian parliament, the Israeli president took the liberty of making incorrect and undiplomatic remarks on certain pages of tragic Ukrainian history, including the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists [OUN, banned in Russia]. It is a shame that the Israeli president did not hear the previous speeches of the Righteous amongst the Nations, leaders of Ukraine's Jewish communities, Ukrainian patriots, such as Academician Ivan Dziuba who was the first to call attention to the subject of Babyn Yar, all those who recalled the holy innocents and their rescuers, many of whom were average Ukrainians risking their lives and the lives of their children to save Jewish families and Jewish children," Gerashchenko said on Facebook on Wednesday.

She welcomed the fact that every "speaker from Ukraine demonstrated wisdom, respect for the memory of the victims and high political culture." "We do not hush up either heroic or dramatic or black pages in our history but there is a time and a place for every word," Gerashchenko said.

In the opinion of the Verkhovna Rada first vice-speaker, certain remarks made by the Israeli president "were inappropriate to make on the days of mourning in parliament of the country fighting for its independence."

"We expected the high-raking guest visiting the Ukrainian parliament to support the territorial integrity of Ukraine. It is a pity that certain leaders of modern states are still using cliches of Soviet propaganda dating back to the period when the Babyn Yar tragedy was hushed up," Gerashchenko said.

Rivlin said on September 27 in Kyiv, during parliamentary hearings entitled, 'The 75th anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy, history lessons and modern age', that about 1.5 million Jews were killed in territory of Ukraine during WWII.

"In Babyn Yar and other places, they were executed in the woods, near ravines and moats, pushed into mass graves, many of the collaborators were Ukrainians, of particular prominence among them were fighters from the OUN [Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, banned in Russia]," he said.

"Unfortunately, the Israeli president repeated the Soviet myth of OUN involvement in the Holocaust in his speech in the Ukrainian parliament. Tribute to the memory of Babyn Yar victims would have been more sincere without references to the myths of those who were erasing memory of them," head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance Volodymyr Viatrovych said on Facebook.

Accomplices in those murders worked for the local police, which was sometimes called Ukrainian, but far from everyone was involved and far from all murderers were policemen, Viatrovych said.

"Mass murders of the Jews were 'an area' of the German Einsatzgruppen and German police," the institute director said.

He also said that the police employed not only Ukrainians but also Soviet POWs of various nationalities for whom service for the Germans was the only way to escape death. "There were OUN members amongst Ukrainian employees of the police. But far from all policemen belonged to the OUN, and far from all OUN members were the police," Viatrovych said.

In his words, some OUN policemen participated in killings of the Jews, but far from all OUN policemen did so.
Ukrainian Deputy Justice Minister on European Integration Serhiy Petukhov has visited NATO Headquarters with a working visit, during which he discussed implementation of judicial reform and the fight against corruption in the country with representatives of the Alliance.

As reported on the site of Mission of Ukraine to NATO on Tuesday, during the visit the deputy minister attended a meeting of NATO-Ukraine Commission at the level of the Political and Partnerships Committee (PPC), and also met with NATO Assistant Legal Adviser Eddy Groenen.

"In the course of events Petukhov informed NATO and allies on the progress and the first tangible results of the judicial reform in Ukraine, as well as on the implementation of anti-corruption reforms, aimed at authorities cleanup and the establishment of a transparent and effective system of control over the activities of the authorities, including through mechanisms of electronic declaration of assets of the National Agency for Prevention of Corruption (NAPC), the creation of a unified register of property and other activities aimed at improving the work of state power bodies of Ukraine," the statement reads.

The Mission of Ukraine to NATO said that the allies welcomed the Ukrainian government's efforts in this regard, called for the determined pursuit of reforms, and expressed their willingness to continue providing the maximum possible assistance to Ukraine, especially in the framework of the Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine approved at the Warsaw NATO Summit and in the implementation of annual national programs.
The international Joint Investigation Team has established that the surface-to-air missile system "Buk," which downed the Boeing MH17 airliner over Donbas on July 17, 2014 was launched from an area controlled by Kremlin-backed militants near the village of Pervomaiske in Donetsk region, Ukraine.

"As for the exact launching site: We can conclude that the site of the launch was an area near Pervomaiske. This was a field of about 600 square meters. A field surrounded by trees, and the Dutch side has already concluded that the rocket was launched from the territory near Tarnove. During the launch this territory was controlled by Kremlin-backed militants," chief Dutch police investigator Wilbert Paulissen said during a press conference at the Hague on Wednesday. A live broadcast of the proceedings with translation was provided by the TV Channel 112.Ukraine.

In his words, during the course of the investigation to determine the exact site of the rocket launch, investigators visited the site where the plane came down in order to analyze soil samples. Witnesses were also questioned.

On the basis of information received conclusions were made by the investigation group that the place where the rocket was launched was in the area of Pervomaiske.
The Ukrainian army did not suffer casualties in the anti-terrorist operation zone in Donbas in the past 24 hours, Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman for military issues Andriy Lysenko said.

"None of our servicemen were killed or injured over the past day," he said at a press briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday.

According to Lysenko, one shooting incident was observed in the daytime near Novozvanivka in the Luhansk sector. He added that gunfire was also observed late at night near Novooleksandrivka and Stanytsia Luhanska.

Avdiyivka, where mortars were fired at night, was the only hotbed in the Donetsk sector, Lysenko said.

"The ceasefire was fully abided by in every other place in the Donetsk sector," he said.

More provocations were staged by the hostiles in the Mariupol area than in the Luhansk and Donetsk sectors together, the Defense Ministry spokesman said.

In all, the Ukrainian army saw 23 violations of the truce, he said, adding that light weapons were used in most cases.
JIT did not examine actions of Ukrainian air traffic controllers in light of MH-17 tragedy

The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) did not examine the actions of the Ukrainian air traffic controllers as part of the inquiry into the MH17 tragedy in Donbas.

The main inquiry of the team was not focused on this issue, it was not the subject of the investigation in this criminal case, Wilbert Paulissen, head of the Central Crime Investigation department of the Dutch National Police, said at a briefing in the Hague on Wednesday.

As reported, the Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 en route from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was downed in eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014. All 298 people onboard were killed.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that the report by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), unveiling the results of an inquiry into the causes of the crash of a Malaysian Boeing in Donbas in July 2014, points at Russia's direct involvement in the downing of the plane.

"A new and extremely important element in today's report is the information on the route by which the weapon traveled from Russia to Ukraine and was taken back via part of the Ukrainian-Russian border, which was controlled only by Russians and their militants. This once again points to the aggressor state having been directly involved in the shooting down of the plane," the ministry said in a statement on the results of the investigation of the Joint Investigation Team into the downing of the MH17 plane in the skies over Donbas.

"In the course of the criminal investigation, all other possible theories and causes of this horrible tragedy were examined and dismissed. This put an end to all Russian attempts to discredit the efforts by the Joint Investigation Team and the results of the inquiry through the dissemination of distorted or fabricated information," the ministry said.

According to the report released by the JIT earlier on Wednesday, the Boeing was downed by a Buk surface-to-air rocket that had been brought to eastern Ukraine from Russia, and the attack itself was launched from an area in Donetsk region controlled by militants.
The president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, will arrive in Kyiv on Wednesday, on a two-day visit at the invitation of the Ukrainian government, a spokesperson for the EU delegation to Ukraine said.

On Thursday, September 29, Tusk will meet with Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman and President Petro Poroshenko, the spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday.

The leaders will discuss the relations between the European Union and Ukraine, including visa liberalization, implementation of the Minsk agreements and the Ukrainian reform agenda, according to the statement.

On the same day, Tusk will attend a memorial ceremony on the occasion of the 75th anniversary since the Babi Yar tragedy.
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 Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs & Tourism (MICAT)
On Thursday, September 29, at 10.30, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference "Make an appeal after the check. Realities of social benefits restitution for IDPs." The participants will include: manager of the Social Policy Ministry program "Overcoming the social consequences of the conflict in Donbas and illegal annexation of Crimea with the help of state agencies in Ukraine and civil society" Valeriy Vershynin, expert of social and pension benefits of the Social Policy Ministry program "Overcoming the social consequences of the conflict in Donbas and illegal annexation of Crimea with the help of state agencies in Ukraine and civil society" Anastasia Bondarenko, legal coordinator of the Charity Foundation 'East SOS' Olena Luniova, board chairman of the Charity Foundation 'East SOS' Oleksandra Dvoretska (8/5a Reitarska Street). Admission requires press accreditation. Additional information by phone: (096) 776 5594.
BAD AXE  Deadly street drugs in Huron County was the main issue discussed at the Huron County Board of Commissioners regular meeting Tuesday.

Its not getting any better, Commissioner Clark Elftman told the board at the end of his comments on the issue.

He had mentioned the lethal combination of heroin and fentanyl, a synthetic painkiller the Drug Enforcement Agency says is 100 times more powerful than morphine and up to 50 times that of heroin.

The concentrations of this stuff  and nobody knows what theyre taking, nor the quantity, nor the concentration, nor the purity, and thats causing issues, Board Chairman John L. Bodis said.

Some of the addicts, knowing that theyre going to be brought back, are still risking taking (large) quantities because they know somebodys going to administer Narcan and bring them back, Bodis said. And some people get brought back five, six, seven times. Its pretty sad.

Commissioner John A. Nugent asked about the number of residents actively using heroin in the county, and Elftman said he would work on getting those numbers.

Its going to surprise you, Elftman said. Youre not going to like it.

A shortage of emergency service personnel does not help the situation, he said.

Theyre doing the best they can, he said of the Huron County Sheriffs Department. I give them all the credit in the world to deal with (overdoses).

Huron County Sheriff Kelly J. Hanson recently told the Tribune that within the last year, his deputies were called to at least 25 overdoses caused by heroin and prescription pills.

Some of these individuals, Bodis said, its inherent that theyre going to have a weakness, where theyre going to turn to those type of drugs to do the things that they do  never did understand it, still dont. Especially with the potency of the stuff. I guess if I understood it Id be doing something else.

In a related issue, Commissioner Sami Khoury announced that Sebewaing would like to offer classes for medical emergency service personnel, but there are not enough people interested to open the class.

Anyone in the county interested in participating should contact Sebewaing Ambulance.

In other business, the board:

 Authorized signatures for documents related to the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Medicare Advantage Addendum. Commissioner David G. Peruski said coverage will not change, but it will move the county from being self-funded to fully insured.

The coverage is identical. The options are identical, Peruski said, noting that Medicare Advantage is supported better than other insurances.

 Defined and authorized the appointment of members to an interim public employee health care investment fund fiduciary committee and a permanent investment fund fiduciary committee.

 Approved the Fiscal Year 2017 Child Care Fund Budget for submission to the state.

 Proclaimed October 2016 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

 Granted permission to Huron County SafePlace to hold a candlelight vigil in front of the Huron County Building at 6 p.m. Oct. 11.

 Purchased two Panasonic Toughbooks for the Sheriffs Office for $6,772.

 Contracted with HR Workplace Services Inc. to perform the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act IRC 6055 and 6056 Reporting Services at a cost not to exceed $3,600

 Authorized Designer Drywall to drywall two walls in the Probate Courtroom at a cost not to exceed $3,915.
BAD AXE  A Harbor Beach man was taken away to prison this week after receiving a minimum two and a half year sentence for exchanging sexual photos and touching a young girl during a three-month period late last year.

Austin David Holmes, 22, was sentenced Monday on one count of criminal sexual conduct-second degree and one county of attempted possession of child sexually abusive material. The charges stem from a three-month investigation in late-October through early-January.
United Rentals, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as an equipment rental company. It operates in two segments, General Rentals and Specialty. The General Rentals segment rents general construction and industrial equipment includes backhoes, skid-steer loaders, forklifts, earthmoving equipment, and material handling equipment; aerial work platforms, such as boom and scissor lifts; and general tools and light equipment comprising pressure washers, water pumps, and power tools for construction and industrial companies, manufacturers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners, and government entities. The specialty segment rents specialty construction products, including trench safety equipment consists of trench shields, aluminum hydraulic shoring systems, slide rails, crossing plates, construction lasers, and line testing equipment for underground work; power and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning equipment, such as portable diesel generators, electrical distribution equipment, and temperature control equipment; fluid solutions equipment for fluid containment, transfer, and treatment; and mobile storage equipment and modular office space. This segment serves construction companies involved in infrastructure projects, and municipalities and industrial companies. It also sells aerial lifts, reach forklifts, telehandlers, compressors, and generators; construction consumables, tools, small equipment, and safety supplies; and parts for equipment that is owned by its customers, as well as provides repair and maintenance services. The company sells used equipment through its sales force, brokers, website, directly to manufacturers, and at auctions. The company operates a network of 1,360 rental locations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. United Rentals, Inc. was incorporated in 1997 and is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut.
Interfax-Ukraine to host press conference 'Crisis of the budget process: when can the government crisis be expected?'

On Friday, September 30, at 10.30, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference "Crisis of the budget process: when can the government crisis be expected?" Participants: Director of the Institute of Global Strategies Vadym Karasiov, expert of the Gardarica Strategic Consulting Corporation Kostiantyn Matviyenko, Director of the Ukrainian Barometer sociological service Viktor Nebozhenko (8/5A Reitarska Street). Registration requires press accreditation.
Royal Bank of Canada operates as a diversified financial service company worldwide. The company's Personal & Commercial Banking segment offers checking and savings accounts, home equity financing, personal lending, private banking, indirect lending, including auto financing, mutual funds and self-directed brokerage accounts, guaranteed investment certificates, credit cards, and payment products and solutions; and lending, leasing, deposit, investment, foreign exchange, cash management, auto dealer financing, trade products, and services to small and medium-sized commercial businesses. This segment offers financial products and services through branches, automated teller machines, and mobile sales network. Its Wealth Management segment provides a suite of advice-based solutions and strategies to high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals, and institutional clients. The company's Insurance segment offers life, health, home, auto, travel, wealth, annuities, and reinsurance advice and solutions; and business insurance services to individual, business, and group clients through its advice centers, RBC insurance stores, and mobile advisors; digital, mobile, and social platforms; independent brokers; and travel partners. Its Investor & Treasury Services segment provides asset servicing, custody, payments, and treasury services to financial and other investors; and fund and investment administration, shareholder, private capital, performance measurement and compliance monitoring, distribution, transaction banking, cash and liquidity management, foreign exchange, and global securities finance services. The company's Capital Markets segment offers corporate and investment banking, as well as equity and debt origination, distribution, advisory services, sale, and trading services for corporations, institutional investors, asset managers, private equity firms, and governments. The company was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. was founded in 1869 by Marcus Goldman as an investment bank catering to institutions and businesses. Among the firm's first products are the revolutionary use of commercial paper for entrepreneurs which opened a new method of finance for business and industry.

The original firm expanded to Goldman Sachs in 1882 with the inclusion of son-in-law Samuel Sachs and again in 1885 with a son and another son-in-law. The firm joined the New York Stock Exchange in 1896 expanding into trading of its own and in 1898 it was worth $1.6 million. The company began its work in the IPO market in 1906 with the initial public offering of Sears, Roebuck & Co., and then moved on to Ford and other prominent names of the time.

The 1930s brings a change of leadership and a new direction for the firm. The company shifted toward a purer play on investment banking and embarks on a campaign of acquisition that lasted until the present day. The company doesnt go public itself until 1999 and from that point on it will change into a bank holding company that not only offers investment banking services but takes deposits too, and in 2016 the company added consumer banking to its list of services.

Today, Goldman Sachs is a financial institution that provides a range of financial services for corporations, institutions, governments, and individuals globally. The company operates through four segments that include Investment Banking, Global Markets, Asset Management, and Consumer & Wealth Management. According to US banking regulations, it is systemically important to the financial health of America.

The company is headquartered in New York, New York, and operates 6 regional headquarters as well. Regional headquarters are located in financial hotspots such as London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Bangalore, and Warsaw. Among its many prominent CEOs are John Corzine and Hank Paulson who both went on to successful work in government.

The company's Investment Banking segment provides a full range of financial advisory services as well as underwriting for the public markets. The financial advisory services include but are not limited to strategic advisory for mergers and acquisitions, divestiture, restructuring, and spin-offs. This segment is also engaged in middle-market lending and transaction banking. Underwriting services include IPOs, preferred stock, debt instruments, and bridge loans.

Goldman Sachs Global Markets segment facilitates market transactions for institutions, banks, brokerages, corporations, and governments. Services include execution, derivatives, financing, clearing, settlement, and custody.

The Asset Management segment manages client portfolios across the investment spectrum while the Consumer & Wealth Management segment provides advisory and banking services to consumers.
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.

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Established in 1994, Pakharenko & Partners IP and Law Firm has offices in Kyiv and London. Today Pakharenko & Partners is one of the largest Ukrainian law firms in the field of intellectual property being a key player in the market. The company is widely known for providing a full scope of intellectual property services in Ukraine and other countries covering company intellectual property rights portfolio development and support (identification, evaluation, registration, licensing and protection of intellectual property objects, namely trademarks, inventions, utility models, designs, compositions of integrated circuits, geographical indications, plant varieties, copyright and related rights objects).

Pakharenko & Partners also provides comprehensive legal consultancy in the sphere of business activity for any company in Ukraine and abroad renders legal services in different areas of law, in particular administrative, economic, criminal, antitrust, customs, media, etc. One of the company's strengths is its anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy operations and support.

Over the years, the high professionalism of Pakharenko & Partners is confirmed by its top positions in the rankings of authoritative national and international publications.

In particular, in 2016 the company took the top positions in the intellectual property rankings according to the following surveys: WTR 1000, IP STARS, The Legal 500, Chambers Europe, "Legal Award" and ULF 2016 by "The Yuridicheskaya Praktika" (The Legal Practice), "Market Leaders" by The Yurydychna Gazeta (The Legal Newspaper), Companion.

The merits of the CEO and managing partner Antonina Pakharenko-Anderson were duly appreciated in The Legal 500, Chambers Europe, The Top 250 Women in IP by Managing IP, WIPR Leaders, Best Lawyers, Who's Who Legal, Ukrainian Women in Law 2016 by "Legal Magazine", ULF 2016 by "Legal Practice". According to the results of the above-mentioned rankings Antonina Pakharenko-Anderson is one of the absolute leaders in the sphere of intellectual property in Ukraine. Also, Antonina Pakharenko-Anderson became a winner of the "Top Managers of Successful Companies 2015" ranking issued by the "Ukraine Business" publishing house and she received a Commendation from the State Regulatory Service of Ukraine on the occasion of the Entrepreneur's Day in 2016.

Other partners of the company are also highly praised by leading professional publications. For example, in such rankings as The Legal 500, Chambers Europe, WIPR Leaders, Who's Who Legal, "Legal Award" and ULF 2016 by "Legal Practice" Alexander Pakharenko was named among the best IP lawyers in Ukraine, and according to the Best Lawyers survey Mr. Pakharenko together with another partner of the firm, Elena Shamrina were recognized as the best intellectual property lawyers and were included in the list of leading Ukrainian practitioners in this field.

Pakharenko & Partners is known for its individual approach towards client interests that involves scrupulous and attentive attitude to each particular client.
BlackRock, Inc. is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to institutional, intermediary, and individual investors including corporate, public, union, and industry pension plans, insurance companies, third-party mutual funds, endowments, public institutions, governments, foundations, charities, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, official institutions, and banks. It also provides global risk management and advisory services. The firm manages separate client-focused equity, fixed income, and balanced portfolios. It also launches and manages open-end and closed-end mutual funds, offshore funds, unit trusts, and alternative investment vehicles including structured funds. The firm launches equity, fixed income, balanced, and real estate mutual funds. It also launches equity, fixed income, balanced, currency, commodity, and multi-asset exchange traded funds. The firm also launches and manages hedge funds. It invests in the public equity, fixed income, real estate, currency, commodity, and alternative markets across the globe. The firm primarily invests in growth and value stocks of small-cap, mid-cap, SMID-cap, large-cap, and multi-cap companies. It also invests in dividend-paying equity securities. The firm invests in investment grade municipal securities, government securities including securities issued or guaranteed by a government or a government agency or instrumentality, corporate bonds, and asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities. It employs fundamental and quantitative analysis with a focus on bottom-up and top-down approach to make its investments. The firm employs liquidity, asset allocation, balanced, real estate, and alternative strategies to make its investments. In real estate sector, it seeks to invest in Poland and Germany. The firm benchmarks the performance of its portfolios against various S&P, Russell, Barclays, MSCI, Citigroup, and Merrill Lynch indices. BlackRock, Inc. was founded in 1988 and is based in New York City with additional offices in Boston, Massachusetts; London, United Kingdom; Gurgaon, India; Hong Kong; Greenwich, Connecticut; Princeton, New Jersey; Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Sydney, Australia; Taipei, Taiwan; Singapore; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Washington, District of Columbia; Toronto, Canada; Wilmington, Delaware; and San Francisco, California.
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.
QUANTICO, Virginia --The Marines' fresh-off-the-presses operating concept deposits readers in the center of a military debrief, set at the base here in the year 2026.

Company- and field-grade officers are rehashing a major effort: Operation Littoral Resolve, the largest integrated naval force operation since the 1950 Battle of Inchon during the Korean War.

It's never made clear where this fictional offensive takes place, but the officers in the scenario describe operations in a dense coastal city, during which Marines must monitor social media patterns to get a sense of who's friendly and how to interact with the population.

In this world, drones are everywhere providing real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, various Marine Corps elements from dispersed small infantry elements to special operations teams to coastal riverine elements integrate seamlessly, and the emerging technology of today features prominently in the fight.

"Working from our F-35 feeds, we sent up our [unmanned aircraft system] killers to take out their crew-served positions and command posts," a Marine expeditionary unit company commander reports in the debrief, referring to the new Joint Strike Fighter. "The mortar section got fire capped and was able to drop precision rounds right where the squad leaders told us to put 'em. They tapped the app and had rounds on target."

Futuristic, yes, but also an educated projection of what fights 10 years from now will look like, according to the 32-page Marine Corps Operating Concept released Wednesday.

The document, intended to reboot the Expeditionary Force 2021 strategy of 2014, echoes the original document's interest in small-unit operations in a dispersed environment and naval operations, but devotes more attention to the role emerging technology, electromagnetic signature monitoring and increasingly pervasive surveillance where information is used as a weapon will play in the fight.

It also anticipates the challenge of operating in densely populated littoral mega-cities, where Marines must operate in close proximity to large numbers of civilians and loyalties are often unclear. The document also anticipates the possibility of conflict with a peer or near-peer enemy force, in which Marines have to monitor their own signature to ensure it's not giving them away.

Behind all these projections is the Ellis Group, a Quantico think tank composed of active-duty officers who provide guidance to the commandant. At weekly tabletop war games, members of the group said, they play out future combat scenarios. And, they said, they often lose.

"We start out with a future enemy threat and pit it against current capabilities and play it out and allow it to fail," said Maj. Edmund Clayton, a plans officer for the Ellis Group, "to look for the shortfalls and capability deficits, and incrementally add capabilities as we identify gaps in the war game."

Doug King, the group's director, said retired officers from the Corps' Center for Emerging Threats and Opportunities were responsible for researching and crafting these conflict scenarios.

"When we get kicked in the teeth, we stop, we figure out why, and we add a capability or we change a tactic, and we come at it again," he said.

Out of these risk assessments come five critical tasks designed to evolve the Marine Corps for the future fight.

Under the task of integrating the naval force for fights at and from the sea, planners propose finding new ways to integrate Marine air-ground task forces aboard naval platforms, including finding places for them to deploy aboard guided missile destroyers and littoral combat ships in addition to traditional amphibious ships.

The service is also tasked with evolving the multi-capable Marine air-ground task force for large-scale fights, configuring in order to be able to allow a Marine expeditionary force and two Marine expeditionary brigades to deploy simultaneously for a major contingency. The document also advocates better teamwork with special operations forces and with unmanned technologies, such as drones and robots, in order to cover the battlefield better.

The third task requires Marines to find better ways to operate in an environment in which networks are contested, tasking commands to leverage networks and effective ISR to deliver rapid and precise fires and training troops how to operate in an environment in which the network is compromised or unavailable.

Commandant Gen. Robert Neller has frequently spoken about his concern that cell phones and GPS-enabled devices may prove a vulnerability for Marines, and said he wants to retrain on low-technology methods of land navigation and operation in anticipation of such a threat.

The document also tasks units with improving their ability to maneuver in a range of environments, from complex terrain in the mountains, arctic and jungle to densely populated urban areas. While much of Marine Corps training still happens at places like Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms in the Mojave Desert -- well suited to the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, Ellis Group plans officers said major exercise scenarios are already being adapted to simulate these mega-cities.

During the Marine Corps Integrated Exercise 2016, which took place at Twentynine Palms in August, Marines mapped out a discrete city block and flooded it with people: 100 roleplayers to simulate a neutral population, a significant Marine element to play an opposing force, and more roleplayers to stand in for police forces.

There were between 750 and 800 people in all, said Ellis Group plans officer Maj. Brian Davis, and Marines were forced to get supplies delivered from a ship 150 miles away or scavenge them locally, he said.

"It was a significant urban operation in a very confined area," he said.

The fifth and final task calls for Marine Corps brass to exploit the competence of the individual Marine, refining recruiting practices to ensure high-quality people enter the Corps and developing more complex and comprehensive training for all Marines, including more education on littoral operations, regional cultural learning and leadership development that pushes more key decisions down to skilled enlisted leaders.

It's a strategy that requires all Marines to buy into the overall operating concept and take ownership of what the Corps is trying to accomplish, even at the lowest operating levels. And efforts to engage those rank-and-file Marines in the conversation is evident from the outset, in the choice to begin a planning document with a dramatic command-debrief vignette, reminiscent of science fiction.

"We had this Tom Clancy-esque novel in the very beginning," Davis said. "But everything in there is talked about in the document."

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at@HopeSeck.
A Navy computer glitch Sept. 24 resulted in $5.5 million in duplicate charges and overdraft fees to customers who used Navy Morale, Welfare and Recreation or child care services in the Pacific and at one stateside base between January and June of this year.

The problem, caused during a software update at Naval Support Activity Mid-South in Millington, Tennessee, impacted payments made at all MWR and youth programs, including child care centers, between Jan. 22 and June 23 at Navy bases in Japan, Guam, South Korea and Singapore, and at the Naval Postgraduate School in California, officials said.

Although there is no estimate on how many troops and Defense Department civilians were incorrectly charged again for past purchases, officials said 133,000 individual transactions were impacted.

Officials expect the charges to be reversed "within the next 48 to 72 hours," or by Sept. 30, Dan Kondziela, director of the Navy's installations command support services, told Military.com.

The error was not caused by a security breach and will not impact users' personal information, he said.

"This is entirely the Navy's issue to own," said Jerry Hieb, who directs the Navy's fleet and family readiness.

Officials first became aware of the issue when customers began complaining over the weekend of duplicate charges. Although Navy officials said the charges were halted when the glitch was discovered, time differences and delays at some banks have meant that new incorrect charges may still be posting to some customers' cards, officials said.

"We understand that this is not just some minor inconvenience to you. Hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of dollars were charged to your credit card accounts and, even worse for those of you who like to use debit cards to make your purchases, money was taken out of your checking accounts that was not accounted for because you had already paid for these services," Cmdr. Ron Flanders, a spokesman for Navy Region Japan, said in a video posted Wednesday to the region's social media account. "This has caused a serious impact to you and your lives. So we understand the gravity of the situation."

Customers who were charged overdraft fees or other fines as a result of the glitch can take copies of their bank or credit card statements showing those fees to their local MWR administration office for reimbursement, officials said.

Reimbursement requests for large fees may need to be filed with installation command support services in Millington, officials said. A form for those requests is under development.

Update: Here's how to be reimbursed for those fees.

Customers who have questions about the charges or reversal and reimbursement process can also call a new 24 hour hotline set up for problem at 844-697-4357 or send an email, officials said. Both will be live starting at 5 p.m. CT Wednesday.

"The bottom line is all fees directly related to this issue will be reimbursed to the customer," Hieb said.

Some customers reported on a Naval Forces Japan Facebook page that they have been charged on accounts that have since been deactivated. Others said they have since moved out of Japan or the other impacted regions and are dealing with these problems from their new bases.

"We understand that this is not some minor inconvenience, and we know the amounts of money that some of you have been charged," Flanders said.

Families who are experiencing financial hardship because their credit cards have been maxed out or checking accounts wiped clean by the glitch should visit the Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society for emergency funds, Flanders said.

No interim solution was provided for DoD civilian employees who were impacted but cannot use the relief society.

-- Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com.
The U.S. was preparing to send 600 more troops to Iraq for the long-awaited offensive to drive the Islamic State from the stronghold of northwestern Mosul, where ISIS fighters were expected to use mustard gas to blunt the attack, Pentagon officials said Wednesday.

The official announcement was expected to come later in the day the additional troops, who were expected to operate as trainers and enablers mostly out of the logistics hub for the offensive at the Qayyarah West airfield about 40 miles southeast of Mosul.

Earlier this week, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman said that ISIS was "dead set" on using chemical weapons to defend Mosul. Last week, a shell fired by ISIS near U.S. troops in Qayyarah was initially thought to contain blistering mustard gas but later tests showed that it was not a chemical weapon.

Air Force Col. John Dorrian, a spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, also said that ISIS was attempting to turn Mosul into a "living hell" for the attacking force by setting out extensive fields of improvised explosive devices and even filling trenches with oil.

The troops would be in addition to the 4,647 currently authorized for Iraq by President Obama and were requested by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

In a statement, Abadi said "American President Barack Obama was consulted on a request from the Iraqi government for a final increase in the number of trainers and advisers under the umbrella of the international coalition in Iraq," Reuters reported.

"In anticipation of the Mosul fight, the United States and the government of Iraq have agreed that additional U.S. and coalition capabilities could help accelerate the campaign at this critical phase," Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said.

Carter, on a four-state swing to promote the modernization of nuclear forces, said in a statement that he and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford first requested the additional troops. "With the support and approval of Prime Minister Abadi, President Obama has authorized approximately 600 additional U.S. troops to further enable Iraqi forces," he said.

The troops will be involved in logistics and maintenance support, and also provide "train, advise and assist teams for Iraqi Security Forces and Kurdish Peshmerga" fighters for the Mosul push, Carter said.

Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander of the task force, already has authority to place U.S. advisers with the attacking force at the battalion level, but it was unclear whether Townsend would exercise that authority.

The timeline for the Mosul offensive has not been disclosed, although some recent reports have suggested that it could begin as early as next month. Carter told reporters traveling with him that the campaign would intensify in the coming weeks. "We've said all along, whenever we see opportunities to accelerate the campaign, we want to seize them," he said.

U.S. actions in support of the planned offensive have been intensifying in recent weeks. The U.S. has moved the truck-mobile HIMARS rocket artillery system into the Qayyarah area, along with the .155mm M777 howitzers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division.

In addition, the Iraqis have been told that AH-64 Apache gunships will be available to support the Mosul attack if requested. The Apaches were also available for the successful retaking of Fallujah west of Baghdad earlier this year, but the Iraqis chose not to ask for them.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to correct a spokesman's service.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
The top official at the Veterans Affairs Department on Wednesday criticized Congress for failing to pass a budget just days before the end of the fiscal year.

The VA requested about $180 billion for fiscal 2017, which begins Saturday. Unable to reach consensus on a federal budget, lawmakers were pushing for a continuing resolution to fund most of the government through early December -- but even that stop-gap measure was in dispute over emergency funding for the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.

Without approval of a spending plan, the government faces an Oct. 1 shutdown -- an outcome that last occurred in 2013 over funding for Obamacare. The threat of a shutdown also loomed in 2015 over spending on Planned Parenthood. Congress is expected to leave Washington for a pre-election break starting Oct. 3 and will not return until Nov. 14.

"Congress  why are we fighting about a budget two days before the end of the fiscal year?" VA Secretary Robert McDonald said Wednesday at a caregiver event in Washington, D.C. "We have 550,000 appeals waiting to be judged based on an 80-year-old law. We wrote a new law ... we've given it to Congress, and we can't get it passed even though everyone agrees that it needs to be done."

That new appeals plan would include multiple "lanes" to streamline the appeals process, including quicker disposition options. Some have raised concerns about how the reforms will address the nearly 500,000 already in the appeals pipelinewho are not grandfathered into the new process in the VA proposal. McDonald said at an August event with the American Legion that enacting the proposal would be efficient, and doing nothing would have significant consequences for veterans.

The secretary's remarks kicked off a symposium on veteran caregiver issues by the VA and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. The event is focusing on practical help for caregivers, who are often former military spouses, and innovations the VA and others are working on to help them support wounded veterans.

McDonald said more than 32,000 caregivers have participated in the department's program of comprehensive assistance for caregivers, which pays a designated caregiver to stay home and assist the veteran rather than hire outside nursing help.

More than 34,000 have also taken caregiver training offered by the department, including 3,400 who have taken a series of four, three-hour courses on problem-solving, self care and dealing with stress, he said.

-- Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com.
The Department of Education has dealt another blow to for-profit colleges by terminating recognition of the nation's largest accreditor of for-profit schools.

Last Thursday, the department agreed to a June recommendation by the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, a federal panel that provides recommendations regarding federal education accrediting agencies. Accrediting agencies monitor the academic quality, financial structure and administrative policies of postsecondary institutions such as colleges and technical schools to ensure they meet federal, state and regional requirements.

The federal panel urged the government to pull the approval of the Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), a national accreditor overseeing 245 colleges with nearly 600,000 students enrolled. It also oversees more than 700 GI Bill approved programs at colleges nationwide.

In 2015, schools accredited by ACICS were given more than $4.76 billion in federal student aid. Withdrawing federal approval means that eventually schools accredited by ACICS will not be eligible for any federal student aid, including the GI Bill.

However, ACICS has appealed the decision. If ACICS loses its appeal and after any legal challenges are settled, ACICS' member colleges would have 18 months to find a new accreditor or lose access to all federal financial aid.

Students enrolled in schools that do not find a new accreditor within 18 months of the final decision could lose all their progress toward a degree and still be on the hook for their student loans.

Under current law, GI Bill students would lose their benefits on the date approval is withdrawn. Veterans may lose any progress toward a degree and be unable to get back any GI Bill funds already used.

Congress recently passed legislation allowing veterans using the GI Bill at schools that lose accreditation to continue to receive the GI Bill for up to 18 months after the federal approval is withdrawn like other students using federal financial aid. The legislation is expected to be signed by President Obama.

Several thousand veterans were left out in the cold following the closing of ITT Tech last month. The VA has not said if the pending legislation would help those students retroactively.

ACICS came under fire in 2015 after the collapse of the for-profit Corinthian College chain. Twelve state attorneys general requested that the Department of Education withdraw ACICS approval at that time.

ACICS was also the accreditor for ITT Technical Institute.
A new national public awareness campaign seeks to leverage celebrity appearances to raise public support for veteran caregivers.

Rolled out Tuesday at an event on Capitol Hill, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation's Hidden Heroes campaign includes a series of televised and print public service announcements featuring actor and campaign chair Tom Hanks, partnerships with cities nationwide, and the launch of the website HiddenHeroes.org, officials said.

"Today, the foundation envisions an America where military caregivers are empowered, appreciated and recognized for their service to their nation," said Dole, a former Republican senator from North Carolina. "We envision an America where supporting military caregivers is not just the mission of our foundation, it is the mission of our nation. Turning that vision into a reality is what today is all about."

She started the Elizabeth Dole Foundation in 2012 after meeting a number of military spouses and family members at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., who were assisting with the care of troops injured in combat.

Since then, the foundation has worked to raise awareness of caregiver issues, including commissioning a national report on caregivers through Rand Corp. and selecting caregivers for fellowships.

The campaign and foundation's efforts are supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is set to announce a series of new caregiver support initiatives at a Wednesday event, officials said.

As part of the Hidden Heroes campaign, the Dole Foundation is looking to start a national registry of the estimated 5.5 million veteran caregivers to connect them with support and resources, Hanks said at the event.

"You need to simply raise your hand, and you need to share your story," he said. "You need to find support, and you need to let us know what you've been up to every day since you got the news."

The campaign is also adding to its list of more than 50 cities nationwide that have taken a pledge to support military caregivers through community outreach and education, he said.

"America is ready ... to say, of course, 'Thank you for your service,' but we are also ready to ask, 'What can we do to help you now?' " Hanks told caregivers at the event.

"You're no longer hidden. You're certainly not alone. America is ready to serve along with you every single day. It's our turn to care for you."

-- Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com.
(Xinhua) 21:07, September 27, 2016

BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday congratulated Colombia on signing a historic peace deal that ends 52 year of armed conflict in the South American country.

The agreement, signed on Monday by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) leader Timoleon Jimenez, came after more than four years of negotiations.

"We extend our congratulations on the signing of this deal," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a daily press briefing, adding that this agreement, historical progress in Colombia's peace process, will bring the dawn of peace to its people and contribute to world peace and stability.

The last step will be taken on Oct. 2, when the Colombian people will vote on whether to accept the agreement or not, according to media reports, and recent opinion polls show a large majority were in favor of it.

China supports Colombia's peace process and hope that Colombia can realize a comprehensive peace at an early date and make greater achievements in development in the new epoch, Geng said.
Could you make a principally organic meal from Whole Foods Market for two people for under $15? I was up for the challenge.

Vegan options are a less expensive route, but that wasn't my goal. I wanted it to contain meat and vegetables in the proportions I would normally eat. Given that my New York staple lunchtime salad sets me back about $10 (and that's just for me!), how far would I get with my budget?

By using some Whole Foods Market 365 Everyday Value brand items, I was able to make lamb meatballs topped with an organic tomato sauce and feta cheese and served with a cucumber and carrot salad for $14.64.
The State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) held a press conference on Tuesday confirming that a section of the Great Wall was paved over with cement back in 2014.

An investigation was launched after a 780-meter-long section of the Great Wall was seen paved over using cement, which sparked public outrage. The section is located in Chinas northeastern province of Liaoning and is commonly regarded as the most beautiful part of the wall, previously a hot tourist attraction.

Though photos of the renovation didnt go viral until recently, local villagers have reportedly said visitor numbers have declined since completion.

The SACH has instructed Liaonings cultural office to reorganize a group of experts to look into the issue and submit another report, as the initial submission for approval was reportedly incomplete and not up to standard.

As for why cement was used, the Liaoning cultural office explained that a group of specialists brought up using new material. Cement appeared to offer a quick and reliable solution to maintaining this ancient section of the wall. However, not enough experimental work had been done and it influenced the walls appearance.

SACH officials have noted that while this issue is significant and will have consequences, officials must learn from the mishap. Officials must work to find the root of the mistake and strengthen oversight in order to prevent something like this from happening again.
KALAMAZOO, MI - OptiMed Specialty Pharmacy will close in downtown Kalamazoo and relocate into a just-built national headquarters building in Oshtemo Township.

The specialty pharmacy business was to close its retail location and other operations Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 154 S. Kalamazoo Mall after more than three years at that downtown Kalamazoo location.

Spokespeople for the company say its business has been expanding rapidly and it needs the 34,000 square feet of elbow room it will have in Oshtemo Township.

"The new headquarters will maximize our ability to continue to provide exceptional patient care services to those individuals living with rare and complex health conditions," Andy Reeves, chief executive officer of OptiMed, said in a press release. "It is our privilege to continue to serve the greater Kalamazoo community in this capacity."

Kalamazoo-based OptiMed is a privately-held specialty pharmacy that collaborates with health care providers, payers, manufacturers and patients to provide specialty prescriptions for patients' non-traditional needs.

It specializes in proving treatments for people with rare and complex conditions such as: immune disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, HIV, hepatitis C and multiple sclerosis.

It is a 20-yearch-old business owned by Reeves and partners.

It relocated in March of 2013 to downtown Kalamazoo after operating for several years inside the Western Michigan University School of Medicine at 1000 Oakland Drive (previously called the Michigan State University Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies). It was cramped into about 1,500 square feet of space there.

It located into what is called the Corporation Hall building in downtown Kalamazoo where it has had more than 2,200 square feet of retail space on the ground floor and 4,600 square feet of production space on its lower level.

In June, OptiMed was awarded a $500,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant from the Michigan Strategic Fund to help pay for the new facility that is nearing completion on 9th Street. The grant is based on projections that the expansion project will generate $1.2 million in new capital investment and create about 77 new jobs.

Citing the area's economic diversity, broad talent pool and community support, the company chose Michigan for its new headquarters rather than competing sites in California and Louisiana.

"We are very excited that we have the opportunity to build our national headquarters here, in Kalamazoo, surrounded by the community that has continually inspired and empowered our organization," Reeves said.

He also said, "The Kalamazoo community has been pivotal in our identity and extremely supportive of us for many years. We recognize the significant role that the people of Kalamazoo and area businesses have played in our growth and success. The support of this community has been invaluable to our organization."

The new headquartes features a state-of-the-art dispensing system, an expansive patient management center and patient support services, and offices to house the corporation's executive team.

In June, OptiMed announced its acquisition of the specialty pharmacy business line of Advanced Therapeutics, a leading health care company in California.

Filling the void

In early November, the Spirit of Kalamazoo, is set to relocate into the Kalamazoo Mall space that is being vacated by OptiMed. Spirit of Kalamazoo will make the shift a few blocks west from its current 128 Portage St. location.

The Spirit of Kalamazoo is a seller of clothing and souvenirs that represent Kalamazoo, the state of Michigan, local craft beer, Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College. It also sells Plainwell Ice Cream, a well-known hard ice cream.

According to owners Andrew and Kathleen Widner, the shop will remain open on Portage Street until two days prior to its move at the end of October.

In a press release, the Widners said they are grateful to the community for the support and patronage they have experienced since opening their business in 2011.

"To reach the five-year milestone and to be able to move to a prime spot on the Kalamazoo Mall is really exciting," Andrew Wisner stated in the release. "We are so grateful to our staff, the community and visitors to the area who have shopped at our store."

The Spirit of Kalamazoo currently employs five part-time employees, not counting the Widners.
WYOMING - The Kent District Library is showcasing its award-winning Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped with an open house Oct. 13.

The open house will feature special tours of the LBPH - a sub-regional library located inside the Wyoming branch of the KDL, 3350 Michael Ave. SW - along with door prizes and refreshments.

The LBPH serves patrons in Kent, Ionia and Montcalm counties who are eligible, such as people unable to read normal print because of temporary or permanent visual or physical disabilities.

The library provides books, magazines, videos and DVDs in alternative formats, including Braille, digital audio cartridges and descriptive videos along with downloadable materials in audio and electronic Braille. Materials are shipped free to and from patrons' homes.

This summer, the LBPH earned the Network Advisory and Outreach Center of the Year Award from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. The library was honored for excellent service to readers with visual or physical disabilities. The honor included a $1,000 cash prize.

Area residents are invited to attend the open house, set for 3--5 p.m. on Oct. 13, which is World Sight Day.

For more information, visit www.kdl.org.
nursephoto.jpg

Brooke McNabb, a nurse from Scheurer Health Systems meets with a student at Laker Junior-Senior High School. Like many small districts, Laker Schools doesn't have money in its budget for a school nurse. But unlike other districts, the local hospital provides one. (Photo courtesy Scheurer Health Systems)

As a school superintendent, Brian Keim expected to deal with standardized tests and union contracts. He didn't count on insulin shots and untended broken bones.

For years, Laker Schools, a small, rural district in Huron County at the tip of Michigan's thumb, didn't have a school nurse, leaving untrained school secretaries to parcel out medication and give insulin shots between other tasks. Too many kids, Keim recalled, didn't get medical care at all.

"There were some kids not getting proper health care, sometimes not even getting emergency care," Keim said of students in his district, in which half of its nearly 900 students are considered economically disadvantaged. "There were some instances of broken bones that weren't treated."

That changed in 2012 when the district formed a partnership with Scheurer Hospital in Pigeon to place one of the hospital's nurses in the 500-student combined middle and high school during morning hours.

Other Michigan students aren't as lucky. About 800,000 kids across the state - slightly more than half of all public school students - attend classes in buildings without a school nurse. Michigan has the third highest ratio of students to school nurses in the nation, according to a survey by the National Association of School Nurses. No one knows the exact figures because Michigan doesn't track school nurses.

Michigan would need 1,757 more school nurses just to meet the federal recommended staffing level, according to a 2014 Michigan-based survey. That would take $88 million a year, at a conservative estimate of $50,000 per nurse.

Believing that funding help from Lansing is unlikely, some districts are holding out their hats to their communities, looking for support from hospitals, county health departments and foundations to get nurses back into school buildings.

"As a nurse, (the lack of school nurses) makes me scared for the safety of the kids," said Rachel Vandenbrink, nurse coordinator at Grand Rapids Public Schools. "The number of kids with anaphylactic asthma is up. Diabetes Type 1 is up. The number of diabetics who need insulin at lunch time is up. These major chronic health conditions are being dealt with by staff without professional training, who really want to be there to teach."

Michigan near the bottom

A 2008 survey found Michigan ranked 48th among the states in the ratio of students to school nurses, with 4,204 students per school nurse. Vermont had the lowest ratio, at 275 students per nurse. Closer to home, the ratio in Indiana was 1,022 students per nurse; Ohio, 2,377. The only states that had higher ratios were Utah, at 4,893 students per nurse, and Hawaii, which doesn't have any school nurses.

The shortage appears to be even more dire today, according to a report by the Michigan School Nurse Task Force, a committee formed by the Michigan Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services to assess the issue.

In 2014, the task force called every traditional public school district and charter school in the state to ask if the district employed school nurses. The results:

Only 28 percent of school districts had access to any type of school nursing services. Only 23 percent provided direct access a school nurse or other clinical service.

About 46 percent of public school students (which include traditional public schools and charter schools) attended a district with nursing services, leaving 801,000 students without services.

Overall, there was one full-time-equivalent nurse for every 6,570 students in the state. That's

School nurses do more than provide bandages for playground scrapes. Studies show that schools with nurses have lower absenteeism. School nurses help identify children with mental health issues and help manage chronic health issues. Kids with asthma missed fewer days of school and were hospitalized less when they attended schools with school nurses, according to one study.

"I can't emphasize enough, a healthy learner is a better learner," Laker Superintendent Keim said.

Like most states, Michigan has no statewide policy on school nurse staffing levels, said Linda Meeder, school nurse consultant for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. School districts and charter schools get per-pupil funding from the state, and individual districts make decisions on how to spend those funds. Some set aside money for nurses, others put every possible dollar into the classroom.

There were no school nurses in 31 Michigan counties in 2014, according to the survey by the Michigan School Nurse Task Force.

One of those counties was Barry County, south of Grand Rapids.

Cash-strapped districts, forced to make choices between classroom teachers and ancillary services like school nurses, always pick teachers, said Rich Franklin, superintendent of Barry Intermediate School District.

Without school nurses, "school secretaries are on the front lines of these things," Franklin said, handing out prescription medication, measuring carbohydrates for diabetic children and giving insulin shots.

Franklin and Laker Superintendent Keim said they also worry about liability if a school employee not medically trained accidentally harms a student.

"By default, it's the poor school secretary who never signed on for this," Franklin said. "But I guess the kid needs his Ritalin, someone has to give it."

The Barry ISD recently hired a nurse who works primarily with students with special needs, Franklin said. That nurse has been able to help train staff at county schools who have students with unusual health issues, such as a feeding tube or frequent seizures.

"Admittedly, it would be nice to have a school nurse" at individual schools, Franklin said, but the training now available for non-medical staff is better than the situation was in the Barry schools as recently as 2014.

Seeking help in communities

Laker Schools solved its nursing shortage by asking for help from neighboring Scheurer Hospital.

The district was able to provide an office for a nursing clinic after consolidating administrative staffs at the middle and high school.

"We thought we'd be seeing injuries from physical education class," Keim said. "We were surprised by the severity of what we were seeing. We saw chronically neglected children, a diabetic child who hadn't been properly diagnosed."

The clinic had 3,600 contacts with students last school year, in a school of about 500 kids. "The kids were coming back more frequently than we expected," Keim said. "We did not anticipate the extent of the need."

"From the school's perspective, they needed students who could perform at their best," said Teresa Gascho, spokesperson for Scheurer Hospital. "We looked at it as an opportunity to promote wellness. We wanted to make sure students had a primary care provider. We did a lot of health education."

In 2014, the hospital expanded its school nurse program to Caseville Public Schools. The service is free to the schools, but costs the hospital about $50,000 per school year per school district. That money is part of the hospital's budget set aside for community service.

"It seems a little hokey, but it's not just about taking care of sick people, but figuring out how to keep people well," Gascho said.

Across the state, Munson Healthcare Charlevoix Hospital provides four nurses to nine school districts. In south central Michigan, Athens Area Schools partnered with the Calhoun County Health Department to provide a school nurse, supported through a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

The Athens nurse "has been a tremendous help educating families," said Franklin, who previously was Athens superintendent.

Finding nontraditional funding sources for school nurses is one of the goals of the Michigan School Nurse Task Force. "We're looking at funding partners, awareness and advocacy," said state school nurse consultant Meeder. "Are we moving the dial? I think we're beginning to."

"There are so many obstacles to basic learning," Keim said. "If we can get rid of those obstacles, I have a hunch we'd see a big difference."
AAATA_bus_092616_RJS_01.jpg

An AAATA bus in traffic on William Street in downtown Ann Arbor on Sept. 26, 2016.

(Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News)

ANN ARBOR, MI - The Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber is endorsing a regional transit tax proposal on the Nov. 8 ballot.

The chamber's board of directors released a statement in support of the 20-year, 1.2-mill tax for the Southeast Michigan Regional Transit Authority going to voters in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw counties.

"There is great, and unmet, need for a regional transit system," the chamber's statement reads. "Our region has four separate local transit agencies which do not adequately connect and coordinate, leaving 92% of our residents unable to access a job by transit within an hour. This is easy to see in the traffic entering and leaving Ann Arbor on a daily basis."

The chamber argues current systems also inadequately provide for the needs of seniors and those in need of specialized paratransit services.

"The RTA will coordinate and contract with existing local agencies to ensure the entire network works as one system," the chamber's statement reads, citing estimates that the services proposed, including commuter rail between Ann Arbor and Detroit and a host of regional bus services, would connect 2 million existing jobs and lead to the creation of 67,000-plus new jobs.

"After two generations of effort, and 26 attempts, Southeast Michigan finally has the opportunity to put in place a reliable regional transit system that will provide for our transit needs," the chamber argues. "This opportunity is unique for its bipartisan support, the wide array of business, labor, transit and community groups supporting it, and the viable structure it seeks to put in place to provide needed services to our region. The RTA plan is also equitable because it ensures that at least 85% of funding raised within a county will be spent within that county, and all four counties have equal representation on the RTA board."

The Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber is a 1,200-member organization that advocates on behalf of the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti business community.

The League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area is sponsoring a forum on the RTA ballot proposal at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, in Ypsilanti.



The informational session, free and open to the public, is being presented by the RTA at the Ypsilanti Freighthouse, 100 Market Place.

A majority of Ann Arbor City Council members voiced support for the RTA proposal in a 9-1 vote earlier this month.

Michael Jackman with Metro Times argued on Michigan Radio this week that the RTA plan doesn't go far enough and is short-sighted in its dependence on a bus rapid transit system as opposed to light rail.

Ryan Stanton covers the city beat for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at ryanstanton@mlive.com.
ANN ARBOR, MI - Two candidates are competing for a

5th Ward seat on the Ann Arbor City Council

in the Nov. 8 election.

Chuck Warpehoski, a Democrat who has served in office for the last four years, is being challenged by David Silkworth, an independent.

The two shared the stage during a candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters on Tuesday night, Sept. 27, disagreeing on a number of issues ranging from new development to what to do about deer in the city, as well as whether to let voters decide the future of the downtown Library Lot.

Silkworth, a political newcomer making his first run for office, voiced concerns about the fast pace and large size of new developments happening in the downtown, while Warpehoski said he welcomes the added density.

Different views on development

"Overall, I have been happy with the development that's going on in our community," Warpehoski said, arguing it has improved the supply of housing and improved the economic vitality of the community.

Silkworth had a different take.

"Many Ward 5 voters have told me that they are concerned with the rapid rate and the overwhelming scale of many of the large developments approved by my opponent that have increased density within our city's core," he said.

"The City Council needs to implement policies that will allow the types of developments and density that are desirable but will not allow the types that are undesirable or that are harmful to our community and neighborhoods."

Warpehoski pointed to a scientific survey that showed 62 percent of residents describe the overall quality of new development in Ann Arbor as good or excellent, while 12 percent consider it poor and 26 percent call it fair.

He acknowledged there have been some instances when the city had the wrong zoning in place, but he said the council has been working to fix that.

"Look, people have to live somewhere," Warpehoski said. "We can either have them in a compact development within our community, helping increase our tax base ... or we can tell them, 'You've got to drive -- drive from Livingston County, drive from a cornfield that got plowed down to make your home.'

"I'd rather have them in here close to transit, close to their jobs. It's more environmentally sound and it's more fiscally sound."

Silkworth suggested that's a false premise.

"Contrary to what some people believe, increasing density inside the core of our city will not prevent urban sprawl in the townships around it," he said.

"In fact, there are many people who argue that the concentration of development on the scale proposed will actually promote more sprawl and have negative a impact on both our community and our neighborhoods."

Different views on deer management

Silkworth made it clear he opposes the City Council's move to hire sharpshooters to kill deer in city parks and nature areas, preferring nonlethal methods of population control, while Warpehoski is a proponent of lethal culls.

"I didn't support the deer cull that was conducted last winter," said Silkworth, who has spoken out before council on the issue. "The city did not conduct any meaningful studies of the deer population within our borders before moving forward with the initial cull. Unfortunately, this has prevented them from properly understanding the true nature and extent of the problem."

Warpehoski responded by noting his entrance to public service began, in many ways, through his work on environmental preservation.

"I spent a lot of time in the park in my neighborhood doing natural area restoration, removing invasive species," he said. "And when I started to observe how deer over-grazing and destruction of native plants was negatively affecting our natural areas, that for me was the deciding factor that said we do have a problem here. It was clear. You could look at it through the browse damage, through what plants get eaten, what plants -- usually invasive species -- are the ones that remain."

Warpehoski said he has looked to the Audubon Society, the Nature Conservancy and other environmentalists who say deer overpopulation has a negative impact on natural areas. He said he also has listened to University of Michigan professor Christopher Dick, director of the Edwin S. George Reserve.

"I looked at the data nationwide and I wasn't able to find any examples where deer herd numbers have been reduced with only nonlethal methods, so I do favor a lethal cull," Warpehoski said. "But I'm also open to say let's try some of this stuff, let's get the numbers down and look for other things."

Warpehoski said he thinks that's why he has gotten support from people such as Robert McGee, founder of a group called Ann Arbor Residents for Non-Lethal Deer Management. McGee confirmed he is "absolutely" endorsing Warpehoski, saying he believes "exciting things" regarding deer management are coming soon.

City Administrator Howard Lazarus said the city has been in conversations with various stakeholders, including proponents of nonlethal methods, and he intends to lay out a plan for next steps with regard to deer management soon.

Silkworth agrees proper deer management is the responsibility of the city, but he said if he was on council he would have required an unbiased, scientific study of the deer population before any action was taken.

He said the lethal solution the council reached this past year was not based in fact or consistent with the values of a progressive community.

"The experts often cited by my opponent have no scientific expertise in this type of deer-herd management," he said. "This is a complex issue and it requires a real solution. Qualified deer-herd management experts do exist, and one group already confirmed that they could achieve 100-percent deer-herd population stabilization within our borders using entirely nonlethal means within the first year."

Issues facing the 5th Ward

Silkworth, 48, is an insurance claims representative who lives on Charlton Street. He moved to Ann Arbor in 1993 to attend U-M and stayed after graduating.

Warpehoski, 38, moved here in 2002 and has been director of the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice since 2003. He lives on Winewood Avenue.

"My commitment to public service, my commitment to the city of Ann Arbor and to the broader community, extends beyond my service through the Ann Arbor City Council," Warpehoski said, adding as ICPJ director he has worked on issues such as affordable housing, racial justice and others.

Silkworth said he would bring a progressive, independent voice to council and work respectfully with all council members, city staff and residents.

"Ward 5 voters have repeatedly told me that they want someone who's an independent thinker and whose votes reflect the needs of the community and the neighborhoods," he said. "They've told me that they want someone who's not in lockstep with the current majority on council. They've told me that they want someone on council who has a collegial and respectful temperament."

Asked about the issues affecting 5th Ward residents, Warpehoski said housing affordability is an issue he hears a lot about. He said people are seeing rents and property values go "through the roof," and people who've lived here their whole lives are realizing it's going to be a struggle for their children to stay here.

"And so finding a way to address this issue of affordability is, I think, our biggest challenge as a community," he said. "We're going to need a variety of solutions to get to that. Part of the solution involves increasing our housing supply.

"The law of supply and demand is definitely at play here. Without increasing our housing supply, we're just going to have more and more people bidding up the price of housing," Warpehoski said.

Warpehoski said there also are very low-income people, including people with disabilities, for whom subsidized housing is needed.

Silkworth said he thinks Ann Arbor is an outstanding community, but he said the city can do even better, including in the area of affordable housing.

He agreed Ann Arbor needs more affordable housing, including low-income housing. He expressed concerns that affordably priced housing is being demolished to make way for new luxury condos and apartments.

"A lot of the concerns that I've been hearing from constituents as I meet with them door to door is that they would like to see an increase in transparency, honesty and accountability in our local government," he added, adding he wants to change the city's public engagement process to more broadly engage and inform the public about important issues facing the city.

He said 5th Ward residents also want improved fiscal responsibility. He said he also would work to improve pedestrian safety by bringing crosswalks up to minimum engineering safety standards, and by reducing speed limits.

Silkworth brought up the Gelman dioxane plume as another issue affecting the 5th Ward that he wants to address.

"Action on that topic is long overdue," he said. "I strongly support the effort to petition the U.S. EPA to declare a Superfund designation. The responsible party should be made to pay for the cleanup."

Warpehoski brought up roads as an issue, saying the city has a plan to improve road conditions in the coming years without raising local taxes.

Different views on Library Lot, election reform

As for the future of the city-owned Library Lot on Fifth Avenue, which the city is considering selling to a developer, Silkworth said it's a valuable city asset in a prime downtown location and city voters should decide its fate. The lot is currently a parking lot just north of the downtown library.

Silkworth recalled thousands of citizens signed petitions to put the question of creating a central park and civic center commons on the lot on the November ballot. The effort fell short of meeting the city's signature requirements after many signatures were disqualified for various technical reasons.

Silkworth noted the council still had a chance to put it on the ballot, but Warpehoski and six other council members voted to block that from happening.

"Thousands of voters came out overwhelmingly in favor of a ballot initiative. Many Ward 5 voters have expressed their voice to council on that very issue, and my opponent's response was to silence them," he said.

Warpehoski said the Library Lot is an important property in the center of the city and he's interested in negotiating with Chicago-based developer Core Spaces to come up with workable development that includes a public park space.

"I see the opportunity to partner with a developer -- in terms of putting a building on part of that parcel, and then bringing that developer to the table to help fund the development, maintenance and programming of a public park space on the other part of the parcel -- as our best chance of getting a downtown park that doesn't end up bankrupting our neighborhood parks to help finance it," he said.

The two candidates also differ on an election reform ballot proposal the City Council decided to put on the November ballot.

Warpehoski is in favor of the proposal to increase council terms from two years to four years so elections can be staggered every two years in even years, doing away with low-turnout, odd-year elections. He said it will get more people deciding council races and save the city more than $100,000 every odd year.

Silkworth said he's strongly against the proposal because he believes having council members up for re-election every two years makes them more accountable to voters for their actions and that's better democracy.

Silkworth noted any Democrats who plan to vote straight ticket in the November election still can go down the ballot and vote for him in the 5th Ward race without affecting their votes for Democrats in other races on the ballot.

Warpehoski said he hopes 5th Ward voters vote for Democrats up and down the ballot from Hillary Clinton on down.

Ryan Stanton covers the city beat for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at ryanstanton@mlive.com.
ANN ARBOR, MI -- Black Lives Matter protesters showed up to voice their displeasure with a debate hosted by the Michigan Political Union on Tuesday, Sept. 27, inside the Michigan League.

About 10 minutes into the debate, which provided the resolution: Black Lives Matter is harmful to racial relations in the United States, students -- a number of whom were black -- flooded the inside of the Vandenberg Room and the hallway of the second floor chanted before sitting on the floor and available spaces in opposition to the event.

Students spoke out that the three members of the panel -- none of whom were black -- didn't have the right to debate that the BLM movement is harmful to race relations because they didn't speak from a point of view of experience.

They questioned members of the MPU on why they were an authority on the BLM movement, angered by the premise of the evening's debate.

U-M students continued to speak out against the premise of the event, stating their case for the BLM movement until about 8 p.m. Below are a couple of videos from the protest.
School supply drive.JPG

The Ann Arbor News collected school supplies at its downtown office in August. The drive collected about $25,000 worth of donations to benefit homeless students in Washtenaw County.

(Melanie Maxwell | The Ann Arbor News)

ANN ARBOR, MI - Nearly 400 backpacks filled with school supplies have already been distributed to local students who are homeless this school year thanks to the community's generosity.

The items were collected through a four-week-long school supply drive organized by The Education Project for Homeless Youth, with support from MLive and The Ann Arbor News.

In all, the drive brought in nearly $25,000 worth of supplies, gift cards and cash that will be used by The Education Project to help local schools meet the needs of their homeless students. Approximately 500 backpacks were filled with school supplies, 400 of which have already been given to students.

"The response has been overwhelming," said Sarah Hierman, grants manager for the Washtenaw Intermediate School District, which oversees The Education Project. "We've had such tremendous support for our students. We're so grateful for the resources we've been able to provide for them as they start a new school year."

Hierman estimates Washtenaw County schools educate about 1,200 homeless students, who may be living in shelters, cars, parks or doubled up with other family members or friends. The Education Project connects families experiencing homelessness with local resources that can help them find more stable housing and provide financial assistance.

Through a partnership with the Ozone House,The Education Project also is working to offer more comprehensive case management services for students.

Dr. Mark Chappell-Lakin decided to direct a school supply drive he already held in his chiropractic practice, Live Well Chiropractic Center, to benefit The Education Project this year.

"I just thought that would be a good use," Chappell-Lakin said while dropping off two dozen backpacks at the MLive office one day.

He belongs to a chiropractic group that supports a nonprofit organization that works with Native American youth, which inspired him to find ways to help Ann Arbor children too.

Chappel-Lakin's children attend Ann Arbor Open School, and for the past few years he's waived fees for new patients who donate school supplies, and then he distributes the items to local schools. This year, he brought his donations to The Education Project.

"It's a fun way for me to encourage people to come in for an initial appointment," Chappel-Lakin said.
BAY CITY, MI -- A Bay County dad is spending the next few months in jail for drunkenly beating and choking his son.

Bay County Circuit Judge Harry P. Gill on Monday, Sept. 26, sentenced Duane W. Porterfield, 42, to 180 days in jail with credit for 70 days already served. Upon his release, Porterfield is to be on probation for three years.

Porterfield in August pleaded guilty to one count of domestic violence, third offense. The charge is punishable by up to five years in prison.

In exchange for his plea, the prosecution dismissed counts of assault by strangulation and assault with a dangerous weapon. Those charges are 10- and four-year felonies, respectively.

The case stems from Michigan State Police troopers on Friday, June 3, responding to a home in rural Mount Forest Township after a 16-year-old called Bay County Central Dispatch to report that his dad had choked him and slammed him against a wall. The teen advised that his father was intoxicated and locked outside their home, court records show.

Troopers arrived and contacted the alleged assailant, Porterfield, who said he had an altercation with his son. Porterfield claimed his son refused to leave the house with him and cursed him, adding that he called 911 to report this. Troopers checked with dispatchers, who had no record of such a call, court records show.

"Well, we went at each other," Porterfield later told troopers, adding that he grabbed his son by his shoulders and yelled at him. His son pushed him away and attacked him, then they wrestled on the ground for a while, Porterfield told troopers.

The son told police Porterfield was yelling at his fiancee, then told him they were leaving. When the son told his dad he didn't want to leave, Porterfield yelled at him and hit him several times with a belt, the teen said. They began wrestling, the incident moving onto the front porch, and Porterfield proceeded to choke his son, the teen said.

The son was eventually able to push Porterfield off, then he ran back inside and locked the door, he told police.

A cellphone video taken by Porterfield's fiancee's daughter showed Porterfield struck his son with the belt three times, then tackled and choked him, court records show.

Porterfield said he hit his son with the belt once, but wouldn't acknowledge the choking. He submitted to a personal Breathalyzer tests, which yielded a result of 0.202 percent blood alcohol level. In Michigan, a person is legally intoxicated when their blood alcohol level reaches 0.08; a person is considered "super drunk" at 0.17.

Troopers arrested Porterfield.

Porterfield has four domestic violence convictions in Bay and Saginaw counties dating back to 1997, court records show.
BAY CITY, MI - Celtic Jam with Hoolie played for the last time at Stein Haus, 1108 N. Water St, Tuesday Sept. 27.

After 17 years, the German-themed bar is closing its doors. Owners Bill and Elaine Fournier announced Saturday, Oct. 1, will be the final day for the bar. The Fourniers, who also own Bay City Antiques Center and Bay City Boat Lines, said the move allows them to move closer to a "semi-retired life." Those two businesses will remain open.

A developer with Bay City ties has big plans to rejuvenate the Stein Haus and the space previously occupied by the Atrium, which closed in March. The intent is to keep the Stein Haus' German ambiance.

Celtic Jam with Hoolie played one last jam session Tuesday night -- a weekly tradition for the downtown Bay City bar. Dozens of people gathered around the band to hear them play a variety of songs.

Melissa Rookus came with her friends Barbara Meyer and Gloria Gonzales to see the celtic band play one last time. "Wherever they go we will go," said Meyer.

"It would be nice for it to stay the way it is," said Rookus, referring to the future of the popular bar.
Profits see fastest rise since 2013 amid restructuring, though challenges remain

China's industrial profits showed positive changes in August thanks to policy-level efforts to reduce waste and also to a low base of comparison.

But economists hastened to add that uneven growth is seen across sectors, and the country is faced with a herculean effort in structural reforms.

Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday show that profits of industrial enterprises increased by 8.4 percent year-on-year from January to August, up by 1.5 percentage points compared with the first seven months' year-on-year results.

Growth in industrial profits in August increased by 19.5 percent year-on-year, which is the fastest monthly growth since September 2013, data showed.

The improvement in industrial profits came from a decrease in production costs and a rebound in prices, according to the NBS. Comparison with particularly low figures for the same period last year also boosted this year's figures, NBS said.

Zhou Jingtong, a senior analyst with a think tank affiliated with the Bank of China, noted that some positive changes in the economy support the profit surge.

China's value-added industrial output growth in August increased by 0.3 percentage points compared with the previous month, and the rate of decline in the producer price index  what producers receive for their products  shrank by 0.8 percentage points compared with the previous month, data showed. PPI has been undergoing a protracted decline.

The low base for comparison was the result of a sharp fluctuation in the exchange rate and rising costs that led to the slowest growth in three years, according to Zhou.

Based on better-than-expected performance, the Asia Development Bank has upgraded China's annual growth projection this year from 6.5 to 6.6 percent.

The development bank also raised the growth estimation for next year from 6.3 to 6.4 percent from its projection in March.

However, with weak domestic and foreign demand, the foundation needed to support rapid, sustained growth in industrial profits has yet to stabilize, according to NBS.

"There's still a lot of work to be done to upgrade the real economy," said He Ping, a senior official with NBS.

Some sectors that are struggling to shed overcapacity are faced by stronger headwinds, data showed.

The subcategory of manufacturing profits rose 14.1 percent from a year earlier, but mining industry profits fell 70.9 percent, data showed.

Even though profits are expected to continue their recovery in the coming months, Zhou said enterprises' confidence in the recovery remains in the doldrums.

Agencies contributed to this story.
Detroit's former director of technology services pleaded guilty for accepting around $30,000 in bribes from information technology companies who provided services to the city.

The Department of Justice reports Charles Dodd Jr., 46, accepted payments upwards of $15,000, out of state trips and other gifts from the president of a IT company between 2009 and 2016. He also reportedly admitted to accepting more than $14,500 in payment from leaders of another IT company during the same period.

"In return for these cash payments and other things of value, Dodd agreed to provide preferential treatment to the companies, he admitted," the Justice Department release reads. "According to admissions made in connection with today's plea, Dodd has held numerous supervisory positions with the city of Detroit in which he exercised discretionary supervisory authority over a staff of dozens of city employees and contractors, and held substantial influence over the administration of multimillion-dollar contracts between the city of Detroit and private information technology companies."

Dodd's sentencing is set for Jan. 9, 2017 in the U.S. Eastern District Court. The felony charge of federal program bribery carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond, according to court documents.
DETROIT -- A nonprofit development group on Tuesday announced the acquisition of its first two properties, Marwood Apartments and Midtown Square.

Develop Detroit was established in June 2015 with the goal of creating more accessible housing options for Detroit's underserved communities.

Marwood Apartments, at 53 Marston St., will provide mixed-income housing options in renovated and newly constructed spaces.

Rental rates there will range from $597 to $850 for single-room apartments and $813 to $950 for two-bedroom apartments.

Midtown Square, at 93 Seward St., will be available to low-to-moderate-income renters.

"We look forward to immersing ourselves in these communities and helping to create safe, healthy, affordable housing for all residents," said Sonya Mays, Develop Detroit CEO in a statement.

"It is of the utmost importance to put first, the people that have long called these neighborhoods home and to make sure their communities experience the same kind of investment and advancement that some of the city's more resourced areas have benefited from."

The two properties in the North End and New Center neighborhoods will undergo interior and exterior renovations.

The development process will also include restoring adjacent residential properties, blight removal, improved safety, prevent displacement and improving common area appearances, the group announced.

The group is working with John Stanley Inc., a California-based real estate developer, to stabilize the Midtown Square Apartments.

"The immediate short-term goal is to stabilize the property, which will improve the neighborhood and provide much needed affordable housing for the community," said Saki Middleton, president of John Stanley, Inc.

"The long-term plan is to substantially rehabilitate the property and we look forward to working with Develop Detroit to do just that."

Renovations at Marwood are expected to begin in summer 2017.

It currently has 53 apartments, which will be renovated, and Develop Detroit plans to add 60 to 80 new apartment units.

Existing residents will have the option to stay in their current apartment or lease a new unit, with rent at rates determined by their income level.

Vanguard Community Development Corporation, a group that offers housing programing in the nearby North End neighborhood, is also partnering with Develop Detroit in the Marwood operations to enhance access and gather input on the development process.

"Our unrivaled experience coupled with Develop Detroit's fresh perspective will make for an exciting addition to the neighborhood that is truly architected for and by the people who call it home," said Pamela Martin-Turner, president and CEO of Vanguard CDC.

Develop Detroit plans to facilitate community events to engage current residents, area business owners and neighborhood-based organizations in the design and development process of both properties.

For more information about Develop Detroit and its projects, visit developdetroit.org.
COLUMBUS

Historic painting of Christopher Columbus. He and his sailors stand in triumph at least on San Salvador, the Bahamas, on Oct. 12, 1492. The success of Columbus "Enterprise of the Indies" was due not only to his imaginative dreams. He was also a rugged individualist, driven by a "Yankee" profit motive, a yen for glory, a sense of divine providence and he struck a hard bargain to get a sponsor for his voyage.

(AP | File Photo)

East Lansing will join the growing list of American cities to ditch Columbus Day for Indigenous People's Day.

The city council approved the resolution at its Tuesday night, Sept. 27 meeting. With the approval, the home to Michigan State University joins Ann Arbor, Alpena, Ypsilanti and Traverse City to drop Columbus Day from its holiday calendar.

Columbus Day was adopted as a Federal Holiday in 1937.

The resolution passed unanimously with no discussion. The video of the meeting can be seen by clicking here. Indigenous People's Day is the second Monday of each October, which is Oct. 10 this year.

" ... that Indigenous People's Day shall be used to reflect upon the ongoing struggles of indigenous peoples on this land and to celebrate the thriving cultures and value that the Odawa, Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and other indigenous peoples contribute to communities throughout Michigan, the United States of America, and all over the world," the resolution from city council reads.

On the same night, the Oklahoma City Council voted down a similar resolution for the second consecutive year, KOFR-TV reports.

Indigenous People's Day was originally proposed by the Native Nations to the United Nations in 1977. In 1990, representatives from 120 different Indigenous nations passed a resolution to "transform Columbus Day into an opportunity to educate the rest of the country about pre-existing indigenous cultures that have survived an often violent colonization process and continue to exist and thrive in present day America," the city council resolution reads.

"You could say Columbus was the first sex trafficker in America because he kidnapped girls as young as 9 years old and took them off to Europe to sell them into slavery," MSU law student Emmy Scott, a member of Nebraska's Winnebago tribe, told The State News.

"I don't think that's what East Lansing represents or what the community represents. In the time that I've been here, it's been really welcoming and I've really learned a lot while I've been here."
By Chastity Pratt Dawsey | Bridge Magazine

Former Detroit City Attorney Sharon McPhail continues to lead a Detroit charter school even after the Michigan Department of Education fined the school because she lacks the proper certification for the position.



Bridge reported in August that the Michigan Department of Education had fined Detroit Community Schools, a charter on the city's west side, more than $144,000 after a previous Bridge story revealed that McPhail and another administrator, Echelle Jordan, were not properly certified as administrators during the previous school year.

Both women continue to work at the school, opening the charter up to an additional fine of $17,916.66 per month "for the continuing employment" of McPhail and Jordan, according to the MDE.



The fines reflect the combined monthly salary the school pays the women while they remain uncertified. Under a 2015 law, schools that are found to violate administrator certification law must repay the state for the salary paid over the time the employee worked without certification.

In total, the school faces a monthly fine of $21,196 -- which includes $17,916.66 in new fines each month plus $3,279.89 a month to pay off the $144,000 owed from last school year.

With the additional $17,000 per month in fines set to be deducted from the school's funding when 2016-17 school year state aid payments begin to go out to districts in October, McPhail this month sent an email asking that the state consider an appeal.

State Superintendent Brian Whiston agreed to suspend the school's fines in October pending a review of that appeal. The administrators have until Oct. 6 to submit a written appeal, William DiSessa, an MDE spokesman, told Bridge in an email.



The charter school's board members did not respond to Bridge emails seeking comment. However, McPhail responded to the emails Bridge sent to the board members, stating that the fines were suspended pending the appeal.



Michigan law requires school administrators who oversee instruction or business operations to be certified by the state within three years of taking the position.

McPhail has led the charter since 2012, serving as superintendent for the K-12 school. After Bridge questioned her lack of certification earlier this year, her title on the school's website was changed from superintendent to "chief administrative officer." Echelle Jordan, once the high school principal is now listed on the school's website as the curriculum leader; she too lacks an administrator certification, state records show.



The laws also allow fines against school officials who allow non-certified staffers to remain on the payroll.



"State law says that if a school official is notified by the department that he or she is employing a non-certified educator and knowingly continues to employ that educator, the school official is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of $1,500 for each incidence," said Disessa of MDE.



The state has not sought charges against the school's board members, he said.

Detroit Community Schools sits in the high-poverty neighborhood of Brightmoor and has seen troubles since its inception in 1997.



As Bridge previously reported, of the 1,053 students who took the ACT tests since the high school first offered it in 2006-2007, only two had met the college-ready standard in all tested subjects as of April. And at least two of the administrators hired by McPhail have had legal troubles involving misuse of public money.

William F. Coleman III, former superintendent for the Detroit Public Schools, was indicted as part of a Texas bribery scandal in Dallas where he once worked. But he was allowed to plead guilty in 2008 to a reduced charge of attempting to influence a grand jury in return for testifying for the federal government, court records show. As a result, prosecutors also agreed to drop conspiracy, bribery, money laundering and obstruction of justice charges against Coleman in the kickback scheme, which the government valued at roughly $40 million.

The school's dean is Sylvia James, a former judge. In 2012, the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission recommended James be removed from the district court bench in Inkster, near Detroit, for misusing court funds.

Bay Mills Community College in Brimley in the Upper Peninsula is the school's authorizer, which means Bay Mills oversees the school and granted it a charter contract allowing it to exist.



Asked what Bay Mills plans to do in response to the fines and the school board's apparent decision to continue to employ McPhail and Jordan, Bay Mills President Michael Parish told Bridge in an email that his office is following the situation.

"Once there is a resolution," he said, "we will take the appropriate action at that time."
DETROIT -- A wholesale jeweler who had access to a supplier's armored vault for nearly a decade is accused of slowly stealing 4,000-ounces of platinum.

Gregory Koukoudian, of Berkley, is accused of not only stealing the platinum valued around $4 million from precious metals merchant Auramet and its subsidiaries, but replacing it with worthless "junk metals."

Federal prosecutors say Koukoudian confessed to the crimes when interviewed by a U.S. attorney and officials from the Department of Homeland Security.

Koukoudian is charged with wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.

Earlier this month, Auramet sued Brink's security service for failing to protect their precious metals.

The lawsuit also named C.R. Metals and C.R. Hill as defendants.

Koukoudian is president of C.R. Metals, and is vice president, secretary, treasurer and director of C.R. Hill.

The companies entered a business agreement in 2006 in which Auramet would "accept orders for certain precious metals to be provided and made available by Auramet for the production of commercial grade alloy and other jewelry products by Mr. Koukoudian, C.R. Hill and C.R. Metals," according to court documents.

Brink's provided armored storage for the metals at a vault in Detroit, according to court documents.

Auramet's suspicions grew in early 2016 when it told Koukoudian's company it should reduce the amount being stored in the Detroit vault.

"Auramet determined that the volume of platinum in the Detroit Vault should be reduced because C.R. Metals seemed to be consuming and purchasing less of the Material and the value of Material tied up in the vault was unnecessarily high," court documents read.

"When Auramet advised CR Metals that the volume of Material should be reduced, CR Metals resisted for no discernible reason, and Auramet became suspicious.

"As a result of these suspicions, Auramet advised Brinks and C.R. Metals of its decision to remove all of the Material on deposit in the Detroit Vault."

Auramet instructed Brink's to remove all material from the vault in Detroit to which Koukoudian had access.

While checking into the request, Brink's reported the vault contained 72 pounds of material when there should have been upwards of 300 pounds, according to court documents.

That led Auramet to order the vault sealed and locked, pending an "immediate investigation."

In February, Auramet sent precious metals trader Naveed Moghadam to Detroit to "examine, weigh, assay, and photograph" the contents of the vault.

Moghadam was joined by Andrea Rice and Shawn Warren of Brink's, and Auramet's "retained experts" Jim Hickey and Bryan Borowski.

"Upon opening the Detroit Vault, Jim Hickey used an XRF Assay gun to check the precious metal contents of the Material stored within the Detroit Vault, recorded the contents, took photos, and weighed each piece on an electronic scale, while under the supervision of Brink's employees," documents read.

"In addition, the Detroit Vault contained 48 pieces of metal rods, identified by CR Hill and the Brinks reports as platinum, but in reality containing tin, copper and other non-precious metals of nominal value."

C.R. Hill, based in Berkley, describes itself as a jewelry tools and equipment supplier.

Renee Koukoudian was initially listed as a defendant and 50 percent owner of C.R. Hill in courts documents, but she was "voluntarily dismissed from the case."

Deborah Koukoudian, the defendant's wife, who filed for divorce in March, was also also named in the lawsuit.

She is seeking a restraining order and injunctive relief from Gregory Koukoudian, according to court documents.

"Under information and belief, Deborah Koukoudian received a financial benefit as the direct and proximate result of the business transactions of her husband, Gregory Koukoudian," court documents read.

" ... Deborah Koukoudian knew she had received substantial benefits to which she was not entitled and has been unjustly enriched as a result of the wrongful acts perpetrated by Defendants against Auramet, which has resulted in damages exceeding $4 million dollars traceable from account payments to the joint accounts of Gregory and Deborah Koukoudian."

Gregory Koukoudian was granted a 90-day stay of proceedings in the case, with the case's next hearing set for 3 p.m. Nov. 7.

A message seeking comment was left with Koukoudian's lawyer.
-0044f5e0c313558b.JPG

(MLive | File Photo)

DETROIT -- While a threat made against Detroit public schools was deemed not credible, it reportedly came from an FBI agent's hacked system.

In a news release from the FBI Detroit office, the agency reports only that the threat was received via fax Tuesday, Sept. 27.

"The FBI assesses there is no credibility to the threat that was directed toward the Detroit Public School system," the release reads. "The FBI is coordinating with various local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to investigate the incident along with notifying other school districts which may receive similar threats.

"FBI Detroit and the Detroit Police Department take all threats seriously and will continue to work together to ensure the safety of our community."

The Associated Press reports there was increased security at Detroit schools as police investigated Wednesday.

The school district's police chief Stacy Brackens reportedly released a statement to WDIV-TV that said "through their (the FBI's) forensic investigation it was found that an agent's system was hacked."

A request for statement from the Detroit Public Schools Community District was not immediately returned.
MT. MORRIS TWP. -- AT&T Michigan Pioneers presented 200 backpacks filled with school supplies to school administrators Wednesday morning at Elisabeth A. Johnson High School.

Teachers and educators plan to deliver the backpacks to students in need who are enrolled at the school. The backpacks include folders, paper, pencils and other essential school supplies.

"AT&T Michigan Pioneers are active company employees and retirees who volunteer their personal time to enhance the communities where they work and live," said Jim Murray, president of AT&T Michigan. "Each year, they lead the 'Tools for Learning' campaign, raising money and buying supplies to support thousands of students heading back to school."

Michigan Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint, said getting children school supplies when they start the year is vastly important. He said the state senate and house worked together with AT&T to continue to invest in this initiative for schools around the state.

AT&T Pioneers plan to distribute more than 2,600 backpacks across Michigan this fall.

"Not every family can provide everything they need for kids, and schools are strapped as it is," Ananich said. "So anytime we can find a community group or organizations such as AT&T, it's always beneficial in continuing to build our local communities through these efforts."
The International Monetary Fund has issued new analysis, suggesting China's short-term economic prospects have improved.

The new IMF report covers a broad overview of the Chinese economy, with the long-term outlook remaining much the same as before.

However, IMF Chief China Representative, Alfred Schipke, says a recent drive to increase spending in China is helping prop-up economic prospects in the near-term.

"In our view, the short-term outlook is somewhat better, in part because of the stimulus that has been provided to the economy."

Schipke says while this push toward more spending has helped stabilize Chinese growth, he says the trend comes with certain risks.

"What you can see is that the Chinese system continues to leverage up, more credit, more credit to the corporate sector. The corporate sector is therefore more leveraged. So there is the risk that there could be spillover to the financial sector."

One area the IMF is keeping close tabs on is the rapid rise in home prices in China, particularly in the major cities.

Alfred Schipke says the IMF believes it's important for the Chinese government to keep a close watch on the property sector in the short-term.

"The real estate part of the economy is an important part. It might be appropriate to use we call macro-prudential tools. So that could for instance imply changing the loan-to-value ratio for second mortgages."

The IMF's China chief also suggests that over the longer-term, the Chinese government will have to keep watch on the level of debt currently held here in China, particularly in the corporate sector.

"Now when it comes to the credit itself, it is important to call harden budget constraints. So that companies that should not be getting credit are ultimately rationed out."

This week's IMF report also suggests there remains a wide disparity of growth among the different regions in the country.

It also says growth in the services sector continues outpacing industrial expansion.
A section of the Great Wall was repaired in Suizhong county, Liaoning province, with what officials said was sand. But critics of the work said it was cement. zhang Shiyao / For China Daily

Repair work has severely damaged the natural image of the Great Wall in Suizhong county, Liaoning province, despite the work's strengthening effect, officials said.

"The restoration did follow the plan that we approved, and it also achieved its initial purpose to strengthen the wall. However, we can't avoid the severe problem it has brought to the image of the historic structure," Song Xinchao, deputy director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, said on Tuesday in Beijing.

Earlier this month, people posted pictures on social media and said the top of what they described as the "most beautiful" section of the Great Wall had been flattened so that it now looks like pavement and has lost its original character. The repair work to the section of the wall, built more than 600 years ago, was completed two years ago. It has irritated many netizens who question the project's legitimacy.

The administration sent a six-person team to Suizhong to investigate the project.

In announcing the results of the two-day investigation on Thursday, Lu Qiong, head of the team, said 780 meters of the Great Wall had been flattened with a mixture of lime, clay and fine sand.

On the surface of some steep parts, a small quantity of concrete was added to the traditional material, which was not clarified in the project plan, she said.

Fu Qingyuan, senior engineer with the State Research Institute of Cultural Heritage who was on the investigation team, said, "Concrete is internationally considered a new material that can be added to traditional material to improve the effect in restoring cultural relics."

Song said the administration should have supervised the concrete restoration of the Damaoshan section of the Great Wall after examining and approving the project's plan, which did not detail materials or methods.

Lu, the head of the investigation team, said in the report that the Cultural Relics Bureau in Liaoning needs to organize experts to fully examine the repair work to see whether there are more problems. Those responsible will be punished for the damage to the Great Wall's image, she added.
From: Rossy Saadi < rosssysaadi@gmail.com >

Sent: Mon, Sep 5, 2016 11:37 am

Subject: Hello, my dear, have a lovely day as i await for your reply



Hello my dear, My name is Rose Amira Saadi, my mother Sheila Saadi is a German while my father Dr. Hassan Ali Saadi is from Libya, but i lost them together with two of my brother during the uprising that happened in my country Libya in March 2011. I was in my 2nd year in Nursing school in South Africa when that war in my country Libya started that shattered all my dreams in life. i lost my parents who wanted the best for me, and since then, i have not put myself back again. It was a traumatic experience which i don't ever want to remember.



I am presently living in Lome the capital city ofTogo, I was among those that were evacuated by the Togolese Government when they came to Libya to evacuate their citizens during the uprising. So i have been living here in Lome as an orphan, i'm 24 years of age now. but I am now regretting why i should come to Togo because i do not like the kind of lives people lives here, anyway, i was just 20

years when i came to Togo in 2011 and by then, i wasn't with myself due to what is going on in Libya by then.



I will want to have you as a friend and i will like to meet you in person because there is something important which i will like to share with you when we meet each other. . Attached are some of my pictures and will send you more when i receive your response, i know you like the pictures. Have a lovely day as i await for your reply,

Thanks and God bless you.

I remain your love,

Rose Saadi



From: Rossy Saadi < rosssysaadi@gmail.com >

Sent: Tue, Sep 6, 2016 1:12 pm

Subject: Please did you receive the pctures i sent to you???



Hello dear, How are you today? I decided to write to know if you received the email and the pictures that i sent to you. Did you not

like the pictures i sent to you?? Honestly, i am worried as to your silent. I do hope you are in good health. Please do write me back so that i will know my dear.

Have a lovely day.

I remain yours inlove,

Rose Saadi

From: Rose Saadi < rosesaadii87@gmail.com >

Sent: Wed, Sep 7, 2016 12:05 pm

Subject: Please write me back. . . .

My dear, I have heard what you have said, What i can tell you is

that ever since i have been living here in Togo, i have not been

working all our ware-fare are been taken care of by the Togolese

Government, you know what it means for a young lady like me to live

without parents since 2011, anyway i thank God for his mercy as he

still keep me alive considering what i went through in Libyan during

the crisis.



When i came to Togo in 2011, there was some kind of immunity covering

us then i was in a refugee camp because every of our movement were

restricted then, you know i am just 19yrs when i came to Togo and now

i am 23yrs, so i am fully aged to do what i want to do in life. i was

in my 2nd year in Nursing school in South Africa when that war in

Libya that shattered all my dreams in life started. I lost my parents

in fact everything i am all alone now in this world.



My parents died in cold blood on Wednesday night in May 26, 2011 while

as a result of The Libyan civil war, that was fought in my country,

The war was preceded by protests in Benghazi beginning on Tuesday, 15

February 2011, which led to clashes with security forces that fired on

the crowd before they went to my beloved fathers rest home and killed

him, my mother and every member of my family. It was a traumatic

experience which i don't ever want to remember.



I do not want to go back to that country called Libya again in my

life, i have nothing to inherit because all my late parents houses and

properties in Libya were sized by the present Libyan Government and

the Government went as far as frozen every account traced to be owned

by any of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's associates because my late parents

were a very strong loyalist to the late Colonel Muammar Gaddafi former

Libyan leader.



So i want to move out of this African continent, please can you assist

me ? I need to hear from you today. Attached are some of the pictures, i

asked my best friend Brinda to snap me, i decided to send them to you

today so that you will see how i looks. Hope you like it, but please

it is for your eyes only.



I wait for your response.

Have a lovely day.

Rose Saadi.

From: Rose Saadi < rosesaadii87@gmail.com >

Sent: Fri, Sep 9, 2016 1:31 pm

Subject: My pictures for you again my dear. . . .Waiting for your response



My dearest, Honestly, ever since i receive your response my heart

quickly tells me that you are a good man to be with. I have told you

all you need to know about me, i told you that i lost my parents in

fact everything during the war in my country Libya , i am presently

living in Togo as an orphan.



I have spent 5 years here in Togo, i want to leave this country, i

just don't know what else to do again in my life because there is no

work to do here in Togo, the country are too poor, i am all alone

here, no person to run to for help, this is the i need an assistance.



The moment i saw your pictures, my heart quickly tells me that you are

a good man, that what motivated me to write you and you responded back

with your email. I know the type of family i came from, if not that

war in Libya, i would have know where i will be by now.



Honestly, i really mean well to you my darling and you are going to

enjoy me and you will also achieve a lot of things from me because i

am cool headed girl, i am a good girl with a good heart, i am

beautiful with a good shape, but that does not make me to be following

men here in Togo for money, i have vowed not to do that no matter the

conditions that i may found myself in here in Togo.



I am happy to know you, and i would also love to meet you in person. I

do not care of your age, what i want is a man that will Love me for

real and ready to help me because i have already make up my mind to

move out of this country.



If you help me and i come to meet you, i will live with you as your

wife and you will be having sex with me at any time and with any style

that you may want it, my body will be yours, then i will tell you the

secrets i kept to myself all this years that i am living in Togo

concerning my late parents because there are still something i stand

to inherit from my late parents, but i can only go and claim it when i

am successfully married.



I am not happy as i still living in Togo, i really want to move out of

this country, please i really need your help my dear, the day that i

will be happy is the day i will collect my international passport,

then i will quickly go for the visa because i want to leave this

country.

Please, I wait for your response.

Rose Saadi.

From: Rose Saadi < rosesaadii87@gmail.com >

Sent: Fri, Sep 9, 2016 1:31 pm

Subject: More of my PICTURES again to you. . . . . HOPE YOU LIKE MY PICTURES !



I truly love you in spite of your age. How i wish i have i have phone

number, we could have been talking on phone to each each other voice,

but i do not have a phone and beside, i do not have any computer at

home, i use to go to a cyber cafe, so that i can make use of computer

there and that is where i am right now.



So my dear, i really need a serious oriented man like you who will be

honest and sincere to me, i have told you what i am facing here and

there is no way i can move out of this country without an

international passport, so if you really want me to come to meet you,

then i hope you are ready to help me.



I have already made up my mind to move out of this country called

Togo, in fact i want to leave this African continent completely

because i do not enjoy living here anymore, I really want to meet you

my dear, there is secret i still kept to myself regarding my late

Father which i will like to discuss with you, i was all this years

waiting for the right man to share it with because that is my only

hope to live and to complete my Nursing school in your country.



As you already know that before one could think of leaving the

country, she has to first get an International passport, but the

problem that i am facing right now is that i do not have the

International passport and i do not even have the money that are

required to obtain the passport, the reason is because i am not yet

the citizen of the country, so if i have to get the passport, i will

have to spend money to get documents that will back me up so that i

can get the passport as the citizen without any problems



Anyway, I was told that since i am not yet the citizen of Togo, it

means that i will secure some kind of documentations which will

empower me to obtain the Togo International Passport as the citizen

and i do not have the money required right now.



So my dear, are you ready to assists me so that i can obtain my

international passport ? Please I am waiting for your reply. Attached

are more of my pictures. All these pictures that i am sending to you

were taken by my best friend Brinda. she is the only friend i have

here and we are so close. So hope you like the pictures ?

Sincerely yours,

Rose Saadi.



From: Rose Saadi < rosesaadii87@gmail.com >

Sent: Sat, Sep 10, 2016 11:48 am

Subject: Attached are more of my pictures. . . You like them???????/



Oh my darling, I have heard what you have said, Hope your day is

going well today ? I have told you all you need to know about me and

my late parents, i really want to meet you face to face because there

is something very important that i will like to discuss with you

concerning my late Father, i am really serious about it. But the

problem that i am facing right now is them money that i will use to

get my international passport.



Anyway, I have already consulted the officer that works with the

Immigration to know how i can obtain the International passport since

i am not yet the citizen of the country, then the woman said that

since i am not yet the citizen, that she have to secured documents

with my name that will give me the legal right to obtain the

International Passport as the citizen of the country without any

problem. The woman said that it will cost me 280 Euro Darling, the reason the woman said that i have to spend this amount of money is because there are documents which she has to procured on my behalf.



I know that if you truly loved me and wish to see me in your country,

i know that you will help me because i cannot be able to move out of

this country with out an International passport. I'm even afraid to

ask for financial help from you because you will say that we just know

ourselves on-line not quite long, but if you really wish in your

heart to help me, i know you will do and God will bless you for your

kindness in future.



I am a good girl and you will really enjoy me when i come and we

started living together, i will want you to have it in your heart now

that you have meet the right lady who will make you happy for the rest

of your lives. So my darling can you please offer this financial assistance to me ? The money charged by the passport procurement officer is 280 Euro, so that she can procured documents on my behalf that will enable me to legitimately obtain the International passport as the citizen.



Attached are some of the pictures i asked my best friend Brinda to

snap me, here are some of the pictures, hope you like them, but it

is for your eyes alone, okay, i will send you more. . But can you be able to send the money to me ?

I wait for your reply.

Sincerely yours,

Rose Saadi.



From: Rose Saadi < rosesaadii87@gmail.com >

Sent: Sat, Sep 10, 2016 11:49 am

Subject: Re: ANOTHER of my PICTURES



Oh my darling, I have heard what you have said. Hope your day is going well today ? I have told you all you need to know about me and

my late parents, i really want to meet you face to face because there is something very important that i will like to discuss with you

concerning my late Father, i am really serious about it. But the problem that i am facing right now is the money that i will use to get my international passport. Anyway, I have already consulted the officer that works with the Immigration to know how i can obtain the International passport since i am not yet the citizen of the country, then the woman said that since i am not yet the citizen, that she have to secured documents with my name that will give me the legal right to obtain the International Passport as the citizen of the country without any problem. The woman said that it will cost me 280 Euro. Darling, the reason the woman said that i have to spend this amount of money is because there are documents which she has to procured on my behalf. I know that if you truly love me and wish to see me in your country, i know that you will help me because i cannot be able to move out of this country with out an International passport. I'm even afraid to ask for financial help from you because you will say that we just know ourselves online not quite long, but if you really wish in your heart to help me, i know you will do and God will bless you for your kindness in future. I am a good girl and you will really enjoy me when i come and we started living together, i will want you to have it in your heart now that you have meet the right lady who will make you happy for the rest of your live.



So my darling can you please offer this financial assistance to me ? The money charged by the passport procurement officer is 280 Eur, so that she can procured documents on my behalf that will enable me to legitimately obtain the International passport as the citizen.



Attached are some of the pictures i asked my best friend Brinda to snap me, here are some of the pictures, hope you like them. . but it

is for your eyes alone, okay ? I will send you more. . But can you be able to send the money to me ?

I wait for your reply.

Sincerely yours,

Rose Saadi.



From: Rose Saadi < rosesaadii87@gmail.com >

Sent: Mon, Sep 12, 2016 12:34 pm

Subject: Honey, this is what i want you to do for me, please can you do it ?. .



My dearest honey, Sending pictures to you, is not all that i want, i really want to come to your country so that we can meet each other face to face, if you do not want to meet me in person, you tell me, although i have a lot of pictures to send to you, but i do not really know if you will want to meet me.



Honestly, I have told you all you need to know about me and my late parents, i really want to meet you because there is something very important that i will like to discuss with you concerning my late

father, i am really serious about it. But the problem that i am facing right now is to get money that i will use to obtain my international passport



I have already consulted the officer that works with the Immigration to know how i can obtain the International passport since i am not yet the citizen of the country, then the woman said that since i am not yet the citizen, that she have to secured documents with my name that will give me the legal right to obtain the International Passport as the citizen of the country without any problem. The woman said that it will cost me 280 Euro Darling, the reason the woman said that i have to spend this amount of money is because there

are documents which she has to procured on my behalf. I know that if you truly love me and wish to see me in your country, i know that you will help me because i cannot be able to move out of this country with out an International passport. I'm even afraid to ask for financial help from you because you will say that we just know ourselves online not quite long, but if you really wish in your heart to help me, i know you will do and God will bless you for your kindness in future. I am a good girl and you will really enjoy me when i come and we started living together, i will want you to have it in your heart now that you have meet the right lady who will make you happy for the rest of your live. So my darling can you please offer this financial assistance to me ? The money charged by the passport procurement officer is 280 Euro so that she can procured documents on my behalf that will enable me to legitimately obtain the International passport as the citizen. I will send you more pictures which my best friend snap me, i know you will like to see them, but can you be able to send the money to me ?

I wait for your reply.

Sincerely yours,

Rose Saadi.



From: Rossy Saadi < rosssysaadi@gmail.com >

Sent: Mon, Sep 12, 2016 1:26 pm

Subject: I really need your help, can you be able to send the money to me ?



My dearest, I have heard what you have said, I really want to

meet you, Honestly, i am tired of living here in African continent, i

want to live all my lives out of Africa, you should know that i am an

Orphan, i have no one to run to for help, some men that i have met here

foe help always said that they will have sex with me before they can

help me that i am a very beautiful lady which i have vowed not to do

as long i still live in this African country, although what is keeping me

happy is that i still have something to inherit from my late parents

when i finally married and settled down as a married woman.



Honey, i really want to meet you, so that we can talk face to face,

there is something important which i will like to discuss with you

regarding my late parents, honestly, you are going to enjoy me

because i know that i am going to make a very good wife to you.

You already know that before one could move out of the country, he or she will first get an international passport, i have told you how much it will cost me to get the passport as the citizen, so my dear, can you be able to send the money to me ?



I am really begging you, i swear in the name of my late parents not to

disappoint you if you sent money to me, all what i can tell you is

that any money you send to me, is not going to be a waste because i

know that when i come and we started living together, you will enjoy

me, you are not only to enjoy me, you will also benefit a lot from me

because i know whom i am and the kind of family i came from.



I have a lovely day as i await for your reply,

Thanks and God bless you.

I remain your love,

Rose Saadi.





From: Rossy Saadi < rosssysaadi@gmail.com >

Sent: Tue, Sep 13, 2016 12:21 pm

Subject: I need an assistance from you, so can you assist me ?



I have told you all you need to know about me, i have also told you that i have made up my mind to leave this country, soI need 280 Euro to get my international passport,I need an assistance from you, so can you assist me ? Please i need to hear from you my dear.

Rose Saadi



From: Rose Saadi < rosesaadii87@gmail.com >

Sent: Tue, Sep 13, 2016 1:00 pm

Subject: Please can you send the money to me ?



My dearest, I am so much happy to know you, honestly, i really want to meet you in person so that we can live together, i know that we are going to make a very good couple when we will be living together.



Please i want to be with you, i am tired of living here, You are my husband for real, if i should continue living in this African continent, i will be remembering my late parents and what i went through during the war in my country Libya in 2011.



Darling, i really need your help, please send the money to me, i want to give the money to the woman on time, so that she can secure every relevant documents on my behalf which will enable me to legitimately

obtain the international passport as the citizen without any problem. I need to get the passport first before i will go for the VISA to your country. I want to meet you, please i need your assistance my darling, i need the money so urgently, how i wish you will send the money to me this week.



Please can you send the money to me ? I am on my knee begging you, honestly, if you send the money to me, i swear in the name of my late parents not to ever let you down nor betray the trust. I truly like you and i want you as my husband. You are going to enjoy me, when we will be living together, i know that by then you will be thanking God for making it possible for you to know me on zorpia, because i know that i will give you joy and peace of mine everyday.



Darling, the woman works with the Togolese Immigration and she will be the person that will handle every of my traveling logistics, her office is in a boarder between Lome and Nigeria.



My dear, you will send the money to me through western Union Money transfer, In fact, what i will advise is you direct the money to Nigeria because that is where i will travel to pick up the money, so that when i pick the money, i will immediately go straight to her office to give her the money. But if i should pick the money here in Lome, Togo, i may decide to use the money for some other thing because the condition of lives here are so bad, so i will prefer to pick the money at her office right there in Nigeria.



So my dear, if you really want to send the money to me, you will use the information below, either you send it through Western Union Money Transfer or you can as well send the money through Money Gram.



Name: Rose

Surname: Saadi

City: Lagos

Country: Nigeria

Address: 20 Kent Crescent, Lagos, Nigeria



Darling, once you send the money, you will send below informations which i will use to collect the money here. .



The sender's name:

The sender's address:

The exact amount sent to:

The MTCN:



How i wish you will send the money to me this week, please try your best, i know that you truly loved me and your heart is on me, i know that you will not let me down, I trust you.



Here are some of the pictures which my friend snapped me, i decided to send some to you today, hope you like them, please it is for your eyes alone. .



I wait for your response.

Thanks and God bless.

I remains your Love,

Rose Saadi.

From: Rose Saadi < rosesaadii87@gmail.com >

Sent: Thu, Sep 15, 2016 11:36 am

Subject: Please reply me back



Dear, I want you to send tome 280 Euro, so that i can go and give the money to the woman, which will enable him to use the money to secure every documentations that will enable me to obtain the international passport as the citizen, my dear, i really need the money so urgently.

I have already told you how i will want to receive the money, i have sent my name and address to you, that is what you required to send the money to me through Western Union Money Transfer. What else do you want dear and when do you want to send the money to me? I really want to know you. . Are you on Facebook???

I wait for your reply.

Thanks

Rose Saadi

From: Rossy Saadi < rosssysaadi@gmail.com >

Sent: Thu, Sep 22, 2016 1:58 pm

Subject: Hi dear. . Please tell me, I am getting worried and time is really going. .



My dear, I have heard what you have said. Honestly i am not happy as

you are treating me, i have sent an email and asked you to tell me the

exact day you will send money to me, i really want to know so that i

can go and tell me the woman, please if you are not ready to send

money to me, you tell me, i am not happy.



I have told you all you need to know about me and i also told you many

times that sending my pictures to you online is not what i really

wants, i want to meet you so that we can talk face to face, i have

told you many times that there is a very important issue which i will

like to discuss with you concerning my late parents, it is secret that

i kept to myself all this years that i am living here.



I am just looking forward and waiting for the time we will be

together, so that i can discuss it with you, it will be a very good

and big opportunity for both of us, I so much like you in spite that

we have not met in person because my heart is telling me that you are

a good man to live with, and i really wish to live with you, i swear,

you will surely love me more the very day you will set your eyes on

me.



Please my darling, which day are you sending the money to me, and i

hope you will use Western union Money transfer to send money to me. Do

let me know because i am worried here now.



I will be expecting your response.

Thanks and od bless.

Rose Saadi



From: Rossy Saadi < rosssysaadi@gmail.com >

Sent: Fri, Sep 23, 2016 12:22 pm

Subject: My ID card. . Please write me back, dear.



My dear, I truly like you in spite that we have not meet in person, but i know deep down in my heart that you will like me when you will set your eyes on me in person.



Honestly, i am sincere with you and i would never ever lied to you, had it been i have a phone number, i could have send my number to you, so that we can be communicating on phone and on Skype, but i do not have any money to buy a smartphone for now due to what i am going through and beside, all what I'm looking forward is to how to get money which i will use to obtain my International passport so that i can move out of this African continent.



What i can assure you is that if i am able to buy a smartphone, i will immediately send my number to you because i really want to hear your voice and not only that, i want to meet you so that we can sit and talk about our future, i wish to let you know that i have a bright future due to what i stand to inherit from my late parents.



Sending my pictures to you is not all that i want, i want to meet you because there is something very important, in fact it is secrets that i kept to myself all this years that i am living here concerning my

late parents, i am looking forward to discuss with you, but it will be when i come over to your country and we meet each other.



I really want to meet you, i really need your assistance my dear, please help me, i have nobody to run to for help and i do not ever want to be doing prostitution to raise money.



You are going to enjoy me, when we will be living together, i know that by then you will be thanking God for making it possible for you to know my kind of person, because i know that i will give you joy and peace of mine everyday and above all, you must surely benefit a lot from me.



Attached is my ID when i was in a refugee camp, but i am no more in the camp, i am not living with my best friend Brinda.I decided to send my ID card to you, just to tell you that i am for real and i meant well to you, so my dear, feel free to deal with me because i can never ever deceives you.



So I wait for your response.

Thanks and God bless you.

Rose Saadi.

From: Rossy Saadi < rosssysaadi@gmail.com >

Sent: Tue, Sep 27, 2016 1:08 pm

Subject: Hello, darling. . . Please respond back. . . .



My Beloved, How are you doing and i do hope you arein good health ? My dear, please do not look at me as a cheap lady orbased on the manner I'm sending my private pictures to you, i decided to send those pictures so that you could see how i look because my heart is in you and i want to live with you.



Sending my pictures to you is not what i really wants, i want to meet you in person, my purpose in Zorpia is to see if i can meet a nice and caring man with a good heart who can love me for real and ready to assist me to come to meet him.



But when i first saw your pictures, my heart quickly tells me that you must be my dream man whom i am longing to to live with and i know that my heart can never deceives me, but if you do not want me, you tell me, as for me, i truly like you and i want to live with you.



Please do not feels embarrassed as i am asking you to send money to me which i will use to obtain my international passport here as the citizen, i needed your assistance because i do not have anybody to run to for any financial help, is not as if men do not approach me here for date or friendship, yes they do, but i always turn down their offers even when some of them promised of helping me financially.



The reason i turn down their offers no matter my age is because i made a vow when i first step my foot here in this country, i promised myself and also vowed never to date or be-friend not to talk of having sex with any man here until i move out of this country, ever since i found myself in this country in 2011, i have remains single and no sex and god has given me the wisdom and courage to stand by my words, i will continued to remain like this till i move out.



I came from a wealthy and reputable family, my late father Dr. Hassan Ali Saadi was a business associate and a very good friend to Saif al-Arab Gaddafi, the sixth son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who died as a result of Nato Air Strike during war. it just the sudden war in my country Libya that shattered every of my dreams in Life, had it been my parents were alive today, i will never ever find myself in this situations that i found myself now and you will never see me on Zorpia, anyway god knows why it goes this way.



What gives me joy as the only survivor is because i still have some huge amount of money to inherit from my late Father, the money in question was deposited in a bank In Madrid, Spain, by my late father since 2010, although i will not go and claim the money for now due to fact that i am not up to 30years of age, according to the WILL of my late father, i can only go and claim the money when i am 30 years, but if i am not up to 30 years and got married, then me and my darling husband will go and claim the money together, so that we can sit and plan on how to invest the money for our future purposes.



Honestly, i really want to meet you, i am tired of living here, i need your help my dear, you must surely benefit a lot from me, i swear in the name of my late parents, but if you are not ready to help me and you do not wish to meet me in person, you tell me so that i can look for help else where than you ignoring my messages.



My dear, all what i needs is just a small money that i will give to the Immigration woman which she will use to secure every documents that will give me the legal right to obtain the international passport as the citizen of the country, you should know that i can not be able to move out of this country without a passport, so my dear, i really need your help. Can you help me and you must achieve a lot from me.



I want you and i also want to meet you, i want to live with you and i know that you will be very happy the day you will see me in person right from the airport. I am a good girl and i know you will enjoy me both sexually and in deed, but please if you do not want me, tell me now. .

Have a lovely day as i look forward to receiving your response.

I remain your only one.

Rose Saadi





From: Rossy Saadi < rosssysaadi@gmail.com >

Sent: Tue, Sep 27, 2016 1:42 pm

Subject: Re: WUMT news. . rosssysaadi@gmail.com



Darling, the woman works with the Togolese Immigration and she will be the person that will handle every of my traveling logistics, her office is in a boarder between Lome and Nigeria.



My dear, you will send the money to me through Western Union Money transfer, in fact, what i will advise is you direct the money to Nigeria because that is where i will travel to pick up the money, so

that when i pick the money, i will immediately go straight to her office to give her the money.



But if i should pick the money here in Lome, Togo, i may decide to use the money for some other thing because the condition of lives here are so bad, so i will prefer to pick the money at her office right there in Nigeria.



I have sent my ID card to you, what else do you want ???



If you received a similar letter, please ignore it. Do not answer it. If you do, you will end up on more of the mailing lists used by the criminals behind this fraud. Read more....
Japan said Tuesday it would relax its visa regulations for visitors from China starting October 17.

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida told the Forum on Sino-Japanese Relations in Tokyo that the plan that was first announced in April when he visited China. It said the length of stay would be extended from 5 to 10 years for Chinese nationals applying for multiple entry visas for short-term business trips and for cultural or academic activities, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

China's Foreign Ministry said the number of Chinese and Japanese people traveling to each other's country was 4.71 million person/times in 2013.

"Japan tries to promote non-governmental level exchanges, especially when both sides have many disputes and problems on the government-to-government level," Huang Dahui, director of the Center for East Asian Studies at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Tuesday, adding that Chinese people are also expected to form the largest foreign audience at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Also starting in October, Chinese graduate students and alumni of the universities of the Ministry of Education of China will be allowed to submit a certificate of student status or graduation, instead of a document, to confirm financial capability previously required, the Japanese Foreign Ministry also said on Tuesday, Xinhua reported.

"Japan needs to open itself to the world to boost economic growth," Huang said. "Aside from attracting tourists, Japan's education market also needs support from China."
Yangon landlords will face penalties if they rent rooms or apartments to foreigners holding a tourist visa, U Zaw Aye Maung, the military-appointed region minister for immigration, told The Myanmar Times.





By-laws written for Myanmars 1947 Immigration Act stipulate that foreign visitors on a tourist visa must stay in hotels, he said.

Only permanent residents and foreigners holding business visas are allowed to rent apartments or houses within wards  an administrative sub-division of cities - said U Zaw Aye Maung.

In the past these rules were rarely enforced, but a sharp rise in the number of foreign visitors to Yangon meant it was important that landlords and tourists follow the rules, he added.

It is not a new law it was enacted a long time ago, said U Zaw Aye Maung. But the reason we are reminding people is that now more tourists are staying in houses and apartments. We cant take responsibility for their security if they arent staying in a hotel.

The number of tourists and expats arriving in Yangon for recreation and business has risen in recent years. Hotels projects have blossomed in response, and there are now so many hotels in key areas that the government has decided to place restrictions on new development.

But despite the surge in the number of hotel rooms, many individuals and groups entering the country on tourist visas opt to rent rooms or apartments from locals, which remain a cheaper option, said real estate consultant U Aung Min.





Hardly any real estate agents or home owners are interested in what kind of visa foreigners looking to rent are holding, he said. They want to rent to foreigners because of the higher fees.

But U Zaw Aye Maung said the authorities will take action against landlords and foreigners in violation of the rules and added that tourists could face deportation.

He said the onus was on homeowners to check what kind of visa a foreign visitor holds before renting out a room. He could not be reached, however, for further comment on what the penalties for lax landlords will be or how grey areas, such as visiting foriegn friends or rooms let on the increasingly popular online rental marketplace Airbnb, will be treated.

U Zaw Aye Maung admitted, however, that enforcing the long-ignored law will be a challenge given the size of Yangon and the rising number of expats.

There are over 7 million people in Yangon and 45 townships and it has many streets and roads, he said. Township administrators cannot know how many expats are living within the ward, but that is the duty of wards administrators. We cant check every street within every township, but if someone informs us tourists are living on a road or in a unit well investigate and take action.

U Myint Kyaing, permanent secretary at the Ministry for Immigration and Population in Nay Pyi Taw, said the restriction is also included in regulations attached to Myanmars 1982 Citizens Act.

According to an officer at the immigration department, who asked not to be named, the tourist visa application also stipulates that a foreigner cannot rent a private apartment.

A foreigner that enters on a business visa can stay anywhere he wants, and also can rent an apartment or a house, he said. But foreigners on tourist visas are not allowed to enter into rental agreements like that.

The government has also decided to get tough on guesthouses, applying a law under which owners who rent rooms to foreign guests without a licence can be jailed for three years. Under the same law, only guesthouses that can provide certain facilities  including an en suite bathroom  can receive a licence.

Additional reporting by Ei Ei Thu
The Yangon Region government is looking into the possibility of building a seaport in the south of the city as part of a plan drawn up with the help of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).





U Toe Aung, deputy head of Yangon City Development Committees City Planning and Land Administration Department, said the plan was part of the region governments vision of making Yangon a seaport city.

Letkokkon town in Kungyangone township has been singled out as potential site for the seaport, although the government is still at the stage of conducting a feasibility study into which area might be suitable, he said.

This is a vision for the future of Yangon. Its a long-term project, he said. So now it is just only at the study phase, and the regional government is looking into the plan with the help of KOICA and the Ministry of Construction.

The South Korean agency signed with the Ministry of Construction for several large-scale projects last year, including master plans for the north and south of Yangon and designing a national road network.

A region government spokesperson confirmed the government has a plan for a seaport, but could not comment on details.

Such a project could turn southern townships into prime logistics hubs, and help extend and develop the south of Yangon in conjunction with the Southwest New City project, said U Toe Aung. The Southwest New City initiative, however, is still under review by the government.

The idea is that these [south township] areas could help ships transport [cargo] into the city, he said, but added that because of how long the project would take, Yangon will continue to rely on its existing downtown port for years.
With playful brushstrokes and a steady arm, Turkish-Canadian artist Atanur Dogan brings a human face to life, wowing the audience during the opening ceremony of the first annual exhibition of the International Watercolour Society of Myanmar at the New Treasure Art Gallery.





Dogan, the founder and president of IWS, is excited by the countrys first international exhibition and his first trip to the country, hoping to invigorate Myanmars watercolour scene.

When I paint portraits, I mainly draw the value of the models image, the striking features or character, Dogan said, struck by the simple and pastoral landscapes of Myanmar. There are so many excellent artists in Myanmar and finally, the government is encouraging them; they can now do more in their field.

From September 24 through today, watercolourists from 80 different countries have come together to exhibit their work. Twenty-five of them are Myanmar artists, including Min Wae Aung, Aye Min, Aung Sint, Aung Htet Lwin and Aung Phaw Oo among others who will participate in four painting demonstrations.

Artist Min Wae Aung, known for his paintings of monastic life around the world, was one of the key organisers of the exhibition.

I am glad that the founder of IWS himself was able to come to the IWS Myanmars first show. His presence is very exciting because he is able to witness and give guidance to a whole class of Myanmar artists. Later, Myanmar artists will have the chance to show their art to other IWS divisions, he said.





With water lilies and traditional Myanmar instruments as his muses, artist Aung Sint was very pleased with the turn out of the exhibit.

All of the artists came out for this event, and we are very glad to have this opportunity, he said.

Though IWS Myanmar has an active presence in Myanmar, watercolourist Myint Naing, known for his nude portraits and soft brushstrokes said, I think it is a technique that is becoming more and more of the past... Its possible that watercolour painting as a technique is difficult, but if an artist enjoys it, it doesnt matter if it is difficult or easy. 

With the help of IWS Myanmar, artists have the opportunity to learn from and connect with a whole network of watercolourists from around the world.

Today we met with many young artists who do watercolour art. he said. Many young artists will benefit from the IWS Myanmar.

The exhibition also corresponded with a field trip of sorts. From September 25 to 27, outdoor painting sessions were held in Kalaw, Inle Lake and Taunggyi.

Last night, the painters returned to Yangon to share their work inspired by these travels with each other.
President Xi Jinping's speech at a G20 banquet gave belated recognition to John Leighton Stuart, a missionary, educator and diplomat born in China who was for decades seen as a symbol of US aggression in China.

A bust of John Leighton Stuart in Hangzhou. (File photo)

On September 4, during a banquet held to welcome the heads of foreign delegations attending the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, Chinese President Xi Jinping cited several historical and current examples to show Hangzhou has close ties with many countries.

Among the names he mentioned including Italian priest Matteo Ricci, Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore and South African politician Nelson Mandela who all either wrote of or visited Hangzhou was Situ Leideng, the Chinese name of US missionary, educator and later ambassador John Leighton Stuart.

"A hundred and forty years ago, in June 1876, Mr. John Leighton Stuart, the former US ambassador to China, was born here in Hangzhou. He went on to live in China for over 50 years and was buried in Hangzhou," Xi said.

This is the first time that a top Chinese leader has mentioned Leighton Stuart, who has long been a controversial figure in China, in a public speech. For decades, Chinese people have been taught in school that the American China expert and last US ambassador to China prior to the 1949 establishment of the People's Republic of China, was a symbol of US aggression - which is how Chairman Mao Zedong described him in his famous essay "Farewell, Leighton Stuart" which was published in August 18, 1949.

Mao's famous verdict not only influenced the image of Leighton Stuart in the minds of generations of Chinese, but also prevented him from returning to China - even after his death. Leighton Stuart died in Washington in 1962, and his last wish was to be buried in the land of his birth. Despite repeated attempts by Leighton Stuart's friends, this wasn't realized until 2008, partially due to the efforts of Xi Jinping, then China's vice president.

"It is profoundly meaningful that President Xi mentioned Leighton Stuart in his speech at such a high-level occasion like the G20. It's an official recognition of Leighton Stuart, and it shows China's resolve to get disputes between China and the US under control," Shen Jianzhong, historian and author of two books on Leighton Stuart, Walk into the Life of John Leighton Stuart and Biographical Paintings of John Leighton Stuart, told the Global Times.

Bad reputation

In August 1949, when victory in the civil war was imminent for the Communist Party of China (CPC), the Truman administration recalled then ambassador John Leighton Stuart back to the United States, and published a White Paper on China explaining why US policy in the country had failed.

The White Paper, a 1,054-page document officially entitled "United States Relations with China," was an attempt to justify US policy toward China, portraying Chiang Kai-Shek's Kuomintang regime as inefficient and corrupt and referring to the CPC victory as "the fall of China to Communists."

The White Paper increased already fervent anti-American popular sentiment in China. About 10 days after it was published, Mao wrote the satirical and incisive "Farewell, Leighton Stuart," referring to John Leighton Stuart as "a symbol of the complete defeat of the US policy of aggression."

"The article was actually a response to the US White Paper, and he mentions Leighton Stuart in the article as a symbol of the US government. It was not intended to be targeted at Leighton Stuart personally," Shen said.

The article, written as an editorial for the Xinhua News Agency, was later included in the Selected Works of Mao Zedong in the 1960s, with a note referring to Leighton Stuart as "a loyal agent of US cultural aggression in China." It was also included in China's Chinese language class textbooks, and the image of Leighton Stuart as a representative of imperialism and capitalism, and of the US as China's enemy, was imprinted into the mind of generations of Chinese.

Leighton Stuart later wrote in his memoir Fifty Years in China that "I have felt acutely the irony of my having been my country's Ambassador to China at a time when all that I had previously accomplished in the country to which I was accredited was apparently being destroyed."

Legacy of learning

The history of the Stuart family in China is a history of Sino-US relations from the late Qing Dynasty to the People's Republic.

John Leighton Stuart was born in Hangzhou to Presbyterian missionary parents from the US. His father, who arrived in China in 1868, was one of the first Presbyterian ministers sent to China from the US. His mother, Mary Horton, was the founder of the Hangzhou School for Girls, one of the first institutions of its kind in China.

John Leighton Stuart, who spoke fluent Chinese, also became a missionary in China. In 1908, He became a professor at the Nanking Theological Seminary.

But Leighton Stuart didn't stop at theology, and many historians agree that the biggest legacy Leighton Stuart left to China was in education. He helped establish Yenching University in Beijing, which was formed out of the merger of four Christian colleges between the years 1915 and 1920, and became its first president.

The university introduced Western-style university education to China, and formed partnerships with many prestigious US universities including Harvard, Princeton and the University of Missouri. It also supported Chinese nationalism, and many of Yenching's students were critical forces in the revolutionary May Fourth Movement and the May Thirtieth Movement.

As he resisted their aggression in China, the Japanese incarcerated Stuart in Beijing for over three years from December 1941 to August 1945.

John Leighton Stuart served as US ambassador to China from 1946 to 1949, mediating between the Kuomintang and the Communists when the Chinese Civil War was at its most critical moment. "He was an idealist, not a professional diplomat. He said China should learn from the US government and the Kuomintang and Communists should form one government, but his idealism was not possible in China, and he was facing a dilemma," Shen said.

Hard homecoming

After Leighton Stuart died, Philip Fugh, longtime senior aide to John Leighton Stuart who also left China for the US in 1949, kept his ashes at his home, waiting for the day when he could find an opportunity to send Leighton Stuart back to China.

In 1973, after China and US resumed diplomatic relations, Fugh visited China. In 1984, Fugh visited China again. During both trips, Fugh tried to persuade Chinese officials to allow Leighton Stuart to be buried in China, but was rebuffed.

In 1985, through a friend, Fugh sent a letter to then Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, hoping he could allow Leighton Stuart's ashes to be buried in Peking University, which now owns the former campus of Yenching University. The letter stressed that Leighton Stuart was born in China and regarded China as his home, and both his parents and wife were buried in China.

Fugh decided to visit China next May for the burial ceremony. But bad news soon came: some people in Peking University were against the burial, and the ceremony was "postponed" indefinitely.

"Some of those who opposed the burial were former students at Yenching University, and they still think of Leighton Stuart as an imperialist," Shen said, adding that many former students, including diplomat Huang Hua and poet Bing Xin, supported Stuart's ashes being returned to Beijing.

After Fugh died in 1988, the responsibility to execute the will of John Leighton Stuart fell to his son John Fugh, the first Chinese American to attain general officer status in the US Army. In 1998, before then US president Bill Clinton made his China visit, John Fugh used his connections to express to Clinton's entourage and the US embassy in China his hope that Leighton Stuart could return to China.

When Clinton visited Peking University, he mentioned Leighton Stuart as its first president. "In June 1919, the first president of Yenching University, John Leighton Stuart, was set to deliver the very first commencement address on these very grounds," Clinton said in the speech.

The next year, Fugh's family was notified that Peking University had agreed to allow Leighton Stuart's ashes to be buried in its campus, after reporting to the central government.

But just as they were getting ready to deliver the ashes, US bombs hit the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, then part of Yugoslavia, hugely increasing tensions between China and the US. The burial was postponed again.

Fast forward to 2006, the next chance came when Xi Jinping, then vice Party secretary of Zhejiang Province, visited the US, and John Fugh voiced his appeal to Xi in Washington. In 2008, 46 years after the death of John Leighton Stuart, his ashes were finally laid in a cemetery in Hangzhou, his birth city about two hours south of Shanghai.

Today, Leighton Stuart shares the same cemetery in Hangzhou with many Chinese soldiers who fought in the war against anti-Japanese aggression, as well as Wang Wei, the People's Liberation Army air force pilot whose plane crashed into a US Air Force reconnaissance plane in the South China Sea on April 1, 2001, causing a major diplomatic crisis between China and the US over who should take responsibility.

"It's interesting that these figures are now buried in the same place. It shows how the antagonism and controversies between China and the US have reconciled over the past decades, and how times have changed," Shen said.
Confusion over the ownership of a huge plot of land seized by the former government for a project that was never completed is ruining the environment, says a local MP.





U Aung Min (NLD; Pyin Oo Lwin 1) said the development project on the 10,000-acre (4000-hectare) plot, which includes 6834 acres of forest reserve land, 297 acres of cultivated land and 2207 acres of virgin forest land, was only 10 percent complete.

The land was seized for development of Yadanarpon New Town near Thaung Htaung village, Pyin Oo Lwin township, in 2007. The project was later suspended.

Instead of the development projects, most of the land was planted with coffee trees, perennial plants, mandarin orange plants and teak, according to the farmers.

Fifty farmers are facing trial in land ownership disputes. There is trespassing, and illegal land transactions occur. Because nobody seems to know whats going on, people are claiming ownership and aggressively clearing forest land. This is causing huge damage to the environment, MP U Aung Min told The Myanmar Times on September 26. He has conducted three field investigations into the issue.

U Zarni Aung, minister for electricity, energy and construction, said on September 21 that the ownership dispute would be resolved according to guidelines from the Mandalay Region government.

The Yadanarpon project was taken over by the Department of Urban and Housing Development under the Ministry of Construction earlier this year. The governments economic affairs committee decided to stop further work on the project despite suggestions that the current government should restart it.

Since DUHD took over, trespassers have been clearing the forest and some are building houses and selling off parts of the land. We have warned them three times to desist, said the minister.





We will ask the regional government for guidelines as to how to deal with this, U Zarni Aung told MPs.

Translation by Zar Zar Soe
Stronger laws are needed to protect Myanmar migrant workers from exploitation and abuse, MPs demanded yesterday. They said the 10 percent of Myanmar citizens working overseas deserved more help from their government.





The government should respect and value its citizens overseas and take responsibility for their safety, Daw Nan Moe (TPNP; Manton) told the Pyithu Hluttaw.

She was supporting a proposal urging the Union government to help Myanmar nationals forced to work abroad because of joblessness and low wages at home from being used as forced labour, bullied, insulted, arrested, tortured or even killed, by liaising with the governments concerned, and to take swift action accordingly.

Daw Nan Moe said most Myanmar workers in China were ethnic Palaung and Shan citizens from northern Shan State who had been forced from their homes by high unemployment, instability and trafficking.

Women and children were the principal victims, she said. They are trafficked as sex workers. Some are working as housemaids, or sold as brides.

Most Myanmar migrant workers in China had been trafficked, and of 110 cases she cited, 95 were women, she said.

The MP, who represents the Taang (Palaung) National Party, put forward a plan that would protect Myanmar migrant workers through government-to-government negotiations; create job opportunities in regions of high unemployment; enact a law protecting migrant workers; respect and value citizens and take responsibility for them; and issue labour ID cards for workers in China through negotiations with the Chinese government.

Creating jobs will take time, so issuing labour cards is the best solution for the time being. It could protect migrant workers in China, she said.





U Thaung Htay Linn (NLD; Patheingyi) said Myanmar people had to work abroad because of job scarcity and low wages at home. Residents of border areas had to work abroad because of insecurity and bad roads, which stopped them selling their produce. Many jobs overseas were difficult, unsanitary and ill-suited to the many migrant workers who are graduates, he said. He put the number of people leaving Myanmar to work abroad at 10pc of the population.

The government has a responsibility to help migrant workers, who face arrest and torture by employers in collaboration with local police, as well as robbery, threats and extortion, he said.

As a first step, the government should release a statement acknowledging its responsibility for its citizens, said Dr Kyi Moh Moh Lwin (NLD; Singaing), and to take up their problems with the other governments concerned.

Its necessary to simplify the process of legalising their status. Our embassies overseas should compile lists of legal and illegal workers, she said.

The proposal was submitted by U Kyaw Aung Lwin (NLD; Sidoktaya) on September 21. Ten MPs have already taken part in the debate and six more, as well as the immigration officials concerned, have yet to speak.

Translation by Thiri Min Htun
Myanmar's deputy home affairs minister said yesterday that authorities have in recent weeks seized K2.8 billion (US$2.3 million) worth of counterfeit drugs, expired medicines and related production materials.





General Aung Soe said the Ministry of Home Affairs raided 11 pharmacy and pharmaceuticals warehouse sites from August 31 to September 12, after surveilling locations that had been highlighted in a report from the Ministry of Industry. The sting was carried out at places including stalls in Bogyoke and Shwe Pyae Sone markets in the commercial capital, netting 44 different types of counterfeit pharmaceuticals.

Counterfeit drugs, expired medicines, different kinds of fake BPI stamp documents, chemical liquids which are used for producing counterfeit drugs, medical pouch-sealing machines used for packing medicine and pill counting machines were among the goods seized, the deputy minister said at a press conference yesterday at the Ministry of Industry in Nay Pyi Taw. A printer used to stamp fake trademark labels was also seized, he added.

BPI, or Burma Pharmaceutical Industry, was a state-run drug maker renamed Myanmar Pharmaceutical Factory in 1988. It is under the administration of the Ministry of Industry.

Officials yesterday described two duplicitous techniques used by the pharmaceuticals scammers. Counterfeit drugs produced at factories in Mandalay and Yangon regions, as well as Chinese-made medicines, were bottled with bogus BPI labelling, and legitimate but expired BPI drugs were found to have had their labels reprinted with dates that indicated they had not yet expired.

Twelve men and two women have been detained and a case has been opened under section 18 of the 1992 National Drug Law, the deputy minister said. Charges under section 18 carry with them a fine of K50,000 to K500,000, a maximum seven years in prison or both, according to Dr U Oakka of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

These people are distributing and selling imitation medicines and if the public buys and uses them, significant harm can occur. We will take action against all the relevant people in this case, Gen Aung Soe said.

Union Industry Minister U Khin Maung Cho said given the public health risks posed, production and sale of counterfeit pharmaceuticals would not be tolerated.





The imitation medicine business cannot be forgiven and it can cause people trouble. So we are announcing [the consequences of counterfeiting] clearly today, U Khin Maung Cho said.

Translation by San Layy and Khine Thazin Han
In November 2014 US President Barack Obama announced that Peace Corps would open a program in Myanmar  the 141st country to work with the US government-funded organisation, established in 1961.





The first Peace Corps volunteers were expected to arrive in Myanmar in late 2015, when they would undergo three months of training before moving to their work sites for two years. However, the first group of six volunteers did not arrive in the country until earlier this month, on September 17.

The Myanmar Times spoke with Peace Corps country director Maura Fulton about the organisations pilot program in Myanmar. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The US embassy initially announced that volunteers would arrive in Myanmar in late 2015. Why the change of plans?

There were some delays due to the timing of the 2015 election. In 2016, Peace Corps has been working closely with government of Myanmar officials, Yangon Region and township officials, and school principals and English teachers to collaboratively shape the English education project and make our partnership a reality.

Where are the volunteer sites located and how were the sites chosen?

[Peace Corps volunteers will be in] six townships in Yangon Region.

Peace Corps worked closely with the Ministry of Education and the Yangon Region government to select the sites based on the Yangon Regions priorities and on Peace Corps criteria. The Yangon Region government selected sites with the greatest need, interest and motivation.





Peace Corps volunteers work in variety of sectors  education, health, community economic development, environment, youth in development and agriculture. Of these, why was education chosen over the others to start the program?

Peace Corps operates in countries to which it has been invited. In 2013 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs invited Peace Corps to open a program in Myanmar and in the same year, Peace Corps conducted two assessments.

Education was among the top sectors that emerged during the 2013 assessments and was selected for the first project. In response to the needs of the government of Myanmar, Peace Corps developed an English education project that fills a need for teacher training and English instruction at the basic education middle and high school levels.

What is the utility of Myanmar students in rural areas learning English?

As Myanmar increases its ties to the rest of the world and the global economy, the demand for English education is also increasing. Peace Corps/Myanmar has a unique opportunity to contribute to the Ministry of Educations goals in curriculum development and teacher capacity strengthening. There is great interest from teachers and students to enhance their English language acquisition to help them gain greater access to information and increased study and career opportunities.

In addition to providing technical assistance, Peace Corps volunteers build bridges of friendship and cross-cultural understanding with their Myanmar colleagues, friends and neighbours. They share American culture and traditions during their service, and they share Myanmar culture and traditions with their family and friends back in the United States.

Is there a plan for the Peace Corps to expand into other sectors in the future? Is there a time frame for this? Will the number of volunteers be increased?

Peace Corps will focus on English education for the first few years of the program and would like to expand into other sectors in the future, based on the needs and priorities expressed by the government of Myanmar. As agreed with our Ministry of Education partners, Peace Corps will bring 20 additional Peace Corps volunteers in the English education project in February 2017. Also, based on the expressed interest of our government Myanmar partners, Peace Corps may increase the number of Peace Corps volunteers each year.
Just one month after the Ministry of Home Affairs was heralded for opening up five departments to civilian control, it has swiftly backpeddled on the offer, issuing a clarification letter.







A permanent secretary at the ministry said the decision was not a reversal of previously announced policy, but rather a clarification of a wrongly interpreted order.

A spokesperson for the ministry told The Myanmar Times yesterday that the five departments will stay firmly lodged under the umbrella of Home Affairs and, by extension, the military.

We are just acting in line with the constitutional provisions, said U Maung Maung Myint, assistant permanent secretary at the home affairs ministry.

In an official letter issued at the end of August to state and region chief ministers, Lieutenant General Kyaw Swe, minister for home affairs, had said the local governments could take over managing the police, the Bureau of Special Investigations, the Fire Service Department, the Prison Department and the General Administration Department (GAD).

Political analysts and international observers have long argued that in order to facilitate genuine local democracy, the administration of such departments needs to be decentralised and brought under civilian management.

But housing GAD within the military-led Ministry of Home Affairs with a mandate to oversee local, township-level administration served as an important pillar of the juntas discipline-flourishing democracy.

The five departments, with their top-to-bottom hierarchical structures, have long been subject to criticisms for an ingrained system of bribery and corruption. Most of the senior management officials at the departments were cherry-picked from the Defence Services.





U Maung Maung Myint defended the ministrys newly released letter as a necessary clarification of the first missive sent to the chief ministers in August.

I think the first letter was at that time misinterpreted to mean that the administration of those departments was being transferred to the chief ministers. That is not correct, he said.

He added that the ministry will continue overseeing all of its departments in the states and regions, but is inviting chief ministers to better cooperate and coordinate, as per the 2008 military-drafted constitution.

However, the constitution seems to contradict the permanent secretarys explanation as to who is tasked with managing the departments.

Provision 260 says, The head of the General Administration Department of the region or state is the ex-officio secretary of the region or state government concerned. Moreover, the General Administration Department of the region or state is housed within the office of the region or state government concerned.

Section 256 of the 2008 charter says that the state and regional governments must manage, guide, supervise and inspect the departments of the ministries so that they follow the constitutional provisions and existing laws.

Upper house MP U Htay Oo (NLD; Yangon 2) said there was no doubting that Home Affairs had changed its mind since last month. He attributed the reversal to retribution for the militarys recent defeats in parliament.

The ruling National League for Democracy and military lawmakers have recently sparred over several pieces of legislation that deal with local governance. But the NLD-dominated parliament has overwhelmed the vote, including in favour of amending the Ward and Village Tract Administration Law  especially on the point of removing an overnight guest registration requirement  and scrapping the Emergency Provisions Act.

We supported abolishing [the guest registration stipulation], whereas the military opposed abolishing it. I think these events [amending the laws and backtracking on the department management] are connected, said U Htay Oo. Thats why they are drawing back their previous decision.

Military MPs had also opposed the NLD on a personal freedom and security bill, which outlaws surveillance that could impact civilians personal freedoms and dignity, and which last week passed the lower house. Military MPs had argued that the security of the state should be given priority over personal freedoms.
Residents of Chipwe and Hsawlaw townships in Kachin State have joined growing calls for the government to scrap seven hydropower projects along the Ayeyarwady River, including the controversial Myitsone megadam in neighbouring Myitkyina township.





The residents sent an open letter laying out their demands to President U Htin Kyaw. Copies of the missive were also sent to State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the chair of the commission responsible for reviewing and scrutinising hydropower projects along the Ayeyarwady River, lower house deputy Speaker U T Khun Myat.

U Lwan Zau, a member of the Kachin State-based NGO Mungchying Rawt Jat and veteran opponent of the Myitsone project, told The Myanmar Times that the government should not proceed with projects opposed by local populations.

We dont want any of these [hydropower] projects on the Ayeyarwady River. Thats why we decided to send a letter to the president. We hope that he responds, he said.

According to the letter, residents are demanding that the projects be cancelled because they were negotiated by the previous military government, which failed to consult or gain support from people living near the proposed project areas.

The Myanmar Times was unable to reach the Presidents Office for comment on the letter.

The commission for reviewing and scrutinising hydropower projects along the Ayeyarwady River has been tasked with recommending whether the proposed projects should be continued, factoring in the public interest as well as previously agreed contractual obligations with developers.





An initial report from the commission is due to be delivered to the president on November 11, though its members have downplayed the submission as unlikely to yet contain much substantive policy advice.

The commission held a regularly scheduled meeting on September 26, during which the letter from the Chipwe and Hsawlaw residents was not discussed.

Following the meeting, one commission member who spoke to The Myanmar Times on condition of anonymity said the review body is currently compiling data for its November 11 report and is unsure whether a previously proposed interim report would be given to the president ahead of that date.

I think our first report and any interim report wouldnt be that different, the commission member said.

Last week, the commission released a statement saying their assessment would consult not only with local experts and affected residents, but also with foreign experts as necessary.

The Myitsone dam is likely to pose the thorniest of dilemmas for the commission. The Chinese-backed US$3.6 billion project was suspended by then-president U Thein Sein amid widespread public opposition in 2011. Beijing has been pressuring the successor National League for Democracy government to resume construction, but local opposition has not diminished in the years since U Thein Sein ordered a halt on development.

Concerns about the dams environmental impacts, displacement of local populations and an original power-transfer agreement that would see about 90 percent of the electricity generated by Myitsone sent to China have all fuelled the persisting resistance to the project.

A group of more than 50 Kachin civil society organisations came out forcefully against Myitsones resumption earlier this month, when the scrutinising commission paid a field visit to Myitkyina from September 15 to 18.
Celebrating its birthday for the first time as Myanmars ruling party, the National League for Democracy marked its 28th anniversary yesterday by emphasising its commitment to national reconciliation and the establishment of a federal state based on the principles of freedom, justice and equality.





A statement released by the party said the NLD was prepared to tackle the nations problems, and urged members of the public to work hand-in-hand toward a more prosperous future.

The NLD will march on along with the people into a future that we ourselves will create, read the statement.

The partys statement also expressed gratitude for the understanding of the public, ethnic nationalities and all other stakeholders as it faces down deep-rooted challenges and pushes for historic change.

Stakeholders have demonstrated the democratic culture of perseverance, compromise, mutual respect and fairness for the nation, said the statement.

Party patron U Tin Oo, Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein and regional parliamentary Speaker U Tin Maung Tun (NLD; Dagon 1) joined more than 100 other NLD members in commemorating the 28th anniversary of the partys founding at its headquarters in Yangon.

U Tin Oo yesterday said national reconciliation and bringing an end to armed conflicts in the country were among the partys highest priorities.





There is no word to substitute for national reconciliation and we cannot make any successful changes without national reconciliation, he said.

Though not in attendance yesterday, party leader and State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi sent a message to the NLD faithful urging them not to worry about her health, after her office revealed this week that she was suffering from fatigue and other health issues that doctors blamed on the rigours of a recent trip abroad.

Her health condition is good. She is taking a rest because of the long trip and different climate [in Britain and the United States], U Tin Oo said. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi returned from a two-week trip to London, Washington and New York on September 25.

NLD spokesperson U Nyan Win said the state counsellor planned to take a weeks respite before returning to work.

The NLD was founded on September 27, 1988, a product of the nationwide pro-democracy uprising that had reached its apex the month prior. For the more than two decades that followed, party chair Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and thousands of her supporters were persecuted by the military junta that ceded power in 2011.

Following political reforms by the quasi-civilian administration that preceded hers, the state counsellors party rejoined the electoral fray in a 2012 by-election and won a landslide majority in the November 2015 general election. Amid sky-high expectations and in spite of a constitutional ban on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi assuming the presidency, the NLD government  with the state counsellor as its de facto leader  was sworn into power in late March.
Farmers from Magwe Region have formally submitted complaints, for a third time this year, demanding the return of acreage seized by the Ministry of Defence in the late 1990s.





Their complaints, which have been submitted to Vice President U Henry Van Thio, Magwes chief minister and a number of parliamentary committees, relate to 12,700 acres of farmland in Sinbaungwe township between 1998-99.

During this time, the farmers land was acquired by the Ministry of Defence for the construction of factories for the state-owned Myanmar Defence Products Industries, better known as Ka Pa Sa. Farmers were offered negligible compensation, approximately equivalent to US$0.01 per acre.

Once the farmlands were seized, farmers were told to come to take compensation of K12 an acre. Some took it but some didnt, said farmer U Myo Tint from Ma Gyi Pin Pu village.

The aggrieved farmers are seeking the return of lands that was never utilised, or fair compensation.

We want to take back the unused lands. For land which is being used, we want compensation that is calculated according to the lands current value, U Myo Tint said.

There are unused lands left over from the weapons factory so we want the authorities to give it back to us. And then we also want a Form 7 [Land Use Certificate], said another farmer, U Aung San, from Sar Ya Pay village.

The farmers have submitted numerous complaints to successive governments about the land seizures, but so far they seem to have fallen on deaf ears.





In August 2012, nearly 500 farmers from the 13 villages demanded the return of their farmlands by submitting letters to former President U Thein Sein and 34 relevant departments. The former government took no action to resolve their claims.

The National League for Democracy-led government has been similarly unresponsive to the farmers complaints so far, despite the partys campaign pledge to resolve all land-grab issues.

According to U Paw Oo, Farmers Network chair for the Baw Myint village area, the two formal complaints submitted by farmers in May and August of this year have received no response from the government.

Thats why we have submitted our complaint again for a third time, he said.

An expert in farmland law and adviser to the Magwe Region Farmers Federation, U Aung Kyaw Kyaw was critical of the governments handling of the claims.

The farmland law states that a special team, headed by a regional executive, shall investigate farmland issues which concern the public. But such a special team has not been formed, he said. Fair compensation should be paid to the farmers for land being for military facilities and unused land should be returned to them.

Translation by Zar Zar Soe
Escalating protests against a military conglomerate-supported gold mine resulted in a stand-off between police and villagers outside regional government offices yesterday.





Five residents from Yehtwet village in Mandalay Regions Thabeikkyin township demanded to meet with the chief minister, staging a demonstration outside the governments office. They waved handmade signs that said, Quickly resolve land problems and Do not encroach on Yehtwet villages territory.

They told us that on September 23 they had received a verbal promise that they would be allowed to meet the chief minister, said Police Colonel U Sein Tun from the Mandalay District Police Force.

We told them that what they were doing was unlawful because they hadnt asked for permission for the protest in advance, he said.

Nevertheless, the protest eventually proved successful, and the villagers were granted an audience with the chief minister.

The residents say the gold miners are trespassing on village property, and have demanded the regional government intervene. But their formally submitted complaints have so far received no response, pushing them to take more decisive action yesterday.

The site in contention was granted to military-owned Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings by No 2 Mining Enterprise under the Ministry of Mines, for micro gold-mining, on January 28 last year. The military conglomerate then signed a contract with Myanmar Sithu Company to operate the project on March 25, 2015.





The mining site extends within the village borders, alongside houses and buildings where people have been living for many years. Residents complain that miners from outside the area are encroaching on their farmlands and taking the gold that the villagers should be allowed to mine. Villagers have implored the government to retract the permit.

Companies are trespassing on nearly 80 acres of the villages land. Thats why we came to demonstrate and represent the villages concerns, said U Htay Kyaw, a resident of Yehtwet village. We will stop demonstrating if the problem is resolved.

Last year, the mining company and local residents repeatedly clashed, with protesters setting fire to the mining companys property and to vehicles. In response, one local resident was shot and required hospitalisation. In January this year, 100 local residents occupied the mining site until a township management meeting was held by the Thabeikkyin Township Administration Office. The local officials decided to press charges against the villagers.

But the local community is refusing to give up the fight.

We only want our villages land, not anything else, said U Htay Kyaw.

Translation by Zar Zar Soe
More than 2000 people protested the arrests of seven jade prospectors this week in Hkamti township, Sagaing Region, following a government crackdown on people found in possession of illegal gemstones.





It is not reasonable to arrest people in this way for having illegal gemstones. If they want to arrest people on these charges, they should arrest everyone in Hkamti and gemstone traders across Myanmar, said U Aung San Myint, who led the September 26 demonstration.

According to the current law, everyone should be arrested apart from the gemstone mining companies. Arresting jade scavengers means destroying local livelihoods without creating other job opportunities, so we have to demonstrate, he added.

This desire to protect the livelihoods of jade prospectors and their families was the reason that another man, U Soe Naing, also attended the demonstration.

There are many jade scavengers in Hkamti as well as in Hpakant [township, in Kachin State]. Many people depend on them. If they are arrested, their families may struggle to survive, he said.

U Soe Naing added, If the authorities want to arrest [jade prospectors] in a bid to stop them doing this type of work, they need to create other job opportunities for them or arrange small-scale mining business for them. If not, they will be arresting jade scavengers every day.

Under the current Myanmar Gemstones Law, aside from licensed companies, anyone found in possession of raw gemstones may be charged under section 42(a) of the legislation, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.





Under the law, exploration licences are only granted to large mining companies for 10-year terms and to medium-sized companies for five years. There is currently no provision in the legislation to grant licences for small mining plots.

The current gemstone law is great for mining companies. According to the law, large and medium exploration licences can be granted through a tender process, but this does not work for people who are unable to conduct large mining enterprises. It does not work for people who make a living by scavenging for raw gemstones, said U Soe Lwin, a Mandalay gems trader.

The current law should be amended, otherwise ordinary local people will face difficulties, he added.

In April, demonstrations were held in nearby Hpakant township, with participants calling for amendments to the gemstones law that would support jade scavengers and small-scale prospectors.

Demonstrators in the more recent Hkamti protests made six demands of authorities, which included the release of the arrested jade prospectors and, as with the earlier Hpakant protests, revisions to the current gemstones law to provide for small-scale mining enterprises.

Translation by Thiri Min Htun and Win Thaw Tar
WASHINGTON -- Executive Directors of the World Bank on Tuesday agreed unanimously to reappoint Jim Yong Kim to a second five-year term as president of the multilateral development bank.

"Executive Directors cited the achievements of Bank Group staff and management during Dr. Kim's first four years in office, and recognized his leadership and vision," the World Bank said in a statement, adding that his second term will begin on July 1, 2017.

Kim became the 12th president of the World Bank on July 1, 2012. Before this post, he served as president of the famous US academic institution Dartmouth College.

Kim said Tuesday that he was "humbled" to have the honor of serving a second term as World Bank chief, and that he was committed to working closely with bank staff, partners, and member countries to address global challenges.

"The challenges going forward remain large, with climate change, forced displacement, and pandemics threatening the gains we have made to improve the lives of billions," he said in a statement.

"We will need to work even more closely with partners, and continue to find new and innovative ways to leverage scarce development resources effectively."

In a meeting between Kim and the board of executive directors, Kim stated that his "highest priority" going forward was institutional stability and deeper staff engagement, the World Bank said.

Kim also told the board that he would focus on making progress in three priority areas in the longer term: promoting economic growth by facilitating private sector investment in infrastructure; investing in human capital to support a country's ability to compete in a future economy; protecting the global economy from downside risks that threaten to undermine progress.

"Kim asserted that harnessing the expertise, knowledge and financial acumen of the Bank's world-class staff in the relentless pursuit of these three priority areas will move us significantly closer to achieving the Bank's goals" of ending poverty by 2030 and promoting shared prosperity, the World Bank said.
Farmers are claiming that a government committee tasked with investigating land grabs and resolving disputes has failed in its obligations.





U Kyaw Swe Latt, a representative of a Nay Pyi Taw farmers organisation known as Dagun, said that a serious conflict of interest exists, as a number of individuals currently working for township- and region-level confiscated farmlands committees were involved in forced land seizures under previous governments.

The Central Committee on Confiscated Farmlands and Other Lands was formed earlier this year and is tasked with monitoring state and region governments handling of land disputes, and enabling the return of land to dispossessed farmers.

Under previous governments, the Forest Department, Land Record Department and City Development Committees were involved in land confiscations. People who worked for these organisations at that time are now working for region and township committees currently under the purview of the Central Committee on Confiscated Farmlands and Other Lands, said U Kyaw Swe Latt.

This means that the people the government has made responsible for settling land seizure cases may have participated in land grabs. That is why we are concerned, he said.

Dagun has scheduled a meeting this week with the Amyotha Hluttaw Farmer Affairs Committee to discuss the issue.

The Myanmar Times has endeavoured to contact the Farmer Affairs Committee for comment but has not been successful so far.

Translation by Win Thaw Tar
Nearly 3000 Myanmar women die annually due to complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, according to a Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population report launched yesterday based on data from the 2014 census.





The Thematic Report on Maternal Mortality found that such a fate befalls an average of 2800 expecting mothers each year, with one in five deaths among young women due to maternal health complications.

U Myint Kyaing, permanent secretary for the ministry, said at a report launch event that the maternal mortality ratio amounted to 282 women per 100,000 live births at the Union level, the second-highest in ASEAN.

This is why we need to make a survey on maternal mortality  to know why the rate is high, he said.

Every day, about eight women in Myanmar die from preventable causes related to pregnancy, childbirth and post-natal care in the early weeks following delivery, according to the report.

About 10 percent of female deaths among women of reproductive age  defined as 15-49 years old  are related to maternal health.

Regionally, the maternal mortality rate declined 69pc between 1990 and 2015 in Southeast Asia.

The most important factors contributing to high maternal mortality are isolation and deprivation. Maternal mortality is higher among poor and uneducated women, who have a more limited ability to recognise pregnancy complications and to access care.





The report noted that maternal mortality rates differ between Myanmars states and regions, as well being significantly lower in urban areas and for women giving birth in a healthcare facility that can provide basic and emergency obstetric care. Most maternal deaths are caused by treatable conditions such as bleeding or infection.

The difference will persist between villages and urban. The best way [to lower maternal mortality rates] is to raise awareness using not only doctors but also nurses and midwives. Secondary educating, from one person to another, is also important, said Dr Soe Lwin, an obstetrics and gynaecology specialist.

Janet E Jackson, country representative for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), said a significant decline in maternal mortality rates could be achieved if more women had the choice of giving birth to fewer children.

Each maternal death is a tragedy. Each maternal death has a story to tell. This is the tool that will ensure that every maternal death is counted. Once we know the true magnitude of maternal mortality and its causes, the Myanmar health system will be more able to employ practical ways to address its causes, Ms Jackson said in a statement.

Health experts said greater public knowledge about reproductive health, including the importance of birth-spacing, is needed to lower Myanmars maternal mortality rate.

In addition to women with high childbirth frequencies, other demographics at particular risk are very young women, whose bodies are not ready for childbirth, and women over 40. Women over 45 are four times more likely to die in childbirth, but age itself is not the only factor.

The report says that maternal healthcare services are not reaching all the population groups that they should: Women with limited education, in low-income families and living in poor communities are more likely to be marginalised from accessing and receiving basic and emergency obstetric care.

The report calls for policies and interventions that support safer conditions for motherhood, especially in deprived communities and in remote areas.

Most of the women from the remote areas dont know about reproductive health, said Dr Myint Zaw, project coordinator of the reproductive healthcare program for the Myanmar Medical Association.

According to the report, maternal mortality rates are highest in Chin State, and Ayeyarwady and Magwe regions, and lowest in Tanintharyi Region, Nay Pyi Taw and Yangon Region.
Experienced teachers are in line for a pay raise.





In order to boost quality learning from the earliest grades, and retain experienced staff, the Ministry of Educations Department of Basic Education will promote teachers within their schools and upgrade their salaries.

Previously, teachers started out in the lower grades, and as they gained experience were promoted to the middle and then high school levels. The only way to move up the pay scale was to likewise keep moving up with the grades, which left the least experienced teachers responsible for the youngest students.

But now, in a renewed commitment to boosting quality education from the earliest grades, the ministry said if a primary school teacher performs well or accumulates work experience, they will be promoted to primary school experts, with levels 1 and 2. The expert level system will be employed at basic, middle and high school levels, according to U Khaing Myal, spokesperson for the Ministry of Education.

As soon as the teachers get the promotions, their salaries will be upgraded, said U Khaing Myal.

The Ministry of Education has already submitted requests for elevating teacher salaries to the Ministry of Planning and Finance and the National Government Office.

When we get a reply from the National Government Office, we will increase teacher salaries, he said. It may be implemented this year.





Currently, a beginning primary school teacher earns about K155,000, while a secondary school teacher is paid a starting rate of K165,000, and a high school teacher initially makes about K175,000.

There are 369,919 teaching staff members under the Department of Basic Education.

U Aung Than Oo, director general for the Department of Basic Education, was unable to confirm how much of a raise the teachers would be allotted, or the exact amount budgeted for the new expert level system.

He did say, however, that about 85 percent of the basic education budget is earmarked for salaries.

We spend K80 billion to K90 billion on staff salaries at present, he said.

Daw Nilar Win, a teacher from the Basic Education High School No 35 in Mandalays Chan Mya Tharsi township, said teachers have heard of the new plan, but have not been told much about it.

We dont know the month it will start. Most of the teachers think it may be April, she said.
Laos has experienced the devastation of warfare and continues to be plagued by its deadly legacy  unexploded wartime ordnance. The Vietnam War was the catalyst for a wave of violence that swept across Southeast Asia between 1955 and 1975, growing into the events known as the Second Indochina War. They included the Vietnam War, the Lao Secret War, and the Cambodian Civil War and Genocide.





The Lao Secret War was fought between the Vietnamese-supported communist Pathet Lao party and the American-backed Royal Lao government. Under the leadership of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the operational goal was to destroy the North Vietnamese supply routes along the Ho Chi Minh Trail and repel the 70,000-strong communist forces operating in Laos. As international NGO Legacies of War notes, between 1964 and 1973 the American Air Force dropped the equivalent of one B-52 planeload of bombs in Laos every eight minutes, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for nine years, making it the most heavily bombed country, per capita, in the world. In the most heavily bombed area, almost 2 tonnes of bombs were dropped for every inhabitant in Laos.

Today, Southeast Asia is a growing and important international economic powerhouse. Foreign leaders are paying increasing attention to activities there, as relative peace and growing freedom have allowed a large, industrious population to burst forth with activity and enterprise. Even Myanmar, after 50 years of oppressive military governance, is seemingly on its way to an open economy and democratic governance.

But 40 years after the end of hostilities, the residuals of war are still a major impediment to human security. In contemporary Laos, unexploded ordnances (UXOs  landmines, bombies) continue to be a heavy burden with 25 percent of the countrys villages still contaminated. Between 1964 and 2008, 50,000 people were killed or maimed by UXOs. Some of Laos most interesting archeological and potential tourist sights continue to be off-limits to the mainstream, as the danger of exploration is too great. Cluster bomb accidents continue to kill 60pc of those that find them, and 40pc of the victims are children who mistake them for toys.

Between 1993 and 2016, the US contributed US$4.9 million per year for UXO clearance. But considering that during the war the US spent the 2013 equivalent of $13.3 million per day bombing Laos, those contributions seem insignificant.

Earlier this month, US President Obama became the first sitting president to visit Laos, where he toured a rehabilitation centre that treats bomb victims. During his stay, he stated that the US dropped 270 million cluster bombs in Laos during the war, and that 80 million remained unexploded. With moral obligation, he pledged to spend $90 million on ordinance cleanup over the next three years. For the last four decades, Laotians have continued to live under the shadow of war, President Obama said. The war did not end when the bombs stopped falling. NGOs such as Legacies of War believe more is needed to clear the unexploded ordnance and estimates the total funding required is at least $250 million, over 15 years of clearance work, as all 17 provinces in Laos are contaminated.

Nevertheless, President Obamas visit and announcement should be met with optimism that this effort will put a significant dent in the UXO problem in Laos. Hopefully, its success will result in ongoing support for UXO clearance, as well as funding for the families of those who have died as a result of UXOs, survivor assistance (financial and psychological), safety education for all those living in Laos, and to mitigate environmental and agricultural impacts. And if we can remain really optimistic, at least for a few minutes, let us hope that the greatest legacy of the Lao Secret War is that all countries, including the US, will finally sign the treaty banning the use of these inhumane cluster munitions, and learn from the trauma of countless millions who have been impacted by them.

 Policy Forum





Stephanie Stobbe is an associate professor in Conflict Resolution Studies at Menno Simons College (a College of CMU) at the University of Winnipeg.
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Almost a month has passed since the SpaceX Falcon 9 exploded, and no one was sure why. SpaceX, however, now has something to clarify about the explosion.

Let us take a look at what exactly happened.

On September 1st, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket exploded during a routine test, and the company still isn't sure why.

Two days before it was set to launch a satellite into orbit, the Falcon 9 was on the launch pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, preparing for what's known as a static fire test.

It's used to test a rocket's engines before launch to make sure everything's working properly. Normally, the rocket is strapped to the launch pad and fuelled, and the engines are fired for a few seconds.

The engines are then shut down, and the rocket is considered ready for launch.

This time, things weren't so simple. While the rocket was being fuelled for the test, it suddenly exploded, destroying the rocket and the $200 million satellite it carried.

The satellite called Amos-6 was owned by the Israeli company Spacecom, and Facebook was going to use it to bring Internet to regions of Africa.

When the fireball happened, the engines were shut off, and there seems to have been no other source of heat that would have ignited it.

SpaceX has had a lot of recent successes with their booster landings, but they've experienced failure before.

Last June, a Falcon 9 exploded while carrying $110 million worth of cargo for NASA.

But with that accident, SpaceX was able to find the problem and fix it.

According to space.com, SpaceX in an official announcement said:

"At this stage of the investigation, preliminary review of the data and debris suggests that a large breach in the cryogenic helium system of the second stage liquid oxygen tank took place. All plausible causes are being tracked in an extensive fault tree and carefully investigated. Through the fault tree and data review process, we have exonerated any connection with last year's CRS-7 mishap. "

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is calling this the most complicated disaster they've ever had, and he's even asked that anyone with pictures or videos of the explosion send them to SpaceX to help their investigation.

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Meng Jianzhu, head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, meets with R.N. Ravi, chairman of Joint Intelligence Committee of India, in Beijing on Tuesday, September 27, 2016. [Photo: chinacourt.org]

China and India on Tuesday held their first dialogue on anti-terrorism and security.

The two sides exchanged opinions on the international and regional security situation and their respective anti-terrorism systems, mechanisms and legislation.

They also reached some consensus on measures to strengthen cooperation and to jointly deal with security threats, according to a document issued after the meeting.

The dialogue was jointly chaired by Wang Yongqing, secretary-general of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and R.N. Ravi, chairman of Joint Intelligence Committee of India.

Senior officials from the ministries of foreign affairs, public security and state security attended the talks.
THE NATIONAL Theatre, under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has launched the maiden Ghana Theatre Festival in Accra.

The festival, which would start from September 11 to October 4, 2014, would witness classical and contemporary live stage performances aimed at projecting the positive national values and the African personality.

Emmy Frempong, Acting Executive Director of the National Theatre, said the festival would help empower artists and arts organisations to position the arts as a key ingredient in the recipe of cultural pride, cohesiveness, economic activity and vibrancy.

She said the festival would feature quality artistic performances and there would be something for everyone regardless of preference including drama and dance performances, musical concerts, visual art exhibition and many more.

Mrs Frempong, therefore, called on members of the public to patronise the festival and be entertained by the various performances.

Madam Dzifa Gomashie, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, said the realigned ministry had a mandate to provide a firm and stable policy environment for effective mainstreaming of Ghanaian culture and to ensure the strong emergence of a vibrant creative economy.
28.09.2016 LISTEN

Nineteen-year-old Rachel Ama Djan was on Saturday, September 24 crowned Miss Ghana UK at the grand finale of the beauty pageant held at the Kensington and Chelsea Town Hall in London.

She impressed the judges with her elegance and smartness to ease her way to the top, with fierce competition from first runner-up 24-year-old Daisy Qwoffie and second runner-up 25-year-old Andrea Archer.

Ms Djan, a resident of Coventry, is a student of the De Montford University and also taking a course in Educational Studies. She is a member of the theatre company, Black Youth Theatre and has performed on several platforms.

East London-based first runner-up Ms Qwoffie is a hair and make-up artist, whilst the second runner-up Ms Archer is a caseworker for looked after children.

The massively patronised event which experienced the usual glitz and glamour with attendees showing up with their 'a game fashion' was hosted by Kweku Owusu-Frimpong, Simply Andy and Edna Ohema Lawar.

Sponsors of Miss Ghana UK 2016 were Blue Rose Real Estate, Paypaddy, Aba N Thursday, 101 Clothing, Make Up By Renee, ECLAT, Hair2TheThrone, Prompt Communications and VIP Chauffeur. Official media partners were ABN Radio and ABN Television.

Ms Djan who now becomes the ambassador for Miss Ghana UK Foundation has the task to plan and execute social intervention programmes in Ghana as well as across the United Kingdom!
Veteran actor Abeiku Nyame, known in showbiz as Jagger Pee, who recently made an appeal to President John Mahama to support him settle his medical bill says the president has not responded to his appeal.

The actor who has been battling a heart ailment for some months now made a passionate appeal three months ago to the president to support him pay for his medical bills after he was rushed to the Holy Trinity Hospital at North Kaneshie and later transferred to the 37 Military Hospital.

Jaggar Pee told the host of Morning Starr on Starr FM, Nii Arday Clegg, My appeal to the president hasnt be responded to, maybe because of the approach. I used the newspapers and social media as mediums to appeal to the president. I feel very ashamed that I don't have a car and sit in a trotro. At times, I prefer to walk over short distances.

He stated that proper measures need to put in place to streamline the operations of the art industry to the benefit of all the stakeholders.

Born Abeiku Nyame, Jagger Pee was one of the leading actors in Ghana in the 90s and made a tremendous contribution to the Ghanaian movie industry until an unfortunate situation took him to prison in 1996.

He was sentenced alongside then friend and music star, Geeman, in 1996 following a shooting incident at the CFC Flats, Dome in Accra, where a taxi driver was killed.

Geeman was sentenced to death, while Jagger Pee got a life sentence, but former President John Agyekum Kufuor's amnesty in commemoration of the country's 48th independence anniversary pardoned Jagger Pee who immediately relocated to the UK after his release.

Abeiku has featured in a number of movies such as 'Landlord', 'Too Late' and TV series such as 'Jagger Pee Series' on 'Thursday Theatre' and 'Chorkor Trotro'.
The Minister of Tourism Culture and Creative Arts, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare says the arts industry in Ghana is creating significant employment for the youth and contributing greatly towards the country's economic growth.

She said, many youth have taken full-time jobs in the arts due to prospects in the industry in the country.

Many arts markets have sprung up in many parts of our country, this is the testimony of the number of young people who are being trained to produce creative arts works and who are earning a livelihood as a result. The days when the art of producing crafts was considered a hobby are long gone. Today it is a full time business, and in order to maximize our earnings from this, we should be ready to compete on the international market. We can only do this successfully when we produce to meet international standards, and only the best can meet international standards, she said.

Speaking at this years regional Festival of Arts and Culture, at Prampram, in the Greater Accra Region, the minister said the festival was to showcase our practical but creative culture and arts to the outside world. As we know, this Regional NAFAC 2016 is to select our groups of Excellence and peculiar cultural indigenous item and pictures of Socio-economic development prevailing at your respective Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

The occasion was used to showcase the natural and economic capacity of the various assemblies of the region through photo exhibitions and local technology inventions.

Other government officials present at the festival included the Greater Accra Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo and the District Chief Executive for Ningo- Prampram, Hon. Al-Hajj SA Rhack Nartey.

For his part, the Greater Accra Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo said the event will improve the relationship between people and institutions to enhance innovations and coordinate public and private support.

He said, it will also strengthen the ties between the study of art and culture and economic development at both Junior and Senior High levels of Ghana's education.

This he said, will establish a sustainable funding source for the art and cultural organizations, particularly for small and medium sized organizations.

The Greater Accra Regional Festival of Arts and Culture (GAFAC), serves as a prelude to the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC), which is comes off from the 21st to 29th October 2016 at the Independence Square.



By: Philip Nii Lartey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Praye, were at Nana Akufo Addo residence this morning to formally introduce themselves to him, as well as endorse his candidature ahead of the December elections.

They also presented a copy of their new CD, containing songs composed for him.
Award winning Hip-Life Group, Praye, has joined the tall list of celebrities endorsing the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer for the 2016 general election, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to win this years elections.

Two members of the group, known in showbiz as Praye Tintin and Praye Tietia, endorsed Nana Akufo-Addo today [Wednesday], at his Nima residence in Accra.

According to them, they see the NPP flagbearer as the right person to lead Ghanaians out of the current hardships inflicted on them by the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Praye's endorsement comes less than a week after some Kumawood actors led by ace local movie star, Agya Koo endorsed Nana Akufo-Addo to win the December 7 poll.

At a news conference on Wednesday, September 21 at Patasi in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi, Agya Koo expressed disappointment in the President John Mahama led governing NDC

He called on Ghanaians to vote the NDC out on December 7.

Agya Koo revealed that, together with other actors, they have launched a campaign dubbed Agenda 57% 4 Nana Addo to canvass support for Akufo-Addo going into the crucial election.

Musicians endorse Nana Addo

Other artistes who have endorsed Nana Akufo-Addo include Lucky Mensah, Wisa Greid, Dada KD, Kwabena Kwabena, Barima Sidney, Leo Mensah, Daddy Lumba, Nana Quame and Cwesi Oteng.

Agya Koo & Co pay courtesy call on Nana Addo

Agya Koo and his group on Thursday, September 22, paid a courtesy call on the NPP flagbearer at his Nima residence in Accra, where the actor formally informed Nana Akufo-Addo of his decision to support his candidature this year's elections.

Since this [NDC] government came to power, there has been so much hardship and Ghanaians are complaining For five years I have been at home, a lot of actors and actresses are just home with nothing to eat, he lamented. I called my colleagues and told them to listen to the complaints of others Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo should come and rescue this country. John Mahama has done his bit, but the group we have started [agenda 57% for Nana Addo] will travel the length and breadth of this country to explain to people why we need a change in government and why they should support you, he told Nana Akufo-Addo.

Celebrities endorse Mahama

Some celebrities like John Dumelo, Selasie Ibrahim, Mr. Beautiful, Mzbel, Bukom Banku, Ayitey Powers and Papa Nii, have also endorsed President John Mahama of the NDC for a second term in office.

By: Awudu Mahama/ghelections.com/Ghana
Washington (AFP) - The US Treasury placed two top allies of Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila on its sanctions blacklist Wednesday, tying both to rising political violence and human rights violations.

The Treasury said both were involved in violently putting down opposition to Kabila and undermining democratic forces in the country.

The Treasury said Major General Gabriel Amisi Kumba, a commander of the DR Congo armed forces, led units that have violently repressed political demonstrations in several provinces including Kinshasha.

"Increasing violations of the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly have been reported in the western provinces, particularly in Kinshasa," the Treasury said.

DRC soldiers "have used excessive force and lethal weapons during demonstrations and political rallies, particularly during demonstrations organized by opposition leaders and civil society actors in January 2015."

Also hit with sanctions was General John Numbi, a former national inspector in the DRC police and a close advisor of President Joseph Kabila, whom opponents fear is seeking to remain in power after his second term runs out despite a constitutional ban on a third one.

"During the March 2016 gubernatorial elections in the DRC's four ex-Katangan provinces, Numbi used violent intimidation to secure victories for candidates affiliated with President Kabila's MP coalition," the Treasury said.

"Numbi threatened to kill opposition candidates who did not voluntarily withdraw from the race, and on the same day these exchanges purportedly took place, three candidates withdrew."

This photo taken on September 19, 2016 shows police firing tear gas at scores of opposition supporters rallying in Kinshasa to demand that DR Congo's long-serving President Joseph Kabila step down

The sanctions, which ban US individuals and businesses from dealings with the two men, came days after dozens of demonstrators were killed in anti-government protests in Kinshasha.

"In several areas of the country, defense and security forces have violently repressed demonstrations organized to oppose a new draft electoral law that many fear would allow President Kabila to run for a third term," the Treasury said.

Kabila has been president since 2001 when he took the position after his father, president Laurent Kabila, was assassinated.

Under a new constitutional regime in 2006, he was elected to the position with a two-term limit, which should expire in December.

However, the government has not yet scheduled new elections, giving rise to fears that Kabila will not step down.

In a statement, Ida Sawyer of Human Rights Watch said the US action "sends a powerful message that there are real consequences for the government's violent repression of political demonstrations and other serious human rights violations."

"Taking strong action now could put further pressure on President Joseph Kabila to abide by the constitutional requirement to step down at the end of his term, and help prevent a broader crisis," she said.
Johannesburg (AFP) - Student protests in South Africa spread Wednesday with police firing rubber bullets at demonstrators on campuses in Johannesburg and Grahamstown as unrest over tuition fees roils universities across the country.

The University of Johannesburg's Doornfontein campus was hit by violent clashes between students and campus security guards as running battles erupted through the evening, AFP photographers witnessed.

Police in Grahamstown, in Eastern Cape province, arrested at least 11 Rhodes University students after they allegedly violated a court interdict which barred protests on the university grounds.

"Anyone who threatens or intimidates or prohibits lectures from taking place is breaking that interdict," police captain Luvuyo Mjekula told the News 24 website.

South African college students protests, calling for free further education, have resulted in temporary closing of campuses including the University of Cape Town, Wits University in Johannesburg and the Durban University of Technology

"Today the students were found to be disrupting lectures. That was basically threatening other people. Police had to respond."

Video footage showed police firing rubber bullets from behind a wall, shouting at students to disperse and dragging protesters into police vans.

Campuses including the University of Cape Town, Wits University in Johannesburg and the Durban University of Technology have been temporarily closed due to the protests.

Over the last ten days, riot police nationwide have regularly used stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse student protesters, who are demanding free university education.

The wave of protests was triggered by a government announcement that universities would set their own fee increases but that next year's hikes would be capped at eight percent.

"If the higher education sector does not return to teaching... we stand to lose a generation of students," Max Price, vice chancellor of the University of Cape Town, said on Wednesday.

"No matter what changes we wish to bring to society, we can't make those changes by destroying the higher education sector in South Africa."

Unrest has hit many South African universities over the past year, as students have protested against the fee increases that they say force poorer, often black, pupils out of education.

Last year, students -- many of them so-called "born frees" who grew up after apartheid -- staged a series of major demonstrations which forced the government to abandon planned fee hikes for 2016.

Throughout this year, there has been sporadic unrest which has seen accommodation buildings and libraries set alight, and in May, an auditorium at Johannesburg University was firebombed.
The world economy has been growing at a roughly 3 percent rate in recent years, a significant step-back compared with previous years. The growth rate of developed countries has been under 2 percent over the last few years with no clear indication of improvement, while that of the developing countries is slowing down as well.

The World Bank and the IMF have downgraded the world economic outlook. Against such global economic uncertainties and the complexities within the G20 itself, China assumed the responsibility and hosted a successful G20 Hangzhou Summit during its presidency.

The crux of the current sluggish world economic growth, on the one hand, lies in the absence of determination among all of the countries to maintain sustained growth and on the other hand, the low efficiency of the measures that some countries have adopted.

In the meantime, growth slowdown in global trade, less active investment and lasting instability in the financial markets also aggravated the world economic recovery. The risks of another global or regional financial crisis still exist.

The G20 Summit played a major role in coping with international financial crisis when it was first established. However, as the world economy gradually recovers, the execution of the G20 was considerably undermined due to disputes in interests among member states.

Though many documents were formulated within the G20 framework, many countries failed to comply with them. For example, the G20 has put forward multiple constructive suggestions on opposing global trade protectionism, but some developed countries have even doubled their protectionist measures.

Under such complex background, China has proposed a series of initiatives on boosting the vitality of the G20 and restoring its global economic governance function with a primary purpose to maintain sustainable growth and reduce current risks.

Even though it is not the first time for the G20 to call on reforming international financial institutions, stimulating investment and advancing structural reform, Chinese proposals enable effective cooperation among major economies.

While focusing on economic agendas, China also called for compromises on disputes. It urged all G20 members to find solutions for current challenges, rather than fixing their attention on the reasons. Instead of joining in the arguments over the effects of adopted monetary stimulus policies, China asked all members to focus on how to boost economic growth through structural reform, taxation policies and fiscal polices.

China also did extensive and in-depth research on supervising outcome implementation and management improvement and gave more saying to developed countries. Under Chinas initiative, the G20 Hangzhou Summit has, for the first time, drafted an action plan on implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, agreed to advance an early ratification of the Paris Agreement and launched the G20 Initiative on Supporting Industrialization of Africa and Least Developed Countries as well as the Global Infrastructure Connectivity Alliance Initiative, delivering tangible benefits to the people of developing countries.

Now that the Hangzhou Summit has drawn the curtain, time will prove the effectiveness of Chinas proposals. Given the experience and results China has accumulated in several multilateral frameworks, people are quite confident of the implementation of the suggestions at the G20 Hangzhou Summit.

(The author is Head of Sector of Foreign Countries Economy of Russian Institute for Strategic Studies.)
The Hague (AFP) - Former Congolese vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba has formally appealed against his conviction for war crimes by the International Criminal Court, arguing his trial was "flawed," his lawyers said Wednesday.

Bemba last week "filed an appeal against his conviction", his defence team said in a statement sent to AFP. The former militia leader was sentenced in June to 18 years in jail after being found guilty at the ICC on five charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Johannesburg (AFP) - Delegates at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Johannesburg voted Wednesday to ban all trade of the endangered pangolin, the world's most heavily trafficked mammal.

"(The) committee agrees all pangolins -- African and Asian -- move to appendix I," CITES said in statement, referring to the convention's highest category of protection, which bans all international trade.
Dalex Finance (Business of the Year), has donated GH50,000 to the St. Andrew Hospital, Kordiabe, a rural community near Shai Hills in the Eastern region.

This is the second instalment of a Ghc 300,000 pledge. The 30 beds and a theatre were inaugurated at a colourful and moving ceremony at Kordiabe.

Thirteen years ago, a small clinic, St Andrews Clinic, was established by the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, the needs of the community, over 16,000 outpatient visits per annum, have outgrown the clinic. It, therefore, became necessary to build a hospital.

Dalex Finance has been involved with the project since 2015. Last year, the company sponsored a benefit breakfast in aid of the project. This raised over Ghc120,000.

Mr Thompson (CEO, Dalex Finance, Businessman of the Year) leveraged his contacts to get non-Catholics (including Muslims, Buddhists and atheists) to contribute to the project. Mr Thompson also chaired the 2015 Christ the King Harvest and has committed to chair the 2016 and 2017 harvests.

Speaking at the inauguration, Mr Kenneth Thompson expressed his appreciation to the Catholic Church and Rev. Fr. Father Campbell (Parish Priest, Christ the King Parish) in particular, for giving Dalex Finance the opportunity to .change lives. He spoke about Fr.Campbells credibility as a philanthropist, who . gave all and expected nothing. He was also glad that all the money contributed was going directly to the project.

Mrs Matilda Amissah-Arthur, the second lady of the Republic of Ghana who was also present, donated medical supplies and equipment to the hospital.

She encouraged institutions and individuals to contribute to this worthy course. She charged the staff and indigenes of Kordiabe and its environs to take good care of the facility and treat it as their own. Fr. Campbell thanked all the project partners and urged them to continue the good work.

Story by Ghana/Myjoyonline.com
Korea Eximbank has been a dynamic Official Development Assistance (ODA) provider in the African continent  it has supported five projects amounting to US$181 for Ghana.

Korea Eximbank provided a US$67.2million Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) loan to finance the Prestea-Kumasi Power Enhancement Project (Project Cost: U$84.2million) executed by the Ghanaian government.

Demand for electricity in Ghana has been robust over the past decade due to economic growth, urbanization, and rural electrification, and this trend is expected to continue into the next decade.

However, reserve margin is inadequate and there is a lack of transfer capability to deliver power from generation sites to the major load centers of Accra, Tema, Kumasi, which cumulatively account for nearly 50% of national demand. Moreover, the transmission lines of Ghana, constructed during 1950~1970, are mostly 161kv, in which the associated equipment indicates deteriorated conditions due to exceeding product life cycle, thereby causing a large amount of maintenance expenditure.

The existing transmission network is almost composed of a single power source so that even a fault of the power source would cause severe outage problem, which in turn influence on neighboring transmission lines in operation.

This project aims to stabilize and improve power supply in northern Ghana, Kumasi region in particular. This will ensure a tremendous improvement in the current power situation.

The project involves the construction of a 330KV Prestea-Kumasi transmission line(185km) and substation promising expansion of power delivery capacity and electrification rate, enhancement in the weak transmission capacity regions, reduction in electric power losses, upgrade of power system reliability, innovation in power facility operation, and technology transfer.

The construction of the project commenced on February 2016 and will be completed by February 2018, by Samsung C&T and GS E&C consortium, the constructor, and monitored by Wooam Corporation, the consultants.

It is expected that the project will relieve the power capacity overload problem by introducing Smart Grid-Direct Load Control Pilot System and contribute to the economic growth and poverty reduction through the construction of the essential energy infrastructure.

The Economic Development Cooperation Fund(EDCF) was established by the Korean government in 1987 to promote economic exchanges with the developing world and to assist developing countries in achieving industrialization and economic stability through the provision of long-term, low-interest credit. Korea Eximbank currently manages the fund as its trustee.
Dakar (AFP) - When farmer Isaac Tondo fell on lean times in Liberia's long rainy season, his brother in the capital sent 8,000 Liberian dollars (US$87) to his Lonestar mobile money account, ensuring his children's school fees would still be paid.

Across Africa more and more people -- from urban start-ups to hard-up villagers -- are now spending, saving and planning for the future through banking services offered by mobile phone companies. And experts believe growth and poverty reduction will follow, if certain key risks are managed.

Tondo's brother used to entrust cash with contacts passing through their home village in Grand Gedeh county, but the roads are so bad they can no longer access it.

"The only means of receiving money from Monrovia is through mobile money," the farmer told AFP.

Collecting and depositing cash at omnipresent kiosks and sending money via text message has fast become the natural solution in African nations where distances are often long, roads and infrastructure poor, and few have access to traditional bank accounts.

Africans are "leading in the world" in their uptake of mobile banking services, Mitsuhiro Furusawa, Deputy Managing Director of the IMF told AFP at a recent conference on promoting access to financial services in Dakar, Senegal.

The IMF has said the potential for further financial development is "substantial" on the continent, and that wider access to banking services could unlock an additional 1.5 percent in annual growth.

A woman sells beverages at a bus stop near an advertisement for a mobile hone-based banking service, in the Kenyan capital Nairobi

Payment systems such as Orange Money in west Africa, M-Pesa in Kenya and Tigo Cash, used in several nations, have become incredibly popular in recent years in sub-Saharan Africa, where the vast majority lack physical or financial access to traditional banking services.

Around 11 percent of Africans now have a mobile banking account, according to the IMF, rising to 60 percent in Kenya. The average figure for the rest of the world is two percent.

While Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda lead the way in east Africa, Ivory Coast is the bright spot in the west of the continent, where 25 percent of the nation uses such services.

Jean Marius Yao, President and Director General of Orange Money in Ivory Coast, believes the market is far from saturated.

"There is a big margin for improvement, with some sectors not being fully served, notably rural communities and women," he said.

One other area of growth was likely to be those who already had traditional bank accounts, he said, including employers paying wages via text.

"The flow is going in both directions," Yao added.

Parallel system

Africa's enthusiastic adoption of mobile banking has evolved from a simple way to transfer cash into an entire parallel system of micro-payments of everything from saving accounts to business loans.

Countries such as Kenya could give a glimpse of how the sector will evolve across the continent, said Roger Nord, Deputy Director of the IMF's African Department.

Payment system M-Pesa, operated by British telecom giant Vodafone's subsidiary Safaricom, began offering interest on its "e-wallet" accounts, allowing users "who never saved a dollar" to put money aside, Nord said.

"There is a very clear relationship in economics between financial development and economic growth and poverty reduction," he added.

M-Pesa's range of services now encompasses medical insurance, bill payments and small business loans, building livelihoods and better securing users' futures.

In Ivory Coast, Orange Money offers savings accounts, collective financing of large-scale projects and life insurance to a population previously largely locked out of such services.

Meanwhile East African companies are now able to collect small payments every day for purchases made by clients unable to save up large sums to pay at the end of each month, Nord said.

In Asia above all, others have taken note: Afghanistan now pays police salaries by mobile, while India has just launched an ambitious national payments system for smartphones.

Credit checks

But these systems' ease of use also pose a significant drawback, however.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has described mobile money fraud as "a huge problem," citing a Kenyan Central Bank study that showed 37 percent of mobile money transactions were fraudulent compared with 10 percent by banking agents.

Poor encryption and a proliferation of scams including fake "rewards" offers by text and phones that mimic telephone identifier codes were also a huge problem, the EIU said.

But mobile companies are getting smarter every day, mapping consumer behaviour and judging credit-worthiness from the results.

A recent report by the Washington-based Brookings Institute cited a study in Brazil that showed one month of pre-pay activity provided sufficient information to determine credit risk.

"The data that this generates: people who are saving a lot, saving regularly, suddenly we knew who were the reliable risks and suddenly they were given access to small loans," Nord commented.
Some 25 teachers of the newly built Evans Atta Mills Senior High School (SHS) at Ekumfi Otuam in the Central Region, are being evicted by their landlords for non-payment of rent.

This follows governments failure to pay salaries of the teachers who were posted to teach at the school, named after the late Ghanaian leader, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, who hails from the town.

The rent per month for each of the affected teachers residing at Otuam, ranges between GHc35 and GHc45.

Mr. Kwame Kuntu Yawson, one of the landlords hosting one of the teachers, expressed frustration to Citi News over the teachers' failure to pay their rent.

According to him, he has been charitable enough and would kick the teachers out by end of September if his rent is not paid.

The landlord said he is ready to give out his rooms to incoming students who are ready to pay for the rent.

At the moment, most of the teachers have not been able to renew the rent, and as a matter of fact, it is also causing me some problems because I have to renovate the house. When I consulted them what they told me was that, theyve not been paid for a year now. Its about a year now; so I am just planning on ejecting all of them from the house by the end of September and give it to the new students who are definitely going to give me money, he stated.

Some of the teachers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed their frustrations about the development, and appealed to the government to expedite action on the payment of salaries.

We appeal to the landlord always; but they would not listen to us because we don't have the money to pay them. They said renting it to the new students would help them get quick money in order to renovate the house. We are appealing to the government to release our salaries to us, he lamented.

Citi News understands that, about 57 second year students, are yet to return to the school, although school reopened about a month ago.

Meanwhile, authorities of the school have been tight-lipped on the matter.

The J. E. Atta-Mills SHS was commissioned on September 17, 2015, to fulfill a promise made by government in the 2012 manifesto to absolve the cost of secondary education in Ghana.

It is one of the ten community day senior high schools, following a promise by the government to build 200 of them. The idea of the community day school was to improve access, by also bringing the school very close to the students, but it appears that is a challenge for now.

Some of the students are now left with no option than to come from longer distances.



By: Akwesi Koranteng/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Selenkay Reserve (Kenya) (AFP) - In the Maasai heartland of southern Kenya, some young men have swapped their ancestral role as lion-hunters to instead protect the big cats under a conservation scheme that also aims to help their community.

Among them is Leiyio Lengete, a "Moran" -- or warrior -- who wears a scarlet blanket over his shoulders, a blue one around his hips, and a multitude of fine multicoloured beaded bracelets on his forearms, ankles and neck.

Large half-moon shaped metal earrings and a beaded headband set off his long elaborately braided hair, but instead of a traditional spear, he clasps a GPS receiver.

The organisation behind the scheme Lengete works with, "Lion Guardians", has set up camp in Selenkay Reserve, not far from Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain in neighbouring Tanzania which is hidden by clouds on this warm September day.

Today the Maasai "guardians" have headed off into the bush on foot in search of three lionesses that sneaked into the camp the previous evening.

Their tracks are hard to find in the dry, potholed savannah brush although the men eventually establish the cats have separated in three directions to hunt for food.

But two hours later, one of the four silently calls a halt -- the three lionesses are less than 100 yards away.

Lost livestock, lost children

A lioness and her cubs are seen at the Selenkay Reserve in Kenya, not far from Mount Kilimanjaro in neighbouring Tanzania

In a previous life, the men would have killed the animals as part of a Maasai rite known as "olamayio" which is traditionally seen as the highest act of courage, winning prestige and praise for the hunter.

Lions also were hunted in reprisal for attacks on the community's livestock herd.

But for Lengete and the other young Morans, those days are over: once the lionesses have been found and their GPS location sent to camp, a vehicle arrives carrying the scientific head and co-founder of the scheme, Stephanie Dolrenry.

Coupling age-old Maasai know-how with contemporary science, she inventories, photographs and studies the behaviour of the lions that are now returning to the 3,684 square kilometres (1,040 square miles) under surveillance by the project.

"The whole programme is not just based on lions. Everything we do is about the community," Dolrenry told AFP.

"The guardians spend a lot of their time finding livestock, finding lost herders, even little children who got lost in the bush. The guardians are there, they are able to go tracking, they know the bush," said the 37-year-old American.

Co-founder of the 'Lion Guardians' conservation scheme, Stephanie Dolrenry, gives an interview at the Selenkay Reserve in Kenya

Around a million dollars' worth of lost livestock was returned by the guardians to their owners last year, she said.

The work boosted the Morans' status within their community while their almost daily contact with the lions maintained their traditional aura.

When a cow is killed, for instance, they step in to dissuade cattle-owners from punitive raids against the lions, arguing that their own jobs recovering lost cattle are at stake as well as those of the Maasai community who make up almost all the staff of the two lodges in the wildlife reserve.

The project has been beneficial for local lion numbers, which have increased fourfold between 2007 and 2016 to around 150, Dolrenry said.

From hunter to guardian

Kenyan Maasai 'Morans' (warriors) assemble a radio antenna to scan for a signal from a radio-collar fitted lioness in order to establish her pride's location in the surrounding scrub, at the Selenkay Reserve in Kenya

Other wildlife has also benefited, with buffaloes reappearing in the reserve recently after years of absence, elephants moving in herds and the presence in the area of animals hard to find elsewhere in Kenya -- such as the Cape eland or the giraffe gazelle.

"Lion Guardians", which also has programmes in Tanzania, Rwanda and Zimbabwe, works with private funding, most of it from the US. The Selenkay project runs on less than $300,000 (269,000 euros) a year.

It kicked off with a mere five guardians but now employs more than 40, each of them paid the minimum monthly Kenyan wage of $120 (108 euros).

One of the most recent recruits is Mitiaki Kitasho, who asked for a job as a guardian a year ago after twice serving a month behind bars for illegally killing first an elephant, then a lion.

"There's not a single species I haven't killed to protect the community and to gain popularity and respect," he said.

But courage no longer puts food on the table, and after being released from jail penniless, he went to Lion Guardians looking for a job.

Now, like the Maasai warriors, he can continue to do what he loves and does best -- track the big cats.
A little-known bureaucracy based in Geneva that wields enormous influence over governments across the world has been operating in secret to limit access to new technologies that millions of smokers are using to save their lives. That is according to a new report out today from Reason Foundation, a US-based non-profit think tank.

The report looks at the work of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, a treaty created by the World Health Organization in 2004 that seeks to protect present and future generations from the devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke. Yet, in the eleven years since the treaty came into force, the number of smokers in the world has increased  mainly in China and other poor countries that were the Conventions primary target.

Julian Morris, Vice President at Reason Foundation, and co-author of the report, comments: The FCTC has not so far proven to be a stellar success on its own terms.

Morris and co-author Deepak Lal, Professor of Economics at UCLA, argue that the problem with the FCTC Secretariat is that it is beholden to the idea that the only way to reduce smoking is for smokers to quit or die. It is thus highly sceptical of the potential for new technologies, such as vape devices, to reduce smoking, has raised concerns about the safety of these new products, and has advocated regulations that would restrict access. Just last week, the FCTC Secretariat issued a report, commissioned in secret from unknown authors, which argues that the marketing of vape products should be heavily regulated.

Yet, a recent report from the Royal College of Physicians concluded that vaping is at least 95% safer than smoking. Moreover, millions of people have stopped smoking as a result of switching to vaping. And where vape products are legally available, rates of smoking initiation have fallen faster than in locations where they are not available. Thus, paradoxically, if governments follow the FCTCs advice, vape products would become less readily available and more people will smoke, with far worse health consequences. As the paper notes: The WHOs opposition to tobacco harm reduction is dishonest, bordering on the criminal.

Morris and Lal raise argue that many of the problems with the FCTC stem from the fact that it violates all the precepts of good governance. It is particularly lacking when it comes to transparency. For example, at the fifth Conference of the Parties (COP) in Seoul, Korea, the public gallery and media were excluded. At the sixth COP, the same routine was followed. In each case, everyone in the public gallery was ejected  including all journalists  and the meeting proceeded essentially in secret.

The FCTC is also highly exclusionary. The authors note that itcurrently lists only 20 NGOs as Observers on its website. By contrast, the Framework Convention on Climate Change lists over 2,000 NGOs as Observers. Moreover, there is essentially no participation by representatives of many affected groups, including users of tobacco and vape products, vendors, and farmers. Participation by IGOs has also been restricted; even Interpol has been denied Observer status despite its expertise in combating illicit trade in tobacco, a key topic covered by the Convention.

The primary justification the FCTC Secretariat gives for restricting participation and operating in secret is the avoidance of conflicts of interest. But the real reason is that it doesnt want to allow anyone into the tent who disagrees with its delusional belief that the only option for smokers is to quit or die. As the authors observe: If the FCTC is genuinely committed to the right to health then it must listen to those who are taking control of the things that determine their health  and to those who are helping them to do so. In other words, it should open itself up to participation by groups representing vapers, snus users, and companies producing these and other less harmful nicotine-containing products.

In terms of reforming procedures, Morris and Lal suggest that Instead of producing papers in secret and making them available only a few weeks before COPs, it should issue a call for papers and encourage all parties with an interest in the issue to submit materials. It might then allow public scrutiny of those papers and form a committee, the composition of which is determined by votes from a much enlarged group of Observers, who can then review submissions and form conclusions.

Meanwhile, to address genuine conflicts of interest, the authors suggest that the FCTC should, open itself up to scrutiny. That means, at the very least, permitting journalists to attend all sessions of COPs and technical committees. Better yet, the FCTC might livestream all its proceedings over the web.
For more than two decades, Russia has been struggling to regain its Soviet-era economic influence, but such efforts have hit stumbling blocks which policy experts and Russian authorities themselves admittedly attributed to inadequate knowledge of investment and economic possibilities in Africa.

Quite recently, Keir Giles, an associate fellow (on the Russia and Eurasia Program) at Chatham House in London, wrote in an emailed query that "surely lack of knowledge about investment opportunities is one factor holding back economic engagement, but it is certainly not the only one. The problem remains that there are whole sectors of the economy where Russia is simply irrelevant - to take the most obvious example, consumer goods - and so their engagement will always be dwarfed by China."

"The only exceptions are the traditional strengths of Russia (and the Soviet Union before it) - infrastructure, raw materials and energy. In effect, the lack of engagement is partly a consequence of the failure to develop and diversify since the end of the Soviet Union that is a fundamental challenge to the Russian economy," the research associate further explained.

Giles recounted the earlier history that "economic collapse at the end of the Soviet Union affected Moscow's engagement with Africa along with other regions. While Russia was finding its new place in the world, diplomatic representations abroad were cut back harshly and resources focused on those countries seen as essential."

"Embassies across the continent which had previously been generously staffed were severely cut back or closed. At the same time, military, education and other aid programs for African nations were also cut, even if they never completely disappeared," he said further in comments.

As a result, Russian expertise and engagement with Africa entered a hiatus, at exactly the same time as China started rapidly to increase investment and presence. Moscow's recent efforts seek to redress this and catch up - in parallel with, for example, Russia's return to Latin America - both to find and exploit commercial opportunities, and to foster support from third nations in Russia's ever more intensive confrontation with the United States and Europe.

"The most conspicuous aspect of Russia's involvement in Africa is its absence," says John Endres, chief executive officer of Good Governance Africa from South Africa, adding that "whereas the Soviet Union was quite extensively engaged in Africa, Russia has almost entirely abandoned the field to other foreign players during the past two decades."

Interestingly, Russia has more than 40 full-fledged diplomatic representations with competent staff, and has fixed special trade missions to facilitate trade and investment in a number of African countries. And yet economic engagement has faced difficulties down the years.

The Foreign Ministry published the text of deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov's speech on its official website in July 2013 in which he highlighted the same old problems facing the development of Russia-African ties at a session of the Urals-Africa economic forum in Yekaterinburg. "One must admit that the practical span of Russian companies' business operations in Africa falls far below our export capabilities, on the one hand, and the huge natural resources of the huge continent, on the other," Bogdanov said assertively.

Of course, one of the obstacles has been insufficient knowledge of the economic potential, on the part of Russian entrepreneurs, needs and opportunities of the African region. "Poor knowledge of the African markets' structure and the characteristics of African customers by the Russian business community remains an undeniable fact. The Africans in their turn are insufficiently informed on the capabilities of potential Russian partners," Bogdanov stressed in his speech there without suggesting any possible solutions.

Re-echoing deputy minister Bogdanov, professor Irina Abramova, newly-appointed director of the Institute for African Studies under the Russian Academy of Sciences, has also explained thus: "as before, we cannot deny the insufficient knowledge of the Russian business structures specificity of Africa, its requirements, and other parameters. On the other hand, Africans are poorly informed about the possibilities of Russian partnership."

Similarly, Lyubov Demidova, deputy chairperson from the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Moscow region), wrote in an emailed response to media interview question that "the main obstacle is insufficient knowledge of the economic potential, on the part of Russian entrepreneurs, needs and opportunities of the African region." For this, she hopes to help members of the business community of all African countries to address systematically issues of effective cooperation.

"The main task is to shift to a more comprehensive approach, using the extensive territorial network of the Russian Chamber of Commerce. Russia's business should be provided with full information on economic development in African countries and their needs in order to establish an ongoing Russian-African mutually beneficial business dialogue,"she suggested.

For the past years, only a few of those Russia's efforts at reviving economic cooperation have been made public. "Russian media write very little about Africa, what is going on there, what are the social and political dynamics in different parts of the continent. Media and NGOs should make big efforts to increase level of mutual knowledge, which can stimulate interest for each other and lead to increased economic interaction as well," said Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of the journal Russia in Global Affairs. Lukyanov is also a member of the State Council on Foreign and Defense Policy.

"To certain extent," Lukyanov said, "the intensification of non-political contacts may contribute to increased interest. But in Russia's case, the main drivers of any cooperation are more traditional rather than political interests of the state and economic interest of big companies. Soft power has never been a strong side of Russian policy in the post-Soviet era."

For the dearth of vital economic information, Russian Foreign Ministry, Department of Press and Information could grant media accreditation to, at least, a few African journalists to work in Russia. That could help bridge the business information gap. Most often, African political leaders and corporate business directors have to depend on western media reports about developments in Russia, according to the views of many policy experts.

O. Igho Natufe, PhD (McGill), a research professor at the Center for Studies of Russian-African Relations and Foreign Policy of African Countries, whose book Russian Foreign Policy in Search of Lost Influence published recently, explained that in order to improve overall relationship, Russia has to review its policy strategies and one surest way is to employ the soft power in dealing with Africa. Russian authorities have to acknowledge that the media has a huge role to play, thus frequent exchange of visits by Russian and African journalists as well as regular publications of economic and business reports could help create public business awareness and further raise to an appreciable levels the relationship between the two countries.

Olga Kulkova, a research fellow at the Center for Studies of Russian-African Relations, Institute for African Studies in Moscow, also noted in her opinion article that "in the global struggle for Africa, Russia is sadly far from outpacing its competitors. In terms of stringency of strategic outlook and activeness, the country is seriously lagging behind China, US, EU, India, Brazil."

For example, at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) meeting, both China and Africa have fixed a "China-Africa Press Exchange Center" in China to encourage exchanges and visits between Chinese and African media, and China already supports frequent exchange of correspondents by media organizations of the two sides. Most probably, Russian authorities both in the Kremlin and in the Foreign Ministry have to learn from some of these China's policy directions with Africa!

Kulkova suggested strongly that "Africa needs broader coverage in Russian media. Leading Russian media agencies should release more topical news items and quality analytical articles about the continent, on-the-spot TV reports in order to adequately collaborate with African partners and attract Russian business to Africa. More quality information about modern Russia should be broadcast in African states. Indisputably, it would take a lot of money and efforts, but the result will pay off."

Russia ought to take that into account if it wants to improve the chances for success in Africa. All the leading foreign countries have been doing that quite efficiently for a long time, Kulkova noted. But is anybody listening to all these?

Besides other factors hindering Russia's move to Africa, Maxim Matusevich, director of the Russian and East European Studies program at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, says it seems that there are few areas of mutual economic interest between the Russian Federation and sub-Saharan African states. Ironically, many African nations suffer from the same affliction that has negatively impacted western investments in Russia: unfriendly investment climate/s/, unpredictable and capricious regimes, rapacious elites and a lack of rule of law.

Trade experts have also been looking at ways to improve trade relations and economic cooperation with Africa. For instance, Andrey Efimenko, an expert at the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said in an exclusive interview with me that CCI of Russia has closely monitored the activities of Russian companies in Africa.

"Unfortunately," Efimenko regrettably pointed out, "some large Russian companies operating on the African market, has managed to establish itself negatively in a number of countries. This is primarily due to ignorance of cultural peculiarities of the region, the lack of social responsibility, failure to completely fulfill contractual obligations. These cases damage the image of Russia and Russian companies with further entering the African market."

Tellingly, some Russian researchers have their own explanations too. "Until recently, Africa was poorly represented in macro-economic forecasting and research, especially in terms of Russian-African relations," wrote Professor Aleksei Vasiliev and Evgeny Korendiasov both from the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of African Studies (IAS). Professor Vasiliev, a former presidential envoy to African countries and Korendiasov, a former Russian ambassador to the Republic of Mali and Burkina Faso.

They both authored an article published in June 2013 that Russia has officially declared promoting relations with Africa a priority goal. Assurances made by Russian officials in their statements that Africa is "in the mainstream of Russia's foreign policy" have not been substantiated by systematic practical activities, and the development of relations between Russia and Africa has so far nothing to boast about."

Without doubts, Russia's major lines of Russia-African partnership in the long-term perspective include developing investment cooperation, widening Russian companies' presence in the African markets through increased deliveries of industrial and food products, enhancing Russia's participation in driving the economic development of Africa. On the other hand, access to Russian market for African countries should also be simplified.

Official statistics on trade and investment are hard to find. Internet search simply found out that Russia's trade turnover with the countries of sub-Saharan Africa for the period from January to December 2015 was only estimated at US$ 3.3 billion.

*Kester Kenn Klomegah is an independent research writer on Russia-African affairs and a member of the Regional Council on Development of Relations with Africa. The views expressed here are those of the individual experts in the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Regional Council.
The Newly elected New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary nominee for the Kwesimintsim constituency in the Western Region, Joe Mensah has expressed his commitment to unite all factions of the party in the constituency in the aftermath of his victory in the primaries held on Tuesday.

In a heated contest delayed due to a legal tussle, incumbent Joe Baidoe Ansah lost his seat in Parliament which he has occupied since 2001 to Joe Mensah.

Speaking to Citi News, Joe Mensah believes going into the December elections with a united will be of immense benefit to the party.

Joe Badu Ansah

Immediately after my victory, I've extended an olive branch to them. I will wait for few days and approach them if I don't hear anything from them and ask them to join us to campaign and make sure that we increase our votes in the constituency. They are very vital to my campaign team, I cannot leave them behind.

Joe Mensah noted that it is normal during elections periods for brothers, friends will have different opinions and even quarrel among themselves but after elections they come together and work together to achieve whatever they want to achieve.

In a fiercely contested primary, Joseph Mensah, polled 187 votes , whiles Joe Baidoe-Ansah had 122 votes. There were two rejected ballots, whereas 30 delegates were absent.

There were allegations that Joseph Mensah was once a cadre of the then PNDC regime, and that a book he had authored also made mention of the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC) regime, led by Jerry John Rawlings.

However, an Accra High Court last week ruled that, Joseph Mensah, an employee of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority at Takoradi, was qualified to contest.



By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @AlloteyGodwin
In early September, leaders of 20 major world economies and eight guest countries gatheredin the picturesque Hangzhou to discuss the course of the global economy, one of the most important agendas in todays world.

At the G20 Hangzhou Summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed to take advantage of the new round of scientific and technological revolution to address the world economic conundrum with a more positive attitude.

The world now faces multiple challenges. Apart from universal roadblocks such as global warming and economic downturn, certain regions are also haunted by religious extremism, terrorism and separatism, which are also responsible for the turbulence in a number of countries and regions.

The era of globalization presents opportunities as well, for instance, cooperation among BRICS. Emerging markets, represented by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, have achieved tremendous economic development in the past decade.

The BRICS cooperation, highlighted by diversity and complementary resources, will undoubtedly facilitate a more inclusive and harmonious global governance landscape.

The Hangzhou Summit cast a light on the key challengeshindering world development and called on all countries to offer solutions, demonstrating Chinasglobal vision as well as its crucial role in international affairs.

As the largest developing country and the second-largest economy, China can not only deal with difficulties in its domestic economy, but provide a reference for other countries with its development experience. It can help developed and developing countries reach consensus on the direction of the global economy and other agendas.

As President Xi said, the world economy is now going though profound adjustment and moving along a twisted path to recovery. It stands at a crucial juncture where new growth drivers are taking the place of old ones. Therefore, in face of the new challenges and opportunities, all countries should build consensus, strive to eliminate the aftereffects of the international financial crisis and achieve the new development goals of the 21st century industrial civilization.

(The author is Director of the Brazilian Institute for China and Asia-Pacific Studies.)
The Finance Ministry says it is optimistic a meeting Wednesday by the IMF to decide release of the third installment of funds under the Extended Credit Facility will be favourable.

A Deputy Minister of Finance, Mona Quartey, said progressive data on how government has performed under the programme so far was presented last week to the Fund.

What we are waiting for is for the management of the IMF board to discuss and approve the next tranche of the credit facility," she said.

She told Joy Busines all the performance criteria that was set for the country has been met.

"There were some prior conditions that we had to meet in order to finish the third review so they can go to the Board. We are in the process and we are almost done and so we are confident that IMF should go to the board to allow the next tranche to come in, she said.

One of the key data that has been presented to the Fund is the situation on countrys energy sector.

The Fund considers the power sector critical to Ghanas progress under the deal.

Ghana is expected to get some $116 million when the Board approves release of the third tranche.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | George Nyavor | [email protected]
Massa, the painful truth is, our development has been beclouded by sycophancy, negligence, corruption, cronyism, nepotism and needless dubieties, -----we cant do attitude.

Consequently, we are often judged by our western counterparts as unproductive and incapable lots who arent willing to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of humanity.

It is against this backdrop that every patriot must be extremely concerned when agnostic individuals like MASSA Kwesi Pratt try their level best to shoot down an expedient poverty intervention such as one village one dam being proposed by the NPP Party.

In fact, it was beyond a mere befuddlement when listening to MASSA Kwesi Pratts warped exegesis pertaining to the feasibility of such a policy during Kwame Sefa Kais Tuesday 27 September 2016 edition of Kokrokoo chat show on Peace FM.

According to MASSA Pratt, in so far as the NPP Party communicators have failed to develop taxonomy between a dam, a borehole and irrigation in their explanations, he cannot see how and why an NPP government can implement such a policy. How bizarre?

What left me more besotted was MASSA Pratts brutalised claims that since the NPP Party has been clamorously touting one village one dam and meanwhile one dam may serve three villages, NPP has thus belied the facts about their policy. How pathetic?

I beg your pardon, MASSA Pratt, your inveterate and risible proclivity towards anything NPP is out of this world. For if that was not the case, how could an ostensible senior citizen like you, oppose such an advantageous policy that could ameliorate the existential poverty in the northern part of Ghana?

Without seeking to be condescending here, MASSA, your inexorable incertitude somehow gives oxygen to the often inane views of the supremacists like the disputatious Turkish taxi driver who once impoliticly asseverated that Africans are not intelligent.

Obviously, any intrepid, patriot and discerning African would be dumbfounded to hear such an indiscreet statement from the loudmouthed Turkish taxi driver.

Apparently, the Turkish taxi driver sought to buttress his lurid assertion by affirming that if anything at all, the Europeans have researched and invented a lot for humanity; North Americans have done their bit; Asians are currently catching up with the Europeans and the North Americans ; the South Americans and the Australians are doing their utmost best.

The Turkish taxi driver stated that he had read widely and watched the catalogue of the ills of Africa on Television. The driver however explained that he is cognisant of incompetence, corruption, nepotism, cronyism, tribal conflicts, poverty, squalor, etc., in Africa.

As a matter of fact, every discerning African would not be faulted for feeling numb momentarily upon hearing such a heartrending assertion, for, indeed, the truth hurts, they say.

Nevertheless, we should rather direct our frustrations towards the so-called senior citizens like MASSA Kwesi Pratt, who have been needlessly holding back our advancement with their voracious actions and inactions.

Apparently, MASSA Kwesi Pratt claims to be Nkrumahist, albeit he does not seem to share his Doyens ideology of development through industrialization.

It would be recalled that during the 6th March 1957 independence proclamation, Osagyefo eloquently recited some important messages which were meant to motivate Ghanaians.

However, as to whether those inspiring messages have impacted positively in the lives of the so-called Nkrumahists like MASSA Kwesi Pratt is yet to be seen.

In paraphrasing some of his euphonious and enlivening messages, Dr Nkrumah positively asserted back then, that Blackman was more than ready and capable of ruling himself.

Indeed, he sounded like a manful optimist. Yes, I concur, a Blackman has the requisite knowledge and intelligence to be able to manage his own affairs, but has the intelligent and knowledgeable Blackman been able, and more importantly willing to do so?

Whats more, during the delivery of the euphonious speech, Osagyefo challenged all and sundry to come together and work hard towards the development of the nation, so as to gain our respect amongst nations.

Perfect, that message was melodious to the ear, but have we, as a nation, managed, or in a position to do so? I am afraid, no.

If you disagree with my disposition, just listen to the current arguments by agnostics like MASSA Kwesi Pratt following Nana Akufo Addos announcement of one village one dam policy and you would not belie the facts by suggesting that some Ghanaians are not ready for advancement.

K. Badu, UK.
Workers of telecommunication company Expresso will today [Wednesday] embark on a protest against management over their refusal to pay workers salaries.

In a document copied to Citi Business News the workers stated that they had not received their salaries for over 18 months.

According to them, management has also deprived them off their rightful benefits such as SSNIT, provident Fund and Medicare.

The workers say although they have complained severally, nothing has been done about the situation.

According to them frustrations have compelled them to hold a non-violent, non-destruction and non-noise protest to draw management's attention to refund their salaries within the shortest possible time.

Expresso challenges

Expresso has been facing financial and operational challenges for years.

The telecom operator has been struggling to secure an investor for some time now, the development has led to a reduction in Expresso's market share to about 0.36% as at the first quarter of this year.

Earlier some players within the telecom industry warned that the company risks folding up if it fails to find an investor soon.

NCA to revoke Expressos license

The National Communications Authority (NCA) earlier told Citi Business News it had begun the processes to revoke the license of Expresso.

According to the NCA's Director for Engineering Henry Kanor the prolonged inactivity of Expresso is affecting industry stakeholders and creating a shortfall in the revenue targets of the regulator and government.

In an interview with Citi Business News, Henry Kanor said there will be a policy statement on Expresso shortly if it fails to get an investor to invest in the company soon.

We have a regulatory regime that is enshrined in their license and so we gave triggered that and a discussion has to be taken in that regard. I should think that is why they are now seriously looking for investors to come invest in the company. Henry Kanor stated that The status quo cannot remain the same for long, we want to make sure that customers get the best services, we want to get revenues for government and as regulator we need revenue to survive.



By: Jessica Ayorkor Aryee/citibusinessnews/Ghana
The United States welcomes todays verdict at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the case against Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi, a member of the violent extremist group Ansar al-Dine. Al Faqi, who surrendered to the ICC in 2015 by Nigerien authorities and pled guilty to one charge of war crimes related to intentionally directing attacks against Muslim shrines and mausoleums in Timbuktu, was sentenced to 9 years of imprisonment.

As we have seen in Mali and other contexts, the destruction of cultural artifacts and monuments has been used as a tool to seek to terrorize, to erase history, and to eradicate the identities of communities. These are assaults not just on a country and its people, but on the common cultural heritage of all humankind, and those responsible for these acts should face justice. Secretary Kerry has underscored that such acts are a tragedy for all civilized people, and the civilized world must take a stand. Al Faqis conviction is part of broader national and international efforts to protect cultural property, and it sends an important message to those responsible for such crimes that impunity will not prevail.

The United States supports efforts by the ICC and Malian authorities to provide justice for these serious crimes committed in Mali. We commend Mali for its cooperation with the ICC in this matter, and we encourage continued national and international efforts to bring to justice senior extremist leaders who led the campaign to terrorize northern Mali and destroy symbols of its rich history of tolerance and cultural pluralism.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Ambassador Chalwe Lombe has urged Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) continuously reform their economies to the dictates of times, taking into account transport-related obstacles, and improving the productive capacities.

Mr. Lombe said this when he addressed the Fifteenth Annual Ministerial Meeting of LLDCs Foreign Affairs Ministers, under the theme: Harnessing Coherence in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Vienna Platform of Action on the sidelines of the High-Level Segment of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Permanent Secretary globalisation had made the world markets more integrated, hence it was cardinal to harness coherence within LLDCs, at a regional, continental and global.

He called for implementation of policy measures that have a multidimensional approach to landlockedness as a development challenge.

We can do this by continuously reforming our economies to the dictates of times, taking into account transport-related obstacles, and improving the productive capacities as a key element of reform processes, Mr. Lombe said. This meeting is very critical because of its special focus on a topical theme in the UN Sustainable Development, which is;

Mr. Lombe said to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) and to implement the six priority areas in the Vienna Platform of Action, requires strengthened partnerships and collaboration amongst LLDCs, with transit countries and development partners. Within the broad framework of development cooperation including through South-South Cooperation and Triangular Cooperation platforms as well as a mutually beneficial North-South Cooperation, the financial and technical support to LLDCs will enhance implementation of the Vienna Programme of Action priorities, the Permanent Secretary said. We need to stress the critical role of the private sector in mobilising resources to complement public sector efforts in implementing projects in strategic sectors such infrastructure development, energy security, regional integration, industrialization and value addition which have a direct bearing on alleviating the challenges of landlockedness and consequently poverty reduction is key.

Mr. Lombe said Zambia, through the five-year revised Sixth National Development Plan from 2011 to 2016, has continued to make progress in sustainable development, and was preparing the Seventh National Development Plan.

Zambia in conjunction with other landlocked developing countries and transit countries in the sub-region has developed supportive institutional frameworks, such as transport and trade facilitation bodies or coordination committees, road funds and border facilities. We have simplified, streamlined and harmonized procedures leading to increased efficiency and fewer delays. Zambia has engaged neighboring Countries and has signed simplified trade agreements and Bilateral Transport Agreements with countries such as Angola, Botswana, Congo Democratic Republic, Namibia and Tanzania respectively in an effort to harmonise trade and transport policies, Mr. Lombe said. Zambia has prioritised infrastructure development cutting across all sectors and is aims to transform into hub in the areas of Information Communication Technology, Power Generation and Distribution, Tourism and transport Facilitation, among others.

Mr. Lombe said Zambia was part of the negotiations for the establishment of a continental free Trade Area which will create a bigger market of 650 million people.

Diversifying the economy away from copper dependency is a key priority, he said.

The Permanent Secretary said the Zambian Government recognizes the catalytic role of the private sector in bridging the resource gaps in financing development.

The Permanent Secretary also informed Foreign Affairs Ministers of LLDCs that Zambia successfully held the Presidential, parliamentary and local government elections on 11August, 2016, at which His Excellency Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu was re-elected as Zambias President.

Mr. Lombe informed the meeting that Honourable Harry Kalaba, was elected as Member of Parliament and retained as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Zambia but he could not attend the present LLDCs meeting due to other engagements.

Zambia is the chair of the LLDCs.
The Vice President's friend at the University of Ghana, Legon, who is said to have advised him against responding to the queries raised by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia during his famous lecture recently, should have also asked Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur to avoid talking on the campaign trail.

We even think that his boss the President should withdraw him from the party's campaign trail because his role is counterproductive.

Indeed if he is not stopped at this stage, the repercussions would be disastrous.

We are saddened that an educated man- the Number Two Gentleman of the nation- would allude derogatorily to persons not endowed with tallness.

In a country in which most persons are not tall, such allusion cannot be said to be a wise one.

The Vice President, we would rather, does not descend to the level of serial callers.

If this is what he meant by responding to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) two-folds when they point a finger at the NDC, then it is unfortunate, given his position.

He is not known to possess such obscene characteristics.

It takes more than a few years to determine a person's moral quality: the Vice President, being a living testimony.

By such allusion he cannot be a role model for the younger generation. As for the NDC, the Vice President is a liability they must do something about it before they worsen their precarious situation.

Spewing words before censuring oneself is a mark of irresponsibility at the top.

For those seeking reasons behind the near backburner position of the vice president in the scheme of things at the Presidency, his abysmal performance on the campaign trail says it all.

For the many Ghanaians who do not possess the Sahelian height, the Vice President is asking them not to vote for his party because midgets are unwanted.

It sounds ironic that the Vice President who is himself not a tall person would be hurling mud at short persons.

When the Chief of Staff Julius Debrah and the many short persons in government frown at him when they meet in an alley, they should not be faulted.

He should have learnt from Nii Lante Vanderpuye who walked on a similar tangent earlier and suffered dearly for it and irrecoverably.

Vice President Amissah Arthur must wake up but it is too late in the day to undo the negative impression he has created for himself.

He continues to list badly and it would not be long before he becomes a full-time drab clown.

How can we describe someone on a vote-seeking campaign who alienates a larger segment of the population by indirectly insulting them?

In any case wisdom is given to all manner of persons, the short, tall and even the physically challenged.

Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur should have learnt earlier in life about the importance of self-censorship in verbal communications.

But for such self-censorship which we are applying as decent citizens, we would have continued with our analysis of the Vice President who has lost it.

He must consider dealing only with tall persons.


The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has expressed concern about the use of state resources to buy and share freebies to supporters of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) by President Mahama on his campaign tours.

Addressing a press conference at the party's Asylum Down national headquarters in Accra yesterday, party spokesperson who doubles as the parliamentary candidate for the Adentan Constituency, Yaw Buaben-Asamoa, said, Given the lack of political traction for vote buying, the NPP would not have bothered to engage on it, but for the alarming waste of questionable resources involved in reportedly and allegedly giving away vehicles, houses, motorbikes, outboard motors, head pans, gas cylinders, tablets, mobile telephones and raw cash.

He also raised questions about the picture in which President Mahama was captured giving a wad of cash to a chief in the full glare of the public.

To Mr Buaben-Asamoah, that showed the depth to which the presidency has in desperation sunk, in pursuit of what he described as a phantom political desire.



Concerns

The spokesperson, flanked by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the party's standard bearer and Alhaji Mustapha Hamid, Buaben-Asamoa could not but ask rhetorically, The real question, Mr. President, is whether you are going to pay all of us to vote for you?

That, he said was because millions of Ghanaians are out of job, are dropping out of school, are not being treated in hospitals, cannot afford electricity and rent and would rather walk than pay for transportation.

He noted, This sorry plight is due primarily to the misalignment of resources away from essential services and priorities to high rent seeking projects.

The vice presidential candidate of the NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has often asked without any tangible response from the NDC government, Where has the record amount of resources in tax revenue, cocoa and gold export revenues, oil revenues, loans and grants collected between 2009 to 2015 gone?

He wondered why the Mahama-led NDC government has driven the country to what he described as unprecedented gargantuan debt levels projected over a GH100 billion, even with the endowments available, adding that that translates into suffering for the average Ghanaian voter, who for lack of non-payment of statutory obligations by the government, cannot access benefits from anaemic social services.



Lame Excuses

For him, government's excuse for this sorry state of affairs, attributing it to public policy, is nothing but lame, asking rhetorically, How could public policy translate into vehicles and houses for political cronies? Or even worse, how can public policy explain stuffing of wads of cash into a chiefs' pocket, at a time when the basic needs of the people are not being met? Could the more plausible explanation be that precious state resources meant for the common good are being deliberately or otherwise siphoned into vote buying at the expense of critical social investments?

Mr Buaben-Asamoa noted that the mix of policy with gift giving represents a scary prospect for governance, if not checked. NDC Government tested the mix in the three-month run-up to the 2012 elections with devastating results for public finances, he recalled and said the government overspent in excess of GH8.7 billion by the end of the year under review.



References

The NPP spokesman recalled the distribution of GH50.00 notes through all means, including envelopes stuffed into half pieces of cloth shared at trotro stations and mails to youth of voting age in schools, for which reason he was convinced, What we witnessed and experienced in the run-up to election 2012 could be likened to a deliberate shift of gargantuan public resources into the sole purpose of influencing electoral outcomes in the name of implementing public policy.

That, he claimed led to a situation where real public policy needs by way of salaries, allowances, subventions and payments for services rendered to government as well as statutory payments remained unpaid and the country experienced spiralling strikes by doctors, lecturers, civil servants, pharmacists, nurses and others, whiles the energy sector crisis festered.



Cost Effect

Buaben-Asamoa maintained, That deliberate mismanagement and incompetence was the rush into the arms of the IMF, in spite of oil revenue. Even that, worryingly, has become cold comfort as noises and allegations of poor reporting gradually emerge, with likely dire consequences for effective completion of the programme.

He therefore believes, The only solution is to vote the President Mahama Government out and restore responsible and accountable governance.



Clarion Call

The decision to change incompetence, corruption and insensitivity for decisive and accountable governance will determine the future prospects of the youth of this country for the next several political generations, he noted, adding, A poor decision to grant 12 years of governance to the President John Mahama-led NDC administration may ultimately lead to the final collapse of a socio-political economy which even though well-endowed with resources, is virtually on its knees from sheer incompetence and unprecedented levels of corruption through family and friends governance.

By Charles Takyi-Boadu
Paul Akoh addressing the press at NPP Regional Headquarters at Sunyani (middle)

The Brong Ahafo Regional branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called on relevant authorities who want to ensure peaceful and fair election this year at Asunafo and Asutifi South Constituencies of the region to advise the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Eric Opoku and the Local Government and Rural Development Minister, Collins Dauda to stop using their party thugs to intimidate NPP members in the areas.

According to regional leaders of the party, nobody should blame them if violence breaks out in the above-mentioned constituencies before, during and after the December elections.

It seems our call for intervention from bodies such as the Peace Council, Christian Council, Police and the Army have fallen on deaf ears.

At a press conference yesterday at the NPP's Office at Sunyani, Chairman of Regional Election Committee of the NPP, Paul Akoh recounted several instances where members of his party were beaten, maimed and tortured without any provocation at Asunafo, Asutifi and Tano South Constituencies in the Brong Ahafo region.

He mentioned that the NPP MP for Asutifi North Constituency, Joseph Daha and Obeng Appiah, Asutifi South Constituency Chairman were beaten at Ntotroso and Nkaseim respectively.

He mentioned that recently the finger of an NPP supporter was chopped off at Sankore by hooligans.

According to him, the party has made several complaints to the authorities but to no avail.

He said for instance, the regional chairman of the party, Lawyer Ansumah Kweku Cheremeh and the acting National Chairman of the NPP, Freddie Blay, have all complained about brutalities being meted out to their supporters by the hooligans.

The former Asutifi North MP condemned the continuous brutalization of the party people at Asutifi and Asunafo South Constituencies without police action.

He blamed the situation on some leading NDC members such as Mr Opoku, Mr Dauda, who he accused of using his brother called Naaba to terrorize NPP people at Asutifi.

He alleged that Mohammed Doku, DCE for Asutifi North and Eric Adai, DCE for Asutifi South and Hannah Bisiw, a Deputy Minister of Agric in-charge of Livestock were behind the incessant attacks.

Mr. Paul Akoh expressed disappointment in the security agencies, especially the police, for allowing the NDC gurus to manipulate them in the discharge of their professional duties.

He said so far nobody had been arrested and prosecuted, adding that all peace-loving people and organizations should not blame the NPP when violence erupts in the various constituencies.

FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Sunyani

[email protected]
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is expected to meet today and decide on its third tranche of support to Ghana under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme.

Government has expressed optimism that the IMF would approve an amount of $114.6 million to it.

A Deputy Minister of Finance, Mona Quartey, who disclosed this to the media in Accra recently, stated: We are optimistic that the board will approve the next tranche of the facility for Ghana. The board is meeting on the 28th of this month and shortly after the approval should come. The data has been gathered and was delivered last week. What we are waiting for is for the management of the IMF board to discuss and approve the next tranche of the credit facility.

About two weeks ago, government hinted that it was working to present data on the country's energy sector to the IMF which could possibly facilitate the release of the third tranche of the bailout funds.

Government has stated that the information was necessary as the Fund considered the power sector as one of the critical factors to the progress of the bailout deal.

Under the ECF programme with Ghana initialed by the IMF and the Government of Ghana on 3rd April, last year, a total amount of $918 million was agreed to be released to Ghana as balance of payments support over a 3-year period.

In all, the IMF is to make eight equal tranches over the entire period of the ECF agreement.

A team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), led by Joel Toujas-Bernate, visited Accra from August 29-September 2, 2016 to continue discussions on the third review of Ghana's financial and economic programme.

The ECF is a lending arrangement of the IMF that provides sustained programme engagement over the medium to long-term in case of protracted balance of payments problems.

Ghana received an amount of $114.75 million immediately after the Board's approval of the first tranche in April last year.

By Samuel Boadi

[email protected]
President John Mahama has admitted failure in ensuring that the country gets a Right to Information (RTI) law, saying he does not even know the stage of proceedings on the bill currently before parliament.

Cabinet approved it; we submitted it to parliament; I don't know where it is, President Mahama expressed the frustration in a speech he delivered at UNESCO's International Programme for Development of Communication talks in France yesterday.

The Coalition on the Right to Information has been putting pressure on the government to get parliament to pass the RTI bill expected to give substance to Article 21 (1) (f) of the 1992 Constitution which states that All persons shall have the right to information subject to such qualifications and laws as are necessary in a democratic society.

According to the coalition, countries like South Sudan, Guinea, Niger, Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Nigeria, Rwanda and most recently Kenya and Tanzania among others, have all passed the law and did not understand why Ghana, which touts itself as a pacesetter for democratic practice in Africa, cannot pass such a law.

The president, commenting on the prolonged bill in parliament said, Unfortunately, it will go down in history as the legislation that has stayed the longest in parliament, adding, Ghana has probably the highest saturation; we have aside from the Constitution put in the legislation to guarantee freedom of information and access to information.

President Mahama said the RTI bill has suffered some setbacks because of lack of consensus among the parties in parliament.

It has been at the committee level. The committee decided to go round the country and consult on the Freedom of Information bill. Some say it is too liberal; some say it is too tight and it should be made more liberal and so parliament is still working on it.

It was submitted to parliament in the term of the last president and it has continued in my term and I believe that it is something that we should complete and make available so that people will have a legal basis for demanding information if there is a reluctance to give the information to them.

The coalition, ahead of the president's speech, had released a statement condemning the government's failure to get the bill passed to enhance greater access to public information.

The RTI Coalition believes that the selection of President Mahama to speak on such a day as the IDUAI and on such a topic, even though ironic given that Ghana has failed for more than a decade to put in place an access to information legislation, presents an opportunity for the president to make concrete commitments on the passage of an effective and efficient RTI legislation before the current parliament lapses in 2017.

The Coalition had reminded the president that the progress to secure the review and passage of the RTI bill since 2013 has been very slow, adding, In June 2016 the consideration of the bill was stalled due to the lack of political will by the current parliament to prioritize the consideration of the bill as they promised.

It continued, As a Coalition, we are concerned that President Mahama has not demonstrated strong commitments to the passage of the RTI bill, despite his party's commitment to same in their 2008 and 2012 manifestos.

Being an election year, the failure by the 6th parliament to pass the bill before its tenure lapses would mean that the process would have to commence all over again with the new government and the new parliament.

As a result of this, the Coalition sent a petition to President Mahama through the Chief of Staff on August 18, 2016 asking him to deliver on his party's previous manifesto promises on the RTI Bill. Till date the Coalition has not received any response to the petition, it observed.

By William Yaw Owusu
BEIJING, Sept. 28 -- The Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday that it will impose anti-subsidy duties on distiller's dried grain (DDG) from the United States by requiring importers to pay a cash deposit on purchases.

As of Friday, importers of the product must place deposits with Chinese customs ranging from 10-10.7 percent, according to the ministry.

The move comes after the ministry imposed anti-dumping duties on DDG from the United States last week. Starting last Friday, importers of DDG were required to set aside deposits at 33.8 percent of the import value.

The domestic industry has been "substantially" harmed by the dumping and subsidies of DDG, the ministry said in a preliminary ruling following an investigation launched earlier this year.

DDG is the nutrient rich byproduct of dry-milled ethanol production, which is used in animal feed. China is the world's biggest buyer of DDG, with most imports coming from the United States.
I will not be distracted in my quest to win the upcoming elections to lead the country into the land of prosperity from 2017, despite the insults and personal attacks from members of the governing NDC. First they said I was a drug addict. It didn't work. They said I was sick. It didn't work. They said I was too old. It didn't work. They said I was a hunchback. It didn't work. They said I was a dwarf. It didn't work. They said I was in a wheelchair. It didn't work. They said I am a murderer. It didn't work. They said I will die in June. It didn't work. They said I was a dictator. It didn't work. They said I was intolerant. It didn't work. They said I was violent. It didn't work. They said I had a secret agenda to destabilize the country. It didn't work. Now they say I have cancer. It will not work  Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, standard flagbearer of the NPP

Corruption has been transformed under President Mahama, with headline cases such as Woyome, GYEEDA, Smartty's scandals, among others. Today corruption is running like a Ford Expedition coming from Burkina Faso. Dr. Alhaji Bawumia  Running Mate to Nana Addo.

After reading the above mentioned quotations by the flagbearer of the NPP and his running mate, I had to quickly rush to the washroom to urinate because if I had waited a little longer I would have wetted my pants. When my sixteen  year old granddaughter heard me laughing even though I was not discussing anything with anyone since only two of us were together, she surprisingly asked me why I was laughing alone. I gave the newspaper to her to read and after reading she also burst into an uncontrollable laughter.

Dr. Bawumia in particular made my day when he made the quotation above. The man is a weaver of words and a clever guy. In my mind's eyes, I saw a Ford Expedition running at top speed from Burkina Faso, across the Paga boarder on its way to the Flagstaff House to be presented to Mr. John Mahama as a gift from Kanazoe, the Burkinabe private contractor. I compared the speed of the Ford Expedition to how corruption has become rampant under the Mahama administration and couldn't help but side with Dr. Bawumia. Today in John Mahama's Ghana, corruption has been institutionalized and everybody in government is grabbing whatever comes their way and making hay while the sun shines.

If you have the opportunity to speak with some of them privately, they will tell you they have to make it quick because the grounds are slippery. In fact, deep down their hearts, they know their party will lose the December 7 elections and so they have to quickly stockpile money and wealth so that when they are out of office they could continue to live luxurious lives as they are currently doing. As for the president he likes to hear only good things about his administration and he is not short of bootlickers who will continue to mislead him into thinking that all is rosy. So he goes about telling people that his good deeds will win votes for him to continue ruling or misruling this country.

To continue to milk the country dry, his Regional Ministers have colluded with the MMDCEs to tell him naked lies and describe to him phantom projects which he will never see but will continue to lie to Ghanaians that such projects exist. The Ghanaians of yesteryears are not the Ghanaians of today. The current crop of Ghanaians know very well that it is the duty of every government to build roads, schools, clinics, hospitals and other amenities. Other than that why do we pay taxes and why is the president junketing the globe to seek loans on behalf of Ghanaians? If John Mahama goes around to tell them that he has been able to build such facilities, the people know very well that since the days of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, governments after governments have build schools, roads, hospitals clinics etc.

I have been challenging the president in this column to tell Ghanaians any extraordinary thing that his government has been able to execute since he became the president of Ghana. Mr. Rawlings can boast of building the University of Development Studies, the introduction of the District Assembly concept etc. Mr. Kufour can boast of building the Bui Dam and the introduction of social intervention policies like the School Feeding Programme, the Free Maternal Care Policy, the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Kufour Bus among others. And the late Professor Mills can boast of establishing a university in the Volta Region. As for Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, I cannot get enough space in this column to enumerate the numerous legacies that he left behind in a matter of barely nine years.

In less than three years in office, the late Professor Busia was able to build low cost houses in almost all the districts in Ghana and build Health Centers in every district. Like Professor Busia, Dr, Hilla Limann also left an enviable track record in a matter of two years in office. It was Limann who introduced the Trade Liberalization Policy which led to the flooding of the markets with goods in a matter of six months when Rawlings and his AFRC had sold everything at give away prices when they seized power. The meek and humble president Limann also bought brand new four cargos vessels for the Ghana Black Star Line and continued with the building of low cost houses. He revamped many collapsed factories left behind by the Osagyefo and improved drastically agriculture in the country so much so that Ghanaians had enough to eat and even export to neighbouring countries. If the distribution of outboard motors, pans, baskets, clothes, head dryers and the giving out of landcruisers to chiefs and queenmothers is anything extraordinary, Mr. Mahama should forget it because those things are fraudulent. And if the institutionalization of corruption is what Mr. Mahama thinks he has done to deserve praise, he should bend his head down in shame because it is not a legacy worth leaving for generations yet unborn.

ATTACKING NANA ADDO AS A CAMPAIGN MESSAGE

Anytime I hear the NDC apparatchiks making ugly noise that Nana Addo has no message for Ghanaians, I begin to think whether they do know what is a campaign message. The man started his tour with a clear message that he will build one factory in one district and the NDC goons said it was not possible. He said the Free SHS that he promised in the run-up to the 2012 General Election will come to pass and the NDC hound said they will rather do it in a progressive manner having said in 2012 that it was not possible. He went to the Brong Ahafo Region where majority of the farmers cultivate cashew nuts and promised that when voted to power he will establish a Cashew Marketing Board and President Mahama rushed to the Brong Ahafo Region to tell the people there that he too will establish a Cashew Marketing Board. Habba, Mahama!!

When Nana went to the Western Region he told the chiefs and people there that he will create another region in the Western Region so that administering the region will be easy and John Mahama rushed to the same region after the Cape Coast launching of the NDC campaign to tell the chiefs and people of the Western Region that he too had an idea to create a new region when he gets the second term. Ebei Mahama.

And when the chiefs who had the opportunity to meet Nana Addo when he went there told him of the deplorable state of their roads and Nana promised to fix them when he gets the nod, John Mahama arrogantly insulted the senior politician by tell the chiefs that Nana was sleeping when he visited the region. The president did not know that his tour guides circumvented the bad roads and took him through the few good roads to make it look as if all was well with the people as far as the roads in the region was concerned. Even before he concluded his campaign tour of the region, people had started demonstrating for the fixing of the bad roads in the region.

Then Nana rushed to the Northern Region, the president's home region and visited Yendi where he interacted with Andani Regent and Abudu Regent and promised them that his main mission is to find a lasting peace in Dagbon so that development could be quickened. When Mahama too went to Yendi, he did not give any message and he did not promise as his party did and even included in their Manifesto that they will establish a truly independent presidential commission to look into the murder of the Yaa Naa. He just gave them cars and flew away in a helicopter because the roads were just too bad.

Nana Addo told the people of the Northern Region that he will establish a dam each in every village and hell broke loose. The usual noise, he cannot do it took center stage in their daily ranting. The NDC people did not know that a mechanized borehole can be used to create a mini dam for irrigation. It was Mr. Roosevelt, the late President of the US who once said great minds discuss great plans but little minds discuss personalities. If you can't think big and somebody does, why envy the person? If President Mahama thinks giving out cars and other goodies can win him votes, he should concentrate on that and leave Nana alone because Ghanaians know the difference between the wheat and the chaff.

Eric Bawah
Mayor of Accra, Mr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuye

28.09.2016 LISTEN

In his quest to ensure the safety of residence, the Mayor of Accra, Mr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuye called for the demolition of buildings on waterways.

The exercise was as a result of the heavy downpour that occurred on June 3 flooding the homes of people destroying lives and properties.

Residence of Kaneshie, Old Fadama, Dansoman, Circle, Sodom and Gomorrah and traders at the June 4 market were all affected by the flood.

As a result, the Mayor was compelled to undertake a demolition exercise at some of the aforesaid areas.

However, recent downpours have shown how fruitless the exercise was. The activities and attitude of some Ghanaians continue to create a serene environment for the flood to consistently visit us.

With no clear line of action stated by the AMA boss as to what these fallow lands will be used for, the current state of the lands lives much to be desired.

After the demolition, the fallow site at the June 4 market for instance has been turned into a dumping site with wee smokers invading the place.

The situation, if care is not taken, will be out of hand. The land now boosts of all the forms of environmental degradation and pollution.

Unfortunately, some traders have returned to these lands with others building stores on the land.

Intelligence gathered reveals that some section of the Agbogbloshie market women are planning of invading the land. When that happens, what this means is that the exercise has not been of any importance to the community and Ghana at large.

In-line with this , the Accra Mayor must quickly put down measures that will ensure that the lands are put to effective use.
The Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has commended outgoing United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon for his collaboration and leadership in steering the affairs of the organisation over the last 10 years.

The two leaders met on 23 September 2016, in the margins of the 71st General Assembly of the UN, in what may be their very last formal meeting in their various portfolios. They took turns to express gratitude to each other for the collaboration and cooperation in working challenging issues.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon lauded the Chairperson Dlamini Zuma for leading an ambitious 50-year continental vision, Agenda 2063, and its first 10-year implementation plan. He hoped that both Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals Agenda will be properly aligned for better implementation.

They exchanged notes on other continental issues of peace and security issues and expressed the hope to see their respective successors continue working together on these issues.

The Chairperson and the Secretary General both wished each other well in their respective future undertakings.
The joy of many Ghanaians across political divide knew no bounds when Mr. John Dramani Mahama was selected as a vice presidential candidate of the then candidate: Professor John Evans Atta Mills of President Rawlings fashioned National Democratic Congress (NDC) in April 2008. As an astute politician and a member of Ghanas legislature through the nod of Bole-Bamboi constituents, Mr. Mahama was affable, not disconcerting, simple and noble. He is best remembered for his role in seeking justices for 44 Ghanaians who were murdered by the iron fisted Gambian ruler, Yahya Jammeh at pan African parliament in somewhere 2005.

Indeed, he was a great legislator and posterity will judge him greater still. However, as a president, his image is sinking fast like a butter on top of a fire partly because of his preference for kakistocracy (a system of government by the worst or least qualified citizens). Here, confusion interposes because not all his appointees are least qualified and bereft of ideas to manage their portfolios. I am much particular about the likes of those from dining hall prefect work experience to a minister of state position. The price to pay for President Mahamas somewhat lack of derision for kakistocracy, is the number of embarrassments his government has caused Ghanaians in both national level and international arena.

For example, during Ghanas 59th independence anniversary, Kenyan President, Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta was referred to as the President of Ghana in a brochure prepared by some of his appointees. The famous Vikileak is another example. In his speech to address the 71st session of the UN general assembly, Mr. Mahama raised many issues. Three of them are worthy for discussion.

In the first place, Mr. Mahamas call for USA to completely lift economic blockade on Cuba was a needless diplomatic or ego aggrandizement. This was like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. President Obama made a historic trip to Cuba in May, 2016 and Delta airlines has already began flight to Cuba. So Mr. Mahamas call was unnecessary interference in the foreign policies of Cuba and USA. Ghana was supposed to be neutral.

Foreign policy of a country is purely an internal affair of that country. USAs foreign policy on Cuba is her internal affair and vice versa. UN principles prohibit member countries from interfering in the internal affairs of other countries. The United Nations act in accordance with the following Principles.

1.All member states are sovereign and equal.

2. All are pledged to fulfill their obligations under the Charter in good faith.

3. All are pledged to settle their international disputes by peaceful means and without endangering international peace, security and justice.

4. They are to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against any other state.

5. They are to give the UN every assistance in any action it takes in accordance with the Charter.

6. The United Nations shall not intervene in matters which are essentially domestic ones of any state except when it is acting to enforce international peace.

Fellow countrymen, why must our president drag Ghana into the relations between USA and Cuba? What actually plunged me into a state of mental disquietude was when President Mahama told President Obama to complete the total process before he leaves office. USA-Cuban relationship is a serious debate between the Democrats and the Republicans and it was not appropriate for Ghana to interfere in USAs politics. Those who wrote Mr. Mahamas speech must be answering some questions.

One would have thought President Mahama could use such platforms to ask for help to lift economic and social blockades he and other presidents have bequeathed to the citizens of Ghana. Issues like energy crises, youth unemployment, education and health should have been prioritized on such platforms. The bifurcation of Ghana on political lines is so severe that it is no respecta of life. For example, Professor, Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng who established the national cardiothoracic center had been kicked out of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital because he is not part of the ruling government. A president who dislikes a health care blockade on his citizens would have partnered with the accomplished physician to set up cardio centers throughout the country.

What is the doctor-patient ration in Cuba as compared to Ghana? Cuba under trade blockade leads in Doctor-Patient ratio. Cuba leads the world with the lowest patient to doctor ratio, 155:1, while the U.S. trails way behind at 396:1.[6] With a surplus of Cuban doctors, Cuba is able to help ailing nations around the world. They have medical missions in over 75 different countries lead by nearly 40,000 health professionals, almost half of them are doctors.[7] The United States by contrast imports doctors from poorer countries, further contributing to the brain drain of professionals from poorer countries to rich ones. In Cuba education is free. Room and board, books and amenities are included. Doctors are not burdened by student loans and live comfortably though not extravagantly. http://www.socialmedicine.org/2012/07/30/about/cuba-leads-the-world-in-lowest-patient-per-doctor-ratio-how-do-they-do-it/

All is not well in Ghana and our leaders must be transparent about the problems in Ghana. BNI has been causing arbitrary arrest in the country. BNI intentionally arrest on Fridays and argue they dont work on weekends. Although I disagree with some of the content of Mr. Fadi Dabboussis articles, BNI must avoid this kind of constitutional lawlessness. If you dont work on weekends, dont arrest on Fridays. I am curious to know, is it a job of BNI to hunt for those who defame others? President Mahama per his experience is over qualified for the job, but his problem is his appointments.

I know that I am intelligent because I know that I know nothing. (Socrates).

Feedbacks must be directed to [email protected]

Nana Yaw Osei (Padigo), PhD Candidate, Psychology, Arizona, USA


The New York Fire Department Chief, Daniel A. Nigro, has honoured his Ghanaian counterpart Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Dr. Albert Brown Gaisie for his excellent performance.

The honour was bestowed on the CFO during his visit to United States of America for the purpose.

The honour, the first to be awarded a Ghanaian Fire Chief Officer, according to the accompanying citation, is in recognition of the exemplary performance of the CFO in raising the standards of fire fighting in the country and the African continent as a whole.

Under the tenure of the CFO, the stature of fire fighters has moved to greater heights and the efficiency of the Service enhanced through improved training and the acquisition of modern equipment.

At a ceremony in New York, the Fire Department Chief presented a symbolic firefighting helmet and a miniature fire tender to the CFO Gaisie.


The Electronic Communications Tribunal (ETC) established to provide recourse for telecom players who might be aggrieved by decisions made by public officials acting as regulators has began full operations.

The four-member tribunal set up under Section 88 of the Electronic Communication Act 775 and sworn into office in February 2015 will consider appeals against decisions made by the National Communication Authority (NCA).

It will also consider appeals against decisions of the Dispute Resolution Committee of the National Communication Authority.

Bridget Katsriku, Chairperson of the Public Service Commission, who officially announced the commencement of operation of the tribunal which will be housed at the former NCA office, said it has become necessary for government to establish ground rules for the emerging electronic communication industry, hence the passage of the Electronic Communication Act 775 in 2008.

She said the decisions of the regulator may sometimes not go down well with some parties in the industry, therefore in our current democratic dispensation and the rule of law it is necessary that the law should provide recourse for people who might be aggrieved by decisions of the NCA.

Under section 90 of the Act, the Authority is required to prepare proposals for rules of procedure for the approval of the tribunal and then to parliament for passage into law. I am happy to state that parliament finally passed the Rules of Procedure of the Electronic Communications Tribunal Regulations, 2016 (LI 2235) into law July, this year for the ECT to become operational, he said.

Chairperson of the Tribunal Prof. Dr. Justice Kofi Date-Bah, retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana, in a statement, said tribunal will work to provide an open, fair and impartial forum for the resolution of all disputes in the electronic communications industry.

The other members are Dr Nii Narku Quaynor, lecturer, University of Cape Coast, Biadele Mortey Akpadzi, former Executive Director, EOCO and Tawia Akyea, lawyer as registrar.

By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri
This will not be the first. We have won a few important battles in the past but we lost the wars same day. It's almost an accepted pattern in these partsthat the winner of a democratic election must fight another battle to affirm the general will of the people. The battle is won but the war is lost when we express any level of incredulity in our electoral systems and processes to provide grounds for another contest after the ballot. Zambia is presently going through the motions.

Ghana went through a similar process a few years ago. We have lived with many paradoxes in this country, and we have placated ourselves with the equally paradoxical thinking that the problem that does not kill you only makes you stronger. In the end, though, we are not sure whether we have become stronger or we have merely gone through the motions. We spent eight months in court following pink sheets.

The governor and the governed

On a normal day in any election period, a satisfied voter may not at all be a satisfied Ghanaian. Apparently, a satisfied voter is a dangerous person, especially if the things that satisfy them have a carnal price. Those who have followed our checkered political history since the first republic, worry that if we negotiate a cheap price for our voting thumbs, we will be charting a thorny path for our people and our democracy.

In the 18th Century when Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) published 'The Social Contract', the idea that government attains its right to exist and govern by the consent of the governed was a radical one. Today, the inalienable sovereignty of the voter makes the governed powerful than the governor. The voter wields considerable power and influence over politicians. When they come preaching prosperity and promising change every election year, they are primarily begging the voter for a contract.

Even by our standards, we are able to think alongside the likes of Rousseauthat the general will of the people should be evident in a well-ordered society, and that a vote is a necessary requirement in determining our supreme will. Rousseau thought wrong. Ours is not an ordered society, not to talk of a well-ordered one. Less than four months to general elections, we should be discussing quality debates, instead of vote buying.

Vote buying and national ID

A pre-electoral survey conducted by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) has revealed that the two major political parties, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) are involved in vote buying, with the ruling party recording 51% while the NPP's activities accounts for some 32%. The survey did not report any pre-voting maneuvers in the campaigns of the other parties.

Responding to these concerns at the recent UNDP led Maendeleo Policy Forum, the Electoral Commissioner, Charlotte Osei, was loquaciously philosophical: When someone buys your vote and comes to office, you suddenly expect that person to be an incorruptible leader. It is paradoxical. The forum, which is part of the UNDP's Regional Service for Africa, provides a space for international mediators, researchers and development practitioners, to discuss critical development issues in Africa.

It is important that we become more responsible the way we vote. We should not vote along ethnic lines but on issues. You should not expect politicians to buy votes because once they buy votes, you lose the power to complain, she underscored. She also identified the lack of a national identification system as a hindrance in determining the citizenship of a voter and the already familiar problem of minors voting as adults.

Election folktales

In a well-ordered society, these things do not happen. We made an unpalatable cocktail of jokes out of stories that did the rounds during our previous elections, which included funny tales of party die-hards carrying coffins stuffed with already stamped ballot papers. They would deliver it to the next polling station in the adjoining town to be counted among genuine votes. Here too, we lived with a few paradoxes.

In the strongholds of some political parties, we made another cocktail of even funnier jokes. In total defiance of the principle of one man one vote, it was fashionable for a voter to ask another in an election period: How many times have you voted today? It was part of the growing up process. It was even funnier when a candidate reported a zero vote at the polling station where he cast his ballot. Do I hate myself so much that I wouldn't vote for myself? We have lived with this paradox too.

Thankfully, we have moved on. The growing up process has paid off and made us a better peopleeven in a society that is battling with open defecation. The CDD survey has some good news for us. 60% of Ghanaians have confidence in the Electoral Commission and trust it to deliver credible elections in December 2016. This is a good omen. With the constant bastardization of the EC, particularly against the person of the Commissioner, we were not expecting a pass mark for the election body.

Incumbency and honour

We expect the EC to win the battle in December 2016 and win the war, too. Can the EC or any other institution manipulate election results in favour of any presidential candidate or political organisation? The Zambians think so. Commissioner Osei recently told TV Talk Show host Paul Adom-Otchere, that a polling agent is in a better position to steal the vote than the EC leadership. At this point, even the naysayers believe her.

To deliver free and fair elections, however, the conduct of our political parties must be regulated in accordance with law. At what point does the President's 'Accounting to the People' nationwide tour morph into a political campaign? As president of the nation, does he abuse the incumbency if he exercises what is ordinarily his presidential functionby commissioning a water plant in an election period?

The NPP is making a 'dissension of a doit' (case of out nothing or something small) with the incumbency argument. They did the same thing. So far, the most mature and decent political campaign is the PPP's, according to Peace FM's Kwami Sefa Kayi. Ace broadcaster Kwaku Sakyi-Addo agreed when he was asked the same question on GH One's 'The Lounge Show.' The media have already chosen their president. They have chosen well.

Email:[email protected]
28.09.2016 LISTEN

With the rapid evolution of Multimedia Startups in Ghana and the high enthusiasm of the youth to set up Multimedia companies, is it no surprise that the 6th Startup Dialogues is designed to focus on helping young people build and grow successful multimedia startups in Ghana. The Startup Dialogues is being organized by The Startup Network and in collaboration with the host; Workshed; a co-working community that provides a workspace that is comfortable and affordable for freelancers and startups in Ghana.

Themed; Insightful & Empowering Conversation on Building Innovative, Sustainable & Globally Competitive Multimedia Startups in Ghana, the September Edition of the Startup Dialogues is scheduled for Thursday, the 29th of September, 2016 at Workshed located in Spintex.

Panelists for the 6th Startup Dialogues are Sadiq Abdulai Abu, CEO of Muse Africa, Edem Edudzi, CEO of Campus Base TV and Beryl Agyekum Ayaaba, CEO of Echohouse Ghana Limited with Ekow Mensah  Founder & CEO, The African Network of Entrepreneurs (TANOE) as the Moderator.

Interested Participants can register online through: https://egotickets.com/events/startup-dialogues-on-building-multimedia-startups.

The Startup Dialogues is aimed at encouraging insightful, engaging and empowering conversation amongst startup support stakeholders, policy makers, startups and successful entrepreneurs. It is designed to provide the relevant and adequate information, guidance and resources needed by startup entrepreneurs to be able to build innovative, sustainable and globally competitive businesses.

Previous Editions have been held at Ispace Foundation, Reach for Change & TANOE Hub in Accra, Kumasi Hive in Kumasi and Barcamp in Takoradi.

The Startup Dialogues is an initiative of The Startup Network; a flagship project by The African Network of Entrepreneurs (TANOE) and supported by Joy Business, Premium Bank, SME Helpline, Avance Media, Private Line Studios and IConceptsPR. It is held monthly and hosted in partnership with different Startup Ecosystem Stakeholders each month with enlightened and engaging panelists.

For more information contact The Startup Network on [email protected], 0579855510 and 0242307379 or visit www.thestartupnetwork.org.
Jose Luis Carvalho, consulting Director, EMEA SAP Digital Business Services

28.09.2016 LISTEN

MAPUTO, Mozambique, 28 September 2016,-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- - Over the next few days Mozambique will play host to a series of train-the-trainer (TTT) workshops during the official build-up to SAP's Africa Code Week (ACW), taking place in Maputo from 29 to 30 September.

Founded in 2015, ACW is a continent-wide initiative to simplify the face of software coding for Africa's youth. The initiative's objective is to spread digital literacy across the continent and start shaping tomorrow's skilled workforce through hands-on and playful learning. Spearheaded by SAP, world leader in enterprise software, the initiative is supported by hundreds of international partners as well as local Mozambique partners, including; CADE , The University of Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) , the Mozambique Information and Communication Technology Institute in Maluana (ENPCT) MozDevz and CeCAGe . Of particular interest is the collaboration with Muva , an initiative of Ligada managed by OPM, which is an innovative, adaptive five year programme working with young disadvantaged women living in urban areas in Mozambique.

Last year's ACW event saw more than 89,000 youngsters across 17 African countries introduced to software coding within a mere ten days - four times the initial goal. The aim for 2016 is to double that, reaching a minimum of 150,000 youth across 30 African countries - with Mozambique having its first code experience of ACW.

Next week's TTT workshops will provide a platform for the transfer of skills and knowledge from 'Master Instructors' to local parents, teachers and educators, enabling them to become the next expert coding teachers who can train potential students in their communities. Aimed at local school teachers, the TTT workshops will seek to train hundreds of Mozambique participants with a special focus on female training. The objective is to empower as many people as possible, with the long-term goal to empower more than 200,000 teachers reaching in excess of five million children and youth over the next ten years.

TTT workshops will take place in Maputo on Thursday 29 September and Friday, 30 September at the The University of Eduardo Mondlane (UEM), at the Main Complex. The workshops are open to all school teachers and any other parties interested in becoming part of ACW. Attendees will receive 90 minutes of software coding training based on MITas Scratch system , a USB with course notes and Scratch pre-loaded and a training certificate upon completion. The objective is for participants to take the skillset back to their communities and host sessions for children during the official ACW event in October.

"This year's train-the-trainer workshop has a target of training 600 trainers and we are pulling-out all the stops to ensure that our future teachers are trained by the very best - this will be done by flying four master trainers from Portugal to attend and facilitate the workshops. Critical to the success of Africa Code Week, the model relies heavily on the participation of volunteer trainers," commented Jose Luis Carvalho, consulting Director, EMEA SAP Digital Business Services. "In order to provide a new generation of Digital Economy workers in Mozambique with the basics of the prerequisite skills for the competitive job market under the auspices of Africa Code Week, we need knowledgeable instructors in place to provide mentorship and skills transfer to participating youngsters."

According to Luize Guimaraes, MUVA Program Manager, "Africa Code Week is an opportunity for us to showcase that Mozambique supports growth through technology. The mission of Muva is to economically empower women in urban areas and MuvaTech will take the lead to include more women in the ACW teacher training with the aim to increase the access of women and girls to technology and to create greater interest and knowledge about opportunities in the ICT industry. Muva Tech will support the process to educate disadvantaged girls and women on the ICT skills they need to find employment in this industry."

Africa's working-age population is growing rapidly, but it's estimated that less than one percent of African children leave school with basic coding skills. ACW helps contribute towards shaping a relevant future workforce by sparking interest in software coding with participants receiving not only basic skills but also invaluable hands-on experience. The initiative provides learners from the ages of 8 - 17 with coding basics and the opportunity to program their own animations, quizzes and games. Older learners, aged 18-24, are provided an introduction to web technologies such as HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP and SQL in order to provide them with a basic understanding of website architecture, teaching them how to develop a fully operational and mobile-friendly website.

ACW provides a number of ways in which the public at large can get involved. Over and above TTT attendance, opportunities exists for interested parties to host a free coding workshop and receive free online training in Scratch. SAP ACW will take place in schools and community based centres in Maputo B from 15 - 23 October 2016.

For more information and to register for the TTT Maputo workshop, please contact Sonia Santos on [email protected] or call 82 768 47 14.

ACW video footage can be found here: http://africacodeweek.org/media/videos/ Follow SAP on Twitter @sapafrica
Police in the Northern Region have commenced investigations into recent clashes in at Babator in the Bole-Bamboi District in the Northern Region.

Two rival factions, the Gonjas and the Moshi clashed over a parcel of land two days ago. The clashes left a Chief priest in the area in critical condition.

Speaking to Citi News, the Bole District Police Commander, ASP David Azumah said, calm has been restored.

He said, According to our investigations so far, the chief priest alleged those who came to his out accosted him so he reported the case to Bomboi Police and a medical report form has been issued to him to go to the hospital for treatment. We are currently waiting for him to return with his medical form for us to continue with the investigation.

He added that The place is calm, there is nothing going on, and everyone is going about their businesses without any problem. No arrest has been made yet, we are still investigating the matter.

'9 die in Chieftancy conflict'

In July this year, 9 people died as a result of clashes between two feuding factions at Kiblima, a community in the Bole/Bamboi district of the Northern Region.

An opinion leader in the area told Citi News that the enskinment of Kilblima-Wura Suale Mahama by the overlord of Gonjaland traditional area triggered the bloody conflict.

According to him, residents of the community rejected Kiblima-Wura Suale Mahama and also enskinned their preferred choice.

They described Kiblima-Wura Suale Mahama's enskinment as an imposition on the community, hence their action.



By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
[File photo]

A grand Confucius Cultural Festival has kicked off in Qufu, Shangdong province in memory of Chinas greatest sage. An awards ceremony and memorial event honoring Confucius are the centerpieces of this years gathering, which is set in the ancient philosopher's hometown.

Born in 551 BC, Confucius was one of the most important philosophers in Chinas history. His ideas were viewed as an orthodox ideology in China for more than 2,000 years, and have also been widely embraced by the international community.

Jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education and Shandong provincial government, this year's Qufu International Confucius Culture Festival commenced on Sept. 27 with a magnificent opening ceremony, which was also the 11th awards ceremony of the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy.

As the first international award that is named for and honors a Chinese figure, this years UNESCO Confucius prizes were given to individuals and organizations from South Africa, India and Senegal to reward their contribution to eliminating illiteracy, especially among uneducated youth and rural adults.

Another core activity of this years event is the ceremony of Confucius worship, which will be broadcast on Sept. 28 to mark the 2,567th anniversary of the birth of the sage. The ceremony includes activities such as music and dancing performances, which represent Confucian ideology and traditional Chinese philosophy.

We want to restore the ceremonys former glory and reconstruct history. Scientific research was carried out to create a standard for the ceremony. This years ceremony will serve as a standard in the future, and will be introduced to other Confucius institutions nationwide, said Zhu Fumei, deputy mayor of the city of Qufu, during a press conference on Sept. 23.

Memorial ceremonies for Confucius began in the second year after the philospher's death in 479 BC, and were restored in the mid-1980s after a long war-time and recovery hiatus, the Global Times reported.
28.09.2016 LISTEN

In a country where the process of finding property has historically been more a pain than pleasure, the birth of meQasa three years ago was a welcome relief. Founded by three Ghanaian graduates from Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST), the startups product - meQasa.com  currently features over 23,000 residential and commercial properties from across the country available for rent or purchase. This September, the company celebrates its third anniversary and revolutionising the real estate industry in Ghana.

It is most peoples absolute dream to own their own home. Businesses grow and need to move into better office space. Real estate is a huge investment. The journey to finding that perfect place should not be arduous. This gap is what spurred my co-founders and me to make a difference in the property search process, explains meQasa CEO Kelvin Nyame, who started meQasa along with Kofi Amuasi and Rashad Seini in September of 2013. Today meQasa.com looks a lot different than it did in its infancy, not surprisingly. All three founders have a stellar tech background so the real estate portal is at an optimum state having seen a number of great innovations. Together they hired an outstanding team who are the backbone of meQasa's success.

Aside from offering beautiful and user-friendly desktop and newly upgraded mobile interfaces, meQasa has become well-respected as the market leader in the online real estate space in Ghana thanks to consistent offering of resources like their blog and the DREAM HOMES newsletter, both of which provide housing deals as well as home decor and improvement tips. Earlier this year the company published The Accra Housing Guide. Over the past three years, meQasa.com hasnt only been a saving grace to seekers who can peruse and review properties from anywhere, it has also been a source of business to hundreds of real estate brokers, agencies and developers . meQasa has been the best platform in finding good leads for our business, says Prince Twum of Home Rent real estate agency about his experience since listing to meQasa.com.

Though the startup had been around for 2 years, it was after securing a breaking news $500K in funding from Malaysian investor Frontier Digital Ventures last year that the company scaled to take its operations to the next level. As part of its third year anniversary dubbed #meQasaAt3 , the company has an upcoming soiree; is planning a training event for industry professionals and is sharing these interestinganniversary Facts & Figures with startup enthusiasts. After offering a platform to list property at no cost for years, meQasa has now made available to real estate agents and developers a better means of highlighting their businesses and available properties above non-paying portal users. This is just the beginning for the Ghanaian-founded company that is making great waves in real estate in Ghana. What can we expect on meQasa at the 5-year mark? We'll continue to invest in the tools (mobile and web) that'll help improve the experience for our customers and users. House hunters will also have a lot more property options to pick their dream home because we plan to scale up our listings to cover the entire country with keen focus on quality, Kelvin Nyame says.

meQasa.com is Ghanas easiest way to rent, buy and sell property, offering a user-friendly online marketplace mutually beneficial to homeowners/landlords, home seekers, real estate agents and developers alike.
Shimon Peres, who served twice as Israels prime minister and once as president, has died at the age of 93.

Mr Peres suffered a stroke two weeks ago. His condition had improved before a sudden deterioration on Tuesday.

His son Chemi led tributes to one of the founding fathers of the state of Israel who worked tirelessly for it.

World figures are expected to attend his funeral in Jerusalem on Friday, including US President Barack Obama, Prince Charles and Pope Francis.

Mr Peres was one of the last of a generation of Israeli politicians present at the new nations birth in 1948.

He won the Nobel Peace prize in 1994 for his role negotiating peace accords with the Palestinians a year earlier.

He once said the Palestinians were Israels closest neighbours and might become its closest friends.

Mr Peres died in a hospital near Tel Aviv early on Wednesday, with his family at his bedside.

He had been in the intensive care unit of the Sheba Medical Centre after suffering a major stroke on 13 September.

The funeral will be held at Mount Herzl, Israels national cemetery in Jerusalem.

The Clintons, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UK Prime Minister Theresa May have all confirmed they will attend, Israels Foreign Ministry said. Giant among men

He left us without suffering, said Rafi Walden, his son-in-law.

Mr Peress son, Chemi, said of his father: He served our people before we even had a country of our own.

He worked tirelessly for Israel from the very first day of the state to the last day of his life.

My father used to say  and Im quoting  you are only as great as the cause you serve.

Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his deep sorrow over Mr Peres death.

As a man of vision, his gaze was aimed to the future, he said in a video statement.

As a man of security, he fortified Israels strength in many ways, some of which even today are still unknown.

As a man of peace, he worked until his final days toward reconciling with our neighbours for a better future for our children.

Meanwhile US President Barack Obama called Mr Peres his dear friend in a statement, and said: He was guided by a vision of the human dignity and progress that he knew people of goodwill could advance together.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas issued a statement calling Peress death a great loss to humanity and peace in the region, according to the Reuters news agency.

But the militant Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which dominates the Gaza Strip, expressed happiness.

Shimon Peres was the last remaining Israeli officials who founded the occupation, spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told the Associated Press. His death is the end of a phase in the history of this occupation and the beginning of a new phase of weakness.

Mr Peres shared his Nobel Peace Prize with Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was later assassinated, and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

At the start of his long political career, he was put in charge of personnel and arms purchases for the Haganah, the predecessor of the Israel Defense Forces.

He secured a deal with France to supply the new Israeli nation with Mirage jet fighters. He also set up Israels secret nuclear facility.

He was the defence minister in 1976, when Palestinian hijackers diverted a plane from Israel to Entebbe in Uganda . He oversaw the successful rescue of more than 100 hostages.

Once an advocate of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, Mr Peres later became a leading political dove. He often spoke of the need for compromise over territorial demands in Palestinian areas.

He maintained an active public schedule into old age, mostly through his non-governmental Peres Centre for Peace, which promotes closer ties between Israel and the Palestinians.

In 2013 he said: There is no alternative to peace. There is no sense to go to war.

He retired from his role as president in 2014.

Mr Peres casket will be placed at the Knesset (parliament) on Thursday for the public to pay their final respects, media reports say.

-bbc
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has released its latest language monitoring report covering the month of August. During the month, a total of 39 incidents of indecent expressions were recorded on a total of 1,223 radio programmes monitored on 60 radio stations across the country.

Overall, Mr. Koku Anyidoho, Deputy General Secretary of the NDC topped the list of individuals who made indecent expressions during the period. He was cited for 4 different incidents of indecent expressions, the largest by an individual during the period.

Other top users of abusive language in August were Madam Akua Donkor, flagbearer of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), Mr. Ernest Owusu Bempah, Communications Director of the NDP, Mr. Hopeson Adorye and Uncle Ebo, both members of the NPP, all with 3 incidents each.

Cumulatively, officials, supporters and affiliates of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) made a total of 16 indecent expressions, followed by officials, supporters and affiliates of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) who made a total of seven (7) indecent expressions, National Democratic Party (NDP) with 3 incidents, Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) with 3 incidents and Peoples National Convention (PNC) with 1 incident recorded

As far as radio stations are concerned, Accra-based Happy FM topped the pack of stations that recorded the use of abusive expressions on their platforms with 17 out of the 39 incidents, followed by Neat FM and Tamale-based Radio Justice with 4 incidents each.

The full report with other details on other individuals who used indecent expressions and the radio stations that recorded these incidents can be found here.
The Veteran Actor, Kofi Adu, aka Agya Koo, has fired back at the National Organizer of the ruling National Democratic Congress(NDC) Mr. Kofi Adams, after the latter claimed he did not know him.

The popular actor says he is not surprised by the statement of the NDC National Organizer because "for more than three years Ghanaians had been living in the dark and so most TVs were off".

Mr. Kofi Adams was quoted to have said he did not know who Agya Koo was and when we are talking about movie stars and celebrities, it is the likes of John Dumelo he can recognize.

But the veteran local movie star, who has launched Agenda 57% to canvass votes for the flagbearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo, said he was least pertubed by the assertion of the NDC National Organizer, stressing that there was no way Mr. Kofi Adams could recognize him since Ghana had been in darkness for so long.

"If Kofi Adams says he doesn't know me, I am not surprised because his TV was off because of dumsor that his government inflicted on Ghanaians," the veteran action stated in an interview with HELLO FM in Kumasi.

Agya Koo indicated emphatically that not even 100 NDC ministers under the current administration can match his popularity.

"I don't like bragging but I can tell you for a fact that not even NDC ministers can match my popularity. They can sit there and deceive themselves but we are focused on what we are doing because we know what Ghanaians want and that is change," He said.

Agya Koo also confirmed rumours about how some top ranking personalities tried to talk him out of declaring his support for Nana Akufo Addo.

Few hours to the press conference to officially announce his endorsement, reports indicated that the celebrated actor received a call from the Presidency, prevailing upon him to rescind his decision but he insisted, contending that his decision was not borne out of his personal interest but that of the entire Ghanaian populace.

Agya Koo also received how he and his colleagues intend to take their campaign to remote parts of the country to interact with the people and explain to them the need for change in the political administration of this country.
The Northern Regional capital, Tamale, will no longer host the manifesto launch of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP). The party will now launch its manifesto at the Trade Fair Center in Accra on October 9.

Sources within the party tell Citi News the Tamale plan was called off at the last minute.

The NPP running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has indicated that the manifesto will place emphasis on job creation and creating and enabling business environment for economic growth.

So far, only the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Progressive People's Party (PPP) have released manifestos ahead of the polls in December.

Follow the hashtag #GhElections on Social Media for election related stories



By: citifmonline.com/Ghana
World Vision Ghana has launched a WASH Stewardship Award to recognize the enormous contribution of players in the Water Sanitation and Hygiene sector.

The NGO is hoping to award individuals and organizations in various categories such as: Local Partner, World Vision(staff), National Level, Media and a National Directors Honorary Stewardship.

A panel of Experts is being established to start receiving applications and Nominations for the various categories towards the final awards in May 2017.

The maiden edition of the award is themed Every Child Deserves Clean Water, Improved Sanitation and Hygiene"

Speaking at the launch, WASH Manager at World Vision Attah Arhin says World vision has so far invested over 75 million dollars in its WASH programme delivering about three thousand five hundred and eighty boreholes, fifty five solar powered limited mechanized water systems and twenty two alternative water supply systems since 1979 in Ghana.

According to him the firm intends investing an additional thirty million dollars in the sector to scale up its operation in Ghana.
It is going to be another long weekend in Lagos as the Independence Day celebration has warranted a bank holiday on Monday, 3rd October 2016. As expected, many Nigerians will take advantage of the short holiday to either visit family, friends or just relax. Some may even take it up a notch higher and visit fun destinations nearby.

Lagos City would normally welcome visitors from nearby cities like Abeokuta and Ibadan, during a long weekend like this, seeing as it is the nations No.1 fun destination. However, with the current Cholera outbreak which, thankfully, has been curtailed (according to the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris), a number of people are still a bit reticent to make the trip to the city.

No doubt cholera is an acute contagious bacterial disease capable of killing in hours, but with proper measures, it can be evaded. To assuage the concerns of prospective visitors looking to storm this fabulous city this long weekend, we at Jumia travel have done some research and come up with 4 ways anyone can stay protected from this disease while visiting Lagos.

Do not patronize Abacha hawkers

Originally from the eastern regions, Abacha -a local meal made of cassava, herbs and spices  is widely consumed by locals in Lagos city. It is common to see women hawking the delicacy in almost every part of the city, from mainland to the Island and Lekki environs, and as such, it is very easy to want a taste of it. Unfortunately, the main suspected source of the cholera infection in this last outbreak was caused by Abacha. Samples revealed the presence of vibrio Cholera, Salmonella species and E.coli. To protect yourself from contracting the bacteria while visiting, it is advisable to stay away from the delicacy. If you feel a desperate need to have it, either ensure you visit a classy restaurant or prepare it yourself.

Ensure the water you drink has NAFDAC number

Another major cause of Cholera is dirty water. While in Lagos, try not to drink tap water or just any water you can purchase on the streets. Go for bottled water or sachet water and also, ensure that whatever choice you make has a registration number from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Avoid public toilets

It is normal to need the bathroom or toilet when you are out and about, but you may want to avoid using public toilets for now. Some open toilets may look clean, but still, serve as a cesspool for the bacteria that births cholera. Keep in mind that public toilets are one of the very easy ways to contract the disease and so if you, by any chance, find yourself in a situation where you have to use one, ensure you use a disinfectant to wash up afterward.

Wash your hands with soap and Hand sanitizers

The easiest way to stay free of any kind of germ or bacteria, including the cholera bacteria, is by keeping your hands clean. Ensure you wash your hands with soap and water frequently and thoroughly especially after using the restroom. Also, invest in a hand sanitizer and carry it with you everywhere to stay protected.
Johannesburg (AFP) - Delegates at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Johannesburg voted Wednesday to ban all trade of the endangered pangolin, the world's most heavily trafficked mammal.

All eight species of pangolin are set to be moved into CITES' highest category of protection, which bans all international trade in animals facing extinction.

"(The) committee agrees all pangolins -- African and Asian -- move to appendix I," CITES said in statement.

The reclusive, gentle mammals are prized as an edible delicacy and ingredient in traditional medicine, especially in China and Vietnam -- as well as across Africa.

Rocketing demand for their meat and body parts has fuelled a boom in illegal hunting.

More than a million pangolins are believed to have been poached from the wild in the past decade.

"This is a huge win and rare piece of good news for some of the world's most trafficked and endangered animals," Ginette Hemley, conservation group WWF's head of delegation at the CITES conference, said in a statement.

"(It) eliminates any question about legality of trade, making it harder for criminals to traffic them.

"The parties must move swiftly to enforce the decision. Illegal trade will continue to threaten pangolins as long as demand for their meat and scales persists."

Previously CITES allowed international trade in pangolins under strict conditions.
Commissioners from the National Media Commission (NMC), today [Wednesday], paid a courtesy call on Citi FM as part of a working tour of some media houses.

The courtesy call was also part of the NMCs engagement with media houses to improve industry standards as they prepare to cover the general elections in December.

The commissioners, Apostle Abraham Ofori Kuragu and Orlando Baeta, spoke highly of Citi FM and congratulated the station for becoming the premier English radio station.

Apostle Abraham Ofori Kuragu (L) and Orlando Baeta (M) with Citi FMs News Director, Bernard Avle

You came in when others were ahead of you; and in the midst of the crowd you have managed to distinct yourself Also we are not getting complaints at the Media Commission like the others so which means you are indeed you are doing a good job.

One of the new variables ahead of the 2016 polls, will be the prominence of social media platforms and NMC representatives noted the Commission's concerns with the judicious use of social media.

The Commission has thus said it is also looking to get the media and all stakeholders to engage on how to better use social media.

Orlando Baeta remarked that, the NMC is trying to make sure everything is being done the way it should, and so there will be some kind of relationship so you can fall on us and we can fall on you as the need arises.

Apostle Kuragu also underscored the NMC's mandate to ensure higher journalistic standards.

According to him, by getting closer to the media houses, we get to know their problems, their challenges and we see how best we can firm these media houses especially in the run up to election 2016.

Apostle Kuragu further spoke on the NMC's role in ensure the safety and welfare of journalists covering elections as he revealed the NMC has been collaborating with the Police Service and a committee has since been set up to ensure that the safety of journalists in the run up to the elections, during and after the elections are very much secured.



By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Mou Qizhong. [file photo]

A wealthy Chinese business mogul was released from jail on Tuesday after completing a 16-year sentence, Chinese media reported.

At 6 am on Tuesday, Mou Qizhong, a well-known business tycoon, was freed from Hongshan Prison in Hubei province, China Business Journal reported, quoting Mou's lawyer, Xia Zongwei.

Later, Nande Group, the company Mou had led as chairman, also posted a notice of his release, the journal said.

Xia told the paper: "While serving the sentence, Mou did not give up thinking about development paths for the Chinese economy, including improvements in the Three Gorges Dam area," and he hoped to dig out and develop various cultural features in the area to accelerate local economic development, the paper said.

Mou, now 75, was born in Chongqing municipality. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2000 for bank fraud. He persisted in physical exercise in the jail, the report said, adding that it was his third release.

His first and second sentences, based on political and commercial charges, were handed down in 1974 and 1983, it said, though it didn't provide details.

Under Chinese law, inmates can qualify for sentence reductions if they perform well in prison. Typically, a life sentence is reduced to 20 years if a convict has no more offenses during the first two years in prison. The penalty can be further reduced to 15 years if the convict behaves well.

Xia, the lawyer, told TheCover.cn, an online news application based in Sichuan province, that Mou had obtained external information from newspapers, magazines and TV programs provided by the prison, including People's Daily and CCTV news.

"While reading the newspaper, he made notes. He also learned about the law and public policy in the prison library," it quoted Xia as saying.

She said that her client always kept his eyes on social developments and reforms made by the government in recent years, especially those in judicial and economic fields.

Mou had a cerebral hemorrhage when he was 70, Xia was quoted as saying. She added that the prison paid great attention to his condition and provided medical care.

Mou was something of a legend in Chinese business. He became well-known for getting four civil aircraft from Russia in exchange for a number of light industrial products, the report said.
By Dennis Peprah, GNA

Sunyani, Sept. 28, GNA - One thousand security personnel would be deployed to maintain law and order at the Christ For All Nations (CFAN) crusade, to be hosted in the Sunyani in the Brong-Ahafo regional capital.

The crusade is expected to be attended by 400,000 people.

The security officers would be selected from the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service and Ghana Prisons Service.

According to Apostle Mark Andoh, the Chairman of the planning committee, about 20,000 ushers are expected to support the security agencies in their work.

The Greater Peace Gospel Crusade, which is expected to usher in the spirit of peace and tranquility during and beyond Election 2016, would host German International Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke.

Addressing a meeting of pastors, church leaders and workers on preparations toward the four-day crusade scheduled for November 3 to November 6, Apostle Andoh said preparations for the great gathering of the believers and unbelievers are steadily progressing.

He explained that out-patient and in-patient department set-ups would be mounted at the crusade grounds to attend to emergency cases. There would be also two standby ambulances.

Apostle Andoh said temporal structures would be put up for the various denominations and very soon giant billboards would be erected at vantage points, while the national flag would also be hoisted in the Sunyani Municipality.

He said arrangements had been made for special mobile toilets and urinals, whilst vehicles would also be provided to convey participants to and fro.

Apostle Andoh expressed optimism that the crusade would bring salvation, spiritual peace and progress to Ghana and consolidate the democratic gains

GNA
28.09.2016 LISTEN

By Afedzi Abdullah, GNA

Cape Coast, Sept. 28, GNA - The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has expressed worry about the low patronage of family planning services in the Central Region, despite the increase in awareness campaigns.

It said, though the Region had more than 90 per cent awareness on family planning, many of its residents, especially women, were adamant to accept it, while teenage pregnancy continued to increase in the communities.

Ms Margaret Forson, the Deputy Central Regional Director, in charge of Public Health at the GHS, expressed the worry when she addressed media practitioners and other key stakeholders at a media briefing after the National launch of Family Planning Week Celebration, in Cape Coast, on Tuesday.

The celebration was launched on Monday, September 26, in Accra, on the theme: 'Family Planning is Your Life: Take Control, It is an Everyday Thing'.

Ms Forson stated: 'It is very disturbing to note that family planning acceptor rate in the Central Region is on a downward trend from 16. 5 per cent in 2012 to 13. 5 per cent in 2015; but now it stands at 15.6 per cent'.

She said the Abura-Asebu- Kwamankese (AAK) District had the higher acceptor rate with 35 per cent, while Assin South and Hemang Lower Denkyira all recorded very low percentages in patronage.

She said a high patronage of family planning services would reduce maternal deaths, infant mortality, unwanted pregnancies and abortion as well as improved wellbeing of women and children in general.

She said family planning was one of the most cost effective interventions available to save lives and improve the health of children and mothers, and called on the communities to get involved and create an enabling environment to strengthen family planning education.

She mentioned negative perceptions, discriminatory attitudes, lack of trained service personnel in some family planning methods, lack of education, lack of male involvement, socio-cultural as well as religious beliefs as some of the major hindrances to the efforts by GHS.

Ms Forson, however, said the acceptance of family planning services would be high with the help of males, and urged male groups to strongly involve themselves as it would enable them, as fathers, to properly cater for the needs of their families.

She noted that as long as young people remained sexually active, they would not stop engaging in sex, therefore, there was the need to make information on reproductive health available and guide them to make informed decisions about family planning.

She called on both the young and adults to patronise family planning services to promote reproductive health and ensure socio-economic development.

She said the Health Directorate would continue to embark on sensitisation programmes and build the capacities of service providers to improve family planning service provision and counselling adding that, the Directorate was determined to close the family planning gap.

Mr. Mathew Ahwireng, the Regional Health Education Officer, who led a discussion on the role of the media in promoting family planning acceptance, urged the media practitioners to devote much time to talk about family planning.

GNA
By Godwill Arthur-Mensah, GNA

Kwesimintsim (WR), Sept.28, GNA - The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Kwesimintsim, Mr. Joe Baidoe-Ansah, on Tuesday, missed the opportunity to represent his constituents in Parliament after losing the party's primary.

The incumbent MP polled 122 votes as against 187 garnered by his sole competitor, Mr. Joseph Mensah, in a keenly contested election.

In all, 309 valid votes were cast with two rejected ballots out of the expected 341 delegates.

The election, which should have been organised 16 months ago, was delayed due to a court suit filed by Mr. Joseph Mensah over his disqualification by the Party's Vetting Committee.

However, an Accra High Court last Friday, September 23, cleared him to contest the Party's primary after ruling that Mr. Mensah was unjustifiably disqualified.

Mr. Kwabena Asante, the Takoradi-Effia Sub-Metropolitan Electoral Officer of the Electoral Commission, supervised the elections and afterwards declared Mr. Mensah the winner after the close of the counting of the votes.

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Mensah pledged to bring onboard all the aggrieved party members who did not support his candidature, including the defeated Member of Parliament, in order to retain the seat for the Party in the December 7 General Election.

He said the party's sole objective this year was to recapture political power from the ruling National Democratic Congress, therefore, the Party's internal contest should not disrupt them from achieving their goals.

Earlier, Mr. Frederick Fredua Anto, the National First Vice Chairman of the Party, who led a delegation from the Party's headquarters, in Accra, entreated delegates to conduct themselves decently and rally behind any candidate that would emerge victorious in the polls.

He said this year's general election was very crucial to the NPP, having lost the 2008 and 2012 elections, respectively.

Therefore, he said, they should not allow petty internal squabbles and misunderstanding to derail their chances this time round.

Some dignitaries, which graced the Extra-ordinary Constituency Congress, were Mr. Kamara Deen, the National Coordinator of Nasara Club, Mr. Francis Ndedesia, the acting Regional Chairman of the Party, Okatakyie Amankwa Afrifa, Regional Communications Director, Mr. Ernest Nkrumah, Regional Elections and Research Officer, and many party faithful.

GNA
By Comfort Sena Fetrie, GNA

Tamale, Sept. 28, GNA - The Centre for Development and Policy Advocacy (CEDEPA), has launched Youth Engagement for Peaceful Election 2016 project, aimed at enhancing promoting peaceful election.

The project was implemented and funded by USAID to react to Early Warning and Response Data in West African (REWARD) project.

Mr Ziblim Alhassan, Executive Director of CEDEPA speaking at the launching ceremony in Tamale said the REWARD project was part of a broader initiative by the US aimed to enhance early warning and response systems to reduce the risk of violence in West Africa.

He said the Engagement for Peaceful Election 2016 project is to significantly reduce the risk of youth violence before, during and after the 2016 elections and to permanently transform volatile consequences in the Northern Region into peaceful havens for a sustained socio-economic development.

Mr Abdallah Abubakari, the Regional Minister in a speech read on his behalf advised the youth to renounce all forms of violence doing and after the general election.

He also counselled them to focus on their education and economic activities, which have the potential to transform them and also to improve on their livelihood.

He urged the security agencies to be firm, fair and approach their duties professionally and engage other stakeholders to ensure peace in the December 7 general election.

Dr J. Kingsley Adjei, Professor at the University of Cape Coast appealed to the Electoral Commission to declare free and fair result after the voting is account to prevent violence.

He also called on the chiefs and traditional leaders to come on board to fight against violence during and after the general election.

Mr Razak Saani, the Regional Director of National Commission of Civil Education, appealed to the media to report on issues that would maintain peace.

CEDEPA is a youth-led non-partisan and independent civil society organisation operating in the Region with a mission to empower the youth and other vulnerable groups in the society to enable them to be charge of and transform their own lives and destinies.

GNA
A political crisis in the Ashanti Region has brought the administration of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) to a virtual halt, Joy News has learned.

Growing heaps of rubbish has come to symbolize the absence of a Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) and a presiding member to take charge of the running of the second largest city in the country.

The Kumasi Mayor Kojo Bonsu was forced to resign in July after his relationship with the traditional rulers deteriorated.

Photo: Kojo Bonsu

During a meeting at the Manhyia Palace last Monday, July 11, 2016, the chiefs slaughtered a ram as a form of ritual to sever ties with the Mayor if he remains in office.

In his absence, a presiding member of the KMA would have been expected to act. But there is no presiding member for the KMA, a position akin to the Speaker of the national parliament who oversees to the legislation and running of Assembly.

For more than five months and after at least eight rounds of voting yesterday, the KMA reached another deadlock.

It is all down to a partisan gridlock as pro-NPP Assembly members and pro-government appointees scheme to install their favourite who must obtain two-thirds of the total votes.

In the latest round of voting Tuesday, Michael Adusei Bonsu, backed by the government appointees in the Assembly, polled 65 votes.

He beat Abraham Boadi, sponsored by the pro-NPP Assembly members, who got 59 votes. A third candidate Poku Obeng got 2 votes.

But Abraham still failed to meet the Article 242 requirement of a two-thirds majority to be elected.

The election was so acrimonious a fighting broke out.

Photo: Scene at the election of a KMA presiding member

Chairs were violently broken and heavy slaps landed on political opponents as the last two meetings to vote turned violent.

While the struggle goes on indoors, evidence of a leaderless metropolitan Assembly is becoming obvious, Luv Fms Erastus Asare Donkor has reported.

A breakdown of law and order can be seen as drivers park haphazardly in the city and traders sell at any convenient point in the streets, he said.

Erastus Asare Donkor said a dustbin distribution project which should have been implemented by the Presiding member and Mayor has been halted.

Our leaders who are supposed to lead us, look at what they are doing...throwing blows," a resident testified to what Erastus described as a gaping hole in the running of the Assembly.

A man told Joy News Wednesday we are far, far better when Kojo Bonsu was around. According to him, the former Mayor was a stickler for discipline who directly supervised Assembly officials in the public performance of their duties.

Look t the rubbish...all because we dont have mayor and presiding member, a resident said.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|EA
Johannesburg (AFP) - The shy, scale-covered pangolin is to receive the highest level of protection against illegal trade to try to save it from extinction, after a vote Wednesday by delegates at a global conference.

The reclusive, gentle mammal is prized as an edible delicacy and ingredient in traditional medicine, especially in China and Vietnam as well as across Africa.

Rocketing demand for their meat and body parts has fuelled a boom in illegal hunting with more than a million pangolins believed to have been poached from the wild in the past decade.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) meeting in Johannesburg voted overwhelmingly to ban trade in the endangered pangolin, the world's most heavily trafficked mammal.

A pangolin can sell for anything between 10,000 rand ($730) to 80,000 rand ($5,800)

CITES said in a statement that all eight species of pangolin would be moved into its "appendix 1", which outlaws all international trade in animals facing possible extinction.

"This is a huge win and rare piece of good news for some of the world's most trafficked and endangered animals," Ginette Hemley, of conservation group WWF, said in a statement.

"(It) eliminates any question about legality of trade, making it harder for criminals to traffic them.

Sensitive to stress

"The parties must move swiftly to enforce the decision. Illegal trade will continue to threaten pangolins as long as demand for their meat and scales persists."

Previously CITES allowed international trade in pangolins under strict conditions.

Pangolins are the world's most heavily trafficked mammal

Pangolins, which have bad vision but a good sense of smell and hearing, are covered in tough, overlapping scales, and eat ants using pink, sticky tongues almost as long as their bodies.

When threatened or attacked by predators such as lions, they curl into defensive ball, making it easy for them to be picked up by human hunters and put into a sack.

About the size of a small dog, they are solitary, mostly nocturnal and cannot be easily farmed or kept in captivity due to suffering stress.

"We are happy that the world has finally decided to pay attention to the plight of this little known and amazingly unique animal," said Jeff Flocken of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

A pangolin can sell for anything between 10,000 rand ($730) to 80,000 rand ($5,800)

"They are one of the most imperilled species on the planet and it is about time that we wake up and do something to save them."

In Chinese traditional medicine, pangolin scales are ground into a powder believed to cure conditions from headaches and menstrual cramps to nose bleeds and lack of virility.

Research published in the early 2000s estimated pangolin numbers in China have declined by up to 94 percent, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The scales are sometimes even used as guitar plectrums.

In traditional African culture, some people believe in keeping a scale in their pockets to ward off evil.

Zimbabweans used to present the mammals to President Robert Mugabe during his early years in office, but the practice has been discontinued.

Pangolin fat, blood and bones are also highly valued in African traditional medicine.

The CITES treaty, signed by 182 countries and the European Union, protects about 5,600 animal and 30,000 plant species from over-exploitation through commercial trade.

The 12-day conference, which started on Saturday, is sifting through 62 proposals to tighten or loosen trade restrictions on around 500 species.
The Minority Spokesperson on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Joe Osei Owusu has described John Mahama's claims of frustration about the delay in passage of the Right to Information Bill as hypocritical.

According to him, the Bill had delayed because it is not a priority for the government.

When the president says he is frustrated, I know the president also knows that anything the executive considers something a priority, it gets done so if it were their priority it would have been done. This public frustration expression for me is rather hypocritical, he said in a Citi News interview.

President Mahama while speaking at UNESCO's International Programme for Development of Communication talks in France said Parliament is yet to pass the bill which was drafted about a decade ago.

The Bill seeks to make access to public information easier.

Ghana has probably the highest saturation; we have aside from the Constitution put in the legislation to guarantee freedom of information and access to information. I must say unfortunately it will go down in history as the legislation that has stayed the longest in Parliament. Cabinet approved it, we submitted it to Parliament, I don't know where it is, the President noted.

But Osei Owusu who is also the Member of Parliament for the Bekwai constituency said if President Mahama wants to pass the Bill, he knows who to start from.

Joe Osei-Owusu

after this Bill, much more voluminous bills have been passed. It came, they did it day by day till late; new income tax amendment bill, new taxing Bill, they were all done, when a government places a priority on it, it gets done. He [President Mahama] knows that the people who determine the business of the house are people on his side so if he truly is frustrated he knows who to talk to.

Group slams Mahama for delaying passage of RTI Bill

The Right to Information Coalition on Monday said they were disappointment in Mahama's leadership for failing to ensure the passage of the Bill.

According to the Coalition, President Mahama has not demonstrated strong commitment to the passage of the RTI Bill, despite his party's promises in their 2008 and 2012 manifestos.

Coalition to hold demo

The coalition has also threatened stage a demonstration exercise against the delay in passing the Bill.



By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @AlloteyGodwin
The Africa Center for Energy Policy (ACEP) has welcomed governments decision to renegotiate the Sankofa-Gye Nyame Project agreement.

Deputy Minister for Petroleum Benjamin Dagadu yesterday indicated government will soon kick-start renegotiation of the Sankofa-Gye Nyame Oil and Gas deal signed early this year.

This according to him, has become crucial to ensure the country derives the maximum benefit from the project.

Some industry watchers and Civil Society groups had called for a relook at the 7 billion dollar project contract which would see gas from the field sold to Ghana gas at about $12 per million British Thermal Units (MMBtu) for gas from the Sankofa fields.

Mr Dagadu tells JOY BUSINESS the conditions that informed the earlier signing has changed significantly.

"They have made some savings. We signed the agreement under some terms, all prices and other, at that time, the drilling cost was also very high, some $650,000 per day. But when the oil prices went down, everybody has to squeeze themselves as all the service companies would have to have a haircut," he said.

He said once they had the haircut, they would have to also benefit from it, stressing that would be considered later as the Petroleum Commission approves every contract that the oil companies sign.

"They know whichever contract they want to sign the Commission is following up on all of them, the reductions and re-negotiation, they have to go through us," he said.

He said a revisit of some of the contract will give the Commission some 10 percent to 20 percent reduction in the contract but the values will depend on the individual contracts.

Deputy Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Energy Policy, Ben Boakye, welcomed the decision saying it is long overdue.

"We did a paper on that project and we insisted that there were too many giveaways. We have our own gas and its like we are compelling them to produce the gas at any rate," he said.

He said it did not make any sense in Ghanaians buying their own gas at that price adding "because the companies knew that they are getting this much they made us securitise the investment so we are providing sovereign guarantees.

"They said our sovereign guarantee is not enough and we need World bank to guarantee us before they can produce and that is what we are doing...beyond that also, we have to escrow our oil revenues and pay ENI before everybody else," he said.

Mr Boakye laments that is how raw a deal Ghana has been given with the ENI project.

Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline.com | Kuuku Abban | Joy Business
28.09.2016 LISTEN

Washington, D.C.  The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) recently hosted Ghanas Minister of Education, the Honorable Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, for International Literacy Day activities in Washington, D.C. During the three-day event, Minister Opoku-Agyemang and other dignitaries met with U.S. officials and international representatives to deepen collaboration around improving early grade reading achievement and literacy in Ghana and around the world.

The minister met with Dr. Jill Biden, second lady of the United States; U.S. Congresswoman Nita Lowey; Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack; Associate USAID Administrator Eric Postel; and childrens author Pat Mora. USAID invited Minister Opoku-Agyemang to deliver remarks at the evening reception commemorating the 50th anniversary of International Literacy Day, which was co-hosted by USAID and the U.S. Library of Congress.

The International Literacy Day celebration brought together top education officials from around the world, including representatives from the Ministries of Education of Haiti, Ethiopia, Cambodia, Kenya, Ivory Coast, and Ghana. Topics discussed included school governance and leadership, improving teacher attendance and effectiveness, reading assessments, community involvement, and the introduction of mother tongue instruction to improve learning outcomes.

Speaking during the event, Dr. Biden stated, We need energy in the classroom; we need kids to love books. She praised attendees for their devotion to promoting reading and literacy, concluding, Youre the ones making a difference.

"We're pleased that, through USAID's close relationship with the Ministry of Education, we were able to arrange Minister Opoku-Agyemang's participation in this event," said James Dobson, director of the USAID/Ghana Education Office. "Anytime we can share best practices, it is the students and young readers who benefit. And it truly is a collaborative experience. In her remarks, Minister Opoku-Agyemang shared her habit of making unannounced visits to schools, to monitor management, punctuality and attendance. That's a good governance best practice happening here in Ghana that we hope to see replicated by education ministers throughout Africa and the world."

Improving reading skills is a top priority for USAID worldwide. In Ghana, USAID collaborates closely with the Ministry of Education to build schools, improve student assessments, strengthen school management structures, increase access to both textbooks and supplementary readers in schools, and train teachers. Last year, USAID and the Ministry of Education launched the five-year Partnership for Education, which works to improve the quality of education in Ghana, and to improve the reading skills of at least 2.8 million Ghanaian primary school students.
The United States has not approved any three-parent method for fertility purposes, so Zhang went to Mexico where he was quoted by New Scientist as saying "there are no rules."

One method that has been approved in the United Kingdom, called pronuclear transfer, was deemed unacceptable to the couple because it would involve the destruction of two embryos, said the report.

Since the mother carried the genes for the disease in her mitochondria, or DNA that is passed down from the maternal side, Zhang used her nuclear DNA and combined it with mitochondria from an egg donor, in a technique known as spindle nuclear transfer.

"He removed the nucleus from one of the mother's eggs and inserted it into a donor egg that had had its own nucleus removed," said the report.

"The resulting egg - with nuclear DNA from the mother and mitochondrial DNA from a donor - was then fertilized with the father's sperm."

- Presentation next month -

Zhang and his team are expected to describe their method at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, next month.

An abstract describing the research has been published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, but outside experts said much more remains to be understood about the research.

"As this technology is controversial and a world first, I think the investigators should have submitted a manuscript for full peer review instead of announcing these outcomes in this manner," said Justin St John, professor and Director of the Centre for Genetic Diseases at Monash University.

Attempts began in the 1990s to create a baby by injecting mitochondrial DNA from a donor into the mother's egg, and adding sperm from her partner.

"Some of the babies went on to develop genetic disorders, and the technique was banned," said the New Scientist report.

"The problem may have arisen from the babies having mitochondria from two sources."

Another outside expert, David Clancy, a lecturer at Lancaster University, recalled that experiments in monkeys have shown that maternal mitochondrial DNA can expand from low levels to significantly higher levels, "which would allow disease to again be transmitted, so we must expect the possibility in humans."

For now, Zhang and his team said the boy's mitochondria has been tested and "they found that less than 1 percent carry the mutation," said the report.

"Hopefully, this is too low to cause any problems; generally it is thought to take around 18 per cent of mitochondria to be affected before problems start."

In addition, his being a boy ensures that he could not pass down any inherited mitochondrial DNA.

"While we should remain vigilant about this technique as new information and research accumulates, let us hope this child grows up and has a long healthy life," said Clancy.
Wu Gencheng

The best scallion pancake shop in Shanghai has become the focus of concerned netizens after being ordered to suspend business on Sept. 26.

Huangpu District Market Supervision and Management Bureau asked the owner to temporarily stop his operation because he had no license, according to Shanghai Daily. A reporter from Shanghai Morning Post did an interview with Wu Gencheng, the owner of Ada Scallion Pancake, in his home.

Wu started his business in 1982, when he began selling pancakes in a market. Slowly but surely, his secret formula made his pancake shop one of the most celebrated and famous food stalls in all of Shanghai. His shop became famous after the BBC interviewed him and filmed how his popular pancakes were made in a documentary called "Taste of Shanghai," leading foodies from all over to queue for hours just to sample his products.

Wu makes scallion panckes

However, after the market was relocated, Wu had to move the store back to his home.

"An officer with the Industry and Business Administration told me, 'You can make pancakes at home as long as your neighbors don't oppose it,'" Wu explained. It has been 13 years since he received that approval. After his old license expired, he failed to get a new one because he was running the business out of a residential building.

Many companies have expressed interest in investing in Wus business, offering to hire him with excellent compensation, but Wu declined all these offers. He said it's not convenient for him to do business far away from home, considering his age and health.

Wu makes scallion panckes

I once taught my friends child to make pancakes. He opened a small shop, too. But the flavor of his pancakes is slightly different from mine, and so is the production. I just want to continue to make my pancakes. Besides earning a living, I want to be sure those who love to eat my pancakes can still have them," he said.

Wu said he would try to open the shop on Thursday, but if authorities did not allow it, he would have to scale down his business and only sell pancakes to old customers.

In an official statement, Huangpu District Market Supervision and Management Bureau said it will provide guidance and support for Wu so that he can run the business according to law and regulations.
Some residents in late President Atta Mills' home constituency, Ekumfi, have chastised President John Mahama and his governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), for neglecting them despite several years of sacrifices for the governing party.

They poured out their frustrations when Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, running mate to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the 2016 general election, Nana Akufo-Addo, visited the Ekumfi Constituency on the second day of his campaign tour of the Central Region.

Speaking at Narkwa in the Constituency on behalf of the aggrieved residents, Seidu Adams, said the Mahama administration has neglected them even though they have voted for NDC since 1992.

Mr. Adams, a leading member of the NDC in the constituency, indicated that, he recently joined the NPP Campaign team because the governing party has shown total disregard for the people of Ekumfi.

He chronicled what he described as NDC's disrespect for late President Mills, and the role in personally played in NDC since the commencement of the Fourth Republic in 1992.

The NDC has not shown good faith with the people of the Ekumfi Constituency. It is as if they don't realise that Prof. Mills was from here. Let me tell you a bit about myself, I began my activism for the NDC in the Gomoa East Constituency, which has today been split into two constituencies. I was a Polling Station Chairman; I was a Communication Officer, a Constituency communication officer amongst others.

In 2004, I was named as part of the National Organization Committee which was chaired by Samuel Ofosu Ampofo. We worked hard in 2004 but didn't win and eventually won in 2008.

I will focus on Ekumfi, for the last 24 years, Ekumfi has only voted for the NDC, we have stuck with the NDC and so my brothers and sisters, if we all admit that things are hard in Ekumfi and that we have not received our fair share of development, can we blame anyone but the NDC? It is clear that the NDC has failed the people of Ekumfi, Adams added.

He said he could no longer be part of a party that continues to neglect his people to suffer whilst NDC kingpins enrich themselves.

According to him, he has already informed the NDC Central Regional officers that he will not campaign for the party.

I told Allotey Jacobs (NDC Central Regional Chairman) that I will no longer be part of a team that has disappointed my people so much and made it clear to him that I will not only support the NPP Parliamentary Candidate, Ato Cudjoe, but that I will be at the forefront of the campaign to vote out the NDC, he stated.

NPP will support rural communities-Bawumia

Dr. Bawumia told the Ekumfi residents that, the NPP's vision for the country was aimed at fixing the basic developmental issues that affects millions of Ghanaians especially in rural communities.

According to him, a Coastal Development Authority to be established by a Nana Akufo-Addo administration, will be resourced and tasked to tackle head-on, the basic development needs of constituencies along the coast like Ekumfi.

God willing, when the NPP is elected into office, the Coastal Development Authority to be established will oversee the $1million per constituency allocations from the Capital Expenditure with regards to Coastal Constituencies, will ensure that many of your issues can directly be tackled so your lives can improve.

With an equivalent of $1million or GHC4 million for the Ekumfi Constituency every year, it will lead to a major transformation in your lives. Moreover, the Coastal Development Authority will also ensure that our fishing becomes more worthwhile with facilities needed to support fishing, he said.

By: Awudu Mahama/ghelections.com/Ghana


The Mass Media is consider as the forth Arm of Government in a democratic State. The role the media plays toward the progress and retrogression of the state can't be joked with. The media be it electronic or printed has its own way of influencing the society.

In most third world countries where education is less rated, most people especially the rural folds see the media as the "Christ" hence whatever they hear from the media is taken as the Gospel truth.

Journalism according to the Wikipedia search is the work and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree.

Per the definition by wikipedia search, a journalist is a person who collects, writes or distributes news or other current information. There cannot be the media without journalist and there cannot be a journalist without the media.

Chapter 12 of the 1992 constitution of Ghana guarantees Freedom of the Press and independence of the media. The media in Ghana has gone through series of metamorphosing phases. However, in 2011, the Freedom House ranked the media in Ghana as "Free".

Historically, the media in the Gold Coast first emerged in the 19th century with the publication of the Gold Coast Gazette and Commercial Intelligencer in 1822. The paper had several functions; to provide information for civil servants and European Merchants; and to help promote literacy rates and rural development among the local population - while encouraging unity with the Gold Coast government.

In 1935, the Colonial Governor Sir Arnold Hadson introduced the first radio channel named Radio ZOY.

In the aftermath if independence, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah eventually controlled all the press in Ghana and saw it as an instrument of State authority. The media in Ghana had changed operations from civilian to military government and series of arrest have been ushered on many media personalities especially critics of the government. Ace journalist Kwaku Baako and Kwasi Pratt have all suffered arrest in the course of their duties while some media houses faced closure. For instance, the Ashanti Pioneer which operated since 1930s was shut down by Nkrumah after being subject to censorship. Dr. K. A. Busia's government repealed various acts and dismissed the owner of the state owned Daily Graphic for opposing his administration.

Gen. I. K. Acheampong reinstated strict media control and clamped down opposition outlets. This was among the reasons that led to the formation of the PMFJ to stand against his UNIGOV government. Gen. F. W. K. Akuffo's regime reversed some of his predecessors media policies and released jailed journalists. This led to the establishment of two party papers namely "The Star" by the Peoples Front Party and "The Gong Gong" by the Peoples National Party. Dr.

Hilla Limann's government advocated for Liberal Media Reforms hence establishing a 12-member Press Commission on 25th July 1980. Rawlings PNDC government passed laws that prevented criticisms of government policies, dismissed editors critical of him and passed various laws such as Preventive Custody Law and Newspaper Licensing Law which allowed indefinite detention without trial of journalists and stifled private media

From 1992 when the forth Republican constitution came into being, President Rawlings repealed and pledged to Press Freedom. However, the media did not enjoyed absolute freedom in practicality. In 2001 when Kuffour's NPP government came into power, the tension between private media and the government decreased. Kuffour's government was in support of absolute Press Freedom and repealed the Criminal Libel Law - an initiative championed by Nana Akufo-Addo - the then Attorney General and Minister of Justice.

Subsequent governments have done well with media freedom however, there have been some challenges. Some journalists, broadcasters, social as well as political commentators have taken advantage of the freedom of the press blend with Freedom of Speech to abuse and taint the image of the media in Ghana.

Unworthy comments as well as media misreportage have the tendency of ruining the peace we are praying for in the coming election. Some media broadcasters and journalists have allowed themselves to be bought by some politicians to pursue their diabolic course. Listening to some media stations and their programmes in Ghana is very unpleasant for the profession. Some media stations (Fm stations, TV stations and Newspapers) have been set up in Ghana for political expediency.

These media houses uses vulgar languages, propaganda as well as image and character assassination in pursuance of their course. These acts are unpleasant and it brings nothing good to the media credibility other than shame. A clear case is the case involving the Montie trio (M3) who threatened

the live of the Chief Justice which eventually ended them in Nsawam Prison.

The Media Commission must fasten it belt to ensure sanity and decorum in the airwaves before, during and after the election. The Commission should as well take bold steps to sanction to punish media houses and media men who goes contrary to the ethics of the commission. The Ghana Journalist Association also has a key role to play towards ensuring peace before, during and after the election. The GJA must sanction whoever goes contrary to its code of conduct. Both GJA and GMC must must apply their principles without fear or favour and must punish the recalcitrants.

While some media broadcasters and journalists have gained ugly face for the media, others have also done well and they must be commended for their works. To mention few; Kwaku Baako, Kwame Sefa Kai, Nana Ansah Kwaw, Paul Adom Ochere, Gifty Anti, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, Fiifi Boafo, Manasseh Azuri Awuni, Kwabena Yeboah, Nana Aba Anamoah and among other few. They must be commended for executing the media work with diligence.

Konadu Sekyere Bertha

Student

Global Multimedia College

Accra - Ghana.
Consultant to the National Health Insurance Authority has embarked on a tour of the Education Ministry in apparent search of the list of 123 community Senior High Schools said to be in different stages of completion.

Ametor Quarmyne's tour to get the list was to fulfill a promise he made to Kwame Sefa Kaye, host of Peace FM's Kokrokoo program that the list was available and that he would submit it on his next visit to the station.

The former Editor of the Ghana Palaver newspaper a member of the government's communications team had touted president John Mahama's achievements and cited the promise to build 200 community SHS as one of the success stories of the NDC.

Even though the promise was to complete all 200 schools by 2016, the president in his highlight presentation of the manifesto said 10 of the schools had been commissioned with 123 others in different stages of completion, some in an advance stage.

He said if given the opportunity in 2017, he will complete the remaining schools by the end of his tenure in 2021.

Several government spokespersons, including the Deputy Education Ministry Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Deputy Communications Minister Felix Kwakye Ofosu had on different occasions repeated the fact that 10 of the SHS had been commissioned with 123 of them in several stages of completion.

But the spokespersons never gave a list of where the remaining 123 schools were and at what stages they had reached.

In last week's edition of the Kokrokoo, Ametor Quarmyne made the same claim and was challenged by Kweku Baako Jnr and the host to make the list of the schools available so journalists will be able to independently verify.

Quarmyne accepted the challenge, saying the list was available and promised to provide it detailing exactly where the schools were sited and at what stages they were in. He even requested for the email of the host so he will forward the list to him.

However, the government spokesperson appeared seven days later without the list but with a story of how he toured the Education Ministry in a desperate attempt to find the list.

According to him, he is not the Education Minister so he had to go to the ministry to get the information.

He said when he got there, he was directed to the Project Department but was told the head of department was not around.

Ametor Quarmyne said he was then directed to the secondary school section for the list but there too, he didn't see the head.

He told Sefa Kayi that he had left information with the Ministry for the list to be made available and once the list is presented to him he will forward it to the host.

His explanation triggered a bout of laughter from the panelists with Kweku Baako saying the explanation was an insult to the intelligence to those who were demanding the list.

He said he had sent same request to the Deputy Education Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa for the list to be made available to him.

Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Nathan Gadugah
28.09.2016 LISTEN

Nana Kwadwo Serbeh Agyemang, Chief of Buabinso, is rejecting the Community Day Senior High School which the government has put up at Kyekyewere in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality in the Central Region, saying it is not the priority of the people.

According to him, the project would not help the people in any way, since there are no adequate housing facilities in the locality to accommodate students who come from other communities like Tontokrom, Asaman and Ewisam, and would have to be accommodated at Kyekyewere to attend the day school.

Reiterating recent claims by the Queenmother of Denkyira, Nana Ama Saara Ayensu, that Denkyira lacked development projects under the current government, Nana Serbeh Agyemang advised governments and politicians to use resources judiciously on projects that will benefit the citizenry.

In fact, the Community Day School is not our priority, he told The Chronicle in an interview at his palace, saying if care is not taken, the project could become a white elephant in no time, since students who choose to go to the school may not get places to stay, and the Kyekyewere community alone cannot provide accommodation for them.

Nana Kwadwo Serbeh Agyemang, who doubles as the Denkyira Abuakwa Abadomahene, said the 13 communities in his traditional jurisdiction lack so many development projects, such as boreholes, health facilities and places of convenience.

Though the criticism may sound harsh, The Chronicle is advising the government to take it in good faith and see how best to address the concerns being raised by the Chief.

The Community Day Senior High Schools being constructed by the government is a good idea, which would help raise the standard of education in the long run.

Available reports however, indicate that some of the schools have been sited at wrong places, which would make it rather difficult for students to attend. The Otuam Day School, for instance, has been sited far away from the Otuam township.

Looking at the economies of these communities, it is not all that easy for parents to get transport fares for their children and wards, to and from school every day.

The Chronicle understands that some of these schools have been provided with buses, but the question is  How long can the school authorities fuel these vehicles to transport the children day in and day out?

The buses cannot even go to all the surrounding communities to convey the students to school. This means, some of the students would have to walk between four to six kilometres to school every day.

This is a herculean task that could even discourage some of them from pursuing secondary education, and defeating the purpose for which the schools were set up.

The best alternative, The Chronicle suggests, is for the government to consider the possibility of adding hostel facilities to these day schools, and ultimately convert them into boarding schools in the near future.

This way, students who would, otherwise, have walked four to six kilometres to school, would have a place to lay their heads.

If these hostel facilities are not enough to cater for the entire student population, an order could be given for students coming from the very community where the school is sited to be day students, and leave the boarding facilities to students coming from the surrounding communities.

The Chronicle does not think Nana Kwadwo Serbeh Agyemang is rejecting the Community Day Senior High School in its entirety. His concern is that students from the catchment area cannot patronise the facility, because, apart from Kyekyewere, the other communities are far away from the school.

He, therefore, thinks the best way to solve the problem is to provide a hostel facility, otherwise, the school, put up at great cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer, would become a white elephant.

Clearly, this is a genuine concern that Professor Naana Opoku Agyeman and her team should not read politics into. The criticism should rather spur them on to think about the possibility of providing boarding facilities for such schools.
Vivo Energy Ghana Limited, the company that distributes and markets Shell-branded products and services in Ghana, has signed an agreement with Modex Oil Company Limited to operate all Modex service stations under the Shell brand.

A total of 28 Modex service stations have been rebranded in Shell colours and now sell Shell FuelSave fuels and Shell lubricants. This brings the total number of Shell service stations in Ghana to 207 sites.

At a special ceremony to officially transition and inaugurate the largest Modex service station at Tema Harbour Road, the Chief Executive Officer of Vivo Energy Group, Mr. Christian Chammas, said that the decision to operate Modex service stations under the Shell brand forms part of Vivo Energy's growth agenda; increasing its footprint and bringing quality Shell products and services closer to motorists.

Mr. Chammas said: Vivo Energy has the vision of becoming Africa's most respected energy business. The operation of Modex service stations, which share similar values to those of Vivo Energy, is a step in the right direction to us achieving this vision. The Modex sites, and their high operational standards, are in line with Vivo Energy's safety principles, making this partnership a fitting one.

Mr. Chammas expressed his gratitude to the Chief Executive Officer of Modex Oil Company Limited, Mr. Kwabena Appiah, for making the right choice in selecting the Shell brand as its partner.

In an interview, the Managing Director of Vivo Energy Ghana, Mr. Ebenezer Faulkner said: The former Modex service stations are strategically located, and will help to increase our market share and network size across Ghana. The convenient location of these sites will also make our products more accessible to motorists.

In a speech read on his behalf, Mr. Appiah said that Modex was known for its supply reliability in delivering petroleum products with high standards. The partnership with Vivo Energy and the Shell brand  known for its quality products, innovation, high safety standards and excellent customer service  was therefore a natural move.

I am confident that this partnership will benefit both parties and look forward to a fruitful relationship with Vivo Energy Ghana, said Mr. Appiah.

Meanwhile, Mr. Chammas also inaugurated the newly-constructed Shell service station which features the quick service restaurant, Starbites, and an Infinity tyre centre at Tema Community 8. This brings the total number of Shell service stations in Tema to 16, and makes Shell the oil marketing company with the largest presence in Tema.
The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has denied reports suggesting that it has cancelled its planned Evening Encounter with the Flagbearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo Addo.

A press statement purported to have been released by the IEA, said the encounter with the party's Flagbearer, had been called off due to his failure to avail himself for the programme.

But the Institute has subsequently released a statement saying it has not taken such a decision and that the statement is fictitious and mischievous.

Our attention has been drawn to a mischievous press release circulating on social media and purported to have been released by the IEA. The release is on the letter head of the IEA and has the signature of our Director of Programmes. We wish to inform the general public and all well meanining Ghanaians that this release is false and fictitious and did not emanate from the IEA, the statement said.

The IEA Evening Encounter series is a platform designed for political parties and their Flagbearers to interact with a cross-section of Ghanaians through Civil Society and other interest-group representation ahead of the general elections.

Nana Addo's Encounter postponed

Nana Addo was initially scheduled to take his turn on the platform on August 9, but the IEA in a statement released on August 4, 2016 announced a postponement until further notice.

The presidential candidates of the People's National Congress (PNC) and the Convention People's Party (CPP), Dr. Edward Mahama and Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, have already taken their turn on the platform.

The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), has however boycotted the encounters claiming the organizers have disrespected them.

According to the NDC, the IEA failed to adequately engage them in their plans for the debate series and evening encounters ahead of the December polls.



By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @EfeAnsah
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, running mate to the opposition New Patriotic Partys (NPP), flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC), of resorting to the campaign of division through tribalism.

Speaking at Diaso in the Upper West Denkyira Constituency of the Central Region on Wednesday, Dr. Bawumia stated that, the NDC, realizing that the record of the John Mahama administration is a bad one on which they cannot campaign and win, have decided to seek refuge in the message of division.

He is however convinced that the NDC's tactics is destined to fail because the people of Ghana, will ultimately remember the John Mahama administration for its corruption, mismanagement and the hardship imposed on them.

The NDC know that they have not performed. They know they did not work for us and so they have decided to preach division in this country with the hope that it will help them. They have begun and will tell you that the NPP does not like Northerners or this group or the other group so don't vote for them. Is this what develops a nation? If you have performed, everyone will know you have performed, you will not need to play one group against the other to win, he said to loud cheers from the hundreds that had come out of their homes or closed their shops in the Diaso township to listen to him.

North will remember 'corrupt' SADA deal under Mahama

Referencing a statement made by the Chief of Staff over the weekend that Northerners should vote for Mahama because he is a Northerner, Dr. Bawumia wondered why the Chief of Staff was not applying the same principle since he is from the Eastern region, where Nana Akufo-Addo also hails from, if indeed voting for someone from your region is what is needed to positively transform the lives of an individual or group.

Over the weekend we heard the Chief of Staff in the North saying that John Mahama is from the North so people from the North should vote for him; ironically, the Chief of Staff is from the Eastern region, so why is he not voting for Nana Akufo-Addo? The Chief of Staff thinks he can deceive us.

The people of the North do not need the Chief of Staff to remind them that Mahama is their brother; the people of the North are witnesses to the corruption and incompetence. What happened to the SADA money? The people of the North remember how John Mahama allowed money meant for their development to be stolen by his people, he added.

Stressing that it was ultimately about who can deliver and improve on the lives of the people, Dr. Bawumia noted that even though he is from the North, he won't just campaign on that fact but indicated that the most important reason why the NPP must be voted for in the December election is that the Nana Akufo-Addo  Mahamudu Bawumia  NPP is the competent and visionary team that can be trusted to change the lives of Ghanaians positively and bring the development, jobs and prosperity desired.

Dr. Bawumia who has been on a tour of constituencies in the Central region since Monday, was accompanied on his tour in the Upper West Denkyira Constituency by Member of Parliament for the Constituency, Benjamin Ayeh and NPP Parliamentary Candidate for the Constituency, Samuel Nsonwa Gyan.

So far, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has visited the Gomoa East, Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Ekumfi, Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam and the Upper West Denkyira Constituencies.



By: citifmonline.com/Ghana
28.09.2016 LISTEN

Political parties may have presented their manifestoes in a bid to convince the electorate to vote for them in Election 2016 but some women groups are not satisfied.

According to them, their issues have not received enough attention. ABANTU for Development is seeking to highlight with its scorecard.

The scorecard is to serve as a tracking tool to evaluate political party practices for accountability and gender responsiveness.

Director of ABANTU for Development, Dr Rose Mensah-Kutin, says as women's groups and organisations are the ones who would always provide the relevant information for policy makers and political parties to learn something that would promote the democratic agenda.

"Because when we talk about democracy we are talking about the participation of men and women in making better the lives of the citizens of the country as well as enhancing the voices of both men and women on an equal basis," she said.

She said they felt that political parties are very important because they form what the next government would be thus it is important to know what their interests so as to move the agenda of women forward.

"What we have done now is to capture in a very simple way the kinds of things the various parties have done for women," she said adding they want to add to the knowledge out there on the things that have to be done to advance democracy in Ghana.

Some women political activists JOYNEWS spoke to put forward their case for a stronger attention to gender issues in the countrys politics and governance.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Abubakar Ibrahim | Email: [email protected]
Supreme Court judge, Justice William Atuguba has deplored what he said is the poor working conditions of members of the bench.

The judge, famed for his role in the 2012 election petition said Ghana's clamour for rule of law and justice are at risk of being compromised if necessary action is not taken to address the salaries and working conditions of the judges.

He made the statement at the annual magistrates and judges conference held Wednesday.

"Judicial office is the most exacting and onerous of all the professions. Any objective attempt at the gratification of this assertion by anyone will lead to its biometric accuracy.

"The sheer volume of litigation, the violent, complex and legal issues involved in almost every case and the range of research these entail are probably unknown to the public.

"Working under such conditions is particularly stressful against a background of poor remuneration and other working condition," he stated.

Quoting a comment by the late Peter Ala Adjetey, the Supreme Court judge said "the conditions of service of judges in this country are simply a disgrace. It is generally felt that judges do not receive a living wage and that their salaries are inadequate to enable them to live in dignity and to maintain their families as they should."

Whilst admitting there has been some improvement in the conditions of service, he was quick to add that it has not been "radical enough."

He called on the Bar, the Bench and the Judicial Council to engage the Article 71 Committee on Emoluments to design a salary structure with "enhanced leave allowance" to compensate for the tireless efforts by the judges.

There are fears the poor working conditions of the judges may compromise some of them in the discharge of their responsibilities as happened in the Anas Aremeyaw Anas undercover bribery scandal that hit the judiciary.

Justice Atuguba's comments come at a time the judiciary is fighting to repair the dented image that came with the revelations in the Anas scandal.

The Brong Ahafo Chair of the Bar Association, Alfred Tuah Yeboah agreed with Atuguba saying the standard of living of judges is poor and could have been better.

He told Joy News the salaries of judges at the circuit and magistrate courts are even worse as compared to their colleagues at the Superior courts.

Tuah Yeboah did not understand why the budget of judges would have to be cut by the executive or the legislature.

"If you look at the remuneration, the way they work, their salary would have to be relooked at," he suggested.

He said apart from few judges who live in flats in some of the regional capitals a huge number of them live in very terrible conditions as compared to the political office holder.

Tuah Yeboah said if the conditions of service of the judges are not improved the chances of some of them being compromised is very high.

Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Nathan Gadugah
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Funds (IMF) has approved the disbursement of some $116 million to Ghana.

This was after the board completed the third Extended Credit Facility review on Ghana in Washington DC today.

This will pave the way for some $116 million to be transferred to Bank of Ghana's account within the next 10 days.

The funds are expected to support the Ghana's balance of payment.

Sources say the approval was influenced by some undertaking by government that it will work to address concerns identified during the third review by the IMF staff.

Some of the issues include, the Amended Bank of Ghana Act, Government fiscal data for last year, restructuring of State Owed Organization's debts and dealing with some troubled banks in the country.

But a source close to government says the approval shows that it is on track with programs being implemented to stabilize the economy.

Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline.com | Joy Business
In order to receive his regular leukemia treatments, Shi Luyao has independently commuted between two provinces 10 times over the past year.

In November 2013, Shi, now 11, was diagnosed with leukemia at Kuming Childrens hospital in Yunnan province after being brought in for a high fever. Shi had to leave school for his treatments, which also saddled his family with a large amount of debt. Although relatives and friends tried to assist him, Shis father had still accumulated debts of over 200,000 RMB by the autumn of 2015.

Shi was born in a village in Guizhou province. At the age of 2, Shis mother abandoned the family. In order to make a living, Shis father left home to work in Anhui province; Shi moved in with his grandparents.

Since Shis illness was under control in August 2015, the boy was able to come home and make some important decisions. Most importantly, he had to find a way to both continue his schooling and also get to the hospital where he received his treatments, which is nearly 400 kilometers from his hometown. Shi decided that he would begin making the hospital trips alone in order to lighten the economic burden on his father.

For his trips to Kunming, Shi first takes a bus to the county train station. He then waits six hours, as the train doesnt arrive until 3 a.m. Fortunately, it only takes half an hour to get from the station in Kunming to the hospital.

After undergoing bone marrow puncture, Shi is required to lie flat for six hours. However, he usually leaves earlier  despite the pain  in order to catch the overnight train. When he arrives at his hometown train station early in the morning, Shi waits several hours to get on the earliest bus back home.

Shi enrolled for his fifth year at Huale Primary School in September 2015. During his two-year absence, Shi kept studying and reviewing what he had learned. He also borrowed textbooks from his cousin. Shi now ranks the first in his class, and he always makes sure to hand in his homework before he leaves for treatment.

Shis recovery is expected to take two years without a bone marrow transplant, according to his doctor. Shis father is thrilled that his son will recover, but the cost of the treatment continues to be a huge pressure. Recently, funds were raised in Shis hometown to help his family, and the local government also promised to give the boy financial assistance.
28.09.2016 LISTEN

Tamale, Sept. 28, GNA - Northern Regional Secretariat of the Convention People's Party (CPP) has expressed confidence in its Parliamentary Nominee for the Sagnarigu Constituency dispelling allegations that she was not qualified to stand on the ticket of the party.

Mr Nayi Adam Alhassan, Northern Regional Education Secretary of CPP, who addressed a press conference in Tamale, said the CPP's Parliamentary Nominee for the Sagnarigu Constituency, Madam Issah Zelia, was qualified under the constitution of the party to contest the elections.

Mr Alhassan Suhuyini, the CPP's 2012 Parliamentary Candidate for the Sagnarigu Constituency, had earlier alleged that Madam Zelia was not a card bearing member of the CPP adding some executives of CPP had connived with other members of society to impose her (Madam Zelia) on the party as its nominee for the 2016 elections.

Mr Adam Alhassan said 'on the issue of Madam Zelia being a card bearing member of the National Democratic Congress is of no consequential value to us, the least said about it the better.'

He said 'what should matter is whether Madam Zelia is a card bearing member of the CPP and if the membership card she presented to us is genuine and authentic.'

He said there was no tension in CPP at the Sagnarigu Constituency urging party members to remain calm and support the nominee. GNA
By Samuel Akapule, GNA

Zuarungu (U/E), Sept. 28, GNA - Mr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Bolgatanga East Constituency, has launched his 2016 campaign team with a call on the constituents to renew his mandate for the forthcoming general elections.

Launching the campaign at Zuarungu, Mr Ayine, who is also the Deputy Attorney General, said within his one year tenure of office as MP, the Constituency had recorded unprecedented development projects.

He said the construction of a number of school projects, health facilities, market structure, the provision of boreholes and Rural Electrification Projects were part of his initiatives in the constituency.

The National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament said apart from lobbying and facilitating with other government agencies such as the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Power, he had used his own resources to finance many of the projects.

'For instance out of the twenty three boreholes constructed under my administration, I spent my own resources amounting to GHC 36,000 to construct ten of them', he said.

He said the Government has initiated many pro-poor policies and programmes including considerable physical development projects which were impacting positively on the livelihoods of many Ghanaians.

Mr Ayine said the Government has laid down a strong economic foundation for the growth of the country and urged all Ghanaians to renew the mandate of President Mahama to enable him continue to deliver on his good policies.

Mr Albert Abongo, the Upper East Regional Minister, said there is the need for unity to prevail among the constituents and entreated also those who feel they are aggrieved to bury their differences for the sake of the party.

He called on the members of the party to work hard to ensure that the party wins both the Parliamentary and the Presidential elections in the Constituency.

He also urged the regional constituency executives and the John Mahama (JM) Ladies to work hard towards achieving the agenda 'fifteen -fifteen' which focuses on ensuring that the NDC party wins all the fifteen seats in the Region.

The event was attended by many party executives and supporters in the region.

GNA
By Afedzi Abdullah, GNA

Cape Coast, Sept. 28, GNA - Miss Margaret Forson, Deputy Central Regional Director in charge of Public Health, has said the continued use of protocol admissions in health training institutions is a major setback in health care delivery in the country.

She said the practice allowed unqualified individuals who did not have the love and passion for the nursing profession to become nurses and eventually demonstrate unprofessional behaviours at the hospitals to the detriment of patients.

Miss Forson said some of these young nurses tended to put up inappropriate behaviors at the various hospitals where they work because they had the backing of some influential persons who through protocol got them admitted into the nursing schools.

This, she said, had resulted in the GHS consistently receiving barrage of criticisms from clients and other service users as such behaviours were soiling the corporate image of health service in the country.

Miss Forson was addressing media practitioners and other key stakeholders at a press briefing on Post National launch of family planning week celebration in Cape Coast on Tuesday.

The national family planning week celebration was launched on Monday, September 26 in Accra on the theme: 'Family Planning is your life: take control, it is an everyday thing'.

She said efforts by the GHS in instituting disciplinary action against such nurses had proved futile because the nurses did not respect authorities at the hospitals.

'There appears to be a shortage of caring nurses these days, the noble profession of compassionate care is losing its pristine image because of the bad behavior of some nurses', she said.

Miss Forson expressed worry that patronage of family planning services was still a major challenge for health care providers in the Central Region despite increased awareness campaigns.

She said though the Region has more than 90 per cent awareness on family planning, many of its residents, especially women were adamant to accept it while teenage pregnancies continue to increase in communities within the Region.

'It is very disturbing to note that the family planning acceptor rate in the Central Region is on a downward trend from 16. 5 per cent in 2012 to 13. 5 per cent in 2015 but now stands at 15.6 per cent', she said.

She said family planning was one of the most cost effective interventions available to save lives and improve the health of children and mothers hence the need for the communities to get involved to help create an enabling environment for the family to thrive.

Miss Fordon said negative perceptions, discriminatory attitudes, lack of trained service personnel on some family planning methods, lack of education, lack of male involvement, socio-cultural as well as religious practices were the major hindrance to the efforts by GHS in tackling family planning.

She said as long as young people remained sexually active, they would not stop engaging in sex, therefore there was the need to make information on reproductive health available and guide them to make informed decisions about family planning.

She said the health directorate would continue to embark on sensitization programmes and build capacities of service providers to improve family planning service provision and counseling adding that, the directorate was determined to close the family planning gap.

Mr Mathew Ahwireng, Regional Health Education Officer who led a discussion on the role of the media in promoting family planning acceptance urged the media practitioners to devote much time to project family planning for enhanced usage.

GNA
By Dennis Peprah, GNA

Japekrom, (B/A), Sept. 27, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama has presented GHa 10,000.00 seed money for the establishment of an education endowment fund for the chiefs and people of Mpuasu-Japekrom Traditional Area, in Jaman South District of Brong-Ahafo Region.

Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, made the presentation on behalf of President Mahama, when she addressed a durbar of chiefs and people at Japekrom to climax their annual Munufie festival.

The District Assembly also donated GHa5,000.00 to the fund, set up by Okatakyie Amoah Aturu Nkonkonkyia II, the Paramount Chief.

It seeks to indentify and support brilliant but needy students in the area to further their education especially at the tertiary level.

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said quality education offers the surest route to building the intellectual capacities of the people for their socio-economic empowerment and also remains a major social project to address under-development.

She said the fund would make Japekrom and its environs a learning society by developing the talents and harnessing the skills of the young people.

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare indicated that using education as an instrument for change and development is a shared responsibility and asked parents to reduce the high expenditure on funerals and invest their resources in the education of their children.

She gave the assurance that the government would continue to provide the investment and the necessary logistics to make education accessible and thus improve the quality of life of the people.

Okatakyie Nkonkonkyia II commended the government for the support and called for the reconstruction and asphalting of the Berekum-Japekrom road.

He also appealed to the government to provide the necessary resources for the completion of an abandoned police station in the community.

GNA
Accra, Sept. 28, GNA - Some health sector Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have reached an agreement with the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) for the inclusion of the Tobacco Control Measures of the Public Health Act in the 40-year development agenda.

They are Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), Ghana Coalition of Non-governmental organisations in Health, Coalition of Non-governmental organisations in Tobacco Control, Civil Society Organisations - Sustainable Development Goals Platform, Community Health Support Team, and the Media Alliance in Tobacco Control.

They called on government to revisit the commitments it made as a party to the World Health Organisation's - Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC), to include the Ministry of Finance, Customs and other bodies responsible for taxation in partnership with the Ministry of Health to strengthen any gap in the tobacco control legislation.

They said there is the need for government to work in tandem with the local/regional offices of the WHO in undertaking assessments on legislation.

The CSOs who are committed to reducing tobacco addiction and its related diseases and death endorsed the memorandum at a meeting with the members of the NDPC.

They expressed gratitude to the NDPC for making the health of Ghanaians an integral part of the Medium Term Development Plan, and establishing reforms that shall operationalize the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Mr Kenneth Owusu, the Senior Policy Analyst and Technical Assistant to the Director General of the NDPC, said the whole concept of the 40-year development plan began with a national launch, followed by national consultation through various regions.

He said targeted groups included were chiefs and other stakeholders in the society.

Mr Labram Musah, the Programmes Director, said the current SDGs have recognised tobacco control as a key measure to reducing non-communicable diseases and also as a revenue stream for the implementation of the goals.

He mentioned some areas of the SDGs as goal 3(a) and goal 3(4) which give credence to tobacco control and as CSOs they deemed it very necessary to ensure that the 40-year development plan prioritized the fight against tobacco use for the next 40 years.

He said Ghana has passed the Tobacco Control Measures of the Public Health and tobacco control has been listed in some development documents.

Mr Nortey Dua, a Clinical Psychologist, said: 'We have made progress as nation because we have a national law on tobacco control and have also finished with our Legislative Instrument which is yet to be adopted by Parliament.'

Mr Issah Ali, the Executive Director of VALD, said there is a link between tobacco and poverty because the use of the product affects the incomes of households as the money used could be used to provide education, shelter and food among others.

He said Ghana needed to follow countries that have pursued the United Nations Development Assist Framework, adding that; 'we must not always look at the financial benefits but also the technical and scientific benefits which Ghana seeks to get from development partners.'

Mr Ali said a World Bank report of 1999: 'Curbing the Epidemic of Tobacco Control,' revealed that tobacco was not a good economy for countries to pursue or consider.

Mr Adjei Fosu Kwaku, the Deputy Director of the NDPC, said the concerns raised have been captured in the Medium-term National Development Policy Framework of the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA) 11, 2014-2017.

They were 'to accelerate the implementation of the national plan on smoking and tobacco use and to implement international conventions and treaties including Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.'

Mr Kwaku said NDPC has recognised tobacco control in its document, but the challenge now is how to implement it, saying 'we are very much aware of the dangers associated with tobacco use and smoke but less attention have been given to it.

'In a country like Ghana everything developmental is a priority and it will take a strong CSOs to pursue vigorous advocacy that can help in the allocation of resources to specific areas of development,' he said.

He said NDPC develops the framework and evaluates its implementation, but that the real action is taken by the main implementing agencies and that the Commission would consider the proposal brought forth by the CSOs while recommending that the NGOs should engage the Ministry of Health frequently as they move forward in their advocacy.

The memorandum was witnessed by the following persons, Mr Issah Ali, Executive Director VALD; Mr Samuel Boateng Arthur, the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health (GCNH); Madam Rita Ntoso, Member, GCNH of Eastern Region; Mr Sule Sumani, General Secretary, Coalition of NGOs in Tobacco Control (CNTC); and Mr Eric Kwabena Agbozo, former Board Member, GCNH and also a Member of CNTC.

The rest are Alhaji Abdallah Tetteh, the Greater Accra Regional Chairman; Ghana Muslim Mission and a Member of CNTC, Mr Christopher Dapaah, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of GCNH; Yabaaba Dawud Muhammed, Member of the Community Health Support Team; Mr Freeman Koryekpor of the Media Alliance in Tobacco Control and Ghana CSOs-SDGs Platform; Mr Nortey Dua, Member of CNTC and Clinical Psychologist; and Dr Joseph Amuzu, the Executive Director, Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana.

The memorandum was supported by the Norwegian Cancer Society (NCS) and Framework Convention Alliance (FCA).

GNA
28.09.2016 LISTEN

By Kodjo Adams, GNA

Accra, Sept. 28, GNA - Professor Emmanuel Asante, Chairman of the National Peace Council (NPC), has advised the electorate not to sell their birth right to any politician but rather vote on developmental issues.

'It is prudent for the electorate to listen to the policies and plans of the political parties and pray to God for direction to choose a leader to lead the country,' he added.

He gave the advice in Accra in a peace message video ahead of the December 7 elections organised by the Good Luck Africa, dealers in IT appliance, in collaboration with the NPC.

Prof Asante noted that the electorate have one person to elect as a leader and urged them to avoid the use of intemperate language on people who does not support the choice of their political party.

'We are not enemies, we are one people with different backgrounds and politics must not separate us, but unite us and respect each other's choice,' he said.

He expressed concern about the stakes of political violence in the country and call on all to stand up to ensure that peace prevails in all spheres.

Prof Asante noted that the country is blessed with natural resources hence the only way to harness it is through peace.

He said the experiences of other countries that suffered violence and conflicts are lessons for Ghanaians to learn from.

Prof Asante admonished Ghanaians to be tolerant and respect the views and choices of one another devoid of violence activities that would affect development.

He appealed to the electoral authorities to ensure fairness and transparency during the elections in a manner that every loser would accept the results of the elections in good faith.

Mr Sam V Muthu Partnering Director of Good Luck Africa said he was happy for the smooth transition of power after the death of the Professor John Evans Atta Mills.

He observed that many African countries use elections to foment violence and destabilise peace.

Mr Muthu appealed to all to do everything to sustain the peace enjoyed in the country ahead of the December 7 polls.

GNA
28.09.2016 LISTEN

By Hafsa 0beng/Mercy Manukure, GNA

Accra, Sept. 28, GNA - The Ministry of Education (MoE) in collaboration with stakeholders has launched the 2016 National Best Teacher and School awards scheme in Accra.

The award scheme, which is a combination of the 22nd best teacher and second best school awards, is to reward excellence, professionalism and dedication to the teaching profession and the complementary role played by the non-teaching staff for quality education delivery.

Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, the Minister of Education, said the award ceremony is marked on October 5, every year to coincide with the World Teachers Day, saying many variables make for quality education with the teacher as one key pillar.

She said from the 2013/2014 academic year to date, government through the Ministry of Education has invested a lot to enhance the skills of teachers to impact on the quality education delivery.

Prof Opoku-Agyemang said the total number of teachers and schools to be honoured this year includes 36 teachers, 33 schools, 20 retired teachers, 10 National Service Personnel and three foreign volunteers.

She called teachers to reflect on their roles and responsibilities as both government and sponsors continue to make the right investment towards improving the image of teachers.

She also expressed appreciation to sponsors for their continuous support towards the success of the award scheme over the years and urged them to continue with the collaboration with the Ministry.

Mr Alex Kyeremeh, Deputy Minister, Pre-Tertiary, said this year's ceremony would be an improvement of the previous years as it would see an increase in the number of teacher to be awarded.

He said ceremony which seeks to motivate teachers would be held in Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, with awards like best teacher, first and second runners up.

He said the level of development of every nation, depends on the human resource and the quality of education provided and as such the scheme is in the right direction towards the development of the country.

Some sponsors for this year's ceremony include SIC life, Omega and Aktech Computers, RLG Communications, IPMC, Metropolitan Insurance Trust, NIB, Vidya Books, SEDCO, EPP Books, Aki-Ola, GIFEC, France Embassy, GNPC, UT Bank, National Lotteries Authority, Stanbic Bank, among others.

GNA
28.09.2016 LISTEN

Accra, Sept. 28, GNA - The Coalition on the Right to Information (RTI) has begun massing up civil society support nationwide for signatories to petition individual members of parliament in their constituencies towards a quicker passage of Ghana's information law.

It is unclear how many signatories are expected to be gathered but the coalition in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency, said it was partnering with the Ghana Integrity Initiative Consortium to whip up support from the local level.

The group, which includes SEND Ghana and Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, 'is mobilizing civil society groups at the community level to submit a petition to their members of parliament with signatures gathered from their constituents,' the statement said.

The move comes a day after the RTI coalition joined other rights groups across the globe to celebrate the first International Day of Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) - which falls on September 28 every year.

The date, which used to be observed as 'the Right to Know Day' by access to information rights activists, received the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) backing on November 17, 2015.

UNESCO member states adopted a resolution declaring September 28 as the IDUAI.

'This recognition by UNESCO means that the discourse on, and the advocacy for the passage of ATI [access to information] laws in Africa has gained global attention and can no longer be wished away by politicians,' the RTI coalition in Ghana said.

It said the celebration of the day this year was relevant to the new 2030 global development agenda, particularly, to the Sustainable Development Goal - target 16.10 - which encourages all countries to ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements.

The RTI Coalition is marking the IDUAI first anniversary this year with the theme: 'Informed Citizens, Better Governance.'

The coalition explained that the idea behind the theme was to re-echo the point right to information as guaranteed by Ghana's1992 constitution can only be effectively exercised and implemented on the basis of a law regulating it.

It commended countries whose governments have taken what it called 'bold step' to pass the ATI law.

It said: 'We would specifically like to commend Kenya and Tanzania - the countries with the latest FOI [freedom of information] laws in the continent.

'It is our hope that Ghana will take a cue from the current wave of openness and transparency moving across the continent and join the bandwagon to be listed among the progressive countries with an ATI law in Africa and the world.

'We are conscious of the fact that Ghana is going for elections this year, and if the current government with its parliament fails to pass the RTI Bill, that would mean asking Ghanaians to go through another lengthy cabinet and parliamentary processes with the new government and parliament.'

The Coalition early this week expressed fear that the country's decade old information bill would be shelved when the sixth parliament elapses after the December polls.

It also accused President John Dramani Mahama of not showing strong commitment to enact the information law after the ruling National Democratic Congress pledged in its 2008 and 2012 manifestos to pass the law.

GNA
Algiers (AFP) - The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) agreed Wednesday to cut oil production, ministers said, in a surprise move aimed at boosting persistently weak crude prices.

The news triggered an immediate spike of more than 5 percent in crude prices, as markets had expected the Algiers meeting to end without agreement.

In London benchmark Brent North Sea crude for November delivery rose $2.72 to $48.69, while in New York a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was up $2.38 to $47.05.

OPEC members, whose countries produce 40 percent of the world's crude oil, had agreed to cut their output by 750,000 barrels a day to 32.5 million barrels per day (bpd), according to Bloomberg News, while ministers gave a slightly more nuanced figure.

"We have an agreement between 32.5 to 33 million bpd," Nigerian oil minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu said shortly afterwards. His Qatari counterpart confirmed the figure.

"The meeting was conducted under a very positive atmosphere reflecting strong coherence of OPEC," said Qatari energy minister Mohammed bin Saleh al-Sada.

The informal OPEC meeting opened earlier Wednesday to discuss a possible freeze in output by the cartel, with the aim of raising prices which have fallen by more than half since mid-2014.

An informal OPEC meeting opened in Algiers to discuss a possible freeze in output by the cartel

The surprise output move came after Algerian Energy Minister Noureddine Boutarfa pressed demands for action on an oil supply glut and higher investment to stabilise the market.

"We must act on supply to re-stabilise the market" which has been hit by a massive surplus that has dragged prices down to record lows in the past two years, Boutarfa told a news conference.

According to the International Energy Agency, last year saw a 25 percent fall in investment in oil and gas exploration and production and the agency says the decline is continuing apace.

OPEC discord

Amid record output, there is discord among the 14-nation cartel whose share of global crude supply is around 40 percent.

Progress is hampered notably by disagreements between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the latter back on stream as a producer after the recent lifting of a range of energy-related sanctions.

Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said he was optimistic that OPEC ministers would find some common ground

OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia has so far refused to curb its output at a time when Iran is ramping up production following the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions.

Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said Tuesday on the eve of the Algiers meeting that the Islamic republic was not yet ready to join a mooted production freeze.

Zanganeh said Iran wanted to increase its daily output to pre-sanctions levels of four million barrels, from the current estimated level of up to 3.8 million.

Saudi Arabia and Iran, the Middle East's foremost Shiite and Sunni Muslim powers, are at odds over an array of issues including the wars in Syria and Yemen.

But there were some tentative signs of a narrowing of differences in Algiers, where major non-OPEC producer Russia also joined the talks on Wednesday.

Saudi Oil Minister Khaled al-Faleh said Tuesday he was optimistic that ministers would find some common ground.

A previous bid to freeze output fell apart in Doha in April as Iran refused to take part, saying it needed to return output to pre-sanctions levels.

Further complicating the negotiations, Libya and Nigeria have also been reluctant to limit production after conflicts that have curbed their output.

Prices plunged from peaks of more than $100 a barrel in mid-2014 to near 13-year lows below $30 in January, before recovering some of the losses.
Libreville (AFP) - Gabon's President Ali Bongo, newly sworn back into power, on Wednesday appointed a prime minister to form what he called an "inclusive government" following disputed elections.

His wafer-thin victory in the August 27 vote sparked deadly unrest and opposition accusations of voter fraud in the oil-rich country.

Bongo was installed for a second time as president on Tuesday, three days after the Constitutional Court dismissed his rival Jean Ping's fraud claims.

"The President of the Republic issued a decree appointing Mr Emmanuel Issoze Ngondet as Prime Minister... and asked him to form an inclusive government," a statement from the president's office said.

Government spokesman Alain Claude Bili-By-Nze said the make up of the new government might not be announced until Sunday.

"Since it is an inclusive government, consultations will take time," he said.

Ping reacted to the appointment saying that talk of an inclusive government "changes nothing" and that (Bongo) "must go", according to his campaign manager John Nambo.

Bongo's family has exercised a long grip on power in Gabon with Ali Bongo taking over from his father Omar Bongo, who ruled for four decades, after his death seven years ago.

On Tuesday, Bongo pledged to ensure "equal opportunities" for all and to push through a 2025 programme that would deliver a flourishing economy.

"This is the path that will guide the government which I will name in a few days," he vowed.

Bongo's second mandate has received a cool reception from the African Union and the United Nations, while the European Union voiced regret that the vote count had not been transparent.

But Bongo on Tuesday said the "democratic process has been recognised by everybody, including foreign observers".

In its final tally, the court ruled Bongo had won 50.66 percent of the vote and Ping 47.24 percent, extending Bongo's lead to 11,000 votes over his opponent.
(File photo of the foundation-laying ceremony of the resort in Baisha county)

A Mediterranean-style tourism resort is planned to be erected in Lijiang, an ethnic minority tourism city in southwestern Chinas Yunnan province. The project has triggered widespread objections over the possibility that it will damage local culture and ecology.

Public discontent was first sparked when speculations that a French Mediterranean-style Lijiang resort town had held its foundation-laying ceremony in Lijiang's Baisha County, where local Naxi culture is currently well preserved and natural resources are rich.

In response, Liu Xiaotian, a general manager for the developer, said at a press conference on Sept. 26 that the descriptor French Mediterranean-style was merely temporary, and that it was just an abbreviated version of the hotels brand, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Liu stressed that the company has always valued local cultures, and will work to integrate elements of local culture into the resort's design. The site will also feature a museum of Naxi culture, according to Liu.

Yang Fuquan, head of the Naxi Cultural Studies Institute, told Xinhua that Baisha County is one of the few areas where Naxi culture is completely preserved, and that such a resort project must be avoided at all costs in this region.

We hope the developer can offer a convincing environmental impact assessment report, especially regarding water, Yang said.

According to information published on the local government's website, the developer's 69.54-hectare plot of land was designated to become an international tourism resort under the condition of water protection.

Meanwhile, some local residents are hoping for more tourism projects to boost their incomes. He Shigang, a former village head of Xinshan Village in Baisha County, said that people in his village mainly live on money earned from farming and raising horses and cows, which yields little annual income.

The Yushui village nearby has built new houses thanks to tourism. We want to develop tourism as well, He explained.

(File photo of Baisha county)


Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has taken a swipe at the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), accusing it of resorting to the message of division, regionalism and tribalism.

He said the divisive tactics of the governing party is as a result of its poor record characterised by unprecedented corruption and incompetence.

Speaking at Diaso in the Upper West Denkyira Constituency of the Central region on Wednesday, Dr. Bawumia stated that the NDC realising that the record of John Mahama is a bad one on which they cannot campaign and win, have decided to seek refuge in the message of division.

He, however, informed the NDC that their tactic is destined to fail because the people of Ghana will remember the John Mahama administration for its corruption, mismanagement and the hardships being faced.

The NDC know that they have not performed. They know they did not work for us and so they have decided to preach division in this country with the hope that it will help them. They have begun and will tell you that the NPP does not like Northerners or this group or the other group so don't vote for them. Is this what develops a nation?

If you have performed, everyone will know you have performed, you will not need to play one group against the other to win, the vice presidential candidate of the main opposition party said.

The former deputy governor of the Bank of Ghana is currently campaigning in the Central region as he hopes to help the NPP wrestle power from Mahama's NDC in the December 7 polls.

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business Leaner company structure to improve margins: Balaji Telefilms In an interview with CNBC-TV18, Sanjay Dwivedi, Group CFO of company said all the content production will move under Balaji Telefilms after it merges its film production business with self.
business OPEC meet in Algeria to be an informal one: Expert Statements made by nations like Saudi Arabia has added more gunpowder to the already clueless crude oil market, which is evident from the rapidly fluctuating oil prices over the last few days.
business CBEC chief bats for minimal exemptions for India Inc under GST Lesser the number of exemptions, the better it will be as each exemption distorts structure of the tax regime says, Najib Shah, Chairman of Central Board of Excise and Customs in a CNBC-TV18 special series, in association with Ministry of Finance, on how GST will impact the economy and our lives.
(Xinhua) 19:14, September 28, 2016

PARIS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Visiting top Chinese legislator Zhang Dejiangand French leaders have voiced their willingness to strengthen ties in a number of areas with China.

Zhang, chairman of China's top legislature the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), met with French President Francois Hollande, Prime Minister Manuel Valls, National Assembly Speaker Claude Bartolone, and Senate President Gerard Larcher during his four-day visit to France, which concluded Tuesday.

China-France relations have witnessed all-round progress in recent years and entered a new era in their comprehensive strategic partnership, Zhang told Hollande.

He spoke of the successful meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinpingand Hollande at the Group of 20 summit in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou earlier this month, saying it has infused fresh momentum into the development of bilateral ties.

Zhang said the two sides should actively carry out the agreements reached by the two heads of state, seek win-win cooperation and deepen friendly cooperation.

China is willing to cooperate with France on international issues and jointly boost the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change and the results of the Hangzhou Summit, Zhang added.

Hollande said France always pays great importance to the development of its relationship with China, and stands ready to further deepen practical cooperation in various ways.

He spoke highly of China's approval of the Paris Agreement and the positive results achieved by the Hangzhou Summit, saying his country is willing to join hands with China to cope with global challenges.

When meeting Valls, Zhang said China-France cooperation is built on a solid foundation and has huge potential and broad prospects.

The two sides should strengthen ties in such fields as nuclear energy, aviation, finance, third-party markets and sustainable development and create a sound environment for their respective enterprises to cooperate, he said.

Zhang stressed China's support for Europe's integration, saying his country will continue to deepen China-Europe practical relations.

He voiced his hope that France, as a core country in the European Union, will continue to play a constructive role in China-Europe relations.

Valls said bilateral relations are at their best in history and France is willing to strengthen trade with China.

During his respective meetings with Bartolone and Larcher, Zhang said exchanges and cooperation between the two countries' legislative bodies are an important part of the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership. He called for improving the legal environment for both countries to work together.

Bartolone and Larcher said the French National Assembly and Senate are ready to deepen ties with the NPC to contribute to the development of relations.

During his visit, Zhang also attended a series of events highlighting the ties between the two countries.

France is the last stop of Zhang's four-nation tour, which also took him to Israel, Palestineand Finland.
business Deutsche Bank may rattle Europe; equity rally unjustified: Pros If there is a problem with a bank in a country like Germany then global investors need to worry because banks occupy a special place in the financial system, said Geoff Lewis of Manulife Asset Management.
The chronicle of a life split between urban Manhattan and rural Montana.
6 passengers rushed to hospital in Tokyo after complaining of 'caustic smell' at train station

(Xinhua) 19:24, September 28, 2016

TOKYO, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Six commuters were rushed to hospital during rush hour on Wednesday after multiple passengers traveling on the Seibu Shinjuku Line complained of sore throats and coughing at Tokyo's Takadanobaba Station after smelling something they described as "caustic" and similar to paint thinner or another chemical, Tokyo police officials said.

Emergency personnel were quickly dispatched to Takadanobaba Station located in Tokyo's expansive Shinjuku ward, situated between the commercial districts of Ikebukuro and Shinjuku, at around 5:45 p.m. local time, following emergency calls from station officials, local media reported.

The officials said that some commuters were complaining of "feeling bad" while coughing and saying their throats felt sore or irritated after smelling "something strange."

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has not ruled out the possibility that a substance such as paint thinner could have been dispersed at the station, or some form of chemical accidentally spilled at the busy transportation hub in central Tokyo.

As many as 9 people were taken to a separate room at the station to receive emergency medical care by Seibu Railway staff immediately after the incident, six of whom were then rushed to hospital, local media reported.

The area around the station has been cordoned off, with certain access restricted to rescue officials.

But while a heavy presence of police, fire department and ambulances remain on the scene carrying out investigations, the incident did not cause the train's operator to suspend its service.
(Xinhua) 20:16, September 28, 2016

BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Three people suspected of telecom and cyber fraud have turned themselves in after being named in a police warrant.

The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) on Monday issued a warrant for 10 fugitives implicated in telecom and cyber fraud. As of Wednesday, three had surrendered to police, according to the ministry.

The three suspects included Deng Zhenchuan, who is suspected of cheating a victim out of five million yuan (750,000 U.S. dollars) and money laundering for telecom and cyber fraud criminal rings involving about 110 million yuan.

Deng Chunping is suspected of organizing others in telecom fraud schemes that involved 14 million yuan.

The third suspect, Huang Yexiong, is implicated in multiple fraud cases involving 2.9 million yuan.

Telecom and cyber fraud made headlines across China last month when Xu Yuyu, 18, from Shandong Province, died of cardiac arrest after losing her tuition money to a telecom scammer.

The police have appealed to the public to provide information about telecom fraud with the promise of rewards.
Trustees Ron Woolf and Donna Ruebusch are retired teachers whose vast education careers, spanning a combined 60-plus years, were all spent with one district: Morgan Hill Unified.

Teachers union president Gemma Abels pointed that out when she addressed the school board and MHUSD leadership at the Sept. 20 meeting in regards to the Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers ongoing contract negotiations.

We are asking for compensation that allows teachers to stay in Morgan Hill for a career as our trustees, Ruebusch and Woolf, have done, said Abels during MHFTs allotted time at the board meeting. Its a pretty simple equation. We want compensation for certificated employees in Morgan Hill to be enough so that we can afford to remain educators here.

The local teachers union is currently operating under a three-year contract, one that came with a 5 percent raise and was approved by a 6-0 board vote in June 2015. However, in the spring, they started new negotiations on designated articles of that agreement, which runs through 2018, including compensation.

The school board is not part of the contract negotiations. That is between representatives from the school district leadership, including Superintendent Steve Betando, and the teachers union team that Abels heads up. The school board, however, must ratify the contract once agreed upon by the parties.

We believe that teacher compensation in Morgan Hill Unified School District is a critical issue and is an issue that affects our students, Abels continued. Were not asking to equal Santa Clara Unified or Eastside Union in pay or benefits. We are asking for compensation that would enable us to attract fully credentialed teachers instead of the 16 interns we hired this year.

A statewide teacher shortage, coupled with rising home prices and rental costs, have impacted districts throughout California and particularly the Bay Area down through South County. With demand outnumbering the supply of qualified teachers, MHUSD, like other districts, has been forced to use Provisional Internship Permits, which allows for individuals with backgrounds in education but not proper credentialing to be hired while simultaneously working toward their education degree.

We remember members of this district office vehemently objecting to the charter schools lack of qualified teachers, said Abels, referencing the districts analysis of certain charter school petitions that were later denied by the school board. We are asking for compensation so that our young teachers and veteran teachers do not begin the job search every February and March, and every year make the decision to leave valued colleagues, students and families in order to provide for their own family.

Teachers requesting pay hike

Back in May, a rush of teachers pleaded with district leaders and school board trustees to help rework their contract and boost their salaries. They shared an array of economic hardships that go along with teaching and trying to live in an area that has turned into a bedroom community for well-compensated employees of Silicon Valleys high-tech industry.

Before Abels turn at the podium Sept. 20, third-grade teacher Janet Lammers of Barrett Elementary School made her own public statement. She pointed to the disparity between the salaries of MHUSDs top brass compared to its teacher workforce. Earlier in closed session, the board voted 4-3 to give the superintendent a positive performance evaluation that is coupled with a 3 percent pay raise as part of his contract. Ruebusch, Woolf, Trustees Bob Benevento and Tom Arnett voted in favor, while Board President Gino Borgioli and Trustees Rick Badillo and David Gerard cast opposing votes.

The difference between the superintendents current salary and a teacher who has worked in this district for 30 plus years is $146,452, said the 11th year educator. The increases in salary for our superintendent as well as assistant superintendents are voted in by the board. I respectfully ask the board carefully consider any future increases you approve to these high paying positions in light of the current low salaries teachers are earning in this district.

A first-year MHUSD teacher salary starts at $50,365.35, which is more than neighboring Gilroy Unified School District ($49,748 first year) but lower than other local school districts in Santa Clara County such as San Jose Unified ($54,958), Eastside Union ($55,349), Los Gatos Union ($55,053) and Fremont Union ($60,125). The wage gap increases with years of experience and the take-home pay magnifies with other districts covering medical benefits with little to no cost to the employee.

Betandos salary is $248,010.20 with the latest positive review bonus.

Lammers went on to say that a former MHUSD colleague (who was one of about 55 to leave the district after the end of last school year) moved to another school district, was only credited with 12 of her 20-plus years of service with MHUSD, and is still at a higher salary.

Meanwhile, Abels told the school board of her fellow MHUSD teachers who have taken on second jobs just to get by.

We are asking for enough compensation so when I call for an Uber driver, one of my members doesnt come pick me up, Abels said. We are asking for enough compensation so that one of my members is not also bagging my groceries at Trader Joes.

Live Oak High School teacher Matt Barry was featured in a Sept. 7 article, authored by Alissa Quart and posted on thenation.com, that documented the plight of American schoolteachers. Barry, whose wife is also a teacher, works for the ride-sharing company on nights and weekends while grading student work between trips to help supplement his income.

While compensation is something that continues to be negotiated, the two sides were able to come to an agreement on continuing full-day transitional kindergarten and kindergarten, as well as the sixth grade teachers move to the middle school, according to Abels. Discussions also are ongoing on issues around leaves and hours.

Our members and our team are resolved to listen, to find alternatives and to settle on a contract that makes teaching in Morgan Hill viable, sustainable and actually sensible for all of us, Abels concluded.
A Morganton man accused of killing a neighbor and lending support to a terrorist organization has a hearing in federal court today.

Court documents said a status conference hearing for Justin Nojan Sullivan will be held at 10:30 a.m. in courtroom 1 in the federal courthouse in Asheville today. The hearing will be in front of federal District Judge Martin Reidinger.

Its unclear whether Sullivan will be at the hearing. In August, he waived his right to appear at an arraignment hearing after a federal grand jury indicted him on nine counts, including attempted material support of a designated foreign terrorist organization and lying to federal agents.

Sullivan pleaded not guilty to the charges through his attorney, Fredilyn Sison. He requested a jury trial on all counts, according to court filings. The case has been set for jury trial on Oct. 31 in Asheville.

Sullivan is accused of using a stolen .22-calibur rifle to kill John Bailey Clark, 74, who lived a few houses down from Sullivan.

The federal government says forensic testing shows the rifle was used to murder Clark.

Sullivan hid the gun, a black ski mask and lock pick kit in the crawl space of the home he lived in with his parents, according to court filings.

Clark was found on Dec. 18, 2014 buried in a shallow grave behind his house. He had been shot in the head three times with a small-caliber gun.

Sullivan also is accused of lending support to ISIL, and actually making contact with Syrian-based Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant member Junaid Hussain, a/k/a Abu Hussain Al-Britani, through Hussains social media account, according to federal documents.

Federal agents originally arrested Sullivan June 19, 2015 at his home. He has been held in an area jail since his arrest.

The nine counts in the August indictment are:

 Attempted material support of a designated foreign terrorist organization.

 Receipt of a silencer in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony.

 Receipt and possession of an unregistered firearm.

 Possession of a stolen firearm. The indictment says he used the weapon to kill his neighbor.

 Use of interstate facilities in the attempted commission of a murder-for-hire. He offered to pay an undercover agent to kill his parents, according to federal documents.

 False statement to an agency of the United States.

 False statement to an agency of the United States.

 Conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries.

 Attempt to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries.

Sharon McBrayer is a staff writer and can be reached at smcbrayer@morganton.com or at 828-432-8946.
(Xinhua) 20:50, September 28, 2016

BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's Procurator-General Cao Jianming urged prosecutors at all levels to intensify efforts to deal with health-related crimes to better safeguard the lawful rights and interests of medical workers.

Cao, head of the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP), made the remarks on Tuesday during a symposium with representatives of the National People's Congress and members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee in the health field.

Cao stressed that crimes that severely disrupt the social order should be strictly punished, including deliberately injuring, killing, insulting and lodging false accusations against medical workers as well as other acts that restrict the freedom of medical workers or endanger the public order in health institutions.

In particular, he stressed a focus on using the Internet to incite doctor-patient conflicts and trigger mass incidents that could have severe consequences.

Prosecutors were also urged to cooperate with other government departments to eliminate illegal medical practice, health-related fraud and the manufacturing and sale of counterfeit or substandard medicines targeting pregnant women, children and critically ill patients.
(Xinhua) 20:53, September 28, 2016

CHENGDU, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Fasten your seat belt, because China's air industry is ready to take off!

The numbers of China's international air passengers and new international air routes both increased by more than 30 percent in 2015, according to statistics released at the World Route Development Forum, which concluded Tuesday in Chengdu, capital of the southwestern province of Sichuan.

At the four-day forum, Shuangliu International Airport of Chengdu inked deals to launch nine regular direct international flights, while the southern metropolis of Guangzhou had negotiations with more than 30 airline companies.

China's air market has picked up speed in recent years. Its air routes to Europe and North American have increased from a mere 15 in 2009 to 235 in 2016, linking 14 Chinese cities, many of which are second-tier, inland cities, according to Richard Evans, senior consultant at Flight Ascend Consultancy.

By the end of 2015, 20 Chinese airlines had flights linking China and 138 cities in other countries and regions, and 129 foreign entities operated flights from 126 cities overseas to 57 Chinese cities, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

"These (figures) show business insiders' great interest and growing confidence in the future of China's civil aviation industry," said CAAC deputy head Dong Zhiyi.

SKYROCKETING INDUSTRY

With China's air industry development gaining speed, aeronautical specialists say the sky is the limit for aviation in the world's most populous country.

China's outbound passengers stood at 120 million last year, allowing many foreign airlines to launch flights to China, said Zheng Lei, director of the center for aviation research at the University of Surrey in Britain.

"If the current trend continues, by 2034, there will be 14,000 more planes flying to Asia," Lei said.

Vinoop Goel, Asia-Pacific regional director of airport, passenger, cargo and security at the International Air Transport Association, said that China is one of the world's major five markets, and with such growth potentials it will likely surpass the United States.

The western inland is particularly a magnet for those looking to enter the Chinese market.

Take Sichuan for example. In 2015, the province's total economic output exceeded three trillion yuan (450 billion U.S. dollars), making it sixth nationwide. So far, 278 of the top 500 global companies and 70 percent of the world's most renowned brands have offices in the provincial capital Chengdu.

During the forum, Chongqing Airport Group, in neighboring Chongqing Municipality, spoke with more than 30 foreign airliners, while Yunnan Airport Group agreed to cooperate with multiple airline companies in South Asia and Southeast Asia, as well as reaching out to airlines from Europe, the United States and Japan.

"The economic growth rates posted by Chinese provinces and cities are amazing and we are very excited to enhance cooperation," said Khalil Lamrabet, director of Dubai airports aviation business development. "We expect to bring more tourists and more job opportunities [to Chongqing]."

But with the opportunities have emerged some challenges.

Vinoop said that the major obstacle was transporting capacity; the ability to carry increasing numbers of passengers.

"If transporting capacity is insufficient, the industry will suffer," he said. "To solve this problem, airports and airlines must enhance coordination."

Hou Wei, vice president of Hainan Airlines, said that it was necessary to coordinate air transportation policies, air traffic control and airport services, if the industry is to become stronger.

Meanwhile, aviation specialists say that airline companies, airports and tourism authorities should improved communication to address the problem of flight delays.

"In the past few years, we have had very close cooperation with airline companies and reduced flight delays," said Susan Kurland, deputy commissioner for air service development with Chicago Department of Aviation. "We also stepped up investment in the aviation industry, improved efficiency in terminals, and built many hotels near airports to meet the demand of our customers."
Screen shot of the recruitment advertisement posted by Zeng Xue. (Photo/newssc.org)

A cosmetics company in Chengdu recently posted a recruitment advertisement for a "Chief Face Reader" on a network platform. The applicant was required to be a male of over 180 centimeters in height and with elegant temperament. A preference was also listed for overseas study experience. The boss was willing to offer an annual salary of 1 million RMB to a qualified applicant.

On Sept. 26, a reporter from Newssc.org contacted Zeng Xue, the young boss of the cosmetics company. Zeng explained that the face reader position had been carefully created by her, in accordance with the company's needs. Since most of Zeng's employees are female, and because men and women have different perceptions of beauty, she said she was prepared to pay a high salary in order to recruit a handsome man who could easily get along with women and collect information about their requirements for cosmetics. The contributions of such a person would become an inspiration and basis for decisions regarding the research and development of new products, Zeng said.

Some may raise an eyebrow at Zeng's job offer and its accompanying requirements, but she explained that her company mainly makes sales online, and creativity and originality are essential in the cosmetics industry.

"If the 'Chief Face Reader' can provide useful new thoughts to the company, then it will be worthwhile to pay him 1 million RMB a year," said Zeng. "However, the money will not be easy to earn. He has to offer ideas that can truly help to increase the revenue of the company."

According to Zeng, her ideal candidate would be Wang Sicong, son of Wang Jianlin, Chairman of Wanda Group, the richest man in China.

"He has original ideas on the psychology and aesthetics of women. However, I definitely can't afford to hire him!" she admitted.

Wang Sicong. (File photo)
Emma Wall: Hello, and welcome to the Morningstar series, "Why Should I Invest With You?" I'm Emma Wall and I'm joined today by Tom Walker, manager of the Schroder Global Cities Real Estate Fund.

Hi, Tom.

Tom Walker: Hi there.

Wall: So, a real estate fund but not like the ones that came into trouble after Brexit and were forced to close trading because you're investing in securities rather than bricks and mortar, aren't you?

Walker: That's right. We invest in real estate investment trusts and if you go back in history and look at the origination of where these REITs came from, it was because of a property crisis in unlisted real estate funds in Australia and in the U.S. in the late 1960s and 1970s. So, we are, if you like, invented to deal with this liquidity issue. So we are very different from the bricks and mortar funds.

Wall: How much contagion risk is there though? You've got that extra level of security with the liquidity buffer. But does all property related stuff gets dragged down together?

Walker: Yeah, I think that REITs will follow exactly the same direction as the underlying asset. We are real estate investors. REITs are real estate instruments, but they are obviously more liquid. So, what you find is, when you have Brexit, the listed market prices that new information instantly. So we see a fall in values because people think that the economy that the U.K. is operating in is going to reduce, so therefore property values should fall.

The bricks and mortar funds come to that same direction but just later on because they are valuing every six months or so. So, if in the U.K. we are going to see a decrease in property values, both bricks and mortar funds and REITs will follow the same direction. But we would argue in terms of our fund because we are investing in a Global Cities Fund is that those companies with assets in London should be better protected whatever environment we see post Brexit.

Wall: And it's the global nature of the fund which presumably has helped to bring returns to investors 20%-odd so far this year?

Walker: Yeah, exactly. I mean, clients in our fund have had a very good year and clients in our fund post Brexit 9% of our fund had a very bad Brexit. The rest of our fund had a very good Brexit because 9% of our fund was invested in London. The rest wasn't. And whether you're operating a real estate company in Los Angeles or Sydney, you don't really care whether we're in or out of Europe. And so, that's again the diversification benefits which we think is so important when investing across equities, across fixed income or real estate.

And the interesting thing about real estate is that not many people in the U.K. diversify their real estate exposure outside the U.K., again probably because REITs were only introduced in 2007, so it's a relatively new concept. But we think the diversification benefits have been shown by the strong returns of our fund this year.

Wall: And where are you seeing those opportunities? Is it outside of the U.K. then?

Walker: For us in the U.K. there is one market that's the most interesting, which is London, but obviously the environment has changed post Brexit. But outside the U.K. we see some very interesting companies in Los Angeles, in Boston, in Sydney or Hong Kong, all the major cities that you can think of around the world, that's really where we are invested.

We have our own website schrodersglobalcities.com; we have our own Schroders Global Cities database which ranks all these cities and then we simply try and find companies that match our requirements with assets in these cities. But certainly I think Los Angeles for us and Boston are two of the most interesting cities in the U.S. at the moment.

Wall: And is that because of demographics? Is it because of supply and demand? I mean, what's driving that idea of where is a good place to invest?

Walker: Yeah, it's supply and demand. I mean, supply is what will kill a real estate market. And if you think about London, you can think about the West end of the London, it's a conservation area. So we tend to like companies that own assets in London. There's no tall buildings in the city. In the docklands, it's different. In Los Angeles, in Western Los Angeles where there's a company, for instance, called Douglas Emmett, there's a proposition there or a special law called Proposition U, which limits the amount of new supply that can be built. So that's great from a real estate investment point of view. If we can go into a market where we know supply will be limited but there are lots of people who need to be there for jobs, for their livelihoods.

Wall: Tom, thank you very much.

Walker: Thank you.

Wall: This is Emma Wall for Morningstar. Thank you for watching.
Emerging markets are raising an increasing amount of debt to fund future growth  including new record amounts being issued to the investing public in 2016.

In fact, the total debt issued by emerging markets has risen by approximately six-fold since the 2008 crisis and only seems to be heading higher.

Whether or not this debt expansion is always sustainable is a subject of further analysis, however before we begin to discuss the underlying peculiarities of this investment choice, we first need to remind ourselves that emerging markets tend to behave very differently to the major western markets, especially during times of distress.

Understanding Risk: Correlations and Volatility

We emphasis risk analysis because it is a very important consideration for emerging market exposure, and needs to be embedded into our longer-term thinking. Therefore, while we believe the greatest way to avoid a permanent loss of capital  our definition of real risk  comes from choosing the best valued assets, we must consider risk in a portfolio context too.

As our valuation-implied calculations have illustrated, this has meant making a choice between negatively correlated assets with poor valuations such as western world fixed income, or opting for positive correlations with positive valuations such as emerging market debt. Neither are ideal, however it is the reality we find ourselves in.

We believe passive management has short-comings for this asset type and active management is a natural choice for investors that want exposure to an attractive asset class whilst avoiding preventable risks. Against this backdrop, we have identified some key considerations when investing in hard currency emerging market debt  or those emerging market bonds denominated in dollars.

Relative Valuation

Versus other fixed income assets, emerging market debt issued in hard currency looks attractive. It sits around historic mid-range from a valuation perspective. Compared to United States corporate spreads it also looks cheaply priced, but analysis shows this to be dominated by extreme Venezuelan spreads, reducing our whole-of-market conviction. Our scenario analysis suggests that in all but the worst examples we would see a positive 10-year real return, although a quick shift in yields would result in short-term losses. The possibility of a United States rate rise causing a faster yield shift than modelled could impact short-term returns, although returns over the longer-term are positive.

Fundamental Risk

As with all fixed income assets, there is a risk from a change in global rates regime. Worst case, this could lead to short-term negative returns, suggesting an element of prudence is desirable. That said, the asset class offers positive real returns under most scenarios, even assuming a return to more normal yields, and thus we see the risks from this asset as reasonably contained.

Contrarian Indicators

Dollar-denominated currency bonds were never really affected by the negative fund flows in the same way as local currency exposure in recent years. Flows have been relatively subdued, but remain positive in general. Investors are only now moving towards overweight positioning across emerging markets. However, short term flows have been very strong, therefore emerging market debt in hard currency is in danger of moving to a low conviction position on this basis.

In summary, we find that despite the falling yields, the continued positive valuation-implied returns and the additional risk analysis warrants continued exposure to this opportunity; in hard currency terms. Local currency debt is significantly more complex and best suited to those with a higher risk tolerance.
Emerging market stocks have demonstrated ability and willingness to pay dividends consistently despite volatile times in recent years, according to a top-rated investor.

At a conference in London chaired by the industry body the Association of Investment Companies this week Omar Negyal, from JPMorgan, said income investors should consider emerging markets.

Many years ago you would not be possible to look at this asset class for income. But they are suitable for income now, with sustainable pay-out ratios. Emerging market companies on average have had dividend pay-out ratios of 30% to 35% for many years now, says Negyal, manager of the Bronze Rated JP Morgan Global Emerging Markets Income trust (JEMI).

The dividend pay-out ratio is the number of dividends paid to shareholders relative to the amount of total net income of a company.

And the yields are attractive relative to developed markets; there are more than 1,000 companies in emerging markets paying out a dividend yield of more than 2% and 508 of them are paying yields greater than 4%, according to data provided by JP Morgan.

While risks still exist investing in emerging markets, Negyal said there was a strong correlation between corporate governance and dividend pay-out ratios, of which provide insight to investors looking for terms of long term income opportunities.

I can make judgements on how sustainable a yield is on a five year view by understanding the dividend policy of a company, whether they use cash to pay dividends, the way they generate profits and whether they can remain profitable, Negyal says.

We know that volatility in the market will affect earnings. But investors should look at long term dividend perspectives.

Carlos Hardenberg, manager of Templeton Emerging Markets (TEMIT) agrees, adding that there are pressures on emerging market companies to ensure dividends are sustainable.

Investors often underestimate that until today, the majority of emerging markets companies shareholders were domestic investors. For them, dividends are just as important as for overseas investors, says Hardenberg.

He illustrated his point by recalling an investor conference he attended in Lagos of which a local pension investor stood up and questioned the board when the company did not pay the dividend that was expected.

Emerging Market Recovery So Far

This year emerging markets have rallied, thanks to a stabilising Chinese economy, a tailwind from currency movement, and improvements in trading.

The global emerging markets sector in average has gained 30% from the year to the end of August, according to data provided by Association of Investment Companies.

Dan Kemp of Morningstar Investment Management said that emerging markets are generally attractive with the highest valuation-implied returns coming from many in the Europe, middle-east, Africa region. Emerging market Europe, which is not known for its strong dividend profile, is currently offering a 3.9% yield versus a 20-year average of 2.4%.

Against that backdrop, Negyal reminded investors that this is just the start of emerging market recovery. There are concerns, as company earnings have yet to rally with share prices. However, Negyal is confident that over the long term, there are growth opportunities in emerging markets.

Taiwan and South Africa Offer the Best Dividends

Taiwan and South Africa provide many attractive dividend ideas thanks to their positive dividend culture, says Negyal.

Taiwan has dividend pay-out ratio of 50%, meaning returns on capital are positive and they generate healthy cash flow every year, he said.

Hardenberg echoes Negyals views, saying that Taiwanese companies can benefit greatly from the recent China stabilisation and are run by individuals who understand global landscape very well.

Many current innovations in China actually originate in Taiwan, Hardenberg said.

In contrast, although the Korean market features of a lot of famous companies such as Samsung and Hyundai, their dividend story remains a challenging one, said Negyal. Korea and Russia pay the lowest out to investors in emerging markets.

Dont Go Passive for Emerging Exposure

Investors are turning to exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that tracks the MSCI emerging market index. Investors poured in 1.3 billion in August alone into ETFs that track global emerging market equity indices, according to data compiled by Morningstar Direct. It recorded the second largest inflows across all sectors in August. From January to August this year, the asset class recorded 5.5 billion inflows.

However, Hardenberg warned that by buying emerging markets index funds investors fail to maintain diversification in their portfolios.

As MSCI will include soon include China A shares and Chinese companies listed in the US, the weighting of the index in China will grow to 50%, Hardenberg said.

If you are buying 50% of one country, to me, thats a case of putting all your assets in one basket.

Both managers believe China remains a primary headwind for global growth economy and believe the Chinese financial system especially should be avoided by investors.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

Trend:

Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR has extended the term of a letter of guarantee on the tender to buy a 66-percent stake in the Greek national gas transmission system operator DESFA until Oct. 31, 2016, SOCAR said in a message posted on its website.

The message says that as a part of his visit to Greece, SOCAR head Rovnag Abdullayev met with the countrys Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

Talks were held in a warm and positive atmosphere. Tsipras said that he appreciates Azerbaijan as a strategic partner of Greece, and SOCAR as a strategic company  investor.

The prime minister also noted that he is ready to take all possible steps for SOCARs entering the Greek market.

During the meeting, the parties decided to create a working group in order to solve the crisis arisen around DESFAs privatization. SOCARs Vice President for Investments and Marketing Elshad Nassirov will head the working group from the Azerbaijani side and Adviser to the Greek prime minister on economic issues Dimitris Liakos  from the Greek side.

It was noted that the working group must prepare proposals, satisfying both sides, by conducting relevant discussions with the European Union and state structures of Greece.
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To further protect the integrity of our editorial content, we keep a strict separation between our sales teams and authors to remove any pressure or influence on our analyses and research.

Read our editorial policy to learn more about our process.
A couple who went for a more cozy and far less expensive home in St. Johns exemplifies the growing number of affordability refugees who are fleeing Vancouvers seemingly non-stop real estate price growthand never looking back.Initially looking for a house in Vancouver, carpenter John Duchow and his partner Marla Clarke were astonished at the continuous price increases in Canadas most overheated market, which has outpaced their rate of savings.They decided to look at the east coast city, where many of Duchows relatives resided.It was very nice to be able to come to a place where you can acquire a slightly larger piece of land or a house for a very affordable price in the grand scheme of things, Duchow told CBC News.I actually think the cost of living is pretty reasonable, considering that we can buy a house here  which we never would have been able to do in Vancouver  ever, Clarke agreed.The couple purchased a 2,500 square-foot, three-bedroom heritage home in St. Johns for just $310,000, over a million dollars less than what they would have spent for a similar property in Vancouver.It's crazy, the price difference here, Clarke said.And despite the less that optimistic economic predictions for Newfoundland and Labrador, Duchow remained positive about his work prospects as a carpenter.In spite of the state of the economy and where it appears to be going, it seems like everybody  who's in my profession, at least  is quite busy, he stated.In the wake of the 15 per cent foreign home buyers tax passed by the B.C. government last month, the Conference Board of Canada recently revealed that the average home sales price in Vancouver plummeted by 6.9 per cent year-over-year in August, down to $846,244.Observers warned that concerns about the effects of foreign capital on home price fluctuations remain, however, especially since foreign investors are now eyeing other more affordable Canadian markets.
Courts and Compliance; FHA Condo Proposal; Lender Updates on FHA, Rural, and VA

What do attorneys and judges think of compliance? Here's a nice write up, but it is important that incentives match your company's compliance goals, and vice versa, that you verify what your employees report, and that you train your employees on company policy. If only it were that simple, right?

In legal news, Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc will pay $1.1 billion, without admitting fault, to resolve claims that it sold toxic mortgage-backed securities to credit unions that later failed, the U.S. National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) said. The resolution comes as RBS prepares to settle a number of U.S. cases where it is accused of mis-selling mortgage-backed bonds and brings the U.S. regulator's recoveries against various banks to $4.3 billion over their sales of such securities before 2008. This settlement resolves lawsuits filed in federal courts in California and Kansas in the NCUA's role as the liquidating agent for Western Corporate Federal Credit Union and U.S. Central Federal Credit Union. The settlement comes on top of a prior deal in 2015 in which RBS agreed to pay $129.6 million to resolve a similar federal lawsuit the NCUA filed in New York.

Let's return to forward-looking news. The condo market is changing, and in response the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) proposed new regulations governing the approval process for condominium developments. The "FHA proposes to reinstate spot approvals in unapproved condominium developments and to require condo projects to recertify their approval status every three years rather than the current two-year requirement. But wait - there's more! The FHA is also seeking the public's comment on a proposal to create a range of thresholds required for FHA approval including the minimum owner-occupants in approved condo developments and limits on commercial/non-residential space. "Ultimately, FHA will have the ability to specify new owner-occupancy, commercial/non-residential, and single-unit thresholds within the proposed ranges through a notice, handbook or mortgagee letter...FHA's intent is to modify its condominium rules to ensure financial soundness and project viability, but in a manner that is more flexible where possible and responsive to the market."

Lenders know that FHA currently requires that approved condominium developments have a minimum of 50 percent of the units occupied by owners. While having too few owner-occupants can detract from the viability of a project, requiring too many can harm its marketability. Through this proposed rule, FHA is specifically inviting comment on this issue and is proposing to establish an allowable range between 25 and 75 percent. The range allows FHA to choose a specific percentage that is responsive to future market changes.

The agency currently requires that the commercial/nonresidential space within an approved condominium development not exceed 50 percent of the project's total floor area, and anticipates maintaining this as a requirement in the near term. As the FHA gains experience with this program, however, it may wish to modify this limitation and is therefore proposing to establish a range between 25 and 60 percent. "Mixed-use developments are a way to integrate housing, land-use, economic and workforce development, as well as transportation and infrastructure development."

And under certain circumstances, "FHA is proposing to insure mortgages for selected condominium units in developments that are not currently approved. An individual unit may be eligible for Single-Unit Approval if the Condominium Project is not on the list of FHA-approved Condominium Projects, or the unit is not in a project that has been subject to adverse determination for significant issues that affect the viability of the project, the individual unit is located in a completed project that has not yet been approved, the unit is not a manufactured housing condominium project or located in a two-to-four-unit project, etc.

(Read the full notice for more restrictions, and for more changes: the FHA's proposed rule.)

The National Association of Realtors praised sections of the rule, but remains concerned about the possibility of an overly high owner-occupancy threshold. NAR estimates that less than 10 percent of all condos are FHA certified - evidence that more needs to be done. NAR President Tom Salomone expressed disappointment that HUD chose to defer the owner-occupancy decision, but said Realtors will work with HUD directly and through comment to establish a data-driven threshold."

There are plenty of investor and lender specific FHA & VA, and USDA/rural changes announced in the last week or so. Here's a sampling.

HUD's existing Addendum A became obsolete with FHA Case Numbers issued beginning August 1, 2016. The new version of this form has been updated and to be used on and after the August 1, 2016 date From HUD's website: The form is attached to Mortgagee Letter 2016-06.

Effective immediately, LHFS is aligning with FHA and VA's guidelines regarding properties with outstanding PACE loans.

Servicers filing claims related to the FHA Claims Without Conveyance of Title (CWCOT) procedure can now file these CWCOT claims electronically through the FHA Connection (FHAC) system. New FHAC functionality now allows electronic submission of these claims, providing more efficient submission of CWCOT claims for servicers, and more efficient claims processing by FHA.

Sun West has made it easy and simple to originate 203k Rehab Loans.

Pacific Union Financial issued a reminder that the Electronic Appraisal Delivery (EAD) portal must be used for electronic transmission of appraisal data files and reports for all FHA loans with case numbers assigned on and after June 27, 2016. Please note that HUD updates do not support the uploading of appraisals by Sponsored Third-Party Originators as previously announced. In addition, FLOW does not accept XML files.

Effective immediately, Ditech is offering W92 USDA Fixed Rate Product, the Rural Development Streamlined Assist Option which provides borrowers with a simplified method of refinancing their current Rural Development loan.

Ditech reminded its clients that both the upfront guarantee fee and the annual fee for the Rural Development product will decrease effective October 1. This change applies to all purchase as well as refinance transactions. The Guarantee Fee is reducing from 2.75% to 1% and Guarantee Fee is reducing from 2.75% to 1%. The date of the conditional commitment (not the loan closing date) will determine the fee schedule for loan requests. USDA will not issue a conditional commitment for a loan submitted under the FY17 fee schedule until October 1.

USDA funding will not be available for approximately 2 weeks starting 10/1. AmeriHome will require the Conditional Commitment to be in the loan file, however, it may be subject to commitment authority availability.

Wells Fargo Funding will temporarily purchase eligible Guaranteed Rural Housing (GRH) Loans with contingent Conditional Commitments if all other conditions have been satisfied, according to USDA guidelines.

During the Rural Development lapse in funding, Flagstar Bank will continue to process, underwrite and fund loans submitted under the Guaranteed Rural Housing, Doc. #5830 program and GRH Streamlined-Assist, Doc. #5831 program. In addition, Effective immediately, Flagstar announce improvements to the Fannie Mae Multiple Property, Doc. #5351 program. Loan to value (LTV) requirements will now be aligned with standard eligibility guidelines.

Turning to the capital markets, in a report by Charles Williams, passed along by Matt Scully, in Bloomberg, stringent underwriting guidelines and a tighter lending paradigm are benefiting non-prime mortgage credit quality. The write-up takes a look at work done by Moody's analysts Peter McNally and Sonny Weng. "Lenders typically consider several new factors including cash reserve requirements, restrictions on mortgage and non-mortgage credit derogatories, down payment requirements, minimum residual incomes. Criteria adds to already tighter lending paradigm driven by regulatory developments such as CFPB's ability-to-repay (ATR) rules and the TILA-RESPA integrated disclosure (TRID) rules.

"Recent non-prime lending programs including New Penn's Home Key and several from Caliber, have borrower FICO scores (minimums ranging between 580-660) that resemble those of typical pre-crisis Alt-A programs. Recent non-prime deals from Angel Oak and Deephaven (with average scores in high 600s) reflect similar trend. In all cases, though, an examination of the programs' additional underwriting criteria presents a picture of the quality of their loans relative to those backing pre-crisis subprime and Alt-A transactions. Non-prime programs targeting low-FICO borrowers can strengthen loan quality by limiting risk layering to reduce defaults relative to pre-crisis loans with similar FICOs. Risk-layering is the practice of combining multiple risky attributes in a single loan."

Keeping on with the capital markets, we had a rally on the 10-year Monday. There was some minor intra-day volatility due to the Trump/Clinton debate, continued jitters around Deutsche Bank, and the $34 billion 5-year auction. The 10-year note price improved .250 and it closed with a yield of 1.56%. Agency MBS prices and the 5-year T-Note improved a few ticks (32nds).

This morning we've had the MBA's application survey from last week showing that apps were -.7% (refis are 63% of new apps). We've also had August Durable Goods (flat). Later today, among a gaggle of other Fed-related speakers, we'll have Fed Chair Yellen appearing before the House Financial Services Committee starting at 10AM ET to speak on supervision and regulation. The U.S. Treasury will conduct two more auctions starting with $13 billion of reopened 2-year notes and $28 billion in 7-year notes. The 10-year is at 1.56% and agency MBS prices a tad better.



Jobs and Announcements

In job news, Jordan Capital Finance (JCF) is seeking an Assistant Controller in its Chicago (Northbrook) office. The candidate will support the human resource service needs of the business. Compensation is negotiable in the $75-100K range with an annual bonus opportunity. Responsibilities include preparing Offer Letters and assisting employees with on-boarding requirements, coordinating payroll administration activities with employees, Insperity and the Company's controller, including new hires, terminations, benefit programs, & pay adjustments, and completing the monthly close process in a timely fashion, including journal entries and accruals. "JCF, a top 5 lender in its industry, provides private money financing for investors who buy, renovate, sell, and rent residential real estate through lines of credit up to $7.5M in 40+ states. JCF, funded by Garrison Partners, a $5 billion New York private equity firm, is on an aggressive growth path." Resumes and inquiries should be directed to Magdalena Pyclick.

For appraisal-related jobs, Direct Valuation Solutions (DVS), a SaaS platform that facilitates lenders and their panel appraisers working together (from assignment, tracking, delivery and payment) and DVS' sister company, DVS-AMC, (a leading service and quality focused non-traditional cost plus model Appraisal Management Company), are looking for a few great people to fill the following positions. Regional Account Executives throughout the Western US to support its Regional Sales Managers. The ideal candidate will have Real Estate related (appraisal, title, MI, credit, etc.) experience in supporting sales and operations with existing client interaction and support to strengthen and establish relationships with existing clients. Customer Service Representatives in the Sacramento area to effectively resolve customer issues in a timely manner. Staff Reviewers for the DVS appraisal quality assurance team, and able to work remotely in the Western US. The candidate will have appraisal review or field experience and the desire to be part of a team focused on exceeding client expectations. Please send a cover letter and resume to President & CEO Mike Ousley.

Envoy Mortgage continues to shatter its production goals as it adds branches and Retail talent across the US, and expands its leadership team in key positions to focus on a strong Q4 and substantial 2017 growth. Over the past 24 months, Envoy has nearly doubled its number of branches and doubled the amount in production. Pat Walden CEO of Envoy stated, "Envoy continues to grow and excel in the mortgage industry. We believe that customer acquisition in the future will be heavily influenced by demographic shifts which we are just now beginning to experience. We are very excited to build the Envoy team and look forward to their expertise and leadership as we continue to position Envoy for the future." Envoy is rolling out several major strategic initiatives that will further drive brand awareness, increase volume, build market share, bolster portfolio value, and significantly enhance recruiting efforts. Inquiries can be directed to Thu-Lynn (TL) Nguyen.

And on the operations side of things, Carrington Mortgage is expanding its footprint and operational growth with its state of the art Regional Operations/Sales Center in Brentwood, Tennessee. Carrington is hosting an Open House/Job Fair on Tuesday, October 4th starting at 5:30PM at 105 Continental Place. "Come meet with senior leaders and hiring managers and learn why we are a TOP 50 Employer of Choice! Refreshments will be served. Carrington Mortgage Services is a fully integrated mortgage company with mortgage lending and servicing operations and an affiliated real estate brokerage. We are part of Carrington Holding Company, LLC, which owns and operates multiple businesses that cover virtually every aspect of single family residential real estate transactions. Carrington has been named as a Top Mortgage Lender by Scotsman Guide Magazine, and is on the Mortgage Executive 50 Best Companies to work for 2016" Please contact Carlos Fernandez (949-517-7204) for information.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

By Elmira Tariverdiyeva  Trend:

The people of Azerbaijan have voted overwhelmingly for the amendments to the countrys Constitution, an article on EU Reporter said, citing a free observer from Belgium Tony Mallet, who observed the vote process in Baku.

European Peoples Party (EPP) vice-president Mario David said that as an experienced election observer, he can testify that their observation of the opening of the ballots and referendum procedures were according to the international standards.

In total, he said, there were 117 international observers from 18 international organizations, including PACE (the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe).

There were no military or police present in the polling stations, he added.

Twenty-nine different votes on constitutional amendments give more room for maneuver, said Emmanouil Kefalogiannis, an EPP member and a Greek member of the European Parliament.

Azerbaijanis are changing their system to adjust it to Western standards and I find the referendum democratic, he noted.

An Azerbaijani voter Nefir Mammadov told EU Reporter after casting his votes in central Baku that it was a transparent procedure.

We received the information with regards to the proposed changes one month in advance. I thought it gave me the flexibility and I had the freedom to answer no to some of the questions, he said.

I think the referendum was totally free and in line with international standards, added Mammadov.

The referendum to make amendments to Azerbaijans Constitution was held Sept. 26. The voter turnout throughout the country stood at 69.7 percent, or 3,671,707 people.



Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree July 18 on submitting the draft Referendum Act On making amendments to Azerbaijans constitution to the Constitutional Court.
New Yorks financial regulator is looking into the handling of distressed mortgages by one of the nations fastest-growing mortgage firms, the New York Times reported.



The New York Department of Financial Services has asked Caliber Home Loans for information on its handling of distressed mortgages and origination of mortgages to borrowers with lower credit scores, according to the Times.



Citing a source familiar with the matter, the Times said that the Department of Financial Services was investigating multiple complaints from New York consumers. Caliber is also being investigated by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, the Times reported.



Caliber, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lone Star Funds, was founded just four years ago and is now the 10th-largest mortgage servicer in the nation, according to the Times. However, its rapid growth has worried some observers; last year, Fitch issued a negative outlook on Caliber, at least in part because of its super-speed expansion.


The Permian Basin economy might have slowed over the past year and a half, but that doesnt mean traffic congestion has become less of an issue, at least in Odessa.

On Monday, the Permian Basin Metropolitan Planning Organization policy board held its monthly meeting at Odessa College and had a big decision to make: amending the master transportation plan, or MTP, which lays out projects extending to 2040. At stake was removing the overpass at 52nd/56th streets and Loop 338 from the fifth spot on the top five priority list and replacing it with an overpass project at Yukon Road and Loop 338.

Board members Judge Ron Eckert and Odessa Mayor David Turner proposed the change in June to advance plans to build a reliever route on Yukon Road between state highways 191 and 302 to alleviate traffic on 42nd Street. The board agreed in June to investigate the issue and address it at Septembers meeting.

Odessas 42nd Street regularly sees traffic jams from University of Texas of the Permian Basin to Ector County Coliseum, a span of nearly four miles. In the middle is the highly populated and very busy Permian High School, which Eckert told the Reporter-Telegram concerns him daily.

I have a 16-year-old daughter who attends Permian, and I worry about 42nd for her. I tell her to plan alternate routes and try and find ways where you dont have to get onto 42nd because its just very congested and a haven for accidents.

Eckert said the city and county want to provide an alternative to 42nd Street and that building up the Yukon Road corridor, which currently spans from SH 191 in the east to Loop 338 in the west, should make traveling across the city easier and safer.

Odessa and Ector County see the construction of an overpass at Yukon and its eastern connection with Loop 338 as the next big step for the corridor. Traffic crossing Loop 338 is currently controlled by stop signs, which is also the case at 52nd/56th streets and the loop.

The policy board voted 5-1-1 to approve replacing the 52nd/56th overpass with Yukon, but it wasnt an easy win for Ector County and Odessa. MPO staff reminded the board of the upcoming completion of several major projects  such as the travel demand model and I-20 corridor study  that likely will lead to MTP changes in the future. Also, given that the fifth priority item isnt scheduled for consideration until 2021, there is plenty of time to make a change in the future.

Midland County Commissioner for Precinct 2 and MPO board member Robin Donnelly raised the issue several times that there hasnt been a study completed on the Yukon Road overpass. Without completing these studies, weve committed to changing something we dont fully understand. Without the travel demand model, were really throwing darts at a dart board at this point, he told the Reporter-Telegram. If we find we need to focus more on other areas after we get the travel demand model, we might find we jumped the gun (on Yukon).

Midland City Councilman for District 2 and MPO board Chairman John B. Love III agreed. My preference would have been to do all of the changes at the same time because we have no idea what the travel demand model will tell us, he told the Reporter-Telegram. Plus, as board member Robin Donnelly so eloquently put it, we dont have any information on the study. We dont know whether the scope theyre asking for is too little or too much.

Love, who was the lone vote against, also objected to the amendment because the MPOs reputation with the Texas Department of Transportation is being repaired after a difficult past few years in Austin, before he was part of the board.

Donnelly, who has been on the board for about six years, explained the perception problem: You have to change the MTP as conditions in your community change. We pressed TxDOT very hard to give us more money during the boom because we saw need out here that was justified. The problem we kept running into was, we did not do a very good job of being good guys and saying we need help.

We demanded they help us, and Austin looked at us and said, You guys are just yelling because you want to yell. You dont really have a problem out there. Youre just antagonizing us because you want more money. When we did the SH 349 reliever route, we started getting a reputation of hollering and screaming without justification. Now, when you look at the traffic counts on the reliever route, I think we were justified in doing that.

When faced with possibly changing the MTP again in the future, I didnt want to jeopardize that after working hard to try to clean that up a little bit, Love said. He said that a popular project doesnt mean its necessarily the best project, which is why he rather would have waited until data from the travel demand model and the study Ector County is funding are fully collected.

While Donnelly offered similar sentiments, he still voted to approve the change. The two people that proposed the project are the people that are most intimate with the projects over there. When youre looking at changing from one area to another, moving an overpass project from here to there, youve got to go with the people who understand the project. If thats what the judge and the mayor wanted, Ive got to go along with it because theyre the ones who are more familiar with their traffic. I have to depend on them to know their situations.

The boards vote to amend the MTP doesnt mean Yukon is a top priority yet. MPO executive director Cameron Walker said the MPO technical advisory committee is now tasked with figuring out whether to keep the 52nd/56th overpass on the list of fiscally constrained  or reasonably fundable  projects or move it to the unfunded priority projects list, which is where Yukon currently sits. Also necessary is a 30-day public comment period before all changes can be finalized, possibly at the public policy boards December meeting.

Still, its a step forward in addressing traffic congestion on 42nd Street. Im excited by it. I appreciate the MPO board for making the amendment, Eckert said.

TxDOT Odessa District engineer John Speed abstained from voting because he has been at the position only since Friday. The board was in full attendance. Other yes votes were from Martin County Judge Bryan Cox, Midland-Odessa Urban Transportation District General Manager Robert Stephens, Eckert and Turner.

SAVE THE DATE

 The Permian Basin MPO will hold two public meetings for its I-20 corridor study this month: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Hays Elementary in Odessa and 5:30 p.m. Sept. 29 at Travis Elementary in Midland. The public is invited to attend and share their insights about I-20s trouble spots.

 The Permian Road Safety Coalition will hold a Goal Zero event at noon Oct. 13 at the Horseshoe Pavilion. Goal Zero is an effort to have one day without any traffic fatalities or major injuries.

 The MPO policy boards next meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. Oct. 17 at the MPO office, 9601 Wright Drive, in Midland.

Like Trevor on Facebook and follow him on Twitter at @HowdyHawes.
In a house-turned-office nestled near downtown Midland is the Birth Center, home of Motherly Way Maternity Services. The Birth Center certainly doesnt look like the sterile, shiny-floored hospital where I had my daughters, blissfully numbed by a strong epidural and attached to more beeping monitors than I could count. Nor did I see any hippie pregnant women some might imagine when conjuring up the stereotypes of natural childbirth and midwifery.

When I walked in to the Birth Center, I immediately felt at home amidst the warm colors, comfortable seating and open office area where the staff of Motherly Way Maternity Services was working. One might think they had stepped into an interior decorating office or photography studio if not for the graphs on the wall showing the stages of fetal development.

I sat down with Kelli Beaty, who began Motherly Way Maternity Services in 2002 with business partner Shanna Cloyd in an effort to give Midlanders greater options when it came to giving birth. Both women are licensed midwives and certified professional midwives.

In our first year we probably did about six births, Beaty said. Each year their clientele grew, especially during the oil boom when the population of Midland exploded. Melissa Scott and Melody Barnum were added to the staff to handle the workload. In 2015, the midwives of Motherly Way participated in more than 100 births in the region with families of many backgrounds who were looking for a birth experience outside of the typical hospital setting.

Beaty and Cloyd have assisted in home births as far away as Pecos, and have many clients in the Mennonite community near Seminole.

We are the only birth center option for midwife care in this area, Beaty said. The next closest option is Lubbock, and thats too far for many West Texans who are looking for a natural birth experience.

Interest in midwife-assisted birth has experienced a resurgence in recent years because of the amount of information available to the public, specifically on the internet.

Parents of today like to be educated and well-informed about all of their options, Beaty said.

When parents come in to the Birth Center for an initial meeting, they often come prepared with questions about everything from sonograms and due dates to water births and placenta encapsulation, she said.

The initial consultation is also intended to make sure that the pregnancy is low-risk. If the midwives have any concern that natural birth outside of the hospital will increase the health risk to mother or child, the client is referred to an obstetrician for care.

Its becoming more common for expectant mothers to want to take charge of their birth experience and to let their bodies do what they were designed for, Cloyd said. Its so empowering when these women realize what their bodies are capable of and how strong they are.

Beaty and Cloyd also attribute growth of their practice to local word of mouth.

Many expectant parents come to us because they hear from a neighbor, a friend, maybe someone at church who had a meaningful birthing experience with us, Beaty said.

Midlander Christin Seed and husband, Joey, chose Motherly Way for the birth of their daughter, Abigail, who is now 6 months old. Their son, Caleb, 2, was born with the help of a midwife when the couple lived in San Antonio.

I chose to give birth with a midwife because I wanted a caregiver who could see that I was pregnant, not sick. I didnt want to have unnecessary medications or interventions, Seed said.

She said that Beaty and Cloyds years of experience and that both had given birth naturally and without medication were a huge comfort to her.

They really went the extra mile to make sure we got the personal attention and care that we were looking for, Seed said. They took my picture at my first visit to keep in my file and knew my son and husband by name. Despite the fact that they are very busy and serving a lot of clients, they always made me feel important and took the time to make a personal connection. I felt very safe under their care.

Seed was unsure about whether she wanted to give birth at home attended by the midwives or at the Birth Center. After careful consideration, the Seeds chose to welcome Abigail into the world at the Birth Center, as do many clients of Motherly Way. The center, on the corner of Texas Avenue and E Street, is not only office space for the midwives and staff, but also is a fully equipped facility for their clients birthing needs.

Expectant parents come to the center for appointments throughout the pregnancy. A large lending library with books on a variety of topics related to pregnancy and natural child-birth is available. Blood work is all done in-house, and the examination rooms have large beds and soft linens youd expect to find at a bed-and- breakfast.

It was like staying in a hotel, Seed said. They took care of all of our needs and the facility was comfortable and cozy.

The Birth Center also has a fully stocked kitchenette and a large family room with a TV, plush couches and an assortment of toys and games to keep family members occupied while awaiting the new arrival. One birthing suite is equipped with a large tub for those who elect to participate in a water birth. Mothers are encouraged to snack and drink water throughout their labor and are free to walk around and change position for maximum comfort. Siblings, other family members and guests are welcome to be present for the birth.

After the birth, the babies are thoroughly evaluated and moms are fed and given a chance to relax and recover. Breastfeeding support is given immediately after birth and as needed afterward. Newborns usually are ready to head home with their families after about four to six hours.

The other option is home birth, which provides families with a sense of comfort and familiarity. Prenatal visits are held at the Birth Center, but the midwives go to clients homes for the birth. We always leave the house cleaner than when we arrived, Beaty said, adding that many clients ask about the impact of home birth on the general cleanliness of their house.

Another question commonly asked by potential clients is whether midwife services are covered by insurance.

Most major carriers cover our services but even if you are paying out-of-pocket, our services tend to cost about one-third less than a hospital birth, but with a greater amount of personal attention given to mother and baby, Beaty said.

The midwives of Motherly Way exhibit a depth of knowledge and genuine passion for their work and why they think it is important for area women to have another option for childbirth. They were so inspiring that I was almost convinced to have another baby just so I could become a client and experience midwife-assisted birth for myself  almost.
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The Nonprofit Management Center recognized local nonprofits and volunteers at its annual Beacon Awards Luncheon Tuesday at Odessa Country Club.

The event, led by awards chair Davina Hosick, was particularly poignant for Brooke Mueller, executive director of Midland Childrens Rehabilitation Center. As the center celebrates 60 years this year, Mueller was both humbled and proud to receive the Excellence in Organizational Leadership award.

Looking around that room, I saw all the people who do such an amazing job in leadership and the services they provide, she said after the ceremony. I was honored.

The award came right before Thursdays Take the Money and Run 60th anniversary event held at the center.

For Mueller, this supports both her vision for the future and the vision of MCRCs founders.

If they could see us today, I dont think theyd imagine their vision growing into this position and for so long, she said. I see us going into perpetuity and well look to sustain this so that were here for the next 20, 40 years to support the families and children then.

Mueller has been the executive director of MCRC for 24 years.

The Judge Pat Baskin Family Volunteers of the Year awards for adult and youth went to Phil Eager of Midland Need to Read and Isaiah Crudgington of SHARE.

Eager is a geologist who describes himself as semi-retired. He was referred to MN2R by a classmate at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and began service as a tutor for the agency. Since 1998, he has led pronunciation classes as well as given one-on-one tutoring. He is also the longest-serving volunteer for the literacy organization.

Crudgington began with SHARE as a student of the organizations special needs classes. Upon becoming eligible to volunteer, he now helps the staff, volunteers and sitters during Friday night respite.

This young mans respectfulness, maturity, integrity and responsibility is overall wonderful, Monika Lozano, director of programs, said of the Victory Christian Academy student.

Ronnie D Scott of the Henry Foundation board was presented the Excellence in Governing Board Leadership award.

Scott is president and CEO of True Oil Co. He began his career in oil and guess with Exxon and is a registered petroleum engineer.

He joined the foundations board in 2012. In his time, he has encouraged employees to build homes through Habitat for Humanity as well as to serve on nonprofit boards.

He brings integrity, passion, energy and perseverance to see a task through to completion, Terry Creech, CEO/President of Henry Taw said. The Henry Foundation is blessed to have him serve on the board.

SHAREs Respite Care earned the award for Program Excellence.

The care program provides site-based respite at First Christian Church in Midland and at Crossroads Fellowship in Odessa. SHARE collaborates with University of Texas of the Permian Basins counseling department working to empower family members overcome challenges while also offering a break from round-the-clock care. In 2015, more than 8,000 hours of respite were provided for parents and siblings who care for children with special needs.

The Midland County Public Library Foundation was awarded Excellence in Communications. The foundation joined Wells Fargo and the Midland Reporter- Telegrams Project Literacy initiative that supports literacy in the community. The foundation added to the endeavor by bringing in three childrens authors to speak to local students and the public.

Midland Shared Spaces received the Excellence in Technology award. Under Gary Hires leadership as MSS Director of Information Technology, the nonprofit collective is able to provide resident organizations with state-of-the-art technology and training that has increased nonprofits efficiencies and reduced outsourcing. MSS houses 16 nonprofits and collaborates with others in the Midland community.

This was MSS first Beacon Award.

Lori Wesley was named Outstanding Generations Graduate. She serves on the Midland Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees and is board president for Senior Link Midland. She has also been a board member for the Museum of the Southwest and Aphasia Center of West Texas. She is a community development officer for Frost Bank, which allows her to reinvest in the community and is a 2007 graduate of the Nonprofit Management Centers Generations...Past, Present and Future.

The W.D. Noel Volunteers of the Year awards for adult and youth in Odessa went to Gary Callarman for Boy Scouts of America and Madelyn Rodriguez for ECISD.

For nearly 30 years, Callarman has volunteered with the BSA and currently serves as the cubmaster for Pack 1908 and the assistant scoutmaster for Troop 1908 in Odessa.

Rodriguez, a fourth-grader at Murry Fly Elementary, as a cumulative total of 1,200 volunteer hours. She volunteers in the school library and is a leader in Keep Fly Beautiful, a campuswide project to encourage pride in the schools upkeep and appearance.

CUT:Brooke Muellers Beacon Award comes at a poignant time. The executive director of Midland Childrens Rehabilitation Center also celebrates the agencys 60th anniversary this week.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

By Seba Aghayeva  Trend:

Results of the referendum on making amendments to Azerbaijans Constitution that envisages the extension of presidential term reflect the real will of the countrys people, RIA Novosti quoted Sergey Lebedev, chairman of the CIS Executive Committee, as saying Sept. 28.

It seems that the results of the referendum, a large number of its supporters confirm that the Azerbaijani people support the changes to the constitution put up for vote, said Lebedev.

He recalled that a mission of observers from the CIS worked in the referendum in Azerbaijan.

They say that they recognized the referendum as legitimate, transparent, democratic, reflecting the will of the people of Azerbaijan, added the head of the CIS Executive Committee.

The referendum to make amendments to Azerbaijans Constitution was held Sept. 26. The voter turnout throughout the country stood at 69.7 percent, or 3,671,707 people.



Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree July 18 on submitting the draft Referendum Act On making amendments to Azerbaijans constitution to the Constitutional Court.
Blue Bell ice cream as issued a voluntary recall over concerns that its products might contain listeria monocytogenes. Texas is not on the list of states where the ice cream has been recalled.

According to a company press release, Blue Bell is recalling:

 half-gallon Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (code date 082618226);

 pint-size Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (code dates

081518242 and 082418242); and

 half-gallon Cookie Two Step (code dates 080418222 and 081818224).

Code dates can be found on the bottom of the carton.

Blue Bell's eggless cookie dough ingredient comes from third-party supplier Aspen Hills, according to the release. Products were distributed to Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

The recalled ice cream was made at the company's Sylacauga, Alabama, plant, according to Blue Bell. An Aspen Hills release indicated its recalled cookie dough had been sent to Blue Bell's Brenham plant, as well.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems, the release said. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.

This is not Blue Bell's first issue with listeria. The company issued a massive recall in 2015 after five listeria cases were discovered in Kansas. It eventually led to the months-long shutdown of all Blue Bell Creameries plants, which reopened and redistributed products in phases mid-year.

The full press release can be read here: http://bit.ly/2cRHyaS.
WASHINGTON  The Bush family hasnt exactly hidden its discomfort  and, in some cases, outright disdain  for Donald Trump. But like many Republicans, family members have been unwilling publicly to cross the aisle and state support for rival Hillary Clinton.

Now, though, it appears a member of one American political dynasty has outed the patriarch of another, according to CNN.
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CHICAGO (AP)  A familiar question that arose after other police shootings now looms over Oklahoma: Will the white officer seen on video fatally shooting an unarmed black man be charged with a crime?

Officer Betty Shelby shot Terence Crutcher on Friday just moments after the 40-year-old walked back to his SUV, holding his hands high over his head. Shelby's lawyer says Crutcher ignored officers' commands, kept touching his pocket and was reaching through one of the vehicle's windows when she fired. A fellow officer drew a stun gun to shock Crutcher.

Some answers to common questions about factors that could determine if the officer is charged:

___

Q: DOES IT MATTER WHAT THE OFFICER WAS THINKING?

A: Definitely. Any investigators contemplating charges must get inside Shelby's head. When it comes to criminal charges, legal experts say, the most important determination isn't whether the officer was actually in danger in hindsight. It's whether the officer reasonably believed that he or she or fellow officers were in danger in the split second that person chose to shoot.

There's no clear, standard formula to determine if an officer's fear was reasonable, says Jeff Cramer, a former federal prosecutor in Chicago.

"Does the officer have to see a gun or be shot at before they fire? Clearly no," he said. "That's what makes these cases so hard."

For an officer's actions to qualify for serious charges such as murder under state law, prosecutors would have demonstrate that Shelby was not just reckless but that she had ill intentions, Cramer said.

"There has to be a purposefulness to what you did," he said. "You have to know something is illegal and you do it anyway."

___

Q: IS THE USE OF A TASER TELLING?

A: That a fellow officer apparently used a stun-gun at the same time that Shelby fired could work for and against her. On one hand, it shows she was not alone in perceiving that there was some level of threat. It would be that much harder for an officer to argue his or her fears were legitimate when that officer was the only one to use a weapon.

On the other hand, the fact that Shelby's fellow officer used nonlethal force could undermine any assertion that the threat she perceived to her life was clear. The issue of whether Shelby had a stun gun on her at the time would be relevant, too. If she did not have one, she could argue that her gun was her only recourse.

___

Q: WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL STATE CHARGES?

A: The onus in Oklahoma is on county district attorneys to decide whether there's sufficient evidence to pursue charges, explains Lee F. Berlin, a Tulsa-based defense lawyer and a former assistant district attorney. If the DA concludes charges are called for, he then asks a judge  not a grand jury  to rule on whether the prosecution can move forward. The Tulsa county district attorney, Steve Kunzweiler, could cite conflicts of interest and ask for a DA in another county to take over, though Berlin says that's unlikely and, he thought, unnecessary.

"I know Steve and on something like this, he will base his decision on the facts," Berlin said.

A first-degree murder charge  which can carry the death penalty in Oklahoma  would seem highly unlikely, no matter what the investigation turns up, Berlin said. Such a charge would require what's known as "malice aforethought," meaning Shelby would essentially have had to plan Crutcher's killing in advance.

A more plausible potential charge, Berlin said, might be second-degree manslaughter, which requires extreme negligence. Such a charge could be filed, for instance, against an officer who grabs and shoots a handgun mistaking it for a stun gun, Berlin said.

___

Q: WHAT ABOUT FEDERAL CHARGES?

A: U.S. attorneys could potentially charge Shelby with depriving Crutcher of his constitutional rights by killing him, says Cramer, currently a managing director of investigations at Berkeley Research Group.

Federal prosecutors sometimes defer to local prosecutors, giving them first crack at filing charges. But if county prosecutors choose not to charge Shelby and if federal authorities believe that was the wrong call, U.S. prosecutors could step in and pursue charges months or even years from now, Cramer said.

Among police charged recently under federal statutes was Michael Slager, a former South Carolina officer who last year fatally shot Walter Scott as he fled from a traffic stop. Scott, a 50-year-old black man, was unarmed.

Slager, who is white, was already awaiting trial on a state murder charge when he was indicted federally in May for depriving Scott of his rights. That indictment also charged Slager with obstruction of justice and unlawful use of a weapon during the commission of a crime. If convicted on all federal counts, Slager faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Last Friday night I found myself outlining a chapter on temporal discourse analysis for a class I am taking, fielding questions from my students about an essay that was due and working on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Shells for our family Halloween costumes. Somewhere between the third shell and discussion of intercontextuality, I found myself humming "Once in a Lifetime" by the Talking Heads, specifically, "And you may ask yourself, how did I get here?" Because in that moment, I truly wondered how I got here.

This past summer I began working on my Ph.D. through Texas Tech. When I told people I had been accepted, though they were excited for me, frequently the questions arose of "why" and "how?" Why pursue more education? And how would I be able to do it with my job and children? I am doing this for me, I told them. It is important to me. And how? I guess I will figure that out.

As I think about my own answers to those questions, I reflect on the challenges for so many of our students. Why are they doing this? For kindergarteners through 12th-graders, the answer would seem simple: because they have to. However, maybe that is part of the problem with modern education. We have drifted away from the idea that education is a privilege that was not always awarded to all citizens. Up until the 1960s we still had people fighting for the privilege of quality education. Actually, we are still fighting for it today.

Every day, teachers and students walk into classrooms with the odds stacked against them. At least in West Texas, many schools face staffing issues that cause more pressure for existing teachers. They are underpaid. They are dealing with academic, social and cultural issues that are complex in ways for which no teaching program can truly prepare them. Our students, likewise, are struggling with their own issues of trying to keep up, get ahead, fit in.

By the time they reach college age, many of them will have left the education system because they cannot figure out the "why." School is a punishment rather than an opportunity, a box to check before moving on. Why bother?

How did we get here? Though I could say we have lost our way, I'm not sure that we have ever truly had it. Though people love to say, "In my day..." followed by a list of the academic standards they believe should still be applied, few of them contextualize education with the current society. Our population has grown. Logically, more students means a need for more teachers who are qualified. Demands have also increased for accountability and funding, which means we are asking teachers to do more, more, more with very little difference in pay or support. Saying that education was fine 50 years ago and we should just revert back to that is not realistic nor productive in education problem-solving.

It is easy for those who do not work in education to critique the system. Everyone knows how to fix the education system -- just ask them. Read the comments section of education articles or the local Facebook groups devoted to community issues. They all know what is wrong with the system, and they know how to fix it -- at least for their child. Therein lies the problem. Education is not just for one child or even one group of children. It is for a generation of future citizens who are all in need of help that cannot be delivered in a one-size-fits all package. Yet, logistically, building an education system that meets the needs of all students is not fiscally feasible, at least not with current priorities.

We then come to the second question posed about my own educational pursuits. How? How can we make this work? First, we as citizens can become more educated: actually attend school board meetings, read policy papers and talk to teachers about their struggles. Look at how funding works and speak to your representatives about issues in educational funding. Figure out what is really going on in classrooms, rather than reminiscing about the past. Ask any teacher you know and they will be able to tell you what kind of struggles they see from both the student and teacher side. See how you can get involved with the school districts in meaningful ways beyond just attending sporting events. This also applies to people who don't have school-age children.

For our students to really grasp the why of education, we must model for them its importance while committing to work on the how. It is only then that we can begin making progress for our children.

Amber Kelly teaches English and history at Howard College and is dean of General Studies.
The tax ratification election on Oct. 8 is crucial for Midland schools, and therefore, all of Midlands residents. What would end up being a $46.50 a year increase for the typical homeowner equals $6.5 million to Midland Independent School District.

As an MISD student, I see that there is no room for budget cuts; we are operating with the bare minimum as it is. Having to send a large chunk of money to Austin because of our school districts Robin Hood status has cheated us out of money that would be very well-spent. Our districts buildings could use permanent improvements and renovations, versus the Band-Aids that the district is forced to use.

MISD is looking to raise class class-size waiver for the third straight year, which will increase the student-to-teacher ratio. This increase in student population in schools will require either no change in the total of teachers in our schools or an increase in MISD employees. Without the tax increase, the district is looking at eliminating $743,000 in full-time employees at the elementary and secondary levels. This translates to approximately 10 fewer teachers in the classroom. Not only do our students lose educators, but now our community has gained an unemployment problem.

Another way the district would make up for lost revenue would be to have employees contribute $100 a month more to their insurance costs; this is the equivalent of a $1,200 a year pay cut. Currently, teachers receive the most basic of health insurance at no cost for themselves. They still must contribute towards their dependents insurance or if they need a slightly higher level of health coverage for themselves. For a family of two, this could be about $300 a month. Maybe people dont realize it, but teachers spend quite a bit of their own money on supplies for their classrooms and students. Teachers are already underpaid and do not need another financial obstacle.

Midland schools ranked in the 47th percentile in 2007, but last year we ranked in the zero percentile. Thats embarrassing! When people hear Midland do we want them to think of our failing schools, especially in a city that the rest of the country equates with oil money.

Studies have shown what common sense has told us: A quality education not only decreases crime and the number of welfare recipients, but also creates more consumers and taxpayers. How? A quality education prepares students for high-earning careers. Research shows that when citizens put money in their community schools, the community gets 19 percent back in future revenue. High schoolers who graduate contribute to their communities for an average of 44 years. Students who spent 12 years in school districts that increased spending by 20 percent, graduation rates rose by 23 percent, adult poverty rates fell by 20 percent, and their family incomes were about 52 percent higher than they would have been without the greater education investment, according to a study on the effect of school finance reforms on academic achievement and adult outcomes by the National Bureau of Economic Research. This means that the ability to break the cycle of poverty is practically in our hands.

Shouldnt our schools be a reflection of our communitys values? This election gives Midland residents the opportunity to show their support for education, to show their vision for the future.

I am worried, though, that the fact that this election is not only on a Saturday, but a month before the presidential election, will mean a low voter turnout. Please cast your ballot in favor of education.

Nick Labastida is a junior at Early College High School @ Midland College.






Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

By Seba Aghayeva  Trend:

Azerbaijan has successfully held the referendum, which was another democratic event, Ali Ahmadov, the countrys deputy prime minister, said in an interview with Azerbaijan newspaper.

Azerbaijani citizens active participation in the referendum and seventy percent voter turnout were an important aspect of this democratic event, Ahmadov, who is also deputy chairman and executive secretary of the New Azerbaijan ruling party, said.

"The Referendum Act signed by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev envisages amending 29 items of the countrys constitution, he said. This is the biggest constitutional reform, which will entail significant changes in the political system and governance practice."

The countrys citizens stood for the issues put to the vote as they were initiated by President Aliyev, he said. Azerbaijani people trust President Aliyev.

The referendum results once again proved uncontested leadership of President Aliyev and peoples high trust in him, he said.

"Azerbaijan has a great future, he said. The ongoing economic reforms were fixed in the legislation after the referendum. I am sure that afterwards, the reforms will be carried out more rapidly.

"The oppositions protest against any initiative of the authorities has become customary, he said. But people did not pay any attention to the oppositions protest and rallies. The opposition lost its authority before people.

The referendum to make amendments to Azerbaijans Constitution was held Sept. 26. The voter turnout throughout the country stood at 69.7 percent, or 3,671,707 people. Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree July 18 on submitting the draft Referendum Act On making amendments to Azerbaijans constitution to the Constitutional Court.

The draft Referendum Act envisages establishing first vice-president and vice-president positions in Azerbaijan, extending the presidents term of office from five years to seven years, giving the authority to the president to dissolve the parliament (Milli Majlis) and declare early presidential election, removing the age limit for presidential election, decreasing the age limit from 25 to 18 for participation in the parliamentary election.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

By Seba Aghayeva  Trend:

Australia supports Azerbaijans efforts for peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Christopher John, head of the Azerbaijan-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group, said.

John made remarks at a meeting with Khalaf Khalafov, Azerbaijani deputy foreign minister, in Baku Sept. 28.

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.

During the meeting, John also said Australia and Azerbaijan have a big potential for developing cooperation in political and economic spheres.

In particular, there is good potential for cooperation in agrarian and tourism spheres, he said.

During the meeting, Khalafov stressed the importance of developing the political dialogue between the two countries.

He emphasized that Australian foreign minister Julie Bishops expected visit to Azerbaijan, discussions on specific projects and increasing bilateral trade during the trip, can greatly contribute to bilateral cooperation.

Khalafov also expressed the Azerbaijani sides interest in attracting Australian companies to cooperate in the energy, transport and tourism spheres.
Lollapalooza has unveiled the complete lineups for its three South American festivals in the spring of 2017. The lineups vary from stop to stop, but many of the headliners stay the same like Metallica, The Weeknd, The Strokes, The xx, The Chainsmokers and Flume.

Other big names on the bill for all three festivals include Two Door Cinema Club, G-Eazy, Duran Duran, Rancid, Tove Lo and Cage The Elephant.

There is plenty of musical diversity throughout the various lineups. Fans will be able to enjoy some rock, indie, dance, hip-hop and more throughout their weekend of choice at any one of the three Lollapaloozas.

Tchami, Don Diablo, Flume and The Chainsmokers will be among those along for the tour representing dance music. There will be plenty of rock & indie acts like The 1975, The Strokes, Metallica, Silversun Pickups and Catfish and the Bottlemen.

Some of the lineups are bigger than others. The Chile edition is packed with more acts than the Brazilian event, which kicks off the tour.

There are a few international artists who will only play one date or two such as Martin Garrix in Chile and Bob Moses in Brazil.

The international artists will be hosted by a host of local acts at each of the festivals. There are still a few names to be revealed on each of the lineups.

Lollapalooza Brazil kicks off the tour on March 25th - 26th in Sao Paulo; Lollapalooza Argentina goes down March 31st - April 1st in Buenos Aires; and Lollapalooza Chile runs April 1st - 2nd in Santiago.

Find the individual lineups for each festival below and pick up tickets on the Lollapalooza website.

(Photo : via Lollapalooza)



(Photo : via Lollapalooza)



(Photo : via Lollapalooza)





 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation led by President of the Chamber of Representatives of the General Assembly of Uruguay Gerardo Amarilla.

President Aliyev stressed the importance of high-level representation of the Republic of Uruguay in the 5th Baku International Humanitarian Forum.

He noted the importance of the issues to be discussed at the forum to all countries. The president said a lot of work has been done for development of dialogue between nations and religions.

President Aliyev stressed the important role of reciprocal visits at different levels in expanding the bilateral relations.

Although Azerbaijan and Uruguay are situated far from each other, there are good opportunities for development of the bilateral cooperation, the president said. He also expressed confidence that the visit will create good opportunity for the Uruguayan delegation to get familiar with Azerbaijan.

Gerardo Amarilla conveyed greetings of Uruguays President Tabare Vazquez to President Aliyev. He hailed the importance of the 5th Baku International Humanitarian Forum.

Amarilla said his country supports peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in accordance with the norms of international law. He noted that Uruguay will take on non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council in the coming months.

President Aliyev thanked for the greetings of President Tabare Vazquez and asked Gerardo Amarilla to extend his greetings to the Uruguayan president.

They then posed for photographs.
Details added (first version posted on 13:32)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received Associate Dean of the US-based Simon Wiesenthal Centre Rabbi Abraham Cooper.

Rabbi Abraham Cooper said he has paid few visits to Azerbaijan and each time witnessed religious tolerance here. He added that President Aliyev successfully continues this policy, which was founded by National Leader Heydar Aliyev.

Stressing that Azerbaijan is a model country in terms of religious tolerance, Rabbi Abraham Cooper thanked the president for his support for organization of UNESCOs and Simon Wiesenthal Centres joint exhibition to be arranged as part of the 5th Baku International Humanitarian Forum.

President Aliyev emphasized the importance of the exhibition, underlining the significance of bringing into the spotlight positive values, such as religious tolerance, multiculturalism at a time when the global media mainly covers negative issues.

The president noted that amid growing wars and conflicts, ethnic and religious tensions, Azerbaijan is successfully developing in a peaceful atmosphere. President Aliyev said Azerbaijan announced 2016 as a year of multiculturalism.

The president said multiculturalism policy in Azerbaijan is based on social demand.

President Aliyev hailed intercultural peace and friendship in Azerbaijan, saying members of various religions and nations live peacefully in the country.

Contribution of the 5th Baku Humanitarian Forum to international cooperation was hailed at the meeting.
Details added (first version posted on 16:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received Commissioner for Political Affairs of the African Union Aisha Abdullahi.

The president noted that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to cooperation with the African Union. He described the African Union delegation's participation in the 5th Baku International Humanitarian Forum for the first time as manifestation of good cooperation between the country and the organization.

Underlining the importance of Aisha Abdullahi's first visit to Azerbaijan, President Aliyev emphasized that the visit created a good opportunity to get closely familiarized with the country.

Pointing to cooperation with Azerbaijan, Aisha Abdullahi underlined that the organization attaches particular importance to these relations.

Abdullahi expressed satisfaction with her first visit to Azerbaijan and praised the beauty of Baku.

Saying she inquired into Azerbaijans history before visiting the country, Aisha Abdullahi noted that after restoration of independence, Azerbaijan has become a modern and model country that made vital accomplishments in all areas, particularly in ensuring sustainable development, proper governance and peace.

The African Union commissioner emphasized that mutual cooperation in this areas could be beneficial.
Be measured in the margins you ...
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

Trend:

Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has received Turkeys ambassador Ismail Alper Coskun, as he is completing his diplomatic mission in the country.

Noting that he is leaving Azerbaijan with good impressions, the ambassador expressed gratitude to Azerbaijani government as well as the Foreign Ministry for the support during his diplomatic activity, Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry told Trend Sept. 28.

Mammadyarov, for his part, expressed gratitude to Coskun for his important role in intensifying the brotherly and friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey.

The foreign minister praised the ambassadors activity in expanding the mutually beneficial and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries in political, economic, cultural, humanitarian and other spheres.

During the meeting, the parties said the cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey is developing incrementally in all the spheres, based on the principles of brotherhood and strategic partnership.

Mammadyarov once again expressed condolences to the brotherly Turkish people and relatives of those killed during the July 15 military coup attempt in the country. The minister pointed out that Azerbaijan and Turkey will always support each other.

The foreign minister wished Coskun success in his further diplomatic activities.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

By Elmira Tariverdiyeva  Trend:

Peace and reconciliation will be the focus of Pope Francis first official visit to Azerbaijan and Georgia later this week, deseretnews.com website reported Sept. 28.

Building interreligious dialogue has been one of the popes top priorities since his election three years ago, says the article.

Observers say the popes Sept. 30-Oct. 2 trip will be significant.

It is a trip of ecumenical importance for relations with the Orthodox Church in Georgia and has interreligious value for peace because of the (popes) meetings with other religions, said Andrea Tornielli, respected Vatican journalist for the Italian daily La Stampa.

Pope Francis will end his visit to Azerbaijan on Oct. 2.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

Trend:

Seven third-year and fourth-year students of the Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) specializing in Petroleum Engineering received certificates and awards from the SOCAR UPSTREAM Management International LLC company. The students were awarded for their high-level theoretical knowledge and practical skills, which they demonstrated during their internship at the said company in summer 2016.

In his introductory speech, BHOS Rector Elmar Gasimov said that as part of cooperation with many international companies including SOCAR and its enterprises BHOS students are sent to various companies to obtain practical skills. He said that at BHOS the students acquire deep theoretical knowledge under supervision of the higher-education teaching personnel who train them to help become high-qualified English speaking specialists.

Speaking about importance of acquiring practical skills and knowledge in companies, Gasimov expressed his gratitude to management of SOCAR UPSTREAM Management International LLC and his satisfaction with the conditions created by the companies for students successful paid and unpaid internship. Having emphasized that work in the oil and gas industry is not only challenging and involving efforts, but also important and honorable, Gasimov expressed his confidence that BHOS graduates would always follow this way.

Speaking at the gathering, SOCARs Vice President, Executive Director of the SOCAR UPSTREAM Management International LLC company Yashar Latifov said that BHOS is one of the most prestigious higher educational institutions in our country. As he informed, BHOS students showed a model behavior and a great interest to their future profession during the internship.

Latifov and Gasimov signed a cooperation agreement on June 1, 2016. Under the agreement, the company specialists approved study programs, which made provision for conducting workshops and specialized training courses for students. The program is aimed at training of the students, acquiring teaching experience, creating employment opportunities for BHOS graduates, BHOS students participation in the summer internship programs at the company and its enterprises and increasing level of their competence.
Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign hosted more than 300 voter registration events throughout Florida Tuesday as part of its effort to sign up as many voters as possible before the state's Oct. 11 registration deadline.

Clinton campaign held 300+ voter registration events in Florida Tuesday

Many were held at college campuses

At FAMU, attendence was sparse

The marquee registration events took place on college campuses, home to legions of Democratic-leaning students whose support for President Obama proved critical to his slim Florida victory four years ago. This time around, however, polls indicate Clinton is underperforming Obama among young Floridians and minorities, a cause for concern among some Democratic strategists.

At a voter registration event at Florida A&M University -- a historically black college that is a perennial campaign stop for White House hopefuls -- attendance was sparse, with workers struggling to entice students to sign up to vote.

One of the few students who did fill out a registration form, Adam Mattison said he felt on-campus enthusiasm for Clinton paled in comparison to outpourings of support for Obama in 2008 and 2012. But, he added, the choice in November strikes him as particularly stark.

"If Trump wins, I feel like America's going to go down, but for other people who are actually rooting for Trump, it may go up to them," Mattison said. "But, I feel like Hillary has a better chance because she knows what's going on in the United States."

While Trump has recently taken pains to temper his incendiary rhetoric about minorities, Clinton campaign operatives aren't worried so much about a defection of minorities to Trump's side. Their fear, expressed privately, is that African-Americans, Hispanics and young people in swing states like Florida won't turn out in sufficient numbers to provide Clinton with winning margins.

And even as Democrats throw their voter registration machine into high gear, Republicans argue theirs has been running full-bore for months - with impressive results. An aggressive GOP outreach operation has cut the gap between registered Democrats and registered Republicans in half. There were over 500,000 more Democrats in Florida in 2012; that figure now stands at fewer than 260,000.

"You can really see that Republicans are winning this election in the state of Florida and nationally and, so, we're hoping for big wins and we know that we're very excited for this come November," said Ninio Fetalvo, a Republican National Committee operative based in Tallahassee.




State Road 436 in Altamonte Springs is a busy road, there is no doubt about that.

Tunnel will help pedestrians cross State Road 436 safely

It will feature interior, exterior lighting for safety

Project, to be funded by Altamonte Springs, is in design phase



In fact, a million people visit Uptown Altamonte each year. Add that there's the Altamonte Mall and a large hospital close by, and that means a lot of people on foot mixed with a lot of vehicles.

"Well, there's a lot of pedestrian traffic that goes across (State Road) 436," Altamonte Springs City Manager Frank Marts said. It's a very dangerous corridor for pedestrians in particular."

That's why the City of Altamonte Springs is building a way for bikers and walkers alike to cross State Road 436  by going under it.

"We are going to explore going underneath State Road 436, Martz said. We explored going over State Road 436, but it was very expensive. It requires extensive ramping. Given that its public dollars, we want to find the least expensive way to get this done. We think our residents expect that of us, and that's what we are going to do."

Although the concept of a pedestrian tunnel may seem strange to some, they are actually not that uncommon throughout Central Florida. There are a couple of pedestrian tunnels in Seminole County itself, like the one located off State Road 434 and Douglas Avenue.

City officials said the bridge will be installed with as many safety features as they can. One of those features is tunnel lighting. When people are inside, the tunnel's interior will be lit. Plus, there will be special lights outside the tunnel for police officers to recognize activity inside it.

"We are going to build into it safety features that will allow it be an attractive thing to use, Martz said, and we're going to encourage people to use it."

The project is in the design phase with the actual construction to begin sometime next year with no time table given, Martz explained.

The tunnel will be fully funded by the City of Altamonte Springs.

News 13 has partnered with the Florida Department of Transportation on its Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow campaign. The idea is to make sure were all sharing the road with people who walk or ride their bikes, and everyone makes it where they need to be safely. FDOT has all kinds of resources for you on alert today FDOT.com.
The death of former Israeli President and Prime Minister Shimon Peres is getting a lot of attention around the world this morning.

Shimon Peres died after suffering from a major stroke

U.S. presidents have worked closely with Peres

He won a Nobel Peace Prize for the Israeli-Palestinian Oslo Peace Accords

SEE BELOW: View Peres' life

The 93 year old died after suffering a major stroke.



The White House released this statement from President Barak Obama saying, There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves. My friend Shimon was one of those people.

Former President Bill Clinton posted this picture on Twitter and wrote:

I will miss Shimon Peres, my brilliant and eloquent friend. His life was a blessing to all who strive for peace. https://t.co/7aIk3mt3Og pic.twitter.com/Iosr09jQq9  Bill Clinton (@billclinton) September 28, 2016

They both worked together in 1993 to form the Israeli-Palestinian Oslo Peace Accords. Peres and several others won the Nobel peace prize for that.

Former President George W. Bush issued a statement via the Bush Center, where he wrote that he will miss "... Peres and his grace, dignity, and optimism."

Statement by President George W. Bush on the death of Shimon Peres https://t.co/lu7Rkb9CSZ  TheBushCenter (@TheBushCenter) September 28, 2016

Israel's Foreign Ministry says that Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Pope Francis, Prince Charles and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are all expected to attend Peress funeral.




Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

By Samir Ali  Trend:

A new model of armored fighting vehicle Gurza (Viper), produced by Azerbaijans Defense Industry Ministry, has been demonstrated at the ADEX 2016  2nd Azerbaijan International Defence Industry Exhibition.

The exhibition is taking place in the Baku Expo Center.

An employee of the Defense Industry Ministry Mahir Bayramov told Trend Sept. 28 that the new model was created on the basis of Toyota Hilux pickup. Its engine volume is 2,500 cubic centimeters.

The vehicle is 5,270 mm long, 1,680 mm wide and 2,120 mm high.

Bayramov said the difference of the new armored fighting vehicle from the usual version of Gurza is that three kinds of weapons can be installed on it - NSV-12.7 mm heavy machine gun, AGS-30 automatic mounted grenade launcher and a turret for anti-tank guided missiles.

It will take only three minutes to change one type of weapon to another on the new vehicle, said Bayramov. In addition, two 7.62 mm machine guns are installed on the sides of the vehicle.

Bayramov added that the 7.62 mm machine guns fire 800 rounds per minute and can be used to fire at a distance of up to 1,500 meters.
Kissimmee Mayor Pro Tem Sara Shaw and her boyfriend Peter Sendtko were charged Tuesday with living in the home of a dead person, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) press release.

Sara Shaw, Peter Sendtko accused of using deceaseds bank account to pay for house utilities

Sendtko allegedly sold deceased womans car to his mother

The FDLE received information from the Kissimmee Police Department in August 2015, about Shaw, a Democrat, and Sendtko allegedly living at the home of Carol Woosley, who died in October of 2011, the release and investigative summary stated.

In April 2014, the couple moved into the residence without permission and filed an adverse possession without color of title with Osceola County Property Appraisers in an attempt to establish ownership of Woosleys residence, FDLE mentioned in the press release.

Allegedly, utility payments for the house on 1568 Mill Slough Rd., Kissimmee, were automatically withdrawn from Woosleys bank account, FDLE stated.

From May 2014 to September 2015, a little over $4,600 was paid to Kissimmee utilities (Kissimmee Utility Authority) using the decedents bank account, the press release mentioned.

The investigative summary stated that Sendtko allegedly sold Woosleys 1997 Pontiac to his mother, who lives in Michigan, on Oct. 25, 2014, but the press release added the car was sold for $500.

The majority of Shaws and Sendtkos civilian interviews in the investigative summary were redacted.

Shaw and Sendtko were charged with fraudulent use of a deceaseds personal identification number and grand theft. Sendtko was additionally charged with dealing in stolen property.

The two were booked into the Osceola County Jail, with Shaw on $3,500 bond and Sendtko on $6,000 bond.

The Osceola County Corrections told News 13 that the two are out on bond.
A brush fire raging in Brevard County has now scorched 855 acres, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but it's "pretty much done."

Old 50 Brush Fire grows to 855 acress

70% of fire contained

The fire, called the Old 50 Brush Fire, is burning in the Saint Johns National Wildlife Refuge.

State Road 50 is back open on Wednesday, after being closed for several hours Tuesday night in Brevard County.

Firefighters with the Florida Forest Service and Brevard County Fire Rescue worked through the night to battle the blaze.

At last update, the fire was 70 percent contained, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service saying the fire is pretty much done.

Officials say no roads are closed right now, and they don't expect any will be today. However, officials say they will evaluate again tonight.

Florida Highway Patrol is still monitoring the fire, to make sure smoke doesnt impact the morning commute. Florida Highway Patrol is stationed to make sure conditions are clear for driving.

At one point Tuesday night, there was concern that hotels near the fire would have to be evacuated, but firefighters were able to control the fire enough to keep these businesses open.


In the wake of several law-enforcement-involved shootings across the United States, Hillary Clinton called for more police training during the first presidential debate Monday night.

Former Oviedo Police chief is a police practices consultant

Chuck Drago: "Officers need to understand the community"

Drag also says department leaders "should embrace more training"

But, what would that training look like in Central Florida?

"Police officers should be training in how to de-escalate a situation," said Chuck Drago, the former Oviedo Police chief.

Drago is a retired police chief, but he often spends his afternoons at the Orange County Courthouse testifying as a law enforcement expert and police practices consultant.

"Our officers need to understand the mental ill, our officers need to understand the community," Drago said. "Our officers need to have a relationship with the community, our officers need to know how to de-escalate situations so that they don't hurt people unnecessarily."

Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings held his eighth-annual Crime Summit on Wednesday. The event partly focused on the relationship between deputies and the community members they have sworn to protect and serve.

"Training and proactive things we're doing to talk about disproportionate minority contact," Demings said. "We're teaching that curriculum through all of the local law enforcement agencies, and we actually have been doing that now for the last several years. We have renewed funding and those efforts will continue to make certain that our law enforcement officers have the type of sensitivity to bias- based policing."

Drago, who has more than 35 years of experience in law enforcement, said he is far from anti-police. He thinks department leaders should embrace more training so that officers have all the tools they need to prevent some deadly decisions.

"Community policing is having a relationship with the community where they feel they can trust you (so) that when an officer uses force against somebody, that the department is the first one to say, 'We're going to investigate this and we're going to make sure that the officer used lawful force against that person,'" Drago said. "When you see a department who comes out defending the officer before any facts are even out, then there's a problem."



A spokesperson with the Orlando Police Department referenced the department's annual report, which states Orlando Police is focused on de-escalation and shoot/don't shoot decision-based training.
COLLEGE STATION - The Texas state climatologist said an expected La Nina winter weather pattern would probably not emerge and there likely will be warmer and drier conditions on average into 2017.

Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon, state climatologist, College Station, said the Climate Prediction Center is now calling for temperatures in the tropical Pacific to be about half a degree below normal through the first few months of 2017.

Forecasts earlier in the year called for the emergence of a La Nina pattern going into fall, he said. But tropical Pacific temperatures did not cool off enough to meet the official criteria for a La Nina event. That means that the tropical Pacific is classified as neutral, neither excessively warm, such as with El Nino, or excessively cool, such as with La Nina.

Persistent El Nino conditions were responsible for above-average rainfall in Texas over the past year, Nielsen-Gammon said. La Nina events typically favor warm and dry winters in Texas. But the Pacific is close enough to La Nina temperatures that this winter will still lean toward the warm and dry side.

The forecast doesnt mean there wont be severe temperature gauge swings in both directions, Nielsen-Gammon said.

These conditions usually lead to a few days getting really cold, he said. But there could also be temperatures in the 70s and 80s in the middle of winter for College Station. Its only likely to be warm and dry on average, not every single day.

Nielsen-Gammon said the influence of tropical Pacific waters on weather patterns in Texas is stronger in the southern portion of the state. He said strong, dry cold fronts could make portions of the state more vulnerable to wildfires, especially in areas where grass growth fueled by rain dries out.

Dry, warm and windy is not a good recipe, he said.

AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries:

SOUTH PLAINS: August was one of the wettest months in many years. The weather pattern was very conducive for alternaria leaf spot in cotton and foliar disease in peanuts. Conditions were showing the potential for regrowth in cotton. A cold front pushed temperatures into the 50s, which could inhibit some cotton fields from finishing out. Late-planted corn and grain sorghum were doing very well. Some corn was harvested prior to the wet weather, and harvest should resume as conditions dry out. There could be lodging issues in some areas. Sugarcane aphids were found in some grain sorghum throughout the district. Maturing sorghum and wet, cooler weather may slow the pests progress. Pasture and rangeland conditions were fair but should improve. Cattle were in good condition. Planted wheat looked good. Dryer and warmer conditions allowed Floyd County producers to harvest corn fields. Bolls started to open on the majority of the cotton there. Lubbock County experienced warm weather that helped dry fields from wet conditions. Some non-irrigated cotton fields were expected to be defoliated soon in preparation for harvest. Weather in Scurry County was warm with no rainfall. Between 4,000-5,000 acres of cotton was hailed on with varying degrees of severity.

PANHANDLE: Temperatures were near average. Some moisture was received. Soil moisture levels were mostly adequate. Deaf Smith producers were back in fields. With combines starting to cut corn, silage cutters were running as fast as they could. Winter wheat was planted. Some earlier plantings were coming up to a stand. It was too early to tell yield estimates for corn. Grain sorghum was coming along, however many fields were still being treated for sugarcane aphids. Dryland and irrigated wheat production was going into the ground with great urgency due to the rainfall events that kept many producers out of fields. Cotton was slowing down as temperatures cooled. Manure and fertilizer applications were made to prepare for small-grain plantings. Warmer weather in Hansford County helped corn and cotton dry out. Silage was cut. Leaves were dropping on soybeans. Lipscomb County reported fall armyworms were doing damage to wheat and triticale. Rangeland and pastures were mostly fair to good. Cattle were in good condition.
Through Wednesday morning, almost 500 ballots have been cast early in the Plainview ISD tax ratification election.

Early voting continues from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily through Friday, Sept. 30, at the PISD Administration Building, 912 Portland St.
Without drawing any public comment, the Plainview City Council on Tuesday formally adopted a $28.97 million budget for fiscal 2016-17 while leaving the tax rate at $0.6288 per $100 valuation.

The budget and tax rate were approved unanimously, with only Councilmember Larry Williams absent.

Although the tax rate is unchanged, an increase in property valuations along with new growth means that the $0.6288 tax rate represents a 4.64 percent increase over the effective tax rate of $0.6009. Thats the rate required to raise the same amount in property tax revenues as the current tax year.

City Manager Jeffrey Snyder pointed out that while the new operating budget represents a 4.42 percent increase over the 2015-16 budget cycle, about $300,000 of that is earmarked toward a one-time expenditure for street seal-coating. That offsets the $300,000 the city received in unanticipated tax revenues from wind turbine component inventories at the BNSF Logistics Wind Energy Distribution Center along with a one-time increase in city sales tax revenues due to increased activity at the wind energy distribution center.

Without the seal-coating project, the operating budget is up only 2.1 percent, which can be accounted for with employee step increases, a new position in the Information Technology Department and an increase in health insurance premiums.

While base rates on water and sewer wont change, there is a 5 percent increase in the water conservation step rate to promote water conservation. There also is a small increase in the gate tipping fee at the landfill, with the cost for secured loads going from $41 to $43 per ton, and unsecured loads from $61.50 to $64.50 per ton. Taken together, the city figures the increases will cost the average homeowner of a $100,000 residence about $33 annually.

The budget includes a projected deficit of $96,395 in the general fund, which is down from about $400,000 the first year after Cargills closure, and $190,000 last year. Snyder said the declining budget deficits are needed to offset the loss of city revenues due to the closure.

Tuesdays council meeting took 34 minutes, with most of the time used by Snyder to review the budget.

In other action, the council approved the Amarillo-based engineering firm of KSA to serve as the citys consultant on a Texas Community Block Grant project for 2017-18 through the South Plains Association of Governments. That application is due Feb. 27, 2017, with the city seeking up to $275,000 in grant funds to go with $55,000 in city matching funds to reline city sewer lines with a fiberglass sleeve in the Barrio. The project area includes 32 manholes.

The council also approved a route for the Oct. 1 Fall Festival 5K Run which will include brief closures of two state highways, US-70 and Business I-27 (Columbia Street), and adopted an ordinance restricting certain activities within 100 feet of the citys 15 water wells to protect municipal water supplies and approved penalties for violating those restrictions.

Prior to taking considering the action items on the agenda, Councilman John Gatica recognized Hispanic Heritage Month by mentioning the dramatic reduction in the dropout rate among Hispanic students since 1990. Gatica used a comment by former Secretary for Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros that the first Latino president has already been born to illustrate the advancements made by Americas largest minority group.
MERIDEN  A local woman faces charges after police said she participated in a scheme with other employees to steal about $26,000 worth of clothes from the Charlotte Russe store in the Westfield Meriden mall.



Julissa Suarez, 25, of 76 Lincoln St., was arrested on Monday and charged with third-degree larceny, criminal attempt to commit second-degree larceny, and aiding and abetting second-degree larceny.



Police began investigating in June after store officials noticed an unusual amount of loss in inventory, said police spokesman Sgt. Darrin McKay. Suarez, the manager of the store at the time, was confronted and told police she stole clothing from the store and allowed friends to take clothing items, McKay said. The total loss to the store was estimated at $26,000.



Suarez was released on $5,000 bond and scheduled to appear at Meriden Superior Court on Oct. 7.



Talisha Rivera, 18, of 105 Crown St., was charged in August with second-degree larceny in connection with the investigation. Rivera was also store employee.










Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

By Samir Ali  Trend:

Azerbaijan showcased a new sniper rifle NST14.6 at the 2nd Azerbaijan International Defense Industry Exhibition - ADEX 2016, which is being held in Baku Sept. 28.

The rifle has beaten records among all large-caliber rifles in the world.

The sniper rifle NST14.6, which is a product of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense Industry, is being demonstrated for the first time.

The rifle weighs 19 kilograms and has an effective distance of 1,600 meters.

The rifle length is 1,900 mm with a 1,600-mm folding butt.
SAN JOSE  Kevin Labancs goal 1:05 into overtime lifted the San Jose Sharks to a 3-2, come-from-behind win over the Vancouver Canucks.

Tommy Wingels set the stage for Labancs winner by scoring the tying goal with 23 seconds left. Barclay Goodrow also scored for the Sharks.

Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi scored for Vancouver.

The San Jose goaltending tandem of Troy Grosenick and Mantas Armalis did not have to work especially hard during their game action. Grosenick made seven saves in the first two periods, and Armalis stopped six shots in the second, third and overtime.

Vancouvers Michael Garteig took the loss after allowing three goals on 13 shots in the second, third and overtime periods. Richard Bachman started for the Canucks, and stopped all 20 shots he faced.
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SOQUEL, Santa Cruz County  The sound of helicopters means one of three things to people living on the fringe of the Bay Area in the isolated wildlands of the Santa Cruz Mountains: a medical emergency, a pot bust or a wildfire.

But the unmistakable whirr of choppers during Mondays 97-degree furnace blast left little doubt: Flames had returned.

Ive done this drill before, said Dave Norman, 67, who grew up in these hills south of Los Gatos and bought land here in 1980. A lot of people dont understand why we live out in the country. I was raised out in the country. I wouldnt be able to live in the city.

He spoke Tuesday as the Loma Fire continued to burn aggressively across as many as 2,250 acres after exploding the day before near the 3,790-foot Loma Prieta Mountain ridge, leveling at least one home and six other buildings, and forcing scores of residents to pack up at a moments notice and flee.

Another home had been damaged in the inferno, which officials said was 10 percent contained as of Tuesday night.

More than 500 firefighters were working to halt the advance of a blaze through dry, rugged landscape. While no deaths or serious injuries were reported, a second day of heat in the mid-90s charged the fire, which threatened 300 homes as it sent 70-foot flames into the air, while devouring pine trees and brush.

Residents along the winding maze of rural, sometimes dirt roads branching off Summit Road were under mandatory evacuation orders as the fire extended south to the edge of Uvas Canyon County Park.

The fire moved so quickly at the beginning, said 75-year-old Norman Noble, who fled Monday after noticing his neighbors house ablaze. I saw the billowing smoke that was probably from the house that burned.

Rather than packing belongings, he said he tried to find his cat, Peaches. But the flames became too intense, so he jumped into his hatchback  alone  and sped away. After spending the night on a cot at an evacuation shelter in Soquel, Noble waited Tuesday for word on his house and his cat.

Im very worried, he said.

One firefighter was recovering Tuesday after suffering a minor eye injury during a fierce overnight fight to keep the blaze from progressing west to Santa Cruz County after it ignited near Loma Prieta Avenue and Loma Chiquita Road in Santa Clara County.

As dawn broke, the fingers of the fire reached within feet of some homes on Casa Loma Road and crept toward telecommunications equipment at the mountains summit. Many firefighters on the ground set up on the fires southern front, working to slow its advance deeper into Santa Clara County.

Weve got a plan, said Battalion Chief Mike Mathiesen, stationed at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protections Alma Helitack Base in Los Gatos. Hopefully the plan will help us get a handle on it. It all depends on the weather.

Campers in the Sveadal grounds, a picturesque Swedish community and recreation area on the east end of Uvas Canyon County Park, were among the hundreds forced to pack up and get out.

Evacuation centers were set up at Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, the Soquel Jewish Community Center of Silicon Valley and the Morgan Hill Presbyterian Church well east of the blaze. The fire was 5 percent contained as of Tuesday afternoon, and its cause remained under investigation, though the original report came in as a house fire.

For the mix of mountain denizens, ranging from retirees in modern homes to folks living out of makeshift dwellings and trailers, the threat of fire has become an acceptable trade-off for a simple life away from the bustle of the Bay Area.

Norman, among others, vividly recalls the major fires that have ravaged the community over the years. The Loma Fire of 2009 burned 485 acres and destroyed three structures just one year after the devastating Summit Fire destroyed nearly 100 structures on its way to blackening 4,000 acres.

Those who go back far enough remember the Lexington Fire of 1985 as one of the areas most frightening. A report that year in The Chronicle told of a 200-foot-high, mile-wide wall of flame that devoured the forested land just north of this years fire. In the end, that 14,000-acre inferno destroyed 23 homes and five trailers.

While fire is serious business here, many residents ordered to evacuate their homes along the Loma Prieta ridgeline stayed put Tuesday.

Were pretty protected, said Art Johnson, 78, noting his swimming pool and 25,000-gallon underground water tank.

If necessary, he said, hes ready to summon a posse to help pump water around his property. You have to be self-sufficient out here, he explained.

Others were less equipped but still stuck around, hoping for favorable weather to help firefighters.

Were always ready to go, said 72-year-old Sharon Fournier, who lives on Loma Prieta Way with her husband, Bruce.

But the couple took their chances and stayed, watching as one of six air tankers assigned to the fire dropped bright red retardant on a nearby ridge.

There is a sense of freedom here, she said. Its normally very peaceful.

Kurtis Alexander and Evan Sernoffsky are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com, esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KurtisAlexander @EvanSernoffsky
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A 28-year-old man suffered minor injuries after a police cruiser hit him on a Mission District street, authorities said Tuesday.

The crash was reported shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday at 24th Street and Potrero Avenue, said Officer Giselle Talkoff, a San Francisco Police Department spokeswoman.

The officer, who was not identified, was heading south on Potrero Avenue when the car struck the man.

The victim, whose name was also not released, was taken to California Pacific Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, officials said. Police did not provide additional details on the crash.

Ben Thompson, a 42-year-old San Francisco resident, said he was stopped in a car at the intersection when he saw the accident unfold.

He said a group of people were walking across the street on the northbound side of the intersection, despite the light being red, because traffic was slow.

Thompson said the injured pedestrian was a few feet away from the group of people crossing when he was hit by the patrol car that had the green light.

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The police officer sped through the intersection: no lights, no siren, nothing, Thompson said. If I had to guess, 40 mph.

He said the area had been crowded with pedestrians at the time, who had taken out their phones to record video of the crash. Thompson said his girlfriend rushed to help the injured man as he lay bleeding in the street.

He spun around a few times and he ended up on the ground, Thompson said. He was moaning. It was a loud hit.

The San Francisco Police Departments traffic division launched an investigation into the collision.

Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno
Sarah Ravani

A hit-and-run driver was being sought by police in San Francisco after striking a pedestrian in the citys Excelsior neighborhood and stopping briefly before fleeing, police said Wednesday.

The victim, a 21-year-old man, was struck about 8:20 p.m. Tuesday when he walked between two cars and into the path of a sedan in the 4700 block of Mission Street, according to the San Francisco Police Department. The pedestrian was not in a marked crosswalk when he was hit.
A driver who brandished a gun in a road-rage incident caused a lockdown Tuesday at a Nordstrom store at the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto after police found the suspects car in the parking lot, officials said.

The road-rage incident occurred about 10:40 a.m. between two drivers. During the encounter, one of them pulled a gun, said Lt. Zach Perron of the Palo Alto Police Department.

A man and his wife were driving on Embarcadero Road near Middlefield Road when another driver, 28-year-old Charles Christian Simbulan Blano, made an unsafe lane change prompting the road-rage incident, Perron said. Blano then pulled out a .45-caliber Glock pistol and verbally threatened the man and his wife in the other car when they reached Quarry Road and Arboretum Road, he said.

Police tracked Blanos car to the parking lot outside the Nordstrom, and issued a shelter-in-place order as they closed off streets to the Stanford Shopping Center and searched for the suspected gunman. Nearly 255 Nordstrom customers and employees were instructed to remain in the store for about 40 minutes until police were able to confirm that the suspect was not in the area. No injuries were reported, Perron said.

It was never an active shooter scenario, said Perron. There wasnt a man running through the streets with a gun.

Blano, a Fremont resident, was eventually found about a mile away at the Stanford Health Center around 12:40 p.m. after police received reports that he worked there. He was cited for misdemeanors for brandishing a firearm and possession of a concealed firearm that not properly stowed in a vehicle. He was released at the scene, Perron said.

Police are on high alert after mall shootings in Seattle and Houston shook the nation over the last few days. On Friday, five people were killed and a gunman was arrested at mall north of Seattle. And on Monday, nine people were wounded in a mall shooting in Houston by a gunman police shot to death.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani
In the September feature of Texas Monthly, Chip and Joanna Gaines opened up about their love story and the life path that led them to the success story they're known for today.

They also talked about the growth of their business before and after HGTV shared it with the world on "Fixer Upper."

After being married in 2003, the couple partnered up to renovate and decorate homes in the Waco area. They would live in the homes while they were flipping them, but would have to move once it was done because a buyer was already lined up, according to Texas Monthly.

For roughly a decade, the couple continued to flip houses and slowly were changing the image of the small college town of about 130,000 people.

RELATED: Chip and Joanna Gaines expand their empire

At a certain point, Texas Monthly writes, they realized that if they were ever going to leave Waco  for Houston, for Austin  it should be soon.

"I mean, let's don't fool around and wake up at 50 and regret that we stayed here if we didn't choose to stay," Chip told Texas Monthly. "And I remember we both had a conversation like, 'Why don't we make an impact on this place?'

"It's like, we know that this town is great, and we know that there are wonderful elements about this town, but for whatever reason, locals were the only ones who knew about it."

So, there you have it. Houston could have been blessed with the presence of the Gaines business.

The Gaineses chose to stay in Waco. They expanded their storefront shop to a massive furniture and home-goods warehouse in abandoned cotton silos downtown.

They named it Magnolia Market at the Silos, which opened in October 2015. You can virtually tour the market in the gallery above.

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READ MORE: 'Fixer Upper' couple gives makeover to a Texas sixth-grade classroom

Since the opening, around 35,000 people have visited each week. Tourism in the community has swelled to more than 1.8 million people visiting Waco a year.

It's probably safe to say that the Gaineses have achieved their goal of making an impact on their community.

RELATED: 'Fixer Upper' homes are being rented out; Chip and Joanna Gaines are not happy about it
Berlin, Germany, Sept. 21

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

Azerbaijan will receive the first AZ8A freight electric locomotives in summer 2017, Bernard Peille, managing director of the French company Alstoms South CIS Cluster, told Trends reporter Sept. 21 in Berlin.

These locomotives are produced by Alstom at the production site of the Elektrovoz Kurastyru Zauyty (EKZ) joint venture in Kazakhstan.

Peille said the assembly process of electric locomotives has advanced a lot.

We have fully completed the designing stage and started assembling the first locomotive, he said. Two sections are already at the production site. Assembly of the casing is fully completed, its painting is underway, and the equipment installation stage is starting as well.

Our goal is to complete the assembly of the first locomotive in April-May 2017, and the work is being done in accordance with the schedule, Peille added.

He said that once the locomotive assembly is finished, various commissioning tests will be carried out.

There will be two types of tests: static and dynamic, he noted. Static tests will be carried out at our facility in Astana and we will conduct dynamic tests at different parts of the railway just before the locomotive is sent to Azerbaijan.

Peille said it is expected that the first locomotive can be delivered to Azerbaijan in summer 2017.

The main purpose is to provide the customer with the product by late 2017, he added.

The second electric locomotive will be delivered immediately after the first one and it is planned to complete the entire process in 2019, according to Peille.

He noted that the customer will make the payments within the contract in several tranches.

Noting that the first payments have already been made, Peille said he cant specify concrete figures, as this is a commercial secret.

He pointed out that the payments are made in accordance with the plan, contractual commitments are fulfilled and no problems are observed.

We have good relations with Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, said Peille.

The contract for delivery of 50 locomotives, including 40 freight and 10 passenger locomotives, for Azerbaijan Railways CJSC was signed in 2014, while the final agreement was inked in May 2015.

The AZ8A electric locomotives with asynchronous traction drive are built especially for Azerbaijan and will be one of the most powerful locomotives in the world.

The locomotives are capable of pulling up to 9,000 tons at speed of 120 kilometers per hour. The locomotives supplied under this contract are assembled at EKZ joint venture, a production site located in Astana, Kazakhstan.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov
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In a year crowded with San Antonio television and radio exits, two prominent KENS-TV staples are the latest to wave goodbye to their on-air gigs at the station.

Dillon Collier, an award-winning reporter at the local CBS affiliate, jumped this week to his longtime "dream" job at No. 1 local TV news outlet KSAT.

San Antonio's million-dollar "Survivor" champ Kim Spradlin, who became a mom of three in the space of three years, also confirmed she has bid farewell to her gig as regular contributor on KENS' "Great Day SA."

Details on both:

The commanding Collier, who made quite a name for himself during his four years at KENS -- recognized with multiple honors such as the title of Texas Associated Press Broadcasters Reporter of the Year in 2015 and a 2016 Lone Star Emmy nod -- said he was headed to KSAT's investigative unit, the Defenders. "I am thrilled beyond words," he added in a message.

In a recent Facebook post, Collier sounded even more ecstatic about the move: "I'm excited to join KSAT 12 as an investigative reporter. It's one of the top stations in the country and a place I've dreamed of working at for more than a decade. Thank you, KENS management, for four wonderful years."

He also said he'd miss working with his wife, fellow journalist and KENS-TV morning reporter and Sunday morning anchor, Jenny Suniga.

KENS general manager Tom Cury also had a few nice parting words for the reporter. "We thank Dillon Collier for his contributions and teamwork with KENS."

A noncompete agreement with KENS, however, prevents the Arizona native from debuting on KSAT's air for a bit, so Collier, who began his new job Monday, will toil behind the scenes for the time being.

As for Spradlin of the willowy figure and infectious smile, she'll be building upon a new career following her nearly three years on "Great Day."

She's not only a busy married lady with three kids -- Michael, 2; August, 1; and Walt, who was born June 1 -- but also is a budding interior designer.

"I'm working for Kate Kingman of Kate Kingman Interiors," she said in an email. "I've been obsessed with her work for years, so this is a dream for me!"

She said KENS viewers may see her pop back on "Great Day" time and again for what became her signature segment: "Kim's Kart."

"(That's) where I get to share all my favorite things with our viewers," she explained, "from hottest cooking gadgets to beauty must haves, etc."

Spradlin is the latest to leave "Great Day" in a wave of recent local lifestyle show exits.

In fact, the past year has been teeming with media departures and changes.

Click through the slideshow above for the faces who were cut, left or embraced new opportunities.

jjakle@express-news.net
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Rick Perrys held quite the illustrious titles over the years. Longest-serving governor in Texas history. Two-time Republican presidential hopeful. Governor Goodhair.

Alas, Dancing With the Stars champion wont be one of them.

After three consecutive weeks at the back of the ballroom class, Perry was eliminated Tuesday night on the live-results show for ABCs shimmery dance competition.

Rocking the black but cheery matador outfit from his Monday night paso doble performance  and of course the glasses  Perry took the news in stride, promising host Tom Bergeron hell look good on the dance floor for his daughters Oct. 15 wedding.

Perry also said he did it for all the veterans out there, encouraging viewers to seek out a great veterans cause to help these guys, including his own, Advance the Colors.

For Perry, dancing on with partner Emma Slater and his fellow celebrity hoofers just wasnt in the viewers votes, much less the judges paddles.

Despite incremental improvements week after week, Perrys three performances consistently finished last in the judges scoring. At best, Perry tied for the lowest score of 23 of 40 with rapper Vanilla Ice on Monday night, but head judge Len Goodman gave the edge to the Ice Ice Baby star only by a shadow.
San Antonio's pint-sized 6 Goddess, Leah Saldivar, threw a party (yeah, she threw a party) for her 6th birthday and became a full-out internet sensation who has earned national attention from Good Morning America, Buzzfeed, Huffington Post and now her hero himself, Drake.

Some argued the theme for a little girl's birthday was inappropriate, but thousands of others wished they had an invite to the Peter Piper Pizza party that was decked out in Drake, from the balloons to the outfits.
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BROOKFIELD  Town officials were relieved Wednesday when the long-running criminal case against Art Colley, the former school finance director, concluded with his sentencing to three years probation for stealing thousands of dollars from the district.

Colley, who originally faced six felony counts of larceny, conspiracy and forgery, pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor counts of larceny in the fourth degree. His plea deal calls for a three-year suspended sentence and probation. During each of the three years he is required to contribute $1,000 to the districts student activity fund and perform 100 hours of community service.

I can get on with my life now, Colley said after the sentencing. Its been a long two years.

School Board member Tara Lerner, who attended the hearing, said the district can now turn the page on an ugly chapter for the town and schools.

Now its time to focus on the betterment of the kids and let the community heal and move forward, Lerner said. Hopefully, Art Colley can be an upstanding citizen from now on.

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For more than two years, school officials have been dealing with the consequences of an auditors finding in 2014 that the district overspent its budget by more than $1 million over a two-year period. A later audit uncovered thousands of dollars in questionable spending by district employees.

Colley was eventually charged in July 2015 with seeking school reimbursements for iPads he never purchased. In September of that year, he and his former assistant, Elizabeth Kerekes, were both charged with larceny and conspiracy after authorities concluded they had used thousands of dollars taken from the student activity fund for personal purposes.

It was disheartening to see what took place, said Police Chief Robin Montgomery. Its a tragedy all the way around, when you get right down to it.

According to court documents, Colley cut district checks to pay back rent on his daughters Hamden apartment and to pay off more than $7,000 on his personal credit card. Police also say Colley paid an unauthorized $10,000 cash severance to a former employee he had fired.

Kerekes, who Colley had given a secret side contract to pay for college courses and her childs day care at the Brookfield YMCA, earlier was granted accelerated rehabilitation, a probationary program that will clear her of all charges after two years. She also paid the district $26,000 in restitution.

Colley, who already has repaid the district more than $76,000, also sought to enter the AR program but was turned down. The restitution included money for the unauthorized severance, the funds he stole and $50,000 for the cost of the audit.

The school system would want to have full amounts reimbursed for any monies Mr. Colley had taken and full reimbursement for the costs of investigating this, said School Board Chairman Bob Belden. In the end, the judicial system has control. We will of course acknowledge and abide by the decision.

States attorney Deborah Mabbett said Colleys charges were reduced because of the restitution and the potentially high cost of trying the case.

For the state to have tried this, we would have had to expend thousands of dollars for auditors to come in and testify, Mabbett told Judge Richard Marano. This could have been a trial that lasted for months.

The resolution of Colleys case means that litigation stemming from the 2014 audit is nearly complete. Still outstanding is a civil case filed against the district by former Superintendent Anthony Bivona, who was fired by the Board of Education for his failure to oversee the budget.

Bivona sued the district in August 2015 seeking to force the district give him his job back, as well as for financial damages.

awolff@newstimes.com; 203-731-3333; @awolffster
Washington

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton didn't see eye to eye on much Monday night during their first debate of the 2016 presidential campaign, but they did agree on one thing: preventing those on the government's terrorism "no-fly" list from purchasing guns.

"I think we have to look very strongly at no-fly lists and watch lists," the real estate developer and Republican candidate said. "And when people are on there, even if they shouldn't be on there, we'll help them get off. But I tend to agree with ('no fly, no buy') quite strongly."

"No fly, no buy" is the name given to the legislative proposal to prevent those on the government's terrorism watch list from purchasing guns. The measure was one of two that formed the basis of the June filibuster of Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., in which he held the Senate floor for nearly 15 hours until the GOP majority agreed to a series of gun-related votes.

The Democratic-backed proposals  "no fly, no buy" and expanded gun-purchase background checks  went down to defeat, as did two Republican alternatives. The measures all grew out of terrorism-linked mass shootings in San Bernardino, Calif., and Orlando, Fla.

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A spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association said there was no disagreement with Trump over the stance he took Monday night.

Trump "echoed the NRA's concerns about denying innocent Americans wrongly on these lists their constitutional rights," said Jennifer Baker of the NRA, which has endorsed Trump.

Left unclear in the debate was which variation of "no fly, no buy" Trump is backing. Because he wove in kind words about the NRA and legal protections for those on the list, advocates on both sides assumed Trump was endorsing the Republican version of the proposal, which would give the government 72 hours to show "probable cause" to deny an individual a gun purchase based on suspected terrorist activity. Democrats bitterly opposed that, saying the FBI would arrest a suspect if they had evidence that met the "probable cause" standard.

The Democratic bill, supported by both Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, included an appeal route for those who claim to be on the list wrongly, but no time limit.

Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, said he had no doubt Trump was plugging for the Republican alternative. "Unfortunately, the bill supported by Mr. Trump and the NRA places an undue burden on law enforcement and fails to solve the problems we face in the way of reducing gun violence," he said.

And Leah Gunn Barrett, the head of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, said: "'No fly no buy' means just that. If you can't board a plane you shouldn't be able to buy a gun. The Donald should be asked which version he supports and why."

dan@hearstdc.com
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Colonie

It's not the swarm of zombies on Peter Gallachi's lawn that worried the town of Colonie. It was the for sale signs next to them.

Gallachi's girlfriend, Susan Caswell, owns 80 zombie figures she made over the years. It was a family tradition when she and her late husband lived on a large farm in Schuylerville.

After his death in August 2015, Caswell met Gallachi and moved to his house on Wade Road in the Latham area of town. Living on a much smaller property and in need of some extra cash, she decided to sell some of the zombies.

Gallachi's front and side yards are filled with the undead. There are zombies wearing gas masks, stabbed through the heart, with bulging eyes and devil's horns. Hands, feet and bones hang from a tree, and one zombie on a tractor appears to be running over another one while nearby a rat-faced mannequin lifts weights.

"It started 20 years ago," Caswell said. "I started off with two. The kids loved them. I just built on after that. I was a stay-at-home mom. Instead of just sitting there, I'd make dummies."

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Halloween was the favorite holiday for her, her late husband and their four children. When her husband died in a car accident, she sold some of the figures for cash.

"We never had a problem," she said. "They knew I was a widow trying to make ends meet."

When she moved to Colonie, she put up three signs alongside the dummies on the lawn.

On Sept. 20, she got a letter from the town telling her to stop the sales.

"The owner is running a business without obtaining a certificate of occupancy and is selling mannequins decorated as zombies, has dozens of mannequins and three signs advertising their sale," the letter from inspector Joseph Mahan, son of town supervisor Paula Mahan, says.

Although the house is zoned residential, it is surrounded by commercial and industrial properties. Albany International Airport is behind the backyard.

Town Attorney Michael Maggiulli said the undead ran afoul of an ordinance that bars people from selling goods on their lawns. He said the couple have a choice: They can display the zombies as Halloween decorations, or they can store them elsewhere on the property and sell them.

"You can have a home occupation but you can't have a home occupation where your inventory is in front of your home," he said. "We've had people park seven or eight cars in front of the house and try to develop a small dealership."

The couple has previously sold vegetables in a small stand without interference.

Maggiulli said that's because farm stands are allowed under the law. Garage sales are allowed with limits: People can have sales that last three days but no more than three in a year.

The law is designed to protect the residential nature of neighborhoods, Maggiulli said.

"We run into it mostly with people trying to sell cars," the town attorney said. "It's not usually zombies."

The couple said they have been told to try selling the figures online, but both say they don't know the first thing about how to do so. Caswell said she is mystified that anyone would care that the mannequins were being displayed and sold.

"I just can't believe there isn't more pressing things in the town of Colonie," she said.

Caswell said she isn't trying to create a business and has no intent to make any more. She is just trying to unload what she has. In Schuylerville, she sold them for $35 each, less than she said they cost to make because the masks for them are store bought.

"Before this whole thing blew up, we were hoping to sell as many as we could," Caswell said. "We no longer live on a 500-acre farm so here it's a little much."

tobrien@timesunion.com  518-454-5092
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Albany

Board members at the New York Power Authority on Tuesday were warned they'll have to tighten their belts now that the agency has been handed the responsibility for running the state Canal Corporation.

The Canal Corp. operates the Erie Canal and other historic but money-draining barge canals across upstate.

"It's obviously a lot more than what we signed up for," NYPA Board Chairman John Koelmel said after hearing how the canal could short-circuit NYPA's financial plans, at least in the near term.

What would have been a $43 million surplus at the end of 2016 will now be a $46 million paper loss due to NYPA's assumption of the Canal Corp.'s bills since the takeover process began in April, NYPA CFO Robert Lurie said during a board meeting in White Plains.

And while Lurie said he believes the authority can still net $49 million in 2017, that's below the $80 million target that had previously been projected.

Hitting targets can help NYPA retain a good credit rating, thus lowering the cost of its borrowing.

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NYPA primarily operates large hydroelectric plants in western and northern New York as well as transmission lines. It also sells low-cost power to industrial users as well as organizations such as hospitals, and even municipalities including New York City.

It has traditionally generated surpluses, with some of the money going into the state general fund.

The Canal Corp., in contrast, has been a perpetual money-loser. The state has never found a way to pay for the maintenance as well as operation of the 524-mile waterway, which is used by pleasure boaters and few commercial barges. The patrons don't come close to funding its operation.

Upstate communities along the canal see it as a tourism attraction and are perpetually trying to better exploit its potential.

In April, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo and lawmakers were finalizing the 2016-17 state budget, they agreed to transfer the Canal Corp. from the state Thruway Authority to NYPA.

Some believed the shift was intended to free up Thruway Authority cash to help fully pay for construction of the $3.9 billion Tappan Zee Bridge replacement across the Hudson River between Rockland and Westchester counties.

Officials at NYPA began funding the Canal Corp. on April 1. They will assume operational control on Jan. 1, when Canal employees officially shift from the Thruway to NYPA.

But as the shift is taking place, NYPA is bearing the transition cost.

Part of their 2016 paper loss, for example, is counting the $66 million it gave to the state general fund in the previous fiscal year. Because NYPA  like other authorities  runs its budget on the calendar year, those expenses can show up at different times. Additionally, there will be costs associated with the transition, such as switching over information technology and other functions.

Still, the Canal Corp. appears to bring a rising tide of expenses.

The Thruway Authority spent $97 million to operate the canal system in 2015. But that is projected to rise to $123 million in 2017, reflecting maintenance, payroll and other increases.

"The (costs of the) canals are above what we believed they would be," Lurie told board members.

Adding to the challenges are the cheap energy prices that are cutting into the amount NYPA brings in for power sales.

"We arguably can't afford this ongoing level of expense for the canals. We have to find a way to tighten our belts," Lurie said.

Moving the Canal Corp. from the Thruway to NYPA had many critics last spring, and they continue to express doubts.

"It was foreseeable that this was going to put economic stress on NYPA," said Darren Suarez, a director of government affairs at the state Business Council.

His group early on had said it worried that the burden of operating the Canal Corp. could hinder NYPA's financial ability to continue providing low-cost power to factories and other users.

"I had expressed reservations from the start during the budget process about moving too quickly ... and I had indicated we needed to take a more deliberative approach in examining any concerns before going forward," Utica-area GOP Sen. Joe Griffo said in an email.

The lawmaker also faulted Cuomo for moving ahead too quickly, suggesting that the personnel shifts aren't that simple.

After the meeting, NYPA released a prepared statement in response to the Times Union's questions about the meeting that said the authority remains committed to its power operations.

"The funds used will not impact our low-cost hydropower programs or our customers' rates and no taxpayer money is used to pay for Canals,'' it said, adding that "We will build on what is already a solid foundation for the Canal System."

NYPA officials also said they would use unallocated money from hydropower sales to help pay for the canal.

Additionally, they said that they should eventually find savings through some of their similarities. The canal, for example, has some small hydroelectric plants.

They will need to hire people who were doing double duty with the Thruway. NYPA is looking at bringing on an additional 40 people to the Canal Corp.'s staff of 450.

And while the Canal Corp. under the Thruway Authority had one deputy director, there are proposals to triple that number.

In addition to payroll, the canal has high maintenance needs considering that some of the locks date from the 19th century. Those watertight gateways allow vessels to move from one elevation to another along the canal system.

Comptroller Tom DiNapoli in a 2015 audit found that some of the locks and dams hadn't been fully inspected in years.

rkarlin@timesunion.com  518-454-5758  @RickKarlinTU
Bernardino Nieva is trying to support his family with his job as a cashier at the Stop & Shop in Trumbull.

So every weekday he leaves the small ranch-style home on Madison Avenue in Bridgeport he shares with his mother, disabled father and seven nieces and nephews, gets on his bicycle and rides the 21/2 miles to the store.

Im the only one working and I cant afford a car, so I take my bicycle, he said.

On Aug. 19, the 33-year-old Nieva was on his way home when he said he briefly lost control of his bicycle and his elbow hit the door of a Cadillac Escalade.

He later told Trumbull police that the driver of the Escalade and two male passengers got out of the SUV and surrounded him. The driver showed him a police badge and demanded $2,600.

I told him I didnt have that much money and asked him if he had insurance, but he said he didnt want to go through his insurance, that he was law enforcement and I needed to pay, Nieva told Hearst Connecticut Media.

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The driver of the Escalade turned out to be Roger McGovern, chairman of the Trumbull Police Commission.

Local law enforcement will refer this matter to the states attorneys office to determine if any laws were broken or if charges should be filed, said Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst on Wednesday. No official, elected or appointed, is above the law, and we take our responsibility as public officials very seriously.

McGovern did not return calls for comment. In addition to a home on Old Elm Road in Trumbull, he owns a $1.2 million house on Cape Cod.

Nieva said the 75-year-old McGovern wouldnt take no for an answer and over the course of the next three weeks constantly hounded him, coming to Nievas home and to Stop & Shop.

He kept telling me I had to get him the money. When I told him I didnt have it, he said I should borrow it from friends and family, Nieva said. When I told him I was going to call the police, he said he was the police.

The last straw came when Nieva said McGovern came into the store and asked Nievas boss for Nievas work schedule. He said he then called police.

Police said they got a copy of the store surveillance video showing McGovern confronting Nieva in the store.

McGovern was later contacted by the Trumbull Police Department administration and told to cease all interaction with Nieva, according to the police report.

Nieva was also advised to contact Bridgeport PD if McGovern comes to his residence again or to contact us if he confronts him at his place of employment. No further action at this time, the police report states.

The investigation is open, said Trumbull Police Chief Michael Lombardo. I told my officers to investigate it as they would any other case and let the chips fall where they may.

Nieva said he just wants McGovern to stop harassing him.

If he is with the police, he should know better, he said.
Watch for fog Thursday morning.

Otherwise, enjoy the day's mostly sunny conditions because "a chance of showers" is the theme for the rest of the week into Sunday.

Wednesday will bring mainly dry and seasonable temperatures, the National Weather Service said.

A slow-moving low pressure system will gradually move toward New York with an increase of scattered showers Thursday into Friday and cooler temperatures.

Here's the forecast through the weekend:

Wednesday: Patchy fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 67. Light and variable wind becoming east 6 to 11 mph in the morning.

Wednesday night: A slight chance of showers after 10 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Northeast wind 9 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Thursday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. East wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Thursday night: Scattered showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. East wind 7 to 9 mph becoming northwest in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

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Friday: A chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 61. Northeast wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Friday night: A chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 53. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Saturday: A chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 62. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Saturday night: A chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 54. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Sunday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Sunday night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. Chance of precipitation is 40%
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

Trend:

The annual banking and financial conference and exhibition Sibos organized by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) started in Geneva. This year the International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA) for the first time joined this leading global event for the international financial community.

The first Sibos was held in 1978. This annual banking and financial event organized in various cities around the world attracts top-level decision makers and key topic experts from financial institutions, market infrastructures, multinational corporations and technology partners.

Sibos brings the financial community together to work collaboratively to shape market practice, define standards, debate issues of mutual interest and connect to new opportunities.

Representatives of the IBA, one of the leading financial institutions of the region, plan to hold meetings with representatives of different top-level banks during the event. Sibos 2017 will be held in Toronto, Canada.
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Federal prosecutors claim a Washington state fugitive managed to run a West Coast drug ring from Mexico  via Facebook Messenger.

Having fled the Seattle area for Puerto Vallarta, Jesus Ricky Palomera is alleged to have managed the methamphetamine operation using instant messaging services. Investigators suspect Palomera of having a hand in at least two killings, including that of a Los Angeles man who disappeared without a trace two years ago.

Palomera was regarded by his conspirators as a good businessman who provided meth at lower prices than other traffickers, according to investigators statements spread across several prosecutions dating back to 2011. One informant told an ATF handler that Palomeras operation stretched from California to Alaska.

Palomera fled to Mexico in 2012 and remained there until early July, when he was extradited to face a host of charges filed against him at U.S. District Court in Tacoma. Investigators contend Palomera, though absent physically, retained a virtual presence in the drug ring, running it through Facebook and other messaging services.

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That extradition came eight months after police arrested a Tacoma man described by investigators as Palomeras debt collector, Miguel Logan Martinez. Martinez was sentenced Friday to six years in prison for gun and drug offenses stemming from an October traffic stop, though investigators statements indicate he had been under investigation for far longer.

ATF has received information that Martinez was a person upon whom Palomera relied for the collection of debts and distribution of methamphetamine, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tabaco, Firearms and Explosives special agent said in a sworn statement.

The agent went on to assert the obvious  drug debt collection often entails the use of firearms and threats or acts of violence. Agents investigating Palomera claim Oscar Macias lost his life to one such act of violence.

Macias, then 39, was last seen July 20, 2014, a month after he and another man were stopped by police with a shipment of meth prosecutors say belonged to Palomera.

Investigators pursuing Palomera have not accused any of his associates of killing Macias. The father of two is listed as a missing person, though the Los Angeles Police Department homicide unit is investigating his disappearance.

All told, at least 11 people connected to Palomera have recently received stiff prison sentences. Now, federal prosecutors hope to see Palomera belatedly receive the same.

In 2011, ATF agents investigating a drug and weapons trafficking ring were told that men in Tacoma could connect them with grenades and machine guns. Those claims didnt prove out but investigators were able to buy 18 weapons, including a golden .50-caliber Desert Eagle handgun and several assault rifles. Investigators claim Palomera provided an AR-15 rifle.

An informant was introduced to a purported gun dealer known to investigators only as Raul. Investigators claim that that man in turn connected the informant with Javier Hernandez-Godinez, his nephew Jorge Hernandez-Godinez and Palomera.

Writing the court, an ATF agent said Palomera during a November 2011 gun sale described being robbed of a pound of methamphetamine. According to the ATF agents statement, Palomera went on to explain how an associate recovered the stolen meth.

Palomera went to (his partners) house to get the drugs back, the ATF agent said. In the house, Palomera saw the body of the robber wrapped in plastic bags. (He) told Palomera that he would dump the body in a river.

Palomera is alleged to have told the undercover agent he could provide him with grenades as well as a rifle-mounted grenade launcher.

According to charging papers, the groups gun supplier Alicia Lee Robertson claimed she could provide explosives obtained from a man in the military. It doesnt appear Robertson could good on the boast. The guns she sold had been stolen; she is currently serving a 4-year prison term.

Jorge and Javier Hernandez-Godinez ultimately admitted to gun and methamphetamine offenses, and both are serving federal prison terms. Palomera was charged alongside them, but evaded capture during a 2012 takedown operation and fled.

Palomera managed a group of dealers around Tacoma via Facebook, an undercover ATF agent said in a 2014 affidavit. Palomera is alleged to have used a popular instant messaging application  WhatsApp  to direct deals and court new customers, while receiving payment through money orders.

A federal fugitive, Palomera did little to hide his identity online, the ATF agent said. He posted photos posing with guns and wearing military fatigues.

Records obtained from Facebook showed Palomera used Facebook Messenger to arrange drug deals and debt collections, the ATF agent continued. Those records prompted charges against several stateside members of the purported drug ring.

Lucas Manglona, a chronically homeless Iraq War combat veteran, was stopped with a kilogram of methamphetamine driving north through Yreka, California. Prosecutors claim the drugs belonged to Palomera, and that a hit was put out on another man in the car after that fateful June 7, 2014, traffic stop.

It appears that other man was Macias, who disappeared one month later from the El Sereno area of Los Angeles. While prosecutors did not give that missing mans name, a police blotter published by The Siskiyou Daily News notes that Manglona and Macias were arrested that day. Both men were released.

James Roberts, a Lakewood body shop operator, was running the Pierce County meth dealers when a member of the ring was tortured and killed on Palomeras orders, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Dion said in court papers late last year. The slain mans name is not noted in court papers; it is not clear whether that man was Macias.

Roberts wasnt implicated in the killing. He and Manglona, though, were each sentenced to a decade in prison for gun and drug trafficking offenses.

So too was Tisha Janzen, who prosecutors say led Palomeras operation after he and Roberts had a falling out. At sentencing Janzen apologized to her three children, telling the court that she never wanted them to go through anything like I went through growing up.

I really want to stop the cycle so that their children can have normal, happy and productive lives, Janzen told the court before receiving the mandatory minimum 10-year sentence in July. I will miss many of the important events in my childrens lives. 

I have a lot to make up for.

Two of Janzens children also lost their father to prison for his involvement in the ring. Roosevelt T. Williams was caught with a sawed-off pump shotgun on Dec. 17, 2014 when police raided the Lakewood home he shared with Janzen. A convicted rapist and repeat felon, he was sentenced to four years in federal prison.

Martinez  the man investigators say was a debt collector for Palomera during his self-imposed exile  was arrested Oct. 27 driving an unregistered car near Tacoma Mall. Martinez was carrying nearly $2,300 cash and a .40-caliber pistol, and meth stash worth several thousand dollars.

A month before his arrest federal agents sought and received permission to take DNA samples from Martinez, then claiming he was an active member of Palomeras drug trafficking organization. Investigators had hoped DNA would link Martinez to a related drug investigation in Port Orchard. Martinez had been identified in September 2014 as having been involved in a drug deal there that resulted in a police chase.

Palomera has been indicted on 17 drug-related counts, the most serious of which carries a mandatory 20-year prison term. He has pleaded not guilty and is currently slated to face a jury early in 2017.

Seattlepi.com reporter Levi Pulkkinen can be reached at 206-448-8348 or levipulkkinen@seattlepi.com. Follow Levi on Twitter at twitter.com/levipulk.
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Sixteen years ago, on his way to a black-tie fundraiser in Oklahoma City, Archie Dunham, then chief executive of the Houston oil company Conoco, stepped out of hotel elevator just as Jim Mulva, his counterpart at Phillips Petroleum of Oklahoma, emerged from another nearby.

Low prices and rising costs were driving a wave of mergers in the industry, including the blockbuster combination of Exxon and Mobil, and leaving smaller companies like Conoco and Phillips vulnerable to takeover. Dunham didn't like the idea of getting gobbled by a major oil company; he took the opportunity to broach the idea of a merger - a merger of equals - with Mulva.

That brief encounter in the lobby of Renaissance Waterford Hotel laid the groundwork for a deal that would create one of world's largest energy companies, ConocoPhillips. It also marked the beginning of the end of a turbulent period that reshaped the industry, positioned it for the boom that would come a few years later, and further established Houston as the global energy capital, making the city home to the nation's third largest oil company, behind Exxon Mobil and Chevron.

"It was a major period of transition for the global oil and gas industry," said Tyler Priest, an energy industry historian at the University of Iowa. "The Conoco merger was the final flurry in all of that, the last of the big mega-mergers."

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Conoco was founded in Ogden, Utah, in 1875 as Continental Oil and Transportation, shipping kerosene from Cleveland, Ohio, to western towns by rail. In 1883, the company's founder, Isaac Elder Blake, directed construction of the first oil pipeline in California. In 1909, Continental built the West's first gasoline filling station.

Continental merged with Marland oil in 1929, forming a new company called the Continental Oil Company, or Conoco. It owned nearly 3,000 wells and thousands of retail gasoline outlets in 30 states and set up headquarters in Ponca City, Okla.

More Information timeline 1875 Conoco founded in Utah, selling kerosene as Continental Oil and Transportation. 1905 Brothers Frank and L.E. Phillips discover their first major well, north of Bartlesville, Okla. 1909 Continental builds the West's first gasoline filling station. 1917 Phillips brothers form Phillips Petroleum Co. 1929 Continental merges with Marland oil, forming Continental Oil Company, or Conoco. 1957 Wham-O uses Phillips polyolefin plastic, trademarked "Marlex," to make hula hoops; Wham-O sells 25 million in two months. 1981 DuPont buys Conoco in a deal worth about $7.4 billion - the largest merger in U.S. history then. 1998 Conoco separates from DuPont in $4.4 billion IPO, largest of its time. 2001 Phillips Petroleum and Conoco announce a $35 billion merger to create the nation's third-largest integrated oil company. 2011 ConocoPhillips board approves separating the company's refining and marketing from its exploration and production businesses into two corporations, Phillips 66 and ConocoPhillips. See More Collapse

Meanwhile, brothers Frank and L.E. Phillips were digging for oil. In 1905, the brothers discovered their first major well, the Anna Anderson No. 1, drilled on Delaware Indian Anna Anderson's land 7 miles north of Bartlesville, Okla. More than 80 other successful wells followed.

In 1917, the brothers formed Phillips Petroleum Co. Over the years, Phillips would become one of the first companies to install electrostatic precipitators at refineries to reduce air emissions, invent polyethylene plastics and resins, and make the first shipment of liquefied natural gas from Alaska to Japan.

Conoco moved to Houston in 1949 and soon began expanding internationally. By the 1970s, it had purchased service stations in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom. Conoco also diversified into chemicals and plastics.

By the late 1990s, the oil industry was reaching a turning point. As companies moved into deeper waters and inhospitable locations to find oil, exploration costs grew more and more expensive. At the same time, oil prices were sliding. In 1997, crude cost $27 a barrel (about $40 in today's dollars). By the end of 1998, they'd crashed below $11 (about $16 today). Gasoline was under $1 a gallon in some parts of the country.

"Companies had to cut costs," said Priest.

One way to do that was to merge, allowing firms to eliminate duplicate operations, expenses, and jobs. A wave of deals swept the industry.

In 1998, British Petroleum bought Chicago-based Amoco for $48 billion. The Exxon-Mobil merger, valued at the time at $85 billion, followed in 1999. That same year, the French oil company Total absorbed the Belgian firm Petrofina for $13 billion.

In 2000, Total acquired France's Elf Aquitaine for $49 billion and BP bought Los Angeles-based ARCO for $27 billion. A year later, Chevron, based in California, bought Texaco for $35 billion.

Big oil companies had been circling Conoco for some time when Dunham found himself in a hotel lobby with Mulva, the Phillips CEO. Dunham, in a recent interview, said Phillips seemed like a good partner to him. They had strengths in different parts of the world that complemented each other, he said, but they also came from essentially the same place.

"We felt like our cultures, values, were very similar," Dunham said.

After running into each other at the Renaissance Waterford on that evening in 2000, Dunham and Mulva quickly parted, wary of being spotted together and tipping anyone off to their discussion. But they soon met again, secretly, in Colorado. Alone in a room in the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, they talked for four hours about business, family and values.

A few months later, on a stormy day in November 2001, the two men met in Tulsa, Okla. to announce the merger that would create world's sixth biggest integrated oil company. The new firm would have $50 billion in revenues, $60 billion in assets, 8.7 billion barrels in oil reserves and 58,000 employees worldwide.

Dunham persuaded Mulva to name the new company ConocoPhillips, and keep it headquartered in Houston. The city's easy access to international flights made the decision practical. "Besides, I was a Houstonian," Dunham said. "I wanted Houston to have the headquarters."

In exchange, Dunham took the chairman slot; Mulva became chief executive.

The merger was expected to save the companies at least $750 million a year. Analysts estimated the new ConocoPhillips slashed 6,000 jobs, about 10 percent of its global workforce.

"That's the most difficult thing," Dunham said 15 years later. "You don't need double the people."

Dunham retired in 2004. In 2012, the company split again, spinning off its refining, retail, and marketing operations to form Phillips 66, while ConocoPhillips focused on oil exploration and production. Mulva, still CEO then, said that two independent companies focused on their respective industries would be more competitive. He insisted both were big enough to compete and generated enough cash to invest in their futures.

Mulva could not be reached for comment.

Dunham stayed out of the fray, he said recently. He wrote letters to the board, arguing that an integrated company can use cash from its refining business to fund oil exploration - but he never sent them.

The separation is a decision with which Dunham disagrees, even now.
CHARLOTTE, N.C.  Angry Charlotte residents verbally lashed City Council members for hours, complaining about what they called unaccountable police officers and civilian leaders who have failed to force change as the city marked a week of protests since a police officer fatally shot a black man.

At its Monday night meeting, the council opened the floor to dozens of residents who voiced their opinions about the Sept. 20 shooting of Keith Lamont Scott by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police. Many called on Mayor Jennifer Roberts, Police Chief Kerr Putney and other council members to resign on the seventh day of protests since the shooting.

Its going to be rough in these streets until you give justice to our people, said the Rev. Milton Williams, the final speaker in a three-hour string. Our citys in an uproar, and you did not respond.

Many of the speakers carried signs expressing their anger. One mans sign called for the repeal of legislation taking effect Oct. 1 that blocks the release of police video without a court order. Many speakers demanded that police release all video footage of the confrontation.

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Scotts family and advocacy groups complain that the department divulged only about three minutes of footage from two cameras. They have urged the Police Department to release all other video footage it has, as well as audio recordings of communications that could clarify how the situation unfolded. A media coalition also is requesting more footage.

We have no reason to trust you, and youre giving us even less, Khasha Harris told City Council members.

Some speakers brought their children, not only to share in the moment, but in several instances, to address the council. Many in the crowd were brought to tears by the comments of Zianna Oliphant, a child who needed a stool to be seen over the lectern.

Its a shame that our fathers and brothers are killed and we cant see them anymore, Zianna said. Its a shame that we have to go through that graveyard and bury him. We need our fathers and brothers to be by our side.

Council member Kenny Smith said the council should be listening and taking action to answer the concerns.

The unrest here has been decades in the making, council member Al Alston said. Tuesday was the boiling point, and its getting hotter.

The footage released so far of Scotts shooting left questions in many peoples minds  including whether he was holding a gun, as police have stated. Scotts family said he didnt have a weapon. The footage includes body camera video from one officer, but not the black officer who fatally wounded Scott, who was 43.

The gun recovered at the scene of Scotts shooting had been stolen and later sold to Scott, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police source said.
Details added (first version posted on 11:20)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

Azerbaijan took the 37th place in the Global Competitiveness Report 2016-2017, prepared by the World Economic Forum, according to the report posted on the Forums website.

The research covered 138 countries.

Azerbaijan ranked the 40th among 140 countries in the previous report.

As in the previous report, Azerbaijan holds the highest position among the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries. The country is followed by Russia (43rd place) and Kazakhstan (53rd place).

Azerbaijans global competitiveness index is 4.6 out of maximum 7 scores, according to the report.

Despite headwinds from the drop in oil prices that impact the macroeconomic environment, Azerbaijan and Russia improve their performance, mainly driven by better and more widespread education and reforms to improve the business environment and goods market efficiency, says the report.

Azerbaijan ranked 3rd for the number of procedures required to start a business, 9th  for time to start a business, 18th  for the level of womens participation in the labor force, 39th  for macroeconomic environment, 36th  for the strength of investor protection, 33rd  for the number of internet users, 44th  for innovations, 41st  for the government debt and etc.

As for the other post-Soviet countries, Georgia ranked 59th in the ranking, Tajikistan  77th, Armenia  79th, Ukraine  85th, Moldova  100th , Kyrgyzstan  111st.

Switzerland, Singapore, the US, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweeden, the UK, Japan, Hong Kong, Finland are leaders of the ranking. Chad, Mauritania and Yemen are the last three countries in the ranking.

Rankings of the World Economic Forum are based on a combination of public statistics and the results of the survey of CEOs, a comprehensive annual survey conducted by the World Economic Forum together with its national partners  the leading research institutes and companies specializing in issues of competitiveness and economic development in the countries analyzed in the report.
Chowder is as old as New England, nourishing us with coastal bounty since the first settlers. With regional variations, personal preferences, and creative innovations, no two chowders are alike. This Sunday at the New England ChowdaFest, on Sherwood Island State Park, 40 area restaurants will put their best foot forward to claim honors for the champion chowder.

Restaurants will compete in three chowder categories: Classic New England  cream, potatoes, and clams; Traditional  Rhode Island, Manhattan and the like; and Creative Chowder  anything goes.

Classic chowder is pretty straightforward, but it can be gussied up. You can use leeks instead of onions, add thyme, or dash in some hot sauce for a spicy kick. But the question is, should you? In California they serve a classic style in a hollowed out loaf of sourdough bread. The addition of celery or carrots can be controversial. But the really big issue is the consistency - thick or thin. Sometimes examples just coat the spoon; others are so thick they seem to pile up in the bowl. Straightforward indeed! Chowder has many variations, each with its own supporters.

Chowder was originally thickened with hardtack, a staple of seafaring life. This was bread too hard to spoil that softened in the cooking pot, adding body to the chowder. Landlubbers and coastal fisherman added potatoes to thicken the chowder.

Nowadays, chowder is more likely to be eaten in restaurants than to be whipped up at home. The demands of restaurant production require that the chowder be thickened with a roux (flour and butter cooked together) to keep the cream from breaking. There can be barely a hint of thickening or so much that a spoon stands up in it. It's all a matter of preference. I like to make it for Sunday supper without roux (not practical for restaurants), slightly thickened by the potatoes and the milk or cream. Served with a salad, a slice of good bread, and those traditional Westminster oyster crackers on top, it's an easy and satisfying meal. Find my recipe at FranksFeast.com.

Forty restaurants will be competing at the ChowdaFest. For a complete list go to chowdafest.org. I spoke to a few of the competitors to get the inside info on the making of a winning chowder.

Ingredients drive the classic chowder-making at Stamfords Sign of the Whale. Chef Brian Murphy starts with whole chowder clams (those big guys sometimes called quahogs), steams them for a delicious broth, and uses the clams  chopped and whole  as the flavorful foundation of his classic chowder. He lightly thickens to just coat the back of a spoon.

On the dock at the Restaurant at Rowayton Seafood the chowder is traditional. Described by Chef Chris Diest as, the essence of the shore, potatoes, clams, and a roux are the building blocks for his recipe. Everyone has their vision, he said about the many variations of traditional chowder.

Chef Rigo Lino carried top honors in the Classic category for two years when he was the Chef at Westports Mansion Clam House. This year, hes competing for the newly opened Crave 52 in Fairfield, bringing his experience and confidence back to the tasting tables. High quality fresh clams  whole belly and chopped  and a few secret ingredients along with love and passion make Crave 52 a serious contender.

Jeff Hardy, owner of the Sedona Taphouse, has high hopes for his classic chowders chances. Made with passion, its chocked full of bacon, onion, celery and carrots, with secret seasonings for some kick, and finished with fresh basil. Ten restaurants will participate in the Classic category - each one traditional, yet distinctive and unique.

Chef Jamie Pantanella at SoNos Blind Rhino is competing in the Creative chowder category, where restless chefs riff on chowder from their own perspective. He sent me this description of his version: "The chowder is a cream and potato based chowder loaded with fresh cracked lobster, chorizo, fresh herbs, cognac and sherry. Instead of using the traditional fresh parsley, we use fresh basil to compliment the lobster and fresh cilantro to compliment the chorizo. It's our play on the classic Portuguese dish, clams with chorizo.

Oktoberfest beer with malty flavor and balanced hops is great with chowder. At Sedona the German Hacker-Pschorr is on tap and delicious with their hearty chowder.

Sherwood Island State Park is the site for the ChowdaFest on Sunday, Oct. 2, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The $15 admission gets you a spoon, a ballot, and access to 40 chowders in all styles presented by some of Fairfield Countys best restaurants. Maxed out on chowder? Theres a ChowdaMex area for salsa and chips, a beverage bog for juices and drinks, icecream, cheese and a kids play area.

If all that chowder isnt enticement enough, you should know that the restaurants all donate their time and soup to ChowdaFest for the benefit of Community Plates. Last year the festival raised enough to fund over 400,000 meals to feed the hungry. This year their goal, with your help, is 500,000 meals.

If you like chowder, and who doesnt, and if you want to help feed the hungry then the ChowdaFest is the place to be on Sunday. Maybe Ill see you there!
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

The closure of banks in Azerbaijan was initiated in order to reduce the negative impact of weak, unhealthy credit organizations on the country's economy, Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) Aftandil Babayev said Sept. 28 at a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship.

Babayev was answering the question by Azerbaijani MP Ilham Aliyev, who asked the reason for the withdrawal of licenses of such a large number of banks, and who also inquired whether it was possible to identify and solve their problems in a timely manner.

The process of closure, liquidation, revocation of licenses of banks is underway not only in Azerbaijan, a similar situation is observed in many countries, Babayev said.

New members constantly join banking market, while old participants leave it, he noted. A banks license is revoked if the bank cannot fulfill its obligations in accordance with the law or if it voluntarily leaves the market.

Prior to licenses revocation, a bank receives recommendations to fix flaws in its work, Babayev added. The closure of banks in Azerbaijan is a normal process, and it is not new. During 25 years there was a time in the history of Azerbaijan when the country had more than 200 banks.

Licenses of 10 banks were cancelled by Azerbaijans Financial Market Supervisory Body during 2016.

The licenses of the banks were cancelled as their assets were not classified in line with the law, they didnt create adequate reserves and the aggregate capital of these banks doesnt meet the minimum requirements [50 million manats]. In general, they havent fulfilled the regulators instructions.

Thirty-three banks currently operate in Azerbaijan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

Trend:

Azerbaijani Kapital Bank is participating in the SIBOS - 2016 International Exhibition and Conference on Financial Services, which is being held in Geneva Sept. 26-29, the bank said in a message Sept. 28.

According to the message, as in previous years, big banks and financial institutions from more than 200 countries attend this one of most prestigious exhibitions of Europe.

A Kapital Bank delegation headed by the banks chairman of board Rovshan Allahverdiyev also attends the exhibition, the message said.

According to the message, the experts discussed the recent changes in the financial sector, the technological trends in the financial services, the role of innovations in the development of payment processes on a global scale, new opportunities of minimizing risks in business processes, etc.

"During the exhibition, we met with representatives of the leading banks of the US, Europe and Asia, he said. We discussed the main issues related to the current situation of the global financial market.

I am sure that as a leader in the region, Kapital Bank will only strengthen its positions by participating in such events, he said. According to the banks strategic plan, various projects with international financial institutions will be introduced."

Kapital Bank successfully cooperates with many local and international organizations in various fields. The bank intends to expand cooperation with international financial institutions in various fields in the future.

Kapital Bank is one of Azerbaijans biggest banks. The bank renders services in 90 branches and two offices throughout the country. It has the most extensive service network.

Detailed information about the bank's products and services can be found on its website: www.kapitalbank.az, as well as by calling the Customer Service Center: 196.
Sanctions imposed on Moscow by the West did not impact the implementation of Russian energy company Rosneft's shelf projects, Rosneft's Licensing and Resources Management Control Department Director Aleksandr Zharov said on Wednesday, Sputnik reported.

Zharov called the West's stance on Russia "mobilizing and motivating" for developing production.

"Our projects will be continued. Difficulties and delays are not the consequences of the sanctions," Zharov said at a conference in Russia's Far East.

According to the Rosneft official, the timeline for some shelf exploration projects was changed because of the need for a more detailed work on projects.

"There will be no delays in the implementation of our shelf projects," Zharov said.

Earlier in the day, Zharov announced that Rosneft and Norway's Statoil planned to continue a joint shelf project drilling in the Sea of Okhotsk in 2019-2020, with the project's assessment being completed by mid-2017.

In 2012, Rosneft and Statoil signed a cooperation agreement providing for the joint development of Russian shelf areas, as well as Rosneft's participation in the development of Norwegian continental shelf areas.
A Houston man has been added to the state's 10 Most Wanted Sex Offenders list, officials said Wednesday.

Charles Simpson, 48, is wanted for a parole violation, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Authorities are offering a $3,000 cash reward for information leading to his capture.

READ MORE: Convicted sex offender on Texas most wanted list caught

Simpson's last known address was on South Dairy Ashford Street, and he has ties to the Houston area.

In 1990, he was convicted of sexually assaulting a 35-year-old Harris County woman.

Three years later, he was sentenced to 25 years behind bars for delivery of a controlled substance.

READ MORE: Sex offender last seen at El Paso store caught in Waco

Simpson is 5 foot 5 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. He has tattoos on his hands, arms and chest and scars on his abdomen, back, groin, head and right forearm. He may be wearing earrings.

Authorities say he should be considered armed and dangerous.

More for you Greg Casar gets major boost from political superstar

Anyone with information can call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS.
Sixteen people  including a University of Houston-Victoria finance professor  have been charged in a sweeping federal indictment with participating in a $35 million international ring that produced more than 9.5 tons of a drug known as synthetic marijuana or kush.

The indictment, announced Tuesday by federal officials, followed a multi-agency sting operation against one of the largest known synthetic drug trafficking organizations, U.S. Attorney Ken Magidson said.
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If there were only a Highway 420 running between Colorado and Texas, a group of alleged marijuana growers could have made good use of it.

Federal prosecutors earlier this month joined Colorado's attorney general in going after an alleged ring. They described it as a group of 30 people accused of engaging in organized crime, tax evasion, money laundering and racketeering.

At the center: a group of Texans who allegedly used Colorado's lax marijuana laws (see the full report here).

READ MORE: Wreck in Texas Panhandle leads to $2.2 million in marijuana

The case is believed to mark the first time such charges have been filed alleging a Texas conspiracy since Colorado two years ago further relaxed its laws to allow the legal sale of pot to anyone 21 or older.

Marijuana has been found in bulk aboard outbound trains, planes, cars, trucks and often in the mail, as was the case over and over again with the ring tied to Houston.

The feds say packages of pot were headed from the Rocky Mountains to the Rio Grande on a regular basis.

More for you Greg Casar gets major boost from political superstar

RELATED: Texas agents seize more than $6 million in marijuana plants

The three packages shipped to the fictitious person were just a slice of business that was allegedly producing about 100 pounds of finished product a month and ran as many as 20 grow houses.

The investigation reaches back to February 2015.

Bank records, drug shipments and other elements in the case were traced from Colorado to Houston, Pearland, Katy and other places, according to court documents.

The cases of more than 20 people are now pending in court.
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Heres everything you need to know about getting registered to vote in Texas:

Not sure if youre eligible to vote?

You have to be a United States citizen

You have to be registered to vote in the state

You have to be at least 18-years-old

If you are a convicted felon, you are only eligible to vote if youve completed your sentence, are on probation or parole

You have not been declared mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote by a court exercising probate jurisdiction

More for you Greg Casar gets major boost from political superstar

Still not sure what to do? Visit the Bexar County Elections Department.

There is no word yet if any San Antonio taco trucks are taking a cue from the trucks serving as voter registration booths in Houston.

RELATED: Bexar elections officials add hours for voter help line

Marco Gutierrez, founder of Latinos for Trump, told MSNBC earlier in September: "My culture is a very dominant culture, and it's imposing and it's causing problems. If you don't do something about it, you're going to have taco trucks on every corner."

RELATED: Some Houston taco trucks to serve as voter registration booths

The comment quickly went viral with most wondering how taco trucks on every corner could be a bad thing.

Now, Mi Familia Vota, a Latino advocacy group, and Thomas Hull, founder of Houston design firm Rigsby Hull, are pairing up to turn some taco trucks voter registration booths, according to news archives.

Election Day is Nov. 8.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
Two days after the next presidential debate, GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump will return to San Antonio for another big-bucks fundraiser.

Invitations to the private Oct. 11 luncheon at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, benefitting the Trump Victory Fund, list donation levels ranging from $500 to $100,000.
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A grounded United Airlines pilot was sentenced Wednesday to 41 months in federal prison for posting online nude photos and videos of an ex-girlfriend from San Antonio.

Mark Joseph Uhlenbrock, 62, of suburban St. Louis had pleaded guilty to a federal charge of stalking. In court Wednesday, it was revealed he had two previous indecent exposure convictions elsewhere in 2004 and 2006, a conviction of third-degree assault and one for drunken driving  but was apparently allowed to continue flying.

United said as recently as June that he was employed by the airline but had not been flying in recent years. On his Facebook page, Uhlenbrock said he joined United in 1985 after serving as a pilot in the Navy.

U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez made sure Uhlenbrock will be grounded for at least several more years, setting his sentence at the high end of federal sentencing guidelines.

Uhlenbrocks lawyers argued that he has a sex addiction but has been getting treatment.

More for you Greg Casar gets major boost from political superstar

The victim dated Uhlenbrock for several years beginning in 2002 and allowed him to take nude photos and videos of her, according to plea documents. He also took a video of her sunbathing nude without her permission, documents said.

Uhlenbrock posted the photos and videos to swinger and pornographic sites without her permission. It continued after she broke off her relationship with him upon learning about it from a co-worker in 2006 who had found nude images of her online, according to the documents.

Records show the woman sued Uhlenbrock three times in Bexar County from 2009 to 2011 because he would not stop his conduct. The litigation resulted in restraining orders against Uhlenbrock and he agreed to pay the woman more than $110,000 to settle the cases, records show.

The apparent acts of revenge porn continued even after she got the court orders. She turned to the FBI, which resulted in the criminal case. Prosecutor Sarah Wannarka read a letter from the victim that said the woman even pondered suicide after those shameful events and had to get therapy.
The Bexar County Veterans Service Office is accepting nominations for the 2016 LeRoy V. Greene Jr. Memorial Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions by Bexar County residents to veterans, military service members and their families. The award recipient is announced at the Commissioners Court meeting prior to Veterans Day each year.

Nominations are accepted from individuals who can vouch for the accomplishments of the person they are nominating. Nominations from spouses, siblings or children will not be accepted.

To be eligible, nominees must have lived in Bexar County for at least two years at the date of nomination; performed noteworthy actions over a period of time as a volunteer; and exhibited leadership skills, teamwork, dedication and unselfishness.

For a nomination form, email vets@bexar.org with LRVG AWARD in the subject line. Completed nomination forms may be returned to the same email address; by fax to 210-335-3632; or by mail to Bexar County Veterans Service Office, 233 N. Pecos, Suite 320, San Antonio, TX 78207.

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The nomination deadline is Oct. 7.

Group offering grants to restore historic structures

The San Antonio Conservation Society is accepting grant applications for preservation of historic houses and commercial structures through Friday, Sept. 30.

Using proceeds from its annual A Night in Old San Antonio event during Fiesta, the conservation society last year awarded more than $55,000 in grants for building preservation and $17,000 in education grants.

The grants are for restoration or rehabilitation work on structures built before 1930 in San Antonio and Bexar and surrounding counties. Work may include repairs or replacement of a roof, foundation, facade, windows, porches or stonework.

Education grants are available for research, video production, publication and other projects related to historic preservation.

For more information, contact the society at 210-224-6163 or conserve@saconservation.org.

MLK artwork contest

still accepting entries

The Martin Luther King Jr. Commission has announced its second annual contest for the selection of the official artwork for the 2017 citys Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration.

The selected artwork by a local artist will be used with the events 2017 theme: Kings Legacy for Peace is Justice for All. Remember! Celebrate! Act! The deadline is 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30.

The artwork contest is open to Bexar County residents. Student artists are encouraged to submit entries. The selected artist, to be chosen by a panel of judges from the community, will receive public recognition as the creator of the official 2017 commemoration artwork, and will receive two all-access passes to official 2017 MLK Jr. Commission events. Guidelines on how to submit entries can be found at www.sanantonio.gov/mlk.

Deadline nears for

Fiesta poster contest

The Fiesta Commission is asking area artists to participate in a new poster contest to provide an edgier, more urban feel while incorporating the spirit and theme of love and unity for Fiesta Fiesta, the official kickoff to the Party with a Purpose.

The My Fiesta Poster Contest is meant to attract artists who can show a fresh take on Fiesta and illustrate beloved traditions in a way that screams, Its my Fiesta, too!

The design and elements will be used in official Fiesta merchandise and be adapted to an Official Fiesta Fiesta Medal and T-shirt.

Deadline for submission is noon Friday, Sept. 30. Entries must be submitted before the deadline to the Fiesta Commission Office, 2611 Broadway. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to noon Fridays.

The winning artist will receive $2,000 and 5 percent of net profit on merchandise inspired by the poster.

The winning artist must be available for certain poster signings, media interviews and public appearances from January through April. Fiesta 2017 dates are April 20-30.

For more information, call 210-227-5191, ext. 101, or email mari@fiesta-sa.org.

Universal City

Veterans Park group

selling pavers

The Universal City Veterans Park Committee is selling pavers that will be placed in front of the flagpole at the city park.

Standard-size pavers cost $75. Pavers measuring 4 inches by 8 inches and 12 inches by 12 inches are available. Order forms can be picked up at VFW Post 4676 at 202 W. Aviation in Universal City and at American Legion Post 667, 504 Bowie, Universal City.

UCPD to host National Night Out kickoff

The Universal City Police Department will host the 2016 National Night Out kickoff event from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at Universal City Park.

Organizers said the free event will include public safety demonstrations. Police, fire, emergency vehicles and an Air Life helicopter will be at the family-oriented event. McGruff the Crime Dog will make an appearance.

From staff reports
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A former San Antonio television reporter was sentenced to 41 months in prison Wednesday for harassing a former boss and threatening the mans wife, whom he didnt even know.

Gabriel Robert Caggiano, a former reporter at the Channel 4 station then known as KMOL, pleaded guilty in March in connection with the harassment of Marise McDermott, the CEO of the Witte Museum, and her husband, Hollis Grizzard, who was Caggianos boss at another station in Corpus Christi.

The charges were among a string of allegations of volatile and erratic behavior contained in court documents in the case, including an assault, threats and using cocaine in a newsroom. .

Caggiano told U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez hes remorseful that his mental issues caused him to make an avalanche of threats and misogynistic comments, but he never intended to physically hurt anyone he harassed, including Grizzard and McDermott.

RELATED: Schertz man charged with stalking after slashing ex-wife's tires

More for you Man charged with stalking Black Rifle Coffee employee

I never intended to come anywhere near the Grizzard family, Caggiano said. My mouth was a weapon of mass destruction, but I never intended to hurt these people.

He turned and apologized to Grizzard, who was at the sentencing. McDermott did not attend out of fear of Caggiano.

Sometimes graphic and profane, Caggiano used phone calls, voice mails, text messages, regular mail and social media to terrorize Grizzard and McDermott after being fired in 2008 from Corpus Christi station KZTV.

He repeatedly threatened to harm Grizzard, and then McDermott when Grizzard blocked his calls. She had never met Caggiano. Caggiano also threatened to destroy McDermotts reputation, posting messages about her on the museums Facebook page.

Grizzard, now a consultant for TV news stations, said in an interview that he took a chance on Caggiano at the Corpus station because Im a big believer in second and even third chances.

Regrettably, it didnt work out, Grizzard said. I did everything I could to avoid provoking him. Were just glad its over.

RELATED: S.A. man named as victim of possible 'foul play' after remains found on Padre Island seashore

Court records said Caggiano was fired from the Corpus station for threatening behavior that included a violent outburst in the newsroom. He had trouble finding work for five years afterward before landing a job at a station in Michigan.

Before his time in Corpus, Caggiano worked for three years at KMOL, which later became WOAI, but was fired in 1992 for a pattern of volatile behavior, according to San Antonio Express-News archives. A 1997 Austin Chronicle story reported that he was also fired from KTBC in Austin that year.

When Caggiano was charged last year, he was living in Los Angeles. After his case became public, at least two former co-workers contacted the FBI to report similar experiences. According to accounts in the court record, he was hired as a news anchor in Portland in 1989, and fired within three months for using cocaine in the newsroom. Caggiano allegedly threatened and harassed his former boss there over several years, records show.

Caggiano also pleaded guilty in Washington, D.C., in 2006 to assaulting a person while working at a TV station there, records show. A boss at a station in Michigan had to obtain a protective order in September 2015 against Caggiano, though he reportedly ignored it and continued harassing her by phone, records said.

He apologized for that behavior during his sentencing Wednesday, and said he would not physically harm her.

Im affectionately called the TV terrorist, Caggiano said. Now, Im called the TV train wreck.

gcontreras@express-news.net

Twitter: @gmaninfedland
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Sept. 28

By Demir Azizov - Trend:

Issues of increasing mutual trade, regulating of property and debt relations, developing of legal framework were discussed in the 12th intergovernmental Uzbek-Turkmen commission on trade-economic, scientific-technical and cultural cooperation held September 26, 2016, said the message of Turkmenistan's Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and Trade.

Representatives of the governments of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan identified carrying out coherent policy for rational usage of water resources as the priority area of cooperation in the region.

The sides discussed the continuation of mutually beneficial cooperation in the transport-transit sphere by providing mutual preferences for transportation of foreign trade freights.

The agreement on increasing export from Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan in large production nomenclature was reached as a result of the meeting. In particular, Uzbekistan intends to increase supply of engineering, electro-technical, chemical and automotive products, including buses, special and municipal equipment, cotton and other agricultural machinery, building materials, consumer electronics, processed fruits and vegetable products.

The successful mutual cooperation and perspectives were noted in the spheres of modernization and repair of rolling stock of Turkmen railways on the bases of Tashkent Railcar Building and Repair Plant.

The parties discussed possibility of cooperation in the sphere of repair and maintenance service of the Turkmen air fleet, as well composite components based on Uzbekistan Airways Technics.

The trade turnover between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan for the end of 2015 amounted to $319,7 million, while in January-August of 2016 it was $177,1 million.

Seven companies with Turkmen share are active in Uzbekistan. The main spheres of activity: commerce and services, textile industry, production of coating materials and furniture.

Meanwhile, Turkmenistan has created six companies with the participation of Uzbek residents. The main focus of these companies is to organize export of industrial products for the Turkmen market.

Joint Uzbek-Turkmen commission on trade-economic, scientific-technical and cultural cooperation acts from 1996. The previous meeting was held in August 2015 in Ashgabat.
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In a meeting of secession-enthusiasts inside a Moscow hotel over the weekend, separatists agreed that Texit would be beneficial to the Kremlin.

The more the West is disunited, the more beneficial it is to Russia, Sergei Markov said at the second annual separatist and secessionist conference hosted by the Anti-Globalist Movement of Russia, an anti-American group, over the weekend, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Markov said the Kremlin would undoubtedly benefit from the secession of Texas from the United States.

RELATED: Trump says Texas won't secede if he's president

The conference, funded with $55,000 from the Kremlin and Texas and other countries, featured secessionists from Texas, California, Puerto Rico, Ireland, Catalonia, Italy and Lebanon, the Times reported.

At the conference, Nate Smith, who is a self-proclaimed foreign minister of the Texas Nationalist Movement, made a promise to the group.

One day, Texas can formally exchange ambassadors with your free and independent countries, Smith said.

After Brexit, a vote in June that decided the United Kingdom would withdraw from the European Union, Texit, a call for Texas to secede, was born.

RELATED: Texas secessionists want a place in presidential debates

Gov. Greg Abbott dismissed the idea at the time saying, What Texans believe in is that we need the United States to be more like Texas, according to news archives.

As Texit ideas swirled, Donald Trump, Republican nominee for president, told reporters in June that Texas would never secede, according to news archives.

Texas will never do that because Texas loves me, Trump said in Scotland. Texas would never do that if Im president.

RELATED: #Texit calls for Texas secession after "Brexit" is successful

But the idea was brought up again before the first general election presidential debate Monday. Ryan Thorson, blogger for the Texas Nationalist Movement, wrote ahead of the first debate citing a Reuters poll for secession to be a topic of discussion heading to Election Day, according to news archives.

The 2014 poll found one in four Americans support seceding from the U.S., which is 23.9 percent of the country, which Thorson said made it a popular enough idea to be included in presidential debates.

"As the two major candidates advance their competing big-government visions for the United States, and as it becomes more and more obvious that Washington is incapable of changing its ill-fated course, I think you'll find that the ranks of the discontented, those calling for liberty from Washington, will only swell in the coming months and years," he said.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
The Texas Department of Public Safety presented a report to the state earlier this summer which included a map of major smuggling routes along the U.S.-Mexico Border.

Steven McCraw, DPS Director, presented a powerpoint to the Texas House Appropriations Committee July 19 detailing an overview of Operation Secure Texas, a border protection plan, and proposals requested by the Joint Committee on Border Security, according to the DPS website.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

By Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Chinas CITIC Group Corporation has expressed readiness to allocate $10 billion loan for Iranian mineral projects, the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) said.

Zhou Yafang, an official with the Chinese investment company, said the needed permissions for financing the projects will be obtained from Chinas government before 2017.

Yafang, who is heading a high-ranking CITIC delegation to Tehran, made the remarks during a meeting with the IMIDRO chairman, Mehdi Karbasian.

He further said the company sees no limitation to finance the Iranian projects, adding the CITIC Group is ready to finance the second phase of the South Iran aluminum plant at the first step.

The Chinese company is ready to allocate loans to steel, copper and coal projects as well, Yafang added.

Karbasian, for his turn, expressed satisfaction on resumption of CITICs activities in Iran, saying the projects worth $2 billion in various sectors, including steel, copper and aluminum are among the funding priorities.
This was supposed to be the year that members of Congress finally started acting like grown-ups.

Instead, while most of the United States has been distracted by the circus of the presidential campaign, Congress has regressed further into childishness, proving itself lazier, more incompetent and more obstructionist then even its fiercest critics could have imagined.

Not so long ago, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., promised that, after years of dysfunction and infighting, 2016 would represent a new beginning.

We are turning the page, Ryan said when he accepted the speakership last fall. We are not going to have a House that looked like it looked the last few years.

In what was heralded as the most important indicator of their new-and-improved commitment to good governance, he and McConnell pledged to finally reinstate regular order in the budget process.

Regular order meant that congressional committees would allocate taxpayer money thoughtfully, branch by branch and agency by agency, in 12 separate regular appropriations bills. They would all be voted on and signed into law well before the start of the next fiscal year. Congress would not wait until the last minute and cram everything into a giant, sloppy, everything-to-everyone bill in a panicked attempt to avoid a government shutdown  as had become the ritual in recent years.

Instead Ryan, McConnell and the rest of Congress blew it.

The new fiscal year starts this Saturday, Oct. 1, and not a single one of the 12 regular appropriations bills has made it to the presidents desk. In fact, this year the House couldnt even pass a budget resolution setting out the broad outlines for what Congress plans to spend, which is the first step in the budget process; this is only the second year since 1975 that the House was unable to pass such a plan.

Additionally, neither the House nor the Senate even held a hearing on the presidents budget request, the first and only time a president has been refused one since 1975.

Congress is now merely trying to extend current funding levels for a few more months. This would allow legislators to return to the campaign trail and delay the hard decisions until after Election Day.

As of this writing they still hadnt even been able to execute that second-rate plan, though. (Ryan said Wednesday that the House will pass such stop-gap legislation).

The result is that with a little more than a month before the election, Congress was again flirting with a shutdown. And a year into the worldwide Zika epidemic, Congress still hadnt, by Thursday, successfully appropriated a cent toward the crisis, nor had it passed any funding to help families affected by emergencies in Louisiana.

Under Republican leadership, the Senate is on track to work the fewest number of days in a session in six decades. It also took the longest summer recess in the modern era. It cant get anyone confirmed, either.

Merrick Garland, President Obamas Supreme Court pick, famously cant get a hearing, but hes hardly the only nominee being snubbed. The Republican-led Senate has confirmed just 22 federal judges this Congress, putting it on pace for the lowest number of confirmed judges since the 1951-1952 Congress, according to the Alliance for Justice.

Empty offices pock the entire executive branch, too, thanks to unprecedented levels of Senate obstruction. The Senate has confirmed the fewest civilian nominees in modern history, according to a recent report from the Congressional Research Service.

Our legislators cant seem to pass budgets or hold hearings for nominees, yet somehow they find time to go on elaborate political witch hunts. They seem to forget that  unlike us poor opinion columnists  they have powers that go beyond mere words, finger-wagging and moral suasion.

That is, they could actually pass laws.

crampell@washpost.com
Years ago, Stanford professor Guadalupe Valdes observed that many students from immigrant families often become trapped in dysfunctional English in Second Language programs and rarely find their way out.

In the current context in which anti-immigrant sentiment is at an all-time high, newly arrived children are routinely accused by the general public of not wanting to learn English and failing to profit from the education that the state is giving them at great cost, Valdes wrote in Learning and Not Learning English, published in 2001, adding that immigrant children are relegated to inadequately trained teachers working in ill-equipped classrooms. These children wind up having to fend for themselves, most often doing a poor job of it.

U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. said much the same during a recent telephone briefing about changes to how English learners are taught in public schools. King said the new guidance is vitally important.

English learners are estimated to represent nearly 10 percent of the nations K-12 population, according to King, who also said that about 45 percent of these students are Hispanic. And though education for them still needs a lot of improvement, its a lot better than it was a decade ago when the tide started turning away from segregating English-learning students from their mainstream peers for sheltered instruction.

Today, a combination of Department of Education regulations and a let-a-thousand-flowers-bloom approach to helping English learners has yielded an environment in which rigor and accountability for language acquisition are no longer a joke.

We have a new opportunity with ESSA (the Every Student Succeeds Act, the 2015 successor to No Child Left Behind) to seize the moment to make the right policy decisions and engage all stakeholders, King said. We have come a long way in recognizing that speaking more than one language is a strength and an asset and not a weakness.

Hearing the secretary of education say that a non-English home language is an advantage that states and their schools should nurture and then capitalize on is nothing short of amazing to all the former English learners out there who had their families pressured into speaking only English at home  a practice now known to be counterproductive.

King suggested that states and school districts should be looking to leverage native languages to support academic success through a variety of methods and strategies. King noted that dual-language programs that combine native English and native Spanish speakers, which have become increasingly popular across the country, have been shown to speed bilingualism among both groups.

Best of all, the new guidance calls for states to establish entrance and exit procedures for these students.

Additionally, states will now have to disaggregate their data on English learners to uncover how well students with disabilities are performing and being served  and how better to address the issue of students who have been in programs for several years and are still not getting it, as King put it.

There is hope that this shift in policy will make a difference. Not only has the Department of Education recently announced $22 million in grants for teacher preparation programs to provide professional development for school staff who work with English learners, but new data show that the educational attainment of newly arriving immigrants is steadily increasing.

This means that parents and schools will be better able to help their students not only maintain their native language, but actually push them toward mastery of reading, writing and speaking their home language and English, too  a win-win situation.

estherjcepeda@washpost.com
As a high school student, I had the opportunity to welcome a refugee family from Bosnia-Herzegovina setting up a new life in the United States.

After fellow church members and I unloaded Welcome to the United States boxes full of pots and pans, bed linens and other essentials, the family invited us to visit with them in their new apartment. They served us popcorn and orange soda, and told us they could never repay us for our kindness. I remember the hope in their eyes and smiles on their faces as we struggled to communicate with few words between us. I left their apartment with gratitude for the opportunity to have been a part of such a sacred meeting of cultures. I left feeling that our church had received much more than we had given.
Its an argument you might have heard from nativist Republicans in the Southwest, as well as from union-friendly Democrats in the Rust Belt: The Mexicans are coming to take your jobs!

You had better believe it. I know a hardworking Mexican-American radio host in Texas who has taken three of them.

I dont always agree with Chris Salcedo, but Im proud to call him a friend. His followers know him as the Liberty Loving Latino, and his voice has never been stronger.

As a Latino conservative who supports Donald Trump and thinks liberalism will ruin America, Salcedo is the stereotype-busting powerhouse of the airwaves. Over the last quarter-century, he has climbed the ladder, thanks to talent, breaks, hustle, networking, perseverance and sweat.

The 45-year-old has a degree in the dramatic arts and initially wanted to be an actor. But he has been performing on a different stage, working in radio and television for most of his life  in his native Southern California, in Washington, D.C., and most recently, in Texas. And all the dues-paying has finally been rewarded.

Salcedo now has not one, not two, but three daily two-hour radio shows broadcasting from the Lone Star State. That means the married father of three girls  ages 9, 13 and 15  spends 30 hours a week talking on the air, and he still makes it home each night to have dinner with his family.

Even among longtime radio professionals, this kind of workload is virtually unheard of.

Not bad for a guy whose memory of his first radio job, in his early 20s, summons the smell of freshly baked rolls because the tiny radio studio in a small town not far from San Diego was located above a bakery.

Salcedo started out writing the news for others to read, and soon he was reading it himself.

Like everyone in broadcast media, Salcedo got jobs and lost jobs, and had his plans turned upside down.

I was under the illusion that I was in control, he told me. Its not true. Its great to have a plan, but you have to be ready to change it.

The change that Salcedo made, just three years ago, was to go from an employee to a brand.

I got tired of depending on other people, and their idea of what I needed to be, he said. So I created the idea of The Chris Salcedo Show.

It was a good idea. With a morning show on WBAP-820 AM in Dallas, an afternoon show on KSEV-700 AM in Houston, and a national show on Glenn Becks digital creation, TheBlaze Radio Network, Salcedo is talking up a storm.

Salcedos kind of radio revolves around what he calls the beer factor. Its about making listeners feel as if they want to have a beer with him.

This being an election year, I asked my friend why he became a conservative.

Because I recognize why the U.S. has been a success, he said. As we lean toward liberalism, we become less successful  in race relations, foreign policy, domestic policy.

As for backing Trump  a position that, according to the polls, is shared by only one in five Latinos  Salcedo insists the Republican nominee is the most pro-America choice on the ballot. And while many Latinos consider Trumps words offensive, Salcedo doesnt see it that way. For him, the immigration debate isnt about race, but border security. He also maintains that Trump is giving voice to the concern shared by many Americans that the country has lost its way

Salcedo is determined to help get us back on track. And whether you agree with him or not, we can expect him to be part of the national discussion for many years to come.

ruben@rubennavarrette.com
Donald Trump just got roughed up, and badly, by a girl. On Monday night, at the first presidential debate, Hillary Clinton made her opponent look ignorant, unprepared, egotistical, childish, petulant, impatient and at times totally incoherent.

At one point, as Trump was groping blindly across the minefields of foreign policy, losing a foot here and a leg there, he announced, apropos of nothing, that I think my strongest asset, maybe by far, is my temperament. Clinton smiled sweetly and exclaimed, Whew, OK! The audience at Hofstra University, sternly instructed to remain silent throughout the debate, burst into laughter.

They were laughing at you, Donald, not with you.

Clinton then patiently explained the importance of honoring international agreements, such as the NATO treaty, to a man who seemed not to grasp the concept of the nations word being its bond.

The 90-minute encounter, moderated by NBCs Lester Holt, was less a debate than a beat down. Clinton obviously had put in hours of preparation. Trump apparently decided to wing it  and while this approach worked well during the Republican primaries, when nobody got much time to speak and pithy one-liners could win the day, it bombed in a one-on-one clash where there was no place to hide.

Trumps biggest vulnerability is that he so rarely knows what hes talking about. Minutes before his hilarious temperament declaration, he had been boasting that his criticism of NATO a few months ago caused the alliance to begin focusing on terrorism. I think we have to get NATO to go into the Middle East with us, in addition to surrounding nations, he said.

Clinton coolly reminded him of some facts. You know, NATO as a military alliance has something called Article 5, and basically it says this: An attack on one is an attack on all, she said. And you know the only time its ever been invoked? After 9/11, when the 28 nations of NATO said that they would go to Afghanistan with us to fight terrorism, something that they still are doing by our side.

Thats pretty much the way the evening went, especially toward the end. Trump visibly ran out of gas. His answers became increasingly scattered and elliptical. Pressed to defend his contention (long since disproved) that he was against the Iraq War, he complained repeatedly that everybody refuses to call Sean Hannity. Even Hannity, the Fox News host, must have been perplexed.

This was after he charged that Clinton doesnt have the stamina to be president. But she looked fresh as a daisy throughout, while Trump wilted before our eyes.

One of Trumps worst moments, at least to my eyes, came when Clinton alleged that he paid no federal income taxes in at least some years. Trump offered no protest, interjecting, That makes me smart. Seriously? No one wants to pay more than required, but the idea of a self-proclaimed billionaire getting a free pass will be hard for many voters to swallow.

Throughout the debate, the split screen showed Trump mugging, fidgeting, shrugging, grimacing, offering an array of exaggerated smiles and frowns. He interrupted Clinton frequently, but she didnt complain. She may have calculated that it benefited her cause for Trump to have the floor.

Clinton also may have tried to bait Trump by suggesting he only succeeded in business because of his fathers help  and might not be as wealthy as he claims. If so, the tactic worked. Trump was unable to let anything pass. He even renewed his long-running feud with comedian Rosie ODonnell.

I am under no illusion that Trumps abysmal performance will cause his most dedicated supporters to have second thoughts. They heard his central argument, which is that politicians like Secretary Clinton have failed  and its time to try something new.

But while the race has tightened to the point where Trump could actually win, Monday night vividly demonstrated why he should not  why he must not. Whether you like Clinton or not, its obvious that she can do the job. The debate had to make undecided voters question whether Trump even has a clue.

eugenerobinson@washpost.com
In that bowl of Skittles, famously used as analogy recently by Donald Trump Jr. to demonstrate the peril of admitting Syrian refugees, all some people can see are those three poison candies among the teeming multitudes of otherwise tasty treats.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is apparently among them. He has told the federal government that Texas will withdraw from the refugee resettlement program if it does not meet the states screening security demands by Friday.

But others see in that bowl 3-year-old Alan Kurdi, washed up on a Turkish beach, drowned while his Syrian refugee family tried a perilous route to Canada. They see that photo of Omran Daqneesh, 5, bloody and dusty, after being rescued from the bombed-out rubble of a building in Aleppo.

Or they see the 8,000 refugees from around the world helped by Catholic Charities to resettle in San Antonio since 2004  hardworking, on the path to assimilation and safe from the dangers in their homelands.

Abbott sees Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, a Houston man who came as a refugee teen from Iraq. He is accused of trying to join ISIS.

In that video, Trump Jr. asks whether youd be willing to take a handful of the candy from a bowl if there were three deadly Skittles in it. His point: Yes, most of the candy is harmless, but do you take the chance?

Well, refugees arent Skittles. But with them, yes, we do take the chance. We always have and been better for it.

The Skittles analogy is inapt also by way of scale. The Washington Posts Phillip Bump explains why in a video. The bowl shown by Trump Jr. likely contains a few hundred Skittles. But the chances of a refugee committing a terrorist act here is estimated at 1 in 3.64 billion. That means those three deadly candies would have to be in a bowl of about 10 billion Skittles and it would take roughly 130 years to get a bad one.

But Trump Jr.s  and, now, Abbotts  reasoning is flawed on another basic level.

The Emma Lazarus inscription on the Statue of Liberty reads: 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-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

The nation has mostly lived up to that ideal  except in those instances when it hasnt. Among those some would have denied  and actually did in some cases  were the Irish, Italians, Chinese, Asians generally, some Jews fleeing Hitler and, now, refugees from Central America and Syria.

History has been kind to an America with open arms and heart  and the country has benefited, adding hardworking people who infused vitality, creativity and leadership into the nation, then and now. Our surnames tell the story: Kennedy, Fermi, Tesla, Einstein and Castro, just to name a few.

History has not been kind to the excluders  something for Texas under Abbott to consider.

Refugees face more rigorous security screening than other migrants. But there is no screening that can absolutely guarantee a terrorist in the making is not among them. Just as the nation cannot guarantee that a native-born American, naturalized citizen or permanent legal resident will not commit a terrorist or criminal act.

Still, there is Alan Kurdi and the millions like him. These are people fleeing death, rape and bombings, and often those forces this country actively oppose. And yet Abbott and Trump would view them, for purposes of admission, as much the enemy as is ISIS, al-Qaida, the Taliban, the Nusra Front and Bashar Assad. The victims of our sworn enemies are transformed, somehow in their minds, into our enemies.

As a practical matter, Texas withdrawal from the federal refugee resettlement program will amount to an administrative nuisance. The federal government will funnel funds to intrepid nonprofits such as Catholic Charities. Refugees will still be resettled in Texas. The courts have already rebuffed Texas on this score.

If this is more than bluff  and we have no reason to doubt Abbott is serious  it will be a gesture that is certainly Trumpian, but as un-Texan as it is unAmerican. And it is what will be remembered. To the states and Abbotts shame.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

By Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Iran's police seized some 440 kilograms of various drugs in the country's capital city of Tehran.

The drugs, including 163 kilograms of opium and 277 kilograms of hashish, were seized from smugglers in the southern district of Tehran during a special operation, the chief of the Tehran's counter-drug police department, colonel Mohammad Bakhshandeh said, Fars news agency reported on Sept. 28.

Bakhshandeh further said that two smugglers were arrested during the operation.

Iran is situated on a major drug route between Afghanistan and Europe, as well as the Persian Gulf states. The Islamic Republic shares about 900 kilometers of common border with Afghanistan, over which 74 percent of opium is smuggled.

The fight against drug trafficking annually costs Iran about $1 billion, according to the official estimates.

The statistics also say there are about two million drug users in Iran.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patricks call for eliminating what he calls an onerous back-door tax on tuition at Texas public universities is not good public policy.

Its difficult to argue against reducing the cost of a college education. Everyone likes to keep costs low, but Patricks proposed tuition cost reductions come at the expense of financially disadvantaged students whose financial aid is tied to tuition revenue.

Patrick is proposing eliminating the state-mandated tuition set-asides that fund need-based financial aid. They amount to $324 million a year and provide financial assistance to about 121,000 students.

Students who wouldnt otherwise be able to attend college are allowed to, and this is a benefit to the state.

In 2003, the Texas Legislature deregulated college tuition and gave university systems control over setting the price on a college degree. In anticipation of tuition hikes, the Legislature mandated that the universities set aside a percentage of tuition revenue to fund grants, work-study programs, student loans and other need-based financial aid.

Over the last 13 years, tuition rates at Texas public universities have skyrocketed, and university board of regents are not entirely to blame. Shortly after the deregulation, the state started to reduce its funding for higher education.

At a news conference last spring, Patrick cited data showing that tuition at state public institutions has gone up 147 percent since 2002, but the median household income in the U.S. has gone up only 32 percent during the same period.

In 2002, tuition for 15 hours at a four-year institution was $1,693. It is now about $4,179. A student with a $5,000 tuition bill pays about $750 in set-aside costs.

What state lawmakers often neglect to point out is the sharp cuts they have made to higher education in the state budget.

The reduced state funding has contributed significantly to the tuition hikes at the states 38 public universities. Those cuts have prompted many of the tuition hikes.

Last year, state funds accounted for only 12 percent of the budget at the states flagship university. In the 1984-85 school year, the state funded 47 percent of the operating costs at the University of Texas at Austin.

For years state legislators have railed long and hard against the public universities governing boards for the stiff tuition hikes, but they never mention their role in the equation.

We agree that high costs are pricing many families out of the higher education market and the issue needs to be addressed. But eliminating the set-asides without identifying other funding sources is not a viable solution.

This could spell less inclusion in the states universities.
Re: Racism today, Your Turn, Sept 21:

Poor letter writer! He is agitated because not everyone receives credit for being racist the same way we hapless whites have.

True, all races have prejudicial tendencies. Vincent Valdezs art does not exclude them from the club. He simply tells one story of that awful human habit of punishing others for being different or a perceived threat.

Through his work, the artist depicts a phase of U.S. history in which the KKK was especially vile in its inhumane treatment of other human beings, usually African-Americans but also Jews and Catholics. Mr. Valdez interprets actual historical events. Who would call the Klan anything but ignorant, mean and vicious, even with only 12 members today? The KKK inflicted lasting damage. Any comparison with the Black Panthers or other groups is absurd.

A person complaining says more about himself than anyone else  A preacher always preaches about that with which he deals. It is said that collective memory can live in the very fiber of human beings for at least six generations past actual events. For many survivors, these atrocities are not past but live in their very bones. I pray artists continue to disturb us with the truth, uncomfortable as it may be.

Charles W. Schraub

DA irresponsible

Re: DA among speakers against vaccines at summit, front page, Friday:

How terribly irresponsible for the Bexar County district attorney to use his very public persona to recommend not to have children vaccinated.

I do not recall that he has a degree that qualifies him to make such a statement. Maybe he should be reminded that as a private individual he can do whatever he sees fit with his family. But under no circumstances should he use his office to try to convince thousands of people not to vaccinate theirs!

Whether he likes it or not, vaccines have spared millions and millions of lives since their inception. Also, there are parents who might feel it is unfair to their children to be surrounded by unprotected ones!

What a shame, sir, not to think of others and just pursue a personal agenda. Obviously you can no longer count on my vote in the future.

Cecilia D. M. Roger

Bully in chief

After a recent visit to San Antonio, I saw the red and white yard signs about stopping bullying. At home, at school and at church, we teach our children not to be bullies, and the thought occurred to me, Why would we elect one?

Kathleen Keller, Kerrville

Whos lying now?

Re: Decades of lies, Your Turn, Thursday:

I think the letter writer is referring to the wrong person. It should be Hillary Clinton. I cannot think of anyone this letter describes more accurately than this lying and corrupt woman whose platform is pro-choice and pro-abortion! Decades of lies describes her perfectly.

Jerrie Gueldner

Rewriting history

During the 2008 Democratic presidential campaign, it was claimed (it doesnt really matter by whom) that candidate Barack Obama was not qualified to be a U.S. president by virtue of his birth place.

The issue did not start out to be about his race. To claim otherwise now is to be disingenuous, as usual.

R. B. Jenkins

Trump self-serving

I dont buy Hillary Clintons comments that some Donald Trump supporters are deplorable and irredeemable. But I dont understand why my fellow white working-class Americans, all with immigrant ancestries, have chosen this man as their choice to guide our great nation.

Trump is a silver spoon, Ivy League 1 percenter who rose to prominence as a reality TV star. Now that the spotlight shines on his past dealings, we see he has repeatedly gamed the very system his supporters claim to despise.

At 70 years old, he cant even coherently argue the bedrock conservative positions of a strong military, sound fiscal policy and small government. He speaks only in soundbites and talking points.

I have respect for many Republican leaders, but Trumps lack of understanding of the tenets of democracy cause him to lose many others. He is a self-serving, self-promoting Republican by convenience.

Racial tension, immigration, terrorism and globalization are complex issues that arent solved by one-sided narratives. Supporting a real estate executive and reality TV personality who previously has shown no interest, commitment or understanding to these issues is a huge risk. His many bankruptcies, lawsuits, failed marriages and flip-flops demonstrate a confused man without moral character and judgment. Pandering to and idolizing Vladimir Putin while degrading both our military and president is treasonous and insulting to those who protect our nation. This is demagoguery, not leadership.

Tim Meier

Dont cap services

Im glad to hear that state leaders are promising to tackle the states cap on special education services, which has kept many children from getting the services they need in school.

While I can understand a goal of limiting special education spending, theres actually a smart way to keep down those costs. By strengthening the states Early Childhood Intervention, or ECI, system, more kids with disabilities and developmental delays will get help during the first three years of childhood. Services are most effective during this critical period of brain development, helping more children start school ready to succeed without expensive special education services.

Unfortunately, last year the Legislature passed Medicaid rate cuts for childrens therapies that will make it harder for community organizations, such as the Brighton Center here in San Antonio, to provide these services to children.

We need state leaders to ensure that all kids eligible for ECI have access to the effective services and therapies they need so they will be off to a strong start and live full and successful lives.

Holly Grogan, ECI program director, Brighton Center
Two developers plan to build 12 homes on two acres near San Antonio International Airport, within the Alamo Heights Independent School District.

RELATED: Unique homes of Terrell Hills

The developers, Juan Fernandez and Victor Andonie, expect to break ground this fall on the project, near the intersection of Teak Lane and Sandalwood Lane, according to a news release. International architecture firm Gomez Vazquez International designed the project, known as Green Heights, while local homebuilder CVF Homes will be handling the construction.

RELATED: Luxury in the countryside: 10 lavish homes for sale in La Vernia, Texas

Each of the homes will include about 2,200 square feet of space and will have prices starting in the $500,000 range, according to the release. Construction is expected to be complete in fall 2017. The project is in the city of San Antonio but is within AHISD.

rwebner@express-news.net

@rwebner
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

By Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Austrias official export guarantee agency Oesterreichische Kontrollbank AG (OeKB) has increased its coverage value for exports to Iran, Austrian Minister for Finance Hans Jorg Schelling said.

He made the remarks during a meeting with Valiollah Seif, head of Irans Central Bank (CBI) in Vienna, the CBI reported Sept. 28.

The Austrian export guarantee agency, which provides services for exports and foreign investment, has raised its insurance cover for exports to Iran from 280 million euros to 1 billion euros, Schelling said.

He further expressed Viennas readiness to remove obstacles on banking ties between the two countries.

Schelling called for more cooperation for establishing brokerage ties between Iranian and Austrian banks.

Seif, heading a high-ranking economic delegation, arrived in Vienna on Sept. 26 to discuss bilateral ties and banking issues with Austrian officials.

He paid a visit to Joint Vienna Institute (JVI) on Sept. 27, a regional training center which offers courses, seminars and workshops on macroeconomic policy formulation and management, monetary policy and financial sector, primarily for public sector officials from countries in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe as well as the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Seif told Islamic Republic News Agency that Austrian Central Bank has activated Iran's Central Bank account again.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

By Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Iran and Switzerland signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to cooperate in the field of nuclear safety.

The deal was signed by Nasser Rastkhah, the head of Irans Nuclear Safety System Center and his Swiss counterpart Hans Wanner from Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate, IRNA news agency reported.

Commenting on the issue, Rastkhah said that the document, which was proposed by Switzerland, will pave the path for cooperation in nuclear safety.

Signing the MoU indicates that Iran and the global community are moving towards bilateral collaboration, the Iranian official added.

Iran has held talks with various countries to cooperate in nuclear safety after it reached a nuclear deal with world powers, which came into force last January.

Some European countries including Norway as well as Japan have already announced their readiness to help Iran with nuclear safety.
POLICE in South Africa are hunting for a Zimbabwean man from Tsholotsho for allegedly killing his girlfriend in Cosmo City after they had a misunderstanding.

The alleged murder of Loveness Ndlovu happened on 5 February 2022 and to this day Cain Ndlovu Mlevu from Gariya in Tsholotsho is still on the run.

It is said that Loveness called her younger sister and told her that Ndlovu was threatening her.

After two days of not hearing from Loveness, the sister went to Loveness home and found her decomposing body.

The body had multiple stab wounds.

Johannesburg police spokesperson, Colonel Brenda Muridili was unreachable for a comment.

 BMetro

Breaking News via Email
By C.P. Chandrasekhar, Professor of Economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and Jayati Ghosh, Professor of Economics and Chairperson at the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Originally published at Frontline

On the 30th of August European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager dropped a bombshell at the tax doors of the worlds leading multinational corporations. After a lengthy investigation she ruled that Ireland must recover from the local Apple subsidiary up to 13 billion euros ($14.5 billion) in unpaid past taxes, adding on interest on delayed payments, which could take the total to as much as 19 billion euros ($21 billion).The ruling was based on a decision that tax benefits provided to Apples subsidiaries in Ireland through two tax rulings amounted to state aid that was illegal under EU rules.

The penalty, though huge by past standards, is not the issue here. With as much as $230 billion of cash and liquid securities (which can be easily converted to cash) at hand, Apple would not have to stretch itself to meet this bill. The real issue is whether Apples tax accounting, which is considered legal by the Irish government, can be challenged by investigators acting on behalf of the European Commission. It is taken for granted by the worlds biggest companies that they can transfer profits earned anywhere to locations that are tax havens as part of their tax planning decisions. The method through which this is often done is to charge inflated book prices (transfer prices) for goods or services sold by the parent or a third country subsidiary (depending on which is located in a country that imposes lower taxes) to the subsidiary in the country from which profits are to be transferred out. This inflates costs and reduces profits on paper in the country from which incomes are being siphoned out. The practice could mean both, that the effective income tax incidence on these companies globally is less than that on smaller companies and even individuals, and that some countries from where the profits of these multinationals are earned would be deprived of tax revenues on those incomes. These problems have been accentuated in the neoliberal era, since countries pursuing neoliberal trajectories are keen on attracting foreign investors into their economies, and are competing with each other to offer them a range of concessions, including concessions that facilitate this kind of tax avoidance, which is legal and does not constitute tax evasion.

The case of Apples Irish operations is an extreme example of such tax avoidance accounting. It relates to two Apple subsidiaries Apple Sales International and Apple Operations Europe. Apple Inc US has given the rights to Apple Sales International (ASI) to use its intellectual property to sell and manufacture its products outside of North and South America, in return for which Apple Inc of the US receives payments of more than $2 billion per year. The consequence of this arrangement is that any Apple product sold outside the Americas is implicitly first bought by ASI, Ireland from different manufacturers across the globe and sold along with the intellectual property to buyers everywhere except the Americas. So all such sales are by ASI and all profits from those sales are recorded in Ireland. Stage one is complete: incomes earned from sales in different jurisdictions outside the Americas (including India) accrue in Ireland, where tax laws are investor-friendly. What is important here that this was not a straight forward case of exercising the transfer pricing weapon. The profits recorded in Ireland were large because the payment made to Apple Inc in the US for the right to use intellectual property was a fraction of the net earnings of ASI.

Does this imply that Apple would pay taxes on these profits in Ireland, however high or low the rate may be? The Commission found it did not. In two rather curious rulings first made in 1991 and then reiterated in 2007 the Irish tax authority allowed ASI to split it profits into two parts: one accruing to the Irish branch of Apple and another to its head office. That head office existed purely on paper, with no formal location, actual offices, employees or activities. Interestingly, this made-of-nothing head office got a lions share of the profits that accrued to ASI, with only a small fraction going to the Irish branch office. According to Verstagers Statement: In 2011, Apple Sales International made profits of 16 billion euros. Less than 50 million euros were allocated to the Irish branch. All the rest was allocated to the head office, where they remained untaxed. As a result, across time, Apple paid very little by way of taxes to the Irish government. The effective tax rate on its aggregate profits was short of 1 per cent. The Commissioner saw this as illegal under the European Commissions state aid rules, and as amounting to aid that harms competition, since it diverts investment away from other members who are unwilling to offer such special deals to companies.

In the books, however, taxes due on the head office profits of Apple are reportedly treated as including a component of deferred taxes. The claim is that these profits will finally have to be repatriated to the US parent, where they would be taxed as per US tax law. But it is well known that US transnationals hold large volumes of surplus funds abroad to avoid US taxation and the evidence is they take very little of it back to the home country. In fact, using the plea that it has permanent establishment in Ireland and, therefore, is liable to be taxed there, and benefiting from the special deal the Irish government has offered it, Apple has accumulated large surpluses. A study by two non-profit groups published in 2015 has argued that Apple is holding as much as $181 billion of accumulated profits outside the US, a record among US companies. Moreover, The Washington Post reports that Apples Chief Executive Tim Cook told its columnist Jena McGregor, that the company wont bring its international cash stockpile back to the United States to invest here until theres a fair rate for corporate taxation in America.

This has created a peculiar situation where the US is expressing concern about the EC decision not because it disputes the conclusion about tax avoidance, but because it sees the tax revenues as due to it rather than to Ireland or any other EU country. US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew criticised the ruling saying, I have been concerned that it reflected an attempt to reach into the U.S. tax base to tax income that ought to be taxed in the United States. In Europe on the other hand, the French Finance Minister and the German Economy Minister, among others, have come out in support of Verstager, recognizing the implication this has for their own tax revenues. Governments other than in Ireland are not with Apple, even if not always for reasons advanced by the EC.

Expectedly,Tim Cook decided to launch an attack against the EC decision, describing its ruling as total political crap, and arguing that In Ireland and in every country where we operate, Apple follows the law and we pay all the taxes we owe. Holding that the EC is effectively proposing to replace Irish tax laws with a view of what the Commission thinks the law should have been, he argues that a fundamental principle is recognized around the world: A companys profits should be taxed in the country where the value is created,and that Apple, Ireland and the United States all agree on this principle. Since, in Apples case, nearly all  research and development takes place in California, so the vast majority of .. profits are taxed in the United States. Unfortunately, that is not true, as yet, and is unlikely to be in future, if Apple has its way.

But the fault lies with the Irish political elite as well. The 13 billion euros figure illustrates how much the Irish government gave up over the period 2003 to 2014 to have a bit of Apple on its soil.The EC did not call for data from years prior to 2003. Yet, the benefits that Ireland derived because of Apples presence seem meagre. Direct employment by Apple in Ireland provides only 5,500 jobs, though Apple claims that employment in services associated with its operations adds another 2500. But, even then the benefit does not seem to be much from a company that has been running operations in Cork, Ireland for more than 35 years. On the other hand the 35 billion euros that Ireland gave up to have the privilege of hosting Apple would have been enough to do away with the governments deficit and almost equals what the Irish government spends on health care for its 4.6 million inhabitants. There are surely many areas where the additional money can be fruitfully put to use.

Yet the Irish government is sticking by its decision to give Apple the concessions it has. The Irish cabinet has decided to appeal against the EC ruling, though a few of the independent legislators whose support is crucial for the survival of the minority government of Taoiseach Enda Kenny initially expressed some reservation. The argument as expected is that this kind of retrospective tax demand in violation of the rulings of previous governments would not only upset Irelands relationship with Apple but damage its image as a superior investment destination for multinational enterprises in general. That image has been cultivated, Niall Cody, the chairman of Irelands tax collection agency the Revenue Commissioners, argues, by giving similar tax concessions to around 1,000 other multinationals, mostly American. On the Apple case he says: Full tax due was paid in accordance with the law.

Thus the power of the multinationals comes not just from their own size and reach, and from the support that their own governments afford them, but from their ability to divide desperate countries seeking the presence of global giants to make a small difference to their economic conditions. The costs of garnering that difference are, therefore, often missed. Reuters reports that an investigation conducted by it in 2013 found that around three-fourths of the 50 biggest U.S. technology companies use practices that are similar to Apples to avoid paying tax. So Verstager has taken on not just one giant, but the worlds corporate elite. She should not lose. But even if she does this time, this is a battle well begun.
Yves here. These economists are worried about China for the same reason as Steve Keen: the rapid rise in private debt.

By Edoardo Campanella, Economist, UniCredit Bank and Daniel Vernazza, Lead UK Economist, UniCredit Bank. Originally published at VoxEU



Chinas debt  in particular its corporate debt  is large by historical and international standards. This column argues that of greater concern is the sharp increase in recent years, and that the vulnerability is heightened by the concentration of this debt in old industries that suffer from overcapacity and weak competitiveness. The authorities appear to be only now taking steps to halt the rise in corporate debt, but as prior episodes of banking crises show, this is unlikely to be enough to avert either a prolonged period of slowing growth or a financial crisis in the medium term.

A few weeks ago, official Chinese media announced that the government will carry out a debt-for-equity swap for the debt held by its state-owned banks in struggling companies, starting as soon as mid-September.1 The aim is to reduce Chinas rising corporate debt, which at 171% of GDP is more than twice as high as that in the US. It is a policy the country used back in 1999 amid rising bad debts, but this time around the Chinese economys vulnerabilities are much greater.

This matters not only for China but for the rest of the world and global markets too. China contributes roughly one-third of global GDP growth, and the IMF estimates that more than a third of equity and FX price moves in advanced countries are driven by news from China and other emerging markets (IMF 2016a). Prominent examples are the turmoil in global financial markets in August last year and January this year, both of which originated from downside news out of China. And it was no surprise that in its recently released Article IV report on China, the IMF warned Beijing to take concrete and immediate action to address its corporate debt problem (IMF 2016b).

The big question is how close is China to the outbreak of a financial crisis. By referring to early warning indicators and previous episodes of banking crises, we show that China has entered a danger zone. Without bold and swift government action, a crisis seems more likely than not.

Mind the Gap

A small but growing academic literature has shown that the credit-to-GDP ratio relative to its long-term trend (the so-called credit-to-GDP gap) is the best single early warning indicator of financial crises (BCBS 2010).2 Credit is broadly defined as credit to the private non-financial sector (households and non-financial corporations) and includes non-bank and foreign funding. Figure 1 shows this measure for a number of advanced and emerging markets at the end of 2015, where we have focused on those countries reporting to the BIS whose credit-to-GDP gap is greater than zero. China tops the list.

Figure 1 Credit-to-GDP gaps in 4Q15

The natural question then is what level of credit-to-GDP gap signals a high probability of a future financial crisis? To get an idea, Figure 2 plots the credit-to-GDP gap in the quarter preceding nine severe banking crises. These are: Norway (1990), Sweden (1991), Finland (1991), Japan (1992), Mexico (1994), UK (2007), US (2007), Ireland (2008), and the Netherlands (2008).3 In many cases, the credit-to-GDP gap exceeded 8 prior to the onset of a severe financial crisis. In fact, the empirical literature suggests that a credit-to-GDP gap in excess of 8 is the danger zone (BCBS 2010). In China today, the ratio is at 30.

Figure 2 Credit-to-GDP gap at onset of crises

Source: BIS; UniCredit Research

Its important to add that while the credit-to-GDP ratio is a good predictor of banking crises, it does not pin down the exact timing. The ratio can remain high for years before a crisis actually takes hold  if at all. Figure 3 shows the evolution of the indicator in the 32 quarters before the outbreak of a crisis for our sample of severe financial crises. From the figure, we see the build-up in the credit-to-GDP gap ahead of the crisis, but in some cases it eases (albeit from high levels) before the crisis actually starts and so it is hard to identify a trigger point.

Figure 3 Evolution of the credit gap ahead of a crisis

Source: BIS; UniCredit Research

Although predicting the exact timing of a crisis is impossible, other indicators signal that vulnerabilities in the financial sector are mounting and are close to critical thresholds. First, debt service ratios (the ratio of interest payments plus amortisations to income) are 20% higher than the ratio in the US at the onset of the 2007/8 subprime crisis. Second, house prices have been rising very strongly, fuelled by a frenzy of borrowing, and this increases the exposure of the economy to a sudden drop in real estate prices. Third, a big chunk of credit goes to the old economy, where profitability and cash flows are slowing.

Not surprisingly, amid industrial overcapacity and a slowing economy, non-performing loans (NPLs) of the commercial banking sector are rising. Officially, they amount to just 1.7% of total loans.4 But, these figures likely substantially underestimate the scale of bad debts. Unlike the vast majority of countries in the world, loans that are 90 days past due are not considered non-performing by China if the expected market value of collateral secured on the loan is higher than the loan itself. If we include so-called special mention loans (loans which are overdue but not yet considered non-performing), then the ratio would increase to 5.8% of outstanding bank loans, up from 3.5% at the start of 2014. And, the actual bad loans figure could be much higher, especially if one takes into account the evergreening practice of rolling over debt where new credit is used to service existing loans.

Assuming the true level of NPLs is 5.8%, and given total outstanding bank loans are $12.3 trillion, then potential bad debts would equal $0.7 trillion, or 6.5% of Chinas GDP, which is substantial for an emerging economy.

Bold Government Action is Needed

As previous episodes of banking crises show, the sharp build-up of credit in the Chinese economy suggests a very high probability of a crisis in the next few years. Whether a crash can be avoided or not depends critically on the policy response of the Chinese government. In the three major banking crises that hit the country in the 1980s and 1990s, the one-party state was extremely willing to absorb part of the private sector losses. It now needs to act quickly to reduce corporate debt, strengthen bank balance sheets, and move the economy away from credit-fuelled investment in the old economy and towards consumption. Debt-for-equity swaps, bank recapitalisations and the establishment of a market for the NPLs are all options on the table. Such a restructuring process of the banking system would result in a period of slower growth due to the credit contraction, but it would lead to a more sustainable growth model in the medium term. If, instead, the government continues to promote rampant credit growth, forcing banks to keep alive struggling state-owned enterprises, misallocating resources and deferring the necessary structural rebalancing, then a crash would seem to be unavoidable.

Endnotes

[1] Challenges Loom for Debt-equity Swap Plan, South China Morning Post, 31 August 2016.

[2] Following Borio and Lowe (2002), we compute the long-term trend of the quarterly credit-to-GDP ratio using a one-sided HP filter with a smoothing parameter of 400,000. The trend is estimated recursively; for example, the trend at time t is computed using credit-to-GDP data up to and including time t. The trend is computed using a minimum of 10 years (40 quarters) of data.

[3] BCBS (2010) identify these as severe banking crises using events such as bank runs, closures, mergers, recapitalization and large non-performing loans.

[4] According to World Bank figures, the world average was 4.3% in 2015, although there are differences in classification of NPLs across countries.

See original post for references
By Wolf Richter, a San Francisco based executive, entrepreneur, start up specialist, and author, with extensive international work experience. Originally published at Wolf Street.

The New York Fed published an eye-opener of an article on its blog, Liberty Street Economics, seemingly about the aging of the US labor force as one of the big economic trends of our times with implications for the behavior of real wage growth. Then it explained why negative growth  the politically correct jargon for decline  in real wages is going to be the new normal for an ever larger part of the labor force.

If youre wondering why a large portion of American consumers are strung out and breathless and have trouble spending more and cranking up the economy, heres the New York Fed with an answer. And its going to get worse.

The authors looked at the wages of all employed people aged 16 and older in the Current Population Survey (CPS), both monthly data from 1982 through May 2016 and annual data from 1969 through 1981. They then restricted the sample to employed individuals with wages, which boiled it down to 7.6 million statistical observations.

Then they adjusted the wages via the Consumer Price Index to 2014 dollars and divide the sample into 140 different demographic cohorts by decade of birth, sex, race, and education. As an illustration of the principles at work, they picked the cohort of white males born in the decade of the 1950s.

That the real median income of men has declined 4% since 1973 is an ugly tidbit that the Census Bureau hammered home in its Income and Poverty report two weeks ago, which I highlighted in this article  That 5.2% Jump in Household Income? Nope, People Arent Suddenly Getting Big-Fat Paychecks  and it includes the interactive chart below that shows how the real median wage of women rose 36% from 1973 through 2015, while it fell 4% for men:

This illuminates the New York Feds article with a slightly different hue.

The New York Fed report goes a big step further  with white men as an example, perhaps to avoid getting sidetracked into discussions about wages of minorities. It picked men born in the decade of the 1950s to show what happened to their wages over time. And since womens real wages actually rose over the period, they might make a less persuasive example of how declining real wages should be considered the new normal.

In their analysis, the authors found a common pattern: Wages increase sharply early in the work life, but as workers age, wage growth begins to slow down. There are also variances based on educational attainment, which they separated into five cohorts: Masters or higher, Bachelors, some college, high school diploma, and less than high school.

The chart below shows the percentage change of real wages (left, y-axis) as these men aged (horizontal, x-axis). As young adults, their wages soared by up to 10% a year. Then the rate of growth fell off sharply. When the men in this cohort turned 40 in the 1990s, wage growth disappeared. By around the year 2000, the real wage peak in the US, when the oldest men in this cohort turned 50, wages had begun to decline for most of them. By the time these men were in the mid-50s, their wages across the board were heading south  and for many of them, rapidly. Hence this colorful, drooping spaghetti:

This negative real wage growth  devastating as it may be for those experiencing it  is nothing special, according to the New York Fed. And it crushes not just white men, but everyone:

Real wages tend to rise early in a workers career, flatten out mid-career, and then decline as the worker approaches retirement. This inverted U-shape pattern is a well-established feature in the labor economics literature.

The report explained it further:

Labor economists explain the rapid real wage growth early in a workers career as a combination of on-the-job learning and better matching of workers to jobs. A large portion is due to job matching as workers change jobs in search of a position that better utilizes their skills. As workers age, the decline in the pace of their real wage growth reflects a diminished incentive to invest in new skills (because their remaining work life is shorter) and fewer job changes (because they have found a good job match).

The report divides life for its purposes into three phases, terms of wage growth:

Fast growth, up to age 40 Flat growth, ages 41-54 Negative growth, age 55 and older.

Now theres another problem mucking up the overall and ever-elusive real-wage growth miracle everyone has been counting on: demographics. The US population is aging. There are more people aged 40 and over in the workforce, and their incomes are now flat or declining.

The portion of the population in the first phase when wages are growing fast has plunged from close to 60% in the 1980s to the mid-40% range currently, the report said. And the portion of workers with wages in the negative growth phase has ballooned. Given the demographics, real wage declines among workers over 50 will continue to hammer the national averages.

That is why real wages in the US economy are in such trouble, and its normal, and the fact that its getting worse is normal too, according to the report.

But real wages determine consumer spending. Consumer borrowing can fill some holes, but not in the long run. In the long run, only wage growth can prop up spending. And if the current trend holds, as predicted by the report  with the number of workers over 40 ballooning  then consumer spending is going curdle further, for years or decades to come.

Or is it really all just inevitable demographics, as the New York Fed would have it?

Gallup Chairman and CEO Jim Clifton, who presides over endless surveys of American consumers and businesses and knows a thing or two about them, begs to differ. Read Or Well Lose the Whole Middle Class: Gallup CEO
Researchers suggest nanoscale electronic motion sensor as DNA sequencer (Nanowerk News) Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and collaborators have proposed a design for the first DNA sequencer based on an electronic nanosensor that can detect tiny motions as small as a single atom.

The proposed devicea type of capacitor, which stores electric chargeis a tiny ribbon of molybdenum disulfide suspended over a metal electrode and immersed in water. The ribbon is 15.5 nanometers (nm, billionths of a meter) long and 4.5 nm wide. Single-stranded DNA, containing a chain of bases (bits of genetic code), is threaded through a hole 2.5 nm wide in the thin ribbon. The ribbon flexes only when a DNA base pairs up with and then separates from a complementary base affixed to the hole. The membrane motion is detected as an electrical signal.

As described in a new paper (ACS Nano, "A MoS 2 -based capacitive displacement sensor for DNA sequencing"), the NIST team made numerical simulations and theoretical estimates to show the membrane would be 79 to 86 percent accurate in identifying DNA bases in a single measurement at speeds up to about 70 million bases per second. Integrated circuits would detect and measure electrical signals and identify bases. The results suggest such a device could be a fast, accurate and cost-effective DNA sequencer, according to the paper.

NIST's proposed design for a DNA sequencer based on an electronic motion sensor. A nanoscale ribbon of molybdenum disulfide is suspended over a metal electrode and immersed in water. Single-stranded DNA, containing a chain of bases (bits of genetic code), is threaded through a hole in the ribbon, which flexes only when a DNA base pairs up with and then separates from a complementary base affixed to the hole. The membrane motion is detected as an electrical signal. Numerical simulations and theoretical estimates show the membrane would be 79 to 86 percent accurate in identifying DNA bases in a single measurement at speeds up to about 70 million bases per second. (Image: NIST) (click on image to enlarge)

Conventional sequencing, developed in the 1970s, involves separating, copying, labeling and reassembling pieces of DNA to read the genetic information. Newer methods include automated sequencing of many DNA fragments at oncestill costlyand novel nanopore sequencing concepts. For example, the same NIST group recently demonstrated the idea of sequencing DNA by passing it through a graphene nanopore, and measuring how graphenes electronic properties respond to strain.

The latest NIST proposal relies on a thin film of molybdenum disulfidea stable, layered material that conducts electricity and is often used as a lubricant. Among other advantages, this material does not stick to DNA, which can be a problem with graphene. The NIST team suggests the method might even work without a nanoporea simpler designby passing DNA across the edge of the membrane.

This approach potentially solves the issue with DNA sticking to graphene if inserted improperly, because this approach does not use graphene, period, NIST theorist and lead author Alex Smolyanitsky said. Another major difference is that instead of relying on the properties of graphene or any particular material used, we read motions electrically in an easier way by forming a capacitor. This makes any electrically conductive membrane suitable for the application.

Nanomaterials expert Boris Yakobson of Rice University, a co-author on the paper, suggested the capacitor idea. Computational support was provided by the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.

DNA has four bases. For the simulations, cytosine (C), which naturally pairs up with guanine (G), is attached to the inside of the pore. When a piece of DNA passes through the pore, any G in the strand temporarily attaches to the embedded C, pulling on the nanoribbon and signaling the electrode. The DNA sequence is determined by measuring how and when electrical blips vary over time. To detect all four bases, four nanoribbons, each with a different base attached to the pore, could be stacked vertically to create an integrated DNA sensor.

The molybdenum disulfide ribbon is flexible enough to deform measurably in response to the forces required to break up a DNA pair, but rigid enough to have less ongoing, meaningless movement than graphene, potentially reducing unwanted noise in the sequencing signals. The deflection of the ribbon is exceedingly small, on the order of one angstrom, the size of a hydrogen atom. Its pulling force is on the order of 50 piconewtons, or trillionths of a newton, enough to break up the delicate chemical bonds between DNA bases.

Researchers estimated how the device would perform in an integrated circuit and found the peak currents through the capacitor were measurable (50 to 70 picoamperes), even for the small nanoribbons studied. The current peaks are expected to be even larger in physical systems. The device size could be tweaked to make it even easier to measure sequencing signals.
Travelling through the body with graphene (Nanowerk News) For the first time researchers succeeded to place a layer of graphene on top of a stable fatty lipid monolayer. Surrounded by a protective shell of lipids graphene could enter the body and function as a versatile sensor. The results are the first step towards such a shell, and have been published in the journal Nanoscale on 28 September 2016 ("Graphene-stabilized lipid monolayer heterostructures: a novel biomembrane superstructure").

In contrast to previous work, the researchers observed a stable structure when placing graphene on a single layer of lipids. A patent has been submitted for these findings. PhD candidate Lia Lima and co-workers made this discovery under the supervision of chemist Gregory Schneider.

Graphene

Graphene is a surface material that consists of a single layer of carbon atoms. It is extremely thin, strong and flexible. In addition, graphene is wanted in the technological world for its effective conduction of electricity. The applications of graphene vary widely. Graphene is particularly sensitive and can respond to its environment in the body, says Schneider. Therefore, future applications for the body are for example biosensors and systems that allocate the right spot for performing diagnosis.

Bonding with graphene

To make graphene suitable for these applications, hard inorganic materials are often used as a support. However, these hard materials are not ideal for the use of graphene in the body. For this reason scientists are looking for soft, organic molecules to bind with graphene, in this case lipids.

Lipids on graphene

Lipids are fats that can be found in the protective layer of a cell  the cell membrane. This membrane consists of a double layer of lipids. When graphene could be placed between these two layers, it could travel through the body freely. A method that is already used with cancer medicines, explains Schneider. We made a single layer of lipids in the lab and transferred graphene on top: a first step towards mimicking the cell membrane.

Measurements

In their research the scientists discovered that a layer of lipids provides good support to graphene. The researchers used infrared measurements to prove the stability of the lipid layer. They also found that the lipids improve the electrical conduction of graphene. This effect of lipids is promising for future applications. Improvements of electrical conduction make it possible to measure the electrical signals of graphene in the body. These signals tell something about the environment of graphene, like the acidity or the presence of certain proteins.

Nanosensor
Tehran, Iran, Sept. 28

By Mehdi Sepahvand  Trend:

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, international affairs advisor to the speaker of Irans Parliament, has said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei prohibited the government from holding talks with the United States over Syria.

In a meeting with the visiting Speaker of the People's Council of Syria Hadiya Khalaf Abbas, Amir-Abdollahian said the Supreme Leaders advice came against the background of US efforts to lure Moscow into eliminating Syrian President Bashar Assad, IRIB news agency reported Sept. 28.

The US was also trying through diplomatic channels to encourage Iran to discard Assad as having a role in the future of Syria, said Amir-Abdollahian, who used to act as deputy foreign minister for African and Arab affairs before he moved to the Parliament in July.

Hadiya Khalaf Abbas a day earlier met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, where Rouhani pledged unwavering support for Syria in the fight against terrorism, saying Tehran favors Syrias territorial integrity and unity and opposes any change in the borders across the region.

The Islamic Republic of Iran will keep assisting Syria in the fight against terrorism and in the establishment of security in the region, he said.

Secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani also in a meeting with Abbas deplored Washingtons double standards on terrorism, saying that the main reason behind the failure of international efforts to end the Syrian war is the United States support for terrorists.

Shamkhani said the US and some European countries should explain the link between their call for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council and the recent heavy defeats the terrorists have suffered in Syria.
Josh Williams, Sherry Pollex and Jes Ferreira recognized as 2022 Comcast Community Champion of the Year finalists Comcast is honored to announce Josh Williams, Sherry Pollex and Jes Ferreira as the finalists for the 2022 Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award.
By Dylan White dylan.white@iconicnews.ie

Works will begin next year on the realigning of the N74 at Ballyhusty over a distance of 1km all going well, the Cashel-Tipperary Municipal District monthly meeting was informed on Monday last.

Senior engineer at Arup consultants Kieran Malone said the proposed scheme will begin approximately 0.6km outside Tipperary Town through a combination of online and offline works.

Mr. Malone noted that the scheme will provide a Type 2 single carriageway, consistent with the rest of the N74. The vertical and horizontal alignments will comply with current Transport Infrastructure Ireland design standards, and will satisfy local, regional and national planning objectives.

He highlighted that the existing N74 is a legacy road, with restricted capacity due to a limited cross-section and sub-standard alignment on the section relevant to the proposed scheme.

The current road layout is not consistent with the rest of the N74 and is not considered to be fit for purpose. Existing junction visibility at a number of domestic properties is extremely limited, he stated.

He underlined that the scheme wont divide any land holdings or impact on agriculture to any major extent.

Mr. Malone said the scheme will provide an improved section of road which is fit for purpose and consistent with current design standards. The improved standard of road will enhance the connectivity between Tipperary Town and Cashel, contributing to potential development and growth. The scheme will also provide safer and more efficient accessibility to the N74 for the local community along this section of the road, greatly improving junction visibility at domestic and agricultural accesses, he continued.

Councillors Denis Leahy, John Crosse, Michael Fitzgerald and Martin Browne widely welcomed the N74 Ballyhusty realignment. Propose straight away, voiced Cllr. Leahy.

It is one of the most dangerous roads in the country, and you are risking your life every time you drive on it, Cllr. Leahy continued.

However, Cllr. Fitzgerald and Cllr. Browne questioned why only 1km of the approximately 20km long national secondary road linking the two towns was being worked on, highlighting other problem areas. Golden is a bottleneck and needs to be looked at. I hope there will be more developments and realigning of the road, Cllr. Fitzgerald expressed.

Mr. Malone added that the next step is to meet with up to 13 landowners about the acquisition of land. If there are no challenges work could start next year all going well. The scheme will cost around 1.8 million but that doesnt include land acquisition and associated costs, he concluded.
Carrick-on-Suir District Council management says it aims to start 110,000 worth of remedial works before the end of the year to help prevent a repeat of last Christmas' devastating floods in Carrick-on-Suir this winter.

The Council has received 50,000 funding to replace a culvert at Lissadell, Carrick-on-Suir that contributed to the flooding in the town last year.

A further 60,000 has been approved to upgrade the pipeline at Dove Hill near Carrick-on-Suir.

District Engineer Nicola Keating said the Council received the funding for both projects in the past month. The funding for the Lissadell culvert was obtained from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

She said the Council had surveyed the Lissadell project and she was currently trying to devise a design.

She said she would try to get the project started before the end of the year though she wasn't sure as yet whether the 50,000 would be enough to cover all the works required.

The pipeline at Dovehill was also considered a problem and it was hoped to also start work on that project by the end of the year, she added.

Cllr Kieran Bourke (FF) appealed at the meeting for the issues that caused extensive flooding of the Strand Car Park area in the town last December to be resolved as soon as possible.

"I am concerned about this heading into the winter. I know you carried out survey works at the Strand Car Park and I am aware you found issues there and sent them back to Irish Water and I am aware you are waiting for them to make a decision.

"People's homes were destroyed and these people have no insurance. They have put their homes back together again. I urge that the works be done fast," he said.

Cllr Bourke added that it was just not good enough for this project to be sitting on a desk at Irish Water.

Senior Engineer John Crowley said the Council would follow up on Cllr Bourke's concerns with Irish Water on how the project was progressing.

Fellow Carrick-on-Suir Cllr David Dunne (SF) welcomed the funding allocated for the works at Lissadell and Dove Hill but complained that councillors still hadn't received a report on what caused the flooding in Carrick last December. Nine months was a long time to wait for it, he said.

He pointed out that an OPW official spoke to councillors at the last county council meeting about the flooding in Carrick and appeared to be quoting from a report.

The picture shows the serious flooding in Carrick last winter.
Walking enthusiasts and all lovers of the outdoors can enjoy the beauty of the Comeragh Mountains and Nire Valley on October 8th and 9th at the 23rd annual Comeragh Mountains Autumn Walking Festival.

Organised by Nire Valley Failte Group, the event is certain to attract participants from far and wide to one of the most beautiful locations in Ireland.

It was started to prolong the tourist season and the organisers haven't lookedback since.

There will be three walks each day and transport will be provided as required, to and from the start.

All walks will register at Ballymacarbry Community Centre.

The schedule is -

Saturday 8th :

B+ Walk: Coumaraglin/Seefin/Coumfea Lakes.

Registration: 08.00 to 08.30

Bus to the Mar-Mar road, taking in a climb of Coumaraglin Mountain and onto Seefin, then crossing the Monavullagh Mountain Range and arrive at Coumfea Lakes, then crossing Nire River to arrive back at Nire carpark.

This walk will be approximately 6 hours duration and a high level of fitness and ability is required. Distance is 16km.

B Walk: Tour of the Lakes.

Registration: 08.30 to 09.00.

Bus to Nire Lay-by.

Starting at the Nire Layby, the walk will cross the Nire river and climb to the Sgilloge Loughs. It continues around the base of Curraghduff to the Coumalochas and then rise to Coumfea at 520m. It then descends towards Lyre and crosses the Nire river at the trailer bridge finishing at the Nire Layby.

This walk will be approximately 5 hours duration and a very good level of fitness and ability is required. Distance is 11km.

C Walk: The Gap & Sguilloge Lakes

Registration: 09.30 to 10.00

Bus to the Nire Carpark.

Walk 7km from Nire Carpark to the Gap taking in the Sguilloges and back to the carpark. Approximately 4-5 hours duration. A good level of fitness is required for this walk.

Sunday 9th

B+ WALK: Old Bridge to Ballymacarbry

Registration: 08.30 to 09.00

Bus to Clonmel. Walk 16km from The Old Bridge, Clonmel to Ballymacarbry following The Munster Way. Ascent 420m. 5-6 hrs, a high level of fitness and ability is required.

B WALK: Sguilloge Lakes/Coumlara Plateu/The Gap.

Registration: 09.00 to 09.30

Bus to Nire Carpark taking in the Sguilloge lakes and then a gentle climb to Coumlara Plateu and onto Carrignagower, then descend to the Gap and follow Boreen an Socraid to arrive back at Nire carpark.

This walk will be approximately 4.5 hours in duration and a high level of fitness and ability is required. Distance is 12km.

C WALK: Archaeological Sites / Local History Walk.

Registration: 09.30 to 10.00

Bus to Nire Road. Taking in the old village areas of Kilkeaney, Castlerea, Bennets Church, The Copper Mines & Local Grotto, walking back to the Community Centre.

Walk 9km. Duration 4-5 hours.

Ballybrien Loop Family Walk - Registration: 11.30 to 12.00

Circuit of Ballymacarbry, Ballybrien and back to the Community Centre. Approximately 2 hours. Children welcome, a walk on country lanes and forest roadways.
WASHINGTON  The Federal Housing Administration issued a proposal Tuesday that would make it easier for lenders to secure government guarantees for condominium loans.

The agency's plan would extend the recertification period for condo developments by one year to three and establish a new owner-occupancy requirement.

Currently, FHA requires 50% of condo units to be owner-occupied before the agency will approve a building and make it eligible for FHA financing.

"Through this proposed rule, FHA is specifically inviting comment on this issue and is proposing to establish an allowable range between 25% and 75%. The range allows FHA to choose a specific percentage that is responsive to future market changes," the Department of Housing and Urban Development said in a press release.

While it appears to give FHA plenty of flexibility, the National Association of Realtors is not pleased because it conflicts with changes called for in a housing reform bill passed by Congress earlier this year.

"HUD's proposed rule sets a wide potential range when compared with the 35% Congress suggested  a figure NAR believes is a more appropriate and productive threshold," said Tom Salomone, president of NAR, in a statement on Tuesday. "HUD has the authority right now to set the owner-occupancy requirement at 35% while the regulatory process moves forward, and we would urge them to consider that option rather than defer the decision for an indeterminate amount of time."

HUD tightened the FHA condominium program after the housing bust. The proposal would open the door for FHA to do so-called spot approvals, in which an FHA loan could be used to finance individual units in a condo building that has not been certified or approved for agency financing.

"While we will have to see the details, it should provide a real spark to the FHA condominium market and expand homeownership opportunities for first-time homebuyers," said Brian Chappelle, a mortgage consultant.

Scott Olson, the executive director of the Community Home Lenders Association, also welcomed FHA's decision. "CHLA commends HUD for its proposed rule to re-instate the FHA condo spot approval process, along with other important condominium provisions  all steps that CHLA has supported in order to improve access to mortgage credit for FHA condominium loans," Olson said in a statement Tuesday.

HUD also signaled that it is setting up a direct endorsement program  called DELRAP  for experienced FHA condominium lenders.

"Once the mortgagee has completed at least five DELRAP reviews to FHA's satisfaction, the mortgagee will be granted unconditional DELRAP authority and may approve condominium projects in accordance with HUD's requirements," HUD said.
Royal Bank of Scotland Group agreed to pay $1.1 billion to settle the first of three major U.S. mortgage-backed securities probes the bank must overcome before it can resume dividend payments.

The accord between the British lender and the U.S. National Credit Union Administration closes 2011 lawsuits filed in California and Kansas on behalf of two corporate credit unions, the NCUA said in a news release Tuesday. The deal is among the largest in a series of settlements in which banks have paid hundreds of millions over accusations stemming from sales that contributed to the collapse of corporate credit unions after the 2008 financial crisis.

Looming settlements for European banks over the pre-crisis sale of mortgage bonds in the U.S. have roiled markets in recent weeks and brought concerns about the health of the region's lenders back to the boil. Deutsche Bank reached a record low this week after the U.S. Department of Justice requested $14 billion to settle its probe into the lender, dragging down shares in RBS, which is awaiting its turn for negotiations.

The NCUA "intends to stay the course in fulfilling its statutory responsibilities to protect the credit union system and to pursue recoveries against financial firms that we maintain contributed to the corporate crisis," Chairman Rick Metsger said. The credit union industry regulator said it has recovered more than $4 billion in related settlements.

Edinburgh-based RBS hasn't admitted fault in this or an earlier agreement to pay $129.6 million to resolve similar lawsuit relating to two other credit unions. The lender said in a statement Tuesday that the settlement cost was "substantially" covered by its provisions and won't have a material impact on the bank's capital. RBS still faces mortgage securities disputes involving the Federal Housing Finance Agency and the Justice Department, and may need to set aside money "materially in excess" of existing provisions, it said.

Settling U.S. mortgage-backed securities probes "is the big one for us as a bank," Chief Executive Officer Ross McEwan said at a conference in London organized by Bank of America Merrill Lynch on Tuesday. The CEO said he's in talks with the FHFA over a deal, though is yet to enter formal discussions with the Justice Department.

"I would like to clean these up as quickly as we possibly can, but a lot of the timing is not in my gift," McEwan said at the conference. The 72% government-owned bank has cited the settlements as an obstacle to resuming dividend payments for the first time since the financial crisis.

For the NCUA, the payouts  including UBS Group's new agreement over Western Corporate Federal Credit Union and U.S. Central Federal Credit Union  are directed to a fund meant to handle claims stemming from the failures of five institutions that served the rest of the credit union industry.

In other settlements late last year, the NCUA got $325 million from Barclays, $225 million from Morgan Stanley and $53 million from Wells Fargo. The agency is still pursuing Credit Suisse Group and UBS with similar complaints, it said.
UK Foreign Minister Boris Johnson made this announcement during his visit to Turkey, where the Syrian conflict was on top of the talks agenda, Sputnik International reported.

"Building on UK efforts to help victims of the conflict in Syria, the Foreign Secretary pledged 1 million for de-mining projects to allow essential humanitarian and stabilisation efforts to commence in northern Syrian towns recently liberated from Daesh," the statement issued said.

Syria has been suffering from an armed conflict since March 2011, which, according to the UN, has so far claimed over 500,000 lives. Militants from various armed groups are confronting the Syrian government troops. The IS, YPG and PYD are the most active terrorist groups in Syria.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US State Secretary John Kerry highlighted the need to return to the basic principles of Russia-US agreement on improving the situation in Syria during a phone call on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry said, Sputnik reported.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  According to the statement, Lavrov emphasized that some of the so-called moderate opposition groups, sponsored by the United States, joined al-Nusra Front terrorists instead of abiding by the ceasefire regime.

Lavrov reiterated Moscows call on Washington to fulfill its commitments to separate moderate opposition units from terrorist groups.

"[Lavrov and Kerry] discussed the opportunity of exerting influence over the situation in Aleppo to improve it by returning to basic principles of Russia-US agreements on the Syrian conflict settlement," the ministry said in a statement.

Over the last several days, the ceasefire in Syria has teetered on the verge of collapse. Fighting in Aleppo intensified after the Syrian army declared an end to the week-long ceasefire on Friday, blaming rebels for numerous violations that made the cessation of hostilities untenable.

On Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry released the full text of the Russia-US deal on Syria brokered by Kerry and Lavrov earlier this month over Washington's failure to implement its part of the agreement.

Commenting on the release of the document, the foreign ministry said that it had proposed to make the document public, however, Washington refused to do so. The move caused "some questions about whether the US is sincere or not."
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Another cleansing of supporters of the movement of Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of organizing the July 15 military coup attempt in Turkey, will be held in the Turkish Armed Forces, the Turkish Aksam newspaper reported Sept. 28.

The operation is expected to start next week.

According to the newspaper, after the military coup, 4,545 servicemen were dismissed as a part of the fight against the Gulen movement.

On July 15 evening, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country. Meanwhile, a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them.

However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed.

Earlier, Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the death toll as a result of the coup attempt stood at 246 people, excluding the coup plotters, and over 2,000 people were wounded.

Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency in Turkey on July 20.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Turkey's top security body on Wednesday advised extending the country's ongoing state of emergency, according to initial reports from a meeting in the Turkish capital, Anadolu reported.

The National Security Council, which convened on Wednesday in Ankara under the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, made a number of statements on the July 15 coup attempt, Turkey's Syria policy and counter-terrorism.

During the almost six-hour meeting, the council offered to extend the state of emergency beyond its initial three-month period.

After the deadly coup attempt, which martyred more than 240 people and injured nearly 2,200 others, Turkey declared a state of emergency on July 20.

According to the Turkish Constitution, a state of emergency can be declared for a maximum period of six months.

To enact the state of emergency, the government must see serious indications of widespread violence which could interfere with Turkey's democratic environment or its citizens' basic rights and freedoms as established by the Constitution.

Following the initial declaration of a state of emergency, opposition leaders expressed doubts about the decree laws being passed too rapidly.

Opposition Republican Peoples Party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu argued that the government was trying to "reshape" the state while "excluding the society which opposed the failed coup".

The National Security Council also insisted on a "terror-free zone" and a "no-fly zone" in the north of Syria as well as declaring July 15 as a Day of Democracy and Freedom in Turkey.
NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown on Tuesday (27 September 2016) in recognition of his years of distinguished service for the Alliance. The award ceremony was led by Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Didier Reynders, at the Cercle de Lorraine.

As one of Belgiums highest honours, the Grand Cross recognises exceptional public service. Accepting the award, Ambassador Vershbow spoke of his ten-year career in Belgium, and praised the growth of the European project. From Herman Van Rompuy to the great Paul-Henri Spaak, Belgian politicians have been at the heart of nurturing and growing Europe from the ashes of the Second World War to what it is today: a place of peace, of friendships across borders and of greater prosperity, he said. The Deputy Secretary General stressed that Belgium has been a strong and committed host, member and friend to NATO.

After ten years with the Alliance, Ambassador Vershbow will leave NATO in October, to be succeeded by Rose Gottemoeller.
Generic or brand-name?

CEO's mother abused power

(NaturalNews) The scope of the EpiPen pricing scandal continues to widen, with new questions arising regarding antitrust violations, Medicaid fraud and collusion with state education boards.EpiPen is an epinephrine injection device that has been marketed by drug company Mylan since 2007, to be used in the case of life-threatening anaphylactic allergic reactions. Since acquiring the rights to EpiPen, Mylan has jacked up the price of the drug by more than 500 percent, with a corresponding explosion in company profits and CEO salaries.At the same time, families have increasingly found themselves unable to afford the life-saving drug. The Mylan EpiPen scandal has garnered nationwide attention. It has been widely interpreted as an iconic case of the type of price gouging regularly engaged in by Big Pharma While most discourse has centered on the scandal's ethical components, it is the legal aspects that have recently concerned government officials. On September 20, the attorney general of West Virginia confirmed that the state is investigating Mylan for antitrust violations and Medicaid fraud. The state appealed to the courts after Mylan failed to respond to a subpoena by the deadline.Mylan is based in West Virginia, which is also the home of company CEO Heather Bresch. Bresch's father, Joe Manchin, is a former West Virginia governor, and now represents the state in the U.S. Senate.The attorney general believes that Mylan underpaid the Bureau for Medical Services (BMS) by having EpiPen classified as a "non-innovator" drug, a category typically reserved for generic products. But EpiPen is not a generic product, hence Mylan's ability to drive the price up to astronomical levels  all while paying a low, generic rebate price.West Virginia is also investigating Mylan for antitrust violations for suing competing company Teva Pharmaceuticals in 2012 to prevent it from bringing a generic version of EpiPen to market.Mylan controls 90 percent of the country's epinephrine auto-injector market.On September 21, Bresch appeared in Washington, D.C., before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to answer questions about EpiPen's pricing . The hearing was marked by Bresch being taken to task for flying on a private jet while her company price-gouges children with deadly allergies, as well as her failure to answer even the most basic questions about the company's EpiPen expenses or profits. Bresch had failed to bring the information requested by Congress, and did not know it off the top of her head.FDA deputy director Doug Throckmorton also drew Congressional ire for refusing to answer how many applications the agency is currently considering for EpiPen competitors, claiming he was legally barred from giving out that information in a public forum.In a particularly bizarre twist, Bresch kept insisting that Mylan has saved the country $180 billion in medical expenses, but without providing any details to back up this number.Many of the questions centered on Mylan's lobbying efforts to get Congress and state governments to incentivize schools to stock EpiPens. Members of Congress noted that Bresch's mother, Gayle Manchin, served as president of the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) at the same time that Mylan launched its EpiPen4Schools plan, with attendant lobbying efforts  and eventual action by Congress.Rep. Tammy Duckworth expressed anger that schools participating in the program were unaware that the president of the institution lobbying them to join was the mother of Mylan's CEO.Even Rep. Mick Mulvaney, who expressed his distaste for government intervention in a private company's pricing decisions, told Bresch that Mylan had only itself to blame for facing Congressional inquiry."If you want to come to Washington, if you want to come to the state capitol and lobby us to make us buy your stuff, this is what you get," he said. "You get a level of scrutiny and a level of treatment that would ordinarily curl my hair, but you asked for it!"Bresch and Throckmorton have 10 days to provide the information that they failed to supply at the hearing.
(NaturalNews) In 2014, the term "fracking" was unfamiliar to many residents of St. Tammany Parish. But, over the last two and a half years, the oil drilling project planned for the parish has gained enough notoriety that it's now a household word.Helis Oil & Gas Co.'s fracking project has been the subject of great controversy basically ever since its plans for drilling and hydraulic fracturing became public knowledge. These last two years or so have been incredibly tumultuous, filled with courtroom disputes and emotional public hearings. Many people who opposed the project, fearing it would create irreparable damage to the North Shore's beautiful environment, expressed a mix of anger and tearful despair.After two and a half years of battling it out, this weight hanging on the shoulders of the St. Tammany community has finally been lifted. On September 20th, Helis announced that they would be abandoning their fracking project. The ABC affiliatereports that the oil company has cited "a lack of commercial viability" as one of the primary reasons for ending their drilling efforts.reports that while Helis did find oil at the drill site, there simply wasn't enough of it to be considered a worthy investment.While this is great news for St. Tammany, it is sad that the only reason this turmoil has ended is because the site lacked the ability to provide financial gains for Helis, rather than because of the huge community uproar. You see, Helis had hoped to find a large enough amount of oil to sustain the company long-term. And as spokesman Greg Beuerman said, "This particular lease did not hold those qualities." So, ultimately, the company decided to cease the operation rather than spend another $8 million or so on drilling for the minute amount of oil they would likely find.Regardless of why the decision was finally made, the people of St. Tammany are very pleased with the outcome. Parish Councilman Jake Groby, who strongly opposed the drilling project told, "I'm having a great morning. I think it's very good news for the citizens of St. Tammany who were concerned about their water quality, their land quality and air quality." Groby notes that Helis could never have guaranteed that there would be no industrial accidents, which would have been catastrophic for the community and surrounding environment.One of the biggest concerns was the drill site's proximity to a local school. St. Tammany Parish and the Concerned Citizens group tried to block Helis with their zoning regulations  the drill site was actually zoned for residential use. However, in an unsurprising turn of events, the Louisiana district court in Baton Rouge chose to side with Helis instead of their own people. According to the court, state laws trump local zoning laws, which led to the state Supreme Court declining to take up the case. This is the kind of thing we should be fighting, rather than fighting each other. How can a state say local governments do not have the right to protest and fight against things like this? What right does an oil company have to set up shop next to a high school? Those kids have rights, too  the right to not be subjected to a toxin-filled environment while they're at school!Local governments and communities should have the right to protect their children. Fracking is known to contaminate drinking water; studies by the EPA itself recently confirmed that. Kids should at least have access to clean water when they are at school  there'sexcuse for the state's decision to stand by Big Oil in this matter.Parish President Pat Brister released a statement thanking Helis for being responsible and respectful throughout the two-year ordeal.Brister also poignantly commented, "Unfortunately, it cost the taxpayers several hundred thousand dollars in legal bills to confirm that the oil exploration permitting process is, and will continue to be, a state issue. If there are groups that want to stop oil exploration in our state, they must begin the process to change laws through the State Legislature."
Poor ventilation in office buildings may lead to respiratory issues, stress and other health problems

Work productivity harmed by unhealthy work environments, says doctor

UAE has poor air quality standards compared to western nations

(NaturalNews) Working in an office has its downsides. For one, it leads to a sedentary lifestyle, which increases the risk for certain cancers and cardiovascular disease, as well as obesity, anxiety and depression. But working indoors all days may also cause other health problems. Not having adequate access to fresh or well ventilated air poses additional risks, which some workers in Abu Dhabi are experiencing.Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates and is known for its lucrative oil exports and mega shopping centers.Local reports confirm that dozens of office workers are having to visit the doctor frequently due to symptoms such as itchy eyes, sore throats, headaches, trouble breathing and skin problems. Doctors say the health problems are a result of "Sick Building Syndrome (SBS).Sick Building Syndrome is when a structure has poor ventilation, and as a result, increases the amount of dust particles , fungi spores and other airborne particles in the air. The condition leads to "unhealthy or stressful factors," according to"Sick Building Syndrome is very common in the UAE and other fast-growing countries," said Trilok Chand, a doctor specializing in respiratory medicine at Burjeel Hospital. The facility is the largest private hospital in Abu Dhabi."The reason is often poor ventilation in these buildings, while leaks and other water issues can carry bacterial infections such as fungus," Chand toldChand, who sees about 12 patients a month suffering from respiratory issues , said Sick Building Syndrome is the most severe among individuals with asthma and others with preexisting lung conditions."Such symptoms are common in my clinic. Patients explain how they feel better once they are outside their work building," he said.In addition to poor air quality inside some office buildings, Chand said other factors such as heavy workloads, stressful work environments and being on the computer for too long compound the symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome.The aforementioned factors not only impact employees' health, but also decrease work productivity, he added.Evidently, Sick Building Syndrome is common in the United Arab Emirates, according to Dr. Lakshmi Chembolli, a dermatologist at Medeor Medical Centre, located in downtown Dubai."We are all behind closed doors and in a ventilated environment all day," said Chembolli. "We do not have fresh ventilation, either at home or at work."It is of great importance in the UAE and it requires greater education. We need to be aware of it to observe and diagnose these problems, because they have big symptoms," she said.The disease can be especially harmful because people don't know it is, and little is understood about in the medical community, said Chembolli."People don't know what the problem is. They cannot relate to something that is invisible and odourless."She says action needs to be taken and standards raised regarding air quality in office buildings."We need to have an environmental protection certification for office buildings to certify that the ventilation quality is on a par with accepted standards."Chembolli points out that such standards exist in other places, so why not in the UAE?"In America and European countries they have this in place, so we should try to have some guidelines in the UAE as well, because many people spend the majority of their life in an office," she said.Stressful work environments and office politics play a role, too, said Chembolli.Employees may reduce spread of the disease by practicing good hygiene such as frequent hand washing with warm soap and water, said Dr. Hossameldin Saad, a specialist in pulmonary medicine at Medeor Hospital."Transmission of infectious respiratory diseases from one person to another can be greatly reduced by hand washing frequently with soap and warm water  one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of illness."Staying home sick when you're feeling ill is an important way to keep others in the office healthy , he added.Sources:
FluMist developer cannot be trusted

Live viral shedding makes FluMist a danger to others, especially the immune-compromised

Vaccines focus only on one factor of immunity: exposure

(NaturalNews) When medical doctors begin warning about the uselessness of certain vaccines , it becomes clear that the vaccine was never proven effective in clinical trials to begin with. If the vaccines in question were never proven effective before being rushed to market, then wouldn't that mean these products are just live experiments on the population? If the effectiveness of the vaccine is practically nonexistent, and the scientific process abandoned, how can people trust that it is even safe for them?FluMist, the only flu vaccine that is taken orally, is essentially a con, offering no real protection from real world flu viruses. Even the governing body over vaccine supply, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), declined to recommend FluMist in June 2015, after it became clear that the product had only proven to be 3 percent effective over the previous three years.Now in 2016, the ACIP is saying the same thing: FluMist is practically useless. Clinics are no longer ordering it, and distribution companies aren't even offering it to pharmacies. The consensus among pediatricians is for kids to skip FluMist, even though it is much easier to administer than actual flu shots.Now that the CDC has warned that the past years' flu shots are less than 50 percent effective for predicting the circulating strains, many people are opting out."We need to recognize that the influenza virus is totally unpredictable," admits Dr. Henry Bernstein of Cohen's Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York."There are multiple influenza virus strains. We don't know which ones are going to predominate from one season to next. We don't know which ones are going to be more common in certain communities."Even so, flu shots are still widely recommended. They are so highly recommended in fact, that doctors even push pregnant women to take them, without any safety studies to back up that this practice is safe for the developing fetus.AstraZeneca, the maker of FluMist, denies the claim that FluMist is ineffective; they even cited a Canadian study to prove that the drug is as effective as a flu shot (which still gives the product no merit at all). AstraZeneca cannot be trusted to provide good medicine anyway. After all, they are the developers of Nexium, which has faced numerous lawsuits from hundreds of victims who now have chronic kidney disease, renal failure and kidney failure thanks to the drug.Another 20,000 or more plaintiff groups have taken on AstraZeneca in court over another of the company's drugs, Seroquel. This drug causes patients to suffer from rapid weight gain, hyperglycemia and diabetes. So when AstraZeneca denies the ineffectiveness of FluMist and disputes the CDC's findings, they can only be seen as fighting arrogantly for another one of their worthless, harmful products.FluMist is produced with four "live" flu virus strains. Since it contains live virus strains, this vaccine is theoretically a threat to people with compromised immune systems who may be randomly subjected to the live viruses in their environment. Live virus vaccines shed for many weeks after a person is vaccinated, and this shedding may expose others to the viruses. Kids with asthma are put at risk, because these vaccine viruses draws a strong immune response from them, which easily leads to respiratory complications.Instead of promising fake vaccine protection, isn't it time we started viewing human immunity as more than something that can be controlled by exposure shots alone? For the sake of the elderly and immune-compromised patients who die from the complications of the flu every year, isn't it time we focused on the other more important factors for strengthening human immunity Vaccines only focus on one aspect of human immunity: exposure to pathogens. These singular exposures rely on predictions from the pharmaceutical companies who grow the viruses in aborted fetal cell lines or animal cells. By nature, the guesswork protection wears off both quickly and unpredictably, leading to new outbreaks and mutating viruses.There are several processes going on in the body that work together to provide immunity from disease. Interconnected systems of the human body are always at work, all the way down to individual cells and the mitochondrial ability to produce energy. For these natural systems to work optimally, they require diverse nutritional input, microbial utilization of nutritional components, management of waste through the lymph system, and strong emotions that can manage stress and internal conditions which are burdened by toxin overload. The irony in all this is that vaccines actually increase the toxin overload on the person's overall immune system, thereby weakening it.
Brazilian doctors admit birth defects may be tied to something other than Zika virus

New study finds no link between Zika and birth defects

Larvicide may be linked to birth defects

(NaturalNews) Evidence that the Zika virus causes birth defects is weak at best, as most studies linking the two are based on "epidemiological statistics, not rigorous scientific studies of cause and effect," as the Health Ranger observed in recent months.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that Zika, transmitted primarily through themosquito, can be passed from a pregnant women to her fetus, resulting in an infection that may cause certain birth defects.The agency maintains that a Zika infection during pregnancy can result in microcephaly, a severe birth defect causing decreased head circumference and smaller brain size.The link between Zika and birth defects came into question over the summer months, after doctors in Brazil admitted that another cause may be to blame because the expected outbreak of defects never occurred."We suspect that something more than Zika virus is causing the high intensity and severity of cases," Fatima Marinho, director of information and health analysis at Brazil's Health Ministry, told the journalZika infections continued to rise, but birth defects did not, according to reports.Planned Parenthood joined the controversy looking to capitalize on the Zika hysteria. It quickly began advocating for abortions among women purportedly at risk for infection. Already, the agency has launched efforts in Miami, going door-to-door offering information about abortion services."Planned Parenthood and the rest of the abortion industry were quick to insert themselves into the medical crisis because they're absolutely desperate to link abortion to any perceived common good and they thought the Zika virus was their ride to glory,"reports.Now, a new and more expansive study has been released, finding that the Zika birth defect link may be premature.Published in the, the research observed nearly 12,000 pregnant women infected with Zika living in Colombia. None of them had given birth to a baby with microcephaly."Four cases of microcephaly were reported with women who didn't have Zika symptoms and were not part of the study, which is consistent with the normal expected number of cases,"reports."Based on estimated numbers there should be about 60,000 pregnant women in Colombia with the Zika virus, yet there are hardly any cases of microcephaly. If the link to Zika is legitimate, there should have been a dramatic increase in the number of babies with microcephaly."Experts are now left wondering what the actual cause may be. Some theorize that pesticides could be the culprit , since these are widely and recklessly used in South America, including Brazil, the birth defect epicenter.One of the chemicals of most concern is pyriproxyfen , a larvicide that kills mosquitoes by interfering with their reproductive development. The chemical possibly has an effect on developing babies, as well.Furthermore, pyriproxyfen was applied in areas with concentrated rates of microcephaly. The chemical was even put into the drinking water in Pernambuco, a state in Brazil at the center of the epidemic."The chemical was sprayed and added to the water just before the outbreak of microcephaly,"adds."These early findings aren't conclusive, but they do open the distinct possibility that Zika may not be the cause of the increase in microcephaly cases. We must follow the research to see where it leads and respond effectively while we protect pregnant women and their unborn babies regardless of the child's disability."
The path to understanding dark energy begins with a single question: has it always been the same throughout the history of the Universe?

It outweighs everything else in existence, it governs the fate of the Universe and it cannot be explained by known physics. Credit: Reidar Hahn

Dark energy is the name physicists use for whatever substance, force or property of space is messing with the Universe, making its expansion accelerate. As yet, we know almost nothing about it, which has allowed theories about it to multiply uncontrolled. But astronomers are training an impressive array of instruments on the problem. Telescopes and radio detectors are tracing out more and more of the Universe in the hope of finding a fingerprint of dark energy. Space agencies are planning two missions to examine the stuff. The most violent of all stellar explosions could provide insight into its influence on the early Universe. And a new branch of astronomy may also have a part to play, as gravitational-wave detectors begin to listen for the effect of dark energy on the echoes of colliding black holes. NASA plans to launch WFIRST in the mid-2020s. Credit: NASA

Unlike the search for dark matter (see page S194), this quest is a young one. Scientists have known since the late 1920s that the Universe is expanding, but it was assumed that expansion must be slowing down, as the force of gravity between galaxies and other matter puts on the brakes. In 1998, two teams found quite the opposite. They had been searching for stellar explosions of a particular type  type Ia supernovae, which occur when white-dwarf stars undergo a runaway nuclear reaction. The intrinsic brightness of a type Ia is fixed by how fast its light fades  brighter ones burn more briefly. So by counting how many days a type Ia takes to fade, you can work out how much light the explosion emitted; then, by measuring its apparent brightness at Earth, you can calculate how far away the supernova really is and how long the light has been travelling. This type of cosmological probe is called a standard candle.

Part of Nature Outlook: Dark Universe Astronomers also measure each supernova's redshift. This is the amount by which the wavelength of light has been stretched out since it was emitted, which reveals the degree by which space has expanded. Combining these observations allows astronomers to determine the expansion of the Universe over time  that is how both teams discovered that the speed of expansion is not slowing, but accelerating. Their conclusion: something seems to be overpowering the attraction of gravity.

An enduring puzzle

That something, now known as dark energy, is shrouded in mystery. All we know is that it has the peculiar property of pushing outwards, unlike gravity, which was thought to be the dominant cosmic force. Now astronomers want to find out whether this enigmatic phenomenon changes across time. They have begun to look even more closely at how the Universe has expanded  some by refining the use of supernova standard candles, others by devising new cosmological tools. An image of the spiral galaxy Spanish Dancer in the constellation Dorado, taken by the Dark Energy Survey. Credit: The Dark Energy Survey Collaboration

So far, the most effective tool is based on cosmic sound waves. Shortly after the Big Bang, the Universe was filled with an elastic mixture of ions, electrons and radiation. Small density anomalies (created by quantum fluctuations in the first 1032 seconds of the life of the Universe) gave this cosmic bell a tap, sending sound waves rippling outwards. After about 400,000 years, the Universe had cooled enough for ions to capture loose electrons. Because the resulting neutral atoms were transparent to radiation, letting photons whizz by them, the mixture was no longer elastic. And because sound needs an elastic medium to travel, the primordial sound waves were halted, imprinting an indelible pattern on the large-scale structure of the Universe. So instead of being positioned entirely at random, galaxies have a slight tendency to be spaced at regular intervals. The characteristic distance has been growing as the Universe expands, and stands at about 500 million light years (153 megaparsec) today.

Just as supernovae work as standard candles, these baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs) can act as standard rulers. Mark the position of enough galaxies and you can measure the apparent size of BAOs. Compare that with the size predicted by their redshift, and you can work out how far away these particular BAOs are. By measuring the redshift of these galaxies, and plotting that against distance, it is possible to reveal how the expansion of space has behaved through cosmic history.

The best view yet of BAOs was revealed in July by a Sloan Digital Sky Survey programme called the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). This is the largest such galaxy survey yet. This technique is really coming into its own, says Saul Perlmutter, a physicist at the University of California, Berkeley, who led one of the teams that discovered dark energy in 1998 and who received a share of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics along with Adam Riess and Brian Schmidt (see page S205) for the work.

As well as backing up the supernova results with independent evidence that expansion is accelerating, the BOSS data give some clues about how dark energy behaves. And the pattern of acceleration suggests that if dark energy is changing, it is not changing very fast.

The constant makes theory seem bizarrely asymmetric.

For now, that's a conclusion that seems to favour a candidate for dark energy known as the cosmological constant. In the 1920s, Einstein toyed with adding a constant term to his equations of general relativity  equivalent to giving empty space its own energy. According to general relativity, this cosmological constant would indeed oppose the force of ordinary gravity. Einstein originally tuned the value of the constant to create a balanced, static model Universe. But in 1929, Edwin Hubble showed that distant galaxies are receding from us, and astronomers realized that the Universe is actually expanding. Einstein ditched the constant. Now, however, with evidence that Universal expansion is accelerating, the cosmological constant has come back into contention.

Energetic mystery

The question is why the vacuum of space should have energy at all. Quantum-field theory posits a profusion of virtual particles that briefly come into existence and then disappear  a seemingly outrageous idea, but one that has allowed quantum theorists to make extremely accurate predictions of how ordinary particles interact. These virtual particles could be behind dark energy's repulsive force.

But it's hard to make the numbers stack up. The vacuum energy needed to produce the observed cosmic acceleration is about 1 joule per cubic kilometre of space; the simplest version of quantum-field theory adds up the energy of those virtual particles to give a value about 120 orders of magnitude higher than that. Such dense vacuum energy would rapidly rip the Universe to shreds, and plainly that has not happened.

Perhaps scientists are missing something. As-yet-undiscovered particles could cancel out the energy supplied by known particles. But, although it is simple to devise a theory that makes the value zero, it is hard to almost-but-not-exactly cancel out a huge number to leave the small required value of vacuum energy. The cosmological constant is an odd beast, says Perlmutter. It makes the theory seem bizarrely asymmetric.

So, although the cosmological constant remains the front-runner, theorists have been busy devising alternative forms of dark energy. Some have created new theories of gravity, similar to general relativity, but generating repulsion on very large scales. Others posit some kind of space-filling fluid, sometimes called quintessence, which acts a little like the cosmological constant, but slowly changes in density. Whatever the answer, dark energy is key to opening a window on a completely unexplored region of fundamental physics, says Mark Trodden, a theoretical cosmologist and director of the Penn Center for Particle Cosmology in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Finding the answer would not only change the view of nature, but also foretell the fate of the Universe (see 'Dark futures').

Star surveys

A slew of projects are preparing to gaze more deeply into the dark enigma, and work out whether dark energy really has always been the same across the Universe. The Dark Energy Survey (DES) has already begun, using the Victor M. Blanco telescope in Chile to scan a swathe of the southern sky, observing supernovae and cataloguing more than 200 million galaxies. Early in 2017, an even bigger survey  the Javalambre Physics of the Accelerating Universe Astrophysical Survey (J-PAS) near Teruel, Spain  should start drawing its own 3D map of the Universe to reveal BAOs. It will cover much of the northern sky and analyse up to 500 million galaxies with an innovative instrument that uses 56 colour filters to reveal redshift.

Meanwhile, in western Canada, a very different instrument is beginning to take shape. The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) near Penticton in British Columbia is an unusual radio telescope built from a series of half pipes, like a giant skateboard park. It gathers radio waves from along a northsouth line that sweeps around as Earth rotates to build up a picture of the sky.

CHIME is built to pick up the waves emitted by cool hydrogen gas. Like galaxies, this carries the imprint of ancient acoustic oscillations. It might even reveal BAOs better than galaxy surveys, because galaxies are the result of relatively complex processes, whereas gas follows the original sound waves more directly. It is a very clean measurement, says principal investigator Mark Halpern. And its simplicity makes the instrument relatively cheap at Can$10 million (US$7.8 million). CHIME is a stunning bargain, says Halpern, an experimental cosmologist at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

Over the next decade, spacecraft and giant ground-based telescopes with much bigger budgets are expected to join the hunt for dark energy. Between them, these big projects, along with DES and J-PAS, will wield four cosmic tools. As well as spotting supernovae and plotting BAOs, they will also measure gravitational lensing and catalogue clusters of galaxies. Clusters are pulled together by gravity, so their growth could reveal whether the force of gravity begins to change at large scales. And gravitational lensing, the bending of distant images by intervening matter, produces subtle patterns in the orientation of galaxies. Seeing how these patterns vary over cosmic time could reveal changes in dark energy.

The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope will be like DES on steroids.

Starting in about 2023, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) in Chile promises to find huge numbers of supernovae and pinpoint billions of galaxies to trace BAOs, cluster growth and lensing. LSST will be like DES on steroids, says DES director Josh Frieman. The European Space Agency's Euclid mission, scheduled to launch in 2020, will also make use of gravitational lensing. Above the blurring caused by Earth's atmosphere, Euclid's sharp vision will be better able to spot the orientation of lensed galaxies. It will also be able to collect near-infrared light that is blocked by the atmosphere. NASA plans to launch a similar mission, WFIRST, sometime in the mid-2020s. WFIRST will have even sharper vision than Euclid, because it is based around a larger, 2.4-metre mirror  a piece of optics donated by the US National Reconnaissance Office, which runs the country's intelligence satellites. That was an unusual technology-repurposing game, says Perlmutter.

Burst of ideas

Even with so many eyes on the sky, dark energy may remain elusive. So some astronomers are looking at more outlandish probes of the cosmos. Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are flashes of high-energy radiation from the distant Universe. Many are thought to be caused when the core of a massive star collapses to form a black hole or neutron star. At Stanford University in California, Maria Dainotti wants to use GRBs as a new type of standard candle. This seems like a difficult task because these bursts are infamously diverse, flashing and fading seemingly without any pattern. If you have seen one GRB, you have seen one GRB, says Dainotti. But in 2008, she found that among certain GRBs, for which emission falls to a plateau and then drops off again, a shorter plateau means a brighter burst (M. G. Dainotti et al. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 391, L79L83; 2008).

Dainotti is cautious about using GRBs for precision cosmology just yet, partly because there is not yet a clear physical reason for her correlations. Researchers don't yet know what is going on inside GRBs when the star's core collapses  the high-energy emission could be generated by a rapidly spinning neutron star or by material falling into a newborn black hole.

But when the theory is better established, bursts such as this could illuminate the early days of dark energy. GRBs are much brighter than type Ia supernovae, so they could be used to see farther and trace expansion back to when the Universe was less than one billion years old. If dark energy is changing its nature, then that distant view may be crucial.

Gravity drops in

It may be that a new kind of astronomy will be needed to crack the dark enigma. In 2016, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) collaboration finally announced the detection of travelling distortions of space-time known as gravitational waves, predicted by Einstein a century ago (see page S200). A distinctive chirp lasting a fraction of a second was the echo of colliding black holes, which more than one billion years ago shook the fabric of space-time as the black holes spiralled in and merged with each other.

With gravitational waves like these, we could measure distance, says Stephen Fairhurst, a physicist at the University of Cardiff, UK, and a member of the LIGO collaboration. The shape of the waves reveals the mass of the black holes and the total energy emitted. Combine that with the strength of the waves as they reach Earth, and you can work out the distance.

However, plotting the expansion history would also require finding the redshift, which is trickier. It may be possible to find the host galaxy of one of these events and use its light to reveal the redshift, although the host could be one of many galaxies in a broad target area, because gravitational-wave detectors cannot yet pinpoint direction precisely (see page S198). If all these many and varied tools find no change in the behaviour of dark energy, researchers may have little choice but to give up and embrace the cosmological constant. The moment we find ourselves accepting the cosmological constant will be when theory makes a convincing predictive step, says Perlmutter. For example, a theory might predict a new class of particles to curb the cosmological constant, and these particles might then be detected by the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, Europe's particle-physics laboratory.

Physicists are fond of weirdness, so most will probably be hoping for the other outcome: that most of the substance of our Universe is an evolving thing that is even stranger than vacuum energy. If the source of acceleration is found to be either a new energy field or a modification of gravity, the consequences will be profound. It could cause us to rethink how gravity and particle physics interact, says Trodden. Finding a particle-based description of gravity has obsessed theoretical physicists since Einstein. To finally manage it, we may have to abandon his cosmological constant for the second time.

View from a Lindau Young Scientist

Finding that dark energy is not a cosmological constant would be huge. Many experiments have been designed to find a discrepancy, and all have failed. But we must continue to explore alternative theories, because we cannot explain the magnitude of the observed value of the cosmological constant. I'm trying to use cosmic structures like galaxy clusters to test dark energy on smaller scales, which I hope will allow us to exclude some of the alternative models.
Mankind has always been so fascinated in finding more about Earth's neighboring planets, including the search for alien life. However, NASA is concerned that the recent attempts to investigate Mars might also contaminate the special regions where it is most likely to find alien life.

"If we're going to look for life on Mars, it would be really kind of lame to bring to Earth life and find that instead," Cassie Conley, NASA's planetary protection officer said in an interview with New York Times. Conley's job as a planetary protection officer is to ensure that Mars stays pristine as possible for the benefit of both Earth and the red planet.

Humans carry microbes everywhere they go, even in space. This is where the fear of contaminating Mars comes from. A recent study by NASA is looking into fungi grown from microbes collected from the International Space Station (ISS). The microbes are believed to be remnants of the 200 astronauts that crossed the Earth's atmosphere to space. The study is being conducted in preparation for the upcoming journey to Mars, and to prevent potential Mars contamination due to the search for life. NASA is concerned that some invasive microbes might travel to Mars during the mission and then thrive on the red planet.

Experts say that human presence or even robotic ones might disrupt the natural order of Earth's neighboring planets including Mars. The robotic presence might attract invasive microbes that can potentially contaminate the red planet. For years, more and more landers and machines landed and operate on the red planet. Aside from carrying equipment for scientific puposes, microbes might have hitch hiked with the spacecraft from the base on Earth and landed on the red planet as well. Conley's job is to make sure that none of this happens.

Although NASA already assured that it is "highly unlikely" for Mars to sustain and cultivate life, discussions on messing up the hunt for life haven't stopped yet. Some argue that even though the scenario is less likely to happen if there will be an increased artificial and robotic presence on Mars, the risk of contamination is also high.

NASA had also identified regions in Mars that can potentially hold Earth life, according to National Geographic. These areas are highly protected because of its potential and its would-be contribution to the scientific community. What worries the experts is that potential Martian areas to hold Earth life is the same as the special regions where man are likely to find Martian life. Thus, contaminating the said areas will mean a dimmer chance of finding alien life.

But according to Conley, Mars is still pretty clean and the moment and the scheduled missions to Mars are preparing new and innovative tools to help preserve the natural order in Mars so as not to contaminate any regions on the red planet, special or not.
A 17-year-old surfer survived from an attack of a great white shark. The incident happened last Monday at Ballina's Lighthouse Beach in Australia, which incidentally is the same beach where a Japanese surfer was mauled by a shark last year.

According to CBS News, the teenager was in the beach surfing as it was the first day of summer holiday. David Wright, Ballina's mayor, said that the shark's lower teeth sunk deep into the surfboard's fiberglass while its lower teeth bit the boy's lower body parts.

The white shark came from behind and bit off the surfboard's fins, the teenager's right hip and his right thigh. He was laying on the board, paddling, when the the shark struck him. Lifeguards saw the attack and they rushed to rescue the teenager from being mauled by the shark. The boy was then taken to the ambulance, which went to the Lismore Base Hospital.

"The shark lacerated his leg in three or four places fairly deep," Wright said. "He should be okay. It was very close to his artery."

3.5m White shark spotted at Lighthouse Beach by NSWDPI aerial team pushed out to sea after attack on male surfer pic.twitter.com/r1NNYIGwMN  SharkSmart (@NSWSharkSmart) September 26, 2016

Witnesses presumed that it was a 10-foot great white shark that attacked the boy. Luckily, the teenager, who is also a Ballina resident, recovered from his injuries and was in a stable condition. He even joked around the correspondents, telling them not to inform his mother about the incident, according to the Sydney Morning Herald report.

There have been four shark attacks in the Ballina area requiring hospital treatment since that tragedy and many more near misses, Wright said.

A 770-yard nylon shark barrier was supposed to be put along the waters off Lighthouse Beach to keep people away from sharks, but the state government abandoned the said plan last month. There are already three attempted trials that "identified significant installation and maintenance issue," the government said.

The mayor said that he is already in discussion with the state government to fund surveillance drones to monitor the beaches. Ballina's tourism dwindling tourism could be further affected by this recent shark attack.

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New guidelines are released by the NFSC for evaluation of food quality. (Photo : Getty Images)

The Chinese State Council released new guidelines for the review of food quality and handling. These rules were created so that consumers will be protected and ensure that food sold is safe.



These guidelines, to be implemented by the National Food Safety Commission (NFSC), will require food manufacturers to submit an annual evaluation of each locality and the NFSC will determine if an investigation is needed.



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The grading system follows a rating of A, B, or C. The lowest grade of "C" means that a locality had significant or repeated food safety accidents.



Establishments which perform well will be given commendations while violators will be investigated. Officials of such localities will be given incentives for good performance.



Local officials who are part of areas with repeated offenses will have career consequences.



It is not clear, however, how central government officials will have points deductions in cases of bad performance. The new guidelines aim to encourage good performance and effective management skills among local leaders.



Local food stalls should also be regulated, according to the government. There are about 400,000 food stalls with personnel less than 10.



Chen Xu, deputy chief for legal affairs at China Food and Drug Administration, said, China has more than 400,000 small food workshops, most of them with fewer than 10 workers, but they are not effectively regulated."



He added, "Such workshops and food stalls, many of them family-owned, usually lack adequate facilities for food processing and sanitary conditions are not satisfactory. But they are not effectively managed due to the fact that there are so many of them and sparsely located."



The deputy chief said that more legislation should be put into food safety.


An ancient melody of hymn found in a clay tablet in Syria in 1950 has been reconstructed recently and we can now hear how enchanting its melody is. Known today as Hurrian Hymn -- the melody was inscriberd on the ancient tablet now known as H6. It is the only one of the other 29 tablets found in the ruins of the ancient city of Ugarit, which is now situated in the northern- region of the present day Syria.

Dating almost 3,500 years, Hurrian Hymn even predates the earliest known conception of music notation, which was believed to have been devised in 1000 A.D. Hurrian Hymn is dedicated to goddess named Nikkal, the deity of orchards for the Akkadians. She was also worshiped by the Canaanites, Phoenicians and even Sumerians, according to The New Historian.

Dr. Richard Dumbrill from the University of London confirmed in a Youtube video that the tablets were made during 1,400 BCE and the inscriptions were written by the Akkadians.

The H6 tablet is the only preserved one of the 29 tablets found in Ugarit. The experts reconstructed the melody by distinguishing the writings and notations inscribed on H6. The researchers used Professor Anne Draffkorn Kilmer's interpretation of the hymn created in 1972.

Kilmer discovered that the upper part of the tablet are the lyrics to the hymn, which indicate praises to the goddess Nikkal, while the lower part consist of notations that when played together with the syllables above, somehow matched. These notations are actually instructions on how to play the hymn. H6 specifies 9 lyre strings and the intervals in between them, that pretty much resembles a guitar tab according to Classic FM.

Michael Levy, a musician-composer who is also a research of ancient musical instruments, made his own performance of the Hurrian Hymn. He said that the discovery of the H6 and the earliest written music that even predates language is an expression made to sound, Daily Mail reports.

The tablets are now housed in The National Museum of Damasucus. Listen to the enchanting oldest melody performed by Michael Levy by watching the video below.
Scientists had since believed that methane, a potent greenhouse gas, has kept the Earth warm millions of years ago when the sun was dimmer. However, a new study suggests otherwise.

After simulating the ancient environment, the Alternative Earths team of the NASA Astrobiology Institute found that high amounts of sulfate and limited oxygen have kept methane levels low around 1.8 billion to 800 million years ago. Greenhouse gases such as methane played an important role for microscopic ocean dwellers during this time, as the sun was 10 to 15 percent dimmer than it is today, not enough heat to warm a planet. Earth, for instance, needed heat-trapping gases to keep its oceans from freezing up.

The long-held assumption was that methane has kept the Earth warm for most of its first 3.5 billion years of existence when oxygen was absent. This was how scientists made sense of the "Faint Young Sun Paradox." But according to Stephanie Olson, a graduate student at the University California, Riverside, a member of the Alternative Earths team and lead author of the study, methane could not have been responsible for that.

Low concentrations of oxygen during this period of a faint young sun thinned the layer of ozone that shields methane from photochemical destruction. Moreover, the researchers also estimated that high amount of sulfate in the ocean during this period was destructive to methane in two ways: it destroys methane directly and limits its production. These factors have severely limited methane to levels similar to what can be seen today, and according to the researchers, these levels are far too low to keep the entire Earth warm.

"If we detect methane on an exoplanet, it is one of our best candidates as a biosignature, and methane dominates many conversations in the search for life on Mars," Timothy Lyons, a professor of biogeochemistry at University of California, Riverside and co-author of the study, said in a statement. "Yet methane almost certainly would not have been detected by an alien civilization looking at our planet a billion years ago--despite the likelihood of its biological production over most of Earth history."

So which greenhouse gas could have kept the Earth from turning into a giant snowball and could explain the planet's climate history? This will be determined by the researchers in future studies. Meanwhile, the scientists suggest that by knowing the right combination of other warming agents, such as water vapor, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, will help assess the habitability of other Earth-like planets in the galaxy.

The researchers detailed their findings in a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Jeff Bezos shared the first images of the New Glenn rocket acing wind tunnel tests.

Bezos, founder of commercial space flight company Blue Origin, took to Twitter to show off the company's newest megarocket in different configurations hours after Elon Musk of the rival space company SpaceX posted images of its Mars Colonial Transporter rocket engine.

"Exciting results from 3 weeks of wind tunnel testing of #NewGlenn at transonic and supersonic speeds. Validated our CFD (computational fluid dynamics)," Bezos said in a Twitter post last Monday.

Exciting results from 3 weeks of wind tunnel testing of #NewGlenn at transonic & supersonic speeds. Validated our CFD. pic.twitter.com/VJaNG8tjZK  Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) September 26, 2016

A few weeks ago, Bezos unveiled the design of the new rocket, which was named after NASA astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth. New Glenn will be taller and more powerful than SpaceX's Falcon 9, with a stage-2 rocket that measures 23 feet in diameter and 270 feet in height and a thrust of 3.85 million pounds. It will also have an even bigger stage-3, which will stand 313 feet tall.

Blue Origin will also refurbish and re-fly the New Glenn rocket, the same direction Musk had taken with the Falcon 9 rocket. According to the company, New Glenn will have a booster capable of vertical landings, which will enable Blue Origin to reuse the rocket's first stage for satellite and crewed spacecraft launches.

The company is developing two versions of the New Glenn and both will have a first stage powered by seven methane-burning BE-4 engines, which the company also plans to sell to United Launch Alliance for its new Vulcan rocket.

Both Blue Origin and SpaceX are hoping to one day take humans into space, although they have different strategies in doing so. While Blue Origin is developing technologies to enable people to "live and work in space," SpaceX is all about colonizing Mars.

New Glenn is scheduled to fly by the end of the decade from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Blue Origin is working on its new project--the New Armstrong--the rocket that will take humans to Mars.
India has marked its place is the global space industry as ISRO successfully launched its eighth satellite in orbit.

"Our space scientists keep scripting history," India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his glee in a Tweet over India's success in successfully launching eight satellites into space.

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) just accomplished not one but two new records this month. ISRO successfully launched a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from Andhra Pradesh with eight satellites onboard. PSLV is carrying three satellites from India and Algeria, and one each from the U.S. and Canada. The second feat is that the rocket deployed the satellites in two different orbits.

PSLV accomplished what experts call a "multi-orbital" launch, this means the spacecraft will deploy satellites in two different orbits. A feat that is not very easy to execute.

"This is a challenging two-in-one mission which puts India in a unique league of nations having the capability to achieve two different orbits in a single mission," ISRO chairman AS Kiran Kumar said in an interview.

To do this, the spacecraft will use multiple burn technology. While initiating multiple burns, the engine of PSLV will systematically turn off and hibernate before restarting again. Aside from performing a multi-orbital maneuver, the PSLV will also survive the longest flight time of two hours and 15 minutes while carrying 675 kilograms of the total weight of its entire satellite payload. During the mission, the rocket restarted twice making it the longest launch conducted by ISRO, according to a report.

According to ISRO, the complexity of this mission, of deploying satellite payloads in two different orbits, puts India on a map together with nations of top space technologies with the capability to execute such undertaking.

One of the most notable satellite payloads of PSLV is India's SCATSAT-1. This satellite will be used for weather forecasting and tracking for the duration of five years. The destination of SCATSAT-1 is at an altitude of 730 kilometers, while the rest will be placed at approximately 689 kilometers.

While the other two Indian satellites are from local colleges, the Pratham and PiSat satellites. The Indian Institute of Technology developed Pratham while the PiSat nanosatellite is the brainchild of PES Institute of Technology Bengaluru.
The world is ready for takeoff now that Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, the world's first private orbital launch site, has completed construction in New Zealand.

According to a report from Space, the Los Angeles-based commercial spaceflight company Rocket Lab is planning to use the complex for the launch of the Electron rocket, which will carry small satellites and payloads. The site's main objective is to provide and enable more affordable and more frequent access to space.

Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck revealed that the complex is authorized to conduct a launch every 72 hours, although they are expecting to only launch around four or five times a month. This impressively high frequency is due to the sparsity of air activity near the site.

The complex marks a historic milestone as the first private orbital launch complex in the world. Competitors include Blue Origin, which has a private launch facility but only operates suborbital flights, and SpaceX, whose own private orbital launch facility hasn't opened yet.

"Completing Launch Complex 1 is a significant milestone in the buildup to our first Electron test flight," Beck said in the statement. "It's wonderful to celebrate the completion of the site with those who have helped us get this far and welcomed us into their community. Launch Complex 1 presents a considerable opportunity to change how we access space."

Rocket Lab is already planning to begin test launches of the Electron before the year ends.

Economic Development Minster Steven Joyce, who opened the site, hinted at the country's interest in space-related activity, according to a report from Scoop.

He explained, "Rocket Lab will be a catalyst for other space-related activity in New Zealand. Space activity is pervasive in our lives, to such an extent we are no longer aware that our internet, our decision-making around energy and resource management, our marine surveillance to name only a tiny fraction, all rely on what we are doing in space."
State-run enterprises will have to deal with tighter regulations. (Photo : Getty Images)

The new guidelines released by the Chinese government for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) will penalize business managers by imprisonment for life in cases of grave violations.



Other punishments for violations and misdeeds include pay cuts, disciplinary sanctions or full judiciary hearings. Many state-owned enterprises will be affected by the new rule.



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The new guideline is unique to China as many business managers in the U.S. and Europe are usually not held accountable. CEOs are usually asked to resign.



The rule will also punish managers and officers even if they are no longer connected with the company.



However, the state wants to send a message to managers of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) that complacency in their jobs will mean serious consequences. President Xi Jinping also called for reforms of SOEs.



Analysts react to the new policy and most of them are unconvinced that the new measure will bring in good effects.



Xiong Jin, an international partner at law firm King & Wood Mallesons in Beijing, said, "There's growing concern around SOE investments. The government has realized that many SOE assets have been lost through poor investments overseas, and now there's a sense of urgency to impose better controls. This also comes in the broader context of SOE reform."



A senior official at a state energy company said that the new rule will make managers less aggressive in developing the business for fear of being punished.



"The blanket reaction from senior company officials would be: be passive, making no suggestions or decisions on M&A opportunities," he said.



Andrew McGinty, partner at law firm Hogan Lovells in Shanghai, observed, "If you start looking through the lens of this document, an SOE manager will start to ask for every operational decision or small decision on every provision in a deal: 'could I be held accountable for this in 15 years' time.'"



He added, "They will either take the path of least personal risk, which may not be best for the business or keep going up the chain of command to make sure they have covered their position. This is slowing down deals."


When drivers are cheated by unscrupulous auto repair shops, the state Bureau of Automotive Repair is responsible for protecting consumers and helping drivers recoup their money. Earlier this year, the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit revealed the bureau has limited power to actually enforce consumer protection laws, and now the Investigative Unit is exposing yet another loophole that allows repair shop owners, previously sanctioned for taking advantage of customers, to stay in business and potentially avoid paying fines and penalties.

In February, NBC Bay Area first told you the story of Albert Delao, a San Jose resident who says he was taken advantage of by an independently owned Midas auto repair shop that attempted to cover-up serious damages caused to the vehicle when it crashed onto its side from several feet in the air after falling off a mechanical lift at the repair shop.

After our investigation, the Bureau of Automotive Repair partnered with the California Attorney Generals office to try to shut down that Midas and issue penalties.

State Accusations Against Khan Brothers, Inc.

 Dishonesty, Fraud, or Deceit

 Misleading Statements

 Failure to obtain authorization to perform repairs

 Failure to describe service work performed and parts supplied

Details of the settlement have not been finalized, but the repair shops manager tells NBC Bay Area his family decided to sell off the Midas shop, which was operating under the corporate name Khan Brothers, Inc.

Were honest people. Accidents happen, management told NBC Bay Area. The business was losing money, according to the manager, and they wanted to focus on running another repair shop they own in San Jose, operating under the corporate name Asghar Brothers, Inc. according to state records.

While the states investigation found a pattern of violations at the Midas shop, the now former manager told NBC Bay Area the family-owned business will not have to pay any fines, penalties, or restitution for the Delao family, so long as they do not use the corporation name Khan Brothers, Inc. to operate auto repair shops. The same owners, however, can continue to operate repair shops using other corporation names, such as Asghar Brothers, Inc.

Albert Delao says he doesnt understand how a government agency that was created to be a watchdog for the auto repair industry can fall so short, despite being armed with so much evidence.

You're there for the people, which is us. Give us what we lost, Delao said. We have to go find an attorney that would help us to take our case, which we havent found. Everybody wants money up front. So we dont have money for that. So basically we just lost. Lost our vehicle because they dropped it  we lost everything.

A spokesperson for the bureau told NBC Bay Area that the agency only has the power to go after a companys auto repair license and cannot go after individuals. Although the Khan family is associated with the other corporation, [Asghar Brothers, Inc.] is a separate legal entity with valid standing and cannot be affected by the current administrative action and pending decision, the bureau said in a statement.

Repair shop owner Larry Moore has spent more than 40 years working in the auto industry. As former President of the Automotive Service Councils of California, Moore says he would like to see more stringent and proactive enforcement of bad actors within the industry.

This is a very complex industry, and there's lots of room for people to do it the wrong way, Moore told NBC Bay Area. Moore says he is in favor of any reform that would help business owners, small business owners, shop owners, do it properly.

After seeing Alberts story, state lawmakers began demanding changes at the Bureau of Automotive Repair. Earlier this summer, the legislature passed a reform bill to give the agency the power to issue a wider-range of fines to shops that cheat customers, while at the same time requiring more transparency within the bureau.

But just last week, the Governor Jerry Brown vetoed the legislation, saying it was unnecessary because similar policies already exist.

The new owners of that Midas tells NBC Bay Area theyve replaced most of the mechanics. As for the old owners, they say they had nothing to do with the cover-up and continue to blame their former employees, saying they did sloppy work.

Theres clearly evidence, theres pictures, Delao said. I think it's very important that [the Bureau of Automotive Repair] start doing the right thing for the consumer  the person that's hurt, the person that's lost.

______________________________________

Watch the entire series in this NBC Bay Area investigation:
A black man reportedly acting erratically at a strip mall in suburban San Diego was shot and killed by El Cajon police a minute after they arrived on scene, authorities confirmed to NBC 7 San Diego. Police say the man pulled an object from his pocket, pointing it at officers and assuming a "shooting stance."

The man, 38, identified as Alfred Olango, was first reported to be walking in and out of traffic in the middle of the street and not acting like himself, when a woman police believe may be the mans sister called officers for help just after 1 p.m. Tuesday.

El Cajon Police Department Lt. Rob Ransweiler said two officers first arrived at the scene at approximately 2:10 p.m. Tuesday. The officer-involved shooting happened at 2:11 to 2:12 p.m., between one to two minutes after they arrived.

El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis said that when officers arrived on scene and located Olango, he refused multiple instructions by the first officer on the scene, and put his hands in his pants pocket. When officers arrived on scene, they were not aware of Olango's criminal history, as far as he knows, said Ransweiler.

At the time, there was a Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT) in the area, but they were responding to another call of a reported man darting in and out of traffic.

He allegedly pulled an object and held it out like he would be firing a gun, Davis said during a press conference on Tuesday night. Police identified the object as a vape device.

El Cajon Police Department

"At one point the male rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together on it, and extended it rapidly toward the officer taking what appeared to be a shooting stance putting the object in the officer's face, Davis said.

The second officer on scene began to immediately prepare a less lethal electronic control device, or Taser, as the first officer covered him, Davis said.

[G] Police Shoot 'Erratic' Man in El Cajon Parking Lot

The officer deployed his Taser to try and subdue the subject, Davis said, though it is unclear whether the Taser struck the man. Davis said that aspect of the incident is under investigation. At the same time, the other officer fired his weapon. It is unclear how many shots were fired.

A Facebook live video shows the aftermath of an officer-involved shooting in El Cajon. A witness shares what she saw with officers at the scene.

Davis said there was also no indication that Olango was suffering an epileptic seizure during the encounter. Officers gave initial first aid to Olango before paramedics arrived and the man was then transported to an area hospital.

Shortly after the shooting, a witness came forward and told officers she had video footage of the incident, Davis said. The witness voluntarily provided the cell phone video to the department and gave written consent for officers to use it.

This was the only cell phone video provided to the officers and no cell phones were taken from anybody, Davis said. He added that video from the scene coincides with the officers statements.

Officers with the El Cajon Police Department are not currently outfitted with body-worn cameras.

NBC 7s Ashley Matthews is at the scene where a crowd has formed in prayer, sending a message of peace.

Following the incident, witnesses questioned the police motives in the shooting. Crowds gathering by the scene of the shooting began chanting, demanding answers from police.

The protest was angry but peaceful. Several dozen people, most of them black, gathered and some cursed at officers guarding the scene, The Associated Press reported. They chanted "black lives matter!" and "hands up, don't shoot!"

Davis urged the community to remain calm and said the investigation will be thorough.

"This will be transparent," he said. "This will be looked at by multiple sets of eyes, and not just ours."

The district attorney was on scene and also will investigate.

During the press conference, Davis also urged the community to cooperate with the investigation and come forward if they have any information.

"I would like to convey my sincerest appreciation to the community of El Cajon for the strength that they have shown in light of this tragic event," he said.

The woman they believe may be Olango's sister on scene has not cooperated with investigators, Davis said.

NBC 7s Mari Payton has more on video footage taken at the scene.

As you can understand, she was upset; she was not cooperating with us, Davis said. We cant even confirm that it was his sister.

That woman is believed to have called the police to report the initial incident early Tuesday afternoon, Davis said. He added it took officers at least 50 minutes to arrive on scene after the first call.

El Cajon police are asking for the woman come forward, as she may have information they are looking for.

Davis said that the two officers involved in the shooting, who have not been identified, both have more than 21 years of service as police officers.

Both officers have been placed on administration leave.

The entire shooting was captured on cell phone video, but the video will not be released yet as it is part of an ongoing investigation, Davis said. The video will be released in full at a later date, he said.

Meantime, other videos quickly surfaced showing the aftermath, according to the AP. In one posted to Facebook, an unidentified woman is heard telling police at the scene that the man was ordered to take his hand out of his pocket.

"I said: 'Take your hand out your pocket, baby, or they're going to shoot you.' He said 'no, no, no,' " the woman said. "When he lifted his hand out ... he did have something in his hand but it wasn't no gun, and that's when they shot him."

Lucy Peterson, who was wearing hospital-style work clothing, said she's Olango's sister. She appeared distraught, repeatedly shrieking and crying, telling officers that she had called them to help her brother, who she described as mentally ill.

"I just called for help, and you came and killed him," she said.

Olango was born in Uganda and emigrated to the U.S. in 1991 when he was 12 years old, NBC 7 has learned.

Michael Ray Rodriguez was among the witnesses who said the man had his hands in the air. He said that he was driving out of his apartment complex past the shooting scene and saw a shirtless black man with his hands raised.

The officer "let go of the trigger and shot him again and again," Rodriguez told the San Diego Union-Tribune.

NBC 7 speaks to the spokesperson for the El Cajon Police Department following an officer-involved shooting near a Mexican restaurant on Broadway.

The shooting in the community east of San Diego occurred just three days after police in Charlotte, North Carolina, released video showing the Sept. 20 killing of Keith Lamont Scott. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a police officer shot and killed 40-year-old Terence Crutcher on a highway six days after the Charlotte shooting. In that case, Officer Betty Shelby, has been charged with manslaughter.

Both shootings have reignited protests questioning the actions of law enforcement officers in cases where encounters ended with African Americans being fatally shot.

El Cajon City council members approved the purchase of 88 body cameras this past May, but Davis said he was hoping to have the cameras in use by the start of 2017.

Pastor Miles McPherson of Rock Church followed Davis in the press conference and urged members in the community to pray, and to remain peaceful while the facts continue to unfold.

We want the truth to come out and the right things to happen, no matter what that means, and we want God to be honored in the process, Rock Church Pastor Miles McPherson said.

El Cajon, which is about 15 miles northeast of San Diego, has a population of about 100,000. It is 69 percent white and 6 percent black, according to 2010 census figures, and has become a home for many refugees fleeing Iraq and, more recently, Syria.
Read the latest report on the officer-involved shooting by clicking here.

A black man was shot in an encounter with El Cajon Police Tuesday, multiple witnesses said, while a woman wailed nearby, demanding to know why police shot her brother.

Hours later, police officers told NBC 7 San Diego the man, now identified as Alfred Olango, was acting erratically and failed to comply, although they did not release details on the specific threat he presented to officers.

Dozens of officers swarmed a public shopping center in the heart of El Cajon at 1 p.m. The community is approximately 30 miles east of downtown San Diego.

NBC 7s Mari Payton has more on video footage taken at the scene.

One witness recalled seeing an officer fire five rounds. Another man said police fired Olango who had his hands out to his side. A manager inside a nearby restaurant said he refused to remove his arms from his side. Police said witness video showed Olango did not have his hands in the air.

Witnesses questioned the police motives in the shooting. Crowds gathering by the scene of the shooting began chanting, demanding answers from police.

NBC 7s Ashley Matthews is at the scene where a crowd has formed in prayer, sending a message of peace.

NBC 7s Ashley Matthews heard form the sister of Alfred Olango, the man shot by police in El Cajon. She says that her brother is mentally ill and was having a seizure at the time of the incident.

Officers quickly secured the parking lot near the shooting, at Broadway and North Mollison, north of Interstate 8 and west of State Route 67.

One witness at a local restaurant told NBC 7 police came and took away their phones following the incident.

NBC 7s Dave Summer is at the scene where employees of the restaurant are sharing there account of what happened.

"I didnt hear any command Halt, Stop or Ill shoot," said one witness identified as George. "I didnt hear any command or yelling. I didnt hear the man say anything. Next thing I see Pow, pow, pow, pow, pow  five shots.

El Cajon Police spokesman Rob Ransweiler said police responded to a radio call of a 30-year-old "erratic subject."

A Facebook live video shows the aftermath of an officer-involved shooting in El Cajon. A witness shares what she saw with officers at the scene.

Ransweiler said, Olango did not comply but would not say if the man had a weapon. "I have the information," Ransweiler said. "Its an ongoing investigation, so Im not releasing details of the investigation.

[G] Police Shoot 'Erratic' Man in El Cajon Parking Lot

One video posted to FB shows a woman, identified as Olango's sister, crying. In the video, shes heard saying: I called you to help me but you killed my brother.

Why couldnt you guys tase him? Why, why, why, why? the woman cries out.

In the video, police approach the woman for questioning.

I called so many times to help him, she said, as officers ask the woman for her brothers name and age.

Other passersby tried to comfort the woman.

Michael Ray Rodriguez witnessed the shooting as it unfolded right in front of him.

When I seen the suspect, he had his hands up, Rodriguez said holding his arms out to the side. "I seen two officers with their firearm on him."

"The mans hands are up. No shirt," he added. "He didnt have no shirt."

The suspect's sister said she was encouraging her brother to do what police were telling him to do; she indicated to NBC 7 that her brother was not showing his hands.

Police said witness video showed Olango did not have his hands in the air.

The investigation just started, but based on the video voluntarily provided by a witness, the subject did NOT have his hands up in the air  El Cajon Police (@elcajonpolice) September 28, 2016

While the suspect stood in that position, another police officer came and blocked the suspect in three directions, Rodriguez said. He said he witnessed the suspect run to the right, and as he did so, he saw the officer fire five shots, knocking the suspect to the ground.

Sister of victim angry with police- speaking now to investigators. #NBC7 pic.twitter.com/59PsDxCaSV  Ashley Matthews (@ashleyNBC7) September 27, 2016

The man was taken to the hospital where he later died.

The entire shooting was captured on mobile phone video from the drive-through at the Los Panchos restaurant. NBC 7's Dave Summers said an El Cajon lieutenant told him the restaurant worker voluntarily turned over the phone. The video at some point in this investigation will be released, the lieutenant told Summers.

According to the restaurant's manager, the video shows Olango refusing to remove his hands from his side.

Maria, an employee at Los Panchos in El Cajon, said police came into the restaurant and took all cell phones from employees after the shooting; they told employees not to talk to anyone, according to Maria. NBC 7 has not confirmed how many phones were confiscated.

Los Panchos was placed under lock down, Maria told NBC 7.

The shooting in the community east of San Diego occurred just three days after police in Charlotte, North Carolina released video showing the Sept. 20 killing of Keith Lamont Scott. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a police officer shot and killed 40-year-old Terence Crutcher on a highway six days after the Charlotte shooting. In that case, Officer Betty Shelby, has been charged with manslaughter.

Both shootings have reignited protests from members of the African American community questioning the actions of law enforcement officers.

El Cajon City Councilmembers approved the purchase of 88 body cameras this past May, but the El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis said he was hoping to have the cameras in use by the start of 2017.
Californias State Treasurer on Wednesday sanctioned Wells Fargo and ordered the suspension of business relationships between his office and the bank for one year after a scandal that has rocked the nation over the opening of two million fraudulent bank accounts.

John Chiang's move is unprecedented; he is the first state treasurer to issue such measures.

In what he previewed would be a big announcement, Chiang, who is running for governor in 2018, spoke outside San Francisco City Hall, announcing his sanctions. They include suspending investments by the Treasurer's Office in all Wells Fargo securities, not using Wells Fargo as a broker-dealer for buying investments, and ceasing to employ Wells Fargo as a managing underwriter on negotiated sales of California state bonds where the treasurer appoints the underwriter.

"I have a duty as a leader in the financial marketplace to take action aimed at helping you understand that integrity and trust matter," Chiang wrote to Wells Fargo. "How can I continue to entrust the public's money to an organization which has shown such little regard for the legions of Californians who have placed their financial well-being in its care?

Chiang said the sanctions will take place immediately and remain in place for 12 months.

Venoo Kakar, an economics professor at San Francisco State University, said the state's message will resonate with all the big banks, especially if the monetary fines seem weak.

California is the nation's largest issuer of municipal bonds. Wells Fargo was the second-largest underwriter of municipal debt in California in the first half of the year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

In a statement, Wells Fargo spokesman Ruben Pulido said: "We regret and take full responsibility for the incidents in which customers received a product they did not request, as that is consistent with the values and culture we strive to live up to every day."

Pulido added, "We are very sorry and take full responsibility for the incidents in our retail bank."

Chiang serves as the state's banker, overseeing nearly $2 trillion in annual banking transactions. He manages a $75 billion investment pool and is the nations largest issuer of municipal debt. He also sits on the governing board of the nations two largest public pension funds: the California Public Employees Retirement System and the California State Teachers Retirement System.

The New York Times noted the move could cost Wells Fargo millions of dollars in banking fees because California is the largest issuer of municipal debt in the country.

The Times also pointed out that the move is symbolically hurtful for Wells Fargo, which has a large presence in California, particularly in San Francisco, where the bank's headquarters are on Montgomery Street.

Before Chiang made his announcement, Wells Fargo had already agreed to pay the national Consumer Financial Protection Bureau $185 million and the banks CEO, John Stumpf, also agreed to forfeit $41 million.

"We have already taken important steps," Pulido said in his statement. "And will continue to do so, to address these issues and rebuild your trust."

More locally, on Sept. 22, Wells Fargo shareholder William Sarsfield sued Wells Fargo in San Francisco County Superior Court.

The complaint alleges Wells Fargo's senior management allowed the bank to commit a major fraud on consumers, which "resulted in serious harm to the bank."

And last week, San Francisco removed Wells Fargo from a banking program for low-income residents, Bloomberg noted.

All the angst stems from an investigation by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which found that Wells Fargo sales staff opened more than two million bank and credit card accounts that may have not been authorized by customers. Money in customers' accounts was transferred to these new accounts without authorization. Debit cards were issued and activated, as well as PINs created, without telling customers. In some cases, Wells Fargo employees even created fake email addresses to sign up customers for online banking services.

Of the $185 million settlement that the bank agreed to pay: Wells Fargo will pay $100 million to the CFPB; $35 million to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and $50 million to the City and County of Los Angeles. It will also pay restitution to affected customers.

In its statement, Wells Fargo added that the bank has donated $53 million to support schools and nonprofits in California in the last year alone.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Confessed killer Sean Angold broke down on the witness stand Tuesday as he described the murders of a 23-year-old Canadian tourist and a 67-year-old therapist from Marin County.

Angold recently pleaded guilty in shooting deaths of Audrey Carrey of Quebec and Steven Carter of Fairfax and agreed to testify against his former companions, 19-year-old Lila Alligood and 24-year-old Morrison Lampley.

Alligood and Lampley are both charged in the 2015 slayings.

In his testimony on Tuesday, Angold also described a meth-fueled drug binge that ended with the killing of Carrey and Carter. He admitted he was there when Carrey was shot to death near the windmills in Golden Gate Park and when Carter was shot dead on a hiking trail near Fairfax.

In both killings Lampley pulled the trigger, Angold said.

Angold said he met Carrey as he and defendants Alligood and Lapley were smoking meth near Golden Gate Park. The Canadian tourist offered to share some beer and marijuana, according to Angold.

The trio then decided they would rob Carrey because "she was foreign and possibly could have money," Angold said.

Angold cried as he told how they jumped Carrey, tried to tie her up and then Lampley shot her in the head with a .40-calibur pistol Angold had stolen from a pickup on Russian Hill.

Angold said he, Alligood and Lampley then decided to leave for Oregon to grow marijuana. But two days later they were no further than a trail head in Fairfax, and that is when the three decided they needed to shoot someone to steal a car.

Angold said Carter pulled into the trail head parking area to take his dog for a walk when he saw the trio sitting nearby. Angold said Carter looked at them "kind of crazy, put his car in reverse and drove to anther nearby parking area."

It was that small act that put it into their heads to hunt Carter down and shoot him to get his car, Angold said.

Angold on the witness stand admitted the robberies and killings were decided in a nonchalant, casual manner. Angold said they drove Carter's car to Portland, but were there only a few hours before being arrested in the stolen car carrying the belongings of their victims.

"He's lying to save his skin," said Amy Morton, an attorney representing Alligood.

Angold has plead guilty to second-degree murder in the Carter's death. He is not charged in Carrey's murder.

The deal Angold agreed to is 15 years to life. His former companions, Alligood and Lampley, face life in prison without parole if convicted at trial.

The preliminary hearing is expected ton continue Wednesday as the defense attorneys question Angold about lying to investigators when the trio was first arrested.
Chen Guangbiao is a con man, according to Ciaxin. (Photo : Getty Images)

Chen Guiangbao was exposed by Caixin, an investigative news outlet, for falsifying documents and claims that he has given millions to charity.



This claim referred to the "most philanthropic man" giving out millions to charity, including donations to 200 homeless in New York and a bid to buy the New York Times for $1 billion.



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Chen, in his autobiography, said that he donated $200 million between 1998 and 2012.



He became famous when he handed out canned air to people as a protest against air pollution. He also gave cash to poor people in Taiwan.



The Caixin expose stated that his donations were exaggerated and he used fake government stamps. Chen's announcement of donating millions is in truth just 10 percent of it was given.



Caixin also revealed that Chen's pronouncement of helping schools through the National Youth Development Foundation is a hoax.



Rupert Hoogewerf, publisher of the Hurun Report, and a trustworthy source for China's rich, said: "Chen has driven the subject of philanthropy in China forward. But that's up until that point in New York when he became a bit of a disaster. People felt his way of making donations was too spectacular to be true, that he was too much of a showoff, kind of cringe-worthy in some ways."



Xu Yongguang, chair of the Narada Foundation, said, "I don't think he is China's top charity icon--instead, he's the country's biggest con man."



In a news conference, Chen denied the accusations. Days before, he filed a lawsuit against Caixin and is demanding for $150,000 in payment for damages.



According to a live broadcast in Weibo, "The reports all relied on hearsay, viciously defaming me and calling white black, causing an extremely negative effect on Huangpu Renewable Resources Utilization Group and Mr. Chen Guangbiao."


Santa Cruz County residents were allowed to return to their homes Wednesday as cooler temperatures gave fire crews a much-needed boost in battling the Loma Fire.

The fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains had grown to 2,865 acres and was 22 percent contained by Wednesday evening, according to Cal Fire. Even as the fire's movement slowed and its containment increased, there were challenges.

"Very steep hillsides," Cal Fire's Jason Finney said. "The fire's well established down below, so that's probably the number one challenge that we have. Just access and getting the crews down there to go direct at it."

In some cases, firefighters are finding themselves pulling what amounts to double duty as flames re-emerge in charred areas.

"On this fire, this slope has been burning a second time and completely burning out this second amount of fuel," said Cal Fire's Tom McEwen, covering an area where several hot spots reignited. "So we're having to almost deal with this fire twice in some places."

Fire crews also stumbled upon a marijuana grow.

"In California now, it's something we see quite often," Finney said. "It's just something we work around."

Sheriff's officials lifted evacuation orders in Santa Cruz County around 2:30 p.m. Vehicle traffic will continue to be limited, however, due to a large number of emergency vehicles.

Mandatory evacuations in Santa Clara County remained in effect. And even those who were not required to leave their homes in the Almaden Valley feel they're in an at-risk zone - from all the smoke and ash.

Resident Rich Regan said he's been getting headaches.

"It was really smoky this morning," he said. "But by lunchtime it cleared up, and we had like ashes on the car; a little unusual.

"It's not healthy," Regan added. "We went and got some spray painting masks so we could go outside. We've just been kinda staying inside and away from from it."

Meanwhile, road closures also remained in the area, officials said. Non-residents are urged to avoid Ormsby Cutoff, Haven Hill Lane, Pacific Rim, Loma Prieta Way, and Rancho Prieta, Mt. Bachi and Summit roads.

Cooler temperatures this week and possible showers this weekend are expected to give hundreds of Cal Fire firefighters a much-needed boost in fighting the Loma Fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains, which by early Wednesday has scorched 2,250 acres, or 3.5 square miles. Bob Redell reports.

Cal Fire officials said they could probably contain the fire, which has charred nearly 4.5 square miles, by Monday.

For the last several days, temperatures have been in the high 90s and near 100 degrees, and were considered hazardous, by the National Weather Service.

"The fire was burning during the night time as though it were the day time," McLean said.

NBC Bay Area Chopper

But Wednesdays conditions were substantially cooler and should continue that way through the weekend. By the end of the week, temperatures should drop to the 60s and mid-70s, according to the NWS. Meteorologists were even predicting some light rain on Sunday and Monday.

[NATL-BAY] Photos from Fire in Santa Cruz Mountains

That should be great news to the nearly 1,100 firefighters who were working furiously to protect the 300 homes and communication towers that stood in the fires path. As of Wednesday, one home was destroyed and one was damaged, according to Cal Fire. Six other outbuildings were also destroyed.

The NBC Bay Area helicopter flew over the fire early Wednesday morning, capturing plumes of gray smoke billowing against the dark blue sky. The smoke drifted miles away, prompting the San Jose Unified School District to require principals to keep students inside for the day due to possible health risks.

The fire broke out Monday about 3 p.m. at the southern edge of Santa Clara County off Loma Prieta Road and Loma Chiquita Road, 20 miles northwest of Morgan Hill. The cause is under investigation.

This is the fourth significant wildfire to rock the area in 14 years: The Croy Fire erupted in 2002, the Summit Fire broke out in 2008, and another Loma Fire burned in 2009.

A timelapse of the Loma Fire in the Santa Cruz mountains. Mandatory evacuations were ordered Tuesday morning for Santa Cruz Mountain residents living near the Loma Fire, which had charred 2,000 acres and was 5 percent contained early in the morning. Video produced by Jennifer Gonzalez.
Firefighters from as far away as Oregon and Nevada were among the more than 500 personnel on the scene of the Loma Fire burning in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

They are working 24 hours on and 24 hours off, and when they get to base camp in Gilroy, that means they get some much needed rest.

The downtime is especially important for firefighters who've just spent weeks battling other wildfires.

San Jose firefighter Gary Laird and his crew mates were on the front line Monday night, trying to save 20 homes off Loma Prieta Road.

"The fire made significant runs up the hill in the area I was working," he said. "But we didn't lose any homes."

Laird has been on a whirlwind tour of California wildfires this season. He spent 15 days at the Soberanes Fire, which is still burning in Monterey County near Big Sur. That wildfire, the costliest in state history, has scorched more than 128,000 acres and is 81 percent contained.

Laird also battled the Uvas Fire and other wildland fires, and since he returned to San Jose, he's hasn't had much of a break.

"Inside San Jose, we had a vegetation fire almost every day," he said. "It has been so hot from the drought."

To many Bay Area firefighters this season, it seems they've spent more time on the front lines than on their front yards.

"We've had active fires the past few months so we have had firefighters moving from one fire to the next and working several days in a row," said Jonathan Cox of Cal Fire.

Some crews responding to the Loma Fire just arrived Tuesday from battling the Sawmill Fire in Sonoma County. Laird said the difference this season is the intensity of the fires. But despite the dangers, the payoff is saving lives and homes, he said.

"It's definitely rewarding despite no sleep, no food," Laird said. "I'm ready for sleep today; I'll be ready to go tomorrow."
Richmond rent control proponents are fuming following the reveal that Mayor Tom Butt, who voted against a moratorium on rent hikes and evictions earlier this month, is a current landlord.

Butts critics argue that the landlord gig constitutes a conflict of interest and say he should have excused himself from the Sept. 13 vote, which would have imposed a 45-day ban on some evictions and rent hikes. The emergency ordinance required a super majority of six out of seven "yes" votes to pass, but it could only muster four.

The mayor owns four properties in the city, including his home, a single-family rental house, a duplex and commercial rental units. Documents he filed with the Fair Political Practices Commission show that he is also a partner in Baltic Development Associates, a real estate company.

"It's not right," said Sharon Brown, a Richmond native facing eviction. "If that's not a conflict, I mean, I don't know what is."

Butt told NBC Bay Area via phone that he did not break any explicit city council rules when he voted, nor did he feel a requirement to disclose the alleged conflict of interest. He noted that the properties he rents out would be exempt from the rent control portion of moratorium (but not the clauses limiting eviction) due to their age.

According to the California Fair Political Practices Commission, which does not respond to individual cases, a public official should sit out any vote that would affect his or her personal finances. However, there exists the "Public Generally Exception," which allows politicians to vote on an item so long as the financial interest is indistinguishable from that of the general public. Butt said his interest fits the latter category.

Others in the city heartily disagreed, calling into question the mayor's logic.

I really dont get it, said Eric Hattrup of Richmond. How can he be unbiased on the issue if hes a landlord?

Hattrup, who is being evicted from Creekside Apartments, said he has been unable to find any available units in Richmond that fit his price range. The median rents in the working-class city hover around $2,400, according toZillow, up about $700 from 2014's costs.

Butts political opponents have also cried foul. Melvin Willis, who is running for city council, claimed that the vote posed a moral and ethical dilemma, even if not a legal one.

What concerns me about him being a landlord and voting on this moratorium is that I think he had a complete disconnection from the needs of the tenants who are being evicted unfairly, Willis said.

Butt, who began his career as a city council member in 1995, has been a longtime opponent of rent control. He flatly denied accusations that his vote was one of self-interest, calling the moratorium bad public policy.

I really do believe that the overwhelming research shows that it doesnt work, Butt said. You have to look at cities that have had rent control and some version of just-cause (evictions). These cities collectively have not only the highest rents in the Bay Area, but also in the U.S.

Like the argument on Butt's conflict of interest, the research on rent control's efficacy is still debated. A majority of economists seem to agree that it has a negative effect on housing costs, but a UC Berkeley study on urban displacement did find that Bay Area cities with rent control laws have greater residential stability.

"Rent Control is tricky. It can serve as a valuable anti-displacement tool because it stabilizes people's rent and it gives them the insurance and security of knowing housing costs won't go up dramatically, particularly in a rising market," said Carolina Reid, an assistant professor of city and regional planning at UC Berkeley. "The problem with rent control is that it doesn't always produce the housing equity we're hoping it will."

Rising rents in Richmond  and solutions to combat it  continues to be one of the most politically divisive issues facing the city's electorate. On Nov. 8, a similar, yet permanent, version of the failed ordinance will appear before voters as Measure L.

Linette Young, a Richmond tenant who must leave her apartment before Nov. 1, said shes hoping shell be able to stay in the city long enough to get to vote on it for herself.

I don't think it's fair what Butt did. You have a whole lot of people who dont know where theyre going, she said. I anticipate a lot of voter confusion, and in a small city like Richmond, how many votes does it take to shift an election in a tightly contested race?

Gillian Edevane covers Contra Costa County for NBC Bay Area. Contact her at Gillian.Edevane@NBCUni.com or follow her on Twitter @GillianNBC.
At least 20 stray horses and three loose alpacas  and a bunch of other dogs and farm animals  are now in the care of Santa Cruz County animal care workers after they ran away from the raging Loma Fire.

They get pretty riled up, said Jen Walker, programs and development manager for the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter. Its best to make things as normal as possible, if youre forced to evacuate.

Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter

Animal owners can come to three places to find their runaway four-legged friends:

There are at least 20 displaced horses staying at the Graham Hill Showgrounds at 1145 Graham Hill Road in Santa Cruz. The Santa Cruz County Equine Evacuation Unit has been assisting with these horses.

Three alpacas and other farm animals are being held at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds at 2601 East Lake Ave. in Watsonville.

Small domestic animals such as dogs, cats and rabbits are being held at the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter, at 2200 7th Ave. in Santa Cruz.

Owners should arrive at these areas in person to visually identify the animals before bringing them home. Walker said some of the animals fled from Santa Cruz County, and others fled from Santa Clara County.

As of Wednesday, the Loma Fire had charred 2,250 acres of rugged terrain in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

The Santa Cruz Community Emergency Response Team is hosting a "Dangers in Paradise" disaster preparedness fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Home Depot, 2600 41st Ave. in Soquel. For tips on keeping animals safe during a fire, click here.
Members of the South Bays tight-knit Swedish community fretted on Tuesday and some sneaked into their beloved campground, Sveadal, to retrieve belongings in the wake of the Loma Fire racing through the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Earl Gustafson, 61, of Burlingame said his sister bypassed the mandatory evacuation line and went to her cabin in the Uvas Canyon campground to collect the familys personal treasures. A few other members of the Sveadal (SVaAY-ah-DAHL) campground, which means Swedish Valley, also drove to the camp to save the memorabilia from the club house, which was built in 1926.

This is a real historic place, Gustafson said Wednesday. Generations of people have gone there. My mother used to go and shes 90 years old.

Others started documenting the unfolding story on Facebook. Sonya Severson-Ramsey snapped pictures of airplanes dropping chemical retardants over the fire, looming dangerously close to the 110-acre property in the Uvas Canyon County Park at in the 8000 block of Croy Road. That road is off-limits to anyone except firefighters battling the 2,200-acre wildfire that broke out Monday afternoon.

So far, the campground hasnt been affected, and Wednesdays cooler temperatures were sure to be of aid to Cal Fire, the state agency on the front lines. Still, the evacuations and smoke prompted Lindsey Stiles, 31, of San Mateo, a Sveadal camper since she was a baby, to change her Saturday wedding plans. Instead of the campground, she told her party to move locations to Atherton, about an hour's drive north. "We feel so lucky that everything is coming together," Stiles said Wednesday.

Now, the Sveadal community can empathize with what campers to the north must have experience.

In 2013, the Rim Fire near Yosemite tore through the beloved Berkeley Tuolomne camp, destroying grounds and cabins that had been established in 1922. That same fire, however, spared the Jewish-run Camp Tawonga, which opened its doors  and bunk beds - to firefighters battling that blaze.
San Francisco building inspection officials created a draft report downplaying risks at the sinking Millennium Tower while other documents show they urged rigorous monitoring and even a citation against the developer, documents obtained by NBC Bay Area show.

The latest document disclosure comes as San Francisco City Supervisor Aaron Peskin is fed up with the Department of Building Inspection

The whole thing is embarrassing, he said. This is turning into Millenniumgate.

Peskin was reacting to the latest batch of documents we obtained under our records request this week.

One of the document is a draft report that declares the building safe after a secret visit by city building inspection officials on July 20. That visit was before the news broke about the building having sunk 16 inches.

It says they went out there and inspected everything and everythings is fine, Peskin says. This after they admitted that they dont have the expertise in house  they are relying on third party reports paid for by the developer.

The report belies earlier statements by building inspection officials that they did not begin any investigation until mid August.

Still other documents suggest that a top engineer with the city, Hanson Tom, told his superior in a July 25 memo that he believed that an unapproved makeshift ramp had been used to span two parts of the sinking building. He said the steep slope of a ramp linking two parts of the sinking structure was had not been approved and did not meet city requirements. He also recommended a rigorous protocol of monitoring, especially if the buildings sinking became more dramatic in a year period. His findings were not included in the draft report issued Aug. 4.

One resident of the building said the citys limited efforts before the news broke were little more than a white wash.

It certainly doesnt assure me at all about the safety of the building, said Jerry Dodson, an attorney and engineer who lives on the 42nd floor of the building.

It think it was a white wash by city officials, he said, to report things are fine when they are not fine. We need a real hard look at this, by competent engineers that disclose to the public and the homeowners whats going on.and that isnt it.

The Millennium Tower owners association brought in an outside consultant this week who has begun to bore three holes around the building to install monitoring equipment around the sinking and leaning structure. The goal is to measure settlement, water levels and the risk of further leaning.

Meanwhile, Peskin introduced a plan to deal with the building inspection departments document retention policies in light of evident gaps in the record exposed by NBC Bay Area.

The city has yet to find, he said, the developers response to city concerns about the sinking problem back in 2009.

It is frankly unthinkable that even though the city knew seven years ago that the building was sinking, he said.

We have lost, thrown away, destroyed or cant find all the responses we got from the developer. We have got to fix the citys document retention policies.
Documentary filmmaker and outspoken liberal Michael Moore was one of millions watching presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton debate the hot-button issues facing the nation Monday night.

And he thinks Trump "won."

It's over. Trump, the egoist, the racist, the narcissist, the liar, "won." We all lost. His numbers will go up. She told the truth. So what.  Michael Moore (@MMFlint) September 27, 2016

The tweet was one of many the creator of "Bowling for Columbine" and "Roger and Me" fired off Monday night, plenty of which were incendiary toward Trump's demeanor but also encouraged Clinton supporters to get up and "plan" what they're going to do to defeat the Republican presidential nominee.

"Pro-Hillary gloaters doing end-zone dance again when still on 50-yd line," Moore tweeted later in the evening. "U MUST get it in your head TRUMP IS GONNA WIN and act accordingly!"

Not everyone feels the same way as Moore.

The day after his first general election debate, Trump blamed the moderator, a bad microphone and said he was holding back to avoid embarrassing Clinton. Next time, he threatened, he might get more personal and make a bigger political issue of former President Bill Clinton's marital infidelities.

Clinton aides on Tuesday acknowledged they'd laid a trap for Trump.

"He seemed unable to handle that big stage," said Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta. "By the end, with kind of snorting and the water gulping and leaning on the lectern that he just seemed really out of gas."

Moore is originally from Flint, Michigan and has championed causes from workers' rights to gun control and economic justice for the underprivileged.
A Chicago Public Schools teacher is on a food quality crusade after taking pictures of the moldy meal she says was served to one of her students.

The Hanson Park 7th grader told NBC 5 he was served a very moldy orange during breakfast Monday morning.

(It was) dark gray, some parts dark blue, Brian Abarca said of the orange.

Brians teacher, Naomi Vazquez, said the problem has been happening for weeks.

Usually a few minutes after lunch, kids are complaining about stomachaches, she said.

When Vazquez was about to throw the bad fruit out she snapped some photos and questioned the cafeteria workers.

Why is this being served to kids? she recalled asking the workers before throwing the orange in the trash.

She then shared the photos with the schools administration.

Would you have your child eat this? Vazquez said she asked the schools principal.

The principal, Vazquez said, acknowledged the problem and is following up with parents and cafeteria workers.

A CPS spokeswoman said the district is looking into the allegations.
The original 1974 film debuted a young and relatively unknown Jeff Goldblum, why can't you be next?

Extras are needed in a Chicago neighborhood where Eli Roth is currently filming a remake of the Charles Bronson cult-classic shoot-em-up Death Wish.

Filming notifications have been posted in and around Pilsen and several other neighborhoods since Sept. 23 from Death Wish Productions, noting street closures and parking restrictions during filming, a spokesman for 25th Ward Ald. Danny Solis, confirmed Monday.

We are excited to capture the unique Chicago look and remarkable architecture in film, the notification reads. All businesses will be open for normal hours. As always, we understand that we are guests in your neighborhood, and will conduct ourselves accordingly.

Bruce Willis will play Paul Kersey, iconically portrayed by Bronson in the original, an architect who goes on a vigilante spree to rid New York City of crime after his daughter is assaulted.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte sits beside former President Benigno Aquino Jr. (Photo : Getty Images)

President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines said that he will visit China and Russia this year to foster trade relations as a part of the government's independent trade policy from the U.S.



His main concern with China is over a South China Sea arbitration ruling won by the Philippines in July. He wants to open talks with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow.



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Analysts believe that the president's moves to create deep relationships with China and Russia are to even the negotiation field with the U.S.



"I am ready to not really break ties but we will open alliances with China and Medvedev," Duterte said.



The President also said that the country is at a "point of no return" with regard to relations with Washington. He said, "I am about to cross the Rubicon between me and the U.S. It's the point of no return."



State Department spokesman Mark Toner said that they have not received any word on the comments of Duterte and that U.S. and Philippines relations remain strong.



He said, "They're a sovereign nation and we're certainly not going to hold them back from pursuing closer relations with either of those countries. . . . It's not a zero-sum game."



Toner also was quick to deny that the U.S. was preparing for war at the South China Sea.



"The United States has a strong security presence in the Asia-Pacific region, but we're certainly not looking to start a military action against anyone," he said.



The U.S. embassy in Manila announced the deployment of a pair of C130 planes and 100 troops at an air base in the central Philippines. This is part of the visiting forces agreement between the Philippines and the U.S.



Jonathan Ravelas, a market strategist in Manila, said, "Keep your friends close, your enemies closer. I guess this is what he is doing now with China and the U.S. This could be a strategy to get China to the negotiating table. It seems a good strategy for a small country like the Philippines who has little influence in the region."


For more than 20 years a Chicago man served time for murdering a 6-year-old boy, but now DNA evidence has cleared him and he regained his freedom Tuesday.

Mark Maxson, 55, says he was coerced into confessing to the murder of the boy by detectives working under then notorious Chicago Police Cmdr. John Burge. Maxson said he told police that he had talked to the boy the night before he was murdered.

I probably wouldve done anything to get out of that position, Maxson said Tuesday.

Burge was sentenced in 2011 in a federal courthouse to 4 1/2 years on obstruction of justice and perjury charges.

Elliot Zinger, Maxsons attorney, said there was always something wrong with the case.

There was someone elses blood on the child, there was someone elses pubic hair on the child, that doesnt happen by accident Zinger said.

But even after all hes been through Maxson says he still thinks its a persons responsibility to report what they see to the authorities.

I cant change what happened, he said. But, my fight is, is to stop it from happening again.

Tuesday night, Maxson celebrated his first hours of freedom with dinner at Lawrys The Prime Rib with Zinger and well-known former Chicago convict Wallace Gator Bradley, who said hes convinced Maxson will successfully restart his live.

No doubt in my mind, cause Im going to be working with him, Bradley say.

The Cook County States Attorneys Conviction Integrity Unit, which has been operating for 3 years, has vacated 15 wrongful convictions so far, police say.
An Indiana mother arrested after her two children were found dead in the back seat of a car hours after an Amber Alert was issued for them, told police she had smothered them, according to court documents filed Wednesday.

Amber Pasztor, 29, of Fort Wayne, was arrested Monday on suspicion of two counts of murder and is being held in Elkhart County Jail.

According to an affidavit, Pasztor flagged down an officer behind the Elkhart Police Department while driving a vehicle matching the description of one in a statewide Amber Alert issued earlier that day.

Pasztor told Corporal Norm Friend that her children were dead and located in the back seat of the vehicle in question, the affidavit read.

Another officer called to the scene, Lieutenant Doug Ryback, confirmed both children were dead and asked Pasztor what happened.

Amber replied that she had smothered them, the affidavit states.

According to the documents, Pasztor detailed in a later interview that she kicked in the door of her fathers home and took both children out of the home in Fort Wayne earlier in the day. She then traveled to Elkhart with both children, stopping at several places including a restaurant and park, and at some point covered both of their faces and nose with her hands until they both died.

Preliminary findings from an autopsy conducted Tuesday found that 7-year-old Liliana Hernandez and 6-year-old Rene Pasztor both died of asphyxiation and the manner of death was ruled a homicide for both.

Prosecutors said Tuesday they believed the childrens death may be related to a third homicide, after a mans body was found in a rural wooded area.

Karen Richards, of the Allen County Prosecutor's Office and Curtis Hill, of the Elkhart Prosecutor's Office, said during a press conference that an investigation was ongoing but the body of Frank Macomber, 66, was found in a wooded area of Allen County. Macomber died from a gunshot wound, Richards said.

Richards said there was some type of relationship between the childrens mother, 29-year-old Amber Pasztor, and Macomber.

His death probably occurred before these two children were abducted by their mother, she said.

Asked if Pasztor gave information leading to the location of Macombers body, Hill said she gave information that was helpful to the investigation, Ill leave it at that. He also said she had been somewhat cooperative.

Its a senseless tragedy, theres no such thing as a good reason to kill, but my gosh, when it becomes children, prosecutor Curtis Hill said. The Elkhart police officer who was flagged down was traumatized when he looked into that vehicle.

A magistrate judge found the affidavit establishes probable cause to charge Pasztor with the children's murders. Prosecutors said they expect formal charges will be filed.
Three 18-year-old brothers and their two 18-year-old sisters have landed their first jobs, together, at a McDonald's in Michigan.

The non-identical quintuplets say they can usually get through a working day without any customers recognizing they are siblings.

MLive reports that Leith, Logan and Lucas Curtis all work in the kitchen at the restaurant in Potterville, near Lansing. Lauren Curtis works at the front counter and drive-thru, and Lindsey Curtis handles the lobby.

Lucas and Lauren Curtis began working at the McDonald's a year ago. Leith Curtis signed up in March, and Lindsay and Logan Curtis joined two months later.

Restaurant manager Jennifer Walters says the five siblings are great for business because they learned their jobs quickly and work well together.
Veterinarians are warning about a rise in cases of a bacterial disease that can kill dogs and can even spread to humans.

Experts say cases of leptospirosis are steadily rising in the Chicago area, due in large part to increasing rat populations and recent wet weather.

Lepto is a bacteria carried in rats and is often contracted by dogs through the consumption of standing water. The bacteria that causes leptospirosis is spread through the urine of infected animals and can live in water or soil for weeks to months.

Our dogs are susceptible to lepto from consuming the water on the street or stepping in it in their paws and a lot of dogs have allergies this time of year and then licking themselves when they come in, said Dr. Natalie Marks of Blum Animal Hospital in Chicago.

Vets say lepto symptoms are similar to those of the flu, including vomiting and diarrhea. But if untreated, it can lead to kidney and liver failure and possibly death. Officials claim kidney failure affects 90 percent of dogs with leptospirosis and 10 to 20 percent of infected dogs suffer liver failure.

As an added concern, veterinarians also warn that people can become infected through contact with contaminated urine, water, soil and body fluids except saliva. The bacteria can enter through the skin, eyes, nose or mouth and areas where the skin is cut or scratched are especially susceptible.

If we see a dog with lepto, we want to avoid any contact with that dog's urine, Marks said.

Doctors recommend a vaccination for dogs, though some experts note it doesnt always work, and extra vigilance by owners.

If your dog is stepping in puddles outside, wiping them down with baby wipes when they come in, make sure they're not drinking contaminated water bowls in front of stores or dog park, Marks said.
Vice President Joe Biden was in Chicago Wednesday to attend a fundraising dinner for Rep. Tammy Duckworths Senate bid alongside Sen. Dick Durbin.

Duckworth was not in attendance due to congressional obligations in Washington, D.C.

Both Biden and President Barack Obama endorsed Duckworths Senate campaign in April.

When her nation calls, Tammy Duckworth answers, and Im proud to support her in this next mission: running for the U.S. Senate, Biden said at the time. Tammy is a fighter, and I know shell bring that attitude to bear on behalf of Illinois working families."

The event was held at the home of Fred Eychaner, a Chicago executive who is considered one of the nations biggest Democratic donors. Tickets for the fundraiser range from $12,500, which includes a photo reception and dinner, to $36,100, which includes a VIP reception, according to the Chicago Sun-Times Lynn Sweet.

The money raised will go to the Illinois Victory 2016 fund. The joint committee benefits the Tammy for Illinois committee, which is Duckworths main campaign war chest, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

The event was slated to begin at 5 p.m. and the vice president was expected to arrive at 6 p.m.
A new Whole Foods Market will open in Chicagos Englewood Wednesday, bringing fresh food and much-needed economic development to one of the citys most underserved neighborhoods.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel will join Whole Foods Market Co-CEO Walter Robb and community members for a ribbon-cutting ceremony before the doors open to the 18,000-square-foot store that has been three years in the making.

Today we are doing much more than opening the doors to a new Whole Foods. We are opening doors to a new future for the Englewood community, Mayor Emanuel said. This store is also putting products from dozens of local suppliers on its shelves, helping turn small businesses into big businesses and creating even more economic opportunities that reach across Chicago.

The store will work with more than 35 local suppliers to bring fresh products on the shelves.

The Whole Foods store is the result of an effort by Emanuel and Robb to revitalize the South Side community, bringing in jobs and healthy food options at the same time.

"I feel great because I am a Whole Foods shopper," said Englewood resident Latasha Sanders. "I'm into health. I think it's a wonderful thing and I also think Halsted is coming back."

More than 100 residents have been hired as a result of the new development.

Working alongside the many individuals and organizations bringing positive change in their community was inspiring. Englewood has more good happening here and weve had the privilege to support the next class of food innovators, leaders and entrepreneurs of the South Side; helping to bring healthy food access to their community, Robb said. We hope to this store provides wholesome food choices and continues to help support the economic growth in the community.

Just across from the Whole Foods, located in the strip mall at 63rd and Halsted Streets, is a new Starbucks which also opens its doors for the first time Wednesday; another first for the Englewood community.

The Starbucks storefront has added 26 new hires and will offer a job training program aimed for at-risk young adults.
State lawmakers approved a deal to keep Sikorsky in Connecticut until 2032 after a special session on Wednesday morning.

It has been a week since Gov. Dannel Malloy announced the agreement in which Sikorsky promises to retain 7,500 jobs and potentially hire 1,000 more workers.

"This is the best economic deal that the state has ever cut, honestly, because its generational," Malloy said.

But one state senator, the only senate to vote aganist the deal, says he disagrees on principle with using taxpayer money to hold on to jobs.

"Sikorsky isnt here because we bribed them to come. Once upon a time this was a great place to do business," State Senator Joe Markley said. "I want to restore that and we dont do that when we spend hundreds of millions of dollars on one company."

On Tuesday, the governor, joined by Stratford Mayor John Harkins and Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, toured two Sikorsky suppliers on the same street in Stratford.

"All of us have Sikorsky blood running through us," said United Aero Group President James Gelder.

Nearly half of his companys business is tied to supporting Sikorsky products, Gelder told NBC Connecticut during the governors visit.

Inside the United Aero Grouop facility, boxes are filled with new and used parts the company supply to Sikorsky in case a helicopter needs a repair.

We manage that entire process, that entire cycle, importing manufacturing or re-manufacturing or overhaul and then back to the customer all over the world, Gelder said.

Malloy and the mayors next visited the headquarters for BTX Global Logistics.

We deliver goods so theyll call us and well pick up a helicopter blade and get it to the north sea of Norway in 22 hours, BTX Global Vice President Leonard Bacarella said.

The transportation and delivery services company stands to benefit from Sikorsky staying put, Bacarella said.

Its important that hes out visiting local companies that are supporting Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky, Bacarella said.

As part of the deal, Sikorskys entire production line for the King Stallion helicopters will be in Connecticut.

This is one of the best deals the state has negotiated, Malloy said.

That manufacturing commitment and the trickle down effect on dozens of Sikorsky suppliers justifies the states $220 million in financial incentives, Malloy said.

For every dollar the states putting into this, 96 dollars will be spent by Sikorsky directly, he added, that does not involve the supply chain or the supply chain to the supply chain.

The deal also needs the approval from the union representing Sikorskys employees. Members are expected to vote on Oct. 9.
The father of the 22-year-old Connecticut native who was lost at sea for a week said hes thankful his son is doing OK and said he now needs some time alone.

Nathan Carman left Rhode Island on Sept. 18 with his 54-year-old mother, Linda, to go fishing, but something happened along that trip and a Chinese freighter found Nathan a week later, floating in a life raft.

However, there has been no sign of his mother and officials from the Coast Guard said she is presumed dead.

Nathan Carman told authorities that he looked for his mother and called for her after getting to the life raft, but could not find her.

"I would just like to thank the public for their prayers and for their concern for both my mother and for myself and I would lke to thank the crew of the ship that rescued me," Nathan Carman told Boston-based WHDH in an interview.

The 22-year-old is also a person of interst in his wealthy grandfather's death from 2013. He told the Associated Press on Wednesday that he had nothing to do with his grandfather's unsolved slaying and didn't harm his missing mother.

Nathans father, Clark Carman, who now lives in California, made the trip to Middletown this week and said he was thrilled to get the news that his son is OK.

I was thrilled to death when I got the news, he said. Oh yes, after seven days at sea, I dont know how anybody made it.

But, he added that this is a difficult situation.

None of us really know what he went through and Im sure it was traumatic and so we have to bear with that. Hes been debriefed by the Coast Guard, police, Clark Carman said.

Nathan told WHDH that he feels healthy, but has been though a huge amount emotionally.

My request is just to be allowed to mourn naturally, he said.

Outside the Middletown house Linda Carman called home, there are signs saying Never give up and Please pray.

Nathan Carman now lives in Vermont and authorities have searched his home there for evidence connected to the fishing trip he went on with his mother and seized a modem with cable, SIM card and a letter written by Carman, according to police documents.

The search warrant affidavit reads that police "believe that evidence relating to the crime of RIGL 46-22-9.3 {Operating so as to endanger, resulting in the death} will be located inside Nathan's residence located at 3034 Fort Bridgemon Road in Vernon, Vermont."

Nathans father said his son was not involved with his grandfathers death and what happened to his mother was a pure accident.

They were the two most important people in his life, Clark Harman said.
Old Saybrook police said they found 71 fake credit cards on two Florida men allegedly attempting to buy expensive items with fake credit cards at a local store Tuesday.

Yosbell Ciscard Jimenez, 37, and Toniel Eugelle Argamonte, 48, both of Miami, Fla., face multiple charges including credit card theft, forgery, and identity theft.

The pair is accused of trying to buy over $8,200 worth of merchandise, including GPS map plotters, radios and speaker systems, at West Marine at 1667 Boston Post Road using fake credit cards.

The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. Police said when the men tried to make the purchase employees called police because they thought they were acting suspiciously.

Police said when they arrived they found the men with a total of 71 fake credit cards. The cards were marked with names that matched the suspects, but the magnetic strips actually contained someone elses information.

Police also searched the suspects rental vehicle and found thousands of dollars worth of merchandise police believe was purchased in other Connecticut towns with the fake cards.

Both men were issued $200,000 bonds. The investigation is ongoing and the US Secret Service, which investigates credit card fraud, is assisting the Old Saybrook police department.
Three new water fountains at Mauro-Sheridan Magnet, New Horizons and James Hillhouse High were recently installed because the water flowing from the old ones were found to be riddled with lead.

"It could have been the fixture itself or it could have been a water line thats what I am trying to find out," said Paul Kowalski, environmental health program director for the city of New Haven Health Department.

Testing of a water sample from a fountain at James Hillhouse High School came back at 53ppb, which is three times the maximum amount the EPA considers safe.

"I dont know how often its used and I dont know how many people really drink out of it, but for safety sake we took it out of commission," Kowalski said.

New Horizons and Mauro-Sheridans results had come in at 41ppb and 26ppb, respectively. While lower than the water at Hillhouse, it is still unsafe to drink.

New Haven health officials found out about the waters condition after they decided to test their schools water for lead this past March.

"I knew I was going to be asked that question because of what happened in Flint brought lead poisoning and lead and water to the forefront," Kowalski said.

These numbers arent nearly as bad as Flints but lead exposure can cause brain damage, lower intelligence and other issues in young children.

Since 2011, 20 Connecticut schools were found to have lead-contaminated water. The number could be higher, but some parents might never know because only the 170 out of 1,100 Connecticut schools that use independent water systems are required by the state to check.

"The water supply that we have within the city of New Haven is basically pristine," Kowalkski said.

We then asked him to explain how the three contaminated water fountains at the school could happen in "pristine" conditions.

"I cant at this time," Kowalski responded.

New Haven schools are, like most of the others in Connecticut, not required to test. Kowalski said before this years voluntary testing, the water hadnt been checked for lead since the schools were renovated years ago.

"Its been over the past 10 to 15 years," Kowalski said.

He addded that when the city decided to do it this year, they faced hurdles from the state.

"I had to wait to get the approval to run the samples," Kowalski said.

Connecticut Water Chief Lori Mathieu said if she is given a mandate, all schools would be tested in the state.

"If legislation is created, if there is requirement out there for the Health Department to conduct that, we would stand ready to implement that," Mathieu said .

Hartford isnt required to test their schools water either. After repeated requests by the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters, city officials agreed to test some of their schools.

"Were definitely are putting a plan together so we can test all our schools," Pedro Zayas, communications director for Hartford Public Schools said.

NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters were there in August when they tested the first, Capital Prep.

They also tested MD Fox the next day at the request of NBC Connecticut.

"I think that schedule is in progress," said Zayas. "We have to coordinate with MDC."

MDC reached out to us yesterday to say that they are not and have never been working with the city of Hartford to conduct their schools testing.

We followed up with Zayas for a response he said  I should have said to coordinate a schedule of testing with the Hartford Health Department.

MDC reached out to us yesterday to say that they are not and have never been working with the city of Hartford to conduct their schools testing. We followed up with Zayas for a response.

I should have said to coordinate a schedule of testing with the Hartford Health Department, Zayas said.

At our request, Waterbury also agreed to test two schools: Gilmartin Elementary and Wallace Middle.

In total, the four schools tested in Waterbury and Hartford came back with acceptable lead levels. But, that still leaves the water in more than 70 schools in those two cities untested.

On Monday, Waterbury sent NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters a detailed schedule of when they are will test all schools and for some, it wont be until 2017.
China's gold reserves are expected to get a boost with the new mine discovered in Henan. (Photo : Twitter)

Chinese mining authorities have reportedly discovered a new mine believed to contain as much as 100 tons of gold in Henan Province.



Experts from Henan's Department of Land and Resources announced the discovery of the mine during the exploration for metal deposits in the Tong area of the province in mid-September, Best China News reported.



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Based pm the data gathered by the province's Bureau of Geo-exploration and Mineral Development, the region is estimated to have as much as 200 to 250 tons of gold, estimated tie around 25 billion yuan ($3.75 billion).



The exploration program for the area reportedly cost only 80 million yuan ($11.9 million). The mine is expected to have a service life of around 80 years.



China currently has 1,265 gold mines in operation, with a total deposit estimated at around 4,265 tons, making it the seventh largest gold deposit in the world.



Aside from gold, the new Henan mine is also believed to contain around 120 tons of silver, with the whole area said to have as much as 5,000 tons of silver. Other mineral deposits, including lead, zinc, and alkali metals, have also been reported.



Meanwhile, authorities from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in Northern China has also announced the discovery of a new lead and zinc deposit in the region. The new find is estimated to contain 19 million in reserves of the metal, believed to be the largest in China, the Global Times reported.



The newfound deposits will augment the country's current lead deposits of 3,527 tons and 9,384 tons of zinc. China's deposits for the two metals are believed to be the fourth largest in the world.



In a report by the United Nations Environmental Programme in 2013, China has outranked the United States as the biggest consumer of metal ores and minerals, as well as other primary materials, with the country's domestic use being four times as large as that of the U.S.


A man wanted in Connecticut and New York for two separate incidents was captured in New York after fleeing from police who were trying to serve him with a warrant in Sharon, Connecticut, according to police.

New York State Police said they were investigating 28-year-old Raymond Sprague, of Sharon, Connecticut, on Sept. 3 because of a domestic dispute in the town of Northeast and obtained a warrant charging him with third-degree criminal mischief, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree menacing and second-degree criminal trespass.

Then around 8 p.m. on Monday night, Connecticut State Police received a report of a disturbance in Sharon. They identified Sprague as the suspect and obtained a warrant for him on assault-related charges, according to police.

Connecticut state police tried to serve the arrest warrant on West Meadow Road in Sharon around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, but Sprague was uncooperative and fled from troopers, authorities said.

With Sprague on the lam, Sharon public schools were placed in precautionary lockout on Wednesday afternoon and state police sent out a news release saying they were searching for the suspect, who should be considered armed and dangerous.

Sprague was located later Wednesday in Amenia, New York, held in custody and arraigned. He is due back in court in New York on Sept. 30.
Police are searching for the person who shot a man in New London on Tuesday afternoon.

Police responded to 911 calls reporting several shots fired in the area of Adelaide Street and Cole Street just before 2 p.m. and found 27-year-old Isaiah Peake, of New London, with gunshot wounds in the vicinity of Crystal Avenue and Adelaide Street, police said.

Peake was taken to Lawrence & Memorial Hospital to be treated.

Anyone who has any information about the shooting should call the New London Police Departments Detective Division at (860)-447-1481 or leave an anonymous tip via the New London Tips 411 system.
A South Windsor man has been arrested on drug charges after police said they found marijuana plants growing on his back deck.

Police said they learned in June that 57-year-old Michael Wellington, of South Windsor, was growing marijuana on his rear deck, so officers obtained a search warrant and seized four plants that were about 3 feet tall and around two ounces of dried marijuana, police said.

Officers later obtained an arrest warrant charging Wellington with cultivation of marijuana and possession of marijuana and he turned himself in to police on Monday.

Wellington was released on a $5,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear at Manchester Superior Court on Oct. 6.
A modern medical marvel is helping revolutionize patient care in North Texas. The new pills are filled with more than just medicine. They also contain a tiny sensor with a very important role.

Izayah Neil, 15, takes a lot of pills.

"I've been taking meds almost all my life," he said.

He takes 10 a day, and he knows the drill. Keeping track of all that medicine is a necessity when you're living with a transplanted kidney.

"They're very important for your kidney. If you don't take them your kidney could get damaged and you could die," Izayah said.

Izayah was born with a syndrome that killed his kidneys. He doesn't want that to happen again, so he takes powerful drugs to prevent his body from rejecting the transplant.

"Even though he's very good at taking his medications on his own, mom's not always going to be there," said his mother, Tara Chamberlain.

Izayah's mom says it's been a tough year since the transplant. Her son started taking 30 pills a day. Doctors whittled it down but it's still a lot to remember.

So now they have some help.

"When he takes his medicines and it's absorbed into his system, we get a text message. I get one on my phone, he also gets one on his iPad that says, 'Hey, you've taken the medicine,'" Chamberlain said.

And just like that, Izayah, his mother and his doctors get a message every time Izayah takes his pills.

It's thanks to the tiny sensors added to Izayah's pills each time his prescriptions are filled at Children's Medical Center in Dallas.

"This is cutting-edge technology," said Dr. Dev Desai, chief of pediatric transplantation at Children's Health and Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at UT Southwestern.

He says the sensors are becoming a vital part of post-transplant care, particularly for teenagers.

"The number one reason teenagers lose their transplanted organ is from medication non-adherence," Desai said. "In some cases (that) might require them to have a second transplant."

Desai tracks his patients' progress from his desktop.

As the pills Izayah takes dissolve, they send a message to a patch attached to his body. The device then forwards encrypted data to the doctor.

"We've been able to catch a patient taking the wrong dose and we're able to correct that right away," Desai said.

Izayah's mother says the device means fewer visits to the doctor, which helps keep her son in class.

But the benefits come with risks, especially if this technology were to become widely available.

"Every technology, itself, is neither good nor evil. It's how you use it," said Dr. Michael Rubin, Assistant Professor of Neurology at UT Southwestern and Chair of the UT Southwestern Ethics Committee.

Rubin studies medical ethics issues and has some concerns, such as what if your insurance company can access your records?

"Could they then say, 'We have records that say you only take your blood pressure medicine half of the time, so we're going to put you in a higher-risk category and we may charge you a higher premium,'" Rubin said.

But that's a distant concern for Izayah and his mom.

For now, this technology is helping them focus on what's most important. And it helps him stay alive.

"These medications are basically what help the kidney stay alive. They help him stay alive," Chamberlain said.

Right now, Children's Health is fronting the costs for the digital pill program so there's no charge to families. About 20 children who've received transplanted organs are using the pill tracking system.
A Dallas businessman who lost most of his parking spaces to progress over the years is fighting to keep the few he has left to stay in business.

For 21 years, Scott Lim has run Scotts Liquors on South Lamar Street at Cadiz Street.

Right now, I just want to stay, make my living, put the money for my kids education. Thats the one thing, he said.

The area was skid row when he opened, but he survived to see a revival that now features a new movie theater and apartments.

Many customers can walk to his store. And the proposed station location for high speed rail to Houston is blocks away on Cadiz Street, a potential source of business Lim only learned about from a reporter Tuesday.

I didnt know until today. Thank you sir, he said.

In the meantime, Lim said he still needs parking spaces to serve customers and parking that once surrounded his store has been whittled away over the years.

The city replaced head in parking spaces in front of the store with a wide new sidewalk four years ago. A parking lot he used on the north side of his business was replaced with a park.

Now, Lim said city officials have told him two of his four remaining spaces on the south side of his business along Cadiz Street are too close to another new sidewalk and must be closed. Lim said the city plans to place huge rocks beside the sidewalk to block use of the spaces.

If you take two more of my parking lot, I dont know what will happen next, Lim said.

Customer Michael Curtis said he found Lims store to be an oasis when he first started working in the area 13 years ago.

You kind of came through here with your windows up and doors locked, Curtis said. And its cleaned up a lot. Scotts always been a good businessman.

Standing beside his car parked in one of Lims remaining spaces Tuesday, Curtis said Lim might not survive another reduction.

Taking his spots is going to make it harder for people to get in here. Theyre going to see theres no spots and theyre going to take their business elsewhere, Curtis said.

Lim said he offered to repaint stripes on the spaces at his expense to avoid the sidewalk. He said he will plead with city leaders for support at Wednesdays Dallas City Council meeting.

We can work together on this thing here, by not taking my parking lot, Lim said.

NBC 5 messages for Dallas city officials were not returned Tuesday.
A Plano police detective is thanking two men who helped him arrest a theft suspect last week.

As day laborers, Kirby Sample and Andre Harvey see their fair share of action -- but they'd never seen anything like what happened Friday.

As they stood on the sidewalk outside Plano's Day Labor Center, they watched a police detective try to arrest a man on the hood of his cruiser.

"I thought it was something out of a TV movie," Sample said.

Police said the suspect, identified as 27-year-old Majd Qewar, is seen on surveillance seconds earlier stealing a donation jar from a nearby 7-Eleven convenience store.

"That's pathetic. You don't steal from children and these are children with handicaps. You don't do that, you know," Sample said.

The suspect is then seen running out the door and down the street, where Plano Police Detective Jon Hoffman happened to be driving by.

"He come running this way carrying all that MDA money he'd just stolen," Hoffman explained.

Hoffman tried arresting the suspect, who he said begins to resist.

Harvey was recording the whole ordeal on his cell phone, including the moment Hoffman asks for help.

"For a police officer to ask me for help, that's compelling, you know," Sample said.

Sample and Harvey run over to help without thinking twice about helping the officer, even if it meant putting themselves in harm's way.

"Bullets have not names, no directional firing, anything could've happened if he got a hold of the officer's gun," Harvey said.

"Makes me feel good," Sample said. "Makes me feel good about myself that I could lend a hand in help."

"Certainly I have faith demonstrated by these two men that the community still has our back when we need it," Hoffman said.

Money from the donation jar was collected and the jar was returned to the store.

Qewar, a Jordanian national, remains in the Collin County Jail. He's charged with theft, resisting arrest, illegal possession of a controlled substance and possession of heroin.
A second proposed rail line through downtown Dallas has neighbors worried that several historic buildings may be at risk.

The group Preserve Dallas released their 2016 Endangered Historic Buildings List this week that adds several locations along the proposed Dallas Area Rapid Transit D2 line.

The list includes the Aloft Hotel, SoCo Lofts, Lone Star Gas Lofts, Statler Hilton, Continental Building, First Presbyterian Church, Scottish Rite Temple and Knights of Pythias building among others in the area.

The group is worried that construction of the line could lead to partial or total demolitions on some of the buildings as well as damage from vibrations and noise.

"These will impact the use of these buildings, said Preserve Dallas Executive Director David Preiosi. There have been over $350 million in investments in historic buildings along this line."

Preserve Dallas is pushing for a subway-style design for the line, which would avoid the buildings but carry a much higher cost.

The DART board of directors approved their $976 million 2017 budget Tuesday, which includes $25 million for the proposed Cotton Belt rail from D/FW International Airport to Plano and $3.5 million for the D2 line.

The project does still require further action by the group and the city before it would become a reality.

The list also includes other buildings throughout Dallas including several at Fair Park, the Elbow Room in the Baylor District, the Penson House in Highland Park, the Polar Bear in Oak Cliff and the Williams House in University Park.

Each of the listings are in areas likely to see construction or eminent domain situations, and the group hopes by adding the buildings to the list, the properties will receive more advocacy and attention as the projects move forward.
Texas students are struggling to pay for college, and a new survey confirms they want the government to kick in more help.

Seventy-eight percent of those polled in Texas believe student debt is a major problem, according to Western Governors University, and about half think the government spends "too little" on education.

Seventy-two percent of those without a diploma say the cost of college was the major hurdle.

At the University of North Texas, roughly 75 percent of the students receive assistance through scholarships or financial aid, according to the financial aid office. More than $350 million of financial aid are awarded each year, including more than $39 million in scholarships.

Claudia Lee and Devon Foster both receive financial aid, and have on-campus jobs to help with other expenses. They say they worry about their finances a lot.

"I have a lot of friends who have already graduated and they talk to me about how they are paying off their debt currently, and how ridiculous it is, how much they are have to pay how long it is going to take," said Lee.

It will take her a while to pay it off. Lee says she expects to be laying off loans for at least 10 years.

"I think the government should be more involved in helping students," she added.

State funding is up to the Legislature, which meets in January. But the budget this year could be difficult. Lawmakers have fewer dollars than anticipated. Struggles in the oil and gas industry mean less sales tax revenue.
Demonstrators protesting the shooting death of an unarmed black man said to be "mentally perturbed" gathered in El Cajun for a second night of mostly peaceful protests, chanting slogans and holding signs.

Several hundred people took to the streets of the San Diego suburb, marching from the shooting scene to City Hall and back, shouting Alfred Okwera Olango's name, taunting police and periodically blocking traffic.

The 28-year-old refugee from the Uganda was fatally shot by police after allegedly taking a "shooting stance" while holding an object during a confrontation with officers in shopping center's parking lot, El Cajon police said. Police later confirmed Olango was holding a vape smoking device.

The crowd staged a boisterous but peaceful rally near the site of Olango's death at the Broadway Plaza Shopping Center on Broadway, chanting "No justice, no peace," and holding "Black Lives Matter" signs.

News chopper video of protesters marching the streets of El Cajon on Sept. 28, 2016, one day after the deadly police shooting of an unarmed black man, Alfred Alongo.

A tense situation unfolded earlier Wednesday evening after some sort of scuffle prompted the crowd to scatter, and forced police to call in back up.

Officers in riot gear could be seen forming lines and blocking off streets, but mostly kept their distance. Demonstrators milled about the streets, but the mood grew more relaxed and the crowds gradually diminished.

Aerial footage showed A crowd of people angry over the shooting death of an unarmed black man in El Cajon swarmed the streets near the site of the shooting.

Protests against the police shooting began earlier in the day, when crowds gathered and walked in between cars traveling in the opposite direction along Broadway.

Some protesters cursed as they marched while others screamed, "No violence! No violence!"

A dozen San Diego County Sheriff's deputies stood in a line across Broadway between Ballantyne Street and Mollison Avenue, in an apparent attempt to block protesters from getting on to State Route 67.

One woman, who was protesting with her son, told NBC 7 that she worries about him because he's black and she's white.

"It's just to bring attention to what's going on," Sara Bennett said. "I worry about him every day because of what's going on and how is it, they see me as a white woman and him as a black man. Its not fair, we need to be together."

Her son, Josiah, said he was out in the streets because he was tired of his mom worrying about him whenever he left the house.

"I shouldn't have to worry if I'm white, brown, black, purple, green," he said. "Doesn't matter. I want to feel safe and hang out and do what I want without police looking at me because I'm a certain color."

Protesters also held a candlelight memorial for Olango at the shooting scene on Broadway. They said his name multiple times and held a moment of silence before heading to the street for a sit-in.

Parkway Plaza in El Cajon, on the 400 block of Fletcher Parkway off Interstate 8, temporarily closed their doors Wednesday because of the protesters.

"By request of local authorities and out of an abundance of caution, Parkway Plaza will be temporarily closed due to demonstrations in the area. We will let you know when we are scheduled to reopen," the Plaza said in a statement on their Facebook page.

El Cajon Police said the mall chose to close on its own.

On Tuesday, officers with the El Cajon Police Department (ECPD) shot and killed Alfred Olango, a Ugandan refugee, during an encounter in the parking lot of a shopping center in the 800 block of Broadway. Police said Olango was reported to be "acting erratically" and did not follow orders to remove his hands from the pockets of his pants.

Police said at one point he pulled an object from his pants and pointed it at officers in a "shooting stance." Authorities later revealed the object was a vaping device.

The killing of Olango sparked outrage in the community amid racial tensions nationwide stemming from deadly police shootings of unarmed black men.

An NBC 7 news crew captured one confrontation between a protester and a sheriff's deputy.

As one man confronted law enforcement during a march in El Cajon Wednesday, calling them pigs, one woman stood up for authorities, telling them she understood that they were just trying to do their jobs.

Pigs! Be scared! [Youre all] in riot gear because youre all f---ing cowards! the protester said.

Suddenly a woman nearby chimed in, directing her comment to the deputy, No, you guys arent. You guys are doing your jobs."

"You may not be part of it, but your buddies are," another man shouted at law enforcement officers. "It's time to expose everybody."

A man wearing a shirt with the words #BlackLives tried to walk across the line formed by law enforcement but was quickly stopped by a deputy.

The man shouted that he was trying to get to his son on the other side of the line.

Stop! Go back! the deputy told the man.

Are you kidding me? the man asked the deputy. You wonder why we gotta problem with you all? Are you serious?

"Is not following police orders a justification for killing? This is Murder," said Christopher Rice-Wilson, the Associate Director at Alliance San Diego who was one of the protesters.

Olango emigrated to the U.S. in 1991 when he was 12 years old.

[G] Police Shoot 'Erratic' Man in El Cajon Parking Lot

The suspects sister described the moments leading up to a fatal El Cajon police shooting that killed her brother.

Protesters marched the streets of El Cajon Wednesday, at one point gathering near a freeway underpass.

Mallory Webb of the NAACPs Youth & College Division talks about her fear of walking in public and her fear of violence directed at her loved ones. The rally was held following the shooting death of Alfred Olango during a confrontation with El Cajon Police officers.

One of the speakers at a rally held the morning after a deadly shooting in El Cajon, California explained that witnesses and people who know the man killed are afraid of coming forward.
Rodrigo Duterte Poised To Win Philippine Elections (Photo : Getty Images)

Loyal followers of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte would surely declare war on Taiwanese animators who poked fun at the former Davao mayor as a murderer clown. The video they made has gone viral with almost 65,000 hits.



Although the 1-minute, 30-second video is in Chinese, there are English subtitles which state that Duterte, when he was mayor, ordered liquidation squads to kill criminals and opponents in gangland-style assaults which left about 1,000 people dead, reported Inquirer. When he became president in July, the anti-drug campaign he led nationwide led to the death of over 3,000 suspected drug users and dealers.



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It also cited his sharp tongue that caused him to curse Pope Francis and used profanity on the U.S. and the U.N. which questioned him about the extrajudicial killings and human rights violations. At the same time, the video pointed out that Duterte is softening his stand toward China even if the Philippines has a dispute with Beijing over disputed islands in South China Sea.



However, the video said despite the presidents tough talk, his stick is little because of the countrys financial weakness. This moron thinks his allies are his enemies, and that he can trust countries like China and Russia. And now he wants their weapons. Sucking up to China will totally make them share the South China Sea, the video said.



The Taiwanese animators, who apparently have a beef with China, said Duterte is a Kim Jong Un wannabe, referring to the North Korean dictator.



The comments section of the YouTube posting looks like social media postings in Facebook where pro- and anti-Duterte Filipinos debate and fight over their political beliefs.



Shami the Misunderstood pussy cat called the president an idiot, while Yani Diaz insisted she is not a paid hack and people support Duterte because they love him.



Peanutspread probably represents what many Filipinos tired of Dutertes brash manners and the bickerings from pro- and anti-Duterte groups feel, wrote, The truth hurts. So accurate! God help the Philippines.






The U.S. military is reviewing claims that one of its airstrikes killed people after it hit a residential building in Afghanistan, NBC News reported.

A local lawmaker told The Associated Press that 13 civilians were killed. NBC News could not independently confirm that account.

American officials confirmed in an email to NBC News that one strike was carried out in the Achin district of Nangarhar province and that they were "aware of some claims of Afghan casualties."

Local lawmaker Esmatullah Shinwari told the AP that an airstrike in Achin had hit a residential building where a crowd had gathered to welcome home a tribal leader returning from the Hajj, an annual Muslim pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
A Porsche Cayenne crashed into a family's Bel Air house Wednesday morning, hitting a gas line and setting off a leak, police said.

The crash occurred around 4:50 a.m. in the 2500 block of Roscomare Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Police Department, West Los Angeles Station.

Chris Conte, the owner of the house, said the Porsche jumped over the curb from his neighbor's driveway and into his home's main gas line.

His family smelled gas and immediately evacuated the home.

The crash shook the house, rattling open dresser drawers and scattering debris around Conte's daughter's room.

Conte said he and his family were not injured.

What led up to the crash was unknown. Witnesses said a driver was being taken away from the scene.

The neighborhood's gas was shut off.
Miles of tire tracks left behind by someone out for a joyride mark the latest act of vandalism in California's Death Valley National Park.

The tracks in the hottest, driest place on earth extend for about 10 miles, including looping patterns likely created by doughnuts from the sport utility vehicle's tires, on the fragile surface of the park's "Racetrack Playa." The scars will likely remain on the surface for years because exposed loose silt can be blown away by strong winds, causing a depression in the dry soil.

The remote dry lake is known for unusual tracks, but not the man-made kind.

In 2014, scientists unraveled the mystery behind the Playa's "moving rocks," which appeared to leave jagged trails in the surface. The researchers found that large sheets of ice were pushed by winds into the rocks, acting as a sail that moved the rocks across the lake bed.

But there was no mystery behind the SUV tire tracks, discovered in August by a park ranger. A GPS rendering of the route shows the SUV driver traveled erratically back and forth along the lake bed, made several sharp turns and turned a few doughnuts.

"We are hopeful that someone will be charged in this case," Abby Wines, a park spokeswoman, told the Los Angeles Times, adding that investigators have a "strong lead."

Federal investigators told the Times they have identified a suspect believed responsible for the vandalism.

Authorities did not release the suspect's name.

The destructive driving case comes after three men were charged in May in connection with damage to a Death Valley National Park rock tub. A federally endangered Devil's Hole Pupfish was found dead at the site.

The suspects in that case were identified through DNA left at the crime scene. The park service also released surveillance video of the shotgun-wielding men as they broke into Devil's Hole.

In June, a San Diego woman pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of defiling rocks formations at Death Valley and other national parks.
Teachers at El Camino Real Charter High School will protest outside school grounds in an effort to retain the school's charter status after administrators were caught spending school money for personal use.

The protesters are calling for the removal of Executive Director David Fehte and Chief Business Officer Marshall Mayotte, who are among a group of administrators at the school who used a school-issued card for personal purchases.

"My contention is that, while their actions may not have been criminal, they were certainly incompetent, irresponsible and unethical," said Carlos Monroy, a teacher at the school.

The administrators were first flagged in October 2015 by the Los Angeles Unified School District Charter School Division.

The district asked the school to revise its fiscal policies after a review of credit card charges revealed such things as first-class travel fares without "any explanation as to the nature of the travel expenses," according to a review from the division.

Fehte spent thousands of dollars on food, airfare and other expenses, documents provided by the law firm representing the nonprofit that runs the charter school show.

One purchase showed Fehte spending $1,139.84 at Montys Steakhouse and Seafood in 2014. In October 2015, he spent $1,469.30 on a Delta Airlines flight.

For his part, Mayottes name appears on a more than $800 charge at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, though the law firm contends that the purchase had a school-related purpose, namely a Common Core Conference.

Mayottes name also appears on other triple-figure charges, though the law firm contends that those charges were not Mayottes or were incurred on behalf of other employees.

Since the investigation began, El Camino Real Charter High School received a finance score of "1" from the LAUSD Charter Schools Division for the 2015-16 school year, the lowest score on a scale from one to four.

In 2013-14 and 2014-15, the school had received scores of four, effectively showing the investigation's impact on the school.

While the El Camino Real Alliance, the nonprofit entity that operates the charter school, has since revised its rules, most recently in a board meeting held last week, some teachers believe that more needs to be done.

"If were talking about educational funds, this is public money," Monroy said. "This is money meant for children, meant for teachers, meant for the classrooms and (Fehte) is going on first-class flights and buying steak dinners. Thats not acceptable."

In an email, the LAUSD charter schools division said it is reviewing the schools response to the notice of violations and "evaluating the adequacy of the ECRA response."

The division, the email said, will make recommendations to the LAUSD Board of Education, "which will consider the issue at an upcoming meeting."

Should the schools charter indeed be revoked, the school might stay open through the end of the school year, according to an LAUSD Office of Communications and Media Relations official. Furthermore, students would be able to attend another LAUSD school.

That would negatively impact students, Monroy said.

"The negative connotation that would be associated with El Camino is going to follow these students as they try to get into colleges," he said, adding that teachers could also be negatively impacted, since their contracts do not outline what happens to them if the school's charter is revoked.

Neither El Camino board Chairman Jonathan Wasser, nor LAUSD charter schools division director Jose Cole-Gutierrez returned requests for interview. Fehte and Mayotte were not immediately available for comment.

The teacher protest is set to begin at 7 a.m. Wednesday outside the school located at 5440 Valley Cir Blvd. in Woodland Hills.
A woman was sexually assaulted during an attempted kidnapping while she was walking to her apartment across the street from Azusa Pacific University in Azusa Tuesday, police investigating the crime said Wednesday.

On Tuesday just after 3:30 p.m., the victim walked into the carport area of her apartment complex in the 1100 block of E. Alosta Avenue in Azusa, where a man approached her from behind and grabbed her, according to the Azusa Police Department.

The man was "able to lift her off the ground" and tried to carry her away, Azusa police said in a statement. "As the victim struggled, the suspect released her, and ran from the scene."

Authorities said the man sexually assaulted the woman during the attempt.

"When the had suspect grabbed her, his hands had touched parts of her body and that qualified as a sexual assault," said Officer Mike Bires of the Azusa Police Department.

Police noted they were aware of an attempted kidnapping at California State University, Northridge which took place on Tuesday also, but said they did not think the two incidents were related as of Wednesday morning.

Although officers searched the area for the man, he had not been found as of Wednesday. Anyone with information about the incident was encouraged to call Det. Spahr at 626-812-3200.
A man who claimed to be Tarzan, climbed a tree and tried to reach the monkey exhibit at an Orange County zoo pleaded guilty to several felony charges stemming from a separate case and was immediately sentenced to four years in prison.

John Rodenborn, 38, pleaded guilty Tuesday to robbery and burglary charges. He also entered guilty pleas to burglary and trespassing in another case. Charges of possession of a controlled substance and entering an animal enclosure at a zoo were dismissed.

Rodenborn was arrested in August 2015 after a zookeeper reported that a shirtless, mud-plastered man claiming to be Tarzan had climbed 20 feet up a tree in the bird exhibit at the Santa Ana Zoo.

He tried unsuccessfully to enter the monkey exhibit, police said.

Since his arrest Rodenborn spent time in a state mental hospital.

"He's not Tarzan anymore," his attorney, Jim Sweeney, told the Orange County Register. "He's not anywhere near the erratic behavior as before. And I think maybe Patton (hospital) deserves credit for that."

The zoo's director discovered the man and explained the bizarre scene to a 911 operator. The man was seen climbing trees and jumping into animal exhibits.

Officers briefly chased Rodenborn before taking him into custody.

On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to several charges stemming from the theft of a cell phone and a hold-up at a fuel station. He faced a maximum of up to 60 years to life in prison, his attorney told the Register.

Rodenborn was charged in August 2015 with stealing a cell phone at a Costa Mesa art gallery, a theft that occurred two days after the zoo incident.

Four months earlier, he was arrested in a hold-up at a Westminster fuel station where an employee was threatened at gunpoint, according to authorities. A cigarette left at the store was used to make a DNA match, prosecutors told the Register.
You wouldn't be taken to task if, upon hearing The Cruffin was heading into Los Angeles, you turned your eyes skyward to watch for some sort of fictional winged creature, the kind of beast who befriends a wizard and performs good deeds around the forest.

The forest in this case, though, is Highland Park, and a cruffin is not a mythological dragon but rather a confection that's seized the sweet-seeking hearts of many San Franciscans. Look more deeply into the name and you'll see a "cr-"  that stands for "croissant"  and the "-uffin" hails from everyone's morning friend, the muffin.

Mr. Holmes Bakehouse is the creative force behind these layer-luscious, gooey-middled, carb-comforting wonders, and whether you call cruffins breakfast or dessert, or bressert, is up to you and your particular approach to viewing what you eat.

It's a shop that's been much anticipated since the 2015 reveal that Southern California would get its own delightful sugary shower of cruffin-based magic, a magic that is coming to pass just in time for the most magical month of all, October: Mr. Holmes Bakehouse is making its debut, with a party, on Thursday, Sept. 29.

The dealie is RSVP-only, but if you don't make it, be sure to swing by 111 S. Ave. 59 in the days to come to purchase your first cruffin (we'll assume it is your first, if you haven't tried it in the Bay Area or South Korea, where cruffins have also gained fans).

Might you select a peppermint? Or strawberry milkshake? The creamy center has the flavor pop, while the delectable's outer shell keeps the multi-layer croissant character front-and-centered. It's a hybrid, yes, which is a word that also sounds a bit like a mythological creature.

Of course, "hybrid" is trucked out a lot these days to describe one sort of traditional foodstuff meeting another traditional foodstuff in a new way, which seems like a bit like happy hocus pocus to us.

Maybe The Cruffin does spring from the pages of a fantasy book, the kind of book that ends with the cruffin enjoyer wiping crumbs from his shirt while pondering if he should order another cruffin to go.
Yahoo is facing another wave of problems on the heels of admitting a major data breach affecting more than a half billion customers.

The first lawsuits have been filed in this case, several of them in California, and it could all impact Verizon's $4.8 billion acquisition of the company.

First, if you're a Yahoo customer, understand lawmakers are describing this as the largest data breach affecting American consumers, and there are questions about how long your personal information has been in the hands of hackers.

Some lawmakers are alleging that Yahoo knew about the data breach in 2014, but only acknowledged it for the first time publicly last week.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is being asked to investigate whether Yahoo met legally mandated disclosure requirements or if the company withheld the information in part because of its pending acquisition by Verizon.

Verizon says it learned of the breach two days before the rest of the world did. So for two years, the personal data of Yahoo customers may have been compromised.

If you're one of them, you may be asking what you can do about it and how you can protect your online accounts.

Cyber security experts recommend a few things to protect your data:

Change your Yahoo password immediately. Also change passwords for any accounts where you used the same password, especially if you pay any bills online. As a precaution, make it a habit to change passwords every three to six months. Lastly, document any changes or problems with accounts as evidence for potential class-action lawsuits.

There are five lawsuits currently filed by consumers against Yahoo, including three in California. They could be consolidated as one case, or because of the number of people affected, class-action status could be granted.
Chinese tourists in Tokyo. (Photo : Getty Images)

Japan's relaxed visa rules for Chinese visitors that are intended to boost repeat arrivals and bilateral people exchanges between Japan and China take effect Oct. 17.



The date was announced by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), which also said the plans for this easing were first announced last April 30. The new regulations involve Chinese nationals applying for multiple entry visas for short-term stay for the purposes of business.



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Visas for cultural or intellectual figures will be expanded with the length of stay being increased from five years to 10 years.



MOFA also said that in October, Chinese graduate students and alumni of the universities of the Ministry of Education of China will be allowed to submit a certificate of student status or graduation. They won't be required to submit a document to confirm financial capability that was previously required.



The ministry said these new relaxed measures intend to "further advance people-to-people exchanges with China, including improvement of convenience in business activities, as well as increasing repeat visitors and young visitors."



Arrivals from China grew 41.2% year-on-year to 3.1 million, equivalent to 26.3% of Japan's total inbound arrivals, in the first-half of 2016. The number of visiting Chinese grew every month during the period except in May. The arrival number rose 22.6% in the six months, from 475,100 in January to about 582,500 in June.



Japan attributed the increase to expansion of air routes between China and Japan, the three-day (June 9-11) holiday for the traditional Chinese Dragon Boat Day and enhanced destination marketing by Japan.



This will be the second time in two years Japan has eased visa restrictions on Chinese. In January 2015, Japan relaxed requirements for three-year, multi-entry visas and the availability of five-year, multiple-entry visas for high-income groups.



The economic status for Chinese people applying for three-year, multi-entry visas were lowered from "sufficient" economic capacity to "certain" economic capacity. Five-year, multi-entry visas are open to high-income Chinese tourists.



As for applications for five-year, multiple-entry visas, visas will be free if Chinese tourists enter Japan for the first time through one of three earthquake-stricken areas, Fukushima, Iwate or Miyagi, and spend at least one night there.



But if they land elsewhere in Japan, they will be charged $64.50.


A man rescued after spending a week at sea says he had nothing to do with his grandfather's 2013 unsolved slaying and didn't harm his missing mother.

Twenty-two-year-old Nathan Carman told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the fishing boat he was in with his mother sank within a matter of minutes. Carman was rescued Sunday. His mother, Linda Carman, 54, of Connecticut, is missing and presumed dead.

Carman told the AP by telephone that after water began pouring into his boat, he saw his mother in the cockpit. He said he grabbed survival gear, then looked back and she was gone.

He said he was like a son to his grandfather, who was slain in Connecticut.

Carman was lost at sea for more than a week before he was found alive on a life raft Sunday by a Chinese freighter about 100 nautical miles south of Martha's Vineyard.

Police searched Carman's Vermont home earlier this week, removing an Internet modem, a SIM card and a letter he wrote. An affidavit shows that authorities believed they would find evidence relating to the presumed death of his mother.

"I saw a lot of lights going around the building and in and out of the door," said neighbor Jessica Boudreau of the search. "I think it's crazy that he lost his mother on such a small boat and he couldn't get her on and find her."

Neighbor Mike Iozzi spoke with Carman when he was repairing the boat, and he said he was all business, showing little emotion.

"Strange," Iozzi said. "Strange."

Iozzi went on to say Carman spent most of that Saturday working on his boat. At one point, Iozzi said his friend asked Carman if he wanted something to eat.

"When Nancy offered him a sandwich, a meatball sandwich, he said he didn't want any bread," he said. "Not that that is so strange, but then she said, 'how about a water?' 'I don't drink water.' Just thought that was a little strange"

"Myself and my mom were fishing on Block Canyon and there was a funny noise in the engine compartment," Carman said to rescue crews in audio released by the Coast Guard. "I looked and saw a lot of water."

Carman returned to dry land Tuesday. He faced more questions from the Coast Guard, then went back to the Vermont home with his father. The search warrant was executed the night before.

Court paperwork released along with the search warrant shows that Alfred E. Bucco, a lieutenant with the South Kingstown Police Department in Rhode Island, believed "evidence relating to the crime of RIGL 46-22-9.3 {Operating so as to endanger, resulting in death} will be located inside Nathan's residence."

Authorities have not named Carman a suspect in his mother's disappearance. The search has been called off and she is presumed dead.

Neighbors call Carman quiet and say he is rebuilding the farm home.

Back in December of 2013, Carman's maternal grandfather, real estate developer John Chakalos, was shot to death at his home in Windsor, Connecticut. His killing has not been solved.

A source close to the investigation told NBC Connecticut that Nathan Carman is being called a person of interest in the death. At the time, he was living one town away in Bloomfield.
Appealing to elusive young voters, Hillary Clinton turned to former primary adversary Bernie Sanders on Wednesday to connect with millennials drawn to third-party candidates threatening to act as spoilers in the 2016 campaign.

"None of this will happen if you don't turn out and vote," Clinton said on stage at the University of New Hampshire while flanked by Sanders, who overwhelmed her in the state's first-in-the-nation primary nine months ago.

Both Clinton and Sanders touted a plan they developed at the end of the primaries to make college debt-free for millions of students from middle-class and low-income families. Amid signs promoting the proposal, Clinton promised to push the plan through Congress if elected. The former opponents sat on stage for a panel discussion on ways to make college more affordable in the battleground state.

"I am here today to ask you not only to vote for Secretary Clinton but to work hard," said Sanders, who exchanged a brief hug with Clinton after she took the stage. "It is imperative that we elect Hillary Clinton as our next president."

Young voters were a key part of President Barack Obama's winning coalition, with two-thirds of voters under 30 backing him in 2008 and 60 percent four years later, according to exit polls. That same group fueled Sanders' insurgent bid, keeping him in the race until the final primary contest concluded in June.

But while millennials have recoiled from Donald Trump, they haven't flocked to Clinton, who's not only shy of Obama's mark but also well behind John Kerry's level of support with young voters when he lost in 2004.

Particularly concerning to the Clinton campaign is the numbers of young voters  nearly a fifth, according to polls  drifting to the Libertarian nominee, Gary Johnson, and Green Party candidate Jill Stein. Clinton's team worries that if those third-party candidates continue to draw significant support from Clinton, it would lower the margin Trump needs to win the White House.

An Associated Press-GfK poll conducted earlier this month found that 48 percent of likely voters under 30 backed Clinton, 27 percent were for Trump, 14 percent for Johnson and 3 percent for Stein.

"Millennials, who were a huge part of the Obama coalition and a huge part of the future, are genuinely at risk in terms of support and turnout," said Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg.

Clinton acknowledges that she's struggled to convince millennials, who came of age during the politically polarized Obama era, an experience that's left them more skeptical of political party politics.

Her campaign is trying to reach those voters where they live  online. They're planning online videos, interviews with streaming television shows and social media messages. Already, she's appeared on singer Mary J. Blige's Apple Music show and actor Zack Galifianakis' online sketch comedy.

But Sanders might be one of Clinton's best assets to bring the younger siblings of those Obama voters into the Democratic fold. As he's campaigned across the country, the longtime independent politician has become a critic of third-party candidates, warning voters that it's not the year for a protest vote.

That's a message Sanders plans to take into at least a dozen battleground states before Election Day, according to aides, who say Sanders will be campaigning continuously over the next five weeks for Clinton.

Becoming a Clinton backer hasn't been easy for Sanders. His supporters jeered at mentions of Clinton's name during the party's national convention in July. And he remains undecided whether to leverage his sizable supporter email list on Clinton's behalf, according to an aide.

In New Hampshire, a state with a politically independent streak that worries some Clinton aides, Sanders tucked his support into a speech that focused on many of the themes of his primary campaign like combating money in politics.

"Is everybody here ready to transform America?" he asked the cheering crowd. "Today I am asking all of you to think big, not small."

AP Polling director Emily Swanson contributed to this report.
The showdown between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was the most-watched presidential debate ever, with 84 million viewers.

The Nielsen company said the viewership, over 13 different networks, toppled a record that had stood for 36 years. The previous record for presidential debate viewership was the 80.6 million people who saw the only debate in 1980 between incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter and his Republican challenger Ronald Reagan.

At the time of the Carter-Reagan debate, the U.S. population was 226 million. Now, it is 324 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

No debate since then had exceeded 70 million viewers.

Social media was humming, too, with Nielsen saying there were some 17.1 million Twitter interactions involving 2.7 million people on Monday. Tivo said that the moment during the debate that caused more people to pause their television and play back what was said came near the end, when Trump said that he will "absolutely support" Clinton if she is elected president.

Clinton has some bragging rights at home. When final results are in, the audience for her first presidential debate will more than double what her husband, former President Bill Clinton, received for his last presidential debate in 1996 (36.3 million viewers).

Only the Super Bowl annually commands a television audience of that size. The biggest audience in U.S. television history was the 114.4 million people who watched the 2015 Super Bowl between New England and Seattle.

The news was particularly good for NBC. Not only did it have more viewers than any other network showing the debate, but "Nightly News" anchor Lester Holt's reviews as moderator were more positive than Matt Lauer received for his interviews with the candidates at a national security forum earlier this month, or CNBC anchors when they did a GOP debate last fall.

Watching the debate was nerve-wracking for NBC Universal chief executive Steve Burke because of the pressure on Holt. Burke said at an appearance in London on Tuesday that Holt "ended up doing a very good job."

Holt was not available for an interview on Tuesday.

Some Republicans were unhappy with Holt, suggesting that he was unfair because he asked tougher questions of Trump, and challenged his facts on issues like Trump's support for the war in Iraq and a court case involving the "stop-and-frisk" method of policing.

That may account for an overnight change of thinking by the candidate. Interviewed by reporters immediately after the debate, Trump said that "I thought Lester did a really good job" and that he thought Holt brought up the topics he wanted.

Several hours later, on Fox News Channel's "Fox & Friends," Trump said he thought Holt earned a C or a C-plus for his debate performance, and that he asked unfair questions.

The second of three scheduled debates will be Oct. 9. The "town hall"-style forum will be moderated by CNN's Anderson Cooper and ABC News' Martha Raddatz.

Associated Press writer Jill Lawless contributed to this report.
Election Day is in 42 days, but you have to plan ahead if you want to make your voice heard.

That's what National Voter Registration Day is for. Volunteers have been fanning out across the country Tuedsay to encourage Americans to register (or re-register) to vote. The event's site says that six million people didn't vote in 2008 "because they missed a deadline or didn't know how to register."

Some states offer online voter registration, and for others, the National Voter Registration Day site can email a copy of your state's form to you. Registration drivess have been organized across the country, and there's a map on the National Voter Registration Day site that collects them all in one place.

Click here for more information.

An entire movie is even getting in on the action. Fox Searchlight, the distributor of the Nat Turner slave rebellion drama "The Birth of a Nation," which opens in October, said it was holding voter registration enrollment in theater lobbies Tuesday, with 20 theater chains and independent theaters participating.

President Barack Obama proclaimed the first official Voter Registration Day last year, while marking the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. Obama spoke to Ryan Seacrest on his radio show Tuesday to repeat his call to have people vote.

"You can't complain, you can't sit home and gripe about how terrible Washington is, how unfair this or that is, if you're sitting on the sidelines and not participating," he said.

NBC News reports that the day has taken on political tones, even though it's a non-partisan event, since some Republican-leaning states have been taken to court over restrictive policies on people getting or staying registered to vote, while some states that lean the other way are expanding access to the rolls.
Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump finally met with South Florida Hispanics -- after postponing a meeting with the group twice.

The real estate mogul held a town hall-style event at Miami-Dade College's Koubek Center Tuesday one day after his first presidential debate with Hillary Clinton.

The meeting was hosted by Republican Florida Representative of Doral Carlos Trujillo.

The event lasted no more than 45 minutes.

The first thing Trump brought up was Cuban Marlins Pitcher Jose Fernandez who died in a boating crash Sunday.

"I think Jose Fernandez was the epitome of this Hispanic movement, the Cuban movement. Somebody who leaves their country for a new life who makes it in America," said Trump.

The White House hopeful added that Fernandez was a star and that there was nothing like him.

"All over the world they're talking about this because it was such an incredibly horrible story to be cut down in your prime like that, but what a talent, what a great person," shared Trump.

The forum consisted of roughly 150 Trump supporters. They did most of the talking and Trump listened as they bashed Clinton and praised the GOP nominee.

"We watched the debate last night, you did an exceptional job. we're very, very proud of the way you handled yourself, the way you acted with class and dignity," said Rep. Trujillo.

Meanwhile, Clinton took a victory lap. Her campaign saying she won the debate.

"His demeanor, his temperament, his behavior on the stage could be seen by everybody. People can draw their own conclusions," said Rep. Trujillo.

Outside of Tuesday's forum, a small but loud group of protesters associated Trump with the KKK and racism.

"I'm undocumented and I think he's racist and I'm here to stay I work very hard and I'm here to stay," said protester Maria Bilbao.

Trump's motorcade drove right past them twice. The second time, making a surprise visit to Versailles Restaurant.

Trump leaves Miami for Melbourne where he's scheduled to hold a rally at 7 p.m.

Clinton will hold a rally in Broward on Friday but the exact details have not been released yet.
A suspended Miami-Dade police sergeant on trial for stealing county gas for personal use learned his fate in court Tuesday.

A jury found Emil Van Lugo guilty of organized fraud.

Prosecutors said Van Lugo, a 16-year veteran of the Miami-Dade Police Department, repeatedly stole fuel from a county-owned pump and used it to fill up his wife's BMW.

Defense attorneys said the embattled sergeant kept gas cans that look identical; one filled with county gas and the other with his own gas, for his and his wife's cars.

Van Lugo also claimed he would never use regular gas in his luxury cars.

He faces up to five years in prison and the loss of his law enforcement certification.

Van Lugo also faces five other theft charges.

A sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.
Miami Police released surveillance video Tuesday of a violent robbery at a gas station.

Dramatic video shows a man walking up to a gray Porsche convertible that was parked at the Shell Gas Station located on Northeast 54th Street and Biscayne Boulevard.

The incident happened on July 25th as a woman sat in the parked car.

The robber stormed towards the car and yanked the purse from the woman.

The victim wrestled with the suspect who then punched the woman in her left arm. That's when the victim let go of her purse and the thief ran off.

Detectives describe the suspect as a medium-built man with short hair, about 5'6" tall. He was last seen wearing a long sleeve round neck sweater and a black hat with a white emblem.

Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
For the second consecutive year, Miami-Dade Expressway Authority will give thousands of drivers a bonus check right before the holidays.

The MDX Board of Directors approved Tuesday a Cash Back Dividend that will pay $5.5 million to qualified toll users.

Nearly 60,000 drivers will get a check for about $100.

The chair of the board, Louis Martinez, said the checks will be mailed out by December.

The qualifying tolls for the Cash Back Program are those paid on SR 112/Airport Expressway, SR 836/Dolphin Expressway, SR 874/Don Shula Expressway, SR 878/Snapper Creek Expressway, and SR 924/Gratigny Parkway.

Martinez said more than 112,000 people registered for the cash back program, but less than half qualified.

Those who qualified spent a minimum of $100 in tolls from July 1, 2015 to June 30.

If you want to sign up for next year's refund, open enrollment begins in January, visit MDX on the web.
Maria Figueroa feels trapped in her bedroom.

"I have to have breakfast, lunch and dinner here," she said.

She uses a portable A/C unit in her bedroom to make it bearable. The temperature in the rest of her condo hovers at 87 degrees.

Her condo building has not had air conditioning for months.

"Im honestly at the point where Im willing to just close up shop and let it all go," Figueroa said.

Shes willing to leave behind the condo that shes owned for 15 years at Fourth Horizons Condominium Complex in Miami because of the ongoing problem with the air conditioning.

The attorney for the condo board association says theyve tried to fix the problem but havent been able to. According to the attorney, the A/C units rely on an old well-water system to run. They say the water has mud and dirt in it that clogs and shuts down units like Marias. The association dug two more wells to try to fix the problem but say both collapsed.

"They think by putting a temporary Band-Aid on the problem, its going to be a long time solution and its not," Figueroa said about the attempts.

The condo association boards attorney said itll cost $100,000 for a permanent fix. But the association doesnt have the money. The current board is a new one and the attorney say its a problem they didnt create but it's one they want to fix as soon as possible. Through the attorney, the board sent a statement that reads: "the association for many years chose to patch repair the air conditioning system which was less expensive than a replacement, while at the same time not saving funds to pay for a long term replacement."

Real estate attorney Juan Perez, who is not connected to the condo association, says state statute requires condo associations set aside money for major repairs.

"Its like a home emergency fund," Perez said. "When something goes bad, you have to have it set aside."

The Fourth Horizons Condominium Association didnt have money held in reserve.

Floridas law allows boards to vote to not collect reserves which Perez says is common.

Its why he believes Figueroas situation is a lesson to anyone to ask plenty of questions about money to your association before you buy.

"If something goes bad, is there enough money to cover it? Because if not, surprise. Youre going to get a special assessment for a large amount of money," Perez said.

In July, a Miami-Dade building inspector issued a violation to Figueroas association giving them until October 3 to get things in working order. Were told the board has submitted plans for a permanent fix. But the condo owners have not yet voted on a special assessment that would be needed to pay for it.
Indian Army soldier compared to US Army soldier.

India's military inaction against Pakistan in the wake of the Uri atrocity isn't because India prefers diplomacy to war, claim some military sources.



It's because the Indian Armed Forces -- especially the Indian Army -- doesn't have the ammunition, technology and the equipment to sustain any campaign against Pakistan lasting more than three days.



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This embarrassing admission isn't new. The deficiencies of the armed forces have long been pilloried in the media in the hope Delhi might act decisively to remedy it. That inaction has now come back to haunt India, which again is made to look like a toothless tiger fearful only because it growls with such verve.



And if India can't fight Pakistan, what will be its chances against China? What will be its chances against both Pakistan and China together? We all know the answer to this question.



The army's Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed the army's ammunition reserves aren't sufficient to fight a 10-day war. Some army officers say India can't even fight a three-day war with the ammunition on hand. It's estimated that a professional army like the one the Indian Army claims to be should be able to fight a 30-day conventional war against another country.



Not only aren't the army's guns well fed, the jawans that fire these guns in battle aren't well fed either. Last July, CAG blasted the army for the poor quality of food -- including spoiled food -- supplied to jawans deployed in operational areas of Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast.



CAG also reported a very low level of troop satisfaction regarding the quantity, quality and taste of army rations. The troops were also critical of the low quality of meat and fresh vegetables they were being fed. It said 68 percent of the troops it interviewed graded their rations satisfactory and below.



"Army continues to consume ration, even after the expiry of original shelf life," reported CAG.



CAG also hit the army for implementing only two out of 12 recommendations to improve and streamline the supply chain management of rations.



Besides ill-fed guns and ill-fed frontline soldiers who will do the dying in a war against Pakistan, the army is also beset by outmoded technology, especially in soldier firepower and protection.



In March 2012, retired general Vijay Kumar Singh, former Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army, put on record in a letter to the Prime Minister that "97 percent of Army's air defense inventory was obsolete." Singh is now a minister of state in the government.



The Indian soldiers' extremely vulnerable to Pakistan's capable air force equipped with French Mirage attack jets is compounded by the jawan's lack of adequate personal protection in the form of capable body armor and helmets.



Indian media has slammed the army for not have enough bulletproof jackets for most of the frontline soldiers. Most jawans go into battle with the outmoded steel helmet while some do so in cloth caps.


Demonstrators rallied in front of a police station in San Diegos East County Wednesday demanding a federal investigation into the deadly police shooting of an unarmed black man and the full release of a video that shows the encounter.

Signs in hand, protesters gathered at the El Cajon Police Department (ECPD) in their quest for answers into the fatal shooting of Alfred Olango, a refugee from Uganda. Olango, 38, emigrated to the U.S. in 1991 when he was 12 years old.

Were looking for procedural justice, said Bishop Cornelius Bowser, of Charity Apostolic Church, at the rally. We dont want to see a still picture of him pointing something that was not a gun. We want to see the whole story, so put the whole video out.

These senseless killings have to stop  not just here in El Cajon, but in the entire country. We need answers, not just one photo that tells one side of the story, said Estella De Los Rios, a longtime resident of El Cajon and civil rights activist.

The ECPD confirmed officers obtained video of the incident captured on a cell phone by an employee at a nearby taco shop. Police said the witness voluntarily turned that video over to investigators.

Officers with the ECPD are not currently outfitted with body-worn cameras.

From that clip shot by a bystander, the ECPD released a still image that they said shows why Olango appeared to be a threat to officers.

The photo shows the man in what police described as a shooting stance, pointing some sort of object at two officers. The ECPD has not said what that object was.

Rev. Shane Harris, of the National Action Network San Diego, said the image released by police does not reveal the full story of what transpired between officers and Olango. Other speakers at the rally said the release of the single photo only serves to "shape the narrative" of police.

The nations eyes are watching us. Americas Finest City  it aint looking so fine right now, Harris said.

According to the ECPD, officers approached Olango Tuesday just after 1 p.m. in the parking lot of the Broadway Village Shopping Center on Broadway after his sister called authorities to ask for help because her brother was not acting like himself.

Police said Olango was walking in and out of traffic and said the man was acting erratically.

ECPD Chief Jeff Davis said at a news briefing Tuesday that the officers who approached Olango told him to take his hands out of the pockets of his pants, but he allegedly refused multiple instructions by the first officer on the scene and kept his hands in his pockets.

The man then pulled an object from his pocket and pointed it at officers, assuming a shooting stance, Davis said.

The ECPD said one of the officers deployed a Taser on the man, while the other officer fired multiple rounds, striking and killing him.

Davis said the two officers involved in the shooting each have 21 years of service as police officers. Per standard department policy, both officers have been placed on leave, as the investigation is ongoing.

The shooting sparked uproar in the community amid racial tensions across the nation stemming from many other deadly shootings of unarmed black men by police officers, including the recent killing of Keith Lamont Scott in Charlotte, North Carolina.

At the rally Wednesday, locals addressed those tensions, including longtime El Cajon resident Eddie Price.

Ive been a black man for 56 years. The feelings that Im feeling are not new, said Price, saying that hes been targeted by police his entire life for the color of his skin.

Im armed right now. Im armed with the melanin in my skin and information in my mind. Im armed and dangerous. Thats what I feel like, every time I see the police, I feel like Im already armed and dangerous and Im a suspect already, Price explained. Thats no way to live.

Price also demanded justice in this case.

We dont want you to look at us like us. We want you to look at us like you. We want morals and humanity back in this society. Im tired of walking around like Im a target, he said. We need some action. Feel something.

Price, along with other speakers, called for the news media to support the black community.

Its not just us against them, added Price, referring to the police. This goes into the morality of humanity. Everybody ought to be conflicted about this. Imagine if this was you.

The rally was peaceful but became heated for a moment when Armand King, leader of the Paving Brighter Futures organization, stepped up to the podium.

They murdered somebody last night. Somebodys at home right now with their family, and someone is dead now, said King. This is just wrong.

The crowd began chanting, Murder! Murder!

At that moment, a man in the crowd heckled King and he was shaken.

We cannot respond to them, said Christopher Rice-Wilson, of Alliance San Diego, who led the rally.

Every time a black man is killed by police, its a message to us to stay in line. When we speak out, were told we dont matter. Black lives matter. And if a black life doesnt matter, then no lives matter. Were supposed to be all equals, said Rice-Wilson.

Mallory Webb, president of the San Diego Youth and College Division of the NAACP, also spoke briefly talking about her experience as a young black woman.

Im angry. Im very angry and Im hurt. That could be my little brother; that could be my twin sister any time. I dont know what to do, she lamented. Im scared to walk the streets every single day  I walk to school every single day  and why do I feel like I have to look behind bushes and hide behind trees? Because I could get shot and killed at any time.

Fighting back tears, Webb added: Its not fair at all. Every life. I bleed the same color of blood as you do!

As the young woman spoke, people in the crowd could be heard responding, Were all one nation! and Were all human beings.

Rice-Wilson said Olango was killed for three reasons: for being black, for being mentally ill and for not following orders from police.

How do you expect a man who cant understand your orders to follow your orders? he asked the crowd.

Rice-Wilson criticized the ECPD for not calling for help from the Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT) during their encounter with Olango.

According to the 211 San Diego website, PERT provides emergency assessment and referral for individuals with mental illness who come to the attention of law enforcement. PERT pairs licensed mental health clinicians with uniformed law enforcement officers and deputies.

The PERT team shouldve been dispatched to handle and deal with Mr. Olango. Why did they not dispatch a PERT team? said Rice-Wilson.

NBC 7 asked the ECPD about utilizing PERT in this case. Lt. Rob Ransweiler said at least one of the officers involved in the shooting had attended at three-day PERT training course. He said all officers who graduate from the police academy get some kind of PERT training.

Harris said hes been in contact with Olangos family and they plan to seek a federal investigation into the deadly police shooting.

We do not trust local prosecutors to investigate local police, said Harris. You wont have no peace until we get justice. We will not sit down and shut up!

Agnes Hassan, a woman from Sudan who was friends with Olango, spoke briefly at the end of the rally and said Olango was a refugee from Uganda. They both moved to El Cajon in search of a better life and future for their families.

We suffer too much  there was a war in Africa, to suffer again? Hassan said with tears in her eyes. If somebody has mental problem, how can you not deal with him with a mental problem? This is not right.

My heart is just broken, she sobbed.

NBC 7 reached out to the ECPD Wednesday morning and the police department said it had no news conferences planned for today. No further details on the case were immediately released.

Harris said the officer who shot Olango has a history, but said he would be releasing those details at another news conference Thursday.
For children in war-torn Syria, Rami Adham is a welcome visitor. Since the beginning of the civil war, the Syrian native who lives in Finland has risked his life traveling to Syria more than two dozen times to deliver toys to children.

"I was very saddened by what was going on," Adham told NBC News. "As a Syrian, I wanted of course to do my part in helping people ... so I decided to go there myself."

According to Adham, his three-year-old daughter gave him toys before his first trip back to his homeland. From there, his charity, the Finland Syria Community Association, grew. It collects toys, sponsors orphans, and even builds schools for Syrian children.

Even with the growth of the charity, though, Adham still carries the toys himself.
What to Know The 320 hotspots in Manhattan far overshadow the number of kiosks in the rest of the city

A Democratic councilman from the Bronx says he will call for a hearing to demand answers as to why service isn't as widespread as pledged

According to the city's agreement with CityBridge, there should've been 180 hotspots in the outer boroughs by the end of July

Mayor de Blasios program to install thousands of free Wi-Fi kiosks is behind schedule, with more than 150 promised hotspots delayed in the outer boroughs. Meanwhile, there are 320 active hotspots in Manhattan, dwarfing the number of kiosks in the rest of the city.

Bronx councilman Jimmy Vacca, a Democrat who chairs the City Council's technology committee, said, "I walked in Manhattan recently and found two kiosks within two blocks of each other. In the other boroughs you cant find one, and Im going to be fighting to make sure that is rectified.

Vacca said he will call a hearing to demand answers from the Department of Information Technology & Telecommunications (DoITT), the city agency overseeing the LinkNYC program.

According the citys agreement with CityBridge -- the company granted rights to install the LinkNYC kiosks and sell advertising on them -- there should have been 180 Wi-Fi hotspots installed in the outer boroughs by the end of July. Two months after that deadline, the vendor had just 20 active hotspots in the Bronx, 12 in Queens, and none in Brooklyn and Staten Island.

DoITT Assistant Commissioner Stanley Shor acknowledged the LinkNYC program has experienced delays, but said that is to be expected in a first-of-its-kind project.

The fact that a project like this has some delays is just not totally unexpected, Shor said. We have constantly worked with them to try and resolve any issues that they have and we have a total commitment to making sure that they get to every borough.

According to the agreement with CityBridge, the vendor was required to install 62 operational kiosks in Brooklyn by the end of July. Currently, Brooklyn has zero. Staten Island also has zero of 20 kiosks promised by the end of July. Queens was supposed to have 77 live kiosks but the borough only has 12. The Bronx has fared a bit better, with 20 operational kiosks out of the 29 promised by CityBridge.

That makes a total of 32 live LinkNYC hotspots in the outer boroughs, compared with 320 in Manhattan. In other words, Manhattan has 10 hotspots for every one in the citys other four boroughs.

In return for the rights to sell advertising on the kiosks, CityBridge agreed to share 50 percent of its revenue with the city, with a minimum payment of $20 million annually.

When Mayor de Blasio launched the LinkNYC program last year, he repeatedly stressed one of the program goals was to get high-speed internet to digital deserts  pockets of the city where residents have little money to pay for internet access.

Too many New Yorkers do not have access to the internet. That is the cold reality, de Blasio said, echoing the tale of two cities campaign theme that catapulted him to the city's highest office.

David Flemming, a technology instructor with The Hope Project, a Brooklyn nonprofit that helps unemployed New Yorkers acquire basic computer skills, said the tale of two cities is very much alive when it comes to internet connectivity.

"I would say 70 to 75 percent have no computers at home and no internet access so our computer lab is their lifeline," Flemming said.

Lucian Coard, a Hope Program student, said access to a free wifi hotspot in his Crown Heights neighborhood would be a welcome way to stay on top of job applications.

"We could use more Wi-Fi access in Brooklyn such as Manhattan has. I know that that would help greatly," Coard said.

Jen Hensley, the LinkNYC General Manager, blamed delays in the outer boroughs on a series of unavoidable third party disputes. Because of the six-week Verizon strike last Spring, she said CityBridge ran into trouble gaining access to fiber optic conduits in Brooklyn. And because of a lawsuit seeking to block New York City from granting access to hundreds of phone booths, she said many locations in Queens and the Bronx have been off limits.

We have over 800 locations, phone booth locations, that we are not able to access that are along our fiber network, Hensley said. Were hoping we can get ownership of those structures as quickly as possible so that we can convert them to LinkNYC structures.

There is a provision in the deal with CityBridge allowing New York City to seek up to $50 a day for each promised kiosk whose installation is delayed. If the de Blasio administration were to try and enforce that provision, the total payment could add up to half a million dollars.

But DoITT confirmed there are no immanent plans to seek monetary damages for the delays.

Were not at a point where were going to say that were going to exercise any specific options, Shor said.

That would not be an appropriate way to deal with this contract. We have to work with the contractor.
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said Wednesday he will not throw his hat into the 2017 gubernatorial race.

The Democratic mayor instead threw his support behind former U.S. ambassador to Germany Phil Murphy at a news conference on Wednesday afternoon. He said he plans to seek a second term as mayor of the Garden State's second-biggest city.

"We still have a lot to do here in Jersey City," he said during the announcement.

He added, "I think that with another four years, if I was fortunate enough for the people of Jersey City to give me that opportunity, we could make even better an already great city."

Murphy, also a Democrat, announced his candidacy 13 months before next year's primary. Prior to running for governor, the former longtime Goldman Sachs executive served as chair of New Way for New Jersey.

He has also served as finance chairman for the Democratic National Committee under Howard Dean.
What to Know Police say a man on the side of Route 22 shot at police officers after they asked him to return to his broken down vehicle

The officers didn't return fire and were able to take the man into custody

No one was injured and police said an investigation is ongoing

Police say theyve arrested a man who shot at officers as they checked on his broken down vehicle in New Jersey.

Readington Township police officers were out on patrol Tuesday night when they saw a car in the breakdown lane of Route 22 eastbound, Hunterdon County Prosecutor Anthony Kearns said.

When the officers noticed a man in a field nearby, they asked him to return to the car. He fired at the officers moments later, Kearns said.

Police did not return fire and were eventually able to take the man into custody.

No one was injured or taken to a hospital.

There was a heavy police presence at the scene, with around a dozen officers in body armor patrolling the area as detectives investigated.

Kearns said an investigation is ongoing and that the mans name has not been released.
What to Know Julio Salcedo was picked up by law enforcement in New Jersey after a blast in the Bronx killed FDNY battalion chief Michael Fahy

Police believe he was a renter of the exploded home and used it as a marijuana grow house; he has not been charged

He's being held as a fugitive from justice at the Bergen County Jail

A man has been arrested in connection with the Bronx house explosion that killed a fire battalion chief, while another man who was being questioned in the case was cuffed as a fugitive in New Jersey, authorities say.

Garivaldi Castillo, 32, of Washington Heights, was arrested Wednesday night on felony charges of criminal possession of marijuana, police said. More charges could come depending on what investigators find at the scene of the Bronx explosion Tuesday.

Police haven't said how he's connected to the blast, which killed FDNY Battalion Chief Michael Fahy.

Castillo walked silently out of the 50th Precinct stationhouse Wednesday night as FDNY members and friends of Fahy stared him down.

At his Washington Heights home, his father, Efrain Castillo, told NBC 4 in Spanish he was worried and didn't know why his son was being investigated. He said police showed up to their apartment Tuesday to talk to Castillo about an outstanding ticket.

Meanwhile, Julio Salcedo was being held as a fugitive from justice at the Bergen County jail Wednesday, sheriff's deputies there said. He was arrested by U.S. Marshals on an outstanding warrant unrelated to the explosion but he is considered a person of interest in the case, law enforcement sources said.

Salcedo was questioned Tuesday night at Cliffside Park police headquarters as authorities tried to track down the person responsible for the blast at the home thought to be used as a marijuana grow operation, the sources said.

Explosion near 234th and Irwin Ave Bronx NYC. @NBCNewYork pic.twitter.com/qjqOqkDwN3  Dylan Ryder (@DylanMRyder) September 27, 2016

He has not yet been charged in the explosion but he was under arrest and expected to be extradited back to New York City, sources said.

Authorities said that Salcedo was thought to be a renter at the home. Law enforcement sources said Salcedo had a conversation with firefighters as they arrived on the scene, then disappeared before the home exploded.

House explosion in the Bronx 1 PD MOS to the hospital pic.twitter.com/SXEGaSfpvf  SBA (@SBANYPD) September 27, 2016

Information on an attorney or someone else who could comment on either Salcedo or Castillo's behalf wasn't immediately available.

Meanwhile, West 234th Street remains blocked off, and around a half dozen homes were still unsafe Wednesday.

Neighbor George Haramis recalled of the blast: "It felt so loud and I've never head anything like that before."

Adriana Fellheimer said she watched as FDNY firefighters try to save one of their own.

"They worked on him, like they tried everything they could, they did. They really tried," she said.

Fahy was mourned by members of his firehouse Wednesday as his body was taken to Westchester, where funeral services will be held this weekend.

It is with deep regret that FDNY announces the line of duty death of FDNY Battalion Chief Michael J. Fahy https://t.co/XDK0NLYp1k pic.twitter.com/KpXI0ulzZO  FDNY (@FDNY) September 27, 2016

Mayor de Blasio ordered all flags on city buildings to be flown at half-staff each day from sunrise to sunset until Fahy is buried.
Two children who were the subjects of an Indiana statewide Amber Alert Monday afternoon were found dead later that night, Elkhart police said.

Amber Pasztor, 29, of Fort Wayne, was arrested on suspicion of two counts of murder and is being held in Elkhart County Jail.

About 5:25 p.m. an officer walking out of the Elkhart Police Department on Marion Street, was stopped by Pasztor, the children's non-custodial mother, who was driving a vehicle matching the description of the one described in the Amber Alert, police said. Pasztor told the officer there were two dead children in the backseat of the car, police said.

Indiana State Police

The statewide alert was issued for 7-year-old Liliana Hernandez and 6-year-old Rene Pasztor.

The children were last seen at 6:21 a.m. ET in Fort Wayne and were believed to be "in extreme danger," police said.

Fort Wayne is 125 miles north of Indianapolis.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Allen County Sheriff's office at (260) 449-7661.
Installation of the Shandong's island. (Photo : PLAN)

Media reports and images from China confirm the forward part of the "Type 002," China's first indigenous aircraft carrier, has been lifted into place and is being joined to the rest of the mammoth vessel.



This warship will be christened the "Shandong" and will sport the hull number 17. It's commissioning is set for 2020, after which it will become the flagship of the North Sea Fleet and the East Sea Fleet of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).



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This forward part of the Shandong includes the "island" housing the bridge and main mast supporting structure. Analysts said this phase is a significant step in readying China's second aircraft carrier for launch by 2017. Sea trials will follow in the same year.



Analysts believe the Shandong will displace between 60,000 to 70,000 tons. Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company in Liaoning began building the carrier in 2015.



The Shandong will probably carry 48 aircraft, a number similar to that of the Liaoning, China's only aircraft carrier but one that was made in Ukraine by the defunct Soviet Union.



The Liaoning can embark 36 aircraft: 24 Shenyang J-15 fighters; 6 Changhe Z-18F anti-submarine warfare helicopters; 4 Changhe Z-18J airborne early warning helicopters and 2 Harbin Z-9C rescue helicopters.



The Shandong will be launched from drydock sometime early 2017 and will be afloat for the rest of the refitting process. This complex process will take at least a few years while sea trials will take another year or two.



The carrier might be fully operational after 2020.



The Shandong is the lead ship in the Type 001A-class aircraft carrier that will consist of only two ships. The second carrier in this class, Type 003, is still in the planning stages but reports claim production of the initial modules of this carrier is in progress.



Type 001A is the first aircraft carrier class independently designed and developed for the PLAN. It's an improved design based on the Liaoning Type 001 aircraft carrier, and also uses a ski-jump bow flight deck.


A teenager who killed his father at their home Wednesday was stopped by a volunteer firefighter as he opened fire outside a South Carolina elementary school, wounding two students and a teacher, authorities said.

The teen was apprehended within minutes of the shooting in this rural town about 110 miles northeast of Atlanta. One student was shot in the leg and the other in the foot, Capt. Garland Major with the Anderson County Sheriff's Office said. Both students were male. The female teacher was hit in the shoulder.

"We are heartbroken about this senseless act of violence," said Joanne Avery, superintendent of Anderson County School District 4. She canceled classes at the school for the rest of the week.

Authorities said the shootings began at the teen's house about two miles from the school, where he gunned down his 47-year-old father, Jeffrey Osborne. Authorities have not released the suspect's name or age beyond saying that he's a teen.

Crying and upset, the teen called his grandmother's cellphone at 1:44 p.m., Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore said. The grandparents couldn't understand what was going on, so they went to his home just 100 yards away. When they got there, they found Osborne had been shot and their grandson was gone.

About one minute later, authorities received a 911 call from Townville Elementary School.

Sheriff John Skipper said the shooter drove a vehicle into the school parking lot and immediately started firing a handgun as he got out and moved toward the school. He did not know who the vehicle was registered to, and he declined to say how many shots were fired.

The shooter never entered the school building, though, and was apprehended by firefighter Jamie Brock, a 30-year veteran of the Townville Volunteer Fire Department

Television images showed officers swarming the school after the report of an active shooter. Some were on top of the roof while others were walking around the building. Students were driven away on buses accompanied by police officers.

Skipper didn't have specifics on how Brock stopped the teen: "I think he just took him down."

He said the fire station is close to the school and Brock arrived before other emergency responders.

"Firefighter Brock is absolutely a hero," said Scott Stoller with Anderson County Emergency Management. But he says Brock "wants to remain humble and quiet about it" as he believes "he did nothing any of the other volunteer firefighters wouldn't have done."

Authorities did not release a motive for the shooting and said they weren't sure if the students and teacher were targeted. The sheriff said the teen had been homeschooled.

"There are no racial undertones there. There's no terrorism involved," Major said. "We're confident we have the sole shooter and no one else is involved."

Skipper said the teen's mother was at work at the time of the shooting.

One of the students and the teacher were released from the hospital, AnMed Health spokeswoman Juana Slade said. Greenville Health System spokeswoman Sandy Dees said the other student, Jacob Hall, remained in critical condition Wednesday evening.

The students were bused to a nearby church where they hugged and kissed their parents as they reunited.

The rural school surrounded by working farms has about 300 students in its pre-kindergarten to sixth-grade classrooms.

"This is the country," Brandi Pierce, the mother of a sixth-grader, told The Associated Press as she began to cry. "You don't have this in the country. It just don't exist out here."

Jamie Meredith, a student's mother, said some of the children went into a bathroom during the shooting.

"I don't know how they knew to go in the bathroom, but I know her teacher was shaken up. I know all the kids were scared. There was a bunch of kids crying. She didn't talk for about 5 minutes when I got her," she told WYFF.

Gov. Nikki Haley released a statement shortly after the shooting.

"As we work together with law enforcement to make sure they have the support they need to investigate what happened in Townville, Michael and I ask that everyone across South Carolina join us in praying for the entire Townville Elementary School family and those touched by today's tragedy."

The town is situated along Interstate 85 near the Georgia-South Carolina state line.
Aetna announced that it will be making Apple Watches available for large employers and individual customers during open enrollment season.

The health care services company said the new initiative will revolutionize the customer's experience by, "combining the power of iOS apps and the unmatched user experience of Apple products including Apple Watch, iPhone and iPad with Aetnas analytics-based wellness and care management programs."

Aetna said it will be the first major health care company to subsidize the cost of Apple Watches for customers by offering monthly payroll deductions. The Hartford-based company serves an estimated 45.3 million and will provide free Apple Watches to 50,000 of its employees.

Apple will work with Aeton to create "deeply intergrated" health apps that will allow customers to manager their health, Aetna said.

This is only the beginning - we look forward to using these tools to improve health outcomes and help more people achieve more healthy days, said Mark Bertolini, Aetna Chairman and CEO.

Aetna's new health apps will offer features, such as:

Care management and wellness, to help guide consumers through health events like a new diagnosis or prescription medication with user-driven support from nurses and people with similar conditions.

Medication adherence, to help consumers remember to take their medications, easily order refills and connect with their doctor if they need a different treatment through their Apple Watch or iPhone.

Integration with Apple Wallet, allowing consumers to check their deductible and pay a bill.

Personalized health plan on-boarding, information, messaging and decision support to help Aetna members understand and make the most of their benefits.

The solutions will be available early 2017.
A judge has denied requests to reduce the bail for two men charged with attempted murder after an Atlantic City police officer was shot in the head while responding to a robbery at an Atlantic City casino garage.

Attorneys for Martel Chisolm and Demetris Cross had said their clients shouldn't be charged with attempted murder in the Sept. 3 shooting of Officer Joshlee Vadell at Caesars Atlantic City.

The attorneys say their clients didn't have guns and didn't know anyone else had them.

The judge sided with prosecutors on Tuesday, who said evidence and witnesses link the men to the scene. The two each remain jailed on $750,000 bail. [[392495241, C]]

The 29-year-old officer underwent surgery after being critically hurt in the shooting.

Another officer returned fire, killing 25-year-old Jerome Damon. [[392361291, C]]
Authorities say a mother accused of rolling over her baby daughter while high on drugs is now charged with aggravated manslaughter because she allegedly gave the child methadone.

Atlantic County prosecutors filed the new charge Tuesday against Lisa Scalia.

The 32-year-old Ventnor woman was charged with child endangerment and drug possession after her daughter was found unresponsive in her home in January. The child died several days later at a hospital

Scalia faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted on the aggravated manslaughter count. She was served with the charge at the county jail, where she has been held since her arrest.

It's not known if Scalia has retained an attorney. A judge set her bail on the new charge at $100,000 cash.
A former Pennsylvania English teacher posted bail after an investigation uncovered that she sent nude photos and a video of a sex act to a 17-year-old student through a private Twitter account.

Stephanie France Luckey, 37, taught English at Muhlenberg High School in Reading, Pennsylvania until she resigned over the summer while under investigation for an inappropriate sexual relationship with her male student, said the Berks County District Attorneys office.



County detectives learned of the alleged relationship in June, said the DAs office. In April, Luckey created a private Twitter account so that she and the boy could privately converse with each other, said investigators.



Between April and June, the conversations turned sexual, said investigators.

"The defendant sent Victim No. 1 five to 10 partially nude and nude photographs of herself," said the DA in a news release. "Also, the defendant sent a video recording of herself performing a sexual act."

The boy, in interviews in June and July, also told investigators that he and Luckey would kiss in her classroom after school, said investigators.



Luckey admitted the allegations to investigators in early July, said the DAs office. She resigned a month later.

The Richlandtown woman turned herself in Tuesday afternoon to face charges of corruption of a minor, having sexual contact with a minor and unlawful contact with a minor, said court records. She posted $25,000 bond and was released from jail ahead of a preliminary hearing next month.

Muhlenberg High and Luckeys attorney Matthew Kopecki didnt return calls for comment.
Officials say a northeastern Pennsylvania middle school is being closed indefinitely due to an extensive mold problem.

School board president Joseph Mazur announced Tuesday morning at a board meeting that Wyoming Valley West Middle School in Luzerne County would close after classes were dismissed for the day.

Mazur said the building would be closed "maybe for three months, maybe for six months, maybe forever."

Mazur said the school board originally believed that only two basement rooms were affected but after consultation with an environmental specialist learned that the problem was more extensive.

Officials said middle school classes would be canceled for the rest of the week. Starting Monday, officials said, the tentative plan is to have them share space with students at the high school under a split schedule.
A gunman shot and killed a Philadelphia resident who stepped out for a smoke overnight.



Police responded to the Vandike Street near Higbee Street in the citys Wissinoming neighborhood just before midnight to find Isaiah Batties slumped in the front doorway, said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.



"He was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the chest, the abdomen and both of the legs," said Small.



Police rushed the 31-year-old man to Temple University Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead a short time later.



"(Witnesses) said the victim had just exited the property, he was standing out front smoking a cigarette that's when they heard multiple shots," said Small.



Police found 10 shell casings on the sidewalk and front porch of the victim's home. It appeared Batties was shot in front of the house and collapsed in his doorway, said police.

"It appears that this victim was the intended target," said Small.



Police didn't immediately release a motive for the shooting.
Original article HERE

The executive director of the Philadelphia Parking Authority resigned amid sexual harassment allegations.

The PPA confirmed with NBC10 Vince Fenerty, 60, stepped down Wednesday and they accepted his resignation.

Fenerty was suspended Tuesday by PPA board chairman Joe Ashdale after two women came forward and accused him of sexually harassing them. The board decided to reverse its initial decision to stand by Fenerty after the second woman reportedly said she had been sexually harassed by him.

"We understand that some disagree with our decision and nothing short of termination would suffice," PPA Board Chairman Joseph T. Ashdale told a room full of reporters and a handful of frustrated members of the public early Tuesday. His statement indicated the PPA board and its counsel learned of the previously reported sexual harassment claims on the same day in June 2015 as the HR department."

Addressing reports that independent investigators concluded Fenerty sexually harassed one of his employees, Ashdale continued his statement saying, "We weighed all the facts available to us at that time. We were confident that we reached the correct decision 15 months ago and I remain just as certain today."

Only a few hours later, however, the board changed course and suspended Fenerty with the intent to dismiss after a second woman provided the Philadelphia Inquirer with "documentation showing that the parking authority offered her $150,000 to settle her complaint. She turned the money down."

"Earlier today, I made a statement regarding the recent disclosure of a sexual harassment claim made against Executive Director Vince Fenerty. After that meeting, it was brought to our attention that a prior claim from 2006 was made alleging inappropriate conduct with another employee," Ashdale said in a statement issued Tuesday afternoon. "That complaint was not filed with our human resources department. It should have been part of the information used in making the decision to permit Mr. Fenerty to remain in his position."

The Inquirer's latest report  referencing documents filed in 2007  indicates the woman brought her claims against Fenerty to the authority shortly after the alleged inappropriate conduct occurred.

Councilman Al Taubenberger, a PPA board member who did not attend the Tuesday morning meeting, characterized Fenerty's behavior last week as a "high-school puppy-love situation." But on Tuesday afternoon, similar to the board, the Republican City Councilman had a drastic change of heart.

"I am stunned and appalled by this new revelation of an additional sexual harassment incident involving Fenerty. Chairman Ashdale was right in suspending Fenerty with the intent to dismiss," Taubenberger said in a statement. "I will be calling in Thursday from Germany to vote for Fenerty's termination. Had I known about this earlier incident, I never would have voted to retain him. His actions are abhorrent and he needs to go."
Coffee lovers, deals on caffeine are coming your way. Thursday, Sept. 29, marks National Coffee Day, and theres plenty of ways celebrate in our area.

Whether youre squeezing in the last few iced coffees before it gets too cold or looking for your daily hot coffee in the morning, here are some local deals any coffee fan will love.

Wawa

Coffee's on Philly's favorite convenience store as they give each customer a free, any-size cup o' Joe. [[395232861, C]]

Starbucks

No free coffee here, but Starbucks will be donating a coffee tree for every brewed cup of Mexico Chiapas coffee bought on Thursday, according to their website.

Dunkin Donuts

Get your change out! Dunkin is not only celebrating National Coffee Day, but also celebrating 66 years! Enjoy a medium hot coffee for 66 cents on Thursday.

Saxbys

Saxbys is celebrating a little differently. On Thursday, all day, send your Instagram pictures to Saxbys for a chance to win a week of free coffee. You can find the details here.

Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme will be spoiling their customers on Thursday, not only offering free coffee but also offering a free glazed donut. Because, you know, what goes together better than coffee and donuts? [[395232891, C]]

ReAnimator

If you find yourself in Fishtown or Kensington, stop by ReAnimator anytime this week to get 25% off your order with the code "origin".
The Joint InvestigationTeam makes its case against Russia. (Photo : Getty Images)

A single Russian army surface-to-air missile on a launcher that traveled from Russia into Ukraine and back again was responsible for destroying Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) on July 17, 2014 killing 298 innocent civilians.



A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) consisting of investigators from five countries spent two years painstakingly piecing together an incredible mass of evidence that conclusively proves a surface-to-air missile (SAM) from a BUK missile system of the Russian army was deliberately driven into eastern Ukraine for the express purpose of shooting down Flight MH17.



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Criminal investigators said they have solid evidence the Malaysian jet was shot down by a BUK missile moved into eastern Ukraine from Russia. The jet was downed by a single SAM from the rebel-controlled village of Pervomaysk.



Wilbert Paulissen, head of the Central Crime Investigation department of the Dutch National Police, said intercepted communications showed pro-Russia rebels called for deployment of BUK and reported its arrival in rebel-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine.



From that and other evidence, "it may be concluded MH17 was shot down by a 9M38 missile launched by a BUK, brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation, and that after launch was subsequently returned to the Russian Federation," said Paulissen at a news conference.



Prosecutors can't file charges but victims' relatives have been seeking details of who shot the plane down hoping it might lead eventually to prosecutions of the Russians and Ukrainian rebels responsible. The investigative team said it has identified 100 people described as being of interest to them.



The evidence includes intercepted wireless conversations between the Russian crew of the BUK launcher and their comrades that directed them to the launch site; video and pictures of the three vehicle convoy that traveled from Russia taken by persons along the streets traversed by the convoy; interviews with hundreds of persons and an actual detonation of the warhead of a BUK missile to identify its characteristics.



Taken together, the massive amount of evidence left no doubt a Russian army missile system manned by Russian army soldiers deliberately took aim at and shot down MH17 from territory controlled by rebels loyal to Russia.



Russia, of course, denied the conclusive findings putting forward another fantastic excuse to support its lie. It claims to now have in its possession new radar data showing the missile could not have been fired inside territory held by rebels sympathetic to it. Why that radar data wasn't presented in 2014 isn't clear, however.



During the early months of the investigation into the destruction of MH17, Russia claimed a Ukrainian jet shot down the airliner.



Russia even produced a photograph showing the alleged Ukrainian fighter closing in on MH17. That lie was exposed for what it was when experts determined the proportions of the alleged fighter and MH17, a Boeing 777-200ER airliner, were unrealistic.



The alleged Ukrainian fighter would have had to have been the size of an aircraft carrier if the Russian photo was accurate. The Russians then withdrew the claim.



Dutch police and judicial officials worked with counterparts from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine in the JIT, gathering the best possible evidence for use in prosecution of the perpetrators.



Eleven containers filled with debris from the jetliner was taken to the Netherlands. A research team took soil samples in eastern Ukraine and established the location of cellphone towers and the layout of the local telephone network.



BUK (the Russian word for beech) is a mobile missile system made only by Russia. The system consists of six vehicles: a target acquisition radar vehicle; a command vehicle; radar vehicles and three transporter erector launcher vehicles that carry the missiles.



There are two versions of the BUK missile system: the older SA-11 (NATO reporting name, Gadfly) and the newer SA-17 (NATO reporting name, Grizzly). That the warhead was an 9N314M means it could have only come from a 9M38 series SAM that arms the SA-11 Gadfly.



The 9M38 missile is 5.55 meters long, weighs 690 kilograms and carries a massive 70 kilogram warhead triggered by a radar proximity fuze that detonates a short distance from its target.



This missile series has only two models: the 9M38M introduced in 1979 with a range of 46,000 feet and the newer 9M38M1 introduced in 1984 with a range of 72,000 feet.



Both models are armed with the 9N314M fragmentation warhead that hurls some 7,600 oddly shaped pre-formed fragments or pieces of shrapnel into a target aircraft. These types of pre-formed fragments are only carried by the 9N314M warhead arming a 9M38-type missile.



Because hundreds of bow-tie shaped fragments were found in the bodies of the three crewmen on the flight deck and embedded in other parts of the aircraft, it's certain a 9M38 missile was responsible for the shoot down. The shoot down was achieved at an altitude of 33,000 feet.


While Donald Trump won't publicly release his income tax returns, the New York businessman has turned them over when it suited his needs  if he stood to make a profit, needed a loan or when a judge forced him.

Pennsylvania gaming regulators were given at least five years' worth and eight boxes full of Trump's tax documents. Nevada, Michigan, Missouri, Indiana and other state gaming officials also had access to multiple years of his returns. Large banks that lent Trump money over the years have also obtained Trump's returns.

One common thread ties all those who have seen the documents: They can't talk about them.

In all cases reviewed by The Associated Press, each person, organization, company or government office that has seen Trump's tax returns is barred from discussing their full contents by professional or legal restrictions.

For example, employees of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board could face criminal penalties if they leaked information from Trump's tax returns maintained in the board's electronic files. Missouri officials are similarly barred from discussing the returns by state law.

That leaves the public knowing little about Trump's more recent finances beyond the few details that have trickled out in public documents unearthed by reporters, Trump's own self-reported estimations of his wealth and statements like the one he made in Monday's debate.

While Democrat Hillary Clinton questioned whether Trump's tax returns might reveal that he has paid little or no taxes, Trump said he was "smart" for not paying federal income taxes in some years.

Trump referred to public documents unearthed by Politico showing he didn't pay any federal income tax during at least two years in the early 1990s because he lost more money than he earned. Other documents show he also didn't pay any federal income taxes in 1978, 1979 and 1984, but the documents provided only limited information about other aspects of Trump's finances that could be settled by him releasing his tax returns.

Trump has repeatedly refused to release his tax returns citing an IRS audit, but the IRS and tax experts have said an audit doesn't bar Trump from making the documents public. Since 1976, every major party nominee has released the returns and Clinton has publicly released nearly 40 years' worth. Even Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, released 10 years of his tax returns.

Trump's tax returns would reveal his charitable contributions. Despite boasting of sweeping generosity, the AP reported more than a year ago that there is little record of substantial personal philanthropy from Trump. Trump has been dogged by questions about his personal giving and how his namesake foundation operates. The Washington Post has reported that Trump used donations given by others to pay for legal settlements, political contributions and even purchase portraits of himself.

The returns would also reveal how much Trump earned from his assets, helping someone work back to an approximation of his net worth to compare to his own estimation. Though the returns wouldn't give an exact measure.

Trump's own estimates of his income and net worth have previously been scrutinized by those who had access to his taxes.

For a decade, Trump tangled with New York City authorities over his city tax bill, a battle first reported in June by journalist David Cay Johnson in The Daily Beast.

In Trump's 1984 tax filings, he said he had lost money during a time in which he had just completed Trump Tower and regularly boasted about the success of his business deals. Trump also declared that he was primarily a consultant that year, and that his consulting business had $684,000 in business expenses and no income. He provided no receipts to justify the claimed expenses.

City tax authorities didn't buy it  and after Trump appealed his tax bill, they fought with him for the next ten years. Trump lost and was ordered to pay the taxes on more than $1 million in income.

Trump's multibillion-dollar fortune has also been questioned by banks that demanded his tax returns before lending him money. Commercial lenders generally require both personal and business tax returns as part of a loan application, and Trump provided such information to North Fork Bank in 2004 and 2005.

According to a deposition of Trump taken in a defamation lawsuit he filed against journalist Tim O'Brien, North Fork concluded that Trump's net worth was $1.2 billion and not the $3.5 billion he had said. Deutsche Bank also reviewed Trump's finances as of 2004, deeming him to be worth "give or take $788 million," according to the deposition.

Trump, who disputed the findings in the deposition, lost the defamation suit.
With a simple click, a San Diego woman says she overpaid AT&T more than $900 when she was using the companys online bill feature.

Elizabeth Kozel said it was an easy mistake to make but that getting her money back was proving to be more difficult.

While paying bills online, Elizabeth said she accidentally paid AT&T $945, instead of the normal monthly bill of $50 to $70 for her landline home phone.

Originally, AT&T told her it would take weeks to get her money back.

This is playing with someones credit score, with someones bills, with someones livelihood and its not right, Elizabeth said.

Elizabeth said AT&T never said she wouldnt get her money back but that the refund kept being pushed further and further away.

According to Elizabeth, AT&T paid the balance of her September bill by taking the money from Elizabeths overpaid balance.

I need that money, thats what I desperately need, Elizabeth said. I need to be credited back to be able to make other payments.

Out of options, Elizabeth decided to call NBC 7 Responds for help.

Five days after NBC 7 Responds contacted AT&T, Elizabeth had her money deposited back into her account.

In an email, a spokesperson for AT&T said, AT&T is crediting the payment back to the Kozel's bank account. We appreciate their patience and thank them for their business."
El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells promised a thorough investigation by multiple agencies, including the FBI, into the deadly police shooting of an unarmed black man that has prompted protests and uproar in the community.

Wells spoke about the police shooting of Alfred Olango for the first time Wednesday, just over 24 hours after the incident, and said the investigation was being handled by the El Cajon Police Department (ECPD), the San Diego County District Attorney's Office and the FBI.

He vowed complete transparency along the way, and said he'd share details of the investigation as they become available.

Im going to do everything in my power to heal the situation as quickly and thoroughly as I possibly can, said Wells. As we go through the process, were going to be transparent. We are open to dialogue, we are open to hearing your complaints.

This community is a strong community, Wells said of El Cajon, adding that he understands that some residents dont feel heard and want answers quickly.

The mayor said he had no problem with the protests Wednesday in the streets of El Cajon, so long as the demonstrations remained peaceful and, in his words, as long as public safety is not compromised.

Im begging El Cajon stay a peaceful, harmonious place that is safe for our citizens and safe for our children, Wells added.

The mayor said the news of Olango's shooting death broke his heart.

"If it were my son, Id be devastated," he said.

Joining Wells, San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob said the public must let authorities complete their investigation and not jump to conclusions.

We stand united as we stand together here today, said Jacob.

Olango was shot and killed by two officers with the El Cajon Police Department on Tuesday afternoon in the parking lot of a shopping center in the 800 block of Broadway.

According to the ECPD, Olango was reported to be acting erratically and did not follow orders to remove his hands from the pockets of his pants when approached by two officers.

At one point during the encounter, police said Olango pulled an object from his pocket and pointed it at officers while assuming a shooting stance. The object, which has yet to be identified by police, was recovered at the scene, investigators said. No weapon was recovered.

As Olango pointed the object at the officers, one officer deployed a Taser while the second officer fired multiple rounds from his gun at the man, critically striking him.

The killing of Olango became the latest case in a disturbing series of highly-publicized police shootings of black men nationwide that have heightened racial tensions across America.

On Wednesday, protesters rallied in front of the ECPD demanding a thorough federal investigation into the police shooting of Olanga.

Hours later, protesters flooded the streets of El Cajon, marching down Broadway and to the scene where Olango was shot and killed by police. As they marched, many chanted, "Black lives matter!"

Dr. David Miyashiro, of the Cajon Valley Union School District, also spoke to reporters at the mayors conference, saying the community must set an example for the children of El Cajon on the heels of this difficult situation.

Our children, in any community, [are] our most precious resource. Its important for all of us to show children how a community can wrap its arms around itself with love, said Miyashiro.

Miles McPherson, of the Rock Church, called for prayers for El Cajon.

If there was ever a time you want to call out on God and mean it, it is now because our city, our county, and our nation is in trouble, said McPherson. Pray for our city  that we get through this and become better because of it.
Authorities arrested a man Tuesday evening in connection to a hit-and-run in Pacific Beach that left three people injured.

Omar Gutierrez, 24, was arrested around 5:20 p.m. at his workplace.

According to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD), Gutierrez had been behind the wheel when he allegedly ran over three men crossing the street on the 900 block of Garnet Avenue on Aug. 5. The arrest comes after SDPD recovered a car they believed had been involved in the hit-and-run.

Police said all three pedestrians were hospitalized with various injuries ranging from lacerations and fractures to brain injuries.

One of the victims injured in the hit-and-run was JRon Erby, 23, a recent college graduate and intern for the San Diego Chargers. Erby was out that night celebrating a friends birthday. The hit-and-run landed him in the hospital with skull fractures and brain trauma, his father told NBC 7.

During the couse of the investigation, detectives concluded that the hit-and-run had been intentional, not an accident.

No other information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this breaking news story.
A disturbing message posted to social media late Tuesday threatened gun violence at Mt. Carmel High School in San Diego, school officials confirmed.

San Diego Police received a call at 10:26 p.m. Wednesday from someone reporting the threat posted to Instagram.

Police officers say a 16-year-old student posted a picture of a gun with text similar to the phrase "tomorrow it's going down."

Investigators took the post as a threat to the teenager's school.

The student responsible for the post was located at his home after midnight and taken to a nearby medical facility for an evaluation. No weapon was recovered, police said.

Greg Magno, the principal of the high school in the Poway Unified School District, sent a note about the incident to families Wednesday morning saying that the late-night social media post was used to circulate a threat about the school.

However, he said quick reporting by vigilant members of the Rancho Penasquitos community led authorities to the person suspected of making the post.

Because of our communitys willingness to report early and often, Mt. Carmel Administration and SDPD were able to work through the early morning to investigate this, Magnos note stated.

On Wednesday, the principal said police officers and school administrators would continue to work closely together to speak with the person responsible for the post.

There is no threat to Mt. Carmel High School related to the post, Magno said.

Poway Unified School District spokesperson Christine Paik told NBC 7 school is in session as normal. She said Magno has been meeting with parents throughout the morning who have come to the campus with concerns.
A man shot and killed Tuesday in a confrontation with police in Southern California was a Ugandan refugee who friends say came to the U.S. at the age of 12 in search of protection from a regime seeking to kill his entire family.

Alfred Olango, 38, was not acting like himself Tuesday afternoon when his sister called 911 for help. Olango was standing in the parking lot of a shopping center in El Cajon, a community approximately 30 miles east of downtown San Diego. By the police departments account, officers approached him and demanded he remove a hand from his pocket. Olango was shot several times and died later at a nearby hospital.

Images: Alfred Olango

The shooting is under investigation.

Like many police shootings, there is phone video from a nearby drive-through restaurant employee that captured the entire incident. El Cajon Police have released a still from the video. The entire video will be released in the future, according to Chief of Police Jeff Davis.

El Cajon Police Department

Lucy Peterson, who identified herself as Alfreds sister, said she called police three times because her brother was mentally perturbed and he needed help.

She said her brother was running around and crossing the street.

He almost got hit by the car, she told NBC 7.

She said she was tailgating him with her car and wanted the police to get her brother help and possibly take him to the hospital.

The suspects sister described the moments leading up to a fatal El Cajon police shooting that killed her brother.

I did not call the officers so they could kill my brother in front of me, Peterson said.

A friend of the family describes Olango as a caring, easy-going individual who often helped others.

Steven Oloya was in a refugee camp with Olango in the 1990s when Olango was about 12. Both families were part of the Acholi tribe from Northern Uganda.

Olango was born in Kampala, Uganda, according to a California report from 2001. He was one of nine children; records show he and his family came to the U.S. because Olango's father, who worked for the former Ugandan president and current president, sought to kill him and the entire family. They came to New York as refugees in 1991.

The family eventually moved to San Diego. As Oloya describes it, Olango often stayed with Oloya's brother in a home along University Avenue in San Diego. He said Olango cared for his brother, cooked for him and took care of him before his death.

In San Diego, Olango's mother worked at Grossmont College in 2010. Olango dropped out of San Diego High School and later obtained a GED. He worked at Toro manufacturing and McDonald's.

Reverend Shane Harris spoke with Olango's brother, who was not named, on his National Radio show Wednesday afternoon. Olango's brother said what people need to know about his brother is what a great father, son and brother he was to those he loved.

Someone with a heart - a lions heart," his brother said. "He loved too much, you know.

In 2001, Olango got married and had one child with his wife, documents show. The couple separated two years ago.

He said his brother was a family man with two daughters; he said Olango was the glue in the family. Olango loved cooking, he said, and worked as a lead cook in restaurants.

He said Olango aspired to open his own restuarant one day.

We love each other very much and now we have to live without a key member," he said on Harris' radio show.

Olango had no known history of mental or emotional problems, according to Federal Court documents. However, he has an extensive criminal history.

Most recently, in 2011, he was charged with driving under the influence in 2011. In 2005, Olango was pulled over for a traffic stop while driving a 1990 Chevrolet Caprice. Colorado police said he was uncooperative when they tried to arrest him for carrying a loaded, 9mm semi-automatic pistol.

The same year, he was also charged with driving with a fictitious plate, driving with a license under restraint and driving an unregistered car. Inside the car, Colorado police found 185 grams of marijuana, two Ecstasy pills, a scale, Ziploc bags, $948 in cash and a folding knife.

Those were not Olango's only run-ins with the law.

In 1996, court records show Olango was convicted for taking a person's car without consent, a charge that federal prosecutors added a gang enhancement to once officers found a replica silver automatic handgun on the 17-year-old, along with a pair of fur-lined black gloves and keys to the stolen vehicle.

In 1998, records show Olango was convicted for burglarizing a friend's home; he took audio equipment, CDs and a water bong.

Olango was charged with two DUIs in 1999 and 2000.

In 2001, he pleaded guilty to a felony charge selling crack cocaine.

A lieutenant with the El Cajon Police Department says officers were not at all aware of Olango's criminal history when they arrived on scene.

NBC 7s Dave Summer is at the scene where employees of the restaurant are sharing there account of what happened.

El Cajon Chief of Police Jeff Davis describes the events of the officer-involved shooting that happened outside of a restaurant in El Cajon Tuesday afternoon.
Secretary of Labor Tom Perez on Tuesday said he would initiate a "top-to-bottom" review of labor practices at disgraced bank Wells Fargo, NBC News reported.

Perez was responding to a letter from eight Democratic senators who had requested a probe into whether Wells Fargo had violated wage and working hour laws by failing to pay overtime to tellers and sales representatives who stayed late to meet sales quotas.

"We take the concerns raised in your letter very seriously," Perez told the lawmakers, whose action was spearheaded by Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.

"Given the serious nature of the allegations, I have directed enforcement agencies within the department to conduct a top-to-bottom review of cases, complaints or violations concerning Wells Fargo over the last several years," wrote Perez.

Later Tuesday, Wells Fargo said CEO John Stumpf and the executive who ran the bank's consumer banking division will forfeit tens of millions of dollars in bonuses as it tries to stem a scandal over its sales practices.

The Associated Press reported that Stumpf will forfeit $41 million in stock awards, while former retail banking executive Carrie Tolstedt will forfeit $19 million of her stock awards, effective immediately. Both are also giving up any bonuses for 2016.
Jack Evans has been chairman of Metro only since January.

But he has had a lot of experience with Metro and the Metro board for more than two decades.

Evans thinks the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authoritys 16-member board cant get out of its own way.

This board just doesnt work, and we really need to come up with a different structure, Evans told NBC4. He basically was repeating comments he first made Monday to The Washington Posts Robert McCartney.

Evans explains that there are four members each from the District, Maryland, Virginia and the federal government, all focused too much on their own jurisdictions and not enough on actually governing in Metros overall best interest.

You cannot serve two masters, he said. Theres no other board in the country structured this way. People tend to their jurisdiction at the expense of Metro.

So whats the solution? Hes not sure. He says he was only joking when he told The Post that the U.S. president should appoint a five-member board, none of whose members live in this area. But he says a system devised in the 1960s needs serious reconsideration.

Im throwing it out there for discussion. Do you want to keep the status quo? Look where that got us. Do you think the governing structure is working? No, its not.

Evans has stirred up a hornets nest over this. Many of your Notebooks usual sources would not go on the record on it.

Some local officials did respond.

Chuck Bean is the executive director of the 22-member Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. Hes been helping the regional governments rework the Metro safety board. Bean told NBC4 it may be good to review Metros structure, but thats not the most important thing.

I think [the] boards main focus ought to be on supporting the general manager, Paul Wiedefeld, he said. Were halfway through SafeTrack and, generally, its going well. Weve gotta get that job done first. Bean did agree with Evans that parochial interests should be left at the boardroom door when Metro decisions are being made.

So, given Evans frustrations, does he want to be named chairman again next year? Yes, he does, if the board he thinks is too big will have him.

 Eye on crime. It may only be late September of 2016, but Mayor Muriel Bowser is eyeing her 2018 campaign for re-election. And nothing  short of true scandal  is more important than how citizens feel about crime and public safety.

The mayor was forced to dramatically focus on crime in late summer last year, her first year in office. And crime is forcing a similar focus this fall as Bowser searches for a new chief to replace Cathy Lanier, who stepped down as of Sept. 17.

The mayor took the opportunity to write a simultaneous letter to citizens acknowledging spikes in crime are causing spikes in anxiety.

Her first paragraph said it all.

As your Mayor, I understand that there is no greater responsibility of government than that of keeping residents and visitors safe. Overall crime is down 5% year-to-date with homicides down 11% and violent crime down 2%, but still there is more we can and must do together for a safer, stronger DC.

The mayor and her team know that acknowledging crime worries is not the same as easing them. And they know the re-election campaign wont wait until 2018. Bowser should be in full campaign mode by late next summer.

 A future merger? While we were on vacation, Mayor Bowser also announced a new collaboration between Howard University Hospital and the still-struggling United Medical Center in far Southeast. Howard will add needed services to the hospital, now a nonprofit run by the District after several private efforts faltered.

The District has had a longtime goal of building a new hospital in Southeast. This new collaboration could be the first steps toward one unrealized plan: a merger between the two hospitals that ultimately could be privately run, easing the financial strain on Howard but retaining teaching hospital facilities for its medical students.

If that were to happen, it also would free up a lot of valuable land at the Howard campus.

 A stitch in time. Also while we were away, the popular Dupont Circle Village honored the 100th birthday of Gabriella Zaboli.

Shes one of 200 members of the neighborhood health/help group.

For 38 years, Zaboli was a seamstress for the storied Riziks on Connecticut Avenue NW downtown. A native of Modena, Italy, she survived Mussolini and Hitler, became a professional ballroom dancer and personally knew the late opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti.

A surviving and honored member of a great generation, Zaboli moved recently to a more comfortable apartment in Dupont with help from the village organization. (Our thanks to village member Pender McCarter for alerting us to her inspiring story.)

 Racing toward Halloween. Your Notebook is not a runner, nor maybe even a too-fast walker. But Congressional Cemetery is opening up the Halloween season with its annual 5K Dead Mans Run through its cemetery grounds on far Capitol Hill.

The cemetery is worth visiting anytime, but Halloween, you might say, adds a little spirit to the surroundings. Theres also a run for kids. Costumes are encouraged for all races. Prizes will be awarded.

The race is this Saturday at 5 p.m. To register, visit congressionalcemetery.org.

Tom Sherwood, a Southwest resident, is a political reporter for News 4.
The motorcyclist killed this month by a D.C. police officer suffered gunshot wounds to the back and neck, the D.C. medical examiner said Wednesday afternoon.

Terrence Sterling, 31, died of the wounds in what the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined to be a homicide. That manner of death rules out that Sterling died because of suicide, an accident or natural causes.

Information was not available immediately on whether Sterling was shot more than once or if a single bullet caused his injuries.

Sterling, of Fort Washington, Maryland, died Sept. 11 after a Metropolitan Police Department officer shot him at 3rd and M streets NW. Police say the officer fired after Sterling intentionally rammed a police cruiser with his motorcycle.

Witnesses disputed the police department's account of the incident and said the crash was unavoidable.

D.C. officials released body camera footage on Tuesday that shows the moments after Officer Brian Trainer shot and killed Sterling. The graphic video shows the man bleeding as an officer performs CPR.

Police said the encounter began when an officer saw a motorcyclist driving recklessly about 4:20 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 11 near 15th and U streets NW.

A few minutes later, Trainer saw a motorcycle near 3rd and M streets NW that matched the same description, police said.

As Trainer exited a police cruiser on the passenger side, intending to stop the driver, Sterling intentionally drove into the passenger door, police said.

Trainer then fired, hitting Sterling.

Two ambulances were dispatched at 4:30 a.m., city officials said. One ambulance left a fire station a block away and arrived moments later, officials said. The second ambulance arrived about 5 minutes after dispatch.

Sterling was taken to Howard University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Trainer was not seriously hurt. He was placed on administrative leave, per department policy.

Police said in subsequent days that Trainer did not turn on his body camera until after he fired.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said 911 dispatchers now will remind officers to turn on their body cameras before they arrive at scenes.

The investigation continues, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Kevin Donahue said.

Stay with News4 and NBCWashington as we continue to update this developing story.
A woman was kidnapped in broad daylight in D.C's Petworth neighborhood Tuesday and was forced to take her kidnappers to her apartment, where they stole from her and then left, police said.

The woman was waiting for a bus at the corner of New Hampshire and Georgia avenues NW about 1 p.m. Tuesday when she was approached by two men she did not know, she told Metro Transit Police.

The men chatted with her and then ordered her to leave with them, threatening to harm her if she did not comply, Metro Transit Police said.

The men forced the woman to get into a vehicle and asked her where she lived, police said.

The men then drove to her apartment in Hyattsville, Maryland, where they stole valuables and cash from her before leaving, police said.

The woman was not hurt.

Police said one suspect was described as about 40 years old and 5-foot-9. He was wearing a long-sleeved gray and white Hawaiian-style shirt, dark blue jeans and a black watch.

The second suspect was described was 20 to 25 years old and 5-foot-3. He was wearing a short-sleeved green plaid shirt and blue jeans, police said.

The vehicle was described as a silver SUV, possibly a Nissan Pathfinder.

Women were abducted off streets in Northeast and Northwest D.C. in two separate incidents last month, police said.

In one case, two men forced a woman into an SUV and sexually assaulted her for days, according to police. The woman managed to escape and call 911.

Police said last month that they did not believe those two cases were connected.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Metro Transit Police detectives by calling 301-955-5000. Those wishing to remain anonymous may call 844-MTPD-TIP (844-687-3847) or text a message to "MyMTPD" (696873).
Taliban leaders were watching last night's debate between Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump from a secret location in Afghanistan, according to NBC News.

A spokesman for the group, Zabihullah Mujahid, told NBC that they were "very interested in watching," and they had hoped Afghanistan would have been a more prominent part of the debate.

He said that Trump is "non-serious," and said the candidate "[says] anything that comes to his tongue."

"There nothing of interest to us in the debate as both of them said little about Afghanistan and their future plans for the country," Mujahid added.
Massachusetts State Police say one person was killed in a crash in Leominster Tuesday night.

The crash happened just before 11 p.m. on Route 190 southbound, south of Route 2.

Police say the victim, who was not identified, was driving an SUV and crash. It was the only vehicle involved in the crash.

As of 4 a.m. Wednesday, the left lane of Route 190 southbound at the crash scene was closed for investigation.

The crash remains under investigation.
A colorful new crosswalk in Burlington, Vermont, does more than just help pedestrians get where they're going.

Students, faculty, and staff of Champlain College got permission from the Burlington Department of Public Works to paint a rainbow flag crosswalk.

The school said it was designed to both be a symbol of inclusiveness for LGBT members of the Champlain Community and to make the crosswalk safer.

Nearly 180 people per hour cross that spot of South Willard Street during busy times of day, Champlain College said. The school predicted the rainbow will make the crosswalk more visible to drivers.

The new rainbow crosswalk, which was painted over one that previously was just white lines, is in front of Champlain's Perry Hall Welcome Center.

The college's Student Government Association paid roughly $1,100 for paint, materials, and the cost of traffic control, the school said.

Guidelines from the Burlington Department of Public Works required the crosswalk to still have bold white lines on the outside of the new rainbow crosswalk, project organizers explained.
Police say three people are dead following a multi-vehicle crash on Route 195 eastbound in Westport, Massachusetts.

The crash happened between exits 10 and 11 around 8 a.m.

Police say initial investigation suggests a livery median crossed the median and hit a vehicle traveling westbound head-on.

Police say two people in the livery vehicle were killed and one person in the struck vehicle was killed.

Their identities have not been released.

The eastbound side of Route 195 is closed and the left lane of the westbound side at the crash scene is closed.
Firefighters from 19 communities are training for the unthinkable in Rockland, Massachusetts, as they learn how to save their own lives if a mayday call ever has to be made.

It is four days of intensive training they say is key for when it is not a drill. The scenarios draw on lessons from actual line of duty deaths in hopes that they can prevent more incidents from happening in the future.

"This is a different training. This training is purely about saving ourselves, any firefighter who is trapped, injured or hurt," Marc Oshry of the Rockland Fire Department said during training on Wednesday. "We do funerals really well, but we don't want to do anymore."

The Rockland Fire Department brought the Fire Ground Survival Training Program to Massachusetts after receiving a grant of $386,046 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The grant was given with the purpose to help firefighters learn how to survive the most dangerous emergency situations.

It is training that is top of mind after two firefighters were killed in Delaware over the weekend.

Many of the participants also remember the two firefighters were killed while fighting a fire in Boston's Back Bay in 2014.

"Even if we can bring something back to our department that's going to help a guy out, he might remember that one thing that's going to get him out of a bad situation," Louis LaChance of the Hingham Fire Department said.
A Massachusetts man was killed Tuesday afternoon in a single vehicle crash in Merrimac, Massachusetts, according to police.

Authorities said officers responded to the area of 60 West Main Street at 1:52 p.m. where the driver of a Toyota Sienna had crashed head-on into a tree.

The driver, 74-year-old Richard Talbor of Haverhill, was the only person in the vehicle. He was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The exact cause of the crash is under investigation by the Merrimac Police Department.
A 2-year-old is recovering in Salem, New Hampshire, after police say her legs were run over by the family vehicle on Tuesday.

The incident happened around 6:30 p.m. in a driveway on South Policy Street after police say the girl's 7-year-old sister put the vehicle into reverse.

Salem Police Sergeant Joseph Keating said the mother had given the older girl permission to start the car.

"The 7-year-old was able to start the vehicle, put it in reverse, and accidentally backed up over the two year old," said Keating.

Their mother, who was not outside at the time, ran outside when she heard yelling.

The girl sustained injuries to her legs, chin, scalp and ribs.

She was taken to an area hospital and was ultimately airlifted to a Boston hospital.

Police said the accident could have been even worse.

"There's a lot of mobile homes in that area, a lot of propane tanks and gas tanks are situated right outside these homes," Keating said. "Some of them are unprotected so absolutely there could have been more damage, more injury."

Neighbor Jason Dumont said his mother's home could have been hit.

"My kids could have been out here. I could have been out here," said Dumont. "It's kind of scary."

Police said this was not the first time the mother has asked her daughter to start the car.

"Some of the neighbors on scene reported to officers, that they had observed the 7 year old starting the vehicle in the past," Keating said. "She was seen in the vehicle alone, unattended, and the mother admitted to officers on scene that she had asked the daughter on numerous occasions to start the vehicle."

The incident is under investigation but police said the mother, who has not been identified, could face charges.
Police in Revere, Massachusetts, say a man was seriously injured during an altercation outside a strip club Tuesday night.

The incident happened at The Squire around 10 p.m.

Investigation suggests the man, who has not been identified, was intoxicated and got into a fight with several staff members outside.

A responding officer found the man unconscious on the ground.

He was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital with a serious head injury. He was listed in serious-but-stable condition Wednesday morning.

The incident remains under investigation.
Police in Manchester, New Hampshire, confirm three missing children have been found.

Police were looking for two parents accused of taking three children and disappearing.

Michael McMaster, 35, and 33-year-old Bobbie Jo Guyer are the parents of the missing children, but they do not have custody.

Manchester Police

Investigators were looking for 9-year-old Mia Carvalho, 8-year-old Alyssa Carvalho and 3-year-old Clayton McMaster since last Wednesday.

Guyer was found with the children Wednesday. Michael McMaster was found in a different location.
A Connecticut state trooper who was arrested in West Hartford on Sunday morning is accused of hitting and choking his fiancee, according to West Hartford police.

West Hartford police made the arrest after responding to Memorial and Isham roads just after 5:30 a.m. Sunday to investigate reports of a man was hitting a woman and a man who went after a woman.

Officers arrived to find 33-year-old John C. Adam and a woman, according to the incident report on the arrest.

Adams was wearing a state police sweatshirt, so officers asked him if he is a state trooper and Adams said hes with Troop H and told police he got concerned when his fiancee didnt come home after going out with friends for the night.

He said he went to West Hartford because thats where she had gone, saw her in a car with a man and was confused, so he and went to see what was going on, according to the incident report.

First Adams approached the car, then followed it until the driver stopped on Memorial Road. At that point, an argument started and police showed up, he said, according to the incident report.

But Adams car was facing the wrong way, so officers questioned him about it and Adams responded that he pulled around the other vehicle and blocked it from going through the intersection, according to police.

But when Adams spoke with a West Hartford police sergeant, he gave another account of what happened.

He said he found his fiancees vehicle unoccupied and was waiting for her to return when a man pulled up with the woman in the car, so Adams approached the car, according to police.

Police noticed that the victims clothes and hair were disheveled, that she appeared upset and nervous and had what appeared to be a red marks from fingerprints on her neck, according to the incident report.

She told officers shed gone out in West Hartford with friends, then to Hartford and asked the driver to bring her back to her car, which was in West Hartford.

Her account was that Adams approached as she and the driver were talking and the driver drove away until she told him she knew Adams and for him to stop the car, according to the police reports.

When the victim approached him, Adams slapped her cell phone out of her hand, grabbed her purse and threw it toward the car, yelled at her and told her to get in his car, the woman told police.

She recalled telling Adams she would go in her own car and told him to leave, but Adams pushed her neck and face, police said.

The woman refused medical treatment.

When police spoke with the man who drove the victim from Hartford to West Hartford, he said he drove away when Adams pulled up neat them because he didnt know the man.

Then Adams started following him and cut him off, according to court paperwork.

The driver said he stopped when the woman asked him to, then he saw Adams throw the victim to the ground and throw something at her, according to police.

Another witness said Adams grabbed the woman by the neck, forced her into the passenger seat of his car and choked her.

Adams was taken into custody and charged with third-degree assault, second-degree breach of peace and third-degree strangulation.

He was released from custody after posting $50,000 bond, ordered to stay away from the victim and not possess a dangerous weapon, according to police.
A man charged in connection with a shooting at a CVS in Stoughton, Massachusetts, last Thursday, is due in court Wednesday.

Marcus Pierre-Louis, 23, the suspected gunman in the shooting, was taken into custody at 7:20 p.m. at a Normandy Street residence in Dorchester.

Police said at the time of his arrest, Pierre-Louis was in possession of a loaded firearm. He was taken into custody without incident.

Two minors were arrested last week in connection with the shooting after an 18-year-old man was shot in the shoulder inside the store.

Pierre-Louis will be arraigned in Stoughton District Court on Tuesday where he is expected to be charged with attempted murder, illegal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and child endangerment.
Maine Gov. Paul LePage is back in the national spotlight  this time, the Washington Post is calling for his resignation, after the public release of his infamous binder full of drug dealers.

In a scathing op-ed, the post calls LePage "unhinged," and criticized him for saying his binder would show 90 percent of drug dealers arrested in Maine were black and Hispanic.

LePage's office released the binder's contents this week as part of a Freedom of Information request. The majority of those pictured were white people.

LePage's office clarified that the 90 percent figure was about the out-of-state dealers in the binder, adding his administration would like to put the binder controversy behind them.

"The bottom line is we need to move past this and we need to seek solutions in this heroin pandemic in our state," said spokesperson Adrienne Bennett.

LePage's binder has been widely criticized by Democrat lawmakers and the ACLU of Maine. When Rep. Drew Gattine called his comments "racially charged," the Governor left him a profanity-laced voicemail that received national media attention, and led to calls for his impeachment.

Coming to LePage's defense Wednesday was a unlikely candidate: a black reverend and former drug addict.

"Whoever among us who does not have racist attitudes in their heart you cast the first stone at LePage," said Rev. Steve Craft, representing the conservative "Constitution Camp," at a press conference in Augusta.

Rev. Craft wrote a letter to LePage in August, trying to send him a word of encouragement when the national controversy over his binder and voicemail was at its height.

"As a former heroin addict, I can testify that everything you say in regard to drug dealers and addicts is true," his letter stated.

Craft said LePage was wrong to cite the race of drug dealers with "skewed" statistics  but said his critics are wrong for "playing the race card."


Kathy and Allister are church mission enablers

Over 20 years ago, Allister and Kathleen Versfeld felt an unmistakable calling on their lives to full-time ministry. They have led churches in East Anglia since then and have recently moved to Norwich to work with Salvation Army churches and centres throughout the region. Helen Baldry reports



Allister and Kathleens new role is as mission enablers, whereby they work alongside local leaders and their teams in the East Anglia region to help them reach people with the good news of Jesus. (They have 31 churches and 3 centres)



Kathleen and Allister are from Cape Town in South Africa. In 1994 they moved to the UK for Kathleens job as a Chartered Accountant in London. Their intention was to stay for two years and then return to be near to their families in South Africa.



However, they discovered that God had other plans. They describe their calling into full time ministry like a bolt out of the blue.



Allister returned to South Africa to be with his mother who was dying of cancer. During this time he resolved to make the most of the rest of his life. He and Kathleen committed to pray about their future. Kathleen said, I needed to make sure I was living my life as God wanted me to.



The decision to enter full time ministry was made while the couple were 10,000 kilometres apart. Allister was with his mother during the final days of her life, and Kathleen still in London. Allister had a spiritual experience of God that he described as intense heat and at the same time Kathleen was sure that God was prompting her into ministry in the church. She said, God brought us both to that point.



Already members of the Salvation Army, the Versfelds went to training college and were commissioned in 2000. They had previously lived in London and Cape Town and were posted to Fakenham  their response was where is Fakenham?! The small rural town was considerably different from the hubbub of the city and the experience showed them what a close-knit community feels like.



The family then moved to Felixstowe, where they oversaw a growing church where many lives were transformed. Prior to their move to Norfolk this summer, the couple led a local church and worked on a busy community programme in Peterborough for four years. They live with their three daughters in Dussindale and are delighted to return to Norfolk where they have established firm connections in the church.



Allister and Kathleen regularly preach at the many churches they work with across Norfolk and Suffolk. Their job involves getting alongside the leaders of the churches and centres to guide and equip them to work in the best ways for their particular communities. They recognise that a one size fits all approach doesnt work with transformational mission because each setting is different. Kathleen said, Our passion is to share the love of Jesus.



The Salvation Army is well known for practical works in the community, such as the soup run, charity shops and work with homeless people. The slogan heart to God, hand to man sums up the motivation of Christian outreach and something the Versfelds wholeheartedly believe. Allister said, Our relationship with Jesus prompts us. Its all about the cross. They are keen to partner with other agencies and work together for the glory of the kingdom.
Rev Suzanne Cooke applauds the forthright honesty of what the Pope has been saying, and wonders where Jesus would be in the light of the current Syrian refugee crisis.

The Pope is being contentious again! At a week-long seminar in Rome he told 154 new bishops that people can smell out lying spellbinders and dare I say it trendy priests. He also told them they that should not be drawn into playing a numbers game with new vocations - the Catholic church is suffering with too few priests coming forward for ordination.



I was fascinated by this news article, published in the Catholic Herald online (catholicherald.co.uk September 16) when it landed on my Facebook page a few days ago.



Firstly, I really admire anyone who is so very willing to go against the tide of opinion and say what they feel God is calling them to say, even when they know it will make them more than unpopular with those around them. I have always admired Pope Francis for his very obvious courage in saying the things others have never had the courage, or vision, to say. This seems to be another of those occasions. In an institution such as the Catholic Church I can only imagine just how hard it must be to begin to instigate cultural change in the way he has.



My second reason for being drawn to this article is that it hints at something Ive been thinking about recently. As I am sure you all know, the world is at this very moment experiencing a crisis  a crisis of enormous human significance  and, having recently travelled to Paris, a crisis that sits at our very door step. The war in Syria is creating a tidal wave of human despair. Displaced families leaving everything behind, risking their lives to find safety and hope  it is a problem on a global scale.



And I wonder - I wonder what Jesus would have to say about this horrific global catastrophe? Quite a lot I think! Maybe he would have been on the beaches of Greece pulling people out of the water. Maybe he would have been on the streets of any number of European cities giving families food, finding them places to stay, providing medicines for children and pregnant mothers. Or maybe he too would have been in a boat, on the Mediterranean, comforting those around him, bringing hope and peace.

We will never know  but he WOULD have been doing something!



I think the people Pope Francis talks about, the ones that dont want lying spellbinders or trendy priests, I think they too believe Jesus would have been with the refugees, or the homeless, or drug addicts, or women trafficked into sexual slavery, or men trafficked for their labour  I really believe that people know that that is where Jesus would have been.



And genuinely, I really understand! Our situation is so very different, we dont have refugee camps on our borders and we really dont see the sea of humanity that is trafficked into our towns and cities  but they are there, hidden, but there.



I wonder if we too stopped playing the numbers game and started being in the places Jesus would have been I wonder how that might change our lives, the lives of our churches and the lives of our church communities.



I wonder what the first step on a journey like that might look like?



The above image of the Calais refugee camp is courtesy of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on www.flickr.com

www.soulcircus.org.uk

The views carried here are those of the author, not of Network Norfolk, and are intended to stimulate constructive debate between website users.
Hiring is as much an art as a science. Bring the wrong talent on board, and it'll tank morale and impede performance; hire the right people, and growth will accelerate.

However, finding just the right mix of skills, knowledge, experience and personality can feel like a herculean task, says Aytekin Tank, founder and CEO of online form builder JotForm, but for him, it's the most important part of his job.

Tank says he involves himself in every hiring decision at JotForm. Google's CEO and cofounder Larry Page famously approves or rejects every one of the company's hires, too. Should your organization follow suit? Here are five reasons why your CEO should be involved in hiring decisions and two reasons they shouldn't.

1. Pro: Ensure a fit with corporate culture

Every company has its own personality and unique corporate culture, and JotForm's no different, says Tank. His involvement in the hiring process makes sure that every new employee will mesh well with the existing atmosphere and won't create unnecessary conflict.

"If I hire someone who becomes oil to our vinegar, it will be a disaster and could create a toxic environment that causes other valuable team members to leave. The resulting drain of talent could stunt our growth and, quite possibly, sink the company. A culture fit is every bit as important as experience, talent and education," Tank says.

2. Pro: Sometimes, you have no choice

Early hires are crucial when a company is young and growing, and sometimes, startups don't have the abundance of personnel or resources of an older, more established firm, says Tank. In those early days -- or even at a company that makes a conscious decision to remain small -- everyone must chip in and contribute to a lot of different roles.

"Our team has learned to do more with less, wear multiple hats and be prepared to take on any challenge -- that includes screening and hiring. Some people would prefer to work in a more structured, hierarchical environment, however, an early-stage company may require a person to be out of their comfort zone from time to time," Tank says.

[ Related story: CIOs, CTOs playing greater role in technology decisions ]

3. Pro: Finding people with passion

While you can teach programming languages, processes, applications and programs, one thing that can't be taught is passion; the people you hire either have it or they don't, says Tank.

"Over the years I've discovered that passionate people have traits that translate well into business success: They're not afraid to attack a challenge from a different angle, take risks and will continue to work at something until they've reached what they consider to be the pinnacle of achievement. Even then, they continue to work at it, because that's what they love," he says.

4. Pro: Develop hiring as a skillset

While many people view hiring as just another "to do" item in a long list of weekly tasks, Tank says that mindset's inherently wrong. His involvement in the process ensures that every hiring decision is approached as a unique way to add skills and knowledge to the organization.

"The goal in hiring is to find the right person to fill the right position. When you hit the right combination, incredible results follow -- for both the person hired and the company. Learning how to hire the right person requires work, to develop those skills, and the more I work at it the better I get," he says.

[ Related story: What if you could fire your CEO? ]

5. Pro: Make the final decision

As CEO, the proverbial buck stops with Tank, so it's important for him to get it right.

"Early on, I understood the ultimate cost of hiring, not only in dollars but also in time and energy and the value to my company. No one wants to needlessly throw away money and certainly no one has an abundance of time they can afford to waste. If I don't get this part right, nothing following will matter," he says.

1. Con: Disempowerment

You've carefully hired senior management and your HR teams because of their knowledge, their skills and experience. Now, you need to trust them to do the jobs they were hired for; otherwise, you risk disempowering them, says P.K. Agarwal, CEO and regional dean of Northeastern University Silicon Valley.

"The last thing you want to do is erode the trust of your senior management and your hiring teams by sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong. There are exceptions; in the case of startups that are trying to ensure good cultural fit, or where there are only a few people at the company, this works great. But, in general, I believe it could quickly spiral out of control into a micromanagement nightmare," Agarwal says.

2. Con: Size matters

At small startups and even medium-sized companies, it's possible to incorporate a CEO's approval into the hiring process, Agarwal says. But trying to get a CEO's feedback on every single candidate can be a colossal waste of time and energy that's better spent on strategic initiatives and other executive functions, he says.

"Google's the exception that proves the rule, I believe. I just cannot imagine how this could work efficiently. Even if you did make it work, candidates wouldn't be getting much more than a cursory glance, and then there's no value in the CEO's looking at their application anyway, other than to make them feel impressed that they met with or had their credentials assessed by the CEO," Agarwal says.

[ Related story: Why you need to rethink your internal communications strategy ]

The take away? Whether you involve your CEO in hiring decisions or not depends on a number of factors: your company size, the importance of culture and how feasible it is for you to incorporate executive approval into the process. Either way, hiring's one of the most important functions within your company, so handle it with the utmost care.

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This story, "5 reasons CEOs should be involved in hiring decisions " was originally published by CIO .
You cannot say that Elon Musk doesnt dream big. Today he outlined what would be his biggest aspiration ever  colonizing Mars.

If you watched Musk, who is SpaceX Founder, CEO, and Lead Designer deliver the details today on his Mars colonizing mission to the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico you may have been struck by the matter-of-fact way he delivered the details of what even he calls a very complex and dangerous mission.

I think the first trips to Mars are going to be really, very dangerous. The risk of fatality will be high. There is just no way around it," he said. "It would basically be, 'Are you prepared to die?' Then if that's ok, then you are a candidate for going."

However, the goal is to make going to Mars seem possible, something we can do in our lifetimes, Musk said. We need to become a multi-planet species. And it would be a lot of fun to go there.

The details of the SpaceX Interplanetary Transport System mission are daunting -- it requires a massive booster system and spacecraft (think a ship north of 416ft tall and 55ft in diameter  NASAs Apollo mission rocket, Saturn 5 was 363 ft. tall) that would be capable of carrying about 100 people and their luggage to the Red planet. Musk ultimately wants to send 200 people per flight to eventually lower the cost which could start at $200,000 per person.

In the end Musk want to send at least a million humans to Mars and establish a self-sustaining, fully functional city with pizza joints and everything, he said.

Such a plan requires thousands of trips with a Battlestar Galactica-like armada of spacecraft to achieve, he said.

+More on Network World: +

Musk outlined 4 key elements of achieving his Mars goal: A fully reusable rocket system the ability to refuel in orbit, the capability of producing fuel on Mars and using the ideal propellant -- which is cryogenic methane -- in the rocket engines.

The rocket and spaceship are known around SpaceX as BFR and the BFS, which means, if youll pardon the reference, " Big F***g Rocket and "Big F***g Spaceship. Musk did say he expects the first spacecraft to be named Heart of Gold after the spacecraft in Douglas Adams Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

It will be quite tectonic when it takes off, Musk said.

The reusable rocket booster is key in that a typical mission will begin with the spacecraft atop the booster, which features 42 SpaceX Raptor rocket engines being blasted into Earths orbit where the booster will separate and return, upright, to the launch pad. Once on the pad, the booster will be fitted with a tanker full of fuel, then relaunched to rendezvous with the spacecraft and fuels it up. It may take 3 to 5 trips to in fact fill the spacecraft entirely for its Mars journey  which will last about 80 days, Musk said.

+More on Network World: The Martian author Andy Weir calls for massive new space station to prep humans for Mars trip+

For those traveling to Mars inside the BFS, there will be zero-G games, sleeping cabins and a restaurant  "It has to be fun or exciting. It can't feel cramped or boring," Musk said.

Once at the Red planet, the spacecraft will face its heatshield down and slowly lower to the surface. The idea is that other unmanned spacecraft would have already made the journey with supplies that the passengers could use to set up homes and a fuel processing facility and other infrastructure to live on the planet.

Putting a propellant depot on Mars or Juniper or other places in the outer space would let us explore beyond Mars, Musk noted.

It will take on the order of 50-100 years -- at a rate of about 20-50 trips over that timespan  to end up with the 1 million people Musk envisions would colonize Mars.

Obviously a lot of planning and money will be needed to make this whole SpaceX Interplanetary Transport System mission a reality. But some work has been started  for example during his presentation Musk show the test-firing of a Raptor engine and a massive fuel tank that looked like it needed its own hanger to house.

But in the end the multi-billion-dollar mission will need a massive public-private investment to achieve, Musk said. There are many organizations and companies that would partner with SpaceX to be part of this mission, Musk said.

NASA would be one of the biggest partners obviously but it has Mars plans of its own  though quite less ambitious than SpaceXs.

+More on Network World: NASA wants Mars, Jupiter as it begins 2016 budget journey+

Other private groups such as Mars One and Explore Mars have also announced plans to go to the red planet.

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If you are going to be dressing up in a costume for Halloween, you might want to avoid dressing like a creepy clown, considering the sinister clown hysteria sweeping the nation. You dont want to wear a clown costume in Kentucky where a sheriff contacted the FBI and Homeland Security over the creepy clown threat. In fact, in Gallatin County, Kentucky, the sheriff warned that people behind clown threats might face charges of inducing panic and terroristic threatening.

Pennywise from Stephen Kings It really ruined clowns for a lot of people, changing their opinion of clowns from funny or cute to scary and creepy as can be. When the evil clown craze first started cranking up, some people suggested the clown sightings were pranks tied to some sort of promotion for the upcoming film It. Others suggested the clown sightings were inspired by Rob Zombies film 31, which includes kidnapped hostages trying to survive a violent game against a gang of sadistic clowns.

Reports of seeing menacing clowns spread fast through social media and often end up on the news. It seems to have started in August in Greenville, South Carolina, where clowns allegedly were trying to lure kids into the woods. From there, it ballooned into reports of people in clown costumes lurking in parks, assaulting people, chasing people and even threatening to kill people.

Often, the creepy clown sightings are just pranks, yet clowns have become such a threat that police have reverted to the terrorist threat motto of if you see something, say something.

Yesterday, after Gallatin County Kentucky Schools reportedly received a clown-related vague threat of violencetwo clowns had threatened to shoot high school studentsschool attendance dropped to 48 percent.

Gallatin County Sheriff Josh Neale told people to forward threatening messages from clowns to the police, who were aggressively looking into each and every message. Neale said he was consulting with the FBI and Homeland Security over the clown threats. He added, The person or people making the clown threats could face local charges of inducing panic and terroristic threatening.

Other police have also addressed the clown threat after it was going viral in social media. Wearing a full clown costume in public got one man arrested in Kentucky. He was charged with wearing a mask in a public place and disorderly conduct. Hes not the only clown who has been arrested.

Kentuckys Barbourville Police warned that dressing like a clown can create a dangerous situation. While approaching people in a threatening manner is illegal, so too is assaulting, shooting, attacking or otherwise injuring someone simple because they are wearing a costume.

A mother in Evansville, Indiana, went a bit ballistic on Facebook after reports of clown sightings and her kids allegedly were threatened by clowns. The entire episode was spread over a couple days. It sparked lots of cursing comments, as she posted screenshots of clowns making threats and clown clone accounts. Facebook reportedly took the accounts down, and Evansville Police were allegedly investigating. According to Evansville Watch, police have responded to several reports of clowns chasing people or waving a knife around.

The radio station WKDQ did a reverse image search and determined the photos of clowns in Evansville were actually photos of clowns first reported to be seen and freaking people out in Wasco, California, back in 2014. WKDQ also found a recent video warning that creepy clowns may be planning Purge on Halloween night.

Oh man, face palm. Seriously? Please. Now, clown complaints have referenced at least three horror flicks. The clown threat is getting crazy, and people spreading the fear on Facebook and other social networks are not helping.

Then again, not all the clown complaints reports have been bull. Megan Buell, spokesman for the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said, A teenager in Pennsylvania was fatally stabbed Sunday in an incident involving a person wearing a clown mask.

Clown threats in multiple states

Besides the clown threat reports in Kentucky and Indiana, so far, evil clownswhich were first spotted in the southern U.S. states and have cause school lockdownshave reportedly been seen South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, Florida, Virginia, Colorado, York College and other locations in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Maryland, and New Jersey. At the rate of discovery, there may possibly be other killer clown reports from more states.

It is important to note that although some people dressed as clowns have been arrested, and some states have regarded the threat as so credible as to put schools on lockdowns, other creepy clowns reportedly doing scary things have been proven false, a case of misunderstanding, or hoaxes. The majority of clown complaints are unsubstantiated, but that doesn't stop them from spreading in social media and then being picked up by local TV news stations.

Some people believe the clown craze started after a viral campaign for Zombies horror flick 31; others tried to capitalize on the creepy clown scare with their own marketing ploy for a different horror film, and some creepy clowns may be copycats wanting attentionpranksters.

For sickos trying to scare people, you might think twice because the panic you cause may get your arrested.

While discussing the clown threat, Lt. Bill Miller, a public information officer with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Department of Safety and Homeland Security, told Live Science, We don't know if they're threats or hoaxes, but they're causing a lot of public concern, and we have an obligation to make sure that we address that and give the public the best information we have.

Meanwhile, real clowns are ticked, but at least one acknowledged that the publics perception of clowns has been seriously tainted since Kings 1986 novel It debuted as TV miniseries in 1990.
The interior ministry said it arrested nine near Rosetta and 13 others in three different governorates

Egyptian police have arrested 23 people allegedly involved in migrant smuggling activities by sea and land in three different governorates, two separate statements by the interior ministry said on Wednesday.

According an early morning statement, Alexandria's security directorate arrested 11 people who allegedly specialised in luring youth seeking work in Europe into illegal migration over sea by vessels unsafe for the transportation of humans.

The ministry said it arrested two men in Menoufiya and Daqahliya governorates reportedly involved in similar illegal migration activities on the Mediterranean.

Earlier on Wednesday, Egyptian authorities arrested nine alleged migrant smugglers in the northern governorate of Beheira close to where a migrant boat sunk last week, killing more than 200 people, state news agency MENA reported.

Police said they were tipped off that the men were planning to illegally transport migrants of several nationalities to Italy.

The men were arrested on Tuesday in the Beheira towns of Rosetta and Edko and are being interrogated by prosecutors.

The boat that capsized last Wednesday off the Mediterranean coast near Rosetta left 202 at least people dead and rescue workers and fishermen said they had rescued at least 169 people.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday it believed at least 450 people, including Egyptian, Sudanese, Eritrean and Somali migrants were aboard the ship and that about 300 perished in the accident.

Five crew members have been arrested over the incident.

More than 300,000 migrants  many of whom looking to reach Europe from the African coast to escape political turmoil and economic hardship  have crossed the Mediterranean so far this year from various points of departure, the UN said this week.

More than 10,000 people have died attempting to cross the Mediterranean from Europe since 2014, according to the United Nations.

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Up to 500 monthly charter flights between Russia and Egypt could be run if charter services are resumed, according to Russian state news agency Sputnik

Egypts Aviation Minister Sherif Fathi met on Tuesday with Russian Transport Minister Maksim Sokolov who is currently visiting Cairo to have talks on resuming air traffic between both countries.

The officials discussed new security measures being applied at Egyptian airports for passengers and luggage, and technical requirements by Moscow to bolster security in preparation for resuming Russian flights to Egypt, a statement by Egypt's civil aviation ministry said late on Tuesday.

Egypt is studying a bilateral agreement with Russia on security measures and mechanisms, adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that Cairo will follow after flights are resumed, the statement added.

Moscow grounded all civilian passenger flights to Egypt last year over security concerns after the crash of a Russian jet over Sinai shortly after taking off from Sharm El-Sheikh.

All 224 people on board were killed in the crash, which was claimed by Islamist militants.

Sokolov said during his meeting with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on Tuesday that discussions between the two countries on the resumption of flights "have gone a long way" and that air traffic will return "in the near future."

The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) said on Tuesday that up to 500 monthly charter flights could be run by Russian airlines to Egyptian resorts if charter services are resumed, according to Russian state news agency Sputnik.

Cairo says investigations into the crash are still underway and that a delegation of Russian investigators is currently cooperating with Egypts general prosecution, which will issue a final report on the cause of the crash.

The downing of the Russian flight has dealt a blow to Egypt's tourism industry, with tourist numbers dropping by some 50 percent in the first half of 2016 year on year.

Russians make up the largest single tourist group in Egypt, contributing to about a fifth of foreign vacationers in the country as of 2015, according to official data.

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Three police officers and a taxi driver were killed in a militant attack on their car in North Sinai's Al Arish on Wednesday morning, Al-Ahram Arabic website reported.

Security sources told Al Ahram website that militants ambushed the taxi of the three officers.

The bodies were transferred to Al Arish military hospital.

Egypt has seen a spike in militant activity since the 2013 ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. Hundreds of security forces in North Sinai have been killed in similar attacks by Islamic militants in the past three years.

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Three parliamentary committees approved in an urgent meeting on Tuesday night legislation aimed at stemming the tide of illegal migration.

The meeting, which comes a few days after a migrant boat capsized off Egypt's Mediterranean coast, was headed by chairman of the Legislative and Constitutional Affairs Committee Bahaaeddin Abu Shoqa. It also included members of the human rights and budget committees.

The meeting also came after President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi held an urgent national security meeting on Saturday to discuss the possibility of issuing a unified law aimed at toughening penalties for those involved in human trafficking and illegal migration operations.

On 21 September, the migrant boat, which was carrying between 450 and 500 migrants, sunk as it sailed for Italy from Egypt's Mediterranean port city of Rosetta.

The death toll from the accident reached 195 on Tuesday. 

On Sunday, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Magdi El-Agati said in a press conference that a new bill including tougher penalties on illegal migration was submitted to parliament last June, "but discussions were delayed because parliament had a very busy agenda." 

Abu Shoqa told reporters on Tuesday that "when the bill on illegal migration was sent to parliament last June it was approved in principle by the legislative and constitutional affairs committee, though we did not discuss it article by article because we gave priority to the church building bill."

Parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Al told reporters Tuesday that "in all probability the new bill on illegal migration will be discussed in a plenary session when parliament reconvenes on 4 October."

In the meeting on Tuesday night, Abu Shoqa stressed that the 33-article draft bill does not impose penalties on migrants themselves.

"The bill views them as victims of illegal activity. The bill is humanitarian in that sense and aims to extend help to them," said Abu Shoqa. "However, it will impose penalties on families who approve letting their members join illegal migration operations."

The draft law states that "members of criminal gangs that traffic migrants will face fines between EGP 50,000 and EGP 500,000 and prison sentences ranging from six months to life imprisonment."

An explanatory note attached to the bill explains that an anti-illegal migration fund will be set up to help victims. The fund will be under the purview of the prime minister and will begin operating on 30 June 2017.

The bill also establishes a national anti-illegal migration and human trafficking commission that will include representatives from all concerned ministries and research centres.

It will provide training on how to combat illegal migration and operate a unit to document progress in combating the phenomenon. The unit will be affiliated with the ministry of foreign affairs.

According to Article 3 of the new bill, the National Council for Motherhood and Childhood will take charge of caring for children and women who fall victims to human traffickers. Foreign migrants will be granted the right to contact the diplomats of their countries in Egypt so they can receive help and be taken back to their countries.

The explanatory note also stresses that while "international conventions on human rights and Egypt's 2014 constitution grant citizens the right to emigrate," it stipulates that this must be the result of a decision freely and legally made and not one that can be exploited "by criminal gangs which use the internet and other means to secure astronomical profits from this illegal activity."

Minister El-Agati indicated that the new bill has become a necessity in order to safeguard ordinary citizens against human traffickers whose activities have increased in tandem with "political troubles and civil wars in a number of African and Arab countries."

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Abdel-Fattah was arrested in November 2013 after protesting outside the Shura Council and is currently halfway through a five-year jail sentence

Hundreds of activists and citizens around the world responded on Tuesday to the Free Alaa campaign to show solidarity with the prominent Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah and to pressure for his release from prison.

The campaign, which was launched by Abdel-Fattah's family -- is being driven with the hashtag Half his Sentence (Nos Elmoda/ #_), which went viral on social media networks with testimonies, videos, and stories about him.

Activist Mona Seif, Alaa's sister, said in a Tuesday Skype interview with the Betawkeet Masr TV programme that the family was surprised with the amount of solidarity they had received since klaunching the campaign.

Abdel-Fattah is a blogger, programmer, and human rights activist who belongs to a prominent family of rights campaigners -- his father was the the late human rights lawyer Ahmed Seif; his mother is university professor and political activist Laila Suweif; and Alaas youngest sister Sanaa Seif, also a political activist, is currently serving a six-month prison sentence for insulting the judiciary.

Abdel-Fattah was arrested for his opposition work under former president Hosni Mubarak, the Supreme Council of Armed Forces 2011-2012, and interim president Adli Mansour 2013-2014.

Abdel-Fattah has completed half of his five-year jail sentence for breaking the November 2013 protest law, rioting and attacking a public employee on duty in the case known as Shura Council protest.

The case dates back to November 2013 when police broke up a No to Military Trials protest in front of the now-defunct Shura Council to demand the 50-member committee then-tasked with writing Egypt's constitution vote down articles that allowed for military trials of civilians.

Tens were arrested during the protest and 22 defendants stood trial.

Alaa was charged with breaking the law only two days after the protest law was issued.

Other defendants in the case received three-year sentences.

In September last year, 18 of the 22 defendants in the Shura case were pardoned by a presidential decree. However, Abdel-Fattah - along with Ahmed Abdel Rahman, Abdel Rahman Koji, and Abdel Rahman Mocca - remained in jail.

In a separate trial, Abdel-Fattah is set to appear before court on 20 October on charges of insulting the judiciary.

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France will host an international meeting on the conflict in Libya next week featuring several countries in the region including Egypt and Gulf states, the French government's spokesman said.

Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told a cabinet meeting that the gathering would bring together countries including Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey "to see how we can advance the cause of achieving the necessary unity in Libya", spokesman Stephane Le Foll said.

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Iran's President Hassan Rouhani vowed on Tuesday that his country would continue to back Syria in its fight against "terrorism", the semi-official news agency Tasnim reported.

"Iran will continue helping Syria in the fight against terrorism and towards establishing security in the region," Rouhani told the visiting Syrian parliament speaker Hadiyeh al-Abbas, the agency said.

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UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attacks Wednesday on the two largest hospitals in rebel-held parts of Syria's Aleppo as "war crimes."

"Let us be clear. Those using ever more destructive weapons know exactly what they are doing. They know they are committing war crimes," Ban told the Security Council.

"Imagine the destruction. People with limbs blown off. Children in terrible pain with no relief," he said. "Imagine a slaughterhouse. This is worse."

The two biggest hospitals in rebel-controlled parts of Aleppo have been bombed in what non-government organizations residents say are deliberate attacks by the Syrian regime and its Russian allies to eliminate these structures.

In May, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution on the protection of health workers and facilities during armed conflicts, but there has been no letup in these kinds of attacks in Syria and Yemen.

"International law is clear: medical workers, facilities and transport must be protected. The wounded and sick -- civilians and fighters alike -- must be spared," Ban said.

"Deliberate attacks on hospitals are war crimes. Denying people access to essential health care violates international humanitarian law."

Ban cited statistics gathered by Physicians for Human Rights that show that 95 percent of the medical personnel who were in Aleppo before the war "have fled, been detained, or killed."

"There must be action. There must be accountability," he said.

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US Secretary of State John Kerry called his Russian counterpart on Wednesday and warned him that Washington will end talks on the Syrian conflict unless Moscow halts the assault on Aleppo.

"He informed the foreign minister that the United States is making preparations to suspend US-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria... unless Russia takes immediate steps to end the assault on Aleppo and restore the cessation of hostilities," the State Department said.

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The United States is ready to send around 600 troops to Iraq to train local forces for an upcoming offensive on the Islamic State (IS) group stronghold of Mosul, US officials told AFP on Wednesday.

IS seized Mosul along with other areas in June 2014, but the country's forces have since regained significant ground from the Islamist militants and are readying for a drive to retake Iraq's second city.

Speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of a formal announcement, the officials said the troops would mainly be deployed to Qayyarah, a strategically vital air base south of Mosul that will help funnel supplies and troops toward the city.

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter was due to make an announcement later Wednesday while on a work trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

"In consultation with the government of Iraq, the United States is prepared to provide additional US military personnel to train and advise the Iraqis as the planning for the Mosul campaign intensifies," another US official said, again speaking on condition of anonymity.

A US-led coalition is carrying out air strikes against IS in Iraq, and Washington has authorized the deployment of more than 4,600 military personnel to the country.

Most are in advisory or training roles, working with Iraqi and Kurdish peshmerga forces, but some American troops have fought IS on the ground, and three members of the US military have been killed by the Islamist militants in Iraq.

Earlier Wednesday, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office indicated it has requested "a final increase in the number of American trainers and advisers" to support Iraqi troops in the northern city.

The statement from Abadi's office noted that American forces are helping Iraq in its battle against the Islamist militants, but their presence remains extremely politically sensitive due to the nine-year war the United States fought in the country.

The statement said the number of trainers and advisers would start to be reduced as soon as Mosul is retaken from IS, and also asserted that no American troops had fought alongside Iraqi troops.

In reality, American special forces have fought IS alongside Iraqi Kurdish forces on several occasions that have been made public, and likely in other operations that have not come to light.

Speaking in New Mexico on Tuesday, Carter said he expected the Mosul offensive to begin in the coming weeks, but stressed the decision was an Iraqi one.

"The plan is quite elaborate," he said. "All of this is under the command of Prime Minister Abadi."

The United Nations warned that military operations there could cause up to a million people to be displaced.

Last week, US President Barack Obama said US-backed Iraqi troops could be in a position "fairly rapidly" to liberate Mosul, though he warned "this is going to be hard, this is going to be challenging."

Separately, the US military concluded Tuesday that a rocket fired earlier this month at the Qayyarah air base, which houses hundreds of US troops, contained no mustard agent, as initially suspected.

In neighboring Syria, hundreds of US forces are deployed alongside Kurdish and rebel fighters to battle IS, which is also facing air raids by the international coalition.

The Pentagon has expressed concern IS fighters could use mustard gas to defend Mosul.

Even after Mosul is retaken, the war against IS will be far from over.

The Islamist militants are likely to revert to insurgent tactics, such as bombings of civilians and hit-and-run attacks on security forces, following the demise of their "state" in Iraq.

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What if one blood test could screen for more than 50 types of cancer?
Directed by Lina Abyad, the play titled But I Love You was staged within the ongoing Cairo Festival for Contemporary and Experimental Theater



Wanting to put an end to their sad memories and to the cycle of violence, after years of silence, they finally found their voices in the But I love You (Bass Anna Bahebek) performance directed by the Lebanese artist Lina Abyad.

The play was staged on 24 September within the 23rd Cairo International Festival for Contemporary and Experimental Theater that runs from 20 to 30 September.

Ahram Online met with Lina Abyad to talk about the performance, reasons behind the choice of the plays topic and theatre realities in Lebanon.



Ahram Online (AO): During the discussion session that followed the performance you said that But I Love You is a part of a long term project which aims at putting an end to the domestic violence against women in Lebanon. Tell us more about the project and how it all began.

Lina Abyad (LA): It started three years ago, following a tragic event that shook Beirut. A Lebanese armed man killed his wife and after investigation, the court declared him innocent.

This incident was like an alarm for us, the artists, that we must do something.

We decided to collect the stories of many abused Lebanese women and present them in the performance. We met many battered women -- their stories had no end We selected 12 stories which were then told by 23 actors and actresses in a play with a duration of 90 minutes.

After each performance we would hold an open discussion with the audience to give them an opportunity to reflect on what they just saw. More and more women from the audience started relating to the stories presented on the stage, and every night we were going back home with even more stories to tell. We discovered that the physical abuse against women is an increasing phenomenon in Lebanon.

As the stories continued to multiply, we moved from one performance idea to a series of shorter performances, where fewer but different stories are being told each season. I guess we will not end this project until there will be no more stories to tell.

The performance we staged in Cairo had four actresses, representing women from different social groups, ages, and surrounded by different circumstances.

AO: But I Love You is also an ongoing project. Will it ever come to an end?

Our project is going to end when the stories of the victims stop to come in. We want to create an impact on the government, to have more strict laws that do not let a killer free. Now when I walk in the street women stop me to tell the stories of their relatives and friends.

Women are starting to realise the importance of telling their stories and we called for a demonstration in Beirut to advocate for this issue. I wish this project can be also adopted in other Arab countries.



AO: Why did you choose the story telling format for your performance and how did you decide to structure it?

LA: I think story telling is the most suitable form to present the real stories of the victims.

The performance aims at having a small audience so we can develop direct eye contact with the people watching it. After the play, we invite the audience to join an open discussion to see how the play has influenced them.

Also we wanted to keep the performance very simple. There is no music, scenography, special makeup or customs, and very minimal lighting work. We had no budget but even if we had, we would still keep it as simple as it is now.

The four women are in black clothes taken from their closet. They tell stories based on testimonies of real women.

As for the set, you find pieces of broken plates on the stage, and women try to pick them and arrange them. The plates were the only item we purchased.

AO: The story telling format is becoming very trendy in todays theatre. Why do you think it is so popular around the world?

LA: Story telling has existed for a few decades already. I think it is triggered by the need to bring the audience back to theatre.

Another explanation would be fact that in the Arab world, we have very few writers, and only a few of them address everyday life in their works, while the real stories are great source for theatre.

Of course, there are great international dramatic texts written about women but why should I adapt a foreign play about an oppressed woman when I can introduce the same idea from a real woman that comes from a reality closer to us.

AO: But I Love You is produced by Beirut 8.30, a company that you established four years ago. Tell us more about this endeavor.

LA: Beirut 8.30 is an independent theatre company dedicated to expanding the boundaries of theatre in Lebanon by producing new theatre and addressing new audiences. The name Beirut 8.30 refers to the hour when theatre plays begin in Beirut, which is 8.30pm. We wanted all Beirut to watch theater at 8.30.

The first play we produced was The Dictator. It was directed by Essam Ali and won the Sultan Al Qasimi Award.

AO: You are one of the four actresses in But I Love You. Why did you decide to act in the play you direct?

LA: I love directing but it is also great fun for me to act. Usually I do not act in my plays but this time I did not have the money to search for an actress and to train her so I decided to be one of the story tellers in the performance. I enjoyed it very much.

AO: In todays world, the international audiences do not always prioritise theatre. What is the situation in Lebanon?

LA: I believe it is doing very well. Many directors are active in the scene. I can see also more and more theatrical scholars in Lebanon, or young people who go abroad to study theater.

Regarding the audience, I think the debate of their relation to theatre is very old and it never ends. I remember one day, when studying theatre in France, I was listening to the radio broadcasting a seminar about theatre. In this programme, one of the speakers said what the French theatre was. To me, it was a shock to hear that as I believed that it did not die yet!

Theatre is a very intimate art where people meet real people, listen to them, feel them and talk to them. In the world dominated by internet, people crave direct human contact.



I believe that audiences are coming back to the theatre and they are eager for more of it.



AO: And what is the situation of women specifically in Lebanese theatre?

LA: Theatre in Lebanon is dominated by women.

In fact, Lebanese women love to go to theatre, and if they like a performance, they would then invite their male partners to watch it.

On the level of working in theatre, there are a lot of women as well. Men do not choose theatrical practice because they cannot make enough money to support their families. In Lebanon, we hardly find male actors for our plays.

However, men like to be directors because it is a part of their mentality and the way they like to represent themselves, always as leaders.

But still there are four to five female theatre directors in Lebanon and this is quite a good number compared to the size of the theatre scene and the countrys population in general.

AO: What are the major obstacles that youve faced in your theatre journey so far?

LA: The obstacles are not related to being a female director, but they are rather linked to the fact of being a working woman. It is about this struggle to keep the balance between your home and kids and your work.



It needs an understanding partner, like my husband, who is sharing equal time with me in many responsibilities, like taking care of the kids especially during the nights of my performances or rehearsals.



I do not have much of a social life -- I miss the weddings of my best friends and relatives because of the rehearsals!

Also being a female director in a male-dominated society is yet another challenge. It shows especially when I have to ask male workers in the theater to do this or that. But if I talk to people politely, they adopt the same attitude towards me.

AO: Any advice youd like to give to young and aspiring theatre artists?



LA: What I can share with the young artists is this regular advice: believe in what you do. Passion is not enough to reach your goals. You have to work on your goals no matter the circumstances, be them financial or lack of support.



I was always able to do the plays I like and sometimes I work with a big budget, but some other times there is no money at all yet I still manage to do what I want.



When my daughter told me that she wanted to work in theatre I sent her to France for a theatre course. I wanted her to make sure that theatre is what she wants. After a very short time, she changed her mind. Though she finished her course, she did not continue working in theatre.

So you have to know what you really want to do and work hard.

Check the festival's complete programme here

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Steady light rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low near 55F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

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Steady light rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low near 55F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
(Beijing)  It's official: The giant panda is no longer an endangered species.

After decades of hard work by the Chinese government and conservationists, the population of this iconic animal has rebounded to a level that the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) considers large enough not to warrant the "endangered" label.

The panda's status has been changed to "vulnerable," the rating with the fifth-highest level of concern of the IUCN's seven Red List categories. "Vulnerable" is one notch below No. 4 "endangered."

But the change by no means signifies the future of this much-loved creature is safe. The number of pandas bred in captivity and admired by millions of visitors a year in zoos around the world has doubled over the past decade or so. But over the same period, the number estimated to be living in the wild, mostly in the remote mountainous areas of Sichuan province, has risen by just 17 percent and is still well below levels seen in the 1970s.

"Whilst this latest news (from the IUCN) is proof that our approach is working, it is important to remember that the giant panda is not out of the woods," said Iain Valentine, director of the Giant Panda Project at the Edinburgh Zoo and the man behind the 2011 agreement to bring two of the creatures from China to the Scottish capital.

China's State Forestry Administration, whose responsibilities includes wildlife conservation, said that the change in status validates the effectiveness of the government's work to protect the panda. But the agency highlighted several key threats to wild pandas, including the deterioration in their natural habitats, such as the destruction of bamboo forests from encroaching urbanization, construction work and climate change.

These are not new problems. A national giant panda census in the late 1980s found that the panda population living in the wild had shrunk by 55 percent in a decade due to the deteriorating natural environment. Although the latest census shows the numbers have recovered significantly, they are still well below the levels of the 1970s.

Dubbed a "national treasure," the giant panda is a tremendous source of pride in China and has become an important diplomatic tool for the state to project its soft power abroad and help foster relations with other countries.

The Chinese government gave two giant pandas as gifts to the United States after then-U.S. President Richard Nixon made his historic visit to China in February 1972, marking the first step in the normalization of relations between the two countries.

From 1957 to 1982, 23 giant pandas were presented to nine foreign countries, according to Oriental Outlook Weekly, a magazine owned by the official Xinhua News Agency. But in 1982, China announced it would no longer give giant pandas as gifts, and instead started offering them only on multiyear loans. The government also set up the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, based in the southwestern province of Sichuan, to undertake research, conservation and international cooperation.

There are now more than 55 pandas on loan to 12 foreign countries.

But panda diplomacy doesn't come without strings attached. China charges an annual fee to the temporary owners of these cuddly creatures, although it doesn't disclose figures.

Edinburgh Zoo, which received a pair of breeding pandas in 2011, pays China 600,000 pounds ($779,000) a year for the animals, according to a report in the British newspaper The Guardian. On top of that, the zoo spent nearly 300,000 pounds to house the pandas and pays around 100,000 pounds a year to import fresh bamboo from France.

Even so, the surge in visitors justified the outlay, at least initially. Data from the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, which runs the zoo, show that in 2012, visitor numbers rose by 51 percent, and the society saw its profits jump 53 percent.

China is coy about the payments it receives for the loan of its pandas. The forestry administration administers the funds, and there are no public records of how much is raised, or where and how the money is spent.

Zhang Hemin, director of the panda research center, insists the animals aren't being rented out. "We don't like to refer to this as a 'rental fee'; it's more like a cooperation fee," or a donation, to support China's panda research program, he told Southern Weekly, a Chinese magazine. "The income is used for research purposes."

The magazine said that 60 percent of the fees are used for conservation work relating to pandas living in the wild, with the rest spent on those kept in captivity.

According to the Sichuan department of the State Forestry Administration, a total 9.3 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) was spent on preserving forests and converting farmland into forestry from 2002 to 2012.

The devastating earthquake in the province in 2008, which left more than 69,000 people dead, destroyed about a fourth of the wild pandas' natural habitat and affected more than 60 percent of the population, according to Xu Weihua from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The world's largest giant panda breeding center, the Wolong nature reserve, was destroyed, and 1 billion yuan was spent on building a new base nearby. The Hong Kong government also donated 1.3 billion yuan to fund projects at the center.

But in spite of the publicity, the panda diplomacy, the conservation, the research and the income generated from panda lending, China's "national treasure" is still under threat even if it is no longer classed as an endangered species.

Mating and reproduction are key challenges for scientists. Female giant pandas are fertile only once a year for two or three days, and even if a panda becomes pregnant, the cub has a high chance of dying shortly after birth.

The first pair of giant pandas sent to the U.S. after Nixon's visit, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, lived at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., for 20 years. Although Ling-Ling produced five cubs, none survived longer than a few days.

Pan Wenshi, a renowned panda biologist and professor at the School of Life Sciences of Peking University, noted in his book A Chance for Lasting Survival that mating per se was not a problem, but rather, the way panda mating was organized. Based on his team's lengthy observations in China's largest panda reserve in Wolong, Sichuan province, he concluded that in the wild, two to five male pandas will compete against each other to mate with a female during her brief period of fertility. But in many zoos, males do not compete for females  the norm is to keep pandas in pairs of one male and one female, an arrangement that seems to cool their desire to mate.

In an attempt to get them in the mood, some zoos have turned to "panda porn," videos showing how pandas mate in the wild. Some even conduct artificial insemination.

The lack of success in panda breeding in captivity means scientists should place more attention on studying pandas in their natural habitats, Pan said.

"When we try to assess the future of the giant panda as a species, we need to look more at the ones in the wild, instead of focusing on the ones in the zoos that don't give birth," Pan wrote. "Just like in human society, we don't pay attention only to the old ones in the nursing homes; we do research on the young and dynamic population."

Since 2010, Chinese biologists and zoologists have started making efforts to return some pandas bred and raised in captivity to the wild, dressing up in panda costumes sprayed with urine and feces to play with them in their natural habitats and teach them how to survive.

But with the practice still in its experimental stage, only two or three pandas a year are selected, and one or two per year will end up in the wild, said Huang Yan, deputy chief engineer of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.

Those who successfully adapt to life in the wild in theory have the freedom to roam across 6 million acres of land divided into 67 giant panda reserves. But urbanization and infrastructure construction are encroaching upon the vast wilderness, leading to fragmentation of the land and blocking the corridors pandas have traditionally used to traverse their sanctuaries.

A railway line linking Sichuan's capital, Chengdu, with Lanzhou in neighboring Gansu province to the north and a section of provincial highway 302 have blocked one such route in Maoxian County in the north of Sichuan province. In the west of Sichuan, provincial highway 208 and a railway linking Chengdu and Kunming to the south have cut across a corridor in Yuexian County.

The construction of electricity transmission lines and hydropower stations, along with mass tourism, are also contributing to the problem.

These developments are not just threatening the habitats themselves, they are endangering the sustainability and health of the panda population. Without the freedom to roam, pandas tend to inbreed, increasing the likelihood of cubs being born with genetic disorders.

But some scientists warn that the entire ecosystem of the panda's habitat needs to be managed and protected  not just the cuddly creature itself.

Xie Yan, an associate research professor at the Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and former China country program director of the Wildlife Conservation Society, said that many neglected species are under threat even though some high-profile animals like the panda are seeing their numbers increase.

Sun Quanhui, a senior scientific adviser at World Animal Protection, a nonprofit animal welfare organization, said: "We can't give premium care to one species simply because it looks cute or has some special position. Nature doesn't operate by depending on a few particular species. A healthy ecosystem can only work well when all animals are given the same opportunity of survival."

Contact reporter Coco Feng (renkefeng@caixin.com)
Dental surface restorations composed of dental amalgam, a mixture of mercury, silver, tin and other metals, significantly contribute to prolonged mercury levels in the body, according to new research from the University of Georgia's department of environmental health science in the College of Public Health.

This research, which analyzed data from nearly 15,000 individuals, is the first to demonstrate a relationship between dental fillings and mercury exposure in a nationally representative population. The results were published online last week and will be available in the print edition of the journal Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety in December.

"Tooth decay is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases," said Lei Yin, a scientist in the department of environmental health science and the study's lead author. "I think a majority of people have experienced dental fillings, but the kind of materials the dentist uses isn't something that's really discussed."

Mercury exposure from dental fillings is not a new concern, but previous studies were inconsistent and limited, according to Xiaozhong "John" Yu, assistant professor of environmental health science and co-author of the study.

"This study is trying to provide the most accurate levels of exposure, which will form the scientific basis to make future risk assessment," Yu said, adding that the study was the first to also control for age, education, ethnicity, race, gender, smoking and seafood consumption, which is a known contributor to mercury levels in the body.

The researchers further analyzed exposure by specific types of mercury and found a significant increase in methyl mercury, the most toxic form of mercury, related to dental fillings. Yu said this result suggests the human gut microbiota, a collection of microorganisms living in the intestines, may transform different types of mercury.

Dental amalgam has been the go-to dental filling material for more than 150 years, because it's affordable and durable. However, about half of the compound contains mercury, a heavy metal known to be toxic at high levels, causing brain, heart, kidney, lung and immune system damage. New research suggests that methyl mercury may cause damage even at low levels.

"As toxicologists, we know that mercury is poison, but it all depends on the dose. So, if you have one dental filling, maybe it's OK. But if you have more than eight dental filings, the potential risk for adverse effect is higher," Yu said. People with numerous dental fillings who are also exposed to mercury from other sources, such as seafood or work environments, are most at risk.

The results show that individuals with more than eight fillings had about 150 percent more mercury in their blood than those with none. The average American has three dental fillings, while 25 percent of the population has 11 or more fillings.

According to its website, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers dental amalgam fillings safe for adults, but says, "pregnant women and parents with children under six who are concerned about the absence of clinical data as to long-term health outcomes should talk to their dentist."

The study also looked at dental composite resins, a mercury-free alternative for dental fillings that can release small amounts of bisphenol A, or BPA, which may cause developmental or reproductive damage. The results found no association between dental fillings and urinary BPA, but further research is needed to understand BPA exposure from resin-based materials.

"It's important for doctors and patients to be informed in their selections," Yin said. "We now have an excellent starting point to evaluate the potential risk of dental material on human health."
Highly caffeinated energy drinks (EDs) have been of concern to the public-health community for almost a decade. Many young people consume EDs with alcohol to decrease alcohol's sedative effects and stay awake longer, enabling them to drink more alcohol. Adding to the growing body of research linking ED consumption with risk-taking and alcohol-related problems, this study examined its relationship with drunk driving. Importantly, the researchers differentiated between the different ways in which EDs are consumed: exclusively with alcohol, exclusively without alcohol, or both with and without alcohol depending on the occasion.

Researchers looked at data from a longitudinal study of college students assessed annually via personal interviews. In year six, 1,000 participants (550 females, 450 males) self-reported their past-year frequency of drunk driving, ED consumption patterns, alcohol use, and other caffeine consumption. The researchers' statistical model accounted for several background risk factors for drunk driving in order to isolate whether ED consumption might explain any unique variance in drunk driving behavior.

Results indicated that ED consumption was present in 57 percent of students: 9 percent drank EDs exclusively with alcohol, 16 percent drank EDs exclusively without alcohol, and 32 percent drank EDs both with and without alcohol depending on the occasion. More frequent ED consumption was associated with more frequent drunk driving through two distinct pathways. First, echoing prior research, consuming EDs with alcohol was associated with heavier alcohol drinking and, thereby, with more frequent drunk driving. A second separate path was unexpectednamely, consuming EDs without alcohol contributed additional risk for drunk driving, regardless of alcohol drinking patterns. The second path suggests that mechanisms other than the promotion of heavy drinking by EDs are involved in promoting drunk driving. The authors encourage parents, clinicians, and college administrators to regard any style of ED consumption, whether with or without alcohol, as a warning sign that students might be at high risk for alcohol-related consequences such as drunk driving. The authors also reiterate earlier calls to caution students against consuming EDs with alcohol.
Currently, excess body weight contributes to as many as 1 in 5 cancer-related deaths. Obesity is associated with increased risk of at least eight types of cancer. The American Society of Clinical Oncology has identified obesity as a health risk that is "quickly overtaking tobacco as the leading preventable cause of cancer." And obesity rates tend to skew higher for people in rural communities, who account for nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population. Subsequently, this population is at higher risk for certain cancers.

What's more, a National Cancer Institute study projects that if existing obesity trends continue, they will lead to about 500,000 additional cases of cancer in the United States by 2030. The study also found that if every adult reduced their body-mass-index by 1 percent, which equals about 2.2 pounds for an adult of average weight, there would be about 100,000 fewer cancer cases.

That's why Christie Befort, PhD, co-leader of the Cancer Control and Population Health Research Program at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, is looking at different approaches to treat obesity in rural areas.

"This study is about finding effective ways for obese people to lose excess weight. Not only can we reduce their chances for certain types of cancer, but for a host of other health problems," said Befort.

The three-arm study is funded by a $10 million grant from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). It compares the traditional office visit/fee-for-service approach with models that coordinate services in a patient-centered medical home or through a telephone-delivered disease management. The latter models allow professionals with training in weight loss counseling to provide care with after-hours group visits, phone visits and email/text message support.

"In this study, I have learned how much family physicians truly care about their patients and want to help them. The challenge is that physicians don't always have the right tools to help patients change their behavior. As a result, they end up feeling ineffective as a provider, which can lead to avoiding the topic altogether," said Befort.

One of the three treatment methods will be used at 36 primary care practices in Kansas, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Iowa. Patients' weight loss at 24 months will be measured and then used to compare the effectiveness of the different methods. Approximately 1,400 patients will participate in the study.

The five-year-long project, called RE-POWER (Rural Engagement in Primary Care for Optimizing Weight Reduction), is in its second year. Befort worked with a patient advisory panel to define the treatment approaches. She also engaged with rural primary care providers, insurers, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the National Committee for Quality Assurance and state health departments.

"A lot of Kansans live in rural areas. If we can find a better way to help folks in rural communities lose weight, then we have the opportunity to reduce cancer risk for Kansans across the state," Befort said.
The recent BREXIT vote in the UK threatens to disrupt scientific progress and clinical advances in the development of innovative gene and cell therapies. Leading UK researchers have called for proactive solutions to ensure continued access to critical funding and ongoing collaborative opportunities with the broader scientific community in the European Union in an Editorial in Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers (http://www.liebertpub.com/).

In the article "Impact of BREXIT on UK Gene and Cell Therapy: The Need for Continued Pan-European Collaboration (http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/hum.2016.29033.ahb)," coauthors Andrew Baker, University of Edinburgh, Robin Ali, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, and Adrian Thrasher, University College London, emphasize the need for a rapid response to alleviate the current uncertainty, which is "potentially harmful, for both building and maintaining scientific interactions," and "to avoid loss of momentum in a rapidly developing field."

The UK is a leading force in both the basic science and clinical translation of gene and cell therapies. Over the past years, the EU has invested substantially in broad-based consortia to drive advances in the field, and continued progress will depend on ongoing collaboration and mobility across national borders for research, training, and clinical studies.

"Gene therapy scientists live and work in the context of a broader society and may be affected by political changes beyond their control," says Editor-in-Chief Terence R. Flotte, MD, Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor of Medical Education and Dean, Provost, and Executive Deputy Chancellor, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA. "Members of the British Society of Gene Therapy have been outspoken leaders in advocating for preserving the benefits of EU funding for the scientific community and for patients and families who benefit from their innovations. Human Gene Therapy is proud to provide a forum for this advocacy."
Building on the results of a recent Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute study published just six months ago, the Department of Defense has awarded a $10 million grant to fund a cardiac cell therapy trial for patients diagnosed with a common but difficult-to-treat form of heart failure.

The grant also calls for Cedars-Sinai researchers to continue investigating how and why cardiac progenitor cells are effective in treating laboratory rats with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, a condition that affects more than 50 percent of all heart failure patients and which was formerly known as diastolic heart failure.

A key study published in March of this year in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology Basic and Translational Science showed that weeks after receiving infusions of cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs), the heart-pumping function returned to normal in laboratory rats with hypertension and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. CDCs are cardiac progenitor cells that are already being studied in clinical trials for other types of heart disease and for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

The March study, funded by the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Heart Stem Cell Center, prompted the Food and Drug Administration to approve the upcoming clinical trial of cardiac-derived cells (CDC) infusions for heart failure patients at the Ralph H. Johnson Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina. Civilians and veterans alike may participate in the study.

"We don't know all the details of how it works, so there is exciting science to be done," said Eduardo Marban, MD, PhD, director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute. "But we already have good reason to believe that CDCs may be effective against a condition that currently has no approved treatments. There is an enormous unmet medical need for these patients."

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (often abbreviated as HFPEF, and pronounced phonetically as "heff-peff") affects 3 million in the U.S. alone. It is a condition in which the heart muscle becomes so stiff that its pumping chambers cannot properly fill with blood. Even though the heart's ability to contract remains normal, its inability to fill with blood over time can lead to fluid congestion, especially in the lungs. The condition, particularly common in women and in patients who also have diabetes, obesity and/or hypertension, leads to extreme fatigue and difficulty breathing.

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Currently, patients with the condition might be prescribed medications such as diuretics to reduce the buildup of fluid in the lungs.

"Symptoms might improve after taking diuretics, but currently, we do not have anything to treat the underlying condition," Marban said. "If cardiac-derived cells prove effective, millions of patients and their families will benefit."

Michael R. Zile, MD, is directing the clinical trial in Charleston, in collaboration with Cedars-Sinai investigators and with Capricor Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company. Capricor will collaborate on various aspects of clinical trial execution, including manufacturing CAP-1002, the company's product name for CDCs from human donor-quality hearts, for the trial. Meanwhile, Cedars-Sinai's Los Angeles-based investigators in four different laboratories will try to understand and identify exactly how cardiosphere-derived cells work to improve heart health. The various parts of the project include:

Jennifer Van Eyk, PhD, seeking to identify biochemical markers that may help predict patients' responses to stem cell treatments

Robin Shaw, MD, PhD, and TingTing Hong, PhD, working to pinpoint protein changes in patients before and after stem cell treatments

Joshua Goldhaber, MD, looking into the role calcium plays in the development of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

 Marban, leading research into whether benefits of the stem cell treatment are due to exosomes, microscopic bodies secreted from cells

"Medical science is just beginning to understand the potential of regenerative medicine to treat heart failure," Zile said. "We hope that this trial is a building block toward a more complete understanding of the mysteries of HFPEF and how we can effectively treat affected patients."

Source: Cedars-Sinai
Brown adipose tissue -main organ generating heat in the body- is also an endocrine organ that secretes signaling factors that activate the fat and carbohydrates metabolism.

This is the main conclusion of an article published in Nature Reviews Endocrinology, signed by the professors Francesc Villarroya, Ruben Cereijo, Joan Villarroya and Marta Giralt, from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the University of Barcelona and CIBER of Physiopathology in Obesity and Nutrition (CIBERobn) of the Institute of Health Carlos III.

Brown adipose tissue: more than burning calories in the body

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) helps "burning more calories" and making body heat out of fat. According to the new study, this special kind of fat -the motor of thermogenesis- has an endocrine function able to activate the lipid and glucidic metabolism in the body, which has a profile for a future therapeutic target to treat pathologies like obesity.

"Traditionally, brown adipose tissue was just seen as an organ to burn calories, but we have seen it has an endocrine biological role", said Professor Francesc Villarroya, member of the Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB) and head of the Research Group in Genetics and Molecular Biology of Mitochondrial Proteins and Associated Diseases.

New perspectives in the physiology of brown adipose tissue

This new vision on the brown adipose tissue means a revolution similar to the one from years ago with white adipose tissue (WAT), the most known fat. "Until the eighties -says Villarroya- people believed WAT was a mere fat storage. From the nineties on, after discovering leptin as a hormonal factor released by WAT, other adipokines were found (active factors synthesized by this organ)". Therefore, WAT is now understood as an endocrine organ and now, with BAT, the same process is going on.

According to the experts, when there is a situation of BAT activation and there is a high oxidation in metabolism products to generate heat, this organ would also send a series of biochemical signals to the entire organism to activate the global oxidizing metabolism. Identifying the released factors -called batokines- is the main challenge of the researchers, apart from discovering how the target organs act, or if there are other secretory tissues, etc.

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The most known factors are FGF21 (fibroblast growth factor 21), neuregulin 4 and IL-6, among other compounds that are the focus of an intense research activity. "White adipose tissue, liver, heart, and probably pancreas and brain (counting the regulation points of feelings of hunger and thirst) are some of the target organs of the batokines", says Villarroya. "We also know that some of the factors released by WAT, such as FGF21, are able to cross the blood-brain barrier and act on brain areas" he said.

From basic research to human physiology

BAT secretory function as an endocrine organ has been studied through laboratory animal models and in vitro cell culture. In studies with animal models, there were improvements in the diabetes course -and even obesity- in mice transferred with small samples of brown adipose tissue. According to the experts, the transferred BAT would release factors that promote glucose consume and sensitivity to insulin (in general, a healthier metabolic profile).

"In human physiology -says Villarroya- it is essential to define if all batokines that are identified in animal models are also present in human BAT and behave the same way. In a future, these batokines could be considered as potential candidates in drug design to treat these diseases. In the case of obese patients with few active BAT -and probably less released batokines- a first therapeutic strategy could be to give them these molecules as drugs".

However, moving this basic research to the clinical field is a hard challenge, for several reasons but also for the hard availability of samples through human biopsies. For this reason, among other strategies, the team of Dr. Villarroya is developing in vitro human cells of brown adipose humans in population that allow verifying in human physiology the obtained results in mice.

Source: University of Barcelona
In regions where cancer survival is poorer, people on average have lower awareness of cancer symptoms, according to new findings published today (Wednesday) in the British Journal of Cancer.

Researchers also found that general awareness of cancer symptoms varies greatly across England.

This is the first study in England to look at whether regional variation in cancer survival might be linked to regional variation in cancer symptom awareness and barriers to seeing the GP.

On average, each additional cancer symptom recognised was associated with about a 1.6 per cent increase in 1 year overall cancer survival for patients in that region.

In this study, only breast cancer survival was associated with perceived barriers to seeing the doctor - such as embarrassment and difficulties getting transport to the doctor's surgery.

East London had the lowest awareness of cancer symptoms and highest average number of barriers to seeking medical help among the region's residents. The highest cancer awareness was found in areas such as Peterborough, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

Dr Maja Niksic, lead author at the London School of Hygiene & Hygiene Tropical Medicine, said: "A range of things can influence cancer survival. Stage of disease at diagnosis is one of them, and if we can ensure more people know what to look out for and see their GP if they notice any unusual or persistent changes, we may be able to reduce the numbers of patients who are diagnosed with advanced disease, where curative treatment is not often an option.

"Based on our research we think that health campaigns should focus on helping people to recognise cancer symptoms early and seek medical advice about these - especially in socio-economically deprived areas, where cancer survival is generally lower."

"Research like this helps reinforce the value of the Government's investment in public cancer awareness campaigns, and can be used to better inform and direct efforts."

Jessica Kirby, senior health information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: "It's important the public are informed about getting to know their body and what's normal for them, and spotting potential cancer signs and symptoms. And we need to ensure people feel they can go and see their GP if they notice any unusual changes.

"Many things influence cancer survival and there could be other explanations for the variation in survival across the UK. For example, risk factors like smoking could influence survival, and the way health services are set up may also play a part. The NHS should ensure that everyone can have the right information and access to services to give them the best chance of being diagnosed and treated promptly, wherever they live."

Researchers used the Cancer Research UK Cancer Awareness Measure and survival data from the National Cancer Registry.
ETH researchers have discovered a molecule in liver cells that controls the release of fat into the bloodstream. This "lock keeper" is present in large quantities in overweight people and leads indirectly to vascular narrowing.

Anyone attending Munich's famous Oktoberfest will know it can leave physical traces; fatty foods and plenty of alcohol cause the liver to work overtime. This organ stores a portion of any fat consumed (and also converts alcohol to fat), but releases it again once the revelry is over.

However, should the excesses continue - and if they are not offset by exercise and sport - the person becomes overweight and diabetic, leading to a condition known as fatty liver. If corrective action is taken in time, the liver can usually recover completely from its fatty degeneration. In severe cases the organ becomes inflamed - a condition that is almost impossible to treat.

From fatty liver to heart attack

Fatty liver is also associated with elevated blood fat values. When the liver becomes fatty it seeks relief by releasing fat into the bloodstream, including "good" fat in the form of high density lipoprotein (HDL), but also "bad" fat, such as low density lipoprotein (LDL), and its precursor, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL).

If the concentration of LDL and VLDL in the blood is too high, vascular constriction forms through atherosclerotic plaques. Should a plaque detach itself, there is a real risk of a vascular blockage, which results in a heart attack or stroke.

Fat release regulator

Markus Stoffel, Professor of Molecular Health Sciences at ETH Zurich, has been working with his team in collaboration with other scientists in Switzerland, Germany and the US to gain a closer understanding of the connection between excess weight, fatty liver and vascular constriction. And this has led to a surprising discovery: the scientists succeeded to identify a protein in liver cells known as vigilin, which acts as a kind of "lock keeper". It regulates the release of fats, including VLDL, from the liver into the bloodstream.

The researchers found vigilin in large quantities in the liver cells of overweight mice - and humans. "The level of vigilin in the liver cells of people with fatty livers bears a strong correlation with the percentage of fat in the liver," explains Stoffel. "In other words, the more fat liver cells contain, the higher the quantity of vigilin."

Influence on transporters

In a study that has just appeared in the journal Nature Communications, the ETH professor and his co-workers demonstrate that the primary function of vigilin is to regulate proteins that transport fat out of the liver. However, the molecule does not bind directly to these transport proteins, but rather to certain points of the associated messenger RNA.

The messenger RNA is the transcription of a gene. It represents the construction plan for the associated protein and is transported from the cell nucleus to the ribosomes. These molecular machines use the messenger RNA to build the protein.

The assumption is that vigilin supplies the ribosomes with the messenger RNA to which it is bound. But it is not just a transport vehicle, it also accelerates production of the associated protein.

One of these proteins "promoted" by vigilin is apolipoprotein B (ApoB), which is responsible for exporting triglycerides from the liver. Triglycerides also promote vascular calcification when present in concentrated form in overweight people.

New method shines a light

In order to establish the causal relationship between vigilin and vascular calcification, the researchers stemmed formation of this protein in the livers of mice using a new process of RNA interference. As a consequence of this intervention, these animals suffered far less from atherosclerosis than animals who processed vigilin normally. By contrast, increased vigilin formation led to substantial deposits in the vessels.

"Vigilin intervenes at the level of gene regulation, which has barely been investigated to date," says Stoffel. Our knowledge of how genes are regulated at the level of DNA is improving all the time. And the regulatory processes by which DNA templates are transcribed into messenger RNA are increasingly understood. But regulation of the step from messenger RNA to protein is something we know much less about. This makes the knowledge that vigilin has a regulatory function at this level all the more valuable. And researchers are particularly excited by the fact that vigilin is the first RNA-binding protein found in the context of fatty livers and diabetes.

Therapeutic goal?

The atomic structure of vigilin, on the other hand, remains a mystery, and is currently being studied by several groups around the world. Stoffel pictures the vigilin molecule as a kind of "octopus" with multiple arms - the molecule has 14 different binding points for one messenger RNA molecule. Each of these arms is capable of binding to a specific RNA domain and accelerating production of the associated protein.

Researchers hope to extrapolate a possible treatment for fatty liver from this discovery. However, because vigilin can influence multiple proteins - the side effects of which are still difficult to assess - it is by no means a straightforward therapeutic target. Nonetheless, the researchers have filed a patent for their discovery. Stoffel believes that the pharmaceutical industry may consider this target if further studies are able to demonstrate therapeutic benefits in other models.

Source: https://www.ethz.ch/
Setting and achieving goals related to income and education may improve the overall health of Native Americans. That's the premise behind a new South Dakota State University research project, We RISEraising income, supporting educationtargeting young mothers on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation in north central South Dakota.

Lacey McCormack, an assistant professor in the health and nutritional sciences department, and Rae O'Leary, a nurse and public health advocate at Missouri Breaks Research Industries in Eagle Butte, will conduct the study. The one-year pilot project is supported by a $96,000 grant from the Collaborative Research Center for American Indian Health through the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health.

The Cheyenne River Indian Reservation is the size of Connecticut and is home to more than 8,500 Native Americans. Nationally, Native Americans experience a 4.7 times higher rate of liver disease and 2.8 times high rates of diabetes than the general population, according to Indian Health Service statistics.

"The idea came about because health disparities research typically controls for socioeconomic status in analyses," McCormack explained. "We decided to try to change those socioeconomic variables."

The six-month intervention focuses on defining an action plan and then working toward a goal by accessing at least one new community resource. The researchers hope to recruit 60 women, ages 18 to 30 who are high school graduates, have children under the age of 12 and are interested in goal setting.

The intervention group will be mentored as they choose an income, education or career goal and will receive a guide listing 300 to 400 community resources they can access. When the study has been completed, the guide will be available to the public.

For instance, O'Leary explained, participants may want to pay off a debt or finish a college degree. Accessing community resources might mean visiting with a credit counselor, applying for a grant to fund their education or enrolling at a local community college. Though many community resources exist, O'Leary said, "Programs don't always do a good job of marketing themselvesthis guide will help do that."

In addition, the Missouri Breaks staff will help participants identify a support person, someone they see regularly to encourage them as they work toward their goal.

"It's a long journey from goal-setting to changes in health outcomes, but we're hoping this will have a ripple effect," McCormack said. Once the women have achieved one goal, O'Leary explained, "the hope is that they gain the skills and confidence to ask themselves, 'What other potential do I have that I have not yet uncovered?'"

If this model proves useful, it could be integrated into an existing tribal program or school curriculum. "If we can change the socioeconomic status in a way that will change health behaviors, then we can expect to see some long-term communitywide improvements," O'Leary said.
A Norwegian study shows that asthma is three times more common in those who had a fAnchorather who smoked in adolescence than offspring who didn't.

It is well known that a mother's environment plays a key role in child health. However, recent research, including more than 24,000 offspring, suggests that this may also be true for fathers.

"Offspring with a father who smoked only prior to conception had over three times more early-onset asthma than those whose father had never smoked," says Professor Cecilie Svanes at the Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen (UiB).

Early debut increases risk

The study shows that both a father's early smoking debut and a father's longer smoking duration before conception increased non-allergic early-onset asthma in offspring. This is equally true with mutual adjustment, and adjusting for the number of cigarettes smoked and years since quitting smoking.

"The greatest increased risk for their children having asthma was found for fathers having their smoking debut before age 15. Interestingly, time of quitting before conception was not independently associated with offspring asthma," Svanes says.

Smoking fathers may influence gene control in children

Concerning mother's smoking, the research found more offspring asthma if the mother smoked around pregnancy, consistent with previous studies. However, no effect of maternal smoking only prior to conception was identified. The difference from father's smoking suggests effects through male sperm cells.

"Smoking is known to cause genetic and epigenetic damage to spermatozoa, which are transmissible to offspring and have the potential to induce developmental abnormalities," explains Svanes.

It is previously known that nutritional, hormonal and psychological environment provided by the mother permanently alters organ structure, cellular response and gene expression in her offspring. Father's lifestyle and age appear, however, to be reflected in molecules that control gene function.

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"There is growing evidence from animal studies for so called epigenetic programming, a mechanism whereby the father's environment before conception could impact on the health of future generations," Svanes says.

Welding increases risk

Svanes and her team also investigated whether parental exposure to welding influenced asthma risk in offspring, with a particular focus on exposures in fathers prior to conception.

The study shows that paternal welding increased offspring asthma risk even if the welding stopped prior to conception. Smoking and welding independently increased offspring asthma risk, and mutual adjustment did not alter the estimates of either.

"For smoking and welding starting after puberty, exposure duration appeared to be the most important determinant for the asthma risk in offspring," says Cecilie Svanes.

FACTS: Smoking fathers study

*Cecilie Svanes investigated whether parental smoking and exposure to welding influenced asthma risk in offspring, with a particular focus on exposures in fathers prior to conception.

*The study was conducted on a population-based cohort from seven Northern European research centres (RHINE study).

*The experiences of more than 24,000 offspring, of which over 6000 had smoking and/or welding fathers, were included in the study The participants were from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Estonia.

*The researches wanted to identify vulnerable periods during male reproductive development by addressing whether potential preconception effects were related to exposure age, exposure duration, and time from quitting exposure until conception.

*This research is part of the ECRHS study, and contributes to the large EU funded project "Ageing Lungs in European Cohorts.
insights from industry Dr Michael Lawless, MBBS FRANZCO FRACS

Clinical Associate Professor, Sydney Medical School,

University of Sydney and ophthalmic surgeon,

Vision Eye Institute

An interview with Dr Michael Lawless, MBBS FRANZCO FRACS, conducted by April Cashin-Garbutt, MA (Cantab)

What are trifocal lenses?

Trifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) represent the latest in premium lens technology. They are tiny, artificial lenses that are implanted into the eye during a cataract or lens replacement procedure.

Prior to trifocals, the only options available to patients were either monofocal (offer clear vision at a single distance) or multifocal (offer both near and far focus). Glasses are still often required for certain activities with these particular IOLs.

However, as their name suggests, trifocal lenses provide clear vision at three distances  near, intermediate and far  thus offering the best chance of true spectacle independence.

Patients can switch naturally between all three distances. It should be noted that trifocal lenses are actually a type of multifocal lens, in that they provide clear vision at multiple distances.

 Vision Eye Institute

Who are trifocal lenses suitable for and what benefits can they provide?

Trifocal lenses have been designed for people who want the best chance at eliminating the need for glasses altogether. However, patients must be made aware that there is no guarantee that glasses wont be required post-operatively.

Likewise, preoperative counseling should include a discussion about the possibility of revision surgery should the resultant visual acuity not meet patient expectations.

In fact, patients may need to accept a small compromise in distance clarity. Ideal candidates are over 55 years of age, already heavily dependent on glasses (especially multifocals), long-sighted and highly motivated.

Trifocal IOLs can also correct astigmatism. People who dont mind wearing glasses or who have unrealistic expectations may be best suited to other IOL options.

How do trifocal lenses differ from previous multifocal lenses?

The trifocal lens design includes a third focal point (intermediate distance), in addition to near and far distances, and suit a wider range of patients than the older multifocal designs. This is a real advantage when using computers and mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets.

More so than for other IOL designs, the surgeons skill and experience in determining patient suitability, and with trifocal lens placement, significantly affects whether a successful outcome is achieved.

To be used effectively the patient must be anatomically suitable preoperatively, without significant ocular surface disease. The tear film has to be normal, and accurate biometry and IOL power selection is essential. Any issues that could decrease vision quality from the front, middle or back of the eye should be resolved preoperatively.

Patients really need to do their research and ask the appropriate questions before selecting a surgeon.

 Vision Eye Institute

What were the main challenges in developing trifocal lenses and what stage of design are they currently at?

Currently, the quality of the images produced by trifocal IOLs can be affected by a number of factors, including internal aberrations due to the lens shape and the specific diffractive or refractive features of the IOL.

A critical component of the design is how light entering the eye is distributed to each of the focal points. Consequently, the main challenge in designing a trifocal lens is how to optimally split the light for near-, intermediate- and long-distance focus.

With refractive IOLs, multiple zones have different optical powers and incoming light shifts direction as it passes through. The main issue with these lenses is that they are pupil dependent and the patients pupil size might not match the task required. For example, if the pupil constricts in highly-lit conditions, the patient tends to loses clarity at near distances.

In contrast, light is scattered in different directions to the various focal points with diffractive IOLs. Generally, these types of lenses offer a better outcome compared to refractive versions (e.g. better optical quality and contrast sensitivity, and less glare and halos). However, loss of energy is an issue with diffractive IOLs.

In Australia, we have or will have access to three different trifocal lenses  the Carl Zeiss AT LISA 839MP, FineVision micro-IOL and Alcon PanOptix IOL. It will be interesting to monitor the use of trifocal lenses in Australia, as it has remained consistently low for some time.

Interestingly, the next stage in IOL design looks to be via non-multifocal approaches.

In what ways can trifocal lenses be further improved?

Trifocal IOLs can create some issues with the patients vision, including contrast sensitivity and pseudophakic photic phenomena (e.g. glare and haloes). This may be acceptable for some people, especially if both eyes are healthy.

However, there are instances where this is not an option. This could be for personal comfort or for other reasons, such as occupations that require night-time driving or the ability to work in low light (e.g. taxi/cab drivers, pilots or astronomers). Many patients do adjust to the photic phenomena with time.

Blended vision, which uses monofocal IOLs to set one eye for clear distance vision and the other for intermediate or near vision, may be a more appropriate option for some people.

Are there any other downsides of current trifocal lenses?

Trifocal IOLs are also not indicated where there is co-existing eye disease (e.g. macular, retinal or corneal disease) or in patients with only one functional eye (e.g. amblyopia or lazy eye).

Aspheric monofocal IOLs with both eyes set to clear long-distance vision, supplemented by reading glasses, is the recommendation for these patients.

 Vision Eye Institute

What are the risks attached to eye surgery?

Eye surgery is just like any other surgery  there are always associated risks, which will vary between patients. Factors to be taken into consideration include the experience and skill of the surgeon, as well as the health and anatomy of the patients eye. Its also important to remember that the risks must be weighed against the benefits that the surgery offers.

Luckily, cataract surgery is one of the most commonly performed surgeries in the world and complications are generally very low, regardless of whether a manual or laser technique is employed. Using a surgeon who specializes in trifocal IOLs and who uses state-of-the-art equipment will reduce the risks even further.

The main risk with trifocal IOLs versus a monofocal IOL is in the visual outcome following implantation. Patients may experience visual disturbances, particularly in light-restricted conditions (e.g. driving at night). If the desired visual acuity is not achieved, some patients may opt to replace the trifocal IOL with a traditional IOL.

Interestingly, researchers in Spain have just developed a handheld device that simulates visual outcome with monofocal, bifocal and trifocal IOLs. If this device becomes available commercially, patients can test-drive the different lenses preoperatively  this should theoretically reduce the risk of explantation.

Other risks of cataract surgery include posterior capsule opacity, a malpositioned or dislocated IOL, eye inflammation, corneal or retinal swelling and ocular hypertension. Very rarely, severe vision loss may occur as a result of infection or intraocular hemorrhage.

Again this is highly unlikely, given the success rate for cataract surgery, but careful surgeon selection can minimize the risk. Any post-operative issue must be dealt with aggressively in order to achieve a satisfactory result.

What do you think the future holds for laser eye surgery?

Multidisciplinary and international collaboration is key to advancing technology and providing optimal patient care, and Im excited to be involved on the frontline. This is a great time to be an ophthalmologist  Ive seen so many firsts over the last few years and surgical techniques are continually being refined.

In the next few years, we can expect to see light-adjustable lenses (where the power can be modified post-operatively), extended depth-of-focus lenses and the ClarVista-Harmoni lens (with a removable optic for post-operative adjustment).

However, when these become available, we still need to consider safety and effectiveness in comparison to currently available options. New does not necessarily mean better.

Where can readers find more information?

About Dr Michael Lawless MBBS FRANZCO FRACS

Dr Lawless is Clinical Associate Professor at the Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney and an ophthalmic surgeon at Vision Eye Institute.

He is a recognised world authority in eye surgery. His specialty is laser vision correction, cataract and lens surgery, and corneal transplantation. He has performed over 25,000 surgical procedures in the following areas:

LASIK, SMILE and ASLA

Laser cataract and lens surgery, implantable lenses

Corneal transplantation

Education

Dr Lawless graduated in medicine from the University of Sydney in 1980. Ophthalmology training in Sydney was followed by two years of sub-specialty education, a corneal and external diseases fellowship with Professor Doug Coster in Adelaide, and a second fellowship in corneal and refractive surgery with Professor Richard Troutman at the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital in New York.

Career highlights

First Australian to perform laser cataract surgery with the femtosecond laser (February 2011)

Performed the first LASIK procedure in Sydney (1995)

President, International Society of Refractive Surgery (2001)

Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology, Royal North Shore Hospital (20002006)

Over 100 publications in the peer-reviewed scientific literature and textbook chapters on innovations in eye surgery

Selected to perform televised live surgery at international meetings, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology

Keynote lecture: The future of laser cataract surgery, American Academy of Ophthalmology Chicago (November 2012)

Convenor, Cataract Scientific Program, Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology meeting, India (January 2013)

Consultant ophthalmologist to the Australian Defense Force

Awards
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), the Simons Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has named Samara Reck-Peterson, PhD, an HHMI-Simons Faculty Scholar. Reck-Peterson, a professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Division of Biological Sciences at University of California San Diego, will receive a total of $1.5 million over five years in support of her studies on cargo transport within cells, a system that helps cells to move, divide, communicate and maintain health  as well as the neurological conditions that result when they malfunction.

"Samara is a rising star in the molecular biology field and I'm glad to see her work recognized by HHMI," said David Brenner, MD, vice chancellor of health sciences and dean of the UC San Diego School of Medicine. "We are lucky to have her on our team."

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Reck-Peterson was one of 84 scholars across the nation chosen this year by the institute from more than 1,400 applicants. The HHMI Faculty Scholars program supports early career researchers who have strong potential to make groundbreaking contributions to fundamental problems in diverse areas of biology. The goal is to provide basic researchers and physician scientists with the time and freedom to pursue difficult, long-range questions in creative, collaborative and interdisciplinary ways.

"Dr. Reck-Peterson is a world leader in identifying the mechanisms of molecular motors that power movements within cells," said Don Cleveland, PhD, Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine and head of Ludwig Cancer Research's Laboratory for Cell Biology. "It is highly gratifying that her accomplishments have been recognized by her selection as an HHMI-Simon faculty scholar."

Tracks called microtubules are used to transport proteins, organelles and other molecules from place to place within a cell. Reck-Peterson and her lab are interested in dyneins and kinesins  molecular motors that drive this transport. They are studying how these motors work, how they are regulated and how defects in transport cause human neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases.

"I'm thrilled to be an HHMI-Simons faculty scholar. This funding will allow me to tackle big questions and take risks that I could not have done otherwise," said Reck-Peterson.

With this grant, she and her team will use state-of-the-art light microscopy to build the first three-dimensional maps of the dynein transport network in human cells, and determine how trafficking is altered in disease states.
Time is of the essence when getting people stricken with acute ischemic strokes to treatment. And the use of stent retrievers  devices that remove the blood clot like pulling a cork out of a wine bottle  has proven to be a breakthrough for removing the life-threatening blockage of blood flow to the brain.

Current professional guidelines recommend that the procedure be performed within six hours for people to benefit. But researchers on a UCLA-led study published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association have found that the procedure has benefits for people up to 7.3 hours following the onset of a stroke.

"Extending the time window for therapy will let us help more patients, including patients who were not able to get to a hospital right away because the stroke started while they were asleep or made them unable to call for help," said Dr. Jeffrey Saver, director of the UCLA Comprehensive Stroke Center and the study's lead author.

The researchers also found that for each six-minute delay, there is a 1 percent increase in the proportion of people who end up disabled, underscoring the need for people to seek treatment as quickly as possible when they experience symptoms of a stroke. The study examined the relationship between the onset of the stroke, the amount of time until the blockage was treated and patient outcomes.

The first coil-shaped clot retriever was invented at UCLA and cleared for use in 2004. For this study, researchers primarily used a newer generation of stent retrievers, which were cleared for use in 2012. First, doctors insert the small mesh tubes through an artery in the leg to the blockage in the artery that takes blood to the brain. Next, they open the mesh tubes in the middle of the clot and then extract the stent and the clot to restore blood flow to the brain.

The current study combines data from five clinical trials involving a total of 1,287 people, including the SWIFT PRIME trial led by Saver, that show these devices improved outcomes for people with acute ischemic strokes due to large vessel blockage. The researchers analyzed the relationship between time from onset of the blockage to treatment and outcome among these patients.

The researchers found that people treated earlier with the retrievers plus standard medical therapy were less likely to be disabled three months after surgery than people who only received medical therapy. Outcomes were the best if the procedure was done within the first two hours of a stroke, but those treated up to 7.3 hours after a stroke continued to show a lesser benefit.

Earlier treatment is better than later treatment to restore blood flow and prevent or limit damage to the brain, Saver noted.

"It is important for the public to know the critically important relationship between time to treatment and outcome, so they know to activate the 911 system as soon as possible when they detect stroke symptoms in themselves or friends, family and co-workers," he said. "And it is important to reorganize regional systems of stroke care to ensure that ambulances transport appropriate patients to hospitals that perform this procedure quickly and safely."

The people in these trials were seen at mostly academic medical centers, so the question remains as to whether these same results can be achieved at non-academically affiliated medical centers. Other elements that could skew the results include differences in trial entry criteria and patient characteristics, and that these results may not apply to people who did not qualify for the trials.

In future studies, the researchers plan to use brain imaging techniques to determine if it is possible to identify a specific, smaller group of people who can benefit from the clot retrieval therapy seven to 24 hours after stroke onset, said Dr. Reza Jahan, professor of radiology and neurosurgery at UCLA, and a co-author of the study.
Washington: Jim Yong Kim has been re-appointed for a second five-year term as World Bank president, beginning July 1, next year, the bank announced.



"Humbled to have the honour of serving a second term as the head of this great institution. I would focus on building a more inclusive world free of poverty," Kim said in a statement.



He said the starting point for his work when he joined the Bank in 2012 was the setting of two ambitious new goals for the institution: to end extreme poverty by 2030, and to promote shared prosperity by boosting the income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population in every developing country.



"In order to deliver these goals, the Bank had to accelerate, become bolder and more agile, and reposition itself. We did this so that we could increase support for countries and deliver better results more quickly. I believe we are well on the way to achieve these important aims," he said.



"The challenges going forward remain large, with climate change, forced displacement and pandemics threatening the gains we have made to improve the lives of billions. We will need to work even more closely with partners and continue to find new and innovative ways to leverage scarce development resources effectively," Kim said.



Earlier in a statement, the Executive Directors of the World Bank noted that in the first year of Kim's leadership, which began in July 2012, shareholders endorsed two ambitious new goals for the institution: to end extreme poverty by 2030, and to promote shared prosperity.



In pursuit of these goals, the Board endorsed a World Bank Group strategy that presented a basic blueprint for modernisation: create global practices to promote better flow of knowledge across sectors, regions, and the Bank Group. Board members welcomed an increased focus on the Global Public Goods agenda and financial innovation under his leadership.



They also highlighted that Kim encouraged the institution to ramp up its work on climate change, both in intellectual leadership and in financing, with an announcement in the fall of 2015 to increase climate financing potentially to 28 per cent of total commitments by 2020, based on client demand.



In the meeting between Kim and the Board, Kim stated that his highest priority going forward is institutional stability and deeper staff engagement as he paid tribute to the high caliber of the bank's dedicated and professional staff.



Kim also pointed to this year's IDA-18 replenishment and the need to ensure that they mobilise record funds for the poorest countries and with the support of donors, develop innovative new ways to leverage scarce development resources.




Beijing: China on Wednesday called on Pakistan and India to solve their differences over Kashmir, as tensions mount between the nuclear-armed neighbours after an attack killed 18 Indian soldiers in the Himalayan region.



India has long accused Pakistan of backing militant groups operating in disputed Kashmir, as well as of sending fighters to other parts of the country to carry out acts of violence.



China "hopes that Pakistan and India will strengthen channels for dialogue, appropriately handle any differences, improve bilateral relations and together protect the region's piece and stability", a deputy foreign minister told Pakistan's special envoys to China for Kashmir, according to the foreign ministry website.



The deputy minister, Liu Zhenmin, also told the envoys that China values Pakistan's position on Kashmir.



China has long been a strong diplomatic, military and economic supporter of Pakistan, and the two call each other "all-weather friends". Their ties have been underpinned by wariness of their common neighbour, India, with which China fought a brief but bloody border war in 1962.



Tensions between India and Pakistan rose on Tuesday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi cancelled a visit to a regional summit and Islamabad warned it would treat it as "an act of war" if India revoked a water treaty.
Islamabad: Pakistan on Tuesday approached the World Bank amid reports that India could revoke the 56-year- old Indus Water Treaty, with senior Pakistani officials taking up the matter with the international lender which had mediated the water-sharing deal.



A delegation of the Government of Pakistan led by the Attorney General for Pakistan, Ashtar Ausaf Ali, met with senior officials of the World Bank at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington DC, to discuss matters relating to Pakistan's recent Request for Arbitration given to India pursuant to Article IX of the Indus Waters Treaty, 1960, Geo News reported.



The report also said Pakistan approached the International Court of Justice, but did not provide any details. On 19 August, Pakistan had formally requested India for settlement of outstanding disputes pertaining to India's construction of Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants on rivers Neelum and Chenab respectively, by referring the matters to the Court of Arbitration as provided in Article IX of the Treaty.



Under the treaty, the World Bank has an important role in establishment of the Court of Arbitration by facilitating the process of appointment of three judges, called Umpires, to the Court, while each country appoints two arbitrators.



The Pakistani officials met with senior officials of the World Bank to insist on early appointment of the judges and empanelment the court, it said.



The Pakistani delegation consisted of Attorney General for Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf Ali; Secretary, Ministry of Water & Power, Muhammad Younus Dagha; Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters, Mirza Asif Baig and others, it said.



Pakistan's Ambassador to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani and World Bank's Executive Director for Pakistan Nasir Khosa were also present.







In the meeting with the Pakistani delegation, the World Bank committed itself to timely fulfilling its obligations under the treaty while remaining neutral, the report said.



Under the treaty, which was signed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan in September 1960, waters of six rivers - Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum - were to be shared between the two countries.



The treaty provides specific design criteria for any hydro-electric power plants to be built by India. Pakistan has held the position the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric

plants violate the design parameters of the treaty.



Earlier, Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs and Security, Sartaj Aziz said an attempt by India to block Pakistan's water could be seen as "an act of war."



Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with officials to review provisions of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan.



In that meeting it was decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water-sharing pact.



The meeting came as India weighed its options to hit back at Pakistan in the aftermath of the Uri terror attack that left 18 soldiers dead, triggering demands that the government scrap the water-sharing deal to mount pressure on the country.




Islamabad: Unfazed by India and three other SAARC member nations deciding not to participate in the grouping's summit, Pakistan on Wednesday said it will go ahead and host the event in November.



Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said Pakistan will host the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit in November, Radio Pakistan reported on Wednesday.



Zakaria was quoted as saying that it was learnt from the Indian External Affairs Ministry's tweet that India is not going to participate in the SAARC Summit, a decision he called "unfortunate".



"While we have not received any official communication in this regard, the Indian announcement is unfortunate," he said.



The spokesperson also said Pakistan is committed to regional peace and will continue working for the broader interest of the people of the region, according to the report.



Separately, Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said India is making propaganda to foil the conference that was scheduled to be held in November, according to Pakistan Today newspaper.



Besides India, three other SAARC members - Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan - have pulled out of the summit, indirectly blaming Pakistan for creating an environment which is not right for the successful holding of the meet.


Srinagar: A relative of a former legislator on Wednesday snatched the service rifle of the personal security guard (PSO) deployed with the MLC in Shopian district of south Kashmir.



"Waseem Ahmad Khanday, son of Mohammad Ayoub resident of Zakhan Keller village, has snatched an AK-47 rifle along with 30 rounds from the PSO of a former MLC (member of legislative council)," a police official said on Wednesday.



"Waseem is a relative of former MLC Abdul Rehman Tukroo."



"He has been on wanted list of the security forces for quite some time and reports said that he used to visit Tukroo's residence," the police said.


Pakistan, however, remained unperturbed by the diplomatic snub, saying it will host the event as planned in capital city Islamabad on November 9-10.

New Delhis strategy to isolate Islamabad on the international stage received a boost with the refusal of Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan to attend the meet if it is held in the Pakistani capital.

Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances."

The Nepal government will on Saturday take a call on the fate of the SAARC summit after Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan joined India on Wednesday in refusing to attend the meet in Pakistan, citing a non-conducive environment.Nepal, which holds the SAARC chair, has not yet taken an official stand on the boycott of the summit by four of its eight member nations. It is expected to do so on Saturday when its foreign minister and foreign secretary return from the UN general assembly consultations in New York.As per the rule book, the summit works on the rule of consensus and cannot go ahead without the participation of all members.Radio Pakistan quoted Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria as terming Indias decision to give the summit a miss as unfortunate. "While we have not received any official communication in this regard, the Indian announcement is unfortunate," he said.Prime Minister Narendra Modis decision to not attend the summit was announced on Tuesday, hours after New Delhi issued a second demarche to Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit over the September 18 Uri attack and confronted him with proof of "cross-border origins" of the terror strike in which 18 jawans were killed."The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016," the communication by Bangladesh said."Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," it said, without naming Pakistan.Also Read: Pakistan to go Ahead With SAARC Summit Despite Boycott by Members Bhutan said that while it is committed to the SAARC process and strengthening of regional cooperation, it is concerned over the "recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."Afghanistan has also conveyed to Nepal that President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani would not be able to attend the Summit. "Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan", President Ghani "with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the Summit", a communication by the country said.(With agency inputs)ALSO READ: After India, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh Pull Out of SAARC Summit
Mumbai: Mumbai Police will soon get state-of-the-art stealth body cameras to be deployed during security checks and patrolling, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Wednesday. The move comes after a spate of attacks on policemen on duty.



The cameras, which policemen would wear on their person, will be linked to the control room. It will help us dispatch assistance in case of an assault and will also act as video evidence.

Eventually, it will become a deterrent," Fadnavis said during an event to inaugurate the Mumbai Heart Healthy City programme for city policemen.



The programme, being partnered by the Asian Heart Institute, aims to offer free health check-ups to 5,000 policemen in the initial phase. It also includes a comprehensive heart-focused examination and medical mapping.



Fadnavis has appealed to other city hospitals, too, to come forward and join the all-inclusive health assessment programme to cover more than 18,000 police officials above 40 years of age.

The programme also aims to keep a digital health record of officials across all the police stations.



"Policing as a profession is highly stressful and many of them suffer from heart ailments. This initiative will help transform the lives of police personnel and take preventive measures," Fadnavis said.



The Maharashtra chief minister also announced 25,000 to 30,000 ownership houses for police personnel and a first-of-its kind smart township project in the city for the force with about 8,000 houses.



The health camp is being held at the Naigaon facility of Mumbai Police.


Mathura: Tension gripped a village in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district after a gang rape case involving youth from another community came to light early Wednesday and a 'mahapanchayat' has been called to discuss further action.



Sources said the incident could blow up in to a communal flareup.



Meanwhile, the district authorities deployed Provincial Armed Constabulary and police from neighboring areas in Magorra village, while the father of one of the accused has been held by police.



In a written complaint, the rape victim's father said that his daughter was forcibly dragged to a nearby plot around 11 p.m. on Tuesday by some local youths who raped her.



After the girl screamed and raised an alarm, local residents rushed and caught hold of one of the accused who was thrashed before police came and took him away.



Senior police officials have also reached the spot.




Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday claimed the World Bank has "committed" itself to "timely fulfilling its obligations" under the Indus Water Treaty while remaining neutral as Islamabad approached the international lender amid reports that India may revoke the 56-year-old deal.



A Pakistani delegation led by the Attorney General for Pakistan, Ashtar Ausaf Ali, met with senior officials of the World Bank at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, to discuss matters relating to the Indus Waters Treaty that was brokered by the World Bank.



They discussed "the formation of Court of arbitration for resolving the matter of water disputes especially those related to construction of hydropower projects", Pakistan's Ministry of Water and Power said in a statement.



"The World Bank will be deciding the issue in the next few days," it added.



"In the meeting with the Pakistani delegation, the World Bank committed itself to timely fulfilling its obligations under the treaty while remaining neutral," said a statement issued by the Pakistani Embassy in Washington.



Under the treaty, which was signed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan in September 1960 and brokered by the World Bank, waters of six rivers - Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum - were to be shared between the two countries.



Its Article IX deals with arbitration of disputes between the parties concerning the interpretation or application of the treaty or the existence of any fact which, if established, might constitute a breach of the treaty.



The treaty provides specific design criteria for any hydro-electric power plants to be built by India.



On 19 August, Pakistan had formally requested India for settlement of outstanding disputes pertaining to India's construction of Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants on rivers Neelum and Chenab respectively, by referring the matters to the Court of Arbitration as provided in Article IX of the Treaty.



Under the treaty, the World Bank has an important role in establishment of the Court of Arbitration by facilitating the process of appointment of three judges, called Umpires, to the Court, while each country appoints two arbitrators.



The Pakistani officials met with senior officials of the World Bank to insist on early appointment of the judges and empanelment the court, it said.



Pakistan's Ambassador to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani and World Bank's Executive Director for Pakistan Nasir Khosa also participated in the talks.
Mumbai: As MNS workers protested outside filmmaker Karan Johar's office here on Tuesday over Pakistani actor Fawad Khan's presence in his film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, industry veterans Subhash Chandra and Anupam Kher justified the MNS ban on Pakistani artistes.



But filmmaker Vikas Bahl wondered if ousting the Pakistani actors would solve any problem.



"I want to know if the step we are taking is towards solving the problem... What is the next step after they leave the country," Bahl said.



His sentiment is in tune with Karan Johar's concern that banning Pakistani artistes from working in India was not a solution to terrorism. MNS workers reportedly staged a protest outside the filmmaker's office, shouting slogans against him for casting Fawad in the forthcoming drama Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.



Fawad is one of the Pakistani actors asked by the MNS to leave the country following the September 18 terror attack in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 18 soldiers.



The actor, according to a source, had left India in July itself.



He won the heart of Indian audiences when he made inroads into the Indian TV industry through Zindagi channel, which brought syndicated content from Pakistan to the country.



Zindagi Gulzar Hai and Humsafar are shows that helped him garner a huge fan following, which then escalated when he made his Bollywood debut with Khoobsurat.



Ae Dil Hai Mushkil features him with Bollywood biggies Ranbir Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.



Ranbir preferred to be mum on the MNS directive while Karan, who directed the film, told a news channel that "this (asking Pakistani artistes to leave) is not a solution".



But Essel Group's chairman Subhash Chandra, who has announced that they will discontinue beaming Pakistani shows on Indian TV channel Zindagi in the wake of the September 18 attack, said as an Indian conglomerate, the Zee family had always extended an olive branch to Pakistan.



But now was the time to take a step back as "somewhere you have to understand your people's sensibility".



Chandra said that on their part they requested Pakistani artistes like Fawad, Mahira Khan, Ali Zafar, Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Atif Aslam, Veena Malik, Imran Abbas and more to "simply condemn the terrorist attack on sleeping soldiers".



"Nobody did it. We even said don't name Pakistan, but they didn't do it."



Apart from Fawad, Mahira is slated to be seen in Shah Rukh Khan starrer Raees, the release of which is also under threat from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).



Anupam, who was denied a visa to Pakistan earlier this year, said the films that Pakistani actors have shot for must release for the sake of the investment the producers have made.



But he condemned their silence after the terror attack in Uri.



"Make us feel that we have given you so much (in your career), and you can at least do lip service and say 'I am sorry for your pain and I condemn this act of terrorism'," he said in a message to Pakistani actors.



The Indian film fraternity has been largely careful while commenting on the issue, with many choosing to keep their thoughts to themselves.



When filmmaker Neeraj Pandey, who has touched upon the issue of terrorism in films like Baby was asked about this, he said: "I have an opinion, a strong opinion at that. But I wouldn't want to share it on a public platform."








Mumbai: Melody queen Lata Mangeshkar won't celebrate her 87th birthday on Wednesday as 18 Indian soldiers recently died "so brutally in Uri". She is saddened by the darkness all around, including the deteriorating relations with Pakistan. But she hopes they stay happy and live in peace.



The September 18 terror attack left 18 Indian soldiers dead at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir. So, this year Lata won't celebrate her birthday.



"Not when our soldiers have died so brutally in Uri. My sincere request to my well-wishers, please don't waste money buying me flowers. Instead send money to the bereaved family of martyrs. Jo shaheed huey hain unki zaraa yaad karo qurbani," she said.



There is hatred everywhere, especially between India and the neighbours. What is her message to her fans?



Lata said: "Everything has changed. Human beings and even the climate is now unpredictable. Extreme weather conditions play havoc with our lives. I am deeply saddened to see children suffer in natural calamities and during war."



So what according to her, is the solution to the current crisis in mankind's existence?



"I don't know if I am qualified to comment on such matters. But yes, I do wonder why nations don't keep their own house in order instead of creating havoc in others' domain. Why hurl bombs at nations? Hatred kills. Why not work on making our own country beautiful?"



She cites the example of Switzerland as an idyllic state of existence.



"Switzerland is considered the most peaceful country in the world. Why? Because they've concentrated on making their own country better and more developed and they do not look at other countries to harm them. We never hear of violence perpetrated by the Swiss."



Her message to her fans in Pakistan?



"Woh khush rahen shanti se rahen (I hope they stay happy and stay in peace). Aur humen bhi khushi aur shanti se rehne den (And let us also live in peace and be happy). I know the people there are just like us. They want peace. Only some elements don't want peace."



On a more cheerful note, Lata Mangeshkar has been conferred West Bengal's highest civilian honour - the Banga Bibhushan. And Lata, who has received India's highest civilian honour the Bharat Ratna, is ecstatic.



"My connection with Bengal is karmic. I've sung numerous Bangla songs including Durga Pooja songs and Rabindra Sangeet, the two most popular genres of singing in Bengal. I hold my visits to Kolkata very close to my heart. Do you know, Bengal is where I've performed the maximum live concerts in India," said Lata, recalling with pleasure the times when she recorded Bangla songs for the two Bangla maestros Salil Chowdhury and Hemant Kumar.



"Hemant da's songs were sweet and transparent, like the man himself. His tunes were very melodious. Salil da used to record really intricate layered Bangla songs with me and then he would record the same song with me in Hindi. For example, 'O sajna barkha bahaar aayee' ('Parakh'), 'Na jiya laage na('Anand') and 'Niss din niss din' ('Annadata') were all Bengali songs first."



Lata's brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar also recorded Bangla songs with her.



"Hridaynath converted some of his famous Marathi numbers into Bangla," she revealed.



She recalls every visit to Kolkata with pleasure. "I love the food there, and the saris. But most of all, I love the language. It is so sweet. I am honoured to get their award. The fact that West Bengal's Chief Minister Mamta Bannerjee will take the time to personally come to Mumbai to give me the award makes it all the more special. I couldn't have hoped for a better birthday gift."



What do awards mean to the Nightingale at this stage of her career?



"Oh, they mean a lot! It's never too late for recognition and praise. When I received the Bharat Ratna in 2001, all my friends said there is nothing more to achieve. But I am still learning. I still feel like a student. Every word of praise whether it comes from the government or a listener who appreciates my songs, is equally important."


New Delhi: Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday alleged a BJP conspiracy behind the income tax notice issued to him regarding three companies in which he was an investor.



"Everyone knows it. It is a conspiracy. On Friday, the Chief Minister (Arvind Kejriwal) is going to make a major revelation which will expose those behind the conspiracy," Jain said.



Kejriwal defended Jain on Tuesday and said his ministers were being framed in false cases due to a political conspiracy.



Jain said he had resigned from all the posts of the three companies before fighting the Delhi elections.



"My investments were from 2007 to 2012-13. I resigned from all posts of the three companies in July 2013 as I was entering active politics. After that I was involved in no activity related to those companies," he said.



"I have shown all my investments in my election affidavits as well," he added.



Jain said he has received four copies of the income tax notice.



"My father was made to receive one copy and my office received another. Also, two notices were sent by post. I don't understand who is monitoring this and why so many copies are being sent to just summon me," he said.



Jain, who holds six portfolios, has been summoned by the income tax department for questioning regarding three companies in which he was an investor.




New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday demanded that instead of boycotting the SAARC Summit, it should be held without Pakistan and the neighbouring country must be isolated globally.



This reaction came after Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan decided to join India in boycotting the annual Saarc Summit, scheduled to be hosted by Islamabad in November.



"The government has still not come up with a concrete policy as to how to respond to the Uri attack. After the Uri attack, they said 'for one tooth, the response will be complete jaw'. But today they are saying they'll boycott the Saarc Summit," said Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari while briefing the media persons.



"There are many challenges in South Asia. This is the world's least integrated region. Shouldn't the government think over it that instead of boycotting the Saarc Summit, it would be better to have the summit without Pakistan. Pakistan should be isolated globally," he added.



The Congress also questioned the government's review of the Indus Waters Treaty.



Tewari said: "For the past three days we have been hearing that the government is reviewing the Indus Waters Treaty. What does this mean? Is the government going to cancel the treaty? Or is the government thinking about building dams on the western rivers?"



"Even if it is thinking on those lines, dams can't be built overnight. This can be a long-term solution, but the kind of response the nation is demanding, is this of the same kind?" he asked.



"Will the deep state of Pakistan get influenced by this strategy," Tewari said.


Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif faces a key choice in the coming weeks about who should run Pakistan's powerful military, one that will have a major influence on the country's often strained relationships with the United States and nuclear rival India.



With Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif saying he will step down when his tenure ends in November, the top post is up for grabs, and the prime minister decides who gets it.



Overshadowing the process has been speculation in the media and by some government officials that the general, no relation to the premier, may seek to hold on to some or all of his powers even after his term is finished.



The general is immensely popular among ordinary Pakistanis, who see him as a bulwark against crime, corruption and Islamist militant violence.



He has also strengthened the military's grip over aspects of government, including the judiciary and areas of security policy.



Yet the military flatly rejects the possibility of an extension.



"I will request you to avoid speculations, because we have already taken a position very clearly," Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa, the army's main spokesman, told a recent press briefing.



The military declined to comment further and said General Sharif was not available for interview.



In a country prone to military coups, including one in which Nawaz Sharif himself was ousted from power in 1999, suspicions that the general will remain in his post persist, including among some of the prime minister's senior aides.



Reuters has no independent evidence to corroborate this view.



"Army chiefs soon begin to think they are invincibles-in-chief," said a close aide to Nawaz Sharif, requesting anonymity as he was not authorized to speak about military appointments.



What happens at the top of Pakistan's armed forces will be closely watched overseas.



With nearly 10,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan fighting the Afghan Taliban and other militant groups, Washington is losing patience with what it says is Pakistan's failure to hunt down insurgents who launch attacks on Afghanistan from Pakistani territory. Pakistan denies this.



India has ratcheted up rhetoric against Pakistan, alarmed at an escalation of violence in the disputed region of Kashmir, including an attack on an army base there that killed 18 soldiers. Islamabad denies accusations it was behind the raid.



LIST OF CONTENDERS



According to three close aides to the prime minister and a senior military official, the military high command has sent the prime minister the dossiers of four main contenders.



The premier's favorite, the aides said, was Lieutenant General Javed Iqbal Ramday, commander of XXXI Corps who led a 2009 operation to drive the Pakistani Taliban militant movement from Swat Valley near the Afghan border.



The three other dossiers are for Lieutenant General Zubair Hayat, Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmad, commanding officer in the eastern city of Multan, and Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who heads the army's Training and Evaluation Wing.



Ramday is considered among the front-runners, in part because his family has been associated with Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (PMLN) party for many years.



He is also seen by some security officials as popular with General Sharif.



"He's perhaps as liked by Raheel Sharif as he is by Nawaz Sharif," said a senior security official based in Islamabad, declining to be named.



Neither the prime minister nor General Sharif has commented publicly on his chances.



Hayat oversees intelligence and operational affairs at the army's General Headquarters, and before that headed the Strategic Plans Division (SPD), which is responsible for Pakistan's nuclear program.



Retired and serving officers who have served with Hayat see him as a compromise between the military and civilian government.



Ahmad has extensive experience with military operations, especially against Pakistan's Taliban insurgency, and was previously the Director General Military Operations.



Several past army chiefs had served as DGMOs before being promoted to the top post.



A serving brigadier who has worked with Bajwa said he was the general "most similar in temperament to General Raheel", adding that: "His chances are also very good."



WRESTING BACK POWER



If Nawaz Sharif appoints a new army chief, it could allow him to claw back some of the influence he has ceded since coming to power in 2013, analysts said.



In 2014, the prime minister emerged in charge but weakened after protests demanding his resignation, and that year the army also went against his wishes for a negotiated settlement with Taliban militants by sending troops into North Waziristan.



"Nawaz has lost a lot of ground to the military during Raheel's tenure," Talat Masood, a retired general and political analyst said. "He will try and retake certain space by asserting himself. I think he would like a change in leadership."



Sharif has been quiet on the issue of the military's ascendancy in public.



But a statement from his office late last year, issued after the military urged the government to match its efforts in fighting militancy, said "all institutions have to play their role, while remaining within the ambit of the constitution."



Under Raheel Sharif, the army tightened control over the battle against militants, including creating military courts that have sentenced dozens of people to death.



The courts have been criticized by lawyers and families of defendants for denying basic rights, and some are challenging the courts' rulings through the civilian judiciary.



The military has also taken a lead role in policing the southern city of Karachi, a broadly popular operation that has reduced rampant crime but also been denounced as heavy-handed and open to abuses including extra-judicial killings.



"If Raheel Sharif hadn't been chief, these militants and criminals would have destroyed Pakistan," said Bismillah Khan, a bus driver in the southwestern city of Quetta. "I hope whoever replaces him will be just like him."
Dhaka: Bangladesh on Wednesday said the decision to pull out of the Islamabad SAARC summit was purely its "own decision" and has no relation with the decision of any other country.



State Minister for Foreign Affairs M. Shahriar Alam said: "It (Bangladesh's decision) has no relation to other countries' decisions. It's our own decision."



Without taking any name, Shahriar Alam said a "particular country's" repeated attempts to interfere in Bangladesh's internal affairs has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful holding of the Saarc summit, Daily Star reported.



"We've conveyed it to current Saarc chairman (Nepal and Saarc Secretariat) yesterday (Tuesday) that Bangladesh is not attending the Summit," he told reporters at the Foreign Ministry here.



Bangladesh, as the initiator of the Saarc process, believes in regional cooperation and connectivity, which was also conveyed to the Saarc chair and Saarc Secretariat.



"When time and scope will be available, Bangladesh will attend such events," he added.



Relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan have deteriorated sharply in recent years after Pakistan's repeated interference in Bangladesh's internal affairs following the trial and execution of war criminals in Bangladesh.



The Minister said Bangladesh will never compromise, and has never compromised in the past either, in terms of issues related to the trial of war criminals and execution of the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.



Dhaka had strongly protested Islamabad's meddling in its internal affairs and last year Bangladesh expelled a Pakistani diplomat for allegedly funding Islamist extremists.



On Tuesday, Bangladesh conveyed its decision to pull out of the summit.



"The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by 'one country' has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th Saarc (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) Summit in Islamabad," sources quoted Bangladesh as saying in a message to current Saarc chair Nepal.



"Bangladesh, as the initiator of the Saarc process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere," the message said.



"In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad."



On Tuesday, India, Bhutan and Afghanistan also conveyed their decision not to attend the November 9-10 summit in Islamabad.



The summit stands automatically postponed or cancelled if one member country skips the event.



However, Saarc Chair Nepal was yet to issue any statement with regard to either having received intimations about some members' decision not to attend the proposed Summit in Islamabad or a postponement of the summit meeting.



Talking to UNB, a senior official on Tuesday night said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has decided to skip the summit following Pakistan's "repeated and shameless" interference in Bangladesh's internal affairs over the trial of war criminals.



The Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not travel to Islamabad to participate in the Saarc summit in November as the atmosphere is "not conducive to a successful summit".



India has conveyed to current Saarc Chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Member States by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.



"In the prevailing circumstances, the government of India is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," it said.



Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to have a bilateral meeting with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Goa on October 16, where they are likely to discuss the future steps on regional cooperation.



Bangladesh Finance Minister A.M.A. Muhith and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan had skipped the two Saarc ministerial-level meetings in Islamabad last month citing domestic compulsion.



On September 19, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh "firmly stands" beside India at this difficult hour and expressed deep shock at the terrorist attack on an army base at Uri, in Jammu and Kashmir.




New Delhi: Bangladesh has indicated that the United Nations should consider declaring Pakistan a "terrorist state" underlining India's argument that Islamabad should be isolated in the global community as a nation that exports terror to rest of world.



"For the first time in the history of SAARC, four out of its eight members have decided to boycott the summit scheduled in Islamabad. This is a very strong message," Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali told CNN-News18.



He said it was up to Pakistan to decide how it wants to conduct its future foreign policy.



Demanding that Islamabad should stop helping terror groups in Bangladesh and stop interfering in the country, Ali wondered how a meeting for regional cooperation can take place when Pakistan Defence Minister Khwaja M Asif is openly issuing threats of a nuclear attack.



"His statement shows the atmosphere is not right for SAARC. Can't talk about war and nuclear attacks," Ali said.



Bangladesh's official stand toughening its stand on Pakistan comes immediately after India announced it is pulling out of the SAARC meeting in the wake of Uri attacks in which a suspected Jaish-e-Muhammad suicide squad crossed over from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir Valley and attacked an Indian Army base killing 18 soldiers.



Along with Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan have also said they are boycotting the Saarc meet.



"All heads of state have backed India on Uri. Pakistan found no support in UNGA, the country needs to do soul searching," Ali said, arguing that it was time for India and Bangladesh to work with other states and foster closer ties.







On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal had also said that Pakistan cannot take India's policy of strategic restraint for granted for too long and if Islamabad rejected Prime Minister Narendra Modi's offer of cooperation, it will become part of a case for making the country a "pariah nation".



"Modi is practicing restraint for now, but Islamabad can't rely on that continuing. Modi's offer of cooperation, if rejected, will become part of a case for making Pakistan even more of a pariah nation than it already is," The Wall Street Journal said in an opinion piece.
Washington: FBI Director James Comey told Congress on Tuesday that his agency granted immunity to Hillary Clinton's former chief of staff because agents wanted to inspect her laptop as part of a now-closed federal investigation into Clintons use of a private email server as secretary of state.



The immunity deal for Cheryl Mills was limited to information contained on her laptop, Comey told a Senate committee, adding that the FBI's collective judgement was that "we need to get to that laptop."



Comey told Senator Ben Sasse, Republican of Nebraska, that Mills was acting as a member of Clinton's legal team in the case. He said the FBI decided it would take too long to try to force Mills to turn over the laptop without an immunity deal.



Trying to obtain the laptop though a grand jury or other methods "would likely tangle us up" in arguments over legal privilege "for a very long time," Comey said. Sasse and other Republicans have said they were surprised that the FBI would cut a deal with someone as close to the investigation as Mills.



By including the emails recovered from the laptops in the immunity agreements, the Justice Department exempted key physical evidence from any potential criminal case against Mills and other aides.



Republicans have assailed Comey's decision not to prosecute Clinton, the Democratic nominee for president.



Several have demanded the Justice Department investigate whether Clinton lied during testimony last year on the deadly 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya. Democrats call the claims partisan and intended to hurt Clinton's candidacy.


Kirtland Air Force Base (US): US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter have said the Pentagon has no plans to pursue a "no-first-use" nuclear weapons policy.



His remarks at a nuclear research facility in New Mexico follow media reports saying President Barack Obama was weighing an overhaul of longstanding US nuclear policy, including by pledging to never conduct the first strike in a nuclear conflict.



"It has been the policy of the United States for a long time to extend its nuclear umbrella to friends and allies, and thereby to contribute to the deterrence of conflict and the deterrence of war," Carter said yesterday.



Though some nations including China have declared "no-first-use" policies, America and NATO allies insist that retaining the right to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike is a vital tactical option.



The ability to strike first "has been our policy for a long time, and is part of our plans going forward," Carter said.



America's nuclear policy has been the subject of increased public discussion following a number of contentious comments by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, including that he wouldn't rule out the use of nuclear weapons.



The issue came up again during Monday's debate between Trump and Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.



"I would certainly not do first strike," Trump said, adding: "We have to be prepared. I can't take anything off the table."



Yesterday, two Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation that would bar the president from launching a nuclear first strike without a declaration of war from Congress.



"Nuclear war poses the gravest risk to human survival. Unfortunately, by maintaining the option of using nuclear weapons first in a conflict, US policy increases the risk of unintended nuclear escalation," said Senator Edward Markey, who co-sponsored the bill with Congressman Ted Lieu.



"The president should not use nuclear weapons except in response to a nuclear attack."




Moscow: Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down by a missile fired from a launcher brought into Ukraine from Russia and located in a village held by pro-Russian rebels, international prosecutors said on Wednesday.



The findings counter Moscow's suggestion that the passenger plane, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur in July 2014, was brought down by Ukraine's military rather than the separatists. All 298 people on board, most of them Dutch, were killed.



The conclusions were based on thousands of wiretaps, photographs, witness statements and forensic tests during more than two years of inquiries into an incident which led to a sharp rise in tensions between Russia and the West.



Among the key findings were: the plane was hit by a Russian-made Buk-9M38 missile; the missile was fired from the rebel-held village of Pervomaysk in eastern Ukraine; and the launcher was transported into Ukraine from Russia.



"This Buk trailer came from the territory of the Russian Federation, and after the launch it was returned again to the territory of the Russian Federation," said Wilbert Paulissen, chief investigator with the Dutch national police.



The Ukrainian government said the findings pointed to Russia's "direct involvement". Russia - which has always denied Moscow or pro-Russian rebels were responsible - rejected the prosecutors' conclusions, saying they were not supported by technical evidence and the inquiry was biased.



Earlier on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said its radar data had "identified all flying objects which could have been launched or were in the air over the territory controlled by rebels at that moment".



"The data is clear-cut ... there is no rocket. If there was a rocket, it could only have been fired from elsewhere," he said.



The investigators, from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine, said they had not had access to Moscow's radar images but would gladly include a Russian contribution to the inquiry.



Ukrainian and Western officials, citing intelligence intercepts, have long blamed the pro-Russian rebels for the incident, which played a big part in a decision by the European Union and United States to impose sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine conflict and has damaged Dutch-Russian economic ties.



SUSPECTS



In reaction to the investigators' findings, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called on Russia "to lend all possible cooperation" to the inquiry, which will now shift its focus to identifying individual suspects.



Prosecutors said that while they had not brought charges against culprits or established a court, they had identified 100 individuals of interest in relation to the incident on July 17, 2014.



"Of a number of them, we know pretty exactly what their role and position was, for instance those who organised the arrival of the Buk rocket and who were in charge of the transport that day," said Fred Westerbeke, chief prosecutor at the Netherlands National Prosecutor's office.



"We know exactly what happened, but who exactly was in charge, and whether it was done intentionally, there the investigation is still continuing," Westerbeke said.



He declined to specify the nationality of any potential suspects, and called on witnesses to come forward and help determine who gave the order to shoot the plane down.



Victims' families, who were informed of the findings earlier in the day, were sceptical about the investigation's progress.



Silene Fredriksz, whose son Bryce was on the airplane with his girlfriend, Daisy Oehlers, said Russia would never hand over any suspects voluntarily.



Moscow was "going to have to be put under intense pressure, with sanctions - that's the only way to make it possible", she added.



A civilian investigation by the Dutch Safety Board also concluded last year that MH17 was hit by a Buk missile fired from eastern Ukraine, but did not specify who fired it. The board criticised Ukraine's government for leaving its airspace open to civilian traffic.



At the time of the incident, pro-Russian separatists were fighting Ukrainian government forces in the region. The Boeing 777 broke apart in mid-air, flinging wreckage over several kilometres (miles) of fields in rebel-held territory.



Harun Calehr, uncle of two boys killed in the crash, said he was not holding out hope for a swift resolution. "I think there will never be a judicial conclusion to this nightmare," he said.



"Even a political agreement with financial compensation for the victims' families by Russia and Ukraine seems tenuous, and perhaps two decades in the future."
London: In a first, a baby was born using a new "three person" fertility technique in Mexico, the media reported.



Using the new and controversial technology, called mitochondrial donation, which incorporates DNA from three persons, the baby was born on April 6, 2016, newscientist.com reported in a statement on Tuesday.



The five-month-old boy, born to a Jordanian couple, has the usual DNA from his parents, and a small amount of genetic code from a donor.



The boy's mother carried genes for the fatal Leigh syndrome -- which harms the developing nervous system.



The Leigh syndrome affect the DNA in mitochondria, the tiny battery-like structures that provide cells with energy, and are passed down from mother to child, and thus were responsible for the death of two of her children.



Assisting the couple were a team of doctors led by John Zhang, medical director at the New Hope Fertility Center in New York, US, who used a method called spindle nuclear transfer, and removed the nucleus from one of the eggs of the mother and inserted it into a donor egg that had its own nucleus removed.



The resulting egg -- with nuclear DNA from the mother and mitochondrial DNA from a donor -- was then fertilised with the father's sperm.



Using this approach, they created five embryos, out of which one developed normally. This embryo was then implanted in the mother and the child was born nine months later.



As the method has not been approved in the US, Zhang went to Mexico instead, where he says "there are no rules" and insisted that doing so was right.



"To save lives is the ethical thing to do," Zhang said.



The method, which was legally approved in Britain in February 2015, ensures that the baby boy would be free of a genetic disease his mother carries.



"This study heralds a new era in pre-implantation genetics and represents a novel means for the treatment of families at risk of transmitting genetic disease," Darren Griffin, Professor at the University of Kent in Britain was quoted as saying to bbc.com.



However, fertility experts say it is important to push ahead, but cautiously.



"The translation of mitochondrial donation to a clinical procedure is not a race but a goal to be achieved with caution to ensure both safety and reproducibility," Alison Murdoch, Professor at Newcastle University in Britain, was quoted as saying to bbc.com.



Details of the new birth technique will be presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine meeting in Salt Lake City in October.


A raven croaked as the Happy Hikers admired the glorious view from Flat Top in the Peaks of Otter.

I was hoping for hawks.

Suddenly 25 broad-winged hawks appeared directly overhead, their blunt bodies and black and white bands of tail feathers distinctive from below.

A kettle of broad-wings, I yelled.

Most of my fellow Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club hikers were confounded. Whats a kettle? Whats a broad-wing?

Hmmm. It must be time to write about annual hawk migrations.

Every fall, thousands of hawks migrate south, catching thermals, warm updrafts of air that propel them up and over the mountains.

They whirl upwards in funnel-shaped groupings, called kettles, without having to flap a wing, conserving energy for long flights, some to South America.

Nature photographer M. Timothy O'Keefe theorizes that the word kettle was chosen because the birds look like something boiling in a cauldron.

Migrating hawks follow well-defined routes as they move to their winter homes. We are fortunate to live near some major hawk routes. Harveys Knob, located at mile marker 95.6 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, is a prime viewing location.

Bird watchers head for the mountains when conditions seem right and when birders farther north report significant numbers passing by. The data is recorded at hawkcount.org.

The same day we were hiking, Sept. 22, the folks at Rockfish Gap near Waynesboro, reported: My oh my we just had quite an INCREDIBLE broad-wing day! Our final count of 8,387 is a new fourth highest single day record in the history of Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch!

I had my own thrill when some 150 broad-wings soared over our heads atop Flat Top. One kettle circled below eye level, giving me a chance to see the beautiful, dominant brown of these crow-sized hawks.

Broad-wings are the first hawks to migrate in significant numbers. According to my Audubon field guide, one September more than 19,000 were counted in one day at Hawk Mountain, Pennsylvania. An average of 18,000 hawks, eagles and falcons pass Hawk Mountain each autumn.

The raptor migration continues throughout the fall and avid birders make frequent trips to the mountains to catch a glimpse of a variety of birds, including American kestrels and golden eagles.

The hawks were a bonus on our first-day-of-fall hike. Sourwood, sycamore and maples were starting to sport yellow and crimson.

The trail was littered with acorns, large and small, in bright green, yellow, chocolate and ebony. I had to stop myself from scooping them up as I went along.

Bright yellow and white flowers filled the open spaces near the trail. Wildflowers are not my forte, but I am pretty certain we were seeing yellow Jerusalem artichokes, purple asters and the bright red berries of Jack-in-the-pulpit.

Stunning displays of yellow fungi caught our eyes along with a variety of mushrooms and the occasional shiny black beetle.

The wind was chilly on top, full of the promise that summer is losing its grip. What a perfect way to celebrate the autumnal equinox.
DONT BLAME US

He said Persad-Bissessar, who failed to do her work when in Government, was now inciting the United States to hurt us, by attempting to engage the (US) ambassador publicly on matters where she is failing to do her duty in the Parliament. The PNM takes no responsibility for that outcome, he said.

We will take responsibility for conducting the affairs of State in a decent and forthright and transparent manner and we expect that will impress those who will have to adjudicate in our circumstance. The failures the Persad-Bissessar government, he said, was against a background where the Financial Investigations Unit has said there has been, in recent years, $3.7 billion worth of suspicious transactions in the country and no one has been prosecuted.

The government who knew that, Rowley said, sat there and refused United States assistance in getting it done. At a press conference held yesterday at his St Clair office, in Port-of-Spain, Rowley criticised Persad-Bissessar for publicly engaging US ambassador, John Estrada, even as we are waiting for the United States to rule on our case, and questioning his suitability and his interpretation of our actions here in Trinidad and Tobago. The Peoples National Movement (PNM) Government, he said, will not take blame for the non passage of the Tax Information Exchange Bill 2016 to enable this country to become FATCA compliant.

The Oppositions request for the Bill to go to a parliamentary Joint Select Committee because of concerns - specifically the powers of the Finance Minister - which was already enacted in 1989 in the Board of Inland Revenue (BIR) Act, Rowley said, was a red herring of nonsense. The Finance Minister who has responsibility for the BIR, he said, will be the one to interface with Inland Revenue Services of the US. While Government has no document or commitment from the US Government on an extension of September 30 deadline to become FATCA compliant, Rowley said, Government was confident its request will be granted based on its commitment to pass the Bill.

Lambasting the Opposition for the delay in the passage of the Bill, Rowley said that the terms of reference for US assistance to fight financial crimes had been waiting for a sign off by Persad-Bissessar government over the past three years.

Declaring that, This Government will sign it, Rowley said, The only reason why it will be signed is because we do not need them in the Parliament otherwise they would have blocked that too, referring to the non-passage of the FATCA- enabling legislation in the Parliament last Friday.

He said that best known to the last government, they failed to sign off on it to allow the US to assist TT with respect to our financial arrangements, FIU, casino gambling, money laundering, and terrorism financing. Noting that the international Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAA), a treaty that allows the customs authorities in different countries to exchange information, intelligence, documents and assistance, was also languishing under the previous administration, Rowley said Finance Minister, Colm Imbert, made arrangements and Government finally signed that arrangement.
Reform Hindu PTA protests for new school

Sabinath says since 2014 works started for the rebuilding of a school. We were promised that this project would last nine months and this did not happen, she said, adding that the opening of the school was postponed several times before. Sabinath says the new school, which is located close to the old school, is eighty five percent complete.

According to Sabinath, all that is needed is for the electricity and water connections to be installed .They also need school-furniture and a proper playground for sporting activities.

The present population of the Reform Hindu School is 153. The old school was built sixty-four years ago and is no longer fit to house the students. Sabinath says there are two toilets in this school and there is always a long line at lunch time when students have to use the toilet. Parents want an update from the authorities on new Reform Hindu School.

President of the PTA Renuka Singh appealed to Government to open this school so that the children of Reform Village can gain their education at a proper facility.
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(Newser)  The man said to have the most punchable face in America is finally putting it to good use. "I will auction one slap/punch in the face to benefit my friend Mike who passed away and leaves behind a young son who survived cancer," Martin Shkreli tweeted Tuesday. He's attempting raise money for Tyler, the young son of Mike Kulich. According to a fundraising page, Kulichan "adult industry veteran"died Saturday at the age of 29. Kulich was a PR manager known for offering porn contracts to anyone currently making headlines, including a woman the internet thought looked like Ted Cruz, the Huffington Post reports. He was also a PR consultant for Shkreli. His 5-year-old son is recovering from leukemia.

Shkreli says he's received offers of $78,000 and $25,000, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Further offers can be DM'd to him on Twitter, and he says he'll match the winning bid to a point. He also says the winner can film the punch and even get someone elsesay, with more arm strengthto do the punching, according to USA Today. "Mike architected my publicity stunts and I bet he is watching, smiling," Shkreli tweets. As CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, Shkreli jacked up the price of a drug largely used by people with cancer and AIDS. He was arrested on securities fraud charges; paid $2 million for the only copy of a new Wu-Tang Clan album; started a public feud with Captain America himself, Chris Evans; and so much more. (Read more Martin Shkreli stories.)
(Newser)  Playboy has stepped into the debate over Islamic dress and women's rights by featuring a hijab-clad woman in its pages for the first time. Muslim-American journalist Noor Tagouri appears in the October issue wearing a sexy snarl, black leather jacket and jeans, and a beige head scarf. (Playboy this year did away with fully nude photos, notes CNN.) The magazine says the 22-year-old Newsy reporter, included in the "Renegades" issue, makes "a forceful case for modesty." Like the greater debate over the hijab, opinions were mixed over its debut in a men's magazine. Tagouri won praise from some quarters for breaking barriers. Noting that "veiled women bear the brunt of the animosity the entire Muslim community faces in America," Aymann Ismail writes in Slate that Tagouri "speaks out and treads new ground as an individual  [and] deserves the full support of the entire Muslim community."

"Congrats@NTagouri," one female supporter tweeted. Others were not impressed. "Hijabi posing for playboy what has the world come to," another Twitter user wrote. Despite good intentions, Playboy has "fallen into the slut-shaming game of Islamists around the world," writes Maajid Nawaz at the Daily Beast. Tagouri has a choice to wear the hijab, but women in many Muslim countries do not. "I will fight fiercely to protect anyones right to wear this medieval flag of female 'chastity,' but that doesnt mean I think the wearer is right to do so. Let us not ban the hijab, but let us not glamorize it either." Tagouri, an aspiring on-air reporter, said she's ignoring the backlash. "It's just negative energy and unhealthy," she told the magazine. (This teen created a hijab emoji.)
(Newser)  Donald Trump held a rally in Melbourne, Fla., on Tuesday night, where he regaled an enthusiastic crowd with tales of his debating prowess. CNN reports that he declared himself the winner of Monday night's debatecontrary to the opinion of many analystsand praised online polls as "things of beauty." He said he had won despite "holding back." "I didn't want to embarrass her," said Trump, who used the speech to revisit debate issues including Hillary Clinton's foreign policy record and use of a private email server. He also slammed the "corrupt corporate media," Florida Today reports.

Trump told the crowdwhich authorities estimated at 8,500that he knew he "was going into a situation where you were going to have one of the largest audiences in the history of television," and he just "took a deep breath and pretended I was talking to my family." Before the Melbourne rally, Trump visited what the Miami Herald calls "the Hispanics who seem to like him most"residents of Miami's Little Havana, where polls show he has a narrow lead among Republican-leaning Cuban-Americans. "We did very well," he said of the debate. "It was an interesting evening, certainly, and big league. Definitely big league." (Rudy Giuliani thinks Trump should skip the last two debates.)
(Newser)  Just a couple of years after the Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York Harbor, a statue of Christopher Columbus was erected to grace Barcelona's skylineand while the former represents freedom and friendship, local council members say the latter should be torn down for symbolizing the worst of colonialism, reports the Guardian. The officials are formally requesting that the nearly 200-foot bronze figure, which went up in 1888, be dismantled, as well as all the adornments at the base of the columnincluding effigies of Columbus' sponsors, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, per the Telegraphthat "glorify the conquest of America and its 'museumification' through historical interpretation." Instead, the far-left officials say, a better tribute would be some kind of structure signifying "American resistance to imperialism, oppression, and indigenous and African-American segregation."

That's not all the CUP Capgirem members are looking to eliminate. Also on the hit list: a statue of a slave trader outside Barcelona's post office, the Spanish flags that adorn municipal buildings, and Columbus Day celebrations on Oct. 12. Other Spanish officials have voiced displeasure at the holiday in the past, with the mayor of the port city of Cadiz tweeting last year, "We never discovered America; we massacred and suppressed a continent and its cultures in the name of God." The request has been met with some scorn by other parties, with one local leader sniffing, "Next thing you know, the CUP will ask for a statue of Kim Jong Un pointing at Ithaca." Meanwhile, Barcelona's deputy mayor said Tuesday that taking down the Columbus statue "is not part of the changes we currently have planned." (A stolen Columbus letter was found in a US institution.)
(Newser)  Starting Monday, residents of Montreal will no longer be allowed to own pit bulls "or pit bull-type dogs," the CBC reports. The controversial ban was put in place Tuesday by the city council, three months after a 55-year-old Montreal woman was killed by a neighbor's dog that entered her backyard (possibly through a hole in the fence, the Montreal Gazette reported at the time). The dog, which was shot and killed by police after it attacked one of the officers who responded to the scene, was originally reported to be a pit bull; however, authorities are still awaiting official DNA test results to determine the dog's breed, and the Humane Society claimed in July that the dog was registered as a boxer.

The vote came down 37-23 in favor of the ban, which had been decried by animal rights advocates and protested by pit bull supporters. "This is very serious. It's not an object, it's not the right to seize a carit's a right to take a member of your family and that should not (be) permitted," says one lawyer. But a city executive committee member argues, "A Montreal woman died because someone didn't have control of their dog." The ban will also include Staffordshire terriers, any mix including a banned breed, and "any dog that presents characteristics of one of those breeds." However, current owners can apply for a permit to be allowed to keep their pets. Animal rights advocates plan to launch a court challenge. (Read more pit bull stories.)
(Newser)  Shimon Peres, a former Israeli president and prime minister, whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated around the world as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace, died early Wednesday. He was 93. His son, Chemi, confirmed his death Wednesday morning at the hospital where Peres had been treated for the past two weeks, the AP reports. Peres' condition worsened following a major stroke two weeks ago. "Today with deep sorrow we bid farewell to our beloved father, the ninth president of Israel," Chemi Peres said.

Peresborn Shimon Perski on Aug. 2, 1923, in Vishneva, then part of Polandwas one of Israel's most admired leaders and the last surviving link to its founding fathers. In an unprecedented seven-decade political career, Peres filled nearly every position in Israeli public life and was credited with leading the country through some of its most defining moments, from creating its nuclear arsenal in the 1950s, to disentangling its troops from Lebanon in the 1980s, to guiding a skeptical nation into peace talks with the Palestinians in the 1990s. In 2007, he was chosen by parliament for a seven-year term as Israel's ceremonial president, taking the role of elder statesman. President Barack Obama eulogized Peres as a man who represented "the essence of Israel itself." (Read more Shimon Peres stories.)
(Newser)  Hundreds of protesters gathered in the San Diego County city of El Cajon on Tuesday after yet another controversial police shooting of a black man. El Cajon police chief Jeff Davis says the man, identified by relatives as 30-year-old Alfred Orlango, was shot and killed after he raised an object and pointed it at officers, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune. No weapon was recovered at the scene and Davis did not disclose exactly what the object was. According to a police press release, officers encountered the man behind a restaurant after receiving calls about somebody walking in traffic and behaving erratically.

Police say the man was shot and Tasered simultaneously by the two officers after he "drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together and extended them rapidly toward the officer taking up what appeared to be a shooting stance." The Washington Post reports that in video of the aftermath of the incident, a distraught woman says, "You guys just killed my brother in front of me." According to friends and family members, the woman had called police after her mentally ill brother had a breakdown and began acting out. Police say the officers were not wearing body cameras. They say they have bystander video of the shooting but they are not planning to release it. (Read more police shooting stories.)
(Newser)  Dutch-led criminal investigators said Wednesday that after a two-year probe, they have solid evidence a Malaysian jet was shot down by a Buk missile moved into eastern Ukraine from Russia, the AP reports. Wilbert Paulissen, head of the Dutch National Police's Central Crime Investigation department, said communications intercepts showed pro-Moscow rebels had called for deployment of the mobile surface-to-air weapon and reported its arrival in rebel-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine. From that and other evidence culled by the Joint Investigation Teamincluding counterparts from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, and Ukraine"it may be concluded MH17 was shot down by a 9M38 missile launched by a Buk, brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation, and that after launch was subsequently returned to the Russian Federation," Paulissen told a news conference.

A separate investigation by Dutch safety officials last year concluded the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur flight was downed by a Buk missile fired from territory held by pro-Russian rebels, killing 298 people. A Dutch police rep says the new findings differ in that they're solid enough to be used as evidence in a criminal trial; where and when a trial might take place is still to be determined, he noted. Russia has consistently denied allegations that pro-Moscow rebels were responsible. On Monday, the Russian military said it has new radio-location data that show the missile that downed the Boeing 777 didn't originate from rebel-controlled territory. A Kremlin spokesman reiterated that on Wednesday ahead of the Dutch report. "If there was a rocket, it could only have been launched from a different area," he told reporters, referring to Russian radar data. "You can't argue with it, it can't be discussed." (Read more Malaysia Airlines MH17 stories.)
(Newser)  If, like Gary Johnson, you find yourself in a state of perpetual disgust over this year's presidential campaign, he has a suggestion: Vote for Gary Johnson. In an op-ed in the New York Times, the Libertarian candidate makes the case that America itself isn't out of whack, only its two-party political system. "Contrary to the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates, Bill and I dont believe the United States is a polarized nation," he writes, referring to running mate Bill Weld. "Hyper-partisanship may be entertaining, but its a terrible way to try to run a country," he writes. "Were the alternativeand were the only ticket that offers Americans a chance to find common ground."

He says he and Weld run the gamut from fiscal conservatism (believing the government is too big) to social liberalism (believing in the need for fundamental reform of the criminal justice system). He also wants to "stop treating immigration as a bad thing"give law-abiding undocumented residents a chance to remain, then ditch the idea of quotas and focus instead on keeping only criminals out. Other "common-sense" solutions are in reach for a range of issues, he writes, no matter how much politicians complain about the divide between red and blue America. "We are the party that can break the partisan gridlock which for too long has kept real solutions out of reach." Click for his full column. (Read more Gary Johnson 2016 stories.)
(Newser)  It's something Hillary Clinton now probably wishes happened years ago, but on Wednesday BlackBerry announced it would no longer be making phones. Bloomberg reports the company that basically invented the smartphone with its BlackBerry 850 in 1999 got disastrously outpaced by Apple and Samsung in the new millennium. CNN points out that even Microsoft's disappointing Windows Phones currently outsell BlackBerries, which were so popular at their height that people nicknamed them "CrackBerries." Known for their security, BlackBerries were once used by everyone from Kim Kardashian to President Obama. But even the US Senate finally stopped using them last summer, USA Today reports. The company once worth $80 billion is now estimated at just $4.3 billion.

Now, in an attempt to claw back to profitability, BlackBerry will be outsourcing the manufacturing of BlackBerry-branded phones to an Indonesian company, with manufacturers in China and India likely to follow. BlackBerry CEO John Chen says the company will "pivot to software." With Wednesday's announcement, BlackBerry stocks rose more than 3%. Ironically, Chen says BlackBerry phone salesrecently just 1% of iPhone salesmay increase with this move, as they remain popular in places like South Africa, Nigeria, and Indonesia. It's also possible BlackBerry is eying a sale. (Read more BlackBerry stories.)
(Newser)  Secretary of State John Kerry is threatening to cut off all contact with Moscow over Syria, unless Russian and Syrian government attacks on Aleppo end, the AP reports. The State Department says Kerry issued the ultimatum in a Wednesday telephone call to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Kerry's spokesperson, John Kirby, says Kerry expressed grave concern over Russian and Syrian government attacks on hospitals, water supplies, and other civilian infrastructure in Aleppo. He says Kerry told Lavrov the US holds Russia responsible for the use of incendiary and bunker-buster bombs in an urban area. Kerry told Lavrov the US was preparing to "suspend US-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria," including on a proposed counterterrorism partnership, "unless Russia takes immediate steps to end the assault on Aleppo" and restore a ceasefire.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon says the situation in rebel-held parts of Aleppo is worse than a "slaughterhouse" and implicitly accuses Syria and Russia of committing war crimes, the AP reports. Without naming countries, Ban said Wednesday that "those using ever more destructive weapons know exactly what they are doingthey know they are committing war crimes." The Syrian government announced the offensive to retake rebel-held eastern Aleppo, and the only countries carrying out airstrikes are Syria and Russia. Ban said "hospitals, clinics, ambulances, and medical staff in Aleppo are under attack around the clock." "International law is clear," he said. "Medical workers, facilities and transport must be protected. The wounded and sick, civilians and fighters alike, must be spared. Deliberate attacks on hospitals are war crimes." (Read more Syria stories.)
(Newser)  Congress has rejected a veto by President Obama for the first time in his presidency. The House voted 348-77 Wednesday to override his veto and to allow the families of Sept. 11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia for the kingdom's alleged backing of the attackers, reports AP. The Senate had earlier voted 97-1 to override his veto, the lone "no" coming from minority leader Harry Reid. The lawsuit legislation now becomes law despite objections from Obama and top Pentagon officials that it could put US troops and interests at risk.

Several lawmakers who voted for the legislation acknowledged that it could trigger lawsuits from people in countries opposed to US policies and military actions. But proponents said the bill is narrowly tailored and applies only to acts of terrorism that occur on US soil. Politico notes that the popularity of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act "made it basically inevitable that the measure would ultimately become law." (Read more 9/11 attacks stories.)
(Newser)  A South Carolina teenager killed his father at their home Wednesday before going to a nearby elementary school and opening fire with a handgun, wounding two students and a teacher, authorities said. The AP reports teen was apprehended within minutes of the school shooting in rural Townville. One of the students was shot in the leg and the other in the foot, Capt. Garland Major with the Anderson County sheriff's office said. Both students were male. The female teacher was hit in the shoulder. Before the shooting at Townville Elementary, the teen gunned down his 47-year-old father, Jeffrey Osborne, at their home about 2 miles from the school, authorities said.

Authorities did not release a motive for the shooting. They said they weren't sure if the students and teacher were targeted. Asked about the teen's relationship to the students, Major said "I know they all go to school together." He later said the teen was being homeschooled and didn't clarify his earlier remark. Students at Townville Elementary were bused to a nearby church and reunited with their parents. The school has about 300 students in its pre-kindergarten to sixth-grade classrooms. It is in a very rural part of the state and surrounded by working farms. "This is the country," the mother of a sixth-grader said. "You don't have this in the country. It just don't exist out here." (Read more school shooting stories.)
Will 'This Is Us' show the right way to portray overweight women on TV?
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.
Mumbai:

Office of Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana in Navi Mumbai was allegedly stoned Tuesday apparently over a cartoon published in the daily alluding to the silent march being taken out by Maratha community.

A pro-Maratha social organisation, Sambhaji Brigade, later claimed responsibility for the attack.

Three youths arrived in a vehicle at the Saamana printing press building located at Sanpada in Navi Mumbai at around 1.45 PM. They called the guard of the press and requested him to take a letter, police said.

As the guard was approaching their vehicle, the youths got down from the vehicle, rushed towards the press building and allegedly pelted it with stones and fled, they said. Two-three glasses on the buildings outer wall were damaged in the attack, they added.

After getting information of the attack, police reached the spot and a complaint was lodged by the office-bearers at Sanpada police station. Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagarale confirmed the incident.

Police said an offence has been registered against the culprits and appropriate action will be taken. The Sambhaji Brigade took responsibility of the attack and condemned the cartoon published in the mouthpiece.

We are condemning a cartoon which was published in Saamana. Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray and Saamanas executive editor Sanjay Raut must apologise to the women of Maharashtra, the brigades spokesperson Shivanand Bhanuse told PTI.

The attack was spontaneous and an expression of emotions of the Maratha community, he said. On Sunday, a cartoon on silent march was published in Saamana, which drew criticism from various political quarters.

The Marathas have been organising silent marches across the state following the Kopardi rape and murder incident, in which the victim was a member from the community. Some more such rallies are also planned in the state in the coming days.

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Bengaluru:

Reserving his reaction to the Supreme Courts fresh direction to the state to release 6,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for three days, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said he would consult legal experts and maintained that drinking water is a priority. The State govt has called an all-party meet over the issue.

Im yet to speak to legal experts, I dont know about the order. I will speak to our advocates and react later, he told reporters in Bidar in north Karnataka.

To a question on Tamil Nadus arguments against utilising Cauvery river water for Bengaluru, he said, Drinking water is a priority. It is a priority according to our water policy also. If they (Tamil Nadu) say dont give water, it will not become a law or an order.

The Chief Minister has convened a meeting of floor leaders of both the Houses, MPs and legislators and district in charge ministers from the Cauvery basin tomorrow morning to take stock of the fresh development, official sources said.

According to official sources, the cabinet meeting which is scheduled for tomorrow, will discuss the Supreme Court directions and the future course of action.

The Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and U U Lalit today directed Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs water to Tamil Nadu for three days, despite the resolution passed by the state legislature last week to use the water only for drinking purpose.

The state legislature had signalled its inability to implement the courts earlier direction to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu from September 21 till today.

A special session of the legislature had on Friday adopted a unanimous resolution to use the water only to meet drinking water needs and not to provide it for any other purpose.

Following the apex courts fresh directions, sporadic protests erupted in Mandya, Mysuru and nearby areas.

Mandya Zilla Raitha Hitharakshana Samiti (MZRHS), at the forefront of Cauvery agitation, said there was no change in its stand that water should not be released to Tamil Nadu.

Samiti president Made Gowda said, Water should not be released at any cost ... they (Tamil Nadu) have enough water for their crops, they are doing vendetta politics.

Police, as a precautionary measure, have made elaborate security arrangements in Cauvery basin areas, especially Mandya and Bengaluru.

Bengaluru city has been placed under prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC.

Calling the Supreme Courts direction to Karnataka to release 18,000 cusecs of water for three days as grossly unfair and unfortunate, state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa said the party will stand by any decision taken by the Siddaramaiah government in the interest of the farmers and the people.

Alleging that the Congress leaders continue to indulge in cheap politicking on the issue by dragging the Centre in it, he said they have misinterpreted and twisted one of the comments of the judges.

The apex court asked the Attorney General whether it is possible for the intervention of the Union government in this issue. The AG sought time to reply to this question. At no point in time, the apex court mentioned about the intervention of the Prime Minister, he added.

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New Delhi:

Soon after India said no to 19th SAARC summit to be held in Islamabad, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan have also pulled out of Summit in November, saying the environment is not right for the successful holding of the meet. The decision was conveyed by Bangladesh and Bhutan Tuesday to the SAARC Chair Nepal and by Afghanistan on Wednesday.

The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016, the communication by Bangladesh said.

Bangladesh, as the initiator of the SAARC process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad, it said.

Bhutan said while it is committed to the SAARC process and strengthening of regional cooperation, it is concerned over the recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.

Also Read: (PM Modi to skip SAARC summit in Islamabad, Pakistan calls it unfortunate)

Further, the Royal Government of Bhutan shares the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism and joins them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances.

The decision by three countries of the eight-member grouping not to attend the summit would lead to its collapse.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night also decided not to attend the SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November.

The announcement by India came on a day Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar issued a second demarche to Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit over September 18 Uri attack and confronted him with proof of cross-border origins of the terror strike in which 18 jawans were killed.

The attack has triggered a strong response from India which has reviewed the 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty (IWT), and decide to reconsider the MFN status granted by it, unilaterally, to Pakistan.

Afghanistan has also conveyed to the SAARC Chair that President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani would not be able to attend the Summit, sources said.

Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, President Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the Summit, a communication by the country said.

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New Delhi:

After rumours were allegedly spread on a mobile messaging app branding him a terrorist, 30-year-old Saeed Sher Ali Khan was forced to do a sit-in outside a police station in Mumbai holding a placard to clarify that he is not a terrorist.

Saeed Ali Khan on Tuesday lodged a complaint regarding purported messages and photos posted on WhatsApp branding him a terrorist, an official at Virar police station said on Wednesday.

The matter is being investigated in detail and further action will be taken after a thorough investigation, police said.

Khan claimed that police initially refused to take his complaint, following which he, along with his family members, staged a protest in front of the police station.

During the protest, Khan and his family members held placards with message 'My name is Saeed Sher Ali Khan. I am not terrorist'.

Khan, who also submitted the photos and messages along with his complaint, said the problem started after he refused to pay extra maintenance as sought by his landlord.

A resident of Gopchadpada in Virar, Khan alleged that a man, claiming to be the landlord of the building where he resides, demanded Rs 2,000 as maintenance.

"After I refused, he threatened me and also set my tempo on fire," he alleged."The man then posted a photo of mine on WhatsApp with a message that I am a terrorist. If anyone finds me they should catch me and hand over to police," Khan alleged.

"Now, I face problems while venturing out as locals look at me suspiciously," he rued.

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New Delhi:

The Narendra Modi government on decided to start 'Progress Panchayat' to bring people of minority communities into the mainstream of development in the country.



The Central government has decided to start the Panchayat from with the concept, and people of Muslim and other minority communites will take part in government's initiative.



The government is going to launch the first edition of 'Progress Panchayat'from Mewat in Haryana from .



Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not attend the first panchayat. Union minister Rao Inderjeet Singh will represent the Central government in the first 'Progressive Panchayat'.



The Modi government will organise 100 'Progressive Panchayats' in the next three months. The motto of this initiative is to solve the problems facing by the people of minority communities.



Officials of both state and Central governments will attend all editions of 'Progress panchayats'.



Congress attacks PM Modi



Accusing PM Modi of making a "U-turn" on his stand on minorities, Congress leader Digvijay Singh on questioned Modi's role as Gujarat chief minister and expressed surprise that he had suddenly turned "spokesman" for the community.



Referring to Modi's remarks made at BJP's national council meeting in Kozhikode on , the Congress general secretary asked what Modi had done to empower the minorities when he was the chief minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014.



"The Prime Minister is speaking our language. It was very? surprising to know that Narendra Modi has suddenly become? spokesman for the minority community in this country," Singh? told reporters on the sidelines of a Congress meeting here.



He said, "The 'minorityism' which was the charge that was levelled?against us, now Narendra Modi is talking about empowering?the minorities. Did he empower the minorities when he was the?Chief Minister of Gujarat? Did he take action against those?involved in Gujarat riots?



"Is he not the same person who denied the Muslims of Gujarat the scholarship which was sanctioned by the government?of India? Is he not the same person who refused to? rehabilitate the Gujarat riot victims, is he not the same? person who sort of manipulated the prosecution in Gujarat riots? It is a complete U-turn," he said.

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New Delhi:

A day after Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be attending SAARC summit in Pakistan, a leading national daily on Wednesday reported that the summit, scheduled for November this year, will be cancelled. The Hindu quoted a senior diplomatic source in Kathmandu as saying.

There is no question of holding the summit if four countries declare their unwillingness to participate. As the current SAARC Chair, Nepal has the responsibility of seeking a solution to such pre-summit disputes but under the current circumstances nothing much can be attempted. We will do the due formalities and will declare the summit of 2016 should be cancelled due to non-participation of member states, said a Kathmandu-based diplomatic source.

We wish that a diplomatic breakthrough could be found with a possible change of venue but no one can guarantee success of such steps as four countries have already declared their inability to attend the summit without seeking an alternate venue, he said.



Earlier, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan had also decided to cancel their participation after Indias decision not to be a part of the SAARC summit in Islamabad.

ALSO: Bhutan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan join India in boycotting Islamabad SAARC summit

Earlier on Tuesday, Pakistan had said that they have not received and official communication in this regard and they got to know about the development through MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup's tweet. However, Pakistan has called India's decision to not to participate the SAARC summit is unfortunate.

"Pak has noted from Indian Spokesperson's tweet on Indian announcement about their refusal to participate in SAARC summit being hosted by us." Pakistan MoFA had said in a statement on Tuesday.

"We have not received any official communication in this regard, the Indian announcement is unfortunate: Pakistan MoFAPak remains committed to peace & regional coop'n. Will continue to work to that end in the larger interest of people of this region," it said.

ALSO READ: PM Narendra Modi to skip SAARC summit in Islamabad, Pakistan calls it 'unfortunate'

In the prevailing circumstances, the Government of India is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad, MEA had said in a statement on Tuesday.

The development comes amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri, that had left 18 Indian soldiers martyred earlier this month.

"India conveyed to current SAARC Chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in internal affairs of Member States by one country created environment thats not conducive to successful holding of summit in Islamabad, the statement added.

India remains steadfast in commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity but believes that it can only go forward in atmosphere free of terror. It said.

We also understand that some other SAARC Member States have also conveyed their reservation about attending Islamabad Summit in Nov '16, MEA said.

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Pathankot:

Pathankot (Punjab) SSP Rakesh Kaushal on Wednesday said that the police team is continuing with the search operation after 3-4 suspicious men were spotted in army fatigues with weapons by locals on Tuesday.

Launched an operation yesterday, some people spotted 3-4 suspicious men in army fatigues with weapons, Rakesh Kaushal said. He said that a search operation was launched on Tuesday but the police did not found anything suspicious and they will be searching for more areas.

Didn't find anything or anyone suspicious here but we need to search some more areas to clear the doubts, he added. Pathankot was put on high alert on Tuesday following inputs regarding suspicious movement of some people. Further, due to security concerns, a huge search operation has been launched on the Pathankot-Dalhousie road.

ALSO READ: Pathankot on high alert following suspicious movement of armed men

On Tuesday, around 400 security personnel including SWAT team were deployed for conducting the search operation by the Punjab police in the district where terrorist from across the border had struck the IAF airbase in January.

There was a specific input about the presence of some suspicious men roaming around on Pathankot-Dalhousie road. Following this, a massive search operation has been launched here, Pathankot SSP had said.



Notably, Punjab Police and BSF had jointly carried out search operation and flag march in villages near Indo-Pak border on September 25 to thwart any attempt by intruders coming from across the border.

An alert was also sounded in the border districts of Pathankot and Gurdaspur in the wake of terror strike on an army camp in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir. Notably, terrorists who had sneaked in from across the border had attacked Pathankot air base on the intervening night of January 1-2 this year while Dinanagar in Gurdaspur was targeted on July 27 last year.

The Pathankot attack had claimed the lives of seven security personnel while four terrorists were killed. Three heavily-armed terrorists wearing army fatigues, had stormed a police station in Dinanagar town in Gurdaspur district last year killing seven persons, including a Superintendent of Police, before they were gunned down during a day-long operation.

(With inputs from PTI)

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New Delhi:

A tainted top government official, who committed suicide along with his son on Tuesday, blamed CBI officials probing the corruption case against him for the decision to end their lives. In the wake of the allegations against its officials, CBI on Wednesday constituted an internal inquiry to look into them.



In suicide notes purportedly written by former Corporate Affairs Director General B K Bansal and his son Yogesh, the official has alleged that a CBI DIG, two women officers and a afata Havaldar of the agency had tortured his wife and daughter after which both had committed suicide in July.



PTI today received two suicide notes, a seven-page note purportedly written by Bansal and a two-page note purportedly written by Yogesh dated September 26, 2016, a day before their bodies were discovered in their flat here.

Envelope containing purported suicide note of dead official #BKBansal pic.twitter.com/XRi9y38mH2 a Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 28, 2016

CBI Spokesperson RK Gaur said the agency has received a communication from Delhi Police in which the suicide notes have been attached. He said an inquiry has been ordered to look into the allegations and the court will be informed.



In the note purportedly signed by Bansal, it is alleged that that his wife and daughter had shared the details of atorturea with friends and neighbours before taking the extreme step.



He alleged that the CBI DIG also claimed that he was close to a politician of the ruling party and dared Bansal to do whatever he wanted.



Bansal alleged that the women officers slapped his wife even as the DIG abused her over phone and threatened to torture Bansal who was in CBI custody.



He said, aeven if I was at fault in the case, why were my wife and daughter pushed to suicide by CBI officials.a



aThis cannot be termed as suicide. It is a murder of two ladies,a he said, adding that the DIG and the afata Havaldar should be subjected to lie detector test to know the truth.



Bansal also urged the Director CBI to probe the matter as the DIG had threatened him before the suicide of his wife and daughter that athey will be subjected to such a torture that they will ask for death but wonat get ita.A



Bansal, however, appreciated the investigating officer, saying he always assured him that no harm will come to him. His son Yogesh, in his purported suicide note, has identified one more officer in addition to four officers already named by his father.



Yogesh alleged that he was aunofficiallya subjected to amental and physicala torture to an extent that he is forced to take such a step.



He alleged that the five CBI officers including the DIG had aunofficially and off the record tortured him, his mother and his sister.



aMy mother and my sister were against suicide but they were tortured to such an extent that they took the step,a he alleged, adding that they were amurdereda by CBI officers and supported by a neighbour who made fun of their situation.



Bansal allegedly hanged himself along with his son at their residence with a purported suicide note claiming aharassmenta by CBI, barely two months after his wife and daughter ended their lives following his arrest in the alleged corruption case.



The additional secretary-rank officer in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Bansal was arrested by CBI on July 16 for allegedly accepting bribe from a prominent pharmaceutical company.



CBI had carried out searches at eight locations in connection with the case during which the agency had claimed to have made cash recoveries.



aWe have today received communication from Delhi Police enclosing therewith the purported hand written notes of B K Bansal, then DG (Ministry of Corporate Affairs), Government of India and his son Yogesh Bansal,a Gaur said.



He said it contains allegations against certain CBI officials in connection with the on-going bribery investigation against Bansal and others.



aWe have examined the matter and decided to probe the allegations. CBI is fully committed to conduct investigation in a fair and professional manner without harassment to any one and strictly within the parameters of law.



aIf any violation is established during the probe, strict action will be taken against the CBI officials concerned. The Competent Court will be informed,a he said. A

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New Delhi:

PM Narendra Modi headed Union Cabinet has given its approval to ratify Paris Agreement(on Climate Change) on the day of Gandhi Jayanti.

India signed the Paris Agreement in New York early this year on 22nd April 2016. As per the provisions of the Paris Agreement, the treaty will come into force as and when 55 countries contributing to 55 % of total global emission ratify the agreement.

So far, 61 countries have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval accounting in total for 47.79% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions.

China and the US  responsible for around 40 per cent of the worlds carbon emissions have already jointly ratified the Paris climate change deal that aims to significantly reduce global emissions, giving hopes that the landmark accord may come into effect by the end of this year.

Paris Climate change is adopted by 191 countries.

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New Delhi:

Striking a defiant note by refusing to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that since the Supreme Court has asked the centre to felicitate talks between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, his government would like to wait for meeting with Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti until Thursday.

Uma Bharti has called a meeting tomorrow at 11:30am in Delhi of both CMs (TN and Karnataka). Releasing of water deferred till meeting with Union Minister Uma Bharti. We'll take decision later, a defiant Siddaramaiah said.



On Tuesday, the Supreme Court had asked the Karnataka government to release 6000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for two days to show its bona fide. The apex court had said that no state in a federal structure like India can say no to the Supreme Court order and indulge in a fight with another state.

The Centre would try to resolve the Cauvery water issue and will call a meeting between the chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in the next two days, Attorney general Mukul Rohatgi had told the court.

The court had granted permission to the Centre to call a meeting between Jayalalithaa and Siddaramiah and submit a report on Friday. The Supreme Court also said that it wont consider the Karnataka Assembly resolution not to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

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Islamabad:

A Pakistani judicial commission has been ordered by an Anti-Terrorism Court here to visit Karachi to inspect a boat which was allegedly used by LeT terrorists in the 2008 Mumbai attack.

An ATC Judge yesterday heard the Mumbai attack case and accepted a request filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to inspect the boat Alfoz in Karachi.

The FIA had requested the court to send a judicial commission to examine the boat as it was difficult to produce it before the court, In addition to examining the boat, the commission would also record the statement of a witness, Munir, during its visit to Karachi.

Earlier, ATC-II judge had allowed the FIAs application requesting the court to exhibit the boat as evidence as it was allegedly used for transporting the assailants to India and ultimately led to the attack in Mumbai.

The court's decision to inspect the boat in Karachi comes days after India wrote a letter to Pakistan, suggesting legal ways to expedite trial of the Mumbai terror attack case.

India had written the letter after the FIA dropped charges against a suspect in the Mumbai attack case after failing to find any incriminating evidence.

The FIA had submitted a charge sheet before the ATC and placed the suspect, Sufiyan Zafar, in the second column of the charge sheet, which means no evidence was found against him.

According to the prosecution, Zafar had reportedly provided financial assistance to the other suspects.

In the charge sheet, the FIA said that Zafar had transferred Rs 14,000 into a suspects account. During the course of investigation, the investigators said it had emerged that Zafar had lent the money to the other suspects also without asking why they needed it.

LeT operations commander Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum are accused of abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attack that killed 166 people in November, 2008.

Lakhvi, believed to be the mastermind of the Mumbai attack, is living in undisclosed location after being released from jail on bail a year ago. The other six suspects are in Adiala Jail Rawalpindi. The case has been underway in the country for more than six years.

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New Delhi:

Unfazed by India and three other SAARC member nations deciding not to participate in the groupings summit, Pakistan on Wednesday said it will go ahead and host the event in November. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup, however, said that according to SAARC rule, if any one head of state or govt pulls out from SAARC Summit, it has to be postponed.

Under the SAARC charter, the summit is automatically postponed or cancelled even if one member country skips the event.

Vikas Swarups latest statements:

#SAARC Summit will be postponed since 4 nations have decided to not attend SAARC Summit in Islamabad, there's no other way

#SAARC rule position is very clear, any one head of state or Govt decides not to participate in SAARC Summit, it has to be postponed

#However, a formal announcement can only be made by Nepal after they have done their internal consultation

#Unfortunate that Pakistan continues to pursue the path that has led to this current decision: Vikas Swarup

#Our commitment to SAARC, to regional connectivity, to regional contact and prosperity remains intact

#But we cannot conceive of SAARC summit happening when cross border terrorism and cross interference in our internal affairs continues-Swarup

#Now 3 countries also joined India in conveying same message, its time for Pak to introspect kind of relationship it wants with SAARC

ALSO READ: SAARC summit in Pakistan cancelled after boycott by India, 3 other nations, say reports

Pakistans reaction:



Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said Pakistan will host the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit in November, Radio Pakistan reported on Wednesday.



Zakaria was quoted as saying that it was learnt from the Indian External Affairs Ministrys tweet that India is not going to participate in the SAARC Summit, a decision he called unfortunate.



While we have not received any official communication in this regard, the Indian announcement is unfortunate, he said.



The spokesperson also said Pakistan is committed to regional peace and will continue working for the broader interest of the people of the region, according to the report.



Pakistan calls it Indias propaganda:



Separately, Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said India is making propaganda to foil the conference that was scheduled to be held in November, according to Pakistan Today newspaper.



Bhutan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan boycott Islamabad SAARC summit

Soon after India said no to 19th SAARC summit to be held in Islamabad, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan also pulled out of Summit in November, saying the environment is not right for the successful holding of the meet. The decision was conveyed by Bangladesh and Bhutan Tuesday to the SAARC Chair Nepal and by Afghanistan on Wednesday.

What happened on Tuesday?

On Tuesday, MEA had announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not participate in the upcoming SAARC Summit in Islamabad in view of the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of Uri attacks, in which 18 jawans were martyred.

Pakistan had said that they have not received and official communication in this regard and they got to know about the development through MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup's tweet. Pakistan had called India's decision to not to participate the SAARC summit is unfortunate.

Below is the official statement from Nepal, confirming the communication from SAARC Secretariat on India and three other countries' decision to not to participate on the summit:

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New Delhi:

The Supreme Court on Wednesday came down heavily on Bihar government for not putting facts before the Patna High Court which granted bail to controversial RJD leader Mohd Shahabuddin in a murder case.

The counsel for Nitish Kumar government, which has RJD as its coalition partner in the state, faced searching questions in the apex court which rebuked it for not being serious in pursuing the case against Shahabuddin.

Why have you approached the court only after his release? Were you in slumber till he got bail? This is a peculiar case. But the question is this peculiarity has been done at whose instance and who is behind this.

Why you did not challenge bail granted to Shahabuddin in 45 cases? Why did you realise only when he came out of jail? If everything was fair, why would this case come to us, a bench comprising Justices P C Ghose and Amitava Roy said while clarifying that by peculiarity, it meant negligence.

The observations came after senior advocate Dinesh Dwivedi, appearing for Bihar, sought cancellation of Shahabuddins bail and said the decision to enlarge the RJD leader was improper as the High Court had ignored the relevant material in the case.

He said the High Court could not have granted him bail unless there was any special reason or any medical urgency. The senior lawyer admitted there were anomalies by the state government in the case.

To this, the bench said, we can understand your difficulty and the only thing we can say is that we understand everything.

Dwivedi said I admit the anomalies. I am not in any way justifying the actions of the state government. We were handicapped at that time. But my submission is that the relevant material has been ignored in the case.

The bench then asked him Why should you be handicapped? You are the state. It was the duty of your lawyer to inform the High Court about the correct facts of the case. It was your duty to inform the High Court that a revision petition has been filed in the session court by Shahabuddin. Why didnt you tell the High Court at that point of time?

We are just trying to find out what kind of person he is by looking at the background and circumstances of the case.

How many cases are pending against him, who is a four time Member of Parliament and two times MLA. We are just thinking what is the common mans thought. There are so many cases against him and there are so many bail orders. You did challenge those bail orders, the bench said. The hearing remained inconclusive and will continue tomorrow.

Dwivedi said Shahabuddin was first sent to jail in 2005 and since then he has been committing crimes from inside the prison. He said the RJD leader was acquitted in most of the cases as many witnesses refused to testify against him.

Shahabuddins remaining in jail has hardly made a difference as he has been committing crimes from inside the jail premises as well. And this is the reason that he was shifted to Bhagalpur from Siwan jail, he said.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for Siwan-based Chandrakeshwar Prasad whose three sons have been killed in two separate incidents, also sought cancellation of Shahabuddins bail and said enlarging him on bail was travesty of justice.

Bhushan said the High Court had erred in granting bail to a history-sheeter who has a criminal antecedents and termed him as a hardened criminal.

Senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, appearing for Shahabuddin, said his client has been suffering from media trial and said the state government has to be fair and cannot play with the liberty of an individual.

He said the state was only cooking up stories and causing prejudice to his clients case as he had attained notoriety.

It has become a trend in Bihar that if any crime takes place, then it must be Shahabuddin. This has been a fashion now, he said.

Shahabuddin, who was granted bail by the Patna High Court on September 7, was released from Bhagalpur jail on September 10. He was in jail for 11 years in connection with dozens of cases against him.

On September 19, the apex court had sought a response from Shahabuddin on a separate plea filed by Siwan resident Chandrakeshwar Prasad, challenging the bail granted to him by Patna High Court, in the murder case of his third son.

The apex court is also hearing a separate plea filed by the widow of journalist Rajdev Ranjan, who was murdered in Siwan allegedly at the instance of Shahabuddin, seeking transfer of the case to Delhi.

Kalawati Devi, wife of Chandrakeshwar Prasad and the mother of three youths who were brutally killed by henchmen of the controversial politician, had also moved the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of bail granted to him in the case in which he has already been sentenced to life.

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Hyderabad:

In the video, Disco Baba is seen dancing in front of MIM MLA Ahmed Pasha Quadri and police officers. Police arrested Anwarullah Khan alias Disco Baba, a self-proclaimed unani doctor.

He allegedly cheated scores of people by telling them that hidden treasure in their home was the reason for their illness. He would then pretend to perform rituals and produce gold biscuits and diamonds, all fake.

According to the complainant, "the tantrik had injured, stabbed his son with a sharp laser blade on the back, stomach, fingers of his foot, pressed his throat, poured hot water on him, kept him nude for several hours and days and forced him to kneel down in the late night hours."

#WATCH: 'Disco Baba' arrested in a fraud case, dances before cops at Hyderabad police station. pic.twitter.com/5D9CTlqisH a ANI (@ANI_news) September 28, 2016

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Srinagar:

Pakistani troops on Wednesday violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Sabjiya Sector of Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, reports said. The firing took place around 5:55 PM on Wednesday and stopped after 6PM, sources said.

The report of ceasefire violation from Pakistani side comes amid escalating tensions between India and Islamabad following the Uri terror attacks that had killed 18 army soldiers.



After Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif criticised India during his address at the UNGA, India had hit back at him on the same platform, saying the country sponsors terrorism.

India is also mulling to opt out of the Indus Waters Treaty in the backdrop of the Uri attacks, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly said that blood and water cannot flow together.

In a blow to Pakistan, India on Tuesday announced its decision to not to participate in the Islamabad SAARC summit. After Indias decision, three other nations  Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan  too decided to boycott the SAARC Summit.

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Tel Aviv:

World leaders including US President Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Prince Charles and French President Francois Hollande are expected to attend the funeral of former President of Israel, Shimon Peres, on Friday.

The funeral ceremony of Peres, who passed away on Wednesday, two weeks after suffering a massive stroke, will take place on Friday afternoon at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.

From Thursday, Peres coffin will be lying in state at the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) for the public to pay their respects. The Embassy of Israel in New Delhi will open a condolence book on Thursday afternoon, Friday and next week on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Israeli flag at the Embassy has been lowered to half-mast. Shimon Peres death triggered an outpouring of emotional tributes from around the world.



Peres, 93, who twice served as prime minister of Israel and later as the countrys ninth president, suffered severe organ failure on Tuesday as well as irreversible brain damage caused by the massive hemorrhagic stroke he sustained on September 13.

An ardent admirer of India, Peres often hailed the country as the greatest democracy on earth and even backed a permanent seat for it at the UN Security Council. Peres had been hospitalised at the Sheba Medical Center at Tel HaShomer since suffering the stroke. He died in his sleep at around 3:00 am.

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Srinagar:

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday justified Prime Minister Narendra Modis decision of not attending the SAARC Summit in Pakistan, suggesting he could not travel there under the present circumstances.



SAARC was to happen in Pakistan and I had hopes that our PM will get an opportunity to go there but how will he go? Under what circumstances will he go there, she said.



India, along with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan, have decided not to attend the 8-nation Summit because of unabated cross-border terrorism from Pakistan, the venue.

Also Read: (SAARC summit in Pakistan called off as India, Bhutan, Bangaldesh and Afghanistan opt out : Reports)



The Prime Minister went to Pakistan as an uninvited guest (in December last year). Why did he need to go there? He went there for us (people of J and K). He understood that till both the countries do not live together, the people of J&K will continue to face miseries.



He walked a step but unfortunately there was an attack in Pathankot. But immediately afterwards, the statement of (NSA) Ajit Doval came and he did not blame anyone, which was good. Instead a team from Pakistan came and they were shown the evidence. Pakistan only registered an FIR against one person but unfortunately nothing happened afterwards, she said.



The Chief Minister advocated joint use of resources of all SAARC countries. SAARC countries have so many resources - Nepal has its own, Bangladesh and Pakistan have their own, Afghanistan and our country have their own and then Bhutan has its own. We could have used these resources together but it has not happened unfortunately, Mehbooba said.



Maintaining that war is never an option to resolve the issues, Mehbooba pitched for amicable relations between India and Pakistan to fight the poverty and economic deprivation plaguing the region while underlining the need of a bilateral dialogue to resolve the issues.

Also Read: (Pakistan says will go ahead with SAARC summit despite boycott by India, 3 other nations)

The two nuclear-armed neighbours must cooperate in the fields of social development, including eradication of poverty and with their growing economies and energy needs, and the need for newer, more diverse markets and trading opportunities, the future of the troubled region has to be defined by common economic interests instead of hostilities, she said.



The chief minister said instead of fighting wars with each other, India and Pakistan should join hands to eradicate poverty and to address social problems plaguing the region.

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Donetsk:

A top pro-Russian separatist commander in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday denied Dutch findings blaming the downing of Flight MH17 on a Russian missile fired from rebel-held territory.

"The forces of the People's Republic of Donetsk could not have fired at the plane from a BUK system because we have no such sort of weapons," general Eduard Basurin of the self-proclaimed republic told AFP.

A criminal inquiry in the Netherlands found today that the missile that shot the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 out of the sky was snuck out of and back into Russia.

The investigators also confirmed that the missile that slammed into the plane was fired from a field in a part of eastern Ukraine under the control of the separatists at the time.

But the Dutch-led investigation did not directly accuse Moscow of supplying the BUK missile and its transporter system and the Russian government has repeatedly denied any involvement.

The passenger jet was shot down in July 2014 on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The incident came at the most heated point in the war, straining tensions between the West and Moscow even further.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Islamabad:

Pakistans defence minister on Wednesday said India will disintegrate when Kashmir gains independence, in a sign of mounting tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals. Khawaja Muhammad Asif told The Associated Press that Pakistan will continue to extend moral support to the people of the disputed Himalayan region, which is split between Pakistani and Indian control but claimed in its entirety by both.



When the freedom movement in Kashmir succeeds, it will be beginning of the end of India, he said. Asif said the sacrifices of Kashmiri people will not be in vain and that India will disintegrate and it will not remain united when Kashmir gains independence.



He said Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has tried to improve ties with India, but we did not get a positive response from them.



Sharif attended a high-level security meeting on Wednesday in which he expressed concern over human rights violations in Indian-controlled Kashmir.



India blamed Pakistan-based militants for a recent attack on an army base in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir that killed 18 Indian soldiers. Since then, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he will work to isolate Pakistan internationally.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Jammu/New Delhi:

The NIA on Wednesday secured 10 days remand of two guides from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir who allegedly facilitated infiltration by Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists responsible for the brazen attack on an army camp in Uri earlier this month.



The twoFaisal Hussain Awan and Ahsaan Khursheedboth residents of Muzaffarabad in PoK, were produced before a designated court in Jammu which remanded them in NIAs custody.



The duo has since been brought to the national capital where they would be interrogated by a joint team of officials of various security agencies besides being subjected to scientific tests.



During their preliminary interrogation, the two were claimed to have admitted to having facilitated infiltration by a group of four JeM militants who carried out the Uri army camp attack.



On being shown the photographs of the four terrorists killed in retaliatory action, accused Faisal Hussain Awan identified one of them as Hafeez Ahmed, a resident of village Dharbang, Muzaffarabad, in PoK.



The two were arrested in a joint operation by the BSF and the army at Angoor Post at Gavalata village in Uri last Saturday when they were trying to infiltrate into India.



As both were residents of PoK, the army authorities interrogated them about whether they had any knowledge regarding the Uri attack in which four terrorists had stormed an army camp on September 18 and killed 18 soldiers.



The duo initially said they had inadvertently crossed over into India but during sustained interrogation were claimed to have admitted that they had facilitated the infiltration by Uri attackers and also helped their interrogators identify one of the militants involved in the assault, the sources said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Chinas Tiangong 1 space station will fall to Earth, but we likely wont know where until hours before

Tiangong 1, Chinas first space laboratory, will come to a fiery end in late 2017. The average decommissioned satellite either burns up over a specific ocean region, or is ejected to a far-off orbital graveyard. But Tiangong 1s demise is shaping up to be something different.

Article by Ben Guarino

Chinese officials appeared to admit that they had lost control of the station during a Sept. 14 news conference in Jiuquan.

Based on our calculation and analysis, most parts of the space lab will burn up during falling, said Wu Ping, a director at Chinas space engineering office, during the conference. A day later China launched Tiangong 2, the labs successor, aboard a Long March 7 rocket.

Wu added that China is monitoring the space station for collisions with other objects. And Xinhua, Chinas government-run news agency, reported that the Chinese space agency may need to release an international forecast for where Tiangong will land at a later date  an uncertainty that seems to indicate the descent is uncontrolled.

For the moment Tiangong 1 remains whole, currently orbiting the planet more than 320 kilometres above Earths surface. China launched Tiangong 1, which translates to Heavenly Palace, in 2011. (Strangely, as the rocket carrying the station blasted into space five years ago, Chinas state-run TV station played America the Beautiful.) It served as Chinas base of space experiments for roughly four-and-a-half years, two years longer than originally anticipated. The last crewed mission was in 2013, though the station continued to autonomously operate until it was decommissioned in March 2016.

Soon after, rumors surfaced that China no longer had control of the spacecraft. In June, amateur satellite tracker Thomas Dorman, from El Paso, warned Space.com that, based on his observations, the 8-ton space lab was out of control.

If I am right, China will wait until the last minute to let the world know it has a problem with their space station

If I am right, Dorman said at the time, China will wait until the last minute to let the world know it has a problem with their space station.

Harvard University astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell agreed that Chinas announcement indicated the spacecraft will fall where it may.

You really cant steer these things, McDowell told The Guardian. Even a couple of days before it re-enters we probably wont know better than six or seven hours, plus or minus, when its going to come down. Not knowing when its going to come down translates as not knowing where its going to come down.

Most satellites are not laid to rest this way. Many smaller craft incinerate completely in the upper atmosphere. For larger spacecraft destined for re-entry, the usual method is a planned descent. The wreckage that survives re-entry splashes down far from human habitation. Some 4,000 kilometres to the east of New Zealand, for instance, is a patch of the Pacific Ocean informally known as the spacecraft cemetery. Remains of the Mir station and more than a hundred other Russian, European and Japanese satellites sit in this area.

Though much of Tiangong 1 will disintegrate, McDowell predicted that 90-kilogram pieces  the tougher remnants of, say, rocket engines  could withstand the trauma of re-entry.

Even though China may not be able to steer Tiangong 1s flaming corpse into a specific spot, humans will likely be unharmed. The odds are very low it will fall in an inhabited area: Roughly speaking, half of the worlds population lives on just 10 per cent of the land, which translates to only 2.9 per cent of Earths surface. (By way of context, going back the last 1,000 years, no meteorite has killed a person.)

This would not be the first uncontrolled landing, either. President Jimmy Carter issued an apology to Australia in 1979, after the 77-ton Skylab fell to Earth. The wreckage landed near a remote Australian town. Though no one was injured, the Australian town fined the United States $400 for littering. A California radio DJ finally paid the fine in 2009.

Read more at: News.NationalPost.com

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More News Westport porn mogul dead at 29

Martin Shkreli, the man alternatively dubbed "Pharma Bro" and "The Most Hated Man in America" after he upped the price of an antiparasitic drug called Daraprim by more than 5,000 percent, is now offering some lucky (and presumably wealthy) person the opportunity to punch him in the face.

As one might guess, Shkreli is not masochistic (at least not publicly); the offer is an attempt to raise money for friend and "adult industry veteran" Mike Kulich that passed and left behind a young son who Shkreli says recently overcame leukemia.
The 268 injuries include eight Japanese tourists hurt in tour bus that turned on its side in central Taiwan. Three people suffered fatal falls and a fourth person died in a truck crash, said Lee Wei-sen, a spokesman for Taiwan's Central Emergency Operations Center. Many of the injuries were from falling and wind-blown objects.

Typhoon Megi's bands of heavy rain and 162-kilometers- (100 miles-) per-hour sustained winds blanketed the island by midafternoon as the eye of the storm made landfall on the east coast. Authorities had raised alert levels for the island prone to landslides and flooding, said National Fire Agency Director-General Chen Wen-lung.

Strong winds knocked down people and scattered debris as a large typhoon crossed over Taiwan on Tuesday, killing four people and injuring more than 260, officials said.

Megi is 500 kilometers (310 miles) in diameter, and rainfall had topped 300 millimeters (12 inches) in the south and eastern mountains.

"The rainfall problem will get increasingly severe as the storm passes over," Lee said. "We've got to see whether the amount of rain has a big impact. The only good news is that it's moving fast on its way over Taiwan."

More than 8,000 people had been evacuated, mostly from mountainous areas at risk of landslides or floods. About 2,800 went to shelters, Chen said.

More than 2.9 million households lost power, though 976,000 had been restored by late evening, according to Taiwan's Central News Agency.

More than 121 flights were delayed and 253 canceled at Taiwan's Taoyuan International Airport, and seven were diverted to other airports. Authorities had closed schools, offices and most of Taiwan's railway system.

Megi is the fourth typhoon of the year to hit Taiwan.

On the Chinese coast, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Taiwan at its nearest point, fishing boats were ordered back to port, the country's official Xinhua News Agency said. It said the typhoon was expected to reach Guangdong province and Fujian province Wednesday morning, bringing as much as 400 mm of rain to parts of Fujian.
TORONTO, Sept. 27, 2016 /CNW/ - Amid concern that today's postsecondary graduates are lacking critical employability skills, an international test on literacy, numeracy and problem-solving will be given to first-year and graduating students at 11 colleges in Ontario. A similar pilot for universities will follow in fall 2017.

The Essential Adult Skills Initiative (EASI) pilot project by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) marks the first time in Canada that core skills, considered foundational to success in work and life, will be evaluated at the postsecondary program and institutional level.

"We're very adept at teaching disciplinary content and assessing whether it has been learned," says Harvey Weingarten, HEQCO president and CEO. "But when it comes to core skills like communication, critical thinking and problem solving, we have little information about whether students arrive on campus with these skills or to what degree they acquired them through their studies, because we don't test for them. Students are missing an opportunity to understand and describe the skill sets they bring to the workplace, while our colleges and universities are missing an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of their programs, identify weaknesses and address them."

Ontario colleges volunteering for the pilot are Algonquin, Centennial, Conestoga, Fanshawe, Fleming, George Brown, Humber, Sault, Seneca, Sheridan and St. Lawrence. Five Ontario universities have signed on to-date for the second phase of the pilot: McMaster, Queen's, Ryerson, Wilfrid Laurier and York universities, as well as Quest University in British Columbia.

"Each of these institutions is demonstrating a genuine interest in assessing the knowledge and skills of their entering and graduating students," says Weingarten. "Each understands the importance of these core skills as critical to their graduates in the workplace and in navigating the world."

Using the internationally recognized Education & Skills Online assessment from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the first phase of the EASI pilot will test 350 first-year students at each of the participating colleges in October 2016; the second phase will test a similar number of graduating students from the institutions in February 2017. The students are drawn from specific programs at each institution, ranging from sciences and business to humanities and applied arts. The college final report, to be available by fall 2017, will evaluate the practicality and validity of the test and provide an initial sense of whether students have enhanced core skills in literacy, numeracy and technology-enabled problem-solving over the course of their postsecondary studies.

The 90-minute online test consists of a series of questions or tasks based on everyday scenarios, examining how the student comprehends and applies numeric and textual information. Students receive individualized reports on their skills proficiency and can compare their scores with OECD international data. Participating colleges and universities will have an evidence-based window on the entering and exiting skills of their students. The results for each college and university will be revealed only to the institution and will not be included in the study reports.

"The initial goal is that colleges and universities use these results as instruments for quality enhancement," says Weingarten. "If the pilots prove successful, this could become standard practice in Ontario and beyond. One measure doesn't give the full picture on skills acquisition and this is just one way to capture the value-added of higher education, but it's a revolutionary first step for Canadian higher education."

About the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario

The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario is an agency of the Government of Ontario, established in 2005 to contribute to the improvement of Ontario's postsecondary education system. HEQCO is mandated to conduct research, evaluate the postsecondary education system and provide policy recommendations to the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development on improving system quality, access and accountability.

SOURCE Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario

For further information: Susan Bloch-Nevitte, Executive Director, Communications, Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, 416-434-7311 / [email protected]; Stay in the know at www.heqco.ca; Follow us on Twitter: @HEQCO; Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HEQCO
Alberta Enterprise Corporation 2016 Deal Flow Study data shows significant growth and ongoing maturation of the provincial technology market



EDMONTON, Sept. 28, 2016 /CNW/ - Alberta Enterprise Corporation released the findings from the 2016 Deal Flow Study, which showed significant growth for the technology sector in Alberta. The data revealed that the sector has experienced a 48% increase in technology companies with headquarters in Alberta, growing from 927 to 1,373 over the past four years. Both the major cities have benefited from this growth. Calgary saw a 55% increase in technology companies located in the city, and Edmonton had a similar upsurge with a 39% increase.

The 2016 Study demonstrates that not only has the industry expanded, but so have company revenues. Today, one in five Alberta technology companies reported having over $1 million in annual revenue. Fundraising has also matured. One third of the companies surveyed have raised over $1 million, and ten percent have secured a Series A funding round. In addition, the knowledge base of tech entrepreneurs in Alberta continues to evolve, seven out of every ten technology companies surveyed for the study include at least one founder with previous startup experience.

"These are very positive findings for the sector and Alberta," commented Kristina Williams, CEO of Alberta Enterprise Corporation. "The gains indicate that our technology industry is growing at a steady pace, and that it is helping to drive diversification within the provincial economy. In these difficult economic times, diversification is crucial to stimulating business growth."

Along with the overall growth of the technology industry in Alberta, the data shows that there is a good mix of sectors represented. Clean and Energy tech, industrial hardware & materials, and software all experienced significant growth from 2012 to 2016. The software sector made the most gains, growing 61% from 456 companies in 2012 to 735 today.

This latest study comes at an encouraging time for the provincial technology industry as the Government of Alberta has announced a number of initiatives to support the ongoing expansion and support of the sector. These include $1.5 billion allocated to ATB Financial to stimulate small business growth, $500 million dedicated to AIMCo for investment in growth companies, an increased commitment to Alberta Enterprise Corporation of $75 million, a 30% investor tax credit, and the small business tax rate cut from 3% to 2%.

For more information and to read the 2016 Deal Flow Study visit www.alberta-enterprise.ca.



About Alberta Enterprise: www.alberta-enterprise.ca

Alberta Enterprise promotes the development of Alberta' venture capital industry on behalf of the Government of Alberta by investing in Venture Capital funds that finance early stage technology companies. Alberta Enterprise focuses on funds that have a strong commitment to Alberta  including a full-time presence in the province. The organization also supports Alberta's technology ecosystem by connecting investors, entrepreneurs, and experienced technology executives who share our passion for building a bright, innovative Alberta.

Since its inception, Alberta Enterprise has committed $105 million of the $175 million Alberta Enterprise Fund for investment to nine venture capital funds and the Accelerate Fund, covering a diverse range of forward-looking industries including clean and energy technologies, information and communications technologies, life sciences, and agriculture and food.

Alberta Enterprise's funds and their syndicate partners have invested over $315 million in 29 Alberta tech ventures. The corporation's investments in funds have generated almost four times the capital back into Alberta companies, and the investment value continues to grow incrementally. The Alberta Enterprise Fund is a strategic investment that continues to foster the growth of the technology sector and a diversified economy in the province of Alberta.

About the 2016 Deal Flow Study: http://www.alberta-enterprise.ca/?page_id=1150

Alberta Enterprise commissioned the 2012, and 2016 Alberta Deal Flow Studies to address a critical knowledge gap identified in the technology sector. The 2016 Alberta Deal Flow Study is a collaborative effort, including data from over 50 stakeholders who promoted the survey.

SOURCE Alberta Enterprise Corporation

For further information: Editorial Contact:+1 780 392 3901, [email protected]
MONTREAL, Sept. 28, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Francois Desjardins, President and CEO of Laurentian Bank of Canada (TSX: LB), provided today an update to employees on the Bank's transformation and growth plan.

"Today, we announced that we will merge fifty branches over the next eighteen months, while ensuring we continue to provide the level of service that meets our customers' needs", stated Mr. Desjardins.

The challenge for Laurentian Bank, as well as for other Canadian financial institutions, is to develop a winning formula in an environment in which technology and demographics are rapidly evolving and in which economic and regulatory frameworks remain challenging. Continued progress on the transformation plan means that the Bank must evolve to meet customers' needs particularly as their transactional habits are changing. These customer behavior changes, among other things, have led to a reduction in the number of branch visits, a reality seen across the industry.

The traditional Bank operating model is becoming obsolete. "We necessarily have to adapt our retail services in light of this reality to optimize our operating efficiency, while meeting the changing demands of our customers", he added.

These mergers will lead to a reduction of about three hundred positions, mainly through natural attrition.

To support our transformation plan, we have chosen to focus our value proposition on selected attributes through which we wish to distinguish ourselves. "We want to be recognized for the expertise of our advisors and our account managers, for the ease of doing business with us as well as having a simplified product range complemented by automated transaction services", stated Mr. Desjardins.

Since the implementation of the Bank's transformation and growth plan earlier this year, Laurentian Bank has reported significant progress in the creation of a simpler and more efficient organization. Among other things, Laurentian has announced that it will modernize its core banking system to enhance the customer experience and offer new mobile solutions. It was also announced in August that all Montreal corporate offices will locate at one site to achieve substantial savings. Furthermore, it recently advanced its market specialization strategy by agreeing to acquire the Canadian equipment financing and corporate financing activities of CIT Canada, thus increasing the proportion of revenue generated by the Business services sector's activities.

"We are confident in achieving our ambitious financial and growth targets while creating a more efficient and profitable bank for the benefit of our employees, customers and shareholders", concluded Mr. Desjardins.

About Laurentian Bank

Laurentian Bank of Canada is a banking institution whose activities extend across Canada. Founded in 1846, its mission is to help customers improve their financial health and is guided by values of proximity, simplicity and honesty.

The Bank serves one and a half million clients throughout the country and employs more than 3,600 individuals whose talent and dedication have made it a major player in numerous market segments. The Bank caters to the needs of retail clients via its branch network based in Quebec and Ottawa. The Bank has also earned a solid reputation among small and medium-sized enterprises and real estate developers thanks to its specialized teams across Canada, namely in Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Its subsidiary B2B Bank is, for its part, a Canadian leader in providing banking and investment products and services through financial advisors and brokers, while Laurentian Bank Securities offers integrated brokerage services to a clientele of institutional and retail investors.

The Bank has more than $40 billion in balance sheet assets and $43 billion in assets under administration.

SOURCE Laurentian Bank of Canada

For further information: Helene Soulard, Assistant Vice-President, Communications, 514 284-4500 ext. 8232, Cell phone: 514 926-3295, [email protected]
A final peace agreement between Colombia's government and a national guerrilla movement was signed Monday, bringing an end to the longest-running insurgency in the Western Hemisphere.

"Nobody has given up their ideology," said the maximum leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) Rodrigo Londono (better known by his alias of Timochenko), in a speech after signing the peace pact with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos.

The rebel leader asked for forgiveness for all the harm his movement had caused over the decades.

FARC's funding was primarily derived from the country's illicit cocaine industry, and its armed movement was the last full-blown one inspired originally by Cuban and Soviet ideology against democratic institutions in the Americas.

"No more war," declared Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos in his remarks following Timochenko. "I welcome you to democracy, change weapons for votes and weapons for ideas."

The conflict since the mid-1960s displaced millions of people and left more than 250,000 dead.

The front page of Monday's El Tiempo newspaper put it more precisely: "La paz luego de 267,162 muertos. (Peace after 267,162 dead)."

Speaking to the press after the signing of the agreement, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he normally wouldn't travel during the opening days of the UN General Assembly, which is currently taking place in New York, but he wanted to reinforce his personal commitment to the peace process in Colombia.

"I commend the parties for their adherence to the cease-fire, and for the initial release of a group of minors from the FARC-EP," he said. "Both sides have also acknowledged responsibility for human rights violations during the decades of conflict -- an important admission that can help the process of healing."

Ban said the UN already has 200 unarmed observers on the ground in Colombia working with victims, and the organization "will remain vigilant" in moving forward with the ceasefire.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters Monday in the Caribbean port city, founded in the 16th century, that depending on the implementation of the peace pact, the United States could remove the FARC from its terrorism list.

"The announcement is an idea," Kerry said. "The implementation are facts, so let's see how it proceeds, but we clearly are prepared to review and make judgments about that as the facts come in."
OTTAWA, Sept. 27, 2016 /CNW/ - The Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, today issued the following statement:

"The Prime Minister gave us a clear mandate to serve Canadian Armed Forces members, Veterans and their families. I can tell you in no uncertain terms that I believe in my responsibility as Canada's Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence.

"On behalf of all Canadians, I will make sure their service to Canada is recognized and honoured, and provide new career opportunities, make it easier for Veterans to access servicesincluding mental health servicesand do more to support the families of Canada's Veterans.

"This means the gap between National Defence and Veterans Affairs must be closed, and I am working with my colleague, the Minister of National Defence, to reduce complexity, overhaul service delivery, and strengthen partnerships between Veterans Affairs and National Defence.

"The Canadian Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Canada are committed to honouring those who have selflessly served this country. We will do so by continuing to take substantial steps to finding solutions that will improve the health, well-being and financial security of Canadian Veterans and their families.

"Considerable work has been completed to streamline and simplify the transition from service in the Canadian Armed Forces. For example, Enhanced Transition Services is about Veterans Affairs Canada engaging earlier with releasing Canadian Armed Forces members and their families, as early intervention is one of the critical components of a successful transition. This joint VAC/CAF initiative has been launched at all 24 integrated personnel support centres, and it has:

contributed to increased awareness among Canadian Armed Forces case managers about the importance of more coordinated pre-release early applications for Veterans Affairs Canada benefits;

allowed Veterans Affairs Canada case managers to engage earlier with releasing Canadian Armed Forces members; and,

led to more efforts to streamline the Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces release process that will further facilitate Veteran Affairs Canada's early involvement in the transition process.

"We recognize that there is more to be done. We are working diligently with the Canadian Armed Forces and the Department of National Defence to fulfill our common core goal of a Seamless Transition. Together, the Department of National Defence, Canadian Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Canada are continuing to address issues of mutual interest and concern.

"We are working to further improve the current service delivery model to provide a standard approach that will eliminate barriers to a successful transition for all releasing members.

"I look forward to discussing the Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces Ombudsman's recommendations with my colleagues, stakeholders and other Canadians."

SOURCE Veterans Affairs Canada

For further information: Media Relations, Veterans Affairs Canada, 613-992-7468
OTTAWA, Sept. 28, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Canada Post has launched its annual fundraising campaign to improve the lives of children and youths with the unveiling of two new Community Foundation stamps.

The stamps are simple but iconic, with the hopes and dreams of youth rendered in the line drawing of a small bird. The illustration is by renowned Canadian art director and graphic designer Andrew Lewis and appears in two brightly coloured variations (click here for stamp images).

The stamps give customers a way to donate $1 per 10-stamp booklet, or 10 cents in the case of an Official First Day Cover, directly to the Canada Post Community Foundation for Children. The Foundation supports breakfast programs, anti-bullying initiatives, camps for children living with serious illnesses, early literacy programs, crisis lines, health programs and more. "The sale of these stamps, and the enthusiastic fundraising of our employees, helps our Foundation deliver a brighter future for children across the country," says Deepak Chopra, President and CEO of Canada Post. "We deeply appreciate the response the stamps, and our request for support for the Foundation, gets every year from Canadians."

The campaign runs from September 26 to October 30 and raises funds through several channels including an in-store campaign and the sale of the stamps, which customers can purchase at canadapost.ca or at any Canada Post outlet.

In 2016, 125 community organizations across Canada shared almost $1.2 million raised in last year's campaign. The Foundation granted approximately $4 million to some 320 community projects over the years 2013, 2014 and 2015.

About the stamps

The "semi-postal" PermanentTM stamps have a surcharge of $1 a booklet, with funds going directly to the Canada Post Community Foundation for Children. They appear in two colour variations of an identical image and are printed by Lowe Martin in seven colours. Booklets of 10 contain five of each colour variation. The two single-stamp Official First Day Covers are cancelled in Ottawa. The booklets measure 74 mm x 230 mm flat or 74 mm x 155 mm folded. The first day covers measure 190 mm x 112 mm.

About the Canada Post Community Foundation

The Foundation aims to ensure that every child in Canada is happy, healthy and surrounded by a community that supports and cares for them. The Foundation's mission is to make a positive impact in the lives of children in communities Canada Post serves by supporting registered charities, school programs or local initiatives that benefit children.

SOURCE Canada Post

For further information: Media Relations, 613-734-8888, [email protected]
The 2011 Champions League final was very much a night to remember for Eric Abidal.Just a few months prior to the final against Manchester United, Abidal was diagnosed with a tumour in his liver.The French defender recovered to play in the final against Wembley and was part of one of the finest team performances in recent memory.Barcelona blitzed Manchester United, winning 3-1 and completing the treble under Pep Guardiola, thanks to goals from Pedro, Leo Messi and David Villa.Wayne Rooney pulled a goal back for Manchester United but Sir Alex Fergusons side simply couldnt regain possession from a thrilling Barcelona, playing some of the finest Tiki-Taka ever seen.In Andres Iniestas new book, Eric Abidal has discussed the last half an hour of that final, and it doesnt reflect well on Manchester United.But, if you were on the receiving end of that Barcelona side, what else could you do but shout and scream!Abidal: The thing I remember most about that final is the last half an hour. The English players were angry, really furious, because we had turned Wembley into a huge rondo and there was nothing they could do about it.The former France defender continued: They kept swearing, shouting everything under the sun. It was incredible. Some of my team-mates couldnt understand them, but I could. Thats enough, stop f**cking about. Were dead. And there are still twenty-five minutes left!'Abidal added: Xavi, Iniesta, (Lionel) Messi, (Sergio) Busquets, (Dani) Alves, who was practically a midfielder that day, kept going: pim-pam, pim-pam, pim-pam.
The U.S. on Monday announced criminal charges and sanctions against Hongxiang Industrial Development Co. for aiding North Korea's nuclear program.

Hongxiang is accused of conspiring to evade U.S. sanctions on North Korea, violating U.S. regulations against supporting proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and money laundering.

The move aims to strangle the flow of money and goods into North Korea since Hongxiang is responsible for the bulk of China's trade with the North.

The U.S. Treasury Department in a statement said it added Hongxiang and four executives -- Ma Xiaohong, Zhou Jianshu, Hong Jinhua, and Luo Chuanxu -- to a blacklist that bans American individuals, companies or financial institutions from doing business with them.

The Treasury also moved to seize 25 bank accounts controlled by the Dandong-based company in China. It said Hongxiang acted on behalf of Korea Kwangson Banking Corp., which has already been blacklisted by the U.S. and UN for supporting the North's nuclear and other weapons developments.

The U.S. Justice Department said four Chinese individuals were indicted for violating international laws, fraud against the U.S. and money laundering.

Hongxiang set up four front companies in Hong Kong and other countries from August 2009 until September 2015 and opened 25 accounts in Chinese banks. The accounts were used for transactions with Standard Chartered and Deutsche Bank to launder money for Kwangson.
Andre Schurrle scored three minutes from time to help Borussia Dortmund salvage a late 2-2 draw at home against Real Madrid in Champions League Group F on Tuesday.Cristiano Ronaldo's opener for Madrid was cancelled out by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, before Varane tapped home a rebound from the post in the 68th minute, only for Schurrle to equalise again late on.Gareth Bale raced on to a ball into the box in the 18th minute and back-heeled it to Ronaldo immediately behind him, and the Portuguese took a first-time shot for his 98th career goal in European competition.But Dortmund quickly regained their footing to control most of the first half. And they were back level two minutes before the break after a comical error from Real keeper Keylor Navas.Raphael Guerreiro sent a long free kick right at the Costa Rican, who decided to punch it away, but it came back toward him off Varane's head and Aubameyang was on hand to push it over the line.Ronaldo then thought he'd restored Real's lead, but his header just before the half-time whistle was ruled out for offside.The visitors did retake the lead midway through the second half when Ronaldo's cross to the back post fell to Karim Benzema to volley off the near post, and Varane tapped it in.Dortmund put on Christian Pulisic in pursuit of an equaliser, and the 18-year-old played a part in the final goal when he crossed for Aubameyang, who missed his overhead kick, but it fell to Schurrle to blast into the roof of the net.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday welcomed the proposed five billion dollars investment in Nigeria by visiting Indian business deleg...

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday welcomed the proposed five billion dollars investment in Nigeria by visiting Indian business delegation, led by Indian Vice-President Hamid Ansari.According to a statement issued by Buharis Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, the President made the remark when he received Ansari at the State House, Abuja. Shehu quoted Buhari as saying India has already invested 10 billion dollars in the Nigerian economy. Nigeria will continue to deepen its relationship with India in the areas of health, education, agriculture, technology and trade.The President also said Nigeria had over the years benefited from the cooperation of the Asian country in trade and investment, agriculture, technology and the fight against terrorism. According to him, Nigeria will emulate Indias agricultural model and capacity to feed its one billion population, and also export to other countries, describing the country as sustainable and prosperous. President Buhari noted that Nigeria would continue to support the reform of the UN Security Council, pointing out that it was unfair on the rest of the world for five countries to exercise power of yes or no in the UN.In his remarks, the Indian Vice-President said that his country, which was the leading buyer of Nigerias crude oil, would increase its purchase of the commodity in addition to natural gas. He said the relationship between Nigeria and India was near perfect as both countries have nothing to quarrel about.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the present administration has observed that corruption keeps fighting back despite the concerted effort...

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the present administration has observed that corruption keeps fighting back despite the concerted effort against it.Prof. Osinbajo said this at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday while receiving a delegation of the University of Lagos Alumni Association.We have watched corruption fighting back. Some people even said bring back corruption, but not the man in the street, he said.Look at the sheer amount of money stolen and decisions taken that fueled corruption, decisions taken just with the sole aim of cornering national resources, Osinbajo said.The VP said President Muhammadu Buharis administration was not sitting down focusing on it (fighting corruption). All we do is to empower the relevant agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and others to do their jobs. Our main focus is the national economy.The leader of the delegation, Dr Sunny Kuku, pledged the associations support for Buharis administration.
Against an earlier statement of possible shut-down of the countrys power supply over cash liquidity and gas supply difficulties in the ...

Against an earlier statement of possible shut-down of the countrys power supply over cash liquidity and gas supply difficulties in the power sector, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has faulted such claims, describing it as inflammatory and insensitive to Nigerias national security.The minister made this known at the opening ceremony of the Power Nigeria Agenda 2016, yesterday in Lagos.It will be recalled that the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Egbin Power Plc, Mr. Dallas Peavey Jr, had warned that the countrys electricity woes may worsen in the coming weeks as liquidity and gas supply issues continue to threaten operations of Egbin, noting that owners of the plant might be forced to consider shutting it down if the challenges remain unresolved.Dispelling the remarks, Fashola said: The statement is inflammatory and it was insensitive to our national security. Speaking further, he said: If the commentator was not introspective, he would mention that the debts were not incurred by this administration, and that debt and settlement are continuous events in the power value chain, bills are served, claims are made, they are verified and settled.Also, he would have spoken about approval and payment that have been made this year. It is a continuous verification for claims and settlement of debts. All of the debts that are owed and legitimately contracted, verified will be paid. There is a clear policy decision in that area, but it requires all operators, those who claim and those who have to pay to operate in a transparent manner. We will not pay debt that are not properly verified and accounted for.He, however, refuted claims that the grid is very fragile and cannot support 1300MW not to talk of 5000MW. He said the grid currently has the capacity to support 5300MW which is expanding on a daily basis.We are synchronizing with the Generating Companies and the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) in order to ensure the service end that connects both, which is the Transmission Company of Nigeria is able to respond adequately on demand. These are some of the serious issues that we take up at our monthly power meeting. Our next meeting will hold in Sokoto, the Minister said.
The family of the former Inspector General of Police, Sir Etim Okon Inyang, on Wednesday, confirmed the passage of the non-nonsense poli...

The family of the former Inspector General of Police, Sir Etim Okon Inyang, on Wednesday, confirmed the passage of the non-nonsense police chief.In a statement made available to newsmen, the family confirmed that their father passed on at the Reddington Hospital, Lagos on Monday night.In the statement signed by the son of the late IGP, Inyang Etim Inyang, the family said their bread winner died at the age of 85.We write to formally announce the call to Glory of our father, grandfather, uncle, brother and friend, Ovong (Sir) Etim Okon Inyang, NPM, KJW, GCON, Inspector General of Police (rtd) which event occurred at the Reddington Hospital, Lagos on September 26th, 2016.He was 85. Sir Etim Okon Inyang joined the Nigerian Police Force on October 1st, 1949. He rose through the ranks, becoming Commissioner of Police in Kano and old Bendel States.In 1984, he was appointed Inspector General of Police and served meritoriously until his voluntarily retirement in October 1986. He was appointed Vice Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee in 1987. He was conferred with the National Honour of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON). He is survived by his wife, Mary, and five children, the family said.
The Catholic Bishop of Abuja Arch Diocese, John Onaiyekan has advised the federal government against resorting to the use of military forc...

The Catholic Bishop of Abuja Arch Diocese, John Onaiyekan has advised the federal government against resorting to the use of military force in solving the problems posed by Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast and the Niger Delta Avengers in the South-South.The catholic cleric said the use of force would rather worsen the whole issue.Onaiyekan spoke in Abuja yesterday at the National Inter-faith Dialogue Meeting organised by IPCR and International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) in collaboration with the Interfaith Media Center (IMC).He said: We have been hearing about Boko Haram; we have been hearing about Niger Delta militants and others and it probably seems to be taken for granted that all we need is better arms, better trained soldiers and we shall solve the problem.I am afraid it has never worked that way anywhere in the world. At some point, after the soldiers have finished their job, human beings must sit around the table and talk. There is nobody that you cannot talk with because everybody is a human being  the child of a mother and maybe the sweetheart of a woman.Our own Boko Haram has not taken 52 years. We are only talking of three, four years. Surely, it is not too late to now move seriously in line of dialogue. That does not mean impunity. That does not mean that nobody cares about atrocities committed.What it does mean is that no matter the atrocities, it is always possible for human beings to see one another as brothers and sisters.Cardinal Onaiyekan urged the government to show more interest, put more effort, resources a bit more and a little bit of interest in getting some dialogue going.He said: The Federal Government should be prepared to dialogue with everybody. Very often, the military reaction or response can prepare the way for a fruitful dialogue, but you must keep dialogue constantly in mind. My fear is that we are not thinking of dialogue now. Things can go hand in hand.And dialogue is not something you do in front of cameras. Generally, it is a bit quiet, in the background; there is not much noise and even when the whole thing is over, people, who were involved in the dialogue, or that prepared the way would not even be seen or heard.People who want to work for peace are not there to score political points or to appear in public. They just want to do the right thing and I think there are many people in Nigeria who are ready to work for peace.If you take Boko Haram for example, I have always said that government should encourage Muslims who want to talk to them to do so instead of seeing everybody who has any link with Boko Haram as terrorists, which is what seems to be what I am seeing.It is only people who are closed to them who can talk to them and that needs to be consciously promoted because you can never kill every Boko Haram member and even if you do, it is not in the interest of Nigeria to kill our brothers and sisters. We must find a way of getting back them as brothers and sisters that they are.
Telecoms giant MTN has denied allegations that it illegally repatriated $13.92 billion out of Nigeria over a period of 10 years.

Telecoms giant MTN has denied allegations that it illegally repatriated $13.92 billion out of Nigeria over a period of 10 years.The allegation was made on the floor of the Nigerian senate on Tuesday by Dino Melaye, the senator representing Kogi west.In a brief statement issued on Wednesday, Ferdi Moolman, the CEO of MTN Nigeria, said the allegation lacks any merit.According to Moolman, The allegations made against MTN are completely unfounded and without any merit.MTN has been having a rough patch with the Nigerian authorities since it started operations in 2001.The South African company has at various times been accused of taking money out of Nigeria under the pretext of printing recharge cards.It also recently incurred a fine of N1.04 trillion for failing to disconnect unregistered lines, and the reduction of the fine to N330 billion has been opposed by lawmakers.
Pastor Ize-Iyamu The Lagos State Government on Wednesday dismissed allegations made by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (...

Pastor Ize-Iyamu

The Lagos State Government on Wednesday dismissed allegations made by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Osagie Ize-Iyamu alleging that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and his Kaduna State counterpart, Nasir El-Rufai were in Edo State for the election.In a statement signed by the States Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, the government described the allegations by the PDP candidate as reckless and disgraceful.Mr. Ayorinde while clarifying the position of the government said Governor Ambode was presently overseas for an official assignment and in any case had no business being in Edo State on Election Day.The Lagos State Governor served as the chairman Campaign Council constituted by the All Progressives Congress and his duty ended 24 hours before the election because no campaign was supposed to hold 24 hours to the election and having completed his assignment which included appearing with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Grand Rally in Edo State earlier in the month, Governor Ambode has no reason to return to Edo State on election day and for this sort of lie to have been peddled by a candidate who is supposed to be a pastor, is reckless and disgraceful.Mr. Ayorinde said Governor Ambode had clearly enumerated his position on the election during the Grand Finale of the campaign when he said that like Lagos where continuity has moved perfectly well, Edo State also deserves continuity in governance.That message has been passed and has been accepted by majority of Edo indigenes and therefore there would not be any need for the Governor to return to Edo on Election Day. The general public and security operatives are hereby advised to ignore the desperate lies of Pastor Ize-Iyamu, Mr. Ayorinde said.The spokespersons of Governors Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos and Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna have refuted the claim by the PDP candidate.Both governors were nowhere near Edo today, their spokespersons said.
The Korea Tourism Organization expects 40,000 more Chinese tourists than last year and projects that they will spend over W600 billion (US$1=W1,099).

A quarter of a million Chinese visitors are expected in Korea starting this weekend as China celebrates its weeklong national holiday.

Department stores here say Chinese tourists generate huge revenues and have expanded store space for brands they favor.

Each Chinese tourist who visited Korea last year spent US$2,319 on average excluding airfare, making them the biggest foreign spenders.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said around 300 officers will be stationed around major duty-free shops and tourist attractions in the capital to prevent traffic jams caused by vast fleets of tour buses.

A record 5.6 million Chinese are expected to travel abroad during this year's "Golden Week," and top destinations like Japan and Thailand have been working hard to attract them.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts and Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani, has...

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts and Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani, has, Wednesday, urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Magu to extend their anti-corruption fight to the Middle East and Far East where he alleged some corrupt Nigerians ferried Nigerians looted treasury to.Sani, spoke in Kano during a courtesy visit to elder statesmen, Alh Tanko Yakasai and Alh Yusuf Maitama Sule. According to him, hundreds of billions of taxpayers money have been stolen over the years and we have a duty to recover them, but it is very evidently clear that the idea of looted funds and the recovery from outside Nigeria seems to be beginning and ending with Abacha as if it is only Abacha that stole money and he is the only person whose money should be returned back to Nigeria.I believe that we should go beyond that and check on how our own money was filtered away and taken to countries of the Middle East and also the Far East. Sani who is also a front line Civil Society Organisation (CSO) leader also said that, it is disturbing that at this very critical moment of our countrys history, we have been faced with a series of economic challenges that clearly if not managed very well will lead us to self-destruction.In the last four to five decades, we have been dependent on oil revenue and we have seen how over the years, the resources accrued from such revenue have not reflected or have not tallied with the level of social and economic development we have seen on the ground. We have seen how a culture of waste and mismanagement over the years, how a culture of lack of saving has made it impossible for us to address some issues that are facing us as a country.It is a fact that Nigerians are suffering and the country that was seen to be very promising in Africa in the past is now lacking the capacity to stir the ship of our state and to lead other African states. He equally noted that It is disgraceful that our political ruling elite over the years have not been able to save for the rainy day.It has reached a point today whereby states can no longer pay salaries; they go deeper and deeper into debt; and it also looks as if there is no clear plan on ground to exit ourselves from the problems we have found ourselves, he concluded.
ATLANTIC COUNTY -- A New Jersey mom accused of being high on drugs when she rolled onto her baby earlier this year was charged Tuesday with aggravated manslaughter in the 7-month-old's death.

Lisa Scalia

Lisa Scalia, 32, was previously charged with endangering the welfare of a child and drug offenses after her 7-month-old daughter was found unresponsive in the family's Ventnor home in January.

The infant died four days later at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia.

Police said they found 34 bags of heroin and 10 oxycodone pills when they arrived at the residence.

Scalia has been held at the Atlantic County jail since her arrest nearly nine months ago. Her bail on the new charge was set at $100,000.

She could receive 20 years in prison if convicted of aggravated manslaughter.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
-- There are few signs left of the burgeoning movie industry that

in the early 20

th

Century before it moved to Hollywood.

But at least one of them will be preserved.

The Rambo House, a saloon frequently used as a set in early westerns, will become a home for two veteran families by November. Officials from Fort Lee and Bergen County who worked together to save the 19

th

Century building celebrated its preservation on Wednesday.

The Fort Lee Housing Authority used $565,000 from its affordable housing trust fund and $240,000 from the county to purchase and renovate the house, which was slated to be replaced with a duplex.

"Not only did we save this incredible landmark but we are also providing a place to sleep for needy families in Fort Lee," said Terrence Corriston, executive director of the housing authority.

Thomas Meyers, executive director of the Fort Lee Film Commission, learned about the plans to knock down the house in 2013. He contacted Mayor Mark Sokolich, who convinced the developer to wait until Fort Lee could purchase the house.

The distinctive front porch at the Rambo House provided a setting for many early films, including the 1912 movie "A Grocery Clerk's Romance," one of the few films preserved from the era, Meyers said. The house also served as a dressing room and gathering place for film crews working in Fort Lee when it was still the capital of the early film industry.

It also became a center of innovation. In one instance, cinematographer Billy Bitzer grabbed a cloth from a picnic table outside the house, lifted it to the sun and invented the technique of diffusing light, Meyers said.

"This was almost like the Silicon Valley of filmmaking," he said.

The film commission has posted a sign outside the house detailing its history. Meyers said it would still be a historic landmark, despite its new use as affordable housing.

The county's $240,000 went toward rehabilitating the Rambo House. The developer had removed the plumbing and electrical systems in preparation for demolition before Fort Lee purchased it.

It was in rough shape by the time GK Contractors of Pompton Lakes began working on it.

"Basically the back unit was falling apart," said Toni Kocevski, one of the owners of GK Contractors. "It was full of old stuff. It was abandoned mostly."

He and partner Ivica Gjorskoski worked from March all they until 2:30 a.m. Wednesday to make sure it was in good shape for a 10:30 a.m. check presentation ceremony.

Corriston hopes two veteran families can move in by Nov. 1. The housing authority will subsidize their rents with Section 8 vouchers.

Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
A Bergen County man visiting his brother in Connecticut allegedly stabbed the sibling in the back during a drunken fight Monday evening, according to a report.

Peter Swett, 57, of Dumont was arrested by Stamford police and charged with first degree assault, according to TheHour.com.

The 48-year-old brother was found lying face down with towels on his bloody back in the parking lot of apartment complex at around 7:30 p.m., the report said.

A neighbor said he heard the two arguing.

Police told the website they didn't have further details because they haven't been able to interview the victim.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
CLIFFSIDE PARK - Police arrested a man in New Jersey who they said fled a single-family home in The Bronx Tuesday just moments before the home blew up, killing a New York Fire Department battalion chief, according to multiple reports.

Julio Salcedo (Police handout)

Julio Salcedo, 32, was arrested Tuesday afternoon in Cliffside Park, a law enforcement source told ABC.

The NY Post reported Salcedo was arrested by a task force made up of NYPD detectives and U.S. Marshals on a warrant for a petty crime not related to the explosion.

Salcedo had been renting the Bronx house that exploded as an odor of gas was being investigated on Tuesday, the New York Daily News reported.

Firefighters and police responded to the house and knocked on the door, NYC Fire Commissioner Dan Nigro said during a press conference.

Salcedo came out and fled, according to the ABC report.

Moments later, the house exploded and caught fire. FDNY Battalion Chief Michael Fahy was stuck by flying debris and killed. More than a dozen other people on the street were injured, Nigro said.

Police say the home at 300 W. 234th St., had been used as a marijuana-growing facility.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
EVESHAM TWP. -- Evesham Police Lt. Joseph Friel said that the department's body camera videos are used as evidence in criminal investigations or sometimes in internal reviews of how officers behaved.

Joseph Commisso

But for the first time in the three years Evesham police have used the cameras, the footage has led to a man being charged for falsely reporting a crime that never occurred.

Joseph Commisso, 29, of Marlton, is wanted on a charge of falsely incriminating another after he claimed an officer attacked him during his arrest June 23 on a drunk driving charge.

"It was a complete lie," Friel said Wednesday.

Friel said Commisso filed a complaint claiming he was physically assaulted, which initiated an internal affairs investigation. After months of interviews with officers and reviewing their body camera footage, the officer was "completely exonerated," Friel said.

He declined to release the video footage Wednesday, but said it may be available through an Open Public Records Act request at the discretion of the Burlington County prosecutor's office.

Some of the recent national discussion surrounding body cameras has had to do with holding officers accountable and keeping them honest.

But Commisso's story is an example of why the cameras help protect officers, too, Friel said.

Any time there is a complaint about an officer's demeanor or actions toward someone, he said, "the first thing internal affairs does is access the video."

"It's not always this black and white," he said, if someone is complaining about an officer's demeanor or feels that they were targeted for some reason. "But it's not about someone's perception, if they're saying an officer attacked them."

In Commisso's arrest, all officers involved had their body cameras on, Friel said, and none of them showed any physical violence.

He declined to name the officer Commisso accused.

After closing their internal investigation Tuesday, police sought a criminal complaint against Commisso. A municipal court judge issued a warrant for his arrest, but police weren't able to serve him at his residence in Marlton.

Friel said that they've received multiple tips about Commisso's whereabouts since posting his photograph on Facebook Wednesday.

Anyone with information about him is asked to contact the Evesham Police Department at 856-983-1116, the Confidential Tip Line at 856-983-4699 or email at facebook@eveshampd.org. Anonymous tips can be texted with ETPDTIP to 847411.

Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
DELRAN TWP. -- A Burlington County art teacher lost his license after he showed a photo of a nude woman in class, the New Jersey Department of Education Board of Examiners announced Monday.

James Cottingham, 62, a Delran High School photography teacher and resident of Delran, was sentenced to one year probation, fined, and ordered to give up his teaching certification after pleading guilty on Aug. 9 to harassment-communication in a manner to cause alarm.

As of Sept. 16, Cottingham's Teacher of Art certificate has been revoked.

The charge stems from an incident on April 8 when the Delran Police Department were contacted by school officials after a student told them that "an image of a naked woman was projected onto a board" by Cottingham from a computer being used in his class on that day.

Cottingham was arrested in May. Authorities seized multiple computers and storage devices during the investigation.

"A forensic examination of the devices by a detective discovered searches of adult pornography on one of the computers," the prosecutor's office said.

According to the prosecutor's office, the student indicated that Cottingham had his back to the board and did not initially appear to know the image was being displayed.

Cottingham -- who made $70,000 a year in his position -- was a certified art teacher since March 1998. He will not be permitted to seek certified work in New Jersey public schools indefinitely.

Brittany Wehner may be reached at bwehner@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @brittanymwehner. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
GLOUCESTER TWP. -- Whether it be the fire house phone ringing, dispatch radioing in or a request for service from someone on the street, police, fire and EMS personnel answer the call -- always.

For their sacrifices and so much more, hundreds of family, friends and students came out to the Diocese of Camden's annual Blue Mass that honors those in the field across South Jersey.

"This is an opportunity for us to express our gratitude to those in uniform who serve us," Bishop Dennis Sullivan said at the Our Lady of Hope Parish, St. Agnes Church on Wednesday.

Units from Camden, Gloucester, Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Salem counties were recognized for the work they do on a daily basis and the members they lost in the past year, including New Jersey State Police troopers Sean Cullen, Eli McCarson and former Trenton police officer Edward Leopardi.

Father Joseph Szolack, the parish's new pastor, is the son of a former Woodbury police officer who later worked undercover narcotics investigations for the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office.

"So often I wanted my dad to carry a briefcase and go to work like everyone else," said Szolack. "Of course my dad went out the door with a 9mm [handgun]," he said.

"How often you know there is no rest for the weary," he continued. "Nothing will stop you from doing your duty when you're a disciple of Jesus."

Honored at the ceremony for decades of service across South Jersey was Deacon Jim Hogan, Gloucester County's clerk who formerly served as Franklin Township's chief of police and continues to comfort those at South Woods State Prison, in Cumberland County, and Camden City homeless shelter Joseph's House.

"There's people along the way to help you, then it's your job to give back to those you run into," Hogan said after receiving a standing ovation.

Commenting on the number of students in attendance, Gloucester Township Police Department Deputy Chief David Harkins said Wednesday was "one of the best community policing interactions we could have."

The recent heat brought down on police as a result of shootings across the country, in which armed and unarmed people were killed, was also addressed by Szolack.

"Do not give ammunition to those who think you don't matter," he said.

Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
TRENTON -- Two state lawmakers on Wednesday will unveil a plan they say can make college more affordable for New Jersey students and their families.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and Sen. Sandra Cunningham (D-Hudson) will announce the initiative at a 3 p.m. news conference in Trenton, according to Sweeney's office.

Fredrick Keating, chairman of the state's College Affordability Study Commission, will also participate in the announcement.

New Jersey is home to some of the nation's most expensive public colleges and nearly every four-year college and university in the state increased tuition and fees for 2016-17.

The state in 2015 created a study commission to identify ways to make college more affordable, including a "Pay it Forward Pilot Program" in which public college and universities can waive tuition and fees in favor of taking a percentage of students' future earnings.

Keating, president of Rowan College at Gloucester County, has previously said that asking colleges to freeze or reduce tuition is a not a viable solution. Expecting the state to spend another $1 billion on education is also unrealistic, he said last year.

The commission focused more on the structure of student debt and ways to get students through college more quickly, including taking college credits in their senior year of high school and improving the transfer of credits from community colleges to four-year universities, he said.

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
TRENTON -- Calling the price of New Jersey colleges a threat to the state's future, Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday called for income tax deductions on interest paid on student loans, more state financial aid, three-year degrees and a series of other initiatives aimed at saving students money.

The proposals, which stem from a government task force report on college affordability, were unveiled by State Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and Sen. Sandra Cunningham (D-Hudson).

The two will introduce a package of 11 bills on Thursday aimed at making college more affordable in a state with some of the nation's most expensive public colleges, they said.

"One of the most disappointing experiences you can have is to talk to a young person who says they want to go to college but they don't have to money to do it," Cunningham said. "It makes me think about just how many people in this state have not been given the opportunity to reach their full potential."

New Jersey has long been known as a high tuition, high aid state, meaning it has expensive colleges but offers generous financial aid packages.

However, many of the grants available are for either high performing or low-income students and leave middle class families with steep tuition bills and mountains of debt.

Rather than asking colleges to freeze or reduce tuition, the state's task force on college affordability focused on what it called realistic initiatives: helping students graduate from college more quickly, improving existing state financial aid programs and ensuring families are well-informed about the cost of college.

"The large majority of people just don't understand the process," said Frederick Keating, chair of the task force and president of Rowan College at Gloucester County. "They don't understand what they are getting into."

The bills will call for changes beginning in high school with an added emphasis on financial literacy, such as student loan repayment options and the consequences of failing to replay loans.

Sweeney and Cunningham also want to see an expansion of dual enrollment, which allows students to take college courses and earn credits during high school.

County colleges are a major component of the plan, with the goal to make those colleges more appealing to students and, in turn, help those students spend less on their college degree.

The bills would make more New Jersey students eligible for tuition-free county college and develop a uniform standard for transferring credits earned at those schools.

Sweeney and Cunningham also endorsed the creation of so-called "3-plus-1 programs," allowing students to complete three years at a county college and one year at a four-year college and receive a degree from the four-year school.

Other initiatives include three-year degree programs, caps on the number of credits required for college degrees and digital, more affordable textbooks.

The lawmakers did not yet have an estimate for how much the plan would cost the state or how many people would be eligible for the tax deductions, which would apply to families with a single income up to $80,000 or joint incomes as high as $160,000.

Sweeney considers the proposal nonpartisan and hopes the bills will move through the Legislature quickly, he said. But he expects some opposition.

"No one goes along with change easily," he said.

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is visiting Seoul on Wednesday.

Rutte will be given honorary citizenship of Seoul after meeting with the capitals mayor Park Won-soon to discuss eco-friendly policies and sustainable urban development.

He is bringing a present of 220 bicycles, sponsored by the Dutch government and companies with offices here including ING Bank and Philips.

Available for public use, they will be painted in the Dutch national colors to mark the bilateral friendship.
TRENTON -- The U.S. Department of Education on Wednesday announced that 10 New Jersey schools have been named National Blue Ribbon Schools, a recognition celebrating excellence in academics.

The six public schools and four private schools are among 329 nationwide to receive the honor.

Blue Ribbon Schools have either demonstrated overall academic excellence or have made strides to improve the achievement gap among students in the building.

"National Blue Ribbon Schools are proof that we can prepare every child for college and meaningful careers," Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. said in a video message to the schools.

New Jersey regularly places several schools on the national list, including 15 last year and 11 the year before. Acting state Education Commissioner Kimberley Harrington congratulated the schools on their accomplishment.

"Schools across the nation covet this honor and rightfully take great pride when they are selected," she said.

At Essex Fells Elementary School, students watched the video announcement in an assembly. When the school's name and picture came on the screen, the gymnasium erupted with cheering and confetti.

'"It was pure joy," principal Michelle Gadaleta said.

The schools will be honored at a ceremony on Washington, D.C., in November. Here's the list of New Jersey schools named Blue Ribbon Schools for 2016:

Public schools

Academy for Performing Arts, Union County Vocational Technical Schools

Essex Fells Elementary School, Essex Fells School District

Lyncrest Elementary School, Fair Lawn Public Schools

Cedar Hill Elementary School, Montville Township Public Schools

Central Jersey College Prep Charter School (Somerset)

Cranbury Elementary School, Cranbury School District

Private schools

Academy of the Most Blessed Sacrament (Franklin Lakes)

St. Augustine of Canterbury School (Kendall Park)

St. Cassian Elementary School (Montclair)

Saint Peter School (Point Pleasant Beach)

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
NEWARK -- For some, getting a tour of Manischewitz's plant and corporate headquarters in Newark is a bit like peaking inside Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, but instead of Snozzberies and Everlasting Gobstoppers, there's thousands of boxes of Mazto Ball mix and Tam Tams.

On Tuesday, David Sugarman, president and CEO of Manischewitz, along with Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, cut through a bright orange ribbon with a cartoonishly large pair of scissors -- a scene akin to something Roald Dahl might have written --marking the beginning of a new walking tour called "The Manischewitz Experience."

Schools, community and other civic groups can now get a behind-the-scenes look at the Manischewitz's food production, kosher practices, and a cross-cultural experience centered on the brand's history and innovation in food trends, a release from the company said.

While Manischewitz has opened its doors to a select few in the past, Sugarman told New Jersey Advance Media that this new experience gives the company an opportunity to share their rich history in kosher food production with a wider audience.

"As we approach Rosh Hashanah," Sugarman said, "we thought this was the perfect time for us to kick this off."

Rabbi Aron Yonah Hayum, a rabbinical supervisor at Manischewitz, took students from the Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy and Boys & Girls Club of Newark on a guided tour throughout the plant.

"For people who are observant of Kosher, Halal; it would be very meaningful for the kids to see how this food that they eat is made," Hayum said. "To people who are not Kosher...it's a little education on how other people look at the world."

Michael Anthony Adams may be reached at madams@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MichaelAdams317. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
NEWARK -- The victim of a Newark carjacking turned out to be a suspect in an investigation that led authorities to seize two vehicles with a haul of counterfeit cigarette tax stamps and more than $18,000, authorities said Wednesday.

Merysol Mendez-Reyes, 51, of Newark, was arrested Sept. 20 after police responded to a reported carjacking and shots fired near Highland and Delavan avenues, according to the city's Department of Public Safety. A man told officers he ran from a carjacking while one of the attackers fired at him with a handgun.

Authorities said they identified Mendez-Reyes as a victim of the carjacking and detectives learned she was also suspected in a scam involving counterfeit cigarette tax stamps. Police did not disclose how they centered on Mendez-Reyes as a suspect in the alleged scheme.

City detectives alerted agents with the state Treasury Department and investigators served search warrants at an unspecified location.

According to police, the search netted evidence, including 75,736 counterfeit New Jersey cigarette tax stamps worth about $204,487, more than 400 cartons of cigarettes with Virginia tax stamps or no stamps and 123 cartons of cigarettes with the phony New Jersey stamps valued at more than $47,000.

Investigators also seized cash, ledgers and tools used to remove and attach the tax stamps on cigarette boxes.

Mendez-Reyes was charged with seven counts related to having counterfeit stamps, contraband cigarettes, and distribution of the items.

In cigarette tax schemes, traffickers often purchase large amounts of cigarettes in Virginia and other states with lower taxes and sell them in New Jersey, which has a higher tax on cigarettes. Traffickers can also use fake New Jersey stamps to make the cigarettes appear legitimate.

"This type of incident, involving counterfeit cigarettes -- commonly known as loosies -- has the potential of creating an even greater quality of life issue for both the public and the police," Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said in a statement.

Ambrose credited the work of Newark police, Treasury Department officials, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations agents. The original carjacking remains under investigation, he added.

Law enforcement officials have dubbed Interstate 95 as "Tobacco Road," for the known cigarette smuggling route that runs from the Carolinas to Maine.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
The U.K. has refused to renew the visas of two North Koreans working for the London office of Pyongyang's state-run insurer Korea National Insurance Corporation.

The office has been blacklisted by the UN for winning compensation from foreign insurers in the U.K. and sending the money back to North Korea.

A diplomatic source in the U.K. on Tuesday said the office has been closed so the U.K. government refused to renew the visas of staff.

The U.K. Treasury revoked the company's business license and seized around W5 billion worth of funds and real estate (US$1=W1,099).

In May, U.K. authorities raided the companys office in London because they believe the insurance payouts it received were used to develop North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles.

It apparently won more than US$280 million in payouts from foreign insurers in London from 1996 to 2006 for droughts and floods, helicopter crashes, sinking ferries and train wrecks.
International investigators say a Malaysian airliner that crashed over eastern Ukraine in July 2014 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile that was transported into the country from Russia.

The findings released Wednesday confirm an earlier investigation by the Dutch Safety Board that concluded Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was brought down by a Russian-made Buk missile, a claim Russia has denied.

"It may be concluded MH17 was shot down by a 9M38 missile launched by a Buk, brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation," said Wilbert Paulissen of the Dutch National Police.

Paulissen said evidence shows that pro-Russian rebels requested the deployment of the surface-to-air missile to the village of Pervomaysk and reported its arrival in eastern Ukraine.

But Russia has dismissed the Dutch-led investigation as subjective.

"Russia is disappointed that the situation around the investigation of the Boeing crash is not changing," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement. "The conclusions of the Dutch Prosecutor's office confirmed that the investigation is biased and politically motivated."

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov told the Interfax news agency, "All of the data presented today at the briefing by the investigation team has two main sources: the Internet and security services of Ukraine. Therefore, doubts are bound to be raised over the objectivity of this information, and, correspondingly, the conclusions based on it."

Zakharova said Russia offered to assist in the investigation but the investigators "removed Moscow from full participation," relegating Russia to only a "minor role."

In a move aimed at preempting the new findings, Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters earlier Wednesday that Russian radar data proved that no rocket was fired from within territory held by pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine.

"The most important thing in today's report is that the circle is narrowing and perhaps next year the international commission of inquiry will name the perpetrators of the crime," Bogdan Petrenko, deputy director of the Ukrainian Institute of Extremism, told VOA. "Probably, after a final conclusion, it will be possible to take the Russian Federation to court. Of course, we are talking first and foremost about the relatives of the victims of the downed Boeing."

"The investigation, a trial in this case, is very important for Ukraine. It makes it possible to sue Russia according to several international conventions," political analyst Olesya Yakhno-Belkovskaya told VOA. "One involves support and financing of terrorism. The results of the investigation of this tragedy are, in particular, proof of Russia's actions in the east of the country -- support and funding of military operations against Ukraine."

The U.S. Department of State said the findings support Secretary of State John Kerry's statement days after the attack that the plane was downed by a BUK missile that was launched from an area controlled by Russian-backed rebels.

"While nothing can take away the grief of those who lost loved ones on that tragic day, this announcement is another step toward bringing to justice those responsible for this outrageous attack," said State Department spokesman John Kirby.

Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed rebels were engaged in intense fighting in eastern Ukraine at the time of the crash.
BAYONNE -- A lawsuit filed against the 79-year-old driver in last year's fatal crash at a Wendy's restaurant has been settled for $1.2 million, an attorney in the case confirmed yesterday.

On Feb. 19, 2015, Elizabeth M. Garcia, then 78, drove her BMW through a window at the eatery on Lefante Way and struck 89-year-old John Ruiu, who died from his injuries two and a half weeks later.

Jody M. Ruiu-Geisert, the daughter and estate executor of John Ruiu, subsequently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Garcia in Monmouth County Superior Court in June.

The suit claimed that John Ruiu "suffered physical and emotional injuries, considerable pain, anguish and suffering and permanent injuries, which ultimately caused his death." The lawsuit also states that his family was forced to "expend monies for (his) treatment and care" and suffered "other monetary and economic losses."

The suit also named Garcia's husband, Guillermo J. Garcia, as a co-defendant in the case.

The lawsuit had accused him of "negligently, carelessly and/or recklessly entrust(ing) his/their motor vehicle" to Elizabeth Garcia.

Ruiu-Geisert's attorney, Peter Chamas of Woodbridge-based law firm Gill & Chamas, said yesterday that the suit was settled earlier this month.

The Ruiu and Garcia families couldn't immediately be reached for comment regarding the settlement.

Elizabeth Garcia did not face criminal charges following the crash and was only cited for careless driving, which she was found guilty of last September. She received the highest penalty for that violation -- a $200 fine.

Surveillance video of the crash, shown at Garcia's trial on the careless driving charge, showed her SUV pass through a line of people waiting at the Wendy's counter. It also showed that after the car crashed, Garcia put it in reverse and backed up less than a foot.

Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj.
ROBBINSVILLE -- A Mercer County judge issued a temporary restraining order against the town Tuesday, ruling the township council improperly voted against developer Washington Woods' performance bond last week.

The ruling allows work to resume on the property, a 220-acre plot on Robbinsville-Edinburg Road that has been the scene of protest in recent weeks as Washington Woods' work crews started clearing land.

The town wants to preserve the entire plot as open space.

One of the people who stood in front of backhoe recently during one of the protests was Mayor Dave Fried, who said Wednesday he was disappointed in the ruling, but that the town would move forward.

Fried said he and residents who went onto the land simply wanted to save the trees that the developer was clearing because he's confident the town will eventually own it, and preserve it.

The the township council earlier this year approved a resolution to seek the open space tax increase question to the November ballot. If that passes, the town can raise the money to buy the tract and preserve it as open space.

"When it's all said and one, this is going to be a good win for the taxpayers," Fried said Wednesday.

The issue entered the courts last week and Mercer County Judge Paul Innes issued an order ahead of last Thursday's township council meeting, in which he laid out how he might rule.

The order said the owner, Washington Woods LLC, needed to post an $834,000 restoration bond - to allow work to start - and the township would would vote on approving it via resolution.

Innes said he would revisit the issue Tuesday, but if the township "improperly" denied approval of the bond he anticipated the restraining order would be filed against Robbinsville.

And if the developer did not file appropriate documentation with the town, or the council rightfully rejects it Thursday evening, Innes could side with the township and stop the land clearing.

The council voted 5-0 at the meeting against approving the bond.

Neil Yoskin, Washington Woods' attorney, said the township council's Thursday meeting basically turned into a referendum on the land and recent activities on it, not the performance bond and paperwork - which were all in line.

"The judge focused on that," Yoskin said.

The matter returns to court in late October for Innes to decide if the restraining order should remain.

Washington Woods LLC has previously been granted permission to build 50 homes on the tract, town officials and Yoskin said.

If the 50 homes are built, Yoskin added, 166 of the 220 acres will still be preserved.

Last week, Mercer County pledged $2 million to assist Robbinsville in buying the 220 acres in the form of grants through the county's Municipal and Non-Profit Grant Program.

Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes, in a statement, has said the acquisition was important for Robbinsville, and geographically significant as it relates to other county lands and projects nearby.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
TRENTON -- Almost six years ago, a Liberian immigrant and U.S. Army veteran was kidnapped, killed and stuffed in the trunk of a car. Five suspects were later charged in connection with the crime

On Wednesday, attorneys completed jury selection for three of the suspects - Mack Edwards, Phobus Sullivan and Danuweli Keller.

Opening statements are expected to begin on Monday.

Dardar Paye fought for the U.S. military in the 1990s, serving tours in Iraq and Kosovo. He also served in the New Jersey National Guard. He was found dead in Trenton in 2011.

The three men are charged with killing Dardar Paye, 33, of Maplewood. His body was found in the trunk of a car following a police chase in Trenton on Jan. 16, 2011.

The three suspects were also accused of kidnapping and robbing Alfonso Slaughter three months before Paye's slaying. The trio will be tried for both incidents as soon as jury selection is complete.

It's a long time coming for the case, which Superior Court Judge Robert Billmeier called, "the oldest case in Mercer County," during a status conference in court earlier this year.

Paye received public attention in 2010 for his legal battle against deportation, which was chronicled in a Star-Ledger newspaper story.

A teenage refugee from war-torn Liberia, Paye ran afoul of immigration authorities after being convicted on weapons and drug charges. Despite his military service, he was to be deported under a 1996 federal law that expanded the crimes under which a non-citizen could be removed from the country.

Authorities have said Edwards, Sullivan and Keller are accused of first carjacking and kidnapping Slaughter on Oct. 31, 2010.

Mercer County prosecutors have said the three men took Slaughter to a basement of a house on Monmouth Street, where they tied him up and robbed him before Slaughter managed to escape.

Three months later the three suspects, along with a fourth man, Abdutawab Kiazolu, kidnapped Paye and held him in the same basement where they robbed him before shooting him to death, prosecutors allege.

After the pursuit, authorities said Sullivan was driving the car and Edwards was a passenger.

From top left, Phobus E. Sullivan, 27, Abdutawab Kiazolu, 22, Danuweli Keller, 23, and Mack W. Edwards, 25, all of Trenton have been charged in the slaying.

Police also stopped a van, which they believed was connected to the car. Keller was driving the van with Kiazolu as a passenger, prosecutors have said.

All four men were indicted on counts of murder, felony murder and weapons charges for the slaying.

A fifth man, William Daquan Brown, was indicted on felony murder charges in connection with the incident. Prosecutors have said Brown was present for the robbery and kidnapping of Paye, but not the killing itself.

Kiazolu and Brown, who were only accused of playing a role in Paye's kidnapping and not Slaughter's, have since been severed from the court proceedings.

Their cases are being handled separately from the trial of Edwards, Sullivan and Keller.

Brown is already in prison serving a 50-year term for the September 2008 slaying of Tracy Lamont Crews in Trenton.

And Sullivan is already serving a 20-year prison term for the December 2010 slaying of Andrew Leonard, also in Trenton.

Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman.
TRENTON -- A Philadelphia man who forced a 15-year-old girl into prostitution and tried to use her for blackmail in Bordentown was sentenced to prison Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement.

Samuel "Dre" Verrier, 38, was sentenced to eight years behind bars Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Trenton.

District Judge Michael A. Shipp imposed the sentence after Verrier pleaded guilty to a charge of, "procuring the interstate travel of a person to engage in illicit sexual conduct for the purpose of financial gain," the office said.

Verrier also ordered Verrier to have a lifetime of supervised release and ordered to pay $60,000 to the teen victim.

The plea deal and sentence are just the latest in a case that started in 2011 when the 15-year-old girl was forced into prostitution in upstate New York by a man named Wilbur Senat, who threatened her family and made her move to Philadelphia, authorities have said.

There, she was abused by Senat and another man, Varian Charles, and trafficked again, authorities have said.

In August of 2011, Verrier became a sort of pimp for the victim, forcing her into prostitution again in various spots around the city, the statement said Wednesday.

For two weeks Verrier gave the girl drugs and alcohol and carted her around bars and strip clubs, ordering her to have sex with men for money, according to the statement.

It wasn't until September of 2011 that Verrier and his co-defendant, Karl Venord were discovered in New Jersey when they tried to use the teen girl for blackmail.

The attorney's office said the men told the 15-year-old to go up to a man in a Bordentown parking lot, seduce him and photograph any sexual encounters they had. The goal was for Verrier and Venord to use pictures to extort money from the man, the statement said.

But Verrier and Venord were caught after the man declined sex with the teen and a witness in the parking lot called police.

In January of 2014, Senat, Charles, Verrier and Venord were all indicted on various counts for sex trafficking the child, authorities have said.

Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman
MLB: New York Mets at Miami Marlins

New York Mets starting pitcher Bartolo Colon (Steve Mitchell | USA TODAY Sports)

Bartolo Colon hasn't been immune from the wave of injuries that has engulfed the Mets' starting rotation this season.

The 43-year-old right-hander is dealing with a tendon issue in his foot, according to a report from Mike Puma of the New York Post. Manager Terry Collins told the Post that Colon injured his foot while running on the bases in the last two weeks.

The injury is not expected to sideline Colon for his final start of the regular season on Saturday in Philadelphia, though the Mets could choose to rest him or abbreviate his outing if they've clinched a Wild Card berth by then, per the report.

Colon is 14-8 with a 3.42 ERA this season but lasted only 2 1/3 innings against the Miami Marlins on Monday, allowing seven runs on eight hits. It was his shortest start of the year.

Maria Guardado may be reached at mguardado@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @mi_guardado. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
New York Mets v Miami Marlins

Jose Reyes #7 of the New York Mets celebrates with teammates after scoring a run during the game against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park on September 27, 2016 in Miami, Florida. (Rob Foldy | Getty Images)

MIAMI -- The Mets retained their place atop the National League Wild Card standings Tuesday night by defeating the Miami Marlins, 12-1, at Marlins Park.

Behind a dominant effort from ace right-hander Noah Syndergaard and home runs from sluggers Jay Bruce and Yoenis Cespedes, the Mets maintained their half-game lead over the San Francisco Giants and their 1.5-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals with four games left to play.

"It's real encouraging," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "We've got four to go. We've just got to play them out."

The Giants beat the Colorado Rockies, 12-3, to keep pace in the tightly contested race, while the Cardinals handed the Cincinnati Reds a decisive 12-5 loss.

The Mets now have an 89.5 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to FanGraphs, compared to 68.7 percent for the Giants and 41.9 percent for the Cardinals. The Mets' magic number to clinch a Wild Card berth is down to four.

Here's a look of the updated standings as of Wednesday morning:

METS (84-74)

Four remaining games

Sept. 26-28 at the Miami Marlins

Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at the Phillies

Road games remaining: Four

GIANTS (83-74)

Five remaining games

Sept. 27-29 vs. the Colorado Rockies

Sept. 30-Oct. 2 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Home games remaining: Five

CARDINALS (82-75)

Five remaining games

Sept. 26-29 vs. the Cincinnati Reds

Sept. 30-Oct. 2 vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates

Home games remaining: Five

Maria Guardado may be reached at mguardado@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @mi_guardado. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
NEW BRUNSWICK -- A Family Court judge issued a ruling reinforcing an early court order barring accused bomber Ahmad Khah Rahami from having any contact with a daughter he had with an ex-girlfriend, according to court papers released Wednesday.

Judge John Jorgensen in New Brunswick, in a ruling dated Tuesday, said Rahami's parenting time with the 9-year-old girl is suspended and he can not contact her without first obtaining a court order.

Jorgensen also again granted the mother, Maria, whose name is being withheld by NJ Advance Media, temporary sole physical and legal custody of the child, at least until there is a further court hearing and ruling.

The mother, who lives in Edison and has been to court a few times over several years concerning of custody and child support, is seeking to permanently end permanently end Rahami's custody rights.

The woman has said that Rahami has not seen his daughter in more than two years.

She has also said that she believes Rahami was "brainwashed."

Rahami, who also has a wife from Afghanistan with whom he has a child, is accused of planting bombs in Seaside, Elizabeth and New York City.

He remains in a hospital where he was taken after being arrested in a shootout with Linden police on Sept. 19 in which he was wounded. Rahami faces five counts of attempted murder for shooting at the officers in Linden.

Last week, the Union County Prosecutor's Office told a Superior Court that because of his wounds, Rahami remains incapacitated and has not been served with the charges pending against him.

Rahami also faces federal charges for the bombs in New York and New Jersey.

Tom Haydon may be reached at thaydon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
HOWELL -- A township woman who struck a deer while driving earlier this month had to kick the antlered buck to prevent it from jumping into her SUV after she pulled over on a Monmouth County road.

The woman's bizarre encounter with the deer was caught on a Howell police officer's dash camera.

Howell police Patrolman Nicholas Austin was driving on Oak Glen Road around 8 p.m. on Sept. 17 when he saw a deer cross the road several hundred feet in front of him, Detective Sgt. Christian Antunez, a spokesman for the Howell Township Police Department, said in a statement.

Not sure if a 2008 GMC Envoy driving in front of him struck the deer, Austin pulled over behind the vehicle to assist the driver, Ellen Sager.

As Austin pulled up, he witnessed the same deer run back across the road and try to enter the SUV after Sager opened the driver's side door.

Sager was still in the driver's seat and had to struggle with the buck, finally giving it a kick and closing the door quickly.

"It was mad, real mad," Sager said of the deer in an interview with News 12. "It happened so fast. I just grabbed a handful of antlers and tried to keep it from killing me."

Sager walked away from the encounter with a minor injury to her knee. The deer, however, died as a result of the impact with the car.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
NEWARK -- Over three days of testimony in the Bridgegate trial, chief witness David Wildstein has widened the circle of people he contends knew more than they have publicly admitted about the plot to close lanes on the George Washington Bridge.

Wildstein previously pleaded guilty to charges he orchestrated the plan to punish the mayor of Fort Lee for declining to endorse Gov. Chris Christie in his re-election effort. Wildstein is testifying on behalf of the federal government against Bridget Anne Kelly, the governor's former deputy chief of staff, and Bill Baroni, deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New Jersey.

Prosecutors have not charged anyone beyond Baroni and Kelly in connection with the lane closures.

Gov. Chris Christie

Chris Christie (file photo)

Wildstein testified Tuesday that he and Baroni, while speaking with the governor at a Sept. 11 memorial event in 2013, boasted about the traffic jams and the difficulties the lane closures were causing for Mayor Mark Sokolich, who had declined to endorse Christie for re-election.

Wildstein said he also told the governor neither he nor Baroni were returning Sokolich's phone calls, adding, "... you'll be pleased to know Mayor Sokolich is very frustrated."

Wildstein did not explicitly say on the stand that Christie knew the lane closures were meant to punish Sokolich, but he hinted at it as he cited the governor's apparently sarcastic response.

"Well, I'm sure Mr. Edge would not be involved in anything political," Wilstein said the governor told him, referring to Wildstein's pseudonym as the political blogger Wally Edge.

Christie on Tuesday reiterated he did not know about the retaliation plan, saying he has told "the absolute truth."

Bill Stepien

Stepien, who now advises Donald Trump's presidential campaign, was Christie's campaign manager leading up to the lane closures.

Bill Stepien (File photo)

Wildstein testified he informed Stepien ahead of the closures that they were planned as an act of political retaliation against Sokolich. The witness added, however, that he did not keep Stepien in the loop as the plan unfolded. Wildstein acknowledged Stepien also told him he did not want to be involved in Port Authority business.

In an email exchange with Wildstein after the closures, Stepien referred to Sokolich as an "idiot" and told him not to worry about early press coverage, authorities have previously revealed. Christie later dropped plans to name Stepien the state Republican Party chairman.

In a statement, a lawyer for Stepien reiterated his client "had no role in planning, approving, or concealing (Wildstein's) ill-advised scheme to close access lanes to the GWB."

Mike DuHaime

Mike DuHaime (File photo)

DuHaime was Christie's top outside strategist in the governor's re-election effort and in his failed bid for president. Wildstein testified Tuesday that he told DuHaime about the punitive aspects of the plan on Nov. 11, 2013, confirming early news stories suggesting the lane closures were political retaliation.

"I told Mr. DuHaime that others in the governor's office were involved ... (and that) I felt this story was going to go in a very bad direction," Wildstein testified. "I told him that this was political ... retaliation."

DuHaime expressed dissatisfaction with the plot, calling it a "very bad idea," and said he would have told Wildstein not to go through with it, the witness said.

When Wildstein told him he and Baroni had also informed Christie at the Sept. 11 memorial event, DuHaime responded the governor must have thought they were joking.

An attorney for DuHaime said Tuesday his client "has, at all times, told the truth when he has been questioned about this matter."

David Samson

David Samson (File photo)

Samson, the Port Authority's former chairman and a longtime Christie ally who once served as state attorney general, pleaded guilty to a bribery charge in July for using his considerable clout at the bistate agency to coerce United Airlines into providing a special flight to South Carolina, where Samson has a second home.

Wildstein testified he told Samson about the lane closures during the plot's planning stage and explicitly stated the motivation behind them: to create difficulties for Sokolich for declining to back Christie.

Samson has denied advance knowledge of the plot. He is scheduled to be sentenced on the bribery charge in December.

He could get a sentence ranging from probation to up to 24 months in prison, although the crime to which he pleaded guilty has a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, prosecutors said.

William "Pat" Schuber

William "Pat" Schuber (file photo)

Schuber, a former mayor, assemblyman and Bergen County executive, has served on the Port Authority's board of commissioners since 2011, when Christie appointed him.

Wildstein testified he viewed Schuber as a trusted Christie associate and emailed him on Aug. 29, 2013, to set up a meeting to discuss a "local Fort Lee/GWB issue."

The next morning, the two met at the River Edge Diner, where Wildstein told Schuber plans to create traffic in Fort Lee "come from the governor's office" and were intended to punish Sokolich for declining to endorse Christie, the witness testified.

Schuber denies the conversation took place.

"It's very surprising because I don't recall that at all and wouldn't have agreed to it," he told NJ Advance Media Monday.

Philip Kwon

Philip Kwon (File photo)

Kwon worked as a top deputy in the state Attorney General's Office before Christie nominated him to be a justice of the state Supreme Court. The nomination was derailed when lawmakers raised questions about his family's business dealings.

He soon found a job as deputy general counsel at the Port Authority.

Wildstein said he informed Kwon of the reason for the lane closures in the fall of 2013, after they occurred.

Kwon helped Baroni prepare for his appearance before a legislative committee investigating the lane closures. Baroni told lawmakers during the hearings the closures were part of a traffic study, a cover story swiftly determined to be false.

Staff writer Mark Mueller contributed to this report.

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or on Facebook. Follow NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
A 29-year-old Burlington County man is in serious condition at a Boston hospital after being assaulted outside an Massachusetts strip club Tuesday night, authorities said.

The Squire in Revere, Mass. A 29-year-old Burlington County man was badly beaten outside the strip club last night, authorities said. (Google)

The man, who was apparently intoxicated, got into a fight with bouncers from The Squire when he was kicked out at about 10 p.m., the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said in a joint news release with Revere police.

A police officer in the area saw a group of people outside the club and found the Browns Mills resident unconscious on the ground with a head injury.

The man is in serious but stable condition at Massachusetts General Hospital, officials said.

The strip club is about eight miles northeast of downtown Boston.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Following petitions, complaints and a public hearing where residents across South Jersey complained about their phone line and internet service, Verizon has submitted its plan to the state to remedy the situation.

Verizon submitted the letter to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities on Sept. 19 -- mapping out its plan to install fiber optics in certain communities, install equipment to help with internet performance and invest in the copper phone line infrastructure that has drawn complaints from residents about their unreliability. Upset residents filed their complaints and were able to express them in person to New Jersey and Verizon officials at an Aug. 4 public hearing in an Estell Manor school building in Atlantic County.

"Verizon will continue to make proactive investments in South Jersey building on the more than $100 million we have invested in recent years alone and we will continue to work to provide the best customer experience in a highly competitive environment," the Verizon letter states.

The complaints come from 17 rural towns in Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties. Cumberland County led the charge, collecting customer complaints and petitioning Verizon to install fiber optics in the rural towns or at least better maintain the existing copper lines.

Complaints include customers being stuck using dial-up internet, unreliable service and an inability to connect to the outside world through phone or internet.

State Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-1) helped set up the public hearing in Estell Manor and has been in discussions with Verizon and the state.

"I want to be clear that this is important progress, but it is not enough to ensure appropriate service for our residents," Van Drew said. "Families in South Jersey deserve access to the 21st century technology that is afforded to people across the state and affects everything from education to business and the safety of our communities."

Comments and complaints filed at the hearing were taken into account by Verizon, according to its letter to the Board of Public Utilities. According to the letter, the company received 273 complaints and resolved all of them -- barring 27 complaints from non-Verizon customers and three complaints that did not include adequate information.

Prior to Verizon's letter to the BPU, the Division of Rate Counsel sent a letter to the board asking for Verizon's issues to be addressed. The Sept. 7 letter points to the testimony from the public hearing.

"Although Verizon claims that it has maintained its services metrics throughout the region, over 200 customers, residential, commercial and municipal appeared at the Aug. 4 public hearing to testify regarding the persistent lack of service and of Verizon's consistent disregard toward their service repair calls," states the letter from Division of Rate Counsel Director Stefanie Brand. "This is the state of daily living for these customers, and not an odd or sporadic post storm occurrence. The testimony demonstrates a disconnect between the information Verizon has provided to the board and the significant and persistent lack of service provided to Verizon customers throughout the 17 towns."

The first part of Verizon's plan is to bring fiber lines to approximately 900 households in the Lower Alloways Creek area through the Bona Fide Retail Request Program, which is one way for towns to apply for broadband services. The project began earlier this year and is expected to take nine months. Estell Manor and Weymouth are also in the Bona Fide Retail Request Program process.

The second part of Verizon's plan is to increase bandwidth in Estell Manor, Weymouth and Maurice River Township -- which should increase internet speeds. The installation of additional remote terminals will improve service for 450 households. Verizon is also looing at making similar improvements in 2000 households in Upper Pittsgrove, Downe, Commercial, Mannington, Pilesgrove and South Harrison townships.

The final part of Verizon's plan is to invest $300,000 into maintaining the copper landline infrastructure that had allegedly been neglected by the company. The replacing of cables is expected to take place by the end of this year in Estell Manor, Weymouth, Upper Pittsgrove, Pilesgrove, Upper Deerfield, Commercial and Hammonton.

Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
FBI data released this week shows that even though the murder rate in New Jersey is slightly up, overall crime rates continue to nosedive.

According to the new 2015 data, there were 363 murders in New Jersey - up from 349 the previous year. The slight bump increased the rate to 4.1 murders per 100,000 residents.

The same statistics showed that murder rose nationwide last year at the fastest pace since 1990.

However, the murder rate in New Jersey is still slightly below what it has been for the last five years. In 2013, the murder rate in the state reached a peak of 4.5 per 100,000 residents before it fell to 3.9 per 100,000 the following year.

The good news is that both the overall violent and non-violent property crime rates in New Jersey are continuing their downward trajectory.

The data shows that there were 22,879 violent crimes in 2015 - down two percent from the previous year. The rate fell from 261.2 violent crimes per 100,000 residents to 255.4 in 2015.

Violent crimes include murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

Non-violent property crimes in 2015, which include burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft, are down in New Jersey a significant six percent from 2014.

The rate in New Jersey - 1626.5 property crimes per 100,000 inhabitants in 2015 - has been in freefall since 2011 when it was 2151.

Besides murder, only three other crime categories were up in 2015: rape, aggravated assault and motor vehicle theft.

In particular, reports of rape were up 6 percent from the previous year.

In 2013, the FBI started reporting new revised rape statistics that expanded what had been the standard definition of rape.

The report also included crime statistics for individual law enforcement agencies. We created a searchable database so that you can look up your town or municipality and find out if violent crime has gone up or down in 2015.

Not all law enforcement agencies reported 2015 data to the FBI report. For example, two big omissions are the Newark and Camden police department.

In April 2017, the New Jersey State Police is set to release its 2015 statistics which will include all statistics from all law enforcement agencies in the state.

Also, be careful when ranking towns to each other. There are many reasons why towns similar-sized towns can have different crime rates. For examples, if the citizens are more likely to report crimes to law enforcement, the rates may be higher, but it's not necessarily because there is more crime.

In addition, shore towns have a huge boost in population during the summer weekends compared its actual populations. This can manifest in a higher crime rate.
NEWARK--As the Bridgegate scandal rapidly spiraled out of control, David Wildstein testified he began telling people in the governor's inner circle the truth.

He told Michael Drewniak, the governor's press spokesman, on Dec. 4, 2013, three months after the lane closures. He then told Charles McKenna, the governor's chief counsel, that the lane reductions had been his idea, Wildstein said on the stand Wednesday, his fourth day of testimony.

Gov. Chris Christie has repeatedly said he didn't learn about the George Washington Bridge lane closure political revenge scheme until the infamous "time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee" email was made public in January 2014. But by the time Wildstein, the admitted mastermind behind the plan, agreed to resign from the Port Authority a month earlier, he said he informed multiple members of Christie's senior staff about the scheme.

Wildstein, a former Port Authority executive, told jurors on Wednesday that he specifically informed Drewniak that the lane closures were an act of political revenge.

He described Drewniak as being "quite upset," telling Wildstein he planned to tell Christie's then-chief of staff, Kevin O'Dowd, what he had learned.

Wildstein, admitting the "stories were out of control," offered to resign.

He said he met with McKenna on Dec. 6.

"What did you tell Mr. McKenna?" he was asked.

"Mr. McKenna asked me if I would be amenable to resigning and I told him that I was," he replied.

"Did you tell Mr. McKenna that the lane reduction had been your idea?"

"Yes, I did," Wildstein said, who did not testify that McKenna was told why the lane closures were put into play, or that it was politically motivated.

Reached by telephone Wednesday night, McKenna said Wildstein "told me he was responsible for the lane reductions as part of a traffic study."

The latest statements came a day after Wildstein testified he spoke in person with Christie's top political consultant, Michael DuHaime, the details about the plot in November 2013 - two months after the September lane closures. Another former top Christie aide, former campaign manager Bill Stephen, was also in the loop, Wildstein testified.

Bill Baroni, then the deputy executive director of the Port Authority, and former Christie aide Bridget Anne Kelly, were both indicted in connection with the politically-motivated scandal, which was aimed at intimidating Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich by flooding his streets with traffic, after he told campaign officials he would not endorse Christie for re-election. The two are on trial in federal court in Newark, charged with conspiracy and fraud.

In his testimony, Wildstein said that after the lane closures ended, he realized he was in trouble when he got a call on his cell phone from a reporter who had been digging into the matter.

A cover story had been issued by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey -- which operates the bridge -- that the four days of toll lane shutdowns, which began on Sept. 9, 2013, were part of a traffic safety study. The story was a lie. But Wildstein, who had planned the closures, had yet to be directly tied to the incident and admitted the call had spooked him.

"I realized with that phone call that I was now linked to the lane closures with a reporter," he testified. He said he quickly alerted Baroni.

"Jesus. Call Drewniak," Baroni responded.

Christie press secretary Michael Drewniak testifies before the New Jersey Legislative Select Committee on Investigation at the Statehouse on the George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal in May 2014 (Tony Kurdzuk | Star-Ledger file photo)

Wildstein said Drewniak at that point did not know what had sparked the lane shutdowns.

As the story grew, the legislature began an investigation and Baroni agreed to testify on Nov. 25, 2013.

The day before he appeared, he texted a photo to Wildstein of Winston Wolf, the Harvey Keitel character from the movie "Pulp Fiction," whose job it was to clean up the bodies.

It was an inside joke, Wildstein testified. A couple months earlier at a Sept. 11 memorial ceremony at the World Trade Center site, Christie had referred to Wildstein as Mr. Wolf.

"Mr. Baroni was going to Trenton to fix the problem," said Wildstein told assistant U.S. attorney Lee Cortes.

The governor, meanwhile, initially made light of speculation that the lane closures were intended as political retribution.

"I worked the cones. Unbeknownst to anyone, I was working the cones," Christie joked during a Dec. 2 Statehouse news conference.

Two days later, however, Wildstein said he went to Drewniak.

"I told him that the stories were out of control. That it wasn't going away. That I ought to resign and take responsibility. I told him that others in the governor office were involved and approved the plan," he testified. He said he told Drewniak the purpose of the lane closure, and that it was political.

The next day, he said he spoke to McKenna and agreed to resign.

But at a Dec. 19, 2013, statehouse news conference, Christie admonished reporters for pressing him on why Baroni and Wildstein had hired criminal defense lawyers. He called any suggestion that a crime had been committed just a "sensationalized characterization."

"I think, quite frankly, at the end of this, you and your paper will owe an apology to Sen. Baroni and Mr. Wildstein," Christie said, speaking to a reporter from The Wall Street Journal.

An attorney for Drewniak said he had not been in court and was not in a position to comment on the testimony, but said the former press spokesman had been questioned extensively by the legislative committee that investigated the lane closures. "He answered all their questions truthfully and completely and he stands by each of his responses," said Anthony Iacullo of Nutley.

For much of the morning Wednesday, federal prosecutors in the Bridgegate trial focused on the alleged conspiracy to cover up the plot as it began to unravel. They questioned Wildstein about the widening circle of lies that came out of the Port Authority to hide the truth from the press, the public and Democrats who had launched a legislative investigation into what happened at the bridge.

Wildstein, a high-level Republican political appointee to the Port Authority, testified about efforts to get Port Authority Police union officials to say they came up with the fake safety study. Baroni appeared before a legislative committee in November and focused on an admittedly bogus claim that the three toll lanes at the bridge dedicated to local traffic out of Fort Lee was unfair.

When he finally was forced to tell the truth, Wildstein said the governor's staff did not treat him as a pariah.

"My expectation is that I would relax and play some sort of role in advancing Gov. Christie's political future," he testified. "I had been told by others that I was still on the governor's team and still valuable as a member of the team -- that the governor was happy I had stepped up and stood up for the team."

Defense attorneys got their first crack at Wildstein on Wednesday, with Michael Baldassare, who represents Baroni, beginning his cross examination, challenging whether Wildstein had told the whole truth to federal law enforcement officials and his claims of friendship with Baroni.

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or on Facebook. Follow NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
Our next President, people, could be a man who rejects the view of the scientific community that global warming is real and one of the greatest threats facing our planet, and says it's a hoax created by the Chinese.

It reminds us of South African President Thabo Mbeki, who rejected the scientific consensus that AIDs was caused by a virus and could be treated by drugs -- because he believed it was manufactured by the U.S. in military labs.

Conspiracy theories have consequences. Mbeki's denialism was directly responsible for the avoidable deaths of more than a third of a million people. Now we see the same magical thinking from the Donald.

Even as he was denying ever having said climate change was a Chinese hoax, a Tweet in which he said exactly that was being re-shared thousands of times. His campaign manager has since tried to walk this back, by arguing Donald Trump believes climate change is "naturally occurring," but not man-made. Please.

Trump - a man who embraces all manner of conspiracy theories - has repeatedly dismissed climate change as a "hoax" in easily-searchable Tweets, like this one from 2014 in which he said: "Global warming is a total, and very expensive, hoax!"

And he hasn't changed any of his policy positions. He still wants to tear up the Paris accord that nearly 200 nations committed to, and rescind President Obama's Climate Action Plan. He's named the most notorious climate denier in the country, Myron Ebell, to his transition team.

Clinton, on the other hand, is listening to the scientists who warn that if we don't take action to fight global warming, there will be more drought, floods and rising sea levels. Yet Trump's campaign manager told CNN this week that on the topic of climate change, "We don't know what Hillary Clinton believes, because nobody ever asks her."

Really? What about the global climate change and clean energy initiatives she supported as Secretary of State? "I think the science is real," Clinton said in Monday's debate. "And here's what we can do. We can deploy half a billion more solar panels. We can deploy enough clean energy to power every home. We can build a new modern electric grid. That's a lot of jobs."

Or, we can elect a president who denies the science like he did Obama's birth certificate, and reverses every positive step we've taken.

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If you're going to impeach the governor, don't wait.

That's what long-time syndicated columnist Richard Cohen urged New Jersey lawmakers Wednesday in his column -- to act fast so they'll still have time to impeach Gov. Chris Christie before his time in office runs out.

"Someone ought to get this thing going," Cohen wrote for the Washington Post. "Christie ought to be impeached if only for choosing idiots as aides."

Sound familiar? Cohen echoes a column Montclair State University political science professor and commentator Brigid Callahan Harrison wrote for The Star-Ledger last week, in which she said if the governor knew about the lane closure on George Washington Bridge in 2013, he should be impeached.

Under oath at the Bridgegate trial Tuesday David Wildstein, who pleaded guilty as the mastermind behind the lane closures in Fort Lee, said Christie knew about the traffic jams because he bragged about it to him.

At the core of Cohen's plea: No one should have to die for Christie's political ambition. He pointed out how commuters stuck on or near one of the world's busiest bridges were put in danger because Christie's cronies were allegedly exacting political payback on Fort Lee's mayor after he refused to endorse the governor's reelection.

He brings it all home arguing that if Wildstein was being truthful Tuesday, then Christie should be removed from office -- for poor judgement.

"The contempt for the people of the state, for the hapless motorists and for the oxygen-deprived residents of Fort Lee is surely a cause for impeachment," Cohen concludes.

Christie has consistently refuted the allegations that he knew about the lane closings at the time, defending himself again on the radio Tuesday night.

"I knew nothing about the lane realignments before they happened, I knew nothing about lane realignments as they happened, and I had nothing do to with the planning and the authorizing of it," Christie said on New Jersey 101.5-FM

Meanwhile, back here in New Jersey, Ledger political columnist Tom Moran wrote over the weekend that no matter if it's proven that Christie lied, impeachment is unlikely:

"We're running out of time. The trial could drag to Thanksgiving; the Assembly could take months to impeach, and the Senate months more to try him."

It's probably why Cohen wrote with such urgency.
Congress finally reached an agreement on a water resource bill Wednesday that would authorize -- at long last -- at least $170 million for the people of Flint, Mich.

But it should be noted that the aid wasn't there just a few days ago - it took a dizzying parliamentary dance to secure the necessary relief for 100,000 citizens, including 9,000 children poisoned by toxic lead - so the actions of some Congressional foot-draggers should not go unaddressed.

The Senate version of a spending bill that included funding for Flint had sailed through by a 95-3 margin on Sept. 15, even though Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) took time to blast Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) for dismissing the Flint crisis as "other people's grief."

Cassidy, who apparently is without shame, had no trouble demanding $500 million in emergency flood relief for his home state, however.

But behavior in the House was far worse: Its spending bill didn't even include Flint aid, because Speaker Paul Ryan preferred to put it in a water resources bill. And it wasn't until Wednesday that he placated Democrats by authorizing money for Flint, but he won't appropriate those funds until after the lame duck session opens after Election Day.

It seems that Congress needs more help these days balancing austerity with humanity.

They also need a reminder how this started, with Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder ramming an "emergency manager" law through his Republican legislature, essentially ending representative government in poor cities like Flint and putting all decisions in the hands of people accountable only to that governor.

One of those decisions was to send Flint River water to the city through corroded pipes. The administration knew this was going on, and the people of Flint were "getting blown off by us," according to a July 2015 email written by the governor's chief of staff.

By then, thousands of young people were already sentenced to lives of mental and emotional damage.

In the end, Snyder got to keep his job, even after his own task force found that race and poverty played a key role in his administration ignoring and covering up the problem for more than a year.

Now we all pay for it, as we must. And though Congress helped us narrowly avoid a more disgraceful fate, this disgrace will never be washed away.

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By John S. Wisniewski

New Jersey is now in its third month without the resources to fund our transportation infrastructure. All but emergency road repairs have been halted.

Thousands of New Jersey residents who would normally be taking home paychecks and contributing to the state's tax revenues have been left without work while our roads and bridges continue to deteriorate.

With negotiations between Gov. Chris Christie and legislative leadership at a stalemate, it's time to find a temporary solution to address the immediate concern -- putting people back to work fixing crumbling roads and bridges.

It appears our best option is to borrow the funds needed to put this work back on track. By borrowing to fund roadwork for the next two years, we can solve our immediate problem and offer the opportunity for a more sustainable long-term solution under new leadership for our state.

All sides in this debate recognize that the program needs new revenues. Most also agree that a hike in the gasoline tax is a fair way to raise those revenues. Drivers would pay in proportion to their use of the roads and approximately one third of the tax would be paid by out of state drivers. The stumbling block has been at what cost.

Over the past few months the legislature has debated two different versions of legislation to increase the gas tax. Neither proposal could secure support from the governor and majorities in both houses. The main problem is extortionate demands by the governor to gouge an enormous hole in the state's budget in exchange for his support.

While borrowing to provide a temporary patch for the Transportation Trust Fund is far from ideal, with no long-term solution on the horizon it may be the only responsible option available.

Over the last 10 years, the state has appropriated $1.6 billion per year in state funds for the state transportation system. These funds have been derived from a combination of bond revenues, contributions from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and dedicated revenues from gas taxes and the sales tax.

Currently, all of these resources have been exhausted.

The state's agreement with the Port Authority for capital program contributions ended in the last fiscal year. That funding was redirected from the ARC tunnel, which the governor had cancelled. The agency is not in a financial position to continue providing the State with contributions because of its need to financially support the new Gateway Tunnel and a new bus terminal. All current constitutional and statutorily dedicated revenues from the gas taxes and sales tax are fully committed to the repayment of debt service on borrowing the trust fund made in previous years.

Trust fund money has always been used as a tool to borrow to construct infrastructure projects. This has been considered a reasonable approach to funding infrastructure because these are largely durable projects with significant lifespans. Just as a homeowner generally would not fund the entire cost of building a home up front, the State does not fund the full cost of a bridge up front.

Borrowing $1.6 billion per year for two years would provide the trust fund with the resources it needs to fund our transportation capital needs over the next two years. For each $1.6 billion in borrowing, the State will need to pay approximately $100 million per year for the next 30 years to pay off the bond. It would cost the state approximately $200 million per year for the next 30 years to fund the TTF for the next two years through borrowing.

This TTF funding plan can be accomplished by increasing the dedication of sales tax revenue to the TTF from $546 million this year to $646 million and then $746 million in the next fiscal year and for the balance of the bond payments.

It's time to pull the plug on negotiations over a long-term plan for the Transportation Trust Fund. The legislature should act now to borrow funding for the next two years. While not ideal, it would solve our immediate problem and carry us through until new leadership offers a better prospect for a responsible, long-term strategy to fund our infrastructure.

Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski (D-Middlesex) is deputy speaker and chairman of the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee.

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Chris Christie

Christie answered a listener question on his decision to terminate a tax agreement with Pennsylvania during his "Ask the governor" radio segment Tuesday evening. (Mel Evans | AP Photo)

(Mel Evans/AP Photo)

TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie said Tuesday that a nearly four-decade old tax agreement with Pennsylvania has allowed wealthy residents from across the river to "game the system."

The governor has called for an end to that reciprocal tax agreement, which allows New Jerseyans and Pennsylvanians working across state lines to pay taxes where they live, rather than where they work.

Each state has about 120,000 residents who work in the other.

Terminating the deal is expected to bring in another $180 million annually in tax revenue to Trenton, and cost Harrisburg about $5 million a year. Christie announced earlier this month that he was withdrawing from the agreement in order to bring in revenue.

Higher income Pennsylvania residents working in New Jersey, which has a top rate of 8.97 percent, are likely to pay much more without the agreement in place. Pennsylvania has a flat 3.07 percent income tax rate.

In an example provided by the nonpartisan Office of Legislative Services, Pennsylvanians earning $1 million a year in New Jersey will see their state income tax liability more than double from $30,500 to $72,658.

At the same time, many low- and middle-income New Jerseyans who commute to Pennsylvania will pay more.

New Jerseyans earning $80,000 at their Pennsylvania job would go from paying $1,645 to $2,440, according to OLS. The estimate doesn't take into account additional local income taxes owed if that individual worked, for instance, in Philadelphia.

Christie said Tuesday on his 101.5 "Ask the Governor" radio program that the reciprocal tax agreement was "not good policy" because it singled out one section of the state for "a special tax break."

"People across the state in north Jersey and coastal southern New Jersey could very well ask why do we have a tax compact with Pennsylvania, which allows wealthy people to work in New Jersey, to live in Bucks County, and to pay no income tax in New Jersey."

Even so, the governor said he was content to leave it alone.

"The only reason I had to do this is because the Legislature didn't balance the budget," Christie said. "If you're going to be angry about it, email (Senate President) Steve Sweeney and (Assembly Speaker) Vinnie Prieto, who put a phantom $250 million in savings in the budget for health care costs for public workers and then did not give me the ability to be able to achieve those."

The budget passed by the Legislature in June assumed the state would come up with $250 million in cuts to public worker health care but did not identify those savings or mandate them.

Christie had asked that the Legislature add language giving the state's health care committees a deadline to approve $250 million in health benefits savings. And if they didn't act, state officials would find those cuts for them.

"Either the Legislature comes back and gives me the tools to get the savings that they promised in their budget for health care, or the compact is gone," he said.

The governor also blamed New Jersey's largest teachers' union for standing in the way of cost reductions. Members of the New Jersey Education Association who sit on a committee overseeing public worker benefits refused to attend meetings to block votes on benefits changes.

The state took the representatives to court over their absences, but lost in its effort to force their attendance.

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
Armstrong Airport gets no bids to build hotel at new terminal